I heartily wish that all who are concerned in
this sad loss, were more taken up in minding
the happy exchange which Mary has made,
than with your present loss.
She has exchanged:
earth—for heaven,
a wilderness—for a paradise,
a prison—for a palace,
a house made with hands—for one eternal in the heavens,
imperfection—for perfection,
sighing—for singing,
mourning—for rejoicing,
petitions—for praises,
the society of sinful mortals—for the company of God,
pain—for ease,
sickness—for health,
a bed of weakness—for a bed of spices,
her brass—for silver,
her pennies—for gold,
her earthly contentments—for heavenly enjoyments,
an imperfect, transient enjoyment of God—for a more
clear, full, perfect, and permanent enjoyment of God.
And as I desire that one of your eyes may be fixed upon
her happiness—so I desire that your other eye may be
fixed upon Christ's fullness. Though your brook be dried
up, yet Christ the fountain of light, life, love, grace, glory,
comfort, joy, goodness, sweetness and satisfaction—is still
at hand—and always full and flowing—yes, overflowing!
As the worth and value of many pieces of silver is contracted
in one piece of gold—so all the sweetness, all the goodness,
all the excellencies which are in husbands, wives, children,
friends, etc., are concentrated in Christ! Yes, all the whole
volume of perfections which is spread through heaven and
earth—is epitomized in Christ!
Oh, that your hearts and thoughts were thus busied about
Christ, and taken up with Christ, and with those treasures
of wisdom, knowledge, grace, goodness, sweetness, etc.,
which are in Him! This would very much allay your grief and
sorrow, and keep your hearts quiet and silent before the Lord.
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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.