02.08. London's Lamentations
London’s Lamentations By Thomas Brooks, 1670 A serious discourse concerning "The Great Fire of London" which recently turned our once renowned City into a ruinous heap. Also the several lessons that are incumbent upon those whose houses have escaped the consuming flames.
CHOICE EXCERPTS
There is a great deal of worldliness, and earthly-mindedness, and covetousness among the professing Christians of our day. They are
The main reason why many professors dote upon the world, is because they are not acquainted with a greater glory. If the heart of man is not filled with God—it will be filled with the world, the flesh and the devil.
The world may well be resembled to the fruit which undid us all—which was fair to the sight, smooth in handling, sweet in taste—but deadly in effect and operation!
O sirs! if you can gather grapes off thorns, and figs off thistles, then go on, and dote upon the world still. All the things of this world are vain things—they are vanity of vanities, Ecc 1:2. All in heaven count them vain, and all in hell count them vain; pearls are but as pebbles in their eyes. Lazarus in heaven is now rich enough, and happy enough; and Dives in hell is now poor enough, and miserable enough. He who makes the world his god while he is in the world—what will he do for a god when he goes out of this world?
Well, sirs, remember this—an inordinate love of the world will eat out all a man’s communion with God. A man cannot look up to heaven and look down upon the earth—at the same time.
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"No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him." 1Jn 3:6
A trade, a course of sin—is inconsistent with a state of grace. The best saints have sadly miscarried as to particular actions; but he who shall judge of a man’s spiritual state by particular acts, though notoriously bad, will certainly condemn, where God acquits. We must always distinguish between some single evil actions, and a serious course of evil actions. It is not this or that particular evil action—but a continued course of evil actions—which denominates a man wicked. Just so, it is not this or that particular holy act—but a continued course of holy actions—which denominates a man holy.
Every man is—as his course is. If his course is holy—the man is holy. If his course is wicked—the man is wicked.
No man ought to conclude, because of some particular good actions—that his spiritual state is good.
No man ought to conclude, because of some particular sinful actions—that his spiritual state is bad.
A course of sinning is not consistent with a course of godliness. Though the needle of the seaman’s compass may jog this way and that way—yet
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God loves to see the graces of His children in continual exercise. All the glory which God has from us in this life, is from the actings of our graces. Sleepy graces bring God no glory—nor do us any good. There is little difference
—as to the comfort and sweet of grace—between sleepy grace, and no grace at all.
The strongest creature, the lion; and the subtlest creature, the serpent—if they are asleep, are as easily surprised and destroyed as the weakest worm!
Just so, the strongest saints, if grace is not in exercise, are as easily surprised and captivated by sin, Satan, and the world—as the weakest saints are! O sirs! God, by some severe providence or other, by some fiery dispensation or other—will stir up your sleepy graces!
There are several cases wherein the graces in a Christian’s heart may seem to be hidden, cold, dead and covered over; as sparks of fire are hidden in the ashes; or as bits of gold are hidden in a dust heap, or as pearls may be hidden in the mire. The sparks of divine grace, by the prevalency of some strong corruption, or by the violence of some dreadful temptation—may burn low, as to their lively operations. But God, by one severe providence or another, by one fiery trial or another—will blow that heavenly grace, that divine fire, into a flame—and cause their hidden graces to revive!
By severe providences and fiery trials, God designs the reviving, quickening, and recovering of our decayed graces. By fiery trials, He will . . .inflame that love which was ice-cold, raise that faith which had fallen asleep, quicken up those hopes which were languishing, put life and spirit into those spiritual joys and comforts which were withering and dying!
God, by fiery trials, will
God may have burnt up your outward comforts, so that He might lead you forth to live in a daily exercise of grace . . .upon Himself, upon His power, upon His all-sufficiency, upon His goodness, upon His faithfulness, upon His fullness, upon His graciousness, upon His unchangeableness, upon His promises.
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Atheism reigns in the hearts and lives of sinners.
The covetous make their gold their god.
The drunkard and glutton make their bellies their god.
The ambitious make honors their god.
The voluptuous make pleasures their god.
The religionists make pious duties their god.
The moral make virtue their god.
"The fool says in his heart—There is no God!" Psa 14:1
Atheism denies God either: in opinion—saying there is no God; or in affection—wishing there were no God; or in practice—living as if there were no God.
What abundance of atheists there are in the land!
"He says to himself—God has forgotten; He covers His face and never sees." Psa 10:11
"They say—How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" Psa 73:11 "They say—The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed." Psa 94:7
What horrid blasphemy, what gross atheism is here! How do these atheists ungod the great God! How do they deny His omnipotence and omniscience! What an idol-god do they make the great God to be!
There are many who sin freely in secret, who can be drunk and filthy in the dark, when the eye of man is not upon them. Certainly those men’s hearts are
very atheistic, who dare do that in the sight of God—which they tremble to do before the eyes of men!
How many are there who flatter themselves in their sins, and conclude that surely the bitterness of hell and wrath is past, and that they are in a fair way for heaven—when every step they take is towards the bottomless pit, and divine vengeance hangs over their heads, ready every moment to fall upon them!
"On earth are atheists many, In hell there are not any."
"Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think—
"I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities." Isa 1:25
By severe providences and by fiery trials, God designs the growth of His people in grace. Usually the graces of the saints thrive best—when they are under a smarting rod. Grace usually is in the greatest flourish—when the saints are under the greatest trials. The trimming of the candle—makes it burn the brighter. God bruises His spices—to make them send forth the sweeter fragrance. Fiery trials are like the brush, which, though it is sharp and scratching—it makes the cloth more pure and clean. God would not rub so hard, were it not to
Stars shine brightest in the darkest nights; and so do the graces of the saints shine brightest in the darkest nights of affliction and tribulation. God will sometimes more carry on the growth of grace by a cross than by a mercy. Yes, the Lord will, sooner or later, more or less—turn all fiery trials into blessings for the helping on the growth of grace in His people’s souls. Though fiery trials are grievous—yet they shall make us more gracious. Though for the present they appear to harm and damage us; yet in the outcome we shall find that God will turn them into the spiritual and eternal advantage of our precious souls.
Thrice happy will afflicted Christians be, if under all their crosses and losses they grow into a more deep acquaintance with God and His holiness; with the
vanity, mutability, impotency, and uncertainty of the world; and with the deceitfulness, vileness, baseness, and wretchedness of their own hearts!
If under fiery dispensations, we grow . . .more holy than ever, more humble than ever, more heavenly than ever, more meek and lowly than ever, more tender and compassionate than ever, more faithful and fruitful than ever, more patient and contented than ever, then we may be confident that the grand design of God in bringing all those fiery trials upon us, was for His glory, and our own spiritual and eternal good.
"God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness." Heb 12:10
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"I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things." Isa 45:7
Let us see the hand of the Lord in this recent dreadful fire which has turned our once renowned London into a ruinous heap! London’s sins were now so great, and God’s wrath was now so hot—that there was no quenching of the furious flames. The decree for the burning of London was now gone forth, and nothing could reverse it. The time of London’s fall was now come. The fire had now received its commission from God—to burn down the city and to turn it into a ruinous heap!
Certainly God is the great agent in all those dreadful judgments which befall people, cities, and kingdoms. Whoever or whatever be the rod—it is God’s hand which gives the stroke! The power of bringing judgments upon cities, God takes to Himself, "When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?" Amo 3:6. Whatever that judgment is, which falls upon a city—God is the author of it; He acts in it and orders it according to His own good pleasure. There is no judgment which accidentally falls upon any person, city, or country. Every judgment is inflicted by a divine power and providence. God had given a commission to the fire—to burn with that force and violence as it did—until London was laid in ashes! Whoever kindled this fire—God blew the coal! And therefore no arts, counsels, or endeavors of men were able to quench it.
All judgments are at the beck of God, and under the command of God. Whatever judgment God commands to destroy a person, a city, or country—that judgment shall certainly and effectually accomplish the command of God—in spite of all that creatures can do. If God commissions the sword of war to walk abroad, and to glut itself with blood—who can command it into the scabbard again? No art, power, or policy can cause that sword to lie still!
God, as He is our Creator, Preserver, and sovereign Lord—has an absolute power both over our persons, lives, estates, and habitations: and when we have transgressed His righteous laws, He may do with us, and all we have—as He pleases. He may turn us out of house and home, and burn up all our comforts round about us—and yet do us no wrong. "Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him." Psa 115:3. "The Lord does whatever pleases Him—in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths." Psa 135:6
Those things which seem accidental and chance to us—are ordered by the wise counsel, power, and providence of God. Instruments can no more stir
until God gives them a commission—than the axe or the knife can cut by itself, without a hand. God makes use of whatever second causes He pleases,
for the execution of His pleasure. And many times He makes the worst of men the rod of His indignation to chastise His people with! All inferior or subordinate causes—are but
Job eyed God in the fire which fell from heaven, and in all the fiery trials which befell him. And therefore, he does not say, "The Lord gave—and the devil took away!" Nor, "The Lord gave—and the Chaldeans and Sabeans took away!" But "The Lord gave—and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised!" Job 1:20-21
Certainly without the cognizance and concurrence of a wise, omniscient, and omnipotent God—no creatures can move. Without His foresight and permission—no event can befall any person, city or country. Whatever the means or instruments of our misery are—the hand is God’s! It behooves us, in every judgment, to see the hand of the Lord, and to look through visible means to an invisible God! "The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me!" Ruth 1:21
"The Lord brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts!" 1Sa 2:6-7
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"Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says—See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of My people?" Jer 9:7
By severe providences and fiery trials—God designs the mortifying and purging away of His people’s sins.
"This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold." Zec 13:9
The best of men are but men at the best; they have much corruption and dross in them, and they need refining; and therefore God by fiery trials will refine
them—as silver and gold which are purified in the fire. He will so refine them, as that they shall leave
All the fiery trials which befall the saints, shall be as a medicinal potion to purge away our soul diseases! May our trials be so sanctified, as to issue in the burning up of our lusts, and in the purging away of our filth!
O sirs! If God, by fiery trials, shall make you more victorious over your strong lusts, and help you to live more virtuous lives—you will have cause to bless Him all your days, though He has turned you out of house and home, and burnt up all your comforts round about you!
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver." Mal 3:3
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By severe providences and fiery trials—God designs the preventing of sin. Prudent physicians sometimes give harsh medicines to prevent diseases; and so does the Physician of souls. Sharp trials preserve the saints from spiritual putrefying, and from spiritual rotting.
Wealth lays men most open to . . .the greatest sins, the worst of snares, and the deadliest temptations. The best of men have fallen the foulest—under their highest worldly enjoyments. Witness David, Solomon, Hezekiah, etc. Under your outward fullness . . .how low was your communion with God! how languishing were your graces! how lean were your souls! how little God had of . . .your thoughts, your hearts, your time, your strength!
O sirs! how bad would you have been by this time, if God had not removed those things, which were but
"Lord, let this fiery trial be so sanctified to me, as that it may eminently issue in . . .the mortifying of my sins, the increase of my graces, the mending of my affections, the reforming of my life, the weaning of my soul from everything below You, and the fixing of my heart upon eternal realities!"
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"Then He will say to those on His left—Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!" Mat 25:41
This solemn sentence breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone, terror and horror, dread and woe! The last words that Christ will ever speak to the ungodly, will be: the most tormenting and dreadful, the most stinging and wounding, the most killing and damning!
Here is utter rejection: "Depart from Me—Pack! Begone! Get out of My sight! Let Me never more see your faces!"
"Depart from Me!" is the first and worst of that dreadful sentence which Christ shall pass upon the ungodly at last. Every syllable sounds horror and terror, grief and sorrow, dread and astonishment—to all whom it concerns. Certainly, the tears of hell are not sufficient to bewail the loss of heaven!
Here is imprecation: "You who are cursed!" "But Lord, if we must depart, let us depart blessed!" "No! Depart—you who are cursed!" You shall be . . .cursed in your bodies, and cursed in your souls, and cursed by God, and cursed by Christ, and cursed by angels, and cursed by saints, and cursed by devils, and cursed by your wicked companions! Yes, you shall now curse your very selves, your very souls—that ever you have . . .despised the gospel, refused the offers of grace, scorned Christ, and neglected the means of your salvation!
O sinners, sinners—all your curses, all your maledictions shall at last recoil upon your own souls! Now you curse every person and thing which stand in the way of your lusts, and which cross your designs. But at last, all the curses of heaven and hell shall meet in their full power and force upon you! Surely that man is eternally cursed—who is cursed by Christ Himself!
"But, Lord, if we must depart, and depart cursed, oh let us go into some good place!" "No! Depart into the eternal fire!" Here is vengeance and continuance of it. You shall go into fire, into eternal fire! The eternity of hell—is the hell of hell. If all the fires that ever were in the world, were contracted into one fire—how terrible would it be! Yet such a fire would be but as ’painted fire’ upon the wall—compared to the fire of hell. It is a very sad spectacle to behold a malefactor’s body consumed little by little in a lingering fire. But ah, how sad, how dreadful, would it be to experience what it is to lie in unquenchable fire—not for a day, a month, or a year, or a hundred or a thousand years—but forever and ever!
"If it were," says Cyril, "but for a thousand years, I could bear it; but seeing it is for eternity—this frightens and horrifies me!" "I am afraid of hell," says Isidore, "because the worm there never dies, and the fire never goes out!"
To be tormented without end—this is that which goes beyond all the bounds of desperation.
Grievous is the torment of the damned . . .for the bitterness of the punishments; but more grievous for the diversity of the punishments; but most grievous for the eternity of the punishments!
To lie in everlasting torments, to roar forever in anguish of heart, to rage forever for madness of soul, to weep, and grieve, and gnash the teeth forever —is
Mark, everything that is conducible to the torments of the damned, is eternal:
God who damns them is eternal!
The fire which torments them is eternal!
The prison and chains which hold them are eternal!
The worm which gnaws them is eternal!
The sentence which is upon them, shall be eternal!
Fire is the most furious of all elements, and therefore the bodies of men cannot be more exquisitely tormented than with fire. The bodies which sinned on earth, shall be punished and tormented in hell. What can be more grievous and vexatious, more afflicting and tormenting to the bodies of men—than eternal fire? Oh, then, how will the bodies of men endure to dwell in unquenchable fire, to dwell in everlasting burnings! The brick-kilns of Egypt, the fiery furnace of Babylon, are but as a spark, compared to this tormenting hell, which has been prepared of old to punish the bodies of sinners with.
"The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless! Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?" Isa 33:14
Wicked men, who are now the jolly fellows of the times, shall one day go from burning—to burning; from burning in sin—to burning in hell; from burning in flames of lusts—to burning in flames of torment; except there be found repentance on their side, and pardoning grace on God’s side.
Surely, the serious thoughts of the agonies of hell while people live—is one blessed way to keep them from going into those torments after they die! Look!
as there is nothing more grievous than hell—so there is nothing more profitable than the fear of hell.
"Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath!" 1Th 1:10
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1Th 5:9
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"Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Mat 25:30
Our earthly fire, when it burns it shines, it casts a light. It has light as well as heat in it. But the fire of hell burns—but it does not shine, it gives no light at all. It retains the property of burning—but it has lost the property of shining. Christ calls it "outer darkness," or utter darkness—that is, darkness beyond a darkness.
Light is a blessing that shall never shine into that infernal prison. In Jude verse 6, you read of "chains of darkness." It would be a little ease, a little comfort, to the damned in hell—if they might have but light and liberty to walk up and down the infernal coasts; but this is too high a favor for them to enjoy; and therefore they shall be shackled and fettered down in chains of darkness, and in blackness of darkness—so that they may fully undergo the scorchings and burnings of divine wrath and fury forever and ever.
In Jude 1:13 you thus read, "To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." The words signify exceeding great darkness. Hell is a very dark and dismal region, and extreme are the miseries, horrors, and torments which are there. Sinners, when they are in hell, when they are in chains of darkness, when they are in blackness of darkness—they shall never more see light! Hell is
Though our earthly fires have light as well as heat—yet the infernal fire has only heat to burn sinners; it has no light to refresh sinners; and this will be no small addition to their torment.
"He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves!" Col 1:13
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Our earthly fire destroys and consumes whatever is cast into it. It turns all combustibles into ashes. But the fire of hell is not of that nature. The fire of hell consumes nothing which is cast into it. It rages—but it does not consume or destroy either bodies or souls.
"Men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them." Rev 9:6
They shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. They shall cry to the mountains to fall upon them and to crush them to nothing! They shall desire that . . .the fire which burns them—would consume them to nothing, the worm which feeds on them—would gnaw them to nothing, the devils which torment them—would tear them to nothing! They shall cry to God, who first made them out of nothing, to reduce them to that first nothing from whence they came! But "their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor." Isa 27:11
They shall always be burned—but never consumed.
Ah, how well would it be with the damned, if in the fire of hell, they might be consumed to ashes! But this is their misery—they shall be ever dying, and yet never die; their bodies shall be always a-burning—but never a-consuming! It is dreadful to be
"Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath!" 1Th 1:10
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1Th 5:9
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"They will be tormented day and night forever and ever!" Rev 20:10
Our earthly fires may be quenched and extinguished. The hottest flames, the greatest conflagrations have been quenched and extinguished by water. Fires on our hearths and in our chimneys often die and go out by themselves. Our fire is maintained with wood—and put out with water. But the fire of hell never goes out; it can never be quenched. It is . . .an everlasting fire, an eternal fire, an unquenchable fire!
In Mark 9:1-50 from Mark 9:43-49, this fire is five times said to be unquenchable—as if the Lord could never speak enough of it. Beloved, the Holy Spirit is never guilty of idle repetitions; but by these frequent repetitions, the Holy Spirit would awaken men, and teach them to look upon hell as a real thing, and as a serious thing, and not sport with unquenchable flames—nor go to hell in a dream!
Certainly the fire into which the damned shall be cast shall be without all intermission of time or punishment. No tears, nor blood, nor time—can extinguish the fire of hell.
The damned are in "everlasting chains of darkness;" they are under the "vengeance of eternal fire; "they are "in blackness of darkness forever."
Said a poor despairing creature on his deathbed, "Oh, that word ’forever’—breaks my heart!"
The damned in hell would gladly die—but they cannot. They shall be always a-dying—yet never dead. They shall be always a-consuming—yet never consumed.
"The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever!" Rev 14:11
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As the mercy of God is infinite towards the elect—so the justice of God is infinite towards the reprobate in hell. The reprobate shall have . . .punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without support, crying without compassion, mischief without measure, and torment without end!
All men in misery comfort themselves with the hope of an ending to their misery.The prisoner comforts himself with hope of a deliverance. The mariner comforts himself with hope of a safe harbor. The soldier comforts himself with hope of victory. The slave comforts himself with hope of liberty.
But the impenitent sinner has no hope in hell! He shall have . . .death without death, night without day, mourning without mirth, sorrow without solace, bondage without liberty!
The damned shall live as long in hell, as God Himself shall live in heaven!
Suppose, say some—that the whole world were turned to a mountain of sand, and that a little bird should come every thousandth year and carry away one grain of sand from that heap. What an infinite number of years—not to be numbered by all finite beings—would be spent and expired before this supposed mountain would be fetched away!
Now if a man should lie in everlasting burnings so long a time as this—and then have an end of his woe—it would administer some ease, refreshment, and comfort to him. But when
If the fire of hell were terminable, it might then be tolerable; but being endless, it must needs be easeless and remediless!
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"The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all our sins." 1Jn 1:7
O you who truly fear the Lord, and who are united to Christ by faith, know for your everlasting comfort and support—that Christ has secured you . . .from infernal fire, from everlasting fire, from unquenchable fire, from eternal fire, and from the worm which never dies!
Christ by His blood has quenched the violence of infernal flames—so that they shall never . . .scorch you nor burn you, hurt you nor harm you!
Some say that Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace was a type of hell. Now look! As the three Hebrew children, or rather champions, had not one hair of their heads singed in that fiery furnace—just so, hell-fire shall never singe one hair of your heads! O sirs, Christ’s blood has so quenched the flames of hell—that they shall never be able to scorch or burn those souls who are saved by Him! Such as are washed and cleansed from their sins in the blood of Jesus, such shall never experimentally know what everlasting burnings or a devouring fire means. Such as are washed in Christ’s blood—need no purifying by hell’s flames!
The fable says that a salamander cannot burn. Nero had a shirt made of a salamander’s skin, so that if he walked through the fire in it—it would keep him from burning. O sirs! Christ is
"The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all our sins." 1Jn 1:7
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Suppose, say some, that a man were to endure the torments of hell as many years, and no more, as there are . . .sands on the sea-shore, drops of water in the sea, stars in heaven, leaves on the trees, blades of grass on the ground; yet he would comfort himself with this poor thought, "Well, there will come a day when my misery and torment shall certainly have an end!"
Suppose, say others, that the torments of hell were to end after a little bird should have emptied the sea, and only carry out in her bill, but one drop once in a thousand years—and so continue until the whole ocean was taken away.
Suppose, say others, that the whole world, from the lowest earth to the highest heavens, were filled with grains of sand, and once in a thousand years an angel should come and fetch away one grain of sand—and so continue until the whole heap were taken away.
Suppose, say others, if one of the damned in hell should weep after this manner—namely, that he should only weep one tear in a hundred years, and
these should be kept together until such time as they should equal the drops of water in the sea. How many millions of ages would pass, before they could make up one river, much more a whole sea! And when that were done, should he weep again after the same manner until he had filled a second sea, a third sea, a fourth sea—if then there should be an end of their miseries—there would be some hope, some comfort that they would end at last! But hell shall never, never, never end! The eternity of hell—is that which sinks them under the most tormenting terrors and horrors!
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"Better the little that the righteous have, than the wealth of many wicked." Psa 37:16
The righteous man’s mite, is better than the wicked man’s millions.
The righteous man has his little, from the special love and favor of God. Lazarus’ scraps, crusts and rags —are better and greater mercies than Dives’ riches, purple robes, and dainty fare!
A godly man improves his little, to the stirring up of his heart to thankfulness, and to be much in admiring and blessing of God for his little. The least mercies which the righteous man has, make him humble, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies which You have showed unto Your servant." Gen 32:10
The righteous man enjoys his little, with a great deal of comfort, peace, quiet and contentment. Though he has but necessities from hand to mouth—yet seeing that God feeds him from heaven, as it were with manna—he is content, quiet and cheerful.
All the honors, riches, pleasures, and profits of this world, cannot yield contentment to a worldly man—they are all surrounded with briers and thorns. Who can sum up the many grievances, fears, jealousies, disgraces, temptations
and vexations—which men meet with in their vain pursuit after the things of this world!
Riches may well be called thorns; because they pierce both head and heart—the one with care of getting, and the other with grief in parting with them. The world and all its enchantments, are a paradise to the eye—but painfulness to the soul.
But a righteous man, with his little, enjoys both peace of conscience and peace of contentment; and this makes every bitter—sweet; and every little sweet—to be exceedingly sweet. A dish of green herbs, with peace of conscience and peace of contentment, is a noble feast, a continual feast to a gracious soul. In every crust, crumb, drop, and sip of mercy which a righteous man enjoys, he sees much of the love of his God, and the care of his God, and the wisdom of his God, and the power of his God, and the faithfulness of his God, and the goodness of his God—in making the least provision for him.
In contrast, wicked men are like the the mule which drinks from the brook—but never thinks of the spring. They are like the swine which eats up the fruit—but never looks up to the tree from whence the fruit falls.
A little will satisfy a temperate Christian. "Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread." Pro 30:8. Agur asks only for daily bread, necessary for his life—not for his lusts. He prays for enough to satisfy necessity—not luxury. He asks for bread—not for delicacies. He begs that his body may be sustained—not pampered.
A little will satisfy nature, and less will satisfy grace; yet nothing will satisfy a wicked man’s lusts! Wicked men never have enough—they are never satisfied! Those who are separated from the world’s lusts, can live with a little.
Solomon, the wisest prince who ever sat upon a throne, after his most diligent, critical, and impartial search into all the creatures, gives this as the sum total of his inquiries, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!" And how then can any of
these things, yes, all these things heaped up together, satisfy the soul of man!
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"To God’s elect, strangers in the world," 1Pe 1:1
This world is a wilderness, and believers, as pilgrims and strangers, must pass through it to their heavenly Canaan. "For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come." Heb 11:10
"And they admitted that they were
"Dear friends, I urge you, as strangers and pilgrims in the world," 1Pe 2:11
The Scriptures, by frequently calling believers pilgrims, sojourners, strangers, does sufficiently evidence that there is no abiding for them in this world. This world is not their country, their city, their home, their habitation; and therefore they are not to place their hopes or hearts or affections upon things below. Heaven is their chief city, their best country, their most desirable home, and their everlasting habitation; and therefore the hopes, desires, breathings, longings should be heaven-ward, glory-ward!
Oh, when shall grace be swallowed up in glory? When shall we take possession of our eternal mansions? When shall we be with Christ, who is best of all?
"Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear." 1Pe 1:17
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There is nothing that the great God hates—but sin.
There is nothing that God has revealed His wrath from heaven against—but sin.
There is nothing that grieves the Spirit of grace—but sin.
There is nothing that wounds the conscience—but sin.
There is nothing that clouds the face of God—but sin.
There is nothing that interrupts our communion with God—but sin.
There is nothing that embitters our mercies—but sin.
There is nothing that puts a sting into all our troubles and trials—but sin.
And therefore under all your sorrows and sufferings, crosses and losses—make it your great business . . .to arm yourselves against sin, and to pray against sin, and to watch against sin, and to turn from sin, and to cease from sin, and to get rid of sin, and to stand forever in defiance of sin! Assuredly every gracious heart had rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings!
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The Arabic proverb says, "That the world is a carcass, and
"Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." 1Jn 5:4
Those who live by faith, do not only resist, but also triumph over all the glittering temptations of a tempting and enticing world.
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"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income." Ecc 5:10
He who is not contented with a little, will never be satisfied with much. Money of itself, cannot satisfy any desire of nature. If a man is hungry, money cannot feed him; if naked, money cannot clothe him; if cold, money cannot warm him; if sick, money cannot cure him.
A circle cannot fill a triangle; no more can the whole world fill the heart of man. A man may as soon fill a chest with grace—as a heart with wealth. The soul of man may be busied about earthly things—but it can never be filled nor satisfied with earthly things. There is many a worldling who has enough of the world to sink him, who will never have enough of the world to satisfy him. The more money is increased—the more the love of money is increased; and the more the love of money is increased—the more the soul is unsatisfied.
It is only an infinite God, and an infinite good, which can fill and satisfy the precious and immortal soul of man.
The sum of all that the creatures amount to, according to Solomon’s reckoning, is vanity and vexation of spirit. Vanity and vexation is the very quintessence of the creature, and all that can possibly be extracted out of it. Now if vanity can satisfy, or if vexation can give contentment; if you can gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles—then go on and dote upon the world still, and be always enamored with a shadow of perishing beauty.
Oramuzes the enchanter boasted that in his egg all the happiness in the world was included; but being broken, there was nothing in it but wind and emptiness.
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"Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region." Mat 8:34
Many prefer the world before Christ; yes, the worst of the world before the best of Christ! The Gergesenes preferred their swine before a Savior; they had rather lose Christ than lose their hogs! They had rather that the devil should still possess their souls, than that Jesus should drown their pigs. They preferred their swine before their salvation, and presented a wretched petition for their own damnation.
Though there is no misery, no plague, no curse, no wrath, no hell, compared to Christ’s departure from a people—yet men who are mad upon the world will
desire this.
Some say that
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"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." Pro 23:4-5
The only thing certain about riches—is that they are uncertain.
Oh the deadness, the barrenness, the listlessness, the heartlessness to anything that is divine and heavenly—which always attends such professors who are resolved to be rich, or great, or somebody in the world! Oh the time, the thoughts, the strength, the spirits that these men spend upon the world—while their souls lie a-bleeding, and eternity is hastening upon them! Men who are highly and fully resolved to be rich—will certainly forget God, undervalue Christ, grieve the Spirit, slight ordinances, and neglect such gracious opportunities as might make them happy forever.
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"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." Ecc 1:2
In all the ages of the world, this testimony of Solomon holds good. The things of this world are not only vain; but vanity in the abstract. They are excessive vanity; vanity of vanities; yes, they are a heap of vanity; vanity of vanities.
All in heaven write ’vanity of vanities’ upon all worldly things; and all in hell write ’vanity of vanities’ upon all worldly things: and why should not all on earth write ’vanity of vanities’ upon all worldly things?
The world is
He who shall but weigh . . .man’s pains with his pay, his miseries with his mercies, his sorrows with his joys, his crosses with his comforts, his needs with his enjoyments, etc., may well cry out, "Oh the vanity and uncertainty of all these earthly things!"
All the great, the mirthful, the glorious things of the world, may fitly be resembled to the fruit which undid us all, which was fair to the sight, smooth in handling, sweet in taste—but deadly in operation!
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God’s wisdom so tempers and orders all afflictions, crosses, and losses—as to make them work kindly and sweetly for our good. God is
What can hurt us, while an infinite wise God stands by us?
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"He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
Oh, the precious presence of God with a man, will sweeten every fiery dispensation, and take off much of the bitterness and dreadfulness of it.
In the gracious presence of God with us lies, our greatest happiness,
our greatest honor, our greatest profit and advantage, our greatest joy and delight, our greatest safety and security.
The gracious presence of God with us, will make our heavy afflictions light,
our long afflictions short, our bitter afflictions sweet.
He who has the presence of God with his spirit, can bear a burden without a burden. What burden can sink that man, who has everlasting arms under him,
and over him, and round about him?
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall." Psa 55:22
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"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said—Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Heb 13:5
The believing Hebrews had been plundered of all they had in this world, Heb 10:34, when the apostle gave forth this royal command; and yet the apostle requires them to be content. It is as much the duty of a Christian to be content when he has nothing, as when all the world smiles upon him.
Christians are
Nature is content with a little, grace with less; though nothing will satisfy those men’s hearts, whose lusts are their masters.
The Israelites had no mirthful clothes, nor no new clothes in their wilderness condition; but God made their old clothes to be all clothes to them, and that was enough.
Jacob did not ask God for dainties or ornaments—but for food and clothing. Gen 28:20, "Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, then shall the Lord be my God."
O Sirs! in the grave it is all the same—to one who has had all, and to another who has had none. What folly is it to lay up goods for many years, when we cannot lay up one day for the enjoyment of our goods! Christ, who never miscalled any, calls him "fool!" who had much of the world under his hands—but nothing of God or heaven in his heart.
All this whole world is not proportionable to the precious soul. All the riches of the Indies cannot pacify conscience, nor secure eternity, nor prevent death, nor bring you off victorious in the day of judgment; and therefore be contented with a little.
All the good things of this world, are but cold comforts: they cannot stretch to eternity, they will not go with us into the eternal world; and therefore why should the lack of such things either trouble our thoughts, or break our hearts?
The whole world is but . . .a paradise for fools; a beautiful but deceitful harlot; a dreamed sweetness, a very ocean of gall. There is nothing to be found in it, which has not mutability and uncertainty, vanity and vexation stamped upon it. And therefore he cannot be truly happy who enjoys it; nor can he be miserable who lacks it. And why then should not he be contented, who has but a little of it? The greatest outward happiness is but
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All your crosses and losses shall be so tempered by a hand of heaven, as that they shall become wholesome medicines. They shall be steps to your future glory. All your present trials are
Remember that many times those who have most of the world in their hands, have least of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, of grace, of heaven in their hearts. It is only an infinite good and infinite God, which can fill and satisfy the soul of man.
Remember, that a man were better to have much of God—with a little of the world; than to have much of the world—with a little of God. God alone is a thousand thousand felicities, and a world of happiness, the only life and light.
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O sirs, this is and this must be for a lamentation, that there are so many ale-houses, and gaming-houses, and whore-houses, which are usually stuffed with vain people, yes, with the very worst of the worst of men. Certainly these houses are the very suburbs and seminaries of hell. "Where have you been?" "In hell," said Erasmus, merrily comparing ale-houses to hell. Doubtless, they are the nurseries of all sin, and
hundred families, are there impoverished! and how many thousand children, are there impoisoned! and how is all manner of wickedness and lewdness, are there encouraged and increased!
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Certainly, hell-fire is neither tolerable nor terminable.
The extremity and eternity of hellish torments is set forth by the worm which never dies. Christ makes
Certainly those punishments are beyond all conception and expression—which our Lord Jesus does so often inculcate within so small a space!
If after so many millions of years as there are drops in the ocean, there might be a deliverance out of hell, this would yield a little ease, a little comfort to the damned. Oh but this word, "Eternity! Eternity! Eternity!" This word, "Everlasting! Everlasting! Everlasting!" will break the hearts of the damned in ten thousand pieces!
There is scarcely any pain or torment here on earth—but there is ever some hope of ease, mitigation, or intermission, there is some hope of relief or delivery. But in hell, the torments there are all easeless, remediless, and endless!
Here on earth, if one falls into the fire, he may like a brand be pulled out of it and be saved; but out of that fiery lake of hell-fire, there is no redemption. That majesty of God, which the sinner has offended and provoked—is an infinite majesty. Now, there must be some proportion between the sinner’s sin—and his punishment and torment. Now the sinner being a finite creature, he is not capable of bearing the weight of that punishment or torment which is intensively infinite, because it would be his abolishing or annihilating; and therefore he must bear the weight of that punishment or torment, which is extensively infinite—that is, infinite in the continuance and endurance. What is lacking in torment, must be made up in time.
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"Jesus replied—Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." Mat 8:20
Jesus does not say, Kings have palaces—but I have none. Nor He does say that rich men have houses and lands and mansions to entertain their followers—but I have none; but, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but I have no place to lay My head."
Your outward condition is not worse than Christ’s was when he was in the world. Christ’s condition was low, yes, very low and humble in this world. He was born in a feeding trough, lived on the charity of others, and did not have enough money to pay His taxes. The great Architect of the world had no place to lay his head—but emptied Himself of all, and became poor to make us rich, not in goods—but in grace; not in worldly wealth—but in the treasures of the eternal world.
Are you houseless, are you penniless, are you poor, and low, and base in this world? So was Christ! Remember "the servant is not greater than his Lord!"
It is unfitting to see the Head all begored with blood and crowned with thorns—and the members to be decked with roses and jewels, and to smell of rich spices, and perfumes!
Are you in a worse condition than Christ was in this world? Oh no, no! Why then do you murmur and complain? Why do you say there is no sorrow compared to your sorrow, nor any suffering compared to your suffering? O sirs! it is honor enough for the disciples of Christ to fare as Christ fared in this world. Why should the servant be in a better condition than his Lord? Did you but seriously and frequently meditate and ponder upon the poverty and low estate of Christ while He was in this world, your hearts would be more calm and quiet under all their crosses and losses!
Under all fiery trials, God will make good that golden promise, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God." Rom 8:28.
Mark, the apostle does not say, we suppose, or we hope, or we conjecture—but we know! We know that all our sufferings and afflictions work together for our good! The apostle does not say they shall work—but they do work.
Look! as several poisonous ingredients put together, being well tempered and mixed by the skill and care of the prudent apothecary, makes a sovereign medicine, and work together for the good of the patient; just so, all the afflictions and sufferings which befall the saints —they shall be so wisely, so divinely tempered, ordered, and sanctified by the hand of God—as that they shall really and remarkably work for their good. Those dreadful providences which seem to be most harmful to us, shall in the outcome prove most beneficial to us!
Look! as vessels of gold are made by fire, so by fiery trials God will make His people vessels of gold! Ususally, the most afflicted Christians are
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"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned
"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition." (Jeremiah Burroughs)
"The way to true riches," says one, "is not to increase our heaps; but to diminish the covetousness of our hearts."
"He who is satisfied with a little; he who is contented with God’s allowance—he is the happy man. (Brooks)
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said—Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Heb 13:5
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." 1Ti 6:6-8
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The least drop of grace, the least smile from Christ’s face, the least kiss of His mouth, the least embrace of His arm, the least hint of His favor—is worth more than ten thousand worlds!
That Christian cannot be poor—who is rich in grace.
That Christian cannot be miserable—who has God for his portion.
That Christian cannot be unhappy—who has a mansion prepared for him in heaven, though he has not a cottage to hide his head in, in this world.
That Christian has no cause to complain of lack of food for his body—whose soul is feasted with manna, with the dainties of heaven, with those rarities which are better than angels’ food!
He who has but rags to cover his back, if his soul is clothed with the garments of salvation, and covered with the robe of Christ’s righteousness,
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One support to bear up the hearts of the people of God under the recent fiery dispensation, is this—That the Lord will certainly, one way or another, make up all their losses to them. Sometimes God makes up His people’s outward losses by giving them . . .more of Himself, more of His Son, more of His Spirit, more of His favor, more of His grace.
If men should . . .take away your old clothes, and give you new clothes; take away your rags, and give you robes; take away your chaff, and give you wheat;
take away your water, and give you wine; take away your tin, and give you silver; take away your brass, and give you gold; take away your pebbles, and give you pearls; take away your cottages, and give you royal palaces—certainly you would have no cause to complain!
If God takes away your houses, your goods, your trades, your honors—and gives you more of himself, and more grace—He does you no injury. It is an
excellent exchange, to get eternals for temporals.
If God takes away your earthly riches, and makes you more . . .rich in grace, rich in spiritual comforts, rich in holy experiences, rich in divine enjoyments, then you are no losers—but great gainers!
What are all the necessary comforts of this life, compared to union and communion with God, to a saving interest in Christ, to pardon of sin, to peace of conscience, and to that loving-kindness which is better than life?
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There is nothing that puts a more serious frame into a man’s spirit than to know the worth of his
Why should any living man complain
"
Oh what a foolish, senseless, brutish, blockish thing it is, for a man, a mortal man, a sinful man, a man on this side hell—to complain or murmur against a holy and righteous God! He who is on this side everlasting burnings, on this side a devouring fire, has no just cause to complain, whatever his losses, crosses, or sufferings are. He who has deserved a hanging, if he escapes with a whipping—has no cause to complain or murmur. Men who have deserved a
damning, if they escape with the loss of house, goods, etc., they have no cause to complain or murmur.
Oh sirs! Spend your days in a serious and deep admiration of that free, that rich, that infinite, and that sovereign grace that spared you, in that day when you were compassed about with flames of fire on every hand!
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"Those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces." Luk 7:25
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day." Luk 16:19
"The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment," Luk 16:22-23
Luxury is one of the great darling sins of our age and day! It is a very God-dishonoring sin, and a God-provoking sin, and a soul-damning sin! It shuts them out from all the glory of heaven—and tumbles them down to the lowest hell!
Look! no luxurious person shall enter into heaven. Of all sorts of sinners—the luxurious sinner is most rarely reformed. The adulterer may become chaste, the thief may become an honest man, the swearer may obtain a sanctified tongue; but how rare is it to see a luxurious person repent, break off his sins, close with Christ, and walk to heaven!
Of such professors who live and wallow in luxury and intemperance, if we compare Christ’s laws and their lives together, I think we may confidently conclude, that they are not Christians. Panormitan, a heathen, having read the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Matthew, and comparing those rules of Christ with the loose and luxurious lives of professing Christians; concluded that those people were not Christians.
Chrysostom preferred brute beasts before luxurious people; for the beast goes from belly to labor; when the luxurious person goes from belly to bed, or from
belly to cards or dice, if not to something worse!
"You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter." Jas 5:5
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All belly-gods shall at last be found in the belly of hell!
"Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach." Php 3:18-19
Intemperance robs men of everlasting happiness and blessedness. It shuts them out from all the glory of heaven, and tumbles them down to the lowest hell, as you may see in that great instance of luxurious Dives, who was "dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day." The intemperate man’s table proves a snare to his soul.
Intemperant people eat and drink away their Christ; they eat and drink away their souls; they eat and drink away their own salvation! Those who serve their own bellies, serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, and shall never reign with Him in heaven. Certainly that man who makes his belly his god, shall be forever separated from God.
The intemperate person has been a gulf to devour many mercies, and therefore he shall at last be cast into a gulf of endless miseries.
How many make their belly their god, and their kitchen their altar; whose whole felicity lay in eating and drinking, whose bodies were as sponges, and whose throats were as open sepulchers to take in all precious liquors, and whose bellies were as graves to bury God’s creatures in!
Augustine well observes that God has not given to man: claws to tear in pieces—like bears and leopards; nor horns to push—like bulls and rams; nor a sting to prick—like wasps, and bees, and serpents; nor a bill to strike—like eagles and ostriches; nor a wide mouth to devour—like dogs and lions; but a little mouth, to show that man should be very temperate both in his eating and drinking.
How applicable these things are to the luxurious people who lived within the walls of London before it was turned into ashes—I shall leave the wise in heart to judge.
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