The Case of Satans Fiery Darts in Blasphemous Suggestions, Text

The Case of Satans Fiery Darts in Blasphemous Suggestions · Text

Satan's fiery Darts, IN Blaſphemous Suggeſtions, AND Helliſh Annoyances.

JOB II. 9, 10.

Then ſaid his Wife unto him, Doſt thou ſtill retain thine Integrity? curſe GOD and die: But he ſaid unto her, Thou ſpeakeſt as one of the fooliſh Women ſpeaketh; what? ſhall we receive good at the Hand of GOD, and ſhall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job ſin with his Lips.

WE have heard of the Patience of Job, and ſeen the End of the LORD; which ſome excellent Expoſitors have ſaid was to give an early and illuſtrious Type of the Humiliation of CHRIST, and his Sufferings, in his Way to Glory and Exaltation, as our Interceſſor at the right Hand of GOD.

Among the many excelling Examples and Patterns given us thro' the Holy Scriptures, of Suffering Affliction and Patience, no One is more remarkable, noble and illuſtrious, teaching and affecting than that of JOB'S; in the ſurpriſing firſt and ſecond Aſſault of Satan upon his Family, Eſtate and Perſon.

The Sovereign and gracious GOD had prov'd his Grace in this his Servant in a long proſperous State; and now was pleas'd to make a ſudden Change upon him, for an equal Diſplay of the Power and Glory of his Grace in a State of deepeſt Affliction.

p. 6Satan was greedy of a Permiſſion to tempt and ſift him, as he afterward was to try Peter. The cruel Devil ſpoil'd him of his Subſtance, and bereaved him of his Children and Servants in one Day; and that in ſo terrible and judicial a Manner as might ſpeak moſt dreadfully the immediate Hand and utmoſt Indignation of Heaven: But failing of his Wiſh, hereby to provoke him to curſe GOD; he ask'd a further Permiſſion to ſmite his Body from Head to Foot, with Boils and fiery Ulcers, extreamly painful and tormenting, as well as filthy and loathſome. It was the Pleaſure of Sovereign Grace, to permit this alſo, that the Trial of Faith in his choſen Servant might be found to Praiſe and Honour and Glory thro' all Generations of the Church on Earth, and at the Day of the Coming of CHRIST to Judgment.

But no Word amiſs falling from the afflicted Saint, in this his deſtitute and tormented State; no Words but of profound Humility, Reſignation, Worſhip and Thankſgiving, dropping from his Lips; the ſubtle Tempter having ſpent all his outward Forces, betook himſelf to his helliſh Craft and Policy, and annoy'd his gracious Soul with diabolical Suggeſtions and blaſphemous Thoughts againſt GOD; to ſecond him in which he excited his Wife, whom the ſpiteful Fiend ſeems to have left to him on Deſign to make her his Tempter and Tormentor.— So he afterward grieved our bleſſed SAVIOUR; againſt whom not prevailing by more immediate Aſſaults in the Wilderneſs, he us'd the unwary and raſh Lips of Peter, and got him that juſt Rebuke, "Get thee behind me, Satan.

Her Words in my Text are very groſs, and ſmell rank of Hell; Then ſaid his Wife to him, Doſt thou ſtill retain thy Integrity? curſe GOD and die.

I am not ignorant that the Hebrew is capable of another Senſe, and that ſome make it a Piece of gracious Advice, "Bleſs God, and expire: But I adhere to our Tranſlation, which perfectly agrees with Job's Reply to her; Thou ſpeakeſt as a fooliſh Woman! What, ſhall we receive Good at the Hand of GOD, and ſhall we not receive Evil?

p. 7Some think her Words ſpoken in Way of profane Sarcaſm, from a vext and inraged Heart; q. d. Yes, keep on bleſſing GOD! for what I pray! for Plagues and Want? and to what Fruit? to periſh praiſing! perſiſt then, and die as a Fool dieth. —But more ſimply taken, and as our Tranſlators give 'em, they are a Piece of profane and furious Counſel; caſt off thy Reverence of the DIVINE MAJESTY, and dare to reproach that GOD who can deal ſo hardly and unjuſtly by thee; notwithſtanding all thy religious Services and Worſhip, thy Devotion and Integrity; Curſe him tho' thou die for it; curſe and provoke him to ſtrike thee dead at once, and put an End to all thy Miſery.

I confeſs this Senſe ſounds very horrid! but not beyond the Devil; who dar'd to demand of the SON OF GOD himſelf, to fall down and worſhip him: And as HE then turn'd and rebuked the Tempter and drove him away; "Get thee hence Satan! Math. iv. 10. So Job in the Spirit and Strength of his REDEEMER turn'd to his Wife and rebuked her; Thou ſpeakeſt as a fooliſh wicked Woman! What? ſhall we receive Good at the Hand of GOD, and ſhall we not receive Evil?

Theſe are Words of high and merited Anger and ſevere Reproof; but like thoſe of the Arch-Angel when contending with the Devil, there is no railing in them: The holy Man kept a Guard on his Lips, tho' no doubt his Soul was pierced with Horror at her Words. He deteſted the impious Motion, and rejected it with Abhorrence, without a Moment's Heſitation. He might well call her a fooliſh Woman, raſh and inconſiderate, and alſo profane; as the Fool m…an… in the Phraſe of Scripture. —And then he more mildly argues with her; yet with a ſufficient Reſentment: What? ſhall we receive Good, and ſo much Good as we have done, in a long Courſe of high worldly Proſperity! and ſhall we not receive Evil? even ſuch Evils, ſo many and mighty ones together; and breaking in upon us all at once, bereaving us of Children and Houſhold, Subſtance and Eſtate, Eaſe and Health; in ſuch p. 8ſudden and awful Manner. Can any Thing be wrong or unjuſt that a good GOD orders to befall us? The Evil of Affliction comes from Him now, as much as all the Affluence of worldly Proſperity that has heretofore diſtinguiſh'd us! and weigh now the one againſt the other; what Good we have receiv'd all the Days of our Life, and comparatively how few and light Afflictions; and then ſay, if we ought not to bear ſilently and patiently, and with adoring Submiſſion, the Evils which He now pleaſes to lay upon us?

This was Job's gracious Way of Reaſoning; theſe Thoughts had kept his own Spirit calm, and with the ſame he would lay the roil'd Spirit of his Wife, and ſtop her muttering and blaſpheming Mouth.—The Good and the Evil of this Life are both from GOD; his Sovereignty (abſtracted from every other Conſideration) accounts for both in our State of Trial: The leaſt of the Good is not deſerved, the Evil is all merited and much more; the Good is much more for Kind, Meaſure and Continuance, thro' our whole Lives, than the Evil; the Good is at leaſt neceſſary and what we could not ſubſiſt without, the Evil what may be liv'd under and outliv'd. The moſt common Mercies of this Life are uſually the greateſt and moſt needful. The Good is not only for Neceſſity, but alſo for Delight; the Evil is no more than we need, and what we could not do well without: The Evil and the Good both come according to GOD's Covenant-Faithfulneſs to his own People; the Evil is improvable to the beſt Good, and 'tis the Will and Meaning of GOD that we ſo improve it; and (to have done) the Good which we receive from the Hand of GOD doth not always give to particular Graces an equal Luſtre, as does the Evil.—Should we not then receive the Evil in this State of our Trial and Probation? Surely 'tis calculated for it; the Honour of GOD requires it; there are paſſive Graces which our fallen State calls for the Exerciſe of; and CHRIST the Captain of our Salvation was made perfect thro' Suffering.

p. 9But to return.—In the Words of my Text we have one of the moſt diabolical Motions that was ever … to a holy Soul againſt the bleſſed GOD; and alſo … the nobleſt Reſentments that ſuch a Soul is capable of. No Wonder therefore that we find ſo expreſs and … a Divine Approbation of Job's gracious and holy … to his Wife's outrageous Words: "In all this did not … ſin with this Lips.

Satan aſſaulted him by her: He us'd and acted …, and ſpake by her Lips: So in the Beginning he bega…e… Eve, and by her prevail'd on Adam. It is one of his curſed Policies which he yet continues to aſſault us in the weakeſt Place, and by them we love. He ſends Temptations by unſuſpected Hands; theirs that have moſt Intereſt in us and Influence upon us. Profaneſs in ſuch a Relative, or Diſcontent, Paſſion, Rage in 'em, is an unknown (yet too well known) Provocation to Evil.

The curſed Motion in the Text is 1. to hard Thought… of the bleſſed GOD and his holy Providence; and 2. … outrageous and blaſphemous Words: "Doſt thou ſtill retain thy Integrity? curſe GOD and die! What could be more furious and extravagant, impious and deteſtable. Well might he with Horror hear, and ſpue out the hell… Suggeſtion with high Indignation and Deteſtation; and well is the Judgment of GOD given ſtrongly in his Favour, on his doing ſo. GOD juſtifies and honours … GOD acquits and abſolves him, upon a firſt and ſecond … ery Trial. He approv'd himſelf to be the perfect … upright Man. By not offending in Word, Jam. iii. 2▪ … an impatient Word fell from him, under ſo many ſ…p…iſing Blows and Breaches upon his Perſon, … Eſtate not a Word, but of Humiliation and … when urg'd to Rebellion by all the …orce and … of Hell: mov'd as he was to curſe, he ſ…ll … bleſſing; the curſed Suggeſtion enter'd only his … into his Soul; that abhorr'd from it.

Let the DOCTRINE therefore, for our Inſ…r… … Warning, and alſo for Comfort and Support … may be Occaſion, be this,

p. 10"That many of GOD's dear Children are often annoy'd with curſed and diabolical Suggeſtions, which He will never reckon to them as their Sin, becauſe they do in their Souls abhor and reject them with utmoſt Deteſtation.

This was Job's Caſe, and ſo it is of many a gracious Saint in our own Time: We ſee 'em terrify'd and pierc'd with helliſh Suggeſtions, which they abhor, and are ready to ſhriek out at: they look on 'em as their own Wickedneſs, and ſo at themſelves as Devils almoſt: they loathe themſelves on this Account, and cry to GOD for Deliverance, and are in Anguiſh, that ever ſuch foul Thoughts ſhould have Acceſs to them, and as they apprehend lodge within them: But what ſays my Text to 'em? even as GOD in it did to Job; "in all this they have not ſinned.

I am then in the following Diſcourſe to ſpeak to theſe three Propoſitions:

1. That the moſt upright and deareſt of the Children of GOD in his Church on Earth, may be ſometimes annoy'd and tormented with ſome of the moſt curſed and diabolical Suggeſtions, moſt injurious and diſhonourable to the bleſſed GOD.

2. That theſe helliſh Thoughts and Injections ſhould be moſt grievous and abhorred to their holy Souls, and rejected with utmoſt Deteſtation.

3. That then they are not their Sin, nor will ever be imputed to them by the Holy GOD.

I. The deareſt of GOD's Children in his Church on Earth may be at Times annoy'd and terrified, purſu'd and haunted by ſome of the moſt curſed and diabolical Suggeſtions, moſt injurious and diſhonourable to the bleſſed GOD.

If Job ſuffered thus in his Day, why not the moſt dear and pleaſant Child of GOD in ours? Who among us ſhall be exempt from this, or any other Kind of fiery Trial? Nay, a greater than Job preſents HIMSELF to us in the Front of the New Teſtament: Matth. iv. 1. Then was JESUS led up of the SPIRIT into the Wilderneſs, to be p. 11tempted of the Devil: And when the Tempter came to Him he ſaid, If thou be the SON OF GOD—! And again, If thou wilt fall down down and worſhip me!—Then JESUS ſaith unto him, "Get thee hence Satan. What an impudent, impure and damnable Motion was this of the Devil's to the SON OF THE HIGHEST when He took the Likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh! Not only was he mov'd to diſtruſt and tempt GOD, but even to worſhip the Devil. "Surely then there can be no Sin ſo foul and monſtrous, but the beſt of Saints may be tempted to it. And whom may not Satan uſe as a Tempter to another, when the Wife of Job was ſo abuſed by him, and afterward the Lips of Peter to blaſpheme the Purpoſe and Decree of GOD, reſpecting the Sufferings of CHRIST, as unjuſt and impoſſible, to the very Face of CHRIST, and in the Preſence of his Fellow-Apoſtles; ‡‡Matth. xvi. 22. For he ſeems not ſo to have taken him aſide, as to …e out of their Sight and Obſervation, if out of hearing.Matt 16:22before whom he receiv'd a like Rebuke that the Devil had in the Wilderneſs; "Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an Offence to me; for thou ſavoureſt not the Things that be of GOD.

When we conſider Satan's uſing Job's Wife to vex his righteous Soul, and draw him into Sin and Rebellion againſt GOD; it forces into our Remembrance his Malice and Subtilty from the Beginning, when he took the Form of the Serpent in his firſt Temptation, ſo fatal to Mankind through all Generations. The Woman was firſt in the Tranſgreſſion; the Devil gat into her, and by her into Adam; he ſhock'd her by a horrid Suggeſtion againſt the Goodneſs and Truth of GOD and prevailed! Has God indeed ſaid (ſaid the blaſphemous lying Spirit) ye ſhall not eat, leaſt ye die? Whereas he knows that in the Day you eat, your Eyes will be opened, and you will be like HIMSELF for Knowledge and Underſtanding. The malicious and falſe Fiend ſuggeſts to her, that from Ill-will and Envy GOD had forbid them the delicious and improving Fruit, and that the Threatning, by which he had p. 12…rain'd them, was a Lye. In all his modern Temptations he takes the ſame Courſe; "he queſtions the Precept, he denies the Danger, and he ſuggeſts ſome great …vantage. So the Devil began with belying and re…aching the bleſſed GOD, to alienate Man's Heart from him.

I might mention two Inſtances more, which are famous in Scripture Story, of the Wives of good Men, uſed by the Devil to tempt them into ill Thoughts of GOD. The firſt is that of Zipporah to Moſes, when ſhe was terrified into the Circumciſion of her Son; for ſhe ſaw her Husband ſtruck ſick on his Journey, and threatned with …ath for the Omiſſion, and hereby diſabled for the Duty; …he therefore caſt the Foreskin at his Feet and ſaid, "A … Husband art thou to me. This is vulgarly interpr…d in Way of Paſſion and Wrath; and for ought I know 'tis the right Senſe of the Words, after all the … Criticiſm that has been beſtowed on them, to make them bear another Senſe. Now, in this literal Senſe,— … Moſes was a bloody Husband for obliging her to …e…ute the Command of GOD in that bleeding Rite of C…cumciſion; then what a bloody Imputation is here …geſted againſt the good GOD, that He ſhould inſti… and require it, as the Sign and Seal of his Covenant, threaten now to ſpill the Blood of Moſes for his daring to …mit it ſo long, from his Indulgence to her! If this … the real Meaning and Language of angry Zipporah, … a virulent Repr…ach do her Words imply againſt GOD and his gracious Law?

The other Inſtance I pointed at is Michal the Wife of …, when ſhew ſaw him in his Tranſport of holy Zeal and Joy dancing before the Ark of GOD: She blaſphe…ed the religious Act as leud and ſhameful; and as if it were below the Dignity and State of the King of Iſrael …o …iſrobe and uncover himſelf ſo before the DIVINE MA…S…Y.—Was it Michal's Pride, or was it Satan's Envy and Rage, that we muſt impute theſe Reproaches againſt GOD unto? Doubtleſs ſhe was poſſeſs'd, the Devil was in her, and he fill'd her Heart with Contempt, and her p. 13Mouth with Railings. She vilify'd GOD and his Ark, in reviling David, his Zeal and Devotion; and GOD laid her under Reproach, and made her vile for the reſt of her Life.

But to return again: The Devil needs no Inſtruments by whom to tempt: He has Acceſs to our Minds, if GOD do not reſtrain and forbid him, to raiſe and move evil Thoughts in us. He ſhoots his fiery Darts, and they enter we know not how; but we feel 'em pierce and faſten in our Souls. For how one Spirit acts on another we know not; but this we know, that Satan can fill the Heart againſt the HOLY GHOST; as in the Caſe of Ananias and Sapphira.

Sometimes the Devil has hurried poor Souls with Atheiſtical Thoughts; for he finds an evil Heart of Unbelief within us, and foments it at Times, to high Degrees of Infidelity; ſo as not only to queſtion the Myſtery of the Trinity, and therein of JESUS, GOD manifeſt in Fleſh; but alſo the very Being and incomprehenſible neceſſary Perfections of the DEITY; his Eternity, perfect Preſcience and Decrees; which are indeed as the thick Darkneſs, or rather unapproachable Light wherein the ETERNAL dwells; and into which it may be the Angels of Heaven are no more allow'd to pry with any Thought of ſearching them out, than the Church of old in the Wilderneſs was permitted to come near unto the Bounds about the Mount to gaze; into which if they had look'd, what could they have ſeen but Cloud and Lightning?

The Word and Providence of GOD are alſo ſpecial Objects of Satan's furious Attack, in his Aſſaulting the Faith and Love of GOD's Saints. And herein he does by the Members, as he did by the HEAD, in the forty Days of our LORD'S Temptation.

Thus Aſaph was almoſt born away headlong into Unbelief and Deſpondency; though he had thrown out his ſtrong Anchor and Cable, Truly GOD is good to Iſrael, even to them that are of a clean Heart! Yet could he ſcarce outride the furious Storm: Pſal. lxxiii.—But as for me, my Feet were almoſt gone, for I was envious at the p. 14fooliſh, when I ſaw the Proſperity of the Wicked:—Verily I have cleanſed my Heart in vain, and waſhed my Hands in Innocence! But ſhould I ſpeak thus, I ſhall offend againſt the Generation of thy Children!— Yet was my Heart grieved and I was pricked in my Reins; ſo fooliſh was I and ignorant, I was even as a Beaſt before Thee! For never the leſs I am continually with thee, thou haſt holden me by my right Hand; and whom have I in Heaven but Thee, and there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee, &c.

The Rage and Blaſphemy of the Devil is eſpecially ſpent againſt the Faithfulneſs and Truth of GOD, in his Promiſes and Threatnings: he inrages the wicked very often by accurſed Miſrepreſentations of the one, and would drive the Godly into Deſpondencies and Deſperation, by impudent Denials of the other. He has a furious Antipathy to that Name of GOD which is the ſtrong Tower of the righteous, and into which they are ever flying; for in it all his Glory paſſes before ſinful Man; Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. The LORD, the LORD GOD, merciful and gracious, long-ſuffering, and abundant in Goodneſs and Truth; keeping Mercy for Thouſands, &c. The Devil ſtabs a Child of GOD to the Heart, and pierces him in the moſt ſenſible and tender Part, while he reproaches him, and makes him but ſeem to doubt the Goodneſs and Truth of GOD, his Covenant-Kindneſs and Faithfulneſs. No Wonder therefore if we find the moſt Eminent Saints on holy Record thus afflicted and tormented by the Blaſphemer and Avenger.—As Job was thus outrag'd in my Text, ſo were David and Aſaph and Heman in their times, long after; for the Tempter is the ſame to all that are living godly in every Age; as they are much the ſame in reſpect of Faith and Infirmity▪ David tells us in Pſalm xlii. how he went mourning becauſe of the Oppreſſion of the Enemy, who inſultingly reproach'd him from Day to Day, "Where is thy GOD? It was a Sword in his Bones, more for the Name of his GOD than the Scorn caſt on himſelf; the Voice of Him that reproacheth and blaſphemeth! why art thou caſt down O my Soul, and why diſquieted within me? hope thou in GOD, for I p. 15ſhall yet praiſe Him.—Aſaph was a like ſuffering Saint by like violent Temptations to Deſpondency; Pſal. lxxvii. His Sore ran in the Night and ceaſed not; his Soul refuſed to be comforted; he remembred GOD (his Name, Perfections, Promiſes and Works) and yet his Trouble remained or increaſed; his Spirit was overwhelmed while it made diligent Search; "Will the LORD caſt off forever? and will he be favourable no more? is his MERCY clean gone forever, and doth his PROMISE fail forevermore? hath GOD forgotten to be gracious, hath he in Anger ſhut up his tender Mercies?—I ſaid, this is my Infirmity, I will remember the Years of the right Hand of the moſt High! Thy Way is in the Sea, thy Path as in the great Waters, and thy Footſteps are not known.—Heman alſo was a Man of like Sorrows, and of like Faith and Devotion: He has given us a Pſalm of Inſtruction to Souls in the loweſt Pit, in Darkneſs, in the Deeps; Pſal. lxxxviii. "O LORD GOD of my Salvation, I have cried Day and Night before Thee; let my Prayer come before thee, incline thine Ear unto my Cry; for my Soul is full of Troubles, and my Life draweth nigh unto the Grave;—why caſteſt thou off my Soul, why hideſt thou thy Face from me? LORD, I have called dai…y upon thee, I have ſtretched out my Hands to thee; and ſt…l in the Morning ſhall my Prayer prevent thee: After all the Toſſings of the Night, the Light of the Morning ſhall find me praying.

In fine, it has often been the Complaint of humble and gracious Perſons, that they have found themſelves annoy'd with unaccountable irreverent, fooliſh, vile, filthy, baſe, abominable Thoughts; They know not what, how or why! but they ſeem to buzz about 'em like Swarms of Flies, or break about 'em like Sparkles of Fire; more eſpecially when they would ſet themſelves to meditate and pray, and have their Minds moſt ſolemn and compoſed and cloſe with GOD in holy Exerciſes.—Now what ſhall we ſay to theſe Satanical Moleſtations and Diſturbances? On the Serpent's part it is more eaſy to account for it, from his Spite and Malignity againſt GOD and his Grace; but on the part of GOD, his Permiſſion p. 16of Baalzebub herein, and the holy Ends of his gracious Government; it may be more difficult for us to conceive aright.

1. On the part of Satan it is obvious to account for it from his implacable Hatred of GOD, and of Souls recovering into his Holineſs and Favour; from which he is himſelf utterly and forever excluded. He hates GOD becauſe of his Holineſs, and for his righteous Judgment, his Power and Vengeance; which it is his Torment to think of, and know it coming on him. So when the fierce Devils, "exceeding fierce from the Tombs, whither they had driven the two poſſeſſed, beheld their Judge, the HOLY ONE OF GOD in their Way, and were corrected by his Power and ſtopt; Matth. viii. 29. They cried out ſaying, "What have we to do with thee; JESUS thou Son of GOD! art thou come to torment us before the Time? It is the Devil's Torment to behold Angels or Men holy and happy, while he is miſerable. He hates GOD becauſe he is unlike him, and under his Wrath; he ſpitefully hates to ſee GOD ſerv'd and glorify'd by others; he would pollute and damn our Souls, that we may be as he is, impure and odious to GOD. He affects a Kingdom of his own on Earth, in Oppoſition to the Kingdom of GOD and of Grace. He could not bear to ſee Man in Paradiſe, and be himſelf in Hell; to ſee Adam in the Likeneſs and Love of GOD and worſhipping before Him, and himſelf caſt from thoſe Felicities. Curs'd in his Rage on this Account, beyond a common damned Ghoſt I may ſuppoſe, he wiſhes for Millions and Worlds to follow by his Means into the State of eternal Miſeries; and having beguiled our miſerable firſt Parent into an Apoſtacy from GOD, and finding himſelf only the more damned, and a SAVIOUR revealed for the Sons of Men; and Him a ſingular and eminent SEED of that very Woman whom he had deceived into Sin and Miſery; his Envy and Hatred againſt all her natural Seed, but more eſpecially againſt the bleſſed and promiſed ONE Himſelf, and thoſe that ſhould believe on his Name, has been ſo inflam'd—that as a roaring p. 17Lion he drives thro' the World, (and is going up and down in it, which are his own Words) ſeeking whom he may devour; And whom he cannot deſtroy he loves to diſtreſs, affright and ſcare, terrify and wound; or worry if he cannot rend; and no wonder if he roar the more, when he ſees and cannot reach his Prey; as in the Caſe of Job, and Souls upright like him:— Or like a Dog rather he goes about the City, and haunts the Villages like the Wolf by night; grinning and barking at the Flock of CHRIST and his Lambs, whoſe Blood he thirſts after. So the HOLY GHOST has repreſented to us our Adverſary the Devil, 1 Peter v. 8. ſhown us our Enemy and Danger: So that on the Tempter's part it is eaſy to ſay, why he annoys Souls with his helliſh Suggeſtions againſt the bleſſed GOD; he hates both GOD and them, and deſires nothing more than to ſee GOD diſhonoured and them polluted, that they may be damned.— This was his Wiſh and Hope in his Attempt on holy Job; to bring the Man of boaſted Integrity to curſe his GOD; and for the ſame Reaſon he deſired to have the Sifting of Peter who was too ready to boaſt in himſelf; though all Men forſake thee, yet will not I: Luke xxii. 31. Satan has deſired to have thee, to ſift thee as Wheat: to have him for his own if it might be, and carry him off an eaſy Prey, if CHRIST had not pray'd for him that his Faith ſhould not fail; but if that may not be, he deſires however by winnowing to ſhake and toſs him furiouſly, and ſhow his Chaff.

In ſhort, as Dr. Tillotſon has it: Malice againſt GOD and Envy to Men account for Satan's Tempting us; to ſpoil (if he can) GOD of his Subjects and debauch them from their Allegiance, into his own Condemnation, Malignity and Miſery.—A Ghoſt in Hell does not preſently commence Devil, in this Height of Malignity againſt GOD and Cruelty toward Fellow-Sinners; if we may take Leave to form an Idea to our ſelves by the Words which the Parable puts into the Mouth of the rich Man there; Nay Father Abraham, but if one went to them from the Dead they would repent! Send Lazarus therefore to my Father's Houſe, for I have five p. 18Brethren; that he may teſtify unto them, leſt they come alſo into this Place of Torment! — The beſt Thing, I ſuppoſe, that was ever intimated with Reſpect to a loſt Soul in Hell: but ſuch a parabolical Repreſentation means not to affirm any Thing with Reſpect to Hell itſelf, but only to affect and move the Bowels of Sinners, to themſelves and others, in our preſent State of Probation and Repentance.

2. It may be more difficult for us to dive into the wiſe and holy Ends of GOD, in his Permiſſion of theſe fiery Aſſaults of Satan upon the Children of his Love.

It was a moſt dark Diſpenſation to pious Job and his Friends, when it was his Caſe: his Wife broke out even into Blaſphemy upon it, and his Friends afterward rent their Garments, and ſat down by him ſilent and aſtonied, wailing and in Fears: It amaz'd Job himſelf under the Conſcience of his Integrity; and it threw his Friends into horrid Tears and Suſpicions of ſome heinous Iniquity by which he had provoked the Wrath and Judgment of GOD in ſo many and heavy Inſtances of it at once: But while He now ſtands in the Eyes of ſome, as the Hero of an inſpir'd Epic. Poem, ††Sir Richard Blackmore.brave in Diſtreſs, valiant in Affliction, maintaining his Character for Vertue and Piety under the moſt powerful Temptations, and exaſperating Provocations, that the Malice of Hell could invent; let us take a more adoring View of the End of the LORD herein; to repreſent unto his Choſen and Sanctified through all Generations, in every Part of his viſible Church; that he ſhould in like Manner, here and there, call one and another of them, as unto ſingle Combat with the Enemy of their Salvation; arming 'em beforehand with the Shield of Faith, the Breaſt-plate of Righteouſneſs, the Sword of the Spirit, whereby they ſhould be able to quench the fiery Darts of the wicked One; and ſtand as Job did in the evil Day, and come off Conquerors and more than Conquerors thro' JESUS that has loved them. Epheſ. vi. 10, 11, 12. Rom. viii. 37, 38.

p. 191. The Sovereignty of GOD muſt ſet us down ſilent under ſuch aſtoniſhing Diſpenſations, Trials and Exerciſes of his moſt gracious Saints; nor may his Will, Wiſdom, Goodneſs and Faithfulneſs be doubted, queſtion'd or diſputed by Them or others. It was (without Doubt) the Error of Job and his Friends that they enter'd ſo far into an Argument and Diſpute about the Reaſons of the Divine Conduct reſpecting him; which may ſeem too much verging toward a Saying unto GOD, what doſt thou? or why haſt thou done this? which who ſhall ſay? Eccleſ. viii. 4. Therefore Job and his Friends receiv'd no other Anſwer from Heaven, either firſt by Elihu who ſpake under a Divine Impulſe and Inſpiration, nor afterward by the more immediate Voice out of the Whirlwind, but the unaccountable Greatneſs, Majeſty and moſt certainly wiſe and perfect Dominion and Government of GOD moſt High and Holy. All Fleſh muſt be ſilent before Him; be dumb and not open their Mouth becauſe GOD does it! be ſtill and know that it is of GOD; like Aaron hold their Peace, like Eli ſay "It is the LORD!—Job and his Friends did but darken Counſel by Words without Knowledge, while they were ready to fix one Rule and Meaſure in all Providential Diſpenſations. We are let into the Secret and Reaſon in the Caſe of Job, that we may learn to reſt ſatisfied in the Will of GOD, and the Diſpoſitions of Providence, whatever befals our ſelves or others. GOD is wiſe and holy, and his Work perfect, in all Things that reſpect either his Children or his Enemies. We may neither ſay, "Why does the Way of the Wicked proſper? Or wherefore does GOD ſeem to look favourably upon the Way of them that deal treacherouſly? And why do they devour the Man that is more righteous? without laying down to our ſelves, and that ſtrongly, an immoveable Foundation, as the Prophet does, Hab. i. 12.13. "Art thou not from Everlaſting, O LORD my GOD, my HOLY ONE? thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity. So when the Prophet Jeremiah was ready to have pleaded with GOD, and was tempted to talk with him of his Judgments, he was inſpir'd firſt to p. 20lay down this Principle, never to be departed from, but ever kept in Mind, "righteous art thou O LORD!

2. As GOD will not ſuffer his upright Servants to be tempted above what they are able to bear, but will with the Temptation find a Way for their Eſcape, ſo his gracious Purpoſe in permitting Satan's fiery Aſſaults on their Souls, is to glorify his Grace in their holy bearing and reſiſting them, and ſo by the Weakneſs of Man to make the Triumphs of Grace the more glorious over the Subtlety, Malice and Wrath of Satan. So it was in the Conflict of Job,—"Let me try his boaſted Grace (ſaid the Tempter) and he'll curſe thee to thy Face; "He is in thy Hand (ſaid GOD) and my Grace in him ſhall triumph gloriouſly over thy Spite and Power. Therefore when he held faſt his Integrity under the firſt Scene of dreadful Trials, the ALMIGHTY even gloried in him over his falſe and cruel Enemy, Job ii. 3. "And ſtill he holdeth faſt his Integrity; although thou movedſt me againſt him. And in the Record of theſe Sufferings and Patience of Job, the Grace of GOD is glorified to his Church forever in the Power, the Riches and Alſufficiency thereof. The perfect Man came out of his firſt and ſecond Fire, as the three Worthies did out of the fiery Furnace, without the leaſt Smell upon him, or his Raiment ſo much as ſcorch'd: And as the LORD GOD OF HOSTS, the GOD of Iſrael was magnified in the Sight of Nebuchadnezzar and all the Princes of his vaſt Empire, in the one Miracle of Power; ſo is the Power of Faith, Patience, Penitence, Adoration, Submiſſion glorified to the Saints of GOD in all Ages by the Hiſtory of Job; and perpetual Glory is render'd by the Church on his Account from Age to Age. And how abundantly crowned then is that Trial of Faith, whatever it be, by manifold Temptations for a Seaſon, tho' it be tried by Fire, which ſhall be found to Praiſe Honour and Glory unto the Day of Chriſt, and in that glorious Day, and unto all Eternity?— Thus has the LORD ſet apart ſome for Himſelf! And "they ſhall be mine ſays the LORD in the Day when I make up my Jewels! "Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and Adder, the young Lion and the p. 21Dragon ſhalt thou trample under Foot! becauſe he hath ſet his Love upon me, (and ſhewn it by truſting in me) therefore will I deliver him; I will ſet him on High, becauſe he hath known my Name; he ſhall call upon me and I will anſwer him; I will be with him in Trouble, I will deliver him and honour him: Pſalm xci. Thus GOD did by his Servant Job, and ſo he often glorifies his Grace in the ſuffering Members of a tempted Saviour, that they may glorify him, by being Types of Him.

3. Satan may be permitted to diſtreſs the Souls of GOD's Children by his foul Suggeſtions, to ſhow them the Corruption that is in them by Nature, and the ſad Remains of it after their Regeneration, their Weakneſs and Danger, and abſolute Dependance in their beſt Eſtate on his free Grace for Preſervation and Safety. GOD lets 'em ſee what they are liable to, and capable of, if he ſhould leave 'em; what Enemies beſet them and whither they would hurry 'em. GOD ſhews 'em Themſelves and effectually abaſes 'em, makes 'em low and vile in their own Eyes, fills 'em with Shame and Fear, and makes 'em to know that they are but Duſt and Pollution: This makes 'em watch and pray with a holy Jealouſy of themſelves, leſt as Satan beguiled Eve he prevail over them her Offspring, conceived in Sin, and ſhapen in Iniquity. GOD brings them to Deſpair in themſelves, and to truſt only in CHRIST for Righteouſneſs and Strength, for preſent as well as future and eternal Salvation. Pſalm xvii. 7, 8, 9. Shew thy marvellous Loving Kindneſs, O thou that ſaveſt by thy right Hand them which put their Truſt in Thee, from thoſe that riſe up againſt them: Keep me as the Apple of the Eye, hide me under the Shadow of thy Wings; from the Wicked that oppreſs me, from my deadly Enemies that compaſs me about! like as a Lion that is greedy of his Prey,—ariſe O LORD, diſappoint him, caſt him down.

Satan ſees the natural Profaneſs, Atheiſm and Infidelity of our evil Hearts; that there are the Seeds of all Impiety, Blaſphemy and Malignity in us, he makes his Advantage of this natural Propenſity in us, and while he p. 22watches to inflame the Soul from within it ſelf, GOD fruſtrates him in his miſchievous Device, by diſcovering to the Soul its own native Viciouſneſs and Impurity; with its abſolute Need of the Succours of Almighty Grace; and that ſelf-loathing and abhorring, with Fear and Trembling, it muſt only go and caſt it ſelf upon ſovereign Mercy: Pſalm cxliii. I flee unto Thee to hide me, quicken me O LORD for thy Name Sake; for thy Righteouſneſs ſake bring my Soul out of Trouble; and of thy Mercy cut off mine Enemies, and deſtroy all them that afflict my Soul; for I am thy Servant. Thus the Reſult of all is,

4. GOD permits and uſes the foul and furious Aſſaults of Satan upon the Souls of his Children unto the moſt kind and gracious Event and Iſſue, to be truly the Means of a great Increaſe of Grace in them, and of their Eſtabliſhment and Perſeverance in Grace, and very often of much Light and Comfort, Peace and Joy in believing. The grievous Chaſtning yields the peaceable Fruits of Righteouſneſs to them that are exerciſed thereby; wherefore lift up the Hands that hang down and the feeble Knees; and make ſtrait Paths for your Feet; leſt that which is lame be turned out of the Way, but rather let it be healed.

The Temptation in it ſelf tends only to defile and pollute, but GOD makes it purifying; its natural and deſigned Tendency is only to darken and torture, but GOD turns the Shadows of Death into the Light of the Morning. It has been, I doubt not, the firſt Means of ſaving Converſion to many a Soul, the Means alſo of Growth and Increaſe to many a regenerate Perſon, and the Forerunner of a confirmed Peace to many a happy Penitent and true Believer in CHRIST. I ſay,

1. The Means of the firſt ſaving effectual Conviction and true Awakening to many a Sinner. GOD holds the Devil in thoſe Chains of Darkneſs as to make him againſt his Will, and contrary to his own wicked Deſign, to ſerve and miniſter in bringing ſome of his Elect into a ſaving Fight to the Blood of CHRIST, and Subjection to him as Prince and Saviour. So the Shepherd uſes the barking of his Dog to bring back a ſtray Sheep to the Fold. "The wicked p. 23is ſnared in the Work of his own Hands; Higgaion Selah! i. e. put a ſpecial Remark on this; it is a Point that deſerves our deepeſt Attention. Pſal. ix. 16.

Satan would not chuſe (we may well think) to diſreſt a Soul that is at Eaſe in Sin, but rather would ſoothe and rock him into a ſounder Sleep: but the Tempter may be ſo infatuated at times, for ought we know, as to raiſe thoſe Fears and Horrors in ſome under their firſt (and but common) Conviction, which he can never lay again, and which free Grace makes to iſſue in their ſaving Converſion. Or rather may we not think, that GOD having awaken'd the Soul, and Satan fearing to loſe his hold of it, his Rage is over ruled to promote and carry on the good Work of GOD begun, and to drive the Soul faſter and cloſer to its SAVIOUR.

2. It may be a more ſenſible and evident thing in the Kingdom of GOD'S Grace within Men, that the Aſſaults of Hell upon them are frequently made the Means of Increaſe in Grace, and of the Progreſs of Sanctification. The Tempter attempts, again and again, to blaſt the Work of Grace begun, to bring it to a ſtop, to deter and diſhearten the pious Soul in its Way: there is a Lion in the ſtreet, an Adder in the Path! deſiſt or turn back!— but GOD turns the affrighting Suggeſtion to Unbelief and Deſpondency, into an Alarm unto Faith, holy Fear, Prayer and Fortitude; ſo that what was meant to affright aſtoniſh and deter, is made to quicken unto Prayer, Watchfulneſs and Diligence, in a more earneſt Flight to the SPIRIT of Grace for Succour, and to the atoning cleanſing Blood of a great SAVIOUR and INTERCESSOR: by which means you may have often found, O buffetted Child of GOD, that you had been leſs humble, careful, ſollicitous and anxious about your ſpiritual State, and in your Walk with GOD, if you had never felt thoſe Conflicts with your ſpiritual Adverſaries, which a holy GOD has mercifully call'd you to endure, and has carried you through. Theſe are the Beginnings of Revenges upon the Enemy, which call upon all around the ſuffering Children of GOD to rejoice with them, and on p. 24their Account.—Shall I ſay to them what I have tho't, and been perſwaded from what I have heard and ſeen from ſuch diſtreſſed Chriſtians under the Perſecutions of ſome unſeen evil Adverſary; "You love GOD much the more, and fear him more, and adore him better, and walk the more humbly and cloſely with Him, and hate Sin the more, and pray the better, and are the more circumſpect meek and lowly in Heart, and have really much the more Communion with GOD, from what you have ſuffer'd by the Malice and Wrath of Satan. So his Wrath ſhall praiſe GOD by your Lips, as long as you live; and the Remainder thereof GOD will reſtrain.

Upon all

3. The fiery Aſſaults of Hell upon the dear Children of GOD prove the Means, as of their greater Purification from Sin and Growth in Holineſs, ſo of all Joy and Peace in believing to them. The Affliction for the preſent is very grievous, but it yields the peaceable Fruits of Righteouſneſs to them that are exerciſed thereby. So bleſſed is the Man that has endured Temptation, for after the Conflict comes the Crown: Light is ſowing through all the Clouds and Darkneſs, Rain or Tempeſt, for the Righteous, and Gladneſs for the Upright in Heart: As Job found it in the Day when GOD juſtified him, after he had humbled him and made him viler than the Duſt in his own Eyes; "Go to my Servant (ſaid the HOLY ONE) and he ſhall pray for you. The Joy of Victory follows upon Satan's Aſſault and Defeat. GOD crowns the humble Overcomer with Garlands of Joy here ſometimes, and will with thoſe of Glory hereafter; for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crown of Life. Job ſhone the brighter all his After-life in the Eyes of all about him; and it was to him the ſame Thing as if he had only been in the Mount with Moſes, and came down with his Face. His reſtored Proſperity was doubly ſerene and pleaſant, both to himſelf and his Friends. He was ſeen and lov'd like David long after, when he came back with the Sword and Head of the Giant in his Hand. So ſhall it be done to Him whom the King of Saints delights to honour. — p. 25When Aſaph alſo had got through his Temptation, hear how he triumph'd in his GOD and over the Enemy: Pſalm lxxiii. 23, 24. Never the leſs I am continually with Thee, thou haſt holden me by my right Hand; thou ſhalt guide me by thy Counſel, and afte…ward receive me to Glory: Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is nothing on Earth that I deſire beſide thee: my Heart and my Fleſh faileth, but thou art the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever. Aſaph's ſore Dejections clear'd the Way to theſe his Exultations; which bring to Mind the Words of CHRIST to his Diſciples, when they return'd from their more eaſy Acqueſts over Satan, "LORD, the very Devils are ſubject to us through thy Name: "'Tis ſo, replied the late tempted JESUS,—I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven! but in this rejoice not that the Devils are ſubject to you; but that your Names are written in Heaven. Victory over Satan's Temptations, in ſome of his remarkable and violent, but more eſpecially in the Courſe of his ordinary Aſſaults, may miniſter unto us the joyous Hope of our Election of GOD, and of our final Perſeverance in Grace. No doubt but holy Job ſpent the latter Part of his Life in the more bleſſed Aſſurance of his Intereſt in the Love of GOD, and in the Joys thereof; by the Breaches which Satan was permitted to make on him for a Seaſon. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a Seaſon (if need be) ve are in Heavineſs thro' manifold Temptations, that the Trial of Faith, tho' tried as with Fire, may be found unto Praiſe and Honour and Glory in the Day of CHRIST. This is but as CHRIST himſelf ſuffer'd, being tempted, and the Conſolations of GOD flow'd down upon him. Matth. iv. 11. Get thee hence Satan, and the Devil left him, and Angels came and miniſter'd to him. Thoſe holy benevolent Spirits are miniſtring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation; and never ſo more gladly, than when they have ſeen 'em combatting with the Powers of Darkneſs, and ſtedfaſtly reſiſting them. So the Darkneſs of the Night makes the Light of the Morning pleaſant, and even Dirt and Sand are us'd to ſcour and brighten the Veſſel, and the ſcullions foul p. 26Hands to waſh and cleanſe it. So Silver and Gold paſs through Fire and are refined: only the Droſs is purged away.

Thus we have look'd a little into this dark Diſpenſation of Divine Providence; this myſterious Conduct of Sovereign Grace, in the Permiſſion of the fiery Aſſaults of Satan upon ſome of the deareſt Children of GOD: Altho' they are dear to GOD, and He ſo to them, yet are they ſometimes annoy'd with hideous hateful Suggeſtions againſt his Holineſs and Glory. GOD has his wife, moſt holy and gracious Ends in this Permiſſion; Glory to Himſelf; and much ſpiritual Good to theſe his favourite Sufferers.

I will only add,—When our LORD gave the Tempter his laſt Rebuke, upon his moſt horrid Aſſault, He paſſed immediately upon his public Miniſtry: And his Apoſtle St. Paul was eſtabliſhed and enlarged in his abundant Labours and extenſive Services, by the Meſſengers of Satan of one kind and another, that dogg'd and ſet upon him, where ever he went: I'll read you ſome Account of it, and conclude on this Head, 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9, &c. We are troubled on every ſide, yet not diſtreſſed, we are perplexed but not in Deſpair; perſecuted but not forſaken, caſt down, but not deſtroyed; always bearing about in the Body the Dying of the LORD JESUS, that the Life alſo of JESUS may be made manifeſt in our Body;—For which Cauſe we faint not, but though our outward Man periſh, yet the inward Man is renewed Day by Day: For our light Affliction, which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory: While we look, not to the Things that are ſeen, but at the Things which are not ſeen; for the Things which are ſeen are temporal, but the Things which are not ſeen are eternal.

p. 27I come now to the ſecond Thing propoſed, which is,

II. Theſe helliſh Suggeſtions, and horrid diabolical Thoughts, as they ſhould and will be moſt grievous and abhorred to a holy Soul, ſo ought they to be rejected and caſt out with utmoſt Deteſtation.

It is not only Matter of Fact and Experience, but alſo of Neceſſity, that they are thus grievous to and abhorred by a holy Mind: As it is Duty to GOD, ſo where Grace is in Exerciſe it is in the Nature of Things neceſſary. —Job appears in the Text as if ſtab'd to the Heart by his Wife's hideous Words; he anſwers the foul Temptation with Abhorrence, he ejects the curſed Thought, he reprehends her with Indignation, and calls her a fooliſh wicked Woman; and argues on GOD's Behalf, why utmoſt Reverence, Love, Fear, Gratitude, Adoration Submiſſion was due from him to the bleſſed GOD, and ſhould ever be render'd by him, by the Help of his Grace: What? Shall we receive Good at the Hand of the LORD, and ſhall we not receive Evil? Thus Grace will direct, urge and conſtrain us to think and ſpeak in any like Caſe; as we know it was exhibited by our bleſſed SAVIOUR in his Temptations.

But let us take the Truth before us, the Duty propounded to us, in its ſeveral Parts, and briefly ſpeak to each of them: Theſe infernal Thoughts and Injections, ſhould be very grievous and diſtreſſing to us, we ſhould heartily deteſt 'em, reject and ſpue 'em out as ſoon as they ariſe in us, if we can; and at the ſame Time fortify our ſelves with holy Reaſoning and Argument, as we are able; as Job piouſly and wiſely did under the Direction and Aſſiſtance of GOD.

1. They ſhould be very grievous and diſtreſſing to our Souls, and they neceſſarily are ſo to a gracious Heart. As a Sword in our Bones it ſhould be to us as it, was to David: Pſal. xlii.—It is hard to hear our ſelves, a Parent or a Friend, any whom we eſteem and reverence, ſpoken evil of or reviled; but how much more dear and ſacred is the Name and Glory of GOD moſt p. 28High, good and holy, wiſe and juſt, to a pious Heart? "Holy and reverend is his Name! Him thou ſhalt fear, to him thou ſhalt cleave and Him thou ſhalt ſerve! He is thy Praiſe and He is thy GOD. Deut. x. 20. That glorious and fearful Name, the LORD thy GOD. xxviii. 58.

It ſhould be grievous to apprehend the Enemy of GOD and of all Righteouſneſs ſo nigh us, and that by our Apoſtacy from GOD he has ſuch Acceſs to us. It may well ſcare us to think that he is or has been (as it were) at our right Hand, and whiſpering into our Ear with a contagious filthy Breath; Things ſo impious in themſelves, and to us pernicious without the Succours of preſerving Grace.

It ſhould be horrible to imagine (but that the Heart is conſcious to its own Wickedneſs) that Satan ſhould ſee any Way of Entrance into us for his helliſh Blaſphemies, and Profaneſs! or that he ſhould conceive the leaſt Hope of Succeſs againſt us, in ſuch barefac'd Infidelity, Atheiſm and Deviliſm! that he ſhould ſeem to ſee us ſo like himſelf! or that any of the Humane Race, but eſpecially under the Light of the Goſpel, could be really ſuch incarnate Devils, as this would render them.

We may well tremble with Horror from a pious Self-Love, leſt thoſe helliſh Suggeſtions ſhould make any Impreſſion, find the leaſt Entertainment in us, or Compliance from us. For ſooner ſhould we chuſe to ceaſe to be, then to be capable of regarding and yielding to a Thought of this Nature, againſt the Being, Holineſs and Glory of the GOD that made us! which were to bring up Hell from beneath, and act the Devil in open Day-Light.

In a Word, It ſhould grieve us to think or know that there is any ſuch Degree of Malignity againſt GOD in any Creature whatſoever! That even Hell it ſelf can ſhow any Thing ſo vile and unclean. As one would be ſcar'd to ſee a Devil, ſo this Idea of diabolical Spleen and Hatred, and of ſpiritual Filthineſs, may juſtly make our Blood run cold thro' every Vein, and the Hair of our Head to riſe up an End!

p. 29So grievous and terrifying have the blaſphemous Suggeſtions of Satan been to holy Souls, in whom the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD dwells and rules, having fill'd them with Faith and Love, Reverence and godly Fear.

2. We muſt therefore in our Souls deteſt and loathe, feel and expreſs a vehement Abhorrence of ſuch helliſh Suggeſtions. "Do I not hate them, that hate thee? (ſaid holy David, teaching us to feel and ſpeak thus after him, Pſalm cxxxix) and am I not grieved with them that riſe up againſt Thee? I hate 'em with perfect Hatred,—I count them my Enemies: Search me O GOD and know Heart, try me and know my Thoughts, and ſee Thou and ſhow to me if it be not thus.

What ſhould our Souls equally deteſt, as this expreſſed open Enmity, Hatred, Contempt and Spite againſt the Holy GOD? At what ſhould they equally riſe, burſting with Anger Diſdain and Wrath? Meekneſs, I had well nigh ſaid, were here a Vice; and Mildneſs the Want of Zeal; did I not call to Mind the Arch-Angel's Words when contending with the Devil; how far he kept from any railing Accuſation, but only ſaid "the LORD rebuke thee. Provok'd Abiſhai could not preſerve a like Government of himſelf when Shimei only railed againſt his Earthly King; "Shall this dead Dog curſe my Lord? ſaid he: But what would David himſelf have ſaid, had the Curſe been utter'd againſt his King and GOD, the LORD of Glory? The baſphemous Being and his Act had equally been the hated of David's Soul, and ſhould be of ours? Although there needs no imprecating any Curſe upon the Devil, curs'd as he is long ſince from the Mouth of GOD, and under the Sentence of eternal Death.—"If any Man love not our LORD JESUS CHRIST let him be Anathema, Maran-atha, ſays the Apoſtle 1 Cor. xvi. 22. Which is to ſay, curſed in the higheſt Manner and Degree! how accurſed then to us ſhould the Devil and his blaſphemous Suggeſtions be, which breathe implacable and furious Hatred againſt the Being, Bleſſedneſs and Grace of God to us thro' JESUS CHRIST our LORD?

p. 30An Idolater won't ſuffer his dumb and dead Idol to be ſpoken againſt; if he calls it his God he will not bear to hear it deſpiſed; an Egyptian of old would have ſton'd the Man that ſhould have ſacrificed his Abomination before his Eyes; nor would One of all the rout at Epheſus endure a Blaſphemer of their Goddeſs Diana! Nor is there a modern Zealot of Rome Antichriſtian, but thinks it meritorious to be the Death of you if you affront their Wafer-Idol the Hoſt, when elevated in the Church, or when carried through the Streets in Form and Pomp. Can then the leaſt Thought be whiſper'd in our Minds againſt the Honour of our GOD and SAVIOUR, and not wound and pierce them? ſhould not that be execrable to us, which is reproachful and contemptuous of HIM? What Devotion, what Love or Fear of GOD, can there be in us, if this Reſentment and Indignation be wanting in us, when his Name is blaſphemed? And when the Endeavour is to make us Partners in the Blaſphemy? — Well was it made a Law to the Iſrael of GOD, Levit. xxiv. 15. Whoſoever curſeth his GOD ſhall bear his Sin, and he that blaſphemeth the Name of the LORD ſhall ſurely be put to Death, and all the Congregation ſhall certainly ſtone him with Stones.

3. To expreſs our Deteſtation of a blaſphemous Injection we ſhould inſtantly reject and ſpue out the Abomination, and not ſuffer the vile Thought to lodge in us. As it is but riſing and entring, we muſt rebuke, ſuppreſs, forbid and curſe it in the Name of the LORD. Let us vehemently turn away, and neither hearken nor argue; as Calvin ††Caveamus itaque, …e Satanae his Flabellis nos adverſus DEUM ſollicitanti Aures prae…eamus; ne ab illo circumveniamur: Monemur, ejuſmodi Blaſphemias, ut quae Satanae Vomitus, acri…er eſſe reda…guendas: Vehementiam opponere debemus; non enim ludendum eſt cum f…rioſo Hoſte —So the Jews were won't to rend their Clothes at the hearing of Blaſphemy.adviſes. The cloven Foot is ſeen here at once, and there needs not a Moment's Thought what to do. p. 31"Be gone from me thou curſed Thought," thou Child of the Devil, and Enemy of all Righteouſneſs! I deteſt and defy thee, thou art none of mine, but art execrable to me! my GOD impute it not unto me! my GOD I will adore thee! raiſe now my Adorations of Thee more than ever! I would even loathe my own Soul, that the hated Foe could think to find any liking in me! my GOD forbid it! and get thee hence Satan!—So the bleſſed Apoſtle, filled with the HOLY GHOST, ſet his Eyes on the Sorcerer Elymas, who ſought to turn away the Deputy from the Faith; and ſaid, "O full of all Subtlety and Miſchief, thou Child of the Devil, thou Enemy of all Righteouſneſs! will thou not ceaſe to pervert the right Ways of the LORD! Acts xiii. 10.

4. After the Repulſe and Rejection of the vile Temptation, we may fortify our Souls againſt every Return of it, by holy Reaſonings and Argument, Meditation and Prayer, religious Diſcourſe, and ſetting our ſelves to the immediate Duties incumbent on us in our preſent State and Circumſtances; from which we ſhould not ſuffer any Temptation to divert us, or keep us.

So when Job had rebuk'd his Wife, and ſpoke his Deteſtation of her Words; he then proceeded to give the Reaſon of his doing ſo; ſaying, "What? ſhall we receive Good from the Hand of the LORD? and ſhall we not receive Evil? q. d. Shall I curſe GOD to Da…, becauſe he pleaſes in his Sovereignty, or for the Puniſhment of my Sins, which have daily made the Forfeiture of all the Affluence of good Things with which his Providence had diſtinguiſh'd me, now to bereave me of them? or be it for the Trial Exerciſe and Increaſe of his Grace beſtowed on me, which He may prove and require the Exerciſe of as he pleaſes! or if He has prov'd it in a State of outward Proſperity for ſo many Years together; ſhall he not now call me to expreſs the ſame Faith and Love, Adoration and Praiſe, Devotedneſs and Subjection in a State of Humiliation and Adverſity; deſtitute, afflicted, tormented? I will lie therefore ſilent and adoring before him in the p. 32Duſt where his wiſe and holy and righteous PROVIDENCE has laid me, and go on to worſhip, "Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb, and naked ſhall I return; the LORD gave and the LORD has taken; bleſſed be the Name of the LORD. "I will therefore ſtill go on to bleſs, and call upon my GOD, and the LORD ſhall ſave me! He is ſtill the ſame Good, gracious and holy GOD to me; and by his Grace I will be the ſame humble thankful abaſed Worſhipper before Him; truſting in Him and waiting on Him for his Salvation:" —As He has had my daily Thankſgivings and Praiſes in the Months paſt wherein the LORD preſerv'd me; when his Candle ſhone upon my Head and by his Light I walked through Darkneſs; when his Secret was upon my Tabernacle and my Children were about me! "As I then ſent and ſanctified them when the Days of their Feaſting were gone about, and early roſe up in the Morning to offer Sacrifices according to the Number of them all; ſo Morning and Evening, and through the waking painful Hours of every Day and Night, will I (by his Grace) now ly adoring my GOD in my Sores and Aſhes!—"I then fear'd for them and for my ſelf, and ſaid, "It may be my Sons have ſinned in their Rejoicings and curſed GOD in their Hearts; (for out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts and Blaſphemies)— but if it were only I might fear my Sons had neglected to render unto GOD the Praiſe and Glory of his Mercies as became them; I therefore fail'd not to offer for 'em my Burnt-Offerings:—" And ſhall I now curſe HIM, whom I have been all my Life bleſſing? becauſe I have neither Child to offer for, nor a Sheep or Ox out of my Thouſands and Hundreds to bring unto his Altar; nor Strength to riſe and go to it as my exceeding Joy? — No, Thou art my Hope O LORD GOD! thou art my Truſt from my Youth! by Thee have I been holden up from the Womb, my Praiſe ſhall be continually of thee! I am a Wonder unto many, but thou my ſtrong Refuge! let my Mouth be filled with thy Praiſe and with thy Honour all the Day.

p. 33I have put this Run of Scripture together, and as it were into the Mouth of tempted Job, to aſſiſt others when tempted to hard Thoughts of the bleſſed GOD, in ſtrengthning and confirming themſelves in their Adorations before Him. In much fewer Words Job ſet the Temptation in its true Colours, as moſt unjuſt and baſe, ungrateful and impious; and what his Soul ſhould never come into, GOD helping him; but keep at the greateſt Diſtance from it.

It was the SPIRIT and Grace of CHRIST that thus animated Job and fill'd his Mouth with Arguments; for when JESUS was himſelf led by the SPIRIT into the Wilderneſs to be tempted of the Devil, he rebuk'd the filthy and impudent Suggeſtions of Satan once and again, by giving his holy and irreſiſtible Reaſons from the Word of GOD; "It is written, ſaid he, and again—it is written: So it became Him who took our Nature, therein to be made under the Law, and to fulfil it; and whoſe Glo… it was to ſay "Thy Law is within me.

Joſeph was the princely Type of CHRIST both in his reſolute Repulſe of the Tempter, the Devil in his Miſtreſs; refuſing to ſee or hear her; and yet arguing too the great Wickedneſs, and Sin againſt GOD; and alſo the foul Ingratitude Injuſtice and Villany to his Maſter: And when nothing would do with the impudent Creature he fled: An Act as heroic in its Circumſtances, as David's facing the Monſter of a Man, the Defier of the Hoſt of GOD.— In like manner, when David was outrag'd by Michal for the Tranſports of his Devotion, he bid her think if it were not grateful in him to dance before the LORD and his Ark, who had prefer'd him to her Father's Houſe, and made him the King of Iſrael; "the devout will honour me ſaid he, and I will be yet more vile than thus, and baſe in my own Eyes. 1 Sam. v. 22.

In ſhort, Sin is never to be parly'd with, but at once and reſolutely to be denied; yet is it the Act of Wiſdom and Grace to reaſon with our ſelves for our Confirmation and Eſtabliſhment in juſt and holy Reſolutions; and with others for their Reproof and Conviction. The p. 34Holy Scripture is our Armory or Magazine to ſupply us with Helmet and Shield, Sword and Buckler, for our Defence againſt the Darts of Hell; and for Offence and Wounding to the Enemy, who flies before the holy hated WORD. From this Artillery diſcharge upon the Hoſts of Hell, and they will flee from you.

Thus rebuke the Tempter and refuſe to ſin: and when this is done, clench the Denial with the Word of Truth, which ſets before you the impious Nature of Sin, and the curſed Nature and End of the Tempter; our Relation and natural Subjection to GOD and infinite Obligations to Him; his Laws Promiſes and Threatnings; and be the Chriſtian fixed in his Poſt, ſtrong in the LORD and in the Power of his Might, to withſtand the Wiles of the Devil, and wreſtle againſt Principalities and Powers, the Rulers of the Darkneſs of this World, and ſpiritual Wickedneſs in high Places: Think, what is holy and righteous, wiſe and good, Duty and Intereſt; and there fix your Foot, and ſtand, having your Loins girt about with Truth and having on the Breaſtplate of Righteouſneſs. Commit yourſelf thus to GOD and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to keep you from falling.

So far we have ſeen under the two firſt Propoſitions; that the deareſt Children of GOD may be call'd to endure the moſt foul and accurſed Annoyances from the Devil; which will be unſpeakably grievous to them and abhorred, and ought to be infinitely deteſted and inſtantly rejected by them.—Yet if they cannot get rid of them, as they deſire and ſtrive to do, they muſt beware of a too intenſe contending with them; but turn away as from a barking Dog, or from an abuſive raving Scold, or from a curſing Shimei.—As the heavenly Mr. Janeway adviſes in this Caſe, Let not ſuch Thoughts have any Time of Abode in your Mind, but turn 'em out with all the Loathing and Abhorrence that you can; and with as little Trouble and Diſturbance as you can; or elſe it pleaſes the Devil if he can but make you your own Tormentor.— Divert your Thoughts therefore to ſomething good and holy, and let thoſe very Injections p. 35be conſtantly the Occaſion of ſome ſpiritual Meditation, and that the quite contrary to the Blaſphemy or infidel Suggeſtion: Or fall a praying with Earneſtneſs; and the Devil will be weary if he finds his Deſigns thus broken; and that thoſe Sparks of Hell which he ſtrikes into Souls to kindle and inflame Corruption, do but put Warmth into Grace, and ſet Faith and Prayer a working: He will be beat with his own Weapon when it is turn'd upon him, what he intended as Water to cool or quench your Love to GOD, proves like Oil to make it flame the more vehemently.

I go on now to ſhow in the laſt place,

III. That theſe grievous and abhorred Injections are not the Sin of the dear Saints of GOD, nor will be reckoned ſo by their holy and gracious GOD; nor do they defile and pollute their Souls, nor bring them under Guilt, when they are deteſted and rejected. This the Text is plain and poſitive in, "In all this Job ſinned not.

It is ſtrange to obſerve the dreadful Fears of many melancholly Chriſtians, who are hurried and diſtreſſed with evil and wicked Thoughts which their Souls abhor; "That 'tis altogether (or very much) their own Wickedneſs and Guilt; and they are ready to account and call themſelves the moſt unbelieving and profane, the moſt polluted and vile of any in the World; and to think that none have Hearts and Minds ſo alienated from GOD, and turn'd againſt Him as theirs: they impute all to themſelves, and think themſelves twofold more the Children of Hell than others! — Why is it thus? they are ready to ask, if there is not a Fountain of Impurity in Me more than in others, caſting up ſuch Mire and Dirt? Or if the Hand of Satan be in the troubling of the Waters, yet is it not plain he finds all this odious Filth at the Bottom in me? for which I ſhould abhor my ſelf and fear leſt GOD abhor me!—And yet verily GOD ſees not Iniquity p. 36or Perverſeneſs in them, but is pleas'd in the Struggle and Victory of his own Grace within them.

The Support and Relief of ſuch diſtreſſed Souls, and to convince them of their Error, I had principally in Mind in the Choice of this Subject; although I take it not to have been the very State of the Caſe with Job, who was too intelligent and eſtabliſh'd a Worſhipper of GOD to be driven from the happy Confidence of his Integrity and Uprightneſs, by the Aſſaults of Satan or by the Arguments of his Friends: He appeal'd from them unto GOD the Searcher of the Heart, and who knows all Things, that He knew he loved Him: Chap. x. v. 7. Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked! and in his laſt Reply, he finiſh'd with a long Train of noble Appeal to GOD and Affirmations to Men: Chap. xxvii. As GOD liveth who hath taken away my Judgment, and the ALMIGHTY who hath vexed my Soul; all the while my Breath is in me and the Spirit of GOD is in my Noſtrils; my Lips ſhall not ſpeak Wickedneſs, nor my Tongue utter Deceit: GOD forbid that I ſhould juſtify you; 'till I die I will not deny my Integrity: My Righteouſneſs I hold faſt and will not let it go; my Heart ſhall not reproach me as long as I live.

But alas! how few of the dear Children of GOD in our Days arrive at like ſteddy full Aſſurance of Faith as Job had, reſpecting their Integrity! they are too often ſoon ſhaken in Mind; though we are admoniſhed by the HOLY GHOST not to be ſo on one Account and another. 2 Theſſ. ii. 2. Even Miniſters as well as common Diſciples may be too juſtly likened to Reeds ſhaken with the Wind! and no wonder, when Peter himſelf was ſo eaſily carried away as the dry Stubble by a ſudden Blaſt of Temptation, in his Self-Confidence, and after Warning given him by his LORD.

But what now lies before us, is to affirm and prove that there may be the fouleſt Motions to Sin, made by Satan to the Minds and Hearts of the moſt ſincere and pious among the People of GOD; as this in the Text was to Job, "Curſe GOD and die! and yet if their Soul p. 37abhors from the curſed Motion, conſent not to it, but deteſt it; it is not their Sin, but only Satan's:—"in all this they have not ſinned.

If we receive the Witneſs of Man, the Witneſs of GOD is greater. My Text is the Witneſs of GOD concerning Job; and by it the SPIRIT OF GOD witneſſes the ſame concerning You, O afflicted and toſſed in Spirit and not comforted; if you are enabled by Him to deteſt and eject like blaſphemous and diabolical Injections, as odious and abominable to you. GOD, the righteous and gracious Judge, is then ſo far from beholding this Iniquity in you, that on the contrary He will in the great and laſt Day, before Men and Devils, in the moſt free and open manner own accept and reward it as the Power of his Grace in You, and an Inſtance of the ſincere Devotion of your Souls towards Him**Van Maſtricht de Suggeſtionibus blaſphemis. "Sunt Tentationes Satanae, quibus Menti etiam pientiſſimorum obtrudit Cogitationes adverſus Majeſtatem DEI, Sufficientiam CHRISTI non eſſe DEUM, vel Providentiam particularem; quibus etiam egregii pii exagitantur, ad hoc tantum ut conturbentur, et in Officiis Cultus Divini fatigentur. Sunt quidem in his Suggeſtionibus horrenda Scelera, ſed nequaquam in tentatis, quippe qui ab eis abhorrent; ſed in tentante ſolo. — Communis eſt Sors optimorum, hujuſmodi Inſultus Satanoe ſuſtinere, quin et ipſius CHRISTI, Matth. iv. — Id a quo ingenue abhorret, et cui fortiter obnititur, non eſſe ſuum Peccatum; quin potius duriſſimam Crucem, ſibi portatu longe moleſtiſſimam.Matt 4.

But to put this matter yet in a clearer Light, and give the utmoſt Demonſtration of it, let us again recur to the horrid Motion of the Devil to the Man CHRIST JESUS our LORD; who was in all Points tempted as we are, yet without Sin: Heb. iv. 15. For we have not a High Prieſt which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities: let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in Time of need.— For was not the LORD of Glory, the HOLY ONE of GOD annoy'd by Satan with as curſed Suggeſtions reſpecting the bleſſed GOD, as ever You were? and yet in Him was no Sin.

p. 38He was tempted to a Diſtruſt and Disbelief of his FATHER'S Care & kind Providence; He lets thee ſtarve and famiſh, and caſts thee here, where no Bread is to be got; care now for thy Self, and if thou art the SON and Prophet, the promiſed Meſſiah, as thou haſt been declared at thy Baptiſm, command that theſe Stones be made Bread: q. d. thy FATHER is unnatural and cruel, thy Dependance on Him vain; thy Hunger is natural neceſſary and innocent after ſo long Abſtinence and Devotion; Self-preſervation is thy Duty, and 'tis a Caſe of Neceſſity, and calls thee to go out of the ordinary Way for thy Supply.— But our LORD in effect bid the Tempter remember how the Church of old had been fed in the Wilderneſs by the care of his FATHER; nor without his Bleſſing could the miraculous Bread nouriſh Him.

Again, the Devil's laſt Temptation of our SAVIOUR was more foul and horrid than the firſt: In ſome viſionary Repreſentation of all the Glories of the Kingdoms of this World, he ſet them before Him; and impudently call'd them all his own, and told him he would give 'em all unto him, if he would fall down and worſhip him. What a Land-ſkip is here of the Devil's drawing in a Wilderneſs? becoming the Father of lies and the Pride of Lucifer, with the Subtlety of the Old Serpent! and equally impudent his Claim and Promiſe. May I be permitted to paraphraſe the helliſh Suggeſtion: q. d. You have been led up into this horrid Wilderneſs, and are you not here miſerably abandon'd by Him you call your Father! I the God of this World appear to ſuccour you! your Father has little in it to call his own! Rome and all the Glories of it are all mine! this poor Judea and the Wilderneſs about it he may call his! My Idols fill Italy and Greece! there I am worſhiped with utmoſt Pomp and Glitter! the Earth and all its Learning and Phyloſophy bows to me! to Me the Poets ſing, and Ceſar with all the Potentates are my Votaries: the Powers that be are ordained by me, and their Dominions are by me diſtributed! to whomſoever I will, I give them! are you not now poor deſolate, empty in your great Title the Son of GOD! do p. 39you deſerve to be ſo abandon'd! be mine and ſee what I will do for you! this World and all its Glories ſhall immediately be yours! its Rule, its Riches, its Homage and all its Worſhip! render me only this ſmall Acknowledgment, this ſingle Act of Homage, "fall down and worſhip me!

Thus the evil One, the Prince of this World came firſt with Flatteries and Allurements, and afterward with Rage and Terrors, with all the Powers of Darkneſs ſurrounding our bleſſed LORD, and found nothing in him; for in Him was no Sin. And if JESUS was thus tempted, yet without Sin; ſo if any of his dear Members are in like Manner tempted, and by his Grace are kept from yielding; by his Power are enabled to reſiſt and rebuke the Temptation, it is by no Means Sin in them; but they are more than Conquerors thro' Him.

Let us reaſon and argue a little on this Point.

1. The meer thinking on Sin, or the Contemplation of it with Averſion of Soul, can by no Means defile the Mind. GOD Himſelf beholds Sin, thinks of it, yet is infinitely holy, and of purer Eyes than to behold Evil, and cannot look on Iniquity. Hab. i. 13. i. e. He beholds it with Abhorrence, his Soul hates it, his Word forbids, condemns and threatens it. The holy Angels alſo ſee our Sins, open and ſecret, conſider and deteſt 'em; are offended at and grieved by them; and it is their Holineſs. —Good Men make diligent Search and Enquiry into the Nature of Sin, their own and others among whom they dwell; diſcern the moral Evil, Guilt and Pollution of it; its Turpitude, Baſeneſs and Malignity; yet are they not defiled hereby, no but the more purified both in Heart and Life.—Regenerate Perſons and ſincere Penitents find it abſolutely neceſſary for them often to call their paſt Sins to Remembrance; they can neither ſhew themſelves Men nor Chriſtians without doing ſo, for a renewed Repentance on the Account of 'em, to increaſe their Humiliation and Abaſement before GOD, to quicken themſelves in the Mortification of the Body of Sin and Death which they carry about with them, to fix their p. 40Abhorrence of it and of themſelves for it, and to ſtrengthen their Watch againſt every Motion to it, from within or from without;—but all this is according to Godlineſs, and purifying to the Soul in obeying the Truth.—Now it is the ſame Thing in the Event, thro' the Grace of GOD with and in his Saints, if vile and wicked Thoughts ariſe involuntarily in 'em, or are thrown and caſt in upon them by Satan without and againſt their Will: If the Soul in either Caſe riſe againſt them in Fear, in Mourning, in Hatred and loathing of them; Iniquity is but purged away hereby, and the Soul confirmed in holy Diſpoſition, and the Habit of Grace is ſtrengthned. As if you rinſe a very foul Veſſel, though it be in dirty Water, yet it will be ſomething the cleaner for it; the Dirt at the Bottom will be in Part (at leaſt) looſned, and caſt out with the Water; ſo here, though the Injection of Satan be never ſo unclean and defiling in it ſelf, yet the Soul ſpuing out the foul Thought, caſts up alſo ſomething further of its natural Impurity together with it.

Indeed there is a Contemplation or thinking of Sin that is moſt impure and defiling: To think of it with liking and Complacency or Deſire is highly ſo; to crave, intend, and project it, to muſe and dwell on it with Pleaſure, to roll it as a ſweet Morſel under our Tongue with Taſte and Reliſh; to recollect it with Delight and chaw it over again as the Cud, (which is to injure the wholſome Property of the clean Creatures) this is to liſten to the Tempter with Inclination and Conſent, and call the forbidden Fruit good for Sight and Taſte, and is groſly polluting to the Soul; as alſo in a Degree it is, not to have our Hearts riſe againſt, and fly from every Motion within us to known Sin. For in this Caſe Luſt lodges, is harbour'd and entertained, conceives and brings forth; and is ſo much real Adultery, Murder, Profaneſs of the Heart: Matth. v. 12. But on the contrary, to think of Sin with Grief and Mourning, Fear and Confuſion, Indignation and Rejection, this is purgative and purifying, wholſome and healthful, medicinal and p. 41reſtorative, nouriſhing and ſtrengthning to a Principle of Grace, in Act and Exerciſe.

2. Let it be moreover conſider'd, that the very Argument I am upon ſuppoſes the abhorred deteſted Thoughts injected by another, and that they do not come or proceed from the Soul it ſelf, nor are originally its own, and that the Soul is grieved by 'em, offended at 'em, diſowns and rejects 'em: they are therefore ſome ſpurious Births from abroad, laid ſecretly and baſely at our Door, or within it, and falſly father'd on us, if we are ſo fooliſh as to receive and own them. If we conſent not, 'tis only the Devil's Sin; his Act, his Guilt and he muſt anſwer for it. If for Inſtance, the firſt Adam had done as the SECOND did; if our firſt Parents, had rebuk'd the Tempter and deteſted his Motion to them, when he perſuaded them to diſbelieve and diſobey GOD; the Sin had reſted only on the Devil; they had remained innocent and been confirm'd in Holineſs; but they yeilded to his curſed Suggeſtion, took part in his Act and in his Apoſtacy from GOD.

Indeed, now in our fallen State we have juſt Reaſon to ſuſpect our Selves and fear always, ſometimes more than at other, whether the vile Motions to Sin within us be not from our own Hearts, which are deceitful above all things and deſperately wicked; who can know them? No wonder therefore if the holieſt Child or Servant of GOD be ſometimes ready to ſay, I fear it is Sin dwelling and reigning in me, and the Hand of the Devil is it may be little in it; for as St. James ſays "Every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Luſt and enticed; and how ſhall I know but that it is thus with me?

But let us call in the Aid of the bleſſed St. Paul to ſet this matter in its true Light; and it is well for the Church that it has theſe two Apoſtles to give Light into each others Meaning. In the vii. Chap. to the Romans, "the Apoſtle gives a Deſcription of the Conflict between Grace and Corruption which he experienced in himſelf! and no doubt but every renewed ſanctified Soul has more or leſs the like Experience. The Apoſtle calls himſelf p. 42carnal and ſ…ld under Sin, becauſe he at Times did that which he allowed not, but truly hated: but his Support and Relief was, that it was no more He that did it, but Sin that dwelt in him: for, the Good that he would he too often did not, but the Evil that he would not, that he did: Now (ſays he again) if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but Sin that dwelleth in me: He goes on, I find then a Law that when I would do good, Evil is preſent with me: For I delight in the Law of GOD after the inward Man; but I ſee another Law in my Members warring againſt the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin! O wretched Man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the Body of this Death? —The like ſpiritual Conflict and luſting of the Fleſh againſt the Spirit, and of the Spirit againſt the Fleſh, was found in the Chriſtians at Galatia, ſo that they could not do the Things that they would. Gal. v. 17.

We ſee here that a good Man may have this Rejoicing, the Teſtimony of his Conſcience to his Complacency in the Law of GOD, and that his higheſt Pleaſure in Life is, when Heart and Life are in the ſtricteſt Conformity to the Law and Will of GOD; and that with his Mind he is ſerving the Law of GOD; and yet at Times, hold himſelf no better than one brought into Captivity to the Law of Sin, a carnal Creature, and ſold under it: And yet he muſt not impute to his own Will and allowance the Evils which he bewails, groans out under, ſtrives againſt and hates himſelf for. To this he muſt recur, "It is no more I that do it, but Sin which dwelleth in me; a Body of Death which I am hourly groaning, for a full Deliverance from.—It is the Experience and Confeſſion of the holieſt Saints on Earth, that there are ſad Remains of Impurity and Uncleanneſs cleaving to them; the Filthineſs both of Fleſh and Spirit, which are defiling to their beſt Frames and Duties; and too often luſting ſtrongly and at Times prevalently; ſo that the Good which they deſire to do they too often do not, and the Evil which they wou'd not they at Times p. 43do: Their Souls delight in GOD, after the inward Man, but yet they find another Law, Power or Principle of Corruption, warring againſt the Law of GOD and the Law that bears Rule in their Minds.— Now ſuppoſe this carnal Principle (mortified but not yet ſlain and extinguiſhed) luſts and tempts to blaſphemous and diabolical Tho'ts of it ſelf alone or by the Inſtigation of Satan; and at the ſame Time ſuppoſe the ſanctified Spirit luſting againſt theſe helliſh Motions, and groaning within it ſelf for Deliverance from them, and Victory over 'em; ready to abhor it ſelf on the Account of them, and crying out of its own Captivity and Bondage,— we may be then aſſured, that whatever be the Riſe of the curſed Temptation; be it from Job's own corrupt Nature, or from his Wife, or from his Adverſary the Devil; it is not at all his own Sin and Act; it is no more He that does it, though it may be from Sin that dwelleth in him; Sin which he allows not, Sin which he is daily labouring to mortify, and from which he is earneſtly ſeeking Deliverance.

In ſhort, All Sin is voluntary; the Will is in it, the Choice is of it, the Soul likes it, and hence Guilt ariſes. — All that I ſhall further add on this Argument, to carry it to the utmoſt Evidence and Demonſtration, is

3. There is not only no Sin, but much Vertue; a notable Exerciſe of Grace, and Victory over Temptation, in the Caſe ſuppoſed; when blaſphemous Tho'ts ariſing in us, or violently ſuggeſted to us, are abhorred by us, deteſted and rejected. Violent Temptations to hideous Sin are hereby reſiſted, refuſed and overcome: And how far is this from the committing Sin, or contracting Guilt? GOD, the righteous Judge reckon'd it to Job for Righteouſneſs, and his Triumph over Satan; ſtill he holdeth faſt his Integrity! although thou movedſt me againſt him, to deſtroy him without a Cauſe.

This added to his Character, (ſays Mr. Henry on the Place) turn'd to his Praiſe and Glory! GOD himſelf ſpeaks of it with a kind of Pleaſure and Wonder, and of Triumph in the Power of his own Grace! He ſtands the faſter, and holds the faſter, for being ſhaken! p. 44ſtill he does ſo; after ſo violent an Aſſault upon him! he has got Ground inſtead of loſing any! his Conſtancy ſhows proves and crowns his Integrity! He is more hearty and lively than ever in bleſſing Me.

Thus Job approv'd himſelf the perfect and upright Man, one that feared GOD and eſchewed Evil; and that there was none like him on the Earth: None tried, tempted and afflicted like him in his Day, or ſince among meer Men, or that bore Temptations of like Kind and Degree, ſo many and great, with like Heroic Piety and Fortitude. — The Tempter could not but own himſelf beat, and GOD juſtified in all that He had ſaid of his penitent, patient, believing faithful Servant.

GOD meant and allow'd the Trial, that it might ſtand on Record for the Comfort of his tempted Saints, and for the Edification of his Church for ever. It is a Banner diſplay'd for others to fight under, in the Cauſe of Truth and Holineſs, to the End of the World. Job has help'd many a weak and ſtrong Believer to beat the Devil again and again, down to our own Days. He ſtill ſits as a King in the Army; and what Hoſts of ſuffering Saints are ſtill fighting under and after him, and conquering by Faith in his REDEEMER.

And by every Fight and Victory they certainly get ſome further Strength and Power againſt Sin, and Confirmation in Grace; even as the Teſtimony of CHRIST was confirmed in the Corinthians, and they confirmed to the End; that they might be blameleſs in the Day of CHRIST: 1 Cor. i. 6, 8. Satan alſo is more and more bruiſed under the Feet of GOD's People; and like the conquering Iſraelites they will be c…ll'd by JESUS to ſet their Feet on the Necks of the Principalities and Powers of Darkneſs; and the Promiſes of both Teſtaments will be fulfilled to them and in them; "thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder; on Serpents and Scorpions, and over all the Power of the Enemy, Pſal. xci. Luk. x. So Light is ſowing for the righteous, in the Hours of greateſt Darkneſs; and the humble Diſciples of JESUS will one Day like the Seventy return with Joy to Him, ſaying, "LORD, even p. 45the Devils are ſubject to us thro' thy Name!— And he ſaid to them, "I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven! and in this rejoice, "that your Names are written in Heaven.

The Day is coming when the Saints ſhall judge the World, ſhall judge Angels! Then they ſhall ſee their Enemy, the Old Serpent, the Devil and Satan at the Bar of CHRIST their Saviour, and damn'd and caſt into the Lake of Fire! Then having follow'd CHRIST in the Regeneration they ſhall ſit down with him on his Throne! Then having drank of his Cup and been baptized with his Baptiſm, they ſhall ſit on his right Hand and on his left in his Kingdom! — Let 'em realize now by Faith how full will be their Joy, how bright their Glory, how high their Honour, how wide their Fame and Renown in that illuſtrious Day! They Conquerors and more than Conquerors! and ſo their Triumphs more than Auguſt or Roman; Divine, Coeleſtial and Eternal!— Wherefore my beloved Brethren, count it all Joy when ye fall into diverſe Temptations, yea the moſt fiery Trials; for bleſſed is the Man that endureth them, for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crown of Life, which the LORD hath promiſed to them that love Him: But let Patience have its perfect Work, that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. James i. 2, 3, "4, 12.

I cloſe with ſome Words of the very Reverend and pious Dr. Horneck on this Argument: Unallowed blaſphemous and other wicked Thoughts in the Heart do not defile it: This Doctrine muſt be often inculcated, becauſe of the great Number of pious Souls who look upon themſelves as the vileſt Wretches in the World, and are ready to run into Deſperation, becauſe ſo many horrid Tho'ts and filthy Suggeſtions preſent themſelves to their Minds; more eſpecially diſturbing them in their Devotions and religious Exerciſes: But not being allow'd of, nor conſented to; however dreadful and hainous they are in themſelves, they no more defile the Heart than boiſterous Winds, and the p. 46Commotion of the Water fully the Pearls that ly at the Bottom. — That they are not their own Tho'ts is evident, becauſe their Will is contrary to them, their Underſtanding is convinced of the Iniquity of them, and their Hearts Deſire is to be rid of 'em. The Soul in this Caſe is like the young Men in the fiery Furnace; while a thouſand Sparks fly about them, not a hair of their Head is ſinged.

To have done, — In every Congregation almoſt there are ſome whoſe Caſe this is: Some are known to us, and there may be others: To all ſuch I have bro't the Mind of GOD and they muſt make Conſcience of receiving it as from Him: Wherefore comfort your ſelves together, and edify one another: Comfort the Feeble-minded, and ſupport the Weak: And the very GOD of Peace ſanctify you wholly; and I pray GOD your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preſerved blameleſs unto the Coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST: Faithful is He that calleth you, who alſo will do it. Amen.

Having thus in ſome poor manner and meaſure endeavoured to ſhow, that the moſt pious and gracious Perſons in the Church of GOD on Earth, may be annoyed with moſt accurſed hideous Tho'ts and Suggeſtions againſt the Bleſſed GOD, his Truths and Laws; which ought to be and will be very grievous to and abhorr'd by them, and ſhould be rejected inſtantly with De…ſtation, or rather with a holy Diſdain and Contempt; and that when they are ſo they are not our Sin, and will never be reckon'd againſt us as our Sin by GOD our righteous and gracious JUDGE; and that not only is there no Sin in this Caſe committed by the grieved and diſtreſſed Soul, flying to CHRIST for Refuge and Protection; but indeed there is the true Exerciſe of Grace and Victory over Sin; true Grace is tried, proved, diſplay'd and triumphant before the Eyes of the inviſible Hoſts and Armies of the Living GOD, as really as p. 47David triumph'd in the Sight of all Iſrael when the horrid blaſpheming Giant fell dead before his Faith, and the Philiſtine Army took to their Heels and fled; and we ſhould learn of the timerous, affrighted Iſraelites to ſhout and purſue the flying Enemy.

I proceed therefore to the USE and IMPROVEMENT of the Subject; and though the principal Part thereof muſt be to relieve and direct (by the Will of GOD) diſtreſſed Souls under the Annoyances of Hell; yet there being alſo many weighty Inferences that offer to us by Way of Inſtruction, Caution, Conviction, Counſel and Direction, as well as of Support and Comfort to the Soul that is tempted and weary; I ſhall take thoſe in my Way alſo.

I. Firſt then by Way of Inference and Inſtruction, I ſhall recollect and mention ſome Truths of great Importance, naturally flowing from what has been already ſaid, and indeed all along implied and ſuppoſed therein:

As, 1. The curſed Nature of Sin, the hideous Fruit of the Creature's Apoſtacy from GOD; and the Malignity againſt Him that is in our corrupt Nature: We may here take a near and full View of the deformed Face, the odious and filthy Features of SIN; as it luſts in us againſt the bleſſed GOD; and to what a Degree it would exceed, if the Word, SPIRIT and Grace of GOD did not reſtrain and prevent it.

For, are there then the Seeds of this Atheiſm and Blaſphemy and Rage againſt GOD in us, if he ſhould leave us to our ſelves, or deliver us up to Satan to ſift us? Are our Hearts ſo evil as to have the leaſt Propenſity to ſuch deteſtable Impieties? Can Satan ſee it poſſible to bring us into them? Does he know us to be ſo wicked as to hope to ſucceed againſt us in ſuch barefac'd and horrid Profaneſs? What? even to be as vile and foul as Himſelf already? That all his own ſpiritual Wickedneſſes, and the Filthineſs of Hell, may be already in us, while here in the Body? even to curſe GOD before a Soul is actually got into the Place of Deſpair and Torment? p. 48Where only (one would think) ſuch a Thing can be imagined as a blaſpheming becauſe of their Plagues! — If Sin tends even to this here on Earth; or if it has ever turn'd Angels and Men into ſuch Devil; into the worſt and laſt Degrees of ſuch Malignity againſt the moſt good, moſt holy perfect and bleſſed GOD; the Author of all Being Perfection and Bleſſedneſs; — O what an EVIL is it? Of what a filthy Nature and what a Sty of Pollution?—Ah, whither are we fallen? Into what a Mire have we ſunk? For what Shame have we chang'd our Glory?—And conſequently, what Humiliation, what Mourning, Self-loathing and Abhorrence, what Fear and Jealouſy for our ſelves does our fallen State call for? We ſhould heavily bear the Senſe of Original Sin, our Conception in Sin, our corrupt Nature, the Plague of our own Hearts, the Leproſy and Defilement of our Souls, their Guilt and Wound.

Well may ſuch a filthy Nature render us from our Birth, the Children of Wrath! And never ſhould we confeſs our Sins to GOD, but firſt we ſhould bewail this Spring and Source of them! Firſt let us ſeek the Pardon of this, and beg for a Renovation in the Spirit of our Minds, a Change of Heart, a new Nature! That we may be purified and made clean, ſanctified thro' out in Body Soul and Spirit: Pſalm li. 5, 10. Behold I was ſhapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me! create in me a clean Heart, O GOD; and renew a right Spirit within me! caſt me not away from thy Preſence!— Well might the Apoſtle groan to be deliver'd from the Body of Sin and Death! O wretched Man that I am, who ſhall deliver me?

2. Are very good People at Times annoy'd with curſed and diabolical Suggeſtions, which they deteſt and yet find it hard to free themſelves from? This may convince us that there is a Devil, and of what a curſed Nature he is, how hateful he ſhould be to us; his Guilt alſo, and how great his Damnation will at laſt be.—Theſe Things I put together, becauſe of their Affinity; yet p. 49are they diſtinct Inferences, and to be briefly ſpoken to each by themſelves.

1. Doubtleſs there is a Devil; a Tempter of a moſt accurſed Nature; the Exciter of theſe hated Tho'ts which haunt at times ſome of the dear Children of GOD, and grievouſly diſtreſs and terrify 'em; unavoidably riſing in their Minds, as if the Blaſphemy where whiſper'd in their Ear and urg'd upon them. Not that the Devil knows our Tho'ts always, tho' he may ſhrewdly gueſs at 'em; nor can he make us think or hinder our thinking as he will; nor in any Manner or Degree but as he is permitted: Never the leſs that there are wicked, lying, profane, ſpiteful Spirits that do find a near Acceſs to the Minds of godly Perſons, and have Pleaſure in worrying and tormenting them, has been by many ſadly experienc'd.—It's true that this is the Lot of ſome only, and thoſe ordinarily more or leſs ſubject to Fear and Melancholly: but then it is to be conſidered alſo, that GOD permits not the Devil to perſecute whom or when he pleaſes after this hideous Manner, as he could not come at Job 'till GOD gave him Permiſſion; and that ſuch Kind of Annoyances will preſently make Perſons ſad and melancholly; for what is more dejecting in itſelf? The Devil alſo may doubtleſs diſcern when and where there is moſt Likelihood of ſucceeding in his Temptations of one kind and of another, and apply them accordingly: He perſecutes the more ſoft and timorous Temper with black and groſs Suggeſtions, while he ſeldom tempts the ſanguine free and gay Minds to Melancholly; no, but to licentious Airs and careleſs Jollity: he fiſhes with the Bait that is likelieſt to take with the Conſtitution of Nature, the Circumſtances of Life; or with the alter'd Frame of Perſons under the Changes that paſs over them.— But to return,

One Proof of a Devil, or malignant Nature imploying it ſelf againſt GOD, is had in the inward Perſecutions that piouſly diſpoſed Minds are made to ſuffer in vile and odious Tho'ts, which they reſiſt, cry out of, and fly from, but can't rid themſelves of. Here is Satan as p. 50plainly to ſome ſuffering Souls, and unto them that are made acquainted with their Diſtreſſes, as his bodily Poſſeſſions have been frequently undoubted, where the poſſeſſed have been agitated, rent and torn by him, in horrible Manner, in the Sight of others.

That there is a GOD we know by his Works, and that He is a moſt wiſe, powerful and infinitely good BEING; becauſe theſe his Divine Perfections do gloriouſly appear in them: In like manner that there is a Devil, or Spiritual Wickedneſſes in high Places, is evident and notorious from many palpable Effects, which prove him a Being apoſtate; baſe, envious, malicious, cruel, outrageous againſt GOD and Goodneſs.—The Temptations to Sin which we feel our ſelves, and ſee the World of Mankind carried away with, and hear the Good and Virtuous groan under the Annoyance …f, are a ſufficient Proof of a World of Devils, that like cunning Serpents, or roaring Lions are lurking or walking about, to bite and devour.

This was ſo palpable to the Heathen World, that many of them came into the Imagination of two Principles; the One of all Good, the other of all Evil; and they ignorantly worſhip'd the One with Love and Veneration, the other with Dread and Horror: But Reaſon and Revelation has baniſhed this ridiculous and inconſiſtent Thought from the Chriſtian World; the Word and Works of GOD concurring in this plain Account of Him, that HE the firſt Cauſe of all Things is neceſſarily and infinitely good; and that Evil is only from the Creatures Apoſtacy and Rebellion againſt GOD, Oppoſition to his Will and Enmity againſt it: For there needs only a Deflexion from what is good and right, to make Sin and Evil.

We find therefore ſome apoſtate Intelligences, beſid… our own wicked Hearts, ſuggeſting Evil to us, and perſwading to it with Importunity and Vehemence, and ſometimes with Violence and Virulence, even to our own Horror and Loathing at Times (evil and wicked as we are) and to our exquiſite Pain and Anguiſh; and what can we impute this to but a Devil? Or what can p. 51we infer from it but the Being of ſuch a curſed Spirit, the Enemy of GOD's Glory and of our Holineſs and Happineſs.

This Argument I find in Zanchius, ††Unde hae malae, invitae Cogitationes? Non a Nobis quia invitae; non a Deo ne que bonis Angelis, quia malae; ergo a Diabolis.Whence are thoſe evil and impious Thoughts and Motions forcing in upon us? not from our ſelves, for they are againſt our Wills; not from GOD or good Angels becauſe they are ſo wicked; therefore they muſt be from Satan; ſome inviſible Evil One, even fuller of explicit Spite and Rancour againſt GOD and Holineſs than our own corrupt Hearts appear.

To uſe the Words of the Venerable and judicious Mr. Baxter here,— Temptations (ſays he) are ſometimes ſo unnatural, ſo importunate and violent, that the Perſon tempted even feels ſomething without himſelf, perſwading and urging him: He can neither be alone, nor go about his Calling, but he is follow'd and dog'd with earneſt Motions to Sin; and unto Sins too to which he never found himſelf inclin'd; Sins which he has no Pleaſure in, nor Proſpect from; Sins that are quite againſt the Temperature of his Body, and the Deſire of his Mind. — Truly, a Mind thus perſecuted will need no Argument ſcarce, beſide its own Senſe and Experience, to ſatisfy it "that there is a Devil, its Adverſary, which deſires his Annoyance, Defilement, Damnation.

2. From hence likewiſe it appears, what a hateful Spirit the Devil is; and how abhorr'd and abominable he ſhould be to us; how loath'd and fear'd and deteſted by us.—What juſt Cauſe does he give us to hate him, if this be his Rage and Malice againſt us? or much rather if he move us thus at any time againſt the Bleſſed GOD! would have us blaſpheme HIM, curſe him, and entertain odious Thoughts of Him! — curſed Spirit, a Hater of GOD, and hated by GOD, — ſhould not we p. 52hate him? Pſal. cxxxix. ult. "Do I not hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? And am I not grieved with them that riſe up againſt Thee? I hate them with perfect Hatred, I count them mine Enemies. We can have no other Idea of a Devil, as ſuch, but as moſt odious and accurſed! And the more ſtrongly Grace is rooted, and Goodneſs ruling in us, the more muſt he be an Execration to us. Hatred was made for ſuch an Object, as much as Love for GOD moſt good and holy.

More eſpecially how ſhould we hate to be our ſelves like unto ſuch an odious Creature as Satan! or to be under his Power, poſſeſſed and acted by him, or obedient to him! of ſuch a Father, the Devil, doing his Luſts! how ſhould this make us abhor our own Souls, our own Being! for how odious muſt we then be to the bleſſed GOD! how accurſed in the Sight of HIM that made us in his own Likeneſs and Love. Look into the Word of GOD, and ſee the ſoul Face in that Glaſs; "thou Child of the Devil, as truly as Elimas the Sorcerer was before thee! And of that wicked One, as much as Cain who ſlew his Brother, and went out blaſted from the Preſence of GOD! His Servants we are to whom we obey, led Captive by him at his Will; the miſerable Prey of the Lion or Dragon of Hell; the forlorn Spoil of the Powers of Darkneſs! What a Shame and Reproach is this to Human Nature! To Men made but little lower than the Angels of Light, and for Angelic Perfection and Felicity among them!—but how are we fallen by Sin, into the Hands of Devils, into the Mire of their Priſon, in Chains under Darkneſs!—Here is Bondage and Slavery abjectly choſen, and continued in! as if Sinners could love their Maſters, and would not go free; altho' the SON OF GOD has come down from Heaven; and even died, as well as beſought them, to make them free.

It is true that no Man can be truly ſaid to love the Devil; and the more Sinners come to know of him the more they muſt hate him; and mutual everlaſting Hatred between them and Devils in Hell will be one Part of their eternal Torment: But Multitudes love his Luſts, p. 53and wear his inglorious Chains with Mirth and Pleaſure; yea ſome count 'em their Ornaments, like true Hottentots in the viſible Kingdom of GOD. The Devil is worſhipped and ſerv'd in the dark Places of the Earth out of groſs Ignorance and Fear; but by Multitudes under the Light of the Goſpel from liking to his Motions, in all the Filthineſſes both of Fleſh and Spirit: A practical Love they ſhow to their deadly Enemy, and they hate their Friend, their Father, their Redeemer, the Holy One of GOD!—It would be a good Step in Religion to hate the Devil! how few of the Sons and Daughters of Men do it in Truth, whatever they may think! It is the Property of Grace, and no ſmall Part of our Chriſtian Bond by our Baptiſm, to renounce the Devil and all his Works; yea to hate his Likeneſs in our ſelves or others; to mourn and bewail it in our ſelves, and behold it in Tranſgreſſors and be grieved. The Act of Renunciation and Abjuration in our Baptiſm ſhould be remember'd by us, repeated and confirmed every Day we live: This is our Allegiance and Fidelity to GOD our KING, and this is the Liberty of the Sons of GOD, the glorious Liberty which we are called into by the Goſpel. Moreover, we muſt infer

3. The Devil's great Guilt and the Greatneſs of his Damnation at the laſt, from his being the Seducer of Men into Sin, Apoſtacy from GOD and Rebellion againſt Him; and from his perſiſting in his Attempts againſt the Children of GOD unto this Day, with like Enmity, Falſhood and Malice, as he tempted Adam the Son of GOD in Paradiſe.—As he there belied GOD and beguiled Eve, ſo he belies GOD ſtill, and would terrify penitent and believing Souls into unjuſt and hard Thoughts of Him; even the moſt vile and accurſed that can be; in Defiance of all that he hath ſaid to us in his Word. It is his Hatred of GOD, more than of us, that accounts for all this. His Envy is of GOD's Glory, his Malice againſt the Work of GOD! This gives the Glare of Hell in them. Indeed the Blood of Souls alone is a Scarlet and Crimſon die, but the deeper Stain is the lying againſt the HOLY GHOST, whoſe Holineſs he hates, declares War p. 54againſt and defies. He makes War with the LAMB and his Members; is bruiſing the Heel of the SON OF GOD in them to this Day, although he has ſo long ſince ſeen Him aſcended on High, leading Captivity Captive: He wars even in Heaven againſt Michael and his Angels! The Dragon fights though he knows that he can never conquer, and that the Time of his Torment is coming on! he blaſphemes GOD, deceives the Nations, accuſes the Brethren, perſecutes the Woman and her Seed, the Church; and caſts out his Floods to drown her ſpiritual Seed; and all becauſe they keep the Commandments of GOD and the Teſtimony of JESUS! But his Judgment is coming on and the Serpent's Head will be then utterly cruſh'd: even at the ſecond Appearing of the SON OF MAN with Power and great Glory; when the Devil and his Angels ſhall be judged by the LORD and his Saints; who will deſtroy him by the Breath of his Mouth and by the Brightneſs of his Coming. But previous alſo to this final Judgment, will the Angel of JESUS come down with the Key of the bottomleſs Pit and a great Chain in his Hand, and lay hold on the Dragon, the Devil and Satan, and bind him and ſhut him up for a thouſand Years. Rev. xx. 1, 2. At the Expiration of which, to ſhew himſelf a true Devil ſtill, as ſoon as looſed he will return to his deceiving the Nations, and gathering Gog and Magog together againſt the Camp of the Saints; which will be the filling up his Meaſure, and then Death and Hell, the Deceiver and damned Ghoſts together, ſhall be caſt into the Lake of Fire, which is the ſecond Death, ℣. 10, 14.

Surely it muſt needs be thus: The Arch-Sinner and firſt in Revolt from GOD, and the inveterate Enemy, ſhall leaſt of all eſcape the Divine Vengeance: The Saints ſhall judge Angels: They ſhall ſee their Adverſary and Tempter brought forth in Chains before the Bar of CHRIST, around whoſe Throne they ſhall ſtand; they ſhall hear him arraigned, convicted and damned from the Mouth of the glorious MAN, JESUS CHRIST; for his firſt malicious Seduction of our firſt Parents, and for all his Endeavours ſince to maintain and increaſe our Apoſtacy! p. 55The Guilts of Mankind will be laid upon him; a heavy Load! his Spite againſt the SAVIOUR and all whom the FATHER gave to him! his Impotent Blaſphemies and his prevalent Sollicitations will all come into one Account, and be revenged together in his Condemnation: The Saints ſhall ſee the Judgment executed, and ſing together with a loud Acclamation, Thrice holy, juſt and true! now is come Salvation and Strength, the Kingdom of our GOD, and the Power of his CHRIST.

Let me illuſtrate the Matter a little from the Wickedneſs and tragic End of Haman, and the Salvation, Joy and Gladneſs thence ariſing to the Jews: That vile enormous Power, Haman, in his Luciferian Pride, Envy and Rage, murderouſly plotted, and almoſt compaſſed, the Deſtruction of the captiv'd Church: The good Queen Eſther petition'd in her Fear and Anguiſh for her Life and the Life of her People; for alas! they were ſold in the Intention of the Evil One, to be deſtroy'd, to be ſlain and to periſh! But in the End, confounded with Guilt and ſpeechleſs, Haman is doom'd and dragg'd to the Gallows, which he had prepar'd for Mordecai the Jew, after he had juſt liv'd to ſee him exalted, crowned and triumphing! his Aſſociates in the plotted Deſtruction fell with him under a dreadful Vengeance; and thence was the Church's Salvation and Triumph perfected! Eſther reign'd, Mordecai went out from the Preſence of the King in royal Apparel, and the Jews had Light and Gladneſs Joy, and Honour.—So when the Grand Enemy of the Saints is bro't to the Bar of CHRIST, in the Judgment of the great Day, they will riſe up and ſay—"This LORD is the Adverſary and wicked One! And then the abject Devil would moſt gladly fall at the leaſt Saint's Foot to beg for his Life! Whoſe Triumph will be high and glorious as the Devil is led away to his Eternal Torments.—His Damnation will be then great, as are now his Blaſphemies againſt GOD, and his Spite at all his Saints.

This is the ſecond Inference, — there is a Devil; a Hoſt of accurſed Spirits, of a moſt curſed Diſpoſition, under hideous Guilts, and reſerved to a dreadful Damnation. p. 56O let us fear his Malice, and reſiſt his Temptations, that we may never partake in his Torments, the devouring Fire and everlaſting Burnings, prepared for him.

3. Is there a Devil, a Hoſt of evil Spirits of ſuch a curſed Diſpoſition, and implacable Malice againſt GOD and the Souls of Men, and the Peace of his Children? And is there not an innumerable Company of HOLY ANGELS, a thouſand times ten thouſand, and Millions of Millions of bleſſed Creatures, who behold the Face of GOD above, and ſtand in his Preſence, and are Thrones, and Dominions and Principalities and Powers in the Heavenly Places? moſt benevolent and friendly to the Souls of Men on Earth, and Fellow-Servants Worſhippers and Brethren with all that are ſanctified in the Church of CHRIST? and they are all by Office as well as Inclination Miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter unto the Heirs of Salvation. Hebr. i. 14. — Let us conſider THESE in their Miniſtration under CHRIST the REDEEMER, and the HOLY GHOST the SANCTIFIER; and what an Over-ballance are they, for the Conſolation and Security of the poor tempted Members of the Church on Earth! as it is written, for our Learning and Support, Pſalm. ciii. ult. Bleſs the LORD ye his ANGELS that excel in Strength, that do his Commandments, hearkning to the Voice of his Word! bleſs the LORD, all ye his HOSTS, ye Miniſters of his that do his Pleaſure! Bleſs the LORD O our Souls!

Is it not written of theſe holy, happy, potent Spirits in the Heavenly Places, that they are the Angels of CHRIST'S little Ones here below, and do always behold the Face of their FATHER in Heaven? And that he gives them Charge concerning 'em, to keep 'em in all their Way, to hold 'em up in their Arms! And that there is Joy in the Preſence of theſe Holy Ones above, over every one Sinner that repenteth!**Pſal. xci. 11. Matth. xviii. 10. Luke xv. 7, 10.Ps 91:11Matt 18:10Luke 15:7Luke 15:10

Theſe bleſſed Angels are ever oppoſing and even fighting againſt the Devil and his Angels; inſomuch that we read of the War in Heaven by Michael and his Angels p. 57againſt the Dragon, the Old Serpent, the Devil and Satan; the Accuſer of the Brethren, Rev. xii. 7, 10. It is the ſame Arch-Angel that St. Jude tells us contended with the Devil about the Body of Moſes, and probably preſided at his Burial! the ſame Prince among the Angels of Light, whom Daniel ſaw ſtanding up for the afflicted Church before the coming of CHRIST in the Fleſh, and holding with its perſecuted Members. Dan. xii. 1. Be it the LORD CHRIST himſelf, or ſome Coeleſtial Principality commiſſion'd by HIM, the Succour of his Elect is the ſame thro' Life and Death; and it may be ſaid to the moſt timorous and frighted of them, as Eliſha to his terrified Servant, awaking early in the Morning and ſeeing the Aſſyrian Hoſt incompaſſing the Hill on which the Seer dwelt; "fear not, for they that be with us are more than all theſe Enemies; more in Number and more for Strength! "and the LORD open'd the young Man's Eyes, and behold the Mountain was full of Horſes ad Chariots of Fire round about Eliſha: i.e. he ſaw an Army of bright and flaming Angels guarding the Man of GOD; and leading away blindfold the Aſſyrian Hoſt at the Will and Prayer of the meek and humble Prophet: a ſtrange and pleaſing Spectacle to Heaven and Iſrael. 2 Kings vi. 15, 16.

This is indeed the very State of the Caſe, as it is laid before us in our Bible, from the Beginning to the End of it; that thro' Patience and Comfort of the Scripture the leaſt and weakeſt Believer may have Hope; and attain Quietneſs and Aſſurance for ever.

The Time would fail me to mention the recorded Miniſtrations of the Angels of GOD to Abraham and Jacob and even to Hagar and Iſhmael; to Elias and Daniel and the Worthies in Babylon; to Peter in the Priſon, to Paul in the Storm; to Cornelius … the Cloſet or Family, and to John in Patmos, for the Teſtimony of JESUS.

The ſame have been the Succours by Angels to the Church in general, from the Slaughter of the firſt-born in Egypt, and the giving the Law …n Sinai; unto David's taking the Kingdom and marching againſt the Philiſcines, upon the Signal given him of an inviſible Hoſt going before p. 58him over the Mulberry Trees; and unto the Day of Joſhua the High-Prieſt, when the Captive Church had juſt emerged out of the Den and Fires of Babylon: Satan then oppos'd virulently his bitter Accuſations againſt Him and his People, to fruſtrate their Prayers and Interceſſions; but the LORD Himſelf anſwer'd for 'em: HE that had taken upon Himſelf their Sins, to bear them away: Zech. iii. 2, 4, 7. "The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan! even the LORD that hath choſen Jeruſalem rebuke thee! Is not this a Brand pluckt out of the Fire? And he ſpake to thoſe that ſtood before Him; the holy Angels his Attendants; who in this Viſion (ſays the judicious Mr. Clark) repreſented the Miniſters of CHRIST, as his ordinary Inſtruments in this Work; ſaying, "Take away his filthy Garments from him! — And to Him he ſaid, "I have cauſed thy Iniquity to paſs from thee, and I will clothe thee with Change of Raiment: And then the Angel of the LORD proteſted unto Joſhua, (as the preſent Repreſentative of his humble mourning and accuſed Ones) ſaying, If thou wilt walk in my Ways and keep my Charge, I will give thee Places among theſe (my Angels) that are ſtanding by; i. e. in the Heavenly Manſions among 'em for evermore! altho' now thou and thy Fellows are Men wonder'd at! For behold I will bring forth my Servant the BRANCH, thine and their ſtrong and mighty REDEEMER.

And having thus nam'd HIM, the glorious SON OF MAN whom the LORD has made ſtrong for Himſelf, and in WHOM only we have Righteouſneſs and Strength, in Whom the Seed of Iſrael are juſtified and do glory; let me finiſh the preſent Argument by obſerving, what all the tempted Members of CHRIST ſhould lay up in their Hearts;—how the Angels of GOD miniſter'd with unknown Adoration and Delight to the MAN CHRIST JESUS, in the Days of his Humiliation, Temptations, Miniſtry, Sufferings and Dying for us; from before his Conception and Birth unto his Burial and Reſurrection from the Dead! He was ſeen of Angels, worſhip'd and miniſter'd to by 'em while lying in the Manger; "The Multitude of the Heavenly Hoſt gave Glory to GOD in the Higheſt, p. 59from their Goodwill to Men, congratulating us on the Goodwill of GOD to us in a SAVIOUR'S Birth; and they directed the Shepherds to the Place where the Babe lay: In like Manner they attended and guarded Him through his Infancy, alſo in the Wilderneſs of Temptation, in the Garden of his Agony, at his mock Trial and on his Croſs: They never deſerted him through all theſe tragic Scenes, while his Diſciples forſook him and fled; and while the Dogs compaſs…d him and the Aſſembly of the wicked incloſed him: No, He told his Guard and Crucifiers that at his Word the Legions of Angels ſtood ready then to have deliver'd him.

They attended his holy Body to its Grave, and there guarded it to the Morning of the third Day, when they roll'd away the Stone from the Mouth of the Sepulchre; and the comforted the holy Women in their Tears and Fears; "We know that you ſeek JESUS that was crucified! Come ſee the Place where the LORD lay; and go quickly and tell overwhelmed Peter and the Diſciples.

And now, O humble Believer in JESUS, the moſt ſinful and the moſt timorous, wilt thou not encourage thy ſelf from the Readineſs of the Holy Angels to ſuccour and help thee in thy Times of Need! You muſt ſee them alſo, ever near thee, by the Commandment of thy SAVIOUR! They love thee for his Sake, and in a Meaſure as they ever loved Him; and as the Members of his Body, of his Fleſh and of his Bones; filling up what is behind of the Sufferings of CHRIST in your Fleſh, Col. i. 24.

Yet muſt you beware of truſting in the Aids of Angels, any more than you would in any Arm of Fleſh! Nor may you pray to 'em, or give 'em Worſhip, as the bleſſed Apoſtle himſelf was ready to do when they had brought him ſo many Revelations and Comforts from GOD! "See thou do it not (ſaid the Angel) for I am thy Fellow-Creature and Servant, and a Worſhipper of JESUS!—Never the leſs receive 'em as the Angels of GOD, as Abraham and Jacob did; "This is GOD'S Hoſt! and on the Ladder from Heaven to Earth ſee 'em deſcending to, and aſcending from the Sons of Men!— Come into a holy Fellowſhip p. 60and Communion with them, by FAITH in CHRIST, and by the Life of JESUS manifeſted in thy mortal Fleſh. 2 Cor. i… 8, 11. Let 'em only ſee CHRIST and his Grace in thee and they will cleave to thee in Love, and never leave thee to the Will of Satan, thy and their Enemy.— You muſt make the LORD your Refuge, even the MOST HIGH your Habitation; and then the Promiſe is, Pſalm xci. 11. He ſhall give his ANGELS Charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy Ways; and they ſhall bear thee up in their Hands, leſt thou daſh thy Foot againſt a Stone: Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and the A…er, &c.

But ſtill beware of the Serpent,—for he quoted this very Text to the SON OF GOD himſelf, when he mov'd him to caſt himſelf down from the Pinnacle of the Temple. Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation, and then be ſtrong in the LORD and in the Power of his Might. When thou paſſeſt through the Waters they ſhall not overflow thee; and when thou walkeſt thro' the Fires thou ſhalt not be burnt. In all your Acts of Worſhip, ſecret and publick, ſee the LORD ſitting upon his Throne, high and lifted up, and his Train filling the Coeleſtial Temple! before Him ſtand the Seraphims with cover'd Faces, and you may hear 'em cry to one another; "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD OF HOSTS, the whole Earth is full of his Glory! Nor think your ſelf then undone although a Man of unclean Lips, and dwelling among a People of unclean Lips! but confide in the LORD of Angels that he will cauſe his Seraphims to fly down at thy contrite Prayer (as he ſent Gabriel to Daniel while he was making his Supplication) "to touch thy Lips and take away thy Sin. Iſai. vi. 7. Then you may beat a Defiance to all the Powers of Hell and ſay, Rom. viii. 35—39. Who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of CHRIST? Shall Tribulation or Diſtreſs, Perſecution, Famine, Nakedneſs or Sword? No, I am perſwaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things preſent, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the Love of GOD which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.

p. 614. If ſome of GOD's Children are annoy'd with moſt grievous and abhor'd Injections from the Evil One; then how thankful to GOD ſhould others be, who are free from ſuch Annoyances are mercifully prevented and graciouſly preſerved in Peace and a right Mind.

It is of the great Mercy and Power of GOD, that no more of us ſuffer, as ſome have done from the fiery Darts of Satan. If GOD did not reſtrain and chain him up; if he did not ſet a Hedge of Defence about us, as he did about Job; of which his Enemy complain'd; if GOD ſhould give him the Permiſſion which he eagerly ſeeks and catches at; how miſerable would he ſoon make our Life? how would the Wolf worry every Sheep of CHRIST'S Fold? not a Moment's Eaſe would he give us; into what Dejections and Deſpondencies would he ſcare us? and into what pale and meagre Spectres of Melancholly would he change us! What Viſions of Hell would he begin within us, and multiply upon us! —But the merciful GOD ſuffers not the Devil to have his Will and Luſt upon us; and hence is the Peace, Tranquility and Comfort which his Saints enjoy; all their Quiet and Serenity is the Gift of GOD; and when He giveth Quietneſs who can make Trouble?

It is a ſpecial Precept of Religion, Col. iii. 15. Let the Peace of GOD rule in your Hearts, unto which ye are called in one Body, and be ye thankful. And it is a ſpecial Benediction, Phil. iv. 7. The Peace which paſſeth all Underſtanding keep your Hearts and Minds thro' JESUS CHRIST. And a ſpecial gracious Promiſe it is, ℣. 9. The GOD of Peace ſhall be with you: The GOD of Peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your Feet. Rom. xvi. 20.

When we ſee others in racking Pains, it ſhould raiſe our Souls in Thankſgivings to GOD for the Comforts of Eaſe. When we ſee others drooping and ſinking under Melancholly and Sorrow of Heart, our more eaſy, bright and cheerful Minds ſhould be lift up in Praiſe to GOD: It is the Way to fix and increaſe a ſanctified Joy in us. But a Soul reſtored from the Pains of Melancholly, more eſpecially after it has ſuffer'd the permitted Terrors of p. 62GOD, from the Temptations of Satan, will beſt know how to prize the Mercy of a quiet Mind, and riſe in thankful Praiſes for it. — How ſweet think you was it to the poor Demoniac, that had been ſo long raving and raging, tearing himſelf and roaring among the Tombs; when the evil Spirit was caſt out, and he was ſitting at JESUS Feet clothed and in a right Mind? Luke viii. 35. Pleaſant it was to others to ſee him there and thus, who had been ſo lately driven and torn by the Legion; but how much more pleaſant was it to the Man himſelf! how did he adore his Deliverer, and embrace his ſacred Feet? How did he bleſs himſelf in the Change wrought upon him! torn by Devils before, and now gather'd under the healing Wings of his SAVIOUR!—O let us bleſs GOD for the free and quiet Uſe of our Reaſon and Underſtanding; and a well informed, faithful and yet peaceful Conſcience! Let this be our Rejoicing (let us ſeek it, by living ſo before GOD as to attain and preſerve it) the Teſtimony of our Conſciences that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity, not with fleſhly Wiſdom, but by the Grace of GOD, we have our Converſation in the World.

How dreadful is the Story of King Saul, when the evil Spirit from the LORD troubled him! not all the State of a King, nor the Pleaſures of a Court, nor the Fidelity of ſuch Sons as Jonathan and David; not David's Sword nor yet his Harp, nor yet the Shouts of Victory nor Songs of Triumph could charm down nor chaſe away the gloomy Fiend. O let us fear Sin, and flee Guilt, which cauſes the Spirit of the LORD to depart from Men, and opens a wide Door for the evil Spirit from the LORD, by his Judgment and Permiſſion, to enter into and torment them. 1 Sam. xvi. 14. David's Spirit of Devotion is the beſt Prevention, and the ſureſt Cure of it. Integrity and Uprightneſs muſt preſerve us! that's a ſolid and deep Foundation to build a ſetled Peace on: Simplicity and godly Sincerity. The Winds may blow, the Clouds gather black, the Rains fall, and the Seas roar and beat; but a Houſe founded on this Rock, by Faith in CHRIST, is ſafe. — Conſcience is a ſure Friend to the upright, but a terrible p. 63Enemy to the vain and falſe, the preſumptuous and the Hypocrite. Well might falſe and ungrateful Saul, falſe to his GOD and to his People, to his Sons and faithful Servants, have his Conſcience enrag'd and inflam'd againſt him. It is not to be impos'd on and deceiv'd by Men at their Will, nor yet to be brib'd or ſtunn'd. It will not be adjur'd to Quietneſs by a feigned Force of Devotion, but exaſperated the more; as Saul found it, when he would have enquir'd of the LORD again, but he anſwered him not. So when the Sons of Sceva exorcis'd the evil Spirit in the Name of JESUS whom Paul preached; the poſſeſſed Man leapt on 'em, and prevailed againſt them, and they fled away naked and wounded: Acts xix. 15.

We muſt ſeek Quiet and Reſt from GOD only, in his own Way; the Way of Faith, Repentance, Prayer, Praiſe, in ſecret and public; by Meditation, Self-Examination, Ejaculations, Self-Dedication and Reſignation; in the conſcientious Diſcharge of all relative Duties, abiding with GOD in our Callings, and walking with Him in our Houſes; and then in his Houſe, in all the Ordinances of the LORD; keeping his Sabbaths, chuſing the Things that pleaſe him, and laying hold on his Covenant; all which GOD has joined, and we muſt by no means ſeparate 'em; doing Juſtice, loving Mercy, and walking humbly before him; that he may give us within his Houſe and Walls a Place and Name among his Sons and Daughters, an everlaſting Name which ſhall not be cut off. Iſai. lvi. 3, — 7.

In theſe Ways let us make Conſcience of labouring after a gracious Eaſe and Cheerfulneſs of Spirit, by the Will of GOD: If He giveth Quietneſs who can make Trouble? And if he hideth his Face who then can behold him? My Soul wait thou only on the LORD for all my Expectation is from him! Pſal. cxxx. Out of the Depths have I cried unto thee O LORD! hear my Voice, let thine Ear be attentive to my Supplications! I wait for the LORD, my Soul doth wait, and in his Word do I hope. — It is promiſed, Iſai. xxxii. 17. The Work of Righteouſneſs ſhall be Peace, p. 64Quietneſs and Aſſurance for ever. GOD meets him that is rejoicing in working Righteouſneſs, thoſe that remember him in his Ways. — But to return from this ſmall Digreſſion,

5. If ſome of the Children of GOD are here often annoy'd with foul Injections from Hell, how ſhould it excite and raiſe in 'em all the more earneſt Deſires after Heaven; the Place and State of everlaſting Reſt from Sin and Sorrow, and of the Perfection of Holineſs and Fulneſs of Joys for ever.

When Job, after too long a Silence, open'd his Mouth, it was to curſe the Day of his Birth, and wiſh himſelf in his Grave; becauſe "there the Wicked ceaſe from troubling, and there the weary are at Reſt, they hear not the Voice of the Oppreſſor.—O he ſhould have refreſhed himſelf rather with his Hopes of being in a very ſhort time in Heaven, the REST which remaineth to the People of GOD for ever! where are Pleaſures for evermore. And this was his Hope and Joy and Crown of Rejoicing, as he tells us, Chap. xix. 25. "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and though after my Skin Worms deſtroy this Body, yet in my Fleſh I ſhall ſee GOD; whom I ſhall ſee for my Self and mine Eyes ſhall behold, and not another, though my Reins be conſumed within me.

The diſtant Point from Hell is HEAVEN; and ſo the Hallelujahs of One from the Blaſphemies of the other. Satan who left the peaceful Realms of Light, can return thither no more: he liſts not to come near that Holy of Holies again, nor could he find Entrance: Or if when the Sons of GOD here below preſent themſelves before Him, the Devil come among them, it is to diſturb their Devotion, and to ſeek ſome Permiſſion within the Compaſs of his own Air, to have the ſifting of ſome weak and frail Saint here below, or the deceiving ſome Veſſel of his own into Deſtruction, as he ask'd and had leave to do Ahab. The Dead in Chriſt only are free and far away out of the Reach of his Malice; they look down on the Batts of the Night on our Surface and ſay, "How art thou fallen, Lucifer, Son of the Morning. The Soul p. 65in Heaven is confirm'd in Grace and ſure for ever, and paſt all Fear of Evil: Sin is no more, and could the Evil One come there he could find nothing to faſten a Temptation on: He ſees it and is grieved, and gnaſhes with his Teeth, and melts away. If he make War with Michael, he is ſure of a Defeat: O thou Enemy, Deſtructions are come to a perpetual End.

Now he comes down in Wrath, great Wrath, for he knoweth that his Time to tempt, and the godly Man's Time to ſuffer by his Temptation, is ſhort: The preſent Life is the only Time; Death puts the Believer far away out of the Reach of any ſpiritual Foe; the Spirit of the Juſt as ſoon as out of the Body of Sin, is out of the World of Sin alſo; for it paſſes immediately and triumphantly thro' the Powers of the Air, under a bright and ſtrong Guard of Angels; before whom the infernal Hoſts fly and melt away, as they did before the Chariots and Horſes of Fire that came down for Elias; for the little Ones in the Church of CHRIST have their Angels, as well as He the Prince among his Prophets, which behold the Face of their FATHER in Heaven, and know their Faces too here below; and are as ready to carry their Souls to the Paradiſe of GOD, as they were to bury the Body of Moſes. Then a Fulneſs of Holineſs, Glory and Joy remains to them for ever and ever; infinite and eternal Joys are miniſtred from the Viſion of GOD and of the LAMB; and from the Sight and Hearing of the Adorations of the thouſand times ten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands about the THRONE; ſaying with a loud Voice, Worthy is the LAMB that was ſlain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wiſdom, and Strength, and Honour and Glory, and Bleſſing! O in what Tranſport will every new arriving Saint fall down with them, and worſhip Him that liveth for ever and ever.

But let us only conſider the Day of a Believer's Death as his Freedom for ever from a State of Temptation, either from within or from without; his putting off the Armour of Righteouſneſs which he wore here, and boaſting over an Enemy utterly beaten and broken, never to rally more p. 66againſt him; what a welcome bleſſed Day muſt this be unto him! O thou Enemy, Deſtructions are come to a perpetual End! "Now is come Salvation and Strength, the Kingdom of our GOD and the Power of his Might! for the Accuſer of the Brethren is caſt down; and they overcame him by the Blood of the LAMB, and by the Word of their Teſtimony; not loving their Lives unto the Death! therefore rejoice ye Heavens and all that dwell in them. Rev. xii. 10, 11.

Thus look up to JESUS and his crowned Saints, poor tempted Child of GOD here below; and ſee the high Reward of their Patience and Conſtancy in bearing Temptations and Conqueſt over them! how bright their Crowns, how loud their Songs of Victory, and what Palms are in their Hands! let all animate you to follow on and fight and overcome, in the Strength of CHRIST, their LORD and yours! Thoſe his Worthies were lately weltring in Duſt and Sweat and Blood, as you are now! Conſider the End of their Faith and Patience, leſt you be weary and faint in your Minds.—Let me only read to you the Viſion of theſe Victors above, that have put off the Harneſs, and reſt from their Labours: Revel. vii. 9, — 17. After this I beheld, and lo, a great Multitude, which no Man could number, of all Nations, and Kindreds, and People, and Tongues, ſtood before the Throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white Robes, and Palms in their Hands; and cried with a loud Voice, ſaying, Salvation to our GOD which ſitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the Angels ſtood round about the Throne, and about the Elders, and the four Beaſts, and fell before the Throne on their Faces, and worſhipped GOD, ſaying, Amen: Bleſſing, and Glory, and Wiſdom, and Thankſgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might be unto our GOD for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the Elders anſwered, ſaying unto me, What are theſe which are arrayed in white Robes? and whence came they? And I ſaid unto him, Sir, thou knoweſt. And he ſaid to me, Theſe are they which came out of great Tribulation, and have waſhed their Robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of p. 67GOD, and ſerve him Day and Night in his Temple: and he that ſitteth on the Throne ſhall dwell among them. They ſhall hunger no more, neither thirſt any more, neither ſhall the Sun light on them, nor any Heat. For the Lamb which is in the midſt of the Throne ſhall feed them, and ſhall lead them unto living Fountains of Waters: and GOD ſhall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes.

II. Let the ſecond Uſe be of Caution in two or three Particulars, wherein we may elſe do Wrong to the Doctrine before us and miſimprove it.

1. Let us beware of imputing to the Devil too much of our own Sin and Guilt, the corrupt Workings of our own Hearts. We have Sin dwelling in us, and muſt remember how we are admoniſhed by the HOLY GHOST, that every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Luſt and enticed. James. i. 14. The regenerate have the Remains and Luſting of Sin within them; and in its Prevalence at times the Apoſtle charges it on indwelling Sin; Rom. vii. 17, 20. It is Sin which dwelleth in me. We muſt by no means ſay, that the Agency of the Devil is in every Temptation which Men ſuffer, or Sin which they commit: Neither can we ſay, that his Hand is not in this or that Sin: He is inviſible, and our own wicked Hearts act ſo in Conjunction with him, that ſometimes which is moſt to blame is not to be ſaid. It is beſt for the Sinner, often to take it wholly to himſelf, but too common to hear him laying it to the Devil. Satan moved David to number the People, and Satan filled the Heart of Ananias and Saphira to lie unto the HOLY GHOST. — Only where the Injection is involuntary, without and againſt a Perſon's Will; where it is violent unnatural, a horror and torment to a Perſon, there it may be reaſonably attributed to the Devil, his Malice and Force. But ordinarily it is wiſe and beſt to charge our ſelves, humble abaſe and loathe our ſelves before GOD. Yet it may be utterly wrong to accuſe, condemn, torment our ſelves, where we are only annoyed p. 68aſſaulted and tempted, without our yeilding to the deteſted Motion. — In Temptations to Sin, that are attended with Profit and Pleaſure our own Hearts may in all likelyhood be the principal, and Satan only acceſſary: Or if he is firſt in the Motion and there be our Compliance, we are acceſſary in the Crime, and muſt ſmite upon our own Breaſt. Yet the Caſe too often is, that profane and leud People tempt the Devil to tempt them; or are ſo habituated to and ſet upon their wicked Ways, that they need no Tempter beſides themſelves.

2. Another Extream we ſhould be caution'd againſt is, of making too light of this Doctrine of the Annoyances which gracious Souls ſometimes meet with from diabolical and helliſh Suggeſtions of Satan. It is, I am ſenſible, a ridiculous kind of Suggeſtion againſt the Devil, in the Opinion of many at this Day. Many a Free-thinker may be ready to ſcoff at it as fanatical, whimſical, ſplenetic, Enthuſiaſm and what not. Some virtuous Perſons may be too far in ſuch a Tho't; becauſe they have never felt any thing of it themſelves, and thro' the Favour of GOD it is not the known Caſe of very many, and generally thoſe few by Conſtitution of Body ſubject to Melancholly. — Others it may be, of the Children of GOD, may d…ubt and ſcruple much the Reality of this Truth, from the Peace and Quiet which thro' the Goodneſs of GOD they have always themſelves enjoyed, ſince GOD has wro't upon their Souls, and given 'em Comfort in his Ways; and they have found a holy Fear and Reverence of GOD increaſing with their Pleaſure in Religion, … Yet I can aſſure both the one and the other (whether they profanely ridicule, or whether they meekly and tenderly pity our Doctrine) it is an undoubted Fact, what many have felt and others ſeen, and there is no denying againſt Senſe and Sight. It is a real Caſe, that many very pious Perſons are grievouſly buffeted, vexed and tormented by ſome inviſible wicked Power, with baſe, odious, profane, impure Thoughts, which their Souls abhor. — In like manner, People may doubt or deny (if they pleaſe) whether ever there was an Apparition or a p. 69Poſſeſſion, becauſe they themſelves were never ſo unhappy as to ſee the one or the other; or becauſe there have been Fancies, Lies and Cheats obtruded on the World in one Caſe or …ther; but to me however, it were the Height of Scepticiſm and unreaſonable doutbing. — And ſo it is to make all that has been ſaid concerning Helliſh Annoyances to be the Fruit of a diſtempered Brain, the Power of Melancholly, or Fitts of Vapour. — There is a Medium we ſhall do well to keep, that we may not be ſuperſtitious; but we muſt quarrel both with Scripture, Experience and humane Teſtimony, if we queſtion the Reality of this Fact; that good People and of good Underſtanding do at times ſuffer, as we have been ſaying, from a cruel Tempter that is blaſphemous and inviſible.

3. A third Caution which I would put in is, that we do not allow our ſelves to queſtion the Juſtice and Righteouſneſs of the Divine Permiſſion; or to entertain hard Tho'ts of the bleſſed GOD on this Account. — Alas! we are no Judges of what the Sovereign GOD may do or can do; or of the Rights and Wiſdom of his Government: We have not yet been in the Worlds of Spirits, to ſee their various Natures, States, Orders and Services in the Creation of GOD. But this we know both by Revelation and Experience that Man has ſold himſelf to Sin, and that he did it by the Inſtigation of the Devil, and what wonder than is it, that the Devil has ſo much Acceſs to and Influence on him; either to gain his Mind and Will to what is evil, or if that is refuſed then to inſult and terrify him.

Man gave up himſelf to the Tempter on his firſt Aſſault, on his plain giving the Lye to GOD and charging him even with an Envy of his Creatures Improvement in Knowledge and Happineſs; and is it any ſtrange Puniſhment of this his ſhameful and diſloyal Surrender of himſelf to the Devil…s Will, that it ſhould be ſo much from that Day in the Power of the Tempter to vex and diſtreſs him with new Temptations, or fiery Injections on his reſiſting and refuſing them? or might p. 70he not by a juſt Rejection from GOD have been given over to the Poſſeſſion of Satan, as his Tormentor for ever, for his baſe Rejection of GOD, his eaſy Commandment and terrible Threatning of Death? — Moreover, from Generation to Generation the Sons and Daughters of Men do in effect acknowledge, confirm and eſtabliſh, by their own Act and Deed, the Dominion and Tyranny of the Devil over themſelves and their Children, by their ungodly Lives and Converſations; abandoning themſelves and their Offſpring to all manner of Wickedneſs. And after all, dare they impeach the Goodneſs and Juſtice of GOD in permitting him the Power, which they have themſelves given him, of Acceſs to their Minds and Conſciences, either as a Tempter or a Tormentor? Is it ſtrange that the Devil ſhould call himſelf the God of this World, and ſay of the Kingdoms and Families of it, "All this is mine! when ſuch Multitudes are led Captive by him at his Will in the Places of moſt pure Faith and Worſhip; and willingly deceiv'd by him into eternal Perdition? Or is it wonderful that among the ſmall Number of thoſe that are ſaved from him, as to his Rule, ſome of them are cruelly handled and perſecuted by him? Can this give us any Pretence for an arraigning of the Divine Mercy? when as it is of the LORD'S Mercy that the very beſt have not been utterly abandon'd to themſelves, and given up a Prey to Satan, as they are ready to acknowledge. — How much more muſt we all own that the juſt GOD may judicially give over wicked and incorrigible Sinners to their own Hearts Luſts, and to the Power of Satan to deceive and harden them to their final Deſtruction, as he gave over Ahab to the lying Spirit and his diſmal End! or to torture them before their Time, and drive them deſpairing and roaring out of the World, as he did by Judas, Spira &c! And doubtleſs he may for as wiſe gracious and holy Ends, relating to his own Glory and our Salvation, and Satan's Confuſion and eternal Judgment; try and explore the Truth and Power of his Grace in his Servants and Children, by permitting the Temptations of the Devil, and the Efforts of his p. 71Malice and Spite againſt them. Let us not dare therefore to have or favour any hard Thoughts of the bleſſed GOD, for his permitting the Enemy of our Souls and his Glory, to tempt and diſtreſs us when our Hearts are moſt and beſt in our Endeavours after a holy Walk before him, and Communion with him. In this Frame the Tempter found holy Job, when he ſhot the fiery Dart at him, "Curſe GOD and die.

4. The laſt Caution I wou'd give is this, That thoſe who have never ſuffer'd after this kind do not grow ſecure or high-minded thereon; but fear and pray that they enter not into Temptation. It is not becauſe you are better than others, that you have been ſpared and they grievouſly tried and buffeted: No, Job was the firſt Saint in his Day, and therefore the rather ſelected to be the Champion, the David to go out againſt Goliah and ſlay him. You are not ſure but that it may be your Turn to ſuffer thus, before you die. Security or Self-Confidence may expoſe you to the Trial and Combat; as Satan deſired to have Peter to ſift him, when he heard him vaunt, "I am ready to go with Thee to Priſon and to Death. CHRIST pitied him and pray'd for him that his Faith might not fail. How well is it for us, that we have a SAVIOUR to fear and care for us, when we do not enough fear for our ſelves.—The kind Rule and Law to us is, the kindeſt Admonition and Warning imaginable to us; "Thou ſtandeſt by Faith, be not high minded, but fear. Satan's Advantage over Peter was from his Self-Aſſurance: he foil'd him, though he could not make his Faith to fail. Never therefore preſume. Humility is the great Security of the Grace of GOD with us, and his Grace is our only Preſervative. GOD reſiſteth the proud, but giveth Grace and more Grace to the Humble. We had need be ſober and vigilant, wakeful and on our Watch, becauſe our Adverſary the Devil goeth about as a roaring Lion, ſeeking whom he may devour. And it is with Fear and Trembling that we muſt be working out our Salvation, that ſo GOD may ſtill work in us both to will and to do of his good Pleaſure. Phil. ii. 13. The Way of GOD, his working on, p. 72in and with us, is agreeable to the Nature (the Underſtanding and Reaſon, Liberty and Freedom) which he has given us; in Concurrence with our own Endeavours, and making us diligent and careful in them.

III. The third Uſe may be of Conviction, Awakening and Terror to profane BLASPHEMERS, who make a Sport of belching out, at their filthy Lips, thoſe curſed and diabolical Words, which a gracious Heart trembles with Horror at the Tho't of, …r to have ſuggeſted to him.

How many ſuch are there, to be every where met with, thro' the Chriſtian World, who feel no Remorſe in uttering the Blaſphemies againſt GOD which any Devil from Hell can Suggeſt to them! They ſet their Mouth againſt the Heavens, and their Tongue rages thro' the Earth: they make a Mock of Sin, miſuſing, abuſing taking in vain, the holy and awful Name of GOD moſt High; in ludicrous Oaths, Curſes, Imprecations, atheiſtical Talk, ridiculing the holy Scriptures, vilifying Religion! they curſe GOD and look up, look about 'em and regard no Man, damn themſelves and others in Railery or in Rage. Theſe incarnate Devils turn the Earth into a Hell before the Time; and would rend the Heavens (one would think) and tear the Name and Royalties of GOD in Pieces. In execrable Speech they daily reproach the Name of their MAKER, his Worſhip and his Laws, his Threatnings and his Curſe; the Blood of their SAVIOUR and all his offer'd Grace. Surely theſe are willing to be tho't the Sons of Hell and the Children of Belial, and whoſe elſe can they be! they declare their Sin as Sodom and glory in their Shame! they are plainly poſſeſs'd and acted by the Devil, and his Luſts they do! they aloud proclaim themſelves his Vaſſals, and the Enemies of their GOD, and of all that are good and holy! they neither fear his great and glorious Name, nor tremble at his Word and Curſe; but deſpiſe his Being, laugh at his Wrath, ſport at his Lightning and Thunder, and mock at Damnation! — They wait not for Satan's Motion, but would raiſe him by impious Adjurations, and bring him up from below! they open wide both Heart and Mouth p. 73for him to enter; and provoke GOD to depart from them wholly; ſaying to Him, "We deſire not the Knowledge of thy Ways! they belch out the Flames of Hell, and ſear themſelves as with a glowing Iron from it.

O what a Mark of Reprobation do ſuch Men wear, what a Brand of Perdition on their Cheek and Lips! their Mouth is full of Curſing, their Ways always grievous, and the Judgments of GOD are far away out of their Sight! What Fellowſhip have they with Devils already, and how meet are they to go to 'em, how ripe for Damnation! nor would they find it any Hell to be with Devils, might they be kindly receiv'd by 'em in the Pit below, or would GOD the Judge ſtill ſeem to diſregard 'em as they think he does now; or Conſcience would not awake there to trouble 'em, and be a never-dying, ever-gnawing Worm within 'em. Surely theſe flagrant Sinners would chuſe the Company of Devils, if the Fire of Hell could be quench'd.

But how contrary to this is the Spot of GOD's Children, the ſhining Star worn on their Breaſt; to ſhow 'em to be among the Nobles of the Court of HEAVEN! the ſame deviliſh Tho'ts which are a Pleaſure to the wicked, terrify and torment the godly! the one trembles at that which is the other's Sport! It is a Sport to a Fool to do Miſchief; he throws about Fire-brands, Arrows and Death, and ſays—"Am I not in jeſt?—Let it comfort the One that GOD has ſaid, "To this Man will I look that is poor and contrite, trembling at my Word! And let it terrify the others to read the Vengeance written, "Thou ſhalt not take the Name of the LORD thy GOD in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltleſs. Everlaſting Blaſphemy ſhall be the eternal Puniſhment of Blaſphemers! They and Devils together ſhall gnaw their Tongues for Pain, and blaſpheme the GOD of Heaven, and never repent to give him Glory, Rev. xvi. 11.

If any who have us'd themſelves to profane Swearing, Curſing and execrable Speech, or who curſe inwardly though they dare not ſpeak out, caſt their Eyes upon theſe Lines; let me call upon them in the Name and p. 74Fear of the HIGH AND LOFTY ONE that inhabiteth Eternity, to repent inſtantly of this their Wickedneſs, and fall on their Knees and pray that the Thoughts of their Hearts, and Words of their Mouth, may be forgiven.— O why ſhould any dare to uſe themſelves to that Profaneſs, which a gracious Heart ſees ſo much Impurity in, and feels ſo much Horror at!

IV. The fourth Uſe is of Comfort to Melancholly and diſtreſſed Perſons under this Oppreſſion of Satan, which we have been ſpeaking of.—Notwithſtanding all the Fear and Grief hereby occaſion'd to you, you ſee that there has no Temptation befallen you but what is common to the dear Children of GOD; and that GOD will not reckon to you for Sin theſe helliſh Injections which have annoy'd and diſquieted you. They do not pollute your Souls, becauſe you abhor 'em; they are not yours for you do not like 'em, do not conſent to or comply with 'em; they have been (I hope) a Proof and Diſplay of GOD's Grace in you, and a Means of the Increaſe thereof to you; nay you are ſtrong, I truſt, and the Word of GOD abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked One! becauſe greater is He that is in you than he that is in the World. 1 John ii. 13, 14. iv. 4. Yea bleſſed is the Man that endureth Temptation, for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crown of Life; which the LORD, the righteous Judge ſhall give him!—Bleſſed is the Man to whom the LORD imputeth not Iniquity, and in whoſe Spirit there is no Guile.

Let ſuch troubled Souls conſider, that theſe Annoyances from the Enemy and the Avenger are much rather a hopeful Symptom of Grace ruling in them, than of a graceleſs State or the Rule of Sin: that they are no Argument of weak Grace, but rather of its Growth and Strength: Nor is it any Token that your Soul is out of Frame, and that the Exerciſe of Grace is ſuſpended, that it is not lively and vigorous; for was not JESUS led up by the SPIRIT into the Wilderneſs of Temptation, immediately after his Baptiſm? and was not Job aſſaulted p. 75he was fearing for his Children, and offering Sacrifices according to the Number of them all? — Therefore neither are theſe diabolical Aſſaults any Argument of a ſad Defect or Decay of your Love to GOD, or Change of his toward you! and much leſs of his ſhutting out your Prayer and Cry to him; as the Pſalmiſt once ſuddenly apprehended when he ſhouted by Reaſon of Affliction and ſpiritual Diſtreſs: Alas! for his Weakneſs! he was never more heard and regarded by GOD than he was then; even as CHRIST was never more heard, nor ever more acted ſtrong Faith in his FATHER'S Love, than when he pray'd in the Garden and on the Croſs, "Father, if it be poſſible, let the Cup paſs? And my GOD, my GOD, why haſt thou forſaken me?— Never forget therefore — that preſently after the HOLY GHOST deſcended as a Dove upon our SAVIOUR, and the Voice from Heaven had ſaid of Him, "This is my beloved SON in whom I am well pleaſed; then alſo was the Time of Love to Him, even his forty-days Temptation, and the repeated Inſults of Hell upon him: and it was to prove Him to be that SON of GOD which he had been declar'd from Heaven.

Again let it be your Comfort, O Child of GOD, under all your Annoyances from Hell, which you reſiſt and deteſt, that they are only a Sign that Satan hates you, and it may be fears you; and that you hate him and ſhall never be his. It will comfort you to think that you are hated by him, as Job was; he loves his own, and we know that he hated CHRIST firſt, and hates the holy ever bleſſed GOD implacably, for evermore.

I add, that it may be a Sign that Satan fears thee, and therefore furiouſly attacks thee: he fears (I hope) that he ſhall loſe thee, and ſees thee at leaſt beginning to fear GOD, and in his Fear turning earneſtly from Sin, caring for thy Soul, and ſeeking after an Intereſt in CHRIST, and the Mercies of GOD thro' Him: this will inrage him to be ſure, and if GOD permit him he will doubtleſs come down in great Wrath, as knowing that his Time is ſhort if thou art turning to GOD: As the p. 76Lion roars firſt after his Prey, but more yet if he ſees it eſcaping from him.

I ſay again, to conflict with Satan is the Property of true Grace, and it is the Property of the Devil to conflict with that: who but the Saints of the MOST HIGH have ever been the Objects of his Spite, the Subjects of his Perſecution! but fear none of theſe things which thou ſhalt ſuffer! behold, the Devil ſhall caſt ſome of you into Priſon, that ye may be tried, and you ſhall have Tribulation ten Days! be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee the Crown of Life. Rev. ii. 10.

Yea, though thou be foil'd by Satan in ſome Encounters, as Peter was once and twice, yet you may "riſe again by Repentance, and obtain Eſtabliſhment in Grace by your Fall, as he did. And remember, "that GOD trains up thoſe whom he loves and is preparing for Glory by Exerciſes of Trial, Temptation and Suffering. So Joſeph and David were educated long in the School of Affliction, and fitted for their Princely State and Glories. — And the greater the Fight of Affliction be, the greater is the Victory, and the greater the Triumph.

But you will ſay after all, "I queſtion whether I do indeed reſiſt, reject, abhor and ſpue out thoſe Evil Thoughts as I ought to do, and as a Child of GOD certainly ought and will do! I often fear, and apprehend I have ſad Cauſe to fear, that I give 'em Admiſſion and make 'em my own." — But I anſwer again, "If you fear, hate, pray againſt 'em; if they afflict, grieve, burthen and diſtreſs you; you do abhor 'em; you do reject 'em. It is Conqueſt enough (ſays Mr. Capel in his Treatiſe on Temptations) that thoſe evil Thoughts are born as your Burthen, too heavy for you to bear; though the Soul can't get rid of 'em, yet it reſiſts and overcomes 'em: The beaten Enemy rallies and is beaten again. — The Servants of GOD (ſays he) are "more afraid than hurt; they are rather Bug-bears than any real Hurt or Miſchief to them: The Horror of 'em keeps from the Sin it ſelf; terrifies from it.

p. 77V. I come now to the fifth and laſt Uſe, which is of Counſel and Direction; what Rules to give for Support againſt, and for Deliverance from ſuch curſed and deviliſh Suggeſtions and Annoyances, as we have been treating of.

Now the repeated Rule to us is in general this, Jam. iv. 7. Reſiſt the Devil and he ſhall flee from you: 1 Pet. v. 9. Whom reſiſt, ſtedfaſt in the Faith. We muſt refuſe, deny, oppoſe, repulſe, reſolutely and ſtedfaſtly: And to help us in doing ſo,

1. Let us get and ever preſerve right Conceptions of the DIVINE BEING; even thoſe vaſt and awful and glorious ones which the Word and Works of GOD ſupply us with. Theſe let us be frequently calling to Mind, ſo as to fix them in our Minds, with great Solemnity. Let us uſe our ſelves to think often of GOD, and ever ſpeak of Him with great Seriouſneſs and Reverence; never lightly or vainly. — I do not ſay that the Habit of this will keep us from the Temptations of Satan, nor make 'em leſs tormenting to us; no, the Torture of it is from the greater Reverence we have of GOD; but it will arm and fortify us againſt the Temptations, and ſtrengthen us to reſiſt them.

For how can I be won't to think of GOD aright, according to his Excellent MAJESTY, Holineſs, Goodneſs, Wiſdom; his Eternity, Immenſity, Sovereign Dominion and Power; his Truth Grace and Mercy; my Creator, Preſerver; Saviour, Sanctifier and heavenly Father; and yet bear to have any Thing mean, baſe, vile ſuggeſted to me of Him; or that any ſuch Thought ſhould riſe within me againſt him! No, the better we know what GOD is, the more ſhall we eſteem, admire, venerate, love and joy in Him, and the leſs ſhall we endure an unworthy Thought of Him; but our Faith will turn it into an Occaſion of a more expreſs and raiſed Adoration.

2. That we may defend our ſelves from, or overcome ſuch Aſſaults of the Evil One, let us diligently ſtudy the Holy Scriptures, meditate much in GOD's Law, attentively p. 78read his Word daily, and attend on the preaching of it with Reverence, Meekneſs and Love. This is the Shield of Faith, whereby to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked One. Eph. vi. 16. This is the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit. By this we muſt defend our ſelves, and put by the dangerous Paſſes, the deadly Thruſts of the Enemy; and by this we are to offend and pierce the Tempter, whom we muſt wound and ſtab and torture by oppoſing the written Word to his curſed Motions. "It is written, ſaid our Holy SAVIOUR, and ſo he has taught us to ſhame and put to Flight the Armies of the Aliens. The Devil can't have the Face to ſay to us, as he did to Eve, "Yea, has GOD ſaid? when we open our Bible to him, and ſhew him the written Text; written by the Finger of GOD himſelf, concerning Himſelf. At other Debate or Argument he may be too hard for us, but keep to this and there can be no Reply or Evaſion. Tell the Tempter you fear and ſtand in Awe of the holy Word, and by that alſo he ſhall be judged! tell him that he alſo knows it to be true and trembles! Parly not with him, if he ſay again, "Yea, has GOD ſaid? But inſiſt upon it, "Yes has GOD ſaid, and thou knoweſt it. Let us keep to the Word, and GOD will keep us from or in the Hour of Temptation. Rev. iii. 10. Eve loſt her ſelf and us, by not abiding by what ſhe knew GOD had ſpoken. Inſtead of inſiſting on GOD's Authority and Veracity, ſhe went to reaſoning with the Serpent: She ſhould have kept to the Commandment, the Promiſe and the Threatning; kept the Terrors and the Rewards of GOD in her Eye;" do this and live, but in the Day thou eateſt, thou ſhalt ſurely die. Will the Tempter ſhow us the Kingdoms of this World and all the Glories of 'em; let us ſhow him the Glories of Heaven, and the Flames of Hell; and where is the Power of his Temptation? — The End of the written and preached Word is to inſtruct direct and warn us, that we be not ignorant of his Devices, and that we be arm'd againſt the Wiles of the Devil. "I went into the Sanctuary (ſaid the tempted and dejected Pſalmiſt) p. 79and there underſtood I the End of the Wicked, in whoſe flouriſhing I was grieved. The Word brought him Light and Comfort, and ſcatter'd all his Clouds. It is mighty through GOD to the pulling down Imaginations, and every high Thing that exalteth it ſelf againſt the Knowledge of GOD, revenging every Attempt againſt it, and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of CHRIST. 2 Cor. x. 5. It is the Means appointed for our Deliverance from the Power of Darkneſs, and of our Tranſlation into the Kingdom of GOD's dear SON: The Means of recovering Souls out of the Snare of the Devil, when they are in moſt Danger of being taken Captive by him. 2 Tim. ii. 26.

3. PRAYER, ſincere, and fervent and continued Prayer, is a moſt neceſſary, ſpecial, excellent and effectual Means of quenching Satan's fiery Temptations, and to fix the Soul in a ſtedfaſt raiſed Reverence of GOD, and Truſt in Him. It is a grand Article and Part of Prayer, as our LORD has taught us in his moſt excellent Form and Directory, the LORD'S Prayer, "lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil; the Evil one Satan, the evil thing Sin.

In the Poſſeſſions of old, we read that the worſt kind of unclean and malicious Spirits went out by Prayer and Faſting. To be ſure then let us not neglect this powerful Means, which is always preſent with us; for we are bid to draw nigh always with true Hearts, and in the full Aſſurance of Faith; praying always with all Prayer (vocal or ejaculatory as Occaſion offers; — and when does it not offer?)

This Direction is not only a matter of Counſel to us, but of Commandment alſo, and ſpecial Preſcription: for when the Apoſtle in the Name of CHRIST had been numbring to the Epheſians, all the Parts of the Chriſtian Armour, whereby they muſt ſtand in the evil Day, he adds upon and unto all THIS; "praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all Perſeverance. This is both the Saints Strong Hold, for Refuge and Retreat from the Enemy; "I flee unto Thee "to hide me; "Thou art my Hiding Place, and ſhalt compaſs p. 80me about with Songs of Deliverance: And it is alſo his Tower of Salvation, from whence he diſcharges on the Enemy, and ſometimes can def…e him and triumph over him. When the Thorn pierced moſt, and Satan buffetted the holy Apoſtle, he beſought the Lord thrice; and received the bleſſed Anſwer, "My Grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee. He had learned this of our LORD JESUS in the Garden of Temptations, that Hour of the Power of Darkneſs, when he went away the third time, with increaſing Fervency, Importunity and Submiſſion; O my Father, if this Cup may not paſs away. So he encounter'd and vanquiſh'd the Powers of Darkneſs, and ſanctified to the Church for ever the Way of Prayer for Victory over them, and Deliverance from them.—When Peter alſo was to be tempted, CHRIST prayed for him, and told him that he had done ſo, that he might pray for himſelf. It ever was and will be the Way of GOD's People. When Rabſhakah blaſphem'd, rav'd and threatned, Hezekiah lift up his Prayer, and GOD anſwer'd, Let the Daughter of Sion deſpiſe him! whom has he reproached!—and when Haman had deviſed againſt the Church, Eſther and Mordecai ſought the LORD by Faſting and Prayer, and then ſhe fell down in Tears alſo before the King.— Do we feel or fear the Annoyances of the evil Spirit, let us go in our Tears with Faith to the good SPIRIT of GOD, for his Aids, Succours, Influences, to prevent and keep us; and tho' the Tempter ſhould follow you to your Knees and even dare to ſuggeſt Blaſphemy to you there; yet let him not deter or drive you from Praying, but double your Adorations of GOD, and ſay "At what time I am afraid I will truſt in Thee; in GOD will I praiſe his Word, in the LORD, I have put my Truſt; I will not fear what Men or Devils can do unto me.

4. Pray for heavenly Prudence, and the Wiſdom that comes from above, for the Government of your Thoughts, that Satan may not find Advantages againſt you thro' your not keeping your Heart with all Diligence. We muſt be Workers together with GOD, and Heart-work is hard Work. If the LORD be thy Keeper, he will help thee to keep thy ſelf, and to guard the Thoughts of thy p. 81Heart, Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my Reins and my Heart; for thy Loving Kindneſs is before my Eyes, and I have walked in thy Truth: Search me O GOD and know my Heart, try me and know my Tho'ts and ſee if there be any wicked Way in me, and lead me in the Way everlaſting. The Habit of vain, trifling, light, worldly, ſenſual Thoughts, give… Place and Power to the Devil; and opens the Heart wide to him to take Poſſeſſion, and his Goods will be in Peace, for he deſires no more, nor any faſter hold; he gives therefore the careleſs, tho'tleſs Heart no Trouble: On the contrary, if a Perſon begins to take Tho't about the State of his Soul, the Enemy of all Righteouſneſs will preſently oppoſe and raiſe a War, in that Soul; which on the Soul's Part muſt be carried on by guarding and governing the Imaginations, Inclinations, Deſires and Reſolutions of the Mind and Will; that vain Tho'ts may not lodge within us, but be kept out or turn'd out: — But the Government of the Tho't is too large and wide a Field of Argument to be here enter'd on; and what the Argument I am upon ſuppoſes the Perſon at preſent to be much diſabled for; and therefore Divines do in this Caſe rather adviſe him not to be too intent upon and ſollicitous about; but rather only to neglect, ſlight, turn away from, and diſdain the foul Injection, whatever it be; which may be the moſt proper and effectual Rule and Power the Soul can have, or expreſs over it ſelf in ſuch a Caſe.

5 Keep not the Devil's Counſel, and give not way to Melancholly, Diſcontent and Dejection, but beware of Solitude and Idleneſs, and reveal your Trouble to your Miniſter, Parent or ſome gracious Friend, and not only ask but heed the Aſſiſtance of their Counſels and Prayers **The Rev. Mr. Clifford in his Preface to his Collections from Mr. Baxter, of the Signs and Cauſes of Melancholly, tells us from Mr. Bolton; That too much Secreſy and Concealment may cauſe the Wound of a terrified Conſcience to bleed inward, rankle, f…ſter and grow deſperate; whereas ſeaſonable Diſcovery may comfort and cure it. I knew One who kept cloſe in his Boſom the Temptation of Blaſphemy for the Space of above twenty Years: All which Time th… Devil tyraniz'd extremely, and kept him almoſt in continual Terror. He thought that there had never been Man before him that had ſuch vile and prodigious Thoughts, and that if the World knew what they were, he ſhould be abhorr'd as a Monſter, and the loathſomeſt Creature upon Earth. — But at laſt hearing the Nature, Manner and Remedy of theſe hideous Injections, diſcover'd by the Miniſtry of the Word; and afterwards privately informing himſelf further and more fully from the Miniſter; he was happily taken off the Rack for Time to come, and moſt wonderfully refreſhed.—Uſe therefore the Means, and magnify the Mercy of GOD to You, if He bleſs 'em to bring you out of your ſad, dark and diſconſolate Condition; — or if he bleſs 'em to keep you from falling into it., and p. 82diligently apply, as to the religious Duties, ſo to the proper and peculiar common and worldly Buſineſs of the Day. Do not chuſe to be much alone with the Tempter; he is much too ſtrong for thee by thy ſelf. CHRIST indeed was led up by the SPIRIT into the Wilderneſs to be tempted, and continued in the Solitude; but He was the Son of Man whom GOD called alone, and made ſtrong for himſelf; the Fulneſs of the GODHEAD was in Him, and the SPIRIT without Meaſure; and he was to tread the Winepreſs alone. Do thou keep to the Footſteps of his Flock, whereof thou art a Member; aſſociate with them, in publick and private, and commune with them. As Iron ſharpens Iron, ſo the Countenance of Friends one another: It is more eſpecially ſo in religious Friendſhips and Freedoms: there let the Friend be unto thee as thy own Soul; but chuſe wiſely, ſuch as are able to adviſe thee, and will be ready and faithful. GOD has made us for one another, but we muſt depend on HIM alone, not on any Arm of Fleſh. Our Faith muſt not ſtand on the Wiſdom of Men, but on the Power of GOD; and we muſt edify one another by the written Word of GOD, and with the Comforts wherewith we our ſelves have been comforted p. 83of GOD.—We eaſe one another's Backs, by bearing one another's Burthens. It is an Honour and Happineſs to be able to admoniſh and counſel one another, as there is Occaſion. "Bleſſed be thou, thy Wiſdom and Advice, ſaid David to Abigail. A Soul-Friend is a Friend indeed: This eminently is to fulfil the Law of Love. Love to GOD and Love to Souls is the fulfilling of the Law.

Mr. Baxter tells us, that of forty or fifty Perſons, who have been at a Time known to him, under the Oppreſſion of blaſphemous and vile Thoughts, there have not been four or five but were ſenſibly under the Power of Melancholly, either from their natural Temperament, or from croſs Providences, or ſome Spice of Diſcontent under their outward Circumſtances. We muſt neither give Place to the Devil by Anger or by Melancholly; the Tempter makes Advantage of every Temper, and of every Extream. But in one particular all Divines agree and adviſe, and that is,

6. That afflicted tempted Perſons make not too great a Matter of their moleſting Thoughts; which they are very prone to do, and they give Tempter a great Advantage thereby. Non multum volvat et revolvat Cogitationes iſtas, ſays the very pious, judicious and learned Van Maſtricht: "Don't keep poring on and revolving in your Minds the Moleſtations given you; but humbly obteſt and plead before GOD your utter Averſion to them, with Thankfulneſs to GOD for it; and beg of him to enable you not to lay 'em ſo to Heart, as to be hinder'd by 'em in Matters of preſent Duty, toward GOD, your ſelves, your Families or Neighbours. Nay, be ſo much afraid of being taken off from the Duties of the Day, of whatever kind it be, at Home, in the Shop, or abroad; as to be driven to theſe Duties, leſt you give Place to the Tempter: Rebuke him therefore and ſay, "Depart from me, thou Evil One, for I will keep the Commandments of my GOD.—And if yet you cannot get rid of him as you would, ſtill "beware of a too intenſe contending with him: rather "turn away ſays one Divine as from a p. 84barking Dog, and as you would from a furious Scold in the Street, ſays another. Turn from 'em with a holy Contempt and Diſdain, as CHRIST rebuked them, "Get thee hence Satan.

I remember the Venerable Mr. Baxter ſpeaks on this Argument in the following Manner, If you make a great Matter of every Thought that is caſt into your Mind, you keep 'em the longer in Mind, and 'tis the Way to fix 'em there. Troubleſome Thoughts are like angry Scolds, who if you regard and anſwer 'em will follow and dog you, and never have done; but if you anſwer 'em not, and turn from 'em, they'll have done and give over; or at leaſt you get out of hearing 'em. — The Devil's Deſign (ſays he) is to diſquiet and vex you; let him ſee that you will not regard him. He'll keep you to it all Day long, if he finds you hearkning to and anſwering all he ſays. He will take you off from greater Duties and from all Duties, if you ſtay to wrangle with him.— As the Arch-Angel rail'd not again at the raving Devil, but only ſaid "the LORD rebuke thee; ſo anſwer and rebuke the Injections of Satan, and argue not with him.—Yea, labour after a placid Submiſſion to the Will of GOD in his holy Permiſſion of them. Turn the cruel Exerciſe given by an Enemy, into a Sacrifice and Surrender to GOD. This Example Job gives in our Text, and ſo did CHRIST in the Garden; "Father, let the Cup paſs! never the leſs not as I will. St. Paul ſeems to have been in this Frame under the Thorn, and the Anſwer to his Prayer was, "My Grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee.— Godlineſs with Contentment is great Gain: We muſt labour after Contentment in the Will of GOD under the moſt fiery Trials: It is the Sum and Crown of all moral Obedience, active or paſſive: It is the Top-ſtone of the Moral Law, the Ten Commandments: We had not known Sin, nor yet the Perfection of Grace in a ſincere Obedience, if the Law had not ſaid, and ended thus, "thou ſhalt not covet. There is one Will in Heaven, which is GOD's, and thence is the Perfection of Holineſs and p. 85Happineſs. If it could be thus on Earth, we ſhould be perfect too here below. That we may be ſo, as far as is poſſible, Contentment in the whole Will of GOD is the laſt Commandment. This would fulfil the whole Law, in both the Tables of it; in all the Devotion we owe to GOD, in all the Love we owe to our Neighbour, and in all the Care we ſhould have of our own Souls. And to exhibit, evidence and promote this bleſſed Frame in us under the moſt fiery Trials, let me proceed to another Rule or Direction, which is

7. Make Conſcience of daily exerciſing your ſelves in Adoration, Bleſſing, Thankſgiving and Praiſe to GOD; more eſpecially for CHRIST and the ſure Mercies of the Everlaſting Covenant of Grace, purchas'd and ratified by his Blood. In GOD I will praiſe his Word, in the LORD I have put my Truſt, I will not fear what Fleſh (or Spirit) can do unto me; when they would ſwallow me up! or while fighting daily they oppreſs me. Pſalm lvi. 1, 4. This is to fly to the Rock of Salvation, and haſten our Eſcape from the windy Storm and Tempeſt. For the Name of the LORD is a ſtrong Tower, which the righteous fly to and are ſafe; and the Promiſes in CHRIST are the Anchor of our Souls in every Storm of Temptation.

"Tie your ſelves daily therefore (ſays Mr. Baxter) to ſpend as much Time in confeſſing Mercies receiv'd, as in confeſſing Sins committed. Be more in the Praiſes of GOD, and leſs in bewailing your ſelves. Thankſgiving is the greater Duty; give this the largeſt Share of your Time:— As Change of Diet will change the Temperature of the Body, ſo you may ſweeten your embitter'd Minds by delightful Thoughts of GOD. Praiſe Him for his Mercy and his Truth, when the Tempter would have you queſtion or deny both. You will find your Graces move, and Comforts flow by this Means; as when you go into Sun-ſhine you find Light and Warmth. — Or if you can't find at laſt that you have the delighting Love which you deſire, you may not be able to deny but you have a deſiring ſeeking and lamenting Love. Thank GOD for this, and take Encouragement from p. 86it, and it will increaſe both Love and Comfort.— But after all, as he goes on to adviſe and direct

8. "Overvalue not the paſſionate Part of Duty, nor build too much on Tranſports of Joy as the ſureſt Evidences of true Grace, or neceſſary to a Walk before GOD and Communion with Him; but know that a reſolved humble Choice and Endeavour are the Life of Grace and Duty; when Feelings are but lower and uncertain Things. — This is another of the Rules given by the heavenly and experienced Mr. Baxter.

"You know not what you do, ſays he, when you lay ſo much on the paſſionate Part, and are ſtriving for deep and tranſporting Apprehenſions: Theſe are not the main and great Things, nor the Eſſentials of Holineſs. Too much of this Feeling may diſtract you: and GOD knows beſt how much of it may be good for you, or what you may be able to bear.—Paſſionate Feelings (ſays he) depend much on Nature; ſome People are much more ſenſible than others; a little Thing goes deep with 'em. The moſt wiſe and ſolid are uſually the leaſt paſſionate, and the weakeſt hardly moderate their Paſſions. GOD is not an Object of Senſe, but of the Underſtanding and Will. I have known many complain for Want of deeper Feelings, when if they had been more, it might have diſtracted them." Thus He.

Some good Souls have been ready to wiſh they could feel greater Degrees of Terror, ſuch as they have ſeen others in, or heard 'em tell of their paſſing thro': but this does not ſeem to be a natural Exerciſe of Grace, whether we conſider GOD or our Selves: For, the Pains of every Birth belong to GOD alone to order, and not at all to us to chuſe: And as we are very thankful to GOD when a Child is born with fewer and more gentle Pains to the Mother; ſo by all means ought the Soul to be that paſſes thro' the New-Birth, by the Will of GOD, with leſſer Agonies of Diſtreſs: for Inſtance, — tho' the Jailor could never enough be thankful to GOD, that he broke open his hard Heart, like the Iron Gate of the Priſon, by the Terrors of an Earthquake; — yet ought not p. 87Lydia to be as much rais'd in Gratitude to the ſame Sovereign Grace? and was ſhe not as much affected (think you) with the Kindneſs and Gentleneſs of GOD in his dealing with her in a more mild and placid manner? Acts xvi. 14. "Whoſe Heart the LORD opened, that ſhe attended to the things ſpoken by Paul; and when ſhe was baptiſed and her Houſhold, ſhe beſought us ſaying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my Houſe and abide there: and ſhe conſtrained us.

9. Look to thy holy, humble, conſtant, even, and if poſſible chearful Obedience to the Laws of the Goſpel; that thou be righteous before GOD, walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the LORD, blameleſs. O That my Ways were directed (as David teaches us to pray) that I might keep thy Precepts! then ſhall I not be aſhamed, when I have Reſpect unto all thy Commandments! I will keep thy Statutes, forſake me not utterly" — Walk before me, ſaid GOD to Abraham, and be thou perfect; and lo I eſtabliſh my Covenant with thee; —"The LORD is with you while ye be with Him; and if you ſeek him he will be found of you; but if you forſake him he will forſake you. Look diligently to thy holy living, and Satan ſhall never hurt you. "Eſchew Evil, and GOD will make his Hedge about you. "Who ſhall harm you if you be Followers of that which is good. GOD is faithful who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the Temptation find a way to eſcape. —Satan will be diſcouraged if he ſees he can't hinder thee in holy living, but only quickens thee in thy Care and Heed thereto. This is to turn the Devil's Weapons againſt him, and to ſtab him with his own Sword. The righteous ſhall hold on his Way; GOD will not ſuffer his Feet to be moved, and he that hath clean Hands ſhall wax ſtronger and ſtronger.— Anſwer therefore and rebuke the Tempter, ſtrong in Faith; "depart from me, thou evil One, for I will keep the Commandments of my GOD! "LORD I will keep thy Statutes, O forſake me not utterly! — That Temptation is loſt on us that does not cauſe us to tranſgreſs; p. 88but if it increaſe our Watch unto Prayer and Obedience it is our Gain. "He that committeth Sin is of the Devil, but in this the Children of GOD are manifeſt; how ſhall I do this Wickedneſs and ſin againſt GOD! Ye are then of GOD, little Children and have overcome! for greater is HE that is in you, than he that is in the World.

10. After all, and in all, build nothing upon thy own Righteouſneſs, nor act or truſt in thy own Strength; but ſeek to and rely on CHRIST for Righteouſneſs and Strength; and caſt thy polluted, guilty, periſhing, wounded Soul on the free Sovereign Grace, Mercy and Compaſſion of GOD, imploring the everbleſſed ETERNAL SPIRIT, the Convincer of Sin, the Sanctifier of Souls, and then their COMFORTER, to be ever with thee; to ſuccour and ſupport thee, to defend and keep thee, to rebuke the Tempter, to bruiſe him under thy ſtaggering Feet; and ſay unto thee, "My Grace is ſufficient for thee, and I will never leave thee nor forſake thee.—Thus go in the Name of CHRIST to the Everlaſting FATHER for the Gift of his HOLY SPIRIT, to ſhew thee the Evil of Sin, to work in thee a ſaving Humiliation for it, to give thee a true and deep Repentance, Contrition and Self-loathing on the Account of it, to enable thee to cry for Pardon and Renovation; to be in thee the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, to help thee with Groanings which cannot be uttered, and ſuccour thee when tempted; to work Faith in thee and the proper Exerciſe of it upon every Occaſion, in every Time of Need; to make it work by Love, to make thee know the Love of CHRIST which paſſes Knowledge; to ground and root it in thee; to give thee and encreaſe in thee a Child-like Fear and Reverence, and a Chriſt-like Submiſſion to his and thy Heavenly Father, his GOD and thine; a Covenant GOD and FATHER in Him. —And then to be thy COMFORTER; for it is his bleſſed Office, under and from the Aſcended SAVIOUR; who was tempted, and that hideouſly, both in the Wilderneſs and in the Garden; and in our ſtead, bearing the Sins of his Elect, and is therefore able to ſuccour them that be tempted. p. 89—O implore the exalted JESUS to endue thee from on High, with the HOLY SPIRIT of Promiſe; not as on the Day of Pentecoſt with his extraordinary Operations or Manifeſtations; it would be a ſatanical Deluſion and high Preſumption in thee to look for any thing of this Nature; but beg of HIM what is infinitely better, his HOLY SPIRIT in his common and ordinary Influences to renew and change thee, to purify thy Heart, to give thee new and holy Affections, and in them a new Nature; and to put on thee the whole Armour of GOD, whereby thou mayeſt ſtand in the evil Day, and finally overcome all thy ſpiritual Enemies.

Make therefore the Name and Righteouſneſs of CHRIST, and the Promiſes in Him, thy Sanctuary and Tower of Salvation, and fly to that and be ſafe. All thy Help comes thro' HIM and from Him: fly to the Rock, whither Satan cannot come. — You know how the Devil tore and threw the poor Child, as they bro't it to CHRIST: but inſtantly he left it, and fled from the Face of the SON OF GOD. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah will prevail; He has prayed for thee, that thy Faith do not fail; and however Satan may be permitted to ſift thee, fail it ſhall not, if thou relieſt on his Interceſſion.—For this End the SON OF GOD was manifeſted, to deſtroy the Works of the Devil and to ſnatch the bleeding Lambs from his Jaws: the Son of David is ſtill going againſt the Lion and the Bear to ſave his Flock from their Teeth; He is the good Shepherd and knows his Sheep, and they ſhall never periſh, nor ſhall any pluck them out of his Hand. He has ſpoiled Principalities and Powers, and made a Shew of them openly, triumphing over them on his Croſs; He conquer'd, in his Death and Reſurrection, he triumph'd in his Aſcention, and reigns in his Exaltation: Revel. i. 18. "I am He that liveth, and was dead, and am alive for Evermore, Amen; and have the Keys of Hell and of Death.

And as to Doubts and Fears which the Godly may ſtill have at Times, about their Love to GOD, their Election, Vocation, Faith, Repentance, Juſtification, Sanctification and Perſeverance; they muſt recur to CHRIST and the bleſſed p. 90SPIRIT of GOD; "Pendulus ſemper a Bonitate et Auxilio DEI, as Mr. Maſtricht expreſſes it; hanging as a Child about the Parent's Arms for Safety; caſting all our Cares and Fears upon Him, who careth for us; who has ſaid to us— "be without Carefulneſs, for I will never leave thee nor forſake thee! "fear not ye for I know that ye ſeek JESUS which was crucified! And again, Fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not diſmayed I am thy GOD; I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right Hand of my Righteouſneſs.

FINIS.