Part 111 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to Part 110 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Part 112 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
[4.] Fourthly, Be most in with those who are most eminent and excellent in holiness. Let the delight and joy of your hearts run most out to those who are still adding to their stock of holiness. Thus it was with that princely prophet, in Psalm 16:3, "As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones in whom is all my delight." The disciples, by discoursing with Christ, had a holy flame raised up in them: Luke 24:32, "And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and opened to us the Scriptures?" And when Paul met Silas and Timothy, he burned in spirit, Acts 18:5. These two men were eminent in holiness, and by their company and communion, the zeal and courage of the apostle Paul was very much heated and raised.
Look! as one flaming faggot may kindle a thousand—just so, one precious saint, in whom grace is strong, and holiness is high, may, by a divine and secret operation, convey heat and life, power and vigor, into all who touch him, or come near unto him; even as the loadstone by a secret operation conveys power and vigor into iron. The prayers, the conferences, the counsels, and all the examples of a man eminent in holiness—will mightily help on the work of holiness in their hearts, where the streams of holiness runs but low.
Look! as rich and costly banquets do refresh, and raise, and strengthen the spirits of those who are weak and faint—just so, men who are rich in grace and holiness will raise and strengthen the spirits of those who are weak in grace, and who, for lack of greater measures of holiness, are apt to faint. Look! as young plants will not thrive under dropping trees—just so, such as are weak in holiness will never thrive so long as they only associate themselves with those who are weak. Look! as many times one rich man makes many poor men rich—just so, many times one man rich in holiness makes many rich in holiness. Therefore, as ever you would abound in holiness, look not so much at gifts as at grace; look not so much at saints' outsides as at their insides; look not so much at their external garb as at their internal worth; and always make them your choicest and your chief companions, who most excel in grace and holiness. Their tongues, their lips, their lives, will still be a-dropping divine marrow and fatness, and therefore be sure to keep most company with them. But,