of peace feems to

be cut off.

And on the

the forerunner of eternal deftruction.
other hand, man is carried out to a dreadful hatred
of God, Rom. 1. 30. After fin became his delight,*
he became an enemy to all holiness; and confequently
ǎ most bîtter enemy to God, because he is the moft
unfpotted holinefs. Whatever wisdom he has, it is
enmity against God, Rom: 8 7. He hath joined
himself to the devil, under whofe banner he fights'
against God. Heftretcheth out his hand against God,
and strengtheneth himself against the almighty: be
ranneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick
baffes of bis bucklers, Fob 15. 25, 26. If any thing.
is propounded to him out of the law of God, he the
more boldly acts contrary to it, Rom. 7. 8. When-
ever he feels the effects of divine indignation, he,
with the most reproachful words, reviles the most
holy justice of God, Ifa. 8. 21. And almoft goes
fo far as to wifh, that either there was no God, or
that he did not punish fin. The first of these tends
to deftroy the existence of God; the other his
holiness, without which (horrid to think!) he would
be a wicked spirit. But feeing God is greater than
man, Job 33. 12, this war cannot but prove fatal
to man. God is wife in heart, and mighty in strength:
who bath hardened himself against him, and bath
profpered? Job. 9. 4.

r

In which IV. In this very grievous war, all hopes of an all hope uniting peace feem to be entirely cut off. For, it cannot be devifed, in what manner, either God can be reconciled to man, or man to God. The holinefs of God does not fuffer him to allow the finner communion with himself, leaft he fhould seem to be like him, Pf. 50. 21. The juftice of God demands punishment, Rom. 1. 32. The truth of God threatnes death, Gen. 3. 3. And it is on no account to be expected, that God would make a peace in favour of man, who defpifes him, to the prejudice of any of his own perfections: for, be cannot deny himself, 2 Tim. 2, 13. And man on his part :

part: is no lefs averfe to peace for, tho' he will find nothing but ruin in this war, and all manner of good in this peace, yet he is fo infatuated, fo much an enemy to himfelf, that he madly hardens himself to his own deftruction. Being fubjected to the power of fin and Satan, he freely and fully ferveth them. These blind the eyes of his underftanding leaft the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, fhould fine unto them, 2 Cor. 4. 4. And fo lead him captive at their will, that he neither can, nor dare think, in what manner, he may recover himself out of the fnare of the devil, and be reconciled to God, 2 Tim. 2.26.

found out

V. But God, whofe understanding there is no fearch- A method ing out, Ifa. 40. 28, was able to find out a method by God and way, whereby all these difficulties could be for a furmounted. For, he hath a fon, who being given peace. to be the mediator and furety, made fatisfaction to his holiness, juftice and veracity, and thus on his part God is reconcilcd, 2 Cor. 5. 19. Moreover that fon has a fpirit, far more powerful than the infernal fpirit, who, by his turning and inclining efficacy, can expel the hatred of God out of our hearts, and fhed abroad the love of God there. whofe guidance and influence if man gives himself up, that bleffed peace will be foon procured of which

we are now to treat.

1

VI. Hence it appears, that the rife and begin- The-faning of this peace is from God: accordingly it is ther hath called the peace of God; and God himself the God of decreed. peace, Phil. 4. 7, 9. The father hath eftablished the counsel of peace, Zech. 6. 13. And therefore it is afcribed to him, as the, original of it, that having made peace, be reconciled all things unto himself, Col. 1.

20.

The fon hath executed that counfel of peace, The Son and, by theding his precious blood, removed all bath meobstructions, and actually obtained for the elect the rited. grace and favour of his father, which was long before defigned for them. He therefore calls this

The holy fpirit ap plies it.

The an

cause, the

God.

bis own peace, and declares that he gives it, John 14. 27; nay he is called the prince of peace, Ifa. 9. 5, and king of peace, prefigured by Melchizedek, Heb. 7. 2; and the peace, Mich. 5, 5, and our peace, Eph. 2. 14. The Holy Spirit, the meffenger of fo great a happiness, like Noah's dove with an olive-branch, flies, at the appointed moment of grace, to the elect, and effectually offers and brings home to them the peace decreed by the father, and purchafed by Chrift: Hence peace is faid to be by the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14. 17.

VII. The fountain of this peace, and the first tecedent caufe of it, can be nothing but the infinite mercy grace of and philantrophy of God: and this is the reason, why the Apoftles, in their Epiftles, wishing peace to believers, ufually fet grace before it, as the fpring of that peace. Which is the more evident, becaufe as there was nothing in man, that could invite God to make peace with him (for, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his fon, Rom. 5. 10), fo in like manner, God, who is allfufficient to himfelf for all happinefs, could gain nothing by this peace. The whole advantage thereof redounds to man: the glory of fo great a work is due to God 'alone.

God first Invites men to peace.

VIII. Man furely ought not to hear the leaft report of this peace, without being directly carried with the greatest vigor of foul, to obtain it for himfelf. And tho' he fhould be obliged to go to the utmoft end of the earth, for inftruction, in the manner how to procure it, he fhould undertake the journey with the utmoft diligence and readiness. But behold the incredible benevolence of the deity! who, not only in his word, fufficiently inftructs men in the excellency of fo great a bleffing, but alfo fully informs them, in what manner they may enjoy it by putting the word of reconciliation in the mouth of his fervants, 2 Cor. 5. 29. I create the fruit of the tips, peace to him, that is a far off, and to him that is

near,

near, faith the Lord, Ifa. 57. 19. But this is not all, for he also is the firft, who fends ambaffadors to men to offer peace. Would it not have been ineftimable grace, if, after many and folicitous entreaties, he had fufferd himself to be at length prevailed upon by: us as Herod, who with difficulty, granted peace to the Tyrians after their most earnest requests? Acts 12.`. 20. But he not only freely offers, but also folicites and affectionately entreats and befeeches men by his ambaffadors, that they would not refuse to be reconciled to him, 2 Cor. 5. 20, And tho' his tremendous majesty has been often fcornfully defpifed, and tho' he has, for a long time, addreffed himself to their ears by his moft alluring invitations, and all to no purpose, yet he does not defift, but again and again preffes, over and over urges that affair of peace, and compels with fo much gentleness, the moft obftinate to partake of his friendship and love, Luke 14. 23. Such is the infinite goodness of the fupreme: being!

1

IX. But he does not ftop here, for as the word of Inclines grace, tho' preached in the most pathetic manner, them by actually draws none, without the fecret operation of his fpirit, the fpirit of God; fo he gracioufly beftows that fpirit on man; who at length opens the eyes of the understanding, that wretched men may fee, how bad their cafe is, while they continue in that dreadful hoftility, and on the other hand, what fuperabundant, happiness, the peace fo often tendered, will bring along with it. He tames the wild and favage hearts, and fubdues them to the obedience of God and of Chrift; first he strikes them to the heart with a view. of their fins, and with fome fenfe of divine indignation, upon this, he prefents them with fome diftant hope of obtaining peace; after this, he declares with greater earneftnefs the loving kindnefs of God to the trembling foul; and then excites the greatest longings after the enjoyment of it, and thus, by little and little, he difpofes the inmoft powers of the VOL. II. L

13

foul,

Upon

lows -friend

ship.

foul, to hate whatever is contrary to God, to declare war against his enemies, fubmiffively to entreat his favour, cheerfully to accept of it, when actually offered, and give themfelves up, without referve, to be governed by the fpirit, who procures fo great a happiness for them. Thus at length the man is tranflated into fuch a state, that, all enmity being, on both fides, blotted out, God lays afide the remembrance of paft offences, appears no more as an enemy to him, but, being reconciled deals with him as a friend: the man likewife being grieved for having formerly offended God, now endeavour's with all care to pleafe him. And these are the beginnings of the fpiritual peace with God.

A

X. But thefe are beginnings only: for, no fooner peace fol- is the man in covenant with God, but he becomes the confederate and the friend of that great king, Jam. 2. 23, John 15. 14, 15. The gates of the heavenly palace are fet open to him, and free accefs in the fpirit is granted him at all times, by night or by day. He may behold the king of glory high at hand; pour out all the oppreffing grievances of his foul into his bofom; confidently make known his ftammering requests for a fuller measure of grace; while God, inftead of forbidding him, does even, by his condescending goodness, give him encouragement to attempt it. Canticl. 1. 14; he may often be earnest for the fame things, and with a friendly and agreeable importunity wrestle with God, with reverence of his majetty be it fpoken, who condefcends as it were, to folace himself with us, till we have in a manner forced the beffings we ftand in need of, out of his hands. Mofes is an example of this Exod. 33. 12, and following verfes.

God fa

XI. God alfo himself fometimes defcends from miliarly heaven by his grace, and graciously vifits the foul, converfes whom he loves, and who is filled with love for him, John 14. 23, speaks to his heart, Hof. 2. 14, displays the riches of his fupereminent goodness, and what is

with man.

the