The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of Satans ſubtilty, in chooſing inſtruments fit for his turne to carry on his tempting deſign.
THe third particular in which Satan ſhewes his ſubtilty, as a Tempter is in the choice of thoſe inſtruments, whom he uſeth for the carrying on this his deſign, he as the Maſter-workman cuts out the temptation, and gives it the ſhape, but ſometimes he hath his Journeymen to make it up, he knows his work may be carried on better by others, when he appears not aboveboard himſelf. Indeed there is not ſuch a ſuitableneſs between the Angelical nature & mans, as there is between one man & another, and therefore he cannot make his approaches ſo familiarly to us, as man can do to man; and here (as in other things) he is Gods Ape; you know this very reaſon was given, why the Iſraelites deſired God might not ſpeak to them, but Moſes, and God liked the motion;Deut. 18.17. They have well ſaid, ſaith God, I will raiſe up a Prophet from the midſt of them like unto thee. Thus Satan, he uſeth the Miniſtery of men like our ſelves, by which as he becomes more familiar, ſo he is leſſe ſuſpected, while Joab-like, he gets another to do his errand. Now 'tis not any will ſerve his turne for this employment, he is very choice in his inſtruments he pitcheth on; 'tis not every ſouldier is fit for an Ambaſſage to treat with an enemy, to betray a town and the like. Satan conſiders who can do his work to his greateſt advantage; and in this he is unlike God, who is not at all choice in his inſtruments, becauſe he needs none, and is able to do as well with one as another; but Satans power being finite, he muſt patch up the defect of the Lions skin with the Foxes. Now the perſons Satan aimes at for his inſtruments are chiefly of foure ſorts.
Firſt, perſons of place and power. Secondly, perſons of parts and policie. Thirdly, perſons of holineſſe, or at leaſt reputed ſo. Fourthly, perſons of relation and intereſt.
Firſt, Satan makes choice of perſons of place and power. Theſe are either in the Common-wealth or Church, if he can he will ſecure the Throne and the Pulpit, as the two Forts that command the whole line. Firſt, men of power in the Common-wealth, 'tis his old trick to be tampering with ſuch. A Prince, a Ruler may ſtand for a thouſand; therefore ſaith Paul to Elymas, when he would have turned the Deputy from the faith; O full of all ſubtilty, thou child of the devil! Asts 13.8 As if he had ſaid, you have learn't this of your father the devil, to haunt the Courts of Princes, winde into the favour of great ones. There it a double policy Satan hath, in gaining ſuch to his ſide. Firſt, none have ſuch advantage to draw others to their way: corrupt the Captan, and 'tis hard if he bring not off his troop with him.Numb. 16 2, 19. When the Princes, men of renown in their tribes, ſtood up with Corah, preſently a multitude are drawn into the conſpiracy. Let Jeroboam ſet up idolatry, and Iſrael is ſoon in a ſnare; it's ſaid the people willingly walked after his Commandment, Hoſ. 5.11. Secondly, ſhould the ſin ſtay at Court, and the infection go no further, yet the ſin of ſuch a one, (though a good man) may coſt a whole Kingdom dear. 1 Chron. 21.1. Satan ſtood up againſt Iſrael, and provoked David to number the people. He owed Iſrael a ſpite, and he payes them home in their Kings ſin, which drop't in a fearful plague upon their heads. Secondly, ſuch as are in place and office in the Church. No ſuch way to infect the whole town, as to poiſon the Ciſtern at which they draw their water; who ſhall perſwade Ahab that he may go to Ramoth-Gilead and fall? Satan can tell, I will be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of his Prophets, 2 Kings 22.21. How ſhall the profane be hardened in their ſins? let the Preacher ſowe pillows under their elbowes, and cry peace, peace, and it's done. How may the worſhip of God come to be neglected? let Hophni and Phineas be but ſcandalous in their lives, and many both good and bad will abhor the ſacrifice of the Lord.
Secondly, he employeth perſons of parts and policy, if any hath more pregnancy of wit, and depth of reaſon then other, he is the man Satan looks upon for his ſervice: and ſo far he prevails that very few of this rank are found among Chriſts diſciples, Not many wiſe. Indeed, God will not have his Kingdome, either in the heart or in the world, maintained by carnal policy, 'tis a Goſpel-command that we walk in godly ſimplicity, ſine plicis; though the Serpent can ſhrink up into his folds, and appear what he is not, yet it doth not become the Saints to juggle or ſhuffle with God or men; and truly when any of them have made uſe of the Serpents ſubtilty, it hath not followed their hand; Jacob got the bleſſing by a wile, but he might have had it cheaper with plain dealing. Abraham and Sarah both diſſemble to Abimelech, God diſcovers their ſin, and reproves them for it by the mouth of an Heathen. Aſa out of State-policy joynes league with Syria, yea, pawns the veſſels of the Sanctuary, and all for help, and what comes of all this? Herein thou haſt done fooliſhly, ſaith God, from henceforth thou ſhalt have wars. Sinful policy ſhall not long thrive in the Saints hands well, but Satan will not out of his way, he enquires for the ſubtileſt-pated men, a Balaam, Achitoph…l, Haman, Sanballat, men admired for their counſel and deep plots, theſe are for his turne. A wicked cauſe needs a ſmooth Oratour, bad ware a pleaſing Chapman, as in particular, his inſtruments he uſeth to ſeduce and corrupt the mindes of men are commonly ſubtile-pated men, ſuch, that if it were poſſible ſhould deceive the very elect. This made the Apoſtle ſo jealous of the Corinthians, whom he had eſpouſed to Chriſt, leſt as Eve by the Serpent, ſo their minds ſhould be corrupted from the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt. He muſt be a cunning devil indeed, that can draw off the Spouſes love from her beloved, yet there is ſuch a witchery in Satans inſtruments, that many have been brought to flie on the face of thoſe truths and ordinances, yea, Chriſt himſelf to whom they have ſeemed eſpouſed formerly. Now in three particulars this ſort of Satans inſtruments ſhew their Maſters ſubtilty.
Firſt, in aſperſing the good name of the ſincere meſſengers of Chriſt. Satans old trick to raiſe his credit upon the ruined reputation of Chriſts faithful ſervants. Thus he taught Corah, Dathan and Abiram, to charge Moſes and Aaron, Ye take too much upon you, ſeeing all the Congregation is holy; they would make the people believe, that it was the pride of their heart, to claim a monopoly to themſelves,Numb. 16 3, 19 as if none but Aaron and his fraternity were holy enough to offer incenſe, and by this ſubtile practice they ſeduced (for a while) in a manner, the whole Congregation to their ſide. So the lying Prophets (that were Satans Knights of the poſt to Ahab,) fell foul on good Micaiah. Our Saviour himſelf was no better handled by the Phariſees and their Confederates, and Paul the chief of the Apoſtles, his Miniſtery undermined, and his reputation blaſted by falſe teachers, as if he had been ſome weak ſorry Preacher,2. Cor. 10.10. His bodily preſence is weak, ſay they, and his ſpeech contemptible; and is this your admired man?
Secondly, in covering their impoſtures and errours with choice notions and excellent truthes. Arrius himſelf, and other dangerous inſtruments of Satan were too wiſe to ſtuffe their diſcourſes with nothing but heterodoxe matter, precious truths dropt from them with which they ſprinkled their corrupt principles, yet with ſuch Art as ſhould not eaſily be diſcerned. This (as one obſervs) our Saviour warns his diſciples of, when he bids them beware of the leaven of the Phariſees, (that is, of their errours.) But why leaven? for the ſecret mixture of it with the wholeſom bread; you do not make your bread all of leaven, none would then eate it, but crumble a little into a whole batch, which ſowers all: thus Chriſt doth tell the diſciples, that the Phariſees among many truths mixe their errours, and therefore it behoves them to beware, leſt with the truth the errour goes down alſo. Again, leaven is very like the dough, of the ſame grain with it, only differs in age and ſoureneſſe: thus Chriſt intimates the reſemblance of their errours to the truth, ſcraped, as it were, out of the Scriptures, but ſowered with their own falſe gloſſes. This indeed makes it eaſie for Chriſts ſheep to be infected with the ſcab of errour, becauſe that weed which breeds the rot is ſo like the graſſe that nouriſheth them.
Thirdly, their ſubtilty appears in holding forth ſuch principles as are indulgent to the fleſh. This brings in whole ſhoales of ſilly ſoules into their net, the heart of man loves of life to ſhape a Religion according to its own humour, and is eaſie to believe that to be a truth, which favours its own inclination. Now there are three luſts that Satans inſtruments labour to gratifie in their doctrine, Carnal Reaſon, Pride, and ſteſhly Liberty.
Firſt, Carnal reaſon, this is the great idol which the more intelligent part of the world worſhip, making it the very ſtandard of their faith, and from this bitter root have ſprung thoſe Arrian and Socinian hereſies. And truly he that will go no further then reaſon will carry him, may hold out in the plain way of the Moral Law, but when he comes to the depths of the Goſpel, muſt either go back, or be content that faith ſhould help reaſon over.
Secondly, another luſt that Satan cockers, is pride. Man naturally would be a god to himſelf, [though for clambering ſo high he got his fall] and whatever doctrine nouriſheth a good opinion of man in his own eye, this is acceptable to him, and this hath ſpawned another fry of dangerous errours. The Pelagian and ſemi-Pelagian, which ſet nature upon its own legs, and perſwade man he can go alone to Chriſt, or at leaſt with a little external help, of an hand to lead, or argument to excite, without any creating work in the ſoule. O, we cannot conceive how glib ſuch ſtuffe goes down. If one Workman ſhould tell you that your houſe is rotten, and muſt be pull'd down, and all new materials prepared; and another ſhould ſay no ſuch matter, ſuch a beam is good, and ſuch a ſparre may ſtand; a little coſt will ſerve the turne: it were no wonder that you ſhould liſten to him that would put you to leaſt coſt and trouble: the faithful ſervants of Chriſt tell ſinners from the Word, that man in his natural ſtate is corrupt and rotten, that nothing of the old frame will ſerve, and there muſt needs be all new; but in comes an Arminian and blows up the ſinners pride, and tells him he is not ſo weak or wicked as the other repreſents him, if thou wilt thou mayeſt repent and beleeve, or at leaſt by exerting thy natural abilities, oblige God to ſuperadde what thou haſt not. This is the Workman that will pleaſe proud man beſt.
Thirdly, Satan by his inſtruments nouriſheth that deſire of fleſhly liberty, which is in man by nature, who is a ſon of Belial, without yoke; and if he muſt wear any, that will pleaſe beſt, which hath the ſofteſt lining, and pincheth the fleſh leaſt, and therefore when the ſincere teachers of the Word will not abate of the ſtrictneſſe of the command, but preſſe ſincere obedience to it, then come Satans inſtruments and ſay, theſe are hard task-maſters, who will not allow one play-day in a yeare to the Chriſtian, but tie him to continual duty, we'll ſhew you an eaſier way to heaven: Come, ſaith the Papiſt, confeſſe but once a year to the Prieſt, (pay him well for his paines) and be an obedient ſon of the Church, and we'll diſpenſe with all the reſt. Come, ſaith the Familiſt, the Goſpel-Charter allows more liberty then theſe legal Preachers tell you of; they bid you repent and believe, when Chriſt hath done all theſe to your hand. What have you left to do but to nouriſh the fleſh? ſomething ſure is in it, that Impoſtors finde ſuch quick return for their ware, while Truth hangs upon the log; and is it not this? that they are content to afford heaven cheaper to their diſciples, then Chriſt will to his. He that ſells cheapeſt ſhall have moſt cuſtomers, though at laſt beſt will be beſt cheap; Truth with ſelf-denial, a better penny-worth, then errour with all its fleſh-pleaſing.
Thirdly, Satan makes choice of ſuch as have a great name for holineſſe, none to a live bird to draw other birds into the net. But is it poſſible that ſuch ſhould do this work for the devil? yes, ſuch is the policy of Satan, and the frailty of the beſt, that the moſt holy men have been his inſtruments to ſeduce others, Abraham he tempts his wife to lie, Say thou art my Siſter. The old Prophet leads the man of God out of his way, 1 Kings 13. the holineſs of the man, and the reverence of his age, 'tis like, gave authority to his counſel. O how ſhould this make you watchful, whoſe long travel and great progreſſe in the wayes of God have gained you a name of eminency in the Church, what you ſay, do; or hold, becauſe you are file-leading men, and others look more on you: then their way.
Fourthly, Satan chooſeth ſuch, as by relation or affection have deep intereſt in the perſons he would gain. Some will kiſſe the childe for the Nurſes ſake, and like the Preſent for the hand that brings it. 'Tis like David would not have received that from Nabal, which he took from Abigail, and thanks her. Satan ſent the apple by Eves hand to Adam. Delilah doth more with Samſon, then all the Philiſtines bands, Jobs wife brings him the poiſon, Curſe God and die. Some think Satan ſpared her life, when he ſlew his children and ſervants, (though ſhe was alſo within his Commiſſion) as the moſt likely inſtrument, by reaſon of her relation and his affection, to lead him into temptation. Satan employes Peter a diſciple to tempt Chriſt, at another time his friends and kinsfolk. Some Martyrs have confeſt, the hardeſt work they met withal, was to overcome the prayers and tears of their friends and relations. Paul himſelf could not get off this ſnare without heart-breaking: What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart? Acts 21.13.