The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-09

1 we have a right to demand the express author
ity of the Bible for good way TINS must De such
without strain or refinement. We are sure that moi
only the fact but the way OF personal purity would
have been forever closed to us unless God had re-
yealed them to us. Therefore TO the law and the
testimony If any way speaks not according to
these it is because there is no light in it.
d Ii must be a way in Christ. In Him alone is
life ANY effort to purify ourselves in fOrgetulneSs
of the blood of the everlasting covenant VIII only
cover us with shame and contempt And here
must say am afraid many Christians err who are
far from supposing that they are wrong. Some
times we rest content with our slow progress in the
way of holiness by holding fast TO the doctrines OF
growth in grace and understanding this 70 mean
the slow process Of gradually reforming ourselves:
grow up in Him, and are trying to make ourselves
complete. Now, any way must be not only wrong,
but pernicious that leads the soul for one moment
away from Christ the sole fountain and energy of
purity Whether you hold to instantaneous or
gradual entrance into purity, you are bound TO
show that the way is in Christ ana OF Christ ana
through Christ
/ offer now with great Difference two marks of a
negative character that seem to me decisive of the
excellence and effectiveness of good way purity.
l. 1t would make me distrustul OF any way If 1t
should promise me the absence OF all uneasiness on
account of sin AS long as it stands written, What
| saw unto YOU / say unto all, Watch; as long as
the gracious provision is made that if any sin,
must not expect to reach place of refuge so COM
plete as not to call for wachfuness; so long must
not suppose that have no need of the Saviour IN
His capacity the Advocate for sinners Whether
condition of such soul complacency is possible,
will not discuss but having attained it, is 1t mat
ter for congratulation? greatly doubtit ltseems
to me the finest sense of the soul, this quickness
and sensitiveness to sin, continually keeping the
faith and love of the Christian rrtated so 10 speak,
and throwing him with entire abandon on Christ.
1t is this which keeps the soul alive unto God.
When the eye loses its sensyeness 1T loses its fac
ulty. Security in any OF our members Is death,
fear, rather than life.
9. l would distrust any way that promises purity
without spiritual combat.
Christian life as read it in the Bible is through
ont ifc hola laOofh and breadth warfare. The
soldier is the familiar type presented to US every
where in the New Testament. We are provided
the enemy, we are eXhorted, encouraged, cautioned
to fight the good fight of faith. Any idea that we
are TO dream ourselves into purity or even pelleye
ourselves into purity, is discountenanced by the
stern and warlike tone of the trumpet that peas to
us from on high and bids US endure hardness as
good soldiers and war good warfare. NO; we have
entered as Christian men upon contest which
shall end only with life We must fight ourselves,
fight our circumstances fight the world, and having
done all stand but stand with oins girded, our
armor on ready to renew the attack daily and con-
ident of winning daily triumphs through the Cap
1t is SO when we consider our own nature Purity
is not a negative thing; not the mere absence OF
evil, but the overcoming presence OF good Do we
imagine that we are to be taken out of our own
natures? Is the blood of Jesus to perform some
mysterious cleansing in us independent of our CO.
operations 1t is vain so to believe In TINS as IN
every other phase of the Christian life we are
workers together with God. We cannot have char
acter unless we build it, and purity is character.
Whether it come slowly at once it is the result of
spiritual forces in combat Out OF the fire comes
the pure gold out of temptation comes the power of
resistance out of the DEATH the killing ofmeaner pas
sions rises the pure fame of conservation He that
oreTcoReth shall be clothed in white ralment.
Virgin purity applied to Christian life is misno-
mer We may not be pure from murder until the
rage and fury of hate and envy have spent their
strength against us and we have conquered. We
are not pure from lustful passions until the hot
breath of desire has burnt in us and against us
leaving deep scar perhaps, but leaving us know
ing what lust is and knowing its defeat. The pure
who have known no contamination with evil. All
no. These are they which came up out Of greet
them white in the blood of the Lamb"
1t is this which makes heaven something more
than scene of peaceful contemplation. The joy of
deliverance the exultation of triumph from hearts
that have known the full significance of deliver
ance. make heaven one tumult of ringing shouts
of Victory and GLORY to the Lamb"
the way by which to attain personal purity. For
reasons already mentioned this seems to me impos-
sible. But 1 am far from supposng that therefore
we are left to distraction. All the more surely,
think, every ardent Christian may reach the goal
l can only, in conclusion, point out what is the
brightest and steadiest light can discover 1t is
this hold fast to the contemplation of personal
purity as an ideal. Purity to an infinite conception
IS doubtless an absolute thing; but our relations to
it in the growth of Christian life constantly
changing that it appears to us relative thing 1t
is like the scholars conception of wisdom. To the
boy beginning to read and the matured mind stand
ing before the ocean of knowledge, how vast the
difference of conception! So, as we advance IN
purity the vision expands and reeedeS Its always
becoming q larger and fuller glory, and always in
tensifying its power to attract us towards it. Nor
let us fear that our Christian experience will there
by evaporate into thin Dreams while we look not
at the things which 9are seen, but at the things
which are not seem" This ideal will work most
practically in the furtherng of your whole religious
life When YOU stand armored soldier in the
dark and damp of the earthly conflict, your ears
shall be open to music yielding you fresh courage
and inspiration. When you are in the shadows OF
trial and distrust light shall greet you ilumi ng
all the dark pictures of this ugly world and lifting
YOU into its effulgence And If you follow on to
know YOU shall know. The realization coming
daily to bless you in your hunger ana thirst after
Righteousness shall come to its glorious consumma-
ton at last. And one day you may stand on the
outskirts of this mortal life with Tennysons pic
tured saint breathing out such aspirations and sud
den realizations as these:
Break up the heavens o Lord and far
Thro' all yon starlight keen,
Draw me- thy bride, glittering star,
In raiment white and clean.
''He lifts me to the golden DOORS
The flashes come and co.
All Heaven bursts her starry floors,
And strows her light below,
And deepens on and upl the gates
Roll back and far within
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits,
To make me pure of sin.
The Sabbath of Eternity,
One Sabbath deep and wide
A light upon the shining sea-
The bridegroom with his bride"