"The LORD foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts
the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD
stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all
generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people He chose for His inheritance." Psalm 33:10-12
Consult, conclude, determine, resolve upon whatever you
please—you shall never be able, by all your power and policy,
to prevail against the people of God! His favorable, special,
and eminent presence is constantly with them—to assist,
counsel, and protect them against all oppositions and assaults.
God brings to nothing, the counsel of the nations. Neither the
devil nor his imps, nor any of their counsels, or enchantments,
shall ever be able to stand before the presence of the Lord with
His people! Let men and devils conspire, let them plot, consult,
and determine—all shall be in vain, because there is no counsel
against the Lord, there is no possibility of prevailing against the
presence of the Lord with His people. His special presence will
be their greatest safety and security in the midst of all plots,
designs, dangers, etc. The special presence of God with His
people mars and frustrates all the plots, counsels, and intricate
contrivances of the world's wizards—as might be showed in those
instances of Balaam, Pharaoh, Saul, Herod, with many others.
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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.