"I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness,
and in the bond of iniquity." Acts 8:23
If you would arm and fence yourselves against
sin, then look upon sin as the soul's bonds.
Iniquity is a chain, a bond. Now, bonds and
chains gall the body, and so does sin the soul.
As poor captives are held fast in their chains,
so are sinners in their sins.
For as bonds tie things together, so does
sin tie the sinner and the curse together.
Sin binds the sinner and wrath together.
Sin links the sinner and hell together.
Ah! There is no bondage like soul bondage,
no slavery like soul slavery.
Ah, friends! you should never look upon your
sins—but you should look upon them as your
bonds; yes, as the worst bonds that ever were!
All other chains are golden chains, chains of pearl,
compared to those chains of iron and brass, those
chains of lust, with which you are bound. Ah! who
can thus look upon his chains—his sins—and not
loathe them, and not labor for freedom from them?
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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.