Part 130 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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[8.] Eighthly, The more spiritual, internal, and intrinsic principles, motives, and considerations, carries a person on in pious duties and services—the more holy that person is. When a man is carried on in the duties of religion, from a sense of divine love, or from a sense of the special presence of Christ with his heart, or from a sense of the excellency and sweetness of communion and fellowship with God, or from a sense of the graciousness and goodness of God towards him, or from a sense of singular influences and visits from God, or from a sense of the choice and precious discoveries of God, or from a sense of the beauty and glory of God, etc.—this argues a very great measure of holiness, that such a person has attained to. [Psalm 119:1-3; 1 John 1:1-4; Isaiah 38:16-17, 19-20; Psalm 63:1-3.]
The more the sweet looks of Christ, the secret visits of Christ, the private whispers of Christ, the divine joggings of Christ, the blessed love-tokens of Christ, and the holy kisses and glorious embraces of Christ—does incite and provoke a person to pious duties, the greater degrees of holiness that person has reached to. But it is an argument that the streams of holiness runs but low, when external motives and considerations have the greatest hand in carrying a person on in pious duties. The more bare custom, the eye of the creature, the favor of the creature, the example of the creature, the applause of the creature, the rewards of the creature, or the keeping up of a man's abilities, or the keeping up of a man's name, esteem, and reputation in the world does influence a Christian's heart to pious duties—the less holiness that Christian has.
Yes, it is considerable, that outward motives and natural principles have carried many heathen to do many great and glorious things in the world. Did not Sisera do as great things as Gideon? the difference did only lie here, that the great things which Gideon did, he did from more spiritual principles and raised considerations than any Sisera was acted by. And did not Diogenes trample under his feet the great and glorious things of this world, as well as Moses? the difference did only lie in this, that Moses trampled under his feet the mirthful and gallant things of this world from inward, holy principles, and from high and glorious considerations and motives; whereas Diogenes did only trample upon them from poor, low principles, and from carnal and external considerations.
I have read of one Cosmus Medici, a rich citizen of Florence, that he confessed to a near friend of his that he built so many magnificent structures, and spent so much on scholars and libraries—not for any love to learning—but to raise up to himself the trophies of fame and renown. And many of the Romans have done very great and glorious things for their country—but all from natural principles, and from carnal and external motives and considerations, as for a great name, a puff of honor, a little applause, etc., and therefore their most glorious actions have been but shining sins, Jer. 32:23. God always writes a nothing upon all those services wherein men's principles and their ends are selfish or wicked or base.
It was a notable saying of Luther, "One work of a Christian," says he, "is more precious than heaven and earth, and if I might have my desire, I would rather choose the lowest work of a country Christian, or poor maid, than all the victories and triumphs of Alexander the Great and of Julius Caesar, because whatever a saint does, though it be ever so small—yet it is great and glorious, because he does all in faith and by the word." And says the same author further, "Let our works be ever so small, servile—yet if done out of love to the Lord—they will be all glorious, yes, such as shall remain to all eternity." O sirs, all our works and services must be wrought from God, for God, in God, and according to God—or else they will be but splendida peccata—splendid sins! Well, the more spiritual and internal the principles, motives, and considerations are, which carry a Christian on in pious duties, the greater measure of holiness has that Christian arrived to. But,
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