is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly Host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men."

FA. Will Edward please to read us the 6th v. of the 9th CH. of Isaiah.

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ED. I can repeat it, father, for I was reading it this morning, and admiring its beauty and sublimity; " For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace."

Mo. Can my dear Anna recollect the benediction, bestowed by the Prince of Peace in his sermon on the Mount, on the peace makers?

AN. "Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God."

FA. Here are three passages out of that precious volume, which is able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. What do they teach us? I think they all set forth, that peace is a striking characteristic of the religion of the Saviour of men. Now will Lucy please to read this extract from Bates's Doctrines.

Lu. Yes, father: "The prophecies of Isaiah, not only denominate the promised Messiah the Prince of Peace' but his government is thus remarkably described. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity, for the meek of the earth and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he destroy the wicked.' Here the protecting providence of God, as exercised over his dependent servants, and particularly over the meek, is brought into view.

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"The prophet goes on to describe the effects of the prevalence of his kingdom. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and the calf and the young lion and the fatling to

gether, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain."

"And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O! house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord.'

"If we apply the forepart of this prophecy to the feelings of men, we shall find a remarkable testimony to the regenerating, renovating power of the gospel, as described by the prophet. The principle of violence and cruelty-the spirit of war as exemplified in the lion, the leopard, and the bear and the deadly serpent, was to be changed-the disposition to do wrong was to be eradicat

ed-the lion eat straw as the ox, and a little child (the emblem of innocence) to lead them."

FA. In these prophecies the divine power and providence are set forth in the first place. And then the peaceable nature of Christ's kingdom is described in a manner so clear as not to be easily misunderstood. Indeed the practice of war, and even the learning of war, were to cease in proportion to the prevalence of the kingdom of the Messiah, or as the mountain of the Lord's house became exalted above the hills. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," said the apostle; and the precepts of our Lord, exemplified in his meek, forgiving, non-resisting spirit, are clearly the precepts "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your father which is in heaven." Was our Saviour amusing his audience with imaginary excellence? Was he enjoining impossibilities? Certainly not ; his own conduct on the cross illustrated his

of peace.

precepts. "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do," was the language of the compassionate Redeemer in the hour of natures extremity. The apostle Peter clearly sets forth the example of Jesus for our imitation. Anna may read the passage; here

it is.

AN. "For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently? But if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who when he was reviled, reviled not again but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."

FA. If then my dear Anna, a follower of Christ ought not to return evil for evil, dost thou think he would be excusable in the Divine sight, if he paid another for breaking a commandment, instead of doing it himself, or even if he voluntarily contributed towards