For the first restrains anger from aggravating anyone; the second tolerates the grievances it received. The first serves to make us affable to all — the second, to suffer all; hence proceed three great benefits, to make us perfect in all that pertains to ourselves, to our neighbours and to God.
1. First, meekness and patience give us qniet and peaceable rule, and possession of ourselves and of our passions. For « the meek possess the land " [1] of their heart; and "in patience" we "possess" our "souls," [2] and obtain peace of conscience with cordial alacrity of spirit.
2. Meekness also makes us amiable, and patience admirable. For (says the Wise man) " do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men;" [3] and he that has courage to repress his anger and to suffer wrong, acquires credit to his own person and edifies his neighbours; for " the patient man is better than the valiant; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities." [4] It is in some sort a greater miracle to suffer injuries joyfully than to raise dead men to life. [5]
3. Likewise, meekness and patience make us amiable to Almighty God, and give us entrance to a familiar conversation with His majesty, whereas the want of them bars the gate against us. Moses, for his great meekness, had very inward familiarity with Almighty God; and (as Dionysius [6] says) for failing a little therein the spirit decreased that he had received. And if I will " pray n to God "in every place," and "lift up pure hands" to heaven, it must be "without anger and contention," [7] easing myself with the wings of meekness and patience.
4. Finally, if I be meek and patient, I shall partake eminently the spirit of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who
