- Home
- Speakers
- Thomas Brooks
- Riches, Prosperity, And Worldly Glory
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.
Download
Sermon Summary
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the dangers of riches, prosperity, and worldly glory, illustrating how they can hinder true happiness and spiritual fulfillment. He references Matthew 19:24 to highlight the difficulty for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God, and warns the rich of impending misery as described in James 5:1-3. Brooks argues that wealth is often a burden rather than a blessing, as seen in Habakkuk 2:6, and stresses the uncertainty of riches, urging believers not to waste their lives in pursuit of material wealth, as noted in Proverbs 23:4-5.
Scriptures
Riches, Prosperity, and Worldly Glory
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" Matthew 19:24 "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire!" James 5:1-3 Rich men's wealth proves a hindrance to their happiness. There is nothing more clear in Scripture and history, than that riches, prosperity, and worldly glory—have been commonly the portion of those who don't have God for their portion. Riches are called thick clay, Hab. 2:6, which will sooner break the back, than lighten the heart. There is an utter uncertainty in riches, 1 Tim. 6:17. "Don't weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste your time? For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird!" Proverbs 23:4-5
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download
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.