49. That the richness of the crown that shall be received, shall more than compensate for the bitterness of the cross which may here be endured
And lastly, a Christian will walk by this principle: That the richness of the crown that shall be received, shall more than compensate for the bitterness of the cross which may here be endured.
The last wine that Christ draws, is the best wine that Christians drink. When the waters cover the earth, whither should dove-like spirits fly, but to the ark of Christ? He who left heaven to make them righteous, will come from heaven to make them glorious.
For ye had compassion on me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods; knowing in yourselves, that ye have in heaven a better and more enduring substance. O how did the glory of their heavenly mansions outshine all the glare of their earthly possessions!
Christian, you are now on a troubled sea; do not say that you shall never arrive at your sure resting-place. What, has God plucked you out of the fire of destruction, and will he leave you in the water of affliction? In a small moment you will cheerfully sing, 'Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, and the time of the singing of birds is come.' The blessed Sun of righteousness will shine clearer, when these clouds are blown over. If there be so much liquor in a single grape, what must there be in the whole cluster!
Take a believer while he lives, and God has a servant the more on earth;—take him when he dies, and God has a servant more in heaven.
Christian! you must never look for an end to your sorrows, till you see an end to your sins. As the former came not a day before the latter, so they stay not a day behind them. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Well may you bear the rod, when infinite love makes it up, and lays it on. When you lie under his afflicting hand, you then lie near his affected heart. Rake a dunghill, and its effluvia will be offensive; but beat perfume, and its scent will be grateful. I have read of a fountain that is cold at mid-day, and warm at midnight. Thus are saints frequently cold in the mid-day of prosperity, and warm in the midnight of adversity. Afflictions are not a consuming, but a refining fire to the godly. They are like the thorn at the nightingale's breast, which rouses and puts her upon her delightful notes. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed by us. These fall as far short of glory as the smallest fraction does of the largest sum; or as the least filings of gold do of all the riches of India. If the faint glimmerings of Christ's face overpower the pains of the cross; what must the full meridian of his glorious light do! For our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Ah, how light is a dram of reproach to a weight of glory; and how short a moment's pain, to an eternity of pleasure!
He should not be weary of the cross, who is sure of the crown. After the cup of affliction, then comes the cup of salvation. The wine-press prepares for the wine-cellar. The painful throes of travail are soon forgotten in the fond embraces of a tender babe.
Sour fruits require something to sweeten them. Death is grateful to no creature, but it is profitable to every Christian. Our good physician will not continue us a moment longer in his infirmary than is necessary. Our refiner regards his choice gold too much to consume it in the flames.
Those who are patient in the seed-time of sorrow, shall soon reap the glorious harvest of unfading joy. We may converse concerning our future greatness, but we shall never know the weight of the crown, till it be placed on our heads.
Come, O Christian, be of good comfort; though the cloth be cut, it is only to make it up into a curious garment. The hewing of the timber is only to prepare it for the structure. The new corn that lives in summer, is produced from the old corn that died in the winter. It is neither commendable to rush into the arms of death, contrary to the dictates of reason; nor to fly from them when God calls us to them. Shall Jesus come down from heaven to die for you, and will you be unwilling to ascend from earth to heaven to live with him? A saint's reluctance to meet death arises from his apprehension of unreadiness to meet him. A pardon may have passed the prince's seal, that is not put into the prisoner's hand. The edge of this sword has been blunted ever since it was sheathed in Christ's side.
After the vessel has endured the storms, it will arrive at the haven. Though the Christian's triumphs never end, yet, blessed be God, his trials shall soon end. When his body and soul shall part asunder, then God and his soul shall meet together.
Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove, covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. Suppose the lancet make a deep incision, it is only to reach the depth of your wound, and render the cure more complete. Health is most acceptable, after sharp sickness; and liberty, after the most rigorous bondage. Sailors always triumph at the appearance of land, after a long and tedious voyage. All the grapes in Christ's vineyard must pass through the wine-press. However pleasant a sinner's beginning may be, his end is destruction; and however troublesome a saint's beginning may be, his end shall be honourable. The fresh rivers of carnal pleasures run into the salt sea of desperation; but the wet seed-time of a religious life ends in the blessed harvest of a peaceable death. When Croesus inquired of Solon who the happiest man was, he answered, 'One Tellus, who lived a sober life, and died at last fighting for his country.' Christian, was he happy in living and dying for his country? and shall you be miserable, who live and die for your Christ?
When Adrianus asked how the Christians could so patiently endure the tortures he had inflicted?
they answered, 'The love of Christ constraineth us, and the love of heaven encourages us.' Those who are born blind cannot judge of the glories that dazzle the eyes of angels. One smile from
God's face will for ever dry up all the tears from the saint's eyes.
As fishes dropping out of a narrow brook into the large ocean do not lose, but enlarge their element;
so when the godly leave the church militant, they do not forsake, but increase their blessedness. As the flames of a burnt-offering ascend to heaven, while its ashes fall to the ground; so the soul of a saint rises to glory, while his body falls into the dusty grave.
HAVING thus digested the twenty singular principles by which a believer walks; I lastly come to give directions to those who wish to do more than others. And here I shall stud your golden ring with seven precious diamonds. Would you, therefore, do more than others? then deny yourselves more than others;—would you deny yourselves more than others? then you must pray more than others;—would you pray more than others?
then you must resolve more than others;—would you resolve more than others? then you must love x more than others;—would you love more than others? then you must believe more than others;—would you believe more than others? then you must know more than others;—and would you know more than others? then God must reveal himself more to you than he does to others.
1.