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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 that sin is the greatest thief, robbing humanity of its most precious gifts, including the holy image of God, divine sonship, friendship with God, communion with Him, and ultimately, glory. He illustrates how sin has not only affected Adam but has also led all mankind into a state of misery and estrangement from God. Brooks warns of the extensive losses sin incurs, affecting health, wealth, honor, and relationships, urging listeners to recognize the profound impact of sin in their lives.
The Greatest Thief
Sin is the greatest thief, the greatest robber in the world. It robbed the angels of all their glory. It robbed Adam of his paradise and felicity. Sin has robbed all mankind of five precious jewels, the least of which was more worth than heaven and earth. 1. Sin has robbed them of the holy and glorious image of God, which would have been engraved upon them, had Adam not fallen into sin. 2. Sin has robbed them of divine sonship—and has made them slaves of Satan. 3. Sin has robbed them of divine friendship—and made them enemies to God. 4. Sin has robbed them of communion and fellowship with God—and made them strangers and aliens to Him. 5. Sin has robbed them of their glory—and made them vile and miserable. Oh! the health, the wealth, the honor, the friends, the relations—which sin has robbed thousands of!
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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.