(3.) Such a course, though it may quiet the conscience and the mind, the rational concluding part of the soul, yet it doth not siveeten > Hos. ix. y. 2 Ps. cxxx. 6, cxxiii. 2. 3 ig^. xx^•iii. 16.
76 MORTIFICATION OF SIN IN BELIEVERS.
the heart with rest and gracious contentation. The answer it receives is much like that EHsha gave Naaman, " Go in peace ;"^ it quieted his mind, but I much question whether it sweetened his heart, or gave him any joy in beheving, other than the natural joy that was then stirred in him upon his healing. " Do not my words do good?" saith the Lord, Micah ii. 7. When God speaks, there is not only truth in his words, that may answer the conviction of our understandings, but also they do good ; they bring that which is sweet, and good, and desirable to the will and aifections ; by them the " soul returns unto its rest," Ps. cxvi. 7.
(4.) Which is worst of all, it amends not the life, it heals not the evil, it cures not the distemper. When God speaks peace, it guides and keeps the soul that it " turn not again to folly."^ When we speak it ourselves, the heart is not taken off the evil; nay, it is the readiest course in the world to bring a soul into a trade of backslid- ing. If, upon thy plastering thyself, thou findest thyself rather animated to the battle again than utterly weaned from it, it is too palpable that thou hast been at work with thine own soul, but Jesus Christ and his Spirit were not there. Yea, and oftentimes nature having done its work, will, ere a few days are over, come for its re- ward; and, having been active in the work of healing, will be ready to reason for a new wounding. In God's speaking peace there comes along so much sweetness, and such a discovery of his love, as is a strong obligation on the soul no more to deal perversely.^
3. We speak peace to ourselves when we do it slightly. This the prophet complains of in some teachers: Jer. vi. 14, "They have healed the wound of the daughter of my people slightly." And it is so with some persons : they make the healing of their wounds a slight work ; a look, a glance of faith to the promises does it, and so the matter is ended. The apostle tells us that " the word did not profit" some, because " it was not mixed with faith," Heb. iv. 2, — ,a-/5 cuyxex- pa/ilvog- "it was not well tempered" and mingled with faith. It is not a mere look to the word of mercy in the promise, but it must be mingled with faith until it is incorporated into the very nature of it; and then, indeed, it doth good unto the soul. If thou hast had a wound upon thy conscience, which was attended with weakness and disquietness, which now thou art freed of, how earnest thou so? "I looked to the promises of pardon and healing, and so found peace." Yea, but perhaps thou hast made too much haste, thou hast done it overtly, thou hast not fed upon the promise so as to mix it with faith, to have got all the virtue of it diffused into thy soul ; only thou hast done it slightly. Thou wilt find thy wound, ere it be long, break- ing out again ; and thou shalt know that thou art not cured.
' 2 KiiiM V. 19. « Ps. Ixxxv. 8. » Luke xxii. 32.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FALSE PEACE. 77
4. AVhoever speaks peace to himself upon any one accoimt, and at the same tune hath another evil of no less imiiortance lying upon his spu'it, about which he hath had no dealing with God, that man cries " Peace" when there is none. A little to explain my meaning: A man hath neglected a duty again and again, perhaps, when in all righteousness it was due from him; his conscience is perplexed, his soul wounded, he hath no quiet in his bones by reason of his sin; he applies himself for healing, and finds peace. Yet, in the meantime, perhaps, worldliness, or pride, or some other folly, wherewith the Spirit of God is exceedingly grieved, may lie in the bosom of that man, and they neither disturb him nor he them. Let not that man think that any of his peace is from God. Then shall it be well with men, when they have an equal respect to all God's commandments. God will justify w^from our sins, but he will not justify the least sin in us: " He is a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity."
5. When men of themselves speak peace to their consciences, it is seldom that God speaks humiliation to their souls, God's peace is humbling peace, melting peace, as it was in the case of David ;^ never such deep humiliation as when Nathan brought him the tid- ings of his pardon.
But you will say, " When may we take the comfort of a promise as our o^\"n, in relation to some peculiar wound, for the quieting the heart?"
Fu'st, In general, wlien God speaks it, be it when it will, sooner or later. I told you before, he may do it in the very instant of the sin itself, and that with such uresistible power that the soul must needs receive his mind in it; sometimes he will make us wait longer: but when he speaks, be it sooner or later, be it when we are sinning or repenting, be the condition of our souls what they please, if God speak, he must be received. There is not any thing that, in our com- munion with him, the Lord is more troubled with us for, if I may so say, than our unbelieving fears, that keep us off fiom receiving that strong consolation which he is so willing to give to us.