Puritans and Demons – after I came up with this title, I thought of Dan Brown’s book Angels and Demons. Those who know me also know what I think of Brown’s books. However, I didn’t consciously use Brown’s book to come up with this title.
The title of this article, and source of most of the following material, comes from The Puritans on Demons which is a chapter in the book A Puritan Theology (Joel Beeke & Mark Jones). I received this book almost by accident as it was cheaply bundled up with another book I wanted.
Incidentally, the package came from Reformed Heritage Books. Don’t let the word “Reformed” scare you off. While I don’t subscribe to Covenant Theology or the amil-postmil positions, RHB is a great source for anyone interested in devotionals, biographies, Bibles and books that help one to better know God. They also offer the best deals I’ve seen.
The Christian world doesn’t seem to bother much about demons (or the devil) today. However, the Puritans had a lot to say about Spiritual Warfare, having experienced it personally and often intensely. My copy of William Gurnall’s book The Christian in Complete Armour contains 656 double column pages! Consider that his central theme was on just a few verses (Ephesians 6:11-13).
According to the Chapter on Puritans and Demons:
The Puritans viewed human history as one continual conflict with evil powers. The Larger Catechism says that man fell “through the temptation of Satan” (Q. 21). The fall brought man into the misery of being “bond slaves to Satan” (Q. 27). Christ’s humiliation was a state of conflict with the temptations of Satan (Q. 48).
Some quick take away points from the Puritans…
Principalities: Satan rules over the entire world. He is called “the prince of this world” and the god of this world (John 14:30; 2 Cor 4:4). But Satan’s rulership only exists through God’s permission. God is sovereign. Satan’s powers are limited by God for His own divine purpose.
Powers: Demons are powerful. They can control natural forces like lightning and wind, animals and humans (Job 1:16, 19; Matt 8:32 and Matt 17:15). Demons can also cause diseases (Job 2:7 and Luke 13:16). And they can directly affect people with thoughts of lust, pride, wrath and covetousness.
Rulers of darkness: Satan’s dominion of this world is restricted to the fall of Adam until the return of Christ.
Spiritual Wickedness: Demons are spirits. Hence they can and will attack us invisibly at any time, and physical objects cannot protect us. They are malicious and evil. “The devil’s main work is to damn souls.” These spirits tempt us to both fleshly sins and spiritual sins “such as unbelief, pride, hypocrisy, idolatry, blasphemy.”
Despite this cosmic chaos and wickedness, the Puritans rightly taught that Christ came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Beeke and Jones note that, “The person who repents and trusts in Christ has overwhelming resources in Christ to fight the devil.”
We are conquerors before we engage with the enemy, for our head Christ has once for all conquered for us the whole world. ~ John Calvin (Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles)
Certain it is, we improve not [do not make good use of] Christ’s power of dominion over Satan to the utmost. Certain it is, that as we come short of these comforts of a communion with God, which we might enjoy, by our loose walking; so, upon the same reason, we fall short of many victories over Satan, which we might have, if we should improve the dominion and kingly power of Christ over that restless spirit. ~ Samuel Rutherford (The Trial and Triumph of Faith)
The Puritans were practical and methodical in applying Scripture to their lives. Beeke and Jones conclude their chapter with William Spurstowe’s twelve Devices of Satan, along with the relevant Remedies. These are taken from Spurstowe’s The Wiles of Satan.
There isn’t enough space to devote to them all. But here are two examples…
From Device 8: My paraphrase – The devil encourages us to fight him with charms, holy water, and sacred objects (physical objects). Yet scriptures written on clothing and jewelry [even crucifixes] are nothing compared to Scripture written on our hearts. The Remedy is to look to God and to be “abundant in the use of prayer.”
From Device 9: Verbatim from Spurstowe – “Satan attacks the conscience and assurance with false reasoning. He might use a false syllogism such as, ‘This sin cannot remain in a true child of God. But it remains in you. Therefore you are not a true child of God.’ He urges believers to judge themselves by false standards.”
Spurstowe’s Remedy is to note that true conversion isn’t determined by whether sin remains in us, but whether it reigns over us. We’re not to place confidence in our own righteousness – only in Christ’s perfect righteousness, obedience and completed work on our behalf. Our conversion doesn’t depend on our perfected work, but “the sincerity of our endeavors to pursue perfection.”
Most importantly, in a world of angels and demons, the Puritans directed the believer to Christ, who is the victorious Captain against all the forces of evil and Lord of the hosts of heaven. ~ Beeke & Jones (The Puritans on Demons)
Christians conquer because Christ has already conquered. We have power through God’s promises in His written word, prayer and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are weak; the Triune God is our strength. That is very comforting to me.
Maranatha!
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