Abraham might soon have replied You may e'ne thank your self it was your own Contrivance but laying aside the present Provocation he abides by one of the Original Rules of the Relation Behold thy Maid is in thy Hand He did not answer Passion with Passion that would have put all into a flame presently but he answered Passion with Meekness and so all was quiet Another instance of Abraham's Meekness we have in the Transactions between Him and Abimelech his Neighbour Gen. 21. 24 25. He first enters into a Covenant of Friendship with him which was confirm'd by an Oath and then not reproacheth him but reproveth him for a wrong that his Servants had done him about a Well of Water which gives us this Rule of Meekness Not to break Friendship for a small matter of difference Such and such occasions there are which they that are disposed to it might quarrel about but what is that between me and thee If Meekness Rule matters in Variance may be fairly reasoned and adjusted without Violation or Infringment of Friendship This is the Example of that great Patriarch The future Happiness of the Saints is represented as the Bosom of Abraham Luke 16. 23. a quiet State Those that hope to lye in the Bosom of Abraham shortly must tread in the steps of Abraham now whose Children we are as long as we thus do well and who as Maimonides expresseth it is the Father of all that are gathered under the Wings of the Divine Majesty 2. Moses was a Pattern of Meekness it was his Master Grace that in which more than in any other he excell'd This Testimony the Holy Ghost gives of him Numb 12. 3. That the Man Moses was very meek above all the Men which were upon the face of the Earth This Character of him comes in there in a Parenthesis probably inserted by the same inspired Pen that wrote the last Chapter of Deuteronomy upon occasion of an Affront he receiv'd from those of his own House which intimates that his quiet and patient bearing of that was of all other the greatest Proof and Instance of his Meekness Those can bear any Provocation that can bear it from their near Relations The Meekness of Moses as the Patience of Iob was try'd on all hands Armour of Proof shall be sure to be shot at It should seem that his Wife was none of the best humour'd Women for what a Passion was she in about the circumcising of her Son when she reproach'd him as a bloody Husband and we do not read of one word that he reply'd but let her have her saying Exod. 4. 25 26. When God was angry and Zipporah angry it was best for him to be quiet The Lot of his Publick Work was cast in the Provocation in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness Psa. 95. 8. But as if all the Mutinies of Murmuring Israel were too little to try the Meekness of Moses his own Brother and Sister and those of no lessa Figure than Miriam the Prophetess and Aaron the Saint of the Lord pick a quarrel with him speak against him envy his Honour reproach his Marriage and are ready to head a Rebellion against him Num. 12. 1 2. God heard this v. 2. and was angry v. 9. But Moses tho' he had reason enough to resent it heinously was not at all moved by it took no notice of it made no complaint to God no answer to them and was so little interested in the matter that we don't find one word he said till we find him v. 13. praying so heartily for his provoking Sister who was then under the Tokens of God's Displeasure for the affront she gave him The less a Man strives for himself the more is God engaged in Honour and Faithfulness to appear for him When Christ said I seek not mine own Glory he presently added but there is one that seeketh and judgeth And it was upon this occasion that Moses obtain'd this good Report That he was the meâ—kest of all the Men on the Earth No Man could have given greater proofs of Courage than Moses saith the Learned Bishop Hall's Remark Contemp. l. 6. He slew the Aegyptain beat the Midianite Shepherds confronted Pharaoh in his own Court not fearing the Wrath of the King he durst look God in the Face amidst all the Terrors of Mount Sinai and draw near to the thick Darkness where God was and yet that Spirit which made and knew his Heart saith He was the Meekest Mildest Man upon the Earth Mildness and Fortitude may well lodge together in the same Breast which corrects the Mistake of those that will allow none Valiant but the Fierce The Meekness of Moses qualified him to be a Magistrate especially to be King in Ieshurun among a People so very provoking that they gave him occasion to use all the Meekness he had and all little enough to bear their Manners in the Wilderness When they murmured against him quarrel'd with him arraigned his Authority and were sometimes ready to stone him he resented these Provocations with very little of personal Application or Concern but instead of using his Interest in Heaven to summon Plagues upon them he made it his Business to stand in the Gap and by his Intercession for them to turn away the Wrath of God from them and this not once nor twice but many times And yet we must observe that tho' Moses was the meekest Man in the World yet when God's Honour Glory were concern'd none more warm and zealous witness his resentment of the golden Calf when in a Holy Indignation at that abominable Iniquity he deliberately broke the Tables And when Korah and his Crew invaded the Priests Office Moses in a pious Wrath said unto the Lord Respect not thou their Offering Numb 16. 15. He that was a Lamb in his own Cause was a Lion in the Cause of God Anger at Sin as Sin is very well consistent with Reigning Meekness Nor can it be forgotten that tho' Moses was so eminent for Meekness yet he once transgress'd the Laws of it when he was old and his Spirit was provok'd he spake unadvisedly with his Lips and it went ill with him for it Psal. 106. 32 33. which is written not for Imitation but for Admonition not to justifie our rash Anger but to engage us to stand upon our Guard at all times against it that he who thinks he stands may take heed lest he fall and that he who hath thus fallen may not wonder if he come under the Rebukes of Divine Providence for it in this World as Moses did and yet may not despair of being pardoned upon Repentance 3. David was a Pattern of Meekness and it is promised Zach. 12. 8. That the Feeble shall be as David In this as in other instances he was a Man after God's own Heart When his own Brother was so rough upon him without Reason 1 Sam. 17. 28. Why camest thou down hither c how mild was his Answer What
assuetus us'd to the Hand which alludes to the taming and reclaiming of Creatures wild by Nature 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 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 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 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 silenceth objections and suppresseth the risings of the Carnal mind against the Word 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. 'T is 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 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 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 nâ—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 T it 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 that were to quench a Coal which sometime there is occasion for even at Gods Altar 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 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 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 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 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
your Tongue and be often remembring that you said so as David doth Psalm 39. 1. Resolution would do much towards the conquering of the most rugged Nature and the quiet bearing of the greatest Provocation it would be like the Bit and Bridle to the Horse and Mule that have no Understanding It may be of good use every Morning to renew a Charge upon our Affections to keep the Peace and having welcom'd Christ in Faith and Meditation let no rude unruly Passion stir up or awake our Love 3. Keep out of the way of Provocation and stand upon your Guard against it While we are so very apt to offend in this matter we have need to pray and to practise accordingly Lord lead us not into Temptation Those are Enemies to themselves and to their own Peace as well as to humane Society that seek occasion of Quarrel that fish for Provocations and dig up Mischief but meek and quiet People will on the contrary studiously avoid even that which is justly provoking and will see it as if they saw it not Those that would not be angry must wink at that which would stir up Anger or put a favourable Construction upon it The Advice of the Wise Man is very good to the purpose Eccles. 7. 21. Also take no heed to all Words that are spoken lest thou hear thy Servant curse thee and 't is better for thee not to hear it unless thou couldst hear it patiently and not be provoked to sin in the hearing of it 'T is a common Story of Coty's that being presented with a Cupboard of curious Glasses he return'd his Thanks to his Friend that sent them and gratified the Messenger that brought them and then deliberately broke them all lest by the casual breaking of them severally he should be provok'd to Passion And Dion relates it to the honour of Iulius Caesar that Pompey's Cabinet of Letters coming to his hand he would not read them because he was his Enemy and he would be likely to find in them that which would increase the Quarrel and therefore as Dr. Reynold's expresses it he chose rather to make a Fire on his Hearth than in his Heart De non existentibus non apparrentibus eadem est ratio Keep the Injury out of sight and it will be out of mind But seeing Briars and Thorns are with us and we dwell among Scorpions so the Prophet Ezek. 2. 6. and it must needs be that Offences will come let us be so much the more careful as we are when we go with a Candle among Barrels of Gunpowder and exercise our selves to have Consciences void of Offence not apt to offend others nor to resent the Offences of others When we are at any time engaged in Business or Company where we foresee Provocation we must double our Watch and be more than ordinary circumspect I will keep my Mouth with a Bridle saith David i. e. with a particular actual care and diligence while the Wicked is before me and frequent Acts will confirm the good Disposition and bring it to a Habit. Plutarch adviseth To set some time to our selves for special strictness So many Days or Weeks in which whatever Provocations do occur we will not suffer our selves to be disturbed by them And thus he supposeth by degrees the Habit of vicious Anger may be conquer'd and subdued But after all the Grace of Faith hath the surest influence upon the Establishment and Quietness of the Spirit Faith acted upon the Mercy of God the Meekness of Christ the Love of the Spirit the Commands of the Word the Promises of the Covenant and the Peace and Quietness of the upper World this is the approved Shield with which we may be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked one and all his wicked Instruments 4. Learn to pause It is a good Rule as in our Communion with God so in our Converse with Men Eccl. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing When we are at any time provok'd Delays may be as advantagious as in other cases they are dangerous The discretion of a Man deferreth his Anger Prov. 19. 11. I would beat thee said Socrates to his Servant if I were not angry but he that is hasty of Spirit that joyns in with his Anger upon the first rise of it exalteth solly Pro. 14. 29. The Office of Reason is to govern the Passions but then we must give it time to act and not suffer the Tongue to over-runâ— it Some have advis'd when we are provoked to anger to take at least so much time to deliberate as while we repeat the Alphabet and others have thought it more proper to repeat the Lords Payer and perhaps by that time we are past the fifth Petition Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us we may be reduced into Temper It is a good Rule To think twice before we speak once for he that hasteth with his Feet sinneth It was the noted saying of a great Statesman in Q. Elizabeth's Court Take time and we shall have done the sooner Nor can there be any thing lost by deferring our Anger for there is nothing said or done in our Wrath but it might be better said and better done in Meekness 5. Pray to God by his Spirit to work in you this excellent Grace of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit It is a part of that Comliness which he puts upon the Soul and he must be sought unto for it If any Man lack this Meekness of Wisdom let him ask it of God who gives liberally and doth not upbraid us with our Folly When we begin at any time to be froward and unquiet we must lift up a Prayer to him that stilleth the Noise of the Sea for that Grace which establisheth the Heart When David's Heart was hot within him the first word that broke out was a Prayer Psa. 39. 3 4. When we are surprized by a Provocation and begin to be in a ferment upon it it will not only be a present Diversion but a Sovereign Cure to lift up an Ejaculation to God for Grace and Strength to resist and overcome the Temptation Lord keep me quiet now Let your Requests in this matter be made known to God and the Peace of God shall keep your Hearts and Minds Phil. 4. 6 7. You are ready enough to complain of unquiet People about you but you have more reason to complain of unquiet Passions within you the other are but Thorns in the Hedge these are Thorns in the Flesh against which if you beseech the Lord as Paul did 2 Cor. 12. 8. with Faith and Fervency and Constancy you shall receive Grace sufficient 6. Be often examining your growth and proficiency in this Grace Enquire what ground you have got of your Passion and what Improvements you have made in Meekness Provocations recur every day such as have
with a Conceit of our selves and a Contempt of others and with any Wordly secular Design when we sacrifice the common Interests of Christ's Kingdom to the particular Interests of a Party and in a word when our Profession is tainted with the Leaven of the Pharisees which is both sowring and swelling then it degenerates into a Sect. Let us therefore adhere to the sure and large Foundations and be acted by a Principle of Love to and so maintain Communion with all that in every place and under every Denomination call on the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours Let us be Modest in our Opinions Charitable and Candid in our Censures Self-denying in all our Converse Acting always under the Influence of that Wisdom that is from above which is first Pure then Peaceable gentle and easy to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality and Hypocrisy that by this well-doing we may put to silence the Ignorance of those who call Religion a Sect. 2. Let us not be deterr'd from serious Godliness or any of the Instances of it by the invidious Name of a Sect which is put upon it If a 〈◊〉 and sober and circumspect Conversation a conscientious Government of our Tongue Praying and singing Psalms in our Families a religious Observation of the Lord's Day a diligent Attendance upon the Means of Grace joyning in religious Societies for Prayer and Christian Conference and endeavouring in our places the Suppression of Profaness and Immorality if these and the like be call'd and counted the Marks and Badges of a Sect let us not be moved at it but say as David did 2 Sam. 6. 22. If this be to be vile I will be yet more vile If the Practice of Piety be branded as a Sect it is better for us to come under the reproaches of Men for following it than under the Curse of God for neglecting it It is a very small thing to be judged of Man's Day but be that judgeth us is the Lord Let us therefore be more afraid of being Sectaries than of being call'd so Secondly The Christian Religion is here said to be every where spoken against That it was spoken against was evident enough but that it was every where spoken against was more than they could be sure of They did not know all Places nor had they correspondence with or intelligence from every Country but we must not wonder if those that oppose the Truth as it is in Jesus make no conscience of transgressing the Laws of Truth in common Conversation But we will suppose that the Acquaintance and Converse of thoâ—â—â—ews at Rome lay mostly with those that were Enemies to Christianity and spoke against it and they therefore concluded it every where spoken against because they found it spoken against in all places that they 〈◊〉 to or had advice from Thus â—pt are we to embrace that as a general Sentiment and Observation which we find received by those that we usually associate with and so we â—un our selves into mistakes which larger and more impartial Enquiries would soon rectify But we will take it for granted however that what they said was true not because they said it but because the experience of all Ages doth confirm it and concur with it So that a little Acquaintance with Books and the World will prove the Observation which we ground upon this Text 〈◊〉 That it is and always hath been the Lot of Christ's Holy Religion to be every where spoken against Or thus That true Christianity hath all along met with a great deal of Opposition and Contradiction in this World I purpose not to enter into a particular Disquisition of that which has been and is spoken against Religion nor do I undertake at present to shew how false and unreasonable it is That hath been done many a time by the best Hanâ—â— and so effectually that every impartial eye must needs look upon the cause of the Adversaries of Religion to be a baffled Cause But I shall only make some improvement of this general Observation which cannot be unseasonable in an Age wherein the Gates of Hell seem to be making their utmost efforts against the Church and the Devil as the Calumniator and False Accuser to be more wroth than ever with thâ— Woman the Church and to push on the War with an unusual vigor against the râ—â—ant of her Seed which keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Iesus Christ. I shall therefore 1. enquire what it is in Christianity that is spoken against And 2. shew you why so Holy and Excellent a Religion is spoken against and then draw some Inferences from this Observation For the first Who and What it is that is spoken against 1. Iesus Christ the Author of our Religion is every where spoken against When the First-begotten was brought into the World old 〈◊〉 on among other great things pronounced this concerning him that he was a sign which should be spoken against and by that means was set for the fall of many Luke 2. 34. when he was here upon Earth he was spoken against The 〈◊〉 which was design'd to be the Head of the Corner was rejected and set at naught by the Builders It was not the least of his Sufferings in the days of his flesh that he endured the contradiction of Sinners against himself Heb. 12. 3. They spoke against his Person as mean aâ—d contemptible and one that had no form non comlinessâ— They spoke against his Preaching as falâ—â— and deceiving Iohn 7. 12. as factious and seditious Lukâ— 23. 2. as senseless and ridiculous for the Pharisâ—â—â— derided him for it Luke 16. 1â— They spake against his Miracles as done in Confederacy with Belzebub the Prince of the Devils Mat. 12. 24. They spoke against his Morals charging him with Blasphemy against God Profanation of the Sabbath-day and all the instances of Debauchery which were usually met with in a Gluttonous Man a Wine-bibber and a Friend of Publicans and Sinners Mat. 11. 19. They spoke against his Followers as a company of ignorant despicable People Iohn 7. 48. 49. When he was in his Sufferings pass through all the steps and stages of them and you will find him every where spoken against They reproched him in all his Offices In his Office of Teaching when they challenged him to tell who smote him In his Office of Saving when they challenged him to save himself as he had saved others In his Office of Ruling when they challenged him to prove himself the King of the Iews by coming down from the Cross. The common People spoke against him even they that passed by reviled him The Pharisees chief Priests the Grandees of the Church were as severe as any in their Reflections upon him Princes also did sit and spake against him Herod and his Men of War set him at nought made nothing of him that
made all things Nay even now he is set down at the right-hand of the Majesty on high far above all Principalities and Powers i. e. both good and evil Angels so as to be no more hurt by the contradictions of the one than he is benefitted by the Adorations of the other yet still he is spoken against Besides the Contempt cast upon him by the Iews and Mahometans are there not with us even with us those that daringly speak against him Arians and Socinians are daily speaking against him as a meer Man thinking that a Robbery in him which He thought none to be equal with God Quakers and Entbusâ—asts speak against Him as a meer Name setting up I know not what Christ within them while they explode that Iesus that was Crucified at Ierusalem Atheists and Deists 〈◊〉 against Him as a meer Cheat accounting the 〈…〉 a great Imposture and His 〈◊〉 a Iest. Profane and Ignorant 〈…〉 slightly of Him as if our Beloved were no more than anothâ—â—â—eloved and some 〈…〉 cornfully of Him as Iulian the Apostate did that call'd Him in disdain the Galilean and the Carpenter's Son Such as these are the hard speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against Him the Lord rebuke them even the Lord that hath choseâ— Ieâ—â—salem rebuke them 2. God himself the great Object of our Religious Regards is every where spoken against It is not only the Christian Revelation that is thus attack'd by virulent and blasphemous Tongues but even Natural Religion also The Glorious and Blessed God the great Creator and Benefactor of the Universe that doth Good to all and whose tender Mercâ—es are over all His Works even He is every where spoken against Some deny His Being Tho' His Existence be so necessary so evident that if He be not t is impossible any thing else should be yet there are Fools who say in their hearts what they dare not speak out that there is no God Psal. 14. 1. And he that saith there is no God wisheth there were none and if he could help it there should be none Others Blaspheme the Attributes of God that charge the All-seeing Eyâ— with Blindness saying The Lord shall not see Psal. 94. 7. that charge the Eternal Mind with Forgetfulness saying God hath forgotten Psal. 10. 11. that charge the Almighty Arm with Impotency saying Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness which is there call'd speaking against God Psal. 78. 19 20. Thosâ—◠〈…〉 promise themselâ—◠〈…〉 They shall not surely die 〈…〉 reâ—uire it And thâ—se that boldâ—◠〈…〉 and Irreligiâ—â—â— saying unto 〈…〉 Depart from us Job 21. 14 15. 〈…〉 of God tho' He is infinitely Great and Glorious others speak hardly of Him tho' he is infinitely Just and Good The Name of God is spoken against by the profane using of it so it is construed Psal. 〈◊〉 39 20. They speak against thee wickedly thine Enemies take thy Name in vainâ— Can there be a greater slight put upon the Eternal God than for Men to use his Sacred and Blessed Name as a By-word with which they give vent to their exorbitant Passions or fill up the vacanciâ—s of their other Idle-words The Name of God is thus abus'd not only by those that belâ—h out bloody Oaths and â—urses which make the Ears of every good Man to tingle but by â—â—ose that mention the Name of God slightly and irreverently in their common Conversation in whose mouths he is near when he is far from their reins To use those forms of speech which properly signify an Acknowledgment and Adoration of God's Being as O God or O Lord or an Appeal to his Omniscience as God knows or an Invocation of his Favour as God bless me or God be merciful to meâ— I say to use these or the like expressions impertinently and intending thereby to express only our wonder our surpâ—ize or our passionate resentments or any thing than that which is their proper and awful signification is an evidence of a vain mind that wants a due regard to that glorious and fearful Name The Lord our God I see not that the Profanation of the Ordinance of praying is any bettâ—◠〈◊〉 the Profanation of the Ordinance of Swearing The serious â—â—â—sideration of this I hope might prevent much of that 〈◊〉 which is 〈…〉 God and to his Holy Name by some that 〈◊〉 not with others to an exceâ—â— of Riâ—t The Proâ—â—dence of God 〈◊〉 likewise every where spoken against by Murâ—â—uâ—ers and Complainers that quaâ—â—el with it and find fault with the disposals of it and when they are hardly bestead curse their King and their God Thus is the mouth of the ungodly set against the Heavens and their Tongue walketâ—â—â—hbrough the Earth 〈◊〉 The Word of God the great Rule of our Religion is every where spoken against so it was 〈◊〉 was first preached wherever the Apoâ—â—â—es 〈◊〉 preaching the Doctrine of Christ they 〈…〉 those that spake against it â—ontradicting and 〈…〉 So it is now it is 〈◊〉 Atheists speak against the Scriptures as not of Authority 〈◊〉 speak against it as dark and uncertain further than it is expounded and supported by the Authority of their Church which receives unwritten Traditions pari pietatis affectu ac reverentiâ with the same pious affection and reverence that they receive the Scripture nay and if we may judge by their practice with much more Thus is the Word of God blasphemed by them who call themselves the Temple of the Lord. But if we take away Revelation as the Deists do all Religion will soon be lost and if we derogate from the Scriptures as the Papists do all Revelation is much endangered Those also speak against the Scriptures who profanely Iest with them and that they may the more securely Rebel against Scripture Laws make themselves and their idle Companions merry with the Scripture Language The Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach as the Prophet complains Ier. 6. 10. And another Prophet found it so whose serious word of the necessity of Precept upon Precept was turned into an idle Song as Grotius understands it Isa. 28. 13. The word of the Lord was unto them Precept upon Precept Very likely it was done by the Drunkards of Ephraim spoken of v. 1. and it gave occasion to that Caution v. 22. Be ye not mockers lest your Bands be made strong Profligate and Debauched Minds relish no wit like that which ridicules the Sacred Text and exposeth that to Contempt As of old the insulting 〈◊〉 must be humour'd with the Songs of Sion and no Cups can please Belshazzar in his drunken Frollick but the Sacred Vessels of the Temple Thus industrious are the Powers of Darkness to Vilify the Scriptures and to make them coutemptible but he that sits in Heaven shall laugh at them for in spite of all the little efforts of their impotent Malice He will magnifie the Law and make it honourable according to the
that is in the Holy Scriptures yet the Professors and Preachers of it have been call'd and counted Hereticks and Schismaticks and by all possible Artifices expos'd to the odium of the People that none might Buy or Sell i. e. have the benefit and comfort of civil Society and Commerce that had not the Mark or the Name of the Beast or the Number of his Name Nay even among some that profess the Christian and Reformed Religion yet the Practice of serious Godliness is very much spoken against The Power of Religion is not only disliked and deny'd but contradicted and condemned by those that rest in the Form They that call the Evil Good will call the Good Evil and it is not strange if they who abandon themselves to work all uncleanness with greediness speak ill of such as run not with them to the same excess of Riot where the Wicked walk on every side he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey The old Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent is still working and the old Game every day plaid over again The Truth as it is in Iesus and the Truth which is according to Godliness will be contradicted by those that lye in wait to deceive Bigots on all sides will have something to say against Catholick Charity and Moderation They that are fervent in spirit serving the Lord and forward to every good Work must expect to be evil spoken of by such as affect a Lukewarmness and Indifferency in Religion Nor can those who walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise escape the lash of their Tongues who live at large and walk loosly and at all adventures as the Fools in Israel I come now in the Second Place to enquire what 's the Reason that so Holy and Excellent a Religion as Christianity is meets with such hard usage and is thus spoken against every where spoken against When we hear such an Out-cry as this made against Christianity it is natural to us to enquire as Pilate did when such a Clamour was raised against its Author Why what evil hath it done Truly we may say concerning it as Pilate did concerning him We find no fault in it Which of all its Opposers convinceth it of Sin or Error It invades no Man's Right breaks in upon no Man's Property is no Disturbance of the Peace no Enemy to the Welfare of Families and Societies is no Prejudice at all to the Interests of States aad Princes but to all these highly Beneficial and Advantageous Why then is it thus accused condemned and spoken against We will endeavour to find out the true Reason of it though it is impossible to assign a justifiable Reason of that which is most unreasonable 1. The Adversaries of Religion speak against it because they do not know it Sound Knowledge hath not a greater Enemy in the World than Ignorance Our Lord Jesus was therefore despised and hated by the World because the World knew him not Iohn 1. 10. If they had known the Dignity of his Person the Excellency of his Doctrine and the gracious Design and Purpose of his coming into the World certainly they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. They that did it did it through Ignorance and knew not what they did Thus they who say to the Almighty Depart from us could not say so if they did not at the same time studiously decline the knowledge of his ways No Man will speak against Religion and the Power of it that hath either seriously weighed the Proofs and Evidences of it or impartially tried the Comfort and Benefit of it If they knew this Gift this inestimable Gift of God instead of speaking against it they would covet it earnestly as the best Gift He that looks at a distance upon Men Dancing would think them to be mad It was Peter Martyr's Comparison in a Sermon which had so good an influence upon the Conversion of the Marquess of Vico But let him come nearer them and observe the Regularity and Harmony of all their Motions and Postures and he will not only admire their Order but find in himself an inclination to join with them So he that contents himself with a distant and transient view of the Practice of Piety will perhaps take up hard thoughts of it but a better Acquaintance will rectify the Mistake When the Spouse in the Canticles had given a Description of her Beloved to the Daughters of Ierusalem the same who before had scornfully ask'd What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved Now as seriously enquire Whither is thy Beloved gone that we may seek him with thee The People of God are called his Hidden Ones and their Life is a Hidden Life their way above and therefore it is that the World speaks evil of them because it knows them not 1 Ioh. 3. 1. They who speak evil of these Dignities speak evil of those things which they know not as the Apostle speaks Iude 8. 10. How unjust then and unreasonable is the Enmity and Malice of the Adversaries of Religion to condemn that which they never enquired into and to load that with the vilest Reproaches which for ought they know merits the highest Encomiums And how excellent then are the ways of God which none speak ill of but those that are unacquainted with them while those that know them witness to the goodness of them and Wisdom is justified of all her Children Mat. 11. 19. 2. They speak against it because they do not like it and we know Ill-will never speaks well Tho' they have little acquaintance with Religion yet they know this concerning it in general that it is not agreeable with the way of their hearts which they are resolved to walk in nor with the course of this World which is the Card and Compass they steer by and from which they take their measures they know this that it lays a restraint upon their Appetites and Passions and consists much in the mortifying of their beloved Lusts and Corruptions and therefore they have a secret Antipathy to it The Carnal Mind which is enmity against God is so against all that bear the Image of God Christ hath bidden his Disciples to expect the Hatred of the World and not to marvel at it Ioh. 15. 18 c. They who hate to be themselves reform'd will never love those that are reform'd Out of the abundance therefore of the Heart and the Malignity that is there it is no marvel if the mouth speak where the Root of Bitterness is it will bear Gall and Wormwood The Daring Sinner that stretcheth out his hand against God finds his hand too short to reach him but say they with our Tongue will we prevail our Lips are our own The Beast that made War with Heaven in the Apocalyptick Vision though he had ten Horns
and those crown'd yet is not described doing mischief with them but opening his Mouth in Blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven Rev. 13. 5 6. The Poison of the Serpents Seed is under their Tongue Rom. 3. 13. 3. They speak against Religion because it speaks against them They who have fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness hate the Light which discovers them Ioh. 3. 19. Nor do any curse the Rising Sun but those that are scorch'd by it Why were the Pharisees so exasperated against our Saviour but because he spake his Parables against them and laid them open in their own colours Why did the World hate him who so loved the World but because he testified of it that its Works are evil Why had Ioseph's Brethren such a spleen against him but because he was a Witness against them and brought to his Father their evil Report Why did Ahab hate Micajah and call Elijah his Enemy but because they were the faithful Reprovers of his Wickedness and never prophesied Good concerning him but Evil Why did the Inhabitants of the Earth rejoyce when the Witnesses were slain but because those two Prophets by their plain and powerful Preaching tormented them that dwelt upon the Earth The everlasting Gospel is a Testimony either to us to convinâ—â—â—s or against us to condemn us and then no â—onder if those speak against it who hate to be convinced by it and dread to be condemned by it The Prophet complains of those that laid Snares for him that reproveth in the gate and why is it faithful Ministers are so much hated but because their Business is to shew people their Transgressious If they would flatter Sinners that flatter themselves in a sinful way and cry Peace to them to whom the God of Heaven doth not speak Peace they might avoid a great deal of Reproach and Censure but they dare not do it They are not to make a new Law and Gospel but to preach that which is made they have their Rule in that Caution given to the Prophet Ier. 15. 19. Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them The Hearts and Lives of Men must be brought to comply with the Word of God for the Word of God can never be made to comply with the Humours and Fancies of Men. Ministers as they would not for the World make the way to Heaven any straiter or narrower than Christ hath made it so they dare not make it any broader or easier not offer Life and Salvation upon any other Terms than the Gospel hath already settled If they aim at pleasing Men they cannot approve themselves the Servants of Christ and therefore are they so much spoken against And the same is the Reason why the most strict and serious Christians are so much spoken against because their Piety and Devotion their Justice and Sobriety their Zeal and Charity is a standing Reproof to the wicked World and condemns it as the Faith and holy Fear of Noâ—h condemned the Infidelity and Security of the Old World The Sodomites were â—â—exed at Lot's Conversation as much as he was at their filthy Conversation Wherefore doth the Blood-Thirsty hate and revile the Vpright while the Iust seek his Soul but for the same Reason for which Cain hated Abel because his own Works were Evil and his Brothers Righteous Now for the APPLICATION of this DOCTRINE Let us see what good Use we may make of this Observation concerning the Wickedness of the Wicked in speaking so much against Religion and Godliness and what is our Duty in reference hereunto First Let us admire the Patience and Forbearance of the God of Heaven in that he bears so much and so long with those that thus speak against Him and his Holy Religion The Affront hereby given Him is very great and we would think intollerable even Hard Speeches that reflect upon an Infinite Majesty have in them a kind of Infinite Malignity He hears and knows all that which is said against Him and against his Truth and VVays and as a Jealous God resents it He hath always Power in his Hands to punish the proudest of his Enemies nor would their immediate Ruine be any Loss to him and yet Sentence against these Evil Words and Works is not executed speedily Be astonished O Heavens at this and wonder O Earth that those wretches which rebel against the Beams of such Light and Glory which spurn at the Bowels of such Love and Grace are not immediately made the visible Monuments of Divine VVrath and Vengeance and like Sodom and Gomorrah set forth for an Example That the Blasphemers and Scoffers of these last Days are not instantly struck Dumb struck Dead That He who hath so much said against him yet doth himself keep silence and doth not answer all these Reproaches and Contradictions as he easily could in Thunder and Lightning Though his Silence and Forbearance is turn'd to his Reproch even by those that have the Benefit of it who therefore think him altogether such an one as themselves and take occasion from his Patience to question his Faithfulness and challenge his Iustice saying Where is the Promise of his Coming Yet he bears and his Patience is stretched out even to Long-suffering because he is not willing that any should perish nor that any means should be left untried to prevent their perishing Therefore he bears with Sinners because this is the Day of his Patience and of their Probation The Wrath of God is reveal'd from Heaven in the Word of God that we might be aw'd by Faith more than in present Providences which would be an aw to Sense But there is a Day coming a dreadful Day when our God shall come and shall no longer keep silence a Day foretold in the early Ages of the VVorld by Enoch the seventh from Adam when Judgment shall be executed upon ungodly Sinners for all their hard Speeches which Day he will not anticipate for he knows it is coming Psal. 37. 13. It is agreeable to the regular course of Justice that all Judgments be adjourn'd till the Iudgment-Day and all Executions defer'd till Execution-Day And therefore now he condescends to reason with those that speak against him for their Convicttion as he doth by the Prophet Ezek. 18. 25 c. where he fairly debates the Case with those who said The way of the Lord is not equal That every Mouth may be stopped with an unanswerable Argument before it be stopt with an irreversible Sentence and those who have spoken against him may be sent speechless to Hell He keeps silence now because when he doth speak he will be justified When our Lord Jesus was here upon Earth with what an invincible Patience did he endure the contradiction of Sinners when so many ill things were witnessed against him he was silent
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 oppoâ—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 theâ—â—â—â—ports they fall to the ground of course but on the contrary the Châ—â—stian Religion was planted and preserv'd not only without but against secular Force recommended and