Complete Works of Matthew Henry

Treatises, Sermons, and Tracts

Matthew Henry

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Year: 1997
• ISBN:
  9781441233462
• Topic: Arte
• Subtopic: Arte religiosa

This comprehensive collection of Matthew Henry's sermons, treatises, and tracts covers such wide-ranging subjects as baptism, the Lord's Supper, religion in the home, prayer, catechism, Christian love and charity, and more.

Volume 1

THE

PLEASANTNESS OF A RELIGIOUS LIFE,

OPENED AND IMPROVED;

AND

RECOMMENDED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF ALL,

PARTICULARLY OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

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TO THE READER.

THE distinction which the learned Dr Henry More insists so much upon, in his explanation of the grand mystery of godliness, between the animal life and the divine life, is certainly of great use to lead us into the understanding of that mystery. What was the fall and apostasy of man, and what is still his sin and misery, but the soul’s revolt from the divine life, and giving up itself wholly to the animal life? And what was the design of our Redeemer, but to recover us to the divine and spiritual life again, by the influences of his grace? And to this his gospel has a direct tendency: his religion is all spiritual and divine, while all other religions savour of the animal life. ‘Christianity,’ saith he, ‘is that period of the wisdom and providence of God, wherein the animal life is remarkably insulted, and triumphed over by the divine:’ (Book ii. chap. 7.) and so far, and no farther, are we Christians indeed, than as this revolution is brought about in our souls. The conflict is between these two. Nothing draws more forcibly than pleasure. In order therefore to the advancing of the interests of the divine life in myself and others, I have here endeavoured, as God has enabled me, to make it evident, that the pleasures of the divine life are unspeakably better, and more deserving, than those of the animal life: were people convinced of this, we should gain our point.

The substance of this treatise was preached last year in six sermons, in the ordinary course of my ministry, in which were stated many other reasons why we should be religious; I was then solicited to make it public, and now take this opportunity to prepare it for the press, when, through the good hand of my God upon me, I have finished my fifth volume of expositions, before I go about the sixth. And herein, I confess, I indulge an inclination of my own; for this doctrine of the pleasantness of religion is what I have long had a particular kindness for, and taken all occasions to mention. Yet I would not thus far have gratified either my friends’ request, or my own inclination, if I had not thought that, by the blessing of God, it might be of some service to the common interest of Christ’s kingdom, and the common salvation of precious souls.

MAY 31st, 1714.

M. H.

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Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.—PROV. iii. 17.

TRUE religion and godliness is often in scripture, and particularly in this book of the Proverbs, represented, and so recommended to us, under the name and character of wisdom: Prov. i. 2, 7, 20; ii. 2, 10; iii. 13. Ps. cxi. 10, because it is the highest improvement of the human nature, and the best and surest guide of human life. It was one of the first and most ancient discoveries of God’s mind to the children of men, to the inquisitive part of them, that are in search for wisdom, and would have it at any rate; then, when God made a weight for the winds, and a decree for the rain,—when he brought all the other creatures under the established rule and law of their creation, according to their respective capacities,—then he declared this to man, a reasonable creature, as the law of his creation, Job xxviii. 25—28, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil,’ the evil of sin, ‘is understanding.’

The great men of the world, that engross its wealth and honours, are pretenders to wisdom, and think none do so well for themselves as they do; but though their neighbours applaud them, and their posterity, that reap the fruit of their worldly wisdom, approve their sayings yet ‘this their way is their folly,’ Ps. xlix. 13, 18; and so it will appear, when God himself shall call those fools, who said to their souls, take your ease, in barns full of corn, and bags full of money, Luke xii. 20; Jer. xvii. 11.

The learned men of the world were well-wishers to wisdom, and modestly called themselves lovers of wisdom; and many wise principles we have from them, and wise precepts; and yet their philosophy failed them in that which man’s great duty and interest lies in, viz. acquainting himself with his Maker, and keeping up communion with him: herein they that ‘professed themselves to be wise became fools,’ Rom. i. 22. and ‘the world by wisdom knew not God,’ 1 Cor. i. 21. But true Christians are, without doubt, the truly wise men, to whom ‘Christ is made of God wisdom,’ 1 Cor. i. 30. ‘in whom are hid,’ not from them, but for them, ‘all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,’ Col. ii. 3. They understand themselves best, and on which side their interest lies, that give up themselves to the conduct of Christ, and his word and Spirit; that consult his oracles, and govern themselves by them, which are indeed the truest oracles of reason, Prov. ix. 10. Men never begin to be wise, till they begin to be religious; and they then leave off to be wise, when they ‘leave off to do good,’ Ps. xxxvi. 3.

Now, to recommend to us the study and practice of this true wisdom, to bring us into a willing subjection to her authority, and keep us to a conscientious observance of her dictates, the great God is here by Solomon reasoning with us, from those topics which, in other cases, use to be cogent and commanding enough. It is wonderful condescension, that he who has an indisputable authority over us, thus vouchsafes to reason with us; to draw with the ‘cords of a man, and the bands of love,’ Hos. xi. 4. when he might make use only of the cords of a God, and the bands of the law, Ps. ii. 3.; to invite us to that by precious promises, which he enjoins upon us by his precepts, and those ‘not grievous,’ 1 John v. 3.

Interest is the great governess of the world; which, when men are once convinced of, they will be swayed by more than by any thing else. Every one is for what he can get, and therefore applies himself to that which he thinks he can get by. The common inquiry is, ‘who will show us any good?’ We would all be happy, we would all be easy. Now it is here demonstrated by eternal truth itself, that it is our interest to be religious; and therefore religion deserves to be called wisdom, because it teaches us to do well for ourselves: and it is certain, that the way to be happy, that is, perfectly holy, hereafter, is to be holy, that is, truly happy, now. It is laid down for a principle here, ‘Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,’ Prov. iii. 13. that finds the principles and habits of it planted in his own soul by divine grace; that having diligently sought, has at length found that pearl of great price: ‘and the man that getteth understanding,’ reckons himself therein a true gainer. The man that draws out understanding, so the original word signifies; that produceth it, and brings it forth, Qui profert intelligentiam; and so the Chaldee reads it. Happy is the man, that having a good principle in him, makes use of it, both for his own and others’ benefit; that having laid up, lays out.

It is necessary to our being happy, that we have right notions of happiness; the nature of it, wherein it consists, what are the ingredients of it, and what the ways that lead to it: for many keep themselves miserable by thinking themselves happy, when really they are not; and we have reason to suspect their mistake concerning themselves, because they mistake so grossly concerning others: they ‘call the proud happy,’ Mal. iii. 15. they ‘bless the covetous, whom the Lord abhors,’ Ps. x. 4. It concerns us therefore to consider, whence we take our measures of happiness, and what rules we go by in judging of it; that we may not covet our lot with those, with whom we should dread to have our lot; that we may not say as the Psalmist was tempted to say, when he looked upon the outward prosperity of worldly people, ‘happy is the people that is in such a case;’ but as he was determined to say, when he looked upon the true felicity of godly people, Happy, thrice happy, for ever happy, ‘is that people, whose God is the Lord,’ Ps. cxliv. 15. And as God here saith, whose judgment, we are sure, is according to truth, ‘happy is the man that finds wisdom.’

The happiness of those that are religious, is here proved,

1. From the true profit that is to be got by religion. ‘Godliness is profitable to all things,’ 1 Tim. iv. 8. it is of universal advantage. Though we may be losers for our religion, yet we shall not only not be losers by it, but we shall be unspeakable gainers in the end. They that trade with wisdom’s talents, will find ‘the merchandise of it better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold,’ and that it is ‘more precious than rubies.’ As long since as Job’s time it was agreed, that the advantages of religion were such, that as they could not be purchased, so they could not be valued with the gold of Ophir, the precious onyx, or the sapphire; the topaz of Ethiopia ‘could not equal them,’ Job xxviii. 16, 19. Length of days is in Wisdom’s right hand, even life for evermore; length of days, and no shortening of them; ‘and in her left hand riches and honour,’ Prov. iii. 16. yea, ‘the unsearchable riches of Christ,’ and the honour that comes from God, which are true riches, and true honours, because durable, because eternal, and for ever out of the danger of poverty and disgrace.

In all labour there is profit, more or less, of one kind or other, but no profit like that in the labour of religion: they who make a business of it, will find great advantage by it; its present incomes are valuable, and a comfortable honourable maintenance for a soul, but its future recompences infinitely more so, above what we are able either to speak or think.

2. From the transcendent pleasure that is to be found in it. Here is profit and pleasure combined, which completes the happiness. Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci. Those that pursue the gains of the world in wealth and riches, must be willing to deny themselves in their pleasures; and they that will indulge themselves in their pleasures, must be content not to get money, but to spend it. As they that are covetous know they must not be voluptuous, so they that are voluptuous leave no room to be covetous; but it is not so in the profits and pleasures of religion: here a man may both get and save the spiritual riches of divine grace, and yet at the same time bathe in a full stream of divine consolations, and be, nevertheless, a holy epicure in spiritual delights, in his laying up treasure in heaven. The soul may even then dwell at ease, when it is labouring most diligently for the meat that endures to eternal life. This is that which the text speaks of; and both the profit and pleasure of religion are put together in the next words, ‘she is a tree of life,’ ver. 18. both enriching and delighting ‘to them that lay hold upon her:’ what gain or comfort like that of life?

First, We are here assured, that her ‘ways are ways of pleasantness;’ not only pleasant ways, but in the abstract, ways of pleasantness, as if pleasantness were confined to those ways, and not to be found any where else: and the pleasantness ariseth not from any foreign circumstance, but from the innate goodness of the ways themselves. Or it denotes the exceeding superlative pleasantness of religion; it is as pleasant as pleasantness itself; ‘They are ways of pleasantness,’ (נום) it is the word from which Naomi had her name in the day of her prosperity, which afterwards she disclaimed, Ruth i. 20, ‘Call me not Naomi, pleasant; but Marah, bitter.’ Think that you hear Wisdom saying, on the contrary, ‘Call me not Marah, bitter,’ as some have miscalled me, ‘but call me Naomi, pleasant.’ The vulgar Latin reads it, Viæ pulchræ; her ways are beautiful ways, ways of sweetness, so the Chaldee. Wisdom’s ways are so; that is, the ways which she has directed us to walk in, the ways of her commandments, those are such, as if we keep close to, and go on in, we shall certainly find true pleasure and satisfaction. Wisdom saith, ‘This is the way, walk in it;’ and you shall not only find life at the end, but pleasure in the way. That which is the only right way to happiness, we must resolve to travel, and to proceed and persevere in it, whether it be fair or foul, pleasant or unpleasant: but it is a great encouragement to a traveller, to know that his way is not only the right way, but a pleasant way: and such the way to heaven is.

God had told us by Solomon, Ch. ii. 3, 4. that we must ‘cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice for understanding;’ that we must seek it, and search for it, must spare no cost or pains to get it: he had told us, that this wisdom would restrain us, both from the way of the evil man, and of the strange woman, Chap. ii. 12, 16. that it would keep us from all the forbidden pleasures of sense. Now, lest these restraints from pleasure, and constraints to piety and labour, should discourage any from the ways of religion, he here assures us, not only that our pains will be abundantly recompensed with the profits of religion, but the pleasures we forego will be abundantly balanced by the pleasures we shall enjoy.

Secondly, It is added, that ‘all her paths are peace.’ Peace is sometimes put for all good; here some take it for the good of safety and protection. Many ways are pleasant, they are clean, and look smooth, but they are dangerous, either not sound at bottom, or beset with thieves: but the ways of wisdom have in them a holy security, as well as a holy serenity; and they that walk in them, have God himself for their shield as well as their sun, and are not only joyful in the hope of good, but are, or may be, quiet also from the fear of evil.

But we may take it for the good of pleasure and delight, and so it speaks the same with the former part of the verse: as there is pleasantness in wisdom’s ways, so there is peace in all her paths.

1. There is not only peace in the end of religion, but peace in the way. There is not only peace provided as a bed, for good men to lie down in at night, when their work is done, and their warfare is accomplished; they shall then ‘enter into peace, rest in their beds,’ Isa. lvii. 2. ‘Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace,’ Psal. xxxvii. 37. it is everlasting peace; but there is also peace provided as a shade, for good men to work in all day, that they may not only do their work, but do it with delight; for even the work of righteousness, as well as its reward, ‘shall be peace,’ Isa. xxxii. 17. and the immediate effect of righteousness, as well as its issue at last, quietness and assurance for ever.

It is possible, that war may be the way to peace; Sic quærimus pacem, ‘thus we pursue peace,’ is the best motto to be engraven on weapons of war; but it is the glory of those who are truly religious, that they not only seek peace, but enjoy it: the peace of God rules their hearts, and by that means keeps them: and even while they are travellers, they have peace, though they are not yet at home.

It is the misery of the carnal, irreligious world, that ‘the way of peace they have not known,’ Rom. iii. 17. for they are like the troubled sea; there is ‘no peace, saith my God, to the wicked,’ Isa. lvii. 20, 21. How can peace be spoken to them that are not the ‘sons of peace?’ Luke x. 4, 5. to them that have not grace for the word of peace to fasten upon? They may cry peace to themselves, but there is no true peace either in their way, or in their end: to such I say, as in 2 Kings ix. 18, ‘What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me;’ but in God’s name I speak peace to all that are in covenant with the God of peace, to all the faithful subjects of the prince of peace: they have experimentally known the way of peace; and to them I say, Go on, and prosper: go on in peace, for the God of love and peace is, and will be with you.

2. There is not only this peace in the way of religion in general, but in the particular paths of that way: view it in the several acts and instances of it, in the exercise of every grace, in the performance of every duty, and you will find, that what is said of the body of Christianity, is true of every part of it; it is peace.

The ways of religion are tracked as path-ways are, Cant. i. 8. we go forth by the footsteps of the flock. It is the good old way, that all have walked in that are gone to heaven before us; and this contributes something to the peace of it: walk in the old way, and you shall ‘find rest to your souls,’ Jer. vi. 16. We go on in our way with so much the more assurance, when we see those going before us, who, ‘through faith and patience, are now inheriting the promise;’ let us but keep the path, and we shall not miss our way.

The Chaldee reads it, Itinera ejus pacifica; her journeys are peace. The paths of wisdom are not like walks in a garden, which we make use of for diversion only, and an amusement; but like tracks in a great road, which we press forward in with care and pains, as a traveller in his journey, plus ultra still, till we come to our journey’s end. We must remember, that in the ways of religion we are upon our journey, and it is a journey of business,—business of life and death; and therefore we must not trifle, or lose time, but must lift up our feet as Jacob did, Gen. xxix. 1, ‘then Jacob went on his way;’ (in the margin it is, he lift up his feet) and lift up our hearts as Jehoshaphat did, ‘in the ways of the Lord,’ 2 Chron. xvii. 6, and not take up short of the end of our faith and hope, not take up short of home: and though the journey is long, and requires all this care and application, yet it is pleasant, it is peace notwithstanding.

In the way of religion and godliness taken generally, there are different paths, according to the different sentiments of wise and good men, in the less weighty matters of the law; but blessed be God, every different path is not a by-path: and if it be not, but keep within the same hedges of divine truths and laws as to the essentials of religion, it may be, it shall be a way of peace; for both he that eateth, and he that eateth not, giveth God thanks, Rom. xiv. 6, and has comfort in it. If we rightly understand the kingdom of God, the way of wisdom is not meat and drink; and we shall find it to be, which indeed it is, ‘righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17.

3. There is this peace in all the paths of wisdom, in all the instances of pure and undefiled religion; look into them all, make trial of them all, and you will find there is none to be excepted against, none to be quarrelled with; they are all uniform and of a piece: the same golden thread of peace and pleasure runs through the whole web of serious godliness.

We cannot say so of this world, that all its paths are peace; however, some of them may pretend to give the mind a little satisfaction, its pleasures have their alloys; that which one thing sweetens, another comes presently and imbitters. But as there is a universal rectitude in the principles of religion, Ps. cxix. 128, ‘I have esteemed all thy precepts concerning all things to be right;’ and Prov. viii. 8, ‘All the words of my mouth are in righteousness,’ saith Wisdom, ‘and there is nothing froward or perverse in them;’ so there is a universal peac...