Think on the brevity, shortness, and preciousness of time.
Time is so precious a thing, that mountains of gold and
rocks of pearl, cannot redeem one lost moment!
Ah, what a precious commodity would time be in hell,
where for one day to repent, yes, for one hour to seek
after holiness—a man would give ten thousand worlds,
were they in his hands to dispose of.
Time is so costly a jewel that few know how to value
it and prize it at a due rate. Most are lavishly and
profusely wasteful of that precious time which is their
greatest interest to redeem! Time is a precious talent,
yet most trifle away, play away, idle away, yes,
grossly sin away their precious time! They play
and fool away their precious time, until the
candle of life goes out, and then they go to their
graves in sorrow, yes, then go to hell in the dark!
He who makes no conscience of trifling away
his precious time, shall one day experience the
terribleness of eternal darkness.
The poets paint time with wings—to show the rapidity
and swiftness of it. O sirs, if the sense of the brevity,
shortness, and preciousness of time did but lie in its
full weight upon your spirits, it would certainly put
you upon a speedy and earnest pursuit after holiness!
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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.