The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 9-11, Treatise 3 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Encouragement for a Saint at that time when God lets the Devil out upon him. 1 The Devil was more upon thee, when thou wert less sensible of him. 2 God hath good ends in it. 3 Consider that Christ himself was tempted, for two Ends: First, That he might be a merciful High-Priest. Secondly, That he might take out the venom of temptation. 4 Consider Christ prayeth for the tempted. 5 Christ hath broke the Serpents head. 6 Consider the Promises that temptation shall not prevail. 7 Think not to overcome Satan by Reason. 8 The power of sin is a greater evil than the strongest temptation. 9 Walk by Faith in the stirrings of corruptions.
KNow therefore further for the help of thy Faith in this: Let not thy heart despond; though the Lord let out the Devil upon thee, yet walk by Faith in that condition: For,
1 First, At such a time when thou wert not apprehensive nor sensible of Satan, then he was worse upon thee, than he is now, though thou hadst not those horrid temptations that now thou hast, yet he had more power over thee then, than now; and therefore thou hast no cause to be discouraged in this.
2 Lay this up as a help of thy Faith, That God hath very good ends why he doth exercise his dearest Servants even with such a heavy affliction as this is, The strong temptations of Satan: Satan in this case is like unto the Shepheards Dog; the Shepheard sets his Dog to worry the Sheep a little, but it is to bring the sheep in, and not to kill them, for he cals it off when he pleases: So Satan is as it were the Dog that God, the great Shepheard, doth …end somtimes to worry the Sheep, but so as he cals him off when he pleases, it is but to bring those that are wandring out into the Fold: And as tempests and storms cleer the Air, even so hideous and terrible temptations will cleer the soul; the soul comes to cleer up after them, you come to know your hearts a great deal better than before.
3 Further, Know that Christ himself was tempted: If you read but the story of Christs temptations in the 4. of Matthew, it is a story of excellent use, and a mighty encouragement for the exercise of Faith in the time of Temptation. Even the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God did not escape it, but the Devil had so much power even to carry his Body up and down, and to set it upon the Pinacle of the Temple, and tempt him to as hideous things as you are tempted too: he tempted him even to the greatest Idolatry that ever was, To fall down and worship him; to the most fearful Blasphemy, To cast off God his Father, and to acknowledg even the Devil himself to be a god unto him. All these were from these Two Ends: Either,
First, That Christ might be a merciful High-Priest: as that he might be sensible of your temptations, he being tempted so himself; Christ knows what it is to be tempted by the Devil, therefore in Heb. 4. 13. We have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin: it's true, the temptation did not prevail in him to sin, yet he was tempted likewise in all things; there's no temptation more hideous and blasphemous that Satan doth tempt us withal, than he tempted Christ himself; and this was, That he might be a merciful High-Priest, and that he might be touched with our Infirmities.
Secondly, Yea, and not only so, but you are to look upon the Temptations of Satan as part of his Humiliation, part of his Sufferings that is meritorious, as that which takes out the sting and evil of all temptations; the venom of the temptation is taken out by Christs being willing to subject himself unto temptations; as the sting and venom of death, is taken out by Christs subjecting himself unto death; so the sting and venom of temptations is taken out by Christs subjecting himself unto them.
4 And yet further, We find that Christ prayes for his People; that they may not be overcome with temptations: Thou must walk by Faith in the time of temptation, that is, not only act thy Faith upon Christs temptations, for to take out the sting and venom of it, but act thy Faith upon Christs Prayer: That Prayer that Christ prayed for Peter, surely he made it for you too; you may as well apply that Prayer for Peter, as Paul in the Hebrews applies the Promise that was made to Joshua: In Luke, 22. 31, 32. Christ tels Peter that Satan had desire to winnow him as Wheat; but Christ prayed that his Faith might not fail; and observe, The main thing that is to be exercised in the time of temptation is Faith, if Faith doth not fail, the soul is well enough; and Christ praies for this: Now you know what Christ saith, That his Father doth hear him alwaies. In time of temptation it's best to pray much rather than to reason with temptations, and make use of the prayer of Jesus Christ: Oh blessed God, did not thy Son when he was in the daies of his Flesh, pray for one of his Members, that when Satan would sift and winnow him, that his Faith might not fail; Oh Lord let me have the fruit and benefit of this Prayer: this is that which I act my Faith upon.
Again, The stirring up Faith is the special help against temptations; in 1 Pet. 5. 9. you shall see there, that the way against temptations is not for the soul to sink down in a sullen and discontented way to have horror and trouble to overwhelm it, but to stir up an act of Faith; in verse 8. he saith, That our Adversary the Devil like a roaring Lyon walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom resist STEADFAST in the Faith: It is the work of Faithforeign, stiff, solid, setled. that is the great help in resisting the strength of temptations; 'tis not so much to stand reasoning the case, Oh this temptation is a hideous thing, and I hope I shall never yield unto it; no, but exercise Faith, and this Shield of Faith will quench the fiery darts of the Devil, Ephes. 6. 16. Faith is not only a Shield to keep off the fiery darts, but to quench them.
5 Besides, Know for the help of thy Faith in time of temptation, That Christ hath broke the Serpents head already, he hath broke it for thee, according to that Promise, The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head: The Serpent can but nibble at thy heel, his head is broke, his strength is over-power'd; and the conquest that Christ hath over the Devil we find set out in Coloss. 2. 14, 15. and Heb. 2. 14, 15. In Col. 2. it's said, And having spoiled Principalities and Powers, be made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it; that is, in his Cross, He hath spoyled Principalities and Powers: by Principalities and Powers, must be meant, the Angels of Darkness, the Devils, he hath spoiled them; when he was upon the Cross, he took away their power, and spoiled them, and triumphed over them: so that they should never be able to mischief his Saints walk by Faith in temptations by exercising of it upon this expression of Christ. And the other Scripture in Heb. 2. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the Devil: And deliver them who through fear of death, were all their life time subject to bondage: Here's a most sweet and excellent Scripture to exercise Faith upon in time of temptation; Christ through death, hath destroyed him that hath the Power of death, that is, the Devil; the Devil comes with hideous temptations, and tels thee thou shalt die and perish, and makes thee apprehend death in a very terrible manner: Christ hath destroyed him, to deliver thee who through the fear of death wert all thy life time subject to bondage: It may be through the strength of temptation, all thy daies thou hast been in bondage; now this was one end why Christ died, that he might destroy the Devil that hath so much power in death, to afflict the soul with the dreadful apprehensions of it.
6 And then likewise, Know there are many excellent and sweet Promises that we have in Scripture, that temptation shall not prevail; and the way to help against that is to turn to those Scriptures, and to work thy Faith upon them; as I'le name some, 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to men; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bean it: Here's as full an expression as our hearts can desire; But God will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, but will with the temptation also make a way …o escape: Plead this Promise with God in Prayer, act thy Faith upon this Promise, challenge this Promise in the time of temptation, and this is the way for to be delivered from the strength of temptation: And in Rom. 16. 20. The God of Peace shall tread down Satan under your feet shortly: The God of Peace; observe, it's not only a Promise that Satan shall be trodden down, but God shall tread him down as a God of Peace: And mark the issue of the acting of Faith upon such Promises as these: In Rom. 8. 38, 39. you know what the Triumph of the Apostle was, That he was perswaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other Creature should ever separate him from the Love of God; not the chief of all the Devils: And his soul triumphs in this.
7 Yea further, For the help of thy Faith, be sure to remember this Rule, That if you think to overcome Temptations by reasoning, the Devil will be too hard for you, for he is the old Serpent, very full of Skill, Knowledg, and great experience that he hath had for these six thousand years; Oh there are Wiles of Satan, and Depths of Satan, he hath more Natural strength in Understanding, and a deeper reach in things, than all the men in the world have; though he be fallen, yet he hath not lost all the Natural Understanding that he had when God made him, and therefore thou being a poor weak Beleever, thou canst not be able to stand against him by Reasoning no more than against the most cunning Cheater that ever liv'd in the world.
8 Yea, Let me tell you by way of Encouragement for the acting of your Faith in the time of Temptation, That it is not such a heavy condition for the Lord to let the Devil out upon one in the most strongest and terriblest Temptation, as for the Devil to have power to draw to any sin; or the power of sin that God leaves any man unto, is a greater evil than the strongest temptation that ever befel any in the world; for the Devil though he be strong, yet he is not able to force any man to sin: To be given up therefore to the power of any one sin, is a heavier Judgment than to be given up to the most strongest temptation of the Devil.
Object. But you will say, It may be that's my case: may a poor afflicted soul say, Oh! me thinks I feel corruption to be exceeding strong in me.
Answ. For the Answer to that, The opposition of thy soul, when it is not only thy Conscience, but thy Will and Affections against sin: Corruptions stirs in thee, but thou canst appeal to God, not only because Conscience puts thee upon it, but thou findest thy very heart, thy Will and Affections opposing this: This is a greater good, than the other is an evil, and therefore thou shouldest not be discouraged.
Again Secondly, Walk by Faith even in the stirrings of corruption, for the Lord hath made a gracious Promise, that sin shall not have dominion over you, in Rom. 6. 14. Oh plead that Promise with God, put that Bond in suit, and act your Faith upon that Promise; Oh Lord, sin stirs forth in me, and I am afraid lest it should prevail: But hast not thou said Lord, it shall not have dominion over me?
9 Further, For the help of thy Faith, even in the time of the stirrings of corruption, take that Scripture in Rom. 5. 6. the Lord is there said to be merciful even to the ungodly in a way of Justification, for so he speaks of that, For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly: Though there be much ungodliness, yet Christ is propounded as dying for the ungodly, therefore if one that is ungodly can act Faith upon the death of Christ, I mean, hath seen much ungodliness prevailing in him, but now can act Faith upon such a Promise as that is, That Christ died for the ungodly, there may be walking by Faith, though there be much corruption prevailing.
And know, That thou having to deal with God in the way of a Covenant of Grace; there may be many Imperfections, and much Corruption may stand with the Covenant of Grace; though it's true, to live under the power of any known sin cannot stand with the Covenant, yet much stirring of corruptions, and many times prevailing of corruptions may stand with the Covenant: We know if a Usurper come and seek to have Dominion over a Country that doth not belong to him, so long as there is opposition that he cannot get upon the Throne to make Laws, and to cause the men to lay down their weapons, he hath no dominion there; but when he gets the power so as to sit upon the Throne, and men cast down their Weapons and come and submit to his Laws, he hath Dominion: And so sin shall never have Dominion over the Saints.
Lastly, Do thou act thy Faith even in this case upon the Attributes of God, as I hinted before in the General, when I treated about acting of Faith when God is out of sight; so when corruption prevails, do thou look up to God, as a God gracious, and merciful, and pitiful towards his poor sick children: And suppose that thou hadst a child that were got into an inward room, and had shut the door, and there wringing of his hands and making his moan, Oh that he can love his Father and Mother no more; Oh then how would thy bowels yern towards him, though indeed there be much untowardness in the child: I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, saith God: If thou when thou art alone doest bemoan thy self that thou hast such a disobedient heart, that thou canst love, and fear, and obey God no more; surely thou hast to deal with a Father that will spare his, as a Father spareth his only Son that serveth him, and therefore walk by Faith notwithstanding such corruptions that do much trouble thee, and many times prevail upon thee.