Sermon 8
1 John 5:12. He that has the Son, has life, and he that has not the Son, has not life.
The causes of this life you have heard, and some of the effects of it also. The life of justification you heard has these three effects or fruits in the heart: peace, quietness, and assurance forever. Care to keep our conscience pacified in some measure, careful to maintain that peace we have had so much ado to get. And also love of God according to the abundance of sin, that has been pardoned to us.
We are now speaking of the effects of life, and now to speak of the effects of the life of our sanctification. He that has the Son has life, not only in the pardon of his sin, but he has likewise the graces of God's Spirit, which are the life of sanctification.
A frame of grace wrought in the soul, which is the life of holiness.
Now because sanctification is found, partly in the heart, and partly in the life. Let me now show you some such effects of spiritual life, as are found in the heart of a Christian: and breathe forth themselves in his life, by those habits and gifts which are principally within.
And the sum of what I shall now say is thus much. There are certain variety of the graces of God in themselves so different and opposite, as that in nature they are seldom compatible to one person, at one and the same time, or least of all to be found in one and the same business, and yet are found wherever the heart of a man is sanctified by the Spirit of grace. Where you have the life of sanctification in a Christian, you shall find variety of graces in them, some of them of such diversity and opposition one to another, that in nature the like temper is not to be found in one person at the same time, and in the same business. They are certain kind of conjugations, or companions of grace so fitted, and joined together in the heart of a man, as that nature is not able to compact such sanctified affections, to such uses upon any occasion; much less able to bring them forth upon any occasion, they are so different in themselves; to name some of them in particular.
First, if you look at the grace of God as it works in the heart, and exercises itself in the conversion of a sinner, you shall find, that when the soul discerns any life of grace in its heart, that sin is now pardoned, and God is pleased to frame it anew, and to give it a new life; at that time the heart is taken up with these two contrary effects. It is both enlarged with no small measure of joy, that ever God should redeem him from such a desperate condition as his soul lay in, and yet also full of grief of heart, that ever he should have so much displeased that God, that has done so much for him; and so plain, as that you shall evidently discern the voice of your own joy, from the voice of your own grief. I know not better how to instance in it, than to fetch a resemblance from the return of the Children of Israel, from captivity to Jerusalem, read (Psalm 126:2-4). When God turned the captivity of his people, this was their affection; then was their mouth filled with laughter, and their tongue with singing, etc. Now the same people that so rejoice to see themselves redeemed by the arm of the Lord, when they do rejoice to see themselves set at liberty from the captivity, they do at the same time as sadly grieve and weep, to consider the unkindness they have put upon God, and their unworthiness of such a mercy from him, as you may read (Jeremiah 50:4-5), speaking of the same people, and of the same time, their return from the captivity; and he tells you, They shall come, going and weeping shall they go, and seek the Lord God, and ask the way to Zion, with their faces toward it. If the Psalmist speaks of it, he says, they were out of, and beyond themselves for joy, as in a comfortable dream; the news seemed to be too good to be true, and they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and if the Prophet Jeremiah speaks of the very same people, and the same time, and the very same action; he tells you, They go to Jerusalem, weeping, they go to seek the Lord, and ask the way to Zion; they rejoice at the greatness of the mercy, and weep in sense of their unworthiness of it. And truly this kind of combination shall you find stirring in every soul that is converted to God, when the pardon of its sin is sealed to its heart; it breeds a certain kind of inward joy, and comfort in the Lord, that has thus graciously pardoned their iniquity, and yet more abundantly mourning for the evils, it has so displeased God with; nor is there any mourning so deeply wounds the soul, as that which arises from the sight of Christ crucified, then the soul mourns full bitterly (Zechariah 12:10). He will mourn exceedingly, to think that he should deal so unworthily against that God, that has all this while had such wonderful thoughts of peace toward him. This is the first combination of graces that is found in the soul after sin is pardoned, and the heart restored to a new life, for we spoke before of prizing Christ in our judgments, by certain preparative graces, but now we speak of that kind of life of sanctification, which puts forth itself after some sense of our justification; this life of the mixture of joy and mourning, bears witness to our life of sanctification.
Secondly, in the worshipping of God in those duties of the life of sanctification, you shall find another combination of mixed affections, the like of which are not, and cannot be found in nature; and that is joy and fear, according to Psalm 2:11. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. A Christian man when he is in a good frame, and the life of grace most stirs in his spirit, he never comes to a holy duty but with some holy fear, and trembling before God, before whom he then stands, and yet there is no duties he goes about with more comfort and joy than those, when his heart is not dead. It is true, a dead hearted Christian comes to good duties like a bear to a stake, while they are in such a temper; if they can shun duties they will, but take the heart of a Christian when it is alive, and then they are a willing people (Psalm 110:3), they come with some inward gladness of heart, it is the joy of their spirits to hear of an opportunity when they may hear the Word, and pray, or perform any duty acceptable to God: but how? When their hearts are most joyful, and they go about duties most willingly, yet then most awfully; for take you a Christian when he comes unwillingly, his heart is not much affected with fear and trembling, but then he is most awful when his heart is in the best frame towards holy duties; these two affections never meet in other things, when a man goes about any business gladly, he is not afraid of it; or if he be in fear, he goes not about it joyfully; the sun trembles not at his course, but rejoices to run his race; the horse rejoices at the battle, he never trembles at the matter; or when any man goes about any work with joy, he never trembles at it: but a Christian man, when he goes about any spiritual duty, though he have much joy and comfort in it, and is glad of the occasion, yet he is most fearful; as in Psalm 130:4, the very consideration of the greatness of God's mercies makes a soul fearful of the presence of God; so the more rich God in grace and mercy is to us, either pardoning sin, or sanctifying the heart, or quickening us to any duty, the more fearful is the soul in such a condition. And hence is that you read in Exodus 15:11, the Lord is said to be fearful in praises; when the heart is most enlarged to praise God with comfort, then does it most fear God, so that here is another combination of graces that are not commonly found together in other businesses of ordinary affairs, but where the heart is spiritual, they meet together in the same thing.
Thirdly, take you a godly man in affliction, and when he is most able to bear them, and yet when affliction is most heavy, if he find his heart able to grapple under them, yet then you shall find much joy and sadness of heart mixed together, it was a sign of the election of the Thessalonians because they received the word in much affliction, and with joy of the Holy Spirit. When they found much affliction either by the word, or in the outward man, though much affliction, yet inwardly joyous. Hebrews 12:11, no affliction is joyous for the present, yet it brings forth the quiet fruits of righteousness. By how much the more affliction makes their spirits sad, yet so much the more is the heart enlarged with joy and comfort in the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:3, we rejoice in tribulations, tribulation is such a kind of affliction, as is a threshing us like corn out of the chaff, drives us out of all the comforts of this life, and that is not in nature, to rejoice in any measure, when the heart is in grief and discouragement, it ever wants something to raise it up.
Fourthly, there is this mixture of affection, in our carriage towards men, which argues the life of holiness in us; in our conversing with men, you shall have the same heart full of much patience, but without all forbearance. And those are such as are not found in nature, nor in a hypocrite, yet in a Christian heart you shall find them together — the more patient a man is towards others, yet the less able is he to bear with evil. Read Revelation 2:2: I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you cannot bear them which are evil: a man would think it were a very strange expression.
A man of known and proved patience, and yet cannot bear: for what is patience, but bearing and forbearing? Yet says God, I know your patience, and that you cannot bear them that are evil; implying that such a soul, if it were a matter to be put upon himself, any affliction or trial put upon himself, then I know your patience in bearing of it, but if it come to a matter of evil, not of punishment, but of sin, then I know you cannot bear it.
Take you any patient man, that only has a moral virtue of patience; and if he has so much patience as that he can bear with crosses, and afflictions, he can as well also bear with evils committed against God: but this is the nature of spiritual patience, it is mixed with zeal, so as that the more patient a man is, in regard of injuries done to himself, the less patient he is in respect of injuries done to God.
Fifthly, you shall have gentleness and meekness sometimes mixed in a man, with much austerity and strictness, which is very much that they should meet in one man, at one and the same time: the wisdom that is from above is gentle and meek, and easy to be entreated.
It was said of Moses, he was the meekest man upon earth (Numbers 12:3). Take Moses in his own case, and his conduct toward men, as they had respect to himself, and then he was a meek man, soon persuaded. Yet the same Moses, when he saw the matter concerned the cause of God, he is so stiff and immovable, as that he will not yield one jot — he will not leave a hoof behind, of all that pertained to the children of Israel (Exodus 10:26). He would not only have men, and women, and children go forth to serve the Lord, but their cattle and their goods. He will not yield a little here, no not for the king's pleasure sake. A man would much wonder that such a man, so meek and gentle, and so easy to be persuaded in his own cause, that yet when it comes to a matter of importance, and concerns God, he will not there yield — he is now inflexible, nothing can persuade him to give way to it. This is a combination of graces, that are not accustomed to be found in men thus mixed together, but it is found in the people of God, that live a sanctified, and holy life. I know not better what to compare it to, than to the liquid air — of all other things the most easiest to be pierced through; of itself it gives way to every creature, not the least fly, or least stone cast into it, but it gives way to it of itself. Yet if God says it shall be as a firmament, between the waters above, and the waters below, it then stands like a wall of brass, and yields not. It will not allow the water in the clouds to fall down, but if it does fall to water the earth, it shall strain through the air as through a sieve. The clouds sometimes are so full that one would think they would burst through the air, and fall upon the earth, but God having set the air to be a firmament, or barrier between the waters above, and the waters below, though of itself a very liquid thing, yet it stands like a wall of brass. And truly so is it with a Christian spirit — though of himself he is as liquid as the air, you may easily pass through him, and go along with him easily; he is easy to be entreated, very gentle. But take him now in anything wherein God has bid him keep his stand in his course, and there he stands like a wall of brass — that were there never such high and great matters put upon him, ready to bear him down, he will not shrink, nor give any way at all. This is another mixture of affections which are found in Christian men, that do enjoy this life of holiness.
In the sixth place you shall have modesty mixed with much magnanimity, which is rarely found in men, endued only with moral or civil gifts, but in nature the more modest, the less magnanimous. But a Christian, the more modest he is, the more magnanimous; look at Paul, and touching the righteousness which is of the law, he is endued with many carnal privileges according to the law, but now all these are but loss, and dross, and dung, that he might win Christ; all his good parts of nature, and all his common gifts of grace, yet all of them but dross, and dung; this was the modest spirit of Paul, a man who sometimes says of himself, He was not inferior to the very chief Apostles (2 Corinthians 12:11), yet again says he, I am nothing — there is his magnanimity. When he is opposed, and vilified by the false Apostles; what has Paul forgot his modesty, now, that he knows not how to submit himself, nor to compare himself with his equals? No, but though chief of the Apostles, yet am I nothing. He looks at every thing he had as nothing; This I am, but yet I am nothing. He sometimes calls himself, the least of all the Apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9-10), and yet other times, not inferior to the very chief of them. Sometimes he calls himself, the least of all Saints (Ephesians 3:8), and yet sometimes, not inferior to the very chief Apostles; and this he had learned, he had been instructed thus to deny himself; he desired, that he might know nothing but Christ, and him crucified. See the noble spirit of this self-denial servant of God; sometimes, when the Magistrates had done him wrong, see then how he stands upon his privileges, he complains, they had beaten him, a Roman, being uncondemned (Acts 16:9), and when they heard this, they would have sent him away privately; nay, let them come and fetch him out. See now, a man of a great and magnanimous spirit, though a man as fit to put up wrongs as any man, yet when he sees the glory of God is interested in his person, and his calling, or his cause is called in question, then he knows how to stand upon his worth; and if in such a case he sustains open wrong, then he will plead the liberty of a subject; whereas at another time, he would have done more to a far lesser man than a Magistrate; He is become all things to all men, that he might save some every way; so gentle, that you may turn him about your hand any way, but else he will stand upon his worth, and not inferior to the very chief Apostles; those that are greatest and chiefest, such, who seemed to be pillars, he is not inferior to any of them, the greatest of them all; equal to the best of them, if not before them all, and yet labored more than they all (1 Corinthians 15, last verse), to show you the marvelous modesty of the spirit of grace, a work incompatible to nature, but is found only in a spirit of holiness, and there only they are combined together in the same person, at the same time, and in the same business, with the same breath he can tell you; He is not inferior to the very chief Apostles, and yet, I am nothing. Notable is that expression of David to this purpose, My eyes are not lofty, nor my heart haughty, but I have behaved myself as a weaned child (Psalm 131:1-2). Now you would think if a man were such a weaned humble creature, he could not tell how to speak, nor to take any great things in hand; but when he comes to speak to that, you shall mark the frame of his spirit (Psalm 24:7, 9). Stand open you everlasting doors, and be you lifted up you everlasting gates, that the King of glory may come in. When he looks at earthly things, yes the best of them, his heart is so weaned from them, that he knows not how to have a high thought, weaned even from a kingdom, as a child from the breast, and yet the same soul that is thus weaned, and thus mean in his own eyes, when he comes to spiritual matters, it is a wonder to see the height of his spirit; these things are too low, and too shallow for him; he knows not how to close with, nor to content himself with such poor things as these be, crowns, and scepters, and dignities, his heart was weaned from them all, all of them things too low, and too mean for him to be exercised about; now be you lifted up you gates, and he means the heart and conscience of a man, the affection of his soul, lift up these to the ways of God, he would now be of a higher strain, so that a man would wonder at this, though the matter be great and high, every way far above all earthly things, yet notwithstanding he looks at them all as matters fit for his heart to be raised up to, he looks at the favor of God, and the blood of Christ, and pardon of sin, the kingdom of glory; he looks at all these high matters as fit objects for his heart to be set upon. His eyes were not haughty, and he did not exercise himself in great matters concerning earthly things, and yet, was it not a great matter to be King of Israel? Yet is it not a greater matter to be the Son of God, than to be the son-in-law to a king? But his eyes are not haughty, he does not exercise himself in such things as these be, but yet he exercises himself in greater matters than these things are; and therefore, when Christian men are thought to be of shallow weak spirits, and know not how to carry on matters in this world, yet when they come to spiritual matters, there they can tell how to set their hearts to work about such matters, about the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, about the favor of God, and the light of God's countenance, these be great matters; when they come to have the eye of God upon them, they can look for the glory of his presence, and the fellowship of the angels; and they can discourse, and tell you of great blessings that God has laid up for them in Christ; then they can exercise their hearts in such great matters (Psalm 149:6). Let the high praises of God be in their mouths; what a strange speech is there, for a man that sometimes said, Great matters are too high for him, yet now, as it is in the original, high things, the high glorious things of God, the great things of God, the magnanimous things of God, the high praises of God, the high majesty of God, the high praises, and thanksgiving of God, let them be in their mouths; the mighty power of God, let that be in their lips, and a two-edged sword in their hands. He speaks of a word of prophecy, and instruction to the people; the word is called, the sword of the Spirit, whereby kings are bound in chains, and lords in iron bonds, and such honor have all the saints; he would have all the saints of God to invest themselves with this honor, that they might speak of such glorious excellent things, as their words might be like a two-edged sword, to cut asunder the hearts of great princes, to bring kings and great lords in chains of horror, and anguish of soul and conscience, such chains as out of which there is no redemption, but by the high words of the saints, by the high promises of God to speak peace to the souls of princes; but let the high threatenings of God be in their mouths, the high commandments of God in their mouths, and those will bind kings in chains, and lords in fetters of iron; and then let the high promises of God, the spiritual promises of grace be in their mouths, to set princes at liberty, and to teach their senators wisdom. A strange kind of combination in the Spirit of grace wrought in such hearts, they can call upon their hearts to be lifted up to the high things of God, nothing then too great for them to exercise themselves in; no mercies, nor judgments too great, no not the unsearchable counsel of God, the depths of the mysteries of God, nothing is too high for them, it will be prying, and looking into the secret counsels of God, and yet both together with most modesty, when the soul is most lifted up in the ways of God, yet at the same time he looks at himself as nothing, and yet notwithstanding so far forth as God will be pleased to reveal it to him, he will be searching into the deep things of God, and yet all this will he do with a very modest spirit.
Thus you have seen six combinations separately of the gracious affections, that are not to be found in nature, no not set upon civil objects, much less upon spiritual, but upon civil objects, they cannot be so combined together.
Seventhly, there is another combination of virtues strangely mixed in every lively holy Christian, and that is, diligence in worldly businesses, and yet deadness to the world; such a mystery as none can read, but they that know it. For a man to rise early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulness, not a sinful, but a provident care, and to avoid idleness, cannot endure to spend any idle time, takes all opportunities to be doing something, early and late, and loses no opportunity, go any way and bestir himself for profit, this will he do most diligently in his calling. And yet be a man dead-hearted to the world, the diligent hand makes rich (Proverbs 10:4), and you read of the godly woman, that she rises while it is yet night (Proverbs 31:27), and of this you read (Proverbs 15:13, 18, 19:27). Now if this be a thing which is so common in the mouth of the Holy Ghost, and you see was the practice of the greatest women, then upon the earth; the greatest princes in those times, the more gracious, the more diligent, and laborious in their callings: you see it will well stand with the life of grace, very diligent in worldly business. And yet notwithstanding, the very same souls that are most full of the world's businesses, the more diligent they be in their callings, yet the same persons are directed to be dead with Christ (Colossians 3:1-3). Set not your affections upon things below, but on things that are above, for we are dead with Christ. Meaning dead to all these earthly things, and all the comforts here below, they are not our life, but our life is hid with Christ in God; and therefore to this world are we dead. And Paul therefore so speaks of it (Galatians 6:14): The world is crucified to me, and I to the world, the very same men that are so crucified to the world, yet the spirits of those men, though their affections be in heaven, yet their labors are in the earth (Philippians 3:20). Our conversation is in heaven, but our employments are here upon the earth, diligently taking pains in our callings, ever very busy in outward employments. Observe the Ant, learn her ways, and be wise (Proverbs 6), be busy like Ants, morning and evening, early and late, and labor diligently with their hands, and with their wits, and whichever way may be the best improvement of a man's talent; it must be employed to the best advantage, and yet when a man has labored thus busily, yet his heart, and mind, and affections are above. He goes about all his business, in obedience to God's Commandment, and he intends the glory of God; and he thereby sets himself, and his household at more liberty for the service of God in their places, and so, though he labor most diligently in his calling, yet his heart is not set upon these things, he can tell what to do with his estate when he has got it. Say not therefore when you see two men laboring very diligently and busily in the world, say not, here is a couple of worldlings, for two men may do the same business, and have the same success, and yet a marvelous difference between them, the heart of the one may be dead to these things, he looks at them as they be. Indeed, but crumbs that fall from the children's table, he looks not at them as his chief good, but the bread of life, the spiritual food of his soul, that is the thing which he chiefly labors after, another man places his happiness and felicity in them, and makes them his chief good, and so there is a manifest difference between them.
So then you see seven combinations of graces that are in the life of holiness, and all of singular use in this kind.
[reconstructed: Eighthly], the last virtue is a single one, and that is love of enemies. I say to you, love your enemies (Matthew 5:44), that you may be the children of your heavenly Father. Love your enemies. This very grace whereby we do love our enemies, it has a contrary work to nature, for naturally, this we shall find to be the frame of our hearts, towards our enemies, we are cold and undisposed to do any good office to them, very hard and cold, and frozen towards them. Those who are our enemies, we take no pleasure in them, but now in such a case as this, the love of a Christian will come and warm the heart, and thaw this cold frostiness that is in our souls; whereas before a man was cold toward his enemies, his heart now begins to reflect upon him in pity and compassion; and instead of hardness, his heart now melts and is made soft within him, to see what ill measures it could have put upon its enemies. But on the contrary side, the same hatred in a man that is towards his enemies, it makes a man of a hot distemper, with boiling in heat of wrath against his enemies, he is all upon it to do him any harm, his heart is full of hot and bitter wrath; so as that love which was as heat and fire to thaw and warm, cold and hard hearts, when it comes to the fire of wrath, it is as it were cold water, and allays that heat and bitterness, and harshness, which else our hearts are subject to.
This is the nature of love, as it is the nature of water to cool hot distempers; and as it is the nature of fire, to thaw and soften hard frozen spirits, and so though it be but as one entire grace. Yet in the act it puts forth a kind of variety of work, whereby one would think it did cross itself, but it does not, but does all by the life of Christ: thus you see what the effects of the life of sanctification is in the heart of a man, after that God has begun, to root the life of justification in us, and he discerns that God has wrought a change in him, and then these several graces, though in themselves, and work one opposite to another; yet in a Christian heart they can meet and join together.
And therefore now do but lay this to heart, he that has the Son has life. Will a Christian say, how shall I know that I have that life, in having of which, I may know I have Christ? Why, do but consider with your own soul, not now of the life of your justification, but have you found that ever God did fill your heart with joy, so as your soul has said, the Lord has done great things for my soul, of which he has made me to rejoice? And have you found that when you have most rejoiced in the wonderful mercy of God, then has your heart most melted before the Lord your God? And you have been ashamed and confounded within yourself, and never open your mouth against God any more. Do you see that the more God reveals Christ to you, who was crucified for your sake, the more bitterly you moan for your wickedness? Then it is a strong evidence of life and peace in your soul; were it not the mighty power of the life of Christ in you, you could have had neither of both these graces, much less combined together to work the same thing, at one and the same time: if therefore God has helped you to look at the great mercy of God with joy, and yet with shame and bitter mourning, that ever you should dishonor such a God; certainly, God has vouchsafed you life, and such a life, as in which you shall live. You shall have many a soul that is marvelously comforted in hearing the word, rejoice exceedingly in what they hear; and go home and say such a word was good and very comfortable, and never man spoke like that man, and he never thought before that there was so much to be found in the word, as now he conceives there is. But now if this were the joy of God's elect; if it were such a joy as would not vanish away like lightning in the air, a flash of joy, it would sink down into the heart, and leave so much the more deeper impression mourning, by how much the more it has had joy: I grant, that sometimes the joy of God's own servants may soon vanish away, but it was never known that the joy of a living Christian did so soon vanish and depart away, but that when it did most abound in the heart, it did cause inward mourning, and if not weeping, yet an affection of grief and sorrow of soul; that ever we have so displeased God, the more God has been merciful to us, the more are we shamed of ourselves, and inwardly grieve for our shameless carriages.
If therefore you only find joy in hearing, that may deceive you, it is not the shortness of the continuance that argues the unsoundness of the joy, but the want of this combination that will argue the falsehood of it; if God does not yoke spiritual joy with spiritual mourning, then suspect your joy, for it does not accompany salvation to life. And in very deed, this you shall find to be true, the joy of living souls in Christ, though that oftentimes be soon gone, yet it leaves this spirit of mourning, which keeps possession for it, and that many times for a long time; and you may read your comfort in the sorrow that it has left behind, for there is as much cause of comfort in this sorrow, as in the joy when you had it; when you see your souls can mourn unfeignedly, for that you see so good a God to such a wretch; this very comfortable sorrow that is left in your heart, is an undoubted pledge that it is not a vanishing joy, the power and work of it lasts long, and will abide in the soul for ever; a man will in such a case mourn for his sin while he lives. If you have therefore found your joy mixed with sorrow it is right, else it is but a fading, hypocritical, and false joy.
Again further, how do you find your heart affected with the duties of God's worship? Do you come to duties marvelously unwillingly, that if you could avoid it you would not keep such duties in your house, and if it must needs be, you put it upon any body rather than upon yourself; you may be a living Christian, but your heart is in a dead frame at that time, and if it be always so with you, you never did truly live, but if you find your spirits, at least your hearts coming on most willingly to Christian duties, that you perform them like free-will offerings, not free, so as without warrant from God's Word, but free in respect of grace. Do but observe thus much, it may be you may come off freely before God, because he has given you spiritual gifts, and you can acquit yourselves well in the performance of them, and that makes you come the more boldly; but consider, if the more willingly you come to Christian duties, the more trembling your heart goes about them; the more the soul is prepared, the more it fears before the Lord, and the more lowly the spirit is, and awful in the sight of God, if a man can serve the Lord with joy, and trembling together, then the service you perform to God is heavenly, and spiritual, and lively, and such as in which you live, they come from a living heart, and the sacrifice is lively and acceptable, and argues you have life, and in it you have Christ the God of peace, but if a man have only fear in a duty, but no joy; or joy, but no fear; his heart is not in a good frame, we must bring a better frame of heart before God than so, before we can say that we have the life of sanctification.
Again, for another sign; how do you find yourselves in your tribulations? Are they altogether matter of burden, and weariness to your hearts? Have you no joy in them? Have you many afflictions in inward, or in outward man, and no comfort in them? It is an uncomfortable sign to you; the life of sanctification is not so shed abroad in your hearts, that you may gather you have life, but if you find that in the multitude of your thoughts within you, God's comforts delight your soul (Psalm 94:19-20). In the midst of sorrow you find some comfort, if your life in Christ makes your saddest times joyful and comfortable to you; and so in outward afflictions, though afflictions may seem to be grievous, yet wait a while, and you shall see the more weight and burden that lies upon you, and the more your afflictions for Christ has abounded, so has your consolation abounded much more (2 Corinthians 1:6).
Again, observe your carriage with men, it is good to be patient when you meet with evil doers (2 Timothy 2, last verse). Yet notwithstanding not so patiently as to bear with them in everything that is evil, to allow them in any sin; no, if God give you place and opportunity, show some kind of zeal to cleanse them from their evils, and this may well stand with your patience. Be patient in things that concern yourself, but bear not with them that are evil in their evil deeds.
Again, do but observe the frame of your spirit in the things that you suffer; are you meek and gentle, and flexible, that is a good virtue; but how are you in the things of God? Are you stiff, and immovable there (1 Corinthians 15, last verse), that though they may persuade you very far in any reasonable thing concerning man, but in things concerning God, you will not bait anything of the peace of your conscience, for any man's pleasure; are you immovable in such a case? Both these together do very well, steadfast, and yet soon persuaded; such a heart as is thus mixed, and knows how to temper and frame his spirit according to God, he is a living soul, and has life, and Christ the Prince of life.
Again, you are a modest creature, and think meanly of yourself, and are weaned from this world, it is a virtue, but how is it coupled, for God couples every grace with another grace, that they may poise one another, as Christ sent out his disciples, by two and two together; so all the graces of the Spirit join one with another, they balance one another, that he may not be too high on the one side, nor too low on the other, but that all things may be carried according to God. And therefore you are modest; it is well, but have you withal a high and a lofty spirit, that if it be heavenly matters you are to be exercised in, they cannot be too high for you. Let a man tell you of state matters, coming before princes, and tell you of nobility, you are ashamed, and know not how to set about such things as those be, but tell you of an inheritance in the kingdom of glory, and the making it sure to you in a way of God's grace. Tell you of pardon of sin, and of the Spirit of grace, and the riches of the precious promises of God, and your heart can look at these highly, then you are of a magnanimous spirit, then is your modesty in outward things well coupled, but he whose spirit is most lofty should be most humble, couple them together and they well suit one another; when they go hand in hand, righteousness and peace go together, modesty and magnanimity, humility and courage go together, they make an amiable set of grace wherever they are so coupled. If it be of things concerning yourself, you have not a heart to stand out against any man of place, but he may bow you round about; but if they wrong you so far as God's honor is interested in the thing, you can then stand upon your lawful rights, and if therein you be impeached, you can come off with this, you are not inferior to the chief apostles, and yet are nothing, nor are able to do anything.
Again, look at your worldly business, are you diligent in your calling, it is well; and you say, Cursed is he that does the work of the Lord negligently; and the work of his calling is, the work of the Lord. But how stands your heart affected in the midst of your business? Is your heart dead to the world, go not about it with a worldly heart, go not about it for profit's sake, but because God sets you about it? And you are more free to the service of God, and to do more good, this is the life of sanctification.
And lastly, if God give us hearts so abundant in love, that it both thaws our cold and stiff hearts toward our poor brethren, and also puts a watery temper to cool the wildfire of our wrath toward our enemies; it is a mighty power of the Spirit of grace to turn itself so many ways, for the right ordering and framing of a Christian in the course of his sanctification; these be comfortable signs of our life of sanctification.