Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

270 Satanspower to Tempt 3 andChrift's love to, quench faith if I can. The Devil does labour alwaies to prefent himfelfein Chrifts cloathes unto a foul, as an An- gel °flight : and he does labour to prefent Chrift in his own cloathes, as an Angel of darknefs. When as he is a lyarHimielf, he does labour to make the foul put the lye upon Chrift, and upon the Spirit. The Spirit of God, that comesand teflifies unto a man or woman, Thou art the child ofGod : Satan faies, No. When a man there- fore does fay, He is not thechild ofGod 5 the languageof his a&ion is, He gives the lye unto the Spirit, and he faies, that Satan (peaks true So here he makes Chrift and the Spirit ofChrift a lyar by his unbelief; & he makes the devil to fpeak true. Now this is Satans great defign, and there- fore, in all his temptations, kill he itrikesat the faithof the Saints, labours to weaken their faith ; his great defign is upon their faith. In the Fourth place, How does Satan male ourfaith in time oftemptation ? What are tholefiroker that Satan gives unto our faith andhowfhall we be able to bare them off? In the general, Satan does fometimes labour to weaken our faith, By drawing us from themeans of faith. Take the wood away from the fire, it will loon lofe it's heat, if not put out. And ifa man be but drawn away from the means of faith ; the means drawn from him, or he from the means by his own default, his faith will be loon wea- kened. This Satan labours to do fometimes. Sometimes again, He raifes upMountains ofDifficulties, and Difccuragements in the way ofa Chriftians obedience; and fo labours to wound his faith. Throwwater upon the fire it will loon be out. Eat that I may fpeak the more folly unto this great Queftion, the anfwer whereofis ofconcernment every day a mongft you. Ye know there are Three acts of faith : There is the faith of Reliance; whereby a foul does relye upon God in Chrift. There is the faith of..4fivrance; Whereby a man is perlwaded ofGods love towardshim, and his love to God, and.

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