There is a voice of very deep instruction in that appeal of the apostle to the Corinthians, " I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:1.)
It is so unusual a thing in this world for power to be possessed without making itself felt, or authority without its ostentatious display, that the apostle is obliged, as it were, to excuse himself for the lack of assumption and magisterial bearing in his intercourse with the Corinthians, by appealing to these prominent characteristics of his divine Master, "the meekness and gentleness of Christ."
He does not abandon his claim to authority as the apostle of Christ, nor disclaim the possession of a power which, in a sense against his will, he might, after all, be obliged to use; but he simply brings before them the characteristics of His course, who at any rate they must acknowledge as having the absolute power and authority of " Master and Lord."
The whole chapter runs on this thought, and receives its color and complexion from it. His presence might be base among them; but he did not walk in the flesh, nor war after the flesh. " The weapons of his warfare were not carnal, but mighty through God." His object was not self-exaltation, but to " bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." His bodily presence might be weak and his speech contemptible;. but if he were to boast somewhat more of the authority the Lord had given him he would not be ashamed. He remembered, if they did not, that this authority was given him for "edification and not for their destruction." And in this he intimates that they would have respected his authority more, if the grace that marked its exercise had been less. He had said in a previous epistle " What will ye? shall 1 come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?" Putting it thus to their option whether his presence should be marked by gentleness or severity; for this would depend on their condition. Here, however, he but refers to " the meekness and gentleness of Christ," and leaves them to make their own application of his appeal. It could hardly fail to recall to their thoughts the memorable words of our Lord, " Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." At any rate it cannot fail to recall them to ours, and, if so, it takes us away from the exercise of apostolic or any other ministry merely, to think how far we are individually, and in our own walk as Christians, cultivating " the meekness and gentleness of Christ."
It is never right, Scripture does not do it, to separate doctrine from practice. The revelation of Christ claims to have as much to do with the formation of our characters and the regulation of our affections, as it has to do with the saving of our souls. In the apostolic epistles ordinarily, the truth that characterizes the believer's position in grace and relationship with the Lord is first given, and then the suited conduct and spirit are enforced. For, I may observe, that Scripture is never occupied with teaching the world morality. How could it be 7 How train to obedience the very spirit of rebellion? How give precepts and injunctions to a hostile will? If men are inconsistent, Scripture, at least, is always consistent with itself, and it is one witness of the divinity of its revelation. It does not, in one place, teach that " the carnal mind is enmity against God; that it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," and in another begin to enforce on it principles of obedience, as if, after all, there were some good in it, on which the truth might work. No; it tells the world of its ruin and coming doom, and beseeches it to be reconciled to God, through the redemption wrought by Christ. But it tells the believer of all the motives to holiness and love which are wrapped up in that infinitude of grace by which he has been brought out of darkness into God's marvelous light. It does not call us, however, to listen to the Spirit of God for truth, and refer us to our own spirits for its application; or leave it as a matter of indifference. All is divinely given, and given completely. And much it behooves us in a day like this to hold fast that testimony, that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." The Christian who in faith admits the comprehensiveness of this claim, will find in it a citadel of strength, which the enemy can never command; and a light that will never flicker nor fail in the darkest parts of his road.
It is in the nature of things that any divine movement of truth and grace in this world should gradually lose its force when its first freshness in the minds of men begins to decay; and individual souls can only be kept in their first energy as they are near enough to the Lord to receive from Him the constant communications of His grace. It is only Christ who never changes; and it is only His grace, and that constantly received, that is sufficient for us.
In the earlier days of the Reformation the recovery of the truth of doctrine was the grand concern of the reformers; and in its recovery the liberty and energy of souls were great. In the later periods of this movement, apart from its political character, its leaders had enough to do in repressing error and in the enforcement of godliness of walk. Not that those who held to the corrupt system of popish doctrine were holy in practice, but the reverse; for it was the debasement of morals in what was called the church that mainly brought on the Reformation. There may be, it is true, a careless, easy-going religious life in connection with professed purity of doctrine, but there cannot be real holiness of life apart from that truth which gives Christ to the soul in all the efficacy of His work, by which we are placed in association with God, and are brought to " walk in the light even as he is in the light."
Recovered doctrine has gone widely forth in our day. " The heavenly calling of believers," " resurrection life," "the presence of the Holy Spirit," " the hope of the Lord's coming," " peace through his blood," "perfect acceptance," are familiar in our mouths as household words. Whether our souls have grasped the wide import of these phrases, it is to be feared, in many cases, admits of serious question.
But there is another part of truth that must be regarded, if, morally, everything is not to go to decay. That Scripture has never yet been reversed, that, " we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Nor this, " if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and let him follow me." Christ must be followed as well as be believed in. There is a certain truth in Penn's motto, " No cross no crown."
There may be a legal, Thomas-A-Kempis kind of imitation of Christ, or there may be a free, joyous, Pauline following of Him; but Christ must be followed- Nay, the exhortation comes to us in a most wonderful and startling form, if its force had not been so dulled by use, " Be ye therefore followers [imitators] of GOD, as dear children; and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us." But lofty as this exhortation is, and strange to us from its loftiness, we have been presented with an embodiment of it in human form, The lowliest of men-yet " God manifest in the flesh" -has presented us with its embodiment. He has done more. He has taught us how to reach it also. The rule is given in that deepest, simplest form of words, " Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Misery is the inevitable result of a Christian's following his own will; but what rest is there and calm satisfaction, in the feeblest effort to "prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God 1'
But there is a careless holding of doctrine-learning but not attaining. It is the consequence of dealing by the natural understanding with truths that can only be spiritually discerned, or discerned by the Spirit. Christians are in danger of this as well as others. But truth so received is never practical. It is like the seed in the " stony ground:" it brings no fruit to perfection. I see all around me the signs (perhaps exhibit them in myself) that the truth, which is deemed distinctive, has been allowed to slip away; or has never been really grasped. There is a reciprocal action and reaction between truth received and the spirit in which it is held. Heavenly truth, if it acts at all, acts in the way of producing heavenly character. Man is molded (it is a universal principle) by the objects, not perhaps that he professes, but that really occupy his thoughts and heart. It is not different in heavenly things. A heavenly walk opens for the soul a clearer perception of heavenly truth and gives it a firmer grasp. But heavenly truth cannot long be even professed in connection with an earthly walk, except where all is hollowness. The profession is reduced, sooner or later, to the scale of practice, where the practice is not raised to some measure of agreement with the truth.
To possess and to exhibit the " meekness and gentleness of Christ," belongs to the very profession of Christianity, and belongs to it at all times. It will display itself differently under different circumstances, but it belongs to Christians in all circumstances, and belongs alike to all. Let us listen to the heavenly oracle, " Even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously." What we want is to have the blessed Son of God more the center and substance of our creed. To believe IN Him, as we see in the case of the apostle, is the living power of practical Christianity. " That I may know him," is his word, " and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death." What we all want is, to have the Lord Jesus more livingly in our thoughts and in our hearts. It is not to write an essay on meekness and gentleness that is needed, but to have the great example of meekness and gentleness more habitually in our view. If our hearts were but stirred up to say, this is to be my work, this my study, to be " meek and lowly in heart," to be like Christ, what might not be hoped? To seek in all honesty of purpose to have Christ's character brightly before our souls, and then as honestly, in spite of manifold failure, to seek to imitate it-. this is the way to " walk and please God." To make the attempt, with this definiteness of aim, would not long be without its manifest result; at least, it would not be without result to our own souls, though not of a kind, it may be, to increase our self-esteem. At least, it would bring the Lord Jesus more habitually nearer to us, even if that nearness discovered to us other failures besides the want of meekness. There is nothing more profitable to the soul than to find itself alone with the Lord Jesus, in conflict, it may be, with some conscious human besetment or in seeking the acquisition of some divine disposition. Nothing more effectually teaches us the force of those words, " not as though I had already attained."
It is when one thinks of who He is, and what He has done, that the heart is bowed in His presence, and asks, Can it ever be? Can it ever be that I have this place in His heart? that He has ventured thus far for me, and that I am no more constrained by His love? No more like Him in spirit, walk, and ways? If He, who was thus immeasurably great, instead of being proud and contemptuous, and awing men to a distance from Him, carried Himself in the presence of His own creatures, in all imaginable meekness, can there be room for pride in me? No; none ever was proud in God's presence. None ever was other than " meek and lowly in heart," for the time at least, when near enough to Christ to know Him in His real character. But, then, what a secret does this betray!
When I think of what Christ is in Himself, and not only of what He has done for me, though in the heart that is thus brought to God the two cannot be separated, I worship and adore. I am filled with admiration and delight, and I want never to look on any other object, as having moral beauty in it or attractive worth. But when I look at what I am toward Christ, not in outward act so much as in inward feeling and intrinsic estimation of Him, and consequently my little power to imitate Him, I hate myself. I do not speak of returns. What returns can I make for love like His?
"Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all."
But I speak of estimation of Him, and of the constraining power of that estimation on my mind, my temper, my habitual carriage, my estimation of everything around me, of the world, men, Christians, the things of the world, time, life, death, eternity.
Whatever the Lord Jesus was-and how wonderful is it to think of what He was! this we find was His distinguishing characteristic as a man amongst men, He was " meek and lowly in heart." And amidst the drifting current of this world's usages and its sanctioned moralities, how necessary is it for the heart to be constantly schooled in this one principle, " all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but it is of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." Meekness and gentleness are not the dispositions which the world has taken under its patronage any more than the path to greatness in it is to become servant of all. Whatever is of God morally must needs he contrary to the world. This is plainly a judged question to a Christian, whatever it may be to the advocates of human perfectibility, " If the world hate you," says our Lord, " ye know that it hated me before it hated you." And, more than this; He says, " they have both seen and hated both me and my Father." That ever the world should have hated Christ! But it is different now," say some, " and His mission is beginning to be rightly understood." Let us not be deceived. It is not the Christ of revelation that men are professing to honor. It is a mere simulacrum, a phantom Christ, such as superstition and the priest are pleased to give to men, or such as each man embodies forth for himself.
If I am ever to cultivate the meekness and gentleness of Christ, or to reduce to practice His injunction, " Take my yoke upon you and learn of me," I must understand the substratum of truth on which this injunction rests. This is emphatically given in our Lord's words, by which this injunction is introduced. {Matt. 11:27.) He says, " all things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Here we have, then, the divine Son of God revealed in the world, and, though unknown in the unfathomable mystery of
His Person, except by the Father, still the revealer of the Father-the revealer of God. For man's misery is that, otherwise, he knows not God. In another scripture He says, "all things that the Father hath are mine," speaking of the depth and claim of His eternal Godhead. Here, as the humbled man, He says, "all things are delivered to me of my Father," speaking as the head of divine communication to the laboring and heavy laden whom He invites to Himself that He may give them rest. But, then, as the Son He speaks of the mystery of the Father's Person, known only by the revelation of the Son; unknown and unknowable except by that revelation. Here we come to the exigency of man's condition and to the essence of what the gospel effects. It is the revelation to the soul, by One competent to the work, of GOD, in His character of infinite grace. And it is this revelation of the Father to the heart by the Son that gives it rest; however otherwise laboring and heavy laden. But, then, in the knowledge of this, and in the power of
a divine life so imparted, the believer is set forward on his path heavenward through the world, bearing Christ's yoke and learning of Him. For all truth of doctrine and precept is based upon what He is, and our practical failures and lowness of walk arise from the imperfect revelation of the Father which we have received of the Son. Nor should it be omitted to notice here who they are to whom this revelation is made. " At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight." (Matt. 11:25,26.)
It is just as impossible for the sun to shine without giving light and heat, as it is to have the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ shining in our hearts without producing in us some measure of conformity to His blessed image. And here, let me say, it was not truth, but Christ, that the apostle's heart was occupied with when he said, " One thing I do: forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark." Neither is it truth of doctrine nor truth of interpretation, valuable as these may be in their place, but Christ, in His living person and grace, that is set before us in this same Epistle, (Phil. 2:5-10,) when he says, " Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," &c. It is true that a written Christ is given to us in the Scriptures, but it is that a living Christ may thus, by the Holy Spirit, be revealed to our hearts. I am not speaking now of that revelation of Christ to the soul, which is the basis of salvation, and through which we are born of God. But I am speaking of Christ as the object of our affections, and of the heart's engagement with Him as the end and aim of all our purposes and hopes while passing through this world to where He is.
All truth with all its various applications, what is it given for but to make God and Christ known to the soul? The occupation of the apostles was to make Christ known, and through Him, God, in a world that had lost this knowledge, and, I may add, has lost it. The aim of the Apostle Paul in "warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom" was, that he might "present every man perfect in Christ." And as to his own personal aim, apostle as he was, it is summed up in this, " that I may know him," &e.
But if we trace for ourselves the Lord's course through this world in the various scenes in which He is presented, what is it that strikes the heart? What is it that makes us feel the immeasurable distance there is between Him and every other character that we ever did, or ever can contemplate? Is it not His lowly meekness-His gentleness, His unutterable humbleness of carriage, in contrast with all that was around Him, and in contrast with all that we know of our own spirits and of the world? Think of Him in the presence of His enemies and their provocations! Think of Him in connection with His dull and inapprehensive disciples-how He meets their difficulties, bears with their ignorance, corrects their prejudices I How does every scene in which He is viewed add some fresh illustration of the truth of His words, " I am meek and lowly in heart," until the impression of the whole becomes overwhelming, and in one sense oppressive to the soul!
I have lately studied the gospels, as every one may study them, not for critical ends, nor with any outward helps, nor even with a view to see what Christ has done for me (this I know), but simply to see what Christ was like, and how He carried Himself as a man in this world, and passing through similar scenes to those with which I am connected from day to day. I do not state the result. Let my reader so study them, and he will be at no loss to guess the issue! This, however, I may be allowed to say, that I had not before seen the depth of the apostle's appeal, " Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ."
Meekness is most seen in bearing with what we meet with that is in any way contrary to us. Gentleness has the field of its exercise in active dealing with others. And it may be well, before I close, to notice how extensively this spirit is directly inculcated in the New Testament.
In the first place the Apostle Peter teaches us that the characteristic calling of a Christian, as to this world, is to do well and suffer for it, and take it patiently. (See 1 Peter 2:20-23.) And in suffering for righteousness, on which our Lord has pronounced His blessing, the same apostle says, " Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15.) And when speaking of what kind of dress is becoming in the light of God for christian women, he says, " Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Peter 3:3,4.) Our Lord in giving the characteristics of those who would have part with Him in His kingdom, says, " Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." The Apostle James in presenting to us the spirit in which the Divine word should be received says, " Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21.). And again, " God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (James 4:5.) And if we turn to the epistles of Paul, we find him in the Ephesians speaking thus in relation to the walk that is worthy of the Christian's calling: " I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." (Eph. 4:1,2.) In Colossians he says, " Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." (iii. 12, 13.) In Galatians he says, " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." (v. 22, '23.) In the same epistle he teaches us in what spirit brotherly discipline, if it is to be effectual, must be administered. " Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Gal. 6:1.) In his epistle to Timothy he says, " But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." (1 Tim, vi. 11.) And in the second epistle, where especially he is concerned that Timothy should act rightly in the midst of opposition and evil and the corruption of the truth, he says, " But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." (2 Tim. 2:23,24,25.) In Titus, speaking of what is the duty of Christians in their carriage towards the authorities of the world, he says, " Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness." (Titus 3:1,2.) And when speaking of servants he says, in the same epistle, " Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity: that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things." (Titus 2:9,10.) There is not a relationship in life, nor a condition in which we can be placed in which this spirit is not demanded of us. But, finally, let us listen especially to the exhortation, " Likewise ye younger submit yourselves unto the elder, yea all of you be subject one to the other, and be clothed with humility." ( 1 Peter 5:5.) Other things may be of occasional requisition in a Christian, but " humility" constitutes his daily attire, the livery of his heavenly Master and Lord. And it is added, (as already quoted in James,) " For God resisteth the proud, [sets Himself in battle array against them,] and giveth grace to the humble."
I again warn that this is not the spirit of the world; nor is it the spirit that will make its way in the world; nor will it be cultivated by the Christian that has the least respect for the esteem of the world. Put aside the presence of God and His approval, and the study is hopeless. Consult nature and it is in vain. Forget the one perfect model, and the task may be given up. But I seek in Christians, surely, for the morality of the cross as well as the salvation of the cross. I do not believe,
whatever others may do, in grace without responsibility. The grand witness for Christ, that is so lacking amongst Christians, is the spirit of Christ.
I close however with this question to myself, which I am sure every one of my readers that is in earnest will adopt: How much is " this meekness and gentleness of Christ" displayed in me? And bow much is it a matter of daily study, in the presence of my meek and gentle Lord and Master, in order to attain it? What is the verdict of my own conscience? What the conviction on the minds of those who know me best? Wife, children, servants, brethren, the world?