Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v7

688 Chap. z . An fxpofhtion upon the Took of J o B. Verf.z. Yourthty,'God maketh peace, as peace is oppoled to difrenfion am _mg brethren.It is potlibie there may be no warre-in a place, yea no perfecutioo, none to vex the people of God, and yet they may have great diffentions,vexations, and divifions among them- felves.This peace the Church ofCorinth wanted, when nonefrom wi hour troubled the Church.Hence that rebuke which the Apo- ale gives them (a Cor. 3. 3.,) .Whereas there is AM' ngJon envy- ing andftrifeanddivißoxe, agrJe not carnal! and walke as men ? Thus Saints and Churches warre one with and trouble another, when the world gives them no trouble at all. To the keeping of this peace Chrift admonifheth his Difciples ( Mark, 9. 50 ) . Have fait joyous (elves, andpeace one with another. But why did Chrift fpeake thus to his own Difciples ; have peace one with a.- worker ? Were they ready tomake warre one withanother ? had they any Armyes to engage and lead out into the fi:td againft one another? furely none. Therefore when Chrift faith, have peace one with another, his meaning was only this, wrangle not with oneanother, fall not out one withanother. The Disciples were not like to run into any ocher war but that of diffention a- mongft thtmfelces.Andthis war may he in tl ofe (.lurches that live in the molt peaceable condition. And 'cis God onely uho makes peace as in his high places both of heaven and earth, fo in his holy places. Fifthly,and laftly,God makes peace as peace is oppofed to ¿if- order, for there may becontent amangtt men, and yet much dif- order among men, yea they may ( poftiblti') agree, content and center together in that which is molt diforderly. Ofthis peace the Apoftle fpeakes (r Cor. 14. 33. ) God is not the author ofcon fssficse but ofpeace, as in allchurches of the Saints, that is, God would have every one keepe his order and his place; Hewould not have the prophets (peak all together in the Church,for that is diforder- ly ; nor would he have women fpeake at all in the Church, for that alto is diforderly. That which breaks order breakes peace, for their can be no true peace without order, and God is not the Author of diforder or confufion in Churches but ofpeace. Thus peacemaking is the work of God in this five-fold oppo- fition as peace is oppoled to trouble, as peace is oppofed to war, as peace is oppofed toperfecution, as peace is oppofed to dcfïenti. on, and laftty, as peace is oppofed todiforder. To make peace in all

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