appointed thee to do in this world for his name, then beware thou do
not stop and stick when hard work comes before thee. It is with
Christians as it is with other scholars, they sometimes meet with hard
lessons; but these thou must also learn, or thou canst not do thy work.
The Word and Spirit of God come sometimes like chain-shot to us, as if
it would cut down all; as when Abraham was to offer up Isaac, and the
Levites to slay their brethren (Gen 22; Exo 32:26-28). Paul also must
go from place to place to preach, though he knew beforehand he was to
be afflicted there (Acts 20:23). God may sometimes say to thee, as he
said to his servant Moses, ‘Take the serpent by the tail’; or, as the
Lord Jesus said to Peter, Walk upon the sea (Exo 4:3,4). These are hard
things, but have not been rejected when God hath called to do them. O
how willingly would our flesh and blood escape the cross of Christ! The
comforts of the gospel, the sweetness of the promise, how pleasing is
it to us! Like Ephraim here, we love to tread out the corn (Hosea
10:11), and to hear those pleasant songs and music that gospel sermons
make, where only grace is preached, and nothing of our duty as to works
of self-denial; but as for such, God will tread upon their fair neck,
and yoke them with Christ’s yoke; for there they have a work to do,
even a work of self-denial.[18]
Now this work sometimes lieth in acts that seem to be desperate, as
when a man must both leave and hate his life, and all he hath for
Christ, or else he cannot serve him nor be counted his disciple (Luke
14:26-33). Thus it seemed with Christ himself when he went his fatal
journey up to Jerusalem; he went thither, as he knew, to die, and
therefore trod every step as it were in his own bowels;[19] but yet, no
doubt, with great temptation to shun and avoid that voyage; and
therefore it is said, ‘He set his face steadfastly to go up,’ scorning
to be invited to the contrary, and to prevent the noise of his weak
disciples, Master, save thyself (Luke 9:51). It is said he ascended
before them, insomuch that they were amazed to see his resolution,
while they themselves were afraid of that dreadful effect that might
follow (Mark 10:32-34). Also when he came there, and was to be
apprehended, he went to the garden that Judas knew, his old accustomed
place; so when they asked him the killing question, he answered, ‘I am
he’ (John 18:1-5).
Sometimes in acts that seem to be foolish, as when men deny themselves
of those comforts, and pleasures, and friendships, and honours, of the
world that formerly they used to have, and choose rather to associate
themselves with the very abjects of this world[20]—I mean, such as
carnal men count so—counting their ways and manners of life, though
attended with a thousand calamities, more profitable, and pleasing, and
delightful, than all former glory. Thus Elisha left his father’s house,
though to pour water upon the hands of Elijah (2 Kings 3:11). And thus
the disciples left their fathers’ ships and nets, to live a beggarly
life with Jesus Christ; as Paul did leave the feet of Gamaliel for the
whip, and the stocks, and the deaths that attended the blessed gospel.
One would have thought that had been a simple way of Peter to leave all
for Christ, before he knew what Christ would give him, as that 19th of
Matthew seems to import; but Christ will have it so (v 27). He that
will save his life must lose it; and he that will lose his life in this
world for Christ, shall keep it to life eternal (John 12:25). I might
add many things of this nature, to show you what hard chapters
sometimes God sets his best people; but thy work is, if thou wouldst be
faithful, not to stop nor stick at anything (Matt 10:37). Some, when
they come at the cross, they will either there make a stop and go no
further, or else, if they can, they will step over it; if not, they
will go round about: do not thou do this, but take it up and kiss it,
and bear it after Jesus.[21] ‘God forbid,’ saith Paul, ‘that I should
glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is
crucified unto me, and I unto the world’ (Gal 6:14).
Now, for thy better performing this piece of service for our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ: O it is hard work to pocket up the reproaches of
all the foolish people, as if we had found great spoil; and to suffer
all their revilings, lies, and slanders, without cursing them, as
Elisha did the children; to answer them with prayers and blessings for
their cursings. It is far more easy to give them taunt for taunt, and
reviling for reviling; to give them blow for blow; yea, to call for
fire from heaven against them. But to ‘bless them that curse you, and
to pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you’—even of
malice, of old grudge, and on purpose to vex and afflict our mind, and
to make us break out into a rage—this is work above us; now our
patience should look up to unseen things; now remember Christ’s
carriage to them that spilt his blood; or all is in danger of bursting,
and thou of miscarrying in these things. I might here also dilate upon
Job’s case, and the lesson God set him, when, at one stroke, he did
beat down all (Job 1:15), only spared his life, but made that also so
bitter to him that his soul chose strangling rather than it (Job 7:15).
O when every providence of God unto thee is like the messengers of Job,
and the last to bring more heavy tidings than all that went before him
(Job 1); when life, estate, wife, children, body, and soul, and all at
once, seem to be struck at by heaven and earth; here are hard lessons;
now to behave myself even as a weaned child, now to say, ‘The Lord
gave, and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the name of the
Lord’ (Job 1:21). Thus, with few words, Job ascribeth righteousness to
his Maker; but though they were but few, they proceeded from so blessed
a frame of heart, that causeth the penman of the Word to stay himself
and wonder, saying, ‘In all this Job sinned not’ with his lips, ‘nor
charged God foolishly.’ In all this—what a great deal will the Holy
Ghost make of that which seems but little when it flows from an upright
heart! and it indeed may well be so accounted of all that know what is
in man, and what he is prone unto.
1. Labour to believe that all these things are tokens of the love of
God (Heb 12:6; Rev 3:19). 2. Remember often that thou art not the first
that hath met with these things in the world. ‘It hated me,’ saith
Christ, ‘before it hated you’ (John 15:18). 3. Arm thyself with a
patient and quiet mind to bear and suffer for his sake (1 Peter 4:1-3).
4. Look back upon thy provocations wherewith thou mayst have provoked
God (Deut 9:7; Lev 26:41,42); then wilt thou accept of the punishment
for thy sins, and confess it was less than thine iniquities deserve
(Ezra 9:13). 5. Pray thou mayst hear the voice of the rod, and have a
heart to answer the end of God therein (Micah 6:9). 6. Remember the
promise—‘All things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose’ (Rom 8:28).
Sixth. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hath
appointed thee to do in this world for his name, then labour away to
possess thy heart with a right understanding, both of the things that
this world yieldeth, and of the things that shall be hereafter. I am
confident that most, if not all the miscarriages of the saints and
people of God, they have their rise from deceivable thoughts here. The
things of this world appear to us more, and those that are to come
less, than they are; and hence it is that many are so hot and eager for
things that be in the world, and so cold and heartless for those that
be in heaven. Satan is here a mighty artist, and can show us all
earthly things in a multiplying glass; but when we look up to things
above, we see them as through sackcloth of hair;[22] but take thou
heed, be not ruled by thy sensual appetite that can only savour fleshly
things, neither be thou ruled by carnal reason, which always darkeneth
the things of heaven. But go to the Word, and as that says, so judge
thou. That tells thee all things under the sun are vanity, nay worse,
vexation of spirit (Eccl 1:2). That tells thee the world is not, even
then when it doth most appear to be; wilt thou set thine heart upon
that which is not? ‘for riches certainly make themselves wings, they
fly away as an eagle toward heaven’ (Prov 23:5). The same may be said
for honours, pleasures, and the like; they are poor, low, base things
to be entertained by a Christian’s heart. The man that hath most of
them may ‘in the fulness of his sufficiency be in straits’; yea, ‘when
he is about to fill his belly with them, God may cast the fury of his
wrath upon him’ (Job 20:22,25); ‘so is he that layeth up treasure for
himself’ on earth, ‘and is not rich towards God’ (Luke 12:20,21). A
horse that is loaden with gold and pearls all day, may have a foul
stable and a galled back at night. And woe be to him that increaseth
that which is not his, and that ladeth himself with thick clay. O man
of God, throw this bone to the dogs; suck not at it, there is no marrow
there (Heb 2:6). Set thine affections on ‘things that are above, where
Christ sitteth on the right hand of God’ (Col 3:1-4). Behold what God
hath prepared for them that love him. And if God hath blessed thee with
ought, set not thine heart upon it; honour the Lord with thy substance.
Labour to ‘be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation
against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life’ (1
Tim 6:17-19). Further, to lighten thine eyes a little, and,
1. Concerning the glory of the world.
(1.) It is that which God doth mostly give to those that are not his;
for the poor receive the gospel; not many rich, ‘not many mighty, not
many noble are called’ (1 Cor 1:26).
(2.) Much of this world and its glory is permitted of God to be
disposed of by the devil, and he is called both the prince and god
thereof (John 14:30; 2 Cor 4:4). Yea, when Satan told Christ he could
give it to whom he would, Christ did not say, Thou liest, but answered,
by the Word, ‘It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve’ (Luke 4:6-8). Implying also, that commonly
when men get much of the honours and glory of this world, it is by
bending the knee too low to the prince and god thereof.
(3.) The nature of the best of worldly things, if hankered after, is to
deaden the spirit (Rom 8:6,7), to estrange the heart from God, to
pierce thee through with many sorrows, and to drown thee in perdition
and destruction (1 John 2:15). ‘O man of God, flee those things, and
follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,
meekness’; and ‘Fight the good fight, lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called,’ &c. (1 Tim 6:9-12).
2. As to the things of God, what shall I say? the things of his Word,
and Spirit, and kingdom, they so far go beyond the conceivings of the
heart of man, that none can utter them but by the Holy Spirit; but
there is no deceit in them; ‘no lie is of the truth,’ what they promise
they will perform with additions of amazing glory (1 John 2:21). Taste
them first, and then thou shalt see them. ‘O’ come ‘taste and see that
the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him’ (Psa 34:8).
To stoop low is a good work, which is an act of thine, if it be done in
faith and love, though but by a cup of cold water; it is really more
worth in itself, and of higher esteem with God, than all worldly and
perishing glory; there is no comparison, the one perisheth with the
using, and for the other is laid up ‘a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory’ (2 Cor 4:17). But again, as thou shouldst labour to
possess thy heart with a right understanding of the perishing nature of
the riches and pleasures of this world, and of the durable riches and
righteousness that is in Christ, and all heavenly things; so thou
shouldst labour to keep always in thy eye what sin is, what hell is,
what the wrath of God and everlasting burnings are. Transfer them to
thyself, as it were on a finger,[23] that thou mayst learn to think of
nothing more highly than is meet, but to give to what thou beholdst
their own due weight; then thou wilt fear where thou shouldst fear,
love what is worthy thy love, and slight that which is of no worth.
These are just weights, and even balances; now thou dealest not with
deceitful weights; and this is the way to be rich in good works, and to
bring thy work, that God hath appointed, to a good issue against thy
dying day.
Seventh. But again, if thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that
God hath appointed thee to do in this world, for his name, then beware
that thou slip not, or let pass by, the present opportunity that
providence layeth before thee. Work while it is called today, ‘the
night cometh when no man can work’ (John 9:4). In that parable of the
man that took a far journey, it is said, as he gave to every servant
his work, so he ‘commanded the porter to watch’; that is, for his
Lord’s coming back, and in the mean time, for all opportunities to
perform the work he left in their hand, and committed unto their trust
(Mark 13:34,35).[24] Seest thou the poor? seest thou the fatherless?
seest thou thy foe in distress? draw out thy breast, shut not up thy
bowels of compassion, deal thy bread to the hungry, bring the poor that
are cast out into thine house, hide not thyself from thine own flesh,
take the opportunity that presents itself to thee, either by the eye or
the hearing of the ear, or by some godly motion that passeth over thy
heart (Isa 58:7; Rom 12:20). ‘Say not’ to such messengers, ‘go, and
come again tomorrow; if thou hast it by thee’; now the opportunity is
put into thy hand, delay not to do it, and the Lord be with thee! (Prov
3:28). Good opportunities are God’s seasons for the doing of thy work;
wherefore watch for them, and take them as they come. Paul tells us ‘he
was in watchings often’ (2 Cor 11:26,27); surely it was that he might
take the season that God should give him to do this work for him; as he
also saith to Timothy, ‘Watch thou in all things,—do the work,’ &c.
Opportunities as to some things come but once in one’s lifetime, as in
the case of Esther, and of Nicodemus, and holy Joseph; when Esther
begged the life of the Jews, and the other the body of Jesus; which
once had they let slip or neglected, they could not have recovered it
again for ever. Watch then for the opportunity. 1. Because it is God’s
season; which, without doubts, is the best season and time for every
purpose (Eccl 3:11). 2. Because Satan watches to spoil, by mistiming as
well as by corrupting whatever thou shalt do for God. ‘When I would do
good,’ saith Paul, ‘evil is present,’ that is, either to withdraw me
from my purpose, or else to infect my work (Rom 7:21). 3. This is the
way to be profitable unto others. Thy wickedness may hurt a man, as
thou art, and thy righteousness may profit the son of man (Job 35:8).
4. This is also the way to be doing good to thyself (Job 22:2). ‘He
that watereth shall be watered himself’ (Prov 11:25). ‘Cast thy bread
upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days’ (Eccl 11:1;
Deut 15:10). As God said to Coniah, ‘Did not thy father eat and drink,
and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? He judged
the cause of the poor and needy, then it was well with him’ (Jer
22:15,16).
And I say, that the opportunity may not slip thee, either for want of
care or provision, (1.) Sit always loose from an overmuch affecting
thine own concernments, and believe that thou wast not born for
thyself; ‘a brother is born for adversity’ (Prov 17:17). (2.) Get thy
heart tenderly affected with the welfare and prosperity of all things
that bear the stamp and image of God (2 Cor 11:29). (3.) Study thy own
place and capacity that God hath put thee in, in this world; for
suitable to thy place thy work and opportunities are (1 Cor 7:24). (4.)
Make provision beforehand, that when things present themselves thou
mayst come up to a good performance; be ‘prepared to every good work’
(2 Tim 2:21). (5.) Take heed of carnal reasonings, keep thy heart
tender; but set thy face like a flint for God (Gal 1:9). (6.) And look
well to the manner of every duty.
Eighth. Wouldst thou be faithful to do that work that God hath
appointed thee to do in this world for his name? believe then, that
whatever good thing thou dost for him, if done according to the Word,
it is not only accepted by him now, but recorded, to be remembered for
thee, against the time to come; yea, laid up for thee as treasure in
chests and coffers, to be brought out to be rewarded before both men
and angels, to thy eternal comfort, by Jesus Christ our Lord. ‘Lay not
up,’ saith Christ, ‘treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal’ (Matt
6:19,20). The treasure that here our Lord commands we should with
diligence lay up in heaven, is found both in Luke, and Paul, and Peter,
to be meant by doing good work.
1. Luke renders it thus, ‘Sell that ye have and give alms; provide
yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that
faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth,’ the
latter part of the verse expounding the former (Luke 12:33).
2. Paul saith thus, ‘Charge them that are rich in this world, that they
be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living
God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy: that they do good, that
they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate: laying up in store for themselves a good foundation
against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life’ (1
Tim 6:17,19).
3. Peter also acknowledgeth and asserteth this, where, in his
exhortation to elders to do their duty faithfully, and with
cheerfulness, he affirms, if they do so, they ‘shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away’ (1 Peter 5:2-4); which Paul also calleth a
reward for cheerful work (1 Cor 9:17; 2 Tim 4:2). And that as an act of
justice by the hand of a righteous judge, in the day when the Lord
shall come to give reward to his servants the prophets, and to his
saints, and to all that fear his name, small and great; for ‘every man
shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour’ (1 Cor 3:8).
[Objections answered.]
But before I go any further, I must answer three objections that may be
made by those that read this book.
The First Objection. The first is this; some godly heart may say, I
dare not own that what I do shall ever be regarded, much less rewarded
by God in another world because of the unworthiness of my person, and
because of the many infirmities and sinful weaknesses that attend me
every day.
Answer. This objection is built partly upon a bashful modesty, partly
upon ignorance, and partly upon unbelief. My answer to it is as
followeth.
You must remind and look back to what but now hath been proved, namely,
That both Christ and his apostles do all agree in this, that there is a
reward for the righteous, and that their good deeds are laid up as
treasures for them in heaven, and are certainly to be bestowed upon
them in the last day with abundance of eternal glory. 2. Now then, to
speak to thy case, and to remove the bottom of thy objection, that the
unworthiness of thy person, and thy sinful infirmities, that attend
thee in every duty, do make thee think thy works shall not be either
regarded or rewarded in another world. But consider, first, as to the
unworthiness of thy person. They that are in Christ Jesus are always
complete before God, in the righteousness that Christ hath obtained,
how infirm, and weak, and wicked soever they appear to themselves.
Before God, therefore, in this righteousness thou standest all the day
long, and that upon a double account; first, by the act of faith,
because thou hast believed in him that thou mightest be justified by
the righteousness of Christ; but if this fail, I mean the act of
believing, still thou standest justified by God’s imputing this
righteousness to thee, which imputation standing purely upon the grace
and good pleasure of God to thee, that holds thee still as just before
God, though thou wantest at present the comfort thereof. Thus,
therefore, thy person stands always acccepted; and, indeed, no man’s
works can at all be regarded, if his person, in the first place, be not
respected. The Lord had respect first to Abel, and after to his
offering (Gen 4:4; Heb 11:4). But he can have respect to no man before
works done, unless he find them in the righteousness of Christ; for
they must be accepted through a righteousness, which, because they have
none of their own, therefore they have one of God’s imputing, even that
of his Son, which he wrought for us when he was born of the Virgin, &c.
As to thy sinful infirmities that attend thee in every work, they
cannot hinder thee from laying up treasure in heaven, thy heart being
upright in the way with God; nor will he be unrighteous at all to
forget thy good deeds in the day when Christ shall come from heaven.
1. Because by the same reason then he must disown all the good works of
all his prophets and apostles; for they have all been attended with
weaknesses and sinful infirmities; from the beginning hitherto there is
not a man, ‘not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not’
(Eccl 7:20). The best of our works are accompanied with sin: ‘When I
would do good,’ saith Paul, ‘evil is present with me’ (Rom 7:21). This,
therefore, must not hinder. And for thy further satisfaction in this,
consider, as Christ presents thy person before God, acceptable without
thy works, freely and alone by his righteousness, so his office is to
take away the iniquity of thy holy things, that they also by him may be
accepted of God (Exo 28:36-38; 1 Peter 2:5). Wherefore, it is further
said, for the encouragement of the weak and feeble, He shall not break
a bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, but shall bring forth
judgment unto victory (Matt 12:20). The bruised reed, you know, is
weak; and by bruises we should understand sinful infirmities. And so
also concerning the smoking flax; by smoking you must understand sinful
weakness; but none of these shall either hinder the justification of
thy person, or the acceptation of thy performance, they being done in
faith and love, let thy temptations be never so many, because of Jesus
Christ his priestly office now at the right hand of God. By him,
therefore, let us offer spiritual sacrifices; for they shall be
acceptable to God and our Father.
2. Because otherwise God and Christ would prove false to their own
word, which is horrible blasphemy once to imagine; who hath promised
that when the Son of God shall come to judgment, he shall render to
‘every man according to his work’ (Rev 22:12); and doth upon this very
account encourage his servants to a patient enduring of the hottest
persecutions: ‘for great is your reward in heaven’ (Matt 5:12; Luke
6:23,35; Matt 6:1, 10:41,42). From this also he bindeth his saints and
servants to be sincerely liberal, and good, and kind to all; first,
because otherwise, they have no reward of their Father which is in
heaven, that is, for what they do not; but if they do it, then, though
it be but a cup of cold water given to a prophet or righteous man, they
shall receive a prophet’s reward, a righteous man’s reward; yea, they
shall receive it in any wise, ‘they shall in no wise lose their
reward.’
3. It must be so, otherwise he should deny a reward to the works and
operations of his own good grace he hath freely bestowed upon us; but
that he will not do. He is not unfaithful to forget your work of faith
and labour of love (Heb 6:10). And so of all other graces, ‘our work
shall not be in vain in the Lord’ (1 Cor 4:58). And, as I said before,
temptations, weaknesses, and sins, shall not hinder the truly gracious
of this their blessed reward. Nay, they shall further it, ‘if need be,
ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations; that the trial of
your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, might
be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus
Christ’ (1 Peter 1:6,7). And the reason is, because the truth and
sincerity of God’s grace in us doth so much the more discover itself,
by how much it is opposed and resisted by weakness and sin. It is
recorded to the everlasting renown of three of David’s mighties, that
they would break through a host of giant-like enemies, to fetch water
for their longing king; for it bespake their valour, their love, and
good-will to him; the same also is true concerning thy graces, and
every act of them when assaulted with an host of weaknesses (1 Chron
11:12,15-18).