YOu will wonder, possibly, that I should pitch on the Apostles Salutation for my Valediction, and make that the Conclusion of my Preaching, which he made the Beginning of his Writing, and therefore I have made a double Plea for it. I find that this was a form of Blessing peculiar to this Apostle both in the beginning and end of this Epistle; for as there is scarcely one Epistle but begins with it, so many end with it like wise: as in Eph. 6. ver. ult. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So in the 2 ^d of the Thessalonians, the last verse of the last Chapter, The grace of our Lord Christ be with you all: So that I finding the Apostle to use it frequently [Page 2]at the beginning and ending of his Writing, I thought as I made it the matter of my prayer for you in the beginning, so I might make it my farewell to you in the ending; and therefore Grace be unto you and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Besides this, as Jacob said to his Benjamin concer­ning his venison, when his Father asked him, How he found it so quickly? he Answered, because the Lord thy God brought it to me: The same I may say of this Scripture, for Considering of what subject I should speak in my last Labours here among you, this Scip­ture came to my thoughts, and opening the Booke, came immediately to my sight; and therefore I may say God brought it to me: Which I no sooner looked upon, but methinks I saw the Apostle on Mount Gerisim, and his mouth filled with blessing; for what greater blessing can a man wish, then that which comprehends all blessings, and that is, Grace, and Peace. Being therefore now to part, I thought to go to the top of the Mount, and leave with you Grace, and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Je­sus Christ. In which words there are two generalls.

• 1. A double Blessing desired,
• 2. A double Spring discovered.

1. A double Blessing desired: and that is, Grace and Peace. Grace is of all Blessings the richest, Peace is of all Comforts the sweetest: both these the Apostle beggs for the Corinthians, and so do I for You. Beloved, Grace be unto you, and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Here is a double fountain discovered: and that is the Father and the Son, God and Christ. The Fa­ther is called the God of Grace; the Son is called the [Page 3]Prince of Peace, not that Grace is from the Father without Peace, nor Peace from the Son without Grace, but both Grace and Peace are from God the Father through the Lord Christ.

The Order of the words is worth noting, Grace be to you and Peace: First Grace, then Peace, for there can be no Peace without Grace, nor Grace but there will be Peace, but there can be no true Peace but from God, nor from God but as he is a Father, not from God as a Father, but as our Father, and he can­not be said to be our Father, but through our Lord Jesus Christ; and therefore he saith, Grace be unto you, and Peace from God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ: both are manifest as a Golden Chain linked together, not Grace without Peace, nor Peace without Grace, but both conjoyned together, to cram the Believers Soul with Grace and Peace. Now from the Order of the words we might raise severall Observations.

• 1. That Peace is the fruit of Grace.
• 2. That Grace and Peace are both from God.
• 3. That Love which is the spring of Grace and Peace, is from God as a Father.
• 4. That we share not in this Love, but only as he is our Father: All is from propriety,

First, Our Father, then Grace and Peace from God our Father.

5. That God is our Father only through Christ.

But before we draw any thing from the Text by way of Observation, we will speak to the termes by way of Explication. Grace be to you: What is here meant by Grace? This is a sweet word, it perfumes the Breath, it cherishes the Conscience, it warms the [Page 4]Heart, it ravishes the Soul, as the Spouse was ravish­ed with the rayes of Christs glory, so Christ revives the Soul with one of his gracious rayes discovered to the Heart; Grace is the life of the Soul, thou art dead till Grace quickens thee, thou art lost till Grace finds thee, undone till Grace saves thee; Grace is the Manna of Angels, the spiritual Bread which those that are holy in being are nourished with, and subsist by; Angels live on Grace, and stand by Grace; Man that shares in the Grace of God, is made fellow Communiors with Angels, eats Angels food, and share in Angels blessings; Grace is the substance of the Scripture, the end of the Law, the fulnesse of the Gospel, Gregory calls it, the Heart and Soul of God; I am sure Grace is the Heart and Soul of the Word; its a little word, but if comprehends all good; here is more then Homers Iliads in a Nut-shell, its the Epitome of all the good in Heaven and Earth; name any word that signifies good to the Soul here or here­after, but if it is found in the Index in this little word Grace; Grace comprehends Gods love to us, and our love to God; and as Gods love to us is the sum of all Mercy, so our love to God is the sum of all Duty; Grace is the new birth of the Soul, whereby it takes up another Nature, a new Nature, a spiritual God-like Nature; as Christ was born, and thereby took on him the Nature of man, and was made flesh, so man is born by Grace, and thereby takes upon him the Nature of God, and is made Spirit; and here you have at once the great mystery of Grace in the lowest debacement of a Saviour, and the highest advancement of a Sinner; for the Lord Christ could not be more debaced then to be born, it was nothing [Page 5]so great an abatement for Christ to dye, as for him to be born, for being once made man, it is no won­der for to dye, but being the great God, its a wonder that ever he should be made man. Lo here is the de­bacement of Christ: Yet if he had been born to a Crown, to Honour, it had been something, but he was born to shame, to sorrow and death, but man by Grace is born to a Crown, to a Kingdom, he has a title to all the glory and blessednesse of Heaven, from the first moment of his new birth: So 'tis in the Text, Grace be unto you, and Peace.

Peace in Scripture, is a very comprehensive terms, it carries in it all happinesse. It was the common greeting of the Jews, Peace be unto you; Thus David by his Proxy salutes Nabal, Peace be to thee and thy house, and the Apostle here alludes to this form of salutation, that he might mix new Testament mercy, to old Testament manners; he first stiles grace before peace; as Jacob did with his Venison, he made it a sa­voury meat, such as Isaack loved. Peace is the glory of Heaven, in the Bosome of God, and brought into the world in the Arms of Angells; The first peace you read of in the Gospel, was peace by the admini­stration of Angels. Luke 2.13, 14. And suddainly there was with the Angells, a multitude of Heavenly host, praising and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will towards men. And when our Lord Christ first sent out his Disciples, this was the Doctrine that he bid them preach, Math. 10.12, 13. When you come into a house, salute it, and if it be worthy, let grace, peace come upon it. Mark here by the way, our Lord Jesus Christ is no enemy to good manners, He would not have Christians to be Clowns: which is [Page 6]the use of some among us, who would have their Re­ligion quarrell with good manners: No, but in what­soever City or Town you enter, salute it, and let grace, peace come upon it: that is, wish peace to them, say­ing, the peace of God be upon this place, upon the heads and hearts of all in it: So that Peace is both a Gospel-salutation when Ministers and people meet, and it's also a Gospel-valediction when the Minister and the people parts. So did the Apostle, and so do I now, Grace be with you and peace.

I observe in Matth. 10.13, 14. our Lord bids his Disciples when they enter into a house, if the house be worthy, to let their peace come upon it, but if they be not worthy, let grace, peace return to you. In stead of lea­ving peace with them, to shake off the dust of their feet against them: that is, to shew that God will shake them off as dust, and tread them under feet as fuell. My Brethren, your diligent attendance on the Word at this place, hath comfortably prevented the part of my charge, to shake off the dust of my feet; for, how beautifull have the feet of a poor worm been to you, being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Christ? And therefore seeing our Lord Christ saith, if they be worthy of their peace abide with them, on this accompt I wish to you Grace and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. But what is this peace? It's the beauty of Union, the harmony of the Creation, the pleasure of Life, the feast of a good Conscience; its that which makes Life sweet, and Death easie: Peace sweetens all our possessions, and all our afflictions; without this, the fullnesse of the World is a burden; with this, poverty and emp­tinesse is a pleasant companion; without this, our [Page 7]bread is gravelled with sowrenesse, and our water mingled with bitternesse; with this, green herbs be­come a Feast, and our Water is turned into Wine: Peace, its the most beautifull Creature in the world, and therefore its beloved of all, courted of all, ma­ny seek her, but few there be that enjoy her, they do not go the right way to find her: for, in the wayes of righteousnesse is peace. Peace is the seminary of all blessings Temporal, as Grace is of all blessings Spi­ritual: in Grace you have imployed all holinesse, in Peace all happinesse; in grace all inward, in peace all outward blessings: grace and peace are the Alpha and Omega of all Blessings, as God is of all Beings, no blessing comes before Grace, and no blessing lasts longer: Then see in this phrase of speech the Apo­stle wishes upon them, as I do upon you, all the blessings both of Time and Eternity, and yet he wish­ed no more to them then God promised to give them, 1 Tim. 4.8. For godlinesse hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come, Grace be unto you and peace, &c. not one without the other: though a man may have grace without peace, as in a time of disertion or temptation, and a man may have peace without grace, as in a secure and unregenerate condition; grace without peace is often found in a troubled conscience, and peace without grace is often found in a seared conscience: as grace without peace is very uncom­fortable, so peace without grace is very unprofitable: like Rachel, beautifull, but barren; therefore the A­postle desires ye should have both grace and peace: and we say, the Sun and Salt are the most usefull Creatures in the world; the one for shining, the other for seasoning. (My Brethren) Grace and Peace are [Page 8]the Christians Sun and Salt, Grace is the light of their souls, and Peace is the savour of their comforts; Grace shines through all their faculties, and Peace seasons all their mercies. The blessings of God are become as twins, as Christ said of the Spouse, Cant. 4.2. She is like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing, whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them: Grace and peace here are knit together by the Spirit of God in a sacred knot not to be untied: As Castor and Pollux when seen together portend happinesse to the Mariner: so when grace and peace are found in a Soul together, they portend the highest security and blessing to the Believer: they are said in Scripture to be bound to­gether; where God gives the one, he never denyes the other. If he gives you the Upper Spring of grace, he will give you the Other Spring of peace, for they go both together. If he gives you the dew of heaven, you need not question the fatnesse of the earth. If his right hand be full of mercy, his left hand shall not be empty: Therefore Grace and Peace be with you from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace has a double sense, either for the grace of God to us, that justifies us, or the grace of God in us, that sanctifies us: Now there is a distant peace flow­ing from each of these, but still its grace and peace.

First, justifying grace has a peace attending that, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. So far as we have confidence in justifying grace, there remains no conscience of condemning sin: As there can be no bitterer War, then between conscience and the cure, so there can be no sweeter peace, then when mercy and peace meet together, [Page 9]and when conscience and peace kisseth each other: The former is the tast of Heaven, the latter is the per­ambulation of Heaven, both which the Believer shares in upon his Justification by Faith. If Christ had peace who was made our sin, needs must the Believer have peace, who is made the righteousnesse of God in him.

Secondly, Sanctifying grace has a peace attending it, and this peace differs from the former, as the root from the fruit. The peace of Justification is a radical peace, the root of peace; but the peace of Sanctifi­cation is the bud, the blossom of the tree: the former flowes from the bloud of Christ sprinkled on the Conscience; the latter from the conformity that is between the Word and the will, between the com­mands and the Conscience; As many as walk accor­ding to this rule, grace be unto them and peace, Gal. 6.16. So that peace is the fruit of Sanctifying grace. Now as the bloud of the Pascal Lamb (which was a token of peace) was not to be struck on the posts of the E­gyptians, but upon the posts of the Israelites, so neither is the bloud of sprinkling, which brings perfect peace, to be struck on the posts of the carnal sinner, but on the post of the true Believer, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile; no grace, no peace, that is Gods Law. How can a sinner have pence in a state of sin, when God and Conscience, when Word and Conscience, when Law and Conscience, and all the Attributes of God are against the sinner? No peace saith my God, to the wicked. Pray mark that Chapter, it begins with the peace, and ends in no peace. In ver. 2. its said, He shall enter into peace, that is, the righteous: In the last verse, There is no peace to the [Page 10]wicked. Its the state of grace that's the only hate of peace. And thus I passe from the double grace desi­red, grace and peace, to the double Fountain disco­vered, God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

But here's a Question to be answered: If Grace and Peace be from God the Father, then how is it said to be from Christ? and if from Christ, how then from God the Father?

Answer. Its a known rule that the transient, exter­nal works of God are Attributed to all the 3. Persons in the Trinity, the same works that are Attributed to the Father, are also attributed to the Son; and the same works attributed to the Son, is ascribed also to the Father, so grace and peace are here ascribed both to God the Father, and to our Lord Jesus Christ; that is, they are both from mercy, and from merit.

From mercy on Gods part to us, from merits on Christs part for us; they are from God the Father, be­cause he wills them to us, from God the Son, because he works them in us; they are from God to Christ, from Christ to Us; they are from God the Father ori­ginally, and from Christ derivatively, and to us actu­ally; God the Father is the fountain of all grace and peace, Christ as Mediator is the Conduit of all grace and peace, Man in Union to Christ, is the Cistern into which these streams of grace and peace runs; God wills grace and peace to us, and Christ works them in us; God gives grace and peace to be applied to the Creature, this is from the love of the Father, but the Application of this peace to the Soul, is from the me­rit of Christ the Redeemer: Thus you see there's a double spring of this double blessing, Time will not serve me further: the only Observation is,

That all the grace and peace which believers share in, is derived from God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ: these three things opened, will clear this: First, that grace and peace are the Believers pri­viledge: Secondly, that the fountain of this grace and peace is from God the Father: Thirdly, that it is not given out from God the Father, but through Christ.

First, that grace and peace are the Saints privi­ledge; If grace is, then peace is; But grace is the pri­viledge of every Believer, and that whether you look upon it as taken from the Love and Favour of God to us: This is the Believers priviledge, God can as well forget Christ at his right hand, as cease his love and favour to the Soul of a Believer; The Believers title to all their blessings, arises out of this never-fail­ing Love of God: Or if you take grace for the fruit of Gods love to the soul, still it falls to the Believers priviledge; Vocation, Justification, Adoption, pru­dence of Sin, purging from Sins, strength against Sin, Holynesse, Love, Faith, Obedience, Perseverence, all these are the priviledges of every Believer, nay a man cannot be a Believer without any one of them, they are as essentiall to the being of a Christian, as reason to the being of a man.

Secondly, as grace, so peace is the Believers privi­ledge; There is peace External, peace Supernal, peace Internal, and peace Eternal: There is peace External, this is peace with men; there is peace Supernal, that is peace with God; there is peace In­ternal, that is peace with Conscience: All these three are to be had upon Earth, and then there's peace E­ternal, and that is only to be had in Heaven. The Apostle here doth not exclude the former, but chief­ly [Page 12]intends the latter: peace with man is a good thing to be desired, but peace with God, and Conscience, is much more to be desired. Peace with God is the spring of all things both within and without, both be­low and above, both in time and eternity: so sayes Job, If he gives peace, who then can make trouble? Now this peace is the Saints privilege. It is a Legacy left to every Believer by the last Will and Testament of a dying Redeemer. Will you see a copy of his Will, then look in John 14.27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. There is it seems a peace in the worlds power to give, and there's a peace of Christ's be­stowing. Now Christ would have us here not to mistake the world's peace for his, for the difference is very great; for first, the worlds peace is a false peace, it is a counterfeit coyn, it han't the currant stamp of Heaven on it; but the peace that Christ gives to a Believer, is true peace, and perfect peace; Thou wilt keep in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee.

Secondly, the Worlds peace is an outward peace. It is but skin deep, it wets the mouth, it cannot wash the heart: Prov. 14.13. In laughter the heart is sor­rowfull, and the end of the mirth is heavinesse. The worlds peace in but the shell of peace, their Consci­ence lowers when their Conscience laughs; But the peace that Christ gives is an inward and spiritual peace, Psal. 4.7. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart, more then in the time that their corn and their wine in­creased; [ Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart; Peace is that gladnesse, other peace smothes the brow, but this fills the breast: as the Sinner has trouble within, [Page 13]in the midst of all his Peace without, so a Believer has Peace within, in the midst of all his troubles without: In the world you shall have trouble, but in me you shall have Peace.

Thirdly, the Worlds peace has only a neather Spring arising out of the Creature, out of worldly comforts, therefore it must needs be unclean, for an unclean Fountain cannot bring forth clean water: But the peace of Christians has an upper Spring, it flows from the manifestation of the love of God in Christ, its from the sprinkling of Christs Blood on the Con­science, it flows upon the workings of Christs Spi­rit upon the Soul, which is first a Councellor, then a Comforter: Oh how pure must this peace be in a Believes Soul, that flows from so pure a Spring?

Fourthly, the Worlds peace is a peace given to Sinners, it is a peace in sin, and its a peace with sin, as the Prophet Isaiah tells us, Its a Covenant with Hell, and an Agreement with Death, (God deliver us from that peace.) Again, Christs peace is given to none but Believers, its their priviledge only, a Stranger dont intermeddle with this Joy, Prov. 14.10. The heart knoweth his own bitternesse, but a Stranger doth not intermeddle with this Joy.

Fifthly, the Worlds peace is a fading, dying, tran­sitory thing, it withers in the Sand, The triumphing of the Wicked is but short, and the Joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment, Job 20.5. Solomon does elegantly liken it to the crackling of Thornes under a Pot, which is but a blaze and is gone, Ecces. 7.6. So is the Sin­ners peace, it is for a Spurt, and is soon gone, but the peace that Christ gives to Believers, is a durable and abiding peace: Your Joy no man shall take from [Page 14]you, it appears in Life, in Death, and after Death: First, its our peace in Life, grace brings forth present peace. Its said of the Primitive Christians, They walked in the Fear of the Lord, and in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost, Acts 9.31. Its a remarkable expressi­on, Psalm. 19.11. In keeping thy commands there's great reward, He dont say, for keeping them, which respects the end of the Work, but in keeping of them which look at the Work it self; (My Brethren) Every duty done in sincerity, reflects a peace in con­science, as every flower carries its own sweetnesse; Its possible, I grant a Believer may not allwayes find and feel this peace, few do, some seldome find it, few find it so alwayes; the remains of corruption breaking forth to interrupt, or temptations to hinder: And Gods disertion may darken and hide it, and a Believer may seem to be totally lost, yet in this con­dition, which is the worst a Child of God can be in, he hath a double peace. First, a peace in the promi­ses in this very Condition, and what you have in Bonds and Bills, you account as good as money in your Pockets. Secondly, he has it in the seed, Light is sown for the righteous, and gladnesse for the upright in heart, Psal. 97.11. Grace is the seed of Peace, which Christ has soon in the furrows of the Soul, and there­fore peace shall Spring out of the furrows of the Soul; indeed this seed springs up sooner in some, then in o­thers, yet every Saint shall have a reaping time soon­er or later, Psal. 126.6. He that goeth forth and weep­eth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing, bringing his sheaves with him: If he stayes long for the fruit, he shall have a greater crop at last, if he reaps not now, he shall be sure to reap [Page 15]hereafter; Psal. 37.37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. Se­condly, by this peace which is the peace of a Child of God, its a peace at Death; Grace will minister to us then, and that ministration shall be in peace: The Sinners peace leaves him when he comes to the Grave; though in Life it fills him, yet in Death it leaves him. A Believer has a two fold spring of Peace, the first is from above him, the other is from within him: That spring that runs with peace above him, is from the bloud of Christ, sprinkled on his Conscience; The other that is from within him, is from the sincerity of his heart, in the wayes of obe­dience. My Brethren, when we lye on our Death beds, and can reflect on our sincerity in all Gods wayes, this will be peace at last, so it was in Hezekiah, Isaiah 38.3. Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a per­fect heart, and have done that which was good in thy fight. There's nothing makes a Death bed so hard, and so uneasie, as a life spent in the service of sin and lust; and nothing makes a Death bed so pleasant, as a life spent in the service of Christ. Grace will bring forth Peace, if not in this life, yet; Thirdly, it will to be sure after Death; if Time brings not this fruit to ripenesse, yet Eternity shall; Grace in Time, will be Glory in Eternity; Holinesse now, will be Hap­piness then; whatever it is a man sows in this world, that he reaps in the next world: Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reape: He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reape corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting, Gal. 6.7, 8. When [Page 16] Sin shall end in sorrow and misery, Grace shall end in peace, in joy, in glory; well done thou good and faith­full Servant, enter into the joy of thy Master, Mat. 15.21. Whoever shares in the grace of Christ in this world, shall be sure to share with the joy of Christ in the next world, and that joy is joy unspeakable, and full of glory. I will wynde up all in a threefold Applica­tion, by way of Exhortation to three sorts of persons.

• First, To such as have this Grace and Peace.
• Secondly, To such as have this Grace and no Peace.
• Thirdly, To such as have neither Grace nor Peace.

First, To such as have both Grace and Peace; I'le speak to them in two or three things. First, Admire thankfully the Father and the Son, the Fathers Grace, and the Sons Love, for both had a hand in this, therefore blesse both the Father for willing it to us, and the Son for working it in us: Grace and Peace are the fruits of Gods Eternal Election, for this blessing the Father gives but the Application of it, to us is the fruit of Christs Redemption and Inter­cession: How can you think of Hell and damnation, and see your self freed from it? And how can you think of the dreadfull fury and vengeance of God, your self not under it? How can you look on your state changed, your hearts renued, grace ratified and reconciled, and your Conscience quietted? How can you think of these things, but must admire the love of the Father in giving this to you, and the love of the Son in purchasing this for you? All the grace and mercy that is given to us, is by Christ purchased for us: Grace and Peace are the fruits of the re­deeming [Page 17]blood of Christ purchased.

Secondly, Do not envy the conditions or possessi­ons of the men of the world; they have Riches and Honours, Profits and Pleasures, but they neither have Grace nor Peace, therefore do not envy their happinesse. There is a story of a Romane that was condemned by the Court Martial to dye for break­ing his rank to steal a bunch a grapes; and as he was going to his Execution, his fellow Souldiers laughed at him, and others envyed at him, that he should have grapes and they none: Now, (sayes he) do not envy me for my bunch of grapes, for you would be loath to have them at the rate I must pay for them. (My Brethren) You that are the Children of grace and peace, dont envy at the men of the world, at their Riches, their Comforts, their Pleasures, for I am sure you would be loath to have them at the price they pay for them, for the end of these things are Death.

Thirdly, Don't complain of the worst condition that the providence of God shall cast you into; in this world it may be you shall suffer hard things, but remember, so long as thy soul is secure, never com­plain of hard things. (My Brethren) As God your Father brought you into a state of grace and peace, and thereby secured his love to your souls in Christ, can you complain of hard things? So let the joy of the Lord be your strength; Rejoyce in the Lord al­wayes, and again I say rejoyce, Phil. 4.4.

The second Use is to such as have neither Grace nor Peace: May I not say, I speak to many such? I would I might not; Are not there many that are without Grace, and therefore must needs be with­out [Page 18]Peace? They may have the worlds Peace, but they have none of this Peace; let me beg of you to get out of this gracelesse condition; if you love your Souls don't live one day, nor one hour, nor one moment longer in a gracelesse state. Oh that you would believe the words of a dying man, for so I am to you, and such words use to be remembred. Oh remember this as a testimony I leave with you, that the love of Sin, and lack of Grace will run and de­stroy every Soul at last: But you will say, How shall I get a share in this Grace and Peace?

I Answer, First, Break off all your false peace, you can never have true peace with God, when we con­tent our selves with false peace; you will never seek that peace which Christ has purchased for you, while you content your selves with that cursed peace which the Old Man has wrought in you: Oh therefore break off all false peace, which is not the fruit of grace.

Secondly, Labour to see and be convinced of the miserable, and of the naked condition your Souls be in for want of the righteousnesse of Christ for a co­vering, without this Soul thou art miserable, wretch­ed, poor and naked; be convinced also what a mi­serable thing it is to have God our Enemy; God is the Sinners Enemy; its a featfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God: Oh be convinced of thy nakednesse, without Christs righteousnesse, and thy emptinesse without his fullnesse.

Thirdly, Labour to go out of your selves to Christ, for grace and peace, surely in the Lord shall one say, I have righteousnesse and strength, I there its to be found. Labour for a thirsty frame of Soul, for the [Page 19]promises run farr to such, that he will fill the hungry with good things. Go to Christ soul, begg, pray, ne­ver leave God till he hath given thee an interest in Christ, for none can come to me except the father draw him; there is no pardon for the least sin our of Christ, but there is a pardon for the greatest sin in Christ, one sin will damn the soul out of Christ, but no sin can hurt the soul in Christ. Oh go to Christ soul, never give rest to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy lidds, till thou hast made peace with God in the bloud of Christ, one sting of the fiery Serpent was mortal, without look­ing upon the brazen Serpent. So one sin will damn a soul out of Christ, but no sin can damn a soul in Christ.

Thirdly, To such as have grace, but no sense of peace, this is the counsell I would leave with all such, Be much in the exercise of grace, frame much, believe much, use grace much, for the exercise and improving of grace will produce peace: There are ten duties which are to be the sphere of grace in activity▪ and in performing of them, we shall have peace; First, make Religion your businesse, the main design of your lives, be Christians to purpose, be not only Christi­ans by the bye, but let your conversations be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Phil. 1.27.

Secondly, Put forth renewed Acts of Faith on Christ every day, and remember its as much your duty to believe in Christ to day, as if you had never believed before. Oh live by Faith every day, and this will bring peace to you.

Thirdly, Maintain a constant communion with God daily, this communion with God is mans chief good; the happinesse of a Child is in communion [Page 20]with his Father, and the happinesse of a Wife is in communion with her Husband, and this is the hap­pinesse of a Believers soul, communion with God the Father, through Christ our Head and Husband: The seed of peace, its true, it is sown in the Soul in Union, but then if takes root downward, and brings forth fruit upward: Spiritual peace will never be obtained, if communion with God be not maintain­ed; that gives comfort in the midst of all sorrows, and satifies all doubts, and recompences all wants. Lo this is the fruit of communion with God.

Fourthly, Be good at all times, but of all be best in bad times; many Christians lose their peace, by re­mitting of their grace, and let loose their reines of Re­ligion, to avoid the censures of a crooked generation. A Christians zeal should be like the Winter fire, that burns the hottest when the Aire is coolest; or like the Lilly, that looketh beautifull though among Thorns, so should a Child of God though among Sinners.

Fifthly, In all conditions, chuse Suffering rather then Sinning; If ever you would have Peace, chose Suffering rather then Sinning; he that values Peace with God, or Peace with Conscience, he must make this his choyce: thus Daniel rather chosed to be cast to Lions, then to lose the Peace of his Consci­ence; the three Children chose rather to burn in the Furnace, then to bow to the Image: One said, He would rather go to Hell free from sin, then to live in Heaven with guilt on his Conscience. (My Brethren) let me a little inlarge, because suffering may overtake us, for Persecution is the genius of the Gospel, there­fore let me leave four short Rules with you concern­ing sufferings.

See that your Cause be good, your Call be clear your Spirit meek, and your End right. Suffering can­not bring out peace without either of them, but with them all our sufferings shall be peace.

First, Let your cause be good, its not the bloud, but the Cause that makes a Martyr; its not for every cause a Christian should engage to suffer: every cause will no more bear suffering, then every little stream will bear a ship; nor will Christ let go sweetnesse to every suffering, 1 Pet. 4.15. Let none of you suffer as a Murderer, or as a Thief, or as an Evil doer, or as a bu­sie body in other mens matters. To suffer this is neither Christian-like, nor comfortable. Some suffer rather as Malefactors, then as Christs Martyrs.

Secondly, Let your call be clear; its not amisse to have a good cause without a call: Some may suffer for the cause of God, and yet sin in suffering, for want of a call. Christ calls not all to suffer: to some it is given, to others it is not. If thy call be clear, thy peace will be sweet, though thy sufferings be never so great. But you will say, How shall I know when I am called to suffer?

I Answer First, when Truth suffers by our silence, then are we called to suffer.

Secondly, when our lives will be the denyal of Christ, then are we called to deny our lives for Christ.

Thirdly, when sin and suffering surrounds us that we cannot get out, but we must either run through sin or sufferings, then I may safely conclude that Christ cal­leth me to suffer, and in this cause we may expect the peace and sweetness of his presence.

Thirdly, the third Direction for suffering is this: our Spirit must be meek, so was Christ, he went as a Lamb to the slaughter.

Its possible a man may be right in his cause, and yet sinfull in his carriage; and if so, no wonder if Christ be not sweet to us. To be fierce, and raging, and re­viling in suffering, its not becomming humanity, and therefore much less like Christianity. A Christian should be like Christ, Acts 5.41. And they departed from the presence of the Council, rejoycing that they were connted worthy to suffer shame for his name. It becomes those that are found in the Spirit, to give blessing for cursing; the more of Christs spirit is in us in our suf­ferings, the more comfort and joy we shall receive from our sufferings.

Fourthly, See that your end in suffering be right, if it be self, or singular, or schism, then Christ cannot be sweet to thee. Some have died that their ends live. Socrates died in the defence of the truth, and to prove that there is but one God, but whether he di­ed for honour, applause, or for Gods sake, I think it is no hard thing to determin. But let thy cause be good, thy Call clear, thy Spirit meek, and thy end right, and then you shall have peace in all your suffe­rings, that is the 5th thing. Choose suffering rather then sinning.

Sixthly, If you would have peace, be much in studying of the Scriptures: for as God is the God of peace, and Christ is the Prince of peace, so the Gos­pel is the Gospel of peace, which God hath given thee to lead thee into the wayes of peace. Great peace have they that love thy lawes.

Seventhly, Take heed of Apostacy, either in do­ctrin or principles. Though a beleever is freed from Apostacy in the state of grace, yet he is not freed from Apostacy in the degrees of grace. He may fall sin­fully, [Page 23]though he cannot fall finally. Demas fell by one, St. Peter by the other. Pray with David, Psalm 17.5. Hold up my goings in thy path, that my footsteps slip not.

Eightly, Make the word of God your rule in all things, be sure you have a Scripture warrant for all your practises. But especially keep close to Scripture in matters of Gods worship.

There are endlesse discourses about the Mode of Gods Worship; I have no disputing time. It is good in difficult cases, all wayes to take the surest side, (for instance) if I follow the Traditions of man, for the worship of God, I may sin, but if I keep close to die directions of God in the Scripture, I am sure I cannot sin, for this is the sure word of Prophe­cy, to which you do well to take heed, therefore in such a doubtfull case, Gods will is, that we take the surest side; go to the Law and to the Testament; Labour to be fruitfull and grounded Christians.

Ninthly, Keep up the power of godlinesse, do not let Religion down into a lifelesse formality: The righteous shall flourish like a Palm tree: He shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon, those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God, Psal. 92.12, 13. My Brethren, it is as much a duty in them that have grace, to improve it, as for them that haue no grace, for to get it. If you fit under the daily means, the daily waterings of God, and do not grow; do you think this will be peace in the latter end, sure­ly no (my Brethren) your fruitfullness under the Gospel is of very great concernment. It is unfruit­fullness that makes God lay his Vineyard waste. Its unfruitfullness that procures the forwarding your ac­compt in the day of grace.

Tenthly, observe that excellent rule of the Apo­stle in Phil 4.8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are houest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. And now, my Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of God, that is infinitely able to make you wise to salvation, with this Benediction, which I shall make my Valediction, Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.