A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian EthicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
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.
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