consulting the wishes of others, in foregoing one's own pleasures, in hiding for other's sake the troubles which each may feel, in bearing and forbearing, and in throwing over the little crosses of life the covering of love unfeigned; in such and such like ways, the man of God is daily exercised in defeating the dominion of self. In these smaller fights he trains his limbs and accustoms them to their weapons within the reach of his own home; and so when the trumpet sounds for a wider conflict, and he is summoned to take up his cross and follow his Master's steps, he comes forth at the sound with cheerful confidence, neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. By "submitting one to another" day by day, learning by experience how love can make the seven years but seem as one day, he is prepared to carry out the principle that he would suffer loss of all things, and count them but dung that he might win Christ.

Again, what a source of strength and confidence in the world is the possession of such a home. When Nehemiah was ranging the battle at Jerusalem, he tells us that he set the defenders of the wall "after their families with their swords, and their spears, and their bows,"

that each, surrounded by those who were the dearest to him, might play the bolder part against the foe. They felt that others would suffer in their defeat, and if they triumphed they should share the victory with those whose safety would give it a tenfold enjoyment. No less in the great struggle of life and death he is doubly armed who bears to the battle the recollections of happy days and habits of affection and truth. He can turn with contempt from those pitiful imitations of pleasure which the world is so ready to hold out, since he knows a purer well of joy, and has his feelings strung to a truer and better tone. He has given pledges of his continuance in the good fight, and linked with those around him he feels a double strength of endurance, a double shame of loss and sorrow in swerving him from his appointed path. He knows there are hearts which are enlisted with him, which will divide every sorrow and double every joy; so even the world for him does good service. In St. Paul's words, the world and things present, all are his, and minister through Christ's to his eternal safety.

grace

JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.

Sermons for the Christian Seasons.

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

SPIRITUAL STRENGTH.

EPH. vi. 10. My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

It was to these Ephesians, these members of the Ephesian Church, that the same Apostle St. Paul in anxious and affectionate words expressed his desire that they should not faint, that for that cause he bowed his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant them to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith, and that they being rooted and grounded in love might know the love of Christ, and be filled with all the fulness of God. Fearful lest they should fall from their stedfastness, lest they should waver or lose heart, lest their hands should droop, lest they should relax their hold of the Cross of Christ and begin

to fall back in heavenly things, he bowed his knees to God; he gave himself to prayer on their behalf; he endeavoured by these means to obtain for them gifts of strength, to carry them on their way, to give them nerve, to brace them up in their task of Christian service.

And now having done all his part and continuing to do it as a guide and lover of their souls, he proceeds to charge them to do their part for themselves. "My brethren," he says, "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might;" not as if this spiritual strength, this strength in the inner man, this stedfastness of soul, would drop into their laps, would come down upon them from heaven without any exertion, any effort of their own; but as if something were in their own power, as if they had to seek in order to find, as if the gifts of God were to be sued and striven for, as if this great might, this succour of the Spirit by which the inner man is made strong, would not be bestowed on those who sat still in indolent expectation of help. Why should he say, "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might," if nothing could be done by themselves? if the matter in no way, in no degree, depended upon themselves?

When the everlasting arms are ready to raise men up to higher and holier ways, they must lay hold of them as it were, and clasp them round, and put forth their strength instead of lying passively on the ground. Though without Him we can do nothing that is good, yet first we must seek His help, and when He helps we must as it were help ourselves, not with a presumptuous sloth leaving all to Him, though He does all. Such is the drift of the inspired counsel which bids us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, not as if our working could work it out, though at the same time our working is required; for it is added that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do. Nor need we stop to explain how it is that God requires us to work as if we had much in our power, while He does all that is good whether in will or act. We need not seek to solve the mysteries of God nor to look behind the veil, but should rather set forth and act upon God's word.

Take then the Apostle's words, which have passed from the Ephesians' ears to ours, and which now urge us to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might;" and first of all, consider the sort of strength of which he speaks; it is strength in the Lord, strength in the things