_Lest Satan should get an advantage over us; for we are not
ignorant of his devices._
THE occasion of these words was as follows: In the church of _Corinth_
there was an unhappy person, who had committed such incest, as was not
so much as named among the _Gentiles_, in taking his father’s wife; but
either on account of his wealth, power, or some such reasons, like many
notorious offenders now-adays, he had not been exposed to the censures
of the church. St. _Paul_, therefore, in his first epistle, severely
chides them for this neglect of discipline, and commands them, “in the
name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, when they were gathered together, to
deliver such a one, whoever he was, to Satan, for the destruction of
the flesh, that his Spirit might be saved in the day of the LORD;” that
is, they should solemnly excommunicate him; which was then commonly
attended with some bodily disease. The _Corinthians_, being obedient
to the Apostle, as dear children, no sooner received this reproof, but
they submitted to it, and cast the offending party out of the church.
But whilst they were endeavouring to amend one fault, they unhappily
ran into another; and as they formerly had been too mild and remiss,
so now they behaved towards him with too much severity and resentment.
The Apostle, therefore, in this chapter, reproves this, and tells them,
that “sufficient to the offender’s shame, was the punishment which had
been inflicted of many:” that he had now suffered enough; and that,
therefore, lest he should be tempted to say with _Cain_, “My punishment
is greater than I can bear;” or to use the Apostle’s own words, “Lest
he should be swallowed up with over-much sorrow;” they ought, now he
had given proof of his repentance, to forgive him, to confirm their
love towards him, and so restore him in the spirit of meekness; “Lest
Satan, (to whose buffetings he was now given, by tempting him to
despair) should get an advantage over us:” and so, by representing you
as merciless and cruel, cause that holy name to be blasphemed, by which
you are called; “for we are not ignorant of his devices:” we know very
well how many subtle ways he has to draw aside and beguile unguarded
unthinking men.
Thus then, stand the words in relation to the context; but as Satan
has many devices, and as his quiver is full of other poisonous darts,
besides those which he shoots at us to drive us to despair, I shall, in
the following discourse,
_First_, Briefly observe who we are to understand by Satan. And,
_Secondly_, Point out to you, what are the chief devices he
generally makes use of, to draw off converts from CHRIST, and
also prescribe some remedies against them.
_First_, Who are we to understand by Satan?
The word _Satan_, in its original signification, means an adversary;
and in its general acceptation, is made use of, to point out to us
the chief of the devils, who, for striving to be as GOD, was cast down
from heaven, and is now permitted, “with the rest of his spiritual
wickednesses in high places, to walk up and down, seeking whom he may
devour.” We hear of him immediately after the creation, when in the
shape of a serpent, he lay in wait to deceive our first parents. He
is called Satan, in the book of _Job_, where we are told, that “when
the sons of GOD came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan
also came amongst them.” As the scripture also speaketh in the book of
_Chronicles_; “and Satan moved _David_ to number the people.” In the
New Testament he goes under different denominations; sometimes he is
called the _evil One_, because he is evil in himself, and tempts us to
evil. Sometimes, “the Prince of the power of the air;” and, “the Spirit
that now ruleth in the children of disobedience;” because he resides
chiefly in the air, and through the whole world: and all that are not
born of GOD, are said to lie in him.
He is an enemy to GOD and goodness; he is a hater of all truth: Why
else did he slander GOD in paradise? Why did he tell _Eve_, “You shall
not surely die?” And why did he promise to give all the kingdoms of the
world, and the glories of them, to JESUS CHRIST, if he would fall down
and worship him?
He is full of malice, envy, and revenge; for what other motives could
induce him to molest innocent man in paradise? And why is he still so
restless in his attempts to destroy us, who have done him no wrong?
He is a being of great _power_, as appears in his being able to act on
the imagination of our blessed LORD, so as to represent to him all the
kingdoms of the world, and the glories of them, in a moment of time. As
also in carrying his sacred body through the air up to a pinacle of the
temple; and his driving a herd of swine so furiously into the deep. Nay,
so great is his might, that, I doubt not, was GOD to let him use his
full strength, but he could turn the earth upside down, or pull the sun
from its orb.
But what he is most remarkable for is, his _subtlety_: for not having
power given him from above, to take us by force, he is obliged to wait
for opportunities to betray us, and to catch us by guile. He, therefore,
made use of the serpent, which was subtle above all the beasts of the
field, in order to tempt our first parents; and accordingly he is said,
in the New Testament, “To lie in wait to deceive;” and, in the words
of the text, the Apostle says, “We are not ignorant of his devices;”
thereby implying, that we are more in danger of being seduced by his
policy, than over-borne by his power.
From this short description of Satan, we may easily judge whose
children they are, who love to make a lie, who speak evil of, and
slander their neighbour, and whose hearts are full of pride, subtlety,
malice, envy, revenge, and all uncharitableness. Surely they have Satan
for their father: for the tempers of Satan they know, and the works of
Satan they do. But were they to see either themselves, or Satan as he
is, they could not but be terrified at their own likeness, and abhor
themselves in dust and ashes.
But, the justice of GOD in suffering us to be tempted, is vindicated
from the following considerations: That we are here in a state of
disorder; That he has promised not to suffer us to be tempted above
what we are able to bear; and not only so, but to him that overcometh
he will give a crown of life.
The holy angels themselves, it should seem, were once put to a trial
whether they would be faithful or not. The first _Adam_ was tempted,
even in paradise. And JESUS CHRIST, that second _Adam_, though he was
a son, yet was carried, as our representative, by the Holy Spirit, into
the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. And there is not one single
saint in paradise, amongst the goodly fellowship of the prophets, the
glorious company of the apostles, the noble army of martyrs, and the
spirits of just men made perfect, who, when on earth, was not assaulted
by the fiery darts of that wicked one, the devil.
What then has been the common lot of all GOD’s children, and of the
angels, nay, of the eternal Son of GOD himself, we must not think to
be exempted from: No, it is sufficient if we are made perfect through
temptations, as they were. And, therefore, since we cannot but be
tempted, unless we could unmake human nature, instead of repining at
our condition, we should rather be enquiring, at what time of our lives
Satan most violently assaults us? And what those devices are, which he
commonly makes use of, in order to “get an advantage over us?”
As to the first question, what time of life? I answer, we must expect
to be tempted by him, in some degree or other, all our lives long.――For
this life being a continual warfare, we must never expect to have rest
from our spiritual adversary the devil, or to say, our combat with him
is finished, ’till, with our blessed master, we bow down our heads, and
give up the ghost.
But since the time of our conversion, or first entring upon the
spiritual life, is the most critical time at which he, for the most
part, violently besets us, as well knowing, if he can prevent our
setting out, he can lead us captive at his will; and since the wise son
of _Sirach_ particularly warns us, when we are going to serve the LORD,
to prepare our souls for temptation, I shall, in answer to the other
question, pass on to the
_Second_ general thing proposed; and point out those devices, which
Satan generally makes use of at our first conversion, in order to get
an advantage over us.
But let me observe to you, that whatsoever shall be delivered in the
following discourse is only designed for such as have actually entered
upon the divine life; and not for carnal almost Christians, who have
the form of godliness, but never yet felt the power of it in their
hearts. This being premised, The
_First_ device I shall mention, which Satan makes use of, is, _to drive
us to despair_.
When GOD the Father awakens a sinner by the terrors of the law, and by
his Holy Spirit convinceth him of sin, in order to lead him to CHRIST,
and shew him the necessity of a Redeemer; then Satan generally strikes
in, and aggravates those convictions to such a degree, as to make the
sinner doubt of finding mercy thro’ the Mediator.
Thus, in all his temptations of the Holy JESUS, he chiefly aimed to
make him question, whether he was the Son of GOD? “If thou be the
Son of GOD,” do so and so. With many such desponding thoughts, no
doubt, he filled the heart of the great St. _Paul_, when he continued
three days, neither eating bread nor drinking water; and therefore he
speaks by experience, when he says, in the words of the text, “We are
not ignorant of his devices,” that he would endeavour to drive the
incestuous person to despair.
But let not any of you be influenced by him, to despair of finding
mercy. For it is not the greatness or number of our crimes, but
impenitence and unbelief, that will prove our ruin: No, were our sins
more in number than the hairs of our head, or of a deeper die than
the brightest scarlet; yet the merits of the death of JESUS CHRIST are
infinitely greater, and faith in his blood shall make them white as
snow.
Answer always, therefore, his despairing suggestions, as your Blessed
LORD did, with an “It is written.” Tell him, you know that your
Redeemer liveth, ever to make intercession for you; that the LORD hath
received from him double for all your crimes: And tho’ you have sinned
much, that is no reason why you should despair, but only why you should
love much, having so much forgiven. A
_Second_ device that Satan generally makes use of, to get an advantage
over young converts, is, to tempt them to _presume_, or to think more
highly of themselves than they ought to think.
When a person has for some little time tasted the good word of life,
and felt the powers of the world to come, he is commonly (as indeed
well he may) most highly transported with that sudden change he finds
in himself. But then, Satan will not be wanting, at such a time, to
puff him up with a high conceit of his own attainments, as if he was
some great person; and will tempt him to set at nought his brethren,
as though he was holier than they.
Take heed therefore, and let us beware of this device of our spiritual
adversary; for as before honour is humility, so a haughty spirit
generally goes before a fall; and GOD is obliged, when under such
circumstances, to send us some humbling visitation, or permit us to
fall, as he did _Peter_, into some grievous sin, that we may learn not
to be too high minded.
To check therefore all suggestions to spiritual pride, let us consider,
that we did not apprehend CHRIST, but were apprehended of him. That we
have nothing but what we have received. That the free grace of GOD has
alone made the difference between us and others; and, was GOD to leave
us to the deceitfulness of our own hearts but one moment, we should
become weak and wicked, like other men. We should farther consider,
that being proud of grace, is the most ready way to lose it. “For GOD
resisteth the proud, and giveth more grace only to the humble.” And
were we endowed with the perfections of the seraphim; yet if we were
proud of those perfections, they would but render us more accomplished
devils. Above all, we should pray earnestly to Almighty GOD, that
we may learn of JESUS CHRIST, to be lowly in heart. That his grace,
through the subtlety and deceivableness of Satan, may not be our
poison. But that we may always think soberly of ourselves, as we ought
to think. A
_Third_ device I shall mention, which Satan generally makes use of, “to
get an advantage over us,” is to tempt us to _uneasiness_, and to have
_hard thoughts of_ GOD, when we are dead and barren in prayer.
Though this is a term not understood by the natural man, yet, whosoever
there are amongst you, who have passed through the pangs of the _new
birth_, they know full well what I mean, when I talk of deadness and
dryness in prayer. And, I doubt not, but many of you, amongst whom I am
now preaching the kingdom of GOD, are at this very time labouring under
it.
For, when persons are first awakened to the divine life, because grace
is weak and nature strong, GOD is often pleased to vouchsafe them some
extraordinary illuminations of his Holy Spirit; but when they are grown
to be more perfect men in CHRIST, then he frequently seems to leave
them to themselves; and not only so, but permits a horrible deadness
and dread to overwhelm them; at which times Satan will not be wanting
to vex and tempt them to impatience, to the great discomfort of their
souls.
But be not afraid; for this is no more than your blessed Redeemer,
that Spotless Lamb of GOD, has undergone before you: witness his bitter
agony in the garden, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death. When he sweat great drops of blood, falling on the ground;
when the sense of the Divinity was drawn from him; and Satan, in all
probability, was permitted to set all his terrors in array before him.
Rejoice, therefore, my brethren, when you fall into the like
circumstances; as knowing, that you are therein partakers of the
sufferings of JESUS CHRIST. Consider, that it is necessary such inward
trials should come, to wean us from the immoderate love of sensible
devotion, and teach us to follow CHRIST, not merely for his loaves,
but out of a principle of love and obedience. In patience, therefore,
possess your souls, and be not terrified by Satan’s suggestions. Still
persevere in seeking JESUS in the use of means, though it be sorrowing;
and though through barrenness of soul, you may go mourning all the day
long. Consider that the spouse is with you, though behind the curtain;
as he was with _Mary_, at the sepulchre, though she knew it not. That
he has withdrawn but for a little while, to make his next visit more
welcome. That though he may now seem to frown and look back on you,
as he did on the _Syrophenician_ woman; yet if you, like her, or blind
_Bartimeus_, cry out so much the more earnestly, “JESUS, thou Son
of _David_, have mercy on us;” he will be made known unto you again,
either in the temple, by breaking of bread, or some other way.
But amongst all the devices that Satan makes use of, “to get an
advantage over us,” there is none in which he is more successful, or
by which he grieves the children of GOD worse, than a
_Fourth_ device I am going to mention, his troubling you with
_blasphemous, profane, unbelieving thoughts_; and sometimes to such
a degree, that they are as tormenting as the rack.
Some indeed are apt to impute all such evil thoughts to a disorder of
body. But those who know any thing of the spiritual life, can inform
you, with greater certainty, that for the generality, they proceed from
that wicked one, the devil; who, no doubt, has power given him from
above, as well now as formerly, to disorder the body, as he did _Job_’s,
that he may, with the more secrecy and success, work upon, ruffle and
torment the soul.
You that have felt his fiery darts, can subscribe to the truth of this,
and by fatal experience can tell, how often he has bid you, “curse
GOD and die,” and darted into your thoughts a thousand blasphemous
suggestions, even in your most secret and solemn retirements; the bare
looking back on which makes your very hearts to tremble,
I appeal to your own ♦consciences; Have not some of you, when you have
been lifting up holy hands in prayer, been pestered with such a crowd
of the most horrid insinuations, that you have been often tempted to
rise off from your knees, and been made to believe your prayers were
an abomination to the LORD? Nay, when, with the rest of your christian
brethren, you have crouded round the holy table, and taken the sacred
symbols of CHRIST’s most blessed body and blood into your hands,
instead of remembring the death of your Saviour, have you not been
employed in driving out evil thoughts, as _Abraham_ was in driving away
the birds, that came to devour his sacrifice; and thereby have been
terrified, lest you have eat and drank your own damnation?
♦ “consciencies” replaced with “consciences”
But marvel not, as though some strange thing happened unto you; for
this has been the common lot of all GOD’s children. We read, even in
_Job_’s time, “That when the sons of GOD came to appear before their
Maker, (at public worship) Satan also came amongst them,” to disturb
their devotions.
And think not that GOD is angry with you for these distracting, though
ever so blasphemous thoughts: No, he knows it is not you, but Satan
working in you; and therefore, notwithstanding he may be displeased
with, and certainly will punish him; yet he will both pity and reward
you. And though it be difficult to make persons in your circumstances
to believe so; yet I doubt not but you are more acceptable to GOD,
when performing your holy duties in the midst of such involuntary
distractions, than when you are wrapped up by devotion, as it were,
into the third heavens; for you are then suffering, as well as doing
the will of GOD at the same time; and, like _Nehemiah_’s servants
at the building of the temple, are holding a trowel in one hand, and
a sword in the other. Be not driven from the use of any ordinance
whatever, on account of those abominable suggestions; for then you let
Satan get his desired advantage over you; it being his chief design,
by these thoughts, to make you fall out with the means of grace; and to
tempt you to believe, you do not please GOD, for no other reason, than
because you do not please yourselves. Rather persevere in the use of
the holy communion especially, and all other means whatever; and when
these temptations have wrought that resignation in you, for which they
were permitted, GOD will visit you with fresh tokens of his love, as he
met _Abraham_, when he returned from the slaughter of the five kings;
and will send an angel from heaven, as he did to his Son, on purpose to
strengthen you.
Hitherto we have only observed such devices as Satan makes use of
immediately by himself; but there is a
_Fifth_ I shall mention, which is not the least, tempting us by our
_carnal friends_ and _relations_.
This is one of the most common, as well as most artful devices he makes
use of, to draw young converts from GOD; for when he cannot prevail
over them by himself, he will try what he can do by the influence and
mediation of others.
Thus he tempted _Eve_, that she might tempt _Adam_. Thus he stirred up
_Job_’s wife, to bid him “Curse GOD and die.” And thus he made use of
_Peter_’s tongue, to persuade our blessed LORD “to spare himself,” and
thereby decline those sufferings, by which alone we could be preserved
from suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. And thus, in these last
days, he often stirs up our most powerful friends and dearest intimates,
to dissuade us from going in that narrow way, which alone leadeth unto
life eternal.
But our blessed LORD has furnished us with a sufficient answer to all
such suggestions. “Get you behind me, my adversaries;” for otherwise
they will be an offence unto you; and the only reason why they give
such advice is, because they “savour not the things that be of GOD, but
the things that be of men.”
Whoever, therefore, among you are resolved to serve the LORD, prepare
your souls for many such temptations as these; for it is necessary that
such offences should come, to try your sincerity, to teach us to cease
from man, and to see if we will forsake all to follow CHRIST.
Indeed our modernisers of christianity would persuade us, that the
gospel was calculated only for about two hundred years; and that now
there is no need of hating father and mother, or of being persecuted
for the sake of CHRIST and his gospel.
But such persons err, not knowing the scriptures, and the power of
godliness in their hearts; for whosoever receives the love of GOD
in the truth of it, will find, that CHRIST came to send not peace,
but a sword upon earth, as much now as ever. That the father-in-law
shall be against the daughter-in-law, in these latter, as well as in
the primitive times; and that if we will live godly in CHRIST JESUS,
we must, as then, so now, from carnal friends and relations, suffer
persecution. But the devil hath a
_Sixth_ device, which is as dangerous as any of the former, by _not
tempting us at all_, or rather, by _withdrawing himself for a while_,
in order to come upon us at an hour when we think not of it.
Thus it is said, that he left JESUS CHRIST only for a season; and our
blessed LORD has bid us to watch and pray always, that we enter not
into temptation; thereby implying, that Satan, whether we think of it
or not, is always seeking how he may devour us.
If we would therefore behave like good soldiers of JESUS CHRIST,
we must be always upon our guard, and never pretend to lay down
our spiritual weapons of prayer and watching, till our warfare is
accomplished by death; for if we do, our spiritual Amalek will quickly
prevail against us. What if he has left us? it is only for a season;
yet a little while, and, like a roaring lion, with double fury, he will
break out upon us again. So great a coward as the devil is, he seldom
leaves us at the first onset. As he followed our blessed LORD with one
temptation after another, so will he treat his servants. And the reason
why he does not renew his attacks, is sometimes, because GOD knows
we are yet weak and unable to bear them, sometimes, because our grand
adversary thinks to beset us at a more convenient season.
Watch carefully therefore over thy heart, O christian; and whenever
thou perceivest thyself to be falling into a spiritual slumber, say
to it, as CHRIST to his disciples, “Arise (my soul) why sleepest
thou?” Awake, awake; put on strength, watch and pray, or otherwise the
_Philistines_ will be upon thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldst
not. Alas! Is this life a time to lie down and slumber in? Arise, and
call upon thy GOD; thy spiritual enemy is not dead, but lurketh in some
secret place, seeking a convenient opportunity how he may betray thee.
If thou ceasest to strive with him, thou ceasest to be a friend of GOD;
thou ceasest to go in that narrow way which leadeth unto life.
Thus have I endeavoured to point out to you some of those devices, that
Satan generally makes use of “to get an advantage over us;” many others
there are, no doubt, which he often uses.
But these, on account of my youth and want of experience, I cannot
yet apprise you of; they who have been listed for many years in their
master’s service, and fought under his banner against our spiritual
Amalek, are able to discover more of his artifices; and, being tempted
in all things, like unto their brethren, can, in all things, advise and
succour those that are tempted.
In the mean while, let me exhort my young fellow-soldiers, who, like
myself, are but just entring the field, and for whose sake this was
written, not to be discouraged at the fiery trial wherewith they must
be tried, if they would be found faithful servants of JESUS CHRIST. You
see, my dearly beloved brethren, by what has been delivered, that our
way through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly _Canaan_, is
beset with thorns, and that there are sons of Anak to be grappled with,
ere you can possess the promised land. But let not these, like so many
false spies, discourage you from going up to fight the LORD’s battles,
but say with _Caleb_ and _Joshua_, “Nay, but we will go up, for we
are able to conquer them.” JESUS CHRIST, that great captain of our
salvation, has in our stead, and as our representative, baffled the
grand enemy of mankind, and we have nothing to do, but manfully to
fight under his banner, and to go on from conquering to conquer.
Our glory does not consist in being exempted from, but in enduring
temptations. “Blessed is the man, (says the apostle) that endureth
temptation;” and again, “Brethren, count it all joy, when you fall
into divers temptations:” And in that perfect form our blessed LORD has
prescribed to us, we are taught to pray, not so much to be delivered
from all temptation, as “from the evil” of it. Whilst we are on
this side eternity, it must needs be that temptations come; and, no
doubt, “Satan has desired to have all of us, to sift us as wheat.”
But wherefore should we fear? For he that is for us, is by far more
powerful, than all that are against us. JESUS CHRIST, our great
High-priest, is exalted to the right hand of GOD, and there sitteth
to make intercession for us, that our faith fail not.
Since then CHRIST is praying, whom should we fear? And since he has
promised to make us more than conquerors, of whom should we be afraid?
No, though an host of devils are set in array against us, let us not be
afraid; though there should rise up the hottest persecution against us,
yet let us put our trust in GOD. What though Satan, and the rest of his
apostate spirits, are powerful, when compared with us; yet, if put in
competition with the Almighty, they are as weak as the meanest worms.
GOD has them all reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of
the great day. So far as he permits them, they shall go, but no farther;
and where he pleases, there shall their proud malicious designs be
stayed. We read in the gospel, that though a legion of them possessed
one man, yet they could not destroy him; nor could they so much as
enter into a swine, without first having leave given them from above.
It is true, we often find they foil us, when we are assaulted by them;
but let us be strong, and very couragious; for, though they bruise our
heels, we shall, at length, bruise their heads. Yet a little while, and
he that shall come, will come; and then we shall see all our spiritual
enemies put under our feet. What if they do come out against us,
like so many great Goliahs; yet, if we can go forth, as the stripling
_David_, in the name and strength of the LORD of hosts, we may say, O
Satan, where is thy power? O fallen spirits, where is your victory?
Once more therefore, and to conclude; let us be strong, and very
couragious, and let us put on the whole armour of GOD, that we may
be able to stand against the fiery darts of the wicked one. Let us
renounce ourselves, and the world, and then we shall take away the
armour in which he trusteth, and he will find nothing in us for his
temptations to work upon. We shall then prevent his malicious designs;
and being willing to suffer ourselves, shall need less sufferings to
be sent us from above. Let us have our loins girt about with truth; and
for an helmet, the hope of salvation; “praying always with all manner
of supplication.” Above all things, “Let us take the sword of the
spirit, which is the word of GOD,” and “the shield of faith,” looking
always to JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
now sat down at the right hand of GOD.
To which happy place, may GOD of his infinite mercy translate us
all, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, three persons and
one eternal GOD, be all honour and glory, now and for evermore.
Amen.