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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 11:09:43 GMT -5
SATAN'S DEVICES TO KEEP SOULS FROM HOLY DUTIES, TO HINDER SOULS IN HOLY SERVICES, AND TO
KEEP THEM OFF FROM RELIGIOUS PERFORMANCES
The next thing to be shown is, the several devices that Satan has, as
to draw souls to sin, so to keep souls from holy duties, to hinder souls
in holy services, and to keep them off from religious performances.
'And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel
of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him' (Zech.
3:1).
DEVICE 1. By presenting the WORLD in such a dress, and
in such a garb to the soul, as to ensnare the soul, and to win
upon the affection of the soul.
He represents the world to them in its beauty and finery, which
proves a bewitching sight to a world of men. (It is true, this deceived
not Christ, because Satan could find no matter in him for his
temptation to work upon.) So that he can no sooner cast out his
golden bait—but we are ready to play with it, and to nibble at it; he
can no sooner throw out his golden ball—but men are apt to run after
it, though they lose God and their souls in the pursuit!
Ah! how many professors in these days have for a time followed hard
after God, Christ, and ordinances; until the devil has set before them
the world in all its beauty and finery, which has so bewitched their
souls that they have grown to have low thoughts of holy things, and
then to be cold in their affections to holy things, and then to slight
them, and at last, with the young man in the Gospel, to turn their
backs upon them. Ah! the time, the thoughts, the hearts, the souls,
the duties, the services--which the inordinate love of this wicked
world eats up and destroys! Where one thousand are destroyed by
the world's frowns--ten thousand are destroyed by the world's
smiles! The world, siren-like, sings to us, then sinks us! It kisses us,
and betrays us, like Judas! It kisses us and smites us under the fifth
rib, like Joab. The honors, splendor, and all the glory of this world,
are but sweet poisons, which will much endanger us, if they do not
eternally destroy us. Ah! the multitude of souls that have glutted on
these sweet baits and died forever!
The inhabitants of Nilus are deaf from the noise of the waters; so the
world makes such a noise in men's ears, that they cannot hear the
things of heaven. The world is like the swallows' dung that put out
Tobias's eyes. The champions could not wring an apple out of Milo's
hand by a strong hand—but a fair maid, by fair means, got it
presently.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
to dwell upon the impotency and weakness of all these
things here below. They are not able to secure you from the least
evil, they are not able to procure you the least desirable good. The
crown of gold cannot cure the headache, nor the velvet slipper ease
the gout, nor the jewel about the neck take away the pain of the teeth.
The frogs of Egypt entered into the rich men's houses of Egypt, as
well as the poor. Our daily experience does evidence this, that all the
honors and riches that men enjoy, cannot free them from the cholic,
the fever, or lesser diseases. No, that which may seem most strange,
is that a great deal of wealth cannot keep men from falling into
extreme poverty. You shall find seventy kings, with their fingers and
toes cut off, glad, like dogs, to lick up crumbs under another king's
table; and shortly after, the same king that brought them to this
poverty, is reduced to the same poverty and misery (Judg. 1:6). Why
then should that be a bar to keep you out of heaven--which cannot
give you the least ease on earth?
Nugas the Scythian, despising the rich presents and ornaments
which were sent unto him by the emperor of Constantinople, asked
whether those things could drive away calamities, diseases, or death.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of
Satan is, to dwell upon the vanity of them as well as upon
the impotency of all worldly good. This is the sum of Solomon's
sermon, 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!' This our first parents found,
and therefore named their second son Abel, or 'vanity.' Solomon,
who had tried all these things, and could best tell the vanity of them
—preaches this sermon over again and again. 'Vanity of vanities, all
is vanity!' It is sad to think how many thousands there are, who can
say with the preacher, 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,' no, swear it,
and yet follow after these things as if there were no other glory, nor
felicity—but what is to be found in these things they call vanity!
Such men will sell Christ, heaven, and their souls for a
trifle, who call these things vanity—but do not cordially believe
them to be vanity—but set their hearts upon them as if they were
their crown, the top of their royalty and glory. Oh let your souls dwell
upon the vanity of all things here below, until your hearts be so
thoroughly convinced and persuaded of the vanity of them, as to
trample upon them, and make them a footstool for Christ to get up,
and ride in a holy triumph in your hearts!
Oh the imperfection, the ingratitude, the levity the inconstancy, the
treachery of those creatures we most servilely bow down to. Ah, did
we but weigh man's pain with his payment, his crosses with his
mercies, his miseries with his pleasures—we would then see that
there is nothing got bargain, and conclude, 'Vanity of vanities, all is
vanity!'
Chrysostom once said, That if he were to preach a sermon to the
whole world, gathered together in one congregation, and had some
high mountain for his pulpit, from whence he might have a prospect
of all the world in his view, and were furnished with a voice of brass,
a voice as loud as the trumpets of the archangel, that all the world
might hear him, he would choose to preach upon no other text than
that in the Psalms, O mortal men,"How long will you love what is
worthless and pursue a lie?" (Psalm 4:2).
Tell me, you that say all things under the sun are vanity, if you do
really believe what you say, why do you spend more thoughts and
time on the world, than you do on Christ, heaven and your immortal
souls? Why do you then neglect your duty towards God, to get the
world? Why do you then so eagerly pursue after the world, and are so
cold in your pursuing after God, Christ and holiness? Why then are
your hearts so exceedingly raised, when the world comes in, and
smiles upon you; and so much dejected, and cast down, when the
world frowns upon you, and with Jonah's gourd withers before you?
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan
is, to dwell much upon the uncertainty, the mutability, and
inconstancy of all things under the sun. Man himself is but the
dream of a dream—but the generation of imagination—but an empty
vanity—but the curious picture of nothing—a poor, feeble, dying
shadow. All temporals are as transitory as a ruching current, a
shadow, a ship, a bird, an arrow, a runner who passes by. 'Why
should you set your eyes upon that which is not?' says Solomon
(Prov. 23:5). And says the apostle, 'The fashion of this world passes
away' (1 Cor. 7:31). This intimates, that there is nothing of any
firmness, or solid consistency, in the creature. Heaven alone, has a
foundation—earth has none, 'but is hung upon nothing,' as Job
speaks (26:7). The apostle commanded Timothy to 'charge rich men
that they be not high-minded, nor put their trust in uncertain riches'
(1 Tim. 6:17). Riches were never true to any who trusted to them;
they have deceived men, as Job's brook did the poor travelers in the
summer season (Job. 6:15). They are like bad servants, who ramble
about and will never tarry long with one master.
As a bird hops from tree to tree, so do the honors and
riches of this world from man to man. Let Job and
Nebuchadnezzar testify this truth, who fell from great wealth to great
want. No man can promise himself to be wealthy until the end of the
day; one storm at sea, one coal of fire, one false friend, one
unadvised word, one false witness—may make you a beggar and a
prisoner all at once! All the riches and glory of this world is but as
smoke and chaff that vanishes; 'As a dream and vision in the night,
that tarries not' (Job 20:8). 'Like a hungry one who dreams he is
eating, then wakes and is still hungry; and like a thirsty one who
dreams he is drinking, then wakes and is still thirsty, longing for
water,' as the prophet Isaiah says (Chap. 29:8). Where is the glory of
Solomon? the sumptuous buildings of Nebuchadnezzar? the nine
hundred chariots of Sisera? the power of Alexander? the authority of
Augustus, who commanded the whole world to be taxed? Those that
have been the most glorious, in what men generally account glorious
and excellent, have had inglorious ends; as Samson for strength,
Absalom for favor, Ahithophel for policy, Haman for favor, Asahel
for swiftness, Alexander for great conquest and yet poisoned. The
same you may see in the four mighty kingdoms, the Chaldean,
Persian, Grecian, and Roman: how soon were they gone and
forgotten! The most renowned Frederick lost all, and sued to be
made but sexton of the church that himself had built. I have read of a
poor fisherman, who, while his nets were a-drying, slept upon the
rock, and dreamed that he was made a king, on a sudden starts up,
and leaping for joy, fell down from the rock, and in the place of his
imaginary felicities loses his little portion of pleasures.
Now rich—now poor; now full—now empty; now in favor—anon out
of favor; now honorable—now despised; now health—now sickness;
now strength—now weakness. The pomp of this world John
compares to the moon, which increases and decreases (Rev. 12:1).
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan
is, seriously to consider, that the great things of this world
are very hurtful and dangerous to the outward and inward
man, through the corruptions that are in the hearts of men.
Oh, the rest, the peace, the comfort, the contentment—that the
things of this world strip many men of! Oh, the fears, the cares, the
envy, the malice, the dangers, the mischiefs, that they subject men
to! They oftentimes make men carnally confident. The rich man's
riches are a strong tower in his imagination. 'I said in my prosperity I
should never be moved' (Psalm 30:6). They often swell the heart with
pride, and make men forget God, and neglect God, and despise the
rock of their salvation. When Jeshurun 'waxed fat, and was grown
thick, and covered with fatness, then he forgot God, and forsook God
who made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation,' as
Moses spoke (Deut. 32:15).
Ah, the time, the thoughts, the energy—which the things of the world
consume and spend! Oh, how do they hinder the actings of faith
upon God! how do they interrupt our sweet communion with God!
how do they abate our love to the people of God! and cool our love to
the things of God! and work us to act like those who are most unlike
God! Oh, the deadness, the barrenness, which usually attend men
under great outward mercies! Oh, the riches of the world chokes the
word; that men live under the most soul-searching, and soul enriching means with lean souls!
Though they have full purses,though their chests are full of silver, yet their hearts are empty of
grace. In Genesis 13:2, it is said, that 'Abram was very rich in cattle,
in silver and in gold.' According to the Hebrew, it is 'Abram was very
weary;' to show that riches are a heavy burden, and a hindrance
many times to heaven, and happiness.
Four good mothers beget four bad daughters: great familiarity begets
contempt; truth begets hatred; virtue begets envy; riches begets ignorance (a French proverb).
Polycrates gave a large sum of money to Anacreon, who for two
nights afterwards, was so troubled with worry how to keep it, and
how to spend it; that he carried the money back to Polycrates, saying
that it was not worth the pains which he had already taken for it.
King Henry the Fourth asked the Duke of Alva if he had observed the
great eclipse of the sun, which had lately happened. No, said the
duke, I have so much to do on earth, that I have no leisure to look up
to heaven. Ah, that this were not true of most professors in these
days! It is very sad to think, how their hearts and time are so much
taken up with earthly things, that they have scarcely any leisure to
look up to heaven, or to look after Christ, and the things that belong
to their everlasting peace!
Riches, though justly acquired, yet are but like manna; those who
gathered less had no lack, and those who gathered more, it was but a
trouble and annoyance to them. The world is troublesome, and
yet it is loved; what would it be, if it brought true peace? You
embrace it, though it be filthy; what would you do if it were
beautiful? You cannot keep your hands from the thorns; how earnest
would you be then in gathering the flowers? The world may be fitly
likened to the serpent Scytale, whereof it is reported, that when she
cannot overtake those passing by, she does with her beautiful colors
so astonish and amaze them, that they have no power to leave, until
she has stung them! Ah, how many thousands are there now on
earth, who have found this true by experience, who have spun a
lovely rope to strangle themselves, both temporally and eternally, by
being bewitched by the beauty and finery of this world!
Sicily is so full of sweet flowers that dogs cannot hunt there. And
what do all the sweet contents of this world—but make us lose the
scent of heaven!
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan
is, to consider, that all the felicity of this world is MIXED.
Our light is mixed with darkness, our joy with sorrow, our pleasures
with pain, our honor with dishonor, our riches with wants. If our
minds are spiritual, clear and quick, we may see in the felicity of this
world—our wine mixed with water, our honey with gall, our sugar
with wormwood, and our roses with prickles. Surely all the things
of this world are but bitter sweets. Sorrow attends worldly joy,
danger attends worldly safety, loss attends worldly labors, tears
attend worldly purposes. As to these things, men's hopes are vain,
their sorrow certain, and joy feigned. The apostle calls this world 'a
sea of glass,' a sea for the trouble of it, and glass for the brittleness
and bitterness of it. (Rev. 4:6, 15:2, 21:18). The honors, profits,
pleasures and delights of the world are like the gardens of Adonis,
where we can gather nothing but trivial flowers, surrounded with
many briars.
Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan
is, to get better acquaintance and better assurance of more
blessed and glorious things. That which raised up their spirits
(Heb. 10 and 11) to trample upon all the beauty, finery and glory of
the world, was the acquaintance with, 'and assurance of better and
more durable things.' You joyfully accepted the confiscation of your
property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and
lasting possessions.' 'They looked for a house which had foundations,
whose builder and maker was God.' 'And they looked for another
country, even a heavenly one.' 'They saw him who was invisible, and
had an eye to the recompense of reward.' And this made them count
all the glory and finery of this world, to be too poor and contemptible
for them to set their hearts upon! (Heb. 10:34; 11:10, 16 26).
The main reason why men dote upon the world, and damn their
souls to get the world, is, because they are not acquainted with a
greater glory! Men ate acorns, until they were acquainted with the
use of wheat. Ah, were men more acquainted with what union and
communion with God means, what it is to have 'a new name, and a
new stone, that none knows but he who has it' (Rev. 2:17); did they
but taste more of heaven, and live more in heaven, and had more
glorious hopes of going to heaven, ah, how easily would they have the
world under their feet!
Let heaven be a man's object, and earth will soon be his abject.
It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bavaria, emperor of Germany,
'Such goods are worth getting and owning—which will not sink or
wash away if a shipwreck happens—but will wade and swim out with
us.' It is recorded of Lazarus, that after his resurrection from the
dead, he was never seen to laugh, his thoughts and affections were so
fixed in heaven, though his body was on earth, and therefore he
could not but slight temporal things, his heart being so bent and set
upon eternals. There are goods for the throne of grace—as God,
Christ, the Spirit, adoption, justification, remission of sin, peace with
God, and peace with conscience. And there are goods of the
footstool—as honors, riches, the favor of creatures, and other
comforts and accommodation of this life. Now he who has
acquaintance with, and assurance of the goods of the throne, will
easily trample upon the goods of the footstool.
Ah that you would make it your business, your work, to mind more,
and make sure more to your own souls—the great things of eternity—
that will yield you joy in life and peace in death, and a crown of
righteousness in the day of Christ's appearing, and that will lift up
your souls above all the beauty and finery of this bewitching world,
that will raise your feet above other men's heads! When a man comes
to be assured of a crown, a scepter and the royal robes, he then
begins to have low and contemptible thoughts of those base things
which before he highly prized. So will assurance of more great and
glorious things, breed in the soul a holy scorn and contempt of all
these poor, base things, which the soul before valued above God,
Christ and heaven.
When Basil was tempted with money and preferment, said he, 'Give
me money that may last forever, and glory that may eternally
flourish; for the fashion of this world passes away, as the waters of a
river that runs by a city.
Remedy (7). The seventh remedy against this device of
Satan is, seriously to consider, that true happiness and
satisfaction is not to be had in the enjoyment of worldly
good. True happiness is too big and too glorious a thing to be found
in anything below that glorious God—who is a Christian's summum
bonum—his chief good. True happiness lies only in our enjoyment of
a suitable good, a pure good, a total good and an eternal good!
God alone is such a good—and such a good can only satisfy the soul
of man. Philosophers could say, that he was never a truly happy man
—who might afterwards become miserable.
The blessed angels, those glittering courtiers, have all felicities and
blessedness, and yet have they neither gold, nor silver, nor jewels,
nor none of the beauty and finery of this world. Certainly if
happiness was to be found in these earthly things, the Lord Jesus,
who is the right and royal heir of all things, would have exchanged
his cradle for a crown; his birth chamber, a stable, for a royal palace;
his poverty for plenty; his despised followers for shining courtiers;
and his poor provisions for the choicest delicacies. Certainly
happiness lies not in those things which a man may enjoy—and yet
be miserable forever. Now a man may be great and graceless with
Pharaoh; honorable and damnable with king Saul; rich and
miserable with Dives; therefore happiness lies not in these things.
Certainly happiness lies not in those things which cannot comfort a
man upon a dying bed. Is it honors, riches or friends—which can
comfort you when you come to die? Or is it not rather faith in the
blood of Christ, the witness of the Spirit of Christ, the sense and
feeling of the love and favor of Christ, and the hopes of eternally
reigning with Christ? Can happiness lie in those things which cannot
give us health, or strength, or ease, or a good night's rest, or an
hour's sleep, or a good stomach? Why, all the honors, riches and
delights of this world cannot give these poor things to us, therefore
certainly happiness lies not in the enjoyment of them. Gregory the
Great used to say, He is poor whose soul is void of grace—not whose
coffers are empty of money. The reasonable soul may be busied
about other things—but it cannot be filled with them. And surely
happiness is not to be found in those things that cannot satisfy the
souls of men.
Now none of these things can satisfy the soul of man. 'He who loves
silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance
with increase; this is also vanity,' said the wise man (Eccles. 5:10).
The barren womb, the horseleech's daughter, the grave and hell, will
as soon be satisfied—as the soul of man will by the enjoyment of any
worldly good. Some one thing or another will be forever
lacking to that soul, who has nothing but outward good to
live upon. You may as soon fill a bag with wisdom, a chest with
virtue—as the heart of man with anything here below. A man may
have enough of the world to sink him—but he can never have enough
to satisfy him!
Remedy (8). The eighth remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider the dignity of the soul. Oh, the soul of
man is more worth than a thousand worlds! It is the greatest abasing
of it that can be—to let it dote upon a little shining earth, upon a little
painted beauty and fading glory—when it is capable of union with
Christ, of communion with God, and of enjoying the eternal vision of
God.
Seneca could say, 'I am too great, and born to greater things, than
that I should be a slave to my body.' Oh! do you say my soul is too
great, and born to greater things, than that I should confine it to a
heap of perishing earth.
Plutarch tells of Themistocles, that he accounted it not to stand with
his state to stoop down to take up the spoils the enemies had
scattered in flight; but says to one of his followers, 'You may have
these things—for you are not Themistocles'. Oh what a sad thing it is
that a heathen should set his feet upon those very things upon which
most professors set their hearts, and for the gain of which, with
Balaam, many run the hazard of losing their immortal souls forever!
I have been the longer upon the remedies that may help us against
this dangerous device of Satan, because he does usually more hurt to
the souls of men by this device than he does by all other devices. For
a close, I wish, as once Chrysostom did, that that sentence (Eccles.
2:11), 'Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought,
and on the labor that I had labored to do, and behold all was vanity
and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun,' were
engraved on the door-posts into which you enter, on the tables where
you sit, on the dishes out of which you eat, on the cups out of which
you drink, on the bed-steads where you lie, on the walls of the house
where you dwell, on the garments which you wear, on the heads of
the horses on which you ride, and on the foreheads of all whom you
meet—that your souls may not, by the beauty and finery of the world,
be kept off from those holy and heavenly services that may render
you blessed while you live, and happy when you die; that you may
breathe out your last into his bosom who lives forever, and who will
make them happy forever—who prefer Christ's spirituals and
eternals above all temporal transitory things.
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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 11:48:17 GMT -5
DEVICE 2. The second device that Satan has to draw the soul from holy duties, and to keep them off from religious services, is, By presenting to them the danger, the losses, and the sufferings which attend the performance of such and such religious services.
By this device Satan kept those who believed on Christ from
confessing of Christ: in John 12:42, 'Nevertheless among the chief
rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they
did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.' I
would walk in all the ways of God, I would give up myself to the
strictest way of holiness—but I am afraid dangers will attend me on
the one hand, and losses, and such and such sufferings on the other
hand, says many a man. Oh, how should we help ourselves against
this temptation and device of Satan!
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is
to consider, That all the troubles and afflictions that you
meet with in a way of righteousness shall never hurt you,
they shall never harm you. 'And who is he who shall harm you, if
you be followers of that which is good?' says the apostle, that is, none
shall harm you (1 Pet. 3:13). Nobody is properly hurt but by himself,
and by his own fault.
Natural conscience cannot but do homage to the image of God
stamped upon the natures, words, works, and life of the godly; as we
may see in the carriage of Nebuchadnezzar and Darius towards
Daniel. All afflictions and troubles which attend men in a way of
righteousness can never rob them of their treasure, of their jewels.
They may rob them of some light slight things, as the flowers or
ribbons that be in their hats. Gordius, that blessed martyr, accounted
it a loss to him not to suffer many kinds of tortures. He says tortures
are but tradings with God for glory. The greater the combat is, the
greater is the following reward.
The treasures of a saint are the presence of God, the favor of God,
union and communion with God, the pardon of sin, the joy of the
Spirit, and the peace of conscience. These are jewels which none can
give but Christ, nor none can take away but Christ. Now why should
a gracious soul keep off from a way of holiness because of afflictions,
when no afflictions can strip a man of his heavenly jewels, which are
his ornaments and his safety here—and will be his happiness and
glory hereafter? Why should that man be afraid, or troubled for
storms at sea, whose treasures are sure in a friend's hand upon land?
Why, a believer's treasure is always safe in the hands of Christ; his
life is safe, his soul is safe, his grace is safe, his comfort is safe, and
his crown is safe in the hand of Christ. 'I know him in whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him until that day,' says the apostle (2 Tim. 1:12).
The child's most precious things are most secure in his father's
hands; so are our souls, our graces, and our comforts in the hand of
Christ. That was a notable speech of Luther—Let him who died for
my soul see to the salvation of it.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of
Satan is to consider, That other precious saints who were
shining lights on earth, and are now triumphing in heaven,
have held on in religious services, notwithstanding all the
troubles and dangers that have surrounded them. Nehemiah
and Ezra were surrounded with dangers on the left hand and on the
right, and yet, in the face of all, they held on building the temple and
the wall of Jerusalem. So Daniel, and those precious worthies (Ps
44:19, 20), under the lack of outward encouragements, and in the
face of a world of very great discouragements, their souls cleaved to
God and his ways. 'Though they were sore broken in the place of
dragons, and covered with the shadow of death, yes, though they
were all the day long counted as sheep for the slaughter, yet their
hearts were not turned back, neither did their steps decline from his
ways.' Though bonds and imprisonments did attend Paul and the
rest of the apostles in every place, yet they held on in the work and
service of the Lord; and why, then, should you degenerate from their
worthy examples, which is your duty and your glory to follow? (2
Cor. 6:5, Heb. 11:36).
William Fowler, the martyr said: "Heaven will as soon fail as I will
forsake my profession or budge in the least degree from it." So
Sanctus, being under great torments, cries out, "I am a Christian!"
No torments could work him to decline the service of God. I might
produce a cloud of witnesses; but if these do not assist you to be
noble and brave, I am afraid more will not.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider, That all the troubles and dangers
which attend the performance of all holy duties and
heavenly services are but temporal and momentary—but
the neglect of them may lay you open to all temporal,
spiritual, and eternal dangers. 'How shall we escape, if we
neglect so great salvation?' (Heb. 2:3). He says not, if we reject or
renounce so great salvation. No! but if we neglect, or shift off so great
salvation, how shall we escape? That is, we cannot by any way, or
means, or device in the world, escape. Divine justice will be above us,
in spite of our very souls. The doing of such and such heavenly
services may lay you open to the frowns of men—but the neglect of
them will lay you open to the frowns of God; the doing of them may
render you contemptible in the eyes of men—but the neglect of them
may render you contemptible in the eyes of God; the doing of them
may be the loss of your estate—but the neglect of them may be the
loss of God, Christ, heaven, and your soul forever; the doing of them
may shut you out from some outward temporal contents, the neglect
of them may shut you out from that excellent matchless glory 'which
eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart
of men' (Is. 64:4). Remember this, there is no man who breathes, but
shall suffer more by neglecting those holy and heavenly services that
God commands, commends, and rewards, than he can possibly suffer
by doing of them. Francis Xavier counseled John the Third, king of
Portugal, to meditate every day a quarter of an hour upon that text,
'What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul!'
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan
is, to consider, That God knows how to deliver from
troubles by troubles, from afflictions by afflictions, from
dangers by dangers. God, by lesser troubles and afflictions, does
oftentimes deliver his people from greater, so that they shall say, We
would have perished—if we had not perished; we would have been
undone—if we had not been undone; we would have been in danger
—if we had not been in danger. God will so order the afflictions that
befall you in the way of righteousness, that your souls shall say—We
would not for all the world, foregone with such and such troubles
and afflictions; for surely, had not these befallen us, it would have
been worse and worse with us. Oh the carnal security, pride,
formality, dead-heartedness, lukewarmness, censoriousness, and
earthliness, which God has cured us of, by the trouble and dangers
that we have met with in the ways and services of the Lord!
I remember a story of a godly man, that, as he was going to take a
ship for France, he broke his leg; and it pleased Providence so to
order it, that the ship that he would have gone in, was sunk at sea,
and not a man saved; so by breaking a bone, his life was saved. So
the Lord many times breaks our bones—but it is in order to the
saving of our lives and our souls forever. He gives us a portion that
makes us heart-sick—but it is in order to the making us perfectly
well, and to the purging of us from those ill humors that have made
our heads ache, and God's heart ache, and our souls sick, and heavy
to the death. Oh therefore let no danger or misery hinder you from
your duty. 'Had saw not these things perished, I would not have been
safe', said a philosopher when he saw what great possessions he had lost.
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider, That you shall gain more in the
service of God, and by walking in righteous and holy ways,
though troubles and afflictions should attend you—than
you can possibly suffer, or lose, by your being found in the
service of God. 'Godliness is great gain' (1 Tim. 6:6). Oh, the joy,
the peace, the comfort, the rest—which saints meet with in the ways
and service of God! They find that religious services are not empty
things—but things in which God is pleased to discover his beauty and
glory to their souls. 'My soul thirsts for God,' says David, 'that I
might see your beauty and your glory, as I have seen you in your
sanctuary' (Psalm 63:2). Oh, the sweet looks, the sweet words, the
sweet hints, the sweet joggings, the sweet influences, the sweet love letters,
which gracious souls have from heaven, when they wait upon
God in holy and heavenly services, the least of which will darken and
outweigh all the finery and glory of this world, and richly
recompense the soul for all the troubles, afflictions, and dangers that
have attended it in the service of God. Tertullian, in his book to the
martyrs, had an apt saying. 'That is right and good merchandise,
when something is parted with to gain more.' He applies it to their
sufferings, wherein, though the flesh lost something, yet their soul
got much more.
Oh, the saints can say under all their troubles and afflictions, that
they have food to eat, and drink to drink, that the world knows not
of; that they have such incomes, such refreshments, such warmings,
that they would not exchange for all the honors, riches, and dainties
of this world. Ah, let but a Christian compare his external losses with
his spiritual, internal, and eternal gain—and he shall find, that for
every penny that he loses in the service of God, he gains a pound; and
for every pound that he loses, he gains a hundred; for every hundred
lost, he gains a thousand. We lose pins in his service, and find pearls!
We lose the favor of the creature, and peace with the creature, and
perhaps the comforts and contentments of the creature—and we gain
the favor of God, peace of conscience, and the comforts and
contentments of a better life. Ah, did the men of this world know the
sweet that saints enjoy in afflictions, they would rather choose
Manasseh's iron chain—than his golden crown! They would rather be
Paul a prisoner, than Paul enrapt up in the third heaven. For 'light
afflictions,' they shall have 'a weight of glory!' For a few afflictions,
they shall have these joys, pleasures, and contentments, that are as
numerous as the stars of heaven, or as the sands of the sea! For
momentary afflictions, they shall have an eternal crown of glory. 'It is
but winking, and you shall be in heaven presently,' said the martyr.
Oh, therefore, let not afflictions or troubles cause you to shun the
ways of God, or to leave that service that should be dearer to you
than a world, yes, than your very life.
When the noble General Zedislaus had lost his hand in the war, the
king sent him a golden hand for it. What we lose in Christ's service
he will make up, by giving us some golden mercies. Though the cross
be bitter, yet it is but short; a little storm, as one said of Julian's
persecution, and an eternal calm follows!
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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 11:53:15 GMT -5
DEVICE 3 By presenting to the soul the difficulty of performing them.
Says Satan, it is so hard and difficult a thing to pray as you should,
and to wait on God as you should, and to walk with God as you
should, and to be lively, warm, and active in the communion of saints
as you should, that you were better ten thousand times to neglect
them, than to meddle with them. Doubtless by this device Satan has
and does keep off thousands from waiting on God and from giving to
him that service that is due to his name.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
To dwell more upon the necessity of the service and duty,
than on the difficulty that attends the duty. You should reason
thus with your souls: O our souls, though such and such services be
hard and difficult, yet are they exceeding necessary for the honor of
God, and the keeping up his name in the world, and the keeping
under of sin, and the strengthening of weak graces, and so the
reviving of languishing comforts, and for the keeping clear and bright
your blessed evidences, and for the scattering of your fears, and for
the raising of your hopes, and for the gladdening the hearts of the
righteous, and stopping the mouths of the ungodly, who are ready to
take all advantages to blaspheme the name of God, and throw dirt
and contempt upon his people and ways. Oh, never leave thinking on
the necessity of this and that duty, until your souls be lifted up far
above all the difficulties which attend religious duties.
The necessity of doing your duty appears by this, that you are his
servants by a threefold right; you are his servants by right of
creation, and by right of sustenation, and by right of redemption.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of
Satan is, solemnly to consider, That the Lord Jesus will
make his services easy to you, by the sweet discovery of
himself to your souls, while you are in his service. 'You meet
him who rejoices and works righteousness,' as the prophet Isaiah
says (Is. 64:5). The word in the Hebrew is diversely taken; but most
take the word here to signify 'to meet a soul with those affections of
love and tenderness as the father of the prodigal met the prodigal
with.' God is Pater miserationum, he is all affections; he is swift to
show mercy, as he is slow to anger. If meeting with God, who is
goodness itself, beauty itself, strength itself, glory itself—will not
sweeten his service to your soul, nothing in heaven or earth will.
Jacob's meeting with Rachel, and enjoying of Rachel, made his hard
service to be easy and delightful to him; and will not the soul's
enjoying of God, and meeting with God, render his service to be
much more easy and delightful? Doubtless it will. The Lord will give
that sweet assistance by his Spirit and grace, as shall make his
service joyous and not grievous, a delight and not a burden, a heaven
and not a hell, to believing souls.
The confidence of this divine assistance raised up Nehemiah's spirit
far above all those difficulties and discouragements that did attend
him in the work and service of the Lord, as you may see in Nehemiah
2:19, 20: 'But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant,
the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to
scorn, and despised us, and said, 'What is this thing that you do? will
you rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto
them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his
servants will arise and build: but you have no right, nor portion, nor
memorial, in Jerusalem.' Ah, souls, while you are in the very service
of the Lord, you shall find by experience, that the God of heaven will
prosper you, and support you, and encourage and strengthen you,
and carry you through the hardest service, with the greatest
sweetness and cheerfulness which can be. Remember this, that God
will suit your strength to your work, and in the hardest service you
shall have the choicest assistance.
Luther speaks excellently to Melancthon, who was apt to be
discouraged with doubts and difficulties, and fear from foes, and to
cease the service they had undertaken. 'If the work is not good, why
did we ever own it? If it is good, why should we ever give it up?' Why,
should we, who have Christ the conqueror on our side—fear the
conquered world?
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan
is, To dwell upon the hard and difficult things that the Lord
Jesus has passed through for your temporal, spiritual, and
eternal good. Ah, what a sea of blood, of wrath, of sin, of sorrow
and misery, did the Lord Jesus wade through for your internal and
eternal good! Christ did not plead, 'This cross is too heavy for me to
bear; this wrath is too great for me to lie under; this cup of suffering,
which has in it all the ingredients of divine wrath, is too bitter for me
to sip of—how much more to drink the very dregs of it? No! Christ
pleads not the difficulty of the service—but resolutely and bravely
wades through all, as the prophet Isaiah shows: 'I gave My back to
those who beat Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I
did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.' (Chap. 50:6).
Christ bears his Father's wrath, the burden of your sins, the malice of
Satan, and the rage of the world—and sweetly and triumphantly
passes through all. Ah, souls! if this consideration will not raise up
your spirits above all the discouragements that you meet with, to
own Christ and his service, and to stick and cleave to Christ and his
service, I am afraid nothing will. A soul not stirred by this, not raised
and lifted up by this, to be resolute and brave in the service of God,
notwithstanding all dangers and difficulties—is a soul left by God to
much blindness and hardness.
'It is not fit, since the Head was crowned with thorns, that he
members should be crowned with rosebuds' says Zanchius.
Godfrey Bouillon, Crusader King of Jerusalem (1099), refused to be
crowned with a crown of gold, saying, 'it was not fitting for a
Christian to wear a crown of gold, where Christ for our salvation had
once worn a crown of thorns!'
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan
is to consider, That religious duties, holy and heavenly
exercises, are only difficult to the worse, to the ignoble,
part of a saint. They are not to the noble and better part of a saint
—the soul, and the renewed affections of a saint. Holy exercises are a
heavenly pleasure and recreation, as the apostle speaks: 'I delight in
the law of God, after the inward man' (Rom. 7:22). To the noble part
of a saint, Christ's 'yoke is easy, and his burden is light (Matt. 11:30).
The Greek signifies that Christ's yoke is a kind, a gracious, a pleasant,
a good, and a gainful yoke—as opposed to that which is painful and
tedious.
All the commands and ways of Christ (even those who tend to the
pulling out of right eyes and cutting off of right hands) are joyous,
and not grievous, to the noble part of a saint. All the ways and
services of Christ are pleasantness, in the abstract, to the better part
of a saint. A saint, so far as he is renewed, is always best when he sees
most of God, when he tastes most of God, when he is highest in his
enjoyments of God, and most warm and lively in the service of God.
Oh, says the noble part of a saint, that it might be always thus! Oh
that my strength were the strength of stones, and my flesh as brass,
that my worse part might be more serviceable to my noble part, that
I might act by an untired power in that service, which is a pleasure, a
paradise, to me. As every flower has its sweet savor, so every good
duty carries sweet and comfort in the performance of it.
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider, That great reward and glorious
recompense that attends those who cleave to the service of
the Lord in the face of all difficulties and discouragements.
Though the work is hard—yet the wages are great. Heaven will
make amends for all! Yes, one hour's being in heaven will
abundantly recompense you for cleaving to the Lord and his ways in
the face of all difficulties. This carried the apostle through the
greatest difficulties. He had an eye 'to the recompense of reward.' He
looked for 'a house that had foundations, whose builder and maker
was God,' and for 'a heavenly country.' Yes, this bore up the spirit of
Christ in the face of all difficulties and discouragements: 'Looking
unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that
was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
set down at the right hand of the throne of God' (Heb. 12:2).
Basil speaks of some martyrs who were cast out all night naked in the
frigid weather, and were to be burned the next day, how they
comforted themselves in this manner: The winter is sharp—but
paradise is sweet; here we shiver for cold—but the bosom of
Abraham will make amends for all.
Christians who would hold on in the service of the Lord, must look
more upon the future crown than upon the present cross; more upon
their future glory than their present misery; more upon their
encouragements than upon their discouragements. God's very
service is wages; his ways are strewed with roses, and paved 'with joy
which is unspeakable and full of glory,' and with 'peace which passes
understanding.' Some degree of comfort follows every good action, as
heat accompanies fire, as beams and warmth issue from the sun:
'Moreover, by them is your servant warned, and in keeping of them
there is great reward,' Psalm 19:2. Not only for keeping—but in
keeping of them, there is great reward. This is a reward before the
reward, a sure reward of well doing; in doing thereof, not only for
doing thereof, there is great reward (Psalm 19:11).
The joy, the rest, the refreshing, the comforts, the contents, the
smiles—which saints now enjoy in the ways of God, are so precious
and glorious in their eyes, that they would not exchange them for ten
thousand worlds! Ah! if the gratuities be thus sweet and glorious
before pay-day comes, what will be that glory that Christ will crown
his saints with, for cleaving to his service in the face of all difficulties;
when he shall say to his Father, 'Lo, here am I, and the children
whom you have given me' (Is. 8:18). If there be so much to be had in
a wilderness, what then shall be had in paradise?
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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 11:55:33 GMT -5
DEVICE 4. By working them to make false inferences from those blessed and glorious things that Christ has done.
As that Jesus Christ has done all for us, therefore there is nothing for
us to do but to joy and rejoice. He has perfectly justified us, and
fulfilled the law, and satisfied divine justice, and pacified his Father's
wrath, and has gone to heaven to prepare a place for us, and in the
mean time to intercede for us; and therefore away with praying, and
mourning, and hearing. Ah! what a world of professors has Satan
drawn in these days from religious services, by working them to
make such sad, wild, and strange inferences from the sweet and
excellent things that the Lord Jesus has done for his beloved ones.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
To dwell as much on those scriptures that show you the
duties and services that Christ requires of you, as upon
those scriptures that declare to you the precious and
glorious things that Christ has done for you.
Tertullian has this expression of the Scriptures: 'I adore the fullness
of the Scripture.' Gregory calls the Scripture 'the heart and soul of
God'—who would not then dwell in it?
It is a sad and dangerous thing to have two eyes to behold our dignity
and privileges, and not one to see our duties and services. I should
look with one eye upon the choice and excellent things that Christ
has done for me, to raise up my heart to love Christ with the purest
love, and to rejoice in Christ with the strongest joy, and to lift up
Christ above all, who has made himself to be my all. And I should
look with the other eye upon those services and duties that the
Scriptures require of those for whom Christ has done such blessed
things, as upon that of the apostle: "Do you not know that your body
is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from
God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price; therefore
glorify God in your body" (1 Cor. 6:19, 20). 'Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be you steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord'
(1 Cor. 15:58). 'And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due
season we shall reap if we faint not' (Gal 6:9). And that of the apostle
'Rejoice always' (1 Thess. 5:16), and 'Pray without ceasing' (1 Thess.
5:17). And that in the Philippians: 'Work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling' (2:12); and that, 'This do until I come' (1 Tim.
4:13); and that, 'Let us consider one another, to provoke one another
to love, and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is—but exhorting one another, and
so much the more as you see the day approaching' (Heb. 10:24, 25).
Now, a soul that would not be drawn away by this device of Satan, he
must not look with a squint eye upon these blessed scriptures, and
abundance more of like import—but he must dwell upon them; he
must make these scriptures to be his chief and his choicest
companions, and this will be a happy means to keep him close to
Christ and his service in these times, wherein many turn their backs
upon Christ, under pretense of being interested in the great glorious
things that have been accomplished by Christ. The Jews were much
in turning over the leaves of the Scripture—but they did not weigh
the matter of them (John 5:39): 'You search the Scriptures.'
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of
Satan is, to consider, That the great and glorious things
that Jesus Christ has done, and is doing for us, should be so
far from taking us off from religious services and pious
performances, that they should be the greatest motives and
encouragements to the performance of them that may be,
as the Scriptures do abundantly evidence. I will only instance
in some, as that, 'That we, being delivered out of the hands of our
enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before him all the days of our life' (1 Peter 2:9, Luke 1:74, 75). Christ
has freed you from all your enemies, from the curse of the
law, the predominant damnatory power of sin, the wrath of
God, the sting of death, and the torments of hell. But what is
the end and design of Christ in doing these great and marvelous
things for his people? It is not that we should throw off duties of
righteousness and holiness—but that their hearts may be the more
free and sweet in all holy duties and heavenly services. This I am sure
of, that all man's happiness here is his holiness, and his holiness
shall hereafter be his happiness. Christ has therefore broke the
devil's yoke from off our necks, that his Father might have better
service from our hearts.
So the apostle says, 'I will be their God, and they shall be my people.'
'And I will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and
daughters, says the Lord Almighty.' Mark what follows: 'Since we
have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from
everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out
of reverence for God.' (2 Cor. 6:17-7:1). And again: 'The grace of God
that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of
good works' (Titus 2:12-14). Ah, souls! I know no such arguments to
work you to a lively and constant performance of all heavenly
services, like those who are drawn from the consideration of the
great and glorious things that Christ has done for you; and if such
arguments will not take you and win upon you, I do think the
throwing of hell fire in your faces will never do it!
Talk not of a godly life—but let your life speak. Your actions in
passing pass not away; for every good work is a grain of seed for
eternal life.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan
is, seriously to consider, That those precious souls which
Jesus Christ has done and suffered as much for as he has
for you—have been exceedingly active and lively in all
religious services and heavenly performances. He did as
much and suffered as much for David as for you, and yet who more
in praying and praising God than David? 'Seven times a day will I
praise the Lord' (Psalm 119:164). Who more in the studying and
meditating on the word than David? 'Your law is my meditation all
the day' (Psalm 119:97). The same truth you may run and read in
Jacob, Moses, Job, Daniel, and in the rest of the holy prophets and
apostles, whom Christ has done as much for as for you. Ah, how have
all those worthies abounded in works of righteousness and holiness,
to the praise of free grace!
Certainly Satan has got the upper hand of those souls which argue
thus—Christ has done such and such glorious things for us, therefore
we need not make any care and conscience of doing such and such
religious services as men say the Word calls for. If this logic be not
from hell, what is? Ah, were the holy prophets and apostles alive to
hear such logic come out of the mouths of such as profess themselves
to be interested in the great and glorious things that Jesus Christ has
done for his chosen ones, how would they blush to look upon such
souls! and how would their hearts grieve and break within them to
hear the language and to observe the actings of such souls!
The saints' motto in all ages has been 'Laboremus'—let us be doing.
'God loves the runner, not the questioner or disputer', says Luther.
He who talks of heaven—but does not the will of God, is like him who
gazed upon the moon—but fell into the pit.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan
is, seriously to consider this, That those who do not walk in
the ways of righteousness and holiness, who not wait upon
God in the several duties and services that are commanded
by him; cannot have that evidence to their own souls of
their righteousness before God, of their fellowship and
communion with God, of their blessedness here, and their
happiness hereafter, as those souls have, who love and
delight in the ways of the Lord, that are always best when
they are most in the works and service of the Lord. Certainly
it is one thing to judge by our graces, another thing to rest or put our
trust in them. There is a great deal of difference between declaring
and deserving. As David's daughters were known by their garments
of diverse colors, so are God's children by their piety and sanctity. A
Christian's emblem should be a house walking towards heaven. High
words surely make a man neither holy nor just; but a virtuous life, a
circumspect walking, makes him dear to God. A tree that is not
fruitful is fit only for the fire. Christianity is not a talking—but a
walking with God, who will not be put off with words. If he sees no
fruit, he will take up his axe, and then the soul is cut off forever.
'Little children,' says the apostle, 'let no man deceive you: he who
does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous' (1 John 3:7).
'In this,' says the same apostle, 'the children of God are manifest, and
the children of the devil; whoever does not righteousness is not of
God, neither he who loves not his brother' (ver. 10). 'If you know that
he is righteous,' says the same apostle, 'you know that everyone who
practices righteousness, is born of him.' "This is how we are sure that
we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. The one who
says, 'I have come to know Him,' without keeping His commands, is
a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly
in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in
Him: the one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He
walked." 'If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in
darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light, as
he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another; and the blood
of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin,' says the same
apostle (1 John 2:3-6, and 1:6, 7).
So (James 2:14, 20): 'What does it profit, my brethren, though a man
say he has faith, and have no works; can faith save him?' that is, it
cannot. 'For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also.' To look after holy and heavenly works, is the best
way to preserve the soul from being deceived and deluded by Satan's
delusions, and by sudden flashes of joy and comfort; holy works
being a more conscious and constant pledge of the precious Spirit,
begetting and maintaining in the soul more solid, pure, clear, strong,
and lasting joy. Ah souls! As you would have in yourselves a constant
and a blessed evidence of your fellowship with the Father and the
Son, and of the truth of grace, and of your future happiness, look that
you cleave close to holy services; and that you turn not your backs
upon religious duties.
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider, That there are other choice and
glorious ends for the saint's performance of religious
duties, than for the justifying of their persons before God,
or for their satisfying of the law or justice of God, or for the
purchasing of the pardon of sin; that is, to testify their
justification. 'A good tree cannot but bring forth good fruits' (Matt.
7:17), to testify their love to God, and their sincere obedience to the
commands of God; to testify their deliverance from spiritual
bondage, to evidence the indwelling of the Spirit, to stop the mouths
of the worst of men, and to gladden those righteous souls, whom God
would not have saddened. These, and abundance of other choice
ends there are, why those who have a saving interest in the glorious
doings of Christ, should, notwithstanding that, keep close to the holy
duties and religious services that are commanded by Christ. And if
these considerations will not prevail with you, to wait upon God in
holy and heavenly duties, I am afraid if one should rise from the
dead, his arguments would not win upon you—but you would hold
on in your sins, and neglect his service, though you lost your souls
forever.
The end in view moves to action. Keep yourself within compass, and
have an eye always to the end of your life and actions
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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 12:00:24 GMT -5
DEVICE 5. By presenting to them the fewness and poverty of those who walk in the ways of God—who continue in religious practices.
Says Satan, Do not you see that those who walk in such and such
religious ways are the poorest, the lowest, and the most despicable
people in the world? This took with them in John 7:47-49: 'Then
answered the pharisees, Are you also deceived? Have any of the
rulers, or of the pharisees, believed on him? But these ignorant
crowds do, but what do they know about it? A curse is on them
anyway!'
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
to consider, That though they are outwardly poor, yet they
are inwardly rich. Though they are poor in temporals, yet they are
rich in spirituals. The worth and riches of the saints is inward. 'The
King's daughter is all glorious within' (Psalm 45:13). 'Hearken, my
beloved brethren, has not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in
faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that
love him?' says James 2:5. 'I know your poverty—but you are rich,'
says John to the church of Smyrna (Rev. 2:9). What though they
have little in possession, yet they have a glorious kingdom in future
promise. 'Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's pleasure to give you
a kingdom' (Luke 12:32). Though saints have little in hand, yet they
have much in hope. You count those happy, in a worldly sense, that
have much in future promise, though they have little in possession:
and will you count the saints miserable because they have little in
hand, little in possession, though they have a glorious kingdom in
future promise? I am sure the poorest saint who breathes, will not
exchange, were it in his power, that which he has in hope and in
future promise, for the possession of as many worlds as there be
stars in heaven, or sands in the sea.
'Do not you see,' says Chrysostom, 'the places where treasures are hid
are rough and overgrown with thorns? Do not the naturalists tell
you, that the mountains that are big with gold within, are bare of
grass without? Saints have, as scholars, poor daily fare here, because
they must study hard to go to heaven.'
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of
Satan is, to consider, That in all ages God has had some
who have been great, rich, wise, and honorable—who have
chosen his ways, and cleaved to his service in the face of all
difficulties. Though not many wise men, yet some wise men; and
though not many mighty, yet some mighty have; and though not
many noble, yet some noble have. Witness Abraham, and Jacob, and
Job, and several kings, and others that the Scriptures speak of. And
ah! how many have we among ourselves, whose souls have cleaved to
the Lord, and who have swum to his service through the blood of the
slain, and who have not counted their lives dear unto them, that they
and others might enjoy the holy things of Christ, according to the
mind and heart of Christ.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider, That the spiritual riches of the
poorest saints infinitely transcend the temporal riches of
all the wicked men in the world; their spiritual riches
satisfy them; they can sit down satisfied with the riches of
grace that are in Christ, without earthly honors or riches.
'He who drinks of that water that I shall give him, shall thirst no
more' (John 4:13). Alexander's vast mind inquired if there were any
more worlds to conquer.
The riches of poor saints are durable; they will bed and board with
them; they will go to the prison, to a sickbed, to a grave, yes, to
heaven with them. The spiritual riches of poor saints are as wine to
cheer them, and as bread to strengthen them, and as clothes to warm
them, and as armor to protect them. Now, we all know that the riches
of this world cannot satisfy the souls of men—for they are as fading
as a flower, or as the owners of them are.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device, is
seriously to consider, That though the saints, considered
comparatively, are few; though they be 'a little, little flock,'
'a remnant,' 'a garden enclosed,' 'a spring shut up, a
fountain sealed'; though they are as 'the summer
gleanings'; though they are 'one from a city, and two from a
tribe'; though they are but a handful to a houseful, a spark
to a flame, a drop to the ocean—yet considered altogether,
are an innumerable number that cannot be numbered. As
John speaks: 'After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from
every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of
the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white and held
palm branches in their hands.' (Rev. 7:9). So Matthew speaks: 'And I
say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall
sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven'
(Matt. 8:11). So Paul: 'But you have come unto mount Zion, and unto
the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church
of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of
all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect' (Heb. 12:22).
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan
is, seriously to consider, That it will be only a short time,
before these poor despised saints shall shine brighter than
the sun in his glory. It will not be long before you will wish, Oh!
that we were now among the poor, mean despised ones, in the day
that God comes to make up his jewels! It will not be long before these
poor few saints shall be lifted up upon their thrones to judge the
multitude, the world, as the apostle speaks: 'Don't you know, that the
saints shall judge the world?' (1 Cor. 6:2). And in that day, oh! how
will the great and the rich, the learned and the noble, wish that they
had lived and spent their days with these few poor contemptible
creatures in the service of the Lord! Oh! how will this wicked world
curse the day that ever they had such base thoughts of the poor
despised saints, and that their poverty became a stumbling-block to
keep them off from the ways of sanctity.
John Foxe being once asked whether he knew a certain poor man
answered, I remember him well. I tell you I forget lords and ladies to
remember such. So will God deal by his poor saints. He will forget
the great and mighty ones of the world to remember his few poor
despised ones. Though John the Baptist was poor in the world, yet
the Holy Spirit calls him the greatest that was born of woman. Ah,
poor saints, men that know not your worth, have such low thoughts
of you. "My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the
Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For
just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah
55:8-9
I have read of Ingo, an ancient king of the Draves, who, making a
stately feast, appointed his nobles, at that time pagans, to sit in the
hall below, and commanded certain poor Christians to be brought up
into his presence-chamber, to sit with him at his table, to eat and
drink of his kingly cheer; at which many wondering, he said, 'He
accounted Christians, though ever so poor, a greater ornament to his
table, and more worthy of his company, than the greatest
unconverted nobles; for when these might be thrust down to hell,
those might be his consorts and fellow-princes in heaven.' You know
how to apply it.
Although you see the stars sometimes by their reflections in a
puddle, or in the bottom of a well, yes, in a stinking ditch; yet the
stars have their situation in heaven. So, though you see a godly man
in a poor, miserable, low, despised condition for the things of this
world, yet he is fixed in heaven, in the region of heaven: 'Who has
raised us up,' says the apostle, 'and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus.' Oh! therefore, say to your own souls, when
they begin to decline in the ways of Zion, because of the poverty and
fewness of those who walk in them, The day is at hand when those
few, poor, despised saints shall shine in glory, when they shall judge
this world, and when all the wicked of this world will wish that they
were in their condition, and would give ten thousand worlds, were it
in their power, that they might but have the honor and happiness to
wait upon those whom, for their poverty and fewness, they have
neglected and despised in this world.
Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider, That there will come a time, even
in this life, in this world—when the reproach and contempt
that is now cast upon the ways of God, by reason of the
poverty and fewness of those who walk in those ways, shall
be quite taken away, by his making them the head—who
have days without number been the tail; and by his raising
them up to much outward riches, prosperity, and glory—
who have been as the outcast because of their poverty and
fewness. John, speaking of the glory of the church, the new
Jerusalem that came down from heaven (Rev. 21:24), tells us, 'The
nations of the earth will walk in its light, and the rulers of the world
will come and bring their glory to it.' So the prophet Isaiah: 'I will
exchange your bronze for gold, your iron for silver, your wood for
bronze, and your stones for iron.' (chap. 60:17). And so the prophet
Zechariah speaks (chap. 14:14): 'And the wealth of all the heathen
round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel,
in great abundance.' The Lord has promised that 'the meek shall
inherit the earth' (Matt. 5:5); and 'heaven and earth shall pass away,
before one jot or one tittle of his word shall pass unfulfilled' (ver. 18).
Ah, poor saints! now some thrust sore at you, others look a-squint
upon you, others shut the door against you, others turn their backs
upon you, and most of men (except it be a few who live much in God,
and are filled with the riches of Christ) do either neglect you or
despise you because of your poverty; but the day is coming when you
shall be lifted up above the ash-heap, when you shall change poverty
for riches, your rags for robes, your reproach for a crown of honor,
your infamy for glory, even in this world.
These following scriptures do abundantly confirm this truth: Jer.
31:12; Is. 30:23; 62:8, 9; Joel 2:23, 24; Micah 4:6; Amos 9:13, 14;
Zech 8:12; Isa. 41:18, 19; 55:13; 66:6, 7; 65:21, 22; 61:4; 60:10 Ezek.
36:10. Only take these two cautions: 1. That in these times the saints'
chief comforts, delights, and contents with consist in their more
clear, full, and constant enjoyment of God. 2. That they shall have
such abundant measure of the Spirit poured out upon them, that
their riches and outward glory shall not be snares unto them—but
golden steps to a richer living in God.
And this is not all—but God will also mightily increase the number of
his chosen ones, multitudes shall be converted to him: 'Who has ever
seen or heard of anything as strange as this? Has a nation ever been
born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere
moment? But by the time Jerusalems' birth pains begin, the baby will
be born; the nation will come forth. They will bring the remnant of
your people back from every nation. They will bring them to my holy
mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord. They will ride on
horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels' (Isa. 66:8,
20). Does not the Scripture say, that 'the kingdoms of this world
must become the kingdoms of our Lord'? (Rev. 11:15). Has not God
given to Christ 'the heathen, and the uttermost parts of the earth for
his possession'? (Psalm 2:8). Has not the Lord said, that in 'the last
days the mountain of the Lord's house shall be lifted up above the
hills, and shall be established in the top of the mountains, and all
nations shall flow unto it,' (Isa. 2:2 and 54:14 and 61:9).
Pray, read, and meditate upon Isaiah 60 and 66 and 2:1-5, and there
you shall find the multitudes that shall be converted to Christ. And
oh! that you would be mighty in believing and in wrestling with God,
that he would hasten the day of his glory, that the reproach that is
now upon his people and ways may cease!
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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 12:05:36 GMT -5
DEVICE 6. By presenting before them the
examples of the greatest part of the world
—who walk in the ways of their own
hearts, and that make light and slight of
the ways of the Lord.
Why, says Satan, do not you see that the great and the rich, the noble
and the honorable, the learned and the wise, even the greatest
number of men, never trouble themselves about such and such ways
—and why then should you be singular and odd? You had better do
as the most do. (John 7:48, 49; 1 Cor. 1:26, 28; Micah 7:2-4.)
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, Of those scriptures which are
directly opposed to following the sinful examples of men.
As that in Exodus, 'You shall not follow a multitude to do evil' (chap.
23:2). The multitude generally are ignorant, and know not the way of
the Lord, therefore they speak evil of that they know not. They are
envious and maliciously bent against the service and way of God, and
therefore they cannot speak well of the ways of God: 'This way is
everywhere spoken against,' say they (Acts 28:22). So in Num. 16:21,
'Separate from them, and come out from among them.' So the
apostle: 'Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness'
(Eph. 5:11). So Solomon: 'Enter not into the way of the wicked;
forsake the foolish, and live' (Prov. 4:14 and 9:6). Those who walk
with the many—shall perish with the many. Those who do as the
most, shall before long suffer with the most. Those who live as the
many, must die with the many, and go to hell with the many. The
way to hell is broad and well beaten. The way to be undone forever is
to do as the most do. 'The multitude' is the weakest and worst
argument. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and
broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through
it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and
only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of
Satan is, seriously to consider, That if you will sin with the
multitude, all the angels in heaven and men on earth
cannot keep you from suffering with the multitude. If you
will be wicked with them, you must unavoidably be
miserable with them. Say to your soul, O my soul! if you will sin
with the multitude, you must be shut out of heaven with the
multitude, you must be cast down to hell with the multitude: 'And I
heard a voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that
you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her
plagues' (Rev. 18:4). Come out in affection, in action, and in
habitation, or else the infection of sin will bring upon you the
infliction of punishment. So says the wise man, 'He who walks with
wise men shall be wise—but a companion of fools shall be destroyed,'
(Prov. 13:20). Multitudes may help you into sin, yes, one may draw
you into sin—but it is not multitudes who can help you to escape
punishments; as you may see in Moses and Aaron, that were
provoked to sin by the multitude—but were shut out of the pleasant
land, and fell by a hand of justice as well as others.
Sin and punishment are linked together with chains of adamant. Of
sin we may say, as Isidore does of the serpent, 'So many colors, so
many dolours.'
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan
is, solemnly to consider, The worth and excellency of your
immortal soul. Your soul is a jewel more worth than heaven and
earth. The loss of your soul is incomparable, irreparable, and
irrecoverable. If your soul is lost—all is lost, and you are undone
forever. Is it madness and folly in a man to kill himself for company,
and is it not greater madness or folly to break the neck of your soul,
and to damn it for company? Be suspect of that way wherein you see
multitudes to walk; the multitude being a stream that you must row
hard against, or you will be carried into that gulf out of which angels
cannot deliver you. Is it not better to walk in a straight way alone,
than to wander into crooked ways with company? Surely, it is
better to go to heaven alone—than to hell with company!
I might add other things—but these may suffice for the present; and I
am afraid, if these arguments do not stir you, other arguments will
work but little upon you. What wise man would fetch gold out of a
fiery crucible; that is, hazard his immortal soul, to gain the world, by
following a multitude in those steps that led to the chambers of death
and darkness?
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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 12:06:35 GMT -5
DEVICE 7. By casting in a multitude of vain thoughts, while the soul is in seeking of God, or in waiting on God
...and by this device he has cooled some men's spirits in heavenly
services, and taken off, at least for a time, many precious souls from
religious performances.
"I have no heart to hear, nor no heart to pray, nor no delight in
reading, nor in the society of the saints. Satan does so dog and follow
my soul, and is still a-casting in such a multitude of vain thoughts
concerning God, the world, and my own soul, that I even tremble to
think of waiting upon God in any religious service. Oh! the vain
thoughts that Satan casts in, do so distaste my soul, and so grieve,
vex, perplex, and distract my soul, that they even make me weary of
holy duties, yes, of my very life. Oh! I cannot be so raised and
ravished, so heated and melted, so quickened and enlarged, so
comforted and refreshed—as I should be, as I might be, and as I
would be in religious services—by reason of that multitude of vain
thoughts, which Satan is injecting or casting into my soul. Lord, now
how gladly would I serve you, and vain thoughts will not allow me!"
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is, To
have your hearts strongly affected with the greatness,
holiness, majesty, and glory of that God before whom you
stand, and with whom your souls converse in religious
services. Oh! let your souls be greatly affected with the presence,
purity, and majesty of that God before whom you stand. A man
would be afraid of playing with a feather, when he is speaking with a
king. Ah! when men have poor, low, light, slight thoughts of God, in
their drawing near to God, they tempt the devil to bestir himself, and
to cast in a multitude of vain thoughts to disturb and distract the soul
in its waiting on God. There is nothing that will contribute so much
to the keeping out of vain thoughts, as to look upon God as an
omniscient God, an omnipresent God, an omnipotent God, a God full
of all glorious perfections, a God whose majesty, purity, and glory
will not allow him to behold the least iniquity. The reason why the
blessed saints and glorious angels in heaven have not so much as one
vain thought is, because they are greatly affected with the greatness,
holiness, majesty, purity, and glory of God.
When Pompey could not keep his soldiers in the camp by persuasion
he cast himself down along in the narrow passage which led out of it,
and bade them go if they would—but they must first trample upon
their general; and the thoughts of this overcame them. You are wise,
and know how to apply it to the point in hand.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, To
be faithful in religious services, notwithstanding all those
wandering thoughts the soul is troubled with. This will be a
sweet help against them: for the soul to be resolute in waiting on
God, whether it be troubled with vain thoughts or not; to say, 'Well I
will pray still, and hear still, and meditate still, and keep fellowship
with the saints still.' Many precious souls can say from experience,
that when their souls have been steadfast in their waiting on God,
that Satan has left them, and has not been so busy in vexing their
souls with vain thoughts. When Satan perceives that all those trifling
vain thoughts that he casts into the soul do but vex the soul into
greater diligence, carefulness, watchfulness, and steadfastness in
holy and heavenly services, and that the soul loses nothing of his
zeal, piety, and devotion—but doubles his care, diligence, and
earnestness, he often ceases to interpose his trifles and vain
thoughts, as he ceased to tempt Christ, when Christ was steadfast in
resisting his temptations.
It is a rule in the civil law that nothing seems to be done, if there
remains anything to be done. If once you say, 'it is enough', you are undone.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider this, That those vain and trifling thoughts that are
cast into our souls, when we are waiting upon God in this
or that religious service, if they be not cherished and
indulged—but abhorred, resisted, and disclaimed; they are
not sins upon our souls, though they may be troubles to our
minds; they shall not be put upon our accounts, nor keep
mercies and blessings from being enjoyed by us. When a soul
in uprightness can look God in the face, and say, Lord, when I
approach near unto you, there are a world of vain thoughts crowd in
upon me, which disturb my soul, and weaken my faith, and lessen
my comfort and spiritual strength. Oh, these are my clog, my burden,
my torment, my hell! Oh, do justice upon these, free me from these,
that I may serve you with more freeness, singleness, spiritualness,
and sweetness of spirit. These thoughts may vex that soul—but they
shall not harm that soul. nor keep a blessing from that soul. If vain
thoughts resisted and lamented could stop the current of mercy, and
render a soul unhappy, there would be none on earth that should
ever taste of mercy, or be everlastingly happy.
It is not Satan casting in of vain thoughts that can keep mercy from
the soul, or undo the soul—but the lodging and cherishing of vain
thoughts: 'O Jerusalem, how long shall vain thoughts lodge within
you?' (Jer.4:14) Vain thoughts pass through the best hearts;
they are lodged and cherished only in the worst hearts.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That watching against sinful thoughts,
resisting of sinful thoughts, lamenting and weeping over
sinful thoughts, carries with it the sweetest and strongest
evidence of the truth and power of grace, and of the
sincerity of your hearts, and is the readiest and the surest
way to be rid of them (Psalm 139:23). Many low and carnal
considerations may cause men to watch their words, their lives, their
actions; as hope of gain, or to please friends, or to get a name in the
world, and many other such like considerations. Oh! but to watch our
thoughts, to weep and lament over them—this must needs be from
some noble, spiritual, and internal principle—such as love to God, a
holy fear of God, a holy care and delight to please the Lord. Thoughts
are the first-born, the blossoms of the soul, the beginning of our
strength—whether for good or evil; and they are the greatest
evidences for or against a man, that can be.
The schools do well observe, that outward sins are of greater infamy
—but inward heart sins are of greater guilt, as we see in the devil's.
There is nothing that so speaks out a man to be thoroughly and
kindly wrought upon, as his having his thoughts to be 'brought into
obedience,' as the apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 10:4, 5. Grace is grown up to
a very great height in that soul where it prevails, to the subduing of
those vain thoughts that walk up and down in the soul. (Psalm
139:23; Is. 59:7; 66:18; Matt. 9:4; 12:25.)
Well! though you cannot be rid of them, yet make resistance and
opposition against the first risings of them. When sinful thoughts
arise, then think thus, The Lord takes notice of these thoughts; 'he
knows them afar off,' as the Psalmist speaks (Psalm 138:6). He knew
Herod's bloody thoughts, and Judas's betraying thoughts, and the
Pharisees' cruel and blasphemous thoughts afar off. (Matt. 15:15-18).
Oh! think thus: All these sinful thoughts, they defile and pollute the
soul, they deface and spoil much of the inward beauty and glory of
the soul. If I commit this or that sin, to which my thoughts incline
me, then either I must repent or not repent; if I repent, it will cost me
more grief, sorrow, shame, heart-breaking, and soul-bleeding, before
my conscience will be quieted, divine justice pacified, my comfort
and joy restored, my evidences cleared, and my pardon in the court
of conscience sealed—than the imagined profit or seeming sensual
pleasure can be worth. 'What fruit had you in those things whereof
you are now ashamed' (Rom. 6:21).
Tears, instead of gems, were the ornaments of David's bed when he
had sinned; and so they must be yours, or else you must lie down in
the bed of sorrow forever.
If I never repent, oh! then my sinful thoughts will be scorpions that
will eternally vex me, the rods that will eternally lash me, the thorns
that will everlastingly pierce me, the dagger that will be eternally a stabbing me,
the worm that will be forever a-gnawing me! Oh!
therefore, watch against them, be constant in resisting them, and in
lamenting and weeping over them, and then they shall not hurt you,
though they may for a time trouble you. And remember this—he who
does this, does more than the most glistering and blustering
hypocrite in the world does.
Inward bleeding kills many a man; so will sinful thoughts, if not
repented of.
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan is, To
labor more and more to be filled with the fullness of God,
and to be enriched with all spiritual and heavenly things.
What is the reason that the angels in heaven have not so much as an
idle thought? It is because they are filled with the fullness of God
(Eph. 3:19). Take it for an experienced truth, the more the soul is
filled with the fullness of God and enriched with spiritual
and heavenly things—the less room there is in that soul for
vain thoughts. The fuller the vessel is of wine—the less room there
is for water. Oh, then, lay up much of God, of Christ, of precious
promises, and choice experiences in your hearts—and then you will
be less troubled with vain thoughts. 'A good man, out of the good
treasure of his heart, brings forth good things' (Matt. 12:35).
Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan is, To
keep up holy and spiritual affections; for such as your
affections are, such will be your thoughts. 'Oh how I love your
law! it is my meditation all the day' (Psalm 119:97). What we love
most, we most muse upon. 'When I awake, I am still with you' (Psalm
139:18). That which we much like—we shall much mind. Those who
are frequent in their love to God and his law, will be frequent in
thinking of God and his law—a child will not forget his mother.
Remedy (7). The seventh remedy against this device of Satan is, To
avoid multiplicity of worldly business. Oh, let not the world
take up your hearts and thoughts. Souls which are torn in pieces with
the cares of the world will be always vexed and tormented with vain
thoughts in all their approaches to God. Vain thoughts will be still
crowding in upon him that lives in a crowd of business. The stars
which have least circuit are nearest the pole; and men that are least
perplexed with business are commonly nearest to God.
2 Tim. 2:4, 'No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian
affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer.' This is a
comparison which Paul borrows from the custom of the Roman
empire, wherein soldiers were forbidden to take up private
businesses.
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Post by Admin on Feb 29, 2024 13:11:35 GMT -5
DEVICE 8. By working them to rest in their performances; to rest in prayer, and to rest in hearing, reading, and the communion of saints.
And when Satan has drawn the soul to rest upon the service done,
then he will help the soul to reason thus: Why, you had better never
pray, as to pray and rest in prayer; you had better never hear, as to
hear and rest in hearing; you had better never be in the communion
of saints, as to rest in the communion of saints. And by this device he
stops many souls in their heavenly race, and takes off poor souls
from those services that should be their joy and crown (Is. 58:1-2,
Zech. 7:4-6, Matt. 6:2, Rom. 1:7).
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is, To
dwell much upon the imperfections and weaknesses which
attend your choicest services. Oh the spots, the blots, the
blemishes that are to be seen on the face of our best duties! When
you have done all you can, you have need to close up all with this, 'Oh
enter not into judgment with your servant, O Lord' (Psalm 143:2), for
the weaknesses that cleave to my best services. We may all say with
the church, 'All our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth' (Is.
64:6). If God should be strict to mark what is done amiss in our best
actions, we are undone! Oh the water that is mingled with our wine;
the dross that cleaves unto our gold! Pride and high confidence is
most apt to creep in upon 'duties well done'.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider The impotence and inability of any of your best
services, divinely to comfort, refresh, and bear your souls
up from fainting, and sinking in the days of trouble, when
darkness is round about you, when God shall say to you, as he did
once to the Israelites, 'Go and cry unto the gods that you have
chosen; let them save you in the time of your tribulation' (Judges
10:14). So, when God shall say in the day of your troubles, Go to your
prayers, to your hearing, and to your fasting, and see if they can help
you, if they can support you, if they can deliver you.
If God in that day does but withhold the influence of his grace, your
former services will be but poor cordials to comfort you; and then
you must and will cry out, Oh, 'none but Christ, none but Christ!' Oh
my prayers are not Christ, my hearing is not Christ, my fasting is not
Christ. Oh! one smile of Christ, one glimpse of Christ, one good word
from Christ, one nod of love from Christ in the day of trouble and
darkness—will more revive and refresh the soul than all your former
services, in which your souls rested, as if they were the bosom of
Christ, which should be the only center of our souls. Christ is the
crown of crowns, the glory of glories, and the heaven of heavens.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That good things rested upon will as
certainly undo us, and everlastingly destroy us—as the
foulest enormities which can be committed by us. Those
souls that after they have done all, do not look up so high as Christ—
and rest, and center alone in Christ, laying down their services at the
footstool of Christ—must lie down in sorrow; their bread is prepared
for them in hell. 'But watch out, you who live in your own light and
warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will
receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment' (Is. 50:11).
Is it good to dwell with everlasting burnings, with a devouring fire?
Why then, rest in your duties still? See that you center only in the
bosom of Christ.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is, To
dwell much upon the necessity and excellency of that
resting-place which God has provided for you. Above all other
resting-places—he himself is your resting-place; his free mercy and
love is your resting-place; the pure, glorious, matchless, and spotless
righteousness of Christ is your resting-place. Ah! it is sad to think,
that most men have forgotten their resting-place, as the Lord
complains: 'My people have been as lost sheep, their shepherds have
caused them to go astray, and have turned them away to the
mountains: they are gone from mountain to hill, and forgotten their
resting-place' (Jer. 50:6). So poor souls who do not see the excellency
of that resting-place that God has appointed for their souls to lie
down in—they wander from mountain to hill, from one duty to
another, and here they will rest and there they will rest. But those
who see the excellency of that resting-place that God has provided
for them, they will say, 'Farewell prayer, farewell hearing, farewell
fasting. I will rest no more in you—but now I will rest only in the
bosom of Christ, the love of Christ, the righteousness of Christ!'
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Post by Admin on Mar 1, 2024 9:32:21 GMT -5
SATAN'S DEVICES TO KEEP SAINTS IN ASAD, DOUBTING, QUESTIONING & UNCOMFORTABLE CONDITION
Though Satan can never rob a believer of his crown, yet such is his
malice and envy, that he will leave no stone unturned, no means
unattempted, to rob them of their comfort and peace—to make their
life a burden and a hell unto them, to cause them to spend their days
in sorrow and mourning, in sighing and complaining, in doubting
and questioning. 'Surely,' he says, 'we have no interest in Christ; our
graces are not true, our hopes are the hopes of hypocrites; our
confidence is our presumption, our enjoyments are our delusions.'
Blessed John Bradford (the martyr) in one of his epistles, says thus,
'O Lord, sometime methinks I feel it so with me—as if there were no
difference between my heart and the wicked. I have a blind mind as
they, a stout, stubborn, rebellious hard heart as they,' and so he goes
on.
I shall show you this in some particulars:
DEVICE 1. The first device that Satan has to keep souls in a sad,
doubting, and questioning condition, and so making their life a hell,
is, By causing them to be still poring and musing upon sin,
to mind their sins more than their Savior; yes, so to mind
their sins as to forget, yes, to neglect their Savior; that, as the
Psalmist speaks, 'The Lord is not in all their thoughts' (Psalm 10:4).
Their eyes are so fixed upon their disease, that they cannot see the
remedy, though it be near; and they do so muse upon their debts,
that they have neither mind nor heart to think of their Surety. A
Christian should wear Christ in his bosom as a flower of delight, for
he is a whole paradise of delight. He who minds not Christ more than
his sin, can never be thankful and fruitful as he should.
Remedy (1). The first remedy is for weak believers to consider,
That though Jesus Christ has not freed them from the
presence of sin, yet he has freed them from the damnatory
power of sin. It is most true that sin and grace were never born
together, neither shall sin and grace die together; yet while a believer
breathes in this world, they must live together, they must keep house
together. Christ in this life will not free any believer from the
presence of any one sin, though he does free every believer from the
damning power of every sin. 'There is no condemnation to those who
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh—but after the Spirit'
(Rom. 8:1). The law cannot condemn a believer, for Christ has
fulfilled it for him; divine justice cannot condemn him, for that
Christ has satisfied; his sins cannot condemn him, for they in the
blood of Christ are pardoned; and his own conscience, upon
righteous grounds, cannot condemn him, because Christ, that is
greater than his conscience, has acquitted him.
My sins hurt me not, if they like me not. Sin is like that wild fig-tree,
or ivy in the wall; cut off stump, body, bough, and branches, yet some
strings or other will sprout out again, until the wall be plucked down.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That though Jesus Christ has not freed you from
the molesting and vexing power of sin, yet he has freed you
from the reign and dominion of sin. You say that sin does so
molest and vex you, that you can not think of God, nor go to God, nor
speak with God.* Oh! but remember it is one thing for sin to molest
and vex you, and another thing for sin to reign and have dominion
over you. 'For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not
under the law—but under grace' (Rom. 6:14). Sin may rebel—but it
shall never reign in a saint. It fares with sin in the regenerate as with
those beasts that Daniel speaks of, 'that had their dominion taken
away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season' (Dan. 7:12). The
primitive Christians chose rather to be thrown to lions without, than
left to lusts within.
Now sin reigns in the soul, when the soul willingly and readily obeys
it, and submits to its commands, as subjects do actively obey and
embrace the commands of their prince. The commands of a king are
readily embraced and obeyed by his subjects—but the commands of a
tyrant are embraced and obeyed unwillingly. All the service that is
done to a tyrant, is out of violence, and not out of loving obedience. A
free and willing subjection to the commands of sin speaks out the
soul to be under the reign and dominion of sin; but from this plague,
this hell, Christ frees all believers. It is a sign that sin has not gained
your consent—but committed a rape upon your souls, when you cry
out to God. If the ravished virgin under the law cried out—she was
guiltless (Deut. 22:27); so when sin plays the tyrant over the soul,
and the soul cries out, it is guiltless; those sins shall not be charged
upon the soul.
Sin cannot say of a believer as the centurion said of his servants, 'I
bid one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and
to another, Do this, and he does it' (Matt. 8:9). No! the heart of a
saint rises against the commands of sin; and when sin would carry
his soul to the devil, he hates his sin, and cries out for justice. Lord!
says the believing soul, sin plays the tyrant, the devil in me; it would
have me to do that which wars against your holiness as well as
against my happiness; against your honor and glory, as my comfort
and peace; therefore do me justice, O righteous judge of heaven and
earth, and let this tyrant sin die for it! "What a wretched man I am!
Who will rescue me from this body of death?"
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is,
Constantly to keep one eye upon the promises of remission
of sin, as well as the other eye upon the inward operations
of sin. This is the most certain truth, that God graciously pardons
those sins to his people—that he will not in this life fully subdue in
his people. Paul prays thrice (that is, often), to be delivered from the
thorn in the flesh. All he can get is 'My grace is sufficient for you' (2
Cor. 12:9); I will graciously pardon that to you—which I will not
conquer in you, says God. 'And I will cleanse them from all their
iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they
have transgressed against me. I, even I, am he who blots out your
transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember your sins
(Jer. 33:8, Is. 43:25).
Ah! you lamenting souls, who spend your days in sighing and
groaning under the sense and burden of your sins, why do you deal
so unkindly with God, and so injuriously with your own souls, as not
to cast an eye upon those precious promises of remission of sin
which may bear up and refresh your spirits in the darkest night, and
under the heaviest burden of sin?
Is. 44:2; Micah 7:18, 19; Col. 2:13, 14. The promises of God are a
precious book; every leaf drops myrrh and mercy. Though the weak
Christian cannot open, read, and apply them, Christ can and will
apply them to their souls. 'I, I am he, blotting out your
transgressions' today and tomorrow (the Hebrew denotes a
continued act of God).
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is, To
look upon all your sins as charged upon the account of
Christ, as debts which the Lord Jesus has fully satisfied;and
indeed, were there but one farthing of that debt unpaid that Christ
was engaged to satisfy, it would not have stood with the unspotted
justice of God to have let him come into heaven and sit down at his
own right hand. But all our debts, by his death, being discharged, we
are freed, and he is exalted to sit down at the right hand of his
Father, which is the top of his glory, and the greatest pledge of our
felicity: 'For he has made him to be sin for us that knew no sin, that
we might be made the righteousness of God in him,' said the apostle
(2 Cor. 5:21). Christ was the greatest of sinners by imputation and
reputation.
All our sins were made to meet upon Christ, as that evangelical
prophet has it: 'He was despised and rejected by men, a man of
sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide
their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took
up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him
stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for
our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds
we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has
turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of
us all. (Isaiah 53:3-6).
In law, we know that all the debts of the wife are charged upon the
husband. Says the wife to one and to another, If I owe you anything,
go to my husband. So may a believer say to the law, and to the justice
of God, If I owe you anything, go to my Christ, who has undertaken
for me. I must not sit down discouraged, under the apprehension of
those debts, which Christ, to the utmost farthing, has fully satisfied.
Would it not argue much weakness, I had almost said much
madness, for a debtor to sit down discouraged upon his looking over
those debts that his surety has readily, freely, and fully satisfied? The
sense of his great love should engage a man forever to love and honor
his surety, and to bless that hand that has paid the debt, and
cancelled the books. But to sit down discouraged when the debt is
satisfied, is a sin which bespeaks repentance.
Christ has the greatest worth and wealth in him. As the worth and
value of many pieces of silver is in one piece of gold, so all the
excellencies scattered abroad in the creatures are united in Christ. All
the whole volume of perfections which are spread through heaven
and earth are epitomized in him.
Christ has cleared all reckoning between God and us. You remember
the scapegoat. Upon his head all the iniquities of the children of
Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, were confessed
and put, and the goat did bear upon him all their iniquities (Lev.
16:21). Why! the Lord Jesus is that blessed scapegoat, upon whom all
our sins were laid, and who alone has carried 'our sins away into the
land of forgetfulness, where they shall never be remembered more.'
Christ is the channel of grace from God. A believer, under the guilt of
his sin, may look the Lord in the face, and sweetly plead thus with
him: It is true, Lord, I owed you much—but your Son was my
ransom, my redemption. His blood was the price; he was my surety
and undertook to answer for my sins; I know you must be satisfied,
and Christ has satisfied you to the utmost farthing: not for himself,
for what sins had he of his own? but for me; they were my debts that
he satisfied for; be pleased to look over the book, and you shall find
that it is crossed by your own hand upon this very account, that
Christ has suffered and satisfied for them.
The bloods of Abel, for so the Hebrew has it, as if the blood of one
Abel had so many tongues as drops, cried for vengeance against sin;
but the blood of Christ cries louder for the pardon of sin!
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, Of the reasons why the Lord is pleased
to have his people exercised, troubled, and vexed with the
operations of sinful corruption; and they are these: partly to
keep them humble and low in their own eyes; and partly to put them
upon the use of all divine helps, whereby sin may be subdued and
mortified; and partly, that they may live upon Christ for the
perfecting the work of sanctification; and partly, to wean them from
things below, and to make them heart-sick of their absence from
Christ, and to maintain in them affections of compassion towards
others who are subject to the same infirmities with them; and that
they may distinguish between a state of grace and a state of glory,
and that heaven may be more sweet to them when finally arrived
there.
Now does the Lord upon these weighty reasons allow his people to be
exercised and molested with the operations of sinful corruptions? Oh
then, let no believer speak, write, or conclude bitter things against
his own soul and comforts, because sin so troubles and vexes his
righteous soul. But he should lay his hand upon his mouth and be
silent, because the Lord will have it so, upon such weighty grounds as
the soul is not able to withstand.
Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That believers must repent for their
being discouraged by their sins. Their being discouraged by
their sins will cost them many a prayer, many a tear, and many a
groan; and that because their discouragements under sin flow from
ignorance and unbelief. It springs from their ignorance of the
richness, freeness, fullness, and everlastingness of God's love; and
from their ignorance of the power, glory, sufficiency, and efficacy of
the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ; and from their
ignorance of the worth, glory, fullness, largeness, and completeness
of the righteousness of Jesus Christ; and from their ignorance of that
real, close, spiritual, glorious, and inseparable union which exists
between Christ and their precious souls. Ah! did precious souls know
and believe the truth of these things as they should, they would not
sit down dejected and overwhelmed under the sense and operation of
sin.
God never gave a believer a new heart that it should always lie a bleeding,
and that it should always be rent and torn in pieces with
discouragements
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Post by Admin on Mar 1, 2024 9:35:12 GMT -5
DEVICE 2. By working them to make false
definitions of their graces.
Satan knows, that as false definitions of sin wrong the soul one way,
so false definitions of grace wrong the soul another way.
Oh how does Satan labor with might and main to work men to make
false definitions of FAITH! Some he works to define faith too high, as
that it is a full assurance of the love of God to a man's soul in
particular, or a full persuasion of the pardon and remission of a
man's own sins in particular. Says Satan, What do you talk of faith?
Faith is an assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of sin; and
this you have not; you know you are far off from this; therefore you
have no faith. And by drawing men to make such a false definition of
faith, he keeps them in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition,
and makes them spend their days in sorrow and sighing, so that tears
are their drink, and sorrow is their food, and sighing is their work all
the day long.
The philosophers say there are eight degrees of. Now, if a man
should define heat only by the highest degree, then all other degrees
will be ruled out from being heat. So if men shall define faith only by
the highest degrees, by assurance of the love of God, and of the
pardon of his sins in particular, what will become of lesser degrees of
faith?
If a man should define a man to be a living man, only by the highest
and strongest demonstrations of life, as laughing, leaping, running,
working, and walking; would not many thousands who groan under
internal and external weaknesses, and who cannot laugh, nor leap,
nor run, nor work, nor walk—be found dead men by such a
definition, that yet we know to be alive? It is so here, and you know
how to apply it.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That there may be true faith, yes, great
measures of faith, where there is no assurance. The
Canaanite woman in the Gospel had strong faith, yet no assurance
that we read of. 'These things have I written unto you,' says John,
'who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that
you have eternal life' (1 John 5:13). In these words you see that they
did believe, and had eternal life, in respect of the purpose and
promise of God, and in respect of the seeds and beginnings of it in
their souls, and in respect of Christ their head, who sits in heaven as
a public person, representing all his chosen ones, 'Who has raised us
up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus' (Eph. 2:6); and yet they did not know that they had eternal life.
It is one thing to have a right to heaven, and another thing to know
it; it is one thing to be beloved, and another thing for a man to know
that he is beloved. It is one thing for God to write a man's name in
the book of life, and another thing for God to tell a man that his
name is written in the book of life; and to say to him (Luke 10:20),
'Rejoice, because your name is written in heaven.' So Paul: 'In whom
you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation: in whom also, after you believed, you were sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise' (Eph. 1:13). So Micah: 'Rejoice not against
me, O my enemy: for when I shall fall, I shall rise; when I shall sit in
darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the
indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned' (Micah 7:8, 9). This
soul had no assurance, for he sits in darkness, and was under the sad
countenance of God; and yet had strong faith, as appears in those
words, 'When I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall
be a light unto me.' He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall
behold his righteousness. So also those in Is. 50:10 had faith, though
they had no assurance. And let this suffice for the first answer.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That God in the Scripture defines faith
otherwise. God defines faith to be a receiving of Christ—'As many
as received him, to them he gave this privilege, to be the sons of God'
(John 1:12). 'To as many as believed on his name'—to be a cleaving of
the soul unto God, though no joy—but afflictions, attend the soul
(Act. 11:23). Yes, the Lord defines faith to be a coming to God in
Christ, and often to a resting and staying, rolling of the soul upon
Christ. It is safest and sweetest to define as God defines, both vices
and graces. This is the only way to settle the soul, and to secure it
against the wiles of men and devils, who labor, by false definitions of
grace, to keep precious souls in a doubting, staggering, and
languishing condition, and so make their lives a burden, a hell, unto
them. Matt. 11:23; John 6:37; Heb. 7:25, 26.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is,
seriously to consider this, That there may be true faith where
there is much doubtings. Witness those frequent sayings of
Christ to his disciples, 'Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?'
(Matt. 6:30, 14:31, 16:8; Luke 12:28). People may be truly believing
who nevertheless are sometimes doubting. In the same people that
the fore-mentioned scriptures speak of, you may see their faith
commended and their doubts condemned, which does necessarily
suppose a presence of both.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That assurance is an effect of faith;
therefore it cannot be faith. The cause cannot be the effect, nor
the root the fruit. As the effect flows from the cause, the fruit from
the root, the stream from the fountain, so does assurance flow from
faith. This truth I shall make good thus: The assurance of our
salvation and pardon of sin does primarily arise from the witness of
the Spirit of God that we are the children of God (Eph. 1:13); and the
Spirit never witnesses this until we are believers: 'For we are sons by
faith in Christ Jesus' (Gal. 4:6). Therefore assurance is not faith—but
follows it, as the effect follows the cause.
Again, no man can be assured and persuaded of his salvation until he
be united to Christ, until he be ingrafted into Christ; and a man
cannot be ingrafted into Christ until he has faith. He must first be
ingrafted into Christ by faith before he can have assurance of his
salvation; which does clearly evidence, that assurance is not faith—
but an effect and fruit of faith.
Again, faith cannot be lost—but assurance may; therefore assurance
is not faith. Though assurance is a precious flower in the garden of a
saint, and is more infinitely sweet and delightful to the soul than all
outward comforts and contentments; yet it is but a flower which is
subject to fade, and to lose its freshness and beauty, as saints by sad
experience find. Psalm 51:12, 30:6, 7; Cant. 5:6; Is. 8:17.
Again, a man must first have faith before he can have assurance,
therefore assurance is not faith. And that a man must first have faith
before he can have assurance, is clear by this, a man must first be
saved before he can be assured of his salvation; for he cannot be
assured of that which is not. And a man must first have a saving faith
before he can be saved by faith, for he cannot be saved by that which
he has not; therefore a man must first have faith before he can have
assurance, and so it soundly follows that assurance is not faith.
There are many thousand precious souls, of whom this world is not
worthy, that have the faith of reliance, and yet lack assurance and the
effects of it; as high joy, glorious peace, and vehement longings after
the coming of Christ.
DEVICE 3. By working the soul to make false inferences from the cross actings of Providence.
Says Satan—Do you not see how Providence crosses your prayers,
and crosses your desires, your tears, your hopes, your endeavors?
Surely if his love were towards you, if his soul did delight and take
pleasure in you—he would not deal thus with you. (Psalm 77:7, et seq.; 31:1; 73:2, 23).
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That many things may be cross to our
desires, which are not cross to our spiritual and eternal
good. Abraham, Jacob, David, Job, Moses, Jeremiah, Jonah, and
Paul, met with many things that were contrary to their desires and
endeavors, that were not contrary to their good; as all know that have
wisely compared their desires and endeavors and God's actings
together. Medicine and surgery often works contrary to the patients'
desires, when it does not work contrary to their good.
I remember a story of a godly man, who had a great desire to go to
France, and as he was going to board the ship, he broke his leg; and
it pleased Providence so to order it, that the ship that he should have
gone in, was sunk, and not a man saved; and so by breaking a bone
his life was saved. Though Providence did work cross to his desire,
yet it did not work cross to his good.
Some heretics, not being able to repudiate the preaching and writing
of Augustine, sought his destruction, waiting to trap him on the way
he was to go. But by God's providence Augustine, missing his way,
escaped the danger.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That the hand of God may be against a
man, when the love and heart of God is much set upon a
man. No man can conclude how the heart of God stands—by his
hand in providential dealings. The hand of God was against Ephraim,
and yet his love, his heart, was dearly set upon Ephraim: "I have
surely heard Ephraim's moaning: 'You disciplined me like an unruly
calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return,
because you are the Lord my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I
came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.' Is not Ephraim my dear
son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I
still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great
compassion for him," declares the Lord." Jeremiah 31:18-20 ' (Jer.31:18-20).*
God's providential hand may be with people, when his heart is set
against them. God's providential hand was for a time with Saul,
Haman, Asshur, and Jehu—and yet his heart was set against them.
'No man knows love or hatred by all that is before him' (Eccles. 9:1,2).
God can look sourly, and chide bitterly, and strike heavily—even
where and when he loves dearly. The hand of God was very much
against Job—and yet his love, his heart, was very much set upon Job,
as you may see by comparing chaps. 1 and 2, with 41 and 42. The
hand of God was sore against David and Jonah—when his heart was
much set upon them. He who shall conclude that the heart of God is
against those who his hand is against, will condemn the generation
of the just, whom God unjustly would not have condemned.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan, is, to
consider, That all the cross providences which befall the
saints are for some noble good that God intends to confer
upon them. Providence wrought cross to David's desire in taking
away the child sinfully begotten—but yet not cross to more noble
good; for was it not far better for David to have such a legitimate heir
as Solomon was, than that a illegitimate child should wear the crown,
and sway the scepter?
Joseph, you know, was sold into a far country by the envy and
malice of his brethren, and afterwards imprisoned because he would
not be a prisoner to his mistress's lusts; yet all these providences did
wonderfully conduce to his advancement, and the preservation of his
father's family, which was then the visible church of Christ. It was so
handled by a noble hand of providence, that what they sought to
injure, they did promote. Joseph was therefore sold by his brethren
that he might not be worshiped, and yet he was therefore worshiped
because he was sold. Cf. Genesis 37:7, etc.
David was designed to a kingdom—but oh! the straits, troubles, and
deaths that he runs through before he feels the weight of his crown!
And all this was but in order to the sweetening of his crown, and to
the settling of it more firmly and gloriously upon his head.
God did so contrive it that Jonah's offence, and those cross actings
of his which attended it, should advantage that end which they
seemed most directly to oppose. Jonah he flies to Tarshish, then cast
into the sea, then saved by a miracle. Then the mariners, as it is very
probable, who cast Jonah into the sea, declared to the Ninevites what
had happened; therefore he must be a man sent of God, and that his
threatenings must be believed and hearkened to, and therefore they
must repent and humble themselves, that the wrath threatened might not be executed.
The motions of divine providence are so dark, so deep, so
changeable, that the wisest and noblest believers cannot
tell what conclusions to make.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is,
seriously to consider, That all the strange, dark, deep, and
changeable providences that believers meet with, shall
further them in their way to heaven—in their journey to
happiness. Divine wisdom and love will so order all things here
below, that they shall work for the real, spiritual, and eternal good—
of those who love him. All the rugged providences that David met
with did contribute to the bringing of him to the throne; and all the
rugged providences that Daniel and the 'three children' met with did
contribute to their great advancement. So all the rugged providences
that believers meet with, they shall all contribute to the lifting up of
their souls above all things, below God. As the waters lifted up
Noah's ark nearer heaven—and as all the stones that were about
Stephen's ears did but knock him the closer to Christ, the corner stone—
so all the strange rugged providences that we meet with, they
shall raise us nearer heaven, and knock us nearer to Christ, that
precious corner-stone.
DEVICE 4. By suggesting to them that
their graces are not true—but counterfeit.
Says Satan—All is not gold which glitters, all is not free grace which
you count grace, which you call grace. That which you call faith is but
imagination; and that which you call zeal is but a natural heat and
passion; and that light you have, it is but common, it is short, to what
many have attained to—who are now in hell. Satan does not labor
more mightily to persuade hypocrites that their graces are
true when they are counterfeit; than he does to persuade
precious souls that their graces are counterfeit, when
indeed they are true, and such as will abide the touchstone of
Christ.
Yet it must be granted that many a fair flower may grow out of a
stinking root—and many sweet dispositions and fair actions may be
where there is only the corrupt root of nature.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
seriously to consider, That grace is taken two ways.
[1.] It is taken for the gracious good-will and favor of God, whereby
he is pleased of his own free love to accept of some in Christ for his
own. This, some call the first grace, because it is the fountain of all
other graces, and the spring from whence they flow, and it is
therefore called grace, because it makes a man gracious with God—
but this is only in God.
[2.] Grace is taken for the gifts of grace, and they are of two sorts,
common or special. Some are common to believers and hypocrites,
as a gift of knowledge, a gift of prayer, etc. Some are special graces,
and they are proper and peculiar to the saints, as faith, humility,
meekness, love, patience, etc. (Gal. 5:22, 23).
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is,
wisely to consider, The differences between renewing grace
and restraining grace, between sanctifying and temporary
grace; and this I will show you in these ten particulars.
[1.] True grace makes all glorious within and without. 'The
King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold'
(Psalm 45:13). True grace makes the understanding glorious, the
affections glorious. It casts a general glory upon all the noble parts of
the soul: 'The King's daughter is all glorious within.' And as it makes
the inside glorious, so it makes the outside glorious: 'Her clothing is
of wrought gold.' It makes men look gloriously, and speak gloriously,
and walk and act gloriously, so that vain souls shall be forced to say
that these are those who have seen Jesus. God brings not a pair of
scales to weigh our graces—but a touchstone to try our graces. Purity,
preciousness, and holiness is stamped upon all saving graces. Acts
15:9; 2 Peter 4:1; Jude 20.
As grace is a fire to burn up and consume the dross and filth of the
soul, so it is an ornament to beautify and adorn the soul. True grace
makes all new, the inside new and the outside new: 'If any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature' (2 Cor. 5:17), but temporary grace does
not this. (The Greek signifies 'a new creation': new man, new
covenant, new paradise, new Lord, new law, new hearts, and new
creatures go together.)
True grace changes the very nature of a man. Moral virtue does only
restrain or chain up the outward man, it does not change the whole
man. A lion in a cage is a lion still; he is restrained—but not changed,
for he retains his lion-like nature still. So temporary graces restrain
many men from this and that wickedness—but it does not change
and turn their hearts from wickedness. But now true grace, that
turns a lion into a lamb, as you may see in Paul (Acts 9), and a
notorious strumpet into a blessed and glorious penient, as you may
see in Mary Magdalene (Luke 7).
[2.] The objects of true grace are supernatural. True grace is
conversant about the choicest and the highest objects, about the
most soul-ennobling and soul-greatening objects—as God, Christ,
precious promises which are worth more than a world, and a
kingdom which cannot be shaken, a crown of glory which does not
wither, and heavenly treasures which do not rust. The objects of
temporary grace are low and poor, and always within the compass of
reason's reach. 2 Cor. 14:18; Prov. 14. A saint has his feet where other
men's heads are (Matt 6).
[3.] True grace enables a Christian, when he is himself, to
do spiritual actions with real pleasure and delight. To souls
truly gracious, Christ's yoke 'is easy, and his burden is light.' 'His
commandments are not grievous—but joyous.' 'I delight in the law of
God after the inward man,' says Paul. The blessed man is described
by this, that he 'delights in the law of the Lord' (Psalm 1:2). To a
gracious soul, 'All the ways of the Lord are pleasantness, and his
paths are peace (Prov. 3:17)
But to souls that have but temporary grace—but moral virtues, pious
services are a toil, not a pleasure; a burden, and not a delight. 'We
have fasted before you! Why aren't you impressed? We have done
much penance, and you don't even notice it!' (Is. 58:3). 'You have
said—What's the use of serving God? What have we gained by
obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord Almighty that
we are sorry for our sins?' (Mal. 3:14). 'You can't wait for the Sabbath
day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to
cheating the helpless. You measure out your grain in false measures
and weigh it out on dishonest scales.' (Amos 8:5).
[4.] True grace makes a man most careful, and most
fearful of his own heart.(Psalm 51:10; 119:36, 80; 86:11). It
makes him most studious about his own heart—informing that,
examining that, and watching over that. But temporary grace, mere
moral virtues, make men more mindful and careful of others, to
instruct them and counsel them, and stir up them, and watch over
them. This does with open mouth, demonstrate that their graces are
not saving—but that they are temporary; and no more than Judas,
Demas, and the pharisees had.
[5.] True grace will work a man's heart to love and cleave
to the strictest and holiest ways and things of God, for their
purity and sanctity, in the face of all dangers and hardships. 'Your
word is very pure, therefore your servant loves it (Psalm 119:140).
Others love it, and like it, and follow it—for the credit, the honor, the
advantage that they get by it; but I love it for the spiritual beauty and
purity of it. So the psalmist, 'All this has happened despite our loyalty
to you. We have not violated your covenant. Our hearts have not
deserted you. We have not strayed from your path. Yet you have
crushed us in the desert. You have covered us with darkness and
death.' (Psalm 44:17-19). But temporary grace will not bear up the
soul against all oppositions and discouragements in the ways of God,
as is clear by their apostasy in John 6:60, 66, and by the stony
ground hearers falling away (Matt. 13:20, 21).
Grace is a panoply against all trouble, and a paradise of all pleasures.
[6.] True grace will enable a man to step over the world's
crown, to take up Christ's cross; to prefer the cross of Christ
above the glory of this world. It enabled Abraham, and Moses, and
Daniel, with those other worthies in Heb. 11, to do so.
Godfrey Bouillon, crusader king of Jerusalem, refused to be crowned
with a crown of gold, saying, 'That it not fitting for a Christian to
wear a crown of gold—where Christ had worn a crown of thorns.' Oh!
but temporary grace cannot work the soul to prefer Christ's cross
above the world's crown; but when these two meet, a temporary
Christian steps over Christ's cross to take up, and keep up, the
world's crown. 'Demas has forsaken us to embrace this present
world' (2 Tim. 4:10). So the young man in the Gospel had many good
things in him; he bid fair for heaven, and came near to heaven; but
when Christ set his cross before him, he steps over that to enjoy the
world's crown (Matt. 19:19-22). When Christ bid him, 'go and sell all
that he had, and give to the poor—he went away sorrowful, for he
had great possessions.' If heaven be to be had upon no other terms,
Christ may keep his heaven to himself, he will have none!
There are few are of Jerome's mind, who had rather have Paul's coat
with his heavenly graces, than the purple of kings with their kingdoms.
[7.] Sanctifying grace, renewing grace, puts the soul upon
spiritual duties, from spiritual and intrinsic motives, as
from the sense of divine love—which constrains the soul to wait on
God, and to act for God; and the sense of the excellency and
sweetness of communion with God, and the choice and precious
discoveries that the soul has formerly had of the beauty and glory of
God, while it has been in the service of God. The good looks, the good
words, the blessed love-letters, the glorious kisses, and the sweet
embraces that gracious souls have had from Christ in his service—
stimulate and move them to wait upon him in holy duties.
As what I have if offered to you, pleases not you, O Lord, without
myself; so the good things we have from you, though they may
refresh us, yet they satisfy us not without yourself.
Ah! but restraining grace, temporary grace, puts men upon religious
duties only from external motives, as the care of the creature, the eye
of the creature, the rewards of the creature, and the keeping up of a
name among the creatures, and a thousand such like considerations,
as you may see in Saul, Jehu, Judas, Demas, and the scribes and pharisees.
The abbot in Melancthon lived strictly, and walked demurely, and
looked humbly, so long as he was but a monk—but when, by his
seeming extraordinary sanctity, he got to be abbot, he grew
intolerably proud and insolent; and being asked the reason of it,
confessed, 'That his former lowly look was but to see if he could find
the keys of the abbey.' Such poor, low, vain motives work temporary
souls to all the service they do perform.
[8.] Saving grace, renewing grace, will cause a man to
follow the Lord fully in the desertion of all sin, and in the
observation of all God's precepts.Joshua and Caleb followed
the Lord fully. (Num. 14:24). Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous
before God, and walked in all the commandments and ordinances of
the Lord blameless (Luke 1:5, 6). The saints in the Revelation are
described by this, that 'they follow the Lamb wherever he goes' (Rev.
14:4).
But restraining grace, temporary grace, cannot enable a man to
follow the Lord fully. All that temporary grace can enable a man to
do, is to follow the Lord partially, unevenly, and haltingly, as you
may see in Jehu, Herod, Judas, and the scribes and pharisees, who
paid tithe of 'mint, and anise, and cummin—but omitted the
weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith' (Matt.
23:23).
True grace works the heart to the hatred of all sin, and to the love of
all truth. It works a man to the hatred of those sins that for his blood
he cannot conquer, and to loathe those sins that he would give all the
world to overcome (Psalm 119:104, 128). So that a soul truly gracious
can say, Though there is no one sin mortified and subdued
in me, as it should be, and as I would desire; yet every sin is
hated and loathed by me. So a soul truly gracious can say,
Though I do not obey any one command as I should, and as I would
desire, yet every word is sweet, every command of God is precious
(Psalm 119:6, 119, 127, 167). I dearly prize and greatly love those
commands that I cannot obey; though there be many commands that
I cannot in a strict sense fulfill, yet there is no command I would not
fulfill, that I do not exceedingly love. 'I love your commandments
above gold, above fine gold:' 'My soul has kept your testimonies, and
I love them exceedingly' (Psalm 119, 127, 167).
'I had rather go to hell pure from sin, then to heaven polluted with
that filth' (Anselm). 'Give what you command, and command what you will' (Augustine).
[9.] True grace leads the soul to rest in Christ, as in his
'summum bonum,' the chief good.It works the soul to center in
Christ, as in his highest and ultimate end. 'Where should we go? you
have the words of eternal life' (John 6:68). 'My lover is dark and
dazzling, better than ten thousand others! I found the one I love. I
held on to him and would not let him go!' (Cant. 5:10; 3:4). That
wisdom which a believer has from Christ—it leads him to center in
the wisdom of Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). And that love the soul has from
Christ—it leads the soul to center in the love of Christ. And that
righteousness the soul has from Christ, it leads the soul to rest and
center in the righteousness of Christ (Phil. 3:9).
Grace is that star that leads to Christ; it is that cloud and pillar of fire
that leads the soul to the heavenly Canaan, where Christ sits chief.
True grace is a beam of Christ, and where it is, it will naturally lead
the soul to rest in Christ. The stream does not more naturally lead to
the fountain, nor the effect to the cause—than true grace leads the
soul to Christ.
But restraining grace, temporary grace, works the soul to center and
rest in things below Christ. Sometimes it works the soul to center in
the praises of the creature; sometimes to rest in the rewards of the
creature: 'Verily they have their reward,' said Christ (Matt. 6:1, 2):
and so in an hundred other things (Zech. 7:5, 6).
[10.] True grace will enable a soul to sit down satisfied and
contented with the naked enjoyments of Christ. The
enjoyment of Christ without honor will satisfy the soul; the
enjoyment of Christ without riches, the enjoyment of Christ without
pleasures, and without the smiles of creatures, will content and
satisfy the soul. 'It is enough; Joseph is alive' (Gen. 45:28). So says a
gracious soul, though honor is not, and riches are not, and health is
not, and friends are not—it is enough that Christ is, that he reigns,
conquers, and triumphs. Christ is the pot of manna, the cruse of oil, a
bottomless ocean of all comfort, contentment, and satisfaction. He
who has him lacks nothing: he who lacks him enjoys nothing.
'Having nothing,' says Paul, 'and yet possessing all things' (2 Cor.
6:10). A contented man cannot be a poor man.
Oh! but a man who has but temporary grace—who has but
restraining grace, cannot sit down satisfied and contented, under the
lack of outward comforts. Christ is good with honors, says such a
soul; and Christ is good with riches, and Christ is good with
pleasures, and he is good with such and such outward contents. I
must have Christ and the world, or else with the young man in the
Gospel, in spite of my soul, I shall forsake Christ to follow the world.
Ah! how many shining professors are there in the world, who cannot
sit down satisfied and contented, under the lack of this or that
outward comfort and convenience—but are like bedlams, fretting and
vexing, raging and angry—as if there were no God, no heaven, no
hell, nor no Christ—to make up all such outward comforts.
But a soul truly gracious can say: In having nothing I have all things,
because I have Christ; having therefore all things in him, I seek no
other reward, for he is the universal reward. Such a soul can say:
Nothing is sweet to me without the enjoyment of Christ in it; honors,
nor riches, nor the smiles of creatures, are not sweet to me no farther
than I see Christ, and taste Christ in them. The confluence of all
outward good, cannot make a heaven of glory in my soul, if Christ,
who is the top of my glory, be absent.
As Absalom said, 'What is all this to me so long as I cannot see the
king's face?' (2 Sam. 14:32). So says the saved soul: Why do you tell
me of this and that outward comfort, when I cannot see the face of
him whom my soul loves? Why, honor is not my Christ; riches are
not my Christ; the favor of the creature is not my Christ! Let me have
Jesus—and let the men of this world take the world, and divide it
among themselves! I prize my Christ above all, I would enjoy my
Christ above all other things in the world. His presence will make up
the absence of all other comforts. His absence will darken and
embitter all my comforts—so that my comforts will neither taste like
comforts, nor look like comforts, nor warm like comforts—when he
who should comfort my soul stands afar off (Lam. 1:16). Christ is all
and in all to souls truly gracious (Col. 3:11). We have all things in
Christ. Christ is all things to a Christian. If we are sick, Jesus is a
physician. If we thirst, Jesus is a fountain. If our sins trouble us,
Jesus is our righteousness. If we stand in need of help, Jesus is
mighty to save. If we fear death, Jesus is life. If we are in darkness,
Jesus is light. If we are weak, Jesus is strength. If we are in poverty,
Jesus is plenty. If we desire heaven, Jesus is the way. The soul cannot
say, 'this I would have, and that I would have.' But having Jesus, he
has all he needs—eminently, perfectly, eternally.
Luther said, he had rather be in hell with Christ than in heaven without him.
'None but Christ! none but Christ!' said Lambert the martyr, lifting
up his hands and his flaming fingers!
Augustine upon Psalm 12 brings in rebuking a discontented
Christian thus: What is your faith? have I promised you these things?
What! were you made a Christian that you should flourish here in this world?
Contentment is the deputy of outward felicity, and supplies the place
where it is absent. As the Jews throw the book of Esther to the
ground before they read it, because the name of God is not in it, as
the Rabbis have observed; so do saints in some sense those mercies
wherein they do not read Christ's name, and see Christ's heart.
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Post by Admin on Mar 1, 2024 9:48:01 GMT -5
DEVICE 5. By suggesting to them, That that conflict which is in them, is not a conflict which is only in saints—but such
a conflict that is to be found in hypocrites and profane souls;
....when the truth is, there is as much difference between the conflict
which is in them, and that which is in wicked men, as there is
between light and darkness, between heaven and hell. The devil is a
liar, and the father of lies. The devil's breasts (says Luther) are very
fruitful with lies. And the truth of this I shall evidence to you in the
following particulars:
[I.] The whole frame of a believer's soul is against sin.the
understanding, the will, and the affections—all the powers and
faculties of the soul—are in arms against sin. A covetous man may
condemn covetousness, and yet the frame and bent of his heart may
be to it. A proud person may condemn pride, and yet the frame of
his spirit may be to it. The drunkard may condemn drunkenness,
and yet the frame of his spirit may be to it. A man may condemn
stealing and lying, and yet the frame of his heart may be to it. 'You
who preach a man should not steal—do you steal? You who say a
man should not commit adultery—do you commit adultery? You who
abhor idols—do you commit sacrilege? You who make your boast of
the law—through breaking the law you dishonor God.' (Rom. 2:21-23).
But a saint's will is against sin. 'The evil that I would not do, that I
do.' And his affections are against it, 'What I hate, I do' (Rom. 7:19,20).
It was a good saying of Augustine,'Lord, deliver me from an evil man,
myself!' He complains that men do not tame their beasts in their own bosoms.
[2.] A Christian conflicts against sin universally, the least as
well as the greatest; the most profitable and the most pleasing sin, as
well as against those which are less pleasing and profitable. "I hate
every false way." Psalm 119:104. The Hebrew signifies to hate with a
deadly and irreconcilable hatred. He will combat with all sin, though
he cannot conquer one as he should, and as he desires. He knows
that all sin strikes at God's holiness, as well as his own happiness; at
God's glory, as well as at his soul's comfort and peace.
The Christian knows that all sin is hateful to God, and that all sinners
are traitors to the crown and dignity of the Lord Jesus. He looks
upon one sin, and sees that which threw down Noah, the most
righteous man in the world; and he looks upon another sin, and sees
that which cast down Abraham, the greatest believer in the world;
and he looks upon another sin, and sees that which threw down
David, the best king in the world. He sees that one sin threw down
Samson, the strongest man in the world; another cast down
Solomon, the wisest man in the world; and another Moses, the
meekest man in the world; and another sin cast down Job, the most
patient man in the world. This raises a holy indignation against all
sin, so that nothing can satisfy and content his soul, but a destruction
of all those lusts and vermin which vex and rack his righteous soul.
It will not suffice a gracious soul to see justice done upon one sin--
but he cries out for justice upon all. He would not have some
crucified and others spared; but cries out, "Lord, crucify them all,
crucify them all!"
Oh! but now the conflict that is in wicked men is partial; they frown
upon one sin and smile upon another; they strike at some sins yet
stroke others; they thrust some out of doors but keep others close in
their bosoms; as you may see in Jehu, Herod, Judas, Simon Magus,
and Demas. Wicked men strike at gross sins, such as are not only
against the law of God—but against the laws of nature and society—
but make nothing of less sins; as vain thoughts, idle words, sinful
motions, and petty oaths. They fight against those sins that fight
against their honor, profits, and pleasures—but make truce with
those which are as dear as right hands and as right eyes to them.
[3.] The conflict that is in a saint, against sin, is
maintained by several arguments: by arguments drawn from
the love of God, the honor of God, the sweetness and communion
with God, and from the spiritual and heavenly blessings and
privileges which are conferred upon them by God, and from
arguments drawn from the blood of Christ, the glory of Christ, the
eye of Christ, the kisses of Christ, and the intercession of Christ, and
from arguments drawn from the indwelling of the Spirit, the seal of
the Spirit, the witness of the Spirit, the comforts of the Spirit.
Though to be kept from sin brings comfort to us; yet we oppose sin
from spiritual and heavenly arguments, which brings most glory to God.
Oh! but the conflict that is in wicked men is from low, carnal, and
legal arguments, drawn from the eye, ear or hand of the creature, or
drawn from shame, hell, and curses of the law (2 Cor. 12:7-9).
[4.] The conflict that is in saints is a constant
conflict.Though sin and grace were not born in the heart of a saint
together, and though they shall not die together; yet, while a believer
lives, they must conflict together. Paul had been fourteen years
converted, when he cried out, 'I have a law in my members rebelling
against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin' (Rom. 7:2, 3).
A Christian lives fighting and dies fighting, he stands fighting and
falls fighting, with his spiritual weapons in his hands. It was an
excellent saying of Eusebius, 'Our fathers overcame the torrents of
the flames, let us overcome the fiery darts of vices.' Consider that the
pleasure and sweetness which follows victory over sin, is a
thousand times beyond that seeming sweetness that is in sin!
But the conflict that is in wicked men is inconstant: now they fall out
with sin, and later they fall in with sin. Now sin is bitter, later it is
sweet. Now the sinner turns from his sin, and later he turns to the
wallowing in sin, as the swine does to the wallowing in the mire (2
Pet. 2:19, 20). One hour you shall have him praying against sin, as if
he feared it more than hell; and the next hour you shall have him
pursuing after sin, as if there were no God to punish him, no justice
to damn him, no hell to torment him.
[5.] The conflict that is in the saints, is in the same
faculties.There is the judgment against the judgment, the mind
against the mind, the will against the will, the affections against the
affections. That is, the regenerate part against the unregenerate part,
in all the parts of the soul.
But now, in wicked men, the conflict is not in the same faculties—but
between the conscience and the will. The will of a sinner is bent
strongly to such and such sins—but conscience puts in and tells the
sinner, God has made me his deputy, he has given me a power to
hang, to examine, scourge, judge, and condemn, and if you do such
and such wickedness, I shall be your jailor and tormenter. I do not
bear the rod nor the sword in vain, says conscience; if you sin, I shall
do my office, and then your life will be a hell: and this raises a tumult
in the soul.
[6.] The conflict that is in the saints, is a more blessed,
successful, and prevailing conflict. A saint, by his conflict with
sin, gains ground upon his sin: 'Those who are Christ's,' says the
apostle, 'have crucified the world with its affections and lusts' (Gal.
5:24). Christ helps them to lead captivity captive, and to set their feet
upon the necks of those lusts which have formerly trampled upon
their souls and their comforts. As the house of Saul grew weaker and
weaker, and the house of David stronger and stronger, so the Lord,
by the discoveries of his love, and by the influences of his Spirit—
causes grace, the nobler part of a saint, to grow stronger and
stronger, and corruption, like the house of Saul, to grow weaker and weaker.
But sin in a wicked heart gets ground, and grows stronger and
stronger, notwithstanding all his conflicts. His heart is more
encouraged, emboldened, and hardened in a way of sin, as you may
see in the Israelites, Pharaoh, Jehu, and Judas, who doubtless found
many strange conflicts, tumults, and mutinies in their souls, when
God spoke such bitter things against them, and did such justice upon
them (2 Tim. 3:13).
These two, grace and sin, are like two buckets of a well, when one is
up, the other is down. When one flourishes the other withers. The
more grace thrives in the soul, the more sin dies in the soul.
But remember this by way of caution: Though Christ has given sin its
death-wound, yet it will die but a lingering death. As a man that is
mortally wounded dies by little by little, so does sin in the heart of a
saint. The death of Christ on the cross was a lingering death, so the
death of sin in the soul is a lingering death; now it dies a little, and
anon it dies a little, as the psalmist speaks, 'Slay them not, lest my
people forget: scatter them by your power; and bring them down, O
Lord our shield' (Psalm 59:11). He would not have them utterly
destroyed—but some relics preserved as a memorial. So God deals in
respect of sin; it is wounded and brought down—but not wholly slain.
Something is still left to keep us humble, wakeful, and watchful, and
that our armor may be still kept on, and our weapons always in our hands.
Mortification of sin is a continued act, it is a daily dying to sin, 'I die
daily.' A crucified man will strive and struggle, yet, in the eyes of the
law, and in the account of all that see him, he is dead. It is just so
with sin.
The best men's souls in this life hang between the flesh and the spirit,
as it were, between two loadstones; like the tribe of Manasseh, half
on this side of Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, and half on that
side, in the Holy Land. Yet, in the final outcome, they shall overcome
the flesh, and trample upon the necks of their spiritual enemies. The
Romans lost many a battle, and yet in the final outcome, were
conquerors in all their wars; it is just so with the saints.
There is no such pleasure, as to have overcome a sinful pleasure.
Neither is there any greater conquest, as to overcome a man's corruption.
DEVICE 6. By suggesting to the soul, that surely his estate is not good, because he
cannot joy and rejoice in Christ as once he could; because he has lost that comfort
and joy that once was in his spirit.
Says Satan, You know the time was when your heart was much
carried out to joying and rejoicing in Christ; you do not forget the
time when your heart used to be full of joy and comfort; but now,
how are you fallen in your joys and comforts! Therefore, your estate
is not good; you do but deceive yourself to think that ever it was
good, for surely if it was, your joy and comfort would have continued.
And hereupon the soul is apt to take part with Satan, and say—It is
even so; I see all is nothing, and I have but deceived my own soul.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That the loss of comfort is a separable adjunct
from grace. The soul may be full of holy affections, when it is
empty of divine consolations. There may be, and often is, true grace,
yes, much grace, where there is not a drop of comfort, nor dram of
joy. Comfort is not of the being—but of the well-being, of a Christian.
God has not so linked these two choice lovers together—but that they
may be put asunder. That wisdom which is from above will never
work a man to reason thus: I have no comfort, therefore I have no
grace; I have lost that joy that once I had, therefore my condition is
not good, and was never good. But it will enable a man to reason
thus: Though my comfort is gone, yet the God of my comfort abides;
though my joy is lost, yet the seeds of grace remain. The best men's
joys are as fragile as glass, bright and brittle, and evermore in danger
of breaking. Spiritual joy is a sun that is often clouded. It is like a
precious flower—subject to fade and wither. (Psalm 63:1, 2, 8; Is.
50:10; Micah 7:8, 9; Psalm 42:5.)
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That the precious things that you still
enjoy are far better than the joys and comforts that you
have lost. Your union with Christ, your communion with Christ,
your sonship, your saintship, your heirship—which you still enjoy by
Christ—are far better than the comforts you have lost by sin. What
though your comforts are gone, yet your union and communion with
Christ remains (Jer. 31:18, 19, 20). Though your comforts are gone,
yet you are a son, though a comfortless son; an heir, though a
comfortless heir; a saint, though a comfortless saint. Though the 'bag
of silver'—your comforts, are lost; yet the 'box of jewels'—your union
with Christ, your communion with Christ, your sonship, your
saintship, your heirship, which you still enjoy, is far better than the
bag of silver you have lost. Yes, the least of those precious jewels is
more worth than all the comforts in the world. Let this be a cordial to
comfort you, a star to lead you, and a staff to support you—that your
box of jewels are safe, though your bag of silver is lost.
When one objected to Faninus' cheerfulness, compared to Christ's
agony and sadness—he answered, 'Christ was sad, that I might be
merry; he had my sins, and I have his righteousness.'
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That your condition is no different than what has
been the condition of those precious souls whose names
were written upon the heart of Christ, and who are now at
rest in the bosom of Christ. One day you shall have them
praising and rejoicing, the next day a-mourning and a-weeping. One
day you shall have them a-singing, 'The Lord is our portion!' The
next day a-sighing and expostulating with themselves, 'Why are you
cast down, O our souls?' 'Why is our harp turned to mourning? and
our organ to the voice of those who weep?' (Psalm 51:12, 30:6, 7; Job
23:6, 8, 9, 30, 31; Lam. 1:16; Matt. 27:46; Psalm 42:5; Lam. 5:15)
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That the causes of joy and comfort are
not always the same. Perhaps your former joy and comfort
sprang from the witness of the Spirit, he bearing witness to your soul
—that your nature was changed, your sins pardoned, your soul
reconciled. Now, the Spirit may, upon some special occasion, bear
witness to the soul, that the heart of God is dearly set upon him, that
he loves him with an everlasting love, and yet the soul may never
enjoy such a testimony all the days of his life again. Though the Spirit
is a witnessing Spirit, it is not his office every day to witness to
believers their interest in God, Christ, heaven. The Spirit does not
every day make a feast in the soul; he does not make every day to be
a day of weaving the wedding robes.
Or, perhaps your former joy and comfort sprang from the newness
and suddenness of the change of your condition. For a man in one
hour to have his night turned into day, his darkness turned into light,
his bitter into sweet, God's frowns into smiles, his hatred into love,
his hell into a heaven—must greatly joy and comfort him. It cannot
but make his heart to leap and dance in him, who, in one hour, shall
see Satan accusing him, his own heart condemning him, the eternal
God frowning upon him, the gates of heaven barred against him, all
the creation standing armed, at the least beck of God, to execute
vengeance on him, and the mouth of the infernal pit open to receive
him. Now, in this hour, for Christ to come to the amazed soul, and to
say to it, I have trod the wine-press of my Father's wrath for you; I
have laid down my life a ransom for you; by my blood I have satisfied
my Father's justice, and pacified his anger, and procured his love for
you; by my blood I have purchased the pardon of your sins, your
freedom from hell, and your right to heaven! Oh! how wonderfully
will this cause the soul to leap for joy!
A pardon given unexpectedly into the hand of a malefactor, when he
is on the last step of the ladder, ready to be pushed off, will cause
much joy and rejoicing. The newness and suddenness of the change
of his condition will cause his heart to leap and rejoice; yet, in
process of time, much of his joy will be abated, though his life be as
dear to him still as ever it was.
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That God will restore and make up the comforts of
his people. Though your candle be put out, yet God will light it
again, and make it burn more bright than ever. Though your sun for
the present be clouded, yet he who rides upon the clouds shall scatter
those clouds, and cause the sun to shine and warm your heart as in
former days, as the psalmist speaks: 'You who have showed me great
and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shall bring me up
again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness,
and comfort me on every side' (Psalm 71:20, 21).
God takes away a little comfort, that he may make room in the soul
for a greater degree of comfort. This the prophet Isaiah sweetly
shows: 'I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also,
and restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners' (Isa. 57:18).
Bear up sweetly, O precious soul! your storm shall end in a calm, and
your dark night in a sunshine day! Your mourning shall be turned
into rejoicing, and the waters of consolation shall be sweeter and
higher in your soul than ever! The mercy is surely yours—but the
time of giving it is the Lord's. Wait but a little, and you shall find the
Lord comforting you on every side. See Psalm 126:6, and 42:7, 8
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Post by Admin on Mar 1, 2024 10:31:39 GMT -5
DEVICE 7. By suggesting to the soul his often relapses into the same sin which
formerly he has pursued with particular sorrow, grief, shame, and tears, and
prayed, complained, and resolved against.
Says Satan—Your heart is not right with God; surely your estate is
not good. You only flatter yourself to think that ever God will
eternally own and embrace such a one as you are—who complains
against sin, and yet relapses into the same sin; who with tears and
groans confesses your sin, and yet always falls into the same sin.
I confess this is a very sad condition for a soul after he has obtained
mercy and pity from the Lord, after God has spoken peace and
pardon to him, and wiped the tears from his eyes, and set him upon
his legs, to return to folly. Ah! how do relapses lay men open to the
greatest afflictions and worst temptations! How do they make the
wound to bleed afresh! How do they darken and cloud former
assurances and evidences for heaven! How do they put a sword into
the hand of conscience to cut and slash the soul! They raise such
fears, terrors, horrors, and doubts in the soul—that the soul cannot
be so frequent in duty as formerly; nor so fervent in duty as formerly;
nor so confident in duty as formerly; nor so bold, familiar, and
delightful with God in duty as formerly; nor so constant in duty as
formerly. They give Satan an advantage; they make the work of
repentance more difficult; they make a man's life a burden, and they
render death to be very terrible unto the soul.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That there are many scriptures which
clearly evidence a possibility of the saints falling into the
same sins whereof they have formerly repented. 'I will heal
their backslidings, I will love them freely: for my anger is turned
away from them,' says the Lord by the prophet Hosea (chap. 14:4).
So the prophet Jeremiah speaks: 'Go and proclaim these words
toward the north, and say, Return, O backsliding Israel, says the
Lord, and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you: for I am
merciful, says the Lord, and I will not keep my anger forever. Turn, O
backsliding Israel, says the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I
will take you one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring
you to Zion' (Chap. 3:12, 14). So the psalmist: 'They turned back, and
dealt unfaithfully with their fathers; they were turned aside like a
deceitful bow.' And no wonder, for though their repentance is
ever so sincere and sound, yet their graces are but weak,
and their mortification of sin is imperfect in this life.
Though by grace they are freed from the dominion of sin, and from
the damnatory power of every sin, and from the love of all sin, yet
grace does not free them from the indwelling of any one sin; and
therefore it is possible for a soul to fall again and again into the same
sin. If the fire is not wholly put out, who would think it impossible
that it should catch and burn again and again?
The sin of backsliding is a soul sin, 'I will heal their backsliding.' You
read of no arms for the back though, you do for the bosom. When a
soldier bragged too much of a great scar in his forehead, Augustus
Caesar asked him if he did not get it as he looked back when he fled.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is,
seriously to consider, That God has nowhere engaged himself
by any particular promise, that souls converted and
united to Christ shall not fall again and again into the
same sin after conversion. I cannot find in the whole book of
God where he has promised any such strength or power against this
or that particular sin, as that the soul should be forever, in this life,
put out of a possibility of falling again and again into the same sins.
And where God has not a mouth to speak, I must not have a heart to
believe. God will graciously pardon those sins to his people,
which he will not in this life totally subdue in his people. I
have never seen a promise in Scripture, which says that when our
sorrow and grief has been so great, or so much, for this or that sin—
that then God will preserve us from ever falling into the same sin.
The sight of such a promise would be as life from the dead to many a
precious soul, who desires nothing more than to keep close to Christ,
and fears nothing more than backsliding from Christ.
In some cases the saints have found God better than his word. He
promised the children of Israel only the land of Canaan; but besides
that he gave them two other kingdoms which he never promised.
And to Zacharias he promised to give him his speech at the birth of
the child—but besides that he gave him the gift of prophecy.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is,
seriously to consider, That the most renowned and now
crowned saints have, in the days of their being on earth,
relapsed into one and the same sin. Lot was twice overcome
with wine; John twice worshiped the angel; Abraham did often
deceive, and lay his wife open to adultery to save his own life, which
some heathens would not have done. 'And it came to pass, when God
caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her,
This is your kindness which you shall show unto me; at every place
where we shall come, say of me, He is my brother' (Gen. 20:13).
David in his wrath was resolved, that he would be the death of
Nabal, and all his innocent family; and after this he fell into the foul
murder of Uriah.
Though Christ told his disciples that his 'kingdom was not of this
world,' yet again, and again, and again, they desired to be high, great,
and glorious in this world. Their pride and ambitious desires put
them—who were but as so many beggars—upon striving for pre eminence and greatness in the world,
when their Lord and Master
told them several times of his sufferings in the world, and of his
going out of the world. Jehoshaphat, though a godly man, yet joins
with Ahab (2 Chron. 18:1-3, 30, 31); and though he was saved by a
miracle, yet soon after, he falls into the same sin, and 'joins himself
with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly' (2 Chron. 20:35-
37). Samson is by the Spirit of the Lord numbered among the
faithful worthies, yet he fell often into gross immorality. Peter, you
know, relapsed often, and so did Jonah. A sheep may often slip
into a slough—as well as a swine.
And this happens, that they may see their own inability to stand, or
to resist or overcome any temptation or corruption (Jude 14-16), and
that they may be taken off from all false confidences, and rest wholly
upon God, and only upon God, and always upon God; and for the
praise and honor of the power, wisdom, skill, mercy, and goodness of
the physician of our souls—who can heal, help, and cure when the
disease is most dangerous, when the soul is relapsed, and grows
worse and worse, and when others say, 'There is no help for him in
his God,' and when his own heart and hopes are dying.
Perhaps the prodigal son, sets out unto us a Christian relapse, for he
was a son before, and with his father, and then went away from him,
and spent all; and yet he was not quite undone—but returned again.
The prodigal saw the compassion of his father the greater, in
receiving him after he had run away from him.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That there are relapses into ENORMITIES, and
there are relapses into INFIRMITIES. Now it is not usual with
God to leave his people frequently to relapse into enormities; for by
his Spirit and grace, by his smiles and frowns, by his word and rod—
he usually preserves his people from a frequent relapsing into
enormities. Yet he does leave his choicest ones frequently to relapse
into infirmities (and of his grace he pardons them)—as idle words,
passion, and vain thoughts. Though gracious souls strive against
these, and complain of these, and weep over these, yet the Lord, to
keep them humble, leaves them frequently to relapse into these.
These frequent relapses into infirmities shall never be their bane,
because they are their burden.
Relapses into enormities are destructive sins. Therefore the Lord is
graciously pleased to put under his everlasting arms, and keep his
chosen ones from frequent falling into them.
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That there are involuntary relapses, and there are
voluntary relapses. Involuntary relapses are, when the
resolution and full bent of the heart is against sin, when the soul
strives with all its might against sin, by sighs and groans, by prayers
and tears, and yet out of weakness is forced to fall back into sin,
because there is not spiritual strength enough to overcome. Now,
though involuntary relapses must humble us, yet they must never
discourage us; for God will freely and readily pardon those, in course.
Voluntary relapses are, When the soul longs and loves to 'return to
the flesh-pots of Egypt' (Exod. 16:3). When it is a pleasure and a
pastime to a man to return to his old courses, such voluntary
relapses speak out the man blinded, hardened, and ripened for ruin.
There is a great difference between a sheep which by weakness falls
into the mire--and a swine which delights to wallow in the mire;
between a woman who is raped, though she fights and cries out--and
an alluring adulteress.
Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That there is no such power, or infinite virtue, in
the greatest horror or sorrow the soul can be under for
sin, nor in the sweetest or choicest discoveries of God's
grace and love to the soul—as forever to fence and secure
the soul from relapsing into the same sin. Grace may be
prevailed against by the secret, subtle, and strong workings of sin in
our hearts. And those discoveries which God makes of his love,
beauty and glory to the soul, do not always abide in their freshness
and power upon the heart; but by degrees they fade and wear off, and
then the soul may return again to folly. We see this in Peter, who,
after he had a glorious testimony from Christ's own mouth of his
blessedness and happiness, labors to prevent Christ from going up to
Jerusalem to suffer, out of slavish fears that he and his fellows could
not be secure, if his Master should be brought to suffer (Matt. 16:15-
19, 22-24). And again, after this, Christ had him up into the mount,
and there showed him his beauty and his glory, to strengthen him
against the hour of temptation which was coming upon him; and yet,
soon after he had the honor and happiness of seeing the glory of the
Lord (which most of his disciples had not), he basely and most
shamefully denies the Lord of glory, thinking by that means to
provide for his own safety. And yet again, after Christ had broke his
heart with a look of love for his most unlovely dealings, and bade
those who were first acquainted with his resurrection to 'go and tell
Peter that he was risen' (Mark 16:7). I say, after all this, slavish fears
prevail upon him, and he basely dissembles, and plays the Jew with
the Jews, and the Gentile with the Gentiles, to the seducing of
Barnabas (Gal. 2:11-13).
Yet, by way of caution, know, it is very rare that God does leave his
beloved ones frequently to relapse into one and the same gross sin;
for the law of nature is in arms against gross sins, as well as the law
of grace, so that a gracious soul cannot, dares not, will not, frequently
return to gross folly. And God has made even his dearest ones dearly
smart for their relapses, as may be seen by his dealings with Samson,
Jehoshaphat, and Peter. Ah, Lord! what a hard heart has that man,
who can see you stripping and whipping your dearest ones for their
relapses, and yet making nothing of returning to folly.
DEVICE 8. By persuading them that their estate is not good, their hearts are not
upright, their graces are not sound, because they are so followed, vexed, and
tormented with temptations.
It is Satan's method, first to weary and vex your soul with
temptations, and then to persuade the soul, that surely it is not loved
by God, because it is so much tempted. And by this stratagem he
keeps many precious souls in a sad, doubting, and mourning temper
many years, as many of the precious sons of Zion have found by
woeful experience. He may so tempt as to make a saint weary of his
life (Job. 10:1): 'My soul is weary of my life.'
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is,
solemnly to consider, That those who have been best and
most beloved, have been most tempted by Satan. Though
Satan can never rob a Christian of his crown, yet such is his malice,
that he will therefore tempt, that he may spoil them of their
comforts. Such is his enmity to the Father, that the nearer and dearer
any child is to him, the more will Satan trouble him, and vex him
with temptations. Christ himself was most near and most dear, most
innocent and most excellent, and yet none so much tempted as
Christ! David was dearly loved by God, and yet by Satan tempted him
greatly. Job was highly praised by God himself, and yet much
tempted and tried. Peter was much prized by Christ; witness that
choice testimony which Christ gave of his faith and happiness, and
his showing him his glory in the mount, and that eye of pity that he
cast upon him after his fearful fall—and yet tempted by Satan. 'And
the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you,
that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for you, that your
faith fail you not' (Luke 22:31, 32).
Pirates do not use to set upon poor empty vessels; and beggars need
not fear the thief. Those that have most of God, and are most rich in
grace—shall be most assaulted by Satan, who is the greatest and
craftiest pirate in the world.
Paul had the honor of being exalted as high as heaven, and of seeing
that glory which could not be expressed; and yet he was no sooner
stepped out of heaven—but he is buffeted by Satan, 'lest he should be
exalted above measure' (2 Cor. 12:2, 7). If these, who were so really,
so gloriously, so eminently beloved of God, if these, who have lived in
heaven, and set their feet upon the stars, have been tempted, let no
saints judge themselves not to be loved by God, because they are
tempted. It is as natural for saints to be tempted, who are dearly
loved by God, as it is for the sun to shine, or a bird to sing. The eagle
complains not of her wings, nor the peacock of his train of feathers,
nor the nightingale of her voice—because these are natural to them.
No more should saints complain of their temptations, because they
are natural to them. 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood—but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places'(Eph. 6:12).
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, to
consider, That all the temptations that befall the saints
shall be sanctified to them by a hand of love. Ah! the choice
experiences that the saints get of the power of God supporting them,
of the wisdom of God directing them (so to handle their spiritual
weapons, their graces, as not only to resist—but to overcome), of the
mercy and goodness of the Lord pardoning and succouring of them.
And therefore, says Paul, 'I received the messenger of Satan for to
buffet me, lest I should be exalted, lest I should be exalted above
measure' (2 Cor. 12:7). If he had not been buffeted, who knows how
his heart would have swelled; he might have been carried higher in
conceit, than before he was in his ecstasy.
Temptation is God's school, wherein he gives his people the clearest
and sweetest discoveries of his love; a school wherein God teaches
his people to be more frequent and fervent in duty. When Paul was
buffeted, then he prayed thrice, that is, frequently and fervently; a
school wherein God teaches his people to be more tender, meek, and
compassionate to other poor, tempted souls than ever. Temptation is
a school wherein God teaches his people to see a greater evil in sin
than ever, and a greater emptiness in the creature than ever, and a
greater need of Christ and free grace than ever. This is a school
wherein God will teach his people that all temptations are but his
goldsmiths, by which he will try and refine, and make his people
more bright and glorious. The outcome of all temptations shall be to
the good of the saints, as you may see by the temptations which
Adam and Eve, and Christ and David, and Job and Peter and Paul
met with. Those hands of power and love, which bring light out of
darkness, good out of evil, sweet out of bitter, life out of death,
heaven out of hell—will bring much sweet and good to his people, out
of all the temptations which come upon them.
Luther said, there were three things that made a preacher:
meditation, prayer and temptation.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is,
wisely to consider, That no temptations do hurt or harm the
saints, so long as they are resisted by them, and prove the
greatest afflictions that can befall them. It is not Satan's
tempting—but your assenting; not his enticing—but your yielding,
which makes temptations hurtful to your soul. If the soul when it is
tempted, resists temptation, and says with Christ, 'Get behind me,
Satan' (Matt. 16:23); and with that young convert, 'I am not the man
I was,' or as Luther counsels all men to answer all temptations with
these words, "I am a Christian!"—if a man's temptation is his greatest
affliction, then is the temptation no sin upon his soul, though it be a
trouble upon his mind. When a soul can look the Lord in the face,
and say, 'Ah, Lord! I have many outward troubles upon me, I have
lost such and such a near mercy, and such and such desirable
mercies; and yet you who knows the heart—you know that all my
crosses and losses do not make so many wounds in my soul, nor
fetch so many sighs from my heart, or tears from my eyes—as those
temptations do, which Satan dogs my soul with! When it is thus with
the soul, then temptations are only the soul's trouble, they are not
the soul's sin.
Satan is a malicious and envious enemy. As his names are, so is he.
His names are all names of enmity—the accuser, the tempter, the
destroyer, the devourer, the envious one. And this malice and envy of
his he shows sometimes by tempting men to such sins as are quite
contrary to the natural dispositions, as he did Vespasian and Julian,
men of sweet and excellent natures, to be most bloody murderers.
And sometimes he shows his malice by tempting men to such things
as will bring them no honor nor profit. 'Fall down and worship me'
(Matt. 4:9). He tempts to blasphemy, and atheism—the thoughts and
first motions whereof cause the heart and flesh to tremble. And
sometimes he shows his malice by tempting them to those sins which
they have not found their natures prone to, and which they abhor in others.
Now, if the soul resists these, and complains of these, and groans and
mourns under these, and looks up to the Lord Jesus to be delivered
from these—then shall they not be put down to the soul's account—
but to Satan's, who shall be so much the more tormented, by how
much the more the saints have been by him maliciously tempted.
Sometimes he shows his malice by letting those things abide by the
soul as may most vex and plague the soul, as Gregory observes in his
leaving of Job's wife, which was not out of his forgetfulness,
carelessness, or any love or pity to Job—but to vex and torment him,
and to work him to blaspheme God, despair, and die.
Make present and decided resistance against Satan's temptations;
bid defiance to the temptation at first sight. It is safe to resist, it is
dangerous to dispute. Eve lost herself and her posterity by falling
into artifices of dispute, when she should have resisted, and stood
upon terms of defiance with Satan. He who would stand in the hour
of temptation must plead with Christ, 'It is written.' He who would
triumph over temptations must plead still, 'It is written.' Satan is
bold and impudent, and if you are not decided in your resistance, he
will give you fresh onsets. It is your greatest honor, and your highest
wisdom, decidedly to withstand the beginnings of a temptation; for
an after-remedy comes often too late.
Catherine Bretterege once, after a great conflict with Satan, said,
'Reason not with me, I am but a weak woman; if you have anything
to say, say it to my Christ; he is my advocate, my strength, and my
redeemer, and he shall plead for me.'
Men must not seek to resist Satan's craft with craft—but by open
defiance. He shoots with Satan in his own bow—who thinks by
disputing and reasoning to put him off. As soon as a temptation
shows its face, say to the temptation, as Ephraim to his idols, 'Get
you hence, what have I any more to do with you?' (Hosea 14:8). Oh!
say to the temptation, as David said to the sons of Zeruiah, 'What
have I to do with you? You will be too hard for me!' He who does thus
resist temptations, shall never be undone by temptations.
Make strong and constant resistance against Satan's temptations.
Make resistance against temptations by arguments drawn from the
honor of God, the love of God, your union and communion with
God; and from the blood of Christ, the death of Christ, the kindness
of Christ, the intercession of Christ, and the glory of Christ; and from
the voice of the Spirit, the counsel of the Spirit, the comforts of the
Spirit, the presence of the Spirit, the seal of the Spirit, the
whisperings of the Spirit, the commands of the Spirit, the assistance
of the Spirit, the witness of the Spirit; and from the glory of heaven,
the excellency of grace, the beauty of holiness, the worth of the soul,
and the vileness or bitterness and evil of sin—the least sin being a
greater evil than the greatest temptation in the world.
And see that you make constant resistance, as well as strong
resistance. Satan will come on with new temptations when old ones
are too weak. In a calm prepare for a storm. The tempter is restless,
impudent, and subtle; he will suit his temptations to your
constitutions and inclinations. Satan loves to sail with the wind. If
your knowledge is weak—he will tempt you to error. If your
conscience is tender—he will tempt you to scrupulosity and too much
preciseness, as to do nothing but hear, pray, and read. If your
consciences be wide and large—he will tempt you to carnal security.
If you are bold-spirited—he will tempt you to presumption; if
timorous, to desperation; if flexible, to inconstancy; if proud and
stiff, to gross folly. Therefore still fit for fresh assaults, make one
victory a step to another. When you have overcome a temptation,
take heed of unbending your bow, and look well to it, that your bow
is always bent, and that it remains in strength. When you have
overcome one temptation, you must be ready to enter the battle with another.
As distrust in some sense, is the mother of safety; so carnal security
is the gate of danger. A man had need to fear this most of all—that he
fears not at all. If Satan were always roaring, we would be always a watching and resisting him.
And certainly he who makes strong and constant resistance of Satan's temptations, shall in the end get above
his temptations, and for the present is secure enough from being ruined by his temptations.
Luke 4:13, 'And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he
departed from him for a season.' Christ had no rest until he was
exactly tried with all sorts of temptations.
For a close of this, remember, that it is dangerous to yield to the least
sin—to be rid of the greatest temptation. To take this course were as
if a man should think to wash himself clean in ink, or as if a man
should exchange a light cross, made of paper, for an iron cross,
which is heavy, toilsome, and bloody. The least sin set home upon
the conscience, will more wound, vex, and oppress the soul, than all
the temptations in the world can. Therefore never yield to the least
sin—to be rid of the greatest temptation. I will leave you to make the
application.
He who will yield to sin to be rid of temptation, will be so much the
more tempted—and the less able to withstand temptations
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