Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 1.pdf/314

 the beauty as well as the truth of each, shall delight and instruct thy mind.

The divine truth, in Scripture language, assumes various names, each descriptive of the exact mode of its operation while engaged in the work of human redemption and salvation. In spiritual warfare and temptation, when evils of the will and falsities of thought are to be subdued, the truth is then the Christian's sword and spear; a sword, because combating with all that is false in the understanding, and a spear to pierce through those impurities which prevent us from bringing forth good and holy fruits in the life. Truth combating for man's good is the sword of Scripture; the sword of the spirit is the Word of God." (Eph. vi. 17.) The Lord says, "I came not to send peace, but a sword." (Matt. x. 34.) He came as the living truth, and by His truth, as the spiritual sword, evil is conquered and good secured. The divine truth proceeding from the Lord, is meant by the two-edged sword that went forth out of his mouth. (Rev. i. 16.) We are called upon to sell, or part with, our own garment of falsehood, and to procure Divine Truth.—"He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." (Luke xxii. 36.) When impurities and errors are overcome, spiritual warfare ceases, and a state of cultivation succeeds! the fallow ground of the heart is to be broken up, and the mind softened to receive those Divine seeds of knowledge, which, in after life, are to spring forth, that the soul may become fruitful as the plain, smiling with golden harvests. Truth, upon leaving warfare and commencing cultivation, changes its name with the change of its operation, and the sword is beaten into a plough-share, and the