. PEACE. "The Lord is near; have no anxiety, but in everything make your requests known to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Then the peace (1) of God, which is beyond our utmost understanding, will keep guard over your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6,7 NEB).
ENDEAVOUR TO HAVE A CALM SPIRIT. 'We should all endeavour and labour for a calmer spirit, that we may the better serve God in praying to Him and praising Him; and serve one another in love, that we may be fitted to do and receive good; that we may make our passage to heaven more easy and cheerful, without drooping and hanging the wing. So much as we are quiet and cheerful upon good ground, so much we live, and are, as it were, in heaven.' (R. Sibbes). 'The subjection of the will is accomplished by calmly resigning yourself up in everything that internally or externally vexes you; for it is thus only that the soul is prepared for the reception of Divine influences. Prepare the heart like clean paper, and the Divine Wisdom will imprint on it characters to His own liking.' (M. Molinos).
SUBMISSION TO GOD LEADS TO PEACE. 'We sleep in peace in the arms of God, when we yield ourselves up to His providence, in a delightful consciousness of His tender mercies; no more restless uncertainties, no more anxious desires, no more impatience at the place we are in; for it is God who has put us there, and who holds us in His arms. Can we be unsafe where He has placed us?' (Fénelon). "May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in all ways. The Lord be with you all." (2 Thess 3:16 NEB).
THE RESULT OF SELF-WILL.
'Study to follow His Will in all, to have no
will but His. This is your duty, and your wisdom. Nothing is gained by spurning
and struggling but to hurt and vex yourself; but by complying all is gained 'This deliverance of the soul from all useless and selfish and unquiet cares, brings to it an unspeakable peace and freedom; this is true simplicity. The state of entire resignation and perpetual acquiescence produces true liberty; and this liberty produces perfect simplicity. The soul which knows no self-seeking, no interested ends, is thoroughly candid; it goes straight forward without hindrance; its path opens daily more and more to 'perfect day', in proportion as its self-renunciation and its self-forgetfulness increase.' (Fénelon). "But the wisdom from above is in the first place pure; and then peace-loving, considerate, and open to reason; it is straightforward and sincere, rich in mercy and in the kindly deeds that are its fruit. True justice is the harvest reaped by peacemakers from seeds sown in a spirit of peace." (James 3:17,18 NEB). "…let us continue at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have been allowed to enter the sphere of God's grace, where we now stand." (From Rom 5:1,2 NEB).
HOW TO BE AT PEACE WITH GOD. "Be humble always and gentle, and patient too. Be forbearing with one another and charitable. Spare no effort to make fast with bonds of peace the unity which the Spirit gives." (Eph 4:2,3 NEB). "So, then, let us pursue the things making for peace and the things that are upbuilding to one another." (Rom 14:19). "…agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." (2 Cor 13:11 NEB). "Happy are the peaceable, since they will be called 'sons of God.'" (Matt 5:9).
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