ve been the undoing of the
whole effort. Nevertheless, the diligent reader will, I think, find
underlying these practical counsels certain valuable principles. In
particular, he will find implied, when not actually expressed, an
important distinction between the work of God in the justifying and
purifying of the soul, and the work of man in walking in obedience to
the laws of God. It is that obedience I am thinking of when I say that
Christianity is a demand for righteousness. It is that obedience we
mean when we talk of Holiness--in its practical aspects.

One of the dangers to which all deeply spiritual teaching is open, is a
kind of antinomianism--a species of religious bargaining between the
soul and God; and that is a thing which is, of course, totally alien to
His will, and completely ruinous to true progress. The process of such
thought is something like this: 'Christ has performed for me a work of
infinite love and merit. If I confess and deplore evil, I may claim
pardon for it and purifying from its guilt by faith in the Divine
Sacrifice made for me. That will ease my burdened soul and free me from
apprehension as to future peril--peril which would otherwise have
proved very real. As to temptation to further evil, I must watch
against it; but if by chance or evil impulse, or even wilful choice, I
fall into it, let me not be too deeply concerned. I can easily obtain
again what I have obtained before.'

Now, that is not only a false position, but it involves an extremely
dangerous error--an error which in practice is ultimately destructive
of real faith. Salvation--indeed, all spiritual experience, is entered
into by faith, of course; but it can only be maintained by hearty,
determined obedience on our part. Christ has died for us, but He has
not obeyed for us. The 'new heart' is by faith in Him--but the new life
can only be lived by watchful and often painful obedience to the law of
love. 'I counsel thee to buy of Me', saith He that walketh in the midst
of the seven golden candlesticks, 'white raiment that thou mayest be
clothed'; and 'Blessed', He says also, 'is he that watcheth, and
_keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked_'. Paul prayed for the saints
of his day 'that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith'; but he
prayed also that they 'might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
_being fruitful in every good work_, strengthened _with all might_
unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness'.