And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh." (Eph. 2:17.)

It is well and commonly said that the simplicity the gospel is its difficulty with souls. God's ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. We do not know ourselves even, until of God reveals us to ourselves, and we elation as long as it is possible at all Hence repentance, 1:e., the bowing in I; the judgment which the Word has pro-d concerning us, is in God's order absolutely necessary to the reception of the gospel. It is not, and cannot be, as some in the present day would have it, " Believe the gospel and repent," but as we find the Lord Himself preaching it (Mark 1:15)-"Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Faith in the Word must thus, however, precede repentance, for only from faith can repentance flow; and as soon as faith is in the soul, its fruits begin to manifest themselves. Conversion is the turning of the man to God. Naturally, his dependence is upon himself and not upon God; and it is as his face is turned God ward his back is turned upon himself. Thus repentance, the soul's judgment of itself according to the Word, is never absent where faith is-comes as it were with it, and yet is the fruit of it.

But it is as the soul is thus turned from its self-confidence,-as it receives and bows to the judgment of God upon itself,-that the gospel becomes clear, suitable, necessary, and how precious! None could have imagined it ever. The greatness of our necessity is no argument in itself that God could come so far to meet it,-no revelation of the way by which it could be met; but the way being revealed, and the love of God declared in the gift of His Son, the knowledge of our necessity prepares us to apprehend and receive the joyful news of salvation, otherwise unintelligible and untrusted. It is then and thus it becomes simple. John the Baptist in this way comes with the baptism of repentance to prepare the way of the Lord; and the Lord Himself begins His ministry with a John-Baptist strain; and while Pharisees murmured at His grace, all the publicans and sinners drew near to hear Him.

The gospel, with all its freedom, is thus selective. There are tender arms of love for sinners:what could be freer? But the "sinners" that drew near, were they the whole mass of a guilty world? " The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost;" but out of a hundred in the wilderness, one sheep is lost, one sinner repents.

Yet the gospel is free, as the heart of God is gracious, and as the work of Christ is infinite in value. He has "made peace through the blood of His cross," and the gospel of peace is to be preached, not simply at large in the world, but individually " to every creature."The grace to all is emphasized to each. It makes no demand but for reception. It does not preach of effort to be put forth, or experiences to be learned, or attainment to be made. The story of man is ended with the cross; it is now the story of over-abounding grace that is being told out; and grace is not claim, but gift,-gift yours if only you will have it, with all its blessedness, which no apprehension or experience can ever reach to, "the unsearchable riches of Christ," the fullness of a " love, that passeth knowledge."

There are two aspects of the proclamation of peace which the gospel makes which I desire to consider now, and by the putting of which to-gather, some may find, that have not yet found, real apprehension and enjoyment of it in their These two aspects give us two things which greatest importance to keep together- the supremacy of God and the blessing of man. Condition of the world at every point subjection to God being thrown off. only through the grace of God is a return from condition practicable at all, and only by the power of the Spirit of God is it ever effected; but in no way which does not involve a return to the spirit of obedience could blessing for him be found. It is this that conscience insists on with us, and rightly; but if that be all, legality in some shape will become our vain resource. The gospel alone can really deliver us from our own ways, and, by a proper reconciliation, put us in the place of blessing.

When Israel of old went against a hostile city, they were to proclaim, according to the word of the Lord, peace unto it; and if it made answer of peace, and opened its gates, it became tributary and served. Here there was no original duty of service; but the world has revolted from a yoke obnoxious to it, and refused just obedience to the divine claim. They have turned every one to his own ways-so dear to pride, as that. How plainly do we see it in Israel's refusal of that law which by every tie of interest and gratitude bound them to One who had shown openly His power before their eyes, and in their behalf. Yet their history is little more than one of wanderings from Him. Nor is this even merely human fickleness. Those who served other gods were not thus fickle:"Hath a nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? but My people have changed their glory unto that which doth not profit."

And when Christ came, after the rejection of a long series of God's messengers, as the last resource He had, and He sends His best-beloved, saying, "They will reverence My Son:" what was the answer? "This is the Heir:come, let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance." Thus the cross was the final expression of long-manifested enmity, not on Israel's part only, but on that of the world:"Now is the judgment of this world," the Lord says; and " the friendship of this world is enmity against God." (Jas. 4:4.)

From the grave, in which man would fain have sealed Him up, He comes forth with all authority in heaven and earth His, and to take His seat at the right hand of God. "God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified," says the apostle, "both Lord and Christ."

He is Lord, and every knee shall bow to Him, and every tongue confess that He is such; but He is Christ, a Saviour, and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Into this judged and hostile world a message of peace is sent, antedating the sure day of coming judgment. God preaches peace by Jesus Christ, and where an " answer of peace " is returned, the soul owning in Him its rightful Lord, judgment is removed, and peace established as its proper possession.

Pause here, beloved reader, and ask yourself, have you in truth of heart owned this blessed One ? Is He to you, in more than name, " Master and Lord"? To repeat those titles formally, as do so many, is of course worse than worthless; but if in deed and in truth you have surrendered to Him, if you have confessed with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believed in your heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Rom. 10:9).

Peace then is yours from God. His controversy with you is over. It is not a question of your feeling about it, although He tells you of it, that you may enjoy it without suspicion, that no contrary thought may arise in your heart. Give Him full credit for what He has said, who could not possibly deceive you, and then you will realize it as peace within your heart, unchallengeably and inalienably yours; for " whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
The world is divided into two hostile camps. Neutrality is not possible to any. "He that is not with Me is against Me." And this of course must be real:it is not profession but confession that is called for; and belief with the heart and confession with the mouth the apostle links together; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. If, then, you have truthfully accepted Christ as your Lord, He will be your Saviour also. Peace is proclaimed in His name, that if you return an " answer of peace," submitting yourself to Him, you may know on God's part that His controversy with you is over, and be practically at peace in your own soul.

But observe, that while these are the terms upon which peace is yours, and you have positively nothing more to do than to throw down your arms and surrender to Christ to have this wonderful mercy shown you, yet on God's part much was needed to be done in order that He, might righteously be able to assume this attitude toward you. This peace proffered had first to be made; and it is made:He hath " made peace through the blood of His cross." That which for us is free, involved for Him this wonderful sacrifice. On man's part, the cross was the very height of desperate rebellion ; on His own, " No man taketh My life from Me," He says, " but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again:this commandment have I received of My Father." Judgment is pronounced upon the world for what is man's act; but for that which is His own in it, not judgment but divine grace to man flows out. "Therefore doth My Father love Me because I lay down My life, that 1 might take it again." By One dying a sinner's death, a work of infinite value is accomplished which not only God can accept, but in which He finds the fullest delight. No place but His own right hand for Him who has done this work can express worthily His delight in it; and this flows out once more in the welcome every returning prodigal receives. Who that believes that it is the fruit of Christ’s work that he receives can wonder at the freeness or the greatness of the gift bestowed ? And the work of the cross, for whom was it ? death and curse, for whom did the Holy One take these?

The character of this work makes it humility as well as faith to own that for us He died. The value of it is our title to all the wealth that Scripture reveals as the portion of the believer. Faith in it is the destruction of legality in our approach to God. " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness" to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man that doeth these things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise:Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven ? (that is, to bring down Christ from above;) or who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)"-And this is the work needed, if work is to be done! What a rebuke of the thought that by legal effort aught can be attained! Don't think of bringing Christ down to do once more His blessed work! or of raising Him from the dead, after His work accomplished! It needs not, blessed be God! it is already, and once for all, done.-" But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy heart and in thy mouth; (that is, the word of faith which we preach:) that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

It is to the call of grace, then, that we are bidden to surrender. The throne to which we bow is a throne of grace; and herein is its sweet effectual compulsion found; hence is its power to mold our lives by engaging our affections, and winning our hearts to the God whom it displays. " We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation. The fruit we are to produce springs from the seed of the gospel, necessarily first received in order to produce it.

Peace is proclaimed:to enemies, that they may bow and so receive it; to those no longer enemies, "that they may enjoy the assurance of what is theirs, but theirs through the work of Another, dying even for His enemies. " Peace I leave with you " were the words which anticipated the work of the cross; "Peace be unto you," the words with which He returned from the dead; and then showed them His hands and His side, the wound of that conflict by which the rest of victory is assured to us. How sweetly sovereign the manner in which He thus makes over the fruit of His work to His beloved people! It is the relation in which they stand eternally with God; stable as the value of that by which it has been made:"being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

It is proclaimed to you, beloved reader, whoever you are :reconciliation on the basis of Christ's accepted work, if only on your part you will be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20). It is no question whether He will be reconciled to you, but only if you will be to Him. If your heart can say, How glad would I be-how thankful to accept this! you need have no doubt whatever of this happiness being yours. Peace He publishes to you through the work of His Son, and it is for you to say whether there shall be peace. If you accept His terms,-if you bow indeed to the Lord Jesus Christ,-if you will be reconciled, then God is at peace with you, and Christ is your peace:He has made it by the blood of His cross; made it for sinners, for enemies, that you may be no more such, but reconciled to God through the death of His Son. How dear and tender a pledge of what is in His heart toward you-" For God hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him "!