The fifth device that Satan hath to keep poor sinners from believing, from closing with a Saviour, is,
Device (5). By working a sinner to mind more the secret decrees and counsels of God, than his own duty. What needest thou to busy thyself about receiving, embracing, and entertaining of Christ? saith
Satan; if thou art elected, thou shalt be saved; if not, all that thou canst do will do thee no good. Nay, he will work the soul not only to doubt of its election, but to conclude that he is not elected, and therefore let him do what he can, he shall never be saved.
Now the remedies against this device are these:
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is, seriously to consider, That all the angels in heaven, nor all the men on earth, nor all the devils in hell, cannot tell to the contrary, but that thou mayest be an elect person, a chosen vessel. Thou mayest be confident of this, that God never made Satan one of his privy council, God never acquainted him with the names or persons of such that he hath set his love upon to eternity, &c.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, To meddle with that which thou hast to do. Secret things belong to the Lord, but revealed things belong to thee,” Deut. xxix. 29. Thy work, sinner, is, to be peremptory in believing, and in returning to the Lord; thy work is to cast thyself upon Christ, lie at his feet, to wait on him in his ways, and to give him no rest till he shall say, Sinner, I am thy portion, I am thy salvation, and nothing shall separate between thee and me.
Here followeth seven characters of false teachers, which let me add for a close, viz.:—
That Satan labours might and main, by false teachers, which are his messengers and ambassadors, to deceive, delude, and for ever undo the precious souls of men:’ Jer. xxiii. 13, ‘I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err; Micah ii. 5, The prophets make my people to err They seduce them, and carry them out of the right way into by-paths and blind thickets of error, blasphemy, and wickedness, where they are lost for ever. Beware of false prophets, for they come to you in sheep’s ~ clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves,” Mat. vii. 15. These lick and suck the blood of souls: Philip. 1ii. 2, Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.” These kiss and kill; these cry, Peace, peace, till souls fall into everlasting flames, &c., Prov. vii.
Now, the best way to deliver poor souls from being deluded and destroyed by these messengers of Satan is, to discover them in their colours, that so, being known, poor souls may shun them, and fly from them as from hell itself.
Now you may know them by these characters following:
[1.] The first character. False teachers are men-pleasers They preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart: Isa. xxx. 10, “Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things: speak to us smooth things; prophesy deceits.’ Jer. v. 30, 31, ‘ A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so. And what will you do in the end thereof #7 They handle holy things rather with wit and dalliance than with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul-undoers. They
are like evil chirurgeons, that skin over the wound, but never heal it. Flattery undid Ahab and Herod, Nero and Alexander. False teachers are hell’s greatest enrichers. Non acerba, sed blanda, Not bitter, but flattering words do all the mischief, said Valerian, the Roman emperor. Such smooth teachers are sweet soul-poisoners, &c., Jer. xxiii. 16, 17.1
[2.] The second character. False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn, and reproach upon the persons, names, and credits of Christ’s most faithful ambassadors. Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram charged Moses and Aaron that they took too much upon them, seeing all the congregation was holy, Num. xvi. 3. You take too much state, too much power, too much honour, too much holiness upon you; for what are you more than others, that you take so much upon you? And so Ahab’s false prophets fell foul on good Micaiah, paying of him with blows for want of better reasons, 1 Kings xxii. 10-26. Yea, Paul, that great apostle of the Gentiles, had his ministry undermined and his reputation blasted by false teachers: ‘ For his letters,” say they, ‘ are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and contemptible, 2 Cor. x. 10. They rather contemn him than admire him; they look upon him as a dunce rather than a doctor. And the same hard measure had our Lord Jesus from the Scribes and Pharisees, who laboured as for life to build their own credit upon the ruins of his reputation.? And never did the devil drive a more full trade this way than he does in these days, Mat. xxvii. 63. Oh! the dirt, the filth, the scorn that is thrown upon those of whom the world is not worthy. I suppose false teachers mind not that saying of Austin, Quisquis volens detrakit fame, nolens addit mercedi mee, He that willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward.
[3.) The third character. False teachers are venters of the devices and visions of their own heads and hearts? Jer. xiv. 14, Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart;’ chap. xxiii. 16, ‘ Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.” Are there not multitudes in this nation whose visions are but golden delusions, lying vanities, brain-sick phantasies? These are Satan’s great benefactors, and such as divine jiistice will hang up in hell as the greatest malefactors, if the physician of souls do not prevent it, &e.
[+] The fourth character. False teachers easily pass over the great and weighty things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those things that are of the least moment und concernment to the souls of men.t 1 Tim. i. 5-7, Now the end of the commandment is charity oA Whilst an ass is stroked under the belly, you may lay on his back what burden you ease. uh The proverb is, Oculus et fama non patiuntur jocos, a man’s eye and his good name can
out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned; from which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, and understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm.’ Mat. xxiii. 2, 3, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” False teachers are nice in the lesser things of the law, and as negligent in the greater. 1 Tim. vi. 3-5, If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself If such teachers are not hypocrites in grain, I know nothing, Rom. ii. 22. The earth groans to bear them, and hell is fitted for them, Mat. xxiv. 32.
[6.] The fifth character. False teachers cover and colowr their dangerous principles and soul-impostures with very fair speeches and plausible pretences, with high notions and golden expressions. Many in these days are bewitched and deceived by the magnificent words, lofty strains, and stately terms of deceivers, viz. illumination, revelation, deification, fiery triplicity, &c. As strumpets paint their faces, and deck and perfume their beds, the better to allure and deceive simple souls,” so false teachers will put a great deal of paint and garnish upon their most dangerous principles and blasphemies, that they may the better deceive and delude poor ignorant souls. They know sugared poison goes down sweetly; they wrap up their pernicious, soul-killing pills in gold. Weigh the scriptures in the margin.
In the days of Hadrian the emperor, there was one Ben-Cosbi gathered a multitude of Jews together, and called himself Ben-cocuba, the son of a star, applying that promise to himself, Num. xxiv. 17; but he proved Buar-chosaba, the son of a lie. And so will all false teachers, for all their flourishes prove at the last the sons of lies.
[6.] The sixth character. False teachers strive more to win over men to their opinions, than to better them in their conversations. Mat. xxiv. 17, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” They busy themselves most about men’s heads. Their work is not to better men’s hearts, and mend their lives; and in this they are very much like their father the devil, who will spare no pains to gain proselytes.
[7]. The seventh character. False teachers make merchandise of their followers: 2 Peter ii. 1-3, ‘ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall
follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not” They eye your goods more than your good; and mind more the serving of themselves, than the saving of your souls. So they may have your substance, they care not though Satan has your souls, Rev. xviii. 11-13. That they may the better pick your purse, they will hold forth such principles as are very indulgent to the flesh. Kalse teachers are the great worshippers of the golden calf, Jer. vi. 13.
Now, by these characters you may know them, and so shun them, and deliver your souls out of their dangerous snares; which that you may, my prayers shall meet yours at the throne of grace.
And now, to prevent objections, I shall lay down some propositions or conclusions concerning Satan and his devices, and then give you the reasons of the point, and so come to make some use and application of the whole to ourselves.
Propositions concerning Satan and his devices:
Proposition (1). The first proposition is this, That 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 futher that upon him that is to be fathered upon our own base hearts. I think that oftentimes men charge that upon the devil that is to be charged upon their own hearts. And the Lord said unto the woman, What is this that thou bast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat,’ Gen. iii. 13. Sin and shifting came into the world together.? This is no small baseness of our hearts, that they will be naught, ay, very naught, and yet will father that naughtiness upon Satan. Man hath an evil root within him; that were there no devil to tempt him, nor no wicked men in the world to entice him, yet that root of bitterness, that cursed sinful nature that is in him, would draw him to sin, though he knows beforehand that the wages of sin is eternal death,” Rom. vi. 23 “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies,” Mat. xv. 19. The whole frame of man is out of frame. The understanding is dark, the will cross, the memory slippery, the affections crooked, the conscience corrupted, the tongue poisoned, and the heart wholly evil, only evil, and continually evil. Should God chain up Satan, and give him no liberty to tempt or entice the sons of men to vanity or folly, yet they would not, yet they could not but sin against him, by reason of that cursed nature that is in them, that will still be a-provoking them to those sins that will provoke and stir up the anger of God against them, Jude 15, 16. Satan hath only a persuading sleight, not an enforcing might. He may tempt us, but without ourselves he cannot conquer us; he may entice us, but without ourselves
be cannot hurt us. Our hearts carry the greatest stroke in every sin. Satan can never undo a man without himself; but a man may easily undo himself without Satan. Satan can only present the golden cup, but he hath no power to force us to drink the poison that is in the cup; he can only present to us the glory of the world, he cannot force us to fall down and worship him, to enjoy the world; he can only spread his snares, he hath no power to force us to walk in the midst of his snares. Therefore do the devil so much right, as not to excuse yourselves, by your accusing him, and laying the load upon him, that you should lay upon your own hearts!
Prop. (2). The second proposition is, That Satan hath a great hand and stroke in most sins. It was Satan that tempted our first parents to rebellion; it was Satan that provoked David to number the people; it was Satan that put Peter upon rebuking Christ; therefore saith Christ, ‘ Get thee behind me, Satan; it was Satan that put Cain upon murdering of righteous Abel, therefore it is that he is called ‘a murderer from the beginning; it was Satan that put treason into the heart of Judas against Christ, And supper being ended, the devil having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; it was Satan that put Ananias upon lying, Peter said, ‘ Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost 2 As the hand of Joab was in the tale of the woman of Tekoah, so Satan’s hand is usually in all the sins that men commit. Such is Satan’s malice against God, and his envy against man, that he will have a hand one way or other in all the sins, though he knows that all the sins he provokes others to shall be charged upon him to his greater woe, and eternal torment.
Ambrose brings in the devil boasting against Christ and challenging Judas as his own: He is not thine, Lord Jesus, he is mine; his thoughts beat for me; he eats with thee, but is fed by me; he takes bread from thee, but money from me; he drinks wine with thee, and sells thy blood to me.” Such is his malice against Christ, and his wrath and rage against man, that he will take all advantages to draw men to that, that may give him advantage to triumph over Christ and men’s souls for ever.
Prop. (3). The third proposition is, That Satan must have a double leave before he can do anything against us. He must have leave from God, and leave from ourselves, before he can act anything against our happiness. He must have his commission from God, as you may see in the example of Job, Job i. 11, 12, ii. 3-5. Though the devil bad malice enough to destroy him, yet he had not so much as power to touch him, till God gave him a commission.
They could not so much as enter into the swine without leave from Christ, Luke viii. 32. Satan would fain have combated with Peter, but this he could not do without leave. Satan hath desired to have you, to winnow you, Luke xxii. 31. So Satan could never have overthrown Ahab and Saul, but by a commission from God, 1 Kings xxii ‘A what a cordial, what a comfort should this be to the saints, that their 1 TS ave aug Apisv 3s Prof dizPorov wopava, the fire is our wood, though it be the devil’s flame.— XN azianzen.; % Gen. iii. 1-5; 1 Chron. xxi. 1; Mat. xvi. 22, 23; John viii. 44, xiii. 2; Acts v 3—G Diabolus tentat, Deus probat.—Tertullian.
greatest, subtlest, and watchfullest enemy cannot hurt nor harm them, without leave from him who is their sweetest Saviour, their dearest husband, and their choicest friend.
And as Satan must have leave from God, so he must have leave of us. When he tempts, we must assent; when he makes offers, we must hearken; when he commands, we must obey, or else all his labour and temptations will be frustrate, and the evil that he tempts us to shall be put down only to his account! That is a remarkable passage in Acts v. 3, Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? He doth not expostulate the matter with Satan; he doth not say, Satan, Why hast thou filled Ananias’s heart to make him lie to the Holy Ghost 2” but he expostulates the case with Ananias; Peter said, d ‘ Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost Why hast thou given him an advantage to fill thy heart with infidelity, hypocrisy, and obstinate audacity, to lie to the Holy Ghost? As if he had said, Satan could never have done this in thee, which will now for ever undo thee, unless thou hadst given him leave. If, when a temptation comes, a man cries out, and saith, Ah, Lord! here is a temptation that would force me, that would deflower my soul, and I have no strength to withstand it; oh! help! help! for thy honour’s sake, for thy Son’s sake, for thy promise sake; it is a sign that Satan hath not gained your consent, but committed a rape upon your souls, which he shall dearly pay for.?
Prop. (4). The fourth proposition is, That no weapons but spiritual weapons will be useful and serviceable to the soul in fighting and combating with the devil. This the apostle shews: Wherefore take unto you,’ saith he, the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand 1n the evil day, and having done all, to stand,” Eph. vi. 13. So the same apostle tells you, That the weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the casting down of strongholds,’ 2 Cor. x. 4. You have not to do with a weak, but with a mighty enemy, and therefore you had need to look to it, that your weapons are mighty, and that they cannot be, unless they are spiritual. Carnal weapons have no might nor spirit in them towards the making of a conquest upon Satan. It was not David’s sling nor stone that gave him the honour and advantage of setting his feet upon Goliah, but his faith in the name of the Lord of hosts. Thou comest to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a shield, but T am come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied, 1 Sam. xvii. 45. He that fights against Satan, in the strength of his own resolutions, constitution or education, will certainly fly and fall before him. Satan will be too hard for such a soul, and lead him captive at his pleasure. The only way to stand, conquer, and triumph, is still to plead, It is written, as Christ did, Mat. iv. 10. There is no sword but the two-edged sword of the Spirit, that will be
found to be metal of proof when a soul comes to engage against Satan; therefore, when you are tempted to uncleanness, plead, It is written, be ye holy, as I am holy,” 1 Peter i. 16; and, Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord, 2 Cor. vii. 1. If he tempts you to distrust God’s providence and fatherly care of you, plead, It is written,” ‘ They that fear the Lord shall want nothing that is good,” Ps. xxxiv. 9.
It is written, ‘ The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that purely live,” Ps. lxxxiv. 11. If he tempt you to fear, that you shall faint, and fall, and never be able to run to the end of the race that is set before you, plead, It is written, The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger,” Job xvii. 9.
It is written, ‘I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not. depart from me,” Jer. xxxii. 40. It is written, ‘ They that wait upon the Lord, they shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint, Isa. xl. 31. If Satan tempt you to think that because your sun for the present is set in a cloud, that therefore it will rise no more, and that the face of God will shine no more upon you; that your best days are now at an end, and that you must spend all your time in sorrow and sighing; plead, It is written, He will turn again, he will have compassion upou us, and cast all our sins into the depth of the sea,” Micah vii. 19.
It is written, ‘ For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, Isa. liv. 7, 8, 10.
It is written, ‘ The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
It is written, Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me,” Isa. xlix. 15, 16.
If ever you would be too hard for Satan, and after all your assaults, have your bow abide in strength, then take to you the word of God, which is the two-edged sword of the Spirit, and the shield of faith, whereby you shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the devil,” Eph. vi. 17. It is not spitting at Satan’s name, nor crossing yourselves, nor leaning to your own resolutions, that will get you the victory.
Luther reports of Staupitius, a German minister, that he acknowledged himself, that before he came to understand aright the free and powerful grace of God, that he vowed and resolved an hundred times against some particular sin, and never could get power over it. At last he saw the reason to be his trusting to his own resolution. Therefore be skilful in the word of righteousness, and in the actings of faith upon Christ and his victory, and that crown of glory that is set before you, and Satan will certainly fly from you, &c., James iv. 7.
Prop. (5). The fifth proposition is, That we may read much of Satan’s natwre and disposition by the divers names and epithets that ave given him in the Scripture. Sometimes he is called Behemoth, which is Brute, whereby the greatness and brutishness of the devil is figured, Job x1. 15. Those evil spirits are sometimes called AsaxBores, accusers, for their calumnies and slanders; and woven, evil ones, for their malice. Satan is Adversarius, an adversary, that troubleth and molesteth, 1 Pet. v. 8. Abaddon is a destroyer. They are tempters, for their suggestion; lions, for their devouring; dragons, for their cruelty; and serpents, for their subtilty, &. As his names are, so is he; as face answers to face, so do Satan’s names answer to his nature. He hath the worst names and the worst nature of all created creatures, &c.
Prop. (6). The sixth proposition is, That God will shortly tread down Satan under the saints’ feet. Christ, our champion, hath already won the field, and will shortly set our feet upon the necks of our spiritual enemies. Satan is a foiled adversary. Christ hath led him captive, and triumphed over him upon the cross. Christ hath already overcome him, and put weapons into your hands, that you may overcome him also, and set your feet upon his neck. Though Satan be a roaring lion, yet Christ, who is the lion of the tribe of Judah, will make Satan fly and fall before you. Let Satan do his worst, yet you shall have the honour and the happiness to triumph over him.! Cheer up, you precious sons of Sion, for the certainty and sweetness of victory i will abundantly recompense you for all the pains you have taken in making resistance against Satan’s temptations. The broken horns of i Satan shall be trumpets of our triumph and the cornets of our joy, &eNow I shall come to the reasons of the point, and so draw to a close, &e. Reason (1). The first reason is, That their hearts may be kept in an humble, praying, watching frame. Oh! hath Satan so many devices to ensnare and undo the souls of men? How should this awaken dull, drowsy souls, and make them stand upon their watch! A saint should be like a seraphim, beset all over with eyes and lights, that he may avoid Satan’s snares, and stand fast in the hour of temptation.
The Lord hath in the Scripture discovered the several snares, plots, and devices that the devil hath to undo the souls of men, that so, being forewarned, they may be forearmed; that they may be always upon their watch-tower, and hold their weapons in their hands, as the Jews did in Nehemiah’s time.2
Reason (2). The second reason is, From that malice, envy, and enmity that is in Satan against the souls of men. Satan is full of envy and enmity, and that makes him very studious to suit his snares and plots to the tempers, constitutions, fancies, and callings of men, that so he may make them as miserable as himself.3
The Russians are so malicious, that you shall have a man hide some of 1 Rom. xvi. 20, svvrpids, from ewvrpifw. The Greek word signifies to break or crush a thing to pieces. Being applied to tho feet, it noteth that breaking or crushing which is
his own goods in the house of him whom he hateth, and then accuse him for the stealth of them.! So doth Satan, out of malice to the souls of men, hide his goods, his wares, as I may say, in the souls of men, and then go and accuse them before the Lord; and a thousand, thousand other ways Satan’s malice, envy, and enmity puts him upon, eternally to undo the precious souls of men, &c. Reason (3). The third reason is drawn from that long experience that Satan hath had. He is a spirit of mighty abilities; and his abilities to lay snares before us are mightily increased by that long standing of his. He is a spirit of above five thousand years’ standing. He hath had time enough to study all those ways and methods which tend most to ensnare and undo the souls of men. And as he hath time enough, so he hath made it his whole study, his only study, his constant study, to find out snares, depths, and stratagems, to entangle and overthrow the souls of men. When he was but a young serpent, he did easily deceive and outwit our first parents, Gen. iii.; but now he is grown that old serpent,’ as John speaks, Rev. xii. 9, he is as old as the world, and is grown very cunning by experience.
Reason (4). The fourth reason is, In judgment to the men of the world, that they may stumble and fall, and be ensnared for ever. Wicked men that withstand the offers of mercy, and despise the Spirit of grace, that will not open, though God knocks never so hard by his word and rod, by his Spirit and conscience, are given up by a hand of ~ justice, to be hardened, deceived, and ensnared by Satan, to their everlasting ruin, 1 Kings xxii. 23. And what can be more just than that they should be taken and charmed with Satan’s wiles, who have frequently refused to be charmed by the Spirit of grace, though he hath charmed never so wisely, and never so sweetly, &ec.?
Reason (5). The fifth reason is, That the excellency and power of God’s grace may be more illustrated and manifested, by making men able to grapple with this mighty adversary, and that notwithstanding all the plots, devices, and stratagems of Satan, yet he will make them victorious here, and crown them with glory hereafter. The greater and the subtler the enemies of the children of Israel were, the more did divine power, wisdom, and goodness, sparkle and shine; and that, notwithstanding all their power, plots, and stratagems, &c., yet to Canaan he would bring them at last. When Paul had weighed this, he sits down and glories in his infirmities and distresses and Satan’s buffetings, that the power of Christ might rest upon him, 2 Cor. xii. 7-9.
The use of the point.
If Satan hath such a world of devices and stratagems to ensnare and undo the souls of men, then, instead of wondering that so few are saved, sit down and wonder that any are saved, that any escape the snares of this cunning fowler, who spreads his nets and casts forth his baits in all places, in all cases and companies.
But this is not the main thing that I intend to speak to; my main business shall be, to set before you some special rules and helps against all his devices.
1 An envious heart and plotting head are inseparable companions
The first kelp. If you would not be taken by any of Satan’s devices, then wall by rule He that walks by rule, walks most safely; he that walks by rule, walks most honourably; he that walks by rule, walks most sweetly. When men throw off the word, then God throws oft them. and then Satan takes them by the hand, and leads them into snares at his pleasure. He that thinks himself too good to be ruled by the = word, will be found too bad to be owned by God; and if God do not, or will not own him, Satan will by his stratagems overthrow him. Them that keep to the rule, they shall be kept in the hour of temptation. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth,” Rev. iii. 10.
The second help. As you would not be taken with any of Satan’s devices, take heed of vexing and grieving the Holy Spirit of God.? It is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that is best able to discover Satan’s snares against us; it is only he that can point out all his plots, and discover all his methods, and enable men to escape those pits that he hath digged for their precious souls. Ah! if you set that sweet and blessed Spirit a-mourning, that alone can secure you from Satan’s depths, by whom will you be secured? Man is a weak creature, and no way able to discover Satan’s snares, nor to avoid them, unless the Spirit of the Lord gives skill and power; therefore, whoever be grieved, be sure the Spirit be not grieved by your enormities, nor by your refu-’ sing the cordials and comforts that he sets before you, nor by slighting and despising his gracious actings in others, nor by calling sincerity hypocrisy, faith fancy, &c., nor by fathering those things upon the Spirit, that are the brats and fruits of your own hearts? The Spirit of the Lord is your counsellor, your comforter, your upholder, your strengthener. It is only the Spirit that makes a man too great for Satan to conquer. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,” 1 John iv. 4.
The third help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan’s devices, then labour for more heavenly wisdom. Ah, souls! you are much in the dark, you have but a little to that others have, and to that you might have had, had you not been wanting to yourselves. There are many knowing souls, but there are but a few wise souls. There is oftentimes a great deal of knowledge, where there is but a little wisdom to improve that knowledge. Knowledge without wisdom is like mettle in a blind horse, which often is an occasion of the rider’s fall, and of his bones being jostled against the walls. It is not the most knowing Christian, but the most wise Christian, that sees, avoids, and escapes Satan’s snares. The way of life is above to the wise,’ saith Solomon, ‘ that he may depart from hell beneath,” Prov. xv. 24. Heavenly wisdom makes a man delight to fly high; and the higher any man flies, the more ho 1s out of the reach of Satan’s snares. Ah, souls! you 1 Prov. xii. 24; Gal. vi. 16, 2 Spiritus sanctus est res delicata, the Divine Spirit isa very tender thing: if you grieve him, he will certainly grieve and vex your precious souls, Lam. i. 16. 8 Isa. Ixiii. 10; Ps. 1xxiii. 23; 1 Thes. v. 19; Acts ii, 18. 4 If men could but see the fair face of wisdom with mortal eyes, they would be in love with her, saith Plato. 5 Sine prudentia simplicitas stultitia est.—Drusius. 6 Malim prudentie guttam quam feecundioris fortune pelagus, said Nazianzen. A serpent’s eye is a singular ornament in a dove’s head.
had need of a great deal of heavenly wisdom, to see where and how Satan lays his baits and snares; and wisdom to find out proper remedies against his devices, and wisdom to apply those remedies seasonably, inwardly, and effectually to your own hearts, that so you may avoid the snares which that evil one hath laid for your precious souls.
The fourth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan’s devices, then make present resistance against Satan’s first motions. It is safe to resist, it is dangerous to dispute. Eve disputes, and falls in paradise, Gen. 1ii.; Job resists, and conquers upon the dunghill. He that will play with Satan’s bait, will quickly be taken with Satan’s book. The promise of conquest is made over to resisting, not to disputing: Resist the devil, and he will fly from you,” James iv. 7. Ah, souls! were you better at resisting than at disputing, though happily you were not very expert at either, your temptations would be fewer, and your strength to stand would be greater than now it is, &e.
The fifth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan’s devices, then labour to be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of light and power; and what can a soul do without light and power against spiritual wickedness in high places’? Eph. vi. 12. It 1s not enough that you have the Spirit, but you must be filled with the Spirit, or else Satan, that evil spirit, will be too hard for you, and his plots will prosper against you. That is a sweet word of the apostle, Be filled with the Spirit, Eph. v. 18; <.e. labour for abundance of the Spirit. He that thinks he hath enough of the Holy Spirit, will quickly find himself vanquished by the evil spirit. Satan hath his snares to take you in prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness, in strength and weakness, when you are alone and when you are in company, when you come on to spiritual duties and when you come off from spiritual duties, and if you are not filled with the Spirit, Satan will be too hard and too crafty for you, and will easily and frequently take you in his snares, and make a prey of you in spite of your souls. Therefore labour more to have your hearts filled with the Spirit than to have your heads filled with notions, your shops with wares, your chests with silver, or your bags with gold; so shall you escape the snares of this fowler, and triumph over all his plots, &ec.?
The sixth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan’s snares, then keep humble. An humble heart will rather lie in the dust than rise by wickedness, and sooner part with all than the peace of a good conscience. Humility keeps the soul free from many darts of Satan’s casting, and snares of his spreading; as the low shrubs are free from many violent gusts and blasts of wind, which shake and rend the taller trees. The devil hath least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble. He that hath a gracious measure of humility, is neither affected with Satan’s proffers nor terrified with his threatenings I
have read of one who, seeing in a vision many snares of the devil spread upon the earth, he sat down, and mourned, and said in himself, Quis pertransiet ista? who shall pass through these? whereunto he heard a voice answering, Humilitas pertransiet, humility shall. God hath said, that he will teach the humble,” and that he will dwell with the humble,’ and that he will fill and satisfy the humble’! And if the teachings of God, the indwelling of God, if the pourings in of God, will not keep the soul from falling into Satan’s snares, I do not know what will. And therefore as you would be happy in resisting Satan, and blessed in triumphing over Satan and all his snares, keep humble; I say again, keep humble, &c.
The seventh help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan’s snares, then keep a strong, close, and constant watch, 1 Thes. v. 6. A secure soul is already an ensnared soul. That soul that will not watch against temptations, will certainly fall before the power of temptations. Satan works most strongly on the fancy when the soul is drowsy. The soul’s security is Satan’s opportunity to fall upon the soul and to spoil the soul, as Joshua did the men of Ai. The best way to be safe and secure from all Satan’s assaults is, with Nehemiah and the Jews, to watch and pray, and pray and watch. By this means they became too hard for their enemies, and the work of the Lord did prosper sweetly in their hands. Remember how Christ chid his sluggish disciples, What! could you not watch with me one hour?’ what, cannot you watch with me? how will you then die with me? if you cannot endure words, how will you endure wounds? &c. Satan always keeps a crafty and malicious watch, seeking whom he may devour (zarawiz), or whom he may drink or sip up, as the apostle speaks in that 1 Peter v. 8. Satan is very envious at our condition, that we should enjoy that paradise out of which he is cast, and out of which he shall be for ever kept.
Shall Satan keep a crafty watch, and shall not Christians keep a holy spiritual watch? Our whole life 1s beset with temptations. Satan watches all opportunities to break our peace, to wound our consciences, to lessen our comforts, to impair our graces, to slur our evidences, and to damp our assurances, &c. Oh! what need then have we to be always upon our watch-tower, lest we be surprised by this subtle serpent. Watchfulness includes a waking, a rousing up of the soul. It 1s a continual, careful observing of our hearts and ways, in all the turnings of our lives, that we still keep close to God and his word.
Watchfulness is nothing else but the soul running up and down, to and fro, busy everywhere; it is the heart busied and employed with diligent observation of quid inde, what comes from within us, and of “quid inde, what comes from without us and into us. Ah, souls! you are no longer safe and secure than when you are upon your watch. While Antipater kept the watch, Alexander was safe; and while we
keep a strict watch, we are safe. A watchful soul is a soul upon the wing, a soul out of gun-shot, a soul upon a rock, a soul in a castle, a soul above the clouds, a soul held fast in everlasting arms.
I shall conclude this seventh head with this advice, Remember the dragon is subtle, and bites the elephant’s ear, and then sucks his blood, because he knows that to be the only place which the elephant cannot reach with his trunk to defend; so our enemies are so subtle, that they will bite us, and strike us where they may most mischief us, and therefore it doth very much concern us to stand always upon our guard.
The eighth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan’s snares and devices, then keep up your communion with God! Your strength to stand and withstand Satan’s fiery darts is from your communion with God. A soul high in communion with God may be tempted, but will not easily be conquered. Such a soul will fight it out to the death. Communion with God furnisheth the soul with the greatest and the choicest arguments to withstand Satan’s temptations. Communion is the result of union. Communion is a reciprocal exchange between Christ and a gracious soul. Communion is Jacobs ladder, where you have Christ sweetly coming down into the soul, and the soul, by divine influences, sweetly ascending up to Christ. Communion with Christ is very inflaming, raising and strengthening. While Samson kept up his communion with God, no enemy could stand _ before him, but he goes on conquering and to conquer; but when he was fallen in his communion with God, he quickly falls before the plots of his enemies. It will be so with your souls. So long as your communion with God is kept up, you will be too hard for ‘ spiritual wickedness in high places; but if you fall from your communion with God, you will fall, as others, before the face of every temptation? David, so long as he kept up his communion with God, he stands, and triumphs over all his enemies; but when he was fallen in his communion with God, then he falls before the enemies that were in his own bosom, and flies before those that pursued after his life. It will be so with your souls, if you do not keep up your communion with God. Job keeps up his communion with God, and conquers Satan upon the dunghill; Adam loses his communion with God, and is conquered by Satan in paradise. Communion with God is a shield upon land, as well as an anchor at sea; it is a sword to defend you, as well as a staff to support you; therefore keep up your communion.
The ninth kelp. If you would not be taken in any of Satan’s snares, then engage not against Satan in your own strength, but be every day drawing new virtue and strength from the Lord Jesus? Certainly that soul that engages against any old or new temptation without
new strength, new influences from on high, will fall before the power of the temptation. You may see this in Peter; he rested upon some old received strength— Though all men should deny thee, yet will not I” Mat. xxvi. 35—and therefore he falls sadly before a new temptation. He curses and swears, and denies him thrice, that had thrice appeared gloriously to him. Ah, souls! when the snare is spread, look up to Jesus Christ, who 1s lifted up in the gospel, as the brazen serpent was in the wilderness, and say to him, Dear Lord! here is a new snare laid to catch my soul, and grace formerly received, without fresh supplies from thy blessed bosom, will not deliver me from this snare. Oh! give me new strength, new power, new influences, new measures of grace, that so I may escape the snares. Ah, souls! remember this, that your - strength to stand and overcome must not be expected from graces 4 received, but from the fresh and renewed influences of heaven! You h must lean more upon Christ than upon your duties; you must lean more upon Christ than upon spiritual tastes and discoveries; you must p lean more upon Christ than upon your graces, or else Satan will lead you into captivity, &ec.
The tenth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan’s snares, then be much in prayer. Prayer is a shelter to the soul; a sacrifice to God and a scourge to the devil. David’s heart was oft more out of 1 tune than his harp. He prays, and then, in spite of the devil, cries, Return unto thy rest, O my soul” Prayer is porta ceeli, clavis para- i disi, the gate of heaven, a key to let usinto paradise. There is nothing that renders plots fruitless like prayer; therefore saith Christ, Watch k and pray that ye enter not into temptation,” Mat. xxvi. 41. You must watch and pray, and pray and watch, if you would not enter into temptation. When Sennacherib and Haman had laid plots and snares to have destroyed the Jews, they prayed, and their souls were delivered, and Sennacherib and Haman destroyed. David had many snares laid for him, and this puts him upon prayer. Keep me,’ saith he, from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.” Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I escape, Ps. exh. 9, 10. “The proud,” saith he, have hid a snare for me, and cords: they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplication, O Lord!’ Ps. exl. 5, 6. Saul and many others had laid snares for David, and this puts him upon prayer, and so the snares are broken and he is delivered Ah, souls! take words to yourselves, and tell God that Satan hath spread his snares in all places and in all companies; tell God that he digs deep, and that he hath plot upon plot, and device upon device, and all to undo you; tell God that you have neither skill nor power to escape his snares; tell God that it is a work too high and too hard for any created creature to work your Y John xv. b, xweis ext, i3 seorsim a me, separate from me, or apart from me, ye can do nothing. t Of Carolus Magnus it was spoken, Carolus plus cum Deo guam cum hominibus loguitur, that he spake more with God than with men. Ah! that I could say so of the Christians in our days. 3 Nunquam abs te, absque te recedo.— Bernard. OQ Lord! saith he, I never go away from thee, without thee. Let us, saith Basil, with a holy impudence, make God ashamed, that he cannot look us in the face, if he do deny our importunity: Jacob-like, ‘ I will not let hee go, unless thou bless me.’
deliverance, unless he put under his own everlasting arms; tell God how his honour is engaged to stand by you, and to bring you off, that you be not ruined by his plots; tell God how the wicked would triumph, if you should fall into Satan’s snares; tell God of the love of Christ, of - the blood of Christ, and of the intercession of Christ for you, that a way may be found for your escape; tell God if he will make it his honour to save you from falling into Satan’s snares, you will make it your glory to speak of his goodness and to live out his kindness. Christians must do as Daedalus, that when he could not escape by a way upon earth, went by a way of heaven,’ and that is, the way of prayer, which is the only way left to escape Satan’s snares, &c.
Use. The next use is a use of thankfulness to those that escape Satan’s snares, that are not taken by him at his will. Ah! Christians, it stands upon you with that princely prophet David, to call upon your souls, and say, Bless the Lord, O our souls; and all that is within us, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O our souls, and forget not all his benefits I” Ps. ciii. 1, 2; who hath not given us to be a prey to Satan, and to be ensnared by those snares that he hath laid for our souls. The sense of this great favour did work up David’s heart to praises: Blessed be the Lord, saith he, who hath not given us a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snares of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped,” Ps. cxxiv. 7. Ah! Christians, remember that the greatest part of the world, yea, the greatest part of professors, are taken in Satan’s snares. Can you think seriously of this, and not blush to be unthankful? What are you better than others? and what have ye deserved of God, or done for God more than others, that you should by the help of a divine hand escape the snares, when others are taken and held in the snares of the devil to their eternal overthrow? &c. Willyou be thankful for the escaping the snaresthat men spread for your lives or estates, &c., and will you not be much more thankful for escaping those snares that Satan hath laid for your precious souls 2 Ps. Ixxi. 14.2 Remember this, that deliverance from Satan’s snares doth carry with it the clearest and the greatest evidence of the soul and heart of God to be towards us. Many a man by a common hand of providence escapes many a snare that man hath laid for him, but yet escapes not the snares that Satan hath laid for him. Saul, and Judas, and Demas, doubtless escaped many snares that men had laid for them, but none of them escaped the snares that the devil had laid for them. Many men are lifted up above the snares of men by a common hand of providence, that are left to fall into the snares of the devil by a hand of justice; your deliverance from Satan’s snares is a fruit of special love. Can you thus look upon it and not be thankful, O precious soul? I judge not. Use. The last use of this point is, To bespeak Christians to long to be at home. Oh! long to be in the bosom of Christ! long to be in the
164 PRECIOUS REMEDIES [2 Cor. IL i land of Canaan! for this world, this wilderness, is full of snares, and all employments are full of snares, and all enjoyments are full of snares. In civil things, Satan hath his snares to entrap us; and in all spiritual things, Satan hath his snares to catch us. All places are full of snares, city and country, shop and closet, sea and land; and all our mercies are surrounded with snares. There are snares about our tables and snares about our beds, &c.; yea, Satan is so powerful and subtle that he will oftentimes make our greatest, nearest, and dearest mercies to become our greatest snares. Sometimes he will make the wife that lies in the boson to be a snare to a man, as Samson’s was, and as Job’s was. Sometimes he will make the child to be a snare, as Absalom was and Eli’s sons were; and sometimes he will make the servant to be a snare, as Joseph was to his mistress. Ah! souls, Satan is so cunning and artificial that he can turn your cups into snares, and your clothes into snares, and your houses into snares, and your gardens into snares, and all your recreations into snares, &c. And oh! how should the consideration of these things work all your souls to say with the church, Make haste, my beloved, and be like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountain of spices,” and to love, and look, and long for the coming of Christ, Cant. vin. 14.2 Shall the espoused maid long for the marriage day? the servant for his freedom? the captive for his ransom? the traveller for his inn? and the mariner for his harbour? and shall not the people of the Lord long much more to be in the bosom of Christ? there being nothing below the bosom of Christ that is not surrounded with Satan’s snares, Philip. i. 23, and 2 Cor. v. 2, 4.
What Paul once spake of bonds and afflictions, that they attended him in every place, Acts xx. 23, that may all the saints say of Satan’s snares, that they attend them in every place, which should cause them h to cry out, Migremus line, migremus hine, let us go hence, let us go hence; and to say with Monica, Austin’s mother, What do we here? why depart we not hence? why fly we no swifter? Ah! souls, till yon are taken up into the bosom of Christ, your comforts will not be full, pure, and constant; till then, Satan will still be thumping of you, and spreading snares to entangle you; therefore you should always be crying out with the church, Come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. xxii. 20. Is not Christ the star of Jacob, that giveth light to them that are in darkness? that Prince of peace who brings the olive branch to souls that are perplexed? Is not the greatest worth and wealth in him? Is not the petty excellencies and perfections of all created creatures epitomized in him? Is not he the crown of crowns, the glory of glories, and the heaven of heavens? Oh then, be still a-longing after a full, clear, and constant enjoyment of Christ in heaven; for till then, Satan will still have plots and designs upon you. He acts by an united power, and will never let you rest till you are taken up to an everlasting rest in the bosom of Christ. ing, and Christ conversing with men upon the earth. Bede comes after, and, correcting this last wish, saith, Yea, but let me see the King in his beauty, Christ in his heavenly kingdom. 2 Artful. —G. YM M3, derach dod:; flee away speedily, my beloved. 2 Quid hic faciamus? eur non ocius migramus? cur non hinc avolamus? 4 Qu. ‘untired’ >—G. 5 It is as easy to compass the heavens with a span, and contain the sea in a nutshell, as to relate fully Christ’s excellencies, or heaven’s happiness.