Chapter 5, A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a… by Thomas Brooks (1669) | AskReformation

Skip to content

FIrst Proposition. 'Tis the wisdom, and ought to be the work of every Christian to own the least measure of grace that is in him,¹ though it be mixed and mingled with many weaknesses and infirmities: Sin is Satan's work, and grace is Christ's work; and therefore Christ's work ought to be eyed and owned, though it be mingled with much of Satan's work. That Christian is much clouded and benighted, who hath two eyes to behold his sins, but never an eye to see his graces. Christ gets no glory, nor the soul gets no good, when a Christian is still a poring upon his sins. How can that Christian prize a little grace, and bless God for a little grace, and improve a little grace, who won't own a little grace because it is mingled with many weaknesses? Shall the Husbandman own a little wheat when mingled with a great deal of chaff?² shall the Goldsmith own a little filings of gold when mingled with a great deal of dust? and shall not a Christian own a little grace when mingled with a great many failings? David had a great many infirmities, yet he owns his uprightness, Psal. 18.23. I was upright before ⟨p. 333⟩him. And Job ³had a great many weaknesses, yet he owns his integrity, Job. 27.5. Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me. Ver. 6. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go, my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. The Spouse was sensible of her blackness, yet owns her comeliness, Cant. 1.5. I am black, but comely. So Cant. 5.2. I sleep, but my heart waketh. Jeremiah was a man of many failings, yet he owns his hope in God, Jer. 17.17.⁴ Thou art my hope in the day of evil: The poor man in the Gospel was very sensible of the sad reliques and remains of unbelief that was in him, and yet with a holy boldness and confidence he pleads his faith, Mark 9.24. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Peter miscarried sadly,⁵ and yet he owns his love to Christ, Joh. 21.15. Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. Ver. 16. Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. Ver. 17. Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. Paul had his infirmities and weaknesses hanging upon him, witness that 7th of the Romans; and yet how frequently and boldly does he own the grace of God that was in him, throughout his Epistles. Nothing keeps grace more at an under, than mens not owning of a little grace, because it is mingled with many infirmities.

:638p. 333–334§1

The second Proposition is this. It is your wisdom, and §2should be your work, to look upon all your graces and gracious evidences as favours given you from above, as gifts dropped out of heaven into your hearts, as flowers of Paradise stuck in your bosoms by a divine hand. A man should never look upon his graces or his gracious evidences,¹ but should be ready to say, these are the jewels of glory with which God has bespangled my soul, 1 Cor. 4.7. What hast thou that thou hast not received? What gift? what grace? what experience? what evidence hast thou that thou hast not received? All the light, and all the life, and all the love, and all the joy, and all the fear, and all the faith, and all the hope, and all the patience, and all the humility, &c. that thou hast, with all the evidences that arise from discovery of those graces, are ⟨p. 334⟩all grace gifts, they are all from above. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, ²and cometh down from the father of lights. Look, as all light flows from the Sun, and all water from the Sea, so all temporal, spiritual and eternal good flows from heaven. All your graces, and the greatest excellencies that are in you, do as much depend upon God and Christ, as the light doth upon the Sun, or as the Rivers do upon the Sea,³ or as the branches do upon the root. All my springs are in thee; all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul, and all the springs of grace that I have to quicken me, and to evidence the goodness and happiness of my spiritual estate and condition to me, they are all in thee. When a Christian looks upon his wisdom and knowledge, it concerns him to say, Here is wisdom and knowledge, I but 'tis from above; here is some weak love working towards Christ, but 'tis from above; here's joy, and comfort, and peace, &c. but these are all such flowers of Paradise as never grew in natures garden. Now when a Christian looks thus upon all those costly Diamonds of grace, of glory, with which his soul is bedecked, he keeps low, though his graces and gracious evidences are high. Where this Rule is neglected, the soul will be endangered of being swelled and puffed.

The second Proposition is this. It is your wisdom, and §2should be your work, to look upon all your graces and gracious evidences as favours given you from above, as gifts dropt out of heaven into your hearts, as flowers of Paradise stuck in your bosoms by a divine hand. A man should never look upon his graces or his gracious evidences,¹ but should be ready to say, these are the jewels of glory with which God has bespangled my soul, 1 Cor. 4.7. What hast thou that thou hast not received? What gift? what grace? what experience? what evidence hast thou that thou hast not received? All the light, and all the life, and all the love, and all the joy, and all the fear, and all the faith, and all the hope, and all the patience, and all the humility, &c. that thou hast, with all the evidences that arise from discovery of those graces, are ⟨p. 334⟩all grace gifts, they are all from above. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, ²and cometh down from the father of lights. Look, as all light flows from the Sun, and all water from the Sea, so all temporal, spiritual and eternal good flows from heaven. All your graces, and the greatest excellencies that are in you, do as much depend upon God and Christ, as the light doth upon the Sun, or as the Rivers do upon the Sea,³ or as the branches do upon the root. All my springs are in thee; all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul, and all the springs of grace that I have to quicken me, and to evidence the goodness and happiness of my spiritual estate and condition to me, they are all in thee. When a Christian looks upon his wisdom and knowledge, it concerns him to say, Here is wisdom and knowledge, I but 'tis from above; here is some weak love working towards Christ, but 'tis from above; here's joy, and comfort, and peace, &c. but these are all such flowers of Paradise as never grew in natures garden. Now when a Christian looks thus upon all those costly Diamonds of grace, of glory, with which his soul is bedeckt, he keeps low, though his graces and gracious evidences are high. Where this Rule is neglected, the soul will be endangered of being swell'd and pufft.

1Of thine own (saith David) have we given thee, 1 Chron. 29.14:
2Jam. 1.17.
3Joh. 15.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Psal. 87.7.

:642p. 336–337§3

the Gnostics, who talked high of fellowship and communion with Christ, and yet walked in darkness; they lived in all impurity, ⟨p. 337⟩and yet would make the world believe that they were the only people who knew God, and had fellowship with God, but John tells us they were liars.¹ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lye, and do not the truth. What fellowship hath light with darkness? Such walk in darkness, who promise to themselves the future vision of God's face, whilst they go on in the wilful breach of God's royal Laws. Such who say they know him, and are swallowed up in the enjoyments of him, and yet in the course of their live• walk contrary to him, such are liars. He that saith I know him; ²and keeps not his commandments is a liar. Sanctification and justification are both of them benefits of the Covenant of grace, and therefore to evidence the one by the other,³ can be no turning aside to the covenant of works: You may run and read in the Covenant of grace, that he that is justified is also sanctified, and that he that is sanctified is also justified and therefore, why may not he that knows himself to be really sanctified upon that very ground, safely and boldly conclude, that he is certainly justified. O Sirs! the same spirit that witnesses to a Christian his justification; can shine upon his graces,⁴ and witness to him his sanctification as well as his justification; and without all controversy, 'tis as much the office of the Spirit to witness to a man his sanctification, as 'tis to witness to him his justification. But you will say, Sir, pray what should be the reasons why many men have, and why some do still cry down marks and signs, and deny sanctification to be an evidence of mens justification, &c. and speak disgracefully of this practice that is now under consideration? I conjecture the Reasons may be such as follow.

the Gnosticks, who talkt high of fellowship and communion with Christ, and yet walkt in darkness; they lived in all impurity, ⟨p. 337⟩and yet would make the world believe that they were the only people who knew God, and had fellowship with God, but John tells us they were lyars.¹ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lye, and do not the truth. What fellowship hath light with darkness? Such walk in darkness, who promise to themselves the future vision of God's face, whilst they go on in the wilful breach of God's royal Laws. Such who say they know him, and are swallowed up in the enjoyments of him, and yet in the course of their live• walk contrary to him, such are lyars. He that saith I know him; ²and keeps not his commandements is a lyar. Sanctification and justification are both of them benefits of the Covenant of grace, and therefore to evidence the one by the other,³ can be no turning aside to the covenant of works: You may run and read in the Covenant of grace, that he that is justified is also sanctified, and that he that is sanctified is also justified and therefore, why may not he that knows himself to be really sanctified upon that very ground, safely and boldly conclude, that he is certainly justified. O Sirs! the same spiri• that wit•esses to a Christian his justification; can shine upon his graces,⁴ and witness to him his sanctification as well as his justification; and without all controversie, 'tis as much the office of the Spirit to witness to a man his sanctification, as 'tis to witness to him his justification. But you will say, Sir, pray what should be the reasons why many men have, and why some do still cry down marks and signs, and deny sanctification to be an evidence of mens justification, &c. and speak disgracefully of this practice that is now under consideration? I conjecture the Reasons may be such as follow.

:645p. 338–339§3

Thirdly, In some this ariseth from their lusts, which they indulge and connive at, and which they have a mind to live quietly in; they are desirous to keep their peace, and yet unwilling to forsake their lusts; and hence they exclude this witness of water or sanctification to testify in the Court of Conscience, whether they are beloved of God, or whether they are sincere hearted or no, or whether they have the root of the matter in them or no; for the want of this witness, water or sanctification, is a clear and full witness against them, that they are yet in their sins, under wrath, and in the way to eternal ruin; and that they have nothing to do with peace,¹ or comfort, or the promises, or Christ, or heaven, to take God's name into their lips, seeing they secretly hate to be reformed. There are many fair Professors that are foul sinners, and that have much of God, and Christ, and heaven, and holiness in their lips, when they have nothing but sin and hell in their hearts and lives. These mens conversions shame their profession, and therefore they cry out against sanctification as a sure and blessed evidence of a mans justification: Such sinners as live in a course of sin, that make a Trade of sin,² that indulge their sins, that take up arms in defence of sin, that make provision for sin, that make a sport of sin, that take pleasure in sin, and that have set their hearts upon their ⟨p. 339⟩sins; such sinners can't but look upon the witness of sanctification, as the hand-writing upon the wall, Dan. 5.5, 6. But,

Thirdly, In some this ariseth from their lusts, which they indulge and connive at, and which they have a mind to live quietly in; they are desirous to keep their peace, and yet unwilling to forsake their lusts; and hence they exclude this witness of water or sanctification to testifie in the Court of Conscience, whether they are beloved of God, or whether they are sincere hearted or no, or whether they have the root of the matter in them or no; for the want of this witness, water or sanctification, is a clear and full witness against them, that they are yet in their sins, under wrath, and in the way to eternal ruin; and that they have nothing to do with peace,¹ or comfort, or the promises, or Christ, or heaven, to take God's name into their lips, seeing they secretly hate to be reformed. There are many fair Professors that are foul sinners, and that have much of God, and Christ, and heaven, and holiness in their lips, when they have nothing but sin and hell in their hearts and lives. These mens conversions shame their profession, and therefore they cry out against sanctification as a sure and blessed evidence of a mans justification: Such sinners as live in a course of sin, that make a Trade of sin,² that indulge their sins, that take up arms in defence of sin, that make provision for sin, that make a sport of sin, that take pleasure in sin, and that have set their hearts upon their ⟨p. 339⟩sins; such sinners can't but look upon the witness of sanctification, as the hand-writing upon the wall, Dan. 5.5, 6. But,

1Isa. 57. ult. Psal. 50.16.
21 Thes. 2.12.

:646p. 339§3

Fourthly, There are many who are great strangers to §4their own hearts and the blessed Scriptures, and are ignorant of what may be said from the blessed Word,¹ to evidence the lawfulness of this practice that is under our present consideration. And hence it comes to pass that they cry down marks and signs, and deny sanctification to be a sure and blessed evidence of mens justification. Ignorat sane improb•• omnis; ignorance is the source of all sin, the very well-spring from which all wickedness doth issue.² Ignorance enslaves a soul to Satan, it lets in sin by Troops, locks them up in the heart, shuts out the means of recovery, and so plasters up a mans eyes, that he can't see the things that belongs to his own or to others internal or eternal peace. The Scripture sets ignorant persons below the Ox and the Ass. Did men either see the deformity of sin,³ or the beauty and excellency of holiness, they would never delight in the one, nor cry down the other. Peter ⁴tells you of some that speak evil of the things that they understood not, they did reprehend that which they could not comprehend. Ignorance is a breeding sin, a mother sin, all sins are seminally in ignorance; ignorance is the mother of all the mistakes, and of all the misrule in the world. Christ told the Sadducees,⁵ That they did err not knowing the Scriptures; and so I may say many err in crying down such signs and evidences of grace which are bottomed upon Scripture, because they are ignorant of what the Scripture saith in the case. But,

Fourthly, There are many who are great strangers to §4their own hearts and the blessed Scriptures, and are ignorant of what may be said from the blessed Word,¹ to evidence the lawfulness of this practice that is under our present consideration. And hence it comes to pass that they cry down marks and signs, and deny sanctification to be a sure and blessed evidence of mens justification. Ignorat sane improb•• omnis; ignorance is the source of all sin, the very well-spring from which all wickedness doth issue.² Ignorance inslaves a soul to Satan, it lets in sin by Troops, locks them up in the heart, shuts out the means of recovery, and so plaisters up a mans eyes, that he can't see the things that belongs to his own or to others internal or eternal peace. The Scripture sets ignorant persons below the Ox and the Ass. Did men either see the deformity of sin,³ or the beauty and excellency of holiness, they would never delight in the one, nor cry down the other. Peter ⁴tells you of some that speak evil of the things that they understood not, they did reprehend that which they could not comprehend. Ignorance is a breeding sin, a mother sin, all sins are seminally in ignorance; ignorance is the mother of all the mistakes, and of all the misrule in the world. Christ told the Sadduces,⁵ That they did err not knowing the Scriptures; and so I may say many err in crying down such signs and evidences of grace which are bottomed upon Scripture, because they are ignorant of what the Scripture saith in the case. But,

1'Tis sad to be a stranger at home, and to be least acquainted with a mans own heart. Aristotle.
2'Tis said of knowledge, non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem.
3Isa. 1.3.
42 Pet. 2.12.
5Mat. 22.29.

:647p. 339–340§4

Fifthly, The generality of Christians are but Lambs, §5Babes and Children in grace,¹ the springs of grace runs low in them, their fears frequently over-top their faith, and their strong passions and corruptions do often raise such a dust and smoke in their souls, that […] they might have all the world, yea if their salvation lay upon it, they were not able to discern the least measure of grace in their own souls. A little grace is next to none, small things are hardly discerned; he ⟨p. 340⟩had need to have a clear light and good eyes, that is to discern a hair, a mote, or an atom. A little grace is not discoverable but by a shining light from above. There are none so full of fears, and doubts, and questions, and disputes, about the truth of their faith in Christ, and the sincerity of their love to Christ, as those that least believe and least love. The Kingdom of God in most Christians,² is but as a grain of mustard-seed, which is the least of all seeds; and therefore▪ 'tis no wonder they see it not. The root of the matter in most Christians is but small, and that small root is often covered over with many sinful infirmities and weaknesses, and therefore we are not to look upon it as a strange thing, if we see such Christians not sensible of the root of the matter that is in them. Weak habits put forth such faint actions (and with so much interruption) that it is not an easy thing to discern whether they are the products of special or of common grace. Now most Christians having but small measures of grace, holiness and sanctification in them; and these small measures being much obscured and buried under the prevalency of fears, doubts and unmortified lusts, can speak but weakly and darkly for them; & upon this ground they are not fond of bringing in this witness of sanctification to speak for them. In civil Courts men are not ambitious to bring such witnesses to the Bar, as can witness but weakly & faintly in their case. Tis so here.

Fifthly, The generality of Christians are but Lambs, §5Babes and Children in grace,¹ the springs of grace runs low in them, their fears frequently over-top their faith, and their strong passions and corruptions do often raise such a dust and smoak in their souls, that 〈…〉 they might have all the world, yea if their salvation lay upon it, they were not able to discern the least measure of grace in their own souls. A little grace is next to none, small things are hardly discerned; he ⟨p. 340⟩had need to have a clear light and good eyes, that is to discern a hair, a mote, or an atome. A little grace is not discoverable but by a shining light from above. There are none so full of fears, and doubts, and questions, and disputes, about the truth of their faith in Christ, and the sincerity of their love to Christ, as those that least believe and least love. The Kingdom of God in most Christians,² is but as a grain of mustard-seed, which is the least of all seeds; and therefore▪ 'tis no wonder they see it not. The root of the matter in most Christians is but small, and that small root is often covered over with many sinful infirmities and weaknesses, and therefore we are not to look upon it as a strange thing, if we see such Christians not sensible of the root of the matter that is in them. Weak habits put forth such faint actions (and with so much interruption) that it is not an easie thing to discern whether they are the products of special or of common grace. Now most Christians having but small measures of grace, holiness and sanctification in them; and these small measures being much obscured and buried under the prevalency of fears, doubts and unmortified lusts, can speak but weakly and darkly for them; & upon this ground they are not fond of bringing in this witness of sanctification to speak for them. In civil Courts men are not ambitious to bring such witnesses to the Bar, as can witnes but weakly & faintly in their case. Tis so here.

1Isa. 40.11. 2 Pet. 2.2, 3. 1 John 2.1.
2Mark 4.30, 31, 32.

:648p. 340–341§6

Sixthly, Satan is a grand enemy to the peace, joy, comfort, assurance, settlement and satisfaction of every poor Christian; and therefore he will leave no stone unturned, nor no means unattempted,¹ whereby he may keep them in a low, dark, unsettled and uncomfortable condition. When once a poor soul is brought over to Christ, how does the Devil bestir himself to keep such a soul so under fears, doubts and bondage, as that it may not in the least have an eye to any thing that may have a proper tendency to its comfort, joy, assurance, peace or quiet. The Devil will do all he can to furnish such (as ar• begotten again by the resurrection of Christ from the dead) with all sorts of deadly weapons one of his Armoury to fight against those Arguments and evidences which make for the peace and comfort ⟨p. 341⟩of their own souls. He that shall look seriously and impartially upon the subtle, close, strong,² and rhetorical arguings of many distressed Christians (above their own natural parts) against the peace, rest, comfort, and settlement of their own souls, may safely conclude, that a hand of Joab, a hand of Satan, yea a strong hand of Satan, has been with them. He that shall please to read the life of Francis Spira (though he be no great Philosopher) yet he may easily discern with what subtlety and wonderful.³ Sophistry Satan help• him to argue against the pardonableness of his sins, and the possibility of his salvation. Satan knows how to transform himself into an Angel of light; Satan does not always appear in one and the same fashion; but he appears in as many several shapes, fashions and changes, as Proteus did among the Poets: To deceive some, he has assumed a lightsome body, as if he were an Angel of heaven▪ as if he had been a holy one, clothed with the brightness of celestial glory. To deceive others, he has appeared as an Angel of light, suggesting such things to them, and injecting such things into them, under fair and specious shows and pretences of Religion, Piety, Zeal and Holiness, which have had a direct tendency to the dishonour of God, the wounding of Christ, the grieving of the Spirit, the clouding or denying their evidences for heaven, the strangling of their hopes, and the death of all their comforts and joy. But,

Sixthly, Satan is a grand enemy to the peace, joy, comfort, assurance, settlement and satisfaction of every poor Christian; and therefore he will leave no stone unturn'd, nor no means unattempted,¹ whereby he may keep them in a low, dark, unsettled and uncomfortable condition. When once a poor soul is brought over to Christ, how does the Devil bestir himself to keep such a soul so under fears, doubts and bondage, as that it may not in the least have an eye to any thing that may have a proper tendency to its comfort, joy, assurance, peace or quiet. The Devil will do all he can to furnish such (as ar• •egotten again by the resurrection of Christ from the dead) with all sorts of deadly weapons one of his Armoury to fight against those Arguments and evidences which make for the peace and comfort ⟨p. 341⟩of their own souls. He that shall look seriously and impartially upon the subtile, close, strong,² and rhetorical arguings of many distressed Christians (above their own natural parts) against the peace, rest, comfort, and settlement of their own souls, may safely conclude, that a hand of Joab, a hand of Satan, yea a strong hand of Satan, has been with them. He that shall please to read the life of Francis Spira (though he be no great Philosopher) yet he may easily discern with what subtilty and wonderful.³ Sophistry Satan help• him to argue against the pardonableness of his sins, and the possibility of his salvation. Satan knows how to transform himself into an Angel of light; Satan does not alwayes appear in one and the same fashion; but he appears in as many several shapes, fashions and changes, as Proteus did among the Poets: To deceive some, he has assumed a lightsom body, as if he were an Angel of heaven▪ as if he had been a holy one, cloathed with the brightness of celestial glory. To deceive others, he has appeared as an Angel of light, suggesting such things to them, and injecting such things into them, under fair and specious shews and pretences of Religion, Piety, Zeal and Holiness, which have had a direct tendency to the dishonour of God, the wounding of Christ, the grieving of the Spirit, the clouding or denying their evidences for heaven, the strangling of their hopes, and the death of all their comforts and joy. But,