(4) Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (5) Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
These Apostolic exhortations, very sweetly, and seasonably follow what Paul had before said, of the names of the Church being written in the book of life. For who but must rejoice, yea, and rejoice alway, when conscious of such an eternal sonship in Christ? Reader! the people of God have reason to blush, when anything for a moment damps their joy, from the trifling events of this dying world. Children, of the King eternal, immortal, invisible, going home to their Father's house; can there be a single affliction, or sorrow, sufficient to induce distress, while these vast thoughts are cherished in the mind? Every moment lessens our abode here, and brings us nearer to our everlasting inheritance. So fast are we hastening on that even since I began the first line, in this observation, I am by so much further on, towards the glorious open view of God in Christ. Is not this enough to make every regenerated child of God rejoice, and to rejoice alway? Is God my Father, who hath chosen me in Christ that I should be holy, and without blame before him in love? Hath he from everlasting predestinated me with the Church to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself? Am I accepted in the Beloved, have redemption in Christ's blood; the forgiveness of all my sins, according to the riches of his grace; regenerated by God the Spirit, and sealed, unto the day of redemption: and shall I cease to rejoice alway; and when God the Holy Ghost by his servant saith also, again I say rejoice? Reader! do you not behold in these things, what an everlasting source, of the most heart-felt rejoicing there is, when the Lord the Spirit hath brought all these things home to the believer's conscience, and formed Christ in the heart the hope of glory? Do you earnestly desire to participate in this joy unspeakable and full of glory? Do then, as the Apostle saith, and look up to God the Holy Ghost to enable you so to do. Be not poring over difficulties, in flesh and blood; but give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. So the Apostle taught the brethren. And, if a brother, so he speaks to you. For if ye do these things, that is, make your calling and election sure, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. See 2 Peter 1:10-11. and Commentary.
How very blessedly the Apostle speaks, of the nearness of the Lord, of the believer's casting all his care upon Jesus, of bringing all before him, of leaving all with him, of besieging the throne and mercy-seat of Jesus unceasingly, both with supplication, and thanksgiving. And, with what a blessed promise, the passage closeth: the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Reader! bear with me, while I remind you again and again, (for I need to be continually reminded myself), that these blessed Scriptures are not Paul's, but the words of God the Holy Ghost. Paul is but the penman of them. It is God the Spirit which endited them; for all scripture is given by inspiration of God. 2 Timothy 3:16. We are too apt to lose sight of this. And when, we do, we forget with it, that the promises in Christ Jesus, are not yea, and nay; but yea, and Amen. 2 Corinthians 1:19-20. The one before us, is on this account, sweet. The peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.