Doctrine

An abstract and overview of 3 selected works of Thomas Brooks by Scott Bushey
 

 

 

 

 

An abstract and overview of 3 selected works of Thomas Brooks

Scott Paul Bushey

PM740 Thomas Brooks

Student ID# 57740903

June 1, 2016 in the year of our Lord

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my 3rd paper for the Doctor of Divinity program at the North American Reformed Seminary, I have been given the task to read 3 select works of Sir. Thomas Brooks; the titles of the three brooks are:

1) Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices
2) Holiness, the Only Way to Happiness
3) Heaven on Earth

 

In an effort so that this paper does not resemble a book report, I will attempt to amplify a few major points from each of these great tributes. Let me introduce you to the author:

 

Who was Thomas Brooks?

 

Thomas Brooks was a Puritan Divine who lived from 1608-1680. There is not a lot of substantial information on Mr. Brooks; most of the information has been gleaned from his writings alone. In regard to education, it is said that he entered Emmanuel College in Cambridge in 1625. We could not find any historic data on his ordination, but most felt that it was doubtless that he held an office and it is documented that this occurred somewhere in the year 1640. Prior to this appointment, it’s quite possible that Mr. Brooks was a chaplain at sea with the Royal Fleet while Henry the VIII ruled. Upon concluding his service, he may have been a minister with St. Thomas Apostle’s Church in London. He was eventually bestowed the title of ‘Preacher’ for the House of Commons, December 26, 1648. Following this assignment, he was transferred to a few different congregations and there arose some opposition to his fiery preaching. At this time, The Act of Uniformity was established and Brooks’ preaching came under fire. The ministers rejected the Act and refused to take the vow and were rejected from their pulpits better known as “The Great Ejection of 1662”, also known as “Black Bartholomew’s Day”. Some of the most prominent ministers that you may be familiar with were: Richard Baxter, Edmund Calamy the Elder, Simeon Ashe, Thomas Case, John Flavel, William Jenkyn, Joseph Caryl, Thomas Brooks, Thomas Manton, William Sclater, Thomas Doolittle, Thomas Watson and Matthew Mead, to name a few. Following Brooks’ formal trial and ejection, he penned the 3 books I will be using for this paper.

Charles Spurgeon writes of Brooks:

“Brooks scatters stars with both his hands: he hath dust of Gold; in his storehouse are all manner of precious stones. Genius is always marvelous; but when satisfied, it is matchless”[1]

 

In my first portion, I will address the fine work entitled, ‘Heaven on Earth’. The main idea amplified so well by Brooks in this writing is on the doctrine of assurance. I will attempt to break this book down into 4 sections:

  • What is assurance in the believer’s walk?
  • Is full assurance ever possible?
  • True assurance versus a false assurance
  • Is it possible that we are, like Judas, self-deceived?

 

What is a biblical assurance?

What would it be like for the Christian if he was not able to have any definable assurance of his position in Christ? Our hope would be brittle; our walks would be in the flesh and our perseverance, affected. Since we are still burdened by some sinful issues, we would fall to more temptations than not, with a lack of assurance. Thankfully, God’s word gives us a rationale reason why we can be sure we have a confidence in our position in Christ Jesus. God’s word is our anchor and Christ our captain; He is the faithful helmsman. It is by His grace we persevere. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit and in that, we have an assurance that cannot be explained in the physical, adequately.

When we go to the word of God, we see this assurance in many places:

 

17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace;

And the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.[2]

 

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:[3]

 

12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.[4]

 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,[5]

 

11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:[6]

 

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:[7]


13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.[8]

 

1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion,

Which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem,

So the Lord is round about his people

From henceforth even for ever.[9]

 

When we reflect upon these chosen scriptures, the depth of promise imparted to the people of God is vast. Assurance, for the people of God is final, but not perfect as we often fall prey to seeing in the flesh from time to time.

Brooks writes:

“God doth give his people some assurance that he is their portion, yea, rather than they shall always live or die without assurance of their salvation, and that he is their portion, he will work a miracle to assure them of his love”.[10]


When we consider our creator, He is not fickle nor undependable; to see Him as such is akin to crediting Him with the sinful attributes of the creature. He is not like us in this regard.  God is unchangeable and perfect. Having said this, we need to consider a few things that are an unmovable, foundational fact for this assurance.

In Acts 17:31 we see this assurance meted out:

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.[11]

Poole amplifies this mentality on this scripture in Acts when he says that believers have an ‘undeniable proof’ and ‘that they might not be faithless, but believe’ [12]

 

It need not be said that believers are called to ‘put on the mind of Christ’ [13], ‘to meditate’ on God’s word [14], and to ‘trust in the Lord’ [15]. Most all of us understand this. Our walk is a walk of faith. Mind you, it is not a blind faith. We have the word of God as proof. Consider the promises of God. If we doubt just one of these promises, our faith crumbles before us. We need to remember this when our walks falter and we question our position. Believers should be stalwart minded peoples; we are ‘peculiar’. The blood of the saints over the ages cry out. We see in the book of revelation that the saints that gave their lives for this faith and used this testimony as a witness to those who came after them. And it is a solid witness. In this age, especially in America, we have not strived for the faith unto bloodshed. Heb 12:4 This makes the assurance difficult at times. This is not to say that we should welcome ‘bloodshed’, but that bloodshed has been one of the things that the church is destined for; consider our Savior. On one hand, we are fearful that this may come to this country one day and none of us look forward to it, but when it happens, and according to the word of God, it will, these dying saints will die at the hands of the enemy and in contrast to the enemy believing he is accomplishing much or stalling the progression, the faith will again be pushed forward to the glory of God by these tragic events.

The enemy and his minion are never resting and one of the main things these devils attack is our assurance.  In summary then, biblical assurance is founded upon God’s word alone. It is the truths of scripture alone that validate the work of the Holy Spirit in our walks, bearing witness to our spirit. In my life, this has been the justification for me. It is solid. I need no message delivered of angels as the Holy Spirit speaks in a deeply spiritual fashion to me on the idea through the word of God and His Spirit bearing witness with mine. Of course, this is not in a tongue, but an effect of God’s power speaking directly to my heart through our beloved bibles.

Is full assurance possible?

In chapter 1 of Heaven on Earth, Brooks amplifies ten, easy to follow principles to gain a well-grounded assurance. When we look at the issue of assurance against the backdrop of scriptures cited above, it would seem as if the case were closed. From my understanding, faith seems to be distributed in degrees; the scriptures surely speak of a ‘greater faith[16]  and a lesser.[17] It also shows that believer’s faith should ‘increase’.[18] Consider the parable of the soils. In the gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, Jesus tells us that some of the seed produced a crop of 30, 60 and 100%. I imagine some would say that this produce is directed to fruit. I have a hard time in accepting that in toto as I see the seed as the word and that the planting of the word and this example is unto regeneration. In Matt 13:15 Jesus tells us:

15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted[19]

 

John Gill seems to support this idea when he says of these that receive this truth, ‘a new and spiritual understanding given him, feels the power of it on his heart, enlightening and quickening him’. [20] Think of it this way, faith produces fruit. Some infants are born with faith. The faith of an infant could be 30% and as this regenerated infant grows in Christ, it will produce the decreed amount through the days.

So, given the idea that our faith grows, it is at God’s own consideration if he gives some believers a stronger faith from the start, for whatever purposes He decrees. All of us at one time or another have met a person that seems to have a unique faith. This person is always overflowing in this regard. They seem to be stalwart when it comes to trials and tribulations. It is of these people I speak. Granted, it would be hard to see 100% on the front end. Possibly this implies that this person will process truth more efficiently. Consider the elect infant dying in the womb. This infant enters glory with 100% of faith. No one enters glory without a perfected theology and faith! What a blessing it would be to think God is gracious as such and has given us plenty.

 

One might think that the person with the lesser faith would have less assurance. This is not always the case. The person with the ‘lesser’ faith, has adequate faith. This adequacy, saves. The person with the ‘greater’ is no more saved than the person with the lesser. The person with greater of faith may even struggle more! (I will address that in the next section) Ultimately, faith is the essence of our surety. Since God gives faith, it is a cornerstone of our confidence we have in Christ Jesus.

Since faith is the essence of assurance, it would seem to follow that those that have a lesser amount of faith would be more apt to suffer under a weaker assurance. Consider the warning passages in the book of Hebrews [21]. These warnings have been placed in scripture for the believer to always keep himself in check. It is a litmus test of sorts so that we may evaluate our walks. On one hand, believers have a real assurance and on the other, they are exhorted to ‘check to see that they are in the faith’[22] The warning passages were not placed there to weaken the believer’s confidence; however, when one contrasts these passages in the book of Hebrews with the other noted verses I quoted earlier, it would seem contradictory, but as a whole, they are not. This is a biblical example that both are sides of one coin that must be appreciated.  We can have an assurance, but it should never be haughty. A great example of a haughty assurance would be the church at Laodicea. These church members were prideful in their position and Christ warned them for it, threatening to even spit them out of His mouth for it.[23]

Arthur Pink writes:


“How may I know I’m elect? First, by the Word of God having come in divine power to the soul so that my self-complacency is shattered and my self-righteousness is renounced. Second, by the Holy Spirit convicting me of my woeful, guilty, and lost condition. Third, by having had revealed to me the suitability and sufficiency of Christ to meet my desperate case and by a divinely given faith causing me to lay hold of and rest upon Him as my only hope. Fourth, by the marks of the new nature within me – a love for God; an appetite for spiritual things; a longing for holiness; a seeking after conformity to Christ. Fifth, by the resistance which the new nature makes to the old, causing me to hate sin and loathe myself for it. Sixth, by avoiding everything which is condemned by God’s Word and by sincerely repenting of and humbly confessing every transgression. Failure at this point will surely bring a dark cloud over our assurance causing the Spirit to withhold His witness. Seventh, by giving all diligence to cultivate the Christian graces and using all diligence to this end. Thus the knowledge of election is cumulative.”[24]

 

 

Even though Pink is speaking specifically on the doctrine of election, is has its roots in assurance. If a man can be sure of his election, based upon the fruits Pink describes, he will most assuredly have a bountiful assurance of his position in Christ.

All of us would agree that we are solely secured by the work Christ alone. These warnings that I have mentioned are given to us for good reasons; it being that the church local is made up of believers and unbelievers, those that are unbelievers in the church are exhorted by these writings in Hebrews to repent and receive Christ.

One might say, “Scott, how do you know that you are not self-deceived? How can anyone know for sure? I am sure that Judas and Demas believed they were actually ‘in the faith”.  I understand your concern. It is not unhealthy to think this way from time to time; however, consider how you ‘pant’ like the deer after water, how you are ‘fools’ for the sake of the gospel and Christ, how you love your enemies, how you ‘pray fervently’ and confess your sins. These are not works of the flesh! These religious occupations cannot be brought forth from broken cisterns and empty wells for very long. Much like seed planted in stony ground, they dry up quickly and blow off as chaff. Having said that, time is of the essence! Your persevering in the faith says so much. Time and the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirits is confirmation and we should have this confidence.

16 
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:[25]

The Westminster confession of Faith, chapter 18 says ‘True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways…they are supported from utter despair’[26]

Taking into consideration these ideas and accompanying fruits that follow a true conversion, one can have a confidence. Is it absolute? On one hand, I would say yes and on the other, not. It keeps us honest.

 

True versus false assurance

In chapter 3, Brooks addresses ‘impediments’ to a grounded assurance. The true believer will bear fruit. He will have a life towards righteousness and as previously mentioned, will love his enemies. He will have religious affections; he will love God’s word and law. He will be attached to a local church and submit to its oversight. He will have a life of prayer and confession-repentance will be his lifelong pursuit. He will hold fast to the doctrines of the faith. He understands his sinfulness and is floored by Christ’s mercy and sacrifice toward him when in fact, he doesn’t deserve it. In many ways, when this true believer comes to reconcile his unfinished state, even in light of God’s mercy in Christ, he struggles, knowing well the level of Holiness God possesses in light of this remaining sin. He is thankful for the grace of God, yet is truly cognizant that he does not deserve mercy, but judgment!  One would think that all of these items advocate for the believers walk-it should give assurance. But is it ever perfect? Is the assurance flawless? There is surely a frustrating balance here. On one hand, a true believer is confident and on the other, questioning his position. Most of the Puritans would call this a healthy disposition.

R.C. Sproul writes:

How can false assurance be possible? How do people arrive at a false sense of assurance?….I want to try to answer these questions. There are several different problems, but they basically reduce to two. The first problem…is a faulty understanding of the requirements for salvation. The second major error that leads to false assurance is legalism, which is another way of referring to “works righteousness.[27]

 

Since faith is the substance where assurance is planted, a man without works has no faith [28] This man has good reason to tremble. The devils tremble and yet, they are not saved; greater should be our trembling. However, the man that has no faith and no true assurance will not tremble in the least. He may even be over confident. It is only believers who tremble before God. Even with the true faith given him, the trembling remains.

Patrick Fairbairn writes:

Not more certainly is faith without works dead, than all works are dead which do not spring from the living root of faith already implanted in the heart.[29]

 

False assurance can be seen in a few different respects. For instance, one may say, ‘I am saved by grace’, yet has no fruit. One may base their assurance on their church membership or affiliation. Some may even believe their religious acts sufficient to save themselves. Some hold fast to their heritage; I have met a few Christians who hold dear that their parent, grandparents etc. were all believers and in some way, Christ looks upon this relationship with favor. Jesus rightly rebuked the Pharisees for this kind of error. [30] The false confessor will not be burdened by the sin that remains in his life. Yes, he will have a certain level of cognizance toward morality and will fight a fight, but it will not be fueled by the Holy Spirit’s work in his life and it most assuredly will not be the ‘good’ fight! Many times, this person could have been brought up in the church; He comes from a goodly family where Christianity was predominant and its principles taught. There was even prayer here. Consider the atheist; this person has a morality that is structured along the lines of a perverted world view. In many ways, these false confessors are much like this atheist. Morality that does not have Christ at the center is false morality, no matter how moral you are; but to the person who remains in his sins, he believes that this morality is based on Jesus and in a superficial fashion, it may be. But this Jesus that they have based it upon is all mental ascent. The Holy Spirit has not regenerated and converted this man. This is a conundrum of sorts as one could see that there are many in the faith that are perfect examples of this and how is one to really know. This is surely a sticky wicket and most likely there are great numbers who have perished under this mistaken identity.

 

 

 

Can it be possible that we have the assurance that Judas had?

 

A good friend who has a Doctorate in theology once said to me, ‘Scott, is it possible that we are self-deceived like Simon Magus?’ When the believer considers all of scripture, the warning passages and the obvious examples I present, it is difficult to not walk away from these ideas and truly wonder if one is saved! However, the scriptures do tell us that there is a way ‘to know for sure’. It would seem obvious, to not know for sure, one may be in sin for doubting. This is exactly why I say, ultimately it comes down to the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirits that we are indeed, children of God. In my life, this has been my resolve. The fact that I am obsessed with my Christ, His scriptures, the church etc., validates my walk and gives me assurance. There are very few minutes of the day where I am not either pondering scripture and meditating on them or just waiting for the opportunity to share of my savior. It is with this in mind, that I am settled and confident; otherwise, I fall back into the previously mentioned categories. Is it possible that God has blinded my mind in this regard? Could I still be deceived? I would have to say, yes. In light of this idea, this does not disrupt my pursuit. As the scriptures exhort, I run the race, I fight the good fight, I resist the devil and focus on Christ.

One might ask, “If a person has no assurance, and is more convinced of his reprobation than not, would it not be better for this person to abandon Christianity altogether?” There are a few things to consider here: On one hand, the reprobate is filling up his cup of condemnation, is hearing truth, truth to which he will be more responsible to than a man who has never graced the foyer of any organized church and hence, more responsible to God than the unchurched man; on the other hand, this man is benefitting from all the graces bestowed upon the elect and church. He sits under the preached word. He shares in fellowship and is loved by the people of God. These can never be seen as an inconvenience or a disadvantage in this life. In eternal means, it is a greater judgement coming upon him. This is surely a difficult scenario, given the facts. However, keep in mind, men are saved under the preaching of God’s word and it can come upon man at any given moment that is decreed of God; hence, to be in church is better than the man who will continuously evade it’s call.

 

Consider a conversation with the Apostle Peter: “Peter, I wonder about Judas! I have come to the conclusion that Judas’ fruit seem rotten to me from time to time! Do you think he is actually one of us?” How do you think Peter would have replied? The church goes primarily on confession. Judas was a covenant member, yes; however, he was externally in the covenant, as we now know. This is one of the facts that should make us tremble. We are exhorted by the Apostle to ‘make our election and calling sure’[31] and to ‘make sure we are in the faith’.[32] One cannot miss the balance needed in these matters. Yes we have a confidence, and yet, we need to be cognizant of the reality of who God is, His holiness and where a mere mortal fits into the equation. The next section will address some of these ideas.

 

 

In the next book, ‘The Only Way to happiness’, Brooks addresses God’s holiness, the law and judgement and how joy flows out of these items.

 

When we think deeply on God’s holiness, it becomes quite evident that the finite mind has difficulty in processing this truth. How is the immeasurable, measured? What device do we use to gauge this holiness? Is there anything that we have tangibly to relate it to?  Against what backdrop or standard do we use to weigh this idea? There are a few theological subjects that are obviously impossible to understand in the absolute. We have the scriptures which tell us that God is holy .[33] The scriptures do not define this holiness in toto. Yes, the scriptures condescend down to the creature in manners which give us glimpses into eternity. The scriptures give us snapshots of God’s holiness. This is all we have and ultimately, it is sufficient. But keep in mind, sufficiency is not absolute, hence we must tread carefully.

One of the examples used is God’s judgement. When we look at the commands of God and measure God’s judgement against sin, it gives us a touch-stone of sorts. It helps us in determining how perfect God is and that no sin can stand in His presence; this amplifies how holy the Lord is.  Consider that the scriptures call God a thrice Holy, Lord.[34] Most theologians understand this triadic expression as a way of showing the immeasurability of the idea. God is holier than our minds can imagine.

 

When I mentioned at the opening of this portion of my paper that ‘holiness’ is at the epicenter of Christianity, I say this in light of the demands of God’s law in relation to this holiness. The law requires payment for any assault on the law of God. The law of God is a direct reflection of God’s holy character. Without justice, there cannot be holiness. True justice does not require mercy. Mercy is a fruit of justice. In all civil, judicial cases, it is left up to the discretion of the judge, in light of the civil law to either condemn the criminal for the crime at a full tilt assessment or issue a level of mercy in the case. The civil law, as you well know, comes across many times as a wax nose, able to be shaped into whatever the judge pleases at any given time, under whatever the circumstance demands. Given the particular day, maybe the judge woke up on the wrong side of the bed, has a headache and didn’t eat breakfast; this will surely affect the outcome of the case. In the case of our God however, He is bound by his character and law and it is not ambiguous as our civil laws. God is not fickle and his law fixed in time.

 

All men are called to perfection. Jesus said it best when He tells us to be ye therefore perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect [35] Given that men are born under the sin of Adam, as soon as the person is conceived, he is rightfully condemned by the Holiness of God, His law and the justice that comes with it. I often make mention that if one thinks through this thoroughly, this squeaky clean infant, from the point they are conceived has begun to die. Consider the 2nd law of thermodynamics; Degradation is immediate. Order becomes disorder. Entropy is unavoidable.

 

 

Geisler writes:

The Second Law is also known as the Law of Entropy, which is a fancy way of saying that nature tends to bring things to disorder. That is, with time, things naturally fall apart. Your car falls apart; your house falls apart; your body falls apart.[36]

 

Think about that for a minute. As the seconds tick by, the infant is suffering under the aging process brought on by the sin of Adam and is ultimately 1 second closer to a physical death. Even though they are newborn, they are immediately, dying. Practically speaking, it is hard to wrap your brain around this fact. Spiritually, these newborns are born into the world dead already (unless of course God regenerates in the womb).

Prior to the fall, there was order; everything was in a perfect state. We are told in the book of Ezekiel, ‘the soul that sins shall die’.[37] There cannot be grace in this regard. Blame it on Adam. Penalty for the sin must be paid for, that being death. Praise God for His mercy toward us in the giving of His Son, Christ Jesus as payment.  Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He defeated the grave and death.

Praise God!

 

This fact and the meting out of God’s justice and mercy should bring the believer immeasurable happiness. God suffers His only Son as payment for the sins of the creature, according to His good will, decree and wisdom. Nothing ever done by the creature played into this decision. By grace alone are we saved. This should bring the Christian great joy.  The next section, I want to address some of the ways the believer has this joy based on the assurance we possess.

Here are a few random statements made in scripture about this joy we possess.

 

The Joy of the Lord is your strength-Neh 8:10

That your joy may be full-1 John 1:4

In thy presence is the fullness of joy-Psalm 16:11

Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy-Psalm 67:4

Now the hope of God fill you with all joy and peace in believing-Rom 15:13

I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulations-2 Cor 7:4

But the fruit of the spirit is joy…Gal 5:22

Unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness-Col 1:11

For we have great joy and consolation in thy love-Philemon 7

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations-James 1:2

 

Practically speaking, how is the believer to apply these beautiful gems in our walks? Surely it begins with knowing the scriptures. Our reading of God’s word, in light of all the writers in both testaments ascribing to such a joy, has its way of washing over us. It sticks to our hearts after we witness the repetitious nature in which our forefathers possessed this attitude, of course, the Holy Spirit making it effectual to us. One might think to themselves, ‘I just lost my job and my home mortgage is in the rears, how can I not be anxious and grieved at this given time?’ I hear you! I have often said that Americans are spoiled rotten in so many ways. If we miss a meal we lose our joy. Personally, I get really cranky if I have to fast. This is surely sinful and wrong. Compare Haiti or India to our plight. They are not in the same camps. None of the suffering that comes that I mentioned are in the same class. Americans do not know real suffering. Sure, the man with the burning cancer is suffering; he is on chemo therapy and radiation. In need of constant pain relief, yet, he has a warm bed, medical professionals all around him, 3-4 meals per day, etc. The third world nations have this same burning cancer, yet none of these reliefs. Hence, losing your job is not a thing that should grieve you to the point where you lose your joy-especially in light of how mighty our God is.

 

Our eyes should be always fixed on Heavenly things. Our King is active and aware of every hair on our heads. Surely He is concerned with our joy! We are forgiven. We have eternal life. We have houses being prepared. Our sins have been forgiven and cast as far as the East is from the West. Who may level charges against the elect of God? What Earthly suffering compares to eternity? Think about that for a minute; I am 58 years old. My hip and shoulders ache from the effects of sin. I am greying rapidly. I know my time on this Earth is short. The majority of my life is behind me. However, in light of all this reality, I have a new name. How does one measure the grace of God? His mercies which are new every morning? His patience and kindness? Again, His holiness? How long exactly is eternity? 10,000 years squared? Wrong! Longer! One million years, squared? Wrong again! Eternity is immeasurable. Wrap your brain around that.

 

Are there things that scripture allows for when it comes to being devoid of joy? I would have to say no. What we always see is that we are to be joyful in the midst of all trial and tribulation. Consider  my brother, Job. Consider the martyrs described in Foxe’s book. Most all of these saints forsook the practical for the spiritual. Their spirits demanded it. I would only add that these believers that are constantly attacked, either physically or spiritually have a greater portion of grace from the Father. They are able to tolerate things that Americans would never be able to and that being from the mercies of God alone. This says much when we consider that it is quite possible that our country is under a level of condemnation; God has numbed us down to the extent that any trial greater that getting caught in the rain would be too much for us to bear. Sad, but true. This idea reminds me of a passage in the book of Amos, specifically verse 1 of chapter 6:

“Woe to those that are in ease in Zion”

 

The people in the days of Amos were presumptuous. They were lackadaisical in their religion. They lied around on marble stones eating grapes, thinking, much like Americans, that ‘God must really love us as He has given us all these blessings and benefits. Look at what I have!’ God sometimes, as I previously mentioned, condemns our presumption by giving us a tenor of numbness. He casts a sleep unto our spirits and we drift. We stumble. These people in Amos’ days were asleep at the wheel and never even knew that God was judging them. Consider the age we live in. Much like Israel when they demanded a king, God gave them one-mostly for their impetuous hearts. In the same way, this coming election here in this country says much. Both candidates are evil. Who does the Christian choose? Should we even vote? If Hitler and Stalin were running for office, would we participate? My whole point is that in some cases, trial and tribulation may be judgement coming down and believers need to be cognizant of what is happening in the spiritual realm. In these cases, can we still be joyful when we see our country under God’s thumb and judgement? Yes, because we have a King who is ruling and reigning and He cares for us. In this alone are we confident and this brings the ultimate joy to us. Even though the world are God haters and expediting and compounding the issues, i.e. same sex marriage, gay rights, pedophilia, etc., we are filled with overflowing Joy.

 

The next question that may come to mind is how is this character of Holiness that God has, transferred to the believer? When God looks upon a believer in Christ, he no longer sees the sin of father Adam. He sees the Son and the work the Son accomplished on behalf of the elect in Christ; this is better known as propitiation. Christ is our redeemer and propitiation for the sins we could never have satisfied. Christ is God and has the perfect holiness that the other two persons of the Trinity hold.  What happens practically is that the Son lived a sinless life and at that prescribed time, decided by the Godhead, outside of time in eternity, casting all the sins of the elect, upon the Son, the lamb of God and dying in our place upon the tree, satisfying the judgement of God that we could not. Paid in full! Once for all time. It was at that time, when Christ gave up the ghost on the tree, God now sees Christ Jesus, standing in the gap, in our stead as our faithful High Priest and representative. We are now found holy in Christ.

 

Holiness must be defined by God’s word alone.

 

When we consider the doctrine of holiness, we must take into account the obvious; It is Christ’s holiness, not ours. However, when we look to the scriptures, we can see positive commands for believers to ‘be holy’, [38], [39], [40] [41]

 

One of the ways I describe this idea is using F. Turretin’s compound and divided senses of scripture; in this treatment, believers are completely holy based on the work of Christ. Believers cannot add one jot or tittle to this holiness as if we were to attempt to do so, we would be cast headlong back into the Covenant of Works. We are simply, justified by faith alone in Christ alone; this is seen as in the compound sense. In the divided sense, we are called to be holy. This is accomplished by being actively involved in personal holiness, i.e. running the race, resisting the devil and sin, fighting the good fight, etc. Theologically speaking, this is what is better known as sanctification. Sanctification is active and passive. Passive because it is God who works in us to do and to will; active in that we participate in this sanctification. Consider the positive commands in scripture. [42], [43], [44]

Believers are called to be separate from the world. Our lives should be a living placard showing forth the beauty of Christ to a dying generation of unbelievers. [45], [46], [47] If your life is not showing forth Christ at all times, there may be a problem. Evaluate your walk and see how you might reconcile the deafening silence. Remember, no one put’s a lit candle under a basket for two reasons. Firstly, no one can see it-we are to be, like Christ, a light unto unbelievers, hiding that light would be sinful and out of character; secondly, if one puts a lit candle under a basket, the lack of oxygen will extinguish it. Think about the parable of the talents and what Jesus said about the person who was presumptuous and lazy with what the Lord blessed him with. God will not look down upon this person in a gracious manner. As well, if this joy we earlier spoke of is actually in you, you will take God given opportunities to let your light so shine forth as the moment arises. No man that puts his hand to the plow and looks back (in regret) is fit for God’s kingdom. Luke 9:62

 

Having described what I have and extrapolated, barely touching the surface of the doctrine, we will move on to the next work of Mr. Brooks.

 

The last book I want to attempt to cover is Brooks’ Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices’. This was my favorite by far. The other writings were excellent but this one spoke directly to my heart. In this book, Brooks expertly describes various tactics the enemy uses in the lives of Christ’s saints and some of the resolutions we should implement.

 

I will address these topics:

  • Who is the enemy and his minion?
  • Devices used of the enemy
  • Types of sin
  • Trials and afflictions brought on the church by sin

 

 

We are in a battle. The enemy is but a roaring lion, roaming around, seeing whom he may devour. The word devour says much; in the Greek, it means to ‘drink down’ or gulp down. This Greek word is used only once in the New Testament writings and specifically in regard to the enemy and his craftiness.


Sin is deceitful and presents itself as a sweet smelling flower. Not all beautiful plants are beneficial. Take for example the Cerbera Odollom; it has a sweet aroma and beautiful blooming flowers. The senses can be drawn to this plant; however, getting the sap on your hands or ingesting the plant can stop your heart. In the same way, sin is deceitful and insidious. It has crafty tactics; it’s sap is invisible. It’s fruits, ravenous and will as well, stop your heart. Consider the poison of a deadly viper. The snake bites you, there is a wound, you have time to get to emergency services to get anti-venom. Most people who get to the doctor, survive. However, when we consider sin, it works in a more subtle fashion. It takes root as a seed of deceit and eventually flowers into a strangling vine, choking out religion and spirit.


In days passed, there were two very prominent pastors in my area who have fallen into the sin of adultery. Both had pastored large congregations. Both had been married for many years. In this portion, I will try and amplify how insidious sin is and it’s pattern. Take for example the thought life. In my past life, prior to me coming to the Lord, I was as base as one could be; Though I had never actually murdered anyone per se, I had hated people, to which Jesus tells us that is akin to murder. I had sex outside of marriage. I used illicit substances and abused alcohol. I was a thief and a cheat. I looked at pornography and assaulted my flesh daily. After coming to the Lord, the Holy Spirit slowly sifted these things from my life. As of recent, the Olympics have been on television.   In watching the events, I found myself looking upon the bathing suits and gymnastics uniforms with the wrong attitude. As I was sitting on my porch relaxing, a thought came to mind to look at pornography. I immediately put on the armor of God and repented and rejected the idea. The point is, the enemy knows what has worked in the past and uses those things to entice the believer to sin. Again, it is subtle. It creeps in, warming your heart with fire!

 

In the lives of these pastors I spoke of earlier, this sin of adultery was a well worked out plan that the devil used. Let me elaborate: Initially, these men were viewing things that they were not supposed to be viewing; as well, I can almost guarantee that they were abusing their flesh. One does not go to the beach and walk by the water if they are allergic to salt. It began with a thought. The initiation to lust has its root in the appetite. For some reason, these pastors were not being fed in their home settings and looked elsewhere for their fill. Possibly, they initially began abusing themselves; then looking at pornography as it needed fuel. In doing so, the need for their wives depreciated. Lack of relationship with one’s wife will by default cause a divide in the relationship. Once that gap occurs, the marriage itself is in trouble and will suffer a slow death. Ultimately, in conclusion, this sin and these examples are a prime treatment how to avoid these wiles of the devil. Keep your hands to yourself and guard your eyes. Cling to the wife of your youth and romance her accordingly. If a believer is committing any of these sins, i.e. you are practicing abusing your eyes or flesh, Christ and the Apostle Paul tells us that you have no part in the kingdom of God.

 

In finality, no man is above these temptations; in fact, in my earlier walk, I found myself partaking of these types of sin, sin that can cost you your life and even condoning them. Many times you will hear believers say that “God knows my struggles-he made me this way”.  Scripture warns us of this deceit.[48], [49], [50]

 

In 1st Corinthians, chapter 6, The Apostle Paul tells us:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither nfornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor pabusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.[51]

 

Do you fall within these descriptions? If so, quit it! Repent, leave the sin at the cross and move forward. You have no choice.

 

The enemy and his army of minion

 

It is very important to understand who the devil is. Many in the Christian faith have given the enemy a god-like character. Many give him godly attributes. I have often heard it said, ‘The enemy is undermining my walk’. The term ‘undermining’ is not entirely accurate as nothing is outside of the decree of God. In that, nothing is ever undermining our walks. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. [52]For example, the enemy is not omniscient, nor is he omnipresent. He is not omnipotent. The devil is a created being. There is only one of him. He does have an army of minion at his disposal. When I mention ‘disposal’, it is at God’s hand alone that he has this multitude. These enemies are chained by the sovereignty of God. They are not free to roam about outside of this over sight. They are not independent of God’s power and might. The devils are dogs on leashes that God uses in the sanctification of the believer. Consider Romans 8:28 where we are told, ‘all things work together for good’. God uses all things for the benefit of the saint. Given what I have already said, what do we do when we hear a person claim that the devil is attacking him? Given that there is only one satan, it must be seen as one of satan’s minions at work in this person’s life. Satan himself is most likely dealing with the upper end of the echelon; for example, one would think that satan is not dealing with me personally when there are bigger fish to fry, like our governmental leaders. The Apostle Paul talked about this idea in 2 Corinthians 12:7:

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

 

This is a perfect example of a minion attack and as well, God decreeing it for the good of the saint. Do not grow faint! God is by your side and working, always.


Consider the realm of politics or countries at war. One would think that in this age, satan is directing his attention at things like the institution of marriage, aberrant lifestyles and world view instead of casing personal grief over my sin of impatience. He directs his personal attacks on the larger fish and assigns the other tasks to his uncountable minion. The number must be quite large, considering how many Christians there are that are alive. Again, satan is not omnipresent; he can only be at one place at a time. The scriptures tell us that the enemy is a spiritual being. Given that he is not flesh and blood, he does not sleep nor tire. No need of food to revitalize himself or sleep. When we examine some scriptures that are relevant to this idea, we can see in the example of the wheat and tares amplifying this fact. 25 “But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.”[53] It would seem more appropriate and logical to think that the enemy waits until the believer is fatigued and weakened before attacking. Consider the apostles in the garden while Christ prayed and they all fell asleep. When we are fatigued, ill or in a depressed state emotionally, we are vulnerable.

 

My daughter had an assignment the other day at school which posed the question, ‘how are Christians strengthened?’ She asked me and immediately responded with, ‘In joy?’ Yes, the believer is strengthened by our joy-this goes back to the previous section we discussed. ‘The joy of the Lord is our strength’. This can be seen on two fronts; firstly, it is God’s joy that strengthens us and secondly, when we partake of the Lord’s joy, we are strengthened. This can happen both mentally and physically.

Devices of satan

 

When we think about the word, ‘devices’, what comes to mind? In 2nd Chronicles 26;15, it is used in the Hebrew to denote ‘tools’ or ‘engines’ to do battle. In the Greek, it is denoted as a plan, thought or action. The enemy has an exhaustible supply of tricks and tools; he is the king of trickery and the father of all lies. One might ask, ‘how many tricks does satan have?’ He has as many as God allows for to complete the perfecting of His saints. In that, he is an overflowing cistern of polluted water. It is, at times, sweet initially. Those who drink of his beverage will find some quenching of thirst, but it dwindles rapidly and the drinker is left parched. If one makes lemonade the correct way-that is, not too much lemon, but just the right amount, the drink can be thirst quenching; however, if it is made with too much lemon, it will leave you much thirstier than when you began to drink. For the believer, partaking of sin is much worse as it will always lead to despair, doubt and death!

 

Many of these devices are highly elaborate and their paths twisting and turning. Many avenues run to and fro, confusing the saint. One may think that they were traveling along a road of safety when all of a sudden, we are knee deep in the mud. Unfortunately, sometimes, this mud is a quicksand and once in this sin, one dies there. We must always be on guard for these tricks as they are never ceasing. Other sins are more simplistic in nature. The enemy is skilled and quite crafty and has been doing this for 5000 plus years. He has had a lot of time to practice his evil craft. Part of this craft is whispering in the saint’s ear that a particular sin is not that bad. Many believers embrace certain sins. I call these bosom sins. Some call them, besetting sins. We keep them close to our hearts and guard them dearly. Men who assault their flesh are guilty of this. The sin of the eye and mind and the assaulting of the flesh are rampant in the church. Many attempt to condone this sin by saying that it is human nature to masturbate. God’s word is clear. This sin is fornication and anyone practicing it will not inherit the kingdom of God.[54] In my own life, I was guilty of this sin for many years, even walking closely with the Lord-or so I thought. I have been so sensitized to pornography that clothing advertisements in the weekly newspapers now have the capability to even stumble me. I have trained myself to guard my eyes and so should you. Most times, my stumbling is a direct result of agreeing to pursue this insidious evil. ‘Do not be deceived!’

 

The devices satan uses are at times hidden from view. Many times they are camouflaged. Consider things that are not sinful in and of themselves and are neither glorifying. I consider these things neutral. It is what one does with the item that makes them sinful.

 

A great example is the prevalent argument of this age that we see often in the news on the subject of firearm violence. I am of the opinion that it is not a gun issue but an issue of sin with how the guns are used. For example, a rope in and of itself is not sinful; however, men are creative and can use the rope is many sinful fashions. In earlier America, dark skinned men and woman were hung for the color of their skin. The rope itself was not sinful, but the men who used the rope to do evil. Many men will take the rope and make a fishing net with it or some will tie down their goods on the back of a donkey or vehicle. Think about how Judas used his rope; many men use the same rope to hang themselves by utilizing things to fulfill the lust of the flesh. Consider a computer that is unplugged from an electrical source. How could one sin with that? I guess we could find examples over the last 25 years where a person was murdered by being hit on the head with a computer, but otherwise, an unplugged computer is innocent. Give this computer some electricity and then it is an open source of all kinds of illicit work if used improperly. We are blessed in this age as we have uncountable resources on the web to glorify the Lord and many times, we use this to even our, destruction. I mentioned to my mother n-law the other day that if my pastor visited and asked to take my computer for a forensic evaluation, I would have to give it to him. My personal life is never separate from my church and walk. The pastors over site is not shackled by the idea that he does not live with me. I am responsible to him for all sin and when I took membership in our church, I ultimately agreed to this over site.

 

The enemy uses all these things as back doors. Most people are not thinking deeply enough to catch these crafty ways of the enemy. Most people do not endeavor to look into the hidden side of a square. Sheep are a bit dumb and the enemy knows that; he is familiar with our frames as is God. Not in the absolute sense mind you, but he does, based on his long standing history of his work, to know practically how the human mind thinks and he uses this as a disadvantage towards us.

 

To be ‘on-guard’ is to peer into these nook and crannies. The Christian is called a soldier in scripture, given we are in a battle or war. Scripture does not show us that we are given any resolve or time away from these attacks. We are told to ‘pray without ceasing’ and for good reason. When I was in the military, often times we would get leave. My buddies and I would dress in our civilian garb and head out to the local towns. No one actually knew we were soldiers. In the Christian walk, we do not have this pleasure. We are continuously in a war zone. A soldier in the theater of war who has been assigned to enter a building he has never been in, approaches the building in a speculative, cautious manner. He assumes that the building is occupied by people who want to kill him! Emotionally, he is on red alert and highly sensitive. His adrenalin is flowing. His life is on the line. I assume you recall that I mentioned that ‘the enemy is roaming around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may ‘devour’. It is sad that we are not on alert as this example of the soldier, because the enemy has the same thought in mind and it is probably much worse than losing our physical life.

 

The last thing I would like to amplify here is the issue of overconfidence. In my walk as a biblical Calvinist, given that God is sovereign and nothing happens outside of His decree, one could become a bit lackadaisical in respect to the given power of the enemy; God uses this in the sanctification of the saint. I have in the past, belittled the enemy saying that ‘he is a dog on a leash and a created being-he can do me no harm unless God allows it!’ This fact gives me a problematic overconfidence; much of this probably borders on pride. Surely God will allow the enemy to sift men like this as wheat and that’s the last thing I want.

 

We all know that pride comes before the fall and should give a humble respect to the enemy as God’s usage of him. To be overconfident is to align with Haman and Nebuchadnezzar and we know how they ended up. Practically speaking, there should be a respective balance in the fear of the enemy and in God’s sovereignty in it all. Many a man had this overconfidence only to find himself at the business end of the buggy whip-either of God for the pride or the enemy to sift. We need to be cognizant of this fact. Job was a righteous man and God let these things happen to him; given that we are not as righteous as Job, we should fear and tremble of this fact.

 

Ultimately, Jesus was a perfect example of how we should respond to the attacks of the devil. ‘We do not live by bread alone, but by the word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’. We need to be armed with the word. Meditating on it always. Praying without ceasing. Claiming victory in Christ Jesus. Resisting the devil and looking for resolve as he flees to safety. Suffering alongside our savior and carrying our crosses daily. See Eph 6:11,12.

 

 

Types of sin

 

I will not take this time to go into an extensive treatise on types of sins; I only want to make mention of the differences so as to show how persuasive sin is in that it has many faces and masks. In this, the believer must always put on the mind of Christ, and gird oneself with the armor of truth to identify and battle with this viral menace.

Generally speaking, there are two types of sins; sins of omission and sins of commission. Of these two categories, they can be drilled down further into periodic and chronic or besetting. As well, some sins are worse than others; consider blasphemies and abominations vs more typical sins.

 

All believers suffer under the sin condition; as mentioned earlier in this paper, due to the fall, we are prone to do that which is against the command of God. Granted, when the believer is regenerated and converted, the Holy Spirit assists us by fighting alongside us as we experience these temptations and many times, we are victorious. We are no longer under the dominion of the enemy as we were prior to conversion. However, even in light of this fact, sin remains there to haunt us.

 

When we consider the faces that sin wears, it is difficult at times to do battle; one may even say that the smaller, less violent sins are worse and more insidious than those that we can easily identify. To which, I would agree. It is these types that the devil uses on a moment to moment basis; for example, the 6th commandment. The devil and his minion do not believe that this sin is the best served. Most all of us will never commit this sin, outside of being angry with a brother without cause. But when we contrast this to gossip, we can see how one is seen alongside the other. Many will say, ‘I don’t like to gossip and back bite, but it is human nature to talk. God will forgive this sin in Christ-it’s not like I murdered someone’. This may be true, but as Brooks points out, these types of sins must be rooted out and slain in the name of Jesus, maybe even more so! If one was able to see an actual tally of their sins, you would be surprised to notice that the majority of your sins are those things that we see as, in some fashion, part and parcel with what is typical in this life and not so bad, i.e. the smaller sins.

 

The creature struggles with lust and pride continually. In my humble opinion, the 3 main sins that most suffer under are the last 3 I mentioned and most all secondary sins, are a result of these. Consider the sin of Adam. It is not like Adam murdered anyone, right? He just ate a piece of fruit! Consider that this simple command, being broken, cast all humanity headlong into degradation. Much can be said in relation to the fall and what sins actually were committed. I will not discuss that at this venue as it will divert my paper. If you have time, think deeply about the fall and you will see that many commandments were broken in this event. God does not grade on a curve. The smallest of sins can kill.

 

 

 

Trials and afflictions brought on the church by sin

 

In the area where I live, I present two examples where pastors have fallen into adultery. In the first case, the pastor of a large megachurch had various adulterous affairs and was partaking of sins of the eyes by viewing pornography on the internet. One of the women came to the church and exposed him, her being used of the devil. I find it odd that when things like this occur in the church, once the media gets their claws into it, the woman is never profiled. She is treated as a pawn or tool only-we never see the responsibility shared; I have always wondered what went on in the mind of this woman in the midst of this adultery, knowing full well that this pastor would eventually be brought down, secondarily to the fact that she made herself available to the sin, playing a big part in it. Given that the scriptures tell us that ‘your sin will find you out’ This pastor lost his family and his pulpit. The church was highly bruised by the sin. Many people left for other congregations. A few elders left. Some walked away from the faith, having mistakenly placing their faith in the wrong source.

 

In the second case, this particular pastor was in a Reformed church; same scenario. The woman came forward, supposedly after severing the relationship, possibly due to guilt, to which the pastor continued to pursue her. She accused him of stalking her. The pastor was deposed and taken out of the pulpit. In the deposition, he admitted to the illicit affair and claimed his wife was in an adulterous relationship prior to his, which was the reason he fell and submitted to the affair. He was asked if this affair was the only relationship he had, to which he answered, ‘absolutely’. He repented and was placed in a recovery program with prominent men of faith. It came out later that he had been lying and that there was more than this one affair. He was involved in a ministry at this new church where he held no office. They had him on staff, trying to assist him financially; when the sin continued to grow and eventually fully exposing his lie, he was let go form this church.


At this point, both pastors, being highly visible and prominent in the Christian community, have disappeared. I pray they repent and can be restored to a non-office holding person in Christ.

 

Both of these examples, affected a lineage of people. From the pews down to the layperson. These men destroyed their ministries as well as their families; both wives filed for divorce. The Christian witness was attacked. The power of the Holy Spirit in these men’s lives came into question by the watching world. All the work that these men did, came to naught, to a degree. Most all of their preaching sermons were taken down by the respective church webpages as if they never existed. In the case of the first pastor, I was told that his wife and family moved from Florida, back to California and the pastor was in Tennessee in recovery. The second pastor, as mentioned, has disappeared.

 

Both of these cases show how sin infects the body and what type of plan that the enemy uses. In the engineering of it all, the enemy knew he could take down many people in these types of offenses. Think of it as a claymore mine or machine gun and how they cause many casualties with less effort. The pastor is always on the hit list and for good reason. We need to pray for our leaders.

 

When we use the term ‘body’, consider how when you have influenza how all of your body aches. You have a fever. The hand is as affected as the head. In the same way, when one is in sin, it affects the whole body. Many times, it is not seen outwardly. As mentioned, these types of sins are insidious. They are silent killers and need to be rooted out. In this way, ‘confessing our sins, one to another’ is the resolution. Very few do this, however. In our age, men keep secrets. The Puritans were much more active and open with this idea.

 

One of the greater sins that affect the church in our age are thoughts of the mind. In my opinion, this is a direct result of lust and majorly a male gendered issue. Yes, women struggle with sexual lust, but not in the same capacity of men. I myself struggled with this sin. Much can be said of practicing the assault on the flesh. In Roman’s, Paul condemns the act and even goes to the extent that saying if one practices sexual immorality, they do not have possession of the Kingdom of God! It is very tough to root this sin out as it is so private and very few pastors teach on the subject, given its stigma. I will be the first to say that until God gave me some sense of victory in this regard, by much prayer, my walk was brittle. This went on for years. One of the treatments I implemented was ‘taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. Meditating on scripture always. Pursuing ‘praying without ceasing’. I as well, removed any catalysts. I tell men to stay away from the beach if water causes you to stumble. In this age of the internet, it is quite difficult to remove all temptation. Guard your eyes and make a covenant with God! Resist the devil and he will flee.

 

I believe it would be safe to say that a good number of believers are involved in viewing pornography-more so than not.  As mentioned earlier, when one gets some control over this sin, even sale advertisements in your local paper will be pornography to you. I knew I had some level of victory here when this was the result for me. But as I said, the devil is crafty and will use even these things to stumble the brethren. Be on-guard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In conclusion, I profited greatly from Master Brook’s writings. He is easily read and understood. I was encouraged in more than one way and God will surely use this teaching to exhort and encourage the brethren, as well as myself. There were plenty of golden quotes that I have utilized and stored away for future reference.  I pray that this short treatment of Brook’s works can be used in some small fashion of God for those reading this paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Smooth Stones Taken from Ancient Brooks,  Charles Spurgeon, Google Books
(London, England, 1860, Dean and Son, 11, Ludgate Hill, page 3-preface)

[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Isaiah 32:17

[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.

(Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Romans 8:16

[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eph 3:12

[5] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Pet 1:3

[6] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 6:11.

[7] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Php 1:6.

[8] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Jn 5:13.

[9] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Psalm 125:1,2

[10] Thomas Brooks, The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks, ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart, vol. 2 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; G. Herbert, 1866), 75.

[11] Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 3 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 443.

[12] ibid

[13] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Cor 2:16.

[14] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009),  Psalm 63:6, 143:5

[15] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Psalm 125:1, Prov 3:5, 28:25

[16] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 8:10.

[17] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 8:25–26.

[18] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Co 10:15.

[19] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 13:15.

[20] Exposition of Old and New Testaments, Vol 7,  Pg 147, John Gill

(Mathews and Leigh, 18, Strand; Reprinted 1989, Baptist Standard Bearer)

[21] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 2:1-4, 3:7-9, 5:11-14, 10:26-31

[22] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Co 13:5.

[23] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Re 3:16–17.

[24]  A .W. Pink, The Doctrines of Election and Justification [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1974], pp. 140-41

 

[25] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ro 8:16.

[26] The Westminster Confession of Faith (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996).

[27] Sproul, R. C. Can I Be Sure I’m Saved?. Vol. 7. Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2010. Print. The Crucial Questions Series.

[28] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jas 2:17–18.

[29] The Typology of Scripture, Patrick Fairbairn, Morrison and Gibbs
(For T&T Clark-Edinburgh, 1989, 2.3.4)

[30] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 8:36–38.

[31] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Pe 1:10–11.

[32]  The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Co 13:5.

[33] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ps 99:9.

[34] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Is 6:3.

[35] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 5:48.

[36] Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004), 77.

[37] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.

(Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eze 18:20.

[38] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Le 11:44.

[39] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Le 11:45.

[40] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eph 1:4.

[41] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 12:14.

[42] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 19:29.

[43] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 12:4.

[44] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ro 6.

[45] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Pe 2:21.

[46] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ac 4:33–34.

[47] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Re 12:11.

[48] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 3:13.

[49] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eph 4:22.

[50] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Th 2:9–12.

[51] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Co 6:9–11.

[52] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Php 2:13.

[53] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 13:25.

[54] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ga 5:17–21.

[31] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Pe 1:10–11.

[32]  The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Co 13:5.

[33] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ps 99:9.

[34] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Is 6:3.

[35] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 5:48.

[36] Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004), 77.

[37] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.

(Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eze 18:20.

[38] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Le 11:44.

[39] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Le 11:45.

[40] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eph 1:4.

[41] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 12:14.

[42] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 19:29.

[43] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 12:4.

[44] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ro 6.

[45] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Pe 2:21.

[46] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ac 4:33–34.

[47] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Re 12:11.

[48] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 3:13.

[49] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eph 4:22.

[50] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Th 2:9–12.

[51] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Co 6:9–11.

[52] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Php 2:13.

[53] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 13:25.

[54] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ga 5:17–21.