Part 131 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 132 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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[9.] Ninthly, The more solid, precise, exact, and accurate a Christian is in pious duties and services—the greater measure of holiness that Christian has attained to.And the more any Christian grows in holiness, the more spiritual, the more savory, the more exact and accurate he will grow in all his pious services and performances. The more a Christian's heart is endeared to pious duties, and the more his heart is affected with the heavenly nature of pious duties, and the more easily, the more holily, the more freely, and the more spiritually he performs pious duties—the more he is thriving and grown in holiness.
A young carpenter gives more blows, and makes more noise and chips than an old experienced workman does—but the old experienced workman does his work more solidly, more exactly, and more accurately than the young carpenter does. Just so, many young Christians, who are but newly entered into the trade of Christianity, and who are raised up but to a very small degree of sanctity, these may multiply duties upon duties, these may abound in pious performances, these may be much in adding of service to service; but yet the aged and experienced Christian in grace and holiness does pious duties more solidly, more spiritually, more exactly, and more accurately than the young Christian does.
We must never judge of an eminency in holiness by the number or multitude of our duties—but by the seriousness, the graciousness, the solidness, the spiritualness, the holiness, the heavenliness, and the accurateness of our hearts in duties.
A young musician may play longer and more quick and nimble upon an instrument than an old musician can—but yet the old musician plays with more art, accurateness, skill, judgment, and understanding than a young musician does. Just so, young Christians in grace and holiness may hold out longer, and be quicker and nimbler in pious duties, than others who are more aged in grace and holiness; but yet those who are aged in grace and holiness perform pious duties with more spiritual art and accurateness, and with more divine skill, judgment, and understanding, than they do, in whom the spring of holiness runs low.
A young scholar may write more paper, and make more letters than his master does—but yet his master writes more understandingly, exactly, and accurately than the young scholar. Just so, many young converts may run over more duties than others—and yet others may perform duties more understandingly, and more exactly, and more accurately than they do.
Let the duty be ever so short—yet if there is much spiritualness, holiness, brokenness, seriousness, and accurateness in it—it will carry all before it—it will win the blessing and obtain the crown; when the longest duties, wherein there is no such frame nor temper of spirit, shall not prevail with God at all, Zech. 7:4-6; Isaiah 58:1-6. It argues a very great measure of holiness when the soul is habitually carried on in pious duties with much solidness, seriousness, spiritualness, exactness, and accurateness. But,
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