Consider Christ So As to Become Like Him (3)

How did he behave toward his enemies? Did he call for fire from heaven when they wronged him? He shed tears for those who would shed his blood: 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem' (Matt. 23:37), who afterward crucified him. And upon the cross you see him saying of his very enemies, 'Father, forgive them, they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34). So then if we will be like Christ, consider how he prayed for his very enemies.
As for the devil himself, deal with him as Christ did, that is, have no terms with him, although he comes to us in our nearest friends. He came to Christ in Peter. And Christ said, 'Satan, get behind me' (Matt. 16:23). If the devil comes to us in our wives, in our children, in our friends, avoid Satan. He comes to us sometimes in our friends, to give corrupt judgment, to promote selfish causes, to do this or that which may crack our conscience. Let us imitate Christ and discern between the love of our friends and the subtlety of the devil in them, and be able to say, 'Get behind me, Satan.' We see that Christ, when he encountered Satan, fought not with Satan's weapons but with the word of God. He did not give reproach for reproach, or lies for lies, but, 'It is written' (Matt. 4:4-10), showing that we must counter Satan with God's armoury, with weapons out of the book of God.
Have nothing to do with those who are manifestly led by the spirit of Satan and would press kindness on us. Those who are led by the spirit of the devil do not lie about everything, but there is deceit in everything. All offers from those who are led by the spirit of Satan we ought to suspect. When Christ was offered a kindness by Satan, he said, 'Be gone!' (Matt. 4:10). Have nothing to do with devilish men. They are always deceivers, though not always liars; and those who see this have least to do with them.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Glorious Freedom, pp. 112-14 [123-25]
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