Part 89 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 90 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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(5.) Fifthly, To provoke you to endeavor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holiness you have—the more he will give you. At first God gives holiness where there is none; and where this holiness is improved—there God will be still augmenting and increasing of it. Do you but make it your business to "perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord," Heb. 6:7, and the Lord will not fail to make new and fresh additions of more grace and holiness to that you have! Psalm 84:11, "The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly." Mark those words, namely, that "the Lord will give grace and glory," that is, grace unto glory, he will still be adding more grace to what you have, until the bud of grace is turned into the flower of glory! Until your grace on earth commences to glory in heaven!
The more holiness any man has—the more still God will give him: Mat. 13:12, "For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." He who has principles of grace and holiness laid into his soul—he shall find a plentiful increase of those sanctifying and saving principles; he shall have more abundance; his spark of holiness shall grow into aflame; his drops of holiness shall be turned into a sea; and his mite of holiness shall be multiplied into millions!
The greater harvest of holiness a Christian brings forth—the greater increase of holiness shall he experience; every exercise of grace and holiness is always attended with new increase of grace and holiness, Mat. 25:29.
Look! as that arm is greatest and strongest, which is most used and exercised—so that particular grace which is most exercised and used is most strengthened and greatened.
Look! as earthly parents, when they see their children to improve a little stock to great advantage, then they add to their stock, they increase their stock, they double their stock. Just so, when the Father of spirits sees his children to improve a little stock of grace and holiness to the great advantage of their souls, then he will increase their spiritual stock, he will be still a-adding to their stock, yes, he will double their stock! John 15:2, "Every branch that bears fruit he prunes it—that it may bring forth more fruit." Such as are fruitful—shall be made more fruitful. Christ will take most pains to make them better—who are already very good. Of all Christians in the world, there are none who have so much grace as humble Christians have—and yet God delights to pour in grace into their souls, as men pour liquor into empty vessels, James 4:6. Humility is both a grace, and a vessel to receive more grace. And thus much for this fifth argument. But,
(6.) Sixthly, To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness, consider that the more holiness you attain to—the greater will be your heaven of joy and comfort in this present world. Though the least spark of true holiness will certainly bring a man to heaven—yet it is only an eminency in holiness which will make a man walkcomfortably to heaven.
The more holiness any man has—the more he shall enjoy God, in whose presence is fullness of joy, Psalm 16:11; and the more any man enjoys the presence of God—the greater will be his heaven of joy in this world. Look! as a little star yields but a little light—just so, a little holiness yields but a little comfort; and look, as the greatest stars yields the greatest light—just so, the greatest measures of holiness always yields the greatest comforts. Divine joy ebbs and flows—as holiness ebbs and flows.
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