A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon…

5. The Credit of a Conformity to the best Patterns. The Resemblance of those that are confessedly Excellent and Glorious, hath in it an Excellency and Glory. To be meek, is to be like the greatest Saints; the Elders that obtained a good Report, and were of Renown in their Generation. 'Tis to be like the greatest Angels, whose Meekness in their Converse with, and Ministration to the Saints, is very observable in the Scriptures; nay, it is to be like the Great God himself, whose Goodness is his Glory, (who ⟨p. 51⟩is Deus Optimus, and therefore Maximus) who is slow to Anger, and in whom Fury is not, Isa. 27. 4. We are then followers of God, as dear Children, when we walk in Love, and are kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, Eph. 5. 1, 2. compare chap. 4. l. The more quiet and sedate we are, the more like we are to that God, who tho' he be nearly concerned in all the Affairs of this lower World, is yet far from being moved by its most violent Convulsions and Revolutions;¹ But as he was from Eternity, so he is and will be to Eternity, infinitely happy in the enjoyment of himself. It is spoken to his Praise and Glory, Psal. 29. 10. The Lord sits upon the Floods, even then, when the Floods have lifted up their voice, have lifted up their Waves, Psal. 93. 3, 4. Such is the Rest of the eternal Mind, that he sits as firm and undisturbed upon the moveable Flood,² as upon the immovable Rock, the same Yesterday, to Day, and for Ever; And the meek and quiet Soul that preserves its Peace and Evenness against all the ruffling Insults of Passion and Provocation, doth thereby somewhat participate of a Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4.³