Untitled article by Eld. C. O. Taylor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 12, 1867

THE COUNSEL OF THE TRUE WITNESS.

By Eld. C. O. Taylor

BY ELD. C. O. TAYLOR.

TEXT. “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Rev. iii, 18.

There are a few thoughts and considerations to which I wish to call attention respecting the counsel to the last church. The importance of this counsel cannot be too highly considered. The results reach far into the future, covering all eternity. It is my buying and coming into possession of the things offered, that will make me rich, clothe, and give me eyesight. If I do not know what to buy, am I not as one beating the air, if I run at all? If I do not run, do I not get behind? If I put forth effort, should it not be in the right direction? If I am willing to buy, in every sense of the word, should I not know what to buy?

In answering the question, What does the gold represent? and in coming to our conclusions on this important subject, the following points are to be considered, namely:

We are to look at gold in all its qualities; then we are to find a Christian grace that will equal or excel it in all its qualities. If there is such a grace, and we can find it, then we have found the gold, and may buy. We apply this rule to the white raiment. We find that righteousness, wrought out for us in and by Jesus Christ, fits in all its parts. It covers our filthy rags; or by giving them away we get something better. So with the eyesalve. The Holy Ghost applies in all its particulars. It gives wisdom and sight. We should apply the same rule to the gold, and find a grace that will resemble it in as many points as possible. I have never seen but one grace that to my mind answered the purpose, and that is love. I wish to speak. I can do so only in this direction, and will, with love toward all that may differ from me.

In the examination of this point we ask, What is gold? 1. Refined gold, such as the text refers to, is one mineral. It is not a mixture of gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay, like Nebuchadnezzar’s image. This being the case, it does not represent graces, plural. I see some propriety in saying that the white raiment stands for graces, plural, for a garment is composed of different articles. The same with the eyesalve. It may be composed of different ingredients. Not so with refined gold. Therefore I do not understand how it can represent more graces than one. It would spoil the figure to make it do otherwise, and throw confusion into the principles of interpretation. The counsel to buy gold is nothing more than the general teachings of Christ and his apostles, if it represents the leading Christian graces, plural. If it is one grace, as gold is one mineral, and we can learn which that one is, then we shall know what to buy. In this respect, love fitly represents it. Love is one pure grace, independent of all others.

2. Gold is very ancient. Gen. ii, 11. The same can be said of love. It existed far back in the long ages of the past, dwelling in the bosom of the Father in the gift of his Son to die for our lost race.

3. Gold is the standard of coins, and of all commerce. So with love; it is the standard of action, it is the fulfilling of the law.

4. Gold is current in all countries, and at all times. The same with love. It takes with the high and low, rich and poor, even with one’s enemy. It is genuine in all climes and among all nations. It tames even the red man of the forest, causing him never to forget acts of love shown him.

5. Gold is very durable. It is written of love that it endureth forever.

6. Gold does not rust, canker, or decay, or at least, as little as any metal. The same, and more, can be said of love. It endures all time, all changes, all seasons. The more of trial, affliction, and persecution it gets, the brighter it shines, the more it increases. Many waters cannot quench it, neither can the flood drown it. Cant. viii, 7.

7. Gold is power. It is said of love that it is strong as death. Cant. viii, 6.

8. Gold is wealth. With it a man can prosper, can be outwardly happy. Love will produce the same result. God’s great hand of blessings is extended to those that love him. It reads that the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. Prov. xiii, 22.

9. Gold is the best metal for gilding. It is written that love covereth all sins. Prov. x, 12.

10. Gold is order and perfection. One having it can have things to his taste, or liking. He can have everything orderly and in good shape. The same of love; it is the bond of perfectness. Col. iii, 14.

We could enlarge on all of the above cases. I only propose throwing out the leading idea, or state the case, or put up the frame, and let others finish the building.

II. In the further consideration of this question, I ask, What will gold do? and answer,

1. It will surround me with just such society as I wish. Love will do the same. With this principle in his heart, the child of God draws round him the good and the holy, and even the angels, just such society as he wants.

2. Gold will bring me the pleasures of earth. Love will also, and has brought me the joys of Heaven.

3. Gold will get me honor. With the love of God in one’s heart, he is raised to high esteem; he is exalted to a high rank or place.

4. Gold will win me fame. Love will do the same; it will bring my name to great and favorable report. It will place it on a record never to be blotted out so long as that love endures.

5. Gold will supply all the wants of this life. Love gives me the promise of all good in this and the life to come. The Lord hath all things. No good will be withheld from those that love him.

6. Gold will save life; will save men from death in this world. Cases often occur where their money saves men from the gallows. So love and mercy step forth, and, looking over Heaven’s high towers, pity our fallen race, and offer life to all. It is love that has said that man shall be redeemed. Love says, Live, for why will ye die?

7. Gold has a gathering influence. It brings much together. The same with love. It runs together, brings into one, makes one the people of God. It is the crowning, completing grace.

8. Gold brings into favor and notice. So love makes men abound in favor and notice, one toward another and toward all men. 1 Thess. iii, 12.

The above are some of the reasons why I think that the gold represents love. There are so many points of resemblance, where love will do for me in heavenly, what gold will do for me in earthly things. I still have other reasons than the above.

But stop! says my good brother, what is it about faith? I am inclined to that view. Well, in love, I say, I am not, and here are still other reasons why I believe the gold represents love and not faith.

1. Faith is not the first and leading grace; for this reason it is not represented by gold, the first and leading mineral.

2. Faith is an inherent principle. What we are called to buy, by nature we do not possess. Another has it for sale; we must buy of him. If we had it, there would be no need of buying. We think strange of a certain class that are seeking immortality, and at the same time professing to have it. So in this case. If by nature we have immortality, why seek for it? If by nature we have that represented by the gold, why buy it?

In endeavoring to establish this point, that faith is ours, and love is God’s, I call your attention to the definition of faith. Please examine Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary. It is clear that all men have faith. It is possible for them to believe. One may be placed where he cannot believe for the want of evidence. Thus A. may not believe B., for he is not a man of truth. He can and does believe C., for he has never known him to utter a falsehood. He has the same power to believe B. In theology faith is to be exercised in another direction. Not toward, or in what man has said, but toward, and in what God has said. In this department, faith is differently defined, yet all centering in the one platform, the word of God. This is the kind referred to when it is said, Some shall depart from the faith, or, All men have not faith; or, The prayer of faith shall save the sick; and many other like expressions. All men have not this kind of faith. Still, if they would exercise the faith they use in everyday life, in matters of business, in what they hear and see, toward God, in his Word, it would be their salvation. We have the same power to believe God, that we have man. The difficulty in the former case is, we do not see the evidence. The reason we do not is that we do not look up; we do not inform ourselves; we do not take pains to know what God has said. Even when we are informed, faith may lie dormant. There is such a thing as a dead faith. The apostle in Gal. v, 6, tells us what will give it life; what will work it out. None of the seven churches are charged with a lack of faith, while some had departed from love.

3. I call attention to the Bible expressions of faith in connection with man. It is often said, “The faith;” “Thy faith;” “Your faith;” “Jesus seeing their faith;” “Thy faith hath made thee whole;” “Thy faith hath saved thee;” “Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men;” “I send to know your faith;” “The trial of your faith,” &c. By these and many other texts we learn that faith belongs to man. They have it already in possession. On the other hand, love is spoken of as follows: “His [God’s] love, ‘love of God,’” and the like expressions, teaching us that love is of the Lord. “Keep yourselves in the love of God;” “Direct your hearts into the love of God.”

4. The true and faithful Witness has not faith for sale. Faith is not a plant of Heaven. It belongs to man on probation. It is of the earth. It has its foundation in love. Love has paved the way for it to be exercised. It has laid the track, and faith may run. God has exercised love toward man. Man may now exercise faith in God. The two combined is salvation to the church; love on the part of God, faith on the part of man. This makes it possible for man to be saved. Man is required to love his Maker, his Redeemer. How can he do it? I answer, in the language of the Amen, Buy it. Not having this principle by nature, man has not love for God, his truth, his ways. Therefore the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. 1 Cor. ii, 14. By nature he is brutish. 2 Pet. ii, 12. This principle he must buy of those having it for sale. The Amen has it, offers to sell, asks the church to buy. The heirship of those rich in faith, turns on their loving the promise. It is said, the kingdom is promised to those that love him. Please read James ii, 5.

With faith to remove mountains, a man may be nothing. This harmonizes with Rom. iv, where Paul is speaking of the heirship of Abraham. It was Abraham’s righteousness that made him an heir of the kingdom. And while the Jew said that it came through the law, Paul contended that it came through faith. Verse 9: “For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.” Verse 13: “For the promise that he should be heir of the world, was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” The law did not bring righteousness, but faith did. Verse 22: “And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Thus we see the benefit of the white raiment. It makes us children of God. “And if children, then heirs, . . . and joint-heirs with Christ.” Chap. viii, 17.

Then we have in Matt. xxiv, 12, almost a positive testimony that the gold is love. The same person is speaking; he has reference to the same time and people. On account of great wickedness, love grows cold, is dying out. How very timely the counsel to buy this grace of all graces.