displeasing to sense and opposing our worldly interests, meekness
do?" and that of Cornelius: "And now we are all here present before God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord;" and that of the good man I have read of, who, when he was going to hear the word, used to say, "Now let the word of the Lord come; and if I had six hundred necks, I would bow them all to the authority of it." To receive the word with meekness, is to be delivered into it as into a mold: this seems to be Paul's metaphor in Rom. 6:17, that "form of doctrine which was delivered you." Meekness softens the wax, that it may receive the impression of the seal, whether it be for doctrine or reproof, for correction or instruction in righteousness. It opens the ear to discipline, silences objections, and suppresses the risings of the carnal mind against the word; agreeing with the law that it is good and esteeming all the precepts concerning all things to be right, even when they give the greatest check to flesh and blood.
True meekness will prevent us from opposing either the obvious parts of Scripture, severely as they may denounce our vices, or the mysterious parts, in reading which vanity may suggest that we could have dictated what is more profitable. Augustine.
2. It is the silent submission of the soul to the providence of God, for that also is the will of God concerning us.
1. When the events of Providence are grievous and afflicting, displeasing to sense and opposing our worldly interests, meekness not only quiets us under them, but reconciles us to them; and enables us not only to bear, but to receive evil as well as good at the hand of the Lord; which is the excellent frame that Job argues himself into: it is to kiss the rod, and even to accept the punishment of our sin, taking all in good part that God does; not daring to contend with our Maker, no, nor desiring to advise Him, but being dumb, and not opening the mouth, because God does it. How meek
was Aaron under the severe dispensation which took away his sons with a particular mark of divine wrath. He "held his peace." God was sanctified, and therefore Aaron was satisfied, and had not a word to say against it. How unlike this was the temper, or rather the distemper of David, who was not like a man after God's own heart when he was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah—as if God must have asked David permission to assert the honor of his ark. When God's anger is kindled, our anger must be stifled; such is the law of meekness, that whatever pleases God must not displease us. David was in a better frame when he penned the 56th Psalm, the title of which, some think, speaks of his calm and submissive spirit when the Philistines took him in Gath. It is entitled, The Silent Dove Afar Off. It was his calamity that he was afar off, but he was then as a silent dove—mourning perhaps, Isa.38:14—but not murmuring, not struggling, not resisting, when seized by the birds of prey; and the psalm he penned in this frame was Michtam, a golden psalm. The language of this meekness is that of Eli, "It is the Lord;" and that of David to the same purport, "Here am I; let Him do to me as seems good to Him." Not only, He can do what He will, subscribing to His power, for who can stay His hand? or, He may do what He will, subscribing to His sovereignty, for He gives not account of any of His matters; or, He will do what He will, subscribing to His unchangeableness, for He is of one mind, and who can turn Him? but, Let him do what He will, subscribing to His wisdom and goodness, as Hezekiah, "Good is the word of the Lord, which you have spoken." Let Him do what He will, for He will do what is best; and therefore if God should refer the matter to me, says the meek and quiet soul, being well assured that He knows what is good for me better than I do for myself, I would refer it to Him again: "He shall choose our inheritance for us."