He Was Still A-Pointing at the Toads in Their Bosoms
God's correction is designed to subdue the sin that the heart is most strongly inclined to, and we must heed the voice of the rod to take heed of that sin.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the importance of identifying the specific sin that God corrects us for, suggesting that the sin we are most reluctant to confront is often the one God aims to subdue through His discipline. He encourages believers to reflect on their 'right-hand sin'--the sin they hold dear and resist letting go of. Brooks illustrates this by referencing the anger of the scribes and Pharisees towards Christ, who pointed out their pride and hypocrisy. He warns that a Christian who reacts negatively to righteous reproof is in a poor spiritual state, and he urges believers to heed the lessons of God's rod, which often highlights the very sins we wish to avoid addressing.
Text
How shall we find out that particular sin, for which God
corrects us--for which He has brought the rod upon us?
Seriously observe what that sin is, which your soul would
have spared above all, which your soul is most unwilling
to leave, and bid an everlasting farewell to. Observe what
your right-hand sin, your bosom sin, your constitutional
sin, your complexion sin, is; for it is a hundred to one that
God has sent the rod for the subduing of that very sin!
Commonly by the rod, God points at the mortifying of that
particular sin to which the heart stands most strongly inclined.
It may be that sin which you cannot endure should be touched,
or reproved, or spoken against. Ah! how proud, how impatient,
how passionate, how mad are many--when you come to touch
their right-eye sin! When you come to touch them in the
tender part, oh! then they fume, and swell, and rage,
and carry on like people out of their wits; as you may see in
the scribes and pharisees, who were so angry and mad with
Christ that they sought His death; and all because He was
still a-pointing at the toads in their bosoms; namely,
pride, vainglory, hypocrisy, and self-righteousness. Oh! they
could not endure that the sharp razor of reproof should come
near their sorest part!
Certainly that Christian must be under a very bad distemper,
who smites a righteous man with reproach--for smiting him
with a reproof. Though gracious reproofs are a choice
remedy, yet few stomachs can bear them. Who is angry
with the physician for prescribing a bitter medicine? And
yet, ah! how angry are many Christians when they fall under
holy reproofs. Now, doubtless, the voice of the rod is this,
"Soul! take heed of that sin which you cannot endure
should be touched. Labor mightily with God to get that
particular sin mortified--which you cannot endure should
be reproved." It is very probable that, for the subduing
of that particular sin, the Lord has visited you with His
fatherly rod.
Sermon Outline
- Identifying the Sin
- God's Purpose in Correction
- The Response to Reproof
- Heeding the Voice of the Rod
- Take heed of the sin you cannot endure should be touched
- Labor to get the particular sin mortified
Key Quotes
“Observe what your right-hand sin, your bosom sin, your constitutional sin, your complexion sin, is; for it is a hundred to one that God has sent the rod for the subduing of that very sin!” — Thomas Brooks
“It may be that sin which you cannot endure should be touched, or reproved, or spoken against.” — Thomas Brooks
“Certainly that Christian must be under a very bad distemper, who smites a righteous man with reproach--for smiting him with a reproof.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- I must take heed of the sin I cannot endure should be touched and labor to get the particular sin mortified.
- I should not be proud, impatient, and passionate when reproved, but instead, I should listen to the voice of the rod.
- I should be willing to bear gracious reproofs, even if they are a bitter medicine, because they are a choice remedy.