"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before
God and man." Acts 24:16
Conscience is God's preacher in the heart. Conscience
is a thousand witnesses for or against a man. Those who
dally and tamper with this sin or that sin, develop a guilty
conscience—which clouds, clogs, and distracts the soul
with many fears, doubts, and scruples. God will have no
communion with those who, against light and checks of
conscience—dally and tamper with this sin or that sin.
The harboring of some unmortified lust, some secret,
special, peculiar sin—is the greatest and most common
cause of the lack of assurance, comfort, and peace.
How should it be otherwise, seeing God, who is infinitely
wise, holy, and righteous—will not reveal the secrets of
His love to those who harbor His known enemies in their
bosoms?
The great God will not regard the prayers of those who
play and dally with that very sin, or that very lust—for
which He hides His face from them.
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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.