very intellect in its deadly grasp? I venture to say, without fear of contradiction, that the mind of a human being of ordinary sensitiveness, never undergoes a more poignant torture than when it yields to the irritation of a moment, and wounds and is wounded in turn, by one whom it has been accustomed to respect and regard! Anger for a while may deaden his sensations; but they soon recover their ancient flow, and then the sting is pointed with the venom of an asp! Alas! how many kind hearts ache-how many eyes shed tears to which they would be strangers, did not the most petty causes of this world's vexation wring them forth! wring them by the hands they love-by means of those, whom most they venerate! What does it signify that we can allege the speedy termination of such wrongs? They are quite as rapid in their return, and the human heart thus gradually rent and hardened, refuses the impress of affection, and at last turns away with cold indifference, if not with rooted dislike!

Ah! be at peace, be at peace, I implore you, my brethren; trifle not with the affections, and "as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men." Be assured that nothing disarms wrath like gentleness; but supercilious looks and bitter language will render the most docile men fierce and intractable.

To considerations of this kind we are exhorted

most cogently, by the example of our Lord. Veiling His divine glory in a cloud of human frailty, in order, as the Apostle says, " to reconcile all things in heaven and earth," He joined God and man by a closer affinity, and men to each other by the sacred bands of a common relationship. He disdained not to obey the laws of humanity, but with unexampled patience bore the perverse dispositions of mankind; strengthening them in their infirmities, overlooking their injuries, and supplying their wants. "He went about," says St. Peter, "doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil;" and St. Matthew relates that "He went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." He despised not the meanest, whether in outward estate, or in spiritual improvement. He invited all to come unto Him; He repelled or discouraged none. He was meek and gentle; courteous and benign. And as the extreme proof of heavenly charity, He laid down His precious life, a ransom for the sins of all ;— whom He bound likewise, as objects of the same mercy, as obliged by the same common debt, and as capable of the same eternal happiness-to new and firmer engagements of mutual benevolence and love. Destroy not," said St. Paul, and with equal reason may be added thereto,

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harm not, vex not, be not unkind to,

whom Christ died."

Besides the express admonitions of our Saviour, we have the example of Almighty God Himself, moving us to universal compassion. Experience and Holy Writ everywhere exhibit Him as loving the human race; as good to all, and tenderly regardful of His children. He ordains the magnificent orb of day to shine, with glorious splendour, alike on the just and on the unjust; He sends the refreshing shower upon the thirsty soil, and bids the earth bring forth her yearly increase, her corn and wine, her fragrant flowers and pleasant fruits. He commands the temperate seasons to return, and the very elements to minister to the necessities of men-even to the most ungrateful and impious. He overpasses long, with marvellous clemency, the sacrilegious affront so constantly offered to His majesty, the outrageous violations of His laws, the contemptuous neglect of His inexpressible goodness! He waits, with exhaustless patience, the conversion of the transgressor-He solicits a reconciliation with unwearied earnestness-He implores the friendship of His most deadly foes-of them whom He can crush to nothing at His pleasure, and who cannot for an instant escape the Might of His avenging arm! Yet, "as though God did beseech you by us:" says St. Paul, "we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." And

in imitation of an example so exalted and glorious, let me press upon you, my brethren, the necessity of being reconciled to one another. It is only by such conduct that we can be reconciled to God. For, remarks our Saviour Himself, "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

True it is, that on some tempers no kindness will make impression. True it is, that no advances to peace will conquer the obstinacy of some dispositions, or allay the malevolence of that pride, which, influenced by satanic fury, laughs at concession, and seems to take deeper pleasure in opposition, the more that its opponent gives way. Our own tempers may be soft, our principles virtuous, and our lives inoffensive, yet may all our endeavours after peace be successless, and we may be hated, injured, and disquieted, for the rest of our existence. Examples of this truth every man's experience will furnish; and Scripture abundantly corroborates the fact. Moses, the meekest man, save One, that ever lived; adorned beside by every circumstance of Divine favour and of human worth, was frequently envied and molested by those upon whom his benefits had been most bounteously heaped. Nor did David, the King and Prophet,

receive for his generous attempts, other recompense than grievous reproaches and insults. "Woe is me," he exclaims, "that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.' And our Lord, who evidenced through every portion of His life the most astonishing meekness and sweetness of disposition; who exercised incessantly all kinds of beneficence towards the human race, was, nevertheless, overwhelmed with injuries, was intensely hated and disgraced, ignominiously and malignantly persecuted into the grave. His faithful disciples, likewise, experienced the same melancholy treatment. The objects of their arduous endeavours were, at all times, charitable and generous. Their conduct was as blameless and as conciliating, as circumstances permitted them to evince; and yet they were unintermittingly pursued by the outrageous clamours of the people, and by cruel inflictions from those in power. Therefore St. Paul, in the text, observes-" If it be possible, live peaceably with all men;" knowing that sometimes it was most difficult, and often not to be achieved. Strange and almost incredible as such proceedings may appear, they are yet to be accounted for, by the various contrarieties of men's tastes and tempers-by the moroseness of some-by the aptness to mistake, by the envy and unreasonable perverseness of