The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 3 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of Satans ſubtilty to chooſe the moſt advantagious ſeaſons for tempting.
FIrſt, he ſhews his ſubtilty in chooſing the moſt proper and advantagious ſeaſons for tempting. To every thing there is a ſeaſon, Solomon ſaith, Eccl. 3.1. that is, a nick of time, which taken gives facility and ſpeedy diſpatch to a buſineſſe; And therefore the ſame Wiſe man gives this reaſon why man miſcarries ſo frequently, and is diſappointed in his enterprizes, becauſe he knowes not his time, Eccl. 9.11. He comes when the bird is flowen. A hundred ſouldiers at one time may turn a battel, ſave an army, when thouſands will not do at another: Satan knowes when to make his approaches, when (if at any time) he is moſt likely to be entertained. As Chriſt hath the tongue of the learned to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon of counſel and comfort, to a doubting drooping ſoule, ſo Satan ſhews his black Art, and helliſh skill, in ſpeaking words of ſeduction and temptation in ſeaſon, and a word in ſeaſon is a word on its wheels. I ſhall give you a view of his ſubtilty in ſpecial ſeaſons, which he chooſeth to tempt in.
The firſt ſeaſon he takes to tempt in is, when newly converted. No ſooner is this childe of grace, the new creature borne, but this Dragon poures a flood of temptation after it. He learnt the Egyptians but ſome of his own craft, when he taught them that bloody and cruel baptiſme, which they exerciſed upon the Iſraelitiſh babes, in throwing them into the river aſſoon as they were borne. The firſt cry of the new creature, gives all the legions of hell an alarm; they are as much troubled at it, as Herod and Jeruſalem were, when Chriſt was borne; and now they ſit in Councel to take away the life of this new born King. The Apoſtles met with more oppoſition and perſecution in their latter dayes, when endued with larger portions of the Spirit, but with temptations from Satan in their former when young Converts; as you may obſerve in the ſeveral paſſages recorded of them. Satan knew grace within was but weak, and their ſupplies promiſed at the Spirits coming, not landed; and when is an enemy more like to carry the town then in ſuch a low condition? and therefore he tries them all. Indeed the advantages are ſo many, that we may wonder how the young Convert eſcapes with his life; knowledge weak, and ſo ſoon led into an errour, eſpecially in divided times, when many wayes are held forth, one ſaying, Here is Chriſt; another, There is Chriſt, and the Chriſtian ready to think every one means honeſtly, that comes with good words, as a little childe who hath loſt his way to his fathers houſe, is prone to follow any that offer him their conduct. Experience of what he knows little; and if Adam whoſe knowledge ſo perfect, yet was ſoon cheated, (being aſſaulted before he was well warme in his new poſſeſſions,) how much more advantage hath Satan of the new Convert? in whom he findes every grace in ſo great an indiſpoſition to make reſiſtance, both from its own weakneſſe, and the ſtrength of the contrary corruption, (which commonly in ſuch is much unmortified) which makes it act with more difficulty and mixture, as in a fire newly kindled where the ſmoke is more then the flame, or like beer newly tunn'd which runs thick; ſo that though there appear more ſtrength of affection in ſuch, that it works over into a greater abundance of duty then in others, yet with more dregs of carnal paſſions, which Satan knows, and therefore chooſeth to ſtir what he ſees troubled already.
Secondly, when the Saint is beſet with ſome great affliction, This is as ſome blinde lane or ſolitary place, fit for this thief to call for his purſe in. An expert Captain firſt labours to make a breach in the wall, and then falls on inſtorming the City. Satan firſt got power from God to weaken Job in his eſtate, children, health and other comforts he had, and now tempts him to impatience, and what not? he lets Chriſt faſt fourty dayes before he comes, and then he falls to his work; as an army ſtayes till a Caſtle be pinch't for proviſion within, and then ſends a parley, never more likely to be embraced then in ſuch a ſtrait. A temptation comes ſtrong when the way to relief ſeems to lie through the ſin that Satan is wooing to; when one is poor and Satan comes, What wilt ſtarve rather then ſtep over the hedge and ſteal for thy ſupply? this is enough to put fleſh and blood to the ſtand.
Thirdly, when the Chriſtian is about ſome notable enterprize for Gods glory, then Satan will lie like a Serpent in the way, an Adder in the path, that biteth his horſe-heels, ſo that his Rider ſhall fall backward. Thus he ſtood at Joſhua's right hand to reſiſt him. The right hand is the working hand, and his ſtanding there implies his deſire to hinder him in his enterprize. Indeed the devil was never friend to Temple-work, and therefore that work is ſo long a doing. What a handſom excuſe doth he help the Jews unto, The time is not come: Gods time was come,Ezek. 1.2, 6, 8. but not the devils, and therefore he helps them to this poor ſhift, perverting the ſenſe of Providence as if it were not time, becauſe they were ſo poor, whereas they thrive no better becauſe they went no ſooner about the work, as God tells them plainly. Paul and Barnabas had a holy deſign in their thoughts, to go viſit the brethren in every City, and ſtrengthen their faith; the devil knew what a blow this might give to his Kingdome, their viſiting might hinder him in his Circuit, and he ſtirs up an unhappy difference between theſe two holy men, who grow ſo hot that they part in this ſtorme, Acts 15.30. There were two remarkable periods of Chriſts life, his Intrat and Exit, his entrance into his publick Miniſtery at his Baptiſme, and his finiſhing it at his paſſion, and at both we have the devil fiercely encountring him. The more publick thy place, Chriſtian, and the more eminent thy ſervice for God, the more thou muſt look that the devil will have ſome more dangerous deſign or other againſt thee, and therefore if every private ſouldier needs armour againſt Satans bullets of temptation, then the Commanders and Officers, who ſtand in the front of the battel, much more.
Fourthly, when he hath the preſence of ſome object to enforce his temptation. Thus he takes Eve when ſhe is near the tree, and had it in her eye while he ſhould make the motion, that aſſaulting two Ports at once, it might be the harder for her to hinder the landing of his temptation; and if Eves eye did ſo ſoon affect her heart with an inordinate deſire, then much more now is it eaſie for him by the preſence of the object, to excite and actuate that luſt which lies dormant in the heart. As Naomi ſent her daughter to lie at Boaz his feet, knowing well, if he endured her there, there were hope he might take her into his bed at laſt; If the Chriſtian can let the object come ſo near, Satan will promiſe himſelf his ſuit may in time be granted. Therefore it ſhould be our care if we would not yield to the ſin, not to walk by, or ſit at the door of the occaſion; Look not on that beauty with a wandring eye, by which thou wouldeſt not be taken Priſoner; parley not with that in thy thoughts, which thou meaneſt not to let into thy heart; converſation begets affection: ſome by this have been brought to marry thoſe, whom at firſt they thought they could not have liked.
Fifthly, after great manifeſtations of Gods love, then the Tempter comes. Such is the weak conſtitution of grace, that it can neither well bear ſmiles or frowns from God without a ſnare: As one ſaid of our Engliſh Nation, Totam nec pati poteſt libertatem nec ſervitutem; It cannot well bear liberty nor bondage in the height: So neither can the ſoule, if God ſmile and opens himſelf a little familiarly to us, then we are prone to grow high and wanton, if he frown, then we ſink as much in our faith; thus the one like faire weather and warme gleams, bring up the weeds of corruption; and the other, l…ke ſharp froſts, nip and even kill the flowers of grace; the Chriſtian is in danger on both hands, therefore Satan takes this advantage, when the Chriſtian is fluſh of comfort, even as a cheater, who ſtrikes in with ſome young heire, when he hath newly received his rents, and never leaves till he hath eaſed him of his money: thus Satan lies upon the catch, then to inveigle a Saint into one ſin or other, which he knows will ſoon leak out his joy. Had ever any a larger teſtimony from Heaven then Peter? Matth. 16.17. where Chriſt pronounceth him bleſſed, and puts a ſingular honour upon him, making him the Repreſentative for all his Saints. No doubt this favour to Peter, ſtirred up the envious ſpirit the ſooner to fall upon him. If Joſephs party-coloured coat made the Patriarchs to plot againſt him their brother, no wonder malice ſhould prompt Satan to ſhew his ſpite, where Chriſt had ſet ſuch a mark of love and honour; and therefore we finde him ſoon at Peters elbowe, making him his inſtrument to tempt his Maſter, who ſoon eſpied his cloven foot, and rebukes Peter with a Get thee behinde me Satan. He that ſeem'd a Rock even now, through Satans policy, is laid as a ſtone of offence for Chriſt to ſtumble at. So David, when he had received ſuch wonderful mercies, ſetled in his throne with the ruine of his enemies, yea, pardoned for his bloody ſin, now ready to lay down his head with peace in the duſt: Satan chops in to cloud his clear evening, and tempts him to number the people; ſo ambitious is Satan, then chiefly to throw the Saint into the mire of ſin, when his coat is cleaneſt.
Sixthly, at the houre of death, when the Saint is down and proſtrate in his bodily ſtrength, now this coward falls upon him: 'tis the laſt caſt indeed he hath for the game, now or never, overcome him now and ever; as they ſay of the natural ſerpent, Nunquam niſi moriens producitur in longum: he never is ſeen at his length till dying: ſo this myſtical ſerpent never ſtrains his wits and wiles more, then when his time is thus ſhort. The Saint is even ſtepping into eternity, and now he treads upon his heele, which if he cannot trip up ſo as to hinder his arrival in heaven, yet at leaſt to bruiſe it, that he may go with more pain thither.