One support to bear up the hearts of the people of God
under the recent fiery dispensation, is this—That the Lord
will certainly, one way or another, make up all their losses
to them. Sometimes God makes up His people's outward
losses by giving them . . .
more of Himself,
more of His Son,
more of His Spirit,
more of His favor,
more of His grace.
When God takes away your carnals, and gives you
more spirituals; when God takes away your temporals,
and gives you more eternals—your outward losses are
made up to you. When God takes away a Christian's
estate in this world, he looks for a better and enduring
estate in heaven.
If men should . . .
take away your old clothes, and give you new clothes;
take away your rags, and give you robes;
take away your chaff, and give you wheat;
take away your water, and give you wine;
take away your tin, and give you silver;
take away your brass, and give you gold;
take away your pebbles, and give you pearls;
take away your cottages, and give you royal palaces
—certainly you would have no cause to complain!
If God takes away your houses, your goods, your
trades, your honors—and gives you more of himself,
and more grace—He does you no injury. It is an
excellent exchange, to get eternals for temporals.
If God takes away your earthly riches,
and makes you more . . .
rich in grace,
rich in spiritual comforts,
rich in holy experiences,
rich in divine enjoyments,
then you are no losers—but great gainers!
What are all the necessary comforts of this life,
compared to union and communion with God, to
a saving interest in Christ, to pardon of sin, to
peace of conscience, and to that loving-kindness
which is better than life?
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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.