Chap. í8g about Blafpbeny. t 8 earneR prayer defiring him to cnlijhten our mindes by his Spirit, that we may clearly difcerne his truth , and the falfhood of Satan, and that he will encline Our hearts to fubmit our judgements to his truth , and reject Satans damn- able lies. Thirdly, we muff endeavour to enrich our minder with fuch a meafure III. of knowledge as may enable us to anfwer all Satans cavils ; efpecially by ftudying the Scriptures, which are able to make us wife tofalvation. Fourthly, we mull open ourfine to tomeable friend , who may teach us IV. how to confute thefe tentations : and by all meanes we mull take heed of that foolifh bafhfulneffe which makes men keep the Devils counfel to their deftruelion for fear of Chaining themfelves : whereas its no (hame to be fub- jedl to there tentations which the deareft of Gods children are not freed from. uefl. Ly'hat is the other kinde ofblafph. mous tentations ? unfit. Such as arewithout all Chew of reafon, or appearance of truth. fence- telly abfurd , and no ]efl"eadmirable for their fotts1hneff:,th_n for their hellilh impiety ; and thefe cannot without trembling be thou ht on : neither cloth Satan ufe the help of the flefh herein as he doth in other tentations , it being no fit inflrument for this employment , becaufe thefe blaf;he.mies are fo hor ribly wicked that they are above the conceit of corrupt nature, but a'e the im- mediate produel ofhell , Satan calling them into the minde like wild-fire with great fwi£tneffe and violence. Or if the flefh be ofdherein , yet its not with delight, but with fear and horrour, feein4 there is neither pleafure nor profit in them, but a fearful expettstion of fpeedy vengeance if we fwallow them with confent. Quest. what is Satans chiefeff fcopein thefetentat ions ? Anfw. Firft, he hash no hope to prevaile with a Chriflian to approve of Ì. them, feeing he cannot draw a profane worldling thus far with all his power and skill : but his chiefefl aime is hereby to work oflonifhmenr in them that they fhall be utterly unfit to performe any holy exercif , or duty which they owe to God , hoping thereby fo to enfeeble them, that afterwards he flail get anea- fievietory over them. Secondly, he labours hereby to overthrow theirfaith, and to bring them to II. utter defpaireof Gods mercie, putting themout of all hope that he will ever par- don fuch outragious fins, feein2 they do fo impioully blafpheme hirn to his face : and therefore left they shouldmultiply thefe horrible finnes by their longer a- bode in this life , and foencreafe the meafure of their juft condemnation , he tempts them to lay violent hinds uponéthemfelves,and to feek tomitigate their torments by haflenitxg their death. Thirdly, when by manifold experienceshe bath learned that by thefe fuggefli- III. ons he littleadvanceth thefe curfedends : yet fuch is his inveterate malice to- wards Gods poor Saints that he will not furceafe to purfue them with thefe fuggeflions fo long as God permits him, that he may at leaf{ turmoile, and vex thofe whom he bath nohope to overcome. Quest. Howmay we comfort and fîrengthen our hearts againFb thefe wicked Blajtihemies? Anfw. Firfl, confider that they are not our own thoughts, but Satans fng- gefljons, and therefore they shall not be chargeduponus as our finnes,butshall I' be fet on Satans fcore and punifhed upon him. Qäeft. How (ball weknow that they are Sat ansfuggefiions , and net our own fhpuhts ? Anfw. Fi:ft, In that they ate fo outragioufly wicked , that even nature , though corrupted, is not capable ofthem , unleffeby long cuflom of malicious finning against God, it become plainlydiabolical. How much let a then are they.
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