V & R. 2. Ephefdnr, Chap. +. (hips are fometime overwhelmed with waves , sometime (lathed a- gainft rocks and caft on quick- fands.So it is with angerand other af- feCtions, they are finfull three wayes. r. I fthcy fIirreot at all or bc flack: for hereby men are cold in Gods caufe and fluggifh in their journey towards heaven, a, When they rife up againft God and goodneffe,and provoke us to faour felves againft piety, to oppofe and perfecute it; for then they ptterly hinder us in our journey and carry us back to hell-ward. 3. When they are too violent,for then they oft carry us headlong unto evil', ormifcarry us in the doing ofgood that it turneth unto evils. This then is the work of theekneth: foranger chat asit giveth it leave to arifcand kindle when and where it should, fo it doth guide and mode - tate it that it keeps its bounds and become not finfull anger in fettingus againft good, or makingus toexceed meafure even for good it felfe. Secondly,more particularly meekneffe towards God fltewes it Idle in thefe three things. r. Itcloth receive and willingly fubjeet it felfe wholly to the Word ofGod, whether it fpeakgood or evill to a man, whether it reprove of commend, threaten or comfort. Receive with tam,. ut. meeknefe the wordengraffedin you , as did good Hezekjab, who when by the Prophet E(ay he was toldofthe fpoyle that shouldbe made of his treafures, whereinhe had too much boafted , and the captivity of his pofterity, did not in wrath boyleagainrt it,but (cooping and yeeld- ing to it faid , The wordof God which thou haft fpoken isgood, a Kingsz. 59. a. It ftuopes unto and quietly takes upon it felfe the yoakeof Ch rift, and (bakesnot offthe molt fink precepts ofthe Gotpeil, nor declinesthe molt fevere courfcs of mortification, though they croffe the flesh, reflraine our liberty and keep us (hurt ofour profit, cafe and such like things which pleafe the flesh, but undergoeth all without murmuring or reasoning. And fo Chrift affirmes it to bee a part of meeknesto takehis yoak de tofindit eafy;which they that want this tame Mxtth.n.t9. and meek fpirit cannot endure, but (torme at and ftrugele with all their might tocafe off,Let as break thewbonds & eaff away their cord,fromus. Pfal.., Z. Thirdly,meekneffe doth not in a diftempered manner fret at Gdds correhfions and works though they cro(re him, but patiently doth bear them, at the good theefe on the Croffe: Dolt thou not feare God (faithhe) to his fellow? We are here jufily , and fifer things worthy of what we havedone; whereinthe Prophet Moab much forgot all meek- Luke 3541. neffe, whomwhen the Lord crofl'ed in nos deftroying Ninevehactor- 43' ding to his preaching, and in fmiting ofhis gourd , in whofc fhadow he fo much delighted ,was all in achafe,and in thisrefh anger did jufti- Ion,h fy himfelfe and fearfully conteft with the Lord. As heath which are tamed and fubduedby manare ruled by the wordsand voyce of their mailer to turne this or that way , to doe this or that , take on them quietly faddleor yoake to doe their work,beareblowes and ftroakes at their hands with (rare and fobmiffion, whichthofe that are wild and fierce will not endure,but at fuch things are enraged and turne a- gainft
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