The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 1 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. How Sathan allureth vsus into ſinne by degrees, and draweth vsus from one extreme to another.
§. Sect. 1 ANd thus hauehave I ſhewed at large Sathans firſt polliticke ſtratagem, which he vſeth to circumuent vsus by fitting his temptations according to our nature and diſpoſition, or our ſtate and condition. A ſecond pollicie which Sathan vſeth to circumuent vsus, is this; if he cannot at the firſt intice vsus to fall into outragious wickednes,Sathan laboreth to draw vsus into outragious ſinnes by degrees. he will ſeeke to draw vsus thereunto by degrees, beginning at the leaſt, and ſo bringing vsus from that to a greater, till at laſt we come to the higheſt ſtep of wickednes: whereby it commeth to paſſe, that as thoſe who walke to the top of an high hill, whoſe aſcent ariſeth by little and little, come to the top without wearines, before they well perceiued that they did aſcend; ſo they who goe forward in the waies of wickednes by degrees, do without any controulment or checke of conſcience clime vp to the higheſt top thereof, whence Sathan caſteth them down headlong into the pit of deſtruction. For example, if he ſee a profeſſor of religion which maketh conſcience of his waies, he doth not vſually ſeeke at firſt to draw him into heinous ſinnes, vnleſſe the cordes of his temptations be exceeding ſtrong; but firſt he allureth him to come into the companie of wicked men, by offering ſome pleaſure or profit, or by occaſion of affinitie and marriage, ioyning him if he can with ſuch a yokefellow as wil draw him faſter backe than he can draw her forward in the courſe of godlines. If he thus farre preuaile, then he tempteth him to winke at their ſins which in conſcience he condemneth, that he may ſtill inioy his pleaſure and profit, or continue in their louelove and fauour; then in the next place he moueth him to thinke them tollerable ſinnes which they commit, and nothing ſo outragious as others fall into; and when he hath made this progreſſe, then he inticeth him to taſte of ſinne, which he ſo ſweetneth with the ſugred delights of this vaine world that he ſwalloweth it downe without all loathſomneſſe, and neuer taſteth the bitterneſſe thereof till the heat of Gods ſpirit doe cauſe it worke in his conſcience, ſo as he is neuer at reſt till he hauehave caſt it vp againe by vnfained repentance. Otherwiſe if he be not preuented thus by Gods ſpirit, Sathan will by this meanes cauſe his conſcience to ſwallow and to digeſt ſuch loathſome ſinnes, which in former times he abhorred to ſee others commit. And as thoſe who from their infancie are accuſtomed to take poyſons in ſmall quantities doe enable their ſtomackes to digeſt more, till by long cuſtome and increaſing the quantitie by degrees, it becommeth ſo familiar to their ſtomackes, that inſtead of poyſoning them they are nouriſhed thereby, as hiſtories doe record of ſome of the Indian Kings: ſo Sathan inticeth vsus to ſwallow downe the poyſon of ſinne at the firſt in ſuch ſmall quantitie, that our conſciences may not be ſicke thereof: but hauing well digeſted the leaſt, he increaſeth the meaſure till by long cuſtome he hath made it ſo familiar to our conſciences, that thoſe ſinnes are euen meate and drinke vntounto vsus, which at the firſt we loathed as deadly poyſons.
Now if we would defeate this pollicie of Sathan, we muſt continually watch ouer our owne hearts and pull them backe when wee ſee that they but incline vntounto any ſinne; we muſt not lightly eſteeme of any ſinne, nor willingly giuegive entertainment to the leaſt wicked thought, for though in it ſelfe it be not ſo hainous, yet it will inlarge our conſciences and make roome for a greater, til at laſt we keepe open houſe, readie to receiue all wickednes which offereth it ſelfe vntounto vsus; and as we are carefull to auoyde the ſinnes themſelues, ſo with as much diligence we are to ſhunne the occaſions and meanes by which we might be drawne, or inticed thereunto. But of this point more hereafter.
§. Sect. 2 A third pollicie which Sathan vſeth to circumuent vsus,Sathans third pollicie in drawing men out of one extreme into another. is to bring vsus from one extreme to another. For example, when we ſee the vileneſſe of prodigalitie, ſo as we will no longer be poſſeſſed of that vice, then will Sathan make it as odious as he can, and indeauour to bring vsus into extreame hatred thereof, that ſo he may the more eaſily draw vsus into the contrarie vice of couetouſneſſe. If he cannot any longer keepe vsus aſleepe in ſinne, by rocking vsus in the cradell of carnall ſecuritie, and ſinging vntounto vsus the ſweete tunes of Gods merciemercy and Chriſts merits, thē will he labour to plunge vsus in deſpaire, by ſetting before our eyes the heynouſneſſe of our ſinnes, and ſounding in our eares the thundring threatnings of the law. If he cannot any longer nuzzle vsus in ſuperſtition, and cauſe vsus to place all our religion in ceremonies, and in reſtrayning our ſelues of the vſe of things indifferent, he will draw vsus to the other extreame by mouing vsus to thinke all ceremonies vnlawfull, and to practiſe all licenciouſnes vnderunder pretence of chriſtian libertie. If he can no longer perſwade vsus to ſeeke for iuſtification by the workes of the law to the end wee may not rely on Chriſts merits and righteouſnes, he will bring vsus into vtter diſlike of this doctrine, by ſhewing vsus the abſurdities thereof, that he may draw vsus to the other extreme, namely to neglect good workes, as altogether vnneceſſarie to ſaluation becauſe faith alone iuſtifieth. If he cannot hide out of our ſight the ſhining graces of Gods ſpirit by caſting before our eyes the cloude of our ſinnes and corruptions, then he will cauſe vsus to looke on them through the ſpectacles of ſelfe louelove and affection to the end we may imagine them much greater than in truth they are, and ſo be puffed vp in pride, and too ſecurely reſt in thoſe gifts we hauehave, not ſeeking for increaſe. If he cannot perſwade vsus to diffidence and diſtruſt, he will moue vsus to tempt God vponupon no neceſſarie occaſions: and thus he dealt with our Sauiour Chriſt, for firſt he tempted him to diſtruſt Gods prouidence, and to prouide for himſelfe by turning ſtones into bread; but when he could not ſo preuaile, he moued him to make an vnneceſſarie experiment of his prouidence and care, by caſting himſelfe downe headlong from the pinacle of the temple, whereas there were ordinarie meanes whereby he might deſcend.
Now the end why Sathan vſeth this pollicie is, more violently to caſt vsus into one extreame of ſinne, when with full ſwinge of will we do auoyde the other: as alſo to make vsus beleeue that the latter temptation is the motion of Gods ſpirit, ſeeing it is cleane contrarie to the former ſuggeſtion of Sathan, whereas in truth they are but vnlike children of the ſame father.
§. Sect. 3 The daunger of which tentations if we would auoyde,That we are to auoyde the former temptation by keeping vsus in the golden meane. we muſt keepe vsus in the golden meane auoyding both extreames; and becauſe we are ignorant and vnskilfull in trauayling the ſtraight path which leadeth to Gods kingdome, and eueryevery hower readie to take the bywaies of errour which leade to deſtruction, let vsus vſe the word of God for our guide: and as the Iſraelites trauayling towards the land of promiſe, were directed by the cloud and piller of fire, going forward when that went before them, and pitching their tents where that ſtayed; ſo let vsus conſtantly and boldly trauaile in our chriſtian pilgrimage ſo long as we hauehave the word of God for our direction, not ſtaying where it biddeth goe, nor going when it ſtayeth. Let this be the touchſtone to diſcerne the golden truth from the droſſie extreames on either ſide; let it be the line to leade vsus out of this laborinth of errours; let it be the ſtarre of Bethlehem to conduct vsus in our tedious iourney vntounto the place where our Sauiour Chriſt is, not now lying in the armes of his mother, but ſitting at the right hand of his father in all glorie power and maieſtie. And becauſe we are vnskilfull pilots in failing the daungerous ſea of this tempeſtuous world, readid to fall vponupon the rockes while we auoyde the ſands; lot Gods word be our card, to direct vsus to the holy land: otherwiſe Sathan will raiſe againſt vsus ſuch ſtormie tempeſts, and contrarie blaſts of temptations, that our ſoules will ſuffer ſhipwracke vponupon the rockes of ſinne, and be drowned in a ſea of deſtruction.