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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 alik