As the apothecary makes one poison to drive out
another poison—so can God make the poison of
afflictions, to drive out the poison of sin. All the
afflictions, troubles and evils which befall the
people of God, work together for their good;
for God uses these afflictions . . .
to reveal sin;
to prevent sin;
to embitter sin;
to mortify sin;
to revive His children's decayed graces;
to exercise His children's graces;
to increase His children's graces.
I have read a story of Pereus, who, attempting
to kill another with a thrust of a sword, only
pierced and opened his abscess; and so he was
instrumental to save him, whom he designed
to have killed!
Just so, all the afflictions and troubles which
the righteous meet with—they do but serve
to cure them . . .
of the abscess of pride, or
of the abscess of earthly-mindedness, or
of the abscess of self-love, or
of the abscess of hypocrisy.
"And we know that in all things God works for
the good of those who love Him, who have been
called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
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Thomas Brooks (1608 - 1680)
Much of what is known about Thomas Brooks has been ascertained from his writings. Born, likely to well-to-do parents, in 1608, Brooks entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1625, where he was preceded by such men as Thomas Hooker, John Cotton, and Thomas Shepard. He was licensed as a preacher of the Gospel by 1640. Before that date, he appears to have spent a number of years at sea, probably as a chaplain with the fleet.After the conclusion of the First English Civil War, Thomas Brooks became minister at Thomas Apostle's, London, and was sufficiently renowned to be chosen as preacher before the House of Commons on December 26, 1648. His sermon was afterwards published under the title, 'God's Delight in the Progress of the Upright', the text being Psalm 44:18: 'Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy way'. Three or four years afterwards, he transferred to St. Margaret's, Fish-street Hill, London. In 1662, he fell victim to the notorious Act of Uniformity, but he appears to have remained in his parish and to have preached as opportunity arose. Treatises continued to flow from his pen.[3]
Thomas Brooks was a nonconformist preacher. Born into a Puritan family, he was sent to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He soon became an advocate of the Congregational way and served as a chaplain in the Civil War. In 1648 he accepted the rectory of St. Margaret's, New Fish Street, London, but only after making his Congregational principles clear to the vestry.
On several occasions he preached before Parliament. He was ejected in 1660 and remained in London as a Nonconformist preacher. Government spies reported that he preached at Tower Wharf and in Moorfields. During the Great Plague and Great Fire he worked in London, and in 1672 was granted a license to preach in Lime Street. He wrote over a dozen books, most of which are devotional in character. He was buried in Bunhill Fields.