Millions of those that bear the name of Christ are cheated and eternally ruined with a false peace
Objection. But I have heard these men speak of their hopes and confidence in the
Lord, and bless God for their assurance of the pardon of their sins;
and ask them if they have made their peace with God, and they will
answer, that they thank God, that's a work not now to be done; I pray
therefore show us the difference between these two sorts of men, which
seem to be very unlike one another in their lives.
There is as much difference between their peace, as there is between light and darkness, heaven and hell, something and nothing.
1.
They differ in their original and foundation; the rise of the peace of a
saint is from the promise, his comforts are Scripture consolations; he
finds that rich grace hath wrought in him the condition of the promise,
and upon a serious debate with his own spirit, and through discoursing
the matter with his own heart, it brings in this witness for him, that
he hath had a discovery of his poor, lost, undone state, that he hath in
some measure been convinced of sin and misery, that he hath been
convinced of his own utter inability to save himself, that he hath seen
an absolute necessity of Christ, an infinite fulness and excellency in
him, that he hath been enabled to receive him upon his own terms, and to
resign up all to him, that he hath been made to leave sin, as to the
love and liking of it, and to be affectionately willing to take God the
Father for the ultimate happiness and portion of his soul, God the Son
for the only way to the Father, and his Redeemer, God the Holy Ghost, to
enlighten, sanctify, and comfort him, and to endeavour to give up his
whole man, body, and soul, to the obedience of his whole will, with the
utmost intentness of spirit, with deliberation, judgment, and resolution
to stand by this choice, by the strength of God, for ever. And this he
hath frequently found upon inquiry, to be the constant frame of his
spirit; and therefore the Scripture pronouncing such blessed, he is
humbly bold to own what grace hath done for him. Now this man's hopes
and confidence have a good foundation, it is built upon the foundation
of prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone; it
is a peace of God's approbation, of God's signing and sealing.
But now on the other side, the peace which the hypocrite hath is
built upon the sand, he hath not one promise that he can rationally lay
any claim to; nay, the whole word of God assaults him, and tells him how
vain his confidence is; and that if, for all this, he will speak peace
to himself, that he must try shortly whether he can make it good, when
conscience, Scripture, law and gospel, God and man, appear in the field
against him. In a word, the cause of his peace is ignorance, hardness,
deadness. The god of this world hath blinded his eyes; God is author of
the saint's peace, and the devil of the sinners, Matt. vii. 24, &c.
Phil. iv. 7. Luke xi. 21. Rom. xv. 4.
2. They differ in their concomitants and effects. The saint hath
always these things accompanying his comforts; admiration of God's
pardoning grace, and wonder that there should be such a thing as mercy
for him; magnifying of the blessed Jesus, who was the great manager of
that great affair, the peace between God and his soul; a holy, thankful,
fruitful life; a humble judging of himself, and a pitying of others;
when the Spirit hath grafted true peace in the soul, these are the
fruits which it bears. But is it thus with the formal hypocrite; judge, I
pray, rightly, and see what fruits his peace brings forth; are they not
the grapes of Sodom and the fruits of Gomorrah? Doth he indeed admire
and adore the patience of God towards him? Doth he not rather make bold
with God, and turn his grace into wantonness? How little doth he esteem
his omniscience, power, spirituality, purity! how far is he from
sanctifying the Lord in his heart, and making him his fear and dread!
how vilely doth he undervalue and prostitute his holy name, using it
only in an oath, or when he taketh it into his filthy mouth without any
reverence or sense of his excellency! And as for Christ, he makes light
of him, and prefers every cursed lust, any vile companion, yea, the dirt
he treads on, shall I say more, the devil himself, before him. What
else is the meaning of his service, activity, and constancy to carry on
the interest of hell, and the unsuitableness, contempt, and opposition
that he makes against the advancing of the interest of the Lord Christ? I
need say no more. In a word, for all his peace with God, he is at war
with his nature, laws, Son, Spirit, service; and yet how foolishly doth
he boast of peace, comfort, hopes, and justify himself and censure his
betters! James iii. 18. Gal. v. 19, &c. Deut. xxxii. 32.
3. The saint's joys and comforts differ in their very nature; the
saint's joys are spiritual, the hypocrite's carnal and sensual; the
saint's rational, the formalist's brutish, and against both Scripture
and reason; the saint's joys are solid, great, and glorious, the
hypocrite's are frothy, small, and shameful, Deut. xxix. 19. Eccl. ii.
2. Jam. iii. 15. Jude 19.
4. Their comforts differ in their growth and continuance. The
believer's comforts were a great while under the clouds of fear, and
that Divine seed was long sown before it grew up to such a harvest; and
although he be still reaping, yet a fresh harvest is still growing, and
he shall never make an end of gathering them in; his peace and comforts
grow stronger and stronger, as troubles, and sickness, and trials come
upon him, and at death they are greatest of all; for then he enters into
his Master's joy, and enjoys his peace till the Almighty hath lost his
power, which will last till the infinite riches of heaven's glory are
spent, and eternity is at an end. As for the hypocrite, his peace is
short lived; at the furthest death will put an end to it, and then you
shall see what is become of all his peace, joy, hopes; when instead of
comfort he shall lie down in shame, and awake in eternal horror. And who
would desire such deceitful joys, that, ere a man is aware, leave him
in everlasting torments? I have been the longer in the answering of this
objection, because it is common, and millions of those that bear the name of Christ are cheated and
eternally ruined with such a false peace. And what sayest thou that
readest these lines, which of these two is thy peace? Lay down the book,
and consider, and let not thy heart be quiet till thou understand what
foundation its quiet rest is built upon. Tell it that many times it is a
sign that the strong man armed hath got possession, when all things are
in peace. Ask thy soul, whether it ever understood its natural enmity
against God, whether that be in any measure laid down. Art thou
reconciled to the holy nature, laws, and service of God? And hast thou
commenced an irreconcilable war against sin? Is Christ thy captain, the
Spirit thy assistant? And who usually carries the field, the flesh or
Spirit? O be not contented till you have a good account given in from
conscience and experience in this great affair; for it is a matter of
life or death, and a business of the highest consequence imaginable; and
till this witness be well settled, I will not give a rush for all thy
comforts, peace, and hopes, Job viii. 13. Isa. xxxiii. 14. Job xx. 5.
Prov. xiv. 32. Isa. xxxv. 10.
~
James Janeway,
The saint's encouragement to diligence in Christ's service
