The more a man apprehends of the love of God, and of the
love of Christ—the more that person will grieve and mourn
that he has offended, provoked, and grieved such a Father,
and such a Son. The more clear and certain evidences a man
has of the love and favor of God to his soul, the more that
man will grieve and mourn for sinning against such a God.
There is nothing which thaws and melts the heart, which
softens and breaks the heart—like the warm beams of divine
love—as you may see in the case of Mary Magdalene. She
loved much, and she wept much—for much was forgiven her.
A sight of the free grace and love of Christ towards her, in an
act of forgiveness, broke her heart all in pieces. A man
cannot stand under the shinings of divine love with a frozen
heart, nor with dry eyes. The more a man sees of the love
of Christ, and the more a man tastes and enjoys of the love
of Christ—the more that man will grieve and mourn for all
the dishonors that he has done to Christ.
"Then she knelt behind Him at his feet, weeping. Her tears
fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then
she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them."
Luke 7:38
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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.