The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 3 · Royalty 9
Ninth Royalty. 9 Faith is an heart-pacifying Grace.
9 Royalty of Faith. Its an Heart-pacifying-Grace.Iſa. 26.3. — Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whoſe mind is ſtaied on thee: becauſe hee truſteth in thee. A place alledged by One; who (lying on his death-bed, and injoying abundance of peace and calmneſs of ſpirit; being demanded, how it came to paſs, hee was not now aſſaulted with Satan) replyed; Hee knew no ground, no cauſe, ſave this: God had promiſed — To keep that ſoul in perfect Peace, whoſe mind was ſtaied on him, who truſteth on him. Hee relyed on Christ, and therefore injoyed reſt.
Iſa. 27.5. — Let him take hold of my ſtrength. That is, by Faith, lay hold on my Covenant, my Chriſt: and I will bee at peace with him.
Hence the Apoſtle, Rom. 5.1. — Being juſtified by Faith, wee have Peace with God. Rom. 15.13. — Now the God of all hope fill you with joy, and peace in beleeving.
An unbeleeving-heart is a ſtormy heart, an unpeaceable-heart. All things
Above us.
Within us.Quae ſupra nos Intra nos, Infra nos, Contra nos.
Below us, are all againſt us, whilſt wee are Unbeleevers.
1. Above us, wee have an angry and diſpleaſed God.
2. Within us, wee have a ſtormy and troubleſome Conſcience, threatning nothing but death; like the troubled Sea, caſting up mire and dirt; as Iſaiah ſpeaks, Iſa. 57.20. — There is no Peace, ſaith my God to the wicked.
3 Below us, we have there all the Creatures our enemies, ready upon Gods commiſſion to execute his diſpleaſure upon us.
But now, being Beleevers, all is at Peace.
1. All above us is at Peace. The Controverſy betwixt God and us is ended. Faith takes up the quarrel betwixt God and us. — Wee have Peace with God, Rom. 5.1.
2. All within us is at Peace. A peaceable God makes all at Peace:Tranquillus Deus, Tranquillat omnia: when once our Peace is made in the Court of Heaven (which is upon the firſt act of beleeving.) Then follows Peace in the Court of Conſcience — Peace which paſſeth all underſtanding, Phil. 4.7. Our reſt is, to behold God at reſt; our Peace is, to ſee him at Peace▪Eum quierem aſpicere Qu… eſce…e eſt.
3. All below us are at Peace with us. Wee have Peace with all the Creatures. All are now our Friends, Job 5.23. — The ſtones of the Field ſhall bee at league with thee; the Beaſts of the Field ſhall bee at peace with thee, &c. Thou ſhalt know that Peace ſhall bee in thy Tabernacle.
Prov. 16.7. When a mans wayes pleaſe the Lord, hee will make his enemies to bee at peace with him: When before upon our Rebellion with God, all the Creatures were our enemies; now being reconciled, all are made friends.
1. Faith makes us the Servants to the God of Peace, in whoſe ſervice there is Peace, Prov. 3.17. — All his Paths are Peace. Every ſtep of Godlineſs hath Peace with it: And the reward of whoſe ſervice ſhall bee Peace, Pſal. 29.11. — The Lord will bleſs his people with Peace, Pſal. 85.8. — The Lord will ſpeak Peace to his people, at the laſt, though they meet with much trouble for the preſent; war within, and war without, war with luſts, war with Satan: yet the God of Peace ſhall tread down Satan under our feet at laſt; and put an end to this war, Rom. 16.20. They ſhall have a Peace in the Concluſion: And a Peace after war is the ſureſt and moſt ſetledſt Peace, Pſal. 37.37. — Mark the upright man. — The end of that man is Peace. Though there bee ſtormes and troubles in the way; yet the end of the journey, that ſhall bee Peace; A calm after ſtormes; and never ſhall there ariſe ſtorme more, to all Eternity.
2. Faith makes us ſubjects to the Prince of Peace; unto Chriſt, who is called — our Peace, Epheſ. 2.14. And our Peace hee is.
1. Not only meritoriouſly; by ſhedding his Blood for the purchaſe of our Peace, Col. 1.20. — Chriſt is our Peace, having made Peace through the Blood of his Croſs. So Iſa. 53. — The chaſtiſement of our Peace was upon him; Or, that chaſtiſement (which did meritoriouſly procure our Peace) was upon him. God directed all the war againſt him, that wee might have Peace: As Jonah was thrown into the Sea, that the ſtorm might ceaſe; ſo Chriſt upon the Croſs, into the Grave, that God and wee might bee at peace together.
But Chriſt is not only our Peace thus meritoriouſly by procuring Peace for us; But alſo,
…. Efficiently; by working of Peace in us. Chriſt hath not only wrought Peace for us, but hee works Peace in us; Pacifying our Conſciences, calming our ſtormy ſpirits, ſetling and eſtabliſhing his Peace in us.
Chriſt is called the Prince of Peace; as the King is the Fountain of Honours, and beſtows them where hee will; ſo Chriſt is of Peace, and beſtows it when and where hee pleaſeth. Wee read that Moſes was a man of Peace: but hee was not a Prince of Peace. Hee could not beſtow Peace: hee could not inſtill peaceable and calm affections into the mutinous Iſraelites.
But Chriſt, hee is not a man of Peace: but King of Salem, Prince of Peace; who is able to beſtow Peace; who can calm the moſt ſtormy and troubleſome ſpirits, with as much eaſe, as hee did the Winds and Waters; which was but with a word — Peace and bee ſtill.
Now Faith makes us one with Chriſt, who is the Prince of Peace. Chriſt joyned God and us together, and Faith joynes Christ and us together; in whom wee have Peace, John. 16, 33.… In mee yee ſhall have Peace. Faith makes us ſubjects to this Prince of Peace, whoſe Kingdome and reign over his people doth not conſiſt in meat and drink, but in Righteouſneſſe, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt.
3. Faith doth intereſt us into the Covenant of Peace; and therefore being Beleevers, wee muſt needs have Peace. I ſay, Faith doth intereſt us into the Covenant of Peace; the Goſpel of Peace; the alone condition whereof is beleeving. — Whoſoever beleeveth ſhall bee ſaved.
Time was, that [Hoc age: do this] was the condition of life. — do this and live. So ran the old Covenant: But now [Crede: Beleeve: and bee ſaved] The Law required works. It's called a Covenant of Works: but the Goſpel Faith: Its a Covenant of Grace, Made out of meer Grace, and performed of meer Grace, wherein God promiſeth pardon of ſins, upon meer Mercy and Grace.
4. Faith doth inſtate us into the conditions of Peace. Faith gives us the grounds of Peace, Juſtification, Reconciliation with God, pardon of ſin, and Sanctification of the whole man. As there is no Peace, where God is not propitious; ſo there's no Peace where the ſinner is not ſanctified.
A Beleeving heart is an holy heart: and an holy heart is a peaceable heart. Grace and Peace: and Righteouſneſſe, and Peace, are ſtill coupled together. To ſhew, that where there is no Grace, there is no Peace: and where there is Grace, there is Peace, though not ever in the Poſſeſſion,Gratia eſt bonum initiale. Pax eſt bonum finale. and ſenſible injoyment; yet ever in the hope and aſſurance of the promiſe of Peace. Grace is the root, and Peace is the fruit. — A good Conſcience is a continual Feaſt. They who do the work of God, ſhall have the Peace of God, Gal. 6. — They who walk according to this Rule, Peace ſhall bee on them, &c. Hence the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 119 165. — Great Peace have they that love thy Law. They which love the Law of God, ſhall have the Peace of God.
Object. But you will ſay. Many have Peace, who yet are not Beleevers. Object. And many are Beleevers, and yet want Peace. Therefore Peace is not a Fruit of Faith.
Anſ. Now to meet and to reſiſt this Objection, Anſw. which like a two-edged-ſword, ſtrikes both wayes.
For the firſt. Many have Peace, who yet are not Beleevers. I grant it. Many who are unbeleevers have quiet Peace. — Are not in trouble as other men, Pſal. 7.3, 5.
1. A Peace they have; but it is a falſe Peace. And a true war is better than a falſe Peace.
2. A Peace they have: but it is not the Peace of God, rather the Peace of the Devil. — The ſtrong man keeps the houſe, and therefore all is at Peace.
3. A Peace they have, but it is but an outward Peace: not an inward Peace. — The heart knows its own bitterneſs — even in the midſt of laughter, the heart is ſorrowfull; when the Countenance is full of chear, the Conſcience is full of woe.
As the godly have often the Pearle of Joy in the Heart, when the dew of tears is in their eyes: ſo the wicked
4 A Peace they have, but it is but the Peace of a dreaming, ſleeping man: not the Peace of a man awakened, or it is but
5. A Peace of a condemned man, before his Execution: The Peace of a calm before a ſtorm.
I have ſhewed you, there is a fourfold Conſcience.
1. Good and quiet.
2. Not god, nor quiet.
3. Good, but not quiet.
4. Quiet, but not good, which quiet doth ariſe partly.
From ignorance of their condition: or
From carnal ſecurity: or
From brawnineſſe of Conſcience, want of inquiry into Conſcience. But it is far from true Peace. Sure I am.Pax non eſt, ubi non eſt Gratia. Pax eſt Haereditas Sanctorum. Where there is no Grace, there is no Peace. Hence ſaith one, Peace is the inheritance of Saints, only. 'Twas all the Legacy which the Prince of Peace leſt to his Subject. — Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give unto you, Joh. 14.27.
There may bee godlineſſe without Peace, for a time; but there can bee no Peace without godlineſſe. As Jehu ſaid to Jehoram, — What Peace? ſo long as the Whoredomes of thy Mother, and her Witchcrafts bee ſo many? So I ſay to you. What Peace?
— There is no Peace, ſaith my God to the wicked, Iſa. 57.21.
1. They have no Peace with God: God is their enemy.
2. They have no Peace with Conſcience: that is full of ſtorms: as one ſaid of Jonah, ubi peccatum, ibi procella: Where ſin is, there is a ſtorm. A ſinfull Conſcience, is a ſtormy Conſcience: though for the preſent it is quiet: yet it is like a Book bound up, wherein, if ever it bee unclaſped, if ever it bee opened; nothing but helliſh Tragedies will appear.
And, that Peace thou haſt in a ſinfull way, it is a fore-runner of eternal war: it is but like the Peace of the old World — They ate, they drank, they married, and gave in marriage, till at laſt the flood came, and ſwept them all away, Luk. 17.27. — It is but the Peace of Sodom, the Peace of Agag, the Peace of Joab, and Shimei, the Peace of Eli's houſe: the Peace of all ungodly men — who, when they ſay, Peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction, as travel upon a woman with childe; ſo that they ſhall not eſcape, 1 Theſ. 5.3.
Object. 2. The ſecond part of the Objection is, Many are Beleevers, who yet want Peace.
Anſ. Indeed the beſt have no perfection of Peace; becauſe they want a perfection of Grace. They have no perfection of Peace, becauſe they have not the perfection of Faith, the perfection of Grace.
If there were a perfection of Grace, then there might bee a perfection of Peace. But the perfection of both is reſerved to another world.
Though ſometimes Beleevers may have ſuch a Peace as may overcome all doubts, fears, troubles, &c. yet ordinarily their Peace is not ſo high. There is doubting as well as confidence; fear as well as Faith; trouble as well as Peace.
The Peace of the godly here is a peace joyned with war. Our inward Peace is joyned with inward War, war againſt ſin and corruption. It is ſuch a Peace as doth not conſiſt in freedome from war; but in an actual warring: The Fleſh ſtill luſting againſt the Spirit and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh. And, till this great Make-ba…e bee taken away, till ſin bee deſtroyed, wee muſt look for no perfect Peace.
2. But ſecondly. You ſay; Beleevers want Peace. It may bee they do: They want the ſenſe of Peace, but not the ground of Peace. They have the ground of Peace, intereſt in Chriſt, Reconciliation with God, Juſtification, pardon of ſin, Sanctification; although for preſent, they want the ſenſe of Peace, the clear apprehenſions of all this to their Souls.
They have Peace with God, Rom. 5.1. But they want Peace with themſelves. The direct act of Faith gives a man Peace with God, Iſa. 27.5. — Let him take hold of my ſtrength, and I will bee at Peace with him. But the Reflect act of Faith is it which gives a man Peace within himſelf. A man may have the one, and yet want the other.
3. It may bee they hold ſome ſecret Compliance with ſome ſecret and ſweet corruption. There may bee ſome ſecret Jonah, which lies under hatches; ſome ſecret Achan, which lies undiſcovered; ſome ſecret cloſe corruption, which may cauſe God to make war againſt his own people, and deny them Peace.
And therefore, in this caſe wee muſt do as the Marriners in the ſtorm; as Iſrael in their trouble; caſt lots: enter upon inquiry, what that is, that troubles our Peace; and then caſt him overboard, that our hearts may bee calmed.
Wee have a paſſage worth obſervation, 2 Sam. 20. from verſ. 16. to 23. Joab beſieged Abel, and threatned war. A woman cryes out from the City, to know the cauſe. Hee returns her anſwer. — There was one Sheba the ſon of Bichri, who was a traitor to the King. Caſt his head over the Wall, and all ſhall bee at Peace; which done, Joab, and all Iſrael retired every man to his tent, and there was a Peace.
Thus God doth oftentimes beſiege one of his own Subjects, becauſe they harbour ſome ſecret Traitor▪ ſome cloſe luſt and corruption. And therefore it would bee our wiſdome to inquire and finde out the Traitor: to yeeld up our ſins, and God will bee at Peace with us; whereas otherwiſe God will never bee at Peace with him, who is at Peace with his luſts; nor ſpare him, that ſpares his ſin.
4. It may bee they want preſent Peace, becauſe for preſent, they are in warring conditions,
1. In great Combates with luſts and corruptions.
2. In great Conflicts with Satan.
3. In ſad deſerted conditions. At which times they may want the ſenſe of Peace.
The Soul is now in the purſuit of Peace. And, though with Rebekah, they have ſome ſtrugling in the womb for a time: yet God will part the womb at laſt — Hee will ſpeak Peace to his People at laſt: hee will break the Cloud, and diſcover himſelf.
5. You ſay; Beleevers want Peace.
But it is, not as they are Beleevers, but as they are Doubters, If they had more Faith, they would have more Peace.
It may bee they give away to jealous miſ-giving, and miſtruſting thoughts of God, or of themſelves.
Some there are who do nothing but make objections againſt themſelves, and Gods dealings with them. And a quarrelſome heart is for the moſt part, a troubleſome heart.
You ſhall ſee ſome to whom God hath given evidences of their eſtate and condition, and ſuch as might content them, ſuch as they might have Peace in: But they will quarrel againſt them.
Either their evidences are not ſo clear as others are; not written in ſo fair and legible characters as others are.
Or elſe they want ſealing. And therefore they will take no comfort in them.
Thus do many forſake their own mercies, breed their own diſquiet, and are injurious to their own peace. When God hath ſpoken Peace, and Peace to their Souls: yet they return back again to folly; to the folly of Unbeleeving, Doubting, Queſtioning of Gods love. And no marvel, if ſuch do want Peace.
Men, that will forgoe their evidences, give up their claim and title to Chriſt. Men whom Satan can make unſay what they know God hath ſaid to their hearts, may ſoon ſit down in dumb ſilence and diſcouragement.
If when God hath manifeſted himſelf to you; hath come and ſupped with you; hath given you the white ſtone of abſolution, the Hidden Manna of comfort and conſolation; thoſe manifeſt experiments of his love: and yet you will joyn Iſſue with Satan, give way to doubts: No marvel if you diſturb your peace; bring inſufferable fears and diſquiets upon your ſelves. And it were juſt with God, to leave you to the doubts and miſ-givings of your own hearts; and never to give you a word of Peace more: but ſuffer you to bring your gray hairs with ſorrow to the Grave; ſeeing nothing will ſatisfie you.
6. The Reaſon why Beleevers have no more Peace, is, Becauſe they ſeek Peace no more in a way of beleeving. They ſeek it more in the Law, than in the Goſpel: more in Sanctification than in Juſtification: more in the Precept than in the Promiſe: more in working, than in beleeving: more in their Obedience than in Christ.
And therefore no marvel, ſeeing all this is imperfect, that they have no more perfection of peace.
So long as you make the grounds of your peace any thing within your ſelves, or any thing wrought by your ſelves; you will never have fulneſs of peace.
There may bee ſome peace for a time in theſe things: but it is not a full and ſatisfying peace; nor yet a permanent and conſtant peace, It may be gotton to day; loſt, or incumbred to morrow.
Every imperfection will diſturb your peace. Every failing will raiſe up a new and freſh ſtorm, breed a new quarrel in the ſoul.
Hee that would have peace, muſt ſeek it in the God of Peace; in the Prince of Peace, in Chriſt himſelf; in whom hee ſaid, Joh. 16.33. — Wee ſhould have Peace.
When there's a ſtorm in your ſelves, there's peace in him: when there's no peace in you in regard of your imperfections and failings; there's yet peace in Chriſt, who is a perfect Saviour. The Sacrifice is imperfect, but the Prieſt is perfect.