Use 1. This serveth to reprove those —
1. That fetch their peace anywhere else. No comfort is lasting but what floweth from the blood of Christ ; that only is the true peace that he hath merited.
2. Those that are against peace, or the settling of the heart in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. I begin with these first, and they are of two sorts : —
[1.] Such as are grossly ignorant ©f Christian privileges, and think it a duty to doubt, and a matter of merit to keep themselves upon terms of perplexity. A popish spirit haunts many; they think
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assurance a dry doctrine, and therefore do not strive to settle their hearts ; as if there could be no duty where there is no fear. Hereby they plainly discover out of what principles they act for God, — to wit, out of a servile spirit ; and therefore they cannot be kept right any longer than they fear wrath. 0 brethren ! turn these evil thoughts out of your hearts. True peace is a great benefit that Christ hath pur- chased for us.
[2.] Such as would fain apply themselves to Christ, but are loth to busy themselves with what should make for the settling of their hearts and establishing their spirits ; as if it were more pleasing to God to keep the conscience raw with sins, than to heal it with Christ's righteousness. A man should labour after peace with God, and peace of conscience too. It is a natural superstitious thought to think God is pleased with the mere sorrow of a creature ; and, therefore, false worshippers have wounded themselves, that they might make some dolorous impressions upon his mind. Christ suffered the sorrows that you might have the peace ; the chastisement of your peace was upon him. Why should you stand out against comfort, if there were not some secret thought of satisfying by your sorrow ? Now you are not to satisfy, but Christ. It is good to reflect upon wrath, to drive us to mercy ; but it is not good to dwell always in the preparations, for that is to forget our errand, and to stay in the porch when we should enter into the temple. Labour to get an interest in him in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
3. It reproveth such as would have peace, but not this way, but upon wrong grounds. Now that is an evil peace that cometh any other way. Look to the grounds of your peace. How came you to such a peaceable frame of heart ? The false grounds are : —
[1.] Ignorance of our condition. A man doth not fear danger till he be sensible of it. Now many do not know that God and they are at such terms of distance and anger. Little doth a man trouble himself when he doth not know what evil is determined against him: Kom. iii. 11, ' There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God, they have no understanding.' And it is easy to go hoodwinked to hell. Blinded sinners go merrily to the pit of destruction, never dreaming that danger was so near hand. Poor souls that do not know the worst by themselves ! This is the greatest judgment that can be- fall them.
[2] Carelessrrcss in others. When men cannot put off sorrow, they put it by, and will not so much as reflect upon themselves. You may know it is bad with men when they cannot endure to look in- ward. Things that are evil cannot brook a trial; men will put all care out of their hearts as to their eternal concerns.
[3.] When men avoid whatever may put them in mind of their misery. There are two things that humble men, doing of duty and striving against sin.
(1.) Doing of duty seriously, that will make men see what profane, unsavoury, and senseless spirits they have. A man that lielh abed doth not feel his lame leg, but when he goeth to walk upon it he does. Exercise the soul in inward duties, and you will see it diseased. We know tilings when we come to make trial of them : therefore, wicked
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men will not meddle in inward and hearty duties, lest thereby they should discover the soul to itself. Formal duties make men the more secure : they are thereby apt to think better of themselves than they ought. The pharisee thought himself in a good case, because of his vain fasting, giving alms, and paying tithes. So formal duties are a vain refuge. But now duties wholly spiritual, and spiritually per- formed, make men see the weakness and wickedness of their spirits ; but they are looked upon as such a disturbance to wicked men that they cannot endure to hear of them.
(2.) Kesisting of sin. Tumult is caused by opposition. When a man tamely yieldeth to Satan, no wonder if he be let alone. The devil rageth most when we set against him : Kev. xii. 12, ' For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.' Dying beasts bite shrewdly. Oh, how is the poor soul tortured vv^ith sin, when it is about to quit it ! The sea doth not rage so much when the wind and the tide go together. Please the worst natures and they will not disturb you. This is a peace that will end in trouble : there will be a quarrelling between affections and convictions when a sinner cometh to be serious and thoughtful.