God’s Way of Peace by Horatius Bonar
God’s Way of Peace by Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)
Bonar was born in 1808 and died 1889 (aged 80). He came from a long line of ministers. He and his fathers served the Church in Scotland for a total of 364 years. In 1843, he married Jane C. Bonar, who, like Horatius, was a hymnwriter and poet. Horatius Bonar published some 100 hymns during his life. Bonar was one of the several extremely influential ministers in Scotland at the time and was able to reach 100s of 1000s even in his day. Horatius Bonar was a well-versed man and had many hats to wear. He was a pastor for over 50 years, seminary professor, author, poet, hymnwriter, husband, and father of nine.
He had passion and conviction to speak God’s truth which was apparent even from his very first sermon. He spoke, “My dear brethren, I do not come to address you after the manner of man’s wisdom, nor with words of human eloquence, but to speak to your souls of the things which concern your eternity – to stir you up to see in good earnest salvation for yourselves and for others” (Horatius Bonar, God’s Way of Peace, p. 7).
Description of the book
This book is an excellent work of exhortation. Bonar reminds us throughout the whole book that the fear that we may have about our salvation (that which may make us question our salvation) should not be. Rather, we should look to Christ who conquered sin and ever lives. His work is effectual and cannot be defeated. The book is subtitled Overcoming Anxiety by Walking with God. If we are truly walking with God, surely, we will defeat the anxiety that rules over us, for Christ has defeated that anxiety.
This book was immediately a success in its own time. Horatius’s brother, Andrew, told us that he was “Humbled, even while in a sense envying him, at hearing that that one book of my brother’s, God’s Way of Peace, has had a circulation of 280,000, and very greatly blessed” (Andrew Bonar Life and Diary of Andrew Bonar, p. 273). This statement was only a couple years after its first publication. Since then, this book has blessed many thousands more. The book is equally valuable today for today’s reader. It challenges the reader to look to Christ for our comfort, joy, and peace.
Three quotes from the book
“If Christ is not the Substitute, He is nothing to the sinner. If He did not die as the Sin-bearer, He has died in vain.” - p. 53
“The more that we know of His person and His work, the more shall we be satisfied, in heart and conscience, with provision that God has made for our great need.” - p. 57
“To know His character, as thus interpreted to us by Jesus and His cross, is to have peace.” - p. 37
Where the book is currently published
This book is currently published by Christian Focus along with several other titles by Bonar that are also worth purchasing and reading thoroughly.