The more a man conflicts with heart sins, with spiritual
sins, with invisible sins—with sins which lie most hidden
and obscure from the eyes of the world—and the more
spiritual victories and conquests a man obtains over
them—the greater measure of holiness that person has
certainly attained to.
A little grace, a little holiness, will work a man to conflict
with gross sins,
with outward sins,
with bodily sins,
with open sins, which everyone may set their eyes on.
Yes, where there is no grace, no holiness at all,
the light of nature,
the common convictions of the Spirit,
the laws of men,
the eyes of men,
the threats of men,
the examples of men,
the smarting rod, or
a good education,
may work men to conflict with such sins.
Oh, but when all the strength and might of the
soul is engaged against those very sins that lie
not within the sight or reach of the most sharp
and piercing men in the world—but in the heart,
and about the heart, and are only obvious to
God's omniscient eye—this argues a great
degree of holiness.
When the heart rises with all its
strength and might against . . .
secret pride,
secret self-love,
secret bubblings of lusts,
secret carnal confidence,
secret murmuring,
secret hypocrisy,
secret envy,
secret self-applause,
secret malice,
secret hatred,
secret snares,
secret temptations, etc.,
it is an evidence that holiness has grown
up to some considerable height there!
It is not an easy thing, to overcome those flaming
lusts and corruptions which are in our own hearts.
Only grace, only holiness, can enable us to
overcome our lusts—our heart lusts.
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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.