EpaßieofS. Fai/to ritreJ. it preferueth peat; within, whets it it prouoked tomarre, ro anger, and re- turne of wrongs : for then is the cheife vfe ofthis grace : which is ther- foreadded, becaufe many men feeme to haue attained this venue, when it is ncuer a whit fo. Let themalone, offend them not you (hall haue them gentle, courteous, affable and tra&able enough; but croffe them a little, and (litre their blood, oh now you mull pardon them, theyhaue their affe&ions,and you (hall know they catrbepaflionate and angrie as wellas others; here (hall you fee the bet}naturebetraying her meeknes. But Chrillian meekenes mull flep in toouercomeeusll withgood when it is prouoked to returne euiil, or elle what great thing doe(l thou; it is no hard thing for the aerie Infidel andTurke to be kind to the kind,nay the wild beat} if thon god} no further,wil be as meek as thou,who themot} of them hurt not vnprouoked. Secondly, this meekeneffe mull be (hewed forth, not hidde with our flues, but it mull bebrought into the light ; that others may haue the benefit of it: for as this grace is a figne andpawne ofoureleaion,which as the elect} ofGodwe mull put on, and arraie our retries withal], Coloff. 3. r s. fo allo mull it be the ornament ofour vocation,whereby we glo- rifie God, adorne ourprofeflion, andwinne others vate the liking ofit. Hence the Apof}le praying the Ephefians towalke worthy of their high calling, reacheth them that this they (hall doe,if theyput on huntblenes ofminde,meekenefe,longfieffering, &c.Ephe1 4. 2. for othcrwife if men partake not in thefe graces, the vnitie of the fpirit in thebond of peace, cannot long laß vndi(folucd. Third!, this meeknes mu(} be (hewed to allmen, beleeuers, vnbe- leeners, friends, enemies, the better, and the work, which is a fpeciall I point not to beneglebled, becaufc it is the ground ofthe verles follow- ing. Quell. But if meeknes mull bee (hewed , yea all meekenefe to all men, howmay we warrant any angeragain(}.any man in any finne,or of- fence, or howmay any feueritie be put onagain(} any offender ? Anfw. This beeing a grace of the fpirit, it croffeth not any other of them, fo as it is no enemie to that of zeale, which wee bane urged out of the 14. verleofthe former Chapter : andChri(lians miflake this grace , when they dreame it to be a bottomles charitie, and vnder pretenceof meek- nes, can beare with any euill,which indeede is nothing elfebut an itreli- gious,and mute approbation and affociation in the eluill. He that cons- mandeth to be angrie, but not tofanne, maketh it a (inne not fometimes to be angry : neither did the meekeneffe of Mofes hinder , but that he might bee exceeding angrie at the calfe they hadmade. Whence it fal- loweth, that publike perlons mull publikely repreffe, and reprooue o- pen finnes, ditlurbing the publike proceedings ofreligion or iuflice; fo 0 o 4 Danid CHAP.3.x. 5 8 Rom.ta.ar. Thismeekenes no enemie to crue male. Eph.q.a6. Exod.;s.t'.
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