The Promises, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of the wayes how Sathan tempts vsus, and the occasion of temptation.
HItherto of outward afflictions, and the comforts against them. The inward afflictions follow, and heere in the first place come tentations to be considered of, euen those conflicts which men hauehave in their soules with euill Angels.
Three things must bee 3. Things taken for granted.granted concerning temptations.
1 First, that the doctrine of temptations is obscure, because the disease lies inward in the soule, and is such as the vnregenerate world hath little care of, or iudgement in.
2 Secondly, that when God leaues his children to be tried by this afflictiō, & softens their harts to feele this combat with Deuils, it doth wonderfully amaze and disquiet them, and therefore this is a point needfull to be handled.
3 Thirdly, that there is sure remedy in the word of God, euen for this affliction also.
Now, because this doctrine of temptations is somwhat obscure, I would, before I entreat of comforts against them, consider of three things.
1 How many waies Sathan tempts men.
2 To what things hee tempts.
3 What are vsually the occasions hee takes of tempting.
For the first, Sathan Sathan tempts vsus fiue waies.tempts vsus diuers waies.
1 One is, when hee tempts God against vsus, labouring to bring God out of liking with vsus. Thus he insinuated the dispraises of Iob to God, Iob, chap. 1. and 2. And thus Sathan stood at the right hand of Ioshua the high Priest, to resist him before the Angell of the Couenant, Zachar. 3. 1.
2 Another way is, when he appears in some shape, and by voyce, or otherwaies terrifies men.
3 When he brings distresses vponupon mens bodies, or other heauy calamities, and thus also hee tempted Iob by GODS permission.
4 When he stirs vp other men to tempt vsus: thus hee stirred vp Peter to tempt Christ, and disswaded him from his suffring, Math. 16. And thus hee tempted the Woman by meanes of the Serpent: and thus also hee imployeth wicked men, daily to tempt by euill counsell & inticements.
5 The last and most vsuall way is by iniecting, exciting, or suggesting euill internally within our spirit. This is that kind of temptation I heere especially meane.
2 For the second, that wee may finde out the nature of temptations, and the things whereabout Sathan workes, we may refer all the temptations to three sorts.3. Sorts of temptations by suggestiō. 1. Temptations of blasphemy.
The first sort of temptations, are temptations to blasphemy: and thus hee tempts when hee suggests monstrous things against God, or the word of God, or the prouidence of God, or the like.
The second sort are, 2. Temptations to particular sinnes.temptations to particular sinnes, as when he tempts to the deniall of Christ, as hee did Peter, and so hee tempts to lusts of all sorts. And so the Deuill is the father of lust, Iohn 8. 44. and euill Angels are spirituall wickednes, Ephes. 6. 13. and thus also he tempts to rage or reuenge; and therefore the Apostle implies in his speech about anger, that to giuegive place to wrath, is to giuegive place to the Deuill, who vsually excites those violent passions, Eph. 4. 26. And thus also hee tempts to couetousnes, in respect of which sinne, the Deuill is said to enter into Iudas: And thus also hee tempts to lying, as in the case of Ananias and Saphira, Acts 5. and so he tempts men to murther, either of themselues or of others.
The third kind of temptation 3. Temptations to despaire.is, the temptation to despaire, which is, when he perswades with men to despaire of all mercy in God. Thus he made Iudas despaire: and into some degree of despaire for the time was Dauid himselfe entred, Psal. 77. Thus of the sorts of temptations.
3 Now it is wonderfull 9. Occasions of templations.necessary in the third place to take notice of the occasions of temptations. Sathan vsually tempts not, but vponupon some aduantage giuen him, & so there are many things, which as it were, tempt the Deuill to tempt men, as
First, solitarinesse: the Diuell watched to finde Solitarines.the woman alone from her husband, and then set vponupon her. Such persons as louelove solitarinesse, louelove not their owne soules; for they giuegive great aduantage to Sathan to assault them and circumuent them, & therefore we should take heede of it.
The second occasion is security, when the Deuill Security.spies that men be carelesse, and keepe no watch ouer their owne hearts, and are rechlesse in their courses, and goe from day to day, and feare not euill, then he lies in wait to assault, by iniecting some vile or base temptation to sinne.
The third occasion is Pride; when Paul is somewhat Pride.lifted vp with the consideration of his reuelations, then doth Sathan take his aduantage, and set vponupon him with his messenger, euen some vile temptation: when we take liberty to make our selues great in our owne eies, and nourish the pleasing thoughts of high opinion, and selfeconceit, if God doe not greatly guard vsus, wee are neere some desperate assault of Sathan.
The fourth occasion is anger. The Deuill seldome Anger.forbeares to enter into the heart of the wrathfull person, when anger hath set open the doore, as was noted before out of Ephes. 4. 26.
The fift occasion is dalliance with euill thoughts, 5. Dalliance with euill thoughts.when the Deuill sees vsus play with contemplatiue wickednesse, and be well content to let our thoghts runne vponupon sinful proiects or imaginations of sinnes, which perhaps wee intended not euer to commit. This tempts him to imploy his skill to put fire to those thoughts, so long till the whole heart bee ensnared by them, or by other waies, to draw vsus into mischiefe. These lusts will draw away, and Sathan engendring with them can make them conceiue, &c. Iam. 1. 14.
The sixt occasion is, the 6. Intemperate vse of outward things.intemperate vse of outward things. For the Deuill walketh about as a roaring Lion, seeking whō he may deuoure, and when he findes a man excessiuely bent to the things of this world, as meat, drinke, apparell, riches, pleasures, honours, &c. hee sets vponupon him by some of his methods to carry him away captiue at his will. Therefore the Apostle Peter wills vsus to bee sober, if we would preuent him; implying, that the Deuill will giuegive the onset, when hee findes vsus intemperate, 1. Pet. 5. 8.
The seuenth occasion is 7. Vnsetlednes in Faithvnsetlednesse in our assurance of Gods fauour, and our owne saluation: We cannot resist the Deuill, if wee bee not stedfast in the faith, and wee giuegive him wonderfull aduantage, if we be tossed about like the waues of the Sea, and are vnconstant or carelesse in matter of our faith; we neuer barre out the Deuill soundly, till we be stedfast in our assurance, 1. Peter. 5. 8. 9.
The eight occasion is, 8. Triall of Faith.when sometimes the Lord will hauehave vsus tempted, only for the triall of our faith, and the grace which hee hath giuen vntounto vsus.
Lastly, the ninth occasion 9. Relapse into some grosse sinne.is, a relapse into some grosse sinne after calling, which is scourged with hideous temptatiōs through a secret depth of Iustice in God, who thereby can shew how fearefull a thing it is so to offend.