The covenant of grace is founded . . .
upon God's free love,
upon God's everlasting love,
upon God's special and peculiar love,
upon God's unchangeable love—
so that God can as soon cease to be, as He can cease
to love those whom He has taken into covenant with
Himself, or cease to keep covenant with them.
The covenant of grace is also founded upon God's
immutable counsel and purpose. The decree and
purpose of God's election stands firm and sure.
The covenant of grace is also founded . . .
upon God's glorious power,
upon God's infinite power,
upon God's supreme power,
upon God's invincible power,
upon God's independent power,
upon God's incomparable power;
and until you can find a power that can
overmatch this divine power, the saints'
covenant-relation holds good.
It is not the indwelling power of sin, nor violent
temptations, nor heavy afflictions—which can
dissolve our covenant-relation with God. Though
sin may work, and Satan may tempt, and fears
may be high—yet God will still maintain His covenant
interest in His people, and His people's relation to
Himself.
"I will betroth you unto Me forever." Hosea 2:19
"I will never leave you, nor forsake you." Heb. 13:5
It is not all the powers of hell, nor all the powers on
earth, which can make null or void our covenant-relation.
Those whom free grace has brought into covenant,
shall continue in covenant forever and ever. Once in
covenant with God—forever in covenant with God.
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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.