A Child of Light Walking in Darkness, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
The third efficient cauſe, Satan. His ſpeciall malice in this temptation, commiſsion: acceſſe to, and advantage over us in this temptation, by reaſon of the darkneſſe in us.
THus far our owne hearts upon the holy Ghoſts deſerting, become authors unto us of this darkneſſe.
But herein beleevers wreſtle not alone with fleſh and blood, and the darkneſſe thereof; but doe further conflict alſo with thoſe ſpirituall wickedneſſes, the Princes of darkneſſe, Epheſ. 6. 12. about their intereſt in thoſe heavenly priviledges, (as the phraſe there uſed foreign may bee well interpreted) even with Satan and his Angels. Whom this Apoſtle compares to a roaring foreign that ſeekes whom hee may devo…re, 1 Pet. 5. 8. And like as when God makes this naturall darkneſſe and it is night, then the young Lions creepe forth, and reare after their pre…, as the Pſalmiſt ſayes, Pſal. 104. 20, 21. So doe theſe roaring Lions, now when A God hath withdrawne the light of his countenance, and night comes on, and thoſe dampes and fogges of jealouſies & guilt begin to ariſe out of a mans own heart, then come theſe forth, and ſay, as Davids enemies ſaid in his diſtreſſe; Come, let us now take him, for God hath forſaken him; Let us now devoure him and ſwallow him up with ſorow and deſpaire. And as God ſayes of thoſe enemies of his Church, Zach. 1. 15. I was but a little diſpleaſed, and they helped forward the affliction; So when God is angry with his childe, and but a little, and doth hide his face but for a moment; yet Satan watcheth that houre of darkneſſe, (as Chriſt calls it Luke 22. 53.) and joynes his power of darkneſſe to this our naturall darkneſſe, to cauſe (if poſſible) blackneſſe of darknes, even utter deſpaire in us.
Now concerning Satans working herein,4. things in generall premiſed to explaine Satans working herein. wee will (as in the former) more diſtinctly treate thereof by way of explication of it: 1. More generally. 2. More particularly.
1. In generall.
Firſt,§. 1. Satan, he hath a ſpeciall inclination, and a more peculiar malicious deſire,Satan hath a ſpeciall inclination to this kinde of temptation. to vexe and moleſt the Saints with this ſort of temptations, of doubts and diſquietneſſe that God is not their God: ſo as all other his temptations unto ſinne, are but as the laying in and barrelling up the gun-powder, and making of the train for this great plot of blowing up all. He tempteth Peter to deny his Maſter, Satan deſires to winnow you; but hee hath a further reach, a deſigne upon his faith; which Chriſt foreſaw, and therefore did mainely bend his prayer againſt it, But I have prayed that thy faith faile not: Satan hoped by that groſſe ſinne to have drawne him into deſpaire. Wee may likewiſe obſerve how hee did place this temptation in the forefront of thoſe three aſſaults which hee made upon Chriſt; who as in his obedience, ſo in his temptations is made a compleate example unto us; for hee was tempted in all things, that is, with all ſorts of temptations, and alſo like us for the maner, only without ſinne, Heb. 4. 15. Now he tempted him not onelyonly to vaine hopes, when hee ſhewed him the glory of the whole would, and to preſumption to throw himſelfe downe headlong from an now … ground; But firſt, and primarily to jealouſies and diſtruſts between him and his Father, and between his humane nature and the divine; For when Chriſt had newly received that teſtimony from all the three perſons; the Father proclaiming him to bee his Sonne from heaven; the Spirit deſcending on him at his baptiſme, (it being the ſpeciall grace and inſtitution of that ordinance to ſeale up adoption and regeneration) then comes Satan and tempts him to queſtion that voice, [that it might be but a deluſion:] and Chriſts humane nature never having done any outward miracle as yet, as appeares Ioh. 2. 11. he would now have had him taken this occaſion in the extremity of his hunger, by commanding ſtones to become bread, to make tryall whether he was the Sonne of God or no, and hypoſtatically united to the ſecond perſon: which if God ſhould not doe for him, then to queſtion his Son-ſhip; and thinke all this to bee but a deluſion. This was the meaning of it, If thou be the Sonne of God command theſe ſtones to be made bread, &c. withall inſinuating that God leaving him even deſtitute of daily bread (which parents that are evill give unto their children, and not a ſtone inſtead of bread) might ſeeme to occaſion an [if] whether he was the Son of God or no.
The reaſons of this are:The reaſons. 1. Above all graces in us, hee is the greateſt enemy to faith; Therefore 1 Theſſ. 3. 5. the Apoſtle was jealous of Satan, in nothing more then in this, leſt he had been dealing and tampering with, and perverting their faith, I ſent to know of your faith, leſt by ſome meanes the tempter hath tempted you: For faith in God is the greateſt enemy unto Satan, it quencheth all his darts: Epheſ. 6. 16. By ſtanding ſtedfaſt in which, we reſiſt him, ſo that he flyes from us, 1 Pet. 5. 9. As therefore faith is that foreign,John 6. that worke of God and the maſter-grace; So deſpaire and doubting is the maſter-peece of Satan.Rom. 15. 13. And in faith he is envious eſpecially at the joy of our faith. And as comfort is the moſt proper work of the Spirit, and moſt pleaſing work to him: So is diſcomfort and diſtreſſe the proper worke of this evill Spirit.
And againe 2. as he is moſt oppoſite to the holy Spirit; So he delights to blaſpheme his worke in our hearts to us, by perſwading us that all is counterfeit.
3. Hee is called foreign that envious one, and the maine object and marke of his envy is this, That God ſhould be our God, who hath caſt off him; and therefore when he ſees he cannot ſeparate between God and us really, hee will endevour to caſt and raiſe up jealouſies that he is not our God in our apprehenſions; he endeavoured to raiſe jealouſies betweene God and our firſt parents: God knowes you ſhall be as gods, &c. As if God had forbidden them that fruit out of an envy towards them of a better condition: and the like hee endeavoured betweene Chriſts humane nature and the divine, though hypoſtatically united.
And likewiſe 4. [That God hath given us eternall life, and that life is in his Sonne] this being … great truth of the Goſpell, ſo as a Chriſtian … beleeves it not, maketh God a lyar; 1 Joh. 5. 10, 11. Therfore Satan being that great lyar, John 8. 44.oppoſeth this great truth, and our faith therein above all others; His … at the advancement of our nature in Chriſt according to that truth, is thought by ſome to have bin his fall and ruine, ſo underſtanding that in Ioh. 8. He abode not in the truth. However, he doth now delight to make God a lyar to us in our apprehenſions by queſtioning his promiſes, and eſpecially to enforce the perſwaſion thereof out of Gods owne dealing with us, perverting his righteous wayes.
And ſecondly,§. 2. as Satan hath ſuch a deſire, is God may give his childe up into Satans hand for a while thus to afflict and terrifie his Spirit:God may and doth give up his childe into Satans hands, & permit him thus to tempt him. His laſt commiſſion over Iob ſeemeth to extend thus far; for his life only was excepted: Iob 2. 6. He is in thy hand, only ſave his life; & therefore after that leave given, we heare Iob (although never brought to queſtion his eſtate, yet) crying out of terrors, and of the ſins of his youth; for Satan then as he ſmote his body with boiles, ſo buffetted his ſpirit. And though Satan hath will of himſelfe, and a deſire to it, and power phyſicall enough, and abilities to inflict this at all times; yet he muſt further have power morall, or leave and commiſſion from God; And God ſomtimes gives to Satan power over the ſonnes and daughters of Abraham, Luke 13. even as wel as others; and as their bodies to be vexed by him, ſo their ſpirits: and as to provoke them unto ſinne, ſo much more to terrifie for ſinne: there being more of puniſhment then of ſinne in that. Thus he left David to Satan, to provoke him unto ſinne, aſwell as Iudas: Therefore that provocation to number the people as it is imputed to Satan and his malice, 1 Chron. 21. 1. ſo alſo to God and his anger, in giving leave firſt to Satan, 2 Sam. 24. 1. And as an evill ſpirit from the Lord troubled Sauls minde, 1 Sam. 16. 14. So a meſſenger of ſatan was ſent to buffet Pauls ſpirit, 2 Cor. 12. wherein yet God doth no way help Satan with any further power, then what as an Angell he furniſhed him with at his creation; nor with any aſſiſtance or information of our ſecret ſins againſt us, to enable him the more to aſſault us, (this I finde not in Scripture) but permiſſive power only. Which is either 1. obtained and given at Satans motion & requeſt firſt made; ſo that phraſe, Luke 22. 31. Satan hath requeſted and petitioned to winnow you;foreign. as that alſo Job 2. 3. Thou movedſt me againſt him; doth imply: and as it may ſeeme, by ſingling out and calling forth ſome one for this combate; as he did him more eſpecially; to whom therefore Chriſt addreſſeth that premonition; and the word foreign implies as much. So alſo Iob was ſingled out for this duel; both by God and Satan. Or elſe 2. this is done through the ordinance of Excommunication and cenſures of the Church duely adminiſtred, clave non errante, for groſſe and ſcandalous ſinnes: The proper inward effect that accompanies that ordinance, (which caſts men out of the Church) being inward affliction, and diſtreſſe of conſcience by Satan (wch of all afflictions is the greateſt puniſhment as the Apoſtle calls it,foreign. 2 Cor. 2. 6.) thereby to bring a man to repentance: Even as on the contrary, the ſpeciall worke of baptiſme (which admits into the Church) to ſuch as were fideles adulti, and beleevers already, was by joy in the holy Ghoſt to ſeale up their adoption and regeneration unto them: as to the Eunuch, Acts 8. 39. This we may ſee in the excommunication of the inceſtuous Corinthian; whoſe excommunication is therefore expreſſed, to be a delivering him up unto Satan in the name of the Lord Ieſus: 1 Cor. 5. 9. (that is) he was to be caſt out by a commiſſion from Chriſt, which going forth in his name; when they publiſhed it on earth, he ſigned it in heaven. Upon which rightly adminiſtred doth enſue, firſt, that as the Church doth cut them off from communion with them; ſo God cuts them off from communion with himſelf, and hides, and withdrawes the light of his countenance, the witneſſe of his Spirit, & his comfortable preſence; and not only ſo, but delivereth them up to ſatan; that being the conſequent of it: which therefore, becauſe it implies the former, is put to expreſſe the whole proceeding; which delivery of him unto Satan, was not a giving him a commiſſion to cary him on to more ſin: for the end propounded by the Apoſtle was to deſtroy the fleſh, that is, corruption & the body of ſinne, and that the ſpirit might be ſaved, ver. 5. that is, that contrary principle of grace which yet remained, but was ready to die, (as it is Rev. 3. 2.) might bee ſaved and kept from death and deſtruction; (though that often be indeed the effect of it in hypocrites, as in Alexander, 1 Tim. 1. 19.) but it was to terrifie and afflict his conſcience, and to ſtir up in him the guilt of his ſin with terrors for it; which God ſanctifieth to humble and to mortifie the fleſh. And thus, when that Corinthian was excommunicated, did Satan accordingly deale with him; for in the next Epiſtle, 2 Cor. 2. 7. we finde him well nigh ſwallowed up of ſorow; which was Satans doing, for ver. 11. We are not ignorant (ſaith the Apoſtle in reference partly to this) of his devices. And thus Satan continued ſtill to handle him, even now when he began to be truly humbled, and was a fit ſubject to receive forgiveneſſe and comfort, ver. 7. when though hee feared God and obeyed him, yet hee walked in darkneſſe, till the Church received him. Or elſe 3. when this ordinance is not in the caſe of ſuch ſins adminiſtred, then God himſelfe (who workes without an ordinance ſometimes the ſame effects that with it) doth excommunicate mens ſpirits from his preſence; and gives them up to Satan, by terrors to whip them home to himſelfe. So that God gives him leave to exerciſe power over both godly men and wicked men, onelyonly with this difference: Wicked men God gives up unto him, as unto their Ruler, and their head; they are therefore called the rulers of the darkneſſe of this world, Epheſ. 6. 12. Who therefore work effectually in the children of diſobedience: Epheſ. 2. 2. Or elſe as captives to a Prince, he taking them captive at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. ſo as they are captived and led away, 1 Cor. 12. 2. But his owne, God gives up to him, but as priſoners to a Iaylor, as a Magiſtrate may doe his childe, to commit him; who hath not a power over his priſoner to doe any thing with him; but only by appointment, for a time, with a limited commiſſion, and therefore cannot put him on the racke, or into the dungeon, but when and how farre God pleaſeth: even as when Satan is ſaid to have caſt them into priſon, Rev. 2. 10. his commiſſion was but for ten dayes, and then God rebukes him.
Satan having thus obtained leave;§. 3. now 3. to ſhew how able and powerfull hee is to worke darkneſſe in us,How able Satan is to tempt us. I need not much inſiſt on. His phyſicall and naturall power to worke upon our ſpirits, by his creation as he is angell, is exceeding great. We are a middle ſort of creatures betweene them and beaſts; beaſts being meerely corporeall, they meerely ſpirituall, man betweene both; He made us a little inferiour to the Angels, Heb. 2. though but a little, yet inferiour: and in reſpect of that inferiority we are expoſed to their working and crafty wyles. The great advantage they have hereby over us, the Apoſtle inſinuates when he ſayes, Wee have not to doe with fleſh and blood, Epheſ. 6. 12.but ſpirituall wickedneſſes; that is, with ſpirits, in abilities tranſcending the power of fleſh and blood: for fleſh is uſed to expreſſe weakneſſe when it is thus compared (as here) with Spirit, ſo Eſay 31. 3. Therefore they are there alſo called, as Principalities for their authority; ſo Powers for their naturall abilities; and that to worke upon us: For it is ſpoken in that relation. All which power, how great ſoever in him at his firſt creation, is now become the power of darkneſſe; and ſo called, becauſe moſt powerfull that way, namely, to cauſe and worke darkneſſe in us: and though he can for a need transform himſelf into an angell of light, by deluding his deceived enthuſiaſts with falſe joyes; yet therein hee doth but act a part, it is but forced; but to ſhew himſelfe an angell of darkneſſe, by terrifying and affrighting weake conſciences, this is naturall now to him; His power lyes moſt in this. Therefore his title further, is the ruler of darknes: and alſo he is called that ſtrong man; ſtrong as to keepe peace, Luke 11. 21. in thoſe he deceives with a falſe peace; ſo to make war & commotions in us when he is caſt out. Wee are bidden therefore to ſtand upon our guard, and to looke that we have on the whole armour of God, that wee may be able to ſtand againſt his wiles. Epheſ. 6. 11.
OnelyOnly in the fourth place,§. 4. though Satan hath never ſo much power,That the exerciſe of this his power is much from the darkneſſe in us. yet the advantage and exerciſe of this his power to work thoſe diſquietments in us, is by reaſon of that ſinfull darkneſſe which is in us. Wee may ſay, that as, unleſſe he had power from above, that is, from God; ſo nor unleſſe he had furtherance from beneath, even from thoſe principles of guilt and darkneſſe in us aforementioned, hee could not diſquiet us. Satan commeth (ſaith Chriſt) but hath nothing in me; a commiſſion he had, and therefore came; but hee had nothing of his Image, or of the guilt of any of his workes, to work upon in Chriſt; & therfore could effect nothing at all upon his ſpirit. That therefore which gives him priviledge, ſcope, and matter to work thus upon us, is ſomthing within us; there being even in the beſt ſomething which doth belong to his juriſdiction, which maketh their ſpirits fit ſubjects for his temptations to take upon. In the 6. chap. to the Epheſ. v. 12. They are called the rulers of the darknes of this world: and Coloſſ. 1. 12, 13. Their power is called the power of darkneſſe; ſo as darkneſſe is his territories, dominion, & juriſdiction: for it is his worke, and his image, without which hee could have no power at all with us. But by reaſon of this remaining darknes hee hath a double advantage over us.
1.§. 5. An advantage of more neere intimate and immediate acceſſe to our ſpirits to cloſe with them,A double advantage that Satan hath over us in the exerciſe of his power in tempting us: to ſuggeſt unto them, and worke upon them; and to tempt not onelyonly, as one man tempts another, by the outward ſenſes, but by the inward alſo, which is an exceeding great advantage. And though it is true,Of neere and intimate acceſſe to ſuggeſt inwardly to our ſpirits. that as hee is an Angell he hath naturally by creation ability thus to doe; yet as he is now a devill, and an uncleane ſpirit, were we but perfectly holy, as in innocency, he ſhould be debarred all ſuch neere communication to us. To this purpoſe it may be obſerved, that in that his temptation of Adam in innocency, he was not permitted in his firſt aſſault, till hee had ſinned, to come within him to worke upon his fancy and affections indiſcernably: but onelyonly mediately and externally; by an audible voice in the body of a Serpent.Caeterum Malus ille extrinſecus, ac non per cogitationes, Chriſtum adortus eſt, quemadmodum & Adamum. Nam ne illum quidem per immiſſas cogitationes, ſed per Serpentem impetivit Damaſce. Ortho. fidei, lib. 3. cap. 20. And likewiſe as touching the ſecond Adam, wee reade not, that hee had acceſſe to his inward ſenſes and ſpirit; but only by an externall ſuggeſtion by voice, and by viſible repreſentations; as when he ſhewed him the glory of the world in viſible Land-ſkips of his owne making: which were repreſented to the eye; what elſe was the reaſon why hee tooke the advantage of a mountain? if it had been by working on his inward ſenſes, any place would have ſerved for that; But the devil then appeared in a viſible ſhape and ſo tēpted him, for he would have had him fallen downe to worſhip him. Another time wee finde him crept into one of his Apoſtles, to aſſault our Saviour by him, Maſter ſpare thy ſelfe, ſayes he, when therefore Chriſt ſayes to him, Mat. 16. 23.Get thee behinde me Satan: Thou art an offence to me. So as ſtill Satan was kept at a diſtance and could come no neerer. And that he ſhould yet come thus neere to him, made Chriſt alſo in that great temptation in the wilderneſſe with ſo much vehemency and indignation, at laſt ſay to him, Avoide Satan, Mat. 4. 10. as loathing the neereneſſe of ſo fowle a ſpirit: For what fellowſhip (that is, ſuch, thus neere) ſhould Light have with this angell of darkneſſe? Nor ſhould hee have ſuch more neer and inward acceſſe to our ſpirits, but for that darkneſſe in us; by reaſon of which he thus comes within us; and as darkneſſe mingleth with darkneſſe, ſo he with our ſpirits: So that as the light of grace in us begun, doth fit us for Gods drawing nigh to us; ſo this darkneſſe remaining in part unexpelled, expoſeth us to Satan his drawing nigh, ſo neere, as to mingle with our ſpirits and as it were to become one ſpirit with us.
2. As hereby he hath this advantage of acceſſe to get within us;Of fit matter to work upon. ſo this darkneſſe in us is alſo as fit fuell, and as tinder to his fiery temptations, that preſently enkindleth and enflameth: ſo as all thoſe effects of the principles of darkneſſe mentioned, he can both increaſe and augment; and ſo addes blackneſſe to that darkneſſe in us, and darkneſſe being his dominion, therefore ſo much darkneſſe as is in us, ſo great a party he hath in us to work upon. Hence therefore all the effects that he worketh in unregenerate men, who are nothing but darkneſſe; he may worke in regenerate men, according to the proportion of the remainder of darkneſſe in them, to a certaine degree, and for a limited ſeaſon; as to delude their reaſon, falſely accuſe, and terrifie their conſciences, &c. OnelyOnly ſmall deſpaire and revenge againſt God, which is that ſinne unto death, this the Apoſtle excepteth; for having occaſionally mentioned that ſinne, 1 Iohn 5. 16. he addes ver. 17. That he that is borne of God ſinneth no…, that is, not that ſinne; and he ſubjoyneth, But keep… himſelfe that that evill one touch him not: that is, with the leaſt infuſion of the venome of that ſin, which is properly his ſinne, Iohn. 8. 44. and which he toucheth their ſpirits with, who become the Serpents ſeed. And therefore all ſuch inſtances as we finde, that ſhew how hee hath wrought on the ſpirits of carnall men by reaſon of their totall darkneſſe, may bee alledged, to ſhew in a proportion, what he may alſo worke on regenerate men for a ſeaſon, by reaſon of their darkneſſe in part remaining. All things hapning alike to all. Thus in generall