A77614:102
Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices
Precious remedies against Satan's devices or, salve for believers and unbelievers sores. Being a companion for those that are in Christ, or out of Christ; that are high, or low, learned, or illiterate, staggering, or wandering; that slight, or neglect ordinances, under a pretence of living above them; that are growing (in spirituals) or decaying; that are tempted, or deserted, afflicted, or opposed; that have assurance, or that want assurance; that are self-seekers, or the common-wealths caterpillars; that are in love sweetly united, or that yet have their spirits too much embittered, &c. By Thomas Brooks, a willing servant unto God, and the faith of his people, in the glorious gospel of Christ, at Margarets fish-street hill.Precious remedies against Satans devices or, salve for believers and unbelievers sores. Being a companion for those that are in Christ, or out of Christ; that are high, or low, learned, or illiterate, staggering, or wandering; that slight, or neglect ordinances, under a pretence of living above them; that are growing (in spiritualls) or decaying; that are tempted, or deserted, afflicted, or opposed; that have assurance, or that want assurance; that are self-seekers, or the common-wealths caterpillars; that are in love sweetly united, or that yet have their spirits too much imbittered, &c. By Thomas Brookes, a willing servant unto God, and the faith of his people, in the glorious gospel of Christ, at Margarets fish-street hill.
London: printed by M. Simmons for John Hancock, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
that is, only negative righteousness and holiness is no righteousness nor holiness; David fulfilled all the wills of God, and had respect unto all his Commandments, and so had ⟨p. 54⟩Zechariah and Elizabeth. 'Tis not enough that the Tree bears not ill fruit; but, it must bring forth good fruit, else, it must be cut down, and east into the fire: So, 'tis not enough that you are not thus and thus wicked, but you must be thus and thus gracious, and good, else Divine Justice will put the Axe of Divine Vengeance to the root of your souls, and cut you off for ever. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire; besides, Repentance doth include a sensibleness of sins sinfulness, how opposite and contrary 'tis to the blessed God: God is light, sin is darkness, God is life, sin is death, God is Heaven, sin is hell, God is beauty, sin is deformity. Also true Repentance includes a sensibleness of sins mischievousness, how it cast Angels out of Heaven, and Adam out of Paradise; how it laid the first corner-stone in hell, and brought in all the curses, crosses, and miseries, that be in the world, and how it makes men liable to all temporal, spiritual, and eternal wrath; how it hath made men Godless, Christless, hopeless, and heavenlesse in this world: further, true repentance doth include sorrow for sin, contrition of heart; it breaks the heart with sighs and sobs, and groans, for that a loving God, and Father is by sin ⟨p. 55⟩offended, a blessed Saviour a fresh crucified, and the sweet Comforter, the Spirit,1 grieved and vexed. Again, Repentance doth include, not only a loathing of sin, but also a loathing of our selves for sin; as a man doth not only loath poison, but he loathes the very dish or vessel that hath the smell of the poison: so a true Penitent doth not only loath his sin, but he loathes himself, the vessel that still smells of sin. So Ezek. 20. 43. And there shall ye remember your ways and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have committed; true Repentance will work your hearts, not only to loath your sins, but also to loath your selves. Again, true Repentance doth not only work a man to loath himself for his sins, but it makes him ashamed of his sin also. What fruit have ye of those things, whereof ye are (now) ashamed?