A77614:304
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.
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⟩