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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
demand it. The internal work of grace is wanting in their hearts; of
such it is said: “Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
Faith and love are the true riches, the pure gold which the True Wit-
ness counsels the lukewarm to buy. However rich we may be in earthly
treasure, all our wealth will not enable us to buy the precious remedies
that cure the disease of the soul called lukewarmness. Intellect and
earthly riches were powerless to remove the defects of the Laodicean
church, or to remedy their deplorable condition. They were blind, yet
felt that they were well off. The Spirit of God did not illumine their
minds, and they did not perceive their sinfulness; therefore they did
not feel the necessity of help.
To be without the graces of the Spirit of God is sad indeed; but it
is a more terrible condition to be thus destitute of spirituality and of
Christ, and yet try to justify ourselves by telling those who are alarmed
for us that we need not their fears and pity. Fearful is the power of
self-deception on the human mind! What blindness! setting light for
darkness and darkness for light! The True Witness counsels us to
buy of Him gold tried in the fire, white raiment, and eyesalve. The
gold here recommended as having been tried in the fire is faith and
love. It makes the heart rich; for it has been purged until it is pure,
and the more it is tested the more brilliant is its luster. The white
raiment is purity of character, the righteousness of Christ imparted to
the sinner. This is indeed a garment of heavenly texture, that can be
bought only of Christ for a life of willing obedience. The eyesalve is
that wisdom and grace which enables us to discern between the evil
and the good, and to detect sin under any guise. God has given His
church eyes which He requires them to anoint with wisdom, that they
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may see clearly; but many would put out the eyes of the church if they
could; for they would not have their deeds come to the light, lest they
should be reproved. The divine eyesalve will impart clearness to the
understanding. Christ is the depositary of all graces. He says: “Buy of
Me.”
Some may say it is exalting our own merits to expect favor from
God through our good works. True, we cannot buy one victory with
our good works; yet we cannot be victors without them. The purchase
which Christ recommends to us is only complying with the conditions