The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 13
SECT. 13.
13. The preſumption of a falſe Peace, hath betrayed many to Sect. 13. The preſumption of falſe peace cauſeth the abuſe of grace,the injury of Gods grace, quiertneſſe ſpeakes no ſafety nor goodneſſe of conſcience, the Dormant Lion when awakened will roare and tear, the Priſoner is neither ſecure nor cleane, becauſe he ſleeps in a cold and filthy dungeon, though he be merry and looſe in his reſtraint, he is under the laſh of the Law, and neer the ſentence of the Judge. Though there be no true Peace to the wicked, Iſa. 57. 21. Yet they pleaſe themſelves with the Devills peace, Luk. 11. 21. While God lets them alone, and the Devill diſturbs them not, in meane while the old man (upon preſumption of Liberty of conſcience) ſhelters himſelf under the Tranquiliias iſta tempeſtas.wing of grace. This ſecurity is not long lived, though it be laſting, tis not everlaſting, ſins calms prove the worſt ſtorms, a calm air hath uſhered in ſea ſtorms, & Earthquakes; the wind in the bowells of the Earth is ſilent and quiet for a time, at length it breaks out, roars, and hurls Hills, Feilds, and Houſes into a dark and ruinous Abyſs. Indulged, pampered ſin in the ſoul is ſilent and quiet for a time, but at length it breaks out, and roares in horror of conſcience, and hurles all falſe comforts into the diſmall pit of deſpaire: Although blood toucheth blood, Hoſ. 4. 2. And there be a contiguity, a cloſe addition of ſin to ſin, drunkenneſſe, be Pax mihi futura ad appectum, i. e. ad ſtudia cordis mei ambulabo Junius.added to thirſt, yet many bleſſe themſelves in the imaginations of their hearts, and ſay they ſhall have peace, Deut. 29. 19. yea walk according to the deluding Dictates of their hearts, becauſe they ſay ſo: Had it not beene for Luſt and the Devills peace, the awakning terrors of the ſpirit of bondage might have driven many out of Hells way into Chriſt; but becauſe ſtupified conſciences are peaceable, they dare be filthy and abominable, and this is the ſad tragicall iſſue of the merry comicall Acts of ſin, in the ſtage of this life; That eaſe which hath firſt tempted to ſin, ends in torment, The eaſe of the ſimple ſhall ſlay them, and the proſperity of fooles ſhall deſtroy them, Prov. 1. 32. When they ſhall ſay peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction cometh upon them as travell upon a woman with child, and they ſhall not eſcape, 1 Theſ. 5. 3. They ſhall ſay: who ſhall? the next verſe 4. Tells us, they who are in darkneſſe (and do the workes of darkneſſe by the comfort and confidence of peace) that the day (of angry Juſtice) overtakes as a Theife, they ſhall ſay peace: Ah ſad peace worſe then war, the ſnare and trap-doore to fall into deſtruction! Happy had it been for the filthy Peace-dreamers of bad hearts and lives, that with the repenting Jaylors, they had had heart tremblings, then with the ſecure Sodomites a fair morning, a ſun-ſhine of proſperity, ſhould uſher in fiery avenging ſtormes of warth. How wiſe and ſafe had been their eſtate, that at once have peace with ſin, and (as they think) with God, had they at once ſeen God, and ſin their enemy, their ſofteſt beds had been to them beds of Thornes, their ſweeteſt comforts, bitter vexations, the creatures armed againſt them, feared their very meat might prove their poyſon, every night might be the laſt, that theſe awakening driving terrors might chaſe unquiet afrighted ſpirits into Jeſus Chriſt, that the fear and war of the ſpirit of bondage, might end in the joy and peace of the ſpirit of adoption, that tempeſtuous ſoules might hear theſe ſweet calming words, Be of good cheere, tis I, be not afraid, Mat. 14, 27. Fear not, I am thy God, Iſa. 41. 10. My Perſon, Spirit, Graces, Comforts, Glory, infinite merits are thine: Some in the Wilderneſſe of their ſins, feares and ſorrowes, have at length leaned on their beloved, when the falſe peace of moſt preſumptuous ones hath lur'd them into Hell. As many there, as have been tempted by ſecure flattery, into their tormenting eaſeleſſe bed of Tribulation, will have cauſe to think and ſay within themſelves, accurſed be that calm of our polluted quiet hearts & lives, that hath brought us to an eternall ſtorme, accurſed be that peace that hath cheated us into an eternall war, accuſed be that ſweetneſſe that hath inticed us into eternall bitterneſſe, accurſed be that friendſhip with the world and Devill, that hath betrayed us to an eternall enmity with God.