Christs Love and Affection Towards Jerusalem, Chapter 23
CHAP. 23.
The way and meanes how to get true Peace.
A rule of direction how to get peace.2 IF the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell be things that belong to every mans peace, then may this ſerve as a rule of direction to every one, what courſe to take for the obtaining of peace; and that is, to kiſſe the Sonne leſt hee be angry, to imbrace the Goſpell, to bid Chriſt welcome, that ſhall bring him peace at laſt. Peace is that which all would have, and few finde, becauſe they miſtake the way that leads unto itaIuſt. faſc. amor. cap. 16. pag. 101. Horrendū ſpectaculum, et cō paſſiva conſideratio eſt, caecū ſitientem aſpicere, et aquae rivulos quaeritā tem, at que in luti volutabro ſe mergentem, ut inde ſuis ſuae ſatiet appetitū. Behold, here is the way of peace; if any deſire to finde it, let him ſeeke it in this way, and by theſe particular ſteps and degrees.
1. Seeke it in the right place, in the houſe of God, where the Goſpell is preached.bHag. 2.10. The glory of the later houſe ſhall be greater than the former; and in this place will I give peace, ſaith the Lord of hoſts. Peace is not a flower that may be gathered out of every garden; it is not a fruit that growes on every tree, it is not to be had every where, nor is it to be found any where, but onelyonly in this place, in the houſe of God. Pharaoh ſupplied the wants of his people in the yeares of famine, but it was from Ioſephs ſtore-houſe, all the proviſion was laid up there, that from thence it might bee tranſmitted to his people: So God ſpeaks peace to his people that are in trouble, and ſupplies their wants with the bleſsing of peace, but that bleſſing is laid up for them in Zion, in the Houſe of God, that from thence it may bee tranſmitted unto thē;cPſal. 128.5. The Lord ſhall bleſſe thee out of Zion; and the reaſon is, becauſe the meanes whereby this peace is wrought, the publike Ordinance of God is erected and ſet up there:dJſa. 57.19. I create the fruit of the lips to bee peace; that is, the Word preached; for as the Goſpell is a Goſpell of peace eGualt. com in loc. Creabo fructum labi…rū, id eſt, praedicationem Evangelii, per quam pax annūciabitur, longinquis & propinquis, id eſt Iudaeis ſimul et gentibus.ſo the preaching of it, is a preaching of peace, as hath beene ſhewed.
2 Seeke it in the right way, that is, in the way of obedience, in following the minde and counſell of Chriſt, and walking according to the rule of the Goſpel*Auguſt. to. 10. li. 50. Homil…ar. homil 17. Charitas cum fide ipſa te perducet ad pacem, veram pacem, plenam pacem, ſolidam pacē, ſecuram pacem, ubi nulla peſtis, nullus hoſtis, ipſa pax eſt finis omniū deſideriorum bonorum.; for the bleſsing of peace is promiſed to ſuch onelyonly as walke according to this rule fGal. 6.16.: Piety and religion is the way to true peace, and therefore the Apoſtle joynes them both together, to ſhew that one cannot bee had, or enjoyed, without the other: No peace without holineſſe; gHeb. 12.14.follow peace with all men, and holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ever ſee God. While Adam kept his garment of innocency and righteouſneſſe, hee injoyed perfect peace, both with God, and himſelfe, and all creatures; but when he caſt away that, he made ſhip wracke of his peace; peace will not dwell but in the habitation of righteouſneſſe. The Angels ſing firſt glory to God, and then peace on earth hLuc. 2.14.; to ſignifie that Gods glory muſt bee provided for, before there will bee peace on earth. God hath made large promiſes of much peace▪ but it is to ſuch as love his law iPſa. 119.165.All ſinne is an enemy to peace: it was ſinne that brake the firſt league of peace that ever was concluded betwixt heaven and earth, and while that takes place, it will not give way to any new agreement, nor ſuffer any new Articles of peace to be drawn between God and man. Sinne, it is a Schiſmaticke, that ſecretly undermines this bleſsing of peace; nay, it is a rebell that openly breakes out againſt the peace, and therefore no marvell though it baniſh peace, where it findes entertainment. Had Zimri peace which ſlew his Maſter k2 King 9.31.? when h Ieoram asked Iehu, Is it peace? he had this anſwer returned, what peace lAug to. 10. de temp. ſerm. 166. Pax cum bonis, & praecepta Dei ſervantibus cuſtodienda eſt, non cum iniquis et ſceleratis, qui pacem inter ſe habent in peccatis ſuis, &c. Pax cum bonis, et bellum cum vitus, ſemper habendum eſt, mala ſiquidem implorum hominum odio habenda ſunt.ſo long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel remaine and her witchcrafts are yet in great number m2 King. 9.22.? Implying, that while a man gives himſelfe leave and liberty to live in any knowne ſin, and will not bee reclaimed, in vaine doth he expect and looke for peace; for what agreement can there be betweene light and darkneſſe? what concord or peace betweene Chriſt and Belial?
3 Seeke it of the right owner, aske it of God by prayer; hee onelyonly is the fountaine of true peace, and prayer is the Bucket that draws it from him; therefore the Pſalmiſt injoynes prayer to bee uſed, as a meanes for obtaining peace upon Jeruſalem nPſa. 122.6., Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem. God creates the fruit of the lips to be peace, as hath beene ſhewed, and that is, not onelyonly the preaching of the Goſpel, but alſo, as others interpret itoCorne. à Lapid. com. in loc. Dedi Iudaeis in Babylone, &c. pro fructu & mercede orationis ſuae pacem. Vide Hugon. de Sanct. Car. & Adam. Sasbout. in loc., confeſſion of ſinnes, and fervent prayer; for theſe are alſo the fruit of the lips; pardon and peace they goe together; and as confeſſion of ſinnes, and earneſt prayer to God is a meanes of obtaining pardon and forgiveneſſe, ſo alſo is it the way to get peace: Theſe are the channels, in which the ſtreames of peace runne, and the Conduits in which they are conveyed; and therefore hee that would obtaine peace, hee muſt addreſſe himſelfe to the Throne of grace, and have recourſe unto God for it, and that not onelyonly in times of trouble, when feare and danger drives him to God; but alſo in times of peace and proſperity, that it may the better appeare, that hee ſeekes unto God, not onelyonly out of neceſſitie, as being compelled with his owne wants, but rather out of a deſire of entring into a Covenant of peace and reconciliation with him; for hee that will have no acquaintance with God, while all is well with him, hath little reaſon to expect and looke for peace from him, when things goe ill with him. Prayer indeed is the key that opens, and unlocks the doore of that rich ſtorehouſe of grace, wherein all bleſſings are contained, and ſo makes way for peace, which is one of the chiefeſt of them; but yet it muſt bee ſo qualified, that it may finde acceptance with God: and amongſt other qualifications, there are two mentioned in Scripture; the firſt by David pPſal. 32.6., Therfore ſhall every good man make his prayer unto thee in a time when thou maiſt be found; his prayer muſt be ſeaſonable, he muſt ſeek for peace in Gods time, whiles hee offers conditions of peace: the other by the ApoſtlesqJam. 5.16., The prayer of the righteous availeth much, if it be fervent; & for him that would ſet an edge of fervency upon his prayer, when he makes requeſt for peace, it will be requiſite and neceſſary to know the worth of thoſe things that belong to his peace; for as in bodily cures the remedy muſt be knowne, before it can bee uſed or applyed; even ſo it is here, the worth of peace muſt be knowne, before it can raiſe up in the ſoule a deſire ſutable to the excellency of it; and therefore Chriſt here bewayles the want of this knowledge in Jeruſalem, ſaying, Oh, if thou hadſt knowne, &c! implying, that this was the cauſe why ſhee made ſo light account of the things that concerned her peace, and deſired them no more, becauſe ſhee did not know the worth of them; whereas, on the contrary, the wiſe merchantrAug. to. 10. ad fratres in eremo. ſerm. 2. H. Nemo eſt qui non velit pacem habere: interroga omnes ſi pacem deſiderent, omnes unâ voce dicent, hoc amamus, hoc optamus, hoc concupiſcimus, hoc volumus. that found this treaſure of peace hid in the field of the Goſpell, becauſe hee prizeth it highly, that makes him ſo earneſt in the purſuit of it, that he reſolves to have it,ſMat. 13.44. though it coſt him all that he hath to make that purchaſe.