Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Of Satan's maintaining his Poſſeſſion. His firſt Engine for that purpoſe, is his finiſhing of Sin, in its reiteration and aggravation. His Policies herein.
HAving explained the five ways by which Satan through the power of Luſt cauſeth blindneſs of Mind in tempting to Sin, I ſhall next lay open Satan's Devices for the keeping and maintaining his Poſſeſſion, which are theſe:
Firſt, He endeavours (after he hath prevailed with any Man to commit an Iniquity) to finiſh Sin, Jam. 1. 15. After 'tis conceived and brought forth, then 'tis finiſhed; which notes its growth and increaſe. This compriſeth theſe two things, its Reiteration, and its Aggravation.
Firſt, Its Reiteration, is when by frequent acts it is ſtrengthned, and confirmed into an habit. There are various ſteps by which Men aſcend into the ſeat of the Scornful, Nemo repent… turpiſſimus, 'Tis not one act that doth denominate Men wiſe to do evil. In Pſal. 1. David ſhews there are gradations and degrees of Sin, ſome walk in the counſel of the Ʋngodly; ſome by progreſs and continuance of Sin ſtand in the way of Sinners; ſome by a hardneſs of Heart and fixedneſs in wicked Purpoſes, ſit in the ſeat of the Scornful. To this height doth he labour to bring his Proſelytes, yet he further deſigns,
Secondly, That Sin may have its utmoſt accompliſhments in all the aggravations whereof it may be capable. He ſtrives to put Men upon ſuch a courſe of ſinning as may be moſt ſcandalous to the Goſpel, moſt enſnaring and offenſive to others, moſt hardning and deſperate to our ſelves, moſt offenſive and provoking to God; in this he imitates the counſel of Ahitophel to Abſalom, when he adviſed him to go in unto his Fathers Concubines in the ſight of all Iſrael, that ſo the breach betwixt him and his Father might be widned to an impoſſibility of reconciliation. Thus he labours that Sinners ſhould act at ſuch a rate of open defiance againſt Heaven, as if they reſolved to ly down in their iniquity, and were purpoſed never to think of returning and making up their peace with God. That Sin may be finiſhed in both theſe reſpects, he uſeth theſe Policies;
Firſt, After Sin is once committed, he renews his Motions and Sollicitations to act it again, and then again, and ſo onward till they be perfect and habituated to it. In this caſe he acts over again the former method by which he firſt enſnared them, only with ſuch alterations as the preſent caſe doth neceſſitate him unto; before he urged for the committing of it but once, (how little is he to be truſted in theſe promiſes,) now he urgeth them by the very act they have already done, Is it not a pleaſant or profitable ſin to thy very experience? haſt thou not taſted and ſeen? haſt thou not already conſented? taſte and try again, and yet further, withdraw not thy hand. A little Temptation ſerved before, but a leſs ſerves now; for by yielding to the firſt Temptation, our hearts are ſecretly enclined to the Sin, and we carry a greater affection to it than before: for this is the ſtain and defilement of Sin, that when once committed, it leaves impreſſions of delight and love behind, which are ſtill the more augmented by a further progreſs and frequent commiſſion, till at laſt by a ſtrong power of faſcination it bewitches Men that they cannot forbear; all the entreaties of Friends, all their own Promiſes, all their Reſolves and Purpoſes, though never ſo ſtrong and ſerious (except God ſtrike in to reſcue by an omnipotent hand) can no more reſtrain them than fetters of Straw can hold a Giant. God himſelf owns it as a natural impoſſibility, Can the Ethiopian change his skin? no more can ye do good; and the reaſon of that impoſſibility is from hence, that they are accuſtomed to do evil. Such ſtrong and powerful inclinations to the ſame ſin again are begot in us by a ſin already committed, that ſometime one act of ſin fills ſome Men with as vehement and paſſionate deſires for a further enjoyment, as cuſtom and continuance doth others. Auſtin reports that Alipius when once he gave way to the Temptation of beholding the Gladiators, was bewitched with ſuch a delight, that he not only deſired to come again with others, but alſo before others. Neither is it any great wonder it ſhould be ſo, when (beſides the Inclinations that are begot in us by any act of Sin ro recommit it) Sin puts us out of God's protection, debilitates and weakens our Graces, ſtrengthens Satan's Arm, and often procures him further power and commiſſion againſt us.
Secondly, Satan endeavours to make one Sin an engagement to another, and to force Men to draw Iniquity with cords of Vanity. Agur notes a concatenation in Sins,Prov. 30. 9. leſt I ſteal and take the Name of God in vain. Adam ſinning in the forbidden Fruit, and proclaimed guilty by his Conſcience, runs into another ſin for the excuſe of the former, the Woman that thou gaveſt me, &c. David affords a ſad inſtance of this, the ſin with Bathſheba being committed, and ſhe with Child upon it, David to hide the ſhame of his offence (1) Hypocritically pretends great kindneſs to Ʋriah. (2.) When that ſerved not, next he makes him drunk, and it may be he involved many others in that ſin as Acceſſories. (3.) When this courſe failed, his heart conceives a purpoſe and reſolution to murther him. (4.) He cruelly makes him the Meſſenger of his own deſtruction. (5.) He engageth Joab in it. (6.) And the death of many of his Souldiers. (7.) By this puts the whole Army upon an hazard. (8.) Excuſeth the bloody contrivance, by Providence. (9.) In all uſing ſtill the height of diſſimulation. Satan knows how natural it is for Men to hide the ſhame of their iniquity, and accordingly provides occaſions, and provocations to drive them on to a kind of neceſſity.
Thirdly, By a perverſe repreſentation of the ſtate of godly and wicked Men, he draws on Sin to an higher compleatment. How often doth he ſet before us the Miſery, Affliction, Contempt, Croſſes, and Sadneſſes of the one, and the Jollity, Delights, Plenty, Peace, Honours, and Power of the other? It was a Temptation that had almoſt brought David to an Atheiſtical reſolve againſt all religious duty, and that which he obſerved had prevailed altogether with many Profeſſors, Pſal. 73. When they obſerved they were not in trouble like other Men, and that their Mouth and Tongue had been inſolent againſt God, without any rebuke or check from him; when in the mean time, the Godly were plagued all the day, and chaſtned every morning: ſome (that were in profeſſion, or eſtimation at leaſt, God's People) returned to take up theſe thoughts, and to reſolve upon ſuch practices, verſ. 10. as if God who ſets all theſe with ſo much ſilence, muſt be ſuppoſed knowingly to give ſome countenance to ſuch actions. This indeed (when 'tis proſecuted upon our hearts in its full ſtrength with thoſe ugly ſurmiſes, jealouſies, and miſapprehenſions that are wont to accompany it) is a ſad ſtep to a deſperate neglect of duty and a careleſneſs in ſinning, in that it inſenſibly introduceth Atheiſtical impreſſions upon the hearts of Men, and ſuch are apt to catch hold, even upon good Men, who are but too ready to ſay, as David, I have cleanſed my hands in vain.
Fourthly, Satan hath yet another piece of Policy for the multiplication and aggravation of Sin, which is the enmity and oppoſition of the Law. Of this the Apoſtle Paul ſadly complains from his own experience, Rom. 7. 8. Sin taking occaſion by the Commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiſcence. What he laments is this, that ſuch is the perverſneſs of our natures, that the Law inſtead of reſtraining us doth the more enrage us, ſo that accidentally the Law doth multiply Sin: for when the reſtraint of the Law is before us, Luſt burns not only more inwardly, but when it cannot be kept in and ſmothered, then it breaks out with greater violence, Let us break their bonds aſunder, &c. When the Law condemns our Luſts, they grow ſurly and deſperate, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die, &c. If any wonder that the Law (which was given of purpoſe to repreſs Sin, and which is of ſo great uſe in its authority to kill it in us, and to hinder Temptations,) ſhould thus be uſed by Satan to encreaſe and enrage it, they may conſider that 'tis but ſtill an accidental occaſion, and not a cauſe, and Sin takes this occaſion without any fault of the Law. Satan to this end†As Abſalom his ſervants watched when Amnon's heart was merry with Wine. watcheth the time when our hearts are moſt earneſtly ſet upon our Luſts, when our deſires are moſt highly engaged, and then by a ſubtile Art ſo oppoſeth the Law (letting in it's contradictions in way and meaſure ſutable) that our hearts conceive a grudge at reſtraint, which together with its earneſtneſs to ſatisfy the Fleſh, ariſeth up to a furious madneſs, and violent ſtriving to maintain a liberty and freedom to do according to the deſires of their heart; whereas this ſame Law, if it be applyed to the heart when 'tis more cooled and not ſo highly engaged upon a deſign of Luſt, will break, terrify, and reſtrain the heart, and put ſuch a damp upon Temptations that they ſhall not be able to ſtand before it. So great a difference is there in the various ſeaſons of the application of this Law; in which Art, for the enflaming of the heart to iniquity, Satan ſhews a wonderful dexterity.