A String of Pearls

This publication is a funeral sermon and dedicatory work by Thomas Brooks, preached upon the death of Mrs. Mary Blake, late wife of merchant Nicholas Blake and daughter of Thomas and Martha Matthews. The text constitutes the tenth edition of Brooks's "A String of Pearls: Or The Best Things Reserved Till Last."

The work opens with an extended dedicatory epistle addressing the bereaved family, offering spiritual consolation through theological reflection. Brooks urges the mourners to contemplate Mrs. Blake's heavenly exchange—from earthly suffering to eternal perfection—and to find comfort in Christ rather than dwelling upon their loss. He cites scripture and classical exempla (including Plutarch's account of Phocion's wife) to support his exhortation.

The sermon proper praises Mrs. Blake's spiritual qualities: her inward, experimental knowledge of Christ; her sincere and plain-hearted Christian character; her richness in spiritual experiences; and her private devotion toward Heaven. Brooks emphasizes her authenticity as a believer, contrasting her genuine faith with hypocritical professors, and notes her significance as a visible fruit of his ministry.