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
HOW
PROFITABLE A MEEK AND QUIET SPIRIT IS
[Most]
all [people], are intent on gain. It is for this that they break
their sleep and spend their spirits. Now it will be hard to convince
such, that really there is more to be obtained by meekness and
quietness of spirit, than by all this tumult and confusion. They
readily believe that "in all labor there is profit:" but
let God himself tell them, "In returning and rest shall ye be
saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength;"
they will not take his word for it, but they say, "No; for we
will flee upon horses, and we will ride upon the swift."[Read
Psalm 20:7; Isaiah 31:1]. He that came from heaven to bless us has
entailed a special blessing upon the grace of meekness: "Blessed
are the meek;" and his saying they are blessed makes them so;
for those whom he blesses are blessed indeed—blessed, and they
shall be blessed. Meekness is gainful and profitable, as it is,
THE
CONDITION OF THE PROMISE
The
meek "shall inherit the earth:" (See Psalm. 37:11), and is
almost the only express promise of temporal good things in all the
New Testament. Not that the meek shall be put off with the earth
only, then they would not be truly blessed; but they shall have that
as an earnest of something more. Some read it, They shall inherit the
land, that is, the land of Canaan, which was not only a type and
figure, but to them that believed, a token and pledge of the heavenly
inheritance. So that "a double Canaan," as Dr. Hammond
observes, "is thought little enough for the meek man; the same
felicity in a manner attending him which we believe of Adam, if he
had not fallen—a life in paradise, and thence a transplantation to
heaven." Meekness is a branch of godliness which has, more than
other branches of it, "the promise of the life that now is."
They shall inherit the earth; the sweetest and surest tenure is that
by inheritance, which is founded in sonship: that which comes by
descent to the heir, the law attributes to the act of God, who has a
special hand in providing for the meek. They are his children; and if
children, then heirs. [Read Romans 8:16-17] .It is not always the
largest proportion of this world's goods that falls to the meek man's
share; but whether he has more or less, he has it by the best
title—not by a common, but a covenant right: he holds in
Capite, (a) in Christ our head, an honorable tenure.
If
he has but a little, he has it from God's love, and with his
blessing, and behold all things are clean and comfortable to him.
[Read Acts 10:13]. The wise man has determined it: "Better is a
dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices
with strife. [Read Proverbs 17:1]. Better is a dinner of herbs where
love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." Be the fare
ever so scanty, he that has rule over his own spirit, knows how to
make the best of it, and how to suck honey out of the rock, and oil
out of the flinty rock. Blessed are the meek; for they shall wield
the earth: so old Wickliff's translation reads it—as I remember it
is quoted in the Book of Martyrs—and very significantly. Good
management contributes more to our comfort than great possessions.
Whatever a meek man has of this earth, he knows how to wield it, to
make a right and good use of it; that is all in all. Quiet souls so
far inherit the earth that they are sure to have as much of it as is
good for them, as much as will serve to bear their charges through
this world to a better; and who would covet more? The promise of God
without present possession, is better than possession of the world
without an interest in the promise.[Read Matthew 16:26; Mark8:36]
Meekness
has in its own nature a direct tendency to our present
benefit and advantage. He that is thus wise, is wise for himself
even in this world, and effectually consults his own interest.
[Likewise], meekness has a good influence upon our health. If
envy be "the rottenness of the bones," meekness is the
preservation of them. The excesses and exorbitances of anger stir up
those bad humors in the body which kindle and increase wasting and
killing diseases; but meekness governs those humors, and so
contributes very much to the good temper and constitution of the
body. When Ahab was sick for Naboth's vineyard, meekness would
soon have cured him. Moses, the meekest of men, not only lived to be
old, but was then free from the infirmities of age; "his eye was
not dim, nor his natural force abated," which may be very much
imputed to his meekness, as a means. The days of old age would not be
such evil days if old people did not, by their own frowardness and
unquietness, make them worse than otherwise they would be. Ungoverned
anger inflames the natural heat, and so begets acute diseases—dries
up the radical moisture, and so hastens chronical decays. The body is
called the sheath or scabbard of the soul. (See Daniel 7:15), margin.
How often does an envious, fretful soul, like a sharp knife, cut its
own sheath, and as they say of the viper's brood, eat its own way
out; all which meekness happily prevents. [Read Psalm 37:]
The
quietness of the spirit will help to suppress melancholy; and this,
as other of wisdom's precepts, will be health to the body and marrow
to the bones: length of days and long life and peace they shall add
unto thee; but wrath kills the foolish man. (See Job 5:2).
It
has a good influence upon our wealth, the preservation and increase
of it. As in kingdoms, so in families and neighborhoods, war begets
poverty. Many a one has brought a fair estate to ruin by giving way
to the efforts of an ungoverned anger, that barbarous idol, to which
even the children's portions and the family's maintenance are
oftentimes sacrificed. Contention will as soon clothe a man with rags
as slothfulness; that therefore which keeps peace does not a little
befriend plenty. It was Abraham's meek management of his quarrel with
Lot that secured both his own and his kinsman's possessions, which
otherwise would have been an easy prey to the Canaanite and the
Perizzite that dwelt then in the land. And Isaac, whom I have
sometimes thought to be the most quiet and calm of all the
patriarchs, and that passed the days of his pilgrimage most silently,
raised the greatest estate of any of them; he "grew until he
became very great;"and his son Jacob lost nothing in the end by
his meek and quiet carriage towards his uncle Laban. Revenge is
costly. Haman bid largely for it, no less than ten thousand talents
of silver. [Read the Book of Esther] It is better to forgive, and
save the charges. Mr. Dod used to say, "Love is better than law;
for love is cheap, but law is chargeable." Those tradesmen are
commonly observed to thrive most that make the least noise, that
"with quietness work," and mind their own business.
It
has a good influence upon our safety. In the day of the
Lord's anger the meek of the earth are most likely to be secured. It
may be you shall be hid—so runs the promise, (See Zephaniah 2:3),
if any be, you shall; you stand fairest for special protection.
Meekness approaches to that innocence which is commonly an effectual
security against wrongs and injuries. However some base and servile
spirits may exult over the tame and humble, yet with all persons of
honor it is confessedly a piece of cowardice to attack an unarmed,
unresisting man that resents not provocation. "And who is he
that will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good?"
Who draws his sword or cocks his pistol at the harmless silent lamb?
while every one is ready to do it at the furious barking dog. Thus
does the meek man escape many of those perplexing troubles, those
woes and sorrows and wounds without cause, which he that is
passionate, provoking, and revengeful pulls upon his own head. Wise
men turn away wrath, but a fool's lips enter into contention, and his
mouth calls for strokes.[Read Proverbs 18:6-7] It is an honor to a
man to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling to his own
hurt. An instance of this I remember Mr. Baxter gives in his book of
"Obedient Patience:" "Once going along London streets,
a hectoring, rude fellow jostled him; he went on his way, and took no
notice of it; but the same man affronting the next he met in like
manner, he drew his sword and demanded satisfaction, and mischief was
done." He that would sleep, both in a whole skin and in a whole
conscience, must learn rather to forgive injuries than to revenge
them. [Read Romans 12:17] The two goats that met upon the narrow
bridge, as it is in Luther's fable, were both in danger should they
quarrel; but were both preserved by the condescension of one that lay
down and let the other go over him. It is the evil of passion, that
it turns our friends into enemies; but it is the excellency of
meekness, that it turns our enemies into friends, which is an
effectual way of conquering them. Saul, as inveterate an enemy as
could be, was more than once melted by David's mildness and meekness.
"Is this thy voice, my son David?" said he. "I have
sinned: return, my son David." And after that Saul persecuted
him no more. (See 1 Samuel 27:4). The change that Jacob's meekness
made in Esau is no less observable. In the ordinary dispensations of
Providence, some tell us that they have found it remarkably true in
times of public trouble and calamity, that it has commonly fared best
with the meek and quiet; their lot has been safe and easy, especially
if compared with the contrary fate of the turbulent and seditious.
Whoso is wise and observes these things will understand the
loving-kindness of the Lord to the quiet in the land, against whom we
read indeed of plots laid and deceitful matters devised, (See Psalm
35:20; 37:12, 14); but those by a kind and overruling Providence are
ordinarily baffled and made successless. Thus does this grace of
meekness carry its own recompense along with it, and in keeping this
commandment, as well as after keeping it, "there is a great
reward."
(a)
Capite - Descents. By the head; every one of the kindred, receive an
equal part of an estate.
Source
– Webster's Dictionary Ed. 1913
