The Savior's Legacy.
"Peace I leave with you." Our Savior here means peace with God, and peace with our own conscience. Peace with God—for He "hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ," and now there is "peace on earth," and "good will towards men." Christ has put our sins away, and therefore there is a virtual substantial peace established between God and our souls. This, however, might exist without our clearly understanding and rejoicing in it. Christ has, therefore, given this further witness—peace in the conscience. Peace with God is the treaty: peace with conscience is the publication of it. Peace with God is the fountain, and peace with conscience is the crystal stream which issues from it. There is a peace decreed in the court of divine justice in heaven; and then there follows as a necessary consequence, as soon as the news is known, a peace in the minor court of human judgment, wherein conscience sits upon the throne to judge us according to our works. The legacy, then, of Christ is a twofold peace; a peace of friendship, of agreement, of love, of everlasting union between the elect and God; and a peace of sweet enjoyment, of quiet rest to the understanding and the conscience. When there are no winds above, there will be no tempests below: when heaven is serene, earth is quiet. Conscience reflects the complacency of God. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Needless Poverty.
Many a believer lives in the cottage of doubt when he might live in the mansion of faith.
The Sin of Unbelief.
To doubt the lovingkindness of God, is thought by some to be a very small sin; in fact, some have even exalted the doubts and fears of God's people into fruits and graces, and evidences of great advancement in experience. But to doubt the kindness, the faithfulness, and the love of God, is a very heinous offence. That can be no light sin which makes God a liar; and yet unbelief does in effect cast foul and slanderous suspicion upon the veracity of the Holy One of Israel. That can be no small offence which charges the Creator of heaven and earth with perjury; and yet, if I mistrust His oath, and will not believe His promise, sealed with the blood of His own Son, I count the oath of God to be unworthy of my trust; and so I do, in very deed, accuse the King of Heaven as false to His covenant and oath. Besides, unbelief of God is the fountain of innumerable sins. As the black cloud is the source of many rain-drops, so dark unbelief is the parent of many crimes. It is a sin which should be condemned by every believer, should be struggled against, should if possible be subdued, and certainly should be the object of our deep repentance and abhorrence.