enemies." Paul says, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." John says, "God is love," and Solomon says, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemned." "And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." I. Corinthians xiii: 13.

II. Joy. This grace is never absent from the Christian. Paul says, "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." The condition of our fellows in sin, and the awful doom that awaits them is the cause of sorrow, but the wonderful grace through Jesus is the cause of continual joy. It is like two currents in the air; the lower current blowing north and the upper current blowing south. One current is from Jesus; this wafts us heavenward and we rejoice; the other is from the devil, and this carries men to the pit, and we are sad; but the joy overbalances the sorrow, so we obey the Scriptural command to "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say Rejoice." Jesus said: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John xv: 9-11. A long-faced, gloomy person is not a true representation of a Christian. Philip preaching Christ in Samaria produced great joy in that city. Jesus said, "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." Luke vi: 22-23. "The Jews raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them. out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." Acts xiii: 50-52.

III. Peace. We will let God speak on this important grace of the Spirit. He says, "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the vicked." Isaiah xlviii: 18,22. To spend eternity without peace must be horrid. Again God says, Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Proverbs iii: 13, 17. "For he (Christ) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh." Ephesians ii: 14,17. "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians v: 17. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall

keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, (Paul) do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Philippians iv: 7, 9. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." I. Thessalonians v: 23-24. "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians iv: 3. "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;" Ephesians vi: 15. that you may carry the gospel of peace to others. "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.' Philippians i: 2. Jesus said, John xiv: 27, "Peace I (Jesus) leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on him because he trusteth in him." See Isaiah xxvi: 3. Psalm cxix:165. "Great peace have they which love God's law; and nothing shall offend them." "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs xvi: 7. "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Hebrews xii: 14.

IV. Longsuffering. The following passages inform us that the Lord is longsuffering. "And the Lord passed by before him (Moses) and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." Exodus xxxiv: 6. "The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression." Numbers xiv: 18. "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Psalm lxxxvi: 15. "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" Romans ii: 4. "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. I. Peter iii: 20. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you." II. Peter iii: 9, 15. There would be no hope of our salvation if the Lord had not been longsuffering. God is longsuffering towards the wicked, but this will not finally save them from destruction, as seen in the following passage: "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction."' Romans ix: 22. As God is longsuffering, so we are required to

maintain the same grace. "But in all things approving ourselves, by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned." II. Corinthians vi: 4, 6. "I (Paul) therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." Ephesians iv: 1-2. "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." Colossians i: 11. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering." Colossians iii: 12. "Howbeit for this cause I (Paul) obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting." I. Timothy i: 16. “But thou hast fully known my (Paul's) doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience." II. Timothy iii: 10. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.' II. Timothy iv: 2.

strive; but be gentle unto all Timothy : 24. This is a re"Put them in mind to be sub

V. Gentleness. David said to God, "Thy gentleness hath made me great." Christ was a pattern of gentleness, which Paul referred to in the following passage as an example for the church at Corinth. "Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh." II. Corinthians x: 1-2. In the following passage Paul refers to his gentleness: "But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children." I. Thessalonians ii: 7. Paul wrote to Timothy, "And the servant of the Lord must not men, apt to teach, patient." II. proof to those who are not gentle. ject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men." Titus iii: 1-2. are some of the things the minister is required to teach. tian character is partially delineated in the following passages: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." James iii: 17. "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." I. Peter ii: 18. In this passage we are informed that servants must be peaceable and gentie, even when they have froward masters.

These Chris

VI. Goodness. The Scriptures declare the goodness of God, as seen in the following passages: "And the Lord passed by before him (Moses) and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and

66

66

Surely goodness and I will dwell "For how great

truth." Exodus xxxiv: 6. "For the word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done in truth. He loveth righteousness and judgment; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." Psalm xxxiii: 4-5. "Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness." Psalm lxv: 4,1 1. 'Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. Psalm lii: 1. Our goodness comes from God. and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: in the house of the Lord for ever." Psalm xxiii: 6. is his goodness, and how great is His beauty! Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids." Zechariah ix: 17. New wine will not intoxicate. We should praise the Lord for his goodness. "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness," and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness."' Psalm cvii: 8-9. The goodness of God leads men to repent"Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" Romans ii: 4. The disobedient will experience the severity of God. "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." Romans xi: 22. Christians should be full of goodness. “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." Romans xv: 14. "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth." Ephesians v: 9. "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power." II. Thessalonians : 11.

ance.

VII. Faith. Faith is to believe that God will do what he has promised. We will let the sacred Scriptures explain this subject. "So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans x: 17. "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with. faith in them that heard it.”’ Hebrews iv: 1-2. "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Romans xiv: 23. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think

that he shall receive anything of the Lord." James : 5-7i: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." James ii: 14-17. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Romans i: 16-17. "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." I. Corinthians ii: 5. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." II. Corinthians v: 7. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" II. Corinthians xiii: 5. "Behold, His soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by His faith." Habakkuk ii: 4. "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts xx: 21. "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Acts xxvi: 18. "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Acts v: 1-5. "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." Acts xv: 8-9. In the above we see that justification and purity are by faith. faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous,. God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God.

"Now