~ Of early AifiiElioJJs. 203 And the Prophet defcrib~th our Saviour's patience, that he was opprejfed, midwas af– ~ fiieled yet he opened not his nwuth: he was brought as a lamb to the ]laughter and as a _{heep before the {hearers is dumb,fo he open– ed. not his mouth 7 'f-. Indeed .a n1o.defl: and unaffeCted filence is a good way to exprefs our fubmi.ffion to the hand of God under affliCtions. The Heathen n1oralifl:.s, who pretend much to patience, could never l1old their peace; but defired always to fignal– ize themfelves by fome fetches of wit, and expreffions of unuafual courage. But certainly the 1nute and quiet Chriflian be11aves hin1felf much better. Loquaci.f fimum illud Jilentium: That eloquent and expreffive filence faith n1ore than all their vain and Stoical boaflings. We cannot now infifr in any length on this Chrifiian duty of patience, and fu~tniffion to the will of God; we ihall only fay two things of it, which the text importeth. Firfi, That this ldfon is n1ofl con1monly learned in 'the fchool of afHiCl:ions: l-Ie jitteth-aloJ1e andkeepeth .fileJ1ce, becat-ife he hath borne it upon him. In that forecited place of Jere– miah xxxi. I 8. Ephraim bemoaning himfilf, acknowledgeth tha~ he had been as a bullock . U1taccuflomed * If. 1". ~ • !11· 7·
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