Works of Joseph Hall, Section 6
SECT. VI.
The receit of our peace offered by Faith.THe purchaſe therefore of our peace was paid at once, yet muſt bee ſeuerally reckoned to eueryevery ſoule whom it ſhall benefit. If wee hauehave not an hand to take what Chriſts hand doth either hold, or offer, what is ſufficient in him, cannot be effectuall to vsus. The ſpirituall hand, whereby we apprehend the ſweet offers of our Sauiour, is faith, which in ſhort is no other than an affiance in the Mediator: receiue peace and bee happy, beleeue and thou haſt receiued. From hence it is that we are intereſſed in all that either God hath promiſed, or Chriſt hath performed. Hence hauehave we from God both forgiueneſſe and louelove, the ground of all either peace or glory. Hence of enemies we become more than friends, ſonnes: and as ſonnes, may both expect and challenge not onelyonly carefull prouiſion and ſafe protection on earth, but an euerlaſting patrimonie aboue. This field is ſo ſpacious, that it were eaſie for a man to loſe himſelfe in it: and if I ſhould ſpend all my pilgrimage in this walke, my time would ſooner end than my way; wherein I would hauehave meaſured more paſes, were it not that our ſcope is not ſo much to magnifie the benefit of our peace, as to ſeeke how to obtaine it.
A corolary of the benefit of this receit.Behold now, after we hauehave ſought heauen and earth, where only the wearied Doue may finde an Oliue of peace. The apprehending of this all ſufficient ſatisfaction, makes it ours: vponupon our ſatisfaction we hauehave remiſſion; vponupon remiſſion, followes reconciliation; vponupon our reconciliation, peace. When therefore thy conſcience like a ſterne Sergeant ſhall catch thee by the throat, and arreſt thee vponupon Gods debt, let thy only plea be, that thou haſt already paid it: Bring forth that bloudie acquittance ſealed to thee from heauen vponupon thy true faith, ſtraightway thou ſhalt ſee the fierce and terrible looke of thy conſcience changed into friendly ſmiles, and that rough and violent hand that was ready to dragge thee to priſon, ſhall now louingly embrace thee, and fight for thee againſt all the wrongfull attempts of any ſpirituall aduerſarie. O heauenly Peace, and more than Peace, Friendſhip, whereby alone wee are leagued with our ſelues, and God with vsus, which who-euer wants, ſhall finde a ſad Remembrancer in the midſt of his diſſembled iollitie, and after all vaine ſtrifes, ſhall fall into many ſecret dumps, from which his guiltie heart ſhall denie to be cheared, though all the world were his minſtrell! Oh pleaſure worthy to be pittied, and laughter worthy of teares, that is without this! Goe then, fooliſh man, and when thou feeleſt any checke of thy ſinne,The vaine ſhifts of the guiltie. ſeeke after thy iocundeſt companions, deceiue the time and thy ſelfe with merry purpoſes, with buſie games, feaſt away thy cares, burie them and thy ſelfe in wine and ſleepe: after all theſe friuolous deferrings, it will returne vponupon thee, when thou wakeſt, perhaps ere thou wakeſt, nor will be repelled till it hauehave ſhewed thee thy hell, nor when it hath ſhewed thee, will yet be repelled. So the ſtricken Deere hauing receiued a deadly arrow, whoſe ſhaft ſhaken out hath left the head behinde it, runnes from one Thicket to another, not able to change his paine with his places, but finding his wounds ſtill the worſe with continuance. Ah foole, thy ſoule feſtereth within, and is affected ſo much more dangerouſly, by how much leſſe it appeareth. Thou maiſt while thy ſelfe with varietie, thou canſt not eaſe thee. Sinne owes thee a ſpight, and will pay it thee, perhaps when thou art in worſt caſe to ſuſtaine it. This fl…tting doth but prouide for a further violence at laſt. I hauehave ſeene a little ſtreame of no noiſe, which vponupon his ſtoppage hath ſwelled vp, and with a loud guſhing ha h borne ouer the heape of turnes wherewith it was reſiſted. Thy death-bed ſhall ſmart for theſe wilfull adiournings of repentance; whereon how many hauehave we heard rauing of their old neglected ſinnes, and fearefully deſpairing when they hauehave had moſt need of comfort? In ſumme, there is no way but this: Thy conſcience muſt hauehave either ſatisfaction or torment. Diſcharge thy ſinne betimes, and be at peace. He neuer breakes his ſleepe for debt, that payes when he takes vp.