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

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: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.

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Seventhly, To keep down the body, and to bring it into §7subjection to the soul, 1 Cor. 9.27. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. By spiritual exercises the Apostle d d subdue his flesh to the obedience and discipline of the spirit; in former times they had several exercises, as wrestling, and running for the prize. Now, such as were slow, pursy, unwieldy, and lazy, were cashiered; they would not admit such to be of their society or company, who wrestled and run for the prize: Them that were admitted to those exercises, kept their bodies at an under, and did not pamper their bodies with dainties and delicates. To these the Apostle alludes, of idleness there comes no goodness; when the spirit is not acting in that which is good, that the flesh may be kept under, the flesh will take an advantage to be very active in those things that are evil, that the spirit may be kept under; the flesh is like an unruly beast, which through rest, idleness, and high feeding, grows wild and masterless. Now, the only way to tame this beast, is to work him hard; so the way of ways to keep the body under, is to keep up the soul as much as may be, in the full exercise of holiness and obedience; such as have most pampered their bodies,¹ have been the greatest enemies to their own souls; and how many are there this day, that pamper their bodies, but starve their souls? that adorn their bodies, but defiles their soul? that trick and trim up their bodies with gold, and silver, and silks, whilst their souls are naked of all grace, holiness and goodness? like the Laodiceans of old. The body it self, if you set too high a price upon it, will make a cheap soul; a man may be as happy in Russet, as in Tissue; and he is certainly an unhappy man, whose outside is his best side; our bodies are but dirt handsomely tempered, and artificially formed; we derive our pedigree from the dust, and are a kin to clay; and therefore we need not scruple the keeping of it under by holy ⟨p. 158⟩exercises, and by all ways of Gospel-obedience, &c.

Seventhly, To keep down the body, and to bring it into §7subjection to the soul, 1 Cor. 9.27. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. By spiritual exercises the Apostle d d subdue his flesh to the obedience and discipline of the spirit; in former times they had several exercises, as wrestling, and running for the prize. Now, such as were slow, pursie, unweildy, and lazy, were cashiered; they would not admit such to be of their society or company, who wrestled and run for the prize: Them that were admitted to those exercises, kept their bodies at an under, and did not pamper their bodies with dainties and delicates. To these the Apostle alludes, of idleness there comes no goodness; when the spirit is not acting in that which is good, that the flesh may be kept under, the flesh will take an advantage to be very active in those things that are evil, that the spirit may be kept under; the flesh is like an unruly beast, which through rest, idleness, and high feeding, grows wild and masterless. Now, the only way to tame this beast, is to work him hard; so the way of wayes to keep the body under, is to keep up the soul as much as may be, in the full exercise of holiness and obedience; such as have most pampered their bodies,¹ have been the greatest enemies to their own souls; and how many are there this day, that pamper their bodies, but starve their souls? that adorn their bodies, but defiles their soul? that trick and trim up their bodies with gold, and silver, and silks, whilst their souls are naked of all grace, holiness and goodness? like the Laodiceans of old. The body it self, if you set too high a price upon it, will make a cheap soul; a man may be as happy in Russet, as in Tissue; and he is certainly an unhappy man, whose outside is his best side; our bodies are but dirt handsomly tempered, and artificially formed; we derive our pedigree from the dust, and are a kin to clay; and therefore we need not scruple the keeping of it under by holy ⟨p. 158⟩exercises, and by all wayes of Gospel-obedience, &c.

1Deut. 32.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Jer. 5.7, 8, &c. Rev. 3 16, 17, 18.

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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.

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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.

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Fifthly, The more a Christian actually eyes the glory of God in all he does, the more, 1. He glorifies God. 2. The nearer you are the life of heaven, and the more you act like the glorious Angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. 3. The more will be your joy, comfort and peace, both in life and death, and in the day of your account. 4. The more strong will be your confidence and assurance, that your spiritual estate is good, and that you shall be saved for ever. 5. The better you will be able to bear up under all the false, hard, and sour censures of this world. 6. The more you will be temptation proof. 7. The more glorious and weighty will be your crown of glory at last; he shall be highest in heaven, who has actually aimed most at the glory of God in this lower world. And thus you see how you may know whether your obedience is such an obedience as springs from faith, or […] Now, if upon trial you shall find, that your obedience is the obedience of faith, then you may safely and groundedly conclude, that you have a saving work of God upon your hearts. But,

Fifthly, The more a Christian actually eyes the glory of God in all he does, the more, 1. He glorifies God. 2. The neerer you are the life of heaven, and the more you act like the glorious Angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. 3. The more will be your joy, comfort and peace, both in life and death, and in the day of your account. 4. The more strong will be your confidence and assurance, that your spiritual estate is good, and that you shall be saved for ever. 5. The better you will be able to bear up under all the false, hard, and sowre censures of this world. 6. The more you will be temptation proof. 7. The more glorious and weighty will be your crown of glory at last; he shall be highest in heaven, who has actually aimed most at the glory of God in this lower world. And thus you see how you may know whether your obedience is such an obedience as springs from faith, or 〈…〉 Now, if upon trial you shall find, that your obedience is the obedience of faith, then you may safely and groundedly conclude, that you have a saving work of God upon your hearts. But,

:364p. 161§5

Fourthly, A gracious heart is an uniform heart. Ubiquity §4is a sure evidence of integrity. He that is truly good, will be good in bad times, and in the worst of places;¹ principles of grace and holiness, are lasting, yea, everlasting; they are not like the morning cloud, nor the early dew. A gracious soul will be steady and fixed in his principles, in the worst times, in the worst places, and under variety of dispensations; let times and places be what they will, he will not dishonour his God, nor blemish his profession, nor wound his conscience to preserve his safety, or to secure his liberty. An upright man is a right man: So [Greek or Hebrew] Jashar is rendered by the Septuagint, Judg. 17.6. He is one that will not be bowed or bent by the sinful customs or examples of the times and places where he lives.² Abraham was righteous in Chaldea, and Noah was perfect in his generation, though it was the worst in the world; and Lot was just in Sodom, ³and Job was upright in the Land of Uzz, which was a place of much profaneness and superstition; and Nehemiah was courageous and zealous in Damasco, and Daniel was holy, yea, eminently and exemplarily holy in Babylon. The several generations wherein these holy men lived, were wholly devoted to wickedness and superstition, and yet these precious, gracious souls had wholly devoted themselves to the Lord and his service:⁴ So David, My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times! Let the times be never so dangerous, licentious, superstitious, idolatrous or erroneous, yet David's heart was strongly carried forth to Gods judgments; that is, to his Word (for under this title, Judgments, you are to understand the whole Word of God.) So there were some in Sardis that were of the same spirit, with the worthies last mentioned, Rev. 3.4. Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵In polluting times pure hearts will keep themselves pure; a holy heart will keep himself undefiled, even in defiling times, Rev. 14.4. These are they which were not defiled with women; when others are besmeared all over,⁶ he will keep his garments white and clean.

Fourthly, A gracious heart is an uniform heart. Ubiquity §4is a sure evidence of integrity. He that is truly good, will be good in bad times, and in the worst of places;¹ principles of grace and holiness, are lasting, yea, everlasting; they are not like the morning cloud, nor the early dew. A gracious soul will be steddy and fixed in his principles, in the worst times, in the worst places, and under variety of dispensations; let times and places be what they will, he will not dishonour his God, nor blemish his profession, nor wound his conscience to preserve his safety, or to secure his liberty. An upright man is a right man: So 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Jashar is rendred by the Septuagint, Judg. 17.6. He is one that will not be bowed or bent by the sinful customs or examples of the times and places where he lives.² Abraham was righteous in Chaldea, and Noah was perfect in his generation, though it was the worst in the world; and Lot was just in Sodom, ³and Job was upright in the Land of Uzz, which was a place of much prophaness and superstition; and Nehemiah was couragious and zealous in Damasco, and Daniel was holy, yea, eminently and exemplarily holy in Babylon. The several generations wherein these holy men lived, were wholly devoted to wickedness and superstition, and yet these precious, gracious souls had wholly devoted themselves to the Lord and his service:⁴ So David, My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times! Let the times be never so dangerous, licentious, superstitious, idolatrous or erronious, yet David's heart was strongly carried forth to Gods judgments; that is, to his Word (for under this title, Judgments, you are to understand the whole Word of God.) So there were some in Sardis that were of the same spirit, with the worthies last mentioned, Rev. 3.4. Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵In polluting times pure hearts will keep themselves pure; a holy heart will keep himself undefiled, even in defiling times,

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he will let all go, he will let every thing go, before ⟨p. 163⟩he will let his God go, or his Religion go, or his integrity go. A gracious Christian is like gold. Now, cast gold into the fire, or into the water; cast it upon the dunghill, or into the kennel; cast it among the poor, or among the rich; among the religious, or among the superstitious, &c. yet still it is gold, still it retains its purity and excellency: So cast a gracious Christian (who is the only golden Christian in the world) into what condition you will, and into what company you will, yet still he will retain his purity, his innocency Lapidaries tell us of the Chelydonian stone, that it will retain its virtue and lustre, no longer than it is enclosed in gold: A fit emblem of an hypocrite, who is only good while he is enclosed in golden prosperity, safety and felicity. An unsound Christian like green timber shrinks,¹ when the Sun of persecution shines hot upon him. The heat of fiery trials, cools the courage of an unsound Christian. If you put water into a Tub, it will have the shape of the Tub that you put it into; or if you put water into a glass, it will have the shape of the glass you put it into. This is the very picture of an unsound heart; but a sincere Christian is like a massive vessel of gold, that keeps its own shape and figure, at all times, in all places, and in all companies; unsound hearts, they will be righteous among the righteous, and licentious among the licentious; they will be as the company is amongst which they are cast; with the good they will be good, and with the bad they will be bad; with the zealous they will be zealous, and with the superstitious they will be superstitious; and with the lukewarm they will be lukewarm; they are for all times and tides, they are for any turn that will serve their turn, they are for any Mode that will bring either profit or pleasure to them; they are like Alcibiades, of whom it was said, that he was (•••nium horarum homo) a man for all times; for he could swagger it at Athens, and take any pains at Thebes; he could live most sparingly at Lacedaemon, and bib among the Thracians, and hunt among the Persians; they are like the Chameleon, ready to change their hue with every one they converse with; they are like Polypus, that resembleth every stone that it sticketh to;

he will let all go, he will let every thing go, before ⟨p. 163⟩he will let his God go, or his Religion go, or his integrity go. A gracious Christian is like gold. Now, cast gold into the fire, or into the water; cast it upon the dunghil, or into the kennel; cast it among the poor, or among the rich; among the religious, or among the superstitious, &c. yet still it is gold, still it retains its purity and excellency: So cast a gracious Christian (who is the only golden Christian in the world) into what condition you will, and into what company you will, yet still he will retain his purity, his innocency Lapidaries tell us of the Chelydonian stone, that it will retain its vertue and lustre, no longer than it is enclosed in gold: A fit emblem of an hypocrite, who is only good while he is inclosed in golden prosperity, safety and felicity. An unsound Christian like green timber shrinks,¹ when the Sun of persecution shines hot upon him. The heat of fiery trials, cools the courage of an unsound Christian. If you put water into a Tub, it will have the shape of the Tub that you put it into; or if you put water into a glass, it will have the shape of the glass you put it into. This is the very picture of an unsound heart; but a sincere Christian is like a massie vessel of gold, that keeps its own shape and figure, at all times, in all places, and in all companies; unsound hearts, they will be righteous among the righteous, and licentious among the licentious; they will be as the company is amongst which they are cast; with the good they will be good, and with the bad they will be bad; with the zealous they will be zealous, and with the superstitious they will be superstitious; and with the lukewarm they will be lukewarm; they are for all times and tydes, they are for any turn that will serve their turn, they are for any Mode that will bring either profit or pleasure to them; they are like Alcibiades, of whom it was said, that he was (•••nium horarum homo) a man for all times; for he could swagger it at Athens, and take any pains at Thebes; he could live most sparingly at Lacidaemon, and bib among the Thracians, and hunt among the Persians; they are like the Chamelion, ready to change their hue with every one they converse with; they are like Polypus, that resembleth every stone that it sticketh to;

1Mat. 13.6.

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or they are like the Buskins ⟨p. 164⟩anciently used in Tragedies,¹ that would serve either leg alike; they are as fit for one society as another; or like the Players that used them, such as acting Princely parts, wear royal apparel, keep state, and demean themselves gravely and soberly,² so long as they are in public view upon the Stage; but when they have done acting, are no sooner off the stage, but they pass presently into another habit, and retain neither Princely behaviour nor apparel, but are most beggarly, base and debauched, either in private among themselves, or among their companions like themselves. Unsound hearts can accommodate themselves to the times, and comply with them what ever they be; with Proteus they will transform themselves into all shapes, as the times change so will they; what the times favour, that they will favour; what the times commend, that they will commend; what the times cry up and admire, that they will cry up and admire; and what the times frown upon and condemn, that they will frown upon and condemn. Look as curious and well-drawn Pictures seem to turn their eyes every way, and to smile upon every one that looks upon them; so these can turn with the times, they can look as the times look, and smile as the times smile, they can say with the times, and sail with the times; sometimes they can act one part, and sometimes another part, as the times require; if the times require a large profession, they can make it; if the times be speak them to leave their Religion at the Church door, they can leave it. But now, a sincere Christian, he will labour to be so much the more gracious, by how much the more the times are licentious. A sincere Christian is like gold; if you cast it into the fire, it will not waste; if you throw it into the water, it will not rust, it will retain its own purity and excellency, wherever you dispose of it. But

or they are like the Buskins ⟨p. 164⟩anciently used in Tragedies,¹ that would serve either leg alike; they are as fit for one society as another; or like the Players that used them, such as acting Princely parts, wear royal apparel, keep state, and demean themselves gravely and soberly,² so long as they are in publick view upon the Stage; but when they have done acting, are no sooner off the stage, but they pass presently into another habit, and retain neither Princely behaviour nor apparel, but are most beggarly, base and debauched, either in private among themselves, or among their companions like themselves. Unsound hearts can accommodate themselves to the times, and comply with them what ever they be; with Proteus they will transform themselves into all shapes, as the times change so will they; what the times favour, that they will favour; what the times commend, that they will commend; what the times cry up and admire, that they will cry up and admire; and what the times frown upon and condemn, that they will frown upon and condemn. Look as curious and well-drawn Pictures seem to turn their eyes every way, and to smile upon every one that looks upon them; so these can turn with the times, they can look as the times look, and smile as the times smile, they can say with the times, and sail with the times; sometimes they can act one part, and sometimes another part, as the times require; if the times require a large profession, they can make it; if the times be speak them to leave their Religion at the Church door, they can leave it. But now, a sincere Christian, he will labour to be so much the more gracious, by how much the more the times are licentious. A sincere Christian is like gold; if you cast it into the fire, it will not waste; if you throw it into the water, it will not rust, it will retain its own purity and excellency, wherever you dispose of it. But

1Lucian.
2Sen. ep. 76, &c.