"These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

Acts 17:11

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Thomas Brooks Quotes

THOMAS BROOKS (1608-1680ad), English Puritan Preacher

"dwell upon those scriptures that do expressly command us to avoid the occasions of sin, and the least appearance of evil"

“Whenever Satan shall present God to the soul as one made up all of mercy, that he may draw thee to do wickedly, say unto him, that sins against mercy will bring upon the soul the greatest misery; and therefore whatever becomes of thee, thou wilt not sin against mercy ... Saith Satan, You may walk by the harlot's door though you won't go into the harlot's bed; you may sit and sup with the drunkard, though you won't be drunk with the drunkard; you may look upon Jezebel's beauty, and you may play and toy with Delilah, though you do not commit wickedness with the one or the other ... The first remedy is, solemnly to dwell upon those scriptures that do expressly command us to avoid the occasions of sin, and the least appearance of evil (1 Thes 5:22): 'Abstain from all appearance of evil.' Whatsoever is heterodox, unsound and unsavoury, shun it, as you would do a serpent in your way, or poison in your meat. ... He that would not be burnt, must dread the fire; he that would not hear the bell, must not meddle with the rope. To venture upon the occasion of sin, and then to pray, 'Lead us not into temptation,' is all one as to thrust thy finger into the fire, and then to pray that it might not be burnt.”

"Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices"

"Satan shall present God to the soul as one made up of all mercy"

“You slight souls that are so apt to abuse mercy, consider this, that in gospel days, the plagues that God inflicts upon the despisers and abusers of mercy are usually spiritual plagues; as blindness of mind, hardness of heart, benumbedness of conscience, which are ten thousand times worse than the worst of outward plagues that can befall you. And therefore, though you may escape temporal judgments, yet you shall not escape spiritual judgments: 'How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?' (Heb. 2:3) saith the apostle. Oh! therefore, whenever Satan shall present God to the soul as one made up of all mercy, that he may draw thee to do wickedly, say unto him, that sins against mercy, will bring upon the soul the greatest misery”

"Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices"