Gxample of a Sermon Gntirely from Scripture.

I. GOD IS CALLED

SUBJECT "PEACE.”

1.-The God of peace. "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen " (Rom. xv. 33). "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. xvi. 20). "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly" (I. Thess. v. 23). Additional-Heb. xiii. 20, 21; II. Thess. iii. 16.

2.-The Author of peace. of peace" (I. Cor. xiv. 33).

II. Because

1.-He gives peace.

"God is not the Author of confusion, but

"The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace" (Num. vi. 26). "Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means (II. Thess. iii. 16).

2.--He ordains peace. "Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us; for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us" (Isaiah xxvi. 12).

3.-He calls us to peace. "God hath called us to peace" (I. Cor. vii. 15). 4.-He makes peace. "I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things" (Isa. xlv. 7).

5.-He proclaims peace. 66 Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord, and I will heal him” (Isa. lvii. 19).

(Jer.

6.-His thoughts are of peace. "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord; thoughts of peace, and not of evil xxix. 11).

III.-CHRIST IS

1.-Prince of Peace. "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace" (Isa. ix. 6). 2.-Our peace. "He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (Eph. ii. 14). Additional-Micah v. 5.

IV. Because

1.-We have peace through Him. "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. v. 1). "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed" (Isa. liii. 5). Additional-John xvi. 33.

2.-He gives us His peace. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John xiv. 27).

3.- His gospel is the gospel of peace.

"How beautiful are the feet of

them that preach the gospel of peace!" (Rom. x. 15).

4.-He preached peace. He 66 came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh" (Eph. ii. 17). Additional-Isa. lii. 7; Nahum i. 15.

5.-He shall speak peace to the heathen. of Zion; shout, Ò daughter of Jerusalem: thee. He is just, and having salvation; and upon a colt the foal of an ass. unto the heathen" (Zech. ix. 9, 10).

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter behold, thy King cometh unto lowly, and riding upon an ass, And He shall speak peace

6.-The angels sang peace at His birth. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke ii. 13, 14).

V. PEACE IS

1.-The peace of God. "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ" (Phil. iv. 7).

2.-The fruit of the Spirit. peace, long-suffering, gentleness, (Gal. v. 22, 23).

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance

3.-The work of righteousness. "The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever (Isa. xxxii. 17). "And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace" (James iii. 18).

4.-The kingdom of God. "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. xiv. 17).

VI. PEACE IS THE PORTION OF

1.-God's people. "The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace" (Ps. xxix. 11). "I will hear what God the Lord will speak; for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints" (Ps. lxxxv. 8).

2.-Those who love God's law.

"Great peace have they which love

Thy law; and nothing shall offend them" (Ps. cxix. 165).

3.--Those who hearken to God's commandments. "O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea (Isa. xlviii. 18).

4.-Those who keep God's law. "If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them, I will give peace in the land" (Lev. xxvi. 3, 6). "My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep My commandments; for length of days, and long life, and peace shall they add to thee" (Prov. iii. 1, 2).

5.-Those whose ways please God. "When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even His enemies to be at peace with him" (Prov. xvi. 7).

6.-Those who trust in God. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee" (Isa. xxvi. 3). "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep, for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety" (Ps. iv. 8).

7.-Those who pray to God. "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ" (Phil, iv. 6, 7).

8.-Those who are acquainted with God. Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace" (Job xxii. 21).

9.-The diligent. "Be diligent, that ye may be found of Him in peace (II. Peter iii. 14).

10. The wise. Wisdom's " paths are peace" (Prov. iii. 17).

ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her

11.-The upright. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace” (Ps. xxxvii. 37).

12.-The spiritually minded. "To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom. viii, 6).

13.-The faithful. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Rom. xv. 13).

14.-Israel, specially Jerusalem. "Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel" (Ps. cxxviii. 6). "Peace shall be upon Israel" (Ps. cxxv. 5). 'Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice with joy for her, all ye that mourn for her. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to

her like a river" (Isa. lxvi. 10, 12).

VII. OUR DUTY WITH REGARD TO PEACE IS

1.-To love it.

"Love the truth and peace (Zech. viii. 19).

2. To seek it. 66 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it" (Ps. xxxiv. 14). Additional-I. Pet. iii. 11. 3.-To follow it. "Follow peace with all men " (Heb. xii. 14). "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men xii. 18). "Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace (Rom. xiv. 19).

(Rom.

4.-To have peace one with another. "Be at peace among yourselves (I. Thess. v. 13). Have peace one with another" (Mark ix. 50).

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"There is no

VIII. PEACE IS NOT THE PORTION OF THE WICKED. peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Isa. lvii. 21). "Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not" (Isa. lix. 7, 8). Additional-Isa. xlviii. 22; Rom. iii. 17.

IX. THE REWARD PROMISED TO THOSE WHO PROMOTE PEACE"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" (Matt. v. ix.). "To the counsellors of peace is joy" (Prov. xii. 20). PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF

X. WE ARE TO 1.-Jerusalem.

that love thee" (Ps.

2. Our enemies.

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Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper cxxii. 6).

"Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it" (Jer. xxix. 7).

XI. THE RIGHTEOUS AT HIS DEATH ENTERS INTO PEACE.

"The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness" (Isa. lvii. 1, 2).

Selected Outlines by Celebrated Preachers.

REV. JOHN FLETCHER OF MADELEY.

I. THE ACCEPTED TIME.

II. Cor. vi. 2-"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

INTRODUCTION.-Two grand devices of Satan, and mistakes of men. 1.-Unbelief: "God will not save us now." 2.-Impenitency: "He will do it at death."

I. What is "the accepted time?"

1.-When God offers sinners to accept their persons and pardon their sins. 2.-When sinners can close with that offer.

Time of rejection.-Foolish virgins.-Prov. i.-Esau.

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II. What is the day of Salvation?"

1.-As to Christ: days of his flesh, birth, temptation, agony, death, resurrection, intercession. 2.-As to the Spirit: when He saves sinners by an application of what Christ has done and suffered. (1.) From stupidity, by awakenings. (2.) From guilt, by a pardon. (3.) From uneasiness, by peace and joy. (4.) From a spiritual hell, by a taste of heaven. (5.) From sin, by righteousness and a new birth.

followed

A day. Short space, wasting, soon gone, to work in by the night, day of life, day of grace, Lord's day, day of health, day of youth, day of the gospel, day of power.

Remember Felix, Lot's sons, Jerusalem.

III. "Now is the accepted time," etc.

The Father calls, Jesus intercedes, ministers plead, the Spirit strives: while you have conscience to reprove, eyes to see, ears to hear, senses, health, leisure.

Now, Christ stands; now, saints pray; now, mercy courts; now, sceptre of love; now, door of heaven opened; now, well of life unsealed; now, the scale hovers; now, a breath; now, death is coming; now, gospel trump sounds; now, God about to summons; now, that others enter in. BEHOLD, consider.-Let not Satan, world, flesh, blind thee.

Behold, soon the time of rejection, no time.-Soon the day of death, of judgment, of condemnation. The day when the wheels of opportunity shall be fast. O who shall bear that day of God, that last day?

Application. To sinners.-Jesus weeps over you. Know, squander not your day; kill not time, soul, and Saviour together.

Mourners. Publicans, now, Zaccheus, no to-morrow.
Believers.-Know, tell, show; day of glorification near.

NOTES. The above contain the elements of a striking and impressive sermon. The thoughts are, however, jumbled together, and the production bears evidence of hasty preparation. The definition of the "day of salvation" requires further elucidation. It is not the work of Christ, or the work of the Spirit, but the season given to man when these blessings are available. A thoughtful preacher will of course observe this, and he will utilize the suggestions here given in his own way, and according to his own method. The composition is an example of extreme condensation.

II. THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN.

Matt. xxi. 38. —

"This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance." INTRODUCTION.-Speech both of Jews and of every unbeliever, at least, in their hearts and actions. Barbarous mothers.-Herod and Pharaoh kill.

I. Jesus is the Son and Heir.

1.-Son.-Isaiah ix. 6; Matt. iii. ; Heb. i. ; Psalm ii.—One in nature and essence, dignity.—As old as His Father, as venerable; always begotten, and always in begetting; as brightness, and the sun.

2.-Heir.-Heb. i. 2; Rom. vii. 17; and iv. 13.

II. What is His inheritance?

1.—Heaven.—That part of it people do not trouble themselves much

about.

2.-Earth.-"The uttermost parts of it. Psalm ii. 8.-For this many fight they will seize on houses and lands, and those refined particles of the earth, called "silver" and "gold," with all its fruits.

3.-"The heathen for his inheritance"-All nations, our souls and bodies, our senses, powers, members, hearts are Christ's, though we seize upon them as our own.

III. The unbelieving heart, the Jew within says, "Let us kill Him." Let us see Him killed without taking His part. Let us reject Him. Let us not entertain Him. Let us account His blood a common thing. Let us crucify Him by sin. Let us look on Him as dead and lost. Let us "seize on His inheritance.' He is come to take possession of thy thoughts and heart; seize them not; they are His right, as Son, as Redeemer, and Heir.

Application.-1.-Unconverted.—Too long have ye murdered Him afresh-perhaps doubly on His holy days.

2.-Ye unbelievers, though you do not kill Him, yet, Pharaoh-like, you take Him not up, you nurse Him not, as Pharaoh's daughter did Moses.-Mind now.

This is the Heir, the Son; come, let us kiss Him, adore, serve Him. Let us restore Him His inheritance. Let us kiss Him, with the shepherds; restore His own, with the wise men in so doing, you will become heirs and joint-heirs.

3.-Ye believers, be as busy every one in saying, "This is the Son, believe on Him," as the Jews were in crying, "Crucify Him!" Remember, you are His peculiar possession.

NOTES. This outline, given in its entirety, demands, like the previous one, considerable thought and attention before it could be used in the pulpit. The subject is a very solemn one. It is an awful thing to reflect that every one who rejects the Saviour is guilty of the same sin as the rebellious husbandmen, though not to the same extent as the Jews. There is no attempt made at explaining the parable, the outline is only the application of the obvious truth.

III. THE JEWS' DESIRE.
Acts iii. 14, 15—

"Ye desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life." INTRODUCTION." Killing" not literal. Literally Christ was killed by