Part 75 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 76 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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[5.] Fifthly, Evidence and declare the truth and reality of your holiness—by bewailing and lamenting the loss of holiness. Ah, how is this crown of holiness fallen from our heads! Lam. 5:16. Oh the leanness of souls! Oh the spiritual witherings and decays in grace and holiness, which are to be found among many Christians this day! Some complain of the loss oftrade, and others complain of the loss of estate; some complain of the loss of credit, and others complain of the loss of friends. But what are all these losses to the loss of holiness? And yet how few are there, who complain of the loss of holiness. Holiness is fallen in our hearts, in our families, in our streets, and in our churches; and yet how few are there to be found, who lament the fall of holiness.
O sirs, will you lament such as are fallen from riches to poverty, from honor into disgrace, and from the highest pitch of prosperity to the lowest step of beggary and misery; and will you not lament such who are fallen from the highest round to the lowest round in Jacob's ladder? O sirs, will you mourn over a decayed estate? will you weep over decayed friends?and will you sigh and sob over a decayed body? and will you not much more lament and mourn over decayed souls? etc. Ah, how many have lost that love, that life, that heat, that zeal, that readiness, that forwardness, and that resoluteness that once they had for God and godliness! Rev. 2:4-5.
Some have fallen from their holiness by giving themselves elbow-room to sin against the checks and lashes of conscience, Psalm 51. Others have decayed in holiness by their secret resisting and smothering the gracious motions of the Spirit, Acts 7:51. Some have fallen from holiness, either by their neglect of precious means, or else by their heartless using of the means, 1 Thes. 5:20. Others have fallen from their holiness, either by the allurements and enticements of a tempting world, or else by the frowns and threatenings of a persecuting world, 2 Tim. 4:10. Some have fallen from holiness by their non-exercise of grace. Others have fallen from holiness by not discerning their first decays in grace. Just so, that, upon one account or another, multitudes in these days have fallen from that holiness which was once their glory.
If you look into families, there you shall find masters complaining that their servants are so careless, foolish, frothy, light, slight, slothful, unfaithful, proud, and lofty—that they are not to be trusted. And if you look again into the same families, there you shall find servants complaining that their masters and mistresses are so exceeding froward, peevish, passionate, worldly, neglective of duties, and careless of their souls—that it is even a hell to servants to live with them. Now, how do you account for all these sad complaints—but either a totallack of holiness, or else a very great decay of holiness? And if you look among all other relations, as husbands and wives, parents and children, magistrates and people, ministers and Christians, oh, what sad divisions, what fiery contentions, and what fearful jars are there to be found! oh, what slightings, what revilings, what under-valuings, what heart-risings, what heart-swellings, and what heart-burnings are to be found among them! And what do all these things declare—but that the glory of God has departed from Israel, and that holiness is fallen to a very low ebb?
Ah friends, were there but more holiness among you, there would be more unity among you, and more love among you, and more sweetness and tenderness among you, and moreforbearance and patience among you. Oh, then you would never be snarling one at another, nor biting one of another, nor plotting one against another, nor devouring one of another any more.
Again, if you look among men whose abilities are great, whose gifts are high, whose profession is glorious, and whose expressions and notions are very seraphical, ah, what a little holiness will you find!
O sirs, shall the men of this world vex and fret, shall they weep and wail, and shall their lamentation and mourning be like that of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, 2 Chron. 35:24-25, and that for the loss of a little wealth, or for a punctilio of honor, or a day of pleasure, or the smiles of a prince, etc.? And will not you lament and mourn for the loss of holiness, which is the choicest jewel in a Christian's crown? Tears, instead of gems—were the ornaments of David's bed when he was fallen from his holiness, Ps, 51. And though the Persian kings would have neither mourning, nor mourning apparel worn in their presence—yet the King of kings loves to see his people a-mourning for the falls of holiness, as well as for the heights of wickedness.
When news was brought to Xenophon of his son's death, he took off his crown from his head, and wept. O my brethren, who can hear of the death of holiness, and behold the death of holiness in men's hearts, lives, and families—and not take off his crown, and weep; and not take off his ornaments, and weep until he can weep no more? etc. But,
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