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 ...

§. 163. Of the God of peace.

THe title God is here especially to be applied unto the first person, in regard of that speciall relation which it hath to Iesus Christ, whom God the Father brought again from the dead. Yet this property of peace here applied to him, is not so proper to the first person, as it excludeth the other two. For the second

person is the Prince of peace, Isa. 9. 6. and the third person is the Spirit of peace.

This then is the property of the Divine nature, rather then of any one particular person exclusively.

God is here and elsewhere thus styled, * 1.1 The God of peace, in that he is the pri∣mary Fountain and Author of all peace, and the Worker and Finisher thereof: and there is no true peace but of God; as is evident by this phrase, The peace of God, Phil. 4. 7. Col. 3. 15. And Gods Embassadors have the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5. 19. and their message, the Gospel of peace, Rom. 10. 15.

Peace, according to the notation of the Greek word, signifieth a a 1.2 knitting in one. It is God the Creator of all that doth properly knit things in one.

At first God created all things in perfect concord and peace.

When by mans transgression, disunion and discord was made betwixt God and man, man and his own conscience, and betwixt one man and another; God made up all these breaches.

• 1. God gave his Sonne to make reconciliation betwixt himself and man, 2 Cor. 5. 19.
• 2. God by faith in Christ and the renovation of the holy Ghost, worketh peace of conscience in man, and so maketh peace betwixt a man and himself, Phil. 4. 7.
• 3. God communicateth to his children such a spirit of union, as they thereby are at peace one with another, Isa. 11. 5.
• 4. Peace being a comprehensive word, compriseth under it all manner of blessings which come from above, even from the Father of lights, Iames 1. 17.

The Apostle in the beginning of his prayer giveth this style, The God of peace,* 1.3 to him on whom he calleth, to strengthen both his own and their faith in a stedfast expectation of obtaining the blessings which he prayeth for. For what may not be expected from the God of peace, from him that is the Fountain of all blessing, from him who is reconciled and at peace with us, from him that paci∣fieth our conscience, from him that knitteth us together by the bond of peace?

To meditate hereon, when we go to God and call upon him, would much in∣large our spirits in praying to God, and strengthen our faith in obtaining that which we pray for.

This title, God of peace, should so work on us, who profess our selves to be servants and children of this God, as to follow peace: that as he is the God of peace, we may be children of peace, Matth. 5. 9.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 15. 33. & 16. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 4. 9. 2 Thes. 5. 23.
• a 1.2

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

  Knowledge of God of peace strengthens faith.