The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 543

;

SELF-DENIAL

503

but sionary cause must be supported not only to convert souls, must Prayer God. before Zion in appear to nations the summon to be offered not only to obtain the good which is bestowed without prayer, but because every creature, morning and evening, must lie in the dust, crying,

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord!" making the And hence every creature must do the children of God can do good works not

Avhole earth full of His glory.

good works, and

all

;

may become

that they

a

little

more

holy, but that the glory of holi-

ness might shine to the praise of our God. never be omitted. Tho our 3, This third point should therefore works are according to the law and of faith, but not directed to the glory of God, they can not please Him. It avails nothing, tho the bow be strongly bent and the cord of the best material, if the arrow

upon the cord be not turned

The

doctrine of

in the right direction.

Good Works touches

the most delicate and most

sensitive of our internal emotions, viz., self-denial

Superficial minds, poor in grace

and godliness, speak

denial but rarely, and then without understanding

They

think that

it

consists in

making room

for others

;

of self-

its

meaning.

in

argument

to be the least; to renounce pleasure or profit for a higher purpose Surely this is a precious fruit; earto care for others, not for self.

were found more abundantly among But, alas! there the children of God we should thank Him for it. so much selfishearnest, most the in even is such leanness of soul that every manicreature, the in confidence ness, ambition, anger, nestly to be desired; and

if it

festation of nobler impulse has a

But the question now

room

for others,

such

most refreshing effect. is this, whether such making

before us

self-sacrifice,

deserves the

And the answer must be a most emphatic

"

No

!

name of self-denial. The saint's self"

denial has reference, not to man, but to God, and for this reason is superlatively high and holy, difficult and almost impossible.

Of course God's child loves an unalterable love. unlovely.

Still,

when

it

his heavenly Father, but not with

In spite of his love he

is

sometimes very

the question echoes through his soul,

"

Simon

Bar-Jonah, lovest thou Me?" and he feels tempted by self-reproach to say,

"

No, Lord," then the response flashes from the bottom of his " Yes, Lord, Thou knowest that I

soul against all contradiction

:

love Thee."

Therefore nothing would seem more natural than to find pleas-

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