1 Rom. xvi. '20, ri/vrj/x^u, from vvfrpifia. The Greek word signifies to break or crush a tiling to pieces. Being applied to the feet, it noteth that breaking or crushing which is by stamping upon a thing.
s The philosopher had a ball of brass in his hand, which, if he chanced to sleep with, the fall into a basin awaked him to his studies. You are wise, and know how to apply it.
8 Malice cares not what it saith or doth, so it may kill or gall.
2 Cor. II. 11.] against satan's devices. 157
his own goods in the house of him whom he hateth, and then accuse him for the stealth of them.1 So doth Satan, out of malice to the souls of men, hide his goods, his wares, as I may say, in the souls of men, and then go and accuse them before the Lord ; and a thousand, thousand other ways Satan's malice, envy, and enmity puts him upon, eternally to undo the precious souls of men, &c.
Reason (3). The third reason is drawn from that long experience that Satan hath had. He is a spirit of mighty abilities ; and his abilities to lay snares before us are mightily increased by that long standing of his. He is a spirit of above five thousand years' standing. He hath had time enough to study all those ways and methods which tend most to ensnare and undo the souls of men. And as he hath time enough, so he hath made it his whole study, his only study, his constant study, to find out snares, depths, and stratagems, to entangle and over- throw the souls of men. When he was but a young serpent, he did easily deceive and outwit our first parents, Gen. iii. ; but now he is grown that ' old serpent,' as John speaks, Kev. xii. 9, he is as old as the world, and is grown very cunning by experience.
Reason (4). The fourth reason is, In judgment to the men of the world, that they may stumble and fall, and be ensnared for ever. Wicked men that withstand the offers of mercy, and despise the Spirit of grace, that will not open, though God knocks never so hard by his word and rod, by his Spirit and conscience, are given up by a hand of justice, to be hardened, deceived, and ensnared by Satan, to their ever- lasting ruin, 1 Kings xxii. 23. And what can be more just than that they should be taken and charmed with Satan's wiles, who have fre- quently refused to be charmed by the Spirit of grace, though he hath charmed never so wisely, and never so sweetly, &c. ?
Reason (5). The fifth reason is, That the excellency and power of God's grace may be more illustrated and manifested, by making men able to grapple with this mighty adversary, and that notwithstanding all the plots, devices, and stratagems of Satan, yet he will make them victorious here, and crown them with glory hereafter. The greater and the subtler the enemies of the children of Israel were, the more did divine power, wisdom, and goodness, sparkle and shine ; and that, notwithstanding all their power, plots, and stratagems, &c, yet to Canaan he would bring them at last. When Paul had weighed this, he sits down and glories in his infirmities and distresses and Satan's buffetings, that the power of Christ might rest upon him, 2 Cor. xii. 7-9.
The use of the point.
If Satan hath such a world of devices and stratagems to ensnare and undo the souls of men, then, instead of wondering that so few are saved, sit down and wonder that any are saved, that any escape the snares of this cunning fowler, who spreads his nets and casts forth his baits in all places, in all cases and companies.
But this is not the main thing that I intend to speak to ; my main business shall be, to set before you some special rules and helps against all his devices.
1 An envious heart and plotting head are inseparable companions.
158 PRECIOUS REMEDIES [2 CoR. II. 11.
The first help. If you would not be taken by any of Satan's devices, then ovalk by rule.1 He that walks by rule, walks most safely ; he that walks by rule, walks most honourably ; he that walks by rule, walks most sweetly. When men throw off the word, then God throws off them, and then Satan takes them by the hand, and leads them into snares at his pleasure. He that thinks himself too good to be ruled by the word, will be found too bad to be owned by God ; and if God do not, or will not own him, Satan will by his stratagems overthrow him. Them that keep to the rule, they shall be kept in the hour of tempta- tion. ' Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth,' Rev. iii. 10.
The second Itelp. As you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, take heed of vexing and grieving the Holy Spirit of God.2 It is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that is best able to discover Satan's snares against us ; it is only he that can point out all his plots, and discover all his methods, and enable men to escape those pits that he hath digged for their precious souls. Ah ! if you set that sweet and blessed Spirit a-mourning, that alone can secure you from Satan's depths, by whom will you be secured ? Man is a weak creature, and no way able to discover Satan's snares, nor to avoid them, unless the Spirit of the Lord gives skill and power ; therefore, whoever be grieved, be sure the Spirit be not grieved by your enormities, nor by your refu- sing the cordials and comforts that he sets before you, nor by slighting and despising his gracious actings in others, nor by calling sincerity hypocrisy, faith fancy, &c, nor by fathering those things upon the Spirit, that are the brats and fruits of your own hearts.3 The Spirit of the Lord is your counsellor, your comforter, your upholder, your strengthener. It is only the Spirit that makes a man too great for Satan to conquer. ' Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,' 1 John iv. 4.
The third help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, then labour for more heavenly ivisdom* Ah, souls ! you are much in the dark, you have but a little to that others have, and to that you might have had, had you not been wanting to yourselves. There are many knowing souls, but there are but a few wise souls. There is oftentimes a great deal of knowledge, where there is but a little wis- dom to improve that knowledge. Knowledge without wisdom is like mettle in a blind horse, which often is an occasion of the rider's fall, and of his bones being jostled against the walls.5 It is not the most knowing Christian, but the most wise Christian, that sees, avoids, and escapes Satan's snares. ' The way of life is above to the wise,' saith Solomon, ' that he may depart from hell beneath,' Prov. xv. 24«. Heavenly wisdom makes a man delight to fly high ; and the higher any man flies, the more ho is out of the reach of Satan's snares.6 Ah, souls ! you
1 Prov. xii. 24; Gal. vi. 16.
2 Spiritus sanclus est res delicata, the Divine Spirit is a very tender thing : if you grieve him, he will certainly grieve and vex your precious souls, Lam. i. 16.