Book Summary
Thomas Brooks (1608–1680), a prominent English Puritan preacher and author, wrote The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod in 1659. This devotional work targets Christians facing trials and afflictions, which Brooks metaphorically refers to as the "smarting rod" of God's discipline. The title encapsulates the book's central exhortation: believers should remain "mute" or silent—refraining from complaints—under such hardships. Rooted in Puritan theology and Brooks' pastoral experience, the book offers a scriptural framework for enduring suffering with patience and trust in God's sovereign will. Its enduring relevance has made it a classic in Christian literature.
Key Point
The primary theme of The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod is the Christian's duty to endure afflictions silently and patiently. Brooks draws heavily on Psalm 39:9—"I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it"—to argue that murmuring against God during trials is sinful and dishonors Him. He presents afflictions as purposeful acts of divine discipline, urging believers to accept them as opportunities for spiritual growth rather than occasions for rebellion or despair.
Reasons for Silence
Brooks articulates several compelling reasons why Christians should remain silent under the "smarting rod":
- Biblical Mandate: Scripture commands believers to exercise patience and avoid grumbling (e.g., James 5:9, Philippians 2:14).
- Christ’s Example: Jesus, silent before His accusers and during His crucifixion (Isaiah 53:7, 1 Peter 2:23), serves as the ultimate model for believers.
- Trust in God’s Sovereignty: Afflictions are not random but are ordained by a loving God for the believer’s ultimate good, reflecting His perfect wisdom and control.
- Heeding the Rod’s Message: Afflictions "speak" to believers; silence enables them to listen and discern God’s corrective or instructive purpose.
- Spiritual Refinement: Trials act as a "golden key" to unlock deeper understanding of Scripture, fostering spiritual maturity and intimacy with God.
Brooks further warns against the "heinous and dangerous nature of murmuring," likening it to a sin that provokes God’s displeasure and echoes Satan’s defiance.
Objections and Responses
Brooks anticipates objections to his call for silence and provides thoughtful rebuttals:
- "If God loves me, why does He allow suffering?"
- Response: Afflictions are expressions of God’s fatherly love and discipline, not abandonment (Hebrews 12:6). They aim to refine and sanctify believers.
- "My trials are too severe."
- Response: God proportions afflictions to what each person can endure, supplying sufficient grace for the burden (1 Corinthians 10:13).
- "My suffering has lasted too long."
- Response: God’s timing is perfect; earthly trials are temporary and pale beside the promise of eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).
These responses reinforce Brooks’ argument that silence stems from faith in God’s goodness and purpose.
The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod
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Free Book Preview (In Modern English)
Chapter #1: An Introduction for the Suffering Saint
To all afflicted, distressed, dissatisfied, disquieted, and unsettled Christians throughout the world.
Dear Hearts,
The best of the saints are destined to face troubles, just like sparks naturally fly upwards. The righteous face many troubles; if they were many but not troublesome, then as the saying goes, "the more, the merrier." Or if they were troublesome but not many, then "the fewer, the better." But God, who is infinitely wise and incredibly good, has arranged for troubles, yes, many troubles, to come at us from all sides. Just like our blessings, our troubles rarely come alone; they usually follow one after another, like April showers—no sooner does one end than another begins. Yet, Christians, it is a mercy, a great mercy, that not every affliction is an execution, that not every correction is a condemnation. The higher the waters rose, the closer Noah's Ark was lifted to heaven; the more your troubles increase, the more your heart will be lifted towards heaven.
Because I don't want to keep you waiting too long, I'll focus on two things: First, I'll explain why I'm publishing this again; and second, I'll offer some advice and guidance so that this tract can benefit your soul, which is my main goal. The real reasons for releasing this piece into the world (as it is) are these:
I. First, God's hand of affliction has been heavy on me, my closest family, and many of my dear Christian friends whom I love and respect in the Lord. This led me to study God's intentions in the Scripture that I've made the focus of this discussion. Luther couldn't understand some Psalms until he faced hardships. He said, "The Christ-cross is no letter in the book, and yet it has taught me more than all the letters in the book." Afflictions are like a golden key that God uses to open the rich treasures of his word to his people's souls. Through grace, I've experienced this to some extent. When Samson found honey, he shared it with his father and mother. I've found some honey in my text, and I can't be so selfish as not to share some of it with those who have shared in my bitterness. Augustine notes on Psalm 66:16, "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul." He doesn't invite them to discuss speculations about the earth's size, the heavens' expanse, the stars' number, or the sun's path. Instead, he says, "Come, and I will tell you the wonders of his grace, the faithfulness of his promises, the riches of his mercy to my soul." Gracious experiences should be shared. "Lilmod Lelammed," meaning "we learn so that we may teach," is a saying among the Rabbis. The heathen says, "I lay in and lay up so that I may draw forth again and lay out for the good of many." When God has been generous to us, others should benefit from it. The family, town, city, and country where a person lives should improve because of his well-being. Our mercies and experiences should be like a flowing spring at our doors, not only for our own use but also for our neighbors and even strangers.
Secondly, what is written is permanent, "litera scripta manet," and it spreads much further in terms of time, place, and people than the voice can reach. The pen is like an artificial tongue; it speaks to both absent and present friends. It speaks to those far away as well as those nearby. It can speak to many thousands at once. It speaks not only to the present age but also to future generations. The pen is like an image of eternity; it allows a person to live on even after they are dead. Even though the prophets do not live forever, their work can continue. A person's writings can preach when they cannot, when they may not, and when, due to physical illness, they dare not; and even more, when they are not there at all.
Thirdly, few people, if any, have perfect memories; how quickly is a preached sermon forgotten, while a written sermon remains? Augustine, writing to Volusian, says, "That which is written is always at hand to be read, when the reader is at leisure." People don't easily forget their own names, their family homes, their spouses, their children, or to eat their daily bread; and yet, oh, how easily they forget the word of grace that should be dearer to them than all these! Most people's memories, especially when it comes to the important matters of their souls, are like a sieve or sifter, where the good corn and fine flour pass through, but the light chaff and coarse bran remain behind; or like a strainer, where the sweet liquid is strained out, but the dregs are left behind; or like a grate, that lets the pure water run away, but holds onto any straws, sticks, mud, or filth as if with iron hands. Most people's memories are very unreliable, especially when it comes to good things; few people's memories are like a holy ark, a heavenly storehouse, or a magazine for their souls; and therefore, they have a greater need for a written word. But
Fourthly, it's amazing how suitable and useful this is during the big changes we've experienced. Just like a wise farmer knows the best times to plant his seeds—some in the autumn when leaves fall, some in the spring, some during dry times, and some when it's wet, some in moist clay, and some in sandy dry ground—every spiritual farmer must also know the best times to plant his spiritual seeds. He has heavenly seeds ready for all occasions and seasons, for spring and fall, for all types of ground, minds, and hearts. Whether the seeds planted in the following treatise are suitable for the times and seasons we find ourselves in is up to the wise reader to decide. If the author had thought otherwise, this work would have never been published.
Fifthly, the good reception that my other weak efforts have received; God has blessed them, not only for the conviction, building up, strengthening, and comforting of many, but also for the conversion of many. God is free to work through anyone he chooses, and sometimes he enjoys doing great things through weak means, so that no one can boast in his presence (1 Cor. 1:29). God will not look down on small beginnings, so who are you to dare to despise that day? The Spirit breathes on the preaching and writing he chooses, and everything succeeds as that wind blows (Zech. 4:10; John 3:8).
Sixthly, so that all afflicted and distressed Christians can have the right solution for every problem and a proper remedy for every illness at hand; just as not every good person, not every good book is suitable to be the afflicted person's companion, but this one is. Here, he can see his face, his head, his hand, his heart, his way, and his works; here, he can see all his problems revealed, and proper remedies suggested and applied. Here, he can find arguments to calm him and ways to bring him peace when things are at their worst. In every storm, he can find a tree to shelter him, and in every danger, he can find a City of Refuge to protect him. In every difficulty, he can have a light to guide him, and in every peril, he can find a shield to defend him. In every distress, he can find a tonic to strengthen him, and in every trouble, he can find a staff to support him.
Seventhly, to satisfy some close friends, some faithful friends; humans are made to be friends and are naturally inclined to friendly actions. Anyone who isn't friendly doesn't deserve to have a friend, and anyone who has a friend but doesn't show themselves to be friendly isn't worthy of being called a human. Friendship is a kind of life, without which there is no comfort in a person's life. Christian friendship ties such a strong bond that even great Alexander cannot break it. I don't value fair-weather friends, but true friends who stick around during tough times are worth their weight in gold. Who can deny such friends anything, especially in these days when real, faithful, and constant friends are so rare to find? The friendship of most people these days is like Jonah's gourd (Jonah 4:6-7); now very promising and flourishing, and soon fading and withering. It is like some plants in the water, which have broad leaves on the surface but barely any roots at all. Their friendship is like lemons, cold inside, hot outside; their words are grand, but their feelings are shallow.
They speak a lot but do little; like drums, trumpets, and flags in a battle that make a lot of noise and look impressive but do nothing. These fake friends will flatter highly, speak nicely, and promise boldly, yet have neither the hand nor the heart to do anything sincerely or faithfully. It is a blessing to be delivered from such friends. Therefore, King Antigonus used to pray to God to protect him from his friends, and when one of his council asked him why, he answered that everyone will avoid and defend themselves against their known enemies, but from our supposed or pretended friends, of whom few are faithful, no one can protect themselves and needs protection from Heaven. But despite all this, there are some who are real friends, faithful friends, active friends, true friends, close friends, and loyal friends. For their sake, especially those among them who have been under hardship for a long time, and have often been tested, I have once more appeared in print to the world.
Eighthly and lastly, no authors or author have come to my attention who have handled this subject as I have, and therefore I believe it may be more appreciated and accepted by the world. If this attempt encourages others who are more capable to do better on this subject, I will be happy. I will only add that although much of the following content was preached during the Lord's visitation of my dear partner, myself, and some other friends, there are many important things in the following tract that I have not yet shared with the world. And so, I have given you a true and faithful account of the reasons that have led me to publish this treatise to the world and to dedicate it to you.
II. Secondly, the second thing promised was to give you a little good advice so that when you read the following discourse, it will greatly benefit your soul. Just as many fish and catch nothing, many read good books and gain nothing because they read them quickly, carelessly, and superficially. But if you want to read to gain something, you must then,
First, read and seek a blessing; Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it won't matter unless the Lord makes it grow (1 Cor. 3:6). God must act for anything to be truly beneficial; if you want this work to be successful and effective, you must look beyond people and look up to God, who alone can make it a blessing for you. Just as without a blessing from Heaven, your clothes can't warm you, your food can't nourish you, medicine can't heal you, and friends can't comfort you, so without a blessing from Heaven, without the precious influence of the Spirit, what is done here will not benefit you. It won't count for you on the day of Christ, so look towards Heaven. Seneca observed that farmers in Egypt never look up to Heaven for rain during droughts but rely on the overflowing banks of the Nile as the only source of their abundance. How many people today, when they read a book, never look up, never seek God's blessing, but only focus on the author's wit, learning, arts, skills, eloquence, etc. They never look as high as Heaven, and that's why, even though they read a lot, they gain little.
Secondly, if you want to read and truly benefit from it, you must read and meditate. Meditation is the nourishment for your soul; it's like the stomach and natural heat that help digest spiritual truths. You might as well try to live without your heart as try to gain anything good from what you read without meditation. Bernard says that prayer without meditation is dry and formal, and reading without meditation is useless and unprofitable. If someone wants to be a wise, prudent, and experienced statesman, they can't just quickly skim through many cities, countries, customs, laws, and people's manners without seriously thinking about these things to become an expert.
Similarly, if you want to benefit from reading, complete your knowledge, and perfect your experience in spiritual matters, you shouldn't just quickly skim through books. Instead, ponder what you read, like Mary pondered the angel's words in her heart (Luke 2:19). Augustine says, "Lord, the more I meditate on thee, the sweeter thou art to me." In the same way, the more you meditate on the following material, the sweeter it will be to you. Those who meditate most often thrive best. Meditation is a duty that enriches the soul, strengthens grace, and crowns duty. Gerson calls meditation the nurse of prayer; Jerome calls it his paradise; Basil calls it the treasury where all graces are stored; Theophylact calls it the very gate and portal by which we enter into glory. Even Aristotle, though a heathen, places happiness in the contemplation of the mind. You may read a lot and hear a lot, but without meditation, you will never be excellent or become eminent Christians.
Thirdly, read and test what you read. Don't just accept things without checking them, but examine everything carefully, like the noble Bereans did (Acts 17:11). You test and evaluate gold, even if it's given to you by your fathers; in the same way, you should test all the heavenly truths given to you by your spiritual fathers. I hope that when you test them, you'll find nothing that doesn't hold up in the balance of the sanctuary. Even though not everything that glitters is gold, I believe you'll find that everything here that glitters will prove to be true gold upon testing.
Fourthly, read and do, read and practice what you read, or else all your reading will do you no good. Someone who has a good book in their hand but doesn't have its lessons in their heart or life is like a donkey carrying rich burdens but eating thistles. In God's view, a person knows only as much as they do. Profession without practice will only make a person more of a child of darkness. Speaking well is like sounding a cymbal, but doing well is like acting like an angel. If you practice what you read and understand, God will help you understand what you don't yet understand. There's no danger in knowing too much, but there's much danger in practicing too little. The person who does the most will know the most; the strongest person in practice will ultimately be the strongest in Scripture. Theory guides practice, and practice gives life to theory. Salvian tells how the heathens criticized some Christians who, by their sinful lives, brought shame to the Gospel of Christ. They asked, "Where is that good law they believe? Where are those rules of godliness they learn? They read the holy Gospel and yet are unclean; they hear the Apostles' writings and yet live in drunkenness; they follow Christ and yet disobey Christ; they profess a holy law and yet lead impure lives." How many preachers could make similar complaints against many readers today? They read our works, yet deny them in their lives; they praise our works, yet reproach them in their conversations; they speak highly of our efforts, yet undermine them in their actions. Yet, I hope for better things from you, who will read this treatise. The Samaritan woman didn't fill her pitcher with water just to talk about it, but to use it; and Rachel didn't desire the mandrakes just to hold them, but to help her become more fruitful. The application is easy.
Fifthly, read and apply; reading is like drawing the bow, but applying is like hitting the target. The best truths will only benefit you if you apply them. It's as good as not reading at all if you don't apply what you read. No one becomes healthy just by reading Galen or knowing Hippocrates' sayings, but by practically applying them. All the reading in the world won't help your soul unless you apply what you read. The real reason many people read a lot but gain little benefit is that they don't apply and internalize what they read for themselves.
Sixthly and lastly, read and pray; if you don't make it a habit to pray about what you read, you'll find little enjoyment or benefit in your reading. No one gains as much from their reading as the person who prays about what they read. Luther said that he learned more about the Scriptures through prayer in a short time than through study over a longer period. John got the sealed book open by weeping (Rev. 5:4-5); similarly, people would gain much more from reading good works if they prayed more about what they read. Oh Christians! Pray before you read, and pray after you read, so that everything may be blessed and made holy for you. When you finish reading, usually close with this,
So let me live, so let me die,
That I may live eternally.
And when you are in prayer for yourselves, keep me in your thoughts, as I am willing to give everything for your sake, for your souls. Oh, pray for me, that I may be more and more under the rich influence and glorious outpouring of the Spirit; that I may be a capable minister of the New Testament, not just in words, but in spirit; that I may always find an everlasting spring and an overflowing fountain within me, which will always make me faithful, constant, and abundant in the work of the Lord. Pray that I may live daily under the inner teachings of the Spirit, enabling me to speak from the heart to the heart, from the conscience to the conscience, and from experience to experience; that I may be a burning and shining light; that everlasting arms may always support me; that while I live, I may serve His glory and the good of His people; that no discouragements may discourage me in my work, and that when my work is done, I may give my account with joy and not with grief. I will follow these humble efforts with my weak prayers, hoping they may greatly contribute to your internal and eternal well-being. And so, I rest.
Your soul's servant in our dearest Lord,
- Thomas Brooks.
Chapter #2: The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod
"I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because you did it." - Psalm 39:9.
Not to bother you with a long introduction, which usually has a lot of words but very little substance.
This psalm has two parts: the first is explanatory or narrative, and the second is a prayer. The whole psalm is made up of a story and a prayer. In the first part, the prophet's problem is revealed, and in the second part, the solution is applied. My text is from the second part, where you see how David found healing and how his soul was brought to a calm and peaceful state. I will explain the words a bit and then focus on the main point I want to discuss.
“I was dumb”; the Hebrew word used here means to be mute, tongue-tied, or unable to speak. It also means to bind, because those who are unable to speak are like they have their lips stitched and bound up. The sight of God's hand in the troubles he faced made him impose silence on his heart and tongue.
"I didn't open my mouth, because you did it." He looks beyond all secondary causes to the primary cause and stays silent. He sees God's hand in everything and remains calm and quiet. Seeing God in a difficult situation has an irresistible power to quiet the heart and stop the mouth of a good person. In these words, you can notice three things.
1. The person speaking is David; David, a king, David, a saint, David, a man after God's own heart, David, a Christian. Here, we should see David not as a king, but as a Christian, as a man whose heart was right with God.
2. The behavior and attitude of David under God's hand are shown in these words: "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth" (Ps. 39:9).
3. The reason for his humble and gentle behavior in those words, "because you did it," is this proposition:
Doctrine: It is the important duty and concern of faithful souls to remain quiet and silent during the greatest afflictions, the saddest events, and the toughest trials they encounter in this world.
To explain and clarify this important and useful truth, I will ask,
• First, what is this silence that is being referred to in the proposition?
• Secondly, what a gracious and holy silence includes.
• Thirdly, what this holy silence does not exclude.
• Fourthly, the reasons for the point; and then apply everything to our own souls.
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