UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT. DISCOURSE II. MATT. v. 5, 6, 7.
_Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy._
I. 1. WHEN _the winter is past_, when _the time of singing is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land_; when he that comforts the mourners is now returned, _that he may abide with them for ever_: when at the brightness of his presence the clouds disperse, the dark clouds of doubt and uncertainty, the storms of fear flee away, the waves of sorrow subside, and their spirit again _rejoiceth in_ God their _Saviour_: then is it that this word is eminently fulfilled, then those whom he hath comforted can bear witness, _Blessed_ or happy, _are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth_.
2. *But who are the meek? Not those who grieve at nothing, because they know nothing; who are not discomposed at the evils that occur, because they discern not evil from good. Not those who are sheltered from the shocks of life, by a stupid insensibility; who have either by nature or art, the virtue of stocks and stones, and resent nothing, because they feel nothing. Brute philosophers are wholly unconcerned in this matter. Apathy is as far from meekness as from humanity. So that one would not easily conceive, how any Christians of the purer ages, especially any of the fathers of the church, could confound these, and mistake one of the foulest errors of Heathenism, for a branch of true Christianity.
3. *Nor does Christian meekness imply, the being without zeal for God, any more than it does ignorance or insensibility. No; it keeps clear of every extreme, whether in excess or defect. It does not destroy but balance the affections, which the God of nature never designed should be rooted out by grace, but only brought and kept under due regulations. It poises the mind aright. It holds an even scale, with regard to anger and sorrow and fear: preserving the mean in every circumstance of life, and not declining either to the right-hand or the left.
4. *Meekness therefore seems properly to relate to ourselves. But it may be referred either to God or our neighbour. When this due composure of mind has reference to God, it is usually termed resignation; a calm acquiesence in whatsoever is his will concerning us, even though it may not be pleasing to nature; saying continually, _It is the_ Lord; _let him do what seemeth him good_. When we consider it more strictly with regard to ourselves, we stile it patience or contentedness. When it is exerted toward other men, then it is mildness to the good, and gentleness to the evil.
5. *They who are truly meek, can clearly discern what is evil; and they can also suffer it. They are _sensible_ of every thing of this kind; but still meekness holds the reins. They are exceeding _zealous for the_ Lord _of Hosts_; but their zeal is always guided by knowledge, and tempered in every thought and word and work, with the love of man as well as the love of God. They do not desire to extinguish any of the passions, which God has for wise ends implanted in their nature. But they have the mastery of all; they hold them all in subjection, and employ them only in subservience to those ends. And thus even the harsher and more unpleasing passions, are applicable to the noblest purposes. Even hate and anger and fear, when engaged against sin, and regulated by faith and love, are as walls and bulwarks to the soul, so that the wicked one cannot approach to hurt it.
♦6. ’Tis evident, this divine temper, is not only to abide, but to increase in us day by day. Occasions of exercising, and thereby increasing it, will never be wanting while we remain upon earth. We _have need of patience, that after_ we _have done_ and suffered _the will of_ God, we _may receive the promise_. We have need of resignation, that we may in all circumstances say, _Not as I will, but as thou wilt_. And we have need of _gentleness toward all men_; but especially toward the evil and unthankful: otherwise we shall be overcome of evil, instead of overcoming evil with good.
7. Nor does meekness restrain only the outward act, as the Scribes and Pharisees taught of old, and the miserable teachers, who are not taught of God, will not fail to do in all ages. Our Lord guards against this, and shews the true extent of it, in the following words: _Ye have heard, that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment_, ver. 21, &c.
_But I say unto you, that whosoever shall be angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire._