XV. SERMON You will then cease to break the peace of society with your angry contentions. You will show that magnanimity which belongs to those who depend not for their happiness merely on the occurrences of the world. He that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city*. LET us now consider the different consequences of a contentious spirit, and of a peaceable disposition, with respect to our happiness and enjoyment. The foundation of happiness must certainly be laid within our breasts. If one be pained and uneasy there, external circumstances, how flourishing soever, avail him nothing: And what feelings are more uneasy and painful than the workings of sour and angry passions? Great and manifold as the natural and unavoidable distresses of our present state are, they are small in comparison of the evils which men bring upon themselves, and bring upon one another, by variance and discord. I speak not now of public calamities, of faction and ambition • Prov. xvi. 32. XV. raging through the world, and hostile SERMON armies laying waste the earth with desolation and bloodshed. Confining our views. solely to private life, how miserably is all its comfort and order destroyed by those jealousies, feuds, and animosities, that so often break the peace of families, tear asunder the bonds of friendship, and poison all that social intercourse which men were formed to entertain with one another? From a small chink, which some rude hand has opened, the bitter waters of strife easily flow. But of this we may be assured, that a full portion of their bitterness shall be tasted by him who has let them forth. Never was any man active in disquieting others, who did not at the same time disquiet himself. While the tempest which he has raised may be bursting on his neighbour, he will be obliged to feel the hurricane raging in his own breast; and from his restlessness, impatience, and eagerness, joined with anxious trepidations and fears, will often suffer more than all that he can inflict on his adversary. From such painful sensations the man of peace is free, A mild, unruffled, self-pos sessing SERMON sessing mind is a blessing more important AV. to real felicity, than all that can be gained by the triumphant issue of some violent contest. Never was a truer axiom pronounced by any mouth, than what was uttered by the wise man of old; Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith *. With a scanty provision of the good things of this world, a wise man may be contented and happy; but without peace, all the luxuries of the rich lose their relish. While among the sons of strife all is tempestuous and loud; the smooth stream, the serene atmosphere, the mild zephyr, are the proper emblems of a gentle temper, and a peaceable life. Nor is this merely a poetical allusion. The ordinary language of discourse, where the terms are so often employed of a storm of passion, a calm mind, a rough or a fiery temper, plainly show that all men are sensible of some analogy between a peaceable disposition, and those. scenes of external nature that are universally agreeable and pleasant. The condition of those who are living in unity *Prov. xv. 17. XV with their brethren, is likened by the SERMON psalmist David to the dew of Hermon; the dew that descended on the mountains of Zion, where the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore *. While the man of this disposition is happy within himself, let it not be forgotten, that he is at the same time gaining on all around him. From the quarrelsome and rude, all men naturally recoil; and, except when necessity obliges them, avoid their intercourse. But the lover of peace conciliates general good-will; and is both respected and beloved. Though no absolute security can be devised against the malice and injustice of the world, yet, for the most part, it will be found that there is no more effectual guard against violence, no surer road to a safe enjoyment of life, than an established character for benignity and regard to peace. The man of this character, if unjustly attacked, will have many to defend him and take his part. In his prosperity he will be unenvied, and his misfortunes will be alleviated by general sympathy. *Psalm cxxxiii, 3. LET SERMON LET US consider, in the last place, how strongly the precept in the text is enforced by the most sacred religious obligations. You all know what a high place, charity, under all its forms of meekness, forbearance, and forgiveness, possesses in the Christian system. To bring authorities in support of this, were to recite a great part of the New Testament before you. The God whom we worship, is known by the title of the God of Peace. That evil spirit who is opposite to him, is described with all the characters which express malignity; the Enemy, the the accuser, the liar, the destroyer. When Christ came into the world as our Saviour, he is styled the Prince of Peace. The blessings which were proclaimed at his birth were, peace upon earth and goodwill towards men. The whole of his life was one continued exemplification of all the virtues that characterise the meek, the peaceable and forgiving spirit. Never was any one's temper tried by so many and so great provocations; never did any one retain under these provocations such a calm and unruffled tenour of mind; insomuch that the Apostle Paul, on an occasion of |