50. Satan
Satan
INSPIRING CAUSE.—In general, we may observe that as no good is done, or spoken, or thought by any man without the assistance of God working together in and with those that believe in Him, so there is no evil done, or spoken, or thought without the assistance of the Devil, who works with energy in evil men. Thus he entered into Judas, confirming him in the design of betraying his Master. Thus he put it into the heart of Ananias and Sapphira to lie unto the Holy Ghost. And, in like manner, he has a share in all the actions, and words, and designs of evil men. As the children of God are workers together with God in every good thought, or word, or action, so the children of the Devil are workers together with him in every evil thought, or word, or work.
FACING A SERPENT.—Perhaps very few know how a man feels when, for the first time, he finds himself within a few inches of a serpent—when he sees it rear its head ready to strike, and knows that one stroke of those fangs is death. That moment he experiences a varied passion, impossible to describe. Fear, hatred, loathing, the desire to escape, the desire to kill, all rush into one moment, making his entire being thrill. Now take two men: one is in the face of that serpent; the other is in the presence of the old serpent called Satan, the Devil; one is in danger of the sting; the other is in danger of committing sin.
SATAN MISREPRESENTED.—Bishop Villiers once spoke about the dangerous tendency of those pictures, so familiar to us all, and so often exhibited to children, in which Satan is represented as some grim, dark, ugly monster, the very sight of whom was terrible to behold. A broad-shouldered Scotchman, looking at Scheffer’s painting of the “Temptation of the Lord,” said in substance: “If the Devil came to me in such an ugly shape, he could not well deceive me.”
TRAITS OF SATAN.—Satan is compared to a raging lion, going about the world seeking whom he may devour. Again, he is likened unto a bird of prey. The raven croaks and flaps his wings above corruption, and riots in luxury on the carcases of the dead; so Satan feeds his infernal appetite upon the corrupt and sinful hearts of mankind.
CRUEL ROBBER.—Tradition tells us of a certain robber named Scirion, who, after intimidating the strangers that he met, would make them wash his feet, and while they were performing the act would push them into the sea.
DEVIL ATTACKS HEART.—Inasmuch as the heart is the most important part of man,—for out of it are the issues of life,—it would be natural to expect that Satan, when he intended to do mischief to manhood, would be sure to make his strongest and most perpetual attacks upon the heart. He will be sure to bring out his great guns, and levels his deadliest malice and his most furious strength against the heart. Into the heart he thrusts the seeds of every evil thing, and does his utmost to make it a den of unclean birds, a garden of poisonous trees.
KING CANUTE’S PROMISE.—King Canute promised to make him the highest man in England who should kill King Edmund, his rival; which when one had performed, and expected his reward, he commanded him to be hung on the highest tower of London. So Satan promises great things to people in pursuit of their lusts; then he puts them off with great injury.