The Necessity, Excellency, Rarity, and Beauty of Holiness Thomas Brooks, 1662 CHOICE QUOTES All the sins of the saints "We know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 All the afflictions, and all the temptations, and all the desertions, and all the oppressions, and all the oppositions, and all the persecutions— which befall a godly man, shall work for his good. Every cross, and every loss, and every disease— which befall the holy man, shall work for his good. Every device, every snare, every deceit, every depth, every stratagem, and every enterprise of Satan against the holy man, shall work for his good. They shall all help to make him . . . more humble, more holy, more heavenly, more spiritual, more faithful, more fruitful, more watchful. Every prosperity and every adversity; every storm and every calm; every bitter and every sweet; every cross and every comfort— shall work for the holy man's good. When God gives a mercy— that shall work for his good. When God takes away a mercy— that shall work for his good. Yes, even all the falls and all the sins of the saints shall work for their good. Oh . . . the care, the fear, the watchfulness, the tenderness, the zeal— which God raises in the souls of His saints by their very falls! Oh the hatred, the indignation, and the detestation—which God raises in the hearts of His children against sin—by their very falling into sin! Oh what love to Christ, what thankfulness for Christ, what admiration of Christ, what cleaving to Christ, what exalting of Christ, what drawings from Christ's grace— are saints led to, by their very falls! It is the glory of God's holiness, that . . . He can turn spiritual diseases—into holy remedies! He can turn soul poisons—into heavenly cordials! He can prevent sin by sin, and cure falling by falling! O Christian! What though friends and relations frown upon you, what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against you, what though needs, like armed men, are breaking in upon you, what though men rage, and devils roar against you, what though sickness is devastating your family, what though death stands every day at your elbow— yet there is no reason for you to fear nor faint, because all these things shall work for your good! Yes, there is wonderful cause of joy and rejoicing in all the afflictions and tribulations which come upon you—considering that they shall all work for your good. O Christians! I am afraid, I am afraid—that you do not run so often as you should—to the breasts of this promise, nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it, that it would yield, and that your several cases may require. "We know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I have been the longer upon this verse, because the condition of God's people calls for the strongest cordials, and the choicest and the sweetest comforts.
Riches are the great god of the world, and are 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," which will sooner break a man's back than satisfy his heart! Oh, what folly and madness is it for a man to be still a-loading of himself with the clay of this world! 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 muckworms are 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? "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Tim. 6:9-10 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A sea of grace—or but a drop of grace "Those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified." Romans 8:30 God's love is equal to all His saints, whether they are rich or poor, high or low, slave or free; whether they have a sea of grace—or but a drop of grace. God's love 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 more a vessel of glory than another; the weakest saint is as much elected as the strongest. 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. Christ paid as great a price for His lambs—as for His sheep. Christ paid as great a price for Lazarus in his rags—as for David in his royal robes. 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. In effectual calling, God looks with as favorable an eye upon one, as He does upon another. All saints are equally JUSTIFIED. 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. All saints are equally ADOPTED. 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 is equal to all His saints. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The foolish Indians The foolish Indians preferred every toy and trifle, before their mines of gold. Just so, many foolish professors prefer the trifling vanities of this world, before the glorious treasures and endless pleasures which are at God's right hand. Witness that high price which they set upon . . . the toys, the trifles, the vanities, the empty honors, the fading riches, and the fleeting pleasures of this world! How severely are they to be censured—who prefer the poor, base, empty nothings of this world—before all the glory and happiness of the eternal world! Were there but more holiness in your hearts—all the mirthful and gallant things of this world, would be more contemptible in your eyes. "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ." Philippians 3:8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A self-loather True repentance is a daily turning of the soul further
Hell would be the place of greatest
pleasure
Head, hand, heart, lip, and life True holiness is diffusive. It extends, diffuses, and spreads itself all over the whole person . . . the head and the heart; the lip and the life; the inside and the outside. The understanding is nourished on holiness, the mind is adorned with holiness, the will is bowed to holiness, and all the affections are sprinkled, yes, clothed with holiness— love is holy love, grief is holy grief, joy is holy joy, sorrow is holy sorrow, fear is holy fear, care is holy care, zeal is holy zeal. Real holiness spreads itself over head, hand, heart, lip, and life. "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23
The plague of unsatisfiedness "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of covetousness; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15 Covetousness is . . . a very great and grievous sin; a mother-sin; a breeding sin; a sin which has all sin in its womb; a very vile and heinous sin; the root of all evil. Covetousness makes the soul earthly —which should be celestial. Covetousness is an evil which subjects men to the basest and vilest evils. Covetousness makes a man a fool! "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" Luke 12:20 Covetousness robs a man of all true peace, comfort, contentment and quiet. Covetousness brings men into snares which drown their souls in perdition. Covetousness renders men unsatisfied under all their outward enjoyments. Though a covetous wretch has enough to sink him—yet he can never have enough to satisfy him. First he wishes for a bag full, and then a chest full, and then a room full, and then a house full, etc. The plague of unsatisfiedness—is the great plague which covetous men are under. Certainly you shall as soon fill a triangle with a circle, and a chest with grace—as you shall be able to fill and satisfy a covetous mind with money. A covetous man is like a swine—which is good for nothing while it lives. The horse is good to carry, the ox is good to draw, the sheep is good for cloth, the cow is good to give milk, and the dog is good to guard the house—but the hog is good for nothing while he lives! Just so, a covetous man is only serviceable when he is dead. That scripture often proves true, "the riches of a sinner are laid up for the just." Job 27:17 No sin lays men under greater woes! "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10
Tears have a voice "The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping." Psalm 6:8 Tears have a voice. God has an eye as well upon a man's tears—as upon his prayers. Penitent tears are divine ambassadors, which never return from the throne of grace without answers of grace. Peter said nothing, but went out and wept bitterly—and obtained mercy. Tears are a kind of silent prayers, which will at last prevail for mercy. "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears." Isaiah 38:5 A sinner's face never shines so beautiful, as when it is bedewed with penitential tears.
God's love-letter meat for strong men, comfort for the afflicted, support for the tempted, solace for the distressed, ease for the wearied, a staff to support the feeble, a sword to defend the weak. The holy Scriptures are . . . the map of God's mercy—and man's misery, the touchstone of truth, the shop of remedies against all maladies, the hammer of vices, the treasury of virtues, the exposer of all sensual and worldly vanities, the balance of equity, the most perfect rule of all justice and honesty. Ah, friends, no book befits your hands like the Bible! The Bible is the best preacher. This book, this preacher will preach to you . . . in your shops, in your chambers, in your closets, yes, in your own bosoms! This book will preach to you at home and abroad; it will preach to you in all companies; and it will preach to you in all conditions. By this book you shall be saved—or by this book you shall be damned! By this book you must live. By this book you must die. By this book you shall be judged in the great day! Oh, therefore . . . love this book above all other books, prize this book above all other books, read this book before all other books, study this book more than all other books! For he who reads much—and understands nothing, is like him who hunts much—and catches nothing. "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long!" Psalm 119:97
Spit out the sweet morsels of sin Murder all his hearers at once! eye more how he walks—than how he talks. Let a minister be ever so learned, solid, quaint, elegant, zealous, judicious, sententious, etc.—yet if he is carnal, covetous, worldly, vain, and loose in his life and walk, his hearers will rather slight and abhor the holy things of God. When the preacher departs out of the way of holiness, the people will quickly wander from all that is good. He whose life is not a standing reproof to sin, will, by his life, encourage sinners more and more in a way of sin. There is nothing which keeps men so off from the love of holiness, and from the pursuing after holiness—than the unholy lives of their ministers. "Watch your life and doctrine closely." 1 Timothy 4:16 "Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12 "In everything set them an example by doing what is good." Titus 2:7 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Those who hunt after it are dogs! ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Painted holiness ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ These Gergesites
had rather lose "When they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Turned into beasts, birds, stones, trees, or air "Our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29 Chaff and stubble cannot stand before that God, who is ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The dregs of old age! ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The beauty and glory of a Christian Holiness will render you most beautiful and amiable. As ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The richest man in the world ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Without holiness "Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Heb. 12:14 To 'see' implies both vision and fruition. Without holiness, no Oh, how great a misery, "Leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps." 1 Peter 2:21 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ An outlet and an inlet "Death has been swallowed up in victory!" 1 Corinthians 15:54 DEATH is an outlet and an inlet to a holy man. Death is an eternal outlet . . . to all sins, to all sorrows, to all shame, to all sufferings, to all afflictions, to all temptations, to all oppressions, to all confusions, and to all vexations. Death is an eternal inlet into . . . the clear, full, and constant enjoyment of God, the sweetest pleasures, the purest joys, the highest delights, the strongest comforts, and the most satisfying contentments. Death is the funeral of all a holy man's sins and miseries—and the perfection of all his joys, graces, and spiritual excellencies. Death is not the death of the man—but the death of his sin. Death is a Christian's discharge from all trouble and misery! Death came in by sin—and sin goes out by death. Death cures all diseases—the aching head and the unbelieving heart; the diseased body and the defiled soul. Death will cure the holy man of all natural and spiritual distempers. Death is God's gentle usher to conduct us to heaven. Death to a holy man, is nothing but the changing of . . . his grace—into glory, his faith—into vision, his hope—into fruition, and his love—into eternal rapture! Oh, who would not go through death . . . to heaven! to eternal life! to immortality and glory! Death, to a Christian, is . . . a welcome guest, a happy friend, a joyful messenger! "Death has been swallowed up in victory!" 1 Cor. 15:54 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Such guilty, filthy, and polluted souls! "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 What a sad roster of vile people! These monstrous sinners and prodigious sins were enough to have brought another flood upon the world; or to have provoked the Lord to rain hell out of heaven upon them—as once he did upon Sodom and Gomorrah; or to have caused the ground to open and swallow them up—as once it did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram! And yet behold! some of these are changed and sanctified! "And that is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." verse 11. Oh, the infinite goodness! Oh, the infinite grace! Oh, the infinite wisdom and power of God—which has pardoned, washed, sanctified, and cleansed such guilty, filthy, and polluted souls! The worst of sinners should never despair of being made saints—considering what notorious sinners have been made holy. There is no heart so wicked—but grace can make it holy. Well! sinners, remember this—it is possible that those . . . ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Other men's sins By other men's sins, a holy man is put in mind of the badness of his own heart. Bernard makes mention of an old man, who, when he saw any man sin, lamented and wept for him; and being asked why he grieved so, for other men's sins, answered, "He fell today—and I may fall tomorrow!" The falls of others puts a holy man in mind of the roots of sinfulness which are in himself. Other men's actual sins are as so many glasses, through which a holy man comes to see the manifold seeds of sin which are in his own heart—and such a sight as this cannot but melt him and break him. A holy heart knows that the best way to keep himself pure from other men's sins, is to mourn for other men's sins. He who makes conscience of weeping over other men's sins—will rarely be defiled with other men's sins. A holy heart looks upon other men's sins as their bonds and chains—and this makes him mourn. Ah, how can tears but trickle down a Christian's cheeks, when he sees multitudes, fast bound with the cords of their iniquity, trooping to hell? Who can look upon a sinner as a bound prisoner to the prince of darkness—and not bemoan him? If holy people thus mourn for the wickedness of others, then certainly those who take pleasure in the wickedness of others—who laugh and joy, who can make a sport of other men's sins—are rather monsters than men! There are none so nearly allied to Satan as these—nor any so resemble Satan as much as these! (The devil always joys most—when sinners sin most!) To applaud them, and take pleasure in those who take pleasure in sin—is the highest degree of ungodliness! ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The diamond in that ring! The whole Scripture is but one entire love-letter, all written in golden letters, dispatched from the Lord Christ to His beloved spouse on earth. In it, there is so much to be read of . . . the love of Christ, the heart of Christ, the kindness of Christ, the grace of Christ, and the glory of Christ, that a holy heart cannot but love, and embrace, and endeavor to conform to every line. The whole word of God is a field—and Christ is the treasure which is hidden in that field! The whole word of God is a ring of gold— and Christ is the diamond in that ring! "The Scriptures point to Me!" John 5:39 ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A silver vein of sanctity "In that day shall there be upon the bridles of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord Almighty." Zechariah 14:20-21 Here is holiness written upon the bridles of the horses they ride on, and upon the cups and pots they drink with. A holy heart will be holy in the use of common things. Every piece of his life shall savor of sanctity; and in all the parts of his every-day life, you shall be able to discern something of the power of true religion. He who is truly holy—will be holy in the use of earthly and common things, as well as in the use of spiritual and heavenly things. He will be spiritual in the use of mundane things; and heavenly in the use of earthly things. There is a silver vein of sanctity which runs through all his worldly concernments. If you look upon him in his eating and drinking—you shall find him holy. If you look upon him in his buying and selling—you shall find him holy. He is holy in his commerce, and holy in his converse. Holiness is written upon his dealings with others, and upon his behavior towards his family and friends. Whatever he puts his hand to in his home—has holiness written upon it. A holy man makes a Jacob's ladder of all his earthly enjoyments. All the comforts in his home, lead him on in a way of holiness, and lead him up to a holy God. Look upon a holy man in his vocation—and you shall find him holy. Look upon him in the use of earthly things—and you shall find him holy. Look upon him in his recreations—and you shall find him holy. The habitual frame and bent of his heart is to be holy in every earthly thing which he puts his hand unto. A spirit of holiness runs and shines in all the common actions of his life. But for the false professor—all his religion, all his holiness, lies in a few religious duties! Take him out of these, and you shall find him as carnal, as vain, as foolish, as filthy and as frothy, as light and as slight—as those who have not so much as a cloak of holiness upon them! Look! as an unholy heart is carnal in spiritual things, and earthly in heavenly things, and unholy in holy things—just so, a man who is truly holy—he is as well holy in the ordinary affairs and actions of this life, as he is holy in any of the exercises of piety. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do—do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Heaven would be a very hell "Yet they say to God—Leave us alone! We have no Heaven would be a very hell to an unholy heart. If now—the presence of God in His servants, and the presence of God in His ordinances—is such a hell to unholy souls; ah, what a hell would the presence of God in heaven be—to unholy hearts! It is true, an unholy heart may desire heaven—as it is a place of freedom from troubles, afflictions, oppressions, vexations, etc., and as it is a place of peace, rest, ease, safety, etc. But this is the least and lowest part of heaven. To desire heaven as it is . . . a place of purity, a place of grace, a place of holiness, a place of enjoying God, etc. —is above the reach of an unholy heart. The company of heaven are all holy, the employments of heaven are all holy, the enjoyments of heaven are all holy— therefore heaven would be a most undesirable thing to unholy hearts. An unholy heart is no way desirous nor ambitious of such a heaven . . . as will rid him of his darling sins, as will make him conformable to a holy God, as will everlastingly divorce him from his precious lusts, as will link him forever to those gracious souls whom he has scorned, despised, and persecuted in this world. ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Holy hatred "I hate every false way." Psalm 119:104 Where there is real holiness, there is a holy hatred, detestation, and indignation—against all ungodliness and wickedness. A holy man knows that all sin strikes . . . at the holiness of God, at the glory of God, at the nature of God, at the being of God, at the law of God— and therefore his heart rises against all sin. He looks upon every sin as a grieving of the Spirit, as a vexing of the Spirit, and as a quenching of the Spirit; and so nothing will satisfy him but the ruin of them all. He looks upon every sin— as a dishonor to God, as an enemy to Christ, as a wound to the Spirit, as a reproach to the gospel, as a moth to his holiness—and therefore his heart and his hand are against every sin. He looks upon every sin . . . as that Judas who betrayed Christ; as that Pilate who condemned Christ; as those soldiers who scourged Christ; as those spears which pierced Christ. He looks upon every sin as having a hand in the death of his Savior—and therefore he cries out, "Crucify them all, crucify them all!" Look! as every lion has his den, every dog his kennel, every swine his sty, and every crow his nest—just so, every unholy person has one sin or another, to which his heart is engaged and married; and that sin will undo him forever! As Lysimachus lost his earthly kingdom by drinking one draught of water—just so, many lose a heavenly kingdom by indulging some one sin or another. One flaw spoils the diamond, one treason makes a traitor, one wrong turn brings a man quite out of the way, one leak sinks the ship, one wound strikes Goliath dead, one Delilah betrays Samson, one broken wheel spoils the whole clock, one dead fly spoils the whole box of ointment. And as one bastard son destroyed Gideon's seventy sons, (Judges 8,)—just so, one predominant sin is enough to destroy the soul forever. As by taking one nap Samson lost his strength, and by eating one apple Adam lost his paradise—just so, many men, by favoring one sin—lose God, heaven, and their souls forever! He who favors any sin, though he frowns upon many—does but as Benhadad —recover of one disease and die of another; yes, he takes pains to go to hell. Sin favored—always ends tragically. Sometimes you shall have an unholy person angry with sin, because it has . . . cracked his credit, or clouded his honor, or hindered his profit, or embittered his pleasure, or enraged his conscience, or exposed him to shame here and hell hereafter; but never because . . . a righteous law is transgressed, a holy God is dishonored, a loving Savior is afresh crucified, or the blessed Spirit grieved. A holy heart rises against sin because of its defiling nature. An unholy heart rises against sin because of its damning nature. A holy man is most afflicted with the evil which is in sin. An unholy heart is most afflicted with the punishment which is due to sin. A holy person hates sin because it pollutes his soul. An unholy person hates it because it destroys his soul. A holy person loathes sin because it makes against God's holiness. An unholy person loathes it because it provokes God's justice. A holy person detests sin because of the hell which is in sin. An unholy person detests sin because of the hell which follows sin. A holy heart abhors all sin. An unholy heart is still in league with some sin. ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Many divine miracles "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 In every saved person, there are many divine miracles; there is . . . a dead man—restored to life, a dumb man—restored to speech, a blind man—restored to sight, a deaf man—restored to hearing, a lame man—restored to walking, a man possessed with devils—possessed with grace, a heart of stone—turned into a heart of flesh, and a life of wickedness—turned into a life of holiness. ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Genuine assurance ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A cooler hell Many please and satisfy themselves with mere civility and
But civility is not sanctity. Civility rested in—is but a
beautiful Civility is very often . . . A moral man may be an utter stranger . . . Well, sirs, remember this—though the moral man is good for Morality without piety is as a body without a soul. Will "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A house of fools! A fool prefers toys and trifles—above things of greatest worth. Just so, wicked and ungodly men prefer their lusts before the Lord. Upon choice, they prefer the honors, the riches and glory of the world—above their own souls and the great concerns of eternity. I have read of the foolish people of Ceylon, who preferred a consecrated ape's tooth—above an incredible mass of treasure. Such fools are all unholy people, who prefer the toys, the trifles of this world—above the pleasures and treasures which are at God's right hand. The world is full of such fools. Says one—"If you behold the lives of men, you will judge the whole world to be a house of fools!" Ah, friends! What folly can be compared to that of men's spending their time, their strength, their lives, their souls—in getting the great things of this world, and neglecting that one thing necessary—the salvation of their souls! Oh, what vanity is it to prefer . . . a smoke of honor, a blast of fame, a dream of pleasure, a wedge of gold, a Babylonish garment, and such like transitory trifles and trash —before a blessed eternity! ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No dirty dogs shall ever trample upon that golden pavement Throughout the Scriptures, unholy people are branded, to their ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ An ignorant, profane, and soul-flattering
clergy ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The fool's bauble, the fool's
fiddle ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Righteousness exalts a nation ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Well, Ladies and Gentlemen "Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Oh stand and wonder! ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Splendida peccata ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Rejoice that your names are written in
heaven! ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ But the
truth is Many there are, who are accounted . . . deep scholars, great linguists, profound philosophers, good grammarians, excellent mathematicians, sharp logicians, cunning politicians, fine rhetoricians, sweet musicians, etc. But the truth is, he is the best grammarian—who has learned to speak the truth from his heart; and he is the best astronomer—who has his thoughts in heaven; and he is the best musician—who has learned practically to sing out the praises of God; and he is the best arithmetician—who knows how to number his days; and he is the best philosopher—who every day grows holier and holier; and he is the best skilled in economics —who trains up his family in the fear of the Lord; and he is the best politician—who is as good at taking and giving Scriptural counsel; and he is the best linguist— who speaks the language of Canaan. The holy Christian is the best man in the world, nay, he is such a one "of whom this world is not worthy," and therefore God cannot but take singular pleasure and delight in him. ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ His window in all our hearts "Does He not see my ways and number all my steps?" Job 31:4 The eye of God had so strong an influence upon Job's heart and life, that it wrought him up to a very high pitch of holiness. The scholar writes most exactly while his teacher's eye is upon him; and the child walks most exactly while his father's eye is upon him; and the servant works most exactly while his master's eye is upon him; and so certainly all the sons and servants of the most high God do hear most exactly, and pray most exactly, and walk most exactly—when they see themselves as in the presence of the great God—who is all sight, who is all eye! Ah friends! as ever you would be high in holiness, have a serious apprehension of God's presence; set yourselves daily as in His sight, as under His eye. Remember, though a man may easily baffle his conscience, and deceive the world—yet he shall never be able to baffle or deceive God's omniscient eye! God has His window in all our hearts, and exactly and narrowly observes all that is done within us, and all that is done by us! If the serious consideration of His sharp, piercing, all-seeing eye will not influence us to labor after the highest degrees of holiness, I know not what will. "I have kept Your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before You." Psalm 119:168 ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ More comforts, sweetness, and pleasantness ~
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Mourning for sin and holy joy
"As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." 2 Corinthians 6:10 Godly sorrow is the parent of holy joy; a godly man's mourning time is his most joyful time. Tears are the breeders of spiritual joy. A holy man's heart is usually fullest of joy—when his eyes are fullest of tears. The bee gathers the best honey from the bitterest herbs. Christ made the best wine from water; the best, the purest, the strongest, and the sweetest joys—are made from the purified waters of evangelical repentance. Mourning for sin and holy joy are consistent in one and the same heart. The same eye of faith which drops tears of sorrow—also drops tears of joy. A clear sight of free grace, of pardoning mercy, and of a bleeding dying Savior—will fill the soul both with sorrow and joy at the same time. A Christian always joys most, and mourns most—when he is most under the sense of divine love and mercy, the influences of heaven, the hopes of glory, and the precious fillings of the blessed Spirit. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The best way to be holy "Turn to the Lord with weeping and with mourning." Joel 2:12 The best way to be holy is to accuse, indict, arraign, and condemn yourself for your unholiness. Greatly lament and mourn over your own unholiness, over your own wickedness. The first step to holiness, is melting and mourning over a man's own unholiness. Go to your closet, and fall down before the most high and holy God, and mourn bitterly over . . . the unholiness of your nature, the unholiness of your heart, the unholiness of your affections, the unholiness of your intentions, the unholiness of your resolutions, the unholiness of your expressions, the unholiness of your life. Oh, who can look upon sin . . . as an offence against a holy God, as the breach of a holy law, as the wounding and crucifying of a holy Savior, as the grieving and saddening of a holy Sanctifier, as an eternal loss and undoing of his own soul— and not mourn over it? Oh, who can cast a serious eye . . . upon the nature of sin, upon the exceeding sinfulness of sin, upon the aggravations of sin— and not have . . . his heart humbled, his soul grieved, and his spirit melted for sin? Oh, who can look upon sin as it strikes at . . . the honor of God, the name of God, the being of God, the glory of God, the design of God— and not have . . . his mouth full of penitential confessions, his eyes full of penitential tears, and his heart full of penitential sorrow? The Christian mourns that he has sinned against . . . a God so great, a God so gracious, a God so bountiful, a God so merciful. Oh, how should a sinner fall a-weeping when he looks upon the greatness of his wickedness and his lack of holiness! As ever you would be holy, mourn over your own unholiness. Those who weep not for sin here—shall weep out their eyes in hell hereafter. It is better to weep bitterly for your sins on earth, than to weep eternally for your folly in hell. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The graces which are in Christians "As He is—so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 To be a holy person is to know a holy Christ, to be in love with a holy Christ, and to imitate the virtues of a holy Christ. "Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness." John 1:16 There is no grace in Christ—which is not in some degree formed in a holy heart, and therefore the work of grace and holiness is called a forming of Christ in the soul, Gal. 4:19. Holy hearts have the very prints, stamps, and impressions of the graces of Jesus Christ upon them! The graces which are in Christians correspond to the graces which are in Jesus—in truth and reality, though not in degree and quantity. It is the height of a Christian's glory to tread in the virtuous steps of his dearest Lord. The Christian labors to resemble Christ in all things, especially in those holy virtues which were most shining in the heart and life of Christ. "Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." 1 John 2:6 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ To fill heaven with hells "Man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks up evil like water!" Job 15:16 A wicked man is a sin-lover; he is a sin-maker, he lives in sin upon choice. All profane people . . . give up themselves to wickedness, wallow in all ungodliness, delight themselves in all manner of filthiness, commit wickedness with greediness, draw iniquity and sin with cords of vanity, weary themselves to commit iniquity, are so desperately set upon wickedness, that neither the rod of God, the lashes and checks of their own consciences, nor the flashes of hell upon their souls—can stop them. They are resolved that they will gratify their lusts—though they damn their souls; and that will live wickedly—though they perish eternally! By custom in sin, they have destroyed all conscience of sin, and contracted such desperate hardness upon their own hearts, as neither . . . God's smiles nor frowns, God's promises nor threatenings, life nor death, heaven nor hell, can possibly hinder them. The hearts and ways of wicked men are full of hells; and therefore to fill heaven with such, would be to fill heaven with hells. Certainly God will shut the gates of glory upon such workers of iniquity. These souls are . . . sadly abandoned by God, and woefully blinded by Satan, and fully ripened for ruin. "All will be damned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:12 "Unless you are converted . . . you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ For the toys and trifles of this world Natural fools make the most stupid and injurious exchanges. They will exchange a pearl—for a pin; things of greatest worth and value—for a feather, a ribbon, a toy, a trifle. The foolish Indians prefer every toy and trifle—above their mines of gold. All unholy people are spiritual fools. They will exchange spirituals—for carnals; and eternals—for temporals. They will exchange God, Christ, the gospel, heaven, and their souls—for a lust, for a little of the world's smiles, pleasures, or profits. They will exchange their eternal soul—for the toys and trifles of this world. "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A holy heart
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23 A holy heart is always attended with a holy life. All holy habits must be brought forth into holy acts. All gracious habits must be attended with gracious motions, gracious operations, and a gracious life. Outward works must be suitable to inward habits. It is with spiritual habits as it is with natural habits—the more they are acted and exercised—the more they are increased and strengthened. Holy habits are golden talents that must be employed and improved. Where there is holiness of disposition, there must be, there will be—holiness of living. Where there are the seeds of holiness, there will be the flowers of holiness. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
An epitome of all vanity
"Truly, every man at his best state is altogether vanity." Psalm 39:5 By Adam's fall, man has become a pile of dust, a puff of wind; a dream; a shadow; a puff of smoke; a poor silly flea, a worm, a debased soul, a curious nothing. Yes, man having fallen from his primitive glory, has become altogether vanity, says the prophet in Psalm 39:5, "Truly, every man at his best state is altogether vanity." Truly, every man—not some man, but every man at his best state, when he is in the height and perfection of all creature comforts and contentments, is altogether, not in some measure—but altogether, vanity—all vanity. Since the fall of Adam every natural man in his best estate is vanity; nay, every man is every vanity. Imagine whatever vanity you will—fallen man is that. He is a comprehensive vanity—he is an epitome of all vanity. Man in honor, before his fall, was the best of creatures; but since his fall, he has become the worst of creatures. By his fall he is fallen below the very beasts which perish. He who was once the image of God, the glory of paradise, the world's ruler, and the Lord's darling—has now become a burden to heaven, a burden to himself. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The ungodly flatter themselves The ungodly flatter themselves that God is made up all of mercy, and believe that they shall go to heaven—until they awake with everlasting flames about their ears—as you may see in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God suddenly casts sinners to hell—He suddenly sweeps them away—He cuts them off suddenly. When they say, "Surely the bitterness of death is past, and everlasting wrath is past, and hell is past, and eternal ruin is past," then suddenly God cuts them off, and gives them their portion with devils and damned spirits! "Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy." Proverbs 6:15 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Where will all these men be within a hundred years? Xerxes, when he viewed his almost innumerable army of men, fell a-weeping, saying, "Where will all these men be within a hundred years?" He wept to think that all that mighty army would be in their graves within a hundred years. Ah, what cause of weeping is there, when we behold the multitudes in the world, considering that within a few years—most of them may be in hell! "As He approached and saw the city, He wept over it." Luke 19:41 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Different measures and degrees of holiness All saints are not alike holy. Some are more holy, and others are less holy; in some saints the springs of holiness runs low, in others the springs of holiness rise very high. Holiness thrives not alike in all saints. God never distributes holiness alike to all. To some He gives more, to others less, according to the good pleasure of His grace. All saints are equally justified, and equally pardoned, and equally reconciled, and equally accepted—but all saints are not equally sanctified. Christ has not work alike for all saints to do, nor burdens alike for all saints to bear, nor mercies alike for all saints to improve, nor temptations alike for all saints to resist, nor difficulties alike for saints to grapple with, nor dangers alike for all saints to encounter with, therefore He gives not a like measure of holiness to all—but to some more, to others less, according as their condition requires. Some saints stand in need of a great deal more grace and holiness than others do. God gives different measures and degrees of holiness among His people as their needs require. All that holiness which any man has, whether it is little, or whether it is much—is all of grace, it is all of free-grace. Therefore let every Christian . . . improve it, be thankful for it, and walk humbly under it. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Sweeten all your bitters "We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. When a man's heart is once sanctified, then all things are sanctified to him. O sirs! this is so great and so glorious a privilege, that it is more worth than a world, yes, than many worlds. It is a great mercy—that all things may be sanctified to him—that is, that all things may so work, as to make him more and more holy: that every cross may make him more holy, and that every comfort may make him more holy; that every mercy may make him more holy, and that every misery may make him more holy; that every ordinance may make him more holy, and that every providence may make him more holy; that every affliction at home may make him more holy, and that every judgment abroad may make him more holy. Every condition is sweet when it is sanctified to us: sickness is as sweet as health when it is sanctified to us: weakness is as sweet as strength when it is sanctified to us; poverty is as sweet as riches when it is sanctified to us; disgrace is as sweet as honor when it is sanctified to us; bonds are as sweet as liberty when they are sanctified to us; death is as sweet as life when it is sanctified to us. Look! as no condition can be a happy condition which is not a sanctified condition—just so, no condition can be a miserable condition, which is a sanctified condition. Now this is only the holy man's privilege, the holy man's mercy —to have every estate and every condition sanctified unto him; and this indeed is the cream and crown of all our mercies—to have them sanctified unto us, ay, and every bitter will be sweet, yes very sweet, when it is sanctified unto us. What though your mercies, O Christian, are fewer than others', and lesser than others', and leaner than others', and shorter than others'—yet you have no reason to complain, as long as your mercies are sanctified mercies. What though . . . your trials are greater than others', and your burden is heavier than others', and your sorrows are deeper than others', and your crosses comes thicker than others' —yet you have no cause to complain, as long as they are sanctified. Are you a holy person? Oh then remember for your comfort, that . . . every bit of bread you eat is sanctified, and every draught you drink is sanctified, and every suit of clothes you wear is sanctified; the beds you lie on are sanctified, and the stools you sit on are sanctified; the very air you breathe in is sanctified, and the very ground you tread on is sanctified; every penny in your purse is sanctified, and every dollar in your shop is sanctified; whatever you have at home is sanctified, and whatever you have abroad is sanctified. Oh! how should the sense of these things . . . sweeten all your bitters, and turn your hell into heaven, and wipe all tears from your eyes, and turn your sighing into singing, and your mourning into rejoicing, etc. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Inward and spiritual duties of religion Christians who have but small measures of grace and holiness; and hypocrites and formalists who have not the least measure of true grace and holiness—these are most commonly exercised and busied about the external duties and services of religion; but very seldom, very rare, shall you find them in the more inward and spiritual duties of religion. The external duties of religion are . . . hearing the word preached, reading the word, fasting, singing of psalms, Christian fellowship, and receiving the Lord's supper. The internal and spiritual duties of religion are . . . self-examination, self-resignation to God, self-loathing, self-judging, divine meditation, praying in the Spirit, watchfulness over the heart, making application of . . . the blood of Christ, the death of Christ, the grace of Christ, the love of Christ, the word of Christ—to one's own soul. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Out of pious duties! Ah, how lively, how warm, how enlarged, how holy, how humble, how heavenly, how spiritual, how serious, how zealous, how pious, how gracious are many—in pious duties; but ah! how dead, how cold, how straitened, how unholy, how proud, how worldly, how carnal, how slight, and how irreligious are they out of pious duties! Now, certainly, these have either no holiness at all—or else they have attained to but a very little measure of holiness. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A great degree of holiness The more a man conflicts with heart sins, with spiritual sins, with invisible sins—with sins which lie most hidden and obscure from the eyes of the world—and the more spiritual victories and conquests a man obtains over them—the greater measure of holiness that person has certainly attained to. A little grace, a little holiness, will work a man to conflict with gross sins, with outward sins, with bodily sins, with open sins, which everyone may set their eyes on. Yes, where there is no grace, no holiness at all, the light of nature, the common convictions of the Spirit, the laws of men, the eyes of men, the threats of men, the examples of men, the smarting rod, or a good education, may work men to conflict with such sins. Oh, but when all the strength and might of the soul is engaged against those very sins that lie not within the sight or reach of the most sharp and piercing men in the world—but in the heart, and about the heart, and are only obvious to God's omniscient eye—this argues a great degree of holiness. When the heart rises with all its strength and might against . . . secret pride, secret self-love, secret bubblings of lusts, secret carnal confidence, secret murmuring, secret hypocrisy, secret envy, secret self-applause, secret malice, secret hatred, secret snares, secret temptations, etc., it is an evidence that holiness has grown up to some considerable height there! It is not an easy thing, to overcome those flaming lusts and corruptions which are in our own hearts. Only grace, only holiness, can enable us to overcome our lusts—our heart lusts. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Most of hell in their souls That those who have . . . most of hell in their mouths, and most of hell in their hearts, and most of hell in their lives—should have most of hell in their souls at last, is but justice. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The hottest and the darkest place in hell "Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites, for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; therefore you shall receive the greater damnation." Matthew 23:14 Hypocrites shall be double damned! The hottest and the darkest place in hell is reserved for them! For number and weight, there are no torments in hell, compared to the torments of hypocrites. Counterfeit sanctity is double iniquity—and therefore it is but justice that the hypocrite should have double torment. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pursue after holiness "Pursue . . . holiness—without it no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 O sirs, shall the ambitious person pursue after his honors, and the voluptuous person after his pleasures, and the worldling pursue after his gain, and the wanton pursue after his harlots, and the drunkard pursue after his full cups, etc.; and shall not Christians much more pursue after holiness? O sirs, the way of holiness is . . . the safest way, the noblest way, the sweetest way, the cleanest way, the pleasantest way, the happiest way; therefore hold on, and hold up in that way. "Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace." Proverbs 3:17 We hold on in a way of holiness, notwithstanding all the rocks and obstacles and difficulties that we meet with in that way. O sirs, in the face of all your sins and unworthiness, God holds on in ways of mercy towards you; and why then should not you hold on in ways of sanctity towards Him? Shall Satan persevere in his enmity against holiness? And shall wicked men persevere in their opposition to holiness? And shall formalists persevere in their neglect of holiness? And will not you persevere in your pursuit of holiness? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A mixed condition
The condition of God's people in this life is a mixed condition. In this life they have . . . their rejoicing times and their mourning times, their laughing times and their weeping times, their singing times and their sorrowing times, etc. It is true, in heaven there is . . . all joy and no sorrow, all gladness and no sadness; and in hell there is . . . all sorrow and no joy, all grief and no gladness, all howling and no singing, all madness and no mirth. But in this present life it is otherwise, for if there would be nothing but joy, many would look for no other heaven; and if there should be nothing but sorrow, most would look for no other hell. If men should have nothing but joy—how sadly would they be puffed up! And if they should have nothing but sorrow—how easily would they be cast down! But now, by a divine hand, our sorrows being mixed with our joys—our hearts come to be the more effectually weaned from the vanities of this life, and to long more earnestly after the pure and unmixed joys in the world of glory. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ They play and fool away their precious time Think on the brevity, shortness, and preciousness of time. Time is so precious a thing, that mountains of gold and rocks of pearl, cannot redeem one lost moment! Ah, what a precious commodity would time be in hell, where for one day to repent, yes, for one hour to seek after holiness—a man would give ten thousand worlds, were they in his hands to dispose of. Time is so costly a jewel that few know how to value it and prize it at a due rate. Most are lavishly and profusely wasteful of that precious time which is their greatest interest to redeem! Time is a precious talent, yet most trifle away, play away, idle away, yes, grossly sin away their precious time! They play and fool away their precious time, until the candle of life goes out, and then they go to their graves in sorrow, yes, then go to hell in the dark! He who makes no conscience of trifling away his precious time, shall one day experience the terribleness of eternal darkness. The poets paint time with wings—to show the rapidity and swiftness of it. O sirs, if the sense of the brevity, shortness, and preciousness of time did but lie in its full weight upon your spirits, it would certainly put you upon a speedy and earnest pursuit after holiness! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ah, sirs! Ah, sirs! It may be that there are but a few weeks, nay, a few days, nay, perhaps but a few hours— between your souls and eternity, between your souls and everlasting burnings, between your souls and a devouring fire, between your souls and damnation! Will you not then pray and mourn, and mourn and pray, for that holiness, without which there is no happiness, yes, without which hell and destruction will be forever your portion? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A sinner never looks so
sweetly
"She stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil." Luke 7:38 A sinner never looks so sweetly, as when he weeps most penitentially. Though God is displeased with a sinner's sins—yet He is very well pleased with a sinner's tears, and therefore has a bottle for them. It is a great pleasure to God—to see a sinner drown his sins in a deluge of penitential tears. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A wolf turned into a
man!
The myth tells of Lycaon being turned into a wolf; but when a worldling is made holy, there is a wolf turned into a man! Yes, a devil is turned into a saint! Therefore the Holy Spirit, speaking of Zaccheus, who had long been bewitched by the world, brings him in with a "Behold!"—as if it were a wonder of wonders that ever such a worldling should be made holy. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Let Christ be hanged! Men bewitched with the world will prefer a Barabbas before a Jesus. They will with Judas betray Christ, and with Pilate condemn Christ, and with the Scribes and Pharisees they will cry out, "Crucify him! crucify him! Away with this Jesus! Away with this Jesus! Let Barabbas live—but let Jesus die! Let Barabbas be saved—but let Christ be hanged!" Ah, what incarnate devils will such men prove, who are bewitched with this world! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Take heed of the witch "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now I tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame—who mind earthly things." Philippians 3:18-19 Who were those who walked disorderly? why, those who minded earthly things. Who were those who fetched tears from the apostle's eyes? why, those who minded earthly things. Who were those who were enemies to the cross of Christ? why, those who minded earthly things. Who were those whose end is destruction? why, those who minded earthly things. Who were those whose God was their belly? why, those who minded earthly things. Who were those whose glory was their shame? why, those who minded earthly things. The world proves silken halters to some, and golden fetters to others. If ever you would be holy—oh, then take heed of the witch—take heed of the world! The world often swells the heart with pride; it makes men forget God, neglect Christ, slight ordinances, and despise holiness. Ah, the time, the thoughts, the strength, the energies—which this enticing world has made many to spend and consume, while their souls have lain a-bleeding, and eternity has been hastening upon them! Oh, the deadness, the barrenness, the listlessness, the heartlessness to anything which is holy—which attends a worldly temper! Many are so bewitched with the profits, pleasures, and honors of the world, that they mind not holiness, they regard not holiness, they care not for holiness. The flowers of this world, are surrounded with many briers. The world is all shadow and vanity; it is like Jonah's gourd —you may sit under its shadow for a while, but it soon decays and dies. He who shall but weigh . . . man's pains with his pay, his miseries with his pleasures, his sorrows with his joys, his crosses with his comforts, his needs with his enjoyments, etc., may well cry out, "Vanity of vanity, and all is vanity." The whole world is circular, the heart of man is triangular, and we know a circle cannot fill a triangle. If the whole earth were changed into a globe of gold, it could not fill your heart. O sirs, if your hearts are not filled with holiness—they will be filled with the world, the flesh, and the devil. Either holiness or Satan must possess you. Is it not infinitely better to have holiness without the world, and so be happy forever—than to have much of the world without holiness, and so be damned forever? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A devil in an angel's dress "Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall." Ezekiel 18:30 True repentance is a turning, not from some sin—but from every sin. Every sin strikes at the law of God, the honor of God, the being of God, and the glory of God; and therefore the penitent must strike at all. Every sin fetches blood from the heart of Christ, and every sin is a grief and vexation to the Holy Spirit—and therefore the penitent must set upon crucifying of all. Herod turned from many sins—but not from his Delilah, his Herodias, which was his ruin! Judas, you know, was a devil in an angel's dress; he seemed to be turned from every sin—but he was a secret thief, he loved the money bag; and that golden devil, covetousness, choked him, and hanged him at last! Saul for a time turned from several evils—but his sparing one, Agag, cost him his soul and his kingdom at once! He who had the spot of leprosy in any one part of his body was accounted a leper, although all the rest of his body were sound and whole, Lev. 13. Just so, he who has but one spot, one sin which he does not endeavor to wash out in the blood of Christ, and in the tears of true repentance—he is a leper in the account of God. The true penitent is for the mortifying of every lust which has had a hand in crucifying of his dearest Savior. The sin-sick soul must break, not some—but all its idols in pieces, before a cure will follow. It must deface its golden idols, its most costly idols, its most darling idols! The returning sinner must make headway against all his sins, and trample upon all his lusts—or else he will die and be undone forever! "Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them—Away with you!" Isaiah 30:22 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A great nothing
"The next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp." Acts 25:23. That is, with great phantasy or vain show. All the honor, pomp, and accolade of this world is but a phantasy. Worldly honor is but a great nothing—a glorious illusion, a shadow, a dream. Great swelling titles are but as so many rattles, or as so many feathers in men's caps. Worldly honor is but a wind, which will blow a man the sooner to hell. Adonibezek, a mighty prince, is quickly made to eat scraps from under the table with the dogs. Judges 1:7. Nebuchadnezzar, a mighty conqueror, turned a-grazing among the oxen. Daniel 4:28. Herod is reduced from a conceited god—to be the most loathsome of men, a living carrion attacked by worms, the vilest of creatures. Acts 12:23. Great Haman feasted with the king one day, and made a feast for crows the next day. Esther 7:10. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Not one unholy one among them all! "Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 O, do not deceive your own souls! Holiness is of absolute necessity; without it you shall never see the Lord! There are many thousand thousands now in heaven—but not one unholy one among them all! There is . . . not one sinner among all those saints; not one goat among all those sheep; not one weed among all those flowers; not one thorn or prickle among all those roses; not one pebble among all those glistening diamonds; not one Cain among all those Abels; not one Judas among all the apostles; nor one Demas among all the preachers; not one Simon Magus among all the professors. Heaven is only for the holy man—and the holy man alone, is for heaven. Without holiness here—no heaven hereafter! "And there shall never enter into it, anything that defiles." Rev. 21:27. God will at last shut the gates of glory against every person who is without heart-purity. If a man had . . . the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the courage of Joshua, the policy of Ahithophel, the power of Ahasuerus, and the eloquence of Apollos; yet all these without holiness would never save him. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A golden Christian A true Christian will be holy among the unholy. He will retain and keep his holiness, let the times be ever so unholy. If you take him among unholy friends—you shall find him holy. If you take him at his table—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his shop—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his family—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his closet—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his journeyings—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his recreations—you shall find him holy. A holy Christian is like gold. Cast gold into the fire, or into the water; cast it upon the ash-heap, or into the pleasant garden; cast it among the poor or among the rich, among the religious or among the licentious—yet still it is gold, still it retains its purity and excellency. Just so, cast a holy Christian—a golden Christian— into whatever condition you will, and into what company you will—and still he will retain his purity, his sanctity! Yes, the worse the times are, the more a holy man studies holiness, and prefers holiness, and prizes holiness, and practices holiness. The godly man is four square. Cast him where you will, like a dice, he always falls sure and square. Just so, cast a holy man where you will, and into what company you will—yet still he falls sure and square for holiness. True holiness is a part of the divine nature; it is of such a heavenly complexion, that it will never alter. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Greek and Hebrew A holy minister aims at the glory of God in all that he does. He labors to hide and conceal all his human excellencies, which may in any way tend to obscure, eclipse, or darken the glory of God. "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 Mr. Dod was accustomed to say that "so much Greek and Hebrew in a sermon—was so much fleshly ostentation in a sermon!" When men come to pulpit-work, all plainness must be used. Starched oratory may tickle the brain—but it is plain doctrine . . . which informs the judgment, which convinces the conscience, which bows the will, and which wins the heart. That sermon has most learning in it—which has most plainness in it. And therefore a great scholar was accustomed to say, "Lord, give me learning enough that I may preach plain enough." Silly, ignorant people are very apt to dote upon that most, and admire that most—which they understand least! But prudent Christians judge of ministers . . . not by their throats—but by their hearts and lives; not by their voices and tones—but by the plainness, spiritualness, suitableness, and usefulness of their matter. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The baits which
these men bite at
There are three things in a holy heart, which
strongly
incline it to persevere when all outward encouragements fail. The first is a forcible principle—divine love. The second is a mighty aid—the Spirit of God. The third is a high aim—the glory of God. But it is otherwise with those who have only a show of godliness. Let but their outward encouragements fail them; let but the eye, the ear, the applause of the creature fail them; if they cannot make some gain of their godliness, some profit of their profession, some advantage of their religion—they are ready, with Demas, to throw off all! Profit and applause are usually the baits which these men bite at; and if they miss these baits—then farewell profession, farewell religion, farewell all! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The bulls-eye "For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." Romans 14:7-8. A genuine Christian ordinarily has holy aims and ends in his actings and undertakings. The glory of God is the mark—the bulls-eye which holy men have in their eyes. They live not to themselves—but they live to Him who lives forever. They live not to their own wills, lusts, greatness, and glory in this world—but they live to His glory, whose glory is dearer to them than their very lives. They make God's glory their ultimate end. The daily language of their souls is, "Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, Lord—but to Your name be all the glory!" "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do—do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 Holy hearts habitually eye the glory of Christ in all things. When they eat—they eat to His glory; when they drink—they drink to His glory; when they sleep—they sleep to His glory; when they buy—they buy for His glory; when they sell—they sell for His glory; when they give—they give for His glory; when they recreate themselves—they recreate for His glory; when they hear preaching—they hear for His glory; when they pray—they pray for His glory; when they fast—they fast for His glory; when they read Scripture—they read for His glory; when they come to the Lord's table—they come to His glory. In all secular and pious actions—holy hearts have a habitual eye to divine glory. Selfish and base ends and aims, will too often creep into the holiest hearts, but holy hearts sigh and groan under them; and it is the strong and earnest desires of their souls to be rid of them. But take a holy Christian in his ordinary, usual, and habitual course—and he will have holy aims and ends in all his actions and undertakings. "To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever! Amen." 1 Peter 4:11 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I hate vain
thoughts
"I hate vain thoughts." Psalm 119:113 The heart of a holy man rises against secret sins, against such as lie furthest off from the eye of man. What is more secret than vain thoughts? And yet against these, the heart of a holy man rises. Hezekiah humbled himself for "the pride of his heart." Heart-sins lie most hidden and secret; and yet for these, a holy man humbles himself. A holy man knows that secret sins are sins—as well as those which are open. He knows that secret sins must be repented of—as well as others. He knows that God takes notice of secret sins—as well as of open sins. He knows that secret sins—like secret diseases and secret wounds—do oftentimes prove most dangerous and pernicious. He knows that secret sins are the price of Christ's blood—as well as open sinnings. He knows that secret sins are a grief to the Spirit—as well as those which are manifest. Upon all which accounts—a holy heart rises in a detestation of secret sins. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Divinely covetous He who is truly holy will be still a-reaching and stretching himself out after higher degrees of holiness. Yes, a man who is truly holy can never be holy enough; he sets no bounds nor limits to his holiness; the perfection of holiness is the mark that he has in his eye; he hears, and prays, and mourns, and studies, and strives—that he may come up to the highest pitch of holiness. Received measures of holiness will not satisfy a holy soul; so much holiness as will keep hell and his soul asunder—will not satisfy him; nor will so much holiness as will bring him to eternal happiness satisfy him. He will be still reaching and stretching out after the highest measures of holiness; his desires are for more holiness. The beauties of holiness do so affect him and inflame him, that he cannot but desire to be more and more holy. "Lord," says the soul, "I desire to be more holy, that I may glorify Your name more. Lord, I desire to be more holy, that I may sin less against You, and that I may enjoy more of You! I would be more holy, that I may be more victorious over all earthly vanities." A holy man earnestly prays for more holiness. He prays that his spark of holiness may be turned into a flame, his drop of holiness into a sea, and his mite of holiness into a rich treasury. I dare boldly to say, that that man was never truly holy, who does not endeavor to get up to the highest pitches of holiness. True holiness knows no restrictions nor limitation. True holiness makes a man divinely covetous. Look! as the victorious man can never make enough conquests, nor can the ambitious man ever have enough honor, nor can the voluptuous man ever have enough pleasure, nor can the worldling ever have enough mammon—no more can a man of holiness have ever have enough holiness. As the grave and the barren womb are never satisfied, they never say "it is enough," Proverbs 30:15-16—just so, a holy man, while he is on this side eternity, he is never satisfied, he can never say that he has holiness enough. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel! "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty!" Isaiah 6:3 Certainly there is nothing which renders God so formidable and dreadful to unholy people—as His holiness does. "Leave this way, get off this path—and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!" Isaiah 30:11. "Oh that you would not preach so much, nor talk so much to us—of the Holy One of Israel! Oh that you would cease from molesting and vexing us with message upon message from the Holy One! Why can't you talk and preach to us of the merciful One, the compassionate One, the affectionate One, the pitiful One, etc., and not be still a-talking to us of the Holy One, the Holy One! Oh, we do not like to hear it! Oh, we cannot bear it!" Nothing strikes the sinner into such a terror as a discourse on the holiness of God; it is as the handwriting upon the wall, Dan. 5:4-6. Nothing makes the head and heart of a sinner to ache like a sermon upon the Holy One. Nothing galls and gripes, nothing stings and terrifies unsanctified ones—like a lively setting forth of the holiness of God, Hab. 1:13. But to holy souls, there are no discourses which more suit them and satisfy them, which more delight and content them, which more please and profit them—than those do, which most fully and powerfully reveal God to be glorious in holiness. Well, this is an everlasting truth—he who truly loves the holiness of God, and loves God for His holiness—is certainly made partaker of His holiness. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The sparkling diamond in the ring of glory "And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:3 The more holy any are, the more deeply are they affected and captivated with the holiness of God. The holy seraphim, by trebling the acclamation of His holiness, "Holy, holy, holy," denote not only the superlative eminency, glory, and excellency of God's holiness—but also they reveal how greatly, how abundantly they are affected and captivated with the holiness of God. To the holy angels, the holiness of God is the sparkling diamond in the ring of glory! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Better than a golden head "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8 A pure heart is better than a golden head. A heart full of holy affections is infinitely beyond a head full of curious notions. There is no jewel like that of holiness. He who has holiness has all—and he who lacks that has nothing at all. Heaven is for that man, and that man is for heaven, who has clean hands and a pure heart, whose holy life is attended with heart purification. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A devil in an angel's garb! "Having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:5 All formalists have only a form, a show, a profession of holiness—but have nothing of the reality, spirit, life, or power of holiness in them. They have a face, a cloak, a mask, a show of godliness—but they have nothing of the pith, sap, life, or marrow of godliness. Their devotion, their godliness, lies in good words. If you hearken to their voice, you would think that they were men of much godliness; but if you look into their hearts and lives, you will find them to be great renouncers and deniers of godliness. They have . . . the semblance of godliness—but not the substance; the lineaments of godliness—but not the life; the face of godliness—but not the heart; the form, the shadow of godliness—but not the power. They are like a well-drawn picture, which has all the lineaments of a man—but lacks life, lacks a principle of motion and operation. The form of godliness is common—but the power of godliness is rare. The form of godliness is easy—but the power of godliness is difficult. The form of godliness exists with secret and with open wickedness—as you see in Saul, Jehu, Judas, Simon Magus, Demas, and the Scribes and Pharisees—but the power of godliness will not. The power of godliness lays the axe to the very root of all sin, both secret and open. Rachel was very fair and beautiful to the eye—but she was barren—and that marred all. Just so, the formalist, he is a very fair and beautiful professor to the eye—but he is barren Godwards, and Christwards, and heavenwards; he is fruitless, sapless, and lifeless—and that mars all. A formalist is . . . more light than life, more notion than motion, more head than heart, more outside than inside, more leaves than fruit, more shadow than substance. A formalist is . . . a blazing comet, a painted tomb, a stage-player, a white devil, or a devil in an angel's garb! What would such devils do in heaven? God has a thunderbolt for every formalist, by which He will at last certainly strike them down to the lowest hell. A formalist is too loathsome a thing, too heavy a burden, for heaven to bear. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Guilt or grief is all you shall gain "Do not be misled—Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33 As he who walks in the sun will be tanned, and he who touches pitch will be defiled; so he who associates himself with the wicked will be tainted and polluted. Guilt or grief is all you shall gain by bad company —witness Lot, David, Joseph, and Peter. By bad company Christians come to lose much of the sweetness, seriousness, goodness, and graciousness of their spirits. Familiarity with vain people has much worn off the spiritual luster, beauty, and glory—which has been upon many Christians. Bad company will prove a very great hindrance to you in your Christian course. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The devil's tennis-ball "We urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle!" 1 Thessalonians 5:14 The hour of idleness is the hour of temptation. An idle person is the devil's tennis-ball—tossed by him at his pleasure. Among the Egyptians idleness was a capital crime. Among the Lucans, he who lent money to an idle person was to lose it. Among the Corinthians idle people were delivered to the prison. By Solon's law idle people were to suffer death. The ancients call idleness the burial of a living man. Seneca had rather be sick than idle. Now shall nature do more than grace? Shall poor blind heathens be so severe against idle people—and shall Christians embrace them? Shall they not rather turn their backs upon them, and have no communion with those who think themselves too great or too good to hold the plough? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Golden fools And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry!" But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. Luke 12:19-21 Every man in the world is a fool—who heaps up treasure to himself—and is not rich towards God. This age is full of such golden fools, who pamper their bodies—but starve their souls: who primp and trim up their bodies with gold, silver, and silks—while their souls are naked, and ragged, and destitute of all grace and goodness. Such fools only mind and care for the things of this life —as what they shall eat, and what they shall drink, and what they shall put on. They are all for their bodies, their bellies, their backs. They take no care, they make no provision for their immortal souls. So fools look only to their bodies; and have no concern for their souls. Only let them have but food for their bodies—and they care not what becomes of their souls! Surely no fools like these fools! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Wallowed in sin like swine in the mire The worst men are commonly best conceited of themselves. "There is a generation which is pure in their own eyes—and yet is not washed from their filthiness." Proverbs 30:12 They were very bad—and yet they had a great opinion of their own goodness. They were very filthy, and yet they stood very much upon their own purity. Their hands were black, their hearts were black, their works were black, and their ways were as black as hell—and yet they were pure in their own eye. They were filthy within, and filthy without; filthy in body, and filthy in soul, and filthy in spirit. Filthiness had quite overspread them, and yet they thought to cover their filthiness with a mask of holiness. There has always been such a generation of men, who have wallowed in sin like swine in the mire—and yet have kept up in themselves a strong opinion of their own goodness and holiness. There are many who are shining Christians, who are pure golden Christians in their own eyes—who are vile in God's eyes! Those who pretend their hearts are as good as the best, when their lives are as bad as the worst—shall experience this truth at last to their shame and cost—that without visible holiness here, there can be no fruition of God hereafter. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The great work of the ministry I have always looked upon the great work of the ministry to consist in two things: first, in making unholy men holy; and, secondly, in making those who are already holy to be more and more holy. First to beget holiness, and then to nurse up holiness. First to bring souls to Christ, and then to build up souls in Christ, is without all question the greatest work which should be most in every minister's eye, and which should always lie nearest and warmest upon every minister's heart. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A sad story of a woman named Bochna I have read a sad story of a woman named Bochna, who had but two sons in all the world. One day, when she was walking with the one son by the river, she heard the other cry out, and hastening to him, she found a knife sticking in his side, which killed him immediately. Then she made haste back to the other child—but in her absence, he had fallen into the river and drowned— and so she lost both her sons at once! Now, this is your very case. Everyone of you have two children, as I may say—a soul and a body—an eternal life and a temporal life; and oh, what a dreadful and unspeakable loss would it be to lose both these at once! And yet, as certain as there is a God in heaven, you will lose them both without holiness. "Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Heb. 12:14 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ignorance is the mother of destruction "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6 The Chaldee renders it, they are besotted—and so fitted for destruction. The Papists teach that ignorance is the mother of devotion; but this text tells us that ignorance is the mother of destruction. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Rather be Satan's bond-slaves Most shall continue obstinate and impenitent in their ungodly courses and practices, as men resolved rather to go to hell than to heaven, and to be forever unhappy rather than they will be holy, Isaiah 43:10, 12, and 44:8. Woe, woe to them forever, who had rather be Satan's bond-slaves than Christ's free-men, that had rather be "vessels of wrath" than vessels of honor, and that had rather be firebrands of hell than glorious saints in heaven.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Many now-a-days say there is no hell.
Multitudes think that all that is spoken of hell in Scripture—is
false and mythical. They will not believe that there is a
hell—until they come to feel themselves in hell—until they
find everlasting flames about their ears—until they are sentenced to
the fire—until they are doomed to everlasting fire!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ But as flea-bitings "Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made
ready for the king. Its fire pit has been made deep and wide, with
an abundance of fire and wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream
of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze." Isaiah 30:33
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ You are not sick—but dead! "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." Ephesians 2:1-3Sin is the plague of the heart—and there is no plague so deadly as the plague of the heart. Oh, this is a disease which none can cure, but he who is the physician of souls. As to spiritual realities, an unsanctified person is not half-dead—but he is stark dead! You are as well able to make a world, to command the winds, and to raise the dead—as you are able to cleanse your own hearts, or change your own natures, or sanctify your own souls. You have no power to perform any supernatural act—such as to believe or love God, or repent, or to change your own heart, or to sanctify or make yourself holy. You are dead in trespasses and sins, and have lost all your spiritual senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, and feeling. It is certain that your nature is so corrupted that you can not think a good thought, nor speak a good word, nor do a good work. You are not sick—but dead! Dead God-wards, and Christ-wards, and heaven-wards, and holiness-wards! Since the creation of the world, no dead man ever made himself alive. It is God alone, who can quicken the dead. "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Shouldn't shepherds feed their sheep? "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the
leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord:
Destruction is certain for you shepherds who feed yourselves instead
of your flocks. Shouldn't shepherds feed
their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and
butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve!" Ezekiel
34:2-3 |