Since Thomas Brooks’ “The Mute Christian” is written to a fairly
specific situation (people under severe afflictions who are tempted to
complain against God) I have worried at times that some of this is
missing the mark for a bunch of you. I think every single post has been
tagged under “afflictions” and while we all will be afflicted, we are
not all afflicted right now. There is a need to prepare before trials
come and to reflect after they have gone but I have wondered if I should
have gone faster through the book or skipped between a few of his
works.
However, this post can be taken by everyone all of the time. You may
not be afflicted today but you will be tempted. The seventh objection
to abstaining from murmuring is “my outward affliction is attended
with sore temptations; God hath not only outwardly afflicted me, but
Satan is let loose to buffet me; and therefore how can I be silent?”
(I-366). The situation is again afflictions but what Brooks says about
temptations will be a help for whatever temptations you face today.
Here are his answers (taken from I-366-371).
1) “No man is the less beloved because he is tempted; nay, those that God loves best are usually tempted most (Ephesians 6:12)….Those
that were once glorious on earth, and are now triumphing in heaven,
have been sorely tempted and assaulted. It is as natural and common for
the choicest saints to be tempted, as it is for the sun to shine, the
bird to fly, the fire to burn.”
2) “Temptation resisted and bewailed, will never hurt you, nor
harm you….If thy heart trembles and thy flesh quakes when Satan tempts,
thy condition is good enough…” Keep Reading >>>
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