"Jesus replied—Foxes have holes and birds of the
air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place
to lay His head." Matthew 8:20
Jesus does not say, Kings have palaces—but I have none.
Nor He does say that rich men have houses and lands and
mansions to entertain their followers—but I have none;
but, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests,
but I have no place to lay My head."
Your outward condition is not worse than Christ's was
when he was in the world. Christ's condition was low,
yes, very low and humble in this world. He was born in
a feeding trough, lived on the charity of others, and did
not have enough money to pay His taxes. The great
Architect of the world had no place to lay his head—but
emptied Himself of all, and became poor to make us
rich, not in goods—but in grace; not in worldly wealth
—but in the treasures of the eternal world. He lived
poor and died poor.
Are you houseless, are you penniless, are you poor,
and low, and base in this world? So was Christ!
Remember "the servant is not greater than his Lord!"
It is unfitting to see the Head all begored with blood
and crowned with thorns—and the members to be
decked with roses and jewels, and to smell of rich
spices, and perfumes!
Are you in a worse condition than Christ was in this
world? Oh no, no! Why then do you murmur and
complain? Why do you say there is no sorrow compared
to your sorrow, nor any suffering compared to your
suffering? O sirs! it is honor enough for the disciples
of Christ to fare as Christ fared in this world. Why
should the servant be in a better condition than his
Lord? Did you but seriously and frequently meditate
and ponder upon the poverty and low estate of Christ
while He was in this world, your hearts would be more
calm and quiet under all their crosses and losses!
Be the first to react on this!
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.