Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Of Satan's Cunning and Craft in the general. Several Demonſtrations proving Satan to be Deceitful; And of the Reaſons why he makes uſe of his Cunning.
WE have taken a ſurvey of our Adverſaries Strength, and this will open the way to a clearer diſcovery of his Subtilty and Craft, which is his great Engine by which he works all his Tyranny and Cruelty in the World, to the ruine or prejudice of the ſouls of Men;2 Cor. 2. 11. of which the Apoſtle (in 2 Cor. 2. 11.) ſpeaks, as a thing known by the common experience of all diſcerning Perſons; his way is to over-reach and take Advantages, and for this end he uſeth Devices, and Stratagems, which is a thing ſo ordinary with him, that none can be ignorant of the truth of it; We are not ignorant of his Devices.
This (before I come to the particulars) I ſhall prove and illuſtrate in the general, by the gradual procedure of theſe few following Conſiderations.
Firſt, All the Malice, Power, Cruelty, and Diligence of which we have ſpoken, with all the advantages of Multitude, Order and Knowledge, by which theſe cruel Qualifications are heightned. Theſe are but his Furniture and Accompliſhment which fit him for his ſubtile Contrivances of Deluſion, and make him able to deceive, neither hath he any uſe of his Power and Knowledge but in reference to Deceit, in Eph. 6. 11, 12. (which is a place wherein the Apoſtle doth of purpoſe preſent Satan in his way of dealing with Men) his whoſe practice is ſet forth under the term and notion of Arts and Wiles; that you may be able to ſtand againſt the Wiles of the Devil. This is the whole work of Satan, againſt which the furniture of that Spiritual Armour is requiſite; and leſt any ſhould think that his Power or Wickedneſs are other diſtinct things in him, which are to be provided againſt by other means of help, he preſently adds, that theſe are no otherwiſe uſed by him but in order to his Wiles and Cunning, and therefore not to be looked upon as diſtinct, though indeed to be conſidered in conjunction with his Subtilty and Cunning, as things that make his Wiles the more dangerous and hazardous; For we wreſtle not againſt Fleſh and Blood, but againſt Principalities, againſt Powers, againſt the Rulers of the Darkneſs of this World, againſt Spiritual Wickedneſs in high places; which words do but ſtrengthen the Apoſtles Warning and Caution about the forementioned Wiles, which are therefore the more carefully to be obſerved and watched againſt, becauſe his Power is ſo great that he can contrive Snares with the greateſt Skill and Art imaginable; and his Wickedneſs is ſo great, that we cannot expect either Honeſty or Modeſty ſhould reſtrain him from making the vileſt and moſt diſingenuous Propoſals, nor from atteſting a conveniency or goodneſs in his Motions, with the higheſt conſidence of moſt notorious Lying.
Secondly, The Subtilty that the Scriptures do attribute to Sin, or to the Heart, is moſtly and chiefly intended to reflect upon Satan as the Author and Contriver of theſe Deceits. In Heb. 3. 13. there is mention of the deceitfulneſs of Sin, but 'tis evident that ſomething elſe (beſides Sin) is intended, to which Deceitfulneſs muſt be properly aſcribed;Vid. Barlow Exer. Metaph. E…r. 2. for Sin being (as moſt conclude) formally a Privation, or if we ſhould grant it a Poſitive Being, (as ſome contend,) yet ſeeing the higheſt notion we can arrive at this way, (excluding but the figment of Flacius Illiricus, …lac. Script. Tract. 6 p. 4…9.who ſeems to make Original Sin indiſtinct from the very Eſſence of the Soul) is but to call it an Act. Deceitfulneſs cannot be properly attributed to it, but with reference to him who orders that Act in a way of Deceitfulneſs and Deluſion, which ultimately will bring it to Satans door: if here the deceitfulneſs of Sin be devolved upon the Subject, then it runs into the ſame ſenſe with Jer. 17. 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things: But why is the deceitfulneſs fixed upon the Heart? The ground of that we have in the next words, it is deceitful, becauſe it is wicked, deſperately wicked. But who then inflames and ſtirs up the Heart to this Wickedneſs? Is it not Satan? Who then is the proper Author of Deceit but he? 'Tis true indeed, that our Hearts are proper Fountains of Sin, (and ſo may be accuſed poſſibly in ſome caſes where Satan cannot be juſtly blamed;) yet if we conſider Deceitfulneſs as a Companion of every Sin, though our Hearts be to be blamed for the Sin, Satan will be found guilty of the deceitfulneſs. It may be ſaid a Man complyes with thoſe things which are intended for his deluſion, and ſo improperly by his negligence may fall under blame of ſelf-deception, but 'tis unimaginable that he can properly and formally intend to deceive himſelf. Deceit then not being from Sin, nor our ſelves properly, can find out no other Parent for it ſelf than Satan. Beſides this, that theſe Texts, upon a rational Enquiry do charge Satan with the deceitfulneſs of Sin: they do over and above point at the known and conſtant way of Satan, working ſo commonly by Deluſion, that Deceitfulneſs is a cloſe Companion of every Sin. The deceitfulneſs of Sin, is as much as the deceitfulneſs of every ſin. Nay further, that Text of Jer. 17. ſhews this Deceitfulneſs not to be an ordinary Sleight, but the greateſt of all Deceits above meaſure, and of an unſearchable depth or Myſtery, who can know it?
Thirdly, All Acts of Sin (ſome way or other) come thorow Satans Fingers. I do not ſay that all Sin is Satan's proper offſpring, for we have a curſed ſtock of our own; and it may be ſaid of us, (as elſewhere of Satan,) ſometime we ſin out of our own Inclination and Diſpoſition; yet in every Sin, whether it ariſe from us, or the World, Satan blows the ſparks, and manageth all. As David ſaid to the Woman of Tekoah, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? So may we ſay, is not the hand of Satan with thee in every Sin thou committeſt? This is ſo eminently true, that the Scripture indifferently aſcribes the Sin ſometimes to us, ſometimes to the Devil. It was Peter's ſin to tempt Chriſt to decline Suffering, yet Chriſt repelling it with this Rebuke,Matth. 16. 23. Get thee behind me Satan, doth plainly accuſe both Peter and Satan. 'Tis the perſonal ſin of a Man to be angry, yet in ſuch acts he gives place to the Devil, Epheſ. 4. 26.both Man and Satan concur in it.2 Cor. 12. 7. Paul's Thorn in the Fleſh (what ever Sin it was) he calls Satans Meſſenger: he that ſubmits not to God, doth in that comply with Satan;Jam. 4. 7. as on the contrary, he that doth ſubmit himſelf to God, doth reſiſt the Devil.
Neither doth that expreſſion of the Apoſtle, Jam. 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own luſt, &c. give any contradiction to this; 'tis not the Apoſtle's deſign to exclude Satan, but to include Man as juſtly culpable, notwithſtanding Satan's Temptations; and that which he aſſerts is this, that there is Sin and a Temptation truly prevalent when there is the leaſt conſent of our luſt or deſire, and that it is that brings the blame upon us; ſo that his purpoſe is not to excuſe Satan, or to deny him to have a hand in drawing or tempting us on to Sin, but to ſhew that 'tis our own act that makes the Sin to become ours.
Fourthly, Such is the conſtitution of the Soul of Man, that it's ſinning cannot be conceived without ſome Deception or Deluſion:Manton on Jam. 1. 14. for granting that the Soul of Man is made up of Deſires, and that the Soul were nothing elſe, but as it were, one willing or luſting Power diverſified by ſeveral Objects; and that this Power, or theſe Faculties, are depraved by the Fall, and corrupted; and that Man in every action doth conſult with his Deſires; and that they have ſo great an influence upon him, that they are the Law of the Members, and give out their Commands accordingly for Obedience; Yet ſtill theſe three things are firm and unſhaken Principles,
Firſt, That Deſires cannot be ſet upon any Object but as 'tis apprehended (truly or apparently) good: On…e app. tit bonum.'tis incompatible to a rational Soul to deſire evil as evil.
Secondly, The Will doth not reſolvedly embrace any Object, till the light of the Underſtanding hath made out (ſome way or other) the goodneſs or conveniency of the Object.Volentas ſequitur ultimum dictamen intellectus practici.
Thirdly, There is no Man that hath not a competent Light for diſcovery of the goodneſs or evil of an Object preſented. Unregenerate Men have (1.) The Light of Nature. (2.) Some have an additional Light from Scripture diſcovery. (3.) Some have yet more from common Convictions, which beget ſenſible ſtirrings and awful Impreſſions upon them. (4.) To thoſe God ſometimes adds Corrections and Puniſhments, which are of force to make that Light burn more clear, and to ſtir up care and caution in Men for the due entertainment of theſe Notices that God affords them. Regenerate Men have all this Light, and beſides that, they have (1.) The Light of their own Experience, of the vileneſs and odiouſneſs of Sin; they know what an evil and bitter thing it is. Job 42. 6.(2.) They have a more full diſcovery of God, which will make them abhor themſelves in duſt and aſhes. Eſa. 6. 5.(3.) They have the advantage of a new Heart, the Law of the Spirit of Life, making them free from the Law of Sin and Death. (4.) They have alſo the help and aſſiſtance of the Spirit, in its Motions, Suggeſtions and Teachings. (5.) They fortifie themſelves with the ſtrongeſt Reſolutions not to give way to Sin.
Notwithſtanding all theſe, 'Tis too true, that both Regenerate and Unregenerate Men do ſin. The reaſon whereof cannot be given from any other account than what we have aſſerted; to wit, they are ſome way or other deluded or deceived; ſome Curtain is drawn 'twixt them and the Light: ſome Fallacy or other is put upon the Underſtanding ſome way or other; the Will is bribed or byaſſed, there is treachery in the caſe, for 'tis unimaginable that a Man in any act of Sin ſhould offer a plain open and direct violence to his own Nature and Faculties; ſo that the whole buſineſs is here, Evil is preſented under the notion of God; and to make this out, ſome conſiderations of pleaſure or profit do bribe the Will, and give falſe light to the Underſtanding: Hence is it,Jam. 1. 22, 29. foreign. that in every act of Sin, Men (by complyance with Satan) are ſaid to deceive, or to put tricks and fallacies upon themſelves.
Fifthly, All kinds of Subtilty are in Scripture directly charged upon Satan, and in the higheſt degrees. Sometime under the notion of Logical fallacies; thoſe ſleights which Diſputants in arguing put upon their Antagoniſts. Of this import is that expreſſion, 2 Cor. 2. 11. We are not ignorant of his Devices, foreign. Thus Satan (Jud. 9) diſputed, urged Sophiſms about the body of Moſes. foreign.where the word in the Original is borrowed from the Sophiſtical reaſonings of Diſputants. Sometime 'tis expreſſed in the ſimilitude of Political deceits; as the Scripture gives him the title of a Prince, ſo doth it mark out his Policies in the management of his Kingdom, Rev. 12. 7. expreſsly calling them Deceits, and comparing him to a Dragon or Serpent for his ſubtilty. Sometime he is repreſented as a Warriour, Rev. 12. 17. The Dragon was wroth, and went to make War, &c. and here are his Warlike Stratagems pointed at. Mention is made (2 Tim. 2. 26.) of his Snares, foreign.and the taking of Men alive, or Captive, directly alluding to Warlike proceedings. The ſubtile proceedings of Arts and Craft are charged on him and his Inſtruments: Men are ſaid to be enticed, Jam. 1. as Fiſh, or Fowl, by a Bait: Others deluded, as by Cheaters in falſe Gaming,foreign. Eph. 4. 14. By the ſleight of Men, and the cunning craft of thoſe that ly in wait to deceive: The over-reaching of Merchants or crafty Tradeſmen, is alluded to in 2 Cor. 2. 11. All theſe ſleights are in Satan, in their higheſt perfection and accompliſhment: He can transform himſelf into an Angel of Light, foreign dicit qui avaritia vel aliis malis artibus lucra comparat. Beza.2 Cor. 11. 14. where he hath an occaſion for it. In a word, all deceiveableneſs of unrighteouſneſs is in him, 2 Theſſ. 2. 10. So that a general foreign, a dexterity and ability for all kind of ſubtile Contrivances is aſcribed to him, 2 Cor. 11. 3. and that in his very firſt eſſay upon Eve, when the Serpent deceived her thorow ſubtilty; ſo that whatſoever Malice can ſuggeſt, or Wit and Art contrive for Deluſion, or whatſoever Diligence can practiſe, or Cruelty execute, all that muſt be imagined to be in Satan.
Sixthly, All this might be futher proved by Inſtances: What Temptation can be named wherein Satan hath not acted as a Serpent? who can imagine the cunning that Satan uſed with David in the matter of Ʋriah? How eaſily he got him to the roof of the houſe in order to the Object to be preſented to him? How he directs his Eye, wrought upon his Paſſions, ſuggeſted the Thought, contrived the Conveniencies? What Art muſt there be to bring a darkneſs into David's mind, a forgetfulneſs of God's Law, a fearleſneſs of his diſpleaſure, and a neglect of his own danger; ſurely it was no ſmall matter that could blind David's Eye, or beſot his Heart to ſo great a Wickedneſs? But above all Inſtances, let us take into conſideration that of Eve, in the firſt tranſgreſſion, wherein many things may be obſerved: as firſt, That he choſe the Serpent for his Inſtrument, wherein though we are ignorant of the depth of his deſign, yet that he had a deſign in it of ſubtilty, in reference to what he was about to ſuggeſt, is plain from the Text, Now the Serpent was more ſubtile then any Beaſt of the field; it had been needleſs and impertinent to have noted the Serpents ſubtilty as Satans Agent, if he had not choſen it upon that ſcore, as advantageous for his purpoſe. (2.) He ſet upon the weaker Veſſel, the Woman, and yet ſuch (as once gained,) he knew was likely enough to prevail with the Man, which fell out accordingly. (3.) Some think he took the advantage of her Husbands abſence, which is probable, if we conſider that 'tis unlikely, that Adam ſhould not interpoſe in the diſcourſe if he had been preſent. (4.) He took the advantage of the Object. It appears ſhe was within ſight of the Tree, She ſaw that it was good for food, and pleaſant to the Eyes: thus he made the Object plead for him. (5.) He falls not directly upon what he intended, (leſt that ſhould have ſcared her off,) but fetcheth a compaſs and enters upon the buſineſs by an enquiry of the affairs, as if he intended not hurt. (6.) He ſo enquires of the matter, [Hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every tree of the Garden,] as if he made a queſtion of the reality of the Command; and his words were ſo ordered, that they might caſt ſome doubt hereof into her mind. (7.) He under a pretence of aſſerting God's Liberality, ſecretly undermines the threatning, as if he had ſaid, Is it poſſible that ſo bountiful a Creator ſhould deny the liberty of eating of any tree? to what purpoſe was it made, if it might not be taſted? (8.) When he finds that by theſe Arts he had gained a little ground, and brought her to ſome kind of queſtioning of the reality of the threatning, (for ſhe ſeems to extenuate it, in ſaying, leſt we die,) he grows more bold to ſpeak out his mind, and plainly to annihilate the threatning, Ye ſhall not die; this he durſt not do, till he had gained in her mind a wavering ſuſpition, that poſſibly God was not in good earneſt in that prohibition. (9.) Then he begins to urge the conveniency and excellency of the Fruit, by equivocating upon the name of the Tree, which he tells her, could make them knowing as Gods. (10.) He reflects upon God as prohibiting this, out of envy and ill-will to them. (11.) In all this there is not a word of the danger, but impunity and advantage promiſed. (12.) This deadly advice he covers with a pretence of greater kindneſs and care than God had for them. See in this, as in a clear Glaſs, Satan's way of Policy; after this rate he proceeds in all his Temptations.
If any enquire, why ſo mighty and potent a Prince uſeth rather the Fox's Skin than the Lyon's Paw, theſe reaſons may ſatify.
Firſt,Vid. Capel. Temp. p. 27. Will. Paris in Ameſ. Caſ. Conſc. l. 2. c. 19 Goodwin Child. Light p. 47. There is a neceſſity upon him ſo to do: He muſt uſe his craft, becauſe he cannot compel: He muſt have Gods leave before he can overcome: He cannot winnow Peter before he ſue out a Commiſſion, nor deceive Ahab till he get a Licenſe; neither can he prevail againſt us without our own conſent. The Scripture indeed uſeth ſome words that ſignify a force in tempting, as, that he put it into the heart of Judas, filled the heart of Annanias, provoked David, Caryl on Job 1. 14. All are Volunteers, he never conſtrains any, neither can he; the Will is never forced by him, neither can it be.rules in the hearts of the Children of diſobedience, and leads them captive at his will, &c. yet all theſe and the like expreſſions intend no more than this, that he uſeth forcible Importunities, frames ſtrong Deluſions, and joyns ſometime his Power to his Temptations; as ſometime Fowlers ſhew themſelves to the Birds they intend to enſnare, that ſo they may be affrighted into an awe and amazement to give a better opportunity to ſpread their Nets over them.
Secondly, If he could compel, yet his way of craft and ſubtilty is generally the moſt prevalent and ſucceſsful. Force ſtirs up an oppoſition, it uſually alarms to caution and avoidance, and frights to an utter averſneſs in any deſign; ſo that where Force ſhould gain its thouſands, Subtilty will gain its ten thouſands.
Thirdly, His Strength is not uſeleſs to him: For beſides, that it enables him to deceive with higher advantage than otherwiſe he could do, (as hath been ſaid,) he hath times and occaſions to ſhew his Strength and Cruelty, when his cunning hath prevailed ſo far as to give him poſſeſſion. What was ſaid of Pope Boniface, that he entred like a Fox, and ruled like a Lion, may be applyed to him, he inſinuates himſelf by ſubtilty as a Fox or Serpent, and then rules with rigour as a Lion.