A sincere willingness to part with every sin, and to mortify
every sin—is a sure sign of saving grace. When a man is
sincerely willing to leave every sin, and to indulge himself
in none, no, not even his darling sin—it is a most certain
sign of his integrity and saving faith.
"I am upright before God; I have kept myself from sin."
Psalm 18:23
"I am upright before God." Oh! but how do you know
that? How do you prove that? How are you assured of
that? Why, by this—that "I have kept myself from sin."
Doubtless there is as much of the power of God required,
and as much strength of grace required, and as much of
the presence and assistance of the Spirit required—to work
a man off from his bosom sins, from his darling sins, from
his beloved sins. A conquest here clearly speaks out
uprightness of heart before God.
The godly man . . .
does not give himself over to a voluntary serving of sin;
does not make a trade of sin;
does not allow of himself in any settled course of sin;
does not indulge, connive or wink at any known sin;
does not sin as wicked men sin—who sin studiously,
resolutely, ardently, delightfully, customarily, willfully.
The ungodly sin with their whole will, and with the full
consent and sway of their souls.
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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.