John Sprint
The Christian Sword & Buckler (1623)

A letter by John Sprint to a man seven years grievously afflicted in conscience, and fearfully possessed by the Devil, very comfortable and commodious to withstand the assaults of Satan.

Sir, I am not unmindful of your letter, though by occasion of business I have been let. I commend your care to seek comfort from the ordinance of God—that is his ministers, who are commanded by God to comfort the feeble-minded (1 Thes. 5:14), and to speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and to cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished and that her iniquity is pardoned (Isa. 40:2). As Christ was anointed, so are his ministers appointed to preach the Gospel to the poor, deliverance to the captive, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty such as are bruised (Luke 4:18). Wherefore, seeing you have entreated me for help, I will (by God’s assistance) satisfy your desire.

Your case was strange to be holden as a creature senseless for seven whole years. But others also have been held with the like. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon was turned out grazing among beasts for seven years (Dan. 4:32). Yea, God’s children have been far worse afflicted, as that daughter of Abraham was for 18 years bound of Satan (Luke 13:16); the man whom our Savior cured had been diseased for 38 years (John 5:5)—which are far above the distance of your sickness. Wherefore you ought not to think the worse of yourself, for nothing has befallen unto you but that which appertains unto man (1 Cor. 10:13). Nay, you ought to comfort your heart in your affliction, for as you know the sender, which is God, and the cause, which is your sin.

So now you know your deliverer, and the cause, which is his mercy—for it is the Lord who kills and makes alive, brings down to the grave and raises up (1 Sam. 2:6). And by how much greater your cross has been, by so much the greater was your deliverance! The mighty power of God upon your body, and his rich mercy on your soul, has the more appeared, so that he might be glorified, and your heart comforted. For you may argue thus:

The Lord might have in justice destroyed me, yet he has in mercy spared me. The Lord might have chosen whether he would have delivered me or not, but in great mercy he rather chose to deliver me. The Lord might have left me my health, and withdrawn his grace from me, and given me over to the power of Satan, but he has restored my health and understanding, and renewed my grace.

Hereby I see God dearly loves me, which I could never see if I had not thus been afflicted. How should I henceforth distrust his providence, doubt of his promises, despair of his mercy? Why would I not rest assured, and secured of his present and perpetual love to embrace me, his mercy to pardon me, his providence to defend me, his goodness to compass me and to work all evils for my good? Therefore my soul return to your rest, for the Lord has been beneficial to you. He has delivered my soul from death, and my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. (Ps. 116:7-9, 12-13). The Lord was ready to save me, therefore I will sing my song all the days of my life in the house of the Lord (Isa. 38:20).

Thus may you comfort yourself, yet measure not God’s love so much by your deliverance, as by His grace which nature gave you not, nor has God taken away. For as afflictions are no certain tokens of God’s anger, so deliverance is not always a token of His favor.

For He gave the Israelites their desires, but He sent heaviness into their souls. God may in mercy lengthen our afflictions, and in judgment make an end of it (Ps. 106:15). The table of the wicked is a snare unto them, and their prosperity their ruin (Ps. 69:22), but it is good for God’s children that they have been afflicted, that they may learn His statutes (Ps. 119:71). Godliness is God’s best portion which is great gain and is profitable for all things, having the promises of the life present, and of that which is to come (1 Tim. 6:6, 4:8).

Wherefore prove the grace that is in you and to measure the love of God unto you. Try what godly grief you have for sin—what vexation at your wants—what fear of God—what faith in Jesus Christ—what love of God’s children—what delight in the Word and ministry—what desire of the grace you lack—what fervency in prayer—what cheerfulness in praising God—what care of well-doing, and readiness to do the will of God—what patience in suffering crosses from God, and reproof from man—what holy meditations—what gracious speeches—what diligence in your calling—what dutifulness to your superiors—what purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. These are the sparkles of God’s image, the fruits of His Spirit, the effects of His grace, the assurance of His election, the certain tokens of His presence. For the Lord is with us, while we are with Him (2 Chron. 15:2). And He draws near unto us when we draw near unto Him (James 4:8).

Satan’s Temptations.

Now, touching the temptations of Satan that trouble you, perceive when God has done with you, the Devil takes you in hand, God afflicts your body, and the Devil your soul. But as God brought you from sickness to health, so think that God can bring you from temptations to victory. That being prepared by affliction in soul and body, you may both serve Him in this life and live with Him in the next.

Every temptation of a Christian is a ground of strong consolation because Satan’s onsets argue that we are none of his. For the dragon strikes not at his own soldiers (for kingdoms divided are at an end) but at Michael and his Angels (Mat. 12:25; Rev. 12:7). If Christ had not been the Son of God, he would not so fiercely have assailed him. Warriors never besiege nor batter cities they have won, so Satan seeks not the souls he has devoured; he rages most at those he cannot get, and is most busy with those he has least to do (Rev. 12:13-17). When this strong man keeps his palace in men’s souls, the things that he possesses are in peace (Luke 11:21); and when he is restrained and muzzled by the power of God, he rages at the persons and roars in the conscience of God’s dear children.

Your temptations come not to you by chance, but by the will of God, without whose leave he cannot touch either man or beast (Job 1:10). But God has a hand to limit Satan and direct his temptation for our good, as he has a hand to let him loose for our trial and vexation (Mat. 8:31). Hereby he humbles the pride (2 Cor. 12:17), tries the patience, sifts the faith, and works the victory of his beloved saints (Job 1:11-12; Luke 22:31; Rev. 12:11). It is God’s Spirit that leads God’s children to be tempted by the devil (Mat. 4:1), and he who leads them into the battle can give them victory. For greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). The serpent’s head is crushed by the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15). The Devil is conquered and cast out of heaven, and has come down into the inhabitants of the earth (Rev. 12:10, 12), so that angels cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ (Rom. 8:28-29).

When Satan hinders us, Christ prays that our faith fails not (Luke 22:31-32), for he ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). When the messenger of Satan is sent to buffet us, God’s grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor. 12:7-9). Therefore, you must rejoice in these temptations because it is for the trial of your faith and patience (James 1:2-3). And for Satan’s advances, resist him only and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Pray to your Father to free you from temptations, and if he does not free you from them, yet he will deliver you from evil (Mat. 6:13; Ps. 31:5).

Specific Temptations of the Devil.

The particular points of his temptations, I will briefly touch. He tells you that the Word of God is false. This is the first lesson that the devil teaches, and it is his way to make men Atheists. But you must tell him that God is as true to His Word as he is false to his. God is the God of truth; and the Devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). It is not possible that God should lie (Heb. 6:18). It is not possible but the Devil should lie. Say to your soul:

“I must believe the truth, and not a lie, lest I turn God’s truth into a lie (Rom. 1:25)—for he that believes not God has made Him a liar (1 John 5:10). I will rather believe the Creator than the creature, the Maker than the destroyer of man, and that which will save me than that which will condemn me. Yes, let God be true, and every devil and man a liar (Rom. 3:4). As for the Word of God, it is the word of truth, it is righteousness altogether (James 1:18). Every word of it is pure and endures forever (Ps. 19:9).” This the godly show, who only love it, this the wicked show who only hate it. This the Spirit witnesses in the hearts of God’s children, this the power thereof proclaims in the conversion of souls (Prov. 39:5 [sic]; 1 Pet. 1:25). This experience of all times and places makes evident, the wicked know it to their cost (both men and devils), the faithful to their comfort.

Next, if Satan seeks to lay your sins before your eyes, thereto you must lay the sufferings of Christ before your eyes. If he accuses you, tell him the accuser of brethren is cast out (Rev. 12:10). If he charges your conscience with your sins, ask him who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen? If he condemns you for them; say it is God who justifies, who shall then condemn? (Rom. 8:33-34) If he says your sins are many, and more than can be pardoned; tell him where sin abounds, grace over-abounds (Rom. 5:20). If he says you are the greatest sinner in the world; tell him it is true, but Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief (1 Tim. 1:15).

If he alleges the greatness of the guilt, say, though my sins be as red as scarlet, yet He will make them as white as snow (Isa. 1:18). If he says suppose some of your sins be cleansed, yet not all, say that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sins (1 John 1:7). If he says Christ died for some but not for all; say He is the reconciliation of the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2); He is the Savior of all men but especially of those who believe (1 Tim. 4:10). If he says suppose God pardons you, it is but for a season until you sin again; tell him again of the new covenant of God, which says, “I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sins no more” (Jer. 31:34).

If he says in all this you presume, show him your godly sorrow, which causes repentance to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10). If he says how do you know whether God will accept your repentance or not, tell him if we acknowledge our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). If he says your sorrow is despair, examine yourself whether you are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5), and say to God, I believe, Lord, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24). If he says your faith is feigned, dead, and false; say to him, he that believes in the Son has a witness in himself (1 John 5:10). As for you, O Satan, I will show you my faith by my works (James 2:18).

If he says your obedience is but feigned, dead, and false, and you are but a hypocrite; say of yourself, I know nothing by myself yet am I not thereby justified (1 Cor. 4:4). Turn to God and say, O that my ways were directed to keep your statutes (Ps. 119:5). Keep my heart upright in your statutes that I be not ashamed (Ps. 119:80). If he says you are accursed because you continue not in all things that are written; say again, Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). If he says your corruptions are strange and many; cry out, O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death; I thank God through Jesus Christ (Rom. 7:24-25).

Pray to God, create a clean heart, O Lord, renew a right spirit within me (Ps. 51:10). If he says for all this you shall be condemned because God’s judgments are exact and gives every man according to his works; say there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, to those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit (Rom. 8:1). Lastly, if he says, yet you can have no peace of conscience but perpetual wound; say, the Lord speaks peace to his people and to his saints, that they turn not again to their folly (Ps. 85:8). For being justified by faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).

I know that the Devil may proceed and say, “You are not chosen.” But you must say unto him: that God chose us in Christ that we should be holy (Eph. 1:4), and I am sure that God has chosen to himself the man that is godly (Ps. 4:3); virtue joined to our faith makes our calling and election sure (1 Pet. 1:5, 10), for such as God has predestinated them he has called (Rom. 8:30), wherefore so long as God’s grace remains in me, so long I will rejoice that my name is written in the book of life (Rev. 3:5).

But Satan may object, “Suppose you are now in the favor of your God, yet you may fall away from grace; he may withdraw his spirit.” To this you may answer this again, the gifts and callings of God are without repentance (Rom. 11:29). If he loves us, he loved us from everlasting, and loves us to the end (Jer. 31:3; John 13:1). No creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ (Rom. 8:38-39); kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and this God is our God forever and ever he shall be our guide unto death (Ps. 23:6). But he may say, “that God’s mind may alter, and he may hate them for sin, whom he loved of mercy.” God answers for himself, I am the Lord I change not, and you sons of Jacob are not consumed (Mal. 3:6), for God is not as man that he should repent (1 Sam. 15:29). Jesus Christ that was yesterday, is the same today, the same also is forever (Heb. 13:8). God’s covenant of life and peace is everlasting (Ezek. 37:26).

If Satan, you can break God’s covenant of the day and night, that there shall not be day and night, in their season, then may God’s covenant be broken with his children (Jer. 33:20-21), for God has said unto his chosen: The mountains shall remove, and the hills fall down, but my mercy shall not depart from you, neither shall this covenant of my peace fall away, says the Lord who has compassion on you (Isa. 54:10). For that mercy and free grace which moved God to accept us when we were sinners, strangers, enemies, and children of wrath, and to reconcile us by the death of his Son, must much more move him, (being reconciled) to accept us, and to save us by the life of Christ (Rom. 5:8-10). Thus the foundation of God remains sure.

Yet Satan may reply, “Suppose there be no alteration or change in God, yet in you there is. He is strong, but you are weak.” But Peter answers that we are not kept by our own strength, but by the power of God unto salvation (1 Peter 1:5), and I shall overcome by the blood of the lamb (Rev. 12:11), for in his own might shall no man be strong (1 Sam. 2:9). Suppose then I may fall, and that most grievously, as David, Solomon, and Peter did, yet though I fall I shall not be cast off, for the Lord puts his hand under me. The paths of man are directed by the Lord, he will keep the feet of his saints (Ps. 37:23-24; 1 Sam. 2:9). Wherefore rejoice not against me, O mine enemies, though I fall I shall rise, when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me (Micah 7:8).

If Satan urges you further thus, “How dare you presume of God’s assistance, you do not have God’s grace at your command,” show him the Covenant of God, confirmed and sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ, who says, “I will write my law in their hearts, I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will never turn away from them, to do them good, I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me, I will give them a new heart and a new spirit, I will take the stony heart out of their bodies, and I will give them a heart of flesh, I will put my spirit within them, and cause them to walk in my statutes.” (Jer. 31:33; 32:40; Ezek. 36:26-27; 11:19-20). It is most true we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God (2 Cor. 3:5). As no man comes to Christ, except the Father draw him, so without Christ, we can do nothing (John 6:44, 65; 15:5). Yet through the help of Christ who strengthens me, I shall be able to do all things (Phil. 4:13). And he who has begun this good work within me will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6), and his good spirit shall lead me into the land of righteousness and seal me to the day of my redemption (Ps. 143:10; Eph. 4:30).

Satan Cannot Help You.

As for the help that Satan offers you, ask him, “How can he help another who cannot help himself, and how should one trust the faith of a deceiver?” He offered the world to our Savior Christ and told Him that the world was his, but he told a lie (Luke 4:6)—for although he is called the god of this world because he rules in the children of disobedience (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2), yet the earth is the Lord’s and all that is therein, the world and all that dwell therein (Ps. 24:1).

Therefore, although the wicked of the world may fall down and worship him to gain far smaller matters than the world by lying, swearing, forswearing, deceiving, oppressing, and such evil courses—you must utterly refuse this offer, saying, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Mat. 4:10). If Satan’s help might [seem useful], you must have no fellowship with his unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:11).

Our Savior Christ and His Apostles wanted none of his assistance to help to publish the Gospel to the world (Mark 1:25). It was the bane of Saul and Ahaziah, Kings of Judah, to seek help from Satan (1 Chron. 10:13; 2 Kings 1:3). It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in man or evil spirit (Ps. 118:8), for devils cannot free us from the hands of God, but God can keep us from the power of devils. For if God is with us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31). He is not far from every one of us (Acts 17:27); he is as our shadow at our right hand (Ps. 121:5). He is a shield to those who trust in him (Prov. 30:5). He keeps his people as the apple of his eye, under the shadow of his wings (Ps. 17:8), and as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so is the Lord around his people, henceforth and forever (Ps. 125:2).

Say, therefore, to Satan, “I defy your power and renounce your help. As I am none of yours because I am bought with a price, so will I have none of you or your help (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The Lord is my helper, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my strength, my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge, my light, salvation, and the strength of my life (Ps. 18:2). My defense is in God, who preserves the upright in heart (Ps. 7:10). The God whom I serve is able to deliver me, and though he slay me, I will trust in him (Dan. 3:17; Job 13:15). He alone makes me dwell in safety (Ps. 4:8). The Lord is with me; therefore, I will not fear what man or Satan can do to me. For when my flesh fails, and my heart also, then God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Ps. 73:26).

So may the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, prosper and sanctify what I have written to you. Amen.