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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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Thomas Brooks emphasizes that God is the ultimate source of all comfort, as expressed in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. He explains that true comfort cannot be found outside of God, who possesses every imaginable form of comfort, especially in our deepest troubles. Brooks reassures that even in our lowest moments, when we feel overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, God is there to console us, and His comfort is timely and perfect. He highlights that no external circumstances can hinder God's ability to provide comfort to His people, making it a vital aspect of His nature. Ultimately, Brooks encourages believers to continually seek God's comforting presence in their lives.
Scriptures
He Has All Comforts at His Disposal
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 God is the God of all sorts and degrees of comfort. He has all comforts at His disposal. This phrase, "The God of all comforts," intimates to us: 1. That no comfort can be found anywhere else; God has the sole gift of comfort. 2. God has not only some—but all comfort! No imaginable comfort is lacking in Him, nor to be found outside of Him. Nothing can soundly comfort us without God. 3. All degrees of comfort are to be found in Him—in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses. The deeper the distress—the greater the comforts. "God, who comforts the downcast." 2 Cor. 7:6 When we are in a very low condition, when we are spent with grief and swallowed up in sorrows, when we are destitute of all relief and comfort— then the God of all comforts comes to console us! No tribulations, no persecutions, no grievances, no prison doors, no bolts, no bars—can keep the consolations of God from flowing in upon His people. God loves to comfort His people—when all their outward comforts fail them. God's comforts are not only sweet, but seasonable; He never comes too soon, nor ever stays too long. The comfort of God is His most sweet attribute; it is a breast which we should be always sucking at.
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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.