PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATAN’S DEVICES

It is the mark of the condition of apostasy within the churches that for many Satan is an outworn concept or a topic for humorous sallies. But the devil is no joke. He is engaged in a serious and deadly business, the corruption and destruction of the souls of men and women. He combines malice with subtlety, knowledge with lying, and as a result he deludes men and leads them to destruction.

The Bible is emphatic not only about the existence of Satan but also about his hostility. The saints are warned to be watchful and vigilant because the devil, like a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour. It is this injunction which lies behind this classic of Thomas Brooks, one of the galaxy of Puritan writers.

Brooks displays a profound grasp of the subtlety of Satan, the widespread ramifications of sin and the depth of corruption of the human heart. He traces all the devious ways by which Satan approaches, and declares the remedies which God has provided in His word and by His Spirit.

If we are to resist Satan we must not only be aware of his devices but we must know our own sinfulness. ‘Though Satan hath his devices to draw souls to sin, yet we must be careful that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, that we do not wrong the devil, and father upon him that is to be fathered upon our own base hearts.’ So we must not make the devil a scapegoat to excuse our own sinful corruption. He is successful so often simply because he has a cooperative atmosphere in the human heart in which to operate.

This is a very readable book. The publisher’s description, ‘Puritan paperback’, should not lead the potential reader to think that here is some heavy and turgid work. It is full of lively illustrations and pithy sayings. Listen to Brooks as he speaks of afflictions: ‘God’s house of correction is His school of instruction. All the stones that came about Stephen’s ears did but knock him closer to Christ, the corner-stone’. Or again: ‘He that will play with Satan’s bait will quickly be taken with Satan’s hook’.

Of Brooks as an author, C. H. Spurgeon said: ‘He scatters stars with both his hands; he hath dust of gold; in his storehouse are all manner of precious stones’. Read this book and you will find Spurgeon’s verdict amply vindicated.

False faith makes lies her refuge; but true faith makes God’s Word her shield and buckler.

—Huntington

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen