Sin Stigmatized, Part 2 · Section 184 – Section 185
§ 184.
THirdly, 3 They are better proficients then Gods people. 1 Becauſe the Devill blinds them and ſo ſhewes the ſweetneſſe of ſin hides the thought of puniſhment.as Sathan hath many advantages above Gods ſervants, in getting Diſciples, and keeping ſuch as he hath gotten; ſo, no leſſe in making them proficients in evill: for it cannot be denied, but Sathans ſervants thrive more under him in ſinne, then Gods ſervants can doe in grace: the reaſon is this, Sathan, who is the god of this World, blindeth the minds of all unbeleivers, that the light of the glorious Goſpell of Christ ſhould not ſhine unto them, 2 Cor. 4.3.4. Eph. 2.2. 2 Theſ. 2.9.10. for as Sathan is the Prince of darkeneſſe, ſo he rules in the darkneſſe of the underſtanding, dealing with wicked men, as Faulkeners doe with their Hawkes; who, that they may carry them quietly, and doe what they liſt unto them, firſt blind their eyes with a hood.
Hercules when he ſtole away the golden Aples from the Heſperides (who, as the Poets feigne, had an Orchard of them) firſt, ſlew the Dragon that kept them: the keeper and watch of our ſoules is the underſtanding; now if Sampſon's eyes be once puld out, the Philiſtins may bind him with fetters, put him in priſon, make him grind at the mill, make him a ſubject of ſcorne, and what not? If the Raven can but firſt pick out the poore ſheepes eyes, he may eaſily prey upon the whole body: if the Eagle can but throw duſt in the Harts eyes, ſhe makes it nothing afterward to kill him: if the Dragon have once bereaved the Elephant of ſight, his whole body eaſily becomes a prey to his fury: all theſe, namely, the Philiſtins, the Raven, the Eagle, and the Dragon, are fit emblems of Sathan, who firſt ſeizeth upon the eye of the underſtanding, and then preyes freely upon the reſt of the ſoule.
And indeed, what may not an enemy doe to him which wants his ſight? If the Aſſyrians be once blinded, how eaſily may one leade a thouſand of them, into the mid'ſt of any Samaria, even to their ruine? 2 King. 6.18.19. Yea, how impoſſible is it for a man, not to ruine himſelfe, when he wants his ſight? Polyphemus, ſo ſoone as Vlyſſes had puld out his eye, runs reeling and ruſhing againſt every rocke, untill he had daſht out his braines. So much darkneſſe as is left in the ſoule, ſo much roome is there left for Sathan to deceive us. While the candle is out, it is ſafe for rogues to play their trickes in the darke. Indeed, he will afford his ſervants any degree of knowledge, whether it be divine, humane, or mundane, ſo it be not a practicall, experimentall, and ſaving knowledge: he will allow them an underſtanding, like that of the Scribes and Phariſees, which was enough to condemne them, but not to ſave them: yea, let the Devill, like Nahaſh, onelyonly obtaine our right eyes of faith to be puld out, it ſufficeth, he cares for no more, he will then let us enjoy our peace, our pleaſure, and what other priviledges we doe deſire.
It is more true of vertue and God's truth, then it was of that Creetiſh beauty, no man loved her, that never ſaw her; no man ever ſaw her, but he loved her: neither could concupiſcence bring forth ſinne, without the conſent of Reaſon; and this would never conſent, ſo long as the eyes are open. Wherefore the Devill to utter his damned commodities, dealeth as ſome tradſmen about their bad wares, puts out the true lights, and ſets up falfe lights in their ſtead. If the light of knowledge might freely ſhine in the ſoule, Sathans ſuggeſtions would ſoone make him aſhamed, and vaniſh with all his workes of darkeneſſe. If temptations might be but turned about, and ſhewen on both ſides, the kingdome of darkeneſſe would not be ſo populous. But when the Tempter ſets upon any poore ſoule, he ſhewes the baite, hides the hooke; all ſting of conſcience, wrath, judgement, torment is concealed, as if they were not; nothing may appeare to the eye, but pleaſure, profit, and ſeeming happineſſe in the enjoying of our deſires; thoſe other wofull objects are reſerved for the farewell of ſinne, that our miſery may be ſeene and felt at once. Thus he delt with David in his adultery and murther, he preſented to him, through the falſe glaſſe of the fleſh, the pleaſurable and over amiable delight of his ſinne; but concealed that ſhame, that griefe, thoſe wounds of conſcience, thoſe broken bones, Pſal. 51. and ſharpe corrections that were to follow, that he could not ſo much as thinke of them: and ſo he dealt with our Saviour, he ſhewed him all the kingdomes of the world, and glory thereof; but there was alſo much griefe as well as glory in the world, he would ſhew him none of that: ſo in every ſinne there is farre more gall and bitterneſſe, then hony and ſweetneſſe; yet he ſuffers not our deceitfull hearts to take any notice thereof, till it be too late; as it fared with our firſt Parents, who could not ſee what they did, until they had eaten the forbidden fruite: but then, ſaith the Text, were their eyes opened; the Divell that ſhut them before, opened them them, Gen. 3.
Yea, for the moſt part he labours to keepe men blind, during the preſumption of their lives; and only opens their eyes, in the deſperation that waits on their death, or in Hell, as it fared with the rich man, who never lift up his eyes to Heaven untill he felt thoſe flames: like the Syrians, whoſe eyes were never opened, till they were in the midſt of their enemies: ſin ſhuts up mens eyes, but puniſhment opens them.
§ 185.
ANd ſo much of the advantages, Not to be overcome by their alurements we must bethat Sathan and his inſtruments have above Gods ſervants, in getting, and keeping, and improving their converts: wherby it appeares, that he who will not be overcome by them, muſt be
watchfull.
wiſe.
valiant.
As well watchfull, to defeate; and wiſe, to avoid their crafty alurements; as valiant, to deſpiſe their cruell impoſitions for that we may be the better for what we have heard, theſe three uſes would be made thereof; elſe, evill were as good not ſeene, as not avoided; our happineſſe is in the prevention, not previſion of them, wherfore.
Firſt, 1 Watchfulſince the Devill, and the World are ever practiſing to lift us out of vertues ſeate, and ſtudy nothing but our deſtruction, by tempting and enforcing us to ſinne; let us be watchfull, ever prepared, alwayes ready, and ſtanding upon our guard; like as wiſe and experienced Souldiers, when they looke every minute for the approach of their enemy, doe both wake and ſleepe in their armour, leaſt they ſhould be ſurpriſed at unawares: or like wiſe Mariners, who alwayes prepare and make ready their tackling, that a ſtorme (which they cannot looke to be long without) may not take them unprovided: well may we ſheath our ſwords, but put them off we may not: yea, let us, in vigilancy and watchfulneſſe over our ſelves, imitate the Nightingale, which ſleepes with her breaſt upon a thorne; for feare of the ſerpent, that continually ſtudies her ruine. The Philiſtines could not bind Sampſon ſo long as he was awake; wouldſt thou not be overcome? be not ſecure. Yea, wouldeſt thou be ſecure? continually buckle unto thee the whole Armour of God, preſcribed by St. Paul, Eph. 6.13. to 19. and walke circumſpectly, Eph. 5.15.
The traveller that hath money in his purſe, rides with a Piſtoll by his ſide: yea, the rich Merchant will not ſtep over into the Low-countreyes, without a Man of Warre at his heeles, leaſt he ſhould meete with a Dunkerker by the way. An aſſaulted city muſt keepe a carefull watch, and ſo muſt thou, if thou wilt keepe out of their ſnares: we ſee they are buſie and ſubtile, therefore it behoves us to be circumſpect. When the theife compaſſeth the houſe, let the owner guard the houſe. If a Caſtle be beſiedged and not defended how ſhall it ſtand? whereas, in vaine does the theife looke in at the window, when the ſees the maſter ſtanding on his guard in the roome; beſides, it is eaſier to keepe an enemy out by bolting the doores, then to thruſt him out, being once got in.