Friday, May 15, 2015



Excerpts From a Discourse on Meekness
By Matthew Henry; Edited by Doktor Riktor Von Zhades

Take Time to Pause and Consider

Brethren:

It is a good rule, as in our communion with God, so in our converse with men, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing." When at any time we are provoked, delays may be as advantageous as in other cases they are dangerous. "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger." "I would beat thee," said Socrates to his servant, "if I were not angry;" but "he that is hasty of spirit," that joins in with his anger upon the first rise of it, "exalteth folly." The office of reason is to govern the passions; but then we must give time to act, and not suffer the tongue to overrun it. Some  have advised, when we are provoked to anger, to take at least so much time to deliberate as while we repeat the alphabet; and others have thought it more proper to repeat the Lord's prayer, and perhaps by the time we are past the fifth petition, "forgive our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us," we may be reduced into temper. It is a good rule, to "think twice before we speak once;" for he that hasteth with his feet sinneth. It was the noted saying of a great statesman in queen Elizabeth's court, "Take time, and we shall have done the sooner." Nor can there be any thing lost by deferring our anger; for there is nothing said or done in our wrath but it might be better said and better done in meekness.

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