Part 36 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 37 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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[6.] Sixthly and lastly, God would never have encouraged and rewarded with temporal favors wicked and unregenerate men's religious duties and services as he has done—if he would not have had them exercise themselves in pious duties. Now that he has thus encouraged and rewarded wicked and unregenerate men, is evident in these instances, 1 Kings 21:19; Jonah 3:4, seq.; 2 Chron. 26:5. Uzziah sought God in the days of Zechariah; and when he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. Had he been really godly, had he had the root of the matter in him, had he been a sincere, a throughout Christian, he would have sought the Lord all his days, he would have held on and held out in well-doing; but being carnal, hypocritical, and unregenerate, his religion dies with Zechariah. Another instance you have of this is in the book of Jonah, among the sailors, who usually are the worst of sinners, Psalm 107:23-30. And another instance you have in that known case of Jehu. From all which we may well conclude, that God expects and looks that wicked men, that unregenerate men, should be found in the exercise of religious duties.
It is an excellent observation of Calvin upon God's rewarding the Rechabites' obedience: Jer. 35:19, "God," says he, "oft recompenses the shadows and seeming appearances of virtue—to show that delight he takes in the ample rewards he has reserved for true and sincere piety." To conclude, it was as easy for Boaz to have given Ruth as much grain at once, and so have sent her home without any more ado—but he would not, being resolved that she should use her endeavor to gather and glean it, and beat it out too when she had gleaned it. Just so, it is as easy a thing for God to give his Christ, to give his Spirit, and to give his grace immediately to poor sinners without their using of the means—but he won't, being resolved that they shall use the means of hearing, reading, praying, and conference, etc., and when they have done, leave the issue of all their labors and endeavors to his good-will and pleasure. I have taken the more pains fully and clearly to answer this objection, that it may never more have a resurrection in any of your souls.
(9.) Ninthly, If ever you would be holy, then, when you have done all—WAIT. Oh, hear and wait—and wait and hear; pray and wait—and wait and pray; read and wait—and wait and read; confer and wait—and wait and confer; watch and wait—and wait and watch. O sirs, shall the farmer wait for a good harvest? and the merchant waitfor good returns? James 5:7-8; and the watchman wait for the dawning of the day? and the patient wait for a happy cure? and the poor client wait for a day of hearing? etc.; and will not you wait for Christ, and wait for the Spirit, and wait for pardon, and wait for grace, and wait for glory? etc. O sinners, sinners, remember you are at the right door—and therefore wait. Oh, remember that while you are waiting for mercy, God is preparing of mercy. Oh, remember that it is mercy that you may wait for mercy. Devils and damned spirits can't wait for mercy. Wait they must; but, oh, it is for more wrath, anger, and fiery indignation.
Oh, remember your condition bespeaks waiting—for you are poor, halt, lame, blind, and miserable creatures. Oh, remember that mercy is sweetest when it comes after a patient waiting: Deut. 32:13, "He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;" that is, he made him to suck water that was as sweet as honey out of the rock, out of the flinty rock. Oh, remember that a patient waiting for mercy is the only way to greaten your mercy. "The longer," said the emperor's son, "the cooks are a-preparing the food, the better the meal will be." His meaning was, the longer he waited for the empire, the greater it would be. Just so, the longer a soul waits for mercy, the greater and the better it will be when it comes; as you may see in that famous instance of the poor man who lay thirty-eight years at the pool of Bethesda, John 5:2, 16. Famous was the patience of Elijah's servant, who, in obedience to his master's command, went seven several times up and down steep Carmel, 1 Kings 18:8, which could not be without danger and difficulty, and all to bring news of nothing, until his last journey, which made a recompense for all the rest, with the tidings of a cloud arising. Oh, so do but patiently wait upon the Lord—and that grace, that favor, that mercy, will come at last, which will fully recompense you for all your waitings.
Remember that the mercies of God are not styled the swift—but the sure mercies of David, Isaiah 55:3. Mercy may be sure, though it be not presently upon the wing flying towards us. And the same prophet says, "The glory of the Lord shall be your reward," Isaiah 58:8. Now this, we know, comes up last, to secure and make good all the rest, for where graceleads the front, glory at last will be in the rear. Oh, do but patiently wait, and he who shall come, will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10:37; not a year, not a quarter, not a month, not a week, not a day, no, not an hour beyond the prefixed time that he has set of showing mercy to poor sinners.
Oh, how sad was it that Saul should lose his kingdom for lack of two or three hours patience! But oh, how much more sad will it be if you should lose all the prayers that you have made, and all the sermons that you have heard, and all the tears that you have shed, and all other pains that you have taken—and all for lack of a little more patience! yes, how woefully-sad would it be if you should lose your God, and lose your Christ, and lose your soul, and lose an eternity of glory, and all for lack of a little patience to wait the Lord's time! Oh, therefore resolve to hold on waiting to the death, and if you must perish, to perish in a waiting way—which if you should, you would be the first that ever so perished. Oh, remember that if God should come, and mercy come, and pardon come, and grace come—when your sun is near setting, when your hour-glass is almost out, and when there is but a short step between you and eternity—it will infinitely recompense you for all your waiting; and therefore wait still.
And to keep up your spirits, and to uphold your soul in a waiting way, oh that you would make these following promises your daily food, your daily friends, your daily companions: Psalm 27:14, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." Proverbs 20:22, "Wait on the Lord, and he shall save you." Isaiah 30:18, "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint!" Isaiah 49:23, "Those who wait for me will never be put to shame." Isaiah 64:4, "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him!" Proverbs 8:34, "Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." Oh, how should these precious promises encourage your hearts to wait on the Lord! Oh, how should they lengthen and draw out your patience to the utmost! But,
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