Part 143 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 144 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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[8.] Eighthly, If you are a holy person, if you have that genuine holiness, without which there is no happiness, then know for your comfort—that all things shall be sanctified unto you. Tit. 1:15, "Unto the pure all things are pure—but unto those who are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled."
When a man's heart is once sanctified, then all things are sanctified to him; when a man's spirit and way are clean and pure, then all things are clean and pure to him. O sirs! this is so great and so glorious a privilege, to have all things sanctified to us, that it is more worth than a world, yes, than many worlds.
Next to a man's interest in Christ, he cannot beg a greater mercy than this—that all things may be sanctified to him—that is, that all things may so work as to make him more and more holy: that every cross may make him more holy, and that everycomfort may make him more holy; that every mercy may make him more holy, and that every misery may make him more holy; that every ordinance may make him more holy, and that every providence may make him more holy; that every affliction at home may make him more holy, and that every judgment abroad may make him more holy.
Every condition is sweet when it is sanctified to us; sickness is as sweet as health when it is sanctified to us: weakness is as sweet as strength when it is sanctified to us; and poverty is as sweet as richeswhen it is sanctified to us; and disgrace is as sweet as honor when it is sanctified to us; and bonds are as sweet as liberty when they are sanctified to us; and death is as sweet as lifewhen it is sanctified to us.
Look! as no condition can be a happy condition which is not a sanctified condition—just so, no condition can be a miserable condition, which is a sanctified condition. Now this is only the holy man's privilege, the holy man's mercy, to have every estate and every condition sanctified unto him; and this indeed is the cream and crown of all our mercies to have them sanctified unto us, ay, and every bitter will be sweet, yes very sweet, when it is sanctified unto us.
What though your mercies, O Christian, are fewer than others', and lesser than others', and leaner than others', and shorter than others'—yet you have no reason to complain, as long as your mercies are sanctified mercies. What though though your trials are greater than others', and your burden is heavier than others', and your sorrows are deeper than others', and your crosses comes thicker than others'—yet you have no cause to complain, as long as they are sanctified.
Are you a holy person? Oh then remember for your comfort—that every bit of bread you eat is sanctified, and every draught you drink is sanctified, and every suit of clothes you wear is sanctified; the beds you lie on are sanctified, and the stools you sit on are sanctified; the very air you breath in is sanctified, and the very ground you tread on is sanctified; every penny in your purse is sanctified, and every dollar in your shop is sanctified; whatever you have at home is sanctified, and whatever you have abroad is sanctified.
And oh! how should the sense of these things sweeten all your bitters, and turn your hell into heaven, and wipe all tears from your eyes, and turn your sighing into singing, and your mourning into rejoicing, etc. "We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. But,
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Part 144 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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