Case VIII: How the Heart May Be Kept Meek and Patient Under Great Crosses and Provocations
Case VIII. How the heart may be kept meek and patient under great crosses and provocations.
There are three sorts of anger, natural, holy, and sinful anger. 1. Natural, which is nothing else but the motion of the irascible appetite towards an offensive object; and this, in itself, is no sin: they are propassions rather than passions, the infelicities rather than the sins of nature, as Jerome calls them. Reason, saith Plutarch, is the driver, the soul is the chariot, and the two horses that draw it on in all its motions, are the concupiscible and irascible appetites. Whilst these are rightly managed by reason, they are not only lawful but useful to the soul. God would not have us to be stupid and insensate, though he would have us to be meek and patient. In Eph. iv. 26. he allows the natural motion, but forbids the sinful exorbitancy. 2. Holy anger, which is a pure flame, kindled by a heavenly spark of love to God, and in scripture is called “zeal;” which is, as one saith, the dagger which love draws in God*s quarrel. Such was Lot’s against the Sodomites, and that of Moses against the idolatrous Israelites. When Servetus condemned Zuinglius for his harshness, his answer was, in other cases I will be mild, but in the cause of Christ, not so. That which the world calls moderation and mildness here, is, in God’s account, stupidity and cowardliness; neither of these are that which I am now persuading you to keep your hearts against. But, 3. There is a sinful passion, that is the thing which endangers you. Now, anger becomes sinful when it is either causeless, Mat. v. 22. or excessive; and that, either in measure or time, exceeding the value of the impulsive cause, be it more transient or abiding; yet it is a sin, and is matter of humiliation before God. Now the means to keep the heart from it under provocations, are these : — — Means 1. Get low and humble thoughts of yourselves, and then you will have meek spirits, and peaceable deportments towards others.
The humble is ever the patient man — pride is the root of passion — a lofty will be a surly spirit — bladders blown up with wind will not lie close together, but prick them, and you may pack a thousand in a small room — “only by pride cometh contention.” When we overrate ourselves, then we think we are unworthily treated by others, and that provokes: and here (by the way) take notice of one great benefit of acquaintance with your own hearts, even the meekness and calming of your spirits. Christian, methinks thou wouldst know thyself; that it is impossible any should lay. thee lower, or have baser thoughts of thee, than thou hast of thyself. Some render the original of that text, Hab. ii. 5. “The proud man is as he that transgresseth by wine:” and drunkards, you know, are quarrelsome. O get more humility, and that will bring you more peace!
Means 2. Be often sweetening your spirits in communion with God, and they will not easily be imbittered with wrath towards men.
A quiet conscience never produced an unquiet conversation. The peace of God doth rule in the heart, as an umpire in appeasing strifes; for so much that word. Col. iii. 15. imports. Wrath and strife are greatly opposite to the frame and temper of a spiritual heart, because it is inconsistent with the delio-ht and contentment of that dove-like spirit, which loves a sedate and quiet breast. O! saith a soul that feeds upon the sweet communion of the Spirit, shall the sparkles of provocations now catch in my passions, and raise such a smoke in my soul as will offend and drive away the Comforter from me? This is so effectual a remedy against passion, that I durst almost venture, in a Christian of a hasty nature, to make long-sufferings a sign of communion with God. Seest thou such a Christian quiet and calm under provocations, it is very like his soul feeds upon such sweetness in God as he is loath to leave: and, on the other side, seest thou a Christian turbulent and clamorous, doubtless, all is not well within; his spirit is like a bone out of joint, which cannot move without pain and trouble.
Means 3. Get due apprehensions of the evil nature and effects of sinful anger: — Anger is a short madness, saith one: Saith another. Anger is the fever of the soul: It is the interregnum and eclipse of reason, saith a third.
The effects of it are also very sad. 1. It grieves the Spirit of God: banishes him from that breast in which it rages and tumultuates. God is the God of peace; — the presence and comforts of God are only enjoyed in the calm. It is a golden note one gives upon the forecited text — God doth not usually bless with peace of conscience, such as make no conscience of peace. 2. It gives advantage to the devil. Satan is an angry and discontented spirit, and finds no rest but in restless hearts; he lives, like the Salamander, in fires of contention, — he bestirs himself when the spirits are in a commotion — sometimes he fills the heart with revengeful thoughts, sometimes he fills the lips, and inflames the tongue with indecent language: even a meek Moses sometimes spoke unadvisedly with his lips. 3. It untunes the spirit for duty: upon this account the apostle dissuades husbands and wives from jarring carriages and contentions, that their prayers be not hindered. All acts of worship must be suitable to the object of worship; but God is the God of peace — the God of love. 4. To mention no more, it disparages the Christian religion. How would Plato and Pythagoras shame us if they were now living. Christ was a lamb for meekness, and doth it become his followers to be like lions? O keep your hearts, or you will at once lose, not only your own peace, but the credit of religion!
Means 4. Consider how sweet a thing it is to a Christian, to conquer his corruptions, and carry away the spoils of them.
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Is there any contentment in venting a passion; how much more in mortifying it? When thou comest in a calm mood, or upon a death-bed, to review thy life, how comfortable then will it be to reflect upon the conquests thou hast got, by the fear of God, over the evil propensions of thine own heart! It was a memorable saying of Valentinian the emperor, when he came to die: ‘Amongst all my conquests (said he) there is but one that now comforts me;’ and being asked what that was, he answered, ‘I have overcome my worst enemy, mine own naughty heart.’
Means 5. Shame yourselves by setting before you those eminent patterns that have been most excellent for meekness.
Above all, compare your spirits with the spirit of
Christ: “Learn of me,” saith he,” for I am meek
lowly.” Christ was meek and lowly, but I am proud
and passionate. It was the high commendation of
g3
Moses: “Now the man Moses was meek, above all the men of the earth:” and this was the man that knew God face to face. It is said of Calvin and Ursin, that they both were of choleric natures, but yet had so learned the meekness of Christ, as not to utter one word, under the greatest provocation, unbeseeming religion. When I read the pretty stories of the very heathens, that never had the advantages we have, how the Pythagoreans, whatever feuds had been among them in the day, would bush all by sending to each other this message, “The sun is almost set;” and that of Plato to his scholar, “I would beat thee if I were not angry.”
When I read what lenity and tenderness Lycurgus showed to an insolent fellow, that had struck out one of his eyes, I am ashamed to see how much Christians are outdone by heathens; who, by mere moral arguments and precepts, had thus Tneekened their spirits, and conquered their passions. The dim light of nature could teach Seneca to say, ‘That anger will hurt a man more than the offence; for there is a certain bound in the offence, but I know not how far mine anger will carry me.’ It is a shame that these men, who came so far behind us in means and advantages, should so far outstrip us in meekness and patience.
Means 6. Lastly, Avoid all irritating occasions.
He that will not bear the clapper, must not pull the rope: “Grievous words stir up anger,” saith Solomon. Do not only pray and resolve against it, but get as far as you can out of the way of it. It is true spiritual valour, to run as fast and as far as we can out of sin’s way. If you can but avoid anger in its first rise, there is no great fear of it afterwards: for it is not with this sin as it is with other sins; other sins grow to their full strength by degrees, their first motions are the weakest; but this sin is born in its full strength: it is strongest at first, withstand it then, and it falls before you. Thus learn to keep your heart when provocations arise.
Season IX. The ninth season of exerting our greatest diligence, is the critical hour of temptation; wherein Satan lays close siege to the fort-royal of a Christian’s heart, and often surprises it for want of watchfulness. To keep thy heart now, is no less a mercy than a duty. Few Christians are so well skilled in detecting the fallacies, and retorting the arguments, by which Satan uses to draw them to sin, as to come off safe in those encounters. “Watch and pray,” saith our Lord, “lest ye enter into temptation.” Even an eminent David, and a wise Solomon, have smarted for their carelessness at such a time as this. The ninth case, therefore, shall be this: