Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices

Name: Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices
Author: Thomas Brooks

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.

Thomas Brooks 1608–1680London: printed by M. Simmons for John Hancock, 1653

[22], 378, [16] · 86k words · Wing B4954

Title page typeset from the transcription.

PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATANS Devices. › Now the general Remedies against this Device of Satan are these th…: Now the general Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATANS Devices. › Now the generall Remedies against this Device of Satan are these th…: Now the generall Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

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.

[ Earlier:157–172 of 565

:157p. 111–112

Ah souls! as you would not have your judgements polluted, and defiled¹ with error, let the word of the Lord that is more precious then gold, yea, then fine gold, dwell plenteously in you. 'Tis not the hearing of truth, nor the knowing of truth, nor the commending of truth, nor the talking of truth, but the indwelling of truth in your souls, that will keep your judgements chaste and sound, in the middest of all those glistering errors, that betray many souls into his hands, that can easily transform himself into an Angel of light, that he may draw others to lye in chains of darkness with him for ever. Oh! let not the word be a stranger, but make it your choicest familiar; then will you be able to stand in the day, wherein many shall fall on your right hand, and on your left, by the subtlety of those that shall say, lo here is Christ, and lo there is Christ. There was more wit, then grace, in his speech, that counselled his friend, not to come too nigh unto truth, least his teeth should be beaten out with its heels. ⟨p. 112⟩Ah souls! if truth dwell plenteously in² you, you are happy, if not, you are unhappy under all your greatest felicity. It is with truth, saith Melancton, as 'tis with holy water, every one praised it, and thought it had some rare virtue in it, but offer to sprinkle them with it, and they will shut their eyes, and turn away their faces from it.

Ah soules! as you would not have your judgements polluted, and defiled¹ with errour, let the word of the Lord that is more precious then gold, yea, then fine gold, dwell plenteously in you. 'Tis not the hearing of truth, nor the knowing of truth, nor the commending of truth, nor the talking of truth, but the indwelling of truth in your souls, that will keep your judgements chaste and sound, in the middest of all those glistering errours, that betray many souls into his hands, that can easily transforme himselfe into an Angel of light, that he may draw others to lye in chaines of darknesse with him for ever. Oh! let not the word be a stranger, but make it your choicest familiar; then will you be able to stand in the day, wherein many shall fall on your right hand, and on your left, by the subtilty of those that shall say, loe here is Christ, and loe there is Christ. There was more wit, then grace, in his speech, that counselled his friend, not to come too nigh unto truth, least his teeth should be beaten out with its heels.

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

The second thing to be showed is, the several Devices that Satan hath (as to draw souls to sin, so) to keep souls from holy duties, to hinder souls in holy Services, and to keep them off from Religious performances.

The second thing to be shewed is, the severall Devices that Satan hath (as to draw soules to sin, so) to keep soules from holy duties, to hinder soules in holy Services, and to keep them off from Religious performances.

The author

Transcription key

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

The second thing to be showed is, the several Devices that Satan hath (as to draw souls to sin, so) to keep souls from holy duties, to hinder souls in holy Services, and to keep them off from Religious performances.

The second thing to be shewed is, the severall Devices that Satan hath (as to draw soules to sin, so) to keep soules from holy duties, to hinder soules in holy Services, and to keep them off from Religious performances.

The author

Transcription key