THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Holy Ghost, and before all the gift of knowledge by which He enlightens thee and shows thee i by that light thy goal. Thereupon He gives thee -the gift of wis dom, by which thou learnest to love thy j goal, and perceivest how much thou needest love. Christ then says to man: Remain in My love, leave the things of this world, follow Me to heaven. And because it is needful for thee to know that this world amounts to nothing, He gives thee expe rience that it may say to thee that thou must soon leave this world in which noth ing lasts. Through many difficulties and doubts, man must get so far and know what to do ; therefore thou hast the gift of coun sel. Hold fast to this counsel, and follow Christ, who will give thee not the treasures of this world, but eternal glory and undy ing happiness: What wilt thou do,,0 child of man? Leave this world, enter the ser vice of Christ. He is waiting for thee, and will reward thy service, for He is a bountiful rewarder. Let everyone then hasten to serve Him. But hecause each one is bound to care for the .salvation of his brother, and to lead him to Christ, therefore the Lord gives thee the gift of love, by which thou Shouldst warn thy brother, thy neighbor, thy friend, thy wife, every one, apd with all thy strength and zeal shouldst lead them to Christ. But in this world man must go through joy and sorrow. To oppose the joys of earth, Christ gives thee fear, that thou mightest always be careful lest thou shouldst fall, and not let thy joyous days separate thee from the grace of Christ: to oppose unhap piness, He gives thee strength to resist. WHAT DO YE WANT? O children of men; will ye not follow Christ who has gone up on high and has departed to prepare a place for you in glory ? Thou comest not into the service of the Lord, because thou art not able to believe these words. If thou didst but believe thou wouldst stand no longer indif ferent. Thou art unbelieving, thou art unthankful, and the Lord will punish thy unbelief even as on the morning Of His
die, and rise again, from the dead; until after a life full of love he raised Him self above the world of sense into His eternity. But so long as our Redeemer lived with -His apostles they loved too much that which they saw of Him, because they were bound down to their senses, and were therefore unable to rise to the knowledge of His Spirit. It was necessary that He should disappear in the heavens that He might lift their souls far above the world of sense up to Himself. Their natural powers could not do this; therefore He gave to His elect a light from above. Ascending on high He led captivity captive, for ascending into the heavens He took with Him the prey which the devil had made of the soul of men ever since the fall of our parents. The Lord has given gifts unto men (Ephesians 4:8), inasmuch as He has imparted to them the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, Now they leave every thing of this world, and rise above by fol lowing Christ, who gives to them for a light the light of faith. Let us speak this morning of this faith which leads to the Saviour. THE LIGHT O F FAITH “Awake thou that sleepest and Christ shall give thee light.” Be not held captive by flesh and sense, which hold thee fast in sleep; rise to Christ, He will give thee light. See, His flesh is above. What do ye say to that, ye. wise men of this world? Everything that has weight tends down ward, but. His flesh is on high above all heavens. This time your laws have been set at nought. But see what hope Almighty God,rouses in u s : if our Head has gone above, we, His members, will follow Him. In that we hope; of that we preach; on that we live. Know, O man, that if thou wilt thou canst go to Paradise, for thither has thy Saviour Christ gone; but know this also, that not by thine own nature, not by means of silver and gold, not by thy vir tue, wilt thou reach that place. He has given gifts unto men, and through these thou mayest reach Paradise, if thou only wilt. He has given thee the gifts of His
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