operation of all the faculties of the mind in the Divine service, which is the native result of these; and, finally, there is an agreement of mind and heart with all the wise and good part of the creation, so that the peace here mentioned is peace with God, peace with ourselves, and peace with all the innocent and restored creatures of God 2. How is it Christ's peace? The second question is, How is this peace Christ's peace? It has often been said, Because he procures it by his atonement, reveals it in his word, bestows it by his Spirit. This is all true; but I rather think, with Jonathan Edwards, that our Lord's idea is, that the peace he bestows is substantially the same as what he himself enjoys. He is in a state of the most perfect amity with God. He enjoys the most perfect inward tranquillity, all the principles of his nature are in complete unison, and he is of one mind and heart with all the wise and holy throughout the universe. "The peace here described," as the great divine referred to remarks, "is a participation of the peace which their glorious Lord and Master himself enjoys by virtue of the same blood by which Christ himself entered into rest. It is a participation of the same justification, for believers are justified with Christ. He was justified when he rose from the dead, and as he was made free from our guilt which he had as our surety, so believers are justified in him and through him, as being accepted of God in the same righteousness. It is in the favor of the same God and heavenly Father, that they enjoy peace. 'I ascend to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your God.' It is in a partici pation of the same Spirit, that they, as believers, have the peace of Christ. "He had that Spirit given him without measure, and 'out of his fulness do they all receive, and grace for grace." It is the oil of gladness shed on the head of the mystical body, that refreshes and delights all the members. It is as partakers of Jesus Christ, that believers enjoy this peace." § 3. How is this peace a legacy? The third question, Why is this peace represented as a legacy. a gift?" Peace I leave with you, or to you; my peace I give to you,"-is easily answered. As to the first point, It is a legacy, for it could become ours only through our Lord's death. He made peace through the blood of his cross. Our Lord goes, but he leaves behind a perfect accepted atonement-transgression finished-sin taken away-reconciliation for iniquity fully madeeverlasting righteousness brought in-all this left as his legacy, becoming ours through his death. He was "delivered for our offences, raised again for our justification." "Being then justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus 2 John i. 15. Christ." Without his atoning death these blessings never could have been ours. "A testament has force after men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth." And as to the second point, it is a gift, not bestowed as a reward for work done, an equivalent for a price paid by us. It is "the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." By grace are we saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God." 113 994 § 4. How is it given ?—not as the world giveth. It now only remains that we propose the question, What is meant by our Lord's leaving this legacy, giving this gift, "not as the world giveth." "Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. It has been common to suppose, that the contrast here is between the peace which Christ leaves as a legacy-gives as a gift to his people, with the peace which the world gives, or professes to give, to her favorites; and it has been justly said, "all the peace that the world can give is, at the best, but superficial and external. It is not heart-peace; while, on the other hand, Christ's peace is profound and spiritual, reaching to the deepest springs of feeling, and in the heart, as its peculiar sphere, laying to rest all turbulence, saying, Peace, be still. The peace which the world bestows is uncertain and inconstant; Christ's peace is solid, stable, and immutable. The peace which the world gives is scared by death, and extinguished in eternity. The Saviour's peace converts death into a messenger of joy, and eternity into a scene of boundless blessedness and glory. The world often promises far more than it can bestow; but the promises of Jesus are not merely realized, but far outdone, in the accomplishment." All this is truth,—important, most important, truth; but the contrast seems to us to be, not so much between the peace Christ gives, and the peace the world gives, or pretends to give, as between the legacy and gift of our Lord, and the legacies and gifts of the world generally. The world's legacies and gifts are like itself. They consist in its own riches, or honors, or pleasures. How far inferior are those to our Saviour's legacy and gift!— Peace—including favor and fellowship with God,-peace of 3 Rom. v. 21. Eph. ii. 8. 4 "Verum quidem est quod observarunt viri docti, mundum sæpe mentiri quum dat pacem, mundum sæpe aggredi quantum non potest præstare, cum dat pacem, etiam quum non mentitur sed serio agit. Nam mundus vel fallax est, vel inops consilii et virium; itaque qui nituntur mundo non consulunt sibi, nituntur enim eo quod vel decipit fraude vel deficit imbecillitate virium. Hæc quidem verissima sunt et altius infigenda animo. Sed aliud tamen videtur voluisse Christus, atque inspicienti propius locum liquebit hanc fuisse Christi mentem, nempe, mundus dat pacem ut amoliatur res adversas carni: Christus non ita dat pacem, sed pax Christi tum demum viget, quum rebus secundum carnem adversis non premimur modo, sed penè opprimimur. Conferatur cum hoc loco cap. iv. ad Philip., vers. 6 et 7, et res erit manifesta."-CAMERO. "Kaluç ó Kóσμos didwoir. Sæpe satis lubricam, fallacem, insidiosam, periculosam, et damnosam."-ERAS. SCHMID. 5 Brown Patterson. conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost,-a composed, tranquil mind, and a heart filled to an overflow with ennobling love and triumphant hope. Surely, silver shall not be weighed for the price of such a gift or legacy as this. "It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it; and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for its price is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold." Ask him who has felt his need of the gift of this peace, and, in the faith of the truth, has obtained possession of it, as Christ's legacy, ask him how he estimates it? We have his answer in the words of the Christian poet: ""Tis heaven, all heaven, descending on the wings There is a difference in the manner, as well as in the substance, The Might not our Lord, then, well add, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither be afraid?" Why should he be troubledwhy should he be afraid-who is secured of such a legacy-enriched by such a gift? Such a person needs only to believe the truth, and "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding," must keep his heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Well may he, however exposed to affliction, say and sing, "The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." "I shall not be moved. My heart is glad; my glory rejoiceth; my flesh, also, shall rest in hope.' 119 It is an important question, which demands the immediate and urgent attention of all of us: Have we received the Saviour's gift? Do we enjoy the Saviour's legacy? Have we peace? And, Have we his peace? Alas! how many are strangers to peace! Alas! how many are the dupes, soon to be the victims, of a false peace! There can be no safe peace in sin. There can be no real abiding peace from the world. True peace is to be found only in Christ. "He is our peace,' "He is our peace," the procurer--the 6 Job xxviii. 16-19. 7 “Mundus ita dat, ut mox eripiat : non relinquit.”—Bengel 8 Isa. xxxii. 17; xlv. 17. 10 Eph. ii. 14. 9 Psal. xvi. 6-11. bestower-the perfecter of our peace. It is to be found by all who really seek it,-seek it in the appointed way; by all who are disposed to receive it, receive it in the appointed way. Come to him in the faith of the truth respecting him, and you will assuredly obtain peace-rest to your souls. Jehovah will proclaim to you, 'I was angry with you, but now I comfort you; I am pacified towards you for all the iniquity which you have done; and being at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, He, as "the God of peace, will give you peace always, by all means.' "His peace will keep your heart and mind." He will "keep you in perfect peace," keeping your mind stayed on him; and though "in the world ye should have tribulation, in him ye shall have peace." He will make all things contribute to your welfare; "even in the floods of great waters he will preserve you from trouble, and in due time compass you about with songs of deliverance;" and, meanwhile, "He will deliver you in six troubles; yea, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death; and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hid from the scourge of the tongue; neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it cometh. At destruction and famine you shall laugh; neither shall you be afraid of the beasts of the field. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee." "And your latter end shall be peace.' You shall not be driven away; you will go in peace. Your body shall rest in the grave in hope; and your spirits enter into the peace of paradise." Your peace will not be interrupted, but confirmed and perfected by the fearful convulsions which shall put an end to the present order of things. "The issue of all," as President Edwards says, "will be your arrival, soul and body, in heaven, that land of rest,-that region of everlasting joy, where your peace and happiness shall be perfect, without the least mixture of trouble or affliction; and never be interrupted, world without end." Such peace is to be found in Christ-to be found in Christ by all who will but gladly and gratefully receive it in the faith of the truth. It is to be found only in him-not in sin, not in ourselves,-not in the world. It is to be found now. may not be found to-morrow; nay, it may not be found next hour; for to-morrow-next hour-may find you in eternity; and he who has not found peace in Christ here, will never find peace, even in him, there." 11 Isa. xii. 1. 7711 Ezek. xvi. 63. 2 Thess. iii. 16. Phil. iv. 7. Isa. xxvi. 3. Psal. xxxii. 6, 7. Job v. 19-24. Psal. xxxvii. 37. 12 This seems the natural close of the discourse-the Farewell. But our Lord appears loathe to leave his disciples, especially to leave them so sad. There are two or three places in these discourses where you would expect the close, but he still goes on. His kind heart would not allow him to part with them thus. It puts us in mind of the exquisitely beautiful lines of the Roman poet: "Ter limen tetigi, ter sum revocatus, et ipse XIV. CHRIST'S RETURN TO HIS FATHER A FIT REASON, NOT FOR JOHN XIV. 27, 28.-"Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." แ THERE is no form of benevolent exertion more needed among mankind in the present state, than the administration of suitable and effectual comfort. Our world is so full of dangers and accidents, bereavements and sufferings, naturally producing fear and anxiety, anguish and sorrow, that he who would do much good in it, must seek to be, like Job, one that comforteth the mourners." To the formation of this character, and to the right discharge of its duties, wisdom as well as kindness, a clear head as well as a tender heart, is absolutely necessary. He needs "the tongue of the learned "the wise, instructed, experienced tongue,—who would speak with effect "a word in season to him who is weary:" for it is no easy matter to allay fears, and soothe anxieties; to tranquillize the disturbed mind, and to comfort the sorrowful heart. Stirred from its depths, the tide of feeling is not easily stemmed. The billows of grief are scarcely more controllable than the waves of the ocean. There is but one voice that can with effect say to either amid their agitation,-' Peace, be still.' Even in the very subordinate part man can act in comforting the mourner, both the faculties of his mind and the feelings of his heart find full occupation. The topics of consolation must be skilfully selected, and cautiously, as well as kindly and powerfully, urged. The waywardness of the mourner, hardening himself in sorrow, and refusing to be comforted-finding additional reasons for his grief, it may be, in the very considerations employed to assuage it,-must be patiently borne with. Yes; the hurt mind, the broken, bleeding heart, needs dexterous as well as tender handling. The attention must be again, and again, and again, turned towards the sources of consolation; and whatever is fitted to alleviate the burden, or support under it, must be presented in the form in which the enfeebled distempered sufferer is most likely to be induced to make use of it. "Precept" must be "upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." Without paying attention to these things, the comforter, however well-intentioned, is not likely to gain his benevolent object; and, indeed, is in danger of deepening the impression he meant to efface-aggra vating the disease he meant to cure. Our Lord Jesus, who can be touched with human infirmities, having been "in all things tried like his brethren," aas, in this 1 Isa. xxviii. 10. |