Preached Augufl 17. 1662. 3 r confufion. [2.] Civil Peace , which is among the focieties of men; thatwhich.is fo amiable and lovely, and which needs no other foil to commend it, and let offits luflre, than the miferies ofWar ; this Peace comes from God alto : When there is a tilbje&ion to juft Laws, this is from God. Every rafh hand is able to make a wound, or caf a firebrand, but it is only the God of peace that is able to heal breaches, to allay thole forms that are in a Nation. You know thole thowerswhich render the earth fruitftll, defcend from heaven,from God; fo all the counfels of peace dercend from above : The fiery exhalations alcend from the earth , counfels of war and diftur- bances proceed from the devil ifh hearts ofmen, Or (3.) If you con- fider that Rational peace which is in the fpirits of men, i.e. when the underitanding exercife a coertion and reftra int over our licentious appetites, when all our inferiour Faculties are under thetmpire and condu& of Reafon: this proceeds alfo fromGod : For fince the fall, there is s great deal of tumult, many riots and diforders in the foul ofa man : Reafon hates a bad Guide , and our Appetites thole are evill itzfiruments , and do many times hurry Realon from its regular wings. But(4.) much more if you confider Spiritual peace, that peacedoth not only import an agreement ofa man with- in himfelf, but the agreement of the foul with God. This is the fruit of the Spirit ; and it is only God that is able to convey this peace to us- And upon a partticular acccount this Title is given to him, by way ofeminency and propriety : as, (i.) He is alone able to allow and difpence this peace to us, for for all our fins are in juuries committed againft him , againft the Crown and dignity ; all the Arrefis ofCoi11-cience are made in the Name ofGod, and therefore it is only he that can fpeak peace. As in the Civil State, it is an Aft of Supremacy to give a pardon; only he that can condemn is able to fpeakpardon; lo, it is our God that is our Judge, provoked and incenfed by us , he bath a judicial power to cart body and foul into hell fire , is alone able to fpeak peace, and paffe a pardon for us in the Court of , heaven : and this is experienced by a wounded fpirit e it is juft with filch a perfon as it is with a W.efatior , who flands condemned at the Barre, he cannot receive encouragement from any of his Spe&ators, till the Judge (peak peace to him : So, if an Angel. from Hea- ven fhould come and (peak to a wounded Spirit, it were impel- He, unleffe God did order, command , and difpence it , that the spirit should receive any peace , becauffe our fins are immedi- ately committed againft him. (2) He
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=