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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 significance of addressing hidden sins within the heart, asserting that true grace engages in a battle against these inward spiritual conflicts. He highlights that a gracious soul is deeply affected by secret sins, which are often overlooked by the world but are known to God. Brooks argues that the true warfare of a Christian is not in external actions but in the internal struggles against heart sins such as pride, hypocrisy, and self-love. He calls for a sincere heart that seeks to confront both outward and inward sins, recognizing that a greater measure of grace is required to transform the heart. Ultimately, he urges believers to invite God to search their hearts and reveal any hidden faults.
Scriptures
O Friends! Remember This Once for All
"Cleanse me from my hidden faults." Psalm 19:12 "I hate vain thoughts." Psalm 119:113 A gracious soul conflicts most with heart-sins, and is most affected with spiritual sins, and laments and mourns most over secret sins—invisible sins—sins which lie most hidden and remote from the eyes of the world. He is most affected and afflicted by inward pollutions and defilements. Grace will rise and conflict against the most inward and secret vanities of the soul, such as— secret self-love; secret hardness of heart; secret unbelief; secret carnal confidence; secret hypocrisy; secret envy; secret malice; secret vain-glory; secret fretting and murmuring; secret lustings; secret runnings-out of the soul after worldly vanities; and secret pride. True grace makes opposition as well against the being of sin in a man's nature—as against the breakings out of sin in a man's life! True grace will make war against the corruptions of the heart—as well as against the excursions of the feet! True grace is as willing and desirous to be rid of a polluted heart—as it is willing and desirous to be rid of a polluted hand. True grace would gladly have, not only sinful acts—but also sinful dispositions; and not only irregular actions— but also inordinate affections—mortified and subdued. O friends! heart sins are root sins! Certainly a proud heart has more of Satan in it than a proud look! And a lustful heart is more vile than a lustful eye! Therefore true grace makes war against heart sins, against spiritual sins, against the most inward secret sins—against those very sins which do not lie within the reach of the piercing eye of the most knowing or observing man in the world—but are only obvious to an Omniscient eye! Spiritual convictions can reach to the most inward, secret, spiritual, and undiscernible sins. Certainly that is a sincere heart, a heart more worth than gold—which smites a man: for inward sins—as well as for outward sins; for sins done in secret—as well as for sins done in public; for spiritual sins—as well as for fleshly sins; for sins against the soul—as well as for sins against the body. O friends! remember this once for all—that the main battle, the main warfare of a Christian lies not in the open field, it lies not in visible skirmishes. But his main quarrels and conflicts are most within, and his worst and greatest enemies are those of his own house—those of his own heart. A little grace may reform an evil life—but it must be a great deal of grace that reforms an evil heart! A little grace may make a man victorious over outward gross sins—but it must be a great deal of grace that makes a man victorious over inward sins, secret sins, spiritual sins, heart sins! "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24
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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.