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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 the incomparable glory of heaven and the person of Christ, asserting that earthly treasures pale in comparison to the eternal joys prepared for those who love God. He illustrates that our understanding of heaven is limited, akin to a drop in the ocean, and that the joys of heaven are beyond human comprehension. Brooks quotes scripture to reinforce that the pleasures found in God's presence are eternal and abundant, urging believers to grasp the magnitude of what awaits them.
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Neither Christ nor Heaven Can Be Hyperbolized!
What are all . . . the silks of Persia, the spices of Egypt, the gold of Ophir, and the treasures of both Indies— compared to the glory of heaven? "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him!" 1 Corinthians 2:9 One of the ancients says, "Our conception of heaven, is as a little drop from the sea. For those glorious things of heaven are . . . so many that they exceed number, so great that they exceed measure, so precious that they are above all estimation!" Says another, "Do you ask me what heaven is? When I meet you there, I will tell you!" Says Jerome, "Are you able to put the whole earth, and all the waters of the sea—into a little pot? Can you hold the oceans in your hand? Can you measure the heavens with your fingers—or weigh the hills and mountains with a scale? Just so, it is impossible that you can comprehend the least of the joys of heaven! Certainly, the least of the joys of heaven are inconceivable and inexpressible!" Neither Christ nor heaven can be hyperbolized! "You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand!" Psalm 16:11 "They feast on the abundance of Your house; You give them drink from Your river of delights!" Psalm 36:8
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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.