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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43344	A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon on Acts 28. 22, shewing that the Christian religion is not a sect, and yet that it is every where spoken against / by Matthew Henry ...	Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714.; Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714. Sermon on Acts XXVII, 22.; Howe, John, 1630-1705.	1699 (1699)	Wing H1475_PARTIAL; Wing H1476_PARTIAL; ESTC R14901	132,581	220

Let Meekness stand Centinel and upon the advance of a Provocation let us examine who it is we are about to be angry with 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 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 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 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 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 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 Inner-wards 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. 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'd-bands 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

to admiration answered not a word to all their unjust Calumnies and Accusations but at the same time he bound them over to the Judgment of the great Day by that awful word Mat. 26. 64. Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Power and still he bears in expectation of that same Day He doth not take Vengeance presently because he hath an Eternity before him for the doing of it And by the way we may infer from hence That those who would be like their Heavenly Father must bear Reproach and Contradiction patiently When any thing is said against us reflecting never so little Disparagement upon us or our Families our Resentments of it are very sensible and we are apt to take it hainously nay and to say we do well to be angry for it is not a thing to be endur'd not to be endur'd O think how much God bears with the Contempt and Reproach cast upon his great Name and that will surely qualify our Resentments of any indignity done to our little Names Who are we that we must not be spoken against Or what are our Sayings that they must not be contradicted Such Affronts as these we should learn to bear as David did when Shimei cursed him So let him Curse and as the Son of David did when his Enemies reviled him Blessing them that Curse us and Praying for them that this Persecute us that we may be the Children of our Father which is in Heaven God adjourns his Vindication to the great Day and then surely we may adjourn ours to that day as St. Paul doth his 1 Cor. 4. 5. Secondly Let us acknowledge the Power of Divine Grace in keeping up the Christian Religion in the World notwithstanding the universal Contradiction and Opposition it hath met with One would think that a way thus spoken against every where should have been long ere this lost and ruin'd and the Christian Name cut off to be no more in remembrance which its Adversaries have so industriously endeavoured if it had been of Men it had certainly come to naught quickly though they had let it alone but being of God it was to admiration Victorious over all oppo●ition A Sect a Cheat could never have supported it self against so much Contradiction no Human Power or Policy could have kept it up nor any thing less than an Almighty Arm. The continuance of the Christian Religion in the world to this day is a standing Miracle for the Conviction of its Adversaries and the Confirmation of the Faith of those that adhere to it VVhen we consider what a mighty Force was raised by the Powers of Darkness against Christianity when it was in its Infancy how many they were that spoke against it learned Men great Men Books were written Laws were made against it those that spoke for it how few were they and how mean and despicable the foolish things of the VVorld and the Weak and yet we see the Word of God mightily growing and prevailing Must we not needs say this is the Lord 's doing it is marvellous in our eyes The several false Religions of the Heathen with their various Superstitions and Idolatries though they gave very little Opposition one to another but agreed together well enough yet having no foundation in Truth they all wither'd away and dwindled to nothing and after the mighty sway they had born and all means possible us'd to support 'em at length their Day came to fall their Oracles silenced their Altars deserted and the Gods themselves were famished Zeph. 2. 11. and perished from the Earth according to that Prediction Ier. 10. 11. which is put into the mouths of the Captiv'd Jews to retort upon their insulting Enemies and for that purpose is originally in the Caldee Dialect VVe may ask triumphantly not only where are the Gods of Humath and of Arpad Where are the Gods of Sepharvaim Hena and Ivah those obscure and petty Deities But where are the Gods of Babylon and Aegypt Greece and Rome the illustrious names of Saturn and Iupiter Iuno and Diana where are the Gods which our British and Saxon Aucestors worshipped bofore they received the Light of the glorious Gospel Are they not all forgotten as dead Men out of mind and their names written in the dust But Christ's Holy Religion though for some Ages it was utterly destitute of all Secular Supports and Advantages and was assaulted on all hands by the most vigorous Attacks of its daring and most implacable Enemies yet it hath strangely weather'd its point and is in being and thanks be to God in some places in a flourishing state to this day Its cause an opposed but never a baffled cause Let us turn aside now and see this great sight a Bush burning and yet not consum'd and say The Lord is in it of a Truth Come and see the Captain of our Salvation riding forth in the Chariot of the everlasting Gospel with his Crown upon his Head and his Bow in his Hand conquering and to conquer That which was every where spoken against Christianity was like the Viper which fasten'd upon St. Paul's Hand it gave people occasion to think very ill concerning it and to look for its speedy fall as the barbarous people concerning him whom they concluded to be a Murtherer and expected that he should have swollen or fallen down Dead But it hath in all Ages shaken those venomous Beasts into the Fire and taken no harm and so hath prov'd its own Divine Original Let us herein acknowledge the Wisdom and Power of our Lord Jesus who hath so firmly built his Church upon a Rock that the Gates of Hell i. e. all its Powers and Policies and Numbers could never prevail against it Mahomet though he industriously adapted his Religion to the Sensual Appetites of Men whose Reason only and not their Lusts could object against it yet he obtain'd no strength nor interest at all till by a thousand Artifices he had got the Power of the Sword and with it forbad any upon pain of Death to speak against him or his Doctrine charging his first Followers who were to propagate his Religion if they met with any that objected against it not to dispute with them but to kill them immediately By which means that grand Imposture in a little time got some footing in the world and by the same Barbarous and Inhumane Methods it hath been supported now above a Thousand Years And in like manner that great Enemy of the Church represented in St. Iohn's Vision maintains his Interest by causing that as many as would not worship the Image of the Reast should be killed Rev. 13. 15. Thus are Errors and false Religions propagated strip them of the●●●●ports they fall to the ground of course but on the contrary the Ch●●stian Religion was planted and preserv'd not only without but against secular Force recommended and

have I now done Is there not a Cause ver 29. When his Enemies reproached him he was not at all disturbed at it Psal. 38. 13. I as a deaf Man heard not When Saul persecuted him with such an unwearied Malice he did not take the advantage which Providence seem'd to offer him more than once to revenge and right himself but left it to God to do it for him David's meek Spirit concurr'd with the Proverb of the Antients Wickedness proceedeth from the Wicked but my Hand shall not be upon him 1 Sam. 24. 13. When Nabal's Churlishness provok'd him yet Abigail's Prudence soon pacified him and it pleased him to be pacified When Shimei cursed him with a bitter Curse in the day of his Calamity he resented not the Offence nor would hear any talk of punishing the Offender So let him curse let him alone for the Lord hath bidden him 2 Sam. 16. 10 12. quietly committing his Cause to God who judgeth righteously verse 12. And other instances there are in his Story which evidence the Truth of what he said Psal. 131. 2. My Soul is even like a weaned Child And yet David a great Soldier a Man of celebrated Courage that slew a Lion and a Bear and a Philistine as much a ravenous Beast as either of them which shews that it was his Wisdom and Grace and not his Cowardise that at other times made him so quiet David was a Man that met with very many disquieting and disturbing Events in the several Scenes of his Life through which tho' sometimes they ruffled him a little yet for the main he preserv'd an admirable Temper and an evenness and composedness of Mind which was very exemplary When upon the surprize of a fright he changed his Behaviour before Abimelech and counterfeited that madness which angry People realize yet his Mind was so very quiet and undisturbed that at that time he penn'd the 34 th Psalm in which not only the excellency of the Matter and the calmness of the Expression but the composure of it Alphabetically in the Hebrew speaks him to be even then in a sedate frame and to have very much the command of his own Thoughts As at another time when his own Followers spake of stoning him tho' he could not still the Tumult of his Troops he could those of his Spirits for then he encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. As to those Prayers against his Enemies which we find in some of his Psalms and which sometimes sound a little harsh surely they did not proceed from any such irregular Passion as did in the least clash even with the Evangelical Laws of Meekness We ca●not imagine that one who was so piously calm in his common Conversation should be sinfully hot in his Devotion Nor are they to be look'd upon as the private Expressions of his own angry Resentments but as inspired Predictions of God's Judgments upon the Publick and Obstinate Enemies of Christ and his Kingdom as appears by comparing Ps. 69. 22 23. with Ro. 11. 9 10. and Psa. 109. 8. with Act. 1. 20. Nor are they any more opposite to the Spirit of the Gospel than the cries of the Souls under the Altar Rev. 6. 10. or the Triumphs of Heaven and Earth in the destruction of Babylon Rev. 19. 1 2. 4. Saint Paul was a Pattern of Meekness Tho' his natural Temper seems to have been warm and eager which made him eminently Active and Zealous yet that Temper was so rectified and sanctified that he was no less eminently meek He became all things to all Men 1 Cor. 9. 19 c. He studied to please all with whom he had to do and to render himself easie to them for their good to Edification How patiently did he bear the greatest Injuries and Indignities not only from Jews and Heathen but from false Brethren that were so very industrious to abuse and undermine him How glad was he that Christ was preached tho' out of Envy and Ill-will by those that studied to add Affliction to his Bonds In governing the Church he was not led by the sudden Resolves of Passion but always deliberated calmly concerning the use of the Rod of Discipline when there was occasion for it 1 Cor. 4. 21. Shall I come to you with a Rod or in the Spirit of Meekness That is shall I proceed immediately to Censures or shall I not rather continue the same gentle Usage I have hitherto treated you with waiting still for your Reformation wherein the Spirit of Meekness appears more open and legible than in the use of the Rod tho' that also is very well consistent with it Many other Patterns of Meekness might be instanc'd in but the time would fail me to tell of Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Joshua of Samuel also and Job and Jeremiah and all the Prophets and Apostles Martyrs and Confessors and eminent Saints who by Meekness subdued not Kingdoms but their own Spirits stopped the Mouths not of Lions but of more fierce and formidable Enemies quenched the violence not of Fire but of intemperate and more ungovernable Passions and so wrought Righteousness obtained Promises escaped the edge of the Sword and out of weakness were made strong and by all this obtained a good Report Heb. 11. 32 33 34. But after all 5. Our Lord Iesus was the great Pattern of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit All the rest had their Spots the fairest Marbles had their Flaws but here is a Copy without a blot We must follow the rest no further than they were conformable to this great Original Be followers of me saith Paul 1 Cor. 11. 1. as I am of Christ. He fulfilled all Righteousness and was a compleat Exemplar of all that 's Holy Just and Good but I think in most if not all those places of Scripture where he is particularly and expresly propounded to us for an example 't is to recommend to us some or other of the Homiletical Graces of Christianity those I mean which tend to the sweetning of our Converse one with another And therefore the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us that he might teach us how to dwell together in Unity We must walk in love as Christ loved us Eph. 5. 2. Forgive as Christ forgave us Col. 3. 13. Please one another for Christ pleased not himself Rom. 15. 2 3. Be Charitable to the poor for we know the Grace of our Lord Iesus 2 Cor. 8. 9. Wash one anothers feet i. e. stoop to the meanest Offices of Love for Christ did so John 13. 14. Mat. 20. 27 28. Doing all with lowliness of Mind for it is the same Mind that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 3 5. and many other the like But above all our Lord Jesus was an Example of Meekness Moses had this Grace as a Servant but Christ as a Son he was anointed with it above measure He is therefore call'd the Lamb of God for his Meekness and Patience and

not one iota or tittle of which shall fall to the Ground Dagon will certainly fall before the Ark of the Lord and the Rod of Aaron will Swallow up the Rods of the Magicians Do they talk of running down Religion and the Scriptures and the Ordinances of Christ The Virgin 〈◊〉 Daughter of Sign hath despised them and laughed them to scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her Head at them and hath therefore put them to 〈◊〉 ●●cause God hath despised them as it is said Psal. 53. 5. He that sets in the Heavens enjoying himself and rides upon the Heavens for the Help of his People derides their Attempts against the Kingdom of his Son as vain and fruitless The L●rd 〈…〉 them for he sees that his Day 〈…〉 They have their Day now it is their Hour and the Power of Darkness But God will have his Day shortly and a Glorious Day it will be when our Lord Jesus shall appear in all the Power and Grandeur of the Vpper World to the everlasting Terror and Confusion of all his Adversaries and the everlasting Joy and Honour of all his faithful Servants and Soldiers With the believing Hopes and Prospects of which Day let all those who heartily espouse and plead Religion's righteous Cause Comfort themselves and one another FINIS Apud Stob. Sen. de irâ Verse 1 2 Genus muliebre est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lorin i● lo● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 6. 29 30. 2 Cor. 5. 3. † Immundum muliebrem p●tiùs convenìt dìci So Tertullian de habitu mul. cap. 4. Gal. 1. 4. 1 John 54. Eccl. 7. 1● Verse 4. Pro. 4. 23. 2 Kin. 2. 21. Colos. 3. 3 Psal. 139. 14 15 16. Heb. 4. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 3. 7 8. Prov. 8. 4. 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 Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anger is cos fortitudinis Ethic. l. 4. c. 6. Non cognoscitur andaci● nisi in Bello amicus nisi in necessitate sapiens nisi in ira Sent. Arab. Expendantur verba dicendum hoc si dicen dum adversum hunc tempus sermonis sit hujus c. Ambr. de Offic. l. 1. c. 9 In corrept●one vitiorum subessementi debet Iracundia n●n praeesse Greg. in Iob. l. 26. c. 36. Eccl. 10. 10 Pro. 14. 8. Ratio id judicare vul● quod aequum est Ira id aequum videri vult quod judicavit ●en Mat. 12. 36. 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 'T is 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. 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. † Complures vidi loquendo pece●tum incidisse vix quenquam tacendo ideoque tacere nosse quàm loqui difficilius est Ambrde Offic. l. 1. c. 2. Locus tuus patientia est locus tuus sapientia est locus tuus ratio est et sedatio indignationis Ambr. ubi supra c. 21. Jam. 1. 20. * Hence we read of the Envy of Ephraim ija 11. 13. Dr. H●mmond Practlater p. 125 Ae●lus sis affectuum tuorum Neiremb Yet corrupt Passions appear betimes Vidi zelantem parvulum qui intuebatur pallidus amaro aspectucollactaneum suum Aug. Conf. 1 7. 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. Col. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. Hom. 19. Luke 1. 6. Vobis infixam ●abete Erasm. Magni animi est proprium placidumesse injurias superne despicere Sen. * Norris Miscell p. 167 168. 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 Hebrew Criticks observe that in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Letters are quiescent Quad disideras magnum summum est Deoque vicinum non concuti Sen. Diis proximus ille est Quem ratio non ira movet Claud. 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 Ne te quaesiverius extra 1 Sam. 25 ver 31. 2 Cor 1. 12. Nemo laeditur nisi à seipso Dict. Diogen 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. 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. As Heaven is taken by Violence so is Earth by Meekness Trap. in loc Pract. Cat. p. mihi 117 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. * Dr Hammond Pract. Cat. p. 117. Leave thy Gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. Hom. 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. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. c. 13. * most Cudworth intellect Syst. p. 816. Nemo●egere potest nisi qui regi Seneca Putomultos potuisse ad sapientiam pervenire nisi putassent se pervenisse Sen. de tranqu Aliter induuntur milites aliter sacerdotes ●rgoinduite vobis convenientia vestimenta Aquin. in loc Habet ubi se etiam in privato lare explicet magnus Animus Sen. Haec nos risimus aliquando Fiunt non nascuntur Christiani Tertul. Iosephus Antiq. l. 4. c. 8. gives this character of M●ses Affectus it● semper in p●testate habuit ut omnino illis carere videretur et nomina tantum eorum ex his quae in aliis hominibus conspiceret cognita habere Non ergo movebatur c●nvici's David cui abundabat bonorum operum conscientia itaque is qui citò injuria movetur facit se