Spiritual Pride they bitterly curse and speak against those whom they looke upon to be the Enemies of Christ and such as oppose and as they conceive persecute them Neither can they by reason hereof hear any brotherly admonition although never so lovingly and friendly urged but they fly out into Impatiency Indignation Censuring uncivil gestures and perhaps bitter Expressions against those who cannot Close with their Judgement or do oppose it A fourth way by which Satan doth deceive in these Times causing many to pervert and misunderstand the Scripture is by tempting them and drawing them to put allegorical and mystical as they call them Interpretations upon prophetical and Doctrinal Scriptures This work Satan effecteth by taking Advantage of the Excellency of humane learning in many men By which they do not onely scorne to deliver themselves in their discoursing preaching praying or writing according to Scripture Language but they will finde out quaint Expressions high Rapturs and Notions admired by many which must be called the Dictates of the holy Ghost and an excellent Spirit of Utterance which doth prove in a little Time as this Age hath experienced to be onely carnal and artificiall But they will not content themselves with the abuse of Scripture by unwarrantable words but the whole Scripture and every part thereof must be looked upon as an Allegorie and so they will make of it what they please Hereupon much Confusion hath arisen by reason of many vain disputations and the divulging of phantastical Notions Every one of these men making what they please of God Angels Resurrection heaven the word divine union Anoynting Law and Gospel And hereupon the late King Charles was made God the father the then Parliament God the Son and the Lawes the Holy Spirit in a Book intituled the Leaves of the Tree of Life With many other horrid Blasphemies We should take notice of those Scriptures which the holy Ghost doth take allegorically but we ought not to allegorize any Scripture which the holy Ghost would have us to vnderstand literally Again Satan causeth men to misunderstand the Scriptures by putting a Mist before their Eyes so that they cannot see afar off And this he doth effect by causing them to look no further then their present Dispensation For although they may there discern the Truth yet if they look no further they shall never see all the Truth They look upon all things in Scripture with a Spiritual Eye but see not that those things or many of them which are prophetical shall be really accomplished And hereupon some see no Resurrection but the rising to newnesse of Life no Coming of Christ but by his Spirit no Reign nor Kingdome of Christ but by his Spirit in the heart of his Saints No Canaan but the Kingdome of heaven Satan by bringing many into this Snare although he cannot destroy their Soules yet while they lye under this Cloud he doth trouble them with vain Disputations and contentious Arguings in defence of their present thoughts and Apprehensions of the Scriptures and keepeth them in darknesse and ignorance of many excellent and comfortable Truths But Lastly Satan doth draw many to misunderstand pervert the Scripturs by holding forth the mind of God in unwarrantable Expressions and words which Mans Wisdome teacheth Therefore the Apostle said If any consent not to the wholsom words of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse he is puffed up and knoweth nothing but doteth about Questions and strife of words whereof cometh Envy strife railing evil surmising and vain Disputation of men of corrupt minde and destitute of the Truth And assuredly there is much in that Exhortation of the Apostle unto Timothy 2 Tim. 1.13 keep the true Pattern of the wholsome words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love For When Satan hath brought any into this Snare when men will not read the Scriptures that they may be able to understand the language of the holy Ghost then he Satan sendeth them to buy their knowledge at the shop of humane learning and teacheth them this Principle that is That humanity is a helpe to Divinity that Grammer causeth men to write and speake of the things of God congruously that Logick inableth men to finde out the Truths of Divinitie and to reason the more â—blie that Philosophy directeth them to the reason and Cause of things and that by the force of Rhetorick men may more excellently utter and expresse themselves when they speake of Scriptural and divine Mysteries And hereupon they will tell you it was that Isaiah a learned man wrote a more excellent Stile then the rest of the Prophets and Paul who was bred at the feet of Gamaliel was more eloquent and delivered himselfe in better Language then the rest of the Apostles Being brought into this Snare they vilifie and reproach the Scriptures and say that they are darke obscure and imperfect in themselves and therefore it is necessary that men should look upon them by the Candle of humane learning Hereby Satan taketh them off from the study of the Scriptures and setteth them upon the Search of the Knotty schoole-men the contradictory Counsels nay hereby he directeth them to heathen Poets Ethnick Philosophers and fabulous Moralists to finde among their writings what the mind of God should be concerning this or that Scripture Hereupon the world hath been filled with many larg volums of vain and unprofitable Disputations and Controversies Hereby many have been a long time learning but never have come to the knowledge of the Truth And hereby many heresies have arisen and the Scriptures have been wrested into as many formes as there are Notions or varieties of opinions among men to the delusion of some but utter destruction and irreparable and irrecoverable Losse of others And thus much shall suffice to have been written concerning the first Snare which Satan doth lay to intrap and insnare many deluded and onely formal professors of Christianity and if it were possible to deceive the very Elect. For Satan knoweth if the foundation be taken away the building must of necessity fall if the Eye be put out the whole body must be darke and if he can deprive men of light they must walke in darknesse and stumble and fall The second Snare that Satan layeth for those that professe Christianity is by his seducements to cause them to give heed to Dreames and visions And this Satan doth by moving them to apply those Scriptures which promise that men shall Dreame Dreams to their present Generation When men in these Times will desire of the Lord those things which he hath declared shall not come to passe until after Ages it is just with him to give power unto Satan to delude such by Dreames and visions These things are not to be expected in and during the time of the Kingdome of Satan If the Lord denied S. to appear unto his people the
taken away and since that time there is neither Jew nor Gentile Circumcision nor uncircumsion but a new Creature Now the Gospel is tendered to all and so farre as the mercy of God doth extend which is to all so farre our mercy should reach Luke 6.35 36. Fourthly Satan would perswade the Saints that they are the litle Stone spoken of in Daniel which must break the great Image And because the Kingdome of Christ must be set up in the dayes of those Kings spoken of in Daniel therefore Satan would perswade them that before the comming of Christ they must oppose the Kingdomes of the world and powers thereof and so endeavours to stirr them up to insurrection and rebellion contrary to that in Daniel The Horne shall make Battel against the Saints and prevail until the ancient of dayes come and the time approached that the Saints possessed the Kingdome Dan. 7.21 22. So that until Christ come the Horne must prevaile and the Saints must not have a Kingdome and until Christ come to set up his Kingdome the little Stone or Kingdome must not break the Image in pieces Fifthly Satan telleth them that they must beare testimony against all ungodliness and that is truth but he would hereby stirre them up to beare their testimony in such a way that they may justly be esteemed to be railers revilers Incendiaries to rebellion disswaders of divers from their obedience to the Magistrate Whereas Michael when he strove against the Divel and disputed about the body of Moses durst not blame him with cursed speaking and hereby he stirreth them up to all bitternesse and uncharitablenesse and to look upon none as brethren but those who are of their own Judgements and opinion in all or most things and they whom they look upon otherwise they suppose are the enemies of Christ and therefore they ought not to pray for them Lastly Satan in these last times stirreth up the Saints to Judge of one another by their outward actings whether they be natural failings or such things as they do amisse by reason of the subtile frequent and powerful temptations of Satan And to this purpose there is a Text very much abused which is By their fruits you shall know them Math. 7.20 And indeed by the actions we may see what for the present is in the poor sinful and corrupt heart yet hereby we cannot Judge of any ones interest in Christ notwithstanding from this Scripture Satan doth tempt and provoke many very hardly and unchristianly to censure others nay not only to passe a Judgement on their actions wherein there may be a mistake by reason of misrepresentation misapprehension misunderstanding misinformation and the like but of their intents and purposes when none is able to judge of the sincerity of the heart but only the Lord nay of their spiritual condition when no man can tell whose name is written in the Book of life and whose not it being a secret which God hath reserved unto himselfe and to strengthen them in this unchristian practice Satan moveth them to Judge of others by the Letter of the Law and then they say they have a warrant for what they do As sometimes they Judge a man to be a backslider from his former professions and who can say he is not a backslider and then they censure him a Castaway alledging that in Luke He that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh back is not fit for the Kingdome of God Luke 9.62 And sometimes they Judge a man of hypocrisie and then they look upon him as utterly lost alledging that in Job The Hypocrites hope shall perish Job 8.13 Not considering that by the workes of the Law no flesh shall be justified and if the Lord should Judge them that thus Judge others by the letter of the Law their condition would be very sad Not considering that they whom they Judge may belong unto Christ for ought they know not considering that Christ is tender of the temptations of his Saints and that he might be so he was in all things tempted in like sort not considering that although the unjust of whom Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2.9 10. shall be reserved unto the day of Judgement yet the godly shall be delivered out of temptation Therefore Brethren we should not Judge one another by the letter of the Law but by the rule of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which biddeth us to Judg no man neither our Brethren nor those who are without For we are not under the Law but under grace Thus Satan by these fallacies and delusions and such like doth breake in sadly among the Saints and those who professe Religion in these last Times And now having discovered many Subtilties of Satan and the way by which they may be perceived and by mercy prevented I will lay down some particulars as a Rule for the Saints to walk by in the Last Times which indeed is their Generation worke They must continue in the things which are conteined in the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.14 to 17. they must be diligent and peaceable without spot and blamelesse and grow in Grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.3 14 18. they should edifie themselves in their most holy Faith they should pray in the holy Ghost they should keep themselves in the Love of God looking for the mercies of Jesus Christ and have compassion of some in putting difference Jude 18. to 22. watching and preparing themseves for the Coming of Jesus Christ Math. 25.1 to 14 They must love their Enemies blesse them that Curse them and do good to them that hate them praying for them that despitefully use them and persecute them Math. 5.43 to 48. They should blesse and Curse not Being defrauded they should intreate 1 Cor. 4.12 13. They should not revile the Gods nor Curse the Rulers of the People Exod. 22.28 They should shew out a good Conversation by their works with meeknesse and wisdom Jam. 3.8 to 18. They should not speake evil of their brethren nor Judge them Jam. 4.11 12. Rom. 14.4 10 13. Math. 7.1 2. Joh. 8.15 12 47. They should Judge nothing before the time until the Lord Come 1 Cor. 14. 15. and as they ought not to Judge their brethren so they should not Judge those that are without 1 Cor. 4.12 13. They should forgive their Enemies Math. 6.14 15. They should not be tossed and carried too and fro with Every winde of Doctrine but speake the Truth in Love Eph. 4.14 15. They should pray for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority according to the Rule of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing 1 Tim. 6.3 4. whosoever abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God and if any come and bring not this Doctrine receive him not neither bid him God speed 2. Job 10.11 for there are some that pervert the Gospel of Christ but if any though an Angel from heaven Preach any other Gospel then what Christ and the Apostles have preached let him be accursed Gal. 3.7 8. Neither beloved friends be ye too credulous of all those things which you heare spoken by the most precious Saints untill you try them by the Scriptures For Satan hath not onely Power to enter into the Saints before their conversion Mar. 16.9 but hath great power to tempt them after the Lord hath called them Math. 16.23 and over those who are only seeming Professors although they may be indued with many excellent gifts of the Spirit he hath Power even to tempt them to their utter Destruction Act. 5.3 Yet here is the Comfort of the Elect that there is a time appointed in which Satan shall be troden underfeet Rom. 16.20 and until then notwithstanding Satan doth endeavour to winnow them like wheate they shall be preserved by the Intercession of the Lord Jesus Luk. 22.31 32. It is a difficult thing to know the depths of Satan Rev. 2.24 for he taketh Advantage not onely against the sins of the Saints but of their best Gifts As of their zeale knowledge desires after God and of their very Prayers but especially of their coldnesse of Love and want of Charity 2 Cor. 2.1 to 12. Therefore Brethren often consider and endeavour to the utmost to practise the Apostles Rule and Exhortation Be sober and watch for your Adversary the Divil as a roaring Lyon goeth about seeking whom he may devour FINIS
A SEASONABLE WORD OF ADVICE Unto all the SAINTS in ENGLAND Whereby they are exhorted to beware of Satans subtilties and hold fast the words of sound Doctrine By J. B. a lover of the Truth LONDON Printed by T. C. and are to be sold by George Wilford in Little-Brittain neere the Lame-hospitall 1655. To all the Saints in England who desire to acquaint themselves with those Scriptures which do discover the secret waies of Satan by which he doth seek to deceive in these last daies Christian friends WHose welfare I heartily desire do not dispise this friendly Exhortation which was written with much Care and Fear Fear least I should write any thing which should not be the Truth of God Feare least I should omit the writing of any Truth Feare least I should grieve the Spirit of any Saint Feare least I should neglect to acquaint the Saints with the Subtilties of Satan The Lord having put it into my heart to consider them In all Ages the Divil hath sought to deceive the Elect 2 Cor 11 1â—.15 And if in the Apostles daies there were deceitful workers who transformed themselves into the Apostles of Christ if Satan transformed himselfe then into an Angel of light and if his Ministers did then transforme themselves as though they were the Ministers of Righteousnesse we may be assured that in these daies and Ends of the World he will leave no way or meanes unattempted by which he may seduce If they who lived in those last times in which the Apostles were 1 Pet. 〈…〉 even they who were kept by the Power of God through Faith unto salvation had their Faith tried do the Saints now think to escape the like Trial assuredly Friends our faith will be tried even that Faith by which we shal be brought unto that Salvation which is prepared to be shew'n in the last Times that we may be found unto Praise and honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 4.1 In the last daies many will depart from the Faith for many will then give heed to Doctrines of Divils and Spirits of Errours And indeed none will stand and continue in those Daies in the Faith but they who have the Anoynting 1 John 8.18 19 20. the holy Spirit of God in them All others will fall under the Deceptions of that antichristian Spirit which then will be found in the world For they who never were really of God will then depart from him If they had been of him they would have continued with him If these be the last Daies If Satan will now endeavour to deceive those who professe the Lord Jesus If it be a difficult thing to discerne in these Times the Subtilties of Satan If he will leave no way unattempted and if his Rage and Malice will increase the nearer the End of his Kingdom will approach then the more Reason have all those that feare God to be circumspect in all things and to provoke one another not onely to attain unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but to observe with diligence the cunning practises of Satan For a good souldier wil not only have respect unto that kingdom he fighteth for and to the Commands of his General but will with all Circumspection prudently watch over every motion of his Enemy And that I may move you hereunto I shall desire all the Saints of God to consider this Exhortation of the Apostle 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober and watch For your Adversary the Divil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour In which Scripture there are two parts 1. A double Exhortation Be sober and watch 2. The Ground or reason thereof which is likewise two-fold the first is exclusive to the Text and is to be found in the fourth verse being drawne from the Saints glorious appearing with their great Shepherd For thus saith the Apostle When your great Shepherd shall appear you shall receive an incorruptible Crown of Glory And then in the fifth verse he exhorteth them to humility in the seventh verse to cast their Care on the Lord and in the eight verse to be Sober and watch The second Reason which moved the Apostle to exhort to Sobriety and vigilancy is included in the verse and is Because their Adversary the Divil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour From the Premises we may safely draw this conclusion that The nearer the time is unto the Appearing of the great Shepherd and the nearer the Kingdom of Satan is to an End the more the Divil will indeavour to ensnare the Saints and manifest his Rage against them First this will appear by what is written in this fift chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Peter where the Apostle from the consideration of the next appearing of Christ and Rage of Satan doth admonish the Elect both the shepherds and the sheepe to Circumspection and Diligence Secondly the Truth of this Doctrine will appeare from that which we finde written by Saint John The Divil is come down unto you and hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Rev. 12.12 for by the Power of Christ who overcame Satan Satan the Accuser of the Brethren who are by him tempted unto sin and by him accused thereof was cast downe v. 10. and his wrath doth increase because he knoweth his time is but short But short in the account of God and in comparison of that eternal weight of Glory which shall be given unto those who overcome his Temptations And if his Rage will increase as his Time will decrease then the Elect who live in the last Daies must expect to be assaulted more fiercely by him then the Saints in former Ages have been But Thirdly The truth hereof is experienced at this Day For although it must be confessed that Satan doth not at this Time move such heavy Persecutions against the Bodies of the Saints as he did in former Ages yet he hath in these daies put on more angelical Formes and shapes to deceive then in any former time These things being considered I will by the Lords assistance declare 1. Two Snares which Satan doth lay in these Times to intrap deceive and delude the Saints 2. Many cunning waits by which he doth attempt this Worke. 3. The End that Satan aimeth at the Advantage he getteth and the Inconveniences the Saints run into when they are deceived And 4. The Remedies which the Lord hath appointed both for the prevention of some that they fall not and the Recovery of others that are falne The first Snare which I shall mention that Satan layeth for those that professe Christianity is To bring them into a wrong understanding of the Scriptures and so in time to wrest and pervert them 2 Pet. 3.16 which he doth First by causing them to hold to the opinions of their Forefathers although they be never so contrary to the Word of God In all Ages men have highly esteemed