The riches of Christ are inexhaustible. Christ can never
be drawn dry. Earthly riches are true gardens of Adonis,
where we can gather nothing but trivial flowers surrounded
with many briars, etc. Men rake together worldly riches as
children do snow—which the next shower washes away,
and leaves nothing in the place but dirt; and can dirt
satisfy? Surely not! No more can worldly riches.
The Spanish ambassador coming to see the treasury of Venice,
which is famous throughout the world, fell a-groping whether
it had any bottom, and being asked why, answered, "In this
my great master's treasure differs from yours, in that his has
no bottom, as I find yours to have," alluding to the mines of
Mexico and Potosi, etc.
Certainly Christ's treasures have no bottom—all His bags are
bottomless! Scripture, history, and experience, do abundantly
testify that men's bags, purses, coffers, and mines—may be
exhausted or drawn dry—but Christ's can never. Millions of
thousands live upon Christ, and He feels it not. His purse
is always full, though He is always giving.
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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.