Part 15 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 16 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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QUESTION. But how may a person know whether he loves the word, and is affected and taken with the word—as it is a holy word, or not?
ANSWER.
[1.] First, By what has been already said. But because the question is weighty, I further answer—
[2.] In the second place, He who loves the word, and who is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word—he loves the WHOLE word of God, and he is affected and taken with one part of the word as well as another. Every law of God is a holy law, and every statute is a holy statute, and every command is a holy command, and every promise is a holy promise, and every threatening is a holy threatening, and every exhortation is a holy exhortation; and, therefore, he who loves any part of the word as a holy word, he cannot but love every part of the word, because every part of the word is holy. [As the wise philosopher delights in all Aristotle, and the prudent physician in all Galen, and the clever orator in all Tully, and the understanding lawyer in all Justinian—just so, a holy man delights in all the Bible. The Jewish Rabbis were accustomed to say that "upon every letter of the law there hangs mountains of profitable matter."]
And indeed he loves no part of the word as holy—who loves not every part of the word as holy. Every chapter in the book of God is a holy chapter, and every verse is a holy verse, and every line in that book is a holy line, and every word in every line is a holy word! He who loves a chapter as it is a holy chapter—he loves every verse in that chapter as a holy verse. And he who loves every verse as a holy verse—he loves every line as a holy line. And he who loves every line as a holy line—he loves every word in every line as a holy word.
Upon easy commands he reads holiness—and upon difficult commands he reads holiness. Upon comfortable commands he reads holiness—and upon laborious commands he reads holiness. And therefore he loves all, and embraces all, and endeavors a conformity to all. A holy heart dares neither to dispute with that word, nor make light of that word, where he reads holiness engraved upon it. To a holy heart, there is no command of God which is unjust or unreasonable.
But now an unholy heart, though it may for some worldly advantages court and cry up some parts of the word—yet it is ready, with Judas, to betray and crucify other parts of the word. The whole Scripture is but one entire love-letter, despatched from the Lord Christ to his beloved spouse on earth. This love-letter is all written in golden letters, and therefore a holy heart cannot but be taken and affected with every line in this letter. In this love-letter 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 be affected and taken with it. The whole word of God is a field—and Christ is the treasure that is hidden in that field. The whole word of God is a ring of gold—and Christ is the diamond in that ring, and therefore holy heart cannot but love, and embrace, and endeavor to conform to every line. Luther was accustomed to say that he would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible. And Rabbi Chija, in the Jerusalem Talmud, says that all the world is not of equal value with one word out of the law.
[3.] Thirdly, A man who is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word—he is ALWAYS affected and taken with it! He loves it and takes pleasure in it, as well in adversity as in prosperity: Psalm 119:59, "Your statutes have been my songs"—yes, but where?—"in the house of my pilgrimage," or "pilgrimages," as the Hebrew has it. [The saints have commonly looked upon themselves as pilgrims and strangers in this world, Gen. 47:9, 39; Psalm 12:19; Heb. 11:9-10, etc.] When David was in his banishments, being hunted Saul, Absalom, and others—then the word of God was music to him—then it was matter of joy and rejoicing to him; his whole life was the life of a pilgrim and stranger; now as a pilgrim he sojourns here, and at another time as a stranger he sojourns there. No man could take more pleasure, joy, and contentment in the rarest and choicest music—than David did in the word of God; and that not only when he was in his royal palace—but also when he was in the house of his pilgrimage.
He who loves the word, and that delights in the word for its holiness and purity—he will love it and delight in it in health and sickness; in strength and weakness; in honor and disgrace; in wealth and want; in life and in death. The holiness of the word is a lasting holiness, and so will every man's affections be towards it who loves it, and is taken with it for its holiness and pureness.
Some there are, who cry up the word, and who seem to be much affected, delighted, and ravished with the word, (as Herod, Ezekiel's hearers, and the stony ground was, Ezek. 33:30-33, and Mark 4 and 6, etc.) while the word is either a cheap word to them, or a profitable and pleasing word to them, or while it is courted and countenanced in the world, or while it is the path to preferment, or a key to enlargement, etc. But when the word gets within them, and discovers their own sinfulness and wretchedness to them; when it shows them how Christless, and graceless, and lifeless, and helpless, and hopeless they are; when it discovers how far they are from heaven, and how near they are to hell, Jer. 44:15, 29; oh, then their hearts begin to rise against it, and to cry out, "Away with it! It was never good days, since we have had so much preaching and hearing!" Or when the word comes to be scorned, slighted, disgraced, opposed, or persecuted, oh, then they turn their backs upon it, and quickly grow weary of it.
Strabo notes that the Iassians delighted themselves with the music of an excellent harpist—until they heard the market-bell ring; upon which they all ran away to the market! Just so, let these men but hear the market-bell of lust, or the bell of profit, or the bell of pleasure, or the bell of applause, or the bell of honor, or the bell of error, or the bell of superstition sound in their ears—and immediately they will run from the sweet music of the Word—to follow after any of these market-bells. But now a man who loves the word, and who is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word—no bell can ring him from the word! No disgrace, no affliction, no opposition, no persecution—can take him off from loving the word, and from taking pleasure in the word. The cause of his love is abiding and lasting, and therefore his love must be lasting and continuing.
This is not to say, that a holy heart may not sometimes be more affected and taken with the word than at some times than at other times—as when a man enjoys much communion with God in the word; or when God speaks much peace and comfort to the soul by the word; or when God assures a man more clearly and fully of the goodness and happiness of his condition by the word; or when God lets in very much quietness, or quickness, or sweetness, or seriousness, or spiritualness into a man's spirit by the word. Oh, then a man may more than ordinarily be affected and taken with the word.
But now, though a holy Christian is not at all times in the same degree and measure taken with the word—yet take such a Christian when he is at worst, and you shall find two things in him:
(1.) you shall find in him a holy love to the word;
(2.) you shall find in him a real love to holy Christians.
[4.] Fourthly, He who loves the word, and who is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word—he is most affected and taken with those parts of the word which most inciteto holiness, which most promote holiness, and which most provoke to holiness. "But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God—who chose you to be his children—is holy. For he himself has said—You must be holy because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16. (I shall give you light into these words when I come to open the holiness of God to you.)
Just so, Mat. 5:48, "But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Our summum bonum in this world consists in our conformity to the heavenly pattern. In all imitations it is best to choose the most perfect pattern. There is nothing more laudable and commendable than for a Christian to endeavor more and more to resemble his God in the highest perfections of righteousness and holiness. Just so, Eph. 5:15-16, "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Christians must walk precisely, wisely, exactly, accurately. As the carpenter works by line and rule, so a Christian must walk by line and rule; he must labor to get up to the very top of godliness; he must go to the utmost of every command, as the original word imports.
Just so, Phil. 2:15, "You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them." God's sons should be spotless sons, that is, they should be without all such spots as are inconsistent with sonship or saintship.
Just so, in Col. 2:6, "Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord—walk in Him." They had received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Law-giver, they had received Christ as a ruling Christ, as a reigning Christ, and as a commanding Christ; and now the great duty incumbent upon them is to walk and live at such a rate of holiness as may evidence that they have thus received Christ.
Just so, in 1 John 2:6, "He who says he abides in him, ought himself also to walk even as he walked." Christians are to set all Christ's moral actions before them as a pattern for their imitation, John 13:15. In Christ's life—a Christian may behold the picture or lineaments of all virtues—and accordingly he ought to order his life in this world. To walk as Christ walked is to walk humbly, holily, justly, righteously, meekly, lowly, lovingly, fruitfully, faithfully, uprightly, with an "as" of quality or likeness—but not with an "as" of equality; for that is impossible for any saint on earth—to walk so purely, so holily, so blamelessly, so unspottedly, so spiritually, so heavenly as Christ walked; that is, with an "as" of equality. To walk as Christ walked is to slight the world, and despise the world, and make a footstool of the world, and to live above the world, and to triumph over the world as Christ did; that is, with an "as" of quality—but not with an "as" of equality. To walk as Christ walked is to love those who hate us, to pray for those who persecute us, to bless those who curse us, and to do good to those who do evil to us; but still with an "as" of similitude—but not with an "as" of equality, Mat. 5:44-47. To walk as Christ walked is to be patient, and silent, and submissive, and thankful, under the vilest reproaches, the heaviest afflictions, and the greatest sufferings, 1 Pet. 2:20-23; with an "as" of quality—but not with an "as" of equality.
Now a holy heart that is taken with the holiness of the word—he is certainly taken most with those parts of the word which most call for holiness, and which most strongly press the soul to make a progress in holiness. I have given you a taste of some of the most principal scriptures that do incite most to holiness, and I shall leave it to your own consciences to give in witness for you or against you, according to what you find in your own spirits. Certainly to a holy man there are no prayers, no sermons, no discourses, no conferences, no books, nor no parts of scripture—which can compare to those which most encourage and provoke to holiness. But,
[5.] Fifthly and lastly, He who loves the word, and who is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word—he highly prizes and values the holy dispensers of the word for their work's sake, Acts 10:24-26; Gal. 4:14. Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion—Your God reigns!" If the very feet of those who brought good tidings, though they were afar off, and sweaty, dusty, and dirty from traveling upon the mountains, were so desirable and amiable, honorable and comfortable; oh then what were their faces, what were their messages! Surely they were much more amiable and desirable.
Just so, in 1 Thes. 5:12,13, "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly" (or, more than abundantly, as the Greek has it) "in love for their work's sake; and be at peace among yourselves." Their work is to bring Christ and your souls together, and to keep Christ and your souls together. Their work is to turn you from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to Jesus Christ. [Acts 26:16-18. If a minister had as many eyes as Argus to watch, as many heads as Typheus to plan, and as many hands as Briareus to labor—he might find employment enough for them all in the faithful discharge of his ministerial function.]
Their work is gradual: first, they are to bring you to a saving acquaintance with Christ; and then they are to bring you to a holy acceptance of Christ; and then they are to bring you to a willing resignation of yourselves to Christ; and then they are to bring you to a sweet and blessed assurance of your interest in Christ, and so to fit you and prepare you for a glorious fruition of Christ. Therefore certainly their work is high and honorable, excellent and eminent, laborious and glorious; and why, then, should you not have a high and honorable esteem of them, even for their work's sake?
I have read of Ambrose, that being about to leave the church of Milan, the people of the place flocked about him, laid hold of him, protesting that they had rather lose their lives than lose their pastor, beseeching him to remain, and to promote among them the gospel and government of Christ, professing and promising, for his encouragement, their ready submission to Christ. Chrysostom's hearers were accustomed to say, that they had as good be without the sun in the sky, as to be without Chrysostom in the pulpit. Some of the ancients have long since concluded that Herod might have kept his oath, Mark 6:23—and yet have spared John Baptist's head, because John's head, John's life, was more worth than all Herod's kingdom. O sirs, shall Titus Sabinus' dog bring food to the mouth of his dead master, because sometimes he gave him a crust of bread; and will not you highly love, honor, and esteem of those pastors who feed your souls with the bread of life, yes, with that bread that came down from heaven?
Certainly the more any man is affected and taken with the holiness of the word, the more highly they will honor and prize the holy and faithful dispensers of the word. Holy men know that their place is honorable, their calling honorable, and their work honorable; and therefore they cannot but honor them. Holy men know that if they do not honor them, they dishonor him whose ambassadors they are. Holy men know that Christ takes all the affronts which are put upon them as put upon himself, and will accordingly revenge them, as you may see by comparing these scriptures together. [Luke 10:16; Mat. 22:4, 8, 21:33, 44, and 23:37-39; 2 Chron. 36:14, 22; 2 Sam. a. 1, 7, compared with 12:31.]
Ambassadors are inviolable by the law of nations. David never retaliated so harshly, as he did to the Ammonites, who despitefully used his ambassadors that he sent unto them, when they shaved off one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, etc. I have read that Rome was destroyed to the ground for some abuses that were offered to an ambassador that was sent unto it. And the Romans sacked the famous city of Corinth, and razed it to the ground, for a little discourtesy that they offered to their ambassadors. No wonder then, if God deals so severely with those who slight his ambassadors, who come with messages of grace and favor from the King of kings and Lord of lords, and whose great work is to make a firm, an everlasting peace between God and sinners' souls, and that all differences between God and them may be forever decided, and a free trade to heaven fully opened and maintained. As for such as slight, scorn, and despise the holy and faithful dispensers of the word, I think they are as far from real holiness as hell is from true happiness. And so, doubtless, are those who grumble at the expense of a penny for the maintenance of that divine candle that wastes itself to give light to them, that will rather die to save charges than spend a little money to save their souls, 2 Cor. 12:14-16.
14. In the fourteenth place, A man who is really holy will be holy among the unholy. He will retain and keep his holiness, let the times be ever so unholy. Principles of grace and holiness are lasting; they are not like the morning cloud nor the early dew, Psalm 119:112, and 106:3; 1 John 3:9-10. Holy Abraham was righteous in Chaldea; holy Lot was just in Sodom; holy Job was upright in the land of Uz, which was a place of much profaneness and superstition; holy Nehemiah was courageous and zealous in Damascus; and so was holyDaniel in Babylon. The different generations wherein these holy men lived were wholly devoted to wickedness and superstition—and yet these precious souls had wholly devoted themselves to godliness.
And of the same spirit, mind, and metal was holy David. Psalm 119:20, "My soul breaks for the longing it has to your judgments at all times." Let the times be ever so dangerous, licentious, superstitious, or erroneous—yet David's heart was strongly carried forth to God's judgments—that is, to his word; for under this title, "judgments," you are to understand the whole word of God.
And so there were some in Sardis who were of the same spirit with the worthies above mentioned: Rev. 3:4, "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy." In polluting times pure hearts will keep themselves pure. A holy heart will keep himself undefiled, even in defiling times; when others are besmeared all over, he will keep his garments white and clean. Let the times ever so often turn, you shall find that he who is really holy will be holy under every turn. No turns shall turn him out of a way of holiness: Job 17:9, "The righteous shall hold on his way, and he who has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger."
A man who is really holy—will be holy among the holy, and he will be holy among the unholy. If you look upon him among unholy friends, unholy children, and unholy servants—you shall find him holy. If you look upon him among unholy neighbors—you shall find him holy. If you look upon him among unholy buyers and sellers—you shall find him holy. If you take him at his table—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his shop, in his commerce—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his family—you shall find him holy. If you take him in his closet—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.
True holiness is like that famous Queen Elizabeth, 'always the same'. The godly man is four square. Cast him where you will, like a dice, he falls always 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. If the times should be so sad and bad that holy people should not be able to hold fast their estates, their liberties, their trades, their lives, their religion—yet they will still hold fast their holiness.
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—yet 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, that he may keep up the credit of holiness, and the credit of a holy God, and the credit of his holy profession in the world.
But now, such as have only a show of holiness, an appearance of holiness—these will be religious among the religious, and wicked among the wicked, Isaiah 9:17. They will be righteous among the righteous, and licentious among the licentious; they will be as the company is among which they are cast. With the good they will be good, and with the bad they will be bad. With the zealous they will be zealous, and with the superstitious they will be superstitious. With the lukewarm they will be lukewarm, etc. They are for all changing times and tides; they are for any turn that will serve their turn; for any mode that will bring pleasure or profit to them. They are like Alcibiades, of whom it was said that he was a man for all times; for he could swagger it at Athens, and take any pains at Thebes; he could live most sparingly at Lacidaemon, and live riotously among the Thracians, and hunt among the Persians. Just so, unholy men can accommodate themselves to the times, and comply with them, whatever they are. With Proteus they will transform themselves into all shapes. As the times change—so will they; what the times favor—that they will favor; what the times commend—that they will commend; and what the times cry up and admire—that they will cry up and admire; and what the times frown upon and condemn—that they will frown upon and condemn.
Look! as curious and well-drawn pictures seem to turn their eyes every way, and to smile upon everyone that looks upon them—just so, these can turn with the times; they can lookas the times look, and smile as the times smile; they can talk with the times, and sail with the times. Sometimes they can act one part, and sometimes another part—as the times require. If the times require a large profession—they can make it. If the times require a rigid spirit against such as cannot comply with the times—they can act it. If the times demand them to leave their religion at the church door—they can leave it, etc. If the times call upon them to worship God according to the prescriptions of men—they can do it.
Oh—but give me a man who is really holy—and he will be holy though the times should be ever so unholy! Yes, the more licentious the times are—the more gracious he will labor to be.
15. In the fifteenth place—He who is really holy, 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. "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. 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. [John 7:18; Gen. 41:16; Dan. 2:23; Titus 2:10, 38; 1 Cor. 10; Rev. 12:11.] They make divine glory their ultimate end.
2 Cor. 4:5, "We preach not ourselves—but Christ Jesus the Lord;" that is, in our preaching we woo not for ourselves—but for Christ. [That Christian duties are esteemed by God—not by their acts but by their ends—is most certain.] We are no kin to those who speak two words for themselves, and hardly one for Christ. In all our preaching we eye the glory of Christ, we design the honor and exaltation of Christ. Real holiness is commonly attended with a single eye—just as counterfeit holiness is commonly attended with a squint eye; squint-eyed aims, and squint-eyed ends—do usually wait upon divided hearts. Take a holy man in the exercise of his gifts and graces for the good of men's souls, or take him in the exercise of charity for the good of men's bodies, and in both you shall find his eye fixed upon the glory of God. "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever! Amen." 1 Peter 4:11
Look! as bright shining golden vessels do not retain the beams of the sun which they receive—but reflect them back again upon the sun—just so, those who are really holy, they do return and reflect back again upon the Sun of righteousness—the praise and glory of all the gifts, graces, and virtues that they have received from him. The daily language of their souls is, "Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, Lord—but to your name be all the glory!" Holy men make conscience of giving men their dues; how much more then do they make conscience of giving God his due? 1 Chron. 29:10, 18. Now, glory is God's due, and God desires nothing more than that we give him the glory due unto his name, as you may see in Psalm 29:1-2. Just so, in Psalm 96:7-8. There are three "gives" in those two verses, "Give unto the Lord," "give unto the Lord," "give unto the Lord the glory that is due unto his name!" Glory is God's right, and he demands his right; and this holy men know, and therefore they give him his right; they give him the honor and the glory which is due unto his name.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do—do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31. Holy hearts do habitually eye the glory of Christ in all things. When they eat—they eat to his glory; and when they drink—they drink to his glory; and when they sleep—they sleep to his glory; when they buy—they buy for his glory; and when they sell—they sell for his glory; and when they give—they give for his glory; and when they recreate themselves—they recreate for his glory: so when they hear preaching—they hear for his glory; and when they pray—they pray for his glory; and when they fast—they fast for his glory; and when they read Scripture—they read for his glory; and 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.
Do not mistake me; I do not say that such as are really holy do actually eye the glory of Christ in all their actions. Oh no—this is a happiness desirable on earth—but shall never be attained until we come to heaven. Selfish and base ends and aims, will too often creep into the holiest hearts—but holy hearts sigh and groan under them; they complain to God of them, and they cry for justice, justice upon 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.
But now such whose holiness is counterfeit, they never look at divine glory in what they do; sometimes their eye is upon their credit, and sometimes their eyes are upon applause; sometimes they have pleasure in their eyes, and sometimes they have profit in their eyes, and sometimes they have preferments in their eyes, etc., Mat. 6:5; John 6:26; Zech. 7:5-7. They will be very godly when they can make a gain of godliness; they will be very holy when holiness is the way to outward happiness; but this religious wickedness will double damn them at last! This is most certain, that some carnal or worldly consideration or other, always acts him who has not real principles of holiness in him. But he who is really holy makes the glory of God his center. "To God be the glory!" was once, and is still a holy man's motto.
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