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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.
Sermon Summary
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the absolute necessity of holiness for salvation, asserting that without it, no one will see the Lord. He vividly illustrates that heaven is filled with the holy, and there is no place for the unholy among them. Brooks warns that even the greatest human attributes and achievements are worthless without heart-purity, as God will ultimately deny entry to those who are not holy. The sermon serves as a stark reminder that true holiness is essential for eternal life with God.
Not One Unholy One Among Them All!
"Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 O, do not deceive your own souls! Holiness is of absolute necessity; without it you shall never see the Lord! There are many thousand thousands now in heaven—but not one unholy one among them all! There is . . . not one sinner among all those saints; not one goat among all those sheep; not one weed among all those flowers; not one thorn or prickle among all those roses; not one pebble among all those glistening diamonds; not one Cain among all those Abels; not one Judas among all the apostles; nor one Demas among all the preachers; not one Simon Magus among all the professors. Heaven is only for the holy man—and the holy man alone, is for heaven. Without holiness here—no heaven hereafter! "And there shall never enter into it, anything that defiles." Rev. 21:27. God will at last shut the gates of glory against every person who is without heart-purity. If a man had . . . the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the courage of Joshua, the policy of Ahithophel, the power of Ahasuerus, and the eloquence of Apollos; yet all these without holiness would never save him.
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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.