Satan’s Devices.
2 CORINTHIANS ii. 11.
_Lest Satan should get an advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his devices._
THE occasion of these words was as follows: In the church of _Corinth_ there was an unhappy person, who had committed such incest, as was not so much as named among the _Gentiles_, in taking his father’s wife; but either on account of his wealth, power, or some such reasons, like many notorious offenders now-adays, he had not been exposed to the censures of the church. St. _Paul_, therefore, in his first epistle, severely chides them for this neglect of discipline, and commands them, “in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, when they were gathered together, to deliver such a one, whoever he was, to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that his Spirit might be saved in the day of the LORD;” that is, they should solemnly excommunicate him; which was then commonly attended with some bodily disease. The _Corinthians_, being obedient to the Apostle, as dear children, no sooner received this reproof, but they submitted to it, and cast the offending party out of the church. But whilst they were endeavouring to amend one fault, they unhappily ran into another; and as they formerly had been too mild and remiss, so now they behaved towards him with too much severity and resentment. The Apostle, therefore, in this chapter, reproves this, and tells them, that “sufficient to the offender’s shame, was the punishment which had been inflicted of many:” that he had now suffered enough; and that, therefore, lest he should be tempted to say with _Cain_, “My punishment is greater than I can bear;” or to use the Apostle’s own words, “Lest he should be swallowed up with over-much sorrow;” they ought, now he had given proof of his repentance, to forgive him, to confirm their love towards him, and so restore him in the spirit of meekness; “Lest Satan, (to whose buffetings he was now given, by tempting him to despair) should get an advantage over us:” and so, by representing you as merciless and cruel, cause that holy name to be blasphemed, by which you are called; “for we are not ignorant of his devices:” we know very well how many subtle ways he has to draw aside and beguile unguarded unthinking men.
Thus then, stand the words in relation to the context; but as Satan has many devices, and as his quiver is full of other poisonous darts, besides those which he shoots at us to drive us to despair, I shall, in the following discourse,
_First_, Briefly observe who we are to understand by Satan. And,
_Secondly_, Point out to you, what are the chief devices he generally makes use of, to draw off converts from CHRIST, and also prescribe some remedies against them.
_First_, Who are we to understand by Satan?
The word _Satan_, in its original signification, means an adversary; and in its general acceptation, is made use of, to point out to us the chief of the devils, who, for striving to be as GOD, was cast down from heaven, and is now permitted, “with the rest of his spiritual wickednesses in high places, to walk up and down, seeking whom he may devour.” We hear of him immediately after the creation, when in the shape of a serpent, he lay in wait to deceive our first parents. He is called Satan, in the book of _Job_, where we are told, that “when the sons of GOD came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan also came amongst them.” As the scripture also speaketh in the book of _Chronicles_; “and Satan moved _David_ to number the people.” In the New Testament he goes under different denominations; sometimes he is called the _evil One_, because he is evil in himself, and tempts us to evil. Sometimes, “the Prince of the power of the air;” and, “the Spirit that now ruleth in the children of disobedience;” because he resides chiefly in the air, and through the whole world: and all that are not born of GOD, are said to lie in him.
He is an enemy to GOD and goodness; he is a hater of all truth: Why else did he slander GOD in paradise? Why did he tell _Eve_, “You shall not surely die?” And why did he promise to give all the kingdoms of the world, and the glories of them, to JESUS CHRIST, if he would fall down and worship him?
He is full of malice, envy, and revenge; for what other motives could induce him to molest innocent man in paradise? And why is he still so restless in his attempts to destroy us, who have done him no wrong?
He is a being of great _power_, as appears in his being able to act on the imagination of our blessed LORD, so as to represent to him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glories of them, in a moment of time. As also in carrying his sacred body through the air up to a pinacle of the temple; and his driving a herd of swine so furiously into the deep. Nay, so great is his might, that, I doubt not, was GOD to let him use his full strength, but he could turn the earth upside down, or pull the sun from its orb.