e which is always endeavouring, and always foiled, which
is often doubting and often indifferent, but seek to live in the
sunshine, and expatiate in the light, and 'rejoice in the Lord always.'

'Glorying' not only describes an attitude of mind, but an activity of
life. Many things to-day tempt Christian people to speak of their
religion and of their Lord in an apologetic tone, in the face of strong
and educated unbelief; but if we have within us, as we all may have, and
ought to have, the triumphant assurance of His sufficiency, nearness,
and power, it will not be with bated breath that we shall speak of our
Master, or apologise for our Christianity, but we shall obey the
commandment, 'Lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not
afraid.' Ring out the name and be proud that you can ring it out, as the
Name of _your_ Lord, and _your_ Saviour, and _your_ all-sufficient
Friend. Whatever other people say, you have the experience, if you are
a Christian, which more than answers all that they can say.

We have said that the final result set forth here by Paul is, 'We
worship by the Spirit of God.' The expression translated worship is the
technical word for rendering priestly service. Just as Paul has asserted
that uncircumcised Christians, not circumcised Jews, are the true
circumcision, so he asserts that they are the true priests, and that
these officials in the outward temple at Jerusalem have forfeited the
title, and that it has passed over to the despised followers of the
despised Nazarene. If we have 'no confidence in the flesh,' and are
'glorying in Christ Jesus,' we are all priests of the most high God.
'Worship in the Spirit' is our function and privilege. The externals of
ceremonial worship dwindle into insignificance. They may be means of
helping, or they may be means of hindering, the 'worship in the Spirit,'
which I venture to think all experience shows is the more likely to be
pure and real, the less it invokes the aid of flesh and sense. To make
the senses the ladder for the soul by which to climb to God is quite as
likely to end in the soul's going down the ladder as up it. Aesthetic
aids to worship are crutches which keep a lame soul lame all its days.

Such worship is the obligation as well as the prerogative of the
Christian. We have no right to say that we have truly forsaken
confidence in ourselves, and are truly 'glorying' in Christ Jesus,
unless our daily life is communion with God, and all you