Works, Chapter 1 · Section 5
SECT. V.
SEcondly, As to the manner of thy dealings,Be Courteous in thy dealings. thy duty is to be courteous as well as righteous. Some men soil the lustre of their justice, and hinder the honour it might bring to the Gospel by the crabbedness of their carriage. A rugged unhewn piece of Timber disgraceth, when a neat smooth one crediteth the building. One end of our dealings with men (as I shall shew by and by) most be to gain them to mind godliness, which end will be much furthered by an affable conversation. Men delight not to walk in rugged ways, nor to deal with rugged men; As curious Flowers draw the eyes, and rare Musick the ears, so doth courtesie allure the hearts of men after it. He that pleaseth all men in all things (indifferent) is the likeliest to save some, 1 Cor. 10. ult. It was the affable carriage of Titus amongst other things, which made him the delight of mankind. Its said of Iulius Caesar, Benigni…ate adeo praeditus, ut quos armis su…gerat, clementia magis vicerit. Solin.that he overcame their affections by his humanity, whose persons he had before subdued by his power and policy; He gloried in nothing so much as in pardoning his Enemies, and gratifying his friends; saith Austin. They who durst speak to Caesar saith Marius, were ignorant of his greatness, and they which durst not, were ignorant of his goodness. We may gain their love by soft words,Austin. Epist. 5. who would hate us, if we went about to ravish them, or to lay violent hands on them. Alexander won the love of his Souldiers by calling them Fellow-Footmen; Courtesie, like the loadstone, will draw even Iron to it. Pharoah an Heathen was full of Courtesie, and though a King condescended much in his carriage towards Iacob, Abraham is noted not onelyonly for his faith in God and holiness, but also for his discreet familiarity, and affable behaviour towards men, Gen. 47. 8, 9. Gen. 23. 7. Our blessed Saviour is therefore said to come eating and drinking, because of the sweetness and attractiveness of his conversation. This Lord of Glory in all his converses, had a comely and winning grace. They who are truly noble, are ever affable; those that like the Persian, keep up state, are but according to the French dialect (of their haughty upstarts) gentle Villains. Contempt or arrogancy is a weed that ever groweth in dunghils; Tis from the rankness of the soyl, that it hath its height and haughtiness; They are but windy Spirits, that bubble thus above others; tis the froth onelyonly that gets always to the top of the water.
Its a Divine Command, Be Courteous (1 Pet. 3.8.) the word signifieth, Friendly-minded,foreign Comis, Affa…ilis, Humanus & ad vitae consuetudinem facilis comm…dus que Eras. studious to do such things as are grateful to others. Obedience to this command is cheap, and costeth nothing, which whosoever denyeth, will certainly never obey those precepts which will put him to charge; He who denyeth men a good look, will not at Gods call,Tanquam foreign, Qui sapit amica, i. e. Qui studet facere ea quae alteri sunt amica & grata. lay down his life for the Gospel.
The Romans, be…ause they would not have any defrauded of civil respect, retained Admonitors (called Nomenclatores) who should suggest the name and quality of every one they encountered, that so he might be saluted in a conformable stile.
We read in Scripture frequently of Salutations sent to and from the Saints, Rom. 16.Comitas (alias dicta humanitas, affabilitas) est virtus in conversatione mediocritatem servans, ne quis juste offendatur. Praetor. p. 2. Theat. Eth. Sect. 13. God never intended that when men put on Christianity, they should put off civility. Those Quakers who like Idols, have eyes and see not, mo…ths and speak not, are so far from being invested (above others, as they pretend) with the divine nature, that they are even divested of the humane nature. The very Turks salutation to him they meet, is Salaum aleek, Peace be to thee; and the reply is,Blunts Voyage Aleek salaum, To thee be peace also. When Boaz came into his field, The Lord be with you, saith he to his Reapers; The Lord bless thee, say they to him.Ruth 4. 2. Indeed, Christ commands his Disciples, Salute no man, Luk. 10. 4. But the occasion of this prohibition is considerable. The Disciples were sent about business of importance and expedition; and the salutations Christ speaks off, are in the nature of those which we call Complements, a filling up of precious time with needless toys and trifles. As if Christ had said, Your work is of weight, and requires haste, do not therefore loyter, by standing to talk with any by the way, but mind your business. It is not intended by a Master who gives his Servant such a charge, that therefore he must not put off his hat, or bid any Good Morrow, or ask their Neighbours how they do, for ever after. The same Law-giver doth command Salutations by his o…n mouth; Into what house ye enter, say, Peace be to this house, Luk. 10. 5, 6. and also commends it to us by his Ministers, 1 Cor. 16. Col. 4. 10, 14. We may not bid them God Speed, whom we see imployed about the Divels designes, least we be partakers of their evill deeds; but if we know not their actions to be bad, our charity must hope the best. He that hath but common Humanity, must needs be a Civilian. Though nature be a Crab-stock, yet if she be but graffed by education, this will be part of her sweet fruit.
Be meek in thy dealings with men.3. As thy duty is to be righteous and courteous, so also to be meek in thy dealings with men. Courtesie is a good Servant to wait upon meekness as its Master; both together are no small credit to a Professour: He that is highest in godliness, is fullest of meekness; the purest Gold is soonest melted, and they are usually the best blades that will bend well; the Lion of Iudah for courage, was a Lamb for condescension. The Saint must learn of his Saviour to be meek and lowly in heart. The passionate man is one of Lucifers Disciples, and followeth him in his fall from Heaven.Mansuetudo est virtus quae mediocritatem servat circa iram. Golius. l. 4. Eth. c. 5. Mansuetudo est virtus quae hominem ita tractabilem facit in communi conversatione, ut non praeter aequum & bonum exa…peretur aliorum ineptiis, morositatibus & peccatis le…ioribus etiam in suam injur amtendent. hus. Dav. in Col. 3. 12. This meekness (I speak of it in relation to man as its object) is a vertue by which we moderate our passions, and keep them in subjection, least we should wrong our Neighbours; Patience is sister to meekness, and humility is its mother. The Passions of our minds are like the winds in the air, if they lye still, the Ship must lie still too, or at least make but small speed; if they be too boysterous, they endanger the dashing the vessel upon a Rock, or casting it upon the Quicksands; but when they blow moderately, between a still calm, and a violent storm, they are most helpful to the Mariners. Our affections are of no use if they be suffered to sleep, and do not rise at all; for then though the name of God himself be shot at, they will not hear the murdering piece; Such meekness is worse then mopishness; God did not give the soul these wings in vain.
On the other side, if our affections are tempestuous, and rise too high, they threaten to overturn both our selves and our Neighbours. A passionate man, is like the torrid zone, too hot for any to deal with him, or to dwel neer him. The work therefore of meekness, is to keep the affections within their bounds; so to moderate this fire, that it may warm, not flame out to burn it self and others. He that is inebriated with passion, is unfit for any action; like Sampsons Foxes, he scattereth fire-bands abroad to the hurt of all that are neer him. Alexander in his anger flies upon his best friend; Parmenio himself must perish by that Wild-fire; Catos best Emperor was he qui potuit imperare affectus, that could keep his own passions in subjection. When one said he was a wise King, that was kind to his friends, and sharp to his enemies; another said, He was a wiser Prince, that could retain his Friends in love, and make his enemies like them. The Spirit of God gives us a mark to know a wise and noble man by; Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge amongst you? Let him shew out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of wisdom, Jam. 3. 13.
Two particulars offer themselves to our view out of this verse.
1. That meekness is a sign of a wise man. The world counts them onelyonly the brave spirits, that scorn to suffer the least affront, and who will repay a single injury with double interest; but these in Gods accounts are fools. What a fool is he that suffereth (his passion) that which should be his servant to become his master, and to tyrannize over him? What a fool is he that perceiving a Musket discharged, will not stoop a little, or fall down a while to avoid the Bullet, but keep his place and height, to the loss of his life? Truly, such a fool is he that will never yeild to anothers wra…h. Is not he a fool, that seeing a fire in his neighbours house, anger in his Neighbours heart, is so far from helping to quench it by the water of mildness, that he throweth more fuel on it, and increaseth its flame, even to the burning down of his own? is not he a fool, that ventureth his inestimable soul, at every trifling cast, and runneth headlong upon the greatest hazards? Surely 'tis not without reason, the wise man speaks so often of a fools wrath, and that Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles, Prov. 27. 3. and 17. 12. &c. A wise man deferreth his anger, least it burn with too hot a flame; Prov. 29. 11. He will draw back the brands, least the fire exceeding its bounds, should consume him; How many have been thrown, nay utterly over-thrown, by laying the reins upon the neck of their brutish passions, when their persons would have been safe, had but their passions been curbed? Charles the sixth, King of France, was mad for anger, and desire of revenge on the Duke of Brittain. Excess of wrath cost Ajax his life, if the Poet may be beleived. Sylla in the height of fury vomited up his blood and his breath together,Ovid Metamor. Plutar…h. saith the Historian. When such winds blow, they raise black and dark clouds. A furious man hath few friends; like Ismael, his hand is against every man, and every mans hand is against him. The Herons name in Hebrew signifieth to be angry, and its observed, scarce any fowl hath so many foes; the Eagle preyeth upon her, the Fox catcheth her in the night, the Hawk destroyeth her eggs; How foolish is the Bee that loseth her life, and her sting together, she puts another to a little pain, but how dearly doth she pay for it?
The greatest conquest is to overcome our selves, and the vilest bondage to be our own slaves, Prov. 16. 32.Infirmi anim…i est exigui que voluptas Vltio; continuo sic Coll…ge, quod vindicta Nemo magis gaudet quam faemina. Juvenal. Sat. 6. He that is most mild, is most manly. It sullied the glory of all Caesars valour and victories, that he was his own vassal. It is the glory of a man, to pass by offences. Those Dogs which were presented to Alexander, by the King of Albany, were counted the best in the world,No…il…ssimum genus vindictae est par… ere. and upon this account, because they were so noble as not to stir at all, when small beasts were brought to encounter them; and through an overflowing of courage… would never fight, save with Lions and Elephants.Contemnere op…rtet injurias & quas injuriarum umbras dixe…im, contumelias sive mer…to mihi acci…t, sive immerito. Si merito, non est contumelia, sed judicium; Si immerito, illi qui injusta facit, non mih. erubes…endum est. Senec. in Sap. non cad. injuria. Those men, without question, are far from true worth, and most ignoble, who upon every supposed petty wrong, flie to the common Law, or Civil War for revenge. By the Laws of England a Noble man hath this priviledge, that he cannot be bound to the peace, because its supposed that a Noble person will scorn to engage himself in quarrels, but keep the peace without a Bond. It is the base and vile bramble, the fruit of the earths curse, that teareth and renteth what is next it.
Plutarch reports of a falling out between two famous Philosophers,If Injuries be shameful, it is foreign to him that doth the wrong, not to him that suffereth the wrong, saith S…crates. Aristippus and AEschines, and how after some time, Aristippus went to AEschines, saying, Shall we not be friends before we be a Tabletalk to all the town? Yea, with all my heart, saith AEschines. Remember then (saith Aristippus) that thrugh I am your Elder, yet I sued for peace. True replieth the other, I acknowledge you the better and worthier man; for I began the strife, but you the peace. In this Pagan glass, many Christians may see their own deformities; for even Heathen agree with Scripture in this first particular, That they are most wise and prudent, who are most meek and peaceable.
2. The other which floweth from the forementioned verse, is, That the Christians meekness must be mixt with wisdom. The Apostle calls it meekness of wisdom; meekness opposeth fury in our own quarrel, not zeal in Gods cause. The same Spirit that appeared in the forme of a Dove; appeared also in the form of fiery tongues. It may be my duty to be silent when I am wronged; but its sinful, not to speak when God is reproached. Though I may compound for my own debts, yet I have no power to compound for anothers. Its a singular mark of a Saint, to be wet Tinder, when men strike fire at himself; and touch-wood, when men strike at God; The meekest man upon the face of the earth, was the fullest of fury in the cause of Heaven, Numb. 12. 2. Exod. 32. A skilful Musitian knoweth when to strike a string of a lower sound, when of an higher. A wise Christian knoweth when to abate, when to increase his heats.
Naturalists observe of Bees, that they will ordinarily suffer any prejudice, when they are far from their Hives, and their own particular is onelyonly concerned; but when they are neer their Hives, that their Common wealth is engaged in their combats, they are furious and will lose their lives, or conquer. Thy work O Christian, is not to abate the least of Gods due; but to pocket up many private injuries, and to forgive thy personal debts. Be not like some, as cold in Gods cause as if they had neither sense nor life; and as hot in their own, as if their work were to make good the opinion of Democritus, that the soul is of the nature of fire, nothing else but an hot subtle body, dispersing it self into fiery atomes. Excess of fury, is a spiritual frenzy, and its ill for them who come within the biting of such mad beasts.
I have reast of Themistocles, that having an House to let, he pasted on the Door, Here is an House to be hired, that hath a good Neighbour; Its a great comfort to dwell by a pious and meek person, but no small cross to live neer the peevish and passionate; A meek man is a good Neighbour in these respects. For
1. He is so far from wronging others, that he will forgive those that wrong him. He is not onelyonly contrary to them, who like furious Curs, fall upon every one that passeth by, without the least cause, but also if he be wronged, he never studieth revenge, though he may seek sometimes for Iustice. The world hath learned of the Divel to offer injuries, and he hath learned of God to suffer injuries. He dares not usurpe Gods Throne, but leaves his cause to the Judge of all men, Lev. 19. 18. He knoweth also that good men must have their grains of allowance; and Children of the same Father, are too prone to quarrel; therefore he beareth both with the bad, and the good; with the former for Christs sake; with the latter, because they are Christs seed. Now such a one is a good Neighbour; Calvin said,Sae… dicere solitus sum. Etiamsi me Lutherus diabolum vocaret, me tamen hoc illi honoris habiturum, ut insignem dei servum agnoscam. Cael. Bu. though Luther should call him Satan, yet he would honour Luther as a faithful servant of God. Its reported of Cato, that when a rash bold fellow struck him in the Bath, and some time after, came to ask him pardon, he had forgot that he had been injured, Melius putavit non agnoscere, quam ignoscere, saith Seneca. He scorned to approach so neer revenge, as acknowledge that he had been wronged. Its below a generous Moralist to take notice of petty affronts; He kils such slimy wormes, by trampling on them. The Christian upon a better consideration, destroyeth those vermine with the foot of contempt. He hath experience what millions of pounds are forgiven him by God, and therefore out of gratitude cannot but pardon some few pence to man. Forgiving one another, as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you, Ephes. 4. 32.Hierom observeth upon Ephes. 4. 32. that the Apostle saith, foreign that is, saith he, foreign rather then foreign freely forgiving your selves. Nam quod bene in alium fit, magis ei reponitur qui praestitit, quam cui datum est. He knoweth that he needeth favour from others for his offences against them; he doth not always walk so carefully, but some time or other he hath bespattered those that went neer him, and its but just that he should allow that pardon which he expecteth,(b)Hanc veniam petimus que damus que vicissim, Horas. Non vivitur inter perfectos & bonos, sed inter illos qui saepe ex infirmitate, & inscitia peccant; quod & nos ipsi etiam facimus. AEquum est igitur peccatis veniam poscentem, reddere rursus, Cav. ibid. Eccles. 7.21,22. Tit. 3. 2, 3. Shewing all meekness towards all men; for we our selves were sometimes foolish, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. The Lacedemonians were wont to pray in their publique service, that the Gods would enable them to bear private wrongs with patience.
2. A meek person will part with much of his right to buy his peace. Where he may not wrong his family too much, nor dishonour his God, he will yeild far to preserve or purchase a friend. Though his priviledge be superior, yet he can be contented to hold the stirrup to others, and give them place; Abraham was the Elder and the Nobler man, yet he offereth Lot his choice of the Country, and was willing to take what he would leave.