The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 52
CHAP. LII.
THus have wee heard, that this Gentlemans converſation in the profeſſion of Religion, according to that wiſdome which God had given him from above,I am. 3.17. was firſt pure, and ſo ſtands accepted of God, and approved of all good men, howſoever maligned and reproached by the wicked and prophane, whoſe wiſedome is from below only.
Firſt Pure,I am. 3.15. and then Peaceable.
To be pure in heart and life breeds and brings forth true peace in both,Rom. 5.1. 1 Theſſ. 5.13. for being ſo at peace with God, we have peace with our ſelves, and ſeeke for it with others, and one for another alſo.Heb. 12.14.
This was a ſecond grace which did beautifie this godly Gentlemans converſation:Rom. 12.18. He was by grace of a very quiet and peaceable diſpoſition, which he did very graciouſly manifeſt in theſe particulars.2 Peaceable.
1 He deſired to keep peace with all men,Heb. 12.14. and not to be at any difference or variance with any, if by any meanes he could prevent it.Gen. 13.8 1 Cor. 13.5.
2 He would not be eaſily provoked by indignities nor injuries.
3 He had rather forgive twenty wrongs than revenge one.Num. 12.3. Rom. 12.19.
4 He would very willingly purchaſe and buy out his peace, ſometimes with his owne loſſe,Mat. 5.39 Gen. 13.8, 9. and by parting with his owne right, if otherwiſe he could not well procure it.
5 He would ſhut his eares againſt tale-bearers (having beene ſometimes abuſed by them) being the very ſeed-men of ſtrife,Pro. 26.20, 21. and fire-brands of contention.
6 He would ordinarily recompence evill with good, frowardneſſe with kindneſſe,Rom. 12.21. and fruits of paſſion and bitterneſſe with fruits of moderation and good affection.
To make all theſe, or the moſt of them more evident by one inſtance in his own practice.
There was a Gentleman, one of his neighbours,A hard meſſage. who conceiving ſome great diſpleaſure againſt him upon a very ſmall occaſion, in his heat and ruffe ſent his man to this Gentleman, M. Bruen, with this meſſage, That his Maſter did inhibit and forbid him to come upon any foot of his land, or any of his ſervants or family whoſoever, upon their perill. To whom he preſently made this reply, Tell your maſter,A ſoft anſwer, and wiſe. for anſwer to your meſſage, only thus much: That if it pleaſe your Maſter to come upon any part of my land, or any of his ſervants o… family, to come into my fields, at his, or their pleaſure, they ſhall bee all very kindly welcome: And that if he himſelfe will come unto my houſe, he ſhall be much more welcome alſo. This anſwer ſavouring ſo well of grace and peace, and being ſo wifely ſeaſoned with diſcretion and good affection, did kill the heart of his adverſary with kindneſſe,Pro. 15.1. Rom. 12.20. and as if coales of fire had beene caſt upon his head, did cauſe him to melt into teares and tenderneſſe, and ſo having ſuch a returne from ſo gracious a Gentleman, of peace, for warre; of love, for hatred; of mildneſſe, for fierceneſſe; of diſcretion, for fooliſhneſſe; of ſo great kindneſſe, for ſo great unkindneſſe; he preſently changed his minde, and being willingly reconciled, became a faithfull and true friend unto him for ever afterwards. Now as he was thus peaceable in procuring and preſerving his owne peace with others, ſo was he no leſſe carefull of preventing or removing and occaſions of variance and ſtrife amongſt neighbours and friends,A peacemaker. both neare about him, and farther from him. If he ſaw naturall brethren likely to fall out (as even they are not alwayes the beſt friends) he would lovingly and wiſely admoniſh them for peace,Gen. 45.24. as Joſeph did his brethren, You are brethren, fall not out by the way.
If he ſaw two Gentlemens ſervants at ſtrife and variance, fearing leaſt ſuch ſparks of contention begun by ſervants, might kindle a fire and flame (as many times they doe) betwixt the maſters: He would begin to take up the matter with the Maſters, and then appeaſe and pacifie the ſervants, with meeke and gentle words of wiſedome and peace, for their better inſtruction and reformation, following herein the example of holy Abraham, who, upon a ſtrife betwixt his brother Lots heardſmen and his owne, ſpake thus wiſely and peaceably unto him; Let there be, I pray thee, no ſtrife betweene me and thee, nor between my heardſmen, Gen. 13.8.and thy heardſmen, for we are brethren. And as hee ſpake peaceably unto him, ſo did he deale (for peace ſake) as peaceably with him, in giving him the choice of the right hand, or of the left, in all the land before them,Gen. 13.9. though he were ſuperiour both in place and grace unto him. And ſo would this Gentleman make peace betweene Maſters and ſervants. If hee ſaw two Chriſtians ſtrive together, as Moſes did two Hebrewes, he would take up him that did the wrong, with the ſame, or the like words as Moſes did, Wherefore ſmitest thou thy fellow? And if ſomtimes he had no better recompence for his good mind and meaning, than Moſes had (as commonly the moſt wicked and injurious are moſt rude and clamorous) he would be content to ſit downe with the worſe, as Moſes did.
Thus have we ſeen, that walking according to that rule of heavenly wiſedome, which the Lord had given him, he was firſt pure in his converſation, and then peaceable. And ſo the fruit of righteouſneſſe was ſowne in peace of him that made peace.