Chapter 7. Of Satan's Plot to Defile the Christian's Spirit with Heart-Sins

THat these wicked Spirits do chiefly annoy the Saints with, and provoke them to spiritual sins. Sins may be called spiritual upon a double account; either from the subject wherein they are acted, or from the object about which they are conversant.

First, in regard of the subject; when the spirit or heart is the stage whereon sin is acted, this is a spiritual sin; such are all impure thoughts, vile affections and desires; though the object be fleshly lust, yet are spiritual sins, because they are purely acts of the soul and spirit, and break not forth unto the outward man.

Secondly, in regard of the object, when that is spiritual and not carnal, such as are idolatry, errour, spiritual pride, unbelief, &c. both which Paul calls the filthinesse of the spirit, and distinguishs them from filthinesse of the flesh, 2 Corinthians 7:1.

SECT. I.

First, of the first, Satan labors what he can to provoke the Christian to heart-sins▪ to stirre up and foment these inward motions of sin in the Christians bosome; hence it is he can go about no duty but these (his Impes I may call them) haunt him, one motion or other darts in to interrupt him, as Paul tells us of himselfe, When he would do good, evil was present with him; if a Christian should turne back, when ever these crosse the way of him, he should never go on his journey to heaven. It is the chief game the devil has left to play against the children of God; now his field-army is broken, and his commanding power taken away which he had over them, to come out of these his holds where he lies sculking, and fall upon their rear with these suggestions. He knows his credit now is not so great with the soul, as when it was his slave; then no drudgery work was so base that it would not do at his command, but now the soul is out of his bondage, and he must not think to command anothers servant as his own: No, all he can do is to watch the fittest season (when the Christian least suspects) and then to present some sinful motion handsomely drest up to the eye of the soul, that the Christian may (before he is aware) take this brat up and dandle it in his thoughts, till at last he makes it his own by embracing it; and this he knowes will defile the soul, and may be this boy sent in at the window may open the door to let in a greater thief; or if he should not so prevaile, yet the guilt of these heart-sins, yea their very neighbor-hood will be a sad vexation to a gracious heart, whose nature is so pure that it abhorres all filthinesse (so that to be haunted with such motions is, as if a living man should be chain'd to a stinking carcase, that where ever he goes he must draw that after him) and whose love is so dear to Christ that it cannot bear the company of those thoughts without amazement and horrour, which are so contrary and abusive to his beloved. This makes Satan so desirous to be ever raking in the unregenerate part, that as a dunghil stirr'd it may offend them both with the noisome streames which arise from it.

SECT. II.

Use 1 First, let this be for trial of your spiritual state. What entertainment findes Satan when he comes with these spirituals of wickedness, and solicites you to dwell on them? can you dispense with the filthinesse of your spirit, so your hands be clean? or do you wrestle against these heart-sins as well as others? I do not ask whether such guests come within your door, for the worst of sins may be found in the motions of them, not only passing by the door of a Christian, but looking in also, as holy motions may be found stirring in the bosome of wicked men: but I ask you whether you can finde in your heart to lodge these guests and bid them welcome. 'Tis like you would not be seen to walk in the street with such company, not lead a whore by the hand through the Town, not violently break open your neighbors house to murder or rob him: but can you not under your own roofe, in the withdrawing room of your soul let your thoughts hold up an unclean lust, while your heart commits speculative folly with it? can you not draw your neighbor into your den, and there rend him limb from limb by your malice, and your heart not so much as cry murder, murder? In a word can you hide any one sin in the vance roofe of your heart, there to save the life of it when enquired after by the Word and Spirit, as Rahab hid the spies, and sent the King of Jerichoes messengers to pursue them, as if they had been gone? Perhaps you can say, the adulterer, the murderer is not here, you have sent these sins away long ago, and all this while you hidest them in the love of your soul; know it or you shalt another day know it to your cost, you are stark naught. If there were a spark of the life of God or the love of Christ in your bosome, though you could not hinder such motions in your soul, yet you would not conceale them, much lesse nourish them in your bosome; when over-powered by them you would call in help from heaven against these destroyers of your soul.

Use 3 Secondly, show your loyalty, O ye Saints, to God by a vigorous resistance of, and wrestling against these spirituals of wickedness. First, consider, Christian, heart-sins are sins as well as any; The thought of foolishnesse is sin, Proverbs 24:9. Mercury is poison in the water distill'd, as well as in the grosse body. Uncleannesse, covetousnesse, murder, are such in the heart as well as in the outward act; every point of hell, is hell. Secondly, consider your spirit is the seat of the holy Spirit. He takes up the whole heart for his lodging, and 'tis time for him to be gone when he sees his house let over his head. Defile not your spirit, till you are weary of his company. Thirdly, consider, there may be more wickedness in a sin of the heart, then of the hand and outward man; for the aggravation of these is taken from the behavior of the heart in the act. The more of the heart and spirit is let out, the more malignity is let in to any sinfull act. To back-slide in heart, is more than to back-slide; 'tis the comfort of a poor soul when tempted and troubled for his relapses, that though his foot slides back, yet his heart turnes not back, but faceth Heaven and Christ at the same time; so to erre in the heart, is worse then to have an errour in the head; therefore God aggravates Israels sin with this, They do alwayes erre in their heart. Their hearts runne them upon the errour, they liked idolatry, and so were soon made to believe what pleased them best. As on the contrary, the more of the heart and spirit is in any holy service, the more real goodnesse there is in it, though it fll short of others in the outward expression. The widowes two mites surpassed all the rest, Christ himselfe being judge; so in sin, though the internal acts of sin in thoughts and affections seem light upon mans balance if compared with outward acts, yet these may be so circumstanciated that they may exceed the other in Gods account; Peter layes the accent of Magus his sin on the wicked thought, which his words betrayed to be in his heart, Pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven, Act. 8.22. Sauls sin in sparing Agag, and saving the best of the sheep and oxen, which he was commanded to destroy, was materially a farre lesse sin then Davids adultery and murder, yet it is made equal with a greater than both, even witchcraft it selfe, 1 Samuel 15:23. and whence receiv'd his sin such a dye, but from the wickedness of his heart, that was worse then Davids when deepest in the temptation? Fourthly, if Satan get into your spirit and defile it, O how hard will you finde it to stay there? you have already sipt of his broth, and now are more likely to be overcome at last to sit down and make your full meale of that, which by tasting has vitiated your palate already. It were strange if while you are musing and your heart hot with the thoughts of lust, the fire should not break forth at your lips, or worse.

Quest. But what help have we against this sort of Satans temptations?

Answ. I suppose you a Christian, that makest this question; and if you do it in the plainnesse of your heart it proves you one. Who besides will, or can desire in earnest to be eased of these guests? even when a carnal heart prayes for deliverance from them, he would be loath his prayer should be heard. Not yet Lord, the heart of such a one cries, as Austin confessed of himself. Sin is as truly the off-spring of the soul as children are of our bodies, and it findes as much favor in our eyes, yea more, for the sinner can slay a son to save a sin alive, Micah 6:7. and of all sins none are more made on then these heart sins.

First, because they are the first-born of the sinful heart, and the chiefest strength of the soul is laid out upon them.

Secondly, because the heart has more scope in them then in outward acts. The proud man is staked down oft to a short state, and cannot ruffle it in the world, and appear to others in that pomp he would; but within his own bosome he can set up a stage, and in his own foolish heart present himself as great a Prince as he pleass. The malicious can kill in his desires as many in a few minutes, as the Angel smote in a night of Senacheribs host. Nero thus could slay all Rome on the block at once.

Thirdly, these sins stay with the soul when the other leave it; when the sinner has cripled his body with drunkennesse and filthinesse. and proves miles emeritus, cannot follow the devils campany longer in those ways, then these cursed lusts will entertain the sinner with stories of his old pranks and pleasures. In a word, these inward lusts of the heart have nothing but the conscience of a Deity to quell them. Other sins put the sinner to shame before men, and as some that believed on Christ, durst not confesse him openly because they loved the praise of men, so there are sinners who are kept from vouching their lusts openly, for the same tenderness to their reputation; but here is no feare of that, if they can but forget that heaven sees them, or perswade themselves there is no danger from thence; the coast then is clear, they may be as wicked as they please. These make inward sins so hugg'd and embraced. If you therefore can find your heart set against these, I may venture to call you a Christian, and for your help against them,

First, be earnest with God in prayer to move and order your heart in its thoughts and desires. If the tongue be such an unruly thing that few can tame; O what is the heart where such a multitude of thoughts are flying forth as thick as bees from the hive, and sparks from the furnace! It is not in man, not in the holiest on earth to do this without divine assistance. Therefore we finde David so often crying out in this respect to order his steps in his Word, to unite his heart to his feare, to en[••]ine his heart to his testimonies. As a servant, when the child he tends is troublesome, and will not be ruled by him, calls out to the father to come to him, who no sooner speaks but all is whist with him; No doubt holy David found his heart beyond his skill or power, that makes him so oft do its errand to God. Indeed God has promised thus much to his children, to order their steps for them, Psalms 37:22. only he looks they should bring their hearts to him for that end. Commit your work to the Lord, and your thoughts shall be established, Proverbs 16:3. or ordered. Art you setting your face towards an Ordinance, where you are sure to meet Satan, who will be disturbing you with worldly thoughts, and may be worse? Let God know from your mouth where you are going, and what your feares are; never does the soul march in so goodly order, as when it puts it self under the conduct of God.

Secondly, set a strong guard about your outward senses: these are Satans landing places, especially the eye and the eare. Take heed what you importest at these; vaine discourse seldome passs without leaving some tincture upon the heart, as unwholesome aire inclines to putrefaction things sweet in themselves: so unsavoury discourse to corrupt the minde that is pure; look you breathest therefore in a clear aire. And for your eye, let it not wander, wanton objects cause wanton thoughts. Job knew his eye and his thoughts were like to go together, and therefore to secure one, he covenants with the other, Job 31, 1.

Thirdly, often reflect upon your self in a day, and observe what company is with your heart. A careful Master will ever and anon be looking into his work-house, and see what his servants are doing, and a wise Christian should do the same. We may know by the noise in the school, the Master is not there: much of the mis-rule in our bosomes ariss from the neglect of visiting our hearts. Now when you are parlying with your soul, make this threefold enquiry.

First, whether that which your heart is thinking on be good or evil. If evil and wicked, such as are proud, unclean, distrustful thoughts, show your abhorrency of them, and chide your soul sharply for so much as holding conference with them, of which nought can come, but dishonour to God, and mischief to your own soul, and stirre up your heart to mourn for the evil neighbor-hood of them, and by this you shalt give a testimony of your faithfulness to God. When David mourn'd for Abner, all Israel 'tis said understood that day, that it was not of the King to stay Abner: Your mourning for them will show these thoughts are not so much of you, as of Satan.

Secondly, if they be not broadly wicked, enquire whether they be not empty, frothy, vaine imaginations, that have no subserviency to the glory of God, your own good or others; and if so, leave not till you have made your selfe apprehensive of Satans designe on you in them; though such are not for your purpose, yet they are for his, they serve his turne to keep you from better. All the water is lost that runnes beside the mill, and all your thoughts are waste which help you not to do Gods work withal in your general or particular calling. The Bee will not sit on a flower where no honey can be suckt, neither should the Christian. Why sittest you here idle (you shouldest say to your soul) when you have so much to do for God and your soul, and so little time to dispatch it in?

Thirdly, if you findest they are good for matter your heart is busied about, then enquire whether they be good for time and manner, which being wanting they degenerate,

First, for the season; that is good fruit which is brought forth in its season. Christ liked the work his mother would have put him upon as well as her self, John 2. but his time was not come. Good thoughts and meditations misplaced, are like some interpretations of Scripture, good truths, but bad expositions; they fit not the place they are drawn from, nor these the time. To pray when we should hear, or be musing on the Sermon when we should pray, this is to rob God one way to pay him another.

Secondly, tarefully observe the manner. Your heart may meditate a good matter, and spoile it in the doing. You are may be musing of your sins, and affecting your heart into a sense of them, but so, that while you are stirring up your sorrow you weakenest your faith on the promise, that is your sin. He is a bad Chirurgion, that in opening a veine goes so deep that he cuts an artery, and lames the arme if not kills the man. Or you are thinking of your family and providing for that, this you oughtest to do and wert worse then an infidel if you neglectest, but may be these thoughts are so distracting and distrustfull as if there were no promise, no providence to relieve you. God takes this ill, because it reflects upon his care of you; O how near does our duty here stand to our sin! so much care is necessary ballast to the soul, a little more sinks it under the waves of unbeliefe; like some things very wholesome, but one degree more of hot or cold would make them poison.

These wicked spirits chiefly attack the saints with, and provoke them toward, spiritual sins. Sins may be called spiritual in two ways: either because of the subject in which they are committed, or because of the object they concern.

First, in terms of the subject: when the spirit or heart is the arena in which sin takes place, this is a spiritual sin. Impure thoughts, vile desires and passions — though their object may be something fleshly — are still spiritual sins, because they are purely acts of the soul and spirit and do not break out into outward action.

Second, in terms of the object: when the object itself is spiritual and not physical — idolatry, error, spiritual pride, unbelief, and similar sins. Paul calls both kinds 'defilement of the spirit,' distinguishing them from defilement of the flesh (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Section 1.

First, concerning the first kind: Satan does everything he can to provoke the Christian to heart-sins — to stir up and feed these inner movements of sin in the Christian's heart. This is why no matter what duty the Christian takes up, these (his imps, as I might call them) haunt him. One sinful impulse or another darts in to interrupt him, as Paul confessed of himself: 'When I want to do right, evil is present with me.' If a Christian stopped every time these crossed his path, he would never make progress on his journey to heaven. This is the chief tactic left to the devil against the children of God. Now that his full army is broken and his commanding power over them has been stripped away, he comes out of hiding and falls on their rear with these inward suggestions. He knows his influence over the soul is not what it was when it was his slave. Then, there was no work too degrading for the soul to do at his command. But now the soul is free of his bondage, and he cannot order another master's servant as if it were his own. All he can do is watch for the right moment — when the Christian is least on guard — and present some sinful impulse attractively dressed to the eye of the soul, hoping the Christian will pick up this brat and cradle it in his thoughts until at last he makes it his own by embracing it. Satan knows this will defile the soul. And perhaps this small visitor let in through the window will open the door to a larger thief. Even if he does not succeed that far, the guilt and mere presence of these heart-sins will be a painful disturbance to a gracious heart — whose nature is so pure that it recoils from all filth (so that being haunted by such impulses is like a living person chained to a rotting corpse, dragging it wherever he goes), and whose love for Christ is so dear that it cannot endure without horror thoughts that are so contrary to and abusive of his Beloved. This is why Satan is so eager to keep stirring up the unregenerate part — so that like a disturbed dunghill, the foul vapors rising from it may trouble the soul.

Section 2.

First application: Use this to test your spiritual condition. What kind of welcome does Satan find when he comes with these spiritual forms of wickedness and invites you to dwell on them? Can you make peace with the filthiness of your spirit as long as your hands are clean outwardly? Or do you wrestle against heart-sins as well as outward ones? I am not asking whether such visitors ever come to your door — the worst of sins can be found knocking at a Christian's door, and even peering in. Just as holy impulses can stir in the hearts of wicked people. What I am asking is whether you are willing to let these visitors in and make them welcome. You probably would not be seen walking down the street with such company, or publicly commit the most blatant crimes. But can you, in the private room of your own soul, take up some unclean lust in your thoughts and play with it there? Can you drag a neighbor into the den of your mind and tear him apart with malice — and your heart not even cry murder? In short: can you hide any sin in the attic of your heart to keep it alive when the Word and Spirit come searching — like Rahab hiding the spies and sending the king of Jericho's messengers the wrong way? Perhaps you can say the adulterer and the murderer are not there — you sent those sins away long ago. But all the while, you are hiding them alive in the love of your soul. Know it now, or you will know it at great cost another day: you are utterly corrupt. If there were a spark of the life of God or the love of Christ in your heart, even though you could not stop such impulses from coming, you would not conceal them — much less nurse them. When overwhelmed by them, you would call in help from heaven against these destroyers of your soul.

Second application: Show your loyalty to God, O saints, by vigorously resisting these spiritual forms of wickedness. First, consider: heart-sins are sins just as much as any other. 'The thought of foolishness is sin' (Proverbs 24:9). Mercury is poisonous whether diluted in water or in its concentrated form. Impurity, covetousness, and murder are fully present as sins in the heart as well as in the outward act. Every point of hell is still hell. Second, consider: your spirit is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. He takes up the whole heart as His home, and when He sees His house being rented out from over His head, it is time for Him to leave. Do not defile your spirit until you are ready to lose His company. Third, consider: there may be more wickedness in a sin of the heart than in an outward act, because the aggravating factor in any sin is determined by what the heart is doing in it. The more the heart and spirit are engaged, the more malice is present in the sinful act. To backslide in heart is worse than to backslide in action — the comfort for a poor soul troubled by relapse is that though his foot slipped, his heart did not turn back but still faced Christ. So to err in the heart is worse than to hold an error in the head. This is why God makes so much of Israel's sin: 'They always go astray in their heart' (Hebrews 3:10). Their hearts drove them into error — they liked idolatry, and so they were easily persuaded to believe whatever suited them. Conversely, the more of the heart and spirit is present in any holy act, the more genuine goodness there is in it — even if it falls short of others in outward expression. The widow's two coins surpassed everyone else, Christ Himself being the judge. So in sin: though inward acts of sin in thought and desire may seem light on human scales compared to outward acts, they may be so situated that God weighs them as greater. Peter puts the emphasis of Simon Magus's sin on the wicked thought that his words revealed: 'Pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you' (Acts 8:22). Saul's sin in sparing Agag and keeping the best sheep and cattle was materially a far lesser act than David's adultery and murder — yet it is equated with something greater than both: witchcraft itself (1 Samuel 15:23). Where did Saul's sin get that depth of stain, except from the wickedness of his heart, which was worse than David's even at his lowest point of temptation? Fourth, if Satan gets into your spirit and defiles it, you will find it very hard to stay there. You have already tasted what he offers, and that taste corrupts the appetite, making it all the more likely that you will eventually sit down to a full meal of what you have already sampled. It would be strange if, while your heart is burning with thoughts of lust, the fire did not eventually break out through your lips — or worse.

Question: But what help do we have against this kind of temptation from Satan?

Answer. I assume you are a Christian if you are asking this question — and if you are asking it from an honest heart, that very fact proves you are. Who else would genuinely want relief from these visitors? Even when a worldly heart prays for deliverance from them, it would be sorry to have the prayer answered. 'Not yet, Lord' — that is the secret cry of such a heart, as Augustine confessed of himself. Sin is as truly the offspring of the soul as children are of our bodies, and it finds just as much favor in our eyes — in fact, more. A sinner will sacrifice a child to keep a sin alive (Micah 6:7). And of all sins, none are more cherished than these heart-sins.

First, because they are the firstborn of the sinful heart, and the soul's greatest strength is poured into them.

Second, because the heart has more freedom in them than in outward acts. The proud man is often hemmed in and cannot display himself in the world with the pomp he desires. But within his own heart he can build a stage and cast himself as whatever great prince he pleases. The malicious man can slaughter in his imagination more in a few minutes than the angel killed of Sennacherib's army in a night. Nero could execute all of Rome on the chopping block of his heart at once.

Third, these sins stay with the soul when other sins no longer can. When the sinner has broken his body with drunkenness and filth and can no longer follow the devil's crowd in those ways, these corrupt inner desires will still entertain him with memories of his old pleasures. In short, these inward lusts of the heart have nothing to restrain them except the conscience that there is a God who sees. Other sins expose the sinner to human shame. Just as some who believed in Christ did not dare confess Him openly because they valued people's approval (John 12:42), so many sinners are kept from openly vouching for their lusts by the same concern for reputation. But with heart-sins, there is no such fear — if they can forget that heaven sees them, or persuade themselves there is no danger from that quarter, the coast is clear and they may be as wicked as they please. This is what makes inward sins so clung to and cherished. If you find your heart set against these things, I am confident in calling you a Christian. And for your help against them:

First, bring your heart earnestly to God in prayer, asking Him to govern and direct your thoughts and desires. If the tongue is such an unruly thing that few can tame it, what is the heart — where thoughts swarm out as thick as bees from a hive and sparks from a furnace? It is not in humanity — not even in the holiest person on earth — to manage this without divine help. This is why we find David so often crying out to God to order his steps in His Word, to unite his heart to fear God, to incline his heart toward God's testimonies. It is like a servant who finds the child he is caring for too wild and unruly to be controlled by him, and calls for the father — who no sooner speaks than the child is quiet. No doubt holy David found his heart beyond his own skill and power, which is why he kept bringing it to God. God has indeed promised to order His children's steps (Psalm 37:23) — but He expects them to bring their hearts to Him for that purpose. 'Commit your work to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established' (Proverbs 16:3) — or ordered. Are you heading toward a time of worship, where you know Satan will be waiting to disturb you with worldly thoughts and worse? Tell God where you are going and what you fear. The soul never marches in finer order than when it puts itself under God's command.

Second, keep a strong guard over your outward senses — these are Satan's landing points, especially the eye and the ear. Be careful what you let in through them. Vain talk rarely passes through without leaving some stain on the heart, just as unhealthy air tends to cause corruption in things that are sweet in themselves. Unwholesome conversation corrupts a pure mind. Make sure you breathe clean air. For your eye — do not let it wander. Corrupting sights produce corrupting thoughts. Job understood that his eye and his thoughts were likely to travel together, and so to secure one, he made a covenant with the other (Job 31:1).

Third, pause often during the day to examine yourself and observe what company your heart is keeping. A careful master periodically checks on his workshop to see what his servants are doing — a wise Christian should do the same. We can tell a schoolroom has no teacher by the noise coming from it. Much of the disorder in our hearts comes from neglecting to visit them. When you look in on your soul, make this threefold inquiry.

First, ask whether what your heart is dwelling on is good or evil. If it is evil — proud thoughts, impure desires, doubting and distrustful thoughts — show your hatred of them. Rebuke your soul sharply for even entertaining them, since nothing can come from it but dishonor to God and harm to your own soul. Stir up your heart to mourn for the very presence of such thoughts nearby — and by doing this you will give testimony of your faithfulness to God. When David mourned for Abner, all Israel understood that day that it was not by the king's will that Abner had died. Your mourning over these thoughts will show they are not truly yours — they are Satan's.

Second, if the thoughts are not clearly wicked, ask whether they are nevertheless empty, fruitless, and vain — with no service to God's glory, your own good, or anyone else's. If so, do not rest until you have recognized what Satan is doing through them. Such thoughts may not serve your purposes, but they serve his — they keep you from better ones. All water that runs past the mill wheel is wasted, and all thoughts that do not help you do God's work in your calling or daily life are waste. A bee will not settle on a flower where no honey can be gathered — neither should the Christian. 'Why are you sitting here idle,' you should say to your soul, 'when you have so much to do for God and for your own soul, and so little time to do it?'

Third, if you find your heart is engaged with something genuinely good, then ask whether it is good in terms of timing and manner — because without those, even good things can go wrong.

First, the timing: good fruit is the fruit brought forth in its season. Christ approved the work His mother wanted Him to do (John 2), but His time had not yet come. Good thoughts and meditations out of place are like sound ideas used to interpret the wrong Scripture passage — the truth may be good in itself, but it does not fit where it is applied. To be praying when you should be listening, or musing on a sermon when you should be praying, is to rob God on one side to pay Him on the other.

Second, carefully watch the manner. Your heart may dwell on something good and still ruin it in the doing. You may be meditating on your sins and working your heart toward a genuine sense of them — but doing it in such a way that in stirring up your sorrow you are weakening your faith in the promise. That itself becomes your sin. A bad surgeon, when opening a vein, goes so deep he cuts an artery — laming the arm, if not killing the patient. Or you may be thinking about your family and how to provide for them — which you should do, and would be worse than an unbeliever if you neglected. But perhaps those thoughts have become so anxious and distrustful as if there were no promise, no providence to sustain you. God takes this ill, because it reflects on His care for you. How close our duty stands to our sin in this! A certain measure of care is necessary ballast for the soul; a little more sinks it under the waves of unbelief — like some medicines that are very good at the right dose but become poison if slightly too strong or too weak.