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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 emphasizes the profound truth that our sins were the direct cause of Christ's suffering and death. He poignantly reflects on the personal responsibility each believer bears, stating, 'I was that soldier who murdered You!' and highlights the paradox of how Christ's wounds bring us healing. Brooks urges Christians to approach a humble and broken Christ with a contrite heart, recognizing the gravity of sin and the necessity of Christ's sacrificial blood for redemption. He illustrates the depth of sin's wickedness, asserting that only the purest blood of Christ can atone for it, underscoring the immense cost of our salvation.
I Was That Soldier Who Murdered You!
"He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 Our sins were the cause of Christ's sufferings! It was our transgressions which gave Christ His deadly wounds! It was our sins which smote Him, and bruised Him! Every Christian may look upon Christ and say, "I was that Judas who betrayed You! I was that soldier who murdered You! It was my sins which brought all those sorrows, and sufferings, and evils upon You! I have sinned—and You have suffered! I have sinned—and You have died! I have wounded You—and You have healed me!" Oh, that we might look upon . . . a humble Christ—with a humble heart, a broken Christ—with a broken heart, a bleeding Christ—with a bleeding heart, a wounded Christ—with a wounded heart! "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree; by His wounds you have been healed." 1 Pet. 2:24 Here you see that the physician's blood became the sick man's salve! Here is the gospel mystery—that the wounding of one, should be the cure of another! Oh, what an odious thing is sin to God—that He will pardon none without blood, yes, without the precious blood of His dearest Son! Oh, what a hell of wickedness must there be in sin—that nothing can expiate it but the best, the purest, the noblest blood of Christ! Oh, what a transcendent evil must sin be—that nothing can purge it away but death—the accursed death of the cross! Oh, what a leprosy is sin—that it must have blood, yes, the blood of God, to take it away!
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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.