the peace of God. How is it with you after such confusion? There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most high. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her and that right early. The peace of God like a strong fort will cheer their minds, and cause them to rejoice in the God of their salvation; as a city well supplied, and defended by the King's Life Guards. The fear of the grave, all the darkness of the shadow of death, and all the dark mountains between us and eternity must fly away like the mist of the morning before the glorious beams of the sun of righteousness. If the bright and morning star is risen in your hearts, it will be daylight when you cross over Jordan, which will make you very comfortable and happy to go home to your Father's house above, to see your elder brother and be forever with him. Leck at old Simeon hoisting up his sails yonder, saying, Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. This peace is made between heaven and earth-between God and man and sealed by the blood of the cross.

In order to form any adequate idea of the inestimable value of Peace; we must enter the field of battle, and mark with strict attention, the awful desolation of war. When we witness the number of the dead lying on the ground, and ourselves wading as it were in the blood of our fellow creatures-when we hear the shrieks and dying groans of the wounded;-when we behold the country lying waste;-property destroyed; houses pillaged and burnt,-the women ravaged-and the little children dashed against the walls! We cannot forbear exclaiming-O! what a blessing is peace !

When necessity urges us to witness family turmoils where parents and children, husbands and wives, masters

and servants, bespeak aloud by their very looks, words and actions, confusion and opposition to each other; we retire with more painful feelings, than from a smoky house, and mutter as we go, O! what a blessing is peace!

If duty calls us to attend with that Church where discord, contention, envy, malice, hatred, evil speaking, and pride, put all in confusion ;—we leave the unhallowed spot reiterating the words-how valuable is peace!

But when we think of the sinner who has lived in op. position to the law and service of Jehovah, whose conscience is awakened and looks for relief; but where?If he looks to his past thoughts, words and actions-he is pronounced, Thou art verily guilty. He stands-he listens and hears the solemn sound of the trumpet from Mount Sinai, summoning him to appear. As he approaches he beholds the mountains enveloped in thick darkness, he hears the rolling thunders, he sees the vivid lightnings running along the ground with inconceivable rapidity,-he feels the earth shaking beneath his feet as if ready to swallow him alive to the pit,there he hears the awfully just and irrevocably holy sentence proclaimed from the thick darkness-Cursed is every one, that continueth not to do all the things written in the book of the law. He shudders-he trembles -he looks wild around him. What does he see? Hell opening her fiery mouth ready to swallow him te the gulph of endless misery. He sighs-he cries, Oh! Oh! what? Oh! what shall I do to be saved? A voice whispers in his ears, which reaches his heart, Behold the Lamb of God on Calvary-by the sacrifice of himself, taking away the sin of the world. No sooner he looks by faith to the bleeding Saviour, than he finds all the horrors from without and the worst temptation from within, are hushed to silence—and all is peace ;-peace

with God, peace with conscience through the blood of Jesus. My peace I leave with you says our blessed Redeemer.

When we think of the innumerable changes and vicissitudes of human life. The bereavements, and opposition the poor believer meets in his way through this world, how precious the jewel of peace in his bosom.To be fully persuaded that Jesus who has loved him even unto death, sits at the helm of universal government, who can say when he pleases to the highest storms, and most boisterous waves of affliction and trial: Be still! and they are hushed to silence at his word. But should the voyage of human life be rough and dangerous we have an able pilot to lead us safe to the desired haven. In the darkest dispensations of providence he is taught to trust when he cannot trace the footsteps of his Divine Master. "For thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusted in thee." The true believer may sing with the poet,

Good when he gives-supremely good,
Nor less when he denies;

E'en crosses from his sovereign hand,
Are blessings in disguise.

II. The victory of Christ over the world, the source of comfort and joy to believers. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. The world is one of the three castles that Belial built upon the earth; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. In one of the three temples in these three castles, every one by nature is worshipping. The world has two ways to fight. The one as a lamb, the other as a lion. In its smiles it appears like a lamb to allure the children of men to its den. In its frowns it is like an angry lion, or an exasperated dragon. Its frowns have killed thousands; but its smiles have murdered millions. A certain man laid out a rule that all must take the world as

it is; however there is no human rule without excep tion. Christ the conqueror of the world is an exception here. The prince of the world personally clothed in all the meekness of a lamb, met the Son of God in the wilderness, when he was alone in poverty and distress, being wearied, hungry, and thirsty, and offered him all the kingdoms of the world, for which there have been so much fighting; but Jesus refused the offer, and chose rather to be poor that we might be made rich.— After that the frowns of the world made an attack upon him. There was an attempt made to cast him over the rock, after he preached his first sermon. The archers shot most bitterly against him from the armor box of the world's frowns; as if all hell were let loose, and humanity itself, and all good manners infernalized. His name was cast ont as a man that had a devil; he was falsely sworn against,-spit upon and mocked; but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, that was united to the man Christ Jesus who died on the cross that we might live. Who will convince me of sin? Being tempted in all things, yet without sjn. Jesus is the only one, that went through

In him was no sin.

the world without sin.

This is a glorious victory, that Jesus gained over the world in the greatness of his strength when he rose from the grave the third day. Glorious in his apparel as the head and representative of his people. Though he stood on the lower ground of poverty, yet he conquered the world, the flesh, and the devil. He went through the great forest of temptation, the hiding places of lions, and the mountains of leopards; he left them all gasping for breath, and struggling with the pangs of death. It is true that Alexander the great gained the empire of the world; but he did not live to keep nor enjoy it, death

feeds on him in the grave till the morning of the resur rection. But Jesus died to obtain for himself a glorious and immortal kingdom, and is alive forever more to defend and enjoy it. For he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. He died to gather a testament full of riches, and is alive to confer them to whomsoever he will. He died to reconcile sinners to God; he is alive to deliver them from the wrath to come, by drawing them to himself Jesus is alive to hold in his hand that which he redeemed by his death.

Be of good cheer, all ye that love him, believe in him and trust in him. Christ has conquered all your enemies for you, and he will ultimately conquer all your inward foes; so that you shall be more than conquerors through him who loved you, and hath given himself a ransom for you. In the things his enemies were proud he was above them. Pharoah was proud that Israel was shut up between Piahiroth. and Baalzeppon, the sea before them, and the Egyptian army behind them; but the God of Israel was higher than Pharoah; he could see farther; his arm was stronger and his design was firmer. He said to the children of Israel, stand still. You are not able to raise this rampart, I will do it myself. I will open the sea and lead you through on dry land; and the Egyptians who have drowned so many harmless infants of the Hebrews, shall know by sad experience what it is. to be drowned; yes, all of them, from the King to the last footman,

A servant of Julian the apostate asked one of the martyrs, What is the carpenter, your God, doing now in heaven? He answered, Making a coffin for thy masterJulian soon afterwards was killed by an arrow shot at him by one of the Scythians. The blind deaf, and dumb devils of Judea, with all their pride could not stand before the Son of Mary. The idols of Egypt trembled

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