184 of the temptations whereby Satanféeketh to Hew Chrifzian ¡n thndifiyefle and anoutp are to be comforted. afl'ailes fuch poore fervants ofGod by fpirituall fug- get/ion , tempting them to fuch finnesas be very (}range , andfuch as theyabhorre the very leaf+ conceit of them ; and when by fuch temptations they are brought low, in the anguifh and bitternefle oftheir foules, theDevill la- boureth efpecially todimme theirknowledge and judge- ment , that they may have no lure hold of any point of doarine, which may foundly comfort them, that fo bee may as a roaring Lyon devoure them fpeedily. And whenhee hash covered their hearts with darkeneffe, and brought them into a dreadful! feare of Gods wrath, hee holdeth them at this vantage, that every thing whichis before them, is made matter to encreafe their diflreffed of}ate. For the flay and comfort offitchdiflreffed foules ; they are to bee perfwaded, that they be not under the wrath ofGod, neither is his anger kindled againf+ them, for all the feare that oppreffeth them, when their eflate is in their owne feeling at the worfl; becaufe they have not finned againíl the holy Gho(l, nor malicioufly fet them- felves againfl the truth and Golpel of God, nor perfe- cuted it wilfully againíl knowledge and confcience : which one fin only isable to Phutthem out from all hope offalva- tion. And here they muff beware , theymake no more fumes ofthat kinde than God himfelfe bath pronounced tobee oftbat fort : for in thèfe matters that concerneGods Religion, even the perfe6lion of our wifdome is but folly, muchmore our fickebraines andmelancholicke underflan- dingis to be removedferre fromhandling fuch holy things. And feeing their confciences doebeare themwitneffe,how much thefetemptations arerepugnant to their delires and liking, howgladly they wouldbefreed and deliveredfrom them , how grievous and burdenfome theyareuntothem, and chiefly railed bySatan, who abufeth their fimplicity ; therefore there is no caufe, whythey fhould befo difcou- raged or out of heart , no more than one that bathhad a fearefull dreame, when he awaketh. Moreover,
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