EXTRACTS FROM THE WORKS OF THOMAS GOODWIN, D.D.

 

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED SOME ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE.

 

THE LIFE OF THOMAS GOODWIN, D.D.

 

 

 DR. THOMAS GOODWIN was born at Rolesby, in Norfolk, October 5, 16OO, and was first of CHRIST-College, and then of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge. He was in the university a frequent hearer of Dr. Preston and Dr. Hill, and afterwards himself a celebrated preacher there, and an instrument in turning many to the love and practice of serious religion. In 1628, he was chosen to preach the lecture to the town of Cambridge, at Trinity-Church, and he held it till 1634, when he left the university. In 1639, he went over to Holland, and became pastor of a church in the city of Arnheim. He returned into England at the beginning of the Long Parliament, and became pastor of a church in London, and one of the Assembly of Divines. he took a brief account of the transactions there, in fourteen or fifteen volumes in octavo, that are yet pre-served. Oliver Cromwel made him president of Magdalen-College in Oxford, and one of the tryers of nii_ Misters. In the common register of the university, he is said to be in Scriptis in re Theologica quamplurimis orbi notus. He was removed from his presidentship quickly after the king's return, in 166O, and afterwards retired to London, where he continued the exercise of his ministry as long as he lived. He was a very considerable scholar, and an eminent divine; and had a very happy faculty in descanting upon Scripture, so as to bring forth surprising remarks, which yet generally tended to illustration. He died February 23, 1679, aged SO years.

 

 

 

A CHILD OF LIGHT

 

WALKING IN DARKNESS;

 

 

 

Or, a TREATISE skewing the Causes by which, the Cases wherein,

 

and the Ends for which God leaves his Children to distress of Conscience.

 

 

 

ISAIAH 50:1O.

 

 

 

Who is among you that heareth the Lord, that obeyed) the voice of his servant, 

 

that walks in darkness, and has no light' 

 

Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

 

 

 

CHAP. 1

 

That a child of God may walk in darkness.

 

That thereby distress of conscience, and desertion is meant.

 

 

 

 We will first inquire what is meant by walking in darkness in this place. Now, 1. Walking in darkness, as it is taken in 1 John 1: 6, for living in sin, in the commission of known sins, or omission of known duties, cannot be meant here. For CHRIST would not have encouraged such to trust in God. God is light, and there can be no fellowship between hint and such darkness. Nay, the Holy Ghost reproves such as lean on the Lord, and yet transgress. And besides, the text speaks of such, who for their present condition, fear GOD, and are obedient to him, which, if they thus walked in darkness, they could not be said to do. Neither, 2. is walking in darkness to be meant of walking in ignorance, as it is taken John 12: 35. For, one that has no light in that sense, can never truly fear GOD, nor obey hint. " The heart that wants knowledge is not good," says Solomon; and why Because so to walk in darkness is accompanied with " walking in vanity of mind," Eph. 4: 18. This walking in darkness therefore is meant of discomfort and sorrow. We often find in Scripture, darkness to be taken in this sense: as, on the contrary, light, because it is so pleasant a thing to behold, is put for comfort. And that so it is taken here, is evident by that which is opposed in the next verse, " Walk ye in your light, yet ye shall he down in sorrow." But the question is, of what kind of sorrow this is meant Whether that arising from outward afflictions, or inward distress of mind Whether by reason of man's ordinary infirmities, or of a wounded spirit It is not to be restrained to outward afflictions, which arise from things of this world; or from the men of the world; (though to walk in darkness is so taken, Isaiah lix. 9. And I will not exclude it here; for to those also in this condition, the best support is to trust in God; and it is the safest way to interpret Scripture in the largest sense; but yet that cannot be the principal meaning of it:) for he adds, and has no light, that is, no comfort. Now God's people, when they walk in the greatest outward darkness, may have, yea, often use to have, most light in their spirits; but here is such a state spoken of, such a darkness as has no light in it. Therefore it is principally to be understood of the want of inward comfort in their spirits; and so of that darkness which accompanies the want of the sense of God's favor.

 

 The reasons why it is thus to be understood here, are, first, because the remedy here prescribed is,faith.; to stay himself upon GOD, and that upon his God; he puts in his God/emphatically; because that is the point he is troubled about, and concerning which he is in darkness, and of which the prophet would have such an one to be persuaded. And that is it which faith, propounded here as the remedy, does in the first place look unto. Secondly, The prophet in the foregoing verses had spoken of justification, whereby God pardons our sins, and accepts ourpersons; and having expressed his assurance of this: " God is near that justifies me, who shall condemn" because there might be some poor souls, who truly fearing GOD, yet might want this assurance; and upon the hearing of this, might be the more troubled, because not able to express that confidence which he did: therefore he adds, "Who is among you Chet feareth the Lord, and walks in darkness let him trust in the name of the Lord." As if he had said, though you want assurance of this, yet be not discouraged; but exercise faith; go out of yourselves, rely upon CHRIST.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAP. 2

 

 

 

The Particulars of the Distress contained in these two phrases: Walking in darkness; having no light.

 

 

 

 THE second thing to be inquired into is, What is the condition of such an one who is thus in darkness, and has no light " Light," says the apostle, Eph. 5: 13, " is that whereby things are made manifest;" that is, to the sense of sight, to which light properly belongs. When therefore he says, he has no light, the meaning is, he wants the sensible testimony of God's favor to him; he sees nothing that may give present witness of it to him. God's favor and his own graces, and all the sensible tokens and evidences thereof, which are apprehended by spiritual sight; are become as absent things, as if they were not, or never had been. That light which ordinarily discovers these as present, he is clean deprived of. To understand this we must know, that GOD, to help our faith, vouch safeth threefold light to his people, to add assurance and joy to their faith; which is to faith, as a back of steel to a bow.

 

 First, the immediate light of his countenance, which is a clear evident beam and revelation of God's favor, immediately testifying that we are his; which is called the testimony of the Spirit, which David desired more than all worldly things: " Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon inc." When this is utterly withdrawn, then a man is said to have no light. Such was Jonah's case, "I am cast out of thy sight," says he. And so God dealt with David often, and sometimes a long time together, wherefore he inquires complaining, " How Iong wilt you hide thy face from me" Psalm 13: 1. Yet, notwithstanding this hiding of God's face, the real gracious influences, and effects of his favor may be continued, upholding, strengthening, and carrying on the soul, still to obey and fear him. For, when CHRIST complained, "My God! my God! why has you forsaken me" (when as great an eclipse, in regard of the light of God's countenance, was upon his spirit, as was upon the earth,) yet he never obeyed God more; was never more strongly supported, than at that time; for then he was obeying to the death.

 

 The second light which God vouchsafeth his people ordinarily to help their faith, is the sight and comfort of their own graces, unto which so many promises belong; as, of their love to his people, fear of his name, desire to obey him. So that often when the sun is set, yet star-light appears; that is, though the immediate presence and evidence of his favor shines not on the soul, yet his graces appear, as tokens of his love. So that the soul knows there is a sun still, that gives light to these stars, though it sees it not. Now a soul that has true grace may, at some times, want light to see his graces: as they in the storm, Acts 27: 2O, so he, in temptation may come to have neither sun-light, nor star-light; no light, as in the text.

 

 But, Thirdly, though he want the present light of God's countenance, and the sight of present grace, yet he may have a comfortable remembrance of what once he had still left; and so long is not utterly in darkness. Therefore further know that the state of one that fears God and obeys him, may be such, that he may have no comfortable light, or remembrance of what grace formerly he had. Yea, it may be, he calls all into question. Thus David in Psalm 30: 6, 7, though his heart was a little before full of joy, and assurance of God's favor; yet God did but hide his face, and all was gone: " I was troubled," says he; he could not see what was but a little past him. And the reason of these two last assertions is as evident as the experience thereof. For graces in us shine, but with a borrowed light, as the planets do, with a light borrowed from the sun. So that, unless God shine, and give light to thy graces, they will not appear to comfort thee. For our spirit, (that is, our graces,) never witnesseth alone; if God's Spirit joineth not in testimony therewith, it is silent. " The Spirit of God witnesseth with our spirit," Rom. 8: 16. Now therefore, when God has withdrawn his testimony, then the testimony of our hearts, and of our own graces, has no force in it. For although it is true, that every man, having the power of reflecting upon his own actions, can discern what thoughts are in him, and what affections; yet he may still question whether those affections of sorrow for sin, or fear to commit it, be genuine, spiritual affections. For though the natural " spirit, which is in a man, knows the things of a man; that is, his owu thoughts and affections; yet, what is the true goodness of them he cannot know, without the supernatural light of the Spirit of God; who, as he is the giver of that grace in us; so "is given of GOD, that we may know the things which are given us of GOD," 1 Cor. 2: 8, 12.

 

 Let us now consider the other phrase; and what is intimated when, as it is said, he walks in darkness. First, To walk in darkness, implies to be in doubt whither to go: so John 12: 35, " He that walks in darkness, knows not whither he goes." And thus the soul of one that fears God may he filled with doubts, whether God will be merciful to him or not: and not know what God means to do with him, whether he shall go to heaven or

 

bell. And, Secondly, those in darkness are apt to stumble at every thing. So one effect of darkness, mentioned Isaiah fix. 1O, is to " stumble at noon-clay." So take a soul that is left in darkness, and it will stumble at all it hears out of the word, either at conference, or at sermons; at all it reads, at all promises it meets with. Oh, (thinks lie,) that there should be such glorious promises, and not belong to me! Such an one misapplies all God's dealings, and the Scriptures against himself, and refuses comfort. And, Thirdly, darkness is exceeding terrible and full of horror. `Then children are in the dark, they think they see fearful sights. So the soul of one that fears God may be filled with fears and terrors from God's wrath, and of God being an enemy to him.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAP. 3

 

The Causes of this Distress: First, the Spirit; whether he has any hand therein, and how far.

 

 

 

 I PROCEED now to show, First, the causes; Secondly, the cases wherein; Thirdly, the ends for which God leaves his children in such distresses. The causes of this are three. 1. God's Spirit. 2. A man's own heart. 3. SATAN.

 

 First, for God's Spirit: although he has a hand in some part of this disquietness; yet we must take heed how we put upon him any of those doubts and desperate fears of the wrath of God; for the Spirit is not the direct or positive cause of them. For a more distinct understanding of this, I will show how far the Holy Ghost proceedeth in it, and puts forth his hand towards creating distress of soul; and what SATAN's work is, where he strikes in; and then wherein our own hearts contribute to work further and deeper distress.

 

 1. Thus far then the Spirit of God may go: he may suspend his testimony, and the execution of his office of witnessing, adoptian. 11O mat withdraw his comfortable presence, and hide himself for a moment, and conceal his love. Even when SATAN comes and gives in a false evidence, and our own hearts thereupon likewise condemn us, the Holy Ghost may stand by, as it were, silent, and say nothing to the contrary, but forbear to contradict SATAN by any loud testimony, as he does at other times.

 

 2. He may reveal Cod as angry with a man, for such and such sins, and make him sensible thereof; not barely by concealing his love, but by making impressions of his wrath upon his conscience. Thus Isaiah 1vii. 17, 18, God not only says, " I hid me and was wroth," (that is, ex-pressed my wrath by hiding myself,) " but I smote hint and was wroth:" and vet.. 16, it is intimated, " he con-tended and was wroth," (that is, fought against him,) as Isaiah Ixiii. 1O, and this with his wrath upon his spirit. For it follows, that the spirit was ready to fail, and the soul which he had made. It was the spirit which God shot at and wounded, and that so deeply that it was ready to fail. Solomon calls this, by way of distinction, a wounded spirit, which who can bear And differenceth it from all other afflictions upon the outward man, (which strike the spirit but through the clothing of the body,) for, says he, " The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;" that is, all such outward afflictions, wherein it suffers but by way of sympathy; but when the spirit itself is laid bare and naked, and wounded immediately by God's wrath, (which only can reach it, and wound it,) who can bear this

 

 3. The Holy Ghost may proceed yet farther herein; so far as to shake over him the rod of his eternal wrath, especially when he has provoked CHRIST by presumptuous sins, in order to prevent his going on frowardly in the way of his heart; and this, both by presenting to him all those threatenings, which conditionally threaten, even to believers, eternal damnation: such as that, " If ye live after the fesh, ye (even you believers,) shall die:" for there is truth in all such threatenings. And again, by representing to him all those examples of men, in whom, for their going on in sin, " his soul has had no plea-sure;" and of God's dealings with them: as how he sware against many of the Israelites, for their provocations of him, " that they should never enter into his rest;" and all this with this end, to startle and awaken him; and with this intimation, that for such and such sins, God might in like manner deal with him. These, and the like examples, does the Spirit of God set before the believing Hebrews, and the believing Corinthians.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAP. 4

 

How SATAN and our hearts increase this darkness by false conclusions from the Spirit's work.

 

 

 

 THE Spirit of God having proceeded thus far in causing such darkness and terrors of conscience in them that fear him; SATAN and their own hearts, (unto which he may and doth, often further leave them,) may take occasion from these dispensations of the Holy Ghost, (which are all holy, righteous, and true,) to draw forth false and fearful conclusions against themselves, and start amazing doubts and fears of their utter want of grace, and lying under the curse of eternal wrath at the present, yea, and of eternal rejection for the future. When this is the case with any, they are cast into a further darkness and bond-age, than the Holy Ghost was the cause of, or intended; while they interpret that withdrawing of his light and presence, and hiding himself, to be a casting them off; misconstrue that temporary wrath, chastising, and wounding their spirit for the present, to be no other than the impressions and earnest of God's eternal vengeance; and misconceive the application of all those threatenings of eternal damnation, (made by the Spirit, but under the condition of such and such courses for the future,) tobe absolute against their persons. And because such examples of men cast off are presented to them, to show them what advantage God might take against them; they mistaking, think they read their own destiny laid before them, and conclude that God will do so with them. The apostle says of sin, " Sin taking occasion by the commandment, (he misunderstanding the scope of it, when a pharisee,) deceived me:" and yet " the commandment is holy, just, and good," Rom. 7: 11, 12. So SATAN and our hearts, by occasion of these dealings of the Spirit, (which are righteous and true, as himself is, who is the Spirit of truth and leads into truth,) deceive poor men, and lay them in their apprehensions " among the slain whom God remembereth no more," Psalm lxxxviii. 5.

 

 But we must warily sever the work of God's Spirit herein, from that of SATAN and our own hearts; not attributing such desperate conclusions to.the Spirit. Thus that depth of sorrow wherewith that humbled Corinthian was well nigh swallowed up, 2 Cor. 2: 7, is ascribed unto SATAN, when, ver. 11, it is made and termed one of his devices; which word does in part refer to the Corinthian's sorrow. Thus David also imputes that his questioning, Psalm lxxvii. ver. 7, whether God would be merciful to him, unto his own heart: this is my in firmity, says he, ver 1O; so that the blame herein is.to be divided between SATAN and our own hearts.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAP. 5

 

How our own hearts are the causes of this darkness: the principles therein, which are the causes of it.

 

 

 

 THAT our own hearts should be the causes. of such distress and darkness, when the Holy Ghost thus deals, with us, is no wonder: 1. Because, as we are creatures, there is such a weakness and infirmity in us, as David speaks; by reason of which, if God does but hide himself and withdraw his presence, (which supporteth us in comfort, as in being,) we are ready presently to fall into those fears. The Psalmist says of all the creatures, "You hidest thy face, and they are troubled:" and this by reason of their weakness and dependence upon God: and much more might David say, " You didst hide thy face, and I was troubled."

 

 2. There is not only such a weakness in us as we are creatures; but also an innate darkness in our spirits, as we are sinful creatures. Since the fall, our hearts of themselves are nothing but darkness; and therefore no wonder, if when God draws but the curtains, and shuts up the light from us, that our hearts should conceive such horrid fears and doubts. The apostle compareth this native darkness of our hearts unto that chaos and lump of darkness, which, at the first creation, covered the face of the deep; when he says, that GOD, " who commanded light to shine out of darkness, has shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of GOD, in the face of JESUS CHRIST," 2 Cor. 4: 6. So that no longer than God continues to shine, either with the light of comfort or of grace, no longer do the hearts, even of believers, retain light in them. And if at any time he withhold that light, then our hearts presently return to their former darkness. And then does that vast womb of darkness conceive, and form all these fears and doubts within itself: considering withal that our hearts are a great deep also; so deep in darkness and deceitfulness, that no plummet can fathom them. " The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it" Jer. 17: 9. Darkness covereth not only the face of this deep, but it is darkness to the bottom, throughout darkness. No wonder then, if when the Spirit ceases to move upon this deep with beams of light, it cast us into such deeps and darkness as Heman speaks of, Psalm lxxxviii. 6, and frameth in itself such hideous apprehensions and desperate conclusions of a man's own state.

 

 3. Especially seeing there is so much strength of corrupt reason in men, ready to invent strong arguments to con-firm those sad fears and darkened apprehensions. For, as. it is said of the Gentiles, that, when " their foolish hearts were darkened, (that is, left and given over to their own natural darkness,) they became vain in their imaginations," or, (as the original has it,) in their reasonings, Rom. 1: 21, and this even in those things which God had clearly revealed in his works: so may it be said even of those who have been most enlightened, that their hearts are apt to become much more vain in their reasonings about, and in the judgings of their own states before GOD, out of his word and dealings with them, if God once leave them unto darkness. And this that great caveat given to professors by St. James gives to understand, when they are exhorted to take heed, that in hearing the word they be not found deceiving them-selves by false reasonings, Jam. 1: 22. So the original, TJxQAO71VI.c.evoi eaurts, expresses it, which is as if we should say, " false reasoning themselves;" as we use to say in a like phrase, " befooling themselves." And this is spoken of judging of their own states; concerning which men are more apt through self-love to make (to speak in that phrase of the apostle,) false syllogisms, than about any other spiritual truth whatever. And as unsound hearers of the word are thus apt, through misapplying the word they hear, to frame and draw from thence (as he insinuates,) multitudes of false reasons to maintain to themselves a good opinion of their state; so, on the contrary, in those who have weak faith, all that carnal reason, (which remains in a great measure unsubdued in them,) is as apt to raise and forge strong objections against the work f faith begun, and as peremptorily to conclude against their present state by the like misapplication of the word; but especially by misinterpreting God's dealings towards them.

 

 The reason of all this is as evident as the experience,of it. To instance in general: reason is of itself a busy principle, that will be prying into, and making false glosses upon all God's matters, as well as our own; and trying its skill, in arguing upon all his dealings with us. Thus Jeremy must needs be reasoning with God about his dispensations towards wicked men, chap. 12: 1, 2; and Job, of his dealings with himself, chap. 13: 3. And reason being likewise the supreme principle in us by nature, and our highest difference as we are men; there-fore no wonder if, when we are left to ourselves to walk in darkness, we walk as men, as the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 1: 3; and, to use Solomon's words, "do lean to our own wisdom;" even because it is our own, and was brought up with us. Reason is our great Ahitophel, (and as David says of him,) " our guide with whom we have taken so much sweet counsel" in all our worldly affairs. In them indeed we should make use of its advice; but we too often take it into the sanctuary with us, " and walk in company with it into the house of God;" that is, we suffer it to meddle in matters that pertain to the sanctuary, and to debate and conclude of our spiritual state, as well as of our temporal. " I thought," says Asaph, Psal. lxxiii. 16, " to know this;" that is, he thought to have comprehended God's mind in those his dispensations, by the discussions of reason: whereas, " after he had gone into the sanctuary," ver. 17, with faith alone, and thereby consulted with the word, he confesseth his own best reason to have been as ignorant of God's meaning, and of those rules he proceeds by, in those his dispensations, even as a beast, (ver. 22,) is of those principles which men walk by, or the intentions they have in their ways. If reason then, when it is so utterly unskilful in the premises, will yet be exercising and trying its faculty in reasoning from them, no wonder if the conclusions thence deduced be so wide and wild.

 

 But more particularly: carnal reason is the most desperate enemy to.faith of all other principles in man. For until faith be wrought, it is the supreme principle; but then faith deposeth it, and afterwards does often contradict it, yea, excludes it, as unskilful in its matters, from being of its council. And so deep is this enmity against faith, that look what is the most especial business of faith, (which is to alter our state before GOD, put us into a state of justification, and to assure us of it,) therein it shows a more peculiar enmity against faith, by opposing it in that work more than in any other. This enmity shows itself both before and after faith is wrought. Before faith is wrought, carnal reason shows its opposition, by using the utmost of its strength to persuade a man of the goodness of his state; thereby, to prevent the entrance of faith, and his seeking after it at all. And therefore in the first working of faith, the Holy Ghost brings faith in by force of open arms, as a conqueror, " casting down all those strong holds and reasonings;" (as the word is, 2 Cor. 10: 4,) which carnal reason had been long building and fortifying, and so erecteth faith a throne upon the ruins of them all. In like manner, after faith is wrought, all that carnal reason which is left unsubdued, does with a greater enmity oppose faith still; only it diverts the war now, mustering up new forces, to persuade a man, by all the objections it can raise, of the badness of his state now, as before of the goodness of it. And because next to justifying us, the office of faith is to settle in our hearts peace with GOD, and a persuasion of our being in his favor, as Rom. 5: 1, therefore does carnal reason bend the utmost of its power to persuade upon all occasions, by all the most specious arguments it can suggest, that God is not at peace with us. And if in any condition carnal reason has the advantage of faith; it is now, when it is in the "valley of the shadow of death;" when it is under so great an eclipse, and is left to fight it out alone, no wonder if carnal reason frame and suggest the strongest objections to the soul, whilst it is in this distemper. Add unto all this, that as there is such strength of corrupt reason, which is thus opposite to faith; so there are many other principles of corrupt affections in the heart, which join and take part with carnal reason in its opposition: such are jealousy, suspiciousness, and in-credulity. These edge and sharpen the wit of carnal reason, to argue and wrangle against the work of faith; and all such objections as reason finds out against it, are pleasing to these corrupt principles; for they are thereby nourished and strengthened.

 

 Lastly, as there are these corrupt principles of carnal reason, and suspiciousness in us, to raise and foment doubts and fears; so there may be guilt within us, of our false dealings towards God. As we are dark and weak creatures, so guilty creatures also. And this guilt, like the waves of the sea, or the swellings of Jordan, begins, upon these terrible storms from GOD, to rise and swell and overflow in our consciences. There is much guile and falseness of heart, which in those distempers, (when our conscience boils within us,) does like the scum, come up and float aloft. Thus in David, as his sin, so his falseness of heart " was ever before him;" and with an eye to this he spoke, Psalm xxxii. " Blessed is that man in whose spirit is no guile, and to whom the Lord imputeth no sin." Thus he spakc when God had charged upon him the guilt of his sin, and discovered to him the guile of his spirit, ver. 4, 5. And this guile does oftentimes so appear, that our conscience can hardly discern any thing else to be in us. It lies uppermost, and covers our graces from our view; and like as the chaff, when the wheat is tossed in the fall, comes up to the top.; so in these commotions and winnowings of spirit, do our corruptions. float in our con-sciences, whilst the graces that are in us he covered under them out of sight; and the dark side of our hearts (as of the cloud,) is turned towards us, and the light side from us. And indeed there are in the best of us; humors enough, which if they be stirred in our con-science, may alone cast us into these burning fits of trouble and distress; so that whilst God's Spirit shall withhold from us the light of our own graces, and our own consciences represent to us the corruptions that are in our best performances, our hearts may conclude our-selves hypocrites; as Mr. Bradford, and others of the saints have done.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAP. 6

 

The third efficient Cause, SATAN. His advantage over us in this temptation, bit reason of the darkness in us.

 

 

 

 Thus far our own hearts, upon the Holy Ghost deserting, become authors unto us of this darkness. But herein believers wrestle not alone with flesh and blood, but also with spiritual wickednesses, the princes of darkness. As when " God makes natural darkness, and it is night, the lions go forth, and roar aftex their prey;" so these roaring lions, when God has withdrawn the light of his countenance, and night comes on, and those fogs of jealousies and guilt begin to arise out of a man's own heart, come forth and say, as David's enemies in his distress, " Come let us now take him, for God has forsaken him;" Ict us now devour him and swallow him up with sorrow and despair.

 

 Concerning SATAN's working herein, we will more distinctly treat by way of explication of it: 1. More gene-rally. 2. 1\Iore particularly. In general: First, SATAN has a peculiar desire to vex the saints with this sort of temptations, that God is not their God: so that all his other temptations unto sin are but as the laying the train for this great plot of blowing up all. The reasons of this are: 1. Above all graces in us, he is the greatest enemy to faith; therefore the apostle was jealous of SATAN, in nothing more than in this, lest he had been tampering with, and perverting the faith of the Thessalonians: " I sent to know of your faith," says he, " lest by some means the tempter has tempted you." Faith in God is the greatest enemy unto SATAN; it quencheth all his darts. As therefore faith is that work of God and the master-grace; so despair and doubting is the master-piece of SATAN. He is envious especially at the jay of our faith. And as comfort is the proper work of the Spirit; so is discomfort and distress the proper work of this evil spirit. 2. Again, as SATAN is most opposite to the Holy Spirit; so he delights to blaspheme the Spirit's work in our hearts, by persuading us that all is counterfeit. 3. He is called’Exsgos, the envious one; and the main mark of his envy is, That God should be our GOD, who has cast off him; and therefore he will endeavor to raise jealousies that he is hot our God.

 

 Secondly; as SATAN has such a desire, so God may give us up into SATAN's hand for awhile. His last corn--mission over Job seems to extend thus far; for his life only was excepted: " He is in thy hand, only save his life," Job 2: 6. And therefore, after that leave is given, we hear Job (although never brought to question his state, yet) crying out of terrors, and of the sins of his youth; for SATAN then, as he smote his body with boils, so he buffetted his spirit. Now, though SATAN has abilities to inflict this at all times; yet he must further have leave and commission from God before he dares to do it, Thus we find God suffered SATAN to provoke David to sin; and therefore that provocation to number the people, as it is imputed to SATAN and his malice,

 

 1 Chron. 21: 1, so also to God and his anger, in giving leave to SATAN, 2 Sam. xxiv, 1. And as an evil spirit from the Lord troubled Saul's mind, 1 Sam. 16: 14, so a messenger of SATAN was sent to buffet Paul's spirit, 2 Cor. 12: j. But herein God does no way help SATAN with any further power, than what, as an angel, he furnished him with at his creation; nor with any assistance to enable him the more to assault us, but with permissive power only.

 

 This power is either given at SATAN's request, (so that phrase, Luke 22: 31, " SATAN has requested to winnow you;" as that also, Job 2: 3, "You move me against him," Both imply: and, as it may seem, by singling out and calling forth some one for his combat; as he did him more especially, to whom therefore CHRIST addressed that premonition; and the word’E'$2-r-r,a, ro implies as much. So also Job was singled out for this duel, both by God and SATAN.) Or else this is done through the ordinance of excommunication and censures of the church duly administered; the proper inward effect, that accompanies that ordinance, (which casts men out of the church,) being inward affliction and distress of conscience by SATAN, which of all afflictions is the greatest punishment. This we may see in the excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian; whose excommunication is therefore expressed, to be a delivering him up unto SATAN in the name of the Lord JESUS, 1 Cor. 5: 5: that is, he was to be cast out by a commission from CHRIST, which going forth in his name, when they published it on earth be signed it in heaven. Upon which rightly administered does ensue, first, that as the church does cut them off from communion with them; so God cuts them off from communion with himself, and withdraws the light of his countenance; and not only so, but delivereth them up to SATAN; that being the consequence of it: (which, there-fore, because it implies the former, is put to express the whole proceeding,) which delivery of him unto SATAN, was not giving him a commission to carry him on to more sin: (though that often be indeed the effect of it, as in Alexander, 1 Tim. 1: 19, 2O,) but it was to terrify and afflict his conscience, and to stir up in him the guilt of his sin with terrors for it Thus, when that Corinthian was excommunicated, SATAN dealt accordingly with him; for in the next epistle, 2 Cor. 2: 7, we find him well nigh swallowed up of sorrow; which was SATAN's doing; for, ver. 11, "We are not ignorant," says the apostle, " of his devices." And thus SATAN continued to handle him, even now when he began to he truly humbled, ver. 7, when though the feared God and obeyed him, yet he walked in darkness till the church received him. Or else, when this ordinance is not administered, then God himself (who works without an ordinance sometimes the same effects as with it,) does excommunicate men's spirits from his presence, and gives them up to SATAN to buffet them.

 

 SATAN having thus obtained leave, I need not largely show how able he is to work darkness in us. His natural power to work upon our spirits, as he is an angel, is exceeding great. All which power, how great socver in him at his first creation, is now become the "power of darkness; and so called, because most powerful that way; namely, to work darkness in us: and though he can " transform himself into an angel of light," by deluding enthusiasts with false joys; yet therein he does but act a part, it is but forced; but to show himself an "angel of darkness," by terrifying weak consciences, this is natural now to him. His power lies most in this. There-fore his title further is, the "ruler of darkness;" and also he is called, " that strong man; strong," as " to keep peace," Luke 11: 21, in those he deceives with a false peace; so to make war and commotions in us when he is cast out. We are bidden therefore to stand upon our guard, and to look that "we have on the whole armour of GOD, that we may be able to stand against his wiles," Eph. 6: 11.

 

 But though SATAN has never so much power, yet the advantage of this his power to work those disquietudes in us, is by reason of that sinful darkness which is in us. We may say, that as, unless he had "power from above," from God; so, unless he had furtherance from beneath, even from those principles of guilt and darkness in us, he could not disquiet us. " SATAN cometh, (says CHRIST,)-but has nothing in me." A commission he had, and therefore came; but he had nothing of his image, or of the guilt of any of his works, to work upon in CHRIST, and therefore could effect nothing at all upon his spirit. That therefore which gives him matter to work thus upon us, is something within us; there being, even in the best, something which belongs to his jurisdiction, which makes their spirits fit subjects for his temptations. Eph. 6: 12, the evil spirits are called the "rulers of the darkness of this world;" and, Coloss. 1: 12, 13, their power is called the "power of darkness;" so that darkness is SATAN's territories, dominion, and jurisdiction; for it is his work, and his image, without which he could have no power at all with us. But by reason of this remaining darkness, he has a double advantage over us.

 

 1. An advantage of more near intimate and immediate access to our spirits to close with them, to suggest unto them, and to work upon them; and to tempt, not only as one man tempts another, by the outward senses, but by the inward also. And though it is true, that, as he is an angel, he has naturally by creation, ability thus to do; yet, as he is now a devil, and an unclean spirit, were we but perfectly holy, as in innocency, he should be debarred all such near communication to us. To this purpose it may be observed, that in his temptation of Adam in innocency, he was not permitted in his first assault, till man had sinned, to come within him to work upon his fancy and affections indiscernibly, but only mediately and externally, by an audible voice in the body of a serpent. Nor should he have near and inward access to our spirits but for that darkness in us, by reason of which he thus comes within us; and as darkness mingleth with darkness, so he with our spirits. So that as the light of grace in us begun, does fit us for God's drawing nigh to us; so this darkness remaining exposeth us to SATAN's drawing nigh, so near, as to mingle with our spirits, and as it were to become one spirit with us. 2. As hereby he has this advantage of access to get within us; so this darkness in us is also as fit fuel and as tinder to his fiery temptations, that presently enkindleth and inflameth; so that he can both increase and augment all those effects of the principles of darkness mentioned; and so add blackness to that darkness in us. And darkness being his dominion, therefore so much darkness as is in us, so great a party he has in us to work upon. Hence therefore all the effects that he worketh in unregenerate men, who are nothing but darkness, he may work in regenerate men according to the proportion of the remainder of darkness in them.

 

 

 

CHAP. 7

 

How SATAN works upon our Reason.

 

 

 

 SEING therefore the exercise of SATAN's power lies in that darkness which is in us, let us more particularly see how able he is to work upon those several principles of carnal reason, guilt of conscience, jealousies and fears.

 

 First, for carnal reason: he chiefly worketh on this in that sort of temptations the strength whereof lies in false reasonings; wherein, if any thing, he has the advantage. 1. His abilities to forge and invent false reasonings and arguments to overthrow our faith, are (as they must needs be conceived to be) exceeding great. For this knowledge he is called ,*, as well as SATAN; and for his malice and for his subtilty in out-reaching us, a serpent. When he was young, he outwitted our first parents; "he beguiled Eve through his subtilty," says the apostle, 2 Cor. 11: 3, then when their reason was not depraved; but now he is grown, that "old serpent," Rev. 20: 3, and "we are become children, apt to be tossed to and fro," Eph. 4: 14, he has had tilne enough to improve his knowledge. He is a student of five thou-sand years standing, that has lost no time; but as he is said to "accuse day and night," Rev. 12: 1O, so he is able to study both day and night; and he has made it his chief, if not whole study, to enable himself to tempt and plead against us. And by this his long experience and observation he has his NonNcaz'a, 2 Cor. 2: 11, his set and composed machinations, his ME& Etas, Eph. 6: 11, his methods of temptations, which are studied and artificially moulded and ordered; even such systems and methods of them as tutors and professors of arts and sciences have, and which they read over and over again to their auditors: the apostle calls them darts, ver. 16; and he has a whole shop and armory of them ready made and forged; which, for the acuteness and subtil sophistry that is in them, are called "depths of SATAN," Rev. 2: 24. Which depths are most to be found in this; for he is more especially versed in this great question, Whether a man be a child of GOD, or not, more than in any other. All other controversies he has had to. deal in, in particular ages, as occasionally they were started; but this has been the standing controversy of all ages, since God has had any children on earth; with every one of whom, more or less, he has at. one time or another had solemn disputes about it. So that he knows all the advantages, windings, and turnings in this debate; all the objections and answers in it. And as other controversies, the longer they are on foot, and the further they have been carried, the more they are enlarged, improved, and grow more subtle; so must this needs also, especially in this latter age of the world. The difficulties which a man meets with in making out a right judgment of his state, are greater than in any controversy the world ever knew, and afford stranger knots, and require as acute distinctions to dissolve them. And indeed, such they are, that did not the Holy Ghost sometimes cut, sometimes untie them for believers, by witnessing with our spirits that we are the sons of GOD, bare reason alone could never determine the matter. Now SATAN, through long experience and observation, has all these at his fingers' ends; he has still observed and laid up what answers has relieved the spirits of believers, in such and such a doubt cast in by him; and then studies a further reply against the next time; or for the next believer he shall have to do with.

 

 2. As he has thus thoroughly studied this controversy, and knows all the windings and false reasonings in it so withal, by his daily studying and considering men, he knows how best to suit those reasonings, both to persons and seasons. It is the sole business of those evil spirits to study men. For this end they go up and down the earth. He knows all the ranks and classes of men in the state of grace; and according to their ranks, with what sort of temptations to encounter them. For men's temptations are various and manifold, 1 Pet. 2: 6, even as the gifts and operations of the Spirit are, 1 Cor. 12: 4, 5. Now he, having beaten out this controversy with all sorts, knows how to lay the dispute, how to order, marshal, and apply objections, and wield his blows with much success and advantage. That as physicians, having observed the several workings of medicines of all sorts, upon several ages and constitutions, and what effects they have had, prescribe several medicines, according to the several conditions of their patients, though sick of the same disease. Thus SATAN by observation, finding the hearts of some men answering to some others, "as face to face in water," and withal remembering what reasonings have always taken most with such a sort of Chris‑

 

tians whose corruptions and whose graces were much like unto those in this or that man he has now to deal with; accordingly he makes use of these reasonings again.

 

 The tempers of men's spirits we know are divers, and so are capable of diversity of suggestions. And again, the operations of grace, as of sin, are various in those several tempers. And God's dealings with, and workings upon his children, are as various as either: some he humbleth much, some are led on with comfort; some he works on with a sudden and marvelous light, as if the sun should rise on the sudden at midnight; and on others insensibly, and by degrees, as when the dawning steals upon the day; and this variety affords rise and occasion for several temptations. So that what kind of work any other Christian has had, is apt to be made an exception'WALKING IN DA11KNIi'sS.

 

to another that wants it. I was never thus humbled, says one; nor I thus comforted, says another. I had a sudden, violent work indeed, which came in like a spring tide, but now the tide is fallen, and my first love abated, says a third. I had some workings and enlightenings, says another, and I was deceived then, and 1 may be so now also. And so he has that vast task set him to compare a counterfeit work with a true. Thus every several way of working lies open to several exceptions: and as every earthly calling has its several temptations, so the several ways and manners of effecting this heavenly calling have their currents of several temptations all which SATAN knows, and hat' often traced; and accordingly knows how to fit them to men, and to prosecute them the most advantageous way.

 

 So, in like manner, he takes the compass of every man's knowledge, notions, and apprehensions; according to which we are also capable of several temptations. Many reasonings and objections, which, like small hail-shot, could not make any dint upon men of parts and knowledge, both because they, by reason of their know-ledge, soar high out of the gun-shot of them, and have also on the "whole armour of GOD," abounding in all faith and knowledge; yet may be fittest to level at such as are ignorant, and fly low,' and have but some few broken pieces of that armour to defend some parts with. But, on the contrary, those others of his great shot, which he dischargeth on men of knowledge, they would clean fly over the others' heads, and not come near such smaller vessels. Thus the ignorance of the meaning of the Scriptures, and of the ways of grace chalked forth therein, how does SATAN use, to the disquiet of many poor and good souls, by putting false glosses upon them How many weak souls stick in shallows, and are some-times a long while terrified with gross mistakes and, like small birds, are held long under with limed straws of frivolous objections, which great ones fly away with That great apostle being a man of knowledge, was not easily taken with such chaff; "We are not ignorant of his devices," says he, and therefore SATAN takes another course with him, comes with downright blows, and falls a buffeting him. Thus does SATAN take measure of the bore (as I may so speak) of every man's understanding, and fits them with objections proportionable of several sizes. And as the apostle in his sermons, prepared milk for babes, but strong meat for strong men; so does SATAN suit objections to men's notions and apprehensions, still framing them according to their reading.

 

 3. He is able indiscernibly to communicate all his false reasonings (though never so spiritual,) which he Both forge and invent, and that in such a manner as to deceive us by them, and make them take with us. First, he is able not only to put into the heart solicitations unto sensual and worldly objects; such as that into Judas's heart to betray his Master for money, John 13: 2, and to tempt married couples severed, to incontinency, 1 Cor. 7: 5. But also the most subtile and abstracted reasonings concerning things spiritual, which are utterly remote from sense. And in this respect they are termed "spiritual wickednessess;" because they deal in such wickednesses as much as in those that are sensual. And that he is able to suggest such spiritual thoughts and reasonings, appeareth many ways; as by his injecting blasphemous thoughts against GOD, such as do sometimes transcend the wit and capacity of the receiver of them; this is manifest likewise by Saul's prophesying even from the immediate dictating of "an evill spirit," and from all those damnable heresies which have been broached in all ages. So in after-times, apostasy is ascribed to "spirits of error," and " to the working of SATAN." Now, by the same reason, there is no reasoning about states, though never so spiritual, but he can suggest it, as well as he did those depths of heresies to the broachers of them. So that SATAN can not only make those false reasonings, which our own hearts forge, more specious and probable, and suggest further confirmations of them, which are enough to add unto this darkness; but he is also able to put in never, which himself invents, of what kind soever they be.

 

 Secondly, he is able to insinuate them in such a manner as to take with us, and deceive us; yea, and often to set them on with a deep impression; so commission was not simply given to that " lying spirit," who persuaded Ahab by a he in the mouths of his false prophets, to suggest a lie, but so to suggest it that it should prevail. And as he is thus able (when God shall give leave,) to delude wicked men's understandings with false reasonings in matters of false doctrine, by reason of that " total darkness" that is in them; so he is able (if God give leave, as sometimes he doth,) to bring strong delusions upon the minds of God's children also, through false reasonings about their own states, by reason of that darkness which in part remains in them. Only this is to be added, that SATAN cannot force assent to any falsehood upon the understanding of any man: for how then should they "all have been damned for believing that lie" 2 Thess. 2: 11, 12, which should not have been, unless it were their own sin. Neither yet does he so immediately, produce an act of assent in us as God doth, when he worketh faith in us; for then God's power and assistance in working good, should be no more than SATAN's working evil. And yet the Scripture goes far, when it says of those that believed not the gospel, "The god of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not, 2 Cor. 4: 4, which notes a super-added working of blindness unto their own natural blindness: as also when it says, that the "prince of the air" ,*, that is, " works effectually," Eph. 2, and of the Corinthians, whilst unregenerate, that they were "carried and led away after dumb idols," 1 Cor. 12: 2; all which phrases seem to argue not only a further power of working upon men's judgment, than when one man does endeavor to persuade another; (because he suggesteth indiscernibly, and with more frequency and importunity, and holdeth the mind mote to the object, and presenteth an army of confirmations at once; and is able so to marshal them as. the mind can scarce resist; and puts all these upon the spirit with a violent and imperious affirmation;) but further also they would seem to imply some kind of physical working; though not immediately on the spring of the clock, yet upon the wheels and weights of it; I mean the passions in the body, and the images in the fancy; though not upon the understanding immediately. Alf which, what influence they have to sway the judgment and pervert it, experience' spews.

 

 4. He is further able to follow and continue his reasonings, as occasion may be, and hold out arguments with us, and out-reason us, by putting hi new replies to our answers; and so to maintain the dispute, and to come up with fresh supplies. Which in this respect is called wrestling, Eph. 6: 12, " We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but principalities and powers," it being (as the bodily wrestling) transacted by reiterated assaults and attempts to get the victory; he, as it were, going about to strike up our heels, as wrestlers do, that is, to take from under us those reasonings which supported us; which kind of spiritual wrestlings how often have we experience of in spiritual agonies In the hour of temptation believers find conflicts and disputes, rationally carried along,. and pertinent objections brought in against those answers,, which they meditate of: in which case therefore divines bid men not to dispute with that cunning sophister.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAP. 8

 

How SATAN works upon our Conscience.

 

 

 

 Thus we see how able SATAN is to assist carnal reason in us against ourselves. We will now further consider what power he may exercise upon that other principle in us, our conscience, in accusing us, and laying particulars to our charge; in which consisteth the greatest of his strength, even in an army of accusations of us to ourselves; which in this warfare he musters up against us. If this subtil pleader cannot deceive the judge, (as I may say) with false rules and mistakes in the law itself; then he endeavors it by misrepresenting the case of the party, and puts in a false bill of accusation, so ordered and coloured, as to procure a judgment against him; laying before the eyes of men's consciences their by ends, deadness and hardness of heart, and falseness in such and such turnings of their lives; excepting against what is good in them, aggravating what is evil, and all to enforce from thence a false conclusion.

 

 By the way we. may take notice of a difference between the Holy Ghost's dealing with a believer, when at any time he conies with the Word, and searcheth and tries his heart, and discovers corruptions to him, convincing and reproving him, and that sometimes with some sharpness, for his by-ends and hypocrisies, and between these other siftings and winnowings of SATAN. The difference is, that the Holy Ghost dealeth sweetly herein, as a father that convinceth his child of his misdemeanors; but without putting in any such sting as this in the conclusion, that therefore we are hypocrites; but in these of SATAN, that is the issue he mainly drives all to, and it is made the burden of all those his accusations, and is as the scope that runs through the whole of his charge. Now in respect to this his misrepresenting our state, and false aggravations of our sins unto us, he is called, as the tempter, which is in a general relation, to all sorts of temptations; so the accuser, Rev. 12: 1O, or pleader against us: and as the accuser of us to GOD, in God's court; so in the court of our own consciences. And as he tempts us unto sin; so also for sin, and by sin; that is, the guilt of it, to draw us to despair. He that accused Job unto GOD, would sure accuse Job unto himself much more.

 

 And though it may be truly affirmed, that neither SATAN nor our own consciences, can ever aggravate unto us too much the intrinsical sinfulness, the heinousness and vileness of our sins in their proper colors and true aggravations; yet SATAN may, in the representation of our sins, put such false apprehensions and such aggravations upon them, as may make us apprehend too much about them; as when it is suggested, that they are utterly unpardonable. - He may likewise use them as inductions to prove a false conclusion. And also although our sins can never be enough represented, if it be iii order to drive a man to God's free grace, and unto CHRIST; yet to present them singly, and to hold the mind so to them, as to cause us to forget our own mercies, and in such a manner, as thereby God's mercies are concealed from us; this is atan's practice, and is the cause of this deep bondage, And in this respect that name Kasz7see., the accuser, is given to this evil spirit in a direct opposition to that special name and office of the Holy Ghost, *, the Comforter or pleader for us. Because as the Holy Ghost maketh intercession in our own hearts unto God for us, and, upon true repentance, helpeth us to make apologies for ourselves, (as the Word is, 2 Cor. 7: 11,) and cornforteth us by discovering our graces given us of GOD, and by pleading our evidences, and witnessing with our spirits that we are the sons of God; so, on the contrary, SATAN is an accuser, by laying to our charge the guilt of sins, by impleading our evidences, misrepresenting our state, thereby to swallow us up with sorrow. And further, be-cause in these accusations his scope is to misrepresent our state to us, therefore he is called AlaCoVS-, a slanderer, as one that falsely elumniateth and slandereth all our graces, all God's dealings towards us, all our dealings towards him: which false charges of his, I take most properly to be those darts, mentioned Eph. 6: 11, which are there said more especially to oppose our faith., And therefore faith is there said to quench them. These kinds of SATAN's temptations and accusations against us are, even as darts and arrows that wound, pierce, and run through the passions and affections, and strike the soul through and through with fears. And besides the sharpness of the darts themselves, they are said to be fiery, as making double way for themselves. For a piece of iron, though blunt, yet if fired red-hot, runs through without resistance.

 

 And as SATAN can stir up that guilt that is in us, so he can also work upon that injudiciousness that is in the conscience: For as he has a power to work upon the rest of the faculties, so also upon the conscience; misleading it in its verdict of our states, as cunning pleaders do a silly jury. The wards of conscience are of them-selves loose and naturally misplaced, but he with his false keys perverts them much more: it naturally gives an uncertain sound; but he by his false alarums and panic fears, cast in, does much more confound the testimony of it. And how easy is it to trouble a soul disquieted al-ready, and to work upon jealousies which are raised We see how far a cunning man can insinuate with jealous natures, to increase suspicions and surmises. When an humor is stirred, how easily is it wrought on And thus often when the Spirit has already read us a sharp lecture, and examined our consciences, then SATAN strikes in, and descants upon it all, to deeper terrors and distress,

 

 

 

 

 

CHAP. 9 How SATAN works upon the Passions.

 

 

 

 WE have seen how able SATAN is to work upon our reason and conscience. It remains that we show how he can work upon the passions. Now it is in respect of his working on these, that the darts before mentioned, are principally called fiery; namely, for that anguish and inflammation they cause through distempering the affections. Those fears which our own hearts engendered, were but as smoke; these darts cause this to flame and blaze. The allusion is to the poisoned darts, which the Scythians of old, and other nations now use in war; the venemous heat of which, like a fire in their flesh, killed those that were wounded by them. Job also alludes to those when he says, " The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison thereof drinks up my spirit." And what were those arrows he speaks of, but terrors So it follows, " The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me." So that as SATAN inflames other members with a superadded vehemency and violence; (as the tongue, which is said to be set on fire from hell: that is, from SATAN, who is called hell, as in that speech, the gates of hell; as the good angels, the noblest creatures, are called heavens, Heb. 7: 26.) As, I say, he does thus inflame other members, so in like manner he does put fire into those darts he wounds the conscience with; and thereby causes such pangs, that hell-fire, as it were, begins to flame in a mall's conscience.

 

 1. When the Holy Ghost has once lashed the con-science, and made it tender, SATAN then, may fret it more and more, and be still rubbing upon the sore, by casting in horrid suggestions and false fears.

 

 2. By renewing the experimental remembrance of those lashes, which the soul has had from the Spirit, he can amaze the soul with fears of an infinitely sorer vengeance yet to come; and flash representations of hell-fire in their consciences, from those real glimpses they have already felt, in such a manner, as to bewilder the soul in vast and unthought-of horrors.

 

 3. He can then bring home all the threatenings that are thundered forth in the Word against hypocrites, and discharge them all with much violence and noise upon a poor doubting soul, He can and do show his prisoners those terrible chains and racks, and other instruments of death, as the Psalmist calls them, which God has prepared against sinners, and has stored up in that great armoury of his Word, 2 Cor. 10: 6. With the rattling of which chains SATAN can make a noise in the conscience of a poor-sinner to affright him. Which he is the more enabled to do out of experience of such terrors in himself; " being bound up in chains everlasting, under darkness, to the judgment of the great day," Jude 6. And as a son of consolation, is enabled " to comfort others the more by the comfort wherewith he has been comforted of God;" so this "prince of darkness" is the more powerful to terrify weak consciences, by the terrors which he has felt from the Lord.

 

 4. He can immediately, by his own power, stir the passions of fear and grief, and excite them beyond nature. As the winds can raise the billows in the sea; so can he a tumult in the affections, and put all the soul into a violent perturbation. He is the prince of the airy part of the little world in man, as well as of the elementary region in the great world; and so can raise unnatIrral storms and vapours that shall darken reason; and cause such thunders and lightnings as shall hurl all into a black confusion; such as if hell and the soul would presently come together. And though it is true that he cannot turn the stream of our affections back, (for God only can do this,) yet he can drive them faster, and cause them to swell above their natural channels; that as a man possest has the strength of ten men in him, as the man mentioned Luke 8: 29, so shall the affections have that are blown up by him. And as he can raise up other passions in us, so also fears and terrors, jealousies and distrusts. Thus he handled Saul, when God left him; " an evil spirit troubled him;" or as most read it) "terrified him," 1 Sam. 16: 15. And in the raising up these affections, he works more than ptorally; that than by barely propounding such objects as shall move them; even physically, by stirring up such humors in the body as those passions do act and stir in. He can also disturb the organs of the understanding; as in him, Luke 8: 35, who through SATAN's working, is intimated " not to have been in his right mind." And when he has dins disordered all in a man, he comes with his suggestions, and

 

speaks nothing but wrath and terrors, the heinousness of a man's sins, the fearfulness of God's wrath, unto that conscience that is troubled. And then (look, as when a man's choler is up every small thing provokes him; so now, when fear and melancholy are excited, every suggestion, every surmise does strike the soul through and through. And thus, through the means of these mists, which environ and darken this sun, he works upon the conscience. For when once those affections cloud the mind, then multitudes of troublesome thoughts arise, and suitable to that passion prevail with a man's spirit; as appears by that speech of CHRIST, Luke 24: 38, "Why are ye troubled, (or afraid,) and why do thoughts arise in your hearts" Passions which, like heavy weights hung upon a clock, not only make the wheels, the thoughts, to move faster, but also pervert them, and wrest them the wrong way; so that, to a heart thus distempered, all things are presented amiss; even as to a blood-shot eye all things seem red.

 

 

 

CHAP. 10

 

Seven Advantages SATAN has over us, in all those afore‑ mentioned Dealings.

 

 

 

 Fort a general conclusion to this discourse about SATAN's working on us, I will but mention some of those great advantages he has in all these his false reasonings to set them on, and to fasten his false conclusions thence deduced; which I therefore bring in here, as being common to all those particulars which have been related.

 

 1. It is no small advantage that he can familiarly suggest them again and again to us. The frequency of any thought that haunts us has secretly the force of an argument to persuade us. A cunning flatterer, that is continually suggesting, may at last work out a near and a dear friend. As the judge yielded to the widow's importunity, Luke 18: 5, so is the mind apt to yield to a suggestion that importunately presents itself; yea, though it be to pass a false sentence against a man's self.

 

 2. He can also represent a multitude of considerations at once, all tending to confirm the same persuasion. He will oftentimes bring a cloud of witnesses and instances to prove us hypocrites; so that, look which way we will, we see nothing else. As he represented to CHRIST, " all the glory of the world in the twinkling of an eye," so he can set forth a man's sins in such a manner that a man shall have a general prospect of them, and see nothing else, look which way he will. And what force this must have to prevail with the mind to assent, experience shows. As when a man doubting of a truth, reads an opposite party, presenting all that can be said for the other side alone, it often staggers him, till he reads and considers what is said to the contrary. Yea, though a man is settled in the truth, yet sometimes an army of arguments on the other side come in upon him so ranked and ordered, as for the present shall stagger him; so it must needs be in this great controversy about a man's state, when SATAN shall muster and marshal up an army of objections at once.

 

 3. He is able to hold the attention of the mind so to them as to keep off all that which should any way afford comfort. He can turn down that column in the leaves of our heart, wherein any thing that may comfort us is written, and hold our eyes fixed to read nothing but that other, wherein our sills are written. He can multiply suggestions so fast, and come in with such a tempest, that (as Job complains, Job 9: 18,) he will not suffer a man to take breath; and therefore the apostle calls them the buffetings of SATAN, 2 Con 12: 7, because like unto buffetings, they come in thick and threefold upon a man's spirit, so that it cannot take breath. He rains down temptations sometimes, not by drops, (as in ordinary rains,) but by spouts, as mariners call them, when a cloud falls by Wholesale, and often sinks a ship.

 

 4. He adds weight to his lying accusations and false reasonings, by an imperious and obstreperous affirmation that so it is. He suggests not reasons only that are fitted to persuade, but sets them on with words of affirmation suggested. And so, like as in reasoning, a weak spirit is often borne down by a stronger, not by force of argument so much as by strength and violence of spirit; for many, when the iron is blunt, and -their arguments want edge, put to the more strength, as Solomon speaks, Eccles. 10: 1O, and so prevail; and so does SATAN; he being a spirit of greater strength than ours. Cunning pleaders may so argue the case, with such violence and confidence, that, as Socrates said, whe his accusers had done, if he had not been very innocent, he should have suspected himself guilty. How much more when the accusation shall fall upon persons that are so guilty as we all are; and the thing also im.pleaded be that which we are already suspicious of

 

 5. In that he backeth his false conclusions thence deduced with terrors, this becomes an argument to sense. A conceit that comes in with joy, we are apt to conclude is true; and so, in like manner, what comes in with terror. Such impressions are, as it were, a seal to what is suggested. And as the Holy Ghost sealeth his instructions, Job xxxiii. 16, with impressions of joy, so does SATAN his temptations with impressions of fear and disquietude. If a man has a dream with any strong impression, he is apt to think there is something in it. That which made Nebuchadnezzar think there must needs be something in his dream, when yet he had forgot what it was,—was, that it made " him afraid, and his thoughts troubled him."

 

 6. Another advantage is, that he works all these impressions undiscerned, so that we know not but that they are our own thoughts; yea, sometimes think that they are from the Holy Ghost. This is an exceeding great advantage, as great as it would he for an enemy to have rotten the opposites' own colors. This causes us readily to yield and open the gates to him. And though when the temptation is over, we perceive his delusion, yet still, because we cannot discern his suggestions from our own thoughts, when upon us, therefore he can come again and again with the same temptation, to-day, to-morrow, and the next day, and we perceive it not. Thus Ahab's prophets knew not that SATAN was a lying spirit in them; for says one of them to Micaiah, " When went the Spirit of God from me to you" Those "strong delusions," 2 Thess. 2: 1O, could not have prevailed upon their minds to have "believed a lie," had it been discerned by them that SATAN had suggested them.

 

 7. Last of all, a man can no way avoid his suggestions; neither can any take SATAN off from a man but God. He must rebuke him, none else can. A poor soul fights with SATAN in darkness, like unto a man that is assaulted by one that carries a dark lanthorn, who can see the assaulted, and how to buffet him, and follows him where-ever he goes; whereas the poor man cannot see him, nor who it is that strikes him, nor be aware how to ward off the blow, Therefore the apostle, when buffeted by SATAN, knew not what to do, but only to have recourse to God by prayer; for he could no more avoid or run away from those suggestions than from himself: nor could all the saints on earth any other way have freed him, till God should cause him to depart.