The Bibles Abstract and Epitome, Part 97
The Devils Titles and Temptings.
THe Devill is great in Knowledge and Experience, being false in accusing, and alwayes in evil-doing from the beginning, whence he hath divers Appellations and sundry Names given unto him, who is invisible, and can change himself2 Cor. 11. 14. into an Angel of light, much more into any other shape, that he cannot be discerned by the eye, nor yet sometimes seen by reason. *Mark 8. 32.As by Peters Example we see, that in reason he thought not that the Son of man should die, as Christ told him, his eyes being by Satan blinded. He is the prince of the world, seeking continually whom the may devoure.
And therefore is called
The Devill is called
Abaddon in Hebrew.Revel. 9. 11.
Appollyon in Greek.Revel. 9. 11.
Destroye… in English.Revel. 9. 11.
An Angel of the bottomelesse pit.Idem.
A wicked Angel.Iudg. 6.
An Adversarie.1 Pet. 5. 8.
An Accuser of men.Rev. 12. 10.
A beast of seven heads.Apoc. 11. …. & 13. 1.
Beelzebub.Matt. 12. 24.
Belial.2 Cor. 6. 15.
A Comp…sser.Iob 1. 7.
A Devil.Luk. 4. 3.
A Devourer.1 Pet. 5. 8.
A Deceiver.Rev. 10. 10.
A Dragon.Apoc. 12. 7.
An Enemie.Matth. 13. 39.
An envious One.Matth. 13. …8.
A father.Iohn 8. 38.
The god of this world.2 Cor. 4. 4.
The king of this world.Rev. 9. 11.
A king.Apoc. 9. 11.
A Leopard.Ioh. 10. 12.
A Lyar.Ioh. 8. 44.
Legion.Mark 5. 9.
Leviathan.Isai. 27. 1.
Lucifer.Isai. 14. 12.
A malitious One.Matth. 13. 9.
A subtile One.Idem.
A strong One.Matth.
A wicked1 Ioh. 2. 13.
A murtherer.Iohn 8. 44.
An oppressour.Act. 10. 38.
The prince of this world.Ioh. 12. 31.
The prince of darknesse.Ephes. 6. 12.
The power of darknesse.Col. 1. 13.
A roaring Lion.1 Pet. 3 8.
A sinner for the beginning.… Ioh. 3. 8.
A Serpent.
An old Serpent.Gen. 3. 1.
A crooked Serpent.Isai. 27. 1.
A Snarer.1 Tim. 3. 7.
Satan.Ioh 2. 6.
The spirit of errour.1 Ioh. 4. 6.
A seducing spirit.1 Tim. 4. 1.
The spirit of darknesse.Ephes. 6. 2.
An evill spirit.1 Sam. 16. 14.
An unclean spirit.Matth. 12. 43.
A Transformer.2 Cor. 11. 15.
A Tempter.Matth. 4. 3.
A Tormentor.Matth. 18. 34.
And is compared unto
A Dog.Psal.
Fowles of the Aire.Matth. 13. 4.
A Hunter.Psal. 91. 3.
Lightning.Luk… 10. 18.
Locusts.Rev. 5. 3. 1 Thes. 5. 6.
A Wolfe.Joh. 10. 10. 1 Thes. 5. 6.
An Adder.Psal. 91. 13.
A Dragon.Ps. …. 1…. Is. 14. ….
A Fowler.Psal. 91. 3.
The Devill is in
The Serpent tempting Adam and Eve, promised them to be as God, by eatingGen. 3. to know good and evil.
The Mantle of Samuel, a religious habite to deceive King Saul, seeking to1 Sam. 28. speak with Samuel.
The world, by having his nets in riches, preserments, and vain-glory.
The Creature, by abusing, and by causing them to be used unthankfully.
Melancholy Humours, perswading Despaire to be sorrow for sin.
Cholerick Bodies, perswading Wrath to be good zeale with them.
Civill Wisdome, by mingling of Policie together with Christianitie.
The wicked, by fearfull shapes at their dying day most ugly.
Our souls, by evil suggestions and motions inticingly.
Our affections, by binding and perswading to doe unlawfully.
Our Reason, by casting doubts, planting in us infidelitie.
Our members, by mi…gling with R…pentance distrust of Gods MercieMercy.
The Time of mans Prosperitie, perswading him to Presumption.
The Time of mans Adversitie, perswading him to Desperation.
Abuse of Scripture: Tempting Christ every word is Scriptum est.Matth. 4.
Thus he is every way tempting, and often prevailing.
As he did with
Adam, who lost The state of Immortalitie for an Apple.Gen. 3. Heb. 12. 16. 1 Sam. 15. 9. Matth. 8. Luke 14.
Esau, who lost A Birth-right for a messe of pottage.Luk. 13. 16.
Saul, who lost A Kingdome in Earth and Heaven for Mutton.
Girgasites, who lost All their portion in Christ for Bacon.
Bidden Guests, who lost A Royaltie in Heaven for a Farme and Oxen.
So that his labour is continually to do evil: He
The Devill
Provoketh the Magistrate to Tyranny, the people to treacherie; The Learned2 Cor. 11. 14. to here…ic, the simple to securitie: All kinde of people whatsoever to sin and imp…etie.
Puts slander in tongues, malice in hearts, mischiefe in hands.
Infuseth schismes in Doctrine: and in Conversation …arre….
Oppugneth Truth with Heresie: Simplicitie with Popularitie.
Casteth in time of preaching ungodly meditations to distract mens mindes hearing attentively: and in the time of praying fils the head with holy Instructions to coole therewith the servencie.
Fits The Usurers Humour, by seating him in his Furres.
Fits Ambitious Humour, by looking from his lofty Turrets.
Fits Epicures Humour, by studying of daintie dishes.2 Tim. 2.
Fits Proud mans Humour, by inventing of new fashions.
Makes some Blinde, So that they cannot See The houre of Grace.
Makes some Dumbe, So that they cannot Praise God for his Goodnesse.
Makes some Dease, So that they cannot Heare The Words of Salvation.
Makes some Impotent, So that they cannot Doe A Deed of Consolation.
Makes some Lame, So that they cannot Walke In the wayes of the Living.
Makes some Shrunke, So that they cannot Advance one devout thought to heaven.
Makes some Snared, So that they cannot Come To amendment by leaving sin.
So that he fitteth his temptations to every ones inclination: If he see one inclined unto Covetousnesse, he will offer him Naboths vineyard: If unto vainglorie, he will make him to thirst after the life of Mordecai: and if to ambition, he will stirre up meanes for him to drive out David of his Kingdome.
*Note.The power that the Devill hath whereby he thus prevailes against man is from God, therefore of it selfe good: but the tempting and Gods power abused is from the Devill, who converteth that which was good from God into evil.
And thus the Lord permitted him
The L. permitted Satan To tempt Eve in Paradise: and Christ in the wildernesse.Gen. 3. Matt. 4. 1 Chron. 21. 2 King. 22. 1 Sam. 16. Iob 1. Matt. 16. Zech. 3. 1. Matth. 8. Revel. 2. 13.
The L. permitted Satan To provoke David to number the people.
The L. permitted Satan To entice King Ahab to goe to fall at Ramoth Gilead.
The L. permitted Satan To enter into Saul, Gods Spirit being departed from him.
The L. permitted Satan To afflict Iob in body, and to slay all his children.
The L. permitted Satan To perswade Peter to rebuke Christ, speaking of his Passion.
The L. permitted Satan To stand before the Angel of God at his right hand.
The L. permitted Satan To goe into the swine, by reason whereof they ran headlong, &c.
The L. permitted Satan To have a seat in Pergamus, and to prevaile often with the just.
The Devill Goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure of1 Pet. 5. 8. Gods children, who sought to winnow the Apostles, as it were wheat, till Christ prayed for them.Luk. 22. …2.
Use.2 Cor. 2. 11.
Seeing he seeketh to devour… us, let us, as the Apostles counsell is, watch to prevent2 Cor. 2. 11. 2 Tim. 6. 26. Ephes. 4. 27. & 6. 11. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 2. 11. 1 Pet. 5. 9. Iames 4. 7.him, resisting him in the Faith, and in so doing he will fly from us, and we shall conquer him.