word signifies; which is lifted up from the sinner, and taken off from his concience, as a burden on it, and he is eased of it. It is in this way that peace is poken to a guilty sinner; hence the blood of Jesus is said to speak better things han that of Abel; the blood of Abel called aloud for vengeance on the shedder f it; but the blood of Christ speaks pardon and peace to condemned criminals. 'eace is made for enemies and rebels by the blood of Christ; and this blood, y the Spirit of God, applied to such consciences who have been awakened by im, produces peace and quietness there; let a soul be as it were in a storm nd tempest, if pardon by the blood of Christ is pronounced, all is hush and uiet in a moment. 2. By leading to the righteousness of Christ; a man's wn righteousness will not yield him any solid peace; for there is no justificaon nor salvation by it; and it must at best be very variable, unstable, and inɔnstant; since man's righteousness, is very imperfect, he sins in all, and in the est he does; and it is at most but while he is doing, or thinks he is doing, someing good, that he has any peace; but when there is any interruption in doing, r hé ceases from it, his peace is broken. But the righteousness of Christ, hich is perfect, pure, and spotless, by which a man is justified from all his ns, lays a solid foundation for peace. "Every religion, says Beza, which pposes any thing to the wrath of God, than the alone innocence, righteousness, nd satisfaction of Jesus Christ, apprehended by faith, robs God both of his erfect justice and mercy; and therefore is false, and formed to deceive men." This being revealed and applied to a sinner, and faith wrought in him to receive , as his justifying righteousness before God; and the sentence of justification y it pronounced in his conscience by the Spirit of God, produce peace in it; ence righteousness and peace are mentioned together, the one as the fruit of e other, Rom. v. 1.-3. By leading into the truths of the gospel; which is e Spirit's work, and in doing which he acts the part of a Comforter; When , the Spirit of Truth, is come, before spoken of as a Comforter, he will guide u into all truth, John xvi. 13. it is not by the law that peace is had, that was elivered in a storm, in the midst of blackness, darkness, and tempest; and they at heard it, were terrified with it, and intreated it might not be spoken to em any more; and surely they that desire to be under it, do not hear it, so s to understand the voice of it; for it pronounces the whole world guilty bepre God; it curses in case of a breach of any of its commands; it is the killg letter, the ministration of condemnation and death. But it is by the gospel, nd the truths of it, which the Spirit of God enlightens the minds of men into nd makes application of, that peace is enjoyed; that is called, The gospel of eace, `not only because it proclaims peace made by the blood of Christ, is the word preaching peace by Jesus Christ, and the ministers of it, the publishers of at peace; but because it speaks peace to the conscience of a sinner, when Christ comes by his Spirit, and preaches peace unto them, and makes the word • Confessia fidei, c. 3. art. 26. P. 16.

VOL. HI.

effectual to such a purpose: the several truths of the gospel have a tendency to speak comfort to them, and to free them from that spirit of bondage, the law has brought them into, and holds them in, for that genders to bondage, encou rages and increases it; but they that know the truth, the truth of the gospel, spiritually and experimentally, especially that great truth, free and full salvation by Christ for sinners, the truth shall make them free, set them at liberty, and fill them with joy and peace, John viii. 32.4. By leading them into the covenant of grace, its blessings and promises; which, as it is a covenant o life, so of peace; and is a covenant of peace which cannot be removed; and is so called, not only in relation to the article in it, concerning peace to be mad by Christ, the Mediator of it; but because it lays a lasting foundation for peac and comfort; its blessings are the sure mercies of David, spiritual, solid, an substantial ones, and which last for ever, which are founded in the free sove reign grace and will of God, and come to men through Christ being made curse for them. The promises of it are exceeding great and precious; great i themselves, their origin, matter, and use; and precious to them that believe and see their interest in them; these, fitly and seasonably spoken, are like apple of gold in pictures of silver; and being opened and applied by the holy Spirit promise, afford strong consolation to the heirs of promise; what peace did a vie of covenant-interest in its blessings and promises yield to David, amidst h sinful infirmities, and the troubles of his family! 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. — 5. B leading them into the love of God; for this is the Spirit's work; by whom n only the love of God is shed abroad into the hearts of his people, which occ sions peace and joy, and even glorying in the midst of tribulations; but the are directed and guided by him into it; the Lord, that is, the Lord the Spir as he stands distinguished from the other Persons in the text, direct your hew into the love of God, natɛuduvar, direct, as in and by a straight line, immediate into it, not in a round-about way, in a long train and course of duties, a from thence to fetch the evidence of interest in the love of God; which, at be makes it very precarious, and leaves great disquietude and uneasiness: but wh the Spirit leads directly into a view of interest in it, and bears witness to it, a grants a delightful sensation of it, the effect of this is solid, permanent peac There is no fear in love; the love of God the Spirit leads into; But perfect lo casteth out fear, slavish, distressing, tormenting fear; where that has a pla the other removes, and instead of it, or the effect of it, is tranquillity and pea of mind, 1 John iv. 18.

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Now this peace is enjoyed through faith in Christ; the God of hope f with all joy and peace in believing; in believing in the person, blood, and rig teousness of Christ; they that trust in him are kept in perfect peace; as th faith is, so is their peace; if their faith is steadfast, their peace is permane land, it is much enjoyed also in the use of gospel-ordinances; gospel-church under the power and influence of a gospel-Spirit, are peaceable habitations,

quiet resting places; gospel-ordinances are ways of pleasantness, and paths of peace; these are the still waters or waters of quietness, or rest, beside which the saints ire led; and the green pastures, where they are made to lie down and take their ease and rest.

II. I go on to enquire, who are the subjects of this peace;

1. Not sinful men, or unregenerate sinners; There is no peace, saith my God to the wicked, Isai. lvii. 21. whatever outward peace and prosperity they may enjoy they have no inward spiritual peace; though they are not in trouble, as other men, in outward trouble, as to body or estate; nor in soul-trouble, or in a concern about their immortal souls, and the welfare of them; 1; yet this ease is no aher than stupidity, and a carnal, dangerous security and indolence; and is owing to the ignorance of themselves, and of their state; The way of peace they knou not, the way to true peace with God, and peace of conscience; for whilst hey cry, Peace and safety, sudden destruction cometh upon them, Rom. iii. 17. -. Nor self-righteous persons, who trust in themselves that they are righte ous and fetch their peace from thence; but their trust is a spider's web, and such webs shall not become garments; nor shall they cover themselves with their warks; and so shall not have peace and comfort; and of them it is said, the vy of peace they know not, Isai. lix. 6, 8. and to such self-righteous persons sthovah says, I will declare thy righteousness, what a vain, useless thing it is in he business of justification before God, and with respect to peace to a man's elf; and thy works, for they shall not profit thee, in the affair of salvation, and o give peace and comfort, Isai. lvii. 12, 13.3, Only justified and pardoned inners have true, solid peace in themselves; those who are justified by Christ's ghteousness have peace with God through him, and whose sins are pardoned rough his blood, they are blessed, and blessed with peace; for with such ghteous and happy ones it will be well at death, and to all eternity; when they e they enter into peace, and rest in their beds; the end of the perfect and upght man is peace; he enjoys much now, and shall be perfectly possessed of it ereafter.-4. Believers in Christ, and who trust in the Lord, enjoy true peace soul, Isai. xxvi. 3. such whose hearts are fixed, trusting in the Lord, are not Fraid of evil tidings; these do not disturb their peace, let them come from hat quarter they will; from the suggestions of their own hearts, from the nptations of Satan, or from the world and wicked men in it; the falshood of hich they are soon able to detect; and their faith and trust in God fortifies em against them. 5. Spiritually-minded persons have a large share of inard peace of soul; To be spiritually-minded is life and peace, Rom. viii. 6. they ho mind carnal and earthly things, though they seek peace to themselves in is way, do not find it; for a man's life, the peace, comfort, and happiness of consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth; for though he omises himself much peace, and that lasting, in the goods he has accumulated d laid up; yet these may be soon taken away from him, or he from them.

6. They that love the law of God, his doctrines, ordinances, ways, and wor ship, usually enjoy much peace of soul; this the Psalmist attests by his own knowledge and experience; Great peace have they which love thy law, Psalm. cxix. 165. or thy doctrine, especially the doctrine of peace, pardon, and salvation by Christ; such who have drank into this doctrine experimentally, find peace in their souls; nor are they easily offended with what they meet with in themselves or from others: they are sons of peace, who receive the gospel of peace; and they enjoy much who walk in wisdom's paths, which are pahs of peace; and such who worship God according to the rule of his word, peice is upon them, and upon the Israel of God.-7. They are the people and chidren of God who are the subjects of this peace; The Lord will bless his people with peace, Psalm. xxix. 11. his covenant-people, the people given to Christ, and saved by him, and who are effectually called by his Spirit and grace, and who are the children of God, the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty; Great shall be the peace of thy children, Isai. liv. 13. the children of the church, the children of Christ, and the children of God; all to whom the Spirit of adoption is given, crying, Abba, Father.

Now the seat of this grace in these subjects, is the heart and mind; for tis an internal frame of mind, it rules in the heart, and keeps and guards the hen and mind, Col. iii. 15. Phil. iv. 7. it lies in the breast of a saint; and what pr tects, preserves, and keeps it there is, the breast-plate of faith and love, of faith in Christ and love to him."

III. The author and causes of this peace 1. The efficient cause is God hence called the peace of God, because it comes from him; and he the God of peace, because he is the author of it, even God, Father, Son, and Spirit. Some times the Father is meant; The God of peace, that brought again from the deas our Lord Jesus; that is, the Father of Christ, who raised him from the dead, to whom his resurrection is often ascribed, Heb. xiii. 20. and peace is often wishe from him as in most of the Epistles; and also from Christ the Son of God, who is not only the peace-maker, but the peace-giver, in whom and from whom the saints have peace, when in the world tribulation; My peace I give unto you, & John xvi. 33. and xiv. 27. and peace is expressly called a fruit or grace of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22. and is prayed for as such.-2. The moving cause of it i the grace and good-will of God; grace is always wished for along with it, an is usually set before it, as being the spring of it; and the angels in their song sung, Peace on earth, and good-will towards men, signifying that the peace me had on earth was owing to the good-will of God towards them, Luke ii. 14.3. The instruments of it are the word, and the ministers of it; the gospel is the word not only preaching peace by Christ, but the means of administring peace to distressed minds; and the ministers of it, by publishing peace, are the instru ments by whom the Lord speaks peace to wounded consciences.

: IV. The nature and properties of it. It is a gift of God, and which none can give but himself, and an excellent one it is, worth praying for and wortha having; Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means, 2 Thess. iii. 16. it is a free gift, unmerited, and springs from grace, aad is what the world cannot give, John xiv. 27. 2. It is a blessing; the Jews, when they wished happiness to any, it was usually in this form, Peace be to you, that including all prosperity in it; and when the Lord blesses his people it is witha peace, Psalm. xxix. 11. 3. This is called great peace, Psalm cxix. 165. it is great in quality, and sometimes great in quantity, abundance of it, peace like a flowing river. 4. It is said to be perfect, Isai. xxvi 3. though sometimes saints for peace have great bitterness, as Hezekiah had, yet the ground and foundation of their peace is perfect, solid, and substantial; as the love of God, which is unchangeable, the covenant of peace which can never be removed, the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ, which have always the same virine and efficacy.-5. It is a peace which passeth all understanding, Phil. iv. 7. of a natural and unregenerate man, who is a stranger to it, has no experience of it, intermeddles not with it, and can form no judgment about it, 6. It is what cannot be taken away; When God giveth qiuetness, who then can make trouble ? Job xxxiv. 29. not at that time at least; and though it may be interrupted, it cannot be destroyed; not by the world's tribulations, nor by Satan's temptations● nor by a man's own corruption.

OF CONTENTMENT OF MIND.

CONTENTMENT of Mind naturally follows upon Joy and Peace; where joy bounds, and peace rules in the heart, contentinent is; it is no where to be found but in a godly man; in christians of the first rank and class: the heathens alked much of it, but were not found in the practice of it; and, indeed, few men are; it is rara avis in terris; an ungodly man is an utter stranger to it; the ungodly are like a troubled sea, never at rest. Contentment is a branch of Erue godliness, or rather a super-addition to it; which makes it greatly ornamental and profitable; for godliness, with contentment, is great gain, 1 Tim. vi.6. It will be proper to enquire,

I. What it is; and it is no other than an entire acquiescence of a man's mind in his lot and portion, in his state and condition in the present life, be it what it may, prosperous or adverse.

1. As contraries serve to illustrate each other, this may be known by what is Contrary to it, or by what it is contrary unto; as, 1. Contentment and envy are contrary to one another; envying and strife go together, and where there is strife and contention there is no contentment, but confusion and work; a man that envies the superior or equal happiness of another, neither of which he can bear, inwardly pines and frets at it. Envying and fretting meet

every evil