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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 stark contrast between the current state of the saints and sinners, declaring that this life serves as the saints' hell while sinners enjoy their temporary heaven. He warns that the roles will reverse in the afterlife, where the righteous will enter eternal joy and the wicked will face unending torment. Brooks vividly describes the fate awaiting sinners, filled with relentless punishment and sorrow, urging them to recognize the fleeting nature of their earthly pleasures. He calls for a deep reflection on the eternal consequences of one's choices, highlighting the urgency of repentance before it's too late.
Scriptures
The Saints' Hell—and the Sinners' Heaven
"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life." Matthew 25:46 This present life is the saints' hell—and the sinners' heaven. The next life will be the saints' heaven —and the sinners' hell. Here on earth wicked men have their heaven, hereafter they shall have their hell. The time of this life is the day of their joy and triumph; and when this short day is ended—then eternal lamentations, mournings, and woes follow! Ah sinners! sinners! that day is hastening upon you, wherein you shall have . . . punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without support, pain without pleasure, and torments without end! Ah, sinners! sinners! Ah! your portion is below, and you are already adjudged to those torments which are endless, easeless, and remediless; where the worm never dies, and the fire never goes out! The day is coming upon you, sinners, when . . . all your sweet shall be turned into bitter; all your glory into shame; all your plenty into scarcity; all your joys into sorrows; all your recreations into vexations; and all your momentary comforts into everlasting torments!
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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.