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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 vital importance of communion with God, describing it as the essence of spiritual life and the source of strength and comfort. He asserts that true communion with God not only sweetens our experiences and afflictions but also fortifies us against temptations and trials. Brooks highlights that those who maintain a close relationship with God are empowered to withstand challenges, while those with little communion are easily overcome. Ultimately, he portrays communion with God as the crown of our souls and the key to a victorious Christian life.
The Sweetener
("Hypocrites Detected, Anatomized, Impeached, Arraigned and Condemned" 1650) Communion with God is . . . the life of all your graces; the sweetener of all providences and mercies; the strengthener of your hearts and hands; the soul of your comforts; the crown of your souls. Nothing can compare with communion with God— to fence you against temptations, to sweeten all afflictions, and to make you own God, and stand for God, and cleave to God—in the face of all troubles and oppositions. Communion with God makes bitter things—sweet, and massive things—light. A man high in communion with God, is a man too big for temptations to conquer—or troubles to subdue! Those who have but little communion with God—are usually as soon conquered as tempted—as soon vanquished as assaulted.
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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.