True peace

[Elias_Amare]

William Bridge, A Lifting Up For The Downcast, in Works 2:15-16

"True saving peace is the child of grace, and the mother of grace. There is a peace that arises from the apprehension of God's common goodness ; which is common peace. And there is a special peace, that arises from the apprehension of God’s special favour and free grace ; true peace is the daughter of that grace, yet it is the parent of inherent grace, or of gracious actions, I should rather say the nurse, for says the apostle, " The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep (or guard) your minds and hearts," Phil. iv. 7 This saving peace, is a guard unto all our graces. As false peace is a guard to our sins, so true peace is a guard unto all our graces."

"True saving peace, is such a peace as is wrought by faith. "Being justified by faith, we have peace," Rom. xv." The Lord give you peace in believing," says the apostle." It comes in a way of faith : true saving peace is wrought by faith. False peace, is such as is either born with us and was never interrupted, being the offspring of nature only ; or the emanation of a natural conscience, or such as is wrought out by time, time working out one's trouble."

 

[Elias_Amare]

Page. 16
"True saving peace is spoken by God. “I will hear what the Lord will say, for he will speak peace,” says the Psalmist, Psalm Ixxxv. 8. When God speaks peace, he speaks it to a soul under or after temptation. When God speaks peace, he speaks it with a strong hand: giving such peace as no creature in the world is able to give. When God speaks peace, it is a peace beyond all expression; the peace of God that passeth all understanding, it cannot be uttered. Now though a wicked man have peace, and much peace and quiet within, yet God doth not speak it; for it was not spoken to him in or after temptation, it was not spoken by a strong and unresistible hand ; it is such a peace, as may be wrought by time, time working off the trouble; or the pleasures and contentments of the world may beget the like; it is not a peace that is beyond all expression, a peace beyond all understanding, but a low peace, which you may easily express. But now as for you that are godly, that make this objection, and have this fear and scruple in your hearts, I will here appeal unto your own souls ; you know and remember your former trouble ; now ye have peace, and ye have rest within ; I appeal to you, I say, whether yea or no, when ye were in that trouble, suppose I, or another minister, or ten other of your own choosing, suppose a hundred should have come to you with one promise after another, had we been able to have spoken comfort to you? Oh, no ; if the Lord had not spoken comfort to me, it had not been in the power of all the ministers in the world, to have spoken comfort unto my soul, but the Lord certainly hath done it."