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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
ribbons, collars, and needless things, it plainly shows that all this is
in the heart, and unless that such persons are cleansed from their sins,
they can never see God, for the pure in heart alone will see him.
I saw that the axe 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 shuts the ark away from them. Israel has
been asleep to the pride, and fashions, and conformity to the world, in
their very midst. They advance every month in pride, covetousness,
selfishness, and love of the world. When the truth affects the heart, it
will cause a death to the world, and the ribbons, laces, and collars will
be laid aside, and if 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 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 besides of an earthly nature. God will have a separate
and distinct people from the world. And if any have a desire to imitate
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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 darkness. They want to be as much like the
world as possible, and those that profess to have put on Christ, by thus
doing put him off, and show that they are strangers to grace, strangers
to the meek and lowly Jesus. If they had acquainted themselves with
him, they would walk worthy of him.
I saw the companions of the messengers. Some of them are no help
to their husbands, yet they profess the third angel’s message. They
think more of studying their own wishes and pleasure than the will
of God, or how they can hold up the hands of their husbands by their
faithful prayers and careful walk. I saw that some of them take such
a willful, selfish course, that Satan makes them his instruments, and
works through them to destroy the usefulness and influence of their
husbands. They feel at liberty to complain and murmur if they are
brought through any straight places. They forget the sufferings of
the ancient Christians for the truth’s sake, and think they must have
their wishes and their way, and follow their own will. They forget
the sufferings of Jesus their Master. They forget the man of sorrows,
that was acquainted with grief, he who had not where to lay his head.
They do not care to remember that holy brow, pierced with a crown