The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 3 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. An Account is given, how the All-wiſe God doth out-wit the devil in his tempting of Saints to ſin, wherein are laid down the ends Satan propounds, and how he is prevented in them all, with the gracious iſſue that God puts to theſe his temptations.
Queſt. But how doth God defeat Satan, and out-wit his wiles in tempting his Saints?
Anſw. This God doth by accompliſhing his own gracious ends for the good and comfort of his people out of thoſe temptations from which Satan deſignes their ruine, this is the nobleſt kinde of Conqueſt, to beat back the devils weapon to the wounding of his own head, yea, to cut it off with the devils own ſword; thus God ſets the devil to catch the devil, and layes, as it were, his own counſels under Satans wings, and makes him hatch them. Thus the Patriarchs help't to fulfil Joſephs dream, while they are thinking to rid their hands of him. To inſtance in a few particulars.
SECT. I.
Firſt, Satan by his temptations aimes at the defiling of the Chriſtians conſcience, and disfiguring that beautiful face of Gods image, which is engraven with holineſſe in the Chriſtians boſome, he is an unclean ſpirit himſelf, and would have them ſuch, that he might glory in their ſhame; but God out-wits him, for he turneth the temptations of Satan to ſin, to the purging them from ſinne; they are the black ſoap with which God waſheth his Saints white.
Firſt, God uſeth the temptations of Satan to one ſin, as a preventive againſt another; to Pauls thorn in the fleſh to prevent his pride. God ſends Satan to aſſault Paul on that ſide where he is ſtrong, that in the mean time he may fortifie him where he is weak. Thus Satan is befool'd, as ſometimes we ſee an army ſitting down before a town, where it waſts its ſtrength to no purpoſe, and in the mean time gives the enemy an advantage to recruit; and all this by the counſel of ſome Huſhai, that is a ſecret friend to the contrary ſide: God, who is the Saints true friend, ſits in the devils Councel, and over-rules proceedings there to the Saints advantage; He ſuffers the devil to annoy the Chriſtian with temptations to blaſphemy, atheiſme, and by theſe, together with the troubles of ſpirit they produce; the ſoule is driven to duty, is humbled in the ſenſe of theſe horrid apparitions in its imagination, and ſecured from abundance of formality and pride, which otherwiſe God ſaw invading him. As in a family, ſome buſineſſe falls out, which keeps the Maſter up later then ordinary, and by this the thief, who that night intended to rob him, is diſappointed; had not ſuch a ſoule had his ſpirit of prayer and diligence kept awake by thoſe afflicting temptations, 'tis likely Satan might have come as a ſeducer, and taken him napping in ſecurity.
Secondly, God purgeth out the very ſin Satan tempts to, even by his tempting. Peter never had ſuch a conqueſt over his ſelf-confidence, never ſuch an eſtabliſhment of his faith, as after his foule fall in the High Prieſts hall. He that was ſo well perſwaded of himſelf before, as to ſay, Though all were offended with Chriſt, yet would not he, how modeſt and humble was he in a few dayes become,Joh. 21.15. when he durſt not ſay he loved Chriſt more then his fellow-brethren, to whom before he had preferr'd himſelf? what an undaunted Confeſſour of Chriſt and his Goſpel doth he prove before Councels and Rulers, who even now was daſh't out of countenance by a filly maid? and all this the product of Satans temptation ſanctified unto him. Indeed a Saint hath a diſcovery by his fall, what is the prevailing corruption in him, ſo that the temptation doth but ſtir the humour, which the ſoul having found out, hath the greater advantage to evacuate, by applying thoſe means, and uſing thoſe ingredients which do purge that malady cum delectu. Now the ſoule ſure will call all out againſt this deſtroyer? Paul had not took ſuch pains to buffet his body, had he not found Satan knocking at that door.
Thirdly, God uſeth theſe temptations for the advancing of the whole work of grace in the heart. One ſpot occaſions the whole garment to be waſhed. David overcome with one ſinne, renewes his repentance for all, Pſal. 51. A good husband when he ſeeth it rain in at one place, ſends for the Workman to look over all the houſe. This indeed differenceth a ſincere heart from an hypocrite, whoſe repentance is partial, ſoft in one plot, and hard in another. Judas cries out of his treaſon, but not a word of his thievery and hypocriſie. The hole was no wider in his conſcience then where the bullet went in, whereas true ſorrow for one, breaks the heart into ſhivers for others alſo.
SECT. II.
Secondly, Satan by tempting one Saint hath a miſchievous deſign againſt others, either by encouraging them to ſin by the example of ſuch a one, or diſcouraging them in their holy courſe by the ſcandal he hath given; but God here befooles him,
Firſt, making the miſcarriages of ſuch a ſeaſonable caveat to others to look to their ſtanding. Doeſt thou ſee a meek Moſes provok't to anger, what watch and ward haſt thou need keep over thy unruly heart? though loud winds do ſome hurt by blowing down here a looſe tyle, and there a turret, (which was falling before,) yet the common good ſurmounts the private damage of ſome few; theſe being as a broom in Gods hand to ſweep and cleanſe the aire: ſo though ſome (that are wicked) are by Gods righteous judgement for the ſame hardened into further abominations by the Saints falls, yet the good which ſincere ſoules receive by having their formality and ſecurity in a further degree purged doth abundantly countervaile the other, who are but ſent a little faſter, whither they were going before.
Secondly, God makes his Saints falls an argument for comfort to diſtreſſed conſciences. This hath been, and is as a feather, (when the paſſage ſeems ſo ſtop't, that no comfort can be got down otherwiſe) to drop a little hope into the ſoule, to keep the creature alive from falling into utter deſpair; ſome have been revived with this, when next door to hell in their own feares. Davids ſin was great, yet found mercy; Peter fell foully, yet now in heaven. Why ſitteſt thou here, O my ſoul, under the hatches of deſpair? up and call upon thy God for mercy, who hath pardoned the ſame to others.
Thirdly, God hath a deſign in ſuffering Satan to trounce ſome of his Saints by temptation, to train them up into a fitneſſe to ſuccour their fellow-brethren in the like condition: he ſends them hither to ſchool, (where they are under Satans ferular and laſh) that his cruel hand over them may make them ſtudy the Word and their own hearts, by which they get experience of Satans policies, till at laſt they commence Maſters in this Art of comforting tempted ſoules. It is an Art by it ſelf, to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to the weary ſoule: 'tis not ſerving out an Apprenticeſhip to humane Arts will furniſh a man for this: great Doctors have proved very dunces here, knowing no more how to handle a wounded conſcience then a Ruſtick the Chirurgions inſtrument in diſſecting the body when an Anatomy-Lecture is to be read. 'Tis not the knowledge of the Scripture (though a man were as well acquainted with it, as the Apothecary with his pots and glaſſes in his ſhop, able to go directly to any promiſe on a ſudden,) will ſuffice. No, not grace it ſelfe, except exerciſed with theſe buffetings and ſoul-conflicts. Chriſt himſelf we finde trained up in this ſchool, Iſa. 50.4. He wakeneth mine eare to heare as the learned. Even as the Tutor calls up his Pupil to reade to him; and what is the Lecture which is read to Chriſt, that he may have the tongue of the learned to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to the weary ſoule? ſee, verſ. 5. The Lord hath opened mine eare, and I was not rebellious, neither turned I away my back, I gave my back to the ſmiters, &c. His ſufferings (which were all along mingled with temptations,) were the Lecture from which Chriſt came out ſo learned, to reſolve and comfort diſtreſſed ſoules. So that the devil had better have let Chriſt alone, yea, and his Saints alſo, who do him but the greater diſſervice in comforting others; none will handle poor ſoules ſo gently as thoſe, who remember the ſmart of their owne heart-ſorrowes; none ſo skilful in applying the comforts of the Word to wounded conſciences, as thoſe who have layen bleeding themſelves; ſuch know the ſymptomes of ſoul-troubles, and feel others pains in their own boſomes, which ſome that know the Scriptures, (for ſack of experience) do not, and therefore are like a novice Phyſician, who perhaps can tell you every plant in the Herbal, yet wanting the practick part, when a Patient comes, knowes not well how to make uſe of his skill: The Saints experiences help them to a ſoveraign treacle made of the Scorpions own fleſh, (which they through Chriſt have ſlain) and that hath a vertue above all other to expel the venome of Satans temptations from the heart.
SECT. III.
Thirdly, Satan in tempting the Saint to ſin, labours to make a breach between God and the ſoule. He hates both, and therefore labours to divide theſe dear friends. If I can (thinks he) get ſuch a one to ſin, God will be angry, and when angry he'll whip his childe foundly, this will be ſome ſport, and when God is correcting the Saint, he'll be queſtioning the love of God to him, and cooles in his love to God; ſo though I ſhould not keep him from heaven at laſt, yet he ſhall have little joy thither in the way. In this caſe God and the ſoul will be like man and wife fallen out, who neither of them look kindly one upon another. Now ſee how God befooles Satan in both theſe.
Firſt, God uſeth his Saints temptations, as his method by which he advanceth the communications of his love unto them. The devil thought he had got the goale, when he got Adam to eate the forbidden fruit, he thought now he had man in the ſame predicament with himſelf, as unlikely ever to ſee the face of God, as thoſe Apoſtate ſpirits; but (alas!) this was by God intended to uſher in that great Goſpel-plot of ſaving man by Chriſt, who (aſſoon as this Prologue of mans fall is done) is brought upon the ſtage in that grand Promiſe of the Goſpel made to Adam, and at Gods command undertakes the charge of recovering loſt man out of Satans clutches, and re-inſtating him in his primitive glory, with an acceſſe of more then ever man had at firſt, ſo that the meaneſt lilly in Chriſts field, exceeds Adam in all his native Royalty. And as Satan ſped in his firſt temptation, ſo he is ſtill on the loſing hand: what got he by all his paines upon Job, but to let that holy man know at laſt how dearly God loved him? When he foiled Peter ſo ſhamefully, do we not finde Chriſt owning Peter with as much love as ever? Peter muſt be the only diſciple, to whom by name the joyful newes of his reſurrection is ſent: Go tell my diſciples and Peter. As if Chriſt had ſaid, Be ſure let his ſad heart be comforted with this newes, that he may know I am friends with him for all his late cowardiſe.
Queſt. But doth not this ſeem to countenance ſin, and make Christians heedleſſe, whether they fall into temptation or no? If God do thus ſhew his love to his Saints after their falls and foiles, why ſhould we be ſo ſhy of ſin, which ends ſo well at laſt?
Anſw. Two things will prevent the danger of ſuch an inference.
Firſt, we muſt diſtinguiſh between a ſoules being foiled through his own infirmity, and his enemies ſubtilty and power over-matching him; and another, who through a falſe heart doth voluntarily proſtrate himſelf to the luſt of Satan; though a General will ſhew little pity to a ſouldier that ſhould traiterouſly throw down his armes, and run to the enemy, yet if another in fighting receives a wound and be worſted, it will be no diſhonour for him to expreſſe his pity and love, no, though he ſhould ſend him out of the field in his own coach, lay him in his own bed, and appoint him his own Chirurgion. God doth not encourage wickedneſſe in his Saints, but pities weakneſſe. Even when the Saints fall into a ſin in its nature preſumptuous, they do not commit it ſo preſumptuouſly as others; there is a part true to God in their boſomes, though over-voted Moſes ſpake unadviſedly, but the devil had his inſtruments to provoke him, quite againſt the good mans temper. David numbers the people, but ſee how the devil dogg'd and hunted him, till at laſt he got the better, 1 Chron. 21.1. Satan ſtood up and provoked David to number Iſrael. How bravely did Job repel Satans darts? no wonder if in ſuch a ſhower ſome one ſhould get between the joynts of his armour. And for Peter, we know (good man) with what a loyal heart, yea, zealous he went into the field, though when the enemy appear'd his heart fail'd him.
Secondly, conſider but the way how God communicates his love after his Saints falls, not in ſinning, or for ſinning, but in mourning and humbling their ſouls for their ſins. Indeed did God ſmile on them, while acting ſinfully, this might ſtrengthen their ſin, as wine in a feaver would the diſeaſe; but when the fit is off, the venome of the diſeaſe ſpent, and breathed out in a kindly humiliation, now the creature lies low. Gods wine of comfort is a cordial to the drooping ſpirit, not fuel for ſin. When David was led into temptation firſt, he muſt be clad in ſack-cloth and mourning, and then God takes it off, and puts on the garment of joy and praiſe, 1 Chron. 21.10, 15. Job, though he expreſt ſo much courage and patience, yet (bewraying ſome infirmities after he was baited long by ſo many freſh dogs, men and devils) he muſt cry peccavi, and abhor himſelf in duſt and aſhes, before God will take him into his armes, Job 42.6. and the ſame way God takes with all his children. Now to his Saints in ſuch a poſture, God may with ſafety to his honour and their good, give a larger draught of his love then ordinary; their feares and ſorrow which their ſin hath coſt them, will ſerve inſtead of water to daſh this ſtrong wine of joy, and take away its headineſſe, that it neither fume up into pride, nor occaſion them to reele backward into Apoſtaſie.
Queſt. But why doth God now communicate his love?
Anſw. 1 Firſt, from his own pitiful nature; You have heard of the patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord, that the Lordis very pitiful, and of tender mercy. God loves not to rake in bleeding wounds, he knowes a mourning ſoul is ſubject to be diſcouraged. A frown or an angry look from God, whom the Saint ſo dearly loves, muſt needs go near the heart, therefore God declares himſelf at hand to revive ſuch, Iſa. 57, 15. and he gives the reaſon, verſe 16. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be alwayes wreth, for the ſpirit ſhould faile before me. Whoſe ſpirit is there meant? not of the preſumptuous ſinner; he goes on, and never blunks; but of the contrite and humble ones. As the father obſerves the diſpoſition of his children, one commits a fault and goes on rebelliouſly, deſpiſing his fathers anger, another (when offending him) layes it to heart, refuſeth to eat, gets into ſome corner to lament the diſpleaſure of his father; the father ſees it, and his bowels yerne towards him. Indeed ſhould he not put his childe out of feare by diſcovering his love, the ſpirit of ſuch a one would faile; 'tis not poſſible there ſhould be a long breach between ſuch a father and ſuch a ſon, the one relenting over his ſin, the other over his mourning ſon.
Secondly, God doth thus to poure the greater ſhame upon Satan, who is the great make-bate between God and the ſoule. How is the man aſhamed that hath ſtirr'd up variance between husband and wife, father and ſon, to ſee the breach made up, and all ſet themſelves againſt him? It went ill on Chriſts ſide, when Herod and Pilate were made friends, and can it go well with Satan to ſee all well between God and his children? If Eſther be in favour, Haman her enemy ſhall have his face covered. Indeed, this covers Satans face with ſhame, to ſee a poor Saint even now his priſoner, whom he had leave to rob and plunder, tempt and diſquiet, now ſitting in the Sun-ſhine of Gods love, while he like a ravening Lion takes on for the loſſe of his prey.
Secondly, Satans aime is to weaken the Saints faith on God, and cool his love to God, but befool'd in both; for, firſt God turnes their temptations, yea, their falls, to the further eſtabliſhment of their faith, which (like the tree) ſtands ſtronger for its ſhaking, or like the Gyant Anteus, who in his wreſtling with Hercules is feigned to get ſtrength by every fall to the ground. Falſe faith indeed once foiled, ſeldom comes on again; but true faith riſeth and fights more valiantly, as we ſee in Peter and other Scripture-examples. Temptation to faith is as fire to gold, 1 Pet. 1.7. The fire doth not only diſcover which is true gold, but makes the true gold more pure; it comes out may be leſſe in bulk and weight, (becauſe ſevered from that ſoile and droſſe which embaſed it) but more in value and worth, when Satan is bound up, and the Chriſtian walks under the ſhines of divine favour, and encouragement of divine aſſiſtance; his faith may appear great, if compared with another under the withdrawings of God, and buffetings of Satan, but this is not equall judging; as if to try who is biggeſt of two men, we ſhould meaſure one naked, and the other over his clothes; or in comparing two pieces of gold, weigh one with the droſſe and dirt it contracts in the purſe, with the other purged from theſe in the fire; faith before temptation hath much heterogeneal ſtuffe that cleaves to it, and goes for faith; but when temptation comes, theſe are diſcovered. Now the Chriſtian feels corruption ſtir, which lay as dead before, now a cloud comes between the ſoule and the ſweet face of God, (the ſenſe of which latter, and the little ſenſe of the other bore up his faith before) but theſe bladders prick't, he comes now to learne the true ſtroke in this heavenly Art of ſwimming on the promiſe, having nothing elſe to beat him up but that; and a little of this carries more of the precious nature of faith in it, then all the other; yea, is (like Gideons handful of men) ſtronger, when all theſe acceſſaries to faith are ſent away, then when they were preſent; and here is all the devil gets: in ſtead of deſtroying his faith which he aimes at, he is the occaſion of the refining of it, and thereby adding to its ſtrength.
Secondly, the love of tempted Saints is enkindled to Chriſt by their temptations, and foiles in their temptations. Poſſibly in the fit there may ſeem a damp upon their love, as when water is firſt ſprinkled upon the fire, but when the Conflict is a little over, and the Chriſtian comes to himſelf, his love to Chriſt will break out like a vehement flame; Firſt, the ſhame and ſorrow which a gracious ſoule muſt needs feele in his boſome for his ſinful miſcarriage, while under the temptation, will provoke him to expreſſe his love to Chriſt above others, as is ſweetly ſet forth in the Spouſe, who when the cold fit of her diſtemper was off, and the temptation over, beſtirs her to purpoſe, her lazy ſickneſſe is turned to love-ſickneſſe: ſhe findes it as hard now to ſit, as ſhe did before to riſe: ſhe can reſt in no place out of her Beloveds ſight, but runs and asks every one ſhe meets for him; and whence came all this vehemency of her zeale? all occaſioned by her undutiful carriage to her husband: ſhe parted ſo unkindly with him, that (bethinking what ſhe had done) away ſhe goes to make her peace. If ſins committed in unregeneracy have ſuch a force upon a gracious ſoule, that the thought of them, though pardoned, will ſtill break and melt the heart into ſorrow, (as we ſee in Magdalen) and prick on to ſhew zeal for God above others, (as in Paul) how much more will the ſins of a Saint, who after ſweet acquaintance with Jeſus Chriſt, lifts up the heel againſt that boſome where he hath layen, affect, yea, diſſolve the heart as into ſo many drops of water, and that ſorrow provoke him to ſerve God at a higher rate then others? No childe ſo dutiful in all the family, as he who is return'd from his rebellion. Again ſecondly, as his own ſhame, ſo the experience which ſuch a one hath of Chriſts love above others will encreaſe his love. Chriſts love is fuel to ours. Ex iiſdem nutrimur quibus constamus; as it gives its being, ſo it affords growth: It is both Mother and Nurſe to our love. The more Chriſt puts forth his love, the more heat our love gets, and next to Chriſts dying love, none greater then his ſuccouring love in temptation. The Mother never hath ſuch advantage to ſhew her affection to her childe, as when in diſtreſſe, ſick, poor or impriſoned; ſo neither hath Chriſt to his children as when tempted, yea, worſted by temptation. When his children lie in Satans priſon, bleeding under the wounds of their conſciences, this is the ſeaſon he takes to give an experiment of his tender heart in pitying, his faithfulneſſe in praying for them, his mindfulneſſe in ſending ſuccour to them, yea, his dear love in viſiting them by his comforting Spirit. Now when the ſoul hath got off ſome great temptation, and reades the whole hiſtory thereof together, (wherein he findes what his own weakneſſe was to reſiſt Satan, nay, his unfaithfulneſſe in complying with Satan, which might have provok't Chriſt to leave him to the fury of Satan) now to ſee both his folly pardoned, and ruine graciouſly prevented, and that by no other hand, but Chriſts coming in to his reſcue (as Abiſhai to David, 2 Sam. 21.when that gyant thought to have flaine him.) This muſt needs exceedingly endear Chriſt to the ſoul. At the reading of ſuch records the Chriſtian cannot but enquire, (as Ahaſhuerus concerning Mordecai, who by diſcovering a treaſon had ſaved the Kings life,) what honour hath been done to his ſweet Saviour for all this. And thus Jeſus Chriſt, whom Satan thought to bring out of the ſoules favour, and liking, comes in the end to ſit higher and ſurer in the Saints affections then ever.