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Thomas Brooks
Thomas Brooks (1608 - 1680). English Puritan preacher and author born in Glastonbury, Somerset. Likely educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he entered ministry during the English Civil War, possibly serving as a chaplain in the Parliamentary navy. By 1648, he preached in London, becoming rector of St. Margaret’s, New Fish Street, in 1652, where he ministered through the Great Plague and Great Fire of 1666. A nonconformist, he was ejected in 1662 under the Act of Uniformity but continued preaching privately. Brooks wrote over a dozen works, including Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices (1652) and The Mute Christian Under the Rod, blending practical theology with vivid illustrations. Known for his warm, accessible style, he influenced Puritan spirituality, emphasizing repentance and divine sovereignty. Married twice—first to Martha Burgess in 1640, with whom he had four sons, then to Patience Cartwright—he faced personal loss but remained steadfast. His sermons drew crowds, and his books, reprinted centuries later, shaped Reformed thought. Brooks’ legacy endures through digital archives and reprints for modern readers.
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Sermon Summary
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the unwavering promise of God to never leave or forsake His people, as highlighted in Hebrews 13:5. He explains the significance of the fivefold repetition of 'I will not' in the Greek, assuring believers of God's constant care and presence, even in times of loss and hardship. Despite the Hebrew Christians facing severe trials and losing their possessions, they are called to find contentment in God's faithfulness. Brooks encourages believers to adjust their mindset to their circumstances, trusting that God remains with them regardless of their material situation. Ultimately, the sermon reassures that true satisfaction comes from knowing God will always be by our side.
I Will Not, Not, Not, Not, Not
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said—Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5 There are five negatives in the Greek, "I will not, not, not, not, not leave you nor forsake you;" to fully assure and fully satisfy the people of God that He will never forsake them, and that He will everlastingly stick close to them. What does this unparalleled repetition—"I will never, never, never, never, never," mean but this, "I will ever, ever, ever, yes and forever and ever take care of you, and look after you, and be mindful of you." Though they had changed . . . their glory for contempt; their fine raiment for sheepskins and goatskins; their silver for brass, their plenty for scarcity, their fullness for emptiness, their stately houses for holes and caves, and dens of the earth, yet they are to be contented and satisfied with present things, upon this very ground—that God will always cleave to them, and that He will never turn his back upon them. The Hebrew Christians had been stripped and plundered of all their goods that were good for anything; and yet they must be contented, they must sit down satisfied, with their hands upon their mouths, though all were gone, Hebrews 10:34. Though men cannot bring their means to their minds, yet they must bring their minds to their means, and then they will sit down in silence, though they have but . . . a rag on their backs, a penny in their purse, and a crust in their cupboards.
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Thomas Brooks (1608 - 1680). English Puritan preacher and author born in Glastonbury, Somerset. Likely educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he entered ministry during the English Civil War, possibly serving as a chaplain in the Parliamentary navy. By 1648, he preached in London, becoming rector of St. Margaret’s, New Fish Street, in 1652, where he ministered through the Great Plague and Great Fire of 1666. A nonconformist, he was ejected in 1662 under the Act of Uniformity but continued preaching privately. Brooks wrote over a dozen works, including Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices (1652) and The Mute Christian Under the Rod, blending practical theology with vivid illustrations. Known for his warm, accessible style, he influenced Puritan spirituality, emphasizing repentance and divine sovereignty. Married twice—first to Martha Burgess in 1640, with whom he had four sons, then to Patience Cartwright—he faced personal loss but remained steadfast. His sermons drew crowds, and his books, reprinted centuries later, shaped Reformed thought. Brooks’ legacy endures through digital archives and reprints for modern readers.