contrast in character is intended to be felt
by us. Put by the side of this man the image of Jesus Christ, in all His
meekness and gentleness.

Does not this speak to us of the profound change which He comes to
establish among men?

The highest ideal of character is no longer the rough soldier, the
strong man, but the man of meekness, and gentleness, and patience.

How far the world yet is from understanding all that is meant in the
contrast between the first and the second bearers of the name!

We have done with force, and are come into the region of love. There is
no place in Christ's kingdom for arms and vulgar warfare.

The strongest thing is love, armed with celestial armour. 'Truth and
meekness and righteousness' are our keenest-edged weapons--this is true
for _Christian morals_; and for _politics_ in a measure which the world
has not yet learned.

'Put up thy sword into its sheath,'

(b) The parallel.

It is not to be forgotten that the work which the soldier did in type is
the work which Christ does. He is the true Moses who leads us through
the wilderness. But also He is the Captain who will bring us into the
mountain of His inheritance.

But besides this, we too often forget the soldier-like virtues in the
character of Christ.

We have lost sight of these very much, but certainly they are present
and most conspicuous. If only we will look at our Lord's life as a real
human one, and apply the same tests and terms to it which we do to
others, we shall see these characteristics plainly enough.

What do we call persistence which, in spite of all opposition, goes
right on to the end, and is true to conscience and duty, even to death?
What do we call the calmness which forgets self even in the agonies of
pain on the cross? What do we call the virtue which rebukes evil in high
places and never blanches nor falters in the utterance of unwelcome
truths?

Daring courage. |
Promptness of action. | All conspicuous in Jesus.
Iron will. |

It has become a commonplace thing now to say that the bravery which
dares to do right in the face of all opposition is higher than that of
the soldier who flings away his life on the battlefield. The soldiers of
peace are known now to deserve the laurel no less than the heroes of
war.

But who can tell how much of the modern world's estimate of the
superiority of moral courage to mere brute force is owing to the history
of the life of Christ?

We fi