1 Th 2'-', .la 1", 1 P l'^) : by the Divine poicer, appearing in Christ (Ac 3'- '«, Ro IG-^, 1 Co 2» 3»,
2 Co 4'), producing in believers in llim the selfsame richness of character as is in Him (Eph l"'-"" S-", Col !"• s», 2 Co 5"-=' 9*, 2 P P) ; and by the Divine love (Ro S-*-^- '^), which is invincible. God's promises are the expression of spiritual laws, the controlling forces of His power, llerein rests their reliable character. Their content furnishes every- thing recpiisite for the fullness of the sanctified life. He who has founded and begun all has also provided all for its comj)lete advance to perfection and accomplishment. In His arrangements there can be no possible room for defect or caprice : there need be no dubiety in the expectation that what is needed for the ripening of the redeemed character is present. As a matter of fact it is present in the Son, communion with whom is the indispens- able condition, as He is the sole ground, of grow- ing personality. Accepting that condition, saints need have no fear ; they are kept by the power of God through that same goodness that made the beginning. The Spirit who redeems will also sanctify (1 Co 1», 2 Co I™- =' 5", Ph 1" 3-' 4', 1 Th 3'"i»5°-», 2 Th !"•" 2", 2 Ti 1'=, 1 P S", 1 Jn 22»).
(2) The pattern of Christ is a second principle of perseverance. The resources and exemplar of the new life are in Him. He is the Prince of Saints * and their Sanctifier (Eph 5'-'"). He is made of God unto them sanctification (1 Co P"). His glory is their standard, contemplation of which is the in- fluence of transformation and renewal (2 Co 3"). The graces of His character, mental and emotional, are reproduced in them by His might (Col P""), and confirmed in them by communion with Him (26t. 313. 16. 17). His fidelity they imitate (He 32. 6. IS. 14) His love constrains them (2 Co 5"), bringing them to all the fullness of God (Eph 3"). In His might they fight the devil (6'°"'*) and stand. In His patience they run the race set before them (He 12'-'). As their Forerunner He has attained the hope of the heavenly inheritance and entered within the veil (G"--"). By the Divine power and symmetry of His godly life they partake of the Divine nature itself (2 P 1^*) in all moral and spiritual excellence (vv.''*). All this is accom- plished by faith in Him.
The important features here are, firstly, the jierfection of Christ's Person, His completeness of character, its self-consistency. It is a living whole, in w hich the facts form, as it were, a co-operative brotherhood, interpervasive each of the others, eacdi lending energy and colour to the whole, and combining in the highest cultivation of the moral and spiritual senses. As character it was made possible by His perfect love of the Father and con- sequent perfect union with Him. The second feature is the steadfastness of His striving, the devotion of Him.self to the will of CJod to the utter- most, the absolute dependence of His heart on the Divine intimations of duty — a devotion and de|iend- ence that rendered Him always acceptable to the Father. It was a constancy never for a moment shadowed by even a thought of disatl'ection, faint- ing, or failure. It was a standing that was also a withstanding, a race that was also a continuous unceasing progress. Tliirdly, we have thejiistifica- Hon of His confidenr.e. Having committed Him- self to the Father, He was by the Father raised again, and exalted to His right hand in power and " ' Principium sanctorum ' (ancient Catholic collect).
188
PEKSEVKKANCE
PERSEVERANCE
glory. Haviiij; iiiven Himself to olieilience, He was )inrilieil ; to sulleiin^. He was perfected. He luul entered into tlie iiilieritniice of life eternal. The prize was won, tlie Koal was reached. The saint, persistent after tlie same manner, will achieve the same success. As Christ rested on God, the Christian rests on Christ, re|)osing on His I'erson, trusting in His companionship), relj'ing on His .Spirit, and so attains the end of his faith.
(3) The life of the ISplrit is a third immediate evidence of perseverance ; for the life of persever- ance is just tlie Spirit in the soul, the life of God, and, that brings with it its own self-witness. It is a life of freedom from sin (Ro 8'-", 2 Co 3"), strength (Ko 8-«), sanctilication (Ko 15", 1 P 1-), new walk (Gal 5'«), spiritual gifts (1 Co 12»-"), spiritual dis- cernment (1 Jii 2-"), spiritual blessings inconceiv- able to the natural understanding (1 Co 2'"""), faith and the moral virtues (1 Co 12\ Gal 5-^"*, 1 P 1. 2), and the love of God (Ro 5°), as well as that repentance which must d;iily testify to its existence in the Christian life (Ac 5"-''-) as necessary, not simply as being preparatory to regeneration but as beluiigiiig to daily renewal. By the Spirit saints are sealed as God's (Ro 8", Eph 1"). He further is the earnest of the ultimate inheritance (Eph l") in the hope of which He keeps the saved life in actual obedience and growth in grace. By the Spirit believers know for certain (oioafiev, 1 Jn 3-'') that God abideth in them. The life of the Spirit is thus one under the compulsion of (a) a lofty ideal, (b) ever-growing spiritual apprehension, (c) moral discrimination, (d) deepen- ing gravity and fecundity of emotional force, (e) larger and more spontaneous obedience. But what are these, if not the essential unmistakable notes of the holy soul ?