Matthew 5:9

9. Peacemakers A triad of benedictions will now be pronounced on Christian doings. Let us be excused for the quaintness of saying, that of these nine benedictions four are pronounced upon Christian receptivities; two upon Christian positivities, and three upon Christian activities. The three activities on which he will now pronounce benedictions are peace-making, the endurance of persecution the endurance of false reproach.

Peacemakers, in the simple and natural sense, are those who seek to remove quarrels and hates, and to produce kindly affections between men. They are good. Though unregenerate men, these men are herein blessed. How much better than mere indifference; how immensely better than the truly devilish opposite. Even if, for other sins and for the defectiveness of this virtue, the peacemaker be not saved from hell, from what depths of hell may he not be saved!

But the true peacemaker is Christ himself, who first reconciles God and man. And then, by shedding the Spirit of the God of peace into men’s hearts, he brings them to peace. And this is the real basis of all true peace. And he is the true peacemaker who endeavours to lay this basis. He is the true Christian peacemaker who endeavours, like Christ, to plant the divine spirit of peace in men’s hearts. And the promise here accordingly is, that as they are herein like Christ the Son of God, so they shall be called the children of God. So we have a family consisting of the God of Peace, the Prince of Peace, and the sons of peace.

All who truly seek to spread the Gospel, who endeavour to establish the reign of right and truth, who seek to reduce the contentiousness of even the Church, and to bring the imperfect Christianity of the age to a more loving tone, are peacemakers. On the other hand, the mere zealots for party and sect, the partisan politician, the warlike statesman, the glory-loving hero, the duellist, the oppressor, are reverse characters, for whom a counter woe is implied.

Yet the true peacemaker does not seek peace by a compromise with sin. That is a false peace which is made with the devil and sin, and is a true discord and war against good and God. Christ, the true peacemaker, was a terrible denouncer of iniquity.