Light from Heaven, Part 27 – Part 29
Peace upon Earth.
Why doth he say,Question. Peace on Earth?
Because peace was here wrought upon earth by Christ, Answer.Why is it said peace on earth.in the dayes of his flesh, when he offered himselfe a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to his Father.
Because here in earth, we must be partakers of it, we oft times deferre to make our peace with God, from time to time, and thinke there will be peace made in another world… oh beloved, our peace must be made on earth. We must live godly and righteously, and soberly in this present world, we must enter into the Kingdome of heaven here. Further entrance must be ministred here, by growing in grace daily more and more. If heaven be not entred into here, it shall never be entred afterwards; for the Church is the seminary of the heavenly Paradise, all that are taken to heaven, to be set there for ever, they are set in the Church before… they are planted, and grow up there a while, under the meanes of salvation. Therefore labour to have this peace on earth, or else we can never glorifie God on earth, and if we glorifie him not on earth, we shall never doe it in heaven.
How to know God and we are at peace.But to come to some tryals, whether we have this peace made or no, whether we can say in spirit and truth,1If God be reconciled to us, we are reconciled to him. there is a peace established between God and us. For a ground of this, that may lead us to further tryall, know that Christ hath reconciled God and us together, not only by obtaining peace, by way of satisfaction, but by way of application also; whom he dyed for, to obtaine peace, he gives a spirit of application to improve that peace, to improve Christ the Prince of peace: as their owne; for there is a mutuall commerce betweene God and man, who is an understanding creature; and there is nothing that God doth for man, if we looke to the generall and head of benefits, but there is somewhat in man wrought, by the Spirit to answer it againe. God is reconciled to man in Christ, man must be reconciled to God in Christ, in 2 Cor. 5. God was in Christ, 2 Cor. 5.19.reconciling the world; when hee was on the Crosse, God was there reconciled in Christ. Is that all? no, God by us intreates you to be reconciled to God. A strange condescending, that God should intreate us to be good to our owne soules, by his Ministers, We intreate you to be reconciled, that is, to accept of the reconciliation wrought by Christ, and to lay aside all weapons of rebellion, whereby you fought against God, in the course of your vanity, wee beseech you to be reconciled, and to repent, because the Kingdome of God is at hand: so that except there be reconciliation wrought by a spirit of application on mans part, it is not sufficient, that God is reconciled in Christ, because God will alway have a reflex act from man; as he chooseth man, so man by grace chooseth him, as he loves and delights in man, so he will have man by a spirit of sweetnesse, delight in him againe above all the world; Whom have I in heaven but thee? so there is some▪what wrought by the Spirit to God againe. Why should God be at good termes with us, but to enjoy the friendship of his poore creature? unlesse therefore there be a gracious disposition wrought in the creature, to looke backe, to love, and delight in God, as God doth in him; there is no actuall reconciliation, there must be a forcible application by the Spirit: if God should not give a spirit of application, as well as Christ obtaine heaven for us; those that are in the Covenant of grace, should not be stablished, but God by this meanes brings them so neare, that he loving them, loves them for ever, and they have an everlasting Covenant, and an everlasting union.Man naturally hates God. The carnall heart of man is a poysonfull thing, and hates God naturally, it wishes that there were no God to judge him; he may thinke well of God, for the good things of this life, but when he thinkes of God as a Judge, to cast him into hell, he wisheth with all his heart; oh that there were no God, that I might have my full of the pleasures of sinne. Now the soule, when it is at peace with God, when God by his Spirit, speakes to the soule and saith, I am thy salvation, thy sinnes are forgiven thee; and as Christ, to the good Theefe on the Crosse, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise; when he whispers to the soule, thou art mine, and I am thine, then the soule becomes sweet, and peaceable to God againe, and studies to advance the glory of Gods mercy by all meanes, and to advance the Gospell of peace, it becomes friendly to God.
To come to some more familiar evidences, whether wee be at peace with God, and whether we have the comfort of this peace, stablished by Christ, or no.
2Gods friends and enemies are ours.Those that are reconciled one to another, have common friends, and common enemies, if therefore there be peace betweene God and us, it is so with us; we love all, where we see any evidence of Gods love, we love Christians as Christians, and whom God loves not, we love not, what God hates we hate in our selves and others, wee hate corruptions in our selves and others, though we love their persons.
3Boldnesse of spirit.Another evidence of peace made in Christ, betweene God and us, is a boldnesse of spirit, and acquaintance with God, Acquaint thy selfe with God, and be at peace with him, Iob 22.Iob 22. A Christian being at peace with God in Christ Iesus, he goes boldly to the Throne of grace, in all his necessities, as a poore child goes boldly to his father, and moves the bowels of his father by his petitions. When two Kingdomes are at peace, there is trading set up afresh againe, so when God is at peace with the soule,Acquaintance with God. there is a heavenly intercourse, and trading set up: there is no man that is at peace with God, but hee calls upon God in his person, in his family, he sets up the woship of God there, he labours to bring all to God that he can, hee thinkes it the most gainefull trade in the world. In the want of grace, and spirituall comfort, he goes to the Fountaine of grace, and improves that blessed prerogative, we have by peace in Christ; those that have not the Spirit of God to improve it in Communion, and trading with God, it is a signe there is no peace: strangenesse shewes, that there is no peace. Alas how strangely doe many walke towards God, that from Sunday to Sunday, skarce lift up their hearts to heaven for a blessing, but walke in the strength of their owne mother-wit, and support themselves with the successe of second causes, and blesse themselves, they are strangers from the God of peace: let us take notice of this, and account it a great prerogative, that wee may goe to God with boldnesse, that it is not now as it was in Paradise, there is no Angell with a sword to shut us from heaven, but now there is an entrance to the Throne of grace, we may goe boldly in the name of Christ, to offer our selves, and all our indeavours.
A Christian that hath made his peace with God, 4Hatred of knowne sins.will never allow himselfe in any sin against conscience, because he knowes sinne is odious in it selfe, loathsome to God, and hurtfull to his soule, therefore he will not be in league with any sinfull, unjust course, what, to be in league with God, and to be at peace with that that God hates more then the Devill himselfe? hee hates sinne more then the Devill: for he hates him for sinne, therefore a man that allowes himselfe in knowne sinnes, there can be no peace betweene God and him, as he saith, why doe you talke of peace, as long as the witchcrafts and whoredomes of Iesabel remaine? a man that lives in sinnes against conscience, that is an open swearer, an unjust person, that cares not by what meanes he advanceth himselfe; what doth he talke of peace with God, when hee is in league with Gods enemy? therefore, though such men (out of the hardnesse of their hearts, which are harder then the nether milstone, and God seales them up under a hard heart to damnation, except some terrible judgement awake them) force a peace upon themselves, they ought to speake none, and they shall find it to their cost ere long, therefore let us examine our owne hearts, how we stand affected to any sinfull course. There may be infirmities, and weakenesses hang upon the best, that are besides their purposes, and resolutions, but for a man resolvedly, to set himselfe in an ill way, how can he be at peace with God, and with Satan at the same time? let us take notice of these things, and not daube with our owne consciences.
5High esteeme of the Gospell. 2 Cor. 5.Againe, where there is a true peace established, there is a high esteeme of the Word of peace, the Gospell of reconciliation, as St. Paul calls it, 2 Cor. 5. He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation, those that find this peace there, is stirred up by the Spirit in their breasts, a high esteeme of the ordinance of God, as being the word of their peace; how come we to have peace betweene God and us? is it not by opening the riches of Gods love in Christ, in the Scriptures? Therefore saith the Scripture, blessed are the feet of them that bring glad tidings; the meanest part of their body, their feete are blessed, therefore those that have despicable conceits of the Ministrie of the Word, and place their happinesse, in depraving the labour, and paines of that office and calling, it is a signe they have prophane hearts, for whosoever hath had any grace wrought, by the word of reconciliation, and of peace, they will highly esteeme it, and respect them for their office sake, it cannot be otherwise.
Lastly,6Peaceablenes with others. those that have found peace, …are peaceable, it is universally true, God doth make an impression of the same disposition in us to others, we apprehending God in Christ, to be peaceable to us, wee are peaceable to others: therefore in Isay 11.Isay 11. The knowledge of God in Christ, it alters and changeth mens dispositions,, it makes Wolves and Lions, to be of a milder disposition and temper, harsh, proud, sturdy dispositions, they never felt peace and mercy themselves, therefore they are not ready to shew it to others. In the nature of the thing it selfe, it is impossible for the soule, to apprehend peace, in the love of God, and not to have the disposition wrought upon, to shew what it hath felt: let us thinke of these and such like evidences daily, to keepe our hearts from speaking false peace. Danger of false peace.The greatest danger in the world (in this regard) is in the Church, for people under the Gospell speake false peace to themselves, there is a spirit of delusion, that carries them along to their death, and deceives them also in death, and so they are in hell before they be aware, and then too late, they see, that they were never in good tearmes with God, in all their life, because they looked on Christ making peace, without any consideration of the spirit of application.
Necessitie of application.There must be a sprinkling of the blood of Christ on our soules, to make it our owne▪ We are come to the blood of sprinkling, it is not the blood of Christ that makes our peace onelyonly as blood, but as it is sprinkled by the hand of faith, that is as the I…ope that sprinkled the blood of the Sacrifice upon the people. We must not thinke to have any good by the blood of Christ, when we want the blood of sprinkling, that is, this particular faith: Christ loved me, and hath chosen me, and I choose him, and love him againe, and so goe with boldnesse to God as a Father, unlesse there be this passage of the soule, betweene God and us, let us not talke of peace: for if we might have good by Christ, without a spirit of application, and if there were not a necessity of sprinkling the blood of Christ upon our soules by faith, all the world should be saved.
In the next place,How to maintaine this peace. to give a few directions to maintaine this peace actually, and continually every day.Watchfulnes. To walke with God, and to keep our daily peace with God, it requires a great deale of watchfulnesse, over our thoughts, for he is a Spirit; over our words and actions: watchfulnes is the preserver of peace; where there is a great distance, betweene two that are at peace, it is not kept without acknowledgement of that distance, and without watchfulnesse: it is not here as it is in a peace that is betweene two Kings, that are coordinate one with another, but it is a peace betweene the King of heaven, and Rebels▪ that are taken to be subjects, therefore we must walke in humble low tearmes, humble thy selfe and walke with thy God; we must watch over our carriage, that we doe not grieve the Spirit of God: for then how-ever the first peace stablished in conversion, should be never taken away, yet God interdicts our comfort, wee cannot daily enjoy our daily peace, without watchfulnesse; but God suffers our knowledge, and our former illumination, to las… our conscience, and to be more miserable in our inward man, than a carnall man that never had sight of goodnesse; oh the misery of a man, that is fallen into ill tearmes with God, that had peace before, of all men such a man hath most horrour, till he have made his peace againe, watchfulnesse will prevent this.
And because it is a difficult thing to maintaine tearmes of peace with God,2Renewing our Covenant. in regard of our indisposition, we fall into breaches with God daily, therefore wee should often renew our covenants, and purposes every day.
And if wee have fallen into any sinne, let us make use of our great peace-maker, Christ, who is in heaven to make peace betweene God and us, let us desire God for his sake, to be reconciled unto us, for God is in Christ, reconciling us unto him still, the fruit of Christs death remaines still, let us desire him, to testifie it unto us by his holy Spirit.
3Prayer to God.And take that direction of the Apostle, in Philip. 4. When we find any trouble in the world, not to trouble our selves over-much:Ph…l…p 4. In nothing be carefull, &c. No, shall we cast away all care? Cast your care upon God, let your requests be made knowne to God with thankesgiving, let your prayers be made to God, and let him have his tribute of thankesgiving, for what you have received already. What then? The peace of God that passeth all understanding, shall keepe and preserve your hearts and minds in Christ Iesus: perhaps we shall not have what we p…ay for, when we have made our requests knowne to God, if wee have not that we pray for presently, yet we shall have the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, shall keepe our hearts and mindes; therefore when any thing troubles us, let us consider there is peace made betweene God and us; and put up our requests in the Name of Christ, and wee shall finde that peace that passeth understanding.
4Good imployment.Againe, if we would maintaine th…s peace, let us be alway doing some-what that is good, and pleasing to God: in the same Chapter, Phil. 4.8.Philip. 4.8. Finally Brethren, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, &c. Think of these things, and what then? The God of peace shall be with you, The peace of God and the God of peace shall be with you: there must be a thinking of whatsoever is good, the thoughts must be exercised that way, and there must be a practice of that we thinke of; this is one meanes to maintaine this peace with God. The very Heathen had this reward of God, (I meane) in this life, that when they did good to their Country, and one to onother, they had content of conscience, they had a peace sutable. For in this world, there is a sutable pleasure of conscience & contentment upon every thing that is good, God rewards it in this world: for as the heat followeth the fire alway, naturally it cannot be without heat; so the thinking and practising of that which is good, especially when it is joyned with some opposition of corrupt nature, when the light of nature is above the corruption of nature. If a man be a Pagan, he shall have this reward in this world, a kind of inward peace: for we see, how comfortably they speake sometimes, upon some notable performance for then Country. Now, the God of peace will be with us much more, when we have laid the foundation of our peace aright, in the mercy of God in Christ, besides what is reserved, heaven and happines; in this world, we shall find the peace of God, in the doing that which is good.
Motive to unregenerate men to get peace.As for those that live in the Church, and are not yet in the state of grace, that have lived wicked lives, let them consider, that yet the day of grace continues, as yet the Scepter of mercy is held forth: in the Ministery, there is a day of Jubily for them, to returne from their former captivity; let them not abuse the patience of God, and thinke to doe it afterward, for that is the way to harden the heart more and more. And this Scripture puts an effectuall argument, into the hearts of all that are in ill termes with God, that have not made their peace, or that have had peace, and have broken it; here is an effectuall way of pleading with God: Glory to God on high, &c. If the soule can say, I consider my folly, and madnesse, in running into sinne, thou mightest justly damne me, if tho… wouldst, it is thy mercy, I am not sent to hell: oh! but thou shalt have the greater glory: if I find mercy therefore that I may say, Glory to God on high; let me finde peace on earth, speake peace by thy Spirit to my soule, say, I am thy salvation … This was the end of thy sending of Christ, the end of Creation, the end of Providence, all to bring thee glory: thou mightest have the glory of thy Justice to damne me; oh! but it will be the glory of thy mercy to save me, that as my sins have abounded, so thy glory shall more abound. Oh Lord, extend the bowels of thy mercy, will not the Lord be jealous of his glory, when you alleage it? certainely he will, you see the Angels here crie, Glory to God on high, peace on earth: the way to bring peace, is to alleadge the glory of Gods mercy in Christ, it is a prevailing way.
Now,To stirre us up to search the grounds of this peace. to stirre us up more and more, to search the grounds of our peace… I beseech you, let us consider the fearefull estate of a man that hath not made his peace with God, 1The danger without it.how-ever Christ have dyed, that will not serve the turne; but if Christ be food, if he be not eaten, if he be a garment, and not be put on, if Christ be a foundation, if we doe not build on him, what benefit is it to us? Therefore those that have not been brought by the Spirit of God, to communion with Christ, alas, they are under the wrath of God, however God doth use them, as Princes doe Traytors in the Tower, he gives them the liberty of the prison, yet the sentence of death is not revoked; all the delights of a Prisoner in the Tower, doth not content him, he knowes he is in ill tearmes with his Prince: so till wee have made our peace with God, by hearty confession of our sinnes, by shaming of our selves by a particular faith, beleeving the forgivenesse of our sinnes, and a resolution against all sinne, for the time to come, alas wee have not sued out our pardon, all our delights are but as those of a prisoner in the Tower. Therefore, aske thy soule; hast thou sued out thy pardon? is there reconciliation wrought betweene God and thee, and accounts made even? If we confesse and forsake our sinnes, we shall find mercy; it is the Word of the God of heaven, who is truth it selfe, he hath pawned his fidelity and truth on it, to forgive us, if wee confesse, hee is content to be thought unjust and unfaithfull, if he doe not forgive, if wee ingenuously without all guile of spirit, lay open our sinnes,In resp…ct of God. and take shame to our selves. If wee doe not make our peace with God,2Christ. what a case are we in? God himselfe ere long, will appeare our enemy, Christ, whom we thinke will save us, will be our Judge, and a terrible Judge, the Lambe will be angry; Who shall cover us from the wrath of the Lambe? we thinke of Christ, as an innocent meeke Lambe onelyonly, that will not be angrie. The rebellious Kings and Potentates, that …ight against Christ and his Church, they thinke to trample on Christ and his Gospell; but the time will come, when they shall desire the mountaines to cover them, and if his wrath be kindled, Psal. 2.Psal. 2. Who shall abide it? hee speakes there of Christ, 3The Holy-Ghost.Happy are they that trust in him. As for the Holy-Ghost, how can they looke for comfort from him? they have grieved him, therefore hee will grieve their conscience. The Holy-Ghost, as he is the God of all comfort and consolation, so he is the ground of all terrour to wicked men, when he hath knocked at their hearts, by the ministery of his Word to open, and to let him in, but they would not. And the Angels are ready executioners of Gods vengeance, upon any occasion:4Creatures and others creatures, wayte but for a command from God, to execute his wrath upon sinners, the heavens are ready to raine upon them, as in the flood, and the earth is ready to swallow them, as it did Corah; the beasts that carry us, the creatures wee use, waite for a command from God to destroy us, our meate, to choake us, the ayre to infect us, the water to drowne us, they are all ready to serve the Lord of Hosts, against his enemies, as hee saith, Isay 1.Esay. 1. Ah I will be avenged on mine enemies. Indeed here God shewes his patience: and our long life, that we thinke a great favour: It is a treasuring up of wrath, against the day of wrath: and then when Gods wrath comes, at the day of Judgement, when God hath forsaken sinfull men, when God the Judge of all, hath said, depart ye cursed, no creature shall minister them the least comfort, the Sunne shall shine upon them no more, the earth shall beare them no longer, as wee see Dives, hee had not a drop of water to comfort him in those flames, therefore if wee be not at peace with the Lord of Hosts, every creature is ready to be in armes against us.
As for the Devils,5Devils. they will be ready to be tormentors, they that are incentives to sinne, will be tormentors for sinne afterwards.
As for the Church,6The Church… what comfort can a wicked man looke for from the Church, whom he hath despised, and whose Ministery he hath rejected.
And for the damned spirits,7Damned spirits. they are all in that cursed condition, with himselfe, therefore Where shall the ungodly appeare? ere long whence shall hee hope for comfort? neither from God, nor Angels, nor Devils, nor wicked men, nor good men, none of them all will yeeld him a dram of comfort.
Exhortation to make our peace.Let us not therefore delude our selves, but get into Christ, get into the Arke in time, that when any publike calamity shall come,Happinesse of him that is at peace with God. wee may be safe in Christ, if wee be at peace with God, by repentance of sinnes, and by faith in Christ, every thing will minister thoughts of comfort to us; we cannot thinke of God, but as our Father, of Christ as our Redeemer, and reconciler, that hath brought God and us together, the Holy-Ghost takes upon him the terme of a comforter for such; Angels, they are ministring Spirits; as for the Church it selfe, Gods people, they all have a common stocke of prayers for us, every one that saith, Our Father, thinks of us,Afflictions sanctified to those that are at peace with God. and all other things, they are at peace with us, as Iob saith…, The stones in the street, nay the stone in a mans body, the terrible pangs that comes from that disease, they have a blessing upon them; in the greatest extremities, a soule that is at peace with God, however God doe not deliver him from the trouble, yet he delivers and supports him in the trouble, and as the troubles increase, so his comforts increase, and the very troubles themselves are peace with him, all worke for the best to them that love God. Difference of men in trouble.And in the greatest confusions and tumults of States, yet the righteous is affraid of no ill tydings, Psal. 112.Psal. 112. Because his heart is fixed upon Gods love in Christ. The wicked, when warre and desolation, and signes of Gods anger appeare from heaven, they shake as the trees of the Forrest, as a wicked Ahaz, Isay 7. as Belshazzer, when there is but a feare of trouble; how did he know that the handwriting was against him? it was nothing but this naughty conscience, hee knew not what it was, till it was expounded; so when any troubles comes upon wicked men, their consciences upbra…d them with their former life, their knees knocke together, and they grow pale as Belshazzar; oh the misery of a man, that hath not made his peace with God in the evill day, and the comfort of a man that hath! there is the difference betweene godly, and ungodly man, consider them in calamities, the one is at peace with God, in the middest of all calamities and troubles, nay, as I said, even troubles themselves are peaceable to him.
Yea when death comes,Confidence of Christian… in death. which is the upshot of all, the sting of it is taken away, and it is for our greatest good: he that hath made his peace with God, hee can say with old Simeon, Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seene thy salvation; mine eyes have seene Christ with the eye of …aith, he is willing to yeeld his soule to God, because he is at peace with God, their graves are their beds, and their soules rest with God, they dye in peace, and commend their soules to God, as to a faithfull Creator, with a great deale of confidence, as Saint Paul saith, I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith, I have runne my race, henceforth is reserved for me a Crowne of righteousnesse, and not for me onelyonly, but for all those that love the blessed and glorious appearing of Christ: oh the comsort of a gracious soule, in the houre of death, that hath made its peace with God: when the King of feares, death, shall looke with a gastly terrible looke upon men, that have not made their pea…e; but to the other, it is the end of misery, the in let to eternall happinesse, Blessed are those that dye in the Lord, in the peace of the Lord, They rest from their labours, from the labour of sinne, of callings, of afflictions, there is no resting till then. Saint Paul himselfe was troubled with the remainders of sinne, with afflictions, and troubles of his calling, but blessed are they that dye in the peace of God in Christ, they rest from their labours. And after death,Comfort after death. what comfort are those in, that have made their peace with God in Christ? then their Saviour is to be their Judge, hee that makes intercession for them in heaven, will be their Judge, and will the head give sentence against the members, the Husband, against the Wife and Spouse? oh no; therefore the godly have comfortable and sweet thoughts of those blessed times, that astonisheth wicked men, they have a glorious expectation of the times to come, they cannot thinke of death and judgement (when their soules are in a good frame) without much comfort; Lift up your heads, for your redemption drawes neere. Therefore let us not conceive sleightly of this peace, it is not a freedome from petty ills, and an advancement to a little good, but it is a freedome from ills, that are above nature, from the wrath of God, before which, no creature can stand, no, not the Angels themselves, from hell and damnation, the curse of God, from the Kingdome of Satan, it is a freedome from that condition, that all the powers of the world shall tremble at: how can they stand before the Anger of God? and it is an advancement to the greatest good, a freedome from bondage, an advancement to Son-…hip; therefore let us have high thoughts of this peace, as the Angels had, when they sang, Glory to God on high, on earth peace.
Good will towards men.
Divers Copies have it otherwise, On Earth peace to men of good will; some have it; Good will towards men; the sence is not much different: Peace on earth, To men of Gods good will, of Gods good pleasure; that God hath a pleasure to save, or good will towards men, of Gods good pleasure, Peace on earth, to men of Gods good will and pleasure, or Gods good pleasure towards men.
Good will towards men.
This is the spring and roote of all: the Angels begin with, Glory to God, and then they come to peace among men, because without peace and reconciliation with God, the heart of man cannot be inlarged to glorifie God: the Angels would have men glorifie God, as well as themselves, therefore they desire peace on earth,Peace comes from grace. that God may be glorified in heaven. Now there is no peace, but issues from grace, grace is Gods free good will and pleasure, therefore the Angels say, Good will towards men.
The holy Apostles, they could not have better teachers for their salutations in their Epistles, then to learne of the Angels, as you have Saint Pauls Prefaces, the same with this Evangelicall celebration, and gratulation here to men, Grace, mercy, and peace; so here, Peace on earth, good will towards men; onelyonly the Apostles they begin, Grace and peace, and here the Angels, Peace and grace; but the meaning of the Angels and Apostles, is all one: for the Angels, when they wish peace on earth, they goe to the spring of it, Good will towards men; the Apostles, they begin with grace, the spring, and then goe to peace after.