scudderpage195

Page 195

when they have their desires satisfied, being freed from such opposition as might disquiet them.

Peace is a true agreement and concord between persons or things, whereby not only all enmity is laid aside, and all injuries are forborne; but all amity is entered into, and all readiness of communicating and doing good to each other is showed.

Natural peace is of great price, and very much to be desired, for the exceeding great benefit which it brings to the body, family, and state. But the peace of which I am to speak, which is promised to all who walk with God according to the rule of faith, and of the new creature, Gal. vi. 15, 16, casting their care on God, exceeds all other peace, as far as the soul, heaven, and eternity exceed the body, the earth, and a moment of time. Which will easily appear, if you shall observe by what motives and arguments the Holy Ghost does commend, and set this forth unto you, Phil. iv. 7. It has its commendation above all other peace in three respects:

First, In respect of the excellency of the person, with whom and from whom it is, namely, God; therefore it is called the peace of God, Phil. iv. 7. It is so called, (1.) Because it has God for its object; it is a peace with God. (2.) Because God by his Spirit is the author of it: it is peace from God, a peace which God gives; such a peace which the world neither can, nor will give, John xiv. 27.

Secondly, This peace is commended in respect of the unspeakable and inconceivable goodness and worth that is in it. It passes all understanding; and this it does, not only because unsanctified men are mere strangers to it, and understand it not; but because regenerate men, to whom it belongs, and in whom it is, even they when God gives them any lively feeling of it, find it to be such a peace as they could not imagine it to be before they felt it. For they cannot so distinctly and fully conceive the transcendent excellency of it, as by any means fitly to describe it. It rather takes up the mind into an holy rapture, unto admiration of what it sees, and of what it