To be near unto God - pagina 169

takes no part in this transition

is left

in the rear.

The whole church will understand that she loses power when she adheres to the old, without harmonizing her insight into the past with the claims of our clarified consciousness. She then Her preaching does loses her touch upon life. not join itself to what stirs and moves in the world. She does not equip the faithful with needed armor, and becomes herself the cause, that in ever w^eaker positions in the conflict of spirits she is incapacitated. Confess, in times such as these, when in every way the will has become the object of investigation and thought, will it do for Christians to act as though the knowledge of the will did not concern them? Here we confine ourselves to our subject. It is the aim of these meditations to bring the soul into secret fellowship with God. This requires knowledge of God, even that knowledge which is In that knowledge of God itself eternal life. we must increase. And this increase is more possible through the will than through the understanding. This is the point which w^e emphasize. The holy apostle expresses it so clearly: ''Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, whereby we shall be fruitful in every- good work, and at the same time increase in the knowledge of

God"

(Col. 1:10).

He who bends no other

will

his will so that at length he has than to forgive his debtor, comes

through his own will to the knowledge of the compassionate God who forgives him. To God iorgiveness is no outward rule, which he applies. To forgive proceeds from his will. And this will to forgive proceeds from his Being. If we come 161

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