'Come out and be ye separate.' The very meaning of our Christian
profession is separation. There is ludicrous inconsistency in saying
that we are Christians and not being pilgrims. Of course, the
separation is not to be worked out by mere external asceticism or
withdrawal from the world. That has been so thoroughly preached and
practised of late years that we much need the other side to be put.
There should be some plain difference between the life of Christians
and that of men whose portion is in this life. They should differ in
the aspect under which all outward things are regarded.
To a Christian they are to be means to an end, and ever to be felt to
be evanescent. They should differ in the motive for action, which
should, for a Christian, ever be the love of God. They should differ in
that a Christian abstains from much which non-Christians feel free to
do, and often has to say, 'So did not I, because of the fear of the
Lord.' He who marches light marches quickly and marches far; to bring
the treasures of Egypt along with us, is apt to retard our steps.