Six Propositions Concerning Satan

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 our ſelves.

THat though Satan hath his Devices⁷⁸⁴ to draw ſoules to ſin, yet we muſt be carefull, that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, that we doe not wrong the Devill, and father that upon him, that is to be fathered upon our own baſe hearts; I thinke that oftentimes men charge that upon the Devill, that is to be charged upon their own hearts. And the Lord ſaid unto the⁷⁸⁵ woman, VVhat is this that thou haſt done? and the woman ſaid, the Serpent beguiled me, and I did eate. Sin and ſhifting came into the world together. This is no ſmall baſeneſſe of our hearts, that they will be naught, I very naught, and yet will father that naughtineſſe upon Satan. Man hath an evill 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 bitterneſſe, that curſed ſinfull nature that is in him, would draw him to ſin, though he knows before hand, that the wages of ſinne is eternall death. For out of the p. 317 heart proceed evill thoughts, murders, adulteries,⁷⁸⁶ fornications, thefts, falſe witneſſes, blaſphemies. The whole frame of man is⁷⁸⁷ out of frame, the underſtanding is dark; the will croſſe, the memory ſlippery, the affections crooked, the conſcience corrupted, the tongue poiſoned, and the heart wholly evill, only evill, and continually evill. Should God chaine vp Satan, and give him no liberty to tempt, or entice the ſons of men to vanity, and folly; yet they would not, yet they could not but ſin againſt him, by reaſon of that curſed nature that is in them, that will ſtill be a provoking⁷⁸⁸ them to thoſe ſins, that will provoke and ſtir up the anger and wrath of God againſt them. Satan hath only a perſwading ſleight, not an enforcing might; he may tempt us, but without our ſelves, he cannot conquer us; hee⁷⁸⁹ may entice us, but without our ſelves, he cannot hurt us; our hearts carries the greateſt ſtroak in every ſin. Satan⁷⁹⁰ can never undoe a man without himſelfe, but a man may eaſily undo himſelfe without Satan. Satan can onely preſent the golden cup, but he hath no power to force us to drinke the poyſon 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, p. 318 to enjoy the world, he can only ſpread his ſnares; he hath no power to force us to walke in the mid’d of his ſnares; therefore do the Devill ſo much right, as not to excuſe your ſelves, by your accuſing him, and laying that load upon him, that you ſhould lay upon your owne hearts.

1. 784. 1 Propoſition. [dropped from the edition]
2. 785. Gen. 3. 13.
3. 786. Rom. 6. ult. Mat. 5. 19.
4. 787. Cum primum naſcimur in omnt continuo pravitate verſamur; we are no ſooner borne then buried in a bog of wickedneſſe, Tully.
5. 788. Iude 15, 16.
6. 789. Iames 1. 4.
7. 790. Τὸ πῦρ παρ’ ἡμῶν ἡ δὲ φλὸξ τοῦ πνεύματος. The fire is our wood, though it be the Devills flame, Nazianzen.

⁷⁹¹

1. 791. 2 Propoſition. [dropped from the edition]

That Satan hath a great hand, and ſtroak in moſt ſinnes. ‘Twas Satan that⁷⁹² tempted our firſt Parents to Rebellion. ‘Twas Satan that provoked David to⁷⁹³ number the people. ‘Twas Satan that put Peter upon rebuking Chriſt; therefore ſaith Chriſt, Get thee behind me, Satan.⁷⁹⁴ ‘Twas Satan that put Cain upon murdering of righteous Abel: therefore ‘tis that he is called a murderer from⁷⁹⁵ the beginning. ‘Twas Satan that put treaſon into the heart of Judas, againſt Chriſt. And ſupper being ended, the Devill⁷⁹⁶ having put it into the heart of Iudas Iſcatiot, Simons ſon, to betray him. ‘Twas Satan that put Ananias upon lying: Peter ſaid,⁷⁹⁷ Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghoſt? As the hand of Ioab was in the tale of the woman of Tekoah, ſo Satans hand is uſually in all the ſins that men commit; ſuch is Satans p. 319 malice againſt God, and his envy⁷⁹⁸ againſt man, that he will have a hand one way or another in all their finnes, though ke knows that all the ſins that he provokes others to, ſhall be charged upon him to his greater woe, and eternall torment. Ambroſe brings in the Devill boaſting againſt Chriſt, and chalenging Judas as his owne; hee is not thine Lord Jeſus, hee is mine; his thoughts beat for me; he eats with thee, but is fed by me; he takes bread from thee, but money from me; he drinks wine with thee, and ſells thy blood to me; ſuch is his malice againſt Chriſt, and his wrath and rage againſt man, that he wil take all advantages to draw men to that, that may give him advantage to triumph over Chriſt, and mens ſoules for ever.

1. 792. Gen. 3. 1. 4, 5.
2. 793. 1 Chron. 21. 1.
3. 794. Mat. 16. 22, 23.
4. 795. Iohn 8. 44.
5. 796. Iohn 13. 2.
6. 797. Acts 5. 3.
7. 798. Diaholus tendat deus orobat. Tertul.

That Satan muſt have a double leave,⁷⁹⁹ before he can do any thing againſt us; he muſt have leave from God, and leave from our ſelves, before he can act any thing againſt our happineſſe; he muſt have his commiſſion from God, as you may ſee in the example of Iob; though⁸⁰⁰ the Devil had malice enough to deſtroy him, yet he had not ſo much as power to touch him, till God gave him a Commiſſion.

1. 799. 3 Propoſition. [dropped from the edition]
2. 800. Iob 1. 11, 12. Chap. 2 v 3, 4, 5.

They could not ſo much as enter into⁸⁰¹ the ſwine without leave from Chriſt; Satan would faine have combated with Peter; but this could not he doe without leave; Satan hath deſired to have you,⁸⁰² to winnow you: So Satan could never have overthrown Ahab and Saul, but by⁸⁰³ a commiſſion from God; Ah! what a cordiall, what a comfort ſhould this be to the Saints, that their greateſt, ſubtileſt, and watchfulleſt enemie cannot hurt, nor harme them without leave from him, who is their ſweeteſt Saviour, their deareſt husband, and their choyſeſt friend.

1. 801. Luke 8. 32.
2. 802. Luke 22. 13.
3. 803. 1 Kings 22.

And as Satan muſt have leave from⁸⁰⁴ God, ſo he muſt have leave of us: when he tempts, we muſt aſſent; when hee makes offers, we muſt hearken; when he commands, we muſt obey, or elſe all his labour and temptations will be fruſtrate; and the evill that he tempts us to, ſhall be put down only to his account; that’s a remarkable paſſage of the Apoſtle in Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan⁸⁰⁵ filled thy heart to lie to the holy Ghoſt? &c.

1. 804. Adverſaria poteſtas non habet vim cogendi, ſed perſuadendi Iſidore.
2. 805. Acts 5. 3.

He doth not expoſtulate the matter with Satan, he doth not ſay, Satan, why⁸⁰⁶ hoſt thou filled Ananias heart to make him lie to the holy Ghoſt? but he expoſtulates the caſe with Ananias; Peter ſaid, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie p. 221 to the holy Ghoſt? Why haſt thou given him an advantage to fill thy heart with infidelity, hypocriſie, and obſtinate audacity, to lie to the holy Ghoſt? as If he had ſaid, Satan could never have done this in thee (which will now for ever undoe thee) unleſſe thou hadſt firſt given him leave. If when a temptation comes, a man cries out, and ſaith; ah Lord! here is a temptation that would force me, that would deflowr my ſoul, and I have no ſtrength to with-ſtand it; oh! help, help, for thy honours ſake, for thy Sonnes ſake, for thy promiſe ſake, ‘tis a ſigne that Satan hath not gained your conſent, but committed a rape upon your ſoules, which he ſhall dearly pay for.

1. 806. They are the worst, and groſſeſt lyars, who pretend Religion, and the Spirit, and yet are acted onley by carnall principles to carnal ends.

That no weapons, but ſpirituall⁸⁰⁷ weapons will be uſefull and ſerviceable to the ſoule in fighting, and combating with the Devill; this the Apoſtle ſhewes, VVherefore take unto you (ſaith⁸⁰⁸ he) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ſtand in the evill day, and having done all, to ſtand. So the ſame Apoſtle tells you, that the weapons of your warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God, to⁸⁰⁹ the caſting downe of ſtrong bolds; you have p. 322 not to do with a weak, but with a mighty⁸¹⁰ enemy; and therefore you had need look to it, that your weapons are mighty, and that they cannot be, unleſſe they are ſpirituall; carnall weapons have no might, nor ſpirit in them towards the making of a conqueſt upon Satan. ‘Twas not Davids ſling, nor ſtone that gave him the honor, & advantage of ſetting his feet upon Goliah, but his faith in the name of the Lord of Hoſts. Thou comeſt⁸¹¹ to me with a ſword, with a ſpeare, and with a ſhield: but I am come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hoſts, the God of the Armies of Iſrael, whom thou haſt defied. Hee that⁸¹² fights againſt Satan, in the ſtrength of his owne reſolutions, conſtitution, or education, will certainely flie and fall before him; Satan will be too hard for ſuch a ſoule, and lead him captive at his pleaſure. The onely way to ſtand, conquer, and triumph, is ſtill to plead, ‘tis written, as Chriſt did. There is no ſword, but the two-edged ſword of the⁸¹³ Spirit; that will be found to be mettle of proofe, when a ſoule comes to engage againſt Satan: Therefore when you are tempted to uncleanneſſe, plead, ‘tis written, Be ye holy as I am holy. And⁸¹⁴ let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſſe in the feare of the Lord. If he tempts you to p. 323 diſtruſt Gods providence, and fatherly care of you, plead, ‘tis written, They⁸¹⁵ that feare the Lord ſhall want nothing that is good. ‘Tis written, The Lord will give⁸¹⁶ grace and glory, and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that purlely live. If he tempt you to feare, that you ſhall faint, and fall, and never be able to run to the end of the race that is ſet before⁸¹⁷ you, plead, ‘tis written, The righteous ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands ſhall be ſtronger, and ſtronger. ‘Tis written, I will make an everlaſting covevenant with them, that I will not turne away⁸¹⁸ from them, to doe them good, but I wil put my feare in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. ‘Tis written, They that wait upon the Lord, they ſhall renew their⁸¹⁹ ſtrength: they ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, they ſhall run, and not be weary, and they ſhall walke, and not faint. If Satan tempt you to think, that becauſe your ſunne for the preſent is ſet in a cloud, that therefore ‘twill riſe no more, and that the face of God will ſhine no more upon you? that your beſt days are now at an end, and that you muſt ſpend all your time in ſorrow, and fighing? plead, ‘tis written, He will turn again, he⁸²⁰ will have compaſſion upon us, and caſt all our ſins into the depths of the ſea. ‘Tis written, For a ſmall moment have I forſaken⁸²¹ p. 324 thee, but with great mercies will I gather⁸²² thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer. ‘Tis written, The mountaines ſhall depart, and the hills be⁸²³ removed, but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercie on thee. ‘Tis written, Can a woman⁸²⁴ forget her ſucking child, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the⁸²⁵ palmes of my bands, thy walls are continually before me. If ever you would be too hard for Satan, and after all your aſſaults have your bow abide in ſtrength, then take to you the word of God, which is the two-edged ſword of the Spirit,⁸²⁶ and the ſhield of faith, whereby you ſhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devill. ‘Tis not ſpitting at Satans name, nor croſſing your ſelves, nor leaning to your owne reſolutions, that will get you the victory.

1. 807. 4 Propoſition. [dropped from the edition]
2. 808. Epheſ. 6. 13.
3. 809. 2 Cor. 10. 4.
4. 810. We read of many that out of greatneſſe of ſpirit could offer violence to nature, but were at a loſs when they come to deale with a corruption, or a temptation.
5. 811. 1 Sam. 17. 45.
6. 812. Heraclius his Motto was (a Deo victoria) it is God that gives victories, and that ſhould be every Chriſtians Motto.)
7. 813. Mat. 4. 10.
8. 814. 1 Pet. 15. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Chap. 1.
9. 815. Pſal. 34. 9.
10. 816. Pſal. 84. 11.
11. 817. Iob 17. 9.
12. 818. Ier. 32. 40.
13. 819. Iſa. 40. 31.
14. 820. Mica. 7. 19.
15. 821. Iſa. 54. 7.
16. 822. Verſe 8.
17. 823. Verſe 10.
18. 824. Iſa. 49. 15.
19. 825. Verſe 16.
20. 826. Epheſ. 6. 1.

Luther reports of Staupicius a German Miniſter, that he acknowledged himſelf, that before he came to underſtand aright the free and powerfull grace of God, that he vowed, and reſolved an hundred times againſt ſome particular p. 325 ſinne, and never could get power over it; at laſt he ſaw the reaſon, to be his truſting to his own reſolution; therefore be skilfull in the word of righteouſneſſe, and in the actings of faith upon Chriſt, and his victory, and that Crown of glory that is ſet before you, and Satan will certainly flye from you,⁸²⁷ &c.

1. 827. Iames 4. 7.

That we may read much of Satans⁸²⁸ nature, and diſpoſition, by the divers names and Epithites, that are given him in the Scriptures. Sometimes he is called Behemoth, which is bruta, whereby⁸²⁹ the greatneſſe, and brutiſhneſſe of the Devill is figured. Thoſe evill ſpirits are ſometimes called διάβολοι, Accuſers, for their calumnies and ſlanders; and πονηροί evill ones for their malice: Satan is Adverſarius, an adverſary that troubleth⁸³⁰ and moleſteth: Abaddon is a deſtroyer. They are called Tempters for their ſuggeſtion, Lions for their devouring, Dragons for their cruelty, and Serpents for their ſubtlety, &c. As his names are, ſo is he; as face anſwers to face, ſo do Satans names anſwer to his nature; hee hath the worſt names, and the worſt nature of all created creatures, &c.

1. 828. 5 Propoſition. [dropped from the edition]
2. 829. Iob 40. 15.
3. 830. Revel 9.

That God will ſhortly tread downe⁸³¹ Satan under the Saints feet. Chriſt our Champion hath already won the Field, and will ſhortly ſet our feet upon the necks of our ſpirituall enemies. Satan is a foiled Adverſary, Chriſt hath led him captive, and triumph’t over him upon the Croſſe. Chriſt hath already overcome him, and put weapons into your hands, that you may overcome him alſo, & 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 flye, and fall before you. Let Satan doe his worſt, yet you ſhall have the honour and the happineſs to triumph over him. Cheer up, you precious ſons of Sion, for the certainty and ſweetneſſe of Victory will abundantly recompence you, for all the paines you have taken, in making reſiſtance againſt Satans temptations. The broken horns of Satan ſhall be Trumpets of our triumph, and the Cornets of our joy, &c.

1. 831. 6 Propoſition. Rom. 16. 20. συντρίψει ſuntripſei from ſuntribo, the Greek word ſignifies to break, or cruſh a thing to pieces, being applyed to the feet; it noteth that breaking or cruſhing, which is by ſtamping upon a thing.