siast who would insist upon a compliance with it. Such, most unquestionably, are mistaken, and the mistake is an important one. If they die in it, they will lie down in eternal sorrow. A contentious spirit, after death, will go to its own place. What was said of the Bible is true of this distinctive feature of it: the chief objection against it is a bad heart. The precept lies, with all its solemn weight, upon every conscience. To every one, God says, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. III. We urge some motives to induce obedience to this precept. Among many which might be adduced, we select the following, in the hope that a duty so important, involving so many interests, securing so many blessings, may be observed by all.

1. Our own peace will be secured. We cannot violate a law of our nature without suffering its penalty. We are so constituted, that contentions renders us unhappy. We are made for peace. The universal disposition, since the apostasy, to strife, shows how entirely sin has transformed man-what a revolution in our nature has been effected by the fall. If selfishness has been termed the essence of sin, it is without doubt the cause of sorrow. A condition of peace is one of comparative happiness. What so desirable in this world as friends? and he that would have friends must show himself friendly. There is no person, however obscure or weak, however dependent or poor, whose good-will is not worth possessing. Even Doeg, who was overlooked by David as worthy of a thought, a personification of meanness and jealousy, did him no small injury. A regard to our own comfort and safety should lead us to live peaceably with all men.

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2. A regard for the welfare of others should induce us to cultivate a spirit of peace.

We are required to do good to all men. We cannot injure them more than to provoke them to anger. An injury disturbs the temper, and stirs up wrong feeling. The first promptings of unsanctified nature are to return the injury. This will only inflame the aggressor, and, in turn, an additional amount of enmity is felt; and thus deep-seated opposition is cherished, embittering future life, while the injury perhaps originated in inadvertence or thoughtlessness.

If we habitually cherish kind feelings, we shall never provoke others. Men put a favorable construction upon the conduct of those who have gained a character for benevolence. Words or actions which cause regret are usually provoked. How can we do others more injury than to throw them off their guard; to irritate them, either by insinuation or reproach? Even Moses, so distinguished for meekness, was led to speak unadvisedly, for which he suffered more than for all the other acts of his life.. We do not know what a fire we may be kindling, which may consume our own peace, and that of many others, by breaking the bond of peace. Oh, let us avoid the very appearance of evil!

3. A desire to be useful should lead us to obey this precept. A

family, or neighbourhood, or church, disturbed, precludes all hope of doing good. In proportion to the elevation of the station we occupy is the obligation to serve our day and generation. Life is short, our friends and acquaintances are passing away; we cannot, therefore, afford to spend any part of our brief stay in this world in contention. This consideration influenced the Apostle Paul. He says to the Corinthians; Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. Having exhorted them to give no offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God, he adds, Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Days of contention will have an end; the evils of strife must be reviewed. How will it plant our dying pillow with thorns, to remember our ill-feelings, to think of the injury we have done to others, how much we have abridged their usefulness. It shed a light around the feet of Samuel, the prophet and judge of Israel, as he was about to enter the valley of death, to reflect how he had studied to promote the spiritual and temporal good of the people. He was a He was a man of peace and justice; he had been a blessing in his day and generation. Blessed are the peace-makers,

said Christ.

Usefulness is best promoted in the midst of tranquillity. The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. It is not sown amidst the noisy disputation and virulent invectives of angry and contending parties.

My brethren, if we would be more extensively useful, and, dying, would leave a reputation better than precious ointment, let us cultivate a peaceable spirit, and aim to promote a good understanding among all men.

4. The intrinsic excellence and divine beauty of peace should stimulate us to live peaceably with all men.

Behold, how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard; that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. This delightful psalm, in the spirit of it, will be sung in heaven. As the dew that fell upon the sacred mountain, reviving the face of nature, and diffusing the freshness of health through the vegetable kingdom, so is the spirit of peace in this world of conflict. It spreads a charm over the face of society, fills the hearts of all men with joy, and assimilates earth to heaven.

5. The genius of Christianity leads to an observance of this precept.

The grand characteristic of the gospel is peace. The great object of worship is the God of peace. The Mediator is the Prince of peace. The Sanctifier is the Spirit of peace. The

object of Christ's mission was to restore peace between God and man. Reconciliation is the burden of our embassy. "Peace on earth and good-will to man" was the substance of the song sung by angels when they announced the coming of Christ. The tendency of the gospel is to promote peace. What then more befitting the disciple of Jesus than a life of peace? A contentious spirit is a denial of the Lord that bought us; it is contrary to the whole system of grace revealed in the gospel. The true representation of a follower of Christ would be a person with a light in one hand to dispel the darkness of sin, and an olive-branch in the other, showing that his object is peace.

6. The example of Christ and his apostles is another reason why we should seek peace and pursue it.

We are commanded to walk worthy of our vocation; to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. This feature of Christ's character we are particularly required to imitate. For even hereunto were ye called, says Peter, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. While he was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, he was at the same time meek and gentle; when reviled, he reviled not again; he prayed for his murderers; what could he have done more to promote peace on earth?

The apostles followed in his steps; and they urge us to imitate them in this respect. Walk so as ye have us for an ensample. How can we expect to be associated with them in the kingdom of heaven, if we have not their spirit.

FINALLY. Obedience to this precept is connected with a hope of eternal blessedness.

They who are contentious, and obey not the truth, are represented as in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity; while those who live peaceably with all men from a right motive, are included in the blessings of grace. Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. Heaven is a place of perfect peace, because it is a place of perfect purity. To inherit the promises, we must become meet for the inheritance here; we must cultivate the spirit of Christ, and be at peace with all

men.

How desirable the condition of a family, a neighbourhood, a church, a community, in perfect harmony, each one happy in himself, and happy in all around him! Nothing but sin, in the form of selfishness, prevents such a state. We are told that there

was war in heaven, but the evil spirit was at once and for ever banished. The millennium, which is described as resembling heaven, will be a period when knowledge will abound, and all the world will be at peace. Glorious period!

Brethren, what manner of spirit do we possess? Have we the meekness of Christ? Do we consider this precept as binding upon us? Do we strive to overcome our pride and self-will? Have any of us been so long under the influence of selfishness,

that we have lost the power of self-control, and are at the mercy of every provocation? We may think it a light matter to violate this law of Christ, but present and future punishment will teach us otherwise.

Peace is the best blessing of heaven; let us seek after it with all our hearts. God hath called you to peace. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

SERMON DLV.

BY REV. THOMAS M. CLARK, D.D.,

RECTOR OF CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD, CONN.

LEGAL AND GOSPEL SYSTEMS COMPARED.

"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of the flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.-ROMANS viii. 3, 4.

The text may be thus paraphrased: For what the moral law could not do, that is to free man from sin and condemnation,— because it was inefficacious, in consequence of the power of sin, -God did, by sending his Son, who took upon himself the likeness of sinful flesh, or the nature of man, and for sin, (literally, by a sacrifice for sin,) condemned sin in the flesh,-condemned it by his death, showed it to be abhorrent to God, condemned it, in that he subdued it, destroyed it. And this was done, that the righteousness required by the law might be made attainable by us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Three things are here declared: 1st. That the law cannot free us from the power or the guilt of sin; 2dly. That, to meet this exigency, God clothed his own Son with the form of humanity, and, through his sacrifice, the dominion of sin was destroyed; and 3dly. That in virtue of this sacrifice, believers, or those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, are restored to the favor of God.

Nominal Christians all agree that man is in a state of sin, and consequently at alienation from God.

They all agree, that so long as he remains in this condition of alienation, he is in the way to ruin.

They all agree, that he can be restored to God's favor and to the path of true happiness, only through some change of life and character.

But, from this point, their opinions widely diverge. There are those who assert that the sinner is reconciled to God, simply and solely in virtue of his repentance and consequent good works. The law indeed requires implicit and unbroken obedience, upon pain of the severest penalties; but, in view of man's reformation, God in his sovereignty sets aside the demands of the law. And the purpose for which Christ came into the world was to declare this great fact, that God is ready to restore to his favor all who will repent and turn from their sins; and also to disclose a great system of motive, fitted to lead us to this repentance.

On the other hand, it is the faith of the Church that, while repentance is an indispensable condition of salvation, so far as those are concerned who are capable of repentance, it is not the procuring cause, the ground of our salvation. We believe that Christ came into the world to do that for us, without which God would not have accepted our repentance; and that, had Christ not died, let man have done what he might, the law must inevitably have had its course, and every sinner have been utterly and eternally condemned. And, if we can understand the force of language, this must be the doctrine of the text.

But it is not my present purpose to enter upon the exposition or direct proof of the evangelical system of faith: my design is rather to consider it in its practical and personal bearing. Now it is a very common remark: Inasmuch as all recognise the exist ence of sin and acknowledge its great evil; as all allow the necessity of our being delivered from sin in order to secure the favor of God; as all believe that the truly penitent actually receive forgiveness at his hands; why does it greatly matter what may be our individual opinion as to the ground of our acceptance with God, and as to the precise place which the Saviour holds in the sinner's justification? The practical duties to which we are pointed under both systems are the same; they both teach that only the pure in heart can see God. Is it then vitally important that I should receive, in its full length and breadth, what is called the scheme of grace, the doctrine of salvation through the merits of a crucified Redeemer ? Let us consider this question with candor and seriousness; for a more momentous inquiry was never started.

You will all allow, that, in order to bring any system of motives to bear effectually upon the renewal and sanctification of the sinner, it is, in the first place, indispensable to produce in his mind the conviction of sin. Till this is effected, nothing is effected. We may discourse till the day of doom of the beauty of holiness, of the goodness of God, of the reasonableness of his service, and it will be like pouring water upon the rock, unless we can convince men that they are sinners, and that sin is "that abominable thing which God hateth." And the great cause of the utter inefficacy of mere moral teaching, is to be found in the