Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices

Then & Now · 13 of 44

10. Comparing Ourselves with Worse Men

10. Comparing Ourselves with Worse Men

The tenth Device that Satan hath,254 to draw the ſoules of men to ſin, is, by working them to be frequent, in255 comparing themſelves, and their wayes with thoſe, that are reputed, or reported to be worſe then themſelves. By this device, the devill drew the proud Phariſee to bleſſe himſelfe, in a curſed condition. God, I thanke thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, or even as this Publican &c. Why ſaith Satan, you ſweare but petty oaths, as by your faith, and troth, &c. but ſuch, and ſuch ſweare by wounds and bloud; you are now and then a little wanton; but ſuch and ſuch doe daily defile, and pollute themſelves, p. 104 by actuall uncleanneſſe, and filthineſſe; you deceive, and over-reach your neighbours, in things that are but as toyes, and trifles; but ſuch and ſuch deceive, and over-reach others in things of greateſt concernment, even to their ruine and undoings; you doe but ſit, and chat, and ſip with the drunkard; but ſuch, and ſuch ſit, and drinke drunk with the drunkard; you are onely a little proud in heart, and habit, in looks, and words, &c.

  1. 254. 10. Device. [dropped from the edition]
  2. 255. Non vulnera ſed munera oſtendit. He ſhewes not his want, but his worth, and ſtands not onely upon his conpariſons, but upon his diſpariſons; I am not as this Publican. They are very good, that are not very bad; and they that are very bad, doe alwayes prize themſelves above the market.

The tenth device that Satan hath, to draw the souls of men to sin, is, by working them to be frequent, in195 comparing themselves, and their ways with those, that are reputed, or reported to be worse than themselves. By this device, the devil drew the proud Pharisee to bless himself, in a cursed condition. God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican etc‸. Why saith Satan, you swear but petty oaths, as by your faith, and troth, etc‸. But such, and such swear by wounds and blood; you are now and then a little wanton; but such and such do daily defile, and pollute themselves, by actual uncleanness, and filthiness; you deceive, and over-reach your neighbours, in things that are but as toys, and trifles; but such and such deceive, and over-reach others in things of greatest concernment, even to their ruin and undoings; you do but sit, and chat, and sip with the drunkard; but such, and such sit, and drink drunk with the drunkard; you are only a little proud in heart, and habit, in looks, and words, etc‸.

  1. 195. Non vulnera sed munera ostendit. He shows not his want, but his worth, and stands not only upon his comparisons, but upon his disparisons; I am not as this Publican. They are very good, that are not very bad; and they that are very bad, do always prize themselves above the market.

THe firſt Remedy againſt this device256 of Satan, is ſolemnly to conſider this, that there is not a greater, nor a clearer argument to prove a man an257 hypocrite, then to be quick-ſighted abroad, and blinde at home; then to ſee a mote in another mans eye, and not a beame in his own eye, then to uſe ſpectacles to behold other mens ſins, rather then looking-glaſſes to behold his owne; then to be alwayes holding his finger upon other mens ſores; then to be amplifying, and aggravating other mens ſins, and mitigating of his own, &c.

  1. 256. 1. Remepy. [dropped from the edition]
  2. 257. Hiſtory ſpeaks of a kinde of witches, that ſtirrin abroad would put on their eyes, but returning home, they boxed them up again. So doe Hypocrites.

The first remedy against this device of Satan, is solemnly to consider this, that there is not a greater, nor a clearer argument to prove a man an196 hypocrite, than to be quick-sighted abroad, and blind at home; than to see a mote in another man’s eye, and not a beam in his own eye, than to use spectacles to behold other men’s sins, rather than looking-glasses to behold his own; than to be always holding his finger upon other men’s sores; than to be amplifying, and aggravating other men’s sins, and mitigating of his own, etc‸.

  1. 196. History speaks of a kind of witches, that stirring abroad would put on their eyes, but returning home, they boxed them up again. So do Hypocrites.

The ſecond Remedy againſt this device.258 p. 105 of Satan, is, to ſpend more time259 in comparing of your internall, and externall actions with the Rule, with that word, by which you muſt be judg’d at laſt, then in comparing of your ſelves with thoſe, that are worſe then your ſelves; that man that comparing his ſelfe with others, that are worſe then himſelfe, may ſeeme, (to himſelfe and others) to be an Angel; yet comparing himſelfe with the word, may ſee himſelfe to be like the devill, yea, a very devill. Have not I choſen twelve, and one of you is a Devill. Such men are as like him, as if they were ſpit out of his mouth. Satan is called the God of this world, becauſe, as God at firſt did but ſpeake the word, and it was done: ſo, if the Devill doth but hold up his finger, give the leaſt hint, they will doe his will, though they undoe their ſoules for ever. Ah! what monſters would theſe men appeare to be, did they but compare themſelves with a righteous Rule, and not with the moſt unrighteous men; they would appeare to be as black as Hell it ſelfe.

  1. 258. 2 Remedie. [dropped from the edition]
  2. 259. The nearer we draw to God, and his word, the more rottenneſſe we ſhall finde in our bones. The more any man looks into the body of the Sun, the leſſe he ſeeth when he lookes down again. It is ſaid of the Baſilisk, that if he look into a glaſſe, he preſently dieth: ſo will ſin, and a ſinner (in a ſpirituall ſence) when the ſoule look; into the word which is Gods glaſſe, &c.

The second remedy against this device of Satan, is, to spend more time197 in comparing of your internal, and external actions with the rule, with that word, by which you must be judged at last, than in comparing of your selves with those, that are worse than your selves; that man that comparing his self with others, that are worse than himself, may seem, (to himself and others) to be an angel; yet comparing himself with the word, may see himself to be like the devil, yea, a very devil. Have not I chosen twelve, and one of you is a devil? Such men are as like him, as if they were spit out of his mouth. Satan is called the God of this world, because, as God at first did but speak the word, and it was done: so, if the devil doth but hold up his finger, give the least hint, they will do his will, though they undo their souls for ever. Ah! what monsters would these men appear to be, did they but compare themselves with a righteous rule, and not with the most unrighteous men; they would appear to be as black as hell it self.

  1. 197. The nearer we draw to God, and his word, the more rottenness we shall find in our bones. The more any man looks into the body of the Sun, the less he seeth when he looks down again. It is said of the Basilisk, that if he look into a glass, he presently dieth: so will sin, and a sinner (in a spiritual sense) when the soul looks into the word which is God’s glass, etc‸.

The third Remedy againſt this device260 of Satan, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that though thy ſins be not as great as others, yet without ſound repentance on thy ſide, and pardoning mercy on p. 106 Gods, thou wilt be as certainly damned261 as others, though not equally tormented with others; what though hell ſhall not be ſo hot to thee as to others, yet thou muſt as certainly to hell as others, unleſſe the glorious grace of God ſhines forth upon thee in the face of Chriſt. God wil ſuit mens puniſhments to their ſins; the greateſt ſins ſhall be attended with the greateſt puniſhments, and leſſer ſins with leſſer puniſhments; alaſſe! what a poor comfort will this be to thee, when thou comeſt to die, to conſider, that thou ſhalt not be equally tormented with others, and yet muſt be for ever ſhut out from the glorious preſence of God, Chriſt, Angels, and Saints, and from thoſe good things of eternall life, that are ſo many, that they exceed number,262 ſo great, that they exceed meaſure, ſo precious, that they exceed eſtimation, Sure it is, that the tears of hell are not ſufficient to bewaile the loſſe of heaven, the worme of grief gnawes as painfull, as the fire burnes; if thoſe ſoules, Acts 20. wept, becauſe they ſhould ſee Paul’s face no more? How deplorable is the eternall deprivation of the beatificallviſion. But this not all, thou ſhalt not be onely ſhut out of heaven, but ſhut up in hell for ever, not onely ſhut out from the preſence of God and Angells, &c. p. 107 but ſhut up with devills, and damned ſpirit, for ever, not onely ſhut out from263 thoſe ſweet ſurpaſſing, unexpreſſabl, and everlaſting pleaſures that be at Gods right hand, but ſhut up for ever under thoſe torments, that are eaſeleſſe, remedileſſe, and endleſſe. Ah ſoules! were it not ten thouſand times better for yee to break off your ſins by repentance, then to goe on in your ſins, till you feele the truth of what now you hear. The God of Iſrael is very mercifull; ah that you would repent, and returne, that your ſoules might live for ever. Remember this, grievous is the torment of the damned, for the bitterneſſe of the puniſhments; but moſt grievous for the eternity of the puniſhments. For to be tormented without end, this is264 that which goes beyond all the bounds of deſperation; ah! how doe the thoughts of this make the damned to roare, and cry out for diſquietneſſe of heart, and teare their haire, and gnaſh their teeth, and rage for madneſſe, that they muſt dwell in everlaſting burnings for ever?

  1. 260. 3. Remedy. [dropped from the edition]
  2. 261. As in Heaven one is more glorious then another; ſo in Hell, one ſhall be more miſerable then another. Auguſtine.
  3. 262. The gate of Indulgence, the gate of hope the gate of mercy, the gate of glory, the gate of conſolation, and the gate of ſalvation, will be for ever ſhut againſt them, Mat. 25. 10.
  4. 263. ‘Twas a good ſaying of Chryſoſtome, ſpeaking of Hell (Ne quaeramus ubi ſit, ſed quomodo illam fugiamus) let us not ſeek where it is, but how we ſhall eſcape it.
  5. 264. Surely, one good means to eſcape Hel, is to take a turne or two in Hell, by our daily meditations.

The third remedy against this device of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that though thy sins be not as great as others, yet without sound repentance on thy side, and pardoning mercy on God’s, thou wilt be as certainly damned198 as others, though not equally tormented with others; what though hell shall not be so hot to thee as to others, yet thou must as certainly to hell as others, unless the glorious grace of God shines forth upon thee in the face of Christ. God will suit men’s punishments to their sins; the greatest sins shall be attended with the greatest punishments, and lesser sins with lesser punishments; alas! what a poor comfort will this be to thee, when thou comest to die, to consider, that thou shalt not be equally tormented with others, and yet must be for ever shut out from the glorious presence of God, Christ, angels, and saints, and from those good things of eternal life, that are so many, that they exceed number,199 so great, that they exceed measure, so precious, that they exceed estimation. Sure it is, that the tears of hell are not sufficient to bewail the loss of heaven, the worm of grief gnaws as painful, as the fire burns; if those souls, Acts 20. wept, because they should see Paul’s face no more, how deplorable is the eternal deprivation of the beatifical vision! But this is not all, thou shalt not be only shut out of heaven, but shut up in hell for ever, not only shut out from the presence of God and angels, etc‸. but shut up with devils, and damned spirits, for ever, not only shut out from200 those sweet surpassing, unexpressible, and everlasting pleasures that be at God’s right hand, but shut up for ever under those torments, that are easeless, remediless, and endless. Ah souls! Were it not ten thousand times better for ye to break off your sins by repentance, than to go on in your sins, till you feel the truth of what now you hear? The God of Israel is very merciful; ah that you would repent, and return, that your souls might live for ever. Remember this, grievous is the torment of the damned, for the bitterness of the punishments; but most grievous for the eternity of the punishments. For to be tormented without end, this is201 that which goes beyond all the bounds of desperation; ah! how do the thoughts of this make the damned to roar, and cry out for disquietness of heart, and tear their hair, and gnash their teeth, and rage for madness, that they must dwell in everlasting burnings for ever?

  1. 198. As in Heaven one is more glorious than another; so in Hell, one shall be more miserable than another. Augustine.
  2. 199. The gate of Indulgence, the gate of hope, the gate of mercy, the gate of glory, the gate of consolation, and the gate of salvation, will be for ever shut against them, Matt 25:‸10.
  3. 200. ’Twas a good saying of Chrysostom, speaking of Hell (Ne quaeramus ubi sit, sed quomodo illam fugiamus) let us not seek where it is, but how we shall escape it.
  4. 201. Surely, one good means to escape Hell, is to take a turn or two in Hell, by our daily meditations.