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ken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." And in the fifty-first psalm, *The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." And in the fifty-seventh of Isaiah, +"Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high, and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. and in the sixty-first chapter of the Prophet Isaiah our Saviour is thus foretold :キ "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”

* Psalms, li. 17. † Isaiah, lvii. 15. ‡ Ibid, lxi. 1. 2. 3.

Well may the penitent sinner adopt the hopeful language of the Psalmist: *" Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall, doubtless, come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him." "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." May the Lord grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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* Psalms, xlii. 11. Ibid, cxxvi. 6. ‡ Matt. v. 4.

SERMON XI.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”—JOHN, xiv. 27.

IN those words, our Lord seems to allow that the world has it sometimes in its power to bestow a degree of happiness not unworthy of the name of peace, and at the same time declares that the peace which he gives is of a different nature.

As we are all in search of peace of some kind or other, it may be useful to us to compare these two kinds of peace which are here brought before us. The peace of God, and the peace of the world. We shall first consider the peace of the world; as it is always the first that we seek; and we shall take that view of earthly enjoyment, which the most rational and most devoted friend of the world would point out to us. Let us suppose, an individual possessed of youth, health, and prosperity;

adorned with an amiable disposition, and an unblemished character; surrounded by friends and affectionate relatives; admired and respected by the world, endowed with taste and talent to distinguish and relish all that is beautiful and excellent in nature, blessed with a feeling and generous heart, so as to know and value the luxury of relieving the wants of his fellow-creatures; and having contentment and high spirits to enjoy these abundant blessings without weariness or repining.

Such an individual would undoubtedly possess the highest degree of peace which the world can bestow, and would enjoy no small share of happiness, for it is not to be denied, but that there is a rapturous feeling of enjoyment in the possession of youth, health, and prosperity, in the kindness of affectionate friends, in the exercise of benevolence, and in the gratification of taste and talent. But after all, this peace of the world has one great defect, which it is not in the power of the world to remedy, it is short and uncertain,* "As the morning cloud and the early dew it goeth away." Like Jonah's gourd, it may be a shadow over the head, to deliver us from grief for a while, and the possessor may be

* Hosea, vi. 4. † See prophét Jonah, iv. 6 to 8.

exceeding glad of it, but in a few hours, it is smitten that it withers, and allows the elements to beat upon the head of him who trusted in it, often leaving him to cry out with the prophet, " It is better for to die than to live.” Youth and health soon fly away, death removes our friends and relatives, the admiration of the world ceases, the splendour of intellect becomes dull, and even the warm feelings of benevolence are sometimes blunted by old age. So short and uncertain is the peace of the world-like our life, (which is the longest term it can possibly continue,)* "it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. But let us turn from this fleeting shadow, to a solid and enduring substance, the peace of God. That peace which our Saviour promises to his people, and which he gives not as the world giveth, he gives them peace with God which the world cannot give; +" for the world is at enmity with God." He was foretold as the "prince of peace." At his birth, a multitude of the heavenly host were heard proclaiming §" Glory toGod in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards "For God was in in Christ,

men."

* James, iv. 14. § Luke, ii. 14.

† James, iv. 4. † Isaiah, ix. 6. || 2 Corinthians, v. 19.

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