A77614:240
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 third Remedy against this device1 of Satan, is, to consider this, that those vain and trifling thoughts that are cast2 into our souls, when we are waiting upon God in this or that religious service, if they are not cherished, and indulged, but abhorred, resisted, and disclaimed; they are not sins upon our souls, though they may be troubles to our minds, they shall not be put upon our accounts, nor keep mercies and blessings from being enjoyed by us; when a soul in uprightness can look God in the face, and say, Lord, when I approach near unto thee, there be a world of vain thoughts crowd in upon me, that do disturb my soul, and weaken my faith, and lessen my comfort, and spiritual strength; oh! these are my clog, my burden, my torment, my hell; oh! do justice upon these; free me from these that I may serve thee with more freeness, singleness, spiritualness, and sweetness of spirit. These thoughts may vex that soul, but they shall not harm that soul, ⟨p. 186⟩nor keep a blessing from that soul; If vain thoughts resisted and lamented, could stop the current of mercy, and render a soul unhappy, there would be none on earth that should ever taste of mercy, or be everlastingly happy, &c.
The third Remedie against this device1 of Satan, is, to consider this, that those vaine and trifling thoughts that are cast2 into our soules, when we are waiting upon God in this or that religious service, if they are not cherished, and indulged, but abhorred, resisted, and disclaimed; they are not sins upon our soules, though they may be troubles to our mindes, they shall not be put upon our accounts, nor keep mercies and blessings from being injoyed by us; when a soule in uprightnesse can look God in the face, and say, Lord, when I approach neer unto thee, there be a world of vain thoughts croud in upon me, that do disturb my soule, and weaken my faith, and lessen my comfort, and spirituall strength; oh! these are my clog, my burden, my torment, my hell; oh! do justice upon these; free me from these that I may serve thee with more freenesse, singlenesse, spiritualnesse, and sweetnesse of spirit. These thoughts may vexe that soule, but they shall not harm that soul,