First, Our offensive arms are to be used, 1. Against the power of sin within us; and all its advantages and helps: for while Satan ruleth and possesseth us within, we shall never well oppose him without. 2. Against sin in others, as far as we have opportunity. 3. Against the credit and honour of sin in the world: as the devil's servants would bring light and holiness into disgrace, so Christ's servants must cast disgrace and shame upon sin and darkness. 4. Against all the reasonings of sinners, and their subtle fallacies, whereby they would deceive. 5. Against the passions and violent lusts which are the causes of men's other sins. 6. Against the holds and helps of sin, as false teachers, profane revilers, ignorance, and deceit. Only take heed that on this pretence we step not out of our ranks and places, to pull down the powers of the world by rebellions: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal," 2 Cor. x. 4.
Secondly, As to our defence, I. The ends of the tempter which must be perceived, are these: In general, his aim is at our utter ruin and damnation, and to draw us here to dishonour God as much as he can. But, especially, his aim is to strengthen the great heart sins, which are most mortal, and are the root, and life, and spawners of the rest: especially these: 1. Ignorance, which is the friend and cloak to all the rest. 2. Error, which will justify them. 3. Unbelief, which keeps off all that should oppose them. 4. Atheism, profaneness, unholiness, which are the defiance of God and all his armies. 5. Presumption, which emboldeneth them, and hides the danger. 6. Hardness of heart, which fortifieth them against all the batteries of grace. 7. Hypocrisy, which maketh them serve him as spies and intelligencers in the army of Christ. 8. Disaffection to God and his ways and servants, which is the devil's colours. 9. Unthankfulness, which tends to make them unreconcilable and unrecoverable. 10. Pride, which commandeth many regiments of lesser sins. 11. Worldliness, or love of money and wealth, which keepeth his armies in pay. 12. Sensuality, voluptuousness, or flesh-pleasing, which is the great commander of all the rest.[108] For selfishness is the devil's lieutenant-general, which consisteth chiefly in the three last named, but especially in pride and sensuality. Some think that it is outward sins that bring all the danger; but these twelve heart sins, which I have named to you, are the twelve gates of the infernal city, which Satan loveth above all the rest.
II. The matter and grounds of his temptations are these: 1. The devil first worketh upon the outward sense, and so upon the sensitive appetite: he showeth the cup to the drunkard's eye, and the bait of filthy lust to the fornicator, and the riches and pomp of the world to the covetous and proud. The glutton tasteth the sweetness of the dish which he loveth. Stage-plays, and tempting sports, and proud attire, and sumptuous buildings, and all such sensual things, are the baits by which the devil angleth for souls. Thus Eve first saw the fruit, and then tasted, and then did eat. Thus Noah, and Lot, and David sinned. Thus Achan saith, Josh. vii. 21, "I saw (the garments, silver, and gold) I coveted them, and I took them." The sense is the door of sin.
2. The tempter next worketh on the fantasy or imagination, and prints upon it the loveliest image of his bait that possibly he can, and engageth the sinner to think on it, and to roll it over and over in his mind, even as God commandeth us to meditate on his precepts.
3. Next he worketh by these upon the passions or affections: which fantasy having inflamed, they violently urge the will and reason; and this according to the nature of the passion, whether fear or hope, sorrow or joy, love or hatred, desire or aversion; but by none doth he work so dangerously as by delight, and love, and desire of things sensual.
4. Hence he proceedeth to infect the will, (upon the simple apprehension of the understanding,) to make it inordinately cleave to the temporal good, and to neglect its duty in commanding the understanding to meditate on preserving objects, and to call off the thoughts from the forbidden thing: it neglecteth to rule the thoughts and passions according to its office and natural power.
5. And so he corrupteth the understanding itself, first to omit its duty, and then to entertain deceit, and to approve of evil: and so the servant is put into the government, and the commanding powers do but serve it. Reason is blinded by sensuality and passion, and becomes their servant, and pleads their cause.