already come. His faith had peered beyond the centaries intervening before the advent of the Messiah, and had rendered that event very real to him; and now he took by faith a yet wider range of vision, and looked on to the ages followin" the advent, and saw the ever-growing, ever-widening influence and honour the Christ should enjoy, and even beheld this as extending to earth's remotest bounds. Long and weary ages had passed since the prophet of God uttered this prediction ; and we to-day, in the partial fulfilment of h!s words, have every ground of encouragement to- look on to their complete accomplishment. What name is so powerful to inspire within men the holiest emotions, and to move them to devoted consecration, as that of Jesus Christ? He is indeed" great" in the marvellous influence he exerts upon human hearts and lives; and despite all the discouragements which meet us in Christian service, we find this influence widening, and behold cheering signs of the coming· of that bright day in which all the ends of the earth shall see bis salvation~ and the assurance of the angel Gabriel to Mary be fully realized (Luke i. 32, 33). Let us make room for One who comes with such eager gladness to bind up the world's wounds, and to pour into them the balm of his healing love. Let us yield to his holy and heavenly ministerings, and ca.st ourselves upon his loving, gentle ea.re. True happiness and peace shall then be ours. The path of usefulness shall open out before us here1 and in the day of hie complete triumph we shall be sharers with him in his victory, and when his glory shall be revealed we also shall be glad with exceeding joy (1 Pet. iv. 13). Vars. 5, 6.-" The PrinaJ of Peau." Solomon as well as David was a type of Christ; and just as Micah, when he said (ver. 4), "He shall stand and feed," etc., probably thought of the shepherd-youth, raised to the throne of Israel, as typical of Israel's spiritual King, who would eventually appear and bring heavenly strength and succour to a needy world, so when he added respecting the Messiah, ".And this 11fan BhalZ be the Peace," he thought of the peaceful rule of Solomon, and saw in this a symbol of that spiritual tranquillity which the Christ, the greater than Solomon, should, through his appearing, bring to human hearts, and ultimately to the worlJ at large. And the same characteristic of the Messiah was present to the mind of Isaiah, and found expression in one of the titles employed by him in that remarkable cluster of-designations·(see Isa. ix. 6), so rich in spiritual significance-" The Prince of Peace." The text applies to- L THE DIBTBACTIONB WHICH ARISE TO us IN OUB PERSONAL LIFE. 1. In our sin/ul- nu,· we find peace in Christ. Sin is attended by distraction. It separates from God, the true Source of rest. It creates inward disquiet; for whilst when we do right con- science approves, "in whisper gentle and secret, like the murmur of a brook beneath the foliage," yet when we do wrong its accusations prey npon the spirit as with a fever's strength. And there is no d~liverance from all this disquietude but in Christ (Matt, :xi. 28; Rom. v. 1). 2. In our sorrowful,ness we find peace in Christ. He traveroes the stormy seas of sorrow, and these adverse waves obey his voice. Amidst all the strifes and struggles of our life occasioned by our darke1· experiences he can give our spirits rest. Though in the world we must have tribulation, yet in him we have peace. 3. In our intellectual questionings and doubtings we find peace in Christ. The spirit of inquiry is rife in this age. Increased light is being shed upon various questions, and may necessitate the laying aside of opinions and forms or thought long cherished. But, amidst this shaking and uprooting, the historical Christ remains, and his words, so charmingly simple and clear, so confident and reassuring, abide for ever. And reposing with childlike trust in him and in bis utterances, in which he has revealed to us the true way of life here, and has assured us of a blessed immortality with him hereafter, all mental unrest ceases, and our minds stayed thus shall ever be kept at perfect rest. " And this Man shall be the Peace." II. 'l'HE DIFFEREKCES WHICH PREVAIL B_ETWEEN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES. 1. From within. 'fhere will be such differences. 'i'ruth is many-sided, and our mental con- stitution varies. But amidst these diversities there is a centre of unity-Christ himself. Sharin<> his spirit, and being under the inspiration of his love, men become united in heart, ~nd, despite their differences, are made one through the possession of a commou life and love, This is the true unity, tho being one in hfe, and therefore in spirit, aim> THE BOOK OF MICAH. [on. v. 1-15.
endeavour, &nd in sympathy with our Father who is in heaven, and with his Christ who came to save his people from ail selfishness and sin, and to establish e. univerRe.i brotherhood amongst men. It was for this that the great Intercessor pre.yed in his rueruorable high-p1iestly prayer (John xvii. 21). 2. From without. Vers. 6 and 6 dearly refer to assaults from without. Whether we take the reference to Assyria. metaphorically or literally, the allusion must be to external attacks. And God in Christ is the Refuge and Strength of his Church, and amidst these will keep her 1n perfect peace whilst she rests in him (Ps. xlvi.). Ill. THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN NATIONS. It is mournful to reflect upon the method .adopted, even by civilized and enlightened nations, in order to settle the disputes which arise between them. The appeal is made to the arbitrament of the sword. The heart sickens at the very thought of the battle-field, with all the suffering e.nd desolation connected with it, and yearns with ardent desire for the coming of the.t bright de.y of GOO: in which s_uch s~ri~e sh:i,11 _cease. And. o~r assu1:9.nce of its coming rests upon -Chnst. Peace 1s a d1stmgu1sl.11ng charactenst1c of his holy gospel, which shall at length universally be accepted (Jas. iii. 17; Ge.L v. 22), and the ae,ceptance of which shall be followed by peoples dwelling in amity and concord (Isa. xi. 6-9; eh. iv. 3), Christ's disciples should be eminently distinguished by this spirit of peace. No con- tentious jarring spirit, out of tune, and hence marring the harmony of the concert, should be found amongst them, but all their voices should be in agreement, thus pro- ducing the sweetest music (Ps. cxxxiiL).