saved in the great day of the Lord, as you would be happy here, and
Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire, the gold and crystal
cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine
gold," Job 28:13, 16-17. O my friends, it is the greatest wisdom,
policy, equity, and justice, to provide for your precious souls, to
secure your precious souls; for they are jewels of more worth than
ten thousand worlds. All the honors, riches, greatness, and glory of
this world are but chips, toys, and pebbles, compared to these
glorious pearls. But,
2. The second word of counsel is this, as you would be safe here, and
saved in the great day of the Lord, as you would be happy here, and
blessed hereafter, be taken up with nothing below a gracious
acquaintance with Christ, a choice acceptance of Christ, a holy
reliance upon Christ, a full resignation of yourselves to Christ, and a
real and glorious union with Christ. Acts 2:20; Job 22:21; 1 Tim. 1:15;
Job 13:15; 2 Cor. 2:11. If you do, you are lost and undone in both
worlds!
[1.] First, Some rely on a name to live, when they are dead, Rev. 3:1,
dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2:1, dead God-wards, and dead
Christ-wards, and dead heaven-wards, and dead holiness-wards. The
the worst men, often get the best names. The Alcoran of the Turks
has its name from brightness; but it is full of darkness, and fraught
with falsehoods. It will be but a poor comfort to any, for the world to
commend them as gracious, if God condemns them as graceless; for
the world to commend them as pious, if God condemns them as
impious; for the world to commend them as sincere, if God
condemns them as hypocrites. But,
[2.] Secondly, Some rely on a 'form of godliness' when they are
strangers to the 'power of godliness'. 2 Tim. 3:5; when they deny, yes,
when they oppose and persecute, the godly. Such monsters this age
has abounded with; but their seeming goodness is but a religious
cheat, Acts 13:45, 50.
[3.] Thirdly, There are some who rely on their religious duties and
services; in their praying, fasting, prophesying, hearing, receiving.
They make a God, a Christ, a Savior of their own duties and services!
This was the undoing and damning sin of the Scribes and Pharisees,
and is the undoing and damning sin of many thousands in our days,
Mat. 7:22; Luke 18:12, 13:26, and 16:15; Ezek. 33:31-32.
[4.] Fourthly, There are many who rely on their common gifts and
abilities; in a gift of knowledge, and in a gift of teaching, and in a gift
of utterance, and in a gift of memory, and in a gift of prayer; and this
proves ruinous and destructive to them, Mat. 7:22; Romans 2:17-24;
1 Cor. 12.; Heb. 6:4-5.
[5.] Fifthly, There are many who rely on their riches, prosperity, and
worldly grandeur and glory. Proverbs 18:11, "The rich man's wealth is
his strong city." "Don't weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste
your time? For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of
a bird!" Proverbs 23:4-5. It is hard to have wealth, and not trust to it,
Mat. 19:24. Wealth was never true to those who have trusted it.
There is an utter uncertainty in riches, 1 Tim. 6:17; an impotency to
help in an evil day, Zeph. 1:18; an impossibility to stretch to eternity,
unless it be to destroy the owner forever, [Rich men's wealth proves
an hindrance to their happiness, Eccles. 5:13; James 5:1-2.] Proverbs
10:15; Psalm 73:19; Mat. 20:26. There is nothing more clear in
Scripture and history, than that riches, prosperity, and worldly glory
—have been commonly their portion who never have had a God for
their portion, Luke 16:25. It was an excellent saying of Lewis,
emperor of Germany: "Such goods are worth getting and owning—
which will not sink or wash away if a shipwreck happens." [Riches
are called thick clay, Hab. 2:6, which will sooner break the back, than
lighten the heart.] "Only the wise man is the rich man," says the
philosopher. Augustine says, "that earthly riches are full of poverty,
they cannot enrich the soul; for oftentimes under silken apparel
there is a threadbare soul."
He who is rich in conscience, sleeps more soundly than he who is
richly clothed in purple.
"No man is rich, who cannot carry into eternity, that which he has.
That which we must leave behind us, is not ours—but belongs to
someone else." [Ambrose]
"The shortest way to true riches is by their contempt. It is great
riches not to desire riches. He has most—who covets least." [Seneca.]
When one was commending the riches and wealth of merchants; the
poor man replied, "I do not love that wealth which hangs upon ropes;
for if they break, the ship miscarries, and then where is the
merchant's riches?"
"If I had an enemy, whom it was lawful to wish evil unto, I would
chiefly wish him great store of riches, for then he should never enjoy
peace and quiet." [Latimer.]
The historian Tacitus observes, that the riches of Cyprus invited the
Romans to hazard many dangerous fights for the conquering of it.
"Earthly riches," says Augustine, "are an evil master, a treacherous
servant, fathers of flattery, sons of grief, a cause of fear to those that
have them, and a cause of sorrow to those who lack them."
I have read a famous story of Zelimus, emperor of Constantinople,
who after he had captured Egypt, he found a great deal of treasure
there; and the soldiers coming to him, and asked him what they
should do with the rich citizens of Egypt. "Oh," says the emperor,
"hang them all—for they are too rich to be made slaves!" This was all
the thanks they had for the riches they were robbed of. What more
contemptible than a rich fool, a golden beast? Not but that some are
great and gracious, rich and righteous, as Abraham, Lot, Job, David,
Hezekiah, etc.
By these short hints you may see the folly and vanity of those men
who trust in their riches. But,
[6.] Sixthly, Many rely on their own righteousness, which at best is
but as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. This was the damning sin of the Jews,
and of the scribes and Pharisees; and is the undoing sin of many of
the professors of this age, Romans 10:2-3; Mat. 5:20.
[7.] Seventhly, Many rely on their external church privileges, crying
out, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!" Jer. 7:4, 8-11,
when they have no union nor communion with the Lord of the
temple. These forget that there will come a day, when the "children
of the kingdom shall be cast out," Mat. 8:12. It would be very good
for such people to make these five scriptures their daily companions,
Mat. 22:10, 12-14; Luke 13:25-28; Romans 2:28-29; Gal. 6:15; Jer.
9:2526. They should never dare to rely on their outward church
privileges, which can neither secure them from hell, nor secure them
of heaven. But,
[8.] Eighthly, Many who rely on common convictions.
Judas had mighty convictions of his sin, but they ended in
desperation, Mat. 27:4-5.
Balaam was mightily enlightened and convinced, in as much that he
desired to die the death of the righteous; but under all his
convictions he died Christless and graceless, Num. 23 and 24.
Nebuchadnezzar had great convictions, Dan. 4:31-32, yet we do not
read that ever he was converted before he was driven from the
society of men, to be a companion with the beasts of the field, Dan.
4:31-32. He had strong convictions, (1.) by Daniel's interpreting of
his dream, Dan. 2:47. (2.) He told Daniel, that "his God was the God
of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets;" and yet
presently he fell into gross idolatry, Dan. 3, and strictly commanded
to worship the golden image that he had set up; and as if he had lost
all his former convictions. He was so swelled up with pride and
impudence, as to say to the three Hebrew children, when they
divinely scorned to worship the image he had set up, "What God is
there that can deliver you out of my hand?" ver. 15.
Saul had great convictions, "I have sinned! Return, my son David, I
will no more do you harm," etc. "And Saul lifted up his voice and
wept; and he said unto David, You are more righteous than I, for you
have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded you evil," 1 Sam.
26:21, 25, and 24:16-19. But these convictions issued in no saving
change, for after these he lived and died in the height of his sins.
Pharaoh had great convictions: "And Pharaoh sent, and called for
Moses and Aaron, and said unto them—I have sinned this time: the
Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." And again,
"Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said—I
have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you," Exod. 9:27,
and 10:16. But these convictions issued in no reformation, in no
sound conversion, and therefore drowning and damning followed.
Cain was under convictions, but went and built a city, and lost his
convictions in a crowd of worldly business, Gen. 4.
Herod and Felix were under convictions, but they went off, and never
issued in any saving work upon their souls, Mark 6:20; Acts 24:25.
Oh, how many men and women have fallen under such deep
convictions, that they have day and night cried out of their sins, and
of their lost and undone estates, and that they would certainly go to
hell and be damned forever, so that many good people have hoped
that these were the pangs of the new birth; and yet either merry
company, or carnal pleasures and delights, or much worldly
business, or else length of time—have wrought off all their
convictions, and they have grown more profane and wicked than ever
they were before. As water heated, if taken off the fire, will soon
return to its natural coldness, yes, becomes colder after heating than
before, (says Aristotle,) this has been the case of many under
convictions. I shall forbear giving of particular instances. But,
[9.] Ninthly, Many rely on an outward change and reformation; they
have left some old courses and sinful practices which formerly they
walked in, etc., and therefore they conclude and hope that their
condition is good, and that all is well, and shall be forever well with
them. They were accustomed to swear, whore, be drunk, profane
Sabbaths, reproach saints, etc.; but now they have left all these
practices, and therefore they assume that the main work is done, and
they shall be saved forever.
I confess that sin is that abominable thing which God hates, Jer.
44:4, and therefore it is a very great mercy to turn from it. To leave