CHAP. I. The Nature of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit.

MEekness and Quietness seem to import much the same thing, but the latter ha­ving something of Metaphor in it, will illustrate the former, and therefore we shall speak of them distinctly.

[1.] We must be of a meek Spirit.— [...] qu. [...] facilis: So the Criticks. Meekness is easiness of Spirit; not a sinful easiness to be de­bauched, as Ephraim's that willingly walked after the Commandment of the idolatrous Princes, Hos. 5. 11. Nor a simple easiness to be imposed upon and deceiv'd, as Rehoboam's, who when he was forty Years old is said to be young and tender-hearted, 2 Chron. 13. 7. but a gracious easiness to be wrought upon by that which is good, as their's whose Heart of Stone is taken away, and to whom a Heart of Flesh is given. Meekness is easiness, for it accommodates the Soul to every Occurrence, and so makes a Man easie to himself and to all about him. The Latines call a meek Man mansuetus: qu. manu assuetus; us'd to the Hand, which alludes to the taming and reclaim­ing of Creatures wild by Nature,Jam. 3. 7, 8. and bringing them to be tractable and familiar. Man's cor­rupt Nature hath made him like the wild Ass us'd to the VVilderness, or the swift Dromedary tra­versing her ways, Jer. 2. 23, 24. But the Grace of Meekness, when that gets Dominion in the Soul, alters the temper of it, brings it to hand, sub­mits it to management, and now the VVolf dwels with the Lamb, and the Leopard lies down with [Page 9] the Kid and a little Child may lead them; for Enemies are laid aside, and there's nothing to hurt or destroy, Isa, 11. 6, 9.

Meekness may be considered with respect both to God and to our Brethren; it belongs to both the Tables of the Law, and attends upon the First great Commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, as well as the Second which is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy Self; though its special reference is to the latter.

First, There is Meekness towards God, and it is the easie and quiet Submission of the Soul to his whole Will, according as he is pleased to make it known, whether by his Word or by his Providence.

1. It is the silent submission of the Soul to the Word of God: The Understanding bowed to every Divine Truth, and the Will to every Di­vine Precept; and both without murmuring or disputing. The Word is then an engrafted Word when it is received with [...] Meekness, Jam. 1. 21. i. e. with a sincere willingness to be taught, and desire to learn. Meekness is a Grace that cleaves the Stock, and holds it open, that the Word as the Imp may be graffed in; it breaks up the Fal­low Ground, and makes it fit to receive the Seed, captivates the high thoughts, and lays the Soul like White Paper under God's Pen: When the Day Spring takes hold of the ends of the Earth, it is said to be turned as Clay to the Seal, Job 38. 12, 13, 14. Meekness doth in like manner dis­pose the Soul to admit the Rays of Divine Light; which before it rebelled against, it opens the Heart, as Lydias was opened; and sets us down with Mary at the feet of Christ; the learners [Page 10] Place and Posture: Compare, Deut. 33. 3. The promise of Teaching is made to the Meek, be­cause they are disposed to learn, the meek will he teach his way, Psal 25. 8, 9. The Word of God is Gospel indeed, Good tidings to the meek, Isa. 61. 1. they will entertain it and bid it welcome; the Poor in Spirit are Evangelized, Mat. 11. 5. and Wisdoms Alms are given to those that with meekness,Prov. 8. 4. wait daily at her Gates, and like Beg­gars wait at the Posts of her Doors. The Lan­guage of this meekness is that of the Child Sa­muel, 1 Sam. 3. 9. Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth; and that of Ioshua, who when he was in that high Post of Honour, giving command to Isra­el, and bidding Defiance to all their Enemies, his Breast filled with great and bold thoughts; yet upon the intimation of a Message from Heaven thus submits himself to it, Iosh. 5. 14. What saith my Lord unto his Servant? And that of Paul, (and it was the first breath of the New Man) Acts 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do? And that of Cornelius, Acts 10. 33. And now we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God: And that of the good Man I have read of, who when he was go­ing to hear the Word, used to say, Now, let the Word of the Lord come, and if I had six hundred Necks I would bow them all to the Authority of it. To receive the Word with meekness, is to be de­livered into it, as into a Mold: it seems to be Pauls Metaphor, Rom. 6. 17. that form of Doc­trine [...], into which you were given up. Meekness softens the Wax that it may receive the impression of the Seal, whether it be for Doc­trine or Reproof; for Correction or Instruction in Righteousness: It opens the Ear to Discipline, [Page 11] silenceth objections, and suppresseth the risings of the Carnal mind against the Word;Mitescere est non con­tradicere divinae Scripturae sive intel­lectae si vi­tiae percutit, sive non in­tellectae qua­si nos melius sapere posse­mus. Aug. l. 2. de doctrina Christi. consent­ing to the Law that it is good, and esteeming all the Precepts concerning all things to be right, even then when they give the greatest check to Flesh and Blood.

2. It is the silent submission of the Soul to the Providence of God, for that also is the Will of God concerning us.

(1.) When the Events of Providence are grie­vous and afflictive, displeasing to sense, and cros­sing our secular interests; meekness doth not on­ly quiet us under them, but reconcile us to them; and inable us not only to bear, but to receive evil as well as good at the hand of the Lord; which is the excellent frame that Iob argues himself in­to, Iob. 2. 10. 'Tis to kiss the Rod, and even to accept of the punishment of our iniquity; tak­ing all in good part that God doth: Not daring to strive with our Maker, no, nor desiring to pre­scribe to him, but Dumb and not opening the Mouth because God doth it. How meek was Aaron under the severe dispensation which took away his Sons with a particular mark of Divine Wrath, he held his peace, Levit, 10. 3. God was Sanctified, and therefore Aaron was Satisfi­ed, and had not a word to say against it. Un­like to this was the Temper, or rather the Di­stemper of David, who then was not like a Man after Gods own Heart, when he was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzza, 2 Sam. 6. 8. as if God must have ask'd David leave thus to assert the Honour of his Ark. When Gods Anger is kindled, ours must be stifled; such is the Law of Meekness, that whatsoever pleaseth God must not displease us: David was [Page 12] in a better frame when he Penn'd the 56 Psalm, the Title of which, some think, speaks the calm­ness and submissiveness of his Spirit when the Philistines took him in Gath: It is upon Ionath­elem-reckokim, the silent Dove afar off: It was his calamity that he was afar off, but he was then as a silent Dove; (mourning perhaps, Isa. 38. 14.) but not murmuring, not strugling, not re­sisting, when seized by the Birds of Prey; and the Psalm he Pen'd in this frame was Michtam, a Golden Psalm. The Language of this meek­ness is that of Eli, 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord; and that of David to the same purpose, 2 Sam. 15. 25, 26. Here I am, let him do to me as seem­eth good unto him. Not only, he can do what he will, subscribing to his Power, for who can stay his Hand: Or, He may do what he will, sub­scribing to his Soveraignty, for he giveth not ac­count of any of his matters: Or, He will do what he will, subscribing to his Unchangableness, for he is in one mind, and who can turn him? But let him do what he will, subscribing to his Wisdom and Goodness, as Hezekiah, Isa. 39. 8. Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spo­ken. Let him do what he will, for he will do what is best, and therefore if God should refer the matter to me, (saith the meek and quiet Soul) being well assured that he knows what is good for me better than I do for my my self, I would refer it to him again; he shall chuse our Inheritance for us, Psal. 47. 4.

(2.) When the methods of Providence are dark and intricate, and we are quite at a loss what God is about to do with us, his way is in the Sea and his Path in the great Waters, and his footsteeps are not known, clouds and darkness are round about [Page 13] him, a meek and quite Spirit aquiesceth in an as­surance that all things shall work together for good to us, if we love God, though we cannot apprehend how or which way. It teacheth us to follow God with an implicit Faith, as Abraham did when he went out not knowing whither he went, but knowing very well whom he followed, Heb. 11. 8. and quieteth us with this, that tho' what he doth, we know not n [...]w, yet we shall know hereafter, Iohn 13. 7. When poor Iob was brought to that dismal plunge that he could no way trace the footsteps of the Divine Provi­dence; but was almost lost in that Labyrinth, Iob. 23 8, 9. how quietly doth he sit down, v. 10. with this thought, But he knows the way that I take, when he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold.

Secondly, There is Meekness towards our Bre­thren, towards all Men, Tit 3. 2. and so we take it here. Meekness is especially conversant about the affection of Anger, not wholly to ex­tirpate and eradicate it out of the Soul;Not [...], but [...]. that were to quench a Coal which sometime there is occasion for, even at Gods Altar, Anger is cos fortitudinis. and to rebate and blunt the Edge even of our Spiritual Wea­pons with the which we are to carry on our Spiritual Warfare. But its office is to direct and govern this Affection, that we may be angry and not sin, Ephes. 4. 26.

Meekness in the School of the Philosophers is a Virtue consisting in a mean between the ex­treams of rash excessive Anger on the one Hand, and a defect of Anger on the other, in which Aristotle confesseth it very hard exactly to de­termine.Ethic. l. 4. c. 6.

[Page 14] Meekness in the School of Christ is one of the Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5. 22, 23. it is a Grace (both gratis data, and gratum faciens) wrought by the Holy Ghost both as a Sanctifier and as a Comforter in the Hearts of all true Be­lievers, teaching and enabling them at all times to keep their passions under the Conduct and Go­vernment of Religion and right Reason: I say it is wrought in the Hearts of all true Believers, because, though there are some rough and knotty pieces that the Spirit works upon, whose Na­tural Temper is unhappily sower and harsh, which are long in the squaring; yet wheresoever there is true Grace, there is a disposition to strive against, and strength in some measure to conquer that Distemper. And tho' in this as in other Gra­ces an absolute Sinless Perfection cannot be ex­pected in this present state, yet we are to labour after it and press towards it.

More particularly: The Work and Office of Meekness is to enable us prudently to govern our own anger when at any time we are provok'd, and patiently to bear the Anger of others, that it may not be a provocation to us. The former is its Office especially in Superiors, the latter in Inseriors, and both in Equals.

First, Meekness teacheth us prudently to govern our own Anger, whenever any thing occurs that is provoking. As it is the work of Temperance to moderate our Natural Appetites towards those things that are pleasing to sense, so it is the work of Meekness to moderate our Natural Passions against those things that are displeasing to sense, and to guide and govern our Resentments of those things. Anger in the Soul is like Mettle in a Horse, good if it be well managed: Now [Page 15] Meekness is the Bridle, as Wisdom is the Hand that gives Law to it; puts it into the right way, and keeps it of an even, steddy and regular pace in that way, reducing it when it turns aside, pre­serving it in a due Decorum, and restraining it and giving it check, when at any time it grows headstrong and outragious, and threatens Mis­chief to our selves or others. It must thus be held in, like the Horse and Mule with Bit and Bridle (Psal. 32. 9.) lest it break the Hedge, run over those that stand in its way, or throw the Rider himself head-long.Non cognosci­tur andaci [...] nisi in Bello, amicus nisi in necessi­tate, sapiens nisi in ira. Sent. Arab. It is true of Anger, which we say of Fire, That it's a good Servant, but a bad Master; it's good on the Hearth, but bad in the Hangings. Now meekness keeps it in its place, sets banks to this Sea, and saith, Hitherto thou shalt come and no further; here shall thy proud Waves be staid.

In reference to our own Anger when at any time we meet with the Excitements of it, the work of MEEKNESS is to do these four things.

1. To consider the Circumstances of that which we apprehend to be a Provocation, so as at no time to express our displeasure but upon due and ma­ture deliberation. The Office of Meekness is to keep Reason upon the Throne in the Soul, as it ought to be, to preserve the Understanding clear and unclouded, the Judgment untainted and un­biassed in the midst of the greatest Provocations, so as to be able to set every thing in its true Light, and to see it in its own Colour, and to de­termine accordingly, as also to keep silence in the Court, that the still small Voice, in which the Lord is (as he was with Elijah at Mount Horeb, 1 Kin, 19. 12, 13.) may not be drown'd by the [Page 16] noise of the Tumult of the Passions. A meek Man will never be angry at a Child, at a Servant, at a Friend, till he hath first seriously weigh'd the Cause in just and even Ballances, while a steddy and impartial Hand held the Scales, and a free and unprejudiced Thought had adjudg'd it necessary. It is said of our Lord Jesus, Iohn 11. 33. [...], he troubled himself—which speaks it a considerate Act, and what he saw reason for. Then things go right in the Soul when no Resentments are admitted into the Affe­ctions, but what have first undergone the Scrutiny of the Understanding, and thence received their Pass. That Passion which cometh not in by this Door, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a Thief and a Robber, which we should stand upon our Guard against. In a time of War (and such a time it is in every sanctified Soul, in a strict War between Grace and Corruption) due care must be taken to examine all Passengers, especially those that come arm'd, whence they came, whither they go, who they are for, and what they would have? Thus should it be in the well-govern'd, well-disciplin'd Soul. Let Meekness stand Centinel, and upon the advance of a Pro­vocation, let us examine who it is we are about to be angry with,Expendan­tur verba, dicendum hoc, si dicen dum adver­sum hunc, tempus ser­monis sit hu­jus, &c. Ambr. de Offic. l. 1. c. 9 and for what? What are the merits of the Cause, wherein lay the Offence, what was the Nature and Tendency of it? What are likely to be the Consequences of our Resent­ments, and what harm will it be if we stifle them and let them go no further? Such as these are the Interrogatories which Meekness would put to the Soul, and in answer to them would ab­stract all that which Passion is apt to suggest, and hear Reason only, as it becomes rational Creatures to do.

[Page 17] Three great Dictates of Meekness we find put together in one Scripture, Iames 1. 19. Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to Wrath; which some observe to be couch'd in three proper Names of Ishmael's Son▪ Gen. 25. 14. 1 Chron. 1. 30. (which Bishop Prideaux in the beginning of the Wars recommended to a Gentleman that had been his Pupil, as the summary of his Advice) Mishma, Dumah, Massa: the signification of which is, Hear, Keep silence, Bear. Hear Reason, keep Passion silent, and then you will not find it difficult to bear the Provocation.

It is said of the Holy one of Israel, when the Aegyptians provok'd him, that he weigh'd a Path to his Anger: So the Margin reads it from the Hebrew, Psal. 78. 50. Libravit semitam irae suae. Iustice first poised the Cause, and then Anger pour'd out the Vials. Thus Gen. 11. 5. The Lord came down to see the Pride of the Babel-builders, before he scatter'd them, and Gen. 18. 21. He came down to see the Wickedness of Sodom, be­fore he overthrew it, though both were obvi­ous and bare-faced,In corrept [...] ­one vitio­rum subessementi debet Iracundia, n [...]n praeesse. Greg. in Iob. l. 26. c. 36. to teach us to consider be­fore we are angry, and to judge before we pa [...]s Sentence, that herein we may be followers of God, as dear Children, and be merciful as our Father which is in Heaven is merciful.

We read, Iames 3. 13. of the meekness of Wisdom; for where there is not Wisdom, that Wisdom which is profitable to direct, Eccl. 10. 10 Pro. 14. 8. Ratio id ju­dicare vul [...] quod aequum est, Ira id aequum vi­deri vult, quod judica­vit. [...]en. that Wisdom of the Prudent which is to understand [...]is way, meekness will not long be preserv'd. It is our Rashness and Inconsideration that betrays us to all the Mischiefs of an ungovern'd Passion, in the neck of which the Reins are laid (which should be kept in the Hand of Reason) and so we are [Page 18] hurry'd upon a thousand Precipices. Nehemiah is a remarkable instance of Prudence presiding in just resentments; He owns, Neb. 5. 6, 7. I was very angry when I heard their Cry, but that anger did not at all transgress the Laws of Meekness, for it follows, Then I consulted with my self, or, as the Hebrew hath it, My heart consulted in me. Before he express'd his Displeasure, he retir'd into his own bosom, took time for a sober thought upon the case, and then he rebuked the Nobles, in a very solid rational Discourse, v. 8, 9, 10, 11. and the success was good, v. 12, 13. In every Cause, when Passion presently demands Judgment, Meek­ness moves for further time, and will have the matter fairly argued, and Council heard on both sides.

When the injur'd Levite had pitch'd upon a very barbarous Course to irritate the Tribes of Israel (who commonly were too fiery to need a Spur) against the Men of Gibeah, yet withall he refer'd the matter to their deliberate Counsels, to teach us when our Hearts are meditating revenge, to do likewise, Iudg. 19. 30. so and so the matter is, consider of it, take advice, and then speak your minds. When Iob had any quarrel with his Servants, he was willing to admit a rati [...]nal debate of the matter, and to hear what they had to say for themselves: For (saith he) what shall I do when God riseth up? and withal, did not he that made me in the Womb, make him? Job 31. 13, 14, 15. When our Hearts are at any time hot within us, we would do well to put that Question to our selves which God put to Cain, Gen. 4. 6. Why am I wroth? Why am I angry at all? Why so soon angry? Why so very angry? Why so far transported and dispossess'd of my [Page 19] self by my anger? What reason is there for all this? Do I well to be angry for a Gourd? that came up in a Night, and perished in a Night, Jona. 4. 9. Should I be touch'd to the quick by such a sudden and transient Provocation? Will not my cooler Thoughts correct these hasty Resentments, and therefore were it not better to check them now? Such are the reasonings of the Meekness of Wisdom.

2. The Work of Meekness is to calm the Spi­rit, so as that the inward Peace may not be disturbed by any outward Provocation. No doubt but a Man may express his displeasure against the Miscar­riages of another, as much as at any time there is occasion for, without suffering his Resentments to recoil upon himself, and to put his own Soul into a hurry. What need a Man to tear himself (his Soul, so it is in the Hebrew) in his anger? Job 18. 4. Cannot we charge home upon our Enemies Camp, without the wilful disordering of our own Troops? Doubtless we may, if Meek­ness have the command, for that's a Grace which preserves a Man Master of himself, while he contends to be Master of another; And tho' there may be some firing in the Out-works, yet fortifies the Heart, the Main-Fort, the Inner­wards, against the assaults of Provocation which do us no great harm, while they do not rob us of our Peace, nor disturb the Rest of our Souls. As Patience in case of Sorrow, so Meekness in case of Anger keeps possession of the Soul (as the expression is, Luke 21. 19.) that we be not dis­seiz'd of that Free-hold, and takes care when the Bell is up, that it do not overturn. The Drift of Christ's Farewell-Sermon to his Disci­ples we have in the first Words of it, Io [...]. 14. 1. [Page 20] Let not your Hearts be troubled—. It is the Duty and Interest of all good People, whatever happens, to keep Trouble from their Hearts, and to have them even and sedate, tho' the Eye (as Iob expresseth it) should continue unavoidably in the Provocation of this World, Iob 17. 2. The Wicked [...] the Turbulent and Unquiet, so the Word primarily signifies) are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest, Isa. 57. 20. but that Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keeps the Hearts and Minds of all the Meek of the Earth. Meekness preserves the Mind from be­ing ruffled, and discomposed, and the Spirit from being unhing'd by the Vanities and Vexations of this lower World: It stills the noise of the Sea, the noise of her Waves, and the Tumult of the Soul; permits not the Passions to crowd out in a disorderly manner, like a confused ungovern'd Rabble; but draws them out like the Train'd­bands, Rank and File, every one in his own or­der, ready to March, to Charge, to Fire, to Re­treat, as Wisdom and Grace give the Word of Command.

It is said of the Just and Holy God, that he is Lord of his Anger, Nahum 1. 2. where we trans­late it, he is furious (perhaps not so well, for Fury is not in him, Isa. 27. 4. but) he is [...] the Lord of Anger, Compos irae, so some of the Criticks render it; he is Master of his own An­ger, and we should labour to be so too. Which some Interpreters give as the sense of that which God said to Cain, Gen. 4. 7. Unto thee, or subject unto thee, shall be its Desire, and thou shalt rule over it; viz. over this Passion of Anger, which thou hast conceived in thy Bosom, thou shouldst and (if thou wouldst use the Grace offer'd to [Page 21] thee) thou mightest subdue and keep under these intemperate Heats, so as that they may not dis­quiet the repose of thy Soul, nor break out into any Exorbitances.

3. Meekness will curb the Tongue, and keep the Mouth as with a Bridle when the Heart is hot, Psal. 39. 1, 2, 3. Even then when there may be occasion for a keenness of expression, and we are called to rebuke sharply, ( [...], cuttingly) Tit. 1. 2. yet meekness forbids all fury and in­decency of Language, and every thing that sounds like clamour and evil speaking, Ephes. 4. 31. The meekness of Moses was not at hand when he spoke that unadvised word, Numb. 20. 10. Hear now [...] Rebels, for which he was shut out of Canaan, though Rebels they were, and at that time very provoking. Men in passion are apt to give reviling Language, to call names, and those most sensless and ridiculous, to take the blessed Name of God in vain, and profane that; It is a wretched way by which the Chil­dren of Hell vent their passion at their beasts, their Servants, any person, or any thing that pro­vokes them, to Swear at them: Men in passion are apt to reveal secrets, to make rash vows and resolutions which afterwards prove a snare, and sometimes to slander and belye their brethren, and bring railing Accusations, and so to do the Devils work; and to speak that in their hast concerning others, (as D [...]vid, Psal 116. 11. All Men are lyars) which they see cause to repent of at leisure. How brutishly did Saul in his pas­sion call his own Son, the Heir apparent to the Crown, the Son of the perverse rebellious Wo­man, 1 Sam. 20. 30. that is, in the filthy Dia­lect of Passion in our Days, the Son of a Whore; [Page 22] a fine credit to himself and his Family! Raca and Thou Fool, are instanced in by our Saviour as breaches of the Law of the Sixth Command­ment, Mat. 5. 22. and the Passion in the Heart is so far from excusing such opprobrious Speeches, (for which purpose it is commonly alledg'd) that really it is that which gives'em their malignity, they are the Smoke from that Fire, the Gall and Wormwood springing from that Root of Bitterness; and if for every idle word that Men speak,Mat. 12. 36. much more for such wicked words as these, must they give an Account at the Day of Iudgment. And as it is a reflection upon God to Kill, so it is to Curse Men that are made after the Image of God, Iam. 3. 9. (though never so much our inferiours) that is, to speak ill of them, or to wish ill to them.

This is the Disease, which Meekness prevents, and is in the Tongue a Law of Kindness, as the expression is, Pro. 31. 26. It is to the Tongue as the Helm is to the Ship (it is the Apostles com­parison, Iam. 3. 3, 4.) not to silence it, but to guide it, to steer it wisely, especially when the Wind is high.Mat. 12. 36. In So [...]rate irae signum erat, vocem submittere, loqui parcius apparchat tunc illum sibi obstare. Ita resert Seneca de ira. l. 3 c. 13 Plutarch de non irascen­do. If at any time we have conceiv'd a Pas­sion, and thought evil, Meekness will lay the Hand upon the Mouth (as the Wise Man's Ad­vice is, Prov. 30. 32.) to keep that evil thought from venting it self in any evil Word, reflecting upon God or our Brother. It will reason a matter in variance without noise, give a reproof without a reproach, convince a Man of his folly without calling him a Fool, will teach Superiors either to forbear threatning, Eph. 6. 9. or (as the Margin reads it) to moderate it, and will look diligently, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble us, and thereby we and many others be defiled, Heb. 12. 15.

[Page 23] 4. Meekness will cool the Heat of Passion quickly, and not suffer it to continue. As it keeps us from being soon angry, so it teaches us when we are angry, to be soon pacified. The Anger of a meek man is like fire struck out of Steel, hard to be got out, but when it is out, soon gone. The wisdom that is from above, as it is gentle, and so not apt to provoke; so it is easie to be intreat­ed when any provocation is given, Iames 3. 17. and hath the ear always open to the first pro­posals and overtures of satisfaction, submission, and reconciliation, and so the anger is turned away. He that is of a meek spirit will be for­ward to forgive injuries, and to put up affronts, and hath some excuse or other ready where­with to extenuate and qualifie the provocation, which an angry man, for the exasperating and justifying of his own resentments will industri­ously aggravate. It is but saying, there's no great harm done,'Tis a Max­im in the Law, In ver­bis dubiis benignior sententia est praeferenda. And semper fit praesump­tio in meli­orem par­tem. Vid. Alciat. de praesumpt. Reg. 3. or if there be, there was none intended, and peradventure it was an oversight, and so the offence being look'd at through that end of the Perspective which diminisheth, 'tis easily past by, and the Distemper being taken in time goes off quickly, the Fire is quenched be­fore it gets head, and by a speedy interposal the Plague is stayed. While the world is so full of the sparks of Provocation, and there is so much tinder in the hearts of the best, no marvel if an­ger come sometimes into the bosom of a wise man, but it rests only in the bosom of Fools, Eccl. 7. 9. Angry thoughts, as other vain thoughts, may crowd into the heart upon a sudden surprize, but meekness will not suffer them to Iodge there, (Ier. 4. 14.) nor let the Sun go down upon the wrath, (Eph. 4. 26.) for if it do, there's danger [Page 24] lest it rise bloody the next morning. Anger con­cocted becomes Malice; 'tis the wisdom of meekness by proper applications to discuss the humour before it comes to a head. One would have thought when David so heinously resented Nabal's abuse, that nothing less than the blood of Nabal and all his house could have quench'd his Heat, but it was done at a cheaper rate, and he shewed his Meekness, by yielding to the di­version that Abigail's Present and Speech gave him, and that with satisfaction and thankfulness; He was not only soon pacified, but blessed her, and blessed God for her that pacified him. God doth not contend for ever, neither is he always wroth; his anger endureth but a moment, Ps. 30. 5. How unlike then are those to him whose Sword devours for ever, and whose anger burns like the Coals of Iuniper? But the Grace of Meekness, if it fail of keeping the Peace of the Soul from being broken, yet fails not to recover it presently, and to make up the Breach, and upon the least transport steps in with help in the time of need, restores the Soul, puts it in frame again, and no great harm is done. Such as these are the Atchievements of Meekness, as it governs our own Anger.

Secondly, Meekness teacheth and enableth us patiently to bear the Anger of others, which in­stance of Meekness we have especially occasion for, in reference to our Superiors and Equals; commonly that which provokes Anger is Anger, as Fire kindleth Fire; now Meekness prevents that violent Collision which forceth out these Sparks, and softens at least one side, and so puts a stop to a great deal of Mischief; for it is the second blow that makes the Quarrel. Our first [Page 25] care should be to prevent the Anger of others, by giving no offence to any, but becoming all things to all Men, every one studying to please his Neighbour for good to Edification, Rom. 15. 2. and endeavouring as much as lies in us, to ac­commodate our selves to the temper of all with whom we have to do, and to make our selves acceptable and agreeable to them: How easie and comfortable should we make every Relation, and every instance of Conversation, if we were but better acquainted with this Art of Obliging. Napthalie's Tribe, that was famous for giving goodly Words (Gen. 49. 21.) had the happiness of being satisfied with Favour, Deut. 33. 23. For every Man shall kiss his Lips that giveth a right Answer, Pro. 24. 26. In the Conjugal Relation, it is taken for granted, 1 Cor. 7. 33, 34. that the care of the Husband is to please his Wife; and the care of the Wife is to please her Husband; and where there is that mutual care, comfort cannot be wanting. Some People love to be cross­grain'd, and take a pleasure in displeasing, and especially contrive to provoke those whom they find passionate and easily provok'd, that (as he that giveth his Neighbour drink, and putteth his Bottle to him, Hab. 2. 15, 16.) they may look upon his shame to which in his Passion he exposeth himself, and so they make a mock at sin, and be­come like the mad Man that casteth Fire-brands, Arrows and Death; and saith, Am not I in sport? But the Law of Christ forbids us to provoke one another, Gal. 5. 26. (unless it be to love and to good works,) and enjoyns us (as it follows there, Chap. 6. 2.) to bear one anothers Burthens, and so to fulfil the Law of Christ.

[Page 26] But because they must rise betimes, that will please every Body, and carry their Cup even, in­deed that will shed no offence; our next care there­fore must be so to behave our selves when others are angry, that we may not make ill worse. And this is one principal thing in which the Younger must submit themselves to the Elder; nay, in which all of us must be subject one to another, as our Rule is, 1 Pet. 5. 5. And here Meekness is of use either to injoyn Silence, or to indite a soft Answer.

1. To injoyn Silence. It is prescribed to Ser­vants, Tit. 2. 9. to please their Masters well in all things, not answering again; for that must needs be displeasing: Better say nothing than say that which is provoking. When our Hearts are hot within us, it is good for us to keep silence, and hold our Peace: So David did, Psal. 39. 2, 3. and when he did speak, it was in prayer to God, and not in reply to the wicked that were before him. Quid refert inter provo­cantem & provocatum, nisi quod ille prior in maleficio deprehendi­tur, et ille posterior: nulla verò in maleficio ordinis ratio est. Tertul. do Divin. c. 10. If the Heart be angry, angry words will but enflame it the more, as Wheels are heated by a rapid Motion. One Reflection and Repartee begets another, and the beginning of the Debate is like the letting forth of VVater, hardly stop'd, when the least breach is made in the Dam; and therefore Meekness saith, By all means keep silence, and leave it off before it be meddled with. When a Fire is begun, it is good, if possible, to smother it, and so prevent it's spreading. Come on, let us deal wisely, and stifle it in the Birth, lest afterwards it prove too strong to be dealt with. Anger in the Heart is like those Books which were stow'd up in the Cellars in the Conflagration of London, which tho' they were extreamly hea­ted yet never took Fire, till they took Air many [Page 27] days after, where giving vent to the Heat, put them into a Flame. When the Spirits are in a Ferment, tho' it may be some present pain to check and suppress them, and the head-strong Passion hardly admit the Bridle, yet afterwards it will be no grief of Heart to us.

Those who find themselves wrong'd and ag­griv'd, think they may have leave to speak, but it's better be silent than speak amiss, and make work for Repentance. At such a time he that holds his Tongue, holds his Peace; and if we soberly reflect, we shall find that we have been often the worse for our speaking, but seldom the worse for our silence. Complures vidi loquen­do pece [...]tum incidisse, vix quen­quam tacen­do: ideo (que) tacere nosse quàm loqui difficilius est. Ambr­de Offic. l. 1. c. 2. This must be especially remembred and observ'd by as many as are under the Yoke; who will certainly have most comfort in Meekness, and Patience, and silent Submission not only to the Good and Gentle, but also to the Froward. It is good in such cases to remember our place, and if the Spirit of a Ruler rise up against us, not to leave that, i. e. Locus tuus patientia est, locus tu­us sapientia est, locus tu­us, ratio est, et sedatio indignatio­nis. Ambr. ubi supra. c. 21. not to do anything unbecoming that, for yielding pacifieth great Offences, Eccl. 10. 4. We have a common Proverb that teacheth us this, When thou art the Hammer, knock thy fill, but when thou art the Anvil, lye thou still. For it is the posture thou art cut out for, and which best becomes thee.

If others be angry at us without Cause, and we have never so much Reason on our side, yet oftentimes it is best to adjourn our own Vindica­tion, (though we think it necessary▪ till the Passion be over; for there is nothing said or done in Passion but it may be better said, and better done afterwards: When we are calm, we shall be likely to say it and do it in a better manner, and [Page 28] when our Brother is calm, we shall be likely to say it, and do it to better purpose. A needful Truth spoken in a Heat may do more hurt than good, and offend rather than satisfie. The Pro­phet himself forbore even a Message from God, when he saw Amaziah in a Passion; 2 Chr. 25. 16. Sometimes it may be adviseable to get some one else to say that for us, which is to be said, rather than say it our selves. However, we have a righteous God, to whom (if we do in a meek silence suffer our selves to be run down unjustly) we may commit our Cause, and having his Pro­mise that he will bring forth our Righteousness as the Light, and our Iudgment as the Noon-day, Psal. 37. 6. We had better leave it in his Hands, than undertake to manage it our selves, lest that which we call clearing our selves, God should call quarrelling with our Brethren. David was greatly provok'd by those that sought his hurt, and spoke mischievous things against him, and yet (saith he) I as a deaf Man heard not, I was as a dumb [...] Man that openeth not his Mouth, Ps. 38. 13. and why so? 'twas not because he wanted some­thing to say, or because he knew not how to say it; but v. 15. because in thee, O Lord, do I hope, thou wilt hear, O Lord my God: And what need I hear and God hear too? His concerning himself in the matter supersedes Ours, and he is not only engaged in Iustice to own every righ­teous, but wronged Cause, but he is further engaged in Honour to appear for those that in obedience to the Law of Meekness commit their Cause to him, and trust him with it. If there be any vindication, or avenging necessary (which infinite Wisdom is the best Judge of) he can do it better than we can, and therefore give place [Page 29] unto Wrath, Rom. 12. 19. i. e. to the Judgment of God, which is according to Truth and Equity, make room for him to take the Seat, and do not you step in before him: 'Tis fit our wrath should stand by to give way to his; for the wrath of a Man, engageth not the Righteousness of God, Jam. 1. 20. for him: Even just Appeals made to him, if they be made in Passion, are not admitted into the Court of Heaven, being not duly put in; that one thing is Error sufficient to over­rule them: Let not therefore those that do well and suffer for it, spoil their own Vindication by mis-timing and mis-managing it, but tread in the steps of the Lord Jesus, Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffer'd he threatned not, but was as a Lamb dumb before the Shearers, and so committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. It is indeed a great piece of Self-denial to be silent, when we have enough to say, and provocation to say it; but if we do thus control our Tongues out of a pure regard to Peace and Love, it will turn to a good account, and will be an evidence for us that we are Christ's Disciples, having learn'd to deny our selves. It is better by silence to yield to our Brother, who is, or hath been, or may be our Friend, than by angry speaking to yield to the Devil, who hath been, and is, and ever will be our sworn Enemy.

2. To indite a soft Answer. This Solomon com­mends as a proper expedient to turn away wrath, while grievous words do but stir up anger, Pro. 15. 1. When any speak angrily to us, we must pause a while, and study an Answer, which both for the Matter and Manner of it, may be mild and gentle. This brings VVater while peevish­ness [Page 30] and provocation would but bring Oil to the Flame. Thus is Death and Life in the Power of the Tongue; it is either healing or killing, an Antidote or a Poison, according as it's used. When the Waves of the Sea beat on a Rock, they batter, and make a noise, but a soft Sand re­ceives them silently, and returns them without damage. A soft Tongue is a wonderful Speci­fick, and hath a very strange Vertue in it; for, Solomon saith, it breaks the Bone, Pro. 25. 15. that is, it qualifies those that were provok'd, and makes them pliable; it heaps Coals of Fire upon the Head of an Enemy, not to burn him, but to melt him, Pro. 25. 21, 22. Hard words (we say) break no Bones, but it seems soft ones do (and yet do no harm) as they calm an angry Spirit and prevent its Progress, breaking it as we do a [...]lint upon a Cushion. A Stone that falls on a Wool-pack rests there, and rebounds not to do any further Mischief, such is a meek Answer to an angry Question. It is observed in that rencounter which was between the Royal Tribe, and the other ten, that the words of the Men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the Men of Israel, 2 Sam. 14. 43. When Passion is up, that God whose Eyes are upon all the ways of Men, takes notice who speaks fiercely, and sets a mark upon them.

The good effect of a soft Answer, and the ill consequents of a peevish one, are observable in the Stories of Gideon and Iophthah: Both of them in the day of their Triumphs over the Enemies of Israel, were causelesly quarrel'd with by the Ephraimites (an angry sort of People it seemsHence we read of the Envy of E­phraim, ija. 11. 13.) who took it very heinously when the danger was past, and the Victory was won, that they had not been call'd upon to engage in the [Page 31] Battle; Gideon pacified them with a soft An­swer, Iudg. 8. 2. What have I done now in com­parison of you? magnifying their Atchievements, and lessening his own, speaking honourably of them, and meanly of himself; Is not the glean­ing of the Grapes of Ephraim, better than the Vintage of Abiezar? In which Reply it's hard to say whether there was more of Wit or Wis­dom; And the effect was very good; the Ephrai­mites were pleased, their Anger turned away, a Civil War prevented; and no Body could think the worse of Gideon for his Mildness and Self-denial; but on the contrary, that he won more true Honour, by this Victory over his own Passion, than he did by his Victory over all the Host of Midian; for he that hath Rule over his own Spirit, is better than the Mighty, Pro. 16. 32. The Angel of the Lord had pronounced him a migh­ty Man of Valour, Judg. 6. 12. and this his tame submission did not at all derogate from that part of his Character. But Iephthah (who by many instances appears to be a Man of a rough and hasty Spirit, tho' enroll'd among the emi­nent Believers, Heb. 11. 32. for all good People are not alike happy in their Temper.) When the Ephraimites in like manner pick a Quarrel with him, he rallies them, upbraids them with their Cowardice, boasts of his own Courage, chal­lenges them to make good their Cause, Iud. 12▪ 2, 3. they retort a scurrillous Reflection upon Iephthah's Country (as it's usual with Men in Passion to taunt and jear one another) Ye Gilea­dites are Fugitives, verse 4. From Words they go to Blows, and so great a matter doth this little Fire kindle, that there goes no less to quench the Flame, than the Blood of two and forty [Page 32] thousand Ephraimites, v. 6. All which had been haply prevented if Iephthah had had but half as much meekness in his heart, as he had reason on his side.

A soft Answer is the Dictate and Dialect of that Wisdom which is from above, which is peaceable, gentle, and easie to be intreated: And to recommend it to us, we have the pattern of good men, as that of Iacob's Carriage to Esau, tho' a Brother offended, who is so hard to be won, yet as he had prevail'd with God by Faith and Prayer, so he prevail'd with his Brother by Meekness and Humility: We have also the Pattern of good Angels, who even then when a rebuke was need­ful, yet durst not turn it into a railing Accusa­tion, durst not give any reviling Language, no not to the Devil himself, but refer'd the matter to God, The Lord rebuke thee, as that passage, Iude ver. 9. is commonly understood. Nay, we have the Pattern of a good God, who tho' he could plead against us with his great Power, yet gives soft Answers: witness his dealing with Cain, when he was wroth and his countenance fallen, reasoning the case with him, Gen. 4. 6, 7. Why art thou wroth—If thou dost well, shalt not thou be accepted? With Ionah likewise, when he was so discontented, Ion. 4. 4, 9. Dost thou well to be angry? This is represented in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, by the carriage of the Fa­ther towards the Elder Brother that was so high, and humorsom, so angry that he would not come in. The Father did not say, Let him stay out then, but he came himself and intreated him, (when he might have interposed his Authority and commanded him) and said, Son, thou art ever with me, Luke 15. 28, 31. When a passion­ate [Page 33] Parley is begun, there is a Plague broke out, the meek Man like Aaron takes his Censer with the Incense of a soft Answer, steps in seasonably and stays the Plague.

This soft Answer, in case we have committed a Fault (tho' perhaps not culpable to that degree that we are charged with) must be Penitent, Humble and Submissive, and we must be ready to acknowledge our Error, and not stand in it, or in­sist upon our own Vindication, but rather ag­gravate than excuse it, rather condemn than justi­fie our selves: It will be a good evidence of our Repentance towards God, to humble our selves to our Brethren, whom we have offended, as it will be also a good evidence of our being for­given of God if we be ready to sorgive those that have offended us: And such yielding paci­fieth great Offences. Meekness teacheth us as oft as we trespass against our Brother to turn again and say, I repent, Luke 17. 4. An ac­knowledgment in case of a wilful Affront is perhaps as necessary to pardon, as (we common­ly say) Restitution is in case of wrong:—And so much for the opening of the Nature of Meek­ness, which yet will receive further light from what follows.

[2.] We must be of a quiet Spirit. Quiet­ness is the evenness, the composure, and the rest of the Soul, which speaks both the nature and the excellency of the Grace of Meekness. The greatest Comfort and Happiness of Man is some­times set forth by Quietness. That Peace of Con­science which Christ hath left for a Legacy to his Disciples, that present Sabbatism of the Soul, which is an earnest of the Rest that remains for the People of God, is call'd, Quietness and As­surance [Page 34] for ever, and is promised, as the effect of Righteousness, Isa. 32. 17. and it follows, v. 18. My People shall dwell in quiet resting-places. So graciously hath God been pleased to twist Inter­ests with us, as to enjoyn the same thing under the Notion of a Duty, which he proposeth and promiseth under the Notion of a Priviledge. Justly may we say, that we serve a good Master, whose Yoke is easie, Matth. 11. 30. 'tis [...], not only easie, but sweet, and gracious (so the word signifies) not only tolerable, but amiable and acceptable: Wisdom's ways are not only pleasant, but pleasantness it self, and all her paths are Peace, Pro. 3. 17. It is the Character of the Lord's People both in respect of Holiness and Happiness, that (however they be branded as the Troublers of Israel) they are the Quiet in the Land, Psal. 35. 20. If every Saint be made a spi­ritual Prince (Rev. 1. 6.) having a Dignity above others, and a Dominion over himself, surely he is like that Seraiah, Jer. 51. 59. a quiet Prince. It is a Reign with Christ, the transcendent Solomon, under the influence of whose Golden Scepter there is abundance of Peace as long as the Moon endures, yea, and longer, for of the increase of his Government and Peace, there shall be no end. Quietness is in the Text recommended to us as a Grace, which we should be endued with, and as a Duty which we should practise. In the midst of all the Affronts and Injuries that are, or can be offer'd us, we must keep our Spirits sedate, and undisturbed, and evidence by a calm and even, and regular behaviour, that they are so. This is Quietness. Our Saviour hath pronoun­ced the Blessing of Adoption upon the Peace-makers, Mat. 5. 9. [...], those that are for [Page 35] Peace, as David professeth himself to be, Psal. 120. 7. in opposition (such an opposition as Meekness is capable of) to those that delight in War, Psal. 68. 30. Now if Charity be for Peace-making, Surely this Charity begins at home and is for making Peace there in the first place; Peace in our own Souls, is some conformity to the example of the God of Peace, who tho' he doth not always give Peace on this Earth, yet ever­more makes Peace in his own high place, Job 25. v. 2. This,Dr. H [...]m­mond. Pract­later. p. 125, some think, is the primary intention of that Peace-making, on which Christ there commands the Blessing: It is to have strong and hearty affections to Peace, to be peaceable-minded; for making in Scripture notes the bent and incli­nation of the Soul; as to make a Lye, is to be given to Lying; so to make Peace, is to be ad­dicted to Peace; to have a disposition in the Soul ready to command the Peace, when there is at any time, any kind of disturbance. In a word: Quietness of Spirit is the Soul's stillness, and silence, from intending Provocation to, or resenting Provocatio [...] from any with whom we have to do.

The word hath something in it of a Meta­phor, which we would not chase, but fairly prosecute, for the Illustration of the Grace of Meekness.

1. We must be quiet as the Air is quiet from Winds. Disorderly Passions are like stormy Winds in the Soul, they toss and hurry it, and often split, or strand, or overset it; they move it as the Trees of the Wood are mov'd with the Wind; 'tis the Prophets comparison, Isa. 7. 2. and is an apt Emblem of a Man in Passion. Now Meek­ness restrains these Winds, saith to them, Peace, [Page 36] be still, and so preserves a calm in the Soul, and makes it conformable to him, who hath the Winds in his Fists, and is herein to be praised, that even the stormy Winds fulfil his Word. A brisk Gale is often useful, especially to the Ships of Desire, as the Hebrew phrase is, Iob 9. 26. so there should be in the Soul such a warmth and vigor as will help to speed us to the desired Harbour. It is not well to lye Wind-bound in dulness and indifferency. But Tempests are perillous, yea, tho' the Wind be in the right Point; so are strong Passions, even in good Men, they both hinder the Voyage, and hazzard the Ship: Such a Quickness as consists with Quietness, is what we should all labour after, and Meekness will contribute very much towards it, it will si­lence the Noise, controul the Force, moderate the Impetus, and correct all undue and disorderly Transports.Ae [...]lus sis affectuum tuorum. Neiremb. What manner of Grace is this, that even the VVinds and the Seas obey it? If we will but use the Authority which God hath given us over our own Hearts, we may keep the winds of Passion under the command of Religion and Reason, and then the Soul is quiet; the Sun shines, all's pleasant and [...]erene and smiling, and the Man sleeps sweetly and safely on the Lee­side. We make our Voyage among Rocks and Quick-sands, but if the Weather be calm, we can the better steer so as to avoid them, and by a due care and temper hit the mean between extreams, whereas he that suffers these VVinds of Passion to get head, and spreads a large Sail before them, while he shuns one Rock, splits upon another, and is in danger of being drown'd in destruct­ion and perdition, by many foolish and hurtful Lusts, especially those whence VVars and Fightings come.

[Page 37] 2. We must be quiet as the Sea is quiet from VVaves. The wicked (whose sin and punish­ment both lye in the unruliness of their own Souls, and the Violence and Disorder of their own Passions, which perhaps will not be the least of their eternal Torments) are compared to the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose Waters cast forth Mire and Dirt, Isa. 57. 20. that is, they are uneasie to themselves, and to all about them, raging Waves of the Sea (so they are described, Iude 13.) foaming out their own shame; their hard Speeches which they speak against God, ver. 15. and Dignities, ver. 8. and things which they know not, ver. 10. their great swelling words, ver. 16. and mockings, ver. 18. these are the shame they foam out. Now Meek­ness is a Grace of the Spirit, that moves upon the face of the VVaters and quiets them, smooths the ruffled Sea, and stills the Noise of it, ('tis now mare pacificum) it casts forth none of the Mire and Dirt of Passion. The Waves mount not up to the Heaven in Proud and Vain-glorious Boastings; go not down to the depths to scrape up vile and scurrilous Language; no reeling to and fro, as Men overcome with Drink, or with their own Passion, which is all one, (for if VVine be a mocker, and strong Drink raging, Pro. 20. 1. Anger is no less so,) none of that transport which brings them to their wits end; I refer to the Psalmist's description of a Storm, Ps. 107. 26, 27. but as it follows there, v. 30. They are glad be­cause they are quiet, so he bringeth them to their desir'd Haven. This calmness and evenness of Spirit makes our passage over the Sea of this World safe and pleasant, quick and speedy to­wards the desired Harbour, and is amiable and [Page 38] exemplary in the Eyes of others, such a path doth the meek and quiet Christian make to shine after him. One would think the deep to be hoary.

3. We must be quiet as the Land is quiet from VVar. It was the observable Felicity of Asa's Reign, that in his days the Land was quiet, 2 Chr. 14. 1, 5. In the preceding Reigns there was no peace to him that went out, or to him that came in, whether outward-bound or home-wards bound, they were exposed to great vexations, ch. 15. 5. but now the rumors and allarms of War were still'd, and the people deliver'd from the noise of Archers at the place of drawing VVaters, as when the Land had rest in Deborah's time, Iud. 5. 11. Such a quietness there should be in the Soul, and such a quietness there will be where Meekness sways the Scepter. A Soul enflamed with Wrath and Passion upon all occasions is like a Kingdom embroil'd in War, in a Civil War, subject to continual Frights, and Losses, and Pe­rils, Deaths and Terrors in their most horrid Shapes, walk triumphantly, Sleeps disturb'd, Families broken, Friends suspected, Enemies fear'd, Laws silenced, Commerce ruin'd, Business neglected, Cities wasted, such heaps upon heaps, doth ungovern'd Anger lay when it is let loose in the Soul. Ius (que) datum sceleri, &c. But Meek­ness makes these Wars to cease, breaks the Bow, cuts the Spear, sheaths the Sword, and in the midst of a Contentious World preserves the Soul from being the Seat of War, and makes Peace in those Borders. The rest of the Soul is not disturb'd, it's Comforts not plunder'd, it's Government not disorder'd, the Laws of Religion and Reason rule, and not the Sword: The Tra­ding-Duties [Page 39] are not interrupted, neither its Com­munion with God, nor its Communion with the Saints intercepted, no breaking in of Tempta­tion, no going out of Corruption, no complaining in the Streets, no occasion given, no occasion taken to complain. Happy is the Soul that is in such a case, Psal. 144. 14, 15. The words of such wise men are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among Fools, and this wisdom is better than weapons of war, Eccl. 9. 17, 18. This is the Quietness we should every one of us la­bour after, and it is what we might attain to, if we would but more support and exercise the Au­thority of our Graces (which are as the Commis­sioners of the Peace) and guide and controul the power of our Passions (which are as the Commis­sioners of Array) in our Souls.

4. We must be quiet as the Child is quiet after weaning. It is the Psalmist's comparison, Psal. 131. 2. I have behaved (or rather, I have composed, so Ainsworth reads it) and quieted my Self, (my Soul, Heb. for our Souls are our selves, and our principal care must be concerning them) as a Child that is weaned of his Mother, my Soul is even as a weaned Child. A Child while it is in the weaning perhaps is a little cross, and froward, and troublesom for a time, but when it is per­fectly wean'd, how quickly doth it forget the Breast, and accommodate its self to its new way of feeding; Thus a quiet Soul, if provok'd by the denial or loss of some Creature-Comfort or Delight, that hath been dear, quiets it self, and doth not fret at it, nor perplex it self with anxi­ous Cares, how to live without it, but compo­seth it self to make the best of that which is. If Wormwood be put upon the Breasts, which we [Page 40] have call'd the Breasts of our Consolation, it is but to make us indifferent to them, and we must set our selves to answer that Intention, and sit loose to them accordingly. And this Holy In­differency to the Delights of Sense, is (like the weaning of a Child) a good step taken towards the perfect Man, the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ. Yet cor­rupt Passi­ons appear betimes. Vi­di zelan­tem par­vulum qui intuebatur pallidus a­maro aspe­ctucollacta­neum suum. Aug. Conf. 1, 7. A Child newly weaned is free from all the uneasiness and disquietment of Care, and Fear, and Envy, and Anger, and Revenge: How undisturbed are its Sleeps, and even then its Dreams pleasant and smiling? How easie its Days? How quiet its Nights? If put into a little pett now and then, how soon is it over, the Provocation forgiven, the Sense of it forgotten, and both bury'd in an innocent Kiss? Thus, if ever we would enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, must we be converted from Pride, Envy, Ambition and Strife for precedency, and must become like little Children. Et si citò pueri inter se moventur, facilesed an­tur & ma­j [...]ri suavitate in se re­currunt; nesciunt se subdole ar­tificioseque tractare. Amb. de Of fic. l. 1. c. 21. So our Savi­our hath told us (who, even after his Resur­rection, is call'd, The Holy Child Iesus, Act. 4. 27.) Matth. 18. 3. And even when we have put away other childish Things, yet still in Malice we must be Children, 1 Cor. 14. 20. And as for the Quar­rels of others, in all Broils and Heats, a meek and quiet Christian endeavours to be as dis-inter­essed, and as little engaged as a weaned Child in the Mothers Arms, that is not capable of such angry Resentments.

This is that Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, which is here recommended to us, such a Com­mand and Composure of the Soul, as that it be not unhinged by any Provocation whatsoever, but all its Powers and Faculties preserved in due Temper, for the just discharge of their respective [Page 41] Offices.Col. 3. 8. In a word; Put off all Wrath, and An­ger, and Malice, (those corrupted Limbs of the old Man) pluck up and cast away those Roots of Bitterness, and stand upon a constant Guard against all the Exorbitances of your own Pas­sion, and then you will soon know, to your com­fort, better than I can tell you, what it is to be of a Meek and Quiet Spirit.

CHAP. II. The Excellency of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit.

THE very opening of this Cause, one would think, were enough to carry it, and the ex­plaining of the Nature of Meekness and Quiet­ness, should suffice to recommend it to us: Such an amiable Sweetness doth there appear in it, upon the very first View; if we look upon this Beauty, we cannot but be enamour'd with it. But because of the Opposition that there is in our corrupt Hearts to this, as to other the Graces of the Holy Spirit, I shall endeavour more particu­larly to shew the Excellency of it, that we may be brought, if possible, to be in love with it, and to submit our Souls to the charming Power of it.

It is said, Pro. 17. 27. That a Man of under­standing is of an excellent Spirit.—He is [...] (so the Chetib, though the Keri, which our Translation follows, reads it [...] frigidus Spi­ritu, so Tremellius, he is of a cool Spirit; put them together, and it teacheth us, That a cool Spirit is an excellent Spirit, and he is a Man of understanding that is acted and govern'd by such a Spirit. The Text tells us (what need we more?) [Page 42] that it in the sight of God of great price, and we may be sure that's precious indeed which is so in God's sight; that's good, very good which he pronounceth so, for his Judgment is accor­ding to Truth, and sooner or later he will bring all the World to be of his Mind; for as he hath decided it, so shall our Doom be, and he will be justified when he speaketh, and clear when he judgeth.

The excellency of a meek and quiet Spirit, will appear, if we consider the Credit of it, and the Comfort of it, the present Profit there is by it, and the Preparedness there is in it, for something further.

[1.] Consider how Creditable a meek and quiet Spirit is. Credit and Reputation is a thing which most People are very sensibly touch'd with the Ambition of, tho' few consider aright either what it is, or what is the right way of obtain­ing it, and particularly it is little believed what a great deal of true honour there is in the Grace of Meekness, and what a sure and ready way, mild and quiet Souls take to gain the good word of their Master, and of all their Fellow-Servants that love our Master, and are like him.

Let us see what Credit there is in Meek­ness.

1. There is in it the credit of a Victory. What a great Figure do the Names of high and migh­ty Conquerors make in the Records of Fame? How is their Conduct, their Valor, and their Success more than either cry'd up and celebrated? But if we will believe the Word of Truth, and pass a Judgment upon things according to the Rules of that, He that is slow to anger is better than [Page 43] the Mighty, and he that ruleth his Spirit, than he that taketh a City, Pro. 16. 32. Behold a greater than Alexander or Caesar is here: The former of which some think lost more true Honour by yielding to his own ungovern'd Anger, than he got by all his Conquests. No triumphant Cha­riot so easie, so safe, so truly glorious, as that in which the meek and quiet Soul rides over all the Provocations of an injurious World, with a gra­cious unconcernedness: No train so splendid, so noble, as that train of Comforts and Graces, which attend this Chariot. The Conquest of an unruly Passion is more honourable, than the Con­quest of an unruly People, for it requires more true Conduct: It is easier to kill an Enemy without us, which may be done at a Blow, than to Chain up and govern an Enemy within us which requires a constant even steddy Hand, and a long and regular Management. It was more the Honour of David to yield himself conquer'd by Abigail's Perswasions, than to have made himself a Conqueror over Nabal and all his House. A rational Victory must needs be al­lowed more honourable to a rational Creature than a brutal one. This is a cheap, safe and unbloody Conquest that doth no Body any harm, no Lives, no Treasures sacrificed to it, the Glory of these Triumphs, not stain'd as others use to be with Funerals: Every Battle of the Warrior (saith the Prophet, Isa. 9. 5.) is with confused noise, and Garments roll'd in Blood, but this shall be with burning, even by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts; as a Spirit of Iudgment, and a Spirit of Burning. Nay, in meek and quiet suffering, we are more than Conquerors, thro' Christ that loved us, Rom. 8. 37. Conquerors with little loss; we [Page 44] lose nothing but the gratifying of a base Lust, Conquerors with great gain, the Spoils we di­vide are very rich, the Favour of God, the Com­forts of the Spirit, the Foretasts of everlasting Pleasures, these are more glorious and excellent than the Mountains of Prey. We are more than Conquerors; that is, Triumphers, we live a Life of Victory, every day a day of Triumph in the meek and quiet Soul.

Meekness is a Victory over our Selves, and the Rebellious Lusts in our own Bosoms; 'tis the quieting of intestine Broils, the stilling of an In­surrection at Home, which is oftentimes more hard to do, than to resist a foreign Invasion. It is an effectual Victory over those that injure us, and make themselves Enemies to us, and is often a means of winning their Hearts. The Law of Meekness is, If thine Enemy hung [...], feed him, if he thirst [...], Propina illi, not only give him drink, (which is an Act of Charity) but drink to him, in token of Friendship, and true Love, and Reconciliation, and in so doing thou shalt heap Coals of Fire upon his Head, not to consume him, but to melt and mollifie him, that he may be cast into a new mould; and thus while the angry and revengeful Man, that will bear down all before him with a high hand is over­come of evil, the patient and forgiving overcome evil with good, Rom. 12. 20, 21. and forasmuch as their ways please the Lord, he maketh even their Enemies to be at Peace with them, Pro. 16. 7. Nay, Meekness is a Victory over Satan the great­est Enemy of all: What Conquest can sound more great than that? It is written for Caution to us all, and it reflects honour upon those who through Grace overcome, that we wrestle not [Page 45] against Flesh and Blood, but against Principali­ties and Powers, and the Rulers of the darkness of this World, Eph. 6. 12. The magnifying of the Adversary magnifies the Victory over him; such as these are the meek Man's vanquish'd Enemies, the spoils of these are the Trophies of his Victory. [...] Chrysost. Hom. 19. It is the design of the Devil, that great Deceiver and Destroyer of Souls, that is baffled, 'tis his attempt that is defeated, his assault that is re­puls'd by our Meekness and Quietness. Our Lord Jesus was more admired for his controul­ing and commanding the unclean Spirits, than for any other of the Cures he wrought: Un­ruly Passions are unclean Spirits, Legions of which some Souls are possess'd with, and despe­rate outragious work they make: The Soul be­comes like that miserable Creature, (Mark 5. 3, 4, 5. that cry'd and cut himself, or that, Mark 9. 22. who was so often cast into the Fire, and into the Waters. The meek and quiet Soul is through Grace a Conqueror over these Enemies, their fiery darts are quenched by the shield of Faith, Satan is in some measure trodden under his Feet, and the Victory will be compleat shortly, when he that overcometh shall sit down with Christ upon his Throne, even as he overcame and is set down with the Father upon his Throne; where he still appears in the Emblem of his Meekness, a Lamb as it had been slain, Rev. 5. 6. And upon Mount Zion, at the Head of his Hea­venly Hosts, he appears also as a Lamb, Rev. 14. 1. Such is the Honour that Meekness hath in those higher Regions.

2. There is in it, the Credit of a Beauty. The Beauty of a thing consists in the Symmetry, Harmony and Agreeableness of all the Parts: [Page 46] Now what is Meekness, but the Souls Agreement with it self? 'Tis the joynt Concurrence of all the Affections to the universal Peace and Quiet of the Soul, every one regularly acting in its own Place and Order, and so contributing to the common good. Next to the Beauty of Holiness, which is the Souls Agreement with God, is the Beauty of Meekness, which is the Soul's Agree­ment with it Self. Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is, for the Powers of the Soul thus to dwell together in Unity, the Reason knowing how to Rule, and the Affections at the same time knowing how to Obey. Exorbitant Passion is a Discord in the Soul: It is like a Tumor in the Face, which spoils the Beauty of it: Meekness scatters the Humor, binds down the swelling, and so prevents the De­formity, and preserves the Beauty. This is one instance of the comliness of Grace, thro' my comliness (saith God to Israel, Ezek. 16. 14.) which I had put upon thee. It puts a charming Loveliness and Amiableness upon the Soul, which renders it acceptable to all that know what true Worth and Beauty is. He that in Righteousness, and Peace, and Ioy in the Holy Ghost: that is, in Christian Meekness and Quiet­ness of Spirit, serveth Christ, is acceptable to God and approved of Men, Rom. 14. 17, 18. and to whom else can we wish to recommend our selves?

Solomon (a very competent Judge of Beauty) hath determined, That it is a Man's Wisdom that makes his Face to shine, Eccl. 8. 1. and doubtless the Meekness of Wisdom, contributes as much as any one Branch of it to this Luster. We read in Scripture of three, whose Faces [Page 47] shone remarkably, and they were all three emi­nent for Meekness. The Face of Moses shone, Exod. 34. 30. and he was the meekest of all the Men on Earth. The Face of Stephen shone, Acts 6. 15. and he it was, who in the midst of a shower of Stones, so meekly submitted, and prayed for his Persecutors. The Face of our Lord Iesus shone in his Transfiguration, and he was the great Pattern of Meekness. It is a sweet and pleasing Air, which this Grace puts npon the Countenance, while it keeps the Soul in tune, and frees it from those jarring ill­favoured Discords, which are the certain effect of an ungovern'd Passion.

3. There is in it the Credit of an Ornament. The Text speaks of it, as an Adorning, much more excellent and valuable than Gold, or Pearls, or the most costly Array, much more recommending than all the Bravery of the Daughters of Zion. It is an adorning to the Soul, the principal, the immortal part of the Man. That outward adorning doth but deck, and beautifie the Body, which at the best, is but a Sister to the Worms, and will ere long be a Feast for them, but this is the Ornament of the Soul, by which we are ally'd to the invisible World. 'Tis an adorning which recommends us to God, which is in his sight of great price; so the Text saith, and in that saith enough to its praise. Ornaments go by Estimation: now we may be sure, that the Judgment of God is right and unerring. Every thing is in­deed, as it is with God: Those are righteous indeed,Luke 1. 6., that are righteous before God; and that is an Ornament indeed, which he calls and counts so. It is an Ornament of God's own [Page 48] making; Is the Soul thus deck'd? 'Tis he that hath deck'd it: By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens, Job 26. 13. and by the same Spi­rit hath he garnished the meek and quiet Soul. It is an Ornament of his accepting, (it must needs be so, if it be of his own working) for to him that hath this Ornament, more adorning shall be given. He hath promised, Psal. 149. 4. that he will beautifie the meek with Salvation; and if the Garaments of Salvation will not beautifie, what will? The Robes of Glory will be the everlasting Ornament of the meek and quiet Spirits. This Meekness is an Ornament which (like the Israelites Cloths in the Wilderness) never waxeth old, nor will ever go out of fashion, while right Reason and Religion have any place in the World: All wise and good People will reckon those best drest, that put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and walk with him in the white of Meekness and Innocence. Solo­mon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these Lillies of the Vallies, tho' Lillies among Thorns.

The same Ornament, which in the Text is recommended to Wives, is by the same Apostle recommended to us all, 1 Pet. 5. 5. Yea all of you be subject one to another, that explains what Meekness is; it is that mutual yielding which we owe one to another, for edification, and in the fear of God, (Eph 5. 21.) This seems to be a hard Saying, how shall we digest it? an im­practicable Duty, how shall we conquer it? why, it follows, be cloathed with Humility. The word is [...], innodate, from [...],Vobis infix­am [...]abete. Erasm., a Knot: Which notes, (1.) The fixed­ness of this Grace. We must gird it fast to [Page 49] us, and not leave it to hang loose so as to be snatch'd away by every Temptation; Careles­ness is no commendation of the Souls adorning; Watchfulness and Resolution in the strength of Christ must tye the Knot upon our Graces, and make them as the Girdle that cleaves to a Man's Loins. (2.) The comliness and Ornament of it; Put it on as a Knot of Ribbands, as an Orna­ment to the Soul; such is the Meekness of Wis­dom, it gives to the Head an Ornament of Grace, and (which is more) a Crown of Glory, Pro. 1. 9. and 4. 9.

4. There is in it the Credit of true Courage. Meekness is commonly despised and run down by the Grandees of the Age,Magni ani­mi est pro­prium, placi­dumesse & injurias su­perne despi­cere. Sen., as a piece of Cowardise and Mean-spiritedness, and the evi­dence of a little Soul, and is posted accordingly, while the most furious and angry Revenges are celebrated and applauded under the pompous Names of Valor, and Honour, and Greatness of Spirit, which ariseth from a mistaken Notion of Courage, the true Nature whereof, is thus stated by a very ingenuous PenNorris, Miscell. p. 167, 168., That it is a Resolution never to decline any evil of pain, when the chusing of it, and the exposing of our selves to it, is the only Remedy against a greater evil; And therefore he that accepts a challenge, and so runs himself upon the evil of sin, which is the greater evil, only for fear of shame and re­proach, which is the less evil, he is the Coward, while he that refuseth the challenge, and so ex­poseth himself to reproach, for fear of sin, he is the valiant Man. True Courage is such a pre­sence of Mind, as enableth a Man rather to suf­fer than to sin, to chuse Affliction rather than Iniquity, to pass by an Affront, tho' he lose by [Page 50] it, and be hiss'd at for a Fool and a Sneak, rather than to engage in a sinful Quarrel. He that can deny the brutual Lust of Anger and Revenge, rather than violate the Royal Law of Love and Charity (however contrary the Sentiments of the World may be) he is truly Resolute and Couragious.Paul shew'd more true Valor when he said, I can do no­thing against the Truth, than Goliah did when he desyed all the Hosts of Israel. Ward. The Lord is with thee, thou mighty Man of Valor. Fretting and Vexing is the fruit of the Weakness of Women and Children, but much below the strength of a Man, especi­ally of the New Man, that is born from above. When our Lord Jesus is described in his Majesty, riding prosperously, the Glory he appears in, is Truth, and Meekness, and Righteousness, Psal. 45. 4. The Courage of those who over­come this great red Dragon of Wrath and Re­venge, by meek and patient suffering, and by not loving their Lives unto the Death, Rev. 12. 11. will turn to the best and most honourable ac­count on 'tother side the Grave, and will be crowned with Glory, and Honour, and Immorta­lity, when those that caused their terror in the Land of the Living, fall ingloriously, and bear their shame with them that go down to the Pit, Ezek. 32. 24.

5. The Credit of a Conformity to the best Patterns. The Resemblance of those that are confessedly Excellent and Glorious, hath in it an Excellency and Glory. To be meek, is to be like the greatest Saints; the Elders that obtain­ed a good Report, and were of Renown in their Generation. 'Tis to be like the greatest Angels, whose Meekness in their Converse with, and Ministration to the Saints, is very observable in the Scriptures; nay, it is to be like the Great God himself, whose Goodness is his Glory, (who [Page 51] is Deus Optimus, and therefore Maximus) who is slow to Anger, and in whom Fury is not, Isa. 27. 4. We are then followers of God, as dear Children, when we walk in Love, and are kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, Eph. 5. 1, 2. compare chap. 4. l. The more quiet and sedate we are, the more like we are to that God, who tho' he be nearly concer­ned in all the Affairs of this lower World, is yet far from being moved by its most violent Con­vulsions and Revolutions;The He­brew Cri­ticks ob­serve, that in the name [...] All the Let­ters are quiescent. But as he was from Eternity, so he is and will be to Eternity, infi­nitely happy in the enjoyment of himself. It is spoken to his Praise and Glory, Psal. 29. 10. The Lord sits upon the Floods, even then, when the Floods have lifted up their voice, have lifted up their Waves, Psal. 93. 3, 4. Such is the Rest of the eternal Mind, that he sits as firm and undistur­bed upon the moveable Flood,Quad diside­ras magnum & summum est, Deoque vicinum, non concuti. Sen. as upon the im­moveable Rock, the same Yesterday, to Day, and for Ever; And the meek and quiet Soul that preserves its Peace and Evenness against all the ruffling Insults of Passion and Provocation, doth thereby somewhat participate of a Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4.—Diis proximus ille est. Quem ratio non ira mo­vet. Claud.

Let the true Honour that attends this Grace of Meekness, recommend it to us: It is one of those things that are Honest, and Pure, and Lovely, and of good Report; A Vertue that hath a Praise attending it, Phil. 4. 8. A Praise, perhaps not of the most of Men, but of God, Rom. 2. 29. It is the certain way to get and keep, if not a great Name, yet a good Name. Such as is better than precious Ointment. Though there be those that trample upon the meek of the Earth, and look upon them as Michal upon [Page 52] David despising them in their Hearts, yet if this is to be vile, let us be yet more vile, and base in our own sight, and we shall find (as David argues there) that there are those of whom we shall be had in honour, sooner or later, 2 Sam. 6. 22. for the Word of Christ shall not fall to the Ground, that those who humble themselves shall be exalted.

[2.] Consider how comfortable a meek and quiet Spirit is. Inward Comfort is a desirable good, which hath more in it of reality, and de­pends less upon Opinion, than that of Credit: And this is that which Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, hath such a direct tendency to, nay which it carries along with it. What is true Comfort and Pleasure, but a Quietness in our own Bosom? Those are most easie to them­selves, that are so to all about them, while they that are a burthen and a Terror to others, will not be much otherwise to themselves. He that would lead a quiet, must lead a peaceable Life, 1 Tim. 2. 2. The surest way to find Rest to our Souls, is to learn of him who is meek and lowly in heart, Mat. 11. 29. Let but our moderation be known unto all Men; And the Peace of God which passeth all understanding, will keep our Hearts and Minds, Phil. 4. 5, 7. Quietness is the thing which even the busie, noisie part of the World pretend to desire and pursue; They will be quiet, yea, that they will, or they'l know why, they will not endure the least disturbance of their Quietness. But verily they go a mad way to work, in pursuit of quietness; greatly to dis­quiet themselves inwardly, and put their Souls into a continual hurry, only to prevent or re­medy some small outward Disquietment from [Page 53] others. But he that is meek, finds a sweeter, safer Quietness, and much greater Comfort than that which they in vain pursue. Great Peace have they that love this Law of Love, for no­thing shall offend them, (Psal. 119. 165.) What­ever Offence is intended, it is not so interpreted, and by that means the Peace is preserved. If there be a Heaven any where upon Earth, it is in the meek and quiet Soul, that Acts, and Breaths above that lower Region, which is infested with Storms and Tempests, the Harmony of whose Faculties, is like the Musick of the Spheres they talk of, a perpetual Melody. Mercy and Truth are met together, Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other.

A meek and quiet Christian must needs live very comfortably, for he enjoys Himself, he en­joys his Friends, he enjoys his God, and he puts it out of the reach of his Enemies to disturb him in these Enjoyments.

1. He enjoys Himself. Meekness is very near­ly ally'd to that Patience which our Lord Jesus prescribes to us, as necessary to the keeping of the Possession of our own Souls, Luke 21. 19. How Calm are the Thoughts, how Serene are the Affections, how Rational the Prospects, and how even and composed are all the Resolves of the Meek and Quiet Soul? How free from the Pains and Tortures of the angry Man,Opinion is the rate of Things,From which our Peace doth flow,I have a better fate than Kings,Because I think it so.Mrs. Phillips who is disseiz'd and dispos­sessed of himself; and while he toils and vexes to make other things his own, makes his own Soul not so: His Reason is in a mist, confounded and bewildred, cannot argue, infer, or foresee with [Page 54] any certainty. His Affections are upon the full­speed, hurry'd on with an impetus, which is as uneasie as it is hazzardous. Who is that good Man that is satisfied from himself? —Ne te quaesiverius extra. Pro. 14. 14. Who but the quiet Man that needs not go a­broad for satisfaction, but having Christ dwel­ling in his Heart by Faith, hath in him that Peace, which the World can neither give, nor take away: While those that are fretful and passionate, rise up early, and sit up late, and eat the Bread of Sorrow, in pursuit of revengeful Projects, the God of Peace giveth to his belov'd (Iedidijah's, one of Solomon's Names, who was a Man of Peace) sleep, Psal. 127. 2.) The sleep of the Meek is quiet, and sweet, and un­disturbed: Those that by Innocency and Mild­ness, make themselves the Sheep of Christ, shall be made to lye down in the green Pastures, Psal. 23. 2. That which would break an angry Man's Heart, will not break a meek Man's Sleep. It is promised, Psal. 22. 26. That the meek shall eat and be satisfied. He hath what sweetness is to be had in his Common-Comforts, whilst the angry Man either cannot eat, his Stomach's too full, and too high, as Ahab, 1 Kings 21. 4. or eats and is not satisfied, unless he can be re­venged, as Haman, Esth. 5. 12, 13. All this avails me nothing, (tho' it was a Banquet of Wine with the King and Queen) as long as Mordecai is unhang'd.

It is spoken of as the Happiness of the Meek, that they delight themselves in the abundance of Peace, Psal. 37. 11. others may delight themselves in the abundance of Wea [...]th; a poor delight that is interwoven with so much Trouble and Dis­quietment; but the meek, tho' they have but a [Page 55] little Wealth, have Peace, abundance of Peace, Peace like a River, and this such as they have a Heart to delight themselves in, sat lucis intus, as Oecolumpadius said, their Souls are a Goshen in the midst of the Aegypt of this World, they have Light in their Dwelling, when Clouds and Darkness are round about them: This is the joy which a stranger doth not intermeddle with. We may certainly have (and we would do well to consider it) less inward disturbance, and more true ease and satisfaction in forgiving twenty in­juries, than in avenging one. No doubt Abigail intended more than she express'd, when to qua­lifie David, and to perswade him to pass by the Affront which Nabal had given him, she pru­dently suggested, that hereafter this shall be no grief unto thee, 1 Sam. 25▪ ver. 31. nor offence of Heart.—Not only so, but it would be very sweet, and easie, and comfortable in the reflection. Such a re­joycing is it, especially in a Suffering-day, to have the Testimony of Conscience that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, 2 Cor: 1. 12. not with fleshly Wisdom, but by the Grace of God, particularly the Grace of Meekness, we have had our Conversation in the World, and so have pleased God, and done our Duty. He did not speak the Sense, no not of the sober Heathen, that said, Est vindicta bo­num, vitâ jucundius ipsâ: Revenge is sweeter than Life, for it often proves more bitter than Death.

2. He enjoys his Friends:—And that's a thing in which lies much of the Comfort of humane Life. Man was intended to be a so­ciable Creature, and a Christian much more. But the angry Man is unfit to be so, that takes Fire at every Provocation; fitter to be abandon­ed [Page 56] to the Lions Dens, and the Mountains of the Leopards, than to go forth by the footsteps of the Flock. He that hath his hand against every Man, cannot but have (with Ishmael's Character, Ishma­el's Fate) every Man's hand against him, (Gen. 16. 12.) and so he lives in a State of War; But Meekness is the Cement of Society, the Bond of Christian-Communion; it plaineth and polisheth the Materials of that Beautiful Fabrick, and makes them lye close and tight, and the living Stones which are built up a Spiritual House, to be like the Stones of the Temple that Herod built, all as one Stone, whereas, Hard upon hard (as the Spaniards Proverb is) will never make a Wall. Meekness preserves among Brethren that Unity, which is like the Ointment upon the Holy Head, and the Dew upon the Holy Hill, Psal. 133. 1, 2. In our present state of Imper­fection there can be no Friendship, Correspon­dence or Conversation maintain'd without mu­tual Allowances; we do not yet dwell with An­gels or Spirits of just Men made perfect, but with Men subject to like Passions. Now Meekness teaches us to consider this, and to allow accor­dingly, and so Distances and Strangeness, Fewds and Quarrels are happily prevented, and the beginnings of them crushed by a timely care. How necessary to true Friendship it is to surren­der our Passions, and to subject them all to the Laws of it, was (perhaps) intimated by Iona­than's delivering to David his Sword, and his Bow, and his Girdle, all his Military Habiliments, when he entred into a Covenant of Friendship with him, 1 Sam. 18. 3. 4.

3. He enjoys his God; and that's most com­fortable of all. 'Tis the Quintessence of all [Page 57] Happiness, and that without which all our other Enjoyments are sapless, and insipid: For this, none are better qualified than those that are ar­rayed with the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 'Twas when the Psalmist had newly conquer'd an unruly Passion, and compos'd himself, that he lift up his Soul to God, in that pious and pathe­tical Breathing, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth, that I desire in com­parison of thee? Psal. 73. 25. We enjoy God when we have the Evidences and Assurances of his F [...] ­vor, the Tasts and Tokens of his Love, when we experience in our selves the Communications of his Grace, and the continued instances of his Image stamped upon us: And this those that are most meek and quiet have usually the greatest degrees of. In our Wrath and Passion, we give place to the Devil, and so provoke God to with­draw from us: Nothing grieves the Holy Spirit of God (by whom we have Fellowship with the Father) more than bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, Eph. 4. 30, 31. But to this Man doth the God of Heaven look with a peculiar Regard, even to him that is poor, poor in Spirit, (Isa. 66. 2.) [...]—to him that is quiet, so the Syriack; to him that is meek, so the Caldee. The great God over-looks Heaven and Earth to give a favourable look to the Meek and Quiet Soul. Nay, he not only looks at such, but, Isa. 57. 15. He dwells with them; noting a constant Intercourse and Communion between God and humble Souls. His Secret is with them; he gives them more Grace, and they that thus dwell in Love, dwell in God, and God in Them. The Waters were dark indeed, but they were [Page 58] quiet, when the Spirit of God moved upon them, and out of them produced a beautiful World.

This calm and sedate Frame, doth very much qualifie and dispose us for the Reception and Entertainment of Divine Visits, and sets bounds to the Mountain, (Exod. 19. 12.) on which God is to descend, that no Interruption may break in, and chargeth the Daughters of Ierusalem, by the Roes and the Hinds of the Field (those sweet, and gentle, and peaceable Creatures) not to stir up or awake our Love until he please, Cant. 2. 7. Some think it was for the quieting and compo­sing of his Spirit (which seems to have been a little ruffled) that Elisha call'd for the Minstrel, 2 Kings 3. 15. and then the hand of the Lord came upon him. Never was God more intimate with any meer Man, than he was with Moses, the meekest of all the Men on the Earth, and it was requir'd as a needful Qualification of the High-Priest, who was to draw near to Minister, that he should have Compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, Heb. 5. 1, 2. The meek will be guide in Iudgment, with a still small Voice which cannot be heard, when the Passions are loud and tumultuous. The angry Man when he awakes, is still with the Devil, contriving some malicious Project; The meek and quiet Man, when he awakes is still with God, solacing himself in his favour. Return unto thy Rest, O my Soul, saith David, Psal. 116. 7. when v. 6. he had reckon'd himself among the simple, i. e. the mild, innocent, and inoffensive People. Return to thy Noah, so the word is, (for Noah had his Name from Rest) perhaps alluding to the Rest which the Dove found with Noah in [Page 59] the Ark, when she could find none any where else. Those that are harmless, and galless, and simple as Doves, can with comfort return to God as to their Rest. It is excellently paraphras'd by Mr. Patrick, ‘God and thy Self (my Soul) enjoy; in quiet Rest, free'd from thy Fears.’ It is said, Psalm 147. 6. That the Lord lifteth up the meek; As far as their Meekness Reigns, they are lifted up above the stormy Region, and fixt in a Sphere perpetually calm and serene. They are advan­ced indeed that are at home in God, and live a Life of Communion with him, not only in Solemn Ordinances, but even in the Common Accidents and Occurences of the World. Every Day is a Sabbath-day, a Day of Holy Rest with the meek and quiet Soul, that is, one of the Days of Heaven. As this Grace gets ground, the Com­forts of the Holy Ghost grow stronger and stron­ger, according to that precious Promise, Isa. 29. 19. The Meek also shall increase their Ioy in the Lord, and the Poor among Men, shall rejoyce in the Holy One of Israel.

4. It is not in the Power of his Enemies to disturb and interrupt him in these Enjoyments. His Peace is not only sweet, but safe and secure: As far as he acts under the Law of Meekness, it is above the reach of the assaults of those that wish ill to it. He that abides quietly under the shadow of the Almighty, shall surely be deli­vered from the Snare of the Fowler, Psal. 91. 1, 3. The greatest Provocations that Men can give would not hurt us,Nemo laedi­tur nisi à seipso. Dict. Diogen. if we did not, by our inor­dinate and foolish concern, come too near them, and within reach of their Canon; we may therefore thank our selves, if we be damaged; He that hath learned, with Meekness and Quiet­ness, [Page 60] to forgive Injuries, and pass them by, hath found the best and surest way of baffling and de­feating them,Idcirco quis te laedit ut doleas, quia fructus lae­dentis in do­lore laesi est, ergo, cum fructumejus everteris non dolendo, ipse doleat necesse est amissione fructûs sui Improbum caedis susti­nendo. Tertull. de patientiâ cap. 8. nay, it is a kind of innocent Re­venge. It was an evidence that Saul was acted by another Spirit, in that when the Children of Belial despis'd him, and brought him no Pre­sents, hoping by that Contempt to give a shock to his Infant-Government, he held his peace, and so neither his Soul, nor his Crown received any disturbance, 1 Sam. 10. 27. Shimei, when he cur­sed David, intended thereby to pour Vinegar into his Wounds, and to add affliction to the afflicted: but David, by his Meekness, preserv'd his Peace, and Shimei's design was frustrated, So let him curse; (2 Sam. 16. 10.) Alas poor Crea­ture! he hurts himself more than David, who, while he keeps his Heart from being Tinder to those Sparks, is no more prejudiced by them, than the Moon is by the foolish Curr that barks at it. The meek Man's Prayer is that of David, Psal. 61. 2. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I: And there I can (as Mr. Norris expresses it,)

The meek Man is like a Ship that rides at Anchor, movetur sed non amovetur; the Storm moves it, (the meek Man is not a Stock or Stone under Provocation,) but doth not remove it from its Port. It is a Grace that in reference to the Temptations of Affront and Injury, as Faith in reference to Temptation in general,Meekness is the grea­test Affront to all Injuries in the World, for it returns them upon the injurious, and makes them Useless, Ineffective and Innocent. Taylor, Great Exempl. p. 304. quencheth the siery Darts of the Wicked; it is Armor of [Page 61] Proof against the spiteful and envenom'd Arrows of Provocation, and is an impregnable Wall to se­cure the Peace of the Soul there, where Thief cannot break thro' to steal, while the angry Man lays all his Comforts at the Mercy of every Wasp that will strike at him.

So that, upon the whole Matter, it appears, That the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, is as easie as it is comely.

[3.] Consider how profitable a meek and quiet Spirit is. All People are for what they can get; 'tis that which the busie World is set upon, Every one for his Gain from his Quarter, Isa. 56. 11. 'Tis for this that they break their Sleep, and spend their Spirits, and raise so great a Dust: Now it will be hard to convince such, that really there is more to be gotten by Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, than by all this Hurry and Adoe. They readily believe, that in all Labour, there is Pro­fit; but let God himself tell them, In Returning and rest shall ye be saved, in Quietness and in Confidence shall be your strength, they will not take his Word for it, but they say, (as it follows there) No, for we will flee upon Horses, and we will ride upon the Swift, Isa. 30. 15, 16. He that came from Heaven to bless us, hath entail'd a special Blessing upon the Grace of Meekness, Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the Meek; and his saying, they are blessed, makes them so, for those whom he blesseth, are blessed indeed; blessed, and they shall be blessed.

Meekness is gainful and profitable.

1. As it is the Condition of the Promise: The Meek are therefore blessed, for they shall inherit the Earth. 'Tis quoted from Psal. 37. 11. and is almost the only express Promise of temporal [Page 62] good things in all the new Testament.As Heaven is taken by Violence, so is Earth by Meek­ness. Trap. in loc. Not that the Meek shall be put off with the Earth only, then they would not be truly blessed, but they shall have that as an Earnest of something more. Some read it, They shall inherit the Land; i. e. the Land of Canaan, which was not only a Type and Figure, but to them that believed, a Token and Pledge of the Heavenly Inheritance. So that, ‘A double Canaan (as Dr. Hammond ob­serves) is thought little enough for the meek Man.Pract. Cat. p. (mihi) 117 The same Felicity, in a manner, atten­ding him, which we believe of Adam, if he had not fallen, a Life in Paradise, and from thence a Transplantation to Heaven.—’ But besides this, Meekness is a branch of God­liness, which hath more than other Branches of it, the promise of the Life that now is, 1 Tim. 4. 8. They shall inherit the Earth; the sweetest and surest Tenure is that by Inheritance, which is founded in Sonship: That which comes by Descent to the Heir, the Law attributes to the Act of God, who hath a special Hand in pro­viding for the Meek. They are his Children, and if Children, then Heirs. It is not always the largest Proportion of this World's Goods, that falls to the meek Man's share, but whether he hath more less, he hath it by the best Title; not by a Common, but a Covenant-Right: He holds in Capite, Terram in­habitant quam sibi divinitus concessam esse norunt, & securè agunt sub Dei tutelâ, et hoc illis satis est donec mundi haereditatem ulti [...]o die adeant. Feroces vero omnia possidendo nihil possident. Calv. in Mat. 5. 5. in Christ our Head, an honour­able Tenure.

If he hath but a little, he hath it from God's Love, and with his Blessing, and behold all things [Page 63] are clean and comfortable to him. The wise Man hath determined it, Prov. 17. 1. Better is a dry Morsel and quietness therewith, than a House­full of Sacrifices with strife: And chap. 15. 17. Better is a Dinner of Herbs where love is, than a stalled Ox and hatred therewith. Be the Com­mons never so short, he that hath Rule over his own Spirit, knows how to make the best of them; how to suck Honey out of the Rock, and Oil out of the f [...]inty Rock, Deut. 32. 13. Blessed are the meek, for they shall weild the Earth; so Old Wickleff's Translation reads it, (as I remem­ber 'tis quoted in The Book of Martyrs) and very significantly. Good Management contri­butes more to our comfort, than great Possessions. Whatever a meek Man hath of this Earth, he knows how to weild it, to make a right and good use of it, and that's all in all. Quiet Souls so far inherit the Earth, that they are sure to have as much of it as is good for them; as much as will serve to bear their Charges thro' this World to a better, and who would cover more? Enough is as good as a Feast. The Pro­mise of God without present Possession, is bet­ter than Possession of the World, without an interest in the Promise.

2. As it hath in its own Nature a direct ten­dency to our present Benefit and Advantage. He that is thus wise, is wise for himself, even in this World, and effectually Consults his own Interest.

1. Meekness hath a good influence upon our Health. If envy be the rottenness of the Bones, Pro. 14. 30. Meekness is the Preservation of them. As the indulging of inordinate Appetites towards those things that are pleasing to the Flesh, so the [Page 64] indulging of inordinate Passions against those things that are displeasing, do in the effect pre­judice and injure the very Body which they con­tend so much for. The Excesses and Exorbitan­ces of Anger, stir up those peccant Humors in the Body, which kindle and increase wasting and killing Diseases, but Meekness governs these Humors, and so contributes very much to the good Temper and Constitution of the Body. When Ahab was sick for Naboth's Vine­yard, Meekness would soon have cured him. Moses, the meekest of Men, not only liv'd to be old, but was then free from the Infirmities of Age; His Eye was not dim, nor his Natural Force abated, Deut. 34. 7. which may be very much imputed to his Meekness, as a means. The days of old Age would not be such evil Days, if old People did not, by their own frowardness and unquietness, make them worse than other­wise they would be. Ungovern'd Anger enflames the Natural Heat, and so begets acute Diseases, drys up the Radical Moisture, and so hastens Chronical Decays. The Body is call'd, the Sheath or Scabbard of the Soul, Dan. 7. 15. Marg. How often doth an envious fretful Soul, like a Sharp Knife, cut its own Sheath, and, as they say of the Vipers Brood, eat its own way out: All which Meekness happily prevents.

The Quietness of the Spirit will help to cool distempering Heats, to suppress Melancholy Vapours; and this, as other of Wisdom's Pre­cepts, will be Health to the Navel, and Marrow to the Bones; Length of Days, and long Life, and Peace shall they add unto thee, but Wrath kills the foolish Man, Job 5. 2.

[Page 65] 2. It hath a good influence upon our Wealth, the preservation and increase of it. As in King­doms, so in Families and Neighbourhoods; War begets Poverty. Many a one hath brought a fair Estate to ruine, by giving way to the Efforts of an ungovern'd Anger, that barbarous Idol to which even the Children's Portions, and the Families Maintenance are oftentimes sacrificed. Contention will as soon cloath a Man with Rags as Sloath­fulness; that therefore which keeps the Peace doth not a little befriend the plenty. It was A­braham's meek Management of his Quarrel with Lot, that secured both his own and his Kinsman's Possessions, which otherwise would have been an easie Prey to the Canaanite and the Perizzite that dwelt then in the Land, Gen. 13. 7, 8. And Isaac, whom I have sometimes thought to be the most quiet and calm of all the Patriarchs, and that passed the days of his Pilgrimage most silently, raised the greatest Estate of any of them, Gen. 26. 13. he grew till he became very great: And his Son Iacob lost nothing at long run, by his meek and quiet Carriage towards his Uncle Laban. Revenge is costly; Haman bid largely for it, no less than ten thousand Talents of Sil­ver, Esth. 3. 9. it's better to forgive, and save the Charges. Mr. Dod us'd to say, Love is better than Law, for Love is cheap, but Law is charge­able. Those Tradesmen are commonly observ'd to thrive most, that make the least noise, that with quietness Work, and mind their own Bu­siness, 2 Thes. 3. 12.

3. It hath a good influence upon our Safety. In the day of the Lord's Anger, the meek of the Earth are most likely to be secured. It may be you shall be hid, so runs the Promise, Zeph. 2. 3. [Page 66] If any be, you shall, you stand fairest for spe­cial Protections. Meekness approacheth to that Innocence which is commonly an effectual secu­rity against Wrongs and Injuries. However, some base and servile Spirits may insult over the Tame and Humble: Yet with all Persons of Honour, it is confessedly a piece of Cowardise to set upon an unarm'd unresisting Man, that resents not Provocation, and is ready to yield to every demand. Who is he that will harm you, if you be followers [...], of him that is Good, in his Goodness, 1 Pet. 3. 13. Who draws his Swor [...] or cocks his Pistol at the harmless silent Lamb, while every one is ready to do it, at the furious barking Dog? thus doth the meek Man escape many of those perplexing Troubles, those Woes, and Sorrows, and Wounds without cause, which he that is Passionate, Provoking and Re­vengeful, pulls upon his own Head. Wise Men turn away Wrath, but a Fool's Lips enter into Contention, and his Mouth calleth for Strokes. It is an Honour to a Man to cease from strife, but every Fool will be meddling to his own hurt. An instance of this I remember Mr. Baxter gives in his Book of Obedient Patience, which was this, ‘That once going along London-streets a Hectoring rude Fellow justled him; he went on his way and took no notice of it; but the same Man affronting the next he met in like manner, he drew his Sword and demanded Satisfaction, and Mischief was done.’ He that would sleep both in a whole Skin, and in a whole Conscience, must learn rather to forgive Injuries, than to revenge them. The two Goats that met upon the narrow Bridge (as it is in Luther's Fa­ble) were both in danger, should they quarrel, [Page 67] but were both preserv'd by the Condescension of one that lay down and let the other go over him. It is the evil of Passion that it turns our Friends into Enemies, but it is the excellency of Meekness, that it turns our Enemies into Friends, which is an effectual way of conquering them. Saul, as inveterate an Enemy as could be, was more than once melted by David's Mildness and Meekness, Is this thy voice, my Son David? saith he, 1 Sam. 24. 16. I have sinned, return my Son David, 1 Sam. 26. 21. And after that, Saul perse­cuted him no more, Chap. 27. 4. The change that Iacob's Meekness made in Esau is no less o [...]ser­vable, and (some think) is remark'd as very strange and surprizing, by an unusual Pointing in the Hebrew Text, upon Esau's kissing Iacob, Gen. 33. 4. [...] a prick over every Letter, to put the Reader in mind to take special notice of it. In the ordinary Dispensations of Providence, some tell usDr: Ham­mond, Pract. Cat. p. 117., they have found it remarkably true in times of Publick Trouble and Calamity, it hath commonly fared best with the meek and quiet; their Lot hath been safe and easie, espe­cially if compared with the contrary Fate of the turbulent and seditious. Whoso is wise and ob­serves these things will understand the loving kindness of the Lord to the quiet in the Land, against whom we read indeed of Plots laid, and deceitful matters devis'd, Psal. 35. 20.—37, 12, 14. But those by a kind and over-ruling Pro­vidence ordinarily baffled and made succesless. Thus doth this Grace of Meekness carry its own Recompence along with it, and in keeping of this Commandment, as well as after keeping it, there is a great Reward, Psalm 19. 11.

[Page 68] [4.] Consider what a Preparative it is for something further. It is a very desirable thing to stand compleat in all the Will of God, Col. 4. 12. to be fitted and furnished for every good Work, to be made ready, a people prepared for the Lord: A living Principle of Grace is the best Preparation for the whole Will of God. Grace is establishing to the Heart, it is the Root of the Matter, and a good Foundation for the time to come. This Grace of Meekness is particularly a good Preparation, for what lies before us in this World.

1. It makes us fit for any Duty. It puts the Soul in Frame, and keeps it so for all Religious Exercises. There was no noise of Axes and Hammers in the building of the Temple: Those are most fit for Temple-service that are most quiet and compos'd. The Work of God is best done, when it is done without noise. Meekness qualities and disposes us to hear and receive the Word: When Malice and Envy are laid aside, and we are like new-born Babes, for Innocency and Inoffensiveness, then we are most fit to re­ceive the sincere Milk of the Word, and are most likely to grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. Meekness prepares the Soil of the Heart, for the Seed of the Word, as the Husbandman opens and breaks the Clods of his Ground, and makes plain the face thereof, and then casts in the principal Wheat, and the appointed Barley, Isa. 28. 24, 25. Christs Ministers are Fishers of Men, but we seldom fish successfully in these troubled Waters. The Voice Eliphaz heard was ushered in with a profound silence, Iob 4. 16. and in slumbrings upon the Bed, a quiet Place and Posture. God openeth the Ears of Men, and sealeth their Instructi­ons, [Page 69] Job 33. 15, 16. Prayer is another Duty which Meekness doth dispose us for the right and acceptable Performance of. We do not lift up pure Hands in Prayer, if they be not without Wrath, 1 Tim. 2. 8. Prayers made in Wrath are written in Gall, and can never be plea­sing to, or prevailing with the God of Love and Peace. Our Rule is, First go and be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift, Leave thy Gift: [...]. Chrysost. Hom. Mat. 5. 23, 24. And if we do not take this me­thod, though we seek God in a due Ordinance we do not seek him in the due Order.

The Lord's Day is a day of Rest, and none are fit for it, but those that are in a quiet Frame, whose Souls are entred into that present Sab­batism, which the Gospel hath provided for the People of God, Heb. 4. 9. The Lord's Supper is a Gospel-Feast of Unleavened Bread, Quid est ad pacem Dei accedere sine pace? ad remissionem debitorum cum retentione? quomodo placabit patrem iratus in fratrem, cùm, omnis ir [...] ab i [...]itio interdicta sic nobis? Tertul. de Orat. c. 10. which must be kept not with the old Leaven of Wrath, and Malice, and Wickedness, but with the Unlea­vened Bread of Sincerity and Truth.

God made a gracious visit to Abraham, Gen. 13. 14. After that Lot was separated from him, viz. After the Strife betwixt him and Lot was over, in which he had discovered so much Mild­ness and Humility. The more carefully we pre­serve the Communion of Saints, the fitter we are for Communion with God. It is observable, that the Sacrifices which God appointed under the Law, were not ravenous Beasts, and Birds of [Page 70] Prey, but Calves, and Kids, and Lambs, and Tur­tle Doves, and young Pigeons, all of them Emblems of Meekness, and Gentleness, and In­offensiveness, for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased. This quietness of Spirit contributes very much to the constant steddiness and regularity of a religious Conversation. Hot and eager Spirits that are ready to take Fire at every thing, are usually very inconstant in their Profession, and of great Inconsistency with themselves, like a Man in an Ague Fit, sometimes burning hot, and sometimes shivering for cold; or like those that Gallop in the beginning of their Journey, and tire before the end of it; whereas the meek and quiet Christian is still the same, and by keeping to a constant rate rids Ground. If you would have one Foot of the Compasses go even round the Circumference, you must be sure to keep the other fixt and quiet in the Centre, for your strength is to sit still.

2. It makes us fit for any Relation, which God in his Providence may call us into. Those that are quiet themselves, cannot but be easie to all that are about them, and the nearer any are to us in Relation and Converse, the more desirable it is that we should be easie to them. Relations are various, as Superiors, Inferiors and Equals; he that is of a meek and quiet Spirit, is cut out for any of them. Moses was forty Years a Cour­tier in Aegypt, forty Years a Servant in Midian, and forty Years a King in Ieshrun, and his Meek­ness qualified him for each of these Posts, and still he held fast his Integrity. There are various Du­ties requisite, according as the Relation is, and various Graces to be exercised, but this of Meek­ness is the Golden Thread that must run thro' [Page 71] all. If Man be a sociable Creature, the more he hath of Humanity, the more fit he is for So­ciety. Meekness would greatly help to preserve the Wisdom and due Authority of Superiors, the Obedience and due Subjection of Inferiors, and the Love and mutual Kindness and Serviceable­ness of Equals. A calm and quiet Spirit receives the comfort of the Relation most thankfully, studies the Duty of the Relation most carefully, and bears the Inconvenience of the Re­lation (for there is no unmixed Comfort under the Sun) most chearfully and easily. I have heard of a Married Couple, who, tho' they were both naturally of a hot and hasty Temper, yet lived very comfortably in that Relation by observing an Agreement made between them­selves, Never to be both angry together; an ex­cellent law of Meekness it is, which if faith­fully liv'd up to, would prevent many of those Breaches among Relations, which occasion so much Guilt and Grief, and are seldom heal'd with­out a Scar. 'Twas part of the good Advice given by a Pious and Ingenious Father, to his Children newly entred into the Conjugal Relation,

And thus one wise, both happy. But where Wrath and Anger are indulged, all Relations are embittered, those that should be helps meet, become as Thorns in our Eyes, and Goads in our sides. Two indeed are better than one, and yet it is better to dwell alone in the Wilderness, than with a Contentious and Angry Relation, who is like a continual dropping in a very rainy day, Pro. [Page 72] 21. 19.—27. 15. Some of the Hebrew Cri­ticks have noted, that if you take away [...] the fear of the Lord, from [...] and [...] Hus­band and Wife; there remains nothing but [...] and [...] Fire, Fire.—It is so in other Relations.

3. It makes us fit for any Condition, according as the wise God shall please to dispose of us. Those that through Grace are enabled to com­pose and quiet themselves, are fit to live in this World, where we meet with so much every day to discompose and disquiet us. In general, whether the outward Condition be prosperous or adverse, whether the World smile or frown upon us, a meek and quiet Spirit is neither lifted up with the one, nor cast down with the other, but still in the same poise: In Prosperity humble and condescending, the Estate rising, but the Mind not rising with it; in Adversity encourag'd and chear'd up, cast down, but not in despair; in both even, like a Dye, throw it which way you will it lights on a square side. St. Paul that had learn'd in every Estate to be content, [...], sa­tisfied within himself, knew how to be abased, and knew how to abound, every where, and in all things he was instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need, Phil. 4. 11, 12. Changes without, made none within. It is a Temper which, as far as it hath the As­cendant in the Soul, makes every Burthen sit light, by bringing the Mind to the Condition, when the Condition is not in every thing brought to the Mind. Prosperity and Adversity have each of them their particular Temptation to Peevishness and Frowardness, the former by making Men imperious, the latter by ma­king Men impatient; against the Assaults of each [Page 73] of these Temptations, the Grace of Meekness will stand upon the Guard. Being to pass thro' this World by Honour and Dishonour, by evil Re­port, and good Report; that is, thro'a great va­riety of Conditions and Treatments, we have need of that long-suffering and kindness, and love unfeigned, which will be armour of Righte­ousness, on the right hand and on the left. I refer you to that Scripture, 2 Cor. 6. 6, 7, 8. Meekness and quietness will fortifie the Soul on each hand, and suit it to the several Entertainments which the World gives us, like a skilful Pilot, that which Point of the Compass soever the Wind blows from, will shift his Sails accordingly, and knows either how to get forward, and weather his Point with it, or however to lye by with­out damage. [...] Epict. c. 13. It is the continual easiness of a quiet Temper to make the best of that which is.

4. It makes us fit for a Day of Persecution. If Tribulation and Affliction arise because of the word (which is no foreign Supposition) the meek and quiet Spirit is arm'd for it, so as to pre­serve its Peace and Purity at such a time, which are our two great Concernments, that we may neither torment our selves with a base fear, nor pollute our selves with a base compliance. We use to say, We will give any thing for a quiet Life, I say, any thing but a quiet Conscience, which will be best secur'd under the Shield of a meek and quiet Spirit, which doth not render rai­ling for railing, 1 Pet. 3. 9. nor aggravate the threatned Trouble, or respresent it to it self in [Page 74] its most formidable Colours, but has learn'd to put a but upon the power of themost new enraged Enemies; they can but kill the Body, and to wit­ness the most righteous Testimony with Meek­ness and Fear, 1 Pet. 3. 15. like our Master, who when he suffered, threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, 1 Pet. 2. 23. Suffering-Saints, (as the Suffering-Jesus) are compar'd to Sheep, Isa. 53. 7. Rom. 8. 36.) as Sheep dumb before the Shearer, nay, dumb before the Butcher. The meek and quiet Christian, if duly call'd do it, can tamely part, not only with the Wool, but with the Blood; not only with the Estate, but with the Life, and even then rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory. Angry froward. People in a day of Rebuke, are apt to pull Crosses upon themselves by needless Provo­cations, or to murmur, and complain, and fly in the face of Instruments, and give unbecoming Language, contrary to the Laws of our Holy Religion, and the Example of our Master, and so do more hurt than good by their suffering. Whenever we have the honour to be persecuted for righteousness-sake, our great care must be to glorifie God, and to adorn our Profession (which is done most effectually by Meekness and Mildness under the hardest Censures, and the most cruel Usage.) So manifesting that we are indeed under the power and influence of that Holy Religion, which we think it worth our while to suffer for.

5. It makes us fit for Death and Eternity. The Grave is a quiet place, there the wicked cease from troubling, Job 3. 17. Those that were most troublesom are there bound to the Peace; and their Hatred and Envy (those great make-bates) [Page 75] are there perished, Eccles. 9. 6. Whether we will or no, in the Grave we shall lye still and be quiet, Job 3. 13. What a great Change them must it needs be to unquiet, angry and litigious People, and what a mighty shock will that sudden forced Rest give them after such a violent rapid Motion! It is therefore our Wisdom to compose our selves for the Grave, to prepare our selves for it, by Adapting and Accommodating our selves to that which is likely to be our long Home; this is dying daily; quieting our selves, for Death will shortly quiet us.

The meek and quiet Soul is at Death let into that Rest, which it hath been so much labouring after, and how [...]welcome must that needs be?—Thoughts of Death and the Grave are very agree­able to those who love to be quiet, for then and there, they shall enter into Peace, and rest in their Beds, Isa. 57. 2.

After Death we expect the Judgment, than which, nothing is more dreadful to them that are Contentious, Rom. 2. 8. The coming of the Ma­ster brings terror along with it, to those that smite their Fellow-Servants, Luke 12. 45, 46. but those that are meek and quiet are likely to have their Plea ready, their Accounts stated, and when­ever it comes, it will be no surprize to them: To those whose Moderation is known to all Men, it will be no ungrateful News, to hear that the Lord is at hand, Phil. 4. 5. It is therefore prescrib'd as that which ought to be our constant care, that whenever our Master comes, we may be found of him in Peace, 2 Pet. 3. 14. i. e. in a peaceable Temper. Blessed is that Servant, whom his Lord when he comes shall find in such a frame. ‘A good Man (saith the late excellent A. B. Til­lotson, [Page 76] in his Preface to his Book of Family Re­ligion) would be loth to be taken out of the World reeking hot from a sharp Contention with a perverse Adversary; and not a little out of Countenance to find himself in this Temper translated into the calm and peaceable Regions of the Blessed, where nothing but perfect Cha­rity and Good-will reigns for ever.’ Heaven for certain is a quiet Place, and none are fit for it but quiet People. The Heavenly Canaan, that Land of Peac [...], would be no Heaven to those that delight in War; turbulent and unquiet People would be out of their Element, like a Fish upon Dry Ground, in those Calm Regi­ons.

They are the Sheep of Christ, such as are patient and inoffensive, that are called to in­herit the Kingdom; without are Dogs that bite and devour, Rev. 22. 15.

They are the Wings of a Dove, not those of a Hawk or Eagle that David would fly upon to his desired Rest, Psal. 55. 6.

Now lay all this together, and then consider, Whether there be not a real excellency in this Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, which doth highly recommend it to all that Love either God, or themselves, or have any sensible Regard to their own Comfort, either in this World, or in that to come.

CHAP. III. The Application.

AND now, First, Have we not reason to la­ment the want of the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, among those that profess Religion, and especially in our own Bosoms? If this be Christianity, the Lord help us! How little is there of the Thing, even among those that make great Pretensions to the Name? Surely, (as one said in another Case) Aut hoc non Evangelium, aut hi non Evangelici: Either this is not Gospel, or these are not Gospel-Pro­fessors. And, O how hare and uncomly doth Profession appear, for want of this adorning! When the Israelities had stript themselves of their Ornaments to furnish up a Golden Calf, it is said, they were made naked to their shame, Exod. 32. 25. How naked are we (like Adam when he had sinn'd) for want of this Ornament, 'tis well if it were to the shame of true Repentance, for there's reason enough for it.

I am not teaching you to Judge and Censure others in this matter, there is but too much of that to be found among us; we are quick­sighted enough to spy faults in others, the trans­ports of whose Passions, we should interpret favourably. But we have all cause more or less to condemn our selves, and confess Guilt in this Matter. In many things we all offend, and perhaps in this, as much as in any, coming short of the Law of Meekness and Quietness.

We are called Christians, and it is our Pri­viledge and Honour that we are so: We name the Name of the meek and lowly Jesus, but [Page 78] how few are acted by his Spirit, or conform'd to his Example? It is a shame that any occasion should be given to charge it upon Professors, who in other things are most strict and sober, that in this they are most faulty; And that many who pretend to Conscience and Devotion should in­dulge themselves in a peevish, froward and mo­rose Temper and Conversation, to the great re­proach of that worthy Name by which we are called. May we not say, as that Mahometan did when a Christian Prince had per [...]idiously broke his League with him, O Iesus, are these thy Christians?

It is the manifest Design of our Holy and Ex­cellent Religion to smooth, and soften, and sweeten our Tempers, and to work off the rug­gedness and unevenness of them; is it not a wretched thing therefore, that any who profess it, should be sowr'd, and embitter'd, and less con­versable and fit for humane Society, than other People? He was look'd upon as a very good Man in his Day, and not without Cause, who yet had such an unhappy temper, and was some­times so transported with Passion, that his Friend would say of him, He had Grace enough for ten Men, and yet not enough for himself. All the Disciples of Jesus Christ, even those of the first three, do not know what manner of Spirit they are of, Luke 9. 35. So apt are we to de­ceive our selves, especially when these Exorbi­tances shrowd themselves under the specious and plausible pretence of Zeal for God and Religion. But yet the Fault is not to be laid upon the Pro­fession, or the strictness and singularity of that in other things that are praise-worthy; nor may we think the worse of Christianity for any [Page 79] such Blemishes: We know very well, that the Wisdom that is from above is peaceable, and gentle, and easie to be entreated, and all that's sweet, and aimable, and endearing, tho' she is not herein justified of all that call themselves her Children. But the blame must be laid upon the Corrup­tion and Folly of the Professors themselves, who are not so perfectly deliver'd into the Mold of Christianity as they should, but neglect their Ornament, and prostitute their Honour, and suffer the Authority of their Graces to be tram­pled upon, they let fire go out of the Rod of their Branches, which devour their Fruit; so that there is no Meekness as a strong Rod, to be a Scepter to rule in the Soul, which is a lamen­tation, and shall be for a lamentation, (I refer you to that complaint, Ezek. 19. 14.) something resembling the woful Degeneracy of the Angels that sinn [...]d, of whom it is said, Iude 6. That they kept not [...], S [...]tm Principatum. So the Vulgar: Might it not be read,Cudworth. intellect. Syst. p. 816. The Go­vernment of themselves, they lost the Command they should have had over their inferior Facul­ties, and suffered them to get head. And is it not much like this, when those pretend to the Dignity, who have lost the Dominion of a Re­ligious Profession, having no rule over their own Spirits.

And yet, blessed be God! even in this corrupt and degenerate World, there are many who ap­pear in the excellent Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit; and some whose natural Temper is Hasty and Cholerick, as 'tis said Calvin's was, yet have been enabled by the Power of Divine Grace to shew in a good Conversation, their Works with Meekness and Wisdom. It is not so [Page 80] impracticable, as some imagine it, to subdue these Passions, and to preserve the Peace of the Soul, even in a stormy day.

But that we may each of us judge our selves, and find matter for Repentance herein, I shall only mention those instances of irregular Deportment towards our particular Relations, which evidence the want of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit.

1. Superiors are commonly very apt to chide, and that's for want of Meekness. It's spoken to the praise of him, who is the Great Ruler of this perverse and rebellious World, that he will not always chide, Psa. 103. 9: But how many Little Rulers are there of Families and petty Societies, that herein are very unlike him, for they are al­ways chiding? Upon every little Default they are put into a flame, and transported beyond due Bounds: Easily provok'd, either for no cause at all, or for very small cause; greatly provok'd, and very outragious, and unreasonable when they are provok'd. Their Carriage fiery and hasty; their Language scurrilous and undecent; they care not what they say, nor what they do, nor who they fall foul upon, such Sons of Belial, that a Man cannot speak to them, 1 Sam. 25. 17. one had as good meet a Bear robb'd of her Whelps, as meet Them. Here wants Meekness. Husbands should not be bitter against their Wives, Col. 3. 19. Parents should not provoke their Children, Eph. 6. 4. Masters must forbear threatning, Eph. 6. 9. These are the Rules, but how few are rul'd by them? The undue and intemperate Passion of Superiors, goes under the umbrage and excuse of necessary strictness, and the maintaining of Authority, and the Education and Controul of Children and Servants: But surely every little faileur needs [Page 81] not be animadverted upon, but rather should be passed by; or if the fault must needs be reproved and corrected, may it not be done without such a Heat? What nee [...]s so much noise and clamor, and all this adoe? Is this the product of a meek and quiet Spirit? Is this the best Badge of your Authority you have to put on? And are these the Ensigns of your Honour? Is there no other way of making your Inferiors know their place, but by putting them among the Dogs of your Flock, and threatning them as such? Not that I am against Government and good Order in Fa­milies, and such Reproofs as are necessary to the support and preservation of that, and those so sharpned, as some Tempers require and call for. But while you are governing others, pray learn to govern your selves, and do not disorder your own Souls under pretence of keeping Order in your Families: For tho' you your selves may not be aware of it, yet it is certain, that by those Indications of your displeasure, which transgress the Laws of Meekness, you do but render your selves Contemptible, and Ridicu­lous, and rather prostitute than preserve your Authority. Tho' your Children dare not tell you so, yet perhaps they cannot but think that you are [...] very unfit to command them who are so very unable to command your selves.Nemo [...]egere potest nisi qui & regi. Seneca. Time was when you were your selves Children, and Scholars, and perhaps Servants and Apprentices, and so (if you will but allow your selves the liberty of Reflection) you cannot but know the Heart of an Inferior, (Exod. 23. 9.) and should therefore treat those that are now under you, as you your selves then wish'd to be treated. A due expression of Displeasure, so much as is [Page 82] necessary to the amendment of what is amiss, will very well consist with Meekness and Quiet­ness. And your Gravity and Awful Com­posedness therein will contribute very much to the preserving of your Authority, and will command respect abundantly more than your Noise and Chiding. Masters of Families (and Masters of Schools too) have need, in this mat­ter, to behave themselves wisely, Psal. 101. 2. so as to avoid the two Extreams, that of Eli's foolish Indulgence on the one hand, 1 Sam. 2. 23, 24. and that of Saul's brutish Rage, on the other Hand, 1 Sam. 20. 30, 33. and for the hitting of this Golden Mean, Wisdom is profita­ble to direct.

2. Inferiors are commonly very apt to com­plain. If every thing be not just to their Mind, they are freting, and vexing, and their Hearts are hot within them; they are uneasie in their Place and Station, finding fault with every thing that is said or done to them. Here wants a quiet Spirit, which would reconcile us to the Post we are in, and to all the difficulties of it, and would make the best of the present state, tho' it be attended with many Inconveniencies. Those unquiet People, whom the Apostle Iude in his Epistle compares to raging Waves of the Sea, and wandring Stars, ver. 13. were Murmurers and Complainers, ver. 16. [...], Blamers of their Lot.—So the Word signifies. 'Tis an instance of Unquietness to be ever and anon quarrelling with our Allotment. Those Wives wanted a meek and quiet Spirit, that cover'd the Altar of the Lord with Tears, Mal. 2. 13. Not Tears of Repentance for Sin, but Tears of Vexation, at the Disappointments they met with in their [Page 83] outward Condition. Hannab's Meekness and Quietness was in some degree wanting, when she fretted, and wept, and would not eat, 1 Sam. 1. 7. but Prayer compos'd her Spirit, and set here to rights, v. 18. Her Countenance was no more sad. It was the unquietness of the Spirit of the Elder Brother, in the Parable, that quar­rel'd so unreasonably with the Father for re­ceiving and entertaining the Penitent Prodigal, Luke 15. 19. For those that are given to be un­easie, will never want something or other to com­plain of. It is true (tho' not so readily appre­hended) that the sullenness, and murmuring, and silent frets of Children and Servants is as great a Transgression of the Law of Meekness, as the more open, noisie and avowed Passions of their Parents and Masters. We find the King's Cham­berlains wroth with the King, Esth. 2. 21. and Cain's quarrel with God himself, for accepting of Abel, was interpreted Anger at God, Gen. 4. 6. Why art thou wroth, and why is thy Countenance fallen? The Sowr Looks of Inferiors, are as certain an indication of Anger resting in the Bo­som, as the Big Looks of Superiors; and how many such instances of Discontent there have been, especially under a continual Cross, our own Consciences may perhaps tell us. It is the want of Meekness only, that makes those whom Divine Providence hath put under the Yoke, Children of Belial, that is, impatient of the Yoke.

3. Equals are commonly very apt to clash and contend. It is for want of Meekness that there are in the Church so many Pulpit and Paper-Quarrels, such strifes of Words, and perverse Disputings: That there are in the State such [Page 84] Factions and Parties, and between them such Animosities and Heart-Burnings; That there are in Neighbourhoods such Strifes, and Brawls, and Vexatious Law-suits, or such Distances, and Estrangements, and Shiness one of another: That there are in Families Envies, and Quarrels among the Children and Servants, Crossing, and Thwar­ting, and finding Fault one with another: And that Brethren that dwell together, do not as they should dwell together in Unity. It is for want of Meekness that we are so impatient of Con­tradiction in our Opinions, Desires and Designs, that we must have our own Saying, right or wrong, and every thing our own way: That we are so impatient of Competitors, not enduring that any should stand in our Light, or share in that Work or Honour, which we would engross to our selves: That we are so impatient of Con­tempt, so quick in our Apprehension and Resent­ment of the least Slight or Affront, and so preg­nant in our Fancy of Injuries, where really there are none, or none intended. They are not only Loud and profess'd Contentions, that evidence a want of Meekness, but also those silent Aliena­tions in Affection and Conversation, which make a less noise, little Piques and Prejudices con­ceived, which Men are themselves so ashamed of, that they will not own them; those shew the Spirit disturb'd, and wanting the Ornament of Meekness. In a word; The wilful doing any thing to disquiet others, Slandering, Back­biting, Whispering, Tale-bearing, or the like, is too plain an Evidence, that we are not our selves rightly disposed to be quiet.

And now, may we not all remember our Faults this Day? and instead of condemning others, [Page 85] tho' never so Faulty, should we not each of us bewail it before the Lord, that we have been so little acted by this excellent Spirit, and repent of all that which we have at any time said or done, contrary to the Law of Meekness, and from under the Direction and Influence of it? Instead of going about to extenuate and excuse our sinful Passions, let us rather aggravate them, and lay load upon our selves for them; So foo­lish have I been and ignorant, and so like a Beast, as the Psalmist speaks, when he is recovering himself from an intemperate heat, Psal. 73. 22. Think how often we have appear'd before God and the World, without our Ornament, without our Livery, to our shame. God kept account of the particular Instances of the unquietness of Israel: They have tempted me (saith he) now these ten times, Numb. 14. 22. Conscience is God's Register that Records all our Miscarria­ges: Even what we say and do in our haste, is not so quick as to escape its Observation: Let us therefore be often opening that Book now, for our Conviction and Humiliation, or else it will be opened shortly to our Confusion and Condemnation. But if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged of the Lord. May we not all say, as Ioseph's Brethren did, (and per­haps some are, as they were, in a special manner call'd to say it, by humbling Providences) We are verily guilty concerning our Brother, Gen. 42. 21. Such a Time, in such a Company, upon such an Occasion, I wanted Meekness, and was unquiet; my Spirit was provok'd, and I spake unadvi­sedly with my Lips, and now I remember it against my self. Nay, have not I lived a Life of Unquietness, in the Family, in the Neighbour­hood, [Page 86] always in the Fire of Contention, as in my Element, and breathing Threatnings? And by so doing, have not I dishonour'd my God, discredited my Profession, disturbed my own Soul, grieved the blessed Spirit, and been to many, an occasion of Sin? And for all this, ought not I to be greatly humbled and ashamed? Before we can put on the Ornament of a Meek and Quiet Spirit, we must first wash in the La­ver of true Repentance, not only for our Gross and Open Extravagancies of Passion, but for all our Neglects and Omissions of the Duties of Meekness.

Secondly, Have we not Reason to labour and endeavour, since there is such a Vertue, there is such a Praise, to attain these things? Should we not lay out our selves to the utmost, for this Ornament of a Meek and Quiet Spirit? For your Direction in this Endeavour, (if you be indeed willing to be directed) I shall briefly lay before you,

• 1. Some Scripture Precepts of Meekness.
• 2. Some Patterns of it.
• 3. Some particular Instances, in which we have special need of it.
• 4. Some good Principles that we should abide by. And,
• 5. Some good Practices that we should abound in, in order to our growth in this Grace of Meek­ness.

And in opening these Things, we will en­deavour to keep close to the Law and to the Te­stimony.