There are three things in the act of believing which make this grace displeasing to the wicked one—
1. Faith discovers the truth of things to the soul; the truth of things as they are, whether they be things of this world, or of what is to come; the things and pleasures above, and also those beneath. Faith discovers to the soul the one’s blessedness, goodness, and durableness; the vanity, foolishness, and transitoriness of the other. Faith gives credit to all things that are written in the law and in the prophets (Acts 24:14), both as to the being, nature, and attributes of God; the blessed undertaking of the Lord Jesus Christ; the glory of heaven and torments of hell; the sweetness of the promise and terror of the threatening and curses of the Word; by which means Satan is greatly frustrated in his assaults when he tempted either to love this world or slight that which is to come, for he can do no great matter in these things to any but those who want the faith. ‘In vain is the snare laid in the sight of any bird’ (Prov 1:17); therefore he must first blind, and hold blind, the minds of men, ‘that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them,’ else he can do no harm to the soul (2 Cor 4:4). Now, faith is the eye of the godly man, and that sees the truth of things, whatever Satan suggests, either about the glory of this world, the sweetness of sin, the uncertainty of another world, or the like (1 John 5:4,5; Heb. 11:27).
2. Faith wraps the soul up in the bundle of life with God; it encloses it in the righteousness of Jesus, and presents it so perfectly, that whatever he can do, with all his cunning, cannot render the soul spotted or wrinkled before the justice of the law; yea, though the man, as to his own person and acts, be full of sin from top to toe, Jesus Christ covers all; faith sees it, and holds the soul in the godly sense and comfort of it. The man, therefore, standing here, stands shrouded under that goodly robe that makes him glisten in the eye of justice. Yeah, all the answer that Satan can get from God against such a soul is, that he ‘doth not see iniquity in Jacob, nor behold perverseness in Israel’; for here ‘Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts, though,’ as to their own persons, ‘their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel’ (Num 23:21-23; Jer 51:5; Rom 6:14; Deut. 33:12). Thus, therefore, the soul believing, is hid from all the power of the enemy, and dwells safely under the dominion of grace.
3. Faith keeps the soul from giving credit to any of his insinuations; for whatever Satan saith, either about the acceptance of my person or performances, so long as I believe that both are accepted by God for Christ’s sake, he suggested to the wind; wherefore faith doth the same against the devil that unbelief doth to God. Does unbelief count God as a liar? Faith counts the devil as a liar. Does unbelief hold the soul from the mercy of God? Faith holds the soul from the malice of the devil. Does unbelief quench thy graces? Faith kindled them even into a flame. Does unbelief fill the soul full of sorrow? Faith fills it full of the joy of the Holy Ghost. In a word, doth unbelief bind down thy sins upon thee? Why, faith in Jesus Christ releases thee of them all.
4. As faith keeps the soul from giving credit to the insinuations of Satan, so, when he makes his assaults, it over-masters him, and makes him retreat; ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.—Whom resist steadfast in the faith’ (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). Believe, as I have already said, that God loveth you, that the blood of Christ was shed for you, that your person is presented complete before him, through the righteousness of Christ, and Satan must give place; thy crediting of the gospel makes him fly before thee; but thou must do it steadfast in the faith; every waverer giveth him advantage. And, indeed, this is why the godly are so foiled by his assaults, they do not resist him steadfastly in the faith; they often stagger through unbelief. Now, at every stagger, he recovered lost ground again and gave the battle another time. Besides, by this and the other stagger he taketh heart to attempt by other means, and so double the affliction with manifold temptations. This is, I say, for want of being steadfast. ‘Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked’ (Eph 6:16). To quench them, though they come from him as kindled with the very fire of hell. None knows, save him that feels it, how burning hot the fiery darts of Satan are; and how, when darted, they kindle upon our flesh and unbelief; neither can any know the power and worth of faith to quench them but he that hath it and hath power to act it.
Apprehended 