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

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