In light of yesterday’s post regarding humility, I thought this an appropriate quote to share today. Brooks’ words really impressed me the first time I read them. After a second reading, I began to think that maybe he is harsh and too unfeeling when it comes to suffering. Then, the thought came to me that my view of God is not proper. Obviously, if I can read this and think that Brooks is being too harsh, then my estimation of God’s holiness is not as high as Brooks’. What do you think of his words?
Everything on this side of hell is mercy
~ Thomas Brooks (1608-1680)Oh! Labor every day to be more humble and more low and little in your own eyes. “Who am I,” says the humble soul, “but that God should cross me in this mercy, and take away that mercy, and pass a sentence of death upon every mercy? I am not worthy of the least mercy; I deserve not a crumb of mercy; I have forfeited every mercy.”
Only by pride comes contention. It is only pride that puts men upon contending with God and men. A humble soul will lie quiet at the foot of God, it will be contented with bare necessities. A dinner of green herbs relishes well with the humble man’s palate, whereas a stalled ox [an ox fattened in a stall for killing] is but a coarse dish to a proud man’s stomach. A humble heart thinks none less than himself, nor none worse than himself. A humble heart looks upon small mercies as great mercies, and great afflictions as small afflictions, and small afflictions as no afflictions, and therefore sits mute and quiet under all. Do but keep humble, and you will keep silent before the Lord.
Pride kicks, and flings, and frets; but a humble man has still his hand upon is mouth. Everything on this side of hell is mercy, rich mercy to a humble soul; and therefore he remains mute under the smarting rod.
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Leslie Wiggins 
7 responses to “Quote of the Week”
I’ve used “Everything this side of hell is grace” for quite a while – I’m glad to know it’s attributable to a real person, and I’m glad to have it right now, too.It does sound harsh, but I think it’s because a.) we’re Western and accustomed to having the exact opposite worldview “in the air we breathe,” as Ed Welch said; and b.) we’re fallen sinners unaccustomed to giving up any of our personal idols for the sake of God’s glory – not without a fight, anyway.C.S. Lewis said, “The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, green, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea-bites in comparison…Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”Isaiah 6:1-3 says it pretty well, too. :-)(Can’t remember if I’ve commented here before, and I’m sorry – I can’t remember how I linked in. But I enjoy your posts very much.)
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I think you’ve nailed it. We think too much of ourselves and too little of God’s holiness. This quote helps put things in perspective and can help cultivate hearts of grateful worship as we begin to see all that is good in our lives as a good and perfect gift from our Father and nothing we have earned.
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This reminds me of a quote by Dr. Lloyd-Jones that I just read in John J. Murray’s essay “Behind a Frowning Providence”. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, “We are on too good terms with ourselves, we don’t know much about dust and ashes.”I agree with your first two commenters in that the error is not in how God deals with His clay, but in how the clay views the potter. Clay rising up to complain that it’s not the vase it wanted to be but the chamberpot instead–ludicrous to us in considering the inanimate, but our practice as the animate.Good discussion, Leslie.
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Wow!! You ladies have added some really great thoughts to this post! Thanks for chiming in.
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Came back to see what others had to say, and I’m embarrassed -green in the Lewis quotation should be greeD!
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thank you for this thought provoking post. i don’t think i have a right view of myself either.
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These old guys say it so well! They put me in my place.
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