11. He brings up the bottom of his life to the top of his light
Another singular action of a sanctified Christian, is, To bring up the bottom of his life to the top of his light.
By how far our hearts are set from God's precepts, to love them; by so far are his ears set from our prayers, to answer them. David knew this when he said, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Since the tree of knowledge hath been tasted, the key of knowledge hath been rusted. Therefore, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Spiritual truths oppose the wickedness of human reason, because they are against it; therefore it cannot receive them: they also exceed the weakness of human reason, because they are above it; therefore it cannot perceive them. It is better to be a toe in the foot, and that be sound, than to be an eye in the head, and that be blind.
There is a great propriety in the exhortation of St. Peter: But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. No knowledge can equal that of Christ; no growth can equal that of grace. Without grace, there may be seeming knowledge; but without grace, there can be no saving knowledge.
There were more enlightened, than enlivened, in the days of Christ; hence he said, If ye know these things, happy are ye, if ye do them. To obey the truth, and not to know it, is impossible; to know the truth, and not obey it, is unprofitable. For, not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Divine knowledge is not as the light of the moon, to sleep by; but as the light of the sun, to work by. It is not a loiterer in the market-place, but a labourer in the vineyard.
A man may be a great scholar, and yet be a great sinner. Judas the traitor was Judas the preacher. The toad that has a pearl in its head, has poison in its bowels. The tree of knowledge has often been planted, and flourished, where the tree of life never grew. A man may be acquainted with the grace of truth, and yet not know the truth of grace. Parts, and even all gifts, without grace and holiness, are but like Uriah's letters, which were the death-warrants of him who carried them.
Naked knowledge will be as unserviceable to the soul in a dying day, as a painted fire would be to the frozen body in a cold day. As some articles are tanned by the same sun in which others are whitened, so are some professors hardened under the same gospel by which others are softened.
I would never have that the brand of Christians, which was the bane of heathens. Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. As it is lost labour to smite the flint, if it propagate no sparks; so it is fruitless toil to furnish our heads with light, if it refine not our hearts. Satan may as well put out our eyes, that we should not see the truth; as cut off our feet, that we should not walk in the truth. Naked knowledge may make the head giddy; but it will never make the heart holy.
Who would wait for such a gale, as would drive them farther from the desired haven? or freight their vessels with such a cargo, as would ruin the owner? Shall we hold the candle of the gospel in one hand, and the sword of rebellion in the other? How many professors are there, who have light enough to know what should be done; but have not love enough to do what they know! Such people have no advantage from carrying a bright candle in a dark lanthorn. Give me the professor who perfectly sees the way he should go, and readily goes the way he sees.
That is barren ground, which brings forth nothing except it be forced. To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. The sins of ignorance are most numerous; but the sins of knowledge are most dangerous. That sinner's darkness will be the greatest in hell, whose light was the clearest on earth.
Pharnaces, the son of Mithridates the king of Pontus, sending a crown to Cæsar, at the time he was in rebellion against him, be refused the present, saying, 'Let him first lay down his rebellion, and then I will receive his crown.' There are many who set a crown of glory upon the head of Christ by a good profession; and yet plat a crown of thorns upon his head by an evil conversation. By the words of our mouth we may affect to adore religion; but it is by the works of our lives that we adorn religion.
It was a just saying of one, 'that in the best reformed churches there were the most deformed professors.' Look to this, reader, that all will be pulled down without you, if there be nothing set up within you. As trees without fruits are unprofitable; so knowledge without good works is abominable. Leah and Rachel are fit emblems of knowledge and obedience: knowledge, like Rachel, is beautiful; but obedience, like Leah, is fruitful. He that dislikes to do what he knows, will one day not know what to do.
Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Wise as serpents, to guard against the wolf's rapacity; and harmless as doves, that you may do no man any injury. Thus, the serpent's eye is an ornament, when placed in the dove's head. The lives of many professors are awfully unlike their lights. They have the light of the sun, for wis-
E dom; but want the heat of a candle for grace and holiness.
I have read of a painter, who being warmly reprehended by a cardinal for putting too much red in the faces of St. Paul and St. Peter, answered, 'It is to shew how much they blush at the conduct of many, who style themselves their successors.'— Were Abraham, the father of the faithful, now on earth, how would he disclaim all relation to many who call themselves his offspring! Though there was less grace discovered to the saints of old; yet there was more grace discovered by them. They knew little, and did much; we know much, and do little.
John the Baptist was a burning and a shining light. To shine is not enough; a glow-worm will do so: to burn is not enough; a firebrand will do so. Light without heat does but little good; and heat without light does much harm. Give me those Christians who are burning lamps, as well as shining lights.
The sun is as vigorous in his moving, as he is illustrious in his shining. I know the light of nature requires grace to repel the lusts of nature.— Will any say, 'The day of hope is dawning within them, when the powers of darkness are ruling over them? How monstrous is it, to see a Christian's tongue larger than his hand! To speak so much of God to others, and act so little for God himself!
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