"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said
—Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5
These Hebrew Christians had been plundered of all they
had (Hebrews 10:34). Though they had nothing they
must be content. If men cannot bring their means to
their minds, let them bring their minds to their means;
a little will serve our turn until we get to heaven, until
we come to our Father's house.
"Never will I leave you." This promise includes all times,
all places, all states, all needs, all dangers, all distresses,
all necessities, all calamities, all miseries, which can
befall us in this world.
These two phrases, "God's not leaving, God's
not forsaking," imply all needful assistance.
I will supply all your needs,
I will heal all your diseases,
I will secure you against all sorts of dangers,
I will ease you of all your pains,
I will free you of all your oppressors,
I will break all your bonds,
I will bring you out of prison,
I will vanquish all your enemies,
I will knock off all your chains, and
I will make you triumph over all your sufferings!
God being with us, and for us, and on our side,
we may boldly, safely, and confidently, rest upon
it—that He will freely, readily, graciously, give
all needful help, assistance, and support—when
we are in the greatest troubles, deepest
distresses, and most deadly dangers.
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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.