Part 148 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to Part 147 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Part 149 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
And now I have nothing to do, but to lay down seven positions concerning holiness, which may be of singular use for the preventing of some objections and mistakes, and for the giving of satisfaction, especially to such in whom the streams of holiness runs low, and who are still a-lamenting and mourning under the imperfections of their holiness, etc.
1. Wherever genuine holiness is—it will appear, it will discover itself, it will show itself. Eph. 4:15-16. It is the very nature of grace and holiness to manifest itself, and therefore it is set forth in Scripture by the names of light, which shines abroad; Mat. 5:16, and of ointment and perfume, which cannot be hidden; Proverbs 27:9; Cant. 3:6; of leaven and salt, which permeates its own nature and relish upon a whole lump. And it is very observable, that when the Holy Spirit was given, he was given in tongues, fiery tongues, and with a rushing of a mighty wind, all of which have a quality of self-manifestation, and notifying of themselves to others, Acts 2:1-5.
Take a river that is dammed and stopped up—yet if the course of it be natural, and if it commonly runs downward, it will at length bear down all, and ride and run triumphantly over all that is in its way. Just so, though genuine holiness in a day of temptation, desertion, and affliction, etc., may seem to be dammed and stopped up—yet at length it will make its way through all, and over all, and show itself in its native colors. Though fire for a time may lie hidden under the ashes—yet at last it will flame forth, and show itself to be fire. Holiness is a divine fire, and though in some cases it may for a time seem to be hidden, it will at length break forth, and show itself to be holiness. I have not faith enough to believe that that man was ever genuinely holy, whose holiness is still hidden under a bushel, or in a dark lantern. Look! as natural life cannot be so hidden, but that it will discover itself a hundred hundred ways—just so, holiness, which is a Christian's spiritual life, cannot be so hidden, but it will discover it a hundred hundred ways.