1. What this peace is. You know the point of peace is a great matter; it is the Apostolical Benediction: Grace and peace in all the Epistles; Grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 1.2. and chap. 3.16. Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace by all means always. This is a thing by all means to be desired, you must labour to get it; this was the Angels song when Christ was born, Luke 2.14. Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, good will towards men. This peace is a thing by all means to be sought after, and what it is, you may know by the contrary; you know what a miserable thing war is; God grant you may not know it too soon: You know what it is to have an enemy among us. This is our case, till we be justified, we are at daggers drawing, at point of hostility with God. It is a foolish conceit for a man to think that by reason of God's predestination he is justified before he was; this is a foolish conceit; until thou art justified by faith, thou art not justified at all. God's predestination doth not make a change in the subject; if I intend to enrich a beggar, he is in rags still, for all my intention, till my intention be put in execution. Paul was elected before the foundation of the world; but till he was converted, he was an enemy, and a persecutor, the chief of sinners, as he speaks of himself, Rom. 5.10. so the Scripture speaks in that point: If when we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life? Before the time of peace came, we were unbelievers, enemies, in the state of enmity, when as before, God was thy enemy, as soon as thou hast touched Christ by a lively faith, presently all the actions he had against thee are let fall; God is friends with thee; this is a high and a deep peace, and this comprehends all kind of blessings; Amasa, 1 Chron. 12.18. one of the valiantest Captains that David had, speaks there of peace; one would think it not so proper, it belongs not to them to talk of peace, but because peace comprehends all kinds of blessing, it is said, Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Amasa, who was chief of the Captains, and he ⟨p. 143⟩said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side thou Son of Jesse; peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be unto thy helpers, for thy God helpeth thee.
1. What this peace is. You know the point of peace is a great matter; it is the Apostolical Benediction: Grace and peace in all the Epistles; Grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 1.2. and chap. 3.16. Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace by all means always. This is a thing by all means to be desired, you must labour to get it; this was the Angels song when Christ was born, Luke 2.14. Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, good will towards men. This peace is a thing by all means to be sought after, and what it is, you may know by the contrary; you know what a miserable thing war is; God grant you may not know it too soon: You know what it is to have an enemy among us. This is our case, till we be justified, we are at daggers drawing, at point of hostility with God. It is a foolish conceit for a man to think that by reason of God's predestination he is justified before he was; this is a foolish conceit; until thou art justified by faith, thou art not justified at all. God's predestination doth not make a change in the subject; if I intend to inrich a beggar, he is in rags still, for all my intention, till my intention be put in execution. Paul was elected before the foundation of the world; but till he was converted, he was an enemy, and a persecutor, the chief of sinners, as he speaks of himself, Rom. 5.10. so the Scripture speaks in that point: If when we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life? Before the time of peace came, we were unbelievers, enemies, in the state of enmity, when as before, God was thy enemy, as soon as thou hast touched Christ by a lively faith, presently all the actions he had against thee are let fall; God is friends with thee; this is a high and a deep peace, and this comprehends all kind of blessings; Amasa, 1 Chron. 12.18. one of the valiantest Captains that David had, speaks there of peace; one would think it not so proper, it belongs not to them to talk of peace, but because peace comprehends all kinds of blessing, it is said, Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Amasa, who was chief of the Captains, and he ⟨p. 143⟩said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side thou Son of Jesse; peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be unto thy helpers, for thy God helpeth thee.
