THE SPIRIT OF A SOUND MIND.
By R. F. Cottrell
IN 2 Tim. 1:7 the apostle says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind." The effect of receiving and obeying the truth of the gospel is to give courage, instead of fear; to impart power, or energy, in the place of weakness and listlessness; love instead of hatred, and soundness of mind in the place of insanity. Each of these points is interesting; but the last is that of which I speak as a remarkable doctrine. God gives to those who believe and obey him the spirit of a sound mind; therefore those who do not obey the gospel are not of a sound mind. They are insane. This accounts for the fact that when a man accepts of the truth of God, the multitude call him crazy. But the truth is he has come to himself—to a right way of thinking; while those who esteem him insane are themselves not of a sound mind. One who can look upon the wondrous works of God in nature, and say, "There is no God," is insane. "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." "The undevout astronomer is mad." Every sound mind, contemplating the magnitude, the beauty, and harmony of the universe, must conclude that there is a Creator, of infinite wisdom and power. And it is reasonable to believe that he who created man, giving him intelligence and the power of speech by which to convey his thoughts to others, has himself spoken to man, giving to him a revelation concerning his origin and destiny, and instructing him in the course which he should choose. The Bible contains such a revelation: one which commends itself to every sane mind. To reject it is evidence of insanity. But God gives the believer the spirit of a sound mind. It is perfectly in accordance with reason to suppose that the Creator of man, as an intelligent and moral agent, should give him a rule of moral action, a moral law. The ten commandments are a rule of moral action which commends itself to every discerning mind. There is scarcely a man who would not be ashamed to object to one of the principles contained in them. Every sound mind will admit that they are "holy, and just, and good." And it is also reasonable to suppose that He whose wisdom projected the plan of this vast universe, and established and maintains its perfect order, would give a moral law which would never need to be revised.248His law should be perfect; and that which is perfect cannot be improved; it cannot be changed and still be perfect. God gave just such a law to man in ancient time. Said God, by David, "The law of the Lord is perfect." Ps. 19:7 To say that the great and all-wise God gave to man with his own voice, a rule of right to guide him in his duties toward God and man, writing it with his own finger in tables of stone; and that he has since abolished or changed that law, is a sure indication of an unsound mind. "Sin is the transgression of the law," while gospel offers pardon to guilty man. What can be a greater sin than to teach, as some have taught, that the whole law "is dead, and don't deserve a gravestone?" This is insanity of the most hopeless kind. It is of this class that Jesus said, "Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:19. To obey the gospel is to obey the law; for the first requirement of the gospel is to repent of sin, which is the transgression of the law. Jesus said, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments," referring to the ten commandments, and quoting a part of them. To say that those which he quoted are still binding, is sound; but to say that the others are abolished, is a sure evidence of insanity. A willingness to obey God in all his commandments and ordinances, is the best evidence of soundness of mind. A disposition to evade one of his requirements betrays insanity. No man can argue for the abolition or change of one principle of the ten commandments, without contradicting himself, thus proving his unsoundness of mind. But to those who obey the gospel, forsaking every sin and turning to obedience of the divine law, God gives the inestimable gift of the spirit of a sound mind. Their thoughts, being in harmony with a whole and perfect revelation, are in harmony with themselves. Let us yield ourselves to obey God in everything, evading no part of his revealed will, and, as a consequence, enjoy the spirit of a sound mind.
R. F. COTTRELL.