Consider  Avhat  the  Thessalonians  must  have  felt  in  their
perplexity.  Would  that  we  had  a  teacher  such  as  St.  Paul,
ever  at  hand  to  tell  us  what  is  truth — to  distinguish  be-
tween fanaticism  and  genuine  enthusiasm — between  Avild
false  teaching  and  truth  rejected  by  the  many.  "Here,"
mio-ht  they  have  said,  "  Avere  Ave  bcAvildered.  Hoav  shall
Ave  hereafter  avoid  similar  bcAvilderments  Avithout  an  infalli-


68o  The  Sinlessitess  of  ChiHst,

ble  guide  ?"  Instead  of  whicli  St.  Paul  says,  "  The  Lord  di-
rect your  hearts  into  the  love  of  God,  and  into  the  patient
waiting  for  Christ."

God  has  so  decreed,  that  except  in  childhood,  our  depend-
ence must  be  on  our  own  souls.  "  The  way  of  truth  is  slow,
hard,  winding,  often  turning  on  itself"  Good  and  evil  grow
up  in  the  field  of  the  world  almost  inseparably.  The  scan-
ning of  error  is  necessary  to  the  comprehension  and  belief  of
truth.  Therefore  it  must  be  done  solitarily.  Nay,  such  an
infallible  guide  could  not  be  given  to  us  without  danger.
Such  a  one  ever  near  would  prove  not  a  guide  to  us,  but  a
hindrance  to  the  use  of  our  own  eyes  and  souls.  Reverence
for  such  a  guide  would  soon  degenerate  into  slavishness,  pas-
siveness,  and  prostration  of  mind.
Hence,  St.  Paul  throws  us  upon  God.
IX.
THE  SINLESSNESS  OF  CPIPJST.
"Wliosoever  committeth  sin  transgresseth  also  the  laAV :  for  sin  is  the
transgression  of  the  law.  And  ye  know  that  he  Avas  manifested  to  take
away  our  sins ;  and  in  him  is  no  sin." — 1  John  iii.  4,  5.
