THe Greeke Sages (as Plu­tarch doth report) for the daily direction of their liues, Plutarch. apoth. were wont to write vpon the wals and pillars of their Temples certaine short Sentences or Apothegmes, (such as these are, Know thy selfe, Vse moderation, Beware of suretiship, and the like) as speciall Memoratiues and Remembrancers. I know no fitter Apothegme for such a purpose to be [Page 2]vsed amongst vs Christians in these so vnquiet times, then this short me­moratiue concerning Quietnesse. A sentence short, but sweet, like vnto Habbac. 2.2 Habbacucks vision, necessarie to be written and made plaine vpon Tables, that he may runne that readeth it. And surely it were to be wished that this present Apothegme were often prea­ched in our Temples, proclaimed in our streets, written vpon our poasts, painted vpon our walles, or rather engrauen with the point of a dia­mond vpon the tables of our hearrs, that we might neuer forget it. As Io­nah in his preaching to the Niniuites walked from street to street a whole daies iourney, preaching nothing but this short warning, Ionah 3.4. Yet fortie daies and Nini [...]eth shall be destroied; so haue the Preacher of the word at this day iust cause in their Sermons to goe from man to man, and day after day [...] their eares this short but [...] Alarum, M. Latimer in a [...] be­for [...] [...]. 5. Studie to bee quiet. And [...] her Latimer blessed Mar­ [...] sometimes said of his short Text against couetousnesse, Take heed and [Page 3]beware of couetousnesse, Take heed and beware of couetousnesse, Take heed and beware of couetousnesse: and what (saith he) if I should say nothing else for three or foure houres space, but, Take heed and beware of couetousnesse? I could not vrge it too often: So may I say of this present Text, being a Caueat against vnquietnesse, Studie to be quiet, Stu­die to be quiet, Studie to be quiet: and if I should preach of nothing else this fiue or six weekes (as I thinke I shall doe no lesse) if I should continually iterate these words, Studie to be quiet, I cannot vrge it too much, or speake of it enough.

That we may the better perceiue the occasion of these words, The cohe­rence and maine scope of the words. and so diue more soundly into the deapth of the matter therein contained, we must take notice of some abuses and disorders common amongst the Thessalonians, which caused the Apo­stle to write vnto them these two Epi­stles. To omit other vices among these Thessalonians too notorious (as will appeare in the tenour of both these Epistles) Idlenesse and Enuie [Page 4]were the most outragious: against both which the Apostle in both these Epistles, but principally in this pre­sent verse, doth bend the current of his speech. There were among these Thessalonians some 2. Thes 3.11 [...]. idle bodies, who would not busie themselues about any necessarie worke, but liued like drones vpon the sweat of other mens labours. These our Apostle sharply reproueth in the latter end of this verse, commanding them to worke with their owne hands. There were o­thers too pragmaticall, Ibid. [...]. busie bodies, intermedlers in other mens affaires. These our Apostle checketh in the middle of this verse, willing them to doe their owne businesse. And because they could neither busie themselues as they should, nor auoid more busi­nesse then they would, so long as they gaue way to their vnquiet reso­lutions, therefore, in the beginning of the verse, before either of those two profitable admonitions, he pro­poseth this most necessarie motion: Studie to be quiet.

The occasion of the words being [Page 5]thus explaned (that the words them­selues in the maine substance and proper subiect of them may more fully be opened) we may obserue in them these two circumstances. The diuision of the words.

1. A vertue commended, To bee quiet.

2. A dutie commanded, Studie for it, Studie to be quiet. Of each of these, 1. seuerally (and that in a word) for the better vnderstanding of the words: and secondly of them both iointly (and that more at large) for the substance of the words, and in­struction which we may learne ther­hence. First of the first, the vertue commended.

To be quiet.

I call quietnesse a vertue: Quietnesse what it is. Aristot. Ethie. 8. lib. for that very Title is giuen vnto it by Philo­sophers in expresse tearmes, and in the Scriptures by 1. Pet. 3.4. [...]. words to the same effect. We may thus define it: Qui­etnesse is a peaceable disposition of the minde, abstaining from all occasions of offence to it selfe or others, either in thought, word, or deed.

By this definition (or rather de­scription) [Page 6]of quietnesse wee may be­hold, The seat of quietnesse. 1. the seat or originall of quiet­nesse, a peaceable disposition of the minde. The minde is the seat of eue­rie vertue. And vnlesse that same [...], 1. Pet. 4.3. the hid­den man of the heart, be disposed to­wards quietnesse, vnlesse there be a Ibid. meeke and quiet spirit, it is impossible to be quiet. 2. The matter of quiet­nesse, an abstinence from offences: for so [...]. the word heere vsed doth im­plie a cessation from what may dis­quiet (as Etymologists doe deriue it) and so S. Conrad. Gesner. in Nomenciat.Iames doth deliuer the para­phrase of quietnesse, Iam. 1.21. A lai­ing aside of all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse. Iam. 1.21. 3. The obiect of vnquietnesse, either our selues or o­thers. Men disquiet themselues ei­ther by causelesse conceit of offence offered, when it is not, by being too Rom. 1.19. suspicious; or by too much taking to heart on offence when it is offered, being too 2. T [...]m 3.3. furious. Men disquiet o­thers, either by offering occasion of offence, by being 1. Thess 4.6. iniurious, or by too bitter seeking reuenge of offence, [Page 7]being too Rom. 1.30. litigious. Men doe both disquiet themselues and others when they continue in their sinnes without repentance, as Eliah told Ahab, 1. King. 18.18. 1. King. 18.18. It is thou and thy fathers house that troubleth Israel. 4. The parts of quietnesse, in thought, in word, in deed: for there is an vnqui­etnesse in the minde, Mich. 2.1. Mich. 2.1. A minde deuising iniquitie and wor­king euill before the act. There is an vnquietnesse in the tongue, Iam. 3.6. Iam. 1.6. The tongue defileth the whole bodie, and setteth on fire the course of nature, it selfe being set on fire of hell. There is an vnquietnesse in the hand, when the hand (as it is Psal. 26.10.) Psal 26.20. is full of mischiefe. There is an vnquietnesse in the foot, when Rom. 3.15. the feet (as it is Rom. 3.15.) are swift to shed bloud. There is an vnquietnesse in the e [...]e and in the eare, when (as it is Eccles. 1.8.) Eccles. 1.8. The eie is not satisfied with see­ing, nor the eare with hearing. I omit instances in the rest. And that I seeme not too prolix, I reduce all the parcels of the practise of quietnes into these three parts.

• 1. Quietnesse of the heart.
• 2. Quietnesse of the tongue.
• 3. Quietnesse of the hand.

Quietnesse of the heart.Quietnesse of the heart is a meeke and peaceable disposition of the minde, not 1. Tim 6.10 coueting, but Philip. 4.1. con­tenting; not 1 Tim. 6.4. enuying, but Galat. 5.22. reioi­cing; not swelling with 2. Tim 3.3. pride and selfe-conceitednesse, but Luk. 18 4. relenting with humilitie and lowlinesse; not 1. Tim. 6 4 suspitious or euill credulous, but 1. Cor. 13.5.7. taking things in the best part, lo­uing and propitious; not Rom. 1.30. teastie and prone to wrath, but Iam. 3.17. peaceable, gentle, easie to be intreated. That is a quiet heart, which Zach. 8.19. loueth peace, and Mat 5.9. longeth after peace, and Psal. 122.6. prai­eth for pe [...]ce, Rom. 14.19 laboureth for peace, Eph. 4.3. and endeuoureth to keepe peace.

Quietnesse of the tongue.Quietnesse of the tongue is a mild, modest, and peaceable ordering of the speech, when our words are not Eccles. 5.1. rash, but Pro 10.32. reasonable; not Pro. 18 13. hastie, but Pro. 25.11. seasonable; not Pro. 15.1. greeuous, but Coloss. 4 6 gratious; not Rom 12.19 prouoking, but Iudg. 8.3 ap­peasing; not [...]sal 39.1. offensiue but to good purpose. That is a quiet tongue, which is [...] 1 [...]9. slow in speaking, Tit. 3.2.3. meeke [Page 9]in speach, Math. 7.1. sober in censuring, Pro. 15.1. soft in answering, Galat. 6.1. milde in reproouing, Psal. 109.4. faithfull in defending, and Psal. 39.1. feare­full of offending.

Quietnesse of the hand. Quietnesse of the hand is a peace­able carriage of our selues in all our actions, Galat. 5.12. not disturbing the peace of others but Eph. 4.3. preseruing it, not 2. Ioh. 9. op­posing our selues against others but Math. 5.9. composing the variance and dissen­tion of others, not Rom. 16.17. offending o­thers, but 1. Cor. 1.12. endeauoring to keepe a good conscience. This is Quietnesse of the hand, when a man Pro. 17.14. abstain­eth from medling, is 1 Thes 4.6. iust in his dea­ling, is free from Leuit. 25.14. wronging Leuit. 19.35. de­frauding, and 1. Thes. 4.6. deceiuing.

By this breife surueies we may see what it is to be Quiet, A corrolarie. and wherein Quietnesse doth consist. To con­tract the substance of it into a few words. To be Quiet (if we take no­tice of it by negatiues) is thus much in effect. Not to trouble our selues with stirring thoughts, not to trou­ble others with needlesse suites, not to entermeddle with other mens bu­sinesse, not to aduenture vpon rash [Page 10]attempts, not to offend others with prouoking tearmes, not to take of­fence at others actions, not to giue eare to idle tales, not to contend without iust cause, not to sow dis­cord, not to seeke reuenge. Or (if we would rather take the description of it by affirmatiues) thus. To be Quiet is to haue a meeke heart, a contented minde, a charitable eye, an affable tongue, a peaceable hand, a sociable gesture, a neighborly be­hauiour: to be Quiet is to iudge cha­ritably, to speake louingly, to con­uerse freindly, to put vp wrongs pa­tiently, to wrong no man willingly. This is the substance of the vertue here commended, in the next place we are to take a veiw of the dutie en­ioined, or the affection towards Quietnesse required.

Studie to be Quiet.

I call it a dutie, What is meant by stu­dying after quietnesse. because it is heere required at our hands, nay more, commaunded, yea more then that enioyned vnto vs, as a mark at which [Page 11]we must alwaies aime, as a prize for which wee must alwaies striue, as a [...] treasure which we must alwaies seek. For so the word here vsed, doth im­port an earnest affection and lon­ging after a thing most admirable. Old translat. Beza. operam alacriter date. Vatabl. in hoe incumbite. Piscator. tan­quam honora­bile quiddam existimate. Some translations read it thus, Vse all diligence that you may be Quiet; O­thers thus, Labor with all alacritie to be Quiet; Others thus, Striue for this with might and maine that ye may be Quiet: Others thus, Count it an honorable labor and endeauor to be Quiet. The Phrase here vsed in our new and most exquisite Translation (Studie to be Quiet) doth include all the rest, alluding both to the loue which we should beare vnto it, and our longing after it, and our labor to procure it, and our care to keepe it. And it is as much as if hee should haue said, Let this be your desire, let this be your endeauour, let this be your labor, let this be your honor; vse all good meanes, trie all good waies, put in practise all good pollicies, where­by ye may leade a life in peace and quietnesse.

Studie to be Quiet.

The words of the Text being thus seuerally opened and explaned, The Doctrine let vs in the next place consider of the substance of them iointly, and what they propose vnto vs for our instru­ction. This may briefly be contra­cted into this one doctrinall propo­sition.

Euery good Christian ought to be of a peaceable and quiet conuersation.

This proposition both Testimony of the Bible, example of the faith­full, and euidence of Reason will plainly confirme vnto vs, if we note it (as we ought to do) with diligent and intelligent attention.

And first for Scripture testimonie to this purpose, Scripture proofe. the booke of God is verie full of it, in so great a field of varietie I will make but a gleaning. The present text doth plainely en­force it: 1. Thes. 4.11. Studie to bee Quiet; The same our Apostle to the same Thessa­lonians in his latter Epistle, Chap. 3. vers. 12. doth more forcibly inioyne [Page 13]it, 2. Thes. 3.1 [...]. We commaund and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye worke with Quietnesse. Here is both a precept peremptorie for it, Mandamus, wee commaund it, and a perswasion pa­theticall to imprint it, [...], We exhort you by the Lord Iesus that ye put this dutie in practise. Besides this of Paul we may heare the admo­nitions of other both Prophets and Apostles, Zach. 8.19. Loue Peace, or, Zach. 8.19. Quietnesse; There is for our affecti­on. Psalm. 34.14. Psal. 39.14. Seeke peace and quietnesse, there is for our action, 2. Tim. 2.22. 2. Tim. 2.22. Follow Peace, there is for our imitation. Eph. 4.3. Eph. 4.3. Endeauor to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace, there is for our estima­tion, Mark. 9.50. Mark. 9.50. Haue peace one with another; there is for our conuer­sation. Would we all of these in one, obserue what is written Rom. 12.18. Rom. 12.18. If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, haue peace, with all men.

Thus you see what a cloud of wit­nesses wee haue to confirme the ne­cessitie of Quietnesse vnto vs, Examples of Quietnesse. I might compasse you about with a [Page 14]cloud of examples likewise to this purpose. I might propose vnto you the patterne of quiet Abraham thus setling quietnesse betweene his owne Familie and Lots Genes. 13.8. Genes. 13.8. Let there be no striefe I pray thee, betweene me and thee, nor mine and thine, for we are brethren. I might tell you of quiet Ioseph perswading his brethren vnto Quietnesse Genes. 45.24. Gen. 45.24. See that yee fall not out by the way. I might tell you of Quiet Moses of whom it is said, Numb. 12.3. Numb. 12.3. Now Moses was the meekest man aboue all that was vpon the face of the earth 2. Sam. 16.. I might tell you of Quiet Dauid, whose patience when by railing Shinei it was much prouoked, and 2. Sam. 16. the Sonnes of Zeruiah did egge him on to seeke reuenge, 2. Sam. 16. re­solued notwithstanding all this, to be Quiet. I might tell you of Quiet Iob thus setling himselfe to quietnes, Iob. 40 5. Iob. 40.5. Once haue I spoken, but I will doe it no more, yea twise, but I will proceede no further. I might tell you of Quiet Paul thus protesting of his quietnesse, 1. Thess. 2.7. 1. Thes. 2.7. We were [Page 15]gentle, or Quiet among you, as little children. But what neede I instance in multitude of examples, seeing he who is the example of examples, sendeth vs to his owne example, Learne of mee (saith the Mirror of the world) [...], Math. 11.29. That I am meeke. Math. 11.29.

Thus haue wee both precept and example to mooue vs to be Quiet. Euidence of Reason. Now (because a threefold cord is not easily broken) let vs in the third place see it confirmed by euidence of reason, Eccles. 4.12. wherein if we proue not altogether vnreasonable wee shall finde sufficient motiues to stirre vs vp to the carefull performance of this dutie, whither we consider

• 1 The Equitie of it.
• 2 The Excellencie of it.
• 3 The Profit by it.
• 4 The Hurt if we neglect it.

And 1. for the Equitie of it, The Aequiti [...] of it. It is a matter of right and equitie that euery good Christian should studie to be quiet: 1 Because there is a kinde of Anti­thesis betweene blessednesse and vn­quietnesse, 1. Pet. 3.10, What man is he who loueth [Page 16]life and would faine see good daies, let him refraine his tongue from euill, and his lips from guile, 1. Pet. 3.10. Se­condly, They who would haue their consciences assured that they are Gods children, must be quiet, for Mat. 5.9. Blessed are the peacemakers, they shalbe called the children of God. Thirdly, seeing true Christians are Luk. 10.6. the sonnes of peace, and 2 Cor. 13.11 serue the God of peace, who Ioh. 14.27 hath left vs his peace, promising euerlasting peace to Luk. 19.38. them that loue peace, it is their dutie even of equity, to studie to bee quiet.

But if the equitie of this dutie cannot perswade vs to be quiet, The excellen­cie of it. yet let the excellencie thereof mooue vs to embrace it. For it is an excellent ornament to a man to be of a quiet Spirit. It is an excellent ornament vnto him, First, in the sight of men, Ecce quam bonnm & quam iucundum, Psal. 135.1.Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell toge­ther in vnitie, Psal. 135.1. Secondly, It is an excellent ornament vnto him in the sight of God, 1. Pet. 3.4. A meeke and [Page 17]quiet Spirit is in the sight of God [...] a precious thing. Thirdly, It is better then strength; Pro. 16.32. He who is slow to anger is better then the mightie, and he who ruleth his spirit, then he that taketh a Cittie, Pro. 16.32. Fourthly, It is better then wealth; Pro. 15.16. Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasures with trouble, Pro. 15.16. Fiftly, It is better then great dainties, Pro. 17.1. Better is a drie morsell and quietnesse therewith then an house full of dainties with strife, Pro. 17.1. Sixthly, It is better then pleasures; Pro. 15.15. A merry heart hath a continuall feast, Pro. 15.15. Therefore seeing a quiet life is better then pleasure, better then treasure, better then dainties, better then strength; Seeing God doth so ap­proue of it, and men so much com­mend it, what a forcible motiue is this, that wee should Studie to bee quiet.

But if the excellencie of this ver­tue cannot moue vs, The Profit of it. yet let the vtili­tie or profit of it allure vs. For it is a very profitable thing to liue in quiet­nesse. First, It is profitable to the [Page]purse, Pro. 21.5. The thoughts of men that are quiet tend to pleuteousnesse, Pro. 21.5. Pro. 24.34. It buildeth the house and filleth the chambers. Pro. 24.34. It is profita­ble to the health, Pro. 14.30. A quiet heart is the life of the flesh, Pro. 14.30. Pro. 15.30. It maketh fat the bones, Pro. 15.30. Thirdly, It is profitable to the good Name, Pro. 14.29 He that is slow to wrath is of great vnderstanding, Pro. 14.29. Pro. 24.26. E­uerie man shall kisse his lippes that giueth a quiet answere, Pro. 24.26. Fourth­ly, It is profitable to the Soule, Pro. 16.17. He that keepeth his way preserueth his soule, Pro. 16.17. It preserueth the soule from Galat. 5.21. Enuie, debate, strife, se­dition, and from other fleshly lusts 1. Pet. 1.11.which fight against the soule. Seeing then that Quietnesse is so profitable to the name, to the purse, to the bo­die and to the soule, what an effectu­all motiue should this be vnto vs, to Studie to be quiet?

But if neither the silken reason of Aequitie can perswade vs, The hurt from the neglect there­of. nor the siluer reason of Excellencie mooue vs, nor the golden reason of profit allure vs, yet let theiron reason of [Page]perill and danger happening vpon the neglect thereof enforce vs vnto quietnesse. For it is a most vnseemely, diuelish, dangerous, and damnable thing to be vnquiet. First, It is vnseem­ly. For it sauoreth of no religion, Iam. 1.20. The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God, Iam. 1.20. It maketh a man vnsociable, Pro. 22.24. Make no friendship with an angrie man, and with a furious man go not, for he wilbe a snare vnto thee, Pro. 22.24. It is better to dwell Pro. 25.24.in the corner of an house top, better to dwell Pro. 19.13.where is a continu­all dropping, better to dwellPro. 21.19.in the wil­dernesse then with a contentious person. Secondly, It is diuelish; for so Iam. 1.5. The originall of it is said to be Iam. 1.5. earthly, sensuall, and diuelish. It filleth a man full of sinne. So Pro. 29.22. Pro. 29.22. A furious man aboun­deth with transgression. And Iam. 3.16. Iam. 3.16. Where enuying and strife is, there is con­fusion and euery euill worke. Thirdly, It is dangerous, hurtfull to others, Pro. 26. [...]1. As coales are to burning, and wood to the fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife, Pro. 26.21. But most hurtfull [Page]to the vnquiet person himselfe, Pro. 11.17. It troubleth his owne flesh, Pro. 11.17. Pro. 11.29. It troubleth his owne house, Pro. 11.29. Pro. 14.30. It impaireth his owne health, Pro. 14.30. Pro. 25.8. It impeacheth his owne good name, Pro. 25.8. Pro. 21.23. It endangereth his owne Soule, Pro. 21.23. Fourthly, It is a damnable thing, These sixe things (saith Salomon) doth the Lord hate yea seuen are abomination vnto him, Pro. 6.16.17.18.19.A proud looke, a lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, An heart deuising wicked imaginations, Feete that be swift in running to mis­chiefe, a false witnesse that speaketh lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren, All which euill properties we may finde in an vnquiet man; his heart wil euer be deuising wicked imaginations, his lookes are proude and ambitious, his tongue is false and slanderous, his hands melling and factious, his feete swift to make debate, his daily practice is to sow discord. Therefore an vnquiet man is one whom God doth hate, if God do hate him, his estate is fearefull; Heb. 10.31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the [Page 21]hands of the liuing God, Heb. 10.31. Therefore studie to be quiet.

By this little which alreadie hath beene declared, Application of the former Doctrine. may sufficiently ap­peare what a proper, pleasing, and profitable a thing it is to be Quiet, and on the contrary side, what a base, sordid, dangerous and damnable a thing it is to liue an vnquiet life. Now in the next place by way of ap­plication, let it be set vpon the Con­science.

And first of all, let this serue for the comfort of their soules who loue Quietnesse and studie to be Quiet. For the com­fort of Quiet persons. Math. 5.9. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God, Mat. 5.9. Canst thou in sinceritie take vp Dauids Motto, Psal. 120.7. Psal. 120.7. I am for peace, doth thine heart long after quietnesse? dost thou endeauour to behaue thy selfe in quietnesse? dost thou seeke quietnesse and ensue it? Loe then, to the comfort of thine owne Soule an euident testimonie that thou art the childe of God. For Rom. 16.20. God is a God of peace, and the more men are addicted vnto quietnesse, [Page 22]the nearer they come vnto the image of God. Galat. 9.19. Vnquietnesse sauoreth of the flesh, but peace and quietnesse is a Galat. 5.22. fruit of the Spirit, and sauoreth of the Rom. 8.6. wisedome of the Spirit, Rom. 8.6. Art thou quiet, and dost endeauour as much as in thee lieth to liue a quiet life? Thou shewest hereby the fruits of religion, that thou art not an vn­profitable hearer of the word of God; for where religion doth rule the heart, there peace and quietnesse beare sway. Isay. 2.4. They breake their swords into plowshares and their speares into pruning hookes, Isay. 2.4. And men will Zach. 9.10. speake peace one towards an other, Zach. 9 10. Dost thou studie to bee quiet? It is a signe that thou art wise, for Pro. 17.14. the beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water, therefore leaue of contention before it bee medled with, Pro. 17.14. Pro. 20.3. It is an honor for a man to cease from strife, but euery foole wilbe medling, Pro. 20.3. Art thou peacea­ble and of a quiet disposition? That is the way to thriue well; Psal. 122.6. They shall prosper that loue peace, Psalm. 122.6. Thus where quietnesse is, there God [Page 23]is, where God is, there religion is, where true religion is, there onely wisedome is, where wisedome is, there prosperitie is; therefore happy are they who are quiet, and let euery one who loueth God or goodnesse, wisedome or warinesse, health or happinesse, Studie to be quiet.

But woe vnto thee who art vn­quiet; For the terror of vnquiet Persons. It is an euident signe of appa­rant wickednesse. For, to whom is it that the Prophet Esay threatneth this disease of vnquietnes? is it not to wicked persons? Isay. 49.22. There is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked, Esay. 49.22. It is a signe thou art irreligious; if any man would seeme to bee reli­gious. and refraineth not his tongue (and so likewise all other instru­ments of vnquietnesse) Iam. 1.26. his religi­on is vaine, Iam. 1.26. Thou must needs be full of sinne, Pro. 29.22. for a furious man aboundeth with transgression, Pro. 29.22. Thou canst looke for no fa­uour at the Lords hands, for ^t they who are of a froward heart are abomi­nation to the Lord, Pro. 11.20. Thou art a very foole, for Pro. 14.17. he that is soone [Page 24]angrie dealeth foolishly, Pro. 14.17. Ibid. 29. He that is hastie of spirit exalteth folly, Pro. 14.29. There is no hope vnto thee of thrift, For Pro. 17.20. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good, Pro. 17.20. Vnquietnesse is like to glut­tonie and drunkennesse, Pro. 23.21. Which will bring a man to pouertie and cloath him with ragges, Pro. 23.21. It will lade thee with trouble, and bring thee vn­to miserie, For Pro. 19.19. a man of great wrath shall suffer punishment, though hee be deliuered yet will he fall into it againe, Pro. 19.19. Now then consider this with thy selfe, vnquiet man, or wo­man, what a gulfe of woes thou dost wilfully throw thy selfe vnto; Thou dishonorest God, thou offendest thy neighbour, disquietest thy selfe, thou disclaimest religion, disgracest thy profession, thou impairest thine own health, thou blemishest thy good name, thy neighbor is the worse for thee, good men are sorrie for thee, euill men take example by thee, the Angels note thee, the Deuils laugh at thee; what a shame is this vnto thee? what a madnesse and phrensie [Page 25]in thee? Art thou a Christian? didst thou euer learne this in the Schoole of Christ? dost thou obserue this in the practise of the faithfull? O no, but thou hast it euen of thy father the deuill: for Ioh. 8.44. He was a murtherer from the beginning. Vnquietnesse is Iam. 1.20. earthly, sensuall, and deuillish. The Pro. 17.14. beginning of it is perillous, the Pro. 22.5. pro­cesse of it greeuous, and the 2. Sam. 2.26. end of it will be in bitternesse. Therefore if thou hast in thee any feare of God, any soundnesse of religion, any sparke of conscience, any regard vn­to thy good name, any loue vnto thine owne soule, studie to be quiet.

Lastly, For a directi­on to euery one concer­ning quietnes. seeing quietnesse is so com­modious, and vnquietnesse so dan­gerous, let euery good Christian long after and labour for a quiet con­uersation. And let euery one that readeth this, in the name and feare of God applie it to himselfe. Mat. 6.6. Enter into thy closet, Psal. 4.4. Commune with thine owne heart, 2. Cor. 13.5.examine thine owne selfe. Call thy selfe after this manner to account: How doe I feele my selfe affected towards quietnesse? How [Page 26]doe I studie to bee quiet? Haue I neuer beene vnquiet? Haue I neuer been too teastie and prone to wrath? Haue I not beene too suspitious? Haue I not beene too litigious? Haue I not beene too enuious? If thou findest that in any of these at any time thou hast ouer-shot thy selfe, (as who sometimes in some of these doth not slip ouer shooes?) then thus lament it, and lay it to thy soule: Ah, Lord God, how wicked haue I beene? what a vile wretch am I, thus to giue way vnto Sathans sug­gestions, and mine owne vnruly pas­sions? Now Lord giue mee more wisdome to looke vnto my waies, more grace to haue thy feare before mine eies, more zeale in mine affecti­ons, more power to resist temptati­ons, more patience in time of prouo­cations. And let euery one take no­tice of his owne infirmities, whether hee be of a nature more passionate then is fit, whether he be teastie and cholericke, whether too suspicious or froward in any course. And as he seeth his owne weaknesse, so let him [Page 27]vse the more diligence in auoiding the occasions which may distemper him, and vsing the best remedies which may reforme him. Of which remedies and helpes to further vs in the practise of quietnesse, more shall be spoken at large in its proper place. Before which let vs take a little view of the generall want of quietnesse, and of the common motiues which mooue vnquietnesse, that so the wound being opened, the plaister for the healing of it the better may be applied.

In laying open the generall want and defect of quietnesse, The want of quietnesse. what words (or rather sighs) shall I vse? Ier. 9.1. O that mine head were waters, and mine eies fountaines of teares, that I might weepe day and night for the vnquietnesse of our times, and for the vnquietnesse of our people. For these times in which wee liue are the last and worst times, those perillous vnquiet times foretold by the Mich. 7.2. Prophets and 2. Tim. 3.1. Apostles; Qui­etnesse is perished out of the earth: and quiet persons are rare birds. Men are headie, high-minded, fierce, make­bates, [Page 28]prone to take things at the worst: they are briers and thornes: they hunt euery man his brother with a net. In what place soeuer wee liue, we may say with Dauid, Psal. 120.6.Woe is me that I soiourne in Mesech and dwell in the tonts of Kedar, with enemies of peace. Looke wee into the Church? There wee shall finde vnquietnesse. Looke we into the common-wealth? There wee shall finde vnquietnesse. Looke wee into priuate families? There wee shall finde vnquietnesse. Looke we into a mans most priuate selfe? There we shall finde much vn­quietnesse.

Vnquietnesse in the Church is ap­parant principally in these three Horse-leaches which sucke the bloud of the Church, Vnquiet per­sons in the Church. o Pro. 30.15. Heretickes, Schisma­tickes, and Sacrilegists. Heretickes will not liue at quiet in the Church: for like the Deuill their father they will be euer plotting mischiefe and sowing tares. And of all Heretickes none more vnquiet then the Papists: for they (like their forefathers the Pharisies) are neuer quiet, but Math. 23.15. com­passe [Page]Sea and Land to make a proselyte of their religion, and so twofold more the childe of perdition. And of all Pa­pists none more vnquiet then the Ie­suites: for they are neuer quiet, but like the Reu, 16.13. Frogs comming out of the Dragons mouth, Reuel. 16.13. They are euer croaking, setting kingdome against kingdome, children against their parents, subiects against their Princes, plotting pouder-mines, hatching homicides [...], breathing bloud of Kings, ruine of States, and bringing all out of quiet whereso­euer they come. 2. Schismatickes, I meane those who are the 1. Cor. 3.3. authors of diuision, as that word is vsed, 1. Cor. 3.3. for they will neuer be at quiet, Plin. lib. 10.39 but (like Plinies [...]) alwaies stir­ring, like the factious Galatians, Galat. 5.15. euer biting and galling. And of all Schis­matickes none more vnquiet then the Separatists: for they (like S. Iudes Planets) are Iude. 13. wandring starres, ro­uing and raging. Heere they cannot be quiet, but post beyond the Sea to Amsterdam: There they cannot bee quiet, but are at diuisions amongst [Page]themselues. 3. Sacrilegists, for they cause much vnquietnesse in the Church. They are neuer quiet, but (like wilde boares) breake downe the hedge of the Lords inheritance, Ps. 78.12.13 and plucking at euery branch of the Le­uites portion. And of all Sacrilegists none more vnquiet then Church-pa­trons: Psal. 79.1. for they content not them­selues to creepe into Gods inheri­tance, and to take the houses of God into their owne possession, but (like Psal. 104.35 Catterpillers) pill the barke off the trees in the Sanctuarie, and make it bare. But to none of these sorts of vnquiet persons in the Church (as I hope) I now speake: and if these words should happen to sound in any of their eares, or this Treatise should happen to come into their hands, I haue little hope that they would be quiet. And therefore I were as good be quiet, and turne my speech to the discouerie of another sort of vnquiet persons, vnquietnesse in the Common-wealth. Vnquietnesse in the Com­mon-weale.

Where, which way shall we turne our selues, but we shall see and heare [Page]much vnquietnesse? Looke wee into the Court? In Court. (Let it be spoken with­out offence) What secret enuyings, what open oppositions, what deui­ces of politicians, what ambitious hunting after honours, what vnces­sant begging of Monopolies, what trickes of restlesse policies, what vn­quietnesse amongst Officers is there daily to be seene? Looke wee into the Courts of iustice, In Courts of Iustice. the very seats (as I may iustly call them) of quiet­nesse: and how are they fraught and pestred with vnquietnesse? O West­minster Hall, thou Oracle of iustice, and remedie of wrongs, if there were no other demonstration to conuince the vnquietnesse of these our times, thy very stones so worne out with the tracings of troublesome suiters and troubling Lawyers, thy very seats so frequently attended on with contentious causes and tedious suits, would proclaime vnto the world that the men of this world are much out of quiet. Looke we into our Vni­uersities, the Courts of learning, In the Vni­uersities. and Nurseries of wisdome, (then which, [Page]were it not for this blemish, Athens it selfe were not more Atticke) what fa­ctions in Colledges? what distracti­on in opinions? what opposition is there to be seene euen amongst fel­low Students? Looke wee into the Citie? In the Cittie. What emulation may we be­hold among Merchants? what enui­ing among Matrons? what prying among Officers? what quarrelling among Gallants? Come wee downe into the Countrie? What heart-bur­ning is euery where to be seene a­mong equals? In the Coun­trie. what grudging at su­periours? what scolding among neighbours? what sowing of discord by busie-bodies? what calling before Iustices? what complaining euery wherein our streets? Yea (which is more to be pitied) if wee looke but into priuate families, shall we not in most of them see much vnquiet­nesse? In priuate fa­milies. That which our Sauiour so long agoe did foretell of vnquiet times, we finde too lamentably veri­fied in our time: Math. 10.35. The sonne is at va­riance with the father, the father with the sonne: The daughter in law is a­gainst [Page 33]the mother in law, and the mother in law against the daughter in law. Looke we into most houses? we shall heare in them greeuous complaints. Heere wee shall heare one complai­ning of an vnquiet Wife, there ano­ther complaining of an vnquiet Hus­band, another complaining of an vn­quiet Parent, another of an vnquiet Childe, another of an vnquiet Master, another of an vnquiet Seruant; So rare a thing is Quietnesse; And yet more (which is most to be wondred at) how many a Man is out of quiet with Himselfe? In a mans pri­uate selfe. how many times in one and the same Man may we finde an vnquiet minde? how many bee there in the world, not Iam. 1.19. slow to anger (as Saint Iames doth aduise them) but Rom. 1.29. full of wrath (as Saint Paul re­proueth among men) peuish, fro­ward, teastie, headie, Heautontimoreu­menoi selfe vexers, disquieters, as if they had beene borne of waspe­broode, neuer Quiet, but (like mount Aetna) burning vp them­selues? Infinite were the euidence which I might alleadg of the want [Page 34]of Quietnesse in all sorts of people, persons, and places. It were endlesse to vndertake the ripping vp of the varietie of vnquiet Humors. Non mihi si Linguae centum sint oraque centum.

And therefore from this circum­stance I will briefly passe ouer vnto the next, from the obseruation of the want of Quietnesse, vnto the consi­deration of the cause; what the cause is why there is so much vnquietnes, what the reason is, why so few labor and studie to be Quiet.

In the handling whereof (for methode sake) we may reduce these causes or procurers of vnquietnesse into two sorts. The causes of vnquietnesse.

• 1. Principall.
• 2. Instrumentall.

The Principall Cause, or rather Causer of vnquietnesse is the Diuell, The principal Causer of vn quietnesse. for he is that same [...] that Math. 13.25.28. enemie Math. 13.25. and as hee is farther noted with this addition vers. 28. [...], that enuious man, [Page]who, whiles men sleepe, soweth tares of discord and vnquietnesse in their hearts. And the names which are giuen vn­to him doeintimate no lesse. Hee is called Psal. 12.24. Beelzebub, which signifieth a master of flies, because as flies are busie buzzing about men eares, so he is busie in buzzing vnquietnesse in mens mindes: he is called Reu. 12.10. Sathan, because he is an accuser of men, to God, to men, to themselues. He is called a Math. 4.2. Tempter, because he doth tempt and egge on one man against another. He is called Reu. 12.3. the great red Dragon, because he is full of wrath, and spitteth the poison of it vppon them that yeeld vnto his vnquiet motions. Neither is it maruell if this vnquiet Diuell bee so busie in sowing the seedes of discord and dissention in the mindes of men; For he was not quiet in heauen, but Iude. 6. lost his first estate, and l [...]ft his first ha­bitation; And since the time that he himselfe fell from heauen like light­ning, Hee Luk. 10.18. rageth here on earth like 1. Pet. 5.8. a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure. He as the grand Makebate [Page 36]and Master of misrule in the world goeth about to Reue. 12.9. seduce the world; He it is who throweth a bone of va­riance betweene the Husband and the Wife, as he did betweene Gen. 30.1 Iacob and Rahel, betweene Father and Sonne, as he did between 2. Sam. 15. Dauid & Absolon betweene brother and brother, as hee did betweene Gen. 37. Ioseph and his bre­thren, betweene friend and friend as he did betweene 2. Sam. 3. Ioah and Abner, betweene neighbor and neighbor as he did betweene Gen. 20. Abrahaem and Abi­melech. He is that Dauus which di­sturbeth all things, making the nati­ons drunken with the cuppe of Vn­quietnesse and impatience. When this Luk. 11.24.25. vncleane Spirit findeth a bootie fit for his purpose, hee taketh vnto him these seuen hellish Spirits who enter in and take possession of him. First, Orgilotes or Teastie snuffe, which vpon euery light occasion stirreth vp and pronoketh anger. Secondly, Eris or Quarrel-picker, which whet­teth the tongue with chiding and brawling, hiding the poison of Aspes vnder the lips. Thirdly, Acreco­lia [Page 37]or heart eater, which filleth the heart with the gall of bitternes and whetteth it on to malice. Fourthly, Picrotes or cholericke-Reuenger, which maketh him engraue wrongs and in­turies in marble neuer to be forgot­ten. Fiftly, Chalepotes or brasen bulk; which remooueth out of his bodie the fleshly heart and maketh him an heart of flint. Sixthly, Alecto or Malecontent, which maketh him fa­ctious and seditious. Seuenthly, Menis or furious franticke, Mat. 12.45. which ma­keth him perfectly outragious and mad: Now when a man hath all these seuen hellish Spirits in him (as it fareth with the vnquiet man) how can it be but that his latter end should proue worse then his begin­ning. Sathan dealeth with those whom hee allureth to vnquietnesse, as he dealt with the possessed childe, Mark. 9.18. Mark. 9.18. Hee taketh them and teareth them, and maketh them foame, and pine away. And as hee plaid his part with the two Psal. 120.5.6 Gergasens Math. 8.28 So he keepeth reuell-quoile in all vnquiet persons, maketh them so [Page 38]fierce that no man can conuerse with them, or liue peaceably by them. Consider this Psal. 120.56 you that dwell in Meshek and lurke in the tents of Ke­dar, enemies vnto peace, an euill spi­rit doth follow you, and an hellish furie haunt you, the Diuell intendeth a mischiefe towards you, and by this meanes he setteth it on you; what meanes you? will you suffer Sathan to leade you, possesse you, and to tyrannize ouer you? O pittie your owne Soules, take compassion vpon your selues, labor to come out of the paw of this ramping Lion, haue no­thing to do with him, Iam. 4.7. Resist the Diuel and he will flie from you, bid him Mat. 16.23. A­uaunt Sathan, Studie to be quiet.

From the principall cause or Cau­ser of vnquietnesse, The Instru­mental causes of vnquietnes. let vs in the next place take notice of the instrumen­tall cause thereof, what be the Diuels instruments, engins or means wher­by he doth worke vnquietnes; the which for methods sake, wee may ranke into these two classes.

• 1. Inward Motiues.
• 2. Outward Meanes.

We will first beginne with the in­ward motiues, Inward me­tiues to vit­quietnesse. that we may strike at the roote of this sinne and trace it to the very forme. That which S. Iames speaketh of sinne in generall, Iam. 1.14. Iam. 1.14. Euery man is tempted when he is drawen away by his owne concupiscence, and is entised; may bee particularly verified in this sinne of vnquietnesse, men become out of quiet, when they are drawne away by their owne con­cupiscence and are carried away with their inward lusts. Which the same Apostle in Iam. 5.1. another place pithily confirmeth, From whence (saith hee) are warres and contentions among you? Are they not hence euen of your lusts which fight in your members? So that the inward motiues to vn­quietnesse (as here wee see) are in­ward lusts: Now what these lusts are S. Iohn doth plainely demonstrate foorth vnto vs, 1. Ioh. 2.16. where wee finde them thus trichotomised. 1. Ioh. 2.16. 1. The lusts of the flesh. 2. The lusts of the eyes. 3. The pride of life. For the better vnderstanding of each where­of, as they are to be applied to our [Page 40]present purpose, we may thus subdi­uide them and assigne to each of them their proper parcels. Lusts of the flesh prouo­king to vn­quietnesse.

The lusts of the flesh.

Containeth vnder it

• 1. Anger.
• 2. Malice.
• 3. Enuie.

The lusts of the eyes.

Containeth vnder it

• 1. Couetousnes.
• 2. Curiositie.
• 3. Iealousie.

The Pride of life.

Vnder which

• 1. Vaine glory.
• 2. Hypocrisie.
• 3. Singularity.

of all these orderly, and of each of them as breifly as I may with any perspicuitie; And first of the lusts of the flesh which do prouoke vnquiet­nesse; And therein first of Anger.

Anger is a lust of the flesh (for so Anger. [Page 41]the Apostle doth repute it among the workes of the flesh, Galat. 5.19.) Gal. 5.19. and it is a stirring lust to vnquietnes, For so Pro. 15.18. Pro. 15.18. An angrie man stirreth vp strife. And againe, Pro. 26.21. Pro. 26.2 [...]. As the coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire, so an angrie man is apt to kindle strife. What was that which made Gen. 4.5. Caine so vnquiet; was it not Arger? Came was exceeding wrath (saith the Text) and his coun­tenance fell downe, Gen. 4.5. What brought Saul out of quiet with Iona­than? was it not Anger? 1. Sam. 20.30.Sauls anger was kindled against Ionathan, and that made him breake foorth into these vnquiet tearmes, Thou sonne of the peruerse and rebellious woman &c. What was it which brought Ionah so out of quiet with himselfe? was it not Anger? Ionah. 4.9.He was angrie (saith the Text) euen to the death. And what is the cause of most mens vnquietnes in these daies, especially of domesti­call vnquietnesse betweene Husband and Wife, Masters and Seruants &c. Is't not Anger? Aske wee the reason, when wee meete with such vnquiet [Page 42]people, what meane you thus to dis­quiet your selfe? what mooueth you to this vnquietnesse? Their answere commonly will be this, I am angrie; But let me reason with thee, (thou vnquiet person) as the Lord did with Ionah when he was in his vnquiet an­grie fit; Ionah. 4.8. Dost thou well to be angrie? If thou, with Ionah, reply, I do well to be angrie, for I haue iust cause, I am highly prouoked, I cannot forbeare; Let me (or rather the Apostle Iames) tell thee; Iam. 1.20. The wrath of Man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God, If thou farther reply (with Iob. 7.12. Iob) Am I a Sea? am I a Whale? am I a stocke or stone that I should beare this wrong? flesh and blood cannot en­dure it, the occasions to me offered would euen moue a stone; let mee intreat thee to remember thy selfe what thou art, or at leastwise wouldst seeme to be, a Christian, let Grace then ouer rule Nature, and Pietie preuaile ouer Passion; Iam. 1.19. Be slow to speake and slow to wrath; Rom. 12.21.Be not ouer­come of euill, but ouercome euill with good,Eph. 4.Let not the Sunne go downe vp­on [Page 43]thy wrath. Studie to be quiet.

The second lust of the flesh ten­ding to vnquietnesse is Malice, Malice. A worke of the flesh as the former, Galat. 5.20. Galat. 5.20. It differeth from Anger as the Habit from a Passion. Valerius Maximus doth thus distinguish them, Valer. Maxim. lib. 9. cap. 3. Anger at the setting foorth is the quicker, Mallice in continuance the longer. Augustin. Ira inueterata fit malitia, Illa turbat, hac eu­tingu [...]t, illa festuca, haec trabs est. And learned Augustine to the same purpose, Anger when it is of long continuance prouoketh mallice, Anger doth disturbe, malice doth destroy, An­ger is a moate, Malice is a beame. Therefore if Anger be a Disquieter much more Malice; Hence is it that the Apostle taxing the contentious carriage and vnquiet disposition of such as are giuen vp vnto a repro­bate sence, Rom. 1.29. setteth this downe as a prime cause of it, Rom. 1.29. They were filled with malice. And the A­postle Iames imputeth the originall of all filthinesse (and so by conse­quence of vnquietnesse) vnto a Iam. 1.21. su­perfluitie of mallitiousnesse, Iam. 1.21. What caused Nehe. 2.10. Semballat and Tobiah so troublesomely to disquiet the [Page 44] Iewish builders? was it not Malice? what was the cause that mooued the Scribes and Pharisies to be so vnquiet in vexing our Math. 27.18. Sauiour Iesus Christ, whiles he was here on earth? was it not Malice? Let Pilat himselfe bee the Iudge; He knew (saith the text) that of malice they had deliuered him to him. What was the cause of most of those troublesome suits commen­sed among the 1. Cor. 6.6. Corinthians, against which the Apostle inueigheth 1. Cor. 6.6. was it not Malice? And what is the cause in these our daies, why there is so much vnciuill ciuill dis­quietnesse, such heart-burning a­mong Neighbors, such crossings and oppositions betweene parties, such calling before iustices, such suying and seeking to vexe one an other for trifles: is it not Malice? I appease vnto the conscience whatsoeuer out­wardly may seeme a pretence. If mens hearts were not bigger then their suits, and Malice did not more prouoke then surmised wrongs, not one halfe of these Quarrells, Suites, and Contentions would bee set a [Page 45]broach which now are so rife and common in the world. But ô thou whosoeuer thou art, whom Malice doth thus whet on vnto vnquietnes, knowest thou how much thou offen­dest God, how much thou dost en­danger thine owne Soule? Though thou carriest the name of a Christian thou art indeed a professed Atheist, a man of no religion, for 1. Ioh. 2.11. hee that hateth his brother is in dark [...]nesse, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because darkenesse doth blinde his eies. 1. Ioh. 2.11. Take this to thy terror, Thou art a murtherer, 1. Ioh. 3.15. He that hateth his brother is a manslaier, 1. Ioh. 3.15. Nay more 1. Ioh. 8.44. Thou art of thy Father the Diuell, Ioh. 8.44. And (whiles thou continuest in this case) a very firebrand of hell and of damnation, Iam. 3.6. Sam. 3.6. If therefore these my words sound to the eares of any one whose conscience may iustly checke him for malicious vnquiet­nesse, and of vexing others out of a cankred desire of reuenge, I beseech such a one in the bowels of the Lord. nay more I require him vpon the pe­rill [Page]of his Soule, Iam. 1.21. To lay aside this fil­thinesse, this superfluitie of malitious­nesse, and to behaue himselfe with meek­nesse. And if he will not heare mee, let him hearken vnto the wholesome counsell of the blessed Apostle; 1. Pet. 2.1. Lay aside all malitiousnes and guile and dissimulation, and euill speaking. And that he may the better prepare himselfe thus to doe, let him follow the direction of an other Apostle, Colos. 3.12.13. Put on the bowels of mercy, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long suffering, forbearing one another, forgi­uing one an other, if any man haue a quarrell to an other, euen as Christ for­gaue you, so do yee.Vers. 14.Aboue all things put on Loue, if ye Studie to be quiet.

The third lust of the flesh which maketh men vnquiet is Enuie: Enuie. A worke of the flesh, Gal. 9.21. Galat. 5.21. As much more outragious then Malice, as Malice was then Anger, Pro. 27.4.Wrath is cruell, and Anger raging, but who shall be able to stand before Enuie, Pro. 27.4. Quietnesse hath no greater enemie then Enuie; Pro. 14.15. Enuie (saith the wise man) is rottennesse to the [Page]bones, Pro. 14.15. And (as Iob speaketh) Iob. 5.2. Anger killeth the foolish, and Enuie slayeth the Idiot, Iob. 5.2. Therefore Enuies portraiture in old time was painted thus: Ouid. meta­morph. 2. A withered bodie feeding vpon it selfe, hauing a pale face without blood, a leane body without Iuice, squint eyes, blacke teeth, Platarch. de Inuidia.an he [...] full of gall, a tongue tipt with poison, ne­uer laughtng but when others weepe, ne­uer sleeping, but euer musing mischeiefe. The right embleme of vnquietnesse. It was Enuie which wrought that vnquietnesse between Ioseph and his brethren, Genes. 37. Gen. 37.4. When they saw that their father loued him more then his brethren, they hated him, and could not speake peaceably vnto him: It was Enuie that wrought vn­quietnesse betweene 1. Sam. 18.8. Dauid and Saul, 1. Sam. 18.8. It was Enuie that wrought Daniel so much vnquietnes among the Dan. 6.4. Medes and Persians, Dan. 6.4. And what is it but Enuie which breedeth most of our factions in societies, opposition in Sectaries, Aemulation in equals, molestation to superiors; Enuie findeth out an Ostra­cisme [Page]to disquiet worthies, a strata­geme to ensnare mens betters, and a Schisme to rent the peace of others: How many are there in the world who disquiet themselues at others vertues, and disquiet others for their vertues? How many picke a hole in others coates, and drawe them into troubles, either because they enuie their wealth, their wit, or their worth? And who seeth not what an vnquiet stickler Enuie is in most Suites, de­bates, contentions and Aemulations that are a foote in our age. But ô what a wretched thing it is to bee en­uious? Where Enuying and strife is, there is Sedition and all manner of euill worke. Iam. 3.14. Iam. 3.14. Enuie (saith Au­gustine) is Ʋitium Diabolicum a diue­lish vice, Augustine. in Psal. 139. or a vice proper to the Diuell, for it is his Enuie which maketh him so much to thirst after mens perditi­on. Enuie is worse then any other poyson. For they are only hurtfull to others, this most hurteth himselfe who is enuious. Why shouldst thou disquiet thy selfe at an others happi­nesse? Is not this to oppose thy selfe [Page]against Gods prouidence? why shouldest thou disquiet others for what is theirs? is not this malitious peeuishnesse? Math. 20.15. Must thine eye be e­uill, because God is good and gratious? There is nothing more beseeming Christianitie then charity, Ioh. 13.35. By this (saith our blessed Sauiour) shall men know that you are my disciples, if yee loue one another, Ioh. 13.35. There is nothing more repugnant vnto chari­tie then Enuie for loue enuieth not, 1. Cor. 13.4. Therefore beware of Enuie you who would Studie to bee Quiet.

The lusts of the flesh tending to vnquietnesse being thus briefly dis­cussed, The lusts of the eyes ma­king vnquiet­nesse. in the next place wee are to take a view of the second sort of lusts the lusts of the eies, what great ene­mies they are vnto Quietnesse. In which kinde (obseruing our former distribution) we may consider these three parcels, 1. Conetousnesse. 2. Cu­riositie. 3. Iealousie. Of which three in order breifly.

Couetousnesse is a lust of the eyes vnmeasureably longing after wordly Couetousnes. [Page]wealth. The couetous mans Eccles. 1.8. eie is neuer satisfied with seeing, Eccles. 1.8. And being not satisfied with seeing it can neuer bee quiet from wran­gling, for 1. Tim. 6.10 Couetousnesse (as the A­postle speaketh) is the roote of all e­uill, 1. Tim. 6.10. And most special­ly of this euill, as it followeth in the end of that Verse, They that couet peirce themselues thorow with many sorrowes. Couetousnesse bringeth a man out of Quiet with God, with his Neighbor, with himselfe. 1. With God, for a couetous man is angrie with God, distrusteth his Prouidence, shaketh of his obedience, and is in a manner at plaine defiance with God, deuoting himselfe to the seruice of Luk. 16.13. Mammon, Luk. 16.13. making the wedge of gold his confidence, Iob. 31.24. Iob. 31.24. and committing grosse Ido­latrie, Eph. 5.9. Eph. 5.9. 2. With his Neighbor, for Couetousnesse will not suffer him to be at quiet, but he is al­waies litigious and very troublesome Mich. 2.2. They couet fields and take them by vi­olence, and houses and take them away, They oppresse a man and his house euen a [Page 51]man and his heritage, Mich. 2.2. Mich 7.20. To To disquiet his Neighbor, The Coue­tous man will lie in waite for bloud and hunt his brother with a net, Mich. 7.2. yea hee is so vnquiet to­wards him, Mich. 3.2.3. that he will plucke of his skinne from him, and his flesh from the bones, he will not rest vntill hee hath broken his bones, and chop him in peices as for the pot, and as flesh to the chaldren, as it is Mich. 3.2.3. 3 A couetous man is neuer quiet with himselfe, For Pro. 15.27. hee that followeth couetousnesse troubleth his owne house. Pro. 15.27. He 1. Tim. 6.9. bringeth himselfe into many a snare, 1. Tim. 6.9. 1. Tim. 6.10 He pierceth him­selfe through with many sorrowes, 1. Tim. 6.10. Eccles. 5.11. His very vnquiet thoughts will not suffer him to sleepe, Eccles. 5.11. What wrought that vnkinde vnqui­etnesse betweene Gen. 13.7. Lots and Abra­hams houshold, but Couetousnesse? what made that great vnquietnesse betweene the Nehe. 5.20. rich men and the com­mons of Israell, in Nehemiahs time, but couetousnesse? what made that vp­roare in the Citty Act. 19.27. Ephesus, Demetrius and his fellow crafts-men rising in an [Page 52]Hubbub, but couetousnesse? and what doth in these daies breed most suits, quarrels, and contentions among men? doth not couetousnesse? when men are couetous bitten, it is like the biting of a mad-dogge, it maketh them rage they can neuer be quiet, euery light losse will bring the coue­tous man out of quiet, euery small trespasse will make him commense an Action, curry small flawe or shew of a title will egge him on into a suit. A couetous man will not care to breake the lawes of God and Man, to trouble his owne Father, to robbe his owne brother, to vndoe his owne childe, to vexe the Fatherlesse and the Widdow, rather then faile of his co­uetous desire. Thus Salomon bring­eth in the Couetous man resoluing vp­pon any wickednesse for the obtai­ning of Riches, Pro. 1.11.12 Pro. 1.11.12 come let vs lay in waite for blood, and lie priui­lie in ambush for the innocent, wee will swallow them vp like the graue, we will fill our houses with the spoile. And least we should thinke this to bee the vn­quietnesse of some few only, he con­cludeth [Page 53]Verse 19. Vers. 19. Such are the waies of euery one that is greedie of gaine, hee would euen take away the life of the owners thereof. As the Wolfe will ne­uer be quiet among the Lambes, nor the Hauke among the Birds, nor the Cormorant among the fishes, so nei­ther is a couetous man at quiet in him­selfe, neither will he be quiet with his Neighbors. Therefore thou, whoso­euer thou art, who louest quietnesse, Luk. 12.15.Take heede and beware of couetous­nesse,Heb. 13 9.Haue thy conuersation without couetousnesse, Pro. 28.16.Hate couetousnesse, If thou studie to be quiet.

Next Couetousnesse, in the ranke of the lusts of the eyes, Curiositie. followeth Cu [...]i­ofitie in the second place; A lust of the eye, because it is bred by the eye, and consisteth in prying into that which no way concerneth vs; an e­nemie vnto quietnesse, because it suf­fereth not the minde to bee at rest. Curiositie was a maine cause of vn­quietnesse among the Thessalonians, 2. Thes. 3.11 [...].There were some among them which waiked vnquietly, Curiose satagente [...], busie bodies, curious fellowes. It was [Page 54]censured as the cheife cause of the Emperor Antoninus his troublesome time and vnquiet minde, that he was full of curiositie in prying into o­thers states. And who seeth not that busie prying eyes, haue troublesome hands, and vnquiet heart? they who are prying into other mens busines, are sharpe sighted like Eagles in cen­suring others Actions, but bats and moles in their owne. Many such cu­rious vnquiet persons there are a­broad, who not vnlike those Lamian witches of whom Plutarke speaketh, Plutarch de Curi [...]s. cap. 1. put their eyes into a boxe whiles they stay at home, but set them gogling when they go abroad, and so seeing Math. 6.4. a moate in their brothers eye, when they cannot discerne a beame in their owne, raise the dust of much vnquietnes with the furious whirle­winde of contention. To such vn­quiet curious, furious, franctickes, I say no more, then that graue censure of Salomon concerning their folly; Eccles. 2.14. The wise mans eyes are in his head, but the foole walketh in darkenesse. Pro. 17.24. His eyes are peeping in at euery window, [Page 55] Pro. therefore he shall not want sorrow. O beware of busie curiositie and pra­ting folly, whosoeuer thou art that louest peace, and studiest to be quiet.

The third and last Disquieter a­mong the lusts of the eyes is Iealousie. Iealousie. A lust of the eye because the eye is an immediate instrument vnto it, and therefore, in writings both di­uine and humane, he who is infected with this maladie is called a man of a iealous eye: And that this iealousie is a great quietnesse, Num. 5.14. enemie vnto may appeare out of Numb. 5.14. Where Iealousie is called a Spirit, Spi­ritus Zelotypiae, a spirit of Iealousie. And indeed it is such a Spirit, as will neuer suffer those whom it haunteth to be quiet, but like that vnquiet Spirit, Luk 11.24. Though it Luk. 11.24. wan­der vp and downe seeking rest it can finde none, for why? It filleth the hart with a world of vnquiet thoughts and raging agonies. It disquieteth the partie possessed with it, filling him full of feare, of phrensie, and of rape; it maketh him suspect euery motion, misconster euery action, and [Page 56]to torment himselfe vpon euery light occasion. It disquieteth the partie suspected, if guiltie with trembling conscience, if innocent with haz­zard of good name. It disquieteth those with whom they conuerse, for where this rage of iealousie is, there is a continuall tempest, man and wife liue like dogge and cat, Inno­cents are traduced, Neighbors are molested, euery one disquieted; O beware of Iealousie thou who wouldst not be haunted with an hellish fury; For iealousie is the greatest rage, Pro. 6.34. Pro. 6.34. There is no peace no patience, no quiet, where this doth dominere; Be not hastie to iealousie, giue no oc­casion, grieue not without occasion, be not prone vnto suspition, if thou studiest to be quiet.

These were the Iusts of the eyes which do prouoke men vnto vnqui­etnesse. The Pride of life suppres­sing quietnes. Now in the next place fol­low those vnquiet l [...]sts which come vnder the name of the pride of life. And these (according to their for­mer distribution) are principally these three, 1. Vaine glorie. 2. Singu­laritie. [Page 57]3. Hypocrisie. which because they seeme so iointly linked one to the other, therefore in a word we will handle them altogether.

For the first of these three, Pride or vaine glorie. Pride or vaine glorie, it is a too-well known Make-bate and moouer of vnquiet­nesse. Pro. 13.10. Only by Pride (saith Salomon) commeth contention, thereby plainely shewing that if there were no other Instigator to vnquietnesse then Pride this alone were sufficient to raise vp mountaines of vnquietnesse; Hence is it that, Philip. 2.3. Pride and con­tention are yoaked together as twins, Philip. 2.3. Let nothing be done through contenti­on or vaine glorie, And 2. Tim. 3.2.3. 2. Tim. 3.2.3 Men shalbe in the last daies louers of themselues, proud &c. And then it followeth, that thence they shall proue fierce, treacherous, and headie. It was Pride which brought Gen. 4.33.34. Lamech out of quiet, Gen. 4.34. It was Pride which brought Hest. 5.13. Haman out of quiet, Hes. 5.13. It was Pride that wrought 1. King. 12.14. Rhehoboam so much vnquietnesse, 1. King. 12.14. It is Pride which maketh men now adaies so prone to [Page 58]offer wrongs and so vnwilling to put vp wrongs, Pride maketh men so stout in their conuersation, so con­tentious in prouocation, so iniurious in action, so full of molestation, and so farre from pacification. O then take heede and beware of Pride; For Pro. 22.25. thornes and snares are in the way of the froward, Pro. 22.25. Yee proud per­sons,Pro. 75.4.5.deale not so foolishly, lift not vp your horne on high, speake not with a stiffe necke. Pro. 6.17.The Lord hatheth the proud eye and the mischieuous hand, Pro. 6.17 Pro. 16.5. A proud man is an Abomination to the Lord, though hand ioyne in hand, hee shall not be innocent, Pro. 16.5. There­fore be of an humble minde and stu­die to be quiet.

Singularitie is an other spice of Pride, Singularitie. a Spirituall pride, when men haue a singular good opinion of themselues, and contemne others out of a proud conceit of their selfe­sufficiencie. Such Singularitans there were among the 1. Cor. 11.22. Corinthians who by contemning others by comparison of themselues did much disquiet the Church of Corinth: Such Disturbers [Page 59]were crept in among the Galat. 1.7. Galatians much disquieting the peace of that Church with presumptious positi­ons and distracted factions. And such there will be still (alasse the more the pittie) who being singular in themselues, disquiet both Church and common weale with their pee­uish and obstinate resolutions. Pro. 30.13. There is a generation (saith the son of Iaketh) that are pure in their owne eies, and yet not washed from their fil­thinesse, Pro. 30.13. What followeth in the verse next saue one? Vers. 15. There is a generation whose teeth are like as swords, and their iaw teeth as kniues. Beware (good Christian) of singu­larity which maketh men to con­temne others, to be stoicall Cynickes, and seuere critickes against others, and so enemies vnto quietnesse. Pro. He that is wise in his owne eyes, there is more hope of a foole then of him: Striue against supercilious singulari­tie, and (following the rule of the Apostle) Galat. 5.26. Let vs not be desirous of vaine glory, prouoking one an other, enuying one an other. Philip. 2.3. Let nothing [Page 60]be done through strife and vaine glorie, but in lowlinesse of minde let euery one esteeme an other better then himselfe, if he studie to be quiet.

The third and last branch of Pride making vnquietnesse among men is Hypocrisie. A verie branch of Pride, for euery Hypocrite is proud, Ierem. 8.8. Ierem. 8.8. And a verie enemie to peace, for euery Hypocrite is a worker of deceit. 2. Cor. 11.13. 2. Cor. 11.15. The Hypocrite albeit he hath a flattering tongue, yet a deceitfull Psal. 12.2. heart, Psal. 12.2. What vnquietnesse did 2. Sam. 15. Absolons hypocrisie effect in the common wealth of Is­rael? what vnquietnesse was effected in the Church of Reuel. 3.9. Philadelphia by the Hypocritis all Iewes? what conten­tions arose in the Church of Philip. 1. Philippi through Hypocrites? It is the proper marke of Hypocrites (as the Apostle Peter noteth) 2. Pet. 2.3. with faire wordes to make merchandise with Gods people. Hypocrisie breaketh peace with God, For Iob. 27.8. the hope of an hypocrite shall perish Iob. 27.8. It breaketh peace with themselues, For Isa. 49. v. vlt. there is no peace to the wicked, Isay. 49. It hindereth the [Page 61]peace of others, for it prouoketh the wrath of God vpon a people, Iob. 39.13. Iob. 36.13. Therefore beware of Hypo­crisie if thou wouldst Studie to bee quiet.

Hitherto wee haue seene the in­ward Motiues of vnquietnesse, Outward meanes of vnquietnesse. now we are to take a veiw of those out­ward meanes whereby quietnesse is much infringed and vnquietnes ma­ny times effected, which outward meanes (to omit curious subdiuisi­ons) we may reduce into these three heads.

• 1. Wantonnesse.
• 2. Idlenesse.
• 3. Busie busines.

By wantonesse I vnderstand all vo­vuptuous causes giuing occasion of vnquietnesse, Wantoines. whither they bee in looke or gesture, in word and commu­nication, or in worke and Action: for euery one of these doe breake the peace of quietnesse. 1. Wanton lookes and gestures what vnquiet brookers they are may appeare by Gen. 39. Iosephs Mistres, Gen. 39. By 2. King. 9. Iezables pain­tings 2. King. 9. By Isay. 3. Zions gallants [Page] Isay. 3. By Pro. 7. Salomons Curtesan, Pr. 7. and by daily experience, French Aca­demie. for (as one worthily obserueth) In a proud looke is a cloud of strife, and in a wanton gate is a gap to dislike. 2. Wanton wordes and speeches are no small Proctors for vnquietnesse, as we may see in Gen. 30.1.2. Ra­chel Iacobs wife, Gen. 30.1.2. In 1. Sam. 1.6. Pe­ninnah Helkanah his wife 1. Sam. 1.6. 2. Sam. 6.20. In Michol Dauids wife 2. Sam. 6.20. Pro. 18.21. Death and life (saith Salomon) are in the power of the tongue, Pro. 18.21. And in an other place, Pro. 11.1. Gricuous words stirre vp anger Pro. 15.2. The tongue (as Petrarch testifieth) is the mightiest bellowes to blow vnquietnesse, euill words (saith hee) breed propha­nesse, nice wordes suspition, quipping words discontentednes, Therefore be­ware of wanton speech if thou louest quie [...]nesse. 3. Wanton workes, work much vnquietnesse, as may appeare by many instances. Whoredome, Whoredome and Adulterie the Chamberlaine of wantonnesse, what a factious factor is it for vnquietnesse? what vnquiet­nesse came vnto 2. Sam. 12.13. Dauid vpon his A­dulterous fact with Bathsheba? what [Page]trouble came vnto 2. Sam. 23. Ammon vpon the rape of Tamar? what warres and tumults did there befall the Iudg. 19. Benia­mites vpon the Adulterie of the men of Gileah? Hieronim.O how sharpe (saith Hie­rome) is the fruit of whoredome? It is more bitter then gaule, more cruell then the sword, more deuouring then the fire.Pro. 6.32.33.34.35.Who so committeth Adulterie with a woman (saith Salomon) disquieteth his owne soule, A wound and dishonor shall he get, and his reproach shall not bee wiped away, for iealousie is the rage of a man, Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance, He will not regard a­ny ransome, neither will he rest content though thou giue many gifts, Pro. 6.32.33.34.35. Therefore Lechers must looke for no quietnesse. Next Whoredome and Adulterie in this ranke of wantonesse follow Gluttony and Drunkennesse as deadly enemies as any vnto quietnesse: Gluttonse and Drunkenesse. For so the Wiseman telleth vs in expresse tearmes; Pro. 23.29. Who (saith he) hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath quarrels? who hath wounds without a cause? They that tarrie long at the wine, Pro. 23.29. [Page]And he sheweth the reason of it in an other place; Pro. 20.1. Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging, Pro. 20.1. Much unquietnesse, Seneca.many calamities (saith Se­neca) haue proceeded from drunkenesse, By this louing friends haue beene made enemies, brothers haue beene set toge­ther by the cares, whole families haue beene distracted into dismall factions, whole Cittics haue beene infected with seditions, whole Countries brought into vtter desolations. We need not seeke abroad for forraine instance, lamen­table experience laieth it daily before our eyes. Whence come most of our quarrelious contentions but from the pot? when are men and women most out of quiet, but when they haue taken a cuppe of Nimis? where is the Drunkard who is not vnquiet? where is any potting without quar­reling? therefore Salomon giueth vs a speciall warning; if we loue quiet­nesse to abstaine from such a mee­ting: Pro. 23.20.23. Be not (saith hee) among wine bibbers, nor among riotous eaters, for this will cloath a man with rags, Pro. 23.20.21, There is yet an other [Page]kinde of Wantonesse, viz. Playing and Gaming. in Plaies and Sports, which also many times prooue bitter enemies vnto Quiet­nesse [...]; witnesse that of. 2. Sam. 2.14. Ioab and Abner and their companies, 2. Sam. 2.14. Their sport began in iest, but en­ded in earnest, for they caught (saith the Text) euery one his fellow by the head, and thrust their swords into each othere sides. Witnesse the daily expe­rience of Gamesters in these our daies, wherein who seeth not how many quarrels daily arise in bowling allies, cockpits, races, set mu [...]ches, but especially from cards and dice? Recreations many times proue vexa­tions, especially in games of glorie and of gaine, wherein the looser is disquieted for his losse, the winner hated for his gaine, and many times play turneth from sport to spight, from wit to words, from wordes to blowes. Digest. lib. 11. Tit. 5. Therefore in the Pandects there was a special law against Game­sters as vnquiet persons; And there­fore Cyprian hath a pithie saying to this purpose, Cyprian de alea &c. He that loueth his owne profit let him abstaine from play, he who [Page]loueth quietnesse let him take heede of sports. And thus we haue seen a little view of the seeds of wantones which corrupt the fruits of quietnes.

The next outward meanes which hindereth quietnes is Idlenesse. Idlenesse. The which is a notorious breeder of vn­quietnesse, for so Pro. 10.26. Pro. 10.26. The idle person is as vineger to the teeth and as smoake to the eyes. Vineger will fret the teeth, and smoak wil distem­per the eyes, so doth an idle person the state in which he liueth. In Mat. 25.26. Math. 25.26. The slothfull man is called an euill man; Now an euill man cannot be but an vnquiet man, for so Isay. 49.22. Isay 49.22. There is no peace vnto the wicked. The idle body and idle braine (saith a worthy writer of our owne) is the Diuels shop, M^r. Perkins.in which the Diuell hath a forge of vnquiet motions vppon which he is alwaies hammering. When a man is most idle then the Diuell is least idle, for then he is most busie to allure him to vnquiet thoughts. As it is the embleme of a prouident man, Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus, He is neuer lesse alone then when [Page]he is alone, for then his thoughts are working most vpon goodnesse. So it may bee the Embleme of an Idle man, Nunquam minus otiosus quam quum otiosus, He is neuer lesse idle then when hee is idle, for then his thoughts are hammering vpon vn­quietnesse. Though the sluggards hands refuse to Pro. 13.21. worke, Pro. 13.21. yet he hath Vers. 19. a stirring minde, Vers. 19. Though he be Pro 6.10. loath to come out of his bed, Pro. 6.10. yet he can Mich. 2.1. denise mischiefe vpon his bed, Mich. 2.1. When Nero was idle and loath to imploy himself in worthy action, he set the cittie Rome on fire, and fedde his eyes with the flames thereof; So when men are idle and imploy not themselues in a lawfull calling, they will be readie to set on fire the mindes of those who are about them, that they may feede them­selues with the sparkes of their con­tention. This was it verified in the Thessalonians vnto whom the Apostle wrote this Epistle, 2. Thes. 3.11. Wee heare (saith hee) that there are some among you which worke not at all, and yet are ouer [Page 68]busie, liuing disorderly, 2. Thess. 3.11. And this we may see by lamentable experience in these daies among vs, none more contentious, none grea­ter Make-bates, none greater ene­mies to quietnesse, then our idle vn­thrift, drousie sluggards and lazy loi­terers, Which sort of people (if these my words shall sound into any of their eares) I exhort and admo­nish (as the Apostle here doth in my text) that 1. Thes. 4.11. They labor with their hands, that they do their owne businesse and stu­die to be quiet.

The third and last, but not the least, Busie busines. externall meanes to hinder Quietnesse is Busie-businesse; I cannot finde in all our language a fit terme to expresse it. The natiue and pro­per word is [...], we may call it a Polypragmaticall stirring in bu­sinesse not concerning vs, or at leastwise not fit for vs, which Polypragmatice­nes (for we will vse that name) must needes be a great enemie vnto quiet­nesse. Pro. 26.21. As a coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire, so doth this kin­dle wrath, Pro. 26.21. This the A­postle [Page 69]taxeth as a maine cause of this vnquietnesse among the Thessaloni­ans, 2. Thess. 3.11. 2. The. 3.11 Wee haue heard (saith he) that there are some [...], Curiose Satagentes, busie Bodies, and that these are sowers of debates and vnquietnesse. And who seeth not by daily experience, that from hence proceede the most vnquietnesse in these our daies? which yet that it may appeare more plainely and eui­dently vnto our experience, wee will take a briefe veiw of some principall delinquents in this kinde. 1. Talebearer [...]. The Talebearer that busieth himselfe in carring newes and raising tales for the detracting, defaming, or laying open an others doings, is an enemie vnto quietnesse, by his ouer-busie, pickthanke-busines. Pro. 26.22. The words of a Talebearer (saith Salomon) are as wounds, and they go downe to the in­wardmost part of the bellie, Pro. 26.22. Pro. 12.18. They are like the piercing of a sword, Pro. 12.18. Psal. 10. The poison of Aspes is vnder their lips, Psal. 10. Yet these kinde of Make-bates, these Susur­rones, these Gazitiers, these tatling Ta­lers [Page 70]are very rife in the world abroad. They walke about with tales and slaunders as Pedlers with their packs; for that very phrase is attributed vn­to them, Leuit 19 16 [...] Leuit. 19.16. They being idle go about from house to house, prat­ling and busying themselues with what is not conuenient, 1. Tim. 5.13. 1. Tim. 5.13. Let these vnquiet Gazitiers know, that they are of the most diuelish kinde of vnquiet persons, Pro. 25.18. for they carrie with them an arrow, an hammer, and a sword, as it is, Pro. 25.18. Without wood the fire is quenched and without a Tale-bearer strife ceaseth, Pro. 26.20.Pro. 26.20. If then they loue their owne quiet, if they would not disturbe the quiet of others, let them cease their wan­dring about with tales: and all o­thers who would be thought friends to Quietnesse, take heede how they lay open their eares to receiue false reports; Psal. 15.3. let them shut their eares to Sycophants, and turne them away with a frowning countenance; Pro. 25.23. As the North minde driueth away raine, so doth an angrie countenance the slaun­dring tongue, Pro. 25.23. 2. In the [Page 71]second place of busie Bodies great disquieters wee may place the Flat­terer, Flatterers. for howsoeuer he would seeme to please, to salue, and to bee a man of peace, yet he is a sore disquie­te [...]. Pro. 29.5. A man that flattereth his neigh­bor spreadeth a net for his feete, Pro. 29.5. Psal. 28.30. He speaketh peace to his neigh­bor but thinketh euill in his heart, Psal. 28.30. Rom. 16.18. They that are such (saith the Apostle) serue their owne bellies, and with faire speech deceiue the hearts of the simple, Rom. 16.18. Therefore beware of a flatterer thou who louest quietnesse: for Pro. 27.6. the wounds of a louer are faithfull but the kisses of an enemie are to be shunned, Pro. 27.6. 3. The Busie Plotter. The busie plotter is a great enemie vnto quietnesse, Mich. 2.1. Mich. 2.1. They deuise iniquitie and worke euill in their beds, and when it is light they practise it. They who haue stirring heads, plot­ting pates neuer loue quietnesse. 4 No more doe they who loue to haue an oare in other mens boats, The Saucie [...] Pedler. as our saucie medlers doe, who loue to be medling where they haue little cause and lesse thankes. Pro. 26.17. Hee that [Page 62]passeth by and medleth with strife not belonging vnto him is like one that taketh a dogge by the eares, and like a madman that casteth fire-brands, ar­rowes and death, Pro. 26. Pro. 17.14. The begin­ning of strife is when one letteth out wa­ter, therefore leaue of contention, before it be medled with,The Busie Lawyer.Pro. 17.14. 4. But among all these sorts of busie make­bates I may not forget the busie gree­die Lawyer, who maketh it the my­sterie of his profession to make de­bate, and thinketh to salue all vp a­gaine with Demetrius the Ephesian siluer-Smiths Apologie Act. 19.20. Sirs yee know that by this craft we haue our wealth. But let me answere him with Simon Peters reply vnto Simon Magus, Act. 8.20. Act. 8.21. Thou and thy wealth shall perish with thee, if thou seeke to grow weal­thy by others miserie, and to raise vp thine owne estate seekest to ruinate the estate of others by animating them vnto contention▪ It is far from mine intent to scandalize the most necessary vse of the Law, or to re­proach the honest and conscionable Lawyer; I acknowledge law the phi­sicke [Page 63]and the Lawyer the Phisitian of the bodie politicke; neither are there wanting (blessed be the name of the Lord) in this our Land and in these our daies, both of Iudges, Scargeants, Counsellers, Attournies, and general­ly of all sort of Lawyers, many that feare God, endeauour to keepe a good conscience, and both loue and labor for quietnesse; whom I am so farre from traducing by this my dis­course, that I honor both their per­sons and their profession. Notwith­standing as the medicine is more a­uaileable that preserueth health then that which cureth sicknesse, euen so the meane that keepeth neighbbors in peace & quietnes is more profitabe then that which endeth controuer­sies, and being now in hand with the enemies of quietnesse I cannot spare the iust censure of many vniust Lawyers, who seeth not what vnqui­etnesse is set abroach euery where by the busie sollicitings of many that shroud themselues vnder this title of law; and amongst them by none more then by the inferior Attourneis [Page 74]in the Countrie, and among these by none so much as by our Boy Lawyers, new Vpstarts or prating Petifoggers; These if they can but a little blurt foorth a few mis-vnder­stood law termes, and know the Tearmetimes, and daies of appea­rance, and haue learn [...]d the way once into Westminster Hall, or can make mention of the name of some fa­mous Counseller or well spoken Sear­geant, whom peraduenture they ne­uer saw, But, good Lord, how ambi­tious? how seditious doe they grow vpon the suddaine, how do they prie into mens estates? how do they lift at other mens possessions? how do they labor to set men together by the eares Of these botches and blaines of the law our graue learned! Country­man S^r Thomas Smith himselfe a wor­thy Lawyer writeth thus; De rep. Auglo­rum. These busie heads and inuentours of troubles are men euen permitted of God like flies, lice, and other vermin to disquiet them who would employ themselues vpon better businesse, and more necessary for the Common­wealth: These men (saith he) are hated [Page 75]and feared of their Neighbours, loued and aided of them which gain by processe, and waxe fat by the expence of others. What lamentable experience hath this our poore Country had heereof within these few yeares, yea not ma­ny months since? In this our County (none of the greatest) there are not so few as twenty common Attournies. One of these hath beene knowen in one tearme to haue the solliciting of thirteenescore causes at the least, (himselfe glorying the number was farre greater.) Now then calculate we but the fifth, nay the tenth part of the like clients vnto euery one of the residue of the like practioners, and what a world of vnquietnesse must there bee ouer the whole Countie, when a little corner of it is so pestred with it? And how much vnquietnes must there needes bee through the whole land, when as a little parcell of it is so disquieted? Haue not credi­tours beene notoriously cosened, debters oppressed, widdowes and or­phans beggered, houses vnpeopled, famous markets vnfrequented, and [Page 76]religious temples polluted, by the vn­quiet designes of these Leguleian Ca­tiffes and their bailiefs? And was not this of late a generall complaint in all our streetes? But blessed bee God which hath broken the tusks of these wild boares, and blessed be the hand of Gods Deputies and religious Iud­ges Itinerate of this circuit, who haue curbed these furious courses, and pro­uided so seasonably for our countries Quietnesse. Honest Lawyer, be not thou a reproach vnto thy profession, by blowing the bellowes of contenti­on. Fortise. fol. 11. Thine owne Fortiscue will tell thee, that Humane lawes are no other but wholesome rules which instruct men to doe Iustice; Thou shouldest bee an Atropos to cut off the web of contro­uersies between man and man, proue not a Lachesis to draw in length the thread of their contention; Thou shouldest bee an Oedipus to vntie the knots of difficult and doubtfull mat­ters, be not a Spinxe to entangle it in more knots, or like Hydra, who for e­uery head which was strucke off, brought out seauen other; Thou [Page 77]shouldest bee a Physitian to heale the vnquiet maladies of the the body po­liticke, be not like an vnfaithfull Sur­geon, who for his greater gaine poiso­neth the wound that it may bee the longer an healing; Doest thou seeke praise? Seeke not to please men, but to speake truth: Seekest thou honor? The way to be honourable is to bee conscionable; Wouldest thou gather wealth? The way to thriue by clients, is by faithfull diligence. Honest Coun­triman, doest thou loue thine owne peace, betraye it not to Lawyers, Haunt not their chambers, Abstaine from suits, Fly contentions, Study to be Quiet. And let vs all so manie as loue Quietnesse, beware of Sathans suggestions, inward temptations, and outward motions which may giue way vnto vnquietnesse. And thus much of the causes both internall and externall, Remedies a­gainst vnqui­etnesse and meanes to preserne Qui­etnesse. both principall and instru­mentall which prouoke vnto vnqui­etnesse.

Now in the next place wee are to proceed to the Remedies of vnquiet­nesse, & to take a veiw of those means [Page]which are most auaileable to procure and preserue Quietnesse. Before I come to the vnfolding of which dis­course, let me by the way admonish thee (Christian Reader or Hearer of this discourse) that this is a lesson hard to be learned, the way to Quietnesse is hard to finde. The World hath ma­ny crooked and by-wayes to turne vs out of it. The Diuell hath so many rubbes to make vs stumble in it, that Flesh and blood can hardly brooke it. And therefore our Apostle heere is so vehement in vrging it; 1. Thess. 4.1. Study to be Quiet, which in effect is (as already we haue heard) that we should vse all good meane [...], trie all good waies, vse all good practises whereby we may maintaine Quietnesse. To the same purpose the Psalmist, Psal. 34.14. Seeke peace and ensue it: We must seeke by all meanes to haue it, and when we haue it, wee must vse all good meanes to keepe it. So the Apostle, Eph. 4.3. Endeauour to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; Endeauour to keepe it, with all labour, paines and industry, in the bond of peace. Binde thy selfe as it [Page]were to the good behauiour and to the peace, that thou maist retaine Quietnesse. So 1. Tim. 2.22. 2. Tim. 2.22. Follow peace: repeated with an addition. Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men; Heb. 12.13. amplified with an explanation. Rom. 14.19. Rom. 14.19 Let vs follow after the things which make for peace; If we would stu­dy to bee Quiet, wee must study to know, study to find out, study to em­brace, all helpes, meanes, and furthe­rances which make for Quietnesse. Would wee see how, and with what affection wee are to prosecute these meanes, loe how powerfully the A­postle Paul doth explaine it, Rom. 12.18. Rom. 12.18. If it be possible, as much as in you ly­eth, haue peace with all men. (If it bee possible) if by any meanes it may bee effected, or by any waies procured, (as much as in you lyeth) for your part let nothing bee wanting, neglect no fit opportunity, omit no kinde of cur­tesie, (Haue peace with all men) Bee quiet, liue peaceably, carry your selues mildly at all times, in all places, with all persons. The practise of Qui­etnesse we must not onely approoue [Page]but prooue, not only meditate vpon, but make it manifest, Let your modera­tion (or mildnesse) be knowen to all men. Let mee therefore entreat thee Chri­stian Reader to read with vnderstan­ding, and with diligence, both to ob­serue and practise these wholesome directions, which I am now to deli­uer concerning this so difficult and yet so needfull a matter as is this pra­ctise of Quietnesse. Read with a quiet, teachable and meeke Spirit, and fol­low these following directions with a settled resolution, which I am now to propose vnto thine obseruation.

Directions for the study of Quiet­nesse may bereferred vnto two heads. The [...] thode of these dire­ctions. 1. Generall obseruations. 2. Speciall instructions. Generall obseruations ser­uing for the procuring and preser­uing of Quietnesse at all times, in all places, among all persons, vpon all occasions. Speciall instructions are such as tend to the study of Quiet­nesse at sometime, among particular companies, and vpon Speciall occa­sions. First I will propose directions for Quietnes in generall because these [Page]being rightly vnderstood the other will be the more apparant.

At all times and in all places good Christians ought to follow the course of Quietnesse. Generall dire­ctions for Quietnesse. 1 Tim. 2.8. I will (saith the Apo­stle) that men euery where lift vp holy hands without wrath: And againe, 1 The. 5.13. Be at peace among your selues; Verse 14.Be pa­tient towards all men: And againe, 1 Tim. 4.11. Meditate vpon these things, giue thy selfe wholly to them, that thy profiting may appeare to all. And yet more, 1 Tim. 6.11. Thou ô man of God fly these things (viz. foolish and hurfull lusts which may hinder Quietnesse) and follow after righteousnesse, loue, faith, patience, m [...]ekenesse▪ By which words we may learne a twofold path way vnto Qui­etnesse. The one by shunning those occasions, means, and motions which breed vnquietnesse; The other by ob­seruing and practising those things which belong to Quietnesse, or make for Quietnesse. What those euils are which doe cause vnquietnesse, Pag 23.24.25 26.27.28. and are therefore carefully to be shunned by all those who studie to be quiet, I haue already shewed in its proper place to [Page]which I doe referre the Reader: what the duties are which we must practise in the practise of Quietnesse, I am now to deliuer. And for methods sake I doe distinguish them into two sorts.

• 1. The Affection to it.
• 2. The Disposition towards it.

As in euery Art or Action whatso­euer a man would effect with com­mendation, The Affecti­on of a Chri­stian vnto Quietnesse. hee must first affect it in his estimation. So in this practise of Quietnesse, he who would haue it in Action must first embrace it in Affe­ction. Whosoeuer would study to be quiet, he must loue quietnes, & long after it in his heart. In louing it. So Zach. 8.19. Zach. 8.19. Loue the truth and peace: there must be a loue towards it, a delight in it, a making much of it. So Coloss. 3.15. Coloss. 3.15. Let peace rule in your hearts (or as some translations read it) Let it be the ioy of your hearts. [...]. And as the Psalmist speaketh in expresse tearms Psal. 119.164. Psal. 119.164 There is much peace to them that loue it. Loue to a thing quickeneth a man to doe any thing for what hee loueth; loue maketh any lesson easie, [Page]any labour light; loue ouercommeth any difficulties, ouerleapeth any stumbling blockes, ouerruleth any vnruly passions, 1. Cor. 13.4.5 Loue suffereth long, loue is kinde, loue enuieth not, loue doth not behaue it selfe vnseemely. 1. Cor. 13.4 5. Therefore if we would study to be quiet, we must loue to be quiet, if we would follow the practise of it in our conuersation, wee must loue the worth of it in our affection.

Neither is it enough for vs in the study of Quietnesse, to loue Quiet­nesse, and to like of it, for so the most vnquiet turbulent Spirit may some­times approoue of it, In longing after it. but wee must heartily long after Quietnesse, if wee truely and sincerely study to be quiet. Wee must long after Peace and Qui­etnesse, Psal. 42.6. as the Hart doth pant and long after the water brookes. We must seeke peace and ensue it. Psal. 34.14. Psal. 39.14. Wee must follow after it. 2. Tim. 2.22. 2. Tim. 2.22. Da­uids motto must be ours. Psal. 120.2. Psal. 120.7. I am for Peace. And surely there is great reason why wee should both loue it and long after it, as well for the equity of it in it selfe, as also for Gods [Page]estimation and approbation of [...] for the profit also which it bring [...] with it, Pag. 9.19.11. to our selues, to others, to our soules, to our bodies, to our health and to our purse, as hath beene alrea­dy manifested vnto vs. Quietnesse is like that Mat. 13.44.46. pretious treasure and peerlesse pearle mentioned Mat. 13.44.46. which when a man hath found and rightly valued, he so longeth after it, that hee is content to part with all things else to purchase it. To which purpose might be alleadged, that gol­den saying of the golden mouthed Father Chrysostome. Chrysostome.Didst thou know (saith hee) the worth of Quietnesse, or consider the sweetnesse of it, thou wouldst sell all that thou hast to buy it, were it present thou wouldst welcome it, were it absent thou wouldst make search after it, were it lost thou wouldst seeke it, were it to be bought, thou wouldest thinke no siluer or gold too much to procure it.

The feruency of our loue towards Quietnesse, In Praying for it. and the earnestnesse of our longing after it, will appeare by another duty in this case requisite vn­to it, and that is Prayer for it. Prayer [Page 85]is an excellent meanes to procure Quietnesse; Iam. 1.5. Doth any man lacke wis­dome, let him pray for it? Iam. 1.5. Prayer is an excellent meanes to pre­serue Quietnesse: Philip. 4.6. Be carefull for no­thing but diligent in Prayer. Philip. 4.6. Prayer is an excellent meanes to reco­uer Quietnesse: Iam. 5.13. Is any one one afflicted let him pray: Iam. 5.13. We are com­manded to pray for our owne peace and Quietnesse. Rom. 12.12. Rom. 12.12 Reioice in hope, be patient in tribulation, conti­nue instantly in prayer. Wee are com­manded to pray for others peace and Quietnesse. Psal. 122.6. Psal. 122.6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem, they shall prosper that loue thee; Wee are commanded to pray both for the meanes both of our owne and others Quietnesse. 1. Tim. 1 Tim. 2.1.2I exhort that Supplications & praiers, intercessions and giuing of thankes bee made for all men, for Kings and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty. Out of which words may be gathered a fou [...]efold obseruation. 1. There can be no godlines & honesty without peace and quietnesse. 2. No [Page 86]peace and Quietnesse without the helpe of Magistrates, and such as are in autho [...]ity. 3. No blessing vpon authority vnlesse God blesse their mi­nistry. 4. No way so likely to get a blessing as Prayer vnto the Deitie. Therefore if thou wouldest study to be quiet, loue Quietnesse, long after it, pray for it, pray zealously, pray in­stantly, pray for peace, pray for the preseruers of peace, who are in autho­rity. And thus much briefely for the hearts affection vnto Quietnesse.

From the Affection of the heart, The outward disposition towards Qui­etnesse. we are now to proceede to the outward disposition vnto Quietnesse; which is the wise and discreet carriage of the whole man in all them who study to be quiet. This Disposition towards qui­etnes may be considered in a twofold obiect. 1. In mans behauior towardes God. 2. In mans behauiour towardes man.

He who would study to bee quiet, In respect of God. must first of all seeke for inward Qui­etnesse, Rom. 5.1. to haue peace towards God. Ro. 5.1. and 2. Pet. 3.14. to bee found of him in peace. 2. Pet. 3.14. For without this peace [Page 87]with God, there can bee no hope of Quietnesse with men: Isay 57.20. There is no peace vnto the wicked. Isay 57.20. When Ioram spake of Quietnesse vn­to Iehu, as it is recorded. 2. King. 9.22. 2. King. 9.22.23. Is there peace Iehu? Is there peace? He receiued this answer, what peace? or, why doest thou talke of Peace, so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel, and her witchcrafts are so many? Ther­fore the Angels make an excellent mixture of this in their melodious ca­roll vpon Christs natiuity. Luk. 2.14. Glory be to God on high, in earth peace, Luk. 2.14.good will among men; First there must be a Gloria in excelsis before there can be a Pax in terris, first there must bee peace with God, before there can bee Quietnesse in our selues. Againe, wee must first haue inward Quietnesse be­fore we can haue Quietnesse with o­thers. And indeed when a man is at peace with God, then hee hath the greatest quietnesse. No vnquietnesse like to that of an vnquiet conscience, Pro. 18.14. for A wounded conscience who can beare, Prou. 18.14. No quietnes like the peace of conscience, for that peace [Page 88]doth passe all vnderstanding,Philip. 4.7.Philip. 4.7. When a man hath his Quietus est from God, he is in the high way of Quietnesse. Pro. 16.7. When a mans waies please the Lord, the Lord will make his very [...] to be at peace with him, Pro. 16.7. Yea he shall be in league with all the creatures, Hos. 1.18. With the beast, of the field, with the fowles of the aire and with creeping things as it is, Hos. 2.18. Therefore labour to be at peace with God all ye that desire quietnes. But how shall a man be at peace with God, and obtaine this inward Quietnesse? Let him Psal. 2.11. serue the Lord with feare, and reioice before him in trembling, Psal. 2.11. Let him with Dauid, Psal. 119.haue an eye vnto all Gods commaundements, Psal. 119. Let him, with Gen. 17.1. Abraham, Walke before God and be vpright, Genes. 17.1. Let him with Act. 23.1. Paul endeauour to keepe a good conscience alwaies towards God, Act. 23.1. This wilbe a sure foundation for Quietnesse and without this can be no Quietnesse.

This foundation for quietnes be­ing laid, In respect of man. by hauing peace with God, [Page 89]we may the better build vpon it the worke of outward quietnesse, accor­ding to that Mark. 9.50. Mark. 9.50. Haue peace one with an other. Which mu­tuall peace and quietnesse that wee may at all times and with all persons constantly keepe and preserue, wee must carefully looke vnto these three points.

• 1 Our gesture.
• 2 Our words.
• 3 Our deeds.

And first for our very gesture wee must haue a speciall care of it if we studie to be Quiet. Gentlenes in our gesture. For our gate or gesture though other things be silent may bewray our owne vnquietnesse and disquiet others. Thus Caines gesture was an index of his vnquiet heart, and the Lord reprooueth him for it, Gen. 4.6. Caine why is thy countenance cast downe? Gen. 4.6. Thus the vn­quiet Iewes sought to disquiet our Sa­uiour, by shaking and nodding their heads in contempt of him, Mat. 27.39 Math. 27.39. And Gen. 21.9. Ismaels ieering at Isack is called persecution, Gal. 5.29.Galat. 5.29. Whence it is that our Sauiour doth [Page 90]so sharpely censure all vnciuill gestures, Math. 5.22. Math. 5.22. Whosoeuer saith to his brother Racha (which is onely an interiection of indignation, and a contemptuous gesture) shalbe worthy to be punished by the counsell, Aetius. that is, doth deserue condemnation. Ther­fore it standeth vs in hand to make conscience of euery gesture of our body, least thereby wee shew con­tempt or Anger towards our bre­thren, and cause vnquietnesse either to them or to our selues. Eph. 4.32. Be ye cour­teous one to an other saith the Apostle Eph. 4.32. And againe Tit. 3.2. Tit. 3.2. Put them in remembrance that they bee [...] soft or gentle shewing all meeke­nesse to all men, whether they be good or badde. The practise of this mild­nesse in gesture will shew it selfe in these three particulars especially 1. In conuersing one with an other a­miably. 2. In saluting one an other friendly and courteously. 3. In giuing reuerence to euery man in his place respectiuely. A notable president hereof we haue in the Patriarch A­braham Gen. 23. Whose courteous [Page 91]gesture vnto the children of Heth is often there repeated, Gen. 23.7.12. Hee stood vp and bowed himselfe to the people of the land. And it is there related what loue his kinde carriage procured vn­to himselfe, and what quietnesse a­mong the people of the land. Wee need no other instances in this kinde then that of 2. Sam. 15.6 Absolome 2. Sam. 15. where wee may see him with kinde curtesies and courteous gestures stealing the hearts of the men of Israell. On the contrarie side wee may be­hold Ismaels vnquietnesse by reason of his vnciuill gestures, Gen. 16.12. Gen. 16.12. He being a wilde man, his hand was a­gainst euery man, and euery mans hand against him. Many such Ismaels wee haue in these daies, rough Satyres like Gen. 27.11. Esau, sterne Sirs like 1. King. 12.14. Rheho­boam, dogged Malecontents like Gen. 4.6. Caine, Cynicke stoicks like Timon of Athens, Misanthropoi, Men ha­ters, whose very countenance is the Idea of Malice, whose soure lookes and vnciuill gesture like vineger doe turne milke mildenesse into soure­nesse and vnquietnesse. But thou, ô [Page 92]man, or woman whosoeuer thou art that fearest God and louest quietnes, beware of sterne lookes and stately gestures: be like Moses in thy carri­age, of whom the Scripture giueth this report, Numb. 12.3 Moses was a meeke man aboue all that liued vpon the earth. Colos. 3.12.Put on the bowels of kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, and meeknesse, Colos. 3.12.

In the next place, Warinesse in words. if we loue quiet­nesse, wee must take heede vnto our Words: for there is nothing which doth more breed vnquietnesse then vnquiet Words. Iam. 3.5.6. The tongue is but a little member, and yet it disquie­teth the whole bodie, and setteth on fire the course of nature, it selfe being Iam. 3.5.6. set on fire of hell, Iam. 3.6. Words many times proue like the Pro. 12.18. peircings of a sword, Pro. 12.18. Many a man is Pro. 12.13. snared by the transgressions of his lips, Pro. 12.13. Pro. 18.6.7. A fooles lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes, A fooles mouth is his destructi­on, and his lips are the snare of his soule, Pro. 18.6.7. Pro. 21.23. Who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soule from troubles, Pro. 21.23. There­fore, [Page 93]if thou bee wise, if thou loue quietnesse, if thou wouldest keepe thy selfe from trouble, haue a care to thy tongue; resolue with Dauid, Psal. 39.1.I will take heede to my waies that I offend not with my tongue. Pray with Dauid, Psal. 141.3.Set a watch (ô Lord) before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lippes. Eph. 4.31.Let all bitternesse, and anger, and wrath, crying, and euill speaking be put away from you with all malitiousnesse, Eph. 4.31. Pro. 16.1. Let God rule thy tongue, Pro. 16.1. And that thou maiest the better auoide vnquietnesse of the tongue, to the framing of thy speech obserue with diligence these three cautions. 1. For the matter of thy speech, that it be iustifiable: Zach. 8.16. Vers. 19.Speake the truth, Zach. 8.16. Loue the truth and peace, Vers. 19. Eph. 4.29. Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouth, Eph. 4.29. Againe that it may be profitable, Pro. 10.32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, Pro. 10.32. And lastly it must be season­able, Pro. 25.11. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold [...]n pictures of siluer, Pro. 25.11. 2 For the manner of thy speech, [Page 94]haue a care that it be modest, Eph. 5.4.Let not filthinesse, nor foolish talking, nor iesting, nor words inconuenient proceede out of your mouthes, but rather giuing of thankes, Eph. 5.4. Haue a care that thy speech be meeke and milde, Colos 4.6. Let your speech be alwaies with grace, Colos. 4.6. Whether it be in ordinary talk­ing, Pro. 10.31. The mouth of the iust bringeth foorth wisedome, Pro. 10.31. or in answering, Pro. 15.1. A soft answere turneth a­way wrath, but grieuous words stirre vp anger, Pro. 15.1. Or in reprouing, Galat. 6.1. If any man be ouertaken in a fault, yee which are spirituall, restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse, Gal. 6 1. And verily these two latter are very auaileable to the practise of Quiet­nesse. For as concerning soft and milde answers what a singular ver­tue they haue to appease wrath, may appeare in the answeres of 1. Sam 25.10.24.25.26. Abigaile vnto Dauid, 1. Sam. 25. Nabal by churlish language prouoked Dauid vnto wrath, shee by milde and hum­ble speech pacified Dauids wrath and stoppeth his furie. So Gedeon, Iudg. 8. when the men of Ephraim [Page]were exceeding angrie against him, and chid with him sharpely, as it is Vers. 1. He spake Iudg. 8.1.3.gently vnto them, and gaue them milde and courteous answeres, and it followeth, Vers. 5. That when he had so spoken their spirits abated towards him. Therefore Salo­mon saith well, Pro. 15.23. A man hath ioy by the answere of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is, Pro. 15.23. And as for meeknes in repro­uing, we may see what an Antidote it is against vnquietnesse by Abra­hams dealing with Lot, Gen. 13.8.9. Gen. 13.8.9. Let there be I pray thee, no strife be­tweene mee and thee, neither betweene mine heard-men and thine, for wee are brethren. Such kinde of mildenesse in reproouing will be as Psal. 141.5. a precious ointment and as balme into the head; Such a Pro. 17.10. reproofe will enter more into him that hath vnderstanding, then an hundred stripes into a foole. 3. Last­ly, if thou louest Quietnes, thou must haue a care to the measure of thy speech. Psal. 31.1. Thou must keepe in thy mouth as with a bridle, Iob. 39.37.Thou must lay thine hand vpon thy mouth, Iam. 1.19.Thou [Page]must be swift to heare and slow to speake. Be not too talkatiue, for Pro. 10.19. in the mul­titude of words there wanteth not sinne, but he that refraineth his lips is wise, Pro. 10.19. Be not to hastie to speake, For Pro. 18.13. he that answereth a matter before he heare it, it is folly and shame vnto him, Pro. 18.13. Be not too full of speech, For Pro. 25.11. A foole powreth out all his minde; but a wise man keepeth it in till after­ward, Pro. 25.11. That which Vale­rius Maximus reporteth of Xeno­crates may be truly verified by most mens experience, Hee would often say, that it repented him many times that he had spoken, but it neuer repented him that he had held his peace. Hee that would not offend with his tongue, and so auoide the vnquietnes which may fall thereupon, let him obserue those three things which Ambrose requireth vnto speech. Ambrose. 1. A yoke 2. A ballance. 3. A metwand. A. yoke to keepe it in staied grauitie, A ballance to giue it weight of rea­son, 3 Ametwand, to keepe it in mea­sure and moderation. In iust deeds and actions.

But what will it auaile vs to shew [Page 97]curtesie in our gesture, and to bee Quiet in words, if our deedes tend to vnquietnesse? Cor. 15.33. Euill words corrupt good manners, but wrongfull deedes do most breede vnquietnesse; many a man hath the voice of Gen. 27.22. Iacob, but Isay. 3.8.9. the hands of Esau; Though the shew of their countenance doe not witnesse against them, yet their do­ings tend to prouoking. Therefore hee who would studie to be Quiet must haue an eye to all his actions, and take heede to all his waies, that hee may follow those things which belong to peace and auoide those practises which are iniurious and of­fensiue vnto others. For a generall rule in which direction I propose vn­to thee that golden rule of Nature so pithily vrged by our blessed Sauiour, Math. 7.12.Whatsoeuer ye would that men should do vnto you, do so vnto them. Which sentence did so well please Alexander Seuerus that in all his pallaces and publique buildings he caused it to be engrauen, Alexander Se­uerus. and when he punished a­ny man, he caused this saying by the crier to be proclaimed; Quod tibi fle­ri [Page]non vis alteri ne feceris, Do not to an other what thou wouldest not haue done vnto thy selfe. And certes if this rule of equitie, this very law of Na­ture were well obserued, it would proue a notable remedie against vn­quietnesse; how Quiet would all things bee if men would offer no more to others then what they would be content to receiue from o­thers, and would as patiently beare with others, as they would haue o­thers to beare with their infirmities. But this is a notable propertie of our corrupt nature, we are forward and froward in exacting vpright dealing at other mens hands, slacke and backeward in returning the same back againe to others; In other mens dealings towards vs wee are Masters, able to teach them what they ought to doe, but in our owne dealing to­wards others we are scarce Schollers to learne our owne dutie. And from hence is it, that many times we are so much out of Quiet our selues, and so vainely sow the seede of vnquiet­nesse among others. Therefore [Page 99] Psal. 15.2.3. walke vprightly and worke righte­ousnesse whosoeuer thou art who longest after Quietnesse.

Now because this large field of In­nocencie and vpright dealing doth consist either in actions distributiue or commutatiue, In our Acti­ons distribu­tiue. therefore wee will take a briefe view of the meanes of vp­right carriage of a mans selfe in both these sorts of actions, for the doing of iustice and auoiding of vnquiet­nesse. Actions distributiue consist in the distribution of Rewards and Pu­nishments; in both which whosoeuer would practise Quietnesse must ob­serue a geometricall proportion, ac­cording to the worthinesse of men, or their deserts. For when Rewards are distributed vnrespectiuely, occa­sion is offered to the vnrewarded to murmure, grieue, or enuie, and when Punishments are inflicted vndeserued­ly, a gappe is opened to discontent, complaint and mutinie, both which are enemies vnto peace and Quiet­nesse; therefore he who would take away all occasion of vnquietnesse in this kinde must obserue this Christi­an [Page 100]pollicie, Rewards. 1. For Rewards let them be distributed iustly, Rom. 13.7.Render to euery one their dues, Rom. 13.7. Fitly, Luk. 12.42.giue to euery one their portion in due season, Luk. 12.42. Cheerefully, for 1. Cor. 97. God loueth a cheerefull giuer, 1. Cor. 9.7. Secondly, Punishments. for Punishments, let them be giuen moderately, Eccles. 7.16.Be not thou iust ouermuch, Eccles. 7.16. Aduisedly, Eccles. 7.7.giue not thine heart to all the words that men speake, least thou heare thy seruant cursing thee, Eccles. 7.23. Lastly, Punishments must be infli­cted seasonably, Pro. 19.18.Chasten whiles there is hope, Pro. 19 18.

Actions Commutatiue consist in mutuall traficke and dealings be­tweene man and man, In Actions commutatiue. as in Con­tracts, Couenants, and common conuersation one with an other; wherein for the practise of Quiet­nesse an Arithmeticall proportion is to be obserued in the equalitie and equitie of our dealings. That rule of the Apostle taking place in euery particular of this kinde, 1. Thes. 4.6. Let no man oppresse or deceiue his brother, 1. Thes. 4.6. We will take notice of it in some [Page 101]particulars. As 1. In barg­nings. In buying and sel­ling, if we would preserue Quietnes, we must looke that the commodities which we commute be, for Qualitie, saleable; we may not Amos. 8.4.5 sell the refuse, Amos. 8.4.5. For Quantitie iustifi­able; Leuit. 19.36. iust ballances, true, waights, a true epha, a true hin, Leuit. 19.36. For Price tollerable, Amos. 8.4. Thou maist not make the epha small and the shekel great, Amos. 8.14. 2. In borrowing and len, In lending & borrowing.ding, wherein if we would preserue Quietnesse: we must lend freely, Psal. 37.21. The righteous is mercifull and lendeth, Psal. 37.21. wee must borrow spa­ringly, Pro. 22.7. The borrower is a seruant to the lender, Pro. 22.7. we pay truly, Exod. 22 14.15. If a man borrow of his neighbor, hee must make it good, Exod. 22.14.15. wee must beware for whom wee be­come surety, Pro. 11.15. he that hateth sureti­ship is sure, Pro. 11.15. 3. In couenants and promises. In Coue­nants and Promises, wherein, if wee loue Quietnesse, we keepe these ca­ueats; Promise aduisedly, Eccles. 5.2. Be not rash with thy mouth, Eccles. 5.2. Couenant lawfully, 1. Tim. 1.19. Make not shipwracke of a good conscience, 1. Tim. 1.19. Per­forme [Page 102]iustly, Pro. 25.14. A man that boasteth and keepeth not his promise is like clouds and winde without raine, Pro. 29.14. 4. In our Con­uersation. In our calling and conuersation, wherein if wee would studie to bee Quiet: wee must follow our calling diligently, 1. Cor. 7.24. Let euery man whereun­to he is called, therein abide, 1. Cor. 7.24. we must liue in our calling conten­tedly, Phil. 4.11. learne in whatsoeuer estate wee are therewith to be content, Phil. 4.11. we must deale truly, Eph 4.15. Follow the truth in loue, Eph. 4.15. we must wrong no man willingly, Psal. 15.3. the righteous man doth none euill to his neighbor. We must auoide all occasions of offence, 1. Thes. 5.22 Astaine from all appearance of euill, 1. Thess. 5.22. Finally, Phil. 4.8.9. Whatsoeuer things are honest, whatsoeuer things are iust, whatsoeuer things are pure, what­soeuer things are louely, whatsoeuer things are of a good report, if there bee any vertue, if there be any praise, thinke on these things, and haue a care to pra­ctise them, so the God of peace shall bee with vs and we liue one with an other in peace and Quietnesse. Speciall dire­ctions for Quietnesse.

Hetherto we haue heard the gene­rall [Page 103]meanes for Quietnesse at all times, and in all places to be obserued by all them who would dispose themselues towards Quietnesse. Now we are to proceede to the speci­all directions for Quietnesse among particular companies, and vpon spe­ciall occasions, wherin we shall meete with seuerall remedies against seue­rall diseases of vnquietnesse, and learne how to demeane our selues a­gainst occasions of vnkindnes offe­red vnto vs by others, as in the for­mer Sections we were taught how to behaue our selues to the Quiet both of our selues and others. For the more methodicall handling wherof, we must distribute Quietnesse into a twofold ranke.

• 1. Oeconomicall Quietnsse.
• 2. Politicall Quietnesse.

Oeconomicall Quietnesse is that Houshold Quietnesse which is to bee obserued in the priuate familie, Oeconomi­call Quietnes. be­tweene the Husband and the Wife, the parent and the childe, the Master [Page 104]and the Seruant. Politicall Quietnes is that ciuill Quietnesse which ought to bee obserued in the common wealth betweene neighbor and neigh­bor, betweene the superior and the in­ferior, betweene the magistrate and the subiect. First we will take a veiw of the former kinde of Quietnesse, that which is domesticall, which is so necessarie vnto euery house, that it is, as it were, the foundation of an house, Pro. 24.3. Through wisedome an house is builded and with vnderstanding it is esta­blished, Pro. 24.3. It is a signe of a Christian fam [...]l [...]e Luk. 10.6. if the sonne of peace be there and peace rest in it, Luk. 10.6. And where Quietnesse is wanting there is a signe that it is nigh vnto desolation, For Math. 12.25.an house diuided a­gainst it selfe cannot stand, Math. 12.25. Therefore houshold Quietnes is much to be respected, much to be desired.

In the Houshold Man and wife do beare the greatest sway, Betweene man and wife. and there­fore it is most meete and expedient for them to cheerish and to main­taine Quietnesse. They must 1. Cor. 7.3. giue [Page 105]to one an other due beneuolence, 1. Cor. 7.3. This they cannot doe, vnlesse they studie to be Quiet; They must Eph. 5. maintaine mutuall loue and vnitie, Eph. 5. This they cannot do vnlesse they studie to be Quiet. They must Pro. 5.18. reioyce togither, Pro. 5.18. This they cannot doe vnlesse they studie to be Quiet. They must Galat. 6.2. beare one with an other, Galat. 6.2. This they can­not doe vnlesse they studie to bee Quiet. They must Colos. 3.16. not be bitter one to an other, Golos. 3.16. This they can­not chuse but be vnlesse they studie to be Quiet. Their neere coniuncti­on may teach them Quietnesse, Math. 19.6. They two are one flesh. Math. 19.6. It is Eph. 5.29. vnnaturall for one and the same flesh to be out of Quiet with it selfe. The manner of their coniunction may learne them Quietnesse, for marriage is or should be merrie age, it being a compound of two loues, wherein vnlesse there be a ioyning of hearts as well as a knitting of hands, there can be no vnitie, but man and wife proue like two poisons in one stom [...]h, the one will euer be sicke [Page 106]of the other. The end of marriage will put married couples in minde of quietnes: Gen. 2.18. it was the mutual comfort and helpe of each other, Genes. 2.18. Now vnlesse they both study to bee quiet, they prooue like Iobs friendes, Iob 16.2. miserable comforters. Discord be­tweene married parties is a disorder of all disorders, a plague of al plagues, a misery of all miseries. A man were better to dwell in the Pro. 25.24.corner of an house top, Pro. 19.13.better to abide vnder a continuall dropping, Pro. 21.19.better to dwell in the wilder­nesse, then with vnquiet married folkes. Quietnesse in the married estate Ioh. 2.7.8. tur­neth water into wine, but vnquietnes turneth wine into water. Psal. 133.1.Behold how good, and how pleasant a thing it is (saith Dauid) for brethren to dwell together in vnity. Much more comely and plea­sant a thing is it, for man and wife to dwell together in vnity. Syracides. 25. Three things (sayth the Sonne of Sirach) doth re­ioyce me, and they are beautifull before God and man, Ʋnity of Brethren, Loue of Neighbours, A Man and Wife who a­gree together.

By how much the more wofull and [Page 107]lamentable is the estate of many in these our vnquiet times, Vnquietnesse between man and wife how it doth arise. who liue so vnquiet in Marriage estate. Blessed be God, I cannot descry it by any fee­ling experience of mine owne, for Cant. 6.3. My W [...]slbeloued is Mine, and I am Hers; But I haue often heard the complaint of it in other houses, and hauing in my place interposed my selfe to compose such domesticall va­riance, I finde that it were Pro. 17.12. better to meete with a Beare robbed of her whelpes, then with the furious dis­cord of vnquiet married persons: there is no vnquietnesse like to this, no contention so difficult to bee ap­peased Some impute the blame heer­of most of all vnto the woman, Where the fault lyeth. as if she by reason of the weakenesse of her Sexe [mulier mollis aer] or the stout­nesse of her stomacke [Foemina ferens minus] were most prone to set forward vnquietnesse: But I cannot acquit the Man or exempt him wholly from the fault heereof, When the fault is in the woman. for (Maritus male irritatus) a prouoked Husband (Ʋir vaeira) wo to the wrath of such a man and (Homo) the Man many times, [Page 108]may at least wise goe ( [...]) together in that crime. 20. sorts of vn­quiet shrewes. The Wife may then iust­ly beare the blame, when she is guilty of any of these vnquiet shrewish pro­perties, either 2 Kin. 2 30. Proud like Iezabel, or Prouoking like Num. 12.1.2.3. Miriam, or Prying like Iudg. 16.16. Dalilah, or sullen like Hest. 1.10. Ʋashtas, or imperious like 2 Kin. 11.1. Attaliah, or scoffing like 2 Sam. 6.23. Michol, or skornefull like Gen. 16.4. Ha­gar, or skolding like Exod. 4 25. Zipporah, or taun­ting like 1 Sam. 1.6. Peninuah, or lying like Act. 5.9. Za­phira, or lustfull like Gen. 30.1. Rahel, or spight­full like Mat. 14.8. Herodias, or wilfull like Phil 4 2. E­uodias, or disdainfull like Gen. 26.35. Esaues wiues, or tempting like Iob 2.9. Iobs wife, or wanton like Gen. 29.7. Potiphars wife, or wandring like the Iudg. 19.2. Leuits wife, or subtill like 1 Kin. 14.4. Iero­boams wife, or hanging backe like Gen. 19.26. Lots wife, or too vnconstant like Iudg. 14.20. When the fault is in the man. 20. Sorts of vnquiet Hus­bands. Sampsons wife. The Husband may then iustly beare the blame; when he is attained with these following ill properties, ei­ther too vxorious as Gen. 24.8. Shechem, or too abstenious as Gen. 38.9. Onan, or too curious as the 2 Kin 4.32. Shunamite, or too carelesse as Gen. 29 32 Esau, or too rash as Iudg. 11.29 Iephta, or too facill as 1 Kin. 21. Ahab, or too indulgent as the Iudg. 19.3. Leuit of Ephraim, or too inconstant as [Page 109] 2 Sam. 13.15 Ammon, or too foolish as 1 Sam. 25.25 Nabal, or too furious as Gen. 14 23. Lamech, or too obse­quious as Mat. 14 9. Herod, or too sullen as Gen. 4 6. Caine, or too proud as Hest. 5.12. Haman, or iealous as 2 Sam. 3.7. Ishboshoth, or adulterous as Gen. 35.22. Ruben, or an vnthrift as the Luk. 15.13. Prodigall, or co­uetous as Gen 31.41. Laban, or troublesome as Gen. 16.12. Ismael, or malecontent as 2. Sam. 7.23 Achitophel, or imperious as Hest. 1.16.17 Pemucan. Therfore that both the Husband and the Wife may the better preuent these mala­dies, and liue quietly each with the other, I will propose certaine caueats for Quietnesse as well to the one as to the other.

And first for the Wife (because shee according to the common voyce is first in this transgression (if she would study to bee quiet, How the wife may worke Quietnesse. let her put in pra­ctise these directions. 1. Let her haue a reuerent awe and respect of her hus­band, Eph. 5.33. Let the wife see that shee reue­rence her husbnand, let her consider that her husband is Gen. 20.16. the vaile of her eyes, and that he is [...]. 1.8. deerer vnto her then al earthly things. 2. Let her alwayes giue vnto him quiet, reuerent and courteous language, 1 Pet. 13.6. Sarah called her [Page 110]hushand Lord,Pro. 16.24.Pleasing words are as an hony combe, sweete to the Soule, and health to the bones. 3. Let her beware of vndiscreete and snappish answers, Tit. 2.9. please well in all things, not answering againe. 4. Let her bee obedient, Eph. 5.24. As the Church is in subiection to Christ, so let the wiues be subiect to their husbands in euery thing, Eph. 5.24. Col. 3.18. Wiues submit your selues to your husband as it is come­ly in the Lord. Coloss. 3.18. 5. Let her be faithfull, Heb. 13.4.keepe the marriage bedde vndefiled, giue no occasion of offence, Phil. 2.14. Doe all things without murmurings, 1 The. 5.22.Abstaine from the appearance of what is euill.

But heere mee thinkes I heare ma­ny a discontented wife replying with that forward Ruler in the Gospell, Obiections and excuses answered. Luk. 18.18.21. All these things haue I kept frō my youth vp, euen from the first day of my marri­age vntill now, & yet I cannot liue in quiet: A lasse poore Soule, thine hap is hard, thy case to be deplored: But take heed, thou doe not deceiue thy selfe, it may be, there is somewhat lac­king and that thou hast little cause thus to instifie thy selfe: O no, thine [Page 111] Husband (thou sayst) is most vnkind, teasty, furious, nothing can please him; Be it so, yet he is thine Husband, thou must sit downe content with Ieremie, Ier. 10.19.This is my cresse and I will beare it. Put on patience, and then it will be Iosh. 2.24. nothing to ouercome these infirmities. O but there be many oc­casions offered to prouoke vnquiet­nesse; what then? these are but trials to prooue good wiues, Pro. 19.11. it is an hono­rable thing to passe by infirmities, Pro. 10.12. Erasm: Apo­thegm. lib. 8. and loue couereth a multitude of of­fences. Alphonsus of Aragon, was wont to say, Where the husband is deafe, and the wife blinde, marriage is quiet and free from dissention. The woman who would liue quietly with an vnquiet husband, must be many times blinde & not see what she doth see, she must be deafe, and not heare what she doth heare. The wiues Quietnesse doth much depend vpon her owne discre­tion, Pro. 14.1. Euery wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish plucketh it downe with her owne hands, and Pro. 11.16. A gracious woman retaineth honour. It is a nota­ble meanes also for the wiues quiet­nesse, [Page]when they apply themselues to the inclination, nature and manners of their Husbands, so long as the same importeth not wickednesse. For as the looking-glasse howsoeuer faire and beautifully adorned is nothing worth if it shew that countenance sad which is pleasant, or the same pleasant which is sad, so the woman deserueth no commendation, that (as it were) contrarying her husband, when he is merry sheweth her selfe sad, or in his sadnesse vttereth her mirth. Men (saith Socrates) should obey the lawes of the cities, Socrates.and women the manners of their husbands.

Now whiles we teach the Wife qui­etnesse, How the Hus­band may worke Quiet­nesse. the Husband happily may thinke that he hath no neede of such instruction; but let him not deceiue himselfe: for though he be the head, yet hee may not tyrannise ouer his mate, or disquiet her if hee loue his owne Quietnesse. Nay his very cre­ation doth shew, that in the head is placed, reason, wisdome, iudgement, sight, hearing, and all other gifts which tend to the quiet gouernment [Page 113]and order of the body. Therefore thou Husband if thou wouldest haue quietnesse, learne thy duty. 1. Loue thy wife feruently, Eph. 5.33. Let euery man loue his wife euen as himselfe, Eph. 5.33. 2. Shew thy loue vnto her effectual­ly, both by protecting her from dan­ger, for Gen. 20.16 Thou art the couering of her eyes amongst all that are with thee, Gen, 20.16. as also by cherishing her, and maintaining her estate, for Eph. 5.28. So ought men to loue their wiues as their owne bodies. Eph. 5.28. 3. Honor her, 1 Pet. 3.7. giue honour to the woman. 1. Pet. 3.7. make account of her as thy compani­on and yoakefellow; beare with her infirmities; be content when it is for thy good to be ruled by her admoni­tions. 4. Auoid occasions of discord and vnquietnesse; Col. 3.16. Husbands loue your wiues and be not bitter vnto them. Col. 3.16. Not bitter in wordes, for Pro. 12.18. there is that speaketh words like the piercing of a sword; Not bitter in ge­sture for Psal. 101.5. Him that hath a proud looke and a lofty heart who can suffer? Nor bitter in deedes, Mal. 2.15. Let no man trespasse against the wife of his youth, Mal. 2.15. [Page]Therfore the Apostle Peter requireth husbands to 1 Pet. 3.7. dwell with their wiues as men of knowledge; And the Heathen Philosopher teacheth the selfe same Iesson. Arist. Ethie. 8. The master of a family (saith he) exerciseth (after a sort) a power Tyran­nicall ouer his seruants, a power Regall o­uer his children, but in respect of his wife he exerciseth a power Aristocratical, not after his owne will, but agre [...]able to the honour and dignity of the married estate.

And heere me thinkes I heare the dismall moane, Obiections and excuses of Husbands an­swered. and dolefull lamenta­tion of many a wofull Husband, vex­ed, plagued and tormented with an vnquiet wife; Iob. 3.1.2.3. Cursed (saith he) bee the time that euer I met with mine vnquiet mate, let the day perish wher­in I was married, let it not be ioyned to the dayes of the yeare, let it not come into the number of the months for there is no man plagued with such a wife, she is a very Alecto, a Megara, a Xantippe, woorse then a Quotidian Feuer: poore man (though I feele not thy malady) yet I pitty thy case: But now there is no remedy, thou hast made this thy choice for better for [Page 115]worse, if it fall out woorsethen thou didst expect, blame thine own choice; But tell me in good sooth, what is it that thou doest so much dislike in thy wife? Are they infirmities of nature, as frowardnesse, sullennesse, suspici­ousnesse, teastinesse, austerity in be­hauior, want of complementall kind­nesse and such like,? Pro. 19.31. It is the glory of a man to passe by an infirmity, and 1 Cor. 13. Loue suffreth all things; Husbands must bear with the wife as with the weaker ves­sell, 1 Pet. 3.7. women are like christall glasses, brittle, yet profitable: as therefore a man doth more carefully take heede of breaking such a glasse, then of a tinne or earthen vessell: So the Hus­band should haue regard of the frailty of his wife, more then with others, and must consider that euen he him­selfe is not without infirmities. Yea but (will the perplexed Husband say) my wiues insolent conditions are not infirmities, but habituall maladies, they are rooted in her, they doe ex­ceed, and who can endure them? but consider with thy selfe (O man) whi­ther thine owne indiscretion, and [Page 116]lewd conuersation haue not giuen iust occasion: there bee husbands in the world that forget the bond of marriage, and impart the loue due to their owne wife vnto other mens wiues: there be some Prodigals, great spenders, idle and slacke in their busi­nesse, whereby their wiues and chil­dren languish in pouerty, there bee others who haunting Tauernes, Ale­houses, and lewd company, consume that which should mainetaine the fa­mily, and comming home drunke beat and vexe their wiues, there bee others who by high and bitter spee­ches, threatning lookes and vnkinde actions, prouoke their wiues, and stir vp such strife and debate as doe con­uert the felicity of marriage into an Hell: Now if thou be attainted with any of these euill properties, thou de­seruest no lesse then such bitter sawce (howsoeuer it be an euill piece of coo­kery in thy wife) to thy distastfull courses. But thou wilt say, that thou art no such manner of man, thy car­riage of thy selfe is without exception, thou giuest no iust occasion of offence [Page 117]vnto thy wife and yet shee will neuer be quiet. It may bee there is offence taken, where it is not giuen, and all would be well vpon the remoouall of that offence. Therefore if thou woul­dest be thought a good husband, seek diligently to remooue the stone, whereat thy wife stumbleth and ta­keth occasion of griefe: Thus did Gen. 16.4.5.6. Abraham, when Sara was out of quiet because of Hagar, and obiected vnto him (albeit wrongfully) that he was the cause that she contemn'd her, bearing with his wife, hee remooued the cause of contention, in suffering her to turne Hagar out of doores. So must thou doe if thou loue thine own Quietnesse, as also what thou seest a­misse in thy wife, either winke at, as if thou sawest it not, or reprooue with meekenesse. But what (wilt thou say) may not I chide my wife? may not I tell her of her infirmities? may not I reprooue her when she doth amisse? Reprooue her thou maist, chide her thou maist not, vnlesse the offence be against God, and thou art to reprooue an irreligious practise; If Rachel re­quire [Page 116] [...] [Page 117] [...] [Page 118]that of Iacob which is onely in the power of God, Gen. 30.1. Giue me children or else I die, Iacob may blame her im­portunity, Verse 2. Am I in Gods steed who hath withholden from thee the fruit of the wombe? If Iobs wife tempt him to impiety, Iob 2.9. Curse God and die, Iob may checke her more sharply, Verse 10. Thou spea­kest like a foolish woman. But otherwise in their owne causes and quarrels the husband must reprooue gently and louingly, like Helkana when his wife Hanna mourned because shee had no children, 1 Sam. 1.7.8. Why weepest thou? why is thine heart grieued? am not I better to thee then sonnes? Againe, Reproofe must be giuen in such a case discreetly not vpon the sudden rashly, not in open presence or before companie. Therefore Cleobulus of Lindie one of the wise men of Greece, among other precepts to married men, giueth these two principally: Plutar [...]. Apoth First, that the Husband may not flatter the wife to her owne face. Secondly, that hee doe not re­prooue her before strangers. And Mar­cus Aurelius hath a pretty saying to this purpose: A wise Husband (sayth [Page 119]he) and one that seeketh to liue in quiet with his wife, must obserue these three rules, Often to admonish, Seldome to re­prooue, Neuer to smite. But I cannot chuse (will the impatient husband say) I must needes speake, and if spee­ches will not serue, I must vse stroaks, I must trie what stripes will doe, I will curry her coat and tan her hide, I will make her smart but I will make her quiet: Indeede that is the way to pull an old house (as we say) about thine eares, the ready way to raise vp more and more the dust of vnquietnesse; Beleeue it, if gentlenesse will not pre­uaile to worke quietnesse, much lesse strips: but may not I correct my wife? No, thou maiest not doe it; she is thy mate, thou and thy wife are but one flesh, Eph. 5.29. No man will hate, much lesse beat, his owne flesh; It is an expresse prohibition. Malach. 2.15. Malach. 2.15 Thou shalt not trespasse against the wife of thy youth. It is the greatest reproach in the world (sayth Chrysostome) for a man to beate his Wife. Chrysostome. And Plutarch in the life of Cato the Censor affirmeth, Plutarch. in vita Cat. that he which smiteth [Page 120]his wife doth all one as if hee should lay violent hands vpon the sacred images of the gods, which was counted an high degree of offence among the hea­thens. I close vp this clause with a more sound and serious sentence of a writer iudicious; Taffin. The wiues infirmi­ties, must either be taken away, or borne with all, he that can take them quite a­way, maketh the wife, often farre more commodious, hee that can beare with them, maketh himselfe better and more vertuous.

Hetherunto wee haue seene the dutie of Man and Wife single by themselues each in his place for the practise of Quietnesse, Mutuall duties betwixt Hus­band and wife for the studie of Quietnes. now it will not be amisse to direct them iointly both together for better preseruation of Quietnesse; their mutuall duties to this purpose are these, 1. Let them liue together, 1. Cor. 7.10 Let not the Wife sepe­rate her selfe from her Husband, 1. Cor. 7.10. 1. Pet. 3.7. Let the Husbands dwell with their Wiues, 1. Pet. 3.7. And there­fore in the name of God I dare pro­nounce, that rash desertions or par­ting from one an other in the mar­ried [Page 121]estate (a practise to common in our times) is vnchristian, Math. 19.6. that which God hath ioyned together, let no man put a sunder. I know that in these cases discontented and disseuered couples will alleadge that this they doe for Quietnesse sake which in their cohabitation or dwel­ling together is not to be hoped for, their natures being so contrarie; But let mee tell them, that this is an illu­sion of the Diuell, he transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light, and by propounding a shew of liuing in Quiet, for the compassing hereof in­duceth them to gain-say Gods pro­hibition and to make a most offen­siue seperation. August in Ioh. tract. 9. And to this purpose excellently speaketh the learned fa­ther Augustine, As coniunction com­meth of God, so seperation proceedeth from the Diuell. 2. Let them loue to­gether: In the booke of the Cant. 2.15. Can­ticles each calleth the other Loue, and what a reflection there ought to bee beweene their loues we haue alrea­die shewed in their seuerall loues, now this loue betweene them must [Page 122]be stedfast not variable, setled, not mutable, well grounded, not rashly conceiued; for such loue resembleth only a fire of straw, making a blaze for a while, but soone out. 3. Let them draw the yoake togither, Mare. 10.8 they are no more two but one. Man and Wife are partners, like two oares in one boate, therefore they must both share togither, and help togither; when the Husband is laborious, the Wife must not be riotous, when the Wife is thriftie, the Husband must not be prodigall, for the Husband that hath such a Wife, casteth his la­bours into a bottomlesse sacke, and the Wife that is sped with such an Husband, draweth a cart heauie la­den through a mirie way without an horse. 4. Let them bee carefull to support one an other, Eph. 4.31. Be gentle and friendly, Eph. 4.31. Galat. 6.2. Beare one an o­thers burden, Galat. 6.2. Let the Husband thinke that he hath mar­ried a daughter of Adam not free from infirmities, likewise let the wo­man thinke that shee hath not mar­ried an Angell but a sonne of Adam [Page 123]not without corruptions, and so let them both resolue to beare that which cannot be amended; let not the bodie complaine of the head though it ake or be out of temper, nor the head of the bodie albeit it be crooked or mishapen. If the Hus­band bee giuen to brawling or the wife to chiding, let them both be­ware of giuing any occasion; hee who would not heare the bell sound must take heed how he be medling with the rope. 5. Eccles 12.13. Lastly let them both see that they feare God, Psal. 119.6. let them haue respect vnto the word of God, for Pro. 2.12. this will keepe them both from the way of euill, and from froward things. This will be to Pro. 4.9. the head an ornament of grace, and a crowne of glo­rie to our waies.

I haue been the longer in this dis­course of Quietnesse betweene Man and Wife, because of all others, Parentall and filiall quietnes. mar­ried parties especially should studie to be Quiet, and their vnquietnesse carrieth with it the greatest blemish. I will be the briefer in handling the two other sorts of Oeconomicall [Page 124]Quietnesse, viz. the Quietnesse of the Parent with the Childe, and the Quietnesse of the Master with the Seruant; And first of the former, pa­rentall and filiall Quietnes. A pra­ctise well beseeming a Christian fa­milie, and a gracious fruit of the word of grace, whose propertie (as is declared first of all by Malach. 4.6. Malachie, and afterwards confirmed by the Angell vnto Luk. 1.17. Zacharie) is to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fa­thers; the very proiect of an happie Quietnesse. And surely I would to God there were not too needfull cause to enforce this exhortation of Parentall and filiall Quietnesse, for who seeth not what lamentable pre­sidents of more then vnnaturall vn­quietnesse are obuious in this kinde in many places; Many Parents are more vnquiet then the Dragons, Lament. 4.4 and more vnnaturall then the Ostriges; and many a childe is of a gastrill kinde to disquiet his owne nest, of a very viperous broode, and as if the fell Tigers had giuen them such. [Page 125]Therefore both of these had neede to go to Schoole to studie to be Quiet.

And first for Parents, How Parents should studie for it. Quietnesse is an excellent ornament for them; They, of all others, ought to be so­ber,Tit. 2.3.graue, temperate, sound in faith, in charitie, in patience. It is for their ease, for the good example of their children, and for their honor to stu­die to be Quiet. Yea it is expressely inioyned vnto them, Ephes. 6.4. Fathers pro­uoke not your children to wrath, Eph. 6.4 And againe, Coloss. 3.21. Colos. 3.21. Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath, least they be discouraged. But what shall Parents doe for the better perfor­mance of this Practice of Quiet­nesse? First, They must Eph. 1.4. instruct them in the feare of the Lord, Eph. 6.4. As Gen. 18.19. Abraham did his children, as 1. Chro. 28.9 Dauid and Pro. 31.1. Bathsheba did Salomon, and as 2. Tim. 1.9. Timothie euen in his childe­hood was instructed by his grand­mother Lois and his mother Eunice; For the Iob. 28.28. feare of the Lord is the begin­ning of wisedome, and this is the only meanes to auoide euill, as pride, Pro. 8.13. ar­rogancie [Page]and the euill way. Second­ly, They must labour to see them trained vp in a lawfull calling, obser­uing therein their naturall inclinati­on, for Pro. 20.11. a childe will be knowne by his actions whether his worke bee pure and right. Thirdly, they must prouide for them; for 2. Cor. 12.14 Fathers ought to lay vp for the children. And 1. Tim. 5.8. Hee that prouideth not for his owne is worse then an infidell. Fourthly, They must not be too indulgent vnto them; for as the sonne of Sirach saith, Syracides 30.8.9.10.11. If thou bring vp thy sonne deliciously hee shall make thee affraide, if thou play with him he will bring thee to heauinesse, laugh not with him least thou be sorrie with him, and least thou gnash thy teeth in the end; What was the cause of old 1. Sam 2.23. Elies dismall vnquietnesse and of the inso­lent courses of his children [...] was it not his owne indulgencie and conni­uencie when he should haue reproo­ued them? Therefore Salomon saith, Pro. 29.17. Correct thy sonne and he will giue thee rest, and giue pleasures to thy Soule. And againe, Pro. 23.13. Withdraw not correction from thy childe, if thou smite him with [Page]the rod he shall not die. Yet this cor­rection must not be too seuere, but done with moderation; Eph. 6.3. fathers must not prouoke their children vn­to wrath, they must not too Colos. 3.28. much discourage them. Fiftly, They must be exceeding warie in manifesting their affection, for it is a dangerous thing for Parents to shew more loue and affection to one childe then to an other (except vpon great and iust occasion) as we see by the example of Gen. 37.3. Iacobs children, who because their father seemed to loue Ioseph their brother more then them, they tooke occasion to hate him and to worke much vnquietnesse vnto him. Parents therefore, to preuent the like inconueniences, are to vse equallitie among their children so neere as may be, whether in their ordinary vsage, or in the diuision of their goods. For, as all men naturally are enclined too much to the loue of earthly goods, so the vnequall sha­ring of the same doth often times breed great brawles and pernitious debate betweene brethren. Sixtly, [Page]they must require no more of their children then they are able to per­forme, for that is a great discourage­ment vnto the childe when hee seeth his parent to be too hard vpon him, either in imposing ouer much labor, or exacting more meanes of him then he is able to performe. Se­uenthly, They must labour to main­taine peace, vnity and concord a­mong their children: a notable pre­sident wherein Parents may learne from Scilurus an ethnick parent, Plutarch. Apoth. who hauing many children, and fearing some vnquietnesse likely to grow a­mong them, to the end he might in­duce them to liue together in peace and concord, hee tooke a sheafe of many arrowes and offered it to each of his children one after an other, willing them to breake it; but they could not, then pulling foorth the arrowes one by one, they brake them all; euen thus (said their father) is it with you, so long as you remaine v­nited and loue each other, no man can hurt or breake you, but if once ye fall at iarre and strife, euery man [Page 129]will destroy, and ouerthrow you. This dutie of Parents to keepe their children in peace and louing con­cord, Plutarch. in Lacon Apoth. did the Lacedemonians well vn­derstand, for when on a time two brethren fell at strife and contention, they punished both the father and the mother, because by good instru­ction they had not preuented, or at least wise, presently appeased the dissention betweene their children. Eightly. Lastly Parents must giue good example of Quietnesse vnto their children, Jdem de educa­tione pueyorum. Let Parents (saith an ancient Philosopher) so order and go­uerne themselues, that their children seeing the same as it were in a glasse may be restrained from dishonest speeches and wicked deeds. Let them do as guides that shew the right way ouer foards and riuers, by going before those whom they lead, that their children following their steps, may conforme themselues to their vertues, and so with them and by them learne Qui­etnesse.

If this be the dutie of the Parent to liue Quietly with his childe) as How children must studie for quietnesse. [Page 130]already hath beene specified) then much more is it the dutie of the childe to seeke and keepe his parents Quietnesse. Pro. 10.1. A wise sonne maketh a glad father, but a foolish sonne, is an heauinesse to his mother, Pro. 10.1. And againe, Pro. 17.25. A foolish sonne is a griefe vnto his father, and an heauinesse vnto her that bare him. Take away the beame from the Sunne (saith a good father) and it will not shine, take away the springs from the riuer and it will drie vp, take away the bough from the tree and it will wi­ther, so take away from children this dutie to their parents, and they are no longer children, but brethren and companions with those vnto whom Christ said ye are the children of the Diuell. Ioh. 8.44. As wee are to studie to bee Quiet with all men, so especially must we embrace it with our parents from whom wee haue receiued our being, we must 1. Tim. 5.4. first learne to shew kindnesse at home, and to requite our parents, for that is good and ac­ceptable before God. He that is out of quiet with his Parent is as the vi­per [Page 131]which eateth through his damme, and as the rauen which de­fileth his ownenest. Plutarch. in Lycurg. Bodin. 1. lib. de Rep. The Lacademo­man law did disinherit vnquiet chil­dren, the law of Nations doth hold them infamous, The Exod. 21.15 law of God (that iudiciall law giuen by God vn­to Moses, doth doome it vnto death. Wherefore that children may not become liable to this so foule a trans­gression, let them learne this friend­ly admonition. 1. They must haue alwaies a reuerent respect and estima­tion of their parents, whether they he rich or poore, whether gentle or froward, Exod. 20.12 Eph. 6.5. Honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou maiest liue long vpon earth. Respectfull children are sure of a blessing, but a contemptuous & vnquiet childe is neere to cursing. Pro. 30.17. The eic that mocketh his father and despiseth the instructions of his mother, the Rauens of the vallie shall picke it out, and the young Eagies shall eat it. 2. They must yeeld them due obe­dience, Colos. 3.20. children obey your parents in all things, for this is acceptable vnto the [Page 132]Lord. And that wee might know what is meant by all things wherein Parents must haue obedience, the same Apostle speaketh thus in an o­ther place, Eph. 6.1. Children obey your Pa­rents in the Lord, for this is right. The neglect of which obedience as it is a great breach to Quietnesse, so it doth incurre the penaltie of a great offence; Deut. 21.18. If any man (saith Moses) hath a Sonne that is stubborne and diso­bedient, which will not hearken to the voice of his father, and to the voice of his mother, and they haue chastened him, but he would not obey them, then shall his father and his mother take him, and bring him out to the elders of his Cittie, and shall say vnto them, This our sonne is stubborne and disobedient, and he will not obey our admonition, then the men of the Cittie shall stone him with stones vn­to death. Deut. 21.18.19.20. Third­ly, They must seeke to please their parents, and beware of offending them; Leuit. 19.3. Euery one of you shall stand in awe of his father and mother; As in­deede whosoeuer loueth father and mother, feareth their displeasure and [Page 133]on the contrarie side, hee who hath no regard how he doth behaue him­selfe vnto his Parents, cannot chuse but procure their displeasure. Fourthly, They must helpe their pa­rents, releiue their wants and com­fort them in their aduersities. It is Pauls counsell that 1. Tim. 5.4. Children and nephewes should recompence the kindnes of their kindred; then much more to helpe and serue their parents in their necessities. Neither shall they per­forme herein any more then the pai­ment of part of their debts, where­unto they are bound in considerati­on of the benefits that they haue re­ceiued from their parents. Fiftly, They must be content with patience to beare with the infirmities of their parents; what though thy parents be rigorous? what though they be fro­ward? what though they bee testie, sullen, wilfull, spightfull, or any waies proue either to prouoke or to bee prouoked vnto wrath? yet we must remember that they are our parents, and what will not good children take with patience at their parents hands? [Page 134]I conclude this clause, with the say­ing of the sonne of Syrach. Siracides. c. 3.9.10.13.14.15Honor thy father and mother indeede and in word, and in all patience, that thou maist haue Gods blessings, and that his bles­sing may abide with thee in the end, for the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of the children, and the mo­thers curse rooteth out the foundations, help thy father in his age, and greiue him not as long as he liueth, if his vnder­standing faile, haue patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength, for the good entreatie of the Father shall not be forgotten, and for thy mothers offence thou shalt bee recom­pensed with good, and it shall be foun­ded for thee in righteousnesse.

Whiles we are in this discourse of domesticall Quietnesse betweene the Parent and the Childe, How brethren and sisters may keepe Quietnesse. it will not seeme impertinent either to the text, in generall, or to this Section in spe­ciall, if wee take a view of Fraternall Quietnesse that which is betweene brethren and hrethren, between sisters and sisters, or betweene brethren and their Sisters. A propertie (where it [Page 135]is) so commendable that Dauid with admiration doth extoll the same. Psal. 133.1. Behold how good, and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie. It is not only good but also pleasant, if for brethren in professi­on much more for brethren both by nature and profession to be affectio­ned to Rom. 12.10 loue one an other with bro­therly loue, and to entertaine one a­nother 2. Pet. 1.7. with brotherly kindnesse. But vnquietnesse betweene brethren is a thing most vnseemlie, most bar­barous and prodigious. All enmitie (saith an Heathen man) breedeth within our selues a thousand tormenting passions, Plutarch.but especially the enmitie be­tweene brother and brother, for this is meerely vnnaturall. Xenophon. l. 2. de dictis & fact. Socrat. When Socrates saw Chaerephon and Chaerecrates two brethren iarring and warring each with other, he said vnto them, yee do now, as if the hands which were crea­ted to help one the other, should hinder and hurt each the other, or as if the feete which were framed to beare one an o­thers burden, should supplant one the other, or as if the eares, which are [Page 136]coaiutors of mutuall good should waxe deafe to heare good one for the other, or as if the eies whcih are fellow spies for the good each of other should looke asquint at the good one of the other. You will grant it to bee very vnnaturall, either for the hands, or the feete, or the eares, or the eyes, one to striue a­gainst the other; much more, more vnnaturall and monstrous will the strife betweene brethren be, because the aide which one of them may and should giue vnto the other doth far exceede the cooperation of the hands, the supportance of the feete, the coaudience of the eares, or pro­uidence of the eies. As Nature doth abhorre vnquietnesse among bre­thren, so is it detestable in the sight of God; Amos. 11.1. For three transgressions of Edom, and for foure (saith the Lord) I will not turne vnto it, because hee did pursue his brother with the sword. And where Salomon speaketh of those things which the Lord doth special­ly hate, he maketh this the vpshot of all the rest; Pro. 16.19. The man that raiseth vp contentions among brethren. Of all the [Page 137]vials of the wrath of God powred downe vpon sinners, it is one of the soarest, when a man (according to Esay his phrase) is Isay 49.26. fed with his owne flesh, and made drunke with his owne blood. B. King vpon Ionah. Lect. 15. That is (as a reuerent piller of our Church doth expound it) when a man taketh pleasure in the ouer­throw of his owne seed, and seeketh the destruction of his owne kindred. As there is no vnity to the vnity of louing brethren, so there is no enmity like to the enmity of brethren. Pro. 18.19. A brother offended is harder to be won then a strong citie, & their contentions are like the barres of a castle. The implacable hatred of Gen. 4.8. Caine against Abel, Gen. 27.41,Esau against Iaacob, Atreus against Thiestes, Eteocles against Polinices, Romulus a­gainst Remus, Bassanus against Geta, together with the late more then tra­gicall examples of brothers discords, in the Kingdome of Argiers, Tunes, and Barbaric, are they not as Trum­pets to sound out the truth heereof? Woe vnto that house, Mat. 13.36. where they of one house are deuided, and where a mans enemies are they of his owne [Page 138]house. Wherefore as my desire is to perswade quietnesse among all sorts of people, so especially among bre­thren, and where there is this vnnatu­rall variance and contention, let mee entreat them to consider with them­selues how vnseemely in nature, how offensiue to God, how iniurious to their owne soules, how vnbefitting Christians, yea reasonable creatures, this their contention is. Let me presse Abrahams argument vnto them, Gen. 13.18. Let there be no strife, I pray thee, betweene thee and mee, and mine and thine, for we are brethren. The name of brethren, the remembrance of affinity should be a sufficient motiue, to stop all con­trouersie, and to pacifie all enmitie. Let brethren and kindred hold togi­ther, not like Gen. 49.5. Simeon and Leui, bre­thren in euill, but like 1 Sam. 18.1. Dauid and Io­nathan, to preserue one another from euill: let them beare and forbeare one with another, for what shall a man beare withall if not with his own flesh? let 2 Cor. 13.11 them be of one minde, and liue in peace. In a word, let both bre­thren and sisters to this purpose follow [Page 139]the counsell that mellifluous Bernard giueth vnto a Sister. My louing Sister, Bernard.heare (saith he) what I speake vnto thee, if [...]n any thing thou hast grieued thy Si­ster, or caused her to be sorrowfull, satis­fie her, if thou hast sinned against thy Si­ster, repent before her, if thou hast stan­dalized her, aske her forgiuenesse, goe on with speed to reconcilment, sleepe not till thou hast made satisfaction, rest not, till thou returne in peace, vse all meanes for to procure Quietnesse.

There is yet one more caueat to bee giuen as concerning Domesticall Quietnesse, and that is, Mutual duties between Ma­sters and Ser­uants for the preseruation of Quietnesse. the concord and aggreement betweene Masters and Seruants: Housholders, and their Families, how they may study to bee quiet. For between these many times falleth out much vnquietnesse, and complaints are commonly of House­holders against the vnquietnesse of their Houshold, of Seruants against the vnquietnesse of their Masters. For the preuenting of which malady, both sorts in their places, may obserue this remedy.

To beginne with the master of the [Page 140]family, Duties of ma­sters for quiet­nesse. because hee hath the Soue­raignty, and is Paterfamilias the fa­ther and chiefe head of the family; if he loue (as he should) quietnesse in, the family. 1. Let him take heed to his choice whom he doth admit into his family: Dauids wary practise may be heerein his worthy president, Psal. 101. Verse 4. 5. 6. 7. A froward heart shall depart from me, I will not know a wicked person, who so priuily slaundereth his neighbour him will I cut off. Him that hath an high looke and a proud heart, will not I suffer, Mine eies shall be vpon the faithfull of the land, that they may dwell with me, He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serue mee, hee that worketh deceit shall not dwell in mine house, hee that telleth lies shall not tarrie in my sight. 2. Next vnto his chusing, let him looke well to the well vsing of his seruants, enioyne no grie­uous burdens vnto them, nor require no more of them then strength will beare? Leu. 25 46. Ouer your brethren, ye shall not rule with cruelty: giue them their por­tion of food in due season, Fro. 27.27. Let there bee sufficient for the food of thy family and for the sustenance of thy maids. Giue [Page]them their deserued pay and hire, Luk. 10.7. The Labourer is worthy of his wages, It must bee duly and truely paid, for the neglect of this breedes much vn­quietnesse Deut. 24.15. in the seruant, and it is a Iam. 5.4. crying sinne in the eares of the Lord; be not too seuere in punishing; Pro. 11.17. Hee that is cruell troubleth his owne flesh; nor too rigorous in threatning: Eph. 6.9. Yee masters (saith the Apostle) forbeare threatning knowing that your master also is in Heauen. 3. The good House­holder who would preserue quietnes in his houshold must haue a watchful eye ouer them and their carriage. Pro. 27.23. Be diligent to know the state of thy flocke, Pro. 31.27.ouersee the way of the houshold, and when he seeth vnquietnesse beginning to arise in any of his housholde, hee must with Exod. 2.1 [...]. Moses and with Gen. 13.18. Abra­ham, seeke to make a speedy pacifica­tion, and to quell vnquietnesse in the beginning. 4. Hee must giue good example to the family, hee must Psal. 101.2. be­haue himselfe wisely in a perfect way, and walk within his house with a per­fect heart. Hee must beware of fro­ward speech, hasty gesture, and vn­quiet [Page]behauiour, for his example i [...] [...] lesson to the family: Therefore as by Deut. 6.7. word hee is to instruct them in all godlinesse, so by example hee must shew the patterne of sobriety, meeke­nesse, patience and gentlenesse if he study for houshold quietnesse.

Now as concerning Seruants, Duties of Ser­uants for qui­etnesse. their estate and condition (as being in sub­iection, may put them in minde of their required quietnesse; which du­ty that they may the better practize, they must thus faithfully and dili­gently demeane themselues in their affaires. 1. They must haue a reue­rent awe and respect vnto their ma­sters and houshold gouernours; 1 Tim. 6.1. Let as many seruants as are vnder the yoake count their owne masters worthy of all ho­nour, that the name of God, and his do­ctrine bee not blasphemed. 2. They must yeeld obedience willingly and cheerefully: Col. 3.22. Seruants be obedient vn­to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with feare and trembling in singlenesse of heart as vnto Christ.Eph 6.6.7.Not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but with good will doing sernice. 3. They must [Page]seek to please their masters in all their words, gestures and actions. Tit. 2.9. Let Seruants be subiect to their masters and please them in all things, not answering againe; where that latter clause ( [...]) not answering againe, doth insinuate an apparant meanes of the breach of Quietnesse, when Seruants are too talkatiue, or when they bandy words for words, and are too malapert in their answers, or too prone vnto complaints, and withall sheweth an excellent meanes to re­dresse this, which is discreete silence. 4. They must be patient, contented to beare with their masters infirmities, iniuries or frowardnesse. 1 Pet. 2.18. Seruants be subiect to your masters with all feare, not onely to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, where we see an obie­ction answered, the impatient seruant might peraduenture stand vpon this: My master is outragious, bedlame, furious, without any mercy, without any meane, and therefore how can I brooke with quietnesse his continuall frowardnesse? The Apostle telleth him that howsoeuer the case standeth [Page]he must be patient and embrace qui­etnesse, and to this end doth propose to their imitation the example of Christ Iesus, Ibid. ver. 23 Who when he was reuiled, reuiled not againe, when he suffered, hee threatned not, but committed himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously. 5. They that are Seruants must labor to main­taine quietnesse between themselues, as they are to bee quiet towards their superiours, so they must study to bee quiet with their equals and fellow­seruants, one must not enuie the o­ther, nor prouoke another, nor slaun­der another, nor wrong another, for that is the way to set the whole house on fire, and 1 Thess. 4.6. God is the auenger of all such things, he is an euill seruant who presumeth vpon his masters patience, and shall beginne to smite his fellow seruants, and reuell with them, or raile at them. Matth 24.49.50. His portion shall bee with hypocrites by reason of his vn­quietnesse. I conclude this Section, and so this whole discourse of Oeco­nomicall Quietnesse, with that wor­thy sentence of learned Augustine concerning prosperities of Families: August. tract. 51. in Ioh. [Page] That family (saith hee) is of most sound tranquility and firme stability, where the master or goodman of the family is like Iosh. 24.14.Ioshua religious, and the mistresse or goodwife of the family like 1 Sam. 25.25Abigail, dis­creet and vertuous; where the father is likeGen. 18.19.Abraham faithfull, the mother like 1 Pet. 3.6.Sara helpefull, the sonne like Gen. 23.6.Isaack dutifull, the brethren and sisters; like Ge. 24 60.Laban and Rebecca amiable, the ser­uants like theLuk. 7.8.Centurions seruant tract­able. There is quietnesse in the house when euery member of the house studieth for quietnesse; when man and wife liue together in amity, brethren and sisters in vnity, seruants and companions in vnani­mity, when superiours giue examples of integrity, inferiours discharge their du­ty, when the elder sort art patternes of Sobriety, and the yoonger sort are vessels of Sanctity.

Hitherto wee haue heard instructi­ons for Domesticall Quietnesse in pri­uate families: Politicall Quietnesse. now we are to proceed vnto a discourse of Politicall Quiet­nesse abroad. For it is not onely re­quired of vs, that we study for Quiet­nesse at home, but as farre foorth as it [Page 146]is possible, Rom. 12.18 and as much as in vs lieth, we are to labour to be at peace with all men. This Politicall Quietnesse (that we may methodically take notice of it) may be distributed into a twofold ranke.

• 1.
  Nationall Quietnesse warre and peace.
  Nationall Quietnesse: betwixt Nation and Nation.
• 2. Ciuil Quietnesse: betwixt peo­ple of the same Nation.

As concerning the former of these two, my position is this. Quietnesse betweene Nation and Nation is by all meanes to be maintained and preser­ued, it was the grace of the glorious time of grace so long agone promised vnder the Gospell of Christ, that then Mich. 4.3. They should beat their swords into plow­shares, and their speares into pruning hookes, nation shall not lift vp a sword a­gainst nation, neither shall they learne warre any more. And so by the Pro­phet Zachary; Zach. 9.10.The battell bow shall be cut off, and he shall speake peace vnto the Heathen from sea to sea. I am farre from that Anabaptisticall phrensie, as simply to deny the lawfulnesse of warre, or peremptorily to condemne [Page 147]all vse of arms, for I know that there is Pa time of war, as well as a time of peace, Eccles. 3.8. I acknowledge that wars are somtimes of necessity, sometimes both approo­ued and vpheld by diuine autheritie, Exod. 15.3.The Lord is a man of warre, his name is Iehouah, There are battels which are called the 1 Sam. 18.17 Lords battels, and of many a battel it may be said, 1 Chr. 5.22. The war was of God, The Psal. 144.1. Lord teaching men to make warre, being the Iosh. 5.15. chiefe captaine and leader in that warre, Psal. 18.34.35. as also decree­ing the victory of the warre. But yet notwithstanding I farre preferre peace before warre, and pleading now for Quietnesse, am of the same mind which Timotheus was when hee gaue counsell to the Thebanes, Plutar. Apoth.That warre is not to be vndertaken, when peace and quietnesse may be gotten, and I approue of that short but sharpe answer which Archidamus gaue vnto the Aeolians, S^t Mart. Cog­nets politicke discourses vpon truth. cap. 12. when they asked his aduise concer­ning ayd that the Argians required of them in their warre, in a large letter hee wrought onely these few words, Quietnesse is good. For Xenophon wri­ting of the acts of the valiant Greekes, [Page 148]sheweth that it is more glory to ouer­come by wisdome then by force, Xenophon. and that all wise men do abstaine the most that they are able from warre, albeit they haue thereunto iust occasion, yea, M. Tul. Cicero. Jniquissima pax iustissimo bello est antefe­venda. the oracle of the Roman Oratours was wont to say, That a disaduantage­able peace was to bee preferred before a iust warre, and that they who desire war, when they may haue peace, are detestable creatures. It is reported in the life of S. Jn vita Augu­stini.Augustine, that hee would neuer pray for such as had wilfully and vo­luntarily thrust themselues into need­lesse warres: And out of his owne writings wee read this pithy sentence to this purpose, August. de Ci­uit. Dei 19. Warres howsoeuer iust, yet prooue trooublesome and sorrowfull to the best. And therefore the same Authour writing to his friend Boni­face, Jdem Epist. 105. ad Boni­facium. aduiseth him before all trophies and triumphs attending victories of warre to preferre Quietnesse. To the which purpose he doth alleadge that auncient mandate giuen by God him selfe vnto the Iewe, hat Deut. 20.10 before they denounced warre against any place they should first offer peace.

It is not a cōmon blessing which we of this land at this day enioy, An admonin­on to be thank full for our common peace. in that we are free from warres, and may en­ioy a common Quietnesse: Lam. 4.20. The breath of our nostrils, The annointed of the Lord came vnto vs like Gen. 8.11. Noahs doue with an oliue branch of peace, our Augustus hath shut the iron gates of warre, and settled peace among vs, Mich. 4.4. We may sit euery euery man vnder his vine and vnder his fig tree, and there is none to make vs afraid. Had we euer felt the scourge of war, we would bet­ter prize this garland of peace, had we beene in the coats of our forefathers, or our neighbours, wee should haue knowen how to esteeme this great blessing of God: The murthering peecesabout mens eares, the burning of Churches and houses ouer mens heads, the gastly cryings and shreikes of killing, resisting, and dying people, the horrible effusion of human blood the risling, spoyling and wasting of all sorts of commodities, with a thou­sand more such like insolencies of Souldiers, doe plainely shew the mi­series of warres. Our neighbor coun­tries [Page 150]which are about vs haue seen and tasted these calamities; this little I­land hath stood immooueable whiles all the rest of the world hath been vp in tumults. O that we were so happy as to know our owne happinesse? O that we were truely thankefull to our good God for these so great blessings, yet there are some amongst vs, who repine at this our peace, and both wish and pray for warres. Let mee aske them, how they put this precept of my Text in practice? doe they stu­dy to bee quiet? they will reply, the hereditary enemy getteth most ad­uantage by this peace, after this great calme, there will come in all likely­hood a greater tempest; Feares I con­fesse not altogether carelesse; And therfore I could wish our peace would not make vs so secure, and that in this common. Quietnesse there were a more common care for the preserua­tion of this Quietnesse, for there is no trust to be had in their truce, who maintaine that faith is not to be kept with hereticks, that is which are not Idolaters like themselues: But yet in [Page 151]the midstof this careful prouidence, I would haue euery good Subiect, eue­ry good Christian to seeke peace his continuance, Psal. 122.6.7 O pray for the peace of Ierusalem, they shall prosper that loue thee, peace be within thy wals, and pro­sperity within thy pallaces. When warres are to be pro­secuted.

Heere by the way, because it may be, some will desire to bee enformed, when warres are to bee vndertaken without the offence of conscience; how we may wage war and yet study to be quiet? I will in a word or two set downe the lawfull causes and occasi­ons of a lawfull warre. The first is the defence of true religion against the oppugners thereof So did 2 Chron. 13 6.7 8.9.10.11. Abijah against Ieroboam. 2. Chro. 13. 2. For the freedome and deliuerance of such as are oppressed for religion, as we see in the histories of the Iudges, who rai­sed Iudg 3 & 4. & 5. & 6. &c. war for the deliuery of the distres­sed people out of the hands of their oppressours. 3. For the necessary defence of the common wealth Iud 11.13. by repulsing iniuries, 2 Sam 10 4 by reuenging in­dignities, and Sam 30.18. Gen. 14.16. by recouering losses. In these cases warres bring peace, [Page 152]armes cause quietnesse, and therefore are not to bee condemned or disal­lowed.

From this Nationall Quietnesse a­broad, Ciuill Quiet­nesse. I come to ciuill Quietnesse at home, Bodin de rep. The glory (as one calleth it) of a common wealth, The beautifull ornament of a Nation within it selfe. In which kinde of ciuill Quietnesse the people of Laconia in olde time did so excell, that Lycurgus beholding the generall concord and vnity among them, said thus vnto a noble man that did ac­company him; Plutarch. in Lycurg. Are not all the people of Laconia Brethren? And the same Lycurgus vpon the like occasion hath this saying, Jdem ibidem. The Sinewes of a common­wealth are peace and Quietnesse; The chiefest felicity of a city consisteth in the ciuill concord and vnity of the in­habitants. This ciuill Quietnes may be subdiuident into two sorts.

• 1. Publicke Quietnesse: between superiours and inferiors, ma­gistrates and subiects, people and pastors.
• 2. Priuate Quietnesse: betweene Neighbours and Neighbors.

In the former of these two I shalbe the briefer, Publicke Quietnes. because it is neither so seasonable, nor so needfull to be en­forced as the latter. We liue not now (blessed be our great good God who hath giuen vs this Quietnesse) in the vnquiet times of discontented factions, or in the vnquiet broiles of ciuill commotions: yet for the bet­ter preseruation of our peace and Quietnesse, something may be spo­ken both pertinently from the text, and seasonably in the time, to all sorts of persons in publicke places for the studie and practise of Quiet­nesse.

Vnto Magistrates let me propose Dauids example for the studie of qui­etnesse, Betweene the Magistrate & Subiect. Ps. 122.8.9. for my brethren and compa­nions sake, I will now say, peace be with­in thee, because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seeke thy good. Let me propose vnto them the imitation of the Titles which Iulius Pollux gaue vnto the Emperor Commodus, Suetonius. whom for his Quiet behauiour towards all his Subiects, hee termeth the father of the people, gentle, louing, mercifull, [Page 154]iust, courteous, affable, sober, gratious. Let me lay before their eies for the practice of Quietnesse the table of Ptolomie Arsacides which the Em­peror Marciu Aurelius found at Thebe wherein were contained these protestations in Greeke Characters, Taffin lib. 3. of amend­ment of life. I neuer exalted the proud rich man, nei­ther hated the poore iust man, I neuer benifited for affection, nor punished vp­on passion; I neuer suffered euill to cape vnpunished, neither goodnesse vnrewar­ded, I neuer denied iustice to him that asked, neither mercie to him that de­seruedit, I neuer punished in anger, nor preferred in mirth, I neuer did euill vp­on mallice, neither good for couetousnes, I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer, nor mine eare to the back-biter, I al­waies sought to be loued of the good, and dreaded of the wicked, I alwaies fauou­red the poore that was able to do little, & God, who was able to do much, fauored me. Vnto Subiects likwise that I may preach Quietnesse, let me put them in minde, that they be Tit. 3.1.2. subiect to prin­cipalities and powers, to obey magistrates and to be readie to euery good worke, to [Page 155]speake euill of no man, to bee no braw­lers, but gentle, shewing all meekenesse to all men: Let them 1. Pet. 2.3. submit them­selues to cuery ordinance of man for the Lords sake. And let them Rom. 13.5. obey the Magistrate for conscience sake. There be sixe duties (saith Augustine) which Subiects owe vnto their Magistrates if they would liue vnder them a Quiet and peaceable life. 1. Loue, August. in Rom. 13. They must loue them as their Protectors, and 1. Pet. 2.17. honor them as their fathers. 2. Re­nerence, They must respect them in heart, minde, word and worke, Exod. 22.28. Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of the people; nor Eccl. 10.20. curse them no not in thought, for the foules of the heauen will carrie the voice. 3. Subiection, Rom. 13.2.who­soeuer resisteth the Magistrate resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that re­sist shall bring vpon themselues iudge­ment. 4. Obedience, Rom. 13.5.Obey the Ma­gistrate for conscience sake. 5. Assi­stance,Mat. 22.11.Giue vnto Caesar that which is due vnto Caesar; Rom. 13.6.giue vnto all men their dutie, tribute to whom tribute belongeth, custome to whom custome appertaineth. 6. Praiers and supplications for them, [Page 154] [...] [Page 155] [...] [Page 156]1. Tim. 2.1.I exhort that supplications and praiers, and intercessions, and giuing of thankes, be made for them that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie. The Subiect who is carefull to put in pra­ctice these duties is a fit Subiect for Quietnesse.

To the Pastors in the Church and their congregations, Betweene the Pastor and people. that they may mutually embrace Quietnesse, let me giue these few directions. 1. To the Pastors and faithfull Preachers my admonition is; That in all thinges they 2. Cor. 6.4. approue themselues as the Mini­sters of Christ, in much patience; For their doctrine, let it be sound and seaso­nable, not sharpe with bitternes but deliuered with mildenesse, 1. Thes. 2.10. let them exhort, comfort and beseech as a fa­ther doth his children; let them 1. Tim. 6.4. shun questions and strife in wordes, whereof commeth enuie, railings and surmises. And let them 2. Tim. 1.13 keepe the patterne of wholesome words in loue and faith. For their life and conuersation let them in Tim. 2.7. all things shew themselues examples of good workes with grauitie and inte­gritie. [Page 157]Let them be 1. Tim. 3.2.3 wise, vigilant, sober, of good behauior, hospitable, not quarrelsome, not couetous, but patient. In a word, let them follow Bernards counsell: Bernard. Learne (saith he) ô ye Pastors, to be mothers, not Lords ouer the sheepe of your fold, studie ra­ther to be loued then to be feared, And when you must vse seueritie, let it bee fatherlike not tyrannous; suppresse bit­ter speeches, and preferre your pappes in offering the sweete milke of the same with Quietnesse. 2. To the people for their quiet conuersing with their Ministers, this is my admonition, 1. Thes. 5.12 Brethren we beseech you, know these which labour among you, and are ouer you in the Lord, and that yee haue them in singular loue for their worke sake. Heb. 13.17.Obey them that haue the ouer sight of you, and submit your selues vnto them, for they watch for your soules as they that must giue account, that they may do it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you. By which place we see that the vnquietnesse which Parishioners procure vnto their Mi­nisters, doth prooue their owne hurt, [Page 159]and their Ministers peace is their qui­etnesse. Therefore memorable is the example of the Millanois for Am­brose, Theodoret. Ec­cles. hist. l. 4.14 and of the Samosetans for their Pastor Eusebius, who were content euen all of them to hazzard their owne peace yea goods, yea liues, for their Quietnesse. And excellent to this purpose is the saying of the same Ambrose, Ambros. de dignit. sacerd.Honor thy Pastor reuerently, heare him diligently, suffer his reproach willingly, pay his dues truly, conuerse with him friendly, defend him from wrongs continually, loue him entirely. Where these mutuall duties are perfor­med seriously, there Pastor and people are sure to liue quietly.

To the residue of what ranke or calling, Betweene Su­periors and Inferiors. estate or condition, that loue the common Quietnesse, this shall be mine admonition. Let not the poore enuie the rich, nor the rich despise the poore, let not the mightie oppresse the meane, nor the meane sort op­pugne the mightie, let not the Supe­rior domineere ouer his inferior, nor the inferior set light by his superior; But 1. Cor. 7.20. let euery man abide in that calling [Page]wherein he is called, Galat. 5.13. Let euery one doe seruice to another by loue. Philip. 2.3.Let no­thing be done through strife or vaine glo­rie. Psal. 85.10. Then shall mercie and truth meet together, righteousnesse and peace shall kisse each other. Then shall people liue in Quietnesse, and Quietnesse lead to endlesse happines.

From the practice of Publicke Quietnesse wee are in the next place to proceede vnto the patterne of pri­uate Quietnesse, Priuate Qui­etnesse. namely that which ought to be preserued betweene pri­uate persons, in priuate cases, and vpon priuate occasions. And this may be reduced into two sorts.

• 1. Quietnes in diuersitie of opinions.
• 2. Quietnesse in suffering wrongs.

Quietnesse in the former of these two cases, Quietnesse in diuersitie of opinions. is so much the more need­full to be practised, because it is sel­dome seene obserued. Dissentions and contentions are like snow water congealed and dissolued the one in­to the other. The Iudg. 5.15. Diuisions of Reu­ben,) saith the song of Deborah and [Page] Barack) were great thoughts of heart. Surely diuisions in iudgement, dif­ferences in opinion haue bred at all times great thoughts of heart, grei­uous distractions, and most bitter al­terations. What vnquietnesse dif­ference in opinion wrought in old time among the learned Philosophers, Stoicks, Academicks, Peripateticks and others, we may read abundantly in humane histories. What great vn­quietnesse the vpstart opinions of Arrius, Nestorius, Nouatus, and other Hereticks, haue raised vp in the Chri­stian world, the histories of the Church do make manifest,: Our lat­ter times haue had experience of the furious vnquietnesse of Papists, Schismaticks, Martinists, Seperatists, set abroach only by dissentions in o­pinions. The tempest is scarse yet ouer-blowne of that intestine vnqui­etnesse which difference in opinion had whirled about here in our owne Church in controuersies of thinges indifferent: so that I may repeate a­gaine (as in the afore-cited song it is often iterated as the burden of the [Page 161]song) the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart, or rather (by a little inuerting of it) the diuisions of Leuie haue done great hurt. For an Antidote against which poison of o­pinionate vnquietnesse I might pre­seribe the Apostles confection, Eph. 4.14. fol­low the truth in loue,Philip. 2.2.Bee like minded, hauing the same loue, be of one accord, of one minde. 1 Cor. 1.10. Be perfectly ioyned together in the same minde and in the same iudgement: Phil. 2.14.do all things without murmurings, without disputings. I might propose vnto you the same A­postles caueat, Phil. 3.2. beware of dogs, be­ware of euill workers, beware of the concision; and his diet which he pre­scribeth to them who would bee Quiet, 2 Tim. 2.16. Shunne prophane and vaine bablings, 1 Tim. 6.4.5Abstaine from needlesse questions and contentions of words, wher­of commeth enuie, strife, railings, euill surmisings, peruerse disputings of men of corrupt minde and destitute of the truth, from such withdraw thy selfe.1 Cor. 11.16If any man (saith the Apostle) seeme to bee contentions, wee haue no such custome, neither the Churches of God. But to [Page 162]whom shall I in this case perswade the studie of Quietnesse? shall I speake to the contentions Papist? Psal. 57.4 5. his heart is set on fire, his teeth are speares and arrowes, his tongue a very sword. Shall I speake to wey­ward Seperatists? their Soule Psal. 120.6.hateth peace; and therefore as good Theodo­sius said to contentious Demophilus, D^r. Hall in his Passion sermon.If thou flie peace, I will make thee flie. So I may say concerning them, if they flie from peace, let vs flie from them, or if they saue vs that labor, in seperating themselues from vs, the more is their furie and our Quietnes. To the Reuerent Fathers and brethren of this our Church, who professe themselues the sonnes of peace and agreeing in the substance, yet differ peraduenture somewhat in opinion concerning ceremonies, let mee speake without offence as Augustine did to Ierome and Ruffinus: Augustine.I would fall at your feet, I would weepe vnto, I would beseech you, either of you for other, each sort for your selues, both for the Church of God, that you would embrace peace and follow Quietnesse. And where [Page 163]there is any difference in opinion (as there may bee sometimes euen be­tweene the best, for 1 Cor. 13.7 heere wee know but in part, and some haue more re­uealed vnto them then others haue) I would speake vnto them in the A­postles phrase; Phil. 4. [...]. I beseech Euodias, and I beseech Syntiche, that they bee of the same minde in the Lord, Rom. 12. [...].Let no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand, but let him vnderstand according to sobrietie. Let no man be too much wedded to his owne opinion, Rom. 12.16. Be not wise in your owne conceits; Phil. 2.3.In lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme others better then them­selues. Let no man please himselfe with wrangling sophistrie and alter­cations, 1 Cor 11.1 [...] if any man lust to be con­tentious, we haue no such custome, nor the Church of God, let no man despise or disdaine him that is con­trarie opinionated, Rom. 15.1. they that are strong ought to beare with the infirmi­ties of the weake, and not to please themselues. Let no man count it a disgrace to forsake a wrong opinion when he is better enformed, but let [Page 164]him with Iob lay his hand vpon his mouth and say, Iob 40.5. once haue I spoken, but I will not answere, yea twise, but I will proceede no further. 1 Cor. 16.4Let all things be done in loue; And howsoeuer we be crossed in our opinion, or contra­dicted in our iudgements, yet let vs studie to be Quiet.

I come from this vnto the latter kinde of priuate Quietnesse namely that Quietnesse which is to be shew­ed in suffering wrongs, Quietnesse in suffering wrongs. the chiefest ornament indeede of a quiet minde. Now whereas there is a threefold sort of wrongs, there must accor­dingly be a threefold sort of Quiet­nesse in this required practice.

• 1. In wrongs offered to our good name
• 2. In wrongs offered to our bodie.
• 3. In wrongs offered to our goods.

For the first of these three; Quietness when a good name is im­peached. it is the dutie of euery good Christian in pa­tience and Quietnesse to possesse his soule when wrongs and iniuries are offered vnto his good name. True Christians must approue themselues [Page 165]in Quietnesse. 2 Cor. 6.8. Through honor and dishonor, through euill report and good report, as deceiuers and yet true. Thus doth the Apostle Paul demonstrate by his owne exam­ple, 1 Cor. 4.10.14.15. We are made a gazing stocke to the world, to Angels and to men, wee are reniled yet wee blesse, we are defa­med, yet we eatreat. And the Apostle Peter proposeth our blessed Sauiour for our imitation: 1 Pet. 2.21.23. Christ (saith he) hath left vs an example, that we should follow his steps, who when he was reui­led, reuiled not acaine, when he suffered threatned not, but committed himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously.

I confesse this is a sore prouoker to vnquietnesse, Obiections and answers concerning Quietnesse in this case. when our good name is scandalized, or our selues abused by slaunders or suspitions. And me­thinkes I heare parties traduced rea­soning thus. Alas who can be Quiet being thus defamed? euill suspitions are raised vp against mee, they lay things vnto my charge, whereof I am as innocent as the childe but this day borne, my good name is called into question, they prouoke mee [Page 166]with bitter wordes, they call mee Theife, Knaue, Whoore, Witch, or with such like infamous and re­proachfull tearmes; would you haue mee to be quiet in such a case? who can endure it? it toucheth my free­hold; I had as willing they should take away my life as take away my good name; Eccles. 7.1. A good name is better then pretious ointment, Pro. 22.1.A good name is to be desired before riches, and louing fauor aboue siluer and gold. These are the Apologies which many make for their vnquietnesse, when they are prouoked by slaunderous speeches and false furmises. And for these causes they thinke they haue a suffi­cient warrant for their vnquietnesse. But let me reason the matter a little with them: Are these suspicions, or slaunders, or defamations true which are raised vp against them? or are they meere inuentions and false suggestions? If these things are iustly imputed vnto them; then haue they iust cause to mourne and grieue, as they that iustly suffer for their owne wickednesse: But if these accusations [Page 167]raised vp against them be forged, vn­true and vniust, then why should it disquiet thee? O but if thou wert guilty (wilt thou say) if thou wert faulty in those things wherein thou art accused, it would the lesse trouble thee: Nay then haddest thou iust cause of griefe; for 1 Pet. 4.15.16. Let none of you (saith the holy Apostle) suffer as an e­uill doer, or as a busie body, but if a man suffer as a Christian (this is without a­ny iust cause on his owne part profe­red) let him not be ashamed, but let him glorifie God in this behalfe. Matth. 5.11.Blessed are yee (saith our blessed Sauiour) when men shall reuile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of euil against you falsly. And now tell me, what is the wrong offered vnto thee which doth thus disquiet thee? Is it reproach, slan­der, scoffe, euill suspition, wrong in­formation, false suggestion, or such like? what doth this hurt thee? doth it hurt thy flesh? doth it preiudice thy health? doth it robbe thee of thy wealth? No, but it robbeth thee of thy good name, and preiudiceth thy good report? A lasse poore soule, thy [Page 168]report is but meane, thy fame but slender, which will so soone bee sha­ken: Plutarch. in vi­ta Alexandri. lying tongues are no corasiues to a good name, neither is a good mans reputation depraued by a slan­derers proiect. It is a Kingly thing (saith a great King) to hear [...] euill when thou doest well; when wretched Shemei railed against Dauid, with these bitter and prouoking tearmes, 2 Sam. 16.7. Come out, come out, thou bloudy man, thou man of Belial; Did Dauid fret and fume? did he disquiet himselfe? No, but when he might haue auenged himselfe vp­on that slanderous tongue, and hee was mightily by some of his compa­ny egged on, hee passed it ouer and would seeme to take no notice of it, Let him alone (saith he) let him. In like manner when some told Domitian, Sueton. in vita Domit. how he was traduced by fowle mou­thed slaunderers, and perswaded to take vengounce of these lewd persons, It is not (saith he) for a generous man to lift vp his hand against euery dogge that barketh at him, let them alone, if they canot be master of their tongues, I will be master ouer mine eares. It is a mans [Page 169]glory to passe by these triuiall, verball iniuries, to bee deafe at them and not to take notice of them: learne this practise of holy Dauid, that man after Gods owne heart; Psal. 38.12.13. They lay snares (sayth hee speaking of his malicious enemies) they seeke my hurt, they speake my hurt, they speake mischieuous things, and imagine deceit all the day long. But I as a deafe man, heard not, I was as a dumbe man that opened not his mouth.

If any Christian Soule desiring far­ther satisfaction in this point, Admonition for a mans carriage in time of false reports. shall farther require mine aduice, what were fit for him to doe in such a case, and how he may demeane himselfe in the midst of these euill reports without the breach of Quietnesse, briefly let him follow these directi­ons. 1. Let him consider all his waies, and marke well wither he haue not at one time or other giuen occa­sion to make way vnto such euill con­ceits. If wee would auoyd an euill name, we must (as our Prouerbe go­eth) auoyd all things that cause the same. 2. Let him suspect himselfe, and feare the omission of some good [Page 170]duties required, which by Gods iust iudgement may breed the imputa­tion of those vices wherewith thou art charged: Euill reports (sayth our woorthy Greenham) must teach thee that although thou bee not so euill as men would make thee, M. Gr [...]ēham in his Sermon of a good name.yet thou art not so good as thou shouldest be. 3. Let him looke carefully to his future conuersation, 1 Pet. 2.12. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speake a­gainst you as euill doers, they may by your good workes which they shall behold, glo­rifie God in the day of visitation.1 Pet. 1.15.For so it is the wil of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foo­lish men.

In the next place wee are to learne the practise of Quietnesse in bodily wrongs and iniuries, Quietnesse in case of wrong offered to our body. wherein euery good Christian must study to be qui­et, notwithstanding hee be prouoked by wrongs and hurts done against his body. For so our Sauiour Christ ex­pressely enioyneth to all his follow­ers, Mat. 5.39. I say vnto you, resist not euill, but whosoeuer shall strike thee on thy right cheeke, turne to him the other also. By [Page 171]which phrase of speech he doth imply that his disciples must with patience put vp many blowes, stroakes, and stripes, rather then infringe Quiet­nesse: which precept as hee gaue vn­to vs by word, so he doth commend it vnto vs by his owne example, for Ioh. 18.22. when hee was smitten before the high Priest, he smote not againe. And when Peter drew out his sword in his de­fence to resist the officers which ap­prehended him in the garden, Mat. 26.51.52. hee spared not to giue him for that fact, a sharpe, seuere reprehension.

I confesse likewise that this is a very difficult thing for flesh and blood to be quiet in such a case, Obiections and answers for Quietnes. and me thinks I heare rebellious nature reasoning thus. What? would you haue mee quiet, when I am thus far prouoked? he hath drawen my bloud, I feele the smart, he hath giuen the first blow, I cannot chuse but reply with the next, he shall haue as good as he brought; it were a disgrace vnto mee to put vp such apparant wrong, the world wold condemneme for a coward, I cannot forbeare, Deut. 19.18 An eye for an eye, and a [Page 172]tooth for a tooth. But heareme, my friend, where findest thou that re­uenge allowed? thou hast not learned it in Christs schoole; where doth the booke of God giue way to quarrel­lings, fightings, duels or priuate com­batings? who gaue thee authority to auenge thy selfe? Doth not God him­selfe tell thee Heb. 10.30. vengeance is mine, I will repay it; But thou art prouoked? Whet thee? Rom. 12.19 Auenge not your selues, rather giue place vnto wrath. But thou art challenged, and it is a disgrace to refuse a challenge; know this that true grace and credit standeth more in yeelding obedience vnto God, then in foolish hazarding of life or limmes for a blast of vaine reputation among men.

But what will you haue mee doe (saith prouoked Nature) in such a case? Directions for Quietnes in this case. will you haue me stand still like a stocke) will you haue mee to put vp these blowes? that were the ready way to make me a common Asse, e­uery one will bee ready to ride vpon my backe; though thou maist not be thine owne caruer, yet mayest thou [Page]seeke a remedy, though priuate re­uenge is forbidden them, yet there is the place of Iustice to right thee, Rom. 13.4. the Magistrate is the Minister of God vn­to thee for thy good, hee beareth not the sword in vaine, hee is to reuenge vpon euill doers; To him must thou haue recourse, heere art thou to seeke redresse. So mayest thou keepe thy body from violence, and thy minde from vnquietnesse.

In the last place wee are to learne the practise of Quietnesse in worldly losses, crosses, or damages: Quietnesse in wrongs offe­red to our goods. for the performance whereof, euery good Christian must rather put vp many wrongs, suffer many losses, sustaine many hinderances, then to breed vn­quietnesse. Mat. 5.40. If any man (saith our Sa­uiour) will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him haue thy cloake al­so: And the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 6.7.This is vt­terly a fault among you, because yee goe to law one with another, why doe ye not take wrong? why doe ye not rather suffer your selues to be defrauded?Strabo.Strabo re­porteth of the Indians that they wold ēdure any thing rather thē enter into [Page 174]contentions: Herodotus. and Herodotus of the auncient Persians that they would ra­ther depart from their own auncient right then seeke to recouer it by litigi­ous actions.

By how much the more lamenta­ble are the contrary courses so vsuall at this day among vs Christians: The vnquiet suits and con­tentions of these our times. what vnquiet courses, suits, pleadings, nisi prius, lawings is there now a dayes for very trifles. The least losse, the smallest trespasse is ready presently for an action at the law; Caesar. Commen. Once it was counted ominous for a man to com­mence actions and follow suits, but now hee is no body that haunts not the courts of Iustice, neither is there any citty, towne or village almost in a countrie without some suiters or su­ed. When a citizen of Rome made a motion to haue the pleading place at Rome couered ouer with canuasse, for that the heat of the sunne was hurtful to the pleaders and the clients heads, Cato that graue Senatour replyed, I for my part (quoth he) could rather wish that all the waies to the place of pleading were cast ouer with caltrops, & the floore [Page 175]before the pleading place paued with sharpe flints,Plutarch.that the feet of those whose well loue pleading might feele so much paines of those prickes in going thither, as their heads of the sun in tarrying there. It were to bee wished that Catoes wish might take place in our pleading pla­ces: that our litigious suit followers might smart as well in their bodies for their pains, in following friuolous suits, as they smart in their purses be­fore the end of their suits, then should we haue lesse lawing and more loue, lesse quarrels and more quietnesse. Aeneas Siluius (afterwardes better knowen by the name of Pope Pius, Platina. though lesse pious and farre woorse after he vndertooke that name) had a pretty conceit in comparing clients to birds, courts to the field, lawes to the net, and Lawyers to the fowlers: Many a silly fowle and simple foole, becomes a iust prey through their own vnquiet stirrings vnto these cunning fowlers, who throughly plucke their feathers, and strippe them naked, before they suffer them to get forth of their hands. Demosthenes. Farre wiser were the Lacedemonians, [Page]who had rather to end controuersies betweene themselues, then to suffer themselues to be betrayed by others. It was good counsell which a graue Philosopher gaue vnto the Thebanes; Crates.If hee which harm, you (saith hee) bee weaker then your selues, pardon him, if more mighty pardon your selues. The wise man telleth vs, that Pro. 20.3. it is an ho­nour to a man to cease from strife. And the Apostle taxeth this common go­ing to law one with another, as a shamefull thing: 1 Cor. 6.5. I speake it (saith he) to your shame: and hee goeth farther reputing them and those that suffer them very fooles: Ibid. Is it so that there is not a wise man among you, no not one that is able to iudge betweene brethren. And yet farther he thundreth against such furious courses, Ibid. ver. 1. Dare any of you, hauing matter against another, to goe to law one with another?

Which place of Paul is not so to be wrested (nor my present discourse so to be misapplied) as if all suit of Law were simply condemned as vnlawful. How and when a man may go to law with another. The Scripture forbid deth not mens going to law, but telleth them how [Page 177]they should goe to law: Law is not euill, though contentious men and vnconscionable Lawyers haue vilely abused it, but it is Gods ordinance, & may lawfully be vsed if with these caueats. 1. It must not bee for euery trifle, euery trespasse, euery euill word, 1 Cor. 6.2. but in matters of waight and of importance. The Law is not ordai­ned to be a iudge of euery trifle, not for the smaller and triuiall matters. It is a shame to our Law, and a disho­nour to our Lawyers that men be suf­fered to trouble each other for triuiall affaires and trifles, for recouery wher­of many times, ten times, yea twenty times as much is spent, as the cause is worth. It is a shame for our Nation that at euery Assises there should bee so many actions of trespasse, wherein the dammage is little or nothing. 2. It must be the last refuge: Law is a kinde of warre, as therefore warre is the last meanes for the attaining of publike peace, so should the Law bee the last meanes for the attaining of priuate peace: All meanes must bee tried, ere thou goe to law, Rom. 12.18. If it bee [Page]possible as much as in vs lieth, wee must liue peaceably with all men, And if no other meanes will serue, then Law may haue his course. It is a fowle misorder in our land, men are sued when they would gladly compound, when they would willingly satisfie by priuate order, they are compelled to answer by Law; yea which is worse then this; the Law which should bee the last, is not onely made the first meanes, but many times a close and a secret meanes, it stealeth vpon men before they bee aware, and heapeth charge where it might bee auoided. 3. It must be prosecuted with mild­nesse, not with extremity. Phil. 4.5. Let your moderation be knowen to all men. In su­ing bands, taking forfeitures, recoue­ry of dammages, a man must not al­wayes lay, vpon his aduersary the ex­tremity, but hee must moderate it with pitty. It is a bloody biting pra­ctise for neigbour to hold neighbour at the bay, and to vse rigour, as many doe, Iam. 2.13. Mercy reioyceth against iudgment, and hee shall haue iudgement without mercy, that sheweth no mercy. It is not [Page 179]a sufficient cloake to couer thy cruel­ty in extremity, that the Law doth affoord thee this aduantage, woe were it vnto thee if thy God should deale with thee according to extremitie, thou that daily pleadest for mercy, if thou hope for mercy, shew mercy.

Thus farre haue I trauailed in de­scribing the way to Quietnesse, Meanes to preserue Qui­etnesse. and in deciphering the practise of Quiet­nesse both in persons and cases pub­like and priuate. Now that I may draw to a conclusion of this discourse I will shut vp the remainder of this lit­tle Treatise with a briefe delineation of the meanes which serue to keepe and preserue Quietnesse. The meanes preseruatiue of Quietnesse, are in effect the same with the former which procure Quietnesse. For it is a rule in Natures schoole. By what meanes things are gotten, by the same are they vpholden. Yet for as much as these meanes are in this case to be conside­red with another respect, it will not be amisse to enquire somewhat into them, and for orders sake thus to di­stinguish of them.

The meanes preseruing Quietnesse are either

• Personall.
• Practicall.

The Personall meanes are either more publike: As first, The Magistrate in the common-wealth. Secondly, the Minister in the Church; or more priuate. As first, the Housholder in his family. Secondly, the Neighbour in the vieinity.

The Practicall meanes are either matters of equitie. As first, vpright dealing. Secondly, iust censuring for matters of piety. As first, holy carri­age of our selues. Secondly, prayers for our selues and others.

Of both these with their particu­lars I will entreat as briefly as I may with any perspicuity, rather pointing at them, then discoursing of them, lest this small Treatise should exceed the intended bounds, and might seeme too tedious to the Reader.

First then to beginne with the per­sonall preseruatiues of Quietnesse, The Magi­strates duty to preserue Qui­etnesse. and therein first of all with the Magi­strate. Who knoweth not that the [Page 181]Magistracy is the principall meanes for the preseruing of peace and quiet­nesse in the common-wealth? The Rom. 1.3.2. ordinance of it is from God, and the end of it is for Ibid. ver. 3.our good: And their office is to punish Verse 4. offenders that are vnquiet: and therefore (as the Apo­stle teacheth) 1 Tim. 2.2. it is our duty to pray for them, that by their meanes wee may liue a quiet and a peaceable life. Therefore we must iustly abhorre the franticke opinion of the Anabaptists, who deny the lawfulnesse of Magi­strates, and (with the better Iude) we count these turbulent wretches, Iude 8. who despise Gouernours and speake euill of those which are in authority. What a monster were a Common-wealth without an head? what Quietnesse? what peace? what iustice can there bee expected where Magistracy fai­leth? Iudg. 17.6. When there was no Ruler in Is­rael, euery man did what seemed good in his owne eyes: and so would it be with vs, if there were no Gouernours to o­uerrule, no Magistrates to seeke re­dresse: who could then liue quietly in his house, or sleepe quietly in his [Page 182]bed? But blessed bee God who doth not plague vs with an Anarchie, but doth preserue our Quietnesse by his owne ordinance the Magistracy. To whom as wee are to yeeld obedience Rom. 13.5. for conscience sake, and for our owne Quietnesse: so it is their duties to im­ploy all their endeauours to maine­taine and preserue the Quietnesse of the common-wealth, that vnder them wee may liue a quiet and peace­able life. Kings. Psal. 2.10. Be wise therefore ô ye Kings, be instructed ye Iudges of the earth: For euen Kings and Princes must make this the principall scope of their So­ueraigntie. According as our owne renowned King doth testifie in his Kingly instructions to his Sonne, our late hopefull Prince of happy memo­ry: King Iames in his [...] 1. Booke. A good King (saith he) must thinke his highest honour to consist in the due discharge of his calling, and therefore must employ all his studies and paines to procure and maintaine by the making and executiou of good lawes the welfare [...]od peace of his people, and as their na­turall father and kindly master, to make his greatest contentment in their prospe­rity, [Page 183]and his greatest surety in their tran­quillity. But because (as Iethro said to Exod. 18.1 [...] Moses) the whole burden would bee too heauie to lie vpon them, nei­ther are they able to performe it them selues alone. Therefore they haue their Subordinate Ministers of Iu­stice, as Iudges, Instices, and other inferiour officers, to see that peace & quietnesse be maintained within their seuerall circuits and diuisions. To whome that I may speake in order. First let mee entreat the honourable Iudges, Judges. Arist. Polit. lib. 5. cap. 10. the chiefe Guardians of Iustice and Prouidors of Quietnesse next vnto his sacred Maiesty, that they would study for the Quietnes of the common-wealth, and regard that more then their owne, 18. Edw. 3. either honours or purchases. This their oath which they take at their admission into their office, 4. Edw. 9.11. this the verie commission giuen vnto them by vertue of their office, doth vpon perill of their bodies, Magná charta. 9. Hour. 3.29. and danger of their souls require of them. And therefore I say vnto them as Ie­hosaephat said vnto the Iudges of his time, 2 Chr. 19.6.7. Take heede what yee doe, for yee [Page 184]do not administer the iudgement of men, but of God. And with Dauid let mee shew them their dutie, Psal. 82.2. Doe right to the poore and fatherlesse, deliuer the poore & needy, saue them from the hands of the wicked. Next to the worshipfull Iustices of the peace (which are as the Ephori of our common-wealth, Instices of the Peace. the ouerseers of the common Quietnes) that my speech may bee seasonable. Let me entreat them to study for the publike Quietnes. Their very Title putteth them in mind of this. Iustices of peace, as much to say, as ministers of Iustice, preseruers of peace, a beautiful epitheton, a blessed action, for Mat. 5.9. bles­sed are the peace-makers. What is the summe of their office, Magna charta. but the preser­uation of Quietnesse? The extent of their commission is to enquire and de­termine of all and singular such accu­sations and informations made of any offences disturbing the common peace;2. Edw 3.6.18. Edw. 3.2.24.to heare and determine at the Kings suite all manner of fellonies and tres­passes committed in their seuerall coun­ties against the peace; to restraine offen­ders, rioters, and barreters, to binde to [Page 185]the peace and good behauiour vnruly persons, to pursue,2. He. 5.4. 12. R. 2.10.take and chasten of­fenders. Foure times yeerely they are to keepe their publicke Sessions (according to the lawes of this realme) and many times to haue their pettie Sessions, and that in seue­rall places, that they may the better take notice of misdemeanors, and take order for euery ones Quietnes. What worthy proiects? what excel­lent courses are here intended for Quietnesse? what remaineth for our Iusticers then, but that they put this their office duly in practise; their diligence wherein is of so great mo­ment that it is of force to keepe the Iudges idle in Westminster-hall and the plow to be followed in the coun­trie, it would abridge the number of Nisi prius, and bring downe the pride of insolent Lawyers. But from these to descend to the inferior officers, as Constables, Church-wardens, Constables & Tithingmen.Tithing­men, and Ouerseers, let me tell them, that they are in place to preserue Quietnesse, and withall entreat them to studie for the common quietnes. [Page 186]They are or should be aduertisers to the Insticers as they are eyes vnto the Iudges: 1. Jac. 17. they are to suppresse Va­grants, Rioters, Quarrelers, their of­fice is to see that peace be kept; they are informed of the extent of their office at Assises, 39. Eliz. 4.Sessions, and other such like meetings. O that there were an heart in these our Officers to de­meane themselues in their places; ô that they were men of courage to put in practice these their duties; then should wee haue more Quiet­nesse, and lesse complayning in our streetes.

But to leaue the ciuill Magistrate, The Ministers dutie to pre­serue quietnes. and to come to the Minister, he like­wise by vertue of his calling is a meanes to preserue Quietnesse. For the Preachers of the word are the Luk. 10.6. Sonnes of peace, they come with a Isay. 5 [...].7. message of peace, their message is a doctrine of 2. Cor. 5.18. reconciliation, Malac 4.6. Mat. 5.13. Mat 3.3. Isay. 57.21. their doctrine the pathway to peace and quietnesse. They are the Salt of the earth, to season the hearts of men that they may bee capable of peace. They are the prodromi to prepare the [Page 187]way for Quietnesse, by speaking to the conscience, and teaching inward peace, without which there can bee no Quietnesse. And therefore the Preacher must be a principall Actor for the preseruation of Quietnesse. It was once a common saying, that the want of preaching, was the cause of the want of Quietnesse; I haue heard a question once moued, what was the cause that there were so ma­ny bad Lawyers, which was present­ly answered, because there were so few good Preachers. But now, bles­sed be God, there are many good Preachers (the Lord increase their number) Sermons are plentifull, and many publicke lectures. And yet alasse we see little the more quiet­nesse, nay our ignorant common people would perswade themselues that there is the lesse Quietnesse. Notwithstanding all which I would admonish and desire, yea in the bowels of Christ Iesus beseech my reuerent brethren and fellow labo­rers in Gods haruest, that they would both in their lectures conti­nually [Page 188]preach Quietnesse, and with the vtmost of their endeauors in pri­uate conferences and publicke mee­tings perswade Quietnesse where they see dissentions. Canutus Law. It was a nota­ble custome of old time obserued in this land (and I thinke the statute for it at this day is in force) that in the place of iudgement the Bishop or Minister should sit with the Ma­gistrate, in the decision of contro­uersies, and suppressing of enormi­ties, that so the one by Gods law might instruct the conscience, and the other by the law of the Realme might correct the delinquents. It were to bee wished that seeing the Magistrate peraduenture accepteth not so well the Ministers presence in his place of iustice, hee would vouchsafe his owne presence at the Ministers lectures. As in some pla­ces of our Countrie it is worthily obserued (I would euery where it were imitated) once a weeke at places where weekely lectures by authoritie are established, the Ma­gistrates of the countrie round about [Page 189]and the chiefe Diuines do meete, the one to instruct the people Christia­nitie, the other to appease cases of controuersie. O what an excellent preseruatiue would this be for quiet­nesse, when the word and the sword did meete together, Moses and Aaron did assist each other.

As concerning the Houshelders preseruation of Quietnesse I shall speake the lesse, The houshol­ders dutie to preserue Qui­etnesse. Pag. 77.78. because I haue alrea­die touched it more at large in its proper place. Onely by the way let me giue him an item, that hee may, and ought to be a notable meanes in preseruing the common Quietnesse, if hee looke well to the keeping of Quietnesse at home. Euery familie is a little common wealth, and eue­ry gouernor of a familie, is as it were a Iudge or Iustice of peace within his owne familie. Hee must therefore (with Dauid) Psal. 101.2.walke wisely in the midst of his house; he must with Gen. 13. [...]. A­braham labor to compose and stop controuersies at home so soone as euer they arise; for as in the breach of a water course, if it be taken in [Page 192] [...] [Page 193] [...] [Page 186] [...] [Page 187] [...] [Page 188] [...] [Page 189] [...] [Page 190]time and stopped at the beginning; it will preuent the flowing abroad which otherwise must needes ensue; so if in the breach of priuate peace and Quietnesse there be a present re­dresse at home, it will not break forth into such open contention abroad.

The like may bee said as concer­ning the help of neighbors for the mutuall preseruation of Quietnesse. Neighbors dutie for the preseruation of Quietnes. As in a common fire euery one will be readie to help to extinguish, and as for a common good euery good man will be willing to put to his hel­ping hand; so euery honest, euery Christian neighbor must bee readie with all his indeauour to labor to ex­tinguish the flame of variance, and to settle peace one with an other. It is reported of that learned and wor­thy iudge the late Iudge L. Dyer, if there came any controuersies of poore men to bee tried at the Assises before him, hee would vsually say that either the parties were wilfull, or their neighbors without charitie, be­cause their suites were not quietly ended. Indeed there is a great defect [Page 191]of charitie among neighbors; when a controuersie is come to extremitie and hath proued costly wee can say, it is pittie that it was not ended by neighbors, but why are neighbors s [...] pittilesse that they interpose not themselues to the appeasing of these inconueniences? 1. Cor. 6.5. I speake this (saith the Apostle) to your shame, is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no not one that is able to iudge betweene brethren? My brethren and beloued countrimen let vs take away that in­famie, that shame, that disgrace from our Townes, Parishes, and vicinities, yea especially from our selues, let vs not make our selues guiltie of other mens furies, Galat. 6.2. whiles we cease to paci­fie their vnquietnesse: Let vs beare one an others burdens, and euery one help forward the common qui­etnesse, by 1. Thes. 5.14. warning them that are vnruly, comforting the feeble, sup­porting the weake, and shewing pa­tience towards all. Practicall means for the preseruation of Quietnes.

The meanes which we and euery one of vs to this purpose are to put in practice, remaine now to be com­mended [Page 192]vntovs; which, because we are now drawing to a conclusion, I will binde vp as it were in one bun­dle, and with all possible breuitie commend to your imitation. The way to preserue Quietnesse, Theognis vers. 147. [...]. Plutarch. is to do iustice, and to practice godlinesse. Vnder the name of iustice all morall vertues summarily are comprised: One asked Solon, what did most keepe men from troubles; he answered; vp­right dealings, do saith he to others, as thou wouldest be done vnto, so shalt not thou disquiet other, nor others trouble thee. And to the same purpose Plato in his platforme of the common wealth saith, Plato de Rep. lib. 4. that both publike and pri­uate concord and vnity is preserued by publike iustice and priuate equity. The practise whereof, Marcus Aurelius doth explaine vnto his sonne in his death-bed Admonitions, M. Aurelius. My Sonne (saith he) wouldest thou liue quietly, and haue others with thee and by thee to liue peaceably, carry thy selfe vprightly, deale plainely, iudge truely, abstaine from iniu­rie, right the wronged, relieue the oppres­sed, suppresse the wicked. The Summe [Page 193]whereof the Holy Scripture proposeth in this two words: Psal. 1.16.17. Cease from euill, learne to doe well, and there is a graci­ous promise vpon this gracious pra­ctise, Psal. 72.3. The mountaines shall bring peace to the people, and the little hils by righ­teousnesse: which words (as may bee explaine it) The Magistrates as the mountaines shall keepe the peope in people in peace, and [...]he little hilles, the meaner sort the infriour subiects, shall enioy Quietnesse, and all by righteousnesse.

But what is Equity without Piety? Piety a preser­uer of Peace. what is lustice with godlines. Heb. 12.14. With­out holinesse there is no peace. 2 Kin 9.22. What peace (saith Iehu) can there bee, so long as Iezabels whoredomes and witchcrafts are in great abundance? Therefore when the Apostle would shew vs the way how wee may liue a quiet and a peaceable life vnder them that are in authority. He addeth this in the end of it that it must be done 1 Tim. 2.2. in all godli­nesse and honesty. Quiet we can neuer be without honesty, nor honest with­out piety. Therefore euery one who would study to bee quiet, must study [Page 194]to be godly; and they who are in au­thority must labour to maintaine Godlinesse as well as Equity. 1 Tim. 6.8. God­linesse hath the promises, not onely of the life to come, but also of the life present: Among which promises, these are, but not the least, Hag. 2.10. peace and Quiet­nesse.

But how shall wee be able either to liue godly, Prayer a pre­seruer of peace. or to liue iustly our selues; seeing wee are so full of frailties and imperfections? How shall wee esta­blish it in others who are so vnable to effect it in our selues? Therefore wee had neede to bee feruent in prayer, both for our selues and others. Art thou in trouble? Pray for Quietnes; Doest thou li [...]e in peace and Quiet­nesse? Pray for the continuance. Prayer getteth Quietnesse, Prayer keepeth Quietnesse, Prayer the very locke and key of Quietnesse. There­fore when thou hast performed all the rest, faile not in this, for this is more effectuall to the study of Quietnesse then all the rest: when thou canst not preuaile with men, heerby thou maist preuaile with God.

Thus hauel, The Concl [...]sion. as God hath enabled mee, explained this needefull duty, the study of Quietnesse. What effect it hath wrought in the hearts of the Hearers, or will worke in the mindes of the Readers: Hee knoweth who only knoweth and trieth mens hearts and reines. It is a study, I feare mee, wherein but few will proceede Gra­duates, few will set themselues to learne it. Howsoeuer I shall hardly perswade others to the studie of it, yet sure I am, that I haue studied to perswade it. And my desire was to helpe forward the common Quiet­nesse in it. If it please God to giue a a blessing to these my poore endea­uours, that by them the heart of anie troublesome or troubled Auditours haue beene reclaimed vnto Quietnes, his holy name haue all the glory of it, If I haue spent my strength in vaine, and the more I speake for peace, the more men study for vnquietnesse: yet for Ierusalems sake I will not hold my peace, for my Countries sake I will euer pray, that peace may bee within our wals, and prosperity with­in [Page 196]our pallaces: For my Brethren and Companions sake, I will now say peace be within thee, because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good.