Conformity to the World
131
G. W., note to second edition.
] and other needless articles to decorate
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the body, while Jesus the King of glory, who gave His life to redeem
us, wore a crown of thorns. This was the way our Master’s sacred
head was decorated. He was “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief.” “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for
our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with
His stripes we are healed.” Yet the very ones that profess to be washed
by the blood of Jesus, spilled for them, can dress up and decorate
their poor, mortal bodies, and dare profess to be followers of the holy,
self-denying, humble Pattern. Oh, that all could see this as God sees
it and showed it to me! It seemed too much for me to bear, to feel
the anguish of soul that I felt as I beheld it. Said the angel: “God’s
people are peculiar; such He is purifying unto Himself.” I saw that
the outside appearance is an index to the heart. When the exterior is
hung with ribbons, collars, and needless things, it plainly shows that
the love for all this is in the heart; unless such persons are cleansed
from their corruption, they can never see God, for only the pure in
heart will see Him.
I saw that the ax must be laid at the root of the tree. Such pride
should not be suffered in the church. It is these things that separate God
from His people, that shut the ark away from them. Israel have been
asleep to the pride, and fashion, and conformity to the world, in the
very midst of them. They advance every month in pride, covetousness,
selfishness, and love of the world. When their hearts are affected by
the truth, it will cause a death to the world, and they will lay aside
the ribbons, laces, and collars; and, if they are dead, the laugh, the
jeer, and scorn of unbelievers will not move them. They will feel an
anxious desire to be separate from the world, like their Master. They
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will not imitate its pride, fashions, or customs. The noble object will
be ever before them, to glorify God and gain the immortal inheritance.
This prospect will swallow up all beside of an earthly nature. God will
have a people separate and distinct from the world. And as soon as
any have a desire to imitate the fashions of the world, that they do not
immediately subdue, just so soon God ceases to acknowledge them as
His children. They are the children of the world and of darkness. They
lust for the leeks and onions of Egypt, that is, desire to be as much like
the world as possible; by so doing, those that profess to have put on
Christ virtually put Him off, and show that they are strangers to grace