The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 3 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Wherein this Point of Satans ſubtilty, as a Tempter to ſin, is briefly applied.
Ʋſe 1 Firſt, affect not ſinful policy and ſubtilty, it makes you but like the devil. There is the wiſdom of the Serpent, which is commended, and that is his perfection as a creature, in which both the literal and the myſtical excel, the one in an ingenious obſerving nature above the beaſts of the field, and the other in knowledge as an Angel above men; but as the ſubtilty of the one, and knowledge of the other is degenerate, and makes them more able to do miſchief, the one to the bodies, the other to the ſoules of men, this kinde of wiſdom and ſubtilty is to be abhorred by us: The Serpents eye (as one ſaith) does well only in the Doves head.
Firſt, affect not ſubtilty in contriving any ſin. Some are wiſe to do evil, Jer. 4.22. Maſters of this craft, who can as they lie on their beds, caſt their wicked deſignes into an artificial method, ſhewing a kinde of devilliſh wit therein, as the Egyptians who dealt wiſely (as they thought) with the Iſraelites and Jezabel, who had printed her bloody deſign in ſo faire a letter, that ſome might reade her Saint while ſhe was playing the devil. This is the black Art indeed, and will make the ſoul black as hell that practiſeth it. It is not hard for any (though a fool) to learn. Be but wicked, and the devil will help thee to be witty; Come but a while to his ſchool, and thou mayeſt ſoon be a cunning man. No ſins ſpeak a higher attainment in wickedneſſe, then thoſe which are the reſult of deliberate counſel and deep plottings. Creatures, as they go longer with their young, ſo their birth is more ſtrong and perfect, as the Elephant above all others. The longer a ſin is a forming and forging within, and the oftner the head and heart meet about it, the compleater the ſinne. Here are many litters of unform'd ſins in one, ſuch I mean, that are conceived and caſt forth in the hurry of an extemporary paſſion, ſuch ſudden acts ſhew weakneſſe, theſe other deep wickedneſſe.
Secondly, take heed of hiding ſin when thou haſt committed it. This is one of the devices that are in mans heart, and as much Art and cunning is ſhewen in this, as in any one part of the ſinners trade. What a trick had the Patriarchs to blinde their fathers eye with a bloody coat? Joſephs Miſtreſſe to prevent a charge from Ioſeph, accuſeth him for what ſhe is guilty, like the Robber who ſcap't by crying Stop the Thief. God taught man to make coats to cover his naked body, but the devil learnt him to weave theſe coverings to hide the nakedneſſe of his ſoule; the more ſubtile thou ſeemeſt in concealing thy ſin, the more egregiouſly thou playeſt the fool. None ſo ſham'd as the liar when found out, and that thou art ſure to be. Thy covering is too ſhort to hide thee from Gods eye, and what God ſees, (if thou doeſt not put thy ſelf to ſhame) he will tell all the world of hereafter) however thou eſcapeſt in this life.
Thirdly, take heed of ſubtilty and ſinful policy, in compaſſing that which is lawful in it ſelfe; 'tis lawful to improve thy eſtate and husband it well for thy poſterity, but take not the divels counſel, who will be putting thee upon ſome tricks in thy trade and ſlights in thy dealing; ſuch may go for wiſe men a while, but the Prophet reads their deſtiny, Ier. 17.11. At his end he ſhall be a fool. 'Tis lawful to love our eſtate, life, liberty, but beware of ſinful policy to ſave them. 'Tis no wiſdome to ſhuffle with God, by denying his truth, or ſhifting of our duty to keepe correſpondence with men; he is a weak fencer that layes his ſoule at open guard to be ſtabbed and wounded with guilt, while he is lifting up his hands to ſave a broken head, Our fear commonly meets us at that door by which we think to run from it. He that will ſave his life ſhall loſe it As you love your peace, Chriſtians, be plain-hearted with God and man, and keep the Kings high-way; go the plain way of the command to obtain thy deſire, and not leap over hedge and ditch to come a little ſooner to the journeys end; ſuch commonly either meet with ſome ſtop that makes them come back with ſhame, or elſe put to venture their necks in ſome deſperate leap. He is ſure to come ſafer (if not ſooner) home, that is willing to go a little about to keep God company. The Hiſtorians obſervation is worth the Chriſtians remembrance: Conſilia callida primâ ſpecie laeta, tractatu dura, eventu triſtia, Livius. Crafty counſels promiſe faire at firſt, but prove more difficult in the managing, and in the end do pay the undertaker home with deſperate ſorrow.
Ʋſe 2 Is Satan ſo ſubtile? O then think not to be too cunning for the devil, he'll be too hard for thee at laſt, ſin not with thoughts of an after-repentance; it is poſſible thou meaneſt this at preſent: but doeſt thou think who ſits down to play with this cheater, to draw out thy ſtock when thou pleaſeſt? alas, poor wretch, he has a thouſand devices to carry thee on, and engage thee deeper, 'till he hath not left thee any tenderneſſe in thy conſcience. As ſome have been ſerved at play, intending only to venture a ſhilling or two, yet have by the ſecret witchery in gaming, played the very cloathes off their back before they had done; O how many have thus ſinned away all their principles, yea, Profeſſion it ſelf, that they have not ſo much as this cloak left, but walk naked to their ſhame? Like children, who got into a boat, think to play near the ſhore, but are unawares by a violent guſt carried down to the wide ſea. O how know you that dallie with Satan, but that at laſt you may (who begin modeſtly) be carried down to the broad ſea of prophaneneſſe? Some men are ſo ſubtile to over-reach, and ſo cruel when they get men into their hands, that a man had better beg his bread then borrow of them. Such a Merchant is Satan cunning to inſinuate, and get the creature into his books, and when he hath him on the hip, no more mercy to be had at his hand, then the Lambe may expect from the ravenous Wolfe.
Ʋſe 3 Study the wiles, and acquaint thy ſelf with Satans policy. Paul takes it for granted, that every Saint doth in ſome meaſure underſtand them; We are not ignorant of his devices, 2 Cor. 2.11. He is but an ill fencer that knows and obſerves nothing of his emies play; many particular ſtratagems I have laid down already, which may help a little, and for thy direction in this ſtudy of, and enquiry into Satans wiles, take this threefold counſel.
Firſt, take God into thy counſel. Heaven over-looks hell. God at any time can tell thee, what plots are hatching there againſt thee. Conſider Satan as he is Gods creature, ſo God cannot but know him. He that makes the Watch, knowes every pin in it. He formed this crooked Serpent, though not the crookedneſſe of this Serpent, and though Satans way in tempting is as wonderful as the way of a Serpent on a rock, yet God traceth him; yea, knowes all his thoughts together. Hell it ſelf is naked before him, and this deſtroyer hath no covering. Again, conſider him as Gods Priſoner, who hath him faſt in chaines, and ſo the Lord, who is his Keeper, muſt needs know whither his Priſoner goes, who cannot ſtir without his leave. Laſtly, conſider him as his meſſenger, for ſo he is, An evil ſpirit from the Lord vexed Saul, and he that gives him his errand, is able to tell thee what it is. Go then and plough with Gods heifer, improve thy intereſt in Chriſt, who knows what his Father knows, and is ready to reveal all that concernes thee to thee, Joh. 15.15. It was he who deſcried the devil coming againſt Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles, and faithfully revealed it to them, Luke 22. before they thought of any ſuch matter. Through Chriſts hands paſſe all that is tranſacted in heaven and hell. We live in dayes of great actions, deep counſels, and plots on all ſides, and only a few that ſtand on the upper end of the world know theſe myſteries of State, all the reſt know little more then Pamphlet-Intelligence: Thus it is in regard of thoſe plots which Satan in his infernal Conclave is laying againſt the ſoules of men, they are but a few that know any thing to purpoſe of Satans deſignes againſt them; and thoſe are the Saints from whom God cannot hide his own counſels of love, but ſends his Spirit to reveal unto them here, what he hath prepared for them in heaven, 1 Cor. 2.10. and therefore much leſſe will he conceal any deſtructive plot of Satan from them.
Be intimately acquainted with thy own heart, and thou wilt the better know his deſign againſt thee, who takes his method of tempting, from the inclination and poſture of thy heart. As a General walks about the City, and viewes it well, and then raiſeth his Batteries, where he hath the greateſt advantage: So doth Satan compaſſe, and conſider the Chriſtian in every part before he tempts.
Laſtly, be careful to reade the Word of God with obſervation. In it thou haſt the Hiſtory of the moſt remarkable battels that have been fought by the moſt eminent Worthies in Chriſts Army of Saints, with this great Warriour Satan; Here thou mayeſt ſee how Satan hath foiled them, and how they have recovered their loſt ground. Here you have his Cabinet-counſels opened, there is not a luſt which you are in danger of, but you have it deſcried, not a temptation which the Word doth not arme you againſt. It is reported that a certain Jew ſhould have poiſoned Luther, but was happily prevented by his picture which was ſent to Luther, with a warning from a faithful friend, that he ſhould take heed of ſuch a man when he ſaw him, by which he knew the Murderer, and eſcaped his hands. The Word ſhewes thee, O Chriſtian, the face of thoſe luſts, which Satan employes to butcher thy precious ſoule; By them is thy ſervant warned, ſaith David, Pſal. 19.11.