NINETEENTH DAY.-MORNING. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengence is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord,' Rom. xii. 19. REVENGE upon others for injuries received, however selfish and shocking, is yet natural to all. All savage tribes delight in it, and even in heathen nations boasting of a measure of civilization, it is a matter of course. What is the origin of a great number of wars which have desolated the earth, but revenge between individuals and nations? What is the principle upon which the finest epic poem of antiquity is constructed and still admired, but revenge? Even in countries professing Christianity, what is a more frequent cause of murder by duelling, than revenge for affronts real or imaginary? And how are such tempers spoken of? Are they lamented or condemned by worldly society? No; they are baptized with fine names. They are called gallantry and spirit, and a proper sense of one's own dignity. Indeed nothing can better proclaim the generally vindictive disposition of man, than the wonder with which Christian forbearance and meekness in the midst of provocations are regarded; it seems as if on no account were these to be looked for. Now in utter opposition to the revengeful spirit of man and of the world, the scriptures imperatively require long-suffering and kindness to the injurious. This is not, as many imagine, peculiar to the New Testament. Though harsh and vindictive deeds are recorded in the Old, yet they are not approved. The earlier as well as the latter dispensation requires us to love our neighbours as ourselves; and even in regard to the matter of revenge, it is expressly said in Lev., Thou shalt not avenge nor have any grudge against the children of thy people, but love thy neighbour as thyself.' Indeed this is the demand both of the law of God and the gospel of Christ. It is one of their peculiarities. Very various are the reasons why Christians should comply with the call. They are not required to do so from the impulse of mere good nature and instinctive sweetness of temper. These properties do not belong to all, and many cases of provocation will occur which are too strong for them. We must have something universally binding, and always adequate to the end in view. This is supplied in the words before us. A reason is assigned why Christians should not give way to revenge, but rather yield to the injurious wrath of others, because God is the avenger of all such. It is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.' The injured may fear that the offender will escape, and as he deserves punishment they may But no; God will take care that he shall not judge that therefore it becomes them to interfere. escape, but shall meet with a suitable retribution. It is solemnly declared by God, and with all certainty, I will repay:' and He is the best judge of the punishment which is due. Men are very imperfect judges of the character and circumstances of others offending against them; they cannot estimate well their temperament and provocation-their education and temptations: the tendency almost always is, under felt injury, to exaggerated views and undue severity. Now God is free from all this. He is a stranger to passion, while he is intimately acquainted with the character of the oppressor, and can make suitable allowance. In these circumstances, for men, and, above all, Christians, to take up the sword of revenge is equivalent to saying that they do not believe God is able or willing to act the part of a righteous avenger, and therefore it is necessary for them to supplement the deficiency. What sentiment can be more unworthy and daring! Were not retribution in a special manner, and justly, the prerogative of God, there might be room for man taking vengeance; but seeing that such is His declared character and office, nothing can be more inappropriate and incongruous than man's intermeddling. There are, however, many other scriptural reasons for meek forbearance. We do not speak of the pain of a vindictive state of mind-how it is in its own nature often more bitter and agonizing than the most severe injury which man can inflict upon his neighbour; that it is the spirit of fiends and devils; we allude to the motive for forgiving others their offences against us, founded upon God's previous forgiveness of us, the sins which we have committed against him. This is by far the most powerful, because tender and affecting argument, against revenge. The idea is brought out both in the Lord's prayer which Christians are taught daily to use, and in the parable of the creditors. Nor is it omitted among the apostolic exhortations. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.' In asking this, we ask and expect forgiveness for ourselves, no farther than we forgive our fellow-men. If we are vindictive the prayer becomes reversed in our mouths, and we pray. Forgive us not our debts, as we forgive not our debtors.' What a fearful supplication! yet in such circumstances it is just and real. does not condemn the man who owed five hundred pence, and who, when freely discharged, proceeded to harrass his neighbour for a debt of Who dove, that I might flee away and be at rest. But it is his lot, at present, to struggle with the elements of irritation and war. This is partly the slender sanctification. It is also partly the discipline of God's providence towards his church and people, for the trial and improvement of their graces. fifty; and yet is not this the position of the vindictive Christian in reference to God? He believes that his debt of five hundred pence is freely forgiven, and yet he will not forgive his fellow-result of his own imperfect attainments, and his sinner offending against him the minor fifty. Surely of all motives the most persuasive to induce us to be long-suffering and forgiving, is to remember (when we are believers) that though deserving of nothing but destruction, we have been gratuitously pardoned our many highly aggravated and most provoking offences; and shall we not with equal freedom forgive the injuries and offences of our fellow-men? Shall we not rather be subdued by the grace of God and be forgiving to others, because we believe, on good grounds, that God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us? Nothing can be more incongruous than for Christians to be revengeful. It not only assimilates them to Indian savages; it is a practical absurdity. A vindictive believer is a contradiction in terms. He is like a Christian thief. Let all Christians then put revenge far from them. Let them rather bear evil than inflict it, and let them do good to those who injure them. The duty may be difficult, impossible to nature, but it is not impracticable to grace; the Lord Jesus and his apostles exemplified it, the Saviour on the cross prayed for his murderers, and the apostles spake not one word of evil of Judas the traitor, the disgrace of their company. A suitable vindication of injured character and rights, by constitutional means, is not indeed unlawful. There is scriptural authority for it. But even to this, Christians will have sparing recourse, and only where imperatively required. In this world the Christian is to triumph chiefly by the meek endurance of wrong. He shall have his reward in another form, and amply, in the world to come. NINETEENTH DAY.-EVENING. 2. The language of the exhortation implies that it is a great duty to cultivate a peaceable temper. Christians are counselled to live peaceably, and that with all men without exception, notwithstanding the provocation with which they may be assailed. This is represented, not merely as desirable, a pleasant thing for ourselves, and beneficial to others, conducive to good neighbourhood and the credit of religion, but as an imperative duty; 'As much as in you lieth,' says an inspired apostle, 'live peaceably with all men.' This is one of a multitude of practical exhortations, of the highest moment, professedly founded on the great doctrines of peculiar Christianity unfolded in the eleven preceding chapters of the epistle. It clearly teaches what the Christian should be, not merely now and then, but throughout the whole course of his life. Live peaceably. We may as legitimately set at nought any of the other counsels contained in the chapter, such as, 'provide things honestly in the sight of all men,' as disregard the call to live peaceably with all men. The authority and obligation are the same. 3. The exhortation implies that it would be very difficult, in many cases impossible, to live peaceably with all men. 'If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably,' says the apostle; plainly intimating, that however desirous of peace, and peaceably disposed, it would not be possible, in every case, to maintain this spirit and conduct. And why? Because some men are so unreasonable in their demands and expectations, and so fretful and irritable in their tempers that they will not allow others to live peaceably with them. 'If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live This applies to not a few who make a profession peaceably with all men,' Rom. xii. 18. 1. THESE words imply that there would be frequent occasions of discord in the Christian world. Why, otherwise, are believers exhorted to live peaceably? The Christian, however much at peace with God, and in his own mind, must lay his account with discord and war among his fellow-men-it may be his fellow-Christians. There is no uninterrupted peace for him in this world. He may long for it, but at present it is unattainable. His language may be at one with the wish of the psalmist, O that I had the wings of a of religion. And it is well known, that even among true Christians, temper naturally bad is the last part of the man which is subdued by divine grace. Let us rejoice to think that it is at length subdued, and that grace can often dwell in a house where the best tempered Christian could not dwell. But there is another reason why uniform peace is unattainable in this world, and that is, that a regard to moral and religious principle often forbids it. The men of the world are great advocates of peace, especially in religion. They seem to think that the sum and substance of it consists in peace-that it must come before then, is it that the friends of Christ should every thing else. And, according to their notions be eminent for the peacefulness of their tempers and conduct. How can they otherwise expect that the gospel, which is so dear to them, is to meet with common fairness or acceptance at the hands of the world. The demand on the part of the world may be extravagant, but there is no help for it; it should be an irresistible argument on the part of the Christian as much as lieth in him to live peaceably with all men. of religion, this is not wonderful. There is nothing religious, which in point of truth, or observance, they would think so important as to be superior to peace. Hence they could easily sacrifice all to peace and expect others to do the same. But this is not the spirit of true religion. On the contrary, the word of God represents many things as superior to peace, and requires us to seek them first. Principle must come before peace. Hence the exhortation, to live peaceably with all men is not absolute. It has its limits; and these are, that the peace must ever be consistent with principle and a good conscience. This accords with the apostle's own example. Nothing was more desirable, or imperative, than that there should be perfect unity and peace between the followers of Christ, more especially his leading apostles in primitive times, and yet Paul withstood Peter to the face, and so created a serious variance. It was, however, because Peter was to be blamed. TWENTIETH DAY.-MORNING. 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you,' Matt. v. 44. ONE would have thought that as the true Christian is amiable in himself, a most peaceful member of society, a true friend of civil and religious liberty, an unwearied benefactor of mankind, so that of all men he would have been most beloved, and that no one would ever have dreamed of inflicting upon him an injury; but the fact is widely different, there is no class of men who in every age have been more hated and opposed, ridiculed and oppressed. Criminals have been treated more kindly than Christians. How changed would be the aspect of the world if the apostolic counsel were universally regarded, and all professed Christians made it their study, as much as possible, to live peaceably with all men! Though no more positive blessings were secured; though the simple absence of disturbance and strife was obtained, yet what a vast accession would thus be made to the general It is interesting to inquire, since the way in happiness; and what a foundation would be which Christians are treated by the men of laid for farther progress! Might we not hope world in every age is so provoking, what is the that those happy days would return of which it is manner in which they are to treat the world in said, 'Then had the churches rest throughout all return? Are they to be irritated, and retaliate Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified; with hatred and bitterness? Are they to cherish and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the revenge, and, where they have the power, lift comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.' How the hand of violence? This is no more than many evils and bitter vexatious feelings would what the world deserves, and what, in similar be escaped! and what recommendations would circumstances, it would receive from its own be afforded in behalf of our holy faith! There party. But the followers of Christ are to be as are many motives to this course. Peace is lovely opposite to the world in their conduct toward in itself; God is eminently the God of peace; others, as they are opposite in general religious and blessed are the peace-makers, and peace- principle. They are to love their enemies, bless maintainers. But a chief reason is the strong, those who curse them, do good to those who the erroneous views of peace entertained by the hate them, and pray for those who despitefully men of the world. They make a man's peace-use and persecute them. As the leading forms ableness the test of the reality of his religion. in which men injure Christians are here specified, They expect an amount of peace from a Christian which they do not demand from others. In this they may be going too far. They may be putting peace out of its proper place, and allowing it to usurp the throne of principle, but such is their judgment. They may be insensible to other things about Christianity, but they are fully alive to its peaceful character. How doubly important, so the leading forms in which they are to bless them in return are also described, that there may be no evasion, no shrinking from the duty on the score of ignorance. And how amazing are the spirit and conduct which Christ at once recommends and enjoins! We may safely say they are original. They never entered into the mind of man. They form decisive proof of the divinity of the religion of Jesus. Even infidels, who have been indifferent to a thousand other proofs, have been struck with this, and have admired the Christian doctrine of the love of enemies, while they have admired nothing else in Christianity. It is indeed wonderful. If even among the Jews, those of old time said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy,' much more did the ancient heathen philosophers and moralists maintain the same doctrine. Governed by the selfishness of revenge, they never dreamed that it was possible to love enemies, or that those who hated them should be regarded with any other feeling than hatred in return. It was reserved for the gospel to teach the love of enemies, and it is the more remarkable that a morality so pure, benevolent, and lofty, should have appeared among a people so narrow-minded and addicted to dissension as the Jews. Plainly the discovery was not their own. What our blessed Lord enjoined on others, he practised himself. Had he not loved his enemies he would not have died for them, and offered salvation first of all to his Jerusalem murderers. We know that from the cross he prayed for those who despitefully used and persecuted him, by saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' And Stephen and the primitive confessors, and the Christian martyrs in every land since their day, have all breathed their Master's spirit and followed his example. They have in the most impressive form proved that they loved their enemies, and have thereby sometimes melted the enemies themselves with tenderness. ing the principle of loving enemies. Every sun which shines, and every shower which descends, shows forth the divine long-suffering and forgiveness. Were it not that God loves his enemies, would he feed and clothe and sustain them with a thousand bounties from generation to generation? No. And what should be the great object of Christians? should it not be to resemble their heavenly Father? Can they have a higher aim? Besides, is it not their privilege as well as duty to be fellow-workers with God and with his Son? And can they be so, if they cherish cold neutrality, and, much more, enmity and revenge toward those who may have maltreated and injured them? What would be the effect were all Christians to act on their professed principles? The world would not lose its enmity. Perhaps as it was in the days of the Saviour's personal manifestation, that enmity would be more fiercely drawn out. But multitudes would be convinced that there is a reality in religion, who now doubt, and would feel that they were inexcusable in continuing in sin. The martyr's prayers for the forgiveness of his persecutors, breathed forth from the stake, have often been the first means of awakening that conviction of soul which issues in salvation. TWENTIETH DAY.-EVENING. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righte ousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,' Matt. v. 10. ON first reading the words, 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake,' we are ready to exclaim rather, 'How unhappy the case of those who are persecuted at all, and much more for their very goodness! How sad their condition! Blessed be God! we are not among As only a divine Being could give such exhortations as those before us, so, on the part of men, they can be fulfilled only by divine grace and power. They are obviously beyond the reach of nature, of philosophy, or philanthropy. They take for granted a previous change of heart; in other words, regeneration, and the action of some such powerful motive as a previous personal and gratuitous forgiveness from God-the motive that we should love and pardon our enemies, because God has pardoned and loved us who were His enemies. A distinct motive is expressly specified by the Saviour. Christians are enjoined to love their enemies, so that they may be the children of their Father who is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.' Here the example of God the Father is adduced. Little as men may be aware of it, He is daily and hourly as the God of nature and the God of providence, practically illustrat-blessed. the number.' After, indeed, the days of suffering are over, and the halo of martyrdom irradiates their names, we can understand how they may be accounted happy, and almost wish we were enrolled in their company, but scripture says, 'Blessed are those which are persecuted.' They shall not merely be happy in the future, they are happy now in the very hour of their suffering. How strange. But so it is-only the persecution must be for righteousness' sake. It must not be for bad temper's sake, or pride, or ambition, or politics' sake. There is no blessedness promised in these cases; but where Christians are persecuted for righteousness' sake, they are 1. They are blessed in this world. Suffering on | ever, is not all. It is but a small part of their the grounds on which they suffer, their persecution happiness. is a plain proof that they belong to the family of Christ. This is a source of great satisfaction. Whatever doubts they may once have entertained about their state, they can question no longer that they belong to the faithful, and shall share in their honour. The best of all tests that an evangelical cause is the cause of Christ, is the hatred and persecution of the world. Next, sufferers for righteousness' sake are blessed inasmuch as they are specially sustained throughout their sufferings, are made happy under them, are enabled to exemplify the highest virtues, and can not unfrequently rejoice and triumph in the hour of violent death. The experience of suffering saints, as recorded in scripture, attests this. How glad was the Psalmist in the presence of his enemies. An apostle could say, that Christians take joyfully the spoiling of their goods. We rejoice in tribulation. Though accounted as sheep for the slaughter, we are in all these things made more than conquerors, through him who hath loved us.' How happy was Stephen when his face was irradiated with angelic brightness, and he saw into heaven, and beheld his Master standing at the right hand of God; and yet at this moment his enemies were stoning him to death! How happy were Paul and Silas, when they sung psalms of praise so fervently in the prison, that the other prisoners heard them! How often have the martyrs, in subsequent times, declared, in the midst of the flames which were consuming them, that they felt no pain, so joyful were their souls in communion with their King! How did Guthrie, the Scottish martyr, declare, that he never enjoyed sweeter fellowship with God than immediately after his sentence, thrust aside amid a profane soldiery, he overheard his judges determining where the different parts of his body were to be stuck up in his native land. Ah! how often would their persecutors, in the hour of their death, have been glad to have exchanged places and feelings with those whom they slew for the testimony of Jesus. Nor are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake only blessed in life, and at the hour of death, their memory is blessed, they are held in everlasting remembrance; their persecutors are forgotten. Who now knows any thing of them, except their cruelties—perhaps their miserable deaths. But it is otherwise with the faithful-the scenes of their sufferings are marked, and all the details, after the lapse of centuries, are carefully remembered and transmitted from father to son, and often spoken of with fond veneration. This, how 2. Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake are blessed hereafter. It is added, ‘for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' The Saviour also says to his disciples: 'Great is your reward in heaven.' We can, at present, form no idea of the purity and extent of their bliss. Of this only we may be sure, that the first moment of heaven will make them completely and for ever forget all their past pain, except by contrast to add to their joy. A very striking picture of their happiness, in heaven, was presented to the eye of the prophet John. He was introduced to heaven, and saw a prodigious multitude of the redeemed, from all countries, clothed in white, and holding palms of victory in their hands, standing before the throne of the Lamb and crying, 'Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. He was asked by an Elder, who acted as interpreter, who those were who were arrayed in white, and from whence they came, and on being unable himself to tell, he was informed, 'These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.' Amid all the sights of splendour of heaven this was the most splendid. John did not know any of the glorious throng, so surpassing was their glory; and yet Stephen was there, and Peter, and Paul, and his own brother James. This was the company of the martyrs, and what was their happiness? It is described in the words which follow, 'Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat, for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.' No happiness can be conceived more glorious. And it is unending. Most true, then, is the Redeemer's declaration and promise to the sufferers for righteousness' sake. Let us rejoice, that in every age, even the darkest and most corrupt, Christ has raised up many willing, yea, glad to suffer for his sake. Let us rejoice in their testimony, and warmly prize it. Though slandered as rebels and seditious; let us cherish their memory. At the same time, let us, be jealous of ourselves, and remember that, like the unbelieving Jews, it is a possible thing to admire the martyrs at a distance, and to garnish their tombs, while we have no real sympathy with the principles for which they con |