the Root of all the Morall Vertues Hee that is free from Anger will be free from all manner of Vertue Aristotle makes it a laudable Quality if it haue due restraint and limitation of which sort are Quibus de rebus quibusque hominibus and Quemadmodùm and Quo tempore and Quamdiù For there must bee respect had to the Causes for which and to the Persons towards whom and to the Manner how and to the Season at what time and to the Continuance or lasting of it Dauid in the fourth Psalme hath set downe an inuiolable Rule for it Wherein is to be noted in passage that he that could beare the reproaches of the Vilest Person could giue the excellentest Precept of Anger Be angry and sinne not There are two things required to make it a blamlesse Anger First that the cause bee warrantable least it haue the conception of a wicked Anger Secondly that it be bridled by Reason least it grow into Excesse and degenerate into the Nature of a sinne So then Moses departed not from his former Meekenesse when hee was so farre transported for Gods cause that he brake the two Tables of Stone newly written with the Finger of Gods Hand Phineas had a good Cause when he stood vp to execute iudgement by which he both turned away the Plague and receiued the Praise of Righteousnesse amongst all Generations Elias was a man subiect to like Passions as we are being once transported with an holy Anger that the Children of Israel were generally fallen to serue Baal and himselfe onely left to serue the Lord. Lastly the Zeale was holy which possessed our Sauiour when he scourged the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple Nay whosoeuer is not Angry for God and a good Cause wanteth Phineas his Zeale and Dauids vnoffensiue Anger and Saint Pauls Rod and againe the Zeale of Christ The Zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp Iohn 2. The second is a Remisnesse and Loosenesse in our Functions This Vice doth often creepe into the Meeke mans Manners and yet it is a lesser Vice then extreme Rigour For the Meeke Man as S. Gregory saith doth onely suffer a Vice to steale vpon his good Nature and Vertue but the testy and angry Person doth hotly prosecute a Vice vnder the name and pretence of a Vertue S. Gregory doth grauely obserue the difference of the Apostles Admonitions vnto two Persons participating of one Affection of Charity and yet diuided in their temper and disposition For Timothy who was more violent and hot hee ment to take oft from his edge Reproue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine But vnto Titus who was of a colder temper he endeuoureth to adde more Spirit These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all Authority And in the Person of Titus is the same Admonition recommended vnto euery Meeke Man in his Function And this shall suffice for the two Vices shrouded vnder the name of Meekenesse the one an Errour in our Nature the other a Deprauation of our Manners The Second generall part was the Dignity or Sublimity of such Persons as are eminent in this Vertue of Meekenesse Blessed There are foure seuerall Kindes as the Schoole-men obserue Gifts Vertues Fruits Beatitudes Gifts are the seuen Gifts of the Holy Ghost and are almost all recited in the 11. of Isaiâ—h vnder the name of Spirits The Spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding The Spirit of counsell and might the Spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. The Vertues are some Morall and some Theologicall The Morall are Prudence Temperance Iustice Fortitude with other lesser Vertues and the Theologicall are Faith Hâ—pe and Charity The Fruits are in part numbred vnto vs by Saint Paul in the fifth to the Galatians But the fruit of the Spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith Meekenesse temperance Lastly the Beatitudes are these eight heere in the fifth Chapter of S Matthew Pouerty in Spirit Mourning Meekenesse Hunger and Thirst after righteousnesse Mercy and so forward First for Gifts they are Habits in the Soule which descend with the Holy Ghost the God of Loue and because they can neuer bee disioyned from Loue therefore they are peculiarly called by that name The Gifts of the Holy Ghost The Vertues are likewise Habits whereof some are conceiued within the Minde of Man through the Light of Reason as the Morall Vertues and some are infused into the Minde as the free Gifts of God namely the Theologicall The Fruits are like their name the Issues and Fruits of the Spirit within vs and haue a double resemblance vnto corporall Fruits first that they bee the last Productions of the strength and vigour of the Spirit Secondly that they be delectable and pleasant to the Soule as fruits are to the taste Lastly the Beatitudes are outward Actions and Practises differing from Vertues as in some other respects so also in this that Vertues are Habits and Powers of the Minde Beatitudes are Practises and Operations of the Vertues This Estate of Meekenesse falls into three of these Orders and is both a Morall Vertue one of the Fruits of the Spirit and a Beatitude First in respect of the Morall Part of it wherewith those noble Spirits amongst the Heathen were endued it is the same with Patience a Morall Vertue only and riseth no higher Secondly as it brings delectation and content to the Soule it is one of the Fruits of the Spirit and reckoned amongst them in that fifth Chapter to the Galatians And in the last place as it is an eminent and perfect Practise of that Vertue in the life of a Christian it is one of the Beatitudes and the Persons excelling in it are pronounced Blessed These Speculations of the Schoolmen may seeme too curious and subtill especially for this Auditory and therefore are to be touched onely in Passage But I may set downe this for Positiue that there are three things required in Meekenesse to make it a Beatitude and to confirme the Professours of it in the State of Blessednesse The first is that it be not an ordinary measure of Meekenesse but an Eminency or Perfection in it Secondly that this Meekenesse be accepted of God Thirdly that it bee in the present an Inchoation or Beginning of future Blessednesse For the first Aristotle aboue the common degree of Vertue exalteth one kinde which is called Heroicall which hath that Eminency that it dignifieth the Professors thereof with the Title of Diuini viri deriuing vnto them some participation of Deity or Diuinity This Meekenesse whereof we speake though it be not an Heroicall Vertue for that is too low a degree for a Christian yet it must be some supereminent degree far aboue the positiue qualified not with one Action or Circumstance but with many and conueying the attribute of Beaci viri or Blessednesse to them that haue it There wee many things concurring in Dauids Meeknesse to make it a Beatitude or Blessednesse The Person of the King
though by diuers waies Silence taketh away the Fuell that the Fire may not burne but a Soft Answer distilleth drops of Water to put it out Besides a Soft Answer pertaketh sometimes of Iacobs wrestling with the Angell that it obtaineth a Benediction in the end which was the Effect of Abigails Speech to Dauid that it wrought not a relenting alone in Dauids heart toward her Husband Nabal but found a more gracious acceptance at his hands Blessed be thy aduice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding of bloud Another Lenitiue in the same ranke though it might seeme otherwise is a sharp speech in due season And therefore Saint Paul inserts this in his charge to Timothy Cum modestiâ corripientem In meekenesse reprehending those that oppose themselues So that there is Meekenesse in Bitternesse as well as in Sweetnesse Such was the Speech of Abigail to her Husband Nabal after she had saued him from the wrath of Dauid When Nabal was in his wine it had beene bootlesse to haue spoken and would haue prouoked him to more folly but after his wine was disgested she pierced his Soule that his Heart smote within him Such effect hath a sharpe reprehension tempered with Modesty and Discretion The second Preseruatiue of Meeknesse is Cession or giuing place vnto wrath So Saint Paul aduiseth Rom. 12. Auenge not your selues but rather giue place vnto wrath What 's that Giue place vnto Wrath that Wrath should ouerflow in your breasts not so but Depart from thine Enemie whilst he is in his Anger that so thy Absence and remouing the Occasion might bury those vnhappy flames which are kindled betwixt you This was Iacobs Pollicy to pacifie his Brother Esau who being directed by the Counsell of Rebecca and herein she was the Embleme of Patience departed from his Brother into a far Country and returned not againe till after many yeeres when his Brothers wrath was wholly appeased The third is A Motion to Reconciliation which is another Precept in the fore-recited Psalme Seeke peace and ensue it The Contention is not worthy who gaue the first cause of offence but it is a blessed thing to moue the first Stone to Reconciliation This also was after practised by the Patriarch Iacob who thought it not enough to giue place vnto wrath vnlesse he further endeuoured a Reconciliation and bought it too with faire language and large gifts whereby he so mollified his brother Esaus Heart that in the end Praereptae benedictionis non meminisset meminisset delatae satisfactionis as Saint Cyprian saith The Birthright and Blessing were quite forgotten but the Presents and Satisfaction were fresh and powerfull So now we haue in the generall three Preseruatiues of Meekenesse Gouernement or Brideling of the tongue Cession or Giuing place vnto wrath and A Motion or Endeuouring of Reconciliation There is now one Blot wherewith this Vertue of Meekenesse is subiect to be stained from which it will be pertinent to free and deliuer it And that is that howsoeuer it may lurke vnder the name of a Vertue notwithstanding it proceedeth from no other Originall but Defect of Courage and is in it selfe the Badge of Pusillanimity and an abiect minde And especially if it bee so as Aristotle saith that Ira is Calcar Virtutis Anger is the Spurre of Vertue what then must that needs bee which both dulleth the edge of Vertue and brings in it selfe no warmth to prouoke forward vnto any vertuous or magnanimous Action But this is not so The Effect of Meekenesse is to bee Vanquisher ouer our owne Passions And the Wise man hath said Prou. 16. He that is slow to Anger is better then the mighty and he that ruleth his Spirit then he that taketh a citty And the rather because the Domesticke Enemy is more dangerous then the Forraine and commonly those which haue made other Men their thralls are the greatest slaues to their owne Passions Besides the Spurre which pricked forward those Heathen Worthies vnto such renowned Patience was not any base thought or Abiectnesse but Magnanimity and Height of Minde as hath beene already shewed And who would impute the Meekenesse of Dauid vnto any Basenesse and not rather vnto Height of minde in suffering the foule Reuiler Shimei at such a time when as Dauid was guarded with a Band of Men all well appointed and ready at his command to execute Vengeance vpon a silly vnarmed caitife Lastly the Schoole Diuines who refer euery one of these Beatitudes to some of the seuen Gifts of the Holy Ghost as Hunger and Thirst after Righteousnesse together with Mercy to the Gift of Piety Pouerty in Spirit and Mourning to the Gift of the Feare of the Lord doe refer this Vertue of Meekenesse vnto the Gift of Might or Fortitude There are two Vices which are shrouded vnder the name of Meekenesse that ought to be carefully auoided The one is Senslesnesse or a whole Auersion from the Passion of Anger the other Remisnesse or Loosenesse in our Functions And these two ought to be thus diuided amongst themselues for the former is a Defect in our Nature the latter a Corruption in our Manners We will begin with the former This Vice is called where it hath a name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is the other Extreme on the Defect of Anger Seneca who was the soarest Enemy to Anger would neuer endure that his Wise man should be thought deuoid of the sense of Iniury For that were to make him iust of the constitution of a Stocke or a Stone that nothing can penetrate or affect Besides this that it would rob him of the glory due vnto Patience Nulla virtus est quae non sentias perpeti It is no vertue to suffer those things patiently of which we are not sensible S. Ambrose accounts it a greater perfection to temper the vnrulinesse of Anger then to want the inward motions of it cùm plerunque hoc lentius illud fortius aestimetur seeing the one is an argument of Ability and power the other of Weakenesse Lastly the very Exercise of Meekenesse it selfe presupposeth Anger for it was described to be Moderatiua Irarum A Moderation about the Passion of Anger And therefore it is to be found and is most excellent in those mindes which are naturally subiect to Anger And sure the Affection of Anger is in some cases not onely tollerable but a Vertue And therefore it was truly called by the Academicks and other Philosophers Co◠Fortitudinis and Virtutis Socia The Whetstone of Courage and the Associate of Vertue then which two what more glorious Titles can be giuen by Heathen Contemplatours It was the Saying of Valens the Emperor Alienus ab irâ alienus à iusticiâ Hee that is free from Anger will bee free from Doing Iustice He spoke it as an Emperour vnto whom was required a Mixture of Anger for the due Execution of his Imperiall Lawes and might haue spoken it if he had meant it of Vniuersall Iustice which is
in them the spirit againe lusteth against the flesh and none of them doth so mightily ouerthrow and trample vpon Reason as Anger doth Furthermore it is a Passion that is aptest to vex the Holy Spirit of God which is giuen vs for our sanctification S. Paul writeth in the fourth to the Ephesians And grieue not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed vnto the day of Redemption To auoid this he aduiseth in the Verse following Let all bitternesse and wrath and Anger be put away from you In these and many other consisteth the Deformity of this Vice It setteth vpon a Man the Badge of folly transporteth him beyond the Bounds of Reason grieueth the Holy Spirit of God which is giuen vnto him The Second Property is Harmefulnesse or the first Prouocation by Wrong Seneca faith of Morosity or Peeuishnesse that it is Delicatum iracundiae genus A dainty kinde of Anger wherein he hitteth it right for it is so nice and queasie that nothing can wooe it to Patience This Vice vpon which we now insist may be sometimes called Mortiferum iracundiae genus A deadly kinde of Anger for it denounceth Mischiefe and hurt to him at whom it is aymed And these Natures are more vngentle then Nabal for Nabal though he parted not with his goods at the solicitation of Dauid yet hee sought to doe him no harme but there was a Nature noted by Saint Paul for a notorious euill condition Alexander the Coppersmith hath done me much euill That which was spoken in Prophecy of the Iewes wicked hatred against our Sauiour Christ was in this ranke of Anger They hated me without a cause for he sustained many Iniuries and wrongs which he neuer deserued This Kinde of Anger can haue no better censure then Homo homini Lupus and I hope it is a Disposition more frequent amongst wilde Beasts then Men. Lastly Our Sauiour Christ hath damned it with a perpetuall blot But woe to that man by whom the offence commeth The third Property opposite to Meekenesse is a Thirst of Reuenge after an Iniury receiued Seneca saith likewise in this point of Reuenge Inhumanum verbum vltio Vindication or Reuenge is an inhumane Word the Action it selfe is farre more inhumane The Saying of the same Authour Seneca is a good Tenet in Morality Non vt in benefiâ—ijs honestum est merita meritis repensare ita iniurias iniurijs illic vinci turpe est hic vincere Iniuries are not of the nature of Benefits to be requited with the like as one Benefit with another And the Contention in the one is laudable but in the other it is soule and dishonourable This made the Patient Cato when hee was stricken at vnawares and the party came to tender submission for that Iniury to put it off with so much lightnesse Non memini percussum me I remember not that I was stricken And the same Spirit of Patience and bearing Iniuries liued in many of the Auncient Worthies Alexander the two first Caesars together with some Philosophers and others And the Principle that they held for the bearing of Iniuries was Magnanimity according as Seneca one of the latest of them hath expressed and hath well discussed this Argument Magni animi est iniurias despicere that it was the marke of a poore Spirit to be touched with Iniuries and a great Minde did trample and contemne them Now the Vertue of Patience which shined in those Heathen Worthies is not sufficient to set of that Meekenesse that is required at our hands or to be a patterne for a Christians Imitation For first that is true which is Obiected against them by Saint Cyprian Tamillis falsa Patientia est quam falsa Sapientia They had a false Patience because they had a false Wisdome The ground of their Patience was Tumour and Pride at the best Magnanimity but Christian Meekenesse must arise not out of a Vice or shadow of a Vertue but out of a true ground or the Mother of all Vertues that is Humility as I haue already shewed Againe the Actions of those Heroical Spirits toward those that did the Iniuries are onely manifest and we are not assured of their Affections how their Hearts stood affected toward them but our Heauenly Master requireth as the Complement of our Meekenesse that we forgiue men their trespasses Matth. 6. that is A free Remission of all Iniuries And Loue your Enemies Matth. 5. that is An entire Affection toward their Persons Lastly the Heroicall Patience went no further then this Recompence to no man euill for euill and knew nothing of the other degree But Christian Meekenesse must exceed this But ouercome euill with good Like the Meekenesse of Moses who offered himselfe to be blotted out of the Booke of Life for that People which had murmured against God and whereof some also had repined and mutined against himselfe Or like the Meekenesse of our Sauiour Christ which so farre surpasseth all comparison that euen as wee all confesse Viuificatur Christi Sanguine etiam qui fudit sanguinem Christi They which crucified our Sauiour Christ are restored by the bloud which their malitious hands haue spilled Now wee haue gone through the three Vices opposite to this second Kinde of Meekenesse First Readinesse or Pronenesse to Anger Secondly Harmefulnesse or an euill Desire of Doing wrong And thirdly Thirst of Reuenge after an Iniury receiued The Preseruatiues of Meekenesse for It cannot be but that offences will come as our Sauiour saith may be diuerse The first is Silence or Taciturnity And this first Precept is recommended in the 34. Psalme to him that would lead a quiet life and desireth to see good daies Keepe thy tongue from euill As Seneca saith in a case not much vnlike Cadit statim simultas ab alterâ parte deserta nisi par non pugnat So where Wrath encountreth with Silence the Quarrell is lame on the one side and the strife will soone be appeased But the contrary hapneth where it is vpheld vpon equall termes as the Comick Poet hath said Bacchae baccanti si velis aduersarier Ex insanâ insaniorem facies Besides the strife which the Tongue raiseth is not worthy the maintaining if we consider the Originall of it It is but a word which pierceth not Et tantùm delicatis graue as the Morallist saith felt onely by them that are delicate and tender and in that impression rather vexeth then hurteth them And much lesse if we consider the Parties from whom it vsually comes Vt quisque contemptissimus Et vt miximè ludibriò est ita solutissimae linguae Euer the more lewd or the more â—oolish the party be the more lauish of â—is tongue he is and the more liberty we giue him And ye suffer fooles gladly saith S. Paul to the Corinthians Another Lenitiue in the same ranke which is Gouernment of the Tongue is a Soft and gentle Answer A soft answer turneth away wrath Prouerbs 15. And these two may worke one Effect