42. That whatsoever is temporally enjoyed should be spiritually improved
Another principle by which a believer should walk, is this: That whatsoever is temporally enjoyed, should be spiritually improved.
All that a believer receives, is from the hand of divine bounty; and employed to the end of the divine glory. Others make an earthly use of heavenly things; but he makes a heavenly use of earthly things. God can put a golden bias into a leaden bowl, that it may run true to him who made it. The more he oils our wheels on earth, the swifter our chariots move to heaven. Grace can teach how to plume the wings of riches, and instruct us how to lay up that treasure in heaven, which comes out of the bowels of this earth. There is a divine chemistry, which can extract the purest spirits out of the most gross and feculent matter. The beast on the altar differs not in kind from the beast at the slaughter. There is a lawful craft of coining our money over again, and adding the image and superscription of God to that which is Cæsar's. It is said of the philosopher's stone, that it turns whatsoever it touches into gold. Whatever mill a saint has going in the world, he will spread the sails of it for the wind of divine approbation, that it may move round for God's glory. When God sets him up above the world, then he holds up God to the world.
It is unequal, to be hot in our prayers, and cold in our praises. Many will cry aloud, Give us this day our daily bread; and whisper out, Hallowed be thy name! This is like opening our windows to admit the light, and then shutting them closely to keep out the sun. We too frequently lay our pipes to convey the water into our cisterns, and then turn the cock against the spring. It cannot be praise-worthy to remember God in our necessities, and then forget him in our prosperity. His kindness is as proper a ground for praising him, as his promise is for praying to him. If under our miseries we can seek God with diligence; then under the weight of his mercies we should praise him with cheerfulness. Mercies are such gifts as advance our debts. It is as unpleasant to see a Christian in an ungrateful temper, as it is unnatural to see Pharaoh's lean kine in a fat pasture. If God give us any enjoyment, it is for his own entertainment. Well may those hands reap the fruits, which set the plants. Is he not worthy to feed at that table, which his own hands have spread?—Where former blessings have been acknowledged, there future blessings shall be enjoyed. He shall never want mercy, who does not wanton with mercy. When man fights against God with his gifts, he fights against himself with his own sins. Take a wicked man, and you will not find him led to God, by that which comes from God. He, like the sea, turns the sweetest showers into the saltest waters. The greater substance he has from
God, the less service has God from him. Like the moon, he is furthest from the sun when he shines with the greatest splendour. The more a dunghill has the sun-beams upon it, the more noisome is the effluvia arising from it.
Sinners, instead of having vials full of odours, have hearts full of evils. How many are there, who are highly above others in false greatness, and yet are greatly below them in real goodness! To turn from God while he is blessing them, is worse than to turn from him when he is smiting them.
Jesus answered, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father: for which of these good works do ye stone me? He shewed them his Father's goodness, and they stoned him for the goodness he had shewed. They were like Æsop's snake, which lay still in the frost, but stung him who laid it in his bosom. If it be a sin to return unto man evil for evil; what must it be to return unto God evil for good?
When we taste the generous wine, we should not forget the tree whereon the grapes grew. When we are refreshed by the rolling streams, it would be well to remember the spring from whence they arose.—A load of earth has crushed many a man to death. The richer some professors have been without, the poorer they have been within.
Notwithstanding the pious pretences of the Romish conclave, the Indians have brought more of the Spaniards to worship their gold, than ever the
Spaniards brought of the Indians to worship their
God. The former have made more infidels than the latter have Christians.
Outward mercies to our bodies are divine baits, which are sometimes laid to catch our souls. God tries the vessel with water, that he may fill it with generous wine. Every stream leads an observant believer to the fountain-head. The more God's hand is enlarged in blessing him, the more his heart is enlivened in blessing God.
Where the sun of mercy shines hottest, there the fruits of grace grow fastest. In the book of nature, we may read the God of nature. The creature is like a tuned instrument, and the Christian's hand can strike it to the Redeemer's praise.
As a saint has an heart to seek God in what he has promised, so he has a hand to serve him with what he possesses. The greater the wages are which he previously receives, the better is the work which he performs. If he has five talents committed to him, he gets five more. If he has one, he improves none. The more a merchant adventures at sea, the greater are the returns expected at land. The tallest vines should always bear the sweetest grapes, because they lie most open to the sun. It is sacrilege to possess the largest crops, and return to God the smallest tythes of gratitude. There is a requital of evil for evil, this is blameable;—of good for good, this is laudable;—of evil for good, this is abominable;—of good for evil, and this is admirable.
The April showers which invigorate the herbage and beautify the spring, do likewise bring forth many offensive croaking frogs.
Man should resemble the rivers, which, as they receive their rise from the sea, are restlessly returning to their source. Who is so unworthy of God's blessing as man? and who is so worthy of man's praises as God?
Beloved, we have not longer enjoyed the blessings of the earth, than we have abused them; which gives too much cause to fear, that though the child of mercy, like Jacob, has put forth his hand, yet the child of judgment, like Esau, may supersede him.
The devout Bernard observes, 'That ingratitude is a parching wind, which will dry up the springs of bounty, and dews of clemency.'
Man was formed the last of the creation, that he might contemplate upon God through every creature. Beloved, when you survey the spacious firmament, and behold it hung with such resplendent bodies; then think, that if the suburbs be so beautiful, what must the city be! What is the footstool he makes, to the throne whereon he sits! When you view the evening star above you, then reflect upon the morning star within you. When you sit down at your table to meat, let this be your first course; how happy are all those who shall eat bread in the kingdom of Christ! Those are the rarest feasts, which are graced with the most royal guests.
When you see the winged travellers swiftly part the yielding elements, or the winding rivers hastening to their origin; then consider, how rapidly the little rivers of opportunity are pushing their way to the great ocean of eternity.
When you are decorating your body with the varieties of art, then reflect how the eternal Word put on the rough suit of humanity. Think how Mercy undressed itself, to cover you with its garments!
When you take off your apparel, then remember, that you must put off this tabernacle. Be going to your bed, as if you were going to your grave; and so close your eyes in one world, as if you were immediately to open them in another.
When you behold your garden stored with trees, and richly laden with fruit, then contemplate upon the great Husbandman the true vine, and his believing branches. It cannot be so pleasant to see our orchards bearing fruits for us, as it is to God to see us bring forth fruit to him.
When you gaze upon the stately buildings, the shady groves, the crystal streams, the pleasant meadows, and all the pomp of wicked men; then think, if sinners go away with such large messes, what shall Benjamin's portion be! If the children of the concubines have such possessions, what shall be the inheritance of the children of promise! If the dogs fare so well beneath the table, how must the children fare at it! Give me that eye which can see God in all; that hand which can serve God with all; and that heart that can bless him for all. 14.