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

1. Abraham was a Pattern of Meekness, and he was the Father of the Faithful. The Apostle here in the verse but one before the Text, proposeth Sarah for an Example to Women, particularly an ⟨p. 98⟩Example of Meekness in an inferior Relation; she obeyed Abraham, and (in token of the respect due to a Husband) she called him Lord. Now Abraham is a Pattern of the same Grace in a Superior. He that was famous for Faith, was famous for Meekness; for the more we have of Faith towards God, the more we shall have of Meekness towards all Men.—How meek was Abraham, when there happened a strife betwixt his Herdsmen and Lot's, which, had it proceeded, might have been of ill Consequence, for the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the Land, but it was seasonably taken up by the Prudence of Abraham, Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no strife, I pray thee: Tho' he might command the Peace, yet for Love's sake he rather beseecheth. Every word hath an air of Meekness, and a tendency to keep the Peace. And when the Expedient, pitched upon for the prevention of Strife, was their parting from each other, tho' Let was the Junior, yet Abraham, for Peace-sake quitted his right, and gave Lot the choice, ver. 9. and the gracious visit which God gave him thereupon, v. 14. was an abundant recompense for his mildness and condescension. Another instance of Abraham's Meekness, we have in his Carriage towards Sarah, when she quarrelled with him so unreasonably about her Maid, angry at that which she her self had the doing of, Gen. 16. 5, 6. My wrong be upon thee;—The Lord judge between me and thee. Abraham might soon have replied, You may e'en 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 ⟨p. 99⟩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 confirmed 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: