'For a conclusion of all by way of prefix'-here in part appro ing the words of Cawdrey and Palmer in the Epistle to their Sabb Redivivum (1645. Pt. I.)-I have but one word or two mo say, and that by way of earnest entreaty.' These 'Works,' reader full as the honey-comb of exceeding great and precious' TRUTH mere stately scholarliness, curious questioning, nice casuistry, v phrases. Therefore, I pray "That thou wilt do the Truth that rig to yield to and practise what thou art convinced of." Consider' I say, 'and the Lord give thee and me understanding and grace things through Jesus Christ. So prays, Thine in Him,' ALEXANDER B. GROSA 308 UPPER PARLIAMENT STREET, LIVERPOOL, May 1866. MEMOIR OF THOMAS BROOKS. IT IT is long since one said in his own quaintly-pensive way, knows whether the best men be known, or whether there be more remarkable persons forgot, than any that stand remembere the known account of Time? Our endeavours towards elucidating Lives of the Worthies embraced in these series of reprints, as we the like experience of all who have sought to trace the footprin shy, sequestered goodness, as distinguished from noisy and n 'greatness,' so-called-satisfy us, that Sir Thomas Browne never w truer words. Light-that shoots its silver arrows unbrokenly a the abysses between the sun and our earth, and yet ruffles not ti feather of bird's wing, or drop of dew in flower-cup-is a more p thing than lightning; but, lacking the thunder-roar after it, in v account is the weaker, albeit the thunder comes from no higher the clouds. Similarly, the 'hidden ones'-who are really the men'-have been in by far too many cases outblazoned by creature of circumstance. It needs a wider and intenser sky than to show some stars; and not until the new heavens' dome the earth' will the truly 'great' names shine excellingly. RICH SIBBES, with rare fineness of thought and felicitousness of wording 'weighed the two fames-and his 'counsel' may fittingly con here. Let us commit the fame and credit,' says he, of what w or do to God. He will take care of that: let us take care to be a do as we should, and then for noise and report, let it be good or God will send it. If we seek to be in the mouths of men, to in the talk and speech of men, God will abhor us. Therefor us labour to be good in secret. Christians should be as minerals in the depth of the earth. That which is least seen is his (the C 1 Works by Wilkin, iii. page 492 (4 vols. 8vo, 1836). We should have our treasure deep; for the discovery of be ready when we are called to it; and for all other accilet it fall out as God in his wisdom sees good. . . . God il enough to get us applause. . . . As much reputation as an will follow him, in being and doing what he should. to that. Therefore we should not set up sails to our own that unless we be carried with the wind of applause, to be d not go a whit forward; but we should be carried with God, and with a holy desire to serve God and our brethren, the good we can, and never care for the speeches of the We shall have glory enough, and be known enough to gels, and men, ere long. Therefore, as Christ lived a that is, He was not known what He was, that so He might 'ation, so let us be content to be hidden ones. THERE SURRECTION OF CREDITS, as well as of bodies. We'll have BY-AND-BY." es of Sibbes himself, and Airay, and King, and Stock, and Bernard, and Marbury, and indeed nearly all, I have had e paucity of materials for anything like adequate Memoirs. in ever have I to do so in relation to THOMAS BROOKS. If e himself would have relished, may be allowed, his memory vay like the summer brooks.' This is all the more regrethis books are vital and influential as at first-his name still and loved one to myriads. Only the other day we chanced on-volume that tells of strength and comfort gained from way on the other side of that India which in his days was as as wonder-land. I may as well give the pathetic little bit. among the Karens writes: Two days passed when they saying the money was all gone. At first I felt disposed to but turned to my closet for an hour, giving the time to to my dear little help-book "Precious Remedies against ices." In that time God taught me what to do, and s given for the day.' Verily 'he, being dead, yet 2 planations suggest themselves as to the absence of mepoks's outward-life. appens that the Registers' of his University are singue at the period of his attendance; so much so that even the Historian was moved to these severe censures : 'Hitherven in the list of the yearly Commencers, but now must et Thomas Smith, University-Register, bear the blame, I.; Memoir, pp. xxiii, xxiv. ountain Men, or Sketches of Mission Work among the Karens. By Mrs h. 1862. (Nisbet.) in about this year, e one saith, Cum fuit A 3 The Fire' of L Court and other author memory of this 'dead It is not ascertained Emo, Lives of the Pur son, of the Metropolita who, about this year, entering into his office, was so negligent one saith, Cum fuit Academiæ a memoria, omnia tradidit obl I can hardly in-hold from inveighing on his memory, carel being dishonesty in public persons so entrusted." · '1 (2.) He was excluded from the 'Worthies' of Fuller by his ru 'the living' were omitted.'' How often the reader sighs ov dismissal of other names as still 'surviving.'" (3.) The Fire' of London destroyed the MSS. of Ashe, and fellow-labourers who had collected for the Lives of the elder ar Puritans, including 'The Ejected' of 1662. Beyond all q Thomas Brooks held an honoured place therein. Then again th 'Fire,' destroying the different Churches in which Brooks off destroyed with them all their Registers and Records. So tha court and other authorities are blank in respect of dates, and everything else. Add to all this, his own singularly retice modest hiding' of self-his absolute indifference to fame, oth the love of those who might 'profit' by his writings: and he y for that, as the close of his Epistles Dedicatory' shew. As it is, after having expended fully the maximum of labo 'painfulness'-as the old Divines say,-in seeking to illumi memory of this 'dead Saint,' I can only offer a minimum of and yet our little is relatively large to what has hithert known. 5 It is not ascertained in what city, town, or village Thomas was born: not even in what county. The very nativeness of his has multiplied the difficulties of determining it. In this fair En 'brooks' flash by meadow and woodland everywhere; and as fa and frequent is his name. Certain turns of expression, certa parently local words, occurring in his volumes, have made us feel a that in this County or in that we should discover his family : the phrase and word proved to be common to many and our to for nothing, save morsels of fact about others, unexpectedly turni From his Will'-which we have discovered, and print for th time-we fondly hoped to trace him to Berkshire: but again w appointed, spite of complete and carefully preserved Register all courtesy and helpfulness from their custodiers. From a Mer again, of Lancashire Worthies,' by the saintly Oliver Heywood 1 Fuller's History of the University of Cambridge,' page 208. • Ibid., page 207. 3 Ibid., page 206. • Brook, 'Lives of the Puritans,' vol. iii., sub nominibus. 5 Mr Spurgeon plays on the name in his little volume of sentences from writings, entitling it, 'Smooth Stones taken from Ancient Brooks. By the Re Spurgeon, of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Being a Collection of Sentences, tions, and Quaint Sayings, from the Works of that Renowned Puritan, Thomas (32mo, pp. xv. 296.) |