The Best Treasure, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Wherein is ſhewn, the tranſcendent Meekneſs and Gentleneſs of Chriſt; To his Enemies, and to his People.
ANother Branch of the ſweetneſs of Chriſt's Diſpoſition and Nature, is,
Fifthly, His Meekneſs: He is meek and lowly, Matth. 11. 29. foreign, that is, facil and eaſie, (as Criticks derive it) becauſe they that have this Meekneſs, are of a gentle, pleaſing, and affable Spirit to others: The Latines expreſs it by Manſuetus, one uſed to the hand, alluding to thoſe wild Beaſts that are thus tamed; They are gentle, and brought to the hand; they are ſociable and familiar, not ſtrange and harſh: And ſuch is the Lord Jeſus; he is meek, of a ſweet and gentle Spirit and carriage towards all, when he opens himſelf as a Saviour to them, but eſpecially he is ſo towards his People. Meekneſs eſpecially relates to Anger, as allaying, and moderating of it; So Ariſt. defines it to be the ſweetning of ones Spirit, removing its roughneſs, harſhneſs, and Paſſion, and rendring it gentle, pleaſing, and affable, even to them that provoke it. Now this is an excellent Spirit, 1 Pet. 3. 4. 'Tis ſpoken of Moſes, as one of his chiefeſt Excellencies, Numb. 12. 3. Now the man Moſes was very meek. And the Lord Jeſus ſets forth this to be the greateſt Excellency that he preſents in himſelf for the Imitation of his People, Matth. 11. 29. When the Prophet Zachary would delineate the ſtately Majeſty of Chriſt, in his Kingly progreſs to his People, he diſplayes him in the Glory of his meekneſs, Zach. 9. 9. Thy King cometh to thee meek, &c. So Pſal. 45. 4. The Glory of Chriſt in his triumphant March in the World, is held forth in his Meekneſs and Truth; this is part of Chriſt's excellent Glory, as Mediator, 2 Cor. 10. 1. I beſeech you by the Meekneſs of Chriſt, Now the Lord Jeſus is repleniſhed with Meekneſs.
Firſt, To his Enemies, This he manifeſted whilſt on Earth, to ſuch as hated him, abuſed him, and ſought to take away his Life; 'tis of ſuch the Prophet ſpeaks, Zach. 9. 9. compar'd with Math. 21. 5. Now this Meekneſs of Chriſt to his Enemies appears.
Firſt, In his Slowneſs to Anger, Pſal. 103. 8. The Lord is ſlow to Anger. He was not eaſily provoked whilſt on Earth, under all the Provocations and Abuſes caſt upon him, Matth. 12. 19. He ſhall not ſtrive nor cry, neither ſhall any man hear his Voice in the Streets. Paſſionate perſons will ſtrive to have their Will when croſt, to defend their Names, to oppoſe their Adverſaries, and to revile them that reproach them; but Chriſt was not ſo, he ſtrove not in a contentious, quarrelling way, but being reviled, reviled not again, 1 Pet. 2. 23. Under all his Sufferings, ſuch as were able to make the meekeſt man on Earth to cry out, and to ſtir up his Spirit againſt them, yet Chriſt was ſilent, Iſa. 53. 7. He was oppreſſed, he was afflicted, and yet opened not his Mouth, he is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a Sheep before his Shearer is dumb, ſo he opened not his Mouth. You ſhall not find one froward Word from Chriſt in all his Sufferings, by Jews or Gentiles; look over the Jeers and Reproaches that were caſt upon him in his Life, and at his Death; Is not this the Carpenter's Son, Matth. 13. 55. Is not this the Carpenter, the Son of Mary, Mark 6. 3. They call'd him a Wine bibber, a Friend of Publicanes and Sinners, and yet we find him as a Sheep, dumb before the Shearers: The Phariſees charg'd him to be on… that had Correſpondence with Devils, Matth. 9. 34. but he was ſilent: another time they call him a blaſphemer, Matth. 9. 3. but ſee how mildly Chriſt anſwers them, verſ. 4. Why think ye Evil in your Hearts? Another time we find him ſleighted by the Samaritanes; he was coming to a Village in Samaria, and ſent Meſſengers to provide for him, but they refuſed to entertain him, and take him in, becauſe his Face was as though he would go to Jeruſalem, Luke 9. 51. &c. becauſe he ſeemed to be of another way of Religion: they could not endure him, becauſe he was for inſtituted Worſhip, and ſeem'd to profeſs a ſtricter way than the Samaritanes: He look'd like a Puritan (ſaith Mr. Burroughs) and therefore they ſhut him out of their Houſes: now this was no ſmall abuſe, an ordinary Spirit would not bear to have a door ſhut againſt him; and hereupon, ſome of the Diſciples, James and John, pleaded for Revenge, and would have had Fire from Heaven to deſtroy them, ver. 54. Yet ſee the Meekneſs of Chriſt's Spirit under this Affront, ver. 55. He turned and rebuked them, and ſaid, ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of, for the Son of man is not come to deſtroy mens Lives, but to ſave them.
Secondly, In his mild Anſwers to them; how mildly did he anſwer the Jews, who ſaid, he was a Samaritan, and had a Devil, John 8. 48. 49. All his Anſwer was, I have not a Devil, but I honour my Father, and ye diſhonour me; ſee in that Chapter, how contradictorily and croſsly they behav'd themſelves to him, yet with what wonderful Gentleneſs he anſwers them: when Judas came to betray him, Matt: 26. 49. with what Calmneſs doth he treat him, verſe 50, Friend wherefore art thou come? Who could have given ſo gentle words to ſo vile a Traytor, but the Mirror of Meekneſs? Luke hath it thus, Judas betrayeſt thou the Son of man with a kiſs? Luke. 22. 48. what thou Judas my Diſciple, who haſt been ſo long with me, known my Kindneſs, and eat and drunk at my table? what thou betray the Son of man, and combine to take away thy Maſter's life? canſt thou find in thy heart to deal ſo treacherouſly with thy Lord? How did he reprove Peter for ſmiting the High-prieſt's Servant that came to take him, Matth. 26. 51. to 55. How ſcornfully did they treat him? Matth. 26. 61. This Fellow ſaith I am able to deſtroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days; but he held his Peace, v. 63. The Jews mocked him, blind-folded, and ſmote him, Luke 26. 63. Herod with his men of War ſet him at nought, chap. 23. 11. The Rulers derided him, ſaying, others he ſaved, let him ſave himſelf if he be the Chriſt the choſen of God, ver. 35. But lo how gently this patient Lamb revenges theſe high Indignities, ver. 34. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Thirdly, In the Offices of Love, he ſhews them; he went about doing Good to his very Enemies, heaping Coals of Fire on their Heads, healing their ſick, feeding their hungry, and preaching the Goſpel to their poor, Matth. 14. 14. chap. 11. 5. His pitying them ſhews his Meekneſs, Luke 19. 41. He beheld the City, and wept over it: now this Meekneſs of Chriſt as it is excellent in it ſelf, ſo 'tis eminent in degree; 'tis large, and abundant Meekneſs; weigh but theſe following Conſiderations, and you will ſay the ſame.
Firſt, The Greatneſs of thoſe Provocations he hath received from them; Sinners under the Goſpel make light of Chriſt, Matth. 22. 5. They deſpiſe him, Acts 13. 4. They reject him, Joh. 12. 48. They rebel againſt him, Iſa. 1. 20. They crucifie him. Joh. 19. 15. They blaſpheme his Name, they belye his Truth, abuſe his Love, undervalue his Blood, trampling it under Foot, deny his Right, defraud, and injure his Intereſt, rob him of his Glory, hate his People, and ſeek to hinder his Kingdom, and yet he mildly puts up theſe high Indignities; Oppreſſion will …ake a wiſe man mad, but cannot render Chriſt ungentle.
Secondly, The Continuance of theſe Provocations; All the day long have I ſtretched out my hand to a gain-ſaying people, Iſa. 65. 2. every day, Iſa. 52. 5. Three years, Luke 13. 7. Forty years, Heb. 3. 9. Continually, Gen. 6. 5. And it is no ſmall Provocation to have a Tryal lye on a perſons back, yet ſee the Lothneſs of Chriſt to deſtroy his very Enemies; he waits that he may be gracious, and beſeeches them to turn and live, Joh. 5. 40.
Thirdly, The greatneſs of his Perſon, he is the Majeſty on high, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Rev. 19. 16. He hath Right to Service and Worſhip from all his Creatures, To him every Knee muſt bow, and Tongue confeſs, Phil. 2. 9. and yet that he ſhould bear ſo meekly, the Abuſes, Scorns, and Contempts of the vileſt men, is wonderful: great men are ſoon incenſed when their Honour and Intereſt are invaded; but the Lord Jeſus is great, and yet meek, a King, and yet lowly, Pſal. 45. 3, 4. Zach. 9. 9.
Fourthly, The Deſpicableneſs of the Perſons that abuſe him; they are his Creatures, made, and mainrain'd by him, inferiour Worms whom he can cruſh every Moment, and ſtrike dead with his Look, Iſaiah 1. 2. chap. 45. 9.
Fifthly, The great Kindneſs he hath for them, he comes in their Errand to ſave their Souls, he ſheds his blood, that they might live, underwent the Law, and bore his Fathers Wrath, that they might enjoy his Favour, and be ſav'd to the uttermoſt if they believe: and is not this a wonderful Diſcovery of his Meekneſs?
Secondly, His Meekneſs to his People is exceeding great, as I ſhall illuſtrate in a few particulars.
Firſt, In his bearing with them, he did not only bear their Sins for them when on the Tree, but many Provocations and Abuſes from them now in Heaven; ſo he bore with the Iſraelites, Iſa. 3. 8. Though their Tongue and their Doings was againſt the Lord to provoke the Eyes of his Glory; this was not the Carriage of Heathens, but of his own People; their Provocations was not a ſingle Act from one part of them, but the whole Body combine againſt him in Word and Deed: theſe were not ſuppoſed Injuries, but real; not intermitted, but continued; not ſeldom but frequent. How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderneſs, and griev'd him in the Deſart, they tempted him, limitted him, and murmured againſt him for Water, for Bread and for Fleſh: they rebell'd againſt him, againſt his Inſtitutions, in Moſes and Aaron, againſt his Command about gathering Manna, ſanctifying the Sabbath, and going againſt their Enemies. They continually provok'd him to Anger, even to his very Face, Iſaiah 65. 3. vexed and grieved his holy Spirit, and yet he bears it in the Wilderneſs for forty years, in the Land of Canaan, eight hundred and ſixty years before the Captivity; after this, five hundred, ninety, and ſix years before he caſt them off. O the admirable length of the Patience and Meekneſs of Chriſt towards that People, in bearing with them, conſidering the Kind and Length of their Provocations: ſo under the Goſpel, he hath a people redeemed by his Blood, ſuch as avouch him for their Lord, and tread in his Courts; now to theſe alſo he exerciſeth much Long-ſuffering and Patience if you weigh,
Firſt, the Multitude of their Sins, they are more than can be numbred, more than the hairs of their head, Pſal. 40. 12. Sins of Thoughts, Words, and Deeds; Sins againſt Law and Goſpel, the firſt and ſecond Table; Sins in Duty and out of Duty; Sins every day, every moment, Gen. 6. 5. Sins to the laſt hour of their Lives, till their Tabernacle be pull'd down, and the body of Death deſtroyed; and this is not only the Condition of one, or of a few Souls, but of all the Elect, every man that liveth, 1 Kings 8. 46. There is none that ſinneth not.
Secondly, The Aggravation of their Sins taken,
Firſt, From the perſons ſinning, The redeemed of God, ſuch as have been bought with a great price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. The pardon of whoſe former Sins coſt ſo dear, the Sons and Daughters of God, Deut. 32. 19. Souls loved and choſen out of all the World, to be his; yea they only elected, and all others left, Amos 3. 2. Adopted to a glorious ſtate, to be Kings and Prieſts unto God, to be Heirs and Co-heirs with Chriſt, to be a name and a Glory to him; and yet for theſe to be always grieving, always provoking, always reproaching of him, is hard indeed, but not too hard for Chriſt to bear.
Secondly, From the perſon againſt whom they ſin, they ſin againſt their Father who loved them with an everlaſting Love, drew them with the Cords of Love, and led them in the paths of Love, who hath given his Son for them, and to them, and fixed his unchangeable Love upon them, imparted the royal Priviledges of Sons to them, and yet to Sin againſt him who is the Father of Chriſt, and their Father, whoſe Glory was dearer to him than his own Blood, is an aggravated Sin indeed.
They ſin againſt God the Son, who gave himſelf for them, and bought them with a great price.
They ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, who viſited them in their low Eſtate, and brought them the good News of Salvation; who broke open their Priſondoors, and let them forth into a glorious State of Liberty; who quickned, enlightned, comforted, and helped them in all their Soul-ſtraits; now to ſin againſt this God the Father, Son, and Spirit, cannot but exceedingly provoke the Soul of Chriſt.
Thirdly, the State in which they ſin; O! how inconſiſtent is this with ſuch an high and glorious Condition, Rom. 6. 14.. Sin ſhall have no more Dominion over you, becauſe you are not under the Law, but under Grace. The Sins of ſuch are the works of Darkneſs in the day time, Acts of Enmity in a ſtate of Reconciliation, and grievous Bondage in times of Liberty.
Fourthly, The dangerous Effects of their Sinning; 'Tis a corrupt Tree that brings forth ſad Fruit, even the Grapes of Sodom, and the Wine of Gomorrah; their Sins rob God of his Glory, and bring a greater Diſhonour to him than all the Sins of the World beſides, Rom. 2. 23. They grieve the Spirit of Chriſt whereby they are ſeal'd up to the day of Redemption, Eph. 4. 30. They depreſs and load, yea break the Heart of God, Amos 2. 13. They endeavour to fruſtrate divine grace, and render the Death of Chriſt in vain, Gal. 5. 4. They do (as it were) reduce the Lord to a great ſtrait, what to do to ſave their Souls, H…ſ. 6. 4. they Shipwrack all their Duties, and put a Vanity upon all their Profeſſion, Labours, and Sufferings; ſuch run in vain, Gal. 2. 2. They ſadden the Hearts, and weaken the hands of the Godly, and become ſtumbling blocks in their way, Pſal. 119. 158. And they do a great deal of miſchief to the wicked in prejudicing them againſt the Lord Jeſus, and his holy ways, in hindring their Reception of the Goſpel, and depriving them of the Fruits and Labours of Chriſt towards their Converſion, in juſtifying them in their wayes, encouraging them in their Sins, and in cauſing them to blaſpheme the holy Name of God.
Fifthly, The bleſſed Advantages they have enjoy'd againſt their Sins; they have many Obligations againſt it, and many Experiences of the Evil of it, and yet ſtill continue in it: O, this doth make the burden of the Sins of the Godly exceeding heavy to Chriſt, and yet that he ſhould bear them ſo patiently, and not conſume them: That, though provoked daily by the Brambles, and ſcratching Abominations of his People, yet his Fury ſhould not be kindled into a terrible Flame to burn them up, doth manifeſtly demonſtrate his meekneſs to be exceeding great.
Secondly, Chriſt's forbearing of his People, is another Evidence of his Slowneſs to Anger: He is not eaſily provoked, Neh. 9. 17. How long doth he forbear before he ſtrikes? he firſt threatens, and then waits, calls and exhorts, ſhakes the rod, and then ſtrikes gently, Iſa. 30. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious.
Thirdly, His readineſs to be reconciled to them, when angry, Pſal. 86. 5. Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive. O, conſider his perſwading them to Repentance; how doth he labour to convince them of their Sin, and invite them to return; he entreats, reaſons, and beſeecheth them to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. Lo, how affectionately doth he receive them when they return! how willingly doth he liſten his Ear to their confeſſion of Sin, and bemoaning of their condition? Jer. 31. 18.
Fourthly, The moderation of his Anger, when raiſed, ſhews his meekneſs, Iſa. 27. 7, 8. In meaſure when it ſhooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it. He ſtayeth his rough wind in the day of his Eaſt-wind, Job. 11. 6.
Laſtly, His actual forgiving all their Iniquities, Pſal. 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, Luke 7. 47. Iſa. 44. 22.
Ʋſe. Now, if the Lord Jeſus Chriſt be ſo full of meekneſs to his very Enemies, ſo rich in gentleneſs, ſweetneſs of Nature, and Patience to his People, then learn this needful Leſſon of him; to be of a meek and patient Spirit. Behold, how quietly he took up his Croſs, and bore reproaches and Indignities from the worſt of men: yea, how ſtill he was under the infinite weight of his Father's wrath. Learn meekneſs from his Gentleneſs, as the Elephant doth from the Lamb; when the Elephant is in his greateſt Fury, ſet but a Lamb before him, and his wrath will preſently be allay'd: Learn of Chriſt to bear Injuries, to reſtrain your Anger, not to be angry, but when Duty, and the Cauſe of God calls you to it: 'Tis onelyonly Sin ſhould be the Object of a Chriſtian's Anger. Moſes was calm at his own Reproaches, but could not be ſtill when God was diſhonoured. Learn from Chriſt to moderate the meaſure of your Anger; he corrects in meaſure: Let not your Anger exceed the deſert of the Provocation; Learn from him to time your Anger. As a word fitly ſpoken, ſo Anger ſeaſonably exerted is beautiful: and learn from him to remove it when the Cauſe is gone. Anger ſhould be as Phyſick, laid aſide when there is no need of it: True meekneſs may eaſily be diſcerned by its ends and grounds, it muſt not proceed from a willingneſs to be aveng'd on others, but to amend and reform them.