Mixed or unmixed? – Thomas Brooks

“God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5

Light expels darkness, it never mixes nor mingles with it. God is a pure and an unmixed light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.

Light is the most unmixed substance; it will never mix with darkness neither will God.

But all worldly portions are mixed with many . . .
troubles,
sorrows,
cares,
fears,
hazards,
dangers,
vexations,
oppositions,
crosses,
losses.

All earthly portions are mixed portions!

The goodness of all creatures is a mixed goodness. Every bee has his sting, and every rose has his prickles. And this mixture speaks out all earthly portions to be “vanity and vexation of spirit,” Ecclesiastes 1:13.

That great king Xerxes was accustomed to say ‘You look upon my crown and my purple robes but if you knew how they were lined with thorns you would not stoop to pick them up!’ Great places are not free from great cares. No man knows the weight of a scepter, but he who sways it. Many a sleepless night, many a restless day, many a sad temptation, and many a busy shift, will their ambition cost them who aspire to such places of eminency. Besides, high places are commonly very slippery; he who stands in them may suddenly fall, and wound his conscience, or easily fall and break his neck.