Chapter 1 › Maxim 11: The Eleventh Maxim or Consideration., A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a… by Thomas Brooks (1669) | AskReformation

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:205p. 63§5

Sixthly, Though poor doubting staggering trembling §6Christians dare not say that God is their God, or that Christ is their Redeemer, or that the Spirit is their Comforter, yet they dare say, that if God and Christ and the Spirit, and grace and glory, and holiness and happiness were offered to them on the one hand, and all the honours pleasures profits delights and carnal contents of the World were offered them on the other hand, they had ten thousand times rather,¹ they had infinitely rather choose God and Christ & the Spirit, & grace & holiness, & everlasting happiness than the contrary. Look as Rachel cried out Give me Water or I dye; So these poor hearts are still crying out, O Lord give me thy self, or I dye; Give me thy Christ, or I dye; Give me thy Spirit and Grace, or I dye; Give me pardon of sin, or I dye; Lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me, or I dye; Bring me under the bond of the Covenant, or I dye; O Lord let all these things be done, or I am undone, and that for ever; Lord let the men of this World take the World, and divide it among themselves, let me but enjoy thy self, thy Christ, thy love, and I shall say my Lot is fallen to me in a pleasant place, and verily I have a goodly heritage, Psal. 16.5, 6. But,

Sixthly, Though poor doubting staggering trembling §6Christians dare not say that God is their God, or that Christ is their Redeemer, or that the Spirit is their Comforter, yet they dare say, that if God and Christ and the Spirit, and grace and glory, and holiness and happiness were offered to them on the one hand, and all the honours pleasures profits delights and carnal contents of the World were offered them on the other hand, they had ten thousand times rather,¹ they had infinitely rather choose God and Christ & the Spirit, & grace & holiness, & everlasting happiness than the contrary. Look as Rachel cryed out Give me Water or I dye; So these poor hearts are stil crying out, O Lord give me thy self, or I dye; Give me thy Christ, or I dye; Give me thy Spirit and Grace, or I dye; Give me pardon of sin, or I dye; Lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me, or I dye; Bring me under the bond of the Covenant, or I dye; O Lord let all these things be done, or I am undone, and that for ever; Lord let the men of this World take the World, and divide it among themselves, let me but enjoy thy self, thy Christ, thy love, and I shall say my Lot is fallen to me in a pleasant place, and verily I have a goodly heritage, Psal. 16.5, 6. But,

1Cant. 5.10. Deut. 26.17. Psal. 73.25. Phil. 3.6, 7, 8.

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Eighthly, Though poor doubting trembling Christians dare not say that they have such strength and power against their sins as they would have, or as they should have, or as many of the dear Saints of God have, who often lead Captivity Captive;¹ yet they dare say, that when the Lord is pleased (now and then by his Spirit, Power, Word, Grace, &c.) to help them, though it be but a little, against their sins, to help them in any measure to subdue their sins, or to assist them to bring any one sin or another to an under, or to arm them against any temptations, occasions or provocations to sin, there are no such times or seasons of joy, comfort, delight, refreshing, and content to their Souls as these are. The language of their Souls in such a day as this is, is this, O that it might be always thus with us! O that every day we might lead Captivity Captive! O that every day we might have our lusts at an under! O that every day we might triumph over the old man! O that every day one lust or another might fall before the power, the Spirit, the presence, the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. But,

Eighthly, Though poor doubting trembling Christians dare not say that they have such strength and power against their sins as they would have, or as they should have, or as many of the dear Saints of God have, who often lead Captivity Captive;¹ yet they dare say, that when the Lord is pleased (now and then by his Spirit, Power, Word, Grace, &c.) to help them, though it be but a little, against their sins, to help them in any measure to subdue their sins, or to assist them to bring any one sin or another to an under, or to arm them against any temptations, occasions or provocations to sin, there are no such times or seasons of joy, comfort, delight, refreshing, and content to their Souls as these are. The language of their Souls in such a day as this is, is this, O that it might be alwayes thus with us! O that every day we might lead Captivity Captive! O that every day we might have our lusts at an under! O that every day we might triumph over the old man! O that every day one lust or another might fall before the power, the Spirit, the presence, the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. But,

1Psal. 65.3. Gal. 5.14.

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Tenthly and lastly, Though poor doubting staggering trembling Christians dare not say that Christ is their Saviour, yet they dare say that they desire and endeavour to honour Christ as their Lord, though they cannot see Christ bestowing himself on them as their Redeemer,¹ yet they are willing ⟨p. 65⟩to make a resignation of themselves up to him as their King; they are willing to resign up their hearts and lives to the Government of Jesus Christ; though they cannot find comfort, yet they will oppose sin; though they cannot comprehend Christ, yet they will not willingly offend Christ; though they cannot see their own propriety in Christ, yet they desire nothing more than that Christ may claim a propriety in them; though they cannot see Christ as a friend, yet they can look upon sin as an enemy; though they cannot close with the Promises, yet they will close with the Precepts; though they cannot close with the Privileges of a Christian, yet they will close with the Services of a Christian; though they cannot share in the comforts of a Christian, yet they will side with the duties of a Christian; though they cannot clear up their interest in Christ, yet they are willing to yield subjection to Christ; though they want strength to throw themselves into the arms of Christ to save them, yet they will cast themselves at the feet of Christ to serve him; though they want the light of comfort and consolation, yet they will walk in the light of commands and directions, Isa. 50.10.

Tenthly and lastly, Though poor doubting staggering trembling Christians dare not say that Christ is their Saviour, yet they dare say that they desire and endeavour to honour Christ as their Lord, though they cannot see Christ bestowing himself on them as their Redeemer,¹ yet they are willing ⟨p. 65⟩to make a resignation of themselves up to him as their King; they are willing to resign up their hearts and lives to the Government of Jesus Christ; though they cannot find comfort, yet they will oppose sin; though they cannot comprehend Christ, yet they will not willingly offend Christ; though they cannot see their own propriety in Christ, yet they desire nothing more than that Christ may claim a propriety in them; though they cannot see Christ as a friend, yet they can look upon sin as an enemy; though they cannot close with the Promises, yet they will close with the Precepts; though they cannot close with the Priviledges of a Christian, yet they will close with the Services of a Christian; though they cannot share in the comforts of a Christian, yet they will side with the duties of a Chr•stian; though they cannot clear up their interest in Christ, yet they are willing to yield subjection to Christ; though they want strength to throw themselves into the arms of Christ to save them, yet they will cast themselves at the feet of Christ to serve him; though they want the light of comfort and consolation, yet they will walk in the light of commands and directions, Isa. 50.10.

1John 20.•8.

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Thirdly, Consider that there have been very many under such dreadful horrors and terrors of Conscience, and under such wrath and displeasure of an angry God, and that have lain trembling upon their dying beds, and that have been even ready to be swallowed up in the gulf of despair, who would have given all the world (had it been in their power) ⟨p. 67⟩for the very probabilities of Grace.¹ Spira being in a deep despair for renouncing of those Doctrines of the Gospel, which he had once stoutly profest said, That he would willingly suffer the most exquisite tortures of Hell fire for the space of ten thousand years, upon condition he might be well assured to be released afterward. He further added in that hellish and horrible fit, that his dear wife and children (for whose sake principally he turned away from the Gospel, to embrace this present world) appeared now to him as Hangmen, Hags and torturers. A despairing Soul is Magor Missabib, a terror to himself, his heart a Hell of horror, his Conscience an Aceldama, a Field of black Blood: So that as Augustin describes such a one flying from the Field to the City, from the City to his house, from his house to his Chamber, from his Chamber to his bed, &c. So that he can rest no where, but is as if infernal Devils in fearful shapes were still following of him, and still terrifying and tormenting his distressed and perplexed Soul. Now doubtless such poor souls would have given ten thousand worlds (had they so many in their hands to give) and that for the very probabilities of Grace; and how many tempted, deserted, clouded, wounded, and benighted Souls are there, who would think it a Heaven on this side Heaven, if they could but see probabilities of Grace in their Souls? O therefore let not the probabilities of Grace be a small thing in your eyes, but bow the knee, and let the High Praises of God be found in your mouths, even for probabilities of Grace. But,

Thirdly, Consider that there have been very many under such dreadful horrors and terrors of Conscience, and under such wrath and displeasure of an angry God, and that have lain trembling upon their dying beds, and that have been even ready to be swallowed up in the gulf of despair, who would have given all the world (had it been in their power) ⟨p. 67⟩for the very probabilities of Grace.¹ Spira being in a deep despair for renouncing of those Doctrines of the Gospel, which he had once stoutly profest said, That he would willingly suffer the most exquisite tortures of Hell fire for the space of ten thousand years, upon condition he might be well assured to be released afterward. He further added in that hellish and horrible fit, that his dear wife and children (for whose sake principally he turned away from the Gospel, to embrace this present world) appeared now to him as Hangmen, Hags and torturers. A despairing Soul is Magor Missabib, a terror to himself, his heart a Hell of horrour, his Conscience an Aceldama, a Field of black Bloud: So that as Augustin describes such a one flying from the Field to the City, from the City to his house, from his house to his Chamber, from his Chamber to his bed, &c. So that he can rest no where, but is as if infernal Devils in fearful shapes were still following of him, and still terrifying and tormenting his distressed and perplexed Soul. Now doubtless such poor souls would have given ten thousand worlds (had they so many in their hands to give) and that for the very probabilities of Grace; and how many tempted, deserted, clouded, wounded, and benighted Souls are there, who would think it a Heaven on this side Heaven, if they could but see probabilities of Grace in their Souls? O therefore let not the probabilities of Grace be a small thing in your eyes, but bow the knee, and let the High Praises of God be found in your mouths, even for probabilities of Grace. But,

1He dyed desperately, who dyed with this desperate saying in his month, Spes & fortuna valet, Farewell life and hope together. Despair is Satans master-piece, it carries men headlong to Hell, as the Devils did the herd of Swine into the deep.He dyed desperately, who dyed with this desperate saying in his month, Spes & fortuna valete, Farewell life and hope together. Despair is Satans master-piece, it carries men headlong to Hell, as the Devils did the herd of Swine into the deep.

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Fourthly, Consider that Sa•an is a very deadly enemy to §4the least probabilities of grace, and will do all he can to cloud, darken, and obscure probabilities of Grace, since divine vengeance has cut him off from the least hopes, from the least probability of ever obtaining the least dram of Grace or mercy.¹ O how does he storm and take on against every probability of Grace and mercy that God vouchsafes to his people for their comfort and encouragement! Satan is an old experienced enemy, almost of six thousand years standing, and he very well knows that probabilities of ⟨p. 68⟩grace will certainly arm a Christian against many temptations, and sweetly support him under many afflictions, and exceedingly heighten and raise his resolutions; he knows that probabilities of grace will turn crosses into Crowns, storms into calms, and Winter nights into Summer days; Satan knows that probabilities of grace will make every bitter sweet, and every sweet seven times more sweet; and therefore his spirit rises and swells against every probability of grace. Now the greater Satan's rage is against the probabilities of grace, the more thankful we should be for the probabilities grace; tis good to move and act cross to him, who in all his actings loves to act cross to the glory of God, and the good of our Souls. But,

Fourthly, Consider that Sa•an is a very deadly enemy to §4the least probabilities of grace, and will do all he can to cloud, darken, and obscure probabilities of Grace, since divine vengeance has cut him off from the least hopes, from the least probability of ever obtaining the least dram of Grace or mercy.¹ O how does he storm and take on against every probability of Grace and mercy that God vouchsafes to his people for their comfort and encouragement! Satan is an old experienced enemy, almost of six thousand years standing, and he very well knowes that probabilities of ⟨p. 68⟩grace will certainly arm a Christian against many temptations, and sweetly support him under many afflictions, and exceedingly heighten and raise his resolutions; he knows that probabilities of grace will turn crosses into Crowns, storms into calms, and Winter nights into Summer dayes; Satan knows that probabilities of grace will make every bitter sweet, and every sweet seven times more sweet; and therefore his spirit rises and swells against every probability of grace. Now the greater Satans rage is against the probabilities of grace, the more thankful we should be for the probabilities grace; tis good to move and act cross to him, who in all his actings loves to act cross to the glory of God, and the good of our Souls. But,

1Let not any think (saith Luther) the Devil is •ow dead no nor yet asleep, for as he that keepeth Israel, so he tha• hateth Israel never slumbereth or sleepeth.Let not any think (saith Luther) the Devil is •ow dead no nor yet asleep, for as he that keepeth Israel, so he tha• hateth Israel never slumbreth or sleepeth.