PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks — Volume 3
Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680 · 327,831 words · 286 reading sections
Section 61
The precious favours God confers upon his, make them temptation- proof ; they make believers trample upon the most amiable baits. ' How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God,' says Joseph. Joseph's sense of Potiphar's favours heaped upon him, strengthened him against the impudent solicitations of his want…
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ought to be thankful for them ; how much more then for pecuhar gifts, for right-handed favours ? Tell me, are not the gifts that Christ hath given thee rare gifts? What hadst thou been if Christ had not made • a difference between thee and others, by those glorious gifts that he hath conferred upon thee? Thou lookest u…
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120 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8. not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?' What ! says the apostle, hath he given us his Son, his only Son, his bosom Son, his beloved Son, the Son of his joy, the Son of his delights ? Oh how can he then but cast in …
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they forsook that God that had conferred upon them many rich and royal favours. But oh ! then, what madness and folly is it in you, that you should forsake that God that hath done such mighty things for your souls I I may say, to keep you close to God, as Saul said to his servants, to keep them close to him, 1 Sara. xx…
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fore is very willing to shew mercy to the greatest rebels, to the worst of sinners. Witness Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, the thief, Paul, and others.' The greatness of man's sins do but set off the riches of free grace. Sins are debts, and God can as easily blot out a debt of many thousands as he can a lesser debt ; there…
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Pacuuius hath an elegant sa3'ing; 'I hate,' saith he, 'the men that are idle in deed, and philosophical in word.' God loves, saith Luther, curristas, not quceristas, the runner, not the questioner.^ Grace grows by exercise and decays by disuse. Though both arms grow, yet that which a man most useth is the stronger and …
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sins, but believing in Christ.^ It is sad to consider how few professors in these days have attained the right way of mortifying of sin. They usually go out against their sins in the strength of their own purposes, prayers, and resolutions, &c., and scarce look so high as a crucified Christ ; they mind not the exercise…
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'^ Divitice corporales paupertatis plenoe sunt, earthly riches are full of poverty, saith Austin. \_Confessions, b. i, xii. IQ. — G.] 3 iTKoTovvToiK Whiles we look upon eternal things as a man looks upon the mark tiiat he aims to hit. 130 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8. afflictions with the people of God, than to enj…
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* yvfivairia. -r^ig oxiyov is not to be taken in a sense wherein little signifies nothing at f.U, but as when it is set in comparison and opposition to some greater matter, as here in opposition to -r^o; tolvto., for all things. Let the patient take such or such a potion that in itself is good, yet, if it want such or …
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1 It is reported in the life of Luther, that ^\'hen he prayed, it was Tanta reverentia ut si Deo, et tanta fiducia ut si amico, Ac. 2 So did the publican ; he prayed much, though he spake little, oratio Irevis peneirat ccelum ; the hottest springs send forth their waters by ebullitions. Augustine cries out against the…
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1 would, till I come to heaven ; but this I can say in much uprightness, that ' Thy law is in my heart, and I delight to do thy will, O Father.' And so Paul, ' With my mind I serve the law of God, though with my flesh the law of sin,' Rom. vii. 25. And we have many promises concerning divine assistance, and if we did …
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(1.) By a free and frequent acknoidedgment that all your graces fiowfroTii tlie Lord Jesus, the fountain of grace: John i. 16, ' Of his ful- ness we all receive grace for grace.' James i. 17, ' Every good and perfect gift comes do^\Ti from above,' &c. Thou must say, 0 Christian, I have no- thing but what I have receive…
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[2.] The second end to which you must improve your gifts and graces, is to the good of otliers : Ps. Ixvi. 16, ' Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul ;' Ps. xxxiv. 8, ' Oh taste and see that the Lord is good : blessed is the man that trust- eth in him ;' Isa. ii. 3 ; Act…
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But the main use that I shall make of this point, shall be to exhort and stir you all up, to make a blessed improvement of your graces. And indeed it is a point of most singular use to us all our days, a truth that is every day of very great concernment to our souls. Now there are seven considerations that I shall pr…
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'■* IJypocrilis nihil est crudelins, impatientius et vindicta cttpidius, there is not a mora cruel creature, more impatient and vindictive, than an hypocrite, saith Luther, who had the experience of it; therefore trust not to the Machiavels of the times. EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 143 trumpet, to make to sound a…
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Henry the Second of France, being present at the martyrdom of a certain tailor burnt by him for religion, was so temfied by beholding the wisdom, courage, faith, and constancy of the said martyr, that he ' They shall shine as so many suns in heaven, who arc much in stirring and provoking of others to the exercise of g…
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The more high and improved a man's graces be, the more that man will do for God ; and the more any man doth for God. the more at last shall he receive from God : 1 Cor. xv. 58, ' Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour …
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[2.] /Secondly, They that have highly improved their graces, ivill comply with those commands of God that cross nature, that are con- trary to nature. And doubtless that man hath improved his graces to a very high rate, whose heart complies with those commands of God that are cross and contrary to nature ; as for a man…
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[7.] Seventhly, Such as have made a considerable improvement of their gifts and graces, have hearts as large as their heads; whereas most men's heads have outgrown their hearts, &c. [8.] Eighthly, Such are always most busied about the highest things, viz., God, Christ, heaven, &c., Philip, iii.; ^ Tim. iv. 8; 2 Cor. i…
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You look upon those as very rich that keep open house for all comers and goers ; why, such a one is the Lord Jesus Christ ; he keeps open house for all comers and goers, for all created creatures both in heaven and earth. Ps. civ. 24', ' The earth is full of thy riches, so is the great and wide sea, where are things cr…
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Thus you see that the Lord is generally rich, rich in houses, in lands, in gold, in silver, in cattle, &c., in all temporals as well as in spirituals ; but where will you find a man that is generally rich either in spirituals or temporals ? It is true, you may find one Christian rich in one grace, and another Christian…
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Christ, ' for the meat that perishetb, but for that which endiireth to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you : for him hath God the Father sealed.' God the Father hath sealed Christ ;^ he hath designed Christ, he hath set Christ apart for this very work, that he might give grace unto us. God hath o…
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The Spanish ambassador coniiiig to see the treasury of St Mark, in Venice, which is cried up throughout the world, fell a-groping whether it had any bottom, and being asked why, answered, ' In this among other things^ my gTcat master's treasure differs from yours, in that his hath no bottom, as I find yours to have,' a…
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* The philosophers seeing to the very bottom of earthly riches, contemned them, and preferred a contemplative life above them. Omnia viea mecuvi porto, said Bias, one of the seven wise men of Greece, &c. ^ It is reported of one Myrogenes, when great gifts were sent him, he sent them back, saying, I only desire this on…
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' Oh tlie joys, the joys, the unconceivable joys ! ciied out Mistress Katliarine BretterRe, who had attained to a great measure of ^race, &c. [As before: see Index, suh nomine. — G.] 2 JSierna erit exullatio, quce bono Ivetatur teterrio, &o. 162 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8. sures of grace, as in a crystal glass, th…
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' In ' Lives' of Fabius Maximus and T. Qninctius Flaminins. — G. * Ego si bonam Jamam servasso, sat dives ergo, if I may but keep a good name, I havo wealth enough, said Plautus. ^ A good name yields a fragrant smell over town and country ; it puts a shining lustre 164 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8. Erostratus set t…
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But pray, tell me, what will carry a Christian out to this principle ? ^Will a little grace carry a man out to pursue after grace, for the beauty, holiness, excellency, and spirituality that is in it ? Alas ! we see by daily experience that it will not do it. All other considerations put together, are little enough to …
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former governors that bad been before me, were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver ; yea, even their servants did bear rule over the people : but so did not I, because of the fear of God. Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any …
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Many a valiant person dares fight in a battle or a duel, who yet will ' Many of the English have in this been like the Israelites, &c. EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 1G9 be timorous and fearful if suddenly surprised in a midnight alarm. Many precious souls, when they have time to consider of the evil of sin, the hol…
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There are no such blessings in the world to parishes, cities, and nations, as those souls are, that are rich in grace. Oh they are great blessings to all places where they come ; they are persons that are fit for the highest and no])lest employments. There is not the highest work that is too high for a man that is rich…
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As it is the glory of the stock, when the grafts grow and thrive in it, even so it is the glory of Christ when those that are ingrafted into him thrive and grow. This declares to all the world that Christ keeps a good house, and that he doth not feed his children with trash, but with the choicest delicates ; that he is…
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Some preachers affect rhetorical strains ; they seek abstrusities, and love to hover and soar aloft in dark and cloudy expressions, and so shoot their arrows over their hearers' heads, instead of bettering their hearers' hearts. Gay things in a sermon are only for men to gaze upon and admire. What are high strains and …
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than relations, more than life, yea, more than all ? And why, then, do you not labour to enrich your souls ? Thou wert better have a rich soul under a thread-bare coat, than a thread-bare soul under a silk or golden coat. If he be a monster among men, that makes liberal pro- vision for his servant, his slave, and starv…
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heart is full, it overfloweth in speech. We know metals by their tink- ling, and men by their talking. Happy was that tongue in the primi- tive time, that could sound out Aliquid Davidicura, anything of David's doing ; but much more happy is he that speaks out Aliquid Chnsti, anything of Christ from experience. [7.] S…
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once at Rome were richer in wisdom and knowledge than the saints at Thessalonica, Rom. xv. 14 ; and the saints at Thessalonica were richer in faith, love, patience, and charity than the saints at Rome, 1 Thes. i. 4, ii. 8, compared with 2 Epistle i. 3, 4. It is with saints as with sinners, one sinner excels in one vice…
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Again, are not you liable to several changes in this world ? As, to be rich and poor, exalted and abased ; now to relieve, and anon to be relieved ; now well, and anon sick ; now strong, and anon weak ; now in storms, and anon in calms ; now tempted, and anon delivered ; now in one condition, and anon in another condit…
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touch eth, it turneth into gold, that is, into our good. If our faith touches the promises, it turns them into our good ; whatsoever faith lays its hand upon, it appropriates to itself, and turns it into the soul's good. If faith looks upon God, it saith, ' This God is my God for ever and ever, and he shall be my guide…
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2 True faith puts forth itself into vital operations. Ferdinand of Arragon believed the story told him by Columbus, and therefore he furnished him with ships, and got the West Indies by his faith in the undertaking. But Henry the 7th of England believed him not, and therefore trusted him not with shipping, and so lost …
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Polybius, speaking of Horatius his keeping of the field against his enemies' forces, saith, ' That his enemies were more afraid of his faith than of his warlike strength.' And truly there is nothing that renders men more dreadful to an understanding enemy than their faith. Oh ! it is brave for men to believe down the p…
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You know at court there are some that have the honour to attend always at the prince's elbow, and there are others that appertain to the same prince, but are more remote in their employments for him, &c. So in the soul, there are some graces that are more remote, and not so conversant about the person of Christ, as now…
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When taxes and burdens are laid upon poor men, they sio-h, and shrug, and complain that they are not able to bear them, when rich men make nothing of them. So souls that are rich in grace can bear burdens without a burden ; they can bear crosses, afflictions, and per- secutions, with abundance of ease, cheerfulness, an…
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Christ is generally rich ; he is able to make up all your losses and wants : Philip, iv. 19, ' But my God shall supply all your need, accord- ing to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ,' as he did the widow's vessel. The fountain hath not the less water for the vessel it fills, nor the sun the less light for that it gi…
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should look so low as poor we ; that one so great, that one who is the Lord and heir of all, should match with us that have nothing at all. • O the breadth, the length, the depth, the height ' of Christ's love to unlovely souls ! to such that had neither portion nor propor- tion ; that had neither external nor internal…
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of men, Ps. xlv. 1, 2 ; Cant. v. 10, 'My beloved is white and ruddy; the chiefest,' or, the standard-bearer, ' among ten thousand.' You prize others for their strength; why, the Lord Jesus Christ hath in him ever- lasting strength : Isa. xxvi. 4, ' Trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting stre…
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' Interpreters differ about the pawn or pledge whicli the npostle committed to Ood'a custiidy. One saith it waa his soul ; a second saitli it was himself, which is all one ; a third saith it was his works ; a fourth sjiith it was liis siitrcrinps ; a tilth sailh it was Lis balvutioii. Without doubt, it was all that was…
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The more the soul i.s conformable to Christ, the more confident it will be of its interest in Christ : 1 John iv. 17, ' Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.' ' As he, so are we.' The child is not more like the father than we are li…
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' Sliumma, oue of David's worthies, stood aud dcfoudcd the fluid when all tlie rest fled. EpH. hi. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 203 cernraent to your souls. Nothing can make that man miserable that hath this rich Christ ; nothing can make that man happy that wants this rich Christ. In Pro v. iv. 5-7, ' Get wisdom (that is C…
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Rev. iii. 20, ' Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open to me, I will come in to him, and will .sup mth him, and he with me.' Pray tell me at whose door was this that Christ stood and knocked ? Was it not at the Laodiceans" door ? Was it not at their door that thought their penny as …
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Christ to pardon yon, and grace in Christ to heal you, and goodness in Christ to relieve you, and happiness in Christ to crown you, and what would you have more ? Oh that you would believe ! [9.] Ninthly, Let this principle be rooted in you, That the surest ivay, and the shortest cut to mercy, and to get an interest i…
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Some would have antichrist down, yea, they would have him down root and branch, but there is no such way for his total and final over- throw as the preaching of Christ; for the more the glory, fulness, perfec- tion, and excellency of Christ is discovered, the more the horrid vileness and matchless wickedness of the man…
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But what are those rules that every ])reacher is to observe in his preaching of Christ to the 'people ? I answer. These eleven : [1.] First, Jesus Christ must be preached j9?am?7/, perspicuously, so as the meanest capacity may understand vjhat they say concerning Christ. They must preach Christ for edification, and n…
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The maid in Plutarch being to be sold in the market, when a chap- man asked her, ' Wilt thou be faithful if I buy thee ?' ' Ay,' said she, etiamsi non emeris, ' that I will though you do not buy me.' So minis- ters must be faithful, though God should not buy them, though he should not thus and thus encourage them in th…
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* Basil, Luther, Latimer, Dering, and multitudes of others, have been very zealous and courageous in their ministry, &c. ^ They that write the story of the travels of the apostles report that Simon Zolotoa EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 215 Themistocles being about to speak to the general of the Greek's army, agains…
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* John the abbot professeth that he had never taught others anything which he had not first practised himself. * The souls of priests, I may say of ministers, must bo purer than the sunbeams, saith Chrysostom. Jewel, Bucer, and Bradford, were famous examples for holiness. EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 217 the visa…
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' And if Galen could say tliat in anatomising a man's brain, physicians must carry themselves as men do in the temple, how much more must miuisters du so iu dividing the word of life ! EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 219 ments threatened, miseries promised, and Christ freely and fully offered, they would apply all to…
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There is nothing that makes a man indeed so able to preach Christ to the people, as the getting a Christ within him ; and it is very ob- servable, that the great rabbles and doctors that want a Christ within, they do but bungle in the work of the Lord, in the preaching of a crucified Jesus ; and were it not for the hel…
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Fifthly, Human doctrines are so far from enriching the soul, that they usually impoverish the soul. They weaken the soul ; they expose the soul to the greatest wants and to the greatest weaknesses ; they play the harlot with the soul; they impoverish it, and bring it to 'a morsel of bread.' Who so poor in spiritual exp…
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[4.] Fourthly, The honourable account that the Lord hath of them in this employment, speaks out this truth, that their office is lionourable. In Mat. X. 41, 42, compared, ' He that receiveth you, receiveth me ; he ' 0 anima Dei insignita imagine, desponsata fide, donata Spiritu, &c., 0 divine soul, invested witli the …
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[1.] First, Honourable countenance is due unto them that are in so honourable a place and office as they are in: 1 Cor. iv. 1, 'Let a man so account of us as of the ministers^ of Christ, and stewards of the mj'^steries of God ;' 1 Thes. v. 12, 13, 'And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and …
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Again, you may consider tlie necessity of it. How shall they go on in their warfare if they be troubled with the things of this life ? Again, they are to give themselves ivholly to the work of the ministry, 1 Tim. iv. 5. And again, the equity and justice of the duty Christ and the apostle shews in the forenamed scriptu…
1,265 wordsSource & rights
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.