Sweet poisons!
(Thomas Brooks "Precious
Remedies Against Satan's Devices")
Satan presents the world in such
a dress, and in such a garb to the soul—as to ensnare the soul, and to win
the affection of the soul.
He represents the world to them in its beauty and finery,
which proves a bewitching sight to carnal men. (It is true, this deceived
not Christ, because Satan could find no matter in him for his temptation to
work upon.) So that he can no sooner cast out his golden bait—but we are
ready to play with it, and to nibble at it; he can no sooner throw out his
golden ball—but men are apt to run after it, though they lose God and their
souls in the pursuit!
Ah! how many professors in these days have for a time
followed hard after God, Christ, and ordinances; until the devil has set
before them the world in all its beauty and finery, which has so bewitched
their souls that they have grown to have low thoughts of holy things, and
then to be cold in their affections to holy things, and then to slight them,
and at last, with the young man in the Gospel, to turn their backs upon
them. Ah! the time, the thoughts, the hearts, the souls, the duties, the
services--which the inordinate love of this wicked world eats up and
destroys! Where one thousand are destroyed by the world's frowns--ten
thousand are destroyed by the world's smiles! The world, siren-like, sings
to us, then sinks us! It kisses us, and betrays us, like Judas! It kisses us
and stabs us under the rib, like Joab. The honors, splendor, and all the
glory of this world, are but sweet poisons, which will much endanger us, if
they do not eternally destroy us. Ah! the multitude of souls that have
glutted on these sweet baits and died forever!
The inhabitants of Nilus are deaf from the noise of the
waters; so the world makes such a noise in men's ears, that they cannot hear
the things of heaven. The world is like the swallows' dung that put out
Tobias's eyes. The champions could not wring an apple out of Milo's hand by
a strong hand—but a fair maid, by fair means, got it presently.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan
is, to dwell upon the impotency and weakness of all these things here below.
They are not able to secure you from the least evil, they are not
able to procure you the least desirable good. The crown of gold cannot cure
the headache, nor the velvet slipper ease the gout, nor the jewel about the
neck take away the pain of the teeth. The frogs of Egypt entered into the
rich men's houses of Egypt, as well as the poor. Our daily experience does
evidence this, that all the honors and riches that men enjoy, cannot free
them from the cholic, the fever, or lesser diseases. No, that which may seem
most strange, is that a great deal of wealth cannot keep men from falling
into extreme poverty. You shall find seventy kings, with their fingers and
toes cut off, glad, like dogs, to lick up crumbs under another king's table;
and shortly after, the same king that brought them to this poverty, is
reduced to the same poverty and misery (Judg. 1:6). Why then should that be
a bar to keep you out of heaven--which cannot give you the least ease on
earth?
Nugas the Scythian, despising the rich presents and
ornaments which were sent unto him by the emperor of Constantinople, asked
whether those things could drive away calamities, diseases, or death.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of
Satan is, to dwell upon the vanity of them as well as upon the impotency of
all worldly good.
This is the sum of Solomon's sermon, 'Vanity of
vanities, all is vanity!' This our first parents found, and therefore named
their second son Abel, or 'vanity.' Solomon, who had tried all these things,
and could best tell the vanity of them—preaches this sermon over again and
again. 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!' It is sad to think how many
thousands there are, who can say with the preacher, 'Vanity of vanities, all
is vanity,' no, swear it, and yet follow after these things as if there were
no other glory, nor felicity—but what is to be found in these things they
call vanity! Such men will sell Christ, heaven, and their souls for a
trifle, who call these things vanity—but do not cordially believe
them to be vanity—but set their hearts upon them as if they were their
crown, the top of their royalty and glory. Oh let your souls dwell upon the
vanity of all things here below, until your hearts be so thoroughly
convinced and persuaded of the vanity of them, as to trample upon them, and
make them a footstool for Christ to get up, and ride in a holy triumph in
your hearts!
Oh the imperfection, the ingratitude, the levity the
inconstancy, the treachery of those creatures we most servilely bow down to.
Ah, did we but weigh man's pain with his payment, his crosses with his
mercies, his miseries with his pleasures—we would then see that there is
nothing got bargain, and conclude, 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!'
Chrysostom once said, That if he were to preach a sermon
to the whole world, gathered together in one congregation, and had some high
mountain for his pulpit, from whence he might have a prospect of all the
world in his view, and were furnished with a voice of brass, a voice as loud
as the trumpets of the archangel, that all the world might hear him, he
would choose to preach upon no other text than that in the Psalms, O mortal
men,"How long will you love what is worthless and pursue a lie?" (Psalm
4:2).
Tell me, you that say all things under the sun are
vanity, if you do really believe what you say, why do you spend more
thoughts and time on the world, than you do on Christ, heaven and your
immortal souls? Why do you then neglect your duty towards God, to get the
world? Why do you then so eagerly pursue after the world, and are so cold in
your pursuing after God, Christ and holiness? Why then are your hearts so
exceedingly raised, when the world comes in, and smiles upon you; and so
much dejected, and cast down, when the world frowns upon you, and with
Jonah's gourd withers before you?
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan
is, to dwell much upon the uncertainty, the mutability, and inconstancy of
all things under the sun.
Man himself is but the dream of a
dream—but the generation of imagination—but an empty vanity—but the curious
picture of nothing—a poor, feeble, dying shadow. All temporals are as
transitory as a ruching current, a shadow, a ship, a bird, an arrow, a
runner who passes by. 'Why should you set your eyes upon that which is not?'
says Solomon (Prov. 23:5). And says the apostle, 'The fashion of this world
passes away' (1 Cor. 7:31). This intimates, that there is nothing of any
firmness, or solid consistency, in the creature. Heaven alone, has a
foundation—earth has none, 'but is hung upon nothing,' as Job speaks (26:7).
The apostle commanded Timothy to 'charge rich men that they be not
high-minded, nor put their trust in uncertain riches' (1 Tim. 6:17). Riches
were never true to any who trusted to them; they have deceived men, as Job's
brook did the poor travelers in the summer season (Job. 6:15). They are like
bad servants, who ramble about and will never tarry long with one master.
As a bird hops from tree to tree, so do the honors and
riches of this world from man to man. Let Job and Nebuchadnezzar testify
this truth, who fell from great wealth to great want. No man can promise
himself to be wealthy until the end of the day; one storm at sea, one coal
of fire, one false friend, one unadvised word, one false witness—may make
you a beggar and a prisoner all at once! All the riches and glory of this
world is but as smoke and chaff that vanishes; 'As a dream and vision in the
night, that tarries not' (Job 20:8). 'Like a hungry one who dreams he is
eating, then wakes and is still hungry; and like a thirsty one who dreams he
is drinking, then wakes and is still thirsty, longing for water,' as the
prophet Isaiah says (Chap. 29:8). Where is the glory of Solomon? the
sumptuous buildings of Nebuchadnezzar? the nine hundred chariots of Sisera?
the power of Alexander? the authority of Augustus, who commanded the whole
world to be taxed? Those that have been the most glorious, in what men
generally account glorious and excellent, have had inglorious ends; as
Samson for strength, Absalom for favor, Ahithophel for policy, Haman for
favor, Asahel for swiftness, Alexander for great conquest and yet poisoned.
The same you may see in the four mighty kingdoms, the Chaldean, Persian,
Grecian, and Roman: how soon were they gone and forgotten! The most renowned
Frederick lost all, and sued to be made but sexton of the church that
himself had built. I have read of a poor fisherman, who, while his nets were
a-drying, slept upon the rock, and dreamed that he was made a king, on a
sudden starts up, and leaping for joy, fell down from the rock, and in the
place of his imaginary felicities loses his little portion of pleasures.
Now rich—now poor; now full—now empty; now in favor—anon
out of favor; now honorable—now despised; now health—now sickness; now
strength—now weakness. The pomp of this world John compares to the moon,
which increases and decreases (Rev. 12:1).
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of
Satan is, seriously to consider, that the great things of this world are
very hurtful and dangerous to the outward and inward man, through the
corruptions that are in the hearts of men.
Oh, the rest, the
peace, the comfort, the contentment—that the things of this world strip many
men of! Oh, the fears, the cares, the envy, the malice, the dangers, the
mischiefs, that they subject men to! They oftentimes make men carnally
confident. The rich man's riches are a strong tower in his imagination. 'I
said in my prosperity I should never be moved' (Psalm 30:6). They often
swell the heart with pride, and make men forget God, and neglect God, and
despise the rock of their salvation. When Jeshurun 'waxed fat, and was grown
thick, and covered with fatness, then he forgot God, and forsook God who
made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation,' as Moses spoke
(Deut. 32:15).
Ah, the time, the thoughts, the energy—which the things
of the world consume and spend! Oh, how do they hinder the actings of faith
upon God! how do they interrupt our sweet communion with God! how do they
abate our love to the people of God! and cool our love to the things of God!
and work us to act like those who are most unlike God! Oh, the deadness, the
barrenness, which usually attend men under great outward mercies! Oh, the
riches of the world chokes the word; that men live under the most
soul-searching, and soul-enriching means with lean souls! Though they have
full purses, though their chests are full of silver, yet their hearts are
empty of grace. In Genesis 13:2, it is said, that 'Abram was very rich in
cattle, in silver and in gold.' According to the Hebrew, it is 'Abram was
very weary;' to show that riches are a heavy burden, and a hindrance many
times to heaven, and happiness.
Four good mothers beget four bad daughters: great
familiarity begets contempt; truth begets hatred; virtue begets envy; riches
begets ignorance (a French proverb).
Polycrates gave a large sum of money to Anacreon, who for
two nights afterwards, was so troubled with worry how to keep it, and how to
spend it; that he carried the money back to Polycrates, saying that it was
not worth the pains which he had already taken for it.
King Henry the Fourth asked the Duke of Alva if he had
observed the great eclipse of the sun, which had lately happened. No, said
the duke, I have so much to do on earth, that I have no leisure to look up
to heaven. Ah, that this were not true of most professors in these days! It
is very sad to think, how their hearts and time are so much taken up with
earthly things, that they have scarcely any leisure to look up to heaven, or
to look after Christ, and the things that belong to their everlasting peace!
Riches, though justly acquired, yet are but like manna;
those who gathered less had no lack, and those who gathered more, it was but
a trouble and annoyance to them. The world is troublesome, and yet it is
loved; what would it be, if it brought true peace? You embrace it,
though it be filthy; what would you do if it were beautiful? You cannot keep
your hands from the thorns; how earnest would you be then in gathering the
flowers? The world may be fitly likened to the serpent Scytale, whereof it
is reported, that when she cannot overtake those passing by, she does with
her beautiful colors so astonish and amaze them, that they have no power to
leave, until she has stung them! Ah, how many thousands are there now on
earth, who have found this true by experience, who have spun a lovely rope
to strangle themselves, both temporally and eternally, by being bewitched by
the beauty and finery of this world!
Sicily is so full of sweet flowers that dogs cannot hunt
there. And what do all the sweet contents of this world—but make us lose the
scent of heaven!
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan
is, to consider, that all the felicity of this world is MIXED.
Our light is mixed with darkness, our joy with sorrow, our pleasures with
pain, our honor with dishonor, our riches with wants. If our minds are
spiritual, clear and quick, we may see in the felicity of this world—our
wine mixed with water, our honey with gall, our sugar with wormwood, and our
roses with prickles. Surely all the things of this world are but bitter
sweets. Sorrow attends worldly joy, danger attends worldly safety, loss
attends worldly labors, tears attend worldly purposes. As to these things,
men's hopes are vain, their sorrow certain, and joy feigned. The apostle
calls this world 'a sea of glass,' a sea for the trouble of it, and glass
for the brittleness and bitterness of it. (Rev. 4:6, 15:2, 21:18). The
honors, profits, pleasures and delights of the world are like the gardens of
Adonis, where we can gather nothing but trivial flowers, surrounded with
many briars.
Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan
is, to get better acquaintance and better assurance of more blessed and
glorious things.
That which raised up their spirits (Heb. 10 and
11) to trample upon all the beauty, finery and glory of the world, was the
acquaintance with, 'and assurance of better and more durable things.' You
joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that
you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.' 'They looked for a house
which had foundations, whose builder and maker was God.' 'And they looked
for another country, even a heavenly one.' 'They saw him who was invisible,
and had an eye to the recompense of reward.' And this made them count all
the glory and finery of this world, to be too poor and contemptible for them
to set their hearts upon! (Heb. 10:34; 11:10, 16 26).
The main reason why men dote upon the world, and damn
their souls to get the world, is, because they are not acquainted with a
greater glory! Men ate acorns, until they were acquainted with the use of
wheat. Ah, were men more acquainted with what union and communion with God
means, what it is to have 'a new name, and a new stone, that none knows but
he who has it' (Rev. 2:17); did they but taste more of heaven, and live more
in heaven, and had more glorious hopes of going to heaven, ah, how easily
would they have the world under their feet!
Let heaven be a man's object, and earth will soon be his
abject.
It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bavaria, emperor
of Germany, 'Such goods are worth getting and owning—which will not sink or
wash away if a shipwreck happens—but will wade and swim out with us.' It is
recorded of Lazarus, that after his resurrection from the dead, he was never
seen to laugh, his thoughts and affections were so fixed in heaven, though
his body was on earth, and therefore he could not but slight temporal
things, his heart being so bent and set upon eternals. There are goods for
the throne of grace—as God, Christ, the Spirit, adoption,
justification, remission of sin, peace with God, and peace with conscience.
And there are goods of the footstool—as honors, riches, the favor of
creatures, and other comforts and accommodation of this life. Now he who has
acquaintance with, and assurance of the goods of the throne, will easily
trample upon the goods of the footstool.
Ah that you would make it your business, your work, to
mind more, and make sure more to your own souls—the great things of
eternity—that will yield you joy in life and peace in death, and a crown of
righteousness in the day of Christ's appearing, and that will lift up your
souls above all the beauty and finery of this bewitching world, that will
raise your feet above other men's heads! When a man comes to be assured of a
crown, a scepter and the royal robes, he then begins to have low and
contemptible thoughts of those base things which before he highly prized. So
will assurance of more great and glorious things, breed in the soul a holy
scorn and contempt of all these poor, base things, which the soul before
valued above God, Christ and heaven.
When Basil was tempted with money and preferment, said
he, 'Give me money that may last forever, and glory that may eternally
flourish; for the fashion of this world passes away, as the waters of a
river that runs by a city.
Remedy (7). The seventh remedy against this device of
Satan is, seriously to consider, that true happiness and satisfaction is not
to be had in the enjoyment of worldly good.
True happiness is too
big and too glorious a thing to be found in anything below that glorious
God—who is a Christian's summum bonum—his chief good. True happiness
lies only in our enjoyment of a suitable good, a pure good, a
total good and an eternal good! God alone is such a good—and
such a good can only satisfy the soul of man. Philosophers could say, that
he was never a truly happy man—who might afterwards become miserable.
The blessed angels, those glittering courtiers, have all
felicities and blessedness, and yet have they neither gold, nor silver, nor
jewels, nor none of the beauty and finery of this world. Certainly if
happiness was to be found in these earthly things, the Lord Jesus, who is
the right and royal heir of all things, would have exchanged his cradle for
a crown; his birth chamber, a stable, for a royal palace; his poverty for
plenty; his despised followers for shining courtiers; and his poor
provisions for the choicest delicacies. Certainly happiness lies not in
those things which a man may enjoy—and yet be miserable forever. Now a man
may be great and graceless with Pharaoh; honorable and damnable with king
Saul; rich and miserable with Dives; therefore happiness lies not in these
things.
Certainly happiness lies not in those things which cannot
comfort a man upon a dying bed. Is it honors, riches or friends—which can
comfort you when you come to die? Or is it not rather faith in the blood of
Christ, the witness of the Spirit of Christ, the sense and feeling of the
love and favor of Christ, and the hopes of eternally reigning with Christ?
Can happiness lie in those things which cannot give us health, or strength,
or ease, or a good night's rest, or an hour's sleep, or a good stomach? Why,
all the honors, riches and delights of this world cannot give these poor
things to us, therefore certainly happiness lies not in the enjoyment of
them. Gregory the Great used to say, He is poor whose soul is void of
grace—not whose coffers are empty of money. The reasonable soul may be
busied about other things—but it cannot be filled with them. And surely
happiness is not to be found in those things that cannot satisfy the souls
of men.
Now none of these things can satisfy the soul of man. 'He
who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves
abundance with increase; this is also vanity,' said the wise man (Eccles.
5:10). The barren womb, the horseleech's daughter, the grave and hell, will
as soon be satisfied—as the soul of man will by the enjoyment of any worldly
good. Some one thing or another will be forever lacking to that soul, who
has nothing but outward good to live upon. You may as soon fill a bag
with wisdom, a chest with virtue—as the heart of man with anything here
below. A man may have enough of the world to sink him—but he can never have
enough to satisfy him!
Remedy (8). The eighth remedy against this device of
Satan is, solemnly to consider the dignity of the soul.
Oh, the
soul of man is more worth than a thousand worlds! It is the greatest abasing
of it that can be—to let it dote upon a little shining earth, upon a little
painted beauty and fading glory—when it is capable of union with Christ, of
communion with God, and of enjoying the eternal vision of God.
Seneca could say, 'I am too great, and born to greater
things, than that I should be a slave to my body.' Oh! do you say my soul is
too great, and born to greater things, than that I should confine it to a
heap of perishing earth.
Plutarch tells of Themistocles, that he accounted it not
to stand with his state to stoop down to take up the spoils the enemies had
scattered in flight; but says to one of his followers, 'You may have these
things—for you are not Themistocles'. Oh what a sad thing it is that a
heathen should set his feet upon those very things upon which most
professors set their hearts, and for the gain of which, with Balaam, many
run the hazard of losing their immortal souls forever!
I have been the longer upon the remedies that may help us
against this dangerous device of Satan, because he does usually more hurt to
the souls of men by this device than he does by all other devices. For a
close, I wish, as once Chrysostom did, that that sentence (Eccles. 2:11),
'Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor
that I had labored to do, and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit,
and there was no profit under the sun,' were engraved on the door-posts into
which you enter, on the tables where you sit, on the dishes out of which you
eat, on the cups out of which you drink, on the bed-steads where you lie, on
the walls of the house where you dwell, on the garments which you wear, on
the heads of the horses on which you ride, and on the foreheads of all whom
you meet—that your souls may not, by the beauty and finery of the world, be
kept off from those holy and heavenly services that may render you blessed
while you live, and happy when you die; that you may breathe out your last
into his bosom who lives forever, and who will make them happy forever—who
prefer Christ's spirituals and eternals above all temporal transitory
things.