Holiness and the Pilgrim Life
By JOS. CLARKE.
You will never conquer sin until you loathe it; and you will never loathe it until you see the beauty of purity and holiness in the character and word of God. This must be done by cultivating an acquaintance with God; and this can be done only by persistently striving, in a scriptural way, for continued nearness to him; therefore recollect do not turn things upside down by trying to be holy, so that he will receive you; but rather seek to him for help to sanctify you, that you may be holy; only strive daily for a close walk with God, which of itself will wean you from the world, the flesh and the devil. Strangers and pilgrims here! Who is one? Where are they who are only strangers and pilgrims? “Let us invest,” say the pilgrims, “in such estate as will be contiguous to our destined home,” Pilgrims and strangers do not buy up village sites and sections of land on their journey; pilgrims and strangers do not buy up the inns they stop at, and the stores where they get their supplies, but buy what they want, rest occasionally, and press on. One week before the flood, skepticism and immorality was at its hight of daring. So now the unbelief in the coming Advent increases as the time approaches, and never will be less until it is so near that remedy will be out of the question. Error is like the clown, constantly changing his dress, and attitudes, and style of address. Truth needs no such shortlived advantages, nor does she seek them. Were the consequences of error harmless, truth would simply smile at error, as he continually hastens from one disguise to another. The patient man does not say, “It is the last feather which breaks the camel’s back;” that is one of the maxims of the wicked man. The language of the patient man is, “The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the name of Lord.” A rapid growth does not indicate longevity. The oak increases slowly, but it does not stand still. We may hope, if we are growing in grace; but if we are not making progress in holiness, we have no cause for hope. There are no new truths, but there are new modes of expressing them. History is but a development of prophecy. The Druids, in their day, were as popular as the Cardinals, of ours. Truth only is unchangeable. Patience is necessary on many occasions. Never is more needed, than with children; a place where, I am sorry to say, it is least practiced. The best and noblest trees are generally the longest in coming to maturity, so the strongest and best characters must have time in which to be developed. When the soul is stirred by the Spirit of God, the treasures and honors of earth seem light and valueless, except as they are subservient to God and his cause. Jealous, envious people are not always sensible that they are in very great danger of being of that class who fear not to speak evil of dignities. As a sight of a poor-house incites to economy, so the fear of punishment (a healthy fear) stimulates to virtue. Humility is unpleasant only to the proud; and pride is unpleasant only to the humble. A proud man may hate pride, as the tiger sprang at his image in the mirror, not knowing it was himself. Purity of heart clears the intellect. Sensuality paralyzes the brain.