Part 95 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 96 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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(12.) Twelfthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holiness any man attains to—the more serviceable and useful he will be in his generation. David was a man eminent in holiness, and as eminently serviceable in his generation: Acts 13:36, "For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep." Men who have but a little stock of holiness—will be but a little serviceable in their generation; but men who have a great stock of holiness—will be greatly serviceable in their generation. Men who have but little farms, and little stocks—are but a little serviceable to their country; but men who have great farms, and large stocks, and rich revenues—are greatly serviceable to their country. What a world of good sometimes does one rich man do in a town, a city, a country! Just so, one saint who is rich in grace and holiness! Oh, what a world of good does he do to all who are round about him!
Merchants who have great stocks, trade to the East and West Indies, and so enrich their country; whereas those who have but weak estates can only barter with their neighbors at home, and so are instruments but of little public good. A candle enlightens the room—but the sun enlightens the whole world. The more holiness any man has, the more fit for public use that man will be, 2 Tim. 2:21. As there was none so holy as Christ—just so, there was none of so public a spirit as Christ; he went up and down doing good, Acts 10:38; he laid out himself, and he laid down himself for public good; he healed others—but was hurt himself; he filled others—but was hungry himself. A man who is eminent in holiness, will be of his mind—who was rather willing to beautify Italy than his own house.
Moses was a man of great holiness, and of famous use in his generation, Num. 14:11-14, 19-20. Ah, how often did he turn away the fierce anger and indignation of God from sinful Israel! Deut. 9:14; and oh the famous deliverances and glorious salvations that God brought about by his hand! Psalm 106:23. Nehemiah was a very holy man, and he laid out himself and his great estate for public service, Neh. 5:14, seq. Mordecai was a very pious man, and a man famously serviceable in his generation, Esther 4. Esther 10:3, "Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews." King Jehoshaphat and Joshua, were men of eminent holiness, and of singular use and service in their generation.
Men who have no holiness, and others that have but a little holiness, will be still a-carrying on a private interest of honor, or profit, or friends, or relations—and this we have seen evident among us in these latter days; and therefore, as ever you would be eminently serviceable in your generation, labor after an eminency in holiness. But,
(13.) Thirteenthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the greatest degrees of holiness are usually attended with the highest degrees of honor. Grace is called glory, and the greatest measures of grace are commonly crowned with the greatest degrees of glory, 2 Cor. 3:18. Abraham was a man eminent in grace and holiness, and he was highly in honor among the people: Gen. 23:6, "You are an honored prince among us;" or as the Hebrew has it, you are a prince of God among us, that is, you are a notable prince, you are an excellent prince.
Job was a man who had attained to a very high degree of holiness, Job 1:1-2; and he was highly honored among the people: Job 29:25, "I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops." In all weighty matters Job was the only man, he was chosen by all, and advanced by all above all, in all assemblies and places of judicature, etc. Whoever was of the committee, Job was still chairman; whoever was of the council—Job was still president; and whoever was of the court—Job was still king, yes, he dwelt as a king in the army. Job was guarded as a king in the army, and honored as a king in the army, and beloved and admired as a king in the army, and obeyed and served as a king in the army, and feared and reverenced as a king in the army. I might give you further instances of this in Joseph, Moses, Nehemiah, Mordecai, the three Hebrew children, and Daniel—but I shall forbear.
Faith is but a piece, a part, a branch of holiness; and yet, oh, what an honorable mention does Paul make of the Romans' faith, in Romans 1:8, "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the world." The Roman Christians had attained to an eminency in faith, and the report thereof sounded throughout the Roman empire, yes, throughout the world, for there being a great resort to Rome from all parts of the world, and by everyone's discoursing and admiring of the Romans' faith, their faith came to be spread abroad among all the churches all the world over.
Look! as Christ's fullness of grace was his highest glory in this world—just so, a Christian's fullness of holiness is his highest honor in this world, Psalm 45:1-2. O sirs, there is no such way to be high in honor and renown, both in the consciences of sinners and saints—as to be high in holiness. Jewel was a man eminent in holiness, and his holiness set him high in the very judgments and consciences of the Papists. The dean of the college, though a Papist—yet speaks thus of him: "In your faith I hold you a heretic—but surely in your life you are an angel." Among the very heathens, those were most highly honored, who were most excellent and eminent in moral virtues. Aristides was so famous among the Athenians for his justice, that he was called Aristides the Just, etc.,
O Christians, it is your highest honor and glory in this world, to be so eminent and famous for holiness, that men may point at you, and say, "there goes such a one the wise, and there goes such a one the humble, and there goes such a one the heavenly, and there goes such a one the meek, and there goes such a one the patient, and there goes such a one thecontented, and there goes such a one the just, and there goes such a one the merciful, and there goes such a one the zealous, and there goes such a one the courageous, and there goes such a one the sincere, and there goes such a one the faithful, etc."
Well, for a close, remember this, that though great places, great offices, great revenues, and great honors, etc., may exalt you and set you high in the uppermost seats and rooms among men—yet it is only an eminency in holiness which will exalt you and set you high in the consciences of sinners and saints. But,
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Part 96 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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