patriarchs and prophets-第95部分

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12。　Satan　well　knows　the　material　with　which　he　has　to　deal　in　the　human
heart。　He　knowsfor　he　has　studied　with　fiendish　intensity　for　thousands　of
yearsthe　points　most　easily　assailed　in　every　character；　and　through
successive　generations　he　has　wrought　to　overthrow　the　strongest　men；
princes　in　Israel；　by　the　same　temptations　that　were　so　successful　at
Baalpeor。　All　along　through　the　ages　there　are　strewn　wrecks　of　character
that　have　been　stranded　upon　the　rocks　of　sensual　indulgence。　As　we　approach
the　close　of　time；　as　the　people　of　God　stand　upon　the　borders　of　the
heavenly　Canaan；　Satan　will；　as　of　old；　redouble　his　efforts　to　prevent　them
from　entering　the　goodly　land。　He　lays　his　snares　for　every　soul。　It　is　not
the　ignorant　and　uncultured

458

merely　that　need　to　be　guarded；　he　will　prepare　his　temptations　for　those　in
the　highest　positions；　in　the　most　holy　office；　if　he　can　lead　them　to
pollute　their　souls；　he　can　through　them　destroy　many。　And　he　employs　the
same　agents　now　as　he　employed　three　thousand　years　ago。　By　worldly
friendships；　by　the　charms　of　beauty；　by　pleasure　seeking；　mirth；　feasting；
or　the　wine　cup；　he　tempts　to　the　violation　of　the　seventh　commandment。

Satan　seduced　Israel　into　licentiousness　before　leading　them　to　idolatry。
Those　who　will　dishonor　God's　image　and　defile　His　temple　in　their　own
persons　will　not　scruple　at　any　dishonor　to　God　that　will　gratify　the　desire
of　their　depraved　hearts。　Sensual　indulgence　weakens　the　mind　and　debases
the　soul。　The　moral　and　intellectual　powers　are　benumbed　and　paralyzed　by
the　gratification　of　the　animal　propensities；　and　it　is　impossible　for　the
slave　of　passion　to　realize　the　sacred　obligation　of　the　law　of　God；　to
appreciate　the　atonement；　or　to　place　a　right　value　upon　the　soul。　Goodness；
purity；　and　truth；　reverence　for　God；　and　love　for　sacred　thingsall　those
holy　affections　and　noble　desires　that　link　men　with　the　heavenly　worldare
consumed　in　the　fires　of　lust。　The　soul　becomes　a　blackened　and　desolate
waste；　the　habitation　of　the　evil　spirits；　and　the　〃cage　of　every　unclean
and　hateful　bird。〃　Beings　formed　in　the　image　of　God　are　dragged　down　to　a
level　with　the　brutes。

It　was　by　associating　with　idolaters　and　joining　in　their　festivities　that
the　Hebrews　were　led　to　transgress　God's　law　and　bring　His　judgments　upon
the　nation。　So　now　it　is　by　leading　the　followers　of　Christ　to　associate
with　the　ungodly　and　unite　in　their　amusements　that　Satan　is　most　successful
in　alluring　them　into　sin。　〃Come　out　from　among　them；　and　be　ye　separate；
saith　the　Lord；　and　touch　not　the　unclean。〃　2　Corinthians　6：17。　God　requires
of　His　people　now　as　great　a　distinction　from　the　world；　in　customs；　habits；
and　principles；　as　He　required　of　Israel　anciently。　If　they　faithfully
follow　the　teachings　of　His　word；　this　distinction　will　exist；　it　cannot　be
otherwise。　The　warnings　given　to　the　Hebrews　against　assimilating　with　the
heathen　were　not　more　direct　or　explicit　than　are　those　forbidding
Christians　to　conform　to　the　spirit　and　customs　of　the　ungodly。　Christ
speaks　to　us；　〃Love　not　the　world；　neither　the　things　that　are　in　the　world。
If　any　man　love　the　world；　the　love　of　the　Father　is　not　in　him。〃　1　John
2：15。　〃The　friendship　of　the

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world　is　enmity　with　God；　whosoever　therefore　will　be　a　friend　of　the　world
is　the　enemy　of　God。〃　James　4：4。　The　followers　of　Christ　are　to　separate
themselves　from　sinners；　choosing　their　society　only　when　there　is
opportunity　to　do　them　good。　We　cannot　be　too　decided　in　shunning　the
company　of　those　who　exert　an　influence　to　draw　us　away　from　God。　While　we
pray；　〃Lead　us　not　into　temptation；〃　we　are　to　shun　temptation；　so　far　as
possible。

It　was　when　the　Israelites　were　in　a　condition　of　outward　ease　and　security
that　they　were　led　into　sin。　They　failed　to　keep　God　ever　before　them；　they
neglected　prayer　and　cherished　a　spirit　of　self…confidence。　Ease　and
self…indulgence　left　the　citadel　of　the　soul　unguarded；　and　debasing
thoughts　found　entrance。　It　was　the　traitors　within　the　walls　that　overthrew
the　strongholds　of　principle　and　betrayed　Israel　into　the　power　of　Satan。　It
is　thus　that　Satan　still　seeks　to　compass　the　ruin　of　the　soul。　A　long
preparatory　process；　unknown　to　the　world；　goes　on　in　the　heart　before　the
Christian　commits　open　sin。　The　mind　does　not　come　down　at　once　from　purity
and　holiness　to　depravity；　corruption；　and　crime。　It　takes　time　to　degrade
those　formed　in　the　image　of　God　to　the　brutal　or　the　satanic。　By　beholding
we　become　changed。　By　the　indulgence　of　impure　thoughts　man　can　so　educate
his　mind　that　sin　which　he　once　loathed　will　become　pleasant　to　him。

Satan　is　using　every　means　to　make　crime　and　debasing　vice　popular。　We
cannot　walk　the　streets　of　our　cities　without　encountering　flaring　notices
of　crime　presented　in　some　novel；　or　to　be　acted　at　some　theater。　The　mind
is　educated　to　familiarity　with　sin。　The　course　pursued　by　the　base　and　vile
is　kept　before　the　people　in　the　periodicals　of　the　day；　and　everything　that
can　excite　passion　is　brought　before　them　in　exciting　stories。　They　hear　and
read　so　much　of　debasing　crime　that　the　once　tender　conscience；　which　would
have　recoiled　with　horror　from　such　scenes；　becomes　hardened；　and　they　dwell
upon　these　things　with　greedy　interest。

Many　of　the　amusements　popular　in　the　world　today；　even　with　those　who　claim
to　be　Christians；　tend　to　the　same　end　as　did　those　of　the　heathen。　There
are　indeed　few　among　them　that　Satan　does　not　turn　to　account　in　destroying
souls。　Through　the　drama　he　has　worked　for　ages　to　excite　passion　and
glorify　vice。　The　opera；　with　its　fascinating　display　and　bewildering

460

music；　the　masquerade；　the　dance；　the　card　table；　Satan　employs　to　break
down　the　barriers　of　principle　and　open　the　door　to　sensual　indulgence。　In
every　gathering　for　pleasure　where　pride　is　fostered　or　appetite　indulged；
where　one　is　led　to　forget　God　and　lose　sight　of　eternal　interests；　there
Satan　is　binding　his　chains　about　the　soul。

〃Keep　thy　heart　with　all　diligence；〃　is　the　counsel　of　the　wise　man；　〃for
out　of　it　are　the　issues　of　life。〃　Proverbs　4：23。　As　man　〃thinketh　in　his
heart；　so　is　he。〃　Proverbs　23：7。　The　heart　must　be　renewed　by　divine　grace；
or　it　will　be　in　vain　to　seek　for　purity　of　life。　He　who　attempts　to　build
up　a　noble；　virtuous　character　independent　of　the　grace　of　Christ　is
building　his　house　upon　the　shifting　sand。　In　the　fierce　storms　of
temptation　it　will　surely　be　overthrown。　David's　prayer　should　be　the
petition　of　every　soul：　〃Create　in　me　a　clean　heart；　O　God；　and　renew　a
right　spirit　within　me。〃　Psalm　51：10。　And　having　become　partakers　of　the
heavenly　gift；　we　are　to　go　on　unto　perfection；　being　〃kept　by　the　power　of
God　through　faith。〃　1　Peter　1：5。

Yet　we　have　a　work　to　do　to　resist　temptation。　Those　who　would　not　fall　a
prey　to　Satan's　devices　must　guard　well　the　avenues　of　the　soul；　they　must
avoid　reading；　seeing；　or　hearing　that　which　will　suggest　impure　thoughts。
The　mind　should　not　be　left　to　wander　at　random　upon　every　subject　that　the
adversary　of　souls　may　suggest。　〃Girding　up　the　loins　of　your　mind；〃　says
the　apostle　Peter；　〃Be　sober；　。　。　。　not　fashioning　yourselves　according　to
your　former　lusts　in　。　。　。　your　ignorance：　but　like　as　He　which　called　you
is　holy；　be　ye　yourselves　also　holy　in　all　manner　of　living。〃　1　Peter
1：13…15；　R。V。　Says　Paul；　〃Whatsoever　things　are　true；　whatsoever　things　are
honest；　whatsoever　things　are　just；　whatsoever　things　are　pure；　whatsoever
things　are　lovely；　whatsoever　things　are　of　good　report；　if　there　be　any
virtue；　and　if　there　be　any　praise；　think　on　these　things。〃　Philippians　4：8。
This　will　require　earnest　prayer　and　unceasing　watchfulness。　We　must　be
aided　by　the　abiding　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　which　will　attract　the
mind　upward；　and　habituate　it　to　dwell　on　pure　and　holy　things。　And　we　must
give　diligent　study　to　the　word　of　God。　〃Wherewithal　shall　a　young　man
cleanse　his　way？　by　taking　heed　thereto　according　to　Thy　word。〃　〃Thy　word；〃
says　the　psalmist；　〃have　I　hid　in　mine　heart；　that　I　might　not　sin　against
Thee。〃　Psalm　119：9；　11。

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Israel's　sin　at　Beth…peor　brought　the　judgments　of　God　upon　the　nation；　and
though　the　same　sins　may　not　now　be　punished　as　speedily；　they　will　as
surely　meet　retribution。　〃If　any　man　defile　the　temple　of　God；　him　shall　God
destroy。〃　1　Corinthians　3：17。　Nature　has　affixed　terrible　penalties　to　these
crimespenalties　which；　sooner　or　later；　will　be　inflicted　upon　every
transgressor。　It　is　these　sins　more　than　any　other　that　have　caused　the
fearful　degeneracy　of　our　race；　and　the　weight　of　disease　and　misery　with
which　the　world　is　cursed。　Men　may　succeed　in　concealing　their　transgression
from　their　fellow　men；　but　they　will　no　less　surely　reap　the　result；　in
suffering；　disease；　imbecility；　or　death。　And　beyond　this　life　stands　the
tribunal　of　the　judgment；　with　its　award　of　eternal　penalties。　〃They　which
do　such　things　shall　not　inherit　the　kingdom　of　God；〃　but　with　Satan　and
evil　angels　shall　have　their　part　in　that　〃lake　of　fire〃　which　〃is　the
second　death。〃　Galatians　5：21；　Revelation　20：14。

〃The　lips　of　a　strange　woman　drop　as　an　honeycomb；　and　her　mouth　is　smoother
than　oil：　but　her　end　is　bitter　as　wormwood；　sharp　as　a　two…edged　sword。〃
Proverbs　5：3；　4。　〃Remove　thy　way　far　from　her；　and　come　not　nigh　the　door　of
her　house：　lest　thou　give　thine　honor　unto　others；　and　thy　years　unto　the
cruel：　lest　strangers　be　filled　with　thy　wealth；　and　thy　labors　be　in　the
house　of　a　stranger；　and　thou　mourn　at　the　last；　when　thy　flesh　and　thy　body
are　consumed。〃　Verses　8…11。　〃Her　house　inclineth　unto　death。〃　〃None　that　go
unto　her　return　again。〃　Proverbs　2：18；　19。　〃Her　guests　are　in　the　depths　of
hell。〃　Proverbs　9：18。





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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　42

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Law　Repeated


The　Lord　announced　to　Moses　that　the　appointed　time　for　the　possession　of
Canaan　was　at　hand；　and　as　the　aged　prophet　stood　up