685 / 772
rentgrions
arrfing from
blal
hemoits
fu
efiions,dnfia
ered.65
9
Saïnts,thatbe
not
furceafe
thefe blafphemous
tentati-
ons
fo
long
as
God
permirteth him,
that
he
may
at lcafl'tur-
moile
and
vexe
thofe,
whein
bee
hath
no hope to ouercome.
And
finding
that
thefe
weake Chriflians bad rather
fuffer
any
totmentt,yea(ifit
were poflìble)
a
thoufand deaths, then
they would
haue
their
hearts
a
treafurie for
fuch
fatanicall
blatphemies,thereforehauing
no
hope to
bring
them
into
the
paines'ofhell'fire,
hee
beginneth
a
hell in
their
confci-
eves
.inthislife,a-ndtormenteth
their
foules
vithfuch
ex-
quifte
malitioufncffe,
that
the
mofl
v
ittie
and fpitefull
tor-
rnentors.could
neuer
deuifefuch hellifh punifhments.
Now that
wee
may
bee armed againfl
thefe impious
fug-
§,St.6.
geflrons,
I
will fire propound
forne
confolations which may
cortotatians
to
uphold
vs
in
this terrible
conflié
:
and
then
I
will adioyne
f
rengtben
vs
forne
means
"whereby
we may
be
preferued from
the
dan-
a
aí4
vvic-
ger òfthefe tentations. Concerning the former,
wee
are
to
W4"1.
know
and confider,
that
they
are
not
our owne
thoughts
but
Satans
fuggeflions,and therefore they
Thal
not be
laid
to our
charge
as
being
our
finnes,but
fhallbe
fet
vpon
Satans
fcore,
veto
whom
of
right
they doe appertaine,
together with
the
puniíhment
due
vntothem.' Yea, but how
íhall
wee
know
that
they
are Satans
ítt
geflions and
not our
owne thoughts?
Tbat
the('e
Ianfwer, it
will
manif'íllyappeare by
thefe infallible
Eignes
I.That
the(e
bldfpbemous
firfl;
in
that
thefe blafphemous
thoughts
are
in themfelues fugef
ions
are
fo outragi.o'uflie
wicked,that
euen
nature though
much
cor-
nor our
ovvne
rupted
is
not
capable
ofthem,vnleffe by
long
cuflome
ofma-
!nner,
licious
finning againfl
God it
is
become
plainely diabolical.
For through
Gods
mercie
there
are
Tome
little
fparkes
of
the
light
ofnature,and
Tome
finall
and
diuine refemblances
re-
newed in
euery
man, which
make him
to
haue
a
reuerend
e-
flimation
ofGods
Maieftie,
and to abhorre
thole
outragious
blafphetnies
:
fo
that
though
hee remaine deftitute
of
any
dram
of
grace,
or
fparke
of
true
pietie,and continue
a
carnali
worldling,fecurely liuing in finne;
yet
he
bath-no
liking
or
approbation
of
thefe
diuellifh
thoughts, but
rather
is
afloni-
fhed
with horror
and
feare
when
as
they
are
fuggefled
in
his
minde. And
therefore
how
much
leffe
are
theft
capable
Of
them,who
haue receiued
forne
meafure
of
grace,
and
in
IT-
y-
z
-
rightneffe