The Pious Collier 3
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3. God sometimes employs the humblest instruments to do good. Round was only a poor collier, and yet there is no doubt he was the instrument of converting many sinners from the error of their ways, and saving many souls from death; and having turned many to righteousness, he will be among those who, in another world, will shine as the stars in the firmament of heaven.* God delights to honor feeble instruments who work for Him in simplicity and godly sincerity, because their weakness magnifies His power. There is a work of God for everyone who has a heart to do it. He has placed the 'luxury of doing good' within reach of the shortest arm.
Who cannot distribute a few religious tracts, or speak a word to a wicked companion, and enforce this by the power of a holy example and the spirit of believing prayer? Round was a holy man, as well as an active one; the flame of his zeal was fed by the oil of his piety. He was blameless and harmless, without rebuke, or he would have done little good. And he was a happy man, as everyone must be who is both holy and useful. Poverty does not take away all a man's opportunity of benefiting his fellow creatures, therefore let everyone aspire to the honor of doing good.
* The writer of this tract has received a particular account, on which he can rely with confidence, of Round's usefulness, which is as surprising as it is delightful. It is probable that twenty people were truly converted from the error of their ways by his distribution of tracts; and far more than thirty from his pious exhortations, of whom many became exhorters themselves. The testimonies to his holiness and usefulness have come from various sources.
Joseph Round was a collier, and it is probable that this tract will be read by some who are engaged in the same way. To such, the word of exhortation is now addressed. Is not this a beautiful character which is here exhibited? Do you not admire it? Do you not wish to be like it? You may be like it if you take the right method to obtain it. Desire, intensely desire it. Say within yourself, "Oh that I were like Joseph Round!" Go to God in earnest prayer, and say, Lord, make me holy like Joseph Round." God's grace can do for you what it did for him. He did not make himself what he was; it was God who did it—and he can and will do the same for you if you heartily desire it, and pray to him for it. Attend public worship; go and hear the gospel preached; "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." You remember it was by going to hear a sermon that Joseph was converted. What a text that was which he heard, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God!" How truly solemn and awful! Even to forget God habitually will send a man to hell; how certainly then to live on constantly in sin against him will do so!
Do consider how suddenly you may be cut off in your sins. You know the danger of your calling as a collier; you know how many are yearly killed in the pits; you have seen the mangled corpses of those who were hurried out of time into eternity, without a moment's leisure for repentance, or a prayer for mercy. You know how wickedly many of them lived up to the very moment of their death. How dreadful it is to be sent in an instant from the place of sinning to the place of suffering! Ah! if you continue in sin, impenitence, and unbelief, this may be your case. Does not the thought make you tremble?
Well then, repent of your sins; believe in Christ for pardon; pray without delay for the Holy Spirit to sanctify you. Delays are dangerous. Hear what Solomon says—"He that being often reproved, hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." These are indeed solemn words. How often have you been reproved by the attacks of disease, by the visitations of the pestilence, by the destruction of your companions, as well as by the word of God, the voice of the preacher, and the stings of conscience; and yet you have hardened your neck. Oh, be wise to consider your sin, your state, your prospect, while yet your "judgment and damnation linger."
Remember, even Divine patience has its limits, and should you be suddenly cut off in your sins by one of the accidents so common, no remedy, not even the gospel, can then reach the case. Then, as you have lived, so you will die, so you will stand before God, without remedy. No blood of Christ, no advocate will plead for you then. But now there is a remedy in the cross of Christ. Flee to that without delay, and join in the prayer with which this tract is now closed—O almighty God of grace and mercy, show your long-suffering and pardon, and save me as you saved this man. Let me, and let many a one of those who shall read this tract, be, like him, a brand plucked out of the fire, a monument of your abounding grace, to sing your everlasting praises, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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