The sovereignty of God is that golden scepter in
His hand which He will make all bow to, either . . .
by His word or by His works,
by His mercies or by His judgments.
This scepter must be kissed and submitted to,
or else fire and sword, desolation and destruction,
will certainly follow.
Many times judgments work—where mercies do
not win. The world is so intractable, that God's
frowns will do more with them than God's smiles.
The the power, justice, and sovereignty of God
shines most gloriously in the execution of His
judgments upon the world.
God's greatest severity is to prevent utter ruin
and misery!
There is a knowledge of God by His works as well
as by His word; and by His judgments as well as
by His mercies. In His dreadful judgments everyone
may run and read—
His power,
His justice,
His anger,
His severity and indignation against sin and sinners.
It is the highway to atheism and profaneness, to
imagine to ourselves, a God made up all of mercy,
to think that God cannot be angry and wrathful
with sinful 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.