But however it may be convenient to dispute, in the last mentioned sense, in these four cases—and others may probably be added—yet there are cases in which it will be inconvenient and hazardous to dispute or argue, and of this order I shall reckon four.
[1.] First, It is not safe to dispute the matter in vile, infectious temptations, such as are either suitable to our inclinations, or may receive a favourable aspect and countenance from the posture of our affairs and condition. These temptations, even in our debating against them, are like the opening of a sepulchre, which sends forth a poisonous stream[478] which may infect those that loathe and resist it. It is dangerous to admit fire into the same room where there is gunpowder, though there be no intention to kindle it. It hath been an old observation, that the very confession of infectious sins, though designed to beget shame, and resolution against them for the future, have kindled a new flame, by the unnecessary declaration of the manner and circumstances, so that they have returned from the confessor more infected than when they went; and those very persons whose care it should have been to have put the highest disgrace upon sins so confessed, to the begetting of loathing and abhorrency in the parties and themselves, have by too curious an inquiry received such poison at the ear, that the heart hath been forthwith infected. The like hazard remains to those that are willing to debate such sins with Satan; for though they begin upon the score of resistance, yet the very dwelling on such a subject, when admitted to lay itself open, doth convey such amorous looks unto the treacherous affections, that the heart is in danger of a secret poison. There is no better way in such cases than to command all such thoughts and considerations out of our coasts, and, as we do when the city or town we live in is infected, to withdraw ourselves from the air of such a temptation. We may observe the like care in Joseph, though he thought himself concerned at first, as hath been said, to oppose the unlawful suit of his mistress, yet seeing her desperately set upon her folly, he declined all communication with her, and would not be with her, Gen. xxxix. 10; and at last, when she caught him by his garment, ‘he left it in her hand and fled,’ ver. 12. He might easily have rescued his garment from her, had he not been aware that his contesting against her might have been an occasion of ensnarement to himself. Christ himself, when he was tempted by Peter to spare himself, [Mat. xvi. 22,]—which was a temptation very taking to human nature, especially when suffering and death is in view,—is more short and sparing in his reasoning against it, than he was when the devil tempted him. He gives no positive reasons against it, as he did when he was tempted to ‘fall down and worship the devil,’ but dischargeth himself from any further consideration of the matter by a declared abhorrency of the thing, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things which be of men.’ Which is as if he had plainly said, This is so apparently from the devil, and so much abhorred by me, because so suitable to my condition, that I will not so much as discourse of it or consider it.
[2.] Secondly, Generally in all temptations, though they have not the advantage of our present special estate or inclination, as hath been noted, of an apparent withdrawment from obedience, or of things unquestionably sinful, it is not convenient to dispute them, but to dismiss them by a denial, except some of the forementioned considerations do alter the case. In known cases we need not parley, but stoutly deny. Our resolutions for duty, and against sin, should not be to seek. We are certain that sin is to be avoided, and duty to be practised; here we should be peremptory. Abraham being certain of duty, when God called him to ‘a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance,’ he disputed not the uncertainty, the danger or inconvenience that possibly might attend his removal, but went out, ‘not knowing whither he went,’ Heb. xi. 8. Paul being called by God to preach among the heathen, though ‘flesh and blood’ were ready with arguments against it, yet he would not so much as confer with them, but immediately obeyed, Gal. i. 16. Like instances I might fetch from other holy men. Cyprian, when the president gave it to his own choice whether he would obey or be put to death, commanding him to take it into consideration, he readily replied, In re tam sancta non est deliberandum, that it was not to deliberate in so plain a case. Mrs Ann Askew, when at the stake ready to be burnt, a pardon was offered by the Lord Chancellor; she would not so much as look on it, but returned this answer, that she came not thither ‘to deny her Lord and Master.’ Bishop Hooker,[479] in the same condition, had a box laid before him with a pardon in it, which when he understood—he was so afraid of tampering with a temptation—he cried out, ‘If ye love my soul, away with it; if ye love my soul, away with it.’ And many others there were in all ages, so far from accepting such ‘unlawful deliverances,’ that they would not take into consideration the unrighteous terms upon which they might have escaped.
[3.] Thirdly, When a temptation, after all means used, continues to be troublesome, and is rather an annoyance than an infection, then must we not dispute it, but by a holy contempt despise it. Temptations to blasphemy are oft of this nature, as hath been noted in its place, and there are other things by which Satan creates to God’s children great disquiet, while they in the meantime abhor the sin, and cry out of the trial. Here when the ‘messenger of Satan’ will not depart, it is an advice that hath the general approbation of holy experienced men,[480] that we should despise the temptation, as an approved way to our quiet and ease; for while we think to repel such assaults by struggling with arguments, we do but increase the force of them; as he that thinks to shelter himself against the wind, by holding up his cloak before him, doth but derive upon himself a stronger blast.
[4.] Fourthly, In temptations of inward trouble and terror, it is not convenient to dispute the matter with Satan. David in Ps. xlii. 11, seems to correct himself for his mistake; his soul was ‘cast down within him,’ and for the cure of that temptation, he had prepared himself by arguments for a dispute; but perceiving himself in a wrong course, he calls off his soul from, disquiet to an immediate application to God and the promises, ‘Trust still in God, for I shall yet praise him;’ but in Ps. xi. 1, he is more aforehand with his work, for while his enemies were acted by Satan to discourage him, he rejects the temptation at first, before it settled upon his thoughts, and chaseth it away as a thing that he would not give ear to: ‘In thee, Lord, do I put my trust; how say ye then to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?’ And there are weighty reasons that should dissuade us from entering the lists with Satan in temptations of inward trouble. As,
[1.] First, The determination of the sincerity of the soul and its converted state is a question of no small difficulty—a knotty controversy, more intricate and abstruse than those controversies that in the schools are of greatest name for difficulty; for this is liable to more weighty objections, and stands in need of nicer distinction. As Dr Goodwin observes,[481] ‘They that converse with dejected spirits, find so much quickness and nimbleness of reasoning, turning every way to ward off the force of an argument brought for their consolation, that even wise and able heads are oft put to a stand, and know not what to answer.’ Would it then be fit to give Satan this advantage? or to admit him so far into our reasoning? He that will invite Satan to such a contest, shall be sure to have his hands full.
[2.] Secondly, This kind of temptation doth usually disable men for arguing; it oftentimes confounds the brain, stupifies the understanding, and weakens the memory. Heman complains of himself as ‘distracted by terrors,’ [Ps. lxxxviii. 15.] Job calls himself desperate, [chap. vi. 26.] Such persons are not surely in a fit case to manage a temptation with so cunning a sophister as Satan.
[3.] Thirdly, If they descend into the battle, he is not only too strong for them, but commonly after a while they take Satan’s part against themselves, and comply with him, concluding against their own peace.
[4.] Fourthly, There is also a better way at hand than to enter into a dispute; and that is, by going to God by a present faith, love or repentance, when the truth of any of these is questioned. It is a difficult task to prove sometime that former acts of faith, love, or other graces were sincere. This may admit of such objections from a wounded spirit, that it will be hard to answer them; but in this case it is a nearer way to see if there be not in all these complainings some present acts of these graces; whether such complainants are not willing to embrace Christ upon any terms, whether they do not hate sin, whether they would not unfeignedly be reconciled to God, &c. It oft falls out that this doth stay the trouble when examinations of former acts do nothing for them. Some men are at more pains, as one saith, to repair and fit an old building, than would serve to rear a new one. Yet must it be remembered that though it were the best course to resist temptations of this nature at first, by avoiding unnecessary disputings, notwithstanding when this—as I noted before of other temptations—hath seized upon the heart and taken possession, then shall we be forced to ‘fill our mouths with arguments,’ and whether we will or no, must we undergo a contest. As we see in David, who when his troubles had prevailed upon him, was forced to plead with God, with himself, with the temptation, and to have recourse to former experience, ‘the days of old, and the years of the right hand of the Most High,’ [Ps. lxxvii. 10,] and all little enough.
All that I shall further say concerning the inconveniences of disputing with Satan, shall be to give you the reasons manifesting these unnecessary communings with him to be every way hazardous and unsuitable. As,