A77614:125
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.
The fifth Remedy against this Device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that outward things are not as they seem, and are esteemed; they have indeed a glorious outside, but if you view their insides, you will easily find that they fill the head full of cares, and the heart full of fears; what if the fire should consume one part of my estate, and the sea should be a grave to swallow up another part of my estate; what if my servants should be unfaithful abroad, and my children should be deceitful at home? ah the secret fretting, vexing, and gnawing, that doth daily, yea hourly, attend those mens souls, whose hands are full of worldly goods. 'Twas a good speech of an Emperor, you (said he) gaze on my purple Robe, •nd golden Crown, but did you know what cares are under it, you would not take it up from the ground to have it. 'Twas a true saying of Augustine on the 26 Psalm, many are2 miserable by loving hurtful things, but they are more miserable by having them. It is not what men enjoy, but the principle from whence it comes, that makes men happy; much of these outward things do usually cause great distraction, great vexation, and great condemnation at last, to the possessors of ⟨p. 82⟩them; if God gives them in his wrath, & do not sanctify them in his love, they will at last be witnesses against a man, and racks to torture and torment a man, and millstones for ever to sink a man, in that day, when God shall call men to an account, not for the use, but for the abuse of mercy.
The fift Remedy against this Device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to confider, that outward things are not as they seem, and are esteemed; they have indeed a glorious outside, but if you view their insides, you will easily find that they fill the head full of cares, and the heart full of feares; what if the fire should consume one part of my estate, and the sea should be a grave to swallow up another part of my estate; what if my servants should be unfaithfull abroad, and my children should be deceitful at home? ah the secret fretting, vexing, and gnawing, that doth daily, yea hourly, attend those mens souls, whose hands are full of worldly goods. 'Twas a good speech of an Emperour, you (said he) gaze on my purple Robe, nd golden Crown, but did you know what cares are under it, you would not take it up from the ground to have it. 'Twas a true saying of Augustine on the 26 Psalm, many are