Page:The Life and Works of Christopher Dock.djvu/148

136 To avoid tedium, I repeat I cannot describe many exercises that are conducive to blessedness of faith, love, hope, patience; in fine, all exercises of virtue that in Holy Script lead to blessedness, as they are written, useful for instruction, punishment, &c. As each should be taken up at a particular time with children, to tell of all this in detail would take too long.

But the true redeeming faith must embrace all that is useful in life and in the path of righteousness, and nothing is more acceptable to Jesus Christ than exhibiting one's faith in acts of love. To such the Lord Jesus Himself has given the shield that He shall be His armor bearer, empowered not only to win in this world (I John v, 5, 6), but also to quench all fiery darts of the Evil One (Eph. vi, 16). I shall only for my own and others' encouragement, and the strengthening of their faith, add a few things concerning the properties of faith so far as I am now, with my feeble strength and by the grace of God, able to do this. For without His grace and favor our actions and everything are in vain. Because I find this to be the case with myself, I feel called upon to write this down, simply and solely for the glory of God, and in honor of His holy name. For we may thank none but the dear God, that He has thus far in this dark world let His holy word stand like a light in a candle-stick. So long as our feet are turned in the path of peace, we can say with David (Psalm cxix, 105), “Lord, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

But may God, who is a light, and in whom there