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and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what
is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all
the fullness of God.”
Young preachers should avoid discussions, for they do not increase
spirituality or humbleness of mind. In some cases it may be necessary
to meet a proud boaster against the truth of God in open debate; but
generally these discussions, either oral or written, result in more harm
than good. After a discussion the greater responsibility rests upon
the minister to keep up the interest. He should beware of the reaction
which is liable to take place after a religious excitement, and not yield
to discouragement himself.
Men who will not admit the claims of God’s law, which are so very
plain, will generally take a lawless course; for they have so long taken
sides with the great rebel in warring against the law of God, which
is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth, that they
are trained in this labor. In their warfare they will not open their eyes
or consciences to light. They close their eyes, lest they shall become
enlightened. Their case is as hopeless as was that of the Jews who
would not see the light which Christ brought to them. The wonderful
evidences which He gave them of His Messiahship in the miracles
that He performed, in healing the sick, raising the dead, and doing the
works which no other man had done or could do, instead of melting
and subduing their hearts, and overcoming their wicked prejudices,
inspired them with satanic hatred and fury such as Satan possessed
when he was thrust out of heaven. The greater light and evidence they
had, the greater was their hatred. They were determined to extinguish
the light by putting Christ to death.
The haters of God’s law, which is the foundation of His government
in heaven and earth, occupy the same ground as did the unbelieving
Jews. Their defiant power will follow those who keep the command-
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ments of God, and any amount of light will be rejected by them. Their
consciences have so long been violated, and their hearts have grown
so hard by their choosing darkness rather than light, that they feel that
it is a virtue in them, in order to gain their object, to bear false witness
or stoop to almost any course of equivocation or deception, as did the
Jews in their rejection of Christ. They reason that the end justifies