"Holiness, without which and more profitable to your preachers, the Jews in

no man shall see the Lord." - sou!. It is a solemn thing to Ezekiel's time had that: nor
Heb.1.2:14. hear C;od saying, "Without keeping company with godly
Reader- I offer you this
holiness no man shall see the people, Joab, and C;ehazi, and
passage of Scripture as a
Lord." Heb. 1.2:14. Demas had that. Yet none of
subject for self-inquiry; and I
I shall endeavour, by C;od's
these were holy. These things
invite you to think over the
help, to set before you what
alone are not holiness. A man
question before your eyes,
true holiness is, the reasons
may have anyone of them,
. "Are you holy!"
why it is so needful, and the
and yet never see the Lord .
It is il question that can
way in which alone it can be What then is true holiness!
never be out of season. The
attained. The Lord grant you It is a hard question to
wise man tells us, 'There is a
may see and feel the answer. I do not mean that I
time to weep, and a time to importance of the subject, and find a want of matter on the
laugh, a time to keep subject. But I fear lest I
silence, and a time to should give a defective
speak/' (Eccles. 3:4,7.) view of holiness, and not
but there is no time, no, say all that ought to be
not a day, in which a said; or lest I should
man ought not to be
speak things about it that
holy. Reader, are you!
ought not to be spoken,
It is a question that
and so do harm. Suffer
concerns all ranks and lay down this paper, when
me, however, to say a few
conditions of men. Some are you have read it, wiser and
words that may help to clear
rich, and some are poor, some
better men.
your mind. Remember only,
learned, and some unlearned,
I. First then, let me try to
when I have said all, that my
some masters, and some
show you what true holiness
account is but a poor imperfect
servants; but there is no rank
is, and what sort of persons
outline at the best.
or condition in life in which a
man ought not to be holy.
are those whom C;od calls
Holiness is the habit of
Reader, are you!
holy!
being of one mind with C;od,
I ask to be heard today
A man may go great
according as we find his mind
about this question. How
lengths, and yet never reach
described in Scripture. It is the
habit of agreeing in C;od's
stands the account between
true holiness. It is not
your souls and C;od! Stay a
knowledge, Balaam had that:
judgment, hating what he
hates, loving what he loves,
little, I beseech you, while I
nor great profession, Judas
reason with you about
Iscariot had that: nor doing
and measuring everything in
holiness. I believe I might
many things, Herod had that:
this world by the standard of
have chosen a subject more
nor zeal for certain matters in
his word. He who most
popular and pleasant. I am
religion, Jehu had that: nor
entirely agrees with C;od, he
sure I might have found one morality and outward
is the most holy man.
more easy to handle. But I feel respectability of conduct, the A holy man will
deeply I could not have young ruler had that: nor endeavour to shun every
chosen one more important taking pleasure in hearing known sin, and keep every
October, 1996 t THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t 21
known commandment. He
will have a decided bent of
mind. towards Ood, 'a hearty
desire to do his will, a greClter
fear of displeasing him than of
displeasing the world,anda
love to. all his ways. He will
feel what PClulfelt when he .
said, "I delight in the law of
Ood after the inward man,"
and what
felt when he said, "I esteem
all thy precepts
concerning all things to
be right, and I hate every
way." Psalm
119:128.
A holy man \:ViII strive
to l1e like our LordJesus
Christ; . to have the mind
that was in him, and to be
conformed to his image. It
will be his aim to bear with
and forgive others, even as
Christ forgave us; to be
unselfish, even as Christ
pleased not himself, to walk
in love, even as Christ loved
us; tbbelowly-minded and
I;!umblt, tven as Christ made
himself of no reputation and
humbled himself; He will
remember thafChrist was a
faithful witTless fot the truth,
that he came not to do his
own will, that it was his nieat
arid drink to do his Father's
will, that he would stoop to
any work in otderto minister '
to others; that he was meek
and patientundeT;undeserved
insults., that he thought more.
of godly poor men than:of
kings, that hewas full.of love
and compassion to sinnl;!rs,
that he was bold and
uncompromising in
denouncing sin, that he
sought not the praise of men,
when he might have had it;
. that hI;! Went about doing
good, that he was separate
. from people, thilt he
continued instant in prayer, .
that he woi.M not let eyen his
nearest relations stand in his
way when Ood's work was to
be done. These thIngs a holy
man williry to remember. By
them he will endeavour to
shoW his course in life. He
win lay to heart the saying of .
John, that saith he
abideth In Christ ought
himself also so to walk, even .
as he walked;" (I John 2:6)
and the saying of Peter, that
"Christ suffered fOfus,
us an ye should
follow his steps." I Peter 2:21.
Much time would be sayed;
and. much. sin prevented; if
men would oftener ask
themselves the question, ,
"What would Christ say and
do, if he were in my placid"
But time would fail me if I
were to mention all the things
22 * Tall COUNSl'L ()f Chalcedon * Oct()ber,1996
which go to milke up hoMess
of \%lTacter. Still I must .ask .'
you to bear with mewhile I
name a few things which, '
come uppermost in .my .
thoughts, The darYs we live. in
make me anxious that there
shouldl1eno mistake' uppn
this subject. How (;an we
know whether we are holy,
unless we have a clear View
of what holiness inl '
.J\. holYmaU will ..
follow after meekness,
long-suffering, gentleness, .
kind temper, government .
of his tongue, He will
. bear much, forl1earmuch,
overlook much, and be,
. slow to talk of standing on
his rights. ):'\ll,l.see
example of thiS benayioVT of '.
David when Shimei cursed
him, and of Moses when
Aaron and spake
against him.
A holy manwiU follow ,
after temperance and self-
denial. He will labour to;
mortify the desires of his bodW .
to crucify his Aesh with its
affections and lusts; to. curb his
passions, to r,e*aiTl.his' cam!,.!
inclinations, lest at any time .
they.break IO(jse.,
word is thafof the Lord Jesus ,
to the apostles, to
yourselyes, .lest at any time
your hearts be overcharged
with sllrreitij1g, ilnd
drunkenness" a)1d cares of tliis
life;"(Lu1<e 21;34)and that qf
theapostlePaul,/'I]seepl,lnder
my body and bring it into spiritual wants and misery after the fear of (jod. 1 do not
subjection, lest that by any around him as far as he can. mean the fear of a slave, who
means when 1 have preached Such was Dorcas, full of good only works because he is
to others, 1 myself should be
works and almsdeeds, which afraid of punishment, and
cast-away." 1 Cor. 9:'17.
she did; not merely purposed would be idle if he did not
A holy man will follow
and talked about, but did. dread discovery. 1 mean rather
after charity and brotherly-
Such an one was Paul, "I will the fear of a child, who
kindness. He will endeavour
very gladly spend and be wishes to live and move as if
to observe the golden rule, of
spent for you," he says he was always before his
doing as he would have men
"though the more abundantly father's face, because he loves
do to him, and speaking as he
1 love you the less 1 be loved." him. What a noble example
would have men speak to
II Cor. 16:1'1,15. Nehemiah gives us of this!
A holy man will follow
When he became governor at
him. He will be full of
affection towards his brethren,
after purity of heart. He will
Jerusalem he might have been
their bodies, their property,
dread all filthiness and
chargeable to the Jews, and
uncleanness of spirit, and seek
required of them money for
their characters, their
his support. The former
feelings, their souls. "He
governors had done so.
that loveth another," says
There was none to blame
Paul, "hath fulfilled the
him if he did. But he says,
law." Rom. 13:8. He will
abhor all lying, slandering,
"So did not L because of
the fear of (jod." Nehem.
backbiting, cheating,
dishonesty, and unfair
5:15
dealing, even in the least
to avoid all things that might
A holy man will follow
things. The shekel and cubit
draw him into it. He knows
after humility. He will desire
of the sanctuary were larger
his own heart is like tinder,
in lowliness of mind to esteem
than those in common use.
and will diligently keep clear
all others better than himself.
Alas! what condemning
of the sparks of temptation.
He will see more evil in his
Who shall dare to talk
own heart than in any other in
words are the 13th chapter of
1 Corinthians, and the
strength, when David can
the world. He will understand
faUl There is many a hint to
something of Abraham's
Sermon on the Mount, when
laid alongside the conduct of
be gleaned from the
feeling, when he says, "I am
ceremonial law. Vnder it the
dust and ashes;" and Jacob's
many professing Christians!
man who only touched a
when he says, "I am less than
A holy man will follow bone, or a dead body, or a
the least of all thy mercies;"
after a spirit of mercy and grave, or a diseased person,
and Job's when he says, "I am
benevolence towards others.
became at once unclean in the
vile;" and Paul's when he says,
He will not stand all the day
sight of (jod. And these
"I am the chief of sinners."
idle. He will not be content
things were emblems and
Holy Bradford, that faithful
with doihg no harm, he will
figures. Few Christians are
martyr of Christ, would
try to do good. He will strive
ever too watchful and too
sometimes finish his letters
to be useful in his day and
particular about this point.
with these words, "A most
generation, and to lessen the A holy man will follow
miserable sinner, John
October, 1996 t THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t 23
Bradford." Ciood old Mr.
Cirimshawe's last words,
when he lay on his death-
bed, were these, "Here goes
an unprofitable servant."
A holy man will follow
after faithfulness in aU the
duties and relations in life. He
will try, not merely to fill his
place as well as others, but
even better, because he has
higher motives and more help
than they. Those words of
Paul should never be
forgotten, "Whatever ye do,
do it heartily as unto the
Lord." "Not slothful in
business, fervent in spirit,
serving the lord." Holy
persons should aim at doing
everything well, and should
be ashamed of allOwing
themselves to do anything ill,
if they can help it. Like
Daniel, they should seek to
give no occasion against
themselves, except as
concerning the law of their
Ciod. They should strive to be
good husbands, and good
wives, good parents, good
children; good masters, and
good servants; good
neighbours, good friends, and
good subjects. Holiness is
worth little indeed, if it does
not bear this kind of fruit. The
Lord Jesus puts a searching
question to his people, when
he says, 'What do ye more
than others!"
Last, but not least, a holy
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man will follow after spiritual value everything, and place,
mindedness. He will and company, just in
endeavour to set his affections proportion as it draws him
entirely on things above, and nearer to Ciod. He will enter
to hold things on earth with a into something of David's
very loose hand. He will not feeling, when he says, "My
neglect the business of the life soul followeth hard after
that now is, but the first place thee." 'Thou art my portion."
in his mind and thoughts will Psalm 63:8 - 119:57.
be given to the life to come. Such is the outline of
He will aim to live like one holiness, which I set before
whose treasure is in heaven, you; such is the character
and topass through this world. which those who are called
like a stranger and pilgrim holy follow after. (TO BE
traveling to his home. To CONTINUED)
commune with Ciod in prayer,
in the Bible, and in the
assembly of his people, these
things will be the holy man's
chiefest enjoyments. He will
24 'i THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 'i October, 1996