Demonologia sacra, or, A treatise of Satan's temptations in three parts / by Richard Gilpin.

CHAP. X. Of Satans chief end in this Temptation, his Skill in ma∣king the means to Sin plausible. The Reasons of that Policy, with his Art therein. Men's Ignorance his advantage. Of the differences of things propounded to our use.

THe various aims of Satan, and their close dependance one up∣on another, having contributed to us their several Observa∣tions, it remains, that we ask after the main and chief thing that Satan principally intended. And to make way to this, it must be noted, that in grand Temptations especially, the main design of Sa∣tan comprehends these two; The chief End, and the chief Means conducing to that End. About these some Authors conjecture variously, whose differences we have no great occasion to menti∣on, seeing the Text gives so great a satisfaction in this matter.

For First, The main End of Satan, we have (not obscurely) expressed to us in these words [If thou be the Son of God:] which if we compare with Matth. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, we shall easily apprehend, that here Satan doth but eccho to that Voice which came down from Heaven; As he

did with Eve; God had said, of the Tree in the midst of the Garden ye shall not eat, Satan (having as it were the sound of this yet in his Ears) in a clear reference to it, saith, Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat? So here is also an evident respect to God's Testimony concer∣ning, Christ, as if he had said, hath God said, thou art his Son? If thou beest indeed such as he testifyed, give some proof of it? &c. By which it appears that his design was to undermine this Testimony, or some way or other to defeat it; neither need it pass for an obje∣ction against this, that Satan doth not directly mention his doubt or distrust, nor positively suggest to Christ, a questioning or misbe∣lief of his Son-ship, for it was not suitable to his Policy, so to lay open his main End, that must have been expected afterward, as the last in execution (if it had taken effect) though it were first in intention.

Secondly, The chief Means by which he would have brought this End about, may be understood from Christ's Answer to the Temptation: for it cannot but be imagined, that Christ knew the bottom of Satans Policy, and that his Answer must fully confront the Means by which Satan indeavoured to ensnare him. His Answer was, Man lives not by Bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God. If we can then come to a certain under∣standing of this Scripture (which is not difficult) we shall evident∣ly know the mind of the Temptation, to which this is a direct Answer.

These words are cited out of Deut. 8. 3. which some interpret to this Sense; as if Christ had said, Man hath not only a Life of the Body (which is mentioned by Bread) to look after, but ano∣ther life of the Soul, which is of so great concernment; that the bo∣dily life is to be neglected, rather than that of the Soul to be en∣dangered. This is a truth in it self, but is apparently besides the meaning of Deut. 8. Neither doth it afford so full and particular an answer as (doubtless) Christ intended. But let us consider the Text, and we shall find more in it; for Moses first sets down Gods dealing with Israel in the Wilderness, in that he suffered them to hunger, and took from them the ordinary means of Life, which (as the latter part of the verse shews) is to be understood of ordi∣nary Bread, and then to supply that want, he fed them by an ex∣traordinary means, (such as they had never heard of before) this was by Manna. Next he makes an Inference from this way of God's proceeding, improving this particular to a general rule, That

he might make thee know, that Man lives not by Bread only, but by every Word that procedeth out of the Mouth of the Lord doth Man live: which is clearly of this Import, that Man lives not by ordinary means only, but that God can provide for his Life in an extraor∣dinary way, by appointing any thing to that end, through his mighty and powerful Word, and good Pleasure; So that things never so unusual, or unfit in themselves for nourishment, will become strengthning to us, if he shall give out his command. Christ then applying this, in this Sense, did (as it were) thus say to Satan; Though I want ordinary means of Life, which is Bread, yet I know God can make any thing which he pleaseth, to nourish me instead of it. So that I will not cast off a dependance upon the Providence of God in this strait, and without warrant run to an extraordinary course for supply. Hence it is evident that to bring about his main End (which was to Distrust of his Relation to God) he used this means, that by reason of his strait, in the failure of ordinary sup∣ply, he should distrust Providence, and without warrant provide for himself. Observe,

That where Satan carries on a main Design and End, he bestows most of his pains and skill in rendring the Means to that End plausible and taking. The End is least in mention, and the Means in their fit contrivance, takes up most of his Art and Care. The Reasons whereof are these:

First, The End is apparently bad, so that it would be a contra∣diction to his design to mention it, 'tis the snare and trap it self, which his Wisdom and Policy directs him to cover; His ultimate End is the destruction of the Soul, this he dare not openly avouch to the vilest of Men; he doth not say to them destroy your Souls, bring eternal miseries upon your selves, but only tempts them to that which will bring this misery upon them; and as for those intermediate ends, which are the formal acts of Sin, he useth also a kind of modesty in their concealment; he doth not usually say, go and Mur∣ther, or commit Adultery: But rather puts them upon ways or means that will bring them up to those Iniquities, except that he some∣time have to deal with those that are so hardned in Sin, that they make a sport to do wickedly, and then he can more freely discover his Ends to such in the Temptation.

Secondly, The Means to such wicked Ends, have not only an Innate, and Natural tendency in themselves, which are apt to Sway and Byas Men that way, but are also capable of Artificial

Improvement, to a further inticement to the evils secretly intended, and these require the Art and Skill for the exact suiting and fit∣ting of them. The End cannot be reached without the Means, and Means so ordered (without the aid of Grace) will scarce miss of the End.

Thirdly, The Means are capable of a Varnish and Paint, he can make a shift to set them off, and Colour them over, that the pro∣per drift of them cannot easily be discovered, whereas the Ends to which these lead cannot receive, (at least so easily with some) such fair shews. 'Tis far easier to set off Company-keeping, with the pleasurable pretences of Necessity or refreshing divertisement, than to propound direct Drunkenness, (the thing to which Company-keeping tends) under such a dress.

If it be demanded, How and by what Arts he renders the Means so plausible? I shall endeavour a satisfaction to that Quere, by shewing the way that Satan took to render the Means he made use of in this Temptation, plausible to Christ, which were these;

First, He represents it, as a harmless or lawful thing in it self; Who can say it had been sinful for the Son of God to have turned Stones into Bread, more than to turn Water into Wine?

Secondly, He gives the Motion a further pretext of advantage or goodness, he insinuated that it might be an useful discovery of his Sonship, and a profitable supply against hunger.

Thirdly, He seems also to put a Necessity upon it, that other ways of help failing, he must be constrained so to do, or to suffer further want.

Fourthly, He forgets not to tell him, that to do this was but suitable to his Condition, and that it was a thing well becoming the Son of God to do a Miracle.

Fifthly, He doth urge it at the rate of a Duty, and that being in hunger and want, it would be a sinful neglect not to do what he could and might for his preservation.

The same way doth he take in other Temptations, in some ca∣ses pleading all, in some most of these things, by which the means conducing thereunto may seem plausible. If he presents to Men occasions of sinning, he will tell them ordinarily, that they may lawfully adventure upon them, that they are harmless, nay of advantage, as tending to the recreating of the Spirits, and health of the Body; yea, that 'tis necessary for them to take such a liberty, and that in doing so, they do but what others do that profess

Religion. And often he hath such advantage from the Circum∣stances of the thing, and the Inclination of our heart, that he makes bold to tell us. 'Tis no less then Duty, such did the outrage of Demetrius seem to him, when he considered, how much his live∣lyhood did depend upon the Diana of the Ephesians; Paul's Zeal made him confident that persecution of Christians was his Duty: nei∣ther is there any thing which can pretend to any Zeal, Advantage or colourable Ground, but presently it takes the denomination of Duty.

If any wonder that such poor and shallow pretences are not seen through by all Men, they may know that this happens from a fourfold Ignorance.

First, from an Ignorance of the thing it self: how easily may they be Imposed upon, who know not the nature, or the usual Issues of things? as Children are deluded to put a value upon an useless, or hurtful trifle; so are Men deceived and easily imposed upon in what they do not understand. And for this cause, are Sinners compared to Birds, who are easily inticed with the Bait proposed to their view, as profitable and good for them, because they know not the Snare that lyes hid under it: this Ignorance causing the mistake mentioned, is not only a Simple Ignorance, but also that Ignorance which owes its rise to a wilful and perverse dispositi∣on, (for there are some that are willingly Ignorant) doth often lay those open to a delusion, who through prepossession or idleness, will not be at pains to make full Inquiries.

Secondly, This also comes to pass from an Ignorance of our Spi∣rits: for while we either engage in the things proposed by Satan upon the general warranty of a good Intention, or that we have no evil meaning in it, we are kept from a discovery of the intended de∣sign. Hence Paul saw nothing, in his persecuting the Church of God, of what Satan aimed at; or while upon the pretence of a good Intention, our secret corrupt Principles do indeed move us underhand to any undertaking, we are as little apt to see the Ends of Satan in what he propounds to us. Jehu, and the Disciples pretending a Zeal for God, but really carried on by their own fu∣rious tempers, did as little, as others see what the Devil was doing with them.

Thirdly, The means of a Temptation are rendred less suspiti∣ous, from an Ignorance of the Circumstances, and Concomitants that do attend them.

Fourthly, As also from an Ignorance of our own weakness, and Inclination, while we are confident of greater strength to resist, than indeed we have, of a greater aversness, than is in us, to the evil suspected; we contemn the danger of the means as below us, and so grow bold with the occasions of iniquity, as pretending no hazard or danger to us.

This may teach us a piece of Wisdom, in the Imitation of the Devil; we see his malice appears in the bloody and destructive aims or intendments, which he discovers against us, but his skill and cunning in a suitable disposal and ordering of the Means. So should we learn to imploy all our care and watchfulness about those plausible ways or introductions to Sin, that Satan puts in our hand; and as his eager desire of gaining his end, makes him industrious about the offering of means fit to compass it, so our fear of his Design and End should make us jealous of every overture propoun∣ded to us. They that from wilfulness or neglect shall admit the means of Evil, cannot expect to avoid the Evil to which they lead, or if they may (unexpectedly) be rescued from the end, while they use the Means (by Grace interposing, as between the Cup and the Lip) 'tis no thanks to them, and often they come not off so clear, but that some lameness or other sticks by them.

I may suspect this will be retorted back as an advice scarce pra∣cticable: for if all means leading to Sin are to be avoided, then can we use nothing, but rather (as the Apostle saith in another case) we must go out of the World, seeing every thing may lead to evil.

I Answer, We are not by any command of God put into any such strait, things that are or may be improvable against us, may be u∣sed by us with due Care and Watchfulness; yet all things are not alike neither, for we must look upon things under a threefold Con∣sideration.

First, If that which is propounded or laid before us, as a means to Sin, be in it self sinful, the refusal of both is an undoubted Duty.

Secondly, We must look upon thins under the consideration of the suspiciousness which they carry with them of a further evil; some Circumstances, or postures of an opportunity and occasion offered, are of such a threatning Aspect, that they fairly warn us to hold off. To keep company with a Friend may be admitted, when

yet that Society in a suspitious place, as Tavern, or Whore-house, is to be avoided.

Thirdly, We must further consider things as we are free, or engaged to them, and accordingly where there is appearance of danger, or the fear of it, we must keep at a distance, if we are en∣gaged to such things either by the obligation of the Law of Nature, or lawful Calling, or command of God, or unavoidable Providence, or Relation, where these Ties are upon us, we cannot avoid the thing or action, but are the more concerned to take heed of being overreached or overtaken by them.

Notes

• Vid. Lightfoot Harmon. in Matth. 4. Pool Synopsis in Deut. 8.
• Obs. 12.
• Que••.
• Answ.
• Luke 9. 55.
• Applic.
• Quest.
• Answ.