Grace Gems

[nChrist]

O friends! remember this once for all

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"Cleanse me from my hidden faults." Psalm 19:12

"I hate vain thoughts." Psalm 119:113

A gracious soul conflicts most with heart-sins, and is
most affected with spiritual sins, and laments and
mourns most over secret sins--invisible sins--sins
which lie most hidden and remote from the eyes of
the world. He is most affected and afflicted by inward
pollutions and defilements.

Grace will rise and conflict against the most inward
and secret vanities of the soul, such as--
  secret self-love;
  secret hardness of heart;
  secret unbelief;
  secret carnal confidence;
  secret hypocrisy;
  secret envy;
  secret malice;
  secret vain-glory;
  secret fretting and murmuring;
  secret lustings;
  secret runnings-out of the soul after worldly vanities;
  and secret pride.

True grace makes opposition as well against the
being of sin in a man's nature--as against the
breakings out of sin in a man's life!

True grace will make war against the corruptions of the
heart--as well as against the excursions of the feet!

True grace is as willing and desirous to be rid of a
polluted heart--as it is willing and desirous to be rid
of a polluted hand.

True grace would gladly have, not only sinful acts--but
also sinful dispositions; and not only irregular actions--
but also inordinate affections--mortified and subdued.

O friends! heart sins are root sins! Certainly a proud heart
has more of Satan in it than a proud look! And a lustful
heart is more vile than a lustful eye! Therefore true grace
makes war against heart sins, against spiritual sins, against
the most inward secret sins--against those very sins which
do not lie within the reach of the piercing eye of the most
knowing or observing man in the world--but are only
obvious to an Omniscient eye!

Spiritual convictions can reach to the most inward, secret,
spiritual, and undiscernible sins. Certainly that is a sincere
heart, a heart more worth than gold--which smites a man:
  for inward sins--as well as for outward sins;
  for sins done in secret--as well as for sins done in public;
  for spiritual sins--as well as for fleshly sins;
  for sins against the soul--as well as for sins against the body.

O friends! remember this once for all--that the main
battle, the main warfare of a Christian lies not in the open
field, it lies not in visible skirmishes. But his main quarrels
and conflicts are most within, and his worst and greatest
enemies are those of his own house--those of his own heart.
A little grace may reform an evil life--but it must be a great
deal of grace that reforms an evil heart! A little grace may
make a man victorious over outward gross sins--but it must
be a great deal of grace that makes a man victorious over
inward sins, secret sins, spiritual sins, heart sins!

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me
 and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me
 that offends You, and lead me along the path of
 everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24

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[nChrist]

Devils in their homes!

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

A true Christian will endeavor to obey God in relative
duties. He will not only hear, and pray, and read, and
meditate, and fast, and mourn--but he will labor to
be godly in domestic relationships.

Remember this forever--everyone is that in reality,
which he is at home. Many make a great profession,
and have great abilities and gifts, and can discourse well
on any pious subject--whose homes are not little heavens,
but little hells. Some are very much like angels in public,
saints in the church, and devils in their homes!

Domestic graces and duties do better demonstrate true
piety and godliness, than public or general duties do. For
pride, vain-glory, self-ends, and a hundred other outward
carnal considerations, may put a man upon the general duties
of religion. But it argues both truth and strength of grace, to
be diligent and conscientious in the discharge of domestic
duties.

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[nChrist]

You have all your hearts can wish!

(John Flavel "The Method of Grace")

"My God will supply all your needs according to His
 riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

O say with a melting heart--I have a full Christ,
and He is filled for me! I have . . .
  His pure and perfect righteousness to justify me,
  His holiness to sanctify me,
  His wisdom to guide me,
  His comforts to refresh me,
  His power to protect me,
  His all-sufficiency to supply me.

O be cheerful, be thankful--you have all your
hearts can wish! And yet be humble--it is all
from free-grace to empty and unworthy creatures!

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[nChrist]

O the blessed chemistry of heaven!

(John Flavel, "The Method of Grace")

The Lord makes use even of your sins and
infirmities to do you good. By these, He . . .
  humbles you,
  beats you off from self-dependence,
  makes you admire the riches of grace,
  makes you long more ardently for heaven,
  causes you to entertain sweeter thoughts of death.

Does not the Lord then, make blessed fruits to spring
up from such a bitter root? O the blessed chemistry
of heaven--to extract such mercies out of such miseries!

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[nChrist]

Glued to their lusts

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

Sinners' hearts are so glued to their lusts, that they
will rather part with their nearest, dearest, and choicest
enjoyments--than part with their sins! Yes, they will rather
part with God, Christ, and all the glory of heaven--than
they will part with some darling lust.

"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin."
    John 16:8

The first work of the Spirit upon the soul,
is to make a man . . .
  look upon sin as an enemy,
  to deal with sin as an enemy,
  to hate sin as an enemy,
  to loathe sin as an enemy,
  to fear sin as an enemy, and
  to arm against sin as an enemy.

Of all the vile things in the world, sin is the
most defiling thing; it makes us red with
guilt and black with filth.

Inward corruptions grieve the gracious soul.

"Oh," says the gracious soul,
"that I were but rid of . . .
  this proud heart,
  this hard heart,
  this unbelieving heart,
  this unclean heart,
  this froward heart,
  this earthly heart of mine!"

The Christian has a universal willingness
to be rid of all sin. The enmity which grace
works in the heart, is against all sin:
  profitable sins,
  pleasurable sins,
  disparaging sins,
  disgracing sins,
  small sins,
  great sins.

A gracious heart had much rather, if it were put to his
choice, live without all sin--than to have allowance to
wallow in any sin. He had rather live without the least
sin--than to have liberty to live in the most flesh-pleasing
sin. It is certain that sin is more afflictive to a gracious
soul, than all the losses, crosses, troubles, and trials
that he meets with in the world.

True grace would not have one Canaanite left
in the holy land; he would have every Egyptian
drowned in the red sea of Christ's blood!

"I hate every false way." Psalm 139:24

Saving grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts,
  as a slave is willing to leave his chains,
  or a prisoner his dungeon,
  or a beggar his rags.

A sincere heart had much rather be rid of his sins
than of his sufferings; yes, of the least sins than
of the greatest sufferings.

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[nChrist]

The hypocrite's only care

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)
The hypocrite's only care is to keep his outward life
from defilement. But the sincere Christian's care is mainly
to keep his heart from defilement; for he very well knows,
that if he can but keep his heart clean--he shall with more
ease keep his life clean. If the fountain is kept pure--the
streams will run pure. The heart is the spring of all actions,
and therefore every action is as the spring is, from whence
it flows; if the spring is good--the action is good which flows
from it; if the spring is evil, the action is evil which flows
from it.

Hypocrites are all for the outside; they wash the platters
and the cups, and beautify the tombs--like an adulteress
whose care is to paint a fair face upon a foul heart.

But a sincere Christian, though he has a great concern for
the well-ordering of his outward life--yet his main business
and work is about his heart--
"Oh that this ignorant heart were but more enlightened!
 Oh that this proud heart were but more humble!
 Oh that this profane heart were but more holy!
 Oh that this earthly heart were but more heavenly!
 Oh that this unbelieving heart were but more believing!
 Oh that this passionate heart were but more meek!
 Oh that this carnal heart were but more spiritual!
 Oh that this vain heart were but more serious!
 Oh that this dull heart were but more quickened!
 Oh that this dead heart were but more enlivened!
 Oh that this lukewarm heart were but more zealous
for God, and Christ, and the gospel, and the great
concerns of eternity!"

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[nChrist]

My Father, God!

(Octavius Winslow, "Our God")

"And because you have become His children, God has
 sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, and now you
 can call God your dear Father. Now you are no longer
 a slave but God's own child. And since you are His
 child, everything He has belongs to you." Gal. 4:6-7

Oh, the costly and precious privilege of looking up to
this great, this holy Lord God, and exclaiming--"My
Father, God!"

It is in this character He would have you recognize
Him; in this relation He would have you come to Him;
in this light He would have you view and interpret all
His dealings both of mercy and of judgment.

Hesitate not, then, beloved, in all your needs and
trials, in all your mental and spiritual depressions,
in all your conscious waywardness and disobedience,
and in all the corrections and rebukes of His discipline;
hesitate not still to love Him, to trust in Him, to
submit to Him as your Father.

Are you in need? He is pledged to supply it.

Are you bereaved? His hand has done it.

Are you sick? His providence has sent it.

Are you in the garden of sorrow--with the cup of
adversity trembling in your hand? Take it, drink it,
looking up to Him with a filial, loving, submissive
spirit, and exclaiming, "The cup which My Father
has given me--shall I not drink it?"

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[nChrist]

All tears of godly sorrow drop from the eye of faith

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced--and
 shall mourn." Zechariah 12:10

All godly sorrow is the fruit and effect of evangelical faith.
Godly sorrow flows from faith--as the stream from the fountain,
the branch from the root, and the effect from the cause. All
gracious mourning flows from looking, from believing. Nothing
breaks the heart of a sinner like a look of faith. All tears of
godly sorrow drop from the eye of faith. Godly sorrow
rises and falls--as faith rises and falls. The more a man is
able by faith to look upon a pierced Christ--the more his
heart will mourn over all the dishonors which he has done
to Christ. The more deep and wide the wounds are, which
faith shows me in the heart and sides of Christ--the more
my heart will be wounded for sinning against Christ.

The free love and favor of God, and His unspeakable goodness
and mercy manifested in Jesus Christ to poor sinners--is the
very spring and fountain of all evangelical sorrow. Nothing
breaks the heart of a poor sinner like the sight of God's free
love in Christ, the Redeemer. A man cannot seriously look upon
the firstness, the freeness, the greatness, the unchangeableness,
the everlastingness, and the matchlessness of God's free favor
and love in Christ--with a hard heart, or with dry eyes! It is
only such a love as this, which sets the soul a-mourning and
a-lamenting over a crucified Christ.

The fears of wrath, of hell, and of condemnation--works unsound
hearts to mourn. But it is the sight of a bleeding, dying Savior--
which sets sincere, gracious souls a-mourning.

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[nChrist]

No sin startles less--or damns surer!

(John Flavel "The Method of Grace")

"He who believes on the Son has everlasting life; but
 he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life;
 but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36

Unbelief is man's great sin, and condemnation is
his great misery. How dreadful a sin is the sin of
unbelief, which brings men under the condemnation
of the great God. No sin startles less--or damns
surer! Unbelief is a sin which does not affright the
conscience as some other sins do; but it kills the soul
more certainly than any of those sins. Other sins could
not damn us were it not for unbelief, which fixes the
guilt of them all upon us. Unbelief is the sin of sins;
and when the Spirit comes to convince men of sin,
He begins with this as the capital sin.

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[nChrist]

That golden devil

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"Covetousness, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5

Judas' life was as fair and as free from spots and blots as
the lives of any of the apostles; no scandalous sin was to
be found upon him. But that golden devil 'covetousness'
was his sin--and his everlasting ruin. His apostleship,
preaching, working of miracles, hearing of Christ, and
conversing with Him, etc., was to no purpose, because
of that serpent he kept in his bosom--which at last
stung him to death!

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and
 a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that
 plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of
 money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager
 for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced
 themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10

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[nChrist]

An angel on the outside--and a devil within

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside
 of the cup and the dish; but inside you are filthy--
 full of greed and self-indulgence!" Matthew 23:25

A hypocrite's outside never corresponds with his inside.
A hypocrite's outside is one thing--and his inside another.
A hypocrite's outside is religious--but his inside is wicked.

Hypocrites are like the Egyptian temples, which were beautiful
outside--but within there was nothing to be found but serpents
and crocodiles, and other venomous creatures. They are like
white silver--but they draw black lines. They have a seeming
sanctified outside--but are stuffed within with malice, pride,
worldliness, envy, etc. They are like window cushions, made up
of velvet and richly embroidered--but stuffed within with hay.

A hypocrite . . .
  may offer sacrifice with Cain,
  and fast with Jezebel,
  and humble himself with Ahab,
  and lament with the tears of Esau,
  and kiss Christ with Judas,
  and follow Christ with Demas,
  and be baptized with Simon Magus;
and yet for all this, his inside is as bad as any of theirs!

A hypocrite is . . .
  a Jacob on the outside--and an Esau within;
  a David on the outside--and a Saul within;
  a John on the outside--and a Judas within;
  a saint on the outside--and a Satan within;
  an angel on the outside--and a devil within.

But let all such hypocrites know, that pretend sanctity
is double iniquity--and accordingly at last they shall be
dealt with. "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will
you escape being condemned to hell?" Matthew 23:33

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[nChrist]

Broke her heart all in pieces

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

The more a man apprehends of the love of God, and of the
love of Christ--the more that person will grieve and mourn
that he has offended, provoked, and grieved such a Father,
and such a Son. The more clear and certain evidences a man
has of the love and favor of God to his soul, the more that
man will grieve and mourn for sinning against such a God.

There is nothing which thaws and melts the heart, which
softens and breaks the heart--like the warm beams of divine
love--as you may see in the case of Mary Magdalene. She
loved much, and she wept much--for much was forgiven her.
A sight of the free grace and love of Christ towards her, in an
act of forgiveness, broke her heart all in pieces. A man
cannot stand under the shinings of divine love with a frozen
heart, nor with dry eyes. The more a man sees of the love
of Christ, and the more a man tastes and enjoys of the love
of Christ--the more that man will grieve and mourn for all
the dishonors that he has done to Christ.

"Then she knelt behind Him at his feet, weeping. Her tears
 fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then
 she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them."
    Luke 7:38

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[nChrist]

One dead fly

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

No hypocrite is totally divorced from the love and liking
of every known sin. There is still some secret lust, which
as a sweet morsel he rolls under his tongue, and will not
spit it out. Every hypocrite lives under the dominion and
reign of one base lust or another--and will do what he
can to save the life of his sin--though it be with the loss
of his soul. A hypocrite always reserves one nest-egg or
another in his heart or life, for Satan to sit and brood on.

O sirs! Satan can hold a man fast enough by one sin,
as the fowler can hold the bird fast enough by one claw.
Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will as
certainly damn a man as many sins; just as one disease,
one ulcerous part, may as certainly kill a man as many.
One dead fly will mar the whole box of precious ointment.
One jarring string will bring the sweetest music out of tune.

If the leper in the law had the spot of leprosy in any one
part of his body, he was accounted a leper; although all
the rest of his body was sound and whole, Lev. 14. Just
so, he who has the spot of the leprosy of sin allowed in
any one part of his soul, he is a spiritual leper in the eye
of God; he is unclean, though in other parts he may not
be unclean.

If a swine does but wallow in one miry or dirty hole--it
is filthy; and certainly, that soul which does but wallow
in any one sin--he is filthy in the eye of God.

O sirs! remember that . . .
  as one hole in a ship will sink it, and
  as one stab at the heart will kill a man, and
  as one glass of poison will poison a man, and
  as one act of treason will make a man a traitor,
so one sin lived in and allowed, will damn a man forever!

One millstone will sink a man to the bottom of the sea as
well as a hundred. Just so, one sin lived in and indulged,
will sink a man to the bottom of hell as well as a hundred.

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[nChrist]

A cleaner way to hell

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

It was the saying of a precious saint--that he was more
afraid of his duties than of his sins; for his duties often
made him proud--but his sins always made him humble.

It was good counsel Luther gave, "We must take heed
not only of our sins--but of our good works."

Duties can never have too much diligence used about
them--nor too little confidence placed in them. They are
good helps--but bad saviors. It is necessary we do them
--but it is dangerous to rely upon them. If the devil cannot
dissuade us from performing pious duties--then his next
work will be to persuade us to rely upon them, to make
saviors of them; because this will as certainly ruin our
souls, as if we had wholly neglected them.

Resting in your own righteousness, will as certainly and
eternally undo you--as the greatest and foulest atrocities!

Open wickedness slays her thousands--but a secret
resting upon duties, slays her ten thousands!

Open profaneness is the broad dirty way which leads
to hell; but trusting in pious duties is as sure a way,
though a cleaner way to hell. Ungodly people and
formal professors shall meet at last in the same hell.

Now, let all these things work you to renounce your own
righteousness--and to take sanctuary alone in the pure,
perfect, and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ,
and in the free grace of God.

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[nChrist]

God judges His people

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

God judges His people by their sincerity and the general
bent and frame of their hearts--and not by what they are
under some pangs of passion, or in an hour of temptation.
His eye is more upon His people's inward disposition, than
it is upon their outward actions--more upon their desires
than it is upon their work. The Lord will not forsake His
people, nor cast off His people--because of those failings
and weaknesses that may, and do, attend them. God pities
His people under their weakness; He will not reject them
for their weakness.

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