arrows; but prob. Malleoli wh. Am. the all. is to the obedience must be constant and life-long. 2. That which is of is to poisoned faith. III. How righteousness is a breastplate to the Christian: 1. It is an evidence of his being a "son of God;" 2. It is a defence against all the attacks of his foes.h 3. Marcellin. de cane scribes as arrows, with a h A. The shield of faith.-1. A shield is a piece of armour that soldiers were wont to carry with them into the field of battle; so is faith a part of the Christian's armour with which he fights in the soul's warfare. 2. A shield is for defence; so is faith. A shield is not a fixture for any particular part of the body, as the breastplate, the helmet, etc., but was for the hand, to be moved about according to the direction in which the darts came; .. so is faith a shield against the fiery darts of the wicked, coming to whatever part of the Christian they may. 4. A shield doth not only defend the whole body, but it is a defence to other parts of a soldier's armour also; it keeps off the dart from the helmet and breastplate likewise; so faith is not only a safeguard to the whole soul, but to all of the particular parts of the Christian life and character. The shield of faith protects the girdle of the truth, the helmet of salvation, and the breastplate of righteousness. 5. A shield hath been of wonderful advantage to soldiers of former times. What wonderful things can be said of faith as a shield in the hands of God's people in all ages! (see Heb. xi.).i e pro 17, 18. take, receive fr. the giver of the armour. helmet, a protection for head-seat of thought, decision-needs careful tection. The "helme of helthe." salvation, S. for a helmet. S. appropriated by faith. sword, the only offensive weapon. of.. spirit, who supplies this weapon. which.. God, given by inspiration. praying always, hence life should be a prayer. with all, every form of. in.. spirit, with His aid, direction, influence. watching, observant, waiting with..saints, prayer to be entirely unselfish. i C. Price, i B. Keach. the sword of surmounted with a crest or plume." -Eadie. The sword of the Spirit.-The Word of God may be likened to a sword in:-I. Many of its properties-1. Its brightness; 2. Its keenness; 3. It is pointed; 4. It will not break. II. Many of its uses:-1. It is a terror to evil-doers; 2. Its cleaving energy; 3.1 Th. v. 8; Is. lix. 17; He. vi. It demolishes the defences under which the sinner shields him- 17-19. self; 4. It defeats the enemies of God; 5. It is used in defending a He. iv. 12; Re. God's kingdom on earth. xix. 15. The sword of the Spirit.-Admiral Count Verhuel attended thee 2 Pe. i. 22; 2 anniversary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in London, Co. x. 4. in 1822, as the representative of the French Bible Society, and ƒ Ma. iv. 10, 11. occupied a seat next to Admiral Lord Gambier. He was asked g Col. iv. 2; 1 Th. some time after, by a reverend gentleman, what were his feelings v. 17; Ro. xii. 12; on that occasion. He replied, "I remember the time when Lord Ph. iv. 6; Da. vi. Gambier and myself could not have stood so near each other, 10; Lu. xviii. 1. without each holding a sword in his hand. At this time we did not feel the want of our swords: we suffered them to remain in the scabbard; we had no sword but the sword of the Spirit, and the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God." "Would it not," the minister added, "be a matter of regret to you to be again engaged in a war with Great Britain?" "I should always," he added, "regret to be at war with a country that is so nobly engaged in sending the Gospel of peace throughout the world." Ro. viii. 15, 27; Jo. iv. 24; Jude 20. i Ma. xxvi. 41; Mk. xiii. 33; 1 Pe. iv. 7. 19, 20. and.. me, in my behalf. that.. me, that he boldness might be Divinely aided in the exercise of his special gift. that.. of speech mouth, Gk., in the opening of my mouth. boldly.. Gospel,' with boldness of speech to make known, etc. (note-being a pri- soner, he does not ask that his deliverance may be prayed for). P. was in custody in Ro. as.. speak,d ought for the sake of souls, the truth, and the Master. The proclamation of the mystery of the Gospel.-The Gospel is to be proclaimed:-I. Without mutilation. II. In all its fulness Boldness of speech.-When Dr. Rowland Taylor was brought surrounded with before Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, the bishop asked him, outward splen-"How he durst look him in the face, and if he knew who he "He who, when (Gardiner) was?" "Yes," replied the doctor, "I know who you called on to speak are, Dr. Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, and Lord Chan- disagreeable cellor, and yet but a mortal man, I trow. But if I should be truth, tells it afraid of your lordly looks, why fear you not God, the Lord of us done, is both all? How dare you look any Christian man in the face, since you bolder and have forsaken the truth, denied Christ, and done contrary to your milder than he oath and writing? With what face will you appear before Christ's low voice, and judgment seat, and answer to your oath against Popery in King never ceases nib- Henry VIII.'s time, and in the reign of King Edward VI., when 21, 22. but.. affairs, he naturaliy assumes that they would desire to know this: affairs-circumstances, prospects. how.. do, fare in health, etc.. Tychicus a [iii. 184], acc. to trad. aft. Bp. of Chalcedon in Bithynia; or Colophon; or of Neapolis in Cyprus. faithful, trusty. sent.. purpose, as follows. that .. affairs, things ab. P. and his companions. and.. hearts, by the news he would bring, and the Gospel he would preach. Comfort in trial.-In the exhaustless catalogue of Heaven's mercies to mankind, the power we have of finding some germs of comfort in the hardest trials must ever occupy the foremost place; not only because it supports and upholds us when we most require to be sustained, but because in this source of consolation there is something, we have reason to believe, of the Divine Spirit; some- thing of that goodness which detects, amidst our own evil doings, a redeeming quality; something which, even in our fallen nature, we possess in common with the angels; which had its being in the old time when they trod the earth, and linger on it yet, in pity." 23, 24. peace," peaceableness, à valedictory prayer." brethren, in Christ at Ephesus. love, the sign of a true faith. faith, wh. P. assumes to be there already." grace, of God in Christ. sincerity, in incorruption, immovably, health with- out any blemish, and its continuance flowing fr. it.—Bengel. An Apostolic conclusion. This Apostolic conclusion is a re- minder of-I. That peace which comes down from God's heaven alone upon our earth, into our hearts. II. That love, which is pure, holy, Divine. III. That faith, which, inseparable from love, living and active through it, born of God, alone is pleasing to God, alone gives to God His glory, alone exalts the soul to Him. IV. That grace, through which, first and alone, there comes to us all true, eternal, blessed good, continuing ours out of pure mercy and whose favour is -Plautus. g C. Bronté. "One hour of not to remember it had its overcast, its cold, its stormy hours. Second, Xor know the men huge, dingy; the canvas cracked and smoked; a yellow sky, worth nothing." sooty clouds; no sun, no azure; the verdure of the suburbs blighted and sullied-a very dreary scene. Third, Belgium; and I will pause before this landscape. Green, reedy swamps; fields fertile but flat, cultivated in patches, that made them look joy dispels the like magnified kitchen-gardens; belts of cut trees, formal as pollard willows, skirting the horizon; narrow canals, gliding slow by And sufferings the road-side; painted Flemish farmhouses; some very dirty years."Bap- hovels; a grey, dead sky; wet roads, wet fields, wet housetops; not a beautiful, scarcely a picturesque object met my eye along the whole route; yet, to me, all was beautiful, all was more than picturesque. cares of a thousand tisté. perseverance a Jo. vi. 29; Ph. ii. 13; 1 Th. i. 3. 1 Co. i. 7, 8; Ep. i. 13, 14. € Ellicott. 6, 7. confident, certain, well assured. perform,a carry it through, complete, perfect. until.. Christ, whether near or far off, the decisive day for ea. individual. This fixed purpose of God, the security for the perseverance of the saints. meet, right. think.. all, to entertain this confident hope. because .. heart, his love strengthens his confidence. as.. bonds, now that I am a prisoner. and.. Gospel, when I was at large preaching the Gospel. ye.. grace, ye share in the fruit of the grace given to me; and minister to my need of the grace given to of which you may repent." - P. you. Syrus. d 2 Co. vii. 3. "Take care not to begin anything God carrying on the good work.-I. What true religion in the "Set about what-heart is: 1. A work; 2. An inward work; 3. A good work-good ever thou in- morally-good, as it is joy-giving-good, as it is useful. II. The tendest to do; the Author of this good work,-" He," that is God. The whole Godbeginning is half head: 1. God the Father-His great love; 2. The Son-our the battle."-Ausonius. Redeemer; 3. The Holy Spirit. III. The fact that the Divine Author of this work will assuredly carry it on, and finish it: 1. He can; 2. He will, do so. e Dr. J. Burns. "Joy descends gently upon us like the evening dew, and does not patter down like a hailstorm." -Richter. yearning affection a Ph. iv. 1. b Ellicott, Meyer. c 1 Th. iii. 12. d 2 Pe ii. 18; Col. i. 19; 1Jo. v. 2; 1 Th. iv. 9, 10; 1 Pe. i. 22. I have you in my heart.-After the battle of Gettysburg, a soldier was found dead upon the field, holding in his hand the picture of three small children. No clew to his name could be found. In the terrors of battle he had comforted himself with this picture. It was published, and by this means the children were found in a village of Western New York. The sale of this picture resulted in the founding of the "National Orphan Homestead" at Gettysburg, where the Humiston children, the originals of the picture, find a home, and their mother is the matron. 8, 9. for.. record, He is a witness of the truth of my words. how all,a I yearn for your welfare. in.. Christ, Christ's heart had, as it were, bec. his, and beat in his bosom. and.... this also, that follows. love, to all good things, to God, pray, to ea. other. knowledge, seeking to know best the things that are most lovable. Love aiding in the acquisition of knowledge. all, every form of. judgment, perception of things good in faith and practice. Christian love.-Christian love-I. Is unselfish. II. Is a pure and spiritual thing. III. Is guided by intelligence and experience. "Orthodoxy of itself is not suf- IV. Assumes, as its great work, the impartation of Christian truth. ficient to any V. Embraces everything, and makes all subservient to its main man's salvation; work.e but the conjunc tion of an ortho- Self-sacrificing affection.-" O Charlie! be careful, little brother: dox head with a you are skating too near that hole!" The words came too late. sincere heart always constitutes an excel lent Christian."— Charlie did not see the hole, and before his brother had finished honest C excellent a Ro. xii. 2; Ep. v. 17. 10, 11. approve, a discriminate, test, discern. excellent, things that transcend. sincere, pure. offence, stumbling. being.. righteousness, the righteousness wh. is by faith must needs be fruitful. which.. Christ,d who "wrought out and brought in "this righteousness. unto.. God, the great aim of all true Christian life and faith. h Lightfoot. "The best among those that are good, of wh. none but those of more ad attain ments perceive the excellence." -Bengel. Fruits of righteousness.-I. The nature of righteousness: 1. The term is diversified in its meaning; 2. In the text it signifies vanced personal holiness. II. Its fruits : 1. It is productive of gracious fruits; 2. These fruits are abundant and progressive. III. Its Author: 1. It is purchased by Christ as our Redeemer; 2. It is Ga. v. 22, 23. derived from Him as our Saviour. IV. Its results. It is "tod Jo. xv. 5; Ep. the glory and praise of God:" 1. In the scheme of redemption; 2. In the subjects of salvation. Hating goodness." I happened once," says Dr Cotton Mather, "to be present in the room where a dying man could not leave the world till he had lamented to a minister (whom he had sent for on this account) the unjust calumnies and injuries which he had often cast upon him. The minister asked the poor penitent what was the occasion of this abusive conduct: whether he had been imposed upon by any false report. The man made this answer, No, sir, it was merely this; I thought you were a good man, and that you did much good in the world, and therefore I hated you. Is it possible, is it possible,' he added, 'for such a wretch to find pardon?'" ii. 10. Anon. "Thou seest, my son Marcus, the very form and as it features, were, of virtue; and could it only be beheld by our eyes, it would rouse in usa wonderful love of wis dom."-Cicero. See Serm. by 12-14, things.. me, ref. to his bonds and imprisonment. personal furtherance," advancement: a result not anticipated by the affairs enemy. so.. Christ, endured for His sake. manifest, the a Ps. lxxvi. 10; cause of them clearly known. palace, prætorium, prob. not Ge. 1. 20; Ac. merely the palace of Nero: but whole camp of the Prætorians, viii. 4; xi. 19, 20. within and without the city. and.. places, and to all the rest, Hooker, iii. people outside the prætorium. brethren, who bef. were timid. waxing.. bonds, as they saw P.'s heroic bearing, and that he was not ashamed of them, nor men of him as of a vile criminal. are.. more, than they were bef., or would have been but for P.'s example. b Cony and How., For castrum præ- "in Christian boldness.-I. Distinguish true Christian boldness from its counterfeits, and set forth some of its leading attributes: 1. False boldness arises from ignorance-bad judgment-rashness Ewald says, all the prætorium -pride of courage-obstinacy-a domineering spirit; 2. Christian among the solmust be founded on holy love-humble-delicate-wise and diers." prudent-faithful-grounded on humble confidence in God. II. The extent to which it is encouraged in the Scriptures, and some of its illustrious exemplifications-Noah, Moses, Daniel, the three See on PrætoHebrew youths, the disciples. III. The great want of this rium, Lightfoot on Phil. p. 97. virtue at the present day, the alliance between the Church and d Bengel. |
