Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 1 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. That Luſt darkens the Mind. Evidences thereof. The five ways by which it doth blind Men. (1.) By preventing the exerciſe of Reaſon. The ways of that prevention. (1.) Secreſy in tempting, Satan's ſubtilty therein. (2.) Surpriſal. (3.) Gradual Intanglements.
THat Satan doth entice us by ſtirring up our Luſt, hath been diſcovered; it remains that I next ſpeak to the ſecond thing propounded which was,
That by this power of Luſt he blinds and darkens our Mind. That the Luſts of Men are the great principle upon which Satan proceeds in drawing on ſo great a blindneſs, (as we have ſpoken of) I ſhall briefly evince from theſe few Obſervations.
Firſt, From the unreaſonableneſs and abſurdity of ſome Actions in Men otherwiſe ſufficiently rational. He that conſiders the acts of Alexander in murthering Caliſthenes, for no other crime than defending the cauſe of the Gods, and affirming that Temples could not be built to a King, without provoking a Deity; and yet this ſo ſmoothed, (if*Ego autem ſeram immortalitatem praecor Regi.—Hominem conſequitur aliquando, nunquam comitatur Divinitas. Curt. lib. 8. Quintus-Curtius repreſent him right) that he ſeemed to flatter Alexander with an opinion of Delfication after his death: Whoſoever (I ſay) ſhall conſider this cruelty, will condemn Alexander as blind and irrational in this matter, and yet no other cauſe can be aſſigned hereof, but that his luſt after Glory and Honour darkned his Reaſon. The like may be ſaid of his killing Epheſtion's Phyſician,Iracundia—velut Tyrannus omnia ſuo metu gobernans ruptis habenis, & jugo rationis excuſſo gladies inique contra omnes diſtinxit. Theod. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 5. p. 587. becauſe he died. The brutal fury of that Conſul, that made a Slave to be eaten up with Lampreys, for no other fault than the breaking of a Glaſs, can be aſcribed to nothing elſe but the boyling over of his Paſſion. A ſadder inſtance of this we have in†Immoderata animi concitatione impulſus—facinus crudele ut nefarium commiſit. Theodoſius ſenior, who for an affront given to ſome of his Officers in Theſſalonica, commanded the deſtruction of the City, and the ſlaughter of the Citizens to the number of 7000, without any diſtinction of nocent and innocent: This blind rage the Hiſtorian notes, as the fruit of violent and unbridled Luſt in a Man, otherwiſe juſt and gracious. Thouſands of Inſtances of this nature might be added. But,
Secondly, If we conſider the known and viſible hazards to Life and Eſtate, and (that which is more,) to that part of them which is Immortal; upon all which, Men do deſperately adventure, upon no other ground or motive than the gratifications of their Luſts: We may eaſily conclude that there is a ſtrange force and power in their Paſſions to blind and beſot them; and this notwithſtanding, is the common practice of all Men, where Grace (as the only Eye-ſalve) doth not reſtore the ſight. The Heathens in all theſe practices of Filthineſs and Folly, recorded Rom. 1. 29. They had ſo far a diſcovery of the danger (if they had not impriſoned that Truth and Light in Ʋnrighteouſneſs, verſ. 18.) that they knew the judgment of God, that they which commit ſuch things are worthy of death, verſ. 32. Yet notwithſtanding, the vanity of their Imaginations (influenced by Luſt) darkned their heart ſo much, that they did not only do theſe things (of ſo great vileneſs and unſpeakable hazard,) but had pleaſure in thoſe that did them.
Thirdly, The blinding power of Luſt is yet more remarkable: When we ſee Men glorying in their Shame, and mounting their triumphal Chariots to expoſe themſelves a Spectacle to all, in that garb of deformity which their Luſts have put them in. 'Tis a blindneſs to do any act againſt the rules of Reaſon, but 'tis a far great blindneſs for Men to pride themſelves in them. What have the iſſues of moſt Wars been, but burnings of Cities, devaſtations of flouriſhing Kingdoms, ſpilling the blood of Millions, beſides all the Famine and other miſeries that follow; yet theſe actions (that better beſeem Tigars, Lions and ſavage Bruits, than Men of Reaſon) are honoured with the great triumphant names of Vertue, Manhood, Courage, Magnanimity, Conqueſt, &c. If the power and humor of their Luſts of vain-glory and revenge had not quite muffled their underſtandings, theſe things would have been called by their proper names, of Murther, Cruelty, Robbery, &c. and the Actors of ſuch Tragedies, inſtead of triumphal Arches and acclamations of Praiſe, would have been buried under heaps of Ignominy and perpetual Diſgraces, as Prodigies of Nature, Monſters of Men, and Haters of Mankind.
Fourthly, But there is yet one Evidence more plain and convincing. When our Luſts are up, though Reaſon offer its aids to allay the Storm, yet the wiſeſt of Men (otherwiſe compoſed and calm) are ſo far from taking the advantage of its guidance, that oftentimes they trample upon it and deſpiſe it; and as if Luſts (by ſome ſecret Incantation) had made them impenetrable, they are not capable of its light and conduct, and can make no more uſe of it, than a blind Man can do of a Candle. To this purpoſe, let us obſerve the carriage of Diſputants; if Men do any way publickly engage themſelves in a Conteſt of this nature, though Truth can be but on the one ſide, yet both Parties give Arguments, and anſwer Objections with equal confidence of victory, and a contempt of the reaſons and ſtrength of each others diſcourſes: and this proves ſo fatal to him that maintains the miſtake or untruth, that not one of a thouſand hath the benefit and advantage for the finding of Truth, which free and unprejudiced Byſtanders may have; ſo true is that, Omne perit judicium cum res tranſit in affectum, When Affections are engaged, Judgment is darkned. 'Tis a thing of common obſervation, that when Men are diſcourſed into Anger and Heat, they preſently grow abſurd; are diſabled for ſpeaking or underſtanding Reaſon, and are oft hurried to ſuch inconveniences and miſcarriages, that they are aſhamed of themſelves; when they cool and the fit is over, Impedit ira animum, &c. To all this might be added, the power of Luſt in Perſons voluptuous, who dedicate themſelves to the pleaſures of the Fleſh. Thoſe that ſerve divers Luſts and Pleaſures, their ſlaviſh Eſtate, their baſe Drudgery, do clearly evince that Luſt unmans them, and puts out their Eyes. Mark-Antony by this means became a Slave to Cleopatra; never did a poor Captive ſtrive more to obtain the good will of his Lord than he to pleaſe this Woman, inſomuch that beſotted with his Luſt, he ſeemed to want that common foreſight of his danger, which the ſmalleſt meaſure of Reaſon might have afforded to any, and ſo dallied himſelf into his ruine. From all theſe Conſiderations and Inſtances, it appears our Luſts afford ſuch Vapours and Miſts, that our Reaſon is darkned by them, or rather, they are like a Doſe of Opium that ſtrongly ſtupifies and binds up the Senſes. But yet it remains that the various ways by which our Luſts do blind us be particularly opened, and they are five. (1.) Our Luſts blind us by preventing the uſe and exerciſe of Reaſon. (2.) By perverting it. (3.) By withdrawing the Mind from it. (4.) By diſturbing it in its operation. And (5.) By a deſperate precipitancy. All which I ſhall more fully explain.
Firſt, Our Luſts blind us by preventing and intercepting the exerciſe of Light and Reaſon, and Satan in this caſe uſeth theſe deceits.
Firſt, He endeavours ſo to ſtir up our Luſt, as yet to conceal his deſign. Secreſie is one of his main Engines, he doth not (in this caſe) ſhew his Weapon before he ſtrikes; and indeed his Policy herein is great, For (1.) By this means he takes us at unawares, ſecure, and unprepared for reſiſtance. (2.) We are often enſnared without noiſe, and before our conſideration of things can come in to reſcue us. (3.) If he get not his whole deſign upon us this way, yet he oft makes an half victory; by this means he procures an half conſent, or inclination to ſin before we diſcover that we are under a Temptation; for when the Foundation of a Temptation is laid uneſpyed, then we awaken with the Sin in our hand, as ſleeping Men awake ſometime with the word in their mouths. If any queſtion, how can theſe things be? how can he ſteal a Temptation upon us with ſuch ſecreſie? I anſwer, he can do it theſe three ways.
Firſt, He ſometimes after a careleſs manner, and as it were by the by, drops in a Suggeſtion into our hearts, and that without noiſe or importunity, giving it (as it were this charge,) ſtir not up, nor awaken him; and then he ſits by to obſerve the iſſue, and to ſee if the Tinder will take fire of it ſelf. Thus many a motion thrown into our hearts, as it were accidently, or ever we are aware, begets a ſudden flame.
Secondly, He ſometimes fetcheth a compaſs, and makes a thing far different to be a Preamble or Introduction to his intended deſign. Thus by Objects, Imployments, Diſcourſe, or Company, that ſhew not any direct tendency to evil, doth he inſenſibly occaſion Pride, Paſſion or Luſt. How ſlyly and ſecretly doth he put us upon what he intends as a further ſnare? how unawares, while we think of no ſuch thing, are we carried ſometime upon the borders of Sin, and into the enemies quarters? Satan in this acts like a Fowler, who uſeth a ſtalking Horſe, as if he were upon ſome other imployment, when yet his deſign is the deſtruction of the Bird.
Thirdly, Another way of Secreſie is his raiſing a croud of other thoughts in the Mind, and while theſe are mixed and confuſedly floating in the Underſtanding or Fancy, then doth he thruſt in among them the intended Suggeſtion, and then ſuffering the reſt to vaniſh, he by little and little ſingles this out as a more ſpecial object of conſideration, ſo that we caſt a ſudden glance upon this, and we are often taken with it before we conſider the danger. In this Satan doth as Souldiers, who take the advantage of a Miſt to make a nearer approach to their Enemies, and to ſurpriſe them before diſcovery of the danger: This he doth with us while we are in a Muſing fit, or a Melancholy dream.
A ſecond Deceit for the preventing of a ſerious conſideration, is ſudden Surpriſal. In the former he endeavoured to conceal the Temptation while he is at work with us, but in this he ſhews … Temptation plainly, only he ſets upon us without giving of us warning of the onſet; but then he backs it with all the violent importunity he can, and by this he hinders the recollecting of our ſelves and the aid of Reaſon. This courſe Satan only takes with thoſe whoſe Paſſions are apt to be very ſtirring and boyſterous; or ſuch as being his Slaves and Vaſſals are more ſubject to his commands. Thus a ſudden provocation to an angry Man, gives him not time to conſider, but carries him headlong. A ſurpriſe of Occaſion and Opportunity, is frequently a conqueſt to thoſe that have any earneſtneſs of Hope, Deſire, or Revenge: Surely David was taken at this advantage in the matter of Bathſheba. And here we may note, that good Men upon ſuch a ſudden motion, do yield (without any blow or ſtrugling) to that, which at other times they could not be drawn to by many reaſons.
Thirdly, Conſideration is prevented by gradual Intanglements. Satan ſo orders the matter that Sin creeps on upon us as Sleep, by inſenſible degrees: For this end ſometimes he diſſembles his Strength and ſets upon us with lower Temptations, and with leſs force than otherwiſe he could: He knows we are not moved to extreams, but by ſteps and habits, are not confirmed, but by gradual proceedings; to take too great ſtrides, may ſometime prevail at preſent, but the ſuddenneſs and greatneſs of the alteration begetting a ſtrangeneſs on the Soul, may occaſion after-thoughts and recoyling: Therefore he tempts firſt to thoughts, then to a delight in theſe thoughts, then to the continuation of them, then to reſolve, and ſo on to practice. And in like manner, he tempts ſome to make bold with a ſmall matter, which ſhall ſcarce come under the notion of wrong; then to a greater, and ſo gradually to higher things, and thus he inſenſibly brings on a thieviſh Inclination and Practice. For the ſame end ſometimes he ſhews his skill in the management of Occaſions, he imperceptibly hooks Men into Sin, by drawing them firſt to be bold with Occaſions; he tells them they may ſit at the Ale-houſe, and yet not be drunk; that they may keep Familiarity, and yet not be lewd; that they may look upon a Commodity, and yet not ſteal: and when the Occaſions are by this means made familiar to them, then he puts them on a ſtop further, but by ſuch ſlow motions, that the progreſs is ſcarce diſcerned till they be in the Snare.