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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 theoretical knowledge and experiential knowledge of God, arguing that mere intellectual understanding, like that of scholars, is insufficient for salvation. He warns that such knowledge can lead to spiritual death, as seen in figures like Judas and the Pharisees. In contrast, true experiential knowledge, gained through a relationship with Christ, reveals the profound truths about sin, God's favor, and the joy of communion with Him. Brooks illustrates that only through personal experience can one truly appreciate the richness of God's promises and the necessity of a humble heart. Ultimately, he stresses that knowledge without experience can lead to greater guilt and torment.
The Scholar's Knowledge
What is the scholar's knowledge of the strength, riches, glories, and sweetness of far countries, obtained by maps and books—compared to their knowledge, who daily see and enjoy those things? Truly, that knowledge which is only notional, speculative, and general; which is gathered out of books, discourses, and other outward advantages, is such a knowledge that will make men sit down in hell, as it did Judas, Demas, the scribes and pharisees, etc. A man who has that experimental knowledge which accompanies salvation, will from his experience tell you, that sin is the greatest evil in the world—for he has found it so, Rom. 7; that Christ is the one thing necessary—for he has found Him so, Psalm 27:4; that the favor of God is better than life—for he has found it so, Psalm 63:3; that pardoning mercy alone makes a man happy—for he has found it so, Psalm 32:1-2; that a wounded spirit is such a burden that none can bear—for he has found it so, Prov. 18:14; that a humble and a broken heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God—for he has found it so, Psalm 51:17; that the promises are precious pearls—for he has found them so, 2 Pet. 1:4; that the smiles of God will make up the lack of any outward mercies—for he has found it so, Psalm 4:6-7; that only communion with God can make a heaven in a believer's heart—for he has found it so, Psalm 48:10; that if the Spirit is pleased and obeyed, He will be a comforter to the soul—for he has found it so, John 16:7; but if His motions and laws are slighted and neglected, He will stand far off from the soul, He will vex and gall the soul—for he has found it so, Lam 1:16; Isa 63:10-11. That knowledge which is not experimental, will only increase your guilt and torment, as it did the Scribes' and Pharisees'.
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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.