The Devil’s Temptation.
By I. S. Spencer
“There is an order in the snares and temptations of the devil. He has three classes of temptations. 1. Satan employs the world—just aims to keep sinners satisfied to love earthly things, and pursue them. If he cannot do that—if they cannot be made to live on without any kind of religion, hunting for riches, honor, pleasure, ease, and some such thing, then— 2. Satan aims to lead them into a false religion, into deception, into some delusion, which shall lull them into a false peace to their ruin. But if he cannot do this—if they have too much knowledge of the Bible, and too much of the influence of the Holy Spirit to be led into a false hope, then the old liar shifts his ground; and— 3. Aims to drive to despair. This is his last effort, and, I do believe the most devilish one of all. It is most like him, for it is at once the most false, and most miserable.—I. S. Spencer.