A
Discourse On Meekness and Quietness of Spirit
Abridged
from the Rev. Matthew Henry
A
meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 1
Peter 3:4
Published
by the American Tract Society
THE
EXCELLENCY OF MEEKNESS
There
is in it the credit of true
courage.
Meekness is commonly despised by the grandees of the age as cowardice
and meanness, and the evidence of a little soul, and is posted
accordingly; while the most furious and angry revenge is celebrated
and applauded under the pompous names of valor, honor, and greatness
of spirit. This arises from a mistaken notion of courage(a), the true
nature whereof is thus stated by a very ingenious pen: "It is a
resolution never to decline any evil of pain, when the choosing of
it, and the exposing of ourselves to it, is the only remedy against a
greater evil." And therefore he that accepts a challenge, and so
runs himself upon the evil of sin, which is the greater evil, only
for fear of shame and reproach, which is the less evil, is the
coward; while he that refuses the challenge, and so exposes himself
to reproach for fear of sin, he is the valiant man. True courage is
such a presence of mind as enables a man rather to suffer than to
sin; to choose affliction rather than iniquity; to pass by an affront
though he lose by it, and be hissed as a fool and a coward, rather
than engage in a sinful quarrel. He that can deny the brutal lust of
anger and revenge, rather than violate the royal law of love and
charity, however contrary the sentiments of the world may be, is
truly resolute and courageous; the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man
of valor. Fretting and vexing is the fruit of the weakness of women
and children, but much below the strength of a man, especially of the
new man that is born from above. When our Lord Jesus is described in
his majesty, riding prosperously, the glory in which he appears is
"truth and meekness and righteousness." The courage of
those who overcome this great red dragon of wrath and revenge by meek
and patient suffering, and by not loving "their lives unto the
death," will turn to the best and most honorable account on the
other side the grave, and will be crowned with glory and honor and
immortality, when those that caused their terror in the land of the
living fall ingloriously, and bear their shame with them that go down
to the pit. (See Ezekiel 32:24 below)(b)
It
has the credit of a conformity to the best patterns. The
resemblance of those that are confessedly excellent and glorious, has
in it an excellence and glory. To be meek is to be like the greatest
saints, the elders that obtained a good report, and were of renown in
their generation. It is to be like the angels, whose meekness in
their converse with, and ministration to the saints, is very
observable in the Scriptures; nay, it is to be like the great God
himself, whose goodness is his glory, who is "slow to anger,"
and in whom "fury is not." We are then followers of God, as
dear children, when we "walk in love," and are kind one to
another, tender hearted, forgiving one another. The more quiet and
sedate we are, the more like we are to that God who, though he be
nearly concerned in all the affairs of this lower world, is far from
being moved by its convulsions and revolutions; but, as he was from
eternity, so he is, and will be to eternity, infinitely happy in the
enjoyment of himself. It is spoken to his praise and glory, The Lord
sits upon the floods, even when the floods have lifted up their
voices, have lifted up their waves. Such is the rest of the eternal
Mind, that he sits as firm and undisturbed upon the movable flood as
upon the immovable rock, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;
and the meek and quiet soul that preserves its peace and evenness
against all the ruffling insults of passion and provocation, does
thereby somewhat participate of a divine nature. (See 2 Peter 1:3-4
below)(c)
Let
the true honor that attends this grace of meekness recommend it to
us: it is one of those things that are honest and pure and lovely and
of good report; a virtue that has a praise attending it—a praise
not perhaps of men, but of God. It is the certain way to get and
keep, if not a great name, yet a good name; such as is better than
precious ointment. Though there be those that trample upon the meek
of the earth, and look upon them as Michal upon David, despising them
in their hearts; yet if this is to be vile, let us be yet more vile
and base in our own might, and we shall find, as David argues, that
there are those of whom we shall be "had in honor;" for the
word of Christ shall not fall to the ground, that they "who
humble themselves shall be exalted."
(a)
Brethren:
In
William Shakespeare's play “The Merchant of Venice” one of the
main characters, a woman by name of Portia, delivers a soliloquy on
the qualities of mercy. Within it, she describes how it suits the
crowned monarch, even more so than his scepter, which designates,
temporal power. For mercy, can only be granted by one person over
another, however, both are blessed by it; as it blesses the one that
grants, and the one that receives. I would therefore humbly put for
the proposition that meekness, can be likened to it. Not synonymous,
but similar in that it when used it can defer the most harshest of
words, deeds and thoughts, and then, lends itself to the quality of
mercy.
(b)
There is Elam and all her multitude round
about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone
down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, who caused
their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their
shame with them that go down to the pit.
(ci) An explication of
the former sentence, declaring the causes of so great benefits, to
wit, God and his free promise, from whence all these benefits
proceed, I say, these most excellent benefits, whereby we are
delivered from the corruption of the world, (that is, from the
wicked lusts which we carry about us) and are made, after a sort,
like unto God himself. By the divine nature, he meaneth not the
substance of the Godhead, but the partaking of these qualities
whereby the image of God is restored in us. For lust is the fear of
corruption, and hath his fear even in our very bowels and inmost
part. - GNV Study notes
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