A treatise on Satan's temptations - Gilpin - IX - Chapters 9 & 10

Required reading
A treatise on Satan's temptations by Richard Gilpin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapters 9 and 10.

My summary
In Chapter 9 Gilpin gives us Satan's four general rules in tempting humans to sin:
(i) he considers and acquaints himself with the condition of every man;
(ii) he provides suitable temptations;
(iii) he proposes the temptations;
(iv) he draws away and entices the heart to consent.

In Chapter 10 Gilpin describes the ways Satan stirs our lusts.  He entices by:
(i) dressing up an object of lust that it may be taking and alluring;
(ii) using deceit and imposture upon our senses;
(iii) using fit and suitable occasions;
(iv) power which he hath upon our fancies and imaginations;
(v) preparing and fitting our bodies to his designs;
(vi) using evil company;
(vii) engaging affections to a height and passionateness.

What grabbed me
I found Gilpin's comments on temptation and God to be helpful: 'As an introduction to the first, I shall speak a word of temptation in the general. This in its general notion is a trial or experiment made of a thing. The word that signifies to tempt, comes from a word that signifies to pierce, or bore through, implying such a trial as goes to the very heart and inwards of a thing. In this sense it is attributed to God, who is said to have tempted Abraham, and to put our faith upon trial ; and sometime to Satan, who is said to have tempted Christ, though he could not expect to prevail. But though God and Satan do make these trials, yet is there a vast difference betwixt them, and that not only in their intentions— the one designing only a discovery to men of what is in them, and that for most holy ends ; the other intending ruin and destruction — but also in the way of their proceedings. God by providence presents objects and occasions; Satan doth not only do that, but further inclineth and positively persuadeth to evil. Hence is it that temptations are distinguished into trials merely, and seduccments ; suitable to that of Tertullian, [De Orat.] Diabolus tentat, Deus probat, The devil tempts, God only tries. We speak of temptation as it is from Satan, and so it is described to be a drawing or moving men to sin under colour of some reason. By which we may observe that, in every such temptation, there is the object to which the temptation tends, the endeavour of Satan to incline our hearts and draw on our consent, and the instrument by which is some pretence of reason ; not that a real and solid reason can be given for sin, but that Satan offers some considerations to us to prevail with us, which, if they do, we take them to be reasons. This may a little help us to understand Satan's method in tempting to sin, &c., of which I am first to speak. '

Temptation in relation to God is very different from temptation in relation to Satan.

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 11, 12 and 13.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.