35. That duties can never have too much attention paid to them, nor too little confidence placed in them
Another singular principle by which a Christian should walk, is this: That duties can never have too much attention paid to them, or too little confidence placed in them.
The Christian owes nothing to his corruptions, but their crucifixion. 'Therefore, brethren, we are debtors; not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.' Where God becomes a donor, man becomes a debtor. The debt of sin is mercifully discharged for him, that the debt of service might be willingly discharged by him.
Every created thing has its bounds; but grace has none. In true godliness there is no excess. Those wells which are of God's digging, can never be too full of water. He delights to see the trees of righteousness laden with the fruits of righteousness.
Though faith alone justifies the soul, yet that faith which justifies the soul is not alone. Whatsoever trees are without their fruits, that also is faith without good works. In proof of sanctification, good works cannot be sufficiently magnified; but in point of justification, good works cannot be sufficiently nullified. The lamp of duty can only shine clearly as it is trimmed with the oil of mercy.
The most famous Roman pilots, when they have approached the shore, have quitted the bottom of merit, to sail in the bark of mercy; crying out, 'Our greatest safety is to rest only in the mercy of God.' The law of God is such a master, as to require the whole task of duty without mitigation; and the mercy of God is so good a benefactor, as to be capable of pardoning every transgression without limitation. He who ignorantly trusts in the former, will feel his angry sword; and he who, as lost and helpless, trusts in the latter, shall be enabled to touch the golden sceptre.
Most that perish, it is not their disease which kills them, but their physician. They think to cure themselves, and this leaves them incurable. Good works are so indigent, that no man can be saved by them; and yet so excellent, that no man can go to heaven without them.
It would be well for Christ's members, if it were with them as it is with skilful mariners, who have their eyes on the stars, and their hands at the stern. The self-righteous man is too prone to wrap himself in his religious duties: but this is making bad worse; for he who vainly thinks to wipe off old scores by his merit, does but increase his enormous debt.
'Now, we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped.' How shall any mouth be opened to plead guiltless, when God has stopped every mouth with its own guilt? It is in vain to stand up and plead innocence before him who is all eye; to see the blackest flesh under the whitest feathers; and the foulest heart under the fairest act.
Reader, though good works may be our Jacob's staff to walk with on earth, yet they cannot be our Jacob's ladder to climb to heaven with. To lay the salve of our services upon the wound of our sins, is as if a man who is stung by a wasp should wipe his face with a nettle; or as if a person should busy himself in supporting a tottering fabric with a burning fire-brand.
It is the greatest folly to expect profit from that which is unprofitable. Could we have done all that was commanded us, yet, without the mercy of God, all that we could have done would certainly undo us.
When the river fails us in its supplies of water, we then look up to the clouds for moisture. If Christ breathe not into our religious services, it is impossible to grow under them. That which is true in philosophy, is not always true in divinity. One says, 'That the purest elements have the least nourishment.' But by the doctrines of the other, the reverse is true.
It was not the tempered clay that cured the blind man, but Christ's anointing his eyes therewith. That was more likely, without him, to make a
Q seeing man blind, than a blind man see. Thus, though we may receive our spiritual sight in the ordinances, yet it is not the ordinances which give us sight.
It was not the troubling of the pool in Bethesda, that made it healing; but the coming down of the angel into it. That man must famish at last, who always feeds upon the dish instead of the meat.—There is no instruction to be got from the sundial of duty, except the Sun of Righteousness shine upon it.
Reader, it is dangerous for you to take shelter in your own righteousness; for the lightning of divine vengeance which flashes before you, and the curses of the law which thunder around you, may suddenly shake your house about you. As fast as you lay on your own plasters, a convinced and spiritual conscience will rub them off again. Nothing but the grace of the gospel can perfectly heal the wounds which a broken law has made. Though at the command of Christ you may let down the net; yet it is only by the blessing of Christ that you can enclose a profitable draught.
Carnal people walk by this principle: That much is too little for them, and that little is too much for God: but Christian people judge, that as they can never see God according to the greatness of majesty, so they can never serve him according to the greatness of his mercy.
When St. Paul wrote to Philemon, concerning his receiving his servant Onesimus again, he used this argument to prevail with him: 'Thou owest unto me even thine own self.' Thus man not only owes his services, but also himself, to God.
No man can merit a reward by paying his debts, much less can a sinner merit mercy by being an insolvent debtor.
The body of a man can as soon labour incessantly without food, as the soul of a Christian can live continually without ordinances.
St. Paul's religion was dearer to him than his life. Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy. Jesus Christ laid down his precious life, to secure the possession of heaven for man; and shall man refuse to lay out his life, in pursuing the glories of heaven? Was heaven worth his passion; and shall it not be worth our seeking? Alas, what is our sweat, to his blood!
What could Jesus do more than die for us; and what can we do less than live to him? To whom much is given, of them much shall be required.
Can ye who are Christians find out all the good which has been bestowed upon you, or all the evil that has been forgiven in you? Such is his goodness, that he deserves infinitely more from you than he demands of you.
If heaven could be obtained by human endeavours, then it must either be of little worth, or they must be of great value. But he who puts an estimate upon all things according to their true value, has said, When ye have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do. We are not only unprofitable when all is to be done, but when all has been done. We are unprofitable to God, because he is necessarily and eternally blessed without us; we are not profitable to ourselves, because without him we shall be everlastingly cursed in ourselves.
It is our bounden duty to live in obedience, but it will prove our utter ruin to live on obedience. Heaven is either the gift of mercy, or the reward of duty; if the latter, Christ is dead in vain; but if the former, we boast in vain. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Thus we see, that heaven is not the product of man's labour, but the token of God's good pleasure.
Many proud sinners will labour hard in the storms of life and hurricanes of death, rather than cry with Peter, Lord, save; I perish! But God is determined that every one shall die a malefactor, who dies without a mediator.
The dignity of good works does not lie in their merit, but in God's grace alone; for were he to examine and estimate them according to the rigour of the law, and separate from Christ, instead of their being valuable as refined gold, they would be as despicable as worthless tinsel. Our highest perfections are darkened with the blackest shades of imperfection. If Christ be not the foundation of our perfection on earth, he will not be the topstone of our salvation in heaven.
Reader, what person would thank you for holding a candle to assist the light of the sun; or what prince would praise you for setting a rough pebble in his crown of precious diamonds? How then can it be supposed that those works which are pregnant with mischief, can be pleasing to God?
If man lay too much weight upon the pillars raised by his own hands, he will pull the building upon his own head. God, who cannot lie, hath said, So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who sheweth mercy. It is not of him that willeth, though it be never so heartily; nor of him that runneth, though it be never so hastily. Man's crown of glory is only made by the hand of God's mercy.
Man's working is not the cause of God's grace, but God's grace is the cause of his working: the creature may do something against grace, but he can do nothing without it. It is dangerous to hang the weight of eternity upon the slender wires of activity. The boundless life of felicity flows only from the bottomless love of the Deity.
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