A77614:465
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.
Thirdly, if you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, then labour for more heavenly wisdom: Ah souls!1 you are much in the dark, you have but a little to that others have, and to that you might have had, had you not been wanting to your selves. There are many knowing souls, but there are but a few wise souls; there is oftentimes a great deal of knowledge, where there is but a little wisdom to improve that knowledge; knowledge without wisdom2 is like mettle in a blind horse, which is often an occasion of the Riders fall, and of his bones being jostled against the walls. 'Tis not the most knowing Christian, but the most wise Christian, that sees, avoids, and escapes ⟨p. 333⟩Satan's snares. The way of life is above to 3the wise (saith Solomon) that he may depart from hell beneath. Heavenly wisdom makes a man delight to fly high; and the higher any man flies, the more he is out of the reach of Satan's snares; Ah souls! you had need of a great deal4 of heavenly wisdom, to see where, and how Satan lays his baits, and snares; and wisdom to find out proper Remedies against his Devices, and wisdom to apply those Remedies seasonably, inwardly, and effectually to your own hearts, that so you may avoid the snares which that evil one hath laid for your precious souls.
Thirdly, if you would not be taken with any of Satans devices, then labour for more heavenly wisdome: Ah souls!1 you are much in the dark, you have but a little to that others have, and to that you might have had, had you not been wanting to your selves. There are many knowing soules, but there are but a few wise soules; there is oftentimes a great deale of knowledge, where there is but a little wisdome to improve that knowledge; knowledge without wisdome2