Thomas Brooks (Puritan) Quotations

Thomas Brooks was an English, non-conformist, Puritan preacher and author.

Heaven On Earth

There are five things that God will never sell at a cheap rate -- Christ, truth, his honour, heaven, and assurance.
Assurance is a jewel worth waiting for.

A Mute Christian Under the Rod

So many read good books and get nothing, because they read them over cursorily, slightly, superficially.

Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices (first published 1652)

Ah! how many Judases have we in these days, that kiss Christ, and yet betray Christ; that in their words profess him, but in their works deny him; that bow their knee to him, and yet in their hearts despise him; that call him Jesus, and yet will not obey him for their Lord (from: A Word To The Reader)
The snow covers many a dunghill, so doth prosperity many a rotten heart. p.87

The Secret Key To Heaven

In private prayer we have a far greater advantage as so the exercise of our own gifts and graces and parts that we have in public...in public duties we are more passive, but in private duties we are more active. Now, the more our gifts and parts and graces are exercised, the more they are strengthened and increased. All acts strengthen habits. The more sin is acted, the more it is strengthened. And so it is with our gifts and graces; the more they are acted, the more they are strengthened.

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

In Christ are riches of Justification; in Christ are riches of sanctification, riches of consolation, and riches of glorification...Christ's riches are like the eternal springs of the earth, that cannot dry up, but are and shall be diffused by his Spirit and gospel, until his whole house be filled with them.
The more any man is in the comtemplation of truth, the more fairer and firmer impression is made upon his heart by truth.
Surely it is more honourable to do great things, than to speak or read great things!...When a Christian has one eye upon his book, the other should be looking up to heaven for a blessing upon what he reads.
The nearer any soul draws to God, the more humble will that soul lie before God...the most holy men have always been the most humble men...If the work be good, though never so low, humility will put a hand to it; so will not pride.
An humble soul knows that little sins, if I may so call any, cost Christ his blood, and that they make way for greater; and that little sins multiplied become great, as a little sum multiplied is great; that they cloud the face of God, wound conscience, grieve the Spirit, rejoice Satan, and make work for repentance, &c. An humble soul knows that little sins, suppose them so, are very dangerous; a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, a little staff may kill one; a little poison may poison one, a little leak in a ship sinks it; a little fly in the box of ointment spoils it; a little flaw in a good cause mars it; so a little sin may at once bar the door of heaven and open the gates of hell; and therefore an humble soul smites and strikes itself for the least as well as the greatest.

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

Reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895).

Our sins are debts that none can pay but Christ. It is not our tears, but His blood; it is not our sighs, but His sufferings, that can testify for our sins. Christ must pay all, or we are prisoners forever.
- P. 81.

What then? For all my sins, His pardoning grace; For all my wants and woes, His loving-kindness; For darkest shades, the shining of God's face; And Christ's own hand to lead me in my blindness. When Caesar gave one a great reward, "This," said he, "is too great a gift for me to receive;" but said Caesar, "It is not too great a gift for me to give." So, though the least gift that Christ gives, in one sense, is too much for us to receive, yet the greatest gifts are not too great for Christ to give.
- P. 95.

God's very service is wages; His ways are strewed with roses, and paved with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, and with peace that passeth understanding.
- P. 127.

Weak Christians are afraid of the shadow of the cross.
- P. 171.

Faith is the champion of grace, and love the nurse; but humility is the beauty of grace.
- P. 221.

Faith is a Christian's right eye, without which he cannot look for Christ; right hand, without which he cannot do for Christ; it is his tongue, without which he cannot speak for Christ; it is his vital spirit, without which he cannot act for Christ.
- P. 230.

Though there is nothing more dangerous, yet there is nothing more ordinary, than for weak saints to make their sense and feeling the judge of their condition. We must strive to walk by faith.
- P. 245.

It is the very nature of grace to make a man strive to be most eminent in that particular grace which is most opposed to his bosom sin.
- P. 294.

One of Satan's devices to keep poor souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition is causing them to be always posing and musing upon sin; to mind their sins more than their Saviour: yea, so to mind their sins as to forget and neglect their Saviour. Their eyes are so fixed upon their disease that they cannot see their remedy, though it be near; and they do so muse upon their debts that they have neither mind nor heart to think of their surety.
- P. 391.

Love is a golden key to let in Christ, and a strong lock to keep out others.
- P. 395.

We trust as we love, and we trust where we love; if you love Christ much surely you will trust Him much.
- P. 589.

Smooth Stones Taken From Ancient Brooks (1860)

Quotes reported in Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Smooth Stones Taken from Ancient Brooks by Thomas Brooks, Sheldon & Company, New York (1860)

There is no such way to attain to greater measures of grace, as for a man to live up to that little grace he has.

Mercy is "Alpha," justice is "Omega."

Christians, bear your faithful ministers upon your hearts when you are wrestling with God. They can tell when they want your prayers, and when they enjoy your prayers. Did you pray more for them, they might do more for your internal and eternal good than they do now.

There is no way under heaven to be interested in Christ, but by believing. He that believeth shall be saved, let his sins, be ever so great; and he that believeth not shall be damned, let his sins be ever so little.

The number of difficulties makes the Christian's conquest the more illustrious. A gracious man should be made up all of fire, overcoming and consuming all opposition, as fire does the stubble. All difficulties should be but whetstones to his fortitude. (pg.50, 1860 edition)

Such as have made a considerable improvement of their gifts and graces, have hearts as large as their heads; whereas most men's heads have outgrown their hearts.

Works

Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices, Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh (Puritan Paperbacks), first published 1652, ISBN 0-85151-002-7

The Secret Key to Heaven: The Vital Importance of Private Prayer, Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh (Puritan Paperbacks), first published as 'The Privie Key of Heaven' 1665, ISBN 0-85151-924-5

Heaven on Earth: A Treatise on Christian Assurance, Banner of Truth Trust (Puritan Paperbacks), first published 1654, ISBN 0-85151-3565

A Mute Christian Under the Rod by Thomas Brooks, Old Paths Gospel Press, Choteau, MT USA

The Works of Thomas Brooks, Banner of Truth Trust, ISBN 0-85151-302-6

Quoternity