I. I, II. III. Iv. efionfandÇalé,rofConfeience Chap. ;4 (well, What, mug we doe when we are troubled with blafphemona thoughts a- gt: ft C1ód he Fòthér, Son, and Holy j hoff : a that God is notju.f,or mercjful: òr that- he regards mms perfonc : or knows not what is done here below , or at léaft, Both not regard them that he cannot doe this, or that, &c ? Anfiv, Confider Whence thefe thoughts come : As fornetimes from Satan , who calls them intoour heads r Sometimes from, an evil cuflome, when men willinglyhearken to lewd, and curled fpeeches which immediately tend to the difnonour Of Edod, or to the willfull ábufe of his Word, Judgements , or Mer- cies, a'nd upon hearing, approve ofthem, or at lea(} , feek not to hinder them fo Inuch in them lies. Sometimes they creep into mens hearts by degrees, Whei they wax cold inGods tervice., and make little confcience of thofe duties Which immediately concern Gods glory, or that accufome themfelves too often, to caufelefs fwearine, forfwearing, curfing.ótc. Now the danger of it is very great,, what caufe foever it proceeds from,. efpe- cii ;¡' in thole that look towards Heaven , andapply their hearts to ferve God, and fear his name.. For it often brings forth defperation, and manifold hot- for and troubles ofn inde; fo that often they are tempted tomake away them- feives, judgingthemfelves to be firebrands of Hell. 0.21eft. Tubar cosrfe is to be tahp for the curing of this grievous ma- lady? e4nfiv. Firlr, Enquiry muff be made into the next caufes of this, Tentati- on : As I. We mull enquire whether it had its beginning from the thoughts of our own mindes, or from the fug ef+igns of the Divel. Dwell. How (hallweknow -rom.vhrther or there: two they arife? Anfw. Firft,by the entrance ofthem into the minde : For thole which 'come from the Divel, come fpetdily, likelightning, and after a fort are forced in, fo that we cannot avoid them, andthey come fo often,that they weaken the memo- ry, dull the fences, andweary, and confound the brain, Secondly, They may be known to come from the Divel, becaufe they are direly againti the light of nature, the fpatkswhereof are not quite extinct in us by fin. Thirdly, At the fir{+ conceiving fuch thoughts, the party is fmirten with extraordinary fear, and his flefh is fo troubled, that many times ficknefs, and faintings do follow. 41y. Remember that blafpemous thoughts cannot ordinarily proceed from any but fetch as are given vp to reprobatemindes : But fuch as come from the Divel are ufually f 11 into fuch mensmindes as ate civili, and fuch as profefs the Gof- pell, at let ,"in (hew, and fometimes into fuch as are the true members of Chrif+. Secondly, Enquirymuff be made whether thou love , and approve of fuch thoughtsor no. To which thou wilt anfwer, that thou abhorrer+ them as the Divel himfelf. b oot+. After fuch enquiries made,tofinde out the cattfe,what remedies mn(f be app lyr ! ? . fw. Firfl, fuch mu(+be informed.that thefe thoughts coming from the Di- velàrenot thy fins,but thy croffes : Fox they are the Divels fins, who (hall an- fwer for them, but not ours, except we approve, and give confent to them. Sa- ran cat fuch thoughts into Chrif't himfelf, when he tempted him to infidelity , covetoufnefs, and idolatry : yetwas Chrifl free from fin, becaufe his holy heart cot-Rented notto; but abhorred, and repelled them. Again, we mußt let fuch thoughts go as they come, diverting our mindes another way : for the more we f+rive again{+ them, themorewe (hall be entangledwith them. IT Se.condly, Remember that though fuch thoughts are fometimesour fines, yet through II. I:
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