numerous. 4 NOTE. tions of 'Precious Remedies,' from its original publication in 1652, have The '2d' was issued in 1653, 'corrected and enlarged.' For rs reprints followed in rapid succession, more numerous indeed than at appears, e. g. those of 1661 and 1669, though distinct impressions, being esignation as new editions. The '7th' appeared in 1671, the '8th' in the 9th' in 1682. Our text is that of the 8th,' collated with the 1st The '8th' was chosen, as having been the last during the author's own but the collation was found necessary, inasmuch as Brooks, after a '2d' y corrected' and 'enlarged' edition, seems to have allowed his books to ed without further oversight. Thus in our text (page 11) for 'Dan's adder' ts Pan's adder,' and so on in a multitude of like cases in all the afterE all his writings. Hence the later editions prove much more incorrect arlier, especially in the textual and marginal references, &c., and a recurne original or early 'corrected' edition often enables us to see the source or. The title-page of the '8th' edition is given below. G. Beloved in our de and Satan's devices, most studied and s cannot be safe here tian, but much mor the fulness of Chris the great deceiver: Discourse, according from the Lord. Go [Lev. ii. 2, v. 12], a know that you have of small things' [Z Beloved, Satan b misery, from heave malice and envy th he may make all shut out of heaven, judgment of the gr kill to bring all th demnation, with hi Souls, that now he he can no sooner ha If he doth but she world, how ready a Whatever sin the help forward. If I him to number the If a minister had as THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. To his most dear and precious ones, the sons and daughter Most High God, over whom the Holy Ghost hath made him a man. Beloved in our dearest Lord, Christ, the Scripture, your own and Satan's devices, are the four prime things that should be f most studied and searched. If any cast off the study of the cannot be safe here, nor happy hereafter. It is my work as a tian, but much more as I am a Watchman, to do my best to the fulness of Christ, the emptiness of the creature, and the s the great deceiver;1 which I have endeavoured to do, in the fo Discourse, according to that measure of grace which I have from the Lord. God once accepted a handful of meal for a [Lev. ii. 2, v. 12], and a gripe of goat's hair for an oblation know that you have not so learned the Father,' as to despise of small things' [Zech. iv. 10]. Beloved, Satan being fallen from light to darkness, from fe misery, from heaven to hell, from an angel to a devil, is so malice and envy that he will leave no means unattempted, y he may make all others eternally miserable with himself; h shut out of heaven, and shut up under the chains of darkness judgment of the great day' [Jude 6], makes use of all his po skill to bring all the sons of men into the same condition a demnation, with himself. Satan hath cast such sinful seed souls, that now he can no sooner tempt, but we are ready to he can no sooner have a plot upon us, but he makes a conque If he doth but shew men a little of the beauty and bravery world, how ready are they to fall down and worship him! Whatever sin the heart of man is most prone to, that the d help forward. If David be proud of his people, Satan will him to number them, that he may be yet prouder, 2 Samuel If Peter be slavishly fearful, Satan will put him upon rebuk If a minister had as many eyes as Argus, to watch, and as many heads as to dispose, and as many hands as Briareus, to labour, he might find em enough for them all. [(1.) Argus, surnamed Panoptes, all-seeing. Cf. Eschyl Apollod. Ov ll. cc. (2.) Typheus, i. e. Typhoeus. Cf. Pindar, Pyth. i. 31; vii iv. 12. (3.) Briareus, i.e. Ægæon. Cf. Apollod. i. 9, ? 1; Hesiod, Theog. 957. Gripe or handful.' Cf. Exod. xxv. 4; xxxv. 26.-G. 3 Finery 2 hrist, to save his own skin, Mat. xvi. 22, chap. xxvi. 69–75. ophets be given to flatter, the devil will straightway bespirit in the mouths of four hundred of them, and they Ahab to his ruin, 1 Kings xxii. If Judas will be a traitor, uickly enter into his heart, and make him sell his master hich some heathens would never have done, John xiii. 2. ill lie for advantage, Satan will fill his heart that he may tness, to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. 3. Satan loves to sail nd, and to suit men's temptations to their conditions and If they be in prosperity, he will tempt them to deny xx. 9; if they be in adversity, he will tempt them to disf their knowledge be weak, he will tempt them to have of God; if their conscience be tender, he will tempt to ; if large, to carnal security; if bold-spirited, he will sumption; if timorous, to desperation; if flexible, to inf stiff, to impenitency, &c. power, malice, and skill of Satan, doth proceed all the plots, devices, stratagems, and machinations, that be in Several devices he hath to draw souls to sin, and several to keep souls from all holy and heavenly services, and agems he hath to keep souls in a mourning, staggering, d questioning condition. several devices to destroy the great and honourable, the rned, the blind and ignorant, the rich and the poor, the nominal saints. he will restrain from tempting, that we may think our, and neglect our watch; another while he will seem to may make us proud of the victory; one while he will fix more on others' sins than their own, that he may puff them while he may fix their eyes more on others' graces than at he may overwhelm them, &c. y as well tell the stars, and number the sands of the sea, all the Devices of Satan; yet those which are most cond by which he doth most mischief to the precious souls of he following Treatise discovered, and the Remedies against bed. think it necessary to give you and the world a faithful he reasons moving me to appear in print, in these days, may say, there was never more writing and yet never less and they are these that follow, &c. First, Because Satan hath a greater influence upon men, advantages over them (having the wind and the hill, as it hey think he hath, and the knowledge of his high advanhighway to disappoint him, and to render the soul strong and happy in conquering, &c. Reason 3. The st of men in the world! are not a little desi Your importunity, and the importunity of many other as of Sion, Lam. iv. 2, hath after much striving with God, rt, and others, made a conquest of me, and forced me to st, which at first was not a little contrary to my inclinaolution, &c. Firates make the st Reason 3. The strange opposition that I met with from S the study of this following discourse, hath put an edge upon m knowing that Satan strives mightily to keep those things from the light, that tend eminently to shake and break his king darkness, and to lift up the kingdom and glory of the Lor Christ, in the souls and lives of the children of men, &c.1 Reason 4. Its exceeding usefulness to all sorts, ranks, and con of men in the world. Here you have salve for every sore, and ter for every wound, and a remedy against every disease, es against those that tend most to the undoing of souls, and the the State, &c. Reason 5. I know not of any one or other that have writ subject; all that ever I have seen have only touched upon this which hath been no small provocation to me, to attempt to d thing this way, that others, that have better heads and hearts, the inore stirred to improve their talents in a further disco Satan's Devices, and in making known of such choice Reme may enable the souls of men to triumph over all his plots and gems,' &c. Reason 6. I have many precious friends in several countri are not a little desirous that my pen may reach them, now m cannot. I have formerly been, by the help of the mighty Jacob, a weak instrument of good to them, and cannot but ho believe that the Lord will also bless these labours to them being, in part, the fruit of their desires and prayers, &c. Reason 7. Lastly, Not knowing how soon my glass may and how soon I may be cut off by a hand of death, from all tunities of doing further service for Christ or your souls in this I was willing to sow a little handful of spiritual seed among yo so, when I put off this earthly tabernacle, my love to you, a dear remembrance of you, which I have in my soul, may s engage your minds and spirits to make this book your compani under all external or internal changes, to make use of this h salve, which I hope will, by the blessing of the Lord, be as e for the healing of all your wounds, as their looking up to the serpent was effectual to heal theirs that were bit and stur fiery serpents. I shall leave this book with you as a legac dearest love, desiring the Lord to make it a far greater and legacy than all those carnal legacies are that are left by the h mighty ones of the earth to their nearest and dearest relations Beloved, I would not have affection carry my pen too much my intention. Therefore, only give me leave to signify my des you, and my desires to you, and I shall draw to a close. My desires for you are, 'That he would grant you, according riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spiri 1 Pirates make the strongest and the hottest opposition against those vessel most richly laden. So doth Satan, that arch-pirate, against those truths most of God, Christ, and heaven in them. 2 Brooks overlooked the remarkable 'Stratagema' of Acontius, which, pr 'Precious Remedies,' had been translated by no less a man than John Goo English, and by others into almost every European language.-G. that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, d and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with hat is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and e love of Christ that passeth knowledge, that ye might be all the fulness of God,' Eph. iii. 16-19; and 'That ye might y of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every and increased in the knowledge of God, strengthened with ccording to his glorious power, unto all patience and longith joyfulness,' Col. i. 10, 11; 'That ye do no evil,' 2 Cor. at your love may abound yet more and more in knowin all judgment;'That ye may approve things that are at ye may be sincere, and without offence till the day of ilip. i. 27, iv. 1; and that our God would count you his calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, rk of faith with power;' That the name of our Lord Jesus be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace and the Lord Jesus Christ,' 2 Thes. i. 11, 12. And that eminent in sanctity, sanctity being Zion's glory, Ps. xciii. 5; hearts may be kept upright, your judgments sound, and nblameable. That as ye are now my joy,' so in the day ou may be my crown;' that I may see my labours in that your conversation may not be earthly, when the hear are heavenly; but that it may be as becomes the lip. i. 9, 10. That as the fishes which live in the salt sea h, so you, though you live in an uncharitable world, may itable and loving; That ye may, like the bee, suck honey y flower; that ye may shine in a sea of troubles, as the s in the sky, though it grows in the sea; that in all your nay be like the stone in Thracia, that neither burneth in sinketh in the water; That ye may be like the heavens, substance and beautiful in appearance; that so you may ith joy in that day wherein Christ shall say to his Father, n I, and the children that thou hast given me,' Isa. viii. 18. es to you are, That you would make it your business to st, his word, your own hearts, Satan's plots, and eternity, ever; That ye would endeavour more to be inwardly sinoutwardly glorious; to live, than to have a name to live; uld labour with all your might to be thankful under merithful in your places, and humble under divine appearfruitful under precious ordinances; That as your means are greater than others', so your account before God may worse than others'; That ye would pray for me, who am to be named among the saints, that I may be a precious in the hand of Christ to bring in many souls unto him, 1 up those that are brought in in their most holy faith; itterance may be given to me, that I may make known all God,' Eph. vi. 19; That I may be sincere, faithful, frequent, constant in the work of the Lord, and that my labour be in the Lord; that my labours may be accepted in the Lord ts, and I may daily see the travail of my soul, &c. |