Satan's Third Stratagem Defeated; viz. That in Which He Represents The Christian’s Breastplate as Bringing in The Opposition of The World 1/2

           Third Stratagem.  Satan endeavours to make the Christian throw away his breastplate, by scaring him with the contradictive opposition and feud which it brings from the world.  This is yet a third stumbling-block which Satan useth to lay in the way of a soul setting forth in this path of righteousness.  ‘O,’ saith Satan, ‘this is the ready way to bring thee under the lash of every tongue, to lose the love of thy neigh­bours, and contract the scorn, yea hatred, of all thou livest among.  And dost thou not desire to live friend­ly and peaceably with thy neighbours? canst thou bear to be hooted at, as Lot was among the Sodomites, and Noah amidst the old world, that were all of another way?  This holiness breeds ill blood wherever it comes.  Own that, and you bring the world’s fists about thy ears presently.’

           Truly, though this be a sorry weak objection in itself, yet, where it meets with a soft temper, and a disposition tendered with a facility of nature, one in whom love and peaceful inclinations are predomin­ant, it carries weight enough to amount to a danger­ous temptation.  No doubt Aaron stumbled at this stone in the business of the golden calf.  He did not please himself, surely, in the thing; but it was an act merely complacential to the people, as appears by his apology to Moses, ‘Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief,’ Ex. 32:22.  As if he has said, ‘I did not know what they would have done to me upon my denial. What I did was to pacify them, and prevent more trouble from them.’  There is need we see to be armed against this temptation, which that thou may­est be, seriously weigh these two particulars.

           Answer First.  Thy God, Christian, whom thou servest, commands the tongues, hands, yea hearts, of all men.  He can, when he pleaseth—without the least abating in thy holy course—give thee to find favour in the eyes of those thou most fearest.  ‘When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him,’ Prov. 16:7.  Laban, in a fury, pursues Jacob, but God meets him in the way, and gives him his lesson how he should carry himself to the good man, Gen. 31:24; and, ver. 29, he doth in­genuously confess to Jacob what turned the wind into a warmer corner, and made him so calm with him, that set out so full of rage, ‘It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yester-night,’ &c.  Thank him for nothing. He had power to hurt Jacob, but God would not let him.  Mordecai, one would have thought, took the readiest way to incur the king’s wrath, by denying Haman that reverence which all were, by royal com­mand, to pay him.  But the holy man’s conscience would not suffer his knee to bow.  And yet we see, when that proud favourite had done his worst to be revenged on him, he was forced himself to inherit the gallows intended for Mordecai, and leave Mordecai to succeed him in his prince’s favour.  Thus God, who hath a key to king's breasts, on a sudden locked Ahasuerus's heart against that cursed Amalekite, and opened it to let this holy man into his room.  O who would be afraid to be conscientious when God can, and doth so admirably provide for his people’s safety, while they keep close to him!