Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

256 Satans power to Tempt; andChrift's love to, cation coming, Satan had defred to winnowme; and now theword of the Lord is fulfilled, Satan bath tempted me, and Iam thus fallen : But not a word of Satan, but hegoe out and weeps bitterly, as if it were all his own work. And let me tell you for your comfort, V hen as you can mourn over your temptations, as if they were all your own, and nothing of Satans, theLord will pardon them to you , as if they were all Satans, and nothing of your own. 4- In the Fourth place, to fpeak a little ofthe differencebe tween thefe that ye may know the difference between the temptations of Satan, and the corruptions of your own heart . When as your heart, and your flefh trembles and quakes under the &ft riling, and motion ofa fin, this is not your owa corruption alone, but there is a temptation with it. When the corruptions of ones ownheart does work upevil, a mans heart is rather pleafed and tickled with it,and con-, Cents to it, then any way ones flefh lie trembling, and qua- king under it. That temptation is not much to be feared, when a man fears himfelf for his temptation. He is tobe feared moil, that does fear leapt and he is tobe feared leapt, that does fear moil. Agodly, gracious, man or woman, is humbled under nothing more than under his temptati- ores he looks upon his temptations as the greateft ons in all the world. As now, take that ofBlafphemous Thoughts; Suppofe a poor foul troubled with fuch evill thoughts, fuch apoor foul faies, I do profeffe it in the fight ofGod, I never met with fuch an afflietion fince I was born: I have loft Children ; Oh ! but that of iCtion is not like to this : I have loft friends ; Oh! but that afflietion is not like to this : I have loft myHate; Oh! but that afflitlion is not like to this. Man or woman, if it be thy affliaion, 'tis not thy fin. And I appeal to younow, you that fay, ye don't doubt ofGods love, ye don't fear your own condi- tion becaufeoftemptations only, but becaufe ye are afraid they ase thecorruptions ofyour own heart, and not the tempta-

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