And the work of righteousness shall be peace
Not works of righteousness done by men, no, not by the best of
men; for though peace may be had and enjoyed in doing them, yet
it does not arise and flow from thence, because there is no
justification by them, and salvation through them, without which
there can be no true solid peace; nor the work of righteousness
in men, which is their sanctification, and is indeed the work of
God, and follows upon the pouring forth of his Spirit, and
therefore bids fairer to be the sense than the former; yet peace
is one part and branch of the work itself; see ( Romans 14:17
) but the work of righteousness wrought out for man is rather
meant, even the righteousness of Christ, a work proposed unto
him, which he undertook, and has wrought out, and which was a
work, and lay in working, and was a very toilsome and laborious
one; the consequence of which is "peace", inward peace of soul
now, and eternal peace hereafter; the righteousness of Christ
applied removes the guilt of sin from the conscience, it being
perfect justifies from all things, and yields a tranquillity and
serenity of mind, which is had in a way of believing, in this
righteousness now, and it will issue in everlasting peace and
rest in the world to come; the end of the perfect and upright
man, who is perfectly justified by Christ's righteousness, is
peace, ( Psalms 37:37
) : and the effect of righteousness, quietness and
assurance for ever;
or, F17 "the service of righteousness"; the
same as before, with the "work of righteousness": a service which
Christ performed, as a servant, in obedience to the law, in the
room and stead of his people; a service perfectly and completely
done, and what is well pleasing unto God; and which, when a
sensible sinner sees its interest in, produces "quietness" of
soul, under the mighty hand of God, amidst all the calamities in
the world, and judgments upon men, under the load of calumny and
reproach cast upon him, and notwithstanding all the charges and
accusations of Satan: moreover, this also gives "assurance for
ever", of interest in divine things, in the love of God, and
relation to him as a Father, in Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer,
and in the glorious inheritance which this gives a title to; or a
holy confidence and boldness at the throne of grace now, having
this righteousness to make mention of as a justifying one, and
also hereafter, before the throne of judgment, this being what
will answer for him in a time to come.
F17 (hqduh tdbew) "et cultus justitiae", V. L. Montanus; "labor, seu operatio", Piscator, Cocceius.