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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 distinction between God's pure light and the mixed nature of worldly possessions. He explains that while God is entirely free from darkness, earthly pursuits are fraught with troubles and sorrows, making them ultimately vain. Brooks illustrates that even the most seemingly desirable things come with hidden burdens, akin to a crown lined with thorns. He warns that ambition for high places brings not only cares but also the risk of moral and spiritual downfall. The sermon calls believers to seek the unmixed light of God rather than the mixed portions of the world.
Scriptures
Mixed or Unmixed?
"God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5 Light expels darkness, it never mixes nor mingles with it. God is a pure and an unmixed light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. Light is the most unmixed substance; it will never mix with darkness—neither will God. But all worldly portions are mixed with many . . . troubles, sorrows, cares, fears, hazards, dangers, vexations, oppositions, crosses, losses. All earthly portions are mixed portions! The goodness of all creatures is a mixed goodness. Every bee has his sting, and every rose has his prickles. And this mixture speaks out all earthly portions to be "vanity and vexation of spirit," Ecclesiastes 1:13. That great king Xerxes was accustomed to say—'You look upon my crown and my purple robes—but if you knew how they were lined with thorns—you would not stoop to pick them up!' Great places are not free from great cares. No man knows the weight of a scepter, but he who sways it. Many a sleepless night, many a restless day, many a sad temptation, and many a busy shift, will their ambition cost them —who aspire to such places of eminency. Besides, high places are commonly very slippery; he who stands in them may suddenly fall, and wound his conscience, or easily fall and break his neck.
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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.