Part 147 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 148 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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[12.] Twelfthly and lastly, If you are a holy person, if you are one who has that genuine holiness without which there is no happiness, then know for your comfort—that all things shall work together for your good. Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose." All the afflictions, and all the temptations, and all the desertions, and all the oppressions, and all the oppositions, and all the persecutions, which befall a godly man, shall work for his good, Rev. 2:10. Every cross, every loss, and every disease, which befall the holy man shall work for his good. Every device, every snare, every method, every depth, every stratagem, and every enterprise of Satan against the holy man shall work for his good. They shall all help to make him more humble, more holy, more heavenly, more spiritual, more faithful, more fruitful, and more watchful, 2 Cor. 12:9-10. Every day of prosperity, and every night of adversity shall work for the holy man's good. Every storm and every calm, every bitter and every sweet, every cross and every comfort, shall work for the holy man's good. Hosea 2:5-7.
When God gives a mercy, that shall work for his good; and when God takes away a mercy, that shall work for his good. When God gives him large temporal goods, that shall work for his good; and when God cuts his temporal goods short, that shall work for his good. Yes, all the falls and all the sins of the saints shall work for their good. "As I get hurt by my graces—just so, I get good by my sins," said famous Mr. Foxe. Oh the care, the fear, the watchfulness, the tenderness, the zeal, the revenge—which God raises in the souls of his saints by their very falls! 2 Cor. 7:8-13. Oh the hatred, the indignation, and the detestation—which God raises in the hearts of his children against sin, by their very falling into sin! Oh what love to Christ, what thankfulness for Christ, what admiration of Christ, what cleaving to Christ, what exalting of Christ, and what drawing from Christ--are saints led to by their very falls! Oh what exercise of grace, what increase of grace, what magnifying of grace, what liftings up of divine power, and what a high price are holy men led to set upon the precious blood of Christ—and all by their falls!
It is the glory of God's holiness—that he can turn spiritual diseases into holy remedies! He can turn soul poisons into heavenly cordials! He can prevent sin by sin, and cure falling by falling!
One calls Romans 8:28 "the holy blind man's promise." And I may call it the holy lame man's promise, and the holy deaf man's promise, and the holy dumb man's promise, and the holy needy man's promise, and the holy sick man's, and the holy languishing man's promise, and the holy dying man's promise. Oh the comfort, oh the sweet, oh the contentment, oh the satisfaction, which this promise has afforded to many a precious saint, when other promises have not been at hand!
O Christian, what though friends and relations frown upon you, what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against you, what though needs, like an armed man, are ready to break in upon you, what though men rage and devils roar against you, what though sickness rages in your family, and death stands every day at your elbow—yet there is no reason for you to fear or faint, because all these things shall work for your good! Yes, there is wonderful cause of joy and rejoicing in all the afflictions and tribulations which come upon you, considering that they shall all work for your good.
O Christians! I am afraid, I am afraid, that you do not run so often as you should, to the breasts of this promise, nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it—that it would yield, and that your several cases may require.
And thus I am done with this use of comfort and consolation to all God's holy ones. You see what comfort, what consolation, yes, what strong consolation, waits upon all God's sanctified ones. I have been the longer upon this use—because the times require it, and the condition of God's people calls for the strongest cordials, and the choicest and the sweetest comforts.
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Part 148 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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