"An inheritance which does not fade away." 1 Peter 1:4
This is a metaphor taken from flowers. The beauty
of flowers, and the sweetness of flowers—wither in
a moment, and are quickly gone. And then they are
good for nothing but to be cast upon the ash-heap!
So it is with all earthly inheritances—they soon lose
their glory and fragrancy. Where is the glory of the
Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, and Roman kingdoms?
Fading glory! has been long since, written upon
them all! Yes, all the glory of the world is like the
flower of the field—which soon fades away!
How many great men and great kingdoms have for
a time shined in great glory, even like so many suns
in the sky—but are now vanished away like so many
blazing comets! How soon is the courtier's glory
eclipsed—if his prince does but frown upon him! And
how soon does the prince become a peasant—if God
does but frown upon him!
Indeed the excellency of the heavenly inheritance, is
that it will never fade or wither away. All the glory of
heaven is like God Himself—lasting, yes, everlasting!
This never-fading inheritance of believers is always
fresh and resplendent. The glory of believers shall
never fade nor wither, nor grow old nor rusty. Thrice
happy are those who have a share in this incorruptible
inheritance!
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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.