KenH
Well-Known Member
- The term "practical holiness" I do not understand. One half of the pompous phrases that now creep into pulpits will not bear the balance of common sense. Holiness can neither be fetched from the law of Moses, nor from a carnal heart; nor is it a thing to be put in practice by freewill, or an arm of flesh. There is none supremely holy but One; that is, God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Christ is the Holy One of His people; and they who are purged from sin by His blood, sanctified by His Spirit, in covenant, in favour, and in spiritual union, with Him, are complete in Him, their Head; who is made of God unto them righteousness and sanctification. Such are new creatures, created in righteousness and true holiness; and it is God, and none else, who humbles them, and sanctifies them. "He chastens us for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness." Such persons are holy people; they walk in union with Christ, as the only way; and under the influence of the Spirit as they live; they receive a supply of the Spirit of Christ as they stand in need, live in the fear of God, walk humbly with Him, and labour, to keep a conscience void of offence toward Him. All who are destitute of this, and strangers to it, have no more real holiness than Satan himself; it is only an outward show, which the scriptures call washing the platter, whiting the wall or painting the sepulcher.
The law obeyed and disarmed of its curse, is in the heart of the Mediator, who is Judge of quick and dead, and therefore keeps the keys of hell and of death. The believer is under the law of faith to Christ; and they that are His have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts; such are delivered from the law; and against such there is no law; and sin is not imputed where there is no law. I do insist upon it that if a believer be brought to the law of Moses, to be under it in any other sense, sin stares him in the face, wrath works in his heart, his enmity is stirred up, bondage seizes him, and dependency or despair will sink him, unless the law of the Spirit of life make him free from the law of sin and death.
