The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 534

SANCTIFICATION

494

embraces, in the second place, the body. Both and holiness affect the body not as tho it were the seat of sin, which is Manichean heresy, but in the sense in which Scripture disapproves the act of touching a corpse. The body is the instrument of the soul hence the members may be used for holy or unholy purposes, and offer either their cooperation or resistance for Sanctification

sin

;

Who

such purposes.

does not

know

that an excess of blood in-

flames the ugly temper and excites to anger

that irritable nerves

;

make one impatient and great muscular energy tempts to recklessness? Many are the connections between the operations of body and soul and, inasmuch as the Holy Spirit brings the bodily members into subjection to the reign of the new life, sanctification does in;

;

deed affect the the body

is

life

This appears from the fact that

of the body.

called the temple of the

"the putting

off of

again he saith

:

"

Holy

Spirit.

St.

Paul calls

the body of sin of the flesh" (Col.

Let not sin reign in

should obey the lusts thereof" (Rom.

it

and your mortal body, that ye ii.

ii);

vi. 12).

Hence the old man is just as bad and becomes even worse; but there is at the same time a gradual weakening and thus dies to his evil lusts, while the new man continues not only holy and intact,

—

but gradually masters us and enables us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy

able service (Rom. All this

is

and well-pleasing

xii.

to God,

which

is

our reason-

i).

wrought by the Holy

Spirit

who

dwells in our hearts,

the Comforter, Guide, and Teacher of the desolate.

Christ

is far

from us in heaven sitting at the right hand of God. But the Holy Spirit is poured forth. He dwells in the Church on earth. He abides with us as our Comforter. Hence we should not imagine that we are a full-rigged, wellprovisioned craft which, at its own risk and without a pilot, swiftly carries us to the haven of rest for without wind and tide we can ;

not

move our

craft at all.

The

heart of the saint

is

a Bethel

;

when

from blessed dreams he is ever surprised to find that God is in this place and he knew it not. When we are called to speak, act, or fight, we do so as tho we were doing it all ourselves, not perceiving that it is Another who works in us both to will and to do. But as soon as we have finished the task successfully and agreeably to the will of God, as men of faith we prostrate ourselves before Him and cry, " Lord, the work was Thine." And this goes against the old man. Before the work is underhe

rises

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