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I. SHOW WHEREIN SPIRITUAL PEACE CONSISTS.

1. Spiritual peace consists in that sweet and calm serenity of conscience, which arises from a well-grounded persuasion of our reconciliation to God.

2. Spiritual peace consists in that amiable frame of mind which disposes a believer to live in harmony, concord, and quietness with his fellow-men. This is called the fruit of the Spirit, in opposition to hatred, variance, emulations, wraths, strifes, etc., which are reckoned among the works of the flesh. The amiable temper which religion inspires, sheds its tranquilizing influence over all the relations of life. It has a tendency to produce(1) harmony in the family;

(2) unity in the Church. Those who are in covenant with God ought to be ever in harmony with each other.

(3) Quietness in society at large

II. POINT OUT THE MEANS BY WHICH PEACE IS ENJOYED AND PRESERVED.

I. Let us show by what means peace is enjoyed and preserved in the conscience.

(1) To enjoy and preserve peace in the conscience it is necessary to have an extensive and intimate acquaintance with the revealed will of God. None but the paths of wisdom are the paths of peace; and the blind cannot pursue, because they cannot discern them.

(2) To enjoy and preserve peace in the conscience, it is necessary to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

(3) To enjoy and preserve peace in the conscience, there must be obedience to the Divine commands. Any neglect of known duties, or indulgence of secret sins, will as certainly distress the mind as Achan with his accursed thing troubled the camp of the Israelites.

2. I shall now show by what means we may promote peace among our fellow-men, and Christian brethren.

(1) While we are in the world, we must have dealings with some who are strangers, and others who are enemies to religion. You may perhaps say, therefore, What peace can there be with such persons? Concord or unity of spirit is not to be expected. But we are required to act in such a manner, as to give no real cause of offence, and endeavour to conciliate their good will, rather than provoke their displeasure. A likely way of attaining this end, is to keep in the sphere where Providence has placed us. Another means which we should use to live at peace with all men is an unwearied endeavour to do them all the good we can. Should, however, all these means fail to soften and conciliate the enemies of religion, there is one thing yet left for us to do, which ought never to be neglected; I mean, to pray for them.

2. It will have a useful tendency to promote peace among Christian brethren, if we seriously consider the unhappy consequences that attend the want of it. Where envying and strife are, there are confusion and every evil work. To promote peace among Christian brethren, cultivate a charitable and forbearing temper. Never conclude that all must be fatally wrong, who do not think just as you think. We cannot find two faces exactly alike; why then should we expect to meet many minds that in every respect correspond with our own? If you really love and pursue peace, you must judge favourably and speak candidly of others. When a breach is made, you must try to close, rather than widen it.

(John Thornton.)

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KJV: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

WEB: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,