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

Skip to content

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.

:350p. 155§1

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.

:354p. 156–557§6

Sixthly, That they may keep up their communion with God; for though the Union the Saints have with God by Christ, depends wholly upon that which is without, viz. their being married to Christ, and clothed with his Righteousness; yet the Communion which the Saints have with God through the Spirit, hath much dependence upon a Saints walking, and upon his obedience: So that if a Saint shall dare to walk carnally and loosely,¹ though he shall not break the Marriage-knot, and lose his union, yet he will by such sinful practices grieve the Spirit, and lose his communion with God. But on the other hand, when a Believer walks spiritually, graciously, obedientially, O what sweet communion! what delightful communion! what high communion! what commodious communion! what Soul-satisfying, Soul-ravishing, Soul-filling, Soul-contenting communion with God does he then enjoy! When the Child walks wisely, and obedientially before his Father, what sweet and delightful converses and communion is there between the Father and the Child? but if the child walk foolishly, stubbornly, rebelliously, disobediently, the prudent Father will carry it ⟨p. 557⟩severely, strangely, frowningly, and at a distance, though his heart be still full of love to, his child; and though he won't disinherit him, yet he wont be familiar with him. The application is easy, &c.

Sixthly, That they may keep up their communion with God; for though the Union the Saints have with God by Christ, depends wholly upon that which is without, viz. their being married to Christ, and cloathed with his Righteousness; yet the Communion which the Saints have with God through the Spirit, hath much dependance upon a Saints walking, and upon his obedience: So that if a Saint shall dare to walk carnally and loosly,¹ though he shall not break the Marriage-knot, and lose his union, yet he will by such sinful practices grieve the Spirit, and lose his communion with God. But on the other hand, when a Believer walks spiritually, graciously, obedientially, O what sweet communion! what delightful communion! what high communion! what commodious communion! what Soul-satisfying, Soul-ravishing, Soul-filling, Soul-contenting communion with God does he then enjoy! When the Child walks wisely, and obedientially before his Father, what sweet and delightful converses and communion is there between the Father and the Child? but if the child walk foolishly, stubbornly, rebelliously, disobediently, the prudent Father will carry it ⟨p. 557⟩severely, strangely, frowningly, and at a distance, though his heart be still full of love to, his child; and though he won't disinherit him, yet he wont be familiar with him. The application is easie, &c.

1Jer. 3.14. Isa. 49.1, 2.

:356p. 158§8

Eighthly, To the profit and advantage, both of sinners and Saints; 1. To convince sinners, to silence sinners, and to stop the mouths of sinners; let but one man that walks wisely, humbly, circumspectly, convincingly, exemplarily, blamelessly, come into a Town, a Parish, a Family, made up of drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers, whore-masters, &c. and his holy walking, will convince them, and condemn them, 1 Pet. 2.12, 15. Chap. 3.13, 16. 2. To the profit, advantage and encouragement of the Saints. The strict exact walking Christian, provokes the slight loose Christian to mend his manners, and to order his steps and conversation aright; and the lively active Christian, puts the dull, heavy, sluggish Christian to a blush, and spurs and quickens him up to a more lively walking with God; and the warm, flaming, zealous, burning Christian, puts heat and warmth into the cold, formal, frozen Christian; and the free, liberal, bountiful Christian, provokes others to be free, noble, and liberal, for the supply of the necessities of the Saints, 2 Cor. 9.1, 2. Chap. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 19, 20, &c.

Eighthly, To the profit and advantage, both of sinners and Saints; 1. To convince sinners, to silence sinners, and to stop the mouths of sinners; let but one man that walks wisely, humbly, circumspectly, convincingly, exemplarily, blamelesly, come into a Town, a Parish, a Family, made up of drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers, whore-masters, &c. and his holy walking, will convince them, and condemn them, 1 Pet. 2.12, 15. Chap. 3.13, 16. 2. To the profit, advantage and encouragement of the Saints. The strict exact walking Christian, provokes the slight loose Christian to mend his manners, and to order his steps and conversation aright; and the lively active Christian, puts the dull, heavy, sluggish Christian to a blush, and spurs and quickens him up to a more lively walking with God; and the warm, flaming, zealous, burning Christian, puts heat and warmth into the cold, formal, frozen Christian; and the free, liberal, bountiful Christian, provokes others to be free, noble, and liberal, for the supply of the necessities of the Saints, 2 Cor. 9.1, 2. Chap. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 19, 20, &c.

:357p. 158–159§9

The ninth and last (though not the least end) is the honour and glory of the great God. God's grace is the spring, and God's glory is the end of all a Christians obedience; God's glory is the ultimate end,¹ the primary end, the universal end, the Sea to which all a Christians actions, like so many Rivers, move and bend: 'Tis true, many poor, low, mean, base ends, may creep into a Christians performances; but here mark, 1. They are disallowed. 2. They are loathed and abhorred. 3. They are resisted and striven against. 4. They are lamented and mourned over. 5. The gracious soul would willingly be rid of them; if a Christian might have his choice, he would never be troubled with any base end any more. Beloved, you must always distinguish between a mans settled and his suggested ends; a mans settled end may be one things, and his suggested end another thing. Now for ever remember this; That the great God always makes a judgement ⟨p. 159⟩of men according to their settled ends, according to the universal frame of their spirits, and not according to those ends that may be suggested to them, by the world, the flesh, or the devil. It is in this case, as it may be with a man that shoots at a mark, he aims aright at the mark, but his elbow may meet with a jog, which may carry the arrow quite another way than what he intended; or as it is with a man that is sailing to such a Haven, or to such a Harbour, he steers a right course by his Compass, but the winds blowing contrary, and the Sea running high, he is forced into such a creek, or such a Harbour, which he never intended, &c.

The ninth and last (though not the least end) is the honour and glory of the great God. God's grace is the spring, and God's glory is the end of all a Christians obedience; God's glory is the ultimate end,¹ the primary end, the universal end, the Sea to which all a Christians actions, like so many Rivers, move and bend: 'Tis true, many poor, low, mean, base ends, may creep into a Christians performances; but here mark, 1. They are disallowed. 2. They are loathed and abhorred. 3. They are resisted and striven against. 4. They are lamented and mourned over. 5. The gracious soul would willingly be rid of them; if a Christian might have his choice, he would never be troubled with any base end any more. Beloved, you must alwayes distinguish between a mans setled and his suggested ends; a mans setled end may be one things, and his suggested end another thing. Now for ever remember this; That the great God alwayes makes a judgement ⟨p. 159⟩of men according to their setled ends, according to the universal frame of their spirits, and not according to those ends that may be suggested to them, by the world, the flesh, or the devil. It is in this case, as it may be with a man that shoots at a mark, he aims aright at the mark, but his elbow may meet with a jog, which may carry the arrow quite another way than what he intended; or as it is with a man that is sailing to such a Haven, or to such a Harbour, he steers a right course by his Compass, but the winds blowing contrary, and the Sea running high, he is forced into such a creek, or such a Harbour, which he never intended, &c.

1Rom. 14.7, 8. Phil. 1.20, 21.