Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 3 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of Satans chief end in this Temptation, his Skill in making the means to Sin plauſible. The Reaſons of that Policy, with his Art therein. Men's Ignorance his advantage. Of the differences of things propounded to our uſe.
THe various aims of Satan, and their cloſe dependance one upon another, having contributed to us their ſeveral Obſervations, it remains, that we ask after the main and chief thing that Satan principally intended. And to make way to this, it muſt be noted, that in grand Temptations eſpecially, the main deſign of Satan comprehends theſe two; The chief End, and the chief Means conducing to that End. About theſe ſome Authors conjecture variouſly, whoſe differences we have no great occaſion to mention, ſeeing the Text gives ſo great a ſatisfaction in this matter.
For Firſt, The main End of Satan, we have (not obſcurely) expreſſed to us in theſe words [If thou be the Son of God:] which if we compare with Matth. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, we ſhall eaſily apprehend, that here Satan doth but eccho to that Voice which came down from Heaven; As he did with Eve; God had ſaid, of the Tree in the midſt of the Garden ye ſhall not eat, Satan (having as it were the ſound of this yet in his Ears) in a clear reference to it, ſaith, Yea, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat? So here is alſo an evident reſpect to God's Teſtimony concerning, Chriſt, as if he had ſaid, hath God ſaid, thou art his Son? If thou beeſt indeed ſuch as he teſtifyed, give ſome proof of it? &c. By which it appears that his deſign was to undermine this Teſtimony, or ſome way or other to defeat it; neither need it paſs for an objection againſt this, that Satan doth not directly mention his doubt or diſtruſt, nor poſitively ſuggeſt to Chriſt, a queſtioning or misbelief of his Son-ſhip, for it was not ſuitable to his Policy, ſo to lay open his main End, that muſt have been expected afterward, as the laſt in execution (if it had taken effect) though it were firſt in intention.
Secondly, The chief Means by which he would have brought this End about, may be underſtood from Chriſt's Anſwer to the Temptation: for it cannot but be imagined, that Chriſt knew the bottom of Satans Policy, and that his Anſwer muſt fully confront the Means by which Satan indeavoured to enſnare him. His Anſwer was, Man lives not by Bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God. If we can then come to a certain underſtanding of this Scripture (which is not difficult) we ſhall evidently know the mind of the Temptation, to which this is a direct Anſwer.
Theſe words are cited out of Deut. 8. 3. which ſome interpret to this Senſe;Vid. Lightfoot Harmon. in Matth. 4. Pool Synopſis in Deut. 8. as if Chriſt had ſaid, Man hath not only a Life of the Body (which is mentioned by Bread) to look after, but another life of the Soul, which is of ſo great concernment; that the bodily life is to be neglected, rather than that of the Soul to be endangered. This is a truth in it ſelf, but is apparently beſides the meaning of Deut. 8. Neither doth it afford ſo full and particular an anſwer as (doubtleſs) Chriſt intended. But let us conſider the Text, and we ſhall find more in it; for Moſes firſt ſets down Gods dealing with Iſrael in the Wilderneſs, in that he ſuffered them to hunger, and took from them the ordinary means of Life, which (as the latter part of the verſe ſhews) is to be underſtood of ordinary Bread, and then to ſupply that want, he fed them by an extraordinary means, (ſuch as they had never heard of before) this was by Manna. Next he makes an Inference from this way of God's proceeding, improving this particular to a general rule, That he might make thee know, that Man lives not by Bread only, but by every Word that procedeth out of the Mouth of the Lord doth Man live: which is clearly of this Import, that Man lives not by ordinary means only, but that God can provide for his Life in an extraordinary way, by appointing any thing to that end, through his mighty and powerful Word, and good Pleaſure; So that things never ſo unuſual, or unfit in themſelves for nouriſhment, will become ſtrengthning to us, if he ſhall give out his command. Chriſt then applying this, in this Senſe, did (as it were) thus ſay to Satan; Though I want ordinary means of Life, which is Bread, yet I know God can make any thing which he pleaſeth, to nouriſh me inſtead of it. So that I will not caſt off a dependance upon the Providence of God in this ſtrait, and without warrant run to an extraordinary courſe for ſupply. Hence it is evident that to bring about his main End (which was to Diſtruſt of his Relation to God) he uſed this means, that by reaſon of his ſtrait, in the failure of ordinary ſupply, he ſhould diſtruſt Providence, and without warrant provide for himſelf. Obſerve,
That where Satan carries on a main Deſign and End,Obſ. 12. he beſtows moſt of his pains and skill in rendring the Means to that End plauſible and taking. The End is leaſt in mention, and the Means in their fit contrivance, takes up moſt of his Art and Care. The Reaſons whereof are theſe:
Firſt, The End is apparently bad, ſo that it would be a contradiction to his deſign to mention it, 'tis the ſnare and trap it ſelf, which his Wiſdom and Policy directs him to cover; His ultimate End is the deſtruction of the Soul, this he dare not openly avouch to the vileſt of Men; he doth not ſay to them deſtroy your Souls, bring eternal miſeries upon your ſelves, but only tempts them to that which will bring this miſery upon them; and as for thoſe intermediate ends, which are the formal acts of Sin, he uſeth alſo a kind of modeſty in their concealment; he doth not uſually ſay, go and Murther, or commit Adultery: But rather puts them upon ways or means that will bring them up to thoſe Iniquities, except that he ſometime have to deal with thoſe that are ſo hardned in Sin, that they make a ſport to do wickedly, and then he can more freely diſcover his Ends to ſuch in the Temptation.
Secondly, The Means to ſuch wicked Ends, have not only an Innate, and Natural tendency in themſelves, which are apt to Sway and Byas Men that way, but are alſo capable of Artificial Improvement, to a further inticement to the evils ſecretly intended, and theſe require the Art and Skill for the exact ſuiting and fitting of them. The End cannot be reached without the Means, and Means ſo ordered (without the aid of Grace) will ſcarce miſs of the End.
Thirdly, The Means are capable of a Varniſh and Paint, he can make a ſhift to ſet them off, and Colour them over, that the proper drift of them cannot eaſily be diſcovered, whereas the Ends to which theſe lead cannot receive, (at leaſt ſo eaſily with ſome) ſuch fair ſhews. 'Tis far eaſier to ſet off Company-keeping, with the pleaſurable pretences of Neceſſity or refreſhing divertiſement, than to propound direct Drunkenneſs, (the thing to which Company-keeping tends) under ſuch a dreſs.
If it be demanded, Que….How and by what Arts he renders the Means ſo plauſible? Anſw.I ſhall endeavour a ſatisfaction to that Quere, by ſhewing the way that Satan took to render the Means he made uſe of in this Temptation, plauſible to Chriſt, which were theſe;
Firſt, He repreſents it, as a harmleſs or lawful thing in it ſelf; Who can ſay it had been ſinful for the Son of God to have turned Stones into Bread, more than to turn Water into Wine?
Secondly, He gives the Motion a further pretext of advantage or goodneſs, he inſinuated that it might be an uſeful diſcovery of his Sonſhip, and a profitable ſupply againſt hunger.
Thirdly, He ſeems alſo to put a Neceſſity upon it, that other ways of help failing, he muſt be conſtrained ſo to do, or to ſuffer further want.
Fourthly, He forgets not to tell him, that to do this was but ſuitable to his Condition, and that it was a thing well becoming the Son of God to do a Miracle.
Fifthly, He doth urge it at the rate of a Duty, and that being in hunger and want, it would be a ſinful neglect not to do what he could and might for his preſervation.
The ſame way doth he take in other Temptations, in ſome caſes pleading all, in ſome moſt of theſe things, by which the means conducing thereunto may ſeem plauſible. If he preſents to Men occaſions of ſinning, he will tell them ordinarily, that they may lawfully adventure upon them, that they are harmleſs, nay of advantage, as tending to the recreating of the Spirits, and health of the Body; yea, that 'tis neceſſary for them to take ſuch a liberty, and that in doing ſo, they do but what others do that profeſs Religion. And often he hath ſuch advantage from the Circumſtances of the thing, and the Inclination of our heart, that he makes bold to tell us. 'Tis no leſs then Duty, ſuch did the outrage of Demetrius ſeem to him, when he conſidered, how much his livelyhood did depend upon the Diana of the Epheſians; Paul's Zeal made him confident that perſecution of Chriſtians was his Duty: neither is there any thing which can pretend to any Zeal, Advantage or colourable Ground, but preſently it takes the denomination of Duty.
If any wonder that ſuch poor and ſhallow pretences are not ſeen through by all Men, they may know that this happens from a fourfold Ignorance.
Firſt, from an Ignorance of the thing it ſelf: how eaſily may they be Impoſed upon, who know not the nature, or the uſual Iſſues of things? as Children are deluded to put a value upon an uſeleſs, or hurtful trifle; ſo are Men deceived and eaſily impoſed upon in what they do not underſtand. And for this cauſe, are Sinners compared to Birds, who are eaſily inticed with the Bait propoſed to their view, as profitable and good for them, becauſe they know not the Snare that lyes hid under it: this Ignorance cauſing the miſtake mentioned, is not only a Simple Ignorance, but alſo that Ignorance which owes its riſe to a wilful and perverſe diſpoſition, (for there are ſome that are willingly Ignorant) doth often lay thoſe open to a deluſion, who through prepoſſeſſion or idleneſs, will not be at pains to make full Inquiries.
Secondly, This alſo comes to paſs from an Ignorance of our Spirits: for while we either engage in the things propoſed by Satan upon the general warranty of a good Intention, or that we have no evil meaning in it, we are kept from a diſcovery of the intended deſign. Hence Paul ſaw nothing, in his perſecuting the Church of God, of what Satan aimed at; or while upon the pretence of a good Intention, our ſecret corrupt Principles do indeed move us underhand to any undertaking, we are as little apt to ſee the Ends of Satan in what he propounds to us.Luke 9. 55. Jehu, and the Diſciples pretending a Zeal for God, but really carried on by their own furious tempers, did as little, as others ſee what the Devil was doing with them.
Thirdly, The means of a Temptation are rendred leſs ſuſpitious, from an Ignorance of the Circumſtances, and Concomitants that do attend them.
Fourthly, As alſo from an Ignorance of our own weakneſs, and Inclination, while we are confident of greater ſtrength to reſiſt, than indeed we have, of a greater averſneſs, than is in us, to the evil ſuſpected; we contemn the danger of the means as below us, and ſo grow bold with the occaſions of iniquity, as pretending no hazard or danger to us.
This may teach us a piece of Wiſdom,Applic. in the Imitation of the Devil; we ſee his malice appears in the bloody and deſtructive aims or intendments, which he diſcovers againſt us, but his skill and cunning in a ſuitable diſpoſal and ordering of the Means. So ſhould we learn to imploy all our care and watchfulneſs about thoſe plauſible ways or introductions to Sin, that Satan puts in our hand; and as his eager deſire of gaining his end, makes him induſtrious about the offering of means fit to compaſs it, ſo our fear of his Deſign and End ſhould make us jealous of every overture propounded to us. They that from wilfulneſs or neglect ſhall admit the means of Evil, cannot expect to avoid the Evil to which they lead, or if they may (unexpectedly) be reſcued from the end, while they uſe the Means (by Grace interpoſing, as between the Cup and the Lip) 'tis no thanks to them, and often they come not off ſo clear, but that ſome lameneſs or other ſticks by them.
I may ſuſpect this will be retorted back as an advice ſcarce practicable: Queſt.for if all means leading to Sin are to be avoided, then can we uſe nothing, but rather (as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe) we muſt go out of the World, ſeeing every thing may lead to evil.
I Anſwer,Anſw. We are not by any command of God put into any ſuch ſtrait, things that are or may be improvable againſt us, may be uſed by us with due Care and Watchfulneſs; yet all things are not alike neither, for we muſt look upon things under a threefold Conſideration.
Firſt, If that which is propounded or laid before us, as a means to Sin, be in it ſelf ſinful, the refuſal of both is an undoubted Duty.
Secondly, We muſt look upon thins under the conſideration of the ſuſpiciouſneſs which they carry with them of a further evil; ſome Circumſtances, or poſtures of an opportunity and occaſion offered, are of ſuch a threatning Aſpect, that they fairly warn us to hold off. To keep company with a Friend may be admitted, when yet that Society in a ſuſpitious place, as Tavern, or Whore-houſe, is to be avoided.
Thirdly, We muſt further conſider things as we are free, or engaged to them, and accordingly where there is appearance of danger, or the fear of it, we muſt keep at a diſtance, if we are engaged to ſuch things either by the obligation of the Law of Nature, or lawful Calling, or command of God, or unavoidable Providence, or Relation, where theſe Ties are upon us, we cannot avoid the thing or action, but are the more concerned to take heed of being overreached or overtaken by them.