Precious Remedies Against Satans Devices, Title page – Dedication
PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATANS Devices. OR, Salve for Believers and Ʋnbelievers 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. The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged.
Put on the whole Armour of God, that yee may be able to ſtand againſt the Wiles of the Devil. Epheſ. 6. 11.
But unto you I ſay, and unto the reſt in Thyatira, as many as have not this Doctrine, and which have not knowne the Depths of Satan, as they ſpake, I will put upon you no other burthen, but that which you have already, hold faſt till I come, Rev. 2. 24, 25.
LONDON: Printed by M. Simmons, for John Hancock at the firſt ſhop in Popes-head Alley, next to Corn-hill. 1653.
THE EPISTLE Dedicatorie. TO HIS Most Dear and Precious Ones, The Sons and Daughters of the moſt High God, over whom the holy Ghoſt hath made him a Watchman.
Beloved in our deareſt Lord;
CHriſt, the Scripture, your owne hearts, and Satans Devices, are the foure prime things that ſhould be firſt and moſt ſtudied & ſearched; if any caſt off the ſtudy of theſe, they cannot be ſafe here, nor happieIf a Miniſter had as many eyes as Argus, to watch; as many heads as Typheus to diſpoſe, and as many hands as Briareus to labour, he might finde imployment enough for them all. hereafter. 'Tis my worke as a Chriſtian, but much more as I am a watchman, to doe my beſt, to diſcover the fulneſſe of Chriſt, the emptineſſe of the creature, and the ſnares of the great Deceiver; which I have endeavoured to doe (in the following diſcourſe) according to that meaſure of grace, which I have received from the Lord. God once accepted a handfull of meale for a ſacrifice; and a gripe of Goats haire for an oblation; and I know that you have not ſo learned the Father, as to deſpiſe the day of ſmall things. Beloved, Satan being fallen from light to darkneſſe, from felicity to miſery, from Heaven to hell, from an Angell to a Devill, is ſo full of malice and envy, that he will leave no meanes unattempted, whereby he may make all others eternaly miſerable with himſelfe; he being ſhut out of Heaven, and ſhut up under chaines of darkneſſe till the judgement of the great day, makes uſe of all his power and skill, to bring all the ſons of men into the ſame condition, and condemnation with himſelfe. Satan hath caſt ſuch ſinfull ſeed into our ſoules, that now he can no ſooner tempt, but we are ready to aſſent; he can no ſooner have a plot upon us, but he makes a conqueſt of us; if he doth but ſhew men a little of the beauty, and bravery of the world, how ready are they to fall down, and worſhip him.
What ever ſin the heart of man is moſt prone to, that the Devill will help forward. If David be proud of2 Sam. 24. his people, Satan wil provoke him to number them, that he may be yet prouder. If Peter be ſlaviſhlyMatth. 16. ver. 22. 26. ch. 69. ult. fearfull, Satan will put him upon rebuking and denying of Chriſt, to ſave his owne skin. If Ahabs 1 Kings 22.Prophets be given to flatter, the Devill will ſtrait way become a lying ſpirit in the mouthes of foure hundred of them, and they ſhall flatter Ahab to his ruine. If Judas willJohn 13. 2. be a Traitor, Satan will quickly enter into his heart, and make him ſell his Maſter for money, which ſome Heathens would never have done. If Ananias will lyeActs 5. 3. for advantage, Satan wil fill his heart that he may lye (with a witneſs) to the Holy Ghoſt. Satan loves to ſaile with the winde, and to ſuite mens temptations to their conditions, and inclinations; if they be in proſperity, he will tempt them to deny God; if they be in adverſity, he will tempt them to diſtruſtProv. 30. v. 9. God; if their knowledge be weak, he will tempt them to have low thoughts of God; if their conſcience be tender, he will tempt to ſcrupuloſity; if large, to carnall ſecurity; if we be bold-ſpirited, he will tempt to preſumption; if timerous, to deſperation; if flexible, to inconſtancie, if ſtiffe, to impenitency, &c.
From the power, malice, and skill of Satan, doth proceed all the ſoule killing plots, devices, ſtratagems, and machinations, that be in the world; Severall devices he hath to draw ſoules to ſin, and ſeverall plots he hath to keepe ſoules from all holy, and heavenly ſervices; and ſeverall ſtratagems he hath, to keep ſoules in a mourning, ſtaggering, doubting, and queſtioning condition. He hath ſeverall devices, to deſtroy the great, and honourable, the wiſe, and learned; the blinde, and ignorant; the rich, and the poore; the reall, and the nominall Saints, &c. One while he will refraine from tempting, that we may think our ſelves ſecure, and neglect our watch; another while he will ſeeme to flie, that he may make us proud of the victory; one while hee will fix mens eyes more on others ſins, then their own, that he may puffe them; another while he will fix their eyes more on others graces then their own, that he may overwhelme them &c. A man may as well tell the ſtars, and number the ſands of the ſea, as reckon up all the devices of Satan; yet thoſe which are moſt conſiderable, and by which he doth moſt miſchiefe to the precious ſoules of men, are in the following Treatiſe diſcovered, and the Remedies againſt them preſcribed, &c.
Beloved, I think it neceſſary to give you, and the world a faithfull account of the Reaſons, moving me to appear in Print, in theſe dayes, wherein we may ſay there was never more writing, and yet neverleſſe practiſing, and they are theſe that follow, &c.
Firſt, becauſe Satan hath a1. Reaſon. greater influence upon men, and higher advantages over men (having the winde and the hill as it were) then they thinke he hath, and the knowledge of his high advantages is the high way to diſappoint him, and to render the ſoul ſtrong in reſiſting, and happy in conquering, &c.
Your importunity, and the importunity2. Reaſon. of many other precious ſons of Zion hath after much ſtriving with God, my own heart, and others, made a conqueſt of me and forced me to doe that at laſt, which at firſt was not a little contrary to my inclination, and reſolution, &c.
The ſtrange oppoſition that I3. Reaſon. Pirates make the ſtrongeſt and the hotteſt oppoſitions againſt thoſe veſſells that are moſt richly laden; ſo doth Satan that arch Pirate againſt thoſe truths, that have moſt of God, Chriſt, and Heaven in them. met with from Satan, in the ſtudy of this following diſcourſe, hath put an edge upon my ſpirit, knowing that Satan ſtrives mightily, to keep thoſe things from ſeeing the light, that tend eminently to ſhake and break his Kingdome of darkneſſe, and to lift up the Kingdome and glory of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in the ſoules and lives of the children of men, &c.
Its exceeding uſefulneſſe to all ſorts, ranks, and conditions of men4. Reaſon. in the world; here you have ſalve for every ſore, and a plaiſter for every wound, and a Remedy againſt every diſeaſe; eſpecially againſt thoſe, that tend moſt to the undoing of ſoules, and to the ruine of the State, &c.
I know not of any one, or5. Reaſon. other that have writ of this Subject; all that I have ever ſeen, have only toucht upon this ſtring, which hath been no ſmall provocation to me, to attempt to doe ſomething this way, that others, that have better heads and hearts, may be the more ſtirred to improve their Talents, in a further diſcovery of Satans Devices, and in the making knowne of ſuch choice Remedies, as may inable the ſoules of men to triumph over all his plots and ſtratagems, &c.
I have many precious friends in6 Reaſon. ſeverall Countries, who are not a little deſirous, that my pen may reach them, now my voice cannot. I have formerly been, by the help of the mightie God of Jacob, a weake inſtrument of good to them, and cannot but hope, and beleeve, that the Lord will alſo bleſſe theſe labours to them, they being (in part) the fruit of their deſires, and prayers, &c.
Laſtly, not knowing how ſoon7. Reaſon. my Glaſſe may be out, and how ſoone I may be cut off by a hand of death, from all opportunities of doing further ſervice for Chriſt, or your ſoules in this world, I was willing to ſow a little handfull of ſpirituall ſeed among you; that ſo, when I put off this earthly Tabernacle, my love to you, and that deare remembrance of you, which I have in my ſoule, may ſtrongly engage your minds and ſpirits, to make this Book your Companion; and under all externall, or internall changes, to make uſe of this heavenly Salve, which I hope, will by the bleſſing of the Lord, be as effectuall for the healing of all your Wounds, as their looking up to the brazen Serpent, was effectuall to heale theirs that were bit, and ſtung with fiery Serpents. I ſhall leave this Book with you, as a Legacie of my deareſt Love, deſiring the Lord to make it a far greater, and ſweeter Legacie, then all thoſe carnall Legacies are, that are left by the high and mighty ones of the earth, to their neareſt and deareſt relations, &c.
Beloved, I would not have affection carrie my pen too much beyond my intention; therefore onelyonly give me leave to ſignifie my deſires for you, and my deſires to you; and I ſhall draw to a cloſe.
My deſires for you are, That he would grant you according to the riches Epheſ. 3.of his glory, to be ſtrengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner Verſ. 17.man. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love; May be able to Verſ. 18.comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, Verſ. 19.and height: And to know the love of Chriſt that paſſeth knowledge; That ye might be filled with all the fullneſſe of God. And that yee might walke Coloſ. 1. 10.worthy of the Lord unto all pleaſing, being fruitfull in every good worke, and increaſed in the knowledge of God, Strengthned with all might, according Verſ. 11.to his glorious power, unto all patience, and long-ſuffering with joyfullneſſe. That ye doe no evill. That 2 Cor. 13. 7.your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge, and in all Judgement. Phil. 1. 9.That yee may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be ſincere, Verſ. 10.and without offence till the day of Chriſt. And that our God would 2 Theſſ. 1. 11.count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleaſure of his goodneſſe, and the worke of Faith with Verſ. 12.power. That the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And that you may be eminent inPſal. 93. 5. Sanctitie; Sanctitie being Zions glory, that your hearts may be kept upright, your judgements ſound, and your lives unblamable. That as you are now my joy, ſo in the day of Chriſt you may be my Crown; That I may ſee my labours in your lives, that your converſation may not be earthly, when the things you heare are heavenly; but that it may be as becomes the Goſpel. That as the Fiſhes which live in the ſalt Sea, yet are freſh; ſo you, though you live in an uncharitable world, may yet be charitable and loving. That ye may like the Bee, ſuck Honey out of every Flower; That ye may ſhine in a ſea of troubles, as the Pearle ſhines in the ſkie, though it grows in the Sea; That in all your trials you may be like the ſtone in Thracia, that neither burneth in the fire, nor ſinketh in the water. That ye may be like the Heavens, excellent in ſubſtance, and beautifull in appearance; that ſo you may meet me with joy, in that day, wherein Chriſt ſhall ſay to his Father, Loe, here am I, and the children that thou haſt given me.
My deſires to you are, That you would make it your buſineſſe to ſtudy Chriſt, his Word, your own Hearts, Satans Plots, and Eternity, more then ever; that ye would endeavour more to be inwardly ſincere, then outwardly glorious; to live, then to have a name to live. That yee would labour with all your might, to be thankfull under Mercies, and faithfull in your Places, and humble under Divine Appearances, and fruitfull under precious Ordinances; that as your meanes and mercies are greater then others, ſo your account before God may not prove worſe then others. That ye would pray for me, who am not worthy to be named among the Saints, that I may be a precious inſtrument in the hand of Chriſt, to bring in many ſoules unto him, and to build up thoſe that are brought in, in their moſt holy Faith; And that Utterance may be given to me, that I may make knowne all the will of God. That2 Cor. 11. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. I may be ſincere, faithfull, frequent, fervent, and conſtant in the worke of the Lord, and that my labour be not in vaine in the Lord; That my Labours may be accepted of the Lord, and his Saints, and I may daily ſee the travell of my ſoule, &c.
But above all, pray for me, that I may more and more finde the power, and ſweet of thoſe things upon my owne heart, that I give out to you and others; and that my ſoule be ſo viſited with ſtrength from on high, that I may live up fully, and conſtantly to thoſe truths that I hold forth to the world; and that I may be both in Life and Doctrine, a burning and a ſhining light; That ſo, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall appear, I may receive a crown of glory, which he ſhall give to me in that day, and not onelyonly to me, but to all that love his appearing, &c.
For a cloſe, remember this, that your life is ſhort, your duties many, your aſſiſtance great, and your reward ſure; therefore faint not, hold on, and hold up in wayes of well doing, and Heaven ſhall make amends for all.
I ſhall now take leave of you, when my heart hath by my hand ſubſcribed that I am,
Your loving Paſtor under Chriſt, according to all Paſtor all affections, and engagements in our deareſt Lord. THOMAS BROOKS.