Heart Humiliation, Sermon 12
SERMON XII.
Iſai. 26. 3.
Thou ſhalt keep him in perfect Peace, whoſe mind is ſtayed on thee, becauſe he truſteth in thee.
ALL men love to have priviledges above others. Every one is upon the deſigne and ſearch after ſome well-being, ſince Adam loſt that which was true happineſſe: We all agree upon the general notion of it, but preſently men divide in the following of particulars. Here all men united in ſeeking after ſome good, ſomething to ſatisfie their Souls, and ſatiat their deſires. Nay, but they ſcatter preſently in the proſecution of it, becauſe, according to every mans fancy and corrupt humour, they attribute that good unto diverſe things; And when they meet with diſappointment, they change their opinion of that, but are made no wiſer, for they turn from one to another of that ſame kind, in which their imagination hath ſuppoſed bleſſedneſſe to be: And therefore, they will return to that which they firſt loathed and rejected. Is there then no ſuch thing in the world as bleſſedneſſe? Is it not to be found among men? Are all mens unſatiable deſires in vain? Is a Creature made up and compoſed of deſires, to keep it in continuall torment and vexation of ſpirit? No certainly, it is, and it is found by ſome; All the world ſtrive about it, but the man only who truſts and believs in God, he it is who carries it away from them, who hath this priviledge beyond the world. And why do ſo many miſſe it? Becauſe they do not ſee nor ſuſpect that it is bleſſedneſſe indeed which he injoyes: But on the contrair, their corrupted imaginations repreſent godlineſſe, and a godly mans ſelf-indigency and dependance on God, as the greateſt miſery and ſhame. The godly man hids not his bleſſedneſſe from the world. No, he proclaimes it when he hath found it; He would that all enjoyed it with him. And if there were no more to declare, that it doth not conſiſt in worldly things, this might ſuffice; they are not communicable to many, without the prejudice and loſſe of every one. But none will believe his report, of his own Eſtate.
If ye would conſider, here is that which men toyl for, compaſſe Sea and Land for, here it is, near thee, in thy mouth: It is not in Heaven, that thou ſhould ſay, How ſhall I aſcend to it? It is not in Hell below, that thou ſhouldeſt ſay, Who ſhall deſcend? It is not in the ends of the Earth; No, it is near thee, in thy mouth: It is not beyond the Sea, but it is near, in thy mouth, even the word of faith, which Chriſt preached, Rom. 10. 6, 7, 8. And what ſayes that word? Believe with thy heart and thou ſhalt be ſaved; Truſt in God and depend on him, and ye ſhall have peace, and that perfect peace: and this peace ſhall be kept by God himſelf. Bleſſed then is the man that truſts in the Lord, Pſal. 40. 4. Ye make a long journey in vain, ye ſpend your Labour and Money in vain, all the pains might be ſaved, it is not where ye ſeek it; ye travel about many creatures, ye go to many doors, and enquire for Happineſſe and Peace, but ye go too far off, ye need not ſearch ſo many Coaſts, it is nearer hand, in this word of the Goſpel, the joyful ſound; It is this that proclaimes peace. Peace is a comprehenſive word, eſpecially in Scripture. It was the Jews ſalutation, Peace be to you, meaning happineſſe and all good things: It is Chriſts ſalutation, Grace and Peace. Grace is Holineſſe, Peace is Happineſſe, and theſe are either one, or inſeparably conjoyned as one. This was the Angels Song, Glory to God, peace on earth, Luk. 2. 14. Bleſledneſſe was reſtored, or brought near to be reſtored, to miſerable man by Jeſus Chriſt, and upon the apprehenſion of this, Angels Sing. It was this, Chriſt came in the world with, and when he went away, he left this Legacy to his Children, My peace I leave you, Jo. 14 27. We loſt happineſſe, and all men are on a vain purſuit of it ſince, but it is found, and found by one of our Kin, our Lord Jeſus, our Elder Brother, he hath found it, or made it, and brought it near us in the Goſpel, for the receiving, and who ſo receives him by Faith, and truſting in him, receives that priviledge, that peace. He endured much trouble to gain our peace, he behoved to undergo miſery, to purchaſe our Bleſſedneſſe, and ſo it is his own, and who ſo receives him, receives it alſo.
The newes of ſuch a peace might be ſeaſonable in the time of warr and trouble, if we apprehended our need of it. It is not a peace from warr and trouble, but a peace in warr and trouble. My peace I leave you, in the world ye ſhall have trouble, Jo. 14. 27. and 16. at the end. What a bleſſed Meſſage is it, that there is a peace, and a perfect peace, attainable in the midſt of warrs, confuſions and calamities of the times publick and perſonal, a perfect peace, a compleat peace, even compleat without the acceſſion of outward and worldly peace, that needs it not, nay, appears moſt perfect and intire in it ſelf, when it is ſtriped naked of them all. Behold what a priviledge the Goſpel offers unto you; Ye need not be made miſerable but if you pleaſe. This is more then all the world can afford you, there is no man can promiſe to himſelf immunity from publick dangers, or perſonal, from many griefs and diſappointments: But the Goſpel bids you reckon up all your troubles and miſeries that ye can meet with in the world, and yet in ſuch a caſe, if ye hearken to wiſdom, there is a peace that will make you forget that trouble; Her wayes are wayes of pleaſantneſs, and all her pathes are peace, Pro. 3. 17. I will undertake to make thee bleſſed, ſays Wiſdom, the Fathers Wiſdom. When all the world hath given thee over for miſerable, when thou haſt ſpent thy ſubſtance on the Phyſicians, and in vain, come to me, I can heal that deſperate Diſeaſe by a word, I create peace, when natural Cauſes have given it over, I create it of nothing, I will keep you in perfect peace.
You have then here, three things of ſpecial concernment, in theſe times and all times, … bleſſedneſſe, a perfect peace attainable, the way of it, and the Fountain of it: The Fountai… of it, the preſerver of it, is God himſelf; Th… way to attain it, is truſting in God, and ſtayin… on him. This ſweetneſſe of peace, is in Go… the Tree of Life, Faith puts to its hand, an… plucks the Fruit of the Tree; Hope and Dependance on God, is a kind of taſting of tha… Fruit and eating of it, and then followeth thi… perfect peace, as the delightful reliſh and ſweetneſſe that the Soul finds in God, upon taſtin… how gracious he is. God himſelf is the life o… our ſouls, the fountain of living waters, the life an… light of men. Faith and truſting in God, draw… out of this Fountain, out of this deep well o… Salvation, and ſtaying on God drinks of it, til… the ſoul be refreſhed with peace and tranquility, ſuch as paſſeth Natural Underſtanding▪ Chriſt Jeſus is the Tree of Life, that grows i… the Ga…den of God, truſting in him by Faith implants a Soul in him, roots a Soul in him, b… vertue of which Union it ſprings up and grow into a living Branch, by ſtaying and depending upon him, we live by him, and hence ſpring this bleſſed and ſweet Fruit of peace of ſoul an… conſeience, which grows upon the confidenc… of the ſoul placed in God, as the ſtalk by whic… it is united to the Tree. Truſting and ſtayin… upon God, is the ſouls caſting its Anchor upon him, in the midſt of the waves and ſtorms of ſin, wrath and trouble. The poor beaten ſinner caſts an Anchor within the Vail, on that ſure ground of immutable Promiſes in Jeſus Chriſt. And then it reſts and quiets it ſelf at that Anchor, enjoyes peace in the midſt of the ſtorm, there is a great calm, it is not moved, or not greatly moved, as if it were a fair day: David flieth unto God as his refuge, Anchor's upon the Name of the Lord, Pſal. 62. 1, 2. And ſo he enjoys a perfect calm and tranquillity, I ſhall not be moved, becauſe he is united to the Rock, he is tyed to the firm Foundation Jeſus Chriſt, and no ſtorm can diſſolve this Union; not becauſe of the ſtrength of that Rope of Faith, it is but a weak Cord, if Omnipotency did not compaſſe it about alſo: And ſo we are kept by the power of God, through faith unto ſalvation. The poor wearied Traveller, the Pilgrime ſits down under the ſhadow of a Rock, and this peace is his reſt under it. Faith lays him down, and peace is his reſt and ſleep. Faith in Jeſus Chriſt is a motion towards him, as the ſoul… proper place and center; and therefore it is called a coming to him, flying to him as the City of refuge: It is the Souls flight out of it ſelf, and miſery and ſin within, to apprehended Mercy and Grace, and happineſſe in Chriſt. Now Hope is the Conjunction or Union of the Soul with him, the Soul then ſtaying and reſting on him, as in its proper place; And ſo it enjoys perfect peace and reſt in its place: ſo that if ye remove it thence, then ye offer violence to it.
Theſe two things are of greateſt importance to you to know: What this perfect Peace is, and what is the way to attain it? The one is the Priviledge and Dignity, the other is the Duty of a Chriſtian, and theſe two make him up what he is.
I would think that man perfectly bleſſed, who is at peace with two things, God and himſelf. If a man be at peace with Creatures without him, and be not at peace with himſelf, but have warr within his own Mind, that mans Peace is no Peace, let be perfect peace. A mans greateſt enemy is within his own houſe. And within indeed, when it is in his boſome and ſoul; When a mans Conſcience is againſt him, it is worſe then a world beſide. Conſcientia mille teſtes, ſo, I ſay, it is mille hoſtes. It is a thouſand witneſſes, and a thouſand enemies. It were better to endure condemnation of any Judge, of many Judges in the world, then to ſuſtain the conviction of a mans own Conſcience: When it accuſeth, who ſhall excuſe? Joh. 8. 9. Rom 2. 15. A merry ſpirit (ſaith Solomon) is a continual feaſt, Prov. 15. 15. And what muſt a heart be, which hath ſuch a gnawing worm within it, as an accuſing Conſcience, to eat it out? This is the worm of Hell that dies not out, which makes H…ll, Hell indeed. This indeed will be a painful Conſumption, a broken ſpirit dryeth up the bones, it will eat up the marrow of the ſpirit and body, Pro. 17. 22. What infirmity is there which a man cannot bear? Poverty, Famine, Warr, Peſtilence, Sickneſs, name what you will, but a wounded Spirit who can bear? Prov. 18. 14. And there is reaſon for it, for there is none to bear it: A ſound and whole Spirit can ſuſtain infirmities, but when that is wounded, which ſhould bear all the reſt, what is behind to bear it? It is a burden to it ſelf: If a man have trouble and warr in this world, yet there is often eſcaping from it; A man may fly from his enemy, but when thy enemy is within thee, whither ſhall thou fly? Thou cannot go from thy ſelf, thou carries about thee thy enemy, thy tormenter.
But ſuppoſe a man were at peace within himſelf, and cryed peace, peace to himſelf, yet if he be not at peace with God, ſhall his peace be called peace? Shall it not rather be named ſupine ſecurity? If a man be at variance with himſelf, and his Soul diſquieted within, there is more fear then danger, if he be at peace with God; It is but a falſe Alarme, that ſhall end well: But if he have peace in his ow… boſom, and y…t no agreement with God; then deſtructions are certainly coming, his dream of peace will have a terrible wak…ning. A man may ſleep ſoundly, and his enemies round about him, becauſe he knoweth no… of it; but he is in a worſe eſtate▪ …or he that is in great fear, and his enemies either none, or far diſtant: The one hath preſent dang…r, …d no … the other preſent fear▪ and no da…ge…, and which of theſe think ye b…ſt? Sudden deſtruction awakes the one from ſleep, Ez…k. 7 25. Their fear and deſtruction come both at once, when it is now in vain to fear, becauſe it is paſt Hope, Prov. 1. 27. Therefore the Lord ſwears, tha… there is no peace to the wicked, Iſai. 48. 22. What? Do not they often cry peace to themſelves, and put the evil day far off? No men are ſo without Bands in life and death as they, they have made ag…eement with Hell and Death and their own Conſciences; Yet for all that, Thus ſait… the Lord, there is no peace to the wicked. If God be againſt us, what is the matter who be with us; For he can make a mans friends his enemies, and he can make a mans enemies to be at peace with him: He makes peace and create trouble, Iſai. 45. 7. Men can but deſtroy th… body, but he can deſtroy both body and ſoul for ever. O what a Potent and Everlaſting Enemy is he? There is no eſcaping from his All-ſeeing Eye, and powerful Hand, Pſal. 139 7, 8. A man may fly from men, but whithe… ſhall he fly from his Preſence? To Heaven▪ He is there: To Hell? He is there. The darkneſſe of the night hath been a covering under which many have eſcaped, and been ſave… in Armies, but darkneſſs is no covering to him it is all one with Light; He is near hand every one of us: The Conſcience is within us, bu… he is within the Conſcience; And how muc… God is above the Creature, ſo great and dreadful a party is he above any enemy imaginable Therefore I conclude, that that man only hath perfect peace who is at peace with God, and with his own Conſcience. If a man be at peac… with God, and not with himſelf, he wants bu… a moments time of perfect peace; for, or it be long, the God of it will ſpeak Peace unto him. But if he be at peace with God and himſelf, I know not what he wants of the perfect peace, of the Peace, Peace: For it is a mans Mind that makes peace or warr, it is not outward things; but in the midſt of peace, he may be in trouble, and in the midſt of trouble, in peace, according as he hath ſatisfaction and contentment in his own breaſt: For what is all the Grace of a Chriſtian? It is Godlineſſe with Contentment: It is not Godlineſs and Riches, Godlineſs and Honour, or Pleaſure, Godlineſs and outward Peace. No, no, Contentment compenſeth all theſe, and hath in it eminently, all the gain and advantage of theſe. A man in Honour, a Rich man, having no contentment in it, is really als poor, als ignominious, as the poor and deſpiſed man. If Contentment then be without theſe things, certainly they cannot be miſſed; For where Contentment is not with them, it only is miſſed, and they not conſidered. Contentment is all the Gain that men ſeek in Riches and Honour and Pleaſure; If a Godly man have that ſame without them, he then hath all the Gain and Advantage, and wants nothing, but ſome trouble that ordinarly attends them: Outward Peace cannot add to inward peace, and ſo the want of it, cannot diminiſh.
We muſt begin at the Original, if we would know rightly this peace that paſſeth knowledge. The Fountain head is peace with God; a ſtream of this, is peace of Conſcience, and peace with the Creatures. There is a peace of friendſhip, when perſons were never enemies, and there is a peace of Reconciliation, when parties at variance are made one. Innocent Adam had peace once with God as a friend, Angels continue ſo to this day; but now there is no ſuch peace between men and God, for all are become enemies to God, and aliens from the common wealth of Iſrael. That peace was broke… by rebellion againſt God his Maker, and all the poſterity are born with the ſame enimity againſt God: On our part are hearts deſperatly wicked, whoſe imagination is only evil continually: One Gods part is holy and ſpotleſs Juſtice, that is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, and therefore, muſt deſtroy it or the ſinner. On our part are ſo many rebellions, Adams actual tranſgreſſion, and all our own ſins and breaches of the holy Law, as ſo many breaches of peace. On Gods part, are ſo many Curſes anſwerable to the breaches of the Law: Curſed is every one that abideth not in every thing▪ &c. This Curſe is even the proclamation of men to be traitors, and an intimation of the righteous Judgment which will come upon them. Adam was in a Covenant of peace with God. Do, and thou ſhal… live, if not thou ſhal… die. Adam brake this Covenant, ſo the peace is diſſolved, and God is no more oblidged to give Life, but to execute the pain contained in the Covenant: And in ſigne and token of this, look how Adam fled from Gods preſence, to hide himſelf when he heard his Voice, it was a poor ſhift, for whither ſhould be go from his preſence? But alas, ſeeking more Wiſdom, he loſt that he had, ſeeking Divine Wiſdom, he loſt Humane. Now there is no more making up this peace on ſuch termes again: We have no capacity to treat with God any more. But bleſſed be his Majeſty, who hath found out the way of Agreement and Reconciliation. Oh that ye were once perſwaded of your enimity againſt God: Ye are not born friends, though ye be born within the Viſible Church. How dreadful a thing is it, to have the moſt High and Terrible God againſt you, to do to you according to your deſervings. Ye all know this, we are enemies to God by Nature, I pray you, is it but a name? Is it not worthy deep conſideration? But who conſidereth this matter? If ye loſs a friend, ye will be troubled, and the more behoveful your friend was, the more troubled you will be. If a great and potent Nation proclaimed Warr againſt us, we cannot but be ſenſible of it: But alas, who conſidereth the great breach that is between God and all Men, occaſioned by the firſt mans tranſgreſſion and rebellion. It is one of the degrees of health, to know the diſeaſe, and I may call it a degree of peace, a kind of preparation to peace, to know the enimity, and not generally to know it, but to ponder it till the heart be affected with it; To call a Council of all the Faculties and Affections of the Soul, to conſider the great imminent danger of mans commonwealth. What is it, I pray you, that is the greateſt obſtruction of mens making peace with God, that makes the breach irreparable, and the wound incurable? It is this, certainly; No man apprehendeth it aright; We intertain good thoughts of our friendſhip with God, or that it is eaſy to be reconciled. Who ſeeth ſuch a wide breach between God and man, that all the Merits of Angels and Men could not make it up? Who ſeeth the pr…ce of Redemption ſo precious, as it muſt ceaſe for ever, for all that Men and Angels can do? Is not every man offering God ſatisfaction, either his Tears, or ſorrow, or amendment in time coming, or all of them? Do not men undertake to pacify God with External Ordinances, and think it may ſuffice for their ſins? Certainly ye are ignorant, of the infinite ſeparation between God and man, that imagines a Treaty with him your ſelf, or that ever ye can come in ſpeaking termes. And therefore is this Warr and Enimity perpetual; therefore, there is no peace, when ye cry peace, peace. When ye have peace within you, and ſay that ye have peace with God; Yet certainly, the Lord thy God is againſt thee, and will not ſpare thee, Deut. 29. 19. Many of you bleſſe your ſelves in your own hearts; when ye hear the Curſe and Threatning of the Law, ye ſay, God forbid, or all that were true. Well, thus ſaith the Lord, all theſe Curſes that are written in this book, ſhall ly upon thee, and the Lord ſhall ſeparate thee unto evil, becauſe ye take not with your enimity, there can be no treaty, a Mediator can have no imployment from you:
How ſhall the breach of peace be made up? Since the firſt Covenant cannot be made up again where ſhall the remedy be found? God is juſt and righteous, Men are rebellious and ſinful; Can theſe meet, and the one not be conſumed? Will not God be a conſuming Fire, and men as Stubble before the Lords preſence? Therefore, there muſt be a Mediator between them, a Peace-maker, to make of two, one, to take up the difference. And this Mediator muſt be like both, and yet neither wholly the one, nor the other. He muſt therefore be God and Man, that he may be a fit Days man, betwixt God and man. And this is our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. In his Divinity, he comes near to God, in his Humanity he comes near to man; In his Perſon, he is between both, and he is fit to make peace; And therefore, he is a Prince of Peace, Iſa, 9. 6. And that he may be a Prince of Peace, he muſt be both An Everlaſting Father like God, and a young Child like unto man: God to prevail with God, and a man to engage for man; And therefore he is called our Peace, Eph. 2. 14. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt enters in a Covenant with the Father, wherein he undertakes to bear our Curſe, and the chaſtiſement of our Peace; he is content to be dealt with as the Rebel, upon me, upon me be the iniquity, and ſo there comes an interruption, as it were; of that bleſſed peace he had with the Father, he is content that there ſhould be a Covering of Wrath, ſpread over the Fathers Love, that he ſhould handle the Son as an Enemy; And therefore it is, that ſinners are admitted as Friends, his Obedience takes away our Rebellion; The Cloud of the Lords Diſpleaſure powers down upon him, that it might be fair weather to us: The Armies of Curſes that were againſt us, Encounter him, and he by being overcome, overcometh; By being ſlain by Juſtice, Satan and Sin, overcometh all thoſe, and killeth the enmity on the croſs, making peace by his Blood, Col. 2. 14, 15. Eph. 2 15. And it is this Sacrifice that hath pacified Heaven, the ſweet ſmell of it hath gone above, and made peace in the High places.
Here then is the priviledge of a Believer, to be at peace with God, to be one with him: And this indeed is Life Eternal, to be united unto the Fountain of Life, in whoſe favour is Life, and whoſe loving kindneſſe is better then Life: Is not this a bleſſed Eſtate? Whatever a man hath done againſt God, it is all forgiven and forgotten, ſhall never come in remembrance. Are not Angels bleſſed who are friends with God? Such is the Soul whoſe ſins are pardoned through Chriſt, their ſins are as if they never had been; The Soul is not only eſcaped that terrible wrath of God, but being at peace with God, all the goodneſſe that is communicable to Creatures, it ſhall partake of. That they may be one, as we are one, that they may be perfect in one, Joh. 17. This Chriſt prayed for, and this was the end of his Death, to make of two, one; So then, the Glory that Chriſt is partaker of with the Father, we muſt be partakers of with him, and all this, by vertue of that peace with God by him. Oh if ye knew what enimity with God is, how would it indear and make precious peace with him? The one engageth all that is in God, to be againſt a man: the other engageth all that is in him, to be for a man. And is not he then a great One, whither he be a Friend or an Enemy? Is he not the beſt Friend and worſt Enemy? Who hath moſt power, yea, all power to employ for whom he will, and againſt whom he will. What a bleſſed change is it, to have God, of a conſuming Fire, made a Sun, with Healing and Conſolation? That the Righteous, Holy and Juſt God, before whom, no fleſh can ſtand, ſhould accept ſo rebellious ſinners, and dwell among them. He had not only power to deſtroy, but Law againſt us alſo: What a perfect peace is it then, that the Judge becometh a merciful Father, and the Law of Ordinances is cancelled, and that power imployed to keep Salvation to us, and us to Salvation. Ye who have made Peace and Atonement through Chriſts Blood, rejoyce in the Hope of the Glory of God; There wants nothing to make you compleatly bleſſed, but the clear and perfect ſight, and knowledge of your Eſtate before God.
Now when this peace, which is made up in Heaven is intimated unto the Conſcience, then all the Tempeſts and Clouds of it evaniſh, and this is the peace of believing, which is the Souls reſting and quieting it ſelf upon the believed favour of God. There may be a great Calm above, goodwill in God tomards men, and yet great Tempeſts in this lower Region, no peace on earth. There is a peace of Conſcience, which is a diſeaſe of Conſcience, a benumedneſſe of Conſcience, or a ſleep of Conſcience, when men walk in the imagination of their own hearts, and flatter themſelves in their own eyes, will not trouble themſelves with the apprehenſion of the wrath of God, when Souls will not ſuffer their ſin, or the curſe to enter in. This is that no peace, which the Lord ſpeaks often of, it is but a dream, and when a man awaketh, alas, what a dreadful ſight meets he with firſt, ſudden deſtruction; Sin enters in the Conſcience, and the Law, the ſtrength of ſin, and ſo that peace endeth in an eternal diſquietneſſe. But what is the reaſon, that notwithſtanding of Gods Juſtice and mens Sins, ſo many are not affraid of him, ſo many paſſe the time, without fear of Wrath and Hell? Is it not becauſe they have taken hold of his Strength and made peace with him? No indeed, but becauſe they know not the power of his Anger, to fear him according to his Wrath: Who will ſpend one hour in the examination of his own ways, in ſearching out ſins, in counting his debt, till he find it paſt payment? No, men intertain the thoughts of ſin, and hell and wrath, as if it were coals in their boſom, they ſhake them out, they like and love any diverſion from them. Oh, ignorance maketh much peace, I would ſay, ſecurity, which is ſo much worſe then fear, becauſe it is ſo far from the remedy, that it knoweth not the evil and danger. It is not the riſing of the Sun of Righteouſneſſe, ſhining into the Soul, that hath cleared them: but their perpetual darkneſſe that blindeth them. I ſay then, in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, that ye never knew the peace of God, who knew not warr with God: Ye know not love, who have not known anger. But this is the Souls true peace and tranquillity, when it is once awakened to ſee its miſery and danger; How many Clouds overſpread it, what Tempeſts blow, what Waves of Diſpleaſure go over its head? But when that peace, which is made in the High Places, breaketh thorow the Cloud with a Voice, Son, be of good comfort, thy ſins be forgiven thee, when that Voice of the Spirit is uttered, preſently at its command the Wind and Waves obey; the Soul is calmed as the Sea after a Storm; It is not only untroubled, but it is peaceable upon ſolid grounds, becauſe of the word which ſpeaks peace in Chriſt. The peace of the moſt of you, is ſuch as ye were born and Educated withal: It is not a created peace, a ſpoken peace, the fruit of the lips, and ſo no true peace. Ye had not your peace from the word, but ye brought it to the word; Y… have no peace after trouble, and ſo it is not the Lords peace.
The Chriſtian may have peace, in regard of his own Salvation and eternal things, and in regard of all things that befalleth in …ime: The firſt is, when the Conſcience is ſprinkled with the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, and getteth a good anſwer to all the challenges and accuſations of Conſcience, and of the Law and Juſtice, 1 Pet. 3. 21. when the Spirit of God ſhines into the Soul, with a new Light to diſcover theſe things that are freely given, 1 Cor. 2. 12. And this is the Sealing of the Spirit, after believing, Eph. 1. 13. When a Soul hath put to its Seal by believing Gods word, and hath acknowledged Gods Truth and Faithfulneſſe in his word, the Spirit Sealeth mutually the Believers Faith, both by more Holineſſe, and the knowledge of it. And how great peace is this, when a Soul can look upon all its iniquities, when they compaſſe about a man, and outward trouble ſharpeneth and ſetteth on edge inward challenges, and yet the Soul will not fear, it hath anſwers to them all in Chriſts Blood, Pſal. 49. 5. This is a greater word then all the world can ſay. Many mens fearleſneſſe proceedeth from ignorance of ſin, their iniquities were never ſet in order before them, but if once they compaſſed them about, and wrath like a fiery wall compaſſe them about alſo, ſo that there were no eſcaping: Oh it would be more terrible, then all the Armies of the world; Ye would account little of a Kingdom, ye would exchange it for ſuch a word as David hath upon good grounds.
Now I ſay again, the Soul that hath thus committed it ſelf to him as a faithful keeper, may have peace in all Eſtates and Conditions: And this peace floweth from that other peace. There is a peace which guards the heart and mind, Phil. 4. 6, 7. Oppoſed to carefulneſſe and anxiety, and this Paul is Examplar for, I have learned in every eſtate, therewith to be content, to want and abound, &c. verſ. 11. The Soul of a Believer, may be in an equal even Tenur and Diſpoſition in all conditions; It may poſſeſſe it ſelf in patience; Impatience and Anxiety, makes a man not his own man, he is not himſelf, he injoys not himſelf, he is a burden to himſelf, and is his own tormenter. But if Souls were ſtayed upon God, certainly they would poſſeſſe themſelves, dwell ſecurely within their own breaſts. We may find that the moſt part of men, are expoſed to all the floods and waves of the times: They move inwardly, as things are troubled outwardly: Every thing addeth moment to their grief, or joy: Any Diſpenſation caſteth the Ballance, and either weights them down with diſcouragement, or lifteth them up with vanity and lightneſſe of mind. But the Believers priviledge is to be unmoved in the midſt of all the Toſſings and Confuſions of the times, Pſal. 128. 1, 2. Ye would be as Mount Zion, if ye truſted in God; No Diſpenſation ſhould enter into the Soul, to caſt the Ballance upon you; Ye might ſtand upon your Rock Jeſus Chriſt, and look about the Eſtates, Perſons, Affairs and Minds of men, as a troubled Sea, fleeting, toſſed up and down, and ye ſtand and not be moved, or not greatly moved, Pſ. 62. 2. And this is to be wiſe indeed. If I would deſcribe a wiſe man, I would ſay, he is one man, beſide him, no man is one with himſelf, but various inconſtant, changeable. He is unwiſe, who is unlike himſelf, who changeth Perſons according to Diſpenſations: Wiſdom is the ſtability of thy times, and Faith is Wiſdom, it Eſtabliſheth as Mount Zion, ſo as a man cometh out ſtill one, in proſperity not exalted, in adverſity not caſt down, in every Eſtate content: and this is the man who is bleſſed indeed. This wer… wiſdom, to will the ſame thing, and nill the ſame thing, Semper idem velle, atque idem nolle. I need not (ſaith Seneca) add that exception, that it be right which you deſire, for no one thing can univerſally and always pleaſe, if it be not good and right. So I ſay, he were both wiſe and happy, who had but one grief, and one joy. Should not a Believers mind be calm and …erene, ſeing the true Light hath ſhined, it ſhould be as the upper world, where no blaſts, no ſtorms or clouds are to ecclips the Sun, or cloud it. while our peace and tranquillity is borrowed from outward things, certainly it muſt change; But a Bel…evers peace and tranquillity of mind having its riſe from above, from the unchangeable word of the Lord, it needeth not to change according to the viciſſitudes of Providence. He needeth not to care before hand, becauſe there is one who careth for him; And what needeth both to care? He needeth not be diſquieted, or troubled after, becauſe it ſhall turn about to his good; All things ſhall do ſo, Rom. 8. 28. He needeth not be Anxious about future Events, becauſe he hath all his burden caſt upon another, by prayer and ſupplication; VVhat needeth he then take a needleſſe burden? Prayer will do that, which Care pretends and cannot do, and that without trouble. He needeth not be troubled when things are preſent, for he cannot by his thought, either add or diminiſh, take away or prevent. There is one good and neceſſary thing, that his heart is upon, and that cannot be taken from him; And therefore, all things elſe are indifferent, and of ſmall concernment to him.
Now what wanteth ſuch a man of perfect peace, who is reconciled to God, and at peace within himſelf? VVhen peace guardeth the Heart and Mind within, compaſſeth it as a Caſtle or Gariſon, to hold out all the vain Alarms of External things. May not all the world be troubled about him; VVhat though the Floods lift up their Voice, if they come not into the Soul? If he be one and the ſame in Peace and Trouble, Proſperity and Adverſity, do not lament him in the one more then the other. It is the Mind that maketh your Condition good or bad. But yet, I ſay, the Beleever hath likewiſe peace with all the Creatures, which the world hath not, and even in this he is a priviledged man. He is in league with the ſtones of the field, and in peace in his tabernacle, Job. 5. 23. All things are his, becauſe he is Chriſts, and all are Chriſts, who is the poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth, at leaſt the Righteous Heir of both, 1 Cor. 3. 21. The Unbeliever hath no right to the Creature; Though there be a Ceſſation for a time, between them and him, yet that is no peace, for they will at length be armed againſt him, they are witneſſes already againſt him, and groan to God for the corruption, that mans ſin hath ſubjected them unto. His Table is, it may be, full, yet it is a ſnare unto him: He getteth eaſe and quietneſſe outwardly: Nay, but it ſlayeth the fool and deſtroyeth him. But the godly man is at peace thorow Chriſts Blood, with all Croſſes and Comforts; The Sting and Enimity of all evils is taken away by Chriſt. Poverty is made a friend, becauſe Chriſ… was poor. Hunger and Thirſt is become a friend, becauſe Chriſt was hungry and thirſty: Reproach and Contempt is at peace with him, becauſe Chriſt was deſpiſed: Afflictions and Sorrows are reconciled to him, becauſe Chriſt was a man of ſorrows and acquainted with griefs: In a word, Death it ſelf is become a friend, ſince Chriſt ſubdued it, by taſting of it. I may ſay, the worſt things to a Natural man, are b…come beſt friends to the Believer; The Grave keepeth his Body and duſt in Hope: Death is a better friend then Life, for it miniſters an entry into Glory: It is the Door of Eternall Life, it taketh down the Tabernacle of Mortality, that we may be Cloathed upon with immortality. In Summe, whatever it be, Chriſt hath ſtamped a new quality on it, it cometh through his hand, and ſo, if it be not good in it ſelf, yet it is good in the uſe, and in his appointment, Rom. 8. 21. If it be not good, yet it worketh together for our good: It contributeth to our good, becauſe it is in his Skilfull Hand, who can bring good out of evill, peace out of trouble. Oh that ye were perſwaded to be Chriſtians indeed, to love his Law, and truſt in him, …reat peace have all ſuch: This were more to you, nor peace in the world: Your peace ſhould be as a River, for abundance and perpetuity, no drought could dry it up; it ſhould run in time as a large River, and when time is done, it would emboſome it ſelf in Eternity, in that Ocean of eternall peace, and joy which the Saints are drowned in above: Other mens peace is but like a Brook that dries up in Summer.