A man that hath that experimental knowledge that accompanies salvation, will from his experience tell you
that sin is the greatest evil in the world, for he hath found it so,
that Christ is the one thing necessary, for he hath found Him so,
that the favour of God is better than life, for he hath found it so,
that pardoning mercy alone makes a man happy, for he hath found it so,
that a wounded spirit is such a burden that none can bear, for he hath found it so,
that an humble and a broken heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God, for he hath found it so,
that the promises are precious pearls, for he hath found them so,
that the smiles of God will make up for the absence of any outward mercy, for he hath found it so,
that communion with God can alone make a heaven in a believer's heart, for he hath found it so,
that if the Spirit be pleased and obeyed, he will be a comforter to the soul, for he hath found it so,
but if his motions and laws be slighted and neglected, he will stand far off from the soul, he will vex and gall the soul,
Well! souls, remember this, that knowledge that is not experimental will never turn to your account, it will only increase your guilt and torment, as it did the scribes' and Pharisees' . . . It was not Adam's seeing, but his tasting, of forbidden fruit that made him miserable; and it is not your seeing of Christ, but your experimental tasting of Christ, that will make you truly happy. As no knowledge will save but what is experimental, so let no knowledge satisfy you but what is experimental, Psalm 34:8.
Romans 7, Psalm 27:4, Psalm 63:3, Psalm 32:1,2, Proverbs 18:14, Psalm 51:17, 2 Peter 1:4, Psalm 5:6,7, Psalm 48:10, John 16:7,Lamentations 1:16, Isaiah 63:10,11
Thomas Brooks, Heaven on Earth, p. 182-183
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