Safeguarding the New Experience
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Shall Christ be favored and glorified in seeing His own sympathy and
love pouring forth in streams of goodness and truth from His human
agents? In implanting His gospel in the heart, He is pouring out the
resources of heaven for the blessing of the world. “We are labourers
together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building” (
1
Corinthians 3:9
).
What has the rich blessing of God done for those who were humble
and contrite in heart to receive it? Has the blessing been cherished?
Have the receivers been showing forth the praises of Him who has
called them out of darkness into His marvelous light? There are some
who are already questioning the work that was so good, and that
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should have been most highly appreciated. They are looking upon it
as a certain species of fanaticism.
Be Exceedingly Careful
It would be surprising if there were not some, who, not being well-
balanced in mind, have spoken and acted indiscreetly; for whenever
and wherever the Lord works in giving a genuine blessing, a counterfeit
is also revealed, in order to make of none effect the true work of God.
Therefore we need to be exceedingly careful, and walk humbly before
God, that we may have spiritual eyesalve that we may distinguish the
working of the Holy Spirit of God from the working of that spirit that
would bring in wild license and fanaticism. “By their fruits ye shall
know them” (
Matthew 7:20
). Those who are really beholding Christ
will be changed into His image, even by the Spirit of the Lord, and
will grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus.
The Holy Spirit of God will inspire men with love and purity; and
refinement will be manifest in their characters.
But because some have misappropriated the rich blessing of
heaven, shall others deny that Jesus, the Saviour of the world, has
passed through our churches, and that to bless? Let not doubt and
unbelief question this; for in so doing, you are treading on dangerous
ground. God has given the Holy Spirit to those who have opened the
door of their hearts to receive the heavenly gift. But let them not yield
to the temptation afterward to believe that they have been deceived.
Let them not say, “Because I feel darkness, and am oppressed with
doubt, and never saw Satan’s power so manifest as now, therefore I