life of active virtue; "Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light"," ," "putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation." "Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of GOD: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." "Let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober1." "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom resist, steadfast in the faith"." "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord"." "Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs of life,

that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier "." "And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not P." "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience"." "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Hims." "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." "If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me; for whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it "." "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of mew." "Love not the world, neither the things in the world if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust

O 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4.

P Gal. vi. 9. 2 Thess. iii. 13.

James, iv. 7.

s James, i. 13.

t 1 Peter, iv. 12, 13.

" Luke, ix. 23, 24.

of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of GoD abideth for ever." "The friendship of the world is enmity with GOD; whoso, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of GODY." "Ye cannot serve GOD and mammon"." "And what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth"." "Put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness c." "I beseech you, by the mercies of GOD, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service; and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but

C

see the Lord."

"For he that will love life and

see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile : let him eschew evil and do good; let him seek peace and ensue it; for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears [are open] unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy [are ye], and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubledg." "Abstain from all appearance of evil;" " casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of GOD, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christi." "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of GOD k." "Be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel1." "If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with Him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him";" "for our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory"" "Blessed are they which are perse

e 1 Thess. iv. 7.

f Hebr. xii. 14.

81 Peter, iii. 10-14, 17.

h 1 Thess. v. 22. Rom. xii. 9.

k 1 Cor. x. 31.

1 2 Tim. i. 8.

m 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12,

n

2 Cor. iv, 17.

"Be

cuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"." "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are yer." nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of GOD 9."

The disciple of Christ, then, is required to keep a constant watch over himself, to be ever prepared to encounter temptations, and to preserve the mastery over the evil propensities of his nature. As he lives in perpetual warfare with spiritual enemies, he must never sleep at his post; he must work out his salvation with fear and trembling', and when he "thinketh he standeth," he must "take heed lest he falls." He is to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit, but he must use his own utmost endeavours to "possess his vessel in sanctification and honourt," and "not in the lust of concupiscence";" that it may be a fit habitation of the Spirit: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of GOD, and that the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of GOD, him will GoD destroy"." "Having these promises," says St. Paul, "let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,