The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 136

accordance with his own practice. He speaks of himselr and his colleagues-" by the manifeetation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. iv. 2). Contrast the Koran with the New Testament. Moham- med dogmatizes; St. Paul reaHons. We cannot shelter ourselves in error under the JEgia of high authority. St. Paul abandoned with contempt the errors which he culti- vated while he sat at the feet of Gamaliel. U ia our duty as well as our right to have independent personal convictions. II. THE BJ£QUIBEMENT OJ' INQUIRY IS VlITVBBB..U.. "All things." We must take nothing for granted. Some of the surest convictions of one age are absolutely repudiated by another age. This statement becomes softened in practice by the ease and uncon- ~ciousness with which many things may be proved to WI. We have not to carry on 3laborate, original inquiries to establish every point of our belief. There are beliefs which are best proved without any such inquiry. But all must be proved. The reason is twofold. 1. Many specious delusions threaten to d«ei11e ua. There have been false prophets flattering the people with smooth words since the days of Jeremiah's oppo- nents. Truth and error are mixed. Forged coins closely resemble good sovereign& Care must be taken to sift the chaff from the wheat. 2. Truth is most valuable to u, when w. have tested and proved it for ourselvea. Then we understand it most clearly, believe it most heartily, and value it most highly. The few islands of truth for which a man has laboured and fought through seas of difficulty are more precioWI to him than vast continents of truth which he inherits at second hand. III. TBE llETBOD OF INQUIRY MUST BE EXPEBillENTAL. This is implied by t.he word " prove," which means test, and is used of the assaying of precious metals. High a priori, argument is a dangerous guide. The more tedious and less pretentious methods of observation and experiment are safer. To this method Christ referred when, speaking of the various teachers who should arise, he said, '' By their fruits ye shall know them." Thie does not mean that we are to taste the fruits, i.e. to adopt every system in order to discover its merits. We can observe its working in others. There- fore the first requisite in regard to any new teaching is patience. Give it time to reveal itself by its fruits, and do not pass a hasty judgment upon it. If you do not wait for the harvest, you may oot out wheat with tares. Next, careful inquiry is to be made; ideas and their fruits are to be tested. But two cautions should be bome in mind. 1. The experience and testimony of other people ia evidene& We may not accept what any say simply on the authority of th.iir official position. We who do uot believe in the Pope of Rome would be very foolish if we adopted a little private pope of our own creation. But the authority of k.Ilowledge, experience, and ability is weight in evidence. 2. We mud not assume lhae nothing ia lrue but what we CGA prove. To do this is to dethrone the pope only to set up our own infallibility. IV. TJlE END 01" INQtJIBT IS TO DISOOVEB 4ND TO HOLD TO WIUT 18 GOOD, It is not reasonable, nor happy, nor healthy to live in a permanent condition of unsettled conviction. It is useless to inquire at all if our inquiry is not to lead us to 10me decisive issue. When we have arrived at a truth, we ueed not repeat the process of seeking for it over and over again. Having proved certain thing& to be good, we may rest satisfied with the result-always preserving an open mind for new light, for it is a great mistake to confound an open mind with an empty mind. 1. The result of inquiry should be to diacowr what ill good. The good is more important than the oeautiful, the pleasant, the convenient, the striking, and the novel 2. When the good is discovered it should be held firml,y, Then the seeker after light is to become the guardian a.ad champion oftruth.-W. F. A. Ver, 23.-0omplete ,anctiflcation. ID concluding his Epistle, and finishing his list of practical exhortationa, St. Paul sums up his desires for the welfare of hie radera by one comprehensive prayer for their complete sanctification. • I. CoNSIDBB THE NATURE OJ' SJ.NO'l'lFIOATION. The sa.notification of a man make,; a sanctuary of him. It consecrates him to the service and for the presence of God. It includes two things, the second of which is essential to the first. 1. Dedication. The sanctified man is dedicated to God. He yields himself up to the will of Gud. He is ready for any use to which God may put him. H~ live,; to glorify Gud. 2. Purijication. We have C°"'8 to regard this as esiientiallv i.b.e same as sanctification.  136 THE FlH~T EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIAi'lS. [oa. v. 1-28.