Part 11 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 12 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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11. Eleventhly, True holiness is conformable to the holiness of Christ. The holiness of Christ is that first and noble pattern which real holiness makes us conformable to: 1 John 4:17, "As he is—so are we in this world." There is no grace in Christ—which is not in some degree formed in a holy heart. "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." 1 John 2:6. And therefore the work of grace and holiness is called a forming of Christ in the soul, Gal. 4:19. Holy hearts have the very prints, stamps, and impressions of the graces of Jesus Christ upon them: John 1:16, "Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness." Look! as face answers to face, so the graces which are in real Christians correspond to the graces which are in Jesus; there is such love as corresponds to the love of Christ, and such lowliness as corresponds to the lowliness of Christ, and such heavenly-mindedness as corresponds to the heavenly-mindedness of Christ, and such meekness as corresponds to the meekness of Christ, and such patience as corresponds to the patience of Christ, and such faith as corresponds to the faith of Christ, and such zeal as corresponds to the zeal of Christ, and such fear as corresponds to the fear of Christ—in truth and reality, though not in degree and quantity.
Look! as in generation the child receives member for member; or as the paper receives from the press, letter for letter; or the mirror receives from the face, image for image; or as the wax receives from the seal, stamp for stamp—just so, holy hearts receive from Christ grace for grace. Look! as wine in the bottle is conformable to that in the butt, and as water in the cistern is conformable to that in the river, and as light in the air is conformable to that in the sun, and as milk in the saucer is conformable to milk in the breasts, and as money in the pocket is conformable to money in the bag—so the graces which are in a holy Christian, are conformable to the graces which are in Christ, 2 Cor. 3:17-18. To be a holy person is to know a holy Christ, to be in love with a holy Christ, and to imitate the virtues of a holy Christ.
It was the height of Caesar's glory to walk in the steps of Alexander; and of Selymus, a Turkish emperor, to walk in the steps of Caesar; and of Themistocles to walk in the steps of Miltiades—just so, it is the height of a Christian's glory to tread in the virtuous steps of his dearest Lord. A holy heart counts it a great encouragement to him—to somewhat walk in the steps of that holy pattern which Christ has set him. Look! as the holy prophet did lay his mouth to the Shunammite's child's mouth, and his eyes to his eyes, and his hands to his hands, 2 Kings 4:34—just so, a holy Christian lays his mouth to the mouth of Christ, and his eyes to the eyes of Christ, and his hands to the hands of Christ, and his breasts to the breasts of Christ, and his heart to the heart of Christ: that is, he does in all things labor to resemble Christ, to be like to Christ; especially in those holy virtues which were most shining in the heart and life of Christ, 1 Pet. 2:9.
Now certainly they are far from being holy who count it a crime to be virtuous; and so are they who walk directly contrary to Jesus Christ. He was holy—but they are profane; he was humble—but they are proud; he was heavenly—but they are earthly; he was spiritual—but they are carnal; he was zealous—but they are lukewarm; he was meek—but they are contentious; he was charitable—but they are covetous; he was courteous—but they are malicious. Will you call these men holy? Surely not! But,