Ver. 2.-<Jrace and peace. St. Paul opens his Second Epistle with the expression of the same good wishes which he expressed in his earlier Epistle. There is no need of a spiritual parsimony for reserving highest benedictions. The best can be breathed freely, because there is no end to the resources of God. But we need not fear to repeat them, inasmuch as they are always suitable to Christian needs. Though we may tire of the words," grace and peace," and shall do so if we do not enter into the spirit of them, we can never tire of the things themselves, for they are large as the universe and fresh as eternity. Grace and peace represent the origin and the perfection, the foundation and the pinnacle, the root and the fruit, of Christian prosperity. It begins in grace and rests on grace and draws its supplies from grace; it grows into round, ripe fulnese in peace. I. GB.ACE 18 THE SOURCE OF CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY. 1. Christian grace is essentially God's fr~ favour. This is the first characteristic of the new covenant It starts with mercy to the sinner; it continues wiLh grace to the saint. It is beyond nature which leaves us to our own devices, and law which directs but does not aid, and justice which rewards according to our works, because it offers its blessings to the undeserving "without money and without price." Grace is the key-note of the anthem of the Bethlehem angels. 2. Christian grace is an active energy of God. It is not the bare negative mercy that lets off penalties, that withholds the hand of justice from striking the blow of doom. Nor is it only a kindly dii;position. It is the highest Divine energy and the most vigorous fruitful activity. God works upon us in grace. 3. Christian grace works through the whok of the Christian life. We do not simply depend upon God's grace for tbe pardon of our sins and the renewal of our hearts at the commence- m~nt of our better life. We continue to live upon grace. It begins by delivering Uij lrom our EgyptiHn bondage; it continues by supplying our daily bread. Christians would as surely perish without these supplies of grace, even after the first forgiving act uf salvation, as the Israelites would have perished without the manna even after they had crossed the l:t,,d Sea. II. PEACE IS THE CROWN OF CHRISTIAN PROSPEBITY. 1. Peare is the first interut of e. nation, a Church, a soul. We cannot enjoy wealth, pleauure, or comfort if we have not peace. For peace we pine and y~arn. 2. Peace is the most perfect of blessings. When this is rich and full we want little else. We can afford to suffer if we hear our with interior peace. It may be said of peace, as it is said of love, it "suffereth long." 3. Peace is the greatest outcome of grace. It cannot be had without grace. Grace rei;tores us to peaceable relation!! with God, gives us peaceable dispositions to bear and forebear one with another, and breathes into us a spirit of content, submission, and holy calm. We may advance far in activity, etc., before we gain thid precious gem of grace. Inward serenity in all weathers of outward circumstance is the last product of 1piritual culture. IIL GRACE AND PEACE ABE ENJOYED THROUGH OUR UNION WITH Goo AND CBRIB'l. The twofold benediction has a twofo:d reference. 1. Grace originate, m the Father. The first thought of redeeming the world arose in the bosom of God. The secret of on. 1. 1-12.J THE SECOND EPISTLE TO 'l'HE 'l'HESSALON1ANS. 19
these wonderful blessings is a Father's love. 2. Peace '8 fO'IJlfl,d, in union with God. We enjoy the peace that is never absent frotn the Spirito( God when we approach his holy, serene presence. 3. Both are received by us thr()'IJ,!Jh Christ. He is the incarna- tion of God's grace. He makes a way by his sacrifice for us to enjoy it. He is also "our peace." When we learn the " secret of Jesus" we shall have the peace of God which paaseth all understanding.-W. F. A.