Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 3 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of Satans proceeding to infer Diſtruſt of Sonſhip from Diſtruſt of Providences. Inſtances of the probability of ſuch a Deſign. The Reaſons of this undertaking. Of Satan's endeavour to weaken the Aſſurance and Hopes of God's Children. His general Method to that purpoſe.
LAſtly we are to conſider the ſuitableneſs of the Means to the End; he had (as we have ſeen) fitly proportioned the ſubordinate Means to the chief and principal. The failure of ordinary Means of help, was ſhrewdly proper to infer a Diſtruſt of Providence. Now let it be noted how fitly he improves this Diſtruſt of Providence, to bring about the End he aimed at, which was a Diſtruſt of his Filial Intereſt in God, as if he ſhould have thus reaſoned; He that in ſtraits is forſaken, as to all the uſual ſupplies that may be expected in an ordinary way, hath no reaſon to relyon Providence; and he that hath no reaſon to rely on Providence for the Body, hath leſs cauſe to expect Spiritual Bleſſings and Favours for the Soul. Hence note,
That 'tis Satan's endeavour, Obſ. 14.to make Men proceed from a Diſtruſt of Providence, to a Diſtruſt of their Spiritual Sonſhip, or Filial Intereſt in God. Firſt, I ſhall evidence that this is Satan's Deſign, and next, I ſhall give the Reaſons of it. The former I ſhall make good by theſe ſeveral Conſiderations.
Firſt, We ſee it is an uſual Inference that others make of Men whoſe Heart fails them, under an abſence or diſappearance of all means of help in their Diſtreſſes. If Providence doth not appear for them, they conclude God hath forſaken them. Bildad thus concludes againſt Job chap. 4. 6. Is not this thy fear, thy Confidence, thy Hope, and the uprightneſs of thy ways? Which muſt not only be underſtood as an Ironical Scoſſ at the weakneſs of his Confidence and Hope, as not being able to ſupport him againſt fainting in his trouble, but as a direct accuſation of the falſeneſs and Hypocriſy of his ſuppoſed Integrity, and all the Hopes and Confidence which was built upon it; and ver. 7. doth evidence, where he plainly declares himſelf to mean, that Job could not be Innocent or Righteous, it being (in his apprehenſion) a thing never heard of, that ſo great Calamities ſhould overtake an upright Man; Whoever periſhed being Innocent? The ground of which aſſertion was from ver. 5. It is now come upon thee, and thou fainteſt. That is, Diſtreſſes are upon thee, and thou haſt no viſible means of help, but deſpaireſt ever to ſee a Providence that will bring thee out; therefore furely thou haſt had no real Intereſt in God, as his Child. Eliphaz alſo ſeconds his Friend in this uncharitable Cenſure; If thou wert pure and upright, he would awake for thee; that is,Job 8. 6. becauſe he doth thus overlook thee, therefore thou art not pure and upright.
If Men do thus aſſault the Comforts of God's Children, we have reaſon enough to think that Satan will; for beſides that we may conclude they are ſet on work by the Devil, (and what he ſpeaks by them, he will alſo by other ways promote, as being a deſign that is upon his Heart;) we may be confident, that this being a Surmiſe ſo Natural to the Heart of Man, he will not let ſlip ſo fair an advantage, for the forming of it in our own Hearts againſt our ſelves.
Secondly, The beſt of Gods Children, in ſuch caſes, eſcape it very hardly (if at all;) which declares, not only the depth and Power of that Policy, but alſo how uſual it is with Satan to urge the Servants of God with it. Job, chap. 19. 25. recovered himſelf to a firm perſwaſion of Sonſhip, I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. but by the way his Foot had well-nigh ſlipt, when ver. 10, 11. he cryes out, He hath deſtroyed me on ever ſide, and I am gone; he hath alſo kindled his Wrath againſt me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his Enemies. His earneſt reſolve, not to give up his Truſt in God, and the Confidence of his Integrity, is ſufficient to diſcover Satans …ager Indeavours to have him bereaved of it.
Thirdly, Satans Succeſs in this Temptation over the Saints of God, (who ſometime have actually failed;) ſhews how much it is his work to caſt down their hopes of Intereſt in God, by overthrowing their Truſt in his Providences. If he attempts this, (and that ſucceſsfully;) on ſuch whoſe frequent Experiences might diſcourage the Tempter, and in probability fruſtrate his undertaking; We have little cauſe to think, that he will be more ſparing and gentle in this Aſſault upon thoſe that are more weak, and leſs acquainted with thoſe Clouds and Darkneſses, that overſhadow the ways of Providence. David, for all the Promiſes that he had received, and notwithſtanding the manifold tryals that he had of ſeaſonable and unexpected deliverances, yet when he was diſtreſſed, he once and again falls into a fear of his Soul, and a queſtioning of God's Favour. He complains as one utterly forſaken, Why haſt thou forſaken me? Pſal. 22. 1.In Pſal. 69. He expreſſeth himſelf, ver. 1. ſinking in the deep Mire, as a Man that had no firm ground to ſtand upon, and that his troubles had brought him to fear the ſtate of his Soul, not only as deprived of God's Favour (and therefore ver. 17. begs that his Face may be no longer hid) but alſo as ſuſpecting the loſs of it, ver. 18. draw nigh unto my Soul, and redeem it, Pſal. 77. upon the occaſion of outward Troubles. Aſaph falls into ſuch a fit of fear, about his Spiritual Condition, that no conſideration of former Mercies could relieve him, He remembred God. ver. 3. but was troubled; he conſidered the days of old, called to remembrance his Songs in the Night. But none of theſe were effectual to keep him from that ſad outcry of Diſtruſt, ver. 7. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? is his Mercy clean gone for ever? hath God forgotten to be Gracious? &c. Which upon the review, in the compoſing of the Pſalm, he acknowledgeth an unbelieving miſcarriage; I ſaid, this is mine infirmity.
Fourthly, 'Tis alſo a common and ordinary thing with moſt, to entertain miſapprehenſions of their Spiritual Condition, when they meet with diſappointments of Providence: Hence the Apoſtle, Heb. 12. 5, 6. when he would quiet the Hearts of Men under the Lords Chaſtening, doth of purpoſe make uſe of this encouragement, that God ſpeaks to them in the Rod, as to Children, and ſuch as are under his Care and Love; My Son deſpiſe not the Chaſtening of the Lord: whom the Lord loveth, he chaſtneth, &c. Which certainly tells us thus much, that 'tis ordinary for Men to doubt their Son-ſhip becauſe of their Afflictions. We may conjecture what the Malady is, when we know what is prepared as a Medicine: This would not have been a common Remedy, (that we may be Children, though we be ſcourged) if the disbelief of this, had not been the uſual interpretation of Afflictions, and a common Diſtemper.
Fifthly, We may further take notice, that thoſe diſquiets of Mind, that were only occaſioned by outward things, and ſeem to have no Affinity (either in the nature of the occaſion, or preſent Inclination of the Party) with a Spiritual Trouble; yet if they continue long, do wholly change their Nature; they that at firſt only troubled themſelves, for loſſes or croſſes, forget theſe Troubles, and take up fears for their Souls.
Sometime this ariſeth from a natural ſoftneſs and timerouſneſs of Spirit, ſuch are apt to miſgive upon any occaſion, and to ſay, Surely, If I were his Child, he would not thus forſake me; his fatherly Compaſſions, would ſome way or other work towards me?
Sometime this ariſeth from Melancholly contracted or heightned by outward Troubles. Theſe when they continue long, and peirce deep, put Men into a Spirit of heavineſs, which makes them refuſe to be comforted. Here the Devil takes his advantage: Ʋnlawful Sorrows, are as delightfully improved by him, as unlawful pleaſures; they are Diab…li Balneum, his Bath in which he ſports himſelf, as the Leviathan in the Waters. When for temporal Loſſes or Troubles Men fall into Melancholy, if they be not relieved ſoon, then their grief changeth its Object, and preſently they diſquiet themſelves, as being out of God's Favour, as being eſtranged from God, as being of the number of the damned; ſuch againſt whom the Door of Mercy is ſhut, and ſo cry out of themſelves as hopeleſs and miſerable. The Obſervations of Phyſitians afford ſtore of inſtances of this kind.Alii damnatos ſ… putant, & quod Deo curae non ſunt. Platerus Tract. Melan. cap. 33. Felix Platerus gives one, of a Woman at Baſil, who firſt grieved for the Death of her Son, and when by this means ſhe grew Melancholly, that changed into an higher trouble; ſhe mourns, that her Sins would not be pardoned, that God would not have Mercy for her Soul. Another, for ſome loſs of Wheat, firſt vexeth himſelf for that, and then at laſt deſpairs of the Happineſs of his Soul; with a great many more of that kind.
Sometimes a deſperate Humor doth (from the ſame occaſion) Diſtract Men into a Fury; Quis eſt ille Deus, ut ſerviam illi? quid proderit ſi oraverim? ſi preſens eſt cur non ſuccu…ris? cur non me carcere, inediâ, ſqualore conſectum liberat? &c. Abſit a me hujusmodi Deus. Mercennus ad Gen. c. 11. fol. 230.of which Mercennus gives one Inſtance from his own Knowledg, of a Perſon who upon the Diſtreſſes which he met with, fell into a rage againſt God, uttering ſpeeches full of Horrour and Blaſphemy, not fit to be related.
If there be ſuch an Affinity betwixt diſtruſt of Providence, and diſtruſt of Son-ſhip, that the one ſlides into the other naturally. If this be common to all Men under troubles, to ſuſpect their Souls; if the beſt do here actually miſcarry; if thoſe that do not yet hardly eſcape; and if by-ſtanders commonly give this Judgment of Men in ſtraits, that there is no help for them in their God; we cannot but collect from all this, that it is an advantage which Satan will not neglect, and that he doth very much imploy himſelf to bring it about:
The Reaſons of it are theſe.
Firſt, Diſtruſt of Providence hath in it the very formal nature of diſtruſt of Son-ſhip. If the Object of diſtruſt were but changed, it would without any further addition work that way.Dr. Reynolds Serm. on Hoſea 14. Ser. 4. He that truſts Providence acknowledgeth that God knoweth his wants, that he is of a merciful inclination to give what he ſees he hath need of; that he hath manifeſted this by Promiſe, that he is ſo faithful that this Promiſe cannot be neglected, and that he hath Power to do what he hath promiſed. He that diſtruſts Providence disbelieves all theſe, conſequentially at leaſt; and he that will not believe that God takes any care of the Body, or that he is of a merciful diſpoſition toward him, or thinks either he hath made no ſuch Promiſe, or will not keep it, if any ſuch were made; cannot believe (if that doubt were but once ſtarted) that God is his Father, or that he hath intereſt in the Priviledg of a Son, Seeing it is impoſſible to believe a Sonſhip, while his Care, Mercy, Promiſes, and Power are diſtruſted. In this then Satans work is very eaſy, it is but his moving the Queſtion about the Lords Mercy to the Soul, and preſently (as when new Matter is miniſtred to a raging Flame;) it takes hold upon it, and with equal, (nay greater) force it carries the Soul to diſtruſt Spiritual Mercies, as before it disbelieved Temporal Kindneſſes.
Secondly, The ſame Reaſons, which any Man doth gather from the ſeeming neglect or Oppoſition of Providence; upon which he grounds his diſtruſt of the Lords Kindneſs in reference to outward things, will alſo ſerve as Arguments for a diſtruſt of Spiritual Favours. The diſtreſſes of Men ſeem to argue, (1.) That there is Sin and Provocation on their part, (2.) And that there is a manifeſtation of Anger on Gods part, (3.) And from theſe apprehenſions ariſeth Bitterneſs, Anxiety, Fear, and Dejection of Spirit, which intercepts all the Help and Conſolation which might ariſe from other conſiderations of the Lords Promiſe, or Mercy, for the quieting of the Heart, and fortifying it againſt ſuch apprehenſions; theſe ſame grounds, with the prevailing fears and perplexities, ariſing from them, are enough to make us ſuſpect, that we are not yet under any ſuch peculiar Favours, as may beſpeak us his Children by Adoption; ſo that from the ſame premiſes Satan will conclude, that as he hath no care for our Bodies, ſo no love to our Souls; that we neither love God nor are beloved of him, betwixt the one concluſion and the other there is but a ſtep, and with a ſmall labour he can cut the Channel, and let in that very Diſtruſt, to run with all its force againſt our Spiritual Intereſt in God.
Thirdly, To truſt God for the Soul is an higher act, than to truſt him for the Body, the Soul being of greater excellency than the Body; and the Mercy neceſſary for the happineſs of it, being more precious, and leſs viſible, it muſt require an higher Confidence in God, to aſſure of this, then ſatisfy us in the other; 'tis more eaſy to believe a leſſer kindneſs from a Friend, than a ſingular or extraordinary Favour; he then that cannot truſt God for temporal Mercies, ſhall be more unable to believe Eternal Bleſſings; If we run with Foot-men, and they have wearried us, ſhall we be able to contend with Horſe-men? If the Shallow Brooks be too ſtrong for us, what ſhall we do in the ſwellings of Jordan?
Fourthly, When Faith is weakned as to one Object, 'tis ſo tainted and diſcouraged, that it is generally weakned as to all other; if the hand be ſo weakned that it cannot hold a Ring, it will be leſs able to Graſp a Crown; when we are baffled in our truſt for temporal Mercies, if Satan then put us to it not to believe for ſpiritual Bleſſings, how can we expect but to be much more at a loſs in them? So that he is ſure of the Victory before he Fights, and he that is ſo ſedulous to take advantage againſt us, will not loſe ſo conſiderable a Conqueſt for want of purſuit. There is indeed one thing that may ſeem fit to be objected againſt this, which is, that Men may retain their Faith in one thing, when yet they diſtruſt in another, as the Iſraelites diſtruſted the Power and Goodneſs of God for Bread, and Fleſh in the Wilderneſs, when yet they believed that as he had given Water out of the Rock, ſo he could do it again if there were need. Pſal. 78. 20. He ſmote the Rock, and the Waters guſhed out, but can he give Bread: as if they had ſaid, we believe he can give Water, but 'tis impoſſible he ſhould provide Bread. But they that would thus object, may conſider, that the reaſon of Mens Confidence in one thing, (while diſtruſt is in other things prevailing) is not from any real ſtrength of their Faith, but a preſent want of a Temptation; if ſuch a confidence were put to it, it would quickly be ſeen that it were truly nothing. As confident as the Iſraelites were, that they could believe for a ſupply of Water, we find, that neither that experience, nor the other of ſupplying them with Manna and Quails were ſufficient to keep up their truſt in God, but that at the next ſtrait all was to ſeek, verſe 32. For all this they ſinned ſtill, and believed not for his wonderous works.
Fifthly, Beſides all the forementioned Advantages that Satan hath in raiſing this Temptation, of diſtruſting Son-ſhip out of a diſtruſt to Providence, we may ſuppoſe him the more earneſt in this matter, becauſe 'tis ſo provoking to God to diſtruſt his Providence; that he often, (as a juſt chaſtiſement of that evil) puniſheth it; by giving them up to diſtruſt him for their Souls; the height of the provocation may be meaſured by this, that 'tis not only a denyal of God that is above, but uſually a veſting ſome mean and contemptible thing, with thoſe Attributes which only ſuit a God Infinite and Eternal. Hoſea 14. 2, 3.As Iſrael did not only forſake the Almighty by their diſtruſt, but place their hopes upon Aſhur, upon their own Horſes and Warlike Preparations, and at laſt, upon the works of their hands, which they called their Gods. How offenſive this is to the Lord, we may obſerve by that notable check which the Prophet gave Ahaz. Eſay 7. 8, 13. notwithſtanding his complement of refuſing a Sign, (which God offered him for the ſtrengthning of his hope) upon a pretence that he would truſt without it, (though indeed he abſolutely diſtruſted him, as appears by 2 Chron. 28. 20.) that it was a weaning and tyring out the Patience of a long-ſuffering God; Is it a ſmall thing for you to weary Men, but will you weary my God alſo? God is ſo active and jealous of all incroachments of this kind, that they may expect he will give up ſuch Offenders to be puniſhed by the terrors of an higher diſtruſt. He that is not owned as a God in his Providences, will not be owned as a Father for Spiritual Mercies; they that will not own him for the Body, ſhall not be able to lay hold upon him or his ſtrength, to be at peace with him for their Souls, and by this piece of juſt diſcipline he often cures the diſtruſt of Providence in his Children, who when they ſee themſelves plunged into terrors and fears about their everlaſting Welfare, do not only call God Juſt, and accept of the puniſhment of their Iniquity, in diſtruſting him for ſmaller matters, but now wiſh with all their hearts, that they might have no greater thing to trouble them than what relates to the Body, or this Life.
To Sum up all theſe reaſons in one word; Satan hath from the forementioned conſiderations, a certain expectation of prevalency. For not only in this caſe doth God (as it were) fight for him, by giving them up, to diſtruſt their Filial Intereſt, that have provoked him by a diſtruſt of Providence; and our Faith is alſo ſo weakned by the former overthrow, that 'tis not able to maintain its ground in an higher matter, but alſo this diſtruſt carries that in the nature and grounds of it; that will of it ſelf work up to a disbelief of ſpiritual Mercies. He knows then that this piece of the Victory is an eaſy Conſequence of the former, and we may ſay of it, as the Prophet Nahum, chap. 3. 12. of the Strong-holds of Nineveh, 'tis like a Fig-tree with the firſt ripe Figs, if they be ſhaken, they ſhall even fall into the mouth of the eater. This Temptation of diſtruſting our Son-ſhip falls into Satans Mouth with a little Labour, when once he hath prevailed ſo far, as to make us diſtruſt the Providence of God in outward matters.
This muſt warn and caution us againſt any unbeſeeming unbelieving entertainment of jealouſy againſt the Lords Providence;Applic. we are but too apt in our ſtraits to take a greater liberty to queſtion his Mercy and Power, not foreſeeing how cloſely this borders upon a greater evil; we may ſay of it, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of babling in Controverſies, that they lead to more ungodlineſs, and that ſuch words eat as a Canker, ſo doth this diſtruſt uſually carry us further, and when we fall out with God for ſmall matters, he will be angry in earneſt, and withdraw from us our Conſolations in greater. In the depth of your diſtreſſes when your fears are round about you, and God ſeems to compaſs you about with his Net; when Lover and Friend forſakes, and when there is no appearance of help, endeavour (for the keeping hold of your Intereſt in God) to behave your ſelves according to the following directions.
Firſt, Look upon the Providences of God to be as a great deep, the bottom of whoſe ways and deſigns you cannot reach; think of them as of a Myſtery, which indeed you muſt ſtudy, but not throw away, becauſe you cannot at firſt underſtand it. Providences are not to be dealt with as Alexander did by Gordius his knot, who when he could not looſe it, he cut it. If you ſee not the end of the Lord, or cannot meet with a door of hope in it, yet lay your Hand upon your Mouth, ſpeak not, think not evil of things, you know not, but wait till the time of their bringing forth.
Secondly, You muſt keep up in your hearts high and honourable thoughts of God, yea, of his Mercy and Goodneſs, and where you cannot ſee your way, or God's way before you, yet (as it were by a kind of implicit Faith) muſt you believe that he is Holy and Good in all his ways.
Thirdly, Though you may read your Sins, or God's diſpleaſure in them, and accordingly endeavour to humble your ſelves, and call your ſelves vile, yet muſt it be always remembred, that Eternal Love or Hatred is not to be meaſured by them.
Fourthly, Reſtrain complainings. 'Tis indeed an eaſe to complain; I will ſpeak (ſaith Job) that I may be refreſhed, Job 32. 20.notwithſtanding a vent being given, 'tis difficult to keep within bounds. Our complainings entice us to diſtruſt, as may appear in Job, who took a boldneſs this way, more than was fit; as Chap. 10. 3. Is it good unto thee that thou ſhouldeſt oppreſs? and that thou ſhouldeſt deſpiſe the work of thine hands?
All this hath been ſaid in the opening of the Temptation it ſelf, now muſt I conſider the motive that Satan uſed to bring on the Temptation by; If thou be the Son of God, &c.
The Queſtion that is here moved by ſome, is, whether Satan really knew, or truly doubted Chriſt to be the Son of God. Several Learned Men think that he was in doubt, *Beza, Chemnitius. Serm. de jejunio & tempt, Chriſti. Unitas naturarum excaecavit Satanam.and the reaſons are variouſly conjectured. Cyprian conceives that the unity of the two Natures in one Perſon did blind him, he knew it to be impoſſible that the Divine Nature ſhould hunger, and might think it ſtrange that the Humane Nature ſhould faſt ſo long. Cornelius a Lapide thinks that Satan knew that there ſhould be two Natures united in one Perſon, and that this occaſioned Satans Fall, while he proudly ſtomacked the exaltation of the Humane Nature, but he imagins Satan's doubt aroſe from a doubtful Sence of that phraſe, This is my beloved Son, as not knowing whether Chriſt were the Natural, or an Adopted Son of God.
But notwithſtanding theſe apprehenſions, others conceive that Satan knew very well who Chriſt was, and that being privy to ſo many things relating to him, as the Promiſes which went before and directly pointed out the time, the Angels Salutation of Mary at his Conception, the Star that conducted the Wiſe Men to him, the Teſtimony from Heaven concerning him, with a great many things more, he could not poſſibly be ignorant that he was the Meſſias, and the Son of God by Nature; Neither doth that expreſſion, If thou be the Son of God, imply any doubting, ſeeing that that is uſually expreſſive of the greateſt certainty and aſſurance, as in the ſpeech of Lamech, If Cain ſhall be avenged ſeven-fold, that is, as certainly he ſhall be avenged; ſo Satan might uſe it to this Senſe, If, or ſeeing thou art the Son of God. Now whereas it may ſeem ſtrange, that he ſhould ſet upon Chriſt, if he knew who he was, I have anſwered that before, and ſhall here only add, that though Satan did believe Chriſt to be the Son of God, yet ſo ſtrongly did the power of Malice work in him, that he would have had him to have doubted that he was not ſo. From all this, we have this Obſervation,
That the great deſign of Satan is to weaken the Aſſurance and Hopes of the Children of God,Obſ. 15. in their Adoption.
This is the Maſter-piece of his deſign, the very Center in which moſt of his Devices meet; we may ſay of him, as Eſau ſaid of Jacob, is he not rightly called Jacob, a ſupplanter; he firſt ſtole away our Birth-right at the Creation, and now he ſeeks to take away our bleſſing in Chriſt the Redeemer.
The reaſons of this undertaking I ſhall not here inſiſt on; 'tis ſufficiently obvious, that the greateſt perplexity and ſorrow ariſeth to the Children of God from hence, and that a troop of other Spiritual evils (as Impatience, Fury, Blaſphemy, and many more) doth follow it at the Heels, beſides all that inability for Service, and at laſt, plain neglect of all Duty. All I ſhall further do at this time, ſhall be to ſhew in a few particulars, (from Satans carriage to Chriſt in this Temptation) how and after what manner he doth manage that deſign, in which note.
Firſt, That 'tis his deſign to ſever us from the Promiſe, and to weaken our Faith in that; when Eve was tempted, this was that he aimed at, that ſhe ſhould queſtion the good earneſt of the prohibition, Hath God ſaid ſo? Was he real in that command, that you ſhould not Eat at all, &c. the like he doth to Chriſt, Is it true? or can it be ſo as that Voice declared, that thou art the Son of God?
Secondly, Though this be his deſign, yet his way to come to it, is not at firſt to deny it, but to queſtion and enquire, yet after ſuch a manner, as may imply and withal ſuggeſt a doubting or ſuſpition that it is not ſo; he doth not come to Chriſt thus, Thou art not the Son of God; or, that Voice that gave thee that Teſtimony, was but a lye or a deluſion: but he rather proceeds by queſtioning, which might ſeem to grant, that he was ſo, yet withal might poſſibly beget a doubt in his mind.
Thirdly, Next he more plainly ſuggeſts ſomething that may ſeem to argue the contrary; for thus he aggravates Chriſt's preſent condition of want, Can it be that God would leave thee to theſe oppreſſing ſtraits, if thou wert his Son? At this rate he deals with us, improving the failure of outward means of help, the permiſſion of Temptation, the want of Comfort, the continuance of Affliction, notwithſtanding Prayers, &c. as probabilities that we belong not to God.
Fourthly, After this, he urgeth Chriſt to a ſinful miſcarriage, to diſtruſt Providence, and to rely no longer on the Care of his Father; if Chriſt had been prevailed with in this, he would have made uſe of it, as an Argument to prove that he was not the Son of God indeed. 'Tis uſual in his diſputings with us about adoption, to put us upon ſomething, which may be as an Argument out of our own Mouths againſt us. Chriſt might have anſwered him in this, as the Man anſwered Joah, If I ſhould do ſo, then thou thy ſelf wouldſt ſet thy ſelf againſt me.
Fifthly, When at laſt, he hath gradually aſcended to that Confidence as to deny our Adoption, then (at a very great diſadvantage) he puts us upon the proof, in which he puts by the ordinary evidences, and inſiſts on extraordinary proofs as neceſſary. The Servants of the Lord that are under this exerciſe, do find that in this caſe, the ordinary evidences of Repentance, Mortification, Love to the Brethren, &c. do nothing for them: Satan puts their Spirit upon clamouring for higher evidences; nothing will ſerve except they may view the Records of Eternity, and read their Names enrolled in the everlaſting Decrees, or except God will ſpeak from Heaven in an extraordinary way, to teſtify of them, as Thomas reſolved, that no leſs ſhould ſatisfy his doubt than the feeling and ſeeing of the print of the Nails; To this purpoſe ſome ſtand upon no leſs than a Miracle for proof of Son-ſhip. Of which we have two Inſtances of later years,See their Relations in Print. the one Mrs. Honywood, the other Mrs. Sarah Wight, who in their diſtreſſes for their Souls were tempted by Satan to make an haſty Experiment, the one by throwing a Venice Glaſs, the other by throwing a Cup againſt the Wall with this or the like expreſſion, If I muſt be ſaved, then let not this Glaſs break: a deſperate Temptation! their manner of deſiring ſatisfaction is ſo provoking, that it cannot be expected God will give an anſwer by it, but rather the contrary; and if he ſhould not condeſcend, as he is not bound, (though he ſtrangely preſerved the Cup and Glaſs forementioned from breaking) what a dangerous concluſion would Satan draw from it? Of this nature and deſign was that propoſal of Satans to Chriſt, Command that theſe Stones be made Bread, that is, do it as a proof of thy Son-ſhip.
By this we muſt learn this skill,Applic. not too eaſily to give up our hopes, or to be Prodigal of our Intereſt in Chriſt, ſo as to part with it ſlenderly. If Satan would chiefly rob us of this, we may learn thence, to put a price upon theſe Jewels, and to account that precious, and of ſingular concernment, which he uſeth ſo much cunning to bereave us of. Many of the Lords Servants may juſtly blame themſelves for their laviſh unthriftineſs in this matter, who (as if it were a neceſſary piece of humility or modeſty) will readily conclude againſt themſelves, that they are not God's Children, that they are not yet converted, &c. Thus at unawares, they give up to Satan without a ſtroke all that he ſeeks for.
But you will ſay,Queſt. Muſt all Men be confident of Adoption?
No,Anſw. I mean not ſo, yet all Men muſt be wary how they caſt away their hopes: particularly,
Firſt, Though it be a dangerous arrogancy for a ſinful wicked Creature to bear himſelf up in a belief, that he is converted and actually inſtated into the Adoption of Sons; yet 'tis as dangerous on the other hand, for that Man to caſt off all hope, and to ſay he is reprobated, and ſuch an one as cannot expect Pardon and Grace.
Secondly, Thoſe that are converted, though they may and ought to humble themſelves deeply for their ſinful miſcarriage, and ſincerely acknowledg that they deſerve not to be called his Children, yet muſt they be careful not to renounce their Filial Intereſt. They may ſay they are Prodigal, yet keep to this, that they are Sons; though they are wandering Sheep, yet muſt they ſtick here, that they are Sheep ſtill, and that God is ſtill a Father though a provoked Father, otherwiſe their folly will give more, then all his fury could get, at leaſt ſo quickly and eaſily.