University of Virginia Library

Doubt 11.

From Satans Temptations.

SOUL.
If God my keeper were, I should not doubt
My spiritual safety, nor my holding out.
Mine enemies should fall, and I should be
At peace, because in full securitie.
Jachin and Boaz I'd my pillars call,
Did God make his Salvation my wall.
The Lion should not rend, nor Serpent bite,
Because he watcheth his both day and night.
But sure the Lord hath left me, for I feel
The Serpent always nibling at my heel.
I now am walking in a wilderness,
Where Lion's always roaring more or less.
Hardly a day doth pass, nay scarce an hour,
But Satan doth assault me with his power.
With utmost rage the mighty gates of Hell
Assault and storm my crazie Cittadel.
And how is't possible, poor I should be
An equal match for such an enemie?
What may a worm do? what resistance can
Be made by foolish weak and naked man?
Alas, I quake and tremble every hour,
Expecting when he will my soul devour.
Now he doth play with me, and my fears feed
His mirth; me at his pleasure he can lead
An helpless captive, hurrying me to sin;
He can me post to th' torments he is in.
Great is his strength, and numberless his wiles,
Many his famous conquests, trophies, spoils.
Run through the world, sinners & Saints compare,
You'l see, the greatest part falls to his share.
Here he hath spread a net, there set a gin,
Thousands of thousands are intrapt therein.
Of men, the most he orders at his pleasure,
His sport he makes them, when he's most at leisure.
He knows and is assur'd they are his own;
If but a bait be laid, the work is done,
They'r caught, his hook sticks, and they caanot free
Themselves from sin, nor him, nor misery.
Lord of this world he is, whom they adore,
Fear him they do, and yet they love him more.
Nay, he'l encounter any, he fears none;
But counts himself a match for ev'ry one.
Those that are built on the eternal rock,
And stand immovable, have felt his shock.
Experience tells us, that those Saints who be
Strongest in grace are not temptation free.
Adam in Paradise (though perfect, and
Armed with strength sufficient to withstand
All foreign force, and bravely keep the field)
Was set upon, and set upon did yield.
So did this subtle enemy undo
A world of men in one man at a blow.
That first attempt succeeded to his heart;
Since, he is grown a master in the Art
Of tempting; at the first he had his will;
Six thousand years have much increas'd his skill.
That victory did flesh him, ever since.
He is courag'ous, bids fear get it hence.
He set on David, Joshua the Priest
(When in Gods presence) found he had not ceast
From troubling Saints. Although Job did outshine
All men on earth that lived in his time,
He could not be at quiet. This foul Fiend
Desir'd on him his sharp'ned darts to spend.
Paul was a valiant champion, yet still
On him the Devil needs would try his skill.
He had his buffets, and in's flesh a thorn;
And had not help come, had been overborn.
Saints then he troubles, and of all there's none
Reacht Heaven but through sore temptation.
Yea, as he hath defi'd the blessed Host
Of great Jehov', so he can likewise boast
Of his assaulting Christ their chief; he did
Not only bruise the heel, but strike the head.
This beast of prey hath set upon the sheep,
And on the shepherd too that doth them keep.
And what, shall I, fighting with such a foe,
Hope to make good my ground, & worst him too?
Shall I victorious be, and cause to flie
Those troops of Devils that in ambush lie,
And have a party too in mine own breast,
By which I am continually opprest?
Mine own corruptions do me betray
To their temptations oft ev'ry day.
How can it be, that I who thus beset
Am with such en'mies, should the conquest get?
I can't believe it, for it cannot be:
The strength of Hell and sin's too strong for me.

FAITH.
Be of good courage, dread not Satans might,
By Christ thou listed art, resolve to fight.
He of Salvation the Captain is:
Do what he bids, thou canst not do amiss.
Put on thine armour, man, one piece and other,
From head to foot it will thee safely cover.
Only there is no back-piece: such as flie
Lose their defence, then either fight or die.
Gird on thy sword, and Faith take for thy shield,
So shall the Devil flie, thou keep the field.
Hath he his trophies by him? doth he tell
Of captives he hath led in chains to Hell?
Hath he near fill'd his prison? and made sure
Of thousands that did think themselves secure,
And out of gun-shot? what! doth he recall
To mind with triumph, David's, Peter's fall?
Remember how Goliah did defie
Israels army; but proud fool did die
By a young striplings hand; a little stone
Did turn his vapours to a dying groan.
And in thy fainting-fits remember how
Blaspheming Rabshakeh did brave it too;
With a profane foot on the holy land
By fair Jerusalem's walls he did stand
Crying, Where are the gods of Hamath? where
Ivah's and Sepharvaim's gods? were there
Any of them could my great power withstand,
Or keep Samaria from Assyria's hand?
But what of that, one Angel in one night
Did near Two hundred thousand slay outright.
All were dead corpses, when next morn men rose,
And so in fear away Sennacherib goes.
That God who thus the pow'rs on earth did quell,
Knows how to do the same to th' gates of Hell.
Poor weaklings have through him stood out the shock,
And being built on the eternal Rock,
Laugh'd Beelzebub to scorn; assisted by
Christs strength, babes win the day, and make him flie.
Cedars have tumbled, when a bruised reed
Hath stood unbroken. The immortal seed
Once sown, shall root & grow, though Satan fain
Would be at work to pick it up again.
The first of Creatures he did make to fall;
But the new Creature shall stand after all;
Yea, after all's attempts, and shall at length
With triumph say, My soul th'ast trod down strength.
In mad Bravadoe he did Christ engage,
But thereby lost his pow'r, though not his rage.
He of his Holiness long'd to bereave him,
But when his worst was done, was forc'd to leave him.
And then was vanquisht, spoil'd; see, see his loss,
Which openly was shewn upon the Cross.
E're since the Lion's muzzl'd, roar he may,
But cannot make the meanest Saint his prey.
With his own filthy swine he may be bold,
He there hath leave, but must not touch the fold,
Nor seize a lamb thereof; or if he dare,
Our watchful David in his tender care
Steps in and makes a rescue. Jesus will
Be, as his name imports, a Saviour still.
David his Type appointed was to keep
And tend his aged Father Jess's sheep,
A Lion and a Bear to thin his stock,
Did take a tender Lamb out of the flock;
Then David kill'd the Lion, slew the Bear.
A greater far than David, Soul, is here.
David thy Shepherd is, the mighty God,
Who in his hand carrieth an Iron rod,
With which he can in pieces break with ease
Any devourer that his Lambs would seize.
Thou mai'st be tempted, Satan is not ty'd
From worrying thee; Gold in the fire is tri'd;
And so is Grace, the more thou hast, the more
Will Satan envy thee; thy well-known store
Doth tempt him thee to plunder, and to cheat:
'Twas Peter he would winnow as the wheat.
But Christ thy Captain hath him in a chain;
When he gives him a Link, he can again
At pleasure draw him in, and shut him up
In his own proper place, and make him sup
On flames of wrath, when he had thought to dine
And feast himself on this poor soul of thine.
Under authority he is, can't go
One step without permission, cannot do
Ought without leave from Christ, who is so dear
Over thine interest, thou need'st not fear.
Engage thou never dost, but he stands by,
Ready to help in thy necessity.
When Peter wounded was, and going over
Unto the en'mies tent, Christ did recover
Him with one gracious look; so did he save
His precious soul, and kept him from the grave.
This he will do for all that do him own,
Of those the Father gave him, he'l lose none.
For he hath promised, that they shall be
Crowned at last with happy victorie.
Wherefore the combat do thou not refuse.
For God thy God this enemy shall bruise
Under thy foot, and when his worst is done,
By the Lambs blood thou shalt him overcome.
And as a conquerour in Heaven dwell,
When this dire foe shall be confin'd to Hell.