Puritan Demonology in the Culture of the Godly

Transcription

1 Puritan Demonology in the Culture of the Godly Edwin E. M. Tay Introduction Puritan is a term of opprobrium that was first coined in England in the early 1560s. As a smear word, it carried the notions of censoriousness, conceit, and hypocrisy. Until today, its negative use remains. One dictionary defines the puritan as a person who is extremely strict in morals and who regards pleasure as sinful. 1 The editors saw it necessary to qualify this definition with indication of its derogatory connotation in parenthesis: (usu derog). When applied, however, to the group of pastor-theologians from the Church of England who laboured for more extensive reformation of their national church in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, such derogatory connotations should be set aside. The Puritans, as these pastor-theologians are commonly called, were no self-righteous hypocrites who lacked a sense of humour. The Puritans as they really were, to use the title of Ryken s helpful book, were worldly saints who enjoyed all of life as God s good gift (thus, worldly). 2 They saw every sphere of this Godgiven life as the context for doxology and the pursuit of godliness (thus, saints). Puritan conception of the Christian life is rooted in the doctrine of God as sovereign Creator and Redeemer, and hence essentially positive in outlook. However, it was by no means naïve. Being deeply committed to the Scriptural account of the world, the Puritans were well aware that until Christ returns, the church is caught up in warfare against diabolic forces that seek to destroy the works of God. In Puritan literature such as sermons, theological treatises, pastoral tracts, personal diaries, and annotations of Scripture (what is today called Bible commentaries), Satan s place in this warfare was amply accounted for. Edwin E. M. Tay is currently Lecturer in Systematic and Historical Theology at the Biblical Graduate School of Theology and a Local Preacher with the Chinese Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in Singapore. He holds degrees from the Universities of Singapore and London, the Biblical Graduate School of Theology, and the University of Edinburgh where he undertook doctoral studies on the atonement theology of the leading Puritan theologian, John Owen. Edwin is a contributor to a recently published study guide by an international group of leading scholars on Owen, The Ashgate Research Companion to John Owen s Theology. 145

2 Puritan Demonology in the Culture of the Godly According to Johnstone, a leading historian of early modern England, it is in sources of contemporary literary culture, specifically printed material intended for public consumption that the fullest descriptions and narratives of demonic agency were recorded and transmitted to the wider audience. 3 The wide range of Puritan publications constitutes a major part of English culture on the devil. What follows is an account of some major themes in Puritan demonology, drawn from the literary culture of the godly as some Puritans preferred to be called. 4 The account offered will be drawn from two genres of Puritan literature: allegorical narrative and pastoral treatises on demonology. Satan in Pilgrim s Progress Nowhere is the reality of spiritual warfare for the believer presented in more vivid and gripping a manner than in John Bunyan s allegory of the Christian life, Pilgrim s Progress. It has been acknowledged that next to the Bible, no other English work has been as widely read since publication. 5 Not only has it left its mark on English literary culture as possibly the forerunner of the English novel, evangelical spirituality cannot be fully appreciated without it. Originally published in two separate parts (1678 and 1684), it tells the story of the journey of Christian and Christiana from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, or as the title makes clear, from this world to that which is to come. 6 There is no attempt by Bunyan to romanticize the believer s pilgrimage to heaven. Fully acknowledging that it is a dangerous journey, Bunyan constructs a steady flow of obstructions and oppositions that come against the pilgrims in the course of his allegorical narrative. Thus, Christian fights Apollyon, a hideous monster with dragon-like wings and from whose belly come fire and smoke. 7 Great- Heart fights giants Grim, Despair, Maul, and Slay-Good, on behalf of the women under his care. In every battle, divine strength is the key to victory. These conflicts represent warfare with the devil, a very real personage for Bunyan. Besides the devil and his forces, other obstacles are carefully woven into the narrative. Christian and Faithful face the pressures of Vanity Fair where hostility reaches breaking point with the martyrdom of Faithful. 8 Mr Stand-Fast has to resist Madam Bubble who tries to entice him with her body, purse, and bed. Summing up everything for which she stands, Madam Bubble unashamedly declares, I am the Mistress of the World, and men are made happy by me. 9 These obstacles represent the world and the spirit of worldliness that tempts the believer from the path of Christian discipleship. In addition to the devil and the world, Bunyan adds a third obstacle to the increasing conflict: the flesh. This is depicted in the account of Christian and Hopeful leaving the rough road for the soft green of By-Path Meadow only to find that they are unable to resist Giant Despair or keep themselves out of Doubting Castle. 10 The reason for the pilgrims sorry plight is explained in terms of a twofold cause: self-indulgence and failure to fight the flesh. Capturing this spiritual diagnosis in versified form, Bunyan comments: The Pilgrims now, to gratify the Flesh, Will seek its ease; but Oh! How they afresh Do thereby plunge themselves new griefs into: Who seek to please the Flesh, 146

3 themselves undo. 11 The triumvirate of the devil, world, and flesh as enemies of the pilgrims is typical of Puritan teaching on the objects of Christian warfare. The Puritans were simply drawing upon what is common to the Christian tradition. In the context of Puritan writings, this triad is usually introduced in relation to the issue of temptation. Referring to the sixth petition of the Lord s Prayer ( And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil [Matthew 6:13]), for instance, the Westminster Larger Catechism (1646) identifies Satan, the world, and the flesh as the sources of temptation against which believers are to pray. 12 The above account of spiritual warfare highlights two significant issues in Puritan demonology. First, the devil s influence is conceived as intimately connected with the world and the flesh. Puritan belief that the devil is as real a creature as a man does The triumvirate of the devil, world, and flesh as enemies of the pilgrims is typical of Puritan teaching on the objects of Christian warfare. not result in a demonology that is entirely dominated by the personage of the devil. The Puritans understood that the devil s influence is to be coordinated with the world and the flesh as taught by Scripture and the tradition of the church. Second, the nature of the triadic relationship is explicitly worked out with the devil as the archenemy of Christ who seeks the destruction of Christ s followers by persistent appeals to their fleshly desires via the things of this world. Richard Baxter captures this dynamic in his usual, pithy construction when he asserts: The flesh is the end of temptation the world is the matter of temptation; and the devil is the first mover, or efficient of it: and this is the trinity of enemies to Christ and us, which we renounce in baptism, and must constantly resist. 13 Similarly, for Bunyan, the owner of Vanity Fair is Beelzebub, the chief Lord of this fair who entices Christian and Faithful with what is sold there. 14 When beckoned to purchase the tempting merchandise, they block their ears with their fingers, look to heaven and call out in the words of Psalm 119:37, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. Clearly, the pilgrims were wary of their fleshly desires and took measures not to arouse them. Just as Vanity Fair is Beelzebub s instrument of allurement, so is the world Satan s instrument of temptation for believers. Satan in Pastoral Treatises Puritan concern with satanic roots of the temptations that confront believers is a highly significant development in the literary culture of early modern England. Johnstone has amply demonstrated that the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw the emergence of a distinctive Protestant demonology whose emphasis lay in internal temptations conceived as arising directly from satanic agency. 15 According to Johnstone, it was not in storm-raising or physical appearances that this agency was most keenly felt, but in the apparent intrusion into the conscience of 147

4 Puritan Demonology in the Culture of the Godly thoughts which contradicted the will to godliness. Hence temptation, which had long been enshrined as the Devil s remit, was elevated by Protestant theologians to the single most important aspect of his agency. 16 This observation should not be taken to mean that other aspects of satanic agency that involved physical manifestations of diabolic control were rejected, such as demon possession or witchcraft. The significant point to note in Johnstone s comment is the apparent shift from a preoccupation with that which is external and visible, to the internal faculties of the human subject as the battlefront. Emphasis on the internal setting of warfare against the devil meant that in practice, conscience-related issues featured prominently and Protestant ministers saw themselves as mediators of resistance to Satan. 17 This holds true in Puritan demonology. Puritan ministers sought to fulfil their vocation through various genres of public communication in their attempt to expose the devil s schemes and provide spiritual counsel to parishioners on the manner in which satanic temptations are to be fought. One such genre is pastoral treatises dedicated solely to demonology. They are... the devil s influence is conceived as intimately connected with the world and the flesh. usually composed of a series of expository sermons first preached to the congregation, then strung together and revised into the form of a tract or treatise. Of the numerous works in this genre, three of the most well known are Richard Gilpin, A Treatise of Satan s Temptations (1677), William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour ( ), and Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan s Devices (1652). 18 Of the many significant themes on the devil which are evident in these writings, space allows for the elucidation of only three. First, the person of the devil is a real creature whose influence over the world is to be seriously reckoned with in the light of God s sovereign rule. Composing his massive work on the basis of the war motif in Paul s letter to the Ephesians, Gurnall makes clear in the title of his work that it is a treatise of the saints war against the devil that grand enemy of God and of his people, in his policies, power, seat of his empire, wickedness, and chief designs he has against the saints. 19 In other words, Gurnall conceives of the devil not simply as a metaphor for evil, but as an entity that is able to plan policies and govern his empire as only a living creature with personality can. On the basis of 1 Peter 5:8, Gilpin sums up, in four heads, the traits of the devil that render an adversary dreadful : malice and enmity, power, cruelty, and diligence. 20 Although fearsome, the devil s rule over this world is illegitimate since he obtained it unlawfully by deception. The Puritans taught that Satan is the ruler of this world ( John 12:31) not by divine grace but by divine permission. Ultimately, God is the world s true owner and ruler: Satan cannot say of the meanest creature, It is my own. 21 Second, the power of the devil, while formidable, is no longer fatal to believers in Christ. Puritan demonology recognizes that although fallen into sin and cast out of heaven, 148

5 the devil as an angelic being still retains the power given to him by God at his creation. Instances in relation to Job s life such as the fire from heaven and the great wind ( Job 1:16, 19), both of which brought terrible destruction and grief to Job are cited by Gilpin as examples of what still remains of the devil s power. 22 Other instances mentioned include witchcraft, the appearance of miracles, apparitions, demon possession, and superior knowledge to men. 23 Most significantly, the Puritans were deeply aware that the devil has the power of death as Scripture testifies (Heb. 2:14). It is this power, made effective through sin that lends weight to other items of his power mentioned above. John Owen, one of the greatest of the Puritans puts it this way: All the power of Satan in the world over any of the sons of men is founded in sin and the guilt of death attending it. Death entered by sin; the guilt of sin brought it in. Herewith comes in Satan s interest, without which he could have no more to do in the earth than he hath in heaven. And according as sin abounds or is subdued, so his power is enlarged or straightened the devil is a real creature whose influence over the world is to be seriously reckoned with in the light of God s sovereign rule. While acknowledging the potency of the devil s power, Puritan demonology consistently qualifies it with the sovereign power of God and with its dissolution through the cross of Christ. Thus, Gilpin insists that the devil cannot do what he pleases, and therefore we do find him begging leave of God for the exerting of his power in particular cases, as when he was a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab s prophets, and in every assault he made on Job; nay, he could not enter into the swine of the Gadarenes till he had Christ s commission for it. 25 Owen declares that God has so ordained the life of Christ that, like Samson, he should in his death pull down the palace of Satan about his ears, and that in dying he should conquer and subdue all things unto himself. 26 Granted, Satan can still wound with his arrows, but for those who are in Christ, he is unable to kill. Such is the high ground upon which believers stand in their war against the devil. Third, as those who have bowed to the authority of Christ the King, believers have a duty to engage in a vigilant and valiant war against the advances of the devil, the King s archenemy. In Puritan demonology, warring is not an option but a necessity in the Christian life. Since it is sin into which the devil aims to lure believers and that, via the flesh and the world, this war is one that is waged against all three assailants. The basic stance urged upon believers is dogged resistance without negotiation or dispute with the enemy. Brooks exhorts: If you would not be taken with any of Satan s devices, then make present resistance against Satan s first motions. 149

6 Puritan Demonology in the Culture of the Godly It is safe to resist, it is dangerous to dispute. Eve disputes, and falls in paradise (Gen. 3); Job resists, and conquers upon the dunghill. He that will play with Satan s bait, will quickly be taken with Satan s hook. The promise of conquest is made over to resisting, not to disputing: Resist the devil and he will fly from you ( James 4.7). Ah, souls! Were you better at resisting than at disputing your temptations would be fewer, and your strength to stand would be greater than now it is. 27 Conclusion One of the most sobering, yet courageous scenes in Pilgrim s Progress is found in the account of Christian at the Interpreter s House. 28 There Christian saw a magnificent palace (heaven) whose doorway was blocked by armoured men (enemies of the pilgrim) who resolved to do harm to those who tried to enter. Terrified of the opposition, all the men who desired to enter retreated except one. This man put on his helmet, drew his sword and fought the armoured men, cutting and hacking most fiercely as he pushed forward into the palace while sustaining many wounds... believers have a duty to engage in a vigilant and valiant war against the advances of the devil in his advance. 29 As he fought, those at the top of the palace who were clothed in gold cried out to him: Come in, Come in, Eternal glory thou shalt win. The man entered and was clothed in garments of gold like those who had gone in before him. Seeing this, Christian smiled and said, I think verily I know the meaning of this. 30 Bunyan did not reveal what Christian understood. Nevertheless, Bunyan s point is clear: like the journey to the Celestial City, the Christian life is a demanding fight from beginning to end. There will undoubtedly be obstacles and enemies, but believers are not to be seized by fear or crumble in the face of their attacks. Instead, they are to fight with courage on the grounds that have already been won for them (the helmet), with the resources entrusted to them (the sword), and be encouraged by the fact that others have fought their way to victory before them (those in the palace). Inherent in Puritan demonology is the picture of the believer who battles while journeying towards the city that is to come (Heb. 13:14). Written large in the culture of the godly is the identity of the Christian as God s pilgrim and warrior. Endnotes 1 Oxford Advanced Learner s Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989), Leland Ryken, Worldly Saints: the Puritans As They Really Were (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990). 3 Nathan Johnstone, The Devil and Demonism in Early Modern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006), 24. Early modern England refers to the period of British history that spans the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. 4 Other preferred terms include the faithful and the elect. See Patrick Collinson, The Eliza- 150

7 bethan Puritan Movement (Oxford: Clarendon, 1967), This is the judgment of W. R. Owens, Professor Emeritus at the Open University in London. John Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, edited with an introduction and notes by W. R. Owens (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003), xiii. Subsequent references are from this edition. 6 Words cited are from the 1678 title page reproduced in Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress. 7 Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I.9. 8 Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I.6. 9 Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, II Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I Westminster Confession of Faith (Glasgow: Free Presbyterian Publications, 1976; reprint, 1994), Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory (Morgan: Soli Deo Publications, 1996), Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I Johnstone, The Devil and Demonism, Johnstone, The Devil and Demonism, Johnstone, The Devil and Demonism, Richard Gilpin, A Treatise of Satan s Temptations in Three Parts (London, 1677; reprint, Morgan: Soli Deo Publications, 2000); William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour (London, ; reprint, Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1964); Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan s Devices (London, 1652; reprint, Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1984). 19 Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, iii. 20 Gilpin, Satan s Temptations, Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, 1: Gilpin, Satan s Temptations, Gilpin, Satan s Temptations, William H. Goold, ed., The Works of John Owen, 24 vols. (London: Johnstone and Hunter, ), 20:449. Henceforth cited as Works. 25 Gilpin, Satan s Temptations, Owen, Works, 20: Brooks, Precious Remedies, Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress, I