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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 goodness and sweetness, portraying Him as an ocean of pure delight without any bitterness. He contrasts God’s perfect nature with the mixed experiences of life, asserting that while other sources may bring both joy and sorrow, God remains entirely good and free from any evil. Brooks highlights that God embodies all light, love, and kindness, making Him the perfect portion for our souls. The sermon encourages believers to place their hope in God, who is wholly good and without any darkness.
An Ocean of Sweetness—without One Drop of Bitterness
"The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:24 God is a pure and unmixed portion. God is an unmixed good—He has nothing in Him but goodness. He is an ocean of sweetness—without one drop of bitterness. He is a perfect beauty—without the least spot or shadow of deformity. All other portions are a bittersweet; but God is a rose without prickles. He is a good, in which there is not the least evil. God is a most clear, bright, shining light; yes, He is all light, and in Him is no darkness at all. There are no mixtures in God. God is . . . all light, all love, all sweetness, all goodness, all kindness, all graciousness. There is . . . no impurity, no unloveliness, no bitterness, nor any darkness at all in God.
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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.