Chapter 2, A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a… by Thomas Brooks (1669) | AskReformation

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Fifthly, No flood of natural affection shall hinder them in the way of their obedience. When God commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac as a Burnt-Offering, he goes about it readily, and never acquaints Sarah with it, lest she should have hindered him in his obedience, and he goes three days journey to effect it, Gen. 22. compared with Heb. 11.17, 18, 19. When God commands, Abraham will not stick at it, though it be to offer up a Son, a natural Son, and not an adopted son; an only Son, and not one of many; a Son of the Free-woman, and not of the Bond-woman; a Son of his old age; a Son of the Promise; a Son in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed; a Son of his love and delight; a Son that made the good old man laugh and be merry; (Isaac signifies laughter) a Son that was grown up to some years, witness the Wood of the Burnt offering that he laid upon him, Gen. 22.6, 7. And this was the commendation of Levi, ¹Deut. 33.8, 9. And of Levi he said, let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, (Urim and Thummim, signify light and perfection according to their best derivation in the Hebrew tongue, and they are here put in the plural number, lights and perfections, to note the plenty as well as the excellency of divine Graces) whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah. Who said unto his Father and to his Mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledge his Brethren, nor knew his own children. This relates to that Heroical fact of the Levites, Exod. 32.26.29. when at the commandment of Moses they slew their Idolatrous Brethren that had Worshipped the Golden Calf, not sparing those that were most nearest allied to them, but did execute Gods Judgments upon Parents, Brethren and Children, as if they had been mere strangers to them: the Levites were so impartial in Gods cause, as not to acknowledge either Father or Mother, Brother or Children against his Command. Natural affections are strong, but supernatural obedience is stronger. Some have well observed that the Married Martyrs, who were Parents of many children (as Rogers, Watts, Guest, Rawlins, &c.) suffered with most alacrity.

Fifthly, No floud of natural affection shall hinder them in the way of their obedience. When God commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac as a Burnt-Offering, he goes about it readily, and never acquaints Sarah with it, lest she should have hindered him in his obedience, and he goes three dayes journey to effect it, Gen. 22. compared with Heb. 11.17, 18, 19. When God commands, Abraham will not stick at it, though it be to offer up a Son, a natural Son, and not an adopted son; an only Son, and not one of many; a Son of the Free-woman, and not of the Bond-woman; a Son of his old age; a Son of the Promise; a Son in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed; a Son of his love and delight; a Son that made the good old man laugh and be merry; (Isaac signifies laughter) a Son that was grown up to some years, witness the Wood of the Burnt offering that he laid upon him, Gen. 22.6, 7. And this was the commendation of Levi, ¹Deut. 33.8, 9. And of Levi he said, let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, (Urim and Thummim, signify light and perfection according to their best derivation in the Hebrew tongue, and they are here put in the plural number, lights and perfections, to note the plenty as well as the excellency of divine Graces) whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah. Who said unto his Father and to his Mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledg his Brethren, nor knew his own children. This relates to that Heroical fact of the Levites, Exod. 32.26.29. when at the commandment of Moses they slew their Idolatrous Brethren that had Worshipped the Golden Calf, not sparing those that were most nearest allyed to them, but did execute Gods Judgments upon Parents, Brethren and Children, as if they had been meer strangers to them: the Levites were so impartial in Gods cause, as not to acknowledg either Father or Mother, Brother or Children against his Command. Natural affections are strong, but supernatural obedience is stronger. Some have well observed that the Married Martyrs, who were Parents of many children (as Rogers, Watts, Guest, Rawlins, &c.) suffered with most alacrity.

1By Urim and Thummim, some understand sincerity of life, and soundness of doctrine.

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Physicians observe a difference 'twixt the natural and preter-natural heat in mens bodies; the preter-natural heat, which ariseth from distemper, may be more for the present, but as it exceeds for measure, so it abates for time, because the natural heat is a more equal and moderate, and durable heat, every part hath an equal share, and it is not extreme, and yet it continues. Thus it is with Hypocrites and upright persons in the matter of obedience. The hypocrite may (in a kind of preter-natural heat) in a hot fit, in a present heat, fall upon hearing, and reading, and praying, and reforming of his Family, and upon leaving of this sin and that; and upon casting off this vain company and that, and upon associating of himself with this good company and that. B•t this hot fit does not last, the cold fit takes him again, and then he shakes hands with all his duties, and loses all his good inclinations, and lays aside all his warm resolutions.¹ Will the Hypocrite pray always? Ephraims goodness was as a morning Cloud, which soon vanisheth, and as the early dew which is soon dried up by the Sun-beams; they were both false and fickle, unsteady and unstable; constant only in inconstancy; their hearts were never right with God, for they were not steadfast in his Covenant. There are four times wherein an Hypocrite may express a great readiness and forwardness to Religious duties.

Physicians observe a difference 'twixt the natural and preter-natural heat in mens bodies; the preter-natural heat, which ariseth from distemper, may be more for the present, but as it exceeds for measure, so it abates for time, because the natural heat is a more equal and moderate, and durable heat, every part hath an equal share, and it is not extream, and yet it continues. Thus it is with Hypocrites and upright persons in the matter of obedience. The hypocrite may (in a kind of preter-natural heat) in a hot fit, in a present heat, fall upon hearing, and reading, and praying, and reforming of his Family, and upon leaving of this sin and that; and upon casting off this vain company and that, and upon associating of himself with this good company and that. B•t this hot fit does not last, the cold fit takes him again, and then he shakes hands with all his duties, and loses all his good inclinations, and layes aside all his warm resolutions.¹ Will the Hypocrite pray alwayes? Ephraims goodness was as a morning Cloud, which soon vanisheth, and as the early dew which is soon dryed up by the Sun-beams; they were both false and fickle, unsteady and unstable; constant only in inconstancy; their hearts were never right with God, for they were not stedfast in his Covenant. There are four times wherein an Hypocrite may express a great readiness and forwardness to Religious duties.

1Job 27.8, 9. Hosea 6.4. Psal. 78.36, 37.

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Fourthly, When others presence, counsel, and examples, have an influence upon them,¹ O now they keep close duties! Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the Priest; but when Jehoiada was dead, Joash serves Groves and Idols, and turns a deaf ear to those Prophets that testified against him, and gives Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada his Passport out of the World, for inveighing against his evil manners, and the wicked courses of his Princes and People. Whilst the good Judges lived, the Israelites kept close to the service of God, Judges 2.7. And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the Elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel. ²But when the good Judges were dead, the Israelites did what was right in their own eyes, every mans lust was his Law. Whilst Moses was present, there was no talking of a Golden Calf, but no sooner was his back turned, but the Israelites make a Golden Calf, and worship it when they had done, Exod. 32.1-9. &c.

Fourthly, When others presence, counsel, and examples, have an influence upon them,¹ O now they keep close duties! Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehoiada the Priest; but when Jehoiada was dead, Joash serves Groves and Idols, and turns a deaf ear to those Prophets that testified against him, and gives Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada his Pasport out of the World, for inveighing against his evil manners, and the wicked courses of his Princes and People. Whilest the good Judges lived, the Israelites kept close to the service of God, Judges 2.7. And the people served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua, and all the dayes of the Elders that outlived Joshuah, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel. ²But when the good Judges were dead, the Israelites did what was right in their own eyes, every mans lust was his Law. Whilest Moses was present, there was no talking of a Golden Calf, but no sooner was his back turn'd, but the Israelites make a Golden Calf, and worship it when they had done, Exod. 32.1-9. &c.

12 Chron. 24.2, 17-23.
2Judges 17.6. Chap. 21.25.

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Secondly, To recover the Image of God again to the §2height of what we are able. The first Adam lost the Image of God by his disobedience. Now this Image of God we recover again in Christ our second Adam; but so, as that the more enlightened, the more holy, the more humble, the more heavenly, the more righteous, the more gracious, and the more obedient we are,¹ the more we recover of this Image of God, which consists in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. Now saith the Believer, my intent is to recover that precious Image of God which I lost in the first Adam, and therefore do I labour to come up to the highest pitches of obedience, because the higher I rise in my obedience, the more I shall recover of the lost Image of God; I know that I lost this Image by partaking of the disobedience and pollution of the first Adam; and I know that I have recovered in part the same Image, by partaking of the obedience and holiness of the second Adam: And I yet further know, that the more holy and obedient I am, the more I shall be like to that God, that is holiness it self, and the more I shall recover of that blessed Image, which consists in perfect holiness.

Secondly, To recover the Image of God again to the §2heighth of what we are able. The first Adam lost the Image of God by his disobedience. Now this Image of God we recover again in Christ our second Adam; but so, as that the more enlightned, the more holy, the more humble, the more heavenly, the more righteous, the more gracious, and the more obedient we are,¹ the more we recover of this Image of God, which consists in knowledg, righteousness, and true holiness. Now saith the Believer, my intent is to recover that precious Image of God which I lost in the first Adam, and therefore do I labour to come up to the highest pitches of obedience, because the higher I rise in my obedience, the more I shall recover of the lost Image of God; I know that I lost this Image by partaking of the disobedience and pollution of the first Adam; and I know that I have recovered in part the same Image, by partaking of the obedience and holiness of the second Adam: And I yet further know, that the more holy and obedient I am, the more I shall be like to that God, that is holiness it self, and the more I shall recover of that blessed Image, which consists in perfect holiness.

1Ephes. 4.24.