because, if by means of it we lose somewhat in point of distinctness, that loss will be more than supplied by the light which they will mutually reflect on each other, and the force that will be derived from a com- bination of them all.
The Apostle here states the Christian's duties, I. In general —
[We must " abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good." The strength of these expressions deserves particular attention. Had we been told to avoid what was evil, and to practise what was good, it would have been suf- ficient for the regulation of our outward conduct. But religion is to engage the heart ; and is to rectify, not merely our acts, but our habits, our dispositions, our taste3-. Sin must be hateful to us : and not gross sin only, but all sin without exception. It is not merely to be formidable to us on account of its penal consequences, but hateful on account of its odious qualities. As " God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity," so are we to be of purer hearts than to regard it with any other feeling than that of utter " abhorrence." God calls it " that abominable thing which his soul hateth :" and in precisely the same light should we view it. The circumstance of its being- common, or fashionable, or profitable, or pleasant, should make no difference in our feelings towards it ; nor should we be at all more reconciled to it, because the world choose to call it venial. Every deviation from God's holy law, every opposition to his revealed will, we should consider as debasing, defiling, damning ; and every temptation to depart so much as an hair's breadth from the perfect line of rectitude, we should resist even unto blood : " We should resist unto blood, striving against sinb."
In like manner, awd to a like extent, we must " cleave unto that which is good," or, as the word imports, be glued unto itc. The effect of glue is to unite things together with such a degree of tenacity, that they cannot afterwards be separated. Now in this way should our souls, when once brought into contact with good, adhere to it, and form with it an indissoluble union. Whether it be good principles or good practice that we are called to embrace, we must never afterwards let them go : " We must buy the truth and sell it not." Whatever force be used to separate us from the thing which is really good, we must be firm and unmoved. If, like the Hebrew Youths, we be menaced with a fiery furnace, we must be steadfast to our
Rom, viii. 5. tbpovovmv. b Heb. xii. 4.
XKojuevoi, aggluminati. Bcza.
a
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