Remedies against Satan's Devices

One of the failings of the modern context is a lack of learning and reading history. In some of my reading this week I picked up "Precious Remedies Against Satan's devices" by one of the Puritans, Thomas Brooks. See if the "devices of Satan" as Thomas Brooks sees them in 1652 are not still extremely applicable to today!

PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATAN'S DEVICES
("Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices", Thomas Brooks. Puritan Paperbacks, The Banner of Truth Trust, PA - (c)2000.)


Satan's Devices to Draw the Soul to Sin

1. By presenting the bait and hiding the hook
2. By painting sin with virtue's colors
3. By the extenuating and lessening of sin
4. By showing to the soul the best men's sins and by hiding from the soul their virtues, their sorrows, and their repentance.
5. By presenting God to the soul as One made up all of mercy.
6. By persuading the soul that repentance is easy and that therefore the soul need not scruple about sinning.
7. By making the soul bold to venture upon the occasions of sin.
8. By representing to the soul the outward mercies enjoyed by men walking in sin, and their freedom from outward miseries.
9. By presenting to the soul the crosses, losses, sorrows and sufferings that daily attend those who walk in the ways of holiness.
10. By causing saints to compare themselves and their ways with those reputed to be worse than themselves.
11. By polluting the souls and judgments of men with dangerous errors that lead to looseness and wickedness.
12. By leading men to choose wicked company.

Satan's Devices to Keep Souls From Holy Duties, To Hinder Souls in Holy Services, to Keep Them off From Religious Performances

1. By presenting the world in such a garb as to ensnare the soul
2. By presenting to the soul the dangers, losses and sufferings that accompany the performance of certain religious duties.
3. By presenting to the soul the difficulty of performing religious duties.
4. By causing saints to draw false inferences from the blessed and glorious things that Christ has done.
5. By presenting to view the fewness and poverty of those who hold to religious practices.
6. By showing saints that the majority of men make light of God's ways and walk in the ways of their own hearts.
7. By casting in vain thoughts while the soul is seeking God or waiting on God
8. By tempting Christians to rest in their performances.

Satan's Devices to Keep Saints in A Sad, Doubting, Questioning and Uncomfortable Condition

1. By causing saints to remember their sins more than their Saviour, yea, even to forget and neglect their Saviour.
2. By causing saints to make false definitions of their graces.
3. By causing saint to make false inferences from the cross actings of Providence.
4. By suggesting to saints that their graces are not true, but counterfeit.
5. By suggesting to saints that the conflict that is in them is found also in hypocrites and profane souls.
6. By suggesting to the saint who has lost joy and comfort that his state is not good.
7. By reminding the saint of his frequent relapses into sin formerly repented of and prayed against.
8. By persuading saints that their state is not good nor their graces sound.

There's more in the book, but do not several of these ring true! The gospel is at the heart of grace, our faith, our conversion, and every aspect of our living. A correct understanding and application of the gospel is the only thing that ultimately will shield believers from such devices.