There is a difference between Christ's giving and the world's
giving. The world gives—but they give more rarely. But Christ
gives, and He gives frequently. He is every day, every hour,
yes, every moment, a-giving of royal favors to His people.
"Here is peace for you who are in trouble," says Christ; "and
here is pardon for you who groan under guilt," says Christ;
"and here is comfort for you who are mourners in Zion," says
Christ, etc. His hand is always in his purse, He is still
a-scattering pearls of glory, ay, the very jewels of His crown,
among the beloved of His soul.
Augustus, in his solemn feasts, gave gold to some—and
trifles to others. The Lord gives the gold, the best things, to
His own; but the trifles of this world to the men of the world.
The gifts which Christ gives are pure gifts. He gives . . .
wine without water,
light without darkness,
gold without dross, and
sweet without bitter.
There is much dross and poison in the gifts which the world
gives—but there is none in the gifts which Christ gives. The
streams are as the fountain is; the fountain is pure, and so
are the streams.
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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.