Part 27 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 28 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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(3.) Thirdly, If ever you would be holy, then you must wait upon the WORD. The word of God faithfully preached, is the ordinary means by which holiness is wrought in sinners' hearts. The word is that triumphant chariot of the Spirit, wherein he rides conquering and to conquer the souls of men. The holy word is designed by God to beget holiness in sinners' hearts—and to countenance, cherish, nourish, and strengthen holiness where it is begotten. John 17:17, "Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth." And for their sakes, etc., "I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth," verse 19. Just so, Jn 15:3, "Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you." The ordinary way of making unclean souls clean, unholy souls holy—is the ministry of the word, Phil. 5:26. As there is a cleansing virtue in the blood of Christ, 1 John 1:7, so there is a cleansing virtue in the word of Christ.
Psalm 119:9, "How shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to your word." Of all men, the young man is usually most wild and wicked, most licentious and rebellious; and yet the word of God is the power of God to his conviction and conversion, to his sanctification and salvation. Though the cleansing of a young man's heart be one of the hardest works in the world—yet this may be done by the word. There are no lusts so strong but the word can cast them down, nor no stains so deep but the word can wash them out. Three thousand sinners were made saints by one sermon, Acts 2:41; and five thousand more were converted and sanctified by another sermon, chapter 4:4. Here were eight thousand men cleansed, sanctified, and saved—by two sermons, and doubtless most of them were young.
O sirs, as ever you would have holy principles laid in your souls, and holy affections raised in your souls, and holy ends aimed at by your souls, hear the word in season and out of season. Oh attend it! oh wait on it! It will be soap to cleanse you, and fire to purge you, and water to wash you, and a wind to turn you from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to Jesus Christ, Acts 26:16-24. The gospel preached, has been the power of God to the salvation of multitudes of souls, Romans 1:16. The word is that immortal seed by which holiness—which is not only a grace but the conjunction of all graces—is formed in the soul, 1 Pet. 1:23. It is the word which gives a spiritual birth and being to men, Gal. 4:19. The word enlightens the eye, Psalm 119:105. The word softens the heart, Deut. 32:2. The word purges the conscience, and it converts the soul, Psalm 19:7. The word dethrones Satan, it casts down strongholds, 2 Cor. 10:4-5. The word quickens the dull, Psalm 119:50. The word raises the dead, John 5:24-25. Oh, therefore, hear it, and wait on it, and come to it—that you may be made holy by it.
Many come to hear the word to censure it, others to mock at it, others to enrich their curious notions by it, and others come to catch the minister at it. You must come to it, that you may be made holy by it, and doubtless sooner or later you shall obtain your end. Yes, it is good for a man to come to the word, though his design in coming is bad; it is good for a man to sit under that great ordinance of the word, though he sits upon thorns, as it were, all the while he is there. Those who come to see who has got the newest fashions—may have their hearts fashioned into a conformity with the word. They came to catch—but were caught themselves, "Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?" "No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared." John 7:45-46. Austin coming to Ambrose to have his ears tickled, had his heart touched and turned. "Come," says old Latimer, in a sermon before king Edward the Sixth, "to the public meeting, though you come to sleep, it may be God may take you napping."
When you come, though it be but to taste the minister's spirit—yet then God may take hold on your spirit, and save it in the day of his power upon your soul. Though you come with a heart full of prejudices against Christ—yet by the word you may be brought to a love of Christ, to a liking of Christ, and to a choice of Christ, and to a blessed close and resignationof yourself to Christ. Those who came to surprise Christ, were so taken with Christ, that being filled with admiration they could not but proclaim his divine excellencies; "No one ever spoke the way this man does!" The word is the word of the Lord—let the hand be what it will, which brings it. When gold is offered, men care not how noble or ignoble, how great or how base he is, who offers it. Just so, men should not look so much at the hand which brings the word, as at the word itself. The word of the Lord was as much the word of the Lord in the hand and mouth of Amos—who was a prophet from among the herdsmen of Tekoa—as it was the word of the Lord in the hand and mouth of Isaiah—who, as some think, was a prophet of royal blood.
Ambrose observes of the woman of Samaria, John 4:7, that she came to Jesus at Jacob's well as a sinner—but she went away an evangelist. O sirs, let nothing hinder you from coming to the word! Oh come to the word! though you come as sinners—yet come, for though you do come sinners—yet you may go away saints. Though the dew of heaven has richly and sweetly fallen upon your hearts—and yet, like Gideon's fleece, you are still dry—yet come to the word still, for who can tell but that at the very next sermon God may make your soul like a watered garden, and like a spring of water "whose waters fail not," Isaiah 58:11.
It is reported of young king Edward the Sixth, that being about to lay hold on something that was above the reach of his short arm, one who stood by espying a large embossed Bible lying on the table, offered to lay that under his feet to heighten him—but the good young king disliked the motion, and instead of treading it under his feet he laid it to his heart. Oh come to the word—but come not to trample upon it, come not to scoff or mock at it, come not to despise it or to revile it—but come and lay it to your hearts, and it may do you good forever! There is no better way to make you holy than to attend on the holy word. But,
(4.) Fourthly, If ever you would be holy—then associate yourselves with those who are holy. Look! as he who walks with the wise shall be wise, so he who walks with theholy shall certainly be pressed and provoked to be holy, Proverbs 13:20. As Socrates made it his business to better others by his company—just so, will a holy man will make it his business to make others holy by his counsel, prayers, and example. He knows that it is one of the most noble and divine employments in the world to make others holy, and therefore he sets upon that work with all his might.
Look! as there is no greater a hindrance to holiness than the society of the wicked—so there is no greater a help to holiness than the society of those who are godly, Psalm 119:115, and 1:1. Look! as the beginning of ungodliness is to keep company with those who are are ungodly—so the beginning of holiness is to keep company with those who are holy. Look! as one drunkard makes another, and one swearer makes another, and one proud person makes another, and one worldling makes another, and one formalist makes another—so one holy man makes another. Look! as one sober man makes another, and one prudent man makes another, and one resolute man makes another, and one zealous man makes another, and one heavenly-minded man makes another—so one holy man makes another.
Ah, sinners! sinners! there are no companions in the world—who will pity you as these; who will weep and mourn over you as these; who will strive and wrestle with God for you as these, Romans 10:1. There are none who will be so concerned for your salvation as these; nor any who will labor so much for your conversion as these; nor any who will so spend themselves to prevent your damnation as these, 2 Cor. 12:15. O sirs, upon trial you will find that there are none so able to counsel you, nor any so faithful to reprove you, nor any so ready to help you, nor any so compassionate to sympathize with you, nor any so strong to support you, nor any so advantaged to convert you—as those who are holy! Why then will you not labor to be one of this society?
O sirs, of all fellowships, the fellowship of saints is the most noble, the most honorable, the most pleasant, the most amiable, the most desirable, the most profitable, and the mostcommendable fellowship! Why then will you still live strangers, yes, enemies, to this fellowship? Ah sirs, holy men will still be awakening and alarming of your drowsy spirits, they will be still a-knocking at the door of your hearts, and asking of you whether it be good going to hell; they will still be inquiring of you what provision you have made for the eternal world, and how all things stand within; they will still be jogging at your elbows—that you may not die in your sins; and they will still be whispering in your ear—that your souls may live forever.
The Jews have a proverb, that "two dry sticks put to a green one will kindle it." Oh, there is nothing in all the world which contributes so much to the kindling, to the firing, and to the inflaming of men's hearts after holiness—as the society of those who are holy. Algerius, an Italian martyr, "had rather be in prison with Cato, than to live with Caesar in the senate-house." Oh, it is ten thousand times better to live with those who are holy—though in a dark prison; than to live among those who are unholy—though in a royal palace. Urbanus Regius, having one day's converse with Luther, tells us, "that it was one of the sweetest days that ever he had in all his life."
O sinners, did you but experience for one day the sweet and happiness of the communion of saints, you would then cry out, "Oh, there is no society, compared to the society of God's holy ones." And therefore, as ever you would be holy, let holy men have more heart-room and house-room with you. But,
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