A discourse on meekness, and quietness of spirit ...

Chap. II. The Excellency of Meekness, 40

CnAP. III. Want of Meekness lamented, 78 Chap. IV. ENCOURAGEMENTS TO MEEKNESS

Chap. V. Scripture Patterns, 99

Chap. VI. When Meekness is specially required, 118

Chap. VII. Arguments for Meekness, 132

Chap. VIII. Some Rules of Direction, 145

ON MEEKNESS.

Chapter I. The Nature Of Meekness And Quietness Of Spirit

Meekness is easiness of spirit ; not a sinful easiness to be debauched, as JEphraim's, who willingly walked after the commandment of the idolatrous princes ; nor a simple easiness to be imposed upon and deceived, as Rehoboam's, who, when he was forty years old, is said to be young and tenderhearted ; but a gracious easiness to be wrought upon by that which is good, as theirs whose heart of stone is taken away, and to whom a heart of flesh is given. Meekness accommodates the soul to every occurrence, and so makes a man easy to himself, and to all about him. The Latins call a meek man mansuttus, which alludes to the taming and reclaiming of creatures wild by nature, and bringing them to be tractable and familiar. James, 3 : 7, 8. Man's corrupt nature has made him like the wild ass used I*

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to the wilderness, or the swift dromedary traversing her ways. Jer. 2 : 23, 24. But the grace of meekness, when that gets dominion in the soul, alters the temper of it, submits it to management ; and now the wolf dwells with the lamb, and the leopard lies down with the kid, and a little child may lead them ; for enmities are laid aside, and there is nothing to hurt or destroy. Isa. 1 1 : 6, 9.

Meekness maybe considered with respect both to God and to our brethren ; it belongs to both the tables of the law, and attends upon the first great commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God ; as well as the second, which is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; though its especial reference is to the latter.

I. There is meekness toward God, and it is the easy and quiet submission of the soul to his whole will, according as he is pleased to make it known, whether by his word or by his providence.

1. It is the silent submission of the soul to the word of God : the understanding bowed to every divine truth, and the will to every divine precept; and both without murmuring or disputing. The word is then an " engrafted word," when it is received with meekness, that is, with a sincere willingness to be taught, and desire to learn. Meekness is a grace that cleaves the stock, and holds it open, that the word, as a shoot, may be grafted in ; it breaks up the fallow ground, and makes it fit to receive the seed ; captivates the

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r high thoughts, and lays the soul like white paper under God's pen. When the day-spring takes hold of the ends of the earth, it is said to be turned as clayto the seal. Job, 38 : 14. Meekness does, in like manner, dispose the soul to admit the rays of divine light, which before it rebelled against ; it opens the heart, as Lydia's was opened ; and sets us down with Mary at the feet of Christ, the learner's place and posture.

The promise of teaching is made to the meek, because they are disposed to learn : " the meek will he teach his way. 5 ' The word of God is gospel indeed, " good tidings to the meek ;" they will entertain it and bid it welcome. The " poor in spirit " are evangelized; and Wisdom's alms are given to those that with meekness wait daily at her gates, and like beggars wait at the posts of her doors. Prov. 8 : 34. The language of this meekness is that of the child Samuel, " Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth and that of Joshua, who, when he was in that high post of honor, giving command to Israel, and bidding defiance to all their enemies, (his breast filled with great and bold thoughts,) yet, upon the intimation of a message from heaven, thus submits himself to it : " What saith my Lord unto his servant ?" and that of Paul, (and it was the first breath of the new man,) " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" and that of Cornelius, " And now we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded

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thee of God ;" and that of the good man I have read of, who, when he was going to hear the word, used to say, 44 Now let the word of the Lord come ; and if I had six hundred necks, I would bow them all to the authority of it." To receive the word with meekness, is to be delivered into it, as into a mould : this seems to be Paul's metaphor, Rom. &: 17, that " form of doctrine which was delivered you." Meekness softens the wax, that it may receive the impression of the seal, whether it be for doctrine or reproof, for correction or instruction in righteousness. It opens the ear to discipline, silences objections, and suppresses the risings of the carnal mind against the word ; consenting to the law that it is good,* and esteeming all the precepts concerning all things to be right, even when they give the greatest check to flesh and blood.

2. It is the silent submission of the soul to the providence of God> for that also is the will of God concerning us.

(1.) When the events of Providence are grievous and afflictive, displeasing to sense and crossing our secular interests, meekness not only quiets us under them, but reconciles us to them ; and enables us not

* True meekness will prevent us from opposing either the obvious parts of Scripture, severely as they may task our vices, or the mysterious parts, in reading which, vanity may suggest that we could have dictated what is more profitable. — Augustine.

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only to bear, but to receive evil as well as good at the hand of the Lord ; which is the excellent frame that Job argues himself into : it is to kiss the rod, and even to accept of the punishment of our iniquity, taking all in good part that God does ; not daring to strive with our Maker, no, nor desiring to prescribe to him, but being dumb, and not opening the mouth, because God does it. How meek was Aaron under the severe dispensation which took away his sons with a particular mark of divine wrath ! He " held his peace." God was sanctified, and therefore Aaron was satisfied, and had not a word to say against it. Unlike to this was the temper, or rather the distemper of David, who was not like a man after God's own heart, when he was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah, as if God must have asked David leave thus to assert the honor of his ark. When God's' anger is kindled, ours must be stifled ; such is the law of meekness, that whatsoever pleases God must not displease us. David was in a better frame when he penned the 56th Psalm, the title of which, some think, bespeaks the calmness and submissiveness of his spirit when the Philistines took him in Gath. It is entitled, The silent dove afar off. It was his calamity that he was afar off, but he was then as a silent dove ; (mourning perhaps, Isa. 38 : 14 ;) but not murmuring, not struggling, not resisting, when seized by the birds of prey ; and the Psalm he penned in this frame was

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Michtam, a golden Psalm. The language of this meekness is that of Eli, " It is the Lord ;" and that of David to the same purport, " Here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him." Not only^ He can do what he will, subscribing to his power, for who can stay his hand ? or, He may do what he will, subscribing to his sovereignty, for he gives not account of any of his matters ; or, He will do what he will, subscribing to his unchangeableness, for he is in one mind, and who can turn him ? — but. Let him do what he will, subscribing to his wisdom and goodness, as Hezekiah, " Good is the word of the Lord, which thou hast spoken." Let him do what he will, for he will do what is best ; and therefore if God should reft the matter to me, says the meek and quiet soul, being well assured that he knows what is good for me better than I do for myself, I would refer it to him again ; " he shall choose our inheritance for us."

(2.) When the methods of Providence are dark and intricate, and we are quite at a loss what God is about to do with us — his way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known, clouds and darkness are round about him — a meek and quiet spirit acquiesces in an assurance that all things shall work together for good to us, if we love God, though we cannot apprehend how or which way. It teaches us to follow God with an implicit faith, as Abraham did when he

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went out, not knowing whither he went, but knowing very well whom he followed. It quiets us with this, that though what he doeth we know not now, yet we shall know hereafter. John, 13:7. When poor Job was brought to that dismal plunge, that he could no way trace the footsteps of Divine Providence, but was almost lost in the labyrinth, Job, 23 : 8, 9, how quietly does he sit down with this thought, " But He knows the way that I take ; when he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold."

II. There is meekness toward our brethren, toward "all men." Tit. 3:2. Meekness is especially conversant about the affection of anger, not wholly to extirpate and eradicate from the soul the holy indignation of which the Scriptures speak, for that were to quench a coal which sometimes there is occasion for, even at God's altar, and to blunt the edge even of the spiritual weapons with which we are to carry on our spiritual warfare ; but its office is to direct and govern this affection, that we may be angry and not sin. Eph. 4 : 26.

Meekness, in the school of the philosophers, is a virtue consisting in a mean between the extremes ot rash excessive anger on the one hand, and a defect of anger on the other : a mean which Aristotle confesses it very hard exactly to gain.

Meekness, in the school of Christ, is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Gal. 5 : 22, 23 ; it is a grace wrought by the Holy Ghost both as a sanctifier and

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as a comforter in the hearts of all true believers, teaching- and enabling them at all times to keep their passions under the conduct and government of religion and right reason. I observe that it is wrought in the hearts of all true believers, because, though there are some whose natural temper is unhappily sour and harsh, yet wheresoever there is true grace, there is a disposition to strive against, and strength in some measure to conquer such a disposition. And though in this, as in other graces, an absolute sinless perfection cannot be expected in this present state, yet we are to labor after it, and press towards it.

More particularly : the work and office of meekness is to enable us prudently to govern our own anger when at any time we are provoked, and patiently to bear the anger of others, that it may not be a provocation to us. The former is its office especially in superiors, the latter in inferiors, and both in equals.

1. Meekness teaches us prudently to govern our own anger, whenever any thing occurs that is provoking. As it is the work of temperance to moderate our natural appetites in things that are pleasing to sense, so it is the work of meekness to moderate our natural passions against those things that are displeasing to sense, and to guide and govern our resentments. Anger in the soul is like mettle in a horse, good if it be well managed. Now meekness is the bridle, as wisdom is the hand that gives law to

I it, puts it into the right way, and keeps it in an even, steady, and regular pace ; reducing it when it turns aside, preserving it in a due decorum, and restraining it and giving it check when at any time it grows headstrong and outrageous, and threatens mischief to ourselves or others. It must thus be held in, like the horse and mule, with bit and bridle, lest it break the hedge, run over those that stand in its way, or throw the rider himself headlong. It is true of anger, as we say of fire ; that it is a " good servant,' 5 but a " bad master ;" it is good on the hearth, but bad in the hangings. Meekness keeps it in its place, sets banks to this sea, and says, Hitherto thou shalt come, and no further ; here shall thy proud waves be stayed.

In reference to our own anger, when at any time we meet with the excitements of it, the work of meekness is to do these four things :

(1.) To consider the circumstances of that which we apprehend to be a provocation, so as at no time to express our displeasure but upon due and mature deliberation. The office of meekness is to keep reason upon the throne in the soul as it ought to be ; to preserve the understanding clear and unclouded, the judgment untainted and unbiassed in the midst of the greatest provocations, so as to be able to set every thing in its true light, and to see it in its own color, and to determine accordingly; as also to keep silence in the court, that the " still small voice " in 2

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which the Lord is, as he was with Elijah at Mount Horeb, may not be drowned by the noise of the tumult of the passions. A meek man will never be angry at a child, at a servant, at a friend, till he has first seriously weighed the cause in just and even balances, while a steady and impartial hand holds the scales, and a free and unprejudiced thought adjudges it necessary. It is said of our Lord Jesus, John, 1 i : 33, he troubled himself ; which denotes it to be a considerate act, and what he saw reason for. Things go right in the soul, when no resentments are admitted into the affections but what have first undergone the scrutiny of the understanding, and thence received their pass. That passion which comes not in by this door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber, against which we should guard. In a time of war, (and such a time it is in every sanctified soul, in a constant war between grace and corruption,) due care must be taken to examine all travelers, especially those that come armed: whence they came, whither they go, whom they are for, and what they would have ? Thus should it be in the well-governed, well-disciplined soul. Let meekness stand sentinel; and upon the advance of a provocation let us examine who it is that we are about to be angry with, and for what ? What are the merits of the cause, wherein lay the offence, what was the nature and tendency of it? What are likely to be the consequences of our resentments, and what harm will it be if we stifle them, and let them go no further ? Such as these are the interrogatories which meekness would put to the soul ; and in answer to them it would abstract all which passion is apt to suggest, and hear reason only as it becomes rational creatures to do.

Three great dictates of meekness we find put together in one scripture : " Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath which some observe to be couched in three proper names of Ishmael's son, Gen. 25: 14. t Chr. 1: 30, (which Bishop Prideaux, in the beginning of the wars, recommended to a gentleman that had been his pupil, as the summary of his advice,) Mishma, Dumah, Massa; the signification of which is, hear, keep silence, bear. Hear reason, keep passion silent, and then you will not find it difficult to bear the provocation.

It is said of the Holy One of Israel, when the Egyptians provoked him, he weighed a path to his anger ; so the margin reads it from the Hebrew, Psalm 78 : 50. Justice first poised the cause, and then anger poured out the vials. Thus the Lord came down to see the pride of the Babel-builders before he scattered them ; and to see the wickedness of Sodom before he overthrew it — though both were obvious and barefaced — to teach us to consider before we are angry, and to judge before we pass sentence, that herein we may be followers of God as

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dear children, and be merciful, as our Father which is in heaven is merciful.

We read of 44 the meekness of wisdom ;" for where there is not wisdom, (that wisdom which is profitable to direct, that wisdom of the prudent which is to understand his way,) meekness will not long be preserved. It is our rashness and inconsideration that betray us to all the mischiefs of an ungoverned passion, on the neck of which the reins are laid which should be kept in the hand of reason, and so we are hurried upon a thousand precipices. Nehemiah is a remarkable instance of prudence presiding in just resentments; he owns, 44 1 was very angry when I heard their cry ;" but that anger did not at all transgress the laws of meekness, for it follows, 44 then I consulted with myself," or as the Hebrew has it, my heart consulted in me. Before he expressed his displeasure he retired into his own bosom, took time for sober thought upon the case, and then he rebuked the nobles in a very solid, rational discourse, and the success was good. In every cause when passion demands immediate judgment, meekness moves for further time, and will have the matter fair]}' argued, and counsel heard on both sides.

When Job had any quarrel with his servants, he was willing to admit a rational debate of the matter, and to hear what they had to say for themselves ; for, says he, 44 what shall I do when God riseth up ? TI And withal, 44 did not He that made me in the

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womb, make him?" When our hearts are at any time hot within us, we should do well to put that question to ourselves which God put to Cain, Gen. 4 : 6. Why am I wroth ? Why am I angry at all ? Why so soon angry ? Why so very angry ? Why so far transported and dispossessed of myself by my anger ? What reason is there for all this ? Do I well to be angry for a gourd, that came up in a night and perished in a night? Jonah, 4: 9. Should I be touched to the quick by such a sudden and transient provocation ? Will not my cooler thoughts correct these hasty resentments, and therefore were it not better to check them now ? Such are the reasonings of the meekness of wisdom.

(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 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 throw his own soul into a fury. What need is there for a man to tear himself (his soul, as it is in the Hebrew) in his anger? Job, 18 : 4. Cannot we charge home upon our enemy's camp, without the willful disordering of our own troops ? Doubtless we may, if meekness have the command ; for that is a grace which preserves a man master of himself while he contends to be master of another, and fortifies the heart against the assaults of provocation that do us no great harm, while they do not

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rob us ot our peace, nor disturb the rest of our soms. 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 dispossessed of that freehold. The drift of Christ's farewell-sermon to his disciples we have in the first words of it, John, 1 6 : i , " 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, though the eye, as Job expresses it, should "continue"' unavoidably "in the provocation " of this world. " The wicked (the turbulent and unquiet, as the word primarily signifies) are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest;" 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 ; it permits not the passions to crowd out in a disorderly manner, like a confused ungoverned rabble; but draws them out like the trained bands, every one in his own order, as wisdom and grace give the word of command.

(3.) Meekness will curb the tongue, and "keep the mouth as with a bridle " when the heart is hot. Even when there may be occasion for a keenness of expression, and we are called to rebuke sharply, (cuttingly, Tit. L: 13,) yet meekness forbids all fury

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VJ and indecency of language, and every thing that sounds like clamor and evil-speaking. The meekness of Moses was not at hand when he spake that unadvised word, "rebels," for which he was shut out of Canaan, though rebels they were, and at that time very provoking. Men in a passion are apt to give reviling language, to call names, and those most senseless and ridiculous : to take the blessed name of God in vain, and so profane it. It is a wretched way by which the children of hell vent their passion at their beasts, their servants, any person, or any thing that provokes them — to swear at them. Men in a passion are apt to reveal secrets, to make rash vows and resolutions, which after- Avards prove a snare, and sometimes to slander and belie their brethren, and bring railing accusations, and so do the devil's work ; and to speak that " in their haste" concerning others, Ps. 116:11, of which they afterwards see cause to repent. How brutishly did Saul, in his passion, call his own son, the heir-apparent to the crown, the " son of the perverse rebellious woman !" " Raca " and " Thou fool " are specified by our Savior as breaches of the law of the sixth, commandment ; and the passion in the heart is so far from excusing such opprobrious speeches, (for which purpose it is commonly alledged,) that really it is that which gives them their malignity : they are the smoke from that fire, the gall and wormwood springing from that root of bitterness ; and if for "every idle word that men speak" much

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more for such wicked words as these, must they give an account at the day of judgment. And as it is a reflection upon God to kill, so it is to curse men that are made after the image of God, though even so much our inferiors; that is, to speak ill of them, or to wish ill to them.

This is the disease which meekness prevents, and is in the tongue a " law of kindness." It is to the tongue as the helm is to the ship, Jam. 3 : 4, not to silence it, but to guide it, to steer it wisely, especially when the wind is high. If at any time we have conceived passion and thought evil, meekness will lay the hand upon the mouth, (as the wise man's advice is, Prov. 30 : 32,) to keep that evil thought from venting itself in any evil word reflecting upon God or our brother. It will reason a disputed point without noise, give a reproof without a reproach, convince a man of his folly without calling him a fool, will teach superiors either to forbear threatening, Eph. 6 : 9, or, as the margin reads it, to moderate it ; and will look diligently lest any root of bitterness, springing up, trouble us, and thereby we and many others be defiled.

(4.) Meekness will cool the heat of passion quickly, and not suffer it to continue. As it keeps us from being soon angry, so it teaches us, when we are angry, to be soon pacified. The anger of a meek man is like fire struck out of steel, hard to be got out, and when it is, soon gone. The wisdom that is from above, as it is " gentle," and so not apt to

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provoke, so it is " easy to be entreated " when any provocation is given ; and has the ear always open to the first proposals and overtures of satisfaction, submission, and reconciliation ; and thus the anger is turned away. He that is of a meek spirit will be forward to forgive injuries and affronts, and has some excuse or other ready wherewith to extenuate and qualify the provocation, which an angry man, for the exasperating and justifying of his own resentments, will industriously aggravate. It is but to say, " There is no great harm done, or, if there be, there was none intended, and peradventure it was an oversight ;" and so the offence, being looked at through that end of the perspective which diminishes, is easily past by, and the distemper being taken in time, goes off quickly, the fire is quenched before it gets head, and by a speedy interposal the plague is stayed. While theavorld is so full of the sparks of provocation, and there is so much tinder in the hearts of the best, no marvel if anger come sometimes into the bosom of a wise man; but it rests only in the bosom of fools. Eccl. 7 : 9. Angry thoughts, as other vain thoughts, may crowd into the heart upon a sudden surprise, but meekness will not suffer them to lodge there, nor let the sun go down upon the wrath ; Eph. 4 : 26, for if it do, there is danger lest it rise bloody the next morning. Anger concocted becomes malice ; it is the wisdom of meekness, by proper applications, to disperse the humor before it comes to a head. One would have thought,

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when David so deeply resented Nabal's abuse, that nothing less than the blood of Nabal and all his house could have quenched his rage ; but it was done at a cheaper rate ; and he showed his meekness by yielding to the diversion that Abigail's present and speech gave him, and that with satisfaction and thankfulness. He was not only soon pacified, but blessed her, and blessed God for her that pacified him. God does not contend for ever, neither is he always wroth ; " his anger endures but a moment." How unlike him are those whose sword devours for ever, and whose anger burns like the coals of juniper? But the grace of meekness, if it fail of keeping the peace of the soul from being broken, yet fails not to recover it presently, and make up the breach ; and, upon the least transport, brings help in time of need, restores the soul, puts it in frame again, and no great harm is done. Such as these are the achievements of meekness in governing our own anger.

2. Meekness teaches and enables us patiently to bear the anger of others, which property of meekness we have especially occasion for in reference to our superiors and equals. Commonly that which provokes anger is anger, as fire kindles fire ; now meekness prevents that violent collision which forces out these sparks, and softens at least one side, and so puts a stop to a great deal of mischief ; for it is the second blow that makes the quarrel. Our first care should be to prevent the anger of others,