A77614:63
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.
PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATANS Devices. › Now the Remedies against this Device of Satan are these.
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.
The second Remedy is this, That the1 more sin is painted forth under the colour2 of virtue, the more dangerous 'tis to the souls of men; this we see evident in these days, by those very many souls that are turned out of the way that is holy, (and in which their souls have had sweet and glorious communion with God) into ways of highest vanity and folly, by Satan's neat colouring over of sin, and painting forth vice under the name and colour of virtue; this is so notoriously known, that I need but name it; the most dangerous vermin is too often to be found under the fairest and sweetest Flowers, and the fairest glove is often drawn upon the foulest hand, and the richest robes are often put upon the filthiest bodies: so are the fairest and the sweetest names upon the greatest, and the most horriblest vices and errors that be in the world; ah! that we had not too many sad proofs of this amongst us.
The second Remedy is this, That the1 more sin is painted forth under the colour2 of vertue, the more dangerous 'tis to the souls of men; this we see evident in these days, by those very many souls that are turned out of the way that is holy, (and in which their souls have had sweet and glorious communion with God) into wayes of highest vanity and folly, by Satans neat colouring over of sin, and painting forth vice under the name and colour of vertue; this is so notoriously knowne, that I need but name it; the most dangerous vermine is too often to be found under the fairest and sweetest Flowers, and the fairest glove is often drawn upon the foulest hand, and the richest robes are often put upon the filthiest bodies: so are the fairest and the sweetest names upon the greatest, and the most horriblest vices and etrors that be in the world; ah! that we had not too many sad proofs of this amongst us.
- 12 Remedy.
- 2Turpiora sunt vitia quae virtutum specie celantur, Jerome. Thus the Illuminates (as they called themselves) a pestilent Sect in Aragon, professing and affecting in themselves a kind of Angelical purity, fell suddenly to the justifying of bestiality, as many have done in these days.