39. That inward purity is the ready road to outward plenty

Another principle that a Christian should walk by, is this: That inward purity is the ready road to outward plenty.

That is but a hell-made proverb: Plain dealing is a jewel; but he who adheres to it shall die a beggar.

Though religion be against our ease, yet it is not against our interest. O what rich clusters of grapes hang all along our way to Canaan! Religion is so bountiful a master, that none need be afraid of becoming its servant. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Our work below is the best done, when our work for above is the first done. He who has most of heaven in his heart, has not always the least of earth in his hand.

The young lions lack and suffer hunger. The old lions will have it for them, if it be to be had. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. As they would feel no evil thing within, so they shall want no good thing without.

He that freely opens the upper, will never wholly close the nether springs. There shall be no silver lacking in Benjamin's sack, while Joseph has it to throw in. Grace is not such a beggarly visitant, as will not pay its own way. When the best of beings is adored, the best of blessings are enjoyed.

While the rough Esau of this world hunts after the venison, the smooth Jacob shall carry away the blessing. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Why need a saint fear darkness, when he has such a sun to guide him? Or dread dangers, when he has such a shield to guard him?

O Christian, the God whom you serve is so excellent, that no good can be added to him; and so infinite, that no good can be diminished in him! He makes happy, and yet is not the less happy; he shews mercy to the full, and yet remains full of mercy.

Sinners look upon times of obedience as times of hindrance. They trust to their own toiling, and not to God's undertaking. They carry on such a trade for the earth, as makes them miscarry in their merchandise for heaven. Though every rich man be not truly godly, yet every godly man is truly rich.

The sun can as easily diffuse its beams over the whole world, as upon a single field. What God receives from man, makes him no richer; and what man receives from God, makes him none the poorer. His goodness may be imparted, but cannot be impaired.

Christian reader, if the fountain be still running, why should you fear to fill your vessel? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The sheep of Christ may change their pasture, but they shall never want a pasture. Is not the life more than the meat, and the body than raiment? If he grant unto us great things, shall we distrust him for small things? He who has given us heavenly beings, will also give us earthly blessings. The great husbandman never overstocked his own commons.

Jehu, who only served God in hypocrisy, had an external kingdom; and shall those who serve him from a principle of inward purity, be put off without a heavenly kingdom? If God valued counterfeit coin so much, how highly will he esteem the true gold! If he drop so much into a vessel of wrath, what will he do into a vessel of mercy! If he give so much to a bond-slave of hell, what will he do for a free-born child of heaven! Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, a land of darkness? God was not a wilderness to them when they were in the wilderness. When they wanted bread, he gave them manna; when they wanted water, he opened a rock; and though they had no new apparel, yet their old garments wore not out, but as their bodies grew, so their clothes grew. Thus they were never better off, than when they were ready to give up all as lost.

O how good is the believer's God, who not only shortens his pilgrimage for him, but also sweetens it to him! Had Christians too much of temporal things, they might care too little for spiritual things. Daniel appeared better with his homely pulse, than the Babylonians with all their royal diet. Some have rowed safely in a narrow river, and been drowned afterward in a large sea. A little is sufficient to him who with it enjoys God's all-sufficiency.

Naked godliness is so full a spring, that it will not let the Christian perish for want of water. Let the people praise thee, O God, let all the people praise thee! (What then?) Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us. Our unthankfulness is the cause of the earth's unfruitfulness. While man is blessing God for his mercies, he is blessing man with his mercies.

Some are afraid of religion, because they suppose they shall lose all their earthly mammon while they are seeking heavenly manna. They think that piety is the greatest enemy to prosperity. Could they but reap profit by praying, they would be found more at prayer. Ignorant worldlings look upon gain as their greatest godliness, and not on godliness as their greatest gain. But a golden plaster is a poor application for a wounded conscience. When the worm of carnality is gnawing at the root of religious performances, all the formalist's blooming hopes will fade, and die away at last.

Godliness is profitable to all things; having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Who knows how many rich productions there are in the pleasure-garden of religion! There is mellow fruit in it for every day in the year.

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandments: wealth and riches shall be in his house; and his righteousness endureth for ever. All worldly gain, while we live, we may lose it; and when we die, we must leave it: but in keeping God's commandments there is great reward. There is a reward of God's approbation in life; of his confirmation in death; and of his complete salvation in glory.

In earthly services the master enjoys the profit; but in religious services the servant enjoys it. And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-Edom, the Gitite, three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, and all his household. The ark was not blessed for the sake of his household, but his household was blessed for the sake of the ark. The ark of God always pays for its entertainment, wheresoever it dwells.

Many will side with religion, while they can live upon it; and desert it when it must live upon them. But that saying is yet true; 'Godliness with contentment is great gain.' It is only the Christian man, who is the truly contented man; and what are our enjoyments without contentment? What is a great possession, if wedded to great vexation? Wicked men make this world their treasure, and God makes it their torment. When they want estates, they are troubled for them; when they have estates, they are troubled with them; and when they would drink of the river, God disturbs the water.

Reader, if you know nothing of Christ, I wish you to remember, that when you come to die you will find religion necessary; and while you live, you will find it profitable. The purest honey is gathered out of the hive of holiness. The ways of iniquity are the ways of beggary. It is but reasonable that God should fall out with those in the course of his providence, who fall off from him in the course of their obedience.

In wisdom's right hand is length of days; and in her left hand riches and honour. Look to which hand you will, and you will find it full.

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