288 I X Deceit, The flethes perverfe imi- tation of the fpirit; The dceitfuhsej of mans heart, oftentation of his treafures to the BabilonithEmbaf_ fadour. Therefore after a lightening,take heed ofa foyle.Never have we greater caufe to tremble,than after we bave well acquitted our felves in the per- formance offomegoodduty:Then wil our hearts be feeking ofunlawfull liberty, & offring to fteal away, from God,that after their paines in this fervice,they might refrefh themfelves with force pleafure of fin. The ninth deceit is,when the flefh doth perverfly imitate the fpirit in us; when as the Divell transfor- meth himfelfe into an Angel oflight fo our flefhly and corrupt hearts into the fimilitude offpirituall,& renewed. blow is this? Specially in railing up of many good and holy motions, meditations, defres, and affections in our minds.For example,otherwhile in prayer,or in hearing ofthe word,there come into our minds Inch and inch thoughts, and good pur- poles of doing this or that good work; fometimes allo may good affeûions, as of griefe for our fins, and filch like,which yet are nothing to our prefent, either praying or hearing.Here our deceitfull hearts will be ready to think thefe come from the fpirit of graces but the truth is, they come from our owne carnali hearts, and the Devil' together, both mutu- ally confpiring to deceive us. For the Spirit ofGod bath no fuch office to draw away mens minds from hearing the Word: No,it openeth the heart,it boa - rech through the eares thereof,and maketh us to at tend.So the fpirit ofGod bath no fuch office neither, as to trouble mens minds in prayer, with thoughts impertinent:No,the fpirit is the fpirit ofprayr t10- chafeth away all frraggling thoughts, and keepeth our
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