VAR. Z. Ephefiant,Chap.,4. 4 g and fluggifh fpirit, fuch as is taxed Mold Eli, who when hee fbould have thundred at his fonnes for their notorious wickedneffe, yea have fharply punifh d them, did onely in a puling cold manner expoftulate with them, o myfonnes, why doeyou there things? and how is it that 1 hhare thefe willreports ofyou! As in cSMafis there wasmeekneffe above all men, fozeale for God had its free courte, and though hee would yieldmuchofhis owne right,as to Pharaoh when thouwilt require me to prayfor thee, Exod.8. 9. yet in Gods right he would not yield that an hook of the cattle fhould be left behind, Exec/. to. z6. And though in his owne injury he wasnot flirted, Numb. 12. z,3. yet in Gods dif- honour his holy anger was fo inflamed, that he brake the tables of the Covenant, ground thegolden calfe to powder, cart the duff into the water, andmade the peopletodrinke ofir, yea and caufedmany ofthe idolatrous people tobe (Line, Exod. 32. Nor thirdly, doth it let us. to Peek thedue amendment of abrother in his finne by reproofe orany other courfe, but rather direr l us how we fhould performe it. If a bro- theybe fallen by an occafton, the Aponte doth not bid that our of the (pirit of meekneffewe fhould let him lye,and for £care ofbeing fome gricfe to him or difpleafing him , not admonifh him , but that wee !hould re/lore him, and doewhat we did to that end , with the /ßirit of meekneffe. It were (mall meekneffe or mercy to let a man lye, that by a fall bath broken a leg or put a member out of joint , and not fet hand tocure him for fearèofputting him topaine, or moving him to anger, but as out of pitywe were totake him up, and endeavòur our heft to reftore him: fo this muffbe done with agentle hand and tender ufage, as his cafe doth require: fo is it in.reltoring a brother fallenby finne, from which meekneffe muff not hold us back , but advife us how to goe about and order that work. Finally,therefore fo it is that none can be a right Chriftian who is not in his meafure furnifhed with this ver- tue andother of like nature. But there fall out times and places where they mull lye (till, and the exercifc of them be fufpended, that other vertues may the more fully doe their office and take their turne; even as tomake goodMuflck all the firings muff be in tune, but it is not for all íä1l to found, but fomeat fome time muff bee (till and filent, that others may doetheir part and their found be heard. Now for the grounds ofmeekneffe we may gather thefe out of the Scripture. t. The example ofour bleffed Saviour. Learnt ofme,for 1 am meek, &c. For if therewere fuch meekneffe in himwho is the Ly- on ofthe tribeof¡dab, theGodofglory, as that he bare much fcorn. full and contemptuous ufage without any lealt motion of wrath or re- venge, yca fo that he prayed for his enemies , and for peace yielded ofhis right, and payd tribute whereas he was free ; what meekneffe fhould we ftrive for, and frame our felves unto, who are filly gra(hop- pers and crawling wormesofthe earth, baker by finne then bafeneffe it felfe: Godskind andgentle dealing towards us; wee have and doe oft and haynoufly offendhim, whom yetwe have found fo kind and good as t sam.x.a;. Gal6. s. The grounds ofincekflea. Math.ic. :t. Matth.17.r7. 2.
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