their faith by his vigorous arm. He was of a most gentle disposition, so that little children would cling to him; he was devout in feeling, and could converse to edification upon the doctrines of faith; but his valour was grounded in faith, and therefore partook of the strength of Christ himself. When challenged by giant Maul and commanded to turn back from the heavenly way, Greatheart replied: “I am a servant of the God of heaven. I am commanded to do my endeavours to turn men, women, and children from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." And when the giant fell upon him with his club, and they fought till both were exhausted, while the enemy was refreshing himself for a new attack, Greatheart betook himself to prayer, and thus prevailed. This Greatheart was Christian courage implanted in a poor weak woman, and giving her the victory of faith. The Christian pilgrim should promptly enlist Greatheart as his champion and guide; adding to his faith virtue, a manly vigour in the truth, a holy courage for the right.

But this is only one item in the catalogue of graces which Christians are exhorted to cultivate; perhaps that which was first needed under the persecutions of those days-boldness and firmness in the faith-but by no means

It is

completing the Christian character. not enough that we have faith; but faith and firmness must be attended by Knowledge as a counsellor, must be inspired also by the higher communications of divine wisdom;-" add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge."

It

The meaning of the term knowledge must be ascertained by a comparison of the text with other passages in which this word occurs. is of course knowledge with respect to spiritual things and religious duties, of which the apostle here speaks. This word is used in the New Testament some thirty times, and with various shades of signification. Sometimes it denotes a supernatural gift-knowledge by immediate inspiration. Perhaps it is in this sense that the "word of knowledge" is classed with the gifts of healing and of tongues, and with other miraculous powers. But since all Christians are exhorted to add knowledge to their faith, the apostle cannot intend a miraculous gift which God only could bestow. And for the same reason, he cannot here intend the power or faculty of knowing-in which sense the word is used when it is said that "the love of Christ passeth knowledge," i. e. is beyond the natural comprehension of men. We cannot add a new sense or faculty to our natural endowments.

Again, the word knowledge is used for the object of knowledge, and especially the system of truth made known in the Gospel. But this must be known, in a measure, before we can have faith, and the knowledge spoken of in the text comes after faith. Knowledge is used also to denote a general apprehension of religious truth; but, as this is essential to the act of faith in Christ, it could hardly be referred to as a something to be added to faith. Isaac Taylor says this knowledge is "neither human erudition nor general intelligence, but that specific knowledge of which the Gospel is the subject." His negative statement is of course correct; but the specific knowledge of the Gospel must precede faith as its basis; and the apostle bids us add knowledge to faith.

There is another use of the word which applies it to the deep, clear, and cordial perception of truth, followed by the discriminating adaptation of truth to practical ends. Thus the apostle Paul speaks of the Christians at Rome as "full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another;" that is to say, they possessed that discriminating insight into truth which would shed light upon questions of daily common life, and of practical duty.

1 Rom. xv. 14.

SPIRITUAL INSIGHT.

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Again, in writing to the Corinthians upon the question of eating sacrificial meat, Paul speaks of knowledge, the clear discernment of things in their spiritual relations, as enabling the Christian to discriminate between the act of eating as food meat which some pagan had offered in sacrifice to idols, and the act of sacrificing to idols or of partaking of meat as sacred by reason of such sacrifice. The true spiritual recognition of "one God, of whom are all things," leads to a wise practical use of all things as from him. Such a discriminating insight enlightening the judgment, is Christian knowledge. Where the same apostle distinguishes knowledge from "wisdom" on the one hand, and from "revelation" on the other, he seems to characterize knowledge as a certain insight into spiritual things, which differs from mere mental sagacity, and which, though not of the nature of inspiration, is attained and exercised through the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit."

In the same sense the word is used by Peter in the text before us. Knowledge is a spiritual perception of divine things, forming and controlling the practical judgment. A soul informed by such knowledge discerns the way of truth and duty. This knowledge is not the

1 1 Cor. viii. 6-11.

2 1 Cor. xii. 8, and xiv. 6.

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mere perception of the truths of the Gospel in their objective form, not only a substance of doctrine assured to the intellectual assent, but a perception of Gospel truths in their inward spiritual relations, the mind illumined by the Spirit, revolving things divine, till objective truth is transformed into experimental knowledge, which guides the life.

"Celestial Light

Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers
Irradiate ;-there plant eyes."

From this general definition of the term, we pass to consider more specifically—

I. WHAT THIS KNOWLEDGE IS. II. HOW IT MAY BE CULTIVATED.

III. THE EXCELLENCE OF THIS KNOWLEDGE IN ITS EFFECTS.

I. This INWARD EXPERIMENTAL KNOWLEDGE of Christ and his truth differs from the intellectual perception of truth, just as the feeling that we know the mind and heart of another differs from the knowledge of his person which we gain through the eye; it is the difference between heart knowledge and knowledge merely by perception or intellection. You are asked, "Do you know such a person ?" "Yes," you reply, "I know him, but not intimately."