for Thy great mercies ." " We have sinned , we have done wickedly ." He declares : " I was speaking , and praying , and confessing my sin and the sin of my people ." And when at a later time the Son of God appeared , to give him instruction , Daniel says : " My comeliness was turned in me into corruption , and I retained no strength ." Daniel 9:18 , 15,20 ; 10:8 .
When Job heard the voice of the Lord out of the whirlwind , he exclaimed : " I abhor myself , and repent in dust and ashes ." Job 42:6 . It was when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord , and heard the cherubim crying , " Holy , holy , holy , is the Lord of hosts ," that he cried out , " Woe is me ! for I am undone ." Isaiah 6:3 , 5 . Paul , after he was caught up into the third heaven and heard things which it was not possible for a man to utter , speaks of himself as " less than the least of all saints ." 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 , margin ; Ephesians 3:8 . It was the beloved John , who leaned on Jesus ' breast and beheld His glory , that fell as one dead before the feet of the angel . Revelation 1:17 . There can be no self-exaltation , no boastful claim to freedom from sin , on the part of those who walk in the shadow of Calvary ' s cross . They feel that it was their sin which caused the agony that broke the heart of the Son of God , and this thought will lead them to self-abasement . Those who live nearest to Jesus discern most clearly the frailty and sinfulness of humanity , and their only hope is in the merit of a crucified and risen Saviour .
The sanctification now gaining prominence in the religious world carries with it a spirit of self-exaltation and a disregard for the law of God that mark it as foreign to the religion of the Bible . Its advocates teach that sanctification is an instantaneous work , by which , through faith alone , they attain to perfect holiness . " Only believe ," say they , " and the blessing is yours ." No further effort on the part of the receiver is supposed to be required . At the same time they deny the authority of the law of God , urging that they are released from obligation to keep the commandments . But is it possible for men to be holy , in accord with the will and character of God , without coming into harmony with the principles which are an expression of His nature and will , and which show what is well pleasing to Him ?
The desire for an easy religion that requires no striving , no self-denial , no divorce from the follies of the world , has made the doctrine of faith , and faith only , a popular doctrine ; but what saith the word of God ? Says the apostle James : " What doth it profit , my brethren , though a man say he hath faith , and have not works ? can faith save him ? . . . Wilt thou know , O vain man , that faith without works is dead ? Was not Abraham our father justified by works , when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar ? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works , and by works was faith made perfect ? . . . Ye see then how that by works a man is justified , and not by faith only ." James 2:14- 24 .
The testimony of the word of God is against this ensnaring doctrine of faith without works . It is not faith that claims the favour of Heaven without complying with the conditions upon which
299