“so mighty good a man could be wrong;” although at the same time, perhaps, his principles and practice were equally corrupt. But let this same person, late the _darling_ of the world, and the object of its warmest commendations, only be awakened to a feeling sense of his lost state, take but a few steps out of Babylon; and immediately the note of the men of the world is changed: their blessings are converted into curses; their praises, into reproach and calumny; and the most ridiculous, depreciating, illiberal, and even abominable epithets, are not bad enough for him, who has avowed non-conformity to the world, and is determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. So that, if to these trials from Satan and the world, be added a consideration of the still keener ones from the remainder of corruption; with how great propriety do the scriptures represent the life of a Christian, as a _warfare_, a _race_, a _difficult journey_, an _agony_? But is there no release at all for the Christian soldier from this severe struggle with sin, Satan, and the world? Yes, the same hand that appoints the scene of battle, will sign a discharge from it also. The day is fixed, when, after his exit from the field, he is to “enter into _peace_:” not like a coward who flies from battle, but as a magnanimous veteran, worn out in the services of the Captain of his salvation; to whom “to live was Christ, and to die is gain.” Then shall he put off that “_harness_” in death, which he put on, when he enlisted as a volunteer under the Messiah; and shall lay down the weapons of his warfare and his earthly tabernacle together. His ears shall then no longer be stunned with the din of war, nor his heart be made so frequently the seat of terror and agitation, under apprehensions of losing the day after all; but, relieved from all his fears, and released from all his conflicts, he shall enter into that land of consummate peace, in his march towards which he had been obliged to fight every step of the way, with his sword in hand. There he shall receive, as the gratuitous donation of divine grace, and as the _gracious_ reward of his faithfulness unto death, an immortal crown of glory; which, when his divine Captain places it on his head, he shall, with the hand of self-renunciation, take off, and in deepest humility lay at Immanuel’s feet. There he shall be placed at an infinite distance from the seat of war in this troublesome world; and, beyond the reach of all his enemies, shall enjoy peace that shall never be interrupted, and bliss that shall never have an end.