8. THE PEACE-MAKERS.

We come to the last and highest grace of the Christian, in which he especially resembles God. As in that splendid list of the Redeemer's titles (Isaiah ix. 6.), the last is the Prince of Peace, so in the beautiful list of Christian graces the last character is the peace-makers. The God of peace is a title indeed that our God takes to himself, as especially connected with this work of our salvation. O how wonderful was that love which provided such a propitiation as the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, to put away man's enmity, and that his ministers might everywhere be commissioned to proclaim the word of reconciliation, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. Thus the word which God sends is preaching peace by Jesus Christ. Christ himself also is our peace, healing all divisions between God and man, and Jew and Gentile, having reconciled both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

The Christian becomes a partaker of this Godlike, this Christlike spirit of peace-making. Having peace in his own conscience with God, through the peacemaking blood of the Redeemer, his whole spirit is peaceable. The wisdom which cometh from above is first pure, then peaceable. He follows after things which make for peace. If, in obedience to the divine command, he contends earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, he knows that without it there is no real or lasting peace for man. He speaks the truth in love, not in wrath and bitterness. He meddles not with those who are given to change, but is among

the quiet in the land. So in the church he seeks to give no offence in any thing, lest the gospel should be impeded. He follows the things which makes for peace, joined to the things wherewith one may edify another. Thence he endeavours to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace And thus Christians in their neighbourhood, and in their family, have the same spirit of peace. They depart from evil and do good, they seek peace and pursue it. You see thus joined together in the scriptures truth and love, holiness and peace. Follow peace with all men, and koliness.

Now the most effectual way, in the end, of doing this does not at first sight seem to be the most likely method. While our Saviour is the Prince of peace, and at his birth the angelic song filled the heavens, peace on earth and good will towards men, he sent forth his ministers with the gospel of peace to testify, I came not to send peace but a sword. (Matt. x. 34.) The gospel offends men's prejudices, and everywhere stirs up their enmity, and yet is he who is spreading that gospel a true peace-maker. For the gospel first gives peace to a man's own bosom. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In the free acknowledgment of our guilt in all its aggravations, and free salvation by grace through faith, an ample and solid foundation is laid for peace within. I can see all my sinfulness with all its enormity, and loathe and abhor myself, and only be the more filled with joy and peace in believing, and have my heart enkindled with a holy fire of love to God and man. Hence to such a man there is nothing now to hinder his approach to God. He has even boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of

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Jesus. God and the believer have one mind on sin, on holiness, on righteousness, and on grace. The loving and holy mind of God thus imparted to the believer, he is full of love to others, longing that they should partake of the same peace and joy. Hence he willingly suffers much to promote the diffusion of this heavenly peace; and how joyful is the prospect that in the coming kingdom of Christ, the righteous shall flourish, and there shall be abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. And besides this spiritual peace, the same disposition will be manifest in promoting outward peace, and restoring it when it bas been lost. If it be possible as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men. All mediators indeed, from Jesus downwards, have suffered in making peace; those most blameworthy will be sure to condemn the umpire who decides against them; but to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, to suffer for welldoing, is a real privilege and honour put upon us, as will be soon manifested in the coming day of glory. In the meanwhile the peace-makers shall even here be called the children of God. They are really so. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. It is true this sonship is now unacknowledged by man, therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not; but it is a real fact. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. It is, however, now a spiritual though real blessedness, consisting in likeness to God, heavenly-mindedness, and a hope full of immortality. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.

But this spiritual blessedness will soon be manifested in visible glory. The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. All is now hidden and veiled, all is like the seed under ground, dying and quickening, but covered from the eye of man. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. But it will not be so long. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. The harvest of the church is fast ripening for the heavenly kingdom.

Prayer for Christian graces.

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who seest my darkness, sinfulness, and weakness, and hast appointed a throne of grace where, in this day of salvation, I may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, drawn by thy sweet promises, I come to thee; I come to thee under the sense of my sinfulness and danger, and beseech thee to make me, by thine own effectual teaching, to be poor in spirit, to mourn for sins, and to be meek in heart. Make me, then, by the same gift of thy Spirit, to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to be merciful to others, and pure in heart, and numbered with the peace-makers. And may all those great and gracious promises which thy beloved Son has connected with those graces, thus be granted to me here and for ever.

I ask the same blessings for the whole church of God, and that every where thus thy people may be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. O hear me for the glory of thy great name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

licly, and from house to house, to be testifying repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts xx. 21. He joins together in other places the mention of these two; thus he speaks of repentance unto the acknowledgement of the truth. 2 Tim. ii. 25. Repentance from dead works and faith towards God. Heb. vi. 1. These passages may suffice to shew the special connection between these leading duties, as well as the very important place which they hold in the gospel of Christ.

How great is the goodness of God in giving space for repentance to us sinners, and a way of salvation by faith! Had we been dealt with according to the righteous severity of the law, there would have been no such space, no such way. Its just sentence is, the soul that sinneth it shall die. Repentance and

faith are provisions of grace and mercy for our recovery. They are two parts of the same new nature given us by the Spirit of God, and are both imparted at the same time to the soul truly born of God.

Faith indeed is first requisite, because the word of God being the great means of calling men to repentance, and that word only being profitable as it is believed, I can only repent as I receive God's truth. This is the case with all the varied degrees of repent, ance. But in every step of genuine faith, a step is taken also in repentance.

The earnestness with which God exhorts his ministers to call men to repentance, may well shew us the view in which God regards this duty; Cry aloud; spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sin. Come now, and let us reason together: repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity