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366 CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AND ITS COUNTERFEI...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Cause Which Is Represented Hy This M...
5 < The flesh lusteth against the spirit , and the spirit _against tlie triump flesh the things ; h these of that the are contrary ye irit would over -the . the " one flesh Liberty to . the , The therefore other flesh , so represents , that consists ye-cannot the in , ten the do
-To dency set to this indul tendency ge sp mere free appetite , is to and enslave self-will the , sp to controlled irit live . for If self the -p The sp leasing irit is ;
s to ciousness be free , of the this flesh strugg must le be is expressed got under by and St . Paul in his . Epistle con to - the Romanswhere he ¦ " I find then a lawthat when I would
, says , , after do good the , evil inward is present man : with but me I . see For another I delig law ht in in the my law members of God _,., .
warring against the law of my mind , and bringing ine into captivity to the law of sin which is in members . "
If this be a description which nay applies with any degree of truth to human nature in generalit is clear that the attainment of Christian /
to lib be erty achieve is not d merel throug y h a painful setting , strugg loose of les the and inward victories impulses . That . which It
isis often the history of a free nation is a picture of what must take place in the Individual ; A nation may have it to toil with , and the endure Israelites , and
fl of ght old before so it it is can with attain the Italians its freedom of to . -day So . was The Promised Land is _, entered , through a wilderness ; Flesh pots and ease are often ort .
the side of slavery rather than of freedom . There may be much weariness in climbing , before the light and glory of the _highex _*
reg blessings ion are and to be _j _^ enj ivileges oyed . of The his Chri calling stian , will who have would to appropri conquer ate those the !
jpowers which would forbid him to be a son of God and make fellowshi Is this p a Impossible disappointing between view his ? sp When irit and we the think Spirit of of freedom God . da
, we more willingly imagine a state which exempts us from struggles , and promises some kind of inert , spontaneous ; life ? If Mt soy
let us not deceive ourselves . However _miich we might desire > . the freedom to which we are called is not that of ease and self-: indul . It is the freedom of purityand strength and knowledge ,
and is gence not to be won without gaining , victories over , the flesh . And therefore the Christian _coiirse is never represented by those wha
know it best and speak of it most truthfully , as a course strewn * _, with with the roses blood and of deli the ghts faithful ; rather who is have it rough b and efore hard us , even We stained are not
to be ' tempted to the real endeavour after gone true Christian . freedom , by ? ictures of scenes and loyments attractive to the natural man .-
p I say again , let us not emp deceive ourselves , lest the discovery of the truth should leave us worse than we were beforeless able and
lessinclined to gird ourselves in the strength of God , to the necessary > conflict .
But , at the same time , let us give its due honour to the glorious [ _Drivilege of that freedom which Christ has won for us . Let us *
3 onsider whether it is not wo ? _'t 7 i striving for , whether we shall not
366 Christian Liberty And Its Counterfei...
366 CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AND ITS _COUNTERFEIT .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Feb. 2, 1863, page 366, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_02021863/page/6/
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