A
Discourse On Meekness and Quietness of Spirit
(Abridged)
by
Matthew Henry
Edited
by R. P. Woitowitz Sr.
But
let it be the hidden man of the heart, which consisteth in the
incorruption of a meek and quiet spirit, which is before God a thing
much set by. - 1 Peter 3:4
Meekness
and quietness seem to import much the same thing, but the latter
having something of metaphor in it, will illustrate the former, and
therefore we shall speak of them distinctly.
We
must be of a meek spirit. Meekness is easiness of spirit: not a
sinful easiness to be debauched, as Ephraim'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 tender-hearted; 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 mansuetus,
which alludes to the taming and reclaiming of creatures wild by
nature, and bringing them to be tractable and familiar. (See James
3:7, 8). Man's corrupt nature has made him like the wild ass used to
the wilderness, or the swift dromedary traversing her ways. (See
Jeremiah 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.
(See Isaiah 11:6, 9)
Meekness
may be 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. (See Matthew 22:36-40)
There
is meekness towards 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.
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 high thoughts, and lays the soul like white paper
under God's pen. When the dayspring takes hold of the ends of the
earth, it is said to be turned as clay to 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 he will teach his way." (See Psalm 86:11,
Proverbs 9:9). 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. (See Proverbs 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 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, "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 in Romans 6:17, 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.
There
is meekness towards our bretren, towards "all men." (See
Titus 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. (See
Ephesians 4:26).
Meekness,
in the school of the philosophers, is a virtue consisting in a mean
between the extremes of 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.
(Galatians 5:22, 23). It is a grace wrought by the Holy Ghost both as
a sanctifier and 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.
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 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 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.
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