Heaven on earth by Thomas Brooks (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 5 (Shewing the several ways and means of gaining a well-grounded assurance) by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'I come now in the sixth place, to shew you what prayer that is that doth accompany salvation.'
The love that accompanies salvation is:
(i) superlative and transcendent;
(ii) obediential - operative and working;
(iii) sincere and incorrupt;
(iv) vehement and ardent;
(v) lasting and permanent;
(vi) abounding and increasing;
(vii) open and manifest.
The last point about the openness of love is particularly expounded. Brooks teaches us that the love that accompanies salvation will show itself by:
(i) enjoyment of Christ;
(ii) exaltation of Christ;
(iii) cheerfulness in suffering;
(iv) being pleased and displeased when Christ is;
(v) exposure to suffering to save Christ from suffering;
(vi) being afflicted with dishonours that are done to Christ;
(vii) observing Christ's countenance and carriage;
(viii) reaching forth a hand of kindness;
(ix) quietness and stillness under Christ's rebukes;
(x) being affected by the least dishonours done to Christ;
(xi) keeping the doors shut against treacherous lovers;
(xii) secret expressions of love;
(xiii) breathing after more clear evidence of Christ's love;
(xiv) commitment of our richest treasures to Christ.
Brooks made an excellent point about true love showing itself in secret expressions of love: 'A soul that truly loves Christ, loves to meet him in a corner, to meet him behind the door, Cant. ii. 14, to meet him in the clefts of the rock, where no eye sees, nor no ear hears, nor no heart observes. Mat. vi. 6. Feigned love is much in commending and kissing Christ upon the stage ; but unfeigned love is much in embracing and weeping over Christ in a closet. The Pharisee loved to stand praying in the market-place and in the temple. Mat. vi. 2 ; but Nathanael was with Christ under the fig-tree, John i. 48 ; and Cornelius was at it in the corner of his house. Acts x. ; and Peter was at it on the leads ; and the spouse was at it in the villages. Cant. vii. 11. Souls that truly love Christ, are much in secret visits, in secret prayer, in secret sighing, in secret groaning, in secret mourning, &c. True love is good at bolting of the door, and is always best when it is most with Christ in a corner. The secret discoveries that Christ makes to souls, do much oblige them to closet services.'
How you behave behind closed doors is very revealing about how much you love Christ.
Next week's reading
Conclude Chapter 5 (Shewing the several ways and means of gaining a well-grounded assurance).
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment