Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-05-04

| The glitter and display, OF externalities
are OF more real concern To us than the
| spirit and purpose which should lie be-
| hind them. The Scribes and Pharisees of
Jesus day had learned the art of coun-
| terfeiting. They had lost Gods gold
| aud unwilling to lose the glamour Of
the outward display of their religion
they substituted the base metal OF thei.
own fusing. They made for themselves
shields OF brass that they might make
the same show and appear to have lost
nothing They cared more for what
the eyes of man saw than for wha.
the all-seeing eye of God beheld. And
| so with Rehoboam. and as with the
Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus day. so
with multitudes of people to-day. Gill;
terinS shields must be had and the
worlds brass is eagerly taken and
used. when Gods gold is not 10 be hal
! because of sin. Rehoboam might bet
ter have gone without shields alto
gether after he lost the gold ones than
10 have substituted the brass ones OF
his own making. Why should he try
TO make il appear that he had lost
nothing by Shishak's raid? WHY
| should he proudly hold his head alolt
and flaeter himself with the glitter and
display which he had enjoyed before
his sin and punishment? And why
should people to-day. having forfeited
the gold of Gods favor and presence
seek 10 ignore the loss and substitute
therefor the brass shields of their own
making?
4 HE Possession pos
4 ~, l.. g.
constituted a rich treasure which had
been committed to his hands They
typified Gods protection, and the gold
from which they were made was sym
bolc of purity. Their possession was a
sign OF Cod favor and blessing Gold
shields for Rehoboam when he came in
TO the kingdom, anG gold shields for
you and me when we enter the kingdom
of our Lord Jesus Christ Rich treas
ures committed to our hands. Gold
shields IMPLYING the protection of God
and His purity. All. how we delight in
their possession, We have them hung
about the walls of the palace of our heart
and we delight 10 take them down and
march with them 10 the temple of our
God. where we may worship Him Cold
shields of protection promised to them
that love and obey Him. Gold shields
of purity. because through the blood of
Jesus Christ we are made clean and His
righteousness and purity are counted for
us. Purity and protection-what more
can God give? Within these two are
comprehended all that God has to give
TO the trusting soul. Purity is God-like-
ness And the Christian attains that
condition or quality in two ways: BY
imputation and by requirement.
Through the cleansing and transforming
power of Jesus blood the sinner is made
pure. That is, Jesus, having borne the
punishment of our sin, is able to throw
over US as mantle His righteousness
and purity. Apart from Jesus Christ
there can he no purity in Gods sight. II
God sees ir. us Christ, He sees purity and
holiness. If by faith the heart lays
hold of Christ. by that act of surrender
and obedience we become possessed of
His purity and righteousness. and God. In
beholding us, sees not the marred and
Scared life. but His precious Son. behind
Whom the sinner takes refuge. Thus is
His purity and Righteousness imputed
unto us,
T HE Shield OF Prote This f. Of