Chap.4. Sect,J,1. Book ll. or po!libly can number. As the fpirits workings are various, fo are Satans coun• ·tcr- war kings; the fpirit humbles fome much, and comfort ot!1ers as much : Some, it may be, had a falfe a11d count~rf{?it work before a tme one, ""'d others were nevtr illightened until favingly; and this variety affords rife and occalion for feveral temP.: rations : I wa~ never tb,.sbt~mbled, fayes one, nor I tines comforud, fa yes another; I had fame "'"'kjllgi4nd illightcnings heretofore, fayes a third, and I "'as deceived then, and I may be fa now •/fo: And I had afudden violent work,_ indeed, fayes a fourth, wkich came i": liilg a[pring·tide, but now the tide isfallw, and myfirfl love is •boted. Thus dery feveral way of working lies open to fcveral exceptions , and h.arh its feveral temptltions ; bnt the reme.:ly is, that fouls {hould look to the maiu, and for the manner and mea– Cure of the work in every part and pkce ofit, to leave it to the good plcafure ofthe fpirit, who is a free AgeM, and ml.tfi nor be limited by our rr.afonings• I f<ar I have bet1i too tedious in this period, and therefore I fhall add no more. CHAP. IV. SECT. I. Of the deuils ajfaults in our ntanh011d, or riper je11rs, * Saran~ ttla; t!Mm certiJ tR THE third period, wherein Satan aifaults or combats with us, it is from <>Ur '"""llisin<l•– manhood, or ripa years, until o~r death, or dying moment : And in pro- ~i? [:';"•~;,~ fecution of this, as of the former; fitft learn we lome of thofc depths, or ,.,;.,;;.;~J wiles of Satan •gaini1 us; and [econdly, pratbfe w~ thofe duties that con- perfecvrton<s , cern us in our wrefiliRg with huli ia tht:fe rdf>cCb. !e~ra,_iones, .& 1 • for bis aifaults in this period, I fhall reduce them into ~his method; viz. they b'J1j~~."~.d~~= are either perfecuttons, tcmprartons, or dtabohca.l mJeCbons ~ So¥ one of our Wor- rowfmith r•. thies divide-d his fiery dJrls, his perfecutious are by the world, his temptations are by Oic. simi. the flelh, his injections a~e only and immectimly by hilllfelf. SECT. !1. !JJ Sata1tspu[tcntwn! by the world. Hts per!i:cuti~s arc by the world, fa Chrift tells the Cnnrch of.Smyrna, Thedevil Revel. • .to; p.aUc•JI fome .jyou into prz[un, thatye may be tryed, and yejhaU have tribu!ation ten d>yes : The devillhould do it ; but how fhould the devil do it, but by the aid of his in!lrument the woild? He is the god of this world , h<: rules in the heans of wicked men, he directs their thoughts, wills, and affections, and fo he moves them~· and carrio rhem to fierfecute the children ol Goo; and to ca!i them into priloo. This i> ordinary after Converlion; no fooner is the change wrought, and the mm brought tmly home to Clwift, but by this time is he become the drzmk.,.rds jimg, table– talk w thofe that fit in the gate, mufick.. togr<at men at their fea(rs, a by-wordw the chil– dren off ..Ju, mJte vile than tlueartiJ· Now is it that the feed of the Serpent difcovers ' irs [elf; the devil, and his angels and his (oos combine ro by lnaa of lying irnputa• tions, unworthy ufages, aria any kind ofperlt:cutions upon his ,Sainrs. In this caf<1 the wicked are as prdfers and the godly are as Olives and grapes; And what can they C'l<pect from fuch men, but to be prelfed and fqueczed till rbe blood came out? But why is it that the wicked 1houldbe !lbw• inraged againfi the godly ?have they done them any wrong? do they wifh them any evil ? or would they n(l( be ghd to do them good, as ro their eternJl welfare 1· No q<1efiion of all this; bur ungo,11y mea are com– pelled by SJtan to do what they do; rl>c old Serpent hat<s God, and the holinels of Cod, wh;ch O,ints in his Saints, with deadly he.atred, he knows that ne h.imli:lf i; call out of: heaveh, and therefOre he envi.,; aod vexes at th<; fJivation of any. And as thus 1t IS wuh Sa•an, fo ungodly men (that are Satans tools a·nd inllmmenrs whereby he :vorks) have fucked up the old. Serpenrs poyfon, and .they fweU with it, and by It they are uuaged ag•!nft all godlmefs alfo, that asit is faJc! ot Tygcrs, they C4Jter into a Ilge upon the fent of f•agnnt fpk:es; fo un11odly m~n, without anY other reafon are in a rage at the bklf'd favour of godl~nefi;, whtrtfocver it is: A~t unjHjl man ir a>J· · .. ··bommation to the jUft, and httbaf it u;right in tpe w•y, is ail abftiJiMii•n to tbe J1if:kd. Pro 2 9' 2 7• 8 2 ~
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