PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks — Volume 4
Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680 · 287,548 words · 250 reading sections
Section 1
COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh. JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh. THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University, Edinburgh. D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Churc…
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Margarets New Fish-street, and still Preacher of the Word in London, and Pastor of a Congregation there. To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I sheio the salvation of God, Psalm 50. ult. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, Matth. 5. 8. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvat…
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feet there was not the least blain or blemish. His outward man was clothed with all such requisite beauties and abilities that might render him lovely and comely to every eye. In a word, man's first estate was a state of perfect happiness. All within him, and aU without him, and all about him, spoke him out to be compl…
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rather than they will be holy, Isa. xliii. 10, 12, and xliv. 8. Woe, woe to them for ever, that had rather be Satan's bond-slaves than Christ's free-men, that had rather be * vessels of wrath' than vessels of honour and that had rather be firebrands of hell than glorious saints in heaven Eph. ii. 12; Rom. ix. 22. And …
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afraid of the face of man ; for the judgment is God's : and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.' And so in Lev, xix. 15, 'Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou …
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8 Joel iii. 4 ; Gen. xix ; Num. xvi. ; Psalm ci. 8. The Persian king had one about him, whose office it was to mind him every morning of his charge, saying, ' Arise, O king, and have an eye to those affairs for which the great God hath made you king, and despatch them.' THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. H delay justice, is wor…
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3. Thirdly, As you must do justice speedily, so you must do justice sincerely. You must do justice out of love to justice, Isa. Ixi. 8. When the golden angels i appear to draAv you to pervert justice, you must say as Peter did to Simon Magus, ' Thy money perish with thee,' Acts viii. 20. Dent. xvi. 20, ' That which is …
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4. Fourthly, As you must do justice sincerely, so you must do justice deliberatehj. You must have one ear for the defendant, and another for the plaintiff, or else you will tell the world at once that you are both weak and wicked, Dent. xvii. 4; vide Deut. xix. 17-19. It argues much weakness and emptiness of spirit, to…
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set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city. And said to the judges, Take heed what you do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you ; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our…
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' Tennes, the son of Cyrnus, who was worshipped as a god, was so strict and exact in judgment, that he caused an axe to be held over the witnesses' heads, to execute them out of hand, if they were taken with falsehood ; and from thence was the proverb, Tenedia bipennis. [Rather Tennes (T-Zivvris) of Tenedos, a son of C…
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8. Eighthly, In the exercise of justice, you must look that Justice and mercy, that justice and clemency go hand in hand. Prov. xx. 28, ' Mercy 'and truth preserve the king : and his throne is upholden by mercy,' Prov. xxix. 14 ; Ps. ci. 1. Some read the words thus, ' Mercy and justice preserve the king ; and his thron…
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3. Thirdly, In all your administrations of justice, take the authority of the ivoi'd icith you. This will yield you most comfort,' most peace, most security, and most boldness, in the great day of your account. But, 4. Fourthly, Never put off your own souls with . any such pleas or arguments now, that are not pleadabl…
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crucify the Lord Jesus ; that with Judas can kiss Christ and betray Christ in a breath ; that pretend much kindness to the head, and yet shew nothing but unkindness to the body ; that preach as if they had no mind to go to heaven, and live as if they were resolved to go to hell ; that feast their own bodies, but starve…
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1 Fuller, Church History, B. ix. s. n.—G. " ' Counterpart.'— G. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 25 faithful ministers of Jesus Christ you are. 0 sirs, do not you know that the Holy Scriptures, that never spoke treason nor sedition, do clearly evidence that an ignorant, profane, scandalous, superstitious, insuffi- cient, and …
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THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 27 Prov. xxiv. 22 ; Deut. vii. 4 ; 1 Thes. v. 3. As God rained hell out of heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah on a sudden, Gen. xviii. ; and as he swept away the old world on a sudden, Mat. xxiv. 37-39 ; and as Samuel cut off Agag on a sudden, when he concluded that the bit- terness of death was pa…
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as that he thought none fit to be their ruler, their overseer, but sucli as were known men of activity? Gen. xlvii. 6, 7. Pharaoh would have none to be his cowherds but men of activity, men of skill, men that were prudent and diligent, ingenuous and industrious. Shall Pharaoh be so careful for his cows, and shall not o…
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holiness, and great encouragers of holiness, and great promoters of holiness, and great followers after holiness, and great experiencers of the sweet and powerful operations of holiness in their own souls. And oh that this might be all your honour and happiness, to be in all re- spects as famous for holiness, as any of…
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and that satisfaction, that I would not be without for all the world. Besides, I know it will turn most to my account at the great day. Oh that all of you that yet have any opportunities and advantages in your hands to preach the everlasting gospel would make this your great business, to prompte holiness, and to exalt …
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1 On Ps. iv. 2. HomiL— G. 2 Isa. Ixiii. 3; John xvii. 22; Luke iv. 24; 1 Cor. vi. 20; 1 Pet. i. 18-20; Heb. ix. 12-15. " Misspelled ' woe.'— G. 36 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14. imports. Now, though there is a great deal of art required to take birds, yet there is ten thousand times more art requi…
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1. First, There is a legal holiness. Now a legal holiness consists in an exact, perfect, and complete conformity in heart and life to the whole revealed will of God, and this was the hoHness that Adam had in his innocency; and this holiness was immediately derived from God, and was perfect. Adam knew the will of God pe…
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cannot bear the being charged with iniquity. It was little less than sin to charge Ephraim with sin ; though he was notoriously guilty of the highest crmies, yet he would have you to know that he was as shy of sin, and as clear of sin, as he that was shyest and clearest. Ephraim could give good words, when his works we…
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" Luke i. 5, 6, 'A/ie/xTTTot, they were both, saith the Vulgate, sine querela, without complaint ; their conversation was such as none could justly complain of it. It waa irreprehensible ; it could not be reprehended. 42 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14. that without visible holiness here, there can b…
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(1.) First, A separation of persons or tilings from common use: and thus, in the law those things were called holy which were sepa- rated from common use and set apart for the worship and service of God — as the oil, shew-bread, first-fruits, incense, altars, vestments; and in this sense the priests and Le^dtes were ca…
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God. He that dedicates himself to God, dedicates all ; he that doth not dedicate himself, dedicates nothing at all. What ^Eschines once said to Socrates — Others, said he, give thee gold, silver, jewels, but I give thee myself ; that must a Christian say to his God, Ah, Lord ! there are some that give thee their lips, …
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HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 47 suitable to inward habits. It is with spiritual habits as it is with natural habits ; the more they are acted an'd exercised, the more they are increased and strengthened. Holy habits are golden talents that must be employed and improved. Gracious habits are the candles of the…
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kingdom of glory hereafter. A new heart is for a new heaven, and a new heaven is for a new heart. ' Except a man be born again/ except a man be born from above ; and so Cyrill interprets that word dvcodev.^ Generation in some sense is from below, but regeneration is only from above, and without tliis there is no fruiti…
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to dulness, stupidness, blindness, darkness : Isa. xliv. 18, ' They have not known nor understood : for he hath shut their eyes that they can- not see ' (or he hath daubed up their eyes from seeing) ; ' and their hearts that they cannot understand.^ God in his righteous judgment casts a judicial cannot upon them ; he h…
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they eat with him, and drink with him, and converse with him : 1 Cor. X. 21, ' Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.' Ambrose brings in the devil boasting against Christ, and challenging Judas as his own, thus : He is not thin…
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saith that the devil in those parts did use to give money to witches which at first did appear to be good and current coin, but after a while it turned to dry leaves. Ah, sirs, all duties and ordinances to a man that wants holiness, will be found at last to be but as dry leaves, to be sapless and lifeless, and heartles…
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=* ' Various colours,' as of a rich-figured robe. Cf. Shakespere, ' Taming of Shrew, L, induction. — G. HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 57 head, but bald behind, to signify that while a man hath it before him, he may lay hold on it, but if he lets it slip away, he cannot pull it back again. There is a great tr…
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* There was no flesh so sweet as that which the eagle robbed the altar of. ' He writ a book to provoke the appetite. [Rather Apion the grammarian wrote a book upon the luxurious labours of M. Gabius Apicius. Cf. among many references Suidas, 8. n. AvLkos. — G.] HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 59 [5.] Fifthly,…
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[7.] Seventhly, The sharpest and severest course you can take, can- not separate between a fool and Ms folly. Notwithstanding all your frowns, threats, checks, knocks, &c., a fool will not leave his folly; nay, you shall sooner beat a fool to death than you shall beat him off from his folly: Prov. xxvii. 22, 'Though th…
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7. A seventh argument to prove that without real holiness there is no happiness ; that without holiness on earth no man shall ever come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven, is this. Unholy persons are to he excluded and shut out from sacred, from special com- munion and felloivship with the saints in this …
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are of the household of faith have with pagans and heathens ? Every unbeliever is a traitor ; he commits treason daily against the crown and dignity of heaven : and what loyal subjects will hold communion with traitors ? Unbelievers are the greatest robbers ; they rob God of his declarative glory, though they cannot ro…
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then shall we think of those who willingly and readily exchange old tried truths for new-minted errors? The society of such must be shunned. (5.) Fifthly, Such as cause divisions and discord among the people of God: Rom. xvi. 17, 'Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to th…
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two or three witnesses every word may be established ; and if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church : but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a pub- lican.' He that shall be refractory under private and public admoni- tion, is to be shut out from church communion…
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70 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [Heb. XII. 14. and swine to puddle it.' The same author further saith l that in the primitive times, whenever the sacrament was administered, a deacon stood up, and cried in the open assembly, ' Holy things to holy men, holy things to holy men,' thereby debarring all others that w…
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beasts as unholy souls are to live there. i Surely God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and angels, and ' the spirits of just men made perfect,' are not so in love with dogs and swine, &c., as to put them into their bosoms, or make them their companions. Heaven is a place of too great state to admit such vermin to inhabit …
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^ Exod. xxiii. 32 ; xxxiv. 12. If you would see the greatness and dangerousness of this sin, then read Ezra x. and 1 Kings xi., with Exod. xxxiv. 14-16 ; Judges iii. 6-8. When Dionysius the elder, tyrant of Syracuse, asked Aristides, a Locrian, his good- will to marry his daughter, I had rather see my daughter dead, sa…
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But, Lord, if we must depart, and depart cursed, oh let us go into some good place ! No, ' depart ye into everlasting fire.' There is the vengeance and continuance of it. 2 You shall go into fire, into everlasting fire, that will neither consume itself, nor consume you. Eternity of extremity is the hell of hell. The fi…
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III. I come now to the reasons of the point, Why is it that without holiness there is no happiness ; that without holiness on earth no man shall ever come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven ? Among other reasons that might be rendered, you may please to take these : — Reason 1. First, Because God hath sa…
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Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven, that hath not so much as a hand to lay hold on the opportunities of grace that might bring him to heaven ? Luke xiii. 33, 34. 4. Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven, that daily hardens his heart against him who is the way to heaven ? John xiv.…
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HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 81 and pure outsides.i Among the multitude that made a holy profes- sion, there were but few that walked answerable to their holy calling ; and therefore but a few that should walk with Christ in white. White in ancient times was the habit of nobles : to walk with Christ in white…
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^ Lips, de Constantia, lib. ii. cap. 25. > George Buchanan, the Scholar and Historian. — G. ' Job xxi. 14 ; 2 Pet. ii. 20-22 ; Isa. Ixvi. 3 ; Eph. iv. 19 Isa. v. 19 ; Jer. ix. 5. HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 83 shew the least favour to him. Now certainly if God will not take the wicked by the hand, he wil…
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^ Gen. ix. 22, 25, and xxi. 9, 15. The apostle interprets Ishmael's mocking to be persecution. Gal. iv. 27; 2 Kings ii. 23, 24; 2 Chron. xxx. 10, and xxxvi. 15, 21; 2 Kings xix. 20, seq. * Theod. iii. 25, and cf. Amm. Marcellinus, xxv. 3. — G. » = * Capital'.— G. * Pb. 1. 1. In cathedra pestilentice, [The Greek is iv…
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3. Thirdly, If real holiness be the only way to happiness, and that if men be not holy on earth, they shall never come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven ; then, by way of conviction, this looks sourly and sadly upon all formalists who Jmve only a form, a show, a profession of holiness, hut have nothing o…
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birth, and with the great concernments of eternity, and you will judge them to be mere heathens, to be men void of all principles of grace and holiness, and to be mere strangers to union and communion with Christ, and to the more secret and inward operations and workings of the Spirit of Christ, and to the most spiritu…
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' Callenuceus tells us of a nobleman of Naples, that was wont profanely to say that he had two souls in his body, one for God, and another for whosoever would buy it. ' Qu. ' whether ever ' ? — G. 90 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14. the second driving to Geneva; the third running on foot, begging som…
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' Who can with patience see apes in the habit of nobles ? saith Lucian. ' Hypocritis nihil est crudelius, impatientius, et vindictoB cupidius. — LiUJier. There is not a more cruel creature, more impatient and yindictive, than a hypocrite, said he that had the experience of it in his own person. 92 THE NECESSITY, EXCE…
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4. They make a man wise to deceive, and wise to delude both him- self and others. Kare accomplishments are many times turned into beautiful ornaments to adorn the devil and error withal, 5. The gifted man cares not who is most holy, so he may be most honoured ; who is highest in favour with God, so he may be highest in…
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this scripture, were both heathens, and yet they had in their famihes those that were in the Lord, those that were gracious, &c. Heathens were so ingenuous, that they would not despise that holiness in others that they wanted in themselves ; they were so noble, that they would give holiness house-room, though they knew…
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ment to you to knoio ivhetJier you liave this real holiness or no. Your souls lies upon it, eternity lies upon it, your all lies upon it, and an error here may make a man miserable for ever. It is good for thee to know the state of thy body, the state of thy family, the state of thy flock, but it is of infinite more co…
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4. Fourthly, Consider that there are very many that deceive them- selves about their spiritual estates. It is the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself, Job xv. 34, and Pro v. xxx. 12. There are those that do but think that they stand, (1 Cor. x. 12,) and these at last come to fall from their seeming …
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abstain from gross sins ? so doth the formahst too. Do saints fast and pray ? so do Pharisees too. Doth Peter shed tears ? so doth Esau too. Doth Peter repent ? so doth Judas too. Doth CorneHus give ahns ? so do the Pharisees too. Doth Zaccheus believe ? so doth Simon Magus too. Doth David confess his sin ? so doth Sau…
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knows it, shall have two heavens — a heaven of joy, comfort, peace, content, and assurance here, and a heaven of happiness and blessed- ness hereafter ; but he that hath holiness and doth not know it, shall certainly be saved, yet so as by fire ; he shall have a heaven at last, but he must pass to it by the flaming swo…
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7. Seventhly and lastly. Consider that there are many that are truly holy, that have real holiness in them, and yet for want of a nar- row search, a diligent inquiry into their spiritual estates, they come to he sorely and sadly afflicted with fears and doubts about their wants of holiness. As the treasures of this wor…
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1. First, A person of real holiness is much affected and taken tip in the admiration of the holhiess of God. Unholy persons may be some- what aiFected and taken with other of the excellencies of God ; but it is only holy souls that are affected and taken with the holiness of God : Exod. XV. 11, * Who is like unto thee,…
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in Christ did diffuse and spread itself over all Christ ; so that his person was holy, his natures were holy, his heart was holy, his language was holy, and his life was holy ; so real holiness spreads itself over head, hand, heart, lip, and life, 1 Pet. i. 15. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, Eph. v. 9 ; he…
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=> Pb. Ixxxiv. 7, and cxix. 106 ; Col. i. 10; 2 Cor. vii. 1, seq. 108 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, KARITY, [HeB. XII. 14. feet : but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those …
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5. Fifthly, Where there is real holiness, there is a holy hatred, de- testation, and indignation against all ungodliness and wickedness, and that upon holy accounts : ^ Ps. cxix. 101, ' I have refrained my feet from every evil way.' But why ? ' That I may keep thy word ; ' ver. 104, ' Through thy precepts I get underst…
1,229 wordsSource & rights
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.