Dæmonologia Sacra; or, A Treatise of Satan's Temptations: In Three PartsGilpin, Richard
Religion
Dæmonologia Sacra; or, A Treatise of Satan's Temptations: In Three Parts
Gilpin, Richard
Devil -- Early works to 1800; Temptation -- Early works to 1800
[3.] Thirdly, Satan hath yet another wile by which he would cheat men
into a belief that he is cast out of the heart; and this is a subtle
way that he hath _to exchange temptations_. How weak and childish are
sinners that suffer themselves thus to be abused! When they grow sick
and weary of a sin, if the devil take that from them, and lay in the
room of it another as bad, or the same again, only a little changed and
altered, they please themselves that they have vomited up the first,
but consider not that they have received into their embracement another
as bad or worse. Concerning this exchange, we may note two things:—
_First_, That sometimes he attains his end by exchanging _one heinous
sin for another as heinous, only not so much out of fashion_: as
the customs and times and places give laws and rules for fashions,
according to which the decencies or indecencies of garbs and garments
are determined, so is it sometimes with sin. Men and countries have
their darling sins; times and ages also have their peculiar iniquities,
which, in the judgment of sinners, do clothe them with a fitness and
suitableness. Sometimes men grow weary of sins, because they are
everywhere spoken against; because men point at them with the finger.
The devil in this case is ready to change with them. Drunkenness hath
in some ages and places carried a brand of infamy in its forehead;
so hath uncleanness and other sins. When sinners cannot practise
these with credit and reputation, then they please themselves with an
alteration. He that was a drunkard is now, it may be, grown ambitious
and boasting; he that was covetous is become a prodigal or profuse
waster; the heart is as vain and sottish as before, only their lusts
are let out another way, and run in another channel. Sometimes lusts
are changed also with the change of men’s condition in the world.
Poverty and plenty, a private and a public station, have their peculiar
sins. He that of poor is made rich leaves his sins of distrust, envy,
or deceitful dealing, and follows the bias of his present state to
other wickednesses equally remarkable, and yet may be so blinded as to
apprehend that Satan is departed from him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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