09. Because he expects more than others
As they so constantly meet together, they are expected to be more godly; but they are not more godly for their meeting together. Take away their profession, and you take away their religion. They have nothing belonging to the sheep, but its skin.
Mark, how the God of Israel expostulates with the professing Israel of God: Hath a nation changed their Gods? which are yet no gods; but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Here is a professing people out-done by a people who made no profession. If heathens take up their gods, they will zealously keep up their gods. They were true to the false gods, while Israel was false to the true God. Hear, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth! Why, what is the matter? The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. God does not call in a jury of angels to condemn them; but he empannels a jury of oxen and asses to pass sentence upon them. Alas, that oxen and asses should be more religious than men who professed religion! In their kind they are more kind. If their owners feed them, they readily own their owners. 8. And, lastly, the disciples of Christ do more than others, Because they expect more than others.
A true hope of heaven excites an utter dislike to the earth. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifies himself, even as he is pure. Hope is too pure a plant to flourish or grow in an impure soil.
Reader, you must not look to toil for the prince
D of darkness all the long day of your life; and then sup with the Prince of light at the evening of death. There is no going from Delilah's lap to
Abraham's bosom. It is not the tyrannic reign of sin in your mortal body, which makes way for the triumphant reign of your soul in eternal glory.
Grace is such a pilot, as, without its steerage, you will certainly suffer shipwreck in your voyage to everlasting tranquillity.
There is no gaining admittance into the King of heaven's privy chamber of felicity, without passing through the strait gate of purity. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. A dusty glass will not distinctly represent the face. To look for a Turkish paradise, is to conceive of the heaven of purity, as a house of impurity; but while they expect to bathe themselves in carnal pleasures, you should look to be the chaste and happy consort of the Lamb.
The Lord's gratuitous bestowments on saints awaken the grateful sentiments of saints. Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.
—Men commonly season the vessel with water, before they trust it with costly wine. Thus God will season the vessel of your heart with his grace, before he pours into it the wine of his glory. It is hard to say, whether God discovers more love in preparing heavenly mansions for the soul, than in preparing the soul for heavenly mansions.
Reader, if the Lord has made you a true believer, you earnestly desire that your present deportment may be suitable to your future preferment.
You know there is no living a vicious life, and dying a righteous death. As divine justice crushes none on earth before they are corrupted, so divine mercy crowns none in heaven before they are converted.
Holiness and happiness are so wisely joined together, that God will never suffer them to be put asunder: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Though holiness be that which a sinner scorns; yet it is that which a Saviour crowns.
The soul of man is the Lord's casket, and grace the jewel: now, wherever the jewel is not found, the casket will be thrown away. Though the wheat be for a garner; yet the chaff is for the fire. The scripture presents you not only with an account of what God will do for a Christian; but also what a Christian will do for God. The high prize of heavenly bliss is at the end of the gospel race: So run that you may obtain. To neglect the race of holiness, is to reject the prize of happiness. He that made you without your assistance, will not crown you till he has saved you from your disobedience.
It would be well for fruitless sinners, were they seriously to consider that fearful scripture: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. If you be not fruit-bearing plants, you must be burning brands. There is no making out your salvation, where there is no working out your salvation. Men are condemned, not only for their profaneness, but also for their slothfulness. Men may perish for being unprofitable servants, as well as for being abominable servants.
The Lord binds none in the bundle of life, but such as are heirs of life. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. How cheerfully should those cast in their net, who are sure to inclose so excellent a draught of fishes! Reader, why do you expect more than others in heaven, if grace has not made you more than others on earth? If you love them that love you, what reward have you? It is but natural that love should be returned to those from whom it has been received. Now natural works shall have only natural wages. If you would not have God put you off with a Pharisee's portion, how can you put him off with a Pharisee's performance? The Lord hangs the bait of duty upon the book of mercy. He sets the promises of the gospel in the galleries of his ordinances. The hardy soldier will undergo a bloody seed time, to enjoy a happy harvest. He has nothing more than earthly mammon in his pursuit; but the saint has nothing less than heavenly mansions in his pursuit. Thus have I dispatched the first general head; namely, Why the disciples of Christ do more than others. I therefore come secondly to consider, What the disciples of Christ do more than others. —And here I shall form a golden chain of twenty links, for believers to wear about their necks.