Concerning Ministers Meddling with State Matters in their Sermons, application · Section 16 – Section 17
Of the duty of Peaceablenes
The end of Peaceableneſſe is to maintain, increaſe, and reſtore the joy which commeth from the enjoyment, the augmentation and recovery of that which is good, appertaining to us in the way of righteouſnes. And to gain this end, two things are in the life of Chriſtianity to be obſerved, namely, what the proper acts of Peaceablenes are in our ſelves, and towards others; and whence the diſpoſition of the ſoul which doth beget them, is begotten in us,
The proper acts of Peaceablenes in our ſelves are, to ſtudy to be quiet, 1 Theſſ. 4. 11. not to mind high things, but to condeſcend to things of low degree, Rom. 12. 16. for of Pride cometh nothing but contention, Prov. 13. 10. and to behave and quiet our ſelves as a child that is weaned from his mother, Pſa 131. that is, to wean our ſoules from the luſts of the fleſh; for warres and fightings come from nothing elſe but from our luſts that warre in our members, Jam. 4. 1. if therefore we have Salt within our ſelves to mortifie theſe luſts, we ſhall be able to have Peace one with another, as Chriſt commands us. Mark 9. 50.
The acts of Peaceableneſſe towards others are, in reſpect of all men, to ſhew all meekneſſe unto all men: Tit. 3. 2. in reſpect of thoſe that are of a quiet diſpoſition, to be of the ſame minde towards them: Rom. 12. 16. endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit with them in the bond of Peace. Eph. 4. 3. not envying them, nor provoking them, nor being deſirous of vain glory towards them: Galat. 5. 26. In reſpect of thoſe that are of an unquiet diſpoſition, to follow Peace, and enſue it towards them: 1 Pet. 3. 11. and that even ſo far as it is poſſible, and as much as in us lyeth. Rom. 12. 18. to do all things without murmurings and diſputings againſt them, in a blameleſſe and harmleſſe way, that they may have no cauſe to murmure at us, or to diſpute with us. Phil. 2. 14, 15. And to this effect, to lay aſide all malice, and all guil, and hypocriſie, & evil ſpeakings, and ſurmiſings, 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. And laſtly, in reſpect of thoſe that are injurious, to recompenſe no evill for evill, nor to avenge our ſelves, but to give place unto wrath. Rom. 12. 17, 19. Not to be overcome with evill, but to overcome evil with good. Rom. 12. 21. And to that effect, with all lowlineſſe and meekneſſe, with long-ſuffering, to forbear them in love. Epheſ. 4. 2. And to forgive them as God in Chriſt hath forgiven us. Epheſ. 4. 32.
Now the originall and immediate cauſe of this Peaceable diſpoſition of the ſoul, is to ſuffer the Peace of God, whereunto we are called, to rule in our hearts; Col. 3. 15. for when this (by the new Covenant in Chriſt) doth poſſeſſe the ſpirit, the ſoul is quieted within it ſelf; becauſe it entreth with Chriſt into that reſt which he hath purchaſed and prepared for it. Hebr. 4. 10, 11. And it receiveth the Peace which he hath left with it, and given to it; ſo that the heart is not troubled, neither is it afraid at any thing which in this world can befall unto it, Joh. 14. 27. for the promiſe of the Lord, wherein he hath cauſed us to hope, doth ſuſtain us, which ſaith, that he will keep him in perfect Peace whoſe heart is ſtayed on him, becauſe he truſteth in him. Iſa. 26. 3. But on the other ſide, thoſe that have no intereſt in the Covenant of Peace which Chriſt hath made with us, can have no reſt nor quietneſſe within themſelves, or towards others; becauſe my God hath ſaid, There is no Peace to the wicked: but his heart and his whole courſe is, as the troubled Sea, which cannot reſt, but caſteth forth mire and dirt perpetually. Iſa. 57. 20, 21.
The ends then of theſe duties ſhew the perfection whereunto they lead us, and their proper works the way, by which we attain the ſame. For by the law of love we are taught how to aime at that which is truly good; by the law of righteouſneſſe, how to order our way in proſecuting of it; and by the law of Peaceableneſſe, how to attend the delightfull poſſeſſion of it. The firſt ſets our minde upon God; the ſecond directs us to him, and the third fits us to enjoy him.
What is proper to a Chriſtian in theſe duties more then to other men.
Thus in brief we ſee what theſe duties are, and whence in a Chriſtian more then in other men they proceed; for other men know nothing herein but the principles of Reaſon and Morality, by which they look more upon the materiall outſide of the works, then upon any thing elſe; becauſe naturall men cannot raiſe their minds unto the apprehenſion of ſpirituall truths, which beget in the ſoul a new life, and farre leſſe can they act any thing thereby without ſpeciall grace: yet if the Intellectuals of a man truly rationall in nature (which is not altogether impoſſible) be raiſed ſo far, by the right uſe of common illuminations, as to perceive the proportion which is between ſuch performances, as theſe are, and the principles from whence they flow, he will finde no juſt cauſe to contradict any thing therin, although his heart will not be able thereupon to cloſe with the duties themſelves: for a true Chriſtian is a ſpirituall man, is not inabled to cloſe heartily with theſe duties, either becauſe he is convicted of the rationalitie thereof; or becauſe he doth underſtand the excellencie and worth of this way, above the way of Morality (for theſe are onelyonly preparative inducements inclining his affection thereunto) but he cloſeth therewith onelyonly becauſe his conſcience is enlightned by the truth, and purified by faith: and therein is bound over, and given up to walk thus with God in Chriſt by the covenant of grace: for through the law of the ſpirit of life and love which is in Chriſt Jeſus, whereby he is freed from the law of ſin, and of death, he is made conformable unto the image of the Son of God; and the righteouſneſſe of the Law of God through faith and love being fulfilled in him, he hath peaceable communion with the Father, and with the Son, wherein he doth ſet himſelf to walk with joy, and unſpeakable comfort in the light of their countenance, by which he is daily tranſformed from glory to glory, as by the Spirit and preſence of the Lord.
The rule then, and the way of a Chriſtian is to walk in theſe duties towards all men, and for theſe ends; not with humane wiſdome, and the reaſonings of his naturall underſtanding, (although he doth nothing irrationally) but according to the direction and manifeſtation of the Spirit of grace: that is, according to the teſtimony of Jeſus, revealed unto his ſpirit, which obligeth his conſcience to follow affectionately the rules of theſe duties, in all ſimplicitie and godly ſincerity; through love to the life of Jeſus Chriſt, and the grace of God in him; and not for any other obligation, or by any other conſideration whatſoever: and whoſoever doth walk after this rule, Peace be upon him, and upon the Iſrael of God. And becauſe we have not hitherto walked after this rule, we have not as yet found the way to Peace; for to finde Peace out of this way, is as impoſſible as to miſſe of it, within it.