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Men live more lives than one. There is the life of thought as well as the life of action, and the one must be moralised as well as the other. We must practise mental morality. Let us then consider in detail this moral culture of the mind —

I. AS IT RELATES TO SELF.

1. Avoid a wrong self-estimate. Neither overestimate nor underestimate. Beware of pride, vanity, conceit, and kindred vices.

2. Cultivate humility — mental modesty. Live in the presence of God, of His holiness and greatness, and keep a fresh and high ideal — pride cannot then exist.

II. AS IT RELATES TO NATURE AND MAN.

1. In relation to nature. Let us in our interpretation of it preserve a deep love of truth.

2. In relation to man. Cultivate sobriety in judgment and reflection.

(1) In matters personal. Do justice to distasteful individuals. Be charitable.

(2) In matters political. Beware of blind and bitter partisanship. Argue for truth, not victory.

(3) In matters social. On such questions as capital and labour, allow for the "personal equation" — for class prejudice and self-interest. Beware of rash theorising.

III. AS IT RELATES TO GOD AND RELIGION.

1. Practically.

(1). Beware of an unscrupulous conscience.

(2) Beware of an over-scrupulous conscience — weak, narrow, morbid, unenlightened.

(3) Let conduct increase in efficiency, with knowledge.

2. Speculatively. Beware of wanton doubt-dabbling.

(E. S. Keeble.)

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KJV: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

WEB: throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;