PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks — Volume 2
Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680 · 342,041 words · 288 reading sections
Section 181
The Canaanite woman shewed much love, wisdom, zeal, humility, and faith, yea, such strength of faith as makes Christ admire her, and yield to her, grace her, and gratify her, and yet she had no assurance that we read of, Mat. xv. 22, 29. So Paul, speaking of the believing Ephesians, saith, ' In whom ye also trusted, af…
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(2.) Again, a man may have grace, and yet want assurance, and that may arise in the second place from the exceeding littleness and weakness of his grace} A little candle yields but a little light, and a little grace yields but a little evidence.^ Great measures of grace carries with them great and clear evidences, but …
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340 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34. unlike to those in grace, that they desire to be like unto in glory ; and that they are so far below such and such in spirituals, whom they are so far above in temporals.* (5.) Fifthly, A man may have true grace and yet want assurance, and this may arise from that smoke and clo…
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Mr Frogmoiton was as holy and as choice a preacher as most was in England in those days, and he lived seven and thirty years without assurance, and then died, having assurance but an hour before he died. He went to die at Mr Dod's, who is now with the Lord, and did die there in full assurance of the justification of hi…
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* Thomas Hooker, afterwards of New England. He died 1647. — G. 344 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34. Abraham, * Say thou art my sister ; for otherwise they will kill me,' Gen. xii. 13, and xx. 2. Ah ! how was the freshness, the greenness, the beauty and glory of his assurance wore off, that he should, out of slavis…
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* ,1 Peter i. 8. So my young Lord Harrington [Funeral Sermon by Stock, 1614. — G.], and Nazianzen, and Vincentius, and Faninus an Italian martyr, with many more that might be named. [Vincentius, Clarke, as before, pp. 34, 86 ; Faninus, ibid. — G.] 346 HEAVEN ON EAKTH, [ROM. VIII. 32-34. overcometh will I give to eat …
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' The dignity which Adam lost ; nay, I think in this parable God sets forth his good- ness and our happiness in restoring to us more by the death of the second Adam, than we lost by the sin of the first Adam. ' An awakened conscience is like Prometheus's vulture, it lies ever gnawing. * Titus's motto was, Frinceps bo…
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[2.] The second caution. A man may at first conversion have such a clear glorious manifestation of God's love to him, and of his interest in God, and his right to glory, that he may not have the like all his days after.^ The fatted calf is not every day slain, the robe of kings is not every day put on, every day must n…
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(1.) Tlie first reason. That they Tnay not faint nor falter in his ser- vice, but go through it resolutely and bravely, in the face of all diffi- culties and oppositions} When God put Joshua upon that hard service of leading and governing his people Israel, he assures him of his love and of his presence : ' Fear not, b…
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world say? Exod. xxxii. 12, Num. xiv. 12-16. Would tbey not say that he is a hard master, and that his ways are not equal ? Would they not say, Verily they are liars that say he is glorious in power, and won- derful in counsel, and infinite in mercy, and admirable in goodness, and rich in grace, and unsearchable in his…
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Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on earth. 355 When John was banished into the isle of Patraos, ' for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,' Rev. i. 9, 10, then he is filled with the Spirit, and hath the choicest manifestations, and the most glorious reve- lations that ever he had all his days.' Now God makes him one o…
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of the saints in suffering times. Paul's choice carriage in his bonds was the confirmation of many. 'And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear,' Philip, i. 14 : vide Estius. And as the sufferings of the saints do contribute to the confirmation …
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» Dan. iii. 28-30, Dan. vi. 25-27. ' Isa. xlviii. 11 ; Gen. xxxi.x. 20; Dan. vi. 10; Zpch. iv. 7. ^ If ijf Kx) v/*ns, cLKoufckuru. . . . Vide Beza and Calvin. Rom. VIII. 32-34).] heaven on earth. 359 may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.' * The God of hope,' saith the apostle, ' shall fill you wi…
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' Ps. Ixiii. 3, 4. Also by the Holy Ghost is meant the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, ver. 45, 46, Acts xi. 15. Therefore, says the apostle, do not leave the substance for a shadow, the sun for a candle, and solid meat for milk ; which none would do, except they were bewitched. ' By the Holy Ghost in this text can…
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(2.) The second reason. God lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in ordinances, that he may keep them close to ordinances and constant in ordinances. The soul shall hear good news from heaven when it is waiting at wisdom's door, Prov. viii. 31, 35. God will acquaint the soul with spiritual mysteries, a…
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earnest, and vehement desires ; here you have desire upon desire ; here you have the very flower and vigour of his spirit, the strength and sinews of his soul, the prime and top of his inflamed affections, all strongly working after a fuller enjoyment of God. Look, as the espoused maid longs for the marriage day, the a…
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' 'The longer mercy is a-coming, the greater, the sweeter, and the belter usually it is when it comes. Many a child hath got a Benjamin's portion, a Hannah's portion, a S66 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34. never changed nor neglected his work. Though God should change thy wages, thy comforts into discomforts, thy …
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' Qui non est criidanus, non est Chrittianus, saith Luther. The proverb is. Smart makes wit, and vexation gives understanding. I bless God I know several precious souls of whom this world is not worthy, that have found more of God in nfflictions than in any other gracious dispensation. Manasseh got more by his iron cha…
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blessings. Ah ! how often, Christians ! hath God kissed you at the be- ginning of prayer, and spoke peace to you in the midst of prayer, and filled you witli joy and assurance, upon the close of prayer ! That ninth of Daniel, from the seventeenth to the four and twentieth verse, is full to the point in hand ; I shall o…
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Rom. VIII. 32-34i.] heaven on eaeth. 371 choice a mercy, thou art not able to bear so great a favour. Many heads are not able to bear strong waters. Why, the very quintessence of all the strong consolations of God are wrung out into this golden cup of assurance ; and can you drink of this cup, and not stammer norstagg…
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VIII. Ei{/hthly, Sometimes beforethe soulis deeply engaged in sore con- flicts with Satan, the Lord is graciously pleased to visit hisjjeople with his loving-kindness, and to give them scnne sv;eet assurance, that thovgh they are tempted, yet they shall not he worsted; though they are tried, yet tliey shall he crowned,…
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these shut the windows of the soul, that.no light can come in to cheer it. Despairing thoughts make a man fight against God with his own weapons ; they make a man cast all the cordials of the Spirit against the wall, as things of no value ; they make a man suck poison out of the sweetest promises ; they make a man emin…
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* O despairing souls, are you good at burning, that you have no mercy on yourselves, buttto argue to your own undoing '? * Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae, — Augustine. The patrons of man's free will are enemies to God's free grace. 376 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34. this gift is given by a hand of …
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* God will have all blessings and happiness to flow from free grace : (1.) that the worst of sinners may have strong grounds for hope and comfort ; (2.) for the prai.se of his own glory; (3.) that vain man may not boast; (4.) that our mercies and blessings may be sure to us. » ^f.^igii,a, Tov etfltf, the gracious gift…
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Again, tell me, O despairing souls, do you not do infinite wrong to the precious blood of the Lord Jesus? Three things are called precious in the Scripture : the blood of Christ is called 'precious blood,' I Peter i. 19 ; and faith is called 'precious faith,' 2 Peter i. 1 ; and the pro- mises are called 'precious promi…
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3 \^\, G'lrask signifies to expulse and cast out, as Adam was ezpulsed out of paradise, Gen. iii. 24. It signifiea an ignominious expulsion. Rom. VIII. 32--34.] heaven on earth. 381 I am expulsed out of God's sight/ as Moses was expulsed out of Egypt. God hath cast me out as one in whom he can take no pleasure nor de…
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* Eorum qua scire nee datur, rue fat est, doeta est iffnorarUia; scientiae appctentia insanice tpedes. — Augustine. Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on eakth. 383 no way to assurance, like this. Adam disputes with Satan, and falls, and loses paradise ; Job believes, and resists Satan, and stands, and conquers upon the dungh…
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* vruoaltri, from «ri/»(w to pierce through, &c., S«*(^a|sTi, to prove and try, as goldsmiths try tlieir metal by the fire and the touchstone. God brings not a pair of scales to weigh our grace, but a touchstone to try our graces. If our gold be true, though it be never so little, it will pass current with him. He will…
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Constantino would have all differences and disputes in the Nicene Council endBd by the Bible.'^ 0 doubting souls, look cheerfully to this, that all differences and controversies that arise in your hearts be ended by the word. There is danger in looking beside the Scripture, or beyond the Scripture, or short of the Scri…
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Well ! doubting souls, remember this, God will give assurance in one ordinance, when he will deny it in another, that you may seek his face in all. God loves as well that you should wait on him as that you should wrestle with him. He that will not give God the honour of attending him in every duty, in every ordinance, …
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The creature is all shadow, and vanity of vanities. Vanity is the very quintessence of the creature, and all that can possibly be ex- tracted out of it. It is Jilia noctis, like Jonah's gourd. A man may sil under its shadow for a while, but it soon decays and dies. ' Why shouldst thou set thy heart upon that which is n…
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The first irnotive to provoke you to put out all your strength and might against bosom sins, that you are so apt to play withal, is seriously to consider, that this ivill be a strong and choice demonstration and evidence of the sincerity and uprightness of your hearts: Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was also upright with him,^ and…
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If, notwithstanding all that hath been said, you are still resolved to dally with sin, then you must resolve to live as a stranger to God, and as a stranger to assurance and peace ; you must expect sad trials with- out, and sore troubles within ; you must expect to find Satan playing his part both as a lion and as a se…
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bo.som sin, then engage all thy 'power and might against thy bosom sin, draw up thy spiritual forces, and engage them wholly against the sin that doth so easily beset thee. As the king of Syria said to his captains, * Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel,' 2 Chron. xviii. 30 ; so say I,…
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provoke you to get a well-grounded assurance, is, solemnly to consider, That many are now dropped into hell that have formerly presumed of their going to heaven : as those that came bouncing at heaven- gate, crying out, ' Lord, Lord, open to us, for we have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, …
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' Anastasius his motto was, Mellitum venenum blanda oratio, smooth talk often proves sweet poison. Many in these days have found it so. [Cf. references, ante. — G,] 400 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34. 2. From a burden of fears. 3. From a burden of doubts. Now the burden of cares, ah Christians ! causes thee to …
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* It is said of Marcellus, the Roman general, that he could not be quiet, Nee victor, nee victus, neither conquered, nor conqueror. Satan's envy is such against the joy and coraSort of the saints, that lie cannot rest, nor cease from making use of all his wiles, whereby poor souls may be kept off from assurance, and th…
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* Confessions, b. viii. et alibi — G. * Scripture and histories abound with instances of this kind, aa all know that know anything of the one or of the other. * The laborious, the active Christian, is tempted but by one devil ; but the idle, sloth- ful Christian, is tempted by all, saith one. It is very sad, when wor…
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(9.) The ninth motive to provoke you to get assurance is this, Tou cannot gratify Satan more, nor injure yourselves more, than by living without assurance. By living without assurance, you lay yourselves open to all Satan's snares and temptations ; yea, you do instigate and provoke Satan to tempt you to the worst of si…
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The loadstone cannot draw the iron when the diamond is in pre- sence ; no more cannot the vanities of this world draw the soul after them, when assurance, that choice pearl of price, is in presence. I have read of Lazarus, that after he was raised from the grave, he was never seen to smile. The assurance that he had o…
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Luther, under the power of assurance, lets fall this transcendent i-ap- ture of a daring faith, Fiat mea voluntas, let my will be done ; and then falls off sweetly, Mea voluntas, Domine, quia tua, my will. Lord, because thy will. It is the want of assurance that makes the counte- nance sad, the hands hang down, the kne…
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(9.) The ninth advantage. Assurance will make a man very angelical.' It will make him full of motion, full of action ; it will make him imitate the angels, those princes of glory, that are always busy and active to advance the glory of Christ. They are still a-singing the song of the Lamb ; they are still pitching thei…
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Ah ! but assurance will make a man love as God loves, and love as long as God loves. The assured Christian will not- cease to love so long as the least buds and blossoms of grace appear. Lazarus in his rags is as lovely to an assured Christian as Solomon in his robes. Job is as delightful to him upon the dunghill as Da…
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gives, not to loiterers, but to holy labourers. Though no man merits assurance by his obedience, yet God usually crowns obedience with assurance. John xiv. 21-23, ' He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him. and manif…
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* This phrase is tropically to be understood. The Greek cannot be fully expressed in our tongue, t« -jfyiZfjia,, to clytey, Tou ^laD,, i. e. the Spirit, the holy of that God. To shew the transcendent excellency and glory of the Holy Spirit. Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on eakth. 417 comfort and assurance that flows not …
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' Bilney was much comforted in a great conflict by that promise, 1 Tim. i. 15 ; and Ursine by that in John x. 29 ; another by that in Isa. Ivii. 15 ; another by that in Isa. xxxi. 3 ; Mr Wheatley with that in Heb. x. 87, &c. [See Index, sub nominibus, for other references to these worthies. — G.] * Mark xvi. 16; John …
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> Ps. Ixiii. 1-4, xxvii. 4 ; Philip, iii. 7-10. * "linK'S from IPIK', which signifies 1o seek in the morning, when it is but dim and dusky, scarce twilight; for of darkness it hath its name, and it notes both an earnest aud an early seeking. * Seo Glossary, tub voce. — G. Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on earth. '421 suf…
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* Mat. vi. and xxiii. Also it is Chrysostom's observation, that she that paints tears and blubberings, is worse than a wanton woman that paints to seem fair. Horn. vi. in Mat. 3 Koli peecare ; Deus videt, angeli attant, take heed what thou doest, God beholds thee, angels observe thee, saith one. Rom. VIII, 32-34.] he…
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* James ii. 7. The very heathen, as Salvian observes, did thus reproach Christians that walked contrary to their principles. Where is that good law which they do believe ? They read and hear the holy Scriptures, and yet are drunk and unclean ; they follow Christ, and yet disobey Christ ; they profess a holy law, and ye…
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It was Augustine's complaint of old, vix deligitur Jesus propter Jesum, that scarce any love Christ but for his rewards. Few follow him for love, but for loaves, John vi. 26 ; few follow him for his in^ ward excellencies, many follow him for their outward advantages ; few follow him that they may be made good by him, b…
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(3.) Whether it be not your greatest desire and endeavour that sin may be cured rather than covered ? (4.) Whether you are not taken with Christ as chief? whether you do not, in vour judgments and affections, lift up Christ above all, as God the Father doth? (5.) Whether your greatest and hottest conflicts and combat…
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Be diligent and constant, be studious and conscientious in observing the frame and temper of your own hearts, and when you find them most plain, most melting, most yielding, most tender and humble, most sweetly raised, and most divinely composed, then, oh then, is the time to single out the most convenient place where …
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(5.) Fifthly, Love is another of those singular things that accom- panies salvation. 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but unto them also that love hia appearing.'^ James ii. 5, ' Hearken, my …
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hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' Divine light reaches the heart as well as the head.* The beams of divine light shining in upon the soul through the glorious face of Christ are very working ; they warm the heart, they affect the heart, they new-mould the he…
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"a Acts ix. 3, &c. Divine light lays upon a man felix necessitas, a happy necessity of obeying God, &c. 436 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34 up a great pot of gold, brought it to him, Tamberlairi asked whether it had his father's stamp upon it ; but when he saw it had the Roman stamp, and not his father's, he would…
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A man that hath that experimental knowledge that accompanies salvation, will from his experience tell you, that sin is the greatest evil in the world, for he hath found it so, Rom. vii. ; that Christ is the one thing necessary, for he hath found him so, Ps. xxvii. 4 ; that the favour of God is better than life, for he …
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Christ to be a heaven unto me. Oh, but now all that notional know- ledge, that speculative knowledge, that leaves a man on this side sal- vation, never affects the heart ; it never draws it, it never endears the heart to Christ, or to the precious things of Christ. Hence it is that such men, under all their notions, un…
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' Many Turks and heathens will rise in judgment against those professors that act not as Zaccheus did. Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on earth. 441 little and low in his own eyes, as you may see in the most knowing apostle : Eph. iii. 8, ' Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I shou…
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'' Many in these days are like the Chinese, who use to say, that they only did see with two eyes, all others but with one. [Chinese is spelled Chineses. — G.] * Socrates in Plato tliroughout. — G. * This is the pith and power of heavenly knowledge, to appropriate Christ to a man's self. •> Those that have a blemish i…
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[2.] The second attendant. A second thing that attends and ac- companies that knowledge that accompanies salvation, is holy endear- vours to edify others, to instruct others, to enlighten and inform others in the knowledge of splHtual and heavenly things. Heavenly light cannot be hid under a bushel. You may as easily h…
1,258 wordsSource & rights
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.