Part 91 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to Part 90 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Part 92 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Luther was a man of great holiness, and being one time more than ordinarily earnest with God in prayer, he came down to his friends, and told them with a very great confidence, that it should go well with Germany all his days; he knew what was done in heaven—by that which God had done in his own heart, and accordingly it happened. The last martyr who was burnt in Smithfield, told the people that they should be of good comfort, for he was fully persuaded that he was the last who would suffer under Queen Mary, and so he was.
Thus you see that men of greatest holiness have had the clearest and choicest manifestations and discoveries of God, and of his mind, made known to them. Suitable to that choice promise that you have in Jer. 33:3, "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty"—or hidden—"things," [hidden, as bunches of grapes are hidden under the leaves of the vines.] "which you know not." God will make known to his holy ones the most hidden and abstruse things; and the more holy they are, the more they shall know of the most secret and mysterious things of God. John 7:17, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine." Christ will be most open to those who are most obedient to him; they shall know most of the doctrine of Christ who are most complying with the will of Christ.
David was a man of great holiness, as is evident by that glorious testimony that God has given of him in that Acts 13:22, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall fulfill all my will"—"all my wills;" to note the eminency, transcendency, universality, and sincerity of his obedience. Now if you will but look into that 2 Sam. 7:27, there you shall see how the Lord declares and makes known himself and his intentions towards him; "O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant." But the Hebrew is more full and excellent; in the original it runs thus, "Lord, you have revealed this to the ear of your servant." Now the emphasis lies in those words, "to the ear of your servant." When God makes known himself and his intentions to such as are eminent in holiness, he does it in their ear. God tells David in his ear, that "he will build a house for him," that is, that he would continue his kingdom to him, and to his posterity after him. This was blessed news, and this God tells in his ear.
Such as are our special friends and favorites—we often whisper to them in the ear. When we would acquaint them with our most secret and weighty purposes, intentions, and resolutions, we give them a whisper in the ear. Such people who are eminent in holiness, are the great favorites of heaven, and God tells them in the ear of many a rare secret, which all others are kept ignorant of.
Well, sirs, for a close, remember this—that there are no people on earth who are so prepared and fitted for the clearest, fullest, and highest manifestations of God—as those who are eminent in holiness! Nor are there any who set so high a price upon the manifestations of God—as men who are eminent in holiness! Nor are there any who are so able to bear the revelations of his will—as men who are eminent in holiness! Nor are there any who will make such a humble, faithful, constant, and thorough improvement of all that God shall make known to them—as men who are famous for holiness. Therefore, as ever you would have God in an eminent way to manifest and reveal himself and his mind unto you—oh, labor after a greater measure of holiness! But,