[4.] Fourthly, There is no argument that can be used against temptations that can be more afflictively discouraging to Satan. Satan, as bad as he is, cannot but believe those truths which he knows, and he knows that there are many truths in Scripture which respect him, as threatenings of punishment and divine vengeance; he believes these things and trembles, James ii. 19. His unavoidable knowledge or remembrance of these things begets horror in him, he cannot but be under a dread of these truths. What can be supposed so to wound him as the bringing these things to memory, by urging the command of God against him? Dr Arrowsmith491 gives two instances of this kind, the one of Christopher Haas in Sweedland—from the epistle dedicatory to the five tomes of Brentius’s works—the other of Daniel Cramer, rector of a school at Stettin in Germany; on both which the devil made a bold attempt in a personal appearance; from the first, demanding a catalogue of his sins in writing; from the other, demanding a paper in which one of the students had obliged himself to Satan’s service; they both referred him to that text of Gen. iii. 15, ‘The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent.’ And this was retorted upon him with such a strong exercise of faith, that he presently desisted the suit and vanished.
[5.] Fifthly, This weapon cannot easily he wrested out of our hands. When we urge a divine prohibition against a temptation, what can he say in answer? he cannot deny it to be the word of God, or to be true, or that we are not obliged to it. He made none of these returns to Christ, but, by his silence, owned that it was God’s holy command obliging us to duty. Neither dares he stand upon these exceptions to us, except he find our faith inclined to waver, or our minds weak and wounded by inward troubles of spirit; and when he puts on a boldness to deny Scripture to be the word of God, or that it signifies God’s real intendments in his threatening—for by begetting unbelief of the truth of Scripture, and by suggesting hopes of escape and pardon, notwithstanding the violation of the commands of it, he wrests, when he doth prevail, this weapon out of our hands—yet he is forced to fetch a compass, and by many previous insinuations to make his way to these atheistical assertions. Thus he did with Eve, first, finding her a little inclinable, he dropped in privily something that might argue the improbability of the threatened penalty, and then at last positively denied it. But now if we hold to this, that ‘the command is true and holy, and just and good,’ he cannot wrest our plea from us.
[6.] Sixthly, Nothing doth more undermine temptations, by rendering the reasons and motives thereof vain and empty, than doth the contrary commands of Scripture. Temptation hath always some enticement of pleasure or profit, and these only seem to be taking or reasonable, while we consider not the word of God, as rotten wood or fish shine only in the dark; but when we are urged with sinful pleasures, how mean, base, dangerous, and unlovely be they, when the command to the contrary gives information that they are snares and lead to death, or the provocation of the Almighty.
[7.] Seventhly, While we resist with Scripture arguments, we engage God, whose command we would stand by, to go down to the battle with us. We ‘lay hold upon his strength,’ and put obligations upon him to take us out of the snare, and to deliver us from him who is ‘too strong’ for us.
(4.) Fourthly, It remains that, in a word, I shew how the commands or arguments of Scripture are to be used in resisting Satan, which is thus, When you have any sinful thought cast into your mind, presently reject the offer, by charging your heart with duty, from some opposite command; as if you be urged to acts of uncleanness, presently refuse, thus; No, I must not, God hath commanded the contrary, he hath said, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ If a covetous thought arise, reject it with this, God hath said, ‘Thou shalt not covet.’ If you be tempted to please the flesh, and follow vain delights, answer it with this, ‘If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die;’ and the like must be done in other temptations.
Obj. Some may perhaps think that this is easy work and quickly done, and that it seems to attribute a virtue and power to the words of Scripture, as if Satan were charmed by the language or phrase.
Ans. However at the first view this may seem easy, yet he that shall consider how much exercise of grace goes necessarily to the right use of Scripture opposition, shall not see cause to slight it as common, nor yet to think that any virtue is attributed to the words. For,
[1.] First, The Scripture here is only recommended as a fit instrument, and no further or higher praise is given. Though therefore we may attribute the whole of the conquest to the instrument alone, yet this hinders not, but that as an instrument peculiarly fitted for these ends, we may commend it above all other instruments, as we may justly commend bread for nourishing above a stone, and expect more from it than from a chip; so have we reason to expect more by the use of Scripture against Satan, than from other means of defence which God hath not set up for that service.
[2.] Secondly, It is a concomitancy of divine power and aid that conquers for us. The instrument is Scripture, but the power by which it works is from God.
[3.] Thirdly, Neither is it any careless formal use of Scripture expressions that will give encouragement for expectation of a divine concurrence; but the use of Scripture in this business implies an exercise of all graces, for it is an urging of Scripture under a fourfold consideration.
First, As being certainly persuaded of their truth, and fully keeping to that belief.
Secondly, As being thankfully apprehensive of the holiness, goodness, and profitableness of the commands, and cheerfully adhering to them as the only way and means to bring us to union with Christ, and to preserve us in it.
Thirdly, As being highly and indispensably obliged by them to perform the duty commanded therein, and to avoid the sins forbidden.
Fourthly, All this in a humble expectation of a divine help, according to the promise of God. Now he that can plead the command or promise against a temptation in this manner, doth not do an ordinary work, neither will he ascribe the success to the words and phrase of Scripture.
Some may, peradventure, wonder why Christ, by his example, had not recommended prayer, seeing it is of such unquestionable use in our undertakings against Satan. But that inquiry may be fully satisfied, if it be considered that Christ did peculiarly prepare himself to this encounter by ‘solemn fasting,’ ver. 2, which doth include praying; for such complicated duties are often denominated by that part which is extraordinary, and usually in Scripture a fast is only mentioned where prayer is chiefly intended. That this fast of Christ related to the temptation, and that also as a means of preservation, hath been spoken of in its place; it remains only that from hence I add a fifth direction.
CHAPTER XXVI.
The fifth direction, of prayer, and of the seriousness required of those that expect the advantage of prayer.—Of God’s hearing prayer while the temptation is continued.—Of some that are troubled more, while they pray more.
Direct. 5. That in all our endeavours of resistance, frequent and earnest prayers are not to be neglected.
This is so frequently recommended, and so fully handled by most authors, that I shall refer you to such authors as particularly treat of it; noting only that the apostle, in Eph. vi. 18, when he recommends it to us in these words, ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints,’ he doth mind us that he that expects the advantage of that duty must be peculiarly fitted, and seriously diligent in that work. For,
(1.) First, He must have a praying frame of heart; he must ‘pray always,’ or, as the apostle elsewhere, he must ‘pray continually.’ Not as if this duty must swallow up all the rest, and that a Christian had no other services to attend than prayer, but that he must be on a design to wrestle with God by prayer; and this must be constantly carried on, though the acts of prayer be intermitted; and besides that, in such cases, he may keep his usual stated times for that duty, he must have his heart so much upon his design, that every occasion or offer of temptation will presently put him upon the duty; nay, he must, in respect of the frequent intercourse of his heart with God in frequent ejaculations and breathings of soul, be as a man wholly resolved into that duty, as Paul was at his first conversion, who, as that expression ‘behold he prays’ [Acts ix. 11] doth intimate, seems to have been all prayer, and wholly taken up with that duty.
(2.) Secondly, He must pray in the spirit, his soul must be truly in the duty. A more than ordinary earnestness is necessary at solemn times, he must put out all his strength, he must cry mightily, and with his whole heart.
(3.) Thirdly, When his spirit grows dull, he must reinforce it, watch his heart he must; and if it be needful to quicken it up, he must add fasting or meditation, or whatever other means may be helpful.
(4.) Fourthly, In this course he must continue without giving off the duty. Though God behave himself as if he minded not his cry, or took no notice of his hazard, yet without weariness must our supplications follow him. It must be continued with ‘all perseverance.’
(5.) Fifthly, The heart that undertakes this must not be so narrow as to be centred upon his own concern only. When he is melted into a spirit of meekness and compassion for others, and is not so solicitous for peace or ease, that he could hug himself in his private enjoyment without concerning himself to tender and help those that are in the same dangers, when his supplications are for ‘all saints’ as well as for himself, then may he expect to receive an olive branch of peace from heaven in the return of his prayer.
Obj. It is often objected by such, that they pray but are not heard; and that temptations continue, notwithstanding many cries and wrestlings.
Ans. [1.] First, It is a great mistake to think that prayers are not heard or do not prevail, because the temptation is not quite removed. Prayers may be acceptable to God, and recorded among his remembrances, where the temptation, for exercise and other holy ends, may be continued.
[2.] Secondly, What God hath promised to such prayer, he fails not to make good. He hath not promised to exempt us from temptation, but from the power and prevalency of it. If ‘his grace be sufficient for us,’ 2 Cor. xii. 9, in the meantime, it is an answer as good as Paul got when he was importunate; ‘If together with the temptation he gives an issue, that we may be able to bear it,’ 1 Cor. x. 13, there is his faithfulness in keeping promise. He nowhere promised that Satan should not tempt, but that he should not prevail. While we can hold up our hands in the mount to God, and our praying frame will ascertain us of this; ‘for a man is never overcome by a temptation so long as he can pray against it;’ for so long he delights not in it so long he consents not, and till he do consent Satan cannot prevail. Prayer will either make the temptation give way, or the temptation will make prayer give way; but so long as we hold out with earnestness, the temptation cannot prevail.
Obj. Some further object, that the more they pray they are the worse, and more infested by Satan than they were before they undertook that course.
Ans. 1. It may be they may have more trouble from Satan. David ‘thought on God, and his trouble was increased,’ [Ps. xxxix. 3,] and no wonder. Satan’s spite and fury puts him upon giving greatest molestations to those of whom he despairs to subdue.
Ans. 2. Secondly, But though they may be more troubled, yet they may be furthest from conquest.492 These disquiets are like the trouble of the working of physic, which at first taking may make a man more sick, and yet bring him nearer to a state of health and strength; fear not then, faint not, resist faithfully, and to the utmost, and ‘God shall bruise Satan under thy feet shortly,’ [Rom. xvi. 20.]
FINIS.