Secondly, from this Righteousness ariseth Peace: no sooner is man righteous, but he is at peace with man, at peace with God, at peace with himself. He is at peace with man; 1The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard with the Kid, saith the Prophet, Isa. 11.6. The meaning is, that in the kingdom of Christ, when a man is called into the state of grace (howsoever by nature he is a Wolf, or a Leopard, or a Lyon, or a Bear, yet) he shall then lay aside his cruelty, and live peaceably with all men, with all men, I say, bad and good; for if bad, the Apostle implies them, As much as in you is, have peace with all men, 2Rom. 12.18. Or if good, then he cannot but have peace with them, yea, although before his conversion he hated and maligned them, yet now he is ravished with the delight and love of them, and to this end he labours might and main to ingratiate himself into their blessed Communion; true, how should he but love them, and sympathize with them, whom he believes one day to meet in Heaven, and there to enjoy them, and they him for ever? Nor is this all, he is at peace with God, he hath humbled himself, and confessed his fault, and cried for mercy, and cast himself upon Christ, and vowed amendment of life; so that now God by his word hath spoke peace to his soul, by the mediation of Christ it is obtained, and by the testimony of the Spirit he feels it within him. This is that Peace which passeth all understanding, it made the Angels sing; Peace upon earth, it makes his soul reply, My peace is in heaven: what else? The storm is past, and the rain is gone away, he that lay for a night in the darkness of sorrow, and weeping for his sins, now he beholds the Son of righteousness appear (as the Disciples often did upon the Mount of Olives, signifying peace) all quiet, and calm, and pleasant. Nor is this all, he is at peace with himself, I mean his own conscience; that which before stirred up the fire, that brought him to a sight of sin, and sense of Divine Wrath, that filled him with fearful terrors, compunction, remorse, and true sorrow for sin, it is now turned good and quiet. Solomon calls it a continual feast, Prov. 15.15. 3who are the attendants but the holy Angels? what is the cheer, but joy in the Holy Ghost? who is the feast-maker but God himself, and his good Spirit dwelling in him?
Secondly, from this Righteousness ariseth Peace: no sooner is man righteous, but he is at peace with man, at peace with God, at peace with himself. He is at peace with man; 1The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard with the Kid, saith the Prophet, Isa. 11.6. The meaning is, that in the kingdom of Christ, when a man is called into the state of grace (howsoever by nature he is a Wolf, or a Leopard, or a Lyon, or a Bear, yet) he shall then lay aside his cruelty, and live peaceably with all men, with all men, I say, bad and good; for if bad, the Apostle implyes them, As much as in you is, have peace with all men, 2Rom. 12.18. Or if good, then he cannot but have peace with them, yea, although before his conversion he hated and maligned them, yet now he is ravished with the delight and love of them, and to this end he labors might and main to ingratiate himself into their blessed Communion; true, how should he but love them, and sympathize with them, whom he believes one day to meet in Heaven, and there to enjoy them, and they him for ever? Nor is this all, he is at peace with God, he hath humbled himself, and confest his fault, and cryed for mercy, and cast himself upon Christ, and vowed amendment of life; so that now God by his word hath spoke peace to his soul, by the mediation of Christ it is obtained, and by the testimony of the Spirit he feels it within him. This is that Peace which passeth all understanding, it made the Angels sing; Peace upon earth, it makes his soul reply, My peace is in heaven: what else? The storm is past, and the rain is gone away, he that lay for a night in the darkness of sorrow, and weeping for his sins, now he beholds the Son of righteousness appear (as the Disciples often did upon the Mount of Olives, signifying peace) all quiet, and calm, and pleasant. Nor is this all, he is at peace with himself, I mean his own conscience; that which before stirred up the fire, that brought him to a sight of sin, and sense of Divine Wrath, that filled him with fearful terrors, compunction, remorse, and true sorrow for sin, it is now turned good and quiet. Solomon calls it a continual feast, Prov. 15.15. 3who are the attendants but the holy Angels? what is the chear, but joy in the Holy Ghost? who is the feast-maker but God himself, and his good Spirit dwelling in him?
- 1Isa. 11.6.
- 2Rom. 12.18.
- 3Prov. 15.15.
