Zechariah 8:19 Thus said the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh… Unperverted love is one of the noblest, most useful, and comprehensive affections of the heart. Essential to the moral nature of man, it is, as refined by the energies of the Spirit, and suitably exercised, the fulfilling of the law, the sum of religion, and our assimilation to the God of love. No arguments can be necessary to prove that truth is better than error, and peace than contention. In order that the returned captives might at once express their gratitude for the past, and insure continued and increasing prosperity, the prophet delivers the injunction in the text, "Therefore love the truth and peace." It is not restrictively the truth of judgment, nor the speaking of truth between man and man, but religious truth in general, or the mind and will of God made known to them in the law and by the prophets, which the house of Jacob are here required to love: and therefore, agreeably to the economy under which she is placed, the truth to be loved by the Christian Church is the entire system of evangelical doctrine, or "the truth as it is in Jesus." The peace which is to be loved in conjunction with the truth, is that good understanding and spirit of conciliation, which ought to characterise the embodied friends of religion. I. TRUTH AND PEACE ARE SUBJECTS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE IN THEMSELVES AND TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. That evangelical truth is highly important, and ought to be dearly valued, will be conceded by all, the moment we think of it as God's revealed will to men for salvation. With the true knowledge of it, eternal life is closely, inseparably connected. In a general view, it is the only appointed and approved means of the world's moral transformation. To the individual believing sinner, it is the blessed instrument of his illumination and progressive sanctity. An accurate comparison of it with truth of every other kind would only serve to establish its glorious superiority. We learn the unspeakable value of the truth from the wonderful concern that the God of truth Himself has had and uniformly manifested about it. The supereminent importance of evangelical truth might be demonstrated from the evil nature, the ruinous consequences of error. But, in connection with truth, peace also is of high importance in itself and in the Church. Peace of any kind, and particularly peace in the household of faith, if built upon right principles, will be dearly valued by every wise and good mind. In proportion as the friends of religion live peaceably among them selves, they are just what it becomes them to be. Peace of the right kind has a most benign influence on the spiritual interests of the Church. II. IT MAY BE THE ATTAINMENT OF THE CHURCH TO HAVE THE POSSESSION OF THE TRUTH AND PEACE AT THE SAME TIME. Absolutely, or without any exception, this has rarely or ever been. Still in some happy degree it may be the attainment of the Church in her aggregate state Christendom, it must be confessed, furnishes at present no very favourable specimen of the point in hand. But this neither disproves our position, nor forbids the hope that it shall yet be realised. III. THOUGH BOTH ARE VERY PRECIOUS, TRUTH IS YET ENTITLED TO THE FIRST AND PREEMINENT CONSIDERATION OF THE CHURCH. Rightly do we associate truth with the very idea of the Church. We cannot think of what the Church owes to the truth, and not insist that, next to its Divine Author, it merits her first consideration. To it she owes her very existence. In forming, however, a comparative estimate between truth and peace, it would not be right to exalt truth at the expense of peace. Everything bland in language, and courteous in demeanour — everything comprised in the meekness of wisdom and the gentleness of Christ — every attainable degree of patience and candour in research — these and a thousand other things are to be offered, and willingly offered, at the shrine of holy concord. It is possible to give away too much, even for precious peace. Such a case would occur if amity were purchased by the surrender of any saving truth. For the sake of internal tranquillity, the Church may and ought to give away much of her own; but she has no right to barter the truth of God for peace with man. On the other hand, however, so inestimably precious is truth, that more than its worth cannot be given for it. Such views are, indeed, in letter and spirit at variance with a given species of modern liberality. IV. THE BEST AND SUREST PEACE IN THE CHURCH IS THAT WHICH HAS TRUTH FOR ITS FOUNDATION. The precedence of truth is not a mere arbitrary, but, if we would enjoy true peace, a necessary distinction. Truth is as essential to the being of peace as the cause to the effect, and must precede it, as the foundation must be laid before the superstructure. V. THE GREAT THINGS WHICH THE LORD HATH DONE FOR THE CHURCH, OR ENGAGES TO DO, LAY HER UNDER SACRED OBLIGATIONS TO LOVE THE TRUTH AND PEACE. Obviously the text assumes the form of deduction. Learn from this subject — 1. The moral nature of the true glory of the Church. 2. That genuine love to the truth and peace would be a presage of good to the Church. 3. That the ministers of religion have a most honourable and delightful employ. In a ministerial sense, peace makers between God and man, and so also between man and man. Our vocation gives scope to all our powers and our unwearied exertions. 4. This subject gives us right to insist that the members of our association should be, without exception, the sincere and ardent lovers of truth and peace. (Robert Muter, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. |
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