is here presented to thine eye. Ah! Christians, your hearts are d a frame, so safe a frame, so sweet a frame, so happy a frame, me, as when they are in a trembling frame; and therefore make your delightful companion till your hearts are brought into such , &c. y not reprobates and devils tremble at the word? did not Bele at the handwriting? did not Felix tremble at the word preached is it not said that the devils believe and tremble? Dan. v. 5, 6; 25; James ii. 19. Bel ked men and devils may tremble at the judgments denounced in they tremble not at the offence committed against the holy comGod, as sincere Christians do: Ezra x. 3, Shechaniah said, 'We 1 against our God; let us make a covenant with our God accordsel of my Lord, and of those that tremble at the commandments è commandments discovering their sin, they tremble who before in their practice of marrying with the Canaanites; but we hear d nothing of this in Belshazzar, or Felix, or the devils. But, ondly, I answer, the wicked tremble, but never mend their ways. les, but never mends. Saul trembles, but never mends. les, but never mends. Felix trembles, but never mends; and , but never mend. But Paul trembles, and cries out, Lord, have me to do ?' And the jailor trembles, and cries out, 'Sirs, o to be saved?' Acts ix. 4-6; xvi. 29, 30. rdly, The trembling of the wicked drives them further and further and off from duty; as you see in Saul, who, under his tremblings, 1; but gracious tremblings draw the soul nearer and nearer to ee in Jehoshaphat, who feared and set himself to seek the Lord, d a fast throughout all Judah, 2 Chron. xxiii. 3. The saints, holy tremblings, they follow after God as the people followed emblings, 1 Sam. xiii. 7. But, But, your Christ be so easy care not for him. Oh h to draw himself back f should have been drawn Ans. 5. Fifthly and l рч upon the account of Dess and kindness to hir him as offended or grie the graciousness, and re bat now all the tremblin come, and from a hansel five things I thought to with the same objection The dew of heaven h feece, they are dry whe and is it not so with ma Their who have the labours of urthly, The godly tremble, and mourn and tremble. rts are broken hearts, and their broken hearts are trembling ook upon sin and tremble, and they look upon sin and mourn, Ter. ix. 1, 2; Ps. cxix. 136: Jer. xxv. 13, 17, But if ye will y soul shall weep in secret places for your pride, and mine eyes and run down with tears,' &c. The wicked tremble, but, under lings, their hearts are as dry and hard as rocks, yea, harder than : Jer. v. 3, They made their faces harder than a rock; they o return,' Ezek. iii. 7–9; Jer. vii. 26. Pharaoh trembled, but ned; the devils tremble, but yet are hardened. If one penitent rchase heaven, hell could not afford that one tear. Repenting ous; they are, saith Gregory, the fat of the sacrifice;' and, as he medicine of the soul; and, as Bernard, the wine of angels.' only to be found among those choice souls who make conscience t God's word, and who enjoy that choice tenderness of heart that treatise drawn to the life. Verily we cannot meet on this side rse temper of spirit than that which inclines a sinner to drop rs, and to despise the forbearance of God, and to kick against the goodness, Rom. ii. 4, as that profane Arian did who was executed oncerning whom Mr Greenham acquainteth us with this strange narration. This hellish heretic, saith he-for so were the deniers inity accounted of in those days, whatever thoughts men have of little before he was executed, afforded a few whorish tears, asking ght be saved by Christ or no? when one told him that if he truly hould surely not perish, he breaks out into this speech, Nay, if yet how are their souls Deither dew nor rain! T If the books of the law presently to proclaim a mourn, when we see the and to be trampled upo other vain persons! &c. Any paper which they se the word of God be wri Though Christians ough ught to be very careful in the word, be not trod dering its excellency an derness of this world Best, it shall lead thee awakest, it shall talk wi ical interpreters, whe through this world; wh best down in the grave Then thou art awakened Mr Greenham in his tre Frww.xvii. 14. God lo your Christ be so easy to be entreated indeed as you say, then I defy care not for him. Oh horrible blasphemy, and desperate wickedness! f to draw himself back from repentance by that very cord of love whe should have been drawn to it.' But, Ans. 5. Fifthly and lastly, The hearts of wicked men and devils only upon the account of punishment and the judgment to come, Acts x Mat. viii. 28, 29. As a malefactor trembleth before the judge, and u sense of his doom; but a child of God trembles under the sense of Go ness and kindness to him: Hosea iii. 7, And shall fear the Lord and ness; or, as some sense it, they shall fear the Lord because of his go The Hebrew is, they shall fear to the Lord pavebunt ad Dominum, trembling they shall make haste to him as frighted doves do to their colu See Hosea xi. 11. Look! as holy tremblings and gladness are consis gether, Ps. ii. 11; and as a holy fear and joy are consistent together see in those good women who went from Christ's sepulchre with fear a joy, Mat. xxviii. 8, a strange composition of two contrary passions, quently found in the best hearts; so a holy love and trembling are c together. A child whose heart is full of love to his father, when he lo him as offended or grieved, he trembles, like that poor woman, Ma who, fearing that she had offended Christ in her approaching to hi trembling, but yet with a heart full of love to Christ. So here, wher of God fixes one eye upon the holiness and justice of God, he trembl when, at the same time, he fixes his other eye upon the patience, the g the graciousness, and readiness of God to forgive as a father, he loves a but now all the tremblings of the wicked are from apprehensions of come, and from a hansel3 of hell in their consciences on this side hell. five things I thought to hint at, that the reader may be the better able to with the same objection when he meets with it in this little piece. The dew of heaven hath richly fallen among many, and yet, like fleece, they are dry when all the regions about them are wet, Judges vi and is it not so with many in these days, who sit under gospel droppi who have the labours of many famous men put every day into their har yet how are their souls like the mountains of Gilboa, upon which t neither dew nor rain! This is and this must be for a lamentation, 2 Sa If the books of the law chance to fall upon the ground, the Jews' c presently to proclaim a fast. Ah, friends! what cause have we to mourn, when we see the word preached, printed, offered, to fall upon the and to be trampled upon, as it is this day by atheists, papists, Socini other vain persons! &c. The Jews have a law which enjoins them to any paper which they see lying on the ground; and the reason is, l the word of God be written in the paper and ignorantly trodden un Though Christians ought to be free from such superstitious curiosities, ought to be very careful that the least tittle of the word, the least truth in the word, be not trodden under foot either by themselves or othe sidering its excellency and usefulness as a guide, a light, to lead us thr wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan: Prov. vi. 22, WI goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; wh awakest, it shall talk with thee.' That is, according to the gloss of t binical interpreters, when thou goest, it shall lead thee, viz. in thy through this world; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee, viz. w liest down in the grave; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with when thou art awakened at the glorious resurrection. But, that I 1 Mr Greenham in his treatise, entitled A sweet Comfort for an afflicted Cons Prov. xviii. 14. 2 God loves at once familiarity and fear. 3 Earnest, foret too large, I shall hasten to a close. There are three sorts of y, Those that are bold sinners, secure sinners, stupid sinners, Those that are under many fears, and doubts, and disputes in s, whether they do tremble at this word or no, and whether they neart or no; for I dare venture to say that such persons will tise those blessed truths that will, by a blessing from on high, ears, resolve their doubts, and put a happy issue to all their en thou hast once seriously read over this little treatise, I cannot thou wilt readily conclude with me, viz. That the two special dled, viz. our trembling at God's word, and a tender heart, are, and weighty points. (2.) Two very noble and necessary points, d labour to know and understand who would be blessed here and r. (3.) Two seasonable and suitable points to the days and we live, which abound with all sorts of sins, and which are he sorest of spiritual judgments, such as blindness, hardness, in(4.) Two important points that have singular other points wrapped o of them, and that are dependent upon them. (5.) Two points ery day handled in the pulpit, nor sent unto the press. importunity of a worthy friend hath prevailed with me to give e of reading this epistle. And now I shall conclude with a few el: (1.) Let him that casts his eye on this book not borrow it, .) seriously read it; (3.) highly prize it; (4.) earnestly pray endeavour to have his heart and life made conformable to the ed in it; (6.) to lay it up among his choicest treasures; and is in the mount, to remember him who unfeignedly and earnestly is little piece may be highly blessed to the writer, reader, and - I shall take leave and rest, Thy real friend and soul's servant, THOMAS BRooks. We give the Notes t A short account of som gracious evidence June 20.1676. spiritual estate an It is long since that th her soul. Many years a by his word and rod, br n and Satan, 1 Thes. i or starings upon her ow Edy rags, and as a mens tion with himself, h A. 18: Isa. Ixiv. 6; To make a full narrat Fell beyond its due pro dissatisfy others; and I may bring all I int Should I say all I co First, About her kno should I make an endi 2 was affectionate; estive; 7, practic Secondly, Should I D. MRS BROOKS. (See ante, p. xxxiv). The following is the title-page of the Funeral Sermon of the fir Brooks: STRENGTH IN Weakness. A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL of Mrs. MARTHA BROOKS, Mr. THO. BROOKS Minister of the Gospel in London; To which are Added Some EXPERIENCES of the Grace and Dealings of By J. C. a Friend of the Deceased, and her Surviving Husband. —Όταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι. HEB. 11. 34. Ενδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας.— Printed for John Hancock at the Three Bibles in Popes-Head We give the 'Notes' that were furnished by, no doubt, Brooks. A short account of some of the choice experiences, blessed discoveri gracious evidences, of Mrs Martha Brooks, who fell asleep in June 20. 1676. Drawn up by a near relation, that best underst spiritual estate and condition. It is long since that the Lord made it the day of his power-Ps. cx. 3 her soul. Many years ago, the great and glorious God, by his Spirit and by his word and rod, brought her from under the power, use, and domi sin and Satan, 1 Thes. i. 5; Prov. xxix. 15, and brought her off from or stayings upon her own righteousness-which she daily looked upon to filthy rags, and as a menstruous cloth-and brought her into fellowship ar munion with himself, his Son, and his blessed Spirit, &c., Rom. vi. 14 xxvi. 18; Isa. lxiv. 6; John i. 3, 4; 2 Cor. xiii. 14. To make a full narration of these great things, would make this little swell beyond its due proportion; and though it might please some, yet i dissatisfy others; and therefore I shall do little more than hint at thin so I may bring all I intend to say into a narrow compass. Should I say all I could, First, About her knowledge and acquaintance with Christ, when and should I make an end? Only this I may say: 1, her knowledge was i 2, it was affectionate; 3, experimental; 4, humbling; 5, growing; municative; 7, practical, Job xxii. 21; John xvii. 3, vii. 17, xiii. 1. Secondly, Should I say all I could about her high approbation of Cl 1 Tim. i. 15; Col. i. 19, i. 2, 3; Acts v. 31; Col. ii. 6; Rom. vii. 12; Rev. iii. 19; Dan. ix. 14; Neh. ix. 33—when and where should I ? Only this I may hint: 1, that she highly approved of the person the most suitable good in heaven or earth to her soul; 2, she red of the personal excellencies of Christ as the most transcendent 3, she highly approved of Christ in all his offices, both kingly, nd priestly; 4, she highly approved of all the precious things of day, his laws, his worship, his ordinances, his ways, his saints; approved of the rebukes, of the severe rebukes, of Christ, knowing e the fruits of his love, and that he was holy and wise, just and all his rebukes, &c. bout her choice and election of Christ to be her Head and Husband, Deut. xxvi. 17, her Sovereign and Saviour; upon choice she would t Christ to save her, nor none but Christ to rule her. About her reception of Christ, Job i. 12; Ps. xxiv. 7-10 : 1, in ; 2, into every room of her soul; 3, once for all; 4, upon his own Mat. xvi. 24. bout her high, her very high, estimation of Christ, 1 Peter ii. 7, she all her duties, above all her privileges, above all her graces, above rd contentments, and above all her spiritual enjoyments; he was efest of ten thousand, Cant. v. 10; Ps. xlv. 2; Mat. xiii. 26; Prov. ip. iii. 8; he was fairer than the children of men; he was the pearl er eye; he was more precious than rubies to her soul. She looked gs as nothing in comparison of Christ; she had rather have one - thousand worlds. bout her marriage union and communion with Christ, of which equently she discoursed both with ministers and Christians throughess. Her marriage union with Christ was breasts of consolation and tion to her, Cant. iii. 11; Hosea ii. 18-20; 2 Cor. xi. 2; Ps. lxvi. Throughout her nine months' sickness by these she did live, and gs were the life of her spirit, Isa. xxxviii. 16. About her trustings and cleavings to Christ as the ivy cleaves to child to the mother, or as the wife cleaves to the husband. In all downs, she would be still hanging upon Christ, and cleaving to xiii. 15; Acts xi. 23; Ruth i. 14; Gen. ii. 24. About her thirstings, breathings, and longings, after higher, clearer, oyments of Christ, she could never have enough of Christ, Ps. xlii. Mal. i. 2, 3; Ps. lxxxiv., xxvii. 4, 8, nor enough of his presence, f his Spirit, nor enough of his grace, nor enough of his manifestaough of his consolations; the constant cry of her soul was, More of > of Christ! O more of Christ! bout her sad lamenting and bewailing the withdrawings of Christ, bout her sympathising with Christ in all the dishonours that were upon these Her whole life (huma 11-15; 1 Thes. v. 2 before God in her close actions sweet, Isa. ay Christian under su |