Precious Remedies Against Satans Devices, Part 1 · Subpart 10
Now the Remedies againſt this Device of Satan are theſe that follow.
THe firſt Remedy againſt this device1. Remepy. of Satan, is ſolemnly to conſider this, that there is not a greater, nor a clearer argument to prove a man anHiſtory ſpeaks of a kinde of witches, that ſtirrin abroad would put on their eyes, b…t returning home, they boxed them up again. So doe Hypocrites. hypocrite, then to be quick-ſighted abroad, and blinde at home; then to ſee a mote in another mans eye, and not a beame in his own eye, then to uſe ſpectacles to behold other mens ſins, rather then looking-glaſſes to behold his owne; then to be alwayes holding his finger upon other mens ſores; then to be amplifying, and aggravating other mens ſins, and mitigating of his own, &c.
The ſecond Remedy againſt this device.2 Remedie. of Satan, is, to ſpend more timeThe nearer we draw to God, and his word, the more rottenneſſe we ſhall finde in our bones. The more any man looks into the body of the S…n, the leſſe he ſeeth when he lookes down again. It is ſaid of the Baſilisk, that if he look into a glaſſe, he preſently dieth: ſo will ſin, and a ſinner (in a ſpirituall ſence) when the ſoule look; into the word which is Gods glaſſe, &c. in comparing of your internall, and externall actions with the Rule, with that word, by which you muſt be judg'd at laſt, then in comparing of your ſelves with thoſe, that are worſe then your ſelves; that man that comparing his ſelfe with others, that are worſe then himſelfe, may ſeeme, (to himſelfe and others) to be an Angel; yet comparing himſelfe with the word, may ſee himſelfe to be like the devill, yea, a very devill. Have not I choſen twelve, and one of you is a Devill. Such men are as like him, as if they were ſpit out of his mouth. Satan is called the God of this world, becauſe, as God at firſt did but ſpeake the word, and it was done: ſo, if the Devill doth but hold up his finger, give the leaſt hint, they will doe his will, though they undoe their ſoules for ever. Ah! what monſters would theſe men appeare to be, did they but compare themſelves with a righteous Rule, and not with the moſt unrighteous men; they would appeare to be as black as Hell it ſelfe.
The third Remedy againſt this device3. Remedy. of Satan, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that though thy ſins be not as great as others, yet without ſound repentance on thy ſide, and pardoning mercy on Gods, thou wilt be as certainly damnedAs in Heaven one is more glorious then another; ſo in Hell, one ſhall be more miſerable then another. Auguſtine. as others, though not equally tormented with others; what though hell ſhall not be ſo hot to thee as to others, yet thou muſt as certainly to hell as others, unleſſe the glorious grace of God ſhines forth upon thee in the face of Chriſt. God wil ſuit mens puniſhments to their ſins; the greateſt ſins ſhall be attended with the greateſt puniſhments, and leſſer ſins with leſſer puniſhments; alaſſe! what a poor comfort will this be to thee, when thou comeſt to die, to conſider, that thou ſhalt not be equally tormented with others, and yet muſt be for ever ſhut out from the glorious preſence of God, Chriſt, Angels, and Saints, and from thoſe good things of eternall life, that are ſo many, that they exceed number,The gate of Indulgence, the gate of hope the gate of mercy, the gate of glory, the gate of conſolation, and the gate of ſalvatio…, will be for ever ſhu… againſt them, Mat. 25. 10. ſo great, that they exceed meaſure, ſo precious, that they exceed eſtimation, Sure it is, that the tears of hell are not ſufficient to bewaile the loſſe of heaven, the worme of grief gnawes as painfull, as the fire burnes; if thoſe ſoules, Acts 20. wept, becauſe they ſhould ſee Paul's face no more? How deplorable is the eternall deprivation of the beatificallviſion. But this not all, thou ſhalt not be onelyonly ſhut out of heaven, but ſhut up in hell for ever, not onelyonly ſhut out from the preſence of God and Angells, &c. but ſhut up with devills, and damned ſpirit, for ever, not onelyonly ſhut out from'Twas a good ſaying of Chryſoſtome, ſpeaking of Hell (Ne quaeramu… ubi ſit, ſed quomodo illam fugiamus) let us not ſeek where it is, but how we ſhall eſcape it. thoſe ſweet ſurpaſſing, unexpreſſabl, and everlaſting pleaſures that be at Gods right hand, but ſhut up for ever under thoſe torments, that are eaſeleſſe, remedileſſe, and endleſſe. Ah ſoules! were it not ten thouſand times better for yee to break off your ſins by repentance, then to goe on in your ſins, till you feele the truth of what now you hear. The God of Iſrael is very mercifull; ah that you would repent, and returne, that your ſoules might live for ever. Remember this, grievous is the torment of the damned, for the bitterneſſe of the puniſhments; but moſt grievous for the eternity of the puniſhments. For to be tormented without end, this isSurely, one good means to eſcape Hel, is to take a turne or two in Hell, by our daily meditations. that which goes beyond all the bounds of deſperation; ah! how doe the thoughts of this make the damned to roare, and cry out for diſquietneſſe of heart, and teare their haire, and gnaſh their teeth, and rage for madneſſe, that they muſt dwell in everlaſting burnings for ever?
The eleventh Device that Satan hath11 Device. to draw the ſoule to ſin, is, by polluting and defiling the ſoules and judgements of men with ſuch dangerous errors, that doe in their proper tendency tend to carry the ſoules of men to all looſneſſe and wickedneſſe, as wofull experience doth abundantly evidence. Ah! how many are there filled with theſe, and ſuch like Chriſt-diſhonouring, and ſoule-undoing opinions, viz. That Ordinances are poor, low, carnall things, and not onelyonly to be lived above, but without alſo. That the Scriptures are full of fallaſies and uncertainties, and no further to be heeded, then they agree with that ſpirit that is in them. That 'tis a poor low thing, if not idolatry too, to worſhip God in a Mediator. That the Reſurrection is already paſt. That there was never any ſuch man or perſon, as Jeſus Chriſt; but that all is an Allegory, and it ſignifies nothing but light and love, and ſuch good frames borne in men. That there's no God, nor Devill, Heaven, nor Hell, but what is within us. That there is no ſinne in the Saints, they are under no Law, but that of the ſpirit, which is all freedome. That ſin and grace are equally of God, and agreeth to his will: with a hundred other horrid opinions, which hath cauſed wickedneſſe to break in as a flood among us, &c.