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fast in the faith： quit you like men； be strong。〃〃War a good warfare；
holding faith and a good conscience。〃 （1 Tim。 vi。 12； 2 Tim。 ii。 3；
Ephes。 vi。 11…13； Luke xiii。 24； John vi。 27； Matt。 x。 34； Luke xxii。
36； 1 Cor。 xvi。 13； 1 Tim。 i。 18； 19。） Words such as these appear to me
clear； plain； and unmistakable。 They all teach one and the same great
lesson； if we are willing to receive it。 That lesson is； that true
Christianity is a struggle； a fight； and a warfare。 He that pretends to
condemn 〃fighting〃 and teaches that we ought to sit still and 〃yield
ourselves to God；〃 appears to me to misunderstand his Bible； and to
make a great mistake。
What says the Baptismal Service of the Church of England？ No doubt that
Service is uninspired； and； like every uninspired position； it has
its defects； but to the millions of people all over the globe； who
profess and call themselves English Churchmen； its voice ought to speak
with some weight。 And what does it say？ It tells us that over every new
member who is admitted into the Church of England the following words
are used〃I baptize thee in the name of the Father； the Son； and the
Holy Ghost。〃〃I sign this child with the sign of the cross； in token
that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ
crucified； and manfully to fight under His banner against sin； the
world； and the devil； and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and
servant unto his life's end。〃Of course we all know that in myriads of
cases baptism is a mere form； and that parents bring their children to
the font without faith or prayer or thought； and consequently receive
no blessing。 The man who supposes that baptism in such cases acts
mechanically； like a medicine； and that godly and ungodly； praying and
prayerless parents； all alike get the same benefit for their children；
must be in a strange state of mind。 But one thing； at any rate； is very
certain。 Every baptized Churchman is by his profession a 〃soldier of
Jesus Christ；〃 and is pledged 〃to fight under His banner against sin；
the world； and the devil。〃 He that doubts it had better take up his
Prayer…book； and read； mark； and learn its contents。 The worst thing
about many very zealous Churchmen is their total ignorance of what
their own Prayer…book contains。
Whether we are Churchmen or not； one thing is certainthis Christian
warfare is a great reality； and a subject of vast importance。 It is not
a matter like Church government and ceremonial； about which men may
differ； and yet reach heaven at last。 Necessity is laid upon us。 We
must fight。 There are no promises in the Lord Jesus Christ's Epistles
to the Seven Churches； except to those who 〃overe。〃 Where there is
grace there will be conflict。 The believer is a soldier。 There is no
holiness without a warfare。 Saved souls will always be found to have
fought a fight。
It is a fight of absolute necessity。 Let us not think that in this war
we can remain neutral and sit still。 Such a line of action may be
possible in the strife of nations； but it is utterly impossible in that
conflict which concerns the soul。 The boasted policy of
noninterferencethe 〃masterly inactivity〃 which pleases so many
statesmenthe plan of keeping quiet and letting things aloneall this
will never do in the Christian warfare。 Here at any rate no one can
escape serving under the plea that he is 〃a man of peace。〃 To be at
peace with the world； the flesh and the devil； is to be at enmity with
God； and in the broad way that leadeth to destruction。 We have no
choice or option。 We must either fight or be lost。
It is a fight of universal necessity。 No rank； or class； or age； can
plead exemption； or escape the battle。 Ministers and people； preachers
and hearers； old and young； high and low； rich and poor； gentle and
simple； kings and subjects； landlords and tenants； learned and
unlearnedall alike must carry arms and go to war。 All have by nature
a heart full of pride； unbelief； sloth； worldliness； and sin。 All are
living in a world beset with snares； traps； and pitfalls for the soul。
All have near them a busy； restless； malicious devil。 All； from the
queen in her palace down to the pauper in the workhouse； all must
fight； if they would be saved。
It is a fight of perpetual necessity。 It admits of no breathing time；
no armistice； no truce。 On week…days as well as on Sundaysin private
as well as in publicat home by the family fireside as well as
abroadin little things like management of tongue and temper； as well
as in great ones like the government of kingdomsthe Christian's
warfare must unceasingly go on。 The foe we have to do with keeps no
holidays； never slumbers； and never sleeps。 So long as we have breath
in our bodies we must keep on our armour； and remember we are on an
enemy's ground。 〃Even on the brink of Jordan；〃 said a dying saint； 〃I
find Satan nibbling at my heels。〃 We must fight till we die。
Let us consider well these propositions。 Let us take care that our own
personal religion is real； genuine； and true。 The saddest symptom about
many so…called Christians is the utter absence of anything like
conflict and fight in their Christianity。 They eat； they drink； they
dress； they work； they amuse themselves； they get money； they spend
money； they go through a scanty round of formal religious services once
or twice every week。 But the great spiritual warfareits watchings and
strugglings； its agonies and anxieties； its battles and contestsof
all this they appear to know nothing at all。 Let us take care that this
case is not our own。 The worst state of soul is 〃when the strong man
armed keepeth the house； and his goods are at peace〃when he leads men
and women 〃captive at his will；〃 and they make no resistance。 The worst
chains are those which are neither felt nor seen by the prisoner。 （Luke
xi。 21； 2 Tim。 ii。 26。）
We may take fort about our souls if we know anything of an inward
fight and conflict。 It is the invariable panion of genuine Christian
holiness。 It is not everything； I am well aware； ut it is something。 Do
we find in our heart of hearts a spiritual struggle？ Do we feel
anything of the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against
the flesh； so that we cannot do the things we would？ （Gal。 v。 17。） Are
we conscious of two principles within us； contending for the mastery？
Do we feel anything of war in our inward man？ Well； let us thank God
for it！ It is a good sign。 It is strongly probable evidence of the
great work of sanctification。 All true saints are soldiers。 Anything is
better than apathy； stagnation； deadness； and indifference。 We are in a
better state than many。 The most part of so…called Christians have no
feeling at all。 We are evidently no friends of Satan。 Like the kings of
this world； he wars not against his own subjects。 The very fact that he
assaults us should fill our minds with hope。 I say again； let us take
fort。 The child of God has two great marks about him； and of these
two we have one。 HE MAY BE KNOWN BY HIS INWARD WARFARE； AS WELL AS BY
HIS INWARD PEACE。
II。 I pass on to the second thing which I have to say in handling my
subject： True Christianity is the fight of faith。
In this respect the Christian warfare is utterly unlike the conflicts
of this world。 It does not depend on the strong arm； the quick eye； or
the swift foot。 It is not waged with carnal weapons； but with
spiritual。 Faith is the hinge on which victory turns。 Success depends
entirely on believing。
A general faith in the truth of God's written Word is the primary
foundation of the Christian soldier's character。 He is what he is； does
what he does； thinks as he thinks； acts as he acts； hopes as he hopes；
behaves as he behaves； for one simple reasonhe believes certain
propositions revealed and laid down in Holy Scripture。 〃He that eth
to God must believe that He is； and that He is a Rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him。〃 （Heb。 xi。 5。）
A religion without doctrine or dogma is a thing which many are fond of
talking of in the present day。 It sounds very fine at first。 It looks
very pretty at a distance。 But the moment we sit down to examine and
consider it； we shall find it a simple impossibility。 We might as well
talk of a body without bones and sinews。 No man will ever be anything
or do anything in religion； unless he believes something。 Even those
who profess to hold the miserable and unfortable views of the Deists
are obliged to confess that they believe something。 With all their
bitter sneers against dogmatic theology and Christian credulity； as
they call it； they themselves have a kind of faith。
As for true Christians； faith is the very backbone of their spiritual
existence。 No one ever fights earnestly against the world； the flesh
and the devil； unless he has engraven on his heart certain great
principles which he believes。 What they are he may hardly know； and may
certainly not be able to define or write down。 But there they are； and；
consciously or unconsciously； they form the roots of his religion。
Wherever you see a man； whether rich or poor； learned or unlearned；
wrestling manfully with sin； and trying to overe it； you may be sure
there are certain great principles which that man believes。 The poet
who wrote the famous lines：
〃For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight；
He can't be wrong whose life is in the right；〃
was a clever man； but a poor divine。 There is no such thing as right
living without faith and believing。
A special faith in our Lord Jesus Christ's person； work； and office； is
the life； heart； and mainspring of the Christian soldier's character。
He sees by faith an unseen Saviour； who loved him； gave Himself for
him； paid his debts for him； bore his sins； carried his transgressions；
rose again for him； and appears in heaven for him as his Advocate at
the right hand of God。 He sees Jesus； and clings to Him。 Seeing this
Saviour and trusting in Him； he feels peace and hope； and willingly
does battle against the foes of his soul。
He sees his own many sinshis weak heart； a tempting world； a busy
devil； and if he looked only at them he might well despair。 But he sees
also a mighty Saviour； an interceding Saviour； a sympathizing
SaviourHis blood； His righteousness； His everlasting priesthoodand
he believes that all this is his own。 He sees Jesus； and casts his
whole weight on Him。 Seeing Him he cheerfully fights on； with a full
confidence that he will prove 〃more than conqueror through Him that
loved him。〃 （Rom。 viii。 37。）
Habitual lively faith in Christ's presence and readiness to help is the
secret of the Christian soldier fighting successfully。
It must never be forgotten that faith admits of degrees。 All men do not
believe alike； and even the same person has his ebbs and flows of
faith； and believes more heartily at one time than another。 According
to the degree of his faith the Christian fights well or ill； wins
victories； or suffers occasional repulses； es off triumphant； or
loses a battle。 He that has most faith will always be the happiest and
most fortable soldier。 Nothing makes the anxieties of warfare sit so
lightly on a man as the assurance of Christ's love and continual
protection。 Nothing enables him to bear the fatigue of watching；
struggling； and wrestling against sin； like the indwelling confidence
that Christ is on his side and success is sure。 It is the 〃shield of
faith〃 which quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one。It is the
man who can say； 〃I know whom I have believed〃who can say in time of
suffering； 〃I am not ashamed。〃He who wrote those glowing words； 〃We
faint not；〃〃Our light affliction which endureth but for a moment
worketh in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight o