The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 621

;

THE HARDENING OPERATION OF LOVE die.

But He does not

And

them.

let

them

alone.

He

581

continues His hold upon

this causes the eternal pain,

and overwhelms them

with destruction and condemnation forever. It is

represented sometimes as tho God's material dealings were

man, whether good or evil, while His But this is a mistake. It is true His sun rises upon the good and the evil, and His rain comes down upon the just and the unjust; but the same is true spiritually. There is this difference, however, that while the just and the unjust are both profited by the rain and sunshine, the radiation of the Sun to be continued with every

spiritual dealings are confined to the elect.

of Righteousness elect

and

and the rain of grace result in blessing

for the

in destruction for the lost.

by the effects of the rays of the sun in March they melt the snow and warm and fertilize the soil, while in August they harden the field and scorch its fruit. This is caused by the field's too close proximity to the sun in sumThis

clearly illustrated

is

nature.

In

mer, while in spring sun.

And

it

occupies the right position in relation to the

this applies to the

Sun

of Righteousness.

the proper position regarding that Sun, one feels fertilizing effects;

its

Standing in fostering and

but forsaking that position through self-exaltahe discovers immediately that the

tion, aspiring to loftier heights,

Sun of Righteousness no longer can bless him, but must consume him with divine fire. The Scripture teaches this fearful truth in various ways and under various images. St. Paul says that the same Gospel is to one a savor of life unto life, and to another a savor of death unto Concerning the holy Infant, Simeon prophesies that He death. is set for

the fall and rising again of

many in

Israel

;

and the prophet

declares that to the saints Messiah shall be a rock of ^^fense, and

God He shall be an ^/fense and a stone There are branches apparently on the same vine yet some are cast into the fire, and others blossom and bear much It is one clay and the same potter; yet from the same lump fruit. are formed a vessel of honor and a vessel of dishonor; but in both to those

who

forsake their

of stumbling.

cases

it is

The

same power.

the

Scripture introduces this operation unto death and destruc-

tion with the

somber word, "hardening of heart" ; especially when

the hardening

Not every

is

the result of resisting eternal Love,

effect,

however, of the divine operation, destructive

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