conquered the world. "In much
patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in
imprisonments, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by
long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by
the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness
on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil
report and good report, as deceivers and yet true, as chastened and not
killed, as sorrowful yet alway rejoicing;"--these are the weapons of
our warfare, "which are not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strong holds[6]." These are despised by the world, but
they have subdued the world. Nay, though they seem most unmanly, they
in the event have proved most heroic. For the heroical character
springs out of them. He who has thrown himself out of this world,
alone can overcome it; he who has cut himself loose of it, alone cannot
be touched by it; he alone can be courageous, who does not fear it; he
alone firm, who is not moved by it; he alone severe with it, who does
not love it. Despair makes men bold, and so it is that he who has
nothing to hope from the world, has nothing to fear from it. He who
has really tasted of the true Cross, can taste no bitterer pain, no
keener joy.

I have been trying to urge on you, my brethren, that the taking of
Christ's yoke, and learning of Him, is something very distinct and
special, and very unlike any other service and character. It is the
result of a change from a state of nature, a change so great as to be
called a death or even a crucifixion of our natural state. Never allow
yourselves, my brethren, to fancy that the true Christian character can
coalesce with this world's character, or is the world's character
improved--merely a superior kind of worldly character. No, it is a new
character; or, as St. Paul words it, "a new creation." Speaking of the
Cross of Christ, he says, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the
Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me,
and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature[7]." It is
a new character, and it is one; it is ever one and the same. It is not
one in Apostles, and another in the Christian of this day; not one in
the high, another in the low; one in rich, another in poor; one in
Englishman, another in foreigner; one in man, anoth