Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices

A WORD TO THE READER.

Deare Friend!

SOLOMON bids us buy the [Pro. 23. 23] Truth, but doth not tell us what it must cost, because we must get it, though it be never so deare; wee must love it both [Multi amā • veritatem lucentem, o derunt redarguentem.] shining and scorching; every parcell of Truth is precious, as the filings of gold; wee must either live with it, or dye for it; As Ruth said to Naomi, Whither thou goest, I will goe, and [Ruth 1. 16, 17.] where thou lodgest, I will lodge, and nothing but death shall part thee and mee; So must gracious spirits say, where Truth goes, I will goe, and where Truth lodges, I will [Si veritas est causa discordiae, mori possum tacere con possum. J • rome.] lodge, and nothing but death shall part me and Truth. A man may lawfully sell his House, Lands, and Jewells, but Truth is a Jewell that exceeds all price, and must not be sould. 'Tis our Heritage; Thy Testimonies have I taken [Psal. 119. 11 • .] as an Heritage for ever; 'tis a Legacie that our fore-fathers have hought with their bloods, which should make us willing to lay downe any thing, and to lay out any thing, that wee may with the wise Merchant in the Gospel, purchase this precious Pearle, [M • t. 5. 18. Verit • s vin • it. Truth at last triumphs.] which is more worth then Heaven and Earth, and which will make a man live happily, die comfortably, and reign eternally.

And now if thou pleasest, reade the Worke, and receive this councell from mee.

First, Thou must know that every man cannot be excellent, that yet may be usefull. An iron key may unlocke the doore of a golden treasure, yea (ferrum potest quod aurum non potest) Iron can doe some things that gold cannot, &c.

Secondly, Remember, 'tis not hasty reading, but serious meditating upon ['Tis a Law among the Persees in India, to use premeditation in what they are to doe, that if it be bad, to reject it, if good, to act it.] holy, and heavenly truths, that makes them prove sweet and profitable to the soule. 'Tis not the Bees touching of the Flower that gathers Honey, but her abiding for a time upon the Flower, that drawes out the sweet. 'Tis not he that reads most, but he that meditates most, that will prove the choicest, sweetest, wisest, and strongest Christian, &c.

Thirdly, Know, that 'tis not the knowing, nor the talking, nor the reading man, but the doing man, that at last will be found the happiest man; If you know these things, blessed [John 15. 14. Mat. 7. 21.] and happie are you, if you doe them. Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the ['Twas a good saying of Justin Martyr, Non in verbis sed in factis res nostrae religioni • consistunt.] Kingdome of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heaven. Judas called Christ Lord, Lord, and yet betrayed him, and is gone to his place; ah! How many Judasses have we in these dayes, that kisse Christ, and yet betray Christ; That in their words professe him, but in their workes deny him; that bow [The Heathen Philosopher (Seneca) liked not such that are (semper victuri) alwayes about to live better, but never begin. God loves (saith Luther) currist •• , not qu • ristas, the • unner not the questioner Pacunius hath an elegant saying, I hate (saith he) the men that are idle in deed and philosophicall in word, &c.] their knee to him, and yet in their hearts despise him; that call him Jesus, and yet will not obey him for their Lord.

Reader, If it be not strong upon thy heart, to practise what thou readest, to what end doest thou read, to encrease thy owne condemnation? If thy light and knowledge be not turn'd into practise, the more knowing man thou art, the more miserable man thou wilt be in the day of recompence; thy light and knowledge will more torment thee, then all the Devills in hell. Thy knowledge will be that rod that will eternally lash thee, and that Scorpion that will for ever bite thee, and that worme that will everlastingly gnaw thee; therefore reade, and labour to know, that thou mayest doe, or else thou art undone for ever. When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of an Orator, what the second, what the third; he answered, action; the same may I say, if any should aske me, what is the first, the second, the third part of a Christian? I must answer, action; as that man that reades that he may know; and that labours to know, that he may doe, will have two Heavens; a Heaven of Joy, Peace, and Comfort on earth, and a Heaven of glory, and happinesse after death.

Fourthly, and lastly, if in thy reading thou wilt cast a serious eye upon the Margent, thou wilt finde many sweet and precious Notes, that will oftentimes give light to the things thou readest, and pay thee for thy paines, with much comfort, and profit; So desiring that thou mayest finde as much sweetnesse, and advantage in reading this Treatise, as I have found (by the overshadowings of Heaven) in the studying and writing of it, I commend thee to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to [Acts 20. 32.] build thee up, and to give thee an inheritance among them which are sanctified. And rest

Reader,

Thy soules Servant in every office of the Gospel, THOMAS BROOKS.

PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATANS Devices.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his Devices.

IN the fifth Verse, the Apostle shews, that the incestuous person had by his incest, sadded those precious souls that God would not have sadded; soules that walk sinfully are Hazaels to the godly, and draw many sighes and tears from them; Jeremy weepes in secret for Judah's sins, and Paul cannot speak of those Belly▪ Gods with drie eyes, Phil. 3. 18. p. 2And Lots righteous soule was burdened, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .] vexed, and racked by the filthy Sodomites, 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. Every sinfull Sodomite was a Hazael to his eyes, a Hadadrimmon to his heart; Gracious soules use to mourne for other mens sins as well as their owne, and for their soules [119 Psal. 136. 158.] and sins, who make a mock of sin, and a jest of damning their owne soul◊. Guilt or grief is all that gracious soules get by communion with vain souls.