A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 71. Of Peace.

H•…•…b. 12▪ 14.

Follow peace with all men, and holinesse, without which no man shall see the Lord.

TO the forementioned duties about afflictions, the Apostle addeth other duties* 1.1 that must grace a Christians profession, and may be a means to keep them steadfast therein, The first is a 1.2 peace.

Peace, according to the Greek word, signifieth b 1.3 to knit in one: So as Peace is an agreement in one betwixt different parties. Therefore it is stiled a bond, Eph. 4. 3.* 1.4 And he inferreth peace upon union thus, be of one mind, live in peace, 1 Cor. 13. 8.

According to the different persons betwixt whom peace is, peace useth to be di∣stinguished.* 1.5

The parties are of three sorts,

• 1. God and man.
• 2. Man and his own conscience.
• 3. Man and man.

Peace betwixt God and man consists in that reconciliation which Christ hath* 1.6 made betwixt God and man: who is in that respect stiled the Prince of peace, as is shewed, Chap. 7. v. 2. §. 21.

Indeed all peace cometh from God, and thereupon is he stiled the God of peace. See Chap. 13. v. 20. §. 163.

Peace betwixt man and his own conscience, is an effect of the forementioned re∣conciliation* 1.7 apprehended by faith, whereby the conscience ceaseth to trouble man, and resteth quiet in it.

Peace betwixt man and man is an agreement betwixt them.

This agreement is inward and outward. Inward, when men are joyned together* 1.8 in the same mind and in the same judgement, 1 Cor. 1. 10. This is properly betwixt Saints: for they have one and the same word to enlighten their judgements, and to ground their opinion thereon. The particular unities mentioned Eph. 4. 3, 4, &c. demonstrate as much.

Outward peace betwixt man and man is a quiet and peaceable conversing toge∣ther. It consisteth in forbearing to wrong others, and in being ready to do all good offices of love and kindnesse. When this outward peace is joyned with the inward, then is it most perfect. Such was the peace of the Christians in the primi∣tive Church, Act. 4. 32. Yet outward peace hath an excellency, though it be seve∣red •…•…from the inward; in that it sheweth a readinesse in man to have as much peace with others as he can.

The peace here meant is the third kind, peace betwixt man and man: for he had before encouraged these Hebrewes to stand to their profession against all the oppo∣sition that a man could make: as a means thereto he addeth this direction, follow peace: for by following peace the violence of adversaries may be asswaged, and their opposition allayed. Besides, the Apostle expresly setteth down the subject of peace here meant, in this phrase, with all men.

This vertue and grace of peace is the more proper to Saints, by reason of the Spi∣rits* 1.9 altering and renewing their naturall disposition. For by nature man is of a wrathfull, revengefull, tumultuous, contentious disposition. They are as ravenous and devouring beasts one to another: but by the Spirit this disposition is altered, Isa. 11. 6, 7, 8.

1. Obj. Many Saints are subject to contention, 1 Cor. 1. 11. Act. 15. 39.

Answ.

• 1. Gods Church on earth consists of a mixt company. There are therein Children of the kingdome, and Children of the world, Matth. 13. 38. These lat∣ter be the contentious persons in the Church: and of such may the Apostle speak, 1 Cor. 1. 11. And thereupon he adviseth to mark such, and to avoid them.
• 2. They who are on earth in the best manner regenerate, are but in part re∣nerate. The flesh remaines in them: and that inclination which is in them to contention is from the unregenerate part: and in this respect

• was it that two great Apostle had so great a contention betwixt them, as they departed assunder one from the other, Act. 15. 39.

2. Obj. Many Heathen and unregenerate men have been of a quiet and peaceable disposition, and have followed peace.

Answ.

• 1. That disposition which is in heathen, or in other naturall and unrege∣nerate persons, was but a meere seeming disposition: it had but a shew of the grace or vertue. It could not come from true love, but rather from self-love, aiming at by-respects. This caveat of doing no wrong except provoked, shewes that their* 1.10 peaceablenesse was no true vertue. A feirce dogge may be quiet till he be provo∣ked.
• 2. Though the Spirit renewed not such men, yet it restrained them for the good of polities and societies, which otherwise could not have stood. Gods Spirit by restraining grace moved the spirit of Cy∣rus, Darius, and sundry of those Kings under whom the Iewes were, to afford them peace. So were sundry Heathen Emperours moved to Christians.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Peace.
• a 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.4

  In unum ne∣ctere.
• * 1.5

  Divers kinds of peace.
• * 1.6

  Peace with God.
• * 1.7

  Peace of con∣science.
• * 1.8

  Peace with other men.
• * 1.9

  Peace most proper to Saints.
• * 1.10

  Nisi lacessitus.