That means, that where your foot pauses, moves, or enters, there shall be peace; and where you can only shake the dust of it on the threshold, mourning.
“Above all, take the shield of Faith.”
Of fidelity or obedience to your captain, showing his bearings, argent, a cross gules; your safety, and all the army’s, being first in the obedience of faith: and all casting of spears vain against such guarded phalanx.
“And take the helmet of Salvation.”
Elsewhere, the hope of salvation, that being the defence of your intellect against base and sad thoughts, as the shield of fidelity is the defence of your heart against burning and consuming passions.
“And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
That being your weapon of war,—your power of action, [[281]]whether with sword or ploughshare; according to the saying of St. John of the young soldiers of Christ, “I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you.” The Word by which the heavens were of old; and which, being once only Breath, became in man Flesh, ‘quickening it by the spirit’ into the life which is, and is to come; and enabling it for all the works nobly done by the quick, and following the dead.
And now, finish your Advent collect, and eat your Christmas fare, and drink your Christmas wine, thankfully; and with understanding that if the supper is holy which shows your Lord’s death till He come, the dinner is also holy which shows His life; and if you would think it wrong at any time to go to your own baby’s cradle side, drunk, do not show your gladness by Christ’s cradle in that manner; but eat your meat, and carol your carol in pure gladness and singleness of heart; and so gird up your loins with truth, that, in the year to come, you may do such work as Christ can praise, whether He call you to judgment from the quick or dead; so that among your Christmas carols there may never any more be wanting the joyfullest,—
O sing unto the Lord a new song:
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth.