Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices

The sixth Remedy against this Device¹ of Satan, is, to get better acquaintance, and better assurance of more blessed, and glorious things. That² which raised up their spirits, in the tenth and 11th of the Hebrews, to trample upon all the beauty, bravery, and glory of the world, was their acquaintance with, and assurance of better and more durable things. They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves, that they had in Heaven a better, and a more durable substance. They ³looked for a house that had foundations, whose builder and maker was God; And they looked for another Country, even an heavenly. They saw him that was invisible, and had an eye to the recompense of reward; ⟨p. 136⟩And this made them count all the glory and bravery of this world, to be poor, and contemptible for them, to set their hearts upon. The main reason why men dote upon the world, and damn their souls to get the world, is, because they are not acquainted with a greater glory. Men ate Acorns, till they were acquainted with the use of wheat. Ah! were men more acquainted with what union and communion with God means; what 'tis to have a new name, and a new stone, that none knows, but he that hath it; did they but taste more of Heaven, and live more in Heaven, and had more glorious hopes of going to Heaven; ah! how easily would they have the Moon under their feet. It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bavyer, Emperor of Germany, ^*such goods are worth getting, and owning as will not sink, or wash away, if a shipwreck happen, but will wade and swim out with us. It is recorded of Lazarus, that after his resurrection from the dead, he was never seen to laugh, his thoughts and affections were so sixth in Heaven, though his body was on earth; and therefore he could not but slight temporal things,⁵ his heart being so bent, and set upon eternals. There are goods of the throne of grace; as God, Christ, the ⟨p. 137⟩