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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	flesh_n	fulfil_v	law_n	6,597	5	5.9828	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77614	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.	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1658 (1658)	Wing B4954; Thomason E1426_1	231,671	413

downe their services at the foot-stool of Christ must lie down in sorrow their bed is prepared for them in hell Behold all Isa 50. ult yee that kindle a fire and compass your selves with the sparks and walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that yee have kindled this yee shall have at mine hand yee shall lye down in sorrow Is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings with a devouring fire if it be why then rest in your duties still if otherwise then see that you center only in the bosome of Christ The fourth and last Remedie against 4 Remedie this device of Satan is to dwell much upon the necessity and excellency of that resting place that God hath provided for you above all other resting places himselfe is your resting place his free mercy and love is your resting place the pure glorious matchlesse and spotlesse righteousness of Christ is your resting place ah 't is sadd to thinke that most men have forgotten their resting place as the Lord complains My people have been as lost sheep their shepheards have caused them Jer. 50. 6. to goe astray and have turned them away to the mountaines they have gone from mountaine to hill and forgotten their resting place So poor souls that see not the excellency of that resting place that God hath appointed for their souls to lye down in they wander ftom mountaine to hill from one duty to another and here they will rest and there they will rest but soules that see the excellency of that resting place that God hath provided for them they will say farewel prayer farewel hearing farewel fasting c. I will rest no more in you but now will rest only in the bosome of Christ the love of Christ the righteousnesse of Christ The third thing to be shewed is the severall Devices that Satan hath to keep souls in a sad doubting questioning and uncomfortable condition Blessed Bradford in one of his Epistles saith thus O Lord sometimes me thinks I feel it so with me as if there were no difference between my heart and the wicked I have a blind mind as they a stout stubborn rebellious hard heart as they so hee goes on c. THough he can never rob a Believer of his Crowne yet such is his malice and envy that he will leave no stone unturn'd no means unattempted to rob them of their comfort and peace to make their life a burden and a hell unto them to cause them to spend their days in sorrow and mourning in sighing and complaining in doubting and questioning surely we have no interest in Christ our graces are not true our hopes are the hopes of hypocrites our confidence is but presumption our injoyments are but delusions c. I shall shew you this in some particulars The first Device that Satan 1 Device hath to keepe souls in a sad doubting and questioning condition and so making their life a hell is BY causing them to be still poring A Christan should weare Christ in his bosome as a flower of de light for he is a whole paradise of delight he that minds not Christ more then his sin can never be thankfull and fruitfull as he should and musing upon sinne to minde their sins more then their Saviour yea so to mind their sins as to forget yea to neglect their Saviour that as the Psalmist speaks The Lord is not in all their thoughts their eyes are so fixt upon their disease that they cannot see the Remedie though it be neare and they doe so muse upon their debts that they have neither mind nor heart to think of their surety c. Now the first Remedie against 1 Remedie this device of Satan is FOr weake beleevers to consider that though Jesus Christ hath not freed them from the presence of sin yet he Peccata enim non nocent si non placent my sins hurt me not if they like me not Sinn is like that wild fig-tree or Ivie in the wall cu● off stump body bough and branches yet some strings or other will sprout out again till the wall be pluckt down Rom. 8. 1. hath freed them from the damnatory power of sin It 's most true that sinne and grace were never borne together neither shall sin and grace dye together yet while a beleever breaths in this world they must live together they must keep house together Christ in this life will not free any beleever from the presence of any one sin though he doth free every beleever from the damning power of every sin There 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit The Law cannot condemn a beleever for Christ hath fulfilled it for him divine Justice cannot condemn him for that Christ hath satisfied his sinns cannot condem him for they in the blood of Christ are pardoned and his owne conscience upon righteous grounds cannot condemn him because Christ that is greater then his conscience hath acquitted him c. The second Remedy against this device 2 Remedie of Satan is to consider that though Jesus Christ hath not freed you from the molesting and vexing power of sin yet he hath freed you from the reigne and The primitive Christians chose rather to be thrown to lions without then left to lusts within Ad leonem magis quam leonem saith Tertullian Rom. 6. 14. dominion of sin Thou sayest that sinne doth so molest and vex thee that thou canst not think of God nor go to God nor speak with God oh but remember 't is one thing for sin to molest and vex thee and another thing for sinne to reigne and have dominion over thee For sinne shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace Sin may rebell but it shall never reigne in any Saint it fareth with sin in the regenerate as with those Beasts that Daniel speaks of That had their dominion taken Dan. 7. 12. away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time Now sin reigns in the soule when the soul willingly and readily obeys it and subjects to its commands as Subjects do actively obey and embrace the commands of their Prince The commands 'T is a signe that sin hath not gained your consent but committed a rape upon your souls when you cry out ●o God if the ravished Virgin under the Law cryed out she was guiltlesse Deut. 22. 27. So when sinne plays the Tyrant over the soule and the soul cries out 't is guiltlesse those sins shall not be charged upon the soule of a K. are readily embraced and obeyed by his Subjects but the commands of a Tyrant are embraced obeyed unwillingly All the service that is done to a Tyrant is out of violence and not out of obedience A free and willing subjection to the commands of sin speaks out the soul to be under the reign

Heaven-wards and Holinesse-wards in the midnight of adversity Againe afflictions serve to keep the hearts of the Saints humble and tender Lam. 3. 19 20. Remembring my affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall My soule hath them still in remembrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is humbled in me or bowed downe in me as the Originall hath it So David when he was under the rod could say I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it I have read of one who when any thing fell out prosperously would read over the Lamentations of Jeremiah Gregory Nazianzen and that kept his heart tender humble and low prosperity doth not contribute more to the puffing up of the soul then adversity doth to the bowing down of the soule this the Saints by experience find and therefore they can kisse and imbrace the Crosse as others doe the worlds Crowne Againe they serve to bring the Saints nearer to God and to make them more importunate and earnest in prayer with God Before I was afflicted I went astray Psal 119. 67. 71. Hos 5. 14 15. Ch. 6. 1. 2. but now have I kept thy word It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learne thy statutes I will be to Ephraim as a Lion and as a young Lion to the house of The more precious odours and the purest spices are beaten and bruised the sweeter sent and savour they send abroad so doe Saints when they a●● afflicted Judah I even I will teare and goe away I will take away and none shall rescue him I will goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early and so they did Come say they and let us returne unto the Lord for he hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up After two dayes he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight So when God had hedg'd up their way with thorns then they say I will goe and returne Hes 2. 6 7. to my first husband for then was it with me better then now Ah the joy the peace the comfort the delight and content that did attend us when we kept close communion with God doth bespeak our return to God We will returne to our first Husband for then was it with us better then now When Tiribazus a noble Persian was arrested he drew out his sword and defended himselfe but when they told Most men are like atop that will not goe unlesse you whip it and the more you whip it the better it goes you know how to apply it They tha● are in advers●●y saith Luther doe better understand Scripture but those that are in prosperity read them as a vers in Ovid. Bees are kill'd with hon●y but quickned with vineger The honey of prosperity kills our graces but the vineger of adversity quickens our graces him that they came to carry him to the King he willingly yielded so though a Saint may at first stand a little out yet when he remembers that afflictions are to carry him nearer God he yields and kisses the rod. Afflictions are like the prick at the Nightingales breast that awakes her and puts her upon her sweet and delightfull singings Again afflictions they serve to revive and recover decayed graces they infame that love that 's cold and they quicken that faith that is decaying and they put life into those hopes that are withering and spirits into those joyes and comforts that are languishing Musk saith one when it hath lost its sweetnesse if it be put into the sink amongst filth it recovers it so doe afflictions recover and revive decayed graces The more Saints be beaten with the hammer of afflictions the more they are made the Trumpets of Gods praises and the more are their graces revived and quickned Adversity abases the lovelinesse of the world that might intice us it abates the Iustinesse of the flesh within that might incite us to folly and vanity and it abets the spirit in his quarrell to the two former which tends much to the reviving and recovering decayed graces Now suppose afflictions and troubles doe attend the wayes of holinesse yet seeing that they all work for the great profit and singular advantage of the Saints let no soul be so mad as to leave an afflicted way of holinesse to walk in a smooth path of wickednesse The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that all the afflictions that doe befall The Christian souldier shall ever be master of the day Mori posse vinci non posse said Cyprian to Cornelius he may suffer death but never conquest the Saints doe onely reach their worser part they reach not they hurt not their noble part their best part all the arrowes stick in the Target they reach not the Conscience And who shall harme you if you be followers of that which is good saith the Apostle that is none shall harm you they may thus and thus afflict you but they shall never harm you It was the speech of a Heathen when as by the Tyrant he was commanded to be put into a morter and be beaten to pieces with an iron pestell he cries out to his persecutors you doe but beat the vessell the case the ●usk of Anaxarchus you doe not beat me his body was to him but as a case a husk he counted his soul himself which they could not reach you are wise and know how to apply it Socrates said of his enemies they may kill me but they cannot hurt me so afflictions may kill us but they cannot hurt us they may take away my life but they cannot take away my God my Christ my Crown The ●●ird Remedy against this Devi●● 3 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that the afflictions that doe attend the Saints in the wayes of holinesse are but short and momentary Sorrow may abide for a night but joy comes in the morning There are none of Gods afflicted ones that have not their lucida intervalla intermissions respits and breathing whiles under their short a●d momen●●●● afflictio●s Wh●n Gods hand is on thy back let thy hand be on thy mouth for though the affliction be sharp it shall be but short this short storm will end in an everlasting calm this short night will end in a glorious day that shall never have end 'T is but a very short time betweene grace and glory between our title to the Crown and our wearing the Crown between our right to the heavenly inheritance and our possessing of the heavenly inheritance Fourteen thousand years to the Lord is but as one day what is our life but a shadow a bubble a flower a post a span a dream c. yea so small a while doth the

when something is parted with to gain more he applyeth it to their sufferings wherin though the flesh lost something yet the spirit got much more the comfort the rest that Saints meet with in the wayes and service of God they find that Religious services are not empty things but things in which God is pleased to discover his beautie and glory to their soules My soul thirsts for God saith David that I might see thy beauty and thy glory as I have seen thee in thy Sanctuary Oh! the sweet looks the sweet words the sweet hints the sweet joggings the sweet influences the sweet love-letters that gracious soules have from Heaven when they waite upon God in holy and heavenly services the least of which will darken and outweigh all the bravery and glory of this world and richly recompence the soul for all the troubles afflictions and dangers that have attended it in the service of God oh the Saints can say under all their troubles and afflictions that they have meate to eate and drinke to When the Moble Generall Ze●slaus had lost his hand in the Wars of the K. of Poland the King sent him a golden hand for it what we lose in Christs service he will make up by giving in some golden mercies drinke that the world knows not of that they have such incomes such refreshments such warmings c. that they would not exchange for all the honours riches and dainties of this world Ah! let but a Christian compare his externall losses with his spirituall internall and eternall gain and he shall find that for every penny that he loses in the service of God he gaines a pound and for every pound that he looses hee gains a hundred for every hundred lost he gains a thousand wee loose pins in his service and find pearls we loose the favour of the creature and peace with the creature and happily the comforts and contents of the creature and we gain the favour of God peace with conscience and the comforts and contents of a better life Ah! did the men of this world know the sweet that Saints injoy in afflictions they would rather chuse Manasses iron chaine then his golden Crown They would rather be Paul a prisoner then Paul rap't up in the third Heaven for light afflictions they shall have a Though the Crosse be bitter yet 't is but short a little storm as one said of Julians persecution and an e●e●nall calm follows weight of glory for a few afflictions they shall have those joyes pleasures and contents that are as the stars of heaven or as the sands of the sea that cannot be numbred for momentany afflictions they shall have an eternall Crown of glory 't is but winking and thou shalt be in heaven presently said the Martyr oh therefore let no afflictions nor troubles work thee to shun the wayes of God or to quit that service that should be dearer to thee then a world yea then thy very life c. The third Device that Satan 3. Device hath to hinder soules from holy and heavenly services from gracious and religious performances is BY presenting to the soule the difficulty of performing them saith Satan 't is so hard and difficult a thing to pray as thou shouldst and to wait on God as thou shouldst and to walke with God as thou shouldst and to be lively warm and active in the communion of Saints as thou shouldst that you were better ten thousand times to neglect them then to meddle with them and doubtlesse by this Device Satan hath and doth keep off thousands from waiting on God and from giving to him that service that is due to his name c. Now the remedies against this Device are these that follow THe first Remedie against this device 1. Remedy of Satan is to dwell more upon the necessity of the service and duty then on the difficulty that doth attend the duty you should reason thus with your soules oh our soules though such and such duties and services be hard and difficult yet are they not exceeding necessarie for the honour of God and the keeping up of his name in The necessity of doing your duty appears by this that you are his servants by a three-fold right you are his servants jure creationis jure sustentationis jure redemptionis by right of creation and by right of sustentation and by right of redemption the world and the keeping under of sin and the keeping under of weak graces and for the reviving of languishing comforts and for the keeping clear and bright your blessed evidences and for the scattering of your fears and for the raising of your hopes and for the gladding the hearts of the righteous and stopping the mouths of unrighteous souls who are ready to take all advantages to blaspheme the name of God and throw dirt and contempt upon his people and wayes oh never leave thinking on the necessity of this and that duty till your souls be lifted up far above all the difficulties that doe attend religious duties The second Remedie against this device 2 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that the Lord Jesus will make his services easie to you by the sweet discovery of himselfe to your soules whilst you are in his service Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy wayes as the Prophet Isaiah saith if meeting with Isa 64. v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paganta is diversly taken but most take the word here to meet a soule with those bowells of love and tendernesse as the Father of the Prodigall met the Prodigall with God is pater miserationum hee is all bowels he is as swift to shew mercy as he is slow to anger God who is goodnesse it selfe sweetnesse it selfe beauty it selfe strength it selfe glory it self will not sweeten his service to thy soule nothing in Heaven or Earth will Jacob's meeting with Rachel and enjoying of Rachell made his hard service to be easie and delightfull to him and will not the soules enjoying of God and meeting with God render his service to be much more easie and delightfull doubtlesse it will The Lord will give that sweet assistance by his Spirit and grace as shall make his service joyous and not grievous a delight not a burden a Heaven and not a Hel to believing souls the confidence of this divine assistance raised up Nehemiah's spirit far above all those difficulties and discouragements that did attend him in the work and service of the Lord as you may see in that 2 Nehemiah vers 19 20. But when Sanballat Luther spake excellently to Melancthon who was apt to be disconraged with doubts and difficulties feares from foes and so ●ease the service they had undertaken if the work be not good why did we ever own it if it be good why should wee ever decline it why saith he should we feare the conquered world that

thousand worlds Ah! if the vailes be thus sweet and glorious before pay-day comes what will be that glory that Christ will crown his Saints with for cleaving to his service in the face of all difficulties When he shall say to his father Loe here am I and the children which thou hast given me if there be so much to be had in a wildernesse what then shall be had in Paradise c. The fourth Device that Satan 4 Device hath to keep soules off from holy exercises from religious services is BY working them to make false inferences from those blessed and glorious things that Christ hath done As that Jesus Christ hath done all for us therefore there is nothing for us to doe but to joy and rejoyce he hath perfectly justified us and fulfilled the Law and satisfied divine Justice and pacified his Fathers wrath and is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for us and in the mean time to intercede for us and therefore away with praying and mourning and hearing c. Ah! what a world of Professors hath Satan drawn in these dayes from religious services by working them to make such sad wilde and strange inferences from the sweet and excellent things that the Lord Jesus hath done for his beloved ones Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this device 1. Remedie of Satan is to dwell as much on those Scriptures that shew you the duties and services that Christ requires of you as upon those Scriptures that declare Tertullian hath this expression of the fulnesse of the Scriptures Adoro plenitudinem Scripturarum I adore the fulnesse of the Scripture Gregory calls the Scripture cor animam Dei the heart soule of God and who will not then dwell on it to you the precious and glorious things that Christ hath done for you 'T is a sad and a dangerous thing to have two eyes to behold our dignity and priviledges and not one eye to see our duties and services I should look with one eye upon the choise and excellent things that Christ hath done for me to raise up my heart to love Christ with the purest love and to joy in Christ with the strongest joy and to lift up Christ above all who hath made himself to be my all And I should look with the other eye upon those services and duties that the Scriptures require of those for whom Christ hath done such blessed things as upon that of the Apostle What know yee not that your body 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your owne For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And that 1 Cor. 15. 58. therefore my beloved brethren be yee stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. And that And let us not be weary in well doing for in due Gal. 6. 9. 2. season we shall reape if we faint not And that of the Apostle rejoyce alwayes and pray without ceasing and that in the Philippians Worke out your salvation with Phil. 2 12 13 1 Cor. 11. 26. Heb 10. 24 25. feare and trembling and that This doe till I come and that Let us consider one another to provoke one another to love and to good workes not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the mannor of some The Jews were much in turning over the leaves of the Scripture but they did not weigh the matter of them John 5. 39. You search the Scripture Gr. there seemeth to be indicative rather then imperative is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching Now a soule that would not be drawn away by this device of Satan hee must not look with a squint eye upon these blessed Scriptures and abundance more of like import but he must dwell upon them he must make these Scriptures to be his chiefest and his choisest companions and this will be a happy meanes to keep him close to Christ and his service in these times wherein many turn their backs upon Christ under pretence of being highly interested in the great and glorious things that have been acted by Christ c. The second Remedie against this Device 2. Remedie of Satan is to consider that the great and glorious things that Jesus Christ hath done and is a doing for us should be so far from taking us off from religious services and pious performances that they should be the greatest motives and encouragements to the performance of them that may be as the Scriptures do abundantly evidence I 1 Pet. 2. 9. Luke 1. 74 75. This I am sure of that all mans happines here is his holinesse and his holinesse shall hereafter be his happiness Christ hath therefore broke the Devils yoke from off our necks that his Father might have better service from our hearts 2 Cor. 6. 6. 17 18. ch 7. 1. compared will only instance in some as that That we being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lives Christ hath freed you from all your Enemies from the curse of the Law the predominant damnatory power of sin the wrath of God the sting of death and the torments of hell but what is the end and design of Christ in doing these great and marvellous things for his people 't is not that they should throw off duties of righteousnesse and holinesse but that their hearts may be the more free and sweet in all holy duties and heavenly services So the Apostle I will be their God and they shall be my people And I will be a Father unto you and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty mark what follows Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of the Lord. And againe The grace of God that Yit 2. 11 12 13 14. bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying all ungodlinsse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious Tace lingua loquere vita talk not of a good life but let thy life speak Your actions in passi●g pass not away for every good work is a grain of seed for eternall life appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave him selfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Ah soules I know no such arguments to worke you to a lively and constant performance of all heavenly services like

be resolved of his doubts because he would not loose the pleasure in seeking for resolution So wicked men will not be rid of some sins because they would not loose the seeming pleasure of sinning his soule but a destruction of all those lusts and vermine that vex and rack his righteous heart it will not satisfie a gracious soul to see Justice done upon one sin but he cries out for Justice upon all he would not have some crucified and others spared but cries out Lord crucifie them all crucifie them all Oh! but now the conflict that is in wicked men is partiall they frown upon one fin and smile upon another they strike at some sins but stroake others they thrust some out of doors but keep others close in their bosomes as you may see in Iehu Herod Iudas Simon Magus and Demas Wicked men strike at gtosse sins such as are not only against the law of God but against the Laws of nature and Nations but make nothing of lesse sinnes as vaine thoughts idle words sinfull motions John 3. 20. petty oathes c. They fight against those sins that fight against their honor profits pleasures c. but make truce with those that are as right hands and as right eyes to them c. 3. The conflict that is in a Saint against sin is maintained by spirituall Arguments by arguments drawn from Though to be kept from sin brings comfort to us yet for us to oppose sin from spirituall and heavenly arguments and God to pardon sin that brings most glory to God 2. Cor. 12. 7 8 9. the love of God the honour of God the sweetness of communion with God and from the spirituall and heavenly blessings and priviledges that are conferred upon them by God and from Arguments drawn from the blood of Christ the glory of Christ the eye of Christ the kisses of Christ and the intercession of Christ And from Arguments drawn from the earnest of the Spirit the seale of the Spirit the witnesse of the Spirit the comforts of the Spirit Oh! but the conflict that is in wicked men is from low earnall and legall Arguments drawn from the eye eare or hand of the creature or drawn from shame hell curses of the Law c 4. The conflict that is in Saints is a 'T was an excellent saying of Eusebius Emesenus Our father 's overcome the torments of the flames let us overcome the fiery darts of vices Consider that the pleasure and sweetness that follows victory over sin is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetnesse that is in sinne constant conflict though sin and grace were not born in the heart of a St. together and though they shall not die together yet whilst a Beeleever lives they must conflict together Paul had been about fourteen years converted when he cryed out I have a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading mee captive to the law of sinne Pietro Candiano one of the Dukes of Venice died fighting against the Nauratines with the weapons in his hands so a Saint lives fighting and dies fighting he stands fighting and falls fighting with his spirituall weapons in his hands But the conflict that is in wicked men is inconstant now they fal out with sin and anon they fall in with sin now 't is bitter anon 't is sweet now the sinner turns from his sin and anon he turns to the wallowing in sin as the swine doth to the wallowing in the mire one hour you shall have him 2 Pet. 2. 19 20. praying against sin as if he feared it more then hell and the next houre you shall have him pursuing after sin as if there were no God to punish him no justice to damne him no hell to torment him The conflict that is in the Saints is in the same faculties there is the judgement against the judgement the minde against the minde the will against the will the affections against the affections A Heathen could say their soule is in a mutiny a wicked man is not friends with himself he and his conscience are at difference Arist that is the regenerate part against the unregenerate part in all the parts of the soule but now in wicked men the conflict is not in the same faculties but between the conscience and the will the will of a sinner is bent strongly to such and such sins but conscience puts in and tels the sinner God hath made me his Deputy he hath given me a power to hang and draw to examine scourge judge and condemn and if thou doest such and such wickednesse I shall be thy Jay●or and thy tormentor I doe not beare the rod nor the sword in vaine saith Conscience if thou sinnest I shall doe my office and then thy life will be a hell and this raises a tumult in the soule 6. The conflict that is in the Saints is a more blessed successefull and prevailing conflict a Saint by his conflict with sin gaines ground upon his sin They that are Christs saith the Apostle have These two Grace and Sin are like two Buckets at a wel when one is up the other is down they are like the two Lawrels at Rome when one flourishes the other withers The more grace thrives in the soule the more fin dies in the soule 2 Tim. 3. 13. From naught they gro● to be very naught and from very naught to be stark naught Lactantius saith of Lucian Nec diis nec hominibus pepercit hespared neither God nor man Mortification is a continued act 't is a daily dying to sin I dye daily A crucified man will strive and struggle yet in the eyes of the Law and in the account of all that see him he is dead 't is just so with sin Psal 58. 11. There is no such pleasure saith Cyprian as to have overcome an offered pleasure neither is there any greater conquest then that that is gotten over a mans corruptions crucified the world with the affections and lusts Christ puts to his hand and helps them to lead captivity captive and to set their feet upon the necks of those lusts that have formerly trampled upon their souls and their comforts As the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker and the house of David grew stronger and stronger so the Lord by the discoveries of his love and by the influences of his spirit he causes grace the noble part of a Saint to grow stronger and stronger and corruption like the house of Saul to grow weaker and weaker But sin in a wicked heart gets ground and growes stronger and stronger notwithstanding all his conflicts his heart is more encouraged emboldened and hardened in a way of sin as you may see in the Israelites Pharoah Jehu and Judas who doubtlesse found many strange conflicts ●umults and mutinies in their souls when God spake such bitter things against them and did such justice upon them But remember this by way of Caution though

Christ hath given sinne its deaths wound by his power spirit death and resurrection yet it will die but a lingring death As a man that is mortally wounded dies by little and little so doth sin in the heart of a Saint The death of Christ on the Crosse was a lingring death so the death of sin in the soule is a lingering death now it dies a little and anon it dies a little c. as the Psalmist speaks Slay them not least my people forget scatter them by thy power and bring them downe oh Lord our shield He would not have them utterly destroyed but some reliques preserved as a memoriall so God dealeth in respect of sin 't is wounded and brought downe but not wholly slaine something is still left as a monument of the Divine grace and to keep us humble wakefull and watchfull and that our armour may be still kept on and our weapons alwayes in our hands The best mens soules in this life hangs between the flesh and the spirit as it were like Mahomets Tomb at Aleppo between two load-stones like Erasmus as the Papists paint him betwixt The Romanes lost many a battel ●nd yet in the issue were Conquerors in all their wars 't is just so with the Saints Heaven and Hell like the Tribe of Manasseh halfe on this side Jordan in the Land of the Amorites and halfe on that side in the Holy Land yet in the issue they shall overcome the flesh and trample upon the necks of their spirituall enemies The Sixth Device that Satan hath to keep a poor soule in a sad doubting and questioning condition is BY suggesting to the soule that surely 6 Device his estate is not good because he cannot joy and rejoyce in Christ as once he could because he hath lost that comfort and joy that once was in his spirit Saith Satan thou knowest the time was when thy heart was much carried out to joying and rejoycing in Christ thou doest not forget the time when thy heart used to be full of joy and comfort but now how art thou fallen in thy joyes and comforts Therefore thy estate is not good thou doest but deceive thy selfe to think that ever it was good for surely if it had thy joy and comfort would have continued And hereupon the soule is apt to take part with Satan and say 't is even so I see all is naught and I have but deceived my owne soule c. Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedy against this Device 1 Remedie of Satan is to consider that the losse of comfort is a separable adjunct from grace the soul may be f●ll of holy affections when 't is empty of Divine consolations There may be and often Ps 63. 1 2 8. Isa 50. 10. 7. Mic. 7. 8 9. Psal 42. 5 is true grace yea much grace where there is not a drop of comfort nor a dram of joy Comfort is not of the being but of the wel-being of a Christian God hath not so linked these 2 choice lovers together but that they may be Spirituall joy is a Sun that is often clouded though it be as precious a flower as most Paradise affords ye● 't is subject to side and w●●ther put asunder That wisdome that is from above will never work a man to reason thus I have no comfort therefore I have no grace I have lost that joy that once I had therefore my condition is not good was never good c. but 't will inable a man to reason thus tho my comfort is gone yet the God of my comfort abides though my joy is lost yet the seeds of grace remaine The best mens joyes are as glasse bright and brittle and evermore in danger of breaking The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that the precious things that thou still injoyest are far better then the joyes and comforts that thou hast lost Thy union with Christ thy communion with Christ thy son-ship thy saint-ship thy heir-ship thou still injoyest by Christ is far better then the comforts thou hast lost by sin what though thy comforts be gone yet thy union and communion with Christ remaines though thy comforts be gone yet thou art a Son tho Jer. 31. 18 19 20. a comfortlesse Son an heir though a comfortlesse heir a Saint though a comfortlesse Saint Though the bag of silver thy comforts be lost yet the When one objected to Faninus his chearfullnesse to Christs Agony and sadnesse he answered Christ was sad that I might bemerry he had my sins and I have his righteousnesse box of Jewels thy union with Christ thy communion with Christ thy Sonship thy Saint-ship thy Heir-ship which thou still injoyest is far better then the bag of silver thou hast lost yea the least of those precious Jewels is more worth then all the comforts in the world well let this be a cordiall to comfort thee a star to lead thee and a staffe to support thee that thy box of Jewels are safe though thy bag of silver be lost The third Remedie against this Device 3 Remedy of Satan is to consider that thy condition is no other then what hath been the condition of those precious Psal 51. 12. Psal 30. 6 7. Job 23. 6 8 9. 30. 31. Lam. 1. 16. Mat. 27. 46. soules whose names were written upon the heart of Christ and who are now at rest in the bosome of Christ One day you shall have them praising and rejoycing the next day a mourning weeping one day you shall have them a singing Psal 42. 5. The Lord is our portion the next day a sighing and expostulating with themselves Lam. 5. 15. Why are yee cast downe oh our souls Why is our Harp turned to mourning And our Organ into the voice of them that weep c. The fourth Remedy against this Device 4 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that the causes of joy and comfort are not alwayes the same Happily thy former joy and comfort did spring from The spirit doth not every day make a feast in the soul he doth not make every day to be a day of wearing the wedding robes the witnesse of the spirit he bearing witnesse to thy soule that thy nature was changed thy sins pardoned thy soule reconciled c. Now the Spirit may upon some speciall occasion bear witnesse to the soul that the heart of God is dearly set upon him that he loves him with an everlasting love c. and yet the soule may never injoy such a testimony all the dayes of his life again Though the spirit be a witnessing spirit it 's not his office every day to witnesse to believers their interest in God Christ Heaven c. Or happily thy former joy and comfort did spring from the newnesse and suddennesse of the change of thy condition for a man in one

abilities have been their utter overthrow and ruine General counsels were seldome succesfull because men came with confidence leaning to their owne understanding and seeking for victory rather then verity saith one as you may see in Achitophel and those Presidents and Princes that engaged against Daniel and in the Scribes and Pharisees God loves to confute men in their Confidences he that stands upon his parts and abilities doth but stand upon a quick-sand that will certainly faile him There is nothing in the world that provokes God more to with-draw from the soul then this and how can the soul stand when his strength is departed from him Every thing that a man leanes upon but God will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through ah how many in these dayes have lost their estates their friends their lives their souls by leaning upon their admired parts and abilities The Saints are described Cant. 8. 5. by their leaning upon their beloved the Lord Jesus he that leanes onely upon the bosome of Christ lives the highest choycest safest and sweetest life miseries alwayes lye at that mans doore that leans upon any thing below the precious bosome of Christ Such a man is most in danger and this is none of his least plagues that he thinks himselfe secure 'T is the greatest wisdome in the world to take the wise mans counsell Trust in the Lord with all thy Prov. 3. 5. heart and leane not to thine owne understanding The third Remedy against this Device 3 Remedie of Satan is to consider that you doe not transcend others more in parts and abilities then they doe you in Judas and the Scribes Pharisees had great parts but no grace the Disciples had grace but weak parts grace and holinesse there may be and often is great parts and abilities where there is but little grace yea no grace and there may be and often is a great deale of grace where there is but weak parts and abilities you may be higher then others in gifts of knowledge utterance learning c. and those very souls may be higher then you in their communion with God in their delighting Luke 11. 1. Mark 8. 31 32 33. Luke 24. 19. to 28. in God in their dependance upon God in their affections to God and in their humble holy and unblamable walking before God Is it folly and madnesse in a man to make light and slight of another because he is not so rich in lead or iron as he when he is a thousand thousand times richer in silver and in gold in Jewels and in Pearls then he And is it not madnesse and folly with a witnesse in those that have greater parts and abilities then others ●o slight them upon that account when that those very persons that they make light and slight of have a thousand times more grace then they And yet ah how doth this evill spirit prevaile in the world 'T was the sad complaint of Austin in his time The unlearned said Surgeant indocti rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrinis nostris detrudimur in gehennā he rise up and take Heaven by violence and we with all our learning are thrust down to hell 't is sad to see how many of the Rabbies of these times doe make an Idol of their parts and abilities and with what an eye of pride scorne and contempt doe they looke upon those that want their parts and that doe not worship the idoll that they have set up in their own hearts Paul who was the great Doctor of the Gentiles did wonderfully transcend in all parts and abilities the Doctors and Rabbies of our times and yet ah how humbly how tenderly how sweetly doth he carry himselfe towards the meanest and the 1 Cor 9. 22. 2 Cor. 11. 29. weakest To the weake I became as weake that I might win the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burne not Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will ea● no flesh while the World standeth least I make my brother to offend But ah how little of this sweet spirit is to be found in the Doctors of our age who look sowrely speak bitterly against those that doe not see as they see nor cannot speak as they speak Sirs the spirit of Isa 60. 13 14 15 16 17. the Lord even in despised Saints will be too hard for you and his appearances in them in these latter dayes will be so full of spirituall beauty and glory as that they will darken that that you are too apt to count and call your glory the spirit of the Lord will not suffer his choycest jewell grace to be alwayes buried under the straw and stubble of parts and gifts The fourth Remedy against this Device 4 Remedy of Satan is to consider that there Becanus saith that the tree of Knowledge beares many leaves and little fruit ah that it were not so with many in these dayes who once did out-shine the stars c. is no such way for men to have their gifts and parts blasted and withered as to pride themselves in them as to rest upon them as to make light and slight of those that want them as to engage them against those persons wayes and things that Jesus Christ hath set his heart upon Ah! how hath God blasted and withered the parts and abilities of many among us that have once been famous shining lights how is their sun darkned and their glory clouded How Zech. 11. 17. is the sword of the Lord upon their arme and upon their right eye How is their arm clean dried up and their right eye utterly darkned as the Prophet speaks This is matter of humiliation and lamentation many precious discerning Saints doe see this and in secret mourn for it and oh that they were kindly sensible of Gods withdrawing from them that they may repent keep humble and carry it sweetly towards Gods Jewels and lean only upon the Lord and not upon their parts and understanding that so the Lord may delight to visit them w th his grace at such a rate as that their faces may shine more gloriously then ever and they may be more serviceable to the honour of Christ and the faith of the Saints then formerly they have been c. Thirdly Satan hath his Devices to destroy the Saints one great Device that he hath to destroy the Saints is BY working them first to be strange Gal 5. 15. If we knock we break dissolution is the d●●ghter of d●ssen●ion and then to divide and then to be bi●er and jealous and then to bite and devoure one another our owne wofull experi●nce is too great a proof of this The Israelites in Aegypt did not more vex one another then Christians in these dayes have done which occasioned a

3 4 5. the Devil had malice enough to destroy him yet he had not so much as power to touch him till God gave him a Commission They could not so much as enter into Luke 8. 32. the swine without leave from Christ Satan would faine have combated with Peter but this could not he doe without leave Satan hath desired to have you Luke 22. 13. to winnow you So Satan could never have overthrown Ahab and Saul but by 1 Kings 22. a commission from God Ah! what a cordiall what a comfort should this be to the Saints that their greatest subtilest and watchfullest enemie cannot hurt nor harme them without leave from him who is their sweetest Saviour their dearest husband and their choysest friend And as Satan must have leave from Adversaria po●e 〈…〉 non habet vim c●gendi sed persuadendi Is●do●e God so he must have leave of us when he tempts we must assent when hee makes offers we must hearken when he commands we must obey or else all his labour and temptations will be frustrate and the evill that he tempts us to shall be put down only to his account that 's a remarkable passage of the Apostle in Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan Acts 5. 3. filled thy heart to lie to the holy Ghost c. He doth not expostulate the matter with Satan he doth not say Satan why They are the wor●● and grossest lyars who pretend Re●igion and the Spirit and yet are acted onley by carnall principles to carnal ends host thou filled Ananias heart to make him lie to the holy Ghost but he expostulates the case with Ananias Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost Why hast thou given him an advantage to fill thy heart with infidelity hypocrisie and obstinate audacity to lie to the holy Ghost as If he had said Satan could never have done this in thee which will now for ever undoe thee unlesse thou hadst first given him leave If when a temptation comes a man cries out and saith ah Lord here is a temptation that would force me that would deflowr my soul and I have no strength to with-stand it oh help help for thy honours sake for thy Sonnes sake for thy promise sake 't is a signe that Satan hath not gained your consent but committed a rape upon your soules which he shall dearly pay for The fourth Proposition is this That no weapons but spirituall 4 Proposition weapons will be usefull and serviceable to the soule in fighting and combating with the Devill this the Apostle shewes VVherefore take unto you saith Ephes 6. 13. he the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand in the evill day and having done all to stand So the same Apostle tells you that the weapons of your warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to 2 Cor. 10. 4. the casting downe of strong bolds you have not to do with a weak but with a mighty We read of many that out of greatnesse of spirit could offer violence to nature but were at a loss when they come to deale with a corruption or a temptation enemy and therefore you had need look to it that your weapons are mighty and that they cannot be unlesse they are spirituall carnall weapons have no might nor spirit in them towards the making of a conquest upon Satan 'T was not Davids sling nor stone that gave him the honor advantage of setting his feet upon Goliah but his faith in the name of the Lord of Hosts Thou comest 1 Sam. 17. 45. to me with a sword with a speare and with a shield but I am come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the Armies of Israel whom thou hast defied Hee that Heraclius his Motto was a Deo victoria it is God that gives victories and that should be every Christians Motto fights against Satan in the strength of his owne resolutions constitution or education will certainely flie and fall before him Satan will be too hard for such a soule and lead him captive at his pleasure The onely way to stand conquer and triumph is still to plead 't is written as Christ did There is no sword but the two-edged sword of the Mat. 4. 10. Spirit that will be found to be mettle of proofe when a soule comes to engage against Satan Therefore when you are tempted to uncleannesse plead 't is written Be ye holy as I am holy And 1 Pet. 15. 16● 2 Cor. 5. 7. Chap. 1. l●t us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the ●eare of the Lord. If he tempts● you to distrust Gods providence and fatherly care of you plead 't is written They Psal 34. 9. that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good 'T is written The Lord will give Psal 84. 11. grace and glory and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that purlely live If he tempt you to feare that you shall faint and fall and never be able to run to the end of the race that is set before Iob 17. 9. you plead 't is written The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger 'T is written I will make an everlasting covevenant with them that I will not turne away Ier. 32. 40. from them to doe them good but I wil put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 'T is written They that wait upon the Lord they shall renew their Isa 40. 31. strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walke and not ●aint If Satan tempt you to think that because your sunne for the present is set in a cloud that therefore 't will rise no more and that the face of God will shine no more upon you that your best days are now at an end and that you must spend all your time in sorrow and fighing plead 't is written He will turn again he Mica 7. 19. will have compassion upon us and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea 'T is written For a small moment have I forsaken Isa 54. 7. thee but with great mercies will I gather Verse 8. thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer 'T is written The mountaines shall depart and the hills be Verse 10. removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercie on thee 'T is written Can a woman Isa 49. 15. forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget