Sacred Therapy, Book 2 · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Shewing how to quench the fiery darts of Sathan, and resist his sinfull suggestions whether of shorter endurance or of longer continuance.
SOmetime on a sudain Sathan casteth a fiery dart of tentation unto some sin, as his messenger seeking to prepare the lodging for him: which tentation he doth so furiously presse, as if he would not be refused, or could not be resisted; and possibly may so bear-in his tentation, as the convert may be afraid that Sathan shall prevail, finding himself, as it were, over-powered and unable to bear out in such a case, as the Apostle had experience of, 2 Cor. 12, 7, 8, 9. who found himself, as it were, buffeted and abused by the messenger of Sathan, and unable of himself to resist him. The remedy whereof is, that the afflicted with the Apostle be humbled in himself, in the sense of his in-born sinfulnesse and inability to overcome tentations. 2. That he flye to Christ the captain of militant souldiers, and do pray unto him instantly to help to bear out in the conflict, and to be rid of the Tempter. 3. Let him hold fast the faith of promised grace, and wrestle on so long as it shall please God to exercise him so.
With such a tentation Iob also was exercised, which so far prevailed as to make carnall and corrupt nature speak for it. The tentation was very fearfull, and no lesse then self-murther, Iob, 7. 13, 14, 15. When I say my couch shall ease my complaint, then thou scarrest me with dreams, and terrifiest me with night-visions, so that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather then life. The remedy whereof is, with Iob to flye to the Redeemer, and fix faith upon him, and to present the tentation unto God by prayer and humble lamentation, striving against the suggestion, and never to give over relying on God, as he did.
2. Sometime Sathan when he cannot find instruments to charge the convert with hypocrisie, and a course of wickednesse, as he found in Iobs tryall, by his uncharitable friends, he useth immediately to fall a railing against the whole course of the work of grace in the convert, and charge him falsely with deep guiltinesse, as calumniators use to do in their furious flyting and slandering of such as they hate, hoping how false and groundlesse soever the calumnies be, that yet something shall prove likely and probable, and so fasten something upon the innocent. In which case, let the afflicted lift up his mind to the Lord, and pray him to rebuke Sathan. 2. Let him humble himself in acknowledgment of his natural corruption, and having fled to Christ for righteousnesse, let him take the shield of faith for quenching that dart. 3. Let him as he is inabled contemn these devilish slanders of Sathan, and set his mind on some better employment then to dispute with so impudent and restless an adversary; for we have other businesse to go about, then to take notice of the dogs barking at us: but if it please God to continue that exercise from day to day, let the afflicted in patience submit himself to God, and direct his speech and thoughts unto God only, not answering directly such a Shimei at all. It is not safe to direct our speech to Sathan at all, but let us say to God, the Lord rebuke Sathan.
3. Sometime Sathan falleth on with suggestions, blasphemous against God and all the grounds of religion, and fathers all these blasphemies on the afflicted as his proper sins. In which case, let the afflicted be humbled before God, because of original sin, whereof Sathan maketh use, as of something of his own in us. 2. Let him renew the grips of faith on Christ the Mediatour in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth, reconciling the elect world to himself, not imputing their sins unto them. 3. Let not the afflicted look upon these blasphemies otherwayes then as Sathans malice against God, for so they are indeed, and not the sins of the poor soul vexed with such suggestions. 4. Let the afflicted beware of discouragments, misbelief or weakening of his faith in God, of impatiency and fretting under this sad exercise: for, there is more cause of fear from Sathans second subtile tentations then from his grosse suggestions, whereby at the back of the former grosse blasphemies, he goeth about to draw the afflicted to the suspicion of the former work of grace in him, and of Gods love unto him. His wiles in this case are much more dangerous then his violence in his furious lyon-like assaults: for he may more easily get the consent of the afflicted to some sits of misbelief and impatience or some other sins, then to admit or consent unto any of these grosse blasphemies suggested.
4. Sometime when the young and tender convert, is reading or hearing in Sermon, the sad sentences of God against such and such sins, which do reign in the wicked, Sathan flyeth on him with a false application, saying, thou art the man, and doth not a little disquiet the weak in faith. In which case, let the afflicted consider, that whatsoever is spoken in or from Scripture of the maledictions of the law, are spoken against them that are under the curse of the law and covenant of works, 1 Tim. 1. 8. who have not repented their sins, nor fled to Christ, nor are aiming at reformation of life and sanctification, but these curses are not spoken against the righteous, that is to say, against such as in the sense of their sinfulnesse do loath themselves and are fled to Christ for refuge, and have taken on his yoke upon them, already justified, and begun to be sanctified.
5. Sometime Sathan doth abuse the Scripture and put a wrong sense upon it, that thereby he may wound these that are weak in the faith: For example, it is written, Rom. 14. 23. whosoever doubteth, is damned if he eat. But thou (saith Sathan to the young and weak convert) hast done many things whereof thou didst doubt whether they were lawfull or not, yea thou hast eaten the Supper of the Lord with doubting: therefore thou art damned. Again it is written, 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eateth the sacramental bread of the Lord, or dinketh of the cup of the Lord unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own condemnation: but thou, saith Sathan hast eaten the bread and drunken the cup of the Lord unworthily, for thou knowest thou art very unworthy: therefore thou hast eaten and drunken thy own condemnation. In this case and such other like, let the afflicted convert inquire of the Pastor, or some faithfull Christian better acquaint with Scripture, concerning the sense of the words of Scripture, which seem to make against him, that the words being well understood, the doubt may be dissolved. As for example, these foresaid abused Scriptures, do only declare the sentence of the law against him that doth what he doubteth to be lawfull, but doth not exclude him from mercy upon the acknowledgment of his sin, and flying to the mercy offered in Christ Jesus. And by eating and drinking unworthily, we must not understand that every one, who finding himself unworthy, flyeth to the grace offered and sealed in the Supper of the Lord, eateth unworthily, for, so no man should eat worthily, for all worthy communicants, in the sense of their unworthinesse, must and do flye to free grace offered in Christ; but the meaning is, that these do eat and drink unworthily, who profane the Sacrament, and put no difference betwixt this holy banquet of the Lord, and a common supper; yea and even this sin of not discerning the Lords Body, doth not exclude the man from mercy: for, the Apostle, for remedy of this sin, exhorteth these who are guilty to judge themselves, that so they may not be judged by God, who pardoneth the penitent, 1 Cor. 11. 31. And so let the afflicted, for strengthening of his faith, know, that every Scripture which speaketh against sin, doth drive the guilty man unto repentance and faith in Christ, without whose grace, sought after and embraced, there is no salvation.
6. Sometime Sathan, the adversary of all converts, doth assault the faith of Gods children, when he findeth them under some present guiltinesse lately contracted, or under tryall of their faith, as under desertion and disconsolation, or some miserable condition, whereof he taketh advantage to suggest to the child of God, that his faith is but phantasie, that God neither loveth him, nor can love the like of him. In which case, let the afflicted humble himself before God, and flye to him in Christ offering reconciliation; let him, 1. resolve firmly to adhere to the covenant of grace offered to self-condemned sinners through Christ. 2. Let him observe his present condition to be the day of his visitation, tryal and probation what use he will make of Christ in his difficulties and straits. 3. Let him in the use of Gods worship wait for the day-star of divine consolation promised to those that wait on the Lord, Isa. 49. 10. 11, and Hos. 6. 3. and Isa. 40. 31. And last of all (lest we insist too long in reckoning the innumerable wiles of the crafty serpent) let every convert consider, that there is no time while we dwell in the tabernacle of this body of death, wherein we may be secure from Sathans insinuations and crafty suggestions, or his more discovered and open assaults; that there is no businesse we can go about wherein this crafty hunter shall not dig a pit or lay a snare to intrap us, no affliction nor difficulty, wherein he shall not study to keep us back from making Christ our refuge, our helper and deliverer: and that therefore we must take heed to obey the warning of the Apostle, Ephes. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might; put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, and so forth to the end of the Chapter.