Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-04
Working out our own Salvation


will. IL is not made over BY God to man as
complete thing. A perfect title to piece
of property puts man in possession of it
just as abso utely on the first day when it Is
given, as in twenty years after. When a
man gives flower, it is perfect gift. But
the gift of grace is rather the gift of flow
er-seed. Il contains within it all the ela-
ments necessary for growth, but which the
sun is yet to warm and develop, until il
comes TO blossom AID fruit. When men are
called eiiectually by the power of Gods Spi-
rit, that is purely the office OF God, and not
human power. The calling IS of God. and
/ the forgiveness and amnesty are altogether
of rs free goodness. The efficacious inhu-
,sslls-s,o is Spirit upon the heart is GODS
ikT0SS. and not mans.
! But when this has taken place, and men
are awakened and brought in the number of
Gods children, the work is just begun
| There is now to be a jevelopement OF
Chrisi-like disposition There is to be life
within, which is to consist in u develope-
ment of every part of the mind, so that the
whole soul shall be re-educated by spiritual
| influences. There is to be alSo correspJn-
! ding outward Iife-a course of ChriSi-lIke
conduct. Every man is called. aud gracious
| y aided by God, that he may take botn OF
the work which respects his own dispos-
ton, and the work which respects his out
ward conduct. And when the Apostle says,
'Work out your own salvation with lear and
trembling" it is not meant, with seryile or
painful fear; it is fear in the sense of soil
tude; fear, in distinction from presump.ous
confidence.
But, it is added, "lor it is God that wor-
keith in you" Here is the inspiration of
mans liberty, and the charter Of his hope
Standing ia The atmosphere of the divine
heart, every one finds that his summer has
come. The doctrine is not that every man
must wait till God moves him. Its a COM
mand to go forward, with reason attached
1t is an encouragement, not discussion. 1t
is wrong by tie twists Of pervcrse reason
ing to change a divine truth right about
and put its back where God put its face.
Many teachers have made an anchor out
of this text. which God spread for a SAIL
and have in effect cautioned people not to
move till God attracted them; as if the chiet
DANCE Of men was too great alterness in
matters pertaining 10 religion.
Now. this passage opens with 4 command
TO every one to work out his saLUatioR. And
that every excuse for delay might be reno
we'd, adds. for God tcOrlcth IN you.
When God calls men to awake, it is i'm
piled that the morning has come. When
God says, Plant, it is implied That soil, air,
and summer are prepared; and he speaks to
April. not TO January.
And when God says, Work! it is implied
that there are all lho,e conditions of Pruvi-
dence and divine overshadowing which make
it worth while a mans time to work.
/. Bs,.gerr ssF, !" He.sy esf, ID'afk if it ,be /
God?s We'll, If a father, going out into his
garden where his child Is at work among
the flower beds, should sly to him, "NOw !
will encourage you, and excite your zeal
and interest," what would be thought if the
child should suddenly look up aud say, ''But
il you are going to stimulate me 10 work,
how can 1 work!' Is there anything in
cOngruous or paradoxicul in the idea that,
Though God worheth in us, We are to work
out our own salvation! 1t is not said that
God performs the work. but that He inhu-
ences Us to perform it
The work OF the Spirit is not to supersede
but to help our faculties. Ii is akin to pa
RENAL training, or education, to TIE action
and influences oi one mind upon another
Not that G DIS mind acts upon ours, just as
ours acts upon others; FOR We have no war
rant tor saying this. But the Illustration is
sufficient 10 show. thai one mnd may slim
ulalc another to action without destroying
its liberty. the Young artist, while he'sits
under Rdphsel or Michael Angelo. or Co,-
reggie, does not expect to have his work
,iune by his mister. lie gues to witness and
to catch his mas er'S enthusiasm, that his
own eve may be fred and his own hand Eui-
ded like his. We bring up our children By
the action of our minds upon theirs. Our
influence over tine child does rot take away
anything from the child's power, but on the
contrary adds to it. And So. God SAYS TO
tp0rkiag IN uOu." 1t Is Ike father saving
to his children, Here ain | working among
you, addiHg my experience, my wis
dom, ard my power to yours; therefore be
hopeful and courageous and enter with
zeal upon your work" 1t is an argument
of hope aud ardor, and not OF waiting and
fallering. 1t is an argument 10 begiL now,
and not TO delay, with the vain thought that
God will finally DO all the work and leave
US nothing to do.
Ii il be asked how we shall distinguish
divine influence from natural, the reply Is,
We cannot always do it. There is no inii-
maliun in the New Testament that any body
can tell We can know them only so far
as they bring forth fruits. II hustandman
wiiy{S,s to know whether he is under the in
luence of right farming, he must go and
look at his harvests. Ii, therefore, a man
,rys, How can tell whether This feeling
is of God or o! Satan!" he Cannot tell BY
the feeling, bat by its results.
Ii is the same act that plants good or bad |
seed. 1t is the same string and bow, vheth- !
er scraping beginner or a Paganni play -
The music evolved must determine wheth- /
er u master or bungler touches the violin. |
The human faculties, whether acted upon !
b, sin ster spiiits, by divine influences, or
by natural causes, always act within the (
lines and limits of their own lIws aud MI |
ture. And ii is not any difference in senSa-
lion or consciousness which can distinguish |
ciyiBe influence from any other. We must
ABIDE by Chrsl's rule or eslmate, BY their
lrul: shall We know them > Is the fruit good !
is there enough OF II, is II Continuous, 1t is
very certain that Il disposition ol deep be-
Devulence, a heart ol unieisued love, will
lead man in the rig,t direction, and he
need not spend one anxious thought lest
t..c Devil should have inspired him with
such inildence.
On the other hand, couceited and pre-
sumptous men are lornd, who, as s,umlrc