O the sweet of peace! it is all wishes in one; this little word is a breviary of all that is good; what can they more, than to have peace with God, and peace with men, and peace within?1 sure there is much in it, because Christ• is so much upon it; at his birth the Angels sung, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace; at his baptism the form of a dove lighted upon him, and what meant this but peace? in his life the sort of integrity was his court, and what was here but peace? near his death he gives peace as a legacy to his Church,2 peace I leave with you, my peace I give you; at his resurrection his first salutation to his Apostles is a wish of peace, peace be unto you: what can I say more to make us in love with peace;3 why all Christ did, and all Christ suffered was for peace;4 he prayed for it; neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me,—that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. And he wept for it, if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day, the things which do belong unto thy peace. And he dyed to […] ⟨p. 435⟩but ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace. 5Of this we need no other proof or sign, but that of the Prophet Jonah, when the sea wrought and was tempestuous, what shall we do unto thee (said the Mariners) that the sea may be calm unto us? and he said, take me up and cast me into the sea, so shall the sea be calm; 6when that great enmity was betwixt God and us, what shall I do (said God) that my justice may be satisfied, and my wrath appeased, and that there may be a calm? why, take me (said Christ) and cast me forth into the sea, let all thy waves and thy billows go over me, make me a peace off•ring and kill me, that when I am dead there may be a calm, and when I am risen I may proclaim it, saying, peace be unto you. You hear what he said.
O the sweet of peace! it is all wishes in one; this little word is a breviary of all that is good; what can they more, than to have peace with God, and peace with men, and peace within?1 sure there is much in it, because Christ• is so much upon it; at his birth the Angels sung, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace; at his baptism the form of a dove lighted upon him, and what meant this but peace? in his life the sort of integrity was his court, and what was here but peace? near his death he gives peace as a legacy to his Church,2 peace I leave with you, my peace I give you; at his resurrection his first salutation to his Apostles is a wish of peace, peace be unto you: what can I say more to make us in love with peace;3 why all Christ did, and all Christ suffered was for peace;4 he prayed for it; neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me,—that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. And he wept for it, if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day, the things which do belong unto thy peace. And he dyed to 〈…〉 ⟨p. 435⟩but ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace. 5Of this we need no other proof or sign, but that of the Prophet Jonah, when the sea wrought and was tempestuous, what shall we do unto thee (said the Mariners) that the sea may be calm unto us? and he said, take me up and cast me into the sea, so shall the sea be calm; 6when that great enmity was betwixt God and us, what shall I do (said God) that my justice may be satisfied, and my wrath appeased, and that there may be a calm? why, take me (said Christ) and cast me forth into the sea, let all thy waves and thy billows go over me, make me a peace off•ring and kill me, that when I am dead there may be a calm, and when I am risen I may proclame it, saying, peace be unto you. You hear what he said.
- 1Luke 2.14.
- 2John 14.27.Iohn 14.27.
- 3Joh. 17.2021.Ioh. 17.2021.
- 4Luke 19.42.
- 5Eph. 2, 13, 14.
- 6Jona. 1.11, 12.
