Grace Gems

[nChrist]

Turned into beasts, birds, stones, trees, or air

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29

Chaff and stubble cannot stand before that God, who is
a consuming fire. Oh, how will the ungodly tremble and
quake when the whole frame of heaven and earth shall
break in pieces, and be set in a flame about their ears!
Oh, what trouble of mind,
  what horror and terror of conscience,
  what weeping and wailing,
  what crying and roaring,
  what wringing of hands,
  what tearing of hair, and
  what gnashing of teeth,
will there be among the ungodly in this day--when
they shall see their sins charged upon them on the one
side--and divine justice terrifying them on the other
side! When they shall look upward, and there see an
angry God frowning upon them; and look downward,
and there see hell gaping ready to receive them; and
look inward, and there find conscience accusing and
gnawing of them! When they shall look on their right
hand, and there behold the holy angels standing with
so many flaming swords to keep them out of heaven;
and look on their left hand, and there behold the devil
and his demons ready to drag them down to the lowest
hell! Oh, now how will they wish for the rocks to fall
upon them, and the mountains to cover them! How
will they wish that they had never been born; or that
they might now be unborn! How will they now wish
that their immortal souls were mortal; or that they
might be turned into beasts, birds, stones, trees,
or air--or anything rather than what they are!

Alas! what heart is able to conceive, or what tongue
is able to express--the fear and dread, the horror and
terror, the astonishment and amazement, which will
fall upon all ungodly people in that day!

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to
 receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
     1 Thessalonians 5:9

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[nChrist]

These Gergesites had rather lose
Christ, than lose their porkers

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"When they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave
 their region." Matthew 8:34

A man bewitched with the world will prefer the most base
and contemptible things, before the Lord Jesus Christ. He will,
with the Gergesenes, prefer his swine before a Savior,
Matthew 8:28-34. When they saw what a sad market their
hogs were brought to, they desired Christ to depart out of
their country. These Gergesites had rather lose Christ,
than lose their porkers. They had rather that the devil
should possess their souls--than that Jesus should drown
their pigs. They prefer their swine, before their salvation!
They present a wretched petition for their own damnation;
they pleaded with Him to leave their region. Though there is
no misery, no plague, no curse, no wrath, no hell--compared
to Christ's departure from a people; yet men bewitched with
the world will desire this. "When they saw Him, they pleaded
with Him to leave their region." Matthew 8:34

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[nChrist]

Painted holiness

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
 you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make
 long prayers; therefore you shall receive the greater
 damnation." Matthew 23:14

Who had a greater name for holiness, and who made a
greater show of holiness, and who did more despise and
insult other men for the lack of holiness--than the Scribes
and Pharisees? And who so miserable now--as they?

Pretended holiness will double-damn souls at last!

None have so large a portion in hell as hypocrites have.
No man at last will be found so miserable, as he who has
the name of a saint upon him--but not the divine nature
in him; who has a profession of holiness upon him--but no
principles of holiness in him; who has a form of godliness
--but not the power; who can cry up godliness--but in
practice denies it; who is a professor outwardly--but
an atheist, a pagan, a devil inwardly.

Artificial sanctity is double iniquity. He who professes
piety without being pious, and godliness without being
godly; he who makes counterfeit holiness a cloak to
impiety, and a midwife to iniquity; he who is . . .
  a Jacob without--and an Esau within,
  a David without--and a Saul within,
  a John without--and a Judas within,
  a saint without--and a Satan within,
  an angel without--and a devil within,
is ripened for the worst of torments!

Sirs, do not deceive your own souls!
A painted sword shall as soon defend a man, and
a painted mint shall as soon enrich a man, and
a painted fire shall as soon warm a man, and
a painted friend shall as soon counsel a man, and
a painted horse shall as soon carry a man, and
a painted feast shall as soon nourish a man, and
a painted house shall as soon shelter a man--as
a painted holiness shall save a man! He who
now thinks to put off God with a painted holiness,
shall not fare so well at last--as to be put off with
a painted happiness. The lowest, the hottest, and
the darkest habitation in hell will be his portion,
whose religion lies all in shows and shadows.

Well, spiritual counterfeits, remember this--it will
not be long before Christ will unmask you; before
He will uncloak you; before He will disrobe you;
before He will take off your masks, your cloaks,
and turn your rotten insides outward--to your
eternal shame and reproach before all the world!

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[nChrist]

Those who hunt after it are dogs!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

Though of all losses, the loss of the soul is the greatest, the
saddest, the sorest, the heaviest, and the most intolerable,
inconceivable, and irrecoverable loss--yet a man bewitched
with the world will run the hazard of losing his eternal soul,
of damning it--to enjoy the world.

Men who are bewitched with this world in these days, oh, how
do they prefer their sensual delights, their brutish contentments,
and their carnal enjoyments--before the beauties of holiness, and
before heavenly glory, where holiness sparkles and shines in all
its refulgence, and where their souls might be abundantly satisfied
and delighted with the most ravishing joys, the most surpassing
delights, and the most transcendent pleasures which are at God's
right hand!

The Arabic proverb says that "the world is a carcass--and
those who hunt after it are dogs!" If this proverb is true,
what a multitude of professors will be found to be dogs--
  who hunt more after earth--than heaven;
  who hunt more after terrestrial things--than celestial things;
  who hunt more after worldly nothingnesses and emptinesses
--than they do after those fullnesses and sweetnesses which
are in God, Christ, heaven, and holiness!

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[nChrist]

Murder all his hearers at once!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"The leaders of the people have led them down the
 path of destruction." Isaiah 9:16

Take heed of settling yourselves under an unholy minister
--of one whose life gives the lie to his doctrine. An unholy
preacher is the greatest destroyer of the souls of men! He
who preaches well--but lives bad--does what he can, to
murder all his hearers at once! There is no greater
bar to holiness, than ministers' unholy lives. An unholy
life mars the soundest and the sweetest doctrine. The
sins of teachers are the teachers of sins!

An unholy minister is the greatest pest, the worst
plague, and the greatest mischief--that can be to
a people; for his enormities, his wickednesses, will
have the strongest influences upon the souls and
lives of men--to make them eternally miserable.
His falls will be the fall and ruin of many; for
people are prone to . . .
  live more by examples--than by precepts;
  mind more what the minister does--than what he says;
  eye more how he walks--than how he talks.

Let a minister be ever so learned, solid, quaint, elegant,
zealous, judicious, sententious, etc.--yet if he is carnal,
covetous, worldly, vain, and loose in his life and walk,
his hearers will rather slight and abhor the holy things
of God.

When the preacher departs out of the way of holiness,
the people will quickly wander from all that is good. He
whose life is not a standing reproof to sin, will, by his
life, encourage sinners more and more in a way of sin.
There is nothing which keeps men so off from the love
of holiness, and from the pursuing after holiness--than
the unholy lives of their ministers.

"Watch your life and doctrine closely." 1 Timothy 4:16

"Set an example for the believers in speech, in life,
 in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

"In everything set them an example by doing what
 is good." Titus 2:7

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[nChrist]

Spit out the sweet morsels of sin

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

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

A man never comes . . .
  to see his sins, nor
  to be sick of his sins, nor
  to loathe his sins, nor
  to arraign his sins, nor
  to condemn his sins, nor
  to judge himself for his sins--
until he comes to be possessed by the Holy Spirit.

A man never comes . . .
  to spit out the sweet morsels of sin,
  to make a sacrifice of his only Isaac,
  to hack his trembling Agag in pieces,
  to strangle his Delilah,
and in good earnest to set upon an utter extirpation
of his most cherished sins--until the Spirit of holiness
comes upon him. Until the Holy Spirit falls upon the
hearts of sinners, they will never be turned out of . . .
  their pride,
  their formality,
  their carnality,
  their sensuality,
  their security.

To make a man holy--is greater than to create a world;
it can be done by none but by the Holy Spirit. It is the
great work of the Spirit--to shape and form holiness,
in all the vessels of glory.

The Spirit sweetly and strongly moves His people . . .
  to mind holiness,
  to fall in love with holiness,
  to press after holiness;
  to leave off their sins,
  to turn to God,
  to embrace Christ,
  to tremble at threatenings,
  to embrace promises.

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[nChrist]

God's love-letter

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

The Scripture is God's love-letter to men. Here the
lamb may wade--and here the elephant may swim!

The blessed Scriptures are of infinite worth
and value! Here you may find . . .
  a remedy for every disease,
  balm for every wound,
  a plaster for every sore,
  milk for babes,
  meat for strong men,
  comfort for the afflicted,
  support for the tempted,
  solace for the distressed,
  ease for the wearied,
  a staff to support the feeble,
  a sword to defend the weak.

The holy Scriptures are . . .
  the map of God's mercy--and man's misery,
  the touchstone of truth,
  the shop of remedies against all maladies,
  the hammer of vices,
  the treasury of virtues,
  the exposer of all sensual and worldly vanities,
  the balance of equity,
  the most perfect rule of all justice and honesty.

Ah, friends, no book befits your hands like the Bible!

The Bible is the best preacher. This book,
this preacher will preach to you . . .
  in your shops,
  in your chambers,
  in your closets,
  yes, in your own bosoms!
This book will preach to you at home and abroad;
it will preach to you in all companies; and it will
preach to you in all conditions.

By this book you shall be saved--or
by this book you shall be damned!
By this book you must live.
By this book you must die.
By this book you shall be judged in the great day!

Oh, therefore . . .
  love this book above all other books,
  prize this book above all other books,
  read this book before all other books,
  study this book more than all other books!
For he who reads much--and understands nothing,
is like him who hunts much--and catches nothing.

"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all
 day long!" Psalm 119:97

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[nChrist]

Tears have a voice

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping."
     Psalm 6:8

Tears have a voice. God has an eye as well upon
a man's tears--as upon his prayers. Penitent tears
are divine ambassadors, which never return from
the throne of grace without answers of grace. Peter
said nothing, but went out and wept bitterly--and
obtained mercy. Tears are a kind of silent prayers,
which will at last prevail for mercy.

"I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears."
    Isaiah 38:5

A sinner's face never shines so beautiful, as
when it is bedewed with penitential tears.

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[nChrist]

The plague of unsatisfiedness

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of
 covetousness; a man's life does not consist in
 the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

Covetousness is . . .
  a very great and grievous sin;
  a mother-sin;
  a breeding sin;
  a sin which has all sin in its womb;
  a very vile and heinous sin;
  the root of all evil.

Covetousness makes the soul earthly
--which should be celestial.

Covetousness is an evil which subjects
men to the basest and vilest evils.

Covetousness makes a man a fool! "You fool!
This very night your life will be demanded
from you. Then who will get what you have
prepared for yourself?" Luke 12:20

Covetousness robs a man of all true peace,
comfort, contentment and quiet.

Covetousness brings men into snares which
drown their souls in perdition.

Covetousness renders men unsatisfied under all
their outward enjoyments. Though a covetous
wretch has enough to sink him--yet he can never
have enough to satisfy him. First he wishes for a
bag full, and then a chest full, and then a room
full, and then a house full, etc.

The plague of unsatisfiedness--is the great
plague which covetous men are under. Certainly
you shall as soon fill a triangle with a circle, and
a chest with grace--as you shall be able to fill
and satisfy a covetous mind with money.

A covetous man is like a swine--which is good for
nothing while it lives. The horse is good to carry,
the ox is good to draw, the sheep is good for cloth,
the cow is good to give milk, and the dog is good
to guard the house--but the hog is good for nothing
while he lives! Just so, a covetous man is only
serviceable when he is dead. That scripture often
proves true, "the riches of a sinner are laid up
for the just." Job 27:17

No sin lays men under greater woes!

"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]

Head, hand, heart, lip, and life

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

True holiness is diffusive. It extends, diffuses,
and spreads itself all over the whole person . . .
  the head and the heart;
  the lip and the life;
  the inside and the outside.
The understanding is nourished on holiness,
the mind is adorned with holiness,
the will is bowed to holiness, and
all the affections are sprinkled,
yes, clothed with holiness--
  love is holy love,
  grief is holy grief,
  joy is holy joy,
  sorrow is holy sorrow,
  fear is holy fear,
  care is holy care,
  zeal is holy zeal.

Real holiness spreads itself over
head, hand, heart, lip, and life.

"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you
 through and through. May your whole spirit, soul
 and body be kept blameless at the coming of our
 Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23


    ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~


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(My Note:  Only JESUS CHRIST makes us fit for the inheritance with the Saints in LIGHT. We don't have any righteousness of our own, but JESUS CHRIST has more than enough for all of us. So, we don't search for or attempt to obtain our own righteousness, rather we yield to the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST. We must because there is no other way. ONLY HIS BLOOD washes our sins away. I give thanks that GOD the FATHER sees us IN and THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, so HE sees the righteousness and holiness of JESUS CHRIST - not our own. JESUS CHRIST fulfilled all of the LAW and died on the CROSS for us because not one of us is capable of obeying all of the law, being without sin, or being HOLY. We can only be HOLY because of the reflection of JESUS CHRIST in us. JESUS CHRIST imputes part of HIS Perfections to us. In plain human terms, JESUS CHRIST opened a bank account for each of us, and HE makes deposits in our name. They are just another example of HIS Grace and Love GIFTS to us, but nothing can compare to HIM taking our place on the CROSS!)

[nChrist]

Killing lust

(Henry Law, "Christ is All" 1854)

You pant to be conformed to the image
of Christ. This is well. But holiness can
be learned only at the cross. It is a sight
of the dying Jesus--which kills lust. It is
the shadow of the cross--which causes
evil to wither.

"They will look on Me whom they have
 pierced and mourn for Him as for an
 only son." Zechariah 12:10

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[nChrist]

A self-loather

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

True repentance is a daily turning of the soul further
and further from sin--and a daily turning of the soul
nearer and nearer to God.

True repentance includes . . .
  a true sense of sin,
  a deep sorrow for sin,
  a hearty loathing of sin, and
  a holy shame and blushing for sin.

To repent is to make . . .
  a clean head and a clean heart;
  a clean lip and a clean life.

To repent is for a man to loathe himself, as well as his sin.
Is this easy for man, who is so great a self-lover, and so
great a self-exalter, and so great a self-admirer--to
become a self-loather? To repent is to cross sinful self,
it is to walk contrary to sinful self, yes, it is to revenge
a man's self upon himself.

True repentance lies in a daily dying to sin, and in a
daily living to Him who lives forever.

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[nChrist]

Marthas and Marys

(J. C. Ryle, Mary & Martha, Luke 10:38-42)

Observe how different the characters and
personalities of true Christians may be. The
two sisters of whom we read in this passage
were faithful disciples. Both had believed. Both
had been converted. Both had honored Christ
when few gave Him honor. Both loved Jesus,
and Jesus loved both of them. Yet they were
evidently women of very different character.

Martha was active, stirring, and impulsive,
feeling strongly, and speaking out all she felt.
Mary was quiet, still, and contemplative,
feeling deeply, but saying less than she felt.

Martha, when Jesus came to her house, rejoiced
to see Him, and busied herself with preparing a
suitable refreshment. Mary, also, rejoiced to
see Him, but her first thought was to sit at His
feet and hear His word.

Grace reigned in both hearts, but each showed
the effects of grace in different ways.

We shall find it very useful to ourselves to remember
this lesson. We must not expect all believers in Christ
to be exactly like one another. We must not set down
others as having no grace, because their experience
does not entirely tally with our own.

The sheep in the Lord's flock have each their own peculiarities.

The trees in the Lord's garden are not all precisely alike.

All true servants of God agree in the principal
things of religion. All are led by one Spirit.
All feel their sins, and all trust in Christ.
All repent, all believe, and all are holy.

But in minor matters, they often differ widely.

Let no one despise another on this account.

There will be Marthas and there will be Marys
in the Church, until the Lord comes again.

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[nChrist]

The foolish Indians

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

The foolish Indians preferred every toy and trifle,
before their mines of gold. Just so, many foolish
professors prefer the trifling vanities of this world,
before the glorious treasures and endless pleasures
which are at God's right hand. Witness that high
price which they set upon . . .
  the toys,
  the trifles,
  the vanities,
  the empty honors,
  the fading riches, and
  the fleeting pleasures of this world!

How severely are they to be censured--who prefer
the poor, base, empty nothings of this world--before
all the glory and happiness of the eternal world!

Were there but more holiness in your hearts--all
the mirthful and gallant things of this world, would be
more contemptible in your eyes.

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with
 the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
 I have discarded everything else, counting it all as
 garbage, so that I may have Christ." Philippians 3:8

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[nChrist]

We are to submit to His holy will

(Mary Winslow, "Walking with Jesus")

There is nothing that can take place towards a
child of God but what our heavenly Father designs,
in infinite love, for our spiritual advancement, and
His own glory. We are to submit to His holy will,
and believe that there was a 'needs be' for it.

The Lord loves His children too well to lay upon
them the weight of a feather, without an absolute
necessity, and without some wise and loving
purpose. God deals wisely and graciously with
us in all His varying dispensations.

If tears could be shed in heaven, we would
weep that we ever mistrusted His goodness
in His dealings towards us.

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