1. It is Peace with God. This is the first Effect and Fruit of the Righteousness before mentioned, Isa. 32. 17. For being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God, Rom. 5. 1. And hereon depends our Peace in the whole Creation above and below. And if we look into the Promises of the Old Testament concerning the Kingdom of Christ, the greatest part, and the most Eminent of them respect Peace with God and the whole Creation. All things in the Creation were at odds, jarring and interfering continually, upon the entrance of sin. For an Enmity thereby being introduced between God and Man, it extended it self unto all other Creatures that ⟨p. 161⟩had either dependence on Man, or were subservient Naturally unto his Use, or were put in subjection to him by God, the Lord of all. Hereby were they all cast into a state of Vanity and Bondage which they groan under, and as it were, look out for a Deliverance from, Rom. 8. 20, 21, 22, 23. But in this Gospel-state God designs a Reconciliation of all things, or a reduction of them into their proper Order. For he purposed in himself that in the Dispensation of the fullness of times, he would gather together in One all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on Earth, even in him, Ephes. 1. 9, 10. The [Greek or Hebrew] here mentioned is the same on the matter with the [Greek or Hebrew] in this place. God had in his Counsel and Purpose distributed the Times or Ages of the World into several Parts or Seasons, with respect unto his own Works and the Revelation of his mind and will unto Men. See Our Exposition on Chap. 1. ver. 1. Every one of these Parts or Seasons had its particular [Greek or Hebrew], or Dispensation. But there was a [Greek or Hebrew], a certain time or season, wherein all the rest that were past before, should have their Complement and Perfection. And this Season had its especial [Greek or Hebrew], or Dispensation also. And this was the [Greek or Hebrew] mentioned; the Peace-making and Reconciliation of all things, by gathering up the scattered, divided, jarring parts of the Creation into One Head even Christ Jesus. And as this Enmity and Disorder entered into the Whole, by the sin of Man; so the Foundation of this Catholic Peace and Order, from which nothing is excluded but the Serpent and his Seed, must be laid in Peace between God and Man.
1. It is Peace with God. This is the first Effect and Fruit of the Righteousness before mentioned, Isa. 32. 17. For being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God, Rom. 5. 1. And hereon depends our Peace in the whole Creation above and below. And if we look into the Promises of the Old Testament concerning the Kingdom of Christ, the greatest part, and the most Eminent of them respect Peace with God and the whole Creation. All things in the Creation were at odds, jarring and interfering continually, upon the entrance of sin. For an Enmity thereby being introduced between God and Man, it extended it self unto all other Creatures that ⟨p. 161⟩had either dependance on Man, or were subservient Naturally unto his Use, or were put in subjection to him by God, the Lord of all. Hereby were they all cast into a state of Vanity and Bondage which they groan under, and as it were, look out for a Deliverance from, Rom. 8. 20, 21, 22, 23. But in this Gospel-state God designs a Reconciliation of all things, or a reduction of them into their proper Order. For he purposed in himself that in the Dispensation of the fulness of times, he would gather together in One all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on Earth, even in him, Ephes. 1. 9, 10. The 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 here mentioned is the same on the matter with the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in this place. God had in his Counsel and Purpose distributed the Times or Ages of the World into several Parts or Seasons, with respect unto his own Works and the Revelation of his mind and will unto Men. See Our Exposition on Chap. 1. ver. 1. Every one of these Parts or Seasons had its particular 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, or Dispensation. But there was a 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a certain time or season, wherein all the rest that were past before, should have their Complement and Perfection. And this Season had its especial 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, or Dispensation also. And this was the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 mentioned; the Peace-making and Reconciliation of all things, by gathering up the scattered, divided, jarring parts of the Creation into One Head even Christ Jesus. And as this Enmity and Disorder entred into the Whole, by the sin of Man; so the Foundation of this Catholick Peace and Order, from which nothing is excluded but the Serpent and his Seed, must be laid in Peace between God and Man.
