The bent of the needle -brooks

~~[b]~~The bent of the needle[/b]

(Thomas Brooks, "London's Lamentations" 1670)

"No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one
who continues to sin has either seen Him or known
Him." 1 John 3:6

A trade, a course of sin--is inconsistent with a state
of grace. The best saints have sadly miscarried as to
particular actions; but he who shall judge of a man's
spiritual state by particular acts, though notorious bad,
will certainly condemn, where God acquits. We must
always distinguish between some single evil actions,
and a serious course of evil actions. It is not this or
that particular evil action--but a continued course of
evil actions--which denominates a man wicked. Just
so, it is not this or that particular holy act--but a
continued course of holy actions--which denominates
a man holy.

Every man is--as his course is. If his course is holy--the
man is holy. If his course is wicked--the man is wicked.

No man ought to conclude, because of some particular
good actions--that his spiritual state is good.

No man ought to conclude, because of some particular
sinful actions--that his spiritual state is bad.

A course of sinning is not consistent with a course of
godliness. Though the needle of the seaman's compass
may jog this way and that way--yet the bent of the
needle will still be northward. Just so, though a Christian
may have his particular sinful joggings this way or that
way--yet the bent of his heart will still be . . .
God-wards,
Christ-wards,
heaven-wards,
holiness-wards.

This post brought to mind a teaching by Watchman Nee on knowing the self which I'd like to share but a portion:

Although God hates the self very much, the believers' view of the self is totally different from God's. They depend on the self, admire the self, and glorify the self. They do not know the true character of the self. They do not know how filthy, corrupt, and weak they are in God's eyes. They do not have God's view. They still have no self-knowledge, that is, they do not know the self. Under such circumstances, if they have more progress, success, or are continuously victorious, their self-life will become stronger. It will become even more difficult to forsake it. At this point, the more good or righteous work that they perform, the more they will be alienated from God. The more strength they have, the more veils there will be between themselves and the Holy Spirit. The more success they have, the more the self will gain the glory, and the more the detestable self-life will be prolonged. This is why I say that God would rather have the believers commit sins than do good. The more they commit sins, the more they will realize the untrustworthiness of the self. The weaker they become, the more they will realize their vanity. The more falls they have, the more they will know the incurability of the self. God is not bothered by believers committing sin because sinning causes them to know the self and depend on God.

If you would like to read the entire article, you can find it here:

http://www.ministrybooks.org/Chapter.cfm?id=%21%2A%20%20%20%0A

I think it is one of the most important teachings I've ever come across.