Part 88 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 89 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Fifthly and lastly, the more holy any man is—the more actually ripe and fit for heaven that man is. A Christian at first conversion is but rough cast—but as holiness is increased—just so, he comes more and more every day to be prepared, polished, squared, and fitted for a full and glorious fruition of God in heaven, Job 5:26. Though the least degree of grace and holiness puts a man into a habitual preparedness and fittedness for heaven—yet it is only an eminency in grace and holiness, which puts a man into an actualpreparedness and fittedness for heaven. The richer in grace—the riper for glory! The higher you are in holiness—the fitter you are to enter into the joy of your Lord! Though the least drop or grain of holiness is enough to keep a man from dropping into hell—yet it is only matured holiness, which actually prepares and fits a man to go to heaven, Mat. 25:19-24.
Now, doubtless, the more actually ripe and ready any man is for heaven—the more pleasure and delight God takes in him. The more the vessels of grace are fitted for glory—the more delight God takes in them. When God set himself upon the creation of the world, in the close of every day's work, except the second, God set his seal, "that it was good;" but when he had perfected and completed the whole creation, and cast an eye upon all together, then he concludes, "that it was very good." "And God saw all that he had made, and "behold it wasvery good," or "extremely good," so some, or "very pleasant and delightful."
The work of creation was so curiously and gloriously framed, and so full of admirable rarities and varieties, that it raised delight and pleasure in God himself. Whereupon Augustine observes that even to every grace, yes, of the least degree of grace, he says it is "good;" but when he beholds the graces of his saints fresh and flourishing, your faith acted and strengthened, your repentance daily renewed, your humility increased, etc., then he concludes that all is "very good."
O sirs, if the Lord Jesus Christ is so ravished with one of his spouse's eyes, and with one chain of her neck, Cant. 4:9; with the least drops or sips of grace, or with the least grains of grace and holiness; oh, how much more will great measures of grace and holiness enthrall him and ravish him!
Well! for a close of this argument, remember this, that as the sun shines hotter on some climates than it does upon others, and as the dew falls more upon one place than another, and as the water overflows some pastures more than others—just so, God's love of delight and pleasure shines hotter and brighter upon some Christians than it does upon others; and these I have showed you to be such who are most eminent and excellent in grace and holiness. And thus much for this third motive.
(4.) Fourthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more your holiness is increased—the more the great God will be honored and glorified. Mat. 5:16, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Fruitfulness in holiness sets the weightiest crown of glory upon the head of God: John 15:8, "Herein is my Father glorified—that you bear much fruit." The more eminent any person is in holiness, the more clearly and convincingly he proclaims God before all the world to be a rich God, a full God, a bountiful God, an overflowing God. There is nothing that works men to admire God so much, and to exalt God so high—as a Christian's fruitfulness in holiness. "Oh, how good must that God be, whose servants are so good," said the heathen! Oh, how glorious in holiness must that God be, whose people are so holy!
Look! as the thriving child is a credit to the mother, and the rich servant is an honor to his master, and a plentiful crop is the praise of the farmer—just so, that Christian whothrives in grace, who grows rich in holiness—is the greatest credit, and the highest honor, and the sweetest praise to God in the world! The tree in Alcinous's garden had always blossoms, buds, and ripe fruits, one under another. O sirs, those trees of righteousness that have not only the blossoms and buds of holiness upon them—but also the ripe fruits of holiness one under another—they are the greatest honor and glory to God in the world!
Isaiah 61:3, "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." What will men say when they shall behold your eminency in sanctity? Will they not say, "Certainly God is no hard master—harvesting where he have not sown and gathering where he has not scattered seed, Mat. 25:24. Certainly he keeps a noble house—his tables are richly spread, his cups overflow, he feeds, yes, he feasts his servants with the choicest rarities and varieties which heaven affords: witness their thriving and flourishing estate in grace and holiness." And thus you see that the more your holiness is increased, the more highly the God of heaven will be exalted and magnified. But,
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Part 89 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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