rince to his coronation, or a happy bride to
her marriage day. A sense of forgiveness lays the sick head on a
pillow softer than downs; lightens sorrow's heaviest burdens; makes
poverty rich beyond the wealth of banks; spoils death of his sting;
arms the child of God against the ills of life; and, lifting him up
above its trials, makes him like some lofty mountain, at whose feet
the lake may be lashed into foaming billows, and adown whose seamed
and rugged sides clouds may fall in gloomy folds, but whose head,
shooting up into the calm blue heavens, reposes in unbroken peace,
rejoices in perpetual sunshine.

Happy such as obtain a firm hold of Christ, and, having made their
calling and election sure, enjoy unclouded peace! Feeling that there
is now no more condemnation for them, because they believe in Jesus,
and walk not after the flesh but after the spirit, they see a change
come on objects such as imparts pleasure and surprise in what are
called dissolving views. Where death, with grim and grisly aspect,
stood by the mouth of an open grave, shaking his fatal dart, we see an
angel form opening with one hand the gate of heaven, and holding in
the other a shining crown--from the face of God we see the features
of an angry, stern, inexorable judge melt all away, and in room of an
object of terror we behold the face and form of a kind, loving,
forgiving Father, with open arms hastening to embrace us. The God of
hope give you joy and peace in believing, is the prayer of the
apostle--a prayer in many cases so fully answered that the dying saint
has been borne away from all his earthly moorings; and, ready to part
from wife and children, has exclaimed with Simeon when he held the
infant Saviour in his joyful arms, "Now, Lord, lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

"Be at peace among yourselves," is a blessed injunction which an
apostle lays on families, on friends, and on churches. In happy
contrast to the storm which, hurtling through the troubled air, and
shaking doors and windows, goes raving round every corner of the
house, let peace reign on the domestic hearth, and also within the
church, when, like the ark of old, she drifts on the billows of a
shoreless sea--God only at the helm.

It is good to be at peace with our brethren, but to be at peace with
one's-self is better. At peace with conscience, one can afford, if God
will have it so, to be at war with all men. It is pai