A77614:291
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 suggesting to them, that their graces are not true, but counterfeit; saith Satan, all is not gold that glisters, all is not grace that you count grace, that you call grace; that which1 you call faith is but a fancy, and that which you call zeal, is but unnatural heat and passion; and that light you have, 'tis but common, 'tis short to what many have attained to, that are now in hell, &c. Satan doth not labour more mightily to persuade hypocrites that their graces are true, when they are counterfeit, then he doth to persuade precious souls that their graces are counterfeit, when indeed they are true, and such as will abide the touch-stone of Christ, &c.
BY suggesting to them, that their graces are not true, but counterfeit; saith Satan, all is not gold that glisters, all is not grace that you count grace, that you call grace; that which1 you call faith is but a fancy, and that which you call zeal, is but unnaturall heat and passion; and that light you have, 'tis but common, 'tis short to what many have attained to, that are now in hell, &c. Satan doth not labour more mightily to perswade hypocrites that their graces are true, when they are counterfeit, then he doth to perswade precious souls that their graces are counterfeit, when indeed they are true, and such as will abide the touch-stone of Christ, &c.
The first Remedy against this device of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that grace is taken two ways.
THe first Remedie against this device of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that grace is taken two wayes.
First, 'tis taken for the gracious good will and favour of God, whereby he is pleased of his own free love, to accept of some in Christ for his own. This some call the first grace, because 'tis the fountain of all other graces, and the Spring from whence they flow; and it's therefore called grace, because it makes a man gracious with God, but this is only in God.
First, 'tis taken for the gracious good will and favour of God, whereby he is pleased of his owne free love, to accept of some in Christ for his owne. This some call the first grace, because 'tis the fountaine of all other graces, and the Spring from whence they flow; and it's therefore called grace, because it makes a man gracious with God, but this is only in God.
Secondly, grace is taken for the gifts of grace, and they are of two sorts, common, or special.
Some are special graces, and they are proper, and peculiar to the Saints, as faith, humility, meekness, love, patience, &c.
Some are special graces, and they are proper, and peculiar to the Saints, as faith, humility, meeknesse, love, patience, &c.
The second Remedy against this device1 of Satan, is, wisely to consider the ⟨p. 219⟩differences betwixt renewing grace, and2 restraining grace; betwixt sanctifying grace, and temporary grace, and this I shall show you in these following particulars
The second Remedie against this device1 of Satan, is, wisely to consider the ⟨p. 219⟩differences betwixt renuing grace, and2 restraining grace; betwixt sanctifyng grace, and temporary grace, and this I shall shew you in these following particulars
1. True grace makes all glorious within and without. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her raiment is of wrought gold. True grace makes the understanding glorious, the will glorious, the affections glorious, it casts a general glory upon all the noble parts of the soul; The Kings daughter is all glorious within: And as it makes the inside glorious, so it makes the out-side glorious; Her clothing is of wrought gold; it makes men look gloriously, and speak gloriously, and walk, and act gloriously: so that vain souls shall be1 forced to say, that these are they that have seen Jesus; as grace is a fire to burn up, and consume the dross, and filth of the soul, so it is an ornament to2 beautify and adorn the soul. True grace makes all new, the inside new, and the out-side new; If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; but temporary grace doth not this. True grace changes the very nature of a man, moral virtue doth only restrain, or chain up the outward man; it doth not change the whole man; a Lion in a ⟨p. 220⟩grate is a Lion still, he is restrained, but not changed; for he retains his Lion-like nature still: so temporary graces restrain many men from this and that wickedness, but it doth not change and turn their hearts from wickedness; but now true grace, that turns a Lion into a Lamb, as you may see in Paul, 3and a notorious strumpet, into a blessed and glorious Penitent, as you may see in Mary Magdalen, &c.4
1. True grace makes all glorious within and without. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her raiment is of wrought gold. True grace makes the underastanding glorious, the will glorious, the affections glorious, it casts a generall glory upon all the noble parts of the soule; The Kings daughter is all glorious within: And as it makes the inside glorious, so it makes the out-side glorious; Her cloathing is of wrought gold; it makes men looke gloriously, and speak gloriously, and walke, and act gloriously: so that vaine souls shall be1
2. The objects of true grace are supernatural; true grace is conversant about the choicest, and the highest objects,1 about the most soul-ennobling, and soul-greatening objects, as God, Christ, precious promises, that are more worth then a world; and a Kingdom that shakes not, a Crown of glory that withers not, and Heavenly treasures that rust not. The objects of temporary grace are low, and poor, and always within the compass of reasons reach.
2. The objects of true grace are supernaturall; true grace is conversant about the choisest, and the highest objects,1 about the most soul-enobling, and soul-greatning objects, as God, Christ, precious promises, that are more worth then a world; and a Kingdome that shakes not, a Crown of glory that withers not, and Heavenly treasures that rust not. The objects of temporary grace are low, and poor, and alwayes within the compasse of reasons reach.
3. True grace enables a Christian (when he is himself) to do spiritual actions with real pleasure and delight. To souls truly gracious, Christs yoke is 1easy, and his burden is light, his commandments are not grievous, but joyous; I delight in the law of God after the inward man, saith Paul; the blessed man is described by this, that he delights in the law ⟨p. 221⟩2of the Lord; 'Tis joy to the just to do judgment, 3saith Solomon; To a gracious soul all the ways of the Lord are pleasantness, and his paths are peace. But to souls that have but temporary grace, but moral virtues, religious services, are a toil, not a pleasure; a burden, and not a delight: Wherefore have we fasted say they, 4and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted 5our souls, and thou takest no knowledge, &c. Ye have said (say those in Malachi) it is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? When will the new Moon be gone (say those in Amos) that 6we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the Epha small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit.
3. True grace inables a Christian (when he is himselfe) to do spirituall actions with reall pleasure and delight. To souls truly gracious, Christs yoke is 1easie, and his burden is light, his commandements are not grievous, but joyous; I delight in the law of God after the inward man, saith Paul; the blessed man is described by this, that he delights in the law ⟨p. 221⟩
Fourthly, True grace makes a man most careful, and most fearful of his own heart; it makes him most studious about his own heart, informing that, examining that, and1 watching over that; but temporary grace, moral virtues, make men more mindful, and careful of others to instruct them, and counsel them, and stir up them, and watch over them, &c. which doth with open mouth demonstrate, that their graces are not saving, ⟨p. 222⟩and peculiar to Saints; but that they are temporary, and no more then what Judas, Demas, and the Pharisees had, &c.
Fourthly, True grace makes a man most carefull, and most fearfull of his owne heart; it makes him most studious about his owne heart, informing that, examining that, and1 watching over that; but temporary grace, morall vertues, make men more mindfull, and carefull of others to instruct them, and counsell them, and stir up them, and watch over them, &c. which doth with open mouth demonstrate, that their graces are not saving, ⟨p. 222⟩and peculiar to Saints; but that they are temporary, and no more then what Judus, Demas, and the Pharisees had, &c.
5. Grace will work a mans heart to love, and cleave to the strictest, and h• liest ways and things of God, for their purity and sanctity, in the face of all dangers and hardships; Thy word is very 1pure, therefore thy servant loveth it; others love it, and like it, and follow it, for the credit, the honour, the advantage that they get by it; but I love it for the spiritual beauty and purity of it. So the Psalmist, All this is come upon us, 2yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadows of death. But temporary grace that will not bear up the soul against all oppositions and discouragements in the ways of God, as is clear by their apostasy in that sixth3 of John, and by the stony grounds falling away, &c.
5. Grace will work a mans heart to love, and cleave to the strictest, and h• liest wayes and things of God, for their purity and sanctity, in the face of all dangers and hardships; Thy word is very 1pure, therefore thy servant loveth it; others love it, and like it, and follow it, for the credit, the honour, the advantage that they get by it; but I love it for the spirituall beauty and purity of it. So the Psalmist, All this is come upon us, 2yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant. Our heart is not turned backe, neither have our steps declined from thy way. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadowes of death. But temporary grace that will not beare up the soule against all oppositions and discouragements in the wayes of God, as is cleare by their apostacie in that sixt3 of John, and by the stony grounds falling away, &c.
