3. Making misapplication of it to other purposes.
First, It is a great policy in Satan, to blind the understandings of men, by hindering and preventing the reception of gospel-light, which he doth especially these five ways ;
First, By tempting the dispensers of the gospel to darken the truths thereof, in the delivering of them, to shoot over the heads of their hearers, in lofty language and terms of art, so that com- mon understandings can give no account, when the sermon is done, what the preacher would have ; but, however, commend him for a good scholar, and an excellent orator. I make no doubt but the devil is very busy with ministers in their studies, tempting them, by the pride of their own hearts, to gratify his designs here- in ; he teaches them how to paint the glass, that he might keep out the light.
I acknowledge, a proper, grave, and comely stile, befits the lips of Christ's ambassadors ; they should not be rude and careless in their language, or method. But this affectation of great swell- ing words of vanity, is but too like the proud Gnostics, whom the apostle is supposed to tax for this evil, Jude ver. 16. " This is to " darken counsel by words without knowledge," Job xxxi. 2. To amuse and bemist poor ignorant souls, and nullify the design of preaching : for every thing is accounted so far good, as it is good to the end it is ordained for. A sword that hath an hilt of gold, set thick with diamonds, is no good sword, if it hath no edge to cut, or want a good back to follow home the stroke. O that the ministers of Christ would chuse rather * sound, than great words, such as are apt to pierce the heart, rather than such as tickle the fancy ; and let people beware of furthering the design of Satan against their own souls, in putting a temptation upon their minis- ters, by despising plain preaching. The more popular, plain, and intelligible our discourses are, so much the more probable they are to be successful ; that is the most excellent oratory, that persuades men to Christ.
Secondly, Satan hinders the access of light to the understandings of men, by employing their minds about impertinent things, while
* They who speak in a popular, plain, and simple manner, are the best instructors of the people. Bucholtz.
SERM. "XXXIV. THE METHOD OF GHACE. 459
they are attending upon the ordinances of God ; thus lie tempted them, in Ezek. xxxiii. 31* 32. "And they come unto thee as the " people cometh, and they sit before thee, as my people ; and " they hear thy words, but they will not do them ; for with their " mouth they shew much love, but their heart gocth after their " covetousness. And lo ! thou art unto them as a very lovely song " of one that hath a pleasant voice.'" The modulation of the pro- phet's voice was very pleasing to their ears, but mean while their fancies and thoughts were wandering after their lusts ; their hearts were full of earthly projects.
Thirdly, Satan hinders the access of light to the understandings of men, by raising objections, and picking quarrels with the word, on purpose to shake its authority, and hinder the assent of the un- derstanding to it, and so the word makes no more impression than a fable, or a romance would do. And never did this design of Satan obtain more than in this atheistical age, wherein the main pillars and foundation of religion are shaken in the minds of mul- titudes. The devil hath persuaded many, that the gospel is but a cunningly-devised fable ; Jabula Christi, as that blaspheming pope called it ; that ministers must say something to get a living. That heaven and hell are but fancies, or at most things of great uncer- tainty, and doubtful credit. This being once obtained, the door of the soul is shut against truth. And this design of Satan hath prospered the more in this generation, by the corrupt doctrines of seducing spirits, " Which have overthrown the faith of some," 2 Tim. ii. 18. And partly from the scandalous lives of loose and vain professors, the gospel hath been brought into contempt ; but especially by Satan's artificial improvement of the corrupt natures of men in an age wherein conscience hath been so much de- bauched, and Atheism thereby spread as a gangrene in the body politic.
Fourthly, Satan hinders the access of light, by helping erroneous minds to draw false conclusions and perverse inferences from the great and precious truths of the gospel ; and thereby bringing them under prejudice and contempt : Thus he assists the errors of men's minds about the doctrine of election : when he either persuades them, that it is an unreasonable doctrine, and not worthy of cre- dit, that God should chuse some, and refuse others every way as good as those he hath chosen ; or, if there be any certainty in that doctrine, then men may throw the reins upon the neck of their lusts, and live at what rate they list ; for if God hath chosen them to salvation, their wickedness shall not hinder it ; and if he have appointed them unto wrath, their diligence and self-denial cannot prevent it.
Thus the doctrine of free grace is by the like sophistry of Satan
460 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
turned into lasciviousness. If grace abound, men may sin the more freely ; and the shortness of our time upon earth, which in its own nature awakens all men to diligence, is, by the subtilty of Satan, turned to a quite contrary purpose, " Let us eat and drink, for to- " morrow we die."
Fifthly, Satan darkens the minds of men, and shuts them up against the light, by blowing them up with pride and self-conceit- edness, persuading them that they know all these things already, and causing them to contemn the most weighty and precious tiuths of God, as trite and vulgar notions. The word cannot be received without meekness and humility of mind, James i. 91. Psal. xxv. 8, 9. and pride is the nurse of ignorance, 1 Tim. vi. 4. 1 Cor. viii. 7. The devil is aware of this, and therefore blows up the pride and conceitedness of men's hearts all that he can : And this temp- tation of his generally prevails wherever it meets with a knowing head, matched with a graceless and unsanctified heart. And thus we see by what wiles and policies Satan keeps out the light, and prevents the access of it to the minds of men.
But if he miss his design here, and truth gets into the mind, Then
Secondly ', He labours to obstruct the efficacy and operation of the light ; and though it do shine into the understanding, yet it shall be imprisoned there, and send down no converting influences upon the will and affections : And this design he promotes and manages divers wavs.