Part 17
[5.] Fifthly and lastly, It is possible for you to attain to higher degrees of holiness, etc.; witness those choice, those rare and singular gifts that Christ has bestowed upon many of his servants for this very purpose—namely, that they may help on a growth and an increase of holiness in your hearts.
"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:11-13
One main end of Christ's giving such eminent gifts to his church leaders—is that his people may be made eminent in holiness. It is not only to bring them in—but also to build them up; it is not only to convert them—but also to edify them; it is not only to begin a work of holiness—but also to perfect and carry on a work of holiness. And therefore the word is not only compared to seed which begets holiness in men's hearts—but also to wine and milk and strong meat, which helps forward the growth and increase of holiness in men's hearts.
And so the great end of the Lord's supper is not to work spiritual life where it is not—but to increase it where it is; it is not to change the heart—but more and more to sanctify the heart; it is not to begin holiness—but to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord; it is not to sow the seed of grace in the soul—but it is to cause that seed to grow and flourish in the soul. The martyrs in the primitive church, when they were to appear before the cruel tyrants, they were accustomed, as Cyprian shows, to receive the Lord's supper, and thereby they were fired with zeal and fervor, and filled with faith and fortitude, etc. Chrysostom says, that "by the sacrament of the Lord's supper we are so armed against Satan's temptations that he flees from us, as if we were so many lions that spit fire." The Lord's supper is a cabinet of spiritual jewels; and oh, then, how unmanly and inappropriate a thing it is, to hang this cabinet of jewels, which is more worth than the gold of Ophir, in a swine's snout! And how that mother can be guiltless of the death of her child, who gives him poison in a golden cup, with this caution, that she tells him it is poison, I know not; no more do I know how that minister can be guiltless of the body and blood of our Lord, who dispenses the bread of life to those who are
known to be without spiritual life—yes, who are known to be dead in sins and trespasses.
And thus you see, by these five arguments, that it is possible for you to attain to greater measures of holiness than any yet you have reached unto; and so much for the second motive.
(3.) Thirdly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holy you are—the more you will be the delight of God, and the more dear you will be to God, and the more beloved you will be by God. For the right understanding of this argument you must carefully distinguish between God's love of goodwill, and his love of delight.
God's love of GOODWILL is equal to all his saints, whether they are rich or poor, high or low, bond or free; or whether they have a sea of grace—or but a drop of grace. God's love of goodwill runs as much out to the weakest Christian, as it does to the strongest; as much to a babe in grace as to a giant in grace.
All saints are equally ELECTED. God never chose one man to be a vessel of glory more than another; the weakest saint is as much elected as the strongest, Romans 11:17.
And as all saints are equally elected—just so, all saints are equally REDEEMED by Jesus Christ. Christ bled as much for one saint as another, and he sweat as much for one saint as another, and he sighed and groaned as much for one saint as another, and he trod the wine-press of his Father's wrath as much for one saint as another, Isaiah 53:3-12. Christ paid as great a price for his lambs—as for his sheep, 1 Cor. 6:19-20. Christ paid as great a price for Lazarus in his rags—as for David in his royal robes.
And as all saints are equally redeemed—just so, all saints are equally EFFECTUALLY CALLED; one saint is as much called out of the kingdom of darkness as another, and one saint is as much called to
Jesus Christ as another, 1 Pet. 2:9. In effectual calling, God looks with as favorable an eye upon one as he does upon another.
And as all saints are equally called—just so, all saints are equally JUSTIFIED, 2 Cor. 5:19-20; though one saint may be more sanctified than another—yet no saint is more justified than another. The weakest believer is as much justified and pardoned before the throne of God as the strongest is; that pure, perfect, matchless, and spotless righteousness of Christ is as much imputed to one saint as it is to another, 1 Cor. 1:30.
And as all saints are equally justified—just so, all saints are equally ADOPTED, Gal. 4:4-6; the weakest believer is as much an adopted son of God, as the strongest believer in the world is. God is no more a father to one than he is to another. In human families, the babe in the mother's arms is as much a son—as he who is of riper years. Thus you see that God's love of goodwill is equal in all his saints. "Those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified." Romans 8:30.
But God's love of DELIGHT runs out more to some saints than it does to others; for those who have much holiness are much beloved— but those who have most holiness are most beloved, John 14:21-23. The greater you are in holiness, the greater will you be beloved of God. "O Daniel, you are greatly beloved," Dan. 9:23. And why does God love more, and delight more in Christ, than he does in all the angels and saints in heaven, and in all the upright ones who are on earth? Because Christ is more eminent and glorious in holiness than all created beings are; he is more the express image of his Father's person, and the brightness of his Father's glory than others, and therefore he is more beloved than others.
It was an excellent observation of one of the fathers, namely, that God loved the humanity of Christ more than any man, because he was fuller of grace and truth than any man. Now for the further clearing up of this great argument, Consider—
First, that the more holy any person is—the more excellent that person is. All impurities are diminutions of excellency. The more mixed anything is—the more abased it is. The more you mix your wine with water—the more you abase your wine; and the more you mix your gold with tin—the more you abase your gold. But the purer your wine is—the richer and the better your wine is; and the purer your gold is, the more glorious and excellent it is. Just so, the purer and holier any person is, the more excellent and glorious that person is. Now the more divinely excellent and glorious any person is, the more he is beloved of God, and the more he is the delight of God. But,
Secondly, the more holy any person is—the more that person pleases the Lord. Heb. 11:5. Fruitfulness in holiness fills God with joy. The farmer is not so much pleased with the fruitfulness of his fields, nor the wife with the fruitfulness of her womb, nor the father with the thriving of his child—as God is pleased with the fruitfulness and thriving of his children in grace and holiness! Now certainly the more God is pleased with any person, the more he loves that person, and the more pleasure and delight he takes in such a person. If God is most pleased with holiness—he cannot but be most delighted in those who are most holy. But,
Thirdly, the more holy any person is—the more like God he is, and the more like to God he is, doubtless, the more he is beloved of God. It is likeness both in nature and grace that always draws the strongest love. Though every child in the family is the father multiplied, a second edition of the father—yet the father loves him best, and delights in him most—who is most like him, and who in feature, spirit, and action, does most resemble him to the life. And so does the Father of spirits also, he always loves those best, who in holiness resemble him most.
There are four remarkable things in the beloved disciple John, above all the rest of the disciples: [John 13:23, 18:16, and 19:26-27.]
1. That he lay nearest to Christ's bosom at the table.
2. That he followed Christ closest to the high priest's palace.
3. That he stood close to Christ when he was on the cross, though others had basely deserted him, and turned their backs upon him.
4. That Christ commended the care of his virgin mother to him.
Now why did Christ's desire, love, and delight—run out with a stronger and a fuller tide towards John, than to the rest of the disciples? Doubtless it was because John did more resemble Christ than the rest; it was because John was a more exact picture and lively representation of Christ, than the others were. But,
Fourthly, the more holy any man is, the more communion and familiarity that man shall have with God; as you may see in Moses. Moses was a paragon for meekness and holiness: Num. 12:3, "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." There was no man so slighted, wronged, provoked, teased, perplexed, and troubled by that wicked, unthankful, unbelieving, and murmuring generation—as Moses was! And yet he did neither rail at them nor revile them; he did neither storm nor rage, he did neither fret nor fling! And though he had a sword of justice in his hand, and might easily have avenged himself on them—yet he would not—but exercised all patience, tenderness, goodness, and sweetness towards them. Oh the lowliness, the meekness, the holiness of this man Moses! And oh the freeness, the friendliness, the openness, and the familiarity of God with Moses!
Deut. 34:10, "There has never been another prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face." To give you a little light into these words: some of the Rabbis observe that Moses surpassed all the other prophets, not only in sublimity of prophecies—but also in excellency and number of miracles; for Moses within one age wrought seventy-six miracles, when all the rest of the prophets from
the beginning of the world quite down to the ruin of the first temple, wrought only seventy-four. As for those words, "whom the Lord knew face to face," you are not to understand them thus, that God has a face as man has, nor that Moses had a view of the essence of God, which is invisible; for in this sense no man has seen God at any time, John 1:18; and indeed the least beam of God's essential glory and majesty would have swallowed up Moses alive, 1 Tim. 6:16. But these words, "whom the Lord knew face to face," are to be understood of God's speaking to Moses in a free, friendly, familiar, and plain manner. God did speak to Moses by a clear articulate voice, even as one man speaks to another when they speak face to face.
And so when Aaron and Miriam were swelled with pride and envy, and began to bespatter Moses, and to pick a hole in his coat; and attempt to cloud, eclipse, and diminish his glory, see at what a high and noble rate God speaks of Moses; see how God magnifies and exalts and lifts up Moses! "At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, 'Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you.' So the three of them came out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, he said, 'Listen to my words—When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?' The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them." Numbers 12:4-9.
Now here you see how God owns Moses, and stands up for Moses, and pleads for Moses, and tells Aaron and Miriam to their faces that Moses was his greatest favorite, and that he had far greater respect for Moses than he had for them, and that there was not a man in all the world whom was so intimate with him as Moses, and who had so much of his ear and heart as Moses had. God did appear to other prophets in dreams and visions, which were transient—but with
Moses God will speak mouth to mouth, God will speak to him without an interpreter, he will speak to Moses more familiarly and frequently than he did to others by visions, and more clearly, plainly, and assuredly than he did to others by dreams. God here engages himself to hold a more close, familiar, friendly, and constant fellowship and correspondence with Moses, than with any others in the world. Moses was blessed with as clear, and with as full, and with as apparent sight of God, and communion with God—as he was able to bear and comprehend.
Some of the learned are of opinion, that Christ conversed with Moses in a human shape, as he had done with Abraham before; they conjecture that the Lord Jesus did very friendly and familiarly show himself to Moses with that very same face and form of human nature, which he afterwards assumed, [Gen. 18 and 32:30, etc.] but this I dare not press upon you as an article of your faith. And whether Moses had one hundred and seventy-three familiar conferences with God, which none of the prophets had, lies upon those Rabbis who assert it, to prove; but this is granted on all hands, that Moses was a special favorite, and a man in high communion with God, and one who had very clear and eminent discoveries and manifestations of God.
And so Abraham was a man of great holiness, and a man eminent in his communion with God. God owned him as a friend, as an honorable friend, as an eminent friend, as a bosom friend, as a peculiar friend, and as a faithful friend, Isaiah 41:8; and therefore he made him one of his privy council, and opened his heart and his secrets to him: "And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do?" Gen. 18:17. Abraham is styled the friend of God in a special way. Though God had many friends—yet it was Abraham, who was his singular friend, his darling friend, his rare friend, etc., and accordingly God was most free, and full, and rich in the communications of his favors and secrets to Abraham. It was not enough for Abraham to be of God's court—but he must be also of his cabinet council.
It was always a social principle—that sweet and intimate friendship cannot be extended to many. Friends usually go by pairs. And thus you see that the more holy any man is—the more communion that man shall have with God—and the more communion any man has with God—the more beloved of God shall that man be. The highest communion is always attended with the highest love. But,
Fifthly and lastly, the more holy any man is—the more actually ripe and fit for heaven that man is. A Christian at first conversion is but rough cast—but as holiness is increased—just so, he comes more and more every day to be prepared, polished, squared, and fitted for a full and glorious fruition of God in heaven, Job 5:26. Though the least degree of grace and holiness puts a man into a habitual preparedness and fittedness for heaven—yet it is only an eminency in grace and holiness, which puts a man into an actual preparedness and fittedness for heaven. The richer in grace—the riper for glory! The higher you are in holiness—the fitter you are to enter into the joy of your Lord! Though the least drop or grain of holiness is enough to keep a man from dropping into hell—yet it is only matured holiness, which actually prepares and fits a man to go to heaven, Mat. 25:19-24.
Now, doubtless, the more actually ripe and ready any man is for heaven—the more pleasure and delight God takes in him. The more the vessels of grace are fitted for glory—the more delight God takes in them. When God set himself upon the creation of the world, in the close of every day's work, except the second, God set his seal, "that it was good;" but when he had perfected and completed the whole creation, and cast an eye upon all together, then he concludes, "that it was very good." "And God saw all that he had made, and "behold it was very good," or "extremely good," so some, or "very pleasant and delightful."
The work of creation was so curiously and gloriously framed, and so full of admirable rarities and varieties, that it raised delight and pleasure in God himself. Whereupon Augustine observes that even to
every grace, yes, of the least degree of grace, he says it is "good;" but when he beholds the graces of his saints fresh and flourishing, your faith acted and strengthened, your repentance daily renewed, your humility increased, etc., then he concludes that all is "very good."
O sirs, if the Lord Jesus Christ is so ravished with one of his spouse's eyes, and with one chain of her neck, Cant. 4:9; with the least drops or sips of grace, or with the least grains of grace and holiness; oh, how much more will great measures of grace and holiness enthrall him and ravish him!
Well! for a close of this argument, remember this, that as the sun shines hotter on some climates than it does upon others, and as the dew falls more upon one place than another, and as the water overflows some pastures more than others—just so, God's love of delight and pleasure shines hotter and brighter upon some Christians than it does upon others; and these I have showed you to be such who are most eminent and excellent in grace and holiness. And thus much for this third motive.
(4.) Fourthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more your holiness is increased—the more the great God will be honored and glorified. Mat. 5:16, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Fruitfulness in holiness sets the weightiest crown of glory upon the head of God: John 15:8, "Herein is my Father glorified—that you bear much fruit." The more eminent any person is in holiness, the more clearly and convincingly he proclaims God before all the world to be a rich God, a full God, a bountiful God, an overflowing God. There is nothing that works men to admire God so much, and to exalt God so high—as a Christian's fruitfulness in holiness. "Oh, how good must that God be, whose servants are so good," said the heathen! Oh, how glorious in holiness must that God be, whose people are so holy!
Look! as the thriving child is a credit to the mother, and the rich servant is an honor to his master, and a plentiful crop is the praise of the farmer—just so, that Christian who thrives in grace, who grows rich in holiness—is the greatest credit, and the highest honor, and the sweetest praise to God in the world! The tree in Alcinous's garden had always blossoms, buds, and ripe fruits, one under another. O sirs, those trees of righteousness that have not only the blossoms and buds of holiness upon them—but also the ripe fruits of holiness one under another—they are the greatest honor and glory to God in the world!
Isaiah 61:3, "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." What will men say when they shall behold your eminency in sanctity? Will they not say, "Certainly God is no hard master—harvesting where he have not sown and gathering where he has not scattered seed, Mat. 25:24. Certainly he keeps a noble house—his tables are richly spread, his cups overflow, he feeds, yes, he feasts his servants with the choicest rarities and varieties which heaven affords: witness their thriving and flourishing estate in grace and holiness." And thus you see that the more your holiness is increased, the more highly the God of heaven will be exalted and magnified. But,
(5.) Fifthly, To provoke you to endeavor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holiness you have—the more he will give you. At first God gives holiness where there is none; and where this holiness is improved—there God will be still augmenting and increasing of it. Do you but make it your business to "perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord," Heb. 6:7, and the Lord will not fail to make new and fresh additions of more grace and holiness to that you have! Psalm 84:11, "The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly." Mark those words, namely, that "the Lord will give grace and glory," that is, grace unto glory, he will still be adding more grace to what you have, until the bud of grace is turned into the flower of glory! Until your grace on earth commences to glory in heaven!
The more holiness any man has—the more still God will give him: Mat. 13:12, "For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." He who has principles of grace and holiness laid into his soul—he shall find a plentiful increase of those sanctifying and saving principles; he shall have more abundance; his spark of holiness shall grow into a flame; his drops of holiness shall be turned into a sea; and his mite of holiness shall be multiplied into millions!
The greater harvest of holiness a Christian brings forth—the greater increase of holiness shall he experience; every exercise of grace and holiness is always attended with new increase of grace and holiness, Mat. 25:29.
Look! as that arm is greatest and strongest, which is most used and exercised—so that particular grace which is most exercised and used is most strengthened and greatened.
Look! as earthly parents, when they see their children to improve a little stock to great advantage, then they add to their stock, they increase their stock, they double their stock. Just so, when the Father of spirits sees his children to improve a little stock of grace and holiness to the great advantage of their souls, then he will increase their spiritual stock, he will be still a-adding to their stock, yes, he will double their stock! John 15:2, "Every branch that bears fruit he prunes it—that it may bring forth more fruit." Such as are fruitful— shall be made more fruitful. Christ will take most pains to make them better—who are already very good. Of all Christians in the world, there are none who have so much grace as humble Christians have— and yet God delights to pour in grace into their souls, as men pour liquor into empty vessels, James 4:6. Humility is both a grace, and a vessel to receive more grace. And thus much for this fifth argument. But,
(6.) Sixthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holiness you attain to—the greater will be your heaven of joy and comfort in this
present world. Though the least spark of true holiness will certainly bring a man to heaven—yet it is only an eminency in holiness which will make a man walk comfortably to heaven.
The more holiness any man has—the more he shall enjoy God, in whose presence is fullness of joy, Psalm 16:11; and the more any man enjoys the presence of God—the greater will be his heaven of joy in this world. Look! as a little star yields but a little light—just so, a little holiness yields but a little comfort; and look, as the greatest stars yields the greatest light—just so, the greatest measures of holiness always yields the greatest comforts. Divine joy ebbs and flows—as holiness ebbs and flows.
Soul comfort rises and falls—as holiness rises and falls. Great measures of holiness carries with them, the greatest evidence of the reality of holiness. The more clearly and evidently the reality and sincerity of a man's holiness rise—the higher will the springs of joy and comfort arise in his soul. Great measures of holiness carry with them the greatest evidence of a man's union and communion with God; and the more evident a man's union and communion is with God, the more will that man's soul be filled with that joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1:8.
In great measures of holiness, a man may see and read most of the love of God, the face of God, the favor of God, and the heart of God, Acts 9:31; and the more a man is blessed with such a sight as this is, the more will that babe of grace, divine joy, spring in his soul. The greater measures of holiness and sanctification any man attains to— the clearer and brighter will the evidences of his justification be. Now the clearer evidences any man has of his justification, the stronger will be his consolation, Romans 5:1-3, and 8:30, 33-35; and indeed the strongest waters of consolation do always flow from a clear sight and a true sense of a man's justification. No man lives so comfortably, no man bears the cross so sweetly, no man resists the devil and the world so stoutly, nor no man will die so cheerfully, as he who lives and dies in a clear sight of his justification.
The more holiness any man attains to, the more his fears will be scattered, his doubts resolved, and all those impediments removed that commonly bar out joy and comfort; and what will be the happy issue of these things—but the bringing in of a sea of joy and comfort into the soul! It is not riches, nor honors, nor applause, nor learning, nor friends, nor a great name in the world—but an eminency in holiness, that can highly raise the springs of divine joy in a Christian's soul. Though the windows of the temple were broad without but narrow within—yet the joy and comfort of a Christian that is eminent in holiness is broad and full within, though it be narrow and contracted without. O sirs, as ever you would have your joy full—labor for a heart filled with holiness. Your comforts will be always few and low—if your holiness be low. Why have the angels always harps in their hands, and hallelujahs in their mouths—but because they have attained to a fullness of holiness? But,
(7.) Seventhly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holy any person is—the more the Lord will reveal and manifest himself, and his mind and will, unto him. John 14:21-23; Hosea 6:3. Ezekiel was a man of eminent holiness, and a man who had glorious visions, and deep mysteries, and rare discoveries of God, and of the great things that should be brought about in the latter days, reavealed to him. And Daniel was a man of very great holiness: and oh, what secrets and mysteries did God reveal to him! [See 2, 4, 6, 8-12 chapters of Daniel.] Many of those great and glorious things which concern the destruction of the four last monarchies, and the growth, increase, exaltation, flourishing, durable, invincible, and unconquerable estate of his own kingdom, was revealed to him.
Among all the apostles, Paul was a man of the greatest holiness, and of all the apostles Paul had the most glorious revelations and discoveries of God manifested to him, 2 Cor. 12:2, 4. Witness those glorious revelations that he had when he was caught up into the third heaven, into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, or wordless words—such as words were too weak to utter, such as was not
possible for man to utter, and that, either because they transcended man's capacity in this life, or else because the apostle was forbidden to utter them; they being revealed to him, not for the public use of the church—but only for his particular encouragement, so that he might be the better able to encounter all the hardships, difficulties, dangers, and deaths that would attend him in the conscientious discharge of his ministerial work.
Some of the ancients are of opinion that he saw God's essence; for, say they, other things in heaven might have been uttered—but the essence of God is so great and so glorious a thing, that no man or angel can utter it or declare it. But here I must crave permission to enter my dissent against them, for the Scripture is express in this, that no man has thus ever seen the Lord at any time, John 1:18; 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 4:12; and that no man can thus see the Lord and live. And as great a favorite of heaven as Moses was—yet he could only see the back parts of God, he could only behold some lower representations of God.
Others say, that he heard the heavenly singing of angels and blessed spirits, which was so sweet, so excellent and glorious, that no mortal man was able to utter it, and this of the two is most probable; but no man is bound to make this opinion an article of his faith.
This, I think, we may safely conclude—that in this rapture, besides the contemplation of celestial mysteries, he felt such unspeakable delight and pleasure, that was either like that, or exceeding that, which Adam had in the terrestrial paradise. Doubtless, the apostle did see and hear such excellent and glorious things, as was impossible for the tongue of any mortal man to express or utter.
And so John was a man of most rare holiness, and Christ reveals to him the general state of his church, and all that should befall his people—from John's time unto his second coming. Christ gives John a true representation of all the troubles, trials, changes, mercies, and glories that in all times, and in all ages and places, should attend his
church—until he comes in all his glory. About sixty years after Christ's ascension, Christ comes to John and opens his heart, and unbosoms his soul, and makes known to him all that care, that love, that tenderness, that kindness, and that sweetness, which he would exercise towards his church, from that very time to the end of the world. Christ tells John, that though he had been absent and seemingly silent for about threescore years, that yet he was not so taken up with the delights, pleasures, and glory of heaven, as that he did not care what became of his church on earth. Oh, no! And therefore he opens his choicest secrets, and makes known the most hidden and glorious mysteries to John, which ever were made known to any man. As there was none who had so much of the heart of Christ as John—just so, there was none who had so much of the ear of Christ as John. Christ singles out his servant John from all the men in the world, and makes known to him all the happy providences, and all the sad occurrences that were to come upon the followers of the Lamb, so that they might know what to pray for, and what to expect, and what to wait for. He also declares to John all that wrath and vengeance, all that desolation and destruction, which should come upon the false prophet, and the beast, and upon all that followed after them, and who were worshipers of them, and who had received their marks, either in their foreheads or in their hands.
We read of holy Polycarp, that as he lay in his bed he saw in a vision the bed set on fire under his head; and thus God did forewarn him, and manifest to him, what manner of death he would die, and accordingly it happened, for he was burnt for the cause of Christ, and rejoicingly sealed the truth with his blood.
John Huss was a man eminent in holiness—he was born in Prague, and was pastor of the church of Bethlehem. His name, Huss, in the Bohemian language, signifies a goose; at his martyrdom, he told them, that if they roasted him in the fire, out of the ashes of the goose, a hundred years after, God would raise up a swan in Germany, who would carry the cause on for which he suffered, and whose singings would affright all those vultures—which was exactly fulfilled
in Luther—whose name in the Bohemian language signifies a swan— for God raised him up as a famous instrument in his hand, who carried on that glorious cause with mighty success.
Luther was a man of great holiness, and being one time more than ordinarily earnest with God in prayer, he came down to his friends, and told them with a very great confidence, that it should go well with Germany all his days; he knew what was done in heaven—by that which God had done in his own heart, and accordingly it happened. The last martyr who was burnt in Smithfield, told the people that they should be of good comfort, for he was fully persuaded that he was the last who would suffer under Queen Mary, and so he was.
Thus you see that men of greatest holiness have had the clearest and choicest manifestations and discoveries of God, and of his mind, made known to them. Suitable to that choice promise that you have in Jer. 33:3, "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty"—or hidden—"things," [hidden, as bunches of grapes are hidden under the leaves of the vines.] "which you know not." God will make known to his holy ones the most hidden and abstruse things; and the more holy they are, the more they shall know of the most secret and mysterious things of God. John 7:17, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine." Christ will be most open to those who are most obedient to him; they shall know most of the doctrine of Christ who are most complying with the will of Christ.
David was a man of great holiness, as is evident by that glorious testimony that God has given of him in that Acts 13:22, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall fulfill all my will"—"all my wills;" to note the eminency, transcendency, universality, and sincerity of his obedience. Now if you will but look into that 2 Sam. 7:27, there you shall see how the Lord declares and makes known himself and his intentions towards him; "O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant." But the Hebrew is more full and excellent; in the original it runs thus,
"Lord, you have revealed this to the ear of your servant." Now the emphasis lies in those words, "to the ear of your servant." When God makes known himself and his intentions to such as are eminent in holiness, he does it in their ear. God tells David in his ear, that "he will build a house for him," that is, that he would continue his kingdom to him, and to his posterity after him. This was blessed news, and this God tells in his ear.
Such as are our special friends and favorites—we often whisper to them in the ear. When we would acquaint them with our most secret and weighty purposes, intentions, and resolutions, we give them a whisper in the ear. Such people who are eminent in holiness, are the great favorites of heaven, and God tells them in the ear of many a rare secret, which all others are kept ignorant of.
Well, sirs, for a close, remember this—that there are no people on earth who are so prepared and fitted for the clearest, fullest, and highest manifestations of God—as those who are eminent in holiness! Nor are there any who set so high a price upon the manifestations of God—as men who are eminent in holiness! Nor are there any who are so able to bear the revelations of his will—as men who are eminent in holiness! Nor are there any who will make such a humble, faithful, constant, and thorough improvement of all that God shall make known to them—as men who are famous for holiness. Therefore, as ever you would have God in an eminent way to manifest and reveal himself and his mind unto you—oh, labor after a greater measure of holiness! But,
(8.) Eighthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holy a man is—the more singular delight and pleasure God will take in all his pious duties and services. [Generally it was the custom of the Eastern countries to wash before worship. The very heathen gods would be served in white—the very emblem of purity.] Holiness puts a divine savor upon all a man's services. There are no duties so sweet as those who have most holiness in them
Mal. 3:3-4, "He will sit and judge like a refiner of silver, watching closely as the dross is burned away. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold or silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in former times." After the Lord Jesus Christ has been to his people as a refiner's fire, and as fuller's soap, that is, after he has refined, scoured, and purged his people from their drossiness, filthiness, earthliness, selfishness, and sensualness, etc., then "they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord."
Look! as light makes all things pleasant and delightful to man—just so, holiness makes all a man's duties and services pleasant and delightful to the Lord: Zech. 13:9, "This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is our God.'" When God has refined his people as silver is refined, then he will bow his ear, and open his hand, and grant them the desires of their hearts. Oh the pleasure and delight which God takes in the prayers, tears, hearings, readings, meltings, mournings, and repentings—of such who are eminently purged and sanctified!
The more holiness any man has, the less of the flesh, pollution, and corruption there is in all his duties and services; and the less there is of the old man in all our holy offerings—the more they are the delight of God. The more holiness anyone has, the less there will be of man, and the more there will be of Christ and the Spirit in all his duties and services; and doubtless, the less there is of man, and the more there is of Christ in duties—the more pleasant and delightful they will be unto the Lord.
The more holy any man is, the more there will be of his heart in his duties, and the more a man's heart is in his duties, the more pleasant and delightful they will be to God. God is a Spirit, John 4:23-24, and he is only delighted with those duties wherein the spirit of a man is.
The heart is the presence-chamber of the King of heaven! It is his bed of spices; it is his royal throne—on which he delights to sit and rule. A sanctified heart in duties shall prevail with God for crowns; when a silver tongue shall not prevail with God for crumbs.
The more holy any man is, the more delight and pleasure he will take in pious duties and services. The more a man's natural strength is, the more easily he walks, and the more delightfully he works. The fuller the wings are of feathers, with the more ease and pleasure the bird flies—just so, the fuller the soul is of holiness, the more easily, the more pleasantly, and the more delightfully will it walk, yes, run, yes, fly in all the ways of God's commands! Every yoke of Christ is easy, and every command of Christ is joyous to a man who is eminent in holiness. [Psalm 40:8, and 119:32; Mat. 11:29; 1 John 5:3.]
Now the more any man delights and takes pleasure in pious duties and services—the more God delights and takes pleasure in his pious duties and services. The more a Christian's heart is affected with the duties of piety, the more the heart of God will be affected with those duties. Look! as there is no duty which affects the heart of God, which does not first affect our own—just so, all those duties and services which are divinely pleasing and delightful to our noble part, they are also pleasing and delightful to God himself. The very heathen, as several authors report, had their pots of water set at the doors of their temples, where they washed before they went to sacrifice, having this notion and opinion among them—that their gods did best accept and most delight in those sacrifices that were offered by those who had washed themselves pure and clean. Sure I am—that the great God, who is the God of gods, is most pleased and delighted with those sacrifices of prayers and praises which are offered up with the purest hands, and with the cleanest heart; and therefore, as ever you would have God to take singular pleasure and delight in all your duties and services—labor after an eminency in holiness. But,
(9.) Ninthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that many who have been won over to Christ after you—do now in holiness much excel you. Are there not many children who have been in Christ but yesterday, as it were—and yet how do they outstrip their parents, not only in abilities —but in piety, who have been in Christ many years before them? And are there not many servants to be found who have not been in Christ seven years, who yet are more holy, more humble, more heavenly, more spiritual, more serious, and every way more gracious than their masters, who have been in Christ long before them? And are there not many poor, neglected, despised, and scorned Christians, who have been converted and sanctified but a few years—who yet are more fearful of sinning against God, and more careful of pleasing God, and more studious of glorifying of God, and more wise, and watchful, and circumspect in their walking with God, and more laborious and diligent in the use of all holy means whereby God may be exalted and lifted up in the world—than many great and rich Christians in the world, who yet have been in Christ very many years before them?
Paul had some kinsmen who were in Christ before him, as you may see in that Romans 16:5, 7, "Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. Greet Andronicus and Junia— they were also in Christ before me." And yet in grace and holiness he excelled them all. [2 Cor. 1:12, and 11:22-30; 1 Thes. 2:2-13.] You know many men in riding a journey do often set out after their neighbors—and yet they not only overtake them—but also get into their inns many hours before them. And among seamen, is there anything more common than for those who set sail some days after others—yet to get into their ports before them? Just so, there are many Christians who have set out heavenwards and holinesswards after others—and yet they have not only overtaken them—but also in grace and holiness gone far before them.
As Christ, in his youth, excelled all the doctors in the temple, Luke 2:46-48—just so, many Christians, even in their youth, as I may say,
do excel other Christians, who, in respect of their years and opportunities, might have been doctors in Christianity. [Jerome writes of Paulinus, that in the first part of his life he excelled others, and in his latter part he excelled himself.] In this great city you have very many who have begun trade many years after others—and yet they are grown far greater and richer than those of their same trade, who have begun many years before them; and doubtless there are very many in this city who have begun the trade of Christianity, the trade of godliness, long after others, who yet are grown greater and richer in grace and holiness than those who have for very many years driven that trade. And oh, how should this alarm all such to double their diligence, and to strive and labor as for life to be eminent in holiness, yes, to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord! But,
(10.) Tenthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that there are no people under heaven who are so strongly obliged and engaged to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord as you are, for you are the only people on earth who are made partakers of the divine nature; and who have a more excellent spirit in you than the men of this world have; and who have more excellent principles in you—as knowledge, wisdom, faith, love, self-denial, humility, etc., to help on the advance and increase of holiness, than others have, whose souls are strangers, yes, enemies, to those noble and divine principles. [2 Pet. 1:4; Dan. 6:3; 1 Cor. 2:12.]
You are the only people on earth upon whom all exhortations and commands to grow in holiness, to increase in holiness, and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord—does most immediately, most directly, most eminently, most roundly, and most fully fall, as you may easily see by comparing these scriptures together. [Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 7:1, and 13:11; Col. 2:7; Heb. 6:1; 1 Cor. 15:58; Jude 10.] O sirs, how gloriously should that house be adorned with holiness, which is of God's own building! And how fruitful should those vineyards and gardens be, which are of God's own planting! And how full should those wells be, which are of God's own digging! And
how sweet should those flowers be, which are of God's own planting! And how ripe should those fruits be, which are of God's own grafting!
O sirs, shall the eagle fly higher and higher; shall the sun shine brighter and brighter; and shall the giant refreshed with wine run swifter and swifter; and shall the woman who is with child grow fuller and fuller, and greater and greater? And shall not you who are the people of God's holiness—fly higher and higher in holiness, and shine brighter and brighter in holiness, and run swifter and swifter in the ways of holiness, and grow fuller and fuller, and greater and greater in the births of holiness?
O sirs, holiness in a Christian is not like a star in the sky, nor a stone in the earth, nor a bullet in a gun, which is always the same. But holiness is like to the seed, which, being sown in the furrows of the earth—first springs up into a blade, and then into an ear, and then into ripe corn, Mat. 13:23; Mark 4:28. Holiness is like to the waters in Ezekiel's sanctuary, which rise by degrees, Ezek. 47:3-4. First, it rose to the ankles, then to the knees, then to the loins, and then to a mighty river that could not be passed over. Holiness is like to the house of David, which grew stronger and stronger, 2 Sam. 3:1; and like to the cedars of Lebanon, which grow greater and greater, Hosea 14:6-7.
O Christians, there are none who are so strongly obliged to go on from faith to faith, and from strength to strength, and from holiness to holiness—as you are, Romans 1:17. Oh! you must labor to be filled up to the brim with holiness, Col. 1:13, and 2:7. Oh! you must strive to equalize the first three of David's worthies, 1 Chron. 11:21. Oh! you must endeavor to be like the brethren of Gideon, everyone resembling the children of a king, Judges 8:18. Oh, that you could all say as Elihu once did, "For I am full of words, and the spirit within me compels me; inside I am like bottled-up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst," Job 32:18-19. O my brethren—to be as full of holiness as new bottles are full of wine, or as the moon is full of light,
or as the black clouds are full of rain, or as mother's breasts are full of milk—is the greatest happiness in this world.
O sirs! there are no people on earth who are engaged to love the Lord with such a vehement love as you, nor to trust in the Lord with such an inflamed faith as you, nor to hope in the Lord with such a raised hope as you, nor to delight in the Lord with such ravishing delights as you, nor to long after the Lord with such earnest longings as you, nor to fear before the Lord with so great a trembling as you, nor to be so zealous for God with such a burning zeal as you, nor to mourn over sin before the Lord with so great a mourning as you, nor to hate all things which are contrary to the nature of God, the being of God, the command of God, and the glory of God—with such a deadly hatred as you.
Well, remember this, namely—it is no little sin for any Christian to sit down satisfied under a little measure of holiness, considering the many and the great obligations which lie upon him to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. But,
(11.) Eleventhly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holiness any man attains to—the more bold, courageous, resolute, manly, and heroic that man will be for God and godliness. 2 Cor. 1:8-12. Holiness ennobles the heart, it raises the heart; and the higher the springs of holiness rises in the heart—the higher it raises the heart, and the more it steels the heart for God and godliness. The more holiness any man has, the more resolutely he will set himself against sin, and the more divinely he will scorn the world, and the more courageously he will trample upon temptations, and the more heroic he will be under all his afflictions. Men of greatest holiness have been men of greatest boldness; witness Nehemiah, the three Hebrew children, Daniel, and all the holy prophets and apostles. Proverbs 28:1, "The wicked flee when no man pursues—but the righteous are as bold as a lion," yes, as a young lion, as the Hebrew has it, which is in his hot blood and fears nothing.
Great holiness made Daniel not only as bold as a lion—but also to daunt the lions with his boldness.
Luther was a man of great holiness, and a man of great boldness: witness his standing out against all the world. When the emperor sent for him to trial at Worms, and his friends dissuaded him from going, he said, "I will surely go, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; yes, though I knew that there were as many devils in Worms to resist me, as there be tiles to cover the houses—yet I would go!" And when Luther and his associates were threatened with many dangers from opposers on all hands, he lets fall this heroic and magnanimous speech, "Come let us sing the 46th Psalm—and then let them do their worst."
Latimer was a man of much holiness, counting the darkness and profaneness of those times wherein he lived, and a man of much courage and boldness; witness his presenting to the adulterous King Henry the Eighth, for a New Year's gift, a New Testament with this motto wrapped around it, "Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge!"
Taylor, the martyr, was a very holy man, and being persuaded by some of his friends not to appear before Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester—but to flee. "You flee," said he, "and do according to your consciences—but as for myself I am fully determined, by God's grace, to go to the bishop, and to tell him to his beard that he does evil."
Colonus, the Dutch martyr, called to the judge who had sentenced him to death—asked the judge to lay his hand upon his heart, and then asked him whose heart beat faster, his or the judge's. Here was a man of a heroic spirit indeed.
Basil was a man of great holiness, and a man of a most manly and courageous spirit. When the emperor sent to him to subscribe to the Arian heresy, and to engage him, promised him great preferment, to
which Basil replied, "Alas, your speeches are fit to catch little children with—who mind such things—but we who are nourished and taught by the holy Scriptures are readier to suffer a thousand deaths than to allow one syllable or tittle of the Scripture to be altered!" And when the emperor threatened him with imprisonment, banishment, and death, he answered, "Let him threaten children with such things; as for my part, I am resolved that neither threatenings nor flatteries shall silence me, or draw me to betray a good cause, or a good conscience."
Charles the Ninth, king of France, who had a deep hand in that barbarous and bloody massacre of many thousands of the saints in France; soon after that horrid tragic and perfidious slaughter was over, he called the Prince of Conde, and proposed to him these three things, "Either to go to mass; or to die immediately; or to suffer perpetual imprisonment." To which he returned this noble, bold, and heroic answer, namely, "That by God's help he would never choose the first, and for either of the other two he left to the king's pleasure and God's providence."
John, Duke of Saxony, was eminent in Christianity, and he did heroically assert and maintain the cause of God against all opposition in three imperial assemblies. When it was told him that he would lose the favor of the Pope, and the emperor, and all the world besides, if he stuck so fast to the Lutheran cause; he gave this noble answer, "Here are two ways," said he, "I must serve God or the world, and which of these do you think is the better?" and so put them off with this pleasant indignation. And when the States of the empire forbid all Lutheran sermons, he presently prepared to be gone, and professed boldly, that he would not stay there where he might not have liberty to serve God.
And thus you see by all these famous instances that the more eminent any people are in holiness, the more bold, resolute, courageous, and heroic they will be for God, and for the things of God; and therefore, as ever you would be men of high courage and
resolution for God, labor to be high in holiness. Such men who in all ages have been eminent in holiness have been like Shammah, one of David's worthies, who stood and defended the field when all the rest fled. But,
(12.) Twelfthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holiness any man attains to—the more serviceable and useful he will be in his generation. David was a man eminent in holiness, and as eminently serviceable in his generation: Acts 13:36, "For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep." Men who have but a little stock of holiness—will be but a little serviceable in their generation; but men who have a great stock of holiness—will be greatly serviceable in their generation. Men who have but little farms, and little stocks—are but a little serviceable to their country; but men who have great farms, and large stocks, and rich revenues—are greatly serviceable to their country. What a world of good sometimes does one rich man do in a town, a city, a country! Just so, one saint who is rich in grace and holiness! Oh, what a world of good does he do to all who are round about him!
Merchants who have great stocks, trade to the East and West Indies, and so enrich their country; whereas those who have but weak estates can only barter with their neighbors at home, and so are instruments but of little public good. A candle enlightens the room— but the sun enlightens the whole world. The more holiness any man has, the more fit for public use that man will be, 2 Tim. 2:21. As there was none so holy as Christ—just so, there was none of so public a spirit as Christ; he went up and down doing good, Acts 10:38; he laid out himself, and he laid down himself for public good; he healed others—but was hurt himself; he filled others—but was hungry himself. A man who is eminent in holiness, will be of his mind—who was rather willing to beautify Italy than his own house.
Moses was a man of great holiness, and of famous use in his generation, Num. 14:11-14, 19-20. Ah, how often did he turn away the
fierce anger and indignation of God from sinful Israel! Deut. 9:14; and oh the famous deliverances and glorious salvations that God brought about by his hand! Psalm 106:23. Nehemiah was a very holy man, and he laid out himself and his great estate for public service, Neh. 5:14, seq. Mordecai was a very pious man, and a man famously serviceable in his generation, Esther 4. Esther 10:3, "Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews." King Jehoshaphat and Joshua, were men of eminent holiness, and of singular use and service in their generation.
Men who have no holiness, and others that have but a little holiness, will be still a-carrying on a private interest of honor, or profit, or friends, or relations—and this we have seen evident among us in these latter days; and therefore, as ever you would be eminently serviceable in your generation, labor after an eminency in holiness. But,
(13.) Thirteenthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the greatest degrees of holiness are usually attended with the highest degrees of honor. Grace is called glory, and the greatest measures of grace are commonly crowned with the greatest degrees of glory, 2 Cor. 3:18. Abraham was a man eminent in grace and holiness, and he was highly in honor among the people: Gen. 23:6, "You are an honored prince among us;" or as the Hebrew has it, you are a prince of God among us, that is, you are a notable prince, you are an excellent prince.
Job was a man who had attained to a very high degree of holiness, Job 1:1-2; and he was highly honored among the people: Job 29:25, "I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops." In all weighty matters Job was the only man, he was chosen by all, and advanced by all above all, in all assemblies and places of judicature, etc. Whoever was of the committee, Job was
still chairman; whoever was of the council—Job was still president; and whoever was of the court—Job was still king, yes, he dwelt as a king in the army. Job was guarded as a king in the army, and honored as a king in the army, and beloved and admired as a king in the army, and obeyed and served as a king in the army, and feared and reverenced as a king in the army. I might give you further instances of this in Joseph, Moses, Nehemiah, Mordecai, the three Hebrew children, and Daniel—but I shall forbear.
Faith is but a piece, a part, a branch of holiness; and yet, oh, what an honorable mention does Paul make of the Romans' faith, in Romans 1:8, "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the world." The Roman Christians had attained to an eminency in faith, and the report thereof sounded throughout the Roman empire, yes, throughout the world, for there being a great resort to Rome from all parts of the world, and by everyone's discoursing and admiring of the Romans' faith, their faith came to be spread abroad among all the churches all the world over.
Look! as Christ's fullness of grace was his highest glory in this world —just so, a Christian's fullness of holiness is his highest honor in this world, Psalm 45:1-2. O sirs, there is no such way to be high in honor and renown, both in the consciences of sinners and saints—as to be high in holiness. Jewel was a man eminent in holiness, and his holiness set him high in the very judgments and consciences of the Papists. The dean of the college, though a Papist—yet speaks thus of him: "In your faith I hold you a heretic—but surely in your life you are an angel." Among the very heathens, those were most highly honored, who were most excellent and eminent in moral virtues. Aristides was so famous among the Athenians for his justice, that he was called Aristides the Just, etc.,
O Christians, it is your highest honor and glory in this world, to be so eminent and famous for holiness, that men may point at you, and say, "there goes such a one the wise, and there goes such a one the humble, and there goes such a one the heavenly, and there goes such
a one the meek, and there goes such a one the patient, and there goes such a one the contented, and there goes such a one the just, and there goes such a one the merciful, and there goes such a one the zealous, and there goes such a one the courageous, and there goes such a one the sincere, and there goes such a one the faithful, etc."
Well, for a close, remember this, that though great places, great offices, great revenues, and great honors, etc., may exalt you and set you high in the uppermost seats and rooms among men—yet it is only an eminency in holiness which will exalt you and set you high in the consciences of sinners and saints. But,
(14.) Fourteenthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the times wherein you live, calls for this at your hand. Jer. 51:5, "The land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel." Ah, how is this land filled with sin, yes, with the worst of sins, against the Holy One of Israel! Hell seems to be broken loose, and men strive to exceed and excel one another in all kinds of wickedness. Oh the scarlet sins which are now to be found under many scarlet robes! Oh the black transgressions which are now to be found under many black robes of ministers! Oh the new-found oaths, the hellish blasphemies, the horrid filthiness, and the abominable debaucheries which are committed daily in the face of the sun! Ah how shameless, how senseless are sinners grown in these days! Jer. 3:3, "You have a whore's forehead, and refuse to be ashamed." Sin everywhere now appears with a whore's forehead.
Ah, what open opposition does Christ meet with in his gospel offices, members, ways, worship, and works! Mat. 24:12; ah how does all iniquity abound, and how bold and resolute are multitudes now in dishonoring of God, in polluting his ordinances, in destroying their own souls, and in treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath! etc., Romans 2:5.
Now the worser the times are—the better every Christian must labor to be; the more profane the age is wherein we live—the more holy we must endeavor to be. O sirs, how else will you recompense the great God, if I may so speak, for all the dishonors which are cast upon him by the matchless looseness and wickedness of the present times? how else will you shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation? "You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them." Philippians 2:15. How else will you convince the consciences, and stop or button up the mouths of wicked and unreasonable men? 1 Pet. 2:15. How else will you be the Lord's witnesses against this sinful and adulterous generation? Isaiah 43:10, 12, and 44:8. How else will you manifest your great love to Christ, and your exceeding tenderness of the honor and glory of Christ? How else will you give an undeniable testimony of the glorious operations of the Spirit in you? Psalm 18:20-25. How else will you satisfy your own consciences that your hearts are upright with God? And how else will you with Noah condemn a wicked world? Heb. 11:7.
Well, Christians, remember this, it is more than time for you to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord, when so many thousands labor day and night to perfect wickedness in despite of the Lord; it is time for you to be angels in holiness, when multitudes strive to exceed the very devil in wickedness. Since Christ was on earth, there has been no times that have called louder for the perfecting of holiness than the present times wherein we live. But,
(15.) Fifteenthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider how the men of the world study and strive to abound and increase in worldly blessings. Oh, what ado is there among worldlings to lay house to house, and field to field, to make a hundred into a thousand, and a thousand into ten thousand, etc., Isaiah 5:8. Many men rise early and go to bed late, yes, they cross and wound their consciences, and decline their principles, and endanger their immortal souls—and all
to add to their worldly stores, Psalm 127:1-2. This age is full of such Ahabs, who covet their neighbors' vineyards, yes, they will wade through Naboth's blood to procure them, 1 Kings 21. And how many rich fools are there among us, who instead of minding their souls, and providing for eternity, mind nothing, nor talk of nothing—but pulling down their barns, and building of greater ones! Luke 12:1621. What struggling is there for places of honor; what desperate ventures for rich commodities; and what high attempts there are for large possessions! Oh the time, the strength, the energy— which many spend in an eager pursuit after earthly things! Psalm 4:6.
Oh, how sad it is to consider that Satan shall have more service from a worldling for an ounce of gold, than God shall have for the kingdom of heaven! though the world in all its bravery is no better than the cities which Solomon gave to Hiram, which he called Cabul, that is, displeasing or dirty, 1 Kings 9:13; yet, oh, how mad are men upon it! Though all the great, the mirthful, and the glorious things of the world may fitly be resembled to the fruit which undid us all, which was fair to the sight, smooth in handling, sweet in taste—but deadly in operation! Yet, oh, how fond are men of these things! and how do most long to be touching and tasting of them, though a touch, a taste, may exclude them out of paradise forever! O sirs, what fools in folio are they, who dare hazard the loss of a paradise for a wilderness; of a crown for a crumb; of a kingdom for a cottage; and of pearls for trifles! and yet such fools are all those who spend themselves in multiplying and increasing of their earthly enjoyments.
In Gen. 13:2 it is said, that "Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold;" but according to the Hebrew it runs thus, "Abraham was very heavy, in cattle, in silver, and in gold," to show that riches, that gold and silver, which is the great god of the world, are but heavy burdens, and rather a hindrance than a help to heaven and happiness. Gold and silver, which are but the yellow and white guts and garbage of the earth, is fitly called by the prophet, "thick clay," Hab. 2:6, which will sooner break a man's back than satisfy his heart;
and oh, what folly and madness is it for a man to be still a-loading of himself with the clay of this world!
Though the horse is loaded with rich treasure all the day long—yet when night comes he is turned into the dark stinking stable, with an empty belly, and with his back full of galls, sores, and bruises. Just so, though vain men may be loaded with the treasures of this world during the day of their life—yet when the night of death comes, then they shall be turned into a dark stinking hell, with consciences full of guilt and galls, and with souls full of sores and bruises; and then what good will all their treasures do them?
Though the rich man in the Gospel lived sumptuously—yet when he died he went to hell, Luke 16. Though mammon, as Aretius and many others observe, is a Syriac word, and signifies wealth, riches; yet Irenaeus derives mammon of mum—which signifies a spot, and hon —which signifies riches, to show that riches have their spots; and yet, oh, how unwearied are men in their adding of spots to spots! Men, in their pursuit after things of this world, seem to act by an untired power, they are never weary of heaping up bags upon bags, nor of enlarging their tents, nor of increasing their revenues, etc.