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Post by Admin on Mar 1, 2024 14:05:43 GMT -5
SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE TEACHERS
Satan labors might and main, by false teachers, which are his
emissaries, to deceive, delude, and forever undo the precious souls of
men (Jer. 23:13) 'I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they
prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.' Micah 3:5:
'The prophets make my people to err.' They seduce them, and carry
them out of the right way into by-paths and blind thickets of error,
blasphemy, and wickedness, where they are lost forever. 'Beware of
false prophets, for they come to you in sheep's clothing—but
inwardly they are ravening wolves' (Matt. 7:15). These lick and suck
the blood of souls (Phil. 3:2), 'Beware of dogs, beware of evil
workers.' These kiss and kill; these cry, Peace, peace, until souls fall
into everlasting flames! (Prov. 7). (Acts. 20:28-30; 2 Cor. 11:13-15;
Eph. 4:14; 2 Tim. 3:4-6; Titus 1:11, 22; 2 Peter 2:18,19.)
Now the best way to deliver poor souls from being deluded and
destroyed by these messengers of Satan is, to discover them in their
colors, that so, being known, poor souls may shun them, and fly from
them as from hell itself.
Now you may know them by these characters following:
[1.]False teachers are men-pleasers.
Such are not true teachers; Gal. 1:10, 1 Thess. 2:1-4. They preach
more to please the ear than to profit the heart (Is. 30:10): 'Who say
to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right
things: speak to us smooth things; prophesy deceits.' Jer. 5:30, 31: "A
horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets
prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people
love it this way. But what will you do in the end?" Jeremiah 5:30-31.
False teachers handle holy things rather with wit and trifling, rather
than with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul-murderers.
They are like evil surgeons, that skin over the wound—but never heal
it. Flattery undid Ahab and Herod, Nero and Alexander. False
teachers are hell's greatest enrichers. Not bitter—but flattering words
do all the mischief, said Valerian, the Roman emperor. Such smooth
teachers are sweet soul-poisoners. "This is my warning to my
people," says the Lord Almighty. 'Do not listen to these prophets
when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are
making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord! They
keep saying to these rebels who despise my word, 'Don't worry! The
Lord says you will have peace!' And to those who stubbornly follow
their own evil desires, they say, 'No harm will come your way!'" (Jer.
23:16, 17).
[2.] False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn, and
reproach upon the persons, names, and credits of Christ's
most faithful ambassadors.
Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram charged Moses and Aaron that
they took too much upon them, seeing all the congregation was holy
(Num. 16:3). You take too much state, too much power, too much
honor, too much holiness upon you; for what are you more than
others, that you take so much upon you? And so Ahab's false
prophets fell foul on good Micaiah, paying of him with blows for lack
of better reasons (1 Kings 22:10-26). Yes, Paul, that great apostle of
the Gentiles, had his ministry undermined and his reputation blasted
by false teachers: 'For his letters,' say they, 'are weighty and powerful
—but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible' (2
Cor. 10:10). They rather condemn him than admire him; they look
upon him as a dunce rather than a doctor. And the same hard
measure had our Lord Jesus from the scribes and Pharisees, who
labored as for life to build their own credit upon the ruins of his
reputation. And never did the devil drive a more full trade this way
than he does in these days (Matt. 27:63). Oh! the dirt, the filth, the
scorn that is thrown upon those of whom the world is not worthy! I
suppose false teachers mind not that saying of Augustine: 'He who
willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward.'
The proverb is, 'A man's eye and his good name can bear no jests.'
[3.] False teachers are venters of the devices and visions of
their own heads and hearts.
Jer. 14:14: "Then the Lord said unto me—These prophets are telling
lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not
give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations
they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in
their own lying hearts." "This is my warning to my people," says the
Lord Almighty. "Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy
to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything
they say. They do not speak for the Lord!" Jeremiah 23:16.
Are there not multitudes in this nation whose visions are but golden
delusions, lying vanities, brain-sick fantasies? These are Satan's great
benefactors, and such as divine justice will hang up in hell as the
greatest malefactors, if the physician of souls does not prevent it.
Matt. 24:4, 5; 11:14; Titus 1:10; Rom. 16:18
[4.] False teachers easily pass over the great and weighty
things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those
things that are of the least importance and concern to the
souls of men.
1 Tim. 1:5-7: 'Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a
pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith sincere; from
which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling,
desiring to be teachers of the law, and understand neither what they
say nor whereof they affirm.' Matt. 23:23: 'Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites; for you pay tithe of mint, and anise and
cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law,
judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought you to have done, and not to
leave the other undone.' False teachers are nice in the lesser things of
the law, and as negligent in the greater. 1 Tim. 6:3-5: 'If any man
teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the
words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is
according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing—but doting
about questions and strife of words, whereof comes envy, strife,
railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt
minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw yourself.' If such teachers are not hypocrites in
grain, I know nothing (Rom. 2:22). The earth groans to bear them,
and hell is fitted for them (Matt. 24:32).
Luther complained of such in his time as would strain at a gnat, and
swallow a camel. This age is full of such teachers, such monsters! The
high priest's spirit (Matt. 23:24) lives and thrives in these days.
[5.] False teachers cover and color their dangerous
principles and soul-deceptions with very fair speeches and
plausible pretenses, with high notions and golden
expressions.
Many in these days are bewitched and deceived by the magnificent
words, lofty strains, and stately terms of deceivers. As strumpets
paint their faces, and deck and perfume their beds, the better to
allure and deceive simple souls; so false teachers will put a great deal
of paint and garnish upon their most dangerous principles and
blasphemies, that they may the better deceive and delude poor
ignorant souls. They know sugared-poison goes down sweetly; they
wrap up their pernicious, soul-killing pills in gold! (Gal. 6:12; 2 Cor.
11:13-15; Rom. 16:17, 18; Matt. 16:6,11,12; 7:15.)
In the days of Hadrian the emperor, there was one Ben-Cosbi
gathered a multitude of Jews together, and called himself Bencocuba, the son of a star,
applying that promise to himself (Num.
24:17)—but he proved Bar-chosaba, the son of a lie. And so will all
false teachers, for all their flourishes prove at the last the sons of lies.
[6.] False teachers strive more to win over men to their
opinions, than to better them in their lives.
Matt. 23:15: 'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is
made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves!'
They busy themselves most about men's heads. Their work is not to
better men's hearts, and mend their lives; and in this they are very
much like their father the devil, who will spare no pains to gain
proselytes.
For shame! says Epictetus to his Stoics; either live as Stoics, or leave
off the name of Stoics. The application is easy.
[7.] False teachers make merchandise of their followers
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there
will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce
destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought
them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow
their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In
their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have
made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and
their destruction has not been sleeping." 2 Peter 2:1-3. They eye your
goods more than your good; and mind more the serving of
themselves, than the saving of your souls. So they may have your
substance, they care not though Satan has your souls (Rev. 18:11-13).
That they may the better pick your purse, they will hold forth such
principles as are very indulgent to the flesh. False teachers are the
great worshipers of the golden calf. "From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit."
(Jer. 6:13).
Crates threw his money into the sea, resolving to drown it, lest it
should drown him. But false teachers care not who they drown—so
they may have their money.
Now, by these characters you may know them, and so shun them,
and deliver your souls out of their dangerous snares.
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Post by Admin on Mar 1, 2024 14:08:42 GMT -5
SIX PROPOSITIONS CONCERNING SATAN AND HIS DEVICES
And now, to prevent objections, I shall lay down some propositions
or conclusions concerning Satan and his devices, and then give you
the reasons of the point, and so come to make some use and
application of the whole to ourselves.
Proposition (1). That though Satan has his devices to draw
souls to sin, yet we must be careful that we do not lay all
our temptations upon Satan, that we do not wrong the
devil, and father that upon him that is to be fathered upon
our own base hearts.
I think that oftentimes men charge that upon the devil that which is
to be charged upon their own hearts. 'And the Lord said unto the
woman, What is this that you have done? And the woman said, The
serpent beguiled me, and I did eat' (Gen. 3:13). Sin and shifting of
sin, came into the world together. This is no small baseness of our
hearts, that they will blame that naughtiness upon Satan. Man has an
evil root within him; that were there no devil to tempt him, nor no
wicked men in the world to entice him, yet that root of bitterness,
that cursed sinful nature which is in him, would draw him to sin,
though he knows beforehand that 'the wages of sin is eternal death'
(Rom. 6:23). 'For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemies' (Matt.
15:19). The whole frame of man is out of frame. The understanding is
dark, the will cross, the memory slippery, the affections crooked, the
conscience corrupted, the tongue poisoned, and the heart wholly evil,
only evil, and continually evil. Should God chain up Satan, and give
him no liberty to tempt or entice people to vanity or folly, yet they
could not but sin against him, by reason of that cursed nature that is
in them, that will still be a-provoking them to those sins that will
provoke and stir up the anger of God against them (Jude 15, 16).
Satan has only a persuading sleight, not an enforcing might. He may
tempt us—but without ourselves he cannot conquer us; he may
entice us—but without ourselves he cannot hurt us. Our hearts carry
the greatest guilt in every sin. Satan can never undo a man without
himself; but a man may easily undo himself without Satan. Satan can
only present the golden cup—but he has no power to force us to
drink the poison that is in the cup; he can only present to us the glory
of the world, he cannot force us to fall down and worship him, to
enjoy the world; he can only spread his snares, he has no power to
force us to walk in the midst of his snares. Therefore do the devil so
much right, as not to excuse yourselves, by your accusing him, and
laying the load upon him, that you should lay upon your own hearts.
We are no sooner born, than buried in a bog of wickedness (Cicero).
The fire is our wood, though it be the devil's flame (Nazianzen).
Prop. (2). That Satan has a great hand and stroke in most
sins. It was Satan who tempted our first parents to rebellion. It was
Satan who provoked David to number the people. It was Satan who
put Peter upon rebuking Christ; therefore says Christ, 'Get behind
me, Satan'. It was Satan who put Cain upon murdering of righteous
Abel, therefore it is that he is called 'a murderer from the beginning'.
It was Satan who put treason into the heart of Judas against Christ,
'And supper being ended, the devil having put into the heart of Judas
Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him'. It was Satan who put Ananias
upon lying; Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie
to the Holy Spirit?' (Gen. 3:1-5; 1 Chron. 21:1; Matt. 16:22, 23; John
8:44, 13:2; Acts 5:3)
As the hand of Joab was in the tale of the woman of Tekoah, so
Satan's hand is usually in all the sins that men commit. Such is
Satan's malice against God, and his envy against man, that he will
have a hand one way or other in all the sins, though he knows that all
the sins he provokes others to shall be charged upon him to his
greater woe, and eternal torment.
Ambrose brings in the devil boasting against Christ and challenging
Judas as his own: 'He is not yours, Lord Jesus, he is mine; his
thoughts beat for me; he eats with you—but is fed by me: he takes
bread from you—but money from me; he drinks wine with you, and
sells your blood to me.' Such is his malice against Christ, and his
wrath and rage against man, that he will take all advantages to draw
men to that which may give him advantage to triumph over men's
souls forever.
Prop. (3). That Satan must have a double permission
before he can do anything against us.
He must have permission from God, and permission from ourselves,
before he can do anything against our happiness. He must have his
permission from God, as you may see in the example of Job (Job 1:11,
12; 2:3-5). Though the devil had malice enough to destroy him, yet he
had not so much as power to touch him, until God gave him permission.
They could not so much as enter into the swine without permission
from Christ (Luke 8:32). Satan would gladly have combated with
Peter—but this he could not do without leave. 'Satan has desired to
have you, to winnow you' (Luke 22:31). So Satan could never have
overthrown Ahab and Saul—but by permission from God (1 Kings
22). Ah! what a cordial, what a comfort should this be to the
saints—that their greatest, subtlest, and most vigilant
enemy cannot hurt nor harm them, without permission
from him who is their sweetest Savior, their dearest
husband, and their choicest friend.
And as Satan must have permission from God, so he must have
permission from us. When he tempts, we must assent; when he
makes offers, we must hearken; when he commands, we must obey,
or else all his labor and temptations will be frustrated, and the evil
that he tempts us to shall be put down only to his account. That is a
remarkable passage in Acts 5:3, 'Why has Satan filled your heart to
lie to the Holy Spirit?' He does not expostulate the matter with
Satan; he does not say, Satan, 'Why have you filled Ananias's heart to
make him lie to the Holy Spirit?' but he expostulates the case with
Ananias; Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie
to the Holy Spirit?' Why have you given him an advantage to fill your
heart with infidelity, hypocrisy, and obstinate audacity, to lie to the
Holy Spirit? As if he had said, Satan could never have done this in
you, which will now forever undo you, unless you had given him
permission. If, when a temptation comes, a man cries out, and says,
"Ah, Lord! here is a temptation that would force me, that would
deflower my soul, and I have no strength to withstand it! Oh! help!
help! for your honor's sake, for your Son's sake, for your promise's
sake!" it is a sign that Satan has not gained your consent—but
committed a rape upon your souls, which he shall dearly pay for.
Prop. (4). That no weapons but spiritual weapons will be
useful and serviceable to the soul in fighting and combating with the devil.
This the apostle shows: 'Therefore take unto you,' says he, 'the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand' (Eph. 6:13). So the same apostle tells you,
'That the weapons of your warfare are not carnal—but mighty
through God, to the casting down of strongholds' (2 Cor. 10:4). You
have not to do with a weak—but with a mighty enemy, and therefore
you had need to look to it, that your weapons are mighty—which they
cannot be, unless they are spiritual. Carnal weapons have no power
in them towards the making of a conquest upon Satan. It was not
David's sling nor stone that gave him the honor and advantage of
setting his feet upon Goliath—but his faith in the name of the Lord
Almighty. 'You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a
shield—but I have come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the
God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied' (1 Sam. 17:45).
He who fights against Satan, in the strength of his own resolutions,
constitution or education, will certainly fly and fall before him. Satan
will be too hard for such a soul, and lead him captive at his pleasure.
The only way to stand, conquer, and triumph, is still to plead, 'It is
written,' as Christ did (Matt. 4:10). There is no sword but the tw edged sword of the Spirit,
that will be found to be metal of proof
when a soul comes to engage against Satan; therefore, when you are
tempted to impurity, plead, 'It is written, be holy, as I am holy' (1
Peter 1:16); and, 'Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord' (2 Cor.
7:1). If he tempts you to distrust God's providence and fatherly care
of you, plead, It is written, 'Those who fear the Lord shall lack no
good thing.' (Psalm 34:9).
We read of many that, out of fortitude, could subdue nature—but
were at a loss when they came to deal with a corruption or a
temptation. Heraclitus's motto was, 'A Deo victoria!' It is God that
gives victory; and that should be every Christian's motto.
It is written, 'The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing
will he withhold from those who live purely' (Psalm 84:11).
If he tempts you to fear that you shall faint, and fall, and never be
able to run to the end of the race that is set before you, plead, It is
written, 'The righteous shall hold on his way, and he who has clean
hands shall be stronger and stronger' (Job. 17:9).
It is written, 'I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I
will not turn away from them, to do them good—but I will put my
fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me' (Jer. 32:40).
It is written, 'Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run,
and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint' (Is. 40:31).
If Satan tempts you to think that because your sun for the present is
set in a cloud, that therefore it will rise no more, and that the face of
God will shine upon you no more; that your best days are now at an
end, and that you must spend all your time in sorrow and sighing;
plead, It is written, 'He will turn again, he will have compassion upon
us, and cast all our sins into the depth of the sea' (Micah 7:19).
It is written, 'For a small moment have I forsaken you—but with
great mercies will I gather you. In a little wrath I hid my face from
you for a moment—but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy
on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer' (Is. 54:8, 10).
It is written, 'The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed—
but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the
covenant of my peace be removed, says the Lord who has mercy onyou.'
It is written, 'Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should
not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget,
yet will not I forget you. Behold, I have engraved you upon the palms
of my hands, your walls are continually before me' (Is. 49:15, 16).
If ever you would be too hard for Satan, and after all his assaults,
have your bow abide in strength, then take to yourself the Word of
God, which is 'the two-edged sword of the Spirit, and the shield of
faith, whereby you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
devil' (Eph. 6:17). It is not spitting at Satan's name, nor crossing
yourselves, nor leaning to your own resolutions, that will get you the
victory.
Luther reports of Staupitius, a German minister, that he
acknowledged himself, that before he came to understand aright the
free and powerful grace of God, he vowed and resolved a hundred
times against some particular sin, and never could get power over it.
At last he saw the reason to be his trusting to his own resolution.
Therefore be skillful in the word of righteousness, and in the actings
of faith upon Christ and his victory, and that crown of glory which is
set before you, and Satan will certainly fly from you (James 4:7).
Prop. (5). That we may read much of Satan's nature and
disposition by the diverse names and epithets that are
given him in the Scripture.
Sometimes he is called Behemoth, whereby the greatness and
brutishness of the devil is figured (Job 40:15). Those evil spirits are
sometimes called accusers, for their calumnies and slanders; and evil
ones, for their malice. Satan is Adversarius, an adversary, that
troubles and molests (1 Pet. 5:8). Abaddon is a destroyer (Rev. 9:11).
They are tempters, for their suggestion; lions, for their devouring;
dragons, for their cruelty; and serpents, for their subtlety. As his
names are, so is he; as face answers to face, so do Satan's names
answer to his nature. He has the worst names and the worst nature
of all created creatures.
Prop. (6). That God will shortly tread down Satan under
the saints' feet.
Christ, our champion, has already won the field, and will shortly set
our feet upon the necks of our spiritual enemies. Satan is a foiled
adversary. Christ has led him captive, and triumphed over him upon
the cross. Christ has already overcome him, and put weapons into
your hands, that you may overcome him also, and set your feet upon
his neck. Though Satan be a roaring lion, yet Christ, who is the lion
of the tribe of Judah, will make Satan fly and fall before you. Let
Satan do his worst, yet you shall have the honor and the happiness to
triumph over him. Cheer up, you precious sons of Zion, for the
certainty and sweetness of victory will abundantly recompense you
for all the pains you have taken in making resistance against Satan's
temptations. The broken horns of Satan shall be trumpets of our
triumph and the coronets of our joy.
"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." Romans
16:20. The Greek word signifies to break or crash a thing to pieces.
Being applied to the feet—it means that crushing which is by
stamping upon a thing.
FIVE REASONS OF THE POINT
Now I shall come to the reasons of the point, and so draw to a close.
Reason (1). That their hearts may be kept in a humble,
praying, watching frame.
Oh! has Satan so many devices to ensnare and undo the souls of
men? How should this awaken dull, drowsy souls, and make them
stand upon their watch! A Christian should be like the seraphim,
beset all over with eyes and lights, that he may avoid Satan's snares,
and stand fast in the hour of temptation.
The Lord has in the Scripture discovered the several snares, plots,
and devices that the devil has to undo the souls of men, that so, being
forewarned, they may be forearmed; that they may be always upon
their watch-tower, and hold their weapons in their hands, as the
Jews did in Nehemiah's time.
The philosopher had a ball of brass in his hand; if he chanced to
sleep it fell into a basin and awaked him to his studies. You are wise
and know how to apply it.
Reason (2). From that malice, envy, and enmity that is in
Satan against the souls of men.
Satan is full of envy and enmity, and that makes him very studious to
suit his snares and plots to the tempers, constitutions, fancies, and
callings of men, that so he may make them as miserable as himself.
Malice cares not what it says or does, just so that it may kill or gall.
The Russians are so malicious, that they have a man hide some of his
own goods in the house of him whom he hates, and then accuse him
for the stealing of them. So does Satan, out of malice to the souls of
men, hide his goods, his wares, as I may say, in the souls of men, and
then go and accuse them before the Lord; and a thousand, thousand
other ways Satan's malice, envy, and enmity puts him upon, eternally
to undo the precious souls of men.
An envious heart and plotting head, are inseparable companions.
Reason (3). The third reason is drawn from that long
experience that Satan has had.
He is a spirit of mighty abilities; and his abilities to lay snares before
us are mightily increased by that long standing of his. He is a spirit of
over five thousand years' standing. He has had time enough to study
all those ways and methods which tend most to ensnare and undo
the souls of men. And as he has time enough, so he has made it his
whole study, his only study, his constant study, to find out snares,
traps, and stratagems, to entangle and overthrow the souls of men.
When he was but a young serpent, he did easily deceive and outwit
our first parents. But now he is grown into that 'old serpent,' as John
speaks (Rev. 12:9). He is as old as the world, and is grown very
cunning by experience.
Reason (4). In judgment to the men of the world, that they
may stumble and fall, and be ensnared forever.
Wicked men who withstand the offers of mercy, and despise the
Spirit of grace; who will not open, though God knocks ever so hard
by his Word and rod, by his Spirit and conscience—are given up by a
hand of justice, to be hardened, deceived, and ensnared by Satan, to
their everlasting ruin (1 Kings 22:23). And what can be more just
than that they should be taken and charmed with Satan's wiles, who
have frequently refused to be charmed by the Spirit of grace, though
he has charmed ever so wisely, and ever so sweetly?
Reason (5). That the excellency and power of God's grace
may be more illustrated and manifested, by making his
people able to grapple with this mighty adversary, and
that notwithstanding all the plots, devices, and
stratagems of Satan, yet he will make them victorious
here, and crown them with glory hereafter.
The greater and the subtler the enemies of the children of Israel were
—the more did divine power, wisdom, and goodness, sparkle and
shine; and that, notwithstanding all their power, plots, and
stratagems, yet to Canaan God would bring them at last. When Paul
had weighed this, he sits down and glories in his infirmities and
distresses and Satan's buffetings—that the power of Christ might rest
upon him (2 Cor. 12:7-9).
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Post by Admin on Mar 2, 2024 11:42:23 GMT -5
TEN SPECIAL HELPS AND RULES AGAINST SATAN'S DEVICES
If Satan has such a world of devices and stratagems to ensnare and
undo the souls of men; then, instead of wondering that so few are
saved, sit down and wonder that any are saved, that any escape the
snares of this cunning fowler, who spreads his nets and casts forth
his baits in all places, in all cases and companies.
But this is not the main thing that I intend to speak to; my main
business shall be, to set before you some special rules and helps
against all his devices.
The first help. If you would not be taken by any of Satan's devices,
then walk by rule of the Word of God. (Prov. 12:24; Gal. 6:16)
He who walks by rule, walks most safely; he who walks by rule, walks
most honorably; he who walks by rule, walks most sweetly. When
men throw off the Word, then God throws them off, and
then Satan takes them by the hand, and leads them into
snares at his pleasure. He who thinks himself too good to be
ruled by the Word, will be found too bad to be owned by God; and if
God does not, or will not own him—Satan will by his stratagems
overthrow him. Those who keep to the rule, shall be kept in the hour
of temptation. 'Since you have kept my command to endure
patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to
come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.' (Rev.
3:10)
The second help. As you would not be taken with any of Satan's
devices, take heed of vexing and grieving of the Holy Spirit
of God. The Divine Spirit is very tender; if you grieve him, he will
certainly grieve and vex your precious souls (Lam. 1:16.) It is the
Spirit who is best able to discover Satan's snares against us; it is only
he who can point out all his plots, and discover all his methods, and
enable men to escape those pits that Satan has dug for their precious
souls. Ah! if you set that sweet and blessed Spirit a-mourning, who
alone can secure you from Satan's depths—by whom will you be
preserved? Man is a weak creature, and no way able to discover
Satan's snares, nor to avoid them—unless the Spirit of the Lord gives
skill and power. Therefore, whoever is grieved, be sure the Spirit is
not grieved by your enormities, nor by your refusing the cordials and
comforts that he sets before you, nor by slighting and despising his
gracious actings in others, nor by calling sincerity hypocrisy, and
faith fancy, nor by fathering those things upon the Spirit, that are the
offspring and fruits of your own hearts. (Is. 63:10; Psalm 73:23; 1
Thess. 5:19; Acts 2:13.)
The Spirit of the Lord is your counselor, your comforter, your
upholder, your strengthener. It is the Spirit alone, who makes a man
too great for Satan to conquer. 'Greater is he who is in you, than he
who is in the world' (1 John 4:4).
The third help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's
devices, then labor for more heavenly wisdom. Ah, souls! you
are much in the dark, you have but a little wisdom compared to what
others have, and compared to that you might have had. There are
many educated souls—but there are but a few wise souls. There is
oftentimes a great deal of knowledge, where there is but a little
wisdom to improve that knowledge. It is not the most knowing
Christian—but the most wise Christian, who sees, avoids, and
escapes Satan's snares. 'The way of life leads upward for the wise,'
says Solomon, 'that he may depart from hell beneath' (Prov. 15:24).
Heavenly wisdom makes a man delight to fly high; and the higher
any man flies, the more he is out of the reach of Satan's snares.
Ah, souls! you had need of a great deal of heavenly wisdom, to see
where and how Satan lays his baits and snares; and wisdom to find
out proper remedies against his devices, and wisdom to apply those
remedies seasonably, inwardly, and effectually to your own hearts,
that so you may avoid the snares which that evil one has laid for your
precious souls.
If men could but see the fair face of wisdom with mortal eyes, they
would be in love with her, says Plato.
The fourth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's
devices, then make immediate resistance against Satan's
first motions. It is safe to resist, it is dangerous to dispute. Eve
disputes, and falls in paradise (Gen. 3); Job resists, and conquers
upon the ash-heap. He who will play with Satan's bait, will quickly be
taken with Satan's hook! The promise of conquest is given to
resisting, not to disputing: 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you'
(James 4:7). Ah, souls! were you better at resisting than at disputing,
your temptations would be fewer, and your strength to stand would
be greater than now it is.
The fifth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's
devices, then labor to be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit of the
Lord is a Spirit of light and power; and what can a soul do without
light and power against spiritual wickedness in high places? (Eph.
6:12). It is not enough that you have the Spirit—but you must be
filled with the Spirit, or else Satan, that evil spirit, will be too hard for
you, and his plots will prosper against you. That is a sweet word of
the apostle, 'Be filled with the Spirit' (Eph. 5:18); that is, labor for
abundance of the Spirit. He who thinks he has enough of the Holy
Spirit, will quickly find himself vanquished by the evil spirit. Satan
has his snares to take you in prosperity and adversity, in health and
sickness, in strength and weakness, when you are alone and when
you are in company, when you come on to spiritual duties and when
you come off from spiritual duties, and if you are not filled with the
Spirit, Satan will be too hard and too crafty for you, and will easily
and frequently take you in his snares, and make a prey of you in spite
of your souls. Therefore labor more to have your hearts filled with
the Spirit than to have your heads filled with notions, your shops
with wares, your chests with silver, or your bags with gold; so shall
you escape the snares of this fowler, and triumph over all his plots.
Luther says, a holy gluttony is to lay on, to feed hard, and to fetch
hearty draughts, until they be even drunk with the abundance of the
Spirit. Oh that there were more such holy gluttony in the world!
The sixth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares,
then keep humble. An humble heart will rather lie in the dust than
rise by wickedness, and sooner part with all than the peace of a good
conscience. Humility keeps the soul free from many darts of Satan's
casting, and snares of his spreading; as the low shrubs are free from
many violent gusts and blasts of wind, which shake and rend the
taller trees. The devil has least power to fasten a temptation on him
who is most humble. He who has a gracious measure of humility, is
neither affected with Satan's offers nor terrified with his threatenings.
I have read of one who, seeing in a vision many snares of the devil
spread upon the earth, he sat down, and mourned, and said in
himself, Who shall pass through these? Whereupon he heard a voice
answering, Humility shall.
God has said, that 'he will teach the humble,' and that 'he will dwell
with the humble,' and that 'he will fill and satisfy the humble. And if
the teachings of God, the indwellings of God, if the pourings in of
God, will not keep the soul from falling into Satan's snares, I do not
know what will. And therefore as you would be happy in resisting
Satan, and blessed in triumphing over Satan and all his snares—keep
humble! I say again, keep humble! (Psalm 25:9; Is. 57:15, James 4:6.)
The seventh help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's
snares, then keep a strong, close, and constant watch (1
Thess. 5:6). A sleepy soul is already an ensnared soul. That soul that
will not watch against temptations, will certainly fall before the
power of temptations. Satan works most strongly on the imagination,
when the soul is drowsy. The soul's slothfulness is Satan's
opportunity to fall upon the soul and to destroy the soul, as Joshua
did the men of Ai. The best way to be safe and secure from all Satan's
assaults is, with Nehemiah and the Jews, to watch and pray, and pray
and watch. By this means they became too hard for their enemies,
and the work of the Lord did prosper sweetly in their hands.
Remember how Christ chid his sluggish disciples. 'What! could you
not watch with me one hour?' what, cannot you watch with me? how
will you then die with me? if you cannot endure words, how will you
endure wounds? Satan always keeps a crafty and malicious watch,
'seeking whom he may devour.' 1 Peter 5:8. Satan is very envious of
our condition, that we should enjoy that paradise out of which he is
cast, and out of which he shall be forever kept!
We must effectually mind these following scriptures, wherein this
duty of watchfulness is so strictly enjoined: Matt 26:40; Mark 13:33,
34, 35, 37; 1 Cor. 16:13; Col. 4:2; 1 Peter 4:7; Rev. 2:3.
Shall Satan keep a crafty watch, and shall not Christians keep a holy
spiritual watch? Our whole life is beset with temptations. Satan
watches all opportunities to break our peace, to wound our
consciences, to lessen our comforts, to impair our graces, to slur our
evidences, and to dampen our assurances. Oh! what need then have
we to be always upon our watch-tower, lest we be surprised by this
subtle serpent. Watchfulness includes a waking, a rousing up of the
soul. It is a continual, careful observing of our hearts and ways, in all
the turnings of our lives—that we still keep close to God and his Word.
Hannibal never rested, whether he did conquer or was conquered. It
is so with Satan. 'Learn, for shame of the devil,' said blessed Latimer,
'to watch, seeing the devil is so watchful.'
Watchfulness is nothing else but the soul running up and down, to
and fro, busy everywhere. Watchfulness is the heart busied and
employed with diligent observation of what comes from within us,
and of what comes from without us and into us. Ah, souls! you are no
longer safe and secure than when you are upon your watch. While
Antipater kept the watch, Alexander was safe; and while we keep a
strict watch, we are safe. A watchful soul is a soul upon the wing, a
soul out of gun-shot, a soul upon a rock, a soul in a castle, a soul
above the clouds, a soul held fast in God's everlasting arms!
I shall conclude this seventh head with this advice: Remember the
dragon is subtle, and bites the elephant's ear, and then sucks his
blood, because he knows that to be the only place which the elephant
cannot reach with his trunk to defend; so our enemies are so subtle,
that they will bite us, and strike us where they may most mischief us,
and therefore it does very much concern us, to stand always upon our guard.
The eighth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's
snares and devices, then keep up your communion with God.
Your strength to stand and withstand Satan's fiery darts is from your
communion with God. A soul high in communion with God may be
tempted—but will not easily be conquered. Such a soul will fight it
out to the death. Communion with God furnishes the soul with the
greatest and the choicest arguments to withstand Satan's
temptations. Communion is the result of union. Communion is a
reciprocal exchange between Christ and a gracious soul. Communion
is Jacob's ladder, where you have Christ sweetly coming down into
the soul, and the soul, by divine influences, sweetly ascending up to
Christ. Communion with Christ is very inflaming, elevating and
strengthening. While Samson kept up his communion with God, no
enemy could stand before him—he goes on conquering and to
conquer. But when he was fallen in his communion with God, he
quickly falls before the plots of his enemies. It will be so with your
souls. So long as your communion with God is kept up, you will be
too hard for 'spiritual wickedness in high places'; but if you fall from
your communion with God, you will fall, as others, before the face of
every temptation.
David, so long as he kept up his communion with God, he stands,
and triumphs over all his enemies; but when he was fallen in his
communion with God, then he falls before the enemies that were in
his own bosom, and flies before those who pursued after his life. It
will be so with your souls, if you do not keep up your communion
with God. Job keeps up his communion with God, and conquers
Satan upon the ash-heap; Adam loses his communion with God, and
is conquered by Satan in paradise. Communion with God is a shield
upon land, as well as an anchor at sea; it is a sword to defend you, as
well as a staff to support you; therefore keep up your communion.
The ninth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares,
then do not engage Satan in your own strength—but be
every day drawing new virtue and strength from the Lord
Jesus. Certainly that soul that engages against any old or new
temptation without new strength, new influences from on high—will
fall before the power of the temptation. You may see this in Peter; he
rested upon some old received strength—'Though all men should
deny you, yet I will not!' (Matt. 26:35)—and therefore he falls sadly
before a new temptation. He curses and swears, and denies him
thrice—who had thrice appeared gloriously to him. Ah, souls!
when the snare is spread, look up to Jesus Christ, who is
lifted up in the gospel, as the brazen serpent was in the wilderness,
and say to him, "Dear Lord! here is a new snare laid to catch my soul,
and grace formerly received, without fresh supplies from your
blessed bosom, will not deliver me from this snare. Oh! give me new
strength, new power, new influences, new measures of grace, that so
I may escape the snares!"
Ah, souls! remember this, that your strength to stand and overcome
must not be expected from graces received in the past—but from the
fresh and renewed influences of heaven. You must lean more upon
Christ than upon your duties; you must lean more upon Christ than
upon your spiritual tastes and discoveries: you must lean more upon
Christ than upon your graces, or else Satan will lead you into captivity.
"Apart from me you can do nothing. "Separate from me, or apart
from me, you can do nothing.
The tenth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares,
then be much in prayer. Prayer is a shelter to the soul, a sacrifice
to God and a scourge to the devil. David's heart was often more out
of tune than his harp. He prays, and then, in spite of the devil, cries,
'Return unto your rest, O my soul.' Prayer is the gate of heaven, a key
to let us into paradise. There is nothing that renders Satan's plots
fruitless like prayer; therefore says Christ: 'Watch and pray that you
enter not into temptation' (Matt. 26:41). You must watch and pray,
and pray and watch, if you would not enter into temptation.'
When Sennacherib and Haman had laid plots and snares to have
destroyed the Jews, they prayed, and their souls were delivered, and
Sennacherib and Haman destroyed. David had many snares laid for
him, and this puts him upon prayer. "But my eyes are fixed on you, O
Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge--do not give me over to death.
Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by
evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in
safety." (Psalm 141:8-10).
"Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from
men of violence who plan to trip my feet. Proud men have hidden a
snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set
traps for me along my path. O Lord, I say to you, 'You are my God.'
Hear, O Lord, my cry for mercy." (Psalm 140:4-6). Saul and many
others had laid snares for David, and this puts him upon prayer, and
so the snares are broken and he is delivered.
Ah, souls! take words to yourselves, and tell God that Satan has
spread his snares in all places and in all companies! Tell God that he
digs deep, and that he has plot upon plot, and device upon device—
and all to undo you! Tell God that you have neither skill nor power to
escape his snares! Tell God that it is a work too high and too hard for
any created creature to work your deliverance, unless he puts under
his own everlasting arms! Tell God how his honor is engaged to stand
by you, and to bring you off a victor, that you be not ruined by
Satan's plots! Tell God how the wicked would triumph, if you should
fall into Satan's snares! Tell God of the love of Christ, of the blood of
Christ, and of the intercession of Christ for you, that a way may be
found for your escape! Tell God that if he will make it his honor to
save you from falling into Satan's snares, you will make it your glory
to speak of his goodness and to live out his kindness. Christians must
do as Daedalus, that when he could not escape by a way upon earth,
went by a way of heaven—and that is, the way of prayer, which is the
only way left to escape Satan's snares.
USE. The next use is a use of thankfulness to those who escape
Satan's snares—that they have not been taken by him at
his will. Ah! Christians, it stands upon you with that princely
prophet David, to call upon your souls, and say, 'Bless the Lord, O
our souls; and all that is within us, bless his holy name! Bless the
Lord, O our souls, and do not forget all his benefits!' (Psalm 103:1,2).
God has not given us to be a prey to Satan, and to be ensnared by
those snares that he has laid for our souls! The sense of this great
favor did work up David's heart to praises: "Praise be to the Lord,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird
out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have
escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven
and earth." (Psalm 124:6-8).
Ah! Christians, remember that the greatest part of the world, yes, the
greatest part of professors, are taken in Satan's snares. Can you think
seriously of this, and not blush to be unthankful? What are you
better than others? and what have you deserved of God, or done for
God more than others—that you should by the help of a divine hand
escape the snares, when others are taken and held in the snares of
the devil to their eternal overthrow?
Will you be thankful for the escaping the snares that men spread for
your lives or estates, and will you not be much more thankful for
escaping those snares that Satan has laid for your precious souls?
"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and
more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all
day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim
your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your
righteousness, yours alone. Since my youth, O God, you have taught
me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds." (Psalm 71:14-17).
Remember this, that deliverance from Satan's snares does carry with
it the clearest and the greatest evidence, that the soul and heart of
God to are towards us. Many a man by a common hand of providence
escapes many a snare that another has laid for him—but yet escapes
not the snares that Satan has laid for him. Saul, and Judas, and
Demas, doubtless escaped many snares that men had laid for them—
but none of them escaped the snares that the devil had laid for them.
Many men are lifted up above the snares of men by a common hand
of providence, that are left to fall into the snares of the devil by a
hand of justice. Your deliverance from Satan's snares is a fruit of
special love. Can you thus look upon it and not be thankful, O
precious soul? I judge not.
USE. The last use of this point is, To encourage Christians to
long to be at home with Jesus. Oh! long to be in the bosom of
Christ! long to be in the land of Canaan! for this world, this
wilderness, is full of snares; and all our employments are full of
snares; and all our enjoyments are full of snares. In civil things,
Satan has his snares to entrap us; and in all spiritual things, Satan
has his snares to catch us. All places are full of snares, city and
country, shop and closet, sea and land. Even our mercies are all
surrounded with snares! There are snares about our tables and
snares about our beds! Yes, Satan is so powerful and subtle that he
will oftentimes make our greatest, nearest, and dearest mercies to
become our greatest snares! Sometimes he will make the wife that
lies in the bosom to be a snare to a man, as Samson's was, and as
Job's was. Sometimes he will make the child to be a snare, as
Absalom was and Eli's sons were. And sometimes he will make the
servant to be a snare, as Joseph was to his mistress.
Ah! souls, Satan is so cunning and artful, that he can turn your bread
into snares, and your clothes into snares, and your houses into
snares, and your gardens into snares, and all your recreations into
snares. And oh! how should the consideration of these things work
all your souls to say with the church, 'Make haste, my beloved, and
be like a roe, or a young deer upon the mountain of spices,' and to
love, and look, and long for the coming of Christ (Cant. 8:14). Shall
the espoused maid long for the marriage day? Shall the servant long
for his freedom? Shall the captive long for his ransom? Shall the
traveler for long his inn, and the mariner for his harbor? And shall
not the people of the Lord long much more to be in the bosom of
Christ? there being nothing below the bosom of Christ that is not
surrounded with Satan's snares (Phil. 1:23, and 2 Cor. 5:2, 4).
Augustine wished that he might have seen three things: Rome
flourishing, Paul preaching, and Christ conversing with men upon
the earth. Bede comes after, and, correcting this last wish, says, Yes—
but let me see the King in his beauty, Christ is his heavenly kingdom.
What Paul once spoke of bonds and afflictions, that they attended
him in every place (Acts 20:23), that may all the saints say of Satan's
snares—that they attend them in every place; which should cause
them to cry out, "Let us go hence, let us go hence!" Ah! souls, until
you are taken up into the bosom of Christ, your comforts will not be
full, pure, and constant. Until then, Satan will still be thumping on
you, and spreading snares to entangle you! Therefore you should
always be crying out with the church, 'Come, Lord Jesus!' (Rev.22:20).
Is not Christ the star of Jacob, that 'gives light to those who are in
darkness'? Is not Christ that Prince of peace who brings the olive
branch to souls that are perplexed? Is not the greatest worth and
wealth in him? Are not the petty excellencies and perfections of all
created creatures epitomized in him? Is not he the crown of crowns,
the glory of glories, and the heaven of heavens? Oh then, be still a longing after a full,
clear, and constant enjoyment of Christ in
heaven; for until then, Satan will still have plots and designs upon
you. He acts by an untiring power, and will never let you rest until
you are taken up to an everlasting rest in the bosom of Christ!
It is as easy to contain the sea in a nutshell—as to relate fully Christ's
excellencies, or heaven's happiness!
"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against
the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that
when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:11-13
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