A77614:141
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.
Again, afflictions they serve to revive and recover decayed graces, they infame that love that's cold, and they quicken that faith that is decaying, and they put life into those hopes that are withering, and spirits into those joys and comforts that are languishing. Musk (saith one) when it hath lost its sweetness, if it be put into the sink amongst ⟨p. 95⟩filth, it recovers it: so do afflictions recover and revive decayed graces. The more Saints be beaten with the hammer of afflictions, the more they are made the Trumpets of Gods praises, and the more are their graces revived and quickened. Adversity abases the loveliness of the world, that might entice us; it abates the Justinesse of the flesh within, that might incite us to folly and vanity, and it abets the spirit in his quarrel, to the two former, which tends much to the reviving and recovering decayed graces. Now suppose afflictions, and troubles do attend the ways of holiness, yet seeing that they all work for the great profit, and singular advantage of the Saints, let no soul be so mad, as to leave an afflicted way of holiness, to walk in a smooth path of wickedness.
Again, afflictions they serve to revive and recover decayed graces, they infame that love that's cold, and they quicken that faith that is decaying, and they put life into those hopes that are withering, and spirits into those joyes and comforts that are languishing. Musk (saith one) when it hath lost its sweetnesse, if it be put into the sink amongst ⟨p. 95⟩filth, it recovers it: so doe afflictions recover and revive decayed graces. The more Saints be beaten with the hammer of afflictions, the more they are made the Trumpets of Gods praises, and the more are their graces revived and quickned. Adversity abases the lovelinesse of the world, that might intice us; it abates the Iustinesse of the flesh within, that might incite us to folly and vanity, and it abets the spirit in his quarrell, to the two former, which tends much to the reviving and recovering decayed graces. Now suppose afflictions, and troubles doe attend the wayes of holinesse, yet seeing that they all work for the great profit, and singular advantage of the Saints, let no soul be so mad, as to leave an afflicted way of holinesse, to walk in a smooth path of wickednesse.