Treatise of Moral and Intellectual Virtues, Treatise on ethics · Part 6
Of MEEKNESS or gentleneſs of SPIRIT.
FROM the conſideration of ſuch Virtues, as give the greateſt luſtre, ſhew, and State to Mens Lives, we come to treat of thoſe, which in common Converſation make Men dear, and welcome to one another; in the Van whereof is Meekneſs or gentleneſs of Spirit, as being one of the firſt and chiefeſt of them.
BY this Virtue we are taught to moderate our Anger, and all peeviſh, ſullen, and fieree Humours, or whatever elſe is contained in the iraſcible part of our Souls; For there is in us by Nature a Heat, which if we do not diligently watch and keep under, willl ſpoil all our Converſation, undermine the peace of our Lives, make us injurious and unſufferable to our Brethren.
Anger let looſe, is Fury.THIS Heat we call Anger; which becomes Fury, when it is unbridled and let looſe; and if we neglect it, or ſuffer it to prevail, it ends in Madneſs.
Firſt, IT is ſudden, and fires us, ere we be aware; Hence it is, that we find ſo few Men ſatis tutos adverſus iram ſubitam, well enough guarded againſt the aſſaults of ſudden Anger, and to ſeek to extinguiſh all the ſparks thereof utterly, is but a bravery of the Stoicks.
Secondly, IT is violent, and gives no way to Conſultation; Hence ariſes the Queſtion in the Schools, Whether of the two, Anger or Luſt, is more eaſily withſtood? Might we have ſome Tireſias, ſome Man well experienced in them both, He would doubtleſs give his vote for Anger: For Shame and Company always repreſs Luſt, and make men for the practice of it to ſly into Corners, and ſtrive as much as may be, to be unſeen: But ſudden Anger reveres or ſtands in awe of no Man, lays hold of every thing for a Weapon, and what lies in it, doth harm to the utmoſt: Therefore Claudius the Emperour, for that he was conſcious to himſelf of his being ſubject both irae & iracundiae, that is, both to ſudden Wrath, and Wrath continued, excuſed himſelf for both theſe by publick Proclamation, and made a ſolemn promiſe, that one of them ſhould be ſhort and harmleſs; and the other ſhould never be unjuſt, 'tis well, if he kept his Word; and how uſeful muſt that Virtue be, which enables us thus to act; by which we have power to moderate our Anger.
THIS is Meekneſs, foreign, as the Greeks; Manſuetudo, as the Latins call her; The two Extremes whereof are; on the defect foreign, to be free from Anger; which indeed, unleſs Reaſon be very ſtrong, is a great weakneſs, but Agapetus tells Juſtinian the Emperour, foreign, He, who is never moved with Anger, is commonly contemned: The other Extreme in the Exceſs, is foreign, a Vice, which as frequent as it is, hath not yet found an Engliſh Name; the Greeks, who abound in Names, call it foreign or foreign, Bitterneſs, and foreign, aſperity of Mind.
Anger defined.ANGER therefore, which is the Object of Meekneſs, may be thus defined, it is a deſire to be revenged on ſuch as contemn us: For let us pretend what we will, it is Contempt, that moves us to Anger; and could we ſeparate or ſequeſter all other things which uſually provoke us to be angry from Contempt, we ſhould ſcarce ever be moved; when a ſtone falls by chance, and reaches us, either we are not concerned at all, or if we be, we make our ſelves ridiculous, as when the Dog bites the Stick, that hits him; but when it is thrown at us by a Perſon meaning to do us ſome miſchief, we are ſtirred up to Anger, not becauſe of the harm it does, but becauſe of the contempt, with which it is done.
NOW the heavieſt thing, and of which Men are moſt impatient, is Scorn; For Man by Nature is a proud Creature, thinks others of little worth in compariſon with himſelf, and is apt eaſily to conceive himſelf ſlighted; But there is an Art of bearing Contempt, Croſſings, Contumelies, all kind of injuries and Affronts, which if we could once learn, there would be little uſe of the paſſion of Anger; foreign foreign, ſaith a prudent Man in Plutarch, You know not how to ſuffer Wrong, but I do.
NOW the ſpeedieſt and moſt ſucceſsful Way to learn with quietneſs to paſs by Wrongs, is to neglect Contempt, which gives them their Edg; But becauſe the great Maſter of Ethicks will have it ſo, We muſt learn how to be angry by Weight and Meaſure, ſometimes more, ſometimes leſs, according as our occaſions call. Saint Auguſtine had a Conceit, that if Adam had not faln, his paſſion of Luſt would have been ſo abſolutely under his command, that He might have raiſed or allayed it at his Will; ſome ſuch Conceit ſurely ran in Ariſtotle's mind, when He would have us put our Anger as it were into a Scale, and ſo encreaſe and abate it at our pleaſure; whereas if the powers of our Reaſon were ſtrong, we ſhould do all things in good order, though we had no ſuch Paſſion at all, as Anger;; For there is never any neceſſary occaſion for being angry; or if there be, it is becauſe of a perverſe and peeviſh Humour, that reigns in mankind; which would uſurp upon us, unleſs we do exert an earneſt Paſſion to oppoſe it: Wherefore in Human Life it is not amiſs to put on a Diſguiſe and act a Fit of Anger, when we are not really moved; that we may defend our ſelves againſt all Invaders of our Right, and that we may wreſt it out of the hands of ſuch, as otherwiſe would never yield it to us.
Faſting no Remedy againſt Anger.'TIS true, an abſtemious Diet, and a juſt reſtraint of our Appetites do make an eaſie Conqueſt of many other Paſſions, but Anger is a Devil, which no Faſting can caſt out; the warmth whereof is rather augmented and blown ſooner into a Flame by thinneſs of Diet: For we have a Queſtion in Natural Philſophy, cur qui jejunant, ſitiunt magis; to which this anſwer is made, That by Faſting our internal Heat is encreaſed; Now our Thirſt and our Anger ariſing from Heat, as this encreaſes, they muſt do ſo likewiſe: No wonder then if Ariſtotle found himſelf at a loſs, in giving Rules for preventing, moderating, and ending of Anger. Whereas ſuch Rules, as teach us to govern other Paſſions, we muſt apply to this of Anger.
With whom we may, and with whom we may not be Angry.AS firſt, The cauſes of our Anger muſt not be ſlight and eaſie, but juſt and of ſome importance; either the Service of God, or the violation of the Laws of our Country, the wronging of our Parents and Family, the taking away our good Name; theſe or the like occaſions may move us to Anger and juſtifie it.
Secondly, WE muſt conſider the Perſon, with whom we are angry; For we may not lawfully be angry with God or our Parents, with our Maſters, Friends or Companions, with thoſe that teach and admoniſh us, or with thoſe in eminent Place, that are to govern us: Whenever ſuch unjuſtifiable Anger ſeizes us, its motions are ſo violent, that they ſhake the very principles of Religion, and will not permit us to do any thing, that is Chriſtian-like or manly: But if we are guided by the Rules of true Reaſon and peaceable Wiſdom, we ſhall be angry with none but wicked men; then our Anger will be called Zeal, and that with Virtue and Underſtanding.
ONE thing by the way it may not be impertinent to give warning of, that we be angry eſpecially in ſuch caſes, as concern us, and in which we have power to pardon or forgive.
NOW it being unlawful for any Man to judg in his own Caſe, but He muſt betake himſelf to thoſe, who are appointed for that end, Perſons in Authority, to whom it belongs to avenge Wrongs, do often affect the reputation of Clemency by pardoning injuries done to others, who call upon them for Juſtice. But this is a foul miſtake and very prejudicial to Equity; For Magiſtrates are in This like private men; They are then merciful, when they forgive Injuries againſt; themſelves: when they do the like in miniſtring Juſtice for other men, it may be ſome inconſiderate pity, but mercy it cannot be.
What the temper of our Anger muſt be.Thirdly, THE third thing to be conſidered is the Temper of our Anger; how far, and how much we are to allow to our ſelves in the caſe of Anger; we may not let looſe the Reins, but keep it within due bounds, and not be difficult in forgiving ſuch as have offended us, conſidering our own manifold infirmities; This is the Way to vanquiſh all the Sratagems and Conflicts of Malice; But whoſo does any thing in the firſt kindlings of Anger, He is ſoon miſled into the moſt deſperate precipices of Action; To remove this Evil, We muſt ſuffer our Paſſion to take vent and cool it ſelf; For to fly out into the heedleſs Adventures of Revenge and Outrage at the firſt inſtant as it were, hath prejudiced otherwiſe very good Men; When Theodofius therefore, a Prince of the higheſt Virtue and merit, had much overſhot himſelf upon ſudden Wrath, Saint Ambroſe adviſed him ever after that to rehearſe the Alphabet, before He ſuffered himſelf to proceed in his Choler; that He might gain time thereby to weigh the reaſons of his Wrath, and ſo might have an opportunity to prevent the breaking out of ſo dangerous a Fire.
Fourthly,What time our Wrath may continue. A fourth thing to be conſidered is the time of our Wrath; How long we ſhould ſuffer it to depend; For long Anger grows ſour, and is eaſily turned to Hatred, which of all Vices hath in it the moſt Venom and filthineſs: For if Charity be the principal of all Virtues; then certainly, Malice is the principal of all Vices, as being moſt contrary to Charity; The Maſter of the Sentences had a Conceit, that Charity was the very Eſſence of the Holy Ghoſt, and that He really dwelt in our Hearts, when this gift of Charity was infuſed into us; I verily ſuppoſe He was deceived, but he ſaid enough to make us believe, that Malice is that great Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which at no time ſhall find Remiſſion.
ABOVE all things therefore we muſt be wary, how we ſuffer our Anger by long retaining it to degenerate into the moſt pernicious Sin of Malice: For Moroſeneſs, a pettiſh Humour, or whatever perverſneſs there is in our Natures, are nothing but the Ways and ſteps unto Malice, a Vice, by ſo much the more to be avoided, becauſe it is one of thoſe Sins, of which Men ſeldom or never repent them; as it is in the caſe of Avarice and Ambition, which after they have taken root, are ſeldom or never removed by Repentance. The Apoſtle therefore to cure the miſchief, which may come of long preſerving our Anger, confines it to one day; Let not the Sun (faith he) go down upon your Wrath; And the Scripture exhorts us all to poſſeſs our Souls in patience; as if He, who is out of patience, was out of the poſſeſſion of his own mind, and acted, as the Bees do, animaſque in vulnere ponunt.
MANY other Particulars there are in common life,We muſt not be froward in Company. in which we are to watch over our Anger; as for Example, When we are diſpoſed to harmleſs Mirth, if we are froward, the whole Entertainment is ſpoiled; ſo bitter Words break to pieces the love and kindneſs of good Converſation; beſides Anger makes a man unfit for Society, becauſe it will force him to reveal Secrets, and fits thereof deſtroy the Methods of all ſorts of Buſineſs; above all things it muſt not be indulged by Magiſtrates, For mediocritatem in puniendo nunquam ſervabit, qui iratus ad poenam procedit; that man will never keep to a due temper in inflicting puniſhment, who proceeds in an angry Mood to it: But in caſe of notorious Crimes they muſt not be too ſlow to Anger, leſt they ſeem to connive at them; neither muſt any of us fall too haſtily into paſſion, before we underſtand the cauſe throughly.
SOME of theſe Rules perhaps might have been ſpared; For ſo we do that, which becomes us, and as Reaſon doth direct, it matters not, tho we never be in a Paſſion; for uſually when it hath raiſed our Blood to a greater Fermentation, than ordinary, we forget our ſelves, and do more harm, than good, according as it is written in St. James 1.20. The wrath of man worketh not the Righteouſneſs of God: Neither is there any paſſion, that ſo much tranſports men from their right judgments, as Anger; ſo thought Plutarch, whoſe Opinion hath ever been taken for juſt and true, eſpecially where he judges of human Actions; But Ariſtotle ſays, it ſerves for Arms to Virtue; yet they, who contradict him, ſay, it is a new kind of Weapon; for our Hands guide not that, but that guides our Hands.
AS for foreign, a total Freedom from all Anger, the leſs may be ſpoken, becauſe it is a fault ſeldom to be found among men, and no inconvenience follows upon it, if the Party, in whom it is, underſtands himſelf, and is ready to do, what Reaſon doth ſuggeſt to him. For the Philoſopher obſerves, that the Man, who is not angry, is not foreign, not apt to Revenge; therefore if this foreign be a Fault,Revenge forbidden all Chriſt… it muſt be favourably cenſured, becauſe it keeps men from Revenge, which unto us, that are Chriſtians, is a grievous ſin, and utterly forbidden: But mankind muſt take it for an undeniable Truth, that all peeviſh and moroſe Humours or whatſoever looks that Way, above all other things do render them unfit for Friendſhip and good Converſation: For ſo long as a man continues in theſe Moods, He hath ſomewhat of a Savage Beaſt, and is unqualified for Society; whoſe Picture is drawn by Ovid in theſe lines:
Ora tument irâ, nigreſcunt ſanguine venae,
Lumina Gorgonio ſaeviùs igne micant.
And theſe Humours riſe by degrees and Ferment in the Mind, much after that manner, as Virgil hath deſcribed, lib. 7. the ſteam of a boyling Cauldron,
—Magno veluti cum flamma ſonore
Virgea ſuggeritur coſtis undantis aheni,
Exultantque aeſtu latices, furit intus aquai,
Fumidus, at que altè ſpumis exuberat amnis,Vir. l. 7.
Nec jam ſe capit unda, volat vapor ater ad auras.
So that we muſt be at ſome pains to moderate and temper this Flame,Pettiſh Humours are the fuel of Anger. and this cannot be effected, unleſs we withdraw the Fuel, that is adminiſtred to it by froward and pettiſh Humours; For this Paſſion, kept within due limits, and governed diſcreetly, is like the natural heat of the Blood, which gives life and motion to every limb of the Body; But if we ſuffer it to burſt out into Rage, it is then like that very Blood, ſet on fire by a Surfeit, and labouring under the Paroxyſms of a Feaver: Thus the ſame thing in its juſt temper brings us Health, and when its motions are immoderate, produces Sickneſs and Death.
NOW Meekneſs doth not only deliver us from the Exceſſes of Anger, Meekneſs the only way to Peace.but doth ſhew us the means, whereby we may enjoy a peaceable life in the midſt of all the Changes and ſtorms in Human Affairs: Which at firſt looks ſtrange, when every man ſeems to be engaged in ſome Faction or other; When Animoſity and ill Will do bear down all before them: For there is in moſt perſons a certain intemperance of Paſſions, that renders them very obnoxious to fall into theſe Vices; Which paſſions are chiefly the deſire of Honour, the deſire of Riches, or the deſire of Revenge; If a Man conſiders, how the publick or the particular concerns of the World are carried on, He will ſee, it is done by ſetting of handles to theſe Diſtempers in mankind; by which they are directed and led like Puppets on a Stage, by unſeen Wires; ſo that their motions are not from themſelves, but are managed by others, that either wiſely or craftily propoſe Objects to theſe unruly paſſions; then they begin to think that they need not run the long Race of Virtue, to attain Honour; nor the tedious application of themſelves to ſome Calling, to make them Rich, nor the regular motion of a judicial Proceſs, to avenge their Injuries: Nay, ſuch is the Enchantment, that ariſeth from theſe intemperances of the mind, that without any ſolicitation from abroad, they drive men headlong that Way, they think the ſhorteſt, to ſatisfie themſelves: But ſuch is the Conſtitution of a meek or a moderate Man, that none of theſe Diſtempers dwell in it; therefore He is proof againſt all their temptations; to this end He avoids ſuch things, as may procure Envy or Emulation againſt him; Envy being an affection, that hath vehement Wiſhes; and whereas there is an occaſion given of moving other Affections but now and then, this of Envy is the moſt continual and the moſt importunate; it keeps no Holy day, but is ever at work upon ſome or other; and all the while it is the vileſt Affection, and the moſt proper Attribute of the Devil; to fly the Poiſon of this moſt depraved Vice, the Man of that good temper, we are deſcribing, is never covetous of great Offices, affects not Grandeur or Popularity, is frugal in his Entertainments and manner of living, is ready to help not only his Friends, but He is a Benefactor to Human Nature, whenever He ſees it in diſtreſs.
HIS Wiſdom is ſuch, that his domeſtick Affairs are never out of order; and his Goodneſs is ſuch, that He rather will forgive injuries, than proſecute the Wrong-doers; by this means He ſecures his own ſafety in publick dangers; for by reaſon of his gentle behaviour He gets but few Enemies; and if He have any, ſuch is his Carriage, as that He either melts them into Friends, or doth ſo abate their Animoſity, as that they never attempt to hurt him.
…n are …liſh in …inking …m…lves a…e the …ch of Enemies.NOW it is the common Folly and miſtake of Men, great in Place, Power, and Wealth, to think themſelves above the reach of Adverſaries; therefore they care not, whom they diſoblige by Inſolence and Scorn: Whereas it is a certain truth in the courſe of the World, that there is no Man, tho never ſo mean, but once in ſeven Years will have an opportunity to do the greateſt Man much good or much harm; as it is in the Fable of the Lion and the Mouſe, who for ſparing this contemptible Creature, was afterwards delivered by it from the Net, that entangled him, when his greatneſs and his ſtrength could not …o it.
NOW a Mild and Gentle diſpoſition toward mankind is a pleaſant as well as a uſeful thing, and is as eaſily exerciſed, as Roughneſs and ill Nature; and when a man can make a Friend upon as eaſie Terms, as He can make an Enemy, He is imprudent, if He do not the latter; for a mean Friend may be able ſometimes to do a great kindneſs, and a little Enemy may have an opportunity to do a conſiderable miſchief.
MEEKNESS therefore ariſes from the nobleſt diſpoſition of mind, that can be;Meekneſs is the nobleſt diſpoſition of Mind. Nothing renders a Man more beloved, and tho Popularity be a dangerous thing in a State, when it meets with an Ambitious Spirit; yet it is ſafe and deſireable, when found in a peaceable and wiſe Man: And the Excellency of this Virtue chiefly conſiſts in taming the Exceſſes of Paſſions of all ſorts; For Paſſion without this reſtraint would ſometimes break out into rude and offenſive Deeds, ſometimes into provoking Speeches; always diſorder the Judgment, and ſo brings Inadvertency into our Actions. But our meek Man is quite of another Frame; He allows ſuch a proportion and meaſure to every Affection, as that they may all ſerve the Ends of a virtuous and good Life.
SO that if Meekneſs, which is the true temperament and Complexion of Virtue, did prevail more amongſt men; it would give them great ſecurity in troubleſom times, procure them Friends, keep 'em conſiderate, and circumſpect in all they do, that they never over-ſhoot themſelves with Folly, Paſſion, and precipitancy in Words or Actions.
NOW the happineſs of meek Perſons is ſet forth in the Doctrine of our Saviour, where it is ſaid, They ſhall inherit the Earth; that is, as Grotius interprets the words, They ſhall not only enjoy the moſt laſting peace in their own minds, but they ſhall partake of the moſt conſtant Friendſhip from others, which is the beſt poſſeſſion and moſt to be valued; That they ſhall inherit peace of Mind, is out of doubt, becauſe meekneſs hath a peculiar power in it to regulate the paſſions; the greateſt diſturbance to the quiet of our lives proceeding from their Exorbitances, whereby the mind is kept continually out of Frame; Nay, they are the diſtempers of ir, and we may liken our Anger to a Frenzy, our Hopes and Fears to an Ague, our Love to a Feaver, and our Envy to a Conſumption: So that whatever will compoſe them, and bring 'em into Harmony, muſt needs be of great conſequence to our welfare.
NOW the Paſſions may be divided into two kinds; ſuch as are more violent and unnatural, referring to Evil, as Anger, Fear, and Grief; Others more natural and kindly, relating to that, which is good, and conſequently they are more agreeable to our deſires, as Love, Hope, and Joy.
THE firſt of theſe are curbed by a meek and gentle Spirit; the other are ſtrengthened and confirmed; and both ways our quiet is much promoted: For ſuppoſing we practice meekneſs in all matters of Controverſie,Paſſions are commanded beſt by a meek Spirit. we ſhall thereby be inclined to judg ſoberly, and lovingly to accommodate all things: For ſuch a prudent relaxation of the utmoſt rigour, as right Reaſon ſhall direct, according to the variety of Caſes and Circumſtances, will beget peace to ones ſelf and the reſt of mankind.
SUPPOSING our minds be thus temper'd to mildneſs in the midſt of troubles, loſſes, and diſappointments; then theſe Evils will not be only leſs bitter to us; but we ſhall be able thereby to overcome the Evil and turn it to a good uſe, and to the fortifying our Spirits againſt the difficulties, that are to be undergone in the courſe of a virtuous Converſation.
BESIDES all this it is the peculiar priviledg of a meek Man, to have his Converſation in Heaven, while he dwells upon Earth; It is true, no man's mind is in this State ſo well framed, as fully to underſtand the happineſs of the other; but this we may be ſure of, that the peaceable and meek Man is beſt prepared for it, becauſe our Souls muſt continue for ever; What we make them in this World, and ſuch a diſpoſition of mind, as we carry with us out of this State, we ſhall retain in the next; For He, that is filthy, will be filthy ſtill, and He, that is unrighteous, will be unrighteous ſtill: In a place therefore of happineſs and purity there can be no room for fierce and unruly Paſſions, becauſe they would not only make us miſerable, but be a trouble to all thoſe, with whom we ſhould Converſe; For if a Man of a malicious and peeviſh Temper ſhould enter the Manſions of Bliſs, he would not only be unhappy himſelf, but He would raiſe ſtorms even in thoſe calm Regions; he would be like the Rich man in Hell, tormented with a continual Thirſt, and burnt up in the flames of his own ardent Deſires.
VAIN Man! that dreameſt of being happy, without any diſpoſition for it; To be happy, is to enjoy what we deſire, and to live with thoſe, whom we love; But there is nothing in Heaven ſutable to the deſires of a turbulent Man; all the Joys there are purely Spiritual, and are only to be reliſhed by thoſe, who are meek upon Earth, and have purified themſelves, even as God is pure.
THE hope therefore of that plentiful Inheritance,Meekneſs is the moſt proper diſpoſition of mind for eternal Happineſs. which God hath prepared for them, in whom there is the ſame mind and ſpirit of meekneſs, which was in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhould inſpire us always with new vigour in the ways of Virtue and Holineſs; This very thought ſhould confirm all purpoſes of Obedience; For if we have our fruit unto holineſs, our end will be everlaſting Life: For the other State was ſo unknown to mankind, that they knew not, what Diſpoſitions and Habits would qualifie them for it; before they were declared by our Saviour, who came from thence, and conſequently underſtood beſt, what were the neceſſary preparations for it; Though many Virtues, which he hath enjoined us may ſeem unneceſſary reſtraints of our Liberties; yet we ought to conclude, that He knew the reaſon of ſuch Commands, and that ſuch qualities will be found as needful in the next World, as out bodily Senſes are in this: for virtuous diſpoſitions of mind, are as neceſſary to qualifie us to reliſh the pleaſures of Heaven, as our Bodily Senſes are to perceive the Delights of this World; and therefore we ſhould endeavour to exerciſe all thoſe heights of Virtue, which the Goſpel recommends to us; becauſe as much as we fall ſhort of theſe, ſo will our glory and happineſs be leſſen'd in the other State.