Book Summary
Thomas Brooks' "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices," published in 1652, stands as one of the most comprehensive and practical Puritan works on spiritual warfare. In this pastoral masterpiece, Brooks systematically exposes Satan's strategies to tempt, discourage, and mislead Christians, while providing biblical remedies to counter these tactics. The work demonstrates Brooks' deep understanding of both human nature and spiritual conflict, making it an enduring resource for Christians across centuries.
The book is structured around four main categories of Satan's devices, beginning with those designed to draw the soul into sin. Brooks explains how Satan often presents temptation by showing the bait while hiding the hook, emphasizing the momentary pleasures of sin while concealing its bitter aftermath. He also reveals how the devil misrepresents God's character, particularly by presenting His mercy in isolation from His justice, thereby encouraging presumption. Another common device is the minimization of sin's seriousness, where Satan persuades believers that small compromises are insignificant.
Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
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In addressing devices meant to keep souls from holy duties, Brooks explores how Satan uses worldly distractions and obligations to prevent Christians from engaging in prayer, Bible study, and other spiritual disciplines. He shows how the enemy highlights the failures of other believers to discourage faithful Christian practice, and how he presents the difficulties of devotional life while hiding its rewards. For each of these strategies, Brooks provides practical, scripture-based remedies that combine spiritual insight with pastoral wisdom.
The third section of the work deals with Satan's devices for keeping souls in doubt and darkness. Brooks explains how Satan often directs believers to focus on their remaining corruption rather than on God's grace in their lives, and how he works to cause doubt about election and salvation. These devices are particularly insidious because they attack the believer's assurance and joy in Christ. Brooks' remedies emphasize the gradual nature of sanctification, the reality of struggle in the Christian life, and the importance of looking to Christ rather than to one's own performance for assurance.
The final section addresses devices specifically targeted against saints, including Satan's attempts to make grace appear weak and his efforts to cause division among believers. Brooks shows how Satan often emphasizes the believer's weakness while hiding God's strength, and how he sows discord in the church to undermine Christian testimony and effectiveness. The remedies provided focus on understanding true grace, maintaining unity, and recognizing God's preservation of His people.
Throughout the work, Brooks maintains a practical focus that makes his insights immediately applicable to Christian living. He consistently urges readers to examine their own hearts, recognize Satan's tactics in their personal experience, and apply appropriate remedies consistently. His emphasis on regular prayer, Scripture study, and fellowship with other believers provides a practical framework for spiritual growth and resistance to temptation.
The enduring relevance of "Precious Remedies" lies in its combination of deep theological insight with practical pastoral wisdom. Brooks demonstrates a profound understanding of both human nature and biblical truth, offering solutions that remain applicable across cultural and temporal boundaries. His balanced approach, which includes both warning and encouragement, helps readers navigate the challenges of spiritual warfare while growing in grace.
Perhaps most importantly, Brooks' work emphasizes the sufficiency of God's grace in spiritual conflict. While he thoroughly exposes Satan's devices, he consistently points readers to Christ as the ultimate remedy. His work reminds believers that victory in spiritual warfare comes not through human strength or strategy alone, but through dependence on divine grace and the application of biblical truth.
The impact of "Precious Remedies" continues to resonate with modern readers because it addresses the fundamental challenges of Christian living that remain constant across generations. Whether dealing with temptation, spiritual disciplines, doubt, or conflict within the church, Brooks' insights and remedies provide valuable guidance for contemporary believers seeking to live faithfully in a challenging world.
A Word to the Reader
Dear friend!
Solomon tells us to buy the Truth, but he doesn't say how much it should cost, because we need to get it no matter how expensive it is. We must love it whether it shines or burns; every piece of Truth is as valuable as gold filings. We must either live with it or be willing to die for it. Just like Ruth said to Naomi, "Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay, and nothing but death will separate us" (Ruth 1:16-17), we must say the same about Truth: where Truth goes, I will go, and where Truth stays, I will stay, and nothing but death will separate me from Truth. A person may legally sell their house, land, and jewels, but Truth is a jewel that is priceless and must not be sold. "It is our heritage; Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever" (Psalm 119:111). It's a legacy that our ancestors bought with their blood, which should make us willing to give up anything and spend anything to, like the wise merchant in the Gospel, purchase this precious pearl, which is worth more than Heaven and Earth and will make a person live happily, die peacefully, and reign eternally.
And now, if you please, read the work and take this advice from me.
First, you must know that not every person can be excellent, but they can still be useful. An iron key can unlock the door to a golden treasure; in fact, iron can do some things that gold cannot, and so on.
Secondly, remember, it's not quick reading, but serious meditating on holy and heavenly truths that makes them sweet and profitable for the soul. "It's not the bee's touch on the flower that gathers honey, but her staying for a while on the flower that draws out the sweet." It's not the one who reads the most, but the one who meditates the most, who will become the choicest, sweetest, wisest, and strongest Christian, etc.
Thirdly, know that it's not the knowing, talking, or reading person, but the doing person, who will ultimately be the happiest. "If you know these things, blessed and happy are you if you do them." Not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in Heaven (Matt. 7:21). Judas called Christ "Lord, Lord," yet betrayed him and went to his place. How many Judases do we have these days, who kiss Christ but still betray him? They profess him with their words but deny him with their actions; they bow their knee to him but despise him in their hearts; they call him Jesus but won't obey him as their Lord.
Reader, if you're not determined to put into practice what you read, why are you reading at all? Just to add to your own guilt? If your understanding and knowledge don't lead to action, the more you know, the worse off you'll be on the day of judgment. Your knowledge will torment you more than all the devils in hell. It will be the rod that lashes you forever, the scorpion that bites you endlessly, and the worm that gnaws at you eternally. So, read and strive to understand so that you can act, or you'll be lost forever.
When Demosthenes was asked what the first, second, and third parts of being an orator were, he answered, "action." The same goes for being a Christian. If someone asked me what the first, second, and third parts of being a Christian are, I would also say, "action." The person who reads to understand and strives to know so they can act will experience two Heavens: a Heaven of joy, peace, and comfort on earth, and a Heaven of glory and happiness after death.
Fourthly, and lastly, if in your reading you take a serious look at the margin, you'll find many sweet and precious notes that will often shed light on what you're reading and reward you with much comfort and profit. So, hoping that you find as much sweetness and benefit in reading this treatise as I have found (by the blessings of Heaven) in studying and writing it, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified.
Your soul's servant in every role of the Gospel,
- THOMAS BROOKS.
Introduction
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his Devices. - 2 Cor 2:11
In the fifth verse, the Apostle shows that the person involved in incest had, through their actions, saddened those precious souls that God did not want to be saddened. Souls that walk sinfully are like Hazaels to the godly, causing many sighs and tears. Jeremiah weeps in secret for Judah's sins, and Paul cannot speak of those who worship their own desires without crying (Phil. 3:18). Lot's righteous soul was burdened, vexed, and tormented by the filthy Sodomites (2 Pet. 2:7-8). Every sinful Sodomite was a Hazael to his eyes, a Hadadrimmon to his heart. Gracious souls tend to mourn for other people's sins as well as their own, and for the souls and sins of those who make a mockery of sin and joke about damning their own souls. Guilt or grief is all that gracious souls get by associating with vain souls.
In the sixth verse, he explains that the punishment given to the person involved in incest was enough, so they shouldn't refuse to accept him back now that he has repented and felt sorry for his past mistakes. "It is not for the honor of Christ, the credit of the Gospel, nor the good of souls, for Professors to be like those cruel people who burned some that recanted at the stake, saying they would send them out of the world while they were in a good mind."
In verses 7, 8, 9, and 10, the Apostle encourages the Church to forgive him, comfort him, and show their love for him, so he doesn't get overwhelmed with too much sorrow. Satan tries to mix the awful weed of despair with the godly sorrow of a truly repentant heart. Someone once said something beautiful: Let a person grieve for their sin, and then find joy in their grief. The kind of sorrow for sin that keeps the soul from looking towards the Mercy-Seat, that keeps Christ and the soul apart, or makes the soul unfit for the communion of Saints, is a sinful sorrow.
In the eleventh verse, he gives another reason to encourage them to show pity and mercy to the repentant sinner, who is mourning and groaning under his sin and misery, i.e., so that Satan doesn't take advantage of us, for we are not unaware of his schemes. A little explanation of the words.
So that Satan doesn't get the upper hand on us, the Greek word means to have more than one should; the comparison is taken from the greedy merchant who seeks and takes every opportunity to trick and deceive others. Satan is that cunning merchant who doesn't just devour widows' houses but most people's souls. (2 Cor. 2:11)
For we are not clueless about Satan's tricks, schemes, or strategies; anyone who hasn't personally experienced Satan's tactics, his well-planned schemes, his cleverly designed methods, his plots, darts, and deep plans, by which he outsmarted our first parents, and still targets us as he sees fit, is just a nominal Christian.
The main point I want to highlight from these words is this:
That Satan has various tricks to deceive, trap, and ruin people's souls.
I will first prove the point, then show you his various tricks, and thirdly, the remedies against his tricks. Fourth, I will explain why he has so many different tricks to deceive, entangle, and ruin the souls of people. Fifth, I will lay down some propositions concerning Satan and his tricks.
Proof of the Point
For the proof of the point, take these few Scriptures.
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil." - Ephesians 6:11
The Greek word that is here rendered "wiles" is a notable emphatic word.
1. It means traps that are set behind someone, sneaky attacks that catch you off guard. It highlights the tactics or ambushes of that old cunning Serpent, who, like a snake in the path, bites the heels of travelers, and spreads his poison to the head and heart. The word signifies an ambush or war strategy, where the enemy attacks a person by surprise.
2. It means traps set to catch someone on their path; a person walks along, not thinking about it, and suddenly they are caught by thieves or fall into a pit, etc.
3. It signifies those who are intentionally, artificially, and cunningly set up to capture prey in the most advantageous way possible; the Greek [ἐνέδρα] being derived from [ἐν] and [ἕδρα], properly signifies an ambush, circumvention, or going around, as those do who seek after their prey. Julian, by his craft, drew more people away from the Faith than all his persecuting predecessors could do by their cruelty. Similarly, Satan does more harm in his sheep's clothing than by roaring like a lion.
Take one more Scripture to prove the point, and that is 2 Timothy 2:26: "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." The Greek word here translated as "recover themselves" means to wake up. The Apostle is referring to someone who is asleep or drunk, who needs to be awakened and brought back to their senses. The Greek word translated as "taken captive" means to be captured alive; it’s a war term, meaning to be taken alive like soldiers in battle or birds caught in a trap. Satan has traps for the wise and the simple, for hypocrites and the upright, for brave souls and timid ones, for the rich and the poor, for the old and the young, and so on. Happy are those souls who are not caught and held in his traps.
Take one more proof, and then I will proceed to explain the Point, and that is in Revelation 2:24: "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this Doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put upon you no other burden, but to hold fast till I come." Those poor souls called their opinions the depths of God, when in fact they were the depths of Satan. You call your opinions depths, and they are, but they are depths that Satan has brought out of Hell. They are the whisperings and hissings of that Serpent, not the inspirations of God.
Device #1: To present the bait and hide the hook
His first trick to lure the soul into sin is to show the bait and hide the hook; to present the golden cup and hide the poison; to show the sweetness, pleasure, and profit that might come from sinning, while hiding the wrath and misery that will definitely follow. By this trick, he deceived our first parents (Gen. 3:4-5). "And the Serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'"
"Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God"—here is the bait, the sweetness, the pleasure, the profit. But he hides the hook, the shame, the wrath, and the loss that would certainly follow. There is an opening of the eyes of the mind to contemplation and joy, and there is an opening of the eyes of the body to shame and confusion. He promises them the former but intends the latter, and so cheats them, giving them an apple in exchange for Paradise, just as he deceives thousands nowadays.
Satan easily tricks us and then, with his golden baits, leads us and leaves us in a fool's paradise. He promises the soul honor, pleasure, and profit, but pays the soul with the greatest contempt, shame, and loss possible. With a golden bait, he tried to catch Christ in Matthew 4:8-9. He shows him the beauty and allure of a tempting world, which would certainly have captivated many worldly hearts. But here, the devil's fire fell on wet tinder and therefore did not catch. These tempting objects did not win over Christ's affections or dazzle his eyes. Though many have eternally died from the wound of the eye and fallen forever by this vile temptress, the world, who by showing her two fair breasts of profit and pleasure, has wounded their souls and cast them into utter ruin. She has, with the glitter of her pomp and advancement, slain millions, like the serpent Scytale, which, when it cannot catch fleeing travelers, astonishes and amazes them with its beautiful colors, so they have no power to move away until it stings them to death. Adversity has slain her thousands, but prosperity her ten thousands.
Remedies
1. First, stay as far away from sin as possible, and don't be tempted by the alluring bait that Satan uses to trap you. For this, you have Romans 12:9: "Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good." When we encounter something extremely evil and against our nature, we naturally abhor it and try to get as far away from it as we can. The Greek word used here for abhor is very significant; it means to hate it as much as Hell itself, to hate it with horror. Anselm used to say that if he had to choose between seeing the shame of sin on one side and the pains of hell on the other, he would rather be thrust into Hell without sin than go into Heaven with sin. Such was his intense hatred and detestation of sin. It is the wisest and safest course to stay as far away from sin as possible, not to go near the house of the harlot, but to flee from all appearances of evil. The best way to avoid falling into the pit is to keep the greatest distance from it. Anyone bold enough to dance on the edge of the pit may find through painful experience that it is just for God to let them fall into it. Joseph keeps his distance from sin and from playing with Satan's golden baits and stands firm. David, however, draws near, plays with the bait, and falls, swallowing both bait and hook. David comes close to the snare and is caught in it, leading to the breaking of his bones, the wounding of his conscience, and the loss of his connection with God. Sin is a plague, yes, the greatest and most infectious plague in the world, and yet, how few actually tremble at it or keep their distance from it? "Don't you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?" (1 Cor. 5:6). As soon as one sin took hold of Adam's heart, all sin entered his soul and spread throughout it. How has Adam's one sin spread over all of humanity? "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned" (Rom. 5:12). How does the father's sin infect the child, the husband's infect the wife, the master's infect the servant? The sin in one person's heart is capable of infecting the whole world; it has such a spreading and infectious nature. The story of the Italian who first made his enemy deny God and then stabbed him, thus murdering both body and soul at once, shows the perfect malignity of sin. Oh, that what has been spoken on this matter may persuade you to keep your distance from sin.
2. The second remedy is to remember that sin is like a bitter-sweet treat; the sweetness you think you taste in sin will quickly disappear, leaving behind lasting shame, sorrow, horror, and terror. "Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he bide it under his tongue, though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth, yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of Asps within him" (Job 20:12-14). Forbidden profits and pleasures are most appealing to vain people, who think madness is fun, etc. Many are eager to mess with the deadly morsels of sin, which don't nourish but tear apart and consume the belly and the soul that takes them in. Many eat on earth what they will digest in hell; sin's deadly morsels will deceive those who devour them. Adam's apple was a bitter-sweet; Esau's meal was a bitter-sweet; the Israelites' quail a bitter-sweet, Jonathan's honey a bitter-sweet, and Adonijah's delicacies a bitter-sweet; after the meal is over, the bill comes. People shouldn't think they can dance and dine with the Devil and then have supper with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven; to feed on the poison of asps and expect that the viper's tongue won't kill them. When the asp stings someone, it first tickles them, making them laugh until the poison slowly reaches the heart, and then it hurts more than it ever delighted. Sin is the same; it may please a little at first, but it will deeply pain the soul in the end. Yes, if there were even the slightest real delight in sin, there could be no perfect Hell where people are most perfectly tormented by their sin.
3. The third remedy against this trick of Satan is to seriously consider that sin will bring about the greatest and saddest losses to our souls. It will lead to the loss of that divine favor that is better than life, the loss of that joy that is indescribable and full of glory, the loss of that peace that surpasses understanding, and the loss of those divine influences that have refreshed, quickened, raised, strengthened, and gladdened the soul. It will also lead to the loss of many outward desirable blessings that the soul might have otherwise enjoyed. It was a wise and meaningful reply from an English Captain at the loss of Calais when a proud Frenchman mockingly asked, "When will you take back Calais?" He replied, "When your sins outweigh ours." Ah, England! My constant prayer for you is that you do not sin away your blessings into the hands of those who cannot call mercy mercy, and who would take joy in nothing more than to see your sorrow and misery, and to see that hand make you naked that has clothed you with much mercy and glory.
4. The fourth remedy against this trick of Satan is to seriously consider that sin is extremely deceitful and bewitching. Sin comes from the greatest deceiver; it's his own creation, the root of all deceit in the world, and it is inherently very deceitful. "But exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb. 3:13). Sin will kiss the soul, pretend to be good for the soul, and yet betray the soul forever. Like Delilah smiling at us to betray us into the hands of the Devil, as she did Samson into the hands of the Philistines, sin gives Satan power over us and an advantage to accuse us and claim us as his own. Sin is very bewitching; it enchants the soul when it takes control, making it impossible for the soul to leave it, even if it means eternal destruction. Sin so bewitches the soul that it makes the soul call evil good, and good evil, bitter sweet, and sweet bitter, light darkness, and darkness light. A soul bewitched by sin will resist to the death, even against God. Let God strike, wound, and cut to the bone, yet the bewitched soul doesn't care, doesn't fear, and continues in wickedness, as seen in Pharaoh, Balaam, and Judas. Tell the bewitched soul that sin is a viper that will certainly kill if not killed; that sin often kills secretly, insensibly, eternally, yet the bewitched soul cannot and will not cease from sin.
When the physicians told Theotimus that unless he abstained from drunkenness and uncleanness, he would lose his eyes, his heart was so bewitched by his sins that he answered, "Then farewell sweet light." He would rather lose his eyes than leave his sins. Similarly, a person bewitched by sin would rather lose God, Christ, Heaven, and his own soul than part with his sin. So, always be cautious of playing with or nibbling at Satan's golden baits.
Device #2: By painting sin with virtue’s colors
The second trick Satan uses to lure the soul into sin is by disguising sin with the appearance of virtues. Satan knows that if he showed sin in its true form, the soul would rather run away from it than give in to it. So, he presents sin to us not in its true colors, but dressed up and decorated with the names and appearances of virtues, making it easier for us to fall for it and even enjoy committing it. He presents pride to the soul as neatness and cleanliness, and greed (which the Apostle condemns as idolatry) as good management. He disguises drunkenness as good fellowship, riotousness as generosity, and wantonness as a youthful prank, and so on.
Remedies
1. First, think about how sin doesn't become any less filthy, vile, or disgusting just because it's dressed up to look virtuous. A poisonous pill isn't any less poisonous because it's covered in gold; a wolf isn't any less of a wolf because it's wearing a sheep's skin; and the Devil isn't any less of a devil because he sometimes looks like an angel of light. In the same way, sin doesn't become any less filthy and abominable just because it's painted to look virtuous.
2. The second remedy is this: The more sin is disguised as virtue, the more dangerous it is to people's souls. We see this clearly today, with many souls being led away from the holy path (where they once had sweet and glorious communion with God) into the highest forms of vanity and foolishness because Satan cleverly disguises sin and presents vice as virtue. This is so well-known that I hardly need to mention it. The most dangerous pests are often found under the prettiest and sweetest flowers, the nicest glove is often worn on the dirtiest hand, and the richest robes are often put on the filthiest bodies. Similarly, the nicest and sweetest names are often given to the worst and most horrible vices and errors in the world. Sadly, we have too many examples of this among us.
3. The third remedy against this tactic is to look at sin with the perspective you'll have in just a few hours. Ah, souls! When you're lying on your deathbed and standing before a judgment seat, sin will be unmasked, and its disguise will be stripped away. Then, it will appear more vile, filthy, and terrifying than Hell itself. What once seemed sweet will turn bitter, what seemed beautiful will look ugly, and what seemed delightful will become dreadful to the soul. Ah! The shame, the pain, the bitterness, the horror, the hell that the sight of sin, once its disguise is removed, will bring to poor souls. Sin will surely prove evil and bitter to the soul when its robes are taken off. A person may have a disease without feeling its symptoms immediately. Conscience will eventually kick in, even if, for now, one feels no guilt. Laban showed his true colors at parting; sin will be bitter in the end when it reveals its filthy nature to the soul. The Devil deals with people like the Panther does with beasts; he hides his deformed head until his sweet scent draws them into danger. Until we sin, Satan is a flatterer; once we sin, he becomes a tyrant. Ah, souls! The day is coming when the Devil will strip away the paint and decoration he has put on sin and present that monster in such a monstrous shape to your souls that your thoughts will be troubled, your countenance will change, the joints of your loins will loosen, and your knees will knock together. Your hearts will be so terrified that you will be ready, like Achitophel and Judas, to strangle and hang your bodies on earth and your souls in Hell, unless the Lord shows you more mercy than He did them. Oh! Therefore, look at sin now as you must look at it for all eternity, and as God, Conscience, and Satan will present it to you one day.
4. The fourth remedy against this trick of Satan is to seriously consider that even these very sins, which Satan paints and renames, cost the best blood, the noblest blood, the life-blood, the heartblood of the Lord Jesus. Christ came from the eternal embrace of his Father to a world of sorrow and death. God was manifested in the flesh, the Creator became a creature. He who was clothed in glory was wrapped in the rags of flesh. He who filled heaven and earth with his glory was cradled in a manger. The power of God fled from weak man, the God of Israel into Egypt. The God of the Law became subject to the Law. The God of Circumcision was circumcised. The God who made the heavens worked at Joseph's humble trade. He who binds the devils in chains was tempted. He who owns the world and everything in it hungered and thirsted. The God of strength grew weary. The Judge of all flesh was condemned. The God of life was put to death. He who is one with his Father cried out in misery, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46). He who held the keys of Hell and death lay imprisoned in another's tomb, having nowhere to lay his head during his life, nor his body after death. The head before which angels cast down their crowns was crowned with thorns. Those eyes, purer than the sun, were closed by the darkness of death. Those ears, which hear nothing but the "Hallelujahs" of saints and angels, heard the blasphemies of the crowd. That face, fairer than the sons of men, was spit on by those wretched Jews. That mouth and tongue, which spoke as no man ever spoke, were accused of blasphemy. Those hands that freely swayed the scepter of heaven were nailed to the cross. Those feet, like fine brass, were nailed to the cross for man's sins. Each sense was tormented: his feeling with a spear and nails, his smell with the stench of Golgotha, the place of skulls, his taste with vinegar and gall, his hearing with reproaches, and his sight with his mother and disciples mourning him. His soul was comfortless and forsaken. And all this for those very sins that Satan paints and colors. Oh, how should the consideration of this stir up the soul against sin, and make the soul flee from it, using all holy means to subdue and destroy it.
After Julius Caesar was murdered, Antonius brought forth his bloody, torn coat and laid it before the people, saying, "Look, here is your Emperor's coat, bloody and torn." The people immediately rose up in anger, crying out to slay the murderers. They took their tables and stools, set them on fire, and ran to the houses of those who had slain Caesar, burning them down. Similarly, when we consider that sin has slain our Lord Jesus, how should it provoke our hearts to seek revenge on sin, which has murdered the Lord of Glory and done what all the devils in Hell could never have done? It was good advice when someone said, "Never let go of the thoughts of a crucified Christ. Let these thoughts be your food and drink, your sweetness and consolation, your honey and your desire, your reading and your meditation, your life, death, and resurrection."