("A Believer's Last Day, His Best Day")
A believer's last day is his best day! Death is a change
of enjoyments. Death is a change of our more dark and
obscure enjoyment of God—for a more clear and sweet
enjoyment of God. The best believer in this world, who
enjoys most of God, and the visions of His glory—still he
does not enjoy God clearly; but he is much in the dark.
We are weak, and able to take in little of God. We have
but dark apprehensions of God. Witness our tears, sighs,
groans, and complaints, because we go forward and
backward. God hides Himself that we cannot see Him.
Ask those who live highest in the enjoyment of God,
"What is your greatest burden?" They will tell you,
"This is our greatest burden, that our apprehensions
of God are no more clear, that we cannot see Him
whom our souls do dearly love, face to face."
Oh—but now in heaven saints shall have a clear vision
of God! There are no clouds or mists in heaven!
Death is a change of our imperfect and incomplete
enjoyments of God, for a more complete and perfect
enjoyment of Him. It is an excellent expression that
Augustine has: "The glorious things of heaven are . . .
so many—that they exceed number;
so precious—that they exceed estimation;
so great—that they exceed measure!"
Bernard says, "For Christ to be with Paul was the
greatest security—but for Paul to be with Christ
was the chief happiness!"
There are no complaints in heaven, because there are
no needs. Oh, when death shall give the fatal stroke,
there shall be an exchange . . .
of earth—for heaven;
of imperfect enjoyments—for perfect enjoyments of God!
Then the soul shall be swallowed up with a full enjoyment
of God; no corner of the soul shall be left empty—but all
shall be filled up with the fullness of God.
Here in this present world, the saints receive grace;
but in heaven they shall receive glory. God keeps the
best wine until last; the best of God, Christ, and heaven
—is beyond this present world. Here we have but some
sips, some tastes of God; the fullness is reserved for the
glorious state. He who sees most of God here on earth,
sees but His back parts; His face is a jewel of that splendor
and glory, which no eye can behold but a glorified eye.
The best of Christians are able to take in but little of God;
their hearts are like the widow's vessel, which could receive
but a little oil. Sin, the world, and creatures take up so
much room in the best hearts—that God gives out Himself
little by little, as parents give sweets to their children. But
in heaven God will communicate Himself fully at once to
the soul! Grace shall then be swallowed up in glory!
Death is a change of a more inconstant and transient
enjoyment of God—for a more constant and permanent
enjoyment of God. Here on earth, the saints' enjoyment
of God is inconstant. One day they enjoy God, and another
day the soul sits and complains in anguish of spirit. But in
heaven there shall no clouds arise between the Lord and
a believing heart. God will not one day smile, and another
day frown; one day take a soul in His arms, and another
day lay that soul at His feet. In heaven there are nothing
but kisses and embraces, nothing but a perpetual enjoyment
of God! When once God takes the soul unto Himself, all tears
shall then be wiped away.
There are angels and archangels in heaven. Yes, but they do
not make heaven; Christ is the most sparkling diamond
in the ring of glory! It is heaven and happiness enough to
see Christ, and to be forever with Christ.
Now, oh what a glorious change is this! Methinks these
things should make us long for our dying-day, and account
this present life but a lingering death. "And so we will be
with the Lord forever! Therefore encourage each other
with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
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Thomas Brooks (1608 - 1680)
Much of what is known about Thomas Brooks has been ascertained from his writings. Born, likely to well-to-do parents, in 1608, Brooks entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1625, where he was preceded by such men as Thomas Hooker, John Cotton, and Thomas Shepard. He was licensed as a preacher of the Gospel by 1640. Before that date, he appears to have spent a number of years at sea, probably as a chaplain with the fleet.After the conclusion of the First English Civil War, Thomas Brooks became minister at Thomas Apostle's, London, and was sufficiently renowned to be chosen as preacher before the House of Commons on December 26, 1648. His sermon was afterwards published under the title, 'God's Delight in the Progress of the Upright', the text being Psalm 44:18: 'Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy way'. Three or four years afterwards, he transferred to St. Margaret's, Fish-street Hill, London. In 1662, he fell victim to the notorious Act of Uniformity, but he appears to have remained in his parish and to have preached as opportunity arose. Treatises continued to flow from his pen.[3]
Thomas Brooks was a nonconformist preacher. Born into a Puritan family, he was sent to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He soon became an advocate of the Congregational way and served as a chaplain in the Civil War. In 1648 he accepted the rectory of St. Margaret's, New Fish Street, London, but only after making his Congregational principles clear to the vestry.
On several occasions he preached before Parliament. He was ejected in 1660 and remained in London as a Nonconformist preacher. Government spies reported that he preached at Tower Wharf and in Moorfields. During the Great Plague and Great Fire he worked in London, and in 1672 was granted a license to preach in Lime Street. He wrote over a dozen books, most of which are devotional in character. He was buried in Bunhill Fields.