Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. That Satan enticeth by our Luſt. The ſeveral ways by which he doth it. Of the power and danger of the violence of Affections.
THe way then by which he doth entice, is by ſtirring up our luſt. By luſt, I mean thoſe general deſirings of our minds after any unlawful object,Tit. 2. …2. which are forbidden in the tenth Commandment; 1 Pet. 2. 18.thus we read of worldly luſts, Jam. 4. 5.of the luſts of the fleſh, of luſtings to envy, Tit. 3. 3.and in a world, we read of divers luſts, the whole attempt and ſtriving of corrupt Nature againſt the Spirit,Gal. 5. 17. being ſet forth by this expreſſion, of luſting againſt the Spirit.
That Satan takes advantage of our own luſts, and ſo plows with our Heifer, turning our own Weapons againſt our ſelves, is evident by the general vote of Scripture. The Apoſtle James 1. 14. tells us, that every Temptation prevails only by the power and working of our own luſts: Satan is the Tempter, but our luſts are the advantages by which he draws and enticeth; the corrupt principle within us, is called fleſh, but the way whereby it works, either in its own proper motion, or as ſtirred up by the Devil, is that of luſt and affection; and therefore he that would ſtop that iſſue, muſt look to mortify it in its affections and luſts, Gal. 5. 24. We are further told by John, 1 Epiſt. 2. 16. that all thoſe ſnares that are in the World, are only hazardous, and prevailing by our Luſts. 1 Pet. 1. 4.More generally the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaks; the whole bundle of actual Sins that have ever been in the World came in at this door, The corruption that is in the World is through Luſt. In the ſtirring up our Luſts, Satan uſeth no ſmall Art and Subtilty, and ordinarily he worketh by ſome of theſe following ways.
Firſt, He uſeth his skill to dreſs up an Object of Luſt that it may be taking and alluring; he doth not content himſelf with a ſimple propoſal of the Object, but doth as it were paint and varniſh it, to make it ſeem beautiful and lovely; beſides al lthat wooing and importunity which he uſeth to the Soul by private and unſeen Suggeſtions, he hath (no doubt) a care to gather together all poſſible concurring Circumſtances, by which the ſeeming goodneſs or conveniency of the Object is much heightned and enlarged. We ſee thoſe that have skill to work upon the Humors of Men, place a great part of it in the right circumſtantiating a motion, and in taking the Tempers and Inclinations of Men at a right time. And they obſerve, that the miſſing of the right ſeaſon is the hazard of the deſign, even there where the Object and Inclination ordinarily are ſutable. There is much in placing a Picture in a right poſition, to give it its proper grace and luſtre in the Eyes of the Beholders. When a man is out of humor, he nauſeats his uſual delights, and grows ſullen to things of frequent practice. 'Tis likely Eve was not a Stranger to the Tree of Knowledg before the Temptation, but when the Serpent ſuggeſts the goodneſs of the Fruit, the Fruit it ſelf ſeems more beautiful and deſirable, good for Food, and pleaſant to the Eyes. Though we are not able to find out the way of Satan's beautifying an Object, that it may affect with more piercing and powerful delights; yet he that ſhall conſider, that not only Prudence (in an advantageous management of things) adds an additional beauty to Objects propoſed; but alſo that Art by placing things in a right poſture, may derive a radiancy and beam of Beauty and Light upon them, (as an ordinary piece of Glaſs, may be ſo poſited to the Sun beams, that it may reflect a ſparkling light as if it were a Diamond:) He that ſhall conſider this (I ſay) will not think it ſtrange for the Devil to uſe ſome Arts of this kind for the adorning and ſetting off an Object to the Eye of our Luſts.
Secondly, We have reaſon to ſuſpect that he may have ways of Deceit and Impoſture upon our Senſes. The deceits of the Senſes are ſo much noted,Des Cartes. that ſome Philoſophers will ſcarce allow any credit to be given them;Ant. le grand. Philoſoph. vet. &c. not that they are always deceitful, but that they are often ſo, and ther…fore always ſuſpitious. The Soul hath no intelligence but by the Senſes: 'tis then a buſineſs of eaſie belief, that Satan may not altogether ſlight this advantage, but that when he ſees it fit for his purpoſe, he may impoſe upon us by the deception of our Eyes and Ears; we little know how oft our Senſes have diſguiſed things to us. In a pleaſing Object, our Eyes may be as a magnifying or multiplying Glaſs. In the firſt Temptation Satan ſeems to have wrought both upon the Object, and alſo upon the Senſes, She ſaw it was good for Food, and pleaſant; who can queſtion but that ſhe ſaw the Fruit before? but this was another kind of ſight, of more power and attraction. An inſtance of Satan's Cunning in both the forementioned particulars, we have from Auſtin, relating the Story of his Friend Alipius, who by the importunity of his Acquaintance conſented to go to the Theatre, Spectavit, clamavit, exarſit, abſtulit inde ſecum inſaniam qua ſtimularetur redire, &c.yet with a reſolve, not to open his Eyes, leſt the ſight of theſe Spectacles ſhould entice his Heart; but being there, the noiſe and ſudden ſhouting of the multitude prevailed ſo far with him, that he forgot his reſolution; takes the liberty to ſee what occaſioned the ſhouting, and once ſeeing, is now ſo inflamed with delight, that he ſhouts as the reſt do, and becomes a frequenter of the Theatre as others: What was there to be ſeen and heard he knew before, by the relation of others; but now being preſent, his Eyes and Ears were by Satan ſo heightned in their offices, that thoſe bloody Objects ſeemed pleaſant, beyond all that had been reported of them, and the luſt of his Heart drawn out by Satan's cunning diſpoſal of the Object and Senſes.
Thirdly, There is no ſmall inticement ariſing from the fitneſs and ſutableneſs of Occaſion. An Occaſion exactly fitted, is more than half a Temptation; This often makes a Thief, an Adulterer, &c. Where the acts of theſe Sins have their riſe from a ſudden fit of humor, (which occaſion puts them in,) rather than from deſign or premeditation. Cunningly contrived Occaſions are like the danger of a Precipice; if a Man be ſo fooliſh as to take up a ſtand there, a ſmall puſh will throw him over, though a far greater might not harm him if he were upon a Level. 'Tis Satan's Cunning to draw a Man within the reach of an Occaſion. All the reſolves of Alipius were not ſafe-guard to him when once he was brought within hearing and ſight of the Temptation: If he had ſtaid at home, the hazard of Satan's Suggeſtions (though earneſt) had not been ſo much as the hearing of his Ears, and ſight of his Eyes. In 2 Cor. 2. 11. Paul's fears of Satan's taking advantage againſt the Corinthians did manifeſtly ariſe from the preſent poſture of their Church affairs: for if the excommunicated Perſon ſhould not be received again into the Church, an ordinary puſh of Temptation might either have renewed or confirmed their Contentions,Vid. Calvin in loc: or precipated them into an opinion of too much ſeverity againſt an offending Brother; and that their preſent frame, made them more than ordinarily obnoxious to theſe Snares, is evident from the Apoſtle's caution inſerted here in this Diſcourſe, ſo abruptly, that any Man may obſerve the neceſſity of the Matter, and the earneſtneſs of his Affections did lead his Pen. The Souls of Men have their general Diſcraſia's, and Diſaffections, as our Bodies have, from a lingring diſtemperature of the Blood and Humors; in which caſe, a ſmall occaſion (like a particular error of Diet, &c. in a declining Body) will eaſily form that Inclination into particular acts of Sin.
Fourthly, Satan hath yet a further reach in his Enticements, by the power which he hath upon our Fancies and Imaginations: That he hath ſuch a power was diſcovered before. This being then ſuppoſed, how ſerviceable it is for his end, 'tis now to be conſidered. Our Fancy is as a Glaſs which with admirable celerity and quickneſs of motion, can preſent before us all kinds of Objects; it can in a moment run from one end of the Earth to the other; and beſides this, it hath a power of creating Objects, and caſting them into what forms and ſhapes it pleaſeth, all which our underſtanding cannot avoid the ſight of. Now the power of Imagination is acknowledged by all to be very great, not only as working upon a Melancholy and diſtempered Spirit,Burtons Melanch. Part 1. §. 2. p. 93. Reynolds Treat. of Paſſions. c. 4. (of which Authors give us large accounts) but alſo upon Minds more remote from ſuch peremptory Deluſions; as may be daily obſerved in the prejudices and prepoſſeſſions of Men, who by reaſon of the impreſſions of Imagination, are not (without difficulty) drawn over to the acknowledgment of the truth of things, and the true underſtanding of Matters; neither is the Ʋnderſtanding only liable to a more than ordinary heat and rapture by it, but the Will is alſo quickned and ſharpned in its deſires by this means: Hence is it (as one of the fore-cited Authors obſerves) that Fancy doth often more toward a Perſwaſion by its inſinuations, Reynolds ibid.than a cogent Argument, or rational Demonſtration.
This is no leſs a powerful Inſtrument in Satan's hand, than commonly and frequently made uſe of; who amongſt us doth not find and feel him dealing with us at this Weapon? When he propounds an Object to our Luſt, he doth not uſually expoſe it naked under the hazard of dying out for want of proſecution, but but preſently calls in our Fancy to his aid, and there raiſeth a Theatre, on which he acts before our Minds, the Sin in all its ways and poſtures. If he put us upon Revenge, or upon Luſts of Uncleanneſs, or Covetouſneſs, or Ambition, we are ſure (if we prevent it not) to have our Imagination preſenting theſe things to us, as in lively Pictures and Reſemblances, by which our deſires may be enflamed and prepared for conſent.
Fifthly, Sometime he ſhews his Art in preparing and fitting our Bodies to his deſigns, or in fitting Temptations to our Bodies, and the Inclinations thereof. The Soul though it be a noble Being, yet is it limited by the Body, and incommodated by the crazyneſs and indiſpoſitions thereof, ſo that it can no more act ſtrenuouſly or evenly to its Principles in a diſordered Body, than it can rightly manage any Member of it (in its natural motions) where the Bones are disjointed. Hence, Sickneſs or other bodily Weakneſſes do alter the Scene, and add another kind of byaſs to the Soul than that it had before. This Satan takes notice of, and either follows his advantage of the preſent Indiſpoſition, or (if he hath ſome ſpecial deſign) endeavours to caſt our Body into ſuch a diſorder as may beſt ſute his Intention. Aſa was more eaſily drawn to be overſeen in peeviſhneſs and raſh anger in his latter days, when his Body grew diſeaſed. Satan had his advantage againſt Solomon to draw him to Idolatry when old age, and uxoriouſneſs had made him more ductile to the ſollicitations of his Wives; When Solomon was old, his Wives turned away his Heart, 1 King. 11. 4. The Devil, when he took upon him to foretel Job's blaſpheming God to his Face, yet he attempted not the main deſign till he thought he had throughly prepared him for it, by the anguiſh and ſmart of a diſtempered Body and Mind; and though he failed in the great buſineſs of his Boaſt, yet he left us an experiment in Job, that the likelieſt way to prevail upon the Mind in hideous and deſperate Temptations, is to mould the Body to a ſutable frame: He prevailed not againſt Job to cauſe him curſe God, yet he prevailed far, he curſed the day of his birth, and ſpake many things by the force of that diſtreſs, which he profeſſeth himſelf aſhamed of afterwards. The Body then will be in danger (when 'tis diſordered) to give a tincture to every action, as a diſtempered Palat communicates a bitterneſs to every thing it takes down.
Sixthly, Evil Company is a general preparatory to all kinds of Temptation: He enticeth ſtrongly that way. For (1.) Evil Society doth inſenſibly dead the Heart, and quench the heat of the Affections to the things of God; it hath a kind of bewitching power to eat out the fear of the Lord in our hearts, and to take off the weight and power of religious duty; it not only ſtops our Tongues, and retards them in ſpeaking of good things, but influenceth the very Heart, and poyſons it into a kind of deadneſs and lethargy, ſo that our thoughts run low, and we begin to think that ſevere watchfulneſs of Thoughts, and the guard of our Minds to be a needleſs and melancholly Self-impoſition. (2.) Example hath a ſtrange inſinuating force to inſtamp a Reſemblance, and to beget Imitation. Joſeph living where his Ears were frequently beaten with Oaths, finds it an eaſie thing (upon a feigned occaſion) to ſwear by the Life of Pharaoh. Evil Company is Sins Nurſery, and Satan's Academy, by which he trains up thoſe whoſe knowledg and hopeful beginnings had made them ſhy of his Temptations; and if he can prevail with Men to take ſuch Companions, he will with a little labour preſently bring them to any Iniquity.
Seventhly, But his higheſt project in order to the enticing of Men, is to engage their Affections to an height and paſſionateneſs. The Scripture doth diſtinguiſh betwixt the foreign and foreign, Gal. 5. 24.the Affections and Luſts; clearly implying, that the way to procure fixed deſires and actual luſtings, is to procure thoſe paſſionate workings of the Mind.
How powerful a part of his Deſign this is, will appear from the nature of theſe Paſſions: which are,
Firſt,Vid. Fenner Treat. of Affection. Violent Motions of the Heart, the very Wings and Sails of the Soul, and every Paſſion in its own working doth expreſs a violence. Choler is an earneſt Rage; Voluptuouſneſs is nothing leſs;J. F. Senault of Paſſions. p. 30. Fear is a deſperate hurry of the Soul; Love ſtrong as Death; Jealouſie cruel as the Grave: each of them ſtriving which ſhould excell in violence, ſo that 'tis a queſtion yet undertermined which Paſſion may challenge the ſuperiority.
Secondly, Their Fury is dangerous and unbridled, like ſo many wild Horſes let looſe, hurrying their Rider which way they pleaſe: They move not upon the command of Reaſon, but oft prevent it in their ſudden riſe; neither do they take Reaſons advice for their courſe proportionable to the occaſion, for often their humor, rather than the matter of the provocation, gives them Spurs; and when they have evaporated their heat, they ceaſe, not as following the command of Reaſon, but as weakned by their own violence.
Thirdly, They are not eaſily conquered, not only becauſe they renew their ſtrength and onſet after a Defeat, and like ſo many Hydra's heads ſpring up as faſt as cut off, but they are our ſelves, we can neither run from them, nor from the love of them.
Fourthly, And conſequently highly advantageous in Satan's Deſign and Enticement, when they are driven up to a Fury and Paſſionateneſs;1 Cor. 7. 9. for beſides their inward rage (which the Scripture calls burning) by which Men are pricked and goaded on without reſt or eaſe,Rom. 1. 27. to make proviſions for the Fleſh, and to enjoy or act what their unbridled violence will elad to in the execution of their deſires: They carry all on before them, and engage the whole Man with the higheſt eagerneſs to fulfil every Luſt, Eph. 2. 3.to go up to the higheſt degrees,Rom. 6. 19. and with an unſatiable greedineſs to yield themſelves ſervants of Iniquity unto Iniquity.