honorable to be a peace-maker. It is, indeed, a painful and difficult task; for a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. But if the work of reconciliation be painful and difficult, the greater honor will redound to him when it is effected. Do not, then, abandon the attempt for a few hard sayings. Those who enter into the contest usually receive a few hard blows from both sides. But never mind that; pray, and try again. Let the saying of our Lord, Blessed are the peace-makers, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, weigh more with you than a little temporary difficulty and discouragement. Having begun the good work, persevere in it, notwithstanding all the discouragements you may meet with from the obstinacy of those whom you attempt to reconcile. If you succeed in making peace, think what delight it will afford you. The fruit of righteousness is soun in peace of them that make peace. It is not possible to engage much in such labors of love, without having our own souls refreshed and comforted with the heavenly employment. The sacred oil which you pour on the heads of others, will regale you with its odors; and the dews of divine grace, which, through your instrumentality, descend on others, shall enrich and fertilize your own souls.

9. If you would maintain the peace of the church, you must not countenance tale-bearers. Persons who make it their business, and feel it their delight, to go about telling secrets, to the disadvantage of their brethren, deserve the deepest marks of censure. Has a difficulty arisen between you and a friend? Mark the man, who, by his insinuations and innuendoes, would make the breach wider, and shun him. There are, indeed, cases in which, in our own vindications, we are compelled to speak to the disadvantage of others; but to blacken the character of another unnecessarily, and intentionally to widen the breach between friends, it is to be infernally wicked. If blessed are the peace-makers, cursed are those peacebreakers, and peace-preventers, who stir up strife and prolong contention. It may not be always expedient to shut our doors against such disturbers of the peace and harmony of society, but we can and ought to shut our ears against the tales they bring; and if we do this, we shall deprive them of their excitement and highest gratification. Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out; so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. After the fire of strife is once kindled, the tale-receiver, and the tale-bearer are the principal agents in perpetuating the flame. They are both criminal; for if none received the slander in the first instance, it could not be propagated. Hence our proverb, The receiver is as bad as the thief. If you, then, would not encourage tale-bearing in others, you must neither give countenance to it by lending a listening ear, or by engaging in the practice yourself. If you hear one speak ill of another, do not go and tell him, unless, indeed, it affect his moral character and the cause of religion, and then you must

exercise prudence and discretion in the case. If you, as a church, would preserve peace among yourselves, you must cautiously guard against the propagation of evil reports respecting each other.

10. Once more: it will be of the utmost importance, in securing the happiness and prosperity of the church, to cultivate a forgiving disposition. Without the exercise of this heavenly temper, we cannot expect to live long in peace. There is a very mistaken notion of honor existing among men, as if it lay in not yielding, but in resenting an injury; but true honor consists in the very reverse. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. Our own interest requires this, for in some things we shall need the forgiveness of our brethren; and, what is of the greater consequence still, we all need the divine forgiveness. But Christ assured his disciples, If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses. As we, then, hope to receive forgiveness from God, we should exercise a forgiving spirit towards others. God declares, He shall have judgment without mercy, who hath shewed no mercy. If, then, you at any time receive an injury, instead of meditating revenge, say, "Now has my God given me an opportunity of recommending religion, and of glorifying his name: now has he called me to display the excellency of his gospel, and the efficacy of his grace." Such conduct would serve as an evidence to our own minds, that we are the Lord's, and would constrain others also to acknowledge that God is with us of a truth. Such a noble example could not fail of producing the most happy effect in allaying feelings of asperity, and of exciting a spirit of love and admiration.

III. Having explained the exhortation contained in the text, I shall now proceed, in the third place, to enforce it.

1. Consider how great a blessing peace is-how invaluable to all who possess it. Calmness, tranquillity, and serenity of mind, are the richest blessings which heaven ever bestowed upon mortal man; these alone render life desirable, and sweeten all its enjoyments. Indeed, without peace of mind, what are all the bounties of providence? what are all the good things of the present life? A man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses? for, without peace of mind, in the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits.

All are agreed in esteeming inward tranquillity of mind the richest of blessings, and earnestly desire to possess it; but the generality of mankind are lamentably mistaken with respect to the means by which it is to be obtained. Some hope to find it by dissipating all thoughts of the eternal world; some by silencing all the convictions of their consciences; some by abounding in the external duties of religion; and others by healing their wounds slightly, and saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. But true peace can only be obtained from Jesus, the Prince of peace. He has shed his blood to purchase this peace for lost and sinful men; and has

left it to them as his best legacy, saying, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. But though this peace is the gift of Christ, we must seek it in the use of those means he has appointed. We must humble ourselves before him for the multitude of our offences, and turn from our transgressions with an abhorrence against all sin. We must trust in Jesus alone with our whole hearts if we would obtain this peace; and when he has spoken peace to our souls, we must never again turn to folly. Then we shall have that peace which passeth all understanding, and enjoy it always, in life, in death, and forever.

But the importance of peace to the church is, also invaluable. No church can prosper, for any length of time, in a state of discord. When the harmony of a church is interrupted, and party feuds arise, the energies of the body are wasted in a conflict worse than useless, and the confidence of the members are destroyed in each other. In such a conflict nothing is gained, but all is lost. The members of a church can never sacrifice too much to secure peace, unless they should be called upon to sacrifice some essential principle of Christianity; this they could not consistently do; but it would be far better, under such circumstances, to peaceably withdraw from the church than to remain in contention. It is the interest of all the members of the church to forget, as far as possible, their individual concerns, and to conspire for the general good; all using such means as are the most proper and suitable for its accomplishment. Is forbearance requisite ? or friendly rebukes? or even the amputation of an offending member? Every one should be ready to do his part, whatever it may be, and thus, by his individual exertion, promote to the utmost the peace and welfare of the body. As no means should be left untried for the extinction of flames that threatened the destruction of a city, so should none be omitted, that may secure from injury the union and happiness of the body; for, surely, the most desirable of all blessings to any society whatever, and above all to the church of Christ, is peace. Let the members of the church therefore follow after the things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Let all of us, then, look to the Lord of peace himself, that, by the influence of his grace, these holy dispositions may be wrought within us; and that, through the mighty working of his Spirit, we may every one of us supply our part towards the compacting together all the members, in order that the whole body may be edified in love.

2. Consider that this peace was the purchase of the blood of Christ. When man revolted from the allegiance of heaven, he became an enemy to God by wicked works; his passions were not only disordered, but his affections alienated from the Father of mercies, and he consequently lost his peace of mind, and became unreconciled to all within and around him; there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God. Now, one of the great ends for which Jesus Christ came into the world, and for which he suffered and

died, was to restore to guilty man this forfeited peace, by slaying the enmity of his heart and reconciling him to his God. Hence, says the prophet, the chastisement of our peace was upon him. And to the same effect is the declaration of the Apostle Paul, It pleased the Father, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself. But now in Christ Jesus ye, who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our Peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God, in one body, by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby; and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. This peace which Christ purchased with his blood, he bequeathed as his last legacy, when he ascended on high, to all of his followers; Peace I leave with you, my peace give I unto you. Since, then, this peace has been purchased by Christ at the expense of his precious blood, and given as a legacy to his followers, surely it becomes them to cultivate and cherish it; and he can be no true disciple who cherishes a spirit of strife, and kindles up the fires of contention among his brethren. If a blessing is pronounced upon the peace-maker, surely a curse. must rest upon him who blows the coals of strife and excites a fierce war of contention in the church of the living God, where nought but peace and harmony should reign. Such a man defeats the great end for which Christ came into the world, and for which he also suffered and died, and is unworthy the Christian name.

DISCOURSE XXVII.

The Vision of the Olive-trees.

"Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick, and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive-branches, which through the two golden pipes, empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then said he, These are the two annointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."-Zechariah iv., 11-14.

VISIONS, under the Old Testament dispensation, were like parables under the New: they gave a shadowy representation of some important truths. They are frequently very obsure; yet, there is almost invariably, a clue given us, by which we may discover their real import; and not unfrequently, an explanation of them is given by God himself. As in the parables, there will be sometimes

found circumstances, the precise drift of which, is not easy to be explained; but an attention to the main scope of the whole, will keep us from ever deviating far from the true interpretation.

The vision which we are about to consider, is certainly not very obvious at the first sight; and it requires to be investigated with diligence and great sobriety of mind. But, when it is truly and properly understood, it will richly repay the care we have used in the investigation of this intricate subject. The prophet's solicitude to understand it, shows the propriety of inquiring into it with care and attention.

I. In speaking from this subject, we shall, in the first place, explain the import of the vision. Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick, and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive-branches, which through the two golden pipes, empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me, and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

The great scope of this vision is declared by God himself. The prophet Zechariah, was commissioned to encourage Zerubbable and Joshua to proceed with the rebuilding of the temple, which had been long neglected. The Jews, who had returned from Babylon, were poor and feeble; whilst their adversaries were numerous and powerful. Hence, they despaired of accomplishing, under such unfavorable circumstances, so great a work. But in this vision, they are taught to look to God for direction and support, and who, if they confided in him and obeyed his word, would crown their labors with success. With the all sustaining and supporting arm of Jehovah on their side, they needed neither to regret the want of power in themselves, nor to dread the existence of it in their adversaries, since he was Almighty and all-sufficient for them. This was the construction which the prophet himself was taught to put upon the vision: Knowest thou not what these be? said the angel to him, And I said, No, my Lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbable, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of host. That is, Zerubbable was not to rebuild the temple by his own energy, or by the authority of others, but by the authority, energy, and power, of the Most High, as displayed in that wonderful providence which superintended all their operations. In this way shall the temple be built, in this way shall my church be raised and preserved. No secular arm, no human prudence, no legal power, shall ever be used for the founding, extension, or preservation of my church. It is by spiritual means, and by spiritual means only, that this great work is to be accomplished.

The particular parts of this vision will be found to illustrate this great truth with much beauty and exactness. In the second and