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I. THERE IS NO ROYAL ROAD TO RENOWN. "You envy me, do you?" said a marshal (Lefevre) of France, to a friend complimenting him on his possessions and good fortune. "Well, you shall have these things at a better bargain than I had. Come into the courtyard: I'll fire at you with a gun twenty times at thirty paces, and if I don't kill you, all shall be your own. What, you will not come! Very well; recollect, then, that I have been shot at more than a thousand times, and much nearer than thirty paces, before I arrived at the state in which you now find me!" The marshal's friend saw only the success attained; he forgot the toil, the suffering and peril through which it had been achieved. The traveller with ardent love of beauty climbs the rugged hill whence his view, he fancies, will be unobstructed and complete; but the first ascent made, behold, another hill overshadowing him; and that surmounted, behold, still another frowns upon him higher yet. So with the hill of life. One arduous ascent made, one difficulty overcome, another presents itself, another, and still another. It is ever "Excelsior!" We would not have it otherwise. Without difficulty, there were no display of energy. Without temptation, there were no self-discipline. Without trial and suffering, there were no fortitude and resignation.

II. OBSERVE THE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS LESSON OF THE PART OF NATURE THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. We begin life as "strangers in a strange land." We bring nothing with us into the world, either of wealth, knowledge, or experience. What we possess, we receive, acquire, or learn. We find the conditions of life already existing We must "accept the situation"; meet it as best we may, and each go on to act his part. Beginning to learn, we find nature and her laws fixed, inexorable, demanding recognition sad obedience. Observe these laws, heed nature's warnings, and she is a gentle mistress, a kind benefactress; but disregard them, disobey them, and she becomes a terrible avenger. The penalty she never fails to inflict. If not in youth, then in manhood; if not in manhood, then in old age. Though her voice be silent, still nature speaks. And this is her word: "Whatever and wherever your place in life's arena act well your part, — learn to do well." For the sake of your physical well-being; for the sake of your temporal happiness; for the sake of those to come after you — observe my commandments to do them!

III. CONSIDER THE UTILITY OF THIS LESSON AS TAUGHT BY SOCIETY AND EMPHASISED IN EVERY SPHERE OF LIFE. The household, the school, the college, the counting room tuitions, the business apprenticeships, civil and political laws and institutions — whatever factors enter in to develop and improve society — are but the outgrowth and exemplification of the precept of "learning to do well." They are nature's assistants, teaching us how to do well in life. What is self-denial? It is but another word for "learning to do well; that is, learning to forego the lesser for the sake of the higher good; denying the present moment for the sake of the moment that is to come — all which involves difficulty, cost, pain, persistent effort. Persistent effort in the mastering of difficulties lies at the basis of true advancement and success. Wisdom, skill, mastery in hall of trade or science, in field of politics or war, come not by wishing.

IV. BUT, ALONG WITH SELF-DENIAL "LEARNING TO DO WELL" INVOLVES SUBMISSION TO HIGHER AUTHORITY. Who could expect to become an able soldier without first submitting to a tactician's guidance? There must be days, weeks, months of weary taxation of eye and ear, nerve and muscle; there must be continued restraint of body and mind; there must be submission to another's will — obedience to a master's command. But — there it comes again — obedience, self-restraint, is difficult. And what is all this struggle with difficulty for? Why, simply for the sake of "learning to do well" — to drill well; for the sake of becoming a good soldier!

V. But the Bible declares that this life is a period of trial, on the issue of which turns the destiny of our future being. If, then, whatever is worth the having in this present life comes not without conflict with difficulties, IS IT REASONABLE TO SUPPOSE THAT THE ADVANTAGES OF THE FUTURE LIFE WILL ACCRUE TO US WITHOUT LIKE CONFLICT WITH DIFFICULTIES? Do nothing, and still inherit eternal life? It is not so cheap a thing as that.

VI. Beyond this, THE BIBLE NOT ONLY POINTS OUT THE DIFFICULTIES THAT OPPOSE US — IT SHOWS HOW THE DIFFICULTIES ARE TO BE MET. In the lives of its heroes the Bible individualises every virtue, but in no one of them does every virtue appear till we come to the perfect man, Christ Jesus. He is the Master of goodness. And He says, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." If the way seem too full of obstructions, and old sins hedge us in, and our weakness is very great, He yet kindly says to us as to the apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee," etc.

(C. P. H. Nason, M. A.)

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KJV: Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

WEB: Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.