A77614:266
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.
BY working them to make false definitions of their graces: Satan knows, that as false definitions of sin wrong the soul one way, so false definitions of grace wrong the soul another way.
BY working them to make false definitions of their graces: Satan knows, that as false definitions of sinne wrong the soule one way, so false definitions of grace wrong the soule another way.
I will instance only in faith; oh! how doth Satan labour might and main to work men to make false definitions of faith; Some he works to define faith too high, as that it is a full assurance of the love of God to a mans soul in particular, or a full persuasion of the pardon, and remission of a mans own sins in particular; saith Satan, what dost thou talk of faith? faith is an assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of sin, and this thou hast not; thou knowest thou art far off from this, therefore thou hast no faith; and by drawing men to make such a false definition of faith, he keeps them in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, and makes them spend their days in sorrow and sighing, ⟨p. 206⟩so that tears are their drink, and sorrow is their meat, and sighing is their work all the day long, &c.
I will instance only in faith; oh! how doth Satan labour might and main to work men to make false definitions of faith; Some he works to define faith too high, as that it is a full assurance of the love of God to a mans soule in particular, or a full perswasion of the pardon, and remission of a mans owne sins in particular; saith Satan, what dost thou talk of faith? faith is an assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of sin, and this thou hast not; thou knowest thou art far off from this, therefore thou hast no faith; and by drawing men to make such a false definition of faith, he keeps them in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, and makes them spend their days in sorrow and sighing, ⟨p. 206⟩so that teares are their drink, and sorrow is their meate, and sighing is their work all the day long, &c.
The Philosophers say there are eight degrees of heat; we discern three; now i• a m•n should define heat only by the highest degree, then all other degrees will be cast out from being heat: so if men shall define faith only by the highest degrees, by assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of his sins in particular, what will become of lesser degrees of faith?
The Philosophers say there are eight d•grees of heat; we discern three; now i• a m•n should define heat only by the highest degree, then all other degrees will be cast out from being heat: so if men shall define fai•h only by the highest degrees, by assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of his sins in particular, what will become of lesser degrees of faith?
If a man should define a man to be a living man, only by the highest and strongest demonstrations of life, as laughing, leaping, running, working, walking, &c. would not many thousands that groan under internal, and external weaknesses, and that cannot laugh, nor leap, nor run, nor work, nor walk, be found dead men by such a definition, that yet we know to be alive; 'tis so here, and you know how to apply it, &c.
If a man should define a man to be a living man, onely by the highest and st•ongest demonstrations of life, as laughing, leaping, running, working, walking, &c. would not many thousands that groan under internal, and externall weaknesses, and that cannot laugh, nor leap, nor run, nor work, nor walk, be found dead men by such a definition, that yet wee know to be alive; 'tis so here, and you know how to apply it, &c.
The first Remedy against this Device1 of Satan, is, solemnly •o consider, that there may be true faith, yea, great measures of faith, where there is no assurance. The Canaanite woman in the Gospel had strong faith, yet no assurance that we read of. These things have I written unto you (saith John) that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know, that ye have eternal life,, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God; In these words you see that they did believe, and had eternal life, in respect of the purpose and promise of God, and in respect of the seeds, and beginnings of it in their souls; and in respect of Christ their head, who sits in Heaven as a public person, representing all his chosen ones; Who hath raised us up together, 2and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; and yet they did not know that they had eternal life. 'Tis one thing to have a right to heaven, and another thing to know it; 'Tis one thing to be beloved, and another thing for a ⟨p. 208⟩man to know that he is beloved. 'Tis one thing for God to write a mans name in the book of life, and another thing for God to tell a man, that his name is written in the book of life, and to say to him, rejoice, because thy name is written in heaven.
THe first Remedie against this Device1 of Satan, is, solemnly •o consider, that there may be true faith, yea, g•eat measures of faith, where there is no assurance. The Canaanite woman in the Gospel had strong faith, yet no assurance that we read of. These things have I written unto you (saith John) that believe on the name of the Son of God, that yee may know, that ye have eternall life,, and that ye may beleeve on the name of the Son of God; In these words you see that they did believe, and had eternall life, in respect of the purpose and promise of God, and in respect of the seeds, and beginnings of it in their souls; and in respect of Christ their head, who sits in Heaven as a publique person, representing all his chosen ones; Who hath raised us up together,
So Paul: In whom ye also trusted after 1ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise.
So Paul: In whom yee also trusted after 1yee heard the word of truth, the Gospell of your salvation, in whom also after that yee believed, yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise.
So Micah, Rejoice not against me oh my enemy, when I shall fall, I shall rise; when I shall sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned, &c. or the sad countenance of God, as the Hebrew hath it. This soul had no assurance, for he sits in darkness, and was under the sad countenance of God, and yet had strong faith: As appears in those words, when I fall, I shall arise: when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness, and let this suffice for the first answer.
So Micha, Rejoyce not against me oh my enemie, when I shall fall, I shall rise; when I shall sit in darknesse, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will beare the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned, &c. or the sad countenance of God, as the Hebrew hath it. This soul had no assurance, for he sits in darknesse, and was under the sad countenance of God, and yet had strong faith: As appears in those words, when I fall, I shall arise: when I sit in darknesse, the Lord shall be a light unto me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousnesse, and let this suffice for the first answer.
The second Remedy against this Device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that God in the Scriptures doth define2 faith otherwise; God defines faith to be a ••ceiving of Christ; As many as received ⟨p. 209⟩him, to them he gave this privilege to be 3the sons of God, to as many as believed on his name; to be a cleaving of the soul unto God, though no joy but afflictions attend the soul. Yea, the Lord defines faith to be a coming to God in Christ,4 and often to a resting, and staying, or rolling of the soul upon Christ. 'Tis safest, and sweetest to define as God defines, both vices and graces; this is the only way to settle the soul, and to secure it against all the wiles of men and devils, who labour by false definitions of grace to keep precious souls in a doubting, staggering, and languishing condition, and so make their lives a burden, a hell unto them.
The second Remedie against this Device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that God in the Scriptures doth define2 faith otherwise; God defines faith to be a ••ceiving of Christ; As many as received ⟨p. 209⟩him, to them he gave this priviledge to be 3the sons of God, to as many as beleeved on his name; to be a cleaving of the soule unto God, though no joy but afflictions attend the soule. Yea, the Lord defines faith to be a coming to God in Christ,4
The third Remedy against this device1 of Satan, is, seriously to consider this, that there may be true faith, where there2 is much doubtings; witness those frequent sayings of Christ to his Disciples, Why are ye afraid oh ye of little faith? 3Persons may be truly believing, who nevertheless are sometimes doubting; in the same persons (that the fore-mentioned Scriptures speak of) you may see their faith commended, and their doubts condemned, which doth necessarily suppose a presence of both.
The third Remedie against this device1 of Satan, is, seriously to consider this, that there may be true faith, where there2 is much doubtings; witnesse those frequent sayings of Christ to his Disciples, Why are yee afraid oh yee of little faith? 3Persons may be truly believing, who neverthelesse are sometimes doubting; in the same persons (that the fore-mentioned Scriptures speak of) you may see their faith commended, and their doubts condemned, which doth necessarily suppose a presence of both.
The fourth Remedy against this device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, ⟨p. 210⟩that assurance is an effect of faith; therefore it cannot be faith. The cause cannot be the effect, nor the root the fruit; as the effect slows from the cause, the fruit from the root, the stream from the fountain, so doth the assurance flow from faith; this truth I shall make good thus.
The fourth Remedie against this device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, ⟨p. 210⟩that assurance is an effect of faith; therefore it cannot be faith. The cause cannot be the effect, nor the root the fruit; as the effect slowes from the cause, the fruit from the root, the stream from the fountain, so doth the assurance flow from faith; this truth I shall make good thus.
The assurance of our salvation, and pardon of sin doth primarily arise from the witness of the spirit of God, that1 we are the children of God: And the spirit never witnesseth this, till we are believers; for we are sons by faith in 2Christ Jesus: therefore assurance is not faith, but follows it, as the effect follows the cause.
The assurance of our salvation, and pardon of sin doth primarily arise from the witnesse of the spirit of God, that1 we are the children of God: And the spirit never witnesseth this, till we are beleevers; for we are sonnes by faith in 2Christ Jesus: therefore assurance is not faith, but followes it, as the effect follows the cause.
Again, no man can be assured, and persuaded of his salvation, till he be united to Christ, till he be ingrafted into Christ; and a man cannot be ingrafted into Christ, till he hath faith; he must first be ingrafted into Christ by faith, before he can have assurance of his salvation, which doth clearly evidence, that assurance is not faith, but an effect and fruit of faith, &c.
Againe, no man can be assured, and perswaded of his salvation, till he be united to Christ, till he be ingrafted into Christ; and a man cannot be ingrafted into Christ, till he hath faith; hee must first be ingrafted into Christ by faith, before he can have assurance of his salvation, which doth clearly evidence, that assurance is not faith, but an effect and fruit of faith, &c.
Again, faith cannot be lost, but assurance may; therefore assurance is not faith. Though assurance be a precious1 flower in the garden of a Saint, and is more infinitely sweet, and delightful to ⟨p. 211⟩the soul, then all outward comforts,2 and contents; yet 'tis but a flower that is subject to fade, and to loose its freshness,3 and beauty, as Saints by sad experience find, &c.
Again, faith cannot be lost, but assurance may; therefore assurance is not faith. Though assurance be a precious1 flower in the garden of a Saint, and is more infinitely sweet, and delightful to ⟨p. 211⟩the soule, then all outward comforts,2 and contents; yet 'tis but a flower that is subject to fade, and to loose its freshnesse,3 and beauty, as Saints by sad experience finde, &c.
