02.01. A Cabinet of Choice Jewels
A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, or, A Box of Precious Ointment By Thomas Brooks, 1669
CHOICE EXCERPTS
Blessed are the poor in spirit
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"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is—the broken and humble in heart, who has no high thoughts or conceits of himself—but is lowly in his own eyes, like a young child.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is—he who has no lofty or puffed up spirit. The poor in spirit are those who are lowly, being truly conscious of their own unworthiness. None are poor in spirit—but the humble.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is—blessed are those whose spirits are brought into such a humble gracious frame, as willingly, quietly, and contentedly to lie down in a poor lowcondition—when it is the pleasure of the Lord to bring them into such a condition.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is—blessed are those who are truly and sincerely sensible of their spiritual needs, poverty, and misery. They see an utter inability and insufficiency in themselves, and in all other creatures —to deliver them out of their sinful and miserable estate.
They see nothing in themselves upon which they dare venture their everlasting estates—and therefore fly to the free, rich, sovereign, and glorious grace of God in Christ, as to their sure and only sanctuary!
They see their need of God’s free grace to pardon them.
They see their need of Christ’s righteousness to clothe them.
They see their need of the Spirit of Christ to purge, change, and sanctify them.
They see their need of more heavenly wisdom to counsel them.
They see their need of more . . . of the power of God—to suppot them,
of the goodness of God—to supply them,
of the mercy of God—to comfort them,
of the presence of God—to refresh them,
of the patience of God—to bear with them, etc.
They see their need of greater measures of faith —to conquer their fears.
They see their need of greater measures of wisdom—to walk holily, harmlessly, blamelessly, and exemplary in the midst of temptations, snares, and dangers.
They see their need of greater measures of patience —to bear their burdens without fretting or fainting.
They see their need of greater measures of zeal and courage—to bear up bravely against all sorts
of opposition, both from within and from without.
They see their need of greater measures of love —to cleave to the Lamb, and to follow the Lamb
wherever He goes.
They see their need of living in a continual dependence upon God and Christ—for fresh influences, incomes, and supplies of grace, of comfort, of strength—by which they may be enabled . . .to live for God, to walk with God, to glorify God, to bring forth fruit to God, to withstand all temptations which tend to lead the heart away from God.
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"The multitude of His mercies." Psa 106:45
It is God’s free mercy which every day keeps hell and my soul asunder.
It is God’s free mercy which daily pardons my sins.
It is God’s free mercy which supplies all my inward and outward needs.
It is God’s free mercy which preserves, and feeds, and clothes my outward man.
It is God’s free mercy which renews, strengthens, and prospers my inward man.
It is God’s free mercy which has kept me many times from committing such and such sins.
It is God’s free mercy which has kept me many a time from falling before such and such temptations.
It is God’s free mercy which has many a time preserved me from being swallowed up by
such and such inward and outward afflictions.
"Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord." Psa 119:156
"I will sing of the tender mercies of the Lord forever!" Psa 89:1
"That sin might become utterly sinful." Rom 7:13
Paul, to set forth the formidable evil that is in sin, expresses it thus. He could find nothing more evil and odious to express sin by—than itself. Sin is so great an evil, that it cannot have a worse epithet given it. Paul can call it no worse than by its own name—sinful sin. Had he said that sin was a snare, a serpent, a viper, a toad, a plague, a devil, a hell, etc.—he would have said much—but yet not enough to set forth the transcendent evil which is in sin. Therefore he calls it sinful sin.
All other evils are but outward, they only reach the name, the body, the estate, the life—but sin is an inward evil, a spiritual evil, an evil that reaches the precious and immortal soul—and therefore is the greatest evil.
Death puts an end to all other troubles; namely, poverty, sickness, disgrace, scorn, contempt, afflictions, losses, etc. But sin is so great an evil, that death itself cannot put an end to it! Eternity itself shall never put a stop, an end—to this evil of evils!
All other evils can never make a man the object of God’s wrath and hatred. A man may be poor—and yet precious in the eyes of God; he may be greatly abhorred by the world —and yet highly honored by God; he may be debased by men—and yet exalted by God. But sin is so great an evil, that it subjects the sinner’s soul to the wrath and hatred of God!
All other evils do but strike at a man’s present well-being —but sin strikes at a man’s eternal well-being! All other evils can never hinder a man’s communion with God. A man may have communion with God in poverty, in sickness, in prison, in banishment. But sin is so great an evil, that it interrupts communion with God, it cuts off communion with God.
All outward evils are God’s creatures: "Is there any evil in the city—which the Lord has not done?" But sin is
All other evils do not fight against the greatest good—but sin is that grand evil that fights against the greatest good. Sin fights against the being of God, the essence of God, the glory of God. Sin is a killing of God—it is a murdering of God.
Sin is a universal evil, it is all evil, it is nothing but evil; there is not one drop, one spark of good to be found in any sin. In all outward evils there is some good; there is some good in poverty, in sickness, in war, in death—but there is not the least good in sin.
Sin is the sole object of God’s hatred!
He hates nothing but sin!
He is angry with nothing but sin!
He has forbid nothing but sin!
He has revealed his wrath against nothing but sin! So great an evil is sin!
Sin is that grand evil which has midwifed all other evils into the world. It was sin which drowned the old world with water. It was sin which destroyed Sodom with fire and brimstone. It was sin which laid Jerusalem in heaps. It was sin which has midwifed sword, famine, and pestilence into the world. It was sin which laid the foundation of hell—for before sin there was no hell.
It was sin which crucified the Lord of glory!
Now, oh how great must that evil be—which has ushered in all these great evils into the world!
Sin is enmity against God. God has no enemy in the world but sin, and those whom sin has made enemies. Sin has set all the world against the Lord of glory. It is sin which has turned men into incarnate devils, and which has drawn them out to fight against God, and Christ, and their own souls, and their everlasting peace.
A Christian looks upon sin as the greatest evil in the world, and his heart rises and is enraged against it, because of the vile, filthy, odious, and heinous nature of it!
"Cleanse me from my hidden faults." Psa 19:12
"I hate vain thoughts." Psa 119:113
A gracious soul conflicts most with heart-sins, and is most affected with spiritual sins, and laments and mourns most over secret sins—invisible sins—sins which lie most hidden and remote from the eyes of the world. He is most affected and afflicted by inward pollutions and defilements.
Grace will rise and conflict against the most inward and secret vanities of the soul, such as—secret self-love; secret hardness of heart; secret unbelief; secret carnal confidence; secret hypocrisy; secret envy; secret malice; secret vain-glory; secret fretting and murmuring; secret lustings; secret runnings-out of the soul after worldly vanities; and secret pride.
True grace makes opposition as well against the being of sin in a man’s nature—as against the breakings out of sin in a man’s life!
True grace will make war against the corruptions of the heart—as well as against the excursions of the feet!
True grace is as willing and desirous to be rid of a polluted heart—as it is willing and desirous to be rid of a polluted hand.
True grace would gladly have, not only sinful acts—but also sinful dispositions; and not only irregular actions—but also inordinate affections—mortified and subdued.
O friends! heart sins are root sins! Certainly a proud heart has more of Satan in it than a proud look! And a lustful heart is more vile than a lustful eye! Therefore true grace makes war against heart sins, against spiritual sins, against the most inward secret sins—against those very sins which do not lie within the reach of the piercing eye of the most knowing or observing man in the world—but are only obvious to an Omniscient eye!
Spiritual convictions can reach to the most inward, secret, spiritual, and undiscernible sins. Certainly that is a sincere heart, a heart more worth than gold—which smites a man: for inward sins—as well as for outward sins; for sins done in secret—as well as for sins done in public; for spiritual sins—as well as for fleshly sins; for sins against the soul—as well as for sins against the body.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psa 139:23-24
A true Christian will endeavor to obey God in relative duties. He will not only hear, and pray, and read, and meditate, and fast, and mourn—but he will labor to be godly in domestic relationships.
Remember this forever—everyone is that in reality, which he is at home. Many make a great profession, and have great abilities and gifts, and can discourse well on any pious subject—whose homes are not little heavens, but little hells. Some are very much like angels in public, saints in the church, and
Domestic graces and duties do better demonstrate true piety and godliness, than public or general duties do. For pride, vain-glory, self-ends, and a hundred other outward carnal considerations, may put a man upon the general duties of religion. But it argues both truth and strength of grace, to be diligent and conscientious in the discharge of domestic duties.
Sinners’ hearts are so
"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin." John 16:8
The first work of the Spirit upon the soul, is to make a man . . .look upon sin as an enemy, to deal with sin as an enemy, to hate sin as an enemy, to loathe sin as an enemy, to fear sin as an enemy, and to arm against sin as an enemy.
Of all the vile things in the world, sin is the most defiling thing; it makes us red with guilt and black with filth.
Inward corruptions grieve the gracious soul.
"Oh," says the gracious soul, "that I were but rid of . . .this proud heart, this hard heart, this unbelieving heart, this unclean heart, this froward heart, this earthly heart of mine!"
The Christian has a universal willingness to be rid of all sin. The enmity which grace works in the heart, is against all sin: profitable sins, pleasurable sins, disparaging sins, disgracing sins, small sins, great sins.
A gracious heart had much rather, if it were put to his choice, live without all sin—than to have allowance to wallow in any sin. He had rather live without the least sin—than to have liberty to live in the most flesh-pleasing sin. It is certain that sin is more afflictive to a gracious soul, than all the losses, crosses, troubles, and trials that he meets with in the world.
True grace would not have one Canaanite left in the holy land; he would have every Egyptian drowned in the red sea of Christ’s blood!
"I hate every false way." Psa 139:24
Saving grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts, as a slave is willing to leave his chains, or a prisoner his dungeon, or a beggar his rags.
A sincere heart had much rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings; yes, of the least sins than of the greatest sufferings.
Hypocrites are all for the outside; they wash the platters and the cups, and beautify the tombs—like an adulteress whose care is to paint a fair face upon a foul heart.
But a sincere Christian, though he has a great concern for the well-ordering of his outward life—yet his main business and work is about his heart—
"Oh that this ignorant heart were but more enlightened!
Oh that this proud heart were but more humble!
Oh that this profane heart were but more holy!
Oh that this earthly heart were but more heavenly!
Oh that this unbelieving heart were but more believing!
Oh that this passionate heart were but more meek!
Oh that this carnal heart were but more spiritual!
Oh that this vain heart were but more serious!
Oh that this dull heart were but more quickened!
Oh that this dead heart were but more enlivened!
Oh that this lukewarm heart were but more zealousfor God, and Christ, and the gospel, and the greatconcerns of eternity!"
"They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced—and shall mourn." Zec 12:10
All godly sorrow is the fruit and effect of evangelical faith.Godly sorrow flows from faith—as the stream from the fountain, the branch from the root, and the effect from the cause. All gracious mourning flows from looking, from believing. Nothing breaks the heart of a sinner like a look of faith.
The free love and favor of God, and His unspeakable goodness and mercy manifested in Jesus Christ to poor sinners—is the very spring and fountain of all evangelical sorrow. Nothing breaks the heart of a poor sinner like the sight of God’s free love in Christ, the Redeemer. A man cannot seriously look upon the firstness, the freeness, the greatness, the unchangeableness, the everlastingness, and the matchlessness of God’s free favor and love in Christ—with a hard heart, or with dry eyes! It is only such a love as this, which sets the soul a-mourning and a-lamenting over a crucified Christ.
The fears of wrath, of hell, and of condemnation—works unsound hearts to mourn. But it is the sight of a bleeding, dying Savior— which sets sincere, gracious souls a-mourning.
"Covetousness, which is idolatry." Col 3:5
Judas’ life was as fair and as free from spots and blots as the lives of any of the apostles; no scandalous sin was to be found upon him. But
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1Ti 6:9-10
"Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish; but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!" Mat 23:25
A hypocrite’s outside never corresponds with his inside.
A hypocrite’s outside is one thing—and his inside another.
A hypocrite’s outside is religious—but his inside is wicked.
Hypocrites are like the Egyptian temples, which were beautiful outside—but within there was nothing to be found but serpents and crocodiles, and other venomous creatures. They are like white silver—but they draw black lines. They have a seeming sanctified outside—but are stuffed within with malice, pride, worldliness, envy, etc. They are like window cushions, made up of velvet and richly embroidered—but stuffed within with hay.
A hypocrite . . .
may offer sacrifice with Cain,
and fast with Jezebel,
and humble himself with Ahab,
and lament with the tears of Esau,
and kiss Christ with Judas,
and follow Christ with Demas,
and be baptized with Simon Magus;
and yet for all this, his inside is as bad as any of theirs!
A hypocrite is . . .
a Jacob on the outside—and an Esau within;
a David on the outside—and a Saul within;
a John on the outside—and a Judas within;
a saint on the outside—and a Satan within;
But let all such hypocrites know, that pretend sanctity is double iniquity—and accordingly at last they shall be dealt with. "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" Mat 23:33
The more a man apprehends of the love of God, and of the love of Christ—the more that person will grieve and mourn that he has offended, provoked, and grieved such a Father, and such a Son. The more clear and certain evidences a man has of the love and favor of God to his soul, the more that
man will grieve and mourn for sinning against such a God.
There is nothing which thaws and melts the heart, which softens and breaks the heart—like the warm beams of divine love—as you may see in the case of Mary Magdalene. She loved much, and she wept much—for much was forgiven her. A sight of the free grace and love of Christ towards her, in an act of forgiveness,
"Then she knelt behind Him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them." Luk 7:38
No hypocrite is totally divorced from the love and liking of every known sin. There is still some secret lust, which as a sweet morsel he rolls under his tongue, and will not spit it out. Every hypocrite lives under the dominion and reign of one base lust or another—and will do what he can to save the life of his sin—though it be with the loss of his soul. A hypocrite always reserves one nest-egg or another in his heart or life, for Satan to sit and brood on.
O sirs! Satan can hold a man fast enough by one sin, as the fowler can hold the bird fast enough by one claw. Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will as certainly damn a man as many sins; just as one disease, one ulcerous part, may as certainly kill a man as many.
If the leper in the law had the spot of leprosy in any one part of his body, he was accounted a leper; although all the rest of his body was sound and whole, Lev 14:1-57. Just so, he who has the spot of the leprosy of sin allowed in any one part of his soul, he is a spiritual leper in the eye of God; he is unclean, though in other parts he may not be unclean.
If a swine does but wallow in one miry or dirty hole—it is filthy; and certainly, that soul which does but wallow in any one sin—he is filthy in the eye of God.
O sirs! remember that . . .as one hole in a ship will sink it, and as one stab at the heart will kill a man, and as one glass of poison will poison a man, and as one act of treason will make a man a traitor, so one sin lived in and allowed, will damn a man forever!
One millstone will sink a man to the bottom of the sea as well as a hundred. Just so, one sin lived in and indulged, will sink a man to the bottom of hell as well as a hundred.
It was the saying of a precious saint—that he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins; for his duties often made him proud—but his sins always made him humble.
It was good counsel Luther gave, "We must take heed not only of our sins—but of our good works."
Duties can never have too much diligence used about them—nor too little confidence placed in them. They are good helps—but bad saviors. It is necessary we do them —but it is dangerous to rely upon them. If the devil cannot dissuade us from performing pious duties—then his next work will be to persuade us to rely upon them, to make saviors of them; because this will as certainly ruin our
souls, as if we had wholly neglected them.
Resting in your own righteousness, will as certainly and eternally undo you—as the greatest and foulest atrocities!
Open wickedness slays her thousands—but a secret resting upon duties, slays her ten thousands!
Open profaneness is the broad dirty way which leads to hell; but trusting in pious duties is as sure a way, though
Now, let all these things work you to renounce your own righteousness—and to take sanctuary alone in the pure, perfect, and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ, and in the free grace of God.
"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." Pro 27:1
Who can sum up the many possible deaths which are still lurking in his own body; or the innumerable hosts of external dangers which beleaguer him on every side; or the invisible arrows which fly about his ears continually! How soon he may have his mortal wound given him by one or another of them—who can tell? Now, how sad would it be for a man to have a summons to appear before God in that eternal world, before his heart and life are savingly changed!
The life of a man is but a shadow, a runner, a span, a vapor, a flower, etc. Though there is but one way to come into the world—yet there are many thousand ways to be sent out of the world!
We carry about in our bodies, the material for a thousand deaths, and may die a thousand different ways in several hours. As many senses, as many members, nay, as many pores as there are in the body—so many windows there are, for death to enter in at!
Death needs not spend all his arrows upon us.
I am sure that the worst of deaths, shall but translate true believers . . .from earth—to heaven, from a wilderness—to a paradise, from misery—to glory, and from mixed and mutable enjoyments—to the pure and everlasting enjoyments of God!
freely loved, Deu 7:6-8;
freely chosen, John 15:16-19, Eph 1:4;
freely accepted, Eph 1:6;
freely adopted, Eph 1:5, Gal 4:5-6;
freely reconciled, 2Co 5:18-20;
freely justified, Rom 3:24;
freely saved, Eph 2:5, Eph 2:8.
All the golden rounds in Jacob’s ladder—which reaches from heaven to earth—are all made up of free grace.
Free grace is the foundation of all spiritual and eternal mercies. Free grace is the solid bottom and foundation of all a Christian’s comfort in this world. Were we to measure the love of God to us by . . .our fruitfulness, our holiness, our humbleness, our spiritualness, our heavenly-mindedness, or our gracious behavior towards Him —how would our hope, our confidence every moment be staggered—if not vanquished!
But all is of grace, of free grace. O sirs! it is free grace . . .which will strengthen you in all your duties, which will sweeten all your mercies, which will support you under all your changes, which will arm you against all temptations.
"His mouth is most sweet, and He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend." Song of Solomon 5:16
That is, His mouth is sweetnesses, and He is altogether desirablenesses, or He is wholly desirable. Alas! says the spouse, I lack words to express how sweet, how lovely, how adorable, how desirable, how eminent, and how excellent Christ is in my eye—and to my soul! All that is perfect in heaven or earth, is but a dim shadow of His excellency and glory. Where Christ is—there is heaven. Heaven itself, in the spouse’s eyes, without Christ, would be but a poor little thing. The spouse looks upon Christ as
"His mouth is most sweet, and He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend." Song of Solomon 5:16
"What do you have—that you have not received?" 1Co 4:7
What grace do you have—that you have not received? All the light, and all the life, and all the love, and all the joy, and all the fear, and all the faith, and all the hope, and all the patience, and all the humility, etc., that you have—are all grace gifts—they are all from God. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights." Jas 1:17
A man should never look upon his graces—but should be ready to say, "These are the jewels of glory with which God has bespangled my soul!"
Look! as all light flows from the sun, and all water from the sea—so all temporal, spiritual, and eternal good flows from God. All your graces, and the greatest excellencies which are in you, do as much depend upon God, as the light does upon the sun, or as the rivers do upon the sea, or as the branches do upon the root, John 15:1-5.
All the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul, and all the springs of grace that I have to quicken me,they are all from God.
Dear hearts, when you look upon the stream, remember the fountain; when you look upon the flower, remember the root; and whenever you look upon your graces, then be sure to remember Christ the fountain of grace. When one of your eyes is fixed upon your graces—let the other be always fixed upon Christ the fountain of grace. "Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness." John 1:16
Grace is strengthened, maintained, nourished, and upheld in your souls—in life and power, in beauty and glory—by the spiritual, powerful, and glorious operations of Christ!
Christians, your graces are holy and heavenly plants of Christ’s own planting and watering! It is Christ alone who can cause your graces to blossom, and your souls to be like a watered garden—green and flourishing! Therefore let the eye of your souls be firstly, mostly, and chiefly
fixed upon Christ.
"Through your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way." Psa 119:104
There is in every penitent a sincere hatred of sin, a universal hatred of sin.
True hatred is universal—it is to the whole kind. He who hates sin because it is sin, hates every sin, and therefore he cannot but turn from it, and labor to be the death and ruin of it.
He looks upon every sin as having a hand in apprehending, betraying, binding, scourging, condemning and murdering his Lord and Master Jesus Christ; and this works him not only to refrain from sin—but to forsake it, and not only to forsake it—but also to abhor it, and to loathe it more than hell itself! The penitent soul will do all he can to be the death of every sin that has a hand in the death of his Lord and Master.
"He who covers his sins shall not prosper; but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy." Pro 28:13
The true penitent would have God to forgive him, not only some of his sins—but all his sins; and therefore it is but just and equal that he should turn from all his sins. The plaster must be as broad as the sore. It argues
Of all fools, there is none compared to him who is importunate with God to forgive those sins which he is resolved beforehand to commit! What prince, in his wits, will pardon the treasons of a person who is resolved to continue a traitor? Or what judge will forgive thievery of a person who is decidedly determined to continue as a thief? Such as continue in the practice of those very sins, which they beg God to pardon—shall certainly go without their pardon!
Pardon of sin is for that man, and that man is for pardon of sin—who is as truly willing to forsake his sins as he is to receive the pardon of his sins. Who would not look upon that man as a madman—who would earnestly beg his pardon, and yet continue to steal purses, and murder people before the eyes of the judge?
The pardoned soul is the repenting soul—and the repenting soul is the pardoned soul! He who begs pardon of sin—yet is resolved not to turn from sin—shall find no more pardon than devils or damned spirits do! Look! as one sin unforgiven will as certainly undo a man as a thousand—just so, one sin unforsaken will us certainly undo and damn a man as a thousand! The true penitent is as willing to turn from all his sins—as he is willing that God should pardon all his sins!
The principle of regeneration, and seed of grace, which God lays into the soul of every penitent person at first conversion —is a universal principle, a principle which spreads itself over all the faculties of the soul. In regeneration there is infused the habits or principles of all grace, which like a
Look! as heaven is contrary to all of hell, and as light is contrary to all darkness, and heat to all cold—just so, that divine, that noble, that universal principle of grace, which God at first conversion infuses into the penitent’s soul, is contrary to all sin; and therefore the penitent turns from all sin.
To turn from some sins—but not from all, is gross hypocrisy.
One sin stripped the fallen angels of all their glory! One sin stripped our first parents of all their dignity and excellency! One fly in the box of precious ointment spoils the whole box. One thief may rob a man of all his treasure. One disease may deprive a man of all his health. One strong wind may blow down and blow away all a man’s comforts. Just so—one sin delighted and wallowed in, will make a man miserable forever!
One sin wallowed in, will as certainly deprive a man of the blessed vision of God, and of all the treasures, pleasures, and delights which are at God’s right hand—as a thousand sins! What can be the outcome of this, but ruin and damnation?
It was a sore vexation to king Lysimachus, that he lost his earthly kingdom for one draught of water. O sirs! it will be an everlasting vexation to such, who for one lust shall at last lose not an earthly kingdom—but a heavenly kingdom!
"Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush!" Jer 6:15
Most sinners in these days have brows of brass, and
"The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. "Psa 6:8
Sometimes a penitent man’s eyes will in some way tell what his tongue can in no way utter. Many times the penitent is better at weeping, than he is at speaking.
Tears are a kind of silent prayers, which though they say nothing—yet they obtain pardon; they prevail for mercy, as you may see in that great and clear instance of Peter. He said nothing, he confessed nothing that we read of—but "went out and wept bitterly"—and obtained mercy.
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God’s eye is mainly upon the heart. The heart is the fountain, the root, the store-house, the great wheel which sets all a-going; so therefore, above all keepings, keep your hearts.
The highest and hardest work of a Christian lies with his heart. To reform the heart, to keep the heart in a gracious frame, is one of the best and hardest works in the world. Oh what guards and double guards! Oh what watches and double watches, should men put upon their hearts! A man is to keep his eye, and keep his mouth, and keep his feet—but above all keeping, he is to keep his heart. A gracious heart is Christ’s fort-royal. Now, against this fort Satan will employ the utmost of his strength, art, and craft. And therefore how highly does it concern every Christian to keep a strong guard, a constant guard about his heart!
Men should keep their hearts, as they keep a rich treasure of money or jewels. Now, to preserve a rich treasure, what locks, what bolts, what bars, what chains are made use of! Our hearts are jewels more worth than all the kingdoms, crowns, and scepters of this world. There are few men who know how to value their own hearts as they should. What are mountains of gold, and rocks of pearl—compared to the heart, the soul of man! All our spiritual riches are in our hearts. Oh then, what a guard, what a watch should a man continually keep upon his heart!
It is one of the greatest and clearest evidences of grace, for a man to make it his greatest business, work, and concern—to keep his heart always . . .in a gracious frame, in a wakeful frame, in a watchful frame, in a tender frame, in a believing frame, in a repenting frame, in a humble frame, in a patient frame, in a serious frame, in a heavenly frame, in a jealous frame. "O Lord, my memory is weak, and my utterance is bad, and my understanding is dark, and my gifts are low, and my affections are flat, and my temptations are strong, and my corruptions are prevalent. But You, who are the great heart-searcher, You know that I would sincerely have my heart in a better temper. I had rather have my heart brought into a gracious frame, and kept in a gracious frame, than to have all the riches of the Indies, than to be an emperor, yes, than to be king over all the earth."
What bosom sin is there so sweet or profitable that is worth a-burning in hell for, or worth a-shutting out of heaven for? Surely none! This a gracious soul seriously weighs, and accordingly he sets himself against the toad in his bosom—against his darling sins, against his complexion sins.
But now, unsound hearts are very favorable to bosom sins, to complexion sins. They say of them, as Lot of Zoar, "Is it not a little one?" Gen 19:20; and as David once said concerning Absalom, 2Sa 18:5, "Deal gently with the young man."
An unsound heart is as fond of his bosom sins, of his darling sins—as Jacob was of his Benjamin;
or as Naaman was of his idol Rimmon; or as Judas was of his money-bag; or as Herod was of his Herodias; or as Demetrius was of his Diana.
The besotted sinner is most engaged to his bosom sins, his darling sins; and therefore it is as bitter a thing as death for him to part with them. He had rather part with thousands of rams, and with ten thousand rivers of oil; than with his bosom sin. Let God frown or smile, stroke or strike, lift up or cast down, promise or threaten—yet he will hide and hold fast his bosom sin! Let God set life and death, heaven and hell, glory and misery before him—yet he will not part with his bosom sins! Let God wound his conscience, blow upon his estate, leave a blot upon his name, crack his credit, afflict his body, write death upon his relations, and be a terror to his soul—yet will he not let his darling sins go! An unsound heart will rather let God go, and Christ go, and heaven go, and all go—than
he will let his darling lusts go!
But now a sound Christian, a thorough Christian, he sets himself most against the Delilah in his bosom, against the Benjamin, the son, the sin of his right hand. A sincere Christian looks upon bosom sins, upon complexion sins, as the most God-provoking sins. There are no sins so provoking to God’s jealousies and justice as bosom sins! He looks upon bosom sins as the most dangerous sins! He looks upon bosom sins as the worst thing in all the world! He looks upon bosom sins as
He fights most against these; he weeps most over these; he watches and arms most against these; he prays most against these; he resolves most against these; he lays the axe of repentance most to these.
"In that day, a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship,
In the day when God shall exalt Himself in the souls of His people, and before the eyes of His people, they shall express such disdain and indignation against their idols, that they would not take only those made of trees and stones—but even their most precious and costly idols, those which were made of silver and gold—and cast them
them into such blind holes, and into such dark, filthy, nasty, and dusty corners, as moles make underground, and as bats roost in.
So when Christ, and grace, and holiness comes to be set up in men’s hearts and lives, then all their darling sins, their bosom lusts—which are their idols of silver and their idols of gold—these are with a holy indignation cast
"Thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted." Rom 6:17
Certainly, gospel-obedience is a grace of much worth, and of great force upon the whole man; for when it is once wrought in the heart, it works a conformity to all God’s holy will.
That obedience which springs from saving faith is a transforming obedience.
Those who are not savingly changed, are still in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity.
If he could have his choice, he would be as holy as God is holy; and as perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect; he would do the will of God on earth, as the angels do it now in heaven, namely—freely, readily, cheerfully, delightfully, universally, reverentially, and unweariedly, etc.
If he could have his choice, he would exercise every grace, and perform every duty, with all his might.
He sees so much excellency and beauty in God and Christ, that he cannot be at rest until he is swallowed up in the enjoyment of them. He sees so much excellency in grace, that nothing but perfection of grace will satisfy him. He makes perfection not only his utmost end—but he also labors after perfection with his utmost strength and endeavors.
"Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." Psa 51:2
If the Lord should say to a gracious Christian, "
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Gal 5:22-23
He who hungers and thirsts after the righteousness of sanctification, out of a deep serious sense of his own unrighteousness; he who hungers and thirsts after the righteousness of sanctification, as earnestly as hungry men do for food, or as thirsty men do for drink, or as the hunted deer does after the water brooks—he is the blessed soul, and shall at last be filled.
A sincere willingness to part with every sin, and to mortify every sin—is a sure sign of saving grace. When a man is sincerely willing to leave every sin, and to indulge himself in none, no, not even his darling sin—it is a most certain sign of his integrity and saving faith.
"I am upright before God; I have kept myself from sin." Psa 18:23
"I am upright before God." Oh! but
Doubtless there is as much of the power of God required, and as much strength of grace required, and as much of the presence and assistance of the Spirit required—to work a man off from his bosom sins, from his darling sins, from his beloved sins. A conquest here clearly speaks out uprightness of heart before God.
The godly man . . .does not give himself over to a voluntary serving of sin; does not make a trade of sin; does not allow of himself in any settled course of sin; does not indulge, connive or wink at any known sin; does not sin as wicked men sin—who sin studiously, resolutely, ardently, delightfully, customarily, willfully. The ungodly sin with their whole will, and with the full consent and sway of their souls.
Does the bee gather honey for itself?
Does the sheep yield wool for itself?
"Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should
be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Php 2:4-5
Every Christian is bound to serve others. A narrow, a selfish-spirited man is a shame to his creation, because he walks so contrary to the great intendment of God in it. It is base and unworthy—for a man to make himself the center of all his actions. That man sins against the very law of his being—who is swallowed up in his own private interests.
This age is full of
that they care not whether others sink or swim! "What!" they say, "Shall we leave our ease, our pleasure, our profits—to serve others? We cannot do it! We will never do it!"
"All of you, serve each other in humility." 1Pe 5:5
The soul is that spiritual and immortal substance, which is capable of union with God, and of communion with God, and of an eternal fruition of God. There are none but bear about with them, precious and immortal souls, which are more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds. The first great work that men are to attend in this world—is the eternal safety and security of their souls.
If the soul is safe—all is safe. If the soul is well—all is well. If the soul is lost—all is lost.
I have read that there was a time when the Romans wore their jewels on their shoes. Most men in this day do worse, for
Many at last will cry out, "Oh, what have I lost! I have lost God, and Christ, and heaven; and have betrayed my precious and immortal soul into the hands of divine justice, and into the hands of Satan!"
"I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me." Jer 32:40
The covenant of grace consists in these things:
(1.) that God will be our God;
(2.) that He will give us a new heart, a new spirit;
(3.) that He will not turn away His face from doing of us good;
(4.) that He will put His fear into our hearts;
(5.) that He will cleanse us from all our filthiness and idols;
(6.) that He will rejoice over us to do us good;
(7.) that we shall be His people;
(8.) that we shall fear Him forever;
(9.) that we shall walk in His statutes;
(10.) that we shall not depart from Him.
Oh what head can conceive, or what tongue can express that infinite counsel, wisdom, love, care and tenderness, which is in the covenant of grace—so as it may best suit to all the needs, and straits, and necessities, and miseries, and desires, and longings of poor sinners’ souls.
The covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable wisdom of God, that you may find in it . . .remedies to cure all your diseases, and cordials to comfort you against all your faintings, and a spiritual armory to arm you against all your enemies, namely, the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Do you, O distressed sinner, need a loving God, a compassionate God, a reconciled God, a sin-pardoning God? Here you may find Him, in the covenant of grace.
Do you need a Christ to counsel you by His wisdom, and to clothe you with His righteousness, and to adorn you with His grace? Here you may find Him in thecovenant of grace.
Do you need the Spirit to enlighten you, to teach you, to convince you, to awaken you, to lead you, to cleanse you, to cheer you? Here you may find Him in the covenant of grace.
Do you need grace, or peace, or rest, or quiet, or contentment, or comfort, or satisfaction? Here you may find it in the covenant of grace. God has laid into the covenant of grace, as into a storehouse, all those things that sinners or saints can need.
A hypocrite may be
"The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s feeding-trough, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand." Isa 1:3
Ignorance is the source of all sin, the very well-spring from which all wickedness does issue. Ignorance . . .enslaves a soul to Satan; lets in sin by troops; locks them up in the heart; shuts out the means of recovery; and so plasters up a man’s eyes, that he cannot see the things which belong to his own eternal peace.
The Scripture sets ignorant people
Ignorance is a breeding sin, a mother sin; all sins are seminally in ignorance. Ignorance is the mother of all the mistakes, and of all the misrule in the world.
There are many
"Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Psa 119:11
David hides the word in his heart as a treasure—that he might not lose it; and as a rule—that he might not transgress against it. The law of God kept close in the heart is
"What should we say then? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Rom 6:1-2
Certainly to argue from gospel mercy to sinful liberty, is
Sin is
Oh, sin is the pricking thorn in my eye, the deadly arrow in my side, the two-edged sword that has wounded my conscience, and slain my comforts, and separated between God and my soul. Oh, sin is that which has . . .hindered my prayers, embittered my mercies, put a sting into all my crosses. Therefore I cannot but disapprove of it, and disallow of it, and condemn it to death, yes, to hell, from whence it came.
One sin never goes alone
Little sins make way for greater sins.
Cain’s anger is seconded with murder.
Ahab’s covetousness is attended with bloody cruelty.
Jeroboam’s rebellion is attended with idolatry.
Judas’ thievery is attended with treason.
One sin commonly disposes the heart to another sin.
Yielding to lesser sins, draws the soul to the commission of greater sins.
Oh there is a prodigious evil in the least of sins; it will quickly multiply itself into all manner of evils. Unless sin be cut off in the first motion, it will proceed to action, and from action to delight, and from delight to custom, and from custom to a habit—and then the soul will be undone forever!
"Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw themaway like a menstrual cloth and say to them—Away with you!" Isa 30:22
The true penitent is not
He who would be angry and sin not—must be angry at nothing but sin. If some men would but spend more of their anger and indignation against their sins, they would not be so angry as they are with their brethren, that in disputable things differ from them.
Grace always thrives best in that garden, that heart, which is watered most with the tears of godly sorrow. He who grieves most for sin, will rejoice most in God. And he who rejoices most in God, will grieve most for sin.
Godly sorrow is a lasting sorrow, it is a durable sorrow.
Repentance is a grace, and must have its daily operation as well as other graces. Certainly a true penitent can no more satisfy himself with one act of repentance, than he can satisfy himself with one act of faith, or with one act of hope, or with one act of love, or with one act of humility, or with one act of patience, or with one act of self-denial. Godly sorrow is a gospel grace which will live and last as well and as long as other graces; it is a spring which in this life, can never be drawn dry.
"Oh cleanse me from secret faults." Psa 19:12
An unsound heart may mourn for great sins—which make great wounds in his conscience and credit, and which leave a great blot upon his name, or that waste or rot his body, or destroy his estate, or which expose him to public scorn and shame, etc. But for sins of omission, for wandering thoughts, idle words, deadness, coldness, slightness in pious duties and services, unbelief, secret pride, self-confidence, and a thousand more—
But godly sorrow is of a general extent, it mourns as well for small sins as for great. A gracious soul weeps over many sins which none can charge upon him but God and his own conscience.
No hand but a divine hand
"God makes my heart soft." Job 23:16
Sorrow for sin is one part of true repentance.
A sincere mourning is a deep mourning; it springs from serious and deep apprehensions of the great anger and deep displeasure of God, and of the woeful nature, demerit, burden, bitterness, vileness, and filthiness of sin. Oh the sighs, the groans, the sobs, the tears, which are to be found among repenting sinners.
No man is born with godly sorrow in his heart, as he is born with a tongue in his mouth. Godly sorrow is a plant of God’s own planting; it is from God, and God alone. The spirit of mourning is from above; it is from a supernatural power and principle. There is nothing that can turn a heart of stone into flesh, but the Spirit of God, Eze 36:25-26. Godly sorrow is a gift from God.
"God makes my heart soft." Job 23:16
Godly sorrow is a sorrow for sin as sin. Godly sorrow is a mourning rather for sin—than for the trouble which sin brings; it is not so much for loss of goods, lands, wife, child, credit, name, etc., but for that a holy God is offended, a righteous law violated, Christ dishonored, the Spirit grieved, and the gospel blemished, etc. Peter’s sorrow was godly, but Judas’ sorrow was worldly; Peter mourns over the evil of sin, but Judas mourns over the evil of punishment.
"The Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground." Gen 2:7
Our bodies are but
Such as have most pampered their bodies—have been the greatest enemies to their own souls. And how many are there this day who pamper their bodies—but starve their souls; who adorn their bodies—but defile their souls; who dress and trim up their bodies with gold, and silver, and silks—while their souls are naked of all grace, holiness, and goodness.
"I discipline my body and bring it under strict control." 1Co 9:27