When God Takes Away Your Carnals
God's promise to make up all losses to His people is fulfilled by giving them more of Himself, His Son, His Spirit, His favor, and His grace.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that when God removes our earthly possessions and comforts, He compensates us with greater spiritual blessings. The sermon illustrates that losing temporal goods can lead to gaining more of God's presence, grace, and eternal rewards. Brooks encourages believers to view these losses as divine exchanges, where the temporary is replaced with the eternal, ultimately leading to greater spiritual wealth. He reassures that no loss in this life can compare to the richness of a relationship with God and the peace that comes from it.
Text
One support to bear up the hearts of the people of God
under the recent fiery dispensation, is this--That the Lord
will certainly, one way or another, make up all their losses
to them. Sometimes God makes up His people's outward
losses by giving them . . .
more of Himself,
more of His Son,
more of His Spirit,
more of His favor,
more of His grace.
When God takes away your carnals, and gives you
more spirituals; when God takes away your temporals,
and gives you more eternals--your outward losses are
made up to you. When God takes away a Christian's
estate in this world, he looks for a better and enduring
estate in heaven.
If men should . . .
take away your old clothes, and give you new clothes;
take away your rags, and give you robes;
take away your chaff, and give you wheat;
take away your water, and give you wine;
take away your tin, and give you silver;
take away your brass, and give you gold;
take away your pebbles, and give you pearls;
take away your cottages, and give you royal palaces
--certainly you would have no cause to complain!
If God takes away your houses, your goods, your
trades, your honors--and gives you more of himself,
and more grace--He does you no injury. It is an
excellent exchange, to get eternals for temporals.
If God takes away your earthly riches,
and makes you more . . .
rich in grace,
rich in spiritual comforts,
rich in holy experiences,
rich in divine enjoyments,
then you are no losers--but great gainers!
What are all the necessary comforts of this life,
compared to union and communion with God, to
a saving interest in Christ, to pardon of sin, to
peace of conscience, and to that loving-kindness
which is better than life?
Sermon Outline
- God's Promise to Make Up Losses points: - God will make up all losses to His people - He does this by giving them more of Himself, His Son, His Spirit, His favor, and His grace
- What God Takes Away points: - Carnals (worldly things) - Temporals (earthly riches and comforts)
- What God Gives in Return points: - Spirituals (spiritual comforts and experiences) - Eternals (eternal riches and divine enjoyments)
- The Value of Spiritual Riches points: - Union and communion with God - Saving interest in Christ - Pardon of sin, peace of conscience, and loving-kindness
Key Quotes
“If God takes away your houses, your goods, your trades, your honors--and gives you more of himself, and more grace--He does you no injury.” — Thomas Brooks
“It is an excellent exchange, to get eternals for temporals.” — Thomas Brooks
“What are all the necessary comforts of this life, compared to union and communion with God, to a saving interest in Christ, to pardon of sin, to peace of conscience, and to that loving-kindness which is better than life?” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- When God takes away your earthly possessions, look for a better and enduring estate in heaven.
- God's promise to make up losses is an excellent exchange, getting eternals for temporals.
- Union and communion with God, a saving interest in Christ, and pardon of sin are far more valuable than earthly riches.