The Grove of Beatitudes, Beatitude 2
The Second BEATITUDE. Bleſſed are the meek: for they ſhall inherit the Earth.
EMBLEME II. The Indian Fig-Tree.
Sic ſuvat eſse tenacem-2
So do the Meek, to fix their Roots,
Humbly let down as many Shoots,
As good Deſires, which ſpring from Love,
Take root in Heaven, the Land above.
THis Tree, above all others, may be ſaid to be poſſeſſed of, or to inherit the Earth: For the Branches of it, bending downwards to the ground, no ſooner touch it, but they immediately take root, and grew up into other Trees, which afterwards produce others; ſo that in time they ſpread over all the ground they meet with; and yet all, though ſtragling over a great quantity of ground, way be ſold to be but one Tree. Another thing commonly obſerv'd of theſe Trees is, that they afford a ſecure retreat, not only to the wild Boars, and other Beaſts, but alſo to the Inhabitants of thoſe Countries where they grow, who, having garriſon'd themſelves within them, defie all Enemies.
In like manner, a pious and fructifying Soul, in order to her poſſeſſion of the Land of the Living, produceth many active thoughts, diffuſes her ſelf into good actions; which yet obeying the check of Humility, deſcends, to be more deeply rooted. Thus the Meek … on and lay hold of that which is their heavenly Inheritance, de virtute in virtutem, paſſing from one Virtue to another, and ſaying with S. Auguſtine, As yet I follow; yet I profit; yet I walk; yet I am in the way; yet I dilate my ſelf yet I arrive not.
Behold, how like this Indian Fig-Tree, the devout Soul makes her progreſs, and advances forward, ſtill taking new root, ſtill laying faſter hold, never accounting her ſelf ſecure, or that ſhe hath done enough, as ſubmitting to the advice of the ſame S. Auguſtine, to wit, this; Let that which thou art always diſpleaſe thee, if thou wilt arrive to what thou art not. For (ſaith he elſewhere) wherever thou makeſt a ſtop, without proceeding any further, there thou pleaſeſt only thy ſelf. A man muſt not therefore ſix a Ne plus ultra to his better thoughts and Actions, but go on, like this Tree, and be continually ſupply'd with good Deſires, as that produceth new ſhoots, which as it were graſp the Earth, to take a firmer and fuller poſſeſſion thereof.
Moreover, we finde by experience, that when a Tree is ſlightly planted, or its roots decay'd, there needs no great ſtorm to overthrow it. Such is that man who is not humbly meek and patient: One violent puff of anger is able to diſpoſſeſs him of the Land; yea, and of his own Soul, which cannot be poſſeſs'd but by patience, nor by any but the meek and humble.
Now if you demand why the meek are rather ſaid to poſſeſs the Land, than any other Element; I anſwer, While our Saviour was mortal, he appeared to his Diſciples walking on the waves of the Sea, to intimate thereby the mutability of man during this life: But after his Reſurrection, having a glorified Body, he ſtood on the firm Land, to ſignifie (as S. Gregory expounds) that after this life man ſhall enjoy a permanent tranquillity and repoſe in the Land of the Living.
The Earth patiently (as I may ſay) ſupports all, and continues immovable: So doth the meek and humble man; while the haughty and impatient are inconſtant, like the Air; turbulent, like the Sea; and crackle and ſparkle, like the Fire.
When the like happeneth unto thee, reflect thine eye on the ſacred Head of thy Redeemer meekly bowing down, while the ungrateful Jews revile and blaſpheme againſt him, where he ſaith, Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you ſhall find reſt in your Souls, tranquillity in your though is, and, in fine, that ſolid land that ſhall render you for ever happy; the Land of the living, which I now purchaſe for you; the Land of Promiſe, into which I am your Joſhua to conduct you; from Egypt (the World) a Land of Servitude, to a Land of Freedom and Immunity; from feeding on Garlick and Onions, to taſte the ſweet Repaſt of Angels.
CONSIDERATIONS ON THE II. BEATITUDE.
Of the bowing down of our Bleſſed Saviour's Head.
HAving in the precedent Beatstude learn'd a leſſon of Poverty, by the conſideration of our Saviours nakedneſs on the Croſs, behold here his ſacred Head meekly bowing down, whereby is expreſſed the ſecond Beatitude, Bleſſed are the meek; for they ſhall inherit, or poſſeſs, the Earth. Now as thoſe Waters which lye next the Shore, may be ſaid to poſſeſs the Shore, at leaſt during a Calm, ſo it can only be affirmed of the meek and patient man, that he poſſeſſeth his Soul; according to the words of our Saviour, In your patience you ſhall poſſeſs your Souls; and, Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you ſhall find reſt to your Souls; a quiet calm, and ſweet repoſe.
To be meek, is to converſe without giving offence, and to bear injuries without thought of Revenge, or perturbation of Mind; as our Lord did, with head meekly inclin'd, while the Jews uttered Blaſphemies and Contumelies againſt him.
Having this Precedent ſtill before my eyes, I will reſolve in this Book to ſtudy meekneſs and patience, not rendring evil for evil, but by good to overcome evil.
And the better to conceive the excellency of Meekneſs, I will make a lively repreſentation to my ſelf of the Vice which is contrary thereto, by a ſwelling and tempeſtuous Sea, whoſe Billows, rais'd by the Winds, violently beat againſt the Rocks on the Shore. Foaming thus with fury are the wrathful and impatient.
Then reflect thine eye on our Lord meekly bowing down his Head, like a calm Sea, or like a Sheep deſpoil'd of his Fleece, naked on the Croſs, opening not his mouth, but to pray for his Enemies, ſaying, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Think what Land it is which the meek ſhall poſſeſs. If the Earth thy Body, thou ſhalt have poſſeſſion of it, and dominion over it by meekneſs, while thy Paſſions are ſubject to reaſon. Contrariwiſe, the wrathful are ſo tranſported, that loſing as 'twere themſelves, they are caſt out of poſſeſſion of themſelves, while the Heart ſwells with Envy, the Eyes ſparkle with Fury, the Feet are running, and the Hands ready to execute Revenge; like one fallen into a deep River, who not able to ſwim nor touch ground with his Feet, is overwhelmed, and in danger of drowning.
Behold the ſtate of an angry and revengeful Man, who poſſeſſeth not the Land of ſolid Patience, being wholly drown'd in his turbulent Paſſions; loſeth himſelf utterly for a time, as a man diſtraught; whom by meekneſs God ſhould here poſſeſs in the Land of the Dying, that he may be poſſeſſed of God for ever in the Land of the Living, which is promiſed to the meek.
Let him therefore who is become ſo abſolutely a ſlave to that paſſion, make this ſhort Ejaculation to the great Exemplar of Meekneſs.
O patient Redeemer and meek Lamb, who takeſt away the ſins of the World; If by beholding the brazen Serpent, the poyſon of Serpents was expelled; how can I behold thee, the pure and unſpotted mirror of Meekneſs, and yet retain enmity and rancor in my heart? If no ſtorms and bluſtring winds are predominant at Sea, while the Halcyon is neſtling and brooding neer the ſhore, grant all ſtormy Paſſions may be allay'd by thy powerful preſence in my heart; by thee only, who art the ſolid Land, and my total happineſs; which I beſeech I may poſſeſs here on Earth by Grace, and afterwards in Glory.
Let Worldlings contend, and vex themſelves about recovery or poſſeſſion of Lands, of which they muſt in fine be diſpoſſeſs'd; It is good for me to adhere to God, and ſeek him in the Land of the Living, where the humble, meek, and patient (whoſe Hearts on Earth were a place of ſweet repoſe) enjoy him in eternal tranquillity.
The Kingdom of Heaven is within you (ſaith our Lord:) And conſequently, that firm and compleat tranquillity of Heaven begins on Earth by Grace, to be perfected by Glory. Within this little Kingdom of ours, what a commotion is rais'd by wrath! what a perturbation by enmity! what a rebellion, when Meekneſs and Patience is baniſhed out of the Soul by Paſſion!
When ſuch mutinies therefore ariſe within me, whither ſhall I haſten for redreſs? To whom ſhall I ſeek for aſſiſtance? but to the wounded Head of my Saviour, meekly bowing down to give me the kiſs of Peace, and infuſe meekneſs into my Soul! But now (alas!) he is not able by words to command the ſtorm to ceaſe, as he did when his Apoſtles feared drowning. No. But will it not ſuffice to pacifie thee (O my Soul) enrag'd, to behold thy Lord and meek Lamb more firmly fix'd by patience and meekneſs, then by the nails that transfix'd his hands and feet? What a commotion was then in the Univerſe? the Earth opening, Rocks ſplitting, the Temples Veil rending, the Thief reviling, and the Jews blaſpheming. And if at that time the Stars were ſhining, they were like ſo many Eyes to admire the wonderful meekneſs and patience of our Redeemer.
In fine, If the corporal Eye, dull'd and dazled with a long and tedious aſpect of glittering objects; If (I ſay) that be refreſh'd by looking ſtedfaſtly on a green Emerald, ſhall not the ſight of his ſacred Head meekly inclining, be as powerful to baniſh from the inward Eye that dark cloud of paſſionate wrath that circumvolves and ſtupifies the intellectual part?
I will go (ſaid Moſes) and behold this great Viſion, why the buſh that burns conſumes not. For could he expect leſs than a crackling noiſe from a thorny Buſh environed with Flames? If this were miraculous, what is it to behold that very God of Abraham, God of Iſaac, and God of Jacob (which appeared in the Buſh) with a Head meekly bowing down, wreath'd with a Crown of Thorns, amidſt flames of Love, burning, but not conſuming; meekly hearing the Jews, and patiently ſuffering, while they blaſphem'd, revil'd, and ſcorn'd him? O my Soul, what a great Viſion is this to iuvite thee to meekneſs and patience! Thou likewiſe art inclos'd as in a thorny Buſh, (thy Body) where for a light injury, or ſmall affront, thou doſt not only burn, but art even conſum'd with the flame of wrath and indignation, ſparkling and crackling like a Fire amongſt Thorns.
To prevent the like flames of fury, go ſometimes to ſee this great Viſion, the Head of thy Saviour crown'd with Thorns, meekly bowing down, and as it were beckning unto thee, to come and learn of him, to be meek and humble of heart; learn to poſſeſs thy ſelf, and thereby take poſſeſſion of the Land which he hath promiſed to the meek and humble of heart.
God placed in the Clouds his bended Rain-bow that he might be mindful of his Covenant; and on the Croſs he hath fix'd his only begotten Son, whoſe head meekly bending while he beholds, he becomes a meek and merciful God to man, who by his manifold ſins provokes him to wrath. How then, canſt thou elevate thine eyes ſparkling with wrath againſt them that injure thee, and not be pacified, when thou beholdeſt this meek wounded Head, bowing down to give thee the kiſs of Peace: meekly hearing, and patiently bearing blaſphemous words and wrongs that were ſo outragious and injurious to Innocence? What then ſhould a guilty ſoul patiently ſuffer for his ſake? If His ſacred head be crown'd with ſharp thorns, wouldſt thou have thine (notwithſtanding) be encompaſſed with Roſes? If his head meekly bow down, ſhall thine be rais'd up by pride? or threaten revenge to them that offend thee? Finally, if his brow pierc'd with thorns, be not any way contracted with wrinkles againſt his enemies, ſmooth thy furrowed brow by meekneſs, and, for his ſake, and according to his example, love even thoſe that hate thee.