Matthew 5:5

 
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Preached on Sunday afternon 30 August 1767
 
We read of an awful disappointment many professors will meet with [in] Luke 13:25; [1]  may it be the case with none here present.  As a means of prevention it is my duty to declare and yours to attend to the whole counsel of God.  If any will presume themselves Christians because they think and speak well of the Gospel, and fill up their places here, I hope I am clear of their blood.  In speaking of a sinner’s acceptance, I endeavour to encourage the weakest, to show that all is of grace, without money and without price.  But while I publish the freedom of Divine grace, I must be concerned to maintain its honour and efficacy.  If you have fled to Jesus you are safe – but if you have done so indeed the knowledge of Jesus, has had an influence upon you – throughout your inward tempers and outward conduct.  The promises of God are closely joined together – if a right to one, a right to all.  If you can draw any just comfort from the promise to those who hunger and throats, you need not be afraid to stand by this text.  But if you have not seen and tasted of the blessedness of the meek in some measure, you do but answer yourself in thinking you are as yet a subject of grace.  St James speaks sharp words to some professors in 1:26 etc, [2] but there is no real discouragement to gracious souls, if you consider that you are not expected to be freed from the struggles of indwelling sin and temptation but only that a desire and frame of spirit agreeable to this character – though as yet everything is weak.  I shall speak to:
  1. the character
  2. the promise
 
1. Meekness arises from the poverty of spirit mentioned (verse 3). [3] It is the temper of a soul convinced of the guilt and misery of sin, and seeking salvation by the blood of Jesus.  Hence it is wholly a grace of the Gospel and accordingly the heathen philosophers who said many fine things of their moral virtues, never once thought of putting meekness into their catalogues.  It stands opposed to pride, self-will, impatience and resentment, and its trial and exercise lies both towards God and man.
  1.1 Where there is true humiliation begin in the heart, the Lord’s dealings are often suited to try and exercise this grace:
    1.1.1 in spirituals:
      In waiting for manifestation of pardon.  This is wearisome work to the flesh, when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast, and one or another obtains or seems to obtain peace before us.  The meek soul, amidst a thousand fears and discouragements sees it has no right to complain, reasons as in Lamentations 3:3, [4] Micah 7:9, [5] and is grieved at every rising of a contrary spirit.  And so under all backslidings and desertions.
    1.1.2 in temporals:
In a time of affliction.  See it in Job chapter 1, [6] in Hezekiah, Isaiah 38:8. [7] Acknowledging that all is less than he has deserved.
Contentment with the situation of life.  It is this temper makes the precept practicable in everything give thanks – and checks our spirits, when they would repine, and be seeking great things for ourselves.  While in all these things, the carnal unrenewed heart is impatient and tosses like a wild bull in a net.
  1.2 Meekness is daily exercised in our conversation with men:
    1.2.1 In lowliness of mind, if the providence of God has favoured us with any outward distinction.  The meek person is not lifted up, but knows that he is unworthy of bread and water, much more of so many comforts.  Hence he knows how to condescend to men of low estate.
    1.2.2 The meek are not stiff and positive [absolute] in their temper and manners.  They speak with diffidence of themselves, are sensible that they are fallible and prone to mistake.  Therefore will hear reason.  A want of this is often observable in religious disputes.
    1.2.3 The meek are not easily angry.  They remember that the Lord is concerned, let who will be the instrument, so David in the affair of Shimei.
    1.2.4 The meek are easily reconciled.  They owe 10,000 talents and therefore dare not stand out for a few pence.
    1.2.5 The meek as they are not hasty in taking offence, so they are desirous to avoid giving offence – what they feel in their own hearts makes them unwilling to lay provocations in the way of others, or to do anything which they themselves would dislike from others in their own case.
 
2. How is the promise to be understood, when in fact we see little of the earth comes to the share of such?
  2.1 They shall have as much as the Lord sees good, and meekness as I have hinted acts short [of] the desire of more.
  2.2 What they have, they have with the Lord’s blessing, and this makes a little go a great way, and every sweet sweeter.
  2.3 They are freed from those hurrying passions which when unrestricted spoil the relish of every situation in life.
  2.4 They have an inheritance on high, of which every good here is an earnest.


Endnotes:
 
 [1] Luke 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
[2] James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
[3] Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[4] Lamentations 3:3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
[5] Micah 7:9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
[6] Job 1 relates how Satan was given permission to tempt Job. Yet see Job’s response, vv 20- 22:  Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
[7] Isaiah 38:8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

Acknowledgements:
Cowper & Newton Museum, MS 714(19), John Newton's Notebook No. 43