Sermon I
Amiable Professors Falling Short of
Heaven
by Thomas Boston
EDITED BY THE
REV. SAMUEL M'MILLAN
ABERDEEN: GEORGE AND ROBERT KING, ST. NICHOLAS STREET
M.DCCC.XLVIII.
AMIABLE PROFESSORS
FALLING SHORT OF HEAVEN
SERMON I
Then Jesus beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest. - MARK 10:21
WHEN Satan had taken man prisoner, he put him in chains, Isaiah 61:1. Chains of several links, even divers lusts and pleasures. With these he attempts to hold them, till he get them in chains of darkness in hell. Jesus Christ hath broken the chains of some of these prisoners of Satan: but very many of them are yet as Adam left them. Some the devil hath in the chain of irreligion and profanity, even a chain so short, as they have no power to set a foot on God's way. Some are in the long chain of formality, as this man; and as for them, you may see, that they are as sure in the devil's grasp as those whose heads he holds in greater restraint. One thing thou lackest. They get so much scope in the ways of God, that they can scarcely think that the devil hath them in his chain. All these, said this man, have I observed from my youth. But when a convenient time comes, the devil can draw them to himself, quite out of God's way. Ver. 22. He was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
In the 20th verse this man had made an ample profession of a good life, and in the text we have Christ's return. In which we have, 1.
Christ's gesture towards him, he beheld him, he cast his eyes anew upon him, on that word, looking on him so as to express his inward affection to him. 2. The Saviour's affection to him. He loved him. 3. His answer to him. One thing thou lackest.
1. We have our Lord's gesture and carriage to him. He beheld him wishfully. The eyes are the windows through which the soul looks out, and they admirably discover the affection of the mind; either love or hatred. It was love here, particularly compassion and pity, which is a kind of love especially discovered by the eyes. Christ had a human compassion towards so civil a person.
But why did Christ thus look upon him? Because he was true man, and so capable of true human passions and affections, and particularly of pity towards objects of compassion, which this man in a special manner was. And so we find him affected even to the shedding of tears, over the case of those, on whom as God he was about to bring wrath to the uttermost. When Jesus beheld Jerusalem, he wept over it. And there was much in this man's case to move a generous spirit to compassion.
1. He was a civil discreet man, but possessed of no religion, an absolute stranger to true godliness. There are some people who have neither grace nor manners; they are abominable to the godly, because they have no religion; and to civil men, because they have not so much as common civility. But this man was civil and discreet, yet being without true religion, he was a pitiful sight to move compassion.
Such persons excite compassion because they are dutiful to all but God and their own souls. They feed others but starve themselves. They make themselves lovely to men, but remain hateful to God. Besides if they had religion, it would be much better for them.
Civility and discretion go far to recommend religion to the world, that knows it not, and cannot value it for its intrinsic beauty. Hence we are commanded to be all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, Religion with an unpolished conversation is like gold in the ore; but accompanied with this discretion shines as a piece of gold new struck.
2. He was a man concerned to be at heaven, but likely never to see it; and such an one is a spectacle of commiseration indeed. Some persons are posting so fast to the pit, that they never look over their shoulder to heaven: if they go to hell, they can scarcely say that they are disappointed, for they were not minding heaven. They have found a broad easy way, and they have a mind to hold by it end where it will. But Oh! what shall we say, or what tears of blood may not their case draw forth, whose eyes are still fixed on heaven, while the devil is driving them in an invisible chariot to destruction? They are running to obtain the crown of glory, but have mistaken the way, and will land in eternal reproach. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them; because he knoweth not how to go to the city. Strive, says our Lord, to enter in at the strait gate; for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able. They are courting their own damnation in a mask, and grasp at a weight of wrath, instead of the weight of glory, which must needs make a fearful surprise when they are undeceived.
3. He was a man of a good natural temper, but no grace. All these, says he, have I kept from my youth. He was none of the devil's lions, filling the place where he lived with the noise of his revellings and extravagancies; but he was one of the devil's lambs, going to hell without letting the world hear the sound of his feet. And such surely is a pitiful sight.
Some persons have grace, but a rugged natural temper like Jonah, who was seldom but out of humour. They have the jewel, but an ill case to keep it in.—Some have good nature, but no grace, they have the cabinet, but they want the jewel to put into it. Ah! what pity is it to see such a fair building empty, or rather made a habitation of devils.
4. He was a man that had done many things in the way of a good life, but marred all he had done with the want of one thing. If you saw an artificer at great pains to make a curious piece of work, and when he had done break all in pieces with a rash touch of his hand, you could not observe it without regret. Or if you saw one make such a piece, but when he comes to one thing necessary to make it useful, he stops there and with all his art cannot master it, would not that be a pitiful sight? So here. Oh! it is sad to think how with some that do many things in religion, there is still something that stands between heaven and them.—Though they are not far from the kingdom of heaven, yet they never enter into it. We have,
II. Christ's affection to him. He loved him. There is a special love which God bears to his own, which cannot be understood of this man, as appears from the sequel, where he shewed he loved the world better than Christ. But there are two things in it.
1. There was a real affection of passion and love in Christ's human soul towards this man, upon the account of the many good qualifications which appeared in him, all the good gifts of God. 2. Forasmuch as in God there are no affections or passions properly so called, (such prove one a man, not God) the love of Christ, as God, is to be understood in respect of the effect, not of the affection; and such love God hath to all his creatures in so far as he wills and does them good, seeing every thing God made was good and is in itself
good. Besides there is a love to men of which the scripture speaks, Titus 3:4. By which God loves his own work and his own good gifts in them more or less according to their measure. Thus he loved him, spoke friendly to him, approving what was good in him, so far as it was good.
Out of this a popish commentator offers to hammer two things. 1. That the man spoke truth, verse 20th otherwise Christ had loved a liar, or a lie. Answer, He might as well have inferred Christ's commending deceit and injustice from his commending the unjust Steward, Luke 16:8. But his keeping of the commandments, so far as he had really done it, was good in itself: his moral seriousness was good in itself and so lovely, and thus he might in that view love him with a general love, as well as the godly with a special love, notwithstanding of defects. 2. The congruous merit of good works before faith, because Christ loved him for these. Answer, What God loves and approves is not therefore meritorious: but if so it was incongruous to set him away without faith, which yet was done and that is to blaspheme.
Here I shall first shew out of the context why Christ loved him. Now to draw from this lovely picture, which yet wanted one stroke to make it complete for salvation, the want of which marred all the rest; I remark,
1. That he was a zealous man; he came running to Christ. Though he had little light he had much heat; much affection for heaven, though little judgment about the way. His zeal carried him to wait on, and not to let slip an opportunity of conversing with Christ, and he would rather marr his gravity by running than lose it. This was good in itself, besides there was something good in his zeal, for it was in a good thing, and herein he condemned many.
Many who run away from Christ, turn their backs on him and his way after they had made a profession of it, 2 Pet. 2:22.
He condemned also those who have no heart for conversing with Christ, but are dragged to duties as the malefactor to the execution; whose heart that way is gone, and they are without all life and vigour in the way of God. Those also whose zeal carries them off the way where Christ walks, and excites them to separate themselves, and to entice others to withdraw from the means of knowledge, how they may inherit eternal life.
2. He was a civil discreet man, and respectful to Christ as a teacher, though he took him not for the Messiah. Rudeness was no part of religion to him, and this was good in itself, though it made him no better Christian, than he who answered discreetly, Mark 12:34. By this he condemned many whose religion makes them rude, and leaves them not within the bounds of common discretion, especially setting themselves to trample under foot the stars that Christ holds in his own right hand.
3. He was willing to learn and asks a religious question; that was good, though not enough. Hereby he condemned many who neither have knowledge nor are willing to be instructed, and those that are puffed up with their knowledge, so as they are above teaching, and who are so far from beginning religious discourse, that they will not hold it up when it is begun to their hand.
4. His question was about the great and main thing of religion, how to be saved. He started not the question about ceremonies and traditions as the Pharisees were wont to do, but about the substantials of practical godliness. That was good, but not enough. He looked beyond time and was concerned for how it might be with him in eternity. By this he condemned those that live like the beasts
grovelling on the ground, and are never considering what way they shall stand before the tribunal of God; and those who will propose any question than what way they shall be saved; who in all their religious questions are sure to abide about the out-skirts of religion and never touch the vitals of it.
5. He was a man of a blameless life outwardly, that had studied to keep the law of God so far as he understood it, and that from his youth. This was good, but not enough; more than Paul's religion before his conversion, which yet condemns many who make no conscience of living according to the very letter of the law of God.
Finally, Add to all this, he was a young man, Matth. 19:20. A ruler and a rich man; yet neither his youth, honour, nor riches, diverted him from these things. There are but few like him in our day, few concerned about their eternal state, while in the flower of youth; especially if they be honourable and rich.—Many of the higher ranks among us, especially of the younger sort, reject religion utterly, and live as if their birth, honour, and riches, gave them a dispensation to be vile. It is like that Christ looked upon him the rather, that there were but few of his kind, that had any appearances of good in them. "Have any of the rulers believed on him?"
I shall now, secondly, shew why Christ loved him on these accounts. The reason was, because these things were the good gifts of God, though not grace, they shewed in so far a respect to the law. They came from God, James 1:17. and he cannot but love what comes out of his own hand, for nothing comes from him but what is good. If God should withdraw from us all that is his, there would be nothing left us but sin, which is the only thing in which there is no good, and that came not from God. Now a jewel is still precious though in a dunghill.
Inference 1. How much more will the Lord love them who are true Christians, not only outwardly, but inwardly. Does he love those external acts of moral discipline, how much more the spiritual man and his graces? Does he discern and love those things that are excellent in natural men, how much more real grace in renewed men, though mixed with corruption.
Again, Learn to love the good gifts of God in whomsoever they appear, and stand not to commend what good is discernable in any person, whatever evil be with it. It is an evil eye that can fix on nothing but men's sores and faults.
Let this commend morality and the external duties of morality to you. Though they are not the whole, they are a part of religion. And though they will not get an eternal reward, yet God usually gives them a temporal one. They are of use to preserve external order in society, and so far contribute to the honour of God and his law.
III. I come to the main thing in the text, our Lord's answer, in which we have two things. 1. A defect alleged against him. One thing thou lackest. 2. A discovery of that defect, namely, his worldliness. Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor.—Here he touches his idol of jealousy, and brings forth the lurking venom of his heart. One thing thou lackest. It does not import, that he had no more wants but one. But, 1. That this was one thing that stood betwixt him and eternal life; and 2. That this one thing marred all his other things.
Doctrine I. Persons may go far in the way of religion, and yet have one thing that effectually stands between heaven and them. Here I shall,
I. Confirm the doctrine.
II. Shew whence it is that one thing should still be lacking in many who come a great length in religion.
I. I am to confirm the doctrine.
1. It appears from scripture instances, where we find persons going a great length, yet one thing mainly their ruin. Herod did many things, but stuck at his lust, would not, could not part with Herodias. That was a step in the way to heaven, that he could never ascend. Judas's covetousness; Demas's snare was the present world.
2. It is plain hypocrites may go far in religion, and may attain a great height in mortification, such as it is, yet it is no less plain there is still some one lust or other where they stop. For an universal hatred of, and resistance to sin, is a mark of sincerity, Psalm 119:6. And their feigned repentance should be true, were there not some sweet morsel still reserved.
3. The godly themselves will readily be found to have one thing that is hardest to subdue and that gives them the greatest trouble, though the power of it be broken. There is a weak side, a sin that most easily besets them. David makes his victory over it a mark of sincerity. "I was also, says he, upright before him; and I kept myself from mine iniquity." If this be so in the green tree, how must it be in the dry.
4. There are some sins, that like Saul among the people, are head and shoulders above the rest. Our Lord calls these, right eyes and right hands. Some sins are like the nails and hairs in the body, which can be taken off without pain. No wonder that some people shake off these; but for sins which the corrupt heart cannot want, more than the body can want the eye or the hand; here is the difficulty, and there is the ruin of many souls. Such are like those who have a male in their flock, but will not part with it for God, but vow a corrupt
thing which they can more easily spare. For further confirmation I shall instance in some particulars.
1. Persons may have many exercises about their case and yet never attain sufficient humiliation, the want of this stands in the way of many to keep them out of heaven; they want root and soon wither away. This is the great spring of hypocrisy and of apostacy. The wound is given but it is not deep enough, hence it is healed again ere ever the corruption be expelled, as in Pharaoh; the ground of the heart is not ploughed up, though the surface be broken, hence sowing among thorns. It strikes not at the root of sin, the sin of our nature, hence it retains its vigour. And this is the cause why all falls together.
2. They may have many changes to the better, yet lack the great saving change, as Judas, the stony and the thorny ground hearers. Persons may be cast into several moulds, yet never into that of regeneration.—Many new things may be about persons while they lack one thing, the new nature. This will effectually bar them out of heaven. New affections may be where the old stony heart remains. A new life where the old nature is still. And what serves all these changes, while that one thing is lacking. "For except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
3. People may do many things in religion, who yet stick at some one thing that they can never do. There are some duties to which men's nature is most opposite, and this produces a difficulty which it is impossible to get over without saving grace. So that these are still the exceptions in the soul's closing with Christ, the right eyes with which they cannot part. Such was the contempt of the world to this man. God points at that in particular, and that by all things they cannot comply with.
4. People may bear many things and yet there may be one thing which they cannot bear by any means.—Even like a person that hath a sore in his body, he can bear a touch any where but in that place. The world is the idol of some people, they can bear any thing but poverty; credit is that of others, any thing but what injures it. Some one thing or another they set their hearts upon, and they can bear any thing but the want of that. God wreathes that yoke about their necks, but they like unruly beasts struggle in the bond and rage as a wild bull in the net. We now proceed,
II. To shew whence it is that one thing should still be lacking in many who come a great length in religion.
1. Because the power of sin is not broken in them, but it still lives and reigns whatever progress they make in religion. Hence it must and will undoubtedly exert itself one way or another. As where a stream is banked up, but the fountain not stopped up, the water will always break out at one place or another, it must have a vent. So here, lust is powerful and if the power of it be not broken, it will domineer and keep the soul in subjection one way or another.
2. Because it is never complete in them, and where it ceases they will always lack one thing. In the truly godly the change is not perfect, but yet it is that which goes through all. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." All the members of the old man with head and heart are struck with a deadly blow though none of them are killed outright; but in the hypocrite it is not so. They may be wounded in many parts of the old man, but one at least remains entire, like a man whose heart is whole which secures his life, though otherwise in bad case.
3. Because their souls never come to take up their rest in God, which is done only by true faith. "For we which have believed do enter into rest." Man is a weak empty creature and must needs have something to rest in. By nature we have lost God, and they continue under that loss, hence they rest in the creatures, and when God has removed many lusts from them as their pillows on which they laid their head, there must still be one thing left, or they can have no rest at all.— Hence that one thing is something, on which their satisfaction which they neither have in God nor in other things, depends.
4. Because they have two parties to satisfy as double-minded men, conscience and corruption. The reformation attained to conscience, one thing is lacking to corruption. Conscience obliges to do many things, which corruption, reigning, will not let be done. There are duties to feed their hopes, lusts to feed their desires, and thus is the heart divided betwixt Christ and their lusts.
Use 1. Of information.
1. It informs us of the certainty of the mark of grace, universal obedience. "Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments."—A heart loosed from all idols and hating every false way, is real sincerity. The most refined hypocrisy leaves still one thing that is lacking, one lust, one idol with which the heart cannot part; some lust from which the hypocrite was never weaned and which was never made bitter enough to him.
2. Many good duties and great performances in religion will be lost as to eternal life, 2 John, 8. O it is sad to think how men go many a difficult step in the way of religion and get over them, and yet stick at last in one step and never come to the journey's end.—This brings a sad disappointment, as if a man should plough and sow with others,
but when reaping time comes, he has nothing, as the foolish virgins lacked oil in their lamps.
3. See here the root of defection and apostacy from God, men's falling off from any life and vigour in religion which they have attained. How often is that verified, "your goodness is as the morning cloud and early dew, it passeth away." How is it confirmed in our experience! How flat and dead are many turned since the sacrament; how unlike to those that were witnesses to, and partakers of that work? Alas! where at best one thing is lacking, matters cannot long be in a prosperous state. For,
Where one thing is lacking Satan has still a sure hold; he is like Pharaoh in another case; if ought be left he knows people will come back again. One lust unmortified, not given up, will open the door to the rest, and make their latter end worse than their beginning, Matt. 12:44. He can sink the ship with one leak as well as an hundred.
Again, where one thing is lacking, there has been no real closing with Christ, and where there is no marriage, no wonder the soul doth not bring forth fruit unto God. The branch that unites not with the stock must needs wither, and one unmortified idol will draw away the soul from the Lord.
Where one thing is lacking, there wants but a temptation suited to that one thing, and then the soul is just where it was. And Satan will watch the opportunity to set fire to and blow up the house by the train that is left, especially after solemn engaging to Christ. There are four things I fear have done us an ill turn.
The world. Is there an eclipse come over you in respect of your soul's case, then look that the earth has not got in beween God and you; Luke 8:14.—It is a busy time. I am afraid that Martha's business,
hath made Mary's part to be forgotten, and that people have looked so steadfastly upon the earth, that heaven is out of their sight. That is the handle with which the devil holds fast many souls. Reigning sloth hurts many, Eccles. 10:18. Many awaken for a while and begin to work, who in a little give over; sloth creeping on by degrees, which was never truly mortified, like weeds in the spring. Few have Caleb's spirit to follow the Lord fully. But they are at pains to get something, and when they have got it, they fold their hands and sleep, till poverty come upon them, as one that travelleth, and that is the one thing that ruins them.
Self-confidence injures many. Though all should deny thee, yet will not I, said Peter to his Master. When men cast off fear they are near a fall. The mountain is never nearer to being removed, than when persons are saying it standeth sure. A jealousy of ourselves, I fear is the one thing many of us lack, and that is our loss. The fixed stars appear to tremble most; and that Christian stands fastest, who is always afraid lest he fall and lose what he hath attained. When men view the duties of the covenant, and do not improve the grace of it, they will soon turn slack-handed in these duties.
Finally, An unstable mind and judgment is very hurtful. No wonder the tree wither, that is never fast at the root. This was the one thing that ruined the Galatians, for though they had received the Spirit by the hearing of faith, yet when Satan came in upon them, with that they quickly lost all the savoury impressions which they had of the hearing of faith. The wavering temper among us, I am confident, is no small hinderance in the way of the gospel's success. And as I bless God for what stability any of you have attained, so as for you that deserted the message which I had from God to you this day eight days, whether there were many of you or few, and joined yourselves to those, whose work it is to break down what we build up, and that
after that solemn reproof of, and lamentation over that practice, and other heart-breaking pieces of your contempt of the gospel, which was given on the fast-day, and after what you heard and saw on the sacrament day, I do, as the messenger of the Lord, in his name, rebuke you here as obstinate contemners of the message sent of God unto you, and protest as the messenger of God to you, that this rebuke stand before the Lord that sent me, till it be wiped out by repentance, and fleeing to the blood of Christ for pardon; so I leave it before him who confirms the word of his servants.
Use 2d. of Exhortation. I would exhort you, 1. To search and try whether or not there be one thing lacking in you.
2. That finding it out you will labour to get over it. But before I enter on this, I will propose,
Doctrine II. The one thing lacking that stands between a man and heaven may be hid from him and out of his view. This want was a thing this man was not dreaming of, till it was discovered to him by Christ. Now,
I. To confirm this point. Consider the lamentable delusion that some are under as to their state, whereby a man may be a hypocrite and not know himself to be such. "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness." See also Isaiah 44:20. Such was the case of Laodicea. One thing God knew they lacked but they knew it not, Rev. 3:17. How many bless themselves in their hearts whom the Lord curseth. The foolish virgins knew not that they lacked oil till it was too late to rectify the mistake; and the house on the sand was never thought to lack a sure foundation till the storm came.
2. If you consider the deceitfulness of the heart it will not be thought strange, for the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. The deceitful heart can draw a vail over the one thing lacking and entertain it in the house, while the master knows it not. Many evils lurk in the heart which men do not know, till by the special operation of the Spirit they be discovered unto them. How clear doth the sin of many appear to others, who yet cannot be convinced of it themselves; how much more may it be so in those sins which lie not open to the view of the world. Let us inquire,
II. Whence it is so. It may be hid on several occasions. As,
1. Seeing spiritual sins are most subtile, and are not known till the law in its spirituality be carried home on the soul, when that one thing is of a spiritual nature it may be lying hid. So it was with Paul, he discerned not the evil of his Pharisaical duties; for he was alive without the law. A man will easily discern when he performs or omits external duties; but it is very possible he may be leaning on duties, putting them in Christ's room, and yet not know the danger of it for want of spiritual light; nay, nor see those motions of cursed self.
2. That one thing may be taken for a great duty, and their greatest impediment in the way to heaven, may be looked on as their greatest furtherance to it. Alas! it is too, too incident to blinded man to value himself on that for which God undervalues him, Acts 26:9. Fearful are the effects of delusion, and dreadful are the heights to which it may go, so that Satan gets many kept in his dark prison of ignorance of Christ and of themselves with his iron fetters, which they take for God's golden chains. And thus glory in their shame, and look for salvation in that way that will ruin them.
3. That one thing often is in lawful things, and there it is hard to discover it. Many perish by lawful things. This was the ruin of the
young man in the text. It was lawful for him to have great possessions, but in them his snare lay. The world was his idol though he never saw it was so till Christ discovered it to him.—Things in themselves unlawful are quickly seen, the devil soon discovers himself by the cloven foot; but it is not so easy for people to discover their lying in a husband, wife, children, goods, or effects, but there it often lies, Luke 14:18–20.
4. That one thing may be negatives and omissions which are not so easily discerned as commissions.—Swearing may lie heavy on the man's conscience, while the bloody sin of unbelief sits as fast though unobserved; and yet it is that one thing that ruins the world of hearers of the gospel. There are sloth and carnal ease, what havock do they make among professors, but who sees them with that venom in them which gnaws out the bowels of the soul. On the contrary, they are hugged and they are sweet sins which people can keep with little noise, and in which they sleep and slip to hell at their own ease.
5. That one thing often goes under the name of an infirmity which though evil in itself, yet cannot keep one out of heaven. Thus it is vailed with false notions, and the venom of it hid from the eyes of men. The wise virgins slumbered, and the foolish virgins slept, thinking they were no worse than their fellows. Thus many a man deceives himself, while sin reigns in him, but he lives at ease, seeing every man hath infirmities and he hath his also. The truth is, no sin of a believer is a reigning sin, but a sin of infirmity, Rom. 6:14; neither can a sin of infirmity properly be ascribed to a natural man, seeing he is altogether without spiritual strength. The difference lies in these. 1. Reigning sin is committed with a whole bent of will. Infirmity has but a half will, there is another principle in the will against it, Rom. 7:19. The will, as regenerate, opposeth that to which the will, as unregenerate, carries the man; whereas there is no
opposition to reigning sin, but what flows only from an unenlightened conscience. 2. Sins of infirmity are great burdens to the soul, from which it wishes to be freed, and they carry the persons to a hatred of the root of sin, which they look upon as iron fetters, Rom. 7:24 whereas the heart is knit to sin while it reigns.
6. Self-love acts its part here, and so covers this fault, while it magnifies the good that is in men, and extenuates the evil, and is always ready to construe the best of a man's state, and keeps back the soul from a serious and impartial search of what may be lacking in it. —Thus men nourish their disease, and hug the viper in their bosoms that will gnaw out their bowels.
Lastly, There may be a judicial stroke in it, John 9:39. Men sometimes unkindly entertain the discoveries that God makes to them of what they lack, they shut their eyes at the light, and God strikes them blind; 2. Thess. 2:10, 11. Their hearts cleave to it, and therefore they desire not to see it in its ugly colours, they are for peace in it at any rate, and they get it, Isaiah 66:3, 4.
Use of Exhortation. 1. Let one and all of us search ourselves if there be any one thing lacking that stands between heaven and us. I would have you all going in search of this one thing.
Motive 1. Is there not need for it, when you say it may be where it is not observed. If this mortal disease may infect those who find no pain from it, does it not concern us all very nearly to search the innermost parts of our hearts with the candle of the Lord. The mortal enemy is amongst us, and may lie hid, up then and search.
2. If upon search you shall find that there is not one thing lacking, the comfort of the discovery will counterbalance the pains of the search. How comfortable a reflection had David, "I was, says he, also
upright before him, and kept myself from mine iniquity."—And he was a man intent on searching and being searched, Psalm 139:23, 24.
3. It cannot be mortified till it be discovered; and if it be not mortified, it will keep you out of heaven. Search out the poison then, lest it kill you; the one thing wanting, lest it conclude you under the loss of God's favour for ever.
Lastly, God will discover it, if you do not, either here or hereafter. It will not always be kept secret. God will lead out the idol of jealousy and set it before your eyes, whether you will or not, as in the text.
Now to help you in this search I shall lay down some things that may serve to point at the one thing lacking, which is most likely to stand between heaven and you. And because, though the godly do not totally lack any thing, yet they may have one thing which they are in greatest hazard of, and that they need particularly to set themselves against, as that which comparatively is the one thing lacking. I shall lay down such helps as may be serviceable to both.
1. Consider what it is that thou hast of all things least power to resist, that is certainly the weakest side, the one thing thou lackest which of all things else threatens thy ruin most. For all the reproaches, &c. cast upon Jesus and his disciples, we never heard of Judas making any resentment, till that was cast in his way that might feed his covetousness. Men may be as brass and iron with respect to many temptations; yet are weak as water with respect to one thing. Persons may find out a sore by examining the whole body.
2. Consider what way the natural bias of the heart turns. Persons will readily find something upon which their heart fixes most readily and quickly, such is the sin of their constitution, as lust, pride, passions, envy, covetousness. It was lust that gave David the greatest dash in
his way to heaven. Whatever this be, it will be found the sin that most easily besets us.
3. Consider what that is of which the heart keeps the most obstinate hold, and is most averse to part with it. That surely is the right eye, or the right hand. There is an idol of jealousy, which, if the man be denied, he says in effect as Micah, "Ye have taken away my gods; and what have I more?" He can less digest the want of it than the want of communion with God.—Look then if there be any thing whereof when thou art deprived, all thy other comforts, all the promises, nay, God himself cannot satisfy thee, but thy contentment stands or falls according to that thing; that doubtless is the one thing lacking, without which the man cannot rest, as Ahab could not be satisfied without Naboth's vineyard.
4. Consider what that is which thy own conscience, and the finger of God in the preaching of the word does most frequently point at, and check thee for, that is likely to be one thing. It is in this case as when a man hath a sore finger, he finds it touched oftener than any other. Double calls then require double diligence for mortification.
5. Consider what it is thy thoughts run most upon, the idol of jealousy will readily take them up most.—And therefore think what it is that ordinarily has thy last thoughts at night, and thy first thoughts in the morning, which are due to God only; that is another god, before the Lord. This is the woful carcase, where it is the thoughts of the heart will be gathered together.
6. Consider for what it is that God most frequently corrects thee, and what conscience hangs most upon in time of affliction. God ordinarily writes his indignation upon the one thing, and levels his stroke particularly against it, and that with a witness, that the guilty conscience can interpret the stroke to be for that. Consider then what
that is, in respect of which thou art as a silly dove that still haunts the place where she has been robbed of her young, Hosea 7:11, 12. That which thou wilt still be handling, though thy fingers have been often burnt in reaching to it. Compare Hosea 14:3. "Ashur shall not save us, neither will we ride upon horses, nor say any more to the works of our hands, ye are our gods, for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy."
7. What it is in which thy will opposes most the will of God, in which thou hast greatest difficulty to say, the will of the Lord be done, which is the great obstacle in thy resignation to the will of God, Mark 10:21, 22. Is there one thing, that thou couldst part with thy will in all things but in it: that is the one thing lacking. Jonah discovered his weak side to be pride, and love of his credit, this way. And God crossed with him till he was brought fairly to yield it to the Lord. That same was Ahithophel's. God crossed with him, but he kept to the point till he died, desperately hanging himself, because he could not get his own will and his counsel was not taken.
8. Consider what that lust is, that like Joseph's sheaf all other lusts must bow to it. That is it which commands in chief, and is the lust upon the throne. There may be in men's hearts some one or other corruption that is like the great channel into which other lusts, as so many little brooks, disburden themselves. He to whom the world is the one thing needful, will sacrifice ease, luxury, and almost every thing to his favourite object, and will make stepping-stones of all other things to get at it. He who is setting up for self-righteousness will make many lusts fall a sacrifice to it, and build that lust with the spoil of others. For one lust may be contrary to another, and for the principal one all the rest are cut and carved as may best suit it.
9. Consider what is that which is the greatest hinderance of your duties towards God, that either keeps you back from them as the
world made Demas forsake God, or that mars them so that they are performed very heartlessly; that looks like to be the one thing, 1 Sam. 2:24–29. What lies on the heart as the one thing, will readily be found to leave the marks of it on the several duties men perform.
10. Consider what that is in which you can rest satisfied if you have it; though you have not God in it to rest in. There may be one thing the want whereof squeezes all the comfort and satisfaction out of other things to a man. This was the case with Haman. All his honours availed him nothing while he saw Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Nothing can satisfy a proud man when he is in disgrace. But the enjoyment of their object though they have not God in it gives them rest. Thus the rich man said to his soul, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." Surely that is the idol. Thus we may all see what that one thing lacking totally or partially is with us.
I would exhort you to set yourselves against that one thing to get over it; and prove yourselves sincere by your victory over it. And to urge this, I shall propose,
Doctrine III. That the lack of that one thing will spoil all the other good things we have. One thing thou lackest which stands effectually between you and eternal life, and draws a black stroke through all those other things which you have.
I shall show you how that one thing lacking totally and not got over sincerely, though it cannot be got over perfectly till death, spoils all other things. It doth this two ways, by way of evidence, and by way of efficacy.
I. It spoils all by way of evidence. It will disprove all your evidences for heaven which you pretend to be enough, it will blot them out and
will be a contrary evidence that will prove all the rest false. There are these six sad conclusions, that one thing lacking will prove against you.
Conclusion 1. That you are yet in the black state of nature, not born again, not new creatures for all the other things you have attained. This conclusion is infallibly true, being grounded on express scripture. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." For the new creature from the time of its birth is perfect in parts, though not in degrees. The new man is furnished with all the integral parts, though none of them are come to their full growth. There is something lacking in every part of the new man, but no part altogether lacking. Compare 1 Thess. 3:10. with 2 Pet. 1:9. therefore they are not new creatures in whom one thing is lacking.
This conclusion draws deep. "For except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." If you be not born again you are not the sons of God, and if so, you have no right to the inheritance. See then how this one thing will shut you out of heaven.
2. That you are but hypocrites and not sincere Christians for all the length you have come, Psal. 18:23 and 119:6. Since Christians are universal in their obedience, and will not entertain any one idol, but part with those that are dearest to them. She is an adulteress that takes another instead of her husband. None can sincerely close with Christ, but those that are content to part with all their idols for him, and all true Christians do so, Matth. 13:45, 46.
This goes deep, for if you are hypocrites what avails your religion before the Lord? You are in some sort in a worse case than the openly profane. You are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot; and hell, not heaven, will be your lodging place. See whither the one thing lacking
will carry you: for hypocrites shall have their portion in the place where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
3. That you do not so much as one duty right, or so as to serve the Lord acceptably in any one thing, Isa. 1:11, 15. The reason is, it is not out of love to God, nor from respect to his command that you do what you do; because if it were so, you would regard his authority in that one thing as well as in other things, and true love to God would not allow you to set any thing in his room, James 2:11.
This is a heavy conclusion, what reward can they look for but wrath, that do nothing pleasing in the sight of God, that make themselves and not God their principle and end?
4. That you have not the spirit of Christ in you, however elevated you may sometimes seem to be; and the reason is, because wherever the spirit of Christ dwells he brings forth the fruits of holiness, and these are in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth.—Where then there is only some goodness, and not all goodness, as where one thing is lacking, the spirit is not there. And that draws deep, leaving you among sensualists, and cuts off all your pre-tensions to Christ, for if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if without Christ, then without the favour of God, without the covenant, without hope, Eph. 2:12. So does one thing lacking deprive of all.
5. That you are not truly mortified, but under the reigning power of sin; the reason is plain, because your right eye sins are yet untouched. True mortification is universal. While one member is alive the body is not dead. Death takes the life out of every part and so doth true mortification. While one lust is on the throne, Christ is not there. Sin can keep its dominion by one lust as well as by many.
This is a sad conclusion. It makes you none of Christ's, leaves you under the rigour of the law of works, and leaves you no appeal to grace, and binds you over wholly to hell fire, Matth. 5:29; and so far by the saving of one thing, thou eternally losest all.
5. That you are despisers of the whole law of God and of the whole yoke of Christ, James 2:10, 11. As the breaking of one link breaks the whole chain. The authority of God is stamped upon all his commandments, and he that despiseth it in one despiseth it in all.
This draws deep, showing that you have no kindly respect to any of his laws, and so that they are not written in your hearts, consequently that he is not your God, and therefore you are not his people. How dreadful must it be to entertain that which blots out your name from amongst the people of God.
II. It mars or spoils all by way of efficacy. As we say of the want of original righteousness, so of this, it is not a pure and idle want, but an active want, that has a most malignant influence, as the want of sight makes the whole body full of darkness.
1. It spoils the acceptance of all your other duties before the Lord. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." This the prophet Haggai teacheth the Jews by a similitude taken from the ceremonial law, chap. 2:11–14. The many good things which we have, will not sanctify one thing lacking; but one thing lacking will pollute all our other good things. Saul made dreadful havock among the Amalekites, but the sparing of Agag, the bleating of the sheep, marred the acceptance of all. Will the putting away of many lovers while one is still retained satisfy a jealous husband? no more will the putting away of many lusts while one is retained satisfy a jealous God.
2. It quite mars our pretensions to true repentance and true holiness, for it is of the nature of these to be universal, so as if they be not, they are no more true repentance and holiness. Repentance is a turning from every idol as being from sin, because it is sin, so holiness has respect to all God's commandments. As a man cannot come to a city, unless he go the whole way; to stand at the gate keeps him out the same as if he had stopped at a greater distance. Thus goes the reformation of many.
3. It is an abiding root of universal apostacy. It is enough to keep the soul in Satan's grasp still, and to be in due time an engine for overturning all the fair fabric of their partial religion as in Judas and Demas. That house can never stand sure that lacks a foundation. Hence men of the greatest attainments have lost all, to which the one thing needful has still been the handle. "Therefore we ought to give the most earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."
4. It still carries the soul off from God, and mars its resting in him alone as the chief good. The evil heart of unbelief leads to depart from the living God. As it is impossible for a man to grasp heaven and earth in his arms at once, or to fix his eyes on the heavens and earth at once; so the soul cannot fix the heart upon one idol, but that must take it off from the Lord. For no man can serve two masters. Hence if the soul would rest in the Lord, it must forego all others, Psal. 45:11.
Lastly, It will effectually mar salvation. One sin cleaved unto will ruin the soul as well as a thousand. It keeps the soul from Christ, and so leaves the man under the curse of the law, Gal. 3:10. One thing lacking will be a sufficient bar to hold men out of heaven. A right eye
spared will cost the whole body's being cast into hell fire, Matth. 5:29.
Use. Let me then renew the exhortation to you touching that one thing. Set yourselves particularly against it, to fill up that want, to get over that particular idol, to pluck out that right eye. Here is matter of exercise to you which may be near your hearts. You have heard motives to stir up to this duty. I shall only farther propose.
1. Is it not a sad matter to lose all for one thing, to lose all the good that is in you, and done by you and your souls too, and all for one thing? O what a cursed idol is that to which you will offer such a costly sacrifice? What man in his senses, would not rather pluck out an eye, than lose his life by the keeping of it. It is a dear bought enjoyment of an idol that is bought at such a rate.
2. Is it not sad to be so near heaven and yet miss it? Have you come all the way and only one step remains, and yet you will stand there? Why not let go that idol as well as the rest? Why so far and no farther? O will you fall from the very threshold of heaven? Are the children brought to the birth and must they die there?
3. What better will you be than those that have nothing? If a man perish, what better is he if he perish in a brook than in a sea. If you go to hell for one thing, what are you the better for going so far in the way to heaven. O sad, to have many items in religion all dashed out in one but, in the end.
Directions.—1. Labour in the first place to get the deep impressions of the evil of this one thing fixed on your spirits. That is the first wedge to be driven to separate your souls from it. Consider the evil of it, as contrary to the holy nature of God. Consider the evil that attends it as before explained. Till once the evil of sin be seen, the
heart will never be willing to part with it. And look to the Lord for sight in this particular and meditate upon it.
2. Set yourself against it in a way of believing. The law makes nothing perfect. We must go against it as David against Goliah, and fight this battle under the banner of Christ. "I can do all things, says Paul, through Christ which strengtheneth me." Now to do this, we must be emptied of ourselves, stripped of confidence in ourselves for victory in that point as in all others. There is reason for it, for if we are not able to turn away the face of the least, far less of the greatest of the devil's captains, 2 Cor. 3:5 and then we are in a fair way to get over it. "For his grace is sufficient for us, and his strength is made perfect in weakness." The more we see our own weakness, the stronger we are. We must by faith take hold on Christ for all: so particularly that one thing. And we must take himself for it, and so make a blessed exchange of that idol to Christ. The heart of man must needs have something to rest in, and it must always appear to be for something better that we make the change. Then Christ in his riches and glory must be put in the balance with the one thing, and when the soul sees the transcendent excellency of Christ, that will captivate the affections from the one thing to Christ, as the pearl of great price; for till the soul put Christ in the room of that one thing, the heart will never get over it.
We must take him in all his offices, for it in particular, and that first as a Prophet. When we are to grapple with that one thing, look to Christ as a prophet in that particular, giving yourself up to him to be taught and enlightened in the knowledge of the evil of it the way to be led over it. This is the way to bring a strengthening light into your soul against it. "He that followeth me, saith Jesus, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." See David's experience, Psal. 17:4. But when men will hold fast their sin, then their
habitation is in the midst of deceit, through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord.
As your Priest, as for all, so for that particular, were you to look to the merit of his blood, and that first for the pardon of it, as taking its guilt; and next for sanctification, as producing the removal of the power of sin, and of the Spirit for that end. For this blood cleanseth us from all sin. Thus the blood of Christ purgeth sin; as when his side was pierced, blood and water came out together; so when the soul receives a pierced Christ by faith, his blood operates in the soul both pardon and purity, Heb. 9:14. And as the fire that burned the incense, was brought from the altar of burnt offering, so the spirit that burns up corruptions flows from Christ sacrificed for us, in whom our old man was virtually crucified with him. Look to him also in his intercession. That is a part of what he intercedes for, victory to his people in their combats. He sits in heaven as Moses did on the top of the hill while they fight in the valley, Exod. 17:11 and we should combat our lusts with our eye on him, as at the Father's right hand, concerned for us in the combat.
Look to him also as a King, and your King for that in particular, and this do when first under the sense of your inability to overcome it, and with a desire to have it rooted out, you lay it before him, that he may exert his kingly power in subduing it; and forasmuch as he hath offered himself to subdue sin to all that will, accept of him as yours with an eye to that very thing, saying, Turn thou me and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. This is to put yourself under his shadow.—And next, when under the assaults you flee to him for protection, as the damsel attacked in the fields, crying for help from him.
Again, We must do all this, believing the promises suited to that case. The word of promise is excellent armour for victory over sin. The promise assures us of victory and so strengthens the battle. It brings in the bosom of it, "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength." It puts God's faithfulness and the believer's victory in one bottom, so that if any fail, both fail together. God has made the promise, Micah 7:19. He will subdue our iniquities, and it is our duty to put him in remembrance of it. Say not the promises belong to you, if you be not willing to part with all sin and take Christ. You may as well think to fight casting away your weapons, as to overcome sin not believing the promises. This is to set against it in the way of believing.
Direction 3. Join prayer with fasting upon that particular account. It is reasonable the remedy be proportioned to the disease. Pray much against it always. Let it be a chief matter of concern; and set some time apart by yourselves alone, to wrestle with God against that very thing, and enter into resolutions against it in the strength of the Lord. The wall should surely be strongest where the water beats with the greatest violence.
Lastly, Keep a strict watch against it, beware of occasions to it, Rom. 13:14. This will starve and weaken it. Resist it in the first motions thereof. It is with sin as with a fire, the longer it burns, the stronger it grows; and as a water, the farther it runs, it becomes the larger. If we cannot quench a spark, how shall we quench a flame. Be resolute then, for it is possible to overcome it. Amen.