'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 15

Weak saints set their minds upon their blessings more than their works. Their minds are more interested in joy, peace, comfort, and assurance than their responsibilities of waiting on God, believing in God, walking with God, and acting for God. This truth is borne out abundantly by experience. Strong saints are more mindful of their responsibility than they are of their wages. 'Lord', says a strong saint, 'please uphold me in the way of believing, in the way of working, in the way of holy walking, and it shall be enough; even though I should never have assurance, comfort, peace, or joy till my dying day. If you will carry me forth so that you will have honour, though I have no comfort; so you may have glory, though I have no peace; I will bless you' (Rom. 4:18-20). ‘I know', says such a soul, 'though a life of comfort is most pleasing to me, yet a life of believing, abstracted from comfort, is most honourable to you, and therefore I will be silent before you, Lord. Do but help me in my work, and take your own time to give me my wages, to give me comfort, joy, peace, and assurance.’ The best servants do not set their minds upon their blessings more than their responsibilities, and the best Christians do not set their comforts and incomes as more important than the honour and duty they owe to their God. But note, the best way to joy, peace, and assurance is to set your minds on your responsibilities. Ah! Had many mourning, complaining Christians done this, their mourning would have been turned into rejoicing, and their complaining into singing. The high way to comfort is to seek comfort less, and duty more. Set your mind on what you should do more than on what you would like to have. While faith is trusting in Christ, the Lord comes, and by his Spirit seals up life, love, and glory to us.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Thomas Brooks, Works, III:59-60
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