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

2. The Work of Meekness is to calm the Spirit, so as that the inward Peace may not be disturbed by any outward Provocation. No doubt but a Man may express his displeasure against the Miscarriages of another, as much as at any time there is occasion for, without suffering his Resentments to recoil upon himself, and to put his own Soul into a hurry. What need a Man to tear himself (his Soul, so it is in the Hebrew) in his anger? Job 18. 4. Cannot we charge home upon our Enemies Camp, without the wilful disordering of our own Troops? Doubtless we may, if Meekness have the command, for that's a Grace which preserves a Man Master of himself, while he contends to be Master of another; And tho' there may be some firing in the Out-works, yet fortifies the Heart, the Main-Fort, the Innerwards, against the assaults of Provocation which do us no great harm, while they do not rob us of our Peace, nor disturb the Rest of our Souls. As Patience in case of Sorrow, so Meekness in case of Anger keeps possession of the Soul (as the expression is, Luke 21. 19.) that we be not disseized of that Free-hold, and takes care when the Bell is up, that it do not overturn. The Drift of Christ's Farewell-Sermon to his Disciples we have in the first Words of it, Jo•. 14. 1. ⟨p. 20⟩Let not your Hearts be troubled—. It is the Duty and Interest of all good People, whatever happens, to keep Trouble from their Hearts, and to have them even and sedate, tho' the Eye (as Job expresseth it) should continue unavoidably in the Provocation of this World, Job 17. 2. The Wicked [Greek or Hebrew] the Turbulent and Unquiet, so the Word primarily signifies) are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest, Isa. 57. 20. but that Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keeps the Hearts and Minds of all the Meek of the Earth. Meekness preserves the Mind from being ruffled, and discomposed, and the Spirit from being unhinged by the Vanities and Vexations of this lower World: It stills the noise of the Sea, the noise of her Waves, and the Tumult of the Soul; permits not the Passions to crowd out in a disorderly manner, like a confused ungoverned Rabble; but draws them out like the Trained bands, Rank and File, every one in his own order, ready to March, to Charge, to Fire, to Retreat, as Wisdom and Grace give the Word of Command.