This is an interesting read and a long sermon (90-115 pages depending upon formatting). The sermon was preached in London on June 8, 1657, at the funeral of Mrs. Mary Blake by Thomas Brooks, who describes himself as “her much endeared friend, spiritual father, pastor, and brother, in the fellowship of the Gospel.”
Brooks starts by telling us what his sermon is about: that God reserves the best and greatest favors and blessings for believers until they come to heaven. He continues to explain that the highest blessings of God are ours, but they haven’t been given entirely to us yet. They are ours by promise, and the promise cannot fail. We have pinches of them in this life, but that is all we have – pinches, traces, small fractions of them. This shows how magnificent heaven must be. To think that the forgiveness of sin is only a grain of sand in the beach of God’s favor!
The sermon is built around the text from I Peter 1:4, “An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and which fades not away, reserved in heaven for you.” Brooks constantly reminds us what we are to live for in this life – for God and the inheritance He has promised, which certainly will come. As His children, understanding the nature of God, we cannot but look to the Day of His total and absolute provision.
Brooks says, “Ah, Christians! You are too great and born to greater things than that you should be slaves to your bodies, or slaves to your lusts, or slaves to the world! Can you seriously consider the great things which are reserved in heaven for you and not set your feet upon those things that the men of the world set their hearts upon? Can you look up to your future glory and not blush to be taken with the glory of this world?”
He reminds us that our theology is impeccable, but the last two sections of the sermon are some of the best material ever written to encourage Christians not to be discouraged in this life. Brooks answers the question of why God reserves the best blessings for believers until they come to heaven and gives us 20 motives for Christians to be willing to die when it is our time.
