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Containing an Exhortation to peaceable-mindedness.
[Use 3] BE of a peaceable disposition. Rom. 12.18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. The Curtains of the Tabernacle were to be looped together, Exod. 26.3, 4. So should the hearts of Christians be looped together in peace and unity. That I may perswade to peaceable-mindedness, let me speak both to Reason and Conscience.
1. A peaceable spirit seems to be agreeable to the na∣tural frame and constitution; man by nature seems to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a peaceable creature, fitter to handle the Plough than the Sword; other creatures are naturally arm'd with some kind of weapon wherewith they are able to revenge themselves: The Lyon hath his Paw, the Boar his Tusk, the Bee his Sting; only man hath none of these weapons, he comes naked and unarmed in∣to the world, as if God would have him a peaceable creature.
— Candida pax homines, trux decet ira feras. —Man hath his Reason given him that he should live ami∣ably and peaceably.
2. A peaceable spirit is honourable. Prov. 20.3. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife. We think it a brave thing to give way to strife, and let loose the reins to our passions; oh no, it is an honour to cease from strife: Noble spirits are such lovers of peace, that they need not be bound to the peace; 'tis the bramble that rends and tears whatever is near it; the Cedar and Fig-tree, those more noble Plants, grow pleasantly and peaceably; peaceableness is the Ensign and Ornament of a noble mind.
3. To be of a peaceable spirit, is highly prudential. Jam. 3.17. The wisdom from above is peaceable. A wise man will not meddle with strife; it is like putting ones finger into an Hornets Nest; or to use Solomons simili∣tude, Prov. 17.14. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water. To set out the folly of strife, it is as letting out of water in two respects.
1. When water begins to be let out, rhere is no end of it; so there is no end of strife when once begun.
2. The letting out of water is dangerous: If a man should break down a Bank, and let in an Arme of the Sea, the water might overflow his Fields, and drown him in the Flood: so is he that intermeddles with strife; he may mischief himself, and open such a Sluce as may in∣gulph and swallow him up. True wisdom espouseth peace; a prudent man will keep off from the bryars as much as he can.
4. To be of a peaceable spirit, brings peace along with it; a contentious person vexeth himself, and eclip∣seth his own comfort; he is like the Bird that beats it self against the Cage, he troubleth his own flesh, Prov. 11.17. He is just like one that pares off the sweet of the Apple, and eats nothing but the Kore: So a quarrelsome man pares off all the comfort of his life, and feeds only upon the bitter Kore of disquiet, he is a self-tormentor; the wicked are compared to a troubled sea, Isa. 57.20. And it follows, there is no peace to the wicked, Ver. 21. The Septuagint renders it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there is no joy to the wicked; froward spirits do not enjoy what they possess; but peaceableness of spirit brings the sweet Musick of peace along with it, it makes a calm and harmony in the soul; therefore the Psalmist saith, it is not only bonum, but jucundum; not only good, but pleasant to live to∣gether in unity, Psal. 133.1.
5. A peaceable disposition is a God-like dispo∣sition.
1. God the Father is call'd the God of peace, Hebr. 13.20. Mercy and peace are about his Throne, he signs the Articles of peace, and sends the Ambassadors of peace to publish them, 2 Cor. 5.20.
2. God the Son is call'd the Prince of peace, Isa. 9.6. His name is Emmanuel, God with us, a name of peace; his Office is to be a Mediatour of peace, 1 Tim. 2.5. He
came into the world with a song of peace; the An∣gels did sing it, Luk. 2.14. Peace on Earth; he went out of the world with a Legacy of peace: John 14.27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.
3. God the Holy Ghost is a Spirit of peace, he is the Comforter; he seals up peace, 2 Cor. 1.22. This bles∣sed Dove brings the Olive-branch of peace in his mouth; Now a peaceable disposition evidenceth something of God in a man, therefore God loves to dwell there. Psal. 76.2. In Salem is Gods Tabernacle: Salem signifies peace, God dwells in a peaceable spirit.
6. Christs earnest prayer was for peace; he prayed that his people might be one, John 17.11, 21, 23. that they might be of one mind and heart: And observe the Argument Christ useth in prayer, (it is good to use Ar∣guments in prayer; they are as the feathers to the Arrow, which make it flie swifter, and pierce deeper; Affections in prayer are as the fire in the Gun; Arguments in prayer are as the Bullet) the Argument Christ urgeth to his Fa∣ther, is, Ver. 22. That they may be one, even as we are one. There was never any discord between God the Fa∣ther and Christ; though God parted with Christ out of his bosome, yet not out of his heart. There was ever dearness and oneness between them: Now Christ prays, that as he and his Father were one, so his people might be all one in peace and concord. Did Christ pray so earnest∣ly for peace, and shall not we endeavour what in us lies to fulfill Christs prayer? how do we think Christ will hear our prayer, if we cross his?
7. Christ not only prayed for peace, but bled for it. Col. 1.20. Having made peace through the blood of his Cross: Pacem omnimodam; he dyed not only to make peace between God and man, but between man and man. Christ suffered on the Cross, that he might cement
Christians together with his blood; as he prayed for peace, so he payed for peace; Christ was himself bound to bring us into the bond of peace.
8. Strife and contention hinder the growth of grace: Can good seed grow in a ground where there is nothing but thorns and bryars to be seen? Matth. 13. The thorns choaked the seed. When the heart is as it were stuck with thorns, and is ever tearing and rending, can the seed of grace ever grow there? Historians report of the Isle of Patmos, that the natural soile of it is such, that nothing will grow upon that Earth. A froward heart is like the Isle of Patmos, nothing of grace will grow there, till God changeth the soile, and makes it peaceable. How can faith grow in an unpeaceable heart? for faith works by love. Impossible it is that he should bring forth the sweet fruits of the Spirit, who is in the gall of bitterness; if a man hath received poyson into his body, the most excel∣lent food will not nourish, till he takes some antidote to expel that poyson. Many come to the Ordinances with seeming zeal, but being poysoned with wrath and animosi∣ty, they receive no spiritual nourishment. Christs body mystical edifieth it self in love, Eph. 4.16. There may be praying and hearing, but no spiritual concoction, no edifying of the body of Christ without love and peace.
9. Peaceableness among Christians is a powerful load∣stone to draw the world to receive Christ; not only gifts and miracles, and preaching may perswade men to embrace the truth of the Gospel, but peace and unity among the Professors of it: When as there is one God and one faith, so there is one heart among Christians; this is as Cummin seed, which makes the Doves flock to the windows. The Temple was adorn'd with goodly stones, Luk. 21.5. This makes Christs spiritual Temple look beautiful, and the
stones of it appear goodly, when they are cemented to∣gether in peace and unity.
10. Unpeaceableness of spirit is to make Christians turn Heathens; 'tis the sin of the Heathens, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, im∣placable, Rom. 1.31. They cannot be pacified, their hearts are like Adamant, no oyle can supple them, no fire can melt them; 'tis a Heathenish thing to be so fierce and violent, as if with Romulus, men had suck'd the milk of Wolves.
11. To adde yet more weight to the Exhortation, it is the mind of Christ that we should live in peace. Mark 9.50. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, have peace one with another. Shall we not be at peace for Christs sake? if we ought to lay down our life for Christs sake, shall we not lay down our strife for his sake?
To conclude, if we will neither be under counsels nor commands, but still feed the peccant humour, nourishing in ourselves a spirit of dissention and unpeaceableness, Je∣sus Christ will never come near us. The people of God are said to be his house, Hebr. 3.6. Whose house are we, &c. When the hearts of Christians are a spiritual house, adorned with the furniture of peace, then they are fit for the Prince of peace to inhabit; but when this pleasant fur∣niture is wanting, and instead of it nothing but strife and debate, Christ will not own it for his house, nor will he grace it with his presence; who will dwell in an house which is smoaky, and all on fire?
Exhort.