A77614:238
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 first Remedy against this device1 of Satan, is, to have your hearts strongly affected with the greatness, holiness, Majesty, and glory of that God, before whom you stand, and with whom your souls do converse in religious services; Oh! let your souls be greatly affected with the presence, purity, and majesty of that God before whom thou standest. A man would be afraid of playing with a feather, when he is speaking to a King; ah! when men have poor, low, light, slight, &c. thoughts of God, in their drawing near to God, they tempt the Devil to bestir himself, and to cast in a multitude of vain thoughts to disturb and distract the soul in its waiting on God. There is nothing that will contribute so much to the keeping out of vain thoughts, as to look upon God as an omniscient God, an ⟨p. 184⟩omnipresent God, an omnipotent God, a God full of all glorious perfections; a God, whose Majesty, purity, and glory will not suffer him to behold the least iniquity. The reason why the blessed Saints, and glorious Angels in Heaven have not so much as one vain thought, is, because they are greatly affected with the greatness, holiness, majesty, purity, and glory of God.
THe first Remedie against this device1 of Satan, is, to have your hearts strongly affected with the greatnesse, holinesse, Majesty, and glory of that God, before whom you stand, and with whom your souls do converse in religious services; Oh! let your souls be greatly affected with the presence, purity, and majesty of that God before whom thou standest. A man would be afraid of playing with a feather, when he is speaking to a King; ah! when men have poor, low, light, slight, &c. thoughts of God, in their drawing neer to God, they tempt the Devill to bestir himselfe, and to cast in a multitude of vaine thoughts to disturb and distract the soul in its waiting on God. There is nothing that will contribute so much to the keeping out of vaine thoughts, as to looke upon God as an omniscient God, an ⟨p. 184⟩omnipresent God, an omnipotent God, a God full of all glorious perfections; a God, whose Majestie, purity, and glory wil not suffer him to behold the least iniquity. The reason why the blessed Saints, and glorious Angells in Heaven have not so much as one vaine thought, is, because they are greatly affected with the greatnesse, holinesse, majesty, purity, and glory of God.