The more Christ has suffered for us—the dearer Christ
should be unto us. The greater and the bitterer Christ's
sufferings have been for us—the greater and the sweeter
should our love be to Him. O my friends! there is no love
but a superlative love, which is any way suitable to the
transcendent sufferings of dear Jesus. Oh,
love Him above your lusts,
love Him above your relations,
love Him above the world,
love Him above all your contentments and enjoyments;
yes, love Him above your very lives!
Certainly the more Christ has suffered for us,
the more dear Christ should be unto us. The more
bitter His sufferings have been for us, the more
eminent should be our love to him. Oh, let a
suffering Christ lie nearest your hearts!
Christ is that golden pipe through which the golden
oil of salvation runs! Oh, how should this inflame our
love to Christ! Oh, that our hearts were more affected
with the sufferings of Christ! Who can tread upon these
hot coals, and his heart not burn in love to Christ?
Oh, the infinite love of Christ—that He should leave His
Father's bosom, and come down from heaven—that He
might carry you up to heaven; that he who was a Son
should take upon Him the form of a servant; that you
slaves should be made sons; that you enemies should
be made friends, that you heirs of wrath should be made
heirs of God; that to save us from everlasting ruin, Christ
should be willing to be made flesh, to lie in a manger, to
be tempted, deserted, persecuted, and to die upon a
cross! Oh what flames of love to Christ, should these
things kindle in all our hearts.
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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.