delight attendant on close intercourse with God ; and a corre- spondent change in the whole tone and temper of his mind will soon follow. In proportion as the eyes are turned from the Lord Jesus Christ to any matters of doubtful disputation, will a stop be put to a progressive transformation of the soul into his blessed image ''. To every one, therefore, I would say, " Hold fast the Head," the Lord Jesus Christ, and " live entirely by faith on him ;" " receiving continually, out of his fulness," additional supplies of grace. And this is the very advice which St. Peter, by his own bitter experience, learned to give to the Christian Church, as the only effectual means of overcoming their great adversary : " 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'^."]
In this course, however, you will meet with oppo- sition ; against which you must, III. Act with courage —
[" All who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suiFer per- secution." You may " watch" as much as you please, and yet suffer no persecution, provided you will relax, as it respects your giving honour to Christ: or you may exalt Christ as much as you please, provided you will relax in your watchful- ness against the evils of an ensnaring world : but if you will " live godly in Christ Jesus," giving all the glory to him, whilst you are serving him with fidelity to the utmost of your power, you will be sure to offend the lovers of the world, and the haters of Christ : and you may assuredly expect to feel, in a greater or less degree, the effects of their enmity. But whether assaulted by ridicule or menace, you must be alike prepared to act a manly part, withstanding every effort that men or devils can make against you. You are not, as children, to be either allured or awed to a deviation from any thing which your better judgment directs. As " men," you should examine well whatever is proposed to you, and compare it with the word of God : and, as " men," you should determine for yourselves, and resolutely adopt the line of conduct which the word of God prescribes. If " men" in the service of an earthly monarch meet with opposition, they consider it as an occasion for sum- moning and putting forth all their energies with augmented zeal : and this is the way in which you are to " play the man''," and to approve yourselves to Him, under whose banners you are called to fight.]
And, in this resolute conduct, you must,
b 2 Cor. iii. 18. "^ 1 Pet. v. 8,9. ^ ur^pi<;£<r0f.