A77614:526
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.
1. The great journey that he hath1 taken from heaven to earth, on purpose to save sinners, doth strongly demonstrate his willingness to save them. Math. 9. 13. I came not to call the 2righteous, but sinners to repentance. 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy 3of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
1. THe great journey that he hath1 taken from heaven to earth, on purpose to save sinners, doth strongly demonstrate his willingnesse to save them. Math. 9. 13. I came not to call the 2righteous, but sinners to repentance. 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy 3of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chiefe.
2. His divesting himself of his glory in order to sinners salvation, speaks out his willingness to save them; he leaves his Fathers bosom, he puts off his glorious robes, and lays aside his glorious Crown, and bids adieu to his glistering Courtiers the Angels, and all this he doth, that he may accomplish sinners salvation.
2. His divesting himself of his glory in order to sinners salvation, speaks out his willingnesse to save them; he leaves his Fathers bosome, he puts off his glorious robes, and layes aside his glorious Crown, and bids adie• to his glistering Courtiers the Angels, and all this he doth, that hee may accomplish sinners salvation.
3. That sea of sin, that sea of wrath, that sea of trouble, that sea of blood1 that Jesus Christ waded through, that sinners might be pardoned, justified, reconciled, and saved, doth strongly evidence his willingness to save sinners.
3. That sea of sin, that sea of wrath, that sea of trouble, that sea of blood1 that Jesus Christ waded through, that sinners might be pardoned, justified, reconciled, and saved, doth strongly evidence his willingnesse to save sinners.
4. His sending his Ambassadors early ⟨p. 376⟩and late to woo and entreat sinners1 to be reconciled to him, doth with open mouth show his readiness, and willingness to save sinners.
4. His sending his Ambassadors early ⟨p. 376⟩and late to wooe and intreat sinners1 to be reconciled to him, doth with open mouth shew his readinesse, and willingnesse to save sinners.
5. His complaints against such as refuse him, and that turn their backs upon him, and that will not be saved by him, doth strongly declare his willingness to save them. He came to his own, 1and his own received him not. So in that 5. of John, v. 40. But ye will not come 2to me, that ye may have life.
5. His complaints against such as refuse him, and that turn their backs upon him, and that will not be saved by him, doth strongly declare his willingnesse to save them. He came to his owne, 1and his owne received him not. So in that 5. of John, v. 40. But yee will not come 2to me, that ye may have life.
6. The joy and delight that he takes at the conversion of sinners, doth demonstrate his willingness, that they should be saved. Luk. 15. 7. I say unto 1you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more then over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance. God the Father rejoiceth at the return of his prodigal Sonne. Christ rejoices to see the travel of2 his soul: the Spirit rejoices that he hath another Temple to dwell in, and the Angels rejoice that they have another Brother to delight in, &c.
6. The joy and delight that he takes at the conversion of sinners, doth demonstrate his willingnesse, that they should be saved. Luk. 15. 7. I say unto 1you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more then over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance. God the Father rejoyceth at the return of his prodigall Sonne. Christ rejoyces to see the travell of2 his soule: the Spirit rejoyces that he hath another Temple to dwell in, and the Angels rejoyce that they have another Brother to delight in, &c.
BY working a sinner to mind more1 the secret decrease and counsels of God, then his own duty. What needest thou to busy thy self about receiving, embracing, and entertaining of Christ? Saith Satan, if thou art elected, thou shalt be saved; if not, all that thou canst do will do thee no good. Nay, he will work the soul not only to doubt of its election, but to conclude that he is not elected, and therefore let him do what he can he shall never be saved.
BY working a sinner to mind more1 the secret decrease and counsels of God, then his own duty. What needest thou to busie thy selfe about receiving, embracing, and entertaining of Christ? Saith Satan, if thou art elected, thou shalt be saved; if not, all that thou canst doe will do thee no good. Nay, he will worke the soule not onely to doubt of its election, but to conclude that he is not elected, and therefore let him doe what he can he shall never be saved.
The first Remedy is, seriously to consider,1 that all the Angels in heaven, nor all the men on earth, nor all the Devils in hell cannot tell to the contrary, but that thou mayest be an elect person, a chosen vessel. Thou mayest ⟨p. 378⟩be confident of this, that God never made Satan one of his Privy Council, God never acquainted him with the names or persons of such that he hath set his love upon to eternity, &c.
THe first Remedie is, seriously to consider,1 that all the Angels in heaven, nor all the men on earth, nor all the Devills in hell cannot tell to the contrary, but that thou maist be an elect person, a chosen vessel. Thou mayest ⟨p. 378⟩be confident of this, that God never made Satan one of his Privie Councel, God never acquainted him with the names or persons of such that he hath set his love upon to eternity, &c.
The second Remedy against this Device 1of Satan, is, to meddle with that which thou hast to do; secret things belongs to the Lord, but revealed2 things belongs to thee; thy work sinner, is to be peremptory in believing, and in returning to the Lord; thy work is to cast thy self upon Christ, lye at his feet, to wait on him in his ways, and to give him no rest till he shall say, Sinner, I am thy portion, I am thy salvation, and nothing shall separate between thee and me.
The second Remedie against this Device 1of Satan, is, to meddle with that which thou hast to doe; secret things belongs to the Lord, but revealed2 things belongs to thee; thy worke sinner, is to be peremptory in believing, and in returning to the Lord; thy worke is to cast thy selfe upon Christ, lye at his feete, to waite on him in his wayes, and to give him no rest till he shall say, Sinner, I am thy portion, I am thy salvation, and nothing shall separate between thee and me.
FINIS.
THE words opened, and the Point proved, from page 1. to page 7. In the next place is showed, the several Devices that Satan hath to draw souls to sin. Satan's first Device to draw the soul to sin, is, to present the bait, and hide the hook, &c. four Remedies against this Device, from page 7. to page 14. His second Device to draw the soul to sin, is, by painting sin with virtues colours, 4. Remedies against this Device, from page 14. to p. 21. ⟨image 201⟩The third Device Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by extenuating, and lessening of sin, &c. seven Remedies against this Device of Satan, from page 21. to page 32. The fourth Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by presenting to the soul the best mens sins, and by hiding from the soul their virtues, &c. four Remedies against this Device of Satan, from p. 32. to p. 40. The fifth Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by presenting God to the soul, as one made up all of mercy, &c. five Remedies against this Device, from pa. 40. to page 49. The sixth Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by persuading the soul, that the work of Repentance is an easy work, &c. six Remedies against this device, from page 49. to 65. The seventh Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by making the soul bold to venture upon the occasions of sin, &c. four Remedies ⟨image 201⟩against this Device, from p. 65. to page 73. The eighth Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by presenting to the soul the outward mercies, that vain men enjoy, and the outward miseries that they are freed from, whilst they have walked in the ways of sin, &c. Eight Remedies against this Device, from page 73. to page 87. The ninth Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by presenting to the soul the crosses, the losses, reproaches, sorrows, and sufferings that daily attend those that walk in the ways of holiness, &c. seven Remedies against this Device, from p. 87. to p. 103. The tenth Device that Satan hath to draw the souls of men to sin, is, by working them to be frequent in comparing themselves and their ways with those that are reputed to be worse then themselves, &c. three Remedies against this Device, from p. 103. to p. 107.
THE words opened, and the Point proved, from page 1. to page 7. In the next place is shewed, the severall Devices that Satan hath to draw soules to sin. Satans first Device to draw the soule to sin, is, to present the baite, and hide the hooke, &c. foure Remedies against this Device, from page 7. to page 14. His second Device to draw the soule to sin, is, by painting sin with vertues colours, 4. Remedies against this Device, from page 14. to p. 21.
The eleventh Device that Satan hath ⟨image 202⟩to draw the soul to sin, is, by polluting and defiling the souls and judgments of men with such dangerous errors, that do in their proper tendency tend to carry the souls of men to all looseness, and wickedness, &c. seven Remedies against this Device, from p. 107. to p. 119. The 12. Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is, to work it to affect wicked company, &c. four Remedies against this Device, from p. 119. to p. 124. Secondly, as Satan hath his several devices to draw souls to sin, so he hath his several devices to keep souls from holy duties, to keep them off from religious services, and they are these that follow. The first Device that Satan hath to draw souls from holy duties, and to keep them off from religious services, is, by presenting the world in such a dress, and in such a garb to the soul, as to ensnare the soul, & to win upon the affections of the soul, he presents the world to them in its ⟨image 202⟩beauty, and bravery, which proves a bewitching sight to a world of men; Eight Remedies against this Device, from p. 124. to p. 141. The second Device that Satan hath to draw souls from the Ordinances, or holy duties, is, by presenting to them the dangers, the losses, and the sufferings that do attend the performance of such, and such religious services; five Remedies against this Device, from p. 141. to p. 152. The third Device that Satan hath to d••w souls from holy duties, and to keep them off from Religious services, is, by presenting to the soul the difficulty of performing them, &c. five Remedies against this device from p. 152. to p. 160. The fourth Device that Satan hath to draw the soul off from holy exercises, from religious exercises, is, by working them to make false inferences, from those blessed and glorious things that Christ hath done, &c. five Remedies against this Device, from p. 160. to p. 169. The fifth Device that Satan hath to ⟨image 203⟩draw souls off from Religious services, and to keep souls off from holy, and heavenly performances, is, by presenting to them the paucity and poverty of those that walk in the ways of God, &c. six Remedies against this Device, from p. 169. to p. 178.
The eleventh Device that Satan hath
The sixth Device that Satan hath to keep souls off from Religious services, is, by presenting before them the examples of the greatest part of the world, that walk in the ways of their own hearts, and that make light and slight of the ways of God, &c. three Remedies against this device, from pa. 178. to pa. 182. The seventh Device that Satan hath to keep souls from holy and heavenly services, is, by casting in a multitude of vain thoughts, whilst the soul is in waiting on God, &c. six Remedies against this device, from p. 182. to p. 190. The eighth Device of Satan to keep souls from holy and heavenly services, is, by working them to rest in their holy performances, &c. four ⟨image 203⟩remedies against this device, from p. 190. to p. 195. In the third place is showed the several Devices Satan hath to keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, and they are these that follow, &c. The first Device that Satan hath to keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, is, by causing them to pore more, and mind more their sins, then their Saviour, &c. six Remedies against this device, from p. 196. to p. 205. The second Device that Satan hath to keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, is, by working them to make false definitions of their graces, &c. four Remedies against this device, from p. 205. to p. 211. The third Device that Satan hath to keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, is, by working the soul to make false inferences, from the cross actings of Providence, &c. four Remedies against this device, from p. 211. to p. 217. ⟨image 204⟩The fourth Device that Satan hath to keep poor souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, is, by suggesting that their graces are not true, but counterfeit; two Remedies again this, and in the handling of the two Remedies, ten differences are showed betwixt renewing grace, and restraining grace, betwixt sanctifying grace, and temporary grace, from p. 217. to page 230. The fifth Device that Satan hath to keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, is, by suggesting to them, that that conflict that is in them, is not a conflict that is only in Saints, but such a conflict, that is to be found in the hearts of hypocrites, and profane souls, &c. six Remedies against this device, from page 230. to p. 238.
The sixth Device that Satan hath to keepe soules off from Religious servivices, is, by presenting before them the examples of the greatest part of the world, that walke in the ways of their owne hearts, and that make light and slight of the wayes of God, &c. three Remedies against this device, from pa. 178. to pa. 182. The seventh Device that Satan hath to keepe soules from holy and heavenly services, is, by casting in a multitude of vaine thoughts, whilst the soule is in waiting on God, &c. six Remedies against this device, from p. 182. to p. 190. The eighth Device of Satan to keepe soules from holy and heavenly services, is, by working them to rest in their holy performances, &c. foure
