Note: Taken, with editing, from A Cabinet of Jewels, in Brooks’ Works, vol 3. The first five points in this article appeared last month; the other five points are printed here.
[6.] Though poor, doubting, staggering, trembling Christians dare not say that God is their God, or that Christ is their Redeemer, or that the Spirit is their Comforter; yet they dare say, that if God and Christ and the Spirit, and grace and glory, and holiness and happiness were offered to them on the one hand, and all the honours, pleasures, profits, delights and carnal contents of the world were offered to them on the other hand, they had ten thousand times rather – they had infinitely rather – choose God and Christ and the Spirit, and grace and holiness and everlasting happiness than the contrary (Song 5:10; Deut 26:17; Ps 73:25; Phil 3:7-9).
Look, as Rachel cried out, “Give me children, or else I die” (Gen 30:1); so these poor hearts are still crying out, O Lord, give me Thyself, or I die; give me Thy Christ, or I die; give me Thy Spirit and grace, or I die; give me pardon of sin, or I die; lift up the light of Thy countenance upon me, or I die; bring me under the bond of the covenant, or I die. O Lord, let all these things be done, or I am undone, for ever; Lord, let the men of this world take the world and divide it among themselves; let me but enjoy Thyself, Thy Christ, Thy love, and I shall say, My lot is fallen to me in a pleasant place, and verily “I have a goodly heritage” (Ps 16:5,6).
[7.] Though poor, doubting, staggering, trembling Christians dare not say that they have grace in their own hearts, yet they dare say that they dearly love and highly honour and greatly prize the graces of the Spirit which they see sparkling and shining in the hearts and lives and lips of other saints. And they dare say that there are no men in all the world that are so precious, so lovely, so worthy, and so honourable in their eyes, or so high in their esteem, as those who have the image of God, of Christ, of holiness most clearly, fairly and fully stamped upon them.
[8.] Though poor, doubting, trembling Christians dare not say that they have such strength and power against their sins as they would have, or as they should have, or as many of the dear saints of God have, who often lead captivity captive; yet they dare say that – when the Lord is pleased, now and then, by His Spirit, power, Word and grace to help them against their sins, though it is but a little, or to help them in any measure to subdue their sins, or to assist them to bring down any one sin or another, or to arm them against any temptations, occasion, or provocation to sin – there are no such times of joy, comfort, delight, refreshing and content to their souls as these are (Ps 65:3, Gal 5:14). The language of their souls in such a day as this is: O that it might always be thus with us! O that every day we might lead captivity captive! O that every day we might have our lusts brought down! O that every day we might triumph over the old man! O that every day one lust or another might fall before the power, the Spirit, the presence, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[9.] Though poor, doubting, staggering, trembling Christians dare not say that they make so much profit as others do of the sermons they hear, or of the prayers they make, or of the scriptures they read, or of the communion of saints that they enjoy; yet they dare say that they would not for all the world cast off praying, or hearing, or reading, or the communion of saints, and give themselves up to the ways of sin and Satan and the world (Ps 4:3, 66:19,20, 138:8; Lam 3:55-58).
[10.] Though poor, doubting, staggering, trembling Christians dare not say that Christ is their Saviour, yet they dare say that they desire and endeavour to honour Christ as their Lord, though they cannot see Christ bestowing Himself on them as their Redeemer (Jn 20:28); yet they are willing to resign themselves to Him as their king; they are willing to resign up their hearts and lives to be governed by Jesus Christ.
Though they cannot find comfort, yet they will oppose sin; though they cannot comprehend Christ, yet they will not willingly offend Christ; though they cannot see that they belong to Christ, yet they desire nothing more than that Christ may claim a right to them; though they cannot see Christ as a friend, yet they can look upon sin as an enemy; though they cannot close with the promises, yet they will close with the precepts; though they cannot close with the privileges of a Christian, yet they will close with the services of a Christian; though they cannot share in the comforts of a Christian, yet they will side with the duties of a Christian; though they cannot clear up their interest in Christ, yet they are willing to yield subjection to Christ; though they lack strength to throw themselves into the arms of Christ to save them, yet they will cast themselves at the feet of Christ to serve Him; though they lack the light of comfort and consolation, yet they will walk in the light of commands and directions (Is 50:10).
All men will grant that these ten things are strong probabilities of grace; but allow me to say that they are, without all controversy, most sure, sound, solid and infallible evidences of true grace and of an interest in Christ and salvation. Therefore all those poor, doubting, staggering and trembling Christians that find all these ten things in their own souls – or any of them – ought for ever to bless the Lord and speak well of His name because of them. Therefore, O my soul, be much in adoring and admiring free, infinite grace that has wrought all these things in you and for you.