Book IV. Looking tmte :Jefm. foul feeles thefe injections of Sathan, and I cannot wonder at it · when~ fee th~ Devil tempting ChriiJ himfelf~ to.diffidence, pre~ fumpt10n, vame glory, yea and to the worllupptng ofthe Devil ·himfelfe ; or if we are !l:rong Chriftians, grown men,. and ftill growing towards the fulne!fe ofChrift, why then he tempts us to fins of prefumpcion againft knowledge; or if he t"annodo pre- ' , C. - 1 · 4 vaile he will trans~"orme himfelfe into an AnO"e/ oflioht, and tempt '~ or, 1 ' 1 ·us to the doing a I~!fe good that we may n~gleCl: t greater . or co the doing of a greater good, but very unfeafonably. When as fome other duties in refped of prefenc occafion are more nece!fa. ryfar. thusmanytimesin the hearingof Gods Word hewill caft in~o our mindcs meditations Of tl1is or that excellent' fubjcct, on purpofe to diftraa: our mindes, and to make us be~re without profit; and in prayer to God he Wi ll bring into our memories this or that profitable infirua:ion, which we have heard at fueh, or fuch a Sermon, on purpofl' to difturb our fpirits in that holy exercife, and to keep us from lifting up our hearts wholly and purely unto God; I migh_tadde a thoufand of thcfe ft ,atagemll ~Cor. t . 11, Eph. 6.11. Rev. t,14. _ :E.ph,6. x6. of the Devil, and yet not perhaps .tell one of a thoufand; the Apoftle could fay indee'd, that he wfU not ig~:orant if f;u de"..ices, and of fome of his devices ypu fee tye are not ignorant, but alas ; who can difcover all his method~, wiles; depths, fiery darts ? fqr my part I cannot do 1t, I am yet to learne. - . ' 2, The general meanes to withftand his ftratagems are fuch as thefe--- I. A continual re11Jinding of Chrills commands in this very ·E h 6 TO I thing, heJlrong in the Lord, and in the power of'hu might ; put on 1 ~e~. ·5· s: l• the whole armour of God that ye may be able to flandagainft the wile-s oft be Devil, him rejift in the faith. · . ;z. , An avoiding Q[the firJl fuggeftions ofSat han ; if this .glide- ·ing ferpe:nt can but thruft in. his head, .he will eaGiy makeroome for his body, and therefore we muft nip, aud bruife bim in the £ph. 4; 17. - head, give no flace to the /)ev il. - , · 3. An obJecting of. Chrift again£!: all his temptations. for example, i'fSathan tell us that we are Oliferabfe finners, w~ may anfwer;tha~ Chrift qame into the wo,rJd to[11ve jinners.; t~nd that be Mattho 9• I 3· WIU wou,;dedfor OHY fr~:n(gre/Jions ; and 6rsk£n for our iniqliitieJ,·• ~fa. 13·1• ~tnd. with his ftripu are we he11ir~: if Sa than tell usthac we are ' · fubject
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