To know that
the Lord keeps him, and gives him health, would be a cause of
thanksgiving. He is in Thy hands, Thou Preserver of men, save him
fully. For some weeks past, I have been reckoning myself 'dead indeed
unto sin;' but the last few days my children have been very noisy;
I have thus been under the necessity of speaking loud, and sometimes
felt a little hasty in reproving them. This has awakened doubts of the
reality of my experience. Unfold to me, O Lord, Thy truth, for to the
test of Thy word, would I subject my life and practice."
VII.
TEMPLE SERVICE.
"HOLINESS BECOMETH THINE HOUSE, O LORD, FOR EVER."--Ps, xciii. 5.
"Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." The command applied
not only to the priest, who served at the altar, but to the Levite,
to whom the charge of the sacred vessels was especially committed. The
inference is, that the humblest officer in the Church of Christ ought
to possess, above every other, this essential qualification, holiness.
Purity is the secret of the Church's power. Wealth, talent, learning,
honour, are but instruments, which she can use; but this is her life,
because it is the breath of the Spirit of God, giving vitality to her
members, and energy to her action. God can use the "weak things," and
"the foolish," and "things that are despised, yea, and things that are
not;" but he cannot use the things that are unclean, unless it be
for purposes of shame and dishonour. When will the Church learn this
lesson? And when will she adopt the divine standard of judgment, and
estimate men according to their resemblance to Christ? So soon as she
shakes herself from the dust, she shall go forth in the majesty of her
strength, and become the admiration of the earth.
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