,.-: I.,OBIU8'1'U.N ~XCELLl!NCE IS u A.ftAINDN'l'. The words are. addressed to Christiani at., trhy,a~ and · they are represented. as having "charity,•~ 0t love to Christ, "'aiid ~•.ipatienoe," or holy.fortitude and ma.gnanimity. under all .the tri)lls of life. These are aJl,eJaments of Christian e:rcellenoe,. and th-ese they are represented as_ having a,t't<Jifli(). 'l'hey had reached the goodnesa they poss.eased:by holy efforta'ia. the·:usu>i means., ,;1, CJw.istiaa eQ;Cell,,mce ur,im a t ~ m oonflrodirf.incti()f'I, to a natit1e ~t/l • . It·d_qes not apring up in the soul as an indigen8\ll! germ. It i.s a seed that has.bee» tAk®-in and eulti.vated, 2. Ghrist~ ewcellimce in ocm.tradist.incti® to an·-impsrttmPn. ,In.a eens&it is, a gift of God; not in the l\6llse in which .Jife,,and. light,· and 1141';.~d .t,he eeason·s of. flie year, are.the gifts of God,;-.blessinga that oome upon us, irte,sp~iv.e. of our.own .efforts; but .rather in the sense in which. the. crops, of the J:tuiba.ndmlW► tli.e learniligof the scholar; too ·triumphs of the artist, are the gifts of. God,--..blessingij,t,bat come as·the result of appropriate,.labour, . We.shall naithe,: gro,o.,good.nor .be ,'llHUWI gooa; We miµitbaeome good; we must struggle after it. . , :.,,, ;,.,i_.:;.·.· . . ,.,,,:.,,. .. . ll, ' 0BJU!l'l'IAN , .l!XCBLLENOE IS AN ,A T.l'AINMEJ!<T TIIA'l' IW:QUIR~ ll\i.ST BOI.Dl~6. "Hold fast" whatever is attained. Little or much should be retained, l.,JJe,oa.u,(f,t...ia werth ntainin,g. Ita value:will appeaP by OOJU1idering three, things," (l) The pr\~t:tess instrumentality. employed ~ put 1ruu11 itt ,possesirio]l .of.it. The miasion of Qlu'ist, .. (~) Its essenti&l OOJlllection with mall!s ;spiritual well~being. Therari.l!: :no true hapw.nesi, apart from it. (3) 1ts oapa.bility of unlimited progress. It may be as • gtll,Ul of mustard,,but it can grow. What gl'6.cious.-hal'vests are ,enfolded in ,oM gr!lin ~f we goodness!" ,It should be h~ld fast. 2. Beca1use t'llere is a dangf'I! oflqsmg -it. (:J.).,Men ~ho have had it have lost it- before now. - (2) Agencies ~ in oQUstant. opi,ratio11 luire that threat.an i:ts deBtruction., Hold it fast, therefore. ., .; . , , . •.: _• III. {:JBBISl!'IAN BXCELLE~CE JS· AN 'A.TTAINM1!lN'I' THAT WILL, llE .,~A.OED Jlll.'J'OND DANGER AID THE ADVENT OJ.I' CmnsT•. ' "llold fast till I ct)met' An expressio~- this implying :that it will be secure enough After.watds. Hti comes! to every Christ~ ~t death~ .. r,r will oome.again, and receive wou uuto myself.': , When h11 thus OOIDJlij,: ~; Be crushesfor•81J(IT{»1m ~~- . He bruises the head of Sa.tan ~,our feet •..·,14 'll~ r.6ffl01{81l,from ~ 6Ver!JthiGg iaimJ,icaUo ths gro.wth .of gwdme$s. · iJ, H6 ifl.f~~,c;y.~ iiite,cthose hfflf!/ll,ly. scenes where: thare :will be no.thi11g.· but .. what ministers,.J;o th@ advancement.-of goodness. .'l'ake hea.rt, Christian ,L ;the;simggle. is ]l?t for lop,g 1-,-,-1,); ,;!;;
EXPOSITION: