Satan would seem to be
mannerly and reasonable; making as if he would be content with one-half of the
heart, whereas
God challengeth all or none: as, indeed, He hath most reason to
claim all that made all. But this is nothing but a crafty fetch of Satan; for he
knows that if he have any part, God will have none: so the whole falleth to his
share alone. - Joseph Hall
If you yield to Satan in the least, he will carry you further and further, till
he has left you under a stupefied or terrified conscience: stupefied, till thou
hast lost all thy tenderness. A stone at the top of a hill, when it begins to
roll down, ceases not till it comes to the bottom. Thou thinkest it is but
yielding a little, and so by degrees are carried on, till thou hast sinned away
all thy profession, and all principles of conscience, by the secret witchery of
his temptations. - Thomas Manton
Satan's time of tempting is usually after an ordinance; and the reason is,
because then he thinks he shall find us most secure. When we have been at solemn
duties, we are apt to think all is done, and we grow remiss, and leave off that
zeal and strictness as before; just as a soldier, who after a battle leaves off
his armour, not once dreaming, of an enemy. Satan watches his time, and when we
least suspect, then he throws in a temptation. - Thomas Watson
Our great Pattern hath showed us what our deportment ought to be in all
suggestions and temptations. When the devil showed Him "all the kingdoms of the
world and the glory of them," to tempt Him withal, He did not stand and look
upon them, viewing their glory, and pondering their empire.... but instantly,
without stay, He cries, "Get thee hence, Satan." Meet thy temptation in its
entrance with thoughts of faith concerning Christ on the cross; this will make
it sink before thee. Entertain no parley, no dispute with it, if thou wouldst
not enter into it. - John Owen
The deceit, the
lie of the devil consists of this, that he wishes to make man believe that
he can live without God's Word. Thus he dangles before man's fantasy a
kingdom of faith, of power, and of peace, into which only he can enter who
consents to the temptations. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
One great remedy
against all manner of temptation, great or small, is to open the
heart and
lay bare its suggestion, likings, and dislikings before some spiritual
adviser; for, ... the first condition which the Evil One makes with a soul,
when he wants to entrap it, is silence. - François de Sales
Watch constantly against those things which are thought to be no temptations.
The most poisonous serpents are found where the sweetest flowers grow. Cleopatra
was poisoned by an asp that was brought to her in a basket of fair flowers.
Sharp-edged tools, long handled, wound at last. - Charles Spurgeon
Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as the lion that reared upon
Samson; but if we overcome them, the next time we see them we shall find a nest
of honey within them. - John Bunyan
Satan would seem to be
mannerly and reasonable; making as if he would be content with one-half of the
heart, whereas
God challengeth all or none: as, indeed, He hath most reason to
claim all that made all. But this is nothing but a crafty fetch of Satan; for he
knows that if he have any part, God will have none: so the whole falleth to his
share alone. - Joseph Hall
If you yield to Satan in the least, he will carry you further and further, till
he has left you under a stupefied or terrified conscience: stupefied, till thou
hast lost all thy tenderness. A stone at the top of a hill, when it begins to
roll down, ceases not till it comes to the bottom. Thou thinkest it is but
yielding a little, and so by degrees are carried on, till thou hast sinned away
all thy profession, and all principles of conscience, by the secret witchery of
his temptations. - Thomas Manton
Satan's time of tempting is usually after an ordinance; and the reason is,
because then he thinks he shall find us most secure. When we have been at solemn
duties, we are apt to think all is done, and we grow remiss, and leave off that
zeal and strictness as before; just as a soldier, who after a battle leaves off
his armour, not once dreaming, of an enemy. Satan watches his time, and when we
least suspect, then he throws in a temptation. - Thomas Watson
Our great Pattern hath showed us what our deportment ought to be in all
suggestions and temptations. When the devil showed Him "all the kingdoms of the
world and the glory of them," to tempt Him withal, He did not stand and look
upon them, viewing their glory, and pondering their empire.... but instantly,
without stay, He cries, "Get thee hence, Satan." Meet thy temptation in its
entrance with thoughts of faith concerning Christ on the cross; this will make
it sink before thee. Entertain no parley, no dispute with it, if thou wouldst
not enter into it. - John Owen
The deceit, the
lie of the devil consists of this, that he wishes to make man believe that
he can live without God's Word. Thus he dangles before man's fantasy a
kingdom of faith, of power, and of peace, into which only he can enter who
consents to the temptations. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
One great remedy
against all manner of temptation, great or small, is to open the
heart and
lay bare its suggestion, likings, and dislikings before some spiritual
adviser; for, ... the first condition which the Evil One makes with a soul,
when he wants to entrap it, is silence. - François de Sales
Watch constantly against those things which are thought to be no temptations.
The most poisonous serpents are found where the sweetest flowers grow. Cleopatra
was poisoned by an asp that was brought to her in a basket of fair flowers.
Sharp-edged tools, long handled, wound at last. - Charles Spurgeon
Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as the lion that reared upon
Samson; but if we overcome them, the next time we see them we shall find a nest
of honey within them. - John Bunyan