Private prayer - how can a Christian live without it? This may be a question very easy to answer to. How about this one: What can a Christian obtain by his prayers? Or, maybe, what can a Christian obtain by his private prayers when that Christian believes in a sovereign God, in a sovereign application of the providence of God? Puritan Thomas Brooks defines what private or closet prayer is, identifies its boundaries, and provides biblical answers to a mountain of questions and objections to private prayer and how a Christian can use it as a key to open the heaven, to obtain the answer from God. Private Prayer is not just another book on prayer, it has all the ingredients to rekindle your devotional life: sound doctrinal foundations, devotional warmth, Christ-centered content, and even Evangelistic thrust. This book has been originally published in 1665. Current edition has been proofread, typeset for eBook readers, and slightly updated for modern readers. About the author: Thomas Brooks (1608-1680) was an English non-conformist Puritan preacher and author. He wrote extensively and with a keen eye on devotional Christian life. Brooks died after over 40 years of Gospel ministry, in 1680.
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.
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