A True Believer
A true believer contents not himself with shows of goodness, and a form of godliness, but labors to get the life of religion into his heart. He labours to express the power of it in his life, by departing from all iniquity and walking in all the commandments of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:6). He worships God, not only outwardly but inwardly, not only with zealous expressions but devout affections, not only with a decent, becoming gravity, but with faith and love, in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Though he serves God with his body and is not altogether careless of the outside of worship, yet his great care is about his heart and the inside of worship. And as he worships God in the spirit, so he walks after the spirit. As he prays fervently, so he lives holily. Others pretend to godliness, but live wickedly. In their words they profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him (Titus 1:16). Their works and practices give the lie to their words and profession, but the true believer cautiously declines whatever evils are condemned, and conscientiously performs whatever duties are commanded in the Word of God. His daily care is denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil world.
A true believer's conscience guards his thoughts and cogitations, as well as his words and actions. Whatever the life of a wicked man seems to be, yet his heart is of little worth. It is filled with voluptuous thoughts: let us eat and drink. Better is a living dog than a dead lion. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Filled with malicious, revengeful thoughts, he asks, who will give me of his flesh to eat? I will be revenged. My wrath shall be satisfied upon him. I will watch him for an opportunity to be even with him, so he is filled with covetous thoughts. Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Today or tomorrow we will go unto such a city, and there continue a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain. What shall we do to purchase such a field, to raise such a child, to grow rich in the world? These are the mighty employments of wicked men's thoughts, about which they often lose their sleep, and busy themselves day and night. The Lord knows the thoughts of wicked men, that they are but vanity, yes, gross impiety. Their thoughts run upon these matters for whole weeks, even the whole year. The devil runs away with their minds, even when they are at church, at prayers, in hearing, or any good exercise. They allow sinful thoughts to come in all the day long and cocker them with delight. Their hearts are stews and brothel-houses, shambles of mischief, and dens of wickedness.
Whereas the true believer is careful in watching sinful thoughts. I do indeed grant that the most watchful and mortified saints on earth are not entirely free from evil thoughts, but yet, as Christ whipped the buyers and sellers out of the temple, so he ejects and casts evil thoughts out of his heart with abhorrence. His customary and allowed thoughts are tending to God, to heaven, and the things above, and his heart is still inditing a good matter, wherein the greatest part of his soundest joy and comfort is placed. The course of sanctified thoughts in a child of God may, and is sometimes interrupted, both by the relics of corruption within, and by the temptations of Satan and the world without. Yet he is sensible of the evil of his thoughts, judges himself worthy to be destroyed for it, prays against it, repents of it, and afterwards guards his heart more strongly. He then watcheth over his thoughts more narrowly than ever.
A true believer is thoughtful of death, and his thoughts of death do him good all his life. He considers the fact that death will cut him off from the inhabitants of the world, and therefore is diligent in doing his duty towards them while he lives with them. He considers death will cut him off from the public assemblies, and therefore is diligent in hearkening to the voice of the Lord while it is today. He considers death will cut him off from the comforts of life, and therefore uses them with moderation and sobriety, turns his superfluities into alms, dies to the world, abridges himself not only of excess, but sometimes of variety. He remembers these creature-comforts may leave him, because they are transitory. But he is sure he must leave them, because he is mortal, and therefore he labours so to use the world as not abusing it.
A true believer hath a well-grounded hope of heaven and glory. The wicked man's hope is groundless. It is built upon a sandy foundation, and therefore is as a spider's web, soon destroyed. When death appears, his hopes vanish. The coming of judgment is the departing of his hope. But the righteous hath hope in his death. His hope is built upon the mercy, and love, and power of God, upon the death and intercession of Jesus Christ, upon the covenant of grace, and the earnest of the spirit. Therefore, when his earthly comforts are leaving him, and he them, he rejoices in the hope of the glory to come. This is his comfort, that he is now going to possess that happiness that he hath long prayed, desired, and looked for.
A true believer is willing to move to heaven to enjoy God (Phil. 1:23). His desire is not to dwell forever in the inn of this world, but to dwell in those glorious chambers that are above. He enjoys Christ's company on earth, and longs to enjoy it in heaven. He sets no store by the pleasures of the world. He hath a heavenly spark of holy ambition, whereby he overlooks the glistening glory of the world, and breathes after the society of angels and the presence of the Lord. He prefers the holy estate of the other life before the most flourishing estate in this life. His mind and motion lie upward. He calls Christ Hephzibah; his delight is in Him, and his desire to be with Him. He longs to leave the tents of Kedar and to live with Christ in the palace of Zion, to leave Babylon, the city of sin and confusion, and to live with Christ in Jerusalem, that holy and quiet city above. He hath heard glorious things of Christ on earth, and therefore longs to see Him eye to eye in heaven. As he desires Christ to come down into his heart, so he desires to ascend to Christ into heaven. Here his marriage to Christ is but initial. Here he is but contracted or espoused to Christ. For I have espoused you unto one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). Oh, but in heaven the nuptials shall be celebrated with the highest solemnities. Therefore the Spirit and the bride say come (Rev. 22:17). Even so, come Lord Jesus, come quickly (verse 20).
A true believer's conscience guards his thoughts and cogitations, as well as his words and actions. Whatever the life of a wicked man seems to be, yet his heart is of little worth. It is filled with voluptuous thoughts: let us eat and drink. Better is a living dog than a dead lion. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Filled with malicious, revengeful thoughts, he asks, who will give me of his flesh to eat? I will be revenged. My wrath shall be satisfied upon him. I will watch him for an opportunity to be even with him, so he is filled with covetous thoughts. Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Today or tomorrow we will go unto such a city, and there continue a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain. What shall we do to purchase such a field, to raise such a child, to grow rich in the world? These are the mighty employments of wicked men's thoughts, about which they often lose their sleep, and busy themselves day and night. The Lord knows the thoughts of wicked men, that they are but vanity, yes, gross impiety. Their thoughts run upon these matters for whole weeks, even the whole year. The devil runs away with their minds, even when they are at church, at prayers, in hearing, or any good exercise. They allow sinful thoughts to come in all the day long and cocker them with delight. Their hearts are stews and brothel-houses, shambles of mischief, and dens of wickedness.
Whereas the true believer is careful in watching sinful thoughts. I do indeed grant that the most watchful and mortified saints on earth are not entirely free from evil thoughts, but yet, as Christ whipped the buyers and sellers out of the temple, so he ejects and casts evil thoughts out of his heart with abhorrence. His customary and allowed thoughts are tending to God, to heaven, and the things above, and his heart is still inditing a good matter, wherein the greatest part of his soundest joy and comfort is placed. The course of sanctified thoughts in a child of God may, and is sometimes interrupted, both by the relics of corruption within, and by the temptations of Satan and the world without. Yet he is sensible of the evil of his thoughts, judges himself worthy to be destroyed for it, prays against it, repents of it, and afterwards guards his heart more strongly. He then watcheth over his thoughts more narrowly than ever.
A true believer is thoughtful of death, and his thoughts of death do him good all his life. He considers the fact that death will cut him off from the inhabitants of the world, and therefore is diligent in doing his duty towards them while he lives with them. He considers death will cut him off from the public assemblies, and therefore is diligent in hearkening to the voice of the Lord while it is today. He considers death will cut him off from the comforts of life, and therefore uses them with moderation and sobriety, turns his superfluities into alms, dies to the world, abridges himself not only of excess, but sometimes of variety. He remembers these creature-comforts may leave him, because they are transitory. But he is sure he must leave them, because he is mortal, and therefore he labours so to use the world as not abusing it.
A true believer hath a well-grounded hope of heaven and glory. The wicked man's hope is groundless. It is built upon a sandy foundation, and therefore is as a spider's web, soon destroyed. When death appears, his hopes vanish. The coming of judgment is the departing of his hope. But the righteous hath hope in his death. His hope is built upon the mercy, and love, and power of God, upon the death and intercession of Jesus Christ, upon the covenant of grace, and the earnest of the spirit. Therefore, when his earthly comforts are leaving him, and he them, he rejoices in the hope of the glory to come. This is his comfort, that he is now going to possess that happiness that he hath long prayed, desired, and looked for.
A true believer is willing to move to heaven to enjoy God (Phil. 1:23). His desire is not to dwell forever in the inn of this world, but to dwell in those glorious chambers that are above. He enjoys Christ's company on earth, and longs to enjoy it in heaven. He sets no store by the pleasures of the world. He hath a heavenly spark of holy ambition, whereby he overlooks the glistening glory of the world, and breathes after the society of angels and the presence of the Lord. He prefers the holy estate of the other life before the most flourishing estate in this life. His mind and motion lie upward. He calls Christ Hephzibah; his delight is in Him, and his desire to be with Him. He longs to leave the tents of Kedar and to live with Christ in the palace of Zion, to leave Babylon, the city of sin and confusion, and to live with Christ in Jerusalem, that holy and quiet city above. He hath heard glorious things of Christ on earth, and therefore longs to see Him eye to eye in heaven. As he desires Christ to come down into his heart, so he desires to ascend to Christ into heaven. Here his marriage to Christ is but initial. Here he is but contracted or espoused to Christ. For I have espoused you unto one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). Oh, but in heaven the nuptials shall be celebrated with the highest solemnities. Therefore the Spirit and the bride say come (Rev. 22:17). Even so, come Lord Jesus, come quickly (verse 20).
Comments
Post a Comment