A77614:109
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.
Now the Remedies against this Device are these that follow.
The first Remedy, is, solemnly to1 dwell upon those Scriptures that do expressly command us to avoid the occasions of sin, and the least appearance of evil. 1 Thess. 5. 22. Abstain from all 2appearance of evil; whatsoever is heterodox, unsound, and unsavoury, shun it, as you would do a Serpent in your way, or poison in your meats. Theodosius tare the Arians Arguments, presented to him in writing, because he found them repugnant to the Scriptures; and Augustine retracted even Ironies only, because they had the appearance of lying. When God had commanded the Jews to abstain from Swines flesh, they would not so much as name it, but in their common talk would call a Sow another thing. To abstain from all appearance of evil, is to do nothing wherein sin appears, or which hath a shadow of sin. Bernard glosseth finely,3 Whatever is of an ill show, or of ill report, that he may neither wound conscience, nor credit; we must shun, and be shy of the very show and shadow of sin, if either we tender our credit abroad, or our comfort at home. It was ⟨p. 67⟩good counsel that Livia gave her Husband4 Augustus; it behoveth thee, not only not to do wrong, but not to seem to do so, &c. So