63. Temptation
Temptation
FEELS THE PULSE.—The Devil knows the hearts of men; he feels their pulse, knows their temper, and so, accordingly, can apply himself. As the husbandman knows what seed is proper to sow in such a soil; so Satan, finding out the temper, knows what temptation to sow in such a heart.
SELL HIM FOR THAT.—The smallest thing can tempt. As poor John Bunyan said once, something kept tempting him to sell Christ. If he stooped to pick up a pin the voice said, “Sell Him for that! sell Him for that!” And men sell their honor for things as cheap. A pin will do it; a sweet smile; a fair face; the ruby wine; the love of money. Ah! for what has not a man sold his soul!
WHISKEY IN SAWDUST.—A liquor seller in Brooklyn spread sawdust over the sidewalk in front of his saloon, and then saturated it with whiskey. A reformed inebriate, passing by this doorway to Hell, inhaled the enticing fumes, yielded to the old tempter, entered the saloon, drank, and was ruined. He should have fled from the polluted spot as a man flies for his life.
DEVIL A PIRATE.—Satan, like a pirate, sets on a ship that is richly laden; so when a soul hath been laden with spiritual comforts, now the Devil will be shooting at him to rob him of all, and he dislikes to see a soul feasted with spiritual joy. Joseph’s colored coat made his brethren envy him, and plot against him. After David had the good news of the pardon of his sin, Satan presently tempted him to a new sin in numbering the people.
HOOPER’S TEMPTATION.—When at the stake he (Hooper) listened to the bitter laments of the common people, who greatly loved him; a pardon was offered him if he would recant; but he exclaimed, “If you love my soul, take it away!”
SNAKE AND FROG.—Pullen, while in Africa, watched a snake in the water, which had fixed its eye upon a frog sitting amongst the grass on the bank. The frog, though greatly alarmed, seemed unable to stir, until Pullen gradually pushed a rush growing near, so that it intervened between the eyes of the snake and its intended victim; when the frog as if suddenly liberated, darted away.
LUTHER’S TEMPTATION.—Luther says, “The Devil came to me and said, ‘Martin Luther, you are a great sinner, and you will be damned.’—’Stop, stop!’ said I, ‘one thing at a time. I am a great sinner; that is true, though you have no right to tell me of it. I confess it. What next?’ ‘Therefore you will be damned.’ ‘That is not good reasoning. It is true I am a great sinner; but it is written, “Jesus Christ came to save sinners;” therefore I shall be saved.’ So I cut the Devil off with his own sword.” THE SECRET.—A contented man was asked to give the secret of his state. The venerable old man replied, “It consists in nothing more than making a right use of my eyes. In whatever state I am I first of all look up to Heaven, and remember that my principal business here is to get there; I then look down upon the earth, and call to mind how small a place I shall occupy in it when I die and am buried; I then look abroad in the world, and observe what multitudes there are who are in all respect more unhappy than myself; thus I learn where true happiness is placed, where all our cares must end, and what little reason I have to repine.”