PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks — Volume 6
Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680 · 323,388 words · 272 reading sections
Section 1
NICHOL'S SERIES OF STANDARD DIVINES. BY JOHN C. MILLER, D.D., LINCOLN college; honoraby canon of Worcester; vicar of Greenwich. WORKS OF THOMAS BROOKS COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. ■\V. LIXDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Trofcssor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinljiiii;Ii. JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Chur…
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he misjudges. Yet is it almost wholly from such witnesses that too many even now express their opinions on the Writings of the Puritans and Nonconformists ; and perchance it must be admitted that the anti-Puritans and High Churchmen have been too much read at second-hand and controversially. In the present instance, it…
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LONDON'S LAMENTATIONS. ' London's Lamentations,' as it is the largest, so it is perhaps the most remarkable contemporary memorial of the ' Great Fire.' It seems singular that Defoe does not appear to have known it, else his well known compilation might have been enriched by its vivid and powerful incidental notices of…
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Public persons should have public spirits ; their gifts and goodness should diffuse themselves for the good of the whole. It is a base and ignoble spirit to pity Cataline more than to pity Kome, to pity any particular sort of men more than to pity the whole. It is cruelty to the good to justify the bad ; it is wrong to…
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is to kill a fly upon a man's forehead with a beetle.^ The great God hath put his own name upon magistrates: Ps. Ixxxii. G, ' I said that ye are gods/ Yet it must be granted that you are gods in a smaller letter : mortal gods — gods that uuist die like men. All the sons of Ish arc sons of Adam. ]\Iagistrates must do ju…
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^ God is very speedy and swift in the execution of justice, Joel ill. 4 ; Gen. xix.; Num. xvi. ; Ezra vii. 20. In this as in other things it becomes magistrates to be like to God. 8 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. ' I will early destroy all the Avicked of the land ;' sum^no mane, I will do morning-justice. Fesiinanter, so Ge…
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10 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. lenity and fidelity arc a safer and a stronj^er ,e;unrd to princes and people than rich mines, munitions of rock.s, mighty armies, powerful navies, or any warlike jircparations. It is very observable tliat Clirist is called but once the ' Lion of the tribe of Judah' in the book of the Revela…
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up, and to all whose houses have escaped the furious flames. Whilst the remembrance of London's flames are kept alive in the thoughts and liearts of men, tliis treatise will be of use in tlie world. My Lord, I do not dedicate tlii.s tractate to your lordship as if it stood in need of your honour's patronage ; I judge i…
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' Yet he knew not.' Though God had burnt them up on every hand, yet they took no notice of it, they regarded it not, they were not at all affected with the fiery dispensations of God.^ Oh the dulness, the insensibleness, the sottishness of the Jews under the most awakening and amazing judgments of God ! ' And it burned…
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That Grod is the author or efficient cause of this dreadful judgment of fire that is at any time inflicted upon cities and countries, will sufficiently appear in these following scriptures : Amos iii. 6, ' Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid ? shall there be evil in the city, and the liOr…
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[4.] Fourthly, Fire is 'probatory and vefitiing, and so are the judg- ments of God ; they will try what metal men are made of ; they will try whether men are sound and sincere, or hypocritical and hollow ; whether men are real Christians or nominal Christians ; whether they are throughout Christians or almost Christian…
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(6.) Sixthly, Premise this with me : Fiy^e sometimes notes the special presence of God in a way of special love and favour to his people. In Exod. iii. 2 you read how ' the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush ; and he looked, and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not …
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meet.i Nay, beloved, the potter has not such an absohite power over his pots and clay as the Lord has over the sons of men, to make them and break them at his pleasure ; and that partly because that the clay is none of his creature, and partly because without God give him strength he has no power to make or break one v…
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* Wc arc worthy, saitli Chrysostom, of hell, if for no other cause, yet for fearing hell and the es-il of punishment more than Ciirist. — Chrys. Horn. 5, in Epist. ad Rom. "' Ingenuousness.'— G. ^ Qu. ' Peter'?- -Ed. IsA. XLTI. 24, 25.] the late fiery dispensation. 25 spreading judgments upon them : Eev. xv. 4, ' Who…
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» Isa. xxv'i. 9; Ps. xciv. 12; Prov. iii. 12, 13, and vi. 23; Job xxxvi. 8-10, and xxxiii. 19, 20; Levit. xxvi. ; Deut. xxviii.; 2 Chron. vii. 13, 14; Amos iv. 6-12; Isa. ix. 13 ; Jur. v. 3, and vi. 29, 30; Ezek. xxiii. 25-27. ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 27 Hebrews and the Greeks Loth express cha…
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swered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.' Hazael could not imagine that he should be as fierce, cruel, murderous, and merciless as a dog, that will tear all in pieces that he can come at. It could never enter into his thoughts that ever he should do such cruel, barbarous, horrid, and inhuman …
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[6.] Sixthly, God inflicts great and sore judgments upon persons, cities, and countries, that others may he ivarned by his severities to break off their sins, and to 7'eturn to the most High. God's judg- ments upon one city, should be advertisements to all other cities to look about them, and to tremble before him who …
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sinners than all others in England, who yet have not tasted of this bitter cup. But more of this when I come to the application of the point. 0 sirs! I beg upon the knee of my soul, that you will not slight this dreadful warning of God that he has given to the whole nation, in turning London into ashes. To that purpose…
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should be so weak as to think to secure themselves by creeping behind the Lord, they will but deceive themselves ; for the fire shall not only devour before him, but it shall also devour round about him. When an unquenchable fire shall be kindled above the sinner, and below the sinner, and round about the sinner, how i…
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' Holinshcd's Chronicle. - Ilolcot. in lib. Sap. [US;3, folio. — G.] ISA. XLII. 24, 25. J THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 35 The more general any judgment is, the more it should put us in mind of the general day of judgment. Now the burning of London was a general judgment, a judgment that reaches from one end of the la…
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ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 37 come and speak with him ; but when he saw that Joah would not come, he commands his corn-fiekls to be set on fire, and this awakens him, and fetches him with a witness, 2 Sam. xiv. 30. So God, by fiery afflic- tions, and by burning up our comforts round about us, awa…
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liiui to anger most bitterly,' or ' with bitternesses,' as the Hebrew has it. Kelations and friends may tell us that sin is a bitter thing, and conscience may tell us that sin is a bitter thing, and good books may tell us that sin is a bitter thing, and men under terrors and horrors of spirit may tell us that sin is a …
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^ D.in. xi. 35; Mai. iii. 1-3. God's fire is in Zion, ami his furnace in Jerusalem. ' Joscphus, p. G17. The Jews hated and feared idolatry as much as the burnt child dreads the fire. [Josephus, sub voce. — G.] ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 41 admiring the constancy of tlie people in their religion,…
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[2.] ^Secondly, God, by severe providences and by fiery trials, designs a further exercise of his children s graces. Sleepy habits bring him no glory, nor do us no good. All the honour he has, and all the 1 Lib. dc Aiichorat. - 1 John iii. 9, 11 ; Hcb. viii ; 1 Pet. i. 5 ; John .\. 28-31. ^ As a njan may take infecti…
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vidences aud fiery trials, as shall put them to a full improvenieut of that blessed stock of grace that he has intrusted them with. The fii-e that came from heaven was to be kept continually burning that it might never go out, Lev, vi. 13. God loves to see the graces of his children in continual exercise. Neglect of ou…
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3 But yet as old as Jacob was, he lived to see all those things work for his good, which he concluded were asrainst him. 46 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25, honours are not, riches are not, liahitations are not, credit is not. All these are a.i^ainst us ; but in the close we shall find that promise made g…
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^ Pliny speaks of a golden vine which never withereth, but is ahvays flourishing. Oh that this might be the mercy of all those Christians who have been burnt up ! 48 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25. and breaks them with breach upon breach ; lie strips them of all, and turns them out of house and home, as …
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Certainly those that love the Lord, that delight in the Lord, and that highly prize the Lord for those infinite perfections, beauties, glories, and excellencies that are in him, they will own him, and cleave to him, and follow after him when they have little as when they had much, yea, when they have nothing of the wor…
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IsA. XLTI. 24, 25.] the late fiery dispensation. 51. the time appointed : and there died of the people, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, seventy thousand men.' But mark the 17th verse, ' And David spake unto the Lord, when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly : but …
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many to God, to his people, to hia ways, and to his instituted worship, was cold, very cold, stark cold. Mat. xxiv. 12. God destroyed the old world by water for the heat of their lusts, and God has destroyed the city of London by fire for the coldness of their love that dwelt therein. I have read of Anastasius the empe…
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Seventlihj, To the loss of the world; for by their inordinate love of the world they highly provoke God to strip them of the world. Ah, how rich might many a man have been had he minded heaven more, and the world less ! Wlien men set their hearts so greedily upon the world, it is just with God to blast, and curse, and …
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Fourthly, Whether there are not some other men's sins upon whom in the clear evidence of Scripture Kght this heavy judgment of fire may be more clearly, safely, and fairly fixed, than upon the sins of those who had set up God as the great object of their fear? Now, in answer to this last query, give me leave to say, [1…
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' Qu. ' William'.' Sec Epistle Dedicatory and foot-note in lo^o. — O. IsA. XLII. 24, 25. J THE LATE EIEllY DISFENHATIUN. 59 find that tliere are several shis that brings the heavy judgment of fire upon cities and countries. As, First, Gross atheism, practical atheism, is a sin that brings desolat- ing and destroying…
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Now were there no such atheists within the walls of London before it was destroyed by fire ? Oh how did practical atheism abound in London ! How many within thy walls, 0 London ! did profess they knew God, but in their works did deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate ! Titus i. I…
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Augustine, speaking of atheists, saith. That albeit there be some who think, or would persuade themselves, that there is no God ; yet the most vile and desperate wretch that ever lived would not say, there was no God. Seneca hath a remarkable speech, Meniiuntur qui dicwit se non sentire Deum esse : nam etsi tihi affirm…
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2. Secondly, Luxury and intemperance bring desolating and de- stroying judgments upon 'places and persons : Joel i. 5, ' Awake, ye drunkards, and weep ; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine ; for it is cut off from your mouth ; ' ver. 19, ' 0 Lord, to thee will I cry, for the fire hath devoured th…
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last FIX 3'cars so ^j^rcat within and without tliy walls, O London ! that it is no wonder if the Lord ibr that alone has laid thy glory in the dust; yea, and that shameful spewing is upon all thy glory, Hab, ii. 16, considering what shameful spewing have been in thy streets, taverns, halls, alehouses, and other great m…
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may sec in that great instance of luxurious Dives, Luke xvi. 19-26. The intemperate man's table proves a snare to his soul ; fulness breeds forgetfuhiess, wantonness, blockishness, and stupidity; and therefore no wonder if God shuts the gates of glory against intemperate persons. Look, as no leper might be in the camp …
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1 Rather •jowling,' from jowl the jaw = pressing with the fists, without blows, e.g., from Wright — ' Did you give him a good drubbing ? No ; but I gin him a good tidy jowling.' Suffolk. — G. '^ Qu. 'country'? or 'counties' ?—G. ^ Salvianus de Gratia Dei, lib. iv. * August, de moribus Ecclesise, cap. 34. 70 London's …
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and they shall be weary.' Though Babylon was a city of great fame and state and riches, and deservedly accounted one of the world's nine wonders ; though the compass of the walls was three hundred and sixty-five furlongs, or forty-six miles, according to the number of the days in the year, and the height fifty cubits, …
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sion, or deceit, &c., God many times makes good that word, Job xviii. 15, ' Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation ; ' and that word, Micah iii. 11, 12, ' The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money. Therefore shall Zion for youj' sake …
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[7.] Seventhly, Such act counter-cross to tlie examples of the most eminent saints. To the example of Moses : Num. xvi. 15, ' I have not taken an ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.' Of Samuel, 1 Sam. xii. 3-5 ; of Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke i. 5, G ; of Paul, Acts xxiv. 16 ; yea, to the examples of all …
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judgments, thou wast hardened in thy sins, and refusedst to return. By all these divers kinds of judgments, how little did God prevail with thy magistracy, ministry, or commonalty to break oflf their sins, to repent, and to abhor themselves in dust and ashes ! Hath not God spent all his rods in vain upon tliee ? Were n…
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poor is ii greater ; but to rob and oppress the poor, because he is poor, and wants money to buy justice, is the top of all inhumanity and impiety. To oppress any one is a sin ; but to oppress the oppressed is the height of t-in. Poverty and want and mist-ry should be motives to pity ; but oppressors make them the whet…
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" Were there none within nor without thy walls, 0 London, that used his neighbour without wages, and gave him no reward for his work ? that kept back the hire of the 80 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25. the necessities of the poor, hringinj:^ them to such nnder-prices as hath undone both tlieni and their n…
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6. Sixthly, Rejecting the gospel, contemning the gos])el, and slight- mg the free and gracious offers of Christ in the gospel, hrings the fiery dispensation upon a people, and causes the Lord to lay their cities desolate : Mat. xxii. 2-7, ' The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his…
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glory and excellency of tlie gospel, that lie wonld often say to his friends, that he would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible. Rab. Chiia, in the Jerusalem Talmud, saith, that in his account all the world is not of equal value with one word out of the law. Israel had three crowns, as the Talmud observes,…
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of the gospel'? Luke i. 5, 6. When old Barzillai had lost his taste and hearing, he cared not for David's feasts and music, 2 Sam. xix. 35. There were many within and without the walls of London that had lost their spiritual taste and h(^ring, and so cared not for gospel ministrations, for gospel ordinances. There were…
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But before I close up this particular, give me leave to say, that this sin of slighting, scorning, and contemning of the gospel, I dare not charge upon those that truly fear the Lord, and that have found the gospel to be a gospel of power upon their own souls, turning them from darkness to light, and from the power of …
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very accoimt, tha,t they have lived under the warm sunshine of the gospel, Rev. xiv. 1-4, and xix. 1-8. And therefore I shall not charge this vile sin of slighting, scorning, and contemning the gospel upon them who, above all other men, were most exercised in a serious and hearty blessing and praising of God for his gl…
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ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 91 lied, and thus the okl prophet lied, who, contrary to the command of God, persuaded the man of God to go back and eat bread with him under the pretence of a divine revelation, Exod. i. 15-20 ; Josh. ii. 1-9 ; 1 Kings xiii. 14-27. And thus Jacob told his father an off…
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[1.] First, That lying is a very great sin. It is a transgression not of one, but of many of the royal laws of heaven: Lev. xix. 11, 'Ye shall not lie one to another ;' Zech. viii. 16, ' Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour ;' Eph. iv. 25, ' Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbou…
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[2.] Secondly, Consider this, That pernicious',, lies and liars are very destructive to all human societies, Idngdoms, and commo7i- wealfhs. Lying destroys all society, all commerce and converse among the sons of men. Man, as the philosopher observeth, is ^vou iroXiTiKov, a sociable creature. Speech is the means whereb…
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broil lying lips and a deceitful tongue, pleasing himself and others in the execution of hi« wnith upon a lying tongue : Prov. xix 5, ' A false witness sliall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.' Though men sometimes by lying may escape the displeasure of men, yet they sliall never by lying e…
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[3.] Thirdly, A lie draws its pedigree from the devil, and such as make a trade of lying, such are certainly Satan's children, 1 Kings xxii. 22 ; Acts v. 3-10 ; John viii. 44, 'Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do : he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, be…
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[8.] Eighthly and lastly. Liars are reckoned amongst the basest and the luorst of sinners that you read of in all the book of God : Lev, xix. 11, 'Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.' Prov. vi. 16-19, ' These six things doth the Lord hate ; yea, seven are an abomination to him : a prou…
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[3.] The third thing observable in the words is, the severity of tlieir punishment : ' Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire,' We commonly say that fire and water have no mercy, and we have frequently experi- enced the truth of that saying. When God would give the world a proof of his greatest severity against notori…
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[2.] Secondly, Because men's giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are such high and horrid sins against the light and laiu of nature, that God commonly preserves his chosen from them. He shall be an Apollo to me that can produce any one instance in the Old or New Testament of any one pe…
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Fifthly, These expressions of giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, implies the delight, pleasure, content, and satisfaction that they took in those cdjojuinable practices : Bom. i. 32, ' They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations.' ' They had pleasure…
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more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.'^ Now this is observable, that as they had profaned the Sabbath, so Nebuzar-adan set their temple on fire, and their noblemen's houses on fire, and all the considerable men's houses in Jerusalem on fire on their Sabbath- day. I know Jeremiah saith it was on the tenth day…
1,255 wordsSource & rights
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.