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The wonders of the invisible world. Observations as well historical as theological, upon the…Cotton Mather, 1692

THE Devil Discovered

pp. 1–3239 passages

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

:324p. 1

THE Devil Discovered

:325p. 1

2. Cor. II.11. We are not Ignorant of His DEVICES.

:326p. 1

Our Blessed Saviour has blessed us, with a counsel, as Wholesome and as Needful, as any that can be given us, in Math. 26.41. Watch and Pray, that ye Enter not into Temptation. As there is a Tempting Flesh, and a Tempting World, which would seduce us from Our Obedience to the Laws of God, so there is a Busy Devil, who is by way of Eminency called, The Tempter; because by him, the Temptations of the Flesh and the World are managed.

OUr Blessed Saviour has blessed us, with a counsil, as Wholsome and as Needful, as any that can be given us, in Math. 26.41. Watch and Pray, that yee Enter not into Temptation. As there is a Tempting Flesh, and a Tempting World, which would seduce us from Our Obedience to the Laws of God, so there is a Busy Devil, who is by way of Eminency called, The Tempter; because by him, the Temptations of the Flesh and the World are managed.

:327p. 1–2

It is not One Devil alone, that has Cunning or Power enough to apply the Multitudes of Temptations, whereby Mankind is daily diverted from the Service of God; No, the High Places of Our Air, are Swarming full of those Wicked Spirits, whose Temptations trouble us; they are so many, that it seems, no less than a Legion, or more than Twelve Thousands may be spared, for the Vexation of ⟨p. 2⟩

The wonders of the invisible world. Observations as well historical as theological, upon the…Cotton Mather, 1692

THE Devil Discovered

pp. 1–3239 passages

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

:324p. 1

THE Devil Discovered

:325p. 1

2. Cor. II.11. We are not Ignorant of His DEVICES.

:326p. 1

:327p. 1–2

:330p. 2–3

Th• •••inthians, having upon the Apostles Direction, Excommunicated one of their Society, who had married ⟨p. 3⟩his Mother-in-law, and this, as it is thought, while his own Father was Living too; the Apostle encourages •hem to Re-admit that man, upon his very deep and •harp Repentance. He gives divers Reasons of his propounding this unto them; whereof one is, Lest Satan •hould get advantage of them; for, had the man miscarried, under any Rigour of the Sentence continued upon him, after his Repentance, 'tis well if the Church it self had not quickly fallen to pieces thereupon; be sure, the Success of the Gospel had been more than a little Incommoded. The Apostle upon this Occasion, intimates, That Satan has his Devices; by which word are meant, Artifices or Contrivances used for the Deceiving of those that are Treated with them▪ Well, But what shall we do that we may come to this Corinthian Attainment, We are not Ignorant of Satans Devices? [Non evivis homini Contingit!]

Th• •••inthians, having upon the Apostles Direction, Excommunicated one of their Society, who had married ⟨p. 3⟩his Mother-in-law, and this, as it is thought, while his own Father was Living too; the Apostle encourages •hem to Re-admit that man, upon his very deep and •harp Repentance. He gives divers Reasons of his propounding this unto them; whereof one is, Lest Satan •hould get advantage of them; for, had the man miscarried, •nder any Rigour of the Sentence continued upon him, after his Repentance, 'tis well if the Church it self had not quickly fallen to pieces thereupon; be sure, the Success of the Gospel had been more than a little Incommoded. The Apostle upon this Occasion, intimates, That Satan has his Devices; by which word are meant, Artifices or Contrivances used for the Deceiving of those that are Treated with them▪ Well, But what shall we do that we may come to this Corinthian Attainment, We are not Ignorant of Satans Devices? [Non euivis homini Contingit!]

:331p. 3–4

Truly, The Devil has Mille Necendi Arts; and it will be impossible for us, to run over all the Stratagems and Policies of our Adversary. I shall only attempt a few Observations upon the Tempta•••• of our Lord Jesus Christ: who was Tempted in all things like unto us, except in our Sins. When we read the Temptations of our Lord Jes•• Christ, in the Fourth Chapter of Matthew, There, Thence, you will understand, what was once counted so difficult; Even, The way of a Serpent upon the Rock. There are certain Ancient and Famous Methods which the Devil […] his Temptations, does mostly accustom himself unto; which is not so much from any Barrenness, or Sluggishness in the Devil, but because he has had the Encouragement of a, •rob••um es•, upon those horrid Methods. How did the Devil assault the First Adam? It was with Temptations drawn from Pleasure, and Profit, and Honour, which, as the Apostle notes, in 1 Joh 2.16. are, All that is in the World. With the very same Temptations ⟨p. 4⟩it […], that he fell upon the Second Adam too. Now▪ in those Temptations, you will see the more Usual Methods, whereby the Devil would be Ensnaring of us; and I beseech you to attend unto the following Admonitions, a• those Warnings of God, which the Lives of your Souls depend upon your taking of.

Truly, The Devil has Mille Necendi Artes; and it will be impossible for us, to run over all the Stratagems and Policies of our Adversary. I shall only attempt a few Observations upon the Tempta•••• of our Lord Jesus Christ: who was Tempted in all things like unto us, except in our Sins. When we read the Temptations of our Lord Jes•• Christ, in the Fourth Chapter of Matthew, There, Thence, you will understand, what was once counted so difficult; Even, The way of a Serpent upon the Rock. There are certain Ancient and Famous Methods which the Devil 〈…〉 his Temptations, does mostly accustome himself unto; which is not so much from any B•rrenness, or Sluggishness in the Devil, but because he has had the Encouragement of a, •rob••um es•, upon those horrid Methods. How did the Devil assault the First Adam? It was with Temptations drawn from Pleasure, and Profit, and Honour, which, as the Apostle notes, in 1 Joh 2.16. are, All that is in the World. With the very same Temptations ⟨p. 4⟩it 〈…〉, that he fell upon the Second Adam too. Now▪ in those Temptations, you will see the more Ʋsual Methods, whereby the Devil would be Ensnaring of us; and I beseech you to attend unto the following Admonitions, a• those Warnings of God, which the Lives of your Souls depend upon your taking of.

:335p. 4–5¶1

I. The Devil will ordinarily make our Conditions, to be the Advantages of his Temptations. When our Lord was Hungry, then, Bread! Bread! shall be all the Cry of his Temptation; the Devil puts him upon a wrong step• for the getting of Bread. There is no Condition, bu• what has indeed some Hunger accompanying of it; and the Devil marks what it is, that we are Hungry for. One mans Condition makes him Hunger for Preferments, or Employments; another mans makes him Hunger for Cash▪ or Land, or Trade; another mans makes him Hunger for M••riments, or Diversions: And the Condition […] every Afflicted Man, makes him Hunger with Impatience for Deliverance. Now the Devil will be sure to suit his P••s•asions with our Conditions. When he has our Condition •o speak with him, and for him, then thinks he, I am sure this man will now hearken to my Proposa••! Hence▪ if men are in Prosperity, the Devil will Tempt them to ⟨p. 5⟩Forgetfulness of God; if they are in Adversity ▪ he will Tempt them to Murmuring at God▪ in all the Expressions of those Impieties. Wise Agur was •ware of this; in Prov. 30.9. says he, •f a man be Full, he shall be▪ Tempted, To Deny God and say, Who is the Lord? I• a man be Poor, he shall be Tempted, To Steal, and take the Name of God in vain. The Devil will Talk suitably. If you ponder your Conditions, you may expect you shall be Tempted agreeably thereunto.

I. The Devil will ordinarily make our Conditions, to be the Advantages of his Temptations. When our Lord was Hungry, then, Bread! Bread! shall be all the Cry of his Temptation; the Devil puts him upon a wrong step• for the getting of Bread. There is no Condition, bu• what has indeed some Hunger accompanying of it; and the Devil marks what it is, that we are Hungry for. One mans Condition makes him Hunger for Preferments, or Employments; another mans makes him Hunger for Cash▪ or Land, or Trade; another mans makes him Hunger for M••riments, or Diversions: And the Condition 〈…〉 every Afflicted Man, makes him Hunger with Impatience for Deliverance. Now the Devil will be sure to suit his P••s•asions with our Conditions. When he has our Condition •o speak with him, and for him, then thinks he, I am sure this man will now hearken to my Proposa••! Hence▪ if men are in Prosperity, the Devil will Tempt them to ⟨p. 5⟩Forgetfulness of God; if they ae in Adversit• ▪ he will Tempt them to Murmu•ing at God▪ in all the Expressions of those Impieties. Wise Agur was •ware of this; in Prov. 30.9. says he, •f a man be Full, he shall be▪ Tempted, To Deny God and say, Who is the Lord? I• a man be Poor, he shall be Tempted, To Steal, and take the Name of God in vain. The Devil will Talk suitably. If you ponder your Conditions, you may expect you shall be Tempted agreeably thereunto.

:336p. 5–6¶2

II. The Devil does often manage his Temptations, by urging of our Necessities. Our Lord, was thus by the Devil bawled upon; You want Bread; and you•l Starve, if in my way you get it not. The Devil will show some Forbidden Thing unto us, and plead concerning it, as of Bread we use to say, It must be had. Necessity has a wonderful Compulsion in it. You may see what Necessity will do, if you read in Deut. 28.56. The Tender and the Delicate Woman among you, her eye shall be evil towards the Children what she shall Bear, for she shall eat them for want of all Things. The Devil will persuade us that there is a Necessity of our doing what he does propound unto us; and then tho' the Laws of God about us were so many Walls of Stone, yet we shall break through them all. That little Inconvenience, of our coming to Beg our Bread, O what a fearful Representation does the Devil make of it! and when once the Devil scares us to think of a sinful thing. It must be done, we soon come to think, It •ay be done. When the Devil has frighted us, into an Apprehension, that it is a Needful thing which we are prompted unto, he presently Engages all the Faculties of our Souls, to prove, that it may be a Lawful one. The Devil told Esau, You'll Die if you don't Sell your Birthright; the Devil ⟨p. 6⟩told Aaron, You'll pull all the People about your ears, if you do not countenance their Superstitions; and then they complied immediately. Yea, sometimes, if the Devil do but Feign a Necessity, he does thereby Gain the Hearts of Men; he did but Feign a Need, when he told Saul, The Cattle must be Spared, and the Sacrifice must be precipitated; and he does but Feign a Need, when he tells many a man, If you do no Service work on the Sabbath-day, and if you don't Rob God of His Evening, you'll never subsist in the World. All the Denials of God, in the world, use to be from this Fallacy Imposed upon us. It never can be Necessary for us to violate any Negative Commandment in the Law of our God; where God says, Thou shalt not, we cannot upon any pretence Reply, I must. But the Devil will put a most formidable and astonishing face of Necessity upon many of those, Abominable Things which are hateful to the Soul of God. He'll say nothing to us about The One Thing Needful; but the petite and the sorry Need-nots of this world, he•l set off with most bloody Colours of Necessity.

II. The Devil does often manage his Temptations, by urging of our Necessities. Our Lord, was thus by the Devil bawl'd upon; You want Bread; and you•l Starve, if in my way you get it not. The Devil will show some Forbidden Thing unto us, and plead concerning it, as of Bread we use to say, It must be had. Necessity has a wonderful Compulsion in it. You may see what Necessity will do, if you read in Deut. 28.56. The Tender and the Delicate Woman among you, her eye shall be evil towards the Children what she shall Bear, for she shall eat them for want of all Things. The Devil will perswade us that there is a Necessity of our doing what he does propound unto us; and then tho' the Laws of God about us were so many Walls of Stone, yet we shall break through them all. That little Inconvenience, of our coming to Beg our Bread, O what a fearful Representation does the Devil make of it! and when once the Devil scares us to think of a sinful thing. It must be done, we soon come to think, It •ay be done. When the Devil has frighted us, into an Apprehension, that it is a Needful thing which we are prompted unto, he presently Engages all the Faculties of our Souls, to prove, that it may be a Lawful one. The Devil told Esau, You'l Dy if you don't Sell your Birthright; the Devil ⟨p. 6⟩told Aaron, You'l pull all the People about your ears, if you do not countenance their Superstitions; and then they comply'd immediately. Yea, sometimes, if the Devil do but Feign a Necessity, he does thereby Gain the Hearts of Men; he did but Feign a Need, when he told Saul, The Cattel must be Spared, and the Sacrifice must be precipitated; and he does but Feign a Need, when he tells many a man, If you do no Service work on the Sabbath-day, and if you don't Rob God of His Evening, you'l never subsist in the World. All the Denials of God, in the world, use to be from this Fallacy Impos'd upon us. It never can be Necessary for us to violate any Negative Commandment in the Law of our God; where God says, Thou shalt not, we cannot upon any pretence Reply, I must. But the Devil will put a most formidable and astonishing face of Necessity upon many of those, Abominable Things which are hateful to the Soul of God. He'll say nothing to us about The One Thing Needful; but the petite and the sorry Need-nots of this world, he•l set off with most bloody Colours of Necessity.

:338p. 6–7¶3

III. The Devil does insinuate his most Horrible Temptations, with pretence, of much Friendship and Kindness for us. He seemed very unwilling that our Lord should want any thing that might be comfortable for him; but, he was a Devil still! The Devil flatters our Mother Eve, as if he was desirous to make her more Happy than her Maker did; but there was the Devil in that flattery▪ Sub Amici fallere Nomen;—to Salute men with proffers to do all ⟨p. 7⟩manner of Service for them; and at •he same time to Stab •hem as Joab did Abner of old; this is just like the Devil, and the Devil truly has many Children that Imitate him in it. Some very Affectionate Things were spoken once unto our Lord; Lord, be it far from thee, that thou shouldest suffer any Trouble! but our Lords Answer was, in Math. 16.23. Get thee behind me, Satan. The Devil will say to a man, I would have thee to Consult thy own Interest, and I would have Trouble to be far from thee. He speaks there Fair Things, by the Mouths of our professed Friends unto us, as he did by the Tongue of a Speckled Snake unto our Deluded Parents at the first. But all this while, tis a Direction that ha's been wisely given us; When he speaks fair, Believe him not; for there are Seven Abominations in his Heart.

III. The Divel does insinuate his most Horrible Temptations, with pretence, of much Friendship and Kindness for us. He seemed very unwilling that our Lord should want any thing that might be comfortable for him; but, he was a Divel still! The Divel flatters our Mother Eve, as if he was desirous to make her more Happy than her Maker did; but there was the Devil in that flattery▪ Sub Amici fallere Nomen;—to Salute men with profers to do all ⟨p. 7⟩manner of Service for them; and at •he same time to Stab •hem as Joab did Abner of old; this is just like the Devil, and the Devil truly has many Children that Imitate him in it. Some very Affectionate Things were spoken once unto our Lord; Lord, be it far from thee, that thou shouldest suffer any Trouble! but our Lords Answer was, in Math. 16.23. Get thee behind me, Satan. The Devil will say to a man, I would have thee to Consult thy own Interest, and I would have Trouble to be far from thee. He speaks there Fair Things, by the Mouths of our professed Friends unto us, as he did by the Tongue of a Speckled Snake unto our Deluded Parents at the first. But all this while, tis a Direction that ha's been wisely given us; When he speaks fair, Believe him not; for there are Seven Abominations in his Heart.

:339p. 7–8¶4

IV. Things in themselves Allowable and Convenient, are oftentimes turned into sore Temptations by the Devil. He pressed our Lord unto the making of Bread; Why, that very thing was afterwards done by our Lord, in the Miracles of the Loaves; and yet it is now a motion of the Devil, Pray, make thy self a Little Bread. The Devil will frequently put men by, from the doing of a Seasonable Duty; but how? truly by putting us upon another Duty, which may be at that juncture a most Unseasonable Thing. It is said in Eccl. 8.5. A Wise mans heart discerns both Time and Judgment. The Ill-Timing of Good Things, is One of the chief Intrigues, which the Devil has to Prosecute. The Devil himself, will Egg us on to many a Duty; and why so? but because at that very Time a more proper and Useful Duty, will have a Supersedeas given thereunto. And, thus there are many Things, whereof we can say, though no more tha• this▪ yet so much as this, They are Lawful ones; by which ⟨p. 8⟩Lawful Things — Perimus Omnes. Where shall w• find that the Devil ha's Laid our most fatal Snares? Truly, our Snares are on the Bed, where it is Lawf•• for us to Sleep; at the Board, where it is Lawful for us to Sit; in the Cups, where 'tis Lawful to Drink; and in the Shops, where we have Lawful Business to do. The Devil will decoy us, unto the utmost Edge of the Liberty that is Lawful for us; and then one Little push, hurries us into a Transgression against the Lord. And the Devil by Inviting us to a Lawful Thing, at a wrong Time for it, Lays us under further Entanglement of Guilt before God. Tis Lawful for people to use Recreations; but in the Evening of the Lord• Day, or the Morning of any Day, how Enmaring are they! the Devil then too commonly bears part in the Spo•t. If Promiscuous Dancing were Lawful; though almost all the Christian Churches in the World, have made a Scandal of it; yet for persons to go presently from a Sermon to a Dance, is to do a thing, which Doubtless the Devil makes good Earnings of.

IV. Things in themselves Allowable and Convenient, are oftentimes turned into sore Temptations by the Devil. He press'd our Lord unto the making of Bread; Why, that very thing was afterwards done by our Lord, in the Miracles of the Loaves; and yet it is now a motion of the Devil, Pray, make thy self a Little Bread. The Devil will frequently put men by, from the doing of a Seasonable Duty; but how? truly by putting us upon another Duty, which may be at that juncture a most Ʋnseasonable Thing. It is said in Eccl. 8.5. A Wise mans heart discerns both Time and Judgment. The Ill-Timing of Good Things, is One of the chief Intregues, which the Devil has to Prosecute. The Devil himself, will Egg us on to many a Duty; and why so? but because at that very Time a more proper and Useful Duty, will have a Supersedeas given thereunto. And, thus there are many Things, whereof we can say, though no more tha• this▪ yet so much as this, They are Lawful ones; by which ⟨p. 8⟩Lawful Things — Perimus Omnes. Where shall w• find that the Devil ha's Laid our most fatal Snares? Truly, our Snares are on the Bed, where it is Lawf•• for us to Sleep; at the Board, where it is Lawful for us to Sit; in the Cups, where 'tis Lawful to Drink; and in the Shops, where we have Lawful Business to do. The Devil will decoye us, unto the utmost Edge of the Liberty that is Lawful for us; and then one Little push, hurries us into a Transgression against the Lord. And the Devil by Inviting us to a Lawful Thing, at a wrong Time for it, Layes us under further Entanglement of Guilt before God. Tis Lawful for people to use Recreations; but in the Evening of the Lord• Day, or the Morning of any Day, how Enmaring are they! the Devil then too commonly bears part in the Spo•t. If Promiscuous Dancing were Lawful; though almost all the Christian Churches in the World, have made a Scandal of it; yet for persons to go presently from a Sermon to a Dance, is to do a thing, which Doubtless the Devil makes good Earnings of.

:340p. 8–17¶5

V. To Distrust Gods Providence and Protection, is one of the worst Things, into which the Devil by hi• Temptations would be hurrying of us. He would fai•• have driven our Lord unto a Suspicion of Gods care about Him; sa•d the Devil, You may Die for Lack of Bread, if you do not Look better after your self, than God is like to do for you. It is an usual Thing for Persons to despair of Gods Fatherly Care Concerning them; they torture themselves with distracting and amazing Fears that they shall come to want before they die▪ Ye•, they even say with Jonah, in Chap. 2.4. I am cast out of the Sight of God; He won't look after me! Be i• i• the Devil that is the Author of all such Melancholy ⟨p. 17⟩Suggestions in the minds of men. It is a Thought that often raises a Fever in the Hearts of Married Persons, when Charges grow upon them; God will never be able in the way of my Calling, to feed and clothe all my Little Folks. It is a Thought with which Aged Persons are often tormented, Th• God has all my Days hitherto supplied me, yet I shall be pinched with Straits before I come to my Journeys end. 'Tis a malicious Devil that raises these Evil Surmisings in the Hearts of men. And sometimes a Distemper of Body affords a Lodging for the Devil, from whence he shoots the cruel Bombs of such Fiery Thoughts into the minds of many other persons. With such Thoughts does the Devil choose to persecute us; because thereby we come to Forfeit what we Question. We Question the Care of God, and so we Forfeit it, until perhaps the Devil do utterly Drown us in Perdition. Our God says, Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed. But the Devil says, Don't you Trust in God; Be afraid that you shall not be fed; and thus he hinders men from the Doing of Good.

V. To Distrust Gods Providence and Protection, is one of the worst Things, into which the Devil by hi• Temptations would be hurrying of us. He would fai•• have driven our Lord unto a Suspicion of Gods care about Him; sa•d the Devil, You may Dy for Lack of Bread, if you do not Look better after your self, than God is like to do for you. It is an usual Thing for Persons to des•pai• of Gods Fatherly Care Concerning them; they tor•ture themselves with distracting and amazing Fears that they shall come to want •efore they dy▪ Ye•, they e'vn say with Jonas, in Chap. 2.4. I am cast out of the Sight of God; He won't look after me! Be i• i• the Devil that is the Author of all such Melancholly ⟨p. 17⟩Suggestions in the minds of men. It is a Thought that often raises a Fever in the Hearts of Married Persons, when Charges grow upon them; God will never be able in the way of my Calling, to feed and cloath all my Little Folks. It is a Thought with which Aged Persons are often tormented, Th• God has all my Dayes hitherto supplied me, yet I shall be pinch•d with Straits before I come to my Journeys end. 'Tis a malicious Devil that raises these Evil Surmisings in the Hearts of men. And sometimes a Distemper of Body affords a Lodging for the Devil, from whence he shoots the cruel Bombs of such Fiery Thoughts into the minds of many other persons. With such Thoughts does the Devil choose to persecute us; because thereby we come to Forfeit what we Question. We Question the Care of God, and so we Forfeit it, until perhaps the Devil do utterly Drown us in Perdition. Our God says, Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed. But the Devil says, Don't you Trust in God; Be afraid that you shall not be fed; and thus he hinders men from the Doing of Good.

:341p. 17–18¶6

VI. There is nothing more Frequent in the Temptations of the Devil, then for our Adoption to be doubted, because of our Affliction. When our Lord was in his Penury, then says the Devil, If thou be the Son of God; he now makes an If, of it; What? the Son of God, and yet not be able to Command a Pit of Broad! Thus, when we are in very Afflictive Circumstances, this will be the Devils Inference, Thou art not a Child of God. The Bible says in Heb. 12.7. If you are Chastened, it is a shrewd sign that you can't be Children. Since he can't Rob us of our Grace, he would Rob us of our Joy; and therefore having Accused us unto ⟨p. 18⟩God, he then Accuses God unto us. When Israel was weak and faint in the Wilderness, then did Amalek set upon them; just so, does the Devil set upon the People of God, when their Losses, their Crosses, their Exercises have Enfeebled their Souls within them; and what says the Devil? Even the same that was muttered in the Ear of the Afflicted Job, Is not this the Uprightness of thy Ways? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being Innocent? If thou wer'• a Child of God, He would never follow thee, with such Testimonies of his Indignation. This is the Logic of the Devil; and he thus interrupts that patience, and that Cheerfulness wherewith we should Suffer the Will of God.

VI. There is nothing more Frequent in the Temptations of the Devil, then for our Adoption to be doubted, because of our Affliction. When our Lord was in his Penury, then says the Devil, If thou be the Son of God; he now makes an If, of it; What? the Son of God, and yet not be able to Command a Pit of Broad! Thus, when we are in very Afflictive Circumstances, this will be the Devils Inference, Thou art not a Child of God. The Bible says in Heb. 12.7. If you are Chastened, it is a shrow'd sign that you can't be Children. Since he can't Rob us of our Grace, he would Rob us of our Joy; and therefore having Accused us unto ⟨p. 18⟩God, he then Accuses God unto us. When Israel was weak and faint in the Wilderness, then did Amalek set upon them; just so, does the Devil set upon the People of God, when their Losses, their Crosses, their Exercises have Enfeebled their Souls within them; and what says the Devil? E'en the same that was mutter'd in the Ear of the Afflicted Job, Is not this the Ʋprightness of thy Ways? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being Innocent? If thou wer'• a Child of God, He would never follow thee, with such Testimonies of his Indignation. This is the Logic of the Devil; and he thus interrupts that patience, and that Chearfulness wherewith we should Suffer the Will of God.

:342p. 18–19¶7

VII. To Dispute the Divine Original and Authority of Gods Word, is not the least of those Temptations with which the Devil Troubles us. God from Heaven, had newly said unto our Lord, This is my Beloved Son; but now the Devil would have him to make a Dispute of it, If thou be the Son of God. The Devil durst not be so Impudent, and Brazen-faced, as to bid men use Pharaohs Language, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? But he will whisper into our Ears, what he did unto our Mother Eve of old, It is not the Lord, that hath spoken, what you call his Word. The Devil would have men say unto the Scripture, what they said unto the Prophet, in Jer. 43.2. Thou speakest falsely; the Lord our God hath not sent thee to speak what thou sayest unto us; and he would fain have secret and cursed Misgivings in our Hearts, That things are not altogether so as the Scripture has represented them. The Devil would wit• all his Heart, make one huge Bonfire of all the Bibles in the World; and he has got millions of Persecutors to assist him in the Suppression of that Miraculous Book. It was the Devil once in the Tongue of a Papist that cried out, A Plague on this Bible; this 'tis that ⟨p. 19⟩does all our mischief. But because he can't Suppress this Book, he sets himself, to Disgrace it all that he can. Although' the Scripture carries its own Evidence with it, and be all over, so pure, so great, so true, and so powerful, that it is impossible it should proceed from any but God alone; yet the Devil would gladly bring some Discredit upon it, as if it were but some Humane Contrivance; Of nothing, is the Devil more desirous, than this; That we should not count, Christ so precious, Heaven so Glorious, Hell so Dreadful, and Sin so odious, as the Scripture has declared it.

VII. To Dispute the Divine Original and Authority of Gods Word, is not the least of those Temptations with which the Devil Troubles us. God from Heaven, had newly said unto our Lord, This is my Beloved Son; but now the Devil would have him to make a Dispute of it, If thou be the Son of God. The Devil durst not be so Impudent, and Brasen-faced, as to bid men use Pharaohs Language, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? But he will whisper into our Ears, what he did unto our Mother Eve of old, It is not the Lord, that hath spoken, what you call his Word. The Devil would have men say unto the Scripture, what they said unto the Prophet, in Jer. 43.2. Thou speakest falsely; the Lord our God hath not sent thee to speak what thou sayst unto us; and he would fain have secret and cursed Misgivings in our Hearts, That things are not altogether so as the Scripture has represented them. The Devil would wit• all his Heart, make one huge Bonefire of all the Bibles in the World; and he has got millions of Persecutors to assist him in the Suppression of that Miraculous Book. It was the Devil once in the Tongue of a Papist that cry'd out, A Plague on this Bible; this 'tis that ⟨p. 19⟩does all our mischief. But because he can't Suppress this Book, he sets himself, to Disgrace it all that he can. Altho' the Scripture carries its own Evidence with it, and be all over, so pure, so great, so true, and so powerful, that it is impossible it should proceed from any but God alone; yet the Devil would gladly bring some Discredit upon it, as if it were but some Humane Contrivance; Of nothing, is the Devil more desirous, than this; That we should not count, Christ so precious, Heaven so Glorious, Hell so Dreadful, and Sin so odious, as the Scripture has declared it.

:345p. 19–20¶1

I. The places of the greatest Holiness will not secure us from Annoyance by the Temptations of the Devil, to the greatest wickedness. When our Lord was in the Holy City, the Devil fell upon him there. Indeed, there is now no proper Holiness of Places in our Days; the Signs and Means of Gods more special Presence are not under the Gospel, tied unto any certain places: Nevertheless there are places, where we use to enjoy much of God; and where, although' God visit not the Persons for the sake of the Places, yet he visits th• Places for the sake of the Persons. But, I am to tell you, that the Devil will visit those Places and the best Persons there. ⟨p. 20⟩No Place, that I know of, has got such a Spell upon it, as will always keep the Devil out. The Meeting-House wherein we Assemble for the Worship of God, is filled with many Holy People, and many Holy Concerns continually; but if our Eyes were so refined as the Servant of the Prophet had his of old, I suppose we should now see a Throng of Devils in this very place. The Apostle has intimated, that Angels come in among us; there are Angels it seems, that hark, how I Preach, and how you Hear, at this Hour. And our own sad Experience is enough to intimate, That the Devils are likewise Rendezvousing here▪ It is Reported, in Job 1.5. When the Sons of God, came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them. When we are in our Church-Assemblies, O how many Devils, do you imagine, crowd in among us! There is a Devil that rocks one to Sleep; there is a Devil that makes another to be thinking of, he scarce knows what himself; and there is a Devil, that makes another, to be pleasing himself with wanton and wicked Speculations. It is also possible, that we have our Closets, or our Studies, gloriously perfumed with Devotions every day; but alas, can we shut the Devil out of them? No, Let us go where we will, we shall still find a Devil nigh unto us. Only, when we come to Heaven, we shall be out of his Reach for ever; O thou foul Devil; we are going where thou canst not come! He was hissed out of Paradise, and shall never enter it any more. Yea, more than so, when the New Jerusalem comes down into the High Places of our Air, from whence the Devil shall then be Banished, there shall be no Devil within the Walls of that Holy City. Amen, •ven so, Lord Jesus▪ Come quickly▪

I. The places of the greatest Holiness will not secure us from Annoyance by the Temptations of the Devil, to the greatest wickedness. When our Lord was in the Holy City, the Devil fell upon him there. Indeed, there is now no proper Holiness of Places in our Dayes; the Signs and Means of Gods more special Presence are not under the Gospel, ty'd unto any certain places: Nevertheless there are places, where we use to enjoy much of God; and where, altho' God visit not the Persons for the sake of the Places, yet he visits th• Places for the sake of the Persons. But, I am to tell you, that the Devil will visit those Places and the best Persons there. ⟨p. 20⟩No Place, that I know of, has got such a Spell upon it, as will always keep the Devil out. The Meeting-House wherein we Assemble for the Worship of God, is filled with many Holy People, and many Holy Concerns continually; but if our Eyes were so refined as the Servant of the Prophet had his of old, I suppose we should now see a Throng of Devils in this very place. The Apostle has intimated, that Angels come in among us; there are Angels it seems, that hark, how I Preach, and how you Hear, at this Hour. And our own sad Experience is enough to intimate, That the Devils are likewise Rendevouzing here▪ It is Reported, in Job 1.5. When the Sons of God, came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them. When we are in our Church-Assemblies, O how many Devils, do you imagine, croud in among us! There is a Devil that rocques one to Sleep; there is a Devil that makes another to be thinking of, he scarce knows what himself; and there is a Devil, that makes another, to be pleasing himself with wanton and wicked Speculations. It is also possible, that we have our Closets, or our Studies, gloriously perfumed with Devotions every day; but alas, can we shut the Devil out of them? No, Let us go where we will, we shall still find a Devil nigh unto us. Onely, when we come to Heaven, we shall be out of his Reach for ever; O thou foul Devil; we are going where thou canst not come! He was hissed out of Paradise, and shall never enter it any more. Yea, more than so, when the New Jerusalem comes down into the High Places of our Air, from whence the Devil shall then be Banished, there shall be no Devil within the Walls of that Holy City. Amen, •ven so, Lord Jesus▪ Come quickly▪

:346p. 20–22¶2

II▪ Any other Acknowledgements of the Lord Jesus ⟨p. 21⟩Christ, will be permitted by the Temptations of the Devil, provided those Acknowledgements of Him, which are True and Fu••, may be thereby prevented. What was it, that the Devil hurried our Lord Jesus Christ unto the Top of the Temple for? Surely it could not merely be to •nd Precipices; any part of the Wilderness would have •fforded Them. No, it was rather to have Spectators. And why so? Why, the carnal Jews had an Expectation a•ong them; that Elijah was to fly from Heaven to the Temple; and the Devil seems willing, that our Lord ••ould be cried up for Elijah, among the giddy multitude; or any thing in the World, tho' never so considerable otherwise, rather than to be Received as, The Christ of God. The Devil will allow his Followers to think very ••ghly of the Lord Jesus Christ; O but he is very loth •o have them think, All. We read in Col. 1.19. It has ••eased the Father, that in Him there should all Fullness dwell. But it is pleasing to the Devil, that we Deny something of •he Immense Fullness, which is in our Lord. The Devil •ould confess to our Lord, Thou art the Holy One of God! •ut then he claps in, Thou art Jesus of Nazareth; which was to conceal our Lords being, Jesus of Bethlehem, and so, his being, The True Messiah. All the Heresies, and all the Persecutions, that ever plagued the Church of God, have still been, to strike at some Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. A CHRIST Entirely Acknowledged, will save •he Souls of them that so Acknowledge Him; but, says •he Devil, Whatever I do, I must not give way to that. As •hey say, the Devil makes Witches unable to utter all the Lords Prayer, or some such System of Religion, without some Depravations of it; thus the Devil will consent that we may make a very large Confession of the Lord Jesus Christ, only he will have us to deprave it, at least in some one Important Article. Some one Honour, some one ⟨p. 22⟩Office, and some one Ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ▪ must be always left unacknowledged, by those that […] do as the Devil would have them.

II▪ Any other Acknowledgments of the Lord Jesus ⟨p. 21⟩Christ, will be permitted by the Temptations of the Devil, provided those Acknowledgments of Him, which are True and Fu••, may be thereby prevented. What was it, that the Devil hurried our Lord Jesus Christ unto the Top of the Temple for? Surely it could not meerly be to •nd Precipices; any part of the Wilderness would have •fforded Them. No, it was rather to have Spectators. And why so? Why, the carnal Jews had an Expectation a•ong them; that Elias was to fly from Heaven to the Temple; and the Devil seems willing, that our Lord ••ould be cry'd up for Elias, among the giddy multi•ude; or any thing in the World, tho' never so considera•le otherwise, rather than to be Received as, The Christ of God. The Devil will allow his Followers to think very ••ghly of the Lord Jesus Christ; O but he is very lothe •o have them think, All. We read in Col. 1.19. It has ••eased the Father, that in Him there should all Fulness dwell. But it is pleasing to the Devil, that we Deny something of •he Immense Fullness, which is in our Lord. The Devil •ould confess to our Lord, Thou art the Holy One of God! •ut then he claps in, Thou art Jesus of Nazareth; which was to conceal our Lords being, Jesus of Bethlehem, and so, his being, The True Messiah. All the Heresies, and all the Persecutions, that ever plagued the Church of God, have still been, to strike at some Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. A CHRIST Entirely Acknowledged, will save •he Souls of them that so Acknowledge Him; but, says •he Devil, Whatever I do, I must not give way to that. As •hey say, the Devil makes Witches unable to utter all the Lords Prayer, or some such System of Religion, without some Depravations of it; thus the Devil will consent that we may make a very large Confession of the Lord Jesus Christ, only he will have us to deprave it, at least in some one Important Article. Some one Honour, some one ⟨p. 22⟩Office, and some one Ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ▪ must be always left unacknowledged, by those that 〈…〉 do as the Devil would have them.

:347p. 22–23¶3

III. High Stations in the Church of God, lay men open to violent and peculiar Temptations of the Devil. When Our Lord was upon the Pinnacle, that is, not the •ane, or Spire, but the Battlements of the Temple, there did the Devil pester him, with singular Molestations, and he therein, seem• to intend an Entanglement for the Jews, as well as for Our Lord. Believe me, they that Stand High, cannot Stand safe ▪ The Devil is a Nimrod, a mighty Hunter; and common o• little Game, will not serve his Turn: he is a Leviathan, […] whom we may say, as in Job. 41.34. He beholds all high Things. Men of High Attainments, and Men of High Employments, in the Church of God, must look, like Peter to be more Sifted, and like Paul, to be more Buffeted than other Men. Feriunt Summos Fulmina Montes ▪ —The Devil can raise a Storm, when God permitteth it, but as for those Men that stand near Heaven, the Devil will attack them with his most cruel storms of Thunder and Lightning. It was said, Let him that stands take heed; but we may say, They that stand most high, have cause to take most Heed. The Devil is a Goliath; and when he finds a Champion, he'll be sure most fiercely to Combat such a man. He is for, Killing many Birds with one Stone; and he knows that he shall hinder a world of Good, and produce a world of Ill, if once he can bring a man Eminently Stationed into his Toils. Hence 'tis that the Ministers of God, are more dogged by the Devil, than other persons are. Especially such Ministers, as move in the highest Orb of Serviceableness; and most of all such Ministers as have spent many years in Laudable Endeavours to be Serviceable; Those Ministers are the ⟨p. 23⟩Stars of Heaven, at which the Tail of the Dragon, will give the most sweeping and most stinging strokes; the Devil will find that for them, that shall make them Walk softly all their Days. These are the men, that have ••eepled, and vexed the Devil more than other men; for which the Devil has an old Quarrel with them. O Neighbours, Little do you think, what black Days of Mourning, and Fasting, and Praying before the Lord, a Raging Devil do's fill the lives of such Men of God withal.

III. High Stations in the Church of God, lay men open to violent and peculiar Temptations of the Devil. When Our Lord was upon the Pinacle, that is, not the •ane, or Spire, but the Battlements of the Temple, there did the Devil pester him, with singular Molestations, and he therein, seem• to intend an Entanglement for the Jews, as well as for Our Lord. Believe me, they that Stand High, cannot Stand safe ▪ The Devil is a Nimrod, a mighty Hunter; and common o• little Game, will not serve his Turn: he is a Leviathan, 〈…〉 whom we may say, as in Job. 41.34. He beholds all high Things. Men of High Attainments, and Men of High Employments, in the Church of God, must look, like Peter to be more Sifted, and like Paul, to be more Buffeted than other Men. Feriunt Summos Fulmina Montes ▪ —The Devil can raise a Storm, when God permitteth it, but as for those Men that stand near Heaven, the Devil will attack them with his most cruel storms of Thunder and Lightning. It was said, Let him that stands take heed; but we may say, They that stand most high, have cause to take most Heed. The Devil is a Goliah; and when he finds a Champion, he'l be sure most fiercely to Combate such a man. He is for, Killing many Birds with one Stone; and he knows that he shall hinder a world of Good, and produce a world of Ill, if once he can bring a man Eminently Stationed into his Toyls. Hence 'tis that the Ministers of God, are more dogg'd by the Devil, than other persons are. Especially such Ministers, as move in the highest Orb of Serviceableness; and most of all such Ministers as have spent many years in Laudable Endeavours to be Serviceable; Those Ministers are the ⟨p. 23⟩Stars of Heaven, at which the Tayl of the Dragon, will give the most sweeping and most stinging strokes; the Devil will find that for them, that shall make them Walk softly all their Dayes. These are the men, that have ••eepled, and vexed the Devil more than other men; for which the Devil has an old Quarrel with them. O Neighbours, Little do you think, what black Dayes of Mourn•ng, and Fasting, and Praying before the Lord, a Raging Devil do's fill the lives of such Men of God withal.

:348p. 23–24¶4

IV. The devil will make a deceitful and unfaithful use of the Scriptures to make his Temptations forcible. When •he Devil Solicited our Lord, unto an evil thing, he quoted the Ninety first Psalm unto him, tho' indeed he fallaciously clipped it, and maimed it, of one clause very material in […]. O never do's the Devil make such dangerous Passes at •s, as when he does wrest our own Sword out of our Hands, and push That upon us. We have to defend us, that Weapon in Eph. 6.16. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; but when the Devil has that very Weapon to fight us with, he makes terrible work of it. When the Devil would poison men with false Doctrines, he'll quote Scriptures for them; a Quaker himself, will have the First Chapter of John always in his mouth. When the Devil would persuade men to vile Actions, he'll quote Scriptures for them; he'll encourage men to go on in Sin, by showing them, where 'tis said, The Lord is Ready to Pardon. I say this, The One Story of Davids Fall, in the Scripture, has been made by the Devil, an Engine for the Damnation of many millions. The Devil will fright men from doing those things, that are, The Things of their Peace; but How? He'll turn a Scripture into a Scare-•row for them. The Devil will fright them from all ⟨p. 24⟩constant Prayer to God, by quoting that Scripture, The Sacrifice of the Wicked, is an Abomination to the Lord; the Devil will fright them from the Holy Supper of God, by quoting that Scripture, He that Eats and Drinks unworthily, Eats and Drinks Damnation to himself. And thus the Devil will by some Abused Scripture, Terrify the Children of God; the Scripture is written, as we are told, For our Comfort; but it is quoted by the Devil, For our Terror. How many Godly Souls have been cast into sinful Doubts and Fears, by the Devils foolish glosses upon that Scripture, He that Doubts is Damned; and that, The Fearful shall have their portion in the Burning Lake: The Devil sometimes has played the Preacher, but I say, Be•are all silly Souls, when such a Fool is Preaching.

IV. The devil will make a deceitful and unfaithful use of the Scriptures to make his Temptations forceable. When •he Devil Sollicited our Lord, unto an evil thing, he quo•ed the Ninety first Psalm unto him, tho' indeed he fallaci•usly clip'd it, and maim'd it, of one clause very material in 〈…〉. O never do's the Devil make such dangerous Passes at •s, as when he does wrest our own Sword out of our Hands, and push That upon us. We have to defend us, that Weapon in Eph. 6.16. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; but when the Devil has that very Weapon to fight us with, he makes terrible work of it. When the Devil would poyson men with false Doctrines, he'l quote Scriptures for them; a Quaker himself, will have the First Chapter of John always in his mouth. When the Devil would perswade men to vile Actions, he'l quote Scriptures for them; he'l encourage men to go on in Sin, by show•ng them, where 'tis said, The Lord is Ready to Pardon. I say this, The One Story of Davids Fall, in the Scripture, has been made by the Devil, an Engine for the Damnation of many millions. The Devil will fright men from doing those things, that are, The Things of their Peace; but How? He'l turn a Scripture into a Scare-•row for them. The Devil will fright them from all ⟨p. 24⟩constant Prayer to God, by quoting that Scripture, The Sacrifice of the Wicked, is an Abomination to the Lord; the Devil will fright them from the Holy Su••per of God, by quoting that Scripture, He that Eats and Drinks unworthily, Eats and Drinks Damnation to himself. And thus the Devil will by some Abused Scripture, Terrify the Children of God; the Scripture is written, as we are told, For our Comfort; but it is quoted by the Devil, For our Terror. How many Godly Souls have been cast into sinful Doubts and Fears, by the Devils foolish glosses upon that Scripture, He that Doubts is Damned; and that, The Fearful shall have their portion in the Burning Lake: The Devil sometimes has play'd the Preacher, but I say, Be•are all silly Souls, when such a Fool is Preaching.

:349p. 24–25¶5

V. Grievous and Pulling Hurries to Self-Murder are none of the smallest outrages, which the Devil in his Temptations commits upon us. Why, did the Devil say to Our Lord, Cast thy self down, but in hopes that Our Lord would have broke his Bones, in the fall? The Devil is an Old Murderer; and he loves to Murder men, but no Murder gives him so much satisfaction, as that which at his Instigation, Men perpetrate upon themselves. We see that such as are Bewitched and Possessed by the devil, do quickly lay violent hands upon themselves, if they be not watched continually, and we see that w•en persons have begun that Unnatural business of killing themselves, there is a Preternatural Stupendous Prodigious Assistance, by the devil given thereunto. When people are going to Harm themselves, we call upon them, like those to the Jailer, in Acts. 16.28 Do thy self no harm! And we have this Argument for it, It is the Devil that is dragging of you to this mischief; but will you believe, will you obey such an one as the ⟨p. 25⟩Devil is? What was it that made Judas to Strangle himself? We read it was when the Devil was in him. I suppose there are few Self-Murderers, but what are first very strangely fallen into the Devils hands; and possibly, 'tis by some Extraordinary Discontent, against God, or Backsliding from Him, that the Devil first entered into those disturbed Souls. Indeed, some very great Saints of God, have sometimes had hideous Roils raised by the Devil in their minds; until they have even cried out with Jo•, I choose Strangling rather than life; and sometimes the Ill Humours or Vapours in the Bodies of such Good Men, do so harbour the Devil that they have this woeful motion every day thence made unto them; You must kill your self! you must! you must! But it is rarely any other than a Saul, an Abimelek, an Ahithophel, or a Judas; rarely any other, than a very Reprobate, whom the Devil can drive, while the man is, Compos Mentis, to Consummate such a Villainy. Yea, no Child of God, in his Right Senses can go so far in this Impiety, as to be left without all Time and Room, for true Repentance of the Crime; 'tis thus done, by none but those that go to the Devil. A Self-Murder, acted by one that is upon other accounts, a Reasonable Man, is but such an Attempt of Revenge upon the God that made him, as none but one full of the Devil can be guilty of.

V. Grievous and Pulling Hurries to Self-Murder are none of the smallest outrages, which the Devil in his Temptations commits upon us. Why, did the Devil say to Our Lord, Cast thy self down, but in hopes that Our Lord would have broke his Bones, in the fall? The Devil is an Old Murtherer; and he loves to Murder men, but no Murder gives him so much satisfaction, as that which at his Instigation, Men perpetrate upon themselves. We see that such as are Bewitched and Possessed by the devil, do quickly lay violent hands upon themselves, if they be not watched continually, and we see that w•en persons have begun that Ʋnnatural business of killing themselves, there is a Preternatural Stupendous Prodigious Assistence, by the devil given thereunto. When people are going to Harm themselves, we call upon them, like those to the Jailor, in Acts. 16.28 Do thy self no harm! And we have this Argument for it, It is the Devil that is dragging of you to this mischief; but will you believe, will you obey such an one as the ⟨p. 25⟩Devil is? What was it that made Judas to Strangle himself? We read it was when the Devil was in him. I suppose there are few Self-Murderers, but what are first very strangely fallen into the Devils hands; and possibly, 'tis by some Extraordinary Discontent, against God, or Backsliding from Him, that the Devil first entred into those disturbed Souls. Indeed, some very great Saints of God, have sometimes had hideous Royls raised by the Devil in their minds; until they have e'en cry'd out with Jo•, I choose Strangling rather than life; and sometimes the Ill Humours or Vapours in the Bodies of such Good Men, do so harbour the Devil that they have this woful motion every day thence made unto them; You must kill your self! you must! you must! But it is rarely any other than a Saul, an Abimelek, an Achitophel, or a Judas; rarely any other, than a very Reprobate, whom the Devil can drive, while the man is, Compos Mentis, to Consummate such a Villany. Yea, no Child of God, in his Right Senses can go so far in this Impiety, as to be left without all Time and Room, for true Repentance of the Crime; 'tis thus done, by none but those that go to the Devil. A Self-Murder, acted by one that is upon other accounts, a Reasonable Man, is but such an Attempt of Revenge upon the God that made him, as none but one full of the Devil can be guilty of.

:351p. 25–26¶6

VI. Presumptuous and Unwarrantable Trials of the Blessed God, are some of those things whereinto the Devil would fain hook us with his Temptations. This ⟨p. 26⟩was that which the Devil would have brought our Lord unto, even, A Tempting of the Lord our God. It is the charge of our God upon us, in Deut. 6.16. Thou shalt not Tempt the Lord thy God. But that which the Devil Tries, is, to put us upon Trying in a sinful way, whether God be such a God as indeed He is. 'Tis true, as to the Ways of Obedience, our God says unto us, Prove me, in th•se ways; Try, Whether I won't be as Good as my Word. But then, there are ways of Presumption, wherein the Devil would have us to Try, what a God it is, With whom we have to do. The Devil would have us to Try the Purpose of God, about our selves or others; but how? By going to the Devil himself; by Consulting Astrologers, or Fortune-tellers, or perhaps, by letting the Bible fall open, to see what is the first Sentence we light upon. The Devil would have […] Try the Mercy of God; But how? By •unning into Dangers, which we have no call unto. He would have us Try the Power of God; But how? By Looking for Good Things, without the use of Means for the getting of them. He would have us Try the Justi•e of God; but how? By venturing upon Sin, in a Corner, with an Imagination that God will never bring us out. He would have us Try the Promise of God; but how? By Limiting the Lord, unto such or such a way of Manifesting Himself, or else believing of nothing at all. He would have us Try the Threatening of God; but how? By going on Impenitently in those things, for which the Wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience. Thus would the Devil have us, to affront the Majesty of Heaven every day.

VI. Presumptuous and Unwarrantable Trials of the Blessed God, are some of those things whereinto the Devil would fain hook us with his Temptations. This ⟨p. 26⟩was that which the Devil would have brought our Lord unto, even, A Tempting of the Lord our God. It is the charge of our God upon us, in Deut. 6.16. Thou shalt not Tempt the Lord thy God. But that which the Devil Tries, is, to put us upon Trying in a sinful way, whether God be such a God as indeed He is. 'Tis true, as to the Ways of Obedience, our God says unto us, Prove me, in th•se wayes; Try, Whether I won't be as Good as my Word. But then, there are ways of Presumption, wherein the Devil would have us to Try, what a God it is, With whom we have to do. The Devil would have us to Try the Purpose of God, about our selves or others; but how? By going to the Devil himself; by Consulting Astrologers, or Fortune-tellers, or perhaps, by letting the Bible fall open, to see what is the first Sentence we light upon. The Devil would have 〈…〉 Try the Mercy of God; But how? By •unning into Dangers, which we have no call unto. He would have us Try the Power of God; But how? By Looking for Good Things, without the use of Means for the getting of them. He would have us Try the Justi•e of God; but how? By venturing upon Sin, in a Corner, with an Imagination that God will never bring us out. He would have us Try the Promise of God; but how? By Limiting the Lord, unto such or such a way of Manifesting Himself, or else believing of nothing at all. He would have us Try the Threatning of God; but how? By going on Impenitently in those things, for which the Wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience. Thus would the Devil have us, to affront the Majesty of Heaven every day.

:352p. 26–27¶7

VII. The Temptations of the Devil▪ aim at puffing and Bloating of us up, with Pride; as much perhaps as any one iniquity. The Devil would have had Our Lord make a Vain-glorious Discovery of himself unto the world, by Flying in the air, so as no mortal can. Hoe I•na•us […] the Devil would have us to fear aloft, and not only to be above other ⟨p. 27⟩men, but also to know that we are so. Pride is the Devils own sin; and he affects especially to be, The King over the Children of Pride, It is a caution, in 1. Tim. 3.6. A Pastor must not be A Novice; Lest being lifted up with Pride, He fall into the condemnation of the Devil. [Summo ac Pio cum Tremore Hunc Textum Legamus nos Ministri Juven•s!] Accordingly, the Devil would have us to be inordinately taken and moved with what Excellencies our God ha's bestowed upon us. If our Estates rise, he would have us rise in our Spirits too. If we have ben blessed with beauty, with breeding, with Honour, with Success, with Attire, with spiritual Privileges, or with Praise-worthy Performances; Now says the Devil, Think thy self better than other Men. Yea, the Devil, would have us arrogate unto ourselves, those Excellencies, which really we […] were owners of; and, Boast of a false g•st. He would have us moreover to Thirst after Applause among others that may see Our Excellencies; and be impatient if we are not accounted some-body. He would have us furthermore, to aspire after such a Figure, as God ha's never yet seen fitting for us; & crowd into some High Chair that becomes us not. Thus would the Devil Elevate us into the Air, above our Neighbours; and why so! Tis that we may be punished with such Falls, as may make us cry out with David, O my Bones are broken with my Falls! The Devil can't endure to see men lying in the Dust; because there is no falling thence. He is a Fallen Spirit himself, and it pleases him to see the Falls of men.

VII. The Temptations of the Devil▪ aim at puffing and Bloating of us up, with Pride; as much perhaps as any one iniquity. The Devil would have had Our Lord make a Vain-glorious Discovery of hims•lf unto the world, by Flying in the air, so as no mortal can. Hoe I•na•us 〈…〉 the Devil would have us to fear aloft, and not only to be above other ⟨p. 27⟩men, but also to know that we are so. Pride is the Devils own sin; and he affects especially to be, The King over the Children of Pride, It is a caution, in 1. Tim. 3.6. A Pastor must not be A Novice; Lest being lifted up with Pride, He fall into the condemnation of the Devil. [Summo ac Pio cum Tremore Hunc Textum Legamus nos Ministri Juven•s!] Accordingly, the Devil would have us to be inordinately taken and moved with what Excellencies our God ha's bestowed upon us. If our Estates rise, he would have us rise in our Spirits too. If we have ben blessed with beauty, with breeding, with Honour, with Success, with Attire, with spiritual Priviledges, or with Praise-worthy Performances; Now saies the Devil, Think thy self better than other Men. Yea, the Devil, would have us arrogate unto ourselves, those Excellencies, which really we 〈…〉 were owners of; and, Boast of a false g•st. He would have us moreover to Thirst after Applause among others that may see Our Excellencies; and be impatient if we are not accounted some-body. He would have us furthermore, to aspire after such a Figure, as God ha's never yet seen fitting for us; & croud into some High Chair that becomes us not. Thus would the Devil Elevate us into the Air, above our Neighbours; and why so! Tis that we may be punis••d with such Falls, as may make us cry out with David, O my Bones are broken with my Falls! The Devil can't endure to see men lying in the Dust; because there is no falling thence. He is a Fallen Spirit himself, and it pleases him to see the Falls of men.

:354p. 27–28¶1

I. The Devil in his Temptations will set the Delights of ⟨p. 28⟩this world before us; but he'll set a fair, and a false Varnish upon those Delights. They were some unknown Perspectives, which the Devil had, both for the Refracting of the Medium, and for the Magnifying of the Object, whereby he gave our Lord at once a prospect of the whole Roman Empire; but what was it? It was the World, and the Glory of it; he says not a word of the World, and the Trouble of it. No sure; not a word of that; the Devil will not have his […] so barely exposed unto us. The Devil sets off the Delights of Sin, which he offers unto us, with a stretched and a raised Rhetoric; but he will not own, That in the midst of our Laughter, our Heart shall be sorrowful; and, That the end of our Mirth shall be Hea•iness. There is but one Glass in the Spectacles, with which the Devil would have us to read, those passages in Eccl. 11.9. Rejoice, O young man in thy youth, and let thy Heart cheer thee in the Day of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes. Thus far the Devil would have us to Read, and he'll make many a fine Comment upon it; he'll tell us, That if we•l follow the Courses of the World, we shall swim in all the Delights of the World. But he is not willing you should Read out the next words; But know thou, that for all these things G•d shall bring thee into Judgment. O he's loth we should be aware of the dreadful Issues, and Reckonings that our Worldly Delights will be attended with. He sets before us, The Pleasures of Sin; but he will not say, T••se are but for a Season. He sets before us, The sweet Waters of Stealth; but he will not say, There is Death in the […]. He is a Mountebank, that will bestow nothing but Romantic Praises upon all that he makes us the Offers of.

I. The Devil in his Temptations will set the Delights of ⟨p. 28⟩this world before us; but he'l set a fair, and a false Varnish upon those Delights. They were some unknown Perspect•ves, which the Devil had, both for the Refracting of the Medium, and for the Magnifying of the Object, whereby he gave our Lord at once a prospect of the whole Roman Empire; but what was it? It was the World, and the Glory of it; he says not a word of the World, and the Trouble of it. No sure; not a word of that; the Devil will not have his 〈…〉 so barely expos'd unto us. The Devil sets off the Delights of Sin, which he offers unto us, with a stretch•ed and a raised Rhetoric; but he will not own, That in the midst of our Laughter, our Heart shall be sorrowful; and, That the end of our Mirth shall be Hea•iness. There is but one Glass in the Spectacles, with which the Devil would have us to read, those passages in Eccl. 11.9. Rejoyce, O young man in thy youth, and let thy Heart chear thee in the Daye of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes. Thus far the Devil would have us to Read, and he'l make many a fine Comment upon it; he'l tell us, That if we•l follow the Courses of the World, we shall swim in all the Delights of the World. But he is not willing you should Read out the next words; But know thou, that for all these things G•d shall bring thee into Judgment. O he's loth we should be aware of the dreadful Issues, and Reckonings that our Worldly Delights will be attended with. He sets before us, The Pleasures of Sin; but he will not say, T••se are but for a Season. He sets before us, The sweet Waters of Stealth; but he will not say, There is Dea•h in the 〈…〉. He is a Mountebank, that will bestow nothing but Romantic Praises upon all that he makes us the Offers of.

:355p. 28–29¶2

II. There are most Hellish Blasphemies often buzzed by the Temptation• of the Devil, into the minds of the best men alive. What a most Execrable Thing was here laid before our Lord Himself: Even, To own the Devil […] ⟨p. 29⟩God! a thing that cannot be uttered, without unutterable Horror of Soul. The best man on earth, may have such Fiery Darts from Hell shot into his mind. One that was acted by the Devil, had the impudence to propound this, unto such a good […], Curse God. And the Devil pleases himself, by ch•sing the Hearts of good men, with his base Injections, That there is no God, or, That God is not a Righteous God; and a thousand more such things, too Devilish to be mentioned A good man is extremely grieved at it, when he hears a Blasphemy from the mouth of another man; said the Psalmist, in Psal. 4•.15, 16. My Confusion is continually before me, for the voice of him that Blasphemeth. But much mor•, when a good man finds a Blasphemy in his own Heart; O it throws him into most Feverish Agonies of Soul. For this cause, a mischievous Devil, will Fly-blow the Heart of such a man, with such Blasphemous Thoughts, as make him cry out, Lord, I am even weary of my life. Yea, the Devil serves the man just as the Mistress of Joseph dealt with him; he importunes the man to Think wickedly from Day to Day; and if the man refuse, he cries out at last, Behold, what wicked Thoughts this man has lodging in him. Sayest thou so? Satan! No, they are Brats of thy own; and at thy Door alone shall they be laid for ever.

II. There are most Hellish Blasphemies often buzz'd by the Temptation• of the Devil, into the minds of the best men alive. What a most Execrable Thing was here laid before our Lord Himself: Even, To own the Devil 〈…〉 ⟨p. 29⟩God! a thing that cannot be uttered, without unutterable Horror of Soul. The best man on earth, may have such Fiery Darts from Hell shot into his mind. One that was acted by the Devil, had the impudence to propound this, unto such a good 〈…〉, Curse God. And the Devil pleases himself, by ch•sing the Hearts of good men, with his base Injections, That there is no God, or, That God is not a Righteous God; and a thousand more such things, too Devillish to be mentioned A good man is extreamly griev'd at it, when he hears a Blasphemy from the mouth of another man; said the Psalmist, in Psal. 4•.15, 16. My Confusion is continually before me, for the voice of him that Blasphemeth. But much mor•, when a good man finds a Blasphemy in his own Heart; O it throws him into most Fevourish Agonies of Soul. For this cause, a mischievous Devil, will Fly-blow the Heart of such a man, with such Blasphemous Thoughts, as make him cry out, Lord, I am e'n weary of my life. Yea, the Devil serves the man just as the Mistress of Joseph dealt with him; he importunes the man to Think wickedly from Day to Day; and if the man refuse, he cries out at last, Behold, what wicked Thoughts this man has lodging in him. Sayst thou so? Satan! No, they are Brats of thy own; and at thy Door alone shall they be laid for ever.

:356p. 29–30¶3

III. There is a sort of Witchcraft in those things, whereto the Temptations of the Devil would Inveigle us. To worship the Devil is Witchcraft, and under that notion was Our Lord urged unto sin. We are told in, 1. Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft: When the Devil would have us to sin, he would have us to do the things which the forlorn Witches use to do. Perhaps there are few persons, ever allured by the Devil unto an Explicit Covenant with himself. If any among ourselves be so, my counsel is, that you hunt the Devil from you, with such words as the Psalmist had, Be gone: Depart from […], ye evil Doers, for I will keep the Commandments of ⟨p. 30⟩my God. But alas, the most of men, are by the Devil, put upon doing the Things that are Analogous to the worst usages of Witches. The Devil says to the sinner, Despise thy Baptism, and all the Bond of it, and all the Good of it. The Devil says to the sinner, Come, cast off the Authority of God, and refuse the Salvation of Christ, for ever. Yea the Devil who is called, The God of this World, would have us to take Him for Our God; and rather hear Him, Trust Him, Serve Him, than the God that formed us.

III. There is a sort of Witchcraft in those things, whereto the Temptations of the Devil would Inveigle us. To worship the Devil is Witchcraft, and under that notion was Our Lord urged unto sin. We are told in, 1. Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft: When the Devil would have us to sin, he would have us to do the things which the forlorn Witches use to do. Perhaps there are few persons, ever allured by the Devil unto an Explicit Covenant with himself. If any among ourselves be so, my counsil is, that you hunt the Devil from you, with such words as the Psalmist had, Be gone: Depart from 〈…〉, ye evil Doers, for I will keep the Commandments of ⟨p. 30⟩my God. But alas, the most of men, are by the Devil, put upon doing the Things that are Analagous to the worst usages of Witches. The Devil saies to the sinner, Despise thy Baptism, and all the Bond of it, and all the Good of it. The Devil saies to the sinner, Come, cast off the Authority of God, and refuse the Salvation of Christ, for ever. Yea the Devil who is called, The God of this World, would have us to take Him for Our God; and rather hear Him, Trust Him, Serve Him, than the God that formed us.

:357p. 30–31¶4

IV. The Temptations of the Devil do Tug and Pull for nothing more, than that the Rulers of the World may yield Homage unto him. Our Lord has had this by His Father Engaged unto him, That He shall one day be Governor of the Nations The Devil do's extremely dread the Approach of that Illustrious time when, The Kingdom of God shall come and His Will be •one, as in Heaven, and on Earth. For this cause it was that he was desirous, Our Lord should rather have Accepted of him, that Kingdom, which Antichrist afterwards accepted of him, for the Establishment of Devil-worship, in the World. I may tell you, The Devil is mighty unwilling, that there should be one Godly Magistrate upon the face of the Earth. Such is the influence of Government, that the Devil will every where stickle mightily, to have That siding with him. What R••ers would the Devil have, to command all mankind, if he might have his will? Even, such as are called, in Psal. 94.20. The Thr••e of Iniquity, which frames mischief by a Law; such as will promote Vice, by both Connivance, and Example; and such as will Oppress all that shall be Holy, and Just and Good. All men have cause therefore, to be jealous, what Use the Devil may make of them, with reference to the Affairs of Government; but Rulers may most of all think, that the Lord Jesus from Heaven calls upon them, Satan ⟨p. 31⟩has desired that he might Sift you, and have you; O Look to it, what side […] Take.

IV. The Temptations of the Devil do Tug and Pull for nothing more, than that the Rulers of the World may yield Homage unto him. Our Lord has had this by His Father Engag'd unto him, That He shall one day be Governour of the Nations The Devil do's extreamly dread the Approach of that Illustrious time when, The Kingdome of God shall come and His Will be •one, as in Heaven, and on Earth. For this cause it was that he was desirous, Our Lord should rather have Accepted of him, that Kingdom, which Antichrist afterwards accepted of him, for the Establishment of Devil-worship, in the World. I may tell you, The Devil is mighty unwilling, that there should be one Godly Magistrate upon the face of the Earth. Such is the influence of Government, that the Devil will every where stickle migh•ily, to have That siding with him. What R••ers would the Devil have, to command all mankind, if he might have his will? Even, such as are called, in Psal. 94.20. The Thr••e of Iniquity, which frames mischief by a Law; such as will promote Vice, by both Connivance, and Example; and such as will Oppress all that shall be Holy, and Just and Good. All men have cause therefore, to be jealous, what Use the Devil may make of them, with reference to the Affairs of Government; but Rulers may most of all think, that the Lord Jesus from Heaven calls upon them, Satan ⟨p. 31⟩has desired that he might Sift you, and have you; O Look to it, what side 〈…〉 Take.

THE Devil Discovered

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

THE Devil Discovered