[3.] God jmsses the sentence of death upon men's nearest and dearest mercies, that he may ivin them to a more complete and full dependence upon his hlessed self Man is a creature apt to hang and rest upon creature props : ' I looked on my right hand, and beheld,' saitli the psalmist, ' but there was no man that would know me : refuge failed me ; no man cared for my soul,' Ps. cxlii. 4. Well, what does he do now all props fail him ? why, now he sweetly leans upon God : ver. 5, ' I cried unto thee, 0 Lord ; I said. Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.' Cynasgeirus, an Athenian captain, used great valour in the Persian war, pursuing his enemies that were laden with the rich spoil of his country, and were ready to set sail and be gone ; he held the ship with his right hand, and when that was cut off", he held it with the left, that also being cut off, he held it with the stumps till his arms were cut off, and then he held it with his teeth till his head was cut oflF.^ It is the very temper of most men and women in the world — they will hold upon one prop, and if God cut off that, then they will catch hold on another, &c., till God cut off all
^ Herod, vi. 114 ; Suidas, s. v. Kwatyeipoi ; Just. ii. 9 ; Val. Max. iii. 2, § 22 ; comp. Sueton. Jul. 68.— G.
392 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORV.
their props, and then they will come and rest and centre in God, in whom are all their well-springs, Ps. Ixxxvii. 7.
[4.] God strips his people of their dearest mercies, tluxt he may work their hearts to a more strict and diligent search aiid examination of their own hearts and ways, that they may say with tlie church, ' Let lis search and try our ways, and turn to the Lord our God,' Lam. iii. 39, 40, 48. The Hebrew word, ti'DH, that is rendered ' search,' signifies to search as you would do to find out a disguised person that puts himself into a strange habit that he might not be discovered. When God's hand, when God's rod is upon our backs, our hands must be upon our hearts, and we must cry out. What evil have we done ! what evil have we done ! Seneca reports of one Sexius,^ who would every night ask himself three questions — (1.) What evil hast thou healed to-day ? (2.) What vice hast thou stood against this day ? (3.) In what part art thou bettered this day ? When the storm beats strong upon you, you had need to see what Jonah is asleep at the bottom of your souls, that so, he being discovered and cast overboard, your souls may be safe, for in the drowning of your sins lies the security of your soul.
[5.] He strips his people of their dearest outiuard mercies, that they may he more compassionate toimrd those that are or shall he in the same condition with themselves!^ The Jews at this day, in their very nuptial feasts and mirth, break a glass with wine in remembrance of Jerusalem, saying, when they throw it down. Thus was Jerusalem broken ; and what tliey spill in wine they fill with tears. Is it not a shame to have the same name, the same faith, the same Christ, the same profession, &c., and to desire always to tread on roses, to be em- barked in this great ship of Christianity witli so many brave spirits, and to go under hatches, to sleep like the outcasts and scorn of human nature? Saints should be like two lute strings that are tuned one to another ; no sooner one is struck but the other trembles.
[6.] God strips his p)eople of their nearest and dearest outicard mercies, that they may the more prize and the better taste spiritual and heavenly mercies.^ He takes away uncertain riclies, that they may the more prize certain riches ; he takes away natural strength, that they may the more prize spiritual strength ; he takes away the crea- ture, that they may more prize tliiiir Saviour. Spiritual and heavenly tilings are of nearest and greatest concernment to you. Spirituals will only abide with you in all changes ; spirituals can only satisfy your souls. The language of a gracious spirit is this. Ah, Lord ! as what I have if offered to thee pleaseth not thee without myself, so the good things I have from thee, thougli they may refresh me, yet they cannot satisfy me without thyself, John xiv. 8.
5. The fifth and last word of counsel that I shall give you is this, Consider seriously and frequently, that God's taking aicay en- removing of one mercy is hut his making of ivay for another, and usually far a
' Query, 'Sextus'?— 0.
- That sentence likes mo well for you, that he said of himself, I have no wit but weep- ing.
" Diopcenea taxed the folly of the men of his time, tliat they undervalued the best things but overvalued the worst. Ah tiiat this were not the sin and shame of professors in these days !
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. ' 393
better mercy .'^ He took from David a Michal, and gave him a wise Abigail ; an Absalom, and gave him a Solomon. He took away the bodily presence of Christ from his disciples, but gave them more abundantly of his spiritual presence, which was far the choicer and the sweeter mercy. God will always make that word good, ' I will not leave you comfortless,' or as the Greek hath it, John xiv. 18, 6p(pavov^ ab opcjivr], ' I will not leave you as orphans, or fatherless chil- dren ; ' no, I will come and comfort you on every side, and I will make up all your wants, and be better to you than all your mercies : ' For your brass I will give you silver, and for your iron you shall have gold,' &c., Isa. Ix. 17.
To draw to a close, let that dead man or dead woman be lamented whom hell harboureth, whom the devil devoureth, whom divine justice tormenteth ; but let those whose departed souls angels accompany, Christ embosometh, and all the court of heaven comes forth to wel- come, account immortality a mercy, and be grieved that they are so long detained from the sweet company of Christ, &c.
I desire you, and all others that shall read what is here written, to overlook the mistakes of the printer, if you meet with any, I having no time to wait upon the press to correct what may be found amiss. The perusal and acceptance of what I here present in love, I shall leave [to] your judgments, and rest yours to love and serve in our dearest Lord, Thomas Brooks.
1 John xvi. 7, 8. Hnjusmodi lucri, dulcis odor, The smell of this gain is sweet to, many.
A SAINT'S LAST DAY IS HIS BEST DAY.
Beloved, I am here at this thue to speak a word to the living, my business being not to speak anything of the dead. Be pleased, therefore, to cast your eye upon
' A good name is better than 2^yecious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.'
I shall stand upon the latter part of this verse at this time:
' And the day of death than tlie day of one's birth.'