Smooth Stones taken from Ancient Brooks

‘As a writer, Brooks scatters stars with both his hands: he hath dust of gold; in his storehouse are all manner of precious stones.’ So wrote C.H. Spurgeon in his Preface to this book. He counted Thomas Brooks among his favourite Puritan authors, and it is not hard to see why. Brooks’ popularity lies both in his subjects – practical truths, central to the Christian life – and in the manner of his presentation. He is ever direct, urgent, fervent, full of Scripture, and able to choose words which make his sentences stick in one’s mind. This book is a collection of sentences, illustrations, and quaint sayings from this renowned Puritan. Gathered by Spurgeon out of the 6 volume set of Brooks’s Works, it remains an excellent introduction to both the man and his writings. Spurgeon continues, ‘Reader, thou hast here presented to thee, in a cheap and readable form, the choice sayings of one of the King’s mighties. The great divine who wrote these precious sentences was of the race of the giants. He was head and shoulders above all the people, not in his stature (like Saul), but in mind, and soul, and grace. Treasure these gems, and adorn thyself with them, by putting them into the golden setting of holy practice, which is the end the writer always aimed at. Use these “smooth stones” as David of old, and may the Lord direct them to the very forehead of thy sins, for this is the author’s main design! One of these pithy extracts may assist our meditations for a whole day, and may open up some sweet passage of Scripture to our understandings, and perhaps some brief sentence may stick in the sinner’s conscience, like an arrow from the bow of God. So prays the servant of Christ and his church.’ C.H. Spurgeon”.

Publisher: Banner of Truth
Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9781848711136

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Thomas Brook was born in 1608. He entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1625 and had spent several years at sea, perhaps as chaplain, and was licensed as a preacher by 1640. After England’s Civil War, Brooks served as pastor of London’s Thomas Apostle; in 1648, he preached before the House of Commons. He later became the subject of controversy when he refused baptism and the Lord’s Supper to people that weren’t walking faithfully with the Lord. Thomas Brooks books include a six-volume set titled The Works of Thomas Brooks, with each book also available individually. Other books include Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices (written to help people resist Satan’s seductive power), The Secret Key to Heaven ( which emphasizes the importance of private prayer) and Heaven on Earth, which reminds people there is no greater privilege than to be a child of God.

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‘25 years ago I stumbled across the writings of the Puritan Thomas Brooks when I found five volumes of his works for sale at £2 each in a Christian bookshop. I soon discovered that I had purchased a gold mine of Biblical truth for a pittance. Thomas Brooks writes in a rich and warm way, which is full of the imagery and illustrations that made him a favourite of C. H. Spurgeon. Spurgeon so liked his writings that (at the age of 21!) he collated and had published a selection of nearly 1,000 quotes and illustrations. This book is a re-print of that work and includes Spurgeon’s preface and memoir. It is best read in small chunks, with pauses for meditation. The subjects covered are varied and the contents profound. I hope that it acts as an aperitif, encouraging readers to buy the main course: the 6 volume set is still available from the Banner of Truth. Let us allow Thomas Brooks to speak for himself: ‘Christ is a pot of manna, a cruise of oil, a bottomless ocean of all comfort, content and satisfaction. He that has Him wants nothing. He that wants Him, enjoys nothing’ ‘There is no way to avoid perishing by Christ’s iron rod, but by kissing his golden sceptre.’ ‘God hears no more than the heart speaks; and if the heart be dumb, God will certainly be deaf.’ Alan Hill