Does the bee gather honey for itself?
Does the sheep yield wool for itself?
"Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should
be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:4-5
Every Christian is bound to serve others. A narrow, a
selfish-spirited man is a shame to his creation, because
he walks so contrary to the great intendment of God in it.
It is base and unworthy—for a man to make himself the
center of all his actions. That man sins against the very
law of his being—who is swallowed up in his own private
interests.
This age is full of drones and ciphers, and of selfish,
lifeless men—who look at nothing, who design nothing,
who aim at nothing, and who endeavor nothing—but
how to elevate themselves, and greaten themselves, and
enrich themselves, and build up themselves—though it
be upon other's ruins! How many are there who are so
swallowed up in their own interests and private concerns,
that they care not whether others sink or swim! "What!"
they say, "Shall we leave our ease, our pleasure, our
profits—to serve others? We cannot do it! We will never
do it!"
"All of you, serve each other in humility." 1 Peter 5:5
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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.