A77614:464
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.
2. As you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, take heed of vexing,1 & grieving the holy Spirit of God; 'tis the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that is best able to discover Satan's snare unto us; 'tis only he that can point out all his plots, and discover all his methods, and enable men to escape those pits that he hath digged for their precious souls; Ah souls! if you set that sweet and blessed spirit a mourning, that alone can secure you from Satan's depths by whom will you be secured? man is a weak creature, and no way able to discover Satan's snares, nor to avoid them, unless the spirit of the Lord gives skill & power; therefore who ever be grieved, be sure the spirit be not grieved ⟨p. 332⟩by your enormities, nor by your refusing2 the cordials, and comforts that he sets before you; nor by slighting, and despising his gracious actings in others,3 nor by calling sincerity, hypocrisy; faith, fancy, &c. nor by fathering those things upon the spirit, that are the brats, and fruits of your own hearts. The spirit of the Lord is your counsellor, your comforter, your upholder, your strengthener. 'Tis only the spirit that makes a man too great for Satan to conquer. Greater is he that is in you, 4then he that is in the world.
2. As you would not be taken with any of Satans devices, take heed of vexing,1 & grieving the holy Spirit of God; 'tis the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that is best able to discover Satans snar'e unto us; 'tis only he that can point out all his plots, and discover all his methods, and inable men to escape those pits that he hath digged for their precious souls; Ah souls! if you set that sweet and blessed spirit a mourning, that alone can secure you from Satans depths by whom will you be secured? man is a weake creature, and no way able to discover Satans snares, nor to avoyd them, unles the spirit of the Lord gives skil & power; therfore who ever be grieved, be sure the spirit be not grieved