SERMON I.

LUKE II. 14.

On earth, peace.

THE hymn of the angels who announced to the shepherds the birth of Jesus, appears probably to most persons, at the first glance, to require no explanation. That the religion of Jesus Christ is calculated to promote not only God's glory, but also universal peace and mutual good-will among mankind, and that the wars and strifes which have prevailed in the world are inconsistent with the spirit of the religion (which is undoubtedly a true description of it), may appear, at first sight, to be all that was intended to be conveyed in the angelic annunciation.

But on a more attentive consideration of the passage, in connexion with other parts of Scrip ture, you will see that it must have meant

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something beyond this; for you will observe that the angels were not recommending peace, but proclaiming it. They are not exhorting men, but praising God. Their language is not that of our Lord, when He said, "Blessed are the peace-makers;" or of the Apostle Paul, when he exhorted Christians to "live peaceably with all men:" the words of the heavenly Host are not a precept or a persuasive to peace, but an announcement of it, as a part of the "Gospel (or good-tidings) of great joy," which they were commissioned to bring.

And yet not only does sad experience teach us that universal " peace on earth," even between Christians, has not ensued; but Jesus Christ foretold that no such result would ensue ; nay, and that his own religion would be made an occasion of discord. "Think ye," said He, "that I am come to send peace on earth? I tell you, Nay, but rather division." And again, "I am come to send fire on the earth" and He goes on to foretell that not only persecutions awaited his followers, on account of their religion, but that it would itself lead to dissension even among friends, and that a "man's foes should be those

of his own household." Not, of course, that Christianity is to be regarded as properly the cause of that strife of which it furnished the occasion; for we know that not only other religions have occasioned the most bitter animosities, but political, and even philosophical, factions have, from time to time, served to kindle into a blaze all the contentious fury, and all the persecuting cruelty, of which the sparks are contained in the breast of the natural

man.

But the remarkable circumstance, in reference to the subject now before us, is, that the promulgation of Christianity, though it was not the cause and beginning of all this, did not put an end to it; and that the Author of our faith foresaw and foretold this.

His doing so (it may be remarked by the way), is among the many proofs of his prophetic power, and of the truth of his Gospel. He who taught the most pacific and beneficent religion," who did no violence," and forbad his disciples to use any, yet foresaw, what no enthusiast could have foreseen,-and foretold, what no impostor would have been willing to

foretell, that his religion would expose his followers to persecution, and would be made an occasion of strife.

But still it remains to be explained how all this is to be reconciled, not only with the proclamation of peace by the angels, but also with many other parts of Scripture which speak the same language.

The promised Messiah was described prophetically under the title of "the Prince of Peace:""Peace I leave with you," is his own declaration to his disciples; Peter describes the gospel-dispensation by the expression of preaching peace by Jesus Christ;" and Paul calls it "the Gospel of Peace;" with many other like expressions.

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Now how, it may be asked, can we reconcile these two things; on the one hand, the strife and hostile contention which have not only continued to prevail in the world, but which were even prophesied by our Lord Jesus Christ; and, on the other hand, the descriptions given of

the Gospel of Peace," and the proclamation of it made by the angels.

The truth is, that what they proclaimed was,