The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 646

;

LOVE

6o6 is

not

left to "

our decision.

The Lord

of

Hosts

is

He who com-

come unto Me."

But what deep mystery ought to teach us is, not to throw holy things to the dogs, nor to make an ostentatious display of divine truth. Altho we do not judge others, but rather let their zeal in spreading the Gospel rebuke our lukewarmness, yet we must remind them of Surely no other than the sharp twothe fact that they deal 7vith fire. edged sword of the Spirit can reach the inward seat of corruption

mands

us:

Suffer the little children to

this

but remember, carelessly handled,

And

it

therefore, in the spirit of love,

may wound some vital part. we must ever admonish the

brethren never to preach the awful Gospel in a thoughtless and careless manner, but always with greatest caution

nestness.

For the work of preaching the Gospel

and holy

ear-

exceedingly deli-

is

cate.

As

to the question.

How

does the hardening occur?

say that every effort to be wise above that which

be opposed; being conscious of our

watch

lest

our

own

soul

fall

under

own

is

limitations,

this terrible

we simply

written must

we

prefer to

judgment, rather

than to lose ourselves in the vain effort to analyze what

we can

not conceive of but in the unity of the holy mystery.

But

this

we may

say

:

that in nature

God

offers us

many

illus-

same power can have opposite effects. Without rain the field parches and vegetation burns; but the same rain that elsewhere makes the grain to grow, in the ill-drained field causes the crop to decay. The same sun that warms the ground and matures the grain in one acre, will harden the ground and scorch the crop in another. The same food that nourishes and strengthens the healthful, burdens the weak and endangers the life of the sick. Knowledge is glorious, and at its fountain man loves to quench his thirst; but how appalling the corruption caused, either by its one-sided application or by an illHoly and tender is the bond proportioned estimate of its value between husband and wife, mother and child but is there any passion that has added more to the pollution and desecration of human life than this very desire for the married state and this longing to become a mother? The law is universal that the highest excellency, failing to accomplish its purpose, reverses its action and causes destruction, pollution, and often hopeless ruin, in much greater measure than trations of the fact that in its highest activity the

!

;

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