Chapter 6. A Brief Application of the Second Branch of the Point — Of Satan's Subtlety as a Troubler and Accuser for Sin

Use 1 IS Satan so subtile to trouble the Saints peace? this proves them to be the children of Satan, who show the same Art and subtilty in vexing the spirits of the Saints, as does their infernal father: not to speak of bloody Persecutors, who are the devils slaughter-slaves to butcher the Saints, but of those who more slily trouble and molest the Saints peace.

First, such as rake up the Saints old sins, which God has forgiven and forgotten, (meerly to grieve their spirits and bespatter their names,) these show their divellish malice indeed, who can take such pains to travel many years back, that they may finde a handful of dirt to throw on the Saints face. Thus Shimei twitted David,Come out you bloody man. When you that feare God meet with such reproaches, answer them as Beza did the Papists, who for want of other matter charged him for some wanton Poems penn'd by him in his youth, Hi homunciones invident mihi gratiam Dei. These men (said he) grudge me the pardoning mercy of God.

Secondly, such as watch for the Saints halting, and catch at every infirmity to make them odious and themselves merry. 'Tis a dreadful curse such bring upon themselves; (though they little think of it,) no lesse then Amaleks, the remembrance of whose name, God threatened to blot from under heaven; why, what had Amalek done to deserve this? they smote the hindermost, those that were feeble, and could not march with the rest. And was it so great a cruelty to do this? much more to smite with the edge of a mocking tongue the feeble in grace.

Thirdly, such who father their sins upon the Saints, thus Ahab calls the Prophet the Troubler of Israel, when it was himself and his fathers house. What a grief was it, think you to Moses his spirit, for the Israelites to lay the blood of those that died in the wilderness at his door? whereas (God knows) he was their constant Baile, when at any time Gods hand was up to destroy them: and this is the charge which the best of Gods servants in this crooked generation of ours lie under: We may thank them (say the profane) for all our late miseries in the Nation: we were well enough till they would reforme us. O for shame, blame not the good Physick that was administred, but the corrupt body of the Nation that could not bear it.

Fourthly, such as will themselves sin, meerly to trouble the Saints spirit. Thus Rabshakeh blasphemed, and when desired to speak in another language, he goes on the more to grieve them. Sometimes you shall have a profane wretch (knowing one to be consciencious, and cannot brook to hear the Name of God taken in vain, or the ways of God flouted,) will on purpose fall upon such discourse as shall grate his chaste eares, and trouble his gracious spirit, such a one strikes father and child at one blow, think it not enough to dishonour God, except the Saint stands by to see and heare the wrong done to his heavenly Father.

Use 2 Secondly, This may afford matter of admiration and thankfulnesse to any of you, (O ye Saints) who are not at this day under Satans hatches. Is he so subtile to disquiet, and have you any peace in your conscience? To whom are you beholden for that serenity that is on your spirit? to none but your God, under whose wing you sittest to warme and safe. Is there not combustible matter enough in your conscience for his sparks to kindle? Perhaps you have not committed such bloody sins as others: that's not the reason of your peace, for the least is big enough to damne, much more to trouble you. You have not grossely fallen (may be) since Conversion, that's rare, (if you beest of long standing) yet the ghosts of your unregenerate sins might walk in your conscience: you have had many testimonies of Gods favor, have you not? who more than David? yet he at a losse sometimes learning to spell his evidences, as if he could never have read them. The sense of Gods love comes and goes with the present tast. He that is in the dark (while there) sees not the more for former light. O bless God for that light which shines in at your window; Satan is plotting to undermine your comfort every day. This Thief sees your pleasant fruits as they hang, and his teeth water at them, but the wall is too high for him to climbe; your God keeps this Serpent out of your Paradise. 'Tis not the grace of God in you, but the favor of God, as a shield about you, defends you from the wicked one.

Use 3 Thirdly, let Satans subtilty to molest your peace, make you, (O Christian) more wise and wary, you have not a fool to deale with, but one that has wit enough to spill your comfort, and spoil your joy, if not narrowly watch't, this is the dainty bit he gapes for; 'tis not harder to keep the flies out of your Cup-boards in Summer, from tainting your provision, then Satan out of your consciences; many a sweet meal has he robbed the Saints of, and sent them supperlesse to bed; take heed therefore that he roams not yours away also.

First application: Is Satan so subtle in disturbing the saints' peace? Then those who show the same craft and subtlety in tormenting the saints' spirits are proving themselves to be children of their infernal father. I will say nothing here about bloody persecutors — Satan's instruments of violence to slaughter the saints — but rather about those who more quietly undermine and trouble the saints' peace.

First, those who dig up the saints' old sins — sins God has forgiven and forgotten — for no other purpose than to wound their spirits and stain their reputation. These reveal truly diabolical malice, going to the trouble of traveling many years into the past just to find a handful of dirt to throw in a saint's face. This is what Shimei did when he taunted David: "Get out, you man of bloodshed!" (2 Samuel 16:7). When you who fear God are met with such reproaches, answer them as Beza answered the Roman Catholics, who, lacking any other material against him, accused him of some flirtatious poems he had written in his youth. He replied: "These men begrudge me the pardoning mercy of God."

Second, those who watch for the saints to stumble and seize on every weakness to make them look contemptible and themselves amused. Such people bring a dreadful curse upon themselves without realizing it — no less than the curse on Amalek, whose very name God threatened to blot from under heaven. What had Amalek done to deserve this? They struck down those at the back of the march — the feeble ones who could not keep up with the rest. And was it so great a cruelty to do this physically? How much more cruel to strike the feeble in grace with the cutting edge of a mocking tongue.

Third, those who lay their own sins at the saints' door. Ahab called the prophet "the troubler of Israel" — when in fact it was he himself and his father's house who were the trouble (1 Kings 18:17-18). What grief do you think it caused Moses when the Israelites blamed the deaths in the wilderness on him — when God knew he had consistently pleaded as their guarantor every time God's hand was raised to destroy them? And this is the charge that the best of God's servants in our crooked generation face today. "We can thank them," say the ungodly, "for all our recent miseries. We were doing fine until they wanted to reform us." For shame — do not blame the good medicine that was administered. Blame the corrupt body of the nation that could not bear it.

Fourth, those who deliberately sin simply to trouble the saints' spirits. This is what Rabshakeh did — blaspheming openly, and when asked to speak in another language, going on all the more to torment them. Sometimes you will find a godless man — knowing full well that a certain person is conscientious and cannot bear to hear God's name taken in vain or God's ways mocked — who will deliberately choose exactly that kind of talk to scratch at that sensitive soul and trouble their gracious spirit. Such a person strikes both Father and child with one blow, as if disgracing God were not enough unless the saint is standing there to witness the insult done to his heavenly Father.

Second application: This should move you to wonder and gratitude, O saints who are not at this day under Satan's grip. He is so cunning at creating distress — and yet you have peace in your conscience? To whom do you owe that calm in your spirit? To no one but your God, under whose wing you sit — warm and safe. Is there not enough combustible material in your conscience for his sparks to ignite? Perhaps you have not committed the kind of terrible sins others have — but that is not the reason for your peace. The smallest sin is more than enough to condemn you, let alone to trouble you. Perhaps you have not fallen badly since your conversion — that is rare, if you have been walking with God for a long time. Yet the ghosts of your pre-conversion sins could haunt your conscience. You have received many proofs of God's favor — who more than David? And yet he was sometimes unable to read his own evidence, as though he had never learned. The sense of God's love comes and goes with present experience. The one who is in the dark, while he remains there, does not see any better for the light he once had. O bless God for the light that shines in through your window. Satan is plotting against your comfort every single day. This thief sees your pleasant fruit hanging on the branch, and his mouth waters for it — but the wall is too high for him to climb. Your God keeps this serpent out of your garden. It is not the grace of God within you, but the favor of God as a shield around you, that defends you from the evil one.

Third application: Let Satan's subtlety in attacking your peace make you, O Christian, more watchful and wise. You are not dealing with a fool — you are dealing with one who has more than enough cunning to spill your comfort and ruin your joy if you are not careful. The peace and joy of your conscience is the delicacy he is always reaching for. It is no easier to keep flies out of the pantry in summer — where they will spoil your food — than it is to keep Satan out of your conscience. He has robbed many saints of many a sweet season of peace, sending them to bed without the supper of God's comfort. Be careful that he does not steal yours as well.