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meek, to those who tremble at the Word of God. I am not come,' said Christ, to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' 'The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost'; and similarly He declares that His mission was to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised' (or crushed); which in its spiritual sense refers to the poor in spirit, those whose pride is broken by a sense of sin and helplessness, to the captives of sin, the spiritually blind and bruised; and these statements can only have significance, and therefore can only apply to those who recognise their spiritual poverty and blindness, helplessness and need. Therefore Christ said, Except ye receive the Kingdom of Heaven as a little. child,' i.e., as one who recognises his spiritual need and helplessness, ye shall in no wise enter therein; and thus the poor in spirit' are pronounced blessed,' and possessors of that kingdom.

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On the other hand He said, 'How can ye believe who receive honour one of another' (John v. 44); for the pride and self-satisfaction which is fostered by the mutual praise which religionists bestow on each other arms the mind against the truth. In short, the beginning of eternal life is the beginning of the death of the natural man, the salient characteristic of which is pride; and this death is continually deepened as the life grows, and the faith is strengthened.

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This life is called the 'new man,' in distinction to the 'old man,' or psychical nature, which is spoken of as the flesh,' or 'carnal mind,' the affections and lusts of which the Christian is said to crucify, or put to death. This new man is stated to be created after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness,' for, as already pointed out, the life received by the Christian from Christ is Christ living in him spiritually. We have the mind of Christ,' says the Apostle, and if any man have

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not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His' (1 Cor. ii. 16; Rom. viii. 9); for all who are called of God' are predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son' (Rom. viii. 28, 29).

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This conformity separates the Christian from the world and the world from the Christian; for as the world cannot receive the Spirit of truth, the belief of the truth necessarily places the Christian in antagonism to it, destroying its influence on his mind, quenching his thirst for its honours, interests, and pleasures, and enabling him to endure its hatred and contumely. Hence the Apostle John says, 'This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith' (1 John v. 4). For the friend of the world,' says James, is the enemy of God' (James v. 4). Therefore, he who is united to Christ must expect to be hated by the world, more especially by the religious portion of it, as in the case of Christ Himself. For just as He was hated by the religionists of His day because He condemned their false righteousness, so must the Christian who witnesses for the truth expect the same hati ed from the same classes. Therefore Christ warns His followers, 'Ye are not of the world, even as I am not of the world; but because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth. you' (John xvii. 16; xv. 19).

The absolute necessity of this antagonism between the subjects of the natural and spiritual kingdoms has already been pointed out, but it may also be observed that the hatred of the world to the Christian is a powerful factor in his redemption from it. For if only those who are dead with Christ to the world and the things of the world can be glorified with Him, then the antagonism of the world to the Christian tends to destroy the fascination and attraction of earthly hopes, joys, and interests, and to embitter his present life, without which it would be impossible for him to die to earthly things. In short, in order that the Christian may be crucified to

the world, the world must also be crucified to him (Gal. vi. 14). Hence the Apostle Paul says, 'If in this life only we have hope of Christ, we are of all men most miserable' (1 Cor. xv. 19). Hence also the significance of Christ's statement, that He who loveth his life shall lose it, but he who hateth his life in this world, the same shall keep it unto life eternal' (John xii. 25).

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Yet, gloomy as such a prospect must be to the natural man, it is clearly not so to the Christian; for he does not give up the world and its interests, and the pleasures of the flesh, while still loving them, but because their attraction for him has passed away. If he hates his life. in this world, it is because its fascination has ceased. He is a stranger and pilgrim in this world, with his affections set upon things above; and he is spoken of as 'rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory,' ever 'looking for,' and upheld by the hope of the second coming of Christ, which hope, indeed, is spoken of as his special characteristic; and it is implied that only to them who love His appearing' shall a crown of righteousness' be given (Heb. ix. 28; 2 Tim. iv. 8).

All this implies a change, which is nothing short of the death of the natural or psychical principle in a man. Nay, even the very body which is the seat of the psychical affections must perish also, for 'flesh and blood cannot inherit immortality, neither can corruption inherit incorruption.' Nevertheless, if the spirit of man has become spiritual, a new habitation or spiritual body will be given it, which will be as truly its expression and manifestation as the natural body is of the psychical spirit, and which, like itself, being the image of God, will be immortal and incorruptible. When this is the case the pyramid of creation will be complete, and the top-stone thereof will be seen in the spiritual manthat is, in Christ and all those who are redeemed from among men, and who, being all conformed to His image, are said to be part of His body, and are

indeed spoken of as together constituting 'THE CHRIST' (1 Cor. xii. 12).*

It is thus evident that eternal life is not, as many seem to think, mere future safety, or future existence and freedom from condemnation. It is a present state, a great spiritual change, commencing in this world, consisting of spiritual union with God in the person of Christ, in place of separation and alienation from Him. It is righteousness and true holiness. It is regeneration and sanctification. It is to be conformed to the image of Christ, and therefore to the image of God. It is to be Idead with Christ to sin and the world to suffer with Him. It is to overcome the world.

We have also seen that the Christian receives this life through the knowledge and belief of the truth. He has to live by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God'; to draw his life from Christ, 'the Word of God,' as the branch draws its life from the vine. That Christ is thus the Bread of Life,' and the 'Light of the World'; and that just as spiritual darkness is Death, so the knowledge of the Truth is Life. He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.'

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But this life must be sought. A man must eat the bread of life, and drink the waters of life, and continue to do so, for this life has a great work to do. The 'new man' has to fight against and crucify the old man,' or flesh. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live' (Rom. viii. 13); and the weapon with which the Christian has to fight is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.'

For it is only him that overcometh' who will be saved; therefore the Apostle Paul cautions his hearers to work out their salvation with fear and trembling';

*Our Kai & Xpioróg-'So also is The Christ.' See the whole passage.

while the Apostle Peter urges his hearers to add to their faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness and charity, in order to make their calling and election sure. For although it is known to God whether this or that person is, or is not, fore-ordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, yet the only evidence that the person himself has, is a growth in grace, and in the knowledge of the truth, and consequent conformity to the image of Christ. For the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day' (Prov. iv. 18). It is a constant growth in the knowledge of the truth. Therefore Paul urges Timothy to fight the good fight of faith and to lay hold on eternal life' (1 Tim. vi. 12). While he himself, speaking of his own conflict, says he keeps under his body, i.e., his fleshly nature, and brings it into subjection, 'lest when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway.' Therefore he says, 'I count not myself to have attained. But this one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things that are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus' (Phil. iii. 13, 14).

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Thus salvation is no light matter. Scarcely,' says Peter, are the righteous saved.' It is the result of a fierce and terrible conflict, a battle, a race in which many run, but only some attain the prize (1 Cor. ix. 24). For eternal life is like natural life, a growth, first the seed, then the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear (Mark iv. 28); and as shown by Christ in the parable of the sower, that just as in nature many a promising plant perishes, so many who received the word with joy fail to endure to the end, or are drawn aside by the cares of this world, and the lust of other things which choke the word. Yet the result is certain to those who are taught of God,' 'begotten of His own will by the word of truth.' For their faith is the gift of God, whose gifts and calling are without repentance.

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