USE OR APPLICATION- A Reproof To Three Sorts Of Persons 1/5

Use first.  Is peace of conscience the blessing of the gospel?  This reproves three sorts of persons.

1. Sort.  The Papists, who interpretatively deny that peace of conscience is the blessing of the gospel, for they deny that any person can know in this life, unless by an extraordinary revelation, that he is a child of God, and one that shall be saved—which, if true, would stave all to pieces the vessel in which the Christian’s joy and inward peace is kept.  Whence comes the peace we have with our own consciences, but from the knowledge we have of our peace with God?  ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God,’ Rom. 5:1.  If the poor soul be left at uncertainties here, and the gospel cannot resolve to it what its state is for hell or heaven, farewell to all inward peace.  The poor Christian may then say of himself, with a trembling heart, what St, John saith, in another case, of him that hateth his brother, ‘He walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth,’ I John 2:11.  Truly then the gospel might rather be called the gospel of fears and doubts, than the gospel of peace.  But is that the top of the blessing the gospel brings to saints, which was almost the bottom of the curse that the law de­nounced against sinners?—that ‘their life should hang in doubt before them; and they shall fear day and night, and should have no assurance of life,’ Deut. 28:66.  Bold men they are that dare so wretchedly dis­figure the sweet face of the gospel; making Christ in his precious promises speak as doubtfully to his saints, as the devil did in his oracles to his devotees. Because their hypocrisy makes them justly question their own salvation, and will not suffer them to apply the comfort of the promises to themselves, must they therefore seal up these wells of salvation from those that are sincere, and then lay the blame on the gospel which is due only to their own wickedness?  But there is a mystery of iniquity which hath at last been found to be at the root of this uncomfortable doctrine of theirs.  They are a little akin to Judas, who was a thief, and carried the bag.  These have a bag, too, into which they put more gold and silver, that this doctrine brings them in, than ever Judas had in his.  Though the doctrine of gospel-grace to poor sinners’ would bring more peace to others’ consciences —might it be seen in its naked glory among them —yet the superstitious fear which they keep ignorant souls in, brings more money to their purses; and this lies so near the heart of their religion, that gospel, Christ, heaven, and all, must bow unto it.
2. Sort.  Those are to be reproved, who frame very unlovely images in their own foolish imaginations of the gospel—as if there was nothing less than peace of conscience and inward comfort to be found in it—and all, because they see some that profess it, who cannot show that they have got any more peace and comfort since their acquaintance with the gospel than they had before, or than themselves have who are yet strangers to it; yea may be, discover more trouble of spirit.  Such I would desire to take these following particulars, by way of answer, into their seri­ous consideration.

           (1.) Consider all that are not true Christians that hang upon the gospel by profession.  And no blame can be laid on the gospel, though it doth not lavish out this treasure to every one that scrapes acquaintance with it.  The Spirit of God is too wise and faith­ful to set his seal to a blank.  The minister indeed of­fers peace to all that will accept it.  But where the peace of the gospel meets with a false heart, it will not stay there, ‘If the house be not worthy, let your peace return to you,’ Matt. 10:13.  As the dove returned to the ark again, when it found the earth under water, so doth the Spirit of God carry his comfort back with him to heaven from a soul that is yet in the suds of sin, soaking in his abominations.  Where can this heavenly dove find rest for the sole of her foot in such a soul?  And will he speak peace to that soul in which himself can find no rest?

           (2.) As for those that are sincere, true-hearted Christians, there are several considerations which will vindicate the gospel to answer its name, and to be a gospel of peace and consolation.

           (a) Some that are sincere Christians, do not so clearly understand the doctrine of the gospel as oth­ers; and the want of light, of joy, and comfort in their consciences comes from that want of light in their un­derstandings.  The ignorance of the workman doth not disparage the art.  Plus est in arte, quam in arti­fice—there is more in an art than the attainment of the artist.  There is a fulness of comfort in the principles of the gospel, but every Christian hath not at­tained to the ‘riches of the full assurance of under­standing, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ,’ which the apostle directs the Colossians to, as a sovereign means whereby ‘their hearts might be comforted,’ Col. 2:2.

           (b) Some that do understand the doctrine of sal­vation by faith in Christ—the only foundation to build and rear up true comfort and peace of conscience on—yet may, by their negligence in their Christian course—not walking carefully by the rule of the gospel—deprive themselves at present of this sweet peace, which otherwise might flow into their bosoms from the promises of the gospel.  ‘As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them,’ Gal. 6:16.  And if so, what blame can be laid on the gospel? Be the pen never so good, and the hand never so skil­ful, it will not write on wet paper; yet we do not fault the hand or pen, but the paper.  If the heart—though of a saint never so eminent —be under the defilement of a present lust, not repented of, no promise will speak peace to him; he is a disorderly walker, and the Spirit hath his rod to whip such.  No sweet­meats of joy and peace to entertain them withal in that night.