A. 2. False peace separates those things which God hath joined together : God joins holiness and peace, but he who hath a false peace, separates these two. He lays claim to peace, but banisheth holiness, Deut. xxLv. 19., " I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunk- enness to thirst." The wicked are loose and vain, and yet thank God that they have peace, — a delusion. You may as well suck health out of poison, as peace out of sin.
A. 3. False peace is not willing to be tried ; a sign they are bad wares which will not endure the light; a sign a man hath
stolen goods, when he will not have bin house searched. A false peace cannot en- dure to be tried by the word. The word speaks of an humbling* and refining work upon the soul before peace ; false peace can- not endure to hear of this ; the least trouble will shake this peace, it will end in despair. In a false ])eace, conscience is asleep ; but. when this lion of conscience shall be awak- ened at death, then it will roar upon a man, he will be a terror to himself, and be ready to lay violent hands upon himself.
Quest. 5. IJow shall we know that ours is a true peace ?
Ans. 1. True peace flows from union with Christ. Communio fundatur in unione. The graft or scion must first be innoculat- ed into the tree before it can receive sap or nourishment from it ; so we must first be ingi-afted into Christ, before we can receive peace from him. Have we faith ? By holi- ness we are made like Christ; by believing we are made one with Christ, and being in Christ we have peace, John xvi. 33.
A, 2. True peace flows from subjection t(» Christ; where Christ gives ])eac(', there he sets up his government in the heart, Isa. ix. 7., " Of his government and peace there shall be no end." Christ is called " a priest upon his throne," Zech. vi. 13. Christ as a priest makes peace ; but he will be a priest upon his throne, he brings the heart in sub- jection to him. If Christ be our peace, he is our prince, Isa. ix. G. ^Vlienever Christ pacifies the conscience, he subdues the lust.
A. 3. True peace is after trouble. First, God lets loose a spirit of bondage, he con- vinceth and humbleth the soul ; then ho speaks ])eace. Many say they have ])eacc, but is this peace before a storm, or alter it .'' True peace is after trouble. First there was the earthquake, and then the fire, and then the still small voice, 1 Kings xi\. 11. Thou who never hadst any legal bruisiiigs, mayest sus])ect thy peace; (Jod ])iairs tho golden oil of peace into broken hearts.
Quest. 6. JVhether have all sand fad per- sons this peace ?
Ans. They have a title to it ; they have the ground of it ; grace is the seed of peace, and it will in time turn to peace, as tluj blossoms of a tree to fruit, milk to creara. They have a promise of it, Ps. xxix. 11.
OF PEACE.
" The Lord will bless his people with they spoil the sweet music of peace in their
peace." Tliey may have peace with God, souls. As the fire decays, so the cold in-
thoufjh not peace in their own conscience; creaseth ; as fervency in duty abates, so our
they have the initials and beginnings of peace cools.
peace. There is a secret peace the heart hath in serving God ; such meltings and enlargements in duty as do revive the soul, and bear it up from sinking.
Quest. 7 But ichy have not all believer a the full evjoyment and possession of peace ? Why is not this flower of peace fully ripe and bloivn ?