The Grove of Beatitudes, Beatitude 7
The Seventh BEATITUDE. Bleſſed are the Peace-makers, for they ſhall be called the Children of God.
EMBLEME VII. The Wood-Bind.
Pacis conjunctio firma.
Thus, while two foſter deadly hate,
A third ſteps in to end debate;
Makes Peace, unites both Hearts and Hands,
How bleſt is he who makes ſuch bands!
TO make a better comprehenſion of this Beatitude, the Devout Chriſtian is to imagine, that he ſees two limber Stands, or young ſhoots, hardly able to ſupport themſelves on their tender roots, and in perpetual agitation, by reaſon of the violence of the wind, which cauſes them to aſſault and injure each other; till the Peacemaking Wood-Bind, gently twining it ſelf about them, takes away that oppoſition, and diſpoſes them to a certain reconciliation and friendſhip.
According to this repreſentation, the Wood-Bind (which bears the Honey-Suckle, a name derived from ſweetneſs) may well be the Emblem of the bleſſed Peace-maker, who, by the ſweetneſs of his Couverſation, and Amicable Interpoſure in the Differences of his Neighbours, endeavours to reconcile them.
In the Latine Tongue, the Wood-Bind is called, Mater Sylvae, viz. The Mother of the Woods. And peradventure it is for this reaſon; That, as a loving and indulgent Mother huggs and embraces her Child, ſo this Plant claſps and twines it ſelf about every other Tree that it can faſten on: In like manner, is it the endeavour of the bleſſed Peace-maker to diſpoſe all thoſe, between whom he heareth there are any differences, to Unity, Peace, and Concord; making all other intereſts and concernments ſubſervient to that grand one of bringing all things to compoſure and quiet. And this is that whereto the Apoſtle, writing to the Epheſians, exhorts them, viz. to walk with all lowlineſs and meekneſs, long-ſuffering, and forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace. For Peace is the Hand-maid of Charity, whoſe property it is to unite, and take away all animoſities, jealouſies, diſtruſts, and heart-burnings.
Juſtly therefore hath our Bleſſed Saviour pronounc'd him Bleſſed, and the Child of God, who, like the Hony-Suckle, by a ſweet inſinuation and affability, endeavours to compoſe the Minds of the litigious; and like the Wood-Bind, is as ready to unite the contentious and diſſatisfi'd into Amity, as he is to make Peace within himſelf, as in Charity he is bound. And to this is it that the Apoſtle exhorts us, when he ſayes, Have Peace, and the God of Peace and Love will be with you.
But how comes it that the Peace-maker hath this particular prerogative and advantage, to be called the Child of God? We may imagine it proceeds hence; that as God our Father is the God of Peace, ſo we may pretend to the title of his Children, if we are like him, and look on it as our concernment to make Peace between Men. We may alſo upon this further conſideration, be called the Children of God, that he who came into the world to reconcile it, and to bring us that Peace which paſſeth all underſtanding, hath vouchſafed to call us Brethren. Nay, that great Saviour, and Peace, may ſeem to have their birth at the ſame inſtant; for then was it, that there was a Proclamation made by Celeſtial Heralds, to wit, the Angels, that Peace ſhould be on Earth, and good will towards Men. Then, like the chearful break of day, appear'd that beauteous Peace, fore-told by the Prophet Eſay, whereof there ſhould be no end: inaſmuch as it came with that Son, whoſe other titles are clos'd with this, that he was to be the Prince of Peace.
It is no other then our Bleſſed Saviour Chriſt himſelf, who is the great Peacemaker, and came like the Wood-Bind to unite a pair of ſhoots, as I may term them, to wit, Juſtice and Mercy, which were oppoſite, while the wrath of God, like a violent wind, incited Juſtice to Revenge, which Mercy oppos'd. What a conflict was between theſe two, till our Lord on the Croſs, like a Wood-Bind, united them in one? As David (by a prophetique ſpirit) ſaid, Mercy and Truth (that is to ſay Juſtice) have met together; Juſtice and Peace (or Mercy) have kiſſed each other; like two branching ſhoots, ſurrounded by a Wood-Bind, which onelyonly Chriſt could do, the great Peace-maker and Son of God, who fully pacified Juſtice, by ſuffering death for Man; by which redeem'd, Mercy likewiſe had her deſire, embrac'd with Juſtice, then pacified, when ſhe beheld from Heaven our ſins ſeverely puniſh'd in Chriſt.
Never could Man have fully conceiv'd the wrath and hate of God againſt ſin, had he not expiated the ſame by the death of his onelyonly begotten Son. Nor could we have apprehended his infinite Mercy, had he not given this his onelyonly Son for our Redemption.
Behold his Hands nailed, and thereby know, how the Hand of Juſtice being faſtned, Mercy and ſhe embrac'd, and kiſſing were united by Chriſt, our Wood-Bind, whoſe deſign was to make our Peace, ſaying, I leave you my Peace, I give you my Peace, not as the world gives, I give you Peace. For the world charmes and enchants a Soul ſlumbering in the conceipt of a ſweet repoſe, even when ſhe is amidſt the harſh diſcords of impiety, yet hears them not, nor ſees her preſent danger: Which made David cry out: Englighten mine Eyes, (O Lord) that they may not at any time ſleep in death.
CONSIDERATIONS ON THE VII. BEATITUDE.
On Chriſt's Hands pierc'd with nails.
FRom his Heart, aſcend to his Hands tran fixt with Nails, that he might thereby faſten and ſtay the Hand of Juſtice, (ready to chaſtiſe us for our ſins) while he himſelf ſuffered in his Body, what our enormous crimes deſerv'd.
Imagine you ſee a King enrag'd againſt his Vaſſal, for ſome heinous offence, with his ſword brandiſh'd and ready to kill him: Which the Prince, his Son, ſeeing, (notwithſtanding the injury as neere concern'd himſelf) comes in; and, to ſave the Delinquent, receives the thruſt in his own Body, pacifies his Father, begs his pardon, and reſtores the Criminal to the King's gracious Favour. How infinitely oblig'd (you will ſay) was this Subject to the Prince!
Thus did God the Son (incarnate) interpoſe himſelf betwixt his Father and ſinful Man; And on the Croſs wounded by the Hand of Juſtice for our manifold iniquities, pacified his Heavenly Father, and thereby was our Peace-maker.
Conſider now if this Subject, reconciled to the King, ſhould by the Princes means be made a Vice-Roy of ſome petty Kingdom, with charge given him to govern, and preſerve Peace with Subordination to his Majeſty; Notwithſtanding, ſhould this Vice-Roy (forgetting all favours and former Clemency) rebelliouſly conſpire againſt both King and Prince, What puniſhment would you think too great for ſuch a Traytor?
Is not every Man a kind of Vice-Roy to manage a petty Kingdom, which is within him? What, his Paſſions? Are they not (at leaſt ſhould be) his Subjects? Together with his Appetites and Concupiſcences, which rebell againſt Reaſon. And as often as Man ſins mortally, is he not guilty of High Treaſon againſt the Majeſty of God, his Dread Sovereign? Who being every way infinite, it follows, the puniſhment due is infinite.
Hence I will conceive a great hatred and deteſtation againſt ſin and ingratitude to the great Peace-maker, my King and Saviour: under whom, as a Vice-Roy, I muſt govern and be a Peace-maker.
And that I may the better preſerve Peace with…n me, I will ſet a Guard over my outward Senſes; over mines Eyes, that they may not behold vain and curious impertinencies; nor curiouſly prie and ſearch into other Mens Actions. Over my Tongue, that it may not intrench upon my Neighbours Reputation. Over mine Ears, ſhutting them againſt Detractors, &c. Thus being outwardly guarded, I may the better preſerve inward Peace, by ſuppreſſing inordinate thoughts and deſires. In ſuch ſort, that having within me a peaceful Kingdom, ſubordinate to Reaſon, God may quietly inhabit in my Soul, whoſe place (as David ſaith) and reſidence is in a peaceful Heart, not diſturbed with worldly cares, nor embroyled with the Paſſions of fear and wrath, which ordinarily raiſe a tumult in our little Kingdom.
But to be a perfect Peace-maker indeed, one ſhould be ſo totally united to God in his affections, as not to deſire any thing with out him, and onelyonly repoſe in him the onelyonly centre and ſupport of the Soul. And remember what Saint Auguſtine ſayes,
That they are Peace-makers in themſelves and for themſelves, who ſubject all the tumultuous motions of the Soul to Reaſon, that is, to the Mind and Spirit. For, by ſubduing and ſuppreſſing carnal Concupiſcences, they become the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Where, being Peace-Makers, they are likewiſe the Children of God, and reſemble their Heavenly Father, to whom it is proper to enjoy himſelf, who is Peace and tranquillity it ſelf, extending from end to end ſtrongly, and diſpoſing all things ſweetly.
O my ſoul, thou feeſt what thou ſhouldſt be; Now conſider what thou art. How ſoon is the little Kingdom within thee diſturb'd! How ſuddenly anger diſquiets it! What perturbations of mind are caus'd, when but a lighter croſs or ſlight affliction lights upon thee. Yea even an unkind word from a friend breeds a great diſcontent and trouble within thee. And when all ſucceeds not according to thy expectation, thou art ſo far from being a peace-maker, that, diſtracted in thy thoughts, thou art vex'd and perplex'd within thy ſelf. How then art thou the Child of God, in whom he deſires to repoſe? Art thou not rather like a whining Babe that for every trifle is crying, and thereby diſquieting the whole houſe.
O bleſſed Saviour, though I dayly ſay, Thy Kingdom come, I am yet like that Regulus, that little King; little in the knowledg of my ſelf, and, like his Son, I lye infirm and weak, and ſubject to my diſordinate paſſions. I can do all in thee, who ſtrengthen'ſt me. Enable me (therefore) I beſeech thee by thy powerful grace, that thy Kingdom may come, that thou mayſt reign in me, and over me, the true Solomon, and peaceful King; that I, with all the powers of my ſoul, may reſt in peace, and be wholly reſign'd to thy will.
Therefore I daily ſay, Thy will be done. What is it (then) can diſturb my peace of mind? If affliction, if ſickneſs, or whatever elſe hapneth, be according to thy will or permiſſion, it muſt be done. Nay I daily pray, it may be done. And, ſhould I otherwiſe deſire; yet, if it be thy holy will and pleaſure, it muſt be ſo. Why then ſhould not I be a peace-maker, and qualifie all paſſions and diſordinate deſires? which when I have perform'd internally, I may (and not before) make peace amongſt others externally.
O Jeſu! it was the Will of thy Father which thou didſt punctually obſerve. And that which thou didſt teach was humility in converſation, ſtability in faith, modeſty in words, juſtice in deeds, mercy in works, diſcipline in manners, and not to do, but to ſuffer injuries. This is to be a peace-maker, and the Child of God. This is the peace proclaim'd by the Angels at thy birthday. This is the peace thou didſt leave us, and with this peace we deſire to depart, and reſt in thee, that our peace, and Kingdom begun here by grace, may by thee be perfected in glory. Amen.
O what a happineſs it will be, in the laſt ſlumbers of a dying life, to ſay, with the Prophet David, In peace will I ſleep and reſt, becauſe thou (O Lord) haſt ſingularly put me in hope, to ſee an accompliſhment of that peace which a ſoul enjoys, or ſhould enjoy, on earth: Which to acquire, a man ſhould imitate the Prophet David, who ſware and vowed to the mighty God of Jacob, that he would not enter into the Tabernacle of his houſe, nor go to his bed, nor give ſleep to his eyes, nor ſlumbers to his eyelids, untill he had found out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob: So great was his deſire to build a Temple! And as great ſhould be my care and ſollicitude to build, at leaſt, prepare a place of repoſe for my Lord, which muſt be in a quiet and peaceful conſcience, without which, who can give ſleep to his eyes, or ſlumber to his eye-lids?
O my ſoul, when ſhalt thou be ſo happy, as to ſay, with that peaceful King Solomon, Ariſe, O Lord, into thy reſt, thou and the Ark of thy ſtrength? Where is that repoſe of mind? Where that tranquillity of conſcience, to which thou ſhouldſt invite him to ariſe and come into his reſt, he and the Ark of his ſtrength, which is his powerful grace, whereby enabled thou mayſt ſilence and pacifie thy mutinous thoughts that riſe up againſt thee, to diſturb thy peace.
Here I will ſeem to behold the Kine yoked, drawing the Ark toward Bethſames, while their Calves ſhut up were bleating. To which they, as it were, ſhut their ears, and went on, not declining to the right hand, nor to the left. Thus muſt he do that bears the Ark of ſtrength. What are our brutiſh appetites? what diſordinate concupiſcence? what avaricious deſires? what are injuries that call upon us for revenge, but calves, that would be ſuckled and pampered? Theſe are they that diſturb our peace; theſe, that are ſo obſtreperous, as to diſquiet the ſoul, never ceaſing to allure her to return, with loſs of that peace and reſt which is acquired by bearing the Ark of ſtrength, and ſanctification, which is the peace of God, that overcomes all ſenſe, fortifies the heart in ſuch ſort, that it reſents not injuries and temporal loſſes, or at leaſt bears all with ſuch patience, as if it were inſenſible.
Such a heart may be both Altar and Sacrifice, reſembling the Pacifique oblation in the old Law, which was an Ox, or a Sheep, or Goat, being a figure of a triple peace, with God, our Neighbour, and our ſelf. With God, who by our ſubmiſſion and hearty contrition is inſtantly pacified. With our Neighbour (reſembled by the Sheep) who (when good) is ſoon appeas'd, if bad, (figured by the Goat) when mov'd and exaſperated continues a long time as remote from peace and charity, as the Goat leaving the fertile Valleys, to climb and graze on barren rocks.
But when Man is ſuch to himſelf, ſtill in motion, unquiet, anxious, timorous, and penſive, what is he but a Goat skipping to and fro, from a barren rock of diſtaſte to a precipice of deſolation?
O my God and merciful Saviour, thou art my rock, my ſafety, my peace, and only refuge. From thee proceeds the Holy Ghoſt, from whom ſprings the fruit of Charity, Joy, and Peace. Send forth, I beſeech thee, thy holy Spirit; and theſe three ſhall be created, and eſtabliſhed in my ſoul. Charity, to love, and have peace with thee, and with my Neighbour for thee; Joy, and alacrity in ſerving thee; and Peace in thee the rock, and ſupport of my heart, my God for ever, in heavenly Jeruſalem the viſion of peace; where to ſee thee, is to enjoy eternal tranquillity, which thou (O Lord) haſt purchaſed with thy moſt percious blood. Amen.