It was the saying of a precious saint—that he was more
afraid of his duties than of his sins; for his duties often
made him proud—but his sins always made him humble.
It was good counsel Luther gave, "We must take heed
not only of our sins—but of our good works."
Duties can never have too much diligence used about
them—nor too little confidence placed in them. They are
good helps—but bad saviors. It is necessary we do them
—but it is dangerous to rely upon them. If the devil cannot
dissuade us from performing pious duties—then his next
work will be to persuade us to rely upon them, to make
saviors of them; because this will as certainly ruin our
souls, as if we had wholly neglected them.
Resting in your own righteousness, will as certainly and
eternally undo you—as the greatest and foulest atrocities!
Open wickedness slays her thousands—but a secret
resting upon duties, slays her ten thousands!
Open profaneness is the broad dirty way which leads
to hell; but trusting in pious duties is as sure a way,
though a cleaner way to hell. Ungodly people and
formal professors shall meet at last in the same hell.
Now, let all these things work you to renounce your own
righteousness—and to take sanctuary alone in the pure,
perfect, and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ,
and in the free grace of God.
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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.