Thomas Brooks: Encouragement to Prayer from The Secret Key to Heaven

About the Author

Thomas Brooks (1608-80). One of a number of Puritan nonconformist preachers who emerged from Emanuel College, Cambridge, where his fellow students, it appears, would have included John Milton and the famous trio of New England divines, Thomas Shepard, and John Cotton, and Thomas Hooker, the spiritual founders of Massachusetts. Brooks’ life’s history is relatively obscure. He was known as a humble man who shunned the public spotlight, but loved ministering to the saints. He authored over a dozen books including Heaven on Earth, about the blessedness of the Christian experience, and The Secret Key to Heaven, an encouragement to private prayer. He placed none of his educational degrees on his title pages, preferring instead merely “Preacher of the Gospel,” “Preacher of the Word,” or on one occasion, “Thomas Brooks, a weak and unworthy Teacher of the Gospel at Thomas Apostles, London.” His preaching was apparently noteworthy enough to have earned him the opportunity to preach before Parliament in 1648, and most of his books were written in his later years. His friend John Reeve described him as a man of “a very sweet nature and temper,” “very great gravity,” “very large charity,” “wonderful patience,” and “a very strong faith in the promises of both worlds.”

An Encouragement to Prayer

from The Secret Key to Heaven

by Thomas Brooks

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray,
and not to faint." (Luke 18:1)

Some may say, when exhorted to pray, Oh but we cannot pray alone; we are lacking those gifts and endowments which others have; we are tongue-tied and know not how to pour out our souls before God in a corner; we would willingly pray, but we lack the ability to pour out our souls before the Lord in secret.”

Consider first, that God's dearest children may sometimes be shut up; they may with Zacharias, for a time, be rendered speechless, Luke 1:20; Ps 77:4. "I am so troubled that I cannot speak," Ps 38:9. "Lord, all my desire is before thee: and my groaning is not hid from thee." God's dearest children have sometimes been so shut up, that they have been able to say nothing, nor to do nothing but groan. A child of God may sometimes meet with such a blow from God, from conscience, from Scripture, from Satan, from the world, that may for a time so astonish him that he may not be able to speak to God, nor speak to others, nor speak to his own heart. Look, as the Holy Spirit is not always a teaching Spirit, nor always a leading Spirit, nor always a comforting Spirit, nor always a sealing Spirit, nor always a witnessing Spirit, nor always an assuring Spirit to any of the saints; so he is not always a supplicating Spirit in any of the saints. When he is grieved, vexed, quenched, provoked, he may suspend his gracious influences, and deny the soul his assistance; and what can a Christian then say or do? But,

Consider secondly, Thou canst not pray; but canst thou not sigh, nor groan neither? There may be the Spirit of adoption in sighs and groans, as well as in vocal prayer, Rom 8:26. The force, the virtue, the efficacy, the excellency of prayer doth not consist in the number and flourish of words, but in the supernatural motions of the Spirit, in sighs, and groans, and pangs, and strong affections of heart, that are unspeakable and unutterable. Certainly, the very soul of prayer lies in the pouring out of a man's soul before the Lord, though it be but in sighs, groans, and tears, 1 Sam 1:13-19. One sigh and groan from a broken heart, is better pleasing to God, than all human eloquence. But,

Consider thirdly, I answer, Beg of God to teach thee to pray. Oh beg the Holy Spirit, that is a Spirit of prayer. God hath promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask it, Luke 11:13. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him!" Ezek 36:26-27. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them," Ezek 11:19. "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh," Zech 12:10. "I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication."

Now gracious promises are God's bonds, and he loves to see his people put them in suit. God expects that we should be his remembrancers, and that we should pray over his promises, Isa 62:6-7; Isa 42:25-26. When he had promised great things to his people concerning justification, sanctification, and preservation, he subjoins, "Yet, I will for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it," Ezek 36:37. God looks that we should spread his gracious promises before him, as Hezekiah did Sennacherib's letter, Isa 37:14. God is never better pleased than when his people importune him in his own words, and urge him with arguments taken from his own promises. Though God be a very affectionate father, and a very liberal father, yet he is not a prodigal father, for he will never throw away his mercies on such as will not stoutly and humbly plead out his promises with him. God loves to take state upon him, and will be sought unto, both for his giving in of mercies, and for his making good of precious promises. Thou sayest thou canst not pray; why! cast thou not go into a corner, and spread the promises last cited before the Lord, and tell him how much it concerns his honour and glory, as well as thy own internal and eternal good, to make good those gracious promises that he hath made concerning his giving of his Spirit to them that ask him, and his putting his Spirit within them, and his pouring out a Spirit of grace and supplication upon them?

We read of Tamar, Gen 38:18,25, that when Judah her father-in-law lay with her, she took as a pledge his signet, bracelets, and staff; and afterwards, when she was in great distress, and ready to be burnt as an harlot, she then brought out her staff, and signet, and bracelets, and said, "By the man whose these are, am I with child," and thereby she saved her life. The promises are as so many rich mines, they are as so many choice flowers of paradise, they are the food, life, and strength of the soul. They are as a staff to support the soul, and they are as a signet and bracelets to adorn the soul, and to enrich the soul; and therefore poor sinners should bring them forth, and lay them before the Lord, and urge God with them, there being no way on earth to save a man's soul, and to prevent a burning in hell like this. Concerning precious promises, let me give you these eight hints.

[1.] First, That they are truly propounded and stated by God, Mark 10:30.

[2.] Secondly, That they shall certainly be performed, 2 Cor 1:20, they being all made in and through Christ. They are made first to Christ, and then to all that have union and communion with him. Sirtorius, saith Plutarch, paid what he promised with fair words; but so doth not God. Men many times say and unsay; they often eat their words as soon as they have spoken them; but God will never eat the words that are gone out of his mouth: Isa 46:10-11, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass: I have purposed it, I will also do it."

[3.] Thirdly, That they all issue from free grace, from special love, from divine goodness, Hos 14:4.

[4.] Fourthly, That they are all as unchangeable as he is that made them, Jer 31:3.

[5.] Fifthly, That they are all bottomed and founded upon the truth, faithfulness, and all-sufficiency of God, Mal 3:6.

[6.] Sixthly, That they are pledges and pawns of great things that God will do for his people in time, Heb 13:5.

[7.] Seventhly, That they are most sure and certain evidences of divine favour, and a declaration of the heart and goodwill of God to his poor people, Heb 6:12; Num 23:19.

[8.] Eighthly, That they are the price of Christ's blood.

Now how should all these things encourage poor souls to be still a-pressing of God with his promises. But,

Consider fourthly, You say you cannot pray, etc. Oh that you would leave off objecting, and fall upon praying. If you cannot pray as you would, nor as you should, pray as well as you can. Joseph's brethren stood so long dallying, and delaying, and trifling out the time, that, having a journey to go to buy corn, they might have bought and returned twice before they went and bought once. When Elijah called Elisha, be goes about the bush, and he must needs go bid his father and mother farewell before he could follow the prophet, 1 Kings 19:20. O friends! take heed of dallying, delaying, trifling, and going about the bush, when you should be a-falling upon the work of prayer. What though with Hannah thou canst but weep out a prayer, or with Moses stammer out a prayer, or with Hezekiah chatter out a prayer, yet do as well as thou canst, and thou shalt find acceptance with God: 2 Cor 8:12, "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not."



	About the Author Thomas Brooks (1608-80). One of a number of Puritan nonconformist preachers who emerged from Emanuel College, Cambridge, where his fellow students, it appears, would have included John Milton and the famous trio of New England divines, Thomas Shepard, and John Cotton, and Thomas Hooker, the spiritual founders of Massachusetts. Brooks’ life’s history is relatively obscure. He was known as a humble man who shunned the public spotlight, but loved ministering to the saints. He authored over a dozen books including Heaven on Earth, about the blessedness of the Christian experience, and The Secret Key to Heaven, an encouragement to private prayer. He placed none of his educational degrees on his title pages, preferring instead merely “Preacher of the Gospel,” “Preacher of the Word,” or on one occasion, “Thomas Brooks, a weak and unworthy Teacher of the Gospel at Thomas Apostles, London.” His preaching was apparently noteworthy enough to have earned him the opportunity to preach before Parliament in 1648, and most of his books were written in his later years. His friend John Reeve described him as a man of “a very sweet nature and temper,” “very great gravity,” “very large charity,” “wonderful patience,” and “a very strong faith in the promises of both worlds.” An Encouragement to Prayer from The Secret Key to Heaven by Thomas Brooks "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." (Luke 18:1) Some may say, when exhorted to pray, Oh but we cannot pray alone; we are lacking those gifts and endowments which others have; we are tongue-tied and know not how to pour out our souls before God in a corner; we would willingly pray, but we lack the ability to pour out our souls before the Lord in secret.” Consider first, that God's dearest children may sometimes be shut up; they may with Zacharias, for a time, be rendered speechless, Luke 1:20; Ps 77:4. "I am so troubled that I cannot speak," Ps 38:9. "Lord, all my desire is before thee: and my groaning is not hid from thee." God's dearest children have sometimes been so shut up, that they have been able to say nothing, nor to do nothing but groan. A child of God may sometimes meet with such a blow from God, from conscience, from Scripture, from Satan, from the world, that may for a time so astonish him that he may not be able to speak to God, nor speak to others, nor speak to his own heart. Look, as the Holy Spirit is not always a teaching Spirit, nor always a leading Spirit, nor always a comforting Spirit, nor always a sealing Spirit, nor always a witnessing Spirit, nor always an assuring Spirit to any of the saints; so he is not always a supplicating Spirit in any of the saints. When he is grieved, vexed, quenched, provoked, he may suspend his gracious influences, and deny the soul his assistance; and what can a Christian then say or do? But, Consider secondly, Thou canst not pray; but canst thou not sigh, nor groan neither? There may be the Spirit of adoption in sighs and groans, as well as in vocal prayer, Rom 8:26. The force, the virtue, the efficacy, the excellency of prayer doth not consist in the number and flourish of words, but in the supernatural motions of the Spirit, in sighs, and groans, and pangs, and strong affections of heart, that are unspeakable and unutterable. Certainly, the very soul of prayer lies in the pouring out of a man's soul before the Lord, though it be but in sighs, groans, and tears, 1 Sam 1:13-19. One sigh and groan from a broken heart, is better pleasing to God, than all human eloquence. But, Consider thirdly, I answer, Beg of God to teach thee to pray. Oh beg the Holy Spirit, that is a Spirit of prayer. God hath promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask it, Luke 11:13. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him!" Ezek 36:26-27. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them," Ezek 11:19. "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh," Zech 12:10. "I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication." Now gracious promises are God's bonds, and he loves to see his people put them in suit. God expects that we should be his remembrancers, and that we should pray over his promises, Isa 62:6-7; Isa 42:25-26. When he had promised great things to his people concerning justification, sanctification, and preservation, he subjoins, "Yet, I will for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it," Ezek 36:37. God looks that we should spread his gracious promises before him, as Hezekiah did Sennacherib's letter, Isa 37:14. God is never better pleased than when his people importune him in his own words, and urge him with arguments taken from his own promises. Though God be a very affectionate father, and a very liberal father, yet he is not a prodigal father, for he will never throw away his mercies on such as will not stoutly and humbly plead out his promises with him. God loves to take state upon him, and will be sought unto, both for his giving in of mercies, and for his making good of precious promises. Thou sayest thou canst not pray; why! cast thou not go into a corner, and spread the promises last cited before the Lord, and tell him how much it concerns his honour and glory, as well as thy own internal and eternal good, to make good those gracious promises that he hath made concerning his giving of his Spirit to them that ask him, and his putting his Spirit within them, and his pouring out a Spirit of grace and supplication upon them? We read of Tamar, Gen 38:18,25, that when Judah her father-in-law lay with her, she took as a pledge his signet, bracelets, and staff; and afterwards, when she was in great distress, and ready to be burnt as an harlot, she then brought out her staff, and signet, and bracelets, and said, "By the man whose these are, am I with child," and thereby she saved her life. The promises are as so many rich mines, they are as so many choice flowers of paradise, they are the food, life, and strength of the soul. They are as a staff to support the soul, and they are as a signet and bracelets to adorn the soul, and to enrich the soul; and therefore poor sinners should bring them forth, and lay them before the Lord, and urge God with them, there being no way on earth to save a man's soul, and to prevent a burning in hell like this. Concerning precious promises, let me give you these eight hints. [1.] First, That they are truly propounded and stated by God, Mark 10:30. [2.] Secondly, That they shall certainly be performed, 2 Cor 1:20, they being all made in and through Christ. They are made first to Christ, and then to all that have union and communion with him. Sirtorius, saith Plutarch, paid what he promised with fair words; but so doth not God. Men many times say and unsay; they often eat their words as soon as they have spoken them; but God will never eat the words that are gone out of his mouth: Isa 46:10-11, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass: I have purposed it, I will also do it." [3.] Thirdly, That they all issue from free grace, from special love, from divine goodness, Hos 14:4. [4.] Fourthly, That they are all as unchangeable as he is that made them, Jer 31:3. [5.] Fifthly, That they are all bottomed and founded upon the truth, faithfulness, and all-sufficiency of God, Mal 3:6. [6.] Sixthly, That they are pledges and pawns of great things that God will do for his people in time, Heb 13:5. [7.] Seventhly, That they are most sure and certain evidences of divine favour, and a declaration of the heart and goodwill of God to his poor people, Heb 6:12; Num 23:19. [8.] Eighthly, That they are the price of Christ's blood. Now how should all these things encourage poor souls to be still a-pressing of God with his promises. But, Consider fourthly, You say you cannot pray, etc. Oh that you would leave off objecting, and fall upon praying. If you cannot pray as you would, nor as you should, pray as well as you can. Joseph's brethren stood so long dallying, and delaying, and trifling out the time, that, having a journey to go to buy corn, they might have bought and returned twice before they went and bought once. When Elijah called Elisha, be goes about the bush, and he must needs go bid his father and mother farewell before he could follow the prophet, 1 Kings 19:20. O friends! take heed of dallying, delaying, trifling, and going about the bush, when you should be a-falling upon the work of prayer. What though with Hannah thou canst but weep out a prayer, or with Moses stammer out a prayer, or with Hezekiah chatter out a prayer, yet do as well as thou canst, and thou shalt find acceptance with God: 2 Cor 8:12, "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not."