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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 profound sorrow that accompanies the loss of God's gracious presence, illustrating that this loss is the most significant and embittering of all. He reflects on the deep longing for God, as expressed in the Song of Solomon, and how the absence of divine companionship can overshadow all other worldly losses. Brooks urges believers to remain humble and recognize that no earthly comfort can replace the joy of God's presence, which is essential for the soul. He warns that recovering this divine presence requires earnest effort, including heartfelt prayers and tears.
Have You Seen the One My Heart Loves?
"All night long on my bed I looked for the One my heart loves; I looked for Him but did not find Him." Song of Songs 3:1 "Have you seen the One my heart loves?" Song of Songs 3:3 "I opened for my lover, but my lover had left; He was gone! My heart sank at His departure. I looked for Him but did not find Him. I called Him but He did not answer." Song of Songs 5:6 Let your hearts lie humble and low under the loss of God's gracious presence. The loss of God's gracious presence is the greatest loss. The loss of God's gracious presence is a loss-embittering loss; it is a loss that will greatly embitter all your worldly losses. "I have lost my health, I have lost a precious child, I have lost a gracious spouse, who was the delight of my eyes and the joy of my heart; I have lost a costly estate, I have lost an intimate friend, I have lost a thriving trade. Oh, but that which embitters all my losses, and puts a sting into them, is this—that I have lost the gracious presence of God that once I enjoyed!" The loss of God's gracious presence is a loss that all outward comforts can never make up. When the sun is set, nothing can make it day with us. The loss of God's gracious presence is a soul loss; and no losses can be compared to soul losses. As there are no mercies compared to soul mercies, so there are no losses to soul losses. The loss of God's gracious presence is a loss which will cost a man dearly, before it will be made up again. Oh the sighs, the groans, the strong cries, the earnest prayers, the bottles of tears that the recovery of the divine presence will cost!
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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.