Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Imprimatur – To the reader
Imprimatur, Hic Liber (cui Titulus, Daemonologia Sacra: Or, A Treatiſe of Satans Temptations, in Three Parts.)
Guil. Sill. Martii, 26. 1677.
DAEMONOLOGIA SACRA. OR, A TREATISE OF Satans Temptations: In Three Parts.
By RICHARD GILPIN.
2 Cor. 2. 11.We are not ignorant of his Devices.
LONDON, Printed by J. D. for Richard Randel, and Peter Mapliſden, Bookſellers in New Caſtle upon Tine. 1677.
To the Reader.
THe accurate ſearches into the Secrets of Nature which this Age hath produced, though they are in themſelves ſufficient evidences of a commendable Induſtry; yet ſeeing they fall ſo exceedingly ſhort of that diſcovery which Men aim at, giving us at beſt but probable conjectures, and uncertain gueſſes, they are become as little ſatisfactory to Men that look after the true cauſes of things, as thoſe Ships of deſire; whoſe great undertaking for Gold had raiſed high expectations in their attempts; but in the return, brought nothing home for their Ventures but Apes and Peacocks. While Men reflect upon themſelves under ſuch Diſappointments, they cannot but check themſelves, for over-promiſing themſelves in their Adventures, with that of Zophar, Vain Man would be wiſe.
But how happy would it be for Men, if ſuch failures of expectation might better inform them? If our Attainments in theſe purſuits will not bear our Charges, nor recompence our pains, and loſs of time, with an anſwerable profit, though we may ſee cauſe ſometimes (as a Divertiſement or Recreation) to uſe them; yet how ſhall we ſatisfie our ſelves to make them our chief and ſole buſineſs?
If we knew of nothing of higher concern to us than theſe, our neglect of greater Matters were more excuſable; but ſeeing we are ſufficiently inſtructed, that we have more weighty things to look after, ſuch as relate to a certain future eſtate of happineſs or miſery: the very diſcovery of this to a Rational Being muſt needs intitle ſuch things to the firſt and greateſt part of his care. He that knows that there is one thing neceſſary, and yet ſuffers himſelf to be diverted from the purſuit of that, by troubling himſelf about many things, is more juſtly chargable with folly, than he that neglects his Eſtate, and finds himſelf no other Imployment, but to purſue Feathers in the Wind.
Among thoſe things that Religion offers to our ſtudy, God and our own hearts are the chief. God is the Firſt and Laſt, and whole of our Happineſs, the Beginning, Progreſs, and Compleatment of it is from him, and in him, for in that Centre do all the Lines meet, but our Heart is the Stage upon which this Felicity (as to the application of it) is tranſacted: upon this little ſpot of Earth, doth God and Satan draw up their ſeveral Armies; here doth each of them ſhew their Power and Wiſdom; this is treated by both, each of them challenge an intereſt in it; 'tis attaqued on the one ſide, and defended on the other. So that here are Skirmiſhes, Battels, and Stratagems managed; that Man then that will not concern himſelf in his Enquiries, how the Matter goes in his own Heart, what Ground is got or loſt, what Forts are taken or defended, what Mines are ſprung, what Ambuſcado's laid, or how the Battel proceeds: muſt needs lie under a juſt imputation of the greateſt folly; neither can he be excuſed in his neglect, by the moſt preſſing ſollicitations of other things that ſeem to require his attendance upon the higheſt imaginable pretences of neceſſity: For what is he profited, that gains the whole World, if he loſes his Soul?
But the exact and faithful management of ſuch ſpiritual Enquiries, with their neceſſary improvement to diligent watchfulneſs, and careful endeavours of reſiſtance, is another manner of work than moſt Men dream of: To diſcover the intrigues of Satans policy, to eſpie his haunts and lurking places in our hearts, to note his ſubtile contrivances in taking advantages againſt us, and to obſerve how the Pulſe of the Soul beats under his provocations, and deceitful allurements, how far we comply or diſſent; requires ſo much attendance and laborious skilfulneſs, that it cannot be expected that ſuch Men who deſign no more than to be Chriſtians at the eaſieſt rate, and content themſelves with a formal ſuperficiality of Religion; or ſuch, who, having given up themſelves to the deceitful ſweets of worldly carnal delights, are not at leiſure to engage themſelves in ſo ſerious a Work; or ſuch whoſe ſecret guilt of rebellious Combination with the Devil againſt God, makes them fearful to conſider fully, the hazards of that wickedneſs, which they had rather practiſe with forgetfulneſs, leſt the review of their ways, and ſight of their danger, ſhould awaken their Conſciences to give them an unwelcome diſquiet; it cannot (I ſay) be expected that any of theſe ſorts of Men (whilſt they are thus ſet) ſhould give themſelves the trouble of ſo much pains and toil as this Buſineſs doth require.
Upon this conſideration, I might rationally fix my Prognoſtick of the entertainment of the following Treatiſe. What acceptance ſoever it may find with ſuch as are cordially concerned for their Souls, and the Realities of Religion, (and of ſuch I may ſay as the Apoſtle Paul concerning Brotherly Love, 1 Theſſ. 4. 9. as touching this Matter, They need not that I write unto them, for they themſelves are taught of God to be ſuſpicious of Satans devices; and by experience they find his deceits ſo ſecret, and withal ſo dangerous, that any help for further diſcovery and caution, muſt needs be welcome to them; yet) to be ſure the Prince of Darkneſs (who is always jealous of the leaſt attempts that may be made againſt his Empire) will arm his forementioned Subjects againſt it, and whomſoever elſe he can prevail upon, by the power of prejudice, to reject it, as urging us to a ſtudy more ſevere or harſh, than is conſiſtent, either with the lower degrees of knowledge of many, or with that eaſe which moſt Men deſire to indulge to themſelves; or as offering ſuch things which they (to ſave themſelves from further trouble) will be willing to call Chimaera's or idle Speculations: and this laſt I may rather expect, becauſe in this latter Age, Satan hath advanced ſo far in his general deſign againſt all Chriſtianity, and for the introduction of Paganiſm and Atheiſm, that now none can expreſs a ſerious conſcientious care for holineſs, and the avoidance of ſin; but upon pain of the imputation of ſillineſs, or whining preciſeneſs; and none can ſpeak or write of Converſion, Faith, or Grace, but he ſhall be hazarded by the ſcoffs of thoſe that are unwilling to judge the private workings of the heart to Godward, or ſpiritual exerciſes of Grace, to be any better than conceited Whims, and unintelligible Nonſenſe: but ſeeing ſuch Men make bold to jeer, not only that Language, and thoſe forms of Speech which the Holy Ghoſt thought fit to make uſe of in the Scriptures, but alſo the very things of Faith, Grace, and Spirit, which are every where in the Sacred Oracles recommended to us with the moſt weighty ſeriouſneſs, (which with them paſs for no better than cheats and fancies) we can eaſily ſit under their contempt; and ſhall (as we hope) be ſo far from being jeered out of our Religion, that their ſcorns ſhall have no more impreſſion upon us, than the ravings of a frenzical Perſon that knows not what he ſpeaks.
Notwithſtanding theſe, (who are no way conſiderable for weight) there are, I hope, a great many, who ſeriouſly imploy themſelves in the Inwards, as well as the Outwards of Religion, (and who will not ſuffer themſelves to be perſwaded, that the Apoſtle obtruded an empty Notion upon Believers, when he recommended that obſervable Truth to them, Rom. 2. 28. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, &c.) for their ſakes have I undertaken this labour of collecting and methodizing the grand Stratagems, and chief ways of deluſ…on of the great Deceiver. To theſe I muſt particularly account for ſome few things relating to this Diſcourſe: As,
1. That I have ſatisfied my ſelf in the Reaſons of the publication of theſe Papers, and do not judg it requiſite to trouble any ſo far, as to tell what theſe Reaſons are. They who deſire to reſiſt ſuch an Enemy, and whoſe experience doth convince them, that all helps are neceſſary, will not need them, and thoſe that are Men of ſcorn, or of avowed careleſneſs, will not regard them though I ſhould declare them.
2. To prevent the miſapprehenſions (which poſſibly ſome may otherwiſe labour withal) of a monſtrous product from one Text, becauſe they may obſerve one Text in the Front, and no other mentioned throughout the Firſt and Second Parts; they may know, that I made uſe of ſeveral in the preaching of theſe Diſcourſes, as ſuitable Foundations for the ſeveral Particulars herein mentioned; but in the moulding up of the Whole, into the method of a Treatiſe, for the eaſe of the Reader, I thought fit to lay aſide thoſe Introductions, as alſo many other occaſional Applications, which were proper for Sermons, and a great many things which were neceſſary to be ſpoken for Explication and Illuſtration of theſe Points to a popular Auditory, and have only preſented the Subſtance in a more cloſe connection; becauſe if there be any little obſcurity that may at firſt appear to any, for want of variety of words, the Treatiſe being under their eye, will be at leiſure to attend their review in a ſecond or third reading: Which however I would recommend earneſtly to thoſe that, in theſe Concerns, do really deſign to be wiſe for themſelves.
3. Neither ſhould it ſeem ſtrange, that I have frequently made uſe of Inſtances from Hiſtory, or other later Relations. Whoſoever ſhall conſider the nature of the Matter treated on, will not complain of this as a needleſs trouble put upon them; yet withal I have been ſo careful of doing any Perſons an unkindneſs, by making too bold with them, that I mentioned no Names but ſuch, as upon ſuch occaſions have been made publick by others before. The reſt I have only mentioned in the general, diſcovering their caſe where it was uſeful, but concealing the Perſons.
4. It may perhaps ſeem a defect, that the ſeveral Directions, Remedies, or Counſels, which are requiſite to be obſerved in making reſiſtance against Satan, are not added, except ſome few hints in the latter end of the Third Part, and ſome other things in that Part, in the Applications of the ſeveral Doctrines therein, (which I thought fit, upon good grounds, to leave in the order of a Preaching Method) but ſuch may be pleaſed to conſider, that ſeveral have performed that part very fully, to whoſe Labours I had rather refer the Reader, than trouble him with a repetition: It was only my deſign to endeavour a more full diſcovery (though every way ſhort of the thing it ſelf) of Satan's Craft, becauſe the knowledg of this is ſo neceſſary, and withal others have done it more ſparingly. Such as it is accept, and improve for thy ſpiritual advantage; for that was the end of this undertaking, by him who deſires that thy Soul may proſper,
Rich. Gilpin.