accompany it is a sad step to a desperate neglect of duty and a carelesness in sinning in that it insensibly introduceth Atheistical impressions upon the hearts of Men and such are apt to catch hold even upon good Men who are but too ready to say as David I have cleansed my hands in vain Fourthly Satan hath yet another piece of Policy for the multiplication and aggravation of Sin which is the enmity and opposition of the Law Of this the Apostle Paul sadly complains from his own experience Rom. 7. 8. Sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence What he laments is this that such is the perversness of our natures that the Law instead of restraining us doth the more enrage us so that accidentally the Law doth multiply Sin for when the restraint of the Law is before us Lust burns not only more inwardly but when it cannot be kept in and smothered then it breaks out with greater violence Let us break their bonds asunder c. When the Law condemns our Lusts they grow surly and desperate Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die c. If any wonder that the Law which was given of purpose to repress Sin and which is of so great use in its authority to kill it in us and to hinder Temptations should thus be used by Satan to encrease and enrage it they may consider that 't is but still an accidental occasion and not a cause and Sin takes this occasion without any fault of the Law Satan to this end watcheth the time when our hearts are most earnestly set upon our Lusts when our desires are most highly engaged and then by a subtile Art so opposeth the Law letting in it's contradictions in way and measure sutable that our hearts conceive a grudge at restraint which together with its earnestness to satisfy the Flesh ariseth up to a furious madness and violent striving to maintain a liberty and freedom to do according to the desires of their heart whereas this same Law if it be applyed to the heart when 't is more cooled and not so highly engaged upon a design of Lust will break terrify and restrain the heart and put such a damp upon Temptations that they shall not be able to stand before it So great a difference is there in the various seasons of the application of this Law in which Art for the enflaming of the heart to iniquity Satan shews a wonderful dexterity CHAP. XV. Of Satan's keeping all in quiet which is his second Engine for keeping his Possession and for that purpose his keeping us from going to the Light by several subtilties also of making us rise up against the Light and by what wayes he doth that SAtan's next Engine for the maintaining his Possession is to keep all in quiet which our Saviour notes Luk. 11. 21. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace He urgeth this against those that objected to him that he cast out Devils by Belzebub which calumny he confuteth by shewing the inconsistency of that with Satan's Principles and Design it being a thing sufficiently known and universally practised that no man will disturb or dispute against his own peaceable Possession neither can it be supposed Satan will do it because he acts by this common Rule of keeping down and hindring any thing that may disquiet breach of Peace is hazardous to a Possession an uneasie Government occasions mutinies and revolts of Subjects yet we might think that the wages of Sin the light and power of Conscience considered it were no easie task for the Devil to rule his Slaves with so much quiet as 't is observed he doth his skill in this particular and the way of managing his interest for such an end we may clearly see in Jo. 3. 20. Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved From which place we may observe 1 The great thing that doth disquiet Satan's Possession is Light 2 The reason of that disquietment is the discovery that Light makes and the shame that follows that discovery 3 The way to prevent that Light and the reproof of it is to avoid coming to it and where it cannot be avoided to hate it 'T is Satan's business then for keeping all in peace 1 To keep us from the Light or if that cannot be then 2 To make us rise up against it I shall make enquiry after both these projects of the Devil To keep us from coming to the Light he useth a great many subtilties as First for his own part he forbears to do any thing that might discompose or affright entangled Souls at other times and in other cases he loves to torment and affright them to cause their Wounds to stink and corrupt but in this case he takes a contrary course he keeps off as much as may be all reflections of Conscience he conceals the evil and danger of Sin he sings them asleep in their folly till a dart strike through their liver and hastens them to the snare as a bird that knoweth not that it is for his life They that shall consider that the heart of a sinner is hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin and that the greatest part of the affrightment that molests the consciences of such is from Satan's fury and malice they will easily conceive how much his single forbearance to molest may contribute to the peace and ease of those that are setled upon their lees but besides his forbearance we may expect that what ever clouds or darkness he can raise to exclude the Light or to muffle the eyes he will not be negligent in the use of that power whatever he can positively do in the raising up the confidence of presumption or security in the Minds of Men what ever he can do to make them sottish or careless that shall not be wanting Secondly he shews no less skill and diligence by secret contrivances to hinder occasions of reproof and discovery how much he can practise upon others that out of pity and compassion to the Souls of Men are ready to draw a sinner from the errour of his way and to save a Soul from death We can scarce imagine what ways he hath to divert and hinder them by what private discouragements he doth defer them who can tell He that could dispute with the Angel about the body of Moses to prevent the secret interment of it he that could give a stop of One and twenty days to the Angel that was to bring the comfortable Message to Daniel of the hearing of his Prayers may more easily obstruct and oppose the designs of a faithful reprover Some time he doth this by visible means and instruments stirring up the Spirits of wicked men to give opposition to such as seek to deliver their Souls from the blood of men by faithful warnings or exhortations The Devil was so
The Light of their own Experience of the vileness and odiousness of Sin they know what an evil and bitter thing it is 2. They have a more full discovery of God which will make them abhor themselves in dust and ashes 3. They have the advantage of a new Heart the Law of the Spirit of Life making them free from the Law of Sin and Death 4. They have also the help and assistance of the Spirit in its Motions Suggestions and Teachings 5. They fortifie themselves with the strongest Resolutions not to give way to Sin Notwithstanding all these 'T is too true that both Regenerate and Unregenerate Men do sin The reason whereof cannot be given from any other account than what we have asserted to wit they are some way or other deluded or deceived some Curtain is drawn 'twixt them and the Light some Fallacy or other is put upon the Understanding some way or other the Will is bribed or byassed there is treachery in the case for 't is unimaginable that a Man in any act of Sin should offer a plain open and direct violence to his own Nature and Faculties so that the whole business is here Evil is presented under the notion of God and to make this out some considerations of pleasure or profit do bribe the Will and give false light to the Understanding Hence is it that in every act of Sin Men by complyance with Satan are said to deceive or to put tricks and fallacies upon themselves Fifthly All kinds of Subtilty are in Scripture directly charged upon Satan and in the highest degrees Sometime under the notion of Logical fallacies those sleights which Disputants in arguing put upon their Antagonists Of this import is that expression 2 Cor. 2. 11. We are not ignorant of his Devices where the word in the Original is borrowed from the Sophistical reasonings of Disputants Sometime 't is expressed in the similitude of Political deceits as the Scripture gives him the title of a Prince so doth it mark out his Policies in the management of his Kingdom Rev. 12. 7. expressly calling them Deceits and comparing him to a Dragon or Serpent for his subtilty Sometime he is represented as a Warriour Rev. 12. 17. The Dragon was wroth and went to make War c. and here are his Warlike Stratagems pointed at Mention is made 2 Tim. 2. 26. of his Snares and the taking of Men alive or Captive directly alluding to Warlike proceedings The subtile proceedings of Arts and Craft are charged on him and his Instruments Men are said to be enticed Jam. 1. as Fish or Fowl by a Bait Others deluded as by Cheaters in false Gaming Eph. 4. 14. By the sleight of Men and the cunning craft of those that ly in wait to deceive The over-reaching of Merchants or crafty Tradesmen is alluded to in 2 Cor. 2. 11. All these sleights are in Satan in their highest perfection and accomplishment He can transform himself into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. where he hath an occasion for it In a word all deceiveableness of unrighteousness is in him 2 Thess 2. 10. So that a general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dexterity and ability for all kind of subtile Contrivances is ascribed to him 2 Cor. 11. 3. and that in his very first essay upon Eve when the Serpent deceived her thorow subtilty so that whatsoever Malice can suggest or Wit and Art contrive for Delusion or whatsoever Diligence can practise or Cruelty execute all that must be imagined to be in Satan Sixthly All this might be futher proved by Instances What Temptation can be named wherein Satan hath not acted as a Serpent who can imagine the cunning that Satan used with David in the matter of Vriah How easily he got him to the roof of the house in order to the Object to be presented to him How he directs his Eye wrought upon his Passions suggested the Thought contrived the Conveniencies What Art must there be to bring a darkness into David's mind a forgetfulness of God's Law a fearlesness of his displeasure and a neglect of his own danger surely it was no small matter that could blind David's Eye or besot his Heart to so great a Wickedness But above all Instances let us take into consideration that of Eve in the first transgression wherein many things may be observed as first That he chose the Serpent for his Instrument wherein though we are ignorant of the depth of his design yet that he had a design in it of subtilty in reference to what he was about to suggest is plain from the Text Now the Serpent was more subtile then any Beast of the field it had been needless and impertinent to have noted the Serpents subtilty as Satans Agent if he had not chosen it upon that score as advantageous for his purpose 2. He set upon the weaker Vessel the Woman and yet such as once gained he knew was likely enough to prevail with the Man which fell out accordingly 3. Some think he took the advantage of her Husbands absence which is probable if we consider that 't is unlikely that Adam should not interpose in the discourse if he had been present 4. He took the advantage of the Object It appears she was within sight of the Tree She saw that it was good for food and pleasant to the Eyes thus he made the Object plead for him 5. He falls not directly upon what he intended lest that should have scared her off but fetcheth a compass and enters upon the business by an enquiry of the affairs as if he intended not hurt 6. He so enquires of the matter Hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden as if he made a question of the reality of the Command and his words were so ordered that they might cast some doubt hereof into her mind 7. He under a pretence of asserting God's Liberality secretly undermines the threatning as if he had said Is it possible that so bountiful a Creator should deny the liberty of eating of any tree to what purpose was it made if it might not be tasted 8. When he finds that by these Arts he had gained a little ground and brought her to some kind of questioning of the reality of the threatning for she seems to extenuate it in saying lest we die he grows more bold to speak out his mind and plainly to annihilate the threatning Ye shall not die this he durst not do till he had gained in her mind a wavering suspition that possibly God was not in good earnest in that prohibition 9. Then he begins to urge the conveniency and excellency of the Fruit by equivocating upon the name of the Tree which he tells her could make them knowing as Gods 10. He reflects upon God as prohibiting this out of envy and ill-will to them 11. In all this there is not a word of the danger but impunity and advantage promised 12.
patronized and commonly such Men either fix upon such places as give warning of the necessary concomitances of the Spirit and Heart with the outward Act of service and from hence separating what God hath joyned together they set up Spiritual Sabbaths Spiritual Baptism Spiritual Worship to cry down and cashier the external Acts of such Ordinances or they pretend kindred to Scripture as prophesying or foretelling those new Administrations which they are about to set up Let H. Nicholas be an instance of this who though he decryed the Service of the Law under God the Father and the Service of the Belief under Christ and in the room of both these would set up another Administration under the Spirit yet that he might be the better believed he applyed several Scriptures to his purpose as Prophetically foretelling H. Nicholas and his services and would have Men imagine that he was that Angel flying in the midst of Heaven with the Everlasting Gospel Rev. 14. 6. And that Prophet enquired after by the Jews Joh. 1. 21. Art thou that Prophet and that Man ordained to Judg the World Act. 17. 31. And that the times of his Dispensation were the times of Perfection and Glory spoken of in 1 Cor. 13. 9. and Heb. 6. 1. The like pretences for new Administrations had Saltmarsh and several others Satan fixing his Foot upon this Design and taking advantage of Mens Ignorance Curiosity and Pride c. it is impossible to tell what he may do he hath introduced many Heresies already and none knows what may be behind many passages of Scripture are dark to the wisest of Men a great many more are so to the common sort of Christians A great many wits are imployed by him as Adventurers for new Discoveries and a small pretence is ground enough for a bold Undertaker to erect a new Notion upon and a new Notion in Religion is like a new Fashion in Apparel which bewitcheth the unsteady with an itch to be in it before they well understand what it is So that 't is alike impossible to stint the just number of Errours as to adjust the various pretences from Scripture upon which they may be countenanced Leaving therefore this task to those that can undertake it I shall only note a particular or two of Satans cunning in affixing an Errour upon Scripture First In any grand design of Error he endeavours to lay the Foundation of it as near to Truth as he can but yet so that in the tendency of it it may go as far from it as may be As some Rivers whose first Fountains are contiguous have notwithstanding a direct contrary course in their Streams For instance in those Errors that tend to overthrow the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ and Ordinances and these are things which the Devil hath a great spite at he begins his work with plausible pretences of Love and Admiration of Christ and Grace he proceeds from thence to the pretence of purer Enjoyments from thence to a dislike of such Preachers and Preaching as threaten Sin and speak out the wrath of God against Iniquity and these are presently called Legal Preachers and the doctrine of Duty a Legal Covenant having them once at this point they easily come to immediate Assistances and special Gifts which they pretend to have above others being thus set up they are for free Grace and the enjoyment of God in Spirit from thence they come to Christian Liberty and by degrees Duties are unnecessary there is no Christ but within them and being freed from the Law whatever they do is no Transgression This is a Path that Satan hath trodden of old though now and then he may vary in some Circumstances and be forced to stop before he come to the utmost of his Journey You may observe this Method in the late Errors of New-England in the Familists of Germany and in those of Old-England in all which at the long-run Men are led as far from Scripture as Darkness is from Light Now this is not only to be seen in a progressive multiplication of Errors but often may we perceive the same subtilty of Satan in a simple Error as when he takes up part of a Truth which should stand in conjunction with another and sets it up alone against its own Companion where we shall have the name and pretence kept up but the thing quite destroyed God requires Services of Men and prescribes to their use Prayer Hearing Sacraments but because in these God is dishonoured when Men only draw near with their Lips he further tells us that he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is of the Flesh c. This part are some Men so fixed upon that they think they are discharged of the other and in practice go quite from these duties and yet still they profess they are for Ordinances and the Worship of God just so are some Men for Christ but then 't is but the name not the thing they own Christ they say but then 't is Christ in them and Christ come in their Flesh but not that Christ that died at Jerusalem as a Sacrifice for the Sins of Men. Secondly Satan takes great care that an Errour be in all the ways of its propagation cloathed with Scripture phrases and the less the Errour can pretend to any plausible ground of Scripture the more doth he endeavour to adorn it with Scripture Language I understand this chiefly of such Errors as are designed for the Multitude so that though Scripture be not used to prove the Errour yet are Deceivers taught to express their conceptions by it and to accomodate the Words and Sentences of it to their purposes for besides pride and confidence Scriptural Eloquence is a necessary ingredient to make a powerful Deluder Observe the Ring-leaders of Errors and you shall find that ordinarily such have at first been studious of the Scriptures and though never able to digest them yet when they turned their Ears from Truth they have carried their Scripture Language which they had before brought themselves unto by long custom away with them and still retain it and express their Opinions by it Now this is a great advantage to Satan For First By this means the ignorant Multitude are often caught without any more ado if they hear Scripture Expressions they are apt to think that all is Truth which is spoken by them and they the rather believe it because they will imagine such Teachers to be well versed in Scripture and consequently either so honest or so knowing that they neither can nor will delude them Secondly There is a Majesty in Scripture which in some sence doth stick to the very expressions of it Men may perceive that generally Hearers are more affected with Scripture Eloquence than with Play-Book Language it hath as it were a charm in the words which makes the Ear attentive more than a quaint discourse starched up in the dresâ— of
corrupted for instance Herodotus relates that Sethon King of Egypt and Priest of Vulcan was helped by his God from Heaven against Senacherib which plainly relates to Hezekiah King of Juda and the wonders that God did for him So in imitation of Vriahs Letters to Joab for his own destruction we have in Homer and others the Story of Praetus sending Letters to Jobatas by Bellerophon wherein his death was commanded the near affinity of the names Joab and Jobatas shews with what Heifer the Devil plowed The History of Abraham's offering up Isaac is by Porphiry applied to Saturn who saith he was by the Phaenicians called Israel he had by Anobreth one only Son called Jeud an evident allusion saith Godwin Antiq. lib. 4. cap. 3. to Gen. 22. 2. where Isaac is in the Hebrew called Jechid that is an only begotten him he offered up on an Altar purposely prepared here not only the matter but the names do clearly shew that Abraham's Story is imitated in this The like imitation I might shew to have been among the Heathen of doctrinal Truths as of the sacred Mystery of the Trinity In Peru they worship the Father Son and Brother as also their Tangatauga which they say was one in three and three in one But their imitation of Ordinances is every where remarkable so that I need say nothing of their Temples Priests Sacrifices and other Religious Rites only the Devil's imitation of the Sacraments of the New Testament deserves particular observation Instances of an Apish imitation of Baptism are every where obvious and that of the Lords Supper or Christian Communion was frequently resembled in the chief Peruvian Feasts where they carried small Loaves of Bread in great Platters of Gold of which all present received and eat little pieces and this as a sign of honour and profession of obedience to their Gods and the Ingua Not unlike to this were those morsels of Paste which the Mexicans used in their Religious Feasts which they laid at their Idols Feet consecrating them by Singing and other Ceremonies and then they called there the Flesh and Bones of their God Vitziliputzli alluding directly to that of our Saviour This is my Body c. insomuch that Acosta thought the Devil mocked their Transubstantiation by it this was distributed among all and was eaten with a great deal of reverence fear and devotion We may see by those instances that in these fabulous imaginations of Truth the Devil hath industriously traded and that which he aimed at in this design may easily be conjectured to be 1. The despiting and discrediting of Truth he renders it by this means suspitious of some Forgery as if the Scripture were no better than an uncertain Tradition as if at the best it were doubtful whether Scripture or these traditionary Fables had better authority 2. He further intends the intanglement of the Affections to Errour by this Device for he doth as it were take the spoils of the Tabernacle to adorn his Dagon withal and without doubt the Heathens were very much hardned in Gentilism by these traditionary Stories hence one observes the Devil imitated the History of the Miracle done in favour of Hezekiah that the Scriptures might lose their credit and authority and that the glory of such a wonder might be transferred to their Idols and the consequence of both these is 3. To deprive the Truth of its convincing power upon the consciences of Men. The principles of Scripture convince by the evidence of their Truth If that Truth be questioned by the substitution of another Competitor it presently loseth its force and the commands thereof are disregarded upon a supposition of its uncertainty 4. Another of his ways to betray the understanding by the Affections is by putting Men upon an accommodation of Truth to a complyance with Parties differing from it And this hath been so much the more successful because it hath begun and been carried on upon the most specious pretences The avoiding of Offences the smoothing of the way of Religion for the gaining of the contrary minded the preservation of Peace and Unity are Pleas very plausible and really upon the account of these things the Scripture both by its Precepts and Examples hath recommended to us condescentions and Brotherly forbearances The Jews who were dissatisfied at the first publication of the liberty from the Yoke of Mosaical Ceremonies purchased for us by Christ were indulged in the use of Circumcision and observance of the difference of Meats for a long time till they might be the better satisfied in the Truth These pretences the Devil makes use of to undermine Truth And pleasing his Agents with the honour of a pious design and it may be at first really so intended by them he prevails with them not only for a present condescention to Men of contrary practice but to cast the principles of Truth into such a fixed Mould that they may carry a more near resemblance to those Opinions which they do most directly oppose The appearance of sanctity peaceableness prudence and successfulness in such an undertaking doth exceedingly animate the well-meaning designers which Satan in the mean time carries them beyond all bounds and so dangerously fixeth an unnatural representation of Truth that it loseth its own splendor and settles at last upon unsafe notions Thus by the continuance of such a complyance Errour begins to recruit its Forces and is as likely to draw over Truth wholly to its side by the argument of resemblance and the consequences following thereupon as Truth is wholly to extirpate and conquer Errour and if it do not that succeeding Ages that minded not the first design finding things so continued to them in deep reverence to their Predecessors form their prudential condescentions into perverse opinions If we follow the tract of Time from the first preaching of the Gospel we may find Satan's footsteps all along In the Apostles times when the believing Jews were tollerated necessarily till time and experience might fully convince them in their observation of the Law of Moses which was certainly given of God and so might very easily occasion an opinion of the continuance of it Act. 15. 1 5. though the Apostles did not at all accommodate the standing precepts of the New Testament to carry a perpetual resemblance of that Opinion neither did they still countenance that practice but did seasonably and fully declare against it exhorting Christians to stand in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free Gal. 5. 1 2. yet Satan was busie to take advantage of the present forbearances which the Holy Ghost had directed them unto insomuch that instead of convincing all the dissenters by that lenity some dissenters waxed bold to perswade the Christians to another Gospel But after their days the Devil pursued this design with greater scope for instance in Constantines time when the Gentiles flocked into the Church with dirty Feet and in their old Rags they were tollerated