OR, A TREATISE OF Satans Temptations gence The First Part. CONTAINING A Discourse of the Malice, Power, Cruelty and Diliof Satan. Of his cunning in Temptation in the general. Of his Method of tempting to Sin. Of his Policies for maintaining his Poffeffion. Of his Deceits for the preventing and spoiling Religious Services and Duties. By R. Gilpin M.D. 2 Cor. 2.11. We are not ignorant of his Devices. London, Printed by J.D. for Richard Randel, and Peter Maplifden, Be fober, be vigilant; because your Adverfary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. CHAP. I. The Introduction to the Text, from a confideration of the defperate ruine of the Souls of Men. The Text opened, expreffing Satan's Malice, Power, Gruelty and Diligence. T He Souls of Men are precious, the whole World cannot repair their lofs; hence by God are all Men in particular charged with care and watchfulness about them. He hath alfo fet up Watchmen and Overseers, whose business it is to watch over Souls, and in the most strict and careful manner, as those that must give an account. What can more stir up Men to the discharge of this Duty, than the frequent alarms which we have of the affaults of fuch an Adverfary, whofe bufinefs 'tis to deftroy the Soul? The Philiftims are upon thee Sampfon; he fights continually, and ufeth all the policy and skill he hath for the management of his ftrength. Befides, 'tis a Confideration very affecting, when we view the Defolations that are made in the Earth; what Wounds, what Overthrows, what Cruelties, Slaveries, and Captivities thefe con D 2 quered quered Vaffals are put to. It was (as fome think) an inexcufable cruelty in David against the Ammonites, when he put them 2 Sam.12.31. under Saws, and Harrows of Iron, and made them paß through the Brick-kiln; but this Spiritual Pharaoh hath a more grievous Houfe of Bondage, and Iron Furnace. Neither is this miferable deftruction ended, but will keep pace with Time, and shall not cease, till Chrift fhall at his appearance finally conquer him and tread him down. If Xerxes wept to look upon his Army through the profpective of devouring Time, which, upon an eafy forefight, thewed him the death of fo great a company of gallant Men ; we may well weep (as David at Ziglag) till we can weep no more: or (as Rachel for her Children) refusing to be comforted, while we confider what a great number of fucceeding Generations, heaps upon heaps, will be drawn with him to a confuming Tophet. And could we follow him thither, to hear the cries of his Prisoners, the roarings of his Wounded, where they curfe the day that brought them forth, and themselves for their folly and madness in hearkning to his Delufions; the dreadful out-crys of Eternity,and then their rage against Heaven in curfings and blafphemings, while they have no mitigations, or cafe, nor the refreshment of a drop of Water to cool their Tongues, we would furely think we could never fpend our time better, than in oppofing fuch an Enemy, and warning Men to fly from the wrath to come, to take heed they come not into his fnare; with what earneftnefs would we endeavour to perfwade Men? what diligence would we ufe to caft Water upon these devouring Flames, and to pluck Men as Brands out of the Fire? 'Tis true, if Satan had dealt plainly with Men, and told them what Wages they were to expect, and fet a visible mark -upon his Slaves, or had managed a visibly destructive hoftility, Men have fuch natural principles of felf-prefervation, and of hatred of what appears to be evil, that we might expect they would have fled from him, and ftill have been upon their guard: But he useth fuch Artifices, fuch Sleights and Couzenage, that Men are caft into a fleep, or a gelden dream, while he binds them in Chains of Darkness, they fee not their end, the Snare, nor the Pit; nay, he intoxicates them with a love of their mifery, and a delight in helping forward their ruin; fo that they are Volunteers in his Service, and poffeffed with a madneẞ and rage againft all that will not -be as willing as themselves to go to Hell; but efpecially if they put forth a compaffionate hand to help any out of that Gulf of Mifery, they they hate them, they gnash upon them with their teeth, and run upon them with utmost violence, as if they had no Enemies but these compaflionate Samaritans. How great is this Mystery of Darknefs! Who fhall be able to open the depths of it? Who fhall declare it fully to the Sons of Men, to bring these bidden things to light? Efpecially'feeing thefe hellish Secrets which are yet undiscovered, are double to thofe that have been obferved, by any that have efcaped from his power: He only whofe prerogative it is to fearch the hearts of Men, can know, and make known, what is in the beart of Satan; he views all his goings, even those Paths which the Vultures Eye hath not seen, and can trace thofe foot-fteps of his, which leave no more print or tract behind them, than a Ship in the Sea, or a Bird in the Air,or a Serpent on a Stone. Yet notwithstanding we may obferve much of his Policies, and more would God difcover, if we did but humbly and faithfully improve what we know already. 'Tis my defign to make fome difcovery of thofe Haunts I have obferved, if by that means I may be useful to you to quicken and awaken you. And first I shall set before you the ftrength and power of your Enemy, before open his Cunning and Craft. I There are found in him whatsoever may render an Adversary The Text dreadful. opened. Crit. Sac. As firft; Malice and Enmity; 6 Avrin is a Law Term, and fignifies an Adversary at Law, one that is against our Cause ; and the Text (as fome think) heightens this Malice, (1:) by the Article o, which denotes an Arch-Enemy. (2.) The Name Alábor, which fignifies a Slanderer or Calumniator, (for the Vid. Leigh. word is twice in the New Testament used for a Slanderer) fhewing his hatred to be fo great, that it will not ftick at lying and falf- The Accufer hood, either in accufing God to us, or us to God. Nay it parti- Rev.12.10. of the brethren cularly hints, that when he hath in malice tempted a poor Wretch Gen.3.3. to fin, he fpares not to accufe him for it, and to load him with Fobi. all things that may aggravate his guilt or mifery, accufing him for more than he hath really done, and for a worfe eftate than he is really in Secondly; His Power, under the metaphor of a Lion, a Beast of prey, whofe innate property is to deftroy, and is accordingly fitted with firength, with tearing Paws, and a devouring Mouth; that as a Lion would rend a Kid with cafe,and without refiftance, fo |
