By Thomas Brooks.
God’s delight in the progress of the upright.
Presented in a Sermon before the House of Commons at their last monthly Fast, London, December 26, 1648, by Thomas Brooks
By Thomas Brooks.
Job 17:8-9 “The righteous shall persevere in his way, and he who has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. Upright men shall be astonished at this, for theInnocent shall stir up himself against the Hypocrite.”
Numb. 35:33 “‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.”
Introduction of the book:
There is but one observation that I shall speak to this day, and that is this: Upright
hearts will persevere in the ways of God, and in the ways of well-doing, notwithstanding all afflictions, troubles, and discouragements they meet with. That is the sum and the scope here. The church was afflicted, tossed, broken, and persecuted; and yet this is still the theme of the song, “Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from your ways.”
I judge it a point seasonable in every respect. I shall only eye the scriptures that prove it, and then open it to you. The scriptures that prove it are these: Psalm119:23-24; Josh. 24:15; Neh. 4:13, 17 compared; Mal. 3:13-17; 2 Cor. 11:23-30. These scriptures speak out this truth, that upright hearts will persevere in the ways of God, and in the ways of well-doing, notwithstanding all the afflictions, troubles, and discouragements they meet with. For the opening of the point,
I shall premise these three things—
First, I shall premise something concerning upright hearts.
Secondly, I shall premise something concerning the ways of God.
Thirdly, The reasons why upright hearts will persevere in the ways of God, intheways of well-doing, notwithstanding all the afflictions, troubles, anddiscouragements they meet with.