A Discourse On Meekness and Quietness of Spirit

  Abridged from the Rev. Matthew Henry

Edited by R.P. Woitowitz Sr.

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

The very opening of this cause, one would think, were enough to carry it; and the explaining of the nature of meekness and quietness should suffice to recommend it to us. Such an amiable sweetness does there appear in it upon the very first view, that if we look upon its beauty, we cannot but be enamored with it. But because of the opposition of our corrupt hearts to this, as well as the other graces of the Holy Spirit, I shall endeavor more particularly to show the excellency of it, that we may be brought, if possible, to be in love with it, and to submit our souls to its charming power.

It is said, that a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. (See Proverbs 17:27). Tremellius translates it, “he is of a cool spirit;” put them together and they teach us that a cool spirit is an excellent spirit, and that he is a man of understanding who is governed by such a spirit. The Scriptures tell us—what need we more?—That it is in the sight of God of great price, and we may be sure that is precious indeed which is so in God's sight: that is good, very good, which he pronounces so; for his judgment is according to truth, and sooner or later he will bring all the world to be of his mind; for as he has decided it, so shall our doom be, and, he will be "justified when he speaketh, and clear when he judgeth.” [Read Matthew 12:37; Romans 3:4]. The excellency of a meek and quiet spirit will appear, if we consider the credit of it, and the comfort of it—the present profit there is by it, and

the preparedness there is in it for future blessings.

Consider how creditable a meek and quiet spirit is. Credit or reputation all desire, though few consider aright what it is, or what is the right way of obtaining it; and particularly it is little believed what a great deal of true honor there is in the grace of meekness, and what a sure and ready way mild and quiet souls take to gain the approval of their Master, and of all their fellow-servants who love him and are like him.[Read 1 Peter 3:4]

There is in it the credit of a victory. What a great figure do the names of high and mighty conquerors make in the records of fame! How are their conduct, their valor and success cried up and celebrated! But if we will believe the word of truth, and pass a judgment upon things according to it, "he that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty; [Read Proverbs 16:32; James 1:19], and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city." Behold, a greater than Alexander or Caesar is here; the former of whom, some think, lost more true honor by yielding to his own ungoverned anger, than he got by all his conquests. No triumphant chariot so easy, so safe, so truly glorious, as that in which the meek and quiet soul rides over all the provocations of an injurious world with a gracious unconcernedness, no train so splendid, so noble, as that train of comforts and graces which attend this chariot. The conquest of an unruly passion is more honorable than that of an unruly people, for it requires more true courage. It is easier to kill an enemy without, which may be done at a blow, than to chain up and govern an enemy within, which requires a constant, even steady hand, and a long and regular management. It was more to the honor of David to yield himself conquered by Abigail's persuasions, than to have made himself a conqueror over Nabal and all his house. [Read 1 Samuel 25:34]. A rational victory must needs be allowed more honorable to a rational creature than a brutal one. This is a cheap, safe, and unbloody conquest, that does nobody any harm; no lives, no treasures are sacrificed to it; the glory of these triumphs are not stained, as others generally are, with funerals. Every battle of the warrior, says the prophet, "is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood;" but this victory shall be obtained by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. Nay, in meek and quiet suffering we are "more than conquerors," through Christ that loved us: conquerors with little loss, we lose nothing but the gratifying of a base lust; conquerors with great gain, the spoils we divide are very rich—the favor of God, the comforts of the Spirit, the foretastes of everlasting pleasures; these are more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. We are more than conquerors; that is, triumphers: we live a life of victory; every day is a day of triumph to the meek and quiet soul. [Read Romans 8:31-39]

Meekness is a victory over ourselves and the rebellious lusts in our own bosoms; it is the quieting of intestine broils, the stilling of an insurrection at home, which is often harder than to resist a foreign invasion. It is an effectual victory over those that injure us, and make themselves enemies to us, and is often a means of winning their hearts. The law of meekness is, If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, not only give him drink—which is an act of charity—but drink to him, in token of friendship and true love and reconciliation; and in so doing thou shalt "heap coals of fire upon his head," not to consume him, but to melt and soften him, that he may be cast into a new mould; and thus, while the angry and revengeful man, that will bear down all before him with a high hand, is overcome of evil, the patient and forgiving overcome evil with good; and forasmuch as their "ways please the Lord, he makes even their enemies to be at peace with them." Nay, meekness is a victory over Satan, the greatest enemy of all; and what conquest can be more honorable than this? It is written for caution to us all, and it reflects honor on those who through grace overcome, that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world." [Read Ephesians 6:12]. The magnifying of the adversary, magnifies the victory over him: such as these are the meek man's vanquished enemies; the spoils of these are the trophies of his victory. It is the design of the devil, that great deceiver and destroyer of souls, that is baffled; it is his attempt that is defeated, his assault that is repulsed, by our meekness and quietness. Our Lord Jesus was more admired for controlling and commanding the unclean spirits, than for any other cures which he wrought. Unruly passions are unclean spirits, legions of which some souls are possessed with, and desperate, outrageous work they make; the soul becomes like that miserable creature that cried and cut himself, (SeeMark 5:5); or that, who was so often cast into the fire, and into the waters. (See Mark 9:22). The meek and quiet soul is, through grace, a conqueror over these enemies; their fiery darts are quenched by the shield of faith; Satan is in some measure trodden under his feet; and the victory will be complete shortly, when "he that overcometh" shall sit down with Christ upon his throne, even as he overcame, and is set down with the Father upon his throne, where he still appears in the emblem of his meekness, "a Lamb as it had been slain." And upon Mount Zion, at the head of his heavenly hosts, he appears also as a Lamb. (Revelation 14:1). Such is the honor meekness has in those higher regions.

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 14:38

38 Watch ye, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Brethren:

If we recall in the preceding verses, (29 and 31), Simon Peter, vehemently says that he shall not stumble, and yet, herein above he and the other disciples are found asleep. Truly, their spirits were indeed willing, but the flesh was unable to keep up with the spirit.

“How sad the Saviour’s heart was under the olive trees the disciples could not know; but the sadness was deepened when, coming back to them for a moment, He found them so little like Himself as to be all asleep. A sin of infirmity, no doubt; but what a revelation of the infinite distance separating them from Him! This sleep could perhaps be explained, naturally enough, by reaction of mind after the tense excitement of the day—the passover and supper in the upper room, the long discourse, the wonderful prayer they heard Him offer, the hymn they had sung together, the walk in the darkness to the garden, and the slumberous murmurs of the night wind in the olive trees; and yet it takes us by surprise. We could have expected something better than this. The Master evidently expected something better too. Even His generous excuse for them does not hide His disappointment. Even the palliation that they were sleeping for sorrow' does not hide it either, for there is an accent of surprise in His words, 'Why sleep ye? Simon, sleepest thou?' The words are very sorrowful and touching. They show an ineffable depth of tenderness and compassion. He uttered no reproach, no sharp complaint, at their unseasonable slumber; but only, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” and He turned away all thought from Himself to them; and, for their own sakes, bade them “watch and pray,” for that their trial was at hand. In this we have a wonderful example of the love of Christ. How far otherwise we should act in such a case, we all well know. When any seem to us to be less keenly awake to the trial we may happen to be undergoing, we are above measure excited, as if some great wrong were done to us. There is nothing we resent so much as the collected manner of those who are about us in our afflictions. If they still seem the same when we are so changed—even if they can still be natural, feel common interests, and take their wonted rest, we feel exceedingly aggrieved, and almost forget our other trial, in the kindling of a sort of resentment.” - J.C. Ellicott - Theologian

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 14:27-31

27 Then Jesus said unto them, All ye shall be offended by me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
28 But after that I am risen, I will go into Galilee before you.
29 And Peter said unto him, Although all men should be offended at thee, yet would not I.
30 Then Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, this day, even in this night before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
31 But he said more earnestly, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee: likewise also said they all.

Verse 28:

“This he says for their comfort, that though he, their shepherd, should be apprehended, condemned, and crucified, should be smitten with death, and be laid in the grave, yet he should rise again; and though they should be scattered abroad, yet should be gathered together again by him, their good shepherd; who would after his resurrection, appear to them, be at the head of them, and go before them, as a shepherd goes before his sheep: for it follows, I will go before you into Galilee; the native place of most, if not all of them. The women [Read Matthew 28:1-10]that came to the sepulchre after Christ's resurrection, were bid, both by the angel, and Christ himself, to remind the disciples of, and ordered them to go into Galilee, where they might expect to see him: accordingly they did go thither, and saw and worshipped him.” - John Gill - Theologian

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 14:22-26

22 And as they did eat, Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it and gave it to them, and said, Take, eat, this is my body.
23 Also he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of that new Testament which is shed for many.
25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until that day, that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
26 And when they had sung a Psalm, they went out to the mount of Olives.

Related Scripture:

1 Corinthians 11:24

Verse 26 - This word “broken” noteth out unto us Christ his manner of death, for although his legs were not broken, as the thieves legs were, yet was his body very sore tormented, and torn, and bruised.

Christ minding forthwith to fulfill the promises of the old covenant, instituteth a new covenant with new figures. Mark saith, Had given thanks: and therefore blessing is not a consecrating, with a conjuring kind of murmuring and force of words: and yet the bread and the wine are changed, not in nature, but in quality, for they become undoubted tokens of the body and blood of Christ, not of their own nature or force of words, but by Christ his institution, which must be recited and laid forth, that faith may find what to lay hold on, both in the word and in the elements. This is a figurative speech, which is called Metonymy (a): that is to say, the putting of one name for another—so calling the bread his body, which is the sign and sacrament of his body: and yet notwithstanding, it is so a figurative and changed kind of speech, that the faithful do receive Christ indeed with all his gifts (though by a spiritual means) and become one with him. - Commentary GNV Translation

(a) - A trope in which one word is put for another that suggests it; as we say a man keeps a good instead of good provisions; We read Virgil, that is [in] his poems; a man has a warm heart, that is warm affections. - Webster's Dictionary Ed. 1917

 

A Discourse On Meekness and Quietness of Spirit

  Abridged from the Rev. Matthew Henry

Edited by R.P. Woitowitz Sr.

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

QUIETNESS OF SPIRIT

Quietness is the evenness, the composure and the rest of the soul, which speaks both the nature and the excellency of the grace of meekness. The greatest comfort and happiness of man is sometimes set forth by quietness. That peace of conscience which Christ has left for a legacy to his disciples, that present sabbatism (a) of the soul which is an earnest of the rest that remains for the people of God, is called "quietness and assurance for ever," and is promised as the effect of righteousness. So graciously has God been pleased to intwine interests with us, as to enjoin the same thing as a duty which he proposes and promises as a privilege. Justly may we say that we serve a good Master, whose "yoke is easy:" it is not only easy, but sweet and gracious, so the word signifies; not only tolerable, but amiable and acceptable, [Read Matthew 11:30].Wisdom's ways are not only pleasant, but pleasantness itself, and all her paths are peace. [Read Job 12:12-13, 16]. It is the character of the Lord's people, both in respect to holiness and happiness, that, however they be branded as the troublers of Israel, they are "the quiet in the land." If every saint be made a spiritual prince, (See Revelation 1:6), having a dignity above others and a dominion over himself, surely he is like Seraiah, "a quiet prince." It is a reign with Christ, the transcendent Solomon, under the influence of whose golden sceptre there is "abundance of peace as long as the moon endures," yea, and longer, for "of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." Quietness is recommended as a grace which we should be endued with, and a duty which we should practice. In the midst of all the affronts and injuries that are or can be offered us, we must keep our spirits sedate and undisturbed, and evidence by a calm and even and regular behavior that they are so. This is quietness. Our Saviour has pronounced the blessing of adoption upon the peacemakers, (See Matthew 5:9); those that are for peace, as David professes himself to be, in opposition to those that delight in war. (See Psalm 120:7). Now, if charity be for peace-making, surely this "charity begins at home,"(b) and is for making peace there in the first place. Peace in our own souls is some conformity to the example of the God of peace, who, though he does not always give peace on this earth, yet evermore "makes peace in his own high places." This some think is the primary intention of that peace-making on which Christ commands the blessing: it is to have strong and hearty affections to peace, to be peaceably-minded. In a word, quietness of spirit is the soul's stillness and silence from intending provocation to any, or resenting provocation from any with whom we have to do.

The word has something in it of metaphor, which admirably illustrates the grace of meekness.

We must be quiet as the air is quiet from winds. Disorderly passions are like stormy winds in the soul, [Read James 1:6] they toss and hurry it, and often strand or overset it; they move it "as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind;" it is the prophet's comparison, and is an apt emblem of a man in passion. Now meekness restrains these winds, says to them, Peace, be still, and so preserves a calm in the soul, and makes it conformable to Him who has the winds in his hands, and is herein to be praised that even the stormy winds fulfill his word. A brisk gale is often useful, especially to the ship of desire, as the Hebrew phrase is in (See Job 9:26); so there should be in the soul such a warmth and vigor as will help to speed us to the desired harbor. It is not well to lie wind-bound in dulness and indifference; but tempests are perilous, yea, though the wind be in the right point. So are strong passions, even in good men; they both hinder the voyage and hazard the ship. Such a quickness as consists with quietness is what we should all labor after, and meekness will contribute very much towards it; it will silence the noise, control the force, moderate the impetus, and correct undue and disorderly transports. What manner of grace is this, that even the winds and the sea obey it! If we will but use the authority God has given us over our own hearts, we may keep the winds of passion under the command of religion and reason; and then the soul is quiet, the sun shines, all is pleasant, serene, and smiling, and the man sleeps sweetly and safely on the lee-side. We make our voyage among rocks and quicksands, but if the weather be calm, we can the better steer so as to avoid them, and by a due care and temper strike the mean between extremes; whereas he that suffers these winds of passion to get head, and spreads a large sail before them, while he shuns one rock, splits upon another, and is in danger of being drowned in destruction and perdition by many foolish and hurtful lusts, especially those whence wars and fightings come. (c)

We must be quiet as the sea is quiet from waves. The wicked, whose sin and punishment both lie in the unruliness of their own souls, and the violence and disorder of their own passions [Read Proverbs 10:23], which perhaps will not be the least of their eternal torments, are compared to "the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt;" that is, they are uneasy to themselves and to all about them, "raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame;" their hard speeches which they speak against God and dignities and things which they know not, their great swelling words and mockings, (See Jude 13, 18), these are the shame they foam out. Now meekness is a grace of the Spirit, that moves upon the face of the waters and quiets them, smooths the ruffled sea and stills the noise of it; it casts forth none of the mire and dirt of passion. The waves mount not up to heaven in proud and vainglorious boasting; they go not down to the depths to scrape up vile and scurrilous language: there is no reeling to and fro, as men overcome with drink or with their own passion; there is none of that transport which brings them to their wits' end; but "they are glad because they are quiet; so he bringeth them to their desired haven." This calmness and evenness of spirit makes our passage over the sea of this world safe and pleasant, quick and speedy towards the desired harbor, and is amiable and exemplary in the eyes of others.

We must be quiet as the land is quiet from war. It was the observable felicity of Asa's reign[Read 2 Chronicles 14:2-6], that "in his days the land was quiet." In the preceding reigns there was no peace to him that went out, or to him that came in; but now the rumors and alarms of war were stilled, and the people delivered from the noise of archers at the place of drawing waters, as when the land had rest in Deborah's time. Such a quietness there should be in the soul, and such a quietness there will be where meekness sways the sceptre. A soul inflamed with wrath and passion upon all occasions, is like a kingdom embroiled in war, in a civil war, subject to continual frights and losses and perils; deaths and terrors in their most horrid shapes walk triumphantly, sleep is disturbed, families broken, friends suspected, enemies feared, laws silenced, commerce ruined, business neglected, cities wasted: such heaps upon heaps does ungoverned anger lay, when it is let loose in the soul. But meekness makes these wars to cease, breaks the bow, cuts the spear, sheathes the sword, and in the midst of a contentious world preserves the soul from being the seat of war, and makes peace in her borders. The rest of the soul is not disturbed, its comforts not plundered, its government not disordered; the laws of religion and reason rule, and not the sword; neither its communion with God nor with the saints interrupted; no breaking in of temptation, no going out of corruption, no complaining in the streets; no occasion given, no occasion taken, to complain. Happy is the soul that is in such a case. The words of such wise men are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools, and this "wisdom is better than weapons of war." This is the quietness we should every one of us labor after; and it is what we might attain to, if we would but more support and exercise the authority of our graces, and guide and control the power of our passions.

We must be quiet as the child is quiet after weaning. It is the Psalmist's comparison: "I have behaved," or rather, I have composed, "and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother; my soul is even as a weaned child." A child, while it is in the weaning, perhaps is a little cross and froward and troublesome for a time; but when it is perfectly weaned, how quickly does it accommodate itself to its new way of feeding. Thus a quiet soul, if provoked by the denial or loss of some earthly comfort or delight, quiets itself, and does not fret at it, nor perplex itself with anxious cares how to live without it, but composes itself to make the best of that which is. And this holy indifference to the delights of sense is, like the weaning of a child, a good step taken towards the perfect man, "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." A child newly weaned is free from all the uneasiness and disquietude of care and fear and anger and revenge: how undisturbed are its sleeps, and even in its dreams it looks pleasant and smiling. How easy its days; how quiet its nights. If put into a little pet now and then, how soon it is over, the provocation forgiven, the sense of it forgotten, and both buried in an innocent kiss. Thus, if ever we would enter into the kingdom of heaven, we must be converted from pride, envy, ambition, and strife for precedency, and must become like little children. So our Saviour has told us, who, even after his resurrection, is called "the holy child Jesus." And even when we have put away other childish things, yet still "in malice" we must be children. And as for the quarrels of others, a meek and quiet Christian endeavors to be as disinterested and as little engaged as a weaned child in the mother's arms, that is not capable of such angry resentments.

This is that meekness and quietness of spirit which is recommended to us: such a command and composure of the soul that it be not unhinged by any provocation whatsoever, but all its powers and faculties preserved in due temper for the just discharge of their respective offices. In a word, put off all wrath and anger and malice, those corrupted limbs of the old man; pluck up and cast away those roots of bitterness, and stand upon a constant guard against all the exorbitances of your own passion: then you will soon know, to your comfort, better than I can tell you, what it is to be of a meek and quiet spirit.

(a) Intermission of labor, as upon the Sabbath; rest

(b) Note – This isn't from the bible but it is so near to being so that it is reasonable to describe it as biblical. The notion that a man's family should be his foremost concern is expressed in 1 Timothy 5:8

(c) – We are herein reminded of the Savior's thoughts of building upon faith. If we fix our faith upon Him, and Him alone, we are, as He stated, like the man building his foundation, upon solid rock. Wherein, when storms to arise, He shall not be moved. To find peace in the storm, is likewise to finding the quality of meekness within.

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 14:6-9

6 But Jesus said, Let her alone: Why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and when ye will ye may do them good, but me ye shall not have always.
8 She hath done that she could: she came aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done, shall be spoken of in remembrance of her. 
 
Brethren:
Most certainly it is commendable to do good to the poor, for so has God commanded. However, we should first and foremost seek to do well for our Savior and Lord Christ Jesus. With Him as the head in all our affairs, everything else falls into place. 
 
“Did Christ pour out his soul unto death for us, and shall we think any thing too precious for him? Do we give him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let us love him with all the heart, though it is common for zeal and affection to be misunderstood and blamed; and remember that charity to the poor will not excuse any from particular acts of piety to the Lord Jesus. Christ commended this woman's pious attention to the notice of believers in all ages. Those who honour Christ he will honour. Covetousness was Judas' master lust, and that betrayed him to the sin of betraying his Master; the devil suited his temptation to that, and so conquered him. And see what wicked contrivances many have in their sinful pursuits; but what appears to forward their plans, will prove curses in the end.”
Matthew Henry - Theologian

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 13:32-37

32 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the Angels which are in heaven, neither the Son himself, but the Father.
33 Take heed: watch, and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34 For the Son of man is as a man going into a strange country, and leaveth his house, and giveth authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commandeth the porter to watch.
35 Watch ye therefore, (for ye know not when the master of the house will come, at even, or at midnight, at the cock crowing, or in the dawning,)
36 Lest if he come suddenly, he should find you sleeping.
37 And those things that I say unto you, I say unto all men, Watch.

Verse 32 - The latter day is not curiously to be searched for which the Father alone knoweth: but let us rather take heed, that it come not upon us unaware. - Footnote GNV translation

Brethren:

Read the entire chapter of the Gospel According to Matthew Chapter 24, as there is more being said on this topic.

Now, the keys herein above are to take heed, that is to say, listen with attentiveness to these words, and be sure to act upon it. Let you not be unaware of what is to happen. Watch for the signs that will be available before the end times cometh. And most importantly, give yourselves over to prayer daily, that you will be found blameless and without spot. (Read 2 Peter 3:14; Revelation 14:5)

“The addition to St. Matthew’s report is every way remarkable. It indicates the self-imposed limitation of the divine attributes which had belonged to our Lord as the eternal Son, and the acquiescence in a power and knowledge which, like that of the human nature which He assumed, were derived and therefore finite. Such a limitation is implied by St. Paul, when he says that our Lord “being in the form of God . . . made Himself of no reputation” (or better, emptied Himself), “and took upon Him the form of a servant.” (Read Philippians 2:6-7). It is clear that we cannot consistently take the word “knoweth” as having a different meaning in this clause from that which it bears in the others; and we must therefore reject all interpretations which explain away the force of the words as meaning only that the Son did not declare His knowledge of the time of the far-off event.” - JC Ellicott - Theologian