Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan is, seri- ously to consider, Tltat he that now tempts thee to sin 'upon this ac- count, that repentance is easy, will, ere long, to ivork thee to despair, and for ever to break the neck of thy soul, present repentance as the diffcidtest and hardest work in the world ; and to this purpose he will set thy sins in order before thee, and make them to say, ' We are thine, and we must follow thee.'1 Now, Satan will help to work the soul to look up, and see God angry ; and to look inward, and to see conscience accusing and condemning ; and to look downwards, and see hell's mouth open to receive the impenitent soul : and all this to render the work of repentance impossible to the soul. What, saith Satan, dost thou think that that is easy which the- whole power of grace cannot conquer while we are in this world ? Is it easy, saith Satan, to turn from some outward act of sin to which thou hast been addicted ? Dost thou not remember that thou hast often complained against such and such particular sins, and resolved to leave them ? and yet, to this hour, thou hast not, thou canst not ? What will it then be to turn from every sin ? Yea, to mortify and cut off those sins, those darling lusts, that are as joints and members, that be as right hands and right eyes ? Hast thou not loved thy sins above thy Saviour? Hast thou not preferred earth before heaven? Hast thou not all along neglected the means of grace ? and despised the offers of grace ? and vexed the Spirit of grace 1 There would be no end, it I should set before thee the infinite evils that thou hast committed, and the innumerable good services that thou hast omitted, and the frequent checks of thy own conscience that thou hast contemned ; and therefore thou mayest well conclude that thou canst never repent, that thou shalt never repent. Now, saith Satan, do but a little con- sider thy numberless sins, and the greatness of thy sins, the foulness ot thy sins, the heinousness of thy sins, the circumstances of thy sins, and thou shalt easily see that those sins that thou thoughtest to be but motes, are indeed mountains ; and is it not now in vain to repent of them ? Surely, saith Satan, if thou shouldest seek repentance ami
1 Beda tells of a certain great man that was admonished in his sickness to repent, who answered that he would not repent yet ; for if he should recover, his companions would laugh at him ; hut, growing sicker and sicker, his friends pressed him again to repent, hut then he told them it was too late. Quia jam judicatus sum et condemnatus : For now, said he, I am judged and condemned.
As one Lamachus, a commander, said to one of his soldiers that was brought before him for a misbehaviour, who pleaded he would do so no more, saith he, Non licet in hello bis peccare, no man must offend twice in war ; so God will not suffer men often to neglect the day of grace.
38 PRECIOUS REMEDIKS [2 COR. II. 11.
grace with tears, as Esau, thou shalt not find it ; thy glass is out, thy sun is set, the door of mercy is shut, the golden sceptre is taken in, and now thou that hast despised mercy, shalt be for ever destroyed by justice. For such a wretch as thou art to attempt repentance, is to attempt a thing impossible. It is impossible that thou, that in all thy life couldst never conquer one sin, shouldst master such a number- less number of sins ; which are so near, so dear, so necessary, and so profitable to thee, that have so long bedded and boarded with thee, that have been old acquaintance and companions with thee. Hast thou not often purposed, promised, vowed, and resolved to enter upon the practice of repentance, but to this day couldst never attain it ? Surely it is in vain to strive against the stream, where it is so impos- sible to overcome ; thou art lost and cast for ever ; to hell thou must, to hell thou shalt. Ah, souls ! he that now tempts you to sin, by suggesting to you the easiness of repentance, will at last work you to despair, and present repentance as the hardest work in all the world, and a work as far above man as heaven is above hell, as light is above darkness. Oh that you were wise, to break off your sins by timely repentance. !
Now the seventh device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin is, Device (7). By making the soul bold to venture upon the occasions of sin. Saith Satan, You may walk by the harlot's door, though you won't go into the harlot's bed ; you may sit and sup with the drunkard, though you won't be drunk with the drunkard ; you may look upon Jezebel's beauty, and you may play and toy with Delilah, though you do not commit wickedness with the one or the other ; you may with Achan handle the golden wedge, though you do not steal the golden wedge, &c.
Now the remedies against this device of the devil are these : Remedy (1). The first remedy is, solemnly to dwell upon those scriptures that do expressly command us to avoid the occasions of sin, and the least appearance of evil : 1 Thes. v. 22, ' Abstain from all appearance of evil/ Whatsoever is heterodox, unsound, and un- savoury, shun it, as you would do a serpent in your way, or poison in your meat.2
Theodosius tare the Arian's arguments presented to him in writing, because he found them repugnant to the Scriptures ; and Austin retracted even ironies only, because they had the appearance of lying. When God had commanded the Jews to abstain from swine's flesh, they would not so much as name it, but in their common talk would call a sow another thing. To abstain from all appearance of evil, is to do nothing wherein sin appears, or which hath a shadow of sin. Bernard glosseth finely, ' Whatever is of evil show,3 or of ill report, that he may neither wound conscience nor credit.' We must shun and be shy of the very show and shadow of sin, if either we tender our credit abroad, or our comfort at home.
1 Repentance is a work that must be timely done, or utterly undone for ever. Aut pmnitendum aut pereundum.
1 Epiphanius saith that in the old law, when any dead body was carried by any house, they were enjoined to shut their doors and windows.
J Quicquid est male coloratum.
2 COR. II. 11.] AGAINST SATAN'S DEVICES. 39