362 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [Jas. IV. 7.
1. The commerce between Satan and a sinner, and how he cometh to insinuate his temptations.
2. What it is to resist him, the purport and intent of this great duty.
3. The way and means of maintaining this war and conflict.
4. The most persuasive arguments and motives to engage us to the battle.
1. First, To begin with the first thing proposed ; that the devil hath a great hand in all sins, we cleared before. Over wicked men he hath almost as great a power as the Spirit of God over holy men. The same words are used to imply the cfl&cacy of Satan and the influence of the Spirit ; God ' worketh in us,' and Satan ' worketh in the chil- dren of disobedience,' Phil. ii. 13, evep'yelv ; Eph. ii. 3, evepyovvTo^;. The only difference is, the Spirit's works are creations ; they suppose and need no matter within. The Spirit, by a sweet and yet strong power, can compel the soul to assent or consent ; but not Satan ; ^ his advantage lieth in our own wickedness ; we do not resist him; he may solicit, but not compel.^ The Spirit of God giveth 'a new heart,' Ezek. xxxvi. 26 ; Prov. xxi. 1 ; but Satan hath a strong operation upon the wills and understandings of men by their consent. He worketh indeed by way of imperious suggestion, but without any violation and enforcement of man's will : upon the godly he worketh by way of imposture and deceit, upon the wicked by way of imperious command and sovereignty. He doth not only put into the heart such fancies and conceits as may stir up sensual and worldly lusts, but also such as may blind the spirit and understanding. Satan, that stirreth up some to uncleanness, stirreth up others to error and blasphemy ; therefore it is said, 2 Thes. ii. 9, that antichrist's ' coming is after the working of Satan in all deceivableness.' The communications of spirits are insensible and imperceptible. It is true we are most sensible of his force when tempted to bodily lusts, because they do most of all affright conscience, discompose reason, and oppress the body ; and because between every temptation and sin there is an intervening explicit thought to which the soul is conscious ; but insinuations of error are more silent and plausible. Satan sorteth every spirit with a proper bait; though he doth not know the heart, yet, being of a spiritual nature and essence, he can the more easily insinuate with our under- standing and affections. The scriptures everywhere intimate that great height of understanding and policy which is in the evil spirits ; therefore we read of their ' snares,' 2 Tim. ii. 26 ; ' methods,' Eph. vi. 11; ' devices,' voTjfxara, 2 Cor. ii. 11: all which words imply a great deal of cunning and dexterity, which is much increased by experience and observation : he ' considered Job,' Job ii. 5. They observe and consider us, and know how to suit the bait, partly by supposition and conceit, as imagining by what corrupt aims most men live ; partly by external signs ; they observe our prayers, discourses, passions, the motions of the bodily spirits ; can interpret the silent language of a
^ ' Infirmus hostia est qui non potest vincere nisi volentem.' — Ilieron. ad Deoietriadem.
- ' Diabolus suadere et sollicitare potest, cogere omnino non potest ; non enim diabolus cogendo sed suadendo nocet, nee extorquet a nobis conscnsum sad petit.' — Avr/. lib. v. Lorn. 12.
JaS. IV. 7.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 363
blush, a smile, a frown, a look, the glance of a lustful eye, the gait and carriage of the body. Now, to work upon us, they use sometimes the ministry and subserviency of men, as our nearest friends ; so he made use of Peter to Christ, Mat. xvi. 23 ; or of cursed deceivers, 2 Cor. xi. 15. Sometimes he maketh use of our own bodies ; by the outward commotion of the humours he stirreth up to revenge, un- cleanness, passion, and all sensual lusts ; and therefore you had need keep the body in a good frame, that the liumours of it be not armed against your souls. Sometimes by presenting the object, as he dealt with Christ, representing the world's glory to him in a map or land- scape ; so he stirreth up lust by the eye : 2 Peter ii. 14, ' Eyes full of adultery;' in the original, //ot;)^aA,/So9, ' of the adulteress.' Objects are first presented, then he causeth them to dwell upon the fancy, till the heart be ensnared. Sometimes through the immission of thoughts, through the help of fancy : this must needs be one way ; how should the devil else tempt to despair, or to spiritual sins, or blind the mind by carnal imaginations and conceits, and obstinate prejudices against the truth ? And these thoughts, once immitted, may be continued into a discourse or dispute, and the devil, guessing at the answer, may come on with a reply ; therefore we find that he setteth on Christ with new temptations, because he had received so full an answer.
2. Secondly, The next question is to show what it is to resist him. I answer — (1.) Negatively, we must not fear him ; the devil hath no enforcing power, but only a persuading sleight. > Distrustful fear giveth him advantage. We are to ' resist him steadfast in the faith,' 1 Peter V. 10. And again, we must not ' give place to him,' Eph. iv. 27. Anger may make way for malice ; and when the first risings of sin are not grievous, the accomplishment of it is not far off. (2.) Positively; so we must manifest our resistance, partly by refusing to commune with him. Sometimes he must be checked with a mere rebuke and abomination ; as when the temptation tendeth to a direct withdrawment from obedience, it is enough to say, ' Get thee behind me, Satan,' and to chide the thought ere it be settled ; so Ps. xi. 1, * How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to yonder mountain ? ' He abominateth the motion ; as if he had said, Avaunt, evil thoughts ! &c. Sometimes we must oppose gracious reasons and considerations ; as when the temptation hath taken any hold upon the thoughts, and corruption riseth up in the defence of the suggestion, this is called a *' withstanding in the evil day,' and a ' quenching of his fiery darts,' Eph. vi. 13-16.