Seventhly, This peaceable calm, and joyful disposition of the soul, is the proper effect and fruit of the Gospel. This is the final and Evangelical temper we under the Gospel, and the Spirit of Adoption, ought to walk in. We may stand and wonder to see, what great expressions Paul useth, Rom. 8. and in other places, concerning the love of God in Christ; how confident and assured of it, how triumphing over all difficulties, as if he were in Heaven already. For the glorified Saints can scarce say more than he doth. And this he speaketh, not in his own behalf, but in the name of all the children of God, they ought to have such peace, assurance, and filial persuasions, as he hath. Now alas, we are like worms crawling on the ground in comparison of him! We spend our days in tumults, fears and disquietness of heart: We are tossed from one temptation to another, and have not this peace, this joy unspeakable, this Evangelical persuasion, and why? but because the Gospel hath not had its full work upon us. Doth not the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3. and in other places, speak of the Ministration of the Law, killing and condemning? Doth he not speak of a spirit of bondage, and of servants as opposite to children? And as the immediate contrary to this, he tells us of the Ministration of the Gospel, and the Spirit of Adoption accompanying it, which Spirit we are to pray for; and are to be transformed more and more from glory to glory, by beholding of the glory of God revealed in the Gospel. Therefore Ephes. 6. 15. We are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; We tread among thorns and briars. Now this Gospel munition is the only defence against all hinderances in our way to Heaven. Oh beloved, let us at last know, that the Gospel doth not only consist in an holy, exact, and humble walking, but in a cheerful, peaceful, and gladsome conversation, arising from the sense of Gods grace to us in Christ. The Apostle speaketh fully to this, Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat or drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. You see here the Kingdom of God is not only in righteousness, but in this peace and joy. Did the children of God possess their souls with this truth, they would no more let in unbelief and discouragements into their soul, then they would the prince of darkness, and his Angels?
Seventhly, This peaceable calme, and joyfull disposition of the soul, is the proper effect and fruit of the Gospel. This is the fi•al and Evangelical temper we under the Gospel, and the Spirit of Adoption, ought to walk in. We may stand and wonder to see, what great expressions Paul useth, Rom. 8. and in other places, concerning the love of God in Christ; how consident and assured of it, how triumphing over all difficulties, as if he were in Heaven already. For the glorified Saints can scarce say more than he doth. And this he speaketh, not in his own behalf, but in the name of all the children of God, they ought to have such peace, assurance, and filial perswasions, as he hath. Now alas, we are like worms crawling on the ground in comparison of him! We spend our dayes in tumults, fears and disquietness of heart: We are tossed from one temptation to another, and have not this peace, this joy unspeakable, this Evangelical perswasion, and why? but because the Gospel hath not had its full work upon us. Doth not the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3. and in other places, speak of the Ministration of the Law, killing and condemning? Doth he not speak of a spirit of bondage, and of servants as opposite to children? And as the immediate contrary to this, he tels us of the Ministration of the Gospel, and the Spirit of Adoption accompanying it, which Spirit we are to pray for; and are to be transformed more and more from glory to glory, by beholding of the glory of God revealed in the Gospel. Therefore Ephes. 6. 15. We are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; We tread among thorns and briars. Now this Gospel munition is the only defence against all hinderances in our way to Heaven. Oh beloved, let us at last know, that the Gospel doth not only consist in an holy, exact, and humble walking, but in a chearfull, peacefull, and gladsome conversation, arising from the sense of Gods grace to us in Christ. The Apostle speaketh fully to this, Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God is not meat or drink, but righteousnesse, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. You see here the Kingdome of God is not onely in righteousnesse, but in this peace and joy. Did the children of God possess their souls with this truth, they would no more let in unbelief and discouragements into their soul, then they would the prince of darkness, and his Angels?
