Book digitized by Google from the library of the University of Michigan and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb.

lvi, 480 pages 23 cm

Running title: A treatise of Satan's temptations

Part I : I. The introduction to the text, from a consideration of the desperate ruin of the souls of men -- the text opened, expressing Satan's malice, power, cruelty, and diligence -- II. Of the malice of Satan in particular -- the grounds and causes of that malice -- the greatness of it proved; and instances of that greatness given -- III. Of Satan's power -- his power as an angel considered -- that he lost not that power by his fall -- his power as a devil -- of his commission -- the extent of his authority -- the efficacy of his power -- the advantages which he hath for the management of it, from the number, order, place, and knowledge of devils -- IV. That Satan hath a great measure of knowledge, proved, by comparing him with the knowledge of Adam in innocency, and by his titles -- of his knowledge, natural, experimental, and accessory -- of his knowledge of our thoughts -- How far he doth not know them, and how far he doth, and by what means -- on his knowledge of things future, and by what ways he doth conjecture them -- the advantages in point of temptation that he hath by his knowledge -- V. Instances of Satan's power -- of witchcraft, what it is -- Satan's power argued from thence -- of wonders -- whether Satan can do miracles -- an account of what he can do that way -- his power argued from apparitions and possessions -- VI. Of Satan's cruelty -- instances thereof in his dealing with wounded spirits in ordinary temptations of the wicked and godly, in persecutions, cruelties in worship -- his cruel handling of his slaves -- VII. Of Satan's diligence in several instances -- the question about the being of spirits and devils handled -- the Sadducees' opinion discovered -- the reality of spirits proved

VII. Of Satan's cunning and craft in the general -- several demonstrations proving Satan to be deceitful; and of the reasons why he makes use of his cunning -- IX. Of Satan's deceits in particular -- what temptation is -- of tempting to sin -- his first general rule -- the consideration of our condition -- his second rule -- of providing suitable temptations -- in what cases he tempts us to things unsuitable to our inclinations -- his third rule -- the cautious proposal of the temptation, and the several ways thereof -- his fourth rule is to entice -- the way thereof in the general, by bringing a darkness upon the mind through lust -- X. That Satan enticeth by our lust -- the several ways by which he doth it -- of the power and danger of the violence of affections -- XI. That lust darkens the mind -- evidences thereof -- the five ways by which it doth blind men: (1) by preventing the exercise of reason -- the ways of that prevention: (1) secrecy in tempting; Satan's subtlety therein; (2) suprisal ; (3) gradual entanglements -- XII. Of Satan's perverting our reason -- his second way of blinding -- the possibility of this, and the manner of accomplishing it directly, several ways; and indirectly, by the delights of sin, and by sophistical arguments; and an account of them -- XIII. Of Satan's diverting our reason, being the third way of blinding men -- his policies for diverting our thoughts -- his attempts to that purpose in a more direct manner; with the degrees of that procedure -- of disturbing or distracting our reason, which is Satan's fourth way of blinding men -- his deceits therein -- of precipitancy, Satan's fifth way of blinding men -- several deceits to bring men to that

XIV. Of Satan's maintaining his possession -- his first engine for that purpose is his finishing of sin, in its reiteration and aggravation -- his policies herein -- XV. Of Satan's keeping all in quiet, which is his second engine for keeping his possession, and for that purpose his keeping us from going to the light by several subtleties; also of making us rise up against the light, and by what ways he doth that -- XVI. Of Satan's third grand policy for maintaining his possession; which is his feigned departure: (1) by ceasing the prosecution of his design; and the cases in which he doth it -- (2) by abating the eagerness of pursuit; and how he doth that -- (3) by exchanging temptations; and his policy therein -- the advantage he seeks by seeming to fly -- of his fourth stratagem for keeping his possession, which is his stopping all ways of retreat; and how he doth that -- XVII. Satan's deceits against religious services and duties -- the grounds of his displeasure against religious duties -- his first design against duties is to prevent them -- his several subtleties for that end, by external hindrances, by indispositions bodily and spiritual, by discouragements; the ways thereof, by dislike, the grounds thereof, by sophistical arguings -- his various pleas therein -- XVIII. Satan's second grand design against duties is to spoil them -- (1) in the manner of undertaking, and how he effects this -- (2) in the act of performance, by distracting outwardly and inwardly -- his various way therein, by vitiating the duty itself -- how he doth that -- (3) after performance, the manner thereof

Part II: I. That it is Satan's grand design to corrupt the minds of men with error -- the evidences that it is so -- and the reasons of his endeavours that way -- II. Of the advantages which Satan hath, and useth, for the introduction of error -- (1) from his own power of spiritual fascination -- that there is such a power, proved from Scripture, and from the effects of it -- (2) from our imperfection of knowledge; the particulars thereof explained -- (3) from the bias of the mind -- what things do bias it, and the power of them to sway the understanding -- (4) from curiosity -- (5) from atheistical debauchery of conscience -- III. Of Satan's improving these advantages for error -- by deluding the understanding directly: which he doth, (1) by countenancing error from Scripture -- of his cunning therein -- (2) by specious pretenses of mysteries; and what these are -- of personal flatteries -- (3) by affected expressions -- reason of their prevalency -- (4) by bold assertions -- the reasons of that policy -- (5) by the excellency of the persons appearing for it, either for gifts of holiness -- his method of managing that design -- (6) by pretended inspiration -- (7) by pretended miracles -- his cunning herein -- (8) by peace and prosperity in ways of error -- (9) by lies against truth, and the professors of it -- IV. Of Satan's second way of improving his advantages, which is by working upon the understanding indirectly by the affections -- this he doth (1) by a silent, insensible introduction of error -- his method herein -- (2) by entangling the affections with the external garb of error, a gorgeous dress, or affected plainness -- (3) by fabulous imitations of truth -- the design thereof -- (4) by accomplishing truth to a compliance with parties that differ from it -- various instances hereof -- (5) by driving to a contrary extreme -- (6) by bribing the affections with rewards, or forcing them by fears -- (7) by engaging pride and anger -- (8) by adorning error with the ornaments of truth -- V. Satan's attempts against the peace of God's children evidenced -- (1) from his malice -- (2) from the concernment of peace to God's children -- what these concerns are, explained -- (3) from the advantages which he hath against them by disquieting their minds -- 1. confusion of mind -- 2. unfitness for duty, and how -- 3. rejection of duty -- 4. a stumbling-block to others -- 5. preparation of the mind to entertain venomous impressions, and what they are -- 6. bodily weakness -- 7. our miseries Satan's contentment

VI. Of the various ways by which he hinders peace -- first way, by discomposures of spirit -- these discomposures explained: by shewing, (1) what advantage he takes form our natural temper, and what tempers give him this advantage -- (2) by what occasions he works upon our natural tempers -- (3) with what success -- [1] these occasions suited to natural inclinations, raise great disturbance -- [2] they have a tendency to spiritual trouble -- the thing proved, and the manner how discovered -- [3] these disturbances much in his power -- general and particular considerations about that power -- VII. Of the second way to hinder peace -- afrightments, the general nature and burden of them, in several particulars -- what are the ways by which he affrights -- 1. atheistical injections -- observations of his proceeding in them -- 2. blasphemous thoughts -- 3. affrightful suggestions of reprobation -- observations of his proceedings in that course -- 4. frightful motions to sin -- 5. strong immediate impressions of fear -- 6. affrightful scrupulosity of conscience -- VIII. Of his third way to hinder peace, by spiritual sadness -- wherein, 1. of the degrees of spiritual sadness -- 2. of the frequency o this trouble, evidenced several ways -- of the difference betwixt God and Satan in wounding the conscience -- 3. of the solemn occasions of this trouble -- 4. the engines by which Satan works spiritual sadness: (1) his sophistry -- his topics enumerated and explained [1] scriptures perverted -- [2] false notions -- [3] misrepresentations of God -- [4] sins: how he aggravates them -- [5] lessening their graces; how he doth that -- (2) his second engine, fear: how he forwards his design that way -- IX. Of his fourth way to hinder peace, by spiritual distresses -- 1. the nature of these distresses -- the ingredients and degrees of them -- whether all distresses of soul arise from melancholy- 2. Satan's method in working them; the occasions he makes use of; the arguments he urgeth, the strengthening of them by fears -- 3. their weight and burden explained in several particulars -- some concluding cautions

Part III: I. the first circumstances of the combat, the time when it happened -- the two solemn seasons of temptation -- the reasons thereof -- II. The second circumstance, Christ's being led by the Spirit -- what hand the Spirit of God hath in temptations -- and of running into temptations when not led into it -- III. The third circumstance, the place of the combat -- the advantage given to temptations by solitude -- IV. The fourth circumstance, the end wherefore Christ was led to the wilderness -- holiness, employment privileges, exempt not from temptation -- of temptations that leave not impressions of sin behind them -- how Satan's temptations are distinguished from the lusts of our own heart -- V. Of Christ's fast, with the design thereof -- of Satan's tempting in an invisible way -- of his incessant importunities, and how he flies when resisted -- of inward temptations, with outward afflictions -- several advantages Satan hath by tempting in affliction -- VI. That Christ's temptations were real, and not in vision -- that temptation is Satan's employment, with the evidences and instances thereof -- of Satan's tempting visibly, with the reasons thereof -- VII. The general view of these temptations -- of Satan's gradual proceeding in temptation -- of reserving a great temptation last -- what a great temptation is; in what cases to be expected -- of Satan's using a common road, in comparing these temptations with the ordinary temptations of men -- of the advantage Satan takes of natural appetite, sense, and affections -- VIII. The rise of Christ's first temptation -- of Satan's suiting his temptations to the conditions of en -- of tempting men upon the plea of necessity -- the reasons and cheats of that plea -- his pretenses of friendship in tempting, with the danger thereof -- IX. A particular consideration of the matter of the first temptation, what Satan aimed at in bidding him turn stones into bread -- of Satan's moving us to things good or lawful -- the end of such a motion -- how to know whether such motions are from Satan or the Spirit -- what to do in case they be from Satan -- of his various aims in one temptation -- what they are, and of his policy therein -- of his artificial contrivement of motions to make one thing infer another

X. Of Satan's chief end in this temptation -- his skill in making the means to sin plausible -- the reasons of that policy, with his art therein -- men's ignorance his advantage -- of the differences of things propounded to our use -- XI. Of the temptation to distrust upon the failure of ordinary means -- of the power of that temptation, and the reasons of its prevalency -- of unwarrantable attempts for relief, with the causes thereof -- of waiting on God, and keeping his way -- in what cases a particular mercy is to be expected -- XII. Of Satan's proceeding to infer distrust of sonship from distrust of providences -- instances of the probability of such a design -- the reasons of this undertaking -- of Satan's endeavour to weaken the assurance and hopes of God's children -- his general method to that purpose -- XIII. The preparation to the second temptation -- of his nimbleness to catch advantages from our answers to temptation -- that Satan carried Christ in the air -- of his power to molest the bodies of God's children -- how little the supposed holiness of places privilegeth us from Satan -- of Satan's policy in seeming to countenance imaginary defences -- of his pretended flight in such cases, with the reasons of that policy -- of his improving a temptation to serve several ends -- XIV. That presumption was the chief design of this temptation -- of tempting to extremes -- what presumption is -- the several ways of presuming -- the frequency of this temptation, in the generality of professors, in hypocrites, in despairing persons and in the children of God -- the reasons of Satan's industry in this design -- his deceitful contrivance in bringing about this sin -- preservatives against it -- XV. Self-murder, another of his designs in this temptation -- how he tempts to self-murder directly, and upon what advantage he urgeth it -- how he tempts to it indirectly, and the ways thereof -- of necessary preservatives against this temptation -- XVI. Of pride, Satan's chief engine to bring on presumption -- what pride is, and how it prepares men for sinning presumptuously -- considerations against pride -- the remedies for its cure -- pride kindled by a confidence of privileges and popular applause -- XVII. Of Satan's subtlety in urging that of Psalm xci. 11, 12 to Christ -- of his imitating the Spirit of God in various ways of teaching -- of his pretending Scripture to further temptation -- the reasons of such pretendings, and the ends to which he doth abuse it -- of Satan's unfaithfulness in managing of Scripture -- cautions against that deceit -- the ways by which it may be discovered

XVII. The manner of Satan's showing the kingdoms of the world -- of Satan's preparations before the motion of sin -- of his confronting the Almighty by presumptuous imitation, and in what cases he doth so -- of his beautifying the objects of a temptation, and how he doth it -- his way of engaging the affections by the senses -- of his seeming shyness -- XIX. Satan's end in tempting Christ to fall down and worship him -- of blasphemous injections -- what blasphemy is -- the ways of Satan in that temptation, with the advantages he takes therein, and the reason of urging blasphemies upon men -- consolations to such as are concerned in such temptations -- advice to such as are so afflicted -- XX. The nature of idolatry -- Satan's design to corrupt the worship of God -- the evidences thereof, with the reasons of such endeavors- his general design of withdrawing the hearts of men from God to his service -- the proof that this is his design -- upon whom he prevails -- that professions and confidences are no evidences to the contrary -- his deceit of propounding sin in a small matter -- the evidences of that method, and the reason thereof -- XXI. Of worldly pleasure -- proofs that this is Satan's great engine -- what there is in worldly delights that make them so -- counsels and cautions against that snare -- XXII. Of Christ's answer in the general -- that these temptations were upon design for our instruction -- of the agreement betwixt Eph. vi and Mat. iv -- the first direction, of courageous resolves in resisting temptations -- its consistency with some kind of fear -- the necessity of this courage -- wherein it consists; and that there is a courage in mourning spirits -- XXIII. The second direction, that temptations are not to be disputed -- the several ways of disputing a temptation -- in what cases it is convenient and necessary to dispute with Satan -- in what cases inconvenient, and the reasons of it -- XXIV. The third direction, of repelling a temptation without delay -- the necessity of so doing -- what a speedy denial doth contain -- XXV. The fourth direction, of repelling a temptation by Scripture arguments -- of several things implied in the direction -- the necessity of answering by Scripture arguments -- the excellency of the remedy -- how Scripture arguments are to be managed -- XXVI. The fifth direction, of prayer, and of the seriousness required of those that expect the advantage of prayer -- of God's hearing prayer while the temptation is continued -- of some that are troubled more, while they pray more

Includes bibliographical references and index

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