Oh you who have God for your portion, do not envy, do
not fret and vex, at the prosperity of the wicked; for
even though they have more than their heart can wish,
even though they live in pleasure and wallow in all carnal
and sensual delights—yet they have a sad account to give
to God, and they shall pay dearly at last for all their worldly
enjoyments! For without sound repentance on their part,
and pardoning grace on God's part, they shall forever lose
their immortal souls!
O sirs, remember that Lazarus did not fret nor fume because
Dives had robes for his rags; and delicacies for his scraps.
Lazarus very well knew that though he was without any earthly
good—yet he was not without God. He had a guard of glorious
angels to transport his holy, precious, heaven-born soul into
Abraham's bosom. He knew that it was better to beg on earth,
than to beg in hell.
O sirs, what is . . .
darkness compared to light,
earth compared to heaven,
chaff compared to wheat,
tin compared to silver,
dross compared to gold, or
pebbles compared to pearls?
No more are all earthly portions compared to that God
who is the saints' portion; and, therefore, let not the
saints, who have such a matchless portion, envy the
prosperity and felicity of wicked men.
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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.