But the anxious reader, whose whole soul breathes after holiness, may eagerly inquire, What, then, are we to do, if it be true that we are thus surrounded, on all hands, with defiling influences, and if we are so prone to contract that defilement? Furthermore, if it is impossible to have fellowship with God with unclean hands and a condemning conscience, what are we to do? First of all, then, we should say, be watchful; wait much and earnestly on God. He is faithful and gracious—a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God—a liberal and an unupbraiding Giver. “He giveth _more_ grace.” This is positively a blank check, which faith can fill up to any amount. Is it the real purpose of your soul to get on—to advance in the divine life—to grow in personal holiness? Then beware how you continue, for a single hour, in contact with what soils your hands and wounds your conscience, grieves the Holy Ghost and mars your communion. Be decided: be whole-hearted. Give up at once the unclean thing, whatever it be,—habit, or association, or any thing else. Cost what it may, give it up; entail what loss it may, abandon it. No worldly gain, no earthly advantage, could compensate for the loss of a pure conscience, an uncondemning heart, and the light of your Father’s countenance. Are you not convinced of this? If so, seek grace to carry out your conviction.
But it may be further asked, What is to be done when defilement is actually contracted? How is the defilement to be removed? Hear the reply in the figurative language of Number xix.—“And for an unclean person, they shall take of the _ashes_ of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.”
The reader will remark that in the twelfth and eighteenth verses there is a double action set forth. There is the action of the third day and the action of the seventh day. Both were essentially necessary to remove the ceremonial defilement caused by contact with the varied forms of death above specified. Now, what did this double action typify? what is it that, in our spiritual history, answers thereto? We believe it to be this: When we, through lack of watchfulness and spiritual energy, touch the unclean thing and get defiled, we may be ignorant of it, but God knows all about it. He cares for us, and is looking after us; not, blessed be His name, as an angry judge, or stern censor, but as a loving Father, who will never impute any thing to us, because it was all, long ago, imputed to the One who died in our stead. But though He will never impute it to us, He will make us feel it deeply and keenly. He will be a faithful reprover of the unclean thing; and He can reprove all the more powerfully simply because He will never reckon it against us. The Holy Spirit brings our sin to remembrance, and this causes unutterable anguish of heart. This anguish may continue for some time; it may be moments, days, months, or years. We once met with a young Christian who was rendered miserable for three years by having gone with some worldly friends on an excursion. This convicting operation of the Holy Ghost we believe to be shadowed forth by the action of the third day. He first brings our sin to remembrance; and then He graciously brings to our remembrance, and applies to our souls, through the written Word, the value of the death of Christ as that which has already met the defilement which we so easily contract. This answers to the action of the seventh day—removes the defilement and restores our communion.