17. Does the gift of the Holy Spirit correct our doctrine? 18. Is it right to do anything for the praise of men?

19. Can there be spiritual life without the aid of the Holy Spirit?

20. Is a holy person conscious of an effort, in order to be kept by the power of God?

21. Is human nature removed at pardon, or when sanctified? Says Bro. J. N. Short: "God did not take away the lion; nor did he take away the temper; but he took the devil out of these. . . I find there is just as much spring in me as before, but it is very different, and not of a sinful kind.""

Compare the foregoing statement of Bro. Short's with the following from the Westminster Confession of Faith: "This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and all motives thereof, are truly and properly sin."

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In the Bible we read: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin;" and "whosoever abideth in him sinneth not;""and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."5 These, and many other scriptures, teach very plainly that it is our privilege to abide in Christ, and be free "from all sin."

22. Was there any difference between the innocence of Adam before he sinned, and that of a babe?

23 Was the human nature of Mary, the mother of Jesus, any better than that of any other pure woman?

24. Can a nature, not susceptible of the two contraries-sin and holiness-be susceptible of either?

25. Was Adam holy" when first created?

1 Christian Witness, and Advocate of Holiness, Dec. 6, 1888. 2 Chap. 6, sec. 5, p. 24. I John 1: 7. 41 John 3: 6. I John 3: 24.

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6 Mr. Webster defines holy: "Spiritually whole or sound; of unimpaired innocence and virtue; free from sinful affections; pure in heart; godly; pious; irreproachable; guiltless; acceptable to God."

26. Can one be a saint and a sinner at the same time? 27. What is the difference between justification and sanctification?

28. What is meant by the "gift of the Holy Ghost"?' 29. How know when we are "filled with the Spirit"? 30. Why seek to be "filled with the Spirit"?

31. When is one perfect?

32. Does the seventh chapter of Romans describe a Christian experience?

33. How tell whether bad thoughts come from within or from without?

34. How does the devil put bad thoughts into our minds? 35. Does growth and culture change character?

36. What produces love for God?

37. How soon after pardon may the gift of the Spirit be received?

38. When do we love God with all the heart?

39. How keep the thoughts pure?

40. How does God answer prayer?

41. Is there any merit in works?

42. How can our love for God be increased?

43. What is the difference between righteousness and holiness?

Dr. Geo. H. Steele answers: "Righteousness is conformity to the divine law of God;" and "holiness is conformity to the divine nature of God." 3

44. Can an unholy person be "filled with the Spirit"? 45. Will unholy people be saved? *

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46. Do we partake of the divine nature in this life?

47. Does the gift of the Spirit add any new fruits not received

at pardon?

48. Does a resolution add any new strength?

49. What is the medium of communication with God? 50. How does Christ strengthen us?

1 Acts 2: 38. 2 Eph. 5: 18. 3 Antinomianism, pp. 148, 149.

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4 Heb.

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51. Are there any who do not have any unholy thoughts presented?

52. Is it right to joke?

53. How obtain a complete victory over self?

54. Can we love God and be conformed to this world? 55. Will any be saved who have not heard the gospel of Christ?

56. What shall we do to be "filled with the Spirit"?

$28.

ANSWERS TO HOLINESS QUESTIONS.

All questions beginning with "are," " is," "can," "does," and was," should be answered by the word "No," excepting Nos. 4, 9, 10 and 25. Answers to Nos. 4, 9, 10 and 25, "Yes." No. I, By the power of the Holy Spirit, producing in the heart love, joy and peace. No. 2, When first pardoned. No. 5, Yes. No. 6, Because of the conscious fact that we have made a full surrender to the Lord. No. 8, Yes. No. 13, Continuous growth of all the Christian attributes. No. 14, Because the good fruit is produced by the Spirit of God, and the bad fruit by the spirit of the devil, as the result of yielding to his power. No. 27, Justification, or pardon, cannot go beyond the present; and sanctification cannot go backwards into the past. No. 28, Being "filled" with the Spirit, or "baptized" by the Spirit, or "sealed' by the Spirit, or "the blessing of sanctification." No. 29, All the fruits of the Spirit, received at pardon, are intensified, so that the person then loves God with all the heart, and possesses "perfect love."" No. 30, Because we can do much more and better work for the Lord, and also have much greater love and peace. No. 33, If they come from within, out of an impure heart, they may be treated with complaisance; but if from without, from the devil, the pure-hearted person will feel an abhorrence at their approach. No. 34, By his Spirit. No. 36, The Spirit of God. No. 37, As soon as the person makes a full and unconditional surrender to the Lord, with a firm purpose to obey

11 John 4: 18. 2 Rom. 55.

him continually forever. No. 38, When we are filled with his Spirit. No. 39, By resisting immediately all impure thoughts, and at the same time looking to Jesus in silent prayer, saying, "Jesus, keep my thoughts; Jesus, keep my thoughts; Jesus, keep my thoughts,” till the bad thought is extinguished. I have found no other way of success; and this one has never failed. No. 40, By his Holy Spirit in our hearts, and by his providence. No. 42, By having in our hearts more of His Spirit. No. 45, No. No. 46, Yes.' No. 49, The Holy Spirit. No. 50, By his Spirit. No. 52, No.2 No. 53, By being filled with the Holy Spirit. No. 55, Yes. No. 56, Make an unconditional surrender to the Lord; trust all in his hands, and practice constant obedience.

12 Pet. 1: 4. 2Eph. 5:4.

CHAPTER III.

§ 29. RULES OF INTERPRETATION AND TESTS OF TRUTH.

Before the meaning of a passage of Scripture is fully settled, the following questions should be asked:

I. What saith the lexicon and grammar about the Scripture? 2. Does the historical aspect demand any modification? 3. Is it in harmony with the laws of rhetoric, logic, the facts of science, and common sense?

4. What meaning best agrees with the context and the general teaching of the Bible?

5. Is the passage an important part of the Scripture?

6. Is it superceded by any later revelation?

7. Is it of local and temporary import; or general in its application?

8. Is the interpretation confirmed by the general agreement of all the plain Scripture relating to this subject?

Jeremy Taylor says: "In all the interpretations of Scripture, the literal sense is to be presumed and chosen unless there be evident cause to the contrary."

Said Martin Luther: "6 That which I have so often insisted on elsewhere, I here once more repeat, viz: that the Christian should direct his first efforts towards understanding the literal sense of Scripture, which alone is the substance of faith and of Christian theology. . . . The allegorical sense is commonly uncertain and by no means safe to build our faith upon; for it usually depends on human opinion and conjecture only, on which if any man lean, he will find it no better than the Egyptian reed. Therefore, Origen, Jerome, and similar of the fathers are to be avoided with the whole of that Alexandrian school which, ac