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""sr

THE GUIDING HAND;

OR,

SOME PHASES OF THE RELIGIOUS
LIFE OF THE DAY.

THE REV. E. A. STAFFORD. A.B.,

Pastor of the Metropolitan Church,
TORONTO.

TORONTO:
WILLIAM BRIGGS, 78 & 80 KING STREET EAST.

MONTREAL: C. W. COATES.

[18»/-]

HALIFAX: S. F. HUESTLS.

EsTKRED, accordi.iK to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand
eiirht hundred and ei{?hty-8c en, by William Briqos, Book Steward of the
Methodist Book and Publishinj,' House, Toronto, at the Department of
Apriculture.

5 e (It cation.

TO ALL WHO HONESTLY SEEK THE HIDDEN TRUTH OF THE ABIDING

WORD, AND WHO EARNESTLY STRIVE TO TRANSLATE THIS

EARTHLY LIFE INTO ITS HIOHER SPIRITUAL MEANING,

THEIR FELLOW TOILER UP THE HEIGHTS

BEYOND WHICH ALL KNOWLEDGE DWELLS,

AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATES

THE FOLLOWING PAGES.

mr"

PREFACE.

The contents of this book are sermons because tliey grew so.
The writer does not tliink that they are very wonderful
sermons. They are not presented here under any such
impression. Possibly even he could have found something
more astonishing in his own barrel.

But these are given to the public, first, because the sub-
ject is important and interesting. It belongs to the higher
Christian life. The book is an effort to find an atmosphere
both of common sense and of perfect purity.

The reader will trace simply an honest and earnest desire
to raise to a higher level the average views of the Christian
calling. To set forth a truly spiritual conception of this
earthly life has been the aim; and the more as at every step
it became more clear that, according to the Bible, God's
thought for man rests wholly upon spiritual results.

A second reason for their appearance is that, after
beginning, in his pulpit, the public discussion of the sub-
ject indicated in the title page, the autlior discov.ered that
his own library contained nothing, not even one fugitive
sermon, on the guidance of the rSpirit, or of Providence.
Enquiry revealed the fact that other clergymen had felt
the same deficiency. A not exhaustive, but pretty ex-
tended, search of book stores brought out no treatise along
this line. Then came an independent, careful, and thorough
examination of what the Scriptures teach on the subject,
with the result which these pages reveal.

.P<Z

PREFACE.

Nothing appears liere except what belongs to the exposi-
tion of the scripture involved, or was drawn out in answer
to objections, or by questions and criticisms received during
the public delivery of the discourses. Anything that may
seem to have little connection with guidance, as perhaps the
first number, and the seventh, eighth, and ninth, was thus
drawn in, and became an essential part of this study as at
tirst presented.

The work aims only at practical results, and studiously
avoids any psychological questions which stood very tempt-
ingly along the way.

Contrary to custom, the author must own that since
preaching the sermons he has tried to improve their form,
and to make them as readable as he could. Hence the
arrangement is different from the order followed in discuss-
ing the subject in the pulpit, but the substance is the same.
Nothing now known has been subtracted, and but little
added ; but the outward dress has been a good deal changed,
and if the subject does not interest anyone it will be
because, under present conditions, the writer is absolutely
incompetent to add any greater charm to it, and not because
he did not think his readers worth trying to please.

But he hopes these pages will prove interesting, and that
they will have many readers, and that all will receive much
spiritual good from accompanying the author in this study.

With our feet on the threshold of yon dazzling mansions,
we may together look back over the way, and understand
better than now how we were guided to such grand fruition
of our earthly life, and ho>v, through so much darkness, we
were enabled to land safely on the shores of endless light
and blessedness ; and until that glad day

I am, my brothers,

Yours in the faith, -v^ a a

Lj. a. o.

■^

CONTENTS.

I. The Father's Care for His People -

" Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one
of tlieni shall not fall on the ground without your
Father. Hut the very hairs of your head are all
numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more
value than many sparrows." — Matt. x. 29-31.

II. God Our Leader and Guide - . . .

"A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord
directeth his steps." — Proverbs xvi. 9.

III. The Divine Purpose in Guiding Men

"If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die : but if ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the
body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." —
Romans viii. 13, 14.

IV. The Great Purpose of Divine Providence

"Deliver me, Lord, from mine enemies: I flee
unto Thee to hide me. Teach me to do Thy
will; for Thou art my God: Thy spirit is good;
lead me into the land of uprightness." — Psalm
cxliii. 9, 10.

PAOB

• • k

VUl

CONTENTS.

PAOR

V. OuK CiuiDE IN Temporal Thinoh

'And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and
satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy
bones : and thou shalt be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."
— Isaiah Iviii. 11.

VI. The Christian's Walk not Led in Detail

" I am the Almighty God ; walk before me, and be
thou perfect."— Genesis xvii. 1.

Vll. The Ministry of the Spirit to Human Infirmity 126

•'Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we
ought : but the Spirit itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
— Romans viii. 26.

VIII. The Holy Spirit's Intercession

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities;
for we know not what we should pray for as we
ought : but the Spirit itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
Romans viii. 26.

147

IX. Filled with the Spirit

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;
but be filled with the Spirit."— Ephesians v. 18.

168

PAOB

THE GUIDING HAND

168

ahc fyit\\(v^ itm for iU^ VroiJlc.

si. JI t'*; Tu '^^'" •^^^'■'•"^^■•^ •'^"^•1 <■•"• '-^ f-"'tl'ing? an.l one of them
slKtll lu.t fall on the groun.l without your Father. Hut f]., verv
hau-s of your hca.l are all nun.hered. Fear ye not therefore. . , are
ot more value than many .sparrows."— Matt. x. 2\)-'M

"Are not five sparrows soM for two fartl'.ings', am' ..t oae of
t e„n.H forgotten l.efore (.o.l v Unt even the very hairs of your ).ead
. e all nu,n.ere, . . not therefore: ye are of more value rhan

many sparrows."— Li'kk xii. 6, 7.

W^^ P^'opose to study the influence of our Heav-

^V^V only Father'.s guiding hand upon human life

and destiny.

The present discourse will be confined to the Jayincr

ot a secure basis upon which to pursue all our future

investigations. We shall not get far into the main

opic but It we can fix in our .,inds a strong persuasion

that God knows all about us, and that He cares for us

as ^^dividuals, these grand and luminous truths will

prepare us for every further revelation of His goodness

and love which may fall upon our path. God knows

and cares. This is the key-board by which we shall

) I

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

interpret the grand anthem of His loving-kindness
and tender mercy, sung through all the ages, and
written in many wond'.rful deliverances of His people,
and in fiery cloud and pillar raised above the path of
His wandering children everywhere over this wide
wilderness world.

1. 1. The substance of the passages standing at the
beginning of this discourse is, first, that God knows
all about His creatures, and therefore is able to help
them in every time of need ; and second, that He cares
for them, and therefore will help tliem whenever in
His infinite wisdom He deems it to be necessary.

The first of these truths is brought out in the first
part of the reference to the sparrows, and in the asser-
tion about tlie hairs of our heads. The second is pre-
sented in the second reference to the s[)arrows.

2. The structure of the passage in both Matthew
and Luke is worth studying. In both places there is,
to begin with, a statement about the market value of
sparrows, v/ith the assertion that God knows all about
these little birds. Then comes the declaration that the
hairs of our heads are all numbered. This seems at
first sight about as foreign as anything could be to
the preceding references to the sparrows. After this
the passage closes with another statement about the
sparrows, comparing a disciple with a .sparrow in
respect of value.

Now, if such a passage were a human composition,
we would probably think that it had been carelessly
written, and the words thrown together without much

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

iness
and
ople,
thof
wide

X the
nows
I help
cares
rev in

e tirst
asser-
is pre-

itthew
lere is,
duo of
about
at the
ims at
be to
,er this
Alt the
o\v in

3sition,
lessly
b much

study as to the arrangement ; and, in our wisdom, we
would be inclined to throw the two clauses concern-
ing the sparrows together, and bring in the statement
about the hairs of our heads afterwards. But when
in this book, given under Divine inspiration, we find
any truth presented in a particular form, and espe-
cially when, as in this case, the Saviour's words are
reported by two different writers in the same form, it
becomes us to look at them a second time, and enquire
what mode of interpretation is suggested by the form
in which they are presented.

Pursuing this wise course here, we naturally con-
clude at once that the first clause referring to the
sparrows, and the statement about our numbered
hairs, both convey the same truth, and so must be
taken together ; while the remaining clause about the
sparrows relates to some other truth. This is un-
doubtedly the fact, and here we have our first hint of
the meaning of the delightful passage. It asserts, first,
that God knows about His people and can help them,
and second, that He cares for, and if need be, will help
them.

All this will appear whether we take a strictly
literal view of the text, or regard it as highly figura-
tive. Literally, the idea would be conveyed, tliat in
some way the mind of the Deity keeps a constant
enumeration of the number of sparrows which fall
hour by hour, and where, and why; and that a similar
enumeration of the number of hairs on every head in
the whole world, cor^rected moment by moment, as the

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

hairs fall out from any cause, is carried in his thought.
From all this various inferences nnght be drawn ; as,
for example, that as in age and sickness the hair falls
away, the Divine tenderness is especially manifested
in age and affliction. Seeing that other passages
prove this, no great nrror could arise from such a way
of presenting the text. But considering the utter use-
lessness, in either earth or heaven, of such knowledge
as this literal rendering implies, the simple statement
of what it brinofs out of the text ouofht to be enouirh
to set it aside for a better, and one more full of comfort
and inspiration.

The whole passage is highly figurative, and con-
veys a meaning much more intense than any literal
rendering of the words would carry to the heart.

3. Take the first clause : "Are not two sparrows sold
for a farthing ? " These birds were used for food, and
were considered a great delicacy, well suited to tempt
the appetite of sick people, and, being very small, we
would suppose that they would have been costly,
beyond the reach of any but the most wealthy. But
they were actually among the most numerous and fruit-
ful of all the feathered tribes, and were so abundant
in the market that a farthing would purchase two of
them. One of them was not worth enough to set any
price upon it, but two must go together to be equal to
the value of the smallest coin in use. Luke says :
" Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings ? " Add
the meaning conveyed here to the words of Matthew,
and you get a glimpse of the market parlance of the

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

ight.
; as,
falls
ested
sages
, way
: use-
ledge
;ment
lough
mfoit

I con-
literal

IS sold
d, and
tempt
ill, we
costly,
But
t'luit-
ndant
iwo of
et any
inaX to
J says :
Add
tthew,
of the

time. A dealer would say to an enquiring customer :
" The sparrows are two for a farthing, but if you will
take two farthings' worth you may have live."

And yet God's possible knowledge extends to every
one of these almost valueless birds. This declaration
is designed to convey to us an idea of the minuteness
of the knowledge which God can command by simply
turning a thought in any particular direction. Herein
comes to us a real comfort. He is fully capable of
lookinfj at a ijlance to the bottom of all the minutest
affairs that can concern us, and therefore we will
suffer nothing: throuofh His ignorance as we would be
sure sometimes to do if it were a king, or a human
parent, who held our destiny in his hands.

II. The expression about our hairs being all num-
bered is also a strong figurative statement, conveying
the same meaning as the words just examined. It is
an assertion of knowledge, and not of affection. It is
often quoted as a declaration of God's special love to
His disciples, but, as will soon appear, much is gained,
and nothing lost, by taking it as a strong assertion of
possible knowledge concerning the minutest details of
our lives, with just a clear, suggestive hint of the
declaration of loving care which is to follow.

1. The first reason for this explanation is that the
language of Scripture, as far as we know, is adapted
to our human understandings. Any truth conveyed
by a reference to our lives takes hold upon facts as
they exist among men. But among no people, savage
or civilized, is it customary to demonstrate affection

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPI ^.

by counting the hairs on the head of the person loved.
Take the deep and pure affection for parent, and sister,
and brother, and successively for sweetheart, and wife,
and child. Who ever thouglit of showing his love by
counting the hairs on the head of any one of them ?
Some philosopher, for purely scientific purposes, will
count the hairs on a head, but it is never done as an
expression of affection. It is not uncommon to keep
some of the hair of the dead and the distant, not
because that is most loved, but because it is the only
part of the actual person of a loved one that we can
keep.

Now, is it likely that the great Lord would seek
to convey the tenderness of His love toward us by a
statement which could remind no human creature of
anj'^thing he ever saw or heard of ? It is not like the
course He pursues in every other case of which we
have any knowledge. He sometimes conveys an idea
of His regard for us by a reference to something in
human life which is observed every day, and which
every heart can understand and feel. Thus we are
told the Father gave His only begotten Son. Now,
everyone knows the tenderness of parental love, and
so can understand God's love by the sacrifice it
prompted Him to make. He shows how willing He
is to give the Holy Spirit by reminding us of the
willingness of human parents to give good gifts unto
their children. Our hearts at once take in the full
meaning, and are sensibly moved by the analogy. We
never let go the impression made upon us. So, too, He

5? SCI

I lOfl

^ rel
wil
- ev

THE father's care FOR HIS PEOPLE.

)ved.

ister,

wife.

re by

hem?

, will

as an

■//■

keep

'■>

t, not

3 only

^e can

1 seek

^^y 1

ture of J

ke the

ich we

m idea

hing in

which

we are

Now,

ive, and

'iiice it

inor He

of the

:ts unto

the full

cry.

, too, He

compares His chastening rod upon us to the punish-
ments we received from our fathers in the flesh. In
this way we arf3 forced to feel His tenderness even
when Ho lays His rod upon us. If it had been the
custom to count the hairs on the heads of those we
love, to prove how well wo love them, then this text
had started the tenderost feolinijs of which our hearts
are capable. But this not being the case, we cannot
but take this langaage as designed to convey to us an
idea of His intimate knowledge of us, and of His
abundant ability to help whenever it is needed.

2. Another reason for this view is that the hair is
not a source of pain to anyone. It is not a channel
tlirough whicli great surging waves of agony are ever
poured 'ipon the soul. No one ever goes to a doctor to
ask him why this or- that hair is causing him so much
distress. I have looked upon human suffering when
every nerve seemed a stream of living fire. I have
seen my fellows going down through death's gates of
relief, which stood open just a little way before them,
on slow descending steps, that, for pain, seemed made
of red-hot plates of iron. The teeth at times were set,
and the eye blazed with a fury of intense, unutterable
agony; then the soul, lashed beyond endurance, would
scream out, demanding relief or escape. The pleading
look asking for alleviation which no human hand
could bring, and the fearful cry calling to God for
release, as the slow hours moved on toward the dawn,
wrote pages in my life's book which no human eye has
ever read or can read, but which even yet patiently

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PKOl'I.E.

wait for God to explain. I passed through all that,
and carried away a heart burstinj:^ with anguish.
But I remembered that throuirh all those terrible
scenes nothing seemed so utterly unmoved and un-
concerned as the tossed and matted locks of the suf-
ferer. No quivering pain ever disturbed a single hair.
What affection, under such circumstances, could reach
the heart through the assertion that some one had
counted up all those unfeeling hairs ? But oh, if I
could have turned to some such word as, " I know the
number of thy fire-enkindled nerves, and their paths
through thy quivering frame," that would have borne
to the pierced and bleeding heart the comforting as-
surance that soon that long night of agony would pass
more swiftly by, and the glad morning spread its
awakening light over the hills again !

I know that, under such strong tension of an-
guish, the thought did turn with comfort to many an
appropriate promise. There was the assurance given
to Isaiah, "I have seen thy tears;" and David's
prayer, " Put Thou my tears into Thy bottle. Are
they not in Thy book ?" and the assurance, " The
Lord will strengthen him on the bed of languishing ;
Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." And
aorain, in Isaiah, " When thou walkest throuojli the lire
thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee." All these words seemed brimful of love
and tenderness. These tears fall in His sight. This
fire enters into His soul also. This terrible hour of
anguish will live likewise in His memory. But on

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

what ground of appeal could I turn to this assertion,
that our hairs are numbered, for any comfort ? Simply
as an assurance that God knows all. Nothing passes
beneath His knowledge. He is not ignorant of this
darkly written memory of anguish and despair.
Knowing: it, He caiL brinsf relief to the ori'oaninjj suf-
ferer ; He can shorten these wearv hours and hasten
on the dawn.

3. A third reason for this interpretation is, that the
hair is never a cause of disgrace or deformity to any-
one. It never brings anyone into contempt. If a
child loses an eye, or arm, or foot, he must go through
life deformed by so much ; and there must often come
to him the bitter thought. Why has this fallen upon
me, when so many enjoy the full use of all their mem-
bers ? It is an abiding and cruel trial to him. But
no such atiiiction ever comes through the hair. If, as
age advances, it turns white, or falls ofi' entirely, there
is no shame associated with it. No man needs to
cover up the change, for the growing silvery white-
ness, or the baldness of advjwicing years, is an addition
to manly comeliness, ratlier than a loss of beauty.
Why, then, should the hair be chosen as the instru-
ment through which to express the tenderest aifection
and sympathy for us ?

4. But there is an appropriateness in using this
vehicle to convey to us an idea of God's minute know-
ledge of our atl'airs, because nothing about us is so
numerous and difficult to number as our hair.
Nothing could be a stronger assertion of intimate

■■

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

I i!

; t

i|^ !

knowledge about us than the declaration that our
hairs are all numbered. Then there is no part of our
person which we can lose with less inconvenience than
the hair. Tlierefore, such knowledge indicates that
God is mindful even of the minutest and least im-
portant affairs. It is as though a human father,
wishing to assure a daughter living away from him
and yet dependent upon him, that he would not allow
her to want, and she should ask, " But, father, how
will you know when I am in need ?" and he should be
able to reply, " Why, my child, I know all about your
affairs, even to the contents of your ash-barrel." The
daughter would rest perfectly contented that she
should not suffer throucjh her father's icrnorance, if
she could be assured that he has some means of know-
ing about her affairs, even to such minute and unim-
portant things as what her barrel of ashes in the yard
may contain. This assurance of knowledge is only
less important to her than the assurance of her father's
continuini' love. So is it with all the followers of
our Lord. This assurance of His knowledge is clearly
given, and that concerning His love, in equal fulness,
will not be wanting.

5. Let us now advance to another point in connec-
tion with this knowledge. It has been spoken of here
as possible knowledge. God has been described as able
to know with a thought, or at a glance upon anything
in question. It is both reverent and correct to speak of
anything as known by Him, when there is full power
to know all about it by looking into it. We often speak

j ftre

4 the
\ seq
sta
I but
* the

THE father's care FOR HIS PEOPLE.

t our
)£ our
3 than
s that
st im-
fatlier,
11 him
: allow
r, how
)uld be
it your
" The
at she
mce, if
know-
1 unini-
le yard
is only
father's
wers of
clearly
fulness,

connec-
of here
as able

nything
peak of

II power

n\ speak

of ourselves as knowinjr tliinfjs whicli we have not
looked into, when we are confident that we would
understand them as soon as we should open the book.
Take, for example, a work on common arithmetic. This
particular author's work you have never seen before ;
yet, if asked, you would say that you know what it
teaches under the first six simple rules. Without
hesitation you would undertake to teach all that this
book contains on those subjects. You say correctly
enough that you know what is in the book, though
you never opened it. You actually do not know
whether the first sum in addition requires you to add
together cS, 5, 8, 6, and 9, or 7, 2, 1, 4, and 8. And so
of every other question contained in that part of the
book. Yet you know them. That is, if it were neces-
sary to look into them, you would find no difficulty in
readinqf and understandinor them all. If you were ffoinjx
to conduct a pupil through the book, then you would
examine it all. You would open at the simple rules,
and either yourself work out every question or see
that the pupil did it.

Now, here is an intelligent and reasonable illustra-
tion of God's Omniscience in its relation to many of
the least important conditions of human life. There
are millions of things passing every day, if we take
the whole world into our count, which are of no con-
sequence to God. Does this seem to be a careless
statement ? Is it said tritles determine destinies ? Yes,
but all trifles do not determine destinies. Waste is
.the rule of nature : where one seed grows, myriads

irirr-

ii 1

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

perish : wliere one flower brings ripened fruit, whole
galaxies of blooming beauty are destroyed. So, many
trifles are fruitless and aindess. They are nothing
to God. Why, they are of no consequence to our-
selves, or to anyone else. They are in no way
associated with sin or holiness. They add nothing to
the burden of human guilt or misery, nothing to its
hope or fear. They quicken no note of gladness in
the hearts of angels or men. The tabulated knowledge
of them would be no addition to tlie accutnulated
treasures of knowledge in either earth or heaven.
God knows them just as a scholar knows how to read
a simple book into which he never looked. If any
exigency made it necessary to open them up, one
glance of His would sound them to their depths and
trace all their possible relations. The slightest touch
of His th()U<rht would write out on the instant the
number of hairs on the head of an}^ man who might
be threatened by his enemies, and tell each hair that
had fallen throu<j:h their evil desiijns. With no more
effort could he ex^dore the wide fields of space, and
read where an unoffending sparrow had fallen through
malignity, or theft, or passion. It is therefore clear
that no one will be overlooked in the multitudinous
rush of events and circumstances crowding upon His
attention. His countless, ever-growing family is none
too larjre for His abound injx care.

G. Now, this seems to be just the comfort which we
need. Men often suffer in life because those who
would be most willing to help them do not know of

i ""'

1 ^^

1 ti

fit

S d(

ffa

1 fo

1 a

THE KATHKUS CARE FOR HIS PEOI'I.E.

whole
, many
lotliiiig
)0 our-
o way
hing to
g to its
ness in
)wle<lge
nulatecl
heaven.
to read
If any
up, one
)ths and
st touch
,ant the
o might
air that
no more
)ace, and
through
)re clear
tudinous
ipon His
Y is none

which we
hose who
know of

their straits. Day l)y day in every city some are
starving and d^'iiig in neglect. Yet it is safe to say
that no one would ever want either fuod or clothing
if only the right persons knew (jf his need. Over
all the country are young men and maidens thirsting
for knowledge, and seeking it under most unfavor-
ing conditions. Reading in the flickering firelight.
Snatching vagrant moments from labors sufficient to
more than fill up every waking hour. In painful
straits for want of l)Ooks. Nothing in their case is
sufficient for the ambition that aims at the attainment
of knowlc'lge. Yet if the right persons knew of their
toiling effort they would want neither books, nor
teachers, nor conveniences, for an hour. But the right
persons do not know, and so, by the thousand, our
suffering and weary fellow-beings die, starved in body
and in mind.

More in the past than now cluirches })aid their
preachers in "kind," as it was called. It is a vicious
system, for it allows every member of the church
and consfreGfation to think that there is no need of him
doing anything, because tliere are so many to support
the preacher. And it makes the preacher feel like a
beggar in making his wants known. Some prosperous
If farmer will relieve him in a patronizing manner, as if
M it were an act of pure grace and there were no justice
demanding it. Many a sensitive man has seen his
family in great straits rather than go and ask someone
for food. I knew a case where for more tlian a week
a minister's family had nothing in the house but some

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS I'EOl'LE.

cornmeal, which they prepared with water and salt,
and tried to live upon it. The circuit steward hap-
pened to drop in one day and learned the condition of
thin<^s. He was really a kind man, but he was the
victim of a bad system. When he found out what the
family was su tiering, he said in genuine sorrow, "O, if
I had only known ! Why did you not tell me V

Now, in contrast with all that men do and neglect
to do, God gives us this assurance that His knowledge
can at a glance take in all the minute details of our
lives, and therefore we may be certain that no one will
suffer when His help is needed. It is not necessary for
us to feel sure that He is holding us by the hand in
everything we do, but we can be contident He will do
so whenever we need such intimate interposition.

III. 1. We come now to the last clause of the text,
"Ye are of more value than many sparrows." This is a
strong declaration of God's loving care over His disci-
ples. It is one of His immeasurable sayings, and in this
it is like His "so loved," and His "so great salvation,"
and "whosc<wer will. ' It is left indefinite because it is
one of those things which do not admit of admeasure-
ment. It is easy to tell how much a sparrow is worth,
but there is no arithmetic in earth or heaven which
can exactly measure how high a value God sets upon
the least of His saints. It is as well to say he is
worth as much as many sparrows as to say anything
else, because it cannot be accurately told in any terms.
We feel the strong impulse given to us in reading the
passage through, and at the end we are left with the

CU]

no
en
our
Con

TFIE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

d salt,
1 hap-
tion of
as the
lat the
,"0,if

neglect
ivvledge
of our
)ne will
mvy for
land in
will do
m.

he text,
Phis is a
lis disci-
d in this
A^ation,"
luse it is
neasure-
s worth,
n which
.-ts upon
ly he is
mything
ly terms,
ding the
with the

.i-Si

>5<

clearest possible intimation that God cares for us,
and He has already assured us of His most intimate
knowU'dixe, so that if we sufier or need it will not he
hecaust' He either does not know or cannot reach our
case, or is inditf'erent to us. Therefore we know that
He both knows and cares.

2. Now, the worst affliction is to feel that we are left
wholly alone in any passage of deep distress. No
matter what it is, there will be relief in knowing
simply that someone cares. A little child hurt her
hand, and in her pain she ran up to her father, busy
with his work and deeply engaged in his papers and
books, and told him of her liurt. He pushed her to
one side, and said sharply, "(io away, do not bother
me." The child tui aed aside more wounded than ever.
She told her mother about it, and she excused the
father, saying to the child, "He is always very busy,
and he could not have cured it anyway." " No," said
the child, "he could not cure it, but he might have
just said, ' I am sorry,' and that would have helped nie
some."

There are a great many weeping children who just
want someone to say, '" T am sorry," in their trouble.
But to be left altogether alone in the night, to drink our
cup of pain, and feel that no one conies near because
no one cares, adds infinitely to the deep intensity of the
cup. To lose wealth and position, or to be defeated in
our conflict, and then on this to have to add the bitter
conviction that no one cpres! Oh, that is woe, indeed!
But if through the deepest darkness, and the inid-

BB^

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

illll '

iliiM

! I

nitrht silences, and in our torturing pain, we may but
hear our Father's whispered voice, telling ol: love and
care, what can we not endure ? All the ills of life
would be almost entirely healed by our simply know-
ing that God is sorry in our sorrow. Pain and sick-
ness and death come alike to the evil and the good,
and no prayer or faith can turn them aside. But our
tears will not be so bitter, nor our days so dark, nor
our nights so long, nor the grave we have left to be
buried under the fast falling snow so cold and desolate,
if through it all we may but take the comforting
assurance to our hearts that " God cares." This is the
climax in the meaning of this text, toward which all
the other parts are laboring up. He knows. There
will be no failure for want of a knowledge of our
pain or need. All this with a rising inflection toward
the grand assertion that He cares, and therefore, when-
ever in His wisdom it is deemed best, He will come
into our human life with all the power of His good
right hand.

We may therefore lift above our heads as a strong
shield the " Fear not, therefore," of this text, and turn
our faces bravely toward all the elements which com-
bine a<xainst us. "If God be for us, who can be ai^ainst

US?"

3. We are not assured by all that is here placed
before us that we shall have an easy passage through
life — that God will alwa3's step in just in time, and
save us from loss and grief and disaster, or even from
death, at the hands of our enemies.

th
ki
m(
rid

•:#

i\ k '

liif

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

lay but
)ve and

of life

know-
id sick-
le good,
But our
ark, nor
ft to be
desolate,
iiforting
lis is the
v^hich all
. There
3 of our
1 toward
re, when-

11 come
His good

a strong
and turn

ich coni-
)e against

re placed
3 6h rough
time, and
ven from

This address was given to the twelve apostles just
before they started out on an expedition attended with
nmch exposure and great danger. These words were in
particular calculated to brace up their minds for any
sharp struggle that should come. But there is an
indication that while at every step God would know
and care about them, still some of them would fall in
their work. The verse immediately following the text
is very suggestive and touching: "Whosoever shall
confess Me before men." They who heard this knew
that at that time to confess Jesus meant a severe trial
of faith. Now, the word "confess" has come to have a
very simple meaning. It is the assuming of easy obli-
gations to Christ in the presence of His Church, and
that is all. There is no danger, no reproach or shame,
scarcely indeed any self-denial, as churches go now-a-
days, in confessing Christ. The person gains dignity
and iiiliuence, and even the gratification of his pride,
and an increase of his friends among the best people
living', and loses nothinfj. But the men who first heard

Hhis discourse found no such pleasant meaning as this

; in the word "confess" as applied to Christ. They knew
that it meant to stand before magistrates, and even
kings, and false accusers, for the sake of Christ. It
meant to own Him when to own Him was to be hur-
ried to prison, and often to a cruel death. And they
all proved this in their individual experiences. They

Jiad no present life worth living. They were hunted
|down. They were peisecuted, and finally, with one

Exception, brought to untimely deaths by cruel hands.

I 3

^■!

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

I 'i

li''

W I

iln

ii' i

/li 1

Life to them was simply a school in which to learn,
what at last they did learn well, that the present is
nothing, but the future life is everything. When they
turned away from the presence of Jesu's after hearing
this glowing address, they saw the sky already grow-
ing black with the promise of their coming trial and
doom.

Yet they went forth with confidence, because they
had received into their hearts the abiding truth that
God both knows and cares. This sustained them later
on, when thev had come better to understand God's
grand designs. Then they saw clearly that if, in any
great pressure of v/oe, He should deem it best, He
would come to them, and the mouths of lions should be
closed, and cursing men should be dumb in their pre-
sence. But if not, then they could die as He had done
before them, and even in the bitterness of death they
would be C(msoled by knowing that in death, as in
life. He would know of their case, and would care for
them, and would be with them.

4. In every age His saints have been set to learn
the same truth. The race has taken it up but slowly.
Men strain their eyes to read God's loving care in all
the good that comes to them for the present time, and
sometimes even they make their religion no better
than the servant of their selfishness and worldiiness,
wantimx to use God's care for them for their own ends
in this present time. But the true light is far above
and beyond. God's care and knowledge are pledged
in our behalf that we linger not too fondly on these

da
fco
ear
he

TdE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

learn,
esent is
len they
hearing
iy grow-
;rial and

use they
'uth that
lem later
nd God's
i', in any

best, He
should be
their pre-

had done
eath they
ith, as in

d care for

t to learn

)ut slowly.

care in all
time, and
no better
orldliness,

■ own ends
far above

re pledged
y on thesi.'

earthly paths, but at last get our eyes opened upon
the hills of the shining shore of that better world
ahead of us, yet, perliaps, not so very far away. His
care is pledged not to allow our feet to take root in
this world. Therefore, what seems to be evil is often
allowed to follow the paths of the saints. " God buries
His workmen but carries on His work." Some are
allowed to dio and leave unfinished a work which, to
all human appearances, no other hands can carry on
as well. Yet there is no disappointment to His far-
reaching plans in this. " He moves to His great ends
unthwarted by the ill."

In September, 1884, after a visit at the Morley Mis-
sion, sitting among the leaping hills at the foot of the
Rocky Mountain.s, the Rev. John McDougall started to
drive me over the prairie, a distance of some forty or
fifty miles, to the latest birth among the many cities
of the fruitful West — the new city of Calgary. On
our way he told me about his father's death, which
occurred out on the open plains. An hour before dark
on a winter afternoon, he left his company Bnd started
for their camp, and they never saw him alive again.
;M^hen the rest of the company reached the camp and
^iscovere<l that he had not come in, they rode hither
Und thither, firing guns to guide his steps, if perchance
he was still alive and within hearing ; and for nine
days his children, and their friends among the Indians,
•coured the prairie in search of him, until at last they
fame upon his body in its quiet resting-place. " Did
he lose the trail ? " I asked. " No," replied his son ;

■1

THE FATHERS CAKE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

"he know the prairie as a school-boy knows the play-
fjround. No, he did not lose his way, but he must
have been suddenly seized with some bewildering
illness, of which he had before showed some premoni-
tory symptoms, and he wandered about, for how many
hours God's watchful stars that know the secrets of
the night alone could tell : then, at last, he sought
out a level spot in the prairie, lay down upon his back,
folded his hands across his breast, and so, as he looked
away into the clear heavens, his spirit went out on its
far iournev alone." The son told me all this as we
rode along, and by an<l by he pointed a little way
off, and said, " There is where we found father."
Then, when wo, had driven on for an hour, he pointed
out a spot, " Theie is where we camped that night
after we found him." And then he added, as his
memory actively reviewed the scenes, " Oh, what a
night that was ! We pitched our tent, and made a
fire and sat around it. But it could not seem right
without him sitting in his accustomed place by the
fire, and then I thought of him out in the sleigh, cold,
frozen and dead ! And, oh, to think that we could not
brino; him in with us, but must leave him there in the
cold alone ! I could not stand it, and I went out and
sat upon the sleigh by his side, under the clear sky,
and it seemed as if my heart would break. My bro-
ther came out there and sat with me, and after a time
he said, "' John, there is no God ; there cannot be, or
such a thing would not be allowed to happen. Oh,
m}^ father was a good man, and God would have taken
care of him if He would of anyone."

■

.7.T^'

THE FATHERS CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

le play-
le must
ildering
remoni-
w many
crets of
; sought
his back,
,e looked
ut on its
is as we
ttle way
father."
; pointed
lat night
d, as his
what a
I made a
;em right
e by the
-vA\, cold,
could not
ere in the
out and
lear sky.
My bro-
ter a time
not be, or
pen. Oh,
lave taken

Now, this young man was not profane, nor irrev-
erent, but he was, at the moment, only One of earth's
crowdinsT thousands, wdio have not yet come to under-
stand that God seeks spiritual ends, and not temporal,
for His people ; that His care may abound as much
in sorrow's terrible hour as wdien the calm sunshine
fills us with its warmth and wealth.

The true explanation of all songs unsung, and all
pages unread, in this world of tears, and sori'ovv, and
poverty, and blood, and death, we may not wholly
reach ; but it is enouMi for us to know that through
it all He knows and cares. The good may die, the
benevolent may be stricken down to poverty, but as
long as we can rest C(jntident that in it all He both
knows and cares, we need not restrain our song, for
out of the night shall come a better day. A new
morning of higher hopefulness, that points down along
its hours to greater certainties than we have ever taken
hold upon here, is at hand.

That assurance that we need not to fear anvthino-,
because God both knows all and cares for us all the
time, and will help us in our straits whenever He
;deems it necessary, is the proper basis for our study of
the traces of the Divine hand in iruidino; the aliairs of
human life, and will furnish us the key to many a
difficult problem.

iiipr

II.

lii

6art mx litUtv m\A (^Mt.

"A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his
steps.' — Prov. xvi. 9.

.F we believe the Bible afc all we must admit that
God exercises continually a controlling influence
over the lives of men. Any possible interpretation
of this book will lead us to this conclusion. Under all
dispensations, in the varied experiences of every <ilas3
of men, and over every condition of human life, He is
represented to our thought as the supreme Leader and
Guide, and His hand is powerfully felt in shaping those
events which determine destiny. In the pages of
almost every writer who has contributed to the sacred
volume, some passages occur which teach that in some
form God is supreme over the occurrences of every
day, either by causing or controlling them. Our
human thoughts may construct the architecture of a
life and suit it to our will, but He will have that life
built after His own desifjn. " A man's heart deviseth
his way, but the Lord directeth his steps."

We come then to the study of the question, how
God influences the lives of men. In seeking our

'M,

GOD OUR LEADER AXD GUIDE.

recteth his

imit that
influence
'pretation
Under all
rery class
ife,"^ He is
eader and
)in2 those
pages of
ihe sacred
it in some

of every
lem. Our
iture of a

that life
t deviseth

jtion, how
eking our

answer to this question, we trace His hand in two
methods of cjuidance.

I. First, by the Holy Spirit acting directly upon
men's minds. In this way they are guided from
within.

II. Then He acts upon them from witliout, by con-
trolling the events which occur, after an order v/hich
is commonly called Providence, and which includes all
special providences.

1. 1. Let us first consider the guidance of the Holy
Ghost acting directly upon us. The fact of such
guidance is made clear by many passages : " For if ye
live after the flesh, ye shall die : but if ye through the
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are
the sons of God" (Rom. viii. 13, 14). Also: "Walk
in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh" (Gal.v. IG).

2. Now, how does the Holy Spirit guide men ? By
working strong impressions upon the mind, and by
causing thoughts to arise which, but for Him, would
have had no existence. No law of association can
account for them. They cannot be traced to any other
cause. He may affect us through our thoughts, or
affections, or feelings, or desires, or senses.

How .shall we explain the following circumstance ?
A man had been a member of the Church for many
years. He was known as a tried and faithful Christian.
One morning he found among his letters one, the
stamp on which had not been cancelled. Naturally

Mil'Ff

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

the first thought was, that that stamp might be used
again. But he was not a thief, and he had never got
one cent dishonestly. He was in no need, that he
shouhl feel inclined to begin to steal now. Under any-
other circumstances the opportunity of stealing three
cents would not have touched him. It would not have
been inside his world. But an uncancelled stamp on a
letter which has passed through the mail has a kind of
fascination about it ; and so the thouglit kept returning
to his mind that he might use that stamp again. Then
he found himself growing intensely uncomfortable.
The shadow grew thick and dark over his mind,
until presently he tore the stamp off the envelope and
destroyed it. At once the cloud faded away. The
discomfort gave place to a sense of inward satisfaction,
much as when one sees some threatening danger pass
him by uninjured.

Now, how are we to account for this change of
feeling ? The only rational explanation is that he was
led by the Spirit. As the possibility, not to say danger,
in this case, of doing a dishonest act grew upon the
man, the Spirit gave him an intimation by bringing
upon his mind some shadow of the distress which one
must have after doinjj a wronor deed. This was a warn-
ing that he was in danger. But when he resolutely
rendered it impossible to commit the threatening sin,
then the Spirit gave His approving testimony by pour-
ing a sense of inward comfort upon him. The Spirit
led him by creating certain impressions upon his soul.

Suppose you account for this experience by saying

G(H) 0[TR LEADKR AND (iUIDE.

.S.S

)e used
ver got
,hat he
Jer any
g- three
ot have
lip on a
kind of
turning
1. Then
[ortable.
s mind,
iope and
,y. The
sfaction,
ger pass

lange of
t he was

danger,
ipon the
bringing

lich one

a warn-
esolutely
ning sin,
by pour-
le Spirit

his soul.

y saying

tliat it was siinply the testimony of the man's con-
science. It amounts to the same thing. Conscience is
never a safe guide except when it is enlightened by
the Holy Spirit. A good conscience is in one sense the
approving voice of the Holy Ghost speaking to the
heart.

In any case the Spirit can lead any who are
willing to l)e led, by bringing a strong impression
uprm the mind, or by causing thoughts to leap up
which would not have arisen in the ordinary course
of things, or by pouring a current of powerful feel-
ing upon the soul, or by arousing a great fear. The
followinix is an illustration of His o-uidance under
somewdiat different conditions from the forejioinix case.
A young man, a few months after his conversion, had
an offer of a certain business. Now, the work was not
bad in itself, but in view of what it required of the
person attending to it, and of the a.ssociations into which
it must necessarily throw him, this man afterwards
felt through all his riper years, that, had he under-
taken it, it would have proved his ruin for this world
and the next. But, inexperienced as he was when the
otter was made to him, he saw none of the threateninir
dangers, and so he went forward to the extent of enter-
ing into a contract to purchase the business, plant, etc.
for a certain sum, and at a time in the future ajzreed
upon, to pay the money and take up the work. The
bargain was only closed when he began to experience
-a deep inward distress, and a fearful foreboding as of
some fast approaching calamity. He did not under-

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

I' ' '

stand it. Everything about the bargain he had made
seemed full of promise for him. What was there to
dread ? But still his distress grew wonderfully, until
he felt himself overshadowed bv some terrible im-
pending blow. There was nothing to connect this
with the bargain he had made but the fact that it
came upon him immediately after making it. The
other party to the contract was about going away.
There was but a moment. He abruptly asked to see
the paper he had signed. It was given to him and at
once destroyed, and never a happier man entered upon
his daily duties than did that young man on the morn-
ing in question.

Now, it was long after that day before he came to
regard the experience as a marvellous escape from
threatened ruin, and then it occurred to him that he
had been led by the Holy Spirit away from the danger.
What better explanation is needed ? Certainly it is
possible for the Spirit to create impressions upon the
mind, independently of all outward conditions, and to
give thoughts which could arise in no other way. The
Bible teaches nothing on the subject different from
this, and experience reveals nothing further.

There is nothing to show that these communications
are made in human language, or through an audible
voice. Good men may sometimes say that a word came
to them from the Spirit, and that is proper enough for
general discourse, because we think in words, and do
not as a rule think without them ; but calm and
thoughtful persons will at once interpret an assertion

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

made
ere to
', until
>le im-
ct this
that it
. The

away.

to see

and at

id upon

e morn-

that he

s danger.

Illy it is

pon the

and to

|ay. The

nt from

nications
audible
ord came
lOUgh for
:i, and do
aim and
assertion

about receiving a communication from the Spirit in
words as simply meaning that the Spirit put a thought
into the mind, and unconsciously to himself, from the
habit of thought, the man's own words came at once
to clothe the thought.

8. Nor are we to understand that this guidance of
the Spirit subverts the human will. Those who "are led
by the Spirit," their wills concurring, are the sons of
God. The leading is not driving, or compelling, but
drawing, by securing the agreement of the man's will
with the will of God. The Spirit guides by inHuenc-
ing, suggesting, enlightening, and supporting, but not
by destroying the person's freedom of action.

4. Again, this guidance is something special to the
believer in Christ, and therefore is to be distincruished
from the Spirit's all-pervading presence and influence.
The Spirit is everywhere. It is correct to say that by
His direction the roots of the grass are fed, and leaves
and flowers spread their beauty over the tree, and
scatter their fragrance throughout the air. By Him
savage beasts roam throuojh the forest, and the monsters
of the deep have their food, and the countless insects
of the air learn their harmonies. So, too, when, as a
messenger of Providence, a bird sings in a tree above
my window, and awakens me from slumber just in
time to save some man's life, it is correct to say that
the Spirit guided that bird in its course, and brought
it to the right spot just at the right time.

But what the Scriptures mean when they teach
that He exercises a guiding influence over the life of

:]6

OOD OUIl LEADER AND (ilJIDE.

1 1
i!

■ 1

a saint, in sometliin^' wholly (liflereiit from this (f^n-
eral, universal prosence. Just how He creates food for
a blind mole, and then leads the helpless creature to
the spot where that food may be found, is altogether
wonderful; but His <(uidance of the human soul is bet-
ter and higher than that. A sheep is provided for by
this Spirit, but th(; sheep is not therefore my brother
by fellowship with me in the same guiding iiiHuence
from the hand of my Heavenly Father.

Let it be here noted that in all that will be said in
these pages about the guidance of the Holy Spirit, His
special work in the hearts of the chiMren of God is
referred to, and not that general inliuenco whereby He
pervades the whole universe with His power, and with
unslumbering care provides for every creature his
needed good.

n. 1. Let us now turn to the consideration of the
second agency whereby the Lord directs the lives of
men. He acts upon them from without, ordering, di-
recting and controlling the events which occur around
them in such a way as to move them according to His
own plan, and to work out in their lives the ends
which He seeks. This is called the order of Divine
Providence.

But there is what is known as a general Providence,
and a particular Providence. The fVfr^.t includes God's
constant care of everything. It h- the exercise of His
infinite energy throughout the whole vast fabric of
the created universe ; not recreating it, but perpetuat-
ing what He has made, and causing the movements of

(iOD OrU LEA HER AND (JIJIDE.

:i7

iminl>orl('ss worlds in their orbits, iin<l the shiiiiiii,' of
invriads of suns, and tli(.' rnsliiii;r of niii^lity waters,
and tile trrowth of Ljreat forests, and tin; livin<^ and
dvinL;' and (general lialiits of all livini; creatures, to
procee<l for ever in a uniform order. There is nothing
— not a leaf that waves in the air, nor the tiniest in-
sect, nor the savaj^est beast, nor the most poisonous
reptile, nor the meanest and most sinful of men — but
partakes of the benefits of 'Jds infinite, exhaustless, all-
end)racini; ean^ of the Creator.

"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not,
neither do they reap, n(jr.<;'ather into barns; yet your
heavenly Father feedeth them,"

" Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;
they toil not, neither do they spin : and yet I say unto
you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not ar-
rayed like one of these."

" He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on
the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust."

This care of the Almighty over all His works pro-
coeds upon a uniform plan. In tlie days of Adam, and
before, tiie streams flowed toward the sea, just as they
do now. First the leaf, then the flower, then the fruit;
growth followed by deca}^ ; youth fast running into
age; — this with never-ceasing change, yet with un-
broken monotonv forever in the order of the chanije —
this was the course of nature in the beofinninir, and it
still is so.

WW.

?3M

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

I: I I

In;

"0 time and change ! sleepless, ruthless pair !
Where'er men flee they trace your footsteps there !
Your hands are spread o'er nature's smiling face,
Your rugged touch appals our trembling race !
In birth of fruit all l)loom and fragrance die !
While summer breathes the winter's hosts are nigh !
As lioary wisdom comes to regal sway,
Y^'outh's grace and beauty yield in swift decay !"

What has occuired will occur again in its own time
and order, and so on forever.

2. This uniformity in the Deity's mode of working
has furnished one of the greatest puzzles of modern
times. It is solved around the question, What is a law
of nature ? There is one sense in which a law of
nature is understood to be an abiding, ever-active force.
But, also, men have found in this uniformity the sig-
nificance of a law. Because the processes of nature go on
in a uniform order, they say there is a law which com-
pels this, and then claim that because of this law things
could not possibly proceed in any other manner. They
see uniformity, then they say that it is caused by a
law, and tlien they affirm that things could not possibly
be otherwise, because of this law. And so, entering
their circle on one side, they have chased themselves
around the circle to the point where they entered, and
then have repeated the same course over and over
again.

With such reasoning the saints of God have been
assaulted, and almost driven away from their altar of
prayer, and their confidence in any special providence
whereby they might be benefited has been much
shaken.

^jrk

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

3. There are some indications that with many the
tendency is toward a belief in a general providence,
in the benefits of which all things partake, and a
weakening of contidence in any special interference of
God in human affairs for the relief or help of any in
particular. Thirty years ago the able works placed in
the hands of Theological students in one influential
Church taught them that " to every real member of
the body of Christ, the providence of God is special •
in other words, they are individually considered b}'- the
Sovereisfn Ruler in the administration of the affairs
of this life." Now, in the not less able volumes which
have supplanted these works of a former day, in a
lengthy and elaborate chapter on the providence of
God, no mention is made of any special consideration
of particular cases at all.

Under such circumstances it is both timely and
necessary to speak with confidence of a special provi-
dence as one of the ways in which God influences and
guides a human life.

4. Rightly viewed, advanced discoveries throw no
real difficulty in the way of such interference. The
whole question turns on the meaning of the word

j" law " as applied to nature.

Now, in this connection, this word can only

have an accommodated m-aningf. What is a law ?
[There is first a written rule. This rule is understood
jto regulate the conduct of all to whom it applies-
IThere must be some power behind it which can compel

ill to whom it 5s applied to observe it. Without thi>}

mmm

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

power it is not in any true sense a law at all. Take,
for example, any law of our nation. It applies to all
the people of this land. Behind it is all the power of
the Government to compel all to yield obedience to it.
Here, then, are three things in every true law :

(1) A written or understood prescription.

(2) Uniformity of action under its application.

(8) Power to compel that uniformity of action in
case there is, on the part of any, an unwillingness to
fall into that uniform course. These three are all
essential to a true law.

Now, let us see how this word has been played
upon in speaking of the laws of nature. Men have
noticed that there ic a uniform course of nature
through all the ages. But what about the power
which lies behind that uniformity and causes it?
They have not discovered any such power, but tak-
ing its existence for' granted, they have simply called
that power a law, as though this was all there is in a
law. They put some force between God and the uni-
form course of nature. They don't know what it is,
but they call it a law ; and then, because a law must
cause uniformity of action, they go on to teach that
there cannot possibly be any variations from the uni-
formity of nature without destroying the law.

But Science has never discovered any power iden-
tical with what it calls the laws of nature. All it
knows is that there is uniformity ; that as things
have been they will continue to be.

The whole is explained in a line. All that really

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

concerns us now in the expression "law of nature" is
the observed uniformity of the course of nature. The
hand of the Deity is the power which lies beliinu this
uniformity and causes it. Things proceed in a uniform
order because God wants them to be so. It is His
general plan of working, either by His immediate pre-
sence or V>v some force which He has created in nature,
and which He constantly controls. He continues this
plan from day to day, from age to age. But it follows
tiiat He can change this course if He will. Any forces
in nature which are not His ever present hand con-
stantly working, are sulvject to His control at will, and
so rct'd not be dwelt upon particularly here. Nothing
that . ' 'Vid be said of them would chancre the argument.
No jiiu knows anytliing about them, anyway. Their
existence is only a grand mental conception.

."). However, it is not necessary that He change
this uniform course in order to give us special provi-
dences for the guidance and shaping of men's lives.
It will help our confidence in such Divine interference
to I'.ave any thought of difficulty in the way of it re-
moved out of the way ; but even if this were impossi-
ble — thou^f?>,, as ive have seen, it is not — still we could
have a snecia! 'providence easily enou<xh. His uniform
course oi tkcuoa along one line can easily be made to
prever/o ai»y V- aster which might seen) inevitable
from the uniform course o*' events alonof another line.

We can see examples of this within tlie narrow
comptiss of our own operations. When boys, a num-
ber of us went into a saw -mill which was at the time
4

i ii

mmmtmmm

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

standing idle. We tliought it would be royal sport to
set it agoirio; all of ourselves So uniting our strength
we hoisted the gate and let on the water, and it
started the slumbering old wheel. The whole machin-
ery was soon in full operation. But we knew nothing
about nianao'inu: the vast machine, and it became evi-
dent pretty quickly that immense damage would be
done if we could not stop it. We tried in vain to shut
off the water, but did not know enough to do this.
We were in no worse plight than many older heads
have often been in, in starting up a power which they
could neither control r y shut otl' again. Meanwhile
it was tearing away \\J .st increasing force. Just
before any great harm li.i been wrought a strong
man came rusb'ng into the mill, almost out of breath,
for hearing the mill he thought some mischief was on
hand, and had hastened to the spot in much alarm,
and was just in time to do what we could not accom-
plish, and stop the mill.

Now, liere is an illustration of a simple special
providence, yet meeting every demand of the occasion.
No law of nature was interfered with, yet the mis-
chievous boys were saved fully out of their trouble.
It was in harmony with the uniform course of nature
that the great water-wheel should turn around when
the water pressed upon its flanges, and that then all
the machinery of tlie mill should be put in motion.
It always is so. It was also in perfect harmony with
the uniform course of events that a sensible man, hear-
ing the noise of the mill when he knew it should be

sp
un

an(

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

id it
,ch in-
thin g
e evi-
ild be
) shut
) this,
heads

1 thev
iwhile
Just
stron;^'
3reath,
,vas on
alarm,
iiccom-

special
casion.
e mis-
ouble.
nature
1 when
len all
motion,
ly with
n,hear-
ndd be

silent, should suspect some boys of mischief. From
the be,i:^inning until now boys have always got into
mischief when they liave had a chance, and generally
trouble has followed. So far there was no interrup-
ti(m to the law. That this man should come to see
what the boys were about was likewise in harmony
with this uniform order of things. Men always do
that. Then in every n^e to turn off the water has
been sufficient to stop a mill. Now, here was a special
providence, and yet no interruption to the uniformity
of the course of nature, and no violation of any of
nature's laws.

That tlie man should turn up on the scene just at
the right time is easily accounted for. He must some-
time do the work in the field where he chanced to be,
or pass along the street to market within hearing of
the sounds which caused his alarm. Suppose God
purposed to deliver the boys, how easy for Him to set
in motion a train of events, all in harmonv with the
established order, one event waiting upon another,
which would result in bringing the man to the place
just at the right time.

Now, this actual occurrence in the childhood of the
writer has been described with much minuteness of
detail, because it furnishes a complete illustration of a
special providence without any disturbance of nature's
uniformity. One law can easily be made to counteract
another. The student sees illustrations of this in the
laboratory every day. His own knowledge enables
him in his experiments to turn one force against an-

mSmumi^

GOD OUR LEADER AND GUIDE.

other, and so to realize the results he desires. Why-
should there be any doubt of God's alnlity to do the
same thing with the whole vast system of nature, and
in this way to answer prayers, and to send help to any
whom he desires to reach ?

6. The Bible is calculated to greatly mislead its read-
ers if He does not so interfere in many cases for the
protection and deliverance of His people.

" Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the
fowler, and from the noisome pestilence." How shall
He do this ? Not by just letting things take tlieir
own way, but by intermeddling with them.

Again, " The Lord bringeth the counsel of the
heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the
people of none efleot." How, if not by special inter-
ference with them according to His own plans ?

"The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: He brinsxeth
down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh
poor, and maketh rich : He bringeth low, and lifteth up.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and liftoth up
the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among prin-
ces, and to make them inherit the throne of glory : for
the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and He hath
set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of
His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness ;
for by strength shall no man prevail " (1 Sam. ii. G-9).
How can this all be done without special interference
on behalf of individuals ?

" For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor
from the west, nor from the south. But God is the

GOD OUR LKADER AND GUIDE.

of the
of the
1 inter-
?

)ringeth
niaketh
teth up.
fteth up
ng prin-
ory : for
-Tc hath

feet of
irkness ;

ii. 0-9).
rfereuce

east, nor
)d is the

judge: He puttetii down one, and setteth up another"
(P.sidiii Ixxv. 0,7). How, without .special providences ?
Tlie passage.s tliat require tlii.s interpretation are
too nunierou.s to he <iwelt upon here. It is so easy for
God to take care of the world in this way, and it is
just what would be expected from one such as the
Bible re[)resents Him to be. When your nurse takes
your babe out for an airing, it is both easy and natural
that lier curiosity should be excited hy the plumage of
some bird, and .so be diverted from the course .she was
taking, and in this way get out of reacli of a hor.se that
is running away. No miracle is necessary to put the
[bir<l in her way. A yellow leaf lying upon the walk
may draw you away from the danijer of being buried
by a falling wall. So, what seems a chance meeting
with an old friend may determine 3'our whole course
in life. We see nothing at the time in little occur-
rences whicli in the end prove to be of the most
momentous consc(juence. We may never trace any
connection between tliem and our .safety or our pros-
perity ; but there is not a life in which .some of the
best results may not be connected with what at the
time seemed small happening.s, of no account. The
stories say tliat Richard Whittington, when fleeing
from London, was attracted by the rino-incr of a bell,
and turned back to a life of eminent success and use-
fulne.ss. Whatever nuiy be true in his ca.se, there
have been many Whittingtons in the fact of being
turned, by some special circumstance, into the path
.where they found happiness, and opportunity, and

GOD OUll LEADER AND GUIDE.

reward. The srabblino:

geese

saved old Rome. A

shower of rain probably decided Waterloo in favor of
Wellington.

It may be said that any of these small circumstances
could as easily draw a person into the way of danger
as out of it. Certainly, and they doubtless would do
so if all thing.s were subject to mere chance, and not
to an intelligent Ruler ; but we are proceeding on the
understanding that they are controlled by a wise hand,
and are not subject to chance.

Let who will see no special intervention of the hand
of God in such occurrences, he is in an unphilosophic
attitude who doubts, not he who Urmly believes,
that the Lord works in this way to guide the lives
of men.

7. Do any ask, How about the poverty that is unfed,
the misery unhealed, the untimely deaths allowed, that
send up, hovering under the dome of the sky, an awful
discord of cries, and groans, and sighs from this old
grave-scarred and tear-dewed earth ? It may be said
in reply, that everything in revelation and Providence,
so far as yet learned, indicates that it is God's plan
that this weary earth shall, for some time to come,
remain the nurse of graves and sorrows, and it is
not necessary that every tear be dried before we can
believe that He does control events among men for
their great good.

Nor yet is it necessary that we believe that every
occurrence in life is immediately controlled by Him.
The text says, "the Lord directeth his steps." But this

GOD OUn LEADER AND OriDE.

is not to be pressed to the extreme of its literal niean-
in■^ It is rather a sfeneral statement that God has
every part of our lives under His eye, an<l that He
interferes whenever it suits His purpose, so astoatlect
the final re^ult. The truth conveyed in this verse is
the same as in the first verse of this chai)ter, which
reads here, " The preparations of the heart in man, and
the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord." In that
form every commentator has had a difhculty in explain-
in;4 the meaninL,^ and in reconciling^ the translation
with the original. But the revised version greatly
helps us. In this the verse is made to rea<l, " The
preparations of the heart belong to man, but the
answer of the tongue is from the Lord." That conveys
about the same meaning as the familiar proverb,
" Man proposes, but (jod disposes." Tliat is the idea,
stated in a 'General way, which the text also contains.

It is not therefore to be understood that (Jod con-
stantly interferes, making each minute detail what it
is, for that would destroy human freedom ; but that he
knows all our steps, and takes hold upon our lives
when He will. No doubt, the general course of nature,
acting upon man and with him, usually brings about
what God retjuires in him, but sometimes not. Indeed,
if our lives were simply left to wdiat we can make out
of ourselves in conflict with the general course of
things, then the Scripture language, which represents
God as His people's director and gui<le, wouhl be wholly
misleading. If these passages have any meaning at
all, then in some cases, at least, a strong grip is taken

GOD OUR LEADER AND OUIDE.

upon the stern conr.sc of events by the mighty liand
of the infinite Deity, and air, and sea, and eartli, and
lower orders of animals, and man himself, are so con-
strained as to serve His sovereio^n will, and, on the
whole, to push mankind upward to a higlier plane.

By these two methods, then — the Holy Spi It acting
directly upon the heart, and special providences — God
does direct the ways of men. And though the same
Spirit leads out every feature of the Divine Providence,
yet His influence here is not the same as His direct,
guiding influence upon the human heart. The last is
His special work with man. These two modes of
guidance work hand in hand, and move ever in the
same direction, and serve the same ends. What those
ends are will be considered in the next discourse.

!> 1

III.

Z\ic giviuc iMiriJo^c in (f uitUufl ^tUn.

"If ye live after tlie flesh, ye shall die: hut if ye through the
Spirit (h> Jiiortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many
as are led l»y the Spirit of (lod, they are the sons of (!od." — Romans
viii, IM, 14.

" Walk in tlie Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh."'- (lAL. v. 10.

^0 wliat end does God interfere with the lives of
men ? Wliat reason can be sufficient to brinj,^
. Him into our path ^ ])()es tlie Holy Spirit, or
special Providence, or do both united, s^ive men posi-
tive direction, of which thej^ can be fully conscious,
concernin<^ everythins2f they caii do ? Can we, for
example, have an intimation by which we will receive
undoubted confidence that Ood is directin^^ us as to
whom we shall vote for in an election ? Can we be
positive that God is instructing us to send a child to
one school in preference to another ? May we receive
from God a certain assurance that He would hav^e us
open business in a particular city, and in a certain
street of that city; or that we shall not form a partner-
ship with one particular man, but shall make a con-
nection with another ?

TFIK DIVINK PlJIiroSE IN (;i'II)[N'(i MKN'.

Now, all this questionini]j cannot be answered in a
broatli. Nor can we crowd inte!li<,'ently all that liears
upon this subject into one sliort discourse. Let the
reader, therefore, l)e warned not to be impatient if his
expectations are not fully real !/<'<! in the next few
pages. If all that has dimly floated in his mind on
this sul)ject is not fully stated, or if every i<lea he has
formed relatini; to this question does not here walk
out before him, let him not therefore throw down the
book with the stamp of his withering condemnation
upon it.

The interests of truth are never advanced by mix-
ing up ideas with each other. But if we will patiently
fix one whole thought clearly in our mind, then we
are prepared to grasp another thought intimately
related to the former, and so advance to a grand
structure of clearly-defined truth upon any subject;
and when once we rea'ch it in this way we never lose
it. But mixed and confused notions do not serve us
efficiently while we have them, and they do not retain
the same color even a day at a time. Let us follow
the wiser plan now, and perhaps when wo clearly
apprehend the answer given just here, we, in advancing
farther in our study, will find all that we can covet to
read.

At present, then, we are to study what is the great
general purpose under God's guiding hand when He
breaks in upon our lives ? We can afterw irds examine
how far that purpose may reach, or must reach, in all
directions.

TIIK DIVINK prUF'OSK IN OriDINr, MKN.

■A

o;reat
?ii He

I. We will \)e</\n witli the active, <lirect influence
of the Holy Spirit on the lieart as our (liiide.

1. What the Scriptures uneciuivoealiy teach is, tliat
the Spirit lahors with men to (h-aw tlieni awa\' from
all sin, and to prompt them in the pursuit of all j^mod-
ness. He influences us in every movement, and word,
and thouirht, that has any relation to virtue or vice,
to trutli or falsehood, to rij^diteousness or '^uilt. More
than this we cannot know from the proper study of
the written Word. According to what it teaches, the
j^aiidance of the Spirit is oiven to us to promote holi-
ness of character, and that is the supreme purpose of
His mission.

Let us now turn to a patient examination of the
messatre of tiie Word on this sul))ect. Let us for the
moment think of ourselves as carriiMl ])ack between
two and three hundred years, wlien Bibles wei*u scarce,
and the privileije of studyinii- them had onlv lor a short
time been adiled to the liberties of the English people.
Then a rare copy of the Bible was cliained to the
rea<ling desk in the church, and tlu^ historian of the
time gravely tells us that the people assembled daily,
as their work allowed, and listened attentively throuoh
the fast moving hours, wdiile any person with a clear
voice and good understanding read from the Holy
Book. Under these circumstances, let us suppose that
one day the gathered multitude heard the reader
clearly enunciate the words of one of the passages at
the beginning of this discourse : " As man}^ as are led
by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Now,

) '

•^1

THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN GUIDING MEN.

they listened in those days, not as in a formal religious
service, but to be instructed in the truth. It would
therefore be perfectly natural for any listener, struck
with the high privilege of being a son of God set forth
in this passage, and desirous of knowing if he liad any
ri'dit to claim that privileije, to ask what bcini^' led bv
the Spirit means ? Does that guidance relate to eveiy
act of life ?

Then the reader, being competent to auswer such
an en(piirer wisely, would propose to read further
what the Word itself says upon the subject. He
might turn to 1 John iii. 10, where he would read
as follows: "In this the children of God are maui-
fes(, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth
not riijhteousness is not of God." There would
be room here for a natural inference. 'J'he sons of
God are made known by doing righteousness. But if
one is led by the Spirit, that fact also proves that he is
the son of God. It is therefore a reasonable con-
clusion, that being led by the Spirit is simply doing
righteousness. In those days of simple, rugged com-
mon-sense, people would be satisfied with that con-
clusion. They would turn away feeling that if they
so heed the impressions received upon their hearts
from the Spirit of God as to keep in the way of right-
eousness, they will fill the re(j[uired qualification of the
sons of God ; and then they would easily come to think
that the Spirit leads men at all only to keep them in
this way, and to save them from sin. This w^as just
the impression Wesley got from his study of the Word

THK DIVINE rUKPOSK IN GUIDING MEN.

5:3

COlll-

con-

they

learts

ight-

3t' the

think

tm in

J just

Word

•■n.

at a much later rlav. In liis notes on the New Testa-
niout, wlicn lie conies to this passage, he puts the text
and his own coiniuent upon it in the folio .ving form:
" As many as are led l»y the Spirit of God (in the ways
(j1' righteousness), tliey are the sons of God."

When, then, I have said that the Spirit's guidance
is only t>) kee[) us from sin and devoted to righteous-
ness, I say what the Apostle John taught, and what
Wesley also clearly expressed in his published works.

2. But, carrying out our fancy of a full church lis-
tening to the reading of the Word, some hearer would
prohably ask for something more than this single
ivissaijfe from John. Is there not in the Bible some
definite teaching about the work the Spirit does in
men ^ If there is, then we may reasonably expect to
find the mind of the Lord on the whole subject in
such passages. With this pointer, the reader would
naturally turn to the Book of the Acts, in the second
chapter, where we have the record of the descent of
the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, in fulfilment
of the prophecy of Joel, " I will pour out My Spirit
upon all Hesh." In this chapter we have an account of
the wliole company of the disciples gathered to^ethei",
and the sound as of a rushing wind, and the appear-
ance of cloven tongues, like tire, and the disciples being
tilled with the Holy Ghost, and speaking with other
tongues. Then follows Peters sermon, <leclaring that
Joel's prophecy was fulfil led on that day, and setting
fortii the substance of the Gospel ; and then the record
that they.who heard Peter were pricked in their heart,

■M

THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN GUIDING MEN.

•ill* I

v^^:

1 t" ■>!

1' '

and asked, " What shall we do ? " They were told to
repent, and to be baptized for the remission of sins,
and that they should receive the f^ift of the Holy
Ghost. Now, this narrative indicates nothinj^ further
thai that the Spirit's work in men is to turn them
from sin to holiness.

3. Pressed for what the Word might teach further
on this subject of the Spirit's guidance, the reader
might turn to Galatians v. 22, 23. Here he reads,
" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temper
ance." Now, here are mentioned, in connection wii.
each other, the etiects which the Holy Spirit is ex-
pected to produce in the human heart, but there is no
hint of anything except what pertains to separation
from sin, and the development of righteous deeds on
righteous principles. He will bring love into the heart.
Sin has ■ epaiated men from each other, and it has cut
in between all men and God. But love is the power
wh' h unites, and the Spirit opens its way in the
hearts of men, and teaches them first to love God, and
then to love eich other. Then He brings in "joy."
Any person experiences a sense of joyous approval
when he casts oft* sin, and also when he follows good-
ness willingly. In fact, all the fruits of the Spirit
mentioned in this list relate to separation from sin
and jxrowth in ri<jfhteousness.

4. Let the reader now turn back in this same fifth
chapter of Galatians, to verses 17 and 18. He reads,
"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit

THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN GUIDING MEN.

aorainst the flesh : and these are contrary the one to
the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye
would. But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye aie not
iin<ler the law." Now, the clear meaning of this scrip-
ture is that the purpose of the Spirit is to drive
desires of the flesh out of their stronghold, an<l to
bring the spiritual part of man's nature up into the
ascendancy ov^er him in all thinfjs. If we are led by
the Spirit, we are not under the law. If that means
anythinir, it means that no lon<jf as we are led by the
spirit we not only do not transf;ress the law, Imt we
have clearer insight than this obedience requires, and
do not do anythinjj that is oflensive to God, thoucfh
not definitely spoken against in the written law. But
sin is the only thing in the universe which offends
God. The Spirit's guidance, then, has for its purpose
the keeping us out of sin, and the turning us away
from the love of it and froru doing it.

o. But even yet further might be pressed this ques-
tion of the purpose of the Spirit in guiding men.
Then the reader, seekino; for somethinij more on the
subject, might turn to John xvi. cS-lo: "And when
He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they
believe not on Me ; of righteousness, because I go to My
Father, and ye see Me no more ; of judgment, because
the prince of this world is judged I have yet many
things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now\
Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come. He
will guide you into all truth : for He shall not speak

THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN GUIDING MEN.

ill

'ill' •»'

of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall
He speak : and He will show you things to come. He
shall glorify Me : for He shall receive of Mine, and shall
show it unto you. All tilings that the Father hath
are Mine : therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine,
and shall show it unto you.'*

Now, this is a discourse in which Jesus foretold to
His <lisciples just what the work of the Spirit would
be when He should come. Four distinct works are
assigned to Him : (1) He will " reprove." (2) He will
"guide." (.S) He will "show things to come." (4)
He will " glorify the Son " by " receiving of Mine " and
"showing it to the disciples."

Now, two expressions in the thirteenth verse seem
to contain something more than we have yet found
pertaining to His special work : " He will guide you
into all truth," and " He will show you things to
come." Take the lirst of these. Is it to be under-
stood as meaning that the Spirit will lead men into
universal truth ? — science, and art, and history ? li it
receives so broad a meaning, then it could never be
applied to individuals, because no man ever was in-
structed by the Spirit — or in any other way — into
universal truth. Not one of the apostles ever knew
that oxygen could be procured from potassium chlo-
rate. That the world was round, and that there was
any such thing as this vast American continent, never
entered into the imajxininj^s, much less into the certain
knowledge, of the people who gave themselves up
most fully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, for

THK DIVINK PrilPOSE IN CiUIDlXti Ml.N,

.•^7

more tlian a thousand years after Jesus spoke these
words. Universal knowledi^e of truth has never been
!j;iven to any one in any age, nor yet has the race
attiiined to it. It would only be in a sort of limited
way that it could be said that the Spirit was guidinij
the human race into all truth through the course of
the ages. If that were the meaning to be conveyed,
there would be no propriety in using such a form of
words as that referred to above.

But if what this passage promises is to be an in-
dividual benefit, then the truth referred to must have
some limitation. A reasonable explanation of this ex-
pression is to be found by taking it in connection
with another, viz., John xiv. 20. This reads: "But
the Comforter, which is the Holy (Ihost, whom the
Father will send in My name. He will teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remend)rance,
whatsoever I have said unto you." Now, consider
such words in connection with the facts involved.
Tlu; New Testament was not then a written word.
The teachings of Christ had no form save as they were
retained in the memories of those who heard Him ;
i)ut they were yet to be written out for the instruc-
tion of all mankind. Now, uiemory alone could not
be (h-pendud upon to reproduce these words of Jesus
with infallible correctness. It is always a more or less
treacherous servant, even when reporting matters of
little volume and of recent date. But the substance
of what Jesus taught was sufficient to fill a book of
Consider.il.le size, and it had been given at different

'iiif'ii

™

TIII'J DIVINE PURPOSE IN GUIDIN(J MEN.

places and times, through a period extending over
about three years, and not a note had been written
down of the whole at the time when He die*]. What
is more reasonable, as an interpretation of these pas-
sages, tiian that they were a message of encourage-
ment to the apostles in writing out what Jesus wished
all the world to know ? The Spirit would give them,
while engaged in this work, such aid, by inspiration,
as would render their memory of what had occurred
and of what He had said absolutelv correct. They
would not be allowed to fall into errors wliich would
be misleading to those who, in after-time, should read
what thev were to write. Thus should thev be iruided
into all truth.

But in addition to what Jesus had taught in person,
there was much to be revealed. The apostles were
assured that in writing even more than the words of
Jesus, and the events of His life, they should be led
into a knowledge of the truth. They would not bo
left to their own rea.soninjjs and imacfininijs, but the
Spirit would give them by inspiration what they
should teach, so that their word would be a safe guide
in all things pertaining to spiritual life and eternal
salvation, to all the peoples who in the coming time
should (ill this crowded earth. It was a special pro-
mise to the apostles, and was fulfilled to them when
they were writing the gospels and their epistles. Then
they realized the meaning of the promise, " He shall
receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you."

Here is an intelligent explanation ot" these words,

THE DIVINE rURPOSE IX GUIDING MEN.

over
itten
Vhat

pas-
rage-
ished
bheni,
ation,
:urrc(l

Thev
vvoultl
lI read
guided

person,
were
ords of
be led
not lie
)ut the
t tliey
e ouide
eternal

lial pvo-
[\ when
Then
.e shall

I words.

" He will guide you into all truth." They are a
promise to the apostles of the gift of inspiration in
writiiifT the Word.

Lanjiuatre must be admitted to have some relation
to the meaning it is designed to convey, especially
when it is found in the Bible. But to take up this
expression, and from it to derive the notion that the
Holy Spirit will teach us all about the minute details
of our daily life, is to use language without any relation
to the meanin<j: of the words used. For what connec-
tion is there between the beiuLj ijuided into a know-
ledge of truth, and my purchase of a town lot, or
opening a factory for the manufacture of shoes, for
example, or choosing a school to which to send my
children ? Tlie lamjuaofe about ijuiilinir into all truth
can have no kind of application to such transactions.

We are, no doubt, justified in claiming from it that
the Spirit will aid us in reaching the real meaning of
what has been written for our instruction ; but not
without earnest study. We are to know the truth
" by comparing spiritual things with spiritual." The
Spirit is in no case an indulgence for idleness or
ignorance. He will not enable ignorance and presump-
tion to reach the truth as correctl}^ as industry and
honest study, the same as is necessary to understand
any other work.

0. And now let us examine into the meaniiior of the
other expression in the 16th chapter and l.'Uh ver.se of
John. It says, " He will show you things to come."
The carelgss reader will catch upon this in confidence,

THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN OlTIDINf;! MEN.

and claim that the Spirit will open up the future of
any person's life who will seek such knowledcje iti
anticipation, in dependence upon Goil, He will say
that under this promise he maj' claim that he will be
enabled to see through all the perplexities and difficul-
ties that grow out of his temporal relations in life.

The best answer to this pretence is the fact that
sucli a revelation from the Spirit concerning his tem-
poral future has not been given to any man, not even
the most devout and holy who ever lived in any age
of the world. The holiest man walks in as much
uncertainty concerning his temporal atiairs in the
future as the sinner does, save and except that God
has made to him certain definite promises of provision
which cannot fail. Of these more will be said at a
more advanced stage of this enquiry. But what holy
man knew before the last election how it would turn,
any more than the politicians, who were so much sur-
prised by the event ? What holy man knows any-
thing beforehand about the proportions his business
will assume in the next year, except as the result of a
reasonable calculation, based upon his past experience I

But if these words will not admit of this explana-
tion, what do they mean ? They are explained hy
the words of Paul, written in 1 Corinthians ii. 7-14:
"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even
the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the
world unto our glory : which none of the princes ol'
this world knew : for had they known it, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is

iii'i"

THK DIVINE rUUl'OSE IN GUIDINIJ MEN.

re of
Te ill

say
11 be
[ficul-
:e.

) that
i teni-
■j even
ly a^re

much
[ji the
it Go'l
^vision
(1 at a
fxt holy
1 tuni,
eh sur-
^s any-
usiness

It of a
rience ■
xplana-
ned hy
1. 7-U:
y, even

ore the

I'inces ol'

ly woul'l

as it i-

written, Ey(3 liutli not seen, nor ear lieard, neither
luive entered into tlie heart of man, the tliinj^s which
God liuth prepared for them that K^ve Him. But God
liatli revealeil tliem unto us hy His Spirit: for the
Spirit searcheth all thinnr.s, yea, the deep tliinj^rs of
Go<l. For what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man wliich is in liim ? even so tlie
things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the s[)irit of the world, but
the spirit which is of God; that wc miglit know the
things that are freely given to us of God. Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's
wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God : for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Now, some things are plain from this passage. The
things which the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard,
are the same thincfs which " God hath revealed unto
us by His Spirit." They are the things which are
" freely given to us of God." Among them, certainly,
are the regeneration of our natures, the sense of sins
forgiven, the hope of immortality, the joy of the Lord,
which is to be the believer's heaven, and which is now
his strength, a certain coiifidencethat there will be a
resurrection of the dead, and the future judgment.
All these were beyond the discernment of the wisest
among men until the revelation by the Spirit of God
brought them to light. Some of them enter into the

THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN GUIDING MEN.

believer's experience in this present life, but the rest
lie entirely beyond the grave. They might well be
spoken of as things to come in the discourse addressed
by Jesus to His disciples. They are chiefly things to
come to the Church even unto this day ; yet the saints
are brought into perfect confidence of their reality, as
if they were already seen. No body of men, worthy
in any way of the name of a Church, has failed to
believe and teach them all, though with some variety
in the expressions used. Here, then, are the "things to
come" which the promise declares will be shown unto
us by the Spirit.

7. We have now fully examined those passages
wherein Jesus most explicitly taught His disciples
what the distinct work of the Spirit would be, with
the result that we find an assurance only that He
will, if we will follow His leading, keep us free from
sin, and strengthen us for the performance of all good
deeds.

Perhaps a word is necessary on 1 Corinthians ii. 15 :
"But he that is spiritual jnd,f;eth all things." A pas-
sion to prove a point would lead a person to claim
that these words teach that the Spirit gives him who
is led by His influence an infallible judgment in all
things, both temporal and spiritual. In the revised
version the word is " examineth " all things, and the
meaning is very clear. Worldly men think of, and
care for, and enquire into, only the things which per-
tain to this present world. Their thoughts do not rise
so high as God and immortality. But the spiritual

THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN OUIDINr, MEN.

(;:}

i.l5:
pas-
claim
who
1 all
dsed
d the
and
1 per-
t rise
ritual

man is more interested in tliose thincrs which relate to
the future life and a higher world than he is in the
thini,^s uf the present. He examines and inquires into
them.

<S. We may follow this subject into as many chap-
ters and i)Ooks of the Bible as time will admit of, but
we will not find anything positively prouusing that
the Spirit will lead us, except in giving us a clear
discernment between sin and holiness, and the power
to cleave to the latter with full purpose of heart, and
with perfect success in our effort to attain to it, and
to maintain it without reproach. It is not for us to
assert or imply that He never aftects us at all for
lower ends. We do not find any promise of it in the
Word. But it is not too much to say that the Spirit
will make any who will cheerfully follow Him perfect
in th(! discerinnent of sin, and will enable them with
perfect ability to avoid doing it or loving it. To do
this is the grand purpose of His mission in this world.
" For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that He might destroy the works of the devil." For
this end Jesus came, and the Spirit is carrying on the
same grand design. Jesus and the Bible and the Spirit
work under the same all-controlling purpose. What
is the Bible ? A messaiije from God to teach men how
to get to heaven, and how to become fit and worthy to
enter there. It aims at no more than this. Jesus
made it no part of the work of His mission to directly
advance the temporal interests of His people, but His
teaching all pointed in quite the contrary direction,

TlIK DIVINK inHI'OSK IN (;ini)l.N(i MEN.

His kint,'(lo!ii, as He declared, not l)einf( of tliis world.
Ho did not try to regulate the civil wrongs of the time.
There were abuses enough then, as now, l>ut He used
no influence against tlioin, except hy giving the world
a leaven whicli, through the course of the ages, would
woik a remedy. In the same manner Me tanght
general pi'inciples which, if observed, would im[)rove
His people's worldly condition. So, neither does the
Word make the least attempt to advance science, except
the science of a holv life. It does not contribute one
syllable toward a better knowledge of the laws of
trade and political economy, or to enable men to manu-
facture things greatly needed for their comfort and
happiness. A thoughtful, pious lady once said, in the
course of a conversation along this line, in which her
own wishes had been somewhat disappointed, " I know
the Bible is not a cookery book." And so it is not a
merchant's or a manufacturer's manual.

A person may be a perfect Christian, and yet go on
for years making the most tremendous blunders in his
business and in domestic economy, and the Bible will
never instruct him, except as may be implied in certain
general principles, how to escape from his errors,
though they impoverish him. As Christ left His
friends among the poor, so will the Bii)le leave its
most careful readers, and so w^ill the Spirit leave those
who are most devoutly led by Him into all holiness of
life, if they pay no attention to the laws which give
success in business, or if they have not intelligence t(
observe and understand them. The Spirit will ]

■{■'&

■ AM

"^p

his

will

Lain

■rors,

His

its

ihose

Lss of

mve

' THi: DiviXK iTi:?M)si: IN* (iril)iN(; mkx.

f;.")

).)

supply kn<)wl('(lir» of practicjil affairs wliicli can only
he attairu'cl )»y cxpL'i'iL'neo, and can only l)c practisud
l>y intcllii^encr and cav.

It is possililc for men to dcsiro tlic Ifoly Spirit tluit
\\r may servo their selHsli:ies^, \)y L,dvini,^ them a sort
of iiifalliliilitv in the knowlcfhre of worldlv unci'itain-
ties, hut tliis cannot occui* if we fully recoi^nize that
I lis mission is to promote holiness ah)no.

As will appeal' from further study of the suhject,
there will he ahuudant room for the Spirit's active
infhicnct' in what heloii'jfs to this world's life. But of
this more in a future discourse.

IV.

She ^rcirt guvpoisie ot §ivm ^£mnU\ut.

" Deliver me, Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto Thee to
hide me. Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy
spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness." —Psalm
cxliii. 9, 10.

<"">?-

'"Vjl-^^HE Psalmist, in offering this prayer, evidently
\j^ believed that God cared for him as an indi-
vidual. There was a strong desire for personal
deliverance from enemies in constant pursuit of him,
and a feeling that his own skill and strength were not
sufficient for his conflict, and therefore he invoked
the Divine aid. God could easily smite his foes, and
they would melt away.

But his thought did not stop there. He rose into
the spiritual, and at once took hold upon the higher
good as the leading thought of his prayer : *' Teach
me Thy way," " Lead me into the land of upright-
ness." One blow from the hand of Providence would
disperse the foes who crowded around him. But in
opening the way of escape, this same providence was
expected to look to a higher end as its supreme
object Its great and constant purpose must be the

THE GREAT PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 67

doing of the will of God by the individual. Upright-
ness in the purposes of the heart and in the deeds
of the daily life is the end toward which all its
movements tend. " Lead me into the land of upright-
ness."

2. But while this is fully set before us as the high
end of all Providential interference in human affairs,
it would be more than the truth to say that Provi-
dence never guides men with respect to worldly ends.
Of this, and how God — by the Spirit and b}' provi-
dence — comes into our worldl}' life, more will be said
as we advance in this study ; but it does seem im-
portant that we recognize, in what the Bible teaches,
that the aim of both providence and grace is to bring
mankind out of sin — out of worldliness — into the
paths of righteousness and the clear light of heaven.
Take such passages as the following : —

" I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way
which thou shalt go." — Psa. xxxii. 8.

" Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will He
teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide
in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way."
— Psa. XXV. 8, 9.

"O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in
himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his
stops."— Jer. X. 28.

In reading the Scriptures, a little careful attention
will discover that the words " way " and " path " are
often used with a special meaning. There is, for
example, the " way of evil " and the " false way."

IlilT

GS THE CJREAT PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

I'' I

Sueh expressions are certainly used to describe a life
of sin. In opposition to this meaning we have " the
way of the just." " tlie way of righteousness," "the
wa}" of life," " the way of the righteous," and " Thy
way," wliicli certainly means the Lord's own way.
In the same manner the word " path " is used. There
are the " paths of all that forget God," and the "path of
life"; the "path of the just," the "path of upright-
ness." and " Thy paths," meaning the Lord's paths.

Now, all such expressions indicate a clear distinc-
tion between two different ways or paths. The one is
all good, the other is all evil. In the light of this dis-
tinction read the passages I have quoted about His
teaching us the way, and others of .similar import
which abound in the Old Testament, and especially in
the Psalms, and the thought will take strong possession
of the mind that God's great care for men is that they
may be led into the path of the just. He gives to
them His solemn pledge that if they will submit to
His guidance He will keep them in the right one of
these two ways, which are set before all men alike.
When " the way " is spoken of it means the way of
righteousness. This is plain from the words quoted
above : " Therefore will He teach sinners in the way."
Jf He Hiiys, "the meek will He teach His way," it is a
positive assurance that those who are submissive and
willing to learn of Him will be kept out of the way of
evil, and enabled to walk constantly in obedience to
the Divine commandments. When He promises " I
will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which

THE GRKAT PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. G')

thou shalt go," the idea is that there are two ways
before every one, and that God will instruct into
which of these two His people shall walk. They will
be constantly so watched over and aided, and in-
fluenced both from within and without, that they will
be kept in the rii^ht one of the two paths which
stretch out before all. Neither ignorance, nor weak-
ness, nor temptation, nor the allurements of the world,
shall at any time be suflUcient to cause them to fall
into the way of evil men. This is what is meant by
our way being chosen and directed by the Lord.

3. Aijain let the reader be assured that no effort is
being made to destro}'' his comfort in the confidence
that God aids him in his worldly afffiirs. As already
promi.sed, we .shall come to consider that point fully
when wc are farther on in this work. But it is neces-
sary in the interests of holiness as well as to a proper
exposition of truths which shine on almost every page
of the Bible, that we come to recognize and feel, and
be filled with the conviction, until conformity to the
Divine will becomes almost a passion in us that God's
supreme thought for men is that they may be saved
wholly from sin and be made worthy the kingdom of
God. The history of the ages that are gone, the
wounds that have not been healed, the sorrows that
have been allowed to weep through the night and the
day, suffering poverty and lingering pain — in short,
the whole sad and weeping story of human life — can
oidy be understood from the position that with ( Jod
all considerations of human comfort, or conse(pience,

i 1

■ i I

70 THE GREAT PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

or progress, are subordinate to the subjugation of sin
in the soul. . And as our worldly position, the measure
of pleasure or ease we may enjoy, is beneath His
thought, when compared to this one all-comprehending
object, so ought all other considerations to be beneath
our thought in the same comparison.

4. But is there not comfort enough for the saint in
this assurance that God's unslumbering providence
and enabling grace will make a specialty of his case,
and guard the rights in the kin^•dom of heaven which
he has through the merits and mercy of Christ, so that
he shall lose none of them by the combinations of his
spiritual foes ? Tliis is sufficient alone to swell his
heart with constant song. Yet there are many assur-
ances given in the Word, in forins as strong as language
w^ill carry, that he shall ever be the object of such
loving care.

In the Old Testament we come upon the passage at
the beginnini'of this discourse. Then we have —

Psahn XXX vii. 24 : "Thouirh he fall he shall not be
utterly cast down : for the Lord upholdeth him with
His hand."

Psalm cxlv. 14: '• The Lord upholdeth all that fall,
and raiseth up all those that be bowed down."

John X. 27 : " My sheep hear My voice, and I know
them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man
pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave
them Me, is greater than all ; and no man is able to
pluck them out of My Father's hand."

THE GllKAT PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 71

Romans viii. 38, 39 : '"' For I ain persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor anj^els, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, ror any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
rhri^^t Jesus our Lord."

These are characteristic promises. Tliey and
others of similar import are sometimes explained
so as to maintain the doctrine of final pei'severance,
and they do maintain it assuredly, but sul)ject to just
one condition, and that is, that the person concerned,
by watchfulness and prayer, keep himself constantly
in the Lord's hands, by what is virtually an ever-
repeated act of consecration. These passages assert in
the strongest manner the believer's perfect safety so
long as he keeps himself in God's hands. They do not
mean that he will always do what is absolutely right,
or even what is best for this woild or the next. He
will be mistaken and misjudged; he may be misled and
betrayed into a thousand errors, and grieved again
and again by his own imperfections ; but committing
himself wholly to the Lord, he will not be allowed to
go astray so as to forfeit his title to heaven. The
errors into which he may fall will not separate between
him and (lod, because he does not willingly ofi'end in
anything. He will not be allowed to fall in the way of
temptations which he is not stroni*' enouijh to over-
come. He will never turn aside willingly from the
path of duty, nor continuously neglect what God re-
qiiiies of him. All this the saint is positively assured
of under the Divine care and guidance so Ions: as he

■ i

jiH

ip^^-^^^-

ijii

72 THE GREAT ITIU'OSE OF ])1V1NE PROVIDENCE.

inakus liimsolf sure that he commits liimself fully unto
the Lord, hecause God will never altandon any who tlo
not of their own set purpose abandon Him. There is
no danger of usini^ too strong language on this point.
Committed fullv to God, he is as sure that he will not
be allowed to fall into any way that would forfeit the
Divine favor, and that he will be brought safely into
heaven at last, as he can be that God's promise will
never fail, or tliat Christ is already in heaven.

5. This seems to be the proper connection in which
to enlarge the scope of God's guidance and care, so as to
include not only that the saint will himself be kept
blameless in his integiity and assuredly saved in
heaven at last, but, in addition, that he will not be the
cause of others falling into any offence and missing
their way, but that he will be made an instrument
helpful to them in the ways of righteousness so far
as they will. His profession and life will be made in
the highest possible degree fruitful in keeping the
greatest possible number from committing sin and
loving it, and in aiding them in all possible ways in the
attainment of goodness. For a person lu be kept true
and pure himself necessarily includes his becoming an
occasion, not of sin and uncleanness, but of truth, and
virtue, and holiness, to all others who may come undar
the influence of his life.

All this is clearly taught in many of the sacred
writings. Take, for example, —

Galatians v. 22, 2:] : "But the fruit of the Sjnrit is
love, joy, peace, longsufi'ering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance."

THE GREAT PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 73

At least seven of these gifts — that is, all of them
except joy and faith, and possibly in some measure
even these — concern the moral and spiritual well-being
of others, as well as that of the person in whose lieart
they abound. There is " love." This certainly extends
one's arms to take all the human into his embrace, as
well as reaching up to God. "Peace" describes an atti-
tude of friendliness and forgiveness toward every man.
" Longsufieiing " means that no impatience in us at the
errors or foibles, and even the sins of others, shall make
H more difficult than it otherwise would be for them
to find and keep the way of holiness. " Gentleness "
indicates the winning spirit that bends in helpful
sympathy towards any who are seeking to escape from
the paths of sin and to reach the highway of holiness.
" Goodness " is the Christlike example which flashes
out its light upon the path of the weak and erring at
our side ; and it is also the sweet spirit of perfect purity
bv whicli our acts should be informed. " Meekness" is
the aljsence of all self-seekinsf in the sight of men ; as
well as the sense of perfect dependence upon God.
" Temperance " is complete self-control, not only in
eating and drinking, but in speech and movement, and
in everything that can aft'ect ourselves or others.

The only conclusion we can reach is that the Spirit
will work in our hearts the capacity for helpfulness to
others. As many as are led by the Spirit will not only
walk themselves in the way of righteousness, but they
will be enabled to aid others in the attainment of all
moral and spiritual ends.
6

^ I

' 1

lii

74 THE G11P:AT PURI'OSE OB' DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

6. In the last sermon an examination of what the
New Testament teaches coneerninf^ the offices of the
Holy Spirit led to the conclusion that His supreme
work is to save men out of sin and into heaven.

But Providence and the Spirit are united in one
aim so far as their i,aiiding influence is concerned.
What one seeks is also the end aimed at bv the other.
The Providence which watches o\er and bles.ses our
lives is first and ever seeking to guide and keep our
feet in tlie paths of holiness and truth. By every
means God's grand purpose is to lift nre»\ to eternal
life. With this end in view, special providences walk-
abroad seeking whom they may aid. Their strong
arms are extended around the weak. With eyes that
never close with sleep they watch over tlie tempted,
providing open doors of escape, prompting men
through their weaknesses even, warning and alarming
them by their partial falls, and from dangerous traps
into which they had well nigh fallen, causing them to
hurry upon their high errands with diligent and will-
ing feet.

Recall how it was with the chosen people in all
their wanderings. There is no other such example of
a God-preserved and heaven-guided people. Whether
in escaping out of the land of bondage, or crossing the
sea, or pitching their tents in the wilderness, or finding
their adequate supplies of food, or drinking of sweet
waters in the <lesert, all the way through one end
was kept in view. God's highest and best thought for
them was that they might come safely into their
promised inheritance. The hardships of their weary

•iii

) 4

THE GREAT PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 7o

years in the wilderness were lii^lit indeed in c »m-
parison with their longer years of degrading bond-
age in Egypt; but lighter still in anticipation of the
joyful possession of the promised land at last. Many
a blessing came by the way which only the hand of
God could have dropped down upon them ; yet the
measure of ease and comfort and pleasure which they
should experience during their long wanderings was,
to His infinite thought, as nothing in contrast with
their ultimately coming worthily into the tinal rest.

Does not this indicate to us what the great purpose
of Divine Providence is in influencing us in our paths
through life ? Is not a brijj^ht rav of comfort flashed
out upon us all from this reflection ? If any are en-
riched, it is for the one purpose ; or if any are poor, it
is to work out the same grand end. And as, in the
natural world, storm and drought obey His will, and
serve His grand and high designs, so, in the spiritual
world, the passages in life that bend us, the woe of
t"ars and blood, atttiction and disappointment, are all,
in His hand, either directed from the first or overruled
at last so as to aid this one highest purpose ; and then,
after all else, death comes in and closes the door upon
the orand and finished desiirn.

'■ 'I

i il

The next step in our study will aim to discover how,
with this higher purpose ever before Him, God's strcng
han<l may take hold upon our lives and influence us
in our temporal concerns, and aid us in things of a
purely worldly nature.

l' I

(Our (?ui(le in ffemparal fflungsi.

"And the Lord .shall giiiile thee ooiitimially, and satisfy thy soul
in drouglit, aii<l make fat thy bones : and" thou shalt be like a
watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."
— Isaiah Iviii. 11.

'tip^HlS lanfjuaije clearly indicate.s that the hand of
T^Jl) God, as our <(iiide, cros.ses over the border-line
into worldly prosperity. There is much of a
temporal nature which, accordino- to this text, He
holds under His own special direction.

How can this be consistent with the views already
developed, that, as our guide. His supreme interest is
in our deliverance from sin and our admission to
glory ? Very easily.

The point already reached is, that under His guid-
ance, if we will, we are sure of being saved from sin,
both from loving it and from doing it.

I. We have now first to enquire how, under this
leading aim. His guiding hand can take hold upon
temporal things ?

1. Why, in order to realize spiritual results, it is
essential that a general direction be taken by Him of

.ri

OUR GUIDE IN* TEMI»()RAL THINGS.

all the ati'airs of our life. This will l)e evident on a
little reflection as to what holiness really is. It is not
something distinct from all that enters into life, stand-
ing" near us, or even surroundinj:^ us like a house, and
which we may call our own, hut not a part of us ;
hut holiness is rather our vvlujle life. It is the man-
ner of our connection with evervthin<^ in the world
outside of oursejves, with the same thin_ijfs with which
all other people are connected, though they make no
]>retence to rclii^ion at all.

It may be said, truly enouj^h, that holiness is
simply a condition of the heart. But such a condition
of heart cannot exist without affectini,^ oui- relation to
the outside world, and we are not s(j much interested
in what a man may declare the state of his heart to
he, as we are in the etiect which that alleged condition
of his heart has upon his outward conduct. Whatever
may be revealed in the light of the day of judgment
as to the purpose and intention of any person's heart,
practical holiness is the only form of holiness that we
can know anything about in this world. And practi-
cal holiness can be manifested only by the manner in
which we bear ourselves in relation to the duties of
every day and hour of life, not only when engaged in
prayers, but in such acts as every man also performs,
though he be ever so selfish and worldly. Practical
holiness is the temper manifested by us in the shop,
and office, and street, and kitchen, and parlor ; in an
election contest as well as in a prayer-meeting.

There is no act or work in any of these relations of

omi (JITIDE IN TEMPOUAf. TIIINOS.

wliich tliere is not some pnrt which helonj^s to holi-
ness, and then lioncath that, or iyin^^ around it, is an
element which is not essential to make the act holy in
the sig^ht of God. At best we can only illustrate this
in a clumsy way, because some things cannot be sepa-
rated from others by clear and distinct line«<. It is
difHcult, for example, to draw a clear line of detinitioii
betwe(!n the part of an act which concerns our spir-
itual life, and that part of it which does not touch the
holiness of our chaiacter. Still, we may venture to
sugLJ^est the indefinable line.

Take, as an example, the act of buyincf a house.
A part of that act reveals the holines><, or tin; reverse,
of the purchaser's character. If he is .subject to the
Divine guidance, keepinu; him in the path of rig-hteous-
ness, then in his purchase lie will show himself as de-
sirous of securing to the second party in the bargain
all that he has a just right to, as he is to secure his
own rights. That is simple honesty. Again, his spir-
itual susceptibility may be touched and quickened
into action in that act of purchase by consideration^
of his moral welfare, and that of his family, when
dwelling in that house. What conveniences does it
command for reli<i:ious instruction i What danijers to
himself and family by exposure to more than common
temptations ? All of this, at least, and perhaps much
more which we cannot discern, in the act, affects the
holiness of his character ; and therefore, to this extent,
at least, we can make no mistake in saying that in
buying a house a man is subject to the direct guid-
ance of the Holy Spirit and Divine Providence.

OUU GUIJ)E IN TEMPOUAL THINGS.

But tlioro are iiwiny otlier tliin<(s in wliicli we are
interested in niakini,' such a purchase. 'V\\v number
of rooms, tlieir situation in iclation t<j each other, the
arraiiLrement of windiws and doors, the cUar and
closets, are all of some consenueiice to u-. Have we
paid more for it than would have purcliasj(l anotlier
houst' witli efpial advantai^es ? These are particuhirs
whicli, so far as we can discern, lie l>eneath the plane
of our spiritual lif«'. In such pirticuhirs we have no
word of promise to justify our sayitii^ that (Jod will
certaiidv <nii<le us. But we cannot, of course, be abso-
hitely certain that even these minor particulars do not
in some way atf'ect our character for sin or holiness.
If they do. He will i,mide us in them, i^ut, however
we may answer this question, it is cleai- from what has
been said, that if God so guides us as to keep us from
sin, we shall be influenced by Him in the a})parently
worldly act of purchasino- a dwelling.

I.iot this one example stand for all. As in buying
a house, so in all other acts which we regard as lying
within tlie plane of temporal aflairs. We cannot posi-
tively divide between the part which is essential to
holiness, and the remainder, wdnch niay lie wholly
beneath it. Upon a little ivflection it will appear
that everything that is worth entering into the life
of a rational creature at all, must on its higher level
have some eflect upon himself or others, in respect of
sin and holiness. Anyone who has entered upon the
Christian profession with any heart for its ainis and
objects, can have no interest in briu'dng witlnn the

III:

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

hcope of his plans, and efforts, and experiences, any-
tliinj' whatever which does not in some way aft'ect the
holiness of his own living, or of some other whom he
may influence. He will cast everythini; of this kind
out of liis door, and out of his heart, as far beneath
the high aim he has set before him. To linger
about this point, and to contend that the promises of
the holy Word do include the gui«lance of men in
wdiat even a saint cannot in any way connect with
his religion, indicates a spirit of pure worldliness, and
not a mind searching after the higher wa}- of perfect
devotion to God.

It follows, therefore, that there is abundant room
for the guiding hand of our all-wise Father to crowd
into our temporal affairs. If the Holy Spirit and
Providence are engaged to keep those who want to be
kept from committing sin and losing heaven, they
must, in some manner and degree, direct and guide
them when performing the same duties for the home,
and nation, and school, as every man attends to though
he does not pretend to l-e a Cluistian at all.

2. There is yet another door in the teaching of the
Bible through which the hand of (Jod may enter into
our worldly concerns. Jle has given to His people a
solenni pledge that below a certain line of worldly
comforts and Conveniences tlw^y sliall not fall, 'fheir
bread shall be given them, their waters shall be sure-
From youth to age the righteous have not been seen
forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He that tilleth
his land, that is, the man who is <liligeiit and faithful

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINCJS.

in attention to his regular business, shall be satisfied
with bread.

Add to these promises that eontained in the text,
indicatintjf plenty, and fulness, and even wealth, a.s the
portion appointed by God to those who are faithful in
ohovinfif His coniniandnients.

Now, it is not possible that God can keep His word
in respect to this supply of temporal wants without,
to some extent, controllini; the worldly afhiir.s of His
people.

There is also the faot, proven in experience, that
generally He f^ives better than He p -.inises. Of all
the crowding' multitudes of His vast, uncounted family,
in all the aj^es of the past until now, f(;w in<leed, in
respect of worldly comforts and conveniences, have
fallen to the bare level below which He has bound
Himself that none shall i^o. He has pronused breach
hut He jjfives butter, and tea, and sui^ar. He has
promised shelter, but H<' i^ives a number of rooms,
with carpets on the Hoor.

Now, the n«;cessitv of makin'jf this worldly provi-
sion, which lli^ has piomistMJ to His people, will
alone secure to the saints the <;uidini,^ cai'e of the Ljjreat
Father of all, t(j such ••'i extent that in matters of a
purely wtjrldly ujiture, Wiiich have no connection with
a holy life, if ind 'id ihis can be possible of anything
that crowds into life, they will be sure of being kept
from drifting into utter emptiness and ruin.

On this l)a^is we may assert two thint's very
positively :

9>^

OUR fJL'IDE IN TEMPOUAL THIKriS.

1. Vhst, we are a.ssuro<l of (jcarral direction in all
our affairs. Perhaps tliis alone will l»e sufficient to
secure to His ])eople all tlie temporal good which God
has promised to them. In<leed, some will interpret all
these promises in a hr >ad and comj)rehensi\a^ wf^V,
which finds in them oidv a L:<ineral declaration that
the order of nature, and the course of events in human
life, are necessaril}', and without any interference from
th(» Divine hand, altotretlier in favor of the riLrhteous.
Temperance, industry and economy, unselfishness, kind-
ness and chai'ity, all which belonj; essentially to the
character of i;oo<l men, are calculated, in the reufulai-
course of thinnrs, without any s[)ecial interf<?n^nce, to
pour into the bosom of the i^'odly, as from an affluent
hand, aluindant stores of earthly comforts. As a
natural result of theii- piety, ri<fhteous n)en and their
seed are sure of receivinjr enou<»;h.

Even such an interpretation as this, of these words
of promise, ahoujids in comfort to the heart of the
faithful ; hub this ueneral view is hardly sufficient to
fill up the meanitii^ of the lanLrua^^e used. The words
convey the idea that the heart of God is set upon him
who loves Him, to hle.ss an«l comfort, and even to
enrich, in some dcL^ree, for this worhl, as well as for
the ahoundiuLj (glories of the next.

Thus far we have fixed two points. First, that the
Divitie <^uidance must come into worldly concerns,
because we have no practical holin<'ss except as our
lives tak(> hold U])on the activities of this world.
I'herefore, if we are so guided as to be saved from sin.

Ot'll GUIDE IN TEMPORAL TlllXCiS.

■t ,

an<l ma'le sure of lieavon, this cjuidance must affect us
in the coinmou transactions and duties of every day.

ft/ •/

The second point is, tliat it would })e impossible for
God to keep His promise to His people, that their
bread shall be j^jiven, if He did not keep a watchful eye
upon their worldly affairs.

From these two points we deduce the fact that in
a fjeneral way the jruidinir han<l of (jlod comes into
our temporal concerns.

2. We may izo one step fartlier, and assert tliat we
are sure of His special interference in our affairs when-
ever He deems it necessary to take hold of them.

Many w rds in this holy I>ii)l(! can have no a<le-
quate explanation without the admission that (Jod
takes care of men as individuals. In our second dis-
course, in speakinjj^ of special providences, it was made
i)lain that God can, without any violence to the system
.'I ; -iture, take hold of any man's aff?virs, and lead liiui
out of danjijers and difficulties, and ^'ve liim wealth,
or leave him to be satisfied with simp I enounjh.

Tlie first point in this study was, ti at God knows,
even to the minutest details, every . lan's life, antl
that He cares for every one with ali of a futluM's
love. This contains in it a?i assurance hat, whenever
in His wisdom it is needful to do so, Hi will interfere
in the interest of any individual.

Such a!i assurance embodies all the comfort that
any liuman heart can need or crave.

n. Fiet us now make our thouc^ht to ff :»e in another
direction. This guidiuiif care includes so uuch, we are

'^P

OUK GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

constrained to ask, Does it include everythinfjf ? Does
it extend to the minutest details ot* life ? Does it raise
men above the need of any other guidini^ influence ?

To such (luestions only one answer can reasonably
be given. The Spirit will be present with us in every-
thing, as a guide to keep us from siiniing. This must
sensibl}' au'cct «11 our temporal relations, and the results
that grow out of them. But we cannot claim direct,
conscious guidance, with reference to worldly ends, in
everything we do. There is nothing definitely speci-
fied in the revealed Word, nor yet anything in the
experiences of the best people who ever lived, to justify
us in expecting that God's care will raise us above the
necessity of depending upon our own lacnlties. We
are sure of general guidance in temporal things, with
special interference when (Jod wills it. Of this it may
be said —

1. It is consistent with all the promises of the
Bible concerning guidance.

It is true it is said that " He will direct our paths,"
that He will " instruct us and teach us in the way
which we shall go"; and many other words are
eijually strong.

But take these passages as we understand words in
their connnon use. A road, a path, a way, convey the
idea of a long course of acts or movements under the
control of one principle. As already seen, the I^ible
teaches us of two ways, one of sin and one of holiness.
Here is the idea of a long succession of act-^, choices,
decisions, plans, all subject either to the one controlling

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

principle which makes human character nohle and
pure, or to just the opposite principle. So, in our
conversation, when we speak of teacliinc; a person the
way, for example, to a distant city, we only understand
that he will receive information of leading points as to
railway stations, changes from one train to another,
steaml)oats, stages, or anything of a similar nature
which may be involved. When tlie man, under such
guidance, reaches the desired place, he says that he
was correctly guided there, though nothing was done
but ill a general manner to designate the path by
which he readied it. Such guidance is very different
from walking at his side, telling him when to stop,
and when to turn ; where there is a bad place on
which he must not put his foot, and to what particular
house he must go for food and rest ; where to find a
seat, and to whom he may speak upon his journey.

Now, if we may interpret the language of the Bible
by the comriK^n rules in the use of which we are in
the habit of ijetting the meaninix <>f word^ then
we will be taught that (Jod will itistruct us in tho.se
general principles which control a worthy life, and
that He will inthience c«ritral events which Ljather
other events around them, and give them their
character, rather tfian that He will instruct us in
every separate act we may do, and in every won I we
may speak. This is the manner of His guidance in
all worldlv thinirs ; and when more th ^n this i.s
promised, it relates to the Spirit's personal presence,
sa\'ing us from sin and leading us in the way of

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

righteousness, or it is a special interference to meet
some crying necessity.

2. Moreover, tliis general direction is in perfect
harmony with God's paternal relation to us.

NothinLf in tlie word is more full of sweetness and
comfort than the fact that God reveals Himself to us
as our Father : but so far as the teachinix of analo<ry
has any authority, this paternal i-elation indicates, as a
rule, only a genei-al guidance of worldly estates and con-
ditions. A father's oliicct in nuidiiiGf his child i.s to de-
velop the highest efficiency on the part of the child in
self-directed action. Take the case of a little girl about
to begin attendance at school. She knows some-
thing of the city already. Ker father gets her books,
teaches her how to arrange them in her bag, tells her
what streets she is to take, at what corners to turn,
and when to .start so a.s to leach the schoolhouse in
time. Then she goes out alone an<l niakes her way
according to the general dii'ections. She passes fiom
one side ol' the street to the other, or even goes out of
her way around a .s(iuare to avoid a horse, or dog, or
group of men. So long as she reaches the school in
time, both she and her father consider that she has
followed his i^eneral directions. She is not taui^ht,
when meeting with any unexpected obstacle, to run
home to her father and ask him to carry her. but
rather to depend upon her own resources in avoiding
it. So, day after day throughout the year, .she goes
back and forth, her wisdom constantlv increasinu* with
her varied experiences, her judgment daily ripening

OUJl GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINUS.

with the necessity of depending upon it. Thus any
father directs the paths of liis child, but not the
separate movements of life. He teaches the way in
wliich the child shall go, but does not himself know,
because he does not deem it wortli while to encpiire
into, the minute details of that way.

{]. This mode of guidance is also consistent with
the examples in Scripture which illustrate God's deal-
inijs with men.

After this plan the chosen people of God were
guided in the wilderness. The pillar of chnid and
of fire went before them, and clearly indicated when
and where they were to rest, and when and whither
they were to move. But in this way tliey only
I'eceived direction as to the <^eneral course they were
to take. No stretch of fancy is re(piiied to untlerstand
that sometimes, when a large rock lifted itself up in
their path, or other unevenness (jl)structed their way,
without any further intimation than they received
from their own connnon sense, they went around the
obstruction, for the time turning aside, and perhaps, in
appearance, going away from the guiding pillar; but
even then they were following its fiery light, because
in the end they always came up on the spot above
which it appeared. Thus (iod directed their way. He
marked out tlie course they were to take, but they
depended up(^n themselves in dete iiining how they
should pass the minute portions of the way. 'I'he one
thing made certain by the Lord's guidance was, that
they should go where He desired them to go, and

OUR GUIDE IN TEMP(3RAT< THINGS.

'! '"K if* ■'■;

SI; !,

! f

encamp when and where He appointed. So long as
they did this they did not disregard His sovereign
will, nor scorn the direction of His cfuidin^j hand.

In these suitable illustrations we see a fair indication
of the extent to which God enters into and controls our
own livfis. Anything more than this general direction
in worldly tilings, as a constant influence, we cannot
know from anything taught in the Word, nor from
what we can discern in our own experience. We are
not certain of the fact wh(m special interpositions
come.

4. This view of ])ivine guidance explains the fact
of men being often in the dark. In temporal things
we are not sure when we are jjuided by God.

Indeed, oar dithculty in the study of this whole
subject centres largely in the fact that, except in rela-
tion to sin and holiness, we cannot be certain when
we are specially guided by God, and when not. When
the case involves, clearly, a decision between guilt and
innocence, in choosing the good and eschewing the evil
we know that God is leadini; us. because the human
heart can cleave unto righteousness only as it is enabled
by Him ; but as soon as wo leave decisions of this kind
how can we be certain ? We may be guided by Him
when we do not know it, or suspect it ; and on the
other hand, we may think we are led out by impres-
sions received directly from Him, when really we are
only following our own impulses. How are we to
discern ? Should it be a case of the making of some
purchase, it is probable that we would think ourselves

oru (JriDE IN TEMI'OUAL TIlINfJS.

ujiil(le<l from on liigli in tlie act if the article purchased
should prove suitable to our necessities, or if the result
of our l)arfrain should he a reasonable increase to our
L^ain; but yet perplexity ini<^dit arise on either of these
points. If another, l)y investin<( the same sum, shouM
get something better adapted to the necessity, or
should realize greater gain from the investment, we
could scarcely avoid the vexing cjuestion, Why were
we not guided into the path which led him to better
results timn we realized ? Suppose it is the casting
of a vote, men e([ually good as ourselves will vote
for the candidate opposed to us. It is perplexing to
think of (Jod coming itito our lives, and by special
iiilluence ui)on each of two neiufhbors causing one to
vote for one candidate ami the other for another.
Suppose it is the choice of a school to which to send
your child. There are tlitferent degrees of excellence
in the principals and teachers of schools, and it would
not be human for us to be satisfied with anything less
than the best that could be procured for the money
which we invest. And yet, after entering our pupil
in any place, we will very likely discover tl»e exis-
tence of some disadvantage which we could have
avoided, and it does not add to our comfort to think
that (lod has <lelil)erately led us into the inferior,
wlu'n with Mis infinite knowledge He could have
opened to us the superior.

The cases here supposed are only such as are of
daily occurrence. The best of men, full of the Spirit
and of prayer, make frequent mistakes, as they after-
i

t'tl

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL TIIINTIS.

liiljii

wards discover, and the result is that they realize less
worldly ijfofxi than would liave come to tlietn hy
another decision. A man who is a perfect (christian
may make a had l)ai'^ain, so far as tliis world is con-
cerned, for himself or another. He may enter upon
a husiness for wliieh he is not well ada])ted, or he
misled hy the lies of a wicked man, and lose much
money in conserpience; or he niay herrin some enter-
prise in an unsuitahif^ locality, and then contend for
years with ditKculties which many persons, hetter
acquainted than he with th<; city or country, could
have told him how to avoid. There is no promise
that he will have the shield of the Divine infallihility
stri'tched always over his head in the pursuit of his
worldly husiness.

But, of course, other conditions may enter into any
of these cases, or into any other case that may V)e sup-
posed, which, if we understood, we would regard as
more than a compensation for any loss or inconvenience-
in connection with these otlier conditions the Divine
purpose may develop itself, hut we do not know it at
the time; and if we did know it we would probahly
discern that a <reneral direction of our atlairs would
reach His hioh ends without any sj)ecial interference.

We know, at least, that thoui^h one may have made
mistakes, and as a consequence heen broken hy disaster.
yet was he not therefore neglected of God. Throuj^h
all, his inte<]jrity was preserved; he has gained the pos-
session of all the attributes which adorn and ennoble
human character. He is comforted by the assurance

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPOItAL TIlLNTiS.

that lie has not failed in the highest aim of his life,
and a!s(), that the Divine promise makes him certain
that no calamity shall leave him or his children with-
out bread. 'IMiere is more comfort in this than in
the hitter reflection, eitlua* that with desi^'n (iod
crowded him upon the rocks, or that by special inter-
position he was guided to poverty and a cell, while
another was led up V>road steps to a mansion and
wealth. A distinijnished Bishop of the we>t desire*!
to take the train which was wrecked at Ashtabula
some years iv^o, but was prevented. H<^ was j^n-eatly
aiuioyed at his detention. Yet Mr. Bliss, the sweet
siuL^er, and his wife were on that train, and perished
in the wreck with many others. T.et it be said that
by special intervt-ntion (Jod saved the Bishop. How
about Mr. Blis.s? We can only say that God did
not deem it necessary to interfere in his case. That is
better than to say that by God's special direction lie
was hurried to his d(,»ath.

This ine(|uality in the lives of different persons, and
of the same person at different times, is constantly
observed.

Our path passes through varied scenery. Good and
ill fall upon us at intervals, as light and shadow Heck
the sea. Now an enterprise is successful far beyond
our expectaticms. When all lines of business are over-
crowded with men, a desirable opening is unexpectedly
found for self or child. The means of satisfying a
(hsagreeable creditor's demands turns up before us like
a meteor flashing in the sky. Sickness yields and

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OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

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passes aw«ay, when there seemetl to be no hope of
recovery. We receive all this as a positive proof that
God is working for our temporal welfare. At such a
time we are sure that He has taken our worldly affairs
under His own particular charge, and is directing
them in every detail.

But while all this happiness is coming to us,
another, just as pious, is going down in the same
narrow passage through which we pass in safety
and comfort. He finds no outlet and is lost in the
darkness. Yea, wc ourselves, at another time, are
buried in the same gorge. We have not been less
prayerful, nor watchful, and j'et all seems to be
against us. We walk through hard and thorny ways;
we cannot imagine that any good can possibly be
found on such a path. We weep bitter tears, and fight
and contend against the stern conditions through which
we are being brought. It is not so easy then to look
up with smiliiig confidence that God, going before us,
marks each step. There is a feeling that we have a
controversy with the Lord. We nurse the hard though^
that He is speaking against us in judgment, and this
is the bitterest feeling that can enter into a human
soul when the lines of life are difficult. This contention
and resentment on our part may continue for days and
months, or even years. There is no music in our song.
We cannot raise the proper tune. We do not think
then — we are not willing to believe — that God is guid-
ing each step. Sometimes it may seem that we are
forsaken by God and man. the bitter tears we

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINCS.

pour out in our anguish I the sad lamentations we
fling up against the sky ! But afterwards, in subdued
tones, we humbly acknowledge our ignorance and error,
and lift our hearts in thankfulness to Him who does
ever what is best. When travelling by railroad we
see nothinii: of the track, unless we stand in the rear
of the last car and look back. We will then often dis-
cover the crookedness of the way through which we
have been brought in safety. So, wdien Providence
guides us, we are apt to think and feel that our lot is
a hard one. But when at last the morning lifts night's
dark curtain from the cloud-capped hills, and we turn
our eye backward over our tear-dewed path, we can
understand sometliing of the movements of the Provi-
dential hand by which we have been led. When once
we get out of the wood we understand all, and are
ready to break out in strains of rapturous song and
grateful praise. Providence bears us down that He
may raise us up. In much of life's course chosen for
us the path aims at so high a goal that it is against
our earth-bound will and low desires ; and this is
because God's supreme thought for us is our spiritual
good.

5. Such a method of guidance is also best adapted
to discipline, and to the testing of our faith.

One fact we may be assured of, and that is, that
in the various steps through which we are certainly
led by a Divine hand, we will not always get just what
we like at the time, and therefore we are likely to doubt
that God is leading us, when He has taken us most

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

I »

completely under His direction. The writer remem-
bers a domestic scene which left a vivid impression
upon his mind. Having made a visit of some days
with a near relative, on the day of his departure
the daughter of the house, less than ten years old,
desired not to go to school, but as usual was sent away
at the proper time. • In less than an hour she returned
home crying. Her report was that she was too late
and could not be admitted. The atioctionate mother,
wiih tears o,ven under her firm voice, and without a
moment's hesitation, took the child by the hand and
led her on the way to the schoolroom, saying that she
thought an admission could be secured. As they dis-
appeared through the door, the husband and father
quietly remarked, "Promptness is the only way to deal
with the mistakes of childhood." Now, that was an
interesting case of parental guidance. Under ordinary
circumstances the parent's part was fully performed
when the child was directed in a general way to take
up the duties of her school ; but on this particular
morning special circumstances rendered a special
interference necessary and wise. Therefore she took
the child's hand, and led her step by step all the way
to the schoolroom.

There are passages which indicate pretty clearly
that in like manner God takes hold upon our lives with
a special purpose to determine our course, when souie
degree of rebellion, or disobedience,or unbelief, is clearly
manifested, and when therefore we are likely to otter
resistance. There is a touching narrative in the closing

OUR GUIDE ly TEMPORAL THINGS.

portion of the fourth chapter by Mark, which describes
the disciples on the sea of Galilee in a storm, and
Jesus asleep in the stern of the ship : —

"And the same day, when tlie even was come, He
saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
And when they had sent away tlie multitude, tliey
took Him even as He was in the ship. And there
were also with Hiui other little ships. And there arose
a (jreat storm of wind, and the waves beat into the
ship, so that it was now full. And He was in the
hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow : and they
awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou
not that we perish ? And He arose, and rebuked
the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And
the wind ceased, and there was a oreat calm. And
He said unto them. Why are ye so fearful ? how is it
tliat ye have no faith ? And they feared exceedingly,
and said one to another. What manner of man is this,
that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

His placid sleep, while the wind swept over the
water and the billows rose high, in<licates that He
regarded their own knowledge of a seafaring life
as quite sufficient to meet the necessities of the
case. Therefore He did not intend to interfere.
It was only in answer to their bitter and some-
what petulant complaining that He arose to ^iiterfere
at all. They say, " Master, carest Thou not tliat we
perish ?" There were both fretfulness and unbelief in
such a question. It was reproachful and unkind.
However, he arose, and when a great calm came over

-■ i

i !

' 1 1,, mi

OUR GUIDE IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

the air and the water at His will, then He mildly and
sweetly upbraided them. The sting of a gentle re-
proach was buried under His loving words, " Why are
ye so fearful ? How is it that ye have no faith ?"
The plain meaning of the language is that His presence
alone should have been to them a sufficient assurance
of perfect safety. They should have put forth their
best endeavors, and trusted in their Lord to take care
of them and to interfere in their behalf when it should
please His will.

We have in this an indication that the ejuidinof
hand of our all-wise Father will not always be manifest
so that we can discern its presence in a multitude of
what we call the smaller concerns of life. Our con-
fidence must be strong simply because we know that
He is in the ship with us. We are assured that He
knows and cares, and, if necessary, will cause His guid-
ing presence to be felt in and about us. But this will
not come at our bidding, nor when we think that we
need it most, nor always in a form so pleasant that we
will leap gladly towards it, nor so clearly revealed that
at the time we will be able confidently to cry out, " It
is the Lord ! "

The points we have developed in this study are —

First, that the supreme aim of the Holy Spirit
and Divine Providence in affectinoj us at all is to save
us wholly from sin, and by goodness to fit us for
heaven, and ultimately to bring us there.

Second, that inasmuch as all holiness is proved
by the manner of our earthly connections, and cannot

OlTK rjUIDK IN TEMPOUAL THINGS.

be practised apart from earthly duties, in reaching
His liigh aim concerning ns God must largely affect
us in respect of worldly things.

Third, that there is further reason for His L'uid-
ance in temporal affairs in the fact that He has pro-
misetl to His people that they shall never want certain
worldly comforts.

Fourth, that in addition to the general direction
by which, under these considerations, He seeks our
highest welfare, there are also cases of special inter-
ference in our lives when He deems it wise and
necessary.

Fifth, but with all that is involved in 'he above,
we fail to find anything like a control of our lives in
detail by the hand of God. In other words, there is a
vast area of thoughts, and words, and designs, and
efforts, in which we have no higher direction than our
own wisdom and good sense.

•

It shall be our next duty to show why the idea of
guidance from God, of which w^e may be conscious at
the time, in the details of life, is not admissible under
proper Scripture interpretation.

VI.

Z\u Cltiistian's WaUt ^tot j£fd in 5ftaU.

<±7

11 jiiJS'

"I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou per-
fect." — Genesis xvii. 1.

MAN'S walk is his uniform movement. It is
not an irregular jumping' step, as when one
has slipped and well-nigh fallen down, nor the
slow drafjfmnsj!: of one's self alonof, when he is so
wearied that he almost falls upon the path.

And a person's walk includes a long series of con-
nected movements. It corresponds in meaning with
the word " way," or " path," as already described.

Walking is also a movement over which a person
has some control. It is not an involuntary progress.
It is not under the constraining influence of another.
Each one does it for himself.

The idea of the text is that a person, in his career
as a Christian, is like one walking. Determinations
choices, the rejection of one thing and the cleaving to
another, will seem much of the time to be as com-
pletely in his own hands as if God never did anything
for him. In maintaining the character, not of a per-
fect man, but of a perfect Christian, Ids life will be

THE CHRISTIANAS WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL

strictly a walk — not the experience of being carried in
the arms of another.

We have represented in this work that every man
in his walk is under the immediate fj^uidance of God,
with the object of bringing him into the way of right-
eousness, and ultimately into heaven. This necessar-
ily includes direction to a large extent in worldly
things. It may come from the Holy Spirit in us, or
from Providence without. But much of tlie time,
when under this guiding influence, we cannot be abso-
lutely certain that the hand of God is leading us, and
often we oppose and contend against what afterwards
turns out to have been from God. It is onlv when
we are turned from sin to holiness, or when we
are greatly strengthened in the performance of some
good work, that we can at the time know positively
that we are led by the Divine hand. Then we know
that the power is of God because we know from the
Word that what we do is good, and it is not in any
human power to contend against sin, and to do good,
except as led and enabled by God.

Now, the particular motive for stating these truths
here is to meet certain errors which lie at the basis of
all religious delusions and fanaticism. These errors
have appeared again and again in periodicals widely
read, and designed for the instruction of devout spirits
in the higher walks of the Christian life ; and they
are influential because of their intimate association
with most precious truths, and of the air of intense
piety with which they are set forth, making it almost

100 THE christian's WALK NOT LKD IN DETAIL.

an acknowledgment of an imperfect consecration to
Christ if a person does not at once, and without ques-
tion, fall in with them.

These mistaken views are urged by many of the
best people living, in a commendable zeal to advance
the interests of true religion, and to lead Christians
out upon the higliest plane of privilege and duty.
They are a recent development upon the old and well
understood doctrine of entire sanctification. But they
go farther than anything taught by Wesley or his fel-
low-workers. They make a wholly consecrated Chris-
tian little else than an instrument used by the Holy
Spirit. They present Him as so ruling and guiding the
trusting saint that any infirmities of his nature are
wholly overcome, and he may live and act without
any mistake, because the Spirit who leads him cannot
err ; in short, the man is practically infallible while
he submits perfectly to God.

One quotation will, as well as many, set forth the
nature of these errors, against which these pages enter
a mild protest. In a certain communication the writer
describes himself as travellinfj with a definite business
in hand, but on reaching a village, let us say early in
the week, he soon discovers that he is not going to be
successful there in his regular business, but, neverthe-
less, he says he had word from the Holy Spirit that he
was to remain there until Friday ; and then he dilates
on the superiority of this new way over the old one.
Now, says the writer, there is no balancing of one
thing over against another, no weighing of probabili-

THE christian's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL. 101

ties on one side and on the other, but just to look to
the Spirit, and receive an intimation which places the
recipient beyond the possibility of mistake. Under
that direction he is practically infallible, Go 1 having
taken the control of every movement of his life in
detail.

Now, against such views of the Divine guidance
over mcm's lives we speak out, for reasons whicli will
be fully stated in this discourse.

1. The first reason is that the Bible does not teach
them.

Already we have examined a large number of the
passages in which we would expect to tind w^hat the
mind of God is on the subject of His guidance, and the
result was the discovery that their full meaning is ex-
hausted when we take from them the idea that we
will be so infiuenced from on high as to be surely kept
in the way of righteousness.

We will notice here a few other passages which
have a bearing on the subject. A few speak of the
"steps" of good men as ordered by the Lord.

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
and He delighteth in his way." — Psa. xxxvii. 23.

In the Revised Version this reads : "A man's goings
are established of the Lord, and He delighteth in his
way."

The original word, instead of a good man, is rather
suggestive of a hero, or a mighty man. The idea is
that no one is strong enouo:h to stand unless the Lord
delights in his way and takes him under His guiding

102 THE CHIUSTIAN's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL.

and protect! n I,' hand. There is notluntr here to encour-
afje the hope that the details of life will be taken out
of our hands, but tliat God over all knows every man's
way, and will interfere if needful.

But, in connection with this text, tlie question has
been asked, " J)()es the Lord delii^dit in a good man's
mistakes?" Fnjin this the inference has been drawn
that God keeps liiiii from ever makini^ any mistake in
anything. He is practically infallible b\ being so
guided in every detail that he can make no mistake.

Now, God delights in the purpose which controls
the lives of all <;ood men. Seeinif that such do not
willingly do anything which they know to be otlen-
sive to God, they do not forfeit His favor by any acci-
dent which may fall upon them. God is delighted
with them just as a mother is delighted with her child.
The babe may have a birth mark, or some other de-
formity. She is sorry for that, — she w^ould do much
to make it otherwise, — l)ut with it all she is delighted
with her child. She would not give him up for any
other child in the wdiole earth. So God is delighted
with His people's way. The way includes the general
tenor or purpose of life, and this pleases Him in the
case of a good man, though he may sometimes err.

A number of other texts are of liko import:

"Righteousness shall go before Him, and shall set
us in the way of His steps." — Psa. Ixxxv. 13.

"Order my steps in Thy word, and let not any
iniquity have dominion over me." — Psa. cxix. 133.

"0 Lord, I know that the way of man is not in

THE (HHISTIAN's walk NOT LKD IN I)B:TAII,. 1 O.'J

himself: it is not in man that wall<eth to direct liis
steps." — Jer. x. 8.

Tliese are amono- the stron<jfest, and eitlier in eacli
text itself, or in tlie context, it is clearly indicated
that tlie desiii-n of the ofuidance is that no fall from
the way of truth and rinhtcousness ino,v be suffered.
By no correct rule of interpretation can the use of the
word "steps" in these passa^^es be made to mean that
every minute detail of any man's life is immediately
directed by God, so as to relieve the man himself from
the duty and responsibility of thiidvin^ and decidinj^-
In other words, each person has somethini; more to do
with his steps than simpl}^ to submit to w; :t the Spirit
tells him. Each man's steps are governed by the
general purpose that controls his lif'-, and tha^ is, in
tht^ case o.'" every good man, given by Go'' But the
man must give diligence to keep each si>ep in harmony
with that purpose.

Again, in many texts in which the steps are said to
be watched over l)y God, the design is to warn men
against presumption; because God knows their lives,
even to the minutest details, and for every step, and
w^ord, and thought, they will be brought into judg-
ment. Sev^eral verses in the book of Job convey this
meaning, but they are as far as language can be from
conveying any idea that God controls men so that in
each detail they can be sure that He is constraining
them to do what they do.

We turn now to another passage worthy of careful
consideration : " Good and upright is the Lord ; there-

'■■?.' : ii

Vfh

104 THK christian's WALK NOT LED IX DETAIL.

fore will He teach sinners in the way. The meek will
He guide in judgment, and the meek will He teach
His way." — Psa. xxv . 8, 9.

Now, how are we to understand this ? The form-
ing of a judgment is actually the balancing of one
thinfj af^jainst another, and the reachinjy of a de^^ision
between two or more different courses of action, or
choices which might be made, of both of which the per-
son concerned has some knowledge. The Bible opens
to us no short way by which to avoid the necessity
of '^xercising our intellect and powers of thought in
determining what we will an<l will not do. This pas-
sage cannot mean that God will give every truly meek
man an infallible judgment on every subject. If we
try to make it mean so much we shall be greatly embar-
rassed by facts. When we take the meekest of earth
outside of the sphere of their special qualifications, no
wise man would depen.d upon their judgment. A per-
son with no education is not by his meekness enabled
to pronounce judgments on subjects connected with
art, and literature, and science, and commerce, and
manufacture, and government. If he had never been
to sea, he would not be guided in his judgments about
navigation so that he could bring the ship to the de-
sired port. He and all others on board would have
to trust to the captain's knowledge. It cannot mean
that without knowledge a man will be enabled to give
correct judgment.

Already we have examined the promise that the
Spirit will guide the disciples into all truth. And,

THE CHHISTIAN'S WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL. 105

)led
ith

)een

)OUt

lave

lean

five

the
Lnd,

notwithstanding that promise, the world has moved
slowly toward the conquest of the earth and heavens
in respect of the vast stores of knovvled<:]je which they
have treasured up. Science advances only by the slow
steps of patient experiment, and not with the speed of
an unfoldinuf revelation. The holiest saints are no more
favored than others in coming upon discoveries of new
truth. From the deeps and from the heights no will-
inof messagjes are brouMit to them, makings discoveries
of truth unknown to the rest of mankind. They, as
well as others, must labor up the rugged steeps, and
only as their spirit is more reverent have they an ad-
vantaore over others.

^^^ But let it be that with respect to right and wrong,
and the choice of the path of moral safety, or in choosing
associations which will lead to good or to shun evil, the
man of humble prayer shall be guided by God so that
his judgment will not err. That view can easily be
accepted. And, moreover, any correct exposition pre-
vents any other meaning being found in it. It is a
poetical verse, and the form of the Hebrew poetry ad-
mits of a repetition of the truth in different words, so
that in the same verse the last clause explains what
the first clause was designed to mean. " The meek
will He guide in judgment." What does that mean ?
" And the meek will He teach His way," the text goes
on. Oh, then, this last is what the first part means —
that in all judgments which relate to keeping in the
right way, the meek man will be so guided as to avoid
error.
8

106 THE CHIUSTIAN'S WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL.

The reverent and teachable spirit of the meek is
more willing to accept conviction of truth than the
spirit which seeks after its own preconceptions of
what truth ought to bo. Above all will this spirit
make any person more susceptible to both the Word
and Spirit of God in communicating what is the Divine
will. In this the meek shall not be allowed to err,
while the haughty and the vain go on blindly to their
own destruction.

2. This claim to minute direction from God in every
particular of life's work is objectionable on the ground
that it would be a continuous inspiration, and that is
more than was enjoyed by tl:e apostles and prophets.
It would be more than they enjoyed, because it is not
to bo supposed that they wore constantl}' under the
prophetic influence from the Spirit. Yet men to-day
claim to be instructed from God concerning every
word they shall speak, and every act of the most
trilling nature that can come into their lives ! And
this independently of any relation between the act or
word and the holiness of the person's character ! That
would make even the Bible unnecessary !

SittiniX where these words are written, there are
forty-two different ways to a certain point in the cily.
It is claimed by some that in starting to that point I
may be directed by the Holy Spirit, and so distinctly
that I may know that it is the Spirit speaking to me,
and teaching me which of the forty-two courses I shall
take. This, under ordinary circumstances, is almost
trifling. It is easilj^ admissible that to keep me out

THE CHIUSTIAN's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL. 107

i are
city-

of the way of a temptation which I may not be able
to overcome, or to bring nie into the way of some
good work which I am to perfoi'm, either the Spirit or
Providential circumstances ma}' cause me to go out of
my usual course. Such special interference is un-
doubtedly connnon in men's daily lives. But we are
not at the time certain why we turn into one way
instead of another. Tlus is made to appear after-
wards. But that is very different from claiming the
constant working of the Spirit in us to direct about
everything, to tell us at which corner on the street to
turn, when to walk and when to stand, and so on, and
so clearly that at the tiuie we niay say that we know
we are led by God. The prophets had no more than
this when n)ost elevated by the Spirit's inspiration,
and when in word or substance their message was
given to them wholly by God.

3. There is also the objection that God has given
other means of guidance to us besides the Spirit.

If we consider the body, we find that pain is God's
duly appointed guide to us as to its conditions and
wants. A child would cut off his own fingers and find
amusement in doin^j so. But the in.^tant he begins to
draw the knife across his flesh, a sense of pain warns
him to stop. Why through all his future life does the
child avoid the edge of a knife ? Becau.se he has been
taught by pain that the knife is dangerous to him.
So when the body is sinking through want of proper
nourishment, the pain of hunger comes in to guide a
man to procure food. He is in no danger of mistak-

108 THE christian's WALK NOT LKD IN DETAIL.

I! '

injT this fjuidance for somethino: else. He knows posi-
tively that what he needs is food or drink. And
when ^reat weariness oppresses him the pain and dis-
tress of his condition instruct him that sleep is needed,
and so he is correctly guided to go to rest. In any of
these cases he needs no other guide than pain. It is
infallible. And it is as much a divinely appointed
guide as any other. Following it he is as much guided
by God as if a voice from above spoke to him, giving
instructions as to the course he shall pursue. Pain
is in these cases as much the guidance of God as if His
handwriting appeared clearly written out against the
sky. It would be very absurd for a man to seek guid-
ance from the Holy Spirit as to the times when he
shall sleep, or partake of food, or to teach him when
he is sick, and needs special attention on that account.
Pain is the best possible guide in these things.

The eye is another of God's guides. It reveals
distance, and obstacles, and the turns in our roads, and
objects which we desire and seek ; and in all cases to
which its functions apply we need no other guide. So,
too, each of the senses is a divinely appointed guide in
all things to which it can be applied.

The intellect is also one of God's guides. It has par-
ticular qualifications for collecting and directing the
use of information about a multitude of things which
enter into our lives, and concerning them it can speak
with almost absolute authority. It di.scerns, for ex-
ample, the relations of numbers, and can assure us that
a thousand is greater than a hundred, so that we need

THE CIIRTSTIAN's WALK NOT LFD IN DETAIL. l69

no further instruction on the subject. A voice from
God could not make us more certain than the mind
does, that a doUar will purchase more than a cent,
and is, therefore, more carefully to be kept. That
from certain thoughts certain conduct will arise, is also
one of the things which the intellect discovers, and we
need no other means of ascertaining the fact. The
detection of facts from pretensions is a part of the
work the intellect does for us. It applies facts to the
practical works of life. It compares them one with
another, and weighs one thing against another, and so
writes out the proper conclusion to be deduced.
Within its field of operations it is a sutficient guide,
and we need nothing in addition. When a child has
to learn to read, he opens that door of knowledge by
using his intellect, and not by praying to the Holy
Spirit for a special illumination. So in his excursions
into mathematics, and literature, and science.

And in all these particulars, lying properly within
the exclusive world of the intellect, no higher guid-
ance is needed. What it cannot do in the child it can
accomplish in the man. What doors it cannot open
to-day it will be able to unlock to-morrow. The pro-
gress from its lower to its highest achievements exacts
only the tax of patient labor and waiting.

But when we rise to the spiritual life we do need
another guide. Neither pain nor intellect can discern
truth from falsehood, or virtue from vice. Pain
guards nothing but the existence of the body. It can-
not teach it when its appetites and desires are leading

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110 THE christian's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL.

ifc into transgression. Pain will cry out as sharply if
hunjrer comes from a relijjious fast as if it is the re-
suit of poverty. It will be as great, if one innocently
falls upon a wheel and is crushed, as if some murder-
ous hand had hronglit upon him a cruel death. As to
any distinction between sin and holiness, pain is blind,
and is absolutely no guide at all.

Neither is the intellect. All attempts to trace the
distinction between good deeds and bad to a slow
awakenino; of the intellect throu£;h the education of
many generations, while traversing many centuries,
are failures. Thoy leave us where we began. We
must have an oriijinal somethini? to discover to us the
simple, fundamental fact that there is such a thing as
goodness in distinction from the opposite, which is
badness. These two — the good and the bad — are eter-
nally arrayed against each other. The distinction
lies behind even the will of God, if such a form of
speech is admissible. It is in the nature of things.
If there were no God, some things would be good and
some bad.

That original distinction, as a matter of fact, the
intellect is not capable of discovering. The most it
could do would be, after this distinction was made
known, to classify, and declare some things to be good,
and others to be bad ; though its progress would be
very slow, and subject to many great and misleading
errors. It would never, in any age, after long periods
of advanced civilization, be a sufficient teacher of man-
kind in discriminatinfj moral g-ood and evil. This is

THE CHULSTIAN's WALK ^0'£ LED IN DE'lAIL. Ill

not its appointed province. Hence there is need of
another guide and teacher for our spiritual world and
life.

This needed guide is given to us in the Spirit dwell-
inor in oui hearts. He is our instructor in all thintrs
which pertain to sin and holiness, and the proper dis-
tinction to be made between them in maintaininfr a
righteous life.

Now, the intellect and pain are, each in its own
sphere, God's guides as well as the Spirit. We may
not pass them over and depend upon tlie Spirit to do
for us what they were in our creation desioned to do.
We may not dishonor one part of God's plan an<l work,
with the mistaken notion that we thereby honor Him
more exceedingly in another.

A better and surer way is to consecrate common
sense, and pain, and pleasure, and the seeing eye, and
the hearing ear, to His high service. Then will thuy
Work for Him, and advance us toward His kingdom by
their more refined susceptibilities, and all in us shall
alike do His sovereign will.

4. Another objection against this notion of special
guidance in every miiuite detail is the fact that we
cannot positively know the source from whicli our im-
pressions come to us.

When the Spirit makes a communication to us it is
by an impression upon the heart. It is not in words.
Sometimes people say they received a communication
as clear as words could express, but such cases are
easily understood by the fact that we think in words.

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112 THE christian's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL.

II;

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A thought enters the mind, and our own words at once
rush upon it and clothe it, and from that moment thj
thought is represented to us by the words we at the
moment associated with the thought. So may we do
with an impression made upon the heart by the Spirit.
Then it is easy for us to think, and to assert with
great positiveness, that the Spirit spoke to us in words,
because w^e are not conscious that we ourselves fur-
nished the language in which the thought walks.

But if the Spirit guides by working strong impres-
sions upon our minds, then we may mistake for His an
impression which He did not give, if we liave no sure
means of testing our impressions. A deep affection
for some person may create an impression upon the
mind that we should go to the place where that per-
son is. A towering, seltish ambition may write upon
our minds the impression that we will serve the high-
est ends by using fraud to reach a coveted position, or
to get a piece of property which we desire. One may
dwell upon these impressions until he becomes certain
that they are from the Spirit of God.

By just such a mental process a good man, living
happily with his family, was led to feel that at some
future time a certain young woman was to become his
wife. No one but himself had for a moment any idea
that the impression was from the Holy Spirit.

Every religious imposture has had its origin in
some such mistake as to the source of strong impres-
sions made upon the mind. Mormonism is one of the
most notable illustrations of such delusion. We will

THE CHRrSTTAN's WALK NOT LKD IN DETAIL. 11.*^

give here one sample from the Mormon bible, of the
manner in which impressions which would lead to the
violation of the plainly written commandments of God
have been received. The writer narrates how the
Spirit taught him to commit murder: —

"And it came to pass that I was constrained by the
Spirit that I should kill Laban : but I said in my heart,
Never at any time have I shed the blood of man, and
I shrunk and wouhl that I miijht not slav him.

"An<l the Spiiit said unto me an^ain, Behold the
Lord hath delivered him into thy hands.

" And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me
again. Slay him, for the Lord hath deliver-ed liim into
thy hands.

" Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth
his righteous purposes.

" Therefore, I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and
took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off
his head with, his own sword. '

Now, the fact that the commandments of the Most
High declare that men shall not kill, ought to be suffi-
cient to satisfy any man that when he has an impres-
sion that he shall take away another's life, it cannot
possibly come from the Spirit, and therefore should
not be obeyed. In this way we may discern the
Spirit's working in us. He never directs us contrary
to the written word.

It is easy to understand how, with such teaching
set forth in a book which they profess to regard as
sacred, the Mormons are victimized by any pretence set

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114 THE christian's WALK NOT hED IN DP:TAIL.

up l»y men of any character, that they have a revela-
tion from the Spirit. And if it is admitted that the
Si)irit iloes speak to men about every trivial thing,
without any re^rard to the connection it sustains to sin
or purity, then we have no test but the person's own
word, and nmst let every one command us by what-
ever ])retensions he may set up. Hence the delusion
of Mormonism, numbering between two and three
hundred thousands among its followers.

In the hist century one Joanna Southcote was the
centre of another religious delusion, which numbered
one hundred thousand followers, and was equally based
upon wilful deception as to the source of impressions
received.

But if it is understood that the Spirit's influences
are to keep us on the right side of the line which runs
between evil and good, then any pretence set up by
any one that he has an impression from the Spirit, can
easily be tested by an application to the infallible
word of truth. Doc^ the impression agree with what
this word teaches as essential to righteousness ? The
answer to this question will reveal the origin and real
character of the impression.

5. Such claims of positive guidance from God in
every particular are sure to be abused by hypocrites.

I remember a preacher wdio opened his sermon by a
strong assertion that the Spirit was teaching him wdiat
he was about to sav ; and then he administered sucli a
chastisement to his long-suffering hearers as simply
displa}ed the vindictivencss of his own heart, and was

THE christian's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL. Il5

a complete demonstration that, at the time at least,
his soul was utterly destitute of the sweet <(races which
prevail whei'e the Spirit dwells. llut what could he
said ? He clainic<l tliat what he spoke was directed
by the Spirit, and was not of him alone. It must
therefore be infallible.

In a certain case a man went off* with his neighbor's
property which had been left in an exposed position.
He used it for some months, and only when it became
known that the owner had discovered in wliose posses-
sion it was, and was about to put in motion a process
of law in relation to it, did this professedly good man
take the property home; and, like Nicodemus, he chose
the nifjht for this ffood work, as it was ni<dit when he
had taken it. The writer, knowing all these facts,
checked this man's ambitious desio-n of fjettini; a
Sunday-school under his control ; and was surprised to
be asked by the man himself why his appointment as
leader in the religious instruction of the 3'oung had
been prevented. In answer he was informed of his
conduct with his neighbor's property. Then, with the
whine of the superlative hypocrite, he declared that the
Spirit had told him to take the article home, and he
had done so as soon as directed to do it by this
infallible guide.

Of course, the best things about our holy religion
may be made the most use of by the worst hypocrites,
and such a use of them is no reason against them ; but
when, with other strong and satisfactory reasons, this
objection also lies against any particular teaching, it
adds force to the reasons for its rejection.

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110 THE CFIRISTIAN's WALK NOT LED IX t)ETAlL

I •

C). It is jilso to bft objected to because it attrilnites
all our Imman wc.ikju.sses nnd errors to God. Of
course it is a ^ait of tliis teacliinuf tliat men are made
practically int'uHilde by the Spirit's <j^uidance. Tlioy
say notbiuL^ but wbat l^fe <;ives tbeiii to speak. They
do notbini( but what lb) ])i'()iu[)ts tlieui to do. Tbere-
fore if anytbiui^ seems to others to be error, th<y are
mistaken. It must be riglit, and <.ifood, aiid true, be-
cause tliese persons claim to be (juided in everytbincj,
tbe little and the great, by the Holy Spirit.

But no person could more perfectly illustrate the
fact that human nature is full of error and mistakes
than these j)e()ple do in claiming that they are saved
from faults of word and (hied by the Spirit's guidance.
Such an error must open the door wide enough to let
any other fault or mistake, how vast soever its dimen-
sions may be, follow after. But this style of teaching
instructs those who receive it to lay all their tremen-
dous blunders upon the Spirit of God. He guides
them in everything, therefore He must have directed
them into the mistakes that mar the beauty of their
life. This is a grievous thing for human nature to
do.

In a holiness manual there is this little bit of sar-
casm : " Nothinof is too small for the Lord to notice in
the daily leading of His children. Many are too great
and wise to accept or trust the guidance of God in the
little things."

Now, if the meaning is that God's guidance in little
things is to keep us from sinning in these little things,

THK CHUISTIAN's WALK NOT I,i:i) IN OKTAH-. 1 17

then no £fnnd man is eitlitr too great or wiso to both
accept and trust (hxVs guidance in tlieni ; but if tlio
meaning is tliat some will not depend upon the Spirit
to guide fehetu in little things whicli involve absolutely
nothing l>ut more or less j)resent ease or convenience,
or gain or hjss, then it were better to sa}', leaving out
the sarcasm, since we write on the higher plane of
Christian life, that iiiany are too reverent and wise to
risk the danm'r of attributiu;; tlieir own errors ami
weaknesses to the Spirit.

What would LTuidance in all the little thini^s mean
if it were not confined to the proper resistance of sin ?
If I turn on a street corner instea<l of going on to tlie
next cornt/; if I buy cord instead of wire with which
to liang pictures, or choose a piece of black instead of
brown cl -th for a garment, may I say that the Holy
Spirit directed me so that at tlic time I knew tliat it
was His will tliat 1 should do just what I did ? If I
aui careless about my words I may say this ; but, all
the sauie, none of tlie best of men are conscious of tlie
Spirit's guidance in such things. We know that some-
times the most momentous events l»ave been traced
to just such an origin. The finding of a nail decided
the succession to a crown. A bit of twine, carelessly
thrown over a cannon, saved a useful life. Far be
it from us to say that God may not be directing us
in any such trifles. But if so, we >vill not be certain
at the time, as though a voice had spoken to us. We
may not be able to account for our owm action. It
may seem altogether strange to us. It may contra-

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118 THE CHRISTIAN S WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL.

■

diet our natures and our uniform course in life. But
the Divine purpose controlling us will only appear
when the event dependent upon our act springs up out
of it full orbed, and crowned with the Divine approba-
tion. Because sometimes small things grow into tre-
mendous consequences we are liable to think that
every small tiling must be parent to some mighty
result, and to attach so much importance to trifles as
to think that God immediately causes them all. It
is easy to believe that if the acquittal of one falsely
charged with a great crime depended upon my buj'ing
a pair of lace boots instead of gaiters, God and all the
angels would stoop down to witness and direct that
purchase. But where once such consequences depend
upon a choice so unimportant, the sa^e act occurs a
million times as the result of human caprice ; and if
there were no sin in charging it upon the Holy Spirit,
it would be folly and childish silliness. Where once
such little things work up into tlie great web of a life,
Cfivinor it all through one line of distinct color, ten
thousand such thins^s occur and are never aofain heard
of in all the records of the universe. Some little
things are of infinite importance — many are like the
m3Tiad flowers that bloom in the wilderness, wasting
their fragrance ti .I'e, seen by no admiring eye, and
never o-oino- on to fruitage. To human thought thev
are wasted. Waste runs through the universe as a
law of creation. In seed and (lower, in sweet rippling
waters, in wealth of soil unused by any living creature,
in pure and bracing air o'er wide wastes, while good

THE christian's WALK NOT LKD IN DETAIL. 119

men and sweet women suffocate in crowded cities,
there is to our eyes waste of wealth and beauty. So
do many things in life, passing trifle.^, perish forever,
except in the book of the Divine remembrance some
of them may, but many not, reappear in testimony to
human sin or purity. The right fnime of mind con-
cerninfj trifles is to be ready to find in any of tliem an
agency used by God for the grandest end, and at the
same time to feel no disappointment if they fall back
into the stream of life, like pebbles in the sea, never
to be seen aojain. Then, because some small things
have grown into Almightiness, we will not assert that
in every trifle of life we are distinctly guided by the
hand of God, and so charge upon Him our unimport-
ant decisions and choices.

Long as the world stands, imperfection, and error,
and forgetfidness, and the sharpness of movement
which comes from weakness and disease, but which
is liable to be attributed to another cause, will be a
part of the best human life on earth. The moral
nature alone will be raised wholly above the necessity
of error in this life. It can retain that exalted liberty
only by steadfast watchfulness and strife against all
the forces of evil.

7. Th:'s teaching also develops a censorious spirit
in those who receive it. They set up their dogma,
and then say, "If people would seek the experience
they would have no longer any doubt of the doctrine."
It is a part of the teaching, that the experience must
be constantly professed or it will be lost. Hence, in

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120 THE CHRISTIANS WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL.

declaring it under all circumstances, a person gets to
feel that he is sacrificing himself in the interests of
truth. After tliat lie is past learning anything. But
what a conception of God, and of His loving-kindness,
that He is constantly watching His people, as though
He had set a trap for them, and they, once refusing to
speak, are deprived of the experience of His favor!
Such an idea is calculated to make a thoughtful person
suspect that religious experience exists only in the
imagination. It is an easy method of disposing of all
who differ from any religious notion, to assert that their
religious experience is defective. " We have had the
experience, and therefore we know." But it should be
remembered that no experience is of any value as a
teacher unless it can be clearly verified by the scrip-
tures. That the experience of regeneration and the
witness of the Spirit are so easily and so strongly
verified by a reference to the word, is what gives con-
vincing power to the testimony concerning them.

One of Llie gates to temptation over which a watch-
ful eye needs constantly to be kept, in the higher
Christian life, is that through which comes a tendency
to disparage others, and to judge them by the standard
of our own experience. Take as an illustration a
sentiment like the following. In a meeting, especially
for the promotion of holiness, the words were read,
" holiness, without which w) man shall see the Lord."
Then the comment was added, "Where are all the
church members ? Few of them make any profession
of this blessing, therefore they cannot see God." Note

THE CHHISTrAN's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL. 121

the process. First, the true ineaiiing of a scripture
word is limited by ignorance, or prejudice, or conceit,
and the word is shut up to a meaning to wdiich no
correct interpretation couhl conHne it, and then that
limited meaning attached to the word is made a justi-
fication for sitting in judgment upon a large part of
the Christian Church, and consijTjninr; them to the
wrath of God.

While we pray for all the graces that shine for
another world as well as this, and for all the prompt-
ings which point steadily upward, we pray also that
we may nev^'r know any phase of Christian experi-
ence which inclines the heart to judge others in any
form or degree. HuniMii nature has never yet made
any attainments in goodne.ss or trustworthiness which
entitle it, in the per.sons of any who live upon this
earth, to sit in judgment upon their fellow-men.
When in the exercise of judicial functions such a
power is entrusted to men, all decisions as to matters
of fact are taken out of their prerogative ; and in the
infliction of punishment the judge is simply the mouth-
piece of a written, indexible law. The Christian
religion makes no man the judge of others without
any of these wdse restrictions.

8. This teaching leaves no proper scope for the
developmeni; of our manhood. If these views were
correct, the will would indeed be educated into perfect
submission to the will of God, but all the rest which
makes us human would remain an uncultivated waste,
and a man would be a mere machine, never exercising
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122 THE christian's walk not led in detail.

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his faculties about anj'^tbing. The Spirit, which never
fails, would tell him when and how to do everything,
and there would be no remaining use for the intellect
and sensibilities.

9. Yet another objection to this idea of special
guidance in all nnnute affairs of life is that it makes
the different results which different persons get out of
life more perplexing.

One man is so guided that his family enjoy millions
of dollars in this life, while another ecjually dependent
upon God drags through life never rising al)ove poverty,
and falling often almost to a position of dependence.
Now, if the Spirit guides directly in everything, then
business capacity has nothing to do in determining the
different positions of these two families, and the one
could easily have been put into as good a position as
the other.

If it be said that perhaps the family in the inferior
worldly position would not have made as good use of
great wealth as the other, there is the quick reply that
if the Spirit guides men in everything, then He would
have led the one as He did the other to make the
wisest possible use of any worldly advantages which
came into his hands

Great differences in worldly circumstances would
be much harder to bear under such a dispensation of
the Spirit, than under the generally accepted under-
standinsf that God has made men for different works
in life, and has in all particulars endowed them for the
particular work they are destined to perform,

THE christian's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL. 123

" Promotion cometh neither from tlie east, nor from
the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge;
He putteth down one, and setteth up another."

But even in this passage tlie context seems to
indicate that tliis " putting down " and " setting up '
relates to the essential distinctions between holiness
and purity, and the final rewards and punishments
which are sure to come to them.

But, nevertheless, there is so much of Providence
in life, and we are so incapable of discerning clearly
when the hand of the Lord is pushing us forward into
any place, prominent or otlierwise, that gratitude
toward Him is assuredly the right spirit for us to
cultivate in all worldly success and prosperity. For a
good balance sheet at the end of a year's business, for
the growth in value of property owned by us, for the
attendance of patrons who pay us for what we do, let
us assuredly thank God the same as if our skill had
done nothing.

10. One more point we will urge here against this
style of teaching is that it makes our worldly con-
venience or pleasure of as much importance as the
soul's salvation. It places both upon the same level.
If the Spirit comes directly into my life to show me
what to purchase for the amusement of my child, and
where to turn in walking along the street, and when
to speak when I am in any company, and for whom I
am to vote in an election, when equally good men
vote on different sides — and yet both equally claim the
Spirit's guidance in the act, — or to what school I am to

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124 THE christian's walk not led in detail.

send my child, what more can He do to save my
soul from sin, and to enable me to stand I'ortli in the
clear li<rlit of a cleansed and sanctified nature, ready
for the meeting with the Bri<legroom ? Why, He has
attached the same importance to the merest triiies in
my worldly life as to the infinite concerns of the soul !

But, i- may be said, these worldly matters are con-
nected with the soul's salvation. Wiien that is the
case, then all that has been presented here has declared
that the Spirit guides in the most minute concerns to
the extent of saving from sin all who will be so saved.

So much time and space have been devoted to the
examination of the results ol' an error which many
will consider as not worth opposing, for its weakness
is obvious to them at a ijlance. Still, it is worth . hile
CO raise a signal against any error that may mislead
devout people. This is especially true when the
acceptance of the error is associated with the pro-
fession of superior piety, and there is room for any
to fear that its rejection is due to a want of full devo-
tion to Christ, and a perfect acceptance of His work.

11. "Walk before Me, and be thou perfect." To
walk under the influence of a guide is not the same as
being carried like a helpless child. The walk is the
man's own act. He must pursue his course through
paths along which everything appeals to him ; but
every appealing voice shall soon be silent. All that he
sees will speedily perish. It is his supreme work in
life to lift above all worldly aims an example of moral
perfectness. While the hand reaches down, and the

THE christian's WALK NOT LED IN DETAIL. 125

eye sometimes must look down, to the common things
that perish with the day, tlie heart must be kept so
above them all as to brinij out of them some strencjth
to high moral purpose, some tribute of success to con-
secrated endeavor. A part of the man must act down
on the lower plane, but always he has in him the con-
fidence that he is better than the things which fill his
laboring hands. It is his duty, not to drag the best
part of his life down to the lower level, making the
things found there equal in importance to what is best
in his life, but to keep them ever subordinate, and
rising from them into the moral and spiritual atmos-
phere, to make them serve his noblest aspirations. He
is to walk amid these things, but he is to be perfect
by living in the moral and spiritual. When, like a
soaring eagle, any worldly trifle lifts itself up into the
pure light of the sun by connecting itself with great
spiritual results, let it be welcomed as a companion to
the sun, but let none be thereby deceived into taking
also the cranes of the muddy brook for towering
eagles. To be perfect is to walk among worldly things
as much as need be, but all the time to keep above
them, and to carry in the soul the mighty, all-master-
inor conviction that we are made for grander and
nobler things than any which appear in our present
life. The spiritual is everything. The present is only
a temporary condition. To keep it beneath our feet,
and to catch as often as possible clear glimpses of the
better, spiritual life, and to live wholly in that form,
is to be perfect before God.

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VII.

site ^titti^trji oi the ^irirlt ta fiumau Jjnfirmitjj.

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know
not what we should pi'ay for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
niaketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
— Romans viii. 26.

.'TpgET us first get a clear idea of what infirmities
'J^ are. It is correct to say that they include all
innocent imperfections of both body and mind.
But, to avoid misapprehension, let it at once be noted
that evil habits are not infirmities in the sense in
which this word has com3 to be understood in re-
ligious discourse. They certainly are infirmities in
one sense, but they are not innocent imperfections.
Every indulgence of an evil habit is a sin. If I love
intoxicating drink so well that I drink to drunk-
enness, I commit a sin every time I get drunk. It
is no defence that the habit has become so strong by
indulgence that it completely bears me down w^ith
overwhelming power. If it were the hundredth
thousand time that I had been drunk, still it would
be a sin for me to be in that condition. Or if I am
a habitual liar or thief, every lie or act of theft is

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a sin. The temptation may have been almost irre-
sistible : there may have been hunger, or wrong
conipiitted against me ; and I may have become so
accustomed to lie and steal that either act now makes
no strong impression upon me ; nevertheless, it is a
sin all the same. I am responsible for allowing an
evil habit to develop its strength upon my character,
and therefore am guilty in every separate act I do
under the influence of that bad habit.

With, then, the clear understanding that evil
habits are not included in the infirmities here spoken
of, we use the words " innocent perfections of char-
acter" without any difficulty in realising what is
meant.

To measure the whole area of infirmities we must
set before our thought an absolutely perfect man. In
body and mind he should be everything which can be
conceived of as necessary to fill up God's idea of what
a perfect man ought to be. There have never been but
three such persons on this earth. Adam and Eve,
before the fall, were surely just what God wanted a
man and woman to be. The body of each was per-
fect in all that constitutes manhood and womanhood.
Their minds were the intellects of man and woman,
made after God's thought of what a perfect man and
woman should be. They were perfect. And Christ
was likewise an example of absolutely perfect man-
hood in every particular.

Now, by just so much as any one, in comparison
with these perfect human beings, falls short of their

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perfectncss, be is encompassed with iuHnuities. Evcry-
thinir in them which he lacks is an iniirinitv in him.
Wherein he cannot measure up to their height, he is
an imperfect man. It will . therefore at once appear
that the infirmities of men cover a very wide field.

Again, our infirmities are made manifest not only
by comparing ourselves with an absohitcly perfect
man, but also by comparisons with each othei*. Place
an}' two human creatures side by side, and each will
find himself defective in some things the other pos-
sesses. Take, for example, the knowledge of music.
To one without any natural ability in this direction,
the attainments of an accomplished musician are
wholly incomprehensible. The leader of a great
orchestra brought down his baton with a force which
secured instant silence. He then said, " Violin 87
is one quarter tone out of harmony." Out of more
than a hundred violins, and many other instruments,
he selected and specified that one which was at fault
a quarter tone. Now, to a person like the writer of
these pages, who knows nothing of music except to
enjoy it when it moves him, it is as impossible to
understand the act of that conductor as it is to com-
prehend God's omniscience. In comparison with such
an accomplished musician, the writer's imperfection is
manifestly great. This is only one of many cases.

Take the power of distinguishing countenances. A
lady of our acquaintance, who should have been a
portrait painter, is so gifted in this way that the im-
pression made by looking on a face never fades from

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her mind, Goini::^ into a strani^o city, in a sliort time
all the shopkoGpcrs whom she meets, and the drivers
and condiietors of street cars even, are distinctly
reniembei'cd, until her relined husband facetiously
declares that ho is ashamed of her. Entering' a family
the second time, where there are a dozen children, she
recojicnizes each one at a ulance, notwithstandinii the
strikini( family resemblance. Now, there are many
people who, in meetino' even intimate friends, are
often embarrassed in distinguishing them from one
another. To such persons the attainments of the lady
mentioned seem like a kind of onniiscience, and in
comparison with such gifts, the imperfections by
which others fall short of perfect humanity are great
indeed.

We have also hear<l of persons capable of adding
three, four, or five columns of figures all at once, and
as rapidly as the average arithmetician ascends one
column. In comparison with such an endowment, how
great is the shortcoming of most men. The field of our
infirmity, under such contrasts, grows wider by infinite
lengths than the field of our efficiency.

Into this field we must also bring the imperfections
of the body wherein we come short in comparison with
the men and women whose bodies are absolutely per-
fect. There are the physical defects which attend
sickness, or linger after it, or accompany the progress
of years, as deafness, failing eyesight, and declining
energy. But, in addition to these imperfections, in
our best state our bodies come far short of perfect

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physical nianhootl. Men are by no means equal to
each other in aboundinc: enortfv. To a larger dejjree
than is generally recoonized, the different heights to
which men attain in their earthly career are due to
difi'erent degrees of physical energy and endurance.
It goes without saying that men differ in the strength
and fineness of their intellectual natures. But allow-
ing for all this, nuich more than is generally supposed
depends upon the power of the body. Given an aver-
age intellect, with a physical endurance capable of
incessant application sixteen hours a day, through
forty or fifty years, and you have the man who will
climb the most giddy heights of fame and usefulness ;
while the blazing genius, who in youth dazzled the
wondering skies with the brilliant promise of his
future career, is left far behind, limping and helpless
upon the path.

Such facts, and they are not by any means uncom-
mon, simply illustrate that men have many imperfec-
tions in comparison with each other. And by just so
much as any one, in any particular, falls short of
another man's excellences, are his infirmities revealed
in comparison with that other. A certain very useful
man has fallen into the unwise habit of repeating, in
almost every speech he makes, that be is doing two
men's work. Why, what does two men s work amount
to ? What is one man's work ? Tiiere is no fixed
gauge in the universe determining just how much any-
one must do in order to be recognized as a man. Pro-
bably no two men are exactly equal to the same clearly

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defined amount of labor. Any man's work is simply
the amount of work lie can accomplish in justice to
all the conditions. Tn many cases it will be double
what some men do, and yet not half what others ac-
complish, thou<Th, speaking fairly, each all along the
line is doinfj a man's work — that is, he is doing his
own work as a man.

Let us then take up the general idea that every-
thing embraced in perfect manhood which we lack
goes to make up the sum total of our infirmity.

It is also necessaiy to remember that, so far as re-
ligious discussion goes, these infirmities are innocent
imperfections. It was not in our power to prevent
their existence. We have, in ourselves, no means of
correcting them ; we are not in any sense to blame for
them, as we are in the case of an evil habit.

But though innocent, they are, nevertheless, very
inconvenient. They cause us to disappoint ourselves
and others. Through them we may sufifer pain or loss
and bring the same upon others, when the strongest
desire of our hearts is to help and bless them. It can
not but be, therefore, that these innocent imperfections
are a great trial to us ; it is not possible that they can
distress others as much as they do ourselves.

II. Let us turn now to the ministry of help of
which we are assured in the text. The Spirit, that is
the third Person in the Trinity, dwelling in His real
personality in the heart of every true believer, will
help. It is not simply the temper of one's own mind,
which is sometimes spoken of as the man's spirit, but
. God in him, who helps.

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III. The Spirit "helpeth" our infirmities. Now
the word in the original, wliich is here rendered
"helpetli," conveys distinctly the idea of co-operation.
I have .seen a wheel with a chain running over it in a
groove, used to lift hurdens Out of a well or into the
upper flats of a high building. One may turn it, or
two, one standing on each side, may expend their
strength npon it, both striving to turn the wheel in
the same direction. Each aids the other, both labor
toward the same object and end.

Or it mav be the bearinij of a burden. Take the
case of Jesus carrvinij His cross, and the man Simon
bearing it after Jesus. They united their strength to
accomplish the same end. In both these cases the men
work over against each other, co-operating, and striv-
ing to accomplish the same object. That is just the
idea conveyed in this passage. The Spirit co-operates
with the man in contending against these imperfec-
tions and making his way in spite of them.

1. The Spirit will so aid the believer in this con-
flict that he will be kept from falling into any sin
tlii'ough Ids intirndties. Our imperfections, though
innocent in themselves, lay us open to temptations
which could come through no other avenue. Im-
patience (which is an opening for almost every vice),
and fretfulness, and envy, and jealousy, and anger, and
sloth, and exacting selflshness, and luxurious indul-
gence, can all be traced in their origin to some inno-
cent in) perfection of our nature. In comparing our-
selves wdth others, the defects which are revealed in

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our characters are a cause of our envj'ini]^ others who
arc in a lari^er deufree free from them. Notliinix is
more common than jealousy of acliievements which
would be impossible to us under any circumstances.
If to go limping along the way is the best that we can
do, it lays a great tax on human nature not to be
angry when another strides past us with seven-leagued
boots. Though a lower place is the highest for which
we are in any way fitted by our (qualities, nevertheless
it breeds impatience with our lot to see others walking
easily up to a higher place. Being conscious that our
energy will only sustain a limited application to labor,
it is easy to levert to the other extreme, and indido-e
ourselves to an extent that begets slothfuhn-ss. The
tender ministries which generally wait upon the sick,
soothing their pain, and supplying their wants, some-
times educate them into a fi-ame of exactin^• selfish-
ness. All sick chambers are not gates to heaven: some
are simply thrones of imposition, claiming service from
willinii' hands which need relief more than the one to
whom they minister. So, in many ways, the iniirnd-
ties of the flesh and mind, if nob well guarded, open
the way for the easy entrance of sin.

But in a<ldition to this, by just so mucli as any im-
perfection stamps v< M,'ith a lower type of inanhood,
are we more susceptible to every temptation, though
it does not appeal directly to any particular weakness
of our nature. But in this text we are assured that it'
vvc iio^ ot the Sj)irit's suggestion, and yield to His
guiding influence, we shall be so aided and sustained

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in our strugo^le against the weaknesses of our nature,
that tliey shall not be allowed to draw us into any sin.
Through them we shall not lose our good hope, we
shall not forfeit our title to heaven.

2. Further, by the Spirit's ministry we shall, in
some degree, come out from un<lor the power of these
infirmities. To some extent we may rise above them.
Can there be any doubt that a man in whom the Holy
Spirit dwells has, from that fact, a better body and a
better mind? '• Know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye
have of God?" According to the light enjoyed by
most men, had any of us been writing this passage we
would not have written it as it is. We would have
feared some dishonor to the Holy Spirit in speaking of
Him as dwelling in our bodies. We might have
spoken of Him as dwelling in our minds. But Paul
certainly wrote it correctly. Taking the word as it is,
it is true to its meaning to infer that the body in which
the Spirit dwells will be a better body on account of
His presence. We know that this is the case, if in
nothing else than the natural effect of the virtues
which must attend His indwelling. The scrupulous
temperance, the exacting cleanliness, and the reason-
able exercise, which must be a part of tlie life of every
man in whom the Spirit makes His home, are alone
calculated to promote healthfulness of the body, to
increase its energy and endurance, and to lengthen the
days of its pilgrimage on earth.

But, it is reasonable to expect that, even beyond

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these natural effects, the Spirit will by His presence
make the body more capable and endurinp^. It is in
harmony with the aims of His mission that everything
in our humanity which He touches sliall be made better
by the contact.

Therefore will the intellect be a better intellecfc
because of His presence and ministries. Unclouded
by passion, not distorted by the raging storm, its judg-
ment will sit like a mountain-top above the mists, in
the pure, serene air, capable of untrammelled action.

It will follow, tlierefore, that as the days and years
of a pure and holy life pass by, the power to do well
what we think and intend well, will m'ow in us.
.Achievement wdll become daily the more willing ser-
vant of every noble purpose. The ready hand will
iiasten to obey the purified desire. Though the inten-
tion t:^ do right in all things may be perfect, and
therefore not capable of becoming purer with time and
experience, so that we may not grow into any clearer
or fuller sense of God's approbation, yet we can daily
become more capable of carrying out the high and
noble d<;signs we have formed. Though on the side of
our !i!^> .viiich lies toward God we may be no more
inn C' Jii ',han before, yet on the sitie that lies before
men ou; iife may grow daily more perfect and helpful.
V/e may huve better success in executing what we had
long intended to be without fault. In this we have
exhibited at least one meaning of the exhortation, that
we go on " perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord."

^n this respect, as well as in q,nother on which we

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do not now dwell, the most holy man on earth may
steadily grow in grace up to the last day of his life.

8. The S[)irit further helps us in this contlict with
our imperfections by enabling us patiently to bear
them. And this is much. One thing very hard for
human nature to bear is assii>nment to lower service
when others pass on to liigher. The}' do greater
things than we,-and yet we have a persuasion within
us that we only fall short of their line of achievement
through the absence of a very little more power. Our
strength bears us so nenr to the point that our failure
is almost equal to success " it is failure. It does not
reap the rewards, it gains n ;iown. Perhaps there is
no mor? intense pain of disappointment than to have
the fjifts wliich can discern ojrand thinq;s, and realize
both what they are and how they might be readied, yet
to lack by only a little that degiec of heat and energy
which would enable us to achieve them. Under such
conditions men feel that they must break through the
bars that confine them. Passion's lifted hand smites
in rebellion against the sky. Burning aspiration even
reproaches God for not arming its wings with a little
more sustaining power.

But what is even harder to bear is the knowledge
that our imperfections often pain and hinder those to
whom we most ardently desire to give encouragement,
and comfort, and help.

It is certainly much if, under these trying circum-
stances, the Spirit will enable us to bear patiently the
restraints froni which vvc may not escape.

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By so much we know that the Spirit wil] aid us in
turning our wheel or bearing our burden. More we
cannot say.

4. Some wliose instructions point along the higher
walks of the Christian life have quite recently
developed, in connection with this promise, the idea
that the Spirit will completely remove all these defects
of the human nature in the case of those who will by
faith accept His ministry ; and that then, as indicated
in a previous discourse, the man being wholly under
the Spirit's guidance, even to the minutest details, he
will be in practice an absolutely perfect man. The
Holy Spirit has promised to lead us out of much dark-
ness into great light ; but His promise to us does not
include the attainment of absolute human perfection
in this world ; and, indeed, that is against the meaning
essential to the structure of words and sentences in
the divine revelation. The text assures us of the
Spirit's co-operation with us against our infirmities.
Then we must co-operate with the Spirit ; w^e must
work in defending these open places, as well as He.
We have already seen that here the word " helpeth "
embodies the idea of two working together. If the
Spirit abolished every infirmity, then we would have
no part in the work. He would have done it all at
one stroke.

5. Then the meaning expressed here is in perfect

harmony with the plan of human life in this world for

every part of our manhood. Life is a discipline. It

is for education. It is only by effort and study that

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either body or intellect rises from lower to higher
degrees of excellence. In our spiritual life this neces-
sary watchfulness and effort agrees perfectly with
those scriptures which instruct us that we are
to "so run that we may obtain," to "war. a good
warfare," to " tij^ht the jrood flight of faith," and that
this conflict is to continue as lon<' as we are in this
world. The weapons of warfare may only drop out
of our hands when we are ready to reach up and take
the crown. It is true that " we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, and against spiritual wickedness in high place.s."
But these same active agencies may use our infirmities
as a mode of attack upon us. They do this in reality.
They inflame prejudice until it governs us. They
blind judgment until our errors seem wisdom. To
pei-suade one that he is above the danger of making a
mistake is a bold aim even for such subtle powers. To
bring piety under such a delusion is a master-stroke
of the subtle hand of the evil one. Against such error,
as well as against inflrmities inseparable from our
life in the flesh, the saints are enabled to carry on
this glorious war, and are encouraged in it by the
Spirit's co-operation.

6. But some teachers of holiness assure us that this
matter is placed beyond a doubt. They appeal to
their own experience, and assert that in them the
Spirit has so wrought as to place them beyond the
danger of error. Some have even gone to such an ex-

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treme as to ask their followers to be guided wholly by
this experience of theirs.

Now, with refeience to such claims, it must be
said that any man's experience in anything is an un-
safe guide unless there be some int'allibl(3 stamlanl by
which to test it. Men are being constantly deceived
as to what they think they see with their own eyes,
and what they think they know by their own feel-
ings. A teacher of science, addressing a large class of
undergraduates, said to them concerning a color, "This
is yellow. You will please to call it yellow, no matter
what it may seem to be to your eyes. I have seen it
delined by the spectroscope, and I know." This teacher
foresaw that some in his class would believe their own
eyes in preference to a scientiHc test ; and tins is only
one of many examples easily a<lduced of self-deception
as to what we think we know by sight.

The mistakes are not less connnon when we o'o into
the arena of our feelings. Here is a world in which, for
thousands of years, the wisest of men have been honestly
and earnestly laboring to determine what is what, and
even yet the mists with a dimming veil overhang the
outline of the hills, so that we are never safe in tra-
versing that mysterious world of our inward experi-
ences unless we have a sure guide and a test that was
never mistaken. Though a man wore the truest and
purest man on the face of the earth, yet he has no
right to complain if people attach no value to his religi-
ous experience as soon as it departs from what is clearly
taught in the Bible. There are religious experiences

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which through all the Christian ages have been the
most effective human instrument in the salvation of
men. They are yet, and doubtless will be to the end
of time, the most powerful agency men can wield in
the conversion of the world. But why are they so
mighty ? Because they harmonize strictly with the
experiences of all others in the same line ; but more
because they are in perfect harmony with the clearly
understood meaning of the Bible. If a man says he
has received a new heart and a new spirit, that he
hates sin and loves purity ; if he claims that God has
forgiven his sins, and that the Holy Spirit has given
him the assurance that he is a child of God, the Bible
sustains him in every point he claims, in every word
he utters. Because what he declares to be his experi-
ence is in such perfect harmony with the unchanging
Word of truth, men cannot gainsay it, and it is at-
tended with mighty convincing power. If he claims
that by faith in Christ and dependence upon the Holy
Ghost the very sources of his thought, feeling, affec-
tions and desires have been so cleansed that he neither
loves sin nor does it, that he will not willingly do any-
thins: which he knows to be offensive to God, and that
he lives every hour confident that God is pleased with
him, the Word sustains him in that testimony, and it
will carry conviction to all who have sufficient spir-
itual discernment to understand its meaning. But
should anyone profess that he has experienced the
elimination of all infirmities from his being, and that
everything he does is controlled by the Spirit, and so

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at-

is as if the Spirit Himself did it, and therefore must
be above ali mistake, he claims what is not supported
by the experiences of the best of men, and what
goes farther than the clear and express teaching of
the Bible. He ought not then, by all reasonable rules
of judging human speech and conduct, to be distressed
if men attach no weight whatever to what he pro-
claims as his experience. This is not saying that men
will regard him as false. They can easily admit his
truthfulness, but ignore his testimony on the ground
that he is simply mistaken, and can know nothing posi-
tively of what he speaks of with all the confidence of
assured knowledge.

7. That we may better understand all that would
be included in believing that the Spirit helping our
infirmities is not co-operation with us against them,
but completely delivering us from them, let us return
to a view of the field of our infirmities as it was
opened in the beginning of this discourse. We saw
that it includes every imperfection wherein we fall
short of absolutely perfect humanity. Now, if the
Spirit is to supply our lack by wholly removing one
infirmity, why not another, yea, \vhy not all ? I, for
example, would ask for myself a deliverance from
infirmity in respect to musical achievement, and the
discrimination of countenances, so that I would never
fail to recognize a friend, yet this is impossible unless
the Spirit will add new gifts to His creation and fill
out any person's manhood with qualities which he
does not possess, and which, if God had wanteil him to

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have, He would undoubtedly have given to him when
he was first made. But sucli a suggestion only needs
to be mentioned to be rejected. I will go on to the
resurrection just the man I am, except as religion
purifies the moral, and education develops tl ^ intel-
lectual, and temperance and exercise build up the
physical. Realizing all the fulness of the Spirit prom-
ise<l to any in the Bible, and having a perfect willing-
ness to follow the slightest impression He makes, yet
if I attempt musical performance I will only show
my ignorance. And again and again it will be my
misfortune to confuse the face of one acquaintance
with that of another, and through such errors I will
give pain to friends whom I would not willingly
wound for any consideration. My memory will often
fail to honor my draft upon it, and the deposit I have
made with it will be a total loss. And the Spirit hav-
ing once created a body for me to use during my
earthly probation, to take care of, and to improve by
wise and kind treatment, will not at any advanced
stage of my life create in me new and original quali-
ties not before enjoyed. He will not make my
strength equal to that of others whose work I may
covet to do.

As soon as we come to this question with anything
like a proper conception of what is included in our
innocent infirmities, any talk about the Spirit remov-
ing them, or enabling us to do as well as if they had
never existed in us, appears palpably absurd. There
can be no better illustration of the continued existence

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of infirmity than is seen in the j)erson who professes
that he is saved wholly from any daiiofer of error
throuorh infirmity. That profession exhibits the tre-
mendous error into which he has habitually fallen.
Ceasinor to strive n<^ainst his infirmity with the aid of
the Spirit, it dominates him completely and constantly,
and to all others adds the infinnitv of blinihiess.

8. Is there then no hope of our reaching a manner
of life perfectly satisfactory in all particulars? If
this question means satisfaction in all things to other
people, we answer emphatically,. No. Of the best
man, even after death, it will be said, " He had his
faults." If it means satisfaction to ourselves, we
answer: No, not if we cultivate a proper sensibility,
and a due regard to the just claims of other people
upon us. Religion should make us constantly more
tender and refined. If it does not do this it is of little
use to us in this world. But if it has this eftect we
will every year feel more keenly every inconvenience
and discomfort we may inadvertently cause to others.
If a Christian is satisfied with his errors and faults,
notwithstanding the discomfort which they cause to
men, there is room to fear that his theories of religion
are blunting his sensibilities, instead of refining them.
A perfectly satisfied Christian is in a bad way. He
is certainly wanting in one of the essential elements of
true Christian character. But the Christian mav o-o
on perfectly satisfied with his life so far as innocLuce
toward God is concerned. The fact that he meant to
help all others, and save them from discomfort, or

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trouble, or pain, will prevent his feelinn^ any sen.se of
guilt in the sii^ht of God, and he will go on still happy
in His favor, but yet feeling dissatisfied with his im-
perfect achievement, and even grieved that these
defective bodies and minds prevent liis doing better
for others than he does.

The hope of the resurrection from the dead includes
in it the elements of a perfectly sati>faCtory life
toward men as well as toward God. The last we
may have now, the other we may look forward to in
confident expectation when the work of our redemp-
tion is complete.

9. But the persistence of infirmitios in us does not
afford any excuse to indolence or selfishness to go on
just as they are, without attempting to improve, and
excusing all their failures by saying they cannot help
it, for they were made so. It is that we may con-
tinually try, and watch against our weakness, that the
Spirit helpeth us. If we cease to strive He ceases to
work with us, for there is no co-operation. To be
satisfied to remain as we are is a sinful frame of mind.
To indulge such indolence is to offend God, and to
forfeit His favor. The Spirit offers to us His continual
help in a hard conflict. We may stead il}' rise to better
things if we will steadily try. Ultimately the cloud
of war shall be rolled awav. The storm shall cease.
Then our imperfect humanity shall be clothed upon
with perfectness. Until then we work in hope toward
our grand ideal.

10. In the meantime we have sufficient cause to

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awaken the ceaseless praise of devout and nrratefnl
hearts, in tliat tlie Spirit will so work in ns as to save
us from sin, and prevent the forfeiting of our place in
heaven. When I think of what sin is, and what it
has done, it seems mercy enouf^h that I may escape it.
One sin spread desolaticni over the world. One of my
sins is just as evil as thai first sin. It is true the con-
ditions are such that it could not wori. wreck, and
ruin, and desolation so widespread, and, except so far
as I myself am concerned, so endurinf^ in its effects.
Yet it is the same in kind. It belongs to the family,
and I do,i't want to experience even its touch. Once,
living in a city subject in the spring time to be over-
whelmed with a flood, I made a pastoral call. It ha<l
rained during the forenoon, and, near where I sat,
water was dripping through the ceiling perhaps one
drop a minute. The lady apologized profusely, and
complained much of the leaking roof. I pointed to a
mark running around the room on the wall, only a few
feet below the ceilint,^ and asked her what it meant.
She replied that it showed how high the water had risen
during the spjing flood. I suggested that, after such
an experience of the desolating power of water, she
should not complain of a leakage in the roof which
only allowed a drop a minute to fall on the floor. But
she asked me if I would like a leakini; roof, and the
constant dropping of the water, even though it could
not overwhelm me, and drive the family out of the
house. When the flood came .she left the house, but
as long as she was going to live in it she wanted a dry

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THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT.

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ceiling and a dry floor. I answered, " No ; I want no
leaking roof, though a flood may be quite impossible."
So it is with sin. It has once flooded the human race
out of all good possessions, and thereby we know what
its temper is, and therefore we don't want to be touch-
ed by it — not even a drop from the ceiling can be
endured — and, to escape its power, to be siire that we
can, by the blessed Spirit's ministries, keep it out of
our lives in every degree, is indeed to rejoice in a
wonderful salvation. In this world our moral nature
may be» perfectly redeemed. Tlii; intellectual and the
physical natures must linger longer under the influ-
ence of our family misfortunes. But ultimately they
too will be wholly delivered. Until then the Spirit is
one with us to aid in maintaining our side of the con-
flict. The saints have cause only for rejoicing that by
so much Satan is under their feet. Without their
consent he can do them no harm, even through their
imperfections. They must live with them, but they
have blessed company in their strife and endeavor.

A portion of the text which has not been touched
upon at all here is worthy of a full consideration in
another discourse.

YIII.

mu ioljj ^ftvW^ %ntmmm.

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities : for we know
not what we should pray for as we ought : but the Spirit it-elf niak-
eth intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. —
Romans viii, 26.

c>^

jN the last discourse we discussed the co-operation
of the Spirit with us in our efforts against every
weakness and imperfection of our natures. This

was properly brought out by the. first clause of this

text.

What immediately follows is a striking illustration
of this ministry of the Spirit to our help in respect of
our infirmities. Perhaps in no direction have we such
an exhibition of infirmity as in the fact that "we
know not what we should pray for as we ought.' We
fall so far short of absolutely perfect manhood that
we do not know what is best for us. We are like a
child who would ask for a dangerous knife because
the blade glitters, or for poison because it is wrapped
in bright tissue paper. We would ask for, and if we
could we would take, what would hinder our approach
to a perfect state, instead of what would favor such
worthy progress.

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THE HOLY SPIRIT*S INTERCESSION.

1. 1. One reason why we "know not what we
should pray for" is the controlling influence which our
bodies have over us. For weary generations and cen-
turies the human family lived almost wholly for the
body. To continue its existence was about the only
object in life. To feed and indulge it included the
whole area of pleasure and enjoyment. The only in-
tellectual life of those times was confined to the mon-
asteries. The spiritual life of the people was wholly
entrusted to the Church, and that meant to the pries
hood of the Church.

There is manifestly an improvement now, but even
yet, as in every age of the past, the body delights in
ease, and luxury, and indulgence of every kind, and
presses itself into the most prominent place whenever
any attempt is made to seek the best interests of our
whole, complex manhood. No wise prayer is possible
uii^' this body is repressed, and its bold claims forced
into silence. We must learn to regard it as a usurper,
filling all our space with itself, when in reality it has
a right only to a very subordinate place.

2. Another cause of our ignorance of the things
we should pray for is our natural conceits, prejudices,
and passions.

A man may have so much conceit of his own abil-
ity that he cannot possibly get the idea into his mind
that he needs any Providential help or guidance in his
aftairs. As Nebuchadnezzar said, "Is not this great
Babylon that I have built ?" so such a man will think
in his heart concerning every stroke of success that

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

149

abil-
nind
L his
reat
hink
that

comes into his life. I have known a man who had
such affluence of physical vigor that he lifted himself
up in a time when an epidemic was ra^^inc^, and said
there was no danger of such a body as his being at-
tacked. Such conceit must affect a person's prayers.

And who can tell where the influence of prejudice
begins or ends ? It is a force as silent in its action as
the light or heat, as imperceptible in its effects upon
us as the gathering dew on the grass ; but with every
one a potent factor in determining the judgment passed
upon men and events. It would greatly influence both
the tone and the substance of the prayers all would
offer, if left wholly to themselves in the use of that
privilege.

3. Among the hindrances we find in this duty is
the fact of our strong prejudice in favor of this pres-
ent world. Left to ourselves we would most certainly
ask whatever would be most favorable to our worldly
estate. It cannot but be that any parent will desire
that his child succeed at school or in business. His
prayer for the boy starting to school for the fir-st day
would be that he make friends among both scholars
and teachers, and that he may rise in his class, if not
to the first place, at least as near to it as possible, and
that at the close of the term he may pass his examina-
tions in a creditable manner.

Of the same nature would be our natural prayer
for a child when entering upon the study or practice
of a profession, or upon any business enterprise. We
would want him to succeed, and it seems assuredly

HBiilli

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THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

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right to us that under any conditions he should suc-
ceed.

So of our worldly estate. Wliat Christian man
ever lived who did not see <listinctly that it wouJd be
for the i,dor3' of God for him to accumulate wealth ?
What new and wide avenues of usefulness would open
before him, if he had large sums of money at com-
mand, which are all forl)iddingly closed against the
knocking of poverty ! What blessings to the poor
would How through his hand; what relief to struggling
churches, and to weak missions, and what aid to all
charitable enterprises, would run out to meet the solici-
tation of need, if otdy he had wealth ! It is natural
to think so, and to pray accordingly ; but in view of
the unknown hiding places in our natures yet under-
stood so imperfectly, and the many pages of life's great
book yet unopened, of the long stretch of the way
untraversed, an(l of the vast uncertainties hidden in
that unexplored future, it is safe to say that these
natural impulses, which seem absolutely without fault,
would lead us to ask many things not best for us in
view of all our lives and the eternity which stretches
out before us.

II. Under such disal)ilities the Spirit ministers to
our aid in the duty of prayer. The word rendered
"intercession" in this place does not occur in the same
form in any other part of the New Testament. It is
a verb in composition with a preposition. The verbis
found elsewhere, but not combined with the same pre-
position. The idea conVeyed is that of being present

THK HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

151

with another, to help him. A motlier walks with her
child over slippery places in the way, that she may
help if needed. A guide goes with the traveller up
the ruffijed mountain paths to be readv to render him
assistance if it is necessary. An advocate sits by his
client in court to assist him in the conduct of his case.
So the Holy Spirit is in the hearts of good men to
assist them in every way, but especially to direct and
aid them in prayer.

1. One thing He does is to bring into the mind
proper subjects for prayer. These are all around us
all the time. But we have no power to 'ree them in the
light of subjects claiming our prayers, until the Spirit
puts that view of them into our hearts. We are so
crowded with what concerns ourselves and our families
that we would scarcely think of anything else. But
the Spirit teaches us to dwell upon other topics, and
to bring them within the scope of our prayers. Let a
great grief overshadow any home. The child of much
affection is dead. The husband or wife lies in silence,
unmoved by all the cries of angui.sh, and all the tears,
of a mourning household After the funeral those
who are left walk on in their loneliness, and think
more than they were before accustomed to do of other
families left in loneliness and sorrow. Day by day
they glance over the column in the newspapers record-
ing the deaths of the day, and now their hearts are
touched by notices of deaths in families to which they
are entire strangers, which before would not have
caused them a passing thought. Under these circum-

lo2

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

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stances the Spirit will prompt to them each of these
cases as a proper subj'^ct for their prayers. From the
depths of the heart will be wrung the cry, " God bless
the poor mother whose babe has gone down among
the silent ones. God support the widow who walks
on alone. God help the family of orphan children
now deprived of their natural protector." If it were
not for the Holy Spirit, the same conditions would
awaken no feeling in our hearts but natural sympathy
for those in a sorrow like to that through which we
have ourselves passed ; but by His ministry we are led
to see in all such cases suitable subjects for our earnest
prayers.

When laboring on a charge in the country, the
writer passed every week through a piece of woodland
in which, for months, he saw a poor man first chopping,
and then rollins: the locjs tonrether and burnini; them.
The toil seemed heavy, and made a strong impression
upon the heart of the plain pastor as he rode by upon
his regular duties. By and by the poor laborer had
sown the field, and he was seen there no more as the
pastor passed. But through all the following summer
he never went along the highway leading by the side
of the field without lifting his heart to God in prayer
that the poor toiler might reap a good crop from the
field on which he had expended so much strength.

To many minds these simple illustrations wiii
provoke a smile. Some see God in nothing. Others
see in what is actually the result of God's immediate
working upon our hearts and minds, only the natural

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

153

'ayer

the

will
thers
jdiate
ituial

effects of causes hidden in the natures of all men with-
out exception. Many will agree with a principle
constantly recognized in these studies, that all good
thoughts, and feelings, and purposes, are given to our
hearts by the Holy Spirit in us, and that without His
influence aidinjj and enablinix we would never have as
much as the least thought of goodness. This principle
lies at the basis of every line w^ritten in these pages.
Those who accept it will see in the illustrations given
above evidences of the Holy Spirit working in us and
teaching us what to pray for. In this way our natures
are receiving a deeper culture in the direction of
goodness than all the refining influences of society
and education can give. A person instructed to enter
into the sorrows and trials of others, by praying for
them, is sure to become more unselfish, and in every
way more helpful to all who fall within the sphere of
his influence, than could possibly be the case under
any other circumstances.

2. Another help we have from the Spirit's ministry
is the power to persevere in prayer.

The parable of the unjust judge contained in the
beginning of the 18th chapter of Luke is certainly
designed to teach us that our faith should not be
discouraged by delays in receiving arswers to our
prayers. The reasoning used there does not in any
sense compare the great Father of all to an unjust
judge who fears not God, neither regards man ; but
it contrasts the one with the other, and the idea is,
that if constant appeals would produce upon such a
U

154

THE HOLY spirit's INTERCESSION.

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man the effect desired, at least in so far as his yielding
to the petition is concerned, leaving his motive out of
our consideration, then how much more will earnest
and persevering prayer prevail with God, who wants
to grant our requests, and has been waiting for a
suitable opportunity to give us what is mo.st needful
for us.

It is easy to think of a number of sufficient reasons
why we should persevere in prayer. To begin with,
prayer has an educating effect upon ourselves. Often
we begin to pray for something, without much heart
in the prayer, but after repeatedly asking, we come to
feel a deep sense of the fitness to our case of that for
which we pray, and then go on pleading for it with
even a strong passion of desire. So we are sometimes*
taught to pray for what is most needful for us by the
simple practice of prayer. Our worldliness and sel-
fishness become less obtrusive the oftener we appear
before God. The resistance of our will to what ap-
pears to cross our pleasures or interests diminishes as
we stand in the clear light of the Divine presence,
uncovering the secrets of our hearts in prayer.

Again, persistence in prayer has a tendency to
make us workers together with God in bringing the
universe to acknowledge His will. If every suitable
prayer was answered on the moment, the natural
effect would be that we would come to think that we
need only ask and receive ; and then work in the di-
rection of what we ask, which is the true seeking,
would be neglected. But persevering prayer keeps

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

155

our hearts in sympathy with tlie unn<\ and plans of
God for the world, and our hands actively employed
in works calculated to brinij the world into the condi-
tion we seek for it in our prayers.

The duty of persevering in prayer also develops
reverence in us in approaching God. We come to un-
derstand that prayer is something different from an
order issued by one who has a right to command. We
have heard prayers based upon precious promises, and
for things suitable enough in themselves, but pre-
sented in a tone of command which destroyed every
feelinof in the heart of the hearer which ouorht to be
associated with prayer. Our human hearts are so
subject to little deceptions practised upon themselves,
and when raised wholly above this habit they revert
to it so easily, and show constantly such a tendency to
turn back to their old ways, that we need constant
discipline to keep us above this danger. The duty of
repeated prayer is a part of this helpful discipline.

But among the reasons for which persevering
prayer is enjoined we may not include the idea that
God, like some men, has to be coaxed into giving what
is sought. Every prayer that is right goes up to Him
the first time to find Him willing to grant it. Ffe
wants to give what is best before we ask for it. We
cannot understand all that is involved in the connec-
tion which prayer keeps up between earth and heaven,
but in view of the Deity's character as revealed to us
in the Word, we may safely say that persevering
prayer does not prevail because, after being often

156

THE HOLY SPIUITS INTERCESSION.

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asked, the j]jreat Father of all becomes more v/illincr to
grant than He was when first the petition climbed up
to the height of His throne.

The Holy Spirit is constantly in us, prompting us
to go forward and repeat again and again the requests
we have made unto God, and to labor and live in
sympathy with our petitions.

3. Another help we receive from His ministry is
that He gives us the right spirit in which to ask for
what we should ask. Over the greater portion of the
wide field of our prayers we must lay the conditional
provision, "Thy will be done." That includes actual
suflTering, as well as many privations. To go to the
throne in earnest prayer, and while asking for many
things that appear manifestly for our good, and for
the advancement of the kingdom of God, to say,
"Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done," is
only possible after much experience and discipline has
poured the light of great wisdom upon our minds-
Yet to be able to make just that prayer at all times is
alone the proof of our having the right spirit in all
our petitions. When we reach that eminence of cor-
rect feeling, we have learned the supreme lesson of our
lives. But how much forbearance from God, how
much patient tuition from the Spirit in us, how many
falls, and how great the help, before we can stand at
that elevation. Paul went with his affliction not once,
but thrice. Through persevering prayer he at length
learned in what spirit to receive the mysterious dis-
pensations of Divine Providence, and how, in humble

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

157

dependence upon the assurance of the sufficiency of
the favor of his Heavenly Father, he learned to labor
on in patience and faith, though some wrongs were
not yet made right, and, so far as he could see, never
would be in this world.

And One who rises inconceivably above Paul in
spiritual stature gives us the same example. On that
night of terrible memories He went with two others
into the garden of Gethsemane, and leaving them He
went forward into the darkness alone, and there
among the overhanging olive trees He fell prone upon
His face in deep, earnest prayer. There He remained
for something like an hour, and the awfid burden of
His petition was that, if possible, the cup given into
His hands might pass from Him, but if not, "not as I
will, but as Thou wilt." After that hour of acronizinor
appeal was there no peace in His heart ? Did He not
look forward with calmness toward the impending
doom ? Was there not a sweet restfulness upon His
spirit when He turned and walked back to the place
where He left His most trusted friends ? He found
them asleep, and alm.ost immediately He turned and
went back again to the same dark spot, and prostrat-
ing Himself, prayed as before. Now surely the spirit
within Him has become calm, and is ready for all that
can be heaped upon Him. Coming back He finds His
friends still asleep. Then a third time He goes away
alone, and fights the same hard battle in prayer, and
when the third time He returns His all-perfect man-
hood is conqueror. The battle with all the powers'

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THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

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arrayed against Hiin is now fully won. The calm of
a fjreat peace has settled down upon His human soul.
He has won in His supplication, and winning there
He has won everywhere.

Oh, it is not a little thing done for us by the Spirit
in educating us into a proper spirit in which to appear
before God in all the prayers we offer, and in enabling
us ever to say, " Not as 1 will, but as: Thcu wilt."
Without the help of the Spirit in this, our poor hu-
manity would break loose, and in mighty rebellion
against nature and against God, would as.sert itself as
supreme over all things in earth. We would fight
against repression, and against discipline, although
the highest lesson — and the hardest because it is the
highest — which we have to learn in this earthly pil-
grimage, is to choose — not merely to accept, but to
choose — and to desire and pray for God's will in pre-
ference to our own. That is the true spirit of all
prayer, and is possible to any only as they are taught
and moulded by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

4. A fourth result of this ministry of the Spirit to
us in prayer is in filling us with a prayer which no
language can ever express.

The language of the text is, " groanings which can-
not be uttered." The word " groaning" must here have
the same meaning as in the passages immediately
preceding the text. It signifies an. appeal whi '
is made by deep distress, or strong desire, or shai
piercing pain. It is a deep sense of need which cannot
find any expression in language or in intelligible signs.

THE HOLY spirit's INTFCRCKSSfON.

159

il'

This kind of praying is not readied by jrroaning from
a sense of duty, in a prayer-nioeting, or when there is
some one pn.\sent to hciir, any more than tlie highest
tones of Christian joy are reached by shouting from a
sense of duty. The groans here spoken of are unut-
terable. A groan usually finds utterance tli rough the
lips, just as words find utterance through the same
avenue. But a groan which is unutterable means a
strength of passionate desire which despairs of finding
any natural expression. The Spirit creates such a
weight of desire in the heart. He will turn a great
sorrow, or overwhelming disaster in life, into the
channel of a mi'ditv, all-masterinjr desire for God. or
He will carry the soul in the deepest anguish it can
know up to God in unspoken prayer.

That is only a feeble presentation of the meaning
contained in these words. We must draw upon our
ov.Ti experience and observation of feelings which can-
not find expression in language. A father sat with
his beautiful daughter of six or seven years upon his
knee, and, in the loving parlance in which all parents
are wont to indulge, he asked the child how much she
loved him ? She replied :

*' More than anything."

*■ More than anything ?" said he ; " but do you love
me more than all your playthings ?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed with warmth, "I love you
more than all my playthings."

" But," said he, " do you love me more than all your
nice dresses and beautiful ribbons."

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THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSIO>J.

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" Oh, yes, papa," she replied, with some impatience
in her tone, " you know that I love you more than
them."

" Yes, but," said he, " when I get old, and am
wrinkled, and bent, and poor, and have to wear rough
clothes, and eat poor food" — but before he could a.sk
her if she would love him then, slie burst into tears,
and said :

" Now, papa, stop. You shall never be so poor as
that."

He did not think that she fully understood all that
he meant, so after a moment he began again in the
same strain :

" When I am very old, and all wrinkled, and bent,
and poor, and have no means of getting food and
clothes, will you love me then ?'

But again, before he could finish his question, the

beautiful child threw her arms around his neck, and

.began to kiss him and to cry, saying, passionately:

" That can never be, papa. I love you, and I will love

you always."

Now, whatever else that father learned by this test
of the child's feelings, he certainly had learned that
her love was deeper than language could express. It
rendered her incapable of thinking of him as abjectly
poor. It wa«, truly, an unutterable love.

This is an imperfect illustration of feeling 1/hat is
beyond expression. Every saint, in his experience of
walking with God, has had some deep passages in
which he could not tell the strength of desire, or pain,

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161

or submission, and so, bowinir under the hand Divine,
he would put a volume of meaning into the words,
" Lord, thou k no west that I love thee !" It is when
the flood-tide of feeling means neither anguish wholly
nor joy wholly, but the anguish partakes something
of joy, and the joy has some tinge of anguish in the
cup, and he is baffled between a shout an<l cry of pain;
but over all a feeling of complete submission climbs to
the surface, and, afraid to trust his own words, more
than a volume of prayer is thrown out in the one
sharp cry, " Thou knowest all, Lord !"

There are experiences of pain so intense, and deep,
and severe, and the visitation is so bewildering, our
most enlightened thought comes so far short of under-
standing why such bitterness should fall upon our
way, and we are so far from being able to see any pos-
sible good that can result from the sore affliction, that
our overburdened spirits, wishing of all things to be
true to God, can only cry out, " Thy will be done," and
then patiently wait until, either in time or eternity,
God shall stoop to our weak understandings and give
us the full explanation.

And so there are times of deep, rapt communion
with God, in which a sense of His presence more than
fills the soul to overflowing, and no words are suffi-
cient for the passionate joy ; and the whole life and
thought are drawn into the current, and every deed
and look and sigh is part of one long, glad outburst
of praise.

But having said all these things with reference to

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THE HOLY spirit's INTEIICESSION.

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the prayer in groanings which cannot be uttered, we
know that we have come far short of settinc: forth the
full meaning. A child might as well try to pass over
a mountain at a stride, or a flower-cup which loves
the drop of dew to take in the whole vast ocean, as we
by any human comparisons to measure the infinite
meaning of these measureless words. They contain
everything tliat can ever possibly entiT into human
longings, .and passionate cries, and sacraments of pain,
and tumultuous coronation outbursts of joy, and all
those fathomless depths of inexpressible desire, and
hope, and mighty, conquering assurance, in the human
soul, which no sounding line of language has ever
reached. The Spirit in us releases them all, and when
released their meaning is all prayer.

III. A number of questions arise out of this study
of the work of the Spirit in helping our infirmities,
and in making intercession for us, which are closely
connected with the main object of -this work.

1. How is prayer connected with guidance ? If
our prayers are directed by the Spirit, seeing that He
cannot err, and will only direct us aright, if we ask
that we may have guidance in any matter, are we not
sure of receiving, whether it be in secular or spir-
itual things ? To this it may be said that the Spirit's
intercession does not necessarily prevent the growth
in us of strong desires which are due to our worldly
conditions, and which may not be acceptable to the
Divine will. In such cases the Spirit simply gives us
submission under the refusal of what we ask.

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

163

Before we accept tlie conviction that guidance de-
pends upon our asking for it, let us go back to a pre-
liminary truth concerning the Spirit's work with
men. That is, that He is in some measure present
with ev^erv nian on the face of the earth. What He
does for the most favored saint He is equally willing
to do for all. The plans 'of the Divine mercy are
designed equally for all men. The Spirit is constantly
striving to draw all within the scope of those plans.
This work He never ijfives over in the case of any one
until often resisted and grieved, and by long-continued
and persistent opposition, His mission is wilfully re-
jected. Never until then is any one abandoned by
Him. It follows, therefore, that the saint has no
advantage over the most wicked man which that
man might not enter upon the possession of at any
moment if he would submit himself wholly to the will
of God. All that He is actually doing at any time
for the hiofhest saint He is at all times willinjj to do
for the worst sinner.

But while we recognize the universality of the
Spirit's favors, let us by all means pray for guidance
in all that enijafxes our hand or thought. One hiffh
advantage will assuredly be gained. That is, that the
person wdio prays for guidance will be much more
susceptible to the promptings of the Spirit in him, and
therefore much more likely to follow where they lead,
which will aUvays be in the right way. He will also
more clearly discern the guiding hand of God in ex-
periences which lead him in a way directly' contrary to

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THE HOLY spirit's intercession.

that which he desired to pursue when he began to pray,
and which deve'op for him results which appear any-
thing but favorable to his worldly estate, or present
comfort and happiness. And often, indeed, will the
guidance received from on high press him thus against
his present inclinations.

On the days when he prays most earnestly for
direction, he may make investments in lands or stocks
which in the end will bring him loss instead of profit.
A prayerful spirit will help him to accept his allot-
ment in life with patience, ami even thankfulness,
and will prevent him from thinking that God's guid-
ance must always bring present advantage.

Prayer will also aid our blind instincts to receive
the truth that always what is best for the soul is also
best for the body. That award of temporal advantage
in life's distribution which most enriches the soul at
last, is assuredly best for us in this world, though it
may be hard at the time to receive it, and to be thank-
ful for it.

It is also true that prayer for guidance will as-
suredly be answered in keeping him who prays from
ways of sin and error.

If, then, the question is, "Shall I not be so directed
that I will realize the highest spiritual good, if I ask
for it in prayer ? " I answer, " Yes, assuredly and al-
ways." In this there can be no failure. But if it
includes the idea of such direction as will secure me
against worldly loss and inconvenience, or against my
enemies triumphing over me, then no positive assur-

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

1(55

ance can be given. If I was in the mind of a perfect
Christian, I would care nothing about worldly loss or
gain, or about my enemies triumphing over me. Care
about any such thing.s is proof of a truly worldly
mind. It' we are in the right mind to be guide.d per-
fectly by the Spirit, we will be satisfied to know that
our spiritual life is safe under His watchful care, and
we .shall not be allowed to forfeit heaven, and we will
contentedly and happily leave the temporal to His
thought and administration.

But the one thought not to be entertained is that
guidance is the special privilege of tho-o \"ho pray for
it. It is possible for very good men to find a largo
share of their Christian comfort in the fact that
religion .secures them many .special advantages over
their unconverted neifjhbors. But seeing that God
is ever willing to open the same gates of ble.ssing upon
the worst of men, if they would humbly enter, a truly
Christian .spirit will delight in the prospect of all the
un.savcd coniing up to the highest level of comfort
and advantage. The last feeling admis.sible in any
Christian heart is that of vaunting one's self over the
unsaved, or a disposition to build upon any worldly
advantages which our devotion to God may bring into
our lives. It is po.ssible to begin with true devotion
to God, and to end by so yielding to the deceitful wiles
of our ow^n hearts that our religion will be little more
than a comparison of our worldly advantages, through
our religious | rofession, with the condition of the un-
converted, Sincere prayer will be answered with

1G6

THE HOLY SPIRITS INTERCESSION.

such guidance as will bring more noble feelings into
our hearts.

2. Should we not pray about everything in life ?
Yes, no trifles are too small, and of too little conse-
quence, to be carried up to Him wlio knows the little
as well as the great. We have already illustrated that
many trifles will be no more than trifles forever, worthy
only to be forgotten by God and men, but that the
thing in appearance of the least importance may under
God be pregnant with momentous consequences, and
therefore our spirit should always treat small things
as possibly God's great messengers for weal or woe.
It is certain that trifles ar§ often the occasions of the
greatest sins. A chance meeting with a stranger has
resulted in the ruin of a soul. A letter received to-day
may determine a step which will lead into temptations
which will overthrow a character. Stooping to pick
a bit of paper from the walk has led to the recognition
of a long-lost friend, and thence to the revival of
habits that delivered up a life to wreck and disaster.
It is against mere trifles in appearance that we need
the most constant watchfulness. Through them the
evil one moves to our destruction, by them the Almighty
reaches eternal destinies. Carry them to God in prayer,
by all means, but don't think that because you have
prayed about them, it cannot be that in shop, office or
kitchen anything can go differently from what pro-
motes your present pleasure or convenience.

His plans reach farther than ours. Ours are all con-
fined to a narrow space. They are shut up wholly to

THE HOLY spirit's INTERCESSION.

167

time. His sweep out into the infinities. Eternity
alone is vast enough for their whole scope. It is
our highest honor and exaltation that He takes .us
into those miglity and wondrous plans of His which
sweep through eternity. What is the ticking of the
clock in time, is an hour-stroke in eternity. We shali
hear both. Let us not be so intent upon the ticking
now that we become deaf to the great stroke which
measures the eternal years.

IK!

It.'

fcii

' ''I

IX.

ii\M with the #irtrit.

fen.:i!

: i IS..

Hi!:

" And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled
with the Spirit."— Eph. v. 18.

ikvXr/'^ have here an allusion to the orgies frequently
indulged in in the worship of Bacchus. Some
wise men who taught sobriety as a rule of life
would grant much indulgence, and even wink at drunk-
enness in those who worshipped the god of revelry.

Paul calls the attention of Christian people to these
exhibitions of unrestrained passion, and warns them
against any similar weakness. They are the temples
of the Holy Ghost, and are, therefore, to be subject to
constant self-restraint.

Some have inferred from this text that the out-
ward manifestations of the fulness of the Spirit are
much the same as the external signs of drunkenness.
Hence they have cultivated high excitement in the
worship of God. But this is a mistake arising from
the turning of a contrast into an analogy. Paul de-
signed to show that the worship of God is a quiet ser-
vice, instead of being in any way like the loud and
unrestrained excitement of revellers. The mightiest
saints have been among the most quiet in all the acts

FILLED WITH THK SPIRIT.

1G9

lout-
are

Iness.
the

Ifrora

ilde-

ser-

and

itiest

acts

of worship, and in the exhibition of their religious
feelings. Every critic admits that John Wesley was a
truly spiritual preacher, but sermons which produced
the most profound effect are said to have been deliv-
ered in a quiet manner.

I. What is meant by being tilled with the Spirit?
A study of all pp.ssages in the Scriptures which bear
upon the subject reveals that before the day of Pente-
cost men w^ere filled with the Spirit to qualify them
for important labors and great responsibilities, for the
gifts of prophecy and teaching, and for much sutfering
and endurance.

By giving .some little attention to these cases we
will be better prepared to understand what Christian
people now will realize from the fulness of the Spirit.

1. First, then, we find that when any one was
chosen by God for tlie duties of some important mis-
sion, he was prepared for his wonderful work by being
filled with the Spirit. There was the case of John the
Baptist. The angel who appeared to Zacharias de-
clared that "he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost,
even from his mother's womb." In this way he was
set apart before his birth for the distinguished part he
was to take in deciding the destiny of the human race.
How through all his earliest years he was affected by
this high anointing, and what manifestations of such
a distinction resting upon him may have appeared to
others, we certainly have not been informed. But one
thing does seem clear, that is, that he was through his

whole life kept wholly apart from the spirit of his
12

170

FILLED WITH THE SPIIUT.

age

He was at no titne borne down like most men by
the passion for a footing and position in this present
world.

All the Hebrew prophets were doubtless prepared
in the same manner for the duties of their high com-
mission. Micah asserts that he was equipped in this
way for his mighty work :

" But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the
Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto
Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin." — Micah
iii. 8.

They were all called to the discharge of duties
which required no common character and firmness and
boldness. The idolatries of Samaria and Jerusalem,
and of both the southern and the northern kingdoms,
were calling aloud for the vengeance of the Almighty.
But all the great people of the land were in sympathy
with the gross insults which were constantly going up
to heaven. Hence he who would reproach these vices
and crimes extraordinary, must reproach kings and all
the great men of the land. He must stand single-
handed against the whole world. He must be pre-
pared to lay down his life for his testimony. And
then, as in eveiy later age, a true testimony for God
cost those who made it tlie sacrifice of the dearest
objects in life. The prison and the pit were common
experiences.

Hence these men were prepared by a special an-
ointinjj: for their difficult mission. Micah felt him-
self full of power by the Spirit of the Lord. Ezekiel's

FILLED WITH THE SIMlllT.

171

pre-
lAnd
God
irest
Imon

an-
lira-
Liel's

forehead was made as adamant, harder than flint, to
stand before Israel. Elijah came like a Hash of light-
ning across Ahab's path, and was gone, the king knew
not whither. The hand of the Lord was strong upon
the men of His right hand, upon the son of man whom
He made strong for Himself.

2. To be filled with the Holy Ghost was also the
preparation for the gift of prophec}'. Tt was the
endowment given for such teaching as seemed to come
directly from the mouth of God. Jeremiah was pre-
pared for prophecy as John the Baptist was for his
peculiar mission. The Lord said to him, " Before thou
camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I
ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." With this
preparation he was enabled by the will of God to read
the future as an open book.

The gift of prophecy came upon Zacharias in the
same manner. " And Zacharias was filled with the
Holy Ghost, and prophesied." We do not read that
he had been honored by God in any very special de-
gree before. He was simply a priest, pure and upright
in his life, attending faithfully to his priestly func-
tions, honoring his work, and honored by it in turn.
But when his great son was born, he was made to
realize the greatness of the occasion by an entirely
new experience, wonderful, impressive, memorable.
He was filled with the Holy Ghost, and broke out in a
lofty strain of prophecy, anticipating the wide exten-
sion of the Redeemer's kingdom, and its beneficent in-
fluence upon all mankind.

172

PILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

M ■■'■'!

'^ !

We are not informed that any similar experience
was fjiven to him at any other time in his whole life.

The history of Elijah, and Jonah, and Ezekiel, and
Daniel, is more easily understood by knowinj^ that at
times the Spirit of the Lord in the fulness of His power
came upon them to prepare them for their prophetic
visions, but did not rest upon them as a continual
inspiration.

II. Now, what was true under the old dispensation
conccrnini^ the work of the Holy Ghost will certainly
not be less true now under what is properly called the
dispensation of the Spirit. When great duties await
our hands, when great dangers attend the path in
which we are called to walk, when great sufferings
come upon us as the result of our devotion to duty, or
great sacrifices must be made in the interests of truth
and righteousness, assuredly now, as under the Jewish
di.spensation, we may expect a special equipment by
the power of the Holy Spirit resting upon us.

1 All the pages of history, and all the indications in
actual life, leave the impression that men are still
raised up and appointed by God to special duties, or
to work which others cannot do, or are not allowed to
perform. God has initiated, and generally carried out
by single hands, the great works which have continued
to bless the world. As Moses delivered Israel, as
David made his kingdom mighty among the nations,
as Nehemiah restored the temple and worship in Jeru-
salem, so farther down the stream of time, Wickliffe
gave England the Bible in her native tongue, Luther

» I

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

173

ru-
iffe
her

gave the world the Reformation, Wesley saved the
dead Church, which was allowing the utter demoraliza-
tion of society in the seventeenth century, and raising
no word, setting up no standard of holy, godly living,
to resist the destructive elements at work on every
side. When any great work is to be done, God fixes
upon .some individual to bear the standard, and when
done that one has filled so large a place in tl.e achieve-
ment that it seems to the worltl to be his special work.
To suppose that God stands by such persons, and sus-
tains them by the fulness of His Spirit's power, is only
what is in perfect .sympathy with the teaching of the
Bible and the history of the past.

2. But it was not only to equip men for extra-
ordinary duties that the Spirit was given on the
day of Pentecost. Then He was poured out upon all
men. His endowments were no longer to be special
to a chosen few, appointed to some particular work or
mission, but they were henceforth to abound unto every
one. There had not risen a greater than John the
Baptist before his time, but notwithstanding, he that
is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
That wherein the least .saint under the Christian dis-
pensation is greater than John, is in being filled with
the Spirit ; therefore it is evident that the gifts of the
Spirit in their fulness, but not with all their former
special applications, were to be enjoyed by all the
saints after that time.

3. One of the earliest intimations we find that
the Spirit had been given to all, is in the choice of

174

FILLED WITH THE SPllUT.

l^h

seven men to take charge of the daily administration.
In those early daj's the Christians had all worldly pos-
sessions in common, (ind after a number of Christian
communities had arisen, collections were made in one
place for the benefit of the poor saints in another-
When the disciples in any place had multiplied into
considerable numbers, the dealing out to each his
proper share wvm a work of nuich responsibility, and
some complaints had already been heard from the
Grecians against the Hebrews because of real or sup-
posed neglect. Tiie apostles seem until this time to
have attended to this work in connection with their
other duties. But this was purely secular labor, and
it was not seemly that they should neglect the min-
istry of the word for such service. Therefore the
apostles say, "It is not reason that we should leave
the word of God and .>erve tables. Wherefore, breth-
ren, look ye out among you seven men of honest
report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we
may appoint over this business. But we will give
ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry
of the word " (Acts vi. 2-4).

Now, we find here an indication of a type of reli-
gious life in which all participants were habitually or
constantly full of the Holy Ghost. This was no doubt
true of John the Baptist and Jeremiah, but they were
exceptions to their age. Here it is common to all.
These seven men were not chosen, and then tilled with
the Spirit for the work to which they were appointed,
but they were chosen partly because they were already

FiLLKD WITH THE SPIRIT.

l7.-i

full of the Spirit. They wero selected from ji largo
number, all of whom were enjoying the same i'uliiess.
To be full of the Spirit was not alone sufficient to
qualify anj'' for this work, because in addition they
must be men of unquestioned reputation, and their
duties required great wisdom and justice, aiid discrim-
ination, and a man miLdit be full of the Spirit and vet

wanting in some or these ne^- -sary qualities

liti(

that out of the many who were Klled with the Spirit,
seven, whose other qualifications were satisfactory, were
selected. They were as full of the Spirit before being
selected as after. There were others who were not
chosen at all who also were full of the Sj>irit.

We tind here a clear indication that the fulness of
the Spirit did not (pialify men for everything. We
are made certain that nianv were filled with the
Spirit, and yet neither prophetic nor miraculous mani-
festations appeared in them. It simply prei)ared fach
one for the highest form of service to God of which
his manhood was caiml)le. It made him a perfect
Christian, but not a ^lerfect man. Conspicuous deftcts
of character, i>eiore this anointing was received, if not
of the moral or spiritual nature, still remained in him
after it.

III. Let us now enquire definitely what the ful-
ness of the Spirit means to Christians of every grade
in the present time.

1. The first thing indicated is that t.ie Holy Spirit
abides in men. He is present in His personality with
them. 'I'his is what the Bible teaches. " What <" know

176

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God?"

In some way God is actually present in the person
of the Spirit, in the heart of every regenerated man.
By the Spirit, both the Father and the Son arc with
each saint, for Jesus promised to the loving and obedi-
ent in every age and land, " We will come unto him
and make our abode with him." The liope of the
gospel is " Christ in you tlie hope of glory."

Our liuman hingungo can .scarcely be expected to
convey any full i<lea of all that is meant by God in
U.S. How does His presence affect us ? F^y what signs
can we distiiifruish tlie jjfood in us wliich is His immedi-
ate gift, from that wliich is only an outl)Urst of the
better side of our human nature (' Di-finitions cannot
give an outline to everything. The sharp edge of
accurate distinctions cannot cut everywhere. The
world of the liumun heart is so complex and involved
that, like a patli in the depths of a dense forest, we
can never see far into it, and we are not sure that we
di.scern correctly even what we do see.

If we could know as we are known we would prob-
ably find that much wdiich seems to us to be good
fruit from simple goodness of nature is deeply involved
in .selfisli calculations, or is an effort reuchiny; throuirh
some secret cIuuuk'I after the j^ratification of our self-
love. The old tlieoiogy used to declare that before
regeneration no one ever did atiy good thing. But
that was too strong, because it denied that the Spirit
in the hearts of the unregenerate, drawing them inty

FILLKD WITH THE SPIRIT.

177

the right path, ever enables tliem to do any act well
and truly for God. But the striving of the Spirit
means good in the heart either of the regenerate or
the UMri'irenerate. The truth is that there is no
good in any one but as it is given by Him. His
pre.sence witli hunuinity is all that makes for right-
eousness. What is mistaken for good nature, if it is
not actually some disguised form of seltixhness, is only
a lower rlegree of the power of resistance to the Spirit's
work in men. There is resistance to His work in
every unsanctitied huuian soul. The resistance may
be positive hatred of Go<l, and a confirmed opposition
to all goodness because it is goodness. That is the
levil's resistance. In coatras^ with such deep deprav-
ity, a person would seem to havr ^reat goodness of
nature whose resistance was noth* g stronger than
some evil and degrading habits, or \ iolerit prejudices,
or strong conceits. Sometimes wea- iness of body is
the cause of resistance. A person at leart has all the
goodness neccs.sary to do a generou: deed, but his
weary body has so little energy that 1^ does not mark
the opportunity until it is passed. ' 'wo gentlemen
carried each a large bou(piet. Some ch idren, meeting
them, exclaimed, " What beautiful How rs ! " One at
once tore his Howers apart and gave hu f to the chil-
dren The other walked on, but in a m unent wished
he had been ecjually kind. He felt in hi nself that he
had all the m)od and kind feelinirs which led the other
to do as he did, — ijideed he particularly h ved children,
«— but it was at the c'osc of a hard day'.'^ la jor with him,

178

FILLKl) WITH THE SPIRIT.

w. '.

and weariness alone had made him slow to perceive an
opportunity and to do a beautiful act. lie felt, as he
walked on, that the Spirit had given him a fjenerous
impulse which he had resisted through the weariness
of his bodv. It is not uncommon to see one who has
often persisted in the wrong rush extravagantly' into
kind words and helpful deeds. His course is ex-
plained easily. His wrong acts were continued until
Ids power of resistance to the Spirit broke down, and
the ostentatious goodness came a.s a peace-offering
to an offended conscience.

In such cases there is only a low degree of resis-
tance. From thence down to the hatred of the devil,
and the resentment of deeply depraved men, there is
room for any degree of apparent goodness of huunin
nature in comparison with some other [)ersons. But
tlie goodness is never of the man himself. It is of
the Spirit dwelling in him. The appearance of natural
goodness is due only to a lower degree of resistance
in him than in some other, when the two are com-
pared.

2. Another thing inclu«led in being filled with
the Spirit is that the person has thoughts, and feel-
ings, and tempers, and desires like Christ's own.
" Let this mind he in you which was also in Christ
Jesus." Tins is only po.ssible h} the Spirit of the
Lord dwelling in us. " Of His fulness have all we
receivetl, and gi'ace for grace." These graces become
an a)>iding (piality of character in the v,'»int in whom
the Spirit dwell.s. They are not VAiial»lo, like what

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

179

we are pleased to call the good expressions of unaided
nature. Tliey are rather tlie permanent, habitual con-
dition of the Christian's mind and heart.

Some minerals, as the diamond imd tliior spar, if
heated or rubbe I toij^ether, and then carried into a
dark place, give off for a time a beautiful light. It is
called phosphorescence. Many people are like them in
respect of their religious life. They never emit any
light except when they are heated. They attend all
revival services, and every time they are much moved.
They follow every new evangelist who comes along,
and declare that they never heard the gospel truly
preached befon. They sing and speak and pray with
enthusiasm. But it is all phosphorescence. Thos'e
who have known their spirit and life understand it.
They are just the kind of persons to talk about being
filled with the Spiiit, and to bring forwa;- 1 their
excited feelin<^ as an evidence of their anointinix.
But the shai'p te.st of duty, when removed from the
conditions which are favorable to great excitement,
will prove whether the Spirit is there or nt>t.

Much feeling must not be taken as proof of the ful-
ness of the Spirit, but rather let us look to the abid-
ing temper and disposition, when there is little or no
feelini;. Do 1 love those who I know rci'urd me with
hatred ? Can I forgive those who wrong me? Have
I cbatity for those who err ? and |)atienco with those
who (lifter from me ^ This hist is one of the hard
tests. A man who can shout his way through a
revival to the end will sometimes find some diiiiculty

180

FILLED WITH THE SPIUIT,

in being perfectly patient and sweet with sonieone
who ditters with him on some point in theology. A
legfmd represents that a fire-worshipper, more than a
hundred years old, came to Abraham's tent, and he
was kindly received, and food was placed before him,
but ho did not ofter thanks to God before eating.
Then Abraham asked him why he did not give thanks,
and was told that he worshipped fire, and knew no
other God. At this Abraham became angry and drove
him out of his tent into the dreary night. Then an
angel spoke to the patriarch, and asked why he had
so treated his brother. But the good man replied,
" He is not my brother, but an idolater," and that he
could have no fellowship with him because he did not
believe in and worship the true God. Then he was
told that if the Almighty had borne with the poor old
man for more than a hundred years, surely Abraham
might have kept him for one night.

To bear with those who dififer from us, and to help
them, is a pretty severe test of the Christlike spirit,
but the Spirit in His fulness opens the heart until it
truly loves every one.

»*}. As a result of Christlike tempers, if one is filled
with the Spirit he acts like Christ. His religion is
not all shut up within himself. It pours out upon the
world in a mild radiance of good and gentle deeds.
For evil he gives good. For falsehood, truth. For
neglect, kind and helpful remembrance. For reviling,
the kind answer that turns awav wrath. " Love your
enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

181

that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one
cheek offer also the other ; and him that taketh away
thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to
every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh
away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would
that men should do to you, do ye also to them like-
wise. For if ye love them which love you, what
thank have ye ? for sinners also love those that love
them. And if ye do good to them which do good to
you, what thank have ye? for siimers also do even the
same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to
receive, what thank have ye ? for sinners also lend to
sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your
enemies, and do goo-l, and lend, hqping for nothing
again ; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be
the children of the Highest : for He is kind unto the
unthankful and to the evil " (Luke vi. 27-35). He
who follows this teaching gives convincing proof that
he is filled with the Spirit.

4. Perhaps the most distinguishing mark of the
Christian who is full of the Spirit is the fact that all
religious duties are easily performed by him. There
is much half-heartedness in religion work. Morality
has its own rewards even in this world, yet how many
find even the restraints of true morality irksome and
a burden. How ini'.ch church-going has in it no mean-
ing but a fear of being cast out by certain circles of
society, or of the distant possibility of awaking in
eternity to fiml that Christ was true, and the realities

i. -A

182

FILLED WITH THE SPIlllT.

I /I

of the future state very terrible to all not prepare 1 for
them. But some are so far advanced that they value
a pure life for its own sake, and for its effects upon
society, and the peaceful future upon which it opens
an outlook, but yet they have not learned to find a
constant, present delight in doin^r what their judi^ment
approves. A fjre it many Christians are renderijig ser-
vice to God without bt'ing able to enter into it with an
abounding joy. But it is possible to rise into a better
way of living, and it can be reached by opening the
soul fully to the ministry of the Spirit, and by surren-
dering to Christ in a perfect consecration of all to Him
for life and death. When we will accept His free offer,
the Spir't in His fulness will dwell in us, and make
every labor a delight. In the attic of a vast building
u^ed for the purposes of a lunatic asylum, I saw a great
tank wdiich I was told was kept constantly tilled with
water, to be ready in case of an alarm of fire. As I
stood by its side I thought how easily the water would
flow forth to its appointed work. The slightest crease
made in the edge of the tank would be instantly filled
with water making its way outside. I'ore anywhere
a gindet hole, and at once every drop of water in the
great collection would begin to press toward that hole,
and drive other particles through it. The whole mass
of water had but one impulse, an<l that was toward
any place where there was an opening for escape.
Then the thought took hold of m}' mind, how like one
who is trill}'' Hlled with the Spirit! Let any opening
for duty occur in any direction — let an opportunity

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

183

call — and at once tlio whole man is bent towanl it as to
a high privilege. E\'ery thonglit and feeling and
desire are concentrated on that one opening. Whatever
he does is done as if the whole man was movin*^ I
have heard .sermons preached with the proaclur's
mouth. It .seemed that nothing else in him was at
work. The re.^t of his hody, and all his snul, might
have been asleep. Sometimes children study lessons
with their eyes only. The ftfect upon them is much the
.same as the effect upon hearers of sermons preached
with the mouth. Charities are often given with the
liand alone. Errands arc run with the feet. Visits
to the .sick and the |)oor are made with the bodily pre-
.sence ; and funerals are often attended by proxy, and
.sometimes the proxy is only a stately carriage drawn
by tine horses. The n-ligion of many Christians is of
the same character. It is a low type, and is scarcely
worthy the name. It is little better than a dead for-
mality, or a constrained moralit}'. A better type is
within the reach of all. Open the heart and the Spirit
will enter. It is {is easy to receive the Spirit in His
fulness as it is to put water into a bottle. A child
would .say the bottle is empty, and there is nothing to
prevent the water from Howing in ; but any student
knows that the bottle is not empty. It must be
emptied before it can be filled. In pouring water
into it the neck must be held .so that the air may
escape, or not a drop of water can go in. Now,
so is the Spirit's entrance into a human heait. Man
is naturally full of self and the world. Empty liim of

184

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

these and the Spirit will on the instant rush in and
fill up the vacancy. But he will not enter while the
soul is full of worldliness and selfishness. The diffi-
culty with our lives is that we lie too close to this
present world, and esteem too hijijhly the things which
belong to it alone.

If we would once give it up completely, and admit
the Spirit so heartily that He could have His own way
with us in everything, revelations and wonders con-
cerning the new life and its hlessedness would pour
upon us. The lingering love for things which ought
ruthlessly to be torn out of our hearts and cast out of
our lives, and the burden and weariness of formal
duties, wouhl be swallowed up in the high spiritual
interpretation of our earthly life, and the grandeur
of our destiny.

o. Another result is the complete separation from
the world of those who are filled with the Spirit.

This was perhaps the most striking feature in the
life and character of John the Baptist. As to present
comforts, he was below the world's level of luxury and
self-indulgence ; as to personal sacrifice for God and
duty, he was so far above his age that he stood apart
from all men, alone, incomprehensible, an unexplained
mystery even to the best people of his time.

The world is not as bad now as it was then. It
must not be rejected wholly, and without any discrim-
ination. It requires some thought and discernment
now to separate one's self from all in the world which
he ought not to touch, and to accept what may be
harmonized with the purest life.

FILLED WITH THE SPIHIT.

185

There is, for exaniplo, tlie cultuie of the age. This
is not an oti'ence to enniient piety. All true education
is in harmony with God's plans for Innnanity. The
great forces of Christiiinity can work more effectually
with the human race wlien tlie intellect is higlily
developed. Then there is now a spirit of enquiry
which ventures boldly into every Held. That is of
God. It is one of the fruits of oiu' holy religion. The
Almighty has written the great Ijook of nature to be
read as well as the Bible. Investigations which look
into the depths and soar above the towering heights,
which reveal philosophies and write sciences, are as
divine a service as the reading of the Scriptures. Then
there is the intense nu^ntal activity of the age on sub-
jects relating to government. A universal interest in
political (juestions is peculiar to this age. And it is
good. It is an effort toward the bringing of all men to
acknowledge and obey the laws of God. Every im-
provement in the government of nations by men must
bring human laws a little nearer to the Divine laws.

In order, therefore, that one may prove himself
wholly under the influence of the Spirit, he need
not set himself against his age in everything. Many
characteristics of our time arise from the fact that now,
more than at any former period, the world is under
the influence of the Bible and the religion it teaches.
Education and reflnement, and exquisite social life, and
the possession of great wealth by private individuals,
are not necessarily bad because they are characteristic
of the life of this age.
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186

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

i''

Some Christians go to great extremes in trying, as
they say, to set themselves against the world. They
oppose it just for the sake of opposing it. They will
not dress like the people around them, lest they shall
be conformed to the fashions of the world. But in
avoiding the fashions of the present day they follow
what was the fashion of some former time, and any
former age was worse than the present.

At any time the true idea of separation from the
world is to be above the influence of its maxims and
customs. It is not to do anything because it is cus-
tomary. It is to make it a rule to do nothing because it
is the fashion to do it, when we would not do the same
thing if it were not the fashion. In some few trifles
proper exceptions to this rule may be made. To be
separated from the world is, like John the Baptist, to
have our line of conduct clearly marked out before us,
and steadfastly to pursue it, unconstrained by the many
— yea, though all even do differently. Go with the mul-
titude when the multitude is right, but do not go with
the multitude to do evil. Many go with the multitude
because it does evil. They want to do evil themselves,
and they find a sort of sanction for their evil courses
in the company of great numbers. They can do what
they will with the multitude, but they could not do
the same without condemnation if thev were with the
few. Go not with the multitude to do evil.

In anything the fact that one is in the majority is
no proof that he is in the right. Perhaps oftener than
otherwise the minority is right. It has a natural right

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

187

rhat

the

by is
Ihan

ight

to resort to force to secure the just issue of its opinions.
But experience shows this to be unwise. By submit-
ting for the time, and bracing its feet for a great
struggle, it moves forward to ultimate triumph, carry-
ing a majority in its convictions. So that the rule of
a majority is only a convention by which peace is
allowed, on what many regard as a wrong basis, until
they can constrain a majority to accept peace on a
right basis.

Judged upon the high spiritual plane, and by great
moral questions, the majority is generally wrong. It
is only after an intense struggle, engaging the best of
earth with the agency of heaven against all the forces
of evil in earth and hell, that one forward step can be
made in morals, and the truth be recognized by the
sanctions of law.

But in respect of spiritual religion, the many are
low down, as they always have been. They allow and
do things which ought not to be done. The sanction
of no multitude can make them right. The Spirit of
John the Baptist, in separation from the world, is the
only human agency that is constantly uplifting the
blind masses. The few, filled with the Spirit, lift
their voices in constant condemnation of the love of
the world, the bondage to its manners and customs,
the devotion to the pleasures of sense, and the build-
ing high for time alone, all which are characteristic of
this age. Its forms of amusement which, in the name
of recreation, lay upon the strength a tax which dis-
qualifies for labor, or for any useful pursuit, must be

188

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

^';*

opposed by all who yield themselves up fully to the
Spirit's work in the soul.

6. To be filled with the Spirit is to be in a condi-
tion susceptible in the highest degree to His influence
upon the heart in the capacity of a guide. The
slightest touch of sin will be felt and resisted. There
will be constantly a tender sensitiveness which feels
the presence of evil in what may seem to worldly eyes
full only of present good. Thereby many connections
which could prove only ruinous will be avoided, and,
without knowing how or why, the person will walk
unscathed throuijh danjjers in which others will be
swallowed up. He will be constantly under the guid-
ance of the hand of God, and will be so filled with
spiritual aspirations and aims that he will never think
or care whether the Spirit leads him into the posses-
sion of the greatest good for this world or not. He
knows, beyond contiadiction, that he is led by the
Spirit in a path of perfect safety for the next. That
is all-sufficient to his enliofhtened thought.

The great call to the Christian Church to-day is to
enter upon a higher spiritual plane. There is need of
nobler conceptions of the Christian vocation, of a more
perfect consecration to it, and of entering fully into
the spiritual meaning and aims of everything in this
worldly life. May we not each rise up to the exalted
thought, and experience, and living, which bring heaven
into this present life, and translate the passing trifles
of our flying moments into the conversation of the
skies ? that this were the 3'earning, passionate

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

189

desire of every one ! that the language of each
might be an earnest prayer for all the power of Christ
to be felt in him — all the fulness of the Spirit to dwell
in him. Oh, if the hand that was nailed quivering to
the cross may but be laid upon my heart, bleeding in
sorrow for its sin ; if the eye that grew dim looking
into the heavens foi- the Father who came not may
but rest upon me, and single me out amid the multi-
tudes of crowding men, and know me; if the lips that
in deathly pallor spoke the piercing anguish of tlie
wounded spirit, in the words of fearful lamentation,
" My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me ? " will
but speak my humble name, and say of me, " Son, be
of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee;" and if the
blessed Spirit, with fulness of cleansing power, will but
abide in me forever, and fill me with His fulness, and
enlighten me with His light, then even this poor
humanity shall love the Father of all — my Father —
with a passionate devotion which floods cannot drown,
and which shall redeem my soul and flesh from the
degrading curse which has swept my family almost to
perdition, and at times almost driven the memory of
God out of the earth !