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, Having thoroughly prepared the mind with restless fears,
he then advanceth forward with the _proffers of peace and comfort in
the way of error which he proposeth_; and in this case error will
boast much, ‘Come to me, and ye shall find rest for your souls.’ How
grateful and welcome the confident proffers of ease and satisfaction
are to a tossed and disquieted mind, any man will easily imagine. It is
usually thus: men that are tired out will easily embrace anything for
ease. A man in this case may be wrought upon like wax, to receive any
impression; he will fasten on anything, true or false, that doth but
promise comfort.
[4.] Fourthly, The completement of his method is _to please the man in
the fruition of the peace promised_; and this he labours to do, not
only to fix the man in his delusion, but to make that man brag of ease,
to be a snare to others. And it is easy for the devil to do this: for,
_first_, The novelty of a new opinion doth naturally please, especially
if it give any seeming commendation for discovery or singularity. We
see men are fond of their own inventions, and delighted to be lifted
up above others. _Secondly_, Satan can easily allay the storm which
he himself raised: he gives over to molest with anxious thoughts—on
the contrary, he suggests thoughts of satisfaction. _Thirdly_, And
whatever he can do in a natural way to raise up our passions of joy and
delight, he will be sure to do it now, to ravishment and excess if he
can; and then he not only makes these men sure—for what argument can
stand before such a confidence?—but hath an active instrument for the
allurement of such as cannot discover these methods.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account