Scripture Precepts Concerning Meekness
Scripture Precepts Concerning Meekness.
MEEKNESS is a lovely grace, and is reckoned by the apostle as one of the "fruits of the Spirit." Gal. v, 22. In these days of pride, self-will, and arrogance, it is truly refreshing to recognize this Christ-like trait. Meekness is simply humility, resignation, submission to the Divine will, without murmuring or peevishness. It is a grace which will act an important part in fitting us to dwell with God. None of the ancient heathen philosophers, who are lauded for their excellencies, seemed to have understood, or recommended this virtue. Need we say that the one who selected the following for the Review has our thanks? It is from the pen of that excellent divine, Matthew Henry. If we lay the word of God before us for our rule, and will be ruled by it, we shall find meekness and quietness as much our duty as our ornament. We are there told, as the will of God, that we must "seek meekness." 1. This command we have in Zeph. ii, 3, and it is especially directed to the meek. "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth;" "seek meekness." Though they were meek, and were pronounced so by Him who searches the heart, yet they must seek meekness: which teaches us that those who have some degree of this grace, have still need of more, and must desire and endeavor to obtain more. Paul was a man of great attainments in grace, and yet we find him "forgetting those things which were behind, and reaching forth to those that were before." Those who "took joyfully the spoiling of their goods," are yet told that they "have need of patience." Thus the meek of the earth (who, being on the earth, are in a state of infirmity and imperfection, of trial and temptation), have still need of meekness; that is, they must learn to be yet more calm and composed, more steady, and even, and regular, in the government of their passions, and in the management of their whole conversation. They who have silenced all angry words, must learn to suppress the first risings and emotions of angry thoughts. It is observable that when the meek of the earth are especially directed to seek meekness, when the day of the Lord's anger hastens on, when the times are bad, and desolating judgments are breaking in, then we have occasion for all the meekness we have, and all we can get, and all is little enough; meekness to bear the trial, and to bear our testimony in the trial. There is sometimes "an hour of temptation," a critical day, when the exercise of meekness is the work of the day; sometimes the children of men are more than ordinarily provoking, and then the children of God have more than common need of meekness. When God is justly angry, and men are unjustly angry, there is anger enough stirring, and then "blessed are the meek," who are careful to keep possession of their souls when they can keep possession of nothing else. Now the way prescribed for the attainment of meekness, is to seek for it. Ask of God; pray for it: it is a fruit of the Spirit; it is given by the God of all grace, and to him we must go for it. It is a branch of146that wisdom which he that lacked must ask of God, and it shall be given him. The God we address is called "the God of patience and consolation;" and he is the God of consolation, because the God of patience, and as such we must look to him when we come to him for grace to make us "like-minded," that is, meek and loving one toward another. God's people are, and should be, a people that "covet the best gifts," and make their court to the best Giver, who "never said to the praying seed of Jacob, Seek in vain;" but has given us an assurance firm enough for us to build upon, and rich enough for us to encourage ourselves with,—"Seek and ye shall find." What would we more? Seek meekness, and ye shall find it. The promise annexed is very encouraging to the meek of the earth who seek meekness: "it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." Though it be a promise with an "it may be," yet it ministers abundance of comfort; and the meek ones of the earth that hope in his mercy, and can venture their all upon an intimation of his good-will, shall find, to their comfort, that when God brings a flood upon the world of the ungodly, he has an ark for all his Noahs, his resting, quiet people, in which they shall be hid. 2. We must put on meekness. "Put on, therefore, (as the elect of God, holy and beloved)—meekness." It is one of the members of the new man which we must put on. Put it on as armor to keep provocations from the heart, and so to defend the vitals. They who have tried it will say it is "armor of proof." When you are putting on "the whole armor of God," do not forget this. Put it on as attire, as your necessary clothing, which you cannot go without; look upon yourselves as ungirt, undrest, unblest without it. Put it on as a livery garment, by which you may be known to be the disciples of the meek, and humble, and patient Jesus, and to belong to that peaceable family. Put it on as an ornament, as a robe and a diadem, by which you may be both beautified and dignified in the eyes of others. Put it on as the elect of God, holy and beloved, because you are so in profession; and that you may approve yourselves so in truth, be clothed with meekness as the elect of God, a chosen people, whom God hath set apart for himself from the rest of the world, as holy: study these graces, which put such a luster upon holiness, and recommend it to those that are without, as beloved of God and beloved of men: for love's sake, put on meekness. What winning, persuasive rhetoric is here! enough, one would think, to smooth the roughest soul, and to soften and sweeten the most obstinate heart! Meekness is a grace of the Spirit's working, a garment of his preparing, but we must put it on, that is, we must lay our souls under the commanding power and influence of it. Put it on, not as a loose outer garment, to be put off in hot weather, but let it cleave to us, as a girdle cleaves to a man's loins; so put it on as to reckon ourselves naked to our shame without it. 3. We must follow after meekness. This precept we have in 1 Tim. vi, 11. Meekness is here put in opposition to those foolish and hurtful lusts that Timothy must flee from: "Thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." See what good company it is ranked with. Every Christian is in a sense a man of God, and those that belong to God are concerned to be, and do, so as to recommend themselves to him, and his religion to the world; therefore let the men of God follow after meekness. While others are ingenious and industrious enough in following after malice and revenge, projecting and prosecuting angry designs, be you wise and diligent to preserve the peace, both within doors and without. Following meekness bespeaks a sincere desire, and a serious endeavor to get the mastery of our passion, and to check, govern, and moderate all the motions of it. Follow meekness, that is, as much as in you lies, live peaceably with all men, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit: we can but make one side in the dispute; if others will quarrel, let us be peaceable; if others will strike fire, that is their fault; let us not be as tinder to it.