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as receive Him； He gives power to bee sons of God。〃 （Acts v。 31；
John i。 12； 13。） Holiness es not of bloodparents cannot give it to
their children： nor yet of the will of the fleshman cannot produce it
in himself： nor yet of the will of manministers cannot give it you by
baptism。 Holiness es from Christ。 It is the result of vital union
with Him； It is the fruit of being a living branch of the True Vine。 Go
then to Christ and say； 〃Lord； not only save me from the guilt of sin；
but send the Spirit； whom Thou didst promise； and save me from its
power。 Make me holy。 Teach me to do Thy will。〃
Would you continue holy？ Then abide in Christ。 He says Himself； 〃Abide
in Me and I in you；he that abideth in Me and I in him； the same
beareth much fruit。 （John xv。 4； 5。） It pleased the Father that in Him
should all fulness dwella full supply for all a believer's wants。 He
is the Physician to whom you must daily go； if you would keep well。 He
is the Manna which you must daily eat； and the Rock of which you must
daily drink。 His arm is the arm on which you must daily lean； as you
e up out of the wilderness of this world。 You must not only be
rooted； you must also be built up in Him。 Paul was a man of God
indeeda holy mana growing； thriving Christianand what was the
secret of it all？ He was one to whom Christ was 〃all in all。〃 He was
ever 〃looking unto Jesus。〃 〃I can do all things；〃 he says； 〃through
Christ which strengthened me。〃 〃I live； yet not I； but Christ liveth in
me。 The life that I now live； I live by the faith of the Son of God。〃
Let us go and do likewise。 （Heb。 xii。 2； Phil。 iv。 13； Gal。 ii。 20。）
May all who read these pages know these things by experience； and not
by hearsay only。 May we all feel the importance of holiness； far more
than we have ever done yet！ May our years be holy years with our souls；
and then they will be happy ones！ Whether we live； may we live unto the
Lord； or whether we die； may we die unto the Lord； of if He es for
us； may we be found in peace； without spot； and blameless！
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IV。
THE FIGHT
〃Fight the good fight of faith。〃1 Timothy vi。 12。
IT is a curious fact that there is no subject about which most people
feel such deep interest as 〃fighting。〃 Young men and maidens； old men
and little children； high and low； rich and poor； learned and
unlearned； all feel a deep interest in wars； battles and fighting。
This is a simple fact； whatever way we may try to explain it。 We should
call that Englishman a dull fellow who cared nothing about the story of
Waterloo； or Inkermann； or Balaclava or Lucknow。 We should think that
heart cold and stupid which was not moved and thrilled by the struggles
at Sedan and Strasburg； and Metz； and Paris； during the war between
France and Germany。
But there is another warfare of far greater importance than any war
that was ever waged by man。 It is a warfare which concerns not two or
three nations only； but every Christian man and woman born into the
world。 The warfare I speak of is the spiritual warfare。 It is the fight
which everyone who would be saved must fight about his soul。
This warfare； I am aware； is a thing of which many know nothing。 Talk
to them about it； and they are ready to set you down as a madman； an
enthusiast； or a fool。 And yet it is as real and true as any war the
world has ever seen。 It has its hand…to…hand conflicts and its wounds。
It has its watchings and fatigues。 It has its sieges and assaults。 It
has its victories and its defeats。 Above all； it has consequences which
are awful； tremendous； and most peculiar。 In earthly warfare the
consequences to nations are often temporary and remediable。 In the
spiritual warfare it is very different。 Of that warfare； the
consequences； when the fight is over； are unchangeable and eternal。
It is of this warfare that St。 Paul spoke to Timothy； when he wrote
those burning words； 〃Fight the good fight of faith； lay hold on
eternal life。〃 It is of this warfare that I propose to speak in this
paper。 I hold the subject to be closely connected with that of
sanctification and holiness。 He that would understand the nature of
true holiness must know that the Christian is 〃a man of war。〃 If we
would be holy we must fight。
I。 The first thing I have to say is this： True Christianity is a fight。
True Christianity！ Let us mind that word 〃true。〃 There is a vast
quantity of religion current in the world which is not true； genuine
Christianity。 It passes muster； it satisfies sleepy consciences； but it
is not good money。 It is not the real thing which was called
Christianity eighteen hundred years ago。 There are thousands of men and
women who go to churches and chapels every Sunday； and call themselves
Christians。 Their names are in the baptismal register。 They are
reckoned Christians while they live。 They are married with a Christian
marriage service。 They mean to be buried as Christians when they die。
But you never see any 〃fight〃 about their religion！ Of spiritual
strife； and exertion； and conflict； and self…denial； and watching； and
warring； they know literally nothing at all。 Such Christianity may
satisfy man； and those who say anything against it may be thought very
hard and uncharitable； but it certainly is not the Christianity of the
Bible。 It is not the religion which the Lord Jesus founded； and His
Apostles preached。 It is not the religion which produces real holiness。
True Christianity is 〃a fight。〃
The true Christian is called to be a soldier； and must behave as such
from the day of his conversion to the day of his death。 He is not meant
to live a life of religious ease； indolence； and security。 He must
never imagine for a moment that he can sleep and doze along the way to
heaven； like one travelling in an easy carriage。 If he takes his
standard of Christianity from the children of this world； he may