1 C. Jerdan.
i CORINTHIANS xvi. 13, 14 495
they are not rooted and grounded sufficiently in Christ Himself as the fulness of their redemption ? Is it not because they have not embraced the faith with all their heart and mind ; because they stand wavering on the threshold of the fortress, and have never really entered it? Is it not because they have not thoroughly apprehended God's purposes regarding them; are not yet satisfied that they are His and He is theirs? because they have never yet felt with deep and living conviction, that He is for them and nothing can be against them, that they were sent here to do His work, and till that work is done, no raging of the enemy can prevail ? Is it not because they have not as yet acquired a distinct view of that enemy, and know not his devices; have not learned the signals of the two armies; have not sharply marked, in their mind's map, the frontiers of the kingdoms of darkness and of light ? Is it not from want of the fulness of the faith itself, that we are so wavering and hesitating, so generally doing just what the world or the Church expects of us, and so rarely built up on Christ Himself, looking beyond men for our motives, for our plans, for our endurance ?
H One of Bunyan's famous pilgrims, in the Second Part of The Pilgrim's Progress, is " Mr. Stand-fast." This pilgrim is the last to be brought into the story, and the last also to cross the river of death. A true, strong, brave pilgrim was " Mr. Stand- fast." " Great-heart " and his company came upon him when he was on his knees in the Enchanted Ground, praying earnestly for help against the temptations of "Madam Bubble," — that is, the world and its enchantments. By and by, when " Christiana " was bidding her friends farewell, she had messages to leave to some, and adieus to present to others ; " but she gave ' Mr. Stand- fast' a ring," evidently as a token of her peculiar respect and affection. And when, at the very end of the allegory, the summons to cross the river came to "Mr. Stand-fast," it bore these touching and tender words : " For his Master is not willing that he should be so far from Him any longer." While this pilgrim was crossing, " there was a great calm at that time in the river " ; so much so, that he stood for a time in mid-channel, and talked pleasantly to the convoy of friends who were watching him from the bank. He assured them that the river had now no terror for him. It had been his habit to " stand fast " amidst the dangers of the long pilgrimage ; and therefore he could say, " Now, methinks, I stand easy."
496 THE CHRISTIAN KNIGHT
III.
Be Manly.
" Quit you like men."
1. We have all read, in history remote and recent, of some brief but spirit-stirring words of command, by which generals leading their armies into action at moments of critical emergency have nerved and invigorated for the conflict those who had long learned to rely upon the skill and courage of their leader. Some of these sayings have passed almost into proverbs ; others have been treasured in family records, or enshrined in the pages of military or even Christian biography. Just such in its character is the admonition contained in the text. In the English version it consists of four words ; in the original it is but one word.
K The words, " Stand fast in the faith, quit you like men," in their original language, stand over the gateway of Selwyn College.
^| I remember as if it were yesterday the horrid feeling when I knocked at his study door, the door through which I had often been taken when something naughty had been done, too bad for mother to punish for, but I had never felt quite so bad before. My knock was answered by a " Come in." I entered, and father rose and drew me towards the window. Silently we stood there, and then strangest of all strange things, I noticed tears in his eyes. Then, when he put his hands on my shoulders, there was a break in his voice as he uttered the words, never to be forgotten: " Well, my son ! You are the first to leave the home nest, and I have been praying God to give me the right words to say to you, and I think He has answered my prayer. God grant that you may always try to be a man." I looked him in the face, eye to eye, as we had been taught to do, and thought to myself, he has begun. But he said no more.1
2. What does St. Paul mean when he exclaims to the Corin- thian converts, " Quit you like men " ? He means, not the conven- tional qualities on which this or that age may look with favour, but the highest qualities of which human nature looked at in its highest light isjsa^able — put forth the manhood that is in you. How strange thle contrast between the thoughts which that word