to obtain ^ fcacc,' he r/ircs a spint of application to improve that peace, to im- prove ' Christ, the prince of peace,' as their oxm. For there is a mutual commerce between God and man, who is an understanding creature ; and there is nothing that God doth for man, if we look to the general and head of benefits, but there is somewhat in man wrought by the Spirit to answer it again. God is reconciled to man in Christ. Man must be reconciled to God in Christ ; in 2 Cor. v. 19, ' God was in Christ, reconciling the world.' When he was on the cross, God was there reconciled in Christ. Is that all ? No. God by us entreats you to be reconciled to God. A strange condescending, that God should entreat us to be good to our own souls by his ministers. ' We entreat you to be reconciled,' 2 Cor. v. 20 ; that is, to accept of the reconciliation wrought by Christ, and to lay aside all M'capons of rebellion, whereby you fought against God in the course of your vanity. We beseech you to be reconciled, and to * repent, because the kingdom of God is at hand,' Mat. iii. 2. So that except there be reconciliation wrought by a spirit of application on man's part, it is not sufficient that God is reconciled in Christ, because God will alway have a reflex act from man. As he chooseth man, so man by grace chooseth him. As he loves and delights in man, so he will have man, by a spirit of sweetness, delight in him again above all the world. ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ?' Ps. Ixxiii. 25. So there is somewhat wrought by the Spirit to God again. Why should God be at good terms with us, but to enjoy the friendship of his poor creature ? Unless, therefore, there be a gracious disposition wrought in the creature, to look back, to love and delight in God, as God doth in him, there is no actual reconciliation. There must be a forcible application by the Spirit. If God should not give a spirit of apphcation, as well as Christ obtain heaven for us, those that are in the covenant of grace should not be stablished ; but God by this means brings them so near, that he, loving them, loves them for ever, and they have an everlasting covenant and an everlasting union. The carnal heart of man is a poison- ful thing, and hates God natural!}'. It wishes that there were no God to judge him. He may think well of God for the good things of this life, but when he thinks of God as a judge to cast him into hell, he wisheth with all his heart. Oh that there were no God ! that I might have my full of the pleasures of sin. Now the soul when it is at peace with God, when God by his Spirit speaks to the soul, and saith, ' I am thy salvation,' Ps. xxxv. 3, ' Thy sins are forgiven thee,' Mat. ix. 2 ; and as Christ to the good thief on the cross, ' This day shalt thou be with me in paradise,' Luke xxiii. 43 ; when he whispers to the soul, ' Thou art mine, and I am thine,' Cant. ii. 16 ; then the soul becomes sweet and peaceable to God again, and studies to advance the glory of God's mercy by all means, and to advance the gospel of peace. It becomes friendly to God.
To come to some more familiar evidences, whether we be at peace with God, and whether we have the comfort of this peace, established by Christ, or no.
2. Those that are reconciled one to another have common friends and common enemies. If therefore there be ' peace ' between God and us, it is so with us. Wo love all where we see any evidence of God's love. We love Christians as Christians. And whom God loves not, we love not ; what God hates we hate in ourselves and others. We hate corruptions in ourselves and others, though we love their persons.
3. Another evidence of ' peace' made in Christ between God and us, is a boldness of spirit and acquaintance uith God, ' Acquaint thyself with
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God, and be at peace with him,' Job xxii, 21. A Christian being at ' peace ' with God in Christ Jesus, he goes boldly to the throne of grace in all his necessities, as a poor child goes boldly to his father, and moves the bowels of his father by his petitions. When two kingdoms are at ' peace,' there is trading set up afresh again. So when God is at ' peace ' with the soul, there is a heavenly intercourse and trading set up. There is no man that is at * peace ' with God, but he calls upon God in his person, in his family. He sets up the worship of God there. He labours to bring all to God that he can. He thinks it the most gainful trade in the world. In the want of grace and spiritual comfort he goes to the fountain of grace, and improves that blessed prerogative we have by peace in Christ. Those that have not the Spirit of God to improve it in communion and trading with God, it is a siga there is no peace. Strangeness shews that there is no peace. Alas, how strangely do many walk towards God, that from Sunday to Sunday scarce lift up their hearts to heaven for a blessing, but walk in the strength of their own mother- wit, and support themselves with the success of second causes, and bless themselves ; they are strangers from the * God of peace.' Let us take notice of this, and account it a great prerogative, that we may go to God with boldness, that it is not now as it was in paradise. There is no angel with a sword to shut us from heaven. But now there is an entrance to the throne of grace. We may go boldly in the name of Christ, to offer ourselves and all our endeavours.