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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 warns about the severe consequences of immorality, emphasizing that while society may overlook such sins, God will ultimately judge them. He highlights that God's judgment can manifest in this life through suffering and misery, and if unrepented, leads to eternal damnation in the afterlife. Brooks poignantly describes the unchaste as 'the devil's best customers,' illustrating the ease with which sexual immorality can lead individuals to hell. He stresses the deceptive nature of such sins, which may seem pleasurable but result in dire spiritual consequences.
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The Devil's Best Customers!
"God will surely judge people who are immoral." Heb. 13:4 If men will not judge them, God Himself will, and give them a portion of misery answerable to their transgression. Sometimes He judges them in this life—by pouring forth of His wrath upon their bodies, souls, consciences, names and estates. But if He does not thus judge them in this life, He will be sure to judge them in the life to come! Yes, He has already adjudged them "to the fiery lake of burning sulfur," Revelation 21:8 The unchaste are the devil's best customers! Oh, the thousands of men and women who are sent to hell for immorality! Other sins are toilsome and troublesome, but sexual immorality is pleasant, and sends men and women merrily to hell!
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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.