Growth in grace – Thomas Brooks

Commonly the Christian’s spiritual growth in grace, is carried on by such divine methods, and in such ways as might seem to deaden grace, and weaken it rather than any ways to augment and increase it.

We know that winter is as necessary to bring on harvest, as the spring; and so fiery trials are as necessary to bring on the harvest of grace, as the spring of mercy is. Though fiery trials are grievous; yet they shall make the saints more gracious. God usually, by sharp sufferings, turns His people’s . . . sparks of grace into a mighty flame; their mites into millions; their drops into seas.

All the devils in hell, and all the sinners on earth, cannot hinder the Lord from carrying on the growth of grace in His people’s souls. When men and devils have done their worst, God will, by all sorts of providences, and all sorts of changes make His people more and more holy, and more and more humble, and more and more meek and lowly, and more and more heavenly, wise, faithful, fruitful, sincere, courageous, etc.