A Scripture-Map of the Wilderness of Sin, Treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII: Contains the third Querie what are the meanes of Soul-bewildrings, unfolded in the generall, particular falſe waies opened.
WEE come in the third and laſt place to conſider.Diſcovery of the Point in the third. Querie. What the meanes of ſoul-bewildrings are.
What are the meanes of the bewildring of ſoules? Surely all the meanes that can be uſed ſhall be improved by Satan hereunto: He that will take all paines, as you have heard of Satan in the laſt, will alſo uſe all means that may be conducible to his end. I remember Pauls ardent care for the Theſſalonians. 1 Theſ. 3.5. for this cauſe when I could no longer forbear, I ſent to know your faith, leſt by any means (as the originall well bears) the tempter may have tempted you. Satan will make uſe of any means whatſoever unto the bewildring of poor ſouls. Friends you muſt therefore pardon us, if we exhort ſeriouſly, and adviſe ſollicitouſly, and reprove cuttingly and ſharply, if wee cannot forbear doing ſo, you muſt bear with us, for wee are neceſſitated (as Paul here) hereunto, becauſe by any means the tempter will be tempting you. Satan will make uſe of means, of any means, of all means: now all the means (obſerve) that he uſeth as a tempter, he uſeth to bewilder ſoules. Compare that ſcripture with the fore quoted. 1 Tim. 2.14. (You know Satan made uſe of any means, lying means, flattering meanes, deluding means to tempt Eve, and this text expreſſeth it (as you heard) thus, ſhe being led out of the way, went out of the way. So that Satans tempting meanes are all of them bewildring means.
Four kinds.Now there are four kinds of means of our Ordinary bewildrings (I ſhall for your Memory-ſakes obſerve that Method.)
1. Many falſe waies.1. Saith one, ſuch a time I was travelling, and I came to a turning where there were many waies, and ſ… I loſt my right way.
2. Man falſe guides.2. Saith another, ſuch a time I was travailing, and I met with ſuch or ſuch a man, and hee told mee ſuch and ſuch a way was my way, and ſeduced me.
3. Darkneſs.3. Saith a third, ſuch a time I was travailing, and night came ſo faſt on, and it grew ſo darke, that by reaſon of the darkneſſe, I loſt my way.
4. Falſe light ignes fa…ui.4. And ſaith a fourth, I was travailing ſuch a night, and kept my way, till at length a light flaſht and danced about me, and by following the light I loſt my way.
So that multitude of waies; falſhood of Guides:You have Satans temptation therefore called. the coming on of darkneſſe, and meeting with fires or falſe lights, are the uſuall means of our bewildrings. And ſurely ſomething there is in it, that Satans tempting-means, (or means of temptation) are ſet forth ſometimes by the one, ſometimes by the other. For inſtance.
Satans means of tempting are compared to a multitude of waies, where they are called foreign Eph. 6.Somtimes Methodiai, or multitudes of croſs-waies. the method of Satan.
Sometimes called darkneſſe,Sometimes Darkneſs. and ſo the manages of worldly temptations are called rules of the darkneſſe of the world. Eph. 6.12.
Sometimes called Deceipt in that text;Somtimes deceipt. Whoſe coming is after the working of Satan with all deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe. 2 Theſ. 2.9, 10.
Sometimes called falſe lights, as 2 Cor. 11.14.Sometimes falſe light. Where Satan is transformed into an Angell of light, theſe muſt needes bee meanes of bewildring unto poor ſoules.
The firſt meanes of our ſpirituall bewildrings are the multitude of waies for our ſoules to walke in.1. Sort. Meanns, viz. falſe waies in which multitude.
Before I come to particulars, I ſhall mind you of two things more generally.
1. Satan in this multitude hath choice or change of paths.
2. He hath trimme or pleaſant paths, and both theſe are great means to bewilder ſoules.
1.1. Satan hath change of paths. In the multitude of paths Satan hath change for thee. If thou be weary of drinking, he hath a whore for thee: if thou be weary of prophaneſs down-right, he hath formality for thee. And ſo as thou moveſt thine inclination, Satan can move thy way. If thou changeſt thy mind, Satan can change thy path. Prov. 5.6. leſt thou ſhouldſt ponder the path of life, her waies are moveable. And, why gaddeſt thou about to change thy way, ſaith God. Jer. 2. v. 36.
2. Hee hath trim waies.2ly, In the multitude of waies, Satan wants not trim waies, even ſuch as you may be taken and enamoured with.
It may be, before Satan, was carrying thee to Hell, in the way of drunkenneſſe, now in the way of Civility or ſobriety; this is a trimmer way then the other; yet this without grace is but a Wilderneſſe-way ſtill. It may be before thou waſt going curſing or ſwearing to Hell; but now (being legally convicted and wrought upon) it may be, thou art going faſting and praying with the Phariſee to Hell. Why? this is a trimmer way then the other, yet but a bewildring way ſtill. We may ſay to Satan, as God ſaith to his inſtruments, which skill doubtleſſe they derive from him their Maſter. Jer. 2.33. Why trimmeſt thou thy waies to ſeek love? therefore haſt thou taught wicked ones thy paths. What's the reaſon Satan hath ſo many ſcholers to learn his paths? Oh! 'tis becauſe he doth ſo trimme ſome of his waies to ſeek love.
Particularly.But more particularly theſe are theſe various and trimme waies, which Satan uſually bewilders ſoules by.
The way of carnall pleaſure1. The waies of Carnall and ſinfull pleaſure. If theſe will but bewilder them, he will never go farther. I have deckt, &c. I have perfumed my bed. Pro. 7.16, 17. Come let us take our fill of love till the morning. As long as the ſeaſon of the pleaſures of ſin laſt, if thoſe waies will bewilder them, Satan will give them their very fill. So Eph. 2.3. We had among them in times paſt, our Converſation, fulfilling the luſts of the fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh, and of the mind, &c. and in Eph. 4.22. he ſaith put off, concerning the former converſation, (or waies) the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitfull luſts. The reaſon why ſo few walk in Gods wayes, and ſo many in Satans Wilderneſſe, is becauſe Satan lets them, lets them walk in wayes gratifying, to fulfill their own luſts.
2ly, To quiet them in the wayes of ſinfull delights,2ly, The way of carnall ſecurity. he leads them into the paths of carnall confidence and ſecurity. The poore man thinkes his way a right way: Every way of man is right in his own eyes, Prov. 21.2. Yea, though the end thereof be as the waies of death, Prov. 16.25. He walkes thoſe paths, where he treads on Serpents every day, yet feareth not, for hee goeth after Satan ſtreight-way, as a Bird that haſteth to the ſnare, and knoweth not (marke that) that it is for its life, Prov. 7.23. Oh! if you drunkards and ſwearers, and proud perſons, and hypocrites, did but know what Satan is leading, and you following him for, in the faireſt and moſt verdant paths of the Wilderneſſe; believe it, believe it, you would ſay now, as you will do when the evill dayes come, I have no pleaſure in them; Eccleſ. 12.1.
3ly,3ly, The way of Civility. But when Convictions of Conſcience come to unmask, and to unvizard carnall ſecurity, and to wipe off the paint and verdure of ſinfull delights. Now Satan muſt change and move his way, and ſo he doth. And now for Civility. Oh! the man leaves off ſwearing, and ranting, &c. and now thinks he, this is a good way indeed: truly this in it ſelfe is a better way then the other; but yet the wayes of Civility, and morality, may be but bewildring wayes to the ſoule, Mat. 19. Here's a civill lovely young man, as to Moralities he had kept all the Commadements from his youth, verſe 20. Yet other temptations were to him a Wilderneſſe, and he goeth ſorrowful away from Jeſus Chriſt, verſe 22. And truly, as you may ſee in this young man, theſe civill paths of the Wilderneſs, are in ſome reſpect moſt dangerous, becauſe moſt faire and ready to ſilence the grudgings of naturall Conſcience. What will he ſay, have I thought my ſelfe a good man thus many yeare? and have all my neighbours thought me ſo too? and ſhall I now thinke that all is nothing worth, becauſe you undervalue Civilities; or for want of a little preciſeneſſe and godlineſſe? ſure it is a very hard matter to perſwade a meer civilized perſon to become a Chriſtian.
4ly, The way of Duties.4ly, But when Convictions are deeper, and the view of the ſtrait-Rule of Gods command, makes him ſadly ſee the crookedneſſe of his Moralities, and their maimedneſſe without Godlineſſe. Now Satan himſelfe can permit him to faſt and pray, and that often too, and yet, in this way, bewilder him. Thus the Phariſee, Luk. 18.11, 12. He got often into the way of Duty, and religious Exerciſe, but never into the way of Juſtification, verſe 14. I doe believe, that many of you may as well (or as ill rather) be bewildred in this Houſe, and theſe ſervices (though I dare not forbid your comming hither) as others are in an Al…houſe, and in their curſed works of darkneſſe.
5ly, The way of humiliation5ly. But Convictions may yet grow greater, and diſcover as much vileneſſe in his Duties, and religious Exerciſes, as in his moralities before. It may bee Satan will be content a Sermon ſhould fetch a teare from him now, which if it doe; Oh! ſure ſaith Satan, thou art in a good way now: this is repentance, and thou needſt looke no farther. May Satan ſay, time was thou couldſt not abide to heare a Sermon, eſpecially any Sermon that might move thee, but thou wouldſt ſay as Ahab, 1 King. 21.19. Haſt thou found me, O mine Enemy. But now, ſaith he, thou canſt bee humbled at a Sermon, and mourne and weepe: and truly, friends, ſo did Ahab afterward, ver. 27. Wher he heard thoſe words, he rent his Clothes, and put on ſack-cloath, and humbled himſelfe, in ſo much, that God cryes to the Prophet, ſee'ſt thou how Ahad humblet… himſelfe before me, verſe 29. And yet you know, tha… Ahab was a loſt wretch for ever, for all his humbling.
There are two deſperate turnings in the way of being humbled,But with this ſnare, either that Satan uſeth to bewilder ſoules in.
1.1. To make the ſoule reſtleſſe. Humblings either make the ſoule (through Satans temptations) altogether reſtleſſe; ſo that it is put beyond comfort, & muſt needs periſh in the wilderneſs of black deſpaire, ſo Judas was humbled, Mat. 27.3. He b…ings again the money, and vomits up his ſinne by ſad confeſſion, ver. 4. and repents; but inſtead of caſting himſelfe now upon a Crucified Chriſt, (he crucifies himſelfe) he goes and hangs himſelf upon a Tree. So Cain, as ſoone as, being thus humbled, hee ſhould have come to God by faith, he cryes, My puniſhment is inſupportable, and ſo goes out from Gods preſence, and becomes a Vagabond in the Earth, and never comes near God more, Gen. 4.13, 14, 16. Or
2ly,Or 2. To make it reſt there. Humblings (through Satans cunning) make the ſoule to reſt there, and the ſoule may be loſt in this, as in the other way, and thus it was with thoſe in Iſai. 58.2, 3. They (ſaith God) ſeeke me daily and delight to know my wayes. And ſay they, ver. 2. Wherefore have we faſted, and thou ſee'ſt not, and afflicted our ſoules, and thou takeſt no knowledge? Marke, They had afflicted their ſoules, and they thinke they are before hand with God now; they wonder God doth not give them more reſpect now: Oh! as good never to be at all humbled, as to be ſo proudly humbled; to reſt in being humbled, to thinke that God is beholding to thee for being humbled; yet ſuch is Satans policy, and our Propenſity, and this is as ready a way to bee loſt in as any.6ly, The way of making up a righteouſneſſe betwixt Chriſts and our own,
6ly, It may be Convictions grow ſo much higher, yet that God ſheweth thee, as he did them, how little worth is in thy very humblings: and then it may bee thy way is to looke out for a Saviour, for anothers performances and worth to leane upon. Now this is Satans laſt remove, if hee can but make thee to mingle thy worth with Chriſts, and thy workes with Chriſts workes, and ſo to walke in a middle way (for ſuch a way there is) betwixt Faith and Workes, Satan will not ſo much diſturbe himſelfe, for thou art in a loſt condition ſtill; for this is the High-way of Goſpel-ſalvation, to ſet thy feet in the way, but not to reſt thy ſoul upon the way of doing; but to ſet downe thine Hope as thy ſtaffe, ſoftly, and ſingly upon the way of believing, I will not deny, but that in performing (as David ſpeaks) thou maiſt expect reward; but if thou lookeſt for thy reward for thy performances, thou loſeſt it, and thy ſelfe for ever. You read, Rev. 10.2. of an Angell that ſet his right foot upon the Sea, and his left foot upon the Earth. And ſo truly doe many men, the beſt (and yet the worſt in ſome ſome ſort) of the unregenerate, they ſet one foot, and it may be the right foot (I do but allude to the place) upon the Red Sea of Chriſts blood; but then they will have one foot, the left at leaſt, upon the Earth of their owne Righteouſneſſe, but theſe things ought not ſo to be. Thus the Papiſts doe, Our Workes, ſay they; merit, dipt in Chriſts blood. And oh! what naturall Doctrine is this to fleſh and blood? How eaſily are we made Papiſts? Whence is it, to give you one hint, that a poore ſoule when enlarged in prayer, though (perhaps) it have acted little faith in ſuch a prayer, can pleaſe and pride it ſelfe ſo much, when at another time it hath looked as much, and more at Chriſt, and leſſe a great deale at ſelfe; and yet becauſe it hath been ſtraightned, hath it thought, it ſhould not be ſo well accepted at the Throne of Grace. Doe wee not thank our ſelves, as well as Chriſt, for our acceptance; as he that thanked his Tumbrel, as much as God for his Harveſt. Now this, though it be the laſt and trimmeſt way of all the reſt, yet is it extreamely dangerous: for there is no comming out of the Wilderneſſe, but onelyonly by leaning, and by leaning only upon Jeſus Chriſt, as our Text it ſelfe, and farther Diſcourſe, may give you to know. 'Tis not the way of Carnall pleaſures or ſecurity: 'tis not the way of Civilities or Duties either: 'tis not the way of being humbled, 'tis not a mixt way betweene working and believing; that is, betwixt thy Workes and Chriſts, (though thy workings muſt be) but the way of pure believing, that can lead thee out of ſinnes Wilderneſſe. The other may be trim wayes, but this is the onelyonly true way.