Believe me, nothing spoils a man's happiness so much as sin in the
heart, and nothing helps in human happiness so much as a holy,
sanctified condition. You see the supreme advantage when you remember
the open fellowship possible to the fully sanctified; the perfect peace
in which God keeps the man whose mind is stayed on Him; the perfect
love which casteth out fear, and the joy unspeakable and full of glory
realized by one filled with the Holy Ghost.
On the other hand, how much unhappiness and disappointment is caused by
the remains of sin in the heart! Look, for instance, at ill-tempers and
their effect. You may have found a certain amount of gratification in
letting your temper display itself; you have 'spoken your mind', and so
forth, and, perhaps, caused pain to somebody in so doing; but you know
how unhappy and humiliated you have been upon reflection.
Take also the case of the envious man. We all know that it is wrong to
be envious; but who is the chief sufferer? Why, the envious man
himself. So with grumbling and discontent: it is very unpleasant for
those around; but how unhappy are the grumblers themselves! Similarly
with pride; it may be very self-satisfying, until one sees somebody
better, or something which cuts one out; then comes disappointment. And
so I might go on with other illustrations, but I have said enough to
show what I mean.
Now look at these motives which I have named; they all appeal to you in
regard to Holiness. It is the will of God concerning you. It is
desirable and necessary to give your religion power with those around
you. It is also to your own happiness and interest to get your nature
sanctified and your own heart and mind and life brought into harmony
with God. To those whose experience includes the enjoyment of the
blessing, I say let these motives influence you in maintaining the
conditions. And to those who have not got the blessing, let these
motives constrain you to seek the blessing without delay.
_Lord, my will I here present Thee
Gladly, now no longer mine;
Let no evil thing prevent me
Blending it with Thine.
Lord, my life I lay before Thee,
Hear this hour the sacred vow!
All Thine own I now restore Thee,
Thine for ever now._
XI
Judged by Fruit
'_A good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit.
For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they
grapes._' (Luke vi. 43, 44.)
Jesus Christ, in the few sentences quoted, indicates the true secret or
principle of holy living. They show that holy living works from the
heart of things--beginning within--to the outside.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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