558 THE UNLAWFULNESS OF 'SELF-MURDER. clamour of diabolical suggestions to put an end to my life ; almost every thing I see is proposed to me as an instrument of self-des- ; (ruction, and I fear I shall not be able always to resist; sometimes I am tempted to believe ifI would but once comply, I should sleep in silence, and there would be an end of these tfisquietudes." Answer. This is a dangerous form of the temptation': When the natural humours of the body are ruffled by anydisease, the great enemy of the soul is swift to Make his advantage of it.-- When the brain is disturbed almost to a degree' of distraction; the mind has not a full power over its own thoughts, resolutions and conduct. But let such a one consider, that' whether these hurrying wicked thoughts may ,arise from the disorders of the' body 'or from Satan, while thou' mournest, hatest and resistest them, they shall not be laid to thy charge : But when they are. knowingly and willingly indulged, they bring great guilt on the soul : And if they are once complied with, and put in practice,' the guilt is highly aggravated, and perhaps no space left for actual repentance, nor grace to practise it. It is better, infinitely better, to fight and wrestle against these hurries of mind, by dwelling upon some sacred sentences of the word of God. It is incomparably preferable to bear the fatigue of this combat, to strive against the tempter every moment with all thy powers and with perpetual prayers, to renounce these suggestions with the utmost abhorrence, and with equal vehe- mence to resist such vehement assaults as these. Think this with thyself, poor distressed creature, that if thou yield to the bloody temptation, and send thy soul at once into those regions of dark- ness, there unclean spirits shall have more complete power thee, there every devil shall insult thee as a sentenced criminal, and that with double fury and with juster pretences. There thou wilt find the stroke of thy own murder to be so far from being a means of relief and silent rest, that it will but plunge thee into agonies of the same kind, much more terrible and without hope of relief. Thou art sensible these are the suggestions of the wicked spirit;' for that reason therefore abandon, abhor, de- test them, and by the grace of God maintain a perpetual oppo- sition till he give thee complete victory. The conflict cannot be very long, the crown and triumph are eternal. God will not always suffer the adversary to contend thus; with thee, lest thy spirit should fail before him, and the soul which lie has made be lost for ever. SECT IV.Meansdi Security against this Temptation, or Ad- vices to the tempted. TAUS I am led on to the next enquiry, and that is, " What course should we take to secure Ourselves against this bloody temptation, and by what means may we most successfully resist add vanquish the great destroyer in such assaults as these ?"
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=