The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 474

;

SANCTIFICATION

434

Formerly the Church confessed a pure doctrine by which

it

close to the source of vital heat which is given us in God's

kept

Word;

and the powers and workings deposited in the Mediator for the Church radiated in glorious activity. Then the Church flourished and faith celebrated its greatest triumphs. It was severely cold without, but, while the world lay perishing in filled

its

cerements, truth

the Church with light and heat, and the sacred

fire

of a pure

doctrine glowed and sparkled.

But the light grew dim, and the fire went out; and the Church of God became dark and cold. And the saints, half frozen and stiff, became deeply conscious of the loss they had suffered, and of the need of light and heat. And now, instead of advising them to light the lamp of truth and rekindle the fire of the confession, that their souls may be revived and comforted, many say " Dear brethren, there is no salvation in dogma :

or confession

they are utterly unprofitable

;

to kindle light

the Church

is

and heat

;

nothing remains but

And

in your souls without them."

thus

threatened with death and destruction.

In quiet assurance of the blessing of God,

we proceed in

the oppo-

and advise the brethren to fill the lamp of the divine mysteries with oil, to put more fuel upon the fire of the confession then there shall be light and heat, and the Church shall be saved. This shall be so, provided and this needs no emphasis that the doctrine be really confessed. To confess is not merely to say, " There is a comfortable fire in the house," and then to stay out in the cold; but to accept its comfort and benefit for others as well as site direction,

—

—

for ourselves.

The

cry, "

Not dogma, but

life," is folly

and unbelief.

Let us

The

rather oppose the shallow and unsound teaching of the day. doctrine should be a faithful expression of the mystery

;

mys-

the

tery should stand clearly before the spiritual eye and illuminate the soul, as it radiates

of salvation. trine,

we

they have

from the living

Christ, according to the design

Instead of turning the people

should trifled

make them with

it,

see

how

little

and not confessed

away from

the doc-

they understand it;

it;

fare requires its earnest study, that so the act of confessing

deepen and enrich their spiritual that the fruit of life

must

still

life.

And then let

fest its

may

us imagine, not

be imported from elsewhere, but that

becomes its own instrument power in us. Thus sanctification should be treated.

the doctrine, rightly confessed,

how

that their soul's wel-

to

mani-

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