s
of this Christian truth in their own hearts, as ever they were.

And although it can only be a word, I want to put in here a very
earnest word which the tendencies of this generation do very
specially require. It seems to be thought, by a great many people,
who call themselves Christians nowadays, that the nearer they can
come in life, in ways of looking at things, in estimates of
literature, for instance, in customs of society, in politics, in
trade, and especially in amusements--the nearer they can come to the
un-Christian world, the more 'broad' (save the mark!) and 'superior
to prejudice' they are. 'Puritanism,' not only in theology, but in
life and conduct, has come to be at a discount in these days. And it
seems to be by a great many professing Christians thought to be a
great feat to walk as the mules on the Alps do, with one foot over
the path and the precipice down below. Keep away from the edge. You
are safer so. Although, of course, I am not talking about mere
conventional dissimilarities; and though I know and believe and feel
all that can be said about the insufficiency, and even insincerity,
of such, yet there is a broad gulf between the man who believes in
Jesus Christ and His Gospel and the man who does not, and the
resulting conducts cannot be the same unless the Christian man is
insincere.

III. And now lastly, and only a word, note the great reward and crown
of this transfigured life.

Paul puts it in words which, if I had time, would require some
commenting upon. The issue of such a life is, to put it into plain
English, an increased power of perceiving, instinctively and surely,
what it is God's will that we should do. And that is the reward. Just
as when you take away disturbing masses of metal from near a compass,
it trembles to its true point, so when, by the discipline of which I
have been speaking, there are swept away from either side of us the
things that would perturb our judgment, there comes, as blessing and
reward, a clear insight into that which it is our duty to do.

There may be many difficulties left, many perplexities. There is no
promise here, nor is there anything in the tendencies of Christ-like
living, to lead us to anticipate that guidance in regard to matters
of prudence or expediency or temporal advantage will follow from such
a transfigured life. All such matters are still to be determined in
the proper fashion, by the exercise of our own best judgment and
common-sens