preacheth to them " all hope, no fear ;" and so he deludes them with these golden dreams. Qnam multi cum vana spe descen- dunt ad inferos ! Aug. Presumption is Sa- j tan's draw-net, by which he drags millions I to hell ; Satan by this temptation, oft draws I the godly to sin ; they presume upon their ! privileges, or graces, and so venture on oc- casions of sin. Jehoshaphat twisted into a league of amity with king Ahab, presum- ing his grace would be antidote strong e- nough against the infection, 2 Chron. xviii. 3. Satan tempted Peter to presume upon his own strength, and when it came to a trial, he was foiled, and came off with shame. We had therefore need pray, ' that we may not be led into this temptation ;* and with David, " Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins," Ps. xix. 13. \lth Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to carry on his designs against us under the highest pretences of friendship ; he thus puts silver upon his bait, and dips his poi- soned pills in sugar. Satan doth, as some courtiers, make the greatest pretences of love, where they have the most deadly ha- tred. Joab's sword was ushered in with a kiss : " He kissed Abiier, and then smote him under the fifth rib." Satan puts off his lion's skin, and comes in sheep's cloth- ing,— he pretends kindness and friendship, — he would consult what might be for our good. Thus Satan came to Christ, " Com- mand that these stones be made bread," Mat. iv. 3. As if he had said to Christ, " I see thou art hungry, and here there is no table spread for thee in the wilderness ; I therefore, pitying thy condition, wish thee to get something to eat ; turn stones to bread, that thy hunger may be satisfied." But Christ spied the temptation, and with the sword of the Spirit wounded the old serpent. Thus S:itan came to Uve and tempted her under tlie notion of a friend : " Eat, saith he, of the forbidden fruit ; fitr the Lord knows, that, ' in the dav yo eat thereof, ye shall be as gods :' " as if he had said, " I persuade you only to that which will put you into a better condition tlian now you are ; eat of this tree, and it will make you omniscient, 'ye shall be as gods.'" What a kind devil was here ! But it was \ a subtle temptation, she greedily swallow-
OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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ing the bait, it niidld Iter and all her pos- terity. Let us fear liis falacious flatteries. Tvneo Danaos et donn fercntes.
\?,lh Siibtihy is, when Satan hath tempt- ed men to sin, lie persuades them to heep his counsel ; like them that have some foul dis- ease, they will rather die than tell the phy- fsician. It were wisdom, in case of sore temptation, to open one's mind to some ex- perienced Christian, whose counsel miijht ])e an antidote ajifainst the temptation ; but the danjTcr of a temptation lies in the conceal- ing: of it; it is like the concealing of a dis- temper, which may prove mortal. IIow had we need renew this petition, ' Lead us not into temptation !'
19//^ Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to make use of fit tools and engines, for the carrying on of his work ; that is, he makes use of such persons as may be likely means to promote his tem])ting designs. The devil lavs the plot of a temptation, and as it were cuts out the work, and then he employs others to finish it.
(1.) Satan makes use of such as are in places of dignity. Men of renown. lie knows, if he can get these on his side, they may draw others into snares; when the princes and heads of the tribes joined with Korah, they presently drew a multitude in- to the conspiracy, Numb. xvi. 2. 10.
(2.) The devil makes use of such to car- ry on his tempting designs, as are men of wit and parts ; such as, if it were possible, should deceive the very elect. He must have a great deal of cunning that shall per- suade a man to be out of love with his food ; the devil can make use of such heretical spirits as shall persuade men to be out of love with the ordinances of God, which they profess they have found comfort in. Many who once seemed to be strict fre- quenters of the house of God, are now per- suaded, by Satan's cunning instruments, to leave of all, and follow an i^ii^nus fatviif!, the light within them. This is a great subtilty of the devil, to make use of such cunning, Bubtle-pated men, as may be fit to carry on his tempting designs.
(3.) Satan makes use of bad company to
be instruments of tempting ; they draw
youth to sin. First, they persuade them to
ome into their company, — then to twist
into a cord of friendship, — then to drink with them, — and by degrees, debauch them. These are the devil's decoys to tempt o- thers.