,transcriber's ,notes    ,obvious       
typographical errors have been silently 
corrected4 ,variations  in hyphenation1 
spelling accents and punctuation remain 
unchanged4    ,footnotes are located at 
the end of the book4    ,italics are    
represented thus italic and superscripts
 thus ye4                               
,,nichol',s ,,series ,,of ,,standard    
,,divines4                              
,,puritan ,,period4                     
,with ,general ,preface                 
,,by ,,john ,c4 ,,miller1 ,d4,d41       
,,lincoln ,,college2 ,,honorary ,,canon 
,,of ,,worcester2 ,,rector ,,of         
,,greenwich4                            
,d,,monologia ,,sacra2                  
,,or1                      ,a ,,treatise
 ,,of ,,satan',s ,,temptations4         
,,by                           ,,richard
 ,,gilpin1 ,m4,d4          ,,council    
,,of ,,publication4       ,w4 ,,lindsay 
,,alexander1 ,d4,d41 ,professor of      
,theology1 ,congregational   ,union1    
,edinburgh4     ,,james ,,begg1 ,d4,d41 

,minister of ,newington ,free ,church1  
,edinburgh4     ,,thomas ,j4 ,,crawford1
 ,d4,d41 ,s4,t4,p41 ,professor of       
,divinity1 ,university1   ,edinburgh4   
,d4 ,t4 ,k4 ,,drummond1 ,m4,a41         
,minister of ,st ,thomas's ,episcopal   
,church1   ,edinburgh4     ,,william ,h4
 ,,goold1 ,d4,d41 ,professor of         
,biblical ,literature and ,church       
,history1 ,reformed ,presbyterian       
,church1 ,edinburgh4     ,,andrew       
,,thomson1 ,d4,d41 ,minister of         
,broughton ,place ,united ,presbyterian 
,church1 ,edinburgh4                    
,general ,editor4                       
,,rev4 ,,thomas ,,smith1 ,d4,d41        
,,edinburgh4          ,illustration3    
,portrait of ,richard ,gilpin with      
handwritten note as                     
follows4     it was only my design to   
endeavour a more full discovery1 though 
every way short of the thing itself1 of 
,satan's ,craft1 because ye   knowledge 
of this is so necessary1  withall others
 have done it more   sparingly4 ,such as

 it is accept  improve for thy spiritual
 advantage   for that was ye end of this
 undertaking1 by him who desires that   
thy   soul may prosper4      ,rich3     
,gilpin4                                
,d,,monologia ,,sacra2                  
,,or1                    ,a ,,treatise  
,,of ,,satan',s ,,temptations4          
,,in ,,three ,,parts4                   
,,by                           ,,richard
 ,,gilpin1 ,m4,d41        ,,vicar ,,of  
,,greystoke1 ,,cumberland2 ,,later ,,of 
,,newcastle-,,on-,,tyne4                
,,edited1 ,,with ,,memoir1              
,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,alexander ,,balloch 
,,grosart1                              
,,liverpool4                            
,,edinburgh3 ,,james ,,nichol4          
,,london3 ,,james ,,nisbet ,,and ,,co4  
,,dublin3 ,g4 ,,herbert4                
,m4,,dccc4,,lxvii4          ,,contents4 
,,page    ,i4 ,,prefatory ,,note1       
xiii      ,,ii4 ,,memoir ,,of ,,dr      
,,gilpin1                               
xv      ,,iii4 ,d,,monologia ,,sacra4   

,to the ,reader1                        
#c-f      ,,chapter ,i4--,the           
introduction to the text1 from a        
consideration    of the desperate ruin  
of the souls of men--,the text opened1  
expressing ,satan's malice1 power1      
cruelty1 and diligence1         #h-aj   
,,chapter ,,ii4--,of the malice of      
,satan in particular--,the grounds      
and causes of that malice--,the         
greatness of it proved2 and    instances
 of that greatness given1               
#aj-ad      ,,chapter ,,iii4--,of       
,satan's power--,his power as an angel  
considered--,that    he lost not that   
power by his fall--,his power    as a   
devil--,of his commission--,the extent  
of his authority--,the    efficacy of   
his power--,the advantages which he hath
 for    the management of it1 from the  
number1 order1 place1 and    knowledge  
of devils1                              
#ad-bj      ,,chapter ,,iv4--,that      
,satan hath a great measure of knowledge
 proved1 by    comparing him with the   

knowledge of ,adam in innocency1 and by 
his    titles--,of his knowledge1       
natural1 experimental1 and              
accessory--,of his    knowledge of our  
thoughts--,how far he doth not know     
them1 and how    far he doth1 and by    
what means--,of his knowledge of things 
future1    and by what ways he doth     
conjecture them--,the advantages in     
point of    temptation that he hath by  
his knowledge1                          
#ba-bf      ,,chapter ,v4--,instances of
 ,satan's power--,of witchcraft1 what it
    is--,satan's power argued from      
thence--,of wonder--,whether    ,satan  
can do miracles--,an account of what he 
can do that    way--,his power argued   
from apparitions and possessions1       
#bg-ce      ,,chapter ,,vi4--,of        
,satan's cruelty--,instances thereof in 
his dealing    with wounded spirits in  
ordinary temptations of the    wicked   
and godly1 in persecutions1 cruelties in
 worship--,his    cruel handling of his 
slaves1                                 

#ce-dd      ,,chapter ,,vii4--,of       
,satan's diligence in several           
instances--,the    question about the   
being of spirits and devils             
handled--,the    ,sadducees' opinion    
discovered--,the reality of spirits     
proved1     #de-eb      ,,chapter       
,,viii4--,of ,satan's cunning and craft 
in the general--,several                
demonstrations proving ,satan to be     
deceitful2 and    of the reasons why he 
makes use of his cunning1               
#eb-eh      ,,chapter ,,ix4--,of        
,satan's deceits in particular--,what   
temptation    is--,of tempting to       
sin--,his first general rule--,the      
consideration    of our condition--,his 
second rule--,of providing    suitable  
temptations--,in what cases he tempts us
 to things    unsuitable to our         
inclinations--,his third rule--,the     
cautious    proposal of the temptation1 
and the several ways thereof--,his      
fourth rule is to entice--,the way      
thereof in the general1    by bringing a

 darkness upon the mind through lust1   
#eh-fc      ,,chapter ,x4--,that ,satan 
enticeth by our lust--,the several ways 
by which he doth it--,of the power and  
danger of the violence    of affections1
                                        
#fc-fh      ,,chapter ,,xi4--,that lust 
darkens the mind--,evidences            
thereof--,the    five ways by which it  
doth blind men3 7#a47 ,by preventing    
the exercise of reason--,the ways of    
that prevention3    7#a47 ,secrecy in   
tempting2 ,satan's subtlety therein2    
7#b47 ,surprisal2 7#c47 ,gradual        
entanglements1                          
#fh-gb      ,,chapter ,,xii4--,of       
,satan's perverting our reason--,his    
second    way of blinding--,the         
possibility of this1 and the manner of  
accomplishing it directly1 several ways2
 and indirectly1 by    the delights of  
sin1 and by sophistical arguments2 with 
an    account of them1                  
#gb-gf      ,,chapter ,,xiii4--,of      
,satan's diverting our reason1 being the

 third    way of blinding men--,his     
policies for diverting our              
thoughts--,his    attempts to that      
purpose in a more direct manner2    with
 the degrees of that procedure--,of     
disturbing or distracting    our reason1
 which is ,satan's fourth way of        
blinding    men--,his deceits           
therein--,of precipitancy1 ,satan's     
fifth way    of blinding men--,several  
deceits to bring men to that1           
#gg-hc      ,,chapter ,,xiv4--,of       
,satan's maintaining his                
possession--,his first    engine for    
that purpose is his finishing of sin1 in
 its reiteration    and                 
aggravation--,his policies herein1      
#hc-hf      ,,chapter ,,xv4--,of        
,satan's keeping all in quiet1 which is 
his second    engine for keeping his    
possession1 and for that purpose his    
keeping us from going to the light by   
several subtleties2 also    of making us
 rise up against the light1 and by what 
ways he    doth that1                   

#hf-ia      ,,chapter ,,xvi4--,of       
,satan's third grand policy for         
maintaining his    possession2 which is 
his feigned departure3 7#a47 ,by ceasing
    the prosecution of his design2 and  
the cases in which he doth    it--7#b47 
,by abating the eagerness of pursuit2   
and how he doth    that--7#c47 ,by      
exchanging temptations2 and his policy  
therein--,the    advantage he seeks by  
seeming to fly--,of his fourth          
stratagem for keeping his possession1   
which is his stopping    all ways of    
retreat2 and how he doth that1          
#ia-ajj      ,,chapter ,,xvii4--,satan's
 deceits against religious services and 
duties--,the grounds of his displeasure 
against religious duties--,his    first 
design against duties is to prevent     
them--,his    several subtleties for    
that end1 by external hindrances1 by    
indispositions bodily and spiritual1 by 
discouragements2 the    ways thereof1 by
 dislike2 the grounds thereof1 by       
sophistical    arguings--,his various   

pleas therein1                          
#ajj-aah      ,,chapter                 
,,xviii4--,satan's second grand design  
against duties is    to spoil           
them--7#a47 ,in the manner of           
undertaking1 and how    he effects      
this--7#b47 ,in the act or performance1 
by distracting    outwardly and         
inwardly--,his various ways therein1 by 
vitiating    the duty itself--,how he   
doth that--7#c47 ,after performance1    
the manner thereof1                     
#aah-abe        ,,part ,,ii4            
,,chapter ,i4--,that it is ,satan's     
grand design to corrupt the minds    of 
men with error--,the evidences that it  
is so--and the    reasons of his        
endeavours that way1                    
#abg-adj      ,,chapter ,,ii4--,of the  
advantages which ,satan hath1 and useth1
 for    the introduction of error--7#a47
 ,from his own power of    spiritual    
fascination--,that there is such a      
power1 proved from    ,scripture1 and   
from the effects of it--7#b47 ,from our 

imperfection    of knowledge2 the       
particulars thereof explained--7#c47    
,from the bias of the mind--,what things
 do bias it1 and the    power of them to
 sway the understanding--7#d47 ,from    
curiosity    7#e47 ,from atheistical    
debauchery of conscience1               
#adj-aeh      ,,chapter ,,iii4--,of     
,satan's improving these advantages for 
error--#a4    ,by deluding the          
understanding directly3 which he doth1  
7#a47 ,by countenancing error from      
,scripture--,of his cunning             
therein--7#b47 ,by specious pretences of
 mysteries2 and what    these are--,of  
personal flatteries--7#c47 ,by affected 
expressions--,reason    of their        
prevalency--7#d47 ,by bold              
assertions--,the    reasons of that     
policy--7#e47 ,by the excellency of the 
persons appearing for it1 either for    
gifts or holiness--,his    method of    
managing that design--7#f47 ,by         
pretended inspiration--7#g47    ,by     
pretended miracles--,his cunning        

herein--7#h47    ,by peace and          
prosperity in ways of error--7#i47 ,by  
lies against    truth1 and the          
professors of it1                       
#aeh-ahi      ,,chapter ,,iv4--,of      
,satan's second way of improving his    
advantages1    which is by working upon 
the understanding indirectly    by the  
affections--,this he doth1 7#a47 ,by a  
silent1 insensible    introduction of   
error--,his method herein--7#b47 ,by    
entangling    the affections with the   
external garb of error1 a gorgeous      
dress1 or affected plainness--7#c47 ,by 
fabulous imitations of    truth--,the   
design thereof--7#d47 ,by accommodating 
truth to a    compliance with parties   
that differ from it--,various instances 
hereof--7#e47 ,by driving to a contrary 
extreme--7#f47 ,by    bribing the       
affections with rewards1 or forcing them
 by fears--7#g47    ,by engaging pride  
and anger--7#h47 ,by adorning error     
with the ornaments of truth1            
#aij-bjh      ,,chapter ,v4--,satan's   

attempts against the peace of ,god's    
children    evidenced--7#a47 ,from his  
malice--7#b47 ,from the concernment     
of peace to ,god's children--,what these
 concerns    are1 explained--7#c47 ,from
 the advantages which he hath    against
 them by disquieting their minds--#a4   
,confusion of    mind--#b4 ,unfitness   
for duty1 and how--#c4 ,rejection of    
duty--#d4 ,a stumbling-block to         
others--#e4 ,preparation of    the mind 
to entertain venomous impressions1 and  
what they    are--#f4 ,bodily           
weakness--#g4 ,our miseries ,satan's    
contentment1   #bji-bah      ,,chapter  
,,vi4--,of the various ways by which he 
hinders peace--,first    way1 ,by       
discomposures of spirit--,these         
discomposures    explained3 by shewing1 
7#a47 ,what advantage he takes from     
our natural temper1 and what tempers    
give him this advantage--7#b47    ,by   
what occasions he works upon our natural
 tempers--7#c47    ,with what           
success--#a4 ,these occasions suited    

to natural inclinations1 raise great    
disturbance--#b4 ,they    have a        
tendency to spiritual trouble--,the     
thing proved1 and    the manner how     
discovered--#c4 ,these disturbances much
    in his power--,general and          
particular considerations about    that 
power1                                  
#bai-bcg      ,,chapter ,,vii4--,of the 
second way to hinder                    
peace--,affrightments1    the general   
nature and burden of them1 in several   
particulars--,what    are the ways by   
which he affrights--#a4 ,atheistical    
injections--,observations of his        
proceeding in them--#b4    ,blasphemous 
thoughts--#c4 ,affrightful suggestions  
of    reprobation--,observations of his 
proceedings in that course--#d4         
,frightful motions to sin--#e4 ,strong  
immediate impressions    of fear--#f4   
,affrightful scrupulosity of conscience1
            #bch-bed      ,,chapter     
,,viii4--,of his third way to hinder    
peace1 by spiritual                     

sadness--,wherein1 #a4 ,of the degrees  
of spiritual sadness--#b4    ,of the    
frequency of this trouble1 evidenced    
several ways--,of    the difference     
betwixt ,god and ,satan in wounding the 
conscience--#c4 ,of the solemn occasions
 of this trouble--#d4    ,the engines by
 which ,satan works spiritual           
sadness3--7#a47    ,his sophistry--,his 
topics enumerated and explained--#a4    
,scriptures perverted--#b4 ,false       
notions--#c4 ,misrepresentations    of  
,god--#d4 ,sins3 how he aggravates      
them--#e4    ,lessening their graces3   
how he doth that--7#b47 ,his second     
engine1 fear3 how he forwards his design
 that way1            #bed-bhf          
,,chapter ,,ix4--,of his fourth way to  
hinder peace1 by spiritual              
distresses--#a4 ,the nature of these    
distresses--,the ingredients    and     
degrees of them--,whether all distresses
 of soul    arise from melancholy--#b4  
,satan's method in working    them2 the 
occasions he makes use of2 the arguments

 he    urgeth1 the strengthening of them
 by fears--#c4 ,their weight    and     
burden explained in several             
particulars--,some concluding           
cautions1                               
#bhg-caa        ,,part ,,iii4           
,,chapter ,i4--,the first circumstance  
of the combat1 the time    when it      
happened--,the two solemn seasons of    
temptation--,the    reasons thereof1    
#cac-caf      ,,chapter ,,ii4--,the     
second circumstance1 ,christ's being led
 by    the ,spirit--,what hand the      
,spirit of ,god hath in temptations--and
    of running into temptations when not
 led into it1             #caf-cba      
,,chapter ,,iii4--,the third            
circumstance1 the place of the          
combat--,the    advantage given to      
temptations by solitude1                
#cba-cbb      ,,chapter ,,iv4--,the     
fourth circumstance1 the end wherefore  
,christ was led to the                  
wilderness--,holiness1 employment1      
privileges1 exempt not from             

temptation--,of temptations    that     
leave not impressions of sin behind     
them--,how ,satan's    temptations are  
distinguished from the lusts of our own 
heart1                                  
#cbb-cbh      ,,chapter ,v4--,of        
,christ's fast1 with the design         
thereof--,of    ,satan's tempting in an 
invisible way--,of his incessant        
importunities1 and how he flies when    
resisted--,of inward    temptations1    
with outward afflictions--,several      
advantages    ,satan hath by tempting in
 affliction1                            
#cbh-ccf      ,,chapter ,,vi4--,that    
,christ's temptations were real1 and not
 in    vision--,that temptation is      
,satan's employment1 with the           
evidences and instances thereof--,of    
,satan's tempting visibly1    with the  
reasons thereof1                        
#ccg-cda      ,,chapter ,,vii4--,the    
general view of these temptations--,of  
,satan's gradual proceeding in          
temptations--,of reserving a    great   

temptation last--,what a great          
temptation is2 in what    cases to be   
expected--,of ,satan's using a common   
road1 in    comparing these temptations 
with the ordinary temptations    of     
men--,of the advantage ,satan takes of  
natural appetite1    sense1 and         
affections1                             
#cda-cdf      ,,chapter ,,viii4--,the   
rise of ,christ's first temptation--,of 
,satan's    suiting his temptations to  
the conditions of men--,of tempting     
men upon the plea of necessity--,the    
reasons and cheats    of that plea--,his
 pretences of friendship in tempting1   
with    the danger thereof1             
#cdf-cej      ,,chapter ,,ix4--,a       
particular consideration of the matter  
of the    first temptation1 what ,satan 
aimed at in bidding him turn    stones  
into bread--,of ,satan's moving us to   
things good or    lawful--,the end of   
such a motion--,how to know whether     
such motions are from ,satan or the     
,spirit--,what to do in    case they be 

from ,satan--,of his various aims in one
 temptation--,what    they are1 and of  
his policy therein--,of his artificial  
contrivement of motions to make one     
thing infer    another1                 
#cej-cee      ,,chapter ,x4--,of        
,satan's chief end in this              
temptation--,his skill    in making the 
means to sin plausible--,the reasons of 
that    policy1 with his art            
therein--,men's ignorance his           
advantage--,of    the differences of    
things propounded to our use1           
#cee-cei      ,,chapter ,,xi4--,of the  
temptation to distrust upon the failure 
of    ordinary means--,of the power of  
that temptation1 and the    reasons of  
its prevalency--,of unwarrantable       
attempts for    relief1 with the causes 
thereof--,of waiting on ,god1 and       
keeping his way--,in what cases a       
particular mercy is to be    expected1  
#cfj-cfg      ,,chapter ,,xii4--,of     
,satan's proceeding to infer distrust of
 sonship    from distrust of            

providences--,instances of the          
probability    of such a design--,the   
reasons of this undertaking--,of        
,satan's endeavour to weaken the        
assurance and hopes of    ,god's        
children--,his general method to that   
purpose1            #cfg-cgf            
,,chapter ,,xiii4--,the preparation to  
the second temptation--,of    his       
nimbleness to catch advantages from our 
answers to    temptation--,that ,satan  
carried ,christ in the air--,of his     
power to molest the bodies of ,god's    
children--,how little    the supposed   
holiness of places privilegeth us from  
,satan--,of    ,satan's policy in       
seeming to countenance imaginary        
defences--,of his pretended flight in   
such cases1 with the    reasons of that 
policy--,of his improving a temptation  
to    serve several ends1               
#cgf-chb      ,,chapter ,,xiv4--,that   
presumption was the chief design of this
    temptation--,of tempting to         
extremes--,what presumption is--,the    

several ways of presuming--,the         
frequency of this    temptation1 in the 
generality of professors1 in hypocrites1
 in    despairing persons1 and in the   
children of ,god--,the reasons    of    
,satan's industry in this design--,his  
deceitful contrivance    in bringing    
about this sin--,preservatives against  
it1          #chb-cij      ,,chapter    
,,xv4--,self-murder1 another of his     
designs in this    temptation--,how he  
tempts to self-murder directly1 and     
upon what advantage he urgeth it--,how  
he tempts to it    indirectly1 and the  
ways thereof--,of necessary             
preservatives    against this           
temptation1                             
#cij-cif      ,,chapter ,,xvi4--,of     
pride1 ,satan's chief engine to bring on
    presumption--,what pride is1 and how
 it prepares men for sinning            
presumptuously--,considerations against 
pride--,the    remedies for its         
cure--,pride kindled by a confidence of 
privileges and popular applause1        

#cig-dja      ,,chapter ,,xvii4--,of    
,satan's subtlety in urging that of     
,psalm xci4    #aa1 #ab1 to ,christ--,of
 his imitating the ,spirit of ,god in   
various ways of teaching--,of his       
pretending ,scripture to    further     
temptation--,the reasons of such        
pretendings1 and    the ends to which he
 doth abuse it--,of ,satan's            
unfaithfulness    in managing of        
,scripture--,cautions against that      
deceit--,the    ways by which it may be 
discovered1                             
#djb-dae      ,,chapter ,,xviii4--,the  
manner of ,satan's shewing the kingdoms 
of the world--,of ,satan's preparations 
before the motion of    sin--,of his    
confronting the ,almighty by            
presumptuous imitation1    and in what  
cases he doth so--,of his beautifying   
the    objects of a temptation1 and how 
he doth it--,his way of    engaging the 
affections by the senses--,of his       
seeming shyness1 #dae-dbc      ,,chapter
 ,,xix4--,satan's end in tempting       

,christ to fall down and    worship     
him--,of blasphemous injections--,what  
blasphemy    is--,the ways of ,satan in 
that temptation1 with the advantages    
he takes therein1 and the reason of     
urging blasphemies    upon              
men--,consolations to such as are       
concerned in such                       
temptations--,advice to such as are so  
afflicted1               #dbd-dcj       
,,chapter ,,xx4--,the nature of         
idolatry--,satan's design to corrupt    
the worship of ,god--,the evidences     
thereof1 with the reasons    of such    
endeavours--,his general design of      
withdrawing the    hearts of men from   
,god to his service--,the proof that    
this    is his design--,upon whom he    
prevails--,that professions and         
confidences are no evidences to the     
contrary--,his deceit of    propounding 
sin as a small matter--,the evidences of
 that    method1 and the reason thereof1
                               #dcj-dcg 
,,chapter ,,xxi4--,of worldly           

pleasure--,proofs that this is ,satan's 
great engine--,what there is in worldly 
delights that make    them so--,counsels
 and cautions against that snare1       
#dch-ddd      ,,chapter ,,xxii4--,of    
,christ's answer in the general--,that  
these    temptations were upon design   
for our instruction--,of the            
agreement betwixt ,eph4 vi4 and ,mat4   
iv4--,the first direction1    of        
courageous resolves in resisting        
temptations--,its    consistency with   
some kind of fear--,the necessity of    
this    courage--,wherein it consists2  
and that there is a courage in          
mourning spirits1                       
#dde-dej      ,,chapter ,,xxiii4--,the  
second direction1 that temptations are  
not    to be disputed--,the several ways
 of disputing a temptation--,in    what 
cases it is convenient and necessary to 
dispute    with ,satan--,in what cases  
inconvenient1 and the reasons    of it1 
#dea-deh      ,,chapter ,,xxiv4--,the   
third direction1 of repelling a         

temptation    without delay--,the       
necessity of so doing--,what a speedy   
denial doth contain1                    
#dei-dfb      ,,chapter ,,xxv4--,the    
fourth direction1 of repelling a        
temptation    by ,scripture             
arguments--,of several things implied in
 the    direction--,the necessity of    
answering by ,scripture arguments--,the 
excellency of the remedy--,how          
,scripture arguments    are to be       
managed1                                
#dfb-dfi      ,,chapter ,,xxvi4--,the   
fifth direction1 of prayer1 and of the  
seriousness    required of those that   
expect the advantage of prayer--,of     
,god's hearing prayer while the         
temptation is continued--,of    some    
that are troubled more1 while they pray 
more1            #dgj-dga               
,,indices1 c41                          
#dgb-dhj          ,,prefatory ,,note4   
,few who know the fine old quarto       
#8,dmonologia ,sacra' of ,dr ,gilpin    
will dispute its right to a place of    

honour in the ,series of later  ,puritan
 ,divines4 ,to those who have not       
hitherto heard1--or only heard  of      
it1--we commend it with all confidence  
and urgency as in various  respects a   
remarkable book by a remarkable man4 ,it
 will be found--as  an early writer says
 of another--#8matter-full1' and        
nevertheless  suggestive rather than    
exhaustive--that is1 you have many rich 
lodes  of the ore of thought opened1 but
 many others indicated1 not worked2     
clear and keen of insight into the      
deepest places of the deepest  things   
discussed2 wide in its out-look1 yet    
concentrated in its  in-look2 sagacious 
and wise in its general conclusions1 and
 passionate  as compassionate in its    
warnings1 remonstrances1 and counsels2  
full  of faith in all #8written' in ,the
 ,word1 and pathetically credulous  in  
accepting testimony when a given fact   
7alleged7 is fitted to  barb an appeal2 
curious and quaint in its lore2 intense 
and anxious  in its trackings of sin    

without and within2 pre-,raphaelite in  
the  vivid fidelity of its portrayals of
 satanic guiles1 and guises  that are   
always disguises2 and above all1        
tenderly experimental  in its           
consolation to the tried and troubled4  
,the third part is an  exposition of the
 ,temptation of our ,lord1 which may    
bear comparison for  thoroughness and   
power with any extant4    ,for our      
,memoir of ,dr ,gilpin we have had      
literally to do everything1  inasmuch as
 next to nothing has thus far been      
published concerning  him--not even his 
birthplace1 or birth or death dates     
known4 ,if still we  feel the result of 
our #8labour of love' in prosecuting the
 necessary  researches1 to be very      
inadequate1 it is gratifying that we    
have  secured so much as we have done4  
,as in the preparation of former        
,memoirs1 our visits and investigations 
have brought us much pleasant           
intercourse and correspondence with     
descendants1 representatives1 and       

reverers of the old ,worthy4 ,family    
papers of the most private nature have  
been unreservedly confided to  us--as   
duly acknowledged in each place where   
referred to or used2 and  altogether the
 most ungrudging help has been rendered4
 ,the various  friends mentioned in the 
foot-notes of the ,memoir will be so    
good as  accept this further general    
acknowledgment4    ,it only remains to  
state that the present volume has been  
edited on  the same principle with      
,sibbes and ,brooks4 ,the text is given 
with  scrupulous integrity2 references  
and quotations are traced1 and less     
known names and dates annotated2 every  
reference or quotation of  ,scripture   
verified and filled in2 and copious     
indices are subjoined2  the two last the
 more important1 that ,dr ,gilpin       
himself seems to have  quoted ,scripture
 from memory1 and furnished no #8table' 
or index beyond  the heading of the     
several chapters as #8contents4'    ,may
 this revised treatise be used at this  

later day as in the past1 to  help in   
the great warfare against the           
,adversary4      ,,alexander ,b4        
,,grosart4           99       99        
99       99       99      ,it has not   
been deemed needful to give a list of   
such slight   errata as have come under 
our eye in preparing the indices2 but   
mark1 with reference to the #8,note1'   
page #b1 that for #8,dr' there is a     
misprint of #8,mr1' and that            
#8deficiency' is spelled with an #8i'   
for an   #8e4'--,g4          ,,memoir   
,,of ,,the ,,rev4 ,,richard ,,gilpin1   
,m4,d4      ,in pursuing our            
investigations for our ,memoir of       
,,richard ,,sibbes1 we  found and noted1
 that his name--in every one of its odd 
variations of  spelling1 numerous as    
those of ,shakespeare and ,raleigh--had 
quite died  out at once of his native   
county and country1 being traceable     
nowhere  for fully a century of         
years--the stream which rose at         
,cony-,weston1  ,norfolk1 in #aebd1     

lapsing in a #8,richard ,sibbes1 clerk1 
rector of  ,gedding1 aged #ic1 ,february
 #b1 #agcg2' and the blood thenceforward
  flowing in the female line4#a    ,very
 different is it with the name of       
,,gilpin1 now before us4  ,from         
family-muniments and genealogies        
intrusted to us by various              
representatives1 of nearer and remoter  
kin1 it were easy to go back  many      
generations before the earliest-noticed 
,,sibbes2 while at the  present day1 in 
nearly all gradations of circumstance1  
at home and  abroad--from the original  
,cumberland and ,westmoreland1 to #8the 
gray  metropolis of the ,north3' from   
the ,castle of ,scaleby1 to #8huts1     
where  poor men lie2' and from ,wyoming 
of ,pennsylvania to ,acadie of          
,evangeline  and #8distant              
,ind'--,,gilpins1 descending from our   
,worthy1 and proud of the               
descent--sustain the ancient renown of  
goodness and brain-power4 ,as ,i  sit   
down to put my collections into shape1  

,i am called to place therein  the      
statesman-like ,speech on a great public
 question of our age1 of  ,,charles     
,,gilpin1 in the ,house of              
,commons--words destined to re-echo     
again and again1 and determine          
legislation--so grave1 wise1 patriotic1 
,christian are they2 and now the        
,libraries are being besieged for the   
#8,new ,america' of ,william ,hepworth  
,dixon1 wherein ,i was gladdened with  a
 splendid1 yet penetrative and measured1
 eulogy of the ,founder of  ,colorado1  
,,william ,,gilpin2#b both1 as ,i am    
informed1 as do nearly all  of the      
name--in this resembling the ,rogerses  
of the ,united ,states1 who  all claim  
descent from ,john ,rogers1 proto-martyr
 of ,england--counting  from ,bernard   
,gilpin1 the apostle of the ,north1 the 
venerable and holy  ,st ,bernard of     
,protestantism2 and so1 as we shall see1
 from our ,richard4    ,i place in an   
,appendix#c such                        
genealogical-antiquarian details as some

  readers may look for in a ,memoir of a
 ,gilpin2 and summarise here that  the  
author of #8,dmonologia ,sacra' was     
sprung of a race such as old  ,dan      
,chaucer would have cited in teaching   
#8who is worthy to be called  gentill'  
as we may judge by a few of his golden  
lines3--        #8,the first stocke was 
full of rightwisnes1      ,trewe of his 
worde1 sober1 pitous1 and free4         
,clene of his goste2 and loved          
besinesse1      ,against the vice of    
slouth1 in honeste3      ,and but his   
heire love vertue as did he1      ,he is
 not gentill1 though he rich seme1      
,all weare he miter1 crowne1 or         
diademe4'#d    ,turning now to ,,dr     
,,richard ,,gilpin--whose remarkable    
book is in the  present volume          
faithfully reprinted2 he was grandson of
 ,richard1 a  younger brother of the    
illustrious ,bernard1 his father being  
an ,isaac  ,gilpin4 ,we get a glimpse of
 both grandfather and father in the     
county  ,history as follows3--#8,in a   

small manuscript by one ,isaac          
,gilpin1--whose  father ,richard        
,gilpin1 as before had been steward of  
several manors  within the barony of    
,kendal1 and died about the year #afcj1 
at the age  of #ib years1--he says he   
had heard of his father1 and observed   
the same  himself1 that by general      
custom within the said barony1 if a     
woman  hath an estate1 and married1     
hereby the estate is so far vested in   
the  husband1 that he may sell it in his
 life-time2 but if in his life-time  he 
doth not alter the property1 then it    
shall continue to her and her  heirs4'#e
 ,this little record takes us to #8the  
barony of ,kendal1'  the #8,land' of    
,bernard ,gilpin2 and thither           
accordingly1 we turned our  search4     
,there was a vague traditionary         
understanding that our ,richard  ,gilpin
 was born1 as of the same family1 so in 
the same region of  #8,kentmere2' but   
nothing definite had hitherto been      
known4 ,the ,kentmere  #8,registers' do 

not commence until ,a4,d4 #agjj2 and    
thus we were baffled  there4 ,but       
,kentmere being a chapelry in the old   
,parish of ,kendal1 a  hope was indulged
 that in the parent-parish the          
wished-for facts should  be discovered2 
nor were we disappointed1 for in the    
,baptism-,register1  under date         
#8,october #bc1 #afbe1' there is this   
entry3--      #8,richard1 son of ,isaac 
,gilpin1 of ,strickland ,kettle1'       
which is our ,worthy1 as after-dates    
will shew4#f ,he might be born a  week  
more or less previously1 according to   
the then #8use and wont'  of infant     
baptism4 ,the same ,register furnishes  
another earlier  entry1 which--if we are
 correct in surmising that the ,isaac   
,gilpin of  ,strickland ,kettle in      
#afbe1 was the same with the ,isaac of  
it--informs us  ,richard was a younger  
son3--      #8#afbc1 ,may #c1 ,henry1 ye
 soun of ,mr ,isaacke ,gilpin of        
,helsington4'    ,elsewhere he is named 
#8of ,gilthroton1 co4 ,westmoreland2'   

and seems to  have been the same who was
 clerk to the ,standing ,committee of   
county  ,durham in #afde4g ,that ,isaac 
,gilpin was #8steward of several manors'
  probably covers the different local   
designations4 ,there are so many        
,gilpins1 and so many of the same       
,christian name1 that it is hard to     
decide on given personalities2 but1     
after considerable comparison  and      
sifting1 such appears to us to be the   
parentage paternally of ,dr  ,gilpin4   
,maternally ,i have come on nothing2 for
 an ,elizabeth ,gilpin1  widow of ,isaac
 ,gilpin1 merchant1 ,newcastle1 though  
of the same  stock1 was not his mother4 
,this #8widow' was buried in ,all       
,saints1  #gth ,november1 #afid4h       
,archdeacon ,cooper1 of ,kendal1 in     
transmitting  these data1 remarks3      
#8,the mode of writing1 and the         
insertion of ,mr1  indicates a person of
 some importance4' ,but with reference  
to #8,mr1' ,i  suspect it is rather     
accidental1 as it is inserted in the    

one1 and left  out in the other2 and    
moreover1 is frequently omitted when1   
from other  sources1 we know the family 
was of importance4 ,little ,richard must
 have  been just beginning to toddle    
about when his venerable grandfather's  
snow-white head #8aged #ib' was laid in 
the old ,church-yard4 ,one  delights to 
picture the aged ,simeon1 before his    
serene departure1  #8blessing' by prayer
 his dear little grandchild1 after the  
manner of  such ancient ,puritans as    
were the ,gilpins in every branch4      
,strickland-,ketel1 not ,kettle1 as in  
the ,register and vulgarly1#i--now      
settled to have been the birth-place of 
,dr ,gilpin1--was a most fitting  nest  
for one destined to serve the           
master-,shepherd so well4 ,it is  an    
,english ,bethlehem--a rich1            
kine-fragrant1 pleasant1 breezy tract   
of pasture-land1 sloping from the west  
down to the river ,kent1 its  eastern   
boundary1 which river1 issuing out of a 
fair #8mere1' or lake1  gives its name  

to ,kentmere ,hall1 the seat of the     
elder house of the  ,gilpins4 ,the      
hamlet of ,ketel itself is on the road  
from ,kendal to the  ,ferry on          
,windermere2 and thus partakes of the   
glory of ,wordsworth's  poetry1 as of   
,scott's1 who in ,rokeby celebrates a   
local incident of the  ,cromwellian     
time4#aj ,it is somewhat noticeable that
 within the space  of an                
ordinarily-sized farm should have been  
born ,,bernard ,,gilpin and  ,,henry    
,,airay1#aa and later1 ,richard ,gilpin4
    ,of the childhood of our ,richard1  
we can tell nothing directly4 ,but  with
 the famous #8,school' founded by his   
honoured ancestor available1  we are    
safe in assuming that he entered it4 ,it
 is of this ,school that  the later     
biographer of ,bernard ,gilpin1--himself
 a ,gilpin1--thus writes3  #8,the       
effects of his endowment were very      
quickly seen4 ,his school was no  sooner
 opened than it began to flourish1 and  
to afford the agreeable  prospect of a  

succeeding generation rising above the  
ignorance and  errors of their          
forefathers4' 444 #8,that such might be 
its effects1  no care on his part was   
wanting4 ,he not only placed able       
masters in  his school1 whom he procured
 from ,oxford1 but he likewise          
constantly  inspected it himself4'#ab   
,the saintly ,apostle was long gone to  
his  rest before the advent of ,master  
,richard2 but as bearing the name1 and  
being of the blood of the ,founder1 he  
could not fail to be welcomed  to all   
its privileges4 ,the more's the pity    
that no memorial seems to  have been    
kept of the scholars of this celebrated 
,institution4 ,before  proceeding to    
,houghton1 he was probably initiated    
into learning at the  nearer ,kendal1   
then all astir with the enterprise of   
the ,flemings4 ,so ,i  gather from      
family communications made to me2 and   
thus we have to think  of the #8little  
lad' trotting down the quiet rural roads
 among the sunny  hills1 much as another

 ,richard earlier1 from ,packenham to   
,thurston1#ac                   444     
#8with his satchel      ,and shining    
morning face1'    not1 we may be sure1  
444 #8creeping like snail               
,unwillingly to school4'#ad    ,there is
 a tradition1--reported by various      
descendants1--that our  ,gilpin went    
from #8,school' to ,queen's ,college1   
,oxford4 ,this1 it will  be remembered1 
was ,bernard ,gilpin's own ,college1 and
 whither he sent  his favourite         
scholars1 as ,airay1 ,carleton1         
,ironside1 and others4 ,so  that if     
,richard went to ,oxford at all1        
,queen's would most naturally  be       
selected4 ,no mention of him1 however1  
occurs in any of the ,college           
,registers4 ,therefore he cannot at any 
rate have graduated4#ae ,i place  in    
,appendix incidental valuable data      
concerning other related ,gilpins       
gleaned in ,oxford4#af    ,in lack of   
the facts of the case1 it is impossible 
to explain why one  so well-born and    

well-introduced did not1 apparently1    
follow out a  full ,university career4  
,that the circumstances of his own      
,family and  kindred were adequate      
thereto--apart from the ,gilpin         
#8endowments1' which  were open to him  
specially--and that they were of the    
right stamp to  appreciate a sound1     
liberal education1 is certain from      
numerous notices  of the house that     
occur in old records4#ag    ,another    
floating tradition1--also brought before
 me by descendants1 is1  that our       
,gilpin studied at the ,university of   
,glasgow2 which so far  receives        
confirmation from the statement of his  
bosom-friend ,alderman  ,barnes of      
,newcastle--of whose ,,ms4 #8,memoirs'  
,i have already spoken--that  #8he was  
educated in ,scotland2' but neither     
there does his name  occur4#ah          
,equally uncertain is it1--advancing    
further1--when or by whom ,dr  ,gilpin  
was #8licensed' or #8ordained' as a     
,preacher of the ,gospel or  ,clergyman4

 ,barnes again says that he             
#8administered the ,lord's ,supper  to a
 small congregation in ,durham2'#ai and 
,calamy1 that #8he had been  i4e41      
before ,greystoke a ,preacher in        
,lambeth1 at the ,savoy--where  he was  
assistant to ,dr ,wilkins--and at       
,durham4'#bj ,of all of these1  the     
memorial has perished4 ,neither under   
#8,lambeth1' nor #8,savoy'1  nor        
#8,wilkins'--afterwards ,bishop of      
,chester#ba--nor #8,gilpin1' does       
,newcourt's ,repertorium#bb mention him2
 nor1 after considerable  investigation 
in each place1 has any trace of him been
 found beyond the  above statements4 ,so
 that his presentation to the ,living of
 ,greystoke  in ,cumberland is really   
the first definite fact we have1 after  
his  now ascertained birth-place1       
baptism-date1 and family connexion4     
,the ,rector of ,greystoke had been     
#8sequestered'#bc by ,sir ,arthur       
,haselrigge and the ,parliamentary      
,commissioners for the ,propagation of  

the ,gospel in the four northern        
counties2 which sentence having been    
appealed against1 was confirmed by the  
,committee for 7as they were  called7   
,plundered ,ministers4 ,the ,rector was 
,william ,moreland1 ,m4,a41  #8bred1'   
according to ,walker of the             
#8,sufferings1' folio1 #8at ,jesus      
,college1 ,cambridge4'#bd ,this         
#8ejection' took place in #afdi-ej4 ,he 
was  succeeded by #8one ,west1 who died 
in about two years' time4'#be ,such  is 
all ,walker says of ,west2 but from     
another overlooked authority1 we  learn 
a little more of him4 ,in the           
#8,postscript' concerning #8,mr ,john   
,noble1' added to ,audland's funeral    
sermon on that notable man1 it is  said1
 after mentioning the #8laying aside' of
 ,mr ,moreland1 #8certain               
,commissioners appointed others1 in his 
room1 to supply the ,parish1 when  ,john
 ,noble was little turned of twenty     
years of age2' and then1 #8,in  the year
 #afej1 ,mr ,west was sent1 a zealous   

,preacher1 and one mighty in  prayer1   
but sickly2 and he soon died of a       
consumption4 ,his doctrine  being       
exemplified in his own life1 was very   
effectual on many in that  ,parish1 and 
particularly on ,john ,noble1 who       
received lively convictions  of ,divine 
truth and the world to come1 and so     
began earnestly to  inquire about the   
life and power of godliness4'#bf ,gilpin
 immediately  succeeded ,mr ,west1 and  
thus must have entered on his duties in 
#afeb or  #afec1 when he was in his     
twenty-eighth or twenty-ninth year4     
,what influence procured our ,worthy the
 #8presentation' to this                
7comparatively7 rich benefice1--for it  
was then worth #cjj per annum1  now     
nearly trebled1 being from #gjj to #hjj1
 we do not know2 but among  the         
neighbouring gentry there were          
intermarriages with the ,gilpins1  e4g41
 the ,laytons and ,whartons--the former 
the ancient owners of  ,dalemain in     
,dacre1 the next parish to ,greystoke4  

,the ,living was  held by the family of 
,arundel--with a branch of whom it      
remains--but  was subject no doubt to   
the ,commissioners of ,parliament during
 the  ,commonwealth4    ,we have        
,richard ,gilpin1 then in #afeb-ec      
installed as the #8parish  priest' of   
,greystoke2 and save him of ,bemerton1  
none ever brought a  finer spirit1 or a 
more entire consecration1 or a more     
#8ingenuous'  activity1 to the service  
of the one great ,master4    ,visiting  
,greystoke recently1 ,i found it a      
quaint-visaged1 gray1  long1 low-roofed 
church1 venerable and time-stained      
still1 though  #8restored'--tenderly--in
 #ahdh4 ,it is dedicated to ,st ,andrew4
 ,it nestles  in a #8bit' of woodland   
such as--flushed with autumnal tints of 
green  and gold equal to the glories of 
a ,new ,england ,indian summer among    
the maples and elms--would have burdened
 and kindled the eyes of a  ,ruysdael or
 ,gainsborough1 aye and until the       
#8studies' were transferred  to         

imperishable canvas2 and the whole      
surrounding district1 sweet1  soft1 and 
tranquil enough for the ,valley of ,rip 
,van ,winkle's long  dreamless          
sleep--much more so indeed than         
,irving's own1 behind the  shaggy bluffs
 of the ,hudson4 ,it is a genuinely     
,english #8parish4' ,when  ,gilpin came 
to it1 the #8common people' were        
intelligent and godly  after the antique
 type of the mid-,reformation period1   
having a spice  of sturdy originality of
 character and speech that is not       
altogether  gone even now4 ,for         
#8leisure hours1' if the cultured       
,rector wished it1  there were in the   
country ,seats--embracing ducal ,castle 
and historic  family mansion--men and   
#8faire ladyes' of rare force and worth4
 ,there  are #8,sunny ,memories'        
still--treasured in dim old             
manuscripts--of the  full #8gatherings' 
from far and near1 from hall and hut1   
from plain  and fell1 of the #8gentle   
and simple' over a wide area--to hang on

 the  lips of the #8good ,parson1'--as  
everywhere he came to be named4 ,we have
  a fine #8testimony' to the integrity  
and devotedness of the ,rector in  the  
#8,postscript' of ,john ,noble's        
,funeral ,sermon1 previously quoted3    
#8,graistock parish was large1 had a    
fair glebe and liberal revenue4 ,it  had
 four chapels3 the nearest three miles  
distant from the ,church4 ,mr  ,gilpin  
provided worthy1 preaching ministers for
 those1 and allowed  generously for     
their support2 himself residing at      
,graistock1 where he  had a society of  
communicants prepared by the foregoing  
efficacy of the  word on their minds and
 hearts1 and manifested in a new life1' 
7page  #da47    ,altogether ,greystoke  
could not be other than a most congenial
 portion  of the great #8,vineyard' for 
one like ,,richard ,,gilpin1 who        
breathed the  very spirit of saintly    
,,george ,,herbert1 and had little taste
 for the  controversies in which some of
 his contemporaries were engaged4       

,not very long after his settlement at  
,greystoke1 viz41 in #afed-e1 a  sad    
disaster befell the parent or           
#8,kentmere' house of the ,gilpins1     
springing out of the #8confusions' of   
the ,commonwealth4 ,i shall let  the    
good ,prebendary tell it1--preliminary  
remarks and all1 from the  manuscript   
already quoted1--reserving comment3     
#8,in the year #afee1 says  he1         
#8,cromwell dissolved his refractory    
parliament1 and the members of  the     
,house retiring to their several        
counties1 spread everywhere such  new   
matter of discontent that measures were 
no longer observed4 ,men  were levied in
 many places against the usurper1 and a 
general rising  was expected4 ,but      
,cromwell1 who had his eyes in all      
places1 soon  dispersed every           
insurrection as it made its appearance4 
,it was at that  time he sent his       
major-generals throughout the kingdom to
 punish with  fines and proscriptions   
all delinquents4 ,among the families    

ruined by  the severity of these        
military magistrates was ,mr ,gilpin of 
,kentmere  ,hall1 near ,kendal1 in      
,westmoreland4 ,he was the head of the  
family1  and lived respectably on an    
estate which had been in the hands of   
his ancestors from the days of ,king    
,john4 ,it seems probable he had  taken 
an active part against ,cromwell in the 
kings life-time2 but his  affairs being 
composed1 he lived quietly till these   
new disturbances  broke out on          
,cromwell's violent measures with the   
parliament4 ,having  joined an          
unsuccessful insurrection1 he became a  
marked man1 and was  obliged to provide 
for his safety as he could4 ,to avoid a 
sequestration  he gave up his estate in 
a kind of trust-mortgage to a friend1   
and went  abroad4 ,there he died2 but in
 a time of quiet1 his heir not being    
able  to get hold of the proper deeds to
 recover the estate1 it was totally     
lost to the family4 ,in the meantime ,dr
 ,gilpin lived quietly at  ,greystoke1  

concerning himself only with his own    
parish1 and lamenting  those public     
evils1 which he could not remove4'#bg   
,one can smile at  this time of day at  
the name #8,usurper' applied to         
,england's mighty  ,protector2 can      
understand the inevitable royalism of a 
dignitary of  the ,church1 that holds   
for #8the king' as against #8the        
kingdom1' can  leave the admissions of  
former freedom to #8live quietly1' and  
of an  active part #8against ,cromwell1'
 to justify any enforced flight1 without
  either refuting allegations or        
exposing prejudices4 ,but as matter  of 
fact1 while ,dr ,gilpin1 in common with 
many of his ,presbyterian  brethren1    
condemned the execution of ,charles1 and
 while the shadow  that fell on         
,kentmere doubtless darkened the rectory
 of ,greystoke1 he  yet unreservedly    
accepted the government of ,cromwell1   
and in every way  sought to carry out   
the measures devised by the ,parliament4
 ,moreover1  far from #8living quietly  

at ,greystoke1' and #8concerning himself
 only  with his own parish1' it is the  
very opposite of the facts4 ,instead of 
retiring in the timid1 nerveless fashion
 suggested1 he took a foremost  part in 
organising that modification of ,church 
government which the  abolition of      
,episcopacy demanded4 ,the evidence of  
this1 spite of the  wreck and loss of   
contemporary #8records1' is abundant2   
and it is the  next landmark in the     
,life we are telling4    ,it needeth not
 that in a necessarily brief ,memoir    
such as this we  should enter on the    
merits of the national change of ,church
 #8,polity'  which gave supremacy for   
the time to ,presbytery over ,prelacy4  
,the  materials for judgment lie in     
fulness in every worthy ,ecclesiastical 
,history of ,england2 and the whole     
story has just been re-written with     
fine candour and attractiveness by ,mr  
,stoughton4#bh ,presbyterianism  in     
,england during the ,commonwealth can   
hold its own1--lustrous as it is  with  

the names of ,edmund ,calamy and ,bates 
and ,manton1 ,richard ,baxter  and      
,william ,jenkyn and ,thomas ,watson1   
,samuel ,clark and ,thomas ,wilson of   
,maidstone1 and ,thomas ,hall of ,king's
 ,norton1--selecting a few1 urban and   
rural1 almost at random4    ,suffice it 
to recall that1 outside of the more     
ambitious organisation  of              
,london1--whose unpublished #8,memorial'
 lies all but unknown in ,sion  ,college
 ,library1#bi--there were various       
voluntary ,associations which  took a   
semi-,presbyterian mould1 in the        
counties of ,chester1 ,cumberland1      
,westmoreland1 ,dorset1 ,wilts1         
,worcestershire1 and others4 ,these     
,associations embraced the #8clergymen1'
 and #8ministers' or #8pastors1'  and   
laymen belonging to the ,episcopalians1 
the ,presbyterians1 and  the            
,independents1 and sought to combine the
 presidency of the first  with the union
 and co-operation of the second1 and the
 freedom  of the third2 in short1 a     

federated rather than organic oneness4  
,subordinating everything else1 was an  
intense yearning after nearness  to all 
who loved the one ,lord ,jesus1 and     
heroic as devout endeavours  for        
#8discipline1' so as to vitalise and    
,christianise #8the masses4'  ,it is    
pathetic to read of the days and nights 
of these good men's  ,fasting and       
,prayer #8unto the breaking of the      
light1' for one another's  ,parishes and
 ,charges4 ,their ideal was lofty1 their
 own practice  beautiful1 their success 
marked in changing the face of erewhile 
godless and heathen-dark communities4   
,what ,,richard ,,baxter was in         
,worcestershire1 ,,richard ,,gilpin was 
in ,cumberland and ,westmoreland2 and   
as the author of #8,the ,saint's        
,everlasting ,rest' was chosen to draw  
up the #8,agreement' for his county1 so 
the author of #8,dmonologia  ,sacra' was
 selected to execute the same office for
 ,cumberland and  ,westmoreland4 ,the   
#8,agreement1'--of which the title-page 

will be found in  the list at the close 
of our ,memoir1 must be studied by all  
who would  master the problems of the   
period4 ,it is comprehensive1 without   
being  general or vague2 decisive in    
dogma1 but not uncharitable2 high in    
aim1 but most practical2 earnest1 but   
not fanatic2 stern to offences1  but    
hopeful and tender toward offenders2    
richly scriptural1 but also1  and       
because of it1 most human1 all a-glow   
with wide sympathies1 and  unutterably  
wistful in its appeals for oblivion on  
all lesser matters1  so as to set a firm
 front to the evils and passions1 the   
divisions and  heart-burnings1 the      
rivalries and recriminations1 of the    
time4 ,the  whole is perfumed1 so to    
speak1 with prayer4 ,if it was a        
,utopia1 it was  a grander and more     
celestial one than ever ,more or ,bacon 
imagined2 nor  while it lasted was it a 
mere paper ,agreement4 ,for years       
through all  the ,counties enumerated   
the #8good men and true' made their     

#8gatherings'  so many centres of light 
and love2 and their ,parishes were as   
spiritual  ,goshens amid the national   
formalism and barrenness4    ,seeing    
that the extent to which #8,dmonologia  
,sacra' has gone prevents  our          
reprinting the minor writings of        
,gilpin1 as we had desired1  we shall   
here give a few brief extracts from the 
#8,agreement1' to  illustrate its aims1 
tone1 and style4 ,thus he struck the    
key-note3  #8,when we compare the       
present miseries and distempers with our
 former  confident expectations of unity
 and reformation1 our hearts bleed  and 
melt within us4 ,we are become a byword 
to our adversaries2 they  clap their    
hands at us1 saying1 8,is this the city 
that men call the  perfection of        
beauty80 ,piety is generally decayed1   
most men placing  their religion in     
8doting about questions0 which they     
understand not2  profaneness thrives    
through want of discipline2 error1      
blasphemy  domineers2 jealousies1       

divisions1 unmerciful revilings and     
censurings1  are fomented among brethren
 of the same household of faith2 the    
weak  ones are discouraged and          
distracted by the multitude of opinions 
and  fierce opposition of each party1   
and that which is worst of all1 ,god's  
honour suffers deeply1 and the credit of
 religion is brought very low4  8,is    
this nothing to you1 all ye that pass   
by80' ,but having lamented1  as with    
,jeremiah1 he assumes a more hopeful and
 encouraging attitude1  thus3 #8,though 
these things can never be sufficiently  
lamented1 yet  seeing it is not         
sufficient barely to lament them1       
without endeavouring  to heal them1 and 
considering that it is a duty incumbent 
upon all  ,christians1 according to     
their several places and abilities1 to  
promote  the welfare of ,zion1          
especially when we have tasted so much  
of the  bitterness of our divisions1 and
 because a brotherly ,union hath so     
much of ,god in it1 and consequently    

gives so much hope that ,god will  take 
that course in establishing his ,church 
when he shall arise to  build           
,jerusalem1 and seeing it is an         
unjustifiable pettishness and           
peevishness of spirit to be averse from 
joining together in anything  because we
 cannot join in all things1 therefore we
 resolve1 8the  associated ministers10  
setting aside all carnal interests1 and 
casting  ourselves1 with all our        
concernments1 at the ,lord's feet1 to   
walk  together as far as we can for the 
present1 not resting here1 nor tying    
ourselves from further progress in      
union1 as the ,lord shall give light    
and satisfaction1 much less binding     
ourselves from a submission to and      
compliance with a more general          
accommodation1 if any such thing should 
hereafter be agreed on1 which might be  
more suitable and fitted for  the       
composure of the different principles of
 brethren throughout the                
nation4'--7,pp4 #a-c47 ,hereupon follows

 the #8,basis' of the #8,agreement1'    
which was very much the same with       
,baxter's in ,worcestershire1 and that  
of ,essex1 c41 c4 #8,in order1' he      
proceeds1 #8to the carrying on of  this 
great work1 we lay down and assent unto 
these general rules as  the ,basis and  
,foundation which must support and bear 
up our following  ,agreement3--    #8#a4
 ,that in the exercise of discipline it 
is not only the most  safe course1 but  
also the most conducing to brotherly    
union and  satisfaction1 that particular
 churches carry on as much of their work
  with joint and mutual assistance as   
they can with conveniency and           
edification1 and as little as may be1 in
 their actings1 to stand1  distinctly by
 themselves and apart from each other4  
#8#b4 ,that in matters of church        
discipline those things which belong    
only ad melius esse1 ought to be laid   
aside1 both in respect of  publication  
and practice1 rather than that the      
,church's peace should be  hindered4    

#8#c4 ,that where different principles  
lead to the same practice1 we  may join 
together in that practice1 reserving to 
each of us our own  principles4    #8#d4
 ,that where we can neither agree in    
principle nor in practice1 we  are to   
bear with one another's differences that
 are of a less and  disputable nature1  
without making them a ground of division
 amongst  us4 ,yet notwithstanding we do
 not hereby bind up ourselves from      
endeavouring to inform one another in   
those things wherein we differ1  so that
 it be done with a spirit of love and   
meekness1 and with  resolutions to      
continue our brotherly amity and        
association1 though in  those           
particulars our differences should      
remain uncomposed1' 7pp4 #c1 #d47       
,further1 all pledge themselves to be   
true and faithful ambassadors1          
stewards1 workmen1 and overseers1 and   
#8to this end we resolve in  the course 
of our ministry to observe the temper1  
disposition1 and  capacity of the       

generality of the people1 and to suit   
ourselves  not only in our matter to the
 people's condition1 but also in our    
expressions to the people's             
apprehension1 that so our sermons may be
  plain1 piercing1 seasonable1 and      
profitable1' 7p4 #d47 ,speaking next  of
 #8catechising' from the ,assembly's    
#8,larger and ,shorter' ,catechisms1    
and of #8inspection1' there are these   
wise counsels1 that there be  tender    
dealing in consideration of #8first1    
unacquaintedness with  the terms and    
words of the question2 or1 secondly1    
from bashfulness  or shamefacedness1'   
7p4 #aa47 ,and in regard to             
#8supervision1' to be  cautious #8lest  
brotherly inspection degenerate into an 
unbrotherly  prying1' 7p4 #ae47 ,and    
there is this pronouncement on a questio
 vexata  of the period3 #8,we agree not 
to press a declaration of the time and  
manner of the work of grace upon the    
people as a necessary proof of  their   
actual present right to the ,lord's     

,supper1 nor to exclude persons  merely 
for want of that2 yet will we accept it 
if any will be pleased  to offer it     
freely1' 7p4 #af72 and onwards there is 
encouraged a #8holy  modesty and        
bashfulness' in speaking of the         
#8passage and transaction  #8twixt ,god 
and our soul1' 7p4 #ci47 ,finally1 the  
,confession of ,faith  consists of the  
,creed paraphrased1 and confirmed by    
texts1 7pp4 #bc-be47    ,another        
incident proved with equal              
unmistakableness that ,,richard         
,,gilpin regarded ,oliver as no         
#8usurper1' but the rightful governor   
of the nation4 ,i must leave the reader 
to consult the authorities  on the      
history of the establishment of the     
,university of ,durham4  ,every one who 
knows anything of #8the times' knows    
that the efforts  to found a ,university
 there--which the death of ,cromwell    
delayed1 and  the ,restoration          
quashed--is one of the #8boasts' of the 
,protector's  reign4#cj ,in honoured    

association with ,sir ,thomas           
,widdrington1 ,lords  ,fairfax1 ,grey1  
,wharton1 and ,falconbridge1 ,sir ,henry
 ,vane1 and ,sir  ,arthur ,haselrigge1  
and other well-known names1 ,gilpin was 
appointed  one of the #8,visitors4'#ca  
,he had entered into the scheme with    
enthusiasm and hope4 ,it is difficult to
 estimate what was lost herein  by the  
death of ,cromwell4 ,if we may          
conjecture from the #8,model' of the    
learned and pious ,matthew ,pool--issued
 in #afeg-eh1 while the grand jury  were
 addressing ,richard to complete what   
his father had begun--it is  all but    
certain that a more strictly theological
 training would have  been inaugurated  
than any of the great ,universities even
 to this day  supplies4#cb    ,to shew  
that ,dr ,gilpin still adhered to his   
former action in ,church  matters1 it   
must here be stated that in #afeh he    
preached a #8,sermon'  before the       
#8associated ministers of ,cumberland'  
at ,keswick4 ,by the  request of the    

#8,general ,meeting' he published it4   
,the title-page will  be found in our   
list of his writings at close of this   
,memoir4 ,it was  with reluctance the   
good man consented to give his sermon   
#8to print1'  as he intimated in the    
#8,epistle ,dedicatory4' #8,what your   
commands1'  says he1 #8have wrested from
 me--for of that force and prevalency   
with  me are your desires--,i now lay at
 your feet4 ,if ,i could have prevailed 
with you to have altered your vote1 or  
after you had passed it1 durst  have    
resisted--this had gone no further than 
your own hearing4 ,but when  you would  
not be persuaded1 ,i endeavoured to     
conform myself to those  ,christians in 
,acts xxi4 #ad1 and took up with that   
which put a stop to  their entreaties4  
8,the will of the ,lord be done10' 7pp4 
#a1 #b47 ,the  ,text of this            
sermon--which is no common one--is      
,zech4 vi4 #ac1 #8,even ,he  shall build
 the ,temple of the ,lord1' c41 and     
hence its title1 #8,the  ,temple        

,rebuilt4' ,i select a few of the more  
easily detached sentences4  ,first of   
all1 concerning #8,controversy1' he says
 admirably3 #8,disputings1  though they 
have their fruits1 yet are they like    
trees growing upon a  rocky precipice1  
where the fruit cannot be gathered by   
all1 and not  by any without difficulty 
and hazard1' 7p4 #c47 ,again1 on the    
office  of the ministry1 he exclaims3   
#8,dream not of ease in an employment of
  this nature4 ,god1 angels1 and men    
have their eyes upon you to see  how you
 will bestir yourselves3 it is your     
duty1 and not a matter of  unnecessary  
courtesy which you may give or hold back
 at your pleasure4  ,he that hath       
commanded you   1 7#a ,tim4 iv4 #ae17 to
  8give yourselves up wholly to these   
things10 will not take himself to  be   
beholden to you when you have done your 
best3 neither is it any  disparagement  
to you to become even servants to any3  
so that you may  but gain them and      
forward ,christ's work4 ,they that think

 it below them  to trouble themselves so
 much with catechising1 reproof1        
admonition1  and are of ,ptolemus his   
mind1 who changed the title of          
,heraclides  his book1 from   to  3 as  
if laboriousness  were nothing but an   
ass-like dulness1 making a man crouch   
under every  burden2 but ,god having    
made the ox which treadeth out the corn 
to be  the hieroglyphic of your         
employment1 he doth thereby teach you   
that  labour and patience are so far    
from being a disgrace to you1 that  they
 are necessary qualifications for the   
calling of the ministry1'  7pp4 #c1 #d47
 ,lastly--for we may not linger--take a 
burning and fearless  reproof of the    
lukewarm3 #8,how cowardly and sinfully  
shamefaced1' he  observes1 kindling as  
he advances1 #8are many when they should
 plead  for ,god and truth1 as if their 
own hearts did secretly question the    
reality of religion6 ,how strangely do  
many of the gentry spend their  time6   
,what irreligious1 prayerless families  

do some of them keep1  when they should 
shew better example to the meaner sort2 
and yet how  confidently can they       
censure others for hypocrites--sometime 
unjustly  concluding against the        
strictness of ,god's ways from the      
liberty of  some professors--not        
considering what their own carriage and 
vanity  do testify against themselves6  
,how do we needlessly multiply our      
controversies and disputes6 and with    
what bitterness do we manage them1  even
 when the strife is merely about words  
and method6 and1 generally1  how is the 
name of ,god and religion abused to     
serve the designs of men6  ,what strange
 religious people have we6 ,some must   
needs be religious  by taking up a      
singular conceit and opinion1 though a  
man may easily  see their hearts through
 their lives3 others have all their     
religion  on their tongue's-end3 they   
can have good discourses1 and yet be    
unconscionable in their callings1 shops1
 and trading1' 7pp4 #cc1 #cd47    ,thus 

taking a conspicuous part in all that   
belonged to the interests of  the       
,church of ,christ1 our ,worthy behind  
these went out and in before  his flock 
a #8master-builder1' from ,sabbath to   
,sabbath preaching the  very gospel of  
,jesus ,christ1 with unequalled power1  
pungency1 and  pathos combined1 while he
 drew all hearts to himself2 for he     
acted on  the maxim--                   
#8,all worldly joys go less      ,to the
 one joy of doing kindnesses4'#cc    ,he
 was a large-hearted and open-handed    
man1 as well as a faithful              
#8preacher'--his life an exemplification
 of his teaching4 ,he was1 says  the    
#8,noble' memorial1 #8a gentleman and a 
,christian indeed2 one of  singular     
gravity1 temper1 learning1 and all      
valuable qualifications for  a minister2
 of a good family too1 and an eligible  
estate2 a witness and  an honour to the 
good cause of a further ,reformation1'  
7p4 #ch47 ,and so  he pursued the #8even
 tenor of his way' in his tranquil      

sphere4 ,he had  married shortly after  
coming to ,greystoke2 but1 curiously    
enough1 the  lady's name has not been   
preserved in any of the numerous family 
papers  put into my hands4 ,the         
,greystoke #8,registers' record the     
baptism of two  of his children1        
,william and ,susannah4 ,the #8entries' 
may be given here3--     #8#afeg4       
,september4 ,borne the #eth ,day in ye  
afternoune1 and ye #bc;d day            
,baptized1 ,william1 the ,soune of ,mr  
,richard ,gilpin1 p'son1  parson1   of  
,graistock4     #8#afei4 ,susanna1 ye   
,daughter of ,mr ,gilpin1 p'son1 of     
,graistocke1   was borne ye #agth day of
 ,october1 ,and ,baptized ye #gth of    
,december1   #afei4'cd    ,i have       
described the parish of ,greystoke as   
tranquil2 but even into  it there       
swept--as the sea-swell sweeps into the 
smallest nook of  shore--the ruffle of  
that agitation which pervaded the nation
 in  religious matters2 and1 inasmuch as
 it gives colour and tone to not  a few 

passages of the #8,dmonologia           
,sacra1'--his difficulty with the       
,quakers--to which ,i have made         
reference--falls now to be chronicled4  
,we shall have an after-occasion to     
notice subsequent interviews with  the  
pre-eminently good1 though provoking1   
,quaker missionary-preacher1  ,thomas   
,story4 ,here ,i glean my information   
from the #8,memoir' of a  #8,greystoke' 
celebrity1 ,,henry ,,winder1 ,d4,d4#ce  
,the following1 then1 is  the narrative1
 omitting irrelevant portions3--        
#8,the ,reverend ,richard ,gilpin1      
,m4,d41 was the parish minister of      
,graystock before the ,restoration4444  
,some time before the ,restoration      
,quakerism began to spread in           
,cumberland and ,westmoreland4 ,among   
other  things remarkable in their       
behaviour1 the ,quakers would go into   
the  parish church of ,graystock1 and   
disturb ,dr ,gilpin in the pulpit during
  divine worship4 ,and such were their  
novel phrases and cross questions  and  

answers1 that the ,doctor seemed        
sometimes at a loss what to say  to     
them4 ,upon that1 some of his           
parishioners were stumbled1 withdrew    
from their former communion1 and        
defended the cause of the ,quakers4     
,among others ,henry ,winder was        
seduced1 to the no small grief of good  
,dr  ,gilpin and his friends4 ,a day of 
humiliation and prayer was appointed1   
in which ,dr ,gilpin1 and some of the   
neighbouring ministers1 as well  as some
 of the laity of that parish1 took such 
proper methods as to  recover some that 
had fallen1 and to confirm and establish
 those that  were wavering1 though1     
before that1 the infection had spread   
far and  wide4 ,then was ,henry ,winder 
secretly resolved to comply with the    
desire of ,dr ,gilpin and his church1   
and make some public recantation4  ,but 
these convictions did not last long4    
,for notwithstanding several            
conferences with him1 ,henry ,winder    
openly joined with the ,quakers1 and    

continued among them some years4444     
,henry ,winder and his second wife      
finally left the ,quakers1 returning to 
,dr ,gilpin's church1 in which  they    
afterwards continued4'#cf    ,all this  
goes far to explain the unusual severity
 of the #8,dmonologia  ,sacra' against  
,quakers and ,quakerism--as also the    
#8,agreement'--and  the grave           
classification of #8double meanings1'   
and #8light within1'  c41 c41 among     
evident #8devices' of the ,devil4 ,at   
this later day we  willingly forget the 
eccentricities and vulgarities and      
blunders of  the early followers of     
,,george ,,fox1 and in the spirit of the
 #8,quakers'  ,meeting' of winsome      
,elia1 reverence the service of this    
once powerful  and still honoured and   
altogether inoffensive section of ,god's
 people4    ,with these minor           
#8troubles' now and again annoying      
him1--for they ended  in the setting up 
of ,quaker #8tabernacles' in the        
district1 remains of  which survive     

until now1--the ,rector of ,greystoke   
fulfilled his #8labour  of love1' as a  
good servant of ,jesus ,christ1 until   
the ,restoration4  ,that event found him
 with a mind made up and #8ready' for   
all loss  and sacrifice4 ,unable to     
accept the notorious #8,act' of         
,uniformity1  he anticipated the        
memorable #8,ejection' of #affb by      
withdrawing from  ,greystoke2 whereupon 
the former #8sequestered ,rector        
,morland re-entered  on possession4'    
,we turn to the ,family-,manuscript1#cg 
formerly quoted1 for the  circumstances 
of the resignation4 #8,after the        
,restoration1' observes  ,prebendary    
,gilpin1 #8when ,episcopacy again took  
the lead1 the  ,presbyterian party made 
what stand they were able4 ,but the ,act
  of ,uniformity passed1 and was        
executed with rigour4 ,dr ,gilpin1      
notwithstanding his moderation1 could   
not subscribe it in all its  parts1 and 
therefore resigned his benefice1        
trusting ,god for the  maintenance of   

himself and family1 which consisted of a
 wife and five  children4'#ch    ,the   
good ,rector was not without a home when
 he thus left his beloved               
,greystoke--which was turned into a     
,bochim when his #8parishioners'  looked
 their last upon him4 ,during his       
incumbency he had invested what         
#8monies' he had at his disposal in the 
purchase from the ,musgraves1  of the   
,castle and small estate of ,scaleby    
near ,carlisle--filling up  the amount  
of the purchase-money by a mortgage4    
,thither accordingly  he retired into   
privacy2 but holding with the old       
,nonconformists  the indefeasibility of 
his office as a preacher of the gospel  
by an  ordination more sure than that   
from quasi-apostolic hands1 he was  wont
 to assemble his employs and neighbours 
in a #8great room' of  the old          
,castle--originally a ,border-fortalice 
erected against the  ,scots--and there  
#8preach' to them on the ,sabbaths4#ci  
,moreover1  he resumed his previous     

medical studies and practice1 to the    
great  advantage more especially of the 
poor4 #8,how acceptable1' says our      
,manuscript1 #8his services were among  
the poor people of those parts1  and how
 much they revered him for wisdom and   
sanctity1 appears from  the             
superstitious respect they paid him4    
,during many years after his  death1 it 
was believed among them that he had     
8laid the devil10 as  they phrased it1  
in a morass not far from his house4'#dj 
,besides  these semi-professional       
duties1 he set about improving the      
somewhat  dilapidated castle1 and the   
lands1 more particularly planted trees  
extensively2 the result of which was an 
entire change of the appearance  of the 
estate1 and now the fine woodland within
 which venerable ,scaleby  lifts its    
gray towers1 still worthily held by a   
descendant through the  female line4#da 
,,richard ,,gilpin was too eminent and  
potential a man to be allowed to        
withdraw thus from the stage of public  

events4 ,he had not been long in  his   
retreat when a #8tempting' offer was    
made him of a ,bishopric1 as  ,bernard  
,gilpin had been #8tempted' before him4 
,i recur here again to  our ,manuscript4
 ,following on the passage already given
 we read1 #8,the  king and council      
however seemed to have been apprehensive
 lest this  rigorous step against the   
,presbyterians #8,act of ,uniformity'   
might  have ill consequences4 ,they were
 much inclined therefore to compound    
the matter1 at least1 with some of the  
leaders of the party2 and1 in  this     
view1 three or four bishoprics and many 
superior dignities in the  ,church were 
offered to them4 ,among others1 ,dr     
,gilpin was represented to  the king as 
a person highly esteemed in the         
,northern parts of ,england1  and as a  
man of great moderation4 ,accordingly1  
in filling up the vacant  bishoprics1   
his name was inserted for the see of    
,carlisle3 and it was  not doubted by   
his friends but he would get over the   

few scruples he  had to the ,act of     
,uniformity1 and accept the preferment3 
for he had  always spoken favourably of 
the ,church of ,england1 and considered 
the  line between the two parties with  
regard to their religious sentiments  as
 almost an invisible one4 ,but1 to the  
surprise of his nearest  friends1 he    
declined the offer4'#db ,the #8friends1'
 who so lightly  estimated the          
#8scruples' of the #8retired' ,rector1  
little knew the stamp  of man he was4   
,everything before and subsequent goes  
to shew that ,,dr  ,,gilpin remained a  
,nonconformist1 with1 no doubt1 the same
 reluctance as  ,baxter and ,calamy and 
the rest1--to whom bishoprics had       
similarly been  offered1 and by whom    
they had similarly been promptly        
declined1--but  also from the same deep 
conviction of necessity so long as that 
#8,act'  outraged the truth1 and ignored
 conscience4 ,and so1 as his ancestor1  
,bernard ,gilpin to ,elizabeth1#dc did  
,richard ,gilpin to ,charles ,,ii4      

refuse that mitre which he could not    
have worn unless at the sacrifice  of   
principles which were dearer to him then
 all civil or ecclesiastical  dignities1
 and life itself4#dd ,we have an        
incidental allusion--as ,i  read it--in 
#8,dmonologia ,sacra' to the            
#8temptation1' and the casuistic  pleas 
of the #8friends' alluded to4 ,speaking 
of the #8wiles' of the  ,tempter1 and   
his many snares to induce to sin1 he    
specially notices  this1 that #8he      
extenuates the offence by propounding   
some smaller good  or convenience that  
may follow that evil1' and he continues1
 evidently  speaking from his own       
experience of the #8fiery dart3'        
#8,this1 though it  be a way of arguing 
directly contrary to that rule1 8,do not
 evil that  good may come10 yet it oft  
proves too successful2 and it is like   
that  common stratagem of war when1 by  
the proposal of a small booty in view1  
the enemies are drawn out of their hold 
into a fore-contrived danger4  ,thus    

,satan pleads1 ,this one act of sin may 
put you into a capacity of  honouring   
,god the more4 ,some have admitted      
advancements and dignities  against     
conscience1 upon no better ground1 but  
they might keep out  knaves1 and that   
they might be in a condition to be      
helpful to good  men4 444 ,thus a       
pretended good to come becomes a pander 
to a present  certain iniquity4' ,there 
are other like intimations in the book1 
which  give new significance and a      
strange passion to the words2 but this  
one  must suffice4    ,recurring to our 
,family-,manuscript--which though       
somewhat stilted in  its style1 is      
generally accurate in its facts--we     
reach the next point  in our ,worthy's  
#8,life4' #8,the ,dissenters1' remarks  
the ,prebendary1  #8having now found    
they could get nothing from government  
beyond a  ,toleration1 began to separate
 everywhere into assemblies1 and choose 
pastors of their own2' and so eyes and  
hearts turned toward the ,doctor1       

secluded at ,scaleby4 #8,among other    
places1' the ,narrative proceeds1 #8a   
large congregation united at            
,newcastle-upon-,tyne1 where they built 
a  handsome meeting-house1 and sent an  
invitation to ,dr ,gilpin to be their   
minister2 and though he had now taken   
his measures1 and laid his plan  for a  
life of quiet and repose1 he accepted   
their invitation1 and as  soon as he    
could settle his affairs at ,scaleby1   
removed with his family  to ,newcastle4'
 #8,here1' continues the ,manuscript1   
#8a new scene of life  opened before    
him4 ,hitherto he had lived in a country
 retirement1 both  at ,greystock and at 
,scaleby1 where party prevailed little4 
,but here he  was in the midst of a     
large town1 divided by various opinions1
 where  his candour and moderation had  
an ample field for exercise4 ,in fact1  
,i  have heard it said that his         
meeting-house was a kind of centre of   
unity  among them all4 ,it was          
frequented as much by ,churchmen as     

,dissenters1  and they all found here1  
what was seldom found in the pulpits of 
those  times1 their common ,christianity
 preached1 unsullied by the religious   
contests which everywhere prevailed4    
,his preaching was extremely  pleasing  
and popular4 ,his subject-matter1 his   
language1 his voice1 his  manner1 were  
all engaging1 and made such an          
impression on the people as  was never  
worn out1 but with the lives of his     
contemporaries4'#de    ,gilpin arrived  
in ,newcastle1 as the successor of the  
admirable  ,,samuel ,,hammond1 one of   
the ejected1#df and the spiritual father
  of ,oliver ,heywood1--about #affh-fi1 
that is1 in the crisis of the           
#8troubles' to all who bore the #8mark' 
of ,nonconformity4 ,high-,churchmen     
were #8building-up1' as they deemed it1 
the ,church1 by persecuting             
relentlessly those who dared not        
acquiesce in the #8,act of ,uniformity2'
  and accordingly #8,dissenters' had to 
preach furtively1 even as #8of          

old1'--and all was clamour and          
confusion4 ,one of themselves1 who1 if  
not  of kin1 was1 in wit and wiseness1  
of kind1 in more than name to ,thomas   
,fuller1--thus vividly describes the    
period during which the recluse  of     
,scaleby went to his new charge in      
,newcastle3 #8,i am ashamed1' says      
,ignatius ,fuller1 #8that whilst the    
,jews' temple was building1 there was   
neither hammer1 nor axe1 nor any tool of
 iron heard in the house1--now  when we 
are raising an house to ,him that dwells
 not in temples made  with hands1 we    
should make so much use of iron and     
steel1 and should  reckon guns and      
swords1 flames and fagots amongst our   
means of grace4  ,i am sorry we should  
seem to have more of ,nimrod than       
,solomon in our  building2 that we      
should partake of the curse poured upon 
the workmen  at ,babel--                
8,let's make the brother1      ,the sire
 and son1 not understand each           
other40'#dg    ,thus plunged into the   

midst of all manner of #8oppositions'   
and  intolerance1 ,,richard ,,gilpin1   
for a goodly number of years--as        
,william  ,durant before him--confined  
his #8preaching' to his own private     
house in  ,newcastle4 ,very sad is it to
 come on #8records' such as these from  
the  #8,depositions from the ,castle of 
,york1 relating to offences committed in
  the northern counties in the          
seventeenth century4'#dh ,they may be   
well  left to speak for themselves1     
without a word of comment3--            
#8clxxvi4 ,richard ,gilpin1 ,clerk1 and 
others4 ,for holding a   ,conventicle4  
#8,aug4 #d1 #affi4--;,before ,ralph     
,jenison1 ,mayor of ,newcastle1         
,cuthbert  ,nicholson1 cordyner1        
cordwainer1 saith1 that upon ,sunday    
last1  about five or six of the clock in
 the morneng1 he did see a great  nomber
 of people goe inn to the house of ,mr  
,richard ,gilpyn1 minister1  in the     
,white ,freers1 and afterward1 he went  
to parson ,jon4 ,shaw1 and  acquainted  

him with the premisses4 ,whereupon the  
said ,mr ,shaw togeither  with the      
church-wardens1 constables1 and         
serjeants-at-mace1 by the  comaund of   
,mr ,maor1 did repaire to the said      
,richard ,gilpin's howse4 ,and  when    
they came there all the dores were shutt
 and made fast4 ,and after  the dores   
were broken open1 he did see these      
severall persons come  out1 viz41       
,robert ,johnson1 merchant1 ,dr         
,tunstall1 ,wm4 ,cutter1 ,james         
,hargraves1 merchant1 ,wm4 ,hutchinson1 
,george ,headlyn1 fitter1 ,charles      
,newton1 gent1 ,humphrey ,gill1 gent1   
,jno4 ,bittleston1 tanner1 ,matthew     
,soulsbey1 roper1 ,michaell ,jobling1   
pully-maker1 ,robert ,finley1 chapman1  
and diverse other persons to the nomber 
of fortie4'    ,again3--     #8,the     
information of ,cuthbert ,nicholas1     
cordwainer1 against the persons         
hereinafter named1 for being att        
meetings and conventicles3--,mr         
,richard ,gilping1 ,mr ,william         

,deurant1 ,mr ,john ,pringle1 ,mr ,henry
 ,lever1   preachers1' c4 c4 c4 c4      
,so early as #affc--which would intimate
 that ,gilpin had previously  resided   
and #8preached' in ,newcastle--,bishop  
,cosin wrote to the ,mayor  of          
,newcastle1 telling him to look sharply 
after #8the caterpillars1'  naming as   
the ringleaders1 #8,william ,durant1    
,henry ,leaver1 ,richard  ,gilpin1 and  
,john ,pringle4'#di ,when we consider   
who these men  were--every one a        
#8pattern' of godliness and consuming   
consecration to  the ,master1 and more  
especially that one of them1 viz41      
,gilpin1 had  lately refused to elevate 
himself to a level with ,cosin1 it is   
hard  to repress indignation2 while the 
word of scorn1 #8caterpillars1'  reminds
 one of the ,popish parallel of ,pope   
,alexander1 wondering how the  ,signory 
of ,florence could so far have forgotten
 what was due to him  and to themselves 
as to aid and abet that #8contemptible  
reptile1'  vermicciattolo in offending  

the majesty of the ,holy ,see--the      
#8reptile' being ,,savonarola2 or the   
#8heretici et imperiti homines'  of     
,,salmeron1 as applied to ,augustine and
 ,chrysostom1 ,jerome1 et hoc  genus    
omne4#ej ,very different was the        
#8letter' of ,cosin1 ,bishop of  ,durham
 to the ,mayor1 from that of another    
#8in authority1' who had  also addressed
 to his ,worship of ,newcastle #8a      
letter1' wherein he  had counselled     
amity and forbearance2 so much so1 that 
,mr ,durant and  others of the preachers
 in ,newcastle1 returned him an answer  
of thanks  for his #8inculcated         
exhortations to love the whole flock of 
,christ1  though not walking in the same
 order of the gospel4' ,the writer was  
,,oliver ,,cromwell4#ea           99    
99       99       99       99    ,until 
the #8,indulgence' of #afgb1 ,gilpin    
carried on his #8ministry' in  the      
half-public1 half-hidden1 manner which  
these deplorable acts  indicate4 ,at one
 time he had to leave his own house2 for

 in the ,barnes'  #8,memoirs1' we read1 
#8,when the ,five ,mile ,act came out1  
,dr ,gilpin  lodged at ,mr ,barnes his  
house1 for more security4 ,when his     
goods  were destrained upon1 ,mr        
,barnes--to prevent their being         
squandered  away--replevyed them4' 444  
#8,and when there was a design to banish
 the  ,doctor from ,newcastle1 ,mr      
,barnes1 by persuading the magistrates  
of his  great usefulness in the town1 by
 his skill in physic1 procured him      
quietness to the end of ,king ,charles  
his reign4'#eb ,not however until  #afgb
 was there anything approaching         
#8religious liberty' in ,england1 and   
that only by connivance4 ,until that    
year1 practically1 ,nonconformity  and  
,dissent from the ,church of ,england   
was politically treason1 and            
ecclesiastically #8illegal4'    ,the    
,reader will have noticed that by       
,barnes and others1 our ,worthy is      
designated #8,doctor1' and that this    
stood him in stead on one occasion4     

,but the title was not due technically  
until #afgf4 ,in that year he  proceeded
 to ,leyden--like ,sir ,thomas ,browne  
earlier--and there #8took'  the         
#8degree' of ,m4,d4 ,by the kindness of 
,professor ,j4 ,van ,hoeden of  ,leyden1
 ,i am enabled--for the first time--to  
give the #8record' of it from  the      
#8,inscriptions of the ,students4'#ec   
,it is as follows3--#8,richard  ,gilpin1
 misspelled 8,gulpin10 ,cumbridus1'     
obtained his degrees ,july  #f1         
#afgf--post disputationem privatam de   
,historia ,hysteric ,passionis  medicin 
doctor renunciatus est a clarissimo     
,kraame--and again1 ,richard            
,gilpin--,med4 ,candid41 anno #ej1 apud 
,prof4 ,spinus1 die xxix4 ,junii  #afgf4
 ,this second inscription is only a week
 before #8the promotion1  die vi4 ,julii
 #afgf4' ,gilpin #8lodged' with         
,professor ,spinus during  his brief    
visit4 ,in the list at close of the     
,memoir1 along with his  other          
,writings1 is given the title-page of   

the medical ,dissertation or            
#8,disputation1' which he read on the   
occasion and published4 ,in passing1  ,i
 may remark that the #8,disputation' is 
entirely technical1 so that  there is   
nothing to interest an unscientific     
reader4#ed    ,returned from ,holland as
 ,dr ,,richard ,,gilpin1--and by this   
time married to  his second wife1 a     
daughter of a ,cumberland squire1       
,brisco or ,briscoe  of ,crofton        
,hall1--he gave himself to his work with
 unflagging zeal1  with ever-deepening  
power and influence1 and with most      
gratifying  tokens that he was not      
labouring in vain1 nor spending his     
strength  for nought4 ,he was now in    
#8easy' circumstances4 #8,the purchase1'
  says ,barnes1 #8of the ,lordship of   
,scaleby had put him into debt1 but  he 
now cleared it off1' and ,mr ,barnes    
went with him to ,sir ,richard          
,musgrave1 and got the conveyances      
finished1 and this because #8by the     
encouragement his ministry met with from

 the liberality of the people1  and his 
emoluments by the practice of physic1 he
 had raised a  considerable estate4'#ee 
,he was vigilant as a #8watchman' on the
 walls  of ,zion2 and as he mellowed    
into a beautiful old age1 surrounded by 
a  gifted and affectionate family1 and  
having #8troops of friends1' he came  to
 be the representative man of           
,nonconformity1 so that the #8care' of  
all their churches1 in large measure1   
came upon him4 ,very pleasant must  have
 been those holiday #8escapes' from     
smoky ,newcastle to the sylvan          
solitudes and brightness of ,scaleby1   
which he interposed between his  toils4 
,his ,congregation enormously           
increased--at a bound probably1 for1 on 
the death of ,william ,durant in #afha1 
his #8flock' was received by            
,gilpin4#ef ,accordingly1 in the course 
of years1 he received several           
#8helpers4' ,one was the excellent      
,william ,pell1 ,m4,a41 who1 #8ejected' 
from ,great ,stainton in #affb1 after   

being #8seven years minister of a       
congregation at ,boston1' removed to    
,newcastle1 where1 says ,calamy1 #8he   
became assistant to ,dr ,gilpin1 and    
died there1 aged #fc4' ,this was in     
#afih4eg ,another was ,timothy ,manlove1
 ,m4,d41 who settled at ,pontefract  in 
#afhh1 removed to ,leeds in #afid1 and  
became assistant to ,dr ,gilpin in      
#afih4 ,he died ,august #c1 #afii1 and  
,gilpin preached two #8,sermons' before 
his funeral1 informed by a fine spirit4 
,they were published2 and the           
title-page will be found in our list of 
his ,writings at close4    ,as before   
with the #8,temple ,rebuilt1' it was    
only by constraint that  ,gilpin issued 
these ,sermons--two in one4 #8,the      
following ,discourse1'  he says1 #8was  
preached without the least thought of   
offering it to  public view2 and yet ,i 
was persuaded to yield to the           
publication of  it to prevent the       
printing of more imperfect notes4' ,the 
melancholy  duty interrupted a series of

 ,sermons on #8,striving to enter in at 
the strait gate1' and from ,galatians v4
 #af1 #8,this ,i say then1 ,walk  in the
 ,spirit1 and ye shall not fulfil the   
lust of the flesh2' but1  he continues1 
#8having received an intimation that my 
dear brother  and fellow-labourer1 now  
deceased1 had found such comfort in his 
meditations of this scripture in his    
prospect of death1 that he  expressed   
his desires that his funeral sermon     
might be upon this text1'  ,romans viii4
 #ce-ci1 he had chosen it4 ,i have space
 for only a very  few sentences from    
these #8,sermons' as follow3--8,in all  
these things we  are more than          
conquerors40 ,it is a glorious victory  
to stand in an  evil day when ,satan    
hath drawn up all his forces against us4
 ,it is  a glorious victory not only to 
escape without loss1 but to gain by  his
 opposition4 ,thus we outshoot him in   
his own bow2 and all this1  sine labore 
et sudore1 easily through ,divine       
assistance1 7page #ag47  ,again3 8,we   

are led by the ,spirit0 ver4 #ad4       
,whether we read the sense  backward or 
forward it holds true1 8as many as are  
led by the ,spirit  are the sons of     
,god10 and 8as many as are the sons of  
,god have been and  shall be led by the 
,spirit10 7page #cj47 ,he pays          
affectionate tribute  to his departed   
#8assistants4' #8,it hath pleased ,god  
,almighty and the  all-wise ,disposer of
 all things to make another breach upon 
us4 ,it is  not long since he took ,mr  
,pell from us1 and now he hath called   
home ,mr  ,manlove1 both of them        
excellent men1 worthy ministers of the  
,gospel1  singularly both of them fitted
 with abilities for their work4 ,they   
were successively my dear brethren and  
fellow-labourers in this part  of ,god's
 vineyard4 ,it must be acknowledged that
 it is a stroke to be  lamented3 and if 
we look upon the present ,providence we 
may have some  cause to fear that when  
,god is discharging ,his servants from  
,his work1  and paying them their wages1

 that ,he may shortly break up ,his     
house  with us1' 7page #ba47    ,from   
what must have been a large             
correspondence1 only two letters  of ,dr
 ,,gilpin have come down to us1 in so   
far as known4 ,the one is  an           
unimportant #8note' given in ,horsley's 
#8,life of ,dr ,harle1' 7#hvo1          
#agcj17--not worth reprinting2 the other
 hitherto unpublished1 and of  much     
interest and value1 as shewing how      
staunch and true he was to the  last in 
his ,nonconformity1 and how his one fear
 in his #8old age' was  lest the ,church
 of ,england should absorb his large    
congregation on his  death4    ,this    
,letter is among the ,ayscough ,,mss4   
#dbge in the ,british ,museum           
7,birchiana47 ,we have transcribed it   
verbatim4       #8,,newcastle1 ,decemb4 
#ac #8#ih4     #8,,deare ,,sr1--,since  
,i writ last to you concerning ye       
proposed   correspondence1 ,i received a
 lr from you1 wherein you give answer to
   yr two obiections wch ,i had         

mentioned to you4 ,your lr ,i           
communicated   to ye brethren2 but then 
there arose new mutterings about ye     
designe   of yr late reflections on the 
circular lre1 and they have taken hold  
of ye same advantages against it3 so yt 
at present little is to be   expected of
 any procedure in yt matter till men see
 what will become   of ye publick outcry
 against it4     #8,it hath pleased ,god
 to take from me my deare assistant1 ,mr
 ,pell1 by a   feaver2 we buryed him    
last weeke4 ,it is a sad stroke upon us 
all1 but   it falls at present most     
heavy upon me4 ,ever since his sickness1
 it   became necessary for me 7such are 
our circumstances7 to preach twice      
every ,lord's day1 and ,i must continue 
to do so at least every other   ,lord's 
day for some time1 because there are a  
small party 7and but   a very small one7
 who have formed a designe1 and are now 
encouraged   upon this sad occasion to  
open it4 ,this party were ye few        
remainders   of ,mr ,durant's           

congregation1 who have kept communion   
wth ours in all   ordinances1 wthout    
making any exceptions1 about #ae years2 
but when old   ,mr ,barnes 7their       
politick engineer7 brought home his     
young son ,thomas1   from ,london1 they 
presently shewed their intentions to    
choose him for   their pastor2 but as   
introductory to that they 7in my        
absence7 thrust   him into ye pulpit1   
without so much as asking leave4 ,i was 
silent1   and suffered him to preach in 
ye evenings2 but they being weary of    
that--few people staying to heare       
him--they thought it more conduceable   
to their designe to separate from us1   
and set up at ye ,anabaptists'          
meeting-house2 but no great party would 
follow them1 and now they have   chosen 
him to be their pastor1 though before   
this he had in our pulpit   vented some 
unsound ,crispian notions1 and at last  
had ye confidence   to contradict what  
,i had preached about preparation to    
conversion4   ,for this1 ,i thought it  

necessary to give him a publick rebuke1 
and   to answer his exceptions4 ,that   
theire designe is to worme us out of    
or meeting-house1 and to breake or      
congregation1 is visible to all3   they 
now openly claime ye meeting-house for  
their pastor's use1 7when   he          
pleaseth17 and pretend old ,mr          
,hutchinson 7upon whose ground ye       
house is built7 promised them so much   
when they contributed towards   ye      
charge of building2 but ,mr ,jonathan   
,hutchinson1 his son1 denyes   any such 
promise1 and stands firmly to us1 though
 ,mr ,barnes 7his   father-in-law7      
surprised him wth solicitations2 but we 
offer to repay   them all ye money they 
contributed towards ye building4        
#8,you see1 ,sr1 how much ,i need your  
prayers1 and 7if it could be7   ye      
nomination of a man of parts1 prudence1 
piety1 and authority   to assist me at  
present1 and to succeed me when ,i am   
gone4 ,much   of ye dissenters' interest
 in ye ,north depends upon ye welfare of

   or congregation4 ,the ,episcopall    
party have long since made their        
prognostik1 yt token ,i die1 ye         
congregation will be broken1 and then   
there will be an end of ye dissenters'  
interest in ,newcastle4 ,i pray   give  
my deare love and respects to all ye    
brethren wth you1 and   pardon the      
trouble given by1 ,revd4 sr1 your       
affectionate brother and   servant1     
,,rich4 ,,gilpin4'     ,on the #dth     
page1 folio--,for the ,reverend ,mr     
,richard ,stratton1 minister   of ye    
gospel1 at the house1 ,hatton ,garden1  
in ,london4    ,we have little more to  
tell of the author of ,dmonologia       
,sacra4  ,he survived his estimable     
#8assistant' ,manlove but a short time4 
,but to the last he was #8in harness4'  
,looking over old ,papers he  came upon 
a ,sermon which he had preached so far  
back as #8#affj1' at  the #8,assize' in 
,carlisle1 revised and published it2 and
 it bears  the same date of #8#agjj' as 
his own death3 so that1 like ,sibbes1 he

  must have had proof-sheets passing    
through his hands very near #8the  end4'
 ,the #8,epistle' or #8,preface'        
prefixed is as terse and effective  as  
ever2 and the #8,sermon' itself manly1  
outspoken1 faithful1 and  truly         
characteristic of the man4 ,the         
title-page will be found in our         
list4#eh ,this #8,sermon' having been   
preached before ,judge ,twisselton  and 
,serjeant ,bernard and the #8gentry'    
present at the ,assize1 is  specially   
searching on #8sins' in #8high places1' 
for ,gilpin acted on  the sentiment of  
,edward ,boteler1 who1 in his own quaint
 way1 says of  ,earl ,mulgrave1 #8,he   
knew what great evils evil great ones   
are2 that they  have many followers1 go 
they whither they will1 and seldom go to
 hell  alone4' ,as after1 p4 #dh4 ,i    
detach a single #8particular' from this 
weighty ,sermon3--#8,if magistrates     
advance not the throne of ,christ1 they 
commonly prove furious against it1 and  
plagues of ,god's people4 ,if this      

proceed from a careless blockish temper1
 then judgment of itself will           
degenerate into gall1 and the 8fruit of 
righteousness into hemlock40  ,justice1 
like water1 purifies itself by motion1  
when it 8runs down  like a stream30 if  
it be a standing water1 it corrupts1 and
 corruptio  optimorum pessima4 ,if this 
neglect proceed from enmity to ,christ1 
then1 seeing they have the greatest     
advantages in their hands to do  evil1  
they may 8establish wickedness by a     
law30 they can 8push with  the horn1 and
 tread down the pasture with their      
feet40 ,ezek4 xxxiv4  #ah4 8,when the   
wicked beareth rule1 the people mourn40 
,prov4 xxix4 #b4  ,or if it proceed from
 apostasy1 then 8the revolters are      
profound to  make slaughter40 ,hosea v4 
#bg4 ,and this happens not so much from 
the  churlish and cruel dispositions of 
men1 as from ,god's giving them up      
judicially to rage against ,his ways1   
either as a scourge to his people1  or  
in order to their own ruin4 ,hence it is

 noted that the cruellest  persecutions 
were set on foot by emperors1 sometimes 
of the best parts1  and most civil      
dispositions1 as ,antoninus             
,philosophus1 ,trajan1 ,severus1        
,decius1 c4 ,magistrates are for the    
most part like the prophet's figs1      
either very good or very bad3 they are  
the heads of the people1 and  all       
diseases in the head are dangerous2 so  
when the leprosy appeared  in the head  
deeper than the skin1 the party was     
pronounced utterly  unclean1' 7pp4 #ac1 
#ad47    ,calamy and ,mr ,thompson of   
,stockton thus record the #8good man's  
end3'--#8,he went1' says the former1    
#8into the pulpit the last time he was  
in it under a feverish indisposition1   
and preached from #b ,cor4 v4 #b1  8,for
 in this we groan1 earnestly10 c42 and  
to the surprise of all1 he  rather      
#8groaned' than spake this sermon4 ,the 
lungs being at that time  too tender for
 work1 his disease seized that part1 and
 he was brought  home in a              

peripneumonia1 which in ten days put a  
period to his  life4'#ei ,mr ,thompson1 
in his #8,diary1'#fj thus writes3--#8,dr
 ,gilpin1  yt eminent servant of ,god1  
died much lamented by all1 on 7,tuesday7
  ,feb4 #ac1 #afii_/agjj1 about eight   
o'clock in ye morning4'#fa ,he was      
interred in the churchyard of ,all      
,saints1 ,newcastle4 ,and the following 
is the #8entry' in its ,register of     
,burials3--#8#afii  #afii-agjj ,feb4    
#af4  ,rich4 ,gilpin1 doctor of         
physick4'#fb ,the #8scutcheon of the    
#8,kentmere'  ,gilpins was placed on his
 coffin4 ,he left a widow1 who retired1 
as her  husband had asked1 with her     
family1 to ,scaleby ,castle4    ,from   
point to point of our ,memoir1 it has   
been our endeavour to bring  out the    
character of ,dr ,gilpin under his      
varying circumstances2 so  that1 unless 
,i have failed more than ,i can suppose1
 my ,readers must  by this time--even   
out of the scanty material which has    
been left to  us--have formed an idea of

 him1 such as will bear me out1 ,i      
anticipate1  in characterising him      
summarily as a man of no ordinary type1 
large of  soul1--with the spaciousness  
of genius that has been                 
hallowed1--strong  and inevitable in his
 convictions1 quick and sensitive in    
conscience1  intense and full of        
momentum in whatever he undertook2 and1 
as his  #8,dmonologia ,sacra' proves1   
profound1 sagacious1 keen in his        
scrutiny  of human and                  
celestial-demoniac problems1 and one who
 must have carried  sunshine with him   
wherever he went4 ,his                  
portrait--preserved in ,nova  ,scotia by
 a descendant1 ,dr ,gilpin of           
,halifax--as engraved in the earlier    
edition of ,palmer1 shews the liquid eye
 of genius1 the mobile lip1  the brow   
compact and packed of brain1 a nose     
somewhat audacious1 and  a touch of     
sauciness in the chin1 while the long   
cavalier-like curled  #8locks' of his   
wig seem to proclaim the lord of the    

manor of ,scaleby  as much as the       
,preacher2 for as ,edward ,boteler puts 
it of another1  with ,fullerian         
alliteration1 #8,though he was very     
humble1 yet he knew  how to be a man and
 no worm1 as well as when to be 8a worm 
and no man40  ,he knew when to lay his  
honour in the dust1 and when to let no  
dust be  upon his honour4'#fc    ,i     
would now bring together several        
#8estimates' of our ,worthy by those    
who knew him well1 and thus could form  
an accurate judgment concerning  him4   
,first of all1 ,i am fortunate enough to
 be able to give1 from  an old1 worn1   
and weather-stained holograph preserved 
by ,prebendary  ,gilpin1 a quaint       
#8,poem1' which probably represents in  
portions of it  the inscription placed  
on his #8monument'--long since mouldered
 away4  ,here it is1 rude and halting in
 rhyme and rhythm1 but biographically   
interesting3--                     ,,to 
,,the ,,memory ,,of ,,ye ,,excellent    
,,dr ,,gilpin4        ,in mournfull     

numbers ,i did weep of late1            
,criton the wise1#fd and sweet          
,philander's fate1#fe      ,and         
,calvus1#ff to ye learned world well    
known4      ,oppress'd and wth repeated 
grief borne down1      ,palmon's#fg     
death succeeding struck me dumb1        
,my tears were all ,i offer'd at his    
tomb4        ,thus th' ,eastern sage#fh 
wth wondrous patience bore      ,thrice 
dismal news1 but he could bear no more1 
,did weep1 fall down1 and silently      
adore4      ,my trouble now swells o'er1
 and artless strays1      ,where nature 
yields1 and passion leads ye ways4      
,thou man of peace6 born in our publick 
rage1      ,designed to correct ye giddy
 age3      ,thy solid judgment did      
resist ye flame1      ,in midst of civil
 fury still ye same4      ,when the     
grave world run madly uniform1          
,serene within thou weather'd out ye    
storm4      ,the miter thou refused with
 a brow      ,wch calmness shew'd1 and  
resolution too4      ,esteemed by ye    

good1 by ill men fear'd1      ,by ye    
wise admired1 and followed by ye herd4  
,ev'n ,satan did trembling on thy       
lectures wait1      ,when thou display'd
 his mysteries of state4      ,begg'd   
leave to plague thee1 but he begg'd in  
vain1      ,vowing revenge upon ye      
list'ning train4        ,great prophet6 
who could'st prudently dispense1        
,with a becoming warmth1 substantial    
sense2      ,in such a manner thou thy  
,god addrest      ,as both thy rev'rence
 and thy wants exprest4      ,thy zeal  
was not confined to th' sacred chair1   
,but bright through all thy actions did 
appear4      ,thy spotless life thy     
doctrine best apply'd1      ,truth      
recommending wch thou first had try'd4  
,our honour and defence#fi with thee    
depart1      ,the gift of preaching and 
ye healing art4                         
,j4 ,h4        ,artes infernas ,divin   
,gilpinus arte        ,detexit1 vicit1  
jam requiescit ovans4                   
,id4        ,presbyterm prses1 prco     

optimus1 et medicin        ,doctor      
,gilpinus1 conditur hoc tumulo4         
,t4 ,p4    ,fitly accompanying this     
#8elegy' and--as verse little superior  
but--similarly valuable as a            
#8testimony1' come the lines of ,dr     
,harle1  which ,horsley thus            
prefaces3--#8,i have oft heard him      
mention the severe  shock the death of  
,dr ,gilpin gave him4' ,his tribute to  
,gilpin occurs  in a #8copy of verses   
upon the death of the ,rev4 ,john       
,turnbull of ,north  ,shields4' ,it is  
as follows3--        #8,how oft have we 
with admiration hung      ,on the       
angelic ,gilpin's pow'rful tongue1      
,who in perfection had the mighty art1  
,to form the soul and captivate the     
heart2      ,pour ,gospel balm into the 
wounded soul1      ,and vengeance on the
 harden'd conscience rowl4      ,when he
 hell's gloomy stratagems did clear#gj  
,man ceased1 and ,satan then began to   
fear      ,his empire's utter ruin      
drawing near4      ,great man6 whom     

goodness did to greatness raise1        
,nor forced applause1 nor warmly courted
 praise4      ,the tempting dignity he  
did despise      ,made him more glorious
 still in good men's eyes4'#ga          
7,as before1 pp4 #bj1 #ba47    ,i have  
next to set forth the famous #8story' of
 ,,thomas ,,story the  ,quaker          
missionary-preacher--of his interviews  
with ,dr ,gilpin2 wherein  it will be   
seen he shews the deepest respect for   
him1 albeit in  his                     
self-opinionativeness unconvinced of the
 erroneous tendency of  his #8views' and
 practice4 ,these #8notes' are found in 
a folio that  has now gone out of sight1
 and become among the rarest of rare    
,quaker books4#gb ,the narrative is too 
tedious for reproduction in  full2 but a
 specimen will interest4 ,having told of
 his conversion  to the principles of   
,quakerism1 and more especially of the  
result  of the reading of #8three small 
books1' he goes on3 #8,some time  after 
this1 #afia1 ,dr ,gilpin1 before        

mentioned1 sent his son1 a              
counsellor-at-law1 under whom ,i had    
been initiated into the study  of the   
law1 and who was one of those at the    
tavern aforesaid1 and  still retained a 
great affection for me--to invite me to 
his house  at ,scaleby ,castle1 and     
desired to see some of the ,quakers'    
books1  supposing ,i had been imposed   
upon by reading them2 and ,i sent him1  
as ,i remember1 all that ,i had4 ,soon  
after ,i had parted with these  books1  
,i observed a cloud come over my mind   
and an unusual concern2  and therein the
 two sacraments--commonly so            
termed--came afresh into my             
remembrance1 and divers scriptures and  
arguments pro and con3 and  then ,i was 
apprehensive the ,doctor was preparing  
something of that  sort to discourse me 
upon2 and ,i began to search out some   
scriptures  in defence of my own        
sentiments on those subjects3 but as ,i 
proceeded  a little in that work ,i     
became more uneasy and clouded3 upon    

which  ,i laid aside the ,scripture and 
sat still1 looking towards the ,lord    
for counsel4 ,for ,i considered the     
,doctor as a man of great learning1     
religious in his way1 an ancient        
preacher and writer too1 famous in      
,oliver's time1 and a 8throne0 among his
 brethren3 and that he might  advance   
such subtilties as ,i could not readily 
confute nor would  concede to1 as       
knowing them erroneous1 though ,i might 
not be suddenly  furnished with         
arguments to demonstrate their fallacy2 
and so might  receive hurt4 ,and then it
 was clear in my understanding that as  
he was  in his own will and strength1   
though with a good intent1 in his own   
sense1 searching the letter of the      
,scripture1 and depending upon  that and
 his own wisdom1 acquirements1 and      
subtilty1 leaning to his  own spirit and
 understanding1 ,i must decline that way
 and trust in the  ,spirit of ,christ1  
the divine ,author of the ,holy         
,scriptures4 ,and as  this caution was  

presented in the life and virtue of     
truth1 ,i rested  satisfied therein1 and
 searched no further on that occasion4  
,when ,i  went to his house1 he entered 
into a discourse on those subjects2 and 
had such passages of ,scripture folded  
down as he purposed to use4 ,and  when  
,i observed it1 ,i was confirmed that my
 sight of him in my own  chamber at     
,carlisle1 and of his work some days    
before1 was right1 as  if1 to           
intercalate a remark1 it needed         
prescience to foretell that the         
,doctor's appeal would be #8to the ,law 
and to the ,testimony'66 and  my mind   
was strengthened thereby4 ,but before he
 began to move upon  the subject1 he    
dismissed every other person out of the 
room1 so that  himself and ,i remained  
alone4 ,the first thing he said was1 in 
a calm  manner1 to admonish me to be    
very cautious how ,i espoused the errors
  of the ,quakers2 for he had heard of  
late and with concern that ,i had  been 
among them1 or seemed to incline that   

way4 ,i answered that ,i had  not been  
much among them1 nor seen any of their  
books but those ,i had  sent him1 and   
knew not of any errors they held4 ,yes1 
said he1 they  deny the ordinances of   
,christ1 the two sacraments--,baptism   
and the ,lord  s ,supper2 and then      
opened his book his6 at one of his      
down-folded  leaves1 where he read thus1
 #a ,cor4 i4 #b1 xi4 #bc1 #bf4444' ,now 
follows  the usual delusive appeals     
beyond the #8letter1' as #8carnal1' and 
all  the unconsciously-blaspheming1     
#8setting-aside1' of plain words that   
reveal #8the mind of the ,spirit1'      
commingled with a simple-minded         
self-superiority which need not be      
illustrated4 ,very patient and          
wonderingly-silent must have been the   
,doctor with his undoubtedly pious  and 
acute1 but most perverse1 visitor4 ,he  
thus closes1 #8,the ,doctor  did not    
oppose this1 about prayer1 but only said
 ,i had given him  better satisfaction  
on that point than he had found in the  

book2 and  afterwards he was much more  
free and familiar with me than before1  
or  than ,i expected3 and so we parted  
in friendship1 and ,i returned in  peace
 and gladness1'#gc 7pp4 #da-de47    ,but
 by far the most important1 as it is the
 most elaborate1 #8estimate'  of our    
,worthy1 is that of ,calamy1 who1       
usually marked by judicial calm1  and   
chary of praise1 glows and burns in the 
fulness of his admiration4  ,the fervour
 of his eulogy of ,gilpin contrasts with
 his usual  matter-of-fact statements1  
and surprises by its suddenness and     
passion4  ,with this ,i shall close     
those personal tributes by              
contemporaries4 ,thus  the #8,account'  
under #8,grastoke' runs3--    #8,richard
 ,gilpin1 ,m4,d4 ,he was designed by    
,god for great work in his  church1 and 
was singularly qualified for it4 ,he had
 a large share of  natural abilities1   
which he had wonderfully improved by an 
unwearied  industry and long and hard   
study1 so that there was scarce anything

  that accomplished a man1 a scholar1 a 
physician1 or divine1 but he  possessed 
it in great perfection4    #8,his       
stature was of the middle sort1 rather  
inclining to the lesser  size2 but his  
presence was far from being mean4 ,there
 was a pleasing  mixture of majesty and 
sweetness1 affableness and gravity in   
his  aspect4 ,he could readily set his  
countenance to a severity or mildness   
as the business or persons he had to do 
with required2 and he did it  not by any
 artificial affectation1 but naturally  
and with ease1 in such  a way as kept up
 the dignity of his profession1 and to  
such an end as  made religion both more 
awful and more alluring4    #8,he had a 
delicate1 fine1 and polite fancy1       
expressing itself in a  plenty of words1
 which gave clear and lively images of  
things1 and kept  up the life1 strength1
 and elegancy of the ,english tongue4   
#8,his memory was strong and faithful1  
and gave back with great exactness  what
 he committed to it1 though it was a    

treasury of very great  reading1 and    
filled with variety of matter in several
 sciences4    #8,to these was added a   
most penetrating1 discerning judgment4  
,this  enabled him in reading to choose 
well1 and to form a just opinion of  the
 sentiments of others1 which was always 
with that candour as made  another      
considerable addition to his many       
excellences4    #8,he had so well       
digested all necessary parts of learning
 that he had  them in readiness when he 
needed them4 ,he used such things in    
their  proper place1 and adorned his    
discourses with them as there was       
occasion2 and was able to make that     
which was little else but pageantry     
appear with a due gracefulness and      
beautiful in its season4    #8,as he had
 a rich fund of sense1 learning1        
experience1 and reading to  fit him for 
a divine1 so he had all the             
qualifications necessary for a  preacher
 in the highest degree that can well be 
thought attainable4 ,the  several       

endowments that make a man a true1      
divine1 orator did jointly  meet in him4
    #8,he had a voice strong enough to  
command the most usual public places  of
 divine worship4 ,it was piercing and   
sweet1 and naturally well  modelled4 ,he
 had the true skill of fixing an accent 
upon particular  words where the matter 
needed it4 ,there was a force attended  
his way  of speaking without an undue   
transport4 ,he was vigorous and         
vehement1  but under great conduct4 ,his
 expressions were conceived and his     
sermons  delivered without the use of   
notes3 and he was qualified for that way
  of preaching4 ,his pregnant memory1   
his ready invention1 his great  presence
 of mind1 his natural fluency1 that made
 him able to speak well  and gracefully1
 with ease and assurance1 entitled him  
to it4 ,he could  clothe any matter in  
apt words1 with all the ornaments of a  
regular  elocution4 ,he fell neither    
into too swift an utterance1 nor was    
forced  upon any unbecoming1 unguarded  

expressions4 ,there was no restraint    
upon his delivery by being thus managed4
 ,it made him only capable of  speaking 
what he did with much greater warmth and
 life and decency of  gesture4 ,it had  
all the smoothness of style and         
propriety of words to  make it          
acceptable4 ,it had all the graces of   
natural oratory1 all the  decencies of  
behaviour to recommend it4 ,and that    
which completed all1  it came from a    
serious mind1 the concern of which was  
visibly to be  read both in his         
countenance and expressions4 ,he spoke  
from his very  heart1 as appeared       
sometimes in the force of his words1    
sometimes  in his tears1 and usually in 
both4 ,he spake with solemnity and      
seriousness1 with gravity and majesty1  
and yet with so much meekness  mixed    
with all1 as declared him to be a man of
 ,god and ambassador of  ,christ4 ,there
 was a lively air of delivery1 a sacred 
vehemence of  affection in what he      
spake1 that were very much his peculiar 

talent4  ,he knew how to temper his     
discourses with due motion4 ,his        
gestures  were admirably taking and     
graceful1 and further expressive of what
 he  was delivering4 ,in prayer he was  
likewise most solemn and fervent1 and   
usually expressed himself much in       
,scripture language1 and with a flood   
of affection4 ,the very fountains of it 
seemed in the performance of  that duty 
to be broken up and the great deep of it
 opened4 ,it often  forced him to       
silence for a little till it had flowed 
out at his eyes4  ,in his pulpit        
discourses he was a very great example1 
both as to  the design and method of    
them4 ,his design was vast and noble in 
the  ordinary course of his preachings4 
,he usually proposed some subject1  and 
pursued it on various texts4 ,every head
 with its enlargements was  closely     
studied1 and his particulars under each 
general were admirably  chosen4 ,if he  
had ever so many1 none could be wanting2
 if never so few1  there seemed to need 

no more4 ,in the handling of any        
subject1 after  he had explained and    
proved what he had undertaken1 with a   
great deal  of clearness and affection1 
he was most plain1 familiar1 and moving 
in his applications4 ,his way in these  
was another particular talent  that he  
had4 ,in all his uses he was excellent1 
but mostly so in his  exhortations4 ,he 
made them as so many set discourses of  
persuasion4  ,they were delivered with  
most address and greatest warmth and    
vigour4  ,he entered upon them usually  
with some rousing1 lively preface to    
gain attention1 and then offered his    
motives1 which were prosecuted  with the
 most pungent expressions4 ,here his    
earnestness increased1  together with   
his voice1 and the vehemency of it4 ,he 
had a feeling  apprehension of the      
importance of what he was then urging   
upon his  hearers1 and every word was   
big with concern of mind4 ,he affected  
an  elaborate eloquence at no time1 but 
least of all then4 ,in easy but  moving 

expressions1 and with a distinguishing  
he would plead with  sinners sometimes  
for a whole sermon together1 without    
flagging in his  affections or suffering
 his attentive hearers to do it in      
theirs4 ,he  was a man of a             
distinguishing knowledge and experience 
in the mysteries  of ,christianity2 and 
of a discerning spirit in understanding 
a work  of grace upon the hearts of     
others4 ,with a clear head and searching
  skill in divine things1 he had a      
sincere and warm heart4 ,the fire of    
zeal and the light of knowledge         
accompanied one another4 ,he kept up a  
serious temper at all times and in all  
places and company1 without much        
discernible alteration or abatement2 but
 this did not in the least sour  his    
disposition1 which was cheerful1 though 
thinking and solid4 ,his  skill in      
government appeared in the managing a   
numerous congregation  of very different
 opinions and tempers4 ,his integrity1  
modesty1  and contempt of the world1 in 

refusing the bishopric of ,carlisle1  as
 another of the family 7,mr ,bernard    
,gilpin7 had done before him1  consonant
 to their motto1 dictis factisque       
simplex4 ,the care of the  churches lay 
upon him4 ,his unblamable character had 
obtained amongst  all but those whose   
ill-nature would suffer them to speak   
well of none  who differed from them4   
,he was much respected by many for the  
good he  had done them as a physician4  
,among persons of rank and quality in   
the  parts where he lived1 all necessary
 means were scarce thought to have  been
 used if he had not been consulted4 ,he 
went about doing good to  the souls and 
bodies of men4 ,this world was not in   
his eye1 none could  charge him with    
anything like covetousness4'    ,be it  
remembered that these are the #8words'  
in every case1 of men who  knew not to  
flatter1 and spake out of #8perfect     
knowledge4' ,above all1  be it specially
 remembered that ,i have been quoting   
from no #8,funeral  ,sermon1' with its  

almost inevitable exaggerations4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,it only remains that ,i give a complete
 annotated list of the extant  writings 
of ,dr ,gilpin1 arranged chronologically
 as published1 also an  account of the  
manuscript of ,dmonologia ,sacra1 and   
the destruction  of other ,,mss4    ,i4 
,the ,agreement of the ,associated      
,ministers and ,churches of the         
,counties of ,cumberland and            
,westmerland sic44 ,with something for  
,explication and ,exhortation annexed4  
,london3 ,printed by ,t4 ,l41 for       
,simon ,waterson1 and are sold at the   
sign of the ,globe1 in ,paul's          
,churchyard1 and by ,richard ,scot1     
,bookseller in ,carlisle4 #afef4 ,pp4   
#ei4  #dto4      ,in the copy of above  
in ,st ,patrick's 7,cathedral7 ,library1
 7,marsh's17   at p4 #eb1 there is a    
careful correction in ,gilpin's         
autograph of   ,carolostadius for       
,oecolompadius1 which itself confirms   
the authorship4   ,there is no name on  

title-page or elsewhere2 but ,calamy    
gives it in   his enumeration4 ,account1
 vol4 ii4 p4 #aeg4    ,,ii4 ,the ,temple
 ,rebuilt3 a ,discourse on ,zachery vi4 
#ac4 ,preached at  a ,generall ,meeting 
of the ,associated ,ministers of the    
,county of  ,cumberland1 at ,keswick1   
,may #ai4 ,by ,richard ,gilpin1 ,pastor 
of the ,church  at ,graistock1 in       
,cumberland4 ,london3 ,printed by ,e4   
,t41 for ,luke ,fawne1  at the ,parrot1 
in ,paul's ,churchyard1 and are to be   
sold by ,richard  ,scott1 ,bookseller in
 ,carlisle4 #afeh4 #dto4 ,ep4 ,dedy41   
pp4 #f1 and #dj4 ,on  reverse of        
title-page is this note3 #8,we1 the     
,associate ,ministers of  the ,county of
 ,cumberland1 do earnestly desire our   
reverend brother1 ,mr  ,richard ,gilpin1
 to print his acceptable ,sermon        
preached this day at our  ,generall     
,meeting4      ,,timothy ,,tullie1      
,modr4 pro ,temp4    ,,john ,,jackson1  
,scribe4'      ,my own copy has         
inscribed in ,gilpin's autograph1 #8,ex 

dono   ,authoris1' and again misprints  
are carefully corrected4    ,,iii4      
,disputatio ,medica ,inauguralis de     
,hysterica ,passione1 quam ,prside  ,deo
 ,opt4 ,max4 ex autoritate magnifici ,d4
 ,rectoris ,d4 ,johannis ,coccii1  in   
,inclyt ,lugd4 ,batav4 ,academia        
,eloquenti et ,historiarum ,professoris 
celeberrimi nec non amplissimi ,senats  
,academici1 ,consensu et ,alm           
,facultatis ,medic ,decreto1 ,pro ,gradu
 ,doctoratus1 ,summisque in ,medicina   
,honoribus ac ,privilegiis legitime     
obtinendis1 ,eruditorum examini         
subjicit ,richardus ,gilpin1 ,anglus    
,cumbriens4 ,die #f ,julii1 loco        
horisque  solitis1 ante merid4 ,lugduni 
,batavorum1 ,apud ,viduam et ,haeredes  
,johannis ,elsevirii ,academi           
,typograph4 #afgf4 #dto4 ,pp4 #h4       
,the following is the dedication to his 
7second7 father-in-law3   #8,celeberrimo
 et virtute maxime conspicuo viro       
,gulielmo ,brisco de   ,crofton1 in     
,comitatu ,cumbri ,armigero1 ,socero suo

 venerando4 ,hanc   ,disputationem      
,inauguralem observanti signum offert et
 inscribit   ,richardus ,gilpin4'       
,,iv4 ,dmonologia ,sacra4 #afgg4 #dto4  
,see our reprint1 pp4 #b1 #g1 #abf1     
#cab1 for general and special           
title-pages4      ,in our #8,prefatory  
,note1' ,i have characterised this the  
most   important of ,gilpin's works1 and
 add here a little from the ,barnes'    
#8,memoirs1' 7as before17 and from one  
well capable of pronouncing an          
opinion4 #a4 ,barnes3 #8,what had       
greatly raised ,dr ,gilpin's fame was   
his treatise of 8,satan's ,temptations10
 which1 in imitation of a book   of     
,king ,james ,i41 he entitled           
8,dmonologia ,sacra10 the largest and   
completest of any extant upon that      
subject4 ,being out of print1 both   it 
and an account of its author1 and others
 of his writings1 may be   given the    
world when his posterity think it       
convenient1 7pp4 #ade1   #adf47 #b4     
,john ,ryland1 ,m4,a43 #8,if ever there 

was a man that was clearly   acquainted 
with the cabinet-councils of hell1 this 
author is the man1'   in his #8,cotton  
,mather4'    ,v4 ,the ,comforts of      
,divine ,love3 ,preached upon the       
,occasion of the much  ,lamented ,death 
of the ,reverend ,mr ,timothy ,manlove4 
,with his ,character1  done by another  
,hand4 ,london4 #agjj4 #abmo4 ,epistle1 
pp4 #b4 ,character1  pp4 #d4 ,sermons1  
pp4 #df4      ,the ,williams' copy is   
marked contemporaneously #8#afth        
,january #afii4'   ,prefixed is a       
portrait of ,dr ,manlove--for1 like     
,gilpin and ,pringle1 he   too was an   
,m4,d4--by ,vander ,gucht4    ,,vi4 ,an 
,assize ,sermon1 ,preached before ,judge
 ,twisselton and ,serg4  ,bernard at    
,carlisle1 ,september the #ajth1 ,anno  
#affj4 ,and ,now ,publish'd  and        
,recommended to the ,magistrates of the 
,nation1 as a ,means1 by ,god's         
,blessing1 to quicken them to a serious 
,pursuit of the ,honourable and  truly  
,religious ,design1 for the ,reformation

 of ,manners1 which is now  on foot1 and
 ,countenanced by the ,nobility1        
,bishops1 and ,judges1 in  the late     
,account of the ,societies for the      
,reformation of ,manners1 and  applauded
 by the ,serious and ,religious ,men of 
all ,persuasions4 ,by ,r4  ,gilpin1 now 
,minister of the ,gospel in             
,newcastle-upon-,tyne4 ,london3         
,printed for ,tho4 ,parkhurst1 at the   
,bible and ,three ,crowns1 near ,mercers
  ,chapple2 and ,sarah ,burton1         
,bookseller at ,newcastle4 #agjj4 #dto4 
,i have now to notice the ,,manuscripts 
of ,gilpin4 ,by the courtesy of  the    
,rev4 ,bernard ,gilpin1 ,bengeo1        
,hertford1 ,i have had confided to me   
the original holograph of #8,dmonologia 
,sacra1' and in our reprint  ,i have    
found it clearing up occasional         
misprints and mis-pointings4  ,the ,,ms4
 is not complete2 the collation is as   
follows3 ,general title  and three      
special titles1 pp4 #c4 ,to the ,reader1
 pp4 #f1 signed #8,rich4  ,gilpin4'     

,treatise on to ,part ,,ii41 page #bee1 
7in our edition17 ending  in line #bast 
from top1 #d disquieting4' ,the         
penmanship is clear and  legible1 with  
few erasures1 and having a margin on    
either side4 ,on the  top of the page   
whereon ,part ,i4 begins1 there is the  
date1 #8,newcastle1  ,july #i1 #afga4'gd
 ,further3 ,calamy1 in his #8,account1' 
thus mentions a  manuscript treatise of 
which he had heard3 #8,among other      
things he  hath left behind him in      
manuscript1 a valuable ,treatise        
concerning  ,the ,pleasantness of the   
,ways of ,religion2 and in whatsoever   
hands it  lies1 it is pity but it should
 see the light1' 7vol4 ii4 p4 #aeg47 ,it
  is to be lamented that this appeal was
 not responded to1 as ,prebendary       
,gilpin records sorrowfully its loss as 
follows3 #8,among his other papers  was 
found a treatise of considerable length1
 prepared1 as it seemed1  for the press1
 8,on the ,pleasures of ,religion40     
,this ,,ms41 and several  other ,,mss4  

of ,dr ,gilpin's1 consisting chiefly of 
heads and divisions  of sermons1 from   
which he used commonly to preach1 fell  
into the hands  of the author of this   
memoir2 and being deposited in a box    
with  other papers1 and placed in the   
corner of a closet1 were attacked by    
what is commonly called dry damp1 and   
were almost entirely spoiled4  ,if      
anything had been interposed between the
 bottom of the box and  the floor so as 
to have suffered the air to circulate1  
the mischief  had been prevented2' and  
what levity in the custodier of so      
precious  a legacy that this little care
 was neglected4 ,mr ,gilpin of ,juniper 
,green writes me concerning these       
spoiled ,,mss43 #8,nevertheless i4e41   
notwithstanding their utter destruction 
by the dry-rot my mother kept  the      
fragments all the days of her life with 
great veneration4 ,but now  these       
relics--they were little better than    
ashes--of our ancestor have  perished4' 
,i have thus done my best to revivify   

the story of ,,richard ,,gilpin1 ,his   
highest #8record' is #8on high2' but    
those who love the memory of our        
,worthy1 will1 it is hoped1 accept      
kindly our endeavours to keep his  grave
 green1 and to import1 so to speak1     
personality to the name in an  old      
title-page--of one who did valiant      
service for ,the ,master3               
#8,sword and spear he might not wield1  
,but with faith his heart to shield1    
,marched he to the                      
battle-field4'--#8,paradisus ,anim4'    
,and so ,i close with like verses by    
leal-hearted ,sir ,egerton ,brydges3    
#8,his tongue1 the ,spirit's two-edged  
sword1        ,had magic in its blade2  
,for while it smote with every word1    
,it healed the wounds it made4          
,yet1 who so humbly walked as he1       
,a conqueror in the field2              
,wreathing the rose of victory          
,around his radiant shield6'            
,,alexander ,b4 ,,grosart4              
,,liverpool4      ,,appendix ,,to       

,,memoir4    ,a4--,page xvi4--,,ancestry
 ,,and ,,descendants ,,of ,,the         
,,gilpins4    ,the different #8,county' 
,historians1 and ,works on the old      
families of  ,england1 give more or less
 full details concerning the ,gilpins in
 all  their many branches4 ,the #8,arms'
 are ,or1 a boar passant sable1 armed   
and tusked ,gules4 ,a fine book-plate of
 this adorns ,prebendary ,gilpin's      
,family ,manuscript4 ,these #8,arms' are
 hereditarily understood to have  been  
derived from the fact that a ,richard de
 ,gylpyn or ,gilpin--who is  regarded as
 the founder of the house--killed a wild
 boar which had  infested the           
neighbourhood of ,kentmere1 in the reign
 of ,king ,john4 ,see  ,nicholson and   
,burns' #8,antiquities of ,westmoreland 
and ,cumberland1'  7as before17 vol4 i4 
pp4 #ace-acg4 ,this is confirmed by ,sir
 ,daniel  ,fleming's ,collection of     
,pedigrees1 in the possession of ,sir   
,w4 ,fleming  of ,rydal1 ,co4 ,westm4   
,bart4 ,a4,d4 #agac2 and is given by    

,bishop ,carleton  in his ,life of      
,bernard ,gilpin4 ,from these           
authorities1 and various  other ,family 
documents1 ,i construct this genealogy  
of the elder ,house3--    #a4 ,richard  
444 founder4 ,he a son1 #b4 ,william1   
who married a daughter of  ,thomas      
,ayray1 bailiff of ,kentmere4 ,he a son1
 #c4 ,richard1 who married  daughter of 
,fleming of ,coningston1 from whom many 
descendants are found  in and around    
,kendal4 ,he a son1 #d4 ,william4 ,he a 
son1 #e4 ,richard4 ,he a  son1 #f4      
,william1 a captain at ,bosworth field1 
and there killed4 ,he a  brother1 #g4   
,edwin1 two of whose sons were          
distinguished--viz41 7#a47 ,the         
ambassador of ,queen ,elizabeth to the  
,states of ,holland4 7#b47 ,bernard1    
the #8,apostle of the ,north1' was the  
fourth son4 ,he1 i4e41 ,edwin1 a  son1  
#h4 ,william4 ,he a son1 #i4 ,george4   
,he a son1 #aj4 ,william4 ,he a son1    
#aa4 ,george4 ,he succeeded by1 #ab4    
,christopher ,gilpin1 a half brother of 

,george1 in whom the direct male line   
ended4 ,the #8,kentmere' estate  sold to
 ,sir ,charles ,philipson4--,n4 and     
,b4--as before4--,william1  son of      
,richard1  the #dth of our list1 married
 a daughter of ,thomas  ,lancaster of   
,sockbred1 who descended of the baron of
 ,kendal4 ,his son  ,richard1 again     
#eth in our list1 married a daughter of 
,sir ,rowland  ,thornborroux1 knight of 
,rampsell4 ,this ,richard married as his
 second  wife ,margaret ,layton         
,enwine1 second daughter of ,thomas     
,layton of  ,dalemaine1 who had several 
sons--,anthony1 ,thomas1 ,sir ,william1 
,sir  ,bryan1 ,sir ,cuthbert1 ,sir      
,richard1 all famous men1 mostly        
soldiers1 and  some knights of ,rhodes4 
,his daughters also intermarried with   
,redman1  ,carelton1 ,clyborne1 and     
,vaux4 ,we may now tabulate the descent4
 ,from  ,richard1 and his second wife1  
,margaret ,layton1 comes--              
,randall  ,sykes4                       
----------------------------------------

----------------------------------------
--                                      
,richard4  ,john4  ,francis4  ,george4  
,bernard4  #b daughters4                
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
------------                            
,william  ,george4  ,randall4  ,bernard 
,richard4  ,caly4  ,mary4  ,margaret4   
,eliz4                    of ,houghton  
,washington4                 le ,spring4
    father of ,isaac1 father            
of our ,dr ,gilpin4                     
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
----------------------------            
,george4  #b;d son4 #c;d son4 #dth son4 
#eth son4 #fth son4 #gth son4    #c4    
daughters        ,william  99 99 99 99  
,sandforth4                             
,george4    ,see ,hutchinson's          
#8,history of ,durham1' vol4 ii4 #gjc1  
account of the  ,gilpins1 from a paper  
in the hands of ,mr ,rob4 ,sober of     
,sherburn1 near  ,durham1 without       

date4--,randall ,,mss4 ,the last        
,george1 at the time of  making out     
,sober's pedigree1 is said to be living1
 and owner of the  ancient house of the 
,gilpins1 ,kentmere ,hall4    ,turning  
to ,dr ,richard ,gilpin1 ,i have had two
 elaborate pedigrees  7of descent7      
entrusted to me1 by the former of which1
 it appears our  ,worthy had a very     
large family by1 7as ,i understand17 his
 two wives4  ,by this also ,i find that 
his second wife was born #8,oct4 #aeth1 
#afbe1'  eldest daughter of ,william    
,brisco of ,crofton--her name ,susannah4
 ,i have  a suspicion that the first    
,mrs ,gilpin died at ,greystoke1 and    
that the  ,doctor re-married before     
leaving it2 but owing to the time-worn  
state  of the ,greystoke #8,registers1' 
all the entries that remain concerning  
,dr ,gilpin's family are the two        
children given in our ,memoir4          
,following  ,william and ,susannah were1
 #a4 ,isaac1 born ,july #ab1 #afeh2     
married  ,elizabeth1 daughter of ,thomas

 ,clagget4 ,then1 #b4 ,susanna1 born    
,nov4  #bgth1 #afei2 married ,matthew   
,parlis1 minister4 ,the former ,susannah
 must  have died as a child4 ,then1 #c4 
,anne1 who married ,sawrey of ,broughton
  ,tower1 ,esq4 ,on this marriage1 see  
,barnes' #8,memoir1' as before1 pp4     
#adb1 #adc4 ,she was born ,december     
#eth1 #affj4 ,then1 #d4 ,elizabeth1 born
  ,aug4 #c1 #affb2 died unmarried4      
,then1 #e4 ,richard3 died of a blow of  
his  schoolmaster4 ,then1 #f4 ,mary1    
born ,dec4 #bhth1 #afff2 died unmarried4
  ,then1 #g4 ,dorothy1 born ,aug4 #ac1  
#affh2 married1 7#a47 ,jabez ,cay1      
,m4,d42  7#b47 ,eli ,fenton4 ,then1 #h4 
,john1 born ,feb4 #ac1 #affi4 ,more of  
him  immediately4 ,then1 #i4 ,francis1  
born ,july #bg1 #afga2 ob4 infant4      
,then1 #aj4 ,bernard1 born ,oct4 #f1    
#afgb1 died in his youth at ,jamaica1   
unmarried4 ,then1 #aa4 ,francis1 born   
,jan4 #bg1 #afge1 died in infancy4      
,then1 #ab4 ,thomas1 born ,july #bg1    
#afgg1 died unmarried1 ,june #bj1 #agjj4

  ,returning upon ,john1 eighth of this 
list1 he married ,hannah1 daughter  of  
,robert ,cay1 ,esq4 of ,newcastle1 and  
left large issue1 as follows3 #a4       
,richard1 born ,april #i1 #agjj1 7soon  
after his grandfather died17 died       
unmarried1 #agbc4 #b4 ,robert1 born     
#agth ,aug4 #agjb1 married ,ruth1       
daughter  of ,reynold ,hall of          
,newbiggen1 ,esq4 ,more of this pair    
immediately4  #c4 ,william1 born ,jan4  
#a1 #agjj 7871 married ,mary1 daughter  
of ,thomas  ,dickenson1 clerk4 #d4      
,john1 born #ast ,sept4 #agje4 #e4      
,thomas1 born ,jan4 #h1  #agaa1 ob4 #ab 
,march #agac4 #f4 ,susanna4 #g4 ,a      
daughter4 #h4 ,barbara1 born  #afth ,may
 #agaj1 wife of ,braithwaite of         
,stockton4 #i4 ,susanna1 born #bhth     
,april #agab1 wife of ,isaac ,cookson of
 ,newcastle4 #aj4 ,hannah1 born #bb;d   
,may #agae1 wife of4444 ,goldsmith4     
,returning again upon ,robert1 second   
of the list from ,john1 he had          
issue--#a4 ,john1 who married daughter  

of  ,john ,cookson of ,london4 ,he took 
the name of ,sawrey on succeeding to the
  ,broughton ,tower estate4 #b4         
,richard1 died in ,east ,indies4 #c4    
,ruth4 #d4  #e4 ,jer4 7874 ,william1    
third of list from ,john1 had issue--#a4
 ,thomas1  ob4 an infant4 #b4 ,john1    
dead #ahji4 #c4 ,robert1 ib4 #d4        
,hannah1 married4  #e4 ,william1 died   
#ahth ,september t4 #fg4 ,so much for   
the first paper4  ,now for the second1  
which gives the descendants of the      
eldest son of  ,dr ,gilpin1 viz41       
,william1 born1 as stated in ,memoir1 at
 ,greystoke1 #eth  ,sept4 #afeg4 ,he    
became a barrister-at-law1 justice of   
the peace1 and  deputy vice-admiral for 
county ,cumberland1 and recorder of the 
city  of ,carlisle2 bought ,highfield   
,moor and the tithes of ,crosby2 died at
  ,scaleby ,castle1 ,aug4 #ad1 #agbd1 t4
 #fg4 ,he married ,mary1 eldest daughter
  and one of the co-heiresses of ,henry 
,fletcher of ,talantyre4 ,the issue     
were--#a4 ,susan ,maria1 born at        

,scaleby ,castle1 #ajth ,nov4 #afhi1    
wife of  ,joshua ,dacre ,appleby of     
,kirklevington1 by whom she had         
issue--will be  enumerated immediately4 
#b4 ,anne1 born ,april #ad1 #afia4 #c4  
,richard1 born  #fth ,feb4 #afib1       
married ,mary1 daughter of ,enoch       
,hudson4 #d4 ,dorothy1  ob4 an infant4  
#e4 ,henry1 ibid4 #f4 ,william1 born at 
,whitehaven1  married ,margaret1        
daughter of ,g4 ,langstaff4 #g4 ,henry1 
born ,oct4 #afib1  ob4 at ,jamaica4 #h4 
,john ,bernard1 born at ,scaleby1 ,jan4 
#bd1 #agja1 ob4  circa #aggf1 buried at 
,carlisle ,cathedral4 ,he married       
,matilda1 eldest  daughter of ,george   
,langstaff1 ob4 circa #aggc1 buried at  
,carlisle4 #i4  ,dorothy1 born at       
,scaleby1 wife of ,eaglivfield          
,griffith1 born #dth ,nov4  #agjc4 #aj4 
,george1 born at ,scaleby1 #bith ,aug4  
#agjf1 married ,elizabeth1  third       
daughter of ,george ,langstaff4         
,returning on ,susan ,maria1 eldest     
daughter1 she had a daughter1           

,elizabeth1 born at ,whitehaven1 ,feb4  
#ab1 #agjh1 ob4 an infant1 and a son1   
,william1 born ,june #agbd1 ob4 at      
,whitehaven1 #dth ,dec4 #aggi4 ,he      
married ,elizabeth ,hodgson1 daughter of
  ,robert ,hodgson of ,whitehaven1 died 
at ,denbigh ,castle1 #beth ,april #agib1
  t4 #fj4 ,they had issue--#a4 ,william 
,gilpin1 born at ,whitehaven1 #abth     
,nov4  #ageh1 ob4 #aeth ,oct4 #ahbb1 at 
,east ,sheen1 ,surrey1 having married   
,sarah1  daughter of ,george ,holland1  
,esq4 of ,london1 in #agic4 ,finally    
returning  on ,john ,bernard1 eighth1   
supra1 he was father of the ,rev4       
,william  ,gilpin1 vicar of ,boldre1    
prebendary of ,salisbury1 died ,april   
#e1 #ahjd at  ,boldre1 t #hj4 ,he will  
not soon be forgotten1 as his delightful
 books1  with their carefully finished  
#8,illustrations' on #8,picturesque     
,beauty1'  are gathering increasing     
value as they become older4 ,he had     
issue by  his first cousin4 ,john       
,bernard ,gilpin1 ,esq41 who went to    

,philadelphia1  and afterwards became   
,british ,consul at ,rhode ,island4 ,his
 descendants  are now partly in ,nova   
,scotia1 ,j4 ,bernard ,gilpin1 ,esq41   
,m4,d41  ,halifax1 and in ,england and  
,scotland2 and ,rev4 ,william ,gilpin1  
born  ,april #h1 #ageg1 rector--an      
excellent and venerable man1 and        
clergyman--in  county ,salop2 and       
,sawrey ,gilpin1 born ,oct4 #cj1 #agcc1 
ob4 #ahjh4 ,for the  two ,papers whence 
most of the preceding details have been 
collected1  ,i owe thanks to my friend  
,joshua ,wilson1 ,esq41 ,nevil ,park1   
,tunbridge  ,wells4 ,i may add that in  
,prebendary ,gilpin's                   
,family-,manuscript there  are          
#8,memoirs' of ,william ,gilpin1 ,esq41 
the recorder of ,carlisle1  containing  
valuable and interesting letters to and 
from the ,lowther  family4 ,the         
#8,recorder' was a man of mark4 ,his    
portrait is at ,scaleby  ,castle4 ,next1
 severally ,william #8merchant at       
,whitehaven1' ,see ,story1  as before4  

,henry1 of #8the ,navy1' ,thomas1 ,john 
,bernard1 ,anne1 ,dorothy1  ,susannah   
,maria1 the eldest daughter1 who must   
have been a lady of  uncommon           
originality and force of character1 and 
largeness of heart4  ,as above4 ,she was
 married to ,dacre ,appleby1 ,esq4 of   
,kirklinton1  contiguous to ,scaleby    
,castle4 ,curiously enough1 their eldest
 son  married a daughter of the ,bishop 
of ,carlisle4 ,mrs ,appleby #8was       
followed by all the country1 in tears1  
to her grave4' ,john ,bernard1--a  very 
capital #8,memoir' of a gallant soldier4
 ,somerville1 in #8,the  ,chase1' refers
 to the ,windsor #8roads' constructed   
under his military  supervision4 ,he was
 a familiar friend of the good ,colonel 
,gardiner4  ,there are glimpses of the  
,rebellion of #agde in this ,memoir1    
throwing  light on events at ,carlisle4 
,at #8leisure hours' he cultivated      
painting1  and when he lived at         
,carlisle1 he had sometimes half a dozen
 young  people1 or more1 who used       

occasionally to attend him for          
instruction4'  ,of these some became    
famous1 e4g41 ,john ,smith1 whom ,lord  
,warwick sent  to ,rome1 ,robert        
,smirke1 ,esq41 ,r4,a41 ,mrs ,head1 c4  
,the ,prebendary1 in  his ,,ms41 here   
gives also an account of literary       
society of the period1  including       
,warburton1 ,dr ,brown1 and others4     
,there are ,letters of this  many-gifted
 man1 revealing a very beautiful and    
tender veneration  for his departed     
wife1 whose loss he #8mourned unto the  
grave4' ,the  correspondence between ,mr
 and ,mrs ,bernard ,gilpin is striking  
and  brilliant4 ,sawrey ,gilpin1 ,r4,a41
 of ,knightsbridge1 their son1 became   
celebrated as an animal painter4 ,sir   
,j4 ,d4 ,a4 ,gilpin1 another son1  was  
knighted for his long services in       
,america1 ,west ,indies1 and            
,gibraltar4 ,he was a friend of         
,washington's4 ,catherine1 sister of the
  two last1 born at ,scaleby ,castle1   
#agch1 was a woman of rare intellect1   

and a friend of ,miss ,blamire1 the     
sweet ,poetess of ,cumberland4 ,in a    
new edition of ,miss ,blamire's #8,poems
 and ,songs1' recently published1  there
 are given some by ,miss ,gilpin1 equal 
to the others4 ,she died  at ,carlisle  
in #ahaa4 ,even these bare names and    
dates will suffice to  reveal a ,family 
distinguished in well-nigh every        
department of human  achievement1 to be 
placed in their hereditary talent with  
the ,hunters1  ,gregorys1 and ,browns1  
and equally remarkable in their         
hereditary piety  and worth1 as well    
where they belonged to the ,church of   
,england as  where they held true to    
,nonconformity1 and their descent from  
the great  and good ,dr ,,richard       
,,gilpin4           99       99       99
       99       99    ,b4--,page        
xix4--,,gilpins ,,at ,,oxford4    ,the  
following memoranda are taken from the  
three ,lists of ,queen's  ,college1 as  
detailed3--     ,i4 ,from the ,list of  
,fellows3     #aeee4 ,gilpin4 ,in       

another and later hand this note is     
appended3     #8,bernardus 7ni fallor7  
,rr de ,houghton le ,spring in ,com4    
,dunelm4   ,v4 ,batesii ,vitas clar4    
virorum1 p4 #bhd4' ,the apostle4        
#aefi4 ,richard ,gilpin4    #aegb4      
,joshua ,gilpin1    ,,ii4 ,from the     
,list of ,entries3      #aeid4 ,term4   
,mic4 ,gilpin4    #afjb4   0   ,pasch4  
0    #afaj4   0     0     0    #afad4   
0     0     0   b1  #8bateller1' or     
exhibitioner4    #afca4   0     0       
,samuel ,gilpin1 b1 ibid4    ,,iii4     
,from the ,list of ,matriculations3     
#afjb4  ,franciscus ,gilpin1            
,lancastrensis filius ministri verbi    
,dei4    ,oct4 #ae4    ,nat4 ,an4 #ag4  
,c4--,page xix4--,,notices ,,of         
,,gilpins4    ,the following extract    
from ,n4 and ,b4 #8,history1' 7as       
before17 vol4 i4  p4 #acj1 shews the    
,gilpins were freeholders in ,strickland
 as early as  the days of ,queen ,bess3 
#8,and in the #ad ,eliz4 ,william ,parr1
 marquis of  ,northampton1 died seised  

thereof i4e41 of the manor of           
,strykeland  ,rogers and the same was   
assigned to his widow for dower1 and the
  particulars in the rental made thereof
 was as follows3 manor of  ,strickland  
,roger3 freeholders there1 ,edward      
,lancaster1 ,esquire1 #bfs4  #h;d43     
,john ,master1 ,esquire1 #aas4 #i;d43   
,william ,gilpin1 #is4 #i;d4 ,total  of 
the 7customary7 rent of this manor #ae1 
#ads4 #e;d43 ten shillings  paid yearly 
by ,mr ,lancaster's tenants1 to be free 
of their gift from  the lord's will1    
being part of the said sum4' ,further1  
this notice  occurs under ,chapel of    
,crosthwaite in parish of ,heversham1   
#8,the chancel  and steeple of this     
chapel were built by one ,william       
,gilpin1 who also  contributed largely  
towards the three bells1 in #afbf3 on   
which bells  are the following          
inscriptions3 on the first bell3        
8,jesus1 be our  speed30 the second     
bell3 8,soli ,deo gloria30 the third    
bell3        8,a young man grave in     

godliness        ,william ,gilpin by    
name      ,gave forty pounds to make    
these sounds        ,to ,god's eternal  
fame40                                  
,vol4 ,i4 p4 #bae4                      
,d,,monologia ,,sacra4                  
,,note4     ,for account of the         
holograph ,,ms4 of #8,dmonologia        
,sacra'--still in   the larger portion  
preserved--see our ,memoir in loco4 ,the
 original   edition of the book forms a 
handsome quarto4 ,the general title-page
   will be found below3 the special ones
 of ,parts ,i41 ,,ii41 and ,,iii4 in    
their respective places4 ,there have    
been at least two reprints1 but   none  
comparable with the first4 ,our text is 
a careful reprint of the   ,author's own
 edition1 collated in all doubtful      
places with the ,,ms4 as   above4 ,mr   
,gilpin very largely quotes ,scripture1 
without giving the   book1 chapter1 and 
verse2 we have made up the deficiency by
 filling   all in1 within brackets4--,g4
                                        

,d,,monologia ,,sacra4                  
,,or1 ,a                                
,,treatise                              
,,of                                    
,satans ,temptations3                   
,in ,three ,parts4                      
,by ,,richard ,,gilpin4              #b 
,cor4 #b4 #aa4 ,we are not ignorant of  
his ,devices4                           
,,london1      ,printed by ,j4 ,d4 for  
,richard ,randel1 and ,peter ,maplisden1
              ,booksellers in ,new      
,castle upon ,tine4 #afgg4          ,,to
 ,,the ,,reader4      ,the accurate     
searches into the secrets of nature     
which this age  hath produced1 though   
they are in themselves sufficient       
evidences  of a commendable industry1   
yet1 seeing they fall so exceedingly    
short of that discovery which men aim   
at--giving us at best but  probable     
conjectures and uncertain guesses--they 
are become as little  satisfactory to   
men that look after the true causes of  
things1 as those  #8ships of desire'    

whose great undertaking for gold had    
raised high  expectations in their      
attempts1 but in the return brought     
nothing home  for their ventures but    
#8apes and peacocks1'#a ,kings x4 #bb1  
and #b ,chron4  ix4 #ba4 ,while men     
reflect upon themselves under such      
disappointments1  they cannot but check 
themselves1 for over-promising          
themselves in  their adventures1 with   
that of ,zophar1 #8,vain man would be   
wise1' ,job  xi4 #ab4    ,but how happy 
would it be for men if such failures of 
expectation  might better inform them6  
,if our attainments in these pursuits   
will  not bear our charges1 nor         
recompense our pains and loss of time   
with an answerable profit1 though we may
 see cause sometimes1 as a              
divertisement or recreation1 to use     
them1 yet how shall we satisfy          
ourselves to make them our chief and    
sole business8    ,if we knew of nothing
 of higher concern to us than these1 our
 neglect  of greater matters were more  

excusable2 but seeing we are            
sufficiently  instructed that we have   
more weighty things to look after1 such 
as  relate to a certain future estate of
 happiness or misery1 the very          
discovery of this to a rational being   
must needs entitle such things  to the  
first and greatest part of his care4 ,he
 that knows that there  is #8one thing  
necessary1' and yet suffers himself to  
be diverted from  the pursuit of that1  
by #8troubling himself about many       
things1' ,luke x4  #da1 is more justly  
chargeable with folly1 than he that     
neglects his  estate1 and finds himself 
no other employment but to pursue       
feathers in  the wind4    ,among those  
things that religion offers to our      
study1 ,god and our  own hearts are the 
chief4 ,god is the first and last and   
whole of our  happiness2 the beginning1 
progress1 and completement of it is from
 him  and in him--for in that centre do 
all the lines meet2 but our heart is    
the stage upon which this felicity1 as  

to the application of it1 is            
transacted3 upon this little spot of    
earth doth ,god and ,satan draw  up     
their several armies2 here doth each of 
them shew their power and  wisdom2 this 
is treated by both2 each of them        
challenge an interest in  it2 it is     
attacked on the one side and defended on
 the other4 ,so that  here are          
skirmishes1 battles1 and stratagems     
managed4 ,that man1 then1  that will not
 concern himself in his inquiries1 how  
the matter goes  in his own heart1 what 
ground is got or lost1 what forts are   
taken  or defended1 what mines are      
sprung1 what ambuscados laid1 or how the
  battle proceeds1 must needs lie under 
a just imputation of the greatest       
folly2 neither can he be excused in his 
neglect by the most pressing            
solicitations of other things that seem 
to require his attendance  upon the     
highest imaginable pretences of         
necessity3 #8,for what is he  profited1 
that gains the whole world1 if he loses 

his soul8' ,mark  viii4 #cf4    ,but the
 exact and faithful management of such  
spiritual inquiries1  with their        
necessary improvement to diligent       
watchfulness and careful  endeavours of 
resistance1 is another manner of work   
than most men dream  of4 ,to discover   
the intrigues of ,satan's policy1 to    
espy his haunts and  lurking-places in  
our hearts1 to note his subtle          
contrivances in taking  advantages      
against us1 and to observe how the pulse
 of the soul beats  under his           
provocations and deceitful allurements1 
how far we comply  or dissent1 requires 
so much attendance and laborious        
skilfulness1  that it cannot be expected
 that such men who design no more than  
to be  ,christians at the easiest rate1 
and content themselves with a formal    
superficiality of religion2 or such who1
 having given up themselves to  the     
deceitful sweets of worldly carnal      
delights1 are not at leisure to  engage 
themselves in so serious a work2 or such

 whose secret guilt of  rebellious      
combination with the devil against ,god1
 makes them fearful  to consider fully  
the hazards of that wickedness1 which   
they had rather  practise with          
forgetfulness1 lest the review of their 
ways and sight of  their danger should  
awaken their consciences to give them an
 unwelcome  disquiet2 it cannot1 ,i say1
 be expected that any of these sorts of 
men1  whilst they are thus set1 should  
give themselves the trouble of so much  
pains and toil as this business doth    
require4    ,upon this consideration ,i 
might rationally fix my prognostic of   
the  entertainment of the following     
treatise4 ,what acceptance soever it    
may find with such as are cordially     
concerned for their souls and  the      
realities of religion--and of such ,i   
may say as the apostle ,paul  concerning
 brotherly love1 #a ,thes4 iv4 #i1 as   
touching this matter1  #8,they need not 
that ,i write unto them1 for they       
themselves are taught  of ,god' to be   

suspicious of ,satan's devices2 and by  
experience they  find his deceits so    
secret1 and withal so dangerous1 that   
any help  for further discovery and     
caution must needs be welcome to them2  
yet--to be sure the prince of darkness1 
who is always jealous of the  least     
attempts that may be made against his   
empire1 will arm his  forementioned     
subjects against it1 and whomsoever else
 he can prevail  upon1 by the power of  
prejudice1 to reject it1 as urging us to
 a study  more severe or harsh than is  
consistent either with the lower degrees
  of knowledge of many1 or with that    
ease which most men desire to  indulge  
to themselves2 or as offering such      
things which they1 to save  themselves  
from further trouble1 will be willing to
 call chimeras or  idle speculations3   
and this last ,i may rather expect1     
because in this  latter age ,satan hath 
advanced so far in his general design   
against  all ,christianity1 and for the 
introduction of paganism and atheism1   

that none now can express a serious     
conscientious care for holiness  and the
 avoidance of sin1 but upon pain of the 
imputation of silliness  or whining     
preciseness2 and none can speak or write
 of conversion1  faith1 or grace1 but he
 shall be hazarded by the scoffs of     
those that  are unwilling to judge the  
private workings of the heart to        
,god-ward1  or spiritual exercises of   
grace1 to be any better than conceited  
whims  and unintelligible nonsense3 but 
seeing such men make bold to jeer1  not 
only that language and those forms of   
speech which the ,holy ,ghost  thought  
fit to make use of in the ,scriptures1  
but also the very things  of #8,faith1' 
#8,grace1' and #8,spirit1' which are    
everywhere in the sacred  oracles       
recommended to us with the most weighty 
seriousness--which with  them pass for  
no better than cheats and fancies--we   
can easily sit under  their contempt2   
and shall1 as we hope1 be so far from   
being jeered out  of our religion1 that 

their scorns shall have no more         
impression upon  us than the ravings of 
a frenzical person that knows not what  
he speaks4    ,notwithstanding these1   
who are no way considerable for weight1 
there  are1 ,i hope1 a great many who   
seriously employ themselves in the      
inwards as well as the outwards of      
religion--and who will not suffer       
themselves to be persuaded that the     
apostle obtruded an empty notion  upon  
believers1 when he recommended that     
observable truth to them1  ,rom4 ii4    
#bh1 #8,he is not a ,jew which is one   
outwardly1' c42 for their  sakes have ,i
 undertaken this labour of collecting   
and methodising the  grand stratagems   
and chief ways of delusion of the great 
deceiver4 ,to  these ,i must            
particularly account for some few things
 relating to this  discourse4 ,as1      
#a4 ,that ,i have satisfied myself in   
the reasons of the publication of  these
 papers1 and do not judge it requisite  
to trouble any so far as to  tell what  

these reasons are4 ,they who desire to  
resist such an enemy1  and whose        
experience doth convince them that all  
helps are necessary1  will not need     
them2 and those that are men of scorn or
 of avowed  carelessness will not regard
 them1 though ,i should declare them4   
#b4 ,to prevent the misapprehensions1   
which possibly some may otherwise       
labour withal1 of a monstrous product   
from one text1 because they may  observe
 one text in the front1 and no other    
mentioned throughout the  first and     
second parts2 they may know that ,i made
 use of several in the  preaching of    
these discourses1 as suitable           
foundations for the several  particulars
 herein mentioned2 but in the moulding  
up of the whole  into the method of a   
treatise1 for the ease of the reader1 ,i
 thought  fit to lay aside those        
introductions--as also many other       
occasional  applications which were     
proper for sermons1 and a great many    
things  which were necessary to be      

spoken for explication and illustration 
of these points to a popular            
auditory--and have only presented the   
substance in a more close connexion2    
because if there be any little          
obscurity that may at first appear to   
any for want of variety of words1  the  
treatise being under their eye1 will be 
at leisure to attend their  review in a 
second or third reading2 which1 however1
 ,i would recommend  earnestly to those 
that in these concerns do really design 
to be #8wise  for themselves4'    #c4   
,neither should it seem strange that ,i 
have frequently made use  of instances  
from history or other later relations4  
,whosoever shall  consider the nature of
 the matter treated on will not complain
 of this  as a needless trouble put upon
 them2 yet withal ,i have been so       
careful  of doing any persons an        
unkindness1 by making too bold with     
them1 that  ,i mentioned no names but   
such as upon such occasions have been   
made  public by others before4 ,the rest

 ,i have only mentioned in the general1 
discovering their case where it was     
useful1 but concealing the persons4     
#d4 ,it may perhaps seem a defect1 that 
the several directions1 remedies1  or   
counsels which are requisite to be      
observed in making resistance  against  
,satan are not added1 except some few   
hints in the latter end of  the third   
part1 and some other things in that     
part1 in the applications  of the       
several doctrines therein1 which ,i     
thought fit1 upon good  grounds1 to     
leave in the order of a preaching       
method2 but such may be  pleased to     
consider that several have performed    
that part very fully1  to whose labours 
,i had rather refer the reader than     
trouble him with a  repetition4 ,it was 
only my design to endeavour a more full 
discovery1  though every way short of   
the thing itself1 of ,satan's craft1    
because  the knowledge of this is so    
necessary1 and withal others have done  
it  more sparingly4 ,such as it is1     

accept and improve for thy spiritual    
advantage2 for that was the end of this 
undertaking1 by him who desires  that   
thy soul may prosper1      ,,rich4      
,,gilpin4                               
,d,,monologia ,,sacra3                  
,,or1 ,a                                
,,treatise                              
,,of                                    
,satans ,temptations                    
,the ,first ,part4                      
,,containing     ,a ,discourse of the   
,malice1 ,power1 ,cruelty and ,diligence
 of ,satan4 ,of  his cunning in         
,temptation in the general4 ,of his     
,method of tempting to    ,sin4 ,of his 
,policies for maintaining his           
,possession4 ,of his ,deceits      for  
the preventing and spoiling ,religious  
,services and ,duties4                  
,by ,r4 ,g4              #b ,cor4 #b4   
#aa4 ,we are not ignorant of his        
,devices4                               
,london1      ,printed by ,j4 ,d4 for   
,richard ,randel1 and ,peter ,maplisden1

              ,booksellers in           
,new-,castle upon ,tine1 #afgg4         
,a ,,treatise ,,of ,,satan',s           
,,temptations4      ,,part ,i4     ,be  
sober1 be vigilant2 because your        
adversary the devil1 as a roaring       
lion1 walketh about1 seeking whom he may
 devour4--#a ,,peter ,v4 #h4            
,,chapter ,i4     ,the introduction to  
the text1 from a consideration of the   
desperate   ruin of the souls of        
men4--,the text opened1 expressing      
,satan's malice1   power1 cruelty1 and  
diligence4      ,the souls of men are   
#8precious4' ,the whole world cannot    
repair their  loss4 ,hence by ,god are  
all men in particular charged with care 
and  watchfulness about them4 ,he hath  
also set up watchmen and overseers1     
whose business it is to watch over      
souls1 and in the most strict and       
careful manner1 as those that must      
#8give an account1' ,heb4 xiii4 #ag4    
,what can more stir up men to the       
discharge of this duty than the         

frequent alarms which we have of the    
assaults of such an adversary1  whose   
business it is to destroy the soul8     
#8,the ,philistines are upon  thee1     
,samson6' ,judges xvi4 #i2 he fights    
continually1 and useth all  the policy  
and skill he hath for the management of 
his strength4    ,besides1 it is a      
consideration very affecting1 when we   
view the  #8desolations that are made in
 the earth1' ,ps4 xlvi4 #h1 what wounds1
  what overthrows1 what cruelties1      
slaveries1 and captivities these        
conquered vassals are put to4 ,it was1  
as some think1 an inexcusable  cruelty  
in ,david against the ,ammonites1 when  
he #8put them under saws1  and harrows  
of iron1 and made them pass through the 
brick-kiln1' #b  ,sam4 xii4 #ca2 but    
this spiritual ,pharaoh hath a more     
grievous #8house  of bondage1' and iron 
furnace4 ,neither is this miserable     
destruction  ended1 but will keep pace  
with time1 and shall not cease till     
,christ  shall at his appearance finally

 conquer him and tread him down4 ,if    
,xerxes wept to look upon his army      
through the prospective of devouring    
time1 which1 upon an easy foresight1    
shewed him the death of so great  a     
company of gallant men1 we may well     
weep1 as ,david at ,ziklag1 till  we can
 weep no more2 or as ,rachel for her    
children1 #8refusing to be  comforted1' 
,jer4 xxxi4 #ae2 while we consider what 
a great number of  succeeding           
generations1 #8heaps upon heaps1'       
,judges xv4 #af1 will be  drawn with him
 to a consuming ,tophet4 ,and could we  
follow him thither1  to hear the cries  
of his prisoners1 the roarings of his   
wounded1 where  they #8curse the day'   
that brought them forth1 and themselves 
for  their folly and madness in         
hearkening to his delusions1 the        
dreadful  outcries of eternity1 and then
 their #8rage against heaven' in        
cursings  and blasphemings1 while they  
have no mitigations or ease1 nor the    
refreshment of #8a drop of water to cool

 their tongues1' ,luke xvi4  #bd1 we    
would surely think we could never spend 
our time better than  in opposing such  
an enemy1 and warning men to #8flee from
 the wrath to  come1' ,mat4 iii4 #g1 to 
take heed they come not into his snare4 
,with  what earnestness would we        
endeavour to persuade men6 ,what        
diligence  would we use to cast water   
upon these devouring flames1 and to     
pluck  men as brands out of the fire6   
,it is true1 if ,satan had dealt plainly
  with men1 and told them what wages    
they were to expect1 and set a  visible 
mark upon his slaves1 or had managed a  
visibly destructive  hostility1 men have
 such natural principles of             
self-preservation1 and  of hatred of    
what appears to be evil1 that we might  
expect they would  have fled from him1  
and still have been upon their guard2   
but he useth  such artifices1 such      
sleights and cozenage1 that men are cast
 into a  sleep or a golden dream2 while 
he binds them in chains of darkness they

  see not their end1 the snare1 nor the 
pit2 nay1 he intoxicates them  with a   
love of their misery1 and a delight in  
helping forward their  ruin1 so that    
they are volunteers in his service1 and 
possessed with a  madness and rage      
against all that will not be as willing 
as themselves  to go to hell2 but       
especially if they put forth a          
compassionate hand to  help any out of  
that gulf of misery1 they hate them1    
they #8gnash upon  them with their      
teeth1' and run upon them with utmost   
violence1 as if  they had no enemies but
 these compassionate ,samaritans1 ,luke 
x4 #cc4    ,how great is this mystery of
 darkness6 ,who shall be able to open   
the depths of it8 ,who shall declare it 
fully to the sons of men1 to  bring     
these #8hidden things to light'8        
,especially seeing these hellish        
secrets which are yet undiscovered1 are 
double to those that have  been         
observed1 by any that have escaped from 
his power4 ,he only whose  prerogative  

it is #8to search the hearts of men'    
,rev4 ii4 #bc can know1  and make known1
 what is in the heart of ,satan2 he     
views all his goings1  even those paths 
which the #8vulture's eye hath not      
seen1' ,job xxviii4  #g1 and can trace  
those footsteps of his1 which leave no  
more print or  track behind them than   
#8a ship in the sea1 or a bird in the   
air1 or a  serpent on a stone1' ,prov4  
xxx4 #ai4    ,yet notwithstanding1 we   
may observe much of his policies2 and   
more  would ,god discover if we did but 
humbly and faithfully improve what we   
know already4 ,it is my design to make  
some discovery of those haunts ,i  have 
observed1 if by that means ,i may be    
useful to you1 to quicken and  awaken   
you4 ,and first ,i shall set before you 
the strength and power of  your enemy1  
before ,i open his cunning and craft4   
,there are found in him whatsoever may  
render an adversary dreadful4    #a4    
,as1 first1 ,malice and enmity3   is a  
law term1 and  signifies an adversary   

#8at law1' one that is against our      
cause2 and  the text1 as some think1    
heightens this malice1 7#a47 ,by the    
article  1 which denotes an arch        
enemy4#ge 7#b47 ,the name 1 which       
signifies a slanderer or                
calumniator--for the word is twice in   
the ,new  ,testament used for a         
slanderer--shewing his hatred to be so  
great that  it will not stick at lying  
and falsehood1 either in accusing ,god  
to us  or us to ,god4 ,nay1 it          
particularly hints that when he hath in 
malice  tempted a poor wretch to sin1 he
 spares not to accuse him for it1 and   
to load him with all things that may    
aggravate his guilt or misery1  accusing
 him for more than he hath really done1 
and for a worse estate  than he is      
really in4#gf    #b4 ,secondly1 ,his    
power4 ,under the metaphor of a #8lion1'
 a beast of  prey1 whose innate property
 is to destroy1 and is accordingly      
fitted  with strength1 with tearing     
paws1 and a devouring mouth2 that as a  

lion  would rend a kid with ease and    
without resistance1 so are men swallowed
  up by him as with open mouth1 so the  
word  signifies1 he can sup  them up at 
a draught1  4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,his     
cruelty3 a #8roaring lion' implying not 
only his  innate property to destroy1   
which must be a strange fierceness1 but 
also that this innate principle is      
heightened and whetted on1 as hunger  in
 a lion sharpens and enrages that       
disposition till he get his prey1  so   
that he becomes raving and roaring1     
putting an awful majesty upon  cruelty1 
and frighting them out of endeavours or 
hopes of resistance1  and increasing    
their misery with affrightments and     
tremblings4 ,thus  ,satan shews a fierce
 and truculent temper1 whose power being
 put forth  from such an implacable     
malice1 must needs become rage and      
fierceness4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,his      
diligence3 which1 together with his     
cruelty1 are  consequences of his malice
 and power2 he #8goes about and seeks4' 

,he is  restless in his pursuit1 and    
diligent1 as one that promiseth himself 
a  satisfaction or joyful contentment in
 his conquests4          ,,chapter ,,ii4
     ,of the malice of ,satan in        
particular4--,the grounds and causes of 
that   malice4--,the greatness of it    
proved1 and instances of that greatness 
given4      ,i shall first give some    
account of his malice1 by which it shall
 appear  we do not wrong the devil in   
calling him malicious1 the truth of     
which  charge will evidence itself in   
the following particulars3--    #a4     
,first1 ,the devil1 though a #8spirit1' 
yet is a proper subject of  sin4 ,we    
need no other evidence for this than    
what doth by daily  experience result   
from ourselves4 ,we have sins which our 
spirits and  hearts do act1 that relate 
not to the body1 called #8a filthiness  
of  the spirit1' in contradistinction to
 the #8filthiness of the flesh1'  #b    
,cor4 vii4 #a4 ,it is true1 it cannot be
 denied but that those  iniquities which

 have a necessary dependence upon the   
organs of the  body1 as drunkenness1    
fornication1 c41 cannot properly1 as to 
the  formality of the act1 be laid at   
,satan's door1 though as a tempter and  
provoker of these men he may be called  
the father of these sins2 yet  the      
fore-mentioned iniquities1 which are of 
a spiritual nature1 are  properly and   
formally committed by him1 as lying1    
pride1 hatred1 and  malice4 ,and this   
distinction ,christ himself doth hint3  
,john viii4 #dd1  #8,when he speaketh a 
lie1 he speaketh of his own1' where he  
asserts  such spiritual sins to be      
properly and formally acted by himself4 
,the  certainty of all appears in the   
epithets given him--#8the wicked one1'  
#8the unclean spirit2' as also those    
places that speak his fall1 #8,they     
kept not their first estate1' ,jude #f2 
#8,the angels that sinned1' #b ,peter   
ii4 #d4 ,if sins spiritual are in a true
 and proper sense attributed to  the    
devil1 then also may malice be          

attributed to him4    #b4 ,secondly1    
,the wickedness of ,satan is capable of 
increase1 a magis  et minus4 ,though he 
be a wicked spirit1 and as to           
inclination full of  wickedness1 though 
so strongly inclined that he cannot but 
sin1 and  therefore as ,god is set forth
 to us as the fountain of holiness1 so  
is  ,satan called the author and father 
of sin1 yet seeing we cannot ascribe  an
 infiniteness to him1 we must admit     
that1 as to acts of sin at least1  he   
may be more or less sinful1 and that the
 wickedness of his heart may  be drawn  
more out by occasions1 motives1 and     
provocations2 besides1 we  are expressly
 taught thus much1 ,rev4 xii4 #ab1      
#8,the devil is come down1  having great
 wrath1 because his time is short4'     
,where we note 7#a47 ,that  his wrath is
 called #8great1' implying greater than 
at other times2 7#b47  ,that external   
motives and incentives1 as the shortness
 of his time1  prevail with him to draw 
forth greater acts of fury4    #c4      

,thirdly1 ,whatsoever occasions do draw 
out or kindle malice to a  rage1 ,satan 
hath met with them in an eminent degree1
 in his own fall  and man's             
happiness4#gg ,nothing is more proper to
 beget malice than  hurts or            
punishments1 degradations from          
happiness4 ,satan's curse1  though just1
 fills him with rage and fretting       
against ,god1 when he  considers that   
from the state and dignity of a blessed 
angel he is  cast down to darkness and  
to the basest condition imaginable4 ,for
 the  part of his curse1 which concerned
 ,satan as well as the serpent1 #8,upon 
thy belly shalt thou go1 and dust shall 
be thy meat1' implies a state  most     
base1 as the use of the phrase proves3  
#8,they shall lick the dust  of thy     
feet1' ,isa4 xlix4 #bc2 #8,thine enemies
 shall lick the dust1' ,ps4  lxxii4 #i2 
#8,they shall lick the dust as a        
serpent1' ,micah vii4 #ag4  ,where the  
spirit is so wicked that it cannot      
accept the punishment of  its iniquity1 

all punishment is as a poison1 and      
envenoms the heart  with a rage against 
the hand that afflicted it4 ,thus doth  
,satan's fall  enrage him1 and the more 
when he sees man enstated into a        
possibility  of enjoying what he hath   
lost4 ,the envy and pride of his heart  
boils up  to a madness--for that is the 
only use that the wretchedly miserable  
can  make of the sight of that happiness
 which they enjoy not1 especially  if1  
having once enjoyed it1 they are now    
deprived4 ,this begot the rage  and     
wrath in ,cain against ,abel1 and       
afterward his murder4 ,the eye of  the  
wicked is evil where ,god is good4      
,hence may it be concluded that  ,satan1
 being a wicked spirit1 and this        
wickedness being capable of  acting     
higher or lower according to occasions1 
and with a suitableness  thereto1 cannot
 but shew an inconceivable malice       
against us1 our  happiness and his      
misery being such proper occasions for  
the wickedness  of his heart to work    

upon4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,this malice in 
,satan must be great4    7#a47 ,first1  
,if we consider the greatness of his    
wickedness in so  great and total an    
apostasy4 ,he is so filled with         
iniquity1 that  we can expect no small  
matters from him as to the workings of  
such  cursed principles2 not only is he 
wicked1 but the spirit and extract  of  
wickedness1 as the phrase signifies1    
,eph4 vi4 #ab1    4    7#b47 ,secondly1 
,the ,scripture lays to his charge all  
degrees1 acts1  and branches of malice2 
as #a4 ,anger1 in the impetuous haste   
and  violence of it4 ,rev4 xii4 #ab1    
#8,great wrath1' 1 there signifies      
excandescentia1 the inflammation of the 
heart and whole man1 which is  violent  
in its motion1 as when the blood with a 
violent stream rusheth  through the     
heart and sets all spirits on fire2 and 
therefore this  wrath is not only called
 great1 but is also signified to be so1 
in its  threatening #8a woe to the      
inhabitants of the earth4' #b4          

,indignation  is more than anger1 as    
having more of a fixed fury2 and this is
 applied  to him1 ,eph4 iv4 #bg1 in that
 those that have this 1 are  said #8to  
give place to the devil1' which is true 
not only in point of  temptation1 but   
also in respect of the resemblance they 
carry to the  frame and temper of       
,satan's furious heart4 #c4 ,hatred is  
yet higher  than wrath or indignation1  
as having deeper roots1 a more confirmed
 and  implacable resolution4 ,anger and 
indignation are but short furies1 ira   
brevis furor1 which1 like a land-flood1 
are soon down1 though they are  apt to  
fill the banks on a sudden2 but hatred  
is lasting1 and this is  so properly the
 devil's disposition1 that ,cain1 in    
hating his brother1  is in #a ,john iii4
 #ab said to be the proper offspring and
 lively  picture of that #8wicked one1' 
who is there so called rather than by   
the  name of the devil1 because the     
apostle would also insinuate that hatred
  is the masterpiece of ,satan's        

wickedness1 and that which gives the    
fullest character of him4 #d4 ,all      
effects of his cruelty arise from  this 
root2 this makes him accuse and         
calumniate1 this puts him upon          
breathing after those murders and       
destructions which damned spirits are   
now groaning under4    7#c47 ,thirdly1  
,this malice is the result of that curse
 laid upon  ,satan3 ,gen4 iii4 #ae1 #8,i
 will put enmity betwixt thee and the   
woman1  betwixt her seed and thy seed4' 
,which implies1 #a4 ,a great enmity2    
and some render it inimicitias          
implacabiles1 implacable enmities4  #b4 
,a lasting enmity1 such as should       
continue as long as the curse  should   
last4 #c4 ,that this should be his work 
and exorcise1 to  prosecute and be      
prosecuted with this enmity2 so that it 
shews the  devil's whole mind and desire
 is in this work1 and that he is whetted
  on by the opposing enmity which he    
meets withal4 ,it is the work of his    
curse1 of his place1 of his revenge1 and

 that wherein all the delight  he is    
capable of is placed4 ,in that part of  
the curse1 #8,dust shall be  thy meat1' 
it is implied1 if some interpret        
right1#gh that if ,satan  can be said to
 have any delight or ease in his        
condition1 it is in the  eating of this 
dust1 the exercise of this enmity4 ,no  
wonder1 then1  if ,christ speak of his  
desires and solicitations with ,god to  
have a  liberty and commission for this 
work3 #8,satan hath desired to have     
thee1  that he may winnow thee1' ,luke  
xxii4 #ca4    ,that this curse relates  
not only to the serpent1 who was the    
instrument1 but also to ,satan1 who was 
the agent1 is agreed by all  almost4    
,that it was not the serpent alone1 but 
the devil speaking by  it1 is evinced   
from its speaking and reasoning4 ,and   
that the curse  reached further than a  
natural enmity betwixt a serpent and a  
man1  is as evident1 in that ,christ is 
expressly held forth as giving the  full
 accomplishment of this curse against   

,satan3 #a ,john iii4 #h1 #8,the  devil 
sinneth from the beginning2 for this    
purpose was the ,son of ,god            
manifested1 that he might destroy the   
works of the devil1' which is  a clear  
exposition and paraphrasis of the       
#8woman's seed bruising the  serpent's  
head4'    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,i shall add 
to this some few instances of ,satan's  
malice1 by which it will appear to be   
great4    #a4 ,first1 ,that malice must 
needs be great which shews itself where 
there is such a load of anguish and     
horror that lies upon him4 ,he is  now  
#8reserved in chains of darkness in     
hell1' #b ,peter ii4 #d4 ,he is in      
hell1 a place of torment2 or1 which is  
all one1 hell is in him4 ,he  carries it
 about him in his conscience1 which1 by 
,god's decree1 binds  him to his horror 
like a chain4 ,it is scarce imaginable  
that he should  have a thought free from
 the contemplation of his own misery1 to
 spend  in a malicious pursuit of man4  
,what can we think less of it than a    

desperate madness and revenge against   
,god1 wherein he shews his rage  against
 heaven1 and hunts after our blood as   
for a little water to cool  his tongue2 
and when he finds his hand too short to 
pull the ,almighty  out of his throne1  
he endeavours1 panther-like1 to tear his
 image in  man1 and to put man1 created 
after his image1 upon blaspheming and   
dishonouring his ,maker4    #b4         
,secondly1 ,that malice must needs be   
great that seeks its own  fuel1 and     
provides or begs its own occasions1 and 
those such as give  no proper           
provocation to his anger4 ,of this      
temper is his malice4 ,he  did thus with
 ,job3 he begs the commission1          
calumniates ,job upon unjust  surmises1 
presseth still for a further power to   
hurt him1 insomuch  that ,god expressly 
stints and bounds him--which shews how  
boundless he  would have been if left to
 his own will--and gives him at last an 
open  check1 ,job ii4 #c1 wherein he    
lays open the malice of his heart in    

three  things3 #a4 ,his own pressing    
urgency3 #8,thou movedst me2' #b4 ,his  
destructive fury3 no less would serve   
than ,job's utter destruction2  #c4     
,job's innocency3 all this without      
cause3 #8,thou movedst me to  destroy   
him without cause4'    #c4 ,thirdly1    
,that malice must needs be great that   
will pursue a small  matter4 ,what small
 game will the devil play rather than   
altogether sit  out6 ,if he can but     
trouble1 or puzzle1 or affright1 yet    
that he will  do1 rather than nothing2  
if he can1 like an adder in the path1   
but  bite the heel1 ,gen4 xlix4 #ag1    
though his head be bruised for it1 he   
will notwithstanding busy himself in it4
    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,that malice must be 
great which will put itself  forth where
 it knows it can prevail nothing1 but is
 certain of a  disappointment4 ,thus did
 ,satan tempt ,christ4 ,those speeches1 
#8if thou  be the ,son of ,god1' do not 
imply any doubt in ,satan2 he knew what 
was prophesied of ,christ1 and what had 

been declared from heaven in            
testification of him1 so that he could  
not but be certain he was ,god  and man2
 and yet what base unworthy temptations 
doth he lay before him1  as #8to fall   
down and worship him'6 ,was it that     
,satan thought to prevail  against him8 
,no surely2 but such was his malice1    
that he would put an  affront upon him1 
though he knew he could not prevail     
against him4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,the      
malice of wicked men is an argument of  
,satan's great  malice4 ,they have an   
antipathy against the righteous1 as the 
wolf  against the sheep1 and upon that  
very ground1 that they are #8called  out
 of the world4' ,how great this fury is1
 all ages have testified4  ,this hath   
brought forth discord1 revilings1       
slanders1 imprisonments1  spoiling of   
goods1 banishments1 persecutions1       
tortures1 cruel deaths1  as burning1    
racking1 tearing1 sawing asunder1 and   
whatever the wit  of man could devise   
for a satisfaction to those implacable1 

furious1  murderous minds2 and yet all  
this is done to men of the same image   
and  lineage with themselves1 of the    
same religion with themselves1 as to    
the main2 nay1 sometime to men of their 
own kindred1 their own flesh  and blood1
 and all to those that would live       
peaceably in the land4 ,what  shall we  
say to these things8 ,how come men to   
put on a savage nature1  to act the part
 of lions1 leopards1 tigers1 if not much
 worse8 ,the  reason of all we have1    
,john viii4 #ed1 #8,ye are of your      
father the devil2  he was a murderer    
from the beginning3' as also ,gen4 iii4 
#ae1 #8,i will  put enmity between her  
seed and thy seed so that all this shews
 what  malice is in ,satan's heart1 who 
urgeth and provokes his instruments to  
such bloody hatreds4 ,hence whoever were
 the agents ,rev4 ii4 #aj in            
imprisoning the saints1 the malice of   
,satan in stirring them up to it1  makes
 him become the author of it2 #8,satan  
shall cast some of you into  prison4'   

,,chapter ,,iii4     ,of ,satan's       
power4--,his power as an angel          
considered4--,that he lost not   that   
power by his fall4--,his power as a     
devil4--,of his commission4--,the       
extent of his authority4--,the efficacy 
of his power4--,the advantages   which  
he hath for the management of it1 from  
the number1 order1 place1   and         
knowledge of devils4      ,that ,satan's
 power is great1 is our next inquiry2   
where1    #a4 ,first1 ,we will consider 
his power as an angel4 ,in ,ps4 ciii4   
#bj angels are said #8to excel in       
strength2' and in ver4 #ba1 as also     
,ps4 cxlviii4 #b1 they are called       
#8,god's host2' which is more fully     
expressed1 #a ,kings xxii4 #ai1 #8,i saw
 the ,lord sitting upon his throne1  and
 all the host of heaven standing by him 
on his right hand and on  his left2'    
which phrase1 though it import their    
order and observance1  yet undoubtedly  
the main of its intendment is to set    
forth their  power1 as hosts are the    

strength of kings and nations4 ,god     
himself1  in putting on that title1     
#8,the ,lord of hosts1' makes it an     
evidence  of his incomprehensible power1
 that such armies of strong and mighty  
creatures are at his command4 ,but this 
only in the general4 ,that which  comes 
nearer to a particular account of their 
strength1 is that notion  of a spirit1  
by which they are frequently described1 
#8,he maketh his  angels spirits2 his   
ministers flaming fire1' ,ps4 civ4 #d4  
,the being  of a spirit is the highest  
our understanding is able to reach1 and 
that it shews a being very excellent1 is
 manifest in this1 that ,god  is pleased
 to represent himself to us under the   
notion of a spirit2  not that he is     
truly and properly such1 but that this  
is the most  excellent being that falls 
under our apprehension4 ,besides that   
the  term #8spirit' raiseth our         
understanding to conceive a being of a  
high  and extraordinary power1 it doth  
further tend to form our conceptions  to

 some apprehensions of their nature4 #a4
 ,from the knowledge that we  have of   
our own spirits4 ,that our spirit is of 
a vast comprehension  and activity1 our 
thoughts1 desires1 reasonings1 and the  
particular  undertakings of some men of 
a raised spirit1 do abundantly evidence4
  #b4 ,in that it represents a spiritual
 being1 freed from the clog and         
hindrance of corporeity4 ,our own       
spirits are limited and restrained by   
our bodies1 as fire1 an active element1 
is retarded and made sluggish  by matter
 unapt to serve its proper force1 as    
when it is in a heap of  earth2 which is
 also sufficiently pointed at in that   
opposition betwixt  flesh and blood1 and
 principalities and powers1 ,eph4 vi42  
shewing  that flesh and blood are a     
disadvantage and hindrance to the       
activity  of a spirit4 ,a spirit then1  
as incorporeal1 may be conceived to move
  easily without molestation1 quickly1  
imperceptibly1 and irresistibly4  #c4   
,this is yet further illustrated by the 

similitude of wind and  fire1 which are1
 to the common experience of all1 of    
very great force4  ,and it is yet       
further observable that the ,scripture  
sometime speaks  of the power of angels 
in the abstract1 choosing rather to call
 them  #8powers' than powerful1 1 ,col4 
i4 #af2 clearly shewing that  angels are
 beings of vast strength1 as indeed the 
actions done by them  do abundantly     
testify4 ,such was the destroying       
,sennacherib's hosts in  a night1 the   
opening the prison doors for ,peter1 the
 carrying ,philip  in the air1 and such 
other acts1 which tend to the protection
 of the  faithful1 or punishing of the  
wicked4    ,though this may fully       
satisfy us that angels excel in         
strength1 yet the  ,scripture suggests  
another consideration relating to the   
office and  employment of angels1 where 
their commission shews not only a       
liberty  for the exercise of this power1
 but also doth imply such a power as  is
 fit to be commissionated to such acts4 

,these invisible beings are  called     
thrones1 dominions1 principalities1     
powers1 ,col4 i4 #af4 ,it is  indeed a  
task beyond a sober undertaking to      
distinguish these words1  and to set    
their true bounds and marks of          
difference4 ,this ,augustine            
acknowledged2#gi yet may we hence       
conclude1 #a4 ,that these words  imply a
 very great authority in angels2 #b4 ,a 
power and strength  suitable to their   
employment1 and that ,god furnished them
 with power  answerable to the work     
which he intended for them1 in his      
moving the  heavens1 and governing the  
world1 c4 ,however1 in some cases1 ,god 
works by instruments every way          
disproportionable to the service1 #8that
  the excellency of the power might be  
of ,god1' #b ,cor4 iv4 #g2 yet1 in  the 
ordinary way of his working1 he puts an 
innate1 suitable force  in creatures1   
for the acts to be done by them2 as     
there is an innate  power in the wind to
 blow1 in the fire to burn1 in herbs and

 plants for  medicinal uses4 ,thus may  
we conceive of angels1 that ,god using  
them  as his host1 his #8ministers to do
 his pleasure1' he hath endowed them    
with an innate natural power for those  
great things which he doth by  them1    
which must not be supposed in the least 
derogatory to the power  of ,god1 in his
 ways of mercies or judgments1 seeing   
all the strength  of angels is          
originally from ,god4 ,hence is it that 
all the names of  angels which we read  
of in ,scripture carry this             
acknowledgment in their  signification2 
,michael thus unfolds itself1 #8,who is 
like ,god2' ,gabriel  thus1 #8,the glory
 of ,god and therefore may we suppose   
them not so much  the proper names of   
angels1 but1 as ,calvin noteth1 ,nomina 
ad captum  nostrum indita1 ,names       
implying ,god's great power in them4#hj 
,such a powerful spirit is ,satan by    
creation4 ,but because it will be       
doubted lest his fall hath bereaved him 
of his excellency1 and cast  him down   

from his strength1 ,i shall evidence    
that he still retains the  same natural 
power4 ,to which purpose it is not unfit
 to be observed1  #a4 ,that the same    
terms and names which were given to good
 angels1  to signify their strength and 
commission1 ,col4 i4 #af1 and ii4 #aj1  
are  also given to ,satan1 ,eph4 vi4    
#ab4 ,devils are called                 
#8principalities1'  #8powers1'          
#8rulers2' and ,col4 ii4 #ae1 they have 
the same names which  in ver4 #aj were  
given to good angels1 #8he spoiled      
principalities and  powers4' #b4 ,the   
,scripture gives particular instances of
 ,satan's  power and working3 as his    
raising tempests in the air1 commanding 
fire  from heaven--both which he did in 
prosecution of his malice against  ,job2
 his carrying the bodies of men in the  
air--as he did with ,christ1  hurrying  
him from the wilderness to the mountain1
 from thence to the  pinnacle of the    
temple2 his breaking chains and fetters 
of iron1 ,mark  v4 #d2 his bringing     

diseases--instances whereof were that   
crooked woman  whom ,satan had bowed    
together1 ,luke xiii4 #af1 and the      
lunatic person1  ,luke ix4 #ca1 with a  
great many more4 #c4 ,it is also        
observable that1  notwithstanding1      
,satan's fall hath made an alteration as
 to the ends1  uses1 and office of his  
power2 yet1 nevertheless1 ,god makes use
 of  this strength in him1 not only as  
an executioner of wrath against his     
enemies--as when he vexed ,saul by this 
evil spirit2 and through this  lying    
spirit1 gave up ,ahab to be deluded into
 his ruin1 and inflicted  plagues upon  
,egypt1 by sending evil angels among    
them1 #a ,sam4 xvi4 #ad2  #a ,kings     
xxii4 #ba2 ,ps4 lxxviii4 #di--;but also 
for the trial of his own  servants4     
,thus was ,job afflicted by ,satan1 and 
,paul buffeted by his  messenger4    #b4
 ,secondly1 ,this power of his1 as a    
devil1 falls next under our             
consideration1 wherein are divers       
particulars to be noted3 as1    7#a47   

,first1 ,his commission and authority4  
,if any put that question to  him which 
the ,jews did to ,christ1 #8,by what    
authority dost thou these  things8' or1 
#8,who gave thee this authority8' we    
have the answer in ,john  xii4 #bd1 and 
xvi4 #aa1 where he is called1 #8the     
prince of this world2'  and accordingly 
the ,scripture speaks of a twofold      
kingdom1 of light  and of darkness2 and 
in this we hear of ,satan's seat or     
throne1 of his  servants and subjects4  
,yea1 that which is more1 the ,scripture
 speaks  of a kind of deity in ,satan2  
he is called #8the god of this world1'  
#b  ,cor4 iv4 #d2 which doth not only   
set forth the intolerable pride and     
usurpation of ,satan in propounding     
himself as such1 so drawing on poor     
blind creatures to worship him1 but also
 discovers his power1 which  by         
commission he hath obtained over the    
children of disobedience1  ,zanchius4   
,hence doth he challenge it as a kind of
 right and due from  the poor           

,americans1 and others1 that they should
 fall down and worship  him2 and upon   
this supposition was he so intolerably  
presumptuous in  offering the kingdoms  
of the world to ,christ for such a      
service and  worship4    ,if it be      
questioned what ,satan's authority is1  
,i shall answer it thus3--    #a4       
,first1 ,his authority is not absolute  
or unlimited4 ,he cannot do  what he    
pleaseth1 and therefore we do find him  
begging leave of ,god for  the exerting 
of his power in particular cases1 as    
when he was #8a lying  spirit' in the   
mouth of ,ahab's prophets1 and in every 
assault he made  upon ,job2 nay1 he     
could not enter into the swine of the   
,gadarenes till  he had ,christ's       
commission for it4    #b4 ,secondly1    
,yet hath he a commission in general--a 
standing  commission1 as petty kings and
 governors had under the ,roman emperor1
  where they were authorised to exercise
 an authority and power1  according to  
the rules and directions given them4    

,this is clearly  signified by those    
expressions1 #8they are captives at his 
will1' #b  ,tim4 ii4 #af1 and #8given up
 to ,satan1' #a ,tim4 i4 #bj1 as persons
  excommunicated2 and when men are      
converted1 they are said to be          
#8translated from his power1' and put   
under another jurisdiction1 in the      
#8kingdom of ,christ1' ,col4 i4 #ac4    
,all which would have been highly       
improper1 if a commission for ,satan1   
and an authority for those works  of    
darkness1 had not been signified by     
them4    ,next1 let us view the extent  
of this authority1 both as to persons   
and  things4 ,in relation to persons1   
the boundary of his kingdom reacheth  as
 far as darkness4 ,he rules in #8the    
dark places of the earth1' or  the      
darkness of this world2 and therefore   
his kingdom is hence  denominated #8a   
kingdom of darkness4' ,this extends1 we 
may well imagine1  as far as heathenism 
reacheth1 where he is worshipped as     
,god1 as far as  any darkness of        

,mohammedanism stretcheth itself1 as far
 as the darkness  of infidelity and     
blindness upon the hearts of unconverted
 men2 which1  if summed up together1    
must needs take up the greatest part of 
the  world by far2 which is             
acknowledged1 not only by that large    
expression  world1 #8prince of the      
world1' c41 but also by that prophetic  
speech of  ,rev4 xi4 #ae1 #8,the        
kingdoms of this world are become the   
kingdoms of our  ,lord and his ,christ1'
 which acknowledgeth they had not been  
so before1  in the sense wherein we now 
speak4    ,neither is his kingdom so    
bounded but that he also can1 when      
allowed1  make excursions and inroads   
into the kingdom of ,christ1 so far as  
to  molest1 disturb1 and annoy his      
subjects2 as the kings of any nation1   
besides the power which they exercise in
 their proper jurisdiction1 may  molest 
their neighbours4 ,and ,christ so far   
permits this as is useful to  his own   
designs1 yet still with straiter        

reserves and limitations to  ,satan1 and
 a resolved rescue and conquest for his 
own people4    ,if we inquire the extent
 of his power in relation to things1 we 
find  the air in a peculiar manner      
permitted to him2 so that he is named   
by it1 as by one of his chief royalties1
 #8the prince of the power of  the air4'
 ,we find also death1 with the powers of
 it1 given up to him2  so that this is a
 periphrasis of him1 #8,he that hath the
 power of  death1' ,heb4 ii4 #ad4 ,and  
if we take notice of his large proffer  
to  ,christ of the kingdoms of the      
world1 #8,all this will ,i give thee1'  
we  may imagine that his commission     
reacheth far this way1 as rewards and   
encouragements to his service2 which we 
will the readilier entertain  when we   
find that1 by ,god's allowance1 wicked  
men have their #8portion  in this life1'
 and that these are called #8their good 
things4'#ha    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,let us    
proceed a step further1 to the efficacy 
of this  authority2 which also1    7#a47

 ,first1 ,upon wicked men is no less    
remarkable than is his  commission4 ,he 
is called #8the strong man1' ,luke xi4  
#ba1 in reference  to their hearts1     
which he fortifies1 as so many castles  
and garrisons1  against ,god4 ,he also  
#8rules in them' without control2 his   
suggestions  and temptations are as laws
 to them2 he #8fills their hearts1'     
,acts  v4 #c1 with his designs1 and     
raiseth their affections to a high and  
greedy pursuit of them2 he works in     
them1 and by an inward force doth  hurry
 them on to achieve his enterprises1 in 
all this ensnaring and  captivating them
 #8at his pleasure1' ,eph4 ii4 #b2 #b   
,tim4 ii4 #bf4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the 
saints1 which are subjects of another   
kingdom1 are  still fearing1            
complaining1 watching1 praying1 and     
spreading out their  hands1 with lifting
 up their eyes to heaven for help       
against him4 ,they  complain of violence
 and restless assaults from him2 they   
are sensible  that he can suggest evil  

thoughts1 and follow them with incessant
  importunities2 that he can draw a     
darkness upon their understanding by    
bribing their wills and affections      
against them2 that he can disturb  their
 duties1 and that because of him they   
cannot do the good they  would4 ,many a 
fear doth he beget in their hearts2 many
 a disquiet hour  have they from him2   
their flesh hath no rest1 and happy are 
they if  they escape from him without   
broken bones2 many excellent ones have  
been cast down by him1 and for a time   
have been like dead men4 ,it is  sad to 
see so just a person as ,lot under his  
feet2 so choice a saint  as ,david      
wounded almost to the death2 so high an 
apostle as ,peter1 by  force and fear   
from him1 to open his mouth with curses 
and imprecations  in the denial of his  
,saviour2 to say nothing of the         
buffetings of  others1 which was        
sufficiently wearisome to ,paul1 and    
described by  #8a thorn in the flesh1'  
#b ,cor4 xii4 #g2 which1 if a learned   

man think  right1 is compared1 by a     
metaphor1 to those sharp stakes upon    
which  ,christians were cruelly spitted 
and burnt4#hb    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,his   
quick and ready accomplishment is a     
further proof  of the efficacy of his   
power4 ,no sooner had ,god given him a  
commission  in reference to ,job1 but he
 quickly raiseth the tempest1 brings    
down  the house1 slays his children1    
brings fire from heaven2 and1 which     
would seem strange1 hath the troops of  
the ,sabeans and ,chaldeans at his      
beck1 as if they had been listed under  
his known command2 so that in a  little 
time he puts his malice into act4       
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,if any would slight   
all this1 as being the force of         
principalities and powers against flesh 
and blood1 we may see he  hath so much  
strength and confidence as to grapple   
with an angel of  light1 as he did in   
the contesting for ,moses his body1     
,jude #i4 ,this  was a created angel1   
else he durst not sure have brought a   

#8railing  accusation2' but in that he  
strove1 and railingly accused1 it shews 
he  wanted not a daring boldness to     
second his commission and power4    #d4 
,fourthly1 ,it will be also requisite to
 lay open the advantages he  hath in the
 management of all this power1 which are
 great2 as1    7#a47 ,first1 ,the       
multitude of devils4 ,that there are    
many is not  denied1 upon the evidence  
of seven cast out of ,mary ,magdalene1  
and  the legion which were settled in   
one poor man at once4 ,it may be we  may
 not credit the devil's own account of  
his strength so much as to  believe that
 their number was exactly answerable to 
a ,roman legion1  which1 if some speak  
right1 was #ffff2 yet there being so    
plain an  allusion to a ,roman legion1  
and the ,scripture in the recital       
favouring  it so far as to consent to a 
truth in that part of the story1 we can 
do no less than conclude that the number
 of devils in that person was  a very   
great number1 and so great1 that the    

similitude of legion was  proper to     
express it by4 ,besides1 if the         
,scripture had been silent in  this     
particular1 our reason would have       
clearly drawn that conclusion  from such
 premises as these1 that he is the      
#8god' of the world1 and  rules in the  
#8children of disobedience2' for        
whatsoever we conceive of  his power1 we
 cannot think him omnipotent or         
omnipresent1 these being  the           
incommunicable attributes of the great  
,creator of all things1 in  which no    
creature can share with ,god4 ,being    
then assured that he is  the tempter of 
all men1 and that he cannot be in all   
places at once1  we must needs apprehend
 the devils to be many1 as is signified 
by that  expression1 #8the devil and his
 angels4'    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he hath  
also an advantage for the executing of  
his  designs1 from that order1 which    
from the fore-mentioned grounds  we must
 be forced to conceive to be among      
devils4 ,i know the bold  determination 

of the order of angels by ,dionysius is 
justly rejected1  not only by ,irenus   
and ,augustine1#hc but also by the      
generality of  protestants1 who upon    
that and other grounds of like          
presumption do  reject that author as   
not being the true ,dionysius the       
,areopagite4  ,neither do some of our   
protestant authors1 as ,chamier and     
others1 admit  the government of angels 
to be monarchical1 which supposition the
  papists would gladly make use of1 as a
 foundation whereon to establish  the   
universal headship of the pope1 being a 
thing which ,dionysius  himself1 as     
,chamier affirms1 never dreamt of4#hd   
,yet do none of these  authors deny an  
order among the angels1 but willingly   
grant it1 as  clearly implied from the  
term archangel used by ,paul1 #a ,thes4 
iv4  #af1he and from their being called 
,god's host or army1 where order is     
necessary for the right management of   
their strength1 and confusion  the way  
to the ruin of their designs4 ,the thing

 they dislike is1 the  bold and         
peremptory determination of the         
particular orders among them1  and the  
assignment of the several charges1      
employments1 and stations  to each2     
which whosoever shall do1 must needs be 
guilty of #8intruding  into things which
 he hath not seen4'#hf ,it would upon   
the same score  be a presumptuous folly 
to make such a determination of the     
several  ranks and particular           
employments of devils4 ,yet this        
hindereth not1  but with a warrantable  
sobriety we may believe in the general  
that  there is an order among the       
devils4 ,not only do these expressions1 
#8,beelzebub the prince of devils1'     
#8the devil and his angels1' and in     
that they are called #8principalities   
and powers1' warrant us so to  think1   
but the fore-mentioned considerations   
about the multitude of  devils will     
force our reason to an assent3 for if   
they must be many1  because all mankind 
is sensible of their assaults1 they must

 have also  an order in the management  
of their temptations--without which     
their  designs of cruelty and malice    
must1 at least in great part1 fall to   
the ground4#hg ,neither do ,i know well 
how those authors may be justly  blamed1
 who proceed a little further in their  
suppositions1 to tell  us1 as most      
probable1#hh that these infernal spirits
 do share the  world among them1 and are
 allotted to several countries and      
places1 as  their own proper charge and 
jurisdiction2 for what other            
interpretation  those passages in ,dan4 
x4 #ac can receive ,i cannot see3 the   
prince of  the kingdom of ,persia       
withstanding the angel one and twenty   
days2 and  his help in that opposition  
from ,michael1 cannot1 if things be well
  weighed1 be properly understood of    
,cambyses the son of ,cyrus1 or a       
contest with any man4 ,however1 if we   
let this go as a thing uncertain1       
because this interpretation is denied by
 some1#hi yet that which is  spoken of  

their order in the general1 and the     
advantage these spirits  have against us
 upon that consideration1 seems to be   
past denial4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,the    
advantage of place among armies is      
reckoned much4  ,satan seems to have    
something this way as an advantage of   
ground1  in that he is styled spiritual 
wickedness in high places4#ij ,what     
advantage high places may be to devils  
and spirits we cannot further  imagine1 
than that they1 being thus above us and 
about us in the air1  see and know our  
ways and actions1 and so receive        
information from  thence for their      
malicious proceedings against us4       
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,but his greatest      
advantage is from his knowledge1  which 
,i shall a little explain in the        
following chapter4          ,,chapter   
,,iv4     ,that ,satan hath a great     
measure of knowledge1 proved by         
comparing him   with the knowledge of   
,adam in innocency1 and by his          
titles4--,of his   knowledge1 natural1  

experimental1 and accessory4--,of his   
knowledge of   our thoughts4--,how far  
he doth not know them1 and how far he   
doth1 and   by what means4--,of his     
knowledge of things future1 and by what 
ways he   doth conjecture them4--,the   
advantages in point of temptation that  
he   hath by his knowledge4      ,in the
 discovery of ,satan's knowledge1 ,i    
shall first give evidence and           
demonstration thereof4 ,to which        
purpose--    #a4 ,let us consider the   
knowledge of ,adam in innocency2 which  
being  found to be great1 it will thence
 be easily concluded that ,satan's      
knowledge is far greater4 ,two notable  
discoveries we have of ,adam's          
knowledge1 the one was his giving of    
names to all creatures1 ,gen4 ii4  #bi1 
which was not only a sign of his        
dominion1 but also a notable  instance  
of his understanding1 seeing the names  
were given according  to the natures of 
creatures2 whereof ,bochartus gives a   
large account1  as the camel is called 1

 because it is apt to repay  injuries2  
the kite1 1 from its sharpness of sight2
 the  pelican is named 1 from its usual 
vomiting1 c4#ia ,the  consideration of  
the aptness of names imposed on         
creatures made ,plato  acknowledge that 
it was a work above ordinary capacity4  
,the other  discovery of ,adam's        
knowledge was his knowledge of the      
original of ,eve  at first sight1 ,gen  
ii4 #bc2 he said1 #8,this is now bone of
 my bones1  and flesh of my flesh1' c4  
,this instance ,luther made use of to   
prove  the knowledge that we shall have 
of one another in heaven2 which shews   
that ,adam's understanding was then     
incomparably more sublime than  ours1   
and of a nearer approach to the         
knowledge which a state of glory  shall 
furnish us withal4 ,to this might be    
added a further proof from  the rare    
inventions and excellent discoveries    
that some raised wits  have made1 of    
things that have laid deep and far out  
of the view of  common capacities4 ,as  

also those views1 sights1 and more than 
ordinary  comprehensions which the souls
 of men have had1 when they were a      
little  freed from the clog and         
hindrance of the body1 either in        
ecstasies or  by approaching death2 all 
which put together will go far to prove 
a  very great measure of knowledge in   
,satan1 if we take along with us this   
foundation1 that in all the works of    
,god we find the highest knowledge  in  
the noblest being4 ,living creatures are
 more excellent than stones  or trees1  
and therefore hath ,god furnished them  
with senses1 and hath  also             
distinguished them by higher degrees of 
sagacity1 according to  their excellency
 above others4 ,thus the ape1 fox1      
elephant1 c41 have  such abilities above
 the worm and fly1 c41 that some have   
questioned  whether they had not some   
lower degrees of reason3 yet as these   
are  below man1 so doth his reason far  
excel their greatest quickness of       
sense4 ,angels are a higher being than  

man--for he made him #8lower than  the  
angels'--and consequently their         
knowledge is proportionably greater4    
,so that if ,adam in innocency          
understood the nature of things1 how    
much  more exactly and fully must we    
imagine ,satan to know them6    #b4     
,secondly1 ,but the proof is more full  
and direct1 from those  appellations and
 titles which the ,scripture and the    
experience of men  have put upon him2   
his usual name1 1 quasi 1 which--in     
,mat4 viii4 #ca2 ,mark v4 #ab2 ,rev4    
xvi4 #ad--we translate devil1 properly  
signifieth one that is wise1 knowing1 or
 skilful4 ,and however the  wickedness  
of that spirit hath so far dishonoured  
this word1 that it  is always1 as some  
think1 used to signify #8unclean        
spirits2' yet still  it carries an      
evidence of their nature in reference to
 knowledge1 that  though they are wicked
 creatures1 yet are they wise and       
knowing4 ,it is  said1 ,gen4 iii4 #a1   
#8,the serpent was more subtle than any 

beast of the  field2' which1 though it  
be true literally of the serpent1 whose 
wisdom  and subtlety naturalists have   
abundantly noted1 yet that expression   
hath an eye upon ,satan1 who was the    
principal agent2 and the serpent  there 
is called subtle1 as influenced by      
,satan1 whose instrument he  was3#ib    
which we may believe1 not only upon the 
credit of ,austin and  ,lyra1 but more  
securely upon the testimony of other    
scriptures1 which  name him #8the old   
serpent1' ,rev4 xvii4 #i1 and impute all
 that craft  in the management of that  
temptation to a particular remarkable   
skill  and subtlety of ,satan4 #8,the   
serpent beguiled ,eve through subtlety1'
 #b  ,cor4 xi4 #c2 and1 if ,beza        
conjecture right1 the appellation  do   
so fitly suit this history of the tree  
of knowledge1 that the title of         
knowledge seems to be given him for this
 singular masterpiece of craft4    #c4  
,thirdly1 ,that ,satan hath great       
knowledge is by these arguments         

discovered2 but if further inquiry be   
made into the nature of his  knowledge1 
we shall be nearer to a satisfaction in 
this particular2  and here we may       
observe a threefold knowledge in ,satan4
    7#a47 ,first1 ,a natural knowledge2 
which the schoolmen have  distinguished 
into these two3 #a4 ,an evening         
knowledge1 which  he received from      
things created1 whereby the species of  
things  were impressed upon his mind1   
and so received1 being a knowledge      
posteriori1 from the effects of things2 
which1 because it is more  dark and     
obscure than that which ariseth from the
 causes of things1  they termed evening 
knowledge4 #b4 ,the other is morning    
knowledge1  which is a knowledge of     
things in the power and wisdom of ,god1 
in  which he saw the ideas and images of
 all things4 ,this knowledge they       
prefer before the other1 as lines and   
figures are better known from           
mathematical instruction than by their  
bare tract as written in  dust4#ic      

7#b47 ,secondly1 ,besides this he hath  
an experimental knowledge2 which  is the
 improvement of that natural stock1 by  
further acquisitions and  attainments4  
,and indeed ,satan had very high        
advantages for an increase  of          
knowledge4 ,he had a great stock to     
begin withal2 he hath had fit  and      
suitable objects to work upon in his    
contemplations1 so that by  comparing   
things with things in so large a field  
of variety1 and that  for so many years 
together1 it cannot be but that he      
should be grown  more experienced and   
subtle than he was at first2 and the    
,scripture  doth fairly countenance this
 supposition1 by telling us of his      
devices1  #b ,cor4 ii4 #aa2 of his      
wiles1 ,eph4 vi4 #aa2 and of his depths1
 ,rev4 ii4  #bd4id ,all which phrases   
imply that ,satan hath so studied the   
point  of temptation1 that he hath now1 
from long experience and observation1   
digested it into an art and method1 and 
that with such exactness that  it is    

become a mystery and a depth1 much      
covered and concealed from the  notice  
and observation of men4    7#c47        
,thirdly1 ,to both the former may be    
added another knowledge1  which because 
it is from another spring1 ,i may call  
it an accessory  knowledge1 consisting  
in occasional discoveries made to him1  
either  when ,god is pleased to make    
known so much of his mind and purpose1  
as he employs him1 as an instrument or  
servant1 to execute1 as he  did in the  
case of ,job and ,ahab2 or when he      
informs himself from the  ,scriptures1  
or catcheth hints of knowledge from the 
church and the  ordinances thereof4 ,if 
good angels have an increase of         
knowledge this  way1 as is evident they 
have1 #8for to principalities and powers
 in  heavenly places is made known by   
the church the manifold wisdom of       
,god1' ,eph4 iii4 #aj1 we cannot but    
imagine that ,satan hath some addition  
of knowledge from such discoveries4     
,while we are upon this point1 it  will 

be necessary to offer some satisfaction 
to two questions4    ,quest4 #a4 ,first1
 ,whether ,satan knows our thoughts8    
,ans4 #a4 ,it is undoubtedly ,god's     
prerogative to know the thoughts4 ,he   
knows them intuitively1 which is beyond 
the power of any creature3 ,jer4  xvii4 
#i1 #8,who can know it8' ,this is a     
challenge to all1 implying the  utter   
impossibility of it to any but to ,god  
alone2 #8,i the ,lord search  the       
heart2' he knows the most inward        
thoughts3 ,rev4 ii4 #bc1 #8,i am he     
which searcheth the reins1 and the      
heart2' he knows them evidently and     
certainly3 ,heb4 iv4 #ac1 #8,all things 
are naked and open#ie before him  with  
whom we have to do4' ,those secret      
thinkings and intendments which  are hid
 from others1 and which we ourselves    
cannot distinctly read1  because of     
their secret intricacy or confusedness1 
yet the very inside  and outside of them
 are uncased1 cut up and anatomised by  
his eye2 in  all which expressions ,god 

is careful to reserve this to himself1  
#8,i the  ,lord do it1' or #8,i am he1  
c41 that searcheth2' and signifies that 
none  else is able to do the like4      
,ans4 #b4 ,yet ,satan can do much this  
way2 for if we consider how he  can come
 so near to our spirits1 as to          
communicate his injections to  us1 and  
that he often entertains a dispute with 
us in this secret way  of access that he
 hath to our thoughts2 if we observe his
 arguings1  his answers and replies to  
our refusals1 so direct1 so pertinent1  
so  continued1 we shall be constrained  
to grant that he can do more this  way  
than is commonly imagined4 ,that ,i may 
explain this with a due  respect to     
,god's prerogative of knowing the heart1
 ,i shall1    #a4 ,first1 ,shew that    
there are two things which are clearly  
out of  ,satan's reach4 #a4 ,our future 
thoughts2 he cannot tell what shall be  
our thoughts for time to come4 ,he may  
possibly adventure to tell what         
suggestions he resolves to put into our 

hearts1 but what shall be our  resolves 
and determinations thereupon he knows   
not4 ,this is singled  out as one part  
of ,god's prerogative1 that he knoweth  
the determinate  purposes and resolves  
of the heart aforehand1 because he      
turneth the  heart as he pleaseth1      
,prov4 xxi4 #a4 #b4 ,our present formed 
thoughts1  the immediate and imminent#if
 acts of the mind he cannot directly    
see into4 ,he may tell what floating    
thinkings he hath put into our  heart1  
but our own proper thoughts1 or formed  
resolves1 he cannot  directly view4     
,this is also particularly insisted on  
as proper to ,god  alone3 ,john ii4 #bd1
 #be1 #8,christ knew all men1' so       
directly1 that #8he  needed not that any
 should testify of man4' ,this ,satan   
stands in need  of2 he sometimes knows  
men and their thoughts1 but he needs a  
sign  or notification of these thoughts1
 and cannot immediately look into  them4
 ,the reason why ,christ needed not     
this1 is rendered thus3 #8,for he  knew 

what was in man1' ,mat4 xii4 #be1 that  
is1 intuitively he knew his  thoughts1  
and could immediately read them4    #b4 
,secondly1 ,i shall endeavour to explain
 how much1 or how far he can  pry into  
our thoughts4 ,several things are       
granted which argue ,satan  can go a    
great way toward a discovery4 ,as1      
7#a47 ,first1 ,that he knows the objects
 in our fancy or phantasms1 and  this as
 clearly as we do behold things with our
 eyes4 ,and the proof  given hereof is  
this3 that there are diabolical dreams1 
in which the  devil cannot create new   
species1 and such as our senses were    
never  acquainted withal1 as to make a  
blind man dream of colours1 but that  he
 can only call forth and set in order   
those objects1 of which our  imagination
 doth retain the shadows or impressions2
 and this he could  not do if he did not
 visibly behold them in our fancy4#ig   
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,it is certain he knows
 his own suggestions and  temptations   
darted into our minds1 upon which he can

 at present know  what our thoughts are 
busied upon4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,he     
knows the secret workings of our        
passions1 as love1  desire1 fear1 c41   
because these depend upon1 or are in a  
concomitancy  of the motions of the     
blood and spirits1 which he can easily  
discern1  though their motions and      
workings may be kept secret from the    
observation of all bystanders4    7#d47 
,fourthly1 ,some go further1 as ,scotus1
 7referente ,barthol4  ,sybilla17#ih    
supposing that he knows what is in our  
thoughts at any  time1 only he knows not
 to what these thoughts incline2 but ,i 
leave  this to those that can determine 
it certainly4 ,in the meantime ,i       
proceed1    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,to shew what 
a guessing faculty he hath of what he   
doth  not directly know4 ,he hath such  
grounds and advantages for conjecture1  
that he seldom fails of finding our     
mind4 ,as1    7#a47 ,first1 ,his long   
experience hath taught him what usually 
men  do think1 in such cases as are     

commonly before them4 ,by a cunning     
observation of their actions and ways he
 knows this4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he by 
study and observation knows our temper  
and  inclination1 and consequently what 
temptations do most suit them1 and  how 
we do ordinarily entertain them4        
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,he knows this the more1
 by taking notice of our prayers1  our  
complainings and mournings over our     
defects and miscarriages4    7#d47      
,fourthly1 ,he is quick and ready to    
take notice of any exterior  sign1 by   
which the mind is signified1 as the     
pulse1 the motion of the  body1 the     
change of the countenance1 all which do 
usually shew the  assent or dissent of  
the mind1 and at least tell him what    
entertainment  his offers have in our   
thoughts4    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,being so  
quick-sighted1 he can understand those  
particular signs which would escape the 
observation of the wisest  men4#ii      
,there are some things small in         
themselves1 and therefore  unobserved1  

which yet to wise men are very great    
indicia of things4  ,the like may be    
said of us1 in reference to our         
inclinations1 our  acceptance or        
resistance of temptations1 which yet he 
hath curiously  marked out4    7#f47    
,sixthly1 ,no doubt but he hath ways to 
put us upon a discovery of  our         
thoughts1 while we conceal them1 as by  
continuing and prosecuting  temptations 
or suggestions1 till our trouble or     
passions do some way  discover how it is
 with us4 ,by all which it appears that 
his guessings  and conjectures do seldom
 fail him4 ,it is now time to speak to  
the  other question1 which is1          
,quest4 #b4 ,whether and how far ,satan 
knows things to come8    ,ans4 ,to this 
,i shall return answer in these two     
conclusions3    ,conclusion #a4 ,first1 
,there is a way of knowing future       
things1 which  is beyond the knowledge  
of devils1 and proper only to ,god1     
,isa4 xli4  #bc2 there ,god puts the    
competition betwixt himself and idols1  

about the  truth of a deity1 upon this  
issue1 that #8he that can shew the      
things  that are to come hereafter1 he  
is ,god2' which because they cannot do1 
he doth hereby evince them to be no     
gods4 ,if ,satan could truly and        
properly have done this1 he had had a   
plea for a godhead4 ,in divine          
predictions two things are to be        
considered4 #a4 ,the matter foretold2   
when the events of things contingent1   
and as to second causes casual1         
depending upon indeterminate causes1 are
 foretold4 #b4 ,the manner2  when these 
things are not uncertainly1 or          
conjecturally1 or darkly1 but  clearly1 
certainly1 infallibly1 and fully        
predicted4 ,of this nature are  divine  
predictions1 which ,satan cannot        
perform1 nor yet the angels in  heaven4 
,conclusion #b4 ,secondly1 ,yet ,satan  
hath such advantages for the  knowledge 
of future things1 and such means and    
helps for a discovery of  them1 that his
 conjectures have often come to pass4   

#a4 ,first1 ,he knows the causes of     
things1 which are secret to us4  ,upon  
which he seems to foretell many things  
strange to us2 as a  physician may      
foretell the effects1 workings1 and     
issues of a disease1  as seeing them in 
the causes1 which would pass for little 
less than  prophecy among the vulgar4   
,thus an astrologer foretells eclipses1 
which  would be taken for a divine      
excellency1 where the knowledge of the  
ground of these foretellings had not    
taken away the wonder4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,many things are made known to him by  
immediate divine  revelation4 ,we know  
not the intercourse betwixt ,god and    
,satan in  the matter of ,job4 ,satan   
having obtained his commission to       
afflict  him1 might have made a long    
prophecy of what should come to pass in 
reference to ,job1 his children and     
substance4 ,how many such predictions   
he might make1 we little know4    #c4   
,thirdly1 ,he hath a deep insight in    
affairs of kingdoms and  states1 and so 

might1 from his experience and          
observation1 easily  conjecture         
mutations and alterations4 ,a politician
 may do much this  way4 ,for aught we   
know1 ,satan's prophecy1 in the likeness
 of ,samuel1 to  ,saul1 of his ruin1 and
 the translation of his kingdom to      
,david1 might  be no more than a        
conjectural conclusion1 from his        
comparing the order  of the present     
providence with former threatenings and 
promises4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,he hath a  
greater understanding of ,scripture     
prophecies1 than ordinarily the wisest  
men have1 so that at second  hand he    
might be able to foretell what shall    
come to pass2 whilst we  that do not so 
clearly see into ,scripture predictions1
 may not be able  to find out the       
matter4 ,hence by oracle he foretold    
,alexander of his  success1 which he    
knew from the prophecy of ,daniel1 chap4
 xi41 long  before4#ajj    #e4 ,fifthly1
 ,he hath advantage from his nature as a
 spirit1 by  which he overhears and sees

 the private actings1 complottings1 and 
preparations of men in reference to     
certain undertakings1 and can  easily1  
by his agents1 communicate such counsels
 or resolves in remote  countries and   
kingdoms1 which must pass for real      
predictions1 if the  event answer       
accordingly4    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,he can   
foretell1 and with probability of       
success1 such  things as he by          
temptation is about to put men upon1    
especially seeing  he can choose such   
instruments as he1 from experience1     
knows are not  likely to fail his       
enterprise4    #g4 ,seventhly1 ,to this 
may be added1 the way and manner by     
which  he expresseth himself1 either in 
doubtful or enigmatical terms1 or  in   
general expressions1 which may be       
applied to the event1 what  way soever  
it should happen4 ,of these1 authors    
have observed many  instances1 which    
were superfluous to enumerate4#aja      
,satan's knowledge being thus explained1
 it is easy to imagine what an          

advantage it is to him in the management
 of his temptations4 ,for1    ,first1   
,he by this means knows our tempers and 
dispositions4    ,secondly1 ,and what is
 most likely to prevail with us4        
,thirdly1 ,how inclinable we are upon   
any motion made to us1 and what  hope to
 gain upon us4    ,fourthly1 ,he knows  
fit times1 seasons1 and advantages      
against us4    ,fifthly1 ,he knows how  
to pursue suggestions1 and can choose   
strong  reasons to urge us withal4      
,sixthly1 ,he knows how to delude our   
senses1 to disturb our passions4        
,seventhly1 ,he knows all the ways and  
arts of affrightments1 vexations1       
disquietments1 hindrances1 and          
disturbances of duty4    #h4 ,eighthly1 
,he by this means is furnished with     
skill for his public  cheats and        
delusions in the world2 how to amuse1   
astonish1 and amaze  men into errors and
 mistakes1 which he hath always         
endeavoured with  very great success in 
the world1 as we shall see hereafter4   

,,chapter ,v4     ,instances of ,satan's
 power4--,of witchcraft1 what it        
is4--,satan's power   argued from       
thence4--,of wonders4--,whether ,satan  
can do miracles8--,an   account of what 
he can do that way4--,his power argued  
from apparitions   and possessions4     
,i shall add1 in the fifth place1 some  
particular instances of his  power1 in  
which ,i shall insist upon these        
four--witchcraft1 wonders1  apparitions1
 and possessions4    #a4 ,first1        
,witchcraft affords a very great        
discovery of ,satan's power4  ,but      
because some give such interpretations  
of witchcraft1 as1 if true1  would      
wholly take away the force of this      
instance1 ,i shall first  endeavour to  
establish a true notion of witchcraft2  
and secondly1 from  thence argue        
,satan's power4    7#a47 ,first1 ,though
 the being of witches is not directly   
denied1 because  the authority of       
,scripture--,exod4 xxii4 #ah2 ,deut4    
xviii4 #aj1 c4--hath  determined beyond 

controversy that such there are2 yet    
some will allow  no other interpretation
 of the word1#ajb than a skill and      
practice in  the art of poisoning1      
because the ,septuagint doth interpret  
the ,hebrew  word1 1 by 1 veneficam2    
which apprehension  they strengthen by  
the authority of ,josephus1#ajc who     
giveth this  account of the law1 #8,let 
none of the children of ,israel use any 
deadly  poison1 or any drug wherewith he
 may do hurt1' c4 ,it is easy to        
observe that this conceit ariseth from a
 great inobservancy of the  reason of   
the application of these words1  and    
veneficus1 to  witchcraft1 in ,greek and
 ,latin authors4    ,witchcrafts were   
supposed to be helped forward by the    
strength of  several herbs1 and these1  
by incantations and other ceremonies at 
their  gathering1 imagined to attain a  
poisonous and evil quality or efficacy  
for such effects as were intended to be 
produced by them1 as appears  by ,ovid1 
,virgil1 and other authors4#ajd ,hence  

was it that the word   became applicable
 to any sort of witchcraft4 ,to this may
 be  added1 that such persons were      
resorted to for help against diseases1  
vide ,leigh4 ,crit4 ,sac4 in ,voc4 ,as  
also that they used unguents  for       
transportations4 ,hence ,godwin ,jew4   
,antiq41 lib4 iv4 cap4 #aj  renders  by 
unguentarios4 ,diascorides ,cap4 de     
,rhamno hath  an expression to this     
purpose1 #8that the branch of that tree1
 being  placed before the doors1 doth   
drive away   1  witchcrafts4' ,it were  
ridiculous to say it drives away        
poisonings2  which is a sufficient      
evidence that the ,grecians used that   
word to  signify another kind of        
witchcraft than that which this mistake 
would  establish4 ,besides this1 the    
,scripture doth afford two strong       
arguments  against this interpretation  
of witchcraft4    #a4 ,that this word is
 ranked with others1 as being of the    
same  alliance1 which will carry the    
apprehensions of any considerate man  to

 effects done by the help of ,satan1 in 
an unusual way1 as ,deut4  xviii4 #aj1  
#8,there shall not be found among you   
any that maketh his son  or his daughter
 to pass through the fire'--this is not 
the consuming  of their children to     
,moloch1 but by way of lustration1 a    
mock  baptism1 a piece of witchcraft1 to
 preserve from violent death--#8or  that
 useth divination1 an observer of times1
 or an enchanter1 or a  witch1' c4#aje  
,the very neighbourhood of the witch    
will tell us  that this witch must be a 
diviner1 divination being the general   
term1  comprehending the seven          
particulars following4#ajf ,it would be 
a  harsh straining to put in the        
poisoner1 in the sense of our opposites1
  among the diviners4 ,yet the second   
argument is more cogent1 which is  this3
 ,that among those whom ,pharaoh called 
together to encounter with  ,moses1     
,exod4 vii4 #aa1 we find witches or     
sorcerers expressed by the  same word1 1
 which is used in ,exod4 xxii4 and      

,deut4  xviii4 ,what can more certainly 
fix the interpretation of the word than 
this place1 where the end of ,pharaoh's 
calling them together was1 not  to      
poison ,moses and ,aaron1 but by        
enchantment to outvie them in point  of 
miracles8 which will shew that          
witchcraft is not poisoning1 but the    
doing of strange acts by the aid of     
,satan4 ,neither was this the act of    
one man--who might possibly1 together   
with that present age1 be under a       
mistake concerning witches1 though it be
 a thing not to be supposed--but  long  
after him1 ,nebuchadnezzar1 in ,dan4 ii4
 #d1 being astonished with  his dreams1 
calls for the sorcerers or witches1 and 
magicians1 to give  him the             
interpretation2 which had been a matter 
very improper for them1  if their skill 
had lain only in mixing poisons4#ajg    
,when we have thus silenced this        
imagination1 we have yet another to     
encounter with1 and that is1 ,of those  
that think these witches1 of  which the 

fore-cited texts do speak1 are but mere 
cheats1 and by some  tricks of delusion 
and legerdemain pretend they can do     
things which  indeed they cannot do at  
all2 and yet finding death threatened to
 such1  which1 in a business of mere    
juggling1 would seem too great a        
severity1  they have framed this answer 
to it1#ajh that the death is threatened1
  not for juggling1 but for their       
presumptuous and blasphemous            
undertaking to do things that belong to 
a divine power1 and for taking  his name
 in vain4 ,or1 as others are pleased to 
say1#aji though they  have no real      
power1 they are justly punished for the 
belief they have1  that they can do such
 mischief1 joined with their purpose to 
do it1 if  they can4    ,in answer to   
this apprehension1 ,i shall not much    
insist upon these  reasons1 which yet   
are sufficiently weak--the latter       
accusing ,god's laws  of unreasonable   
severity1 and the former accusing them  
of unnecessary  redundancy1 seeing      

enough in other places is provided      
against  blasphemers#aaj--;but shall    
offer a consideration or two1 which ,i  
judge  will be of force to rectify the  
mistake4    #a4 ,first1 ,though it      
cannot be denied but that a great many  
cheats  there have been in all ages1 by 
which men have endeavoured to raise  the
 repute and esteem of their own skill   
and excellencies1 or for  other base    
ends2 yet1 from hence to conclude that  
all these things  that have been done   
under the name of witchcraft were such1 
must be an  unsufferable piece of       
insolence2 not only denying that credit 
which  all sober men owe to history1 to 
the constant belief of all ages1 to  the
 faithfulness and wisdom of judges1     
jurors1 witnesses1 laws1 and  sanctions1
 but also dangerously overthrowing all  
our senses2 so that  at this rate we may
 well question whether we really eat1   
drink1 move1  sleep1 and anything else  
that we do4 ,this reason is urged by    
grave and  serious men4#aaa    #b4      

,secondly1 ,it cannot be imagined that  
such things are merely  delusory1 where 
the voluntary confessions of so many    
have accused  themselves and others1 not
 of thinking or juggling1 but of really 
acting and doing such things--with such 
circumstances as have  particularised   
time1 place1 thing1 and manner4    #c4  
,thirdly1 ,the real effects done by the 
power of witchcraft shew  it not to be  
delusion4 ,such are the transportation  
of persons many  miles from their       
habitations1 and leaving them there2    
their telling  things done in remote    
places2 raising of storms and tempests2 
vomiting of pins1 needles1 stones1      
cloth1 leather1 and such like2  and     
these1 some of them1 attested by sober  
and intelligent persons  who were       
eye-witnesses4 ,large accounts you have 
of these in ,bodinus1  ,sprengerius1 and
 several others that have borrowed these
 relations from  them4#aab    ,the      
notion of poisonings1 or delusory       
jugglings1 being below what  the        

,scripture intends to set forth as      
witchcraft1 it is evident that          
witchcraft is a power of doing great    
things by the aid of the devil2 by      
which our way is open to improve this   
instance1 to demonstrate-- which  was   
the second thing promised--that ,satan's
 power must be great4 ,for1    #a4      
,first1 ,it is acknowledged that a great
 part of those things that  are done in 
this matter1 as concurrent with1 or     
helpful toward the  promoting of such   
acts1 are ,satan's proper works--as the 
troubling of  the air1 raising storms1  
apparitions1 various shapes and         
appearances1  transportations from place
 to place1 and a great many more things 
of  wonder and amazement1 all which     
exceed human power4#aac    #b4          
,secondly1 ,many things of wonder done  
by such persons1 to which  some suppose 
the secret powers of herbs or things    
contribute their  natural aids or       
concurrence1 are evidences of ,satan's  
deep knowledge  of and insight into     

natural causes4 ,of this nature is that 
ointment  with which witches are said to
 besmear themselves in order to their   
transportation2 the power and efficacy  
whereof is by some imagined  to consist 
in this1 that it keeps the body         
tenantable and in a fit  condition to   
receive the soul by re-entry after such 
separations1 as1  by all circumstances  
are concluded1 have been really made in 
pursuit  of those visionary             
perambulations and transactions2 which  
things1 if  they be so--as they are not 
improbable--witches have them from      
,satan's  discovery1 and they are to be 
ascribed to his power4#aad    #c4       
,thirdly1 ,those actions that are most  
properly the witch's own  actions1 and  
in which the power of hurting doth1 as  
some suppose1  reside1 are              
notwithstanding either awakened or      
influenced by ,satan2  so though we     
grant1 what some would have1 that the   
power of hurting  is a natural power1   
and a venomous magnetism of the witch1  

and that  her imagination1 by her eye   
darts those malignant beams which       
produce  real hurts upon men--after the 
manner of the imagination's force upon a
  child in the womb1 which hath1 as by  
daily experience and history is         
confirmed1 produced marks1 impressions1 
deformities1 and wounds--and  that      
,satan doth but cheat the witch into a  
belief of his aid in that  matter2 that 
with a greater advantage he may make use
 of her power1  without which he could  
do nothing2 yet even this speaks his    
ability1  in that at least he doth      
awaken and raise up that magical force  
which  otherwise would be asleep1 and so
 puts the sword into their hand4 ,yet   
some attribute far more to him--to wit1 
the infusion of a poisonous  ferment--by
 that action of sucking the witch in    
some part of the body--by  which not    
only her imagination might be heightened
 by poisonous streams  breathed in1     
which might infect blood and spirits    
with a noxious  tincture4#aae    #b4    

,the second grand instance of his power 
,i shall produce from those  actions of 
wonder and astonishment which he        
sometime performs1 which  indeed have   
been so great that they have occasioned 
that question--    ,whether ,satan can  
do miracles8    ,to this we answer--    
7#a47 ,that ,god alone can work         
miracles1 a miracle being a real act1   
done visibly1 and above the power of    
nature4 ,such works some have  ranked   
into three heads3#aaf #a4 ,such as      
created power cannot  produce2 as to    
make the sun stand still or go backward4
 #b4 ,such  as are in themselves        
produceable by nature1#aag but not in   
such an  order2 as to make the dead to  
live1 and those that were born blind to 
see1 which is strongly argued1 ,john ix4
 #cb1 to be above human power2  and1    
,john x4 #ba1 to be above the power of  
devils4 #c4 ,such as are the  usual     
works of nature1 yet produced1 above the
 principles and helps of  nature1 as to 
cure a disease by a word or touch4      

,things that are thus truly and properly
 miraculous are peculiarly works  of    
,god2 neither can it be imagined1 that  
since he hath been pleased  to justify  
his commands1 ways1 and messages1 by    
such mighty acts--#b  ,cor4 xii4 #ab2   
,heb4 ii4 #d2 ,john x4 #ch--;and also   
hath been put to it1  to justify himself
 and his sole supreme being and godhead 
from false  competitors--,ps4 lxxxvi4   
#aj1 and lxxii4 #ah--;by his miraculous 
works1 it  cannot be imagined1 ,i say1  
that he would permit any created being1 
much  less ,satan1 to do such things4   
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,though ,satan cannot  
do things miraculous1 yet he can  do    
things wonderful and amazing--mira non  
miracula4 ,and in this point  lies the  
danger of delusion1 as ,christ          
foretells3 ,mat4 xxiv4 #bd1 #8,false    
,christs shall arise1 and shew great    
signs and wonders4' ,in #b ,thes4 ii4   
#d1 the apostle tells us1 #8,the coming 
of antichrist shall be with all  power1 
and signs1 and wonders'--that is1 as    

some interpret1#aah with  the power of  
signs and wonders2 which1 however they  
be lying1 both in  reference to the     
design they drive at--which is to       
propagate errors--and  also in their own
 nature1 being truly such1 in respect of
 their form1  false as miracles1 being  
indeed no such matter1 but juggling     
cheats2  yet1 notwithstanding1 there is 
no small cunning and working of ,satan  
in them1 insomuch that the uncautious   
and injudicious are #8deceived  by those
 wonders that he hath power to do1'     
,rev4 xiii4 #ac4 ,in this  matter1      
though we are not able to give a        
particular account of these  underground
 actions1 yet thus much we may say--    
#a4 ,first1 ,that in many cases his     
great acts1 that pass for miracles1  are
 no more but deceptions of sense4       
,naturalists have shewn several  feats  
and knacks of this kind4 ,jo4 ,bap4     
,porta#aai hath a great many  ways of   
such deceptions1 by lamps and the       
several compositions of oils1  by which 

not only the colours of things are      
changed1 but men appear  without heads1 
or with the heads of horses1 c4 ,the    
like deceptions are  wrought by glasses 
of various figures and shapes4 ,if art  
can do such  things1 much more can      
,satan4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he can       
mightily work upon the fancy and        
imagination2  by which means men are    
abused into a belief of things that are 
not2 as  in dreams1 the fancy presents  
things which are really imagined to be  
done and said1 whenas they are visions  
of the night1 which vanish when  the man
 is awake2 or as in melancholy persons1 
the fancy of men doth  so strongly      
impose upon them1 that they believe     
strange absurd things  of               
themselves--that they have horns on     
their head1 that they are made  of      
glass1 that they are dead1 and what not4
 ,if fancy1 both asleep and  awake1 may 
thus abuse men into an apprehension of  
impossible things1  and that with       
confidence1 no wonder if ,satan1 whose  

power reacheth thus  far1 as was before 
proved1 doth take this advantage for the
 amusing  of men with strange things4   
,nebuchadnezzar his judgment1 ,dan4 iv4 
#be1  whereby he was #8driven from men1 
and ate grass as oxen1' was not a       
metamorphosis1 or real change into an   
ox4 ,this all expositors reject  as too 
hard4 ,neither seems it to be only his  
extreme necessity and low  estate1      
whereby he seemed to be little better   
than a beast1 though  ,calvin favour    
this interpretation2#abj but by that    
expression1 ver4  #be1 #8then my        
understanding came to me1' it seems     
evident1 as most  commentators think1   
that his understanding was so changed in
 that  punishment that he imagined      
himself to be a beast1 and behaved      
himself  accordingly1 by eating grass1  
and lying in the open fields4 ,there are
  several stories to this purpose of    
strange transformations1 as the  bodies 
of men into asses1 and other beasts1    
which ,augustine thinks to  be nothing  

else but the devil's power upon the     
fancy4#aba    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,there are  
wonderful secrets in nature1 which if   
cunningly used and applied to fit things
 and times1 must needs amaze  vulgar    
heads2 and though some of these are     
known to philosophers and  scholars1 yet
 are there many secret things locked    
from the wisest  men1 whose powers and  
natures because they know not1 they may 
also  be deluded by them4 ,augustine#abb
 reckons up many instances1 as the      
loadstone1 the stone pyrites1 selenites1
 the fountain of ,epirus1 that  can     
kindle a torch1 and many more2 and      
determines that many strange  things are
 done by the application of these       
natural powers1 either by  the wit of   
man or diabolical art4 ,to this purpose 
he gives an account  of an              
unextinguishable lamp1  1 in a temple of
 ,venus1  which allured men to worship  
there1 as to an unquestionable deity1   
when  in truth the thing was but an     
ingenious composition from the stone    

asbeston1 of which ,pliny makes mention1
 that being kindled1 it will  not be    
quenched with water4#abc ,of this nature
 were those lamps found  in several     
vaults accompanying the ashes of the    
dead1 reserved there  in urns1 both in  
,england and elsewhere4#abd ,if men by  
such helps find  such easy ways to      
delude men1 what exactness of           
workmanship and seeming  wonders may be 
expected from ,satan upon such          
advantages6    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,many of  
his wonders may challenge a higher rise4
  ,satan knows the secret ways of       
nature's operations1 and the ways  of   
accelerating or retarding those works2  
so that he cannot only  do what nature  
can do1 by a due application of active  
to passive  principles1#abe and the help
 of those seminal powers that are in    
things1 but he may be supposed to       
perform them in a quicker and more      
expeditious manner4 ,thus worms1 flies1 
and serpents1 that are bred of          
putrefaction1 ,satan may speedily       

produce2 and who can tell how far this  
help may reach in his works of wonders8 
#e4 ,fifthly1 ,the secret way of        
,satan's movings and actings is no      
small matter in these affairs4 ,how many
 things do common jugglers by  the swift
 motions of their hands1 that seem      
incredible6 ,thus they make  the        
bystanders believe they change the      
substances1 natures1 and forms  of      
things1 when they only1 by a speedy     
conveyance1 take these things  away1 and
 put others in their room4 ,they that   
shall consider ,satan as  a spirit1     
subtle1 imperceptible1 quick of motion1 
c41 will easily  believe him to be more 
accomplished for such conveyances than  
all the  men in the world4    ,having   
now seen the way of his wonders1 let us 
next consider the  advantage he hath by 
such actions4 ,if we look upon ,simon   
,magus1 ,acts  viii4 #aj1 #aa1 we find  
that he by these ways had a general     
influence  upon the people1 #8,to him   
they all gave heed1 from the least to   

the  greatest2' and that his actions    
were reckoned no less than miraculous1  
as done by #8the mighty power of ,god4' 
,if we go from hence to the  magicians  
of ,pharaoh1 ,exod4 vii4 #aa1 it is     
said1 #8,they did so with  their        
enchantments1' which1 howsoever the     
matter was1 prevailed so with  ,pharaoh 
and the court1 that they saw no         
difference betwixt the wonders  done by 
,moses and them1 save that1 it may be1  
they thought ,moses the  more skilful   
magician4 ,but besides this1 if we      
consider what they did1  it will argue  
much for his power1 if we can imagine1  
as some do1#abf  that they turned their 
rods into real serpents2 the power is   
evident3  and there is this that favours
 that opinion2 it is said they could    
not make lice1 which seems to imply they
 really did the other things1  and it   
had been as easy to delude the senses in
 the matter of lice as  in the rods1 if 
it had been no more than a delusion4    
,neither are some  awanting to give a   

reason of such a power--viz41 serpents1 
lice1 c41  being the offspring of       
putrefaction2 by his dexterous          
application of  the seminal principles  
of things1 he might quickly produce     
them4 ,if we  go lower1 and take up with
 the opinion of those that think that   
they  were neither mere delusions1 nor  
yet true serpents2 but real bodies  like
 serpents1 though without life1 this    
will argue a very great  power4#abg ,or 
if we suppose1 as some do1#abh that     
,satan took away the  rods1 and secretly
 conveyed serpents in their stead1      
or--which is the  lowest apprehension we
 can have--that ,pharaoh's sight was    
deceived1 the  matter is still far from 
being contemptible1 forasmuch as we see 
the  spectators were not able to discern
 the cheat4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the next  
instance produceable for evidencing his 
power  is that of apparitions4 ,it      
cannot be denied but that the fancy  of 
melancholic or timorous persons is      
fruitful enough to create a  thousand   

bugbears2 and also that the villainy of 
some persons hath been  designedly      
employed to deceive people with mock    
apparitions--of which  abundance of     
instances might be given from the       
knavery of the papists1  discovered to  
the world beyond contradiction2 but all 
this will not  conclude that there are  
no real appearances of spirit or devils4
 ,such  sad effects in all ages there   
have been of these things1 that most men
  will take it for an undeniable truth4 
,instead of others1 let the apparition  
at ,endor to ,saul come to  examination4
 ,some indeed#abi will have us believe  
that all that was  but a subtle cheat   
managed by that old woman2 and that     
neither ,samuel  nor the devil did      
appear1 but that the woman1 in another  
room by  herself1 or with a confederate1
 gave the answer to ,saul4 ,but         
whosoever  shall read that story1 and   
shall consider ,saul's bowing and       
discourse1  and the answers given1 must 
acknowledge that ,saul thought at least 

he  saw and spake with ,samuel2 and     
indeed the whole transaction is such1   
that such a cheat cannot be supposed4   
,satisfying ourselves1 then1 that there 
was an apparition1 we must next  inquire
 whether it was true ,samuel or ,satan4 
,it cannot be denied but  that many     
judge it was true ,samuel1 but their    
reasons are weak4#acj    #a4 ,that proof
 from ,ecclesiasticus xlvi4 #bc1 is not 
canonical with us4    #b4 ,that he was  
called ,samuel1 is of no force4         
,scripture often gives  names of things 
according to their appearances4    #c4  
,that things future were foretold1 was  
but from conjecture2 in  which ,satan   
yet1 all things considered1 had good    
ground for his  guessing4    #d4 ,that  
the name ,jehovah is oft repeated1      
signifies nothing4 ,the  devil is not so
 scarce of words4 #8,jesus ,i know1'    
saith that spirit in  the ,acts4    #e4 
,that he reproved sin in ,saul1 is no   
more than what the devil doth  daily to 
afflicted consciences in order to       

despair4    ,i must go then with those  
that believe this was ,satan in         
,samuel's  likeness4    #a4 ,because    
,god refused to answer ,saul by prophets
 or ,urim2 and it is  too harsh to think
 he would send ,samuel from the dead1   
and so answer  him in an extraordinary  
way4    #b4 ,this1 if it had been       
,samuel1 would have given too much      
countenance  to witchcraft1 contrary to 
that check to ,ahaziah1 #b ,kings i4 #c1
 #8,is  it not because there is not a   
,god in ,israel1 that ye go to inquire  
of  ,baal-zebub8'    #c4 ,the prediction
 of ,saul's death1 though true for      
substance1 yet  failed as to the        
exactness of time1 for the battle was   
not fought the  next day4    #d4 ,the   
acknowledgment of the witch's power1    
#8,why hast thou disquieted  me8' shews 
it could not be true ,samuel1 the power 
of witchcraft not  being able to reach  
souls at rest with ,god4    #e4 ,that   
expression of #8gods ascending out of   
the earth1' is evidently  suspicious4   

,the reality of apparitions being thus  
established1 ,satan's power will  be    
easily evinced from it4 ,to say nothing 
of the bodies in which  spirits appear1 
the haunting of places and persons1 and 
the other  effects done by such         
appearances1 speak abundantly for it4   
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,the last instance is of 
possessions1 the reality of  which can  
no way be questioned1 because the ,new  
,testament affords so  much for it4 ,i  
shall only note some things as          
concerning this head4 ,as1    7#a47     
,first1 ,the multitudes of men          
possessed4 ,scarce was there anything   
in which ,christ had more opportunities 
to shew his authority than in  casting  
out of ,satan4 ,such objects of         
compassion he met with in every  place4 
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the multitudes of     
spirits in one person is a              
consideration not to be passed by4      
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,these persons were     
often strongly acted1 sometime with     
fierceness and rage1 ,mat4 viii4 #bh2   

some living without clothes and  without
 house1 ,luke viii4 #bg2 some by an     
incredible strength breaking  chains and
 fetters1 ,mark v4 #c4    7#d47         
,fourthly1 ,sometime the possessed were 
sadly vexed and afflicted1  cast into   
the fire and water1 c4    7#e47         
,fifthly1 ,some were strangely          
influenced4 ,we read of one1 ,acts  xvi4
 #af1 that had a spirit of divination1  
and told many things to  come1 which we 
may suppose frequently came to pass1    
else she could  have brought #8no gain  
to her master by soothsaying4' ,another 
we hear  of whose possession was with a 
lunacy1 and had fits at certain times   
and seasons4 ,the possessed person with 
whom ,mr ,rothwell discoursed1  within  
the memory of some living1 could play   
the critic in the ,hebrew  language4#aca
    7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,in some the        
possession was so strong1 and so firmly 
seated1 that ordinary means and ways    
could not dispossess them3 #8,this  kind
 comes not out but by prayer and        

fasting1' ,mat4 xvii4 #ba2 which  shews 
that all possession was not of one kind 
and manner1 nor alike  liable to        
ejection4    7#g47 ,seventhly1 ,to all  
these may be added obsessions3 where the
 devil  afflicts the bodies of men1     
disquiets them1 haunts them1 or strikes 
in with their melancholy temper1 and so 
annoys by hideous and black             
representations4 ,thus was ,saul vexed  
by #8an evil spirit from the ,lord1'    
which as most conceive was the devil    
working in his melancholy humour4  ,that
 the devil should take possession of the
 bodies of men1 and thus  act1 drive1   
trouble1 and distress them1 so distort1 
distend1 and rack  their members2 so    
seat himself in their tongues and minds 
that a man  cannot command his own      
faculties and powers1 but seems to be   
rather  changed into the nature of a    
devil than to retain anything of a man1 
this shews a power in him to be trembled
 at4    ,satan's power being thus       
explained and proved1 ,i shall next     

speak  something of his cruelty4        
,,chapter ,,vi4     ,of ,satan's        
cruelty4--,instances thereof in his     
dealing with wounded   spirits1 in      
ordinary temptations of the wicked and  
godly1 in   persecutions1 cruelties in  
worship4--,his cruel handling of his    
slaves4      ,he that shall consider his
 malice and power1 must unavoidably     
conclude  him to be cruel4 ,malice is   
always so where it hath the advantage of
  a proportionable strength and         
opportunity for the effecting of its    
hateful contrivances4 ,it banisheth all 
pity and commiseration1 and  follows    
only the dictate of its own rage1 with  
such fierceness1 that it  is only       
limited by wanting power to execute4 ,we
 may then say of ,satan1  that according
 to his malice and power such is his    
cruelty4 ,the truth  of this will be    
abundantly manifested by instances3 as1 
#a4 ,first1 ,from his desperate pursuits
 of advantage upon those whose  spirits 
are wounded4 ,the anguish of a          

distressed conscience is  unspeakably   
great1 insomuch that many are1 as       
,heman1 ,ps4 lxxxviii4  #ae1 #8even     
distracted1 while they suffer the       
terrors of the ,almighty4'  ,these1     
though they look round about them for   
help1 and invite all  that pass by to   
pity them1 #8because the hand of the    
,lord hath touched  them1' ,job xix4    
#ba1 yet ,satan laughs at their         
calamity1 and mocks  at them under their
 fears1 and doth all he can to augment  
the flame4  ,he suggests dreadful       
thoughts of an incensed majesty1 begets 
terrible  apprehensions of infinite     
wrath and damnation1 he aggravates all  
their sins to make them seem            
unpardonable4 ,every action he calls a  
sin1 and every sin he represents as a   
wilful forsaking of ,god1 and  every    
deliberate transgression he tells them  
is #8the sin against the  ,holy ,ghost4'
 ,he baffles them in their prayers and  
services1 and then  accuseth their      
duties for intolerable profanations of  

,god's name2 and  if they be at last    
affrighted from them1 he then clamours  
that they  are #8forsaken of ,god'      
because they have forsaken him4 ,he1 as 
a right  ,baal-zebub1#acb rakes in their
 wounds1 as flies are ever sucking where
  there is a sore4 ,their outcries and  
lamentations are such music to him1     
that he gives them no rest2 and with    
such triumph doth he tread upon  those  
that thus lie in the dust1 that he makes
 them sometimes accuse  themselves for  
that which they never did1 and in       
derision he insults  over them in their 
greatest perplexities1 with this1       
#8,where is now thy  ,god8' ,ps4 xlii4  
#c1 and #8,who shall deliver thee out of
 my hand8' ,this  were enough to        
evidence him altogether void of         
compassion4 ,but1    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he 
shews no less cruelty in his usage of   
those that are  his slaves4 ,the service
 that he exacts of those that are his   
most  willing servants1 is no less than 
the highest cruelty2 and not only  #a4  

in regard of the misery and destruction 
which he makes them work  out for       
themselves1 which is far greater than   
where men are forced by  the most       
brutish tyrants to buy their own poison 
or to cut their own  throats1 because   
this is unspeakably less than the       
endless miseries  of eternal torments2  
but #b4 also in regard of the very      
slavery and  drudging toil of the       
service which he exacts from them4 ,he  
is not  pleased that they sin1 but the  
vilest iniquities most contrary to ,god 
and most abominable to man1 as the      
highest violations of the laws of       
nature and reason1 are the things which 
he will put them upon1 where  there are 
no restraints in his way4 ,he drave the 
heathens1 as ,paul  testifies1 ,rom4 i41
 to affections so vile and loathsome1   
that in  their way of sinning they      
seemed to act rather like brutes than   
men1  their minds becoming so           
injudicious that they lost all sense of 
what  was fit and comely4 ,neither #c4  

doth this satisfy his cruelty1 that  the
 worst of abominations be practised1 but
 he urgeth them to the  highest         
desperateness in the manner of          
performance1 and so draws them  out to  
the front of the battle1 that they might
 contemn and outdare  ,god to his face4 
,he will have them sin with a high hand1
 and in the  highest bravado of madness 
to rush into sin as #8the horse into the
  battle4' ,this cruelty of ,satan were 
yet the less if he only brought  them   
forth presumptuously in some one or two 
set battles upon special  occasions2 but
 #d4 he would have this to be their     
constant work1  the task of every day1  
upon the same score that ,ahithophel    
advised  ,absalom to an open and        
avouched defilement of his father's     
concubines1  that so the breach betwixt 
them and ,god might be fixed by a       
resolute  determination1 and            
consequently that their hands might be  
strong and  their hearts hardened in    
rebellion against ,god4 ,and #e4 that   

,satan  might not come short of the     
utmost of what cruelty could do1 we may 
yet further observe1 that though sinners
 offer themselves willingly  enough to  
conflict against ,god in the high places
 of the field1 yet1  as not satisfied   
with their forwardness1 he lasheth and  
whips them on  to their work1 and       
sometime overdrives them in their own   
earnestness4  ,haman was so hurried and 
overborne with violent hatred against   
,mordecai  and the ,jews1 that his own  
advancement and the marks of singular   
favour from the king availed him not1 as
 to any satisfaction and  present       
contentment1 ,esther v4 #ac4 ,ahab1     
though king of ,israel1 is so           
vehemently urged in his desires for     
,naboth's vineyard1 that he covered  his
 face and grew sick upon it1 #a ,kings  
xxi4 #a1 seq4 ,thus as  galley-slaves   
were they chained to their oar1 and     
forced to their work  beyond their own  
strength4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,there is    
also a cruelty seen in his incessant    

provokings  and force upon the children 
of ,god1 while he urgeth his loathed    
temptations upon them against their     
will4 ,when ,i consider ,paul's outcry  
in this case1 ,rom4 vii4 #ae1 #ai1      
#8,that which ,i do1 ,i allow not2 the  
evil  which ,i would not1 that do ,i1'  
c41 my thoughts represent him to me1    
like those ,christians that were        
tortured in the trough1 where water was 
poured by a continued stream upon their 
mouths1 till the cloth that lay  upon   
their lips was forced down their        
throats2 or like those that had         
stinking puddle-water by a tunnel poured
 into their stomachs1 till they  were   
ready to burst2 and surely he           
apprehended himself to be under very    
cruel dealing by ,satan when he cried   
out1 #8,o wretched man that ,i am6  who 
shall deliver me8' ,if we seriously     
consider the mind and endeavours  of    
those children of ,god that are striving
 against sin1 and have cast  it off as  
the most loathsome abominable thing1    

when ,satan urgeth them  to evil with   
his incessant importunities1 it is as if
 they were forced  to eat their own     
excrements1 or to swallow down again    
their own vomit2  for the devil doth but
 as it were cram these temptations down 
their  throats against their will4      
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,if we cast our eye upon 
the persecutions of all ages1 we  shall 
have thence enough to charge ,satan     
withal in point of cruelty1  for he who 
is styled #8a murderer from the         
beginning1' ,john viii4 #dd1  set them  
all on foot4 ,it is he that hath filled 
the world with blood  and fury1 and hath
 in all ages1 in one place or other1    
made it a very  shambles and            
slaughter-house of men4 #a4 ,can we     
reckon how often  ,satan hath been at   
this work8 ,that is impossible4 ,his    
most public and  general attempts of    
this kind are noted by histories of all 
ages4  ,the persecutions of ,pharaoh    
against ,israel1 and of the prevailing  
adversaries of ,israel and ,judah       

against both or either of them1 are     
recorded for the most part in           
,scripture4 ,the persecutions of the    
,roman  emperors against ,christianity  
are sufficiently known1 and what is yet 
to come who can tell8 ,a great          
persecution by ,antichrist was the      
general  belief and expectation of those
 that lived in ,austin's time1 and long 
before2 but whether this be one more to 
the ten former persecutions1  that so   
the parallel betwixt these and          
,pharaoh's ruin in the ,red ,sea  after 
his ten plagues might run even1 be only 
to be looked for1 or  that others are   
also to be expected1 he thinks it would 
be presumption  and rashness to         
determine4#acc ,but1 however1 his       
particular assaults  of this nature     
cannot be numbered3 how busy is he still
 at this work  in all times and places6 
insomuch that #8,he that will live godly
 in  this world must suffer             
persecution1' #b ,tim4 iii4 #ab4 ,but   
#b4 ,if we  withal consider what        

inventions and devices of cruelty and   
torture he  hath found out1 and what    
endless variety of pains and miseries he
 hath  prepared1 a catalogue whereof    
would fill a great deal of paper1 we can
  do no less than wonder at the         
merciless fury and implacable rage of   
him  that contrived them4 ,satan1 the   
great engineer1 doth but give us the    
picture of his mind in all those        
instruments of destruction4 ,and when   
we see amongst tyrants ways of torturing
 every member of the body1 and  arts of 
multiplying deaths1 that so those that  
perish by their hands  might not have so
 much as the mercy of a speedy despatch1
 but that they  might feel themselves to
 die1 we may reflect it upon ,satan1 in 
,jacob's  words to ,simeon and ,levi1   
#8,cursed be his anger1 for it is       
fierce2 and  his wrath1 for it is       
cruel1' ,gen4 xlix4 #g4 #c4 ,but if we  
consider  what instruments he useth1 and
 against whom1 we shall see cruelty in a
  higher exaltation4 ,had he used some  

of the beasts of the earth1 or some  of 
his apostate associates1 to persecute   
and afflict the innocent lambs  of      
,christ1 it might have been much excused
 from the natural instinct or  cursed   
antipathy of such agents2 or had he used
 only the vilest of the  children of men
 to act his tragical fury1 the matter   
had been less2 but  as not content with 
common revenge1 he persecutes men by    
men1 though  all of one blood and       
offspring1 and so perverts the ends of  
nature1  making those that should be the
 comforts and support of men to be the  
greatest terror and curse to them--a    
thing which nature itself abhors1  and  
in regard of which1 that the impressions
 of pity might be more  permanent and   
efficacious1 ,god forbade ,israel to    
#8seethe a kid in the  mother's milk1'  
,exod4 xxiii4 #ai2 nay1 he hath         
prevailed with some  of good            
inclinations and rare                   
accomplishments--for such were some of  
the persecuting emperors--to be his     

deputies for authorising the rack1  for 
providing fire and faggot1 and1 which is
 strange1 hath prevailed  so far with   
them1 that they have been willing to    
open their ears to  the most palpable   
lies1 the grossest forgeries1 the most  
unreasonable  suggestions that known    
malice could invent2 and then after all1
 when  they were drawn out to butchery  
and slaughter by multitudes1 they have  
made such spectacles--which might make  
impressions upon an iron breast  or an  
adamant heart--only advancements of     
their jollity2 and as ,nero  upon the   
sight of flaming ,rome took his harp and
 made melody1 so have  these tormenting 
furies fired1 by the help of combustible
 matter1  multitudes of such harmless   
creatures1 and then taken the           
opportunity  of their light for their   
night sports4 ,and yet1 methinks1 the   
devil  hath discovered a keener fury    
when he hath made them rage against the 
dead1 and dig their graves1 and revenge 
themselves upon their senseless  ashes1 

and when they could do no more1 seek to 
please themselves by  executing their   
rage against their pictures or statues2 
which actions1  though they might be    
condemned for follies1 yet are they     
evidences of  highest fury1 which       
commonly destroys the judgment1 and     
sacrificeth  wit1 reason1 and honour    
upon the altar of revenge4 ,that the    
devil  should so poison man's nature    
that he should thus rise up against his 
fellow1 that carries the same specific  
being with himself1 shews enough  of his
 temper against man1 but never more than
 when he prevails against  the          
engagements of kindness1 blood1         
affinity1 and relation1 to raise a      
man's enemies out of his own house1     
#8the father against the son1 and  the  
son against the father1 the daughter    
against the mother1 and the  mother     
against the daughter1' ,mat4 x4 #ce2 for
 this is little less  than an unnatural 
mutiny of the members against the body4 
#e4 ,fifthly1 ,we have yet a more       

visible instance of his cruelty in  his 
bloody and tyrannical superstitions4    
,look but into the rites  and ways of   
his worship among the heathen in all    
ages and places1 and  you will find     
nothing but vile and ridiculous         
fooleries1 or insolent  and despiteful  
usages4 ,in the former he hath driven   
men to villainous  debaucheries1 in the 
latter to execrable cruelties4 ,of the  
latter ,i  shall only speak2 though in  
the former1 by debasing man to be his   
laughing-stock1 he is cruel in his scorn
 and mockery4 ,here ,i might  mention   
his tyrannical ceremonies of the lower  
order1 such as touch not  life2 such    
were their tedious pilgrimages1 as in   
,zeilan2 their painful  whippings1 as of
 the youth of ,lacedmon at the altar of 
,diana2 of  their priests1 and that with
 knotted cords upon their shoulders1 as 
at  ,mexico and ,new ,spain2 their harsh
 usages in tedious fastings1 stinking   
drenches1 hard lyings upon stones1      
eating earth1 strict forbearances  of   

wine and commerce1 their torturings and 
manglings of their bodies  by terrible  
lancings and cuttings for the effusion  
of blood1 #a ,kings  xviii42 their      
dismembering themselves1 plucking out   
their eyes1  mangling their flesh1 to   
cast in the idol's face1 sacrificing    
their  own blood1 as did the priests of 
,bellona and ,dea ,syria4#acd ,so did   
the kings of ,new ,spain at their       
election1 as ,montezuma the ,second1    
who sacrificed by drawing blood from his
 ears and the calves of  his legs4#ace  
,in ,narsinga and ,bisnagar they go     
their pilgrimages  with knives sticking 
on their arms and legs till the wounded 
flesh  festered4 ,some cast themselves  
under the wheels of the waggon on which 
their idol is drawn in procession4#acf  
,yet are all these but small  matters in
 comparison of the bloody outrages      
committed upon mankind  in the          
abominable custom of sacrificing men to 
him4 ,of this many  authors give us a   
large account4#acg ,the ,lacedmonians to

 avert the  plague sacrifice a virgin2  
the ,athenians1 by the advice of        
,apollo's  oracle1 sent yearly to ,king 
,minos seven males and so many females  
to  be sacrificed to appease the wrath  
of the god for their killing of         
,androgeus4 ,the ,carthaginians1 being  
vanquished by ,agathocles1 king of      
,sicily1 sacrificed two hundred         
noblemen's children at once4 ,the       
,romans  had every year such sacrifices 
of men and women1 of each sex two1 for  
a long time2 and this was so common     
among the wiser pagan nations1  that    
whensoever they fell into danger1 either
 of war1 sicknesses1  or of any other   
calamity1 they presently1 to expiate    
their offences  against their supposed  
incensed gods1 and to clear themselves  
of their  present miseries or dangers1  
sacrificed some mean persons1 who for   
this reason were called 1               
expiations1#ach and to this doth  the   
apostle allude in #a ,cor4 iv4 #ac1 as  
,budus1 ,stephanus1 ,grotius1  and many 

others think2 as if he should say1 we   
are as much despised  and loaded with   
cursings as those that are sacrificed   
for public  expiation4 ,but what cruel  
usage may we expect for the poor        
barbarous  nations of the world1 where  
he had all possible advantages for the  
exercise of his bloody tyranny6 ,many   
sad instances of this kind are          
collected by ,purchas in his            
,pilgrimage1 in his discourses of       
,virginia1  ,peru1 ,brasilia1 ,mexico1  
,florida1 and other places1 whose       
stories of  this subject are so         
terrible1 and occur so frequently1 that 
they are  almost beyond all belief1#aci 
all which for brevity's sake ,i omit1   
contenting myself to note one instance  
or two out of the ,scripture3 #b  ,kings
 iii4 #bg1 the king of ,moab #8took his 
eldest son that should have  reigned in 
his stead1 and offered him for a        
burnt-offering upon the  wall4' ,this he
 did1 according to the customs of the   
,phnicians and  others1 being reduced to

 great straits1 as supposing by this    
means1  as his last refuge1 to turn away
 the wrath of his ,god4 ,of ,ahaz it is 
recorded1 #b ,chron4 xxviii4 #c1 that   
#8he burnt his children in the fire1    
after the abominations of the heathen4' 
,that this was not a lustration  or     
consecration of their children1 though  
that also was used1 but a  real         
sacrificing1 is without doubt to        
,josephus1 who expresseth it thus3      
#8,he offered his son as an holocaust1' 
4 ,but whatever ,ahaz  did1 it is       
certain the children of ,israel did so2 
#8,they offered their  sons and         
daughters to devils1' ,ps4 cvi4 #cg4    
,and if the #8sacrifices  of the dead'  
which they ate in the wilderness1       
mentioned ver4 #bh1 be  understood of   
the feasts which were made at #8the     
burning of their  children1' as some    
think#adj--though many understand it of 
their  senseless dead gods or their     
deceased heroes1 or for their deceased  
friends--then this cruelty had soon     

possessed them4 ,however1 possess  them 
it did1 as appears also by the          
description of their devouring  ,moloch1
 which the ,jewish ,rabbins say was a   
hollow brazen image in  the form of a   
man1 saving that it had the head of a   
calf1 the arms  stretched in a posture  
of receiving2 the image was heated with 
fire1  and the priest put the child in  
his arms1 where it was burnt to death2  
in the meantime a noise was made with   
drums1 that the cries of the  child     
might not be heard1 and hence was it    
called ,tophet1 from toph1  which       
signifies a drum2 so that the name and  
shape of the image shews  that it was   
used to these execrable cruelties4#ada  
,these ,scripture evidences1 if we were 
backward to credit what histories  say  
of this matter1 may assure us of the    
temper and disposition of  ,satan1 and  
may enable us to believe what bloody    
work he hath made in  the world1 which  
,i shall briefly sum up in these        
particulars3--    #a4 ,first1 ,these    

inhuman1 or rather1 as ,purchas calls   
them1 over-human  sacrifices1 were      
practised in most nations4 ,not only the
 ,indians1  ,parthians1 ,mexicans1 c41  
but thiopians1 ,syrians1 ,carthaginians1
  ,grecians1 ,romans1 ,germans1 ,french1
 and ,britons used them4    #b4         
,secondly1 ,these cruelties were acted  
not only upon slaves and  captives1 but 
upon children1 whose age and innocency  
might have  commanded the compassions of
 their parents for better usage4    #c4 
,thirdly1 ,these sacrificings were used 
upon several occasions1 as  at the      
sprouting of their corn1 at the         
inauguration1 coronation1 and  deaths of
 their kings and noblemen1 in time of   
war1 dearth1 pestilence1  or any danger2
 in a word1 as the priests in ,florida  
and ,mexico used to  say1 whenever the  
devil is hungry or thirsty1 that is1 as 
oft as he  hath a mind4    #d4          
,fourthly1 ,in some places the devil    
brought them to set times for  those    
offerings2 some were monthly1 some      

annual4 ,the ,latins sacrificed  the    
tenth child2 the annual drowning of a   
boy and a girl in the lake of  ,mexico2 
the casting of two yearly from the ,pons
 ,milvius#adb at ,rome  into ,tiber1 are
 but petty instances in comparison of   
the rest4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,we cannot   
pass by the vast number of men offered  
up at  one time4 ,so thirsty is ,satan  
of human blood1 that from one or two1 he
  hath raised the number incredibly     
high4 ,in some sacrifices five1 in  some
 ten1 in some a hundred1 in some a      
thousand have been offered up4  ,it was 
the argument which ,montezuma1 the last 
,emperor of ,mexico1 used  to ,cortez to
 prove his strength and greatness by1   
that he sacrificed  yearly twenty       
thousand men1 and some years fifty      
thousand4 ,some have  reserved their    
captives for that end1 others have made 
war only to  furnish themselves with men
 for such occasions4    #f4 ,sixthly1   
,there are also several circumstances of
 these diabolical  outrages that may    

give a further discovery of his cruelty1
 as that  these miserable creatures thus
 led to be butchered have been loaden   
with all the cursings1 revilings1 and   
contumacious reproaches as a  necessary 
concomitant of their violent deaths4    
,thus were those used who  were forced  
to be the public 1 or expiation1 for the
 removal  of common calamities4 ,death  
also was not enough1 except it had been 
most tormenting in the manner of it1 as 
of those that suffered by the           
embracements of ,moloch4 ,the joy and   
feastings of such sacrificings1  which  
were in themselves spectacles of        
mourning and sorrow1 were  cruelties to 
the dead1 and a barbarous enforcement   
against the laws  of nature in the      
living4 ,but the dashing of the smoking 
heart in the  idol's face1 and the      
pulling off the skins from the massacred
 bodies1  that men and women might dance
 in them1 were yet more cruel           
ceremonies4  ,and lastly1 ,in those that
 have been prepared for those           

solemnities1  by delicious fare1        
gorgeous ornaments1 and the highest     
reverence or  honours1 as was the manner
 of several countries2 yet was this no  
other  than ,satan's insulting over     
their miseries1 of which we can say no  
otherwise1 than that his tenderest      
mercies are cruelties4    #g4           
,seventhly1 ,i may cast into the        
account1 that in some places  ,satan1 by
 a strange madness of devotion1 hath    
persuaded some to be  volunteers in     
suffering these tortures and deaths4    
,some have cast  themselves under the   
chariot-wheels of their idols1 and so   
have been  crushed to pieces4#adc ,some 
sacrifice themselves to their gods3     
first  they outcut off several pieces of
 their flesh1 crying every time1 #8,for 
the worship of my god1 ,i cut this my   
flesh2' and at last say1 #8,now do  ,i  
yield myself to death in the behalf of  
my god1' and so kills himself  outright4
    #h4 ,eighthly1 ,it is wonderful to  
think that the devil should1 by  strange

 pretexts of reason1 have smoothed over 
these barbarous  inhumanities1 so that  
they have become plausible things in the
  judgments of those miserable wretches4
 ,in piacular sacrifices they  believed 
that except the life of a man were given
 for the life of  men1 that the gods    
could not be pacified4#add ,in other    
sacrifices1  both eucharistical and for 
atonement1 they retained this principle1
  #8that those things are to be offered 
to the gods that are most  pleasing and 
acceptable to us2 and that the offering 
of a calf or  a pigeon was not suitable 
to such an end4' ,this maxim they       
further  improved by the addition of    
another of the same kind1 #8that if it  
were fit to offer a human sacrifice1 it 
must also be innocent1 and  consequently
 little children are the fittest for    
such a purpose4'  ,and some have also   
conjectured that the devil hath not been
 awanting  to improve the example of    
,abraham sacrificing his son1 or the law
 in  ,lev4 xxvii4 #bh1 or the prophecies

 concerning the death of ,christ1  as   
the great sacrifice of atonement1 to    
justify and warrant his  hellish        
cruelty4#ade ,in some cases cruelty hath
 arisen from the very  principles of    
reverence and love which children have  
to parents1 and  friends to friends3 as 
in ,dragoian1 when any are sick1 they   
send to  their oracle to know whether   
the parties shall live or die2 if it be 
answered they shall die1 then their     
friends strangle them and eat them2  and
 all this from a kind of religious      
respect to their kindred1 to  preserve1 
as they imagine1 their flesh from       
putrefaction1 and their  souls from     
torment4#adf ,the like they do at       
,javamajor1 when their  friends grow old
 and cannot work1 only they eat not     
their own friends1  but carry them to   
the market and sell them to those that  
do eat  them4#adg    #i4 ,lastly1 ,let  
us call to mind how long the devil      
domineered in  the world at this rate of
 cruelty4 ,when the world grew to a     

freer  use of reason and greater        
exercise of civility1 they found out    
ways  of mitigation1 and changed these  
barbarous rites into more tolerable     
sacrifices2 as in ,laodicea1 they       
substituted a hart to be sacrificed     
instead of a virgin2 in ,cyprus1 an ox  
was put instead of a man2 in  ,egypt1   
waxen images instead of men4 ,images of 
straw at ,rome were cast  into ,tiber in
 the place of living men2 and the       
terrible burnings of  ,moloch1 which was
 not peculiar only to the nations near  
to ,canaan1 but  was in use also at     
,carthage1 and found in the ,american   
islands by the  ,spaniards2 the like    
brazen images were also found in        
,lodovicus ,vives  his time1 by the     
,french1 in an island called by them    
,carolina4#adh  ,these were at last     
changed into a februation1#adi and      
instead of  burning their children1 they
 only passed them betwixt two fires2 but
  it was long before it came to this4   
,in the time of ,socrates1 human        

sacrifices were in use at ,carthage1 and
 they continued in the ,roman  provinces
 till the time of ,tertullian1          
,eusebius1 and ,lactantius2 though  they
 had been severely forbidden by         
,augustus ,csar1 and afterward by       
,tiberius1 who was forced to crucify    
some of the priests that dared to  offer
 such sacrifices1 to affright them from 
those barbarous customs4  ,in other     
places of the world1 how long such      
things continued1 who can  tell1        
especially seeing they were found at    
,carolina not so very long  since8      
,how impossible is it to cast up the    
total sum of so many large  items6 ,when
 these terrible customs have had so     
general a practice in  most nations1    
upon so many occasions1 upon such       
seeming plausible  principles2 when such
 great numbers have been destroyed at   
once1 and  these usages have been so    
long practised in the world1 and with   
such  difficulty restrained1 what vast  
multitudes of men must1 we imagine1     

have been consumed by ,satan's execrable
 cruelty6    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,there       
remains one instance more of the devil's
 cruelty1  which is yet different from  
the former1 which ,i may call his       
personal  cruelties2 because they are   
acted by his own immediate hand upon    
certain of his vassals1 without the help
 or interposure of men1 who1  in most of
 the fore-mentioned cases1 have been as 
instruments acted by  him4 ,here ,i     
might take notice of his fury to those  
that are possessed4  ,some have been as 
it were racked and tortured in their    
bodies1 and  their limbs and members so 
distorted1 that it hath been not only   
matter of pity to the beholders to see  
them so abused1 but also of             
admiration#aej to consider how such     
abuses should be consistent  with their 
lives1 and that such rendings and       
tearings have not quite  separated the  
soul from the body4 ,in the ,gospels we 
read of some such  #8cast into the fire1
 and into the water1' ,mat4 xvii4 #ae2  

others1  conversing #8with tombs and    
sepulchres1' in the cold nights         
#8without  clothes2' and all of them    
spoken of as creatures sadly tormented1 
and  #8miserably vexed4' ,the histories 
of later days tell us of some that      
vomited crooked pins1 pieces of leather1
 coals1 cloth1 and such like2  of others
 snatched out of their houses1 and tired
 even to fainting1  and waste of their  
spirits1 as ,domina ,rossa1 mentioned by
 ,bodin1 with  a great many more to this
 same purpose4 ,we may take a view of   
his  dealing with witches1 who1 though  
he seem to gratify them in their        
transportations from place to place1 and
 in their feastings with music  and     
dancings1 are but cruelly handled by him
 very often4 ,the very work  they are   
put upon--which is the destruction of   
children1 men1 women1  cattle1 and the  
fruits of the earth--is but a base      
employment2 but the  account he takes of
 them1 of the full performance of their 
enterprizes1  and the cruel beatings    

they have of him1 when they cannot      
accomplish  any of their revenges1 is no
 less than a severe cruelty4 ,he gives  
them  no rest unless they be doing hurt2
 and when they cannot do it to the      
persons designed1 they are forced to do 
the same mischief to their  own children
 or relations1 that they may gratify    
their tyrannical  master4 ,bodin relates
 the story of a ,french baron1 p4 #ahj1 
who was  afterward put to death for     
witchcraft1 that after he had killed    
eight  children1 was at last upon a     
design of sacrificing his own child to  
the  devil4 ,and if at any time they    
grew weary of so execrable a slavery1   
or confess their wickedness1 they are so
 miserably tormented that they  choose  
rather to die than live4 ,and what else 
but cruelty can these  slaves expect    
from him1 when the ceremonies of their  
entrance into that  cursed service      
betokens nothing else2 for their bonds  
and obligations  are usually writ or    
subscribed with their own blood2 and    

some magical  books have been writ with 
the blood of many children2 besides1 the
  farewell that they have of him at     
their usual meetings1 is commonly  this 
thundering threatening1 #8,avenge       
yourselves1 or you shall die4'  ,all    
these particulars are collected from the
 confessions of witches by  ,bodin1     
,wierus1 and others4    ,but leaving    
these1 let us further inquire into      
,satan's carriage toward  those that in 
,america and other dark and barbarous   
places know no  other god1 and give     
their devoutest worship to him4 ,to     
those he is  not so kind as might be    
expected2 but his constant way is to    
terrify  and torment them1 insomuch that
 some know no other reason of their     
worship but that he may not hurt them4  
,and since the ,english colonies  went  
into these parts1 these ,americans have 
learned to make this  distinction       
between the ,englishman's ,god and      
theirs1 that theirs is an  evil god1 and
 the other a good ,god2 though that     

distinction in other  places is in the  
general far more ancient1 where they    
acknowledge two  gods1 one good1 the    
other bad2 and the worse the god is1 the
 saddest1  most mournful rites of       
sacrificing were used1 as in caves1 and 
in the  night--the manner of the worship
 fitly expressing the nature of the  god
 they served4#aea ,our countrymen have  
noted of the natives of ,new  ,england1 
that the devil appeared to them in ugly 
shapes1 and in hideous  places1 as in   
swamps and woods4 ,but these are only   
the prologue to  the tragedy itself1 for
 they only serve to impress upon the    
minds of  his worshippers what cruelties
 and severities they are to expect from 
him2 and accordingly he often lets them 
feel his hand1 and makes them  know that
 those dark and dismal preludiums are   
not for nothing4 ,for  sometimes he     
appears to the worshippers1 tormenting  
and afflicting  their bodies1 tearing   
the flesh from the bones1 and carrying  
them away  quick#aeb with him2 sometimes

 six have been carried away at once1    
none  ever knowing what became of       
them4#aec ,by such bloody acts as these 
he  kept the poor ,americans in fear and
 slavery2 so that as bad a master  as he
 is1 they durst not but pay their homage
 and service to him4 ,all  these        
particulars being put together1 will    
shew we do the devil no  wrong when we  
call him cruel4          ,,chapter      
,,vii4     ,of ,satan's diligence in    
several instances4--,the question about 
the being of spirits and devils         
handled4--,the ,sadducees' opinion      
discovered4--,the reality of spirits    
proved4      ,the last particular       
observed in the text is his diligence4  
,this adds  force and strength to his   
malice1 power1 and cruelty1 and shews   
they  are not idle1 dead1 or inactive   
principles in him1 which1 if they could 
be so supposed1 would render him less   
hurtful and formidable4 ,this ,i  shall 
despatch in a few instances1 noting to  
this purpose1    #a4 ,first1 ,his pains 

he takes in hunting his prey1 and       
pursuing his  designs4 ,it is nothing   
for him to #8compass sea and land1' to  
labour  to the utmost in his employment2
 it is all his business to tempt and    
destroy1 and his whole heart is in it4  
,hence intermission or cessation  cannot
 be expected4 ,he faints not by his     
labour2 and his labour1 with  the       
success of it1 is all the delight we can
 suppose him to have4 ,so  that1 being  
pushed and hurried by the hellish       
satisfactions of deadly  revenge1 and   
having a strength answerable to those   
violent impulses1 we  must suppose him  
to undergo1 with a kind of pleasing     
willingness1 all  imaginable toil and   
labour4 ,if we look into ourselves1 we  
find it true1  to our no small trouble  
and hazard4 ,doth he at any time easily 
desist  when we give him a repulse8     
,doth he not come again and again1 with 
often and impudently-repeated           
importunities8 ,doth he not carry a     
design  in his mind for months and years

 against us8 ,and when the motion is not
  feasible1 yet he forgets it not1 but  
after a long interruption begins  again 
where he left2 which shews that he is   
big with his projects1 and  his mind    
hath no rest4 ,he stretcheth out his    
nets all the day long4 ,we  may say of  
him1 that he riseth up early1 and       
sitteth up late at his  work1 and is    
content to labour in the very fire1 so  
that he might but  either disturb a     
child of ,god or gain a proselyte4      
#b4 ,secondly1 ,diligence is not only   
discovered in laboriousness1  but also  
in a peculiar readiness to espy and to  
close in with fit  occasions1 which may 
in probability answer the end we drive  
at4 ,in  this is ,satan admirably       
diligent2 no occasion shall slip1 or    
through  inadvertency escape him4 ,no   
sooner are opportunities before us1 but 
we  may perceive him suggesting to us1  
#8,do this1 satisfy that lust1 take     
that gain1 please yourselves with that  
revenge4' ,no sooner obtains he a       

commission against a child of ,god1 but 
presently he is upon his back1  as he   
dealt with ,job2 he lost no time1 but   
goes out immediately from  the presence 
of the ,lord and falls upon him4        
,besides what he doth upon  solemn and  
extraordinary occasions1 these that are 
common and ordinary  are so carefully   
improved by him1 that everything we hear
 or see is  ready to become our snare1  
and ,satan will assay to tempt us by    
them1  though they lie something out of 
the way of our inclination1 and be not  
so likely to prevail with us4    #c4    
,thirdly1 ,it is also a discovery of his
 diligence1 that he never  fails to     
pursue every advantage which he gets    
against us to the  utmost4 ,if the      
occasion and motion thereupon incline   
us1 so that if  we are persuaded by     
them1 he follows it on1 and is not      
satisfied with  either a lower degree of
 acting sinfully1 or with one or two    
acts2  but then he presseth upon us to  
sin to the height1 with the greater     

contempt of ,god and grievance of his   
,spirit1 the greater scandal and        
offence to our brethren2 and having once
 caused us to begin1 he would  never    
have us to make an end4 ,his temptations
 roll themselves upon  us like the      
breaking in of waters1 which1 by the    
fierceness of their  current1 make a    
large way for more to follow4 ,he knows 
how to improve  his victories1 and will 
not1 through slothfulness or pity1      
neglect to  complete them4 ,hence it is 
that sometimes he reaps a large harvest 
where he had sown little1 and from one  
temptation not only wounds the  soul of 
him that committed it1 but endeavours to
 diffuse the venom and  poisonous steam 
of it to the infection of others1 to the
 disgrace of  religion1 the hardening   
the hearts of wicked men1 and the       
turning the  ignorant out of the way of 
truth4 ,in like manner1 if he perceive  
the  spirits of men grow distempered and
 wounded1 he then plies them with       
threatenings1 fills them with all manner

 of discouragements1 dresseth  every    
truth with the worst appearance1 that it
 may be apprehended  otherwise than it  
is1 and puts such interpretations on all
 providences1  that everything may      
augment the smart of the wound1 till    
they be  overwhelmed with terrors4      
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,the various ways which  
he takes1 shews also his  diligence4 ,if
 one plot take not1 he is immediately   
upon another4 ,he  confines not himself 
to one design nor to one method2 but if 
he find  one temptation doth not relish1
 he prepares another more suitable4 ,if 
covetousness doth not please us1 then he
 urgeth to profuseness2 if  terrors do  
not affright us to despair1 then he     
abuseth mercies to make  us careless and
 presuming4 ,if we are not content to be
 openly wicked1  then he endeavours to  
make us secretly hypocritical or formal4
 ,sometime  he urgeth men to be profane2
 if that hit not1 then to be erroneous4 
,if he cannot work by one tool1 then he 
takes another2 and if anything  in his  

way disgust1 he will not urge it        
over-hard1 but straight takes  another  
course4 ,such is his diligence1 that we 
may say of him1 as it  was said of ,paul
 upon a better ground1 he will #8become 
all things to  all men1 that he may gain
 some1' #a ,cor4 ix4 #ai4    #e4        
,fifthly1 ,diligence will most shew     
itself when things are at the  greatest 
hazard1 or when the hopes of success are
 ready to bring  forth4 ,in this point  
of diligence our adversary is not       
wanting4 ,if men  are upon the point of 
error or sin1 how industriously doth he 
labour to  bring them wholly over1 and  
to settle them in evil6 ,one would think
 at  such times he laid aside all other 
business1 and only attended this4  ,how 
frequent1 incessant1 and earnest are his
 persuasions and arguings  with such6   
,the like diligence he sheweth in       
obstructing1 disturbing1  and           
discouraging us when we are upon our    
greatest services or near  our greatest 
mercies4 ,what part of the day are we   

more wandering and  vain in our         
thoughts1 if we take not great care1    
than when we set  about prayer8 ,at     
other times we find some more ease and  
freedom in our  imaginations1 as if we  
could better rule or command them2 but  
then1 as  if our thoughts were only     
confusion and disorder1 we are not able 
to  master them1 and to keep the door of
 the heart so close but that these      
troublesome1 unwelcome guests will be   
crowding in1 is impossible4 ,let  us    
observe it seriously1 and we shall find 
that our thoughts are not  the same1 and
 after the same manner impetuous at     
other times as they  are when we set    
about holy things2 which ariseth not    
only from the  quickness of our         
spiritual sense in our readier          
observation of them  at that time1 but  
also from the devil's busy molestation  
and special  diligence against us on    
such occasions4 ,besides1 when he       
foresees  our advantages or mercies1 he 
bestirs himself to prevent or hinder  us

 of them4 ,if ministers set themselves  
to study and preach truths  that are    
more piercing1 weighty1 or necessary1   
they may observe more  molestations1    
interruptions1 or discouragements of all
 sorts1 than when  they less concern    
themselves with the business of the     
souls of men4  ,he foresees what sermons
 are provided1 and often doth he upon   
such  foresight endeavour to turn off   
those from hearing that have most need  
and are most likely to receive benefit  
by them4 ,many have noted it1  that     
those sermons and occasions that have   
done them most good1 when  they came to 
them1 they have been some way or other  
most dissuaded  from and resolved       
against before they came2 and then when 
they have  broken through their         
strongest hindrances1 they have found   
that all  their obstruction was ,satan's
 diligent foresight to hinder them of   
such  a blessing as they have1 beyond   
hope1 met withal4 ,the like might be    
observed of the constant returns of the 

,lord's day4 ,if men watch not  against 
it1 they may meet with more than        
ordinary1 either avocations  to prevent 
and hinder them1 or disturbances to     
annoy and trouble1 or  bodily           
indispositions to incapacitate and unfit
 them4 ,and it is not  to be contemned1 
that some have observed themselves more 
apt to be  drowsy1 dull1 or sleepy on   
that day4 ,others have noted greater    
bodily  indispositions than ordinarily1 
than at other times2 all which make no  
unlikely conjecture of the devil's      
special diligence against us on such    
occasions4    ,let us cast in another   
instance to these1 and that is1 of those
 that  are upon the point of conversion1
 ready to forsake sin for ,christ4 ,oh1 
what pains then doth the devil take to  
keep them back6 ,he visits them  every  
moment with one hindrance or other4     
,sometimes they are tempted  to former  
pleasures1 sometime affrighted with     
present fears and future                
disappointments2 sometime discouraged   

with reproaches1 scorns1 and            
afflictions that may attend their       
alteration2 otherwhile obstructed by    
the persuasion or threatening of friends
 and old acquaintances2 but  this they  
are sure of1 that they have never more  
temptations1 and those  more sensibly   
troubling1 than at that time--a clear   
evidence that ,satan  is as diligent as 
malicious4    ,i should now go on to    
display the subtlety of this powerful1  
malicious1  cruel1 and diligent         
adversary4 ,there is but one thing in   
the way1  which hitherto ,i have taken  
for granted1 and that is1 ,whether      
indeed  there be any such things as     
devils and wicked spirits1 or that these
  are but theological engines contrived 
by persons that carry a goodwill  to    
morality and the public peace1 to keep  
men under an awful fear of  such        
miscarriages as may render them         
otherwise a shame to themselves  and a  
trouble to others4 ,it must be          
acknowledged a transgression of  the    

rules of method to offer a proof of that
 now1 which1 if at all1  ought to have  
been proved in the beginning of the     
discourse3 and  indeed the question at  
this length1 whether there be a devil1  
hath such  affinity with that other1    
though for the matter they are as       
different  as heaven and hell1 whether  
there be a ,god1 that as it well        
deserves  a confirmation1--for the use  
that may be made of it to evidence that 
there is a ,god1 because we feel there  
is a devil1--so would it require  a     
serious endeavour to perform it         
substantially4 ,but it would be not     
only a needless labour to levy an army  
against professed atheists1 who  with   
high scorn and derision roundly deny    
both ,god and devils--seeing  others    
have frequently done that--but also it  
would occasion too large a  digression  
from our present design4 ,i shall       
therefore only speak a few  things to   
those that own a ,god1 and yet deny such
 a devil as we have  described3 and yet 

not to all of these neither1 for there  
were many  heathens who were confident  
assertors of a deity1 that nevertheless 
denied the being of spirits as severed  
from corporeity2 and others were  so far
 from the acknowledgment of devils1 that
 they confounded them in  the number of 
their gods4 ,others there were who gave 
such credit to  the frequent relations  
of apparitions and disturbances of that 
kind1  that many had attested and       
complained of1 that they expressed more 
ingenuity#aed than ,lucian1 who         
pertinaciously refused to believe1      
because he never saw them2 and yet      
though they believed something of       
reality in that that was the            
affrightment and trouble of others1 they
  nevertheless ascribed such            
extraordinary things to natural causes1 
some to the powers of the heavens and   
stars in their influences upon  natural 
bodies1 or by the mediation of certain  
herbs1 stones1 minerals1  creatures1    
voices1 and characters1 under a special 

observation of the  motion of the       
planets4#aee ,some refer such things to 
the subtlety  and quickness of the      
senses of hearing and seeing1 which     
might create  forms and images of       
things1 or discover ,i know not what    
reflections  from the sun and moon4     
,some ,pomponatius1 ,epicureans fancy   
the shapes  and visions to be exuvi1    
thin scales or skins of natural things1 
giving representations of the bodies    
that cast them off1 or exhalations  from
 sepulchres1 representing the shape of  
the body4 ,others ,cardan1  ,academics  
make them the effects of our untrusty   
and deceitful  senses1 the debility and 
corruption whereof they conclude to be  
such1  and so general1 that most men are
 in hazard to be imposed upon by        
delusive appearances4 ,but with far     
greater show of likelihood do some      
,averrhoes make all such things to be   
nothing else but the issues of          
melancholy and corrupt humours1 which   
makes men believe they hear1 see1  and  

suffer strange things1 when there is    
nothing near them2 or really  to undergo
 strange fits1 as in lunacy and         
epilepsy4#aef ,leaving these  men as not
 capable of information from ,scripture 
evidence1 because  disowning it1 let us 
inquire what mistaken apprehensions     
there have  been in this matter among   
those that have pretended a reverence to
 and  belief of ,scripture4 ,the        
,sadducees deserve the first place1     
because  they are by name noted in      
,scripture to have #8denied the         
resurrection1'  and to have #8affirmed  
that there is neither angel nor spirit1'
 ,acts  xxiii4 #h1 and ,mat4 xxii4 #bc4 
,this opinion of theirs1 could we       
certainly find it out1 would make much  
for the confirmation of the truth in    
question1 seeing1 whatever it was1  it  
is positively condemned in ,scripture1  
and the contrary asserted to  be true4  
,many1 and that upon considerable       
grounds1 do think that they  do not deny
 absolutely that there were any angels  

at all1 but that1  acknowledging that   
something there was which was called an 
angel1 yet  they imagining it to be far 
otherwise than what it is indeed1 were  
accused justly for denying such a kind  
of angels as the ,scripture had         
everywhere asserted and described4 ,for 
considering that they owned  a ,god1    
and1 at least1 the five books of ,moses1
 if not all the other  books of the ,old
 ,testament--as ,scaliger and others    
judge1 not without  great probability1  
for neither doth the ,scripture--nor    
,josephus mention  any such thing of the
 prophets--it is unimaginable that they 
would  altogether deny that there was   
angel or spirit at all4#aeg ,they read  
of angels appearing to ,lot1 to         
,abraham1 and met with it so frequently1
  that1 believing ,scriptures to be     
true1 they could not believe angels to  
be an absolute fiction2 for one fable or
 falsity in ,scripture1 which so  highly
 asserts itself to be an unerring oracle
 of the true ,god1 must of  necessity   

have destroyed the credit of all1 and   
rendered them as justly  suspected to be
 true in nothing1 when apparently false 
or fabulous in  anything4    ,again1 ,if
 we call to mind what apprehensions they
 had of ,god1 which  all consent they   
did acknowledge1 we might more easily   
imagine what  apprehensions they had of 
angels1 for in regard that ,moses made  
mention  of ,god's face and back-parts1 
,exod4 xxxiii41 and that frequently     
hands  and other parts of man's body    
were attributed to him1 they concluded  
,god to be corporeal2 and seeing the    
best of creatures which ,god created    
cannot be supposed to have a more noble 
being than was that of their  ,creator1 
and1 at the utmost1 to be made according
 to the pattern of  his own image and   
likeness1 they might upon this bottom   
easily fix a  denial of incorporeal     
spirits1 and by consequence that the    
soul of  man was mortal1 and therefore  
that there could be no resurrection2  so
 that the nature of angels being        

described under the notion of  spiritual
 substances1 they are judged to deny any
 such thing1 supposing  that to be      
incorporeal was as much as not to be at 
all2 and yet it  were unreasonable to   
deny that they had not some             
interpretation for  those passages of   
,scripture that mentioned angels1 which 
in their  apprehensions might be some   
salvo to the truth of those historical  
writings1 which they acknowledged2 but  
what that was we are next to            
conjecture4 ,and indeed ,josephus1 by a 
little hint of their opinion1  seems to 
tell us that they did not so much deny  
the being of the soul1  as the          
permanency of it2 and so1 by            
consequence1 they might not so much     
deny absolutely the existence of        
spirits1 as their natural being and     
continuance4#aeh ,something there was   
that was called by the name of          
angel--that they could not but own--and 
that this must be a real and not  an    
imaginary thing1 is evident from the    

real effect1 and things done by  them2  
yet observing their appearances to have 
been upon some special  occasion1 and   
their disappearing to have been on a    
sudden1 they might  conjecture them to  
be created by ,god for the present      
service1 and then  reduced to nothing   
when that service was done4    ,their   
opinion1 then1 of angels seems to be one
 of these two3 either  that they were   
corporeal substances created upon a     
special emergency1  but not permanent   
beings2 or that they were but images and
 impressions  supernaturally formed in  
the fancy by the special operation of   
,god1  to signify his mind and commands 
to men1 upon which they might fitly  be 
called ,god's messengers and ministers4 
,i put in this last into the            
conjecture1 because ,i find it mentioned
 by ,calvin1#aei as the opinion  of the 
,sadducees2 but both are noted by       
,diodate1#afj on ,acts xxiii4 #h1  as   
with equal probability belonging to     
them4 ,his words are1 #8,they did  not  

believe they were subsisting and        
immortal creatures1 but transitory      
apparitions1 or some divine actions and 
motions to produce some special  and    
notable effect4'    ,others also have   
been lately hammering out the same      
apprehension  concerning angels1 and    
profess themselves delivered from it    
with great  difficulty1 differing only  
in this from some of the heathens before
  mentioned1 that what those ascribed to
 the puissance of the stars1  natural   
powers1 or to weakness of senses and    
corrupt humours1 they1  by the advantage
 of the general notions of ,scripture1  
have ascribed  to ,god1 putting forth   
his power upon the minds and fancies of 
men1 or  working by the humours of the  
body4#afa ,upon this foundation they    
will easilier make bold with devils1 to 
deny1 if not their being1 yet  their    
temptations1 imagining that we may      
possibly do him wrong in  fathering upon
 him these solicitations and            
provocations to sin1 which  we by       

experience find to be working and acting
 upon our minds1 thinking  that our own 
fancies or imaginations may be the only 
devils that vex  us2 and this they more 
readily hearken to1 from the nature of  
dreams  and visions which happen to men 
in an ordinary natural way1 where our   
fancies play with us as if they were    
distinct from us2 as also from  this    
consideration1 that the lunatic1        
epileptic1 and frenzical persons  are in
 ,scripture called demoniacs1 as ,mat4  
xvii4 #ae1 with ,luke ix41  where the   
person is called lunatic1 and yet said  
to be taken and vexed  by a spirit4 ,so 
also ,john x4 #bj1 he hath a devil1 and 
is mad4 ,but these  reasonings can do   
little with an intelligent1 considering 
man1 to  make him deny what he so really
 feels1 and is so often forewarned of   
in ,scripture2 for suppose these were   
called demoniacs by the vulgar1  it doth
 not compel us to believe they were so4 
,men are apt to ascribe  natural        
diseases to ,satan1 and ,christ did not 

concern himself to cure  their          
misapprehensions1 while he cured their  
diseases4#afb ,this some  suggest as a  
reason that may answer many cases1      
though indeed it cannot  answer that of 
,mat4 xvii41 because1 ver4 #ah1 it is   
said expressly that  #8,jesus rebuked   
the devil1 and he departed out of him1' 
which would not  have been proper to    
have been spoken on the account of      
,christ by the  evangelist1 to express  
the cure of a natural disease1 for so   
would  he unavoidably have been rendered
 guilty of the same mistake with the    
vulgar4 ,but if we should grant that    
divers mentioned under the name of      
demoniacs were men disturbed with       
melancholy1 or the falling-sickness1    
all were not so2 for those in ,mat4     
viii4 #ca1 #8besought ,christ1 after    
their ejection1' to have liberty #8to go
 into the herd of swine3' that  if ,mr  
,mede intended to assert that all       
demoniacs were no other than  madmen and
 lunatics1 ,i question not but he was   

mistaken1 and by his  reason1 not only  
must madmen and lunatic persons pass for
 demoniacs1  but all diseases whatsover2
 for the blind and dumb were called also
  demoniacs1 ,mat4 ix4 #cb1 and xii4    
#bb4afc ,but the matter seems to  be    
this1 that where men were afflicted with
 such distempers1 ,satan  took the      
advantage of them1 and acted the        
possessed accordingly2 as  he frequently
 takes the advantage of a melancholy    
indisposition1 and  works great terrors 
and affrightments by it1 as in ,saul2 or
 at least  that1 where he possessed1 he 
counterfeited the fits and furies of    
those  natural distempers1 and acted    
some like madmen1 and others he made    
dumb  and deaf--which seems to have been
 the case of those in ,mat4 ix4 and     
xii41 where the deafness and dumbness   
did depend upon the possession1  and was
 cured with it--others were made to     
#8fall on a sudden into fire  or water1'
 as those that are epileptic1 and       
therefore might such be  called both    

lunatic or epileptic1 and also possessed
 with a devil4    ,as to that reason    
which some fetch from dreams1 it is     
rather a dream  than a reason against   
the being of devils1 seeing the effects 
of these  infernal spirits are far      
otherwise than the utmost of what can be
  imagined to be acted upon the stage of
 imaginations2 so that the real  and    
permanent being of devils may be easily 
proved3--    #a4 ,first1 ,from those    
real acts noted to be done by angels and
  devils4 ,the angels that appeared to  
,lot were seen and entertained in  the  
family--seen and observed by the        
,sodomites4 ,those that appeared  to    
,abraham were more than fancied         
appearances1 in that they #8ate and     
drank' with him4 ,the devil conveyed    
,christ from place to place4 ,this      
could not be a fancy or imagination4    
,their begging leave to go #8into  the  
swine' shews them real existences4      
#b4 ,secondly1 ,from the real effects   
done by them4 ,we have undoubted        

testimonies of men really hurt and      
tormented by ,satan4 ,of some really    
snatched away1 and carried a great      
distance from their dwellings4 ,of      
others possessed1 in whom the devil     
really speaks audible voices and        
strange languages1 gives notice of      
things past1 and sometime of things  to 
come4 ,the oracles of the heathen1 which
 however they were for the  most part   
false or delusory1 yet1 in that they    
were responses from  images and idols1  
were more than phantasms4    #c4        
,thirdly1 ,from what the ,scripture     
speaks everywhere of them4 ,of  their   
malice and cruelty2 that devils are     
murderers from the beginning2  their    
daily waiting how they may devour2 their
 arts1 wiles1 and  stratagems2 their    
names and appellations1 when styled     
principalities1  powers1 spiritual      
wickednesses1 the prince of the power of
 the air1  and a great many more to that
 purpose1 shew that1 without apparent   
folly and dotage1 we cannot interpret   

these of motions only upon the  minds   
and fancies of men4 ,besides1 the       
,scripture speaks of the offices  of    
good angels1 as their standing          
continually before the throne1 their    
beholding the face of ,god1 their       
accompanying ,christ at his second      
coming1 their gathering the elect from  
the four winds1 c41 ,dan4 vii4  #aj1    
which cannot be understood of anything  
else but real and permanent  beings2 and
 this is also an evidence that devils   
are1 seeing the  ,scripture mentions    
their fall and their punishment4    #d4 
,fourthly1 ,seeing also the ,scripture  
condemned the opinion of the            
,sadducees1 the contrary of that opinion
 must be true4 ,and expressly in  ,acts 
xii4 #i1 that which was done by an angel
 is opposed to what might  be visional  
or imaginary4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,the     
reality of devils and their malignity   
hath been  the opinion of heathens4 ,for
 there is nothing more common among them
  than the belief of inferior deities1  

which they called  or  1 that is1       
devils2 and notwithstanding that they   
supposed these  to be mediators to the  
supreme gods1 yet they learned to       
distinguish  them into good and         
evil4#afd ,the ,platonists thought that 
the souls  of tyrants after death became
 lemures and larv1 that is1 hurtful     
devils2 and at last the name devil      
became of so bad a signification1  that 
to say1 #8thou hast a devil1' was       
reproach and not praise2 but what  these
 groped at in the dark1 the ,scripture  
doth fully determine1 using  the word   
devil only for a malignant spirit4      
,,chapter ,,viii4     ,of ,satan's      
cunning and craft in the                
general4--,several demonstrations       
proving ,satan to be deceitful2 and of  
the reasons why he makes use of   his   
cunning4      ,we have taken a survey of
 our adversary's strength1 and this will
  open the way to a clearer discovery of
 his subtlety and craft1 which  is his  
great engine by which he works all his  

tyranny and cruelty in  the world1 to   
the ruin or prejudice of the souls of   
men2 of which  the apostle in #b ,cor4  
ii4 #aa speaks1 as a thing known by the 
common  experience of all discerning    
persons4 ,his way is to overreach and   
take  advantages1 and for this end he   
useth devices and stratagems1 which is  
a thing so ordinary with him1 that none 
can be ignorant of the truth of  it3    
#8,we are not ignorant of his devices4' 
,this1 before ,i come to the            
particulars1 ,i shall prove and         
illustrate  in the general1 by the      
gradual procedure of these few following
  considerations3--    ,first1 ,all the 
malice1 power1 cruelty1 and diligence of
 which we have  spoken1 with all the    
advantages of multitude1 order1 and     
knowledge1  by which these cruel        
qualifications are heightened--these are
 but his  furniture and accomplishment  
which fit him for his subtle            
contrivances  of delusion1 and make him 
able to deceive2 neither hath he any    

rise  of his power and knowledge but in 
reference to deceit4 ,in ,eph4 vi4  #aa1
 #ab1 which is a place wherein the      
apostle doth of purpose present  ,satan 
in his way of dealing with men1 his     
whole practice is set forth  under the  
term and notion of arts and wiles3      
#8that you may be able to  stand against
 the wiles of the devil4' ,this is the  
whole work of ,satan1  against which the
 furniture of that spiritual armour is  
requisite2 and  lest any should think   
that his power or wickedness are other  
distinct  things in him1 which are to be
 provided against by other means of     
help1 he presently adds1 that these are 
no otherwise used by him but  in order  
to his wiles and cunning1 and therefore 
not to be looked  upon as distinct1     
though indeed to be considered in       
conjunction with  his subtlety and      
cunning1 as things that make his wiles  
the more  dangerous and hazardous3      
#8,for we wrestle not against flesh and 
blood1  but against principalities1     

against powers1 against the rulers of   
the  darkness of this world1 against    
spiritual wickedness in high places2'   
which words do but strengthen the       
apostle's warning and caution about  the
 forementioned wiles1 which are         
therefore the more carefully to be      
observed and watched against1 because   
his power is so great that he can       
contrive snares with the greatest skill 
and art imaginable2 and his  wickedness 
is so great1 that we cannot expect      
either honesty or modesty  should       
restrain him from making the vilest and 
most disingenuous  proposals1 nor from  
attesting a conveniency or goodness in  
his motions1  with the highest          
confidence of most notorious lying4     
#b4 ,secondly1 ,the subtlety that the   
,scriptures do attribute to sin1 or  to 
the heart1 is mostly and chiefly        
intended to reflect upon ,satan1  as the
 author and contriver of these deceits4 
,in ,heb4 iii4 #ac there  is mention of 
the #8deceitfulness of sin1' but it is  

evident that  something else besides sin
 is intended1 to which deceitfulness    
must  be properly ascribed2 for sin     
being1 as most conclude1 formally a     
privation1 or if we should grant it a   
positive being1 as some contend1  yet   
seeing the highest notion we can arrive 
at this way1 excluding  but the figment 
of ,flacius ,illyricus1 who seems to    
make original sin  indistinct from the  
very essence of the soul1 is but to call
 it an  act4#afe ,deceitfulness cannot  
be properly attributed to it1 but with  
reference to him who orders that act in 
a way of deceitfulness and  delusion2   
which ultimately will bring it to       
,satan's door4 ,if here  the            
deceitfulness of sin be devolved upon   
the subject1 then it runs  into the same
 sense with ,jer4 xvii4 #i1 #8,the heart
 is deceitful above  all things4' ,but  
why is the deceitfulness fixed upon the 
heart8 ,the  ground of that we have in  
the next words2 it is deceitful1 because
 it  is wicked1 #8desperately wicked4'  

,but who then inflames and stirs up  the
 heart to this wickedness8 ,is it not   
,satan8 ,who then is the proper  author 
of deceit but he8 ,it is true1 indeed1  
that our hearts are proper  fountains of
 sin1 and so may be accused possibly in 
some cases where  ,satan cannot be      
justly blamed2 yet if we consider       
deceitfulness as a  companion of every  
sin1 though our hearts be to be blamed  
for the sin1  ,satan will be found      
guilty of the deceitfulness4 ,it may be 
said a man  complies with those things  
which are intended for his delusion1 and
 so  improperly by his negligence may   
fall under blame of self-deception2  but
 it is unimaginable that he can properly
 and formally intend to  deceive        
himself4 ,deceit then1 not being from   
sin nor ourselves  properly1 can find   
out no other parent for itself than     
,satan4 ,besides  this1 that these texts
 upon a rational inquiry do charge      
,satan with  the deceitfulness of sin2  
they do over and above point at the     

known  and constant way of ,satan1      
working so commonly by delusion1 that   
deceitfulness is a close companion of   
every sin4 ,the deceitfulness of  one   
sin is as much as the deceitfulness of  
every sin4 ,nay1 further1  that text of 
,jer4 xvii4 #i1 shews this deceitfulness
 not to be an  ordinary sleight1 but the
 greatest of all deceits above measure1 
and of  an unsearchable depth or        
mystery2 #8who can know it8'    #c4     
,thirdly1 ,all acts of sin1 some way or 
other1 come through ,satan's  fingers4  
,i do not say that all sin is ,satan's  
proper offspring1 for we  have a cursed 
stock of our own2 and it may be said of 
us1 as elsewhere  of ,satan1 sometime we
 sin out of our own inclination and     
disposition2  yet in every sin1 whether 
it arise from us or the world1 ,satan   
blows  the sparks and manageth all4 ,as 
,david said to the woman of ,tekoah1    
#8,is not the hand of ,joab with thee in
 all this8' #b ,sam4 xiv4 #ai2  so may  
we say1 ,is not the hand of ,satan with 

thee in every sin thou  committest8     
,this is so eminently true1 that the    
,scripture indifferently  ascribes the  
sin sometimes to us1 sometimes to the   
devil4 ,it was  ,peter's sin to tempt   
,christ to decline suffering1 yet       
,christ repelling  it with this rebuke1 
#8,get thee behind me1 ,satan1' ,mat4   
xvi4 #bc1 doth  plainly accuse both     
,peter and ,satan4 ,it is the personal  
sin of a man  to be angry1 yet in such  
acts he #8gives place to the devil2'    
both man  and ,satan concur in it1 ,eph4
 iv4 #bf4 ,paul's #8thorn in the flesh1'
 #b  ,cor4 xii4 #g1 whatever sin it was1
 he calls #8,satan's messenger4' ,he    
that submits not to ,god1 doth in that  
comply with ,satan2 as1 on the          
contrary1 he that doth submit himself to
 ,god1 doth resist the devil1  ,james   
iv4 #g4    ,neither doth that expression
 of the apostle1 ,james i4 #ad1 #8,every
 man  is tempted when he is drawn away  
of his own lust1' c41 give any          
contradiction to this4 ,it is not the   

apostle's design to exclude  ,satan1 but
 to include man as justly culpable1     
notwithstanding ,satan's  temptations2  
and that which he asserts is this1 that 
there is sin and  a temptation truly    
prevalent when there is the least       
consent of our  lust or desire1 and that
 it is that brings the blame upon us2 so
 that  his purpose is not to excuse     
,satan1 or to deny him to have a hand in
  drawing or tempting us on to sin1 but 
to shew that it is our own act  that    
makes the sin to become ours4    #d4    
,fourthly1 ,such is the constitution of 
the soul of man1 that its  sinning      
cannot be conceived without some        
deception or delusion2#aff  for1        
granting that the soul of man is made up
 of desires1 and that the  soul were    
nothing else but1 as it were1 one       
willing or lusting power  diversified by
 several objects2 and that this power or
 these faculties  are depraved by the   
fall1 and corrupted2 and that man in    
every action  doth consult with his     

desires2 and that they have so great an 
influence  upon him1 that they are the  
law of the members1 and give out their  
commands accordingly for obedience2 yet 
still these three things are  firm and  
unshaken principles3--    #a4 ,first1   
,that desires cannot be set upon any    
object but as it is  apprehended truly  
or apparently good4 ,it is incompatible 
to a rational  soul to desire evil as   
evil3 ,omne appetit bonum4    #b4       
,secondly1 ,the will doth not resolvedly
 embrace any object till  the light of  
the understanding hath made out1 some   
way or other1 the  goodness or          
conveniency of the object4#afg    #c4   
,thirdly1 ,there is no man that hath not
 a competent light for  discovery of the
 goodness or evil of an object          
presented4 ,unregenerate  men have1     
7#a47 ,the light of nature4 7#b47 ,some 
have an additional  light from          
,scripture discovery4 7#c47 ,some have  
yet more from common  convictions1 which
 beget sensible stirrings and awful     

impressions upon  them4 7#d47 ,to those 
,god sometime adds corrections and      
punishments1  which are of force to make
 that light burn more clear1 and to stir
 up  care and caution in men for the due
 entertainment of these notices that    
,god affords them4 ,regenerate men have 
all this light1 and besides that1  they 
have1 7#a47 ,the light of their own     
experience1 of the vileness and         
odiousness of sin2 they know what an    
evil and bitter thing it is4 7#b47      
,they have a more full discovery of     
,god1 which will make them abhor        
themselves in dust and ashes1 ,job xlii4
 #f2 ,isa4 vi4 #e4 7#c47 ,they have  the
 advantage of a new heart1 the law of   
the spirit of life1 making  them free   
from the law of sin and death4 7#d47    
,they have also the  help and assistance
 of the ,spirit1 in its motions1        
suggestions1 and  teachings4 7#e47 ,they
 fortify themselves with the strongest  
resolutions  not to give way to sin4    
,notwithstanding all these1 it is too   

true that both regenerate and           
unregenerate men do sin2 the reason     
whereof cannot be given from any  other 
account than what we have asserted--to  
wit1 they are some way or  other deluded
 or deceived2 some curtain is drawn     
betwixt them and the  light2 some       
fallacy or other is put upon the        
understanding some way or  other2 the   
will is bribed or biassed2 there is     
treachery in the case1  for it is       
unimaginable that a man in any act of   
sin should offer a  plain1 open1 and    
direct violence to his own nature and   
faculties2 so  that the whole business  
is here1 evil is presented under the    
notion of  good2 and to make this out1  
some considerations of pleasure or      
profit  do bribe the will1 and give     
false light to the understanding4 ,hence
 is  it1 that in every act of sin1 men1 
by compliance with ,satan1 are said  to 
deceive1 or to put tricks and fallacies 
upon themselves4#afh    #e4 ,fifthly1   
,all kinds of subtlety are in ,scripture

 directly charged  upon ,satan1 and in  
the highest degrees4 ,sometime under the
 notion  of logical fallacies2 those    
sleights which disputants1 in arguing1  
put upon their antagonists4 ,of this    
import is that expression1 #b  ,cor4 ii4
 #aa1 #8,we are not ignorant of his     
devices1' where the word  in the        
original is borrowed from the           
sophistical reasonings of               
disputants4#afi ,sometime it is         
expressed in the similitude of          
political deceits2 as the ,scripture    
gives him the title of a prince1 so     
doth it mark out his policies in the    
management of his kingdom1 ,rev4  xii4  
#g1 expressly calling them deceits1 and 
comparing him to a dragon  or serpent   
for his subtlety4 ,sometime he is       
represented as a warrior3  ,rev4 xii4   
#ag1 #8,the dragon was wroth1 and went  
to make war1' c42 and  here are his     
warlike stratagems pointed at4 ,mention 
is made1 #b ,tim4 ii4  #bf1 of his      
snares1 and the taking of men alive1 or 

captive1 directly  alluding to warlike  
proceedings1 4 ,the subtle proceedings  
of arts and craft are charged on him and
 his instruments4 ,men are said  to be  
enticed1 ,james i41 as fish or fowl1 by 
a bait2 others deluded1  as by cheaters 
in false gaming3 ,eph4 iv4 #ad1 #8,by   
the sleight of men1  and the cunning    
craft of those that lie in wait to      
deceive4'#agj ,the  overreaching of     
merchants or crafty tradesmen is alluded
 to in #b ,cor4  ii4 #aa4 ,all these    
sleights are in ,satan1 in their highest
 perfection  and accomplishment4 ,he can
 #8transform himself into an angel of   
light1'  #b ,cor4 xi4 #ad1 where he hath
 an occasion for it2 in a word1 all     
#8deceiveableness of unrighteousness is 
in him1' #b ,thes4 ii4 #aj4 ,so that  a 
general 1 a dexterity and ability for   
all kind of subtle  contrivances1 is    
ascribed to him1 #b ,cor4 xi4 #c1 and   
that in his very  first essay upon ,eve1
 when the serpent deceived her #8through
 subtlety2'  so that whatsoever malice  

can suggest1 or wit and art contrive for
  delusion1 or whatsoever diligence can 
practise1 or cruelty execute1 all  that 
must be imagined to be in ,satan4    #f4
 ,sixthly1 ,all this might be further   
proved by instances4 ,what  temptation  
can be named wherein ,satan hath not    
acted as a serpent8 ,who  can imagine   
the cunning that ,satan used with ,david
 in the matter of  ,uriah8 ,how easily  
he got him to the roof of the house in  
order to the  object to be presented to 
him6 ,how he directs his eye1 wrought   
upon his  passions1 suggested the       
thought1 contrived the conveniences6    
,what art  must there be to bring a     
darkness into ,david's mind1 a          
forgetfulness  of ,god's law1 a         
fearlessness of his displeasure1 and a  
neglect of his  own danger6 ,surely it  
was no small matter that could blind    
,david's  eye1 or besot his heart to so 
great a wickedness4 ,but1 above all     
instances1 let us take into             
consideration that of ,eve1 in the first

  transgression1 wherein many things may
 be observed2 as 7#a47 ,that he  chose  
the serpent for his instrument1 wherein1
 though we are ignorant  of the depth of
 his design1 yet that he had a design in
 it of subtlety1  in reference to what  
he was about to suggest1 is plain from  
the text1  #8,now the serpent was more  
subtle than any beast of the field4' ,it
 had  been needless and impertinent to  
have noted the serpent's subtlety as    
,satan's agent1 if he had not chosen it 
upon that score1 as advantageous  for   
his purpose4 7#b47 ,he set upon the     
weaker vessel1 the woman2 and  yet such1
 as once gained1 he knew was likely     
enough to prevail with  the man1 which  
fell out accordingly4 7#c47 ,some think 
he took the  advantage of her husband's 
absence1 which is probable1 if we       
consider  that it is unlikely that ,adam
 should not interpose in the discourse  
if he had been present4 7#d47 ,he took  
the advantage of the object4 ,it        
appears she was within sight of the     

tree1 #8,she saw that it was good  for  
food1 and pleasant to the eyes2' thus he
 made the object plead  for him4 7#e47  
,he falls not directly upon what he     
intended1 lest that  should have scared 
her off1 but fetcheth a compass and     
enters upon the  business by an inquiry 
of the affair1 as if he intended not    
hurt4 7#f47  ,he so inquires of the     
matter-- #8,hath ,god said1 ,ye shall   
not eat of  every tree of the           
garden8'--as if he made a question of   
the reality of  the command2 and his    
words were so ordered that they might   
cast some  doubt hereof into her mind4  
7#g47 ,he1 under a pretence of asserting
  ,god's liberality1 secretly undermines
 the threatening1 as if he had  said1   
#8,is it possible that so bountiful a   
creator should deny the  liberty of     
eating of any tree8 ,to what purpose was
 it made1 if it might  not be tasted8'  
7#h47 ,when he finds that by these arts 
he had gained  a little ground1 and     
brought her to some land of questioning 

of the  reality of the threatening1 for 
she seems to extenuate it in saying1    
#8lest we die1' he grows more bold to   
speak out his mind1 and plainly  to     
annihilate the threatening1 #8,ye shall 
not die4' ,this he durst not  do1 till  
he had gained in her mind a wavering    
suspicion1 that possibly  ,god was not  
in good earnest in that prohibition4    
7#i47 ,then he begins  to urge the      
conveniency and excellency of the fruit1
 by equivocating  upon the name of the  
tree1 which he tells her could make them
 knowing  as gods4 7#aj47 ,he reflects  
upon ,god as prohibiting this out of    
envy and  ill-will to them4 7#aa47 ,in  
all this there is not a word of the     
danger1  but impunity and advantage     
promised4 7#ab47 ,this deadly advice he 
covers  with a pretence of greater      
kindness and care than ,god had for     
them4 ,see  in this1 as in a clear      
glass1 ,satan's way of policy2 after    
this rate he  proceeds in all his       
temptations4    ,if any inquire why so  

mighty and potent a prince useth rather 
the fox's  skin than the lion's paw1    
these reasons may satisfy3--    #a4     
,first1 ,there is a necessity upon him  
so to do4#aga ,he must use  his craft1  
because he cannot compel2 he must have  
,god's leave before he  can overcome2 he
 cannot winnow ,peter before he sue out 
a commission1  nor deceive ,ahab till he
 get a licence2 neither can he prevail  
against  us without our own consent4    
,the ,scripture indeed useth some words 
that  signify a force in tempting1 as   
that he #8put it into the heart of      
,judas1' #8filled the heart of          
,ananias1' #8provoked ,david1' #8rules  
in the  hearts of the children of       
disobedience1' and #8leads them captive 
at his  will1' c42 yet all these and the
 like expressions intend no more than   
this1 that he useth forcible            
importunities1 frames strong delusions1 
and joins sometime his power to his     
temptations2 as sometime fowlers  shew  
themselves to the birds they intend to  

ensnare1 that so they may  be affrighted
 into an awe and amazement1 to give a   
better opportunity  to spread their nets
 over them4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,if he    
could compel1 yet his way of craft and  
subtlety  is generally the most         
prevalent and successful4 ,force stirs  
up an  opposition2 it usually alarms to 
caution and avoidance1 and frights to   
an utter averseness in any design2 so   
that where force should gain its        
thousands1 subtlety will gain its ten   
thousands4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,his        
strength is not useless to him4 ,for    
besides that  it enables him to deceive 
with higher advantage than otherwise he 
could do1 as hath been said1 he hath    
times and occasions to shew his         
strength and cruelty1 when his cunning  
hath prevailed so far as to give  him   
possession4 ,what was said of ,pope     
,boniface1 that he entered like  a fox1 
and ruled like a lion1 may be applied to
 him2 he insinuates  himself by subtlety
 as a fox or serpent1 and then rules    

with rigour as  a lion4                 
,,chapter ,,ix4     ,of ,satan's deceits
 in particular4--,what temptation       
is4--,of tempting to   sin4--,his first 
general rule4--,the consideration of our
 condition4--,his   second rule4--,of   
providing suitable temptations4--,in    
what cases he   tempts us to things     
unsuitable to our inclinations4--,his   
third   rule4--,the cautious proposal of
 the temptation1 and the several ways   
thereof4--,his fourth rule is to        
entice4--,the way thereof in the        
general1   by bringing a darkness upon  
the mind through lust4      ,our next   
business is to inquire after these ways 
of deceit in  particular2 in which ,i   
shall first speak of such as are of more
 general  and universal                 
concernment--such are his temptations to
 sin1 his deceits  against duty1 his    
cunning in promoting error1 his attempts
 against the  peace and comfort of the  
saints1 c4--and then ,i shall come to   
some ways  of deceits that relate to    

cases more special4    ,as an           
introduction to the first1 ,i shall     
speak a word of temptation  in the      
general4 ,this in its general notion is 
a trial or experiment  made of a thing4 
,the word that signifies to tempt1 comes
 from a word  that signifies to pierce1 
or bore through1#agb implying such a    
trial  as goes to the very heart and    
inwards of a thing4 ,in this sense it is
  attributed to ,god1 who is said to    
have tempted ,abraham1 and to put our   
faith upon trial2 and sometime to       
,satan1 who is said to have tempted     
,christ1 though he could not expect to  
prevail4 ,but though ,god and  ,satan do
 make these trials1 yet is there a vast 
difference betwixt  them1 and that not  
only in their intentions--the one       
designing only  a discovery to men of   
what is in them1 and that for most holy 
ends2  the other intending ruin and     
destruction--but also in the way of     
their  proceedings4#agc ,god by         
providence presents objects and         

occasions2  ,satan doth not only do     
that1 but further inclineth and         
positively  persuadeth to evil4 ,hence  
is it that temptations are distinguished
  into trials merely1 and seducements2  
suitable to that of ,tertullian1  ,de   
,orat4 ,diabolus tentat1 ,deus probat1  
,the devil tempts1 ,god  only tries4 ,we
 speak of temptation as it is from      
,satan1 and so it is  described to be a 
drawing or moving men to sin under      
colour of some  reason4#agd ,by which we
 may observe that1 in every such        
temptation1  there is the object to     
which the temptation tends1 the         
endeavour of  ,satan to incline our     
hearts and draw on our consent1 and the 
instrument  by which is some pretence of
 reason2 not that a real and solid      
reason  can be given for sin1 but that  
,satan offers some considerations to us 
to prevail with us1 which1 if they do1  
we take them to be reasons4 ,this  may a
 little help us to understand ,satan's  
method in tempting to sin1  c41 of which

 ,i am first to speak4    ,in           
temptations to sin1 we may observe1     
,satan walks by four general  rules3--  
#a4 ,first1 ,he considers and acquaints 
himself with the condition of  every    
man1 and for that end he studies man4   
,god's question concerning  ,job1       
#8,hast thou considered my servant      
,job8' ,job i4 #h1 doth imply1 not  only
 his diligent inquiry into ,job's       
state--for the original expresseth  it  
by ,satan's #8putting his heart upon    
,job1 or laying him to his              
heart'#age--;but that this is usual with
 ,satan so to do2 as if ,god had  said1 
,it is thy way to pry narrowly into     
every man3 hast thou done this  to ,job8
 ,hast thou considered him as thou usest
 to do8 ,and indeed ,satan  owns this as
 his business and employment in his     
answer to ,god1 #8,i come  from going to
 and fro in the earth1 from walking up  
and down in it4'  ,this cannot be       
properly said of him who is a spirit4   
,bodies go up and  down1 but not        

spirits2 so that his meaning is1 he had 
been at his work  of inquiring and      
searching4 ,and so ,broughton translates
 it1#agf from  searching to and fro in  
the earth2 as it is said of the eyes of 
,god1  that they #8run to and fro1'     
which intends his intelligence1 search1 
and  knowledge of things4 ,it is such a 
going to and fro as that in ,dan4 xii4  
#d1 which is plainly there expressed to 
be for the increase of knowledge4       
,the matter of his inquiry or           
particulars of his study are such as    
these3 7#a47 ,man's state2 he considers 
and guesseth whether a man  be          
regenerate or unregenerate4 7#b47 ,the  
degree of his state3 if  unregenerate1  
how near or far off he is the kingdom of
 ,god2 if  regenerate1 he takes the     
compass of his knowledge1 of his gifts1 
of his  graces4 7#c47 ,he inquires into 
his constitution and temper2 he observes
  what disposition he is of4 7#d47 ,his 
place1 calling1 and relation2 his       
trade1 employment1 enjoyments1 riches1  

or wants4 7#e47 ,his sex4 7#f47 ,his    
age1 c4    ,the way by which he knows   
these things is plain and easy4 ,most of
  these things are open to common       
observation2 and what is intricate or   
dark1 that he beats out1 either by      
comparing us with ourselves1 and        
considering a long tract of actions and 
carriage2 or by comparing us  with      
others1 whose ways he had formerly noted
 and observed4    ,the end of this      
search is to give him light and         
instruction in point  of advantage2     
hence he knows where to raise his       
batteries1 and how to  level his shot   
against us4 ,this ,christ plainly       
discovers to be the  design of all his  
study1 ,john xiv4 #cj1 where he tells   
his disciples  he expected yet another  
onset from ,satan1 and that near at     
hand2 #8for  the prince of the world'   
was then upon his motion1 he was        
a-coming2  but withal1 he tells them of 
his security against his assaults1 in   
that there was #8nothing in ,christ' of 

advantage in any of these  forementioned
 ways to foot a temptation upon4 ,it    
appears1 then1 that  he looks for such  
advantages1 and that without these he   
hath little  expectancy of prevailing4  
#b4 ,secondly1 ,satan having acquainted 
himself with our condition1 makes  it   
his next care to provide suitable       
temptations1 and to strike in the  right
 vein2 for he loves to have his work    
easy and feasible1 he loves  not to go  
against the stream4 ,thus he considered 
,judas as a covetous  person1 and       
accordingly provided a temptation of    
gain for him4 ,he  did the like with    
,achan2 and hence was it that he had the
 ,sabeans so  ready for the plunder of  
,job2 he had observed them a people     
given to  rapine and spoil2 and         
accordingly1 ,job's goods being         
propounded to  them as a good and easy  
booty1 he straightway prevailed with    
them4 ,it  was easy for him to draw     
,absalom into an open rebellion against 
his  father2 he had taken notice of his 

ambitious and aspiring humour1 and  of  
the grudges and dissatisfactions under  
which he laboured2 so that1  providing  
him a fit opportunity1 he engaged him   
immediately4 ,according  to this rule1  
where he observes men of shallow heads  
and low parts1 he  the more freely      
imposeth upon them in things palpably   
absurd2 where he  takes notice of a     
fearful temper1 there he tempts them    
with terrors and  affrightful           
suggestions4 ,he hath temptations proper
 for the sanguine  complexion and for   
the melancholy2 he hath his methods of  
dealing with  the lustful and wanton1   
with the passionate and revengeful2 he  
hath  novelties at hand for the itching 
ear1 and suggestions proper for those   
that are atheistically inclined4        
,obj4 ,to this may be objected1 ,that   
experience tells us ,satan doth not     
always walk in this road1 nor confine   
himself to this rule3 sometime he       
tempts to things which are cross to our 
tempers and inclinations1 c4    ,ans4   

,it is true he doth so2 but yet the     
general rule is not  prejudiced by this 
exception1 especially if we consider1   
#a4 ,first1 ,that ,satan being still    
under the commands and restraint  of the
 ,almighty1 he cannot always tempt what 
he would1 but according  to a superior  
order and command4 ,of this nature ,i   
suppose was that  temptation of which   
,paul complained so much2 #8he kept down
 his body1'  #a ,cor4 ix4 #bg1 upon this
 very design1 that he might have it in  
subjection1 and yet is he buffeted with 
a temptation which expected  an         
advantage usually from the temper and   
frames of our bodies--for so  much1 ,i  
suppose1 that phrase1 #8a thorn in the  
flesh1' will unavoidably  imply--though 
it still leave us at uncertainties what 
the temptation was  in particular4 ,here
 ,satan tempts at a disadvantage1 and   
contrary to  this rule2 but then we must
 know that he was not the master of his 
own  game--,god expressly ordering such 
a temptation as was disagreeing with    

the apostle's disposition1 that it might
 the less prevail or hazard  him1 and   
yet be more available to keep him low1  
#8lest he should be  exalted above      
measure1' which was ,god's design in the
 matter4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,sometime our
 temper alters2 as the tempers of our   
bodies in a sickness may in a fit be so 
changed that they may desire at  that   
time what they could not endure at      
another4 ,a special occasion or         
concurrence of circumstances may alter  
for the time our constitution1  and so  
an unusual temptation may at that time  
agree with this design4    #c4 ,thirdly1
 ,sometime by one temptation ,satan     
intends but to lay the  foundation of   
another2 and then of purpose he begins  
with a strange  suggestion1 either to   
keep us at the gaze while he covertly   
doth  something else against us1 or to  
move us to a contrary extreme by an     
over-hasty rashness4    #d4 ,fourthly1  
,sometime he tempts when his main design
 is only  to trouble and disquiet us2   

and in such cases the most unnatural    
temptations1 backed with a violent      
impetuousness1 do his work the best4    
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,satan's next work is the 
proposal of the temptation4  ,in the two
 former he provided materials and laid  
the trains2 in this  he gives fire1 by  
propounding his design2 and this also he
 doth with  caution these several       
ways3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he makes the    
object speak for him1 and in many he is 
scarce put to any further trouble3 the  
object before them speaks  ,satan's     
mind1 and gains their consent           
immediately2 yet is there no  small     
cunning used in fitting the object and  
occasion1 and bringing  things about to 
answer the very nick of time which he   
takes to be  advantageous for him4      
#b4 ,secondly1 ,sometime he appoints a  
proxy to speak for him2 not  that he is 
shamefaced in temptation1 and not always
 at leisure for his  own work1 but this 
way he insinuates himself the more      
dangerously into  our affections1 and   

with less suspicion1 using our friends1 
relations1  or intimate acquaintance to 
intercede for a wicked design4 ,he did  
not speak himself to ,eve1 but chose a  
serpent3 he thought ,eve would  sooner  
prevail upon ,adam than the serpent     
could4 ,he tempted ,job by the  tongue  
of his wife1 as if he had hoped that    
what so near a relation had  counselled 
would easily be hearkened to4 ,he       
tempted ,christ to avoid  suffering by  
,peter1 under a pretence of highest love
 and care1 #8,master1  spare thyself1'  
,mat4 xvi4 #bc2 yet our ,saviour        
forbears not to note  ,satan's          
temptation closely twisted with ,peter's
 kindness4 ,at this rate  are we often  
tempted where we little suspect danger4 
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,if he finds the two first
 ways unhopeful or unsuitable1  then he 
injects the motion1 and so plainly      
speaks to us inwardly  himself1 #8,do   
this act1 take this advantage for       
pleasure or profit1'  c4 ,he thought it 
not enough to tempt ,judas by the object

 of gain1 but  he brake his mind in     
direct terms1 and #8put it into his     
heart1' ,john  xiii4 #b4 ,he did the    
like to ,ananias1 whose heart he filled 
with a large  motion for that lie1 and  
backed it with many considerations of   
the  necessity and expediency of it1    
,acts v4 #c4 ,there is no question to be
  made of this4 ,dr ,goodwin gives clear
 proofs of it1 and so do several        
others4#agg ,when we consider that      
thoughts are sometime cast upon the     
minds of men which are above their      
knowledge1 and that they say and  do    
things sometime which are far beyond any
 of their accomplishments  and parts1   
and yet in the nature of it wicked1 we  
must be forced to  run so high as to    
charge it upon ,satan4 ,saul's          
prophesying1 #a ,sam4  xviii4 #aj1 was  
by the influence of the evil spirit2 and
 this--as ,junius1  ,tirinus1 and others
 interpret#agh--must of necessity be    
understood of  such a kind of action and
 speaking as the true prophets of the   

,lord  usually expressed under the      
influences of the blessed ,spirit2 for  
from  the likeness of the action in both
 must the name be borrowed4 ,the        
experience that we have of inward       
disputings1 the bandying of arguments   
and answers in several cases1 is a proof
 of this beyond exception4  ,wounded    
consciences express an admirable        
dexterity in breaking all  arguments    
urged for their peace and establishment2
 as also in framing  objections against 
themselves1 so far above the usual      
measure of common  capacities1 that we  
cannot ascribe it to any other than     
,satan's private  aid this way4    #d4  
,fourthly1 ,the motion being made1 if   
there be need1 he doth  irritate and    
stir up the mind to the embracement of  
it2 and this he  doth two ways3--       
,first1 ,by an earnestness of           
solicitation2 when he urgeth the  thing 
over and over1 and gives no rest2 when  
he joins with this an  importunity of   
begging and entreating with the repeated

 motion2  when he draws together and    
advantageously doth order a multitude of
  considerations to that end2 and when  
in all this he doth hold down the  mind 
and thoughts1 and keep them upon a      
contemplation of the object1  motions1  
and reasons4 ,thus he provoked ,david1  
#a ,chron4 xxi4 #a2 and this  kind of   
dealing occasioned the apostle to name  
his temptations and our  resistance by  
the name of #8wrestlings1' in which     
usually there appears  many endeavours  
and often repeated1 to throw down the   
antagonist4    ,secondly1 ,he doth      
irritate by a secret power and force    
that he  hath upon our fancies and      
passions4 ,when men are said to be      
carried  and led by ,satan1 it implies1 
in the judgment of some1#agi more than  
importunity2 and that though he cannot  
force the spring of the will1  yet he   
may considerably act upon it by pulling 
at the weights and  plummets--that is1  
by moving and acting our imaginations   
and affections4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,the  

motion being thus made1 notwithstanding 
all his  importunity1 often finds       
resistance2 in which case he comes to   
the  practice of a fourth rule1 which is
 to draw away and entice the heart  to  
consent--as it is expressed1 ,james i4  
#ad1 #8,every man is tempted1  when he  
is drawn away and enticed4'#ahj ,i shall
 avoid here the variety  of the         
apprehensions which some declare at     
large about the meaning of  the words1  
satisfying myself with this1 that the   
apostle points at  those artifices of   
,satan by which he draws and allures the
 will of  man to a compliance with his  
motions1 which when he effects in any   
degree1 then may a man be said to be    
prevailed upon by the temptation4  ,but 
then here is the wonder1 how he should  
so far prevail against  that reason and 
knowledge which ,god hath placed in man 
to fence and  guard him against a thing 
so absurd and unreasonable as every sin 
is4  ,the solution of this knot we have 
in #b ,cor4 iv4 #d1 #8,the god of this  

world blinds the eyes of men1' draws a  
curtain over this knowledge1  and       
raiseth a darkness upon them3 which     
darkness1 though we cannot  fully       
apprehend1 yet that it is a very great  
and strange darkness may  be discovered1
 7#a47 ,partly by considering the       
subject of it--man1 a  rational         
creature1 in whom ,god hath placed a    
conscience1 which is both  a law1 and   
witness1 and judge4 ,it cannot be       
supposed an easy matter to  cloud or    
obliterate that law1 to silence or      
pervert that witness1 or to  corrupt    
that judge2 but it will rise higher in  
the wonder of it if we  consider this in
 a godly man1 one that sets ,god before 
him1 and is wont  to have his fear in   
his heart--such a man as ,david was1    
that in so plain  a case1 in so high a  
manner1 so long a time1 with so little  
sense and  apprehension of the evil and 
danger1 ,satan should so quickly        
prevail1  it is an astonishment3 neither
 will it be less strange if we consider1

  7#b47 ,the issue and effect of this   
blindness4 ,some rise up against  this  
law of conscience1 arguing it false and 
erroneous1 and making  conclusions      
directly contrary1 as ,deut4 xxix4 #ai1 
#8,i shall have peace1  though ,i walk  
on in the imaginations of my heart2'    
#8,i have fellowship  with him1 though  
,i walk in darkness1' #a ,john i4 #f2   
#8,we will not hearken  unto thee1 but  
will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth
 out of our own  mouth1' ,jer4 xlv4 #af1
 #ag2 in which cases the 1 or principles
  of conscience1 are quite overthrown4  
,some are hardened1 and as to any       
application of their acts to this rule1 
quite dead and senseless4  ,though they 
rise not up against the light1 yet are  
they willingly  ignorant1 without any   
consideration of what they are doing4   
,here the  1 or witnessing and excusing 
power of conscience1 is idle and        
asleep4 ,some1 though they know the law1
 and in some measure see their  actions 
are sinful1 yet they pass no judgment1  

apprehend no danger3  #8,no man smites  
upon his thigh1 saying1 ,what have ,i   
done8' ,jer4 viii4  #f4 ,nay1 some are  
so far from this1 that they             
presumptuously justify  themselves1     
though they see their own blame and ruin
 before them3 #8,i do  well to be angry1
 and that to the death1' saith ,jonah1  
when ,satan had  spread a darkness upon 
him4    ,what shall we say of these     
things8 ,here is darkness to be felt1   
,egyptian darkness4 ,to explain the way 
of it fully is impossible for  us2 to do
 it in any tolerable way is difficult4  
,to make some discovery  herein ,i      
shall1 7#a47 ,shew that the devil doth  
entice to sin by  #8stirring up our     
lust2' 7#b47 ,that by the power and     
prevalency of our  lust he brings on the
 blindness spoken of4          ,,chapter
 ,x4     ,that ,satan enticeth by our   
lust4--,the several ways by which he    
doth   it4--,of the power and danger of 
the violence of affections4      ,the   
way1 then1 by which he doth entice is by

 #8stirring up our lust4' ,by  #8lust'  
,i mean those general desirings of our  
minds after any unlawful  object which  
are forbidden in the tenth commandment4 
,thus we read of  #8worldly lusts1' of  
the #8lusts of the flesh1' of #8lustings
 to envy1'  and1 in a word1 we read of  
#8divers lusts1' the whole attempt and  
striving of corrupt nature against the  
,spirit being set forth by this         
expression #8of lusting against the     
,spirit1' ,titus ii4 #ab2 #a ,peter ii4 
#ah2 ,james iv4 #e2 ,titus iii4 #c2     
,gal4 v4 #ag4    ,that ,satan takes     
advantage of our own lusts1 and so      
ploughs with our  heifer1 turning our   
own weapons against ourselves1 is       
evident by the  general vote of         
,scripture4 ,the apostle ,james1 chap4  
i4 #ad1 tells us  that every temptation 
prevails only by the power and working  
of our  own lusts4 ,satan is the        
tempter1 but our lusts are the          
advantages by  which he draws and       
enticeth4 ,the corrupt principle within 

us is called  #8flesh1' but the way     
whereby it works1 either in its own     
proper motion  or as stirred up by the  
devil1 is that of lust and affection2   
and  therefore he that would stop that  
issue must look to mortify it in its    
affections and lusts1 ,gal4 v4 #bd4 ,we 
are further told by ,john1 #a ,epist4   
ii4 #af1 that all those snares that are 
in the world are only hazardous  and    
prevailing by our lusts4 ,more generally
 the apostle ,peter speaks1  #b ,peter  
i4 #d2 the whole bundle of actual sins  
that have ever been in  the world came  
in at this door1 #8,the corruption that 
is in the world  is through lust4' ,in  
the stirring up our lusts ,satan useth  
no small  art and subtlety1 and         
ordinarily he worketh by some of these  
following  ways3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he   
useth his skill to dress up an object of
 lust that  it may be taking and        
alluring4 ,he doth not content himself  
with a  simple proposal of the object1  
but doth as it were paint and varnish   

it1 to make it seem beautiful and       
lovely4 ,besides all that wooing  and   
importunity which he useth to the soul  
by private and unseen  suggestions1 he  
hath no doubt a care to gather together 
all possible  concurring circumstances1 
by which the seeming goodness or        
conveniency  of the object is much      
heightened and enlarged4 ,we see those  
that have  skill to work upon the       
humours of men place a great part of it 
in  the right circumstantiating a       
motion1 and in taking the tempers and   
inclinations of men at a right time4    
,and they observe that the missing  of  
the right season is the hazard of the   
design1 even there where  the object and
 inclination ordinarily are suitable4   
,there is much in  placing a picture in 
a right position1 to give it its proper 
grace and  lustre in the eyes of the    
beholders4 ,when a man is out of humour 
he  nauseates his usual delights1 and   
grows sullen to things of frequent      
practice4 ,it is likely ,eve was not a  

stranger to the tree of knowledge       
before the temptation1 but when the     
serpent suggests the goodness of  the   
fruit1 the fruit itself seems more      
beautiful and desirable1 #8good  for    
food1 and pleasant to the eyes1' ,gen4  
ii4 #i4 ,though we are not  able to find
 out the way of ,satan's beautifying an 
object that it may  affect with more    
piercing and powerful delights1 yet he  
that shall  consider that not only      
prudence1 in an advantageous management 
of  things1 adds an additional beauty to
 objects proposed1 but also that  art1  
by placing things in a right posture1   
may derive a radiancy and  beam of      
beauty and light upon them1 as an       
ordinary piece of glass may  be so      
posited to the sunbeams that it may     
reflect a sparkling light  as if it were
 a diamond1--he that shall consider     
this1 ,i say1 will not  think it strange
 for the devil to use some arts of this 
kind for the  adorning and setting off  
an object to the eye of our lusts4      

#b4 ,secondly1 ,we have reason to       
suspect that he may have ways of deceit 
and imposture upon our senses4 ,the     
deceits of the senses are so much       
noted1 that some philosophers will      
scarce allow any credit to be given     
them2 not that they are always          
deceitful1 but that they are often so1  
and therefore always suspicious4#aha    
,the soul hath no intelligence but  by  
the senses4 ,it is then a business of   
easy belief1 that ,satan may  not       
altogether slight this advantage1 but   
that when he sees it fit for  his       
purpose1 he may impose upon us by the   
deception of our eyes and  ears4 ,we    
little know how oft our senses have     
disguised things to us4  ,in a pleasing 
object1 our eyes may be as a magnifying 
or multiplying  glass4 ,in the first    
temptation ,satan seems to have wrought 
both upon  the object and also upon the 
senses2 she #8saw it was good for food  
and pleasant4' ,who can question but    
that she saw the fruit before8  ,but    

this was another kind of sight1 of more 
power and attraction4 ,an  instance of  
,satan's cunning in both the            
forementioned particulars we  have from 
,austin1 relating the story of his      
friend ,alypius1 who by the  importunity
 of his acquaintance consented to go to 
the theatre1 yet  with a resolve not to 
open his eyes1 lest the sight of these  
spectacles  should entice his heart2 but
 being there1 the noise and sudden      
shouting of the multitude prevailed so  
far with him that he forgot his         
resolution2 takes the liberty to see    
what occasioned the shouting1 and  once 
seeing1 is now so inflamed with delight 
that he shouts as the rest  do1 and     
becomes a frequenter of the theatre as  
others4#ahb ,what was  there to be seen 
and heard he knew before by the relation
 of others2  but now being present1 his 
eyes and ears were by ,satan so         
heightened  in their offices1 that those
 bloody objects seemed pleasant beyond  
all  that had been reported of them1 and

 the lust of his heart drawn out by     
,satan's cunning disposal of the object 
and senses4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,there is  
no small enticement arising from the    
fitness and  suitableness of occasion4  
,an occasion exactly fitted is more than
  half a temptation4 ,this often makes a
 thief1 an adulterer1 c41 where  the    
acts of these sins have their rise from 
a sudden fit of humour1  which occasion 
puts them in1 rather than from design or
 premeditation4  ,cunningly contrived   
occasions are like the danger of a      
precipice4 ,if  a man be so foolish as  
to take up a stand there1 a small push  
will  throw him over1 though a far      
greater might not harm him if he were   
upon  a level4 ,it is ,satan's cunning  
to draw a man within the reach of an    
occasion4 ,all the resolves of ,alypius 
were not safeguard to him1 when  once he
 was brought within hearing and sight of
 the temptation4 ,if he  had stayed at  
home1 the hazard of ,satan's            
suggestions1 though earnest1  had not   

been so much as the hearing of his ears 
and sight of his eyes4  ,in #b ,cor4 ii4
 #aa1 ,paul's fears of ,satan's taking  
advantage against the  ,corinthians1 did
 manifestly arise from the present      
posture of their  church affairs3 for if
 the excommunicated person should not be
 received  again into the church1 an    
ordinary push of temptation might either
 have  renewed or confirmed their       
contentions1 or precipitated#ahc them   
into  an opinion of too much severity   
against an offending brother2 and that  
their present frame made them more than 
ordinarily obnoxious to these  snares1  
is evident from the apostle's caution   
inserted here in this  discourse1 so    
abruptly1 that any man may observe the  
necessity of the  matter1 and the       
earnestness of his affections did lead  
his pen4#ahd  ,the souls of men have    
their general discrasias and            
disaffections1 as  our bodies have1 from
 a lingering distemperature of the blood
 and  humours2 in which case1 a small   

occasion1 like a particular error of    
diet1 c41 in a declining body1 will     
easily form that inclination into       
particular acts of sin4    #d4          
,fourthly1 ,satan hath yet a further    
reach in his enticements1 by  the power 
which he hath upon our fancies and      
imaginations4 ,that he  hath such a     
power was discovered before4 ,this being
 then supposed1  how serviceable it is  
for his end it is now to be considered4 
,our  fancy is as a glass1 which1 with  
admirable celerity and quickness of     
motion1 can present before us all kinds 
of objects2 it can in a moment  run from
 one end of the earth to the other2 and 
besides this1 it hath  a power of       
creating objects1 and casting them into 
what forms and  shapes it pleaseth1 all 
which our understanding cannot avoid the
 sight  of4 ,now the power of           
imagination is acknowledged by all to be
 very  great1 not only as working upon a
 melancholy and distempered spirit1  of 
which authors give us large             

accounts1#ahe but also upon minds  more 
remote from such peremptory delusions2  
as may be daily observed  in the        
prejudices and prepossessions of men1   
who by reason of the  impressions of    
imagination1 are not without difficulty 
drawn over to  the acknowledgment of the
 truth of things1 and the true          
understanding  of matters2 neither is   
the understanding only liable to a more 
than  ordinary heat and rapture by it1  
but the will is also quickened and      
sharpened in its desires by this means4 
,hence is it1 as one of the  forecited  
authors observes1#ahf that fancy doth   
often more toward  a persuasion by its  
insinuations than a cogent argument or  
rational  demonstration4    ,this is no 
less a powerful instrument in ,satan's  
hand1 than commonly  and frequently made
 use of4 ,who amongst us doth not find  
and feel him  dealing with us at this   
weapon8 ,when he propounds an object to 
our  lust1 he doth not usually expose it
 naked under the hazard of dying  out   

for want of prosecution1 but presently  
calls in our fancy to his  aid1 and     
there raiseth a theatre1 on which he    
acts before our minds the  sin in all   
its ways and postures4 ,if he put us    
upon revenge1 or upon  lusts of         
uncleanness1 or covetousness1 or        
ambition1 we are sure1 if we  prevent it
 not1 to have our imagination presenting
 these things to us  as in lively       
pictures and resemblances1 by which our 
desires may be  inflamed and prepared   
for consent4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,sometime 
he shews his art in preparing and       
fitting our  bodies to his designs1 or  
in fitting temptations to our bodies and
  the inclinations thereof4 ,the soul1  
though it be a noble being1 yet  is it  
limited by the body1 and incommodated by
 the craziness and  indispositions      
thereof1 so that it can no more act     
strenuously or  evenly to its principles
 in a disordered body1 than it can      
rightly  manage any member of it1 in its
 natural motions1 where the bones are   

disjointed4 ,hence sickness or other    
bodily weaknesses do alter the  scene1  
and add another kind of bias to the soul
 than what it had  before4 ,this ,satan 
takes notice of1 and either follows his 
advantage  of the present indisposition1
 or1 if he hath some special design1    
endeavours to cast our body into such a 
disorder as may best suit his           
intention4 ,asa was more easily drawn to
 be overseen in peevishness and  rash   
anger in his latter days1 when his body 
grew diseased4 ,satan had  his advantage
 against ,solomon to draw him to        
idolatry when old age and  uxoriousness 
had made him more ductile to the        
solicitations of his  wives2 #8,when    
,solomon was old1 his wives turned away 
his heart1' #a ,kings  xi4 #d4 ,the     
devil1 when he took upon him to foretell
 ,job's blaspheming  ,god to his face1  
yet he attempted not the main design    
till he thought  he had thoroughly      
prepared him for it1 by the anguish and 
smart of a  distempered body and mind2  

and though he failed in the great       
business  of his boast1 yet he left us  
an experiment in ,job1 that the         
likeliest  way to prevail upon the mind 
in hideous and desperate temptations1 is
  to mould the body to a suitable frame4
 ,he prevailed not against ,job  to     
cause him curse ,god1 yet he prevailed  
far1 #8he cursed the day of  his birth1'
 and spake many things by the force of  
that distress1 which  he professeth     
himself ashamed of afterwards4 ,the body
 then will be in  danger1 when it is    
disordered1 to give a tincture to every 
action1 as  a distempered palate        
communicates a bitterness to everything 
it takes  down4    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,evil  
company is a general preparatory to all 
kinds of  temptation4 ,he enticeth      
strongly that way4 ,for1 7#a47 ,evil    
society doth  insensibly dead the heart1
 and quench the heat of the affections  
to  the things of ,god4 ,it hath a kind 
of bewitching power to eat out the  fear
 of the ,lord in our hearts1 and to take

 off the weight and power  of religious 
duty4 ,it not only stops our tongues1   
and retards them in  speaking of good   
things1 but influenceth the very heart1 
and poisons it  into a kind of deadness 
and lethargy1 so that our thoughts run  
low1 and  we begin to think that severe 
watchfulness of thoughts and the guard  
of  our minds to be a needless and      
melancholy self-imposition4 7#b47       
,example  hath a strange insinuating    
force to enstamp a resemblance1 and to  
beget  imitation4 ,joseph1 living where 
his ears were frequently beaten with    
oaths1 finds it an easy thing1 upon a   
feigned occasion1 to swear by  the life 
of ,pharaoh1 ,gen4 xlii4 #ae4 ,evil     
company is sin's nursery  and ,satan's  
academy1 by which he trains up those    
whose knowledge and  hopeful beginnings 
had made them shy of his temptations2   
and if he can  prevail with men to take 
such companions1 he will with a little  
labour  presently bring them to any     
iniquity4    #g4 ,seventhly1 ,but his   

highest project in order to the enticing
 of  men1 is to engage their affections 
to a height and passionateness4  ,the   
,scripture doth distinguish betwixt the 
and 1  the affections and lusts1 ,gal4  
v4 #bd2 clearly implying that the way   
to procure fixed desires and actual     
lustings1 is to procure those           
passionate workings of the mind4    ,how
 powerful a part of his design this is1 
will appear from the nature  of these   
passions3 which are1    #a4 ,first1     
,violent motions of the heart2 the very 
wings and sails  of the soul1 and every 
passion1 in its own working1 doth       
express a  violence4#ahg ,choler is an  
earnest rage2 voluptuousness is nothing 
less2 fear is a desperate hurry of the  
soul2 #8love strong as death2  jealousy 
cruel as the grave2' each of them       
striving which should excel  in         
violence1 so that it is a question yet  
undetermined which passion  may         
challenge the superiority4    #b4       
,secondly1 ,their fury is dangerous and 

unbridled2 like so many  wild horses let
 loose1 hurrying their rider which way  
they please4  ,they move not upon the   
command of reason1 but oft prevent it in
 their  sudden rise2 neither do they    
take reason's advice for their course   
proportionable to the occasion1 for     
often their humour1 rather than  the    
matter of the provocation1 gives them   
spurs2 and when they have  evaporated   
their heat1 they cease1 not as following
 the command of  reason1 but as weakened
 by their own violence4    #c4 ,thirdly1
 ,they are not easily conquered2 not    
only because they  renew their strength 
and onset after a defeat1 and1 like so  
many  hydra's heads1 spring up as fast  
as cut off2 but they are ourselves--we  
can neither run from them1 nor from the 
love of them4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,and    
consequently highly advantageous in     
,satan's design  and enticement when    
they are driven up to a fury and        
passionateness2  for besides their      
inward rage1 which the ,scripture calls 

burning1 #a  ,cor4 vii4 #i2 ,rom4 i4    
#bg1 by which men are pricked and goaded
 on without  rest or ease1 to #8make    
provisions for the flesh1' and to enjoy 
or act  what their unbridled violence   
will lead to in the execution of their  
desires1 they carry all on before them1 
and engage the whole man with  the      
highest eagerness #8to fulfil every     
lust1' ,eph4 ii4 #c1 to go up  to the   
highest degrees1 and with an unsatiable 
greediness to yield  themselves         
#8servants of iniquity unto iniquity1'  
,rom4 vi4 #ai4          ,,chapter ,,xi4 
,that lust darkens the mind4--,evidences
 thereof4--,the five ways by   which it 
doth blind men3 ,first1 ,by preventing  
the exercise of   reason4--,the ways of 
that prevention3 7#a47 ,secrecy in      
tempting2   ,satan's subtlety therein2  
7#b47 ,surprisal2 7#c47 ,gradual        
entanglements4      ,that ,satan doth   
entice us by stirring up our lust1 hath 
been  discovered2 it remains that ,i    
next speak to the second thing          

propounded1 which was1    ,that by this 
power of lust he blinds and darkens our 
mind4 ,that the  lusts of men are the   
great principle upon which ,satan       
proceeds in  drawing on so great a      
blindness as we have spoken of1 ,i shall
 briefly  evince from these few         
observations3--    #a4 ,first1 ,from the
 unreasonableness and absurdity of some 
actions  in men otherwise sufficiently  
rational4 ,he that considers the acts   
of ,alexander1 in murdering             
,calisthenes1 for no other crime than   
defending the cause of the gods1 and    
affirming that temples could  not be    
built to a king without provoking a     
deity2 and yet this so  smoothed1 if    
,quintus ,curtius represent him right1  
that he seemed to  flatter ,alexander   
with an opinion of deification after his
 death2#ahh  whosoever1 ,i say1 shall   
consider this cruelty1 will condemn     
,alexander  as blind and irrational in  
this matter2 and yet no other cause can 
be  assigned hereof1 but that his lust  

after glory and honour darkened his     
reason4 ,the like may be said of his    
killing ,hephstion's physician1  because
 he died4 ,the brutal fury of that      
consul1 that made a slave  to be eaten  
up with lampreys1 for no other fault    
than the breaking of  a glass1 can be   
ascribed to nothing else but the boiling
 over of his  passion4 ,a sadder        
instance of this we have in ,theodosius 
senior1 who1  for an affront given to   
some of his officers in ,thessalonica1  
commanded  the destruction of the city1 
and the slaughter of the citizens to    
the number of seven thousand1 without   
any distinction of nocent  and          
innocent4#ahi ,this blind rage the      
historian notes as the fruit  of violent
 and unbridled lust in a man otherwise  
just and gracious4  ,thousands of       
instances of this nature might be added4
 ,but1    #b4 ,secondly1 ,if we consider
 the known and visible hazards to life  
and estate1 and1 that which is more1 to 
that part of them which is  immortal2   

upon all which men do desperately       
adventure1 upon no other  ground or     
motive than the gratifications of their 
lusts1--we may easily  conclude that    
there is a strange force and power in   
their passions to  blind and besot them2
 and this1 notwithstanding1 is the      
common practice  of all men1 where      
grace1 as the only eye-salve1 doth not  
restore the  sight4 ,the heathens in all
 these practices of filthiness and      
folly1  recorded ,rom4 i4 #bi1 they had 
so far a discovery of the danger1 if    
they had not imprisoned that truth and  
light in unrighteousness1 ver4  #ah1    
that they knew the #8judgment of ,god1  
that they which commit such  things are 
worthy of death1' ver4 #cb4 ,yet1       
notwithstanding1 the vanity  of their   
imaginations1 influenced by lust1       
darkened their heart so much  that they 
did #8not only do these things1' of so  
great vileness and  unspeakable hazard1 
#8but had pleasure in those that did    
them4'    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the blinding   

power of lust is yet more remarkable1   
when we  see men glorying in their      
shame1 and mounting their triumphal     
chariots  to expose themselves a        
spectacle to all1 in that garb of       
deformity  which their lusts have put   
them in4 ,it is a blindness to do any   
act  against the rules of reason1 but it
 is a far greater blindness for men  to 
pride themselves in them4 ,what have the
 issues of most wars been1  but burning 
of cities1 devastations of flourishing  
kingdoms1 spilling  the blood of        
millions1 besides all the famine and    
other miseries that  follow2 yet these  
actions1 that better beseem tigers1     
lions1 and savage  brutes1 than men of  
reason1 are honoured with the great1    
triumphant  names of virtue1 manhood1   
courage1 magnanimity1 conquest1 c4 ,if  
the  power and humour of their lusts of 
vainglory and revenge had not quite     
muffled their understandings1 these     
things would have been called by  their 
proper names of murder1 cruelty1        

robbery1 c42 and the actors of  such    
tragedies1 instead of triumphal arches  
and acclamations of praise1  would have 
been buried under heaps of ignominy and 
perpetual disgraces1  as prodigies of   
nature1 monsters of men1 and haters of  
mankind4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,but there is
 yet one evidence more plain and        
convincing2  when our lusts are up1     
though reason offer its aids to allay   
the  storm1 yet the wisest of men1      
otherwise composed and calm1 are so far 
from taking the advantage of its        
guidance1 that oftentimes they trample  
upon it and despise it2 and as if lusts1
 by some secret incantation1  had made  
them impenetrable1 they are not capable 
of its light and  conduct1 and can make 
no more use of it than a blind man can  
do of a  candle4 ,to this purpose1 let  
us observe the carriage of disputants4  
,if men do any way publicly engage      
themselves in a contest of this  nature1
 though truth can be but on the one     
side1 yet both parties  give arguments  

and answer objections with equal        
confidence of victory1  and a contempt  
of the reasons and strength of each     
other's discourses2  and this proves so 
fatal to him that maintains the mistake 
or untruth1  that not one of a thousand 
hath the benefit and advantage for the  
finding of truth1 which free and        
unprejudiced bystanders may have2  so   
true is that1 ,omne perit judicium cum  
res transit in affectum1  ,when         
affections are engaged1 judgment is     
darkened4 ,it is a thing of  common     
observation1 that when men are          
discoursed into anger and heat1  they   
presently grow absurd2 are disabled for 
speaking or understanding  reason1 and  
are oft hurried to such inconveniences  
and miscarriages1  that they are ashamed
 of themselves2 when they cool1 and the 
fit is  over1 ,impedit ira animum1 c4   
,to all this might be added the power of
  lust in persons voluptuous1 who       
dedicate themselves to the pleasures of 
the flesh4 ,those that #8serve divers   

lusts and pleasures1' their slavish     
estate1 their base drudgery1 do clearly 
evince that lust unmans them1  and puts 
out their eyes4 ,mark ,antony by this   
means became a slave to  ,cleopatra2    
never did a poor captive strive more to 
obtain the good-will  of his lord than  
he to please this woman1 insomuch that1 
besotted  with his lust1 he seemed to   
want that common foresight of his       
danger1  which the smallest measure of  
reason might have afforded to any1 and  
so dallied himself into his ruin4 ,from 
all these considerations and  instances1
 it appears our lusts afford such       
vapours and mists that our  reason is   
darkened by them1 or rather they are    
like a dose of opium1  that strongly    
stupifies and binds up the senses4 ,but 
yet it remains  that the various ways by
 which our lusts do blind us be         
particularly  opened1 and they are five4
 7#a47 ,our lusts blind us by preventing
 the  use and exercise of reason4 7#b47 
,by perverting it4 7#c47 ,by withdrawing

  the mind from it4 7#d47 ,by disturbing
 it in its operation4 ,and 7#e47 ,by a  
desperate precipitancy2 all which ,i    
shall more fully explain4    ,i4 ,first1
 ,our lusts blind us by preventing and  
intercepting the  exercise of light and 
reason2 and ,satan in this case useth   
these  deceits3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he    
endeavours so to stir up our lust as yet
 to conceal his  design4 ,secrecy is one
 of his main engines4 ,he doth not in   
this case  shew his weapon before he    
strikes2 and indeed his policy herein is
  great4 ,for1 #a4 ,by this means he    
takes us at unawares1 secure1 and       
unprepared for resistance4 #b4 ,we are  
often ensnared without noise1  and      
before our consideration of things can  
come in to rescue us4 #c4  ,if he get   
not his whole design upon us this way1  
yet he oft makes a  half victory4 ,by   
this means he procures a half content or
 inclination  to sin1 before we discover
 that we are under a temptation2 for    
when the  foundation of a temptation is 

laid unespied1 then we awaken with the  
sin in our hand1 as sleeping men awake  
sometime with the word in their  mouths4
 ,if any question1 ,how can these things
 be8 ,how can he steal a  temptation    
upon us with such secrecy8 ,i answer1 he
 can do it these  three ways3--    7#a47
 ,first1 ,he sometimes after a careless 
manner1 and as it were by  the by1 drops
 in a suggestion into our hearts1 and   
that without noise  or importunity1     
giving it as it were this charge1       
#8,stir not up nor  awaken him2' and    
then he sits by to observe the issue1   
and to see if  the tinder will take fire
 of itself4 ,thus many a motion thrown  
into our  hearts1 as it were            
accidentally1 ere ever we are aware1    
begets a sudden  flame4    7#b47        
,secondly1 ,he sometimes fetcheth a     
compass1 and makes a thing far          
different to be a preamble or           
introduction to his intended design4    
,thus by objects1 employments1          
discourse1 or company1 that shew not any

  direct tendency to evil1 doth he      
insensibly occasion pride1 passion1  or 
lust4 ,how slyly and secretly doth he   
put us upon what he intends  as a       
further snare6 ,how unawares1 while we  
think of no such thing1  are we carried 
sometime upon the borders of sin1 and   
into the enemy's  quarters6 ,satan in   
this acts like a fowler1 who useth a    
stalking-horse1  as if he were upon some
 other employment1 when yet his design  
is the  destruction of the bird4        
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,another way of secrecy 
is his raising a crowd of  other        
thoughts in the mind1 and while these   
are mixed and confusedly  floating in   
the understanding or fancy1 then doth he
 thrust in among  them the intended     
suggestion2 and then suffering the rest 
to vanish1  he by little and little     
singles this out as a more special      
object of  consideration1 so that we    
cast a sudden glance upon this1 and we  
are  often taken with it before we      
consider the danger4 ,in this ,satan    

doth  as soldiers1 who take the         
advantage of a mist to make a nearer    
approach  to their enemies1 and to      
surprise them before discovery of the   
danger4  ,this he doth with us while we 
are in a musing fit or a melancholy     
dream4    #b4 ,a second deceit for the  
preventing of a serious consideration   
is sudden surprisal4 ,in the former he  
endeavoured to conceal the  temptation  
while he is at work with us1 but in this
 he shews the  temptation plainly1 only 
he sets upon us without giving of us    
warning  of the onset2 but then he backs
 it with all the violent importunity  he
 can1 and by this he hinders the        
recollecting of ourselves and the  aid  
of reason4 ,this course ,satan only     
takes with those whose passions  are apt
 to be very stirring and boisterous1 or 
such as1 being his  slaves and vassals1 
are more subject to his commands4 ,thus 
a sudden  provocation to an angry man   
gives him not time to consider1 but     
carries  him headlong4 ,a surprise of   

occasion and opportunity is frequently  
a conquest to those that have any       
earnestness of hope1 desire1 or         
revenge4 ,surely ,david was taken at    
this advantage in the matter of         
,bathsheba4 ,and here we may note that  
good men upon such a sudden motion  do  
yield1 without any blow or struggling1  
to that which at other times  they could
 not be drawn to by many reasons4    #c4
 ,thirdly1 ,consideration is prevented  
by gradual entanglements4  ,satan so    
orders the matter that sin creeps on    
upon us as sleep1 by  insensible        
degrees4 ,for this end sometimes he     
dissembles his strength1  and sets upon 
us with lower temptations1 and with less
 force than  otherwise he could4 ,he    
knows we are not moved to extremes1 but 
by steps  and habits2 are not confirmed1
 but by gradual proceedings4 ,to take   
too  great strides may sometime prevail 
at present2 but the suddenness and      
greatness of the alteration begetting a 
strangeness on the soul1 may  occasion  

after-thoughts and recoiling4 ,therefore
 he tempts first to  thoughts1 then to a
 delight in these thoughts1 then to the 
continuation  of them1 then to resolve1 
and so on to practice4 ,and in like     
manner1  he tempts some to make bold    
with a small matter1 which shall scarce 
come under the notion of wrong2 then to 
a greater1 and so gradually to  higher  
things1 and thus he insensibly brings on
 a thievish inclination  and practice4  
,for the same end sometimes he shews his
 skill in the  management of occasions2 
he imperceptibly hooks men into sin by  
drawing  them first to be bold with     
occasions2 he tells them they may sit at
  the ale-house1 and yet not be drunk2  
that they may keep familiarity1  and yet
 not be lewd2 that they may look upon a 
commodity1 and yet not  steal2 and when 
the occasions are by this means made    
familiar to them1  then he puts them on 
a step further1 but by such slow motions
 that the  progress is scarce discerned 
till they be in the snare4              

,,chapter ,,xii4     ,of ,satan's       
perverting our reason4--,his second way 
of blinding4--,the   possibility of     
this1 and the manner of accomplishing it
 directly1   several ways2 and          
indirectly1 by the delights of sin1 and 
by   sophistical arguments2 with an     
account of them4      ,,ii4 ,secondly1  
,the second way by which ,satan blinds  
us through the  power of lust is by     
perverting and corrupting our reason1   
drawing it  to approve of that which it 
first disapproved4 ,that our lusts have 
such a power upon the understanding to  
make such an alteration1 need  not seem 
strange to those that shall consider    
that the ,scripture1  propounding the   
knowledge of the highest mysteries1 doth
 positively  require1 as a necessary    
pre-requisite to these things1 that we  
#8lay  aside all filthiness and         
superfluity of naughtiness1' ,james i4  
#bj1--;in  these terms1 noting the      
loathsome defilement of our lusts1--that
 so we  may #8receive the engrafted     

word2' strongly implying that our lusts 
have  a power to elude and evade the    
strongest reasons1 and to hinder their  
entertainment3 which our ,saviour notes 
to have been also the cause of  the     
,jews' blindness1 #8,how can ye believe1
 which receive honour one of  another8' 
,john v4 #dd4 ,their lusts of honour    
stood in their light1 and  perverted    
their reason4    ,but because this may  
seem to some almost impossible1 that    
lusts should  turn our sun into         
darkness1 ,i shall a little explain it4 
,the understanding doth usually1 if     
practice of sin have not put out its    
light1 at the first faithfully represent
 to our mind the nature of good  and    
evil in matters of temptation and duty2 
yet its power in this case  is only     
directive and suasive to the will1 not  
absolutely imperative4  ,the will must  
follow the understanding's dictate1 but 
is not under any  necessity of following
 its first advice2 it is the ultimum    
dictamen1  the last dictate1 that it is 

engaged to follow4 ,however the will1 in
  the case last mentioned1 be dependent 
upon the understanding1 yet the         
understanding doth also1 quoad          
exercitium1 depend upon the will1 and   
as to the act of consideration1 is under
 its command2 so that after the         
understanding hath faithfully           
represented the evil of a sin1 the will 
can command it to another consideration1
 and force it to new thoughts  and      
consultations about it2 in which case   
the will doth prompt the  understanding1
 tells it what verdict it would have it 
to bring in1 and  so doth really solicit
 and beg for a compliance4    ,the      
understanding is ductile and capable of 
being bribed1 and therefore  suffers its
 right eye to be put out by the will1   
and as a false witness  or a partial    
judge gives sentence as the will would  
have it2 and thus1  as one observes1#aij
 the understanding and will are like    
,simeon and  ,levi1 brethren in evil1   
mutually complying with and gratifying  

each  other4    ,the possibility of     
lusts perverting our understanding being
 discovered1  the way and manner how    
lust doth thus corrupt it1 is needful to
 be  opened4    ,lust exerciseth this   
power under the management of ,satan1   
directly and  indirectly4    #a4 ,first1
 ,our reason is directly perverted when 
it is so far wrought  upon as to call   
that good1 which is indeed plainly and  
apparently  evil4 ,so great a corruption
 is not common and ordinary1 neither can
  the heart of man be easily drawn to go
 so palpably against clear light  and   
evidence4 ,it is therefore only in some 
cases and in some persons1  either of   
weaker faculties or of extraordinary    
debauched principles1  that ,satan can  
work up lust to give so great a         
darkness4 ,however1 it is  evident that 
,satan useth these deceits in this      
thing4    7#a47 ,first1 ,he strives1    
where the matter will bear it1 to put   
the  name of virtue or good upon actions
 and things that are not so4 ,this      

temptation doth most appear in those    
things that are of a doubtful and       
disputable nature1 or in those actions  
which in their appearance or            
pretensions may seem to be virtuous4    
,whatever sin is capable of any  paint  
or varnish1 that he takes the advantage 
of4 ,saul's sacrificing  was a great    
iniquity1 and yet the pretence of the   
general goodness of  the action1 being  
in itself commanded1 and the supposed   
necessity of  ,saul's doing it1 because 
,samuel came not1 were considerations   
upon  which his understanding warranted 
to him that undertaking4 ,paul's        
persecution1 though a real gratification
 of his envious lustings1 by  his       
blinded understanding was judged duty4  
,what more common than for              
worldly-mindedness and covetousness to  
be called a faithful and dutiful  care  
for the provision of our families6      
,lukewarmness is often justified  under 
the notion of moderation and prudence2  
and anything that can but  pretend any  

kindred to or resemblance of good1 our  
lusts presently  prevail for an         
approbation and vindication of it4      
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,satan useth the       
advantage of extremes for the           
corrupting of our understandings4 ,to   
this purpose he doth all he can  to make
 such an extreme odious and displeasing1
 that so we may run upon  the contrary  
as matter of duty4 ,many there are whose
 heads are so weak1  that if they see   
the danger of one extreme1 they never   
think themselves  in safety till they   
fly to a contrary excess1 and then they 
think the  extreme they embrace needs no
 other justification than the apparent  
evil of what they have avoided4 ,satan  
knowing this1 like the lapwing1  makes  
the greatest noise when he is furthest  
from his nest1 and in much  seeming     
earnestness tempts us to something that 
is most cross to our  temper or present 
inclination2 or endeavours to render    
something so to  us1 not with any hopes 
to prevail with us there1 but to make us

 run as  far from it as we can into     
another snare1 and also to make us      
believe  that we have done well and     
avoided a temptation1 when indeed we    
have  but exchanged it4    7#c47        
,thirdly1 ,he directly binds our        
understandings in sinful practices1  by 
engaging us to corrupt opinions which   
lead to wicked or careless  courses4    
,satan with great ease can put men upon 
sin1 when once he hath  prevailed with  
them to receive an error which directly 
leads to it4  ,corrupt principles do    
naturally corrupt practices1 and both   
these may  be observed to meet in those 
deluded ones whom the ,scripture        
mentions1  #8that denied the only ,lord 
,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 turning also  
the  grace of ,god into lasciviousness1'
 ,jude #d2 false teachers that brought  
in #8damnable heresies1' counted it     
#8pleasure to riot1' had #8eyes full  of
 adultery1 and could not cease from     
sin1' #b ,pet4 ii4 #a1 #ac1 #ad4 ,with  
what confidence and security will sin be

 practised1 when an opinion  signs a    
warrant and pleads a justification for  
it6    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,in actions     
whose goodness or badness is principally
  discoverable by the ends upon which   
they are undertaken1 it is no  great    
difficulty for ,satan to impose upon men
 a belief that they act  by ends and    
respects which do not indeed move them  
at all2 and in  this case men are so    
blinded that they do not1 or will not   
know or  acknowledge they do evil4 ,the 
matter of the action being warrantable1 
and the end being out of the reach of   
common discovery1 they readily  believe 
the best of themselves2 and looking more
 at the warrantableness  of the nature  
of the act in the general than at their 
grounds and  intentions1 they think not 
that they do evil4 ,this was a fault    
which  ,christ observed in the disciples
 when they called for #8fire from       
heaven upon the ,samaritans1' ,luke ix4 
#ee4 ,the thing itself ,elias had  done 
before1 and ,christ might have done it  

then1 but they wanted the  spirit of    
,elias1 and therefore ,christ rejects   
their motion as unlawful  in them1 who  
considered not that a spirit of passion 
and revenge did  altogether influence   
them2 and instead of shewing a just     
displeasure  against the ,samaritans1 he
 shews that ,satan had blinded them by  
their  lust1 and that the thing they    
urged was so far from being good1 that  
it was apparently evil1 in that they    
were acted by #8another spirit'  than   
they imagined4 ,this way of deceit is   
very common4 ,how often may  we observe 
,christians pretending conscientious    
dissatisfactions about  the actions of  
others1 when the private spring that    
animates them is  some secret grudge    
that lies at the bottom2 and yet because
 the thing  wherein they are            
dissatisfied may truly deserve blame1   
they are not apt  to condemn themselves1
 but think they do well4    #b4         
,secondly1 ,lusts also pervert our      
reason and knowledge indirectly2  and   

this is1 when we are not so far blinded 
as to believe the thing  unto which we  
are tempted1 to be good absolutely2 yet 
notwithstanding1  we are persuaded of   
some considerable goodness in it1 and   
such as may  for the present be         
embraced4 ,for this purpose ,satan hath 
ready these  two engines3--    7#a47    
,first1 ,he sets before us the          
pleasures1 profits1 and other  delights 
of sin4 ,these he heightens with all his
 art and skill1 that  he may fix in our 
minds this conclusion1 that however it  
be forbidden1  yet it would conduce much
 to our satisfaction or advantage if it 
were  practised2 and here he promiseth  
such golden ends and fruits of sin as   
indeed it can never lead unto1 inviting 
us in the words of the harlot1  #8,i    
have decked my bed with coverings of    
tapestry1 with carved works1  with fine 
linen of ,egypt4 ,i have perfumed it    
with myrrh1 aloes1 and  cinnamon4 ,come1
 let us take our fill of these          
delights1' ,prov4 vii4  #af4 ,thus he   

set upon ,eve1 #8,take this fruit1 and  
ye shall be as gods4'  ,thus he         
attempted ,christ himself1 #8,all these 
will ,i give thee1' ,mat4  iv4 #i1      
proffering the kingdoms of the world1   
and the glory of them4  ,the pleasures  
of sin are ,satan's great bait1 and     
these strongly invite  and stir up our  
lusts2 yet because the fear of the      
danger may stick  in the heart1 #8,it is
 pleasant1 but oh ,i dare not1' saith   
the sinner1  #8,i fear the hazard or the
 evil that may follow3' therefore ,satan
 hath  his other engine at hand to blind
 us1 and to carry our minds from such   
considerations2 and that is1    7#b47   
,secondly1 ,his sophistical arguments1  
by which the danger may be  lessened4   
,of these his quiver is full3 as1    #a4
 ,first1 ,he urgeth that the sin tempted
 to is little4 #8,but a  little one2' it
 is not1 saith he1 so great a matter as 
you make it2  there are other sins far  
greater1 and these also practised by men
 that  profess as much as you4 ,thus he 

would shame us1 as it were1 out of our  
fear1 by calling it severity1 niceness1 
or an unnecessary preciseness4  ,if this
 prevail not1    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he hath
 then another argument3 ,oh1 saith he1  
be it so1  that it is a little more than
 ordinary1 yet it is but once2 taste or 
try it2 you need not engage yourselves  
to frequent practice1 you may  retreat  
at pleasure4 ,but if the fear of the    
danger prevail against  this1 then1     
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,he labours to put us     
under a kind of necessity of  sinning1  
and this he pleads as a justification of
 the evil4 ,it is  not altogether right1
 but you cannot well avoid it4 ,this    
plea of  necessity is large2 occasion1  
example1 command of others1 strength of 
inclination1 custom1 and what not1 are  
pleaded by him in this case4  ,some     
particularly reckon them up2#aia and    
rather than some men will  acknowledge  
the evil1 they will blame ,god's decree1
 as if they were  necessitated by it1 or
 his providence1 as ,adam1 #8,the woman 

that thou  gavest me1 she gave me of the
 tree4' ,david's bloody resolve against 
the house of ,nabal seems to be         
justified by him1 from ,nabal's great   
ingratitude1 #8,in vain have ,i kept all
 that this fellow hath in the           
wilderness1' c41 #a ,sam4 xxv4 #ba2 and 
as one engaged by a necessity of        
repaying such wrongs and affronts1 doth 
he determine to cut them off4  ,aaron1  
when he was taxed by ,moses about the   
golden calf1 excuseth the  matter by a  
pretended necessity of doing what he did
 upon the violent  importunity of such a
 heady people1 ,exod4 xxxii4 #bb2 and   
that when  ,moses was not to be found1  
#8,thou knewest the people1 that they   
are set  on mischief4' ,this that he    
urged to ,moses ,satan no doubt had     
urged to  him1 and he had acquiesced in 
it as something that he thought would   
excuse1 or at least mitigate the        
offence4 ,yet if the sinner break       
through this snare1    #d4 ,fourthly1   
,he comes on with a softer plea of      

infirmity1 and  endeavours to persuade  
men that they may yield under pretence  
of being  forced1 and that their        
strivings and reluctances will lessen   
the evil  to an apparent sin of         
infirmity2 and thus he bespeaks them1   
,have not  ,god's children infirmities8 
,they sin1 though with reluctancy1 and  
dost not thou resist8--doth not the fear
 that is in thy heart shew an           
unwillingness8 ,mayest thou not plead1  
the evil that ,i would not do1  that do 
,i8 ,if thou yield1 will not ,god       
account it a rape upon thine  integrity8
 ,if this arrow stick not1    #e4       
,fifthly1 ,then he extenuates the       
offence by propounding some  smaller    
good or convenience that may follow that
 evil4 ,and this1  though it be a way of
 arguing directly contrary to that rule1
 #8,do  not evil that good may come1'   
yet it oft proves too successful2 and   
it is like that common stratagem of war1
 when1 by the proposal of a  small booty
 in view1 the enemies are drawn out of  

their hold into a  fore-contrived       
danger4 ,thus ,satan pleads1 ,this one  
act of sin may put  you into a capacity 
of honouring ,god the more4 ,some have  
admitted  advancements and dignities    
against conscience1 upon no better      
ground  but that they might keep out    
knaves1 and that they might be in a     
condition to be helpful to good men4    
,surely the devil prevailed with  ,lot  
by this weapon1 when he offered the     
prostitution of his daughters  to the   
lusts of the ,sodomites1 that the       
strangers1 as he thought them1  might be
 preserved2 by this evil1 thinks he1 a  
greater may be avoided4  ,herod's       
conscience could not at first consent to
 the cutting off the  head of ,john     
,baptist1 but when ,satan suggests the  
obligation of his  oath1 he concludes   
that in the killing of ,john he should  
escape the  violation of the oath4 ,thus
 a pretended good to come becomes a     
pander  to a present certain iniquity4  
,now if after all these arguings the    

conscience carrieth an apprehension of  
danger1 then1    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,he      
plainly disputeth the possibility of the
 escape of  danger1 though the sin be   
committed4 ,all the insinuations of     
pleasure  and advantage by which ,eve   
was tempted could not at first blot out 
her  fears of the consequence of that   
transgression2 it did stick in her  mind
 still1 #8lest we die2' then ,satan     
plainly denieth the danger she  feared3 
#8,ye shall not surely die4' #8,the     
threatening1' saith he1 #8it may  be1   
was but for trial1 or without a strict  
and positive purpose in ,god  to execute
 it2 there is no certainty that ,god was
 in good earnest when  he spake so4'    
,the devil usually urgeth the mercy of  
,god1 the merits of  ,christ1 his       
promises of pardon1 the infirmities of  
the saints1 their  sins and repentances1
 c42 from all these drawing this        
conclusion1  that we may venture upon   
the temptation without any apparent     
hazard4  ,it is but repenting1 saith he1

 and that is an easy work to a gracious 
soul4 ,god is ready to be reconciled1   
even to a prodigal son2 he is  not so   
cruel as to cast away any for a small   
matter2 he that waits to  be gracious   
will not lie at catch for opportunities 
and occasions to  destroy us2 he that   
delights not in the death of a sinner   
will not  delight to take strict        
exceptions against every failing4    ,if
 ,satan can prevail with us to extenuate
 the sin1 to slight the  hazard1 or any 
way to lessen it upon any of the        
forementioned accounts2  then having    
possessed us before with high           
apprehensions of delights and           
satisfactions in the sin1 he quickly    
persuades to accept the motion1 as      
having a conveniency and advantage in it
 not to be despised3 and thus  doth he  
indirectly pervert our reason2 which is 
the second way by which  he blinds us   
through the working of our lust4        
,,chapter ,,xiii4     ,of ,satan's      
diverting our reason1 being the third   

way of blinding   men4--,his policies   
for diverting our thoughts4--,his       
attempts to   that purpose in a more    
direct manner2 with the degrees of that 
procedure4--,of disturbing or           
distracting our reason1 which is        
,satan's   fourth way of blinding       
men4--,his deceits therein4--,of        
precipitancy1   ,satan's fifth way of   
blinding men4--,several deceits to bring
 men to   that4      ,,iii4 ,thirdly1   
,satan blinds the sons of men by        
diverting and  withdrawing their reason1
 and taking it off from the pursuit of  
its  discovery or apprehensions4 ,for   
sometime it cannot be induced to go  so 
contrary to its light as to call evil   
good1 either directly or  indirectly4   
,then is ,satan put to a new piece of   
policy1 and if the  frame of the heart  
and the matter of the temptation suit   
his design1  he endeavours to turn the  
stream of our thoughts either wholly    
another  way1 or to still them by       
turning them into a dead sea1 or by some

 trick  to beguile the understanding    
with some new dress of the temptation4  
,so  that we may observe in ,satan a    
threefold policy in a subserviency to   
this design4 ,for1    #a4 ,first1 ,satan
 sometimes ceaseth his pursuit and lets 
the matter  fall1 and thinks it better  
to change the temptation than to        
continue  a solicitation at so great a  
disadvantage4 ,when he tempted ,christ  
and could not prevail1 he #8departed for
 a season1' ,luke iv4 #ac1 with  a      
purpose to return at some fitter time1  
which ,christ himself was  in           
expectation of1 knowing it to be his    
manner to lie in wait for  advantages2  
and accordingly when his suffering drew 
nigh1 which1 as  he speaks to the ,jews1
 was #8their hour and power of          
darkness1' ,luke  xxii4 #ec1 he foretold
 his return upon him1 #8,now the prince 
of this  world cometh4' ,however this   
attempt of his against the ,lord ,jesus 
prevailed not1 yet he shewed his art and
 skill in the suspending of his         

temptation to a more suitable time4 ,and
 the success of this against us  is     
sadly remarkable1 for however we resist 
and at present stand out1  yet his      
solicitations are often like leaven1    
which while it is hid in  our thoughts1 
doth not a little ferment and change    
them1 so that at his  return he often   
finds our lusts prepared to raise       
greater clouds upon  our mind4 ,many    
there are that resist strongly at       
present that which  they easily slide   
into when ,satan hath given them time to
 breathe2 that  say1 #8,i will not1' and
 yet #8do it afterwards1' ,mat4 xxi4    
#bi4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he sometimes    
withdraws their considerations1 by      
huffing  them up with a confidence that 
they are above the temptation2 as a     
conquest in a small skirmish1 begetting 
an opinion of victory1 makes  way for a 
total overthrow over a careless and     
secure army4 ,we are  too apt to triumph
 over temptations because we give the   
first onset  with courage and           

resolution4 ,christ forewarned ,peter of
 his denial2  he stoutly defies it1 and 
not improving this advertisement to fear
  and watchfulness1 ,satan1 who then was
 upon a design to sift him1 took  him at
 that advantage of security1 and by a   
contemptible instrument  overthrew him4 
,thus while we grow strong in our       
apprehensions by a  denial of a sin1 and
 undervalue it as below us1 our         
confidence makes us  careless1 and this 
lets in our ruin4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,if  
these ways of policy fail him1 he       
seemingly complies  with us1 and is     
content we judge the matter sinful1 but 
then he  proffers his service to bring  
us off by distinctions2 and here the    
sophister useth his skill to further our
 understanding in framing  excuses1     
coining evasions1 and so doth out-shoot 
us in our own bow4  ,the ,corinthians   
had learnt to distinguish betwixt eating
 of meat in an  idol's temple in honour 
to the idol1 and as a common feast in   
civility  and respect to their friends  

that invited them4 ,this presently      
withdrew  their consideration1 and so   
quieted them in that course1 that the   
apostle was forced to discover the      
fallacy of it4 ,the ,israelites cursed  
him that gave a wife to any of the tribe
 of ,benjamin2 but when they  turned to 
them in compassion1 they satisfied      
themselves with this poor  distinction1 
that they would not give them wives1 but
 were willing to  suffer them to take   
them1 ,judges xxi4 #ah1 #bj4 ,it is a   
common snare in  matters of promise or  
oath1 where conscience is startled at a 
direct  violation thereof1 by some      
pitiful salvo or silly evasion to blind 
the  eyes1 and when they dare not break 
the hedge1 to leap over it by the  help 
of a broken reed4    ,but ,i must here  
further observe1 that ,satan doth       
sometimes set  aside these deceits      
aforementioned1 and tries his strength  
for the  withdrawing of our             
consideration from the danger of sin in 
a more plain  and direct manner--that   

is1 by continuing the prospect of the   
sweets  and pleasures of sin under our  
eye1 and withal urging us by repeated   
solicitations to cast the thoughts of   
the danger behind our back3  in which he
 so far prevails sometimes1 that men are
 charged with a  deep forgetfulness of  
,god1 his law1 and of themselves2 yet   
usually it  ariseth to this by degrees4 
,as1    7#a47 ,first1 ,when a temptation
 is before us1 and our conscience       
relucts  it4 ,if there be any           
inclination to recede from a conviction1
 the  motion is resisted with a secret  
regret and sorrow4 ,as the young man    
was said to #8go away sorrowful1' ,mat4 
xix4 #bb1 when ,christ propounded  such 
terms for eternal life as he was not    
willing to hear of3 so do  we2 our heart
 is divided betwixt judgment and        
affection1 and we begin  to wish that it
 might be lawful to commit such a sin1  
or that there  were no danger in it2    
nay1 often our wishes contradict our    
prayers1 and  while we desire to be     

delivered from the temptation1 our      
private wishes  beg a denial to those   
supplications4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,if  
we come thus far1 we usually proceed to 
the next  step1 which is1 to give a     
dismission to those thoughts that oppose
 the  sin4 ,we say to them1 as ,felix to
 ,paul1 #8,go thy way for this time1 and
  when ,i have a convenient opportunity 
,i will send for thee1' ,acts xxiv4     
#be4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,if a plain     
dismission serve not to repel these     
thoughts1  we begin to imprison the     
truth in unrighteousness1 ,rom4 i4 #ah2 
#b  ,peter iii4 #e1 and by a more       
peremptory refusal to stifle it and to  
keep  it under1 and become at last      
willingly ignorant4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 
,by this means at last the heart grows  
sottish and  forgetful4 ,the heart is   
#8taken away1' as the prophet speaks1   
and  then do these thoughts of          
conviction and warning at present perish
  together4 ,this withdrawing of our    
consideration is ,satan's third way  of 

blinding us4 ,follows next1    ,,iv4    
,the fourth way by which our lust       
prevails in ,satan's hand to blind      
knowledge1 and that is by distracting   
and disturbing it in its work4  ,this   
piece of subtlety ,satan the rather     
useth1 because it is attended  with a   
double advantage1 and1 like a two-edged 
sword1 will cut either  way4 ,for 7#a47 
,a confusion and distraction in the     
understanding will  hinder the even and 
clear apprehensions of things1 so that  
those  principles of knowledge cannot   
reach so deep nor be so firm and full   
in their application4 ,for as the       
senses1 if any way distracted or        
hindered1 though never so intent1 must  
needs suffer prejudice in their         
operations1 a thick air or mist not only
 hinders the sight of the eye1  but also
 conduceth to a misrepresentation of    
objects4 ,thus is the  understanding    
hindered by confusion4 ,but 7#b47 ,if   
this succeed not1 yet  by this he       
hinders the peace and comfort of ,god's 

children4 ,it is a  trouble to be       
haunted with evil thoughts4 ,to work    
this distraction1    #a4 ,first1 ,satan 
useth a clamorous importunity1 and doth 
so follow us  with suggestions1 that    
what way soever we turn they follow us4 
,we can  think nothing else1 or hear    
nothing else1 they are ever before us4  
#b4 ,secondly1 ,he worketh this         
disturbance in our thoughts by levying a
  legion of temptations against us--many
 at once1 and of several kinds1  from   
within1 from without1 on every side4 ,he
 gathers all1 from the ,dan  to the     
,beersheba of his empire1 to oppress us 
with a multitude2 so that  while our    
thoughts are divided about many things1 
they are less fixed  and observant in   
any particular4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,he    
sometimes endeavours to weary us out    
with long  solicitations3 as those that 
besiege a city1 when they cannot storm1 
endeavour to waste their strength and   
provisions by a long siege4 ,his  design
 in this is to come upon us1 as         

,ahithophel counselled ,absalom1  when  
we are #8weary and weak-handed' by      
watching and long resistance4    #d4    
,fourthly1 ,but his chief design is to  
take the advantage of any  trouble1     
inward or outward1 and by the help of   
this he dangerously  discomposeth and   
distracts our counsels and resolves4 ,if
 any have a  spirit distempered1 or lie 
under the apprehensions of wrath1 it is 
easy  for him to confound and amaze     
such1 that they shall scarce know what  
they do or what they think4 ,the like   
advantage he hath from outward          
afflictions1 and these opportunities he 
the rather takes1 for these  reasons3-- 
7#a47 ,first1 ,usually inward or outward
 troubles leaves some stamp of          
murmuring and sullenness upon our       
hearts1 and of themselves distemper  our
 spirits with a sad inclination to speak
 #8in our haste1' or to  act            
unadvisedly4 ,job's affliction          
imbittered his spirit1 and ,satan       
misseth not the advantage4 ,then he     

comes upon him with temptations1 and    
prevailed so far that he spake many     
things in his anguish of which he  was  
ashamed afterward1 and hides his face   
for it4 #8,once have ,i spoken1  but ,i 
will not answer3 yea1 twice1 but ,i will
 proceed no further1' ,job  xl4 #e4     
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,by reason of our      
burden we are less wieldy and more      
unapt to make any resistance4 ,god      
himself expresseth the condition of     
such1 under the similitude of those that
 are #8great with young1' who1  because 
they cannot be driven fast1 he #8gently 
leads' them4 ,but ,satan  knows a small 
matter will discompose them1 and herein 
he deals with us1  as ,simeon and ,levi 
dealt with the ,shechemites1 who set    
upon them when  they were sore by       
circumcision4    7#c47 ,thirdly1        
,troubles of themselves occasion        
confusion1 multitudes of  thought1      
distractions1 and inadvertencies4 ,if   
men see a hazard before  them they are  
presently at their wits' end1 they are  

puzzled1 they know  not what to         
do--thoughts are divided1 now resolving 
this1 then presently  changing to a     
contrary purpose4 ,it is seldom but #8as
 in a multitude  of words there is much 
folly1' ,prov4 x4 #ai1 so in a          
distraction of  thoughts there are many 
miscarriages1 and ,satan with a little  
labour  can improve them to more4 ,here 
he works unseen2 in these troubled      
waters he loves to angle1 because his   
baits are not discerned4    ,v4         
,fifthly1 ,our considerations and       
reasonings against sin are hindered  by 
a bold forward precipitancy4 ,when men  
are hasted and pressed to  the          
committing of sin1 and like the #8deaf  
adder stop their ears against  the voice
 of the charmer1' ,ps4 lviii4 #d2 in    
this case1 the rebellious  will is like 
a furious horse1 that takes the bridle  
in his teeth1 and  instead of submitting
 to the government of his rider1 he     
carries him  violently whither he would 
not4 ,thus do men rush into sin1 as the 

horse  into the battle4 ,the devices by 
which ,satan doth forward this1 we may  
observe to be these1 among others3--    
#a4 ,first1 ,he endeavours to affright  
men into a hopelessness of  prevailing  
against him1 and so intimidates men that
 they throw down  their weapons1 and    
yield up themselves to the temptation2  
they conclude  there is no hope by all  
their resistance to stand it out against
 him1  and then they are easily         
persuaded to comply with him4 ,to help  
this  forward1 ,satan useth the policy  
of soldiers1 who usually boast high of  
their strength and resolutions1 that1   
the hearts and courage of their         
adversaries failing1 the victory may    
fall to them without stroke4 ,the  devil
 expresseth a disdain and scorn of our  
weak opposition1 as ,goliath  did of    
,david1 #8,am ,i a dog1 that thou comest
 to me with staves8 ,dost  thou think to
 stand it out against me8 ,it is in vain
 to buckle on thine  armour1 and        
therefore better were it to save the    

trouble of striving  than to fight to no
 purpose4' ,with such like arguings as  
these are men  sometimes prevailed with 
to throw down their weapons1 and to     
overrun  their reason through fear and  
hopelessness4    #b4 ,secondly1         
,sometimes he is more subtle1 and by    
threaping#aib men  down1 that they have 
consented already1 he puts them upon    
desperate  adventures of going forward4 
,this is usually where ,satan hath used 
many solicitations before1 after our    
hearts have been urged strongly  with a 
temptation4 ,when he sees he cannot win 
us over to him1 then he  triumphs and   
boasts we are conquered already1 and    
that our thoughts  could not have dwelt 
so long upon such a subject but that we 
had a  liking to it1 and thence would   
persuade us to go on and enjoy the      
fulness of that delight which we have   
already stolen privately3 over  shoes1  
over boots4 ,now though his arguings    
here be very weak--for though  it be    
granted that by the stay of the         

temptation on our thoughts he  hath a   
little entangled us1 it cannot hence be 
inferred that it is our  wisdom to      
entangle ourselves further--yet are many
 overcome herewith1  and give up        
themselves as already conquered1 and so 
give a stop to any  further             
consideration4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,when   
men will not be trepanned into the snare
 by the former  delusions1 he attempts  
to work them up to a sudden and hasty   
resolve  of sinning2 he prepares all the
 materials of the sin1 puts everything  
in order1 and then carries us1 as he did
 ,christ1 into the mountain1 to  give us
 a prospect of their beauty and glory3  
#8,all these1' saith he1  #8will ,i give
 thee1' ,mat4 iv4 #i2 do but consent1   
and all are thine4  ,now albeit there   
are arguments at hand1 and serious      
considerations to  deter us from        
practice1 yet how are all laid aside by 
a quick resolve6  ,satan urgeth us by   
violent hurry1 as ,christ said to       
,judas1 #8,what thou  hast to do1 do it 

quickly1' ,john xiii4 #bg4 ,the soul1   
persuaded with  this1 puts on a sudden  
boldness and resolution1 and when reason
 doth  offer to interpose1 it holds fast
 the door1 because the #8sound of  its  
master's feet is behind it1' #b ,kings  
vi4 #cb4 ,doth it not say  to itself1   
#8,come1 we will not consider1 let us do
 it quickly1 before  these lively       
considerations come in to hinder us'8   
,it is loath to be  restrained1 and     
conceiteth that if it can be done before
 conscience  awaken and make a noise1   
all is well2 as if sin ceased to be     
sinful  because we by a violent haste   
endeavoured to prevent the admonition   
of conscience4 ,thus they enjoy their   
sin1 as the ,israelites ate their       
passover1 #8in haste1 and with their    
staves in their hands1' ,exod4 xii4     
#aa4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,when            
opportunities and occasions will well   
suit it4 ,he  takes the advantage of a  
passionate and sullen humour1 and by    
this  means he turns us clearly out of  

our bias2 reason is trampled under      
foot1 and passion quite overruns it4 ,at
 this disadvantage the devil  takes     
,jonah1 and hardens him to a strange    
resolve of quarrelling ,god1  and       
justifying himself in that insolency4   
,the humour that ,satan wrought  upon   
was his fretful sullenness1 raised up to
 a great height by the  disappointment  
of his expectation2 and this makes him  
break out into  a choleric resolution1  
#8,i do well to be angry1' ,jonah iv4   
#i4 ,had  he been composed in his       
spirit1 had his mind been calm and      
sedate1  the devil surely could not by  
any arguments have drawn him up to it2  
but when the spirit is in a rage1 a     
little matter will bind reason in       
chains1 and push a man upon a desperate 
carelessness of any danger that  may    
follow2 suitable to that expression of  
,job1 chap xiii4 #ac1 #8,let me  alone1 
that ,i may speak1 and let come on me   
what will4'    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,all these 
are but small in comparison of those    

deliberate  determinations which are to 
be found with most sinners1 who are     
therefore said to sin with a high hand1 
presumptuously1 wilfuly1  against       
conscience1 against knowledge2 and this 
ordinarily to be found  only among those
 whom a custom of sin hath hardened and 
confirmed into  a boldness of a wicked  
way and course4 ,when the spirits of men
 are thus  harnessed and prepared1      
,satan can1 at pleasure almost1 form    
them into  a deliberate resolve to cast 
the commandment behind their back1 and  
to  refuse to hearken4 ,when any        
temptation is offered them1 if ,god say1
  #8,ask for the old paths1 and walk    
therein1' as ,jer4 vi4 #af1 they will   
readily answer1 #8,we will not walk     
therein4' ,if ,god say1 #8,hearken to   
the  sound of the trumpet1' they will   
reply1 #8,we will not hearken4' ,when   
the people by a course of sinning had   
made themselves like the wild ass  used 
to the wilderness1 then did they        
peremptorily set up their will  against 

all the reason and consideration that   
could come in to deter  them1 though    
they were told the inconveniences1 ,jer4
 ii4 #be2 that this  did unshoe their   
foot1 and afflicted them with thirst and
 want1 yet  was the advice slighted4    
#8,there is no hope1' said they2 there  
is no  expectation that we will take any
 notice of these pleadings1 for we  have
 fixed our resolve1 #8,we have loved    
strangers1 and after them will  we go4' 
,so ,jer4 xliv4 #af1 #8,as for the word 
that thou hast spoken unto  us in the   
name of the ,lord1 we will not hearken  
unto thee1 but we will  certainly do    
whatsoever thing goeth out of our own   
mouth4' ,a plain and  full resolve of   
will dischargeth all the powers of      
reason1 and commands  it silence4 ,and  
that this is most ordinary among men1   
may appear by  these frequent           
expressions of ,scripture1 wherein ,god 
lays the blame  of all that madness     
which their lives bring forth upon their
 will1  #8,ye would not obey1' #8ye will

 not come to me'2 #8their heart is set  
to  do evil1' c4 ,it may indeed seem    
strange that ,satan should proceed  so  
far with the generality of men1 and that
 they should do that that  should seem  
so inconsistent with those principles   
which they retain1  and the light which 
must result from thence2 but we must    
remember that  these wills and shalls of
 wicked men are for the most part ,god's
  interpretation of their acts and      
carriage1 which speaks as much1 though  
it may be their minds and hearts do not 
so formally mould up their  thoughts    
into such open and brazen-faced         
assertions4 ,and yet we ought  also     
further to consider1 that when the      
,spirit of ,god chargeth man with       
wilfulness1 there is surely more of a   
formal wilfulness in the heart of  man  
than lieth open to our view4 ,and this  
will be less strange to us  when we call
 to mind1    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,that through
 the working of ,satan the minds of men 
are darkened1 and the light thereof put 

out by the prevalency of  atheistical   
principles4#aic ,something of atheism is
 by most divines  concluded to be in    
every sin1 and according to the height  
of it in its  various degrees1 is reason
 and consideration overturned4 ,there   
are1 it  may be1 few that are professed 
atheists in opinion1 and dogmatically   
so1 but all wicked men are so in        
practice4 ,though they profess ,god1    
yet #8the fool saith in his heart1      
,there is no ,god1' ,ps4 liii4 #a1 and  
in #8their works they deny him1' ,titus 
i4 #af4 ,this is a principle  that      
directly strikes at the root3 for if    
there be no ,god1 no hell or            
punishment1 who will be scared from     
taking his delight in sin by any  such  
consideration8 ,the devil1 therefore1   
strives to instil this poison  with his 
temptation4 ,when he enticed ,eve by    
secret insinuations1 he  first questions
 the truth of the threatening1 and then 
proceeds to an  open denial of it1 #8ye 
shall not surely die2' and it is plain  

she was  induced to the sin upon a      
secret disbelief of the danger4 ,she    
reckons  up the advantages1 #8good for  
food1 pleasant to the eye1 to be desired
  to make one wise2' wherein it is      
evident she believed what ,satan had    
affirmed1 #8that they should be as      
,god1' and then it was not to be  feared
 that they should die4 ,this kind of    
atheism is common4 ,men may  not        
disbelieve a ,godhead2 nay1 they may    
believe there is a ,god1 and yet        
question the truth of his threatenings4 
,those conceits that men have  of ,god1 
whereby they mould and frame him in     
their fancies1 suitable to  their       
humours--which is a #8thinking that he  
is such a one as ourselves1'  ,ps4      
#a4--;are streams#aid and vapours from  
this pit1 and #8the hearts of  the sons 
of men are desperately set within them  
to do evil1' upon these  grounds2 much  
more when they arise so high as in some 
who say1 #8,doth  ,god know8 ,is there  
knowledge in the ,most ,high8' ,ps4     

lxxiii4 #aa4 ,if  men give way to this1 
what reason can be imagined to stand    
before them8  ,all the comminations of  
,scripture are derided as so many       
theological  scarecrows1 and undervalued
 as so many pitiful contrivances to keep
 men  in awe4          ,,chapter ,,xiv4 
,of ,satan's maintaining his            
possession4--,his first engine for      
that purpose is his finishing of sin1 in
 its reiteration and                    
aggravation4--,his policies herein4     
,having explained the five ways by which
 ,satan through the power of lust       
causeth blindness of mind in tempting to
 sin1 ,i shall next lay open  ,satan's  
devices for the keeping and maintaining 
his possession1 which  are these3--     
#a4 ,first1 ,he endeavours1 after he    
hath prevailed with any man to commit   
an iniquity1 to finish sin3 ,james i4   
#ae1 #8,after if is conceived  and      
brought forth1 then it is finished2'    
which notes its growth and  increase4   
,this compriseth these two things1 its  

reiteration and its  aggravation4       
7#a47 ,first1 ,its reiteration is1 when 
by frequent acts it is  strengthened and
 confirmed into a habit4 ,there are     
various steps1  by which men ascend into
 the seat of the scornful4 ,nemo repent 
turpissimus1 ,it is not one act that    
doth denominate men #8wise to do  evil4'
 ,in ,ps4 i4 #a seq41 ,david shews there
 are gradations and degrees  of sin3    
some walk in the counsel of the ungodly2
 some by progress and  continuance of   
sin #8stand in the way of sinners2'     
some1 by a hardness  of heart and       
fixedness in wicked purposes1 #8sit in  
the seat of the  scornful4' ,to this    
height doth he labour to bring his      
proselytes2 yet  he further designs1    
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,that sin may have its 
utmost accomplishments in all  the      
aggravations whereof it may be capable4 
,he strives to put men  upon such a     
course of sinning as may be most        
scandalous to the gospel1  most         
ensnaring and offensive to others1 most 

hardening and desperate  to ourselves1  
most offensive and provoking to ,god4   
,in this he imitates  the counsel of    
,ahithophel to ,absalom1 when he advised
 him to go in  unto his father's        
concubines in the sight of all ,israel1 
that so the  breach betwixt him and his 
father might be widened to an           
impossibility  of reconciliation4 ,thus 
he labours that sinners should act at   
such a  rate of open defiance against   
heaven1 as if they resolved to lie down 
in their iniquity1 and were purposed    
never to think of returning and  making 
up their peace with ,god4 ,that sin may 
be finished in both these  respects1 he 
useth these policies3--    #a4 ,first1  
,after sin is once committed1 he renews 
his motions and  solicitations to act it
 again1 and then again1 and so onward   
till they  be perfect and habituated to 
it4 ,in this case he acts over again    
the former method by which he first     
ensnared them1 only with such           
alterations as the present case doth    

necessitate him unto4 ,before1  he urged
 for the committing of it but once4 ,how
 little is he to be  trusted in these   
promises6 ,now1 he urgeth them by the   
very act they  have already done1 ,is it
 not a pleasant or profitable sin1 to   
thy  very experience8 hast thou not     
tasted and seen8 hast thou not already  
consented8 ,taste and try again1 and yet
 further2 withdraw not thy  hand4 ,a    
little temptation served before1 but a  
less serves now2 for  by yielding to the
 first temptation our hearts are        
secretly inclined  to the sin1 and we   
carry a greater affection to it than    
before2 for  this is the stain and      
defilement of sin1 that when once       
committed it  leaves impressions of     
delight and love behind1 which are still
 the more  augmented by a further       
progress and frequent commission1 till  
at last  by a strong power of           
fascination it bewitches men that they  
cannot  forbear2 all the entreaties of  
friends1 all their own promises1 all    

their resolves and purposes1 though     
never so strong and serious1 except     
,god strike in to rescue by an          
omnipotent hand1 can no more restrain   
them than fetters of straw can hold a   
giant4 ,god himself owns it as  a       
natural impossibility1 #8,can the       
,ethiopian change his skin8 no more  can
 ye do good1' ,jer4 xiii4 #bc2 and the  
reason of that impossibility  is from   
hence1 that they are #8accustomed to do 
evil4' ,such strong and  powerful       
inclinations to the same sin again are  
begot in us by a sin  already committed1
 that sometime one act of sin fills some
 men with as  vehement and passionate   
desires for a further enjoyment1 as     
custom and  continuance doth others4    
,austin reports that ,alypius1 when once
 he gave  way to the temptation of      
beholding the gladiators1 was bewitched 
with  such a delight1 that he not only  
desired to come again with others1 but  
also before others4 ,neither is it any  
great wonder it should be so1  when1    

besides the inclinations that are begot 
in us by any act of sin  to recommit it1
 sin puts us out of ,god's protection1  
debilitates and  weakens our graces1    
strengthens ,satan's arm1 and often     
procures him  further power and         
commission against us4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,satan endeavours to make one sin an   
engagement to  another1 and to force men
 to draw iniquity with cords of vanity4 
,agur notes a concatenation in sins1    
#8,lest ,i steal1 and take the name  of 
,god in vain1' ,prov4 xxx4 #i4 ,adam    
sinning in the forbidden fruit1  and    
proclaimed guilty by his conscience1    
runs into another sin for  the excuse of
 the former1 #8the woman that thou      
gavest me1' c4 ,david  affords a sad    
instance of this1 the sin with          
,bathsheba being committed1  and she    
with child upon it1 ,david to hide the  
shame of his offence1  7#a47            
,hypocritically pretends great kindness 
to ,uriah4 7#b47 ,when that  served not1
 next he makes him drunk1 and1 it may   

be1 he involved many  others in that sin
 as accessories4 7#c47 ,when this course
 failed1 his  heart conceives a purpose 
and resolution to murder him4 7#d47 ,he 
cruelly  makes him the messenger of his 
own destruction4 7#e47 ,he engageth     
,joab  in it4 7#f47 ,and the death of   
many of his soldiers4 7#g47 ,by this    
puts  the whole army upon a hazard4     
7#h47 ,excuseth the bloody contrivance  
by  providence4 7#i47 ,in all using     
still the height of dissimulation4      
,satan  knows how natural it is for men 
to hide the shame of their iniquity1    
and accordingly provides occasions and  
provocations to drive them on to  a kind
 of necessity4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,by a   
perverse representation of the state of 
godly  and wicked men1 he draws on sin  
to a higher completement4 ,how often    
doth he set before us the misery1       
affliction1 contempt1 crosses1  and     
sadnesses of the one1 and the jollity1  
delights1 plenty1 peace1  honours1 and  
power of the other6 ,it was a temptation

 that had almost  brought ,david to an  
atheistical resolve against all         
religious duty1 and  that which he      
observed had prevailed altogether with  
many professors1  ,ps4 lxxiii4 ,when    
they observed #8they were not in trouble
 like other  men1' and that their mouth 
and tongue had been insolent against    
,god1  without any rebuke or check from 
him2 when in the meantime the godly     
were #8plagued all the day1 and         
chastened every morning3' some that     
were1 in profession or estimation at    
least1 ,god's people1 returned to  take 
up these thoughts1 and to resolve upon  
such practices1 ver4 #aj2  as if ,god1  
who sees all these with so much silence1
 must be supposed  knowingly to give    
some countenance to such actions4 ,this1
 indeed1 when  it is prosecuted upon our
 hearts in its full strength with those 
ugly  surmises1 jealousies1 and         
misapprehensions that are wont to       
accompany  it1 is a sad step to a       
desperate neglect of duty and a         

carelessness in  sinning1 in that it    
insensibly introduceth atheistical      
impressions upon  the hearts of men1 and
 such are apt to catch hold even upon   
good men1  who are but too ready to say 
as ,david1 #8,i have cleansed my hands  
in  vain1' ver4 #ac4    #d4 ,fourthly1  
,satan hath yet another piece of policy 
for the  multiplication and aggravation 
of sin1 which is the enmity and         
opposition of the law4 ,of this the     
apostle ,paul sadly complains  from his 
own experience3 ,rom4 vii4 #h1 #8,sin   
taking occasion by the  commandment1    
wrought in me all manner of             
concupiscence4' ,what he  laments is    
this1 that such is the perverseness of  
our natures1 that  the law1 instead of  
restraining us1 doth the more enrage us1
 so that  accidentally the law doth     
multiply sin2 for when the restraint of 
the  law is before us1 lust burns not   
only more inwardly1 but when it cannot  
be kept in and smothered1 then it breaks
 out with greater violence1  #8,let us  

break their bonds asunder1' c41 ,ps4 ii4
 #c4 ,when the law  condemns our lusts1 
they grow surly and desperate3 #8,let us
 eat and  drink1 for to-morrow we die1' 
c41 ,isa4 xxii4 #ac4 ,if any wonder that
  the law1 which was given of purpose to
 repress sin1 and which is of so  great 
use in its authority to kill it in us1  
and to hinder temptations1  should thus 
be used by ,satan to increase and enrage
 it1 they may  consider that it is but  
still an accidental occasion1 and not a 
cause1  and sin takes this occasion     
without any fault of the law4 ,satan to 
this end watcheth the time#aie when our 
hearts are most earnestly set  upon our 
lusts1 when our desires are most highly 
engaged1 and then by  a subtle art so   
opposeth the law1 letting in its        
contradictions in way  and measure      
suitable1 that our hearts conceive a    
grudge at restraint1  which together    
with its earnestness to satisfy the     
flesh1 ariseth up  to a furious madness1
 and violent striving to maintain a     

liberty and  freedom to do according to 
the desires of their heart2 whereas this
  same law1 if it be applied to the     
heart when it is more cooled and  not so
 highly engaged upon a design of lust1  
will break1 terrify1 and  restrain the  
heart1 and put such a damp upon         
temptations that they  shall not be able
 to stand before it4 ,so great a        
difference is there  in the various     
seasons of the application of this law2 
in which art  for the enflaming of the  
heart to iniquity1 ,satan shews a       
wonderful  dexterity4          ,,chapter
 ,,xv4     ,of ,satan's keeping all in  
quiet1 which is his second engine for   
keeping his possession1 and for that    
purpose his keeping us from going   to  
the light by several subtleties2 also of
 making us rise up against   the light1 
and by what ways he doth that4          
,satan's next engine for the maintaining
 his possession1 is to keep  all in     
quiet2 which our ,saviour notes3 ,luke  
xi4 #ba1 #8,when a strong  man armed    

keepeth his palace1 his goods are in    
peace4' ,he urgeth  this against those  
that objected to him1 that he cast out  
devils by  ,beelzebub1 which calumny he 
confuteth1 by shewing the inconsistency 
of  that with ,satan's principles and   
design--it being a thing sufficiently   
known and universally practised1 that no
 man will disturb or dispute  against   
his own peaceable possession2 neither   
can it be supposed ,satan  will do it1  
because he acts by this common rule of  
keeping down and  hindering anything    
that may disquiet4 ,breach of peace is  
hazardous to  a possession4 ,an uneasy  
government occasions mutinies and       
revolts of  subjects2 yet we might think
 that1 the wages of sin1 the light and  
power of conscience considered1 it were 
no easy task for the devil  to rule his 
slaves with so much quiet as it is      
observed he doth4 ,his  skill in this   
particular1 and the way of managing his 
interest for  such an end1 we may       
clearly see in ,john iii4 #bj1 #8,every 

one that doth  evil1 hateth the light1  
neither cometh to the light1 lest his   
deeds  should be reproved4' ,from which 
place we may observe--7#a47 ,the great  
thing that doth disquiet ,satan's       
possession is light4 7#b47 ,the reason  
of that disquietment is the discovery   
that light makes1 and the shame  that   
follows that discovery4 7#c47 ,the way  
to prevent that light1 and  the reproof 
of it1 is to avoid coming to it2 and    
where it cannot be  avoided1 to hate it4
 ,it is ,satan's business then for      
keeping all in  peace--7#a47 ,to keep us
 from the light2 or if that cannot be1  
then 7#b47  ,to make us rise up against 
it4 ,i shall make inquiry after both    
these  projects of the devil4    ,to    
keep us from coming to the light1 he    
useth a great many subtleties4  ,as1    
#a4 ,first1 ,for his own part he        
forbears to do anything that might      
discompose or affright entangled souls4 
,at other times1 and in other  cases1 he
 loves to torment and affright them1 to 

cause their wounds  to stink and        
corrupt2 but in this case he takes a    
contrary course1  he keeps off1 as much 
as may be1 all reflections of           
conscience2 he  conceals the evil and   
danger of sin1 he sings them asleep in  
their  folly1 #8till a dart strike      
through their liver1' and hastens them  
to the snare1 #8as a bird that knoweth  
not that it is for his life1'  ,prov4   
vii4 #bc4 ,they that shall consider that
 the heart of a sinner  is hardened     
through the deceitfulness of sin1 and   
that the greatest  part of the          
affrightment that molests the           
consciences of such is from  ,satan's   
fury and malice1 they will easily       
conceive how much his single            
forbearance to molest may contribute to 
the peace and ease of those  that are   
#8settled upon their lees2' but besides 
his forbearance1 we  may expect that    
whatever clouds or darkness he can raise
 to exclude  the light1 or to muffle the
 eyes1 he will not be negligent in the  

use  of that power4 ,whatever he can    
positively do1 in the raising up the    
confidence of presumption or security in
 the minds of men1 whatever he  can do  
to make them sottish or careless1 that  
shall not be wanting4    #b4 ,secondly1 
,he shews no less skill and diligence by
 secret  contrivances to hinder         
occasions of reproof and discovery4 ,how
 much he  can practise upon others1 that
 out of pity and compassion to the souls
  of men1 are ready to draw a sinner    
#8from the error of his way1 and to     
save a soul from death6' ,james v4 #bj4 
,we can scarce imagine what ways  he    
hath to divert and hinder them4 ,by what
 private discouragements he  doth defer 
them1 who can tell8 ,he that could      
dispute with the angel  about the body  
of ,moses to prevent the secret         
interment of it1 ,jude  #i2 he that     
could give a stop of one and twenty days
 to the angel  that was to bring the    
comfortable message to ,daniel1 chap4 x4
 #ac1  of the hearing of his prayers1   

may more easily obstruct and oppose  the
 designs of a faithful reprover4        
,sometime he doth this by visible  means
 and instruments1 stirring up the       
spirits of wicked men to give           
opposition to such as seek to deliver   
their souls from the blood of  men1 by  
faithful warnings or exhortations4 ,the 
devil was so careful to  keep ,jeroboam 
quiet in his sinful course of idolatry1 
that he stirs up  ,amaziah to banish    
,amos from the court1 lest his plain    
dealing should  startle or awaken the   
conscience of the king3 ,amos vii4 #ab1 
#ac1 #8,go1  flee thee away into the    
land of ,judah1 c42 but prophesy not any
 more  at ,bethel1 for it is the king's 
chapel1 it is the king's court4'    #c4 
,thirdly1 ,in order to the keeping out  
the light from the consciences  of men1 
he insinuates himself as a lying spirit 
into the mouths of  some of his         
mercenaries2 and they speak #8smooth    
things' and deceit  to ,satan's         
captives1 telling them that they are in 

a good condition1  ,christians good     
enough1 and may go to heaven as well as 
the precisest4  ,it is a fault in       
unfaithful ministers1 they do the devil 
this service4  ,god highly complains of 
it3 ,jer4 vi4 #ad1 #8,they have healed  
also the  hurt of the daughter of my    
people slightly1 saying1 ,peace1 peace2 
when  there is no peace2' ,ezek4 xiii4  
#aj1 #8,they have seduced my people1    
saying1 ,peace2 and there was no peace2 
and one built up a wall1 and  others    
daubed it with untempered mortar4'      
,besides1 this stratagem is  the more   
likely to prevail1 because it takes the 
advantage of the  humours and           
inclinations of men1 who naturally think
 the best of  themselves1 and delight   
that others should speak what they would
 have  them2 so that when men by the    
devil's instigation prophesy deceit to  
sinful men1 it is most likely they      
should be heard1 seeing they desire     
such prophets1 #8and love to have it    
so4'    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,satan keeps off 

the light1 by catching away the word    
after it is sown4 ,this policy of his1  
,christ expressly discovers3  ,mat4     
xiii4 #ai1 #8,when any one heareth the  
word of the kingdom1 and  understandeth 
it not1 then cometh the wicked one1 and 
catcheth away  that which was sown in   
his heart4' ,such opportunities the     
devil doth  narrowly watch4 ,to be sure1
 he will be present at a sermon or good 
discourse1 and if he perceive anything  
spoken that may endanger his  peaceable 
possession1 how busy is he to withdraw  
the heart1 sometime  by the sight of the
 eyes1 sometimes by vain thoughts of    
business1  occasions1 delights1 and what
 not2 and if this come not up to his    
end1 then he endeavours1 after men have 
heard1 to justle all out by  impertinent
 discourses1 urgencies of employment1   
and a thousand such  divertisements1    
that so men may not lay the warning to  
heart1 nor by  serious meditation to    
apply it to their consciences4    #e4   
,fifthly1 ,he sometimes snuffs out the  

light by persecution4  ,those hearers1  
,mat4 xiii4 #bj1 #ba1 that had received 
the word with  some workings of         
affections and joy1 are #8presently     
offended when  persecution1 because of  
the word1 ariseth4' ,by this he         
threatens men  into an acquiescency in  
their present condition1 that if they   
#8depart  from iniquity1 they shall make
 themselves a prey1' ,isa4 lix4 #ae4    
,bonds1 imprisonments1 and hatreds1 he  
suggests1 shall abide them1 and  by this
 means he scares men from the light4    
#f4 ,sixthly1 ,he sometimes smothers and
 chokes it with the cares of  the world1
 as those that received seed among      
thorns4 ,by earnest  engagements in     
business1 all that time1 strength1 and  
affection which  should have been laid  
out in the prosecution of heavenly      
things1 are  wholly taken up and spent  
on outward things4 ,by this means that  
light  that shines into the hearts of   
men is neglected and put by4    #g4     
,seventhly1 ,he staves off men from     

coming to the light1 by putting  them   
upon misapprehensions of their estate in
 judging themselves by  the common      
opinion4 ,satan hath so far prevailed   
with men1 that they  are become         
confident of this conceit1 that men may 
take a moderate  liberty in sinning1 and
 yet nevertheless be in a good          
condition2 that  sin is not so great a  
matter in ,god's esteem1 as in the      
judgment of  some rigorous precisian2   
that he will not be so extreme to mark  
what  we do amiss1 as some strict       
professors are4 ,what can be of greater 
hindrance to that ingenuous search1     
strict examination1 and impartial       
judging or shaming ourselves for our    
iniquities1 which the light of          
,scripture would engage us unto1 than   
such a conceit as this6 ,and yet  that  
this opinion is not only common1 but    
ancient1 is manifest by  those warnings 
and cautions given by the apostle to the
 contrary3 ,gal4  vi4 #g1 #8,be not     
deceived2 ,god is not mocked3 whatsoever

 a man soweth1  that shall he also      
reap2' ,eph4 v4 #f1 #8,let no man       
deceive you with vain  words3 for       
because of these things cometh the wrath
 of ,god upon the  children of          
disobedience4' ,if it had not been usual
 for men to live  in uncleanness1       
covetousness1 and such like offences1   
which he calls  #8sowing to the flesh1' 
and yet in the midst of these to think  
they  were not under the hazard of      
wrath1 or if men had not professedly and
  avowedly maintained such an opinion1  
it had been superfluous for the  apostle
 to have warned us with so much         
earnestness1 #8,be not deceived2  let no
 man deceive you with such vain words1' 
#a ,cor4 vi4 #i4    #h4 ,eighthly1 ,it  
is usual for ,satan to still and quiet  
the stirring  thoughts of sinners with  
hopes and assurances of secrecy4 ,as    
children  are quieted and pleased with  
toys and rattles1 so are sinners put off
  and diverted from prosecuting the     
discoveries that the light would make   

in them1 by this confidence1 that though
 they have done amiss1 yet  their       
miscarriages shall not be laid open or  
manifested before men4  ,it is          
incredible how much the hopes of        
concealment doth satisfy and  delight   
those that have some sense of guilt4    
,sometime men are impudent1  that #8they
 declare their sin as ,sodom1 they hide 
it not1' ,isa4 iii4 #i4  ,but before    
they arrive at so great an impudency1   
they usually #8seek  deep to hide their 
counsel from the ,lord1 and their works 
are in the  dark2 and they say1 ,who    
seeth us8 and who knoweth us8' ,isa4    
xxix4  #ae4 ,like those foolish         
creatures that think themselves         
sufficiently  concealed by hiding their 
heads in a bush1 though all their bodies
 be  exposed to open view1 ,isa4 xxviii4
 #ae1 those that made #8lies their      
refuge1 and under falsehood hid         
themselves1' became as confident of     
their security as if they had #8made a  
covenant with death1 and were at  an    

agreement with hell2' and when they have
 continued in this course  for some time
 with impunity1 the light is so banished
 that they carry  it so as if ,god      
observed their actions done in the dark 
as little as  men do4 #8,how doth ,god  
know8' say they2 #8can he judge through 
the dark  clouds8 thick clouds are a    
covering to him1 that he seeth not1'    
,job  xxii4 #ac4 ,and hence proceed they
 to promise themselves a safety from    
judgments3 #8,when the overflowing      
scourge shall pass through1 it shall    
not come nigh unto us1 for we have made 
lies our refuge1' c4    #i4 ,ninthly1   
,satan keeps them from going to the     
light by demurs and  delays4 ,if the    
light begin to break in upon their      
consciences1 then  he tells them that   
there is time enough afterward4 ,oh1    
saith he1  thou art young1 and hast many
 days before thee2 it is time enough to 
repent when you begin to be old4 ,or    
thou art a servant1 an apprentice  under
 command1 thou wantest fit opportunities

 and conveniences for  serious          
consideration1 defer till thou becomest 
free1 and at thine own  disposal4 ,that 
this is one of ,satan's deceits to      
hinder us from making  use of the light1
 besides what common experience may     
teach every man1  may be clearly        
gathered from the exhortations of       
,scripture1 which do  not only shew us  
#8the way wherein we ought to walk1' but
 also press us  to a present embracement
 of that counsel3 #8,to-day1 to-day1    
while it  is called to-day1 harden not  
your hearts2' #8,now is the accepted    
time1  now is the day of salvation2'    
#8,remember thy ,creator in the days of 
thy  youth1 before the evil day comes2' 
#8,if ye will enquire1 enquire3 yea1    
return1 come1' ,heb4 iii4 #g2 #b ,cor4  
vi4 #b2 ,eccles4 xii4 #a2 ,isa4 xxi4    
#ab4  ,this hasty urgency to close with 
the offered occasions1 plainly accuse   
us of delays1 and that it is usual with 
us to adjourn those thoughts to  a      
fitter opportunity1 which we are not    

willing to comply with for the  present4
    ,by these nine devices he keeps the 
light from ensnared sinners1 or them    
from coming to the light4 ,but if all   
this cannot draw a curtain before  the  
sun1 if its bright beams breaks through 
all1 so that it cannot be  avoided1 but 
there will be a manifestation and       
discovery of #8the hidden  things of    
darkness1' then ,satan useth all his art
 and cunning to stir  up in the hearts  
of men their hatred against the light4  
,this is his second grand piece of      
policy to keep all in quiet under his   
command1 to which purpose1    #a4       
,first1 ,he endeavours to draw on a     
hatred against the light1 by  raising in
 the minds of men a prejudice against   
the person that  brings or offers it4   
,if he that warns or reproves express   
himself  anything warmly or cuttingly   
against his brother's sins1 this the    
devil  presently makes use of2 and those
 that are concerned think they have a   
just cause to #8stop their ears and     

harden their necks1' because they       
conceive that anger1 or ill-will1 or    
some such base thing did dictate  those1
 though just1 rebukes4 ,the devil turned
 the heart of ,ahab against  the        
faithful warnings of ,micaiah upon a    
deep prejudice that he had  taken up    
against him2 for so he expresseth       
himself to ,jehoshaphat1 #8,i  hate him1
 for he never prophesieth good unto me1'
 #a ,kings xxii4 #h4  ,in this case men 
consider not how justly1 how truly1 how 
profitably  anything is spoken2 but1 as 
some insects that feed upon sores1 they 
pass by what is sound and good1 and fix 
upon that which is corrupt and  putrid1 
either through the weakness and         
inobservancy of the reprover1  or       
pretended to be such1 by the prejudice  
of the party which doth  altogether     
disable him to put a right construction 
upon anything4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,if    
this help not1 then he seeks to get the 
advantage of a  provoked1 passionate1 or
 otherwise distempered fit2 and then    

hatred is  easily procured against      
anything that comes in its way4    #c4  
,thirdly1 ,satan endeavours to engage   
our hatred against the light1 by        
presenting our interest as shaken or    
endangered by it4 ,if interest  can be  
drawn in and made a party1 it is not    
difficult to put all the  passions of a 
man in arms1 to give open defiance to   
any discovery it  can make4 ,that great 
rage and tumult of kings and people     
mentioned in  ,psalm ii41 combining and 
taking counsel against the ,lord and his
 laws1  is upon the quarrel of interest4
 ,their suspicions and jealousies that  
the setting up of ,christ upon his      
throne would eclipse their power and    
greatness1 makes them1 out of a         
desperate hatred against the light1     
fall into resolves of open rebellion    
against his laws3 #8,let us break  his  
bands asunder1 and cast away his cords  
from us4' ,this pretence of  interest   
strengthened the accusation of ,amaziah 
against ,amos3 chap4  vii4 #aj1 #8,amos 

hath conspired against thee in the midst
 of the house of  ,israel3 the land is  
not able to bear all his words4' ,no    
wonder1 then1  if ,jeroboam1 instead of 
hearkening to the threatening1 banish   
him out  of the land4 ,we find the like 
in ,asa1 a good man2 the devil stirs up 
his hatred against the seer3 #8,he was  
wroth with him1 and put him in the      
prison-house2 for he was in a rage      
against him1' #b ,chron4 xvi4 #aj4 ,the 
ground of that rage was this3 the king's
 interest1 in his apprehension1  was    
wrapped up in that league with the king 
of ,syria1 ver4 #b1 #c1 so  that he     
could not bear so plain a reproof1 which
 directly laid the  axe to the root of  
so great an interest as the safety of   
the king and  kingdom1 which seemed to  
depend so much upon that league4    #d4 
,fourthly1 ,satan stirs up hatred       
against the light from the  unavoidable 
effects of light1 which are discovery   
and manifestation3  ,eph4 v4 #ac1 #8,all
 things that are reproved are made      

manifest2 for  whatsoever doth make     
manifest is light4' ,now the issue of   
this  manifestation is shame1 which     
however it be the daughter of sin and   
light1 yet would it naturally destroy   
the sin that bred it2 and  therefore    
repentance is usually expressed by being
 #8ashamed and  confounded3' but that   
,satan might avoid this1 he turns the   
edge of  shame against the light1 which 
should have been employed against sin4  
,when men therefore have sinned1 and are
 as #8a thief when he is taken1'  ,jer4 
ii4 #bf1 ready to fall into the hands of
 shame2 for the avoiding of  that1 they 
#8rebel against the light1' ,job xxiv4  
#ac4 ,the ground of this  hatred1       
,christ1 in ,john iii4 #bj1 tells us1 is
 #8lest their deeds should  be          
reproved1' and they forced to bear their
 shame4 ,to this end they are  put upon 
it to hide themselves from shame by     
lies1 pretences1 excuses1  extenuations1
 or by any fig-leaf that comes first to 
hand4 ,and as those  that live in hotter

 regions curse the sun because it       
scorcheth them1 so  do these curse the  
light3 and instead of taking its help1  
raise up an  irreconcilable enmity      
against it2 and so run from it4         
,,chapter ,,xvi4     ,of ,satan's third 
grand policy for maintaining his        
possession2 which   is his feigned      
departure3 7#a47 ,by ceasing the        
prosecution   of his design2 and the    
cases in which he doth it4 7#b47 ,by    
abating the eagerness of pursuit2 and   
how he doth that4 7#c47 ,by   exchanging
 temptations2 and his policy            
therein4--,the advantage he seeks   by  
seeming to fly4--,of his fourth         
stratagem for keeping his possession1   
which is his stopping all ways of       
retreat2 and how he doth that4          
,besides the two former designs1 of     
finishing sin1 and keeping all  in      
quiet1 by which the devil endeavours to 
maintain his possession1  he hath a     
third grand subtlety1 which is this3 he 
keeps his hold by  feigning himself     

dispossessed and cast out4 ,of this we  
have a full  account3 ,luke xi4 #bd1    
#8,when the unclean spirit is gone out  
of a man1  he walketh through dry       
places1 seeking rest2 and finding none1 
he  saith1 ,i will return unto my house 
whence ,i came out4' ,christ had there  
noted that it is ,satan's great         
principle to do nothing by which his    
kingdom may be divided or undermined4   
,satan will not be divided against      
himself1 and yet very seasonably he     
tells us1 that for an advantage he  will
 seem to quit his interest1 and upon    
design he will sometimes so  carry      
himself that he may be deemed and       
supposed to be #8gone out of a  man2' as
 those that besiege forts or walled     
towns do sometimes raise  the siege and 
feign a departure1 intending thereby to 
take a sudden  advantage of the         
carelessness of the besieged4 ,in the   
explanation of  this policy1 ,i shall1  
7#a47 ,shew how many ways he feigns a   
departure4  7#b47 ,upon what designs he 

doth it4    ,there are three ways       
whereby ,satan seems to forsake his     
interest3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he          
frequently ceaseth the prosecution of a 
design1 which  yet he hath in his eye   
and desire1 when he perceives that there
 are  some things in his way that render
 it not feasible2 nay1 he forbears  to  
urge men to their darling sins1 upon the
 same score3 and who would  not think   
,satan cast out in such a case8 ,when a 
man spits out the  sweet morsel which   
heretofore he kept under his tongue1 and
 sucked a  sweetness from it2 when men  
of noted iniquities abstain from them1  
and become smooth and civil1 who would  
not think but that the unclean  spirit  
were gone8 ,this way and course he puts 
in practice in several  cases4    #a4   
,first1 ,when he perceives some         
extraordinary occasion puts any of  his 
subjects into a good mood or humour of  
religion4 ,wicked men are  not          
ordinarily so highly bent upon evil     
ways1 but that they may be at  some     

times softened and relaxed4 ,pharaoh1   
who is most eminently noted  for a heart
 judicially hardened1 at the appearance 
of the plagues upon  himself and ,egypt1
 usually relented somewhat1 and would   
confess he had  sinned1 and that fit    
would continue upon him for some little 
time4 ,but  very frequently it is thus  
with others2 an extraordinary occasion  
melts  and thaws down the natural       
affections of men1 as a warm day melts  
the  snow upon the mountains1 and then  
the stream will for a time run high  and
 strong1 at which time ,satan sees it is
 in vain to urge them4 ,thus  men that  
receive an eminent kindness and         
deliverance from ,god1 what is  more    
common than for such men to say1 ,oh1 we
 will never be so wicked  as we have    
been1 we will never be drunk more1 the  
world shall see us  reformed and new    
men6 ,these are indeed good words1 and  
yet though ,satan  knows that such      
expressions are not from a good         
heart1--as that of  ,deut4 v4 #bi       

implies1 #8,they have well said1 ,oh    
that there were such an  heart in       
them6'--he nevertheless thinks it not   
fit then to press them  to their usual  
wickedness at that time2 for natural    
affections raised  high in a profession 
of religion will withstand temptations  
for a fit1  and therefore he forbears   
till the stream run lower4 ,what a fit  
of  affection had the ,israelites when  
their eyes had seen that miraculous     
deliverance at the ,red ,sea6 ,what     
songs of rejoicing had they6 what       
resolves never to distrust him again6   
,ps4 cvi4 #ab1 #8,then believed they    
his words1 they sang his praise4' ,satan
 doth not presently urge them  to       
murmuring and unbelief1 though that was 
his design1 but he stays  till the fit  
was over1 and then he could soon tempt  
them to #8forget his  works4' ,how like 
a convert did ,saul look1 after ,david  
had convinced him  of his integrity1 and
 had spared his life in the cave6 #a    
,sam4 xxiv4  #af1 and xxvi4 #ba4 ,he    

weeps1 and acknowledgeth his iniquity1  
justifies  ,david1 owns his kindness1   
and seems to acquiesce in his succession
 to  the kingdom4 ,the devil had1 no    
question1 a great spite at ,david1 and  
it  was his great design to stir up     
,saul against him1 and yet at that time 
he could not prevail with him to destroy
 ,david1 though he might easily  have   
done it2 he was then in a good mood1 and
 ,satan was forced to give  way to      
necessity1 and to seem to go out of     
,saul for the present4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,he also ceaseth from his design when  
he sees he cannot  fit his temptation   
with a suitable opportunity4 ,what could
 be more  the devil's design1 and       
,esau's satisfaction1 than to have had  
,jacob  slain8 ,esau professeth it was  
the design of his heart1 and yet he     
resolves to forbear so long as his      
father ,isaac lived3 ,gen4 xxvii4 #da1  
#8,the days of my father's mourning are 
at hand2 then1 but not till then1  will 
,i slay my brother ,jacob4' ,the devil  

often sows his seed1 and yet  waiteth   
and hath long patience1 not only in     
watering and fitting the  hearts of men 
for it1 but also in expectancy of fit   
opportunities2  and in the meantime1 he 
forbears to put men upon that which time
 and  occasion cannot fitly bring forth 
to practice4 ,the prophet1 ,hosea  vii4 
#d1 speaks of that people as notoriously
 wicked1 #8they are all  adulterers2'   
but withal1 he observes that they       
forbare these enormous  abominations for
 want of fit seasons1 #8their heart was 
as an oven  heated by the baker1'       
sufficiently enflamed after their       
wickedness1  and yet the baker1 after he
 had kneaded the dough1 prepared all the
  groundwork of the temptation1 ceased  
from raising1 sleeping all the  night   
till all was leavened2 that is1 though  
their hearts were enraged  for sin1 yet 
the devil doth wait till occasions      
present themselves1  and becomes in the 
meantime like one asleep4 ,now while the
 devil  thus sleeps1 the fire that is   

secretly in the heart1 being not seen1  
men gain the good opinion of converts   
with others1 and often with  themselves1
 not knowing what spirit they are of1   
because ,satan ceaseth1  upon the want  
of occasions1 to tempt and provoke them4
    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,our adversary is     
content to forbear1 when he perceives   
that a restraining grace doth lock up   
the hearts and hands of men4  ,when #8a 
stronger than he cometh1' who can expect
 less but that he  should be more quiet8
 ,that ,god doth restrain men sometime  
when he doth  not change them1 needs no 
proof2 that ,satan knows of these       
restraints1  cannot be denied4 ,who can 
give an account of these communings and 
discourses that are betwixt ,god and    
,satan concerning us8 ,his pleadings  in
 reference to ,job were as unknown to   
,job1 till ,god discovered them1  as his
 pleadings concerning ourselves are to  
us4 ,besides1 who can tell  how much of 
,god's restraining grace may lie in     
this1 of ,god's limiting  and           

straitening ,satan's commission8 ,now   
the devil hath not so badly  improved   
his observations1 but that he knows it  
is in vain to tempt  where ,god doth    
stop his way and tie up men's hands4    
,abimelech was  certainly resolved upon 
wickedness when he took ,sarah from     
,abraham1  ,gen4 xx4 #b1 and yet the    
matter is so carried for some time1 how 
long  we know not1 as if the devil had  
been asleep1 or forgot to hasten        
,abimelech to his intended wickedness2  
for when ,god cautions him1 #8he  had   
not come near her1' ver4 #d4 ,the ground
 of all this was neither in  the devil's
 backwardness nor ,abimelech's modesty1 
but ,satan lets the  matter rest1       
because he knew that #8,god withheld    
him1 and suffered him  not to touch     
her4'    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,when men are   
under the awe and fear of such as carry 
an  authority in their countenances and 
employments for the discouraging  of    
sin1 ,satan1 as hopeless to prevail1    
doth not solicit to scandalous          

iniquities4 ,much of external sanctity  
and saintlike behaviour ariseth  from   
hence4 ,the faces and presence of some  
men have such a shining  splendour1 that
 iniquity blusheth and hideth its head  
before them4  ,sin dare not do what it  
would2 so great a reverence and esteem  
of  such persons is kept up in the      
consciences of some1 and so great an    
awe and fear is thence derived to       
others1 that they will not or dare  not 
give way to an insolency in evil4 ,the  
,israelites were generally  a wicked    
people1 yet such an awe they had of     
#8,joshua1 and the elders  that outlived
 ,joshua1 who had seen all the great    
works of the ,lord1'  ,josh4 ii4 #g1    
that ,satan seemed to be cast out all   
their days4 ,who could  have thought    
,joash had been so much under ,satan's  
power1 that had  observed his ways all  
the time of ,jehoiada the priest8 #b    
,chron4 xxiv4  #b1 #8,then he did that  
which was right in the sight of the     
,lord4' ,satan  was content to let him  

alone1 because ,jehoiada's life and     
authority  did overawe him2 but after   
his death ,satan returned to his        
possession1  #8and the king hearkened to
 the princes of ,judah1 and served      
groves and  idols1' ver4 #ag4 ,the like 
is observed of ,uzziah1 #b ,chron4 xxvi4
 #e4  ,the reverence that he had for    
,zechariah1 who had understanding in the
  visions of ,god1 discouraged the      
tempter from soliciting him to those    
evils which afterward he engaged him in1
 ver4 #af4 ,satan is willing1  when he  
perceives the awe and authority of good 
men stands in his way1  rather to       
suspend the prosecution of his design1  
than1 by forcing it  against so strong a
 current1 to hazard the shipwreck of it4
    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,he also makes as if  
he were cast out when he perceives  the 
consciences of men are scared by        
threatened or felt judgments4  ,he      
forbears to urge them against the pricks
 when ,god draws his sword  and brings  
forth the glittering spear4 ,balaam's   

ass would not run  against the angel    
that appeared terribly against him in   
his way4 ,the  devil knows the power of 
an awakened conscience1 and sees it in  
vain  to strive against such a stream2  
and when it will be no better he        
withdraws4 ,as great a power as the     
devil had in ,ahab1 when he was         
affrighted and humbled he gave way1 and 
for that season drave him not  on to his
 wonted practice of wickedness4 ,he also
 carried thus to the  ,ninevites1 when  
they were awakened by the preaching of  
,jonah4 ,then  we see them a reforming  
people1 the devil surceased to carry    
them  into their former provocations4   
,how frequently is this seen among      
professors1 where the word hath a       
searching power and force upon them6    
,sin is so curbed and kept under1 that  
it is like a root of bitterness  in     
winter1 lying hid under ground1 ,satan  
forbearing to act upon it  or to improve
 it1 till the storms and noise of       
judgments cease1 and  then usually it   

will #8spring up and trouble them1'     
,heb4 xii4 #ae4 ,if  ,satan hath really 
lost his hold1 he ceaseth not to molest 
and vex  even awakened consciences with 
urgent solicitations to sin2 but if he  
perceive that his interest in the hearts
 of men remains sure to him and         
unshaken1 then1 in case of affrightment 
and fear of wrath1 it is his  policy to 
conceal himself1 and to dissemble a     
departure4    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,satan is   
also forced to this by the prevailing   
power of  knowledge and principles of   
light4 ,where the gospel in profession  
and  preaching displays abroad his      
bright beams1 then whatever shift men   
make to be wicked in secret1 yet #8the  
light is as the shadow of death  to     
them1' and it is even #8a shame to speak
 of these things in public1'  ,eph4 v4  
#ab4 ,here ,satan cannot rage so freely1
 but is put to his shifts1  and is      
forced to be silent1 whilst the power of
 the gospel cuts off  half his garments4
 ,men begin to reform2 some are clean   

escaped from  error1 #b ,pet4 ii4 #ah2  
others abandon their filthy lusts and   
scandalous  sins1 and so #8escape the   
pollutions of the world1 through the    
knowledge  of our ,lord and ,saviour    
,jesus ,christ1' ver4 #bj4 ,yet under   
all these  great alterations and        
appearances of amendment1 the devil is  
but  seemingly ejected2 for in the place
 mentioned1 when the light declines1    
those that were escaped from error1 and 
those that had fled from sinful         
pollutions1 were both entangled again   
and carried to the same pitch1  and a   
great deal further1 of that sin and     
error in which they had been  formerly  
engaged4    ,these are the six cases in 
which ,satan ceaseth the prosecution of 
his  design1 which was his first policy 
in feigning himself to be cast out2  but
 he further dissembles a flight when he 
thinks it not fit to cease  wholly1     
,by abating his pursuit1 by slacking his
 course2 and this he doth1    #a4       
,first1 ,when he tempts still1 but yet  

less than formerly4 ,so  great is his   
cunning and patience1 that when he      
cannot get what he  would have1 he      
contents himself with what he can get1  
rather than lose  all4 ,he desires that 
men would give up themselves fully and  
freely to  his service2 but if they like
 not this1 he is willing to take them1  
as  one speaks1 as retainers1 and to    
suffer them to take a liberty to come   
and go at pleasure4#aif ,he hath two    
main ends in tempting men to sin3  one  
is to avenge himself upon ,god1 in open 
defiance and dishonour of  his name2 the
 other is the ruin and perdition of     
souls4 ,if he could1  he would have     
these two ends meet in every temptation2
 yet he pleaseth  himself with the      
latter when he cannot help it1 and in   
that too he  satisfies himself sometimes
 with as small an interest as may be1 so
  that his possession and interest be   
but preserved4 ,he knows that one  sin  
loved and embraced brings death for its 
wages4 ,a leak unstopped and  neglected 

may sink the ship as well as a great    
storm2 and therefore  when he perceives 
the consciences of men shy and nice1 he 
is willing  they come to him1 as        
,nicodemus came to ,christ1 by night in 
private1 and  that by stealth they do   
him service4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he      
sometimes offers men a composition1 and 
so keeps his  hold privately1 by giving 
them an indulgence and toleration to    
comply  with religious duties and       
observations4 ,pharaoh condescended that
  ,israel should go and serve the ,lord 
in the wilderness1 upon condition  that 
their wives1 children1 and substance    
were left behind4 ,so ,satan  saith to  
some1 #8,go and serve the ,lord1' only  
let your heart be with me2  leave your  
affections behind upon the world4 ,that 
serious warning of  ,christ1 #8,ye      
cannot serve two masters2 ye cannot     
serve ,god and mammon1'  evidently shews
 that the devil useth to conceal his    
interest in the  hearts of sinners by   
offering such terms2 and that men are so

 apt to  think that ,satan is gone out  
when they have shared the heart betwixt 
,god and him1 that they stand in need of
 a full discovery of that cheat1  and   
earnest caution against it4 ,the devil  
was forced to yield1 that  ,herod should
 do many things at the preaching of     
,john2 yet he maintained  his possession
 of his heart1 by fixing him in his     
resolved lust in the  matter of         
,herodias3 and this gives just ground of
 complaint against the  generality of   
sinners1 #8,ye return1 but not to me1   
not with your whole  hearts3 have ye    
fasted to me8 have ye mourned to me8    
they come and sit  as my people1 but    
their hearts are after their            
covetousness1' ,ezek4  xxxiii4 #ca4     
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,satan hath yet another   
wile by which he would cheat men  into a
 belief that he is cast out of the      
heart2 and this is a subtle  way that he
 hath to exchange temptations4 ,how weak
 and childish are  sinners that suffer  
themselves thus to be abused6 ,when they

 grow sick  and weary of a sin1 if the  
devil take that from them1 and lay in   
the  room of it another as bad1 or the  
same again1 only a little changed and   
altered1 they please themselves that    
they have vomited up the first1  but    
consider not that they have received    
into their embracement another  as bad  
or worse4 ,concerning this exchange1 we 
may note two things3--    ,first1 ,that 
sometimes he attains his end by         
exchanging one heinous  sin for another 
as heinous1 only not so much out of     
fashion3 as  the customs and times and  
places give laws and rules for fashions1
  according to which the decencies or   
indecencies of garbs and garments  are  
determined1 so is it sometimes with sin4
 ,men and countries have  their darling 
sins2 times and ages also have their    
peculiar iniquities1  which1 in the     
judgment of sinners1 do clothe them with
 a fitness and  suitableness4 ,sometimes
 men grow weary of sins1 because they   
are  everywhere spoken against2 because 

men point at them with the finger4  ,the
 devil in this case is ready to change  
with them4 ,drunkenness hath  in some   
ages and places carried a brand of      
infamy in its forehead2  so hath        
uncleanness and other sins4 ,when       
sinners cannot practise  these with     
credit and reputation1 then they please 
themselves with an  alteration4 ,he that
 was a drunkard is now1 it may be1 grown
 ambitious  and boasting2 he that was   
covetous is become a prodigal or profuse
  waster2 the heart is as vain and      
sottish as before1 only their lusts  are
 let out another way1 and run in another
 channel4 ,sometimes lusts  are changed 
also with the change of men's condition 
in the world4  ,poverty and plenty1 a   
private and a public station1 have their
 peculiar  sins4 ,he that of poor is    
made rich leaves his sins of distrust1  
envy1  or deceitful dealing1 and follows
 the bias of his present state to  other
 wickednesses equally remarkable1 and   
yet may be so blinded as to  apprehend  

that ,satan is departed from him4       
,secondly1 ,we may observe that ,satan  
exchangeth sins with men in such  a     
secret private manner1 that the change  
is not easily discovered2  and by this  
shift he casts a greater mist before the
 eyes of men4 ,thus  he exchangeth open 
profaneness into secret sins3 filthiness
 of the  flesh into filthiness of the   
spirit4 ,men seem to reform their gross 
impieties1 abstaining from drunkenness1 
swearing1 adulteries2 and  then1 it may 
be1 they are taken up with spiritual    
pride1 and their  hearts are puffed up  
with high conceits of themselves1 their 
gifts and  attainments2 or they are     
entangled with error1 and spend their   
time in  #8doting about questions that  
engender strife rather than edifying1'  
#a  ,tim4 vi4 #d2 or they are taken up  
with hypocrisies4 ,thus the ,pharisees  
left their open iniquities1 washing the 
outside of the cup and platter1  ,mat4  
xxiii4 #bf2 and instead of these1       
endeavoured to varnish and paint        

themselves over1 so that in all this    
change they were but as graves  that    
appeared not1 ,luke xi4 #dd4 ,or they   
acquiesce in formality and the  outwards
 of religion2 like that proud boaster1  
#8,lord1 ,i thank thee ,i am  not as    
other men are1' c41 ,luke xviii4 #aa4   
,in all these things the  devil seems   
cast out and men reformed1 when indeed  
he may continue his  possession2 only he
 lurks and hides himself under #8the    
stuff1' #a ,sam4  x4 #bb4 ,these ways of
 sinning are but finer poisons1 which1  
though not  so nauseous to the stomach1 
nor so quick in their despatch1 yet may 
be  as surely and certainly deadly2 such
 fly from the iron weapon1 and a  bow of
 steel strikes them through4    ,having 
thus explained the three ways by which  
,satan pretends to depart  from men1 ,i 
must next shew his design in making such
 a pretence of  forsaking his           
habitation4    #a4 ,first1 ,that all    
this is done by him only upon design1   
may be  easily concluded from several   

things hinted to us in the fore-cited   
place of ,luke xi4 ,as 7#a47 ,he doth   
not say that the devil is #8cast  out1' 
as if there were a force upon him1 but  
that he #8goeth out2'  it is of choice1 
a voluntary departure4 7#b47 ,that his  
going out in  this sense is             
notwithstanding irksome and troublesome 
to him4 ,the  heart of man1 as one      
observes1#aig is a palace in his        
estimation1  and dispossession1 though  
upon design1 is as a #8desert' to him1  
that  affords him little ease or rest4  
7#c47 ,that his going out is not a      
quitting of his interest2 he calls it   
#8his house' still3 #8,i will  return to
 my house1' saith he4 7#d47 ,he takes   
care in going out to  lock the door1    
that it may not be taken up with better 
guests2 he keeps  it #8empty' and       
tenantable for himself3 he tempts still1
 though not so  visibly1 and strives to 
suppress such good thoughts and motions 
as  he fears may quite out him of his   
possession4 7#e47 ,he goes out1 cum     

animo revertendi1 with a purpose of     
returning4 7#f47 ,his secession  is so  
dexterously and advantageously managed1 
that he finds an easy  admittance at his
 return1 and his possession confirmed   
and enlarged3  #8they enter in and dwell
 there4'    #b4 ,secondly1 ,the         
advantages that he designs by this      
policy are  these chiefly3 7#a47 ,by    
this means men are dangerously confirmed
 in  their securities4 ,thus the        
,pharisee blessed himself1 #8,lord1 ,i  
thank  thee1' c4 ,they please themselves
 with this supposition1 that the devil  
is cast out2 and upon this they cease   
their war and watchfulness4 ,as  ,saul1 
when he heard that ,david had escaped1  
#8went not out to seek after  him2' so  
these trouble not themselves any further
 to inquire ,satan's  haunts in their   
hearts4 ,thus he sits securely within1  
whilst they  think he is fled from them4
 7#b47 ,by this means also he fits men  
as  instruments to serve his turn in    
other works of his4 ,he must have1  in  

some cases1 handsome tools to work      
withal4 ,all men are not fit  agents in 
persecution1 either to credit it1 or to 
carry it through with  vigour and zeal2 
for this end he seems to go out of some1
 that under  a smoother and             
profession-like behaviour1 when they are
 stirred up to  persecute1 the rigour   
might seem just4 ,thus #8devout and     
honourable  women' were stirred up to   
persecute ,paul and ,barnabas1 ,acts    
xiii4 #ej4  ,the devil had gone out so  
far1 that they had gained the reputation
 of  devout1 and then their zeal would  
easily take fire for persecution1  and  
withal put a respect and credit upon it2
 for who would readily  suspect that to 
be evil or ,satan's design1 which is    
carried on by  such instruments8        
,besides1 if he at any time intends to  
blemish the  good ways of ,god by the   
miscarriages of professors1 he fetcheth 
his  arrow out of this quiver usually2  
if he brings a refined hypocrite to  a  
scandalous sin1 then doth the mouth of  

wickedness open itself to  blaspheme    
#8the generation of the just1' as if    
none were better4 ,such  agents could   
not be so commonly at hand for such a   
service1 if ,satan  did not in the ways 
aforementioned seem to go out of men4   
7#c47 ,it  is another part of his       
design1 after a pretended departure1 to 
take  the advantage of their security1  
to return with greater strength  and    
force4 ,this ,christ particularly notes1
 #8,then taketh he seven  spirits worse 
than himself1' c4 ,such1 as ,peter tells
 us1 being #8again  entangled1 are      
totally overcome1 and their latter end  
is worse with  them than their          
beginning1' #b ,pet4 ii4 #bj4 ,how many 
might ,i name1 if it  were convenient1  
that ,i have known and observed1 exactly
 answering this  description of the     
apostle1 that have for some years left  
off their  wicked ways1 and engaged for 
a profession of religion2 and yet at    
last  #8have returned like the dog to   
his own vomit again'6 ,the devil1 when  

he  fights after the ,parthian          
manner--,terga vertentes metuendi       
,parthi--is  most to be feared2 when he 
turns his back1 he shoots most envenomed
  arrows1 and whom he so wounds1 he     
commonly wounds them to the death4      
,the fourth and last stratagem of ,satan
 for the keeping his possession1  is to 
stop the way1 to barricade up all       
passages1 that there may be no          
possibility of escape or retreat4 ,when 
he perceives that his former  ways of   
policy are not sufficient1 but that his 
slaves and servants are  so far         
enlightened in the discovery of the     
danger that they are ready  to turn back
 from him1 then he bestirs himself to   
oppose their revolt2  and as ,god       
sometimes #8hedgeth up the way' of      
sinners with #8thorns1'  that they      
should not follow their old lovers1 so  
doth ,satan1 ,hosea ii4  #f2 to which   
purpose1    #a4 ,first1 ,he endeavours  
to turn them off such resolutions1 by   
threatening to reduce them with a strong

 hand4 ,here he boasts and  vaunts of   
his power and sinners' weakness2 as     
,rabshakeh did against  ,hezekiah1      
#8,what is that confidence wherein thou 
trustest8 have the gods  of ,hamath and 
,arpad1' c41 #8delivered their land out 
of my hand8' #b  ,kings xviii4 #cc1 #cd4
 ,have those that have gone before you  
been able to  deliver themselves from   
me8 ,have they been able to rescue      
themselves8  ,did ,i not force those    
that were stronger than you8 ,did ,i not
 make ,david  number the people8 ,did ,i
 not overcome him in the matter of      
,uriah8  ,did ,i not compel ,peter to   
deny his ,lord1 notwithstanding his     
solemn  profession to the contrary8 ,and
 can you think to break away from me so 
easily8 ,by this means he would weaken  
their heart1 and enfeeble their         
resolutions1 that they might sit down   
under their bondage1 as hopeless  ever  
to recover themselves from his snare3   
but if these affrightments  hinder not1 
if1 notwithstanding these brags1 sinners

 prepare themselves  to turn from sin to
 ,god2 then1    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he      
improves all he can that distance which 
sin hath  made betwixt ,god and them4   
,sins of ordinary infirmity and common  
incursion do not so break the peace of  
,god's children1 as sins of a  higher   
nature do4 ,even in the saints          
themselves1 we may observe1 after       
notorious transgression1 7#a47 ,that the
 acquaintance and familiarity  betwixt  
,god and them is immediately broken4    
,what a speedy alteration is  made6 ,how
 suddenly are all things changed6 ,god  
hides himself4 ,the sun  that shined but
 now1 and did afford a very comfortable 
and cherishing  heat1 before we are     
aware1 is now hid in a cloud4 ,our      
warmth and  refreshments are turned into
 cold and chillness4 ,there is also a   
change  on our part1 and that suddenly4 
,as in the resurrection1 we shall be    
changed #8in the twinkling of an eye2'  
so here1 in a moment1 our joys  flag and
 decay1 our delights grow dull1 our     

activity is impaired1 we  are bound and 
frozen up1 and it is altogether winter  
with the soul4  7#b47 ,it may be noted1 
that this begets an enstrangement in us1
 and we  so carry it as if we had       
resolved not to renew our league with   
,god2 for  though we are not altogether 
so desperate as to make formal          
resolutions  of continuing in sin1 of   
casting off ,god1 and bidding an        
everlasting  farewell to our former     
acquaintance2 though we do not say1 ,we 
will  now undo ourselves quite1 and     
harden ourselves in our rebellion2 yet  
sin hath left us in such a maze1 and    
filled us with so many damps  and       
misgiving thoughts1 that we do not think
 of returning2 we are  at a stand1 and  
like a mighty man astonished that cannot
 find his  hands4 ,we perceive we have  
lost so much1 and have run into such    
great  unkindnesses1 that1 like broken  
merchants1 nothing is more irksome and  
tedious than to review our ways1 or look
 into our debt-books4 ,instead  of this1

 we endeavour to divert our thoughts1 to
 cast off care1 as  if we conceived that
 time would eat it out1 and that then of
 course  we might fall into the old     
channel of freedom and comfort4 7#c47   
,when  we return at last1 oh1 with what 
bashfulness and amazedness do we  appear
 at our next supplications6 what        
blushing1 what damps1 what  apology6    
,nay1 sometimes as the man without the  
wedding garment1 #8we are  speechless6' 
,mat4 xxii4 #ab4 ,how rightly doth such 
a man resemble the  publican confessing1
 and the prodigal supplicating4 ,while  
consulting  what to say for himself1 he 
now begins to feel with what sense and  
feeling the prophets and holy men of old
 used to express themselves  in their   
confessions1 #8,we blush1 we are        
ashamed1 astonished1 and  confounded4'  
,this distance sin makes betwixt saints 
and ,god sometimes2  but betwixt ,god   
and the unconverted it is far greater4  
,now1 when either  an unconverted sinner
 or a fallen saint puts himself to look 

to ,god for  reconciliation1 then doth  
the devil labour to improve this for    
their  hindrance4 ,that he accuseth us  
to ,god1 is evident by ,satan's standing
  at ,joshua's right hand1 ,zech4 iii4  
#a4 ,how he accuseth ,god to us we      
know4 ,he tells us it is in vain to seek
 to make up our peace after  so great   
provocations2 urging that he is #8a     
jealous ,god1' #8of pure  eyes1' highly 
resenting the affronts we have given    
him1 c4 ,nay1 he  goes so high this way1
 that ,god is put to it in ,scripture1  
of purpose  to furnish us with an answer
 to these objections1 to proclaim that  
he  is #8slow to anger1' #8not easily   
provoked2' that if men return from the  
evil of their ways1 he will #8return to 
them1' #8accept1' and #8pity'  them1 c4 
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,if this divert them not1 
but that they still persist  in their   
resolves1 then he follows after them    
with a high hand2  sometimes1 as        
,pharaoh did with ,israel1 he grows     
severe and imperious  with them1 and    

redoubles the tale of their bricks4 ,he 
forceth them to  higher and more        
frequent iniquities4 ,sometimes1 as the 
same ,pharaoh1  he musters up all his   
chariots and horsemen to pursue after   
them1  and in the highest diligence     
imaginable he brings forth his greatest 
power1 besetting them on all sides with 
temptations and allurements  of         
pleasures and delight4 ,where he        
perceives his time to be short1  and his
 power shaken1 he comes down in resolves
 to try his utmost  strength4 ,and hence
 it is that converts complain1 that when
 they begin  in earnest to look after   
,god1 they are most troubled with       
temptations4  ,besides this1 whatever he
 can do to make them #8drive heavily1'  
,exod4  xiv4 #be1 shall not be wanting4 
,sometimes he makes attempts upon their 
thoughts and affections1 which are as   
their chariot wheels2 and if  these can 
be knocked off any way1 it retards them4
 ,sometimes he casts  stumbling-blocks  
in their way4 ,if any prejudice may     

divert them1 if  threatenings or        
penalties can hinder2 if the frownings  
of friends or  anything else can put a  
stop to their proceedings1 he will have 
them  ready4 ,sometimes he endeavours to
 retard them by solicitations of        
acquaintance1 offers of former occasions
 and opportunities of sinning1  or      
whatever else may be as a remora to     
their intentions4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,but
 if none of these serve1 then1 as his   
last shift1 he  proclaims open war      
against them1 pursues them as enemies   
and rebels4  ,now he begins to accuse   
them for that which they did by his     
advice and  temptation4 ,now sins that  
were called little are aggravated4 ,now 
that  day of repentance1 which he was   
wont to say was long1 he tells them it  
is quite spent1 that the sun of their   
hope is set4 ,nothing now doth he       
suggest but hell1 damnation1 and wrath2 
he makes them1 as it were1 see  it1 hear
 it1 and feel it in everything4 ,that   
interest in their hearts  which he      

dissembled before1 now he stands upon   
and asserts1 and will  not be beat off2 
designing in all this either to make    
them weary of  these new resolves by    
this unusual disquietment and hostility1
 or to  precipitate them upon some      
desperate undertaking1 or at least to   
avenge  himself upon them1 in venting   
his malice and rage against them2 but of
  this more afterward4                  
,,chapter ,,xvii4     ,satan's deceits  
against religious services and          
duties4--,the grounds   of his          
displeasure against religious           
duties4--,his first design against      
duties is to prevent them4--,his several
 subtleties for that end1 by   external 
hindrances1 by indispositions bodily and
 spiritual1 by   discouragements2 the   
ways thereof1 by dislike2 the grounds   
thereof1 by   sophistical               
arguings4--,his various pleas therein4  
,our next work is to take notice of the 
spite and methods of the serpent        
against the ways of worship and service4

 ,that these are things against  which  
his heart carries a high fury1 and for  
the overthrow of them  employs no small 
part of his power and subtlety1 needs no
 proof1 seeing  the experience of all   
the children of ,god is an irresistible 
evidence  in this matter4 ,i shall      
therefore first only set forth the      
grounds of  his displeasure and earnest 
undertakings against them1 before ,i    
come to  his particular ways of deceit1 
which are these3--    #a4 ,first1 ,by   
this means1 if he prevail1 he deprives  
us of our  weapons4 ,this is a stratagem
 of war which we find the ,philistines  
practised against ,israel3 they took    
away all their smiths1 lest the         
,hebrews should make them swords or     
spears2 hence was it that in the  battle
 there was #8neither sword nor spear    
found in the hand of any of  the people 
that were with ,saul and ,jonathan1' #a 
,sam4 xiii4 #ai1 #bb4 ,the  word of ,god
 is expressly called #8the sword of the 
,spirit1' ,eph4 vi4  #ag4 ,prayer is as 

a spear1 or rather a general piece of   
armour4 ,if the  devil deprive us of    
these1 he robs us of our ammunition2 for
 by reason  of these the church is      
compared to #8a tower built for an      
armoury1  wherein hang a thousand       
bucklers1 all shields of mighty men1'   
,cant4 iv4  #d2 and the apostle         
expressly calls them #8weapons of our   
warfare1' #b  ,cor4 x4 #d1 of purpose   
given us for #8the pulling down of      
strongholds1'  and the demolishing of   
those forts and batteries of #8high     
imaginations'  that ,satan rears up in  
the hearts of men against their         
happiness4 ,if  these be taken away1 our
 locks are cut1 as ,samson's were1 our  
strength  is departed1 and we become    
weak as other men1 ,judges xvi4 #ag1--we
 are  open to every incursion and inroad
 that he pleaseth to make against us4   
#b4 ,secondly1 ,if he hinders these1 he 
intercepts our food and cuts  off our   
provisions4 ,the word is called #8milk1 
sincere milk of the  word4' ,it is that 

by which we are born1 nourished1 and    
increase2 it  is our cordial and        
comfort4 ,christ indeed is #8the bread  
of life1' and  the fountain of all our  
consolations1 but the word and prayer   
are the  conduit pipes that convey all  
to us4 ,if these be cut1 we #8fade as a 
leaf1' we languish1 we consume and      
waste1 we become as a #8skin-bottle  in 
the smoke1' #8our moisture as the       
drought in summer1' our #8soul          
fainteth1' #8our heart faileth1 and we  
become as those that go down  to the    
pit'2 so that if the devil gain his     
design in this1 he hath  all4 ,give him 
this1 and give him the kingdom also4    
,this is the most  compendious way of   
doing his work1 and that which saves him
 a labour in  his temptations4 ,the     
strongest holds1 that cannot otherwise  
be taken1  are easily subdued by famine2
 and1 like fig-trees with their ripe    
figs  when they are shaken1 #8even fall 
into the mouth of the eater1' ,nahum    
iii4 #ab4 ,if our spiritual food fail   

us1 of our own accord we yield up       
ourselves to any lust that requires our 
compliance4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,besides   
these1 there is no design whereby ,satan
 can shew  more malice and spite against
 ,god4 ,he doth all he can to maintain a
  competition with the ,almighty4 ,his  
titles of #8the god of the world1'      
#8the prince of the power of the air1'  
shew what in the pride of his  heart he 
aspires to1 as well as what by          
commission ,god is pleased to  grant    
him4 ,these duties of worship and       
service are the homage of ,god's        
children1 by which they testify the     
acknowledgments of his deity4 ,by       
wresting these out of our hands1 ,satan 
robs ,god of that honour1 and  makes the
 allegiance of his servants to cease4   
,if he could do more  against ,god1     
doubtless he would2 but seeing he hath  
not #8an arm like  ,god1' and so cannot 
pull him out of heaven1 by this means he
 sets up  himself as the god of the     
world1 and enlargeth his territories1   

and  staves off the subjects of the ,god
 of heaven from giving him #8the  honour
 due to his name2' and that the devil in
 these endeavours is  carried on by a   
spite against ,god1 as well as by an    
earnest desire of  the ruin of souls1   
may be abundantly evidenced by his way  
of management  of that opposition that  
he gives to the duties of service and   
worship4  ,i shall only1 to make out    
this1 instance in three things3--7#a47  
,that  where the devil prevails to set  
up himself as an object of worship1     
there he doth it in a bold1 insolent1   
presumptuous imitation of ,god's        
appointments in the ways of his service4
 ,he enjoins covenants1 seals1          
sacrifices1 prayers1 and services to his
 miserable slaves1 as may  appear by    
undoubted histories1 of which more in   
due place4 7#b47 ,he  never             
acknowledgeth the truth of ,god's ways1 
but with an evil mind and  upon design  
to bring them under contempt4 ,his      
confessions have so much  of deceit in  

them that ,christ would not accept them2
 and therefore we  read that when the   
devil was sometime forward to give his  
testimony  to ,christ1 as ,mark i4 #be1 
#8,i know thee who thou art1 the ,holy  
,one  of ,god1' ,jesus rebuked him1 and 
commanded him to hold his peace4 ,he    
clearly saw that he confessed him not to
 honour him1 but by such a  particular  
acknowledgment to stir up the rage and  
fury of the people  against him4 ,to    
this end ,satan1 in ,acts xvi4 #ag1 many
 days together  publicly owns ,paul and 
,silas1 #8,these men are the servants of
 the most  high ,god1 which shew unto us
 the way of salvation4' ,though he spake
  truth1 yet had he a malicious aim in  
it1 which he accordingly brought  about 
by this means2 and that was to raise up 
persecution against  them1 and to give  
ground to that accusation which they    
afterwards met  withal2 ver4 #ba1       
#8,that they taught customs which were  
not lawful to  be received4' ,but 7#c47 
his particular spite against ,god in    

seeking to  undermine his service is    
further manifested in this1 that the    
devil  is not content to root out the   
service due to ,god1 but when he hath   
done that1 he delights to abuse those   
places where the name of ,god  was most 
celebrated1 with greatest profanations4 
,i shall not in this  insist upon the   
conjecture of ,tilenus1#aih that ,sylva 
,dodona1 a  place highly abused by the  
devil1 and respected for an oracle1 was 
the  seat or a religious place of       
,dodanim1 mentioned in ,gen4 x4 #d2 nor 
upon  that supposal1 mentioned also by  
the same author1 that the oracle of     
,jupiter ,hammon was the place where    
,cham ,ham practised that religious     
worship which he learned in his father's
 house4 ,we have at hand more  certain  
evidences of the devil's spite4 ,such   
was his abuse of the  tabernacle by the 
profane sons of ,eli1 who profaned that 
place with  their uncleanness and filthy
 adulteries4 ,such was his carriage to  
the  ark while it was captivated by the 

,philistines4 ,of like nature were  his 
attempts against the temple itself4     
,solomon in his latter days was  tempted
 to give an affront to it3 he built a   
high place for ,chemosh1  the           
abomination of ,moab1 in the hill that  
is before ,jerusalem1 #a ,kings  xi4 #g1
 in the very sight and face of the      
temple2 but afterward he  prepared to   
defile the temple itself4 ,gilgal and   
,beth-aven are places  of such high     
profanation1 that the prophet ,hosea1   
chap4 ix4 #ae1 tells  them #8all their  
wickedness was in ,gilgal1' none of     
their abominations  were like to those2 
and in chap4 iv4 #ae1 they are dehorted 
from going  to ,gilgal or ,beth-aven2   
and yet both these places had been      
famous for  religion before4#aii ,gilgal
 was the place of the general           
circumcision  of the ,israelites that   
were born in the wilderness2 there was  
their  first solemn passover kept after 
their entering into the land4 ,bethel   
was a place where ,god as it were kept  

house1 #8the house of ,god4' ,here      
,jacob had his vision4 ,but the more    
famous they had been for duties of      
worship1 the devil sought to put higher 
abuses upon them1 so that  ,gilgal      
became #8an hatred1' and ,bethel became 
a ,beth-aven1 #8an house of  vanity4'   
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,satan is the more       
animated to undertake a design against  
the ways of religious service1 because  
he seldom or never misseth at  least    
something of success4 ,this attempt is  
like ,saul and ,jonathan's  bow1 that   
#8returned not empty1' #b ,sam4 i4 #bb4 
,in other temptations  sometimes ,satan 
comes off baffled altogether1 but in    
this work1 as  it was said of some      
,israelites1 #8he can throw a stone at  
an hair's  breadth1 and not miss1'      
,judges xx4 #af4 ,he is sure in one     
thing or  other to have the better of   
us4 ,his advantage in this case is from 
our  unsuitableness to our service4     
,what we do in the duties of worship1   
requires a choice frame of spirit4 ,our 

hearts should be awed with the  most    
serious apprehensions of divine majesty1
 filled with reverence1  animated with  
love and delight1 quickened by faith1   
clothed with  humility and              
self-abhorrency1 and in all the         
procedure of duties  there must be a    
steady and firm prosecution under the   
strictest  watchfulness4 ,of this nature
 is our work1 which at the first view   
would  put a man to a stand1 and out of 
amazement force him to say1 #8,who is   
sufficient for these things8 who can    
stand before such an holy ,lord  ,god8' 
,but when we come to an impartial       
consideration of our manifold           
weaknesses and insufficiencies in       
reference to these services1 what  shall
 we say8 we find such a narrowness of   
spirit1 such ignorances1  sottishness1  
carelessness of mind1 thoughts so       
confused1 tumultuous1  fickle1 slippery1
 and unconstant1 and our hearts         
generally so deceitful  and desperately 
wicked1 that it is not possible that    

,satan should  altogether labour in vain
 or catch nothing4 ,this being then a   
sure  gain1 we may expect it to be under
 a most constant practice4    #e4       
,fifthly1 ,if he so prevails against us 
that the services of worship  become    
grossly abused or neglected1 then doth  
he put us under the  greatest hazards   
and disadvantages4 ,nothing so poisonous
 as duties  of worship corrupted2 for   
this is to abuse ,god to his face4 ,by  
this1  not only are his commands and    
injunctions slighted1 as in other sins1 
but we carry it so as if we thought him 
no better than the idols of  the        
heathens1 that have #8eyes and see not1 
that have ears and hear  not4' ,to come 
without a heart1 or with our idols in   
our heart1 is it  anything of less scorn
 than to say1 #8,tush1 doth the ,most   
,high see8'  ,besides1 he hath given    
such severe cautions and commands in    
these  matters as will easily signify   
the aggravation of the offence4 ,you see
  how sharply ,god speaks of those that 

came to inquire of the ,lord with  #8the
 stumbling-block of their iniquity      
before their face1' ,ezek4 xiv4  #d1 #g1
 #8,i will answer them according to the 
multitude of their idols2 ,i  will      
answer them by myself4' ,saul's         
miscarriage in offering sacrifice1  #a  
,sam4 xiii4 #ac1 was that great offence 
for which ,god determined to  take the  
kingdom from him4 ,god's severity       
against ,nadab and ,abihu1  his stroke  
upon ,uzziah1 do all shew the hazard of 
such profanations4  ,but1 above all1    
that danger which both ,old and ,new    
,testament speak  of--the hardening of  
the heart1 blinding the eyes1 dulling   
the ears1  that men should not hear nor 
see nor be converted and saved1 but that
  the word should1 instead of those     
cordial refreshing smells which  beget  
and promote spiritual life in the       
obedient1 breathe forth such  envenomed1
 poisonous exhalations when it is thus  
abused and profaned1  that it becomes   
#8the savour of death unto death'--is   

most dreadful4 ,no  wonder1 then1 if    
,satan be very busy against these holy  
things1 when1  if he catch us at an     
advantage of this nature1 it proves so  
deadly and  dangerous to us2 for what   
can more please him that makes it his   
delight  and employment to destroy8     
,all these reasons evince that ,satan   
hath an aching tooth against  religious 
services1 and that to weaken1 prevent1  
or overthrow them is  his great         
endeavour4 ,here then especially may we 
expect an assault1  according to the    
advice of ,sirach3 ,ecclus4 ii4 #a1 #b1 
#8,my son1 when  thou enterest ,god's   
service1 stand fast in righteousness and
 fear1 and  prepare thy soul for        
temptation4'    ,what are the subtleties
 of ,satan against the holy things of   
,god1 ,i am  next to discover4 ,duties  
and services are opposed two ways3 7#a47
 ,by  prevention1 when they are         
hindered4 7#b47 ,by corruption1 when    
they  are spoiled4 ,he hath his arts and
 cunning1 which he exerciseth in both   

these regards3--    #a4 ,first1 then1   
,of ,satan's policy for the preventing  
of religious  services4 ,he endeavours  
by various means to hinder them4 ,as1   
7#a47 ,first1 ,by external hindrances4  
,in this he hath a very great           
foresight1 and accordingly he foresees  
occasions and opportunities  at a       
distance1 and by a long reach of        
contrivance he studies to lay  blocks   
and hindrances in the way4 ,much he doth
 in the dark for this  end that we know 
not4 ,as ,god hath #8secrets of wisdom  
that are double  to that which is       
known1' ,job xi4 #f1 so also hath ,satan
 many ways and  actings that are not    
discerned by us4 ,his contrivances of   
businesses  and avocations long         
aforehand are not so observed by us as  
they might  be4 ,where he misseth of his
 end it comes not to light1 and often   
where he is successful in his           
preventions we are ready to ascribe it  
to contingencies and the accidental hits
 of affairs1 when indeed the  hand and  

policy of ,satan is in it4 ,paul1 that  
was highly studied and  skilful in      
,satan's devices1 observing how his     
purposes of coming to  the              
,thessalonians were often broken and    
obstructed1 he knew where the  blame    
lay1 and therefore instead of laying the
 fault upon sickness1 or  imprisonments1
 or the oppositions of false            
brethren--which often made  him trouble 
beyond expectation--he directly chargeth
 all upon ,satan3  #a ,thes4 ii4 #ah1   
#8,we would have come unto you1 even ,i 
,paul1 once and  again1 but ,satan      
hindered us4' ,at the same rate1        
understanding the  purposes of faithful 
men for the promoting the good of men's 
souls1 he  often useth means to stop or 
hinder them4 ,some have observed1 having
 a  watchful and jealous eye over       
,satan1 that their resolves and         
endeavours  of this nature have usually 
been put to struggle sore in their birth
  when their purposes for worldly       
affairs and matters go smoothly on      

without considerable opposition4        
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he makes use of       
indispositions to hinder service2 and   
here he works sometimes upon the body1  
sometimes upon the soul1 for  both may  
be indisposed4    #a4 ,first1 ,sometimes
 he takes the advantage of bodily       
indispositions4 ,he doth all he can to  
create and frame these upon us1  and    
then pleads them as a discharge to duty4
 ,if he can put the body  into a fit of 
drowsiness or distemper1 he will do it3 
and surely he  can do more this way than
 every one will believe--he may agitate 
and  stir the humours4 ,hence some have 
observed more frequent and stronger     
fits of sleepiness and illness to come  
upon them on the days and times  that   
require their attendance upon ,god1 than
 on other days2 when they  shall be     
lively1 active1 and free of dulness upon
 common occasions--at  sports1 songs1   
interludes--when they shall not have the
 like command  of themselves in the     
exercises of worship4 ,surely it was    

more than an  ordinary drowsiness that  
befell the apostles1 ,mat4 xxvi4 #da4   
,he had  told them the seriousness of   
the occasion1 that he was #8betrayed1'  
that his #8soul was exceeding sorrowful 
even to the death3' these were          
considerations that might have kept     
their eyes from slumber4 ,when they     
sleep1 he awakens them with a piercing  
rebuke1 #8,could ye not watch with  me  
one hour8' and adds to this an          
admonition of their own danger1 and  the
 temptation that was upon them1 and yet 
presently they are asleep  again1 and   
after that again4 ,strange drowsiness6  
,but he gives an  excuse for them1 which
 also tells us the cause of it3 the     
#8spirit is  willing'--their hearts were
 not altogether unconcerned--#8but the  
flesh1'  that is1 the body1 that was    
#8weak'--that is1 subject to be abused  
by  ,satan1 who brought them into a more
 than ordinary indisposition1 as is     
noted ver4 #dc1 #8their eyes were       
heavy4'    #b4 ,secondly1 ,the soul hath

 also its indispositions1 which he      
readily improves against duty to hinder 
it4 ,as1    ,first1 ,it is capable of a 
spiritual sluggishness and dulness1     
wherein the spiritual senses are so     
bound up1 that it considers not1  minds 
not1 hath no list nor inclination to    
acts of service4 ,what a  stupefaction  
are our spirits capable of6 as ,david in
 his adultery seems  not to mind nor    
care what he had done4 ,in like manner  
are some in a  lethargy2 as the prophet 
speaks1 they #8care not to seek after   
,god4'  ,bernard hath a description of  
it3 ,contrahitur animus1 subtrahitur    
gratia1 defervescit novitius fervor1    
ingravescit torpor fastidiosus1  ,the   
spirit is contracted1 grace withdrawn1  
fervour abates1 sluggishness  draws on1 
and then duties are neglected4          
,secondly1 ,the spirit is indisposed by 
a throng of worldly affairs1  and these 
oft jostle out duty4 ,christ tells us   
they have the same  influence upon men  
that gluttony and drunkenness have1 and 

these unfit  men for action4 #8,take    
heed1' saith ,luke xxi4 #cd1 #8to       
yourselves1 lest  at any time your heart
 be overcharged with surfeiting and     
drunkenness1  and the cares of this     
life4' ,these then may at so high a rate
  overcharge the souls of men so as to  
make them frame excuses3 #8,i have      
bought a farm or oxen1' and therefore   
#8,i cannot attend2' and by this  means 
may they grow so neglective that the    
#8day of the ,lord may come  upon them  
at unawares4'    ,thirdly1 ,sometimes   
the soul is discomposed through passion1
 and  then it is indisposed1 which      
opportunity the devil espying1 he       
closeth  in with it4 ,sometime he       
#8blows the fire1' that the heat of     
anger may  put them upon a carelessness4
 ,sometimes he pleads their present     
frame  as an unfitness for service1 and 
so upon a pretence of reverence to  the 
service1 and #8leaving the gift at the  
altar' till they be in a  better humour1
 many times the gift is not offered at  

all1 #a ,pet4 iii4  #g4 ,the apostle    
directs husbands to manage their        
authority over their  wives with        
prudence1 for the avoiding of brawls and
 contentions3 #8,ye  husbands1 dwell    
with them according to knowledge1 giving
 honour to the  wife as the weaker      
vessel2' the reason of which advice he  
gives in  these words1 #8that your      
prayers be not hindered4' ,prayers are  
hindered  partly in their success when  
they prevail not1 partly they are       
hindered  when the duty of prayer is put
 by and suspended2 and this doubtless   
the apostle aims at1 to teach us that   
contentious quarrellings in a  family   
hinder the exercise of the duty of      
prayer4 ,elisha1 #b ,kings iii41        
discomposed himself in his earnest      
reproof of ,jehoram1 for with great     
vehemency he had spoken to him3 ver4    
#ac1 #ad1 #8,what have ,i to do with    
thee8 get thee to the prophets of thy   
father4 ,were it not that ,i regard  the
 presence of ,jehoshaphat1 ,i would not 

look toward thee1 nor see  thee4' ,but  
when he set himself to receive the      
visions of ,god1 he calls  for a        
minstrel1 ver4 #ae1 the reason whereof1 
as ,peter ,martyr and  others           
suppose1#bjj was this1 that however what
 he spake to ,jehoram  proceeded from   
zeal1 yet being but a man1 and subject  
to the like  infirmities of other men1  
it had distracted and discomposed his   
spirit1  which made him unfit and       
uncapable to entertain the visions of   
,god4  ,music then being a natural means
 for the composure and quiet of the     
mind1 he takes that course to calm and  
fit himself for that work4    ,fourthly1
 ,ignorance and prejudice are spiritual 
indispositions1 which  are not neglected
 by the devil4 ,knowledge is the eye and
 guide of the  soul4 ,if there be       
darkness there1 all acts which depend   
upon better  instruction must cease4    
,the disciples' ignorance of ,scriptures
 brought  in their unbelief4 ,christ    
notes that as the fountainhead of all   

their  backwardness3 ,luke xxiv4 #be1   
#8,o fools1 and slow of heart to believe
 all  that the prophets have spoken4'   
,in like manner1 if men are not clear   
or knowing in the ways and necessities  
of duty and service1 the devil  can     
easily prevail with them to forbear and 
neglect4 ,prejudice riseth  up to       
justify the disregard of duty1 and      
offers reasons which it thinks  cannot  
be answered4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,satan  
endeavours to prevent duty by           
discouragements4  ,if he can make the   
#8knees feeble1' and the #8hands hang   
down1' he will  quickly cause activity  
and motion to cease4 ,the ways by which 
he  endeavours to discourage men from   
the duties of service are these3--      
#a4 ,first1 ,he sets before them the    
toil and burden of duty4 ,if a man  sets
 his face toward heaven1 thus he        
endeavours to scare him off3 ,is  not1  
saith he1 the way of religion a dull1   
melancholy way8 ,is it not  a toil--a   
tedious task8 ,are not these            

unreasonable injunctions3 #8,pray       
continually1' #8,pray without ceasing1' 
#8,preach in season and out of  season'8
 ,this suggestion1 though it be         
expressly contrary to command1  yet     
being so suitable to the idle and       
sluggish tempers of men1 they  are the  
more apt to take notice of it1 and      
accordingly they seek ways  and shifts  
of accommodating the command to their   
inclinations4 ,in ,amos  viii4 #e1 the  
toil of sabbaths and festival services1 
as they thought  it1 makes them weary of
 the duty1 #8,when will the new moon be 
gone1 that  we may sell corn8 and the   
sabbath1 that we may set forth wheat8'  
,these  men thought their services      
tedious and entrenching upon their      
callings  and occupations3 ,mal4 i4 #ac1
 #8,they said1 ,behold1 what a weariness
 is  it6' looking upon it as an         
insufferable burden1 nay they proceeded 
so far as to snuff at it4 ,now when the 
devil had so far prevailed  with them1  
it was easy to put them upon neglect2   

which1 as the place  cited speaks1      
presently followed upon it1 they        
#8brought the torn1 and  the lame1 and  
the sick for a sacrifice4' ,satan first 
presented these  services as a wearisome
 burden1 then they snuffed at them2 next
 they  thought any service good enough1 
how mean soever1 though to an open      
violation of the law of worship2 and    
lastly1 from a pollution of the  table  
of the ,lord they proceeded to a plain  
contempt of duty1 #8the  table of the   
,lord is polluted1 and the fruit        
thereof1 even his meat  is              
contemptible1' ver4 #ab4 ,in the        
management of this discouragement1  the 
devil hath most success upon those that 
have not yet tasted the  sweetness and  
easiness of the ways of the ,lord1 #8his
 yoke is indeed  easy1 his burden is    
light2' his service is a true freedom to
 those that  are acquainted with ,god1  
and exercised in his service4 ,but when 
men are  first beginning to look after  
,god and duty1 and are not yet filled   

and  #8satisfied with the fatness of his
 house1' this temptation hath the       
greater force upon them1 and they are   
apt to be discouraged thereby4    #b4   
,secondly1 ,he endeavours to discourage 
them1 from the want of  success in the  
duties of worship4 ,when they have      
waited long and  sought the ,lord1 then 
he puts them upon resolves of declining 
any  further prosecution1 as he did with
 ,joram at the siege of ,samaria2 #8,why
  wait ,i upon the ,lord any longer8' #b
 ,kings vi4 #cc1 said he1 after he  had 
expected deliverance a long time without
 any appearance of help4  ,when ,saul   
saw that ,god #8answered him not1       
neither by dreams1 nor by  ,urim1 nor by
 prophets1' #a ,sam4 xxviii4 #f1 #g1 the
 devil easily persuaded  him to leave   
off the ordinary ways of attendance upon
 ,god1 and to  consult with the witch of
 ,endor4 ,the profane persons mentioned 
in ,mal4  iii4 #ad1 that had cast off   
all regard to his laws1 all respect to  
his  ordinances1 were brought to this   

pitch of iniquity by the suggestions  of
 want of success2 they said1 #8,it is   
vain to serve ,god3 and what  profit is 
it that we have kept his ordinances1 and
 that we have walked  mournfully before 
the ,lord of hosts8' ,it seems they were
 like the  people spoken of in ,isa4    
lviii4 #b1 #c3 they had fasted and      
prayed1 and  ,god delayed to answer     
them1 which they looked upon as a       
disobligement  from duty1 and that which
 they could peremptorily insist upon as 
a  reason which might justify their     
neglect4 #8,wherefore have we fasted1   
say they1 and thou seest not8 wherefore 
have we afflicted our soul1 and  thou   
takest no knowledge8' ,neither doth this
 discouragement fall heavy  only upon   
those whose hearts are departed already 
from ,god1 who might  be supposed to be 
forward to embrace any excuse from his  
service2 but  we shall find it bears    
hard upon the children of ,god4 ,david  
was ready  to give over all1 as a man   
forsaken of ,god3 ,ps4 xxii4 #a1 #b1    

#8,why hast  thou forsaken me8 ,o my    
,god1 ,i cry in the daytime1 but thou   
hearest not2  and in the night season1  
and am not silent4' ,we may clearly     
gather from  his expressions that this  
temptation had sorely bruised him1 and  
that  upon ,god's delay of answer1 he   
was ready to charge an unrighteousness  
upon ,god's carriage toward him2 for in 
that he adds that he kept his  ground1  
and did not consent to it--as the words 
following1 #8,but thou  continuest      
holy1' do imply--it shewed what the     
devil was objecting to  him4 ,and       
elsewhere1 in ,ps4 lxix4 #c1 when he had
 cried and was not  answered1 he began  
to be #8weary1 and his eyes failed2 nay1
 his flesh  and heart failed2' his      
spirit sunk1 as a man almost vanquished 
and  overcome with the temptation4      
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,this our adversary       
raiseth up discouragements to us  from  
the unsuitableness of our hearts to our 
services4 ,herein he  endeavours to     
deaden our hearts1 to clog our spirits1 

to hinder and  molest us1 and then he   
improves these indispositions and       
discomposures  against the duty1 in     
which he hath a double advantage2 for   
7#a47 ,he  deprives us of that delight  
in duty which should whet on our desires
  to undertake it1 so that we come to   
the ,lord's table as old ,barzillai1    
without a taste or relish of what we eat
 or drink4 ,when we come to  hear1 #8the
 ear that trieth words1' as the palate  
tasteth meat1 finds  no savour in what  
is spoken2 and this ,satan can easily do
 by the  inward deadness or disquiet of 
the heart1 even as the anguish of       
diseases takes away all pleasures which 
the choicest dainties afford2  as ,job  
observes1 #8,when a man is chastened    
with pain upon his bed1  his life abhors
 bread1 and his soul dainty meat1' chap4
 xxxiii4 #bj4  ,and when a man is       
brought to loathe his duties1 as having 
nothing of  that sweetness and          
satisfaction in them which is everywhere
 spoken  of1 a small temptation may put 

him upon neglect of them4 7#b47 ,he hath
  plausible and colourable arguments by 
which he formeth an opinion in  the     
minds of men1 that in cases of          
indisposition they may do better  to    
forbear than to proceed4 ,he tells them 
they ought not to pray or  present any  
service while they are so indisposed1   
that no prayer is  acceptable where the 
,spirit doth not enliven the heart and  
raise the  affections2 that they do but 
take his name in vain1 and increase     
their  sin1 and that they should wait   
till the ,spirit fill their sails3 and  
to say the truth1 it is a great         
difficulty for a child of ,god to hold  
his feet in such slippery places4 ,how  
many have ,i known complaining of  this1
 and persuading themselves verily that  
they might do far better  to leave off  
all service than to perform them thus6  
,and scarcely  have ,i restrained them  
from a compliance with ,satan1 by       
telling them  that indispositions are no
 bar to duty1 but that duty is the way  

to  get our indispositions cured2 that  
duty is absolutely required1 and        
dispositions to be endeavoured2 and that
 it is a less offence to keep  to duty  
under indispositions1 than wholly upon  
that pretence to neglect  it2 and       
indeed1 where these indispositions are  
bemoaned and striven  with1 the services
 are often more acceptable to ,god than 
pleasing to  ourselves4 ,the principle  
is truly spiritual and excellent1 a     
foundation  of sapphires and precious   
stones1 upon which1 if we patiently     
wait1  he will build a palace of silver2
 for that service is more spiritual     
that is bottomed and carried on by a    
conscientious regard to a command1  when
 there are no moral motives from sense  
and comfort concurring1 than  that which
 hath more of delight to encourage it1  
while the power of the  command is less 
swaying and influential4    #d4         
,fourthly1 ,men are oft discouraged from
 a sense of unworthiness of  the        
privilege of duty1 a kind of excess of  

humility1 which principally  relates to 
the sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper1   
and prayer4 ,the accuser  of the        
brethren tells them that they have      
nothing to do to take the  name of ,god 
in their mouths2 that it is an          
insufferable presumption4  ,hence some1 
like the woman with the bloody issue1   
dare not come to  ,christ to ask a cure1
 while yet they earnestly desire it1 and
 would  rather1 if they could1 privately
 steal it than openly beg it4 ,the      
publican ,luke xviii4 #aj1 seq4 is      
presented to us in the parable  as one  
that could scarce get over that         
objection4 ,he is set forth  standing at
 a #8distance1 not daring to lift up his
 eyes to heaven2'  scarce attempting to 
speak1 rather expressing his            
unworthiness to  pray1 than setting upon
 the duty2 his #8smiting upon his       
breast1' and  saying1 #8,god be merciful
 to me a sinner1' argued that much of   
these  discouragements lay upon him4    
,the like we may see in the prodigal1   

who  it seems had it long in dispute    
whether he should go to his father1     
whose kindness he had so abused2 and so 
long as he could make any other  shift  
he yielded to the temptation3 at last he
 came to that resolve1 #8,i  will arise 
and go to my father1 and say1 ,i have   
sinned against heaven1  and thee1 and am
 not worthy to be called thy son4'      
,which shew that  the sense of this kept
 him off till necessity forced him over 
it4 ,and  this is a discouragement the  
more likely to prevail for a neglect of 
service1 because part of it is          
necessary1 as the beginning of those    
convictions of our folly3 to have such  
low thoughts of ourselves that  we are  
not worthy to come into his presence1   
nor to look toward him1  is very        
becoming2 but to think that we should   
not come to him because  our conscience 
accuseth of unworthiness1 is a          
conclusion of ,satan's  making1 and such
 as ,god never intended from the        
premises1 but the  direct contrary4     

,come1 saith ,god1 though unworthy4 ,the
 like course doth  the devil take to    
keep men off from the ,lord's table4    
,oh1 saith he1 it  is a very solemn     
ordinance2 he that partaketh of it      
unworthily1 eateth  and drinketh        
damnation to himself4 ,how darest thou  
make such bold  approaches8 ,while the  
hearts of men are tender1 their         
consciences quick  and accusing1 the    
threatening begets a fear1 and they are 
driven off  long1 and debar themselves  
unnecessarily from their mercies4       
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,satan endeavours to   
hinder duty by bringing them into a     
dislike and loathing of duty4 ,this is a
 course most effectual4 ,dislike  easily
 bringeth forth aversation1 and withal  
doth strongly fix the mind  in purposes 
of neglect and refusal4 ,the devil      
bringeth this about many  ways2 as1     
#a4 ,first1 ,by reproaches and          
ignominious terms4 ,it was an old trick 
of the wicked one to raise up nicknames 
and scoffs against the ways of  ,god's  

service1 thereby to beget an odium in   
the hearts of men against  them4 #8,the 
seat of the scornful' is a chair that   
,satan had reared up  from the          
beginning4 ,by this art--when #8,god was
 known in ,jewry1 and  his name was     
great in ,israel'--were the heathens    
kept off from laying  hold on the       
covenant of ,god4 ,he rendered them and 
the ordinances of  worship ridiculous to
 the nations4 ,the opprobrium of        
circumcision1 and  their unreasonable   
faith1 as the heathens thought it1 upon 
things not  seen1 was a proverb in every
 man's mouth1 ,credat ,judus            
,apella--non  ego4#bja ,the ,jews were  
slandered with the yearly sacrifice of a
  ,grecian4 ,and ,apion affirms that    
,antiochus found such a one in a bed in 
the temple2 and that they worshipped an 
ass's head in the temple4 ,apion        
slandered the ,jews with ulcers in their
 privy parts every seventh day2  hence  
he derives sabbath1 of sabatosis1 which 
with the ,egyptians  signifies an       

ulcer4#bjb    ,lysimachus slandered the 
,jews in ,egypt as leprous              
church-robbers2 and  that their city was
 hence called ,hierosola4#bjc ,when the 
,gentiles  were called into the         
fellowship of the gospel1 it was        
aspersed with the  like scoffs and      
flouts4 ,it was frequently called a     
sect1 a babbling  and strange and       
uncouth doctrine1 ,acts xxviii4 #bb2    
besides a great  many lies and forgeries
 that were invented to make it seem     
odious2  and by this means it was       
#8everywhere spoken against1' ,acts     
xvii4  #ah1 #bj4 ,machiavel1 that       
propounded the policy of full and       
violent  calumniations to render an     
adversary odious1 knowing that how      
unjust  soever they were1 yet some      
impression of jealousy and suspicion    
would  remain1 had learned it of this   
old accuser1 who had often and long     
experienced it to be a prevalent course1
 to bring the services of  ,god under   
dislike1 ,calumniare fortiter2 aliquid  

adhrebit4 ,david1  speaking of what     
befell himself in this kind1 ,ps4 lxix4 
#i-ab1 that his  zeal lay under         
reproach2 his weeping and fasting became
 a proverb2 and  that in all these he   
was #8the song of the drunkard1' he     
expresseth  such apprehensions of the   
power of this temptation upon the weak1 
that he doth earnestly beg that ,satan  
might not make it a snare to  them3 ver4
 #f1 #8,let not them that wait on thee1 
,o ,lord ,god of hosts1  be ashamed for 
my sake3 let not those that seek thee be
 confounded  for my sake4' ,and further 
declares it1 as a wonderful preservation
  and escape of this danger1 that       
notwithstanding these reproaches1 he    
had not declined his duty3 ver4 #ac1    
#8,but as for me1 my prayer is unto     
thee1 ,lord4' ,paul seems to speak his  
sense of this piece of policy2  his     
imprisonment administered matter of     
reproach to his profession4  ,though his
 cause were good1 yet he suffered       
trouble as #8an evil-doer1'  #b ,tim4   

ii4 #i4 ,this he knew the devil would   
improve to a shame and  disgrace unto   
the service of ,god1 and therefore he   
chargeth ,timothy  to be aware of that  
temptation3 #b ,tim4 i4 #h1 #8,be not   
thou therefore  ashamed of the testimony
 of our ,lord1 nor of me his prisoner4' 
,and ver4  #af1 he takes notice of      
,onesiphorus1 that had escaped that     
snare1 and  was not #8ashamed of his    
chain4' ,and we have the greater reason 
to fear  the danger of this art1 when we
 find that the tempter made use of it   
to turn away the affections of the      
,capernaumites from ,christ himself3    
,mat4 xiii4 #eg1 when he had preached in
 their synagogues to the applause  and  
astonishment of all his hearers1 the    
devil1 fearing the prevalency  of his   
doctrine1 finds out this shift to bring 
them to a dislike of  him and his       
preaching3 #8,is not this the           
carpenter's son8 ,and they were         
offended in him4'    #b4 ,secondly1     
,duties are brought under dislike by the

 hazards that  attend them4 ,the devil  
leaves it not untold what men shall meet
 with  from the world if they #8run not 
with them into excess of vanity' and    
neglect4 ,if bonds1 imprisonments1      
banishments1 hatreds1 oppositions1      
spoiling of goods1 sufferings of all    
kinds will divert them1 he is  sure to  
set all these affrightments before them2
 which though they  do not move some    
from their steadfastness--such as       
,daniel1 whose  constancy in duty was   
not pierced by the fear of lions2 and   
the three  children1 who would not      
decline the ways of the ,lord for the   
terror of  a fiery furnace--yet these   
considerations prevail with most2 as    
,christ  notes1 in those that received  
seed in stony places1 whose joy in the  
word was soon blasted1 and they offended
 at the ways of duty1 #8when            
tribulation and persecution because of  
the word arose1' ,mat4 xiii4 #ba4       
,christ pronouncing him blessed that    
should #8not be offended in him1'       

because of the dangers of his service1  
shews that the escape of such a         
temptation is not a common mercy1 ,mat4 
xi4 #f4 ,and if we shall observe        
,paul's practice upon his first         
undertaking of the ministry1 when #8it  
pleased ,god to call him to preach his  
,son ,christ among the heathen1'  ,gal4 
i4 #af1 we shall see1 7#a47 ,that he was
 aware of such objections as  these2    
7#b47 ,that flesh and blood are apt to  
comply with them1 and to  take notice of
 them2 7#c47 ,and that the best way to  
avoid them is to  stop the ears against 
them1 and not to hearken to them or     
consult with  them2 7#d47 ,and that he  
that must do it to purpose1 must1       
without delay1  immediately resolve     
against such hindrances2 it being most  
difficult  for men that will be         
inclining to such motions1 and          
hearkening to what  the devil offers1   
under pretence of self-preservation1 to 
disengage  themselves after they have   
suffered their souls to take the        

impression4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the       
meanness of religious appointments1 as  
to the  outward view1 is also made use  
of to beget a loathing of them4 ,in this
  the devil hath this advantage1 that   
however they are all #8glorious         
within1' and #8as the curtains of       
,solomon1' yet are they1 as to their    
outward appearance1 like #8the tents of 
,kedar1' without any of that  pomp and  
splendour which the sons of men affect  
and admire4 ,christ  himself1 when he   
had veiled his glory by our flesh1 was  
of no exterior  #8form or beauty4' ,the 
ministration of his word1 which is #8the
 sceptre  of his kingdom1' seems        
contemptible1 and a very #8foolishness  
to men2'  insomuch that ,paul was forced
 to make an apology for it1 in that it  
wanted those outward braveries of       
#8excellency of speech and wisdom1'  by 
shewing it was #8glorious in its power1'
 and was indeed a #8hidden              
wisdom'--though not like that #8wisdom  
which the princes of wisdom' and        

philosophy affected--#8among such as    
were perfect1' #a ,cor4 ii4 #a1d1 #f4   
,the sacraments1 both of the ,old and   
,new ,testament1 seemed very low and    
contemptible things to a common eye2    
neither need we any other evidence  to  
shew that men are apt to disrelish them1
 and to entertain strange  thoughts of  
them upon this very account1 than this1 
that some raise  up batteries against   
these ordinances upon this ground1 that 
because  they seem low and mean to them1
 therefore they think it improbable     
that ,god should have indeed appointed  
them to be used in the literal  sense1  
or that at best they are to be used as  
the first rudiments of  ,christianity1  
and not enjoined upon the more grown    
,christians4 ,neither  may ,i altogether
 pass over that remarkable humour that  
is in some1 to  give additional         
ornaments of outward garb and form for  
the greater  honour and lustre of these 
injunctions of ,christ2 so that while   
they  endeavour to shew their greatest  

respects to them1 they betray their     
inward thoughts to have carried some    
suspicion of their reality because  of  
their plainness2 and by this means1     
whilst they endeavour to put  an honour 
upon ,christ's institutions1 they really
 despise them1 and  shew their respects 
to their own inventions4 ,but that we   
may be further  satisfied that ,satan   
works by this engine1 let us consider   
that of  #a ,cor4 i4 #bc4 ,the ,jews    
were for signs from heaven to give a    
credit  and testimony to that doctrine  
which they would receive4 ,the ,greeks1 
who were then the only people for       
learning1 were for philosophical        
speculations and disputes4 ,now1 saith  
the apostle1 the doctrine of  the       
gospel1 which is the preaching of       
,christ crucified1 because it  came not 
within the compass of what both these   
expected1 therefore the  devil so       
wrought upon this advantage1 that both  
contemned it2 #8,it was  to the ,jews a 
stumbling-block1 and to the ,greeks     

foolishness4' ,of this  also he speaks  
more fully1 #b ,cor4 xi4 #c1 where he   
shews that the minds  of the            
,corinthians were ready to be corrupted 
with error against the  plain import of 
the gospel2 and that which they took    
offence at was its  simplicity4 ,they   
looked upon it as contemptible1 because 
not containing  such gorgeous things as 
might suit a soaring and wanton fancy4  
,now  he resolves all this into a cheat 
of ,satan1 taking the advantage of      
this1 as he did upon ,eve from the      
seeming inconsiderableness of the       
prohibition of eating a little fruit1 to
 persuade them that so mean a  thing as 
the gospel could not be of ,god4 #8,i   
fear1' saith he1 #8lest by  any means1  
as the serpent beguiled ,eve through his
 subtlety1 so your  minds should be     
corrupted from the simplicity that is in
 ,christ4'    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,the sins  
of professors1 through the craft of     
,satan1  beget a loathing of these holy 
things4 ,if ,god loathe his own         

appointments1 and #8cannot bear them1'  
because of the iniquities of  those that
 offer them1 no wonder if men be tempted
 to disgraceful  apprehensions of them1 
when they observe some that pretend a   
high  care and deep respect for them    
live profanely4 ,the sins of ,eli's sons
  wrought this sad effect upon the      
people1 that men1 for their sakes1      
abhorred the offerings of the ,lord1 #a 
,sam4 ii4 #ag4 ,those that fell off  to 
error1 and thence to abominable         
practices1 #8caused the way of truth  to
 be evil spoken of1' #b ,pet4 ii4 #b4   
,the priests that departed out of  the  
way1 #8caused many to stumble at the    
law1' ,mal4 ii4 #h4 ,nay1 so high  doth 
,satan pursue this sometimes1 that it   
becomes an inlet to direct  atheism4    
#e4 ,fifthly1 ,satan also works mightily
 in the profane dispositions  of men1   
and acts that principle to a disregard  
and weariness of the  services of ,god4 
,a flagitious wicked life naturally     
leads to it4 ,those  that #8eat up      

,god's people as bread1' ,ps4 xiv4 #d1  
#8called not upon  ,god4' ,this eats out
 at last the very exterior and formal   
observation  of religious duties4 ,in   
this ,satan bends his force against     
them1 7#a47  ,by heightening the spirits
 of men to an insolent defiance of ,god 
by  a continued prosperity4 ,he draws   
out the pride and vanity of their       
spirits to a bold contempt3 #8,who is   
the ,lord that we should serve him8  ,we
 are lords2 we will come no more at     
thee2 our tongues are our own1'  c41    
,jer4 ii4 #ca4 ,thus they #8set their   
mouths against heaven4' ,eliphaz  tells 
us this1 as the usual carriage of those 
that lived in peace and  jollity3 ,job  
xxi4 #ae1 #8,therefore say they unto    
,god1 ,depart from us2  for we desire   
not the knowledge of thy ways3 who is   
the ,almighty that  we should serve     
him8' 7#b47 ,by hiding from them the    
necessities of duty4  ,job speaking of  
the hypocrite1 chap4 xxvii4 #aj1        
describes him by these  neglects of     

duty1 #8,will he delight himself in the 
,almighty8 will he  always call upon    
,god8' ,of this he gives the reason1    
ver4 #i1 #8,he will  call and cry when  
trouble comes upon him4' ,when          
distresses make duties  necessary1 then 
he will use them2 in his #8affliction he
 will seek him  early1' ,hosea v4 #ae2  
as the ,israelites did1 ,ps4 lxxviii4   
#cd1 #8,when he  slew them1 then they   
sought him1 and enquired early after    
,god4' ,but  when he is not thus        
pinched--and ,satan will endeavour in   
this case1  that he be as far from the  
rod of ,god as he can make him--he gives
 over  seeking ,god and loathes it1 nay1
 accounts it as ridiculous so to do2    
they #8mock at his counsel1' and contemn
 his advice of waiting upon him4    #f4 
,sixthly1 ,satan picks quarrels in men  
at the manner of performance  of duty4  
,when duty cannot be spoken against1    
then he endeavours to  destroy it by the
 modes1 circumstances1 and way of       
performance3 as  7#a47 ,if those that   

act in them discover any weakness--as   
who doth not1  when he hath done his    
best8--this he endeavours to blemish the
 duty  withal4 ,the bodily presence of  
,paul was objected against him1 as being
  #8contemptible1' and his #8speech as  
weak1' #b ,cor4 x4 #aj2 but the  design 
of that objection lay higher1 the devil 
thereby endeavouring  to render the     
duties of his ministry as contemptible1 
and not to be  regarded4 7#b47 ,if the  
circumstances please not1 he teacheth   
them to  take pet with the substance1   
and1 like children1 to reject all1      
because  everything is not suitable to  
their wills4 7#c47 ,if it be managed in 
any  way not grateful to their          
expectations1 if too cuttingly and      
plain1  then they think they be         
justified to say they hate it1 as ,ahab 
did  ,micaiah2 if any way too high or   
abstrusely1 then likewise they fling    
off4 ,on this point the devil persuaded 
many of ,christ's followers  to desert  
him1 ,john vi4 #ff1 because he had      

spoken of himself in  comparisons that  
they judged too high4 ,when he said he  
was that #8bread  that came down from   
heaven1' ver4 #eh1 they said #8that was 
a saying not  to be borne2' and on that 
occasion #8they went back1 and walked no
 more  with him4'    #g4 ,seventhly1    
,the devil brings a nauseating of the   
duties of worship1  by a wrong          
representation of them1 in the carriage 
and gestures of  those that engage in   
them4 ,it seems strange to some that are
 but as  idle spectators to observe the 
postures of saints1 seriously lifting   
up their eyes to heaven1 or humbly      
mourning and smiting on their  breasts4 
,these the devil would render           
ridiculous1 and as the suspicious       
managements of an histrionical or       
hypocritical devotion2 as men at a      
distance beholding the strange variety  
of actions and postures of such  as     
dance1 being out of the sound of their  
music1 shall think them a  company of   
madmen and frantic people4 ,such        

perverse prospects doth  he sometimes   
afford to those that come rather to     
observe what others  do1 than to concern
 themselves in such duties1 that1 not   
seeing their  private influences1 nor   
the secret spring that moves them1 they 
judge  them foolish1 and from thence    
they contract an inward loathing of the 
duties themselves4    7#e47 ,fifthly1   
,in order to the hindering or preventing
 of duty1 ,satan  useth to impose upon  
men by fallacious arguings3 and by a    
piece of  his sophistry he endeavours to
 cheat them out of their services4 ,i   
shall note some of his remarkable       
dealings in this kind3 as1    #a4       
,first1 ,he heightens the dignity of    
,god's children1 upon a design  to spoil
 their duty4 ,he tells them they are    
#8partakers of the divine  nature1' #b  
,pet4 i4 #d2 that they are #8in ,god and
 ,christ1' and have  the communications 
of his ,spirit1 and therefore they need 
not now  drink of the cistern1 seeing   
they enjoy the fountain2 and that these 

services1 in their attainments1 are as  
useless as scaffolds are when  once the 
house is built4 ,to prosecute this he   
takes advantage1 7#a47  of the natural  
pride of their hearts4 ,he puffs them up
 with conceits  of the excellency of    
their condition--a thing which all men  
are apt  to catch at with greediness    
upon the least imaginary grounds1 #a    
,cor4  viii4 #g2 ,col4 ii4 #ah4 ,if a   
man have but a little knowledge1 or have
  attained to any vain speculations1 he 
is presently apt to be vainly  #8puffed 
up by his fleshly mind4' ,the same      
hazard attends any conceited  excellency
 which a man apprehends he hath reached 
unto4 ,those monsters  of religion1     
mentioned by ,peter and ,jude1 that made
 no other use of  the #8grace of ,god'  
but to #8turn it into wantonness1' ,jude
 #d2 yet were  they so tumefied with the
 apprehensions of their privileges1 that
  whilst they designed no other thing   
than plain licentiousness and a         
wantonness in the lusts of the flesh1   

yet it seems they encouraged  themselves
 and allured others from a supposed     
liberty which their  privileges gave    
them2 and to this purpose had frequently
 in their  mouths #8great swelling words
 of vanity1' #b ,pet4 ii4 #ah1 even     
whilst  they #8walked after their own   
lusts1' ,jude #af4 7#b47 ,to strengthen 
their  proud conceits1 the devil        
improves what the ,scriptures speak of  
the  differences of ,god's              
children--that some are spiritual1 some 
are carnal2  some weak1 others strong2  
some perfect1 some less perfect2 some   
little  children1 some young men1 some  
fathers1 #a ,cor4 ii4 #a2 ,phil4 iii4   
#ae2  #a ,john ii4 #ab1 #ac4 ,the end of
 all this is to make them apprehend     
themselves ,christians of a higher rank 
and order1 which also makes way         
consequently for a further inference1   
viz41 that there must needs be          
immunities and privileges suitable to   
these heights and attainments4  ,to this
 purpose 7#c47 he produceth those       

scriptures that are designed  by ,god to
 raise up the minds of men to look after
 the internal work  and power of his    
ordinances1 and not to centre their     
minds and hopes  in the bare formal use 
of them1 without applying their thoughts
 to ,god  and ,christ1 unto whom they   
are appointed to lead us4 ,such as these
  scriptures3 ,rom4 ii4 #bh1 #8,he is   
not a ,jew which is one outwardly2      
neither is that circumcision1 which is  
outward in the flesh3 but he is  a ,jew 
which is one inwardly2 and circumcision 
is that of the heart1 in  the spirit1   
and not in the letter4' ,and ,rom4 vi4  
#g1 we should #8serve  in newness of    
spirit1 and not in the oldness of the   
letter4' #b ,cor4 v4  #af1 #8,wherefore 
henceforth know we no man after the     
flesh3 yea1 though  we have known       
,christ after the flesh1 yet now        
henceforth know we him  no more4' ,eph4 
iv4 #ac1 #8,he gave some apostles1 and  
some prophets1'  c41 #8for the          
perfecting of the saints1 444 till we   

all come in the  unity of the faith1 and
 of the knowledge of the ,son of ,god1  
unto a  perfect man4' ,by a perverse    
interpretation of these1 and some other 
scriptures of like import1 he would     
persuade them that the great thing  that
 ,christ designed by his ordinances was 
but to #8train up the weaker            
,christians by these rudiments1' as the 
,a ,b ,c to children1 to a more         
spiritual and immediate way of living   
upon ,god2 and that these become        
altogether useless when ,christians have
 gotten up to any of these  imaginary   
degrees of a supposed perfection4       
,enough of this may be seen  in the     
writings of ,saltmarsh1 ,winstanly1 and 
others1 in the late times4  ,how great a
 trade ,satan drove by such             
misapprehensions not long since  cannot 
easily be forgotten2 so that ,god's     
worship did almost lie waste1  and in   
many places #8the way to ,zion did      
mourn4'    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he will      
sometimes confess an equality of        

privilege  among the children of ,god1  
and yet plead an inequality of duty4    
,that ,god is as good and strong to us1 
and that we have all an equal  advantage
 by ,christ1 he will readily            
acknowledge2 but then1 when we  should  
propound the diligence of the saints in 
their services for our  pattern1 as of  
,david's #8praying seven times a-day1'  
,daniel's three  times1 ,anna's serving 
,god with fastings and prayers night and
 day1  c41#bjd he tells us these were   
extraordinary services1 and as it were  
works of supererogation1 more than the  
command of ,god laid upon them4  ,so    
that we are not tied to such strictness2
 and we1 being naturally apt  to indulge
 ourselves in our own ease1 are too     
ready to comply with such  delusions4   
,and by degrees men are thus brought to 
a confident belief  that they may be    
good enough1 and do as much as is       
required1 though  they slacken their    
pace1 and do not fast1 pray1 or hear so 
often as  others have done4    #c4      

,thirdly1 ,another sophism of his is to 
heighten one duty1 to  the ruin of      
another4 ,he strives to make an         
intestine war among the  several parts  
of the services we owe to ,god2 and from
 the excellency  of one1 to raise up an 
enmity and undervaluing disregard of    
another4  ,thus would he sever as       
inconsistent those things that ,god hath
 joined  together4 ,as among false      
teachers1 some say1 #8,lo1 here is      
,christ1' and  others1 #8,lo1 he is     
there2' so we find ,satan dealing with  
duties4 ,he  puts some upon such high   
respects to preaching1 that1 say they1  
,christ  is to be found here most       
frequently1 rather than in prayer or    
other  ordinances2 others are made to   
have the like esteem for prayer3 and    
they affirm in this is ,christ          
especially to be met withal2 others say 
the like of sacraments or meditation4   
,in all these ,satan labours to  beget a
 dislike and neglect of other services4 
,thus1 in what relates  to the          

constitution of churches1 he endeavours 
to set up purity of  churches1 to the   
destruction of unity1 or unity to the   
ruin of purity4  ,a notable example     
hereof we have in the ,euchyt1 a sect of
 praying  heretics1 which arose in the  
time of ,valentinian and ,valens1 who1  
upon the pretence of the commands of    
,christ and ,paul for praying           
continually1 or without ceasing and     
fainting1 owned no other duty as        
necessary2 vilifying preaching and      
sacraments as things at best useless    
and unprofitable4#bje ,the like attempts
 he makes daily upon men1 where  though 
he prevail not so far as to bring some  
necessary duties of  service into open  
contempt1 yet he carries them into too  
much secret  neglect and disregard1     
,luke xviii4 #a2 #a ,thes4 xv4 #ag4     
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,he improves the grace of
 the gospel to infer an  unnecessariness
 of duty2 and this he doth not only from
 the advantage  of a profane and        
careless spirit in such as              

presumptuously expect  heaven1 though   
they mind not the way that leads to it2 
for with such  it is usual1 as one      
observes1#bjf for ,satan to sever the   
means from  the end in things that are  
good2 to make them believe they shall   
have  peace1 though they walk in the    
imaginations of their heart2 to make    
them lean upon the ,lord for heaven1 in 
the apparent neglect of holiness  and   
duty2 as in evil things he severs the   
end from the means1 making  them        
confident they shall escape hell and    
condemnation1 though they  walk in the  
path that leads thither4 ,but besides   
this1 he abuseth the  understandings and
 affections of men by strange and       
uncouth inferences2  as that ,god hath  
received a satisfaction1 and ,christ    
hath done all1 so  that nothing is left 
for us to do4 ,the apostle ,paul was so 
much aware  of this kind of arguing1    
that when he was to #8magnify the grace 
of  ,god1' he always took care to fence 
against such perverse reasonings1       

severely rebuking and refelling such    
objections3 as in ,rom4 iii4 #g1 #h1    
where speaking that our                 
#8unrighteousness did commend the       
righteousness  of ,god1' he falls upon  
that reply1 #8,why then am ,i judged as 
a sinner8'  which he sharply refells1 as
 an inference of slanderous imputation  
to  the gospel1 which hath nothing in it
 to give the least countenance to  that 
conclusion1 #8,let us do evil1 that good
 may come2' and adds1 that  damnation   
shall justly overtake such as practise  
accordingly4 ,the like  we have1 ,rom4  
vi4 #a1 #8,shall we continue in sin1    
that grace may abound8'  which he       
rejected with the greatest abhorrency1  
#8,god forbid6' ,from both  which places
 we may plainly gather1 that as unsound 
as such arguings  are1 yet men1 through 
,satan's subtlety1 are too prone1 upon  
such  pretences1 to dispute themselves  
to a careless neglect of duty4 ,this    
might be enlarged in many other         
instances1 as that of ,maximus ,tyrius1 

who disputed all duties unnecessary upon
 this ground1 #8,that what ,god  will   
give1 cannot be hindered2 and what he   
will not give1 cannot be  obtained2 and 
therefore it were needless to seek after
 anything4'  ,much to the same purpose  
do many argue1 if they be predestinated 
to  salvation1 they shall be saved1     
though they do never so little2 if  they
 be not predestinated1 they shall not be
 saved1 though they do  never so much4  
,in all which inferences the devil      
proceeds upon a false  foundation of    
severing the means and the end1 which   
the decree of  ,god hath joined         
together2 but the main of the design is 
to hide the  necessity of duty from     
them4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,by urging a     
necessity or conveniency for suspending 
or  remitting duties4 ,in temptations to
 sin1 he doth from a little draw  on the
 sinner to more2 but in omissions of    
duty he would entice us  from much to   
little1 and from little to nothing4     
,very busy he is with  us to break or   

interrupt our constant course of duty4  
,duties in order  and practice1 are like
 so many pearls upon one string2 if the 
thread  be broken1 it may hazard the    
scattering of all4 ,if we be once put   
out  of our way1 we are in danger to    
rove far before we be set in our rank   
again4 ,to effect this1 7#a47 he will be
 sure to straiten or hinder us  in our  
opportunities if he can1 and then to    
plead necessity for a  dispensation4 ,it
 is true indeed1 necessities1 when      
unavoidable--as the  issue of providence
 rather than our negligence--may excuse 
an omission  of duty1 because in such   
cases1 ,god accepting the will for the  
deed1  will have mercy and not          
sacrifice4 ,but necessity is            
most-what#bjg a  pretence or cover to   
the slothfulness of professors1 and the 
devil  will do all he can to gratify    
them in that humour1 and to prepare     
excuses for them from such hindrances or
 interruptions as business  or          
disturbances can make2 yet if these be  

not in readiness1 he will  7#b47        
endeavour to take off our earnestness by
 suggesting to us our  former diligence1
 that we at other times have been       
careful and active2  or 7#c47 by setting
 before us the greater negligence of    
those that  are below us4 ,the meaning  
of both which insinuations is to this   
one  purpose1 that we may make bold with
 some omissions1 without any great      
hazard of our religious intentions1 or  
scandal and offence to others4  ,now if 
he can by any of these ways bring us to 
any abatement of our  wonted care and   
exercise1 he will then still press for  
more1 and from  fervency of spirit to a 
cold moderation2 from thence he will    
labour  to bring us down to seldom      
performances2 from thence1 to nothing4  
,the  spiritual sluggard that will be   
overcome to some neglects1 shall be     
found a companion at last to a waster1  
,prov4 xviii4 #i1 and will be  brought  
to a total neglect of all4 ,the church  
of ,ephesus1 ,rev4 ii4 #d1  #e1 may     

sadly give proof of this2 they left     
their first love1 and from  thence      
declined so far that at last ,god was   
provoked to #8remove the  candlestick   
out of its place4'    #f4 ,sixthly1     
,satan puts tricks upon men in order to 
the hindering  of duty1 by putting us   
from a service presently needful1 with  
the  proposal of another1 in which1 at  
that time1 we are not so concerned4  ,in
 several duties of ,christianity there  
is a great deal of skill  required to   
make a right choice1 for present or     
first performance2 and  to have a right 
judgment to discover the times and      
seasons of them1  is matter of necessary
 study4 ,our adversary observing our    
weaknesses  in this1 when no other art  
will prevail1 endeavours to put us upon 
an inconvenient choice1 when he cannot  
make us neglect all4 ,as 7#a47  by      
engaging us in a less duty1 that we may 
neglect a greater2 he is  willing that  
we1 as the ,pharisees1 should #8tithe   
mint and anise1' upon  condition that we

 #8neglect the greater things of the    
law4' ,this was the  fault of ,martha1  
,luke x4 #da1 who busied herself in     
making entertainment  for ,christ's     
welcome1 and in the meantime neglected  
to hear his  preaching3 which1 as he    
notes1 was the only necessary duty of   
that  time2 #8one thing' is necessary4  
,she is not blamed for doing that which 
was simply evil in itself--for the thing
 she did was a duty--but for  not making
 a right choice of duty2 for that       
rebuke1 #8,mary hath chosen  the better 
part1' is only a comparative            
discommendation2 as ,austin  interprets1
 ,non tu malam1 sed illa meliorem1 ,the 
thing thou doest is  not evil1 if it had
 not put thee upon a neglect of a       
greater good4 7#b47  ,he sometimes puts 
men upon what is good and necessary1 but
 such as they  cannot come at without   
sin4 ,thus sacrificing in itself was a  
necessary  duty2 and such was ,saul's   
condition1 that it concerned him at that
 time  to make his peace with ,god1 and 

to inquire his mind4 ,yet when the devil
  upon that pretence put him upon       
offering a sacrifice1 he put him upon   
no small transgression1 #a ,sam4 xiii4  
#ac4 ,the like game ,satan sometimes    
plays with private ,christians1 who are 
persuaded beyond their station  and     
capacity in reference to some ordinances
 of ,god4 7#c47 ,he sometimes  puts men 
upon dangerous undertakings in pursuit  
of their fancy1 of  gaining an advantage
 for some service2 and so are they      
turned out of  the way of present       
obedience1 in grasping at opportunities 
of duty out  of their reach4 ,saul      
spared the sheep and oxen of the        
,amalekites for  sacrifice1 #a ,sam4 xv4
 #ae1 #bb1 when obedience had been more 
acceptable  than sacrifice4 7#d47 ,there
 is a further cheat in the choice of    
duty1  when ,satan employs them to      
provide for duties to come1 to the      
neglect  of duties presently incumbent  
upon them2 whereas we are more concerned
  in that which at present is necessary1

 than in that which may be so for  the  
future2 which is a mistake1 like that of
 caring for the morrow1  while we use   
not what ,god puts in our hand for      
to-day4          ,,chapter ,,xviii4     
,satan's second grand design against    
duties is to spoil them4 7#a47   ,in the
 manner of undertaking1 and how he      
effects this4 7#b47 ,in the   act or    
performance1 by distracting outwardly   
and inwardly4 ,his various   ways       
therein1 by vitiating the duty itself4  
,how he doth that4 7#c47   ,after       
performance1 the manner thereof4        
,the chief of ,satan's ways for the     
hindering and preventing of duty have   
been noted2 what he comes short in this 
design he next labours to make  up1 by  
spoiling and depraving them3 and this he
 doth endeavour three  ways3--    ,i4   
#a4 ,first1 ,by putting us upon services
 in such a manner as shall  render them 
unacceptable and displeasing unto ,god1 
and unprofitable to  us3 as by a        
careless and rash undertaking of        

service4 ,we are commanded  to #8take   
heed' to ourselves #8how we hear' or    
pray2 and to #8watch'  over our hearts1 
that they be in a fit posture for       
meeting with ,god1  because the heart in
 service is that which ,god most looks  
at1 and our  services are measured      
accordingly4 ,if then by a heedless     
undertaking we  adventure upon them1 not
 keeping our #8foot when we go into the 
house of  ,god1' ,eccles4 v4 #a1 we     
offer no other than #8the sacrifice of  
fools1'  and give occasion to ,god to   
complain that we do but #8draw near to  
him  with our lips1 while our hearts are
 far from him4'    #b4 ,secondly1 ,the  
like spoil of duty is made when we      
adventure upon  it in our own strength1 
and not in the strength of ,christ4     
,satan  sees the pride of our heart1 and
 how much our gifts may contribute to   
it1 and how prone we are to be confident
 of a right performance of  what we have
 so often practised before2 and         
therefore doth he more  industriously   

catch at that advantage to make us      
forget that our  #8strength is in ,god1'
 and that we cannot come to him         
acceptably but  by his own power4       
,christians are often abused this way4  
,when their  strength is to seek1 duty  
is oft perversely set before them1 that 
they  may act as ,samson did when his   
locks were cut1 who thought to #8shake  
himself1 and to go out as at other      
times1' and so fell into the hands  of  
the ,philistines1 ,judges xvi #bj4      
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,if he can substitute base
 ends and principles1 as motives  to    
duty1 instead of these that ,god hath   
commanded1 he knows the  service will   
become stinking and loathsome to ,god4  
,fasting1 prayers1  alms1 preaching1 or 
any other duty may be thus tainted1 when
 they  are performed upon no better     
grounds than #8to be seen of men1' or   
out of envy1 or to satisfy humour1 or   
when from custom1 rather than           
conscience4 ,how frequently did the     
prophets tax the ,jews for this1  that  

they fasted to themselves6 and brought  
forth fruit to themselves6  ,how        
severely did ,christ condemn the        
,pharisees upon the same account6       
telling them that in hunting the        
applause of men1 by these devotions1    
they had got all the reward they were   
like to have4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,when we
 do our services unseasonably1 not only 
the  grace and beauty of them is        
spoiled2 but often are they rendered    
unprofitable4 ,there are times to be    
observed1 not only for the right        
management of common actions1 but also  
for duties4 ,what is ,christian         
reproof1 if it be not rightly suited to 
season and opportunity8 ,the  same may  
be said of other services4    #e4       
,fifthly1 ,services are spoiled1 when   
men set upon them without  resolutions  
of leaving their sins4 ,while they come 
with their #8idols  in their heart1' and
 #8the stumbling-block of their iniquity
 before  their face1 ,god will not be   
inquired of by them1' ,ezek4 xiv4 #c4   

,he  requires of those that present     
their services to him1 that at least    
they should not affront him with direct 
purposes of continuing in  their        
rebellions against him2 nay1 he expects 
from his servants that  look for a      
blessing in their duties1 that they come
 with their #8hearts  sprinkled from an 
evil conscience1 and their bodies washed
 with pure  water1' ,heb4 x4 #bb4 ,if   
they come to hear the word1 they must   
#8lay aside  all filthiness1 and        
superfluity of naughtiness1' ,james i4  
#ba2 if they  pray1 they must #8lift up 
pure hands1' #a ,tim4 ii4 #h2 if they   
come to  the ,lord's ,supper1 they must 
eat that feast #8with the unleavened    
bread  of sincerity and truth1' #a ,cor4
 v4 #h4 ,and albeit1 he may accept the  
prayers of those that are so far        
convinced of their sins--though they  be
 not yet sanctified--that they are      
willing to lay down their weapons1  and 
are touched with a sense of legal       
repentance2 for thus he heard  ,ahab1   

and regarded the humiliation of         
,nineveh3 yet while men cleave to  the  
love of their iniquity1 and are not upon
 any terms of parting with  their sins1 
,god will not look to their services1   
but abhor them4 ,for  thus he declares  
himself1 ,isa4 i4 #aa1 #8,to what       
purpose is the multitude  of your       
sacrifices8 ,bring no more vain         
oblations4 ,i cannot away with  them1 it
 is iniquity1 even the solemn           
meeting1--my soul hateth them1  they are
 a trouble to me1 ,i am weary to bear   
them3 when you spread  forth your hands1
 ,i will hide mine eyes from you2 yea1  
when you make  many prayers1 ,i will not
 hear4' ,the ground of all this is1 that
 their  heart was no way severed from   
the purposes of sinning1 #8,your hands  
are  full of blood1' ver4 #ae4 ,satan   
knowing this so well1 he is willing     
that they engage in the services of     
,god1 if they will keep up their        
allegiance to him1 and come with        
intentions to continue wicked still2    

for so1 while he cannot prevent the     
actual performance of duty1--which  yet 
notwithstanding he had rather do1       
because he knows not but ,god may  by   
that means some time or other rescue    
these slaves of ,satan out of  his hand1
 --he makes their services nothing      
worth1 and renders them  abominable to  
,god4    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,in the manner of
 undertaking duties are spoiled1 when   
men  have not a submissive ingenuity#bjh
 in them1 by giving themselves up  to   
the direction and disposal of the       
,almighty2 but rather confine and  limit
 ,god to their wills and desires4       
,sometimes men by attempting of         
services to ,god1 think thereby to      
engage ,god to humour them in their     
wills and ways4 ,with such a mind did   
,ahab consult the prophets about  his   
expedition to ,ramoth-,gilead2 not so   
much seeking ,god's mind and  counsel   
for direction1 as thinking thereby to   
engage ,god to confirm  and comply with 
his determination4 ,with the same mind  

did ,johanan and  the rest of the people
 consult the ,lord concerning their     
going down to  ,egypt1 ,jer4 xlii4 #e4  
,though they solemnly protested         
obedience to what  ,god should say1     
#8whether it were good or evil2' yet    
when the return  from ,god suited not   
with their desires and resolutions1 they
 denied  it to be the command of ,god2  
and found an evasion to free themselves 
of their engagement1 ,jer4 xliii4 #b4   
,such dealings as these being the       
evident undertakings of a hypocritical  
heart1 must needs render all  done upon 
that score to be presumptuous temptings 
of ,god2 no way  deserving the name of  
service4    ,,ii4 ,secondly1 ,not only  
are services thus spoiled in those wrong
 grounds  and ways of attempting1 or    
setting about them1 but in the very act 
or performance of them4 ,while they are 
upon the wheel--as a potter's  vessel in
 the prophet--they are often marred2 and
 this ,satan doth two  ways4 7#a47 ,by  
disturbing our thoughts1 which should be

 attentive and  fixed upon the service  
in hand4 7#b47 ,by vitiating the duty   
itself4    #a4 ,first1 ,by distracting  
or disturbing our thoughts4 ,this is a  
usual  policy of ,satan4 ,those fowls   
which came down upon ,abraham's         
sacrifice  are supposed by learned      
expositors to signify those means and   
ways by  which the devil doth disorder  
and trouble our thoughts in religious   
services1 ,gen4 xv4 #ab4 ,and ,christ   
himself compares the devil stealing  our
 thoughts from duty1 to the #8fowls of  
the air1' that gather up  the seed as   
soon as it is sown1 ,mat4 xiii4 #d4     
,there are many reasons  that may       
persuade us that this is one of his     
masterpieces of policy4  ,as 7l47 in    
that the business of distraction is oft 
easily done4 ,our  thoughts do not      
naturally delight in spiritual things1  
because of their  depravement2 neither  
can they easily brook to be pent in or  
confined  so strictly as the nature of  
such employments doth require2 so that  

there is a kind of preternatural force  
upon our thoughts1 when they  are       
religiously employed2 which as it is in 
itself laborious1 like  the stopping of 
a stream1 or driving ,jordan back1 so   
upon the least  relaxing of the spring1 
that must bend our thoughts heavenward1 
they  incline to their natural bend and 
current2 as a stone rolled up a hill1   
hath a renitentia1 a striving against   
the hand that forceth it1 and  when that
 force slackens it goes downward4 ,how  
easily then is it for  ,satan to set our
 thoughts off our work6 ,if we slacken  
our care never so  little1 they recoil  
and tend to their old bias2 and how easy
 is it for  him to take off our hand1   
when it is so much in his power to      
inject  thoughts and motions into our   
hearts1 or to present objects to our    
eyes1 or sounds to our ears1 which by a 
natural force raiseth up our            
apprehension to act1 for in such cases  
non possumus non cogitare2 we  cannot   
restrain the act of thinking1 and not   

without great heedfulness  can we       
restrain the pursuit of those thinkings 
and imaginations4  7#b47 ,satan can also
 do it insensibly4 ,our distractions or 
rovings of  thoughts creep and steal    
upon us silently1 we no more know of it 
when  they begin than when we begin to  
sleep1 or when we begin to wander in  a 
journey1 where oft we do not take       
ourselves to be out of the way1  till we
 come to some remarkable turning4 7#c47 
,and when he prevails to  divide our    
thoughts from our duty1 he always makes 
great advantage1 for  thus he hinders at
 least the comfort and profit of        
ordinances4 ,while  we are busied to    
look to our hearts1 much of the duty    
goeth by1 and we  are but as those that 
in public assemblies are employed to see
 to the  order and silence of others1   
who can be scarce at leisure to attend  
for  their own advantage4 ,besides1 much
 of the sweetness of ordinances are     
abated by the very trouble of our       
attendance4 ,when we are put to it1  as 

,abraham was1 to be still driving away  
those fowls that come down  upon our    
sacrifice1 the very toil will eat out   
and eclipse much of the  comfort4 ,thus 
also he at least provides matter to     
object against the  sincerity of the    
servants of ,god2 and will assuredly    
find a time to  set it home upon them to
 the purpose1 that their hearts were    
wandering  in their services4 ,thus he  
further gets advantage for a temptation 
to  leave off their duty1 and will not  
cease to improve such distractions  as  
we have heard to an utter overthrow of  
their services4 ,nay1 if he  prevail to 
give us such distractions as wholly     
takes away our minds and  serious       
attentions from the service1 then is the
 service become nothing  worth1 though  
the outward circumstances of attendance 
be never so exact  and saint-like4 ,who 
could appear in a more religious dress  
than those  in ,ezek4 xxxiii4 #ca1 who  
came and sat1 and were pleased with     
divine  services1 as to all outward     

discovery1 as ,god's people2 yet was all
  spoiled with this1 that their hearts  
were after their covetousness8    ,now  
this distraction ,satan can work two    
ways4    7#a47 ,first1 ,by outward      
disturbances4 ,he can present objects to
 the  eyes on purpose to entice our     
thoughts after them4 ,the closing of    
the eyes in prayer is used by some of   
the servants of ,god to prevent         
,satan's temptations this way4 ,and we  
find1 in the story of ,mr ,rothwel1     
that the devil took notice of this in   
him1 that he #8shut his eyes to  avoid  
distraction in prayer2'#bji which       
implies a concession in the  devil1 that
 by outward objects he useth to         
endeavour our distraction  in services4 
,the like he doth by noises and sounds4 
,neither can we  discover how much of   
these disturbances1 by coughings1       
hemmings1  tramplings1 c41 which we hear
 in greater assemblies1 are from ,satan1
  by stirring up others to such noises4 
,we are sure the damsel that had  an    

unclean spirit1 ,acts xvi41 that grieved
 and troubled ,paul1 going  about these 
duties with her clamours1 was set on by 
that spirit within  her1 to distract and
 call off their thoughts from the       
services which  they were about to      
undertake4 ,besides the common ways of  
giving trouble  to the servants of ,god 
in outward disturbances1 he sometimes1  
though  rarely1 doth it in an           
extraordinary manner2 thus he           
endeavoured to  hinder ,mr ,rothwel from
 praying for a possessed person1 by rage
 and  blaspheming4 ,the like hindrance  
we read he gave ,luther and others2 and 
truly so strict an attendance in the    
exercise of our minds1 spiritual  senses
 and graces1 is required in matters of  
worship1 and so weak are  our hearts in 
making a resistance or beating off these
 assaults1 that a  very small matter    
will discompose us1 and a smaller       
discomposure will  prejudice and blemish
 the duty4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he      
distracts or disturbs us also by inward 

workings1  and injections of motions1   
and representations of things to our    
minds3  and as this is his most general 
and usual way1 so doth he make use of   
greater variety of contrivance and art  
in it4 ,as1    #a4 ,first1 ,by the      
troublesome impetuousness and violence  
of his  injections1 they come upon us as
 thick as hail4 ,no sooner do we put by 
one motion but another is in upon us4   
,he hath his quiver full of these       
arrows1 and our hearts1 under any       
service1 swarm with them2 we are        
incessantly infested by them and have no
 rest4 ,at other times1 when we  are    
upon worldly business1 we may observe a 
great ease and freedom in  our thoughts2
 neither doth he so much press upon us2 
but in these ,satan  is continually     
knocking at our door1 and calling to us1
 so that it is a  great hazard that some
 or other of these injections may stick 
upon our  thoughts1 and lead us out of  
the way2 or if they do not1 yet it is a 
great molestation or toil to us4    #b4 

,secondly1 ,he can so order his dealings
 with us1 that he provokes  us sometimes
 to follow him out of the camp1 and     
seeks to ensnare us by  improving our   
own spiritual resolution and hatred     
against him2 even as  courage1 whetted  
on and enraged1 makes a man venture some
 beyond the  due bounds of prudence or  
safety4 ,to this end he sometimes casts 
into  our thoughts hideous1 blasphemous1
 and atheistical suggestions1 which  do 
not only amaze us1 but oftentimes engage
 us to dispute against them1  which at  
such time is all he seeks for2 for      
whereas in such cases we  should send   
away such thoughts with a short answer1 
#8,get thee behind  me1 ,satan1' we by  
taking up the buckler and sword against 
them are  drawn off from minding our    
present duty4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,he doth 
sometimes seek to allure and draw our   
thoughts  to the object by representing 
what is pleasant and taking4 7#a47 ,he  
will adventure to suggest good things   
impertinently and unseasonably1  as when

 he puts us upon praying while we should
 be hearing2 or while  we are praying1  
he puts into our hearts things that we  
have heard in  preaching4 ,these things1
 because good in themselves1 we are not 
so  apt to startle at1 but give them a  
more quick welcome4 7#b47 ,he also  can 
allure our thoughts by the strangeness  
of the things suggested4  ,sometimes we 
shall have hints of things which we knew
 not before1 or  some fine and excellent
 notions1 so that we can scarce forbear 
turning  aside after them to gaze at    
them2 and yet when all is done1 except  
we  wholly neglect the duty for them1   
they will so vanish1 that we can  scarce
 remember them when the duty is over4   
7#c47 ,sometimes he suits  our desires  
and inclinations with the remembrances  
of things that are  at other times much 
in our love and affection2 and with     
these we are  apt to comply1 the        
pleasure of them making us forget our   
present duty4  ,thoughts of estates1    
honours1 relations1 delights1           

recreations1 or  whatever else we are   
set upon at other times1 will more      
easily prevail  for audience now4    #d4
 ,fourthly1 ,he hath a way to betray and
 circumvent us by  heightening our own  
jealousies and fears against him2 and   
here he  outshoots us in our own bow1   
and by a kind of overdoing makes us undo
  our desired work4 ,for where he       
observes us fearful and watchful against
  wandering1 he doth alarm us the more3 
so that 7#a47 instead of looking  to the
 present part of duty1 we reflect upon  
what is past1 and make  inquiries       
whether we performed that aright1 or    
whether we did not  wander from the     
beginning4 ,thus our suspicions that we 
have miscarried  bring us into a        
miscarriage3 by this are we deceived1   
and put off from  minding what we are   
doing at present4 ,or 7#b47 an eager    
desire to fix  our thoughts on our      
present service doth amaze and astonish 
us into  a stupid inactivity1 or into a 
saying or doing we know not what2 as    

ordinarily it happens to persons1 that  
out of a great fearfulness to  offend in
 the presence of some great personages1 
become unable to  do anything right1 or 
to behave themselves tolerably well2 or 
as an  oversteady and earnest fixing the
 eye weakens the sight1 and renders  the
 object less truly discernible to us4   
#e4 ,fifthly1 ,sometimes the exercise of
 fancy acting or working  according to  
some mistake which we have entertained  
as to the manner of  performance1 doth  
so hold our thoughts doing1 that we     
embrace a cloud  or shadow when we      
should have looked after the substance4 
,i will give  an instance of this in    
reference to prayer1 which1 ,i have     
observed1  hath been a snare and mistake
 to some1 and that is this3 because in  
that duty the ,scripture directs us to  
go to ,god1 and to set him before  us1  
therefore have they thought it necessary
 to frame an idea of ,god  in their     
thoughts1 as of a person present to whom
 they speak4 ,hence  their thoughts are 

busied to conceive such a               
representation2 and when  the shadow of 
imagination vanisheth1 their thoughts   
are again busied to  inquire whether    
their hearts are upon ,god4 ,thus by    
playing with fancy1  they are really    
less attentive upon their duty4    #f4  
,sixthly1 ,satan can lay impressions of 
distraction upon men  before they come  
to religious services1 which shall then 
work and  shew their power to disturb   
and divide our hearts1 which is by a    
strong prepossession of the heart with  
anything that we fear1 or hope1  or     
desire1 or doth any way trouble us4     
,these will stick to us1 and  keep us   
company in our duties1 though we strive 
to keep them back4  ,and this was the   
ground of the apostle's advice to the   
unmarried  persons1 to continue in      
single life1--times of persecution and  
distress  nearly approaching1--that they
 might #8attend upon the ,lord without  
distraction1' #a ,cor4 vii4 #cg2        
implying that the thoughtfulness and    

more  than ordinary carefulness which   
would seize upon the minds of persons   
under such straits and hazards1 would   
unavoidably follow them in their        
duties1 and so distract them4    #b4    
,secondly1 ,the other way1 besides this 
of distraction1 by which ,satan  spoils 
our duties in the act of performance1 is
 by vitiating duty  itself2 and this he 
commonly doth three ways4    7#a47      
,first1 ,when he puts men upon greater  
care for the outward garb  and dress of 
a service than for the inward work of   
it4 ,he endeavours  to make some        
devotionaries deal with their duties1 as
 the pharisees did  with their cups1    
washing and adorning the outside1 while 
the inside is  altogether neglected4    
,thus the papists generally are for the 
outward  pomp and beauty of services1   
being only careful that all things      
should  have their external bravery1 as 
the tombs of the prophets were painted  
and beautified1 which yet were full of  
rottenness4 ,and the generality  of     

,christians are more taken up with this 
than with the service of the  heart4    
,paul was so sensible of this snare in  
the work of preaching1  where ordinarily
 men cared for #8excellency of speech or
 wisdom1' #a ,cor4  ii4 #b1 that he     
determines another course of preaching2 
not notions1 or  rhetoric1 and enticing 
words1 but the doctrine of ,christ      
crucified in  sincerity and plainness1  
#a ,cor4 ii4 #b4 ,it is not indeed the  
outward  cost and fineness of ordinances
 that ,god regards4 #8,incense from     
,sheba1  and the sweet cane from a far  
country1' ,jer4 vi4 #bj1 are not to any 
purpose where the heart doth not most   
design a spiritual service2 for  these  
are rather a satisfaction to the humours
 of men than to please  ,god3 an        
offering to themselves rather than to   
him4 ,and therefore is  it1 that what   
,jeremiah confessed they did1 7chap4 vi4
 #bj17 in buying  incense and the sweet 
cane1 ,isaiah 7chap1 xliii4 #bd7 seems  
to deny1  #8,thou hast bought me no     

sweet cane with money'--that is1 though 
thou  didst it1 yet it was to thyself1  
rather than to me3 ,i accepted it not1  
and so was it all one as if thou hadst  
not done it4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,duties
 and services are more apparently       
vitiated  by human additions2 a thing   
expressly contrary to the second        
commandment1 and yet is there a strange 
boldness in men this way1 which         
sometimes riseth to such a height1 that 
the plain and clear commands  of ,god   
are violated under the specious pretence
 of decency1 order1 and  humility2 and  
nothing doth more take them than what   
they devise and  find out4 ,satan knows 
how displeasing this is to ,god1 and how
 great  an inclination there is in men  
to be forward in their inventions and   
self-devised worship1 that he can easily
 prevail with the incautious4  ,this was
 the great miscarriage of the ,jewish   
nation all along the  ,old ,testament2  
and of the pharisees1 who1 though they  
declined the  idolatries of their       

fathers1 yet were so fond upon their    
traditions1  that they made their       
worship vain1 as ,christ tells them4    
,and this  humour also in ,paul's time  
was insinuating itself into ,christians1
  managed by a great deal of deceit     
,col4 ii4 #h and #8show of wisdom1'     
ver4 #bc1 which accordingly he doth     
earnestly forewarn them of4 ,there  are 
indeed several degrees of corrupting a  
service or ordinance by  human          
additions1 according to which it is more
 or less defiled3 yet the  least        
presumption this way is an offence and  
provocation4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,duties 
are vitiated in their excess4 ,natural  
worship1  which consists in fear1 love1 
faith1 humility1 c41 can never be too   
much1 but instituted worship may4 ,men  
may preach too much1 and pray  too      
long--a fault noticed by ,christ in the 
pharisees2 they made #8long             
prayers'--,even in duties1 a man may be 
righteous overmuch4 ,timothy was  so in 
his great pains and over-abstemious     

life1 to the wasting of his             
strength--which the apostle takes notice
 of1 and adviseth against it1  #8,drink 
no longer water1' c41 #a ,tim4 v4 #bc4  
,the ,corinthians were so1  when out of 
a high detestation of the miscarriage of
 the incestuous  person1 they were      
backward to forgive him1 and to receive 
him into the  church again4 ,peter is   
another instance to us of excess1 ,john 
xiii4 #h4  ,first1 in a modest humility1
 he refuseth to let ,christ #8wash his  
feet2'  but after understanding the     
meaning of it1 then he runs to the other
  extreme1 and offers not #8only his    
feet1 but his hands and his head4'      
,when the servants of ,god are conscious
 of defects in their services1  as if   
they would make amends for these by the 
length and continuance  of their        
services1 they are easily drawn into an 
excess every way  disadvantageous to    
themselves and the service4    ,,iii4   
,thirdly1 ,when ,satan's designs do not 
take to spoil the duties1  either by the

 manner of the attempt or in the act1 he
 then seeks  to play an after-game1 and 
endeavours to spoil them by some        
after-miscarriage of ours in reference  
to these services4 ,as1    7#a47 ,first1
 ,when he makes us proud of them4 ,we   
can scarce perform any  service with a  
tolerable suitableness1 but ,satan is at
 hand to instil  thoughts of applause1  
vainglory1 and boasting3 and we readily 
begin to  think highly of ourselves and 
performances2 as if we were better than 
others1 whom we are apt to censure as   
low and weak in comparison of           
ourselves4 ,though this be an apparent  
deceit1 yet it is a wonder how  much the
 minds1 even of the best1 are apt to be 
tainted with it2 even  where there are  
considerable endeavours for humility and
 self-denial1  these thoughts are apt to
 get too much entertainment4 ,now though
 we  run well1 and attain some          
comfortable strength and watchfulness in
  the services of ,god2 yet if they be  
afterward fly-blown with pride1  or if  

we think to embalm them with praises1 or
 reserve them as matter  of ostentation2
 though they be angels' food1 yet1 like 
the manna of  the ,israelites when kept 
too long1 they will putrify and breed   
worms1  and so be good for nothing1     
after that we have been at the pains of 
gathering it4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,when 
well-performed services are perverted to
  security1 then are they also spoiled4 
,we are ready to say of them1  as the   
rich man of his abundance1 #8,soul1 take
 thine ease3 thou hast  much laid up for
 many years1' ,luke xii4 #ai4 ,satan is 
willing1 for  a further advantage1 that 
we think ourselves secure from him2 and 
as  after a full meal we are apt to grow
 drowsy1 so after services we are  apt  
to think ourselves out of harm's way4   
,the church after a high feast  with    
,christ1 presently falls asleep1 and    
highly miscarries in security  and      
neglect1 ,cant4 v4 #b4 ,by this means do
 the best of saints sometimes  lose the 
things they have wrought1 and throw down

 what they formerly  built up4          
,,note4     ,agreeably to ,note at the  
beginning1 there will be found below the
 more   specific title page of ,part    
,,ii4--,g4    ,d,,monologia ,,sacra3    
,,or1 ,a    ,,treatise    ,,of          
,satans ,temptations3    ,the ,second   
,part4    ,,containing    ,the manifold 
,subtilties and ,stratagems of ,satan1  
for the corrupting of  the minds of ,men
 with ,error2 and for the destruction of
 the ,peace and  ,comfort of the        
,children of ,god4    ,by ,r4 ,g4       
,london1 ,printed by ,j4 ,d4 for        
,richard ,randel1 and ,peter            
,maplisden1 ,booksellers in ,new-,castle
 upon ,tine1 #afgg4          ,,part     
,,ii4          ,,chapter ,i4     ,that  
it is ,satan's grand design to corrupt  
the minds of men with   error--,the     
evidences that it is so--,and the       
reasons of his endeavours   that way4   
,next to ,satan's deceits in tempting to
 sin and against duty1 his  design of   
corrupting the minds of men by error    

calls for our search2  and indeed this  
is one of his principal endeavours1     
which takes up a  considerable part of  
his time and diligence4 ,he is not only 
called in  ,scripture an #8unclean      
spirit1' but also a #8lying spirit1' #a 
,kings  xxii4 #bb1 and there are none of
 these cursed qualifications that  lie  
idle in him4 ,as by his uncleanness we  
may easily conjecture his  attempts upon
 the will and affections to defile them 
by lust2 so by  his lying we may        
conclude that he will certainly strive  
to blind the  understanding by error4   
,but a clear discovery of this we may   
have from  these considerations3--      
,i4 #a4 ,first1 ,from ,god's interest in
 truth1 in reference to his great       
designs of holiness and mercy in the    
world4 ,truth is a ray and beam  of him 
who is the ,father of lights4#baj ,all  
revealed truths are but  copies and     
transcripts of that essential1          
archetypal truth4 ,truth is  the rod of 
his strength1 ,ps4 cx4 #b1 the sceptre  

of his kingdom1 by  which he doth subdue
 the hearts of men to his obedience and 
service in  conversion4 ,truth is that  
rock upon which he hath built his       
church1  the foundations are the        
prophets and apostles1 ,eph4 ii4        
#bj--that is1  the doctrine of the      
prophets and apostles1 in the           
,scriptures of the  ,old and ,new       
,testament4 ,truth is that great        
depositum committed to  the care of his 
church1 which is therefore called the   
pillar of truth1  #a ,tim4 iii4 #ae2    
because as princes or rulers put their  
proclamations  on pillars for the better
 information of their subjects1 so doth 
his  church hold out truth to the world4
 ,holiness is maintained by truth1  our 
ways are directed by it1 and by it are  
we forewarned of ,satan's  devices1     
,john xvii4 #ag4 ,now the prince of     
darkness carrying himself in  as full an
 opposition to the ,god of truth as he  
can in all his ways1  ,god's interest in
 truth will sufficiently discover the   

devil's design  to promote error2 for   
such is his hatred of ,god1 that1 though
 he cannot  destroy truth1 no more than 
he can tear the sun out of the          
firmament1  yet he will endeavour by    
corrupting the copy to disgrace the     
original4  ,though he cannot break      
,christ's sceptre1 yet by raising error 
he would  hinder the increase of his    
subjects2 though he cannot remove the   
rock  upon which the church is built1 he
 will endeavour to shake it1 or  to     
interrupt the building1 and to tear down
 ,god's proclamation from  the pillar on
 which he hath set it to be read of all2
 and if we can  conceive what a hatred  
the thief hath to the light1 as it      
contradicts  and hinders his designs1 we
 may imagine there is nothing against   
which  the devil will use greater       
contrivances than against the light of  
truth4 ,he neither can nor will make a  
league with any1 but upon the  terms    
that ,nahash propounded to the men of   
,jabesh-,gilead--that is1 that  he may  

#8put out their right eye1' and so #8lay
 it for a reproach upon  the ,israel of 
,god1' #a ,sam4 xi4 #c4 ,it is the work 
of the ,holy ,spirit #8to  lead us into 
truth1' and by the rule of contraries it
 is the devil's  work to lead into      
error4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,though the    
,scripture doth charge the sin and      
danger of  delusion and error upon those
 men that promote it to the deception of
  themselves and others1 yet doth it    
chiefly blame ,satan for the great      
contriver of it1 and expressly affirms  
him to be the grand deceiver4           
,instruments and engineers he must make 
use of to do him service in that  work1 
but still it is the devil that is a     
lying spirit in their mouths2  it is he 
that teacheth and prompts them1 and     
therefore may they be  called1 as       
,elymas was by ,paul1 the children of   
the devil1 ,acts xiii4  #aj1 or1 as     
,cerinthus of old1 the first-born of    
,satan1    4    ,the church of ,corinth1
 among other distempers1 laboured under 

dangerous errors1 against which when the
 apostle doth industriously  set        
himself1 he doth chiefly take notice1   
7#a47 ,of the false teachers1  who had  
cunningly wrought them up to an aptitude
 of declining from  the #8simplicity of 
the gospel4' ,these he calls false      
apostles1 as  having no commission from 
,god1 and ,satan's ministers1 #b ,cor4  
xi4 #ac1  #ae2 thereby informing us who 
it is that sends them out and employs   
them upon this errand4 7#b47 ,he        
especially accuseth ,satan as the great 
contriver of all this evil4 ,if any shut
 their eyes against the light1  he gives
 this for the principal cause1 that     
#8the god of the world  blinded their   
minds1' #b ,cor4 iv4 #d4 ,if any        
stumbled at the simplicity  of the      
gospel1 he presently blames the         
#8subtlety of the old serpent'  for it1 
#b ,cor4 xi4 #c4 ,when false doctrine   
was directly taught1 and  varnished over
 with the glorious pretexts of truth1   
still he chargeth  ,satan with it1 ver4 

#ad1 #8,no marvel1 for ,satan himself is
 transformed  into an angel of light2'  
where he doth not only give a reason of 
the  corrupting or the adulterating the 
word of ,god by false apostles1 as      
vintners do their wines by mixtures2 a  
metaphor which he makes use  of1 chap4  
ii4 #ag1 2 that they learned it of      
,satan1 #8who  abode not in the truth1  
but was a liar from the beginning2' but 
also1  he further points at ,satan1 to  
furnish us with a true account of the   
ground of that cunning craft which these
 deceitful workers used1  while they    
metamorphosed themselves1 by an         
imitation of the way and  manner1 zeal  
and diligence of the apostles of        
,christ1 they were taught  by one who   
had exactly learned the art of          
imitation1 and who could1  to all       
appearance1 act to the life the part of 
an angel of light4 ,and  to take away   
all objection or wonder1 that so many   
with such seeming  earnestness and zeal 
should give up themselves to deceive by 

false  doctrine1 he tells us that this  
hath been the devil's work from the     
first beguiling of ,eve1 ver4 #c1 and   
that as he then made use of a  serpent  
for his instrument1 so ever since in all
 ages he hath made so  often and so much
 use of men as his emissaries1 that it  
should now  neither seem a marvel1 nor a
 great matter to see the devil at this  
work  by his agents1  1  1 ver4 #ad1    
#ae4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,that this is     
,satan's great design1 may be further   
cleared  from the constant course of his
 endeavours4 ,the parable of the tares1 
,mat4 xiii4 #be1 shews that ,satan is as
 busy in sowing tares1 as the  master of
 the field is in sowing wheat4 ,that by 
tares1 not errors in  the abstract1 but 
men are to be understood1 is evident    
from the parable  itself2 but that which
 makes men to be tares is sin and error2
 so  that1 in a complex sense1 we are   
taught how diligent the devil1 who is   
expressly signified by the enemy1 ver4  
#ci1 is in that employment3 much  of his

 time hath been taken up that way4      
#8,there were false prophets1'  saith   
,peter1 #b ,epist4 ii4 #a1 #8and there  
shall be false teachers2 that  is1 so it
 was of old1 and so it will be to the   
end4 ,the shortest  abstract of ,satan's
 acts in this matter would be long and  
tedious2  judge of the rest by a few    
instances4    ,in the apostles' times   
how quickly had the devil broached false
  doctrine4 ,that it was necessary to be
 circumcised1 was early taught1  ,acts  
xv4 #a4 ,in ,col4 ii4 #h1 the vain      
deceit of philosophy1 traditions1  and  
the elements of the world1 which were   
the body of ,mosaical  ceremonies1 are  
mentioned as dangerous intrusions2 and  
in ver4 #ah1 the  worshipping of angels1
 as it seems1 was pleaded for1 with no  
small  hazard to the church4 ,the denial
 of the resurrection is expressly       
charged upon some of the ,corinthian    
church1 #a ,cor4 xv4 #ab2 and that      
#8the resurrection is past already1' #b 
,tim4 ii4 #ah1 is affirmed to have  been

 the doctrine of ,hymeneus1 ,philetus1  
and others4 ,but these are              
comparatively little to that gross error
 of denying ,christ1 ,jude #d1 or       
#8that ,jesus is the ,christ1' #a ,john 
ii4 #bb1 or #8,jesus ,christ is come in 
the flesh1' #a ,john iv4 #c1 which are  
branded for antichristian errors1  and  
were boldly asserted by many false      
prophets that were then #8gone  out into
 the world2' and to such a height came  
they at last1 that they  taught the     
lawfulness of #8committing fornication1 
and to eat things  offered to idols1'   
,rev4 ii4 #bj4 ,all these falsehoods    
took the boldness  to appear before all 
the apostles were laid in their graves3 
and if we  will believe what ,austin    
tells us ,de ,heres4 from ,epiphanius   
and  ,eusebius1 there were no less than 
ten sorts of heretical ,antichrists  in 
the apostle ,john's days1 the           
,simonians1 ,menandrians1 ,saturnalians1
  c4 ,this was an incredible increase of
 false doctrine in so short a  time1 and

 in the times and preachings of the     
apostles themselves1  whose power and   
authority1 one would think1 might have  
made ,satan  #8fall before them as      
lightning4' ,what progress1 then1 in    
this work  of delusion might be expected
 when they were all removed out of the  
world6 ,they left1 indeed1 behind them  
sad predictions of the power  of        
delusion in after times3 #8,of          
yourselves shall men arise1 speaking    
perverse things4' #8,after my departing 
shall grievous wolves enter1#8  c41     
,acts xx4 #cj4 #8,the ,spirit speaketh  
expressly1 that in the latter  times    
some shall depart from the faith1' #a   
,tim4 iv4 #a2 and ,paul1 #b  ,thes4 ii4 
#c1 prophesies of a general apostasy1   
upon the revealing of  #8the man of     
sin1' and the #8mystery of iniquity1'   
and that these should  be #8perilous    
times1' #b ,tim4 iii4 #a4 ,to the same  
purpose1 ,john mentions  the coming of  
the great ,antichrist as a thing        
generally known and  believed1 #a ,john 

ii4 #ah4 ,but before all these1 ,christ 
also had fully  forewarned his servants 
of false ,christs1 the power and danger 
of their  delusion1 and of the sad      
revolt from the faith which should be   
before  his second coming1 ,mat4 xxiv4  
#bd4 ,and as we have heard1 so have we  
seen2 all ages since the apostles can   
witness that ,satan hath answered  the  
prophecies that were concerning him4    
,what a strange increase of  errors hath
 been in the world since that time6     
,irenus and ,tertullian  made catalogues
 long since2 after them ,epiphanius and 
,eusebius reckoned  about eighty        
heresies2 ,austin1 after them1 brings   
the number to  eighty-eight4 ,now though
 there be just exceptions against the   
largeness  of their catalogues1 and that
 it is believed by many that there are  
several branded in their rolls for      
heretics that merely suffer upon the    
account of their name and nation1 for   
,barbarism1 ,scythism1 ,hellenism  are  
mustered in the front2 and others also  

stand there for very small  matters1 as 
the quarto-decimani1 c41 and that some  
ought altogether  to be crossed out of  
their books2 yet still it will appear   
that the  number of errors is great1 and
 that all those hard names have this    
general signification1 that the devil   
hath made a great stir in the  world by 
error and opinion4 ,aftertimes might    
also be summoned in to  speak their     
evidence1 and our own knowledge and     
experience might1  without any other    
help1 sufficiently instruct us1 if it   
were needful1  of the truth of this1    
that error is one of ,satan's great     
designs4    ,,ii4 ,secondly1 ,let us    
next look into the reasons which do so  
strongly  engage ,satan to these        
endeavours of raising up errors4 ,if we 
set these  before us1 it will not only  
confirm us in our belief that this is   
one  of his main employments--for if    
error yield him so many advantages for  
the ruin of men and the dishonour of    
,god1 there can be no doubt of his      

readiness to promote it4 ,this also may 
be of use to put us in mind who  it is  
that is at work behind the curtain1 when
 we see such things acted  upon the     
stage1 and consequently may beget a     
cautious suspicion in our  minds against
 his proceedings4 ,the reasons are such 
as these3--    #a4 ,first1 ,error is    
sinful1 so that if ,satan should be     
hindered in  his endeavours for any     
further mischief than the corrupting of 
any  particular person1 yet he will     
reckon that he hath not altogether lost 
his labour4 ,some errors1 that overturn 
fundamentals of faith1 are as  deadly   
poison1 and called expressly #8damnable'
 by the apostle1 #b ,pet4  ii4 #a4      
,these heresies are by ,paul1 ,gal4 v4  
#bj1 recounted among #8the  works of the
 flesh1' of which he positively affirms1
 that #8they that  do such things cannot
 inherit the kingdom of ,god4' ,those   
that are of  a lower nature1 that do not
 so extremely hazard the soul1 can only 
be capable of this apology1 that they   

are less evil2 yet as they  are         
oppositions to truth1 propounded in     
,scripture for our belief and           
direction1 they cease not to be sins1   
though they may be greater or  less     
evils1 according to the importance of   
those truths which they  deny1 or the   
consequences that attend them2 and if we
 go yet a step  lower1 to the           
consideration of those rash and bold    
assertions about  things not clearly    
revealed1 though they may possibly be   
true1 yet the  positiveness of          
avouchments and determinations in such  
cases1 where  we want sufficient reason 
to support what we affirm--as that of   
the  pseudo-,dionysius for the hierarchy
 of angels1 and some adventurous        
assertions concerning ,god's secret     
decrees1 and many other things  of like 
nature--are by the apostle1 ,col4 ii4   
#ah1 most severely taxed  for an        
unwarrantable and unjust presumption1 in
 setting our foot  upon ,god's right2 as
 if such men would by violence thrust   

themselves  into that which ,god hath   
reserved for himself--for so much the   
word  intruding----imports4 ,the cause  
of this he tells us is the  arrogancy of
 corrupt reason1 the fleshly            
mind--suitable to that  expression1     
,mat4 xvi4 #ag1 #8,flesh and blood hath 
not revealed it4' ,the  bottom of it is 
pride1 which swells men to this height2 
and the fruit1  after all these swelling
 attempts1 is no other than as the      
apples of  ,sodom1 dust and vanity1     
#8intruding into those things which he  
hath not  seen1 vainly puffed up by his 
fleshly mind4' ,if then ,satan do but   
gain  this1 that by error1 though not   
diffused further than the breast of  the
 infected party1 truth is denied1 or    
that the heart be swelled into  pride   
and arrogancy1 or that he hath hope so  
to prevail1 it is enough  to encourage  
his attempts4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,but    
error is a sin of an increasing nature1 
and usually  stops not at one or two    
falsehoods1 but is apt to spawn into    

many  others--as some of the most       
noxious creatures have the most numerous
  broods2 for one error hath this       
mischievous danger in it1 that it       
taints the mind to an instability in    
every truth2 and the bond of            
steadfastness being once broken1 a man  
hath no certainty where he  shall stay3 
as a wanton horse1 once turned loose1   
may wander far4 ,this  hazard is made a 
serious warning against error3 #b ,pet4 
iii4 #ag1 #8,beware  lest ye1 being led 
away with the error of the wicked1 fall 
from your  own steadfastness4' ,one     
error admitted1 makes the heart         
unsteady2  and besides this             
inconvenience1 error doth unavoidably   
branch itself  naturally into many more1
 as inferences and conclusions resulting
 from  it1 as circles in water multiply 
themselves4 ,grant but one absurdity1   
and many will follow upon it1 so that it
 is a miracle to find a single          
error4#baa ,these locusts go forth by   
bands1 as the experience of all  ages   

doth testify1 and besides the immediate 
consequences of an error1  which receive
 life and being together with itself1 as
 twins of the same  birth1 we may       
observe a tendency in errors1 to others 
that are more  remote1 and by the long  
stretch of multiplied inferences1 those 
things  are coupled together that are   
not very contiguous4 ,if the            
,lutherans--it  is#bab ,dr ,prideaux his
 observation--admit universal grace1 the
  ,huberians introduce universal        
election1 the ,puccians natural faith1  
the  ,naturalists explode ,christ and   
,scriptures at last as unnecessary4     
,this  is then a fair mark for the devil
 to aim at2 if he prevails for one      
error1 it is a hundred to one but he    
prevails for more4    #c4 ,thirdly1     
,satan hath yet a further reach in      
promoting error1 he knows  it is a      
plague that usually infects all round   
about2 and therefore  doth he the rather
 labour in this work1 because he hopes  
thereby to  corrupt others1 and infected

 persons are commonly the most busy     
agents1  even to the #8compassing of sea
 and land to gain proselytes' to their  
false persuasions4 ,this harvest of     
,satan's labour is often noted in       
,scripture4 #8,they shall deceive many1'
 ,mat4 xxiv4 #bd2 #8,many shall follow  
their pernicious ways1' #b ,pet4 ii4 #b4
 ,how quickly had this leaven  spread   
itself in the church of ,galatia1 even  
to ,paul's wonder6 ,gal4 i4  #f1 #8,i   
marvel that you are so soon removed from
 him that called you into  the grace of 
,christ unto another gospel4' ,instances
 of the spreading of  error are         
frequent4 ,pelagianism rose about the   
year #dae1 but presently  spread itself 
in ,palestine1 ,africa1 ,greece1 ,italy1
 ,sicily1 ,france1 and  ,britain4       
,arianism1 like fire in straw1 in a     
little time brought its  flame over the 
,christian world1 and left her wondering
 at herself that  she was so suddenly   
become ,arian4 ,socinianism had the like
 prevalency2  ,llius privately had sowed

 the seeds1 and after his death1        
,faustus  ,socinus1 his nephew1 did so  
bestir himself1 that within ten years   
after  his confident appearing1 whole   
congregations in ,sarmatia submitted    
themselves to his dictates1 as ,calovius
 affirms1#bac and within twenty  or     
thirty years more several hundreds of   
churches in ,transylvania were          
infected1 and within a few years more   
the whole synod was brought  over to    
subscribe to ,socinianism4 ,we have also
 instances nearer home4  ,after the     
,reformation1 in the reign of ,edward   
,,vi41 how soon did popery  return in   
its full strength when ,queen ,mary came
 to the crown6 which  occasioned ,peter 
,martyr1 when he saw young students     
flocking to mass1  to say1 #8that the   
tolling of the bell overturned all his  
doctrine at  ,oxford1' ,hc una notula   
omnem meam doctrinam evertit4 ,and of   
late we  have had the sad experience of 
the power of error to infect4 ,no error 
so absurd1 ridiculous1 or blasphemous1  

but1 once broached1 it presently  gained
 considerable numbers to entertain it4  
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,error is also eminently 
serviceable to ,satan for the  bringing 
in divisions1 schisms1 rents1 hatreds1  
heart-burnings1  animosities1 revilings1
 contentions1 tumults1 wars1 and        
whatsoever  bitter fruits1 breach of    
love1 and the malignity of hatred can   
possibly produce4 ,enough of this might 
be seen in the church of  ,corinth4 ,the
 divisions that were amongst themselves 
were occasioned  by it1 and a great     
number of evils the apostle suspected to
 have been  already produced from       
thence1 as debates1 envyings1 wraths1   
strifes1  backbitings1 whisperings1     
swellings1 tumults1 #b ,cor4 xii4 #bj4  
,he  himself escaped not from being     
evilly entreated by those among them    
that were turned from the simplicity of 
the gospel4 ,the quarrelsome  exceptions
 that they had raised against him he    
takes notice of4 ,they  charged him with
 levity1 in neglecting his promise to   

come to them1  #b ,cor4 i4 #ag4 ,they   
called him carnal1 one that walked      
according to  the flesh1 chap4 x4 #b3   
they taunted him as a contemptible      
fellow1  ver4 #aj4 ,they undervalued his
 ministry1 which occasioned1 not without
  great apology1 a commendation of      
himself2 nay1 they seemed to call him  a
 false apostle1 and were so bold as to  
challenge him for a proof of  ,christ   
speaking in him1 #b ,cor4 xiii4 #c4     
,if the devil had so much advantage from
 error that was but in the  bud1 and    
that in one church only1 what may we    
imagine hath he done by  it1 when it    
broke out to an open flame in several   
churches6 ,what work  do we see in      
families when an error creeps in among  
them6 ,the father  riseth up against the
 son1 the son against the father1 the   
mother  against the daughter1 the       
daughter against the mother4 ,what sad  
divided  congregations have we seen6    
what fierceness1 prejudices1 slanders1  
evil surmises1 censurings1 and divisions

 hath this brought forth6 what  bandying
 of parties against parties1 church     
against church1 hath been  produced by  
this engine6 ,how sadly hath this poor  
island felt the smart  of it6 ,the      
bitter contests that have been betwixt  
presbyterian and  independent1 betwixt  
them and the episcopal1 makes them look 
more like  factious combinations1 than  
churches of ,christ4 ,the present       
differences  betwixt conformists and    
nonconformists1 if we take them where   
they  are lowest1 they do daily produce 
such effects as must needs be very      
pleasing and grateful to the devil1 both
 parties mutually objecting  schism1 and
 charging each other with crime and     
folly4 ,what invectives  and railings   
may be heard in all companies1 as if    
they had been at  the greatest distances
 in point of doctrine6 ,but whosoever   
loseth1 to  be sure the devil gains by  
it4 ,hatreds1 strife1 variance1         
emulations1  lyings1 railings1 scorn1   
and contempt1 are all against the known 

duty of brotherly kindness1 and are     
undoubted provocations against  the ,god
 of love and peace4 ,what can we then   
think of that can be so  useful to      
,satan as error1 when these             
above-mentioned evils are the           
inseparable products of it8 ,the        
modestest errors that ever were among   
good men are still accompanied with     
something of these bitter fruits4  ,the 
differences about meats and days1 when  
managed with the greatest  moderation1  
made the strong to despise the weak as  
silly1 wilful1  factious humorists2 and1
 on the contrary1 the weak judged the   
strong as  profane1 careless1 and bold  
despisers of divine institutions2 for so
  much the apostle implies1 ,rom4 xiv4  
#c1 #8,let not him that eateth despise  
him that eateth not2 and let not him    
which eateth not1 judge him that        
eateth4' ,but should we trace error     
through the ruins of churches1 and  view
 the slaughters and bloodshed that it   
hath occasioned1 or consider  the wars  

and desolations that it hath brought    
forth1 we might heap up  matter fit for 
tears and lamentations1 and make you    
cease to wonder  that ,satan should so  
much concern himself to promote it4     
#e4 ,fifthly1 ,the greatest and most    
successful stratagem for the  hindering 
a reformation1 is that of raising up an 
army of errors4  ,reformation of abuses1
 and corruptions in worship or doctrine1
 we may  well suppose the devil will    
withstand with his utmost might and     
policy1  because it endeavours to pull  
that down which cost him so much labour 
and time to set up1 and so crosseth his 
end4 ,they who are called out by  ,god  
to #8jeopard their lives in the high    
places of the field1' ,judges  v4 #ah1  
undertake a hard task in endeavouring to
 check the power of the  mighty1 whose  
interest it is to maintain those        
defilements which their  policy hath    
introduced1 to fix them in the          
possession of that grandeur  and command
 which so highly gratifies their        

humours1 and self-seeking  aspiring     
minds4 ,but ,satan knowing the strength 
of that power which  hath raised them up
 to oppose1 with spiritual resolution1  
the current  of prevailing iniquity1    
usually provides himself with this      
reserve1  and comes upon their backs    
with a party of deluded1 erroneous men1 
raised up from among themselves1 and by 
this means he hopes either to           
discourage the undertakers for          
reformation1 by the difficulty of their 
work1 which must needs drive on heavily 
when they that should assist  prove     
hinderers1 or at least to straiten and  
limit the success2 for  by this means1  
7#a47 ,he divides the party1 and so     
weakens their hands4  7#b47 ,he         
strengthens their enemies1 who not only 
gather heart from  these divisions1     
seeing them so fair a prognostic of     
their ruin1 but  also improve them1 by  
retorting them as an argument1 that they
 are  all out of the way of truth4 7#c47
 ,the erroneous party in the rear of    

the reformers do more gall them with    
their arrows1 even bitter words  of     
cursed reviling1 and more hazard them   
with their swords and spears  of        
opposition1 than their adversaries in   
the front against whom they  went forth4
 ,in the meanwhile1 they that stand up  
for truth are as corn  betwixt two      
millstones--oppressed with a double     
conflict1 beset before  and behind4     
,this hath been ,satan's method in all  
ages4 ,and indeed policy itself  could  
not contrive anything that would more   
certainly obstruct  reformation than    
this4 ,when the apostles1 who in these  
last days were  first sent forth1 were  
employed to reform the world1 to throw  
down  the ceremonies of the ,old        
,testament and heathen worship1 ,satan  
had  presently raised up men of corrupt 
minds to hinder their progress4  ,what  
work these made for ,paul at ,corinth1  
and with the ,galatians1  the epistles  
to those churches do testify4 ,the      
business of these men  was to draw      

disciples after them from the simplicity
 of the gospel1  nay1 to another gospel2
 and this they could not do but by      
setting up  themselves1 boasting of the 
,spirit1 carrying themselves as the     
apostles  of ,christ1 and contemning    
those that were really so1 insinuating  
thereby into the affections of the      
seduced1 as if they zealously  affected 
them1 and that ,paul was but #8weak and 
contemptible1' nay1  their very #8enemy1
 for telling them the truth1' ,gal4 iv4 
#af4 ,what  unspeakable hindrance must  
this be to ,paul6 ,what grief of heart1 
what  fear and jealousy must this       
produce6 ,he professeth he was afraid   
lest  he had #8bestowed upon them labour
 in vain1' ,gal4 iv4 #aa2 and that he   
did no less than #8travail of them in   
birth the second time1' ver4  #ai4 ,if  
one ,alexander could do ,paul so much   
evil by #8withstanding his  words1' that
 he complains of him1 and cautions      
,timothy against him1 #b  ,tim4 iv4 #bd2
 if one ,diotrephes1 by #8prating       

against ,john with malicious  words1'   
prevailed with the church1 that they    
#8received him not1 nor the  brethren1' 
#c ,john #aj1 what hurt might a         
multitude of such be able to do6    ,in 
the primitive times of the church1 after
 the apostles' days1 when  those        
worthies were to contest with the       
heathen world1 the serpent  #8cast out  
of his mouth water1 as a flood1 after   
the woman1'--which most  interpret to be
 a deluge of heresies1 and some         
particularly understand  it of the      
,arian heresy1--that he might hinder the
 progress of the  gospel2 which design  
of his did so take1 that many complaints
 there  were of hindering the conversion
 of the heathens1 by the errors that    
were among ,christians4 ,epiphanius     
tells us that pagans refused to come    
near the ,christians1 and would not so  
much as hear them speak1 being          
affrighted by the wicked practices and  
ways of the ,priscillianists4  ,austin  
complains to the same purpose1 that     

loose and lascivious  heretics          
administered matter of blaspheming to   
the idolatrous heathens4    ,in         
after-times1 when religion grew so      
corrupt by popery1 that ,god            
extraordinarily raised up ,luther1      
,calvin1 and others in the fifteenth    
and sixteenth centuries1 to discover    
those abominations1 and to bring  back  
his people from ,babylon1 the devil gave
 them no small trouble  by a growth of  
errors1 so that they were forced to     
fight against the  papists before and   
those ,philistines behind2 insomuch that
 reformation  attained not that height  
and universality which might rationally 
have  been expected from such blessed   
undertakings4 ,this was the conjecture  
of many1 particularly of our countryman 
,dr ,prideaux1#bad that if these        
fanatic enthusiasts1 which with so great
 a scandal to the gospel then  brake    
forth1 had not retarded and hindered    
those glorious proceedings1  that       
apocalyptical beast of ,rome had been   

not only weakened and  wounded1 but     
utterly overthrown and slain4 ,in       
particular cities1 where  any of the    
faithful servants of ,christ endeavoured
 to detect the  errors of popery1 these 
instruments of ,satan were ready to join
 with  the common adversary in          
reproaches and disturbances4 ,how they  
opposed  ,musculus at ,augusta1 and with
 what fierceness they called him viper1 
false prophet1 wolf in sheep's clothing1
 c41 you may see in those  that write   
his life4 ,how these men hindered the   
gospel at ,limburg  against ,junius1 at 
,zurich against ,zuinglius1 at ,augsburg
 against  ,urbanus ,regius1 you may also
 see in their lives4#bae ,in all which1 
and  others of like nature1 you will    
still find1 7#a47 ,that there was never 
a reformation begun1 but there were     
erroneous persons to hinder and         
distract the reformers2 7#b47 ,that     
these men expressed as great hatred     
against the reformers1 and oftentimes   
more1 than against the papists2  and    

were as spitefully bitter in lies1      
slanders1 and scorns against  them1 as  
the papists themselves4    #f4 ,sixthly1
 ,satan can also make use of error      
either to fix men in  their present     
mistaken ways and careless course1 or as
 a temptation  to atheism4 ,varieties of
 opinions and doctrines do amuse and    
amaze  men4 ,while one cries1 #8,lo1    
here is ,christ1' and another1 #8,lo1 he
 is  here1' men are so confounded that  
they do not know what to choose4 ,it  is
 one of the greatest difficulties to    
single out truth from a crowd of        
specious1 confident pretences1          
especially seeing truth is modest1 and  
oftentimes out-noised by clamorous1 bold
 error2 yea1 sometimes out-vied  by the 
pretensions of spirit and revelation in 
an antiscriptural  falsehood4 ,at what a
 loss is an unskilful traveller where so
 many  waves#baf meet6 ,while one party 
cries up this1 another that1 mutually   
charging one another with error1 they   
whose hearts are anything  loosened from

 a sense and reverence of religion1 are 
easily tempted to  disbelieve all4 ,thus
 error leads to atheism1 and lays the   
foundation  for all those slanderous    
exceptions against ,scripture by which  
godless  men usually justify themselves 
in their religion4 ,now though all      
wicked  men are not brought to this1    
because the consciences of some do so   
strongly retain the sentiments of a     
deity1 that all ,satan's art cannot     
obliterate those characters2 yet the    
consideration of the multitude  of      
errors doth rivet them in the persuasion
 of the truth and goodness  of that way 
of religion wherein they had been       
educated4 ,papists are  hardened by     
this2 and though they have no reason to 
boast of their  unity among themselves1 
as they have been often told1 and now of
 late  by ,dr ,stillingfleet1#bag who   
hath manifested that their divisions    
among themselves are as great1 and      
managed with as great animosity1  as any
 amongst us2 yet are their ears so      

beaten with the objection  of sects and 
schisms elsewhere1 that they are        
generally confirmed to  stay where they 
are4 ,besides1 this is a stumbling-block
 which the  devil throws in the way of  
poor ignorant people4 ,if they are urged
 to  a serious strictness in religion1  
they are affrighted from it by the      
consideration of sects and parties1 and 
the woeful miscarriages of some         
erroneous persons that at first         
pretended to strictness1 imagining that 
strictness in religion is an            
unnecessary1 dangerous thing1 and that  
the sober1 godly ,christians are but a  
company of giddy1 unsettled1  conceited1
 precise persons1 who will in a little  
time run themselves  into madness and   
distraction1 or into despair4 ,and thus 
out of fear  of schism or error1 they   
dare not be religious in good earnest2  
but  content themselves with #8drawing  
near to ,god with their mouths1 and     
confessing him with their lips1 whilst  
their hearts are far from him1  and in  

their works they deny him1' ,titus i4   
#af4    ,there is such a propensity in  
the hearts of men to be staggered by the
  multitude and boldness of errors1 that
 the apostle ,paul expresseth  a sense  
of it1 and seems tenderly careful to    
avoid that blow1 which  he knew ,satan  
would readily give through that         
consideration1 by  the apology that he  
makes for ,god in his holy1 wise1       
providential  permission of them1 #a    
,cor4 xi4 #ai1 #8,there must be heresies
 among you4'  ,his intent is not barely 
to put them off with this1 that heresies
 are  unavoidable1 but to satisfy them  
that there is a necessity of them1  and 
that they are useful1 as ,god's furnace 
and fan1 to purify and to  cleanse1 that
 #8they which are approved may be made  
manifest4' ,the  like care he hath in #b
 ,tim4 ii4 #ai1 #bj1 upon the mention of
 the error  of ,hymeneus and ,philetus1 
where he obviateth the offence that     
might  arise by reason of their         
apostasy1 partly by removing the fears  

of the  upright1 in affirming their     
safety whatever became of other men1    
seeing  #8the foundation of ,god        
standeth sure1' and partly by declaring 
it no  more suitable or dishonourable   
for ,god to permit the rise of errors   
in his church1 than for great men to    
have in their houses not only  #8vessels
 of gold and silver1 but also of wood   
and of earth2 some to  honour1 and some 
to dishonour4' ,by these very apologies 
it appears that  ,satan by this device  
of error designs to shake men's faith   
and to drive  them from their religion4 
#g4 ,seventhly1 ,neither can this1 that 
corrupt doctrines bring forth  corrupt  
practices1 be of any less weight with   
,satan1 or less engaging  for the       
pursuit of this design1 than any of the 
forementioned reasons4    ,corrupt      
doctrines are embraced as the very truth
 of ,god by the deluded2  and one way or
 other1 directly or consequentially1    
they lead on  practice1 and that with   
the highest security and confidence1 as 

if they  were very truths indeed4       
,the devil then hath this great         
advantage by error1 that if he can  but 
corrupt the minds of men1 especially in 
the more weighty and  fundamental points
 of religion1 then by a great ease and  
without any  more labour he hath gained 
them to the practice of whatsoever these
  corrupted principles will lead unto4  
,no course can be taken that with       
greater expedition and prevalency can   
introduce profane debaucheries  than    
this4 ,thus he conquers parties and     
multitudes1 as a victorious  general    
takes cities and whole countries1 by    
surrender2 whereas his  particular      
temptations to sin are but              
inconsiderable1 less successful         
picqueerings#bah in comparison2 and when
 he hath once corrupted  the            
understandings of men1 he hath by that  
means a command over their  consciences1
 and doth not now urge to evil in the   
notion of a devil or  tempter1 but as an
 angel of light1 or rather as a usurper 

of divine  authority4 ,he requires1 he  
commands these wicked practices as      
necessary  duties1 or at least gives a  
liberty therein1 as being harmless      
allowances4 ,this difference was of old 
observed in ,satan's management  of     
persecution and error1 that in the      
former he did compel men to deny        
,christ1 but by the latter he did teach 
them4 ,in persecutione cogit  homines   
negare ,christum1 nunc docet4    ,that  
the lives and practices of men are so   
concerned by corrupt  doctrines1 may    
appear to any that are but indifferently
 acquainted  with ,scripture or history4
 ,we are told by the apostle ,paul that 
faith  and conscience stand so related  
to each other that they live and die    
together1 and that when the one is      
shipwrecked the other is drowned for    
company1 #a ,tim4 i4 #ai4 ,in ,phil4    
iii4 #b1 he seems severely harsh against
  those of the concision2 he calls them 
dogs1 #8,beware of dogs2 beware of  evil
 workers4' ,the reason of which         

expression ,i apprehend lies not so     
much in these resemblances1 that dogs   
spoil the flock by devouring1  or that  
they are fawning creatures1 or that they
 are industrious in  prosecution of     
their prey1--though in all these        
particulars false  teachers may be      
compared to dogs1 for they spare not the
 flock1 they  compass sea and land to   
gain disciples1 and they entice them    
with fair  speeches1--but rather he     
intends the similitude to express the   
profane  life and carriage of these     
seducers1 for dogs are filthy creatures1
 to  a proverb1 #8,the dog to his       
vomit4' ,and common prostitutes1 for    
their  uncleanness1 were called dogs in 
the ,old ,testament4 ,so some expound   
,deut4 xxiii4 #ah1 #8,the hire of a     
whore1 or the price of a dog4' ,and we  
have full and clear descriptions of     
seducers from their wicked and          
abominable practices3 #b ,peter ii4 #aj1
 #8,they that walk after the flesh1  in 
the lust of uncleanness1 and despise    

government2 presumptuous are  they1     
self-willed1 they are not afraid to     
speak evil of dignities3 ver4  #ad1     
#8,having eyes full of adultery1 and    
that cannot cease from sin2 an  heart   
exercised with covetous practices2      
cursed children3' ver4 #ah1  #8,they    
allure through the lusts of the flesh1  
through much wantonness4'  ,jude #d1    
#8,there are certain men crept in       
unawares1 who were before of  old       
ordained to this condemnation2 ungodly  
men1 turning the grace of  ,god into    
lasciviousness3' ver4 #af1 #8,these are 
murderers1 complainers1  walking after  
their own lusts1' c4 #b ,tim4 iii4 #b-e1
 #8,men shall be  lovers of their own   
selves2 covetous1 boasters1 proud1      
blasphemers1  disobedient to parents1   
unthankful1 unholy1 without natural     
affection1  truce-breakers1 false       
accusers1 incontinent1 fierce1 despisers
 of those  that are good1 traitors1     
heady1 high-minded1 lovers of pleasures 
more  than lovers of ,god2 of this sort 

are they which creep into houses4'  ,all
 which do set forth heretical persons as
 the most scandalous wicked  wretches   
that we shall meet with2 grossly filthy 
in themselves1  corrupted in all the    
duties of their relations1 natural and  
civil2  defiled in all the ways of their
 converse with men4    ,neither are     
these wicked practices issuing from     
gross errors to be  looked upon as rare1
 accidental1 or extraordinary effects   
thereof1  but as the natural and common 
fruits of them2 for ,christ makes this  
to be the very special property and note
 whereby false prophets may  be         
discovered1 ,mat4 vii4 #af1 #8,ye shall 
know them by their fruits4 ,do  men     
gather grapes off thorns1 or figs off   
thistles8' c4 ,these fruits  were not   
their doctrines1 but their lives2 for to
 know false prophets  by false doctrines
 is no more than to know false doctrine 
by false  doctrine4 ,if any object that 
many false teachers appeared in the     
shape  of seeming holiness and          

strictness of life1 they may be answered
 from  ,christ's own words2 for there he
 tells us1 to avoid mistakes1 that      
their first appearance1 and it may be   
the whole lives of some of the  first   
seedsmen of any error1 is under the form
 of sanctity3 #8,they come  to you in   
sheep's clothing1' in an outward        
appearance of innocency and  plausible  
pretences2 but then he adds1 that their 
fruits afterward will  discover them4 ,a
 tree at its first planting is not      
discovered what it  is1 but give it time
 to grow to its proper fruitfulness1 and
 then you  may know of what kind it is2 
so that we need not affirm that damnable
  doctrines produce wicked lives in all 
that entertain them at the very  first4 
,it is enough for discovery if there be 
a natural consequential  tendency in    
such doctrines to practical impieties1  
or that at last they  produce them1     
though not in all1 yet in many4    ,and 
that this matter hath been always found 
to be so1 all history doth  confirm4    

,such there were in the apostles' days1 
as is evident by their  complaints4     
,such there were in the church of       
,pergamos3 ,rev4 ii4 #ad1  #8,thou hast 
them that hold the doctrine of ,balaam2 
who taught ,balak to  cast a            
stumbling-block before the children of  
,israel2 to eat things  sacrificed unto 
idols1 and to commit fornication4'      
,there were also the  ,nicolaitans1 of  
whom ,christ declares his abhorrency1   
ver4 #ae4 ,in the  church of ,thyatira  
there was the #8woman ,jezebel1 who     
taught and seduced  many' of that church
 to the like abominable doctrines and   
practices1  ver4 #bj4 ,besides these1   
the apostle ,john was troubled with the 
abominable ,gnostics1 and the filthy    
,carpocratians1 who taught that  men    
must sin and do the will of all the     
devils1 or else they could not  evade   
principalities and powers1 who would no 
otherwise be pleased to  suffer them to 
escape to the superior heavens4 ,of     
these men and their  licentious doctrine

 doth he speak1 #a ,john iii4 #f1 c41   
that they that  are born of ,god indeed1
 must not1 dare not1 cannot give        
themselves up  to a liberty in such     
abominations4    ,the same fruits of    
corrupt doctrine appeared after the     
apostles' days4  ,what was ,montanus1   
but an impure wretch8 ,what were his two
 companion  prophetesses1 ,priscilla and
 ,maximilla1 but infamous adulteresses8 
,the  ,priscillianists1 the ,manichees1 
and abundance more1 left the stink of   
their profaneness behind them1 by reason
 of whom1 according to ,peter's         
prophecy1 #b ,peter ii4 #b1 #8,the way  
of truth was evil spoken of4'    ,later 
times have also given in full evidence  
of this truth4 ,how  shameful and       
abominable were the lives of ,john of   
,leyden and the  rest of those ,german  
enthusiasts6 ,who reads the story of    
,hacket and  ,coppinger without         
detestation of their wicked practices6  
,what better  have the ,familists and   
libertines of ,new and ,old ,england    

been6 ,some  were turned off to highest 
ranting1 in all profaneness of swearing1
  drinking1 adultery1 and the defying of
 a godly life2 and this1 under  the     
unreasonable boast of spirit and        
perfection4#bai ,the heavens may  blush 
and the earth be astonished at these    
things6 ,but in the meantime  ,satan    
hugs himself in his success1 and        
encourageth himself to further  attempts
 in propagating error1 seeing it brings 
in so great a harvest  of sin4    #h4   
,eighthly1 ,in this design of false     
doctrine ,satan is never altogether     
out2 if he cannot thus defile their     
lives1 yet it is a thousand to one  but 
he obstructs their graces by it4 ,what  
greater hindrance can there  be to      
conversion than error6 ,the word of     
truth is the means by which  ,god1      
through his ,spirit1 doth beget us2 it  
is part of that image of ,god  that is  
implanted in us3 it is ,god's voice to  
the soul to awaken it4 ,it  cannot then 
be imagined that ,god will give the     

honour of that work to  any error2      
neither can truth take place or have its
 effect upon a soul  forestalled with a 
contrary falsehood4 ,falsehood in       
possession will  keep truth at the door4
 ,neither is conversion only hindered by
 such  errors as directly contradict    
converting truths1 but also by          
collateral  non-fundamental errors2 as  
they fill the minds of men with         
prejudice  against those that profess   
another persuasion1 so that for their   
own  beloved error's sake men will not  
entertain a warning or conviction  from 
those that dissent from their opinions3 
they first account them  enemies1 and   
then they despise their message4 ,it is 
no small matter in  ,satan's way to have
 such an obstruction at hand in the     
grand concern  of conversion4 ,yet this 
is further serviceable to him1 to hinder
  or weaken the graces of the converted 
already4 ,if he can set ,god's  children
 a-madding upon error1 or make them fond
 of novelties1 he will  by this means   

exhaust the vigour and strength of their
 hearts1 so that  the substantials of   
religion will be neglected4 ,for as     
hurtful plants  engross all the moisture
 and fatness of the earth where they    
stand1 and  impoverish it into an       
inability for the nourishment of those  
that are  of greater worth1 so doth     
error possess itself of the strength of 
the  spirit1 and in the meantime        
neglected graces dwindle into emptiness1
  and #8fade as a leaf4' ,the most      
curious questions and opinions that     
are1 contribute nothing to the          
establishment of the heart2 it is  only 
grace that doth that3 ,heb4 xiii4 #i1   
#8,the heart is established  with       
grace1' and not with disputes about     
meats2 nay1 they do grace a  prejudice1 
in that they make it sick and           
languishing--for to that sense  is the  
original1 in #a ,tim4 vi4 #d1 #8,doting 
about questions1' or growing  diseased1 
because of the earnest prosecution of   
opinions1    4    #i4 ,ninthly1 ,error  

hath yet another mischief in it1 which  
makes it not a  little desirable to     
,satan2 and that is the judgment or     
punishment that  it brings4 ,so that it 
every way answers the devil's hatred    
against  both soul and body4 ,the       
blessings of prosperity and peace do    
attend the  triumphal chariot of truth3 
,ps4 lxxxv4 #aa1 #ab1 #8,truth shall    
spring out  of the earth1 and           
righteousness shall look down from      
heaven4' ,and then  it follows1 that    
#8the ,lord shall give that which is    
good1 and our land  shall yield her     
increase4' ,but on the contrary1 error  
doth more provoke  ,god than men are    
aware4 ,how often did ,god desolate the 
,israelites1 set  a fire in their       
cities1 and gave them into the hands of 
their enemies1  because of their        
changing the truth of ,god into a lie1  
and worshipping  and serving the        
creature more than the ,creator6 ,god   
left not the church  of ,pergamos and   
,thyatira without severe threatenings   

for the error of  the ,nicolaitans3     
,rev4 ii4 #af1 #8,repent1 or else ,i    
will come unto thee  quickly4' ,ver4    
#bb1 #8,i will cast them into great     
tribulation1 except  they repent of     
their deeds1 and ,i will kill her       
children with death4'  ,and accordingly 
,god fulfilled his threatening upon     
them1 by bringing  in the ,saracens to  
desolate them1 and to possess their     
land--as he  also brought the ,goths    
upon the empire for the ,arian heresy4  
,how is  ,satan pleased to labour in a  
design that will kindle the wrath of the
  ,almighty6          ,,chapter ,,ii4   
,of the advantages which ,satan hath1   
and useth1 for the introduction   of    
error2 as 7#a47 ,from his own power of  
spiritual fascination4   ,that there is 
such a power1 proved from ,scripture1   
and from the   effects of it4 7#b47     
,from our imperfection of knowledge2    
the particulars thereof explained4 7#c47
 ,from the bias of   the mind4 ,what    
things do bias it1 and the power of them

 to sway   the understanding4 7#d47     
,from curiosity4 7#e47 ,from            
atheistical debauchery of conscience4   
,that ,satan may the better speed in his
 design1 he carefully takes  notice of1 
and diligently improves all advantages4 
,indeed all his  stratagems are         
advantages taken against us2 for so the 
apostle1 in his  caution to the         
,corinthians1 calls his devices1 #8lest 
,satan should get  an advantage of us1' 
#b ,cor4 ii4 #aa4 ,but here ,i only     
understand those  that are more general1
 which are the grounds and              
encouragements to his  particular       
machinations against men1 and which also
 direct him in his  procedure4 ,these   
are1    #a4 ,first1 ,satan's own power  
of spiritual fascination1 by which he   
infatuates the minds of men1 and deludes
 them1 as the external senses  are      
deceived by enchantments or witchcraft4 
,that ,satan is a cunning sophister1 and
 can put fallacies upon the             
understanding2 that by subtle objections

 or arguments he can obtrude  a         
falsehood upon the belief of the        
unskilful and unwary2 that he can       
betray the judgment by the affections1  
are things of common practice  with him4
 ,but that which ,i am now to speak of  
is of a higher nature1  and though it   
may probably take in much of his common 
method of  ordinary delusion1 yet in    
this it differs1 at least that it is    
more  efficacious and prevalent2 for as 
his power over the children of          
disobedience is so great that he can    
#8lead them captive at his will1'       
except when he is countermanded by the  
,almighty1 so hath he1 by special       
commission1 a power to lead those to    
error effectually1 without missing  his 
end1 that have prepared themselves for  
that spiritual judgment by a  special   
provocation2 and for aught we know1 as  
he hath an extraordinary  power which he
 exerts at such times1 so may he have an
 extraordinary  method which he is not  
permitted to practise daily1 nor upon   

all4    ,that such a power as this the  
devil hath1 is believed by those whose  
learning and experience have made their 
judgments of great value with  serious  
men2 and thus some do describe it3 ,it  
is a delusion with a kind  of magical   
enchantment2 so ,calvin1 ,gal4 iii4 #a3 
a satanical operation  whereby the      
senses of men are deluded2 thus         
,perkins1 who after he had  asserted    
that ,satan can corrupt the fantasy or  
imagination1 he compares  this spiritual
 witchcraft to such diseases of         
melancholy1 that make men  believe that 
they are1 or do1 what they are not or do
 not1 as in the  disease called         
lycanthropia2 and to the enchantments of
 ,jannes and  ,jambres1 who deluded the 
senses of ,pharaoh4 ,others more fully1 
call it  #8a more vehement operation of 
the great impostor1 whereby he obtrudes 
some noxious error upon the mind1 and   
persuades with such efficacy that  it is
 embraced with confidence1 defended     
strenuously1 and propagated             

zealously4'#bbj    ,a particular account
 of the way and manner by which the     
devil doth  this1 is a task beyond sober
 inquiry4 ,it may suffice us to know    
that  such power he hath1 and this ,i   
shall confirm from ,scripture1 and from 
the effects of such delusion4    7#a47  
,first1 ,there are several scriptures   
which assert a power in ,satan  to      
bewitch the minds of men into error1    
from which ,i shall draw such  notes as 
may confirm and in part explain this    
truth in hand4    ,and ,i shall begin   
with that of ,gal4 iii4 #a1 #8,o foolish
 ,galatians1 who  hath bewitched you1   
that you should not obey the truth8' c4 
,the word  which the apostle here useth 
for bewitching1 as grammarians and      
critics  note1#bba is borrowed from the 
practice of witches and sorcerers1 who  
use by secret powers to bind the senses1
 and to effect mischiefs4 ,it  is true  
he speaks of false apostles1 but he     
intends ,satan as the chief  workman2   
and this he transfers to signify        

,satan's power upon the mind1  in       
blinding the understanding for the      
entertainment of error4 ,neither  can   
anything be objected why this place     
should not prove a fascinating  power in
 ,satan1 such as we have been speaking  
of1 but this1 that it  may be supposed  
to intend no more than an ordinary      
powerful persuasion  by arguments4 ,yet 
this may be answered1 not only from the 
authority of  learned interpreters1 who 
apprehend the apostle and his expression
 to  intend more1 but also from some    
concomitant particulars in the text4 ,he
  calls them #8foolish ,galatians1' as  
we translate it1 but the original  goes 
a little higher1 to signify a madness2  
and withal he seems to  be surprised    
with wonder at the power of ,satan upon 
them1 which  had not only prevailed     
against the truth1 but against such     
evident  manifestations of it as they   
had when they were so plainly1 fully1   
and  efficaciously instructed2 for      
#8before their eyes ,jesus ,christ had  

been  evidently set forth2' which       
expressions and carriage cannot         
rationally  be thought to befit a common
 ordinary case4#bbb    ,next to this1   
let us a little consider that famous    
scripture in #b  ,thes4 ii4 #i-aa1      
#8,whose coming is after the working of 
,satan1 with all  power 444 and for this
 cause1 ,god shall send them strong     
delusions1  that they should believe a  
lie4' ,i shall from this place observe a
  few things1 which if put together will
 clear the truth we speak of3  ,as1     
first1 ,in this delusion here mentioned1
 the apostle doth not only  set down    
extraordinary outward means1 as signs   
and lying wonders1  but also suits these
 extraordinary means with a suitable    
concomitant  inward power2 for by       
#8power' ,i do not understand1 as some1 
,piscator  and ,sclater1 a power of     
shewing signs and doing wonders1 as if  
the  apostle had said1     1 with the   
power of  signs and wonders--for the    
words will not well bear that without   

some  unnatural straining2 but ,i       
understand by it a power1 distinct from 
the  signs and wonders1 by which he     
moves their hearts to believe1 by an    
inward working upon their minds1        
striking in with the outward means  of  
lying miracles propounded to their      
senses4 ,and we may the better  satisfy 
ourselves in this interpretation1 if we 
compare it with ,rom4  xv4 #ai1bbc where
 not only the power of doing wonders is 
expressed by  a phrase1 proper and      
different from this of the text in hand1
 #8through  mighty signs and wonders1'  
or in the power of signs and wonders1   
but  it is also clearly distinguished   
from the power of the ,spirit of  ,god1 
in working upon the hearts1 to make     
those wonders efficacious  and          
persuasive2 so that1 as in the ,spirit  
of ,god we observe a power  to do       
wonders1 and a power to work upon the   
heart by these wonders1  we may conclude
 that this wicked spirit hath also1 in  
order to sin  and delusion1 this twofold

 power4 ,but secondly1 ,i note further1 
,that  this power is called a special   
energy of peculiar force and efficacy   
in its working--'   4 ,the strange      
inexpressible  strength of it seems to  
stand in need of many words for         
explanation4  ,he calls it #8all        
power'--  --which as well notes the     
degree  and height1 as the variety of   
its operations1 and then the energy1    
the virtue1 operativeness1 and strength 
of power4 ,thirdly1 ,it is also  to be  
observed that ,satan's success and      
exercise of this power of  delusion     
depends upon the commission of ,god1 and
 that therefore it is  extraordinary1   
and not permitted to him but upon       
special occasions and  provocation1     
#8for this cause ,god shall send1' c4   
,fourthly1 ,the success  of this power  
when exercised is certain4 ,they are not
 only strong  delusions1 in regard of   
the power from whence they come1 but    
also in  regard of the event2 those upon
 whom they come cannot but believe4     

,infatuation and pertinaciousness are   
the certain fruits of it4#bbd  ,fifthly1
 ,the proof of all is manifest in the   
quality of the errors  entertained1 for 
they are palpable gross lies1 and yet   
believed as the  very truths of ,god1   
and they are in such weighty points as  
do evidently  determine the soul to     
ruin1 #8lies to be damned1' which two   
things are  sufficient proofs of        
spiritual fascination2 it being         
unimaginable that  rational men1 and    
especially such as were instructed to a 
belief of a  contrary truth1 should so  
far degenerate from the light of reason 
as  to be deluded by gross and apparent 
lies1 and of such high importance1      
except their minds had been blinded in  
some extraordinary way4 ,some  further  
confirmation may be added to this truth 
from #a ,kings xxii4  #ba1 #8,and there 
came forth a spirit and stood before the
 ,lord1 and  said1 ,i will persuade     
him4444 ,i will go forth1 and ,i will be
 a lying  spirit in the mouth of all his

 prophets4 ,and he said1 ,thou shalt    
persuade him1 and prevail also4' ,i     
might here take notice of ,satan's      
readiness in this work1 as wanting      
neither skill nor will1 if he were  but 
always furnished with a commission2 as  
also the powerful efficacy  of spiritual
 witchcraft1 where it pleaseth the ,lord
 to permit to ,satan  the exercise of   
his power1 #8,thou shalt persuade1 and  
prevail also4' ,but  that which ,i would
 observe here1 is something relating to 
the manner  of his proceeding in these  
delusions4 ,he attempted to deceive the 
false prophets1 and by them to delude   
,ahab2 and both1 by being a lying       
spirit in the mouth of the prophets1    
which necessarily1 as ,peter ,martyr    
observes1 implies1 7#a47 ,that ,satan   
had a power so strongly to fix upon     
their imaginary#bbe faculty the species1
 images1 or characters of what  was to  
be suggested1 that he could not only    
make them apprehend what  he presented  
to their minds1 but also make them      

believe that it was a  divine           
inspiration1 and consequently true2 for 
these false prophets  did not speak     
hypocritically what they knew to be     
false1 but what they  confidently       
apprehended to be true1 as appears by   
the whole story4  7#b47 ,he could       
irritate and inflame their desires to   
publish these  their persuasions to the 
king1 after the manner of divine        
prophecies4  7#c47 ,he had a further    
power of persuading ,ahab that his      
prophets spake  truth4#bbf    ,that     
passage of ,rom4 i4 #bh1 #8,god gave    
them over to a reprobate mind1'  doth   
give some account how men are brought by
 the devil into these  false            
persuasions4 ,a reprobate mind is a mind
 injudicious1 a mind that  hath lost its
 power of discerning-- 4 ,it is plain   
then that  he can so besot and blind the
 mind that it shall not be startled at  
things of greatest absurdity or         
inconveniency4    ,if any yet further   
inquire how he can do these things2 we  

must answer1  that his particular ways  
and methods in this case we know not3   
only  it may be added1 that1 ,eph4 iv4  
#ag1 ,paul tells us he can make their   
#8minds vain1 and darken their          
understandings4' ,by mind1 1 the seat   
of principles is commonly understood4   
,by understanding1 1 the  reasoning or  
discursive faculty1 which is the seat of
 conclusions3 so  that his power seems  
to extend to the obliterating of        
principles1 and  can also disable them  
to make right inferences1 insomuch that 
he wants  nothing that may be necessary 
to the begetting of strong persuasions  
of  any falsehood which he suggests1    
according to what is intimated1 ,gal4   
v4 #c1 #8,this persuasion cometh not of 
him that called you'--that is1 not  of  
,god1 but of the devil4    ,from all    
these scriptures then it appears that   
this spiritual  fascination is a power  
in ,satan1 which he exerts1 by special  
commission1 upon those that receive not 
the truth in the love of it1 by  which  

he can so strongly imprint falsehoods   
upon their minds1 that they  become     
unable to discern betwixt truth and a   
lie1 and so by darkening  their         
understanding1 they are effectually     
persuaded to believe an error4    7#b47 
,secondly1 ,there is yet another proof  
of this spiritual witchcraft1  from the 
consideration of the effects of it upon 
the deluded1 and the  uncouth1 strange1 
unnatural way of its proceeding4 ,let   
all particulars  of this kind be put    
together1 and it will not be found      
possible to give  any other rational    
account of some errors than that of     
extraordinary  delusion4    #a4 ,first1 
,let us take notice of the vileness and 
odiousness of  some errors that have    
prevailed upon men4 ,some have been     
plainly  sottish1 so evidently foolish  
that it cannot be imagined that men that
  entertained them had at that time the 
use of reason1 or any competent         
understanding4 ,this very consideration 
the prophet ,isaiah insists  upon       

largely1 chap4 xliv4 #i-ba1 where he    
taxeth them smartly for the  senseless  
doltishness of their error in           
worshipping idols4 ,he tells  them the  
matter of it is the work of nature1 a   
cedar1 oak1 or ash1 that  they          
themselves possibly had planted1 and the
 rain did nourish it1  ver4 #ad4 ,he    
tells them also that the form of it was 
from the art of  the workman1 the smith1
 or carpenter3 ver4 #ab1 #ac1 #8,the    
smith with the  tongs both worketh in   
the coals1 and fashioneth it with       
hammers1 and  worketh it with the       
strength of his arms4444 ,the carpenter 
stretcheth  out his rule2 he marketh it 
out with a line2 he fitteth it with     
planes1  and he marketh it out with a   
compass4' ,he further minds them1 that  
without any reverence they make use of  
the residue of the materials out  of    
which they formed their idol to common  
services of dressing their  meat and    
warming themselves4 #8,he burneth part  
thereof in the fire2 with  part thereof 

he eateth flesh2 he roasteth roast1 and 
is satisfied2 yea1  warmeth himself1 and
 saith1 ,aha1 ,i am warm1 ,i have seen  
the fire1'  ver4 #af4 ,then he accuseth 
them of sottishness1 in that the        
#8residue  thereof he maketh a god1 even
 his graven image3 he falleth down to   
it1  and worshippeth it1 and prayeth    
unto it1 and saith1 ,deliver me2 for    
thou art my god1' ver4 #ag4 ,and from   
all this he concludes1 that seeing  this
 is so directly contrary to common      
reason and understanding--which  in the 
ordinary exercise of it would easily    
have freed them from such  a dotage2 for
 if they had but #8knowledge or         
understanding to say1 ,i  have burnt    
part of it in the fire2 ,i have baked   
bread1 and shall ,i  make the residue an
 abomination8' ver4 #ai1 they could not 
have been  so foolish4 ,it must1 then1  
of necessity be a spiritual infatuation4
  #8,their eyes were shut that they     
cannot see1 and their hearts1 that they 
cannot understand1' ver4 #ah4 #8,a      

deceived heart hath turned him aside1'  
ver4 #bj4 ,other errors there are that  
lead to beastly and unnatural           
villanies1 such as directly cross all   
the sober principles of mankind1  the   
natural principles of modesty1 the most 
general and undoubted  principles of    
religion and holiness1 as when          
adulteries1 swearing1  ranting1 going   
naked1 cruelties1 murders1 outrageous   
confusions and  madness1 are clothed    
with pretences of spirit1 revelation1   
freedom  in the use of the creature1    
exercise of love1 and having all things 
common1 c43 of which sad instances have 
been given more than once4  ,let any    
sober man consider how it could come to 
pass1 that men that  have reason enough 
to defend them against such furies1 and 
the  knowledge of ,scripture1 which     
everywhere--with the greatest happiness 
imaginable and highest earnestness--doth
 prohibit such practices as  most       
abominable1 and doth direct to a sober1 
just1 modest1 humble1  inoffensive life1

 should entertain notwithstanding1 such 
errors as  transform men into beasts1   
monsters1 or rather devils1 and religion
  into the grossest impieties2 and all  
this as the perfection and top of       
religious attainment commanded in the   
word of ,god or by his ,spirit1 and     
well-pleasing to most holy and pure     
divine majesty6 ,let it1 ,i say1 be     
left to the consideration of men how it 
should be1 without some such            
extraordinary cause as hath been        
mentioned4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,let it be 
observed also1 that some errors bring   
with  them some extraordinary1 strange1 
unnatural1 unusual actions1 and  put men
 into such odd garbs1 postures1 and     
behaviours1 that it is  easy to see they
 are acted by a force or power not      
human4 ,some have  been carried to do   
things beyond whatsoever might have been
 expected  from the age and capacities  
of the parties2 as ecstasies1 trances1  
and quakings of little children2 their  
prophesying and speaking  ,scripture    

threatenings after such fits4 ,some have
 been acted in a way  of ecstatical     
fury2 as ,montanus1 of whom ,eusebius   
witnesseth1#bbg  that #8sometimes he    
would be seized upon by a kind of       
malignant  spirit1 and would suddenly   
break forth into a rage and madness1 and
  presently utter rash and bold         
speeches1 strange1 unusual voices1 with 
prophesyings2 insomuch that he was      
judged by those that saw him to be      
acted by the devil4' ,others have been  
as in a more sober spiritual  rapture2  
an instance whereof ,i shall give you   
from ,mr ,baxter in these  words3 #8,i  
have heard from an ancient godly man    
that knew ,arthington  and ,coppinger1  
that they were possessed with the spirit
 of the  ,grundletonians4 ,the same man 
affirmed that he went but once among    
them  himself1 and after prayer they    
breathed on him as giving him the ,holy 
,ghost2 and he was so strangely         
transported for three days that he was  
not the same man1 and his family        

wondered what was the matter with  him3 
he had no confession of sin1 but an     
elevated strain in prayer1  as if he had
 been in strange raptures2 and after    
three days he was  as before1 and came  
no more at them4'#bbh ,some have been   
carried  into childish and ridiculous   
actions3 such was the behaviour of ,jo4 
,gilpin in his delusion at ,kendal in   
,westmoreland2 as his going to the      
fiddler's house1 playing upon a bass    
viol in token of spiritual melody2  his 
creeping up the streets upon hands and  
knees in token of bearing  his cross2   
his making marks on the ground1 and     
beating it1 as his  mortification of    
sin2 and a great many more things of    
like nature4#bbi    ,such things as     
these are as spiritual marks and        
characters engraven  upon errors1 by    
which a diabolical power1 moving and    
acting such  deluded creatures1 like so 
many puppets1 is evidently discovered4  
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,when we see not only     
idiots1 and those whose defect of       

understanding might put them under the  
power of an ordinary cheat1 thus        
imposed upon1 but men otherwise         
intelligent1 rational1 and serious1     
blinded with follies1 taken with        
apparent dotages1 admiring trifles1  and
 carried away with things which common  
reason would teach them  to abhor1 it is
 more than suspicious that it is not any
 probability  of truth or excellency in 
the error that prevails with them1 but a
  spiritual power that doth bewitch     
them4 ,when we consider that such a     
learned man as ,tertullian begins to    
admire such a wretch as ,montanus2  or  
such a one as ,arthington led away with 
,hacket and ,coppinger2 or such  a man  
as ,kneperdollin seduced by ,john of    
,leyden2 and especially such  numbers of
 wise and seemingly sober and religious 
persons1 going down  the stream after   
irrational and plainly irreligious      
errors1--what else  can be apprehended  
to be the cause but a powerful satanical
 delusion8    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,add we to 

these the consideration of the          
suddenness of  the prevalency of such   
errors against plain and evident truths1
 which  is a circumstance taken notice  
of by the apostle3 ,gal4 i4 #f1 #8,i    
marvel  that ye are so soon removed from
 him that called you into the grace of  
,christ unto another gospel4' ,in which 
case we may observe it usually  falls   
out that men's affections prevent their 
discoveries2 at the first  view they are
 taken1 before they understand what the 
error is1 and they  are persuaded before
 they know4    #e4 ,fifthly and lastly1 
,that the earnestness of the prosecution
 by  which they maintain and propagate  
the error is a kind of unnatural  fury1 
which hurries men with violence into an 
unyielding stiffness1  to the stifling  
of all kind of charity and              
consideration4 ,these  things put       
together1 ,i say1 makes the matter in   
hand evident2 when  men otherwise       
rational are at first touch highly      
enamoured with1 and  violent in the     

pursuit of errors that are sottish or   
devilish1 we can  resolve it into       
nothing less than into that of the      
apostle1 #8,who hath  bewitched you8'   
,the improvement of this first and great
 advantage for  the introduction of     
errors is more than can be well         
expressed2 but he  hath besides other   
advantages which he noway neglects3     
among which1    #b4 ,secondly1 ,our     
imperfection in knowledge is none of the
 least4 ,if  our knowledge had been     
perfect1 it would have been a task too  
hard for  the devil to make us          
erroneous2 for men do not err but so far
 as they  are ignorant4 ,to impose upon 
men against clear and certain knowledge 
is  impossible4 ,men cannot believe that
 to be true which they know to be       
false4 ,it would be as silly for ,satan 
to make such attempts as for a  juggler 
to endeavour the deception of those that
 know and see the ways  of his          
conveyances as well as himself4 ,that   
our knowledge is imperfect1  ,i shall   

prove and explain in the following      
particulars3--    #a4 ,first1 ,the      
,scripture plainly asserts it4 ,the     
greatest number of  men which are in an 
unregenerate estate are expressly called
 foolish1  blind1 ignorant--men that are
 in darkness1 men that do not know nor  
consider1 that perish through ignorance4
 ,others that1 in comparison to  these1 
are called #8children of the light1' and
 such as #8see with open  face1' are    
notwithstanding1 when compared to a     
state of perfection1  represented to be 
in the non-age of their knowledge1      
unripe1 imperfect4  ,the apostle doth so
 express it1 #a ,cor4 xiii4 #i1 #8,we   
know in part1  we prophesy in part4' ,in
 the explanation of this1 he compares   
our  attainments in this world to the   
understanding1 thoughts1 and speakings  
of children1 ver4 #aa3 concludes1 ver4  
#ab1 that all our knowledge gives  us   
but a dark1 imperfect reflection of     
things3 #8we see through a glass        
darkly4'    #b4 ,secondly1 ,men that    

have had the clearest heads1 and have   
been at  the greatest pains in their    
inquiries to find out truths1 have      
brought  back the clear conviction of   
their own ignorance4 ,austin confesseth 
that in the ,scriptures--which he made  
his chief study--the things which  he   
knew not were more than the things he   
understood4#bcj ,chytrus1  in humble    
modesty1 goes a little further3 #8,my   
dearest knowledge1'  saith he1 #8is to  
know that ,i know nothing2' and it will 
be a clear  demonstration of that man's 
ignorance that boasts of his knowledge2 
his  own mouth will prove against him   
that #8he knows nothing as he ought to  
know1' #a ,cor4 viii4 #b4    #c4        
,thirdly1 ,the consideration of the     
nature of the things which are  the     
objects upon which we employ our search 
will sufficiently convince  us that we  
do comprehend but very little4 ,for     
though the ,scripture hath  expressed   
the main concerns of eternal life so    
fully that they are as  clear as light1 

and need no such stretch of the brain   
but that the  meanest capacities may as 
certainly understand them as they       
understood  anything of common business2
 as1 that ,christ died for sinners2 that
  without faith it is impossible to     
please ,god2 that without holiness  no  
man shall see his face1 c4 ,yet1 as     
,peter speaks1 #b ,pet4 iii4 #af1       
#8,there are many things that are hard  
to be understood1'  4  ,there are       
difficulties1 depths1 and mysteries4    
,some things1 whereof  we have but dark 
touches in ,scripture1 though enough to 
let us know  that such things there are1
 and1 to humble us for our ignorance1   
are  in their own nature sublime1       
bounded on all sides with rocks and     
precipices1 where our near and bold     
approaches are prohibited3 such  are    
those things that concern the decrees of
 ,god1 the ,trinity1 c4  ,other things  
are dark and uncertain to us1 from their
 very proximity  to us--as some are     
pleased to fancy the reason4 ,such are  

the nature1  faculties1 and workings of 
our own souls within us--which we cannot
  directly see1 as the eye sees not     
itself1 and do but1 as it were1 guess   
by dark reflections4 ,some things in    
,scripture are accidentally obscure  to 
us that were plain to those that heard  
them first1 to whom they  were spoken   
and written2 for now to the             
understanding of a great many  passages 
there is necessary the knowledge of the 
tongues in which they  were dictated1 of
 the histories of those times to which  
they severally  related2 as also of the 
particular customs of the ,jewish       
nation1 which  gave a mould and form to 
a great many ,scripture assertions2 all 
which  were easy and familiar to those  
that knew the exact propriety of such   
languages1 were acquainted thoroughly   
with such histories1 customs1  usages1  
and manner of speakings2 and besides all
 these1 the application  of general     
rules to particular cases--where a      
little circumstance may  make a great   

alteration--is full of puzzle and       
intricacy2 insomuch that  some have     
thought that there are several cases of 
conscience that are  not yet fully      
determined1 and that are like so to     
remain4#bca    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,neither  
is the nature of knowledge itself       
without  an argument to prove the       
insufficiency of our knowledge4 ,to know
 is  properly to understand things by   
their causes1 or at least by their      
effects1 and to make a right result of  
particulars from a general  maxim4 ,such
 a kind of knowledge is necessary in    
religion1 for setting  aside some       
particulars of mysterious height1 about 
which ,god hath  set bounds1 lest men in
 presumptuous boldness should adventure 
to  #8break through unto the ,lord to   
gaze2' and some things which are the    
principles of nature1 or their next     
results1 which are1 upon that  score1   
beyond all need of inquiry--in all which
 it is enough to believe  that what the 
,scripture saith is true1 without asking

 a further  account2 yet in other things
 the ,scripture gives us the grounds1   
reasons1 and proofs of what it declares 
or asserts1 as may appear  by infinite  
examples2 so that to know ,christ died1 
or that we are  justified by faith1 or  
that ,christ shall come to judgment1    
without a  knowledge of the grounds and 
reasons of these things1 is indeed but  
gross ignorance4 ,the like may be said  
of the knowledge of general  precepts1  
without the knowledge of their necessary
 application4    ,but how few are there 
that do thus know6 ,the greatest part of
 men  satisfy themselves with the bare  
affirmations of ,scripture1 and they    
resolve all into this1 that the word of 
,god saith so1 or that it is the  will  
of ,god it should be so1 without further
 inquiry4    ,and as for others1 though 
they may know the reasons of many       
things1  yet are there a vast number of 
particulars whose reasons we know  not1 
though the ,scripture may contain them2 
and as for consequences1  and the       

application of general rules1 their just
 limitation1 and the  enumeration of the
 cases wherein they are true or false1  
it is that  that keeps the wits of men  
upon the rack perpetually4    #e4       
,fifthly1 ,the unsuitableness of our    
capacities to those objects of          
knowledge may be particularly considered
 as a further confirmation of  our      
ignorance4 ,the incapacity of the vulgar
 is generally observed4 ,some  we find  
so grossly ignorant1 that they are      
incapable to comprehend the  easiest    
matters2 and this makes their persuasion
 to some plain truths  so very          
difficult1 that when they are1 as it    
were1 #8brayed in a mortar'  by a       
multitude of unreasonable#bcb arguments1
 yet their ignorance  #8departs not from
 them1' but they will stubbornly hold   
the conclusion  of their own fancy1     
whatever become of the premises4 ,those 
that are  of a higher form1 and seem to 
understand a great many particulars in  
religion1 are ordinarily unable to      

conjoin all truths into one entire      
proportionable body3 they heap up       
several notions that they hear here  and
 there1 but know not their              
consistencies2 insomuch that they either
  are like children1 who know all the   
letters of the alphabet1 without  the   
skill to frame words or sentences out of
 them1 being unable to  give an account 
how their notions are related one to    
another1 or to  the whole2 or if they   
attempt such a thing1 they hang         
inconsistent  things on the same thread1
 and do but humano capiti cervicem      
jungere  equinam4 ,if these instances1  
and a great many more of like kind1 were
  not at hand1 yet the very             
condescensions of our great prophet the 
,lord ,jesus1 and of his disciples in   
their ways of teaching1 do evince  that 
the capacities of men are low--that they
 are #8dull of hearing1  children in    
understanding4' ,the course they took   
was to instruct them  in a plain1       
familiar way1 by parables and examples4 

,thus were they  #8fed as babes in      
,christ1' according to the apostle's    
similitude1 with  #8milk1 and not with  
strong meat1 because they were not able 
to bear  it1' #a ,cor4 iii4 #a4 ,and yet
 ,christ sometimes complained that this 
would  not do4 ,for so he speaks1 ,john 
iii4 #ab1 #8,if ,i have told you earthly
  things1' that is1 divine truth in     
earthly and common similitudes1 #8and   
ye believe not1' i4e41 cannot apprehend 
them1 #8how shall ye believe  if ,i tell
 you of heavenly things8' ,how unable1  
then1 would you be to  understand these 
truths if ,i should speak in language   
and expression  properly suited to their
 natures8 ,a great check to our slowness
 of  apprehension4    ,but possibly some
 may expect higher matters from those   
that are exalted  above the common rank 
of men by the repute they have of       
learning4 ,and  indeed it cannot be     
denied but such have very great         
advantages for the  widening of their   
capacities2 yet are they not such as    

wholly take  away the distemper1 but    
still so much incapacity may be seen in 
them  as will sufficiently justify the  
charge of imperfection in knowledge     
against the most learned4 ,let us bring 
in some instances1 and it will  be      
evident3    7#a47 ,the greatest errors  
that have most disturbed the church in  
all  ages have had their rise from      
learned men4 ,the names of their authors
  are marked upon their foreheads4      
,these known errors are so many1 that   
they fill whole volumes4 ,the result of 
which consideration will be  this1 that 
learned men have often been very        
dangerously mistaken4    7#b47 ,the     
present contentions and disputes of men1
 managed on all  hands with so much     
earnestness1 wherein one party triumphs 
over  another1 and all1 in their own    
apprehensions1 are victorious4 ,instead 
of conquests by arguments and answers1  
each party is but more confirmed  in its
 own apprehensions2 and yet the one-half
 is certainly wrong1  and perhaps in    

many things both parties are mistaken4  
,this1 ,i say1  sufficiently shows the  
incapacities of the learned2 for if     
every  capacity were truly correspondent
 to truth1 there would be no more       
disputes nor differences4    7#c47 ,the 
most learned find the business of their 
own persuasion and  satisfaction in many
 truths1 in which common people have no 
scruple  nor doubt1 very difficult2     
because they see more objections to be  
answered1 and more of the weakness of   
arguments than others do2 but  this     
shews their capacities are not so large 
as some would think4    7#d47 ,let us   
once for all consider that which seems  
to be the highest  evidence for         
knowledge and understanding in the      
learned1 and we shall  find1 upon just  
examination1 it is no more than an      
argument of their  ignorance4 ,what is  
there wherein they seem more acute and  
eagle-eyed  than in their distinctions1 
by which they would give us the most    
minute  differences of things1 and      

appear so exact as if they would divide 
an atom1 and give everything its just   
weight and measure8 ,but let us         
consider that1 though all distinctions  
are not unprofitable1 their  multitude  
is become oppressive and troublesome1   
and more time must  be spent in learning
 terms and words of art than things2 and
 their  nicety and subtlety so great1   
that they rather darken truth1 and give 
occasion to bold spirits to undertake   
the defence of any paradox4 ,nay1  if we
 could sever these clearly from their   
abuses1 yet1 seeing it is  certain there
 are more distinctions of terms than    
things1 they will  evince that our      
knowledge is more verbal than real1 and 
that often for  a mountain of words we  
have but a molehill of substantial      
matter4 ,nay1  seeing we make but a     
sorry shift at best by these artifices  
to come  to some rude conceptions of    
things1 which otherwise we cannot in any
  tolerable manner comprehend1 it is as 
great a proof of our imperfection  in   

knowledge1 as the necessary use of      
staves and crutches is an  evidence of  
lameness4 ,if ,i should pass from this  
to the consideration  of the multitude  
beyond all number of books that are     
written1 we  shall find them but so many
 proclamations of our ignorance2 for if 
we could believe them all to contain so 
many wholesome precepts of  necessary   
truth1 which yet we cannot rationally   
imagine1 this would  imply that the     
greatest part wanted these informations2
 and that common  ignorance is not only 
a general distemper1 but also a         
distemper hard  to be cured1 that stands
 in need of such multitudes of          
instructors and  such varieties of      
helps4 ,but if we believe that among    
this infinite  number of volumes there  
are thousands of lies1 millions of      
unproved  conjectures1 millions of      
millions of idle1 unprofitable fancies1 
then  do we in express terms pronounce  
them guilty of ignorance1 and of        
ignorance so much the more dangerous1 by

 how much the more bold it is  to avouch
 itself in the light1 and to obtrude    
itself upon the belief of  others1 who1 
instead of being better informed by it1 
shall but increase  their own blindness4
 ,were there nothing to be said but     
this1 that there  are such a vast       
multitude of commentators upon the      
,bible1 which do all  pretend to expound
 and explain it1 it would of necessity  
admit of these  conclusions3--#a4 ,that 
the ,bible hath in it things so dark1 or
 at least  our capacities are so dull1  
that there is need of great endeavours  
to  explain the one1 or assist the      
other4 #b4 ,that the knowledge of men   
is imperfect2 for if all or most men    
could certainly interpret the           
,scripture1 there needed not so many    
volumes1 but that one or two might  have
 signified as much as now whole         
libraries can do4    ,the imperfection  
of our knowledge being thus laid open1  
it is easy  to see what advantages the  
devil may make out of it for the        

promoting  of error2 for it must now    
become our wonder1 not that any man     
errs1  but that all do not4 ,we find it 
easy to impose anything upon children2  
it is an easy matter for a trifle to    
cheat them out of all they have4        
,surely then ,satan may do as much by   
men1 who are but #8children in          
understanding4' ,the apostle1 ,eph4 iv4 
#ad1 puts us in mind of this  hazard    
under that very similitude1 #8that we   
henceforth be no more  children1 tossed 
to and fro1 and carried about with every
 wind of  doctrine4' ,how fitly doth he 
resemble us to children6 ,their         
weaknesses  are1 #a4 ,want of           
discerning2 they see not the true worth 
of things4  #b4 ,credulity2 they believe
 all fair speeches and specious         
promises3  and the hazard of both these 
is in this1 that it makes them          
unconstant1  uncertain1 and fickle2 and 
such are we made by our ignorance1 so   
little  do we truly discern1 so apt are 
we to believe every pretence1 for the   

simple believes every word1 ,prov4 xiv4 
#ae2 that1 as the apostle's  metaphors  
do tell us1 we are easily tossed from   
one conceit or opinion  to another1 as a
 ship is by the waves1 or a feather in  
the wind4    4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,a third
 advantage which the devil takes against
 us in his  design of error1 is the bias
 of the mind4 ,were our understandings  
purely free1 in a just and even balance 
toward all things propounded  to its    
deliberation and assent1 though it were 
imperfect in its light1  the danger were
 the less2 but now1 in regard of the    
bent and sway it  is under1 it is       
commonly partial1 and inclined to one   
side more than  to another1 and yet the 
matter were the less1 if only one or two
 noted  things had the power of setting 
up a false light before the mind2 but   
there are many things that are apt to do
 us this mischief1 which have  the same 
effect upon us that bribes have upon    
persons interested in  judgment1 which  
not only tempts them to do wrong1 but so

 blinds their  eyes that they know not  
they do so1 or at least not in so great 
a  measure4 ,the mind is biassed1       
7#a47 ,first1 ,naturally to error rather
 than truths4 ,the corruption  of our   
nature is general1 and doth not only    
dispose the will and  affections to     
practical iniquities1 but doth also     
incline the  understanding to error and 
misapprehension4 ,and that seems to be  
the  ground of ,christ's assertion      
against the ,jews3 ,john v4 #dc1 #8,i am
 come  in my ,father's name1 and ye     
receive me not3 if another shall come   
in his own name1 him ye will receive4'  
,which implies that men are  naturally  
more prone to believe an impostor1 than 
one that speaks  the most certain and   
profitable verities2 and besides this   
general  inclination to vanities and    
lies1 there are1 if some think right1   
some  errors that are formally engraven 
in the nature of fallen man--as that    
opinion to be saved by works4#bcc ,for  
not only do all men that have  any      

apprehensions of a future eternal state 
resolve that question of  obtaining     
salvation into works as the proper      
cause1--and indeed no  other could have 
been imagined1 if the ,scripture had not
 revealed the  redemption by the blood  
of ,jesus--but the ,jews in ,john vi4   
#bh1 when they  propound that question1 
#8,what shall we do1 that we might work 
the works  of ,god8' take it for        
granted1 that works of some kind or     
other are the  causes of happiness4     
,possibly some impression of that       
notion1 while it  was a truth1 as in the
 state of innocency it was1 may yet     
remain upon  our natures1 though by the 
fall the case is altered with us4       
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the mind is biassed by
 bodily temper and complexional         
inclination4 ,the varieties of          
complexions introduce varieties of      
humours and dispositions2 and the       
understanding being necessitated to     
look through these1 as so many coloured 
glasses1 is apt to judge1 that  is1 to  

misjudge1 according to the              
misrepresentation of objects4    7#c47  
,thirdly1 ,sometimes habitual           
acquirements have the same influence    
upon the understanding that natural     
humours have4 ,the arts and  sciences we
 study1 our ways of education and       
employment1 are but so  many prejudicate
 prepossessions that do secretly taint  
the mind4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,there are
 also accidental inclinations1 which1   
though  not customary1 have the force of
 a second nature1 because their  working
 is violent and impetuous1 and these1   
which are from a wounded  conscience or 
excesses of melancholy1 have a bias more
 than ordinary2  they lay violent hands 
upon the understanding1 and with a      
mighty  torrent run it down4 ,so that if
 an error be offered that is suitable   
to such fears or misapprehensions1 it   
can scarce miss of success4 ,the        
extraordinary turbulences of some other 
passions1 as anger1 love1 c41  have the 
like effect4    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,vicious

 habits do so much bias the mind1 that  
the  understanding must needs be defiled
 by them4 ,nothing can more prepare  the
 mind to a wicked error than a wicked   
life4 ,an error of indulgence  being so 
grateful to corruption may readily find 
favour with the  understandings of those
 that know not to do good1 because they 
have  accustomed themselves to do evil4 
7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,there are external     
things that have no less power on  the  
understanding than any of the foregoing2
 and these are custom1  education1 and  
interest4 ,these stick so close1 and    
work so subtly1 that  though there are  
few that are not1 in disputable cases1  
influenced by  them1 yet none are able  
or willing to take notice how and by    
what steps  they do engage them to pass 
sentence against truth4 ,and indeed that
  man must have a singular measure of   
suspicious watchfulness and clear       
integrity that is not deceived by them4 
,and the best way to keep clear  of the 
mischief that these may do us1 is to be 

severe in our suspicions  on that side  
to which custom and interest have their 
tendencies4    7#g47 ,seventhly1 ,i     
might note that there is something      
considerable to  this purpose in the    
nature of spirits4 ,some spirits are    
unfixed and  volatile1 and these are    
soon altered by their own unsteadiness4 
,others  are tenacious and unflexible2  
and if such be first set wrong1 it is   
not an easy thing that will reduce them 
to truth4 ,others are soft and  ductile1
 persuaded by good words as soon as     
strong arguments4 ,and  again1 some are 
of such a rough1 sour1 contradictious   
temper1 that  they will sooner choose to
 run wrong than comply with the         
persuasions  of those that offer truth1 
even for that reason1 because they are  
persuaded to it2 so that the truth      
which1 if none had minded them1 they  of
 themselves would have embraced1 they   
will now refuse when it is  pressed upon
 them1 out of a cross and thwarting     
humour1 because they  hate nothing more 

than to do as they are bidden4    ,to   
come a little nearer1 let us consider   
how these things shew their  power upon 
the mind to sway and incline it4 ,it is 
indeed true1 that in  things that are   
clearly and strongly propounded to the  
understanding1  it cannot but judge     
according to the evidence of truth1 and 
cannot be  guided by the will to judge  
contrary2 nay1 the will--though in      
things  purely speculative it may retain
 its averseness1 as also in things      
practical1 while they are considered    
only as what may be done before  the    
understanding hath come up to its final 
resolve1 determining that  such things  
must or ought to be done--cannot but    
follow the light and  information of the
 understanding1 and that according to   
the proportion  of its conviction2 so   
that though in some cases a man would   
have things  otherwise than he believes 
them to be1 yet he cannot believe what  
he  will1 neither can he refuse to will 
what is certainly represented to be     

good and necessary4 ,tantum quisque     
vult1 quantum intelligit se velle       
debere4 ,notwithstanding all this1 the  
forementioned particulars may so  bias  
the mind that it shall not act truly and
 steadily1 as we may see  in these three
 particulars3    #a4 ,first1 ,in things 
clearly demonstrated to the             
understanding1  though the will cannot  
directly oppose1 nor prevail to have    
them judged  false1 yet it can          
indirectly hinder the procedure of the  
understanding1  and divert it from      
fixing its consideration upon the truth1
 or from  working itself into positive  
determinations for bringing it into     
practice4 ,intellectus sequitur         
voluntatem quoad exercitium1 non quoad  
specificationem4 ,thus many that cannot 
but believe there is a ,god1  and that  
his law is true1 being biassed by their 
lusts1 the power of  pleasures or       
interest1 c41 do prevail upon their     
understandings to  take up other objects
 of consideration2 so that they are said

 to forget  ,god1 and to cast his       
commandments behind their backs1 as also
 not to  remember their latter end1     
though they cannot but believe that they
  shall die4 ,truth may be imprisoned   
and fettered1 where it cannot be  slain4
 ,we read of #8holding the truth in     
unrighteousness1' ,rom4 i4 #ah1  which  
was this1 that those heathens of whom   
the apostle speaks1 by  reason of their 
vicious inclinations and practices1     
though they could  not obliterate those 
notices of equity and religion that were
 imprinted  on their minds1 yet they    
kept them at under1 as captives in a    
dungeon1  and suffered them not to rise 
up in a just practical improvement4 ,now
  the wrong that is done to truth this  
way is not only by rendering  it        
unfruitful and useless at present1 but  
hereby the devil hath his  advantage in 
the gaining of time to gather together  
more forces against  that truth1 and by 
frequent onsets of contrary arguings1   
especially  upon the advantage of the   

mind's indifferency and remissness1     
begot by  long and often diversions1 to 
set another face upon it1 and by degrees
  to overturn former persuasions4 ,this 
was the very case of the heathens  in   
the place last cited1 who1 being first  
swayed by their impieties1  became      
unwilling to give way to those dictates 
of light and justice  which they had2   
and having thus gratified their lusts1  
the devil  further prevailing with them 
to find evasions from the power of those
  truths1 they began to make unsuitable 
inferences from these premises1  which  
they could not deny1 and so became      
sottish and vain in their  reasonings1  
#8changing the glory of the             
uncorruptible ,god1 into an image  made 
like unto corruptible man4' ,and by such
 practices against truth1  they at last 
changed the truth into a lie1 ver4 #be1 
and at long-run  obliterated the        
knowledge of ,god out of their minds4   
,this is ,satan's  old method of        
overturning truth at last1 by diverting 

the mind from  receiving the present    
powerful impressions of those           
principles4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,but in   
things doubtful1 where there is not a   
clear  certainty what is truth1 but     
contrary opinions strive with such      
equal confidence1 that it is difficult  
to determine which hath the  conquest1  
there the mind may be so swayed by its  
bias that it may give  approbation to   
error2 nay1 where1 upon a fair and      
indifferent trial1  truth hath the      
greater appearance of strength1 and     
error nothing else  than little shadows 
or appearances of reason to shelter     
itself under2  yet that way may the mind
 be inclined by the aforesaid things4   
,we have  a more easy and facile belief 
for what we would have than for what we 
would not4 ,though there is nothing more
 noted by common experience  than this1 
that men are usually drawn aside by     
humours1 inclinations1  interests1 and  
education1 c41 to judge well of that    
which an  unprejudiced person would     

easily see to be weak1 unjust1          
ridiculous1 or  unreasonable2 yet how   
these considerations and tempers do     
exert their  force upon the             
understanding to draw it into a         
compliance1 or by what  secret art they 
can heighten probabilities1 and lessen  
objections2 or  by what insensible      
progress they move1 that men thus       
carried do not  perceive that they are  
under such a force1 is not so very      
discernible4  ,how often may we observe 
men1 that are rational enough to        
discover the  pitiful shifts and poor   
allegations of others1 with such gravity
 and  confidence1 where their own       
interests are concerned1 to offer such  
low  reasonings and extravagant         
impertinences1 that all that hear them  
are  ready to laugh at their folly2 and 
yet they themselves entertain no  less  
than persuasions of the invincibleness  
of their arguings4 ,they  so eagerly    
desire what they would establish1 that  
they think anything  is enough to       

justify it1 and are apt to imagine that 
their shifts and  excuses appear as     
strong to others as to themselves4 ,i   
have known some  that1 by the sway of   
interest1 have changed their opinions in
 religious  matters1 and have really    
become otherwise persuaded than they had
 been  formerly1 and not as some who1   
for advantage1 will knowingly take up   
what they cannot believe to be true1 and
 have not been able to say that  they   
have met with new arguments or new      
answers to objections1 but  ,i know not 
how arguments1 which they had contemned1
 and laid by for  weak1 began to look   
big upon them4 ,the arguments by which  
their former  persuasion was upheld grew
 insensibly feeble in their hands2 the  
one  revived1 gathered strength1 after  
they had a little cherished them1  by   
thinking there might be something in    
them1 though before they knew  all the  
particulars1 and could not instance in  
anything which they had  not formerly   
notified and answered2 and the other    

sort of arguments  grew weaker and      
weaker1 till at last they parted with   
all good conceit  of them2 so that such 
a change was but as the turning of the  
tables4  ,that which acted behind the   
curtain1 and wrought this change of the 
fancy1 could be no other than some of   
the forementioned things that  biassed  
their mind2 for where the arguments1 pro
 and con1 were the  same1 the alteration
 of opinion1 where men are not so wicked
 as to go  directly against their own   
light1 must of necessity be imputed to  
the  different positions of external    
things1 and the different humours and   
inclinations begot by them1 even as the 
different stations of men in  the       
prospect of some pictures represent them
 variously2 one way they  give the shape
 of a beautiful face1 another way they  
express the ugly  deformity of a devil2 
or as different reflections of the      
sunbeams upon  the same object clothe it
 with several colours4 ,the ,scripture  
doth  also give us notice of this       

advantage which the devil takes from the
  inclinations of men to lead them into 
mistakes4 ,that of ,micah ii4 #aa1      
#8,if a man1 walking in the spirit of   
falsehood1 do lie1 saying1 ,i will      
prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong
 drink2 he shall even be the  prophet of
 this people1' hath this for its        
foundation1 that1 let the  error be     
never so gross and palpable1 as if a man
 should prophesy a  liberty for         
drunkenness1 if it be suitable to the   
sway of people's  humours1 it will      
readily enough be embraced1 #8he shall  
be a prophet to  this people1' that is1 
such a prophet will easily prevail with 
such  a people2 their vicious           
inclinations fit them for any impression
 of  a suitable error4 ,the apostle     
,paul also found this too true in the   
heresies of his own times2 for he tells 
us that seducers had learned  that      
cunning from the devil to draw men to   
error by the sway of their  lusts3 #b   
,tim4 iii4 #f1 #8,they creep into       

houses1 and lead captive silly  women   
laden with sins1 and led away with      
divers lusts2' as also #b ,tim4  iv4 #f1
 he prophesies of the future use of this
 stratagem1 #8,after their  own lusts   
shall they heap to themselves teachers4'
 ,so that the usual  prevalency of error
 was and is from the underground working
 of lusts1  humours1 habits1 and        
inclinations1 which make men willing to 
entertain  an opinion1 which can but    
gratify them with a suitableness or     
fitness4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,where the    
forementioned particulars of            
inclination1  natural or acquired       
humours1 custom1 education1 c41 do      
neither divert  the understanding1 nor  
engage it to close with error2 yet often
 do  they discover how powerfully they  
can bias the mind1 in that these        
prevail with men to modify and mould a  
truth according to the bent  or form of 
their inclinations2 as a bowl which is  
skilfully aimed  at a mark1 goes        
nevertheless by a compass which its bias

 forceth it  unto1 according to the     
risings or fallings of the ground it    
meets with  in the way4 ,men may arrive 
at real truth in the main1 and yet may  
shape it according to their humours4    
,for instance1 let us consider  the     
different modes or forms in which the   
same truth is represented  under the    
workings of different tempers4 ,a       
melancholy person conceives  of all     
things under such reflections as fear   
and sadness do usually  give4 ,if he    
consider ,god1 he looks upon him in the 
notion of greatest  severity and        
justice2 if upon the ways of duty1 he   
colours them all in  black1 and can     
scarce account anything piety which is  
not accompanied  with sadness and       
mourning2 if he calls his soul to a     
reckoning1 his  conclusions concerning  
himself are sad1 doleful1 or at best    
suspicious4  ,on the contrary1 a        
hilarious1 cheerful temper censures all 
sadness for  sullenness1 and is apt to  
accuse those that go mourning in their  

way  for unthankful murmurers and       
unbelieving complainers2 it interprets  
,god's favourable condescensions to the 
weak in the greatest latitude1  and is  
easily persuaded to those things that   
are upon the utmost brink  of liberty1  
to which others of a more timorous      
disposition dare not  approach for fear 
of offending4 ,this puts a higher       
excellency upon  the duties of praise1  
as the other upon fasting and mourning4 
,those  men that are morose and severe1 
they are apt to think that ,god #8is    
such an one as themselves2' and though  
they acknowledge there is such  a grace 
as charity1 yet under a pretence of     
strictness they cannot  believe they are
 bound to exercise it towards any that  
are under any  failing of which they    
judge themselves to be free2 and        
therefore such  men are usually very    
difficult in all cases wherein          
condescension is to  be used2 they are  
hard to be reconciled1 and after the    
miscarriage of  any person1 are not     

easily satisfied of their repentance2   
and in cases  of dissent from their way 
and practice of religion1 they are      
commonly  censorious1 and conclude the  
worst4 ,they again that are naturally   
mild  and gentle1 under a pretence of   
charity and meekness1 are apt to become 
remiss in their carriages towards any   
brother2 and because #8charity  thinks  
not evil1' they model their acknowledged
 duty into the form  of their own       
disposition1 and so think they must     
#8see1 and yet not  perceive2' and      
instead of covering the #8infirmities'  
of a brother1 they  have a mantle to    
cast over every transgression4 ,at the  
same rate also  do they frame their     
conceptions of ,god1 as if he was so    
merciful that  he would scarce reckon   
any abomination to be above the height  
of an  ordinary infirmity4 ,these are   
apt to think that the mercies of ,god1  
so  much praised in ,scripture1 signify 
little less than an indulgence in       
transgression far above what precisians 

are apt to imagine2 and that  it is as  
easy to obtain forgiveness from ,god for
 any offence1 as it  is to say1 #8,the  
,lord be merciful to me a sinner4'      
,those that accustom  themselves to the 
delights of the senses are apt to bend  
the way of  their religion to that      
humour2 and think that nothing can be   
solemn  in worship that is not set out  
with garnishings that may please the    
eye or ear4 ,nay1 it is observable      
enough that religion borrows some  taint
 or shape from the various studies and  
sciences of men2 in some1  as in many of
 the fathers1 we may see religion dipped
 in ,platonism  or ,peripateticism4     
,some introduce the distinctions and    
definitions  of philosophy1 others      
compel all scriptures to submit to the  
laws of  strict logical analysis4 ,thus1
 according to the various mediums that  
men look through1 are truths discoloured
 and dressed up in several  shapes4 ,it 
is easy from these instances to imagine 
that ,satan must have  a great advantage

 against us1 in point of error1 from the
 bias of the  mind4    #d4 ,fourthly1   
,adventurous curiosity is another       
general advantage by  which he works4   
,this ariseth partly from a desire of   
knowledge1 and  partly from pride2 and  
both these make way for his design4     
,a desire after knowledge is natural1   
and withal very bewitching4  ,divinum   
est scire quam-plurima1 ,to know hath   
something in it more  than ordinary4    
,this is noted in ,job xi4 #ab1 #8,vain 
man would be wise1  though man be born  
like a wild ass's colt4' ,though he be  
foolish1 yet  he affects wisdom1 and the
 very delight of knowing doth engage men
 to  curious prying searches1 though    
with much labour and hazard4 ,of this   
temper were the ,athenians3 ,acts xvii4 
#ba1 #8,they spent their time in        
nothing else1 but either to tell or to  
hear some new thing2' not barely  in    
telling news1 but in inquiries after new
 notions and discoveries1  and this made
 them willing to hear ,paul1 as #8a     

setter forth of strange  gods1 and a new
 doctrine4'    ,when this desire after  
knowledge is animated with pride1 as oft
 it is1  for #8knowledge puffeth up1'   
then it is more dangerous4 ,when men are
  upon a design to seem higher than     
others1 to be singular1 to see more     
than what all men see1 to be admired1 to
 out-talk their neighbours1  what       
adventures will they not make6 ,how fair
 do they lie open to any  conceit that  
may serve this end6    ,that ,satan     
labours to improve this curiosity is    
without doubt2 he  carefully affords    
fuel to this burning1 and diligently    
blows it up  into a flame4 ,the first   
temptation had that ingredient in it1   
#8,ye  shall be as gods1 knowing good   
and evil1' ,gen4 iii4 #e4 ,and we see it
  was a great enticement to ,eve3 that  
which would make #8one wise' was        
therefore desirable4 ,the blame of      
,israel's first idolatry seems to be    
laid at this door3 ,deut4 xxxii4 #ag1   
#8,they sacrificed to gods whom they    

knew not1' to new gods that came newly  
up2 implying that they were  drawn aside
 from their old established way of      
worship by a curiosity  to try the new  
ways of the heathens4 ,and so great a   
hand hath this  generally in errors1    
that ,paul1 #b ,tim4 iv4 #c1 makes this 
itch after  novelty the great ground of 
that defection from truth which he      
foresaw  was coming1 #8,they shall heap 
to themselves teachers1 having itching  
ears1' ,pruritus aurium est scabies     
ecclesiarum4 ,this itch of the  ear is  
the usual forerunner of a scab in the   
church1 because it doth  dispose men to 
receive any kind of teacher4 ,god indeed
 doth sometimes  take the advantage of  
our natural curiosity for our good4 ,by 
this means  many of ,john's hearers1 who
 went out into the wilderness to him1 as
  to a #8strange sight1' as those words 
imply1 #8,what went ye out into  the    
wilderness to see8' ,mat4 xi4 #g1 were  
converted4 ,by this means1  the gospel  
afterwards made a large progress1 as we 

see commonly new  teachers affect most  
at first2 for when men grow acquainted  
with their  gifts1 their admiration     
decays1 and the success of their labours
 is  not so great many times4 ,the devil
 also observing the prevalency of       
curiosity1 and that men are more pleased
 with new notions than with old  truths1
 he endeavours also to plough with this 
heifer1 and oft makes  a great harvest  
by it4 ,there is yet another advantage  
more that he  sometimes useth1 and that 
is1    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,atheistical       
debauchery4 ,when men by long custom in 
sinning have arrived to habitual        
carelessness and presumption1 then  they
 become practical atheists4 ,their      
vicious habits work upon their          
understandings to obliterate all        
principles4 ,when men are gone so far1  
they are fit engineers for ,satan2 for  
while they disbelieve all things1  they 
can1 to serve a design or to head a     
party1 take up any opinion1  and pretend
 the greatest seriousness in the        

propagating it1 though in  the meantime 
they secretly laugh at the credulity of 
the vulgar4    ,these men let out       
themselves and all their parts to the   
devil1 and he  knows how to make use of 
them1 to bring on the delusion and      
deception  of others4 ,many ages have   
given examples of such4 ,those seducers 
mentioned in the ,new ,testament were1  
some of them1 of this rank1 and         
therefore called #8deceitful workers1'  
#b ,cor4 xi4 #ac4 ,such as were not     
really under those persuasions which    
they thought to fix upon others1  but   
upon design1 transformed themselves into
 the apostles of ,christ2  such as      
served not our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 but
 their own bellies1 and  yet by good    
words and fair speeches deceived the    
hearts of the simple3  ,rom4 xvi4 #ah1  
#8,who1 through covetousness1 with      
feigned words1 made  merchandize of     
men1' #b ,pet4 ii4 #c4 ,balaam was such1
 and the woman  ,jezebel1 that called   
herself a prophetess1 ,rev4 ii4 #bj4    

,such was the  ,archbishop of           
,spalato1#bcd who for advantage could at
 pleasure take up  and lay down his     
religion4 ,such a one was the false     
,jew1 not so long  since discovered in  
this place1 who being a ,romish         
emissary1 pretended  to be a ,jew       
converted2 and seeking a pure church1   
under that vizor1  designing to         
overthrow1 by private insinuations1 the 
faith of the  simple1 uncautious        
admirers6#bce ,by such instruments      
,satan works where  he hath opportunity4
          ,,chapter ,,iii4     ,of      
,satan's improving these advantages for 
error3 #a4 ,by deluding the             
understanding directly3 which he        
doth--7#a47 ,by countenancing   error   
from ,scripture4 ,of his cunning        
therein4 7#b47 ,by specious   pretences 
of mysteries2 and what these are4 ,of   
personal flatteries4   7#c47 ,by        
affected expressions4 ,reason of their  
prevalency4   7#d47 ,by bold assertions4
 ,the reasons of that policy4   7#e47   

,by the excellency of the persons       
appearing for it1 either   for gifts or 
holiness4 ,his method of managing that  
design4 7#f47   ,by pretended           
inspiration4 7#g47 ,by pretended        
miracles4 ,his   cunning herein4 7#h47  
,by peace and prosperity in ways of     
error4   7#i47 ,by lies against truth1  
and the professors of it4      ,what are
 the general advantages which ,satan    
hath to forward his design  of error we 
have seen4 ,it now remains that we take 
an account of the  various ways by which
 he improves those advantages1 and those
 may be  referred to two heads3 7#a47   
,they are such stratagems as more       
directly  work upon the understanding to
 delude and blind it4 ,or1 7#b47 ,they  
are  such as indirectly by the power of 
the will and affections do influence    
it4    #a4 ,first1 ,those stratagems    
that more immediately concern the       
understanding are the use of such       
arguments1 which carry in them a        
probability to confirm an error1 though 

indeed they are but fallacies1          
sophisms1 or paralogisms1 of which the  
apostle speaks1 ,col4 ii4 #d1  #8,lest  
any beguile you1'--that is1 lest they   
impose upon you by #8false  reasonings4'
 ,his usual way of proceeding in this   
case is3    7#a47 ,first1 ,when he hath 
to do with men that are brought up with 
profession and belief of ,scripture1 he 
is then careful to give an  error some  
countenance or pretence from ,scripture4
 ,it is not his  course to decry the    
,scriptures with such men1 but to       
suppose their  truth and authority1 as  
the most plausible way to his design2   
for by  this means he doth not only     
prevent a great many startling          
objections  which would otherwise rise  
up against him--seeing men brought up   
with ,scripture cannot easily be brought
 to call them false--but with           
considerable advantage lie doth thereby 
authorise and justify his  error1 for   
nothing can give more boldness or       
confidence to a mistake  than a belief  

that it is backed with ,scripture4      
,that this is one of his grand          
stratagems may be sufficiently evinced  
from the infinite number of errors that 
pretend to ,scripture warrant4  ,those  
that are above or beyond ,scripture1    
which acknowledge no  dependence upon   
it1 are but few and rare1 and indeed    
among ,christians  error cannot well    
thrive without a pretence of ,scripture4
 ,men would  have enough to do to       
persuade themselves to such errors1 but 
it would  be impossible to make a party 
or persuade others4 ,such errors would  
presently be hissed out of the world4   
,upon this account is it that  atheism  
skulks and conceals itself1 except where
 generally tolerated  profaneness gives 
it more than ordinary encouragement1    
which is not to  be ascribed to any     
shame-faced modesty that atheisms can be
 supposed  to nourish1 but to the       
general dislike of others1 who so stick 
to the  authority of the ,bible that    
they reject all direct contradictions to

  it with great abhorrency4 ,hence also 
it is that some erroneous persons  are  
forced to contradictions in their       
practice against their professed        
principles1 because they find it        
impossible to propagate their errors    
without some pretence or other to       
,scripture4 ,they that would undermine  
those sacred records are forced to make 
use of their authority for  proof of    
what they would say4 ,the papists have a
 quarrel at them1 and  envy them the    
title of perfection and perspicuity1    
upon design to  introduce traditions1   
and to set up the pope's judicial       
authority in  matters of faith2 and when
 they have said all they can to subject 
the  ,scriptures to the pope's          
determination1 they are forced at last  
to be  beholden to the ,scriptures to   
prove the pope's determination4 ,they   
would prove the ,scriptures by the      
church1 and then the church by the      
,scriptures1 which is a circle they have
 been often told of1 and of  which some 

of the wiser sort among themselves are  
ashamed4 ,others also  that will not    
allow the ,scriptures to be a general   
standing rule are  yet forced to make   
it1 in some cases1 a rule to themselves1
 and eagerly  plead it to be so to      
others4 ,they that pretend to be above  
ordinances1  and decry outward teachings
 as unnecessary or hurtful1 yet they    
teach  outwardly1 because they see they 
are not able to enlarge the empire  of  
error without such teaching4 ,those very
 errors that make it their  chief       
business to render the ,scriptures no   
better than an old almanack1  they yet  
seek to ,scripture to countenance their 
blasphemous assertions2  and if they get
 any scrap or shred of it that may by   
their unjust  torture be wrested to     
speak any such thing1 or anything toward
 it1 they  think all their follies are  
thereby patronised1 #b ,pet4 iii4 #af2  
and  commonly such men either fix upon  
such places as give warning of the      
necessary concomitances of the spirit   

and heart with the outward act  of      
service2 and from hence1 separating what
 ,god hath joined together1  they set up
 spiritual sabbaths1 spiritual baptism1 
spiritual worship1  to cry down and     
cashier the external acts of such       
ordinances1 or they  pretend kindred to 
,scripture1 as prophesying or           
foretelling those new  administrations  
which they are about to set up4 ,let ,h4
 ,nicholas be an  instance of this1 who1
 though he decried the service of the   
law under  ,god the ,father1 and the    
service of the belief under ,christ1 and
 in  the room of both these would set up
 another administration under the       
,spirit2 yet1 that he might be the      
better believed1 he applied several     
scriptures to his purpose1 as           
prophetically foretelling ,h4 ,nicholas 
and  his services1 and would have men   
imagine that he was that #8angel flying 
in the midst of heaven with the         
everlasting gospel1' ,rev4 xiv4 #f2 and 
that prophet inquired after by the      

,jews3 ,john i4 #ba1 #8,art thou that   
prophet8' and that #8man ordained to    
judge the world1' ,acts xvii4 #ca2  and 
that the times of his dispensation were 
the times of perfection and  glory      
spoken of in #a ,cor4 xiii4 #i1 and     
,heb4 vi4 #a4 ,the like pretences  for  
new administrations had ,saltmarsh and  
several others4    ,satan1 fixing his   
foot upon this design1 and taking       
advantage of men's  ignorance1          
curiosity1 and pride1 c41 it is         
impossible to tell what  he may do4 ,he 
hath introduced many heresies already1  
and none knows  what may be behind4     
,many passages of ,scripture are dark to
 the wisest  of men1 a great many more  
are so to the common sort of            
,christians4 ,a  great many wits are    
employed by him as adventurers for new  
discoveries1  and a small pretence is   
ground enough for a bold undertaker to  
erect a new notion upon2 and a new      
notion in religion is like a new        
fashion in apparel1 which bewitcheth the

 unsteady with an itch to be  in it     
before they well understand what it is2 
so that it is alike  impossible to stint
 the just number of errors1 as to adjust
 the various  pretences from ,scripture 
upon which they may be countenanced4    
,leaving1  therefore1 this task to those
 that can undertake it1 ,i shall only   
note a particular or two of ,satan's    
cunning in affixing an error upon       
,scripture4    #a4 ,first1 ,in any grand
 design of error1 he endeavours to lay  
the  foundation of it as near to truth  
as he can2 but yet so that1 in the      
tendency of it1 it may go as far from it
 as may be1 as some rivers1  whose first
 fountains are contiguous1 have         
notwithstanding a direct  contrary      
course in their streams4 ,for instance1 
in those errors that  tend to overthrow 
the doctrine of the gospel concerning   
,christ and  ordinances--and these are  
things which the devil hath a great     
spite  at--he begins his work with      
plausible pretences of love and         

admiration  of ,christ and grace2 he    
proceeds from thence to the pretence of 
purer  enjoyments2 from thence to a     
dislike of such preachers and preaching 
as  threaten sin and speak out the wrath
 of ,god against iniquity1 and these    
are presently called legal preachers1   
and the doctrine of duty a legal        
covenant4 ,having them once at this     
point1 they easily come to immediate    
assistances and special gifts1 which    
they pretend to have above  others4     
,being thus set up1 they are for free   
grace and the enjoyment  of ,god in     
spirit4 ,from thence they come to       
,christian liberty1 and by  degrees     
duties are unnecessary4 ,there is no    
,christ but within them2  and being     
freed from the law1 whatever they do is 
no transgression4  ,this is a path that 
,satan hath trodden of old1 though now  
and then he  may vary in some           
circumstances1 and be forced to stop    
before he come  to the utmost of his    
journey4 ,you may observe this method in

 the late  errors of ,new ,england1#bcf 
in the ,familists of ,germany1 and in   
those  of ,old ,england2 in all which at
 the long-run men are led as far from   
,scripture as darkness is from light4   
,now this is not only to be seen  in a  
progressive multiplication of errors1   
but often may we perceive  the same     
subtlety of ,satan in a simple error1 as
 when he takes up part  of a truth which
 should stand in conjunction with       
another1 and sets it  up alone against  
its own companion1 where we shall have  
the name and  pretence kept up1 but the 
thing quite destroyed4 ,god requires    
services  of men1 and prescribes to     
their use prayer1 hearing1 sacraments2  
but  because in these ,god is           
dishonoured when men only draw near with
 their  lips1 he further tell us1 #8that
 he is not a ,jew which is one          
outwardly1  neither is that circumcision
 which is of the flesh1' c41 ,rom4 ii4  
#bh4 ,this part are some men so fixed   
upon1 that they think they are          

discharged of the other1 and in practice
 go quite from these duties2  and yet   
still they profess they are for         
ordinances and the worship of  ,god4    
,just so are some men for ,christ1 but  
then it is but the name1  not the thing2
 they own ,christ1 they say1 but then it
 is ,christ in  them1 and ,christ come  
in their flesh1 but not that ,christ    
that died at  ,jerusalem as a sacrifice 
for the sins of men4    #b4 ,secondly1  
,satan takes great care that an error   
be1 in all the ways  of its propagation1
 clothed with ,scripture phrases2 and   
the less  the error can pretend to any  
plausible ground of ,scripture1 the more
  doth he endeavour to adorn it with    
,scripture language3 ,i understand  this
 chiefly of such errors as are designed 
for the multitude3 so that  though      
,scripture be not used to prove the     
error1 yet are deceivers  taught to     
express their conceptions by it1 and to 
accommodate the  words and sentences of 
it to their purposes2 for besides pride 

and  confidence1 scriptural eloquence is
 a necessary ingredient to make a       
powerful deluder4 ,observe the          
ringleaders of errors1 and you shall    
find  that ordinarily such have at first
 been studious of the ,scriptures2  and 
though never able to digest them1 yet   
when they turned their ears  from truth1
 they have carried their ,scripture     
language1 which they had  before brought
 themselves unto by long custom1 away   
with them1 and  still retain it1 and    
express their opinions by it4    ,now   
this is a great advantage to ,satan4    
,for1 first1 ,by this means  the        
ignorant multitude are often caught     
without any more ado4 ,if  they hear    
,scripture expressions1 they are apt to 
think that all is  truth which is spoken
 by them2 and they the rather believe   
it1 because  they will imagine such     
teachers to be well versed in           
,scripture1 and  consequently either so 
honest or so knowing that they neither  
can  nor will delude them4 ,secondly1   

,there is a majesty in ,scripture       
which1 in some sense1 doth stick to the 
very expressions of it4 ,men  may       
perceive that generally hearers are more
 affected with ,scripture  eloquence    
than with play-book language4 ,it hath1 
as it were1 a charm  in the words1 which
 makes the ear attentive more than a    
quaint  discourse1 starched up in the   
dress of common rhetoric4 ,one gives us 
an observation to that purpose of his   
own preaching1#bcg and so may  many     
others4 ,while1 then1 men hear such     
language1 they have a reverence  to it4 
,and as physicians cover their pills    
with gold that the patient  might more  
willingly take them1 so do men often    
swallow down error  without due         
consideration1 because conveyed to them 
in a language which  they respect4      
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,satan's second care   
for the advancement of error1 after  he 
hath given it all the countenance he can
 from ,scripture1 is to gild  it over   
with specious pretences4 ,he sets it off

 with all the bravery  he can1 and then 
urgeth that as an argument of its truth4
 ,men are apt  to judge that what doth  
better their spiritual condition cannot 
be a  lie or delusion2 and the argument 
were the more considerable1 if the      
advantages were such as he pretends them
 to be2 but the very noise  and boast of
 advantages please the unwary1 without a
 due inquiry into  their reality4 ,the  
apostle1 in ,rom4 xvi4 #ah1 reduceth all
 this policy  of the deceiver to two    
heads3 7#a47 ,good words1 --words that  
set out the profit and advantage of the 
thing2 7#b47 ,and fair speeches1        
--speeches that flatter the condition of
 the party4 ,his art1  as to the first  
of these1 is to tell them that the      
notions offered to  them are special    
discoveries1 rare mysteries1 which have 
been hidden  from others2 and thence    
infers1 that it must of necessity       
conduce much  to their happiness and    
spiritual perfection to know and embrace
 them4  ,those that troubled the church 

in ,paul's days with false doctrines1   
used this sleight of boasting1 as       
appears by that expression in #a ,tim4  
vi4 #bj1 #8oppositions of science4' ,it 
seems they called their opinions1       
though they were but profane and vain   
babblings1 by the name of  #8science' or
 #8knowledge1' implying that all others1
 even the apostles  themselves1 were in 
the dark1 and came short of their       
illumination4  ,the like we have in     
,rev4 ii4 #bd of that abominable        
prophetess ,jezebel1  who recommended   
her blasphemous1 filthy doctrines under 
the name of  #8depths1' profundities or 
hidden knowledge1 though the ,spirit of 
,god told that church they were not     
such2 but if depths1 they were  #8depths
 of ,satan'--as it is added there by way
 of correction--and not  of the ,spirit 
of ,god4 ,we may trace these footsteps  
of ,satan in all  considerably          
prevailing errors2 for what hath been   
more common than  to hear men speak of  
the designs they have been carrying on  

under the  specious titles of ,christ's 
coming to set up a righteous kingdom1   
the  church's coming out of ,babylon and
 out of the wilderness1 the dawning  of 
the day of the ,lord1 the day of        
reformation1 #8the time of the          
restitution of all things1' with        
abundance of brags of the same kind8 ,i 
shall add no particular instance of this
 nature1 but a few strains of  ,h4      
,nicholas1 with whom such high promising
 vaunts were ordinary4 ,his  service of 
love he compares to the #8most holy2'   
whereas ,john's doctrine  of repentance 
was but a preparation to the holy1 and  
the service  of ,christ he allowed to be
 no more than as the holy of the temple4
  ,this his service he calls #8the      
perfection of life1 the completion of   
prophecies1 the perfect conclusion of   
the works of ,god1 the throne of        
,christ1 the true rest of the chosen of 
,god1 the last day1 the sure word  of   
prophecy1 the new ,jerusalem1' and what 
not4    ,if we make further inquiry into

 the nature of these fair promising     
mysteries1 we shall find that ,satan    
most frequently pitcheth upon these     
three3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he befools men 
into a belief that the ,scriptures do1  
under the veil of their words and       
sentences1 contain some hidden  notions 
that are of purpose so disguised that   
they may be locked up  from the         
generality of men1 at least from learned
 and wise men2 and  that these rarities 
cannot be discerned from the usual      
significations  of the words and        
phrases1 as we understand other books of
 the same  language1 but they fancy     
these sacred writings to be like the    
writings  of the ,egyptians1#bch by     
which they absconded#bci their          
mysteries1  especially like that kind of
 writing1 whereby under words of common 
known sense they intended things which  
the words themselves could  not signify2
 and that which occasions this          
imagination is this1 that  we read      
frequently of #8mysteries' in the       

,scriptures1 and #8hidden  wisdom1' and 
the #8special revelation' of them to    
,god's children1 which  are very great  
truths1 but yet not to be so understood 
as this delusion  supposeth2 for these  
expressions in ,scripture intend no more
 than this1  that the design of ,god to 
save man by ,christ is in itself a      
#8mystery1'  which never would have been
 found out without a special revelation2
 and  that though this #8mystery' is now
 revealed by the gospel1 yet as to the  
application of it to the hearts of men  
in conversion by the operation  of the  
,spirit1 it is yet a #8mystery4' ,but   
none of these intend any  such          
suggestion1 that there are private      
notions of truth or doctrine  that are  
lying under ground1 as it were1 in      
,scripture words1 which the  words in   
the common language will not acquaint us
 withal2 nay1 the  contrary is expressly
 affirmed when we are told that all is  
plainly  laid open to the very simple1  
so that from the ,scriptures they may as

  well understand the fundamental       
principles of religion1 as they may     
understand any other thing which their  
language doth express to them4          
,however1 in this ,satan takes advantage
 of men's pride and curiosity to  make  
them forward in the acceptation of such 
offers1 especially when  such things are
 represented as the only saving         
discoveries1 which a man  cannot be     
ignorant of but with hazard of          
damnation4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,in this   
boast of mystery1 ,satan sometimes takes
  another course somewhat differing from
 the former1 and that is to  put men    
upon allegorical reflections and        
allusions1 by which the  historical     
passages of ,scripture are made1 besides
 the import of  the history1            
resemblances of spiritual truths1 which 
supposeth the  letter of ,scripture to  
be true1 but still as no better than the
 first  rudiments to train up beginners 
withal1 yet withal that the spiritual   
meaning of it raiseth the skilful to a  

higher form in ,christ's school4  ,at   
this rate all are turned into           
allegories4 ,if they fall upon the      
first of ,genesis1 they think they then 
truly understand it when they  apply the
 light and darkness1 and ,god's         
separating of them1 with such  other    
passages1 to the regeneration of the    
soul4 ,the like work make  they with the
 sufferings of ,christ4 ,but then the   
crafty adversary at  last enticeth them 
on to let go the history1 as if it were 
nothing  but a parable1 not really      
acted1 but only fitted to represent     
notions  to us4 ,allegories were a trap 
which the devil had for the ,jews1 and  
wherein they wonderfully pleased        
themselves4 ,how much ,origen abused    
himself and the ,scriptures by this     
humour is known to many2 and how the    
devil hath prevailed generally by it    
upon giddy people in later times ,i     
need not tell you4    ,the pretence that
 ,satan hath for this dealing is raised 
from some  passages of the ,new         

,testament1 wherein many things of the  
,old ,testament  are said to have had a 
mystical signification of things        
expressed or  transacted then1 and some 
things are expressly called allegories4 
,hence  papists determine the ,scripture
 to have1 besides the grammatical sense1
  which all of us do own1 and besides   
the tropological sense1 which is  not   
diverse or distinct from the            
grammatical1 as when from histories  we 
deduce instructions of holy and sober   
carriage1 an allegorical and  analogical
 sense2 in which dealing men consider   
not that the ,spirit of  ,god his       
interpreting a passage or two           
allegorically1 will never justify  any  
man's boldness in presuming to do the   
like to any other passage of            
,scripture2 and beside1 when any hath   
tried his skill that way1 another  may  
with equal probability carry the same   
scripture to a different                
interpretation1 and by this means the   
,scripture shall not only become        

obscure1 but altogether uncertain and   
doubtful1 and unable to prove  anything2
 so that this doth extremely dishonour  
,scripture1 by making it  little less   
than ridiculous4 ,porphyry and ,julian  
made themselves sport  with it upon the 
occasion of ,origen's allegorizing2 and 
no wonder1  seeing that humour1 as one  
calls it1#bdj is no better than a       
learned  foolery4 ,notwithstanding this1
 men are sometime transported with a    
strange delight in turning all into     
allegories1 and picking mysteries  out  
of some by-passages and circumstances of
 ,scripture where one would  least      
expect them2 which ,i can ascribe to no 
second cause more than to  the working  
and power of fancy1 which1 as it can    
frame ideas and images  of things out of
 that that affords no real likeness or  
proportion1 as  men that create to      
themselves similitudes and pictures in  
the clouds or  in the fire1 so doth it  
please itself in its own work2 and with 
a kind  of natural affection it doth    

kiss and hug its own baby4 ,it hath been
 my  wonder sometimes to see how fond   
men have been of their own fancies1  and
 how extremely they have doted upon a   
very bauble4 ,i might note you  examples
 of this1 even to nauseousness1 in all  
studies1 as well as  in this of         
religion4 ,those that affect the        
sublimities of chemistry  do usually by 
a strange boldness stretch all the      
sacred mysteries of  ,scripture1 as of  
the ,trinity1 of regeneration1 c41 to   
represent their  secrets and processes1 
as may be seen sufficiently in their    
writings4  ,one of them ,i cannot       
forbear to name1 and that is ,glauber1  
who doth so  please himself with some   
idle whims about sal and sol1 that at   
last  he falls in with ,bernardinus     
,gomesius1 whom he cites and approves1  
who  in this one word1 1 which signifies
 salt1 finds the ,trinity1 the          
generation of the ,son1 the two natures 
of ,christ1 the calling of the  ,jews   
and ,gentiles1 the procession of the    

,spirit1 and the communications  of the 
,spirit in the law and gospel2 and all  
this he gathers from the  shapes1       
strokes1 and positions of these three   
letters--a very subtle  invention4#bda  
,not unlike to this were some of the    
dotages of the  ,jewish ,cabala1 which  
they gathered from the different writing
 of  some letters in the sacred text1   
from the transposing of them1 and  from 
their mystical arithmetic4 ,r4 ,ellis   
from the letter aleph1  mentioned six   
times in ,gen4 i4 #a1 collected his     
notion of the world's  continuance for  
six thousand years1 because that letter 
stands for a  thousand in the ,hebrew   
computation4 ,another ,rabbi1 mentioned 
by ,lud4  ,cappellus1#bdb hath a        
profound speculation concerning the     
first letter  of ,genesis1 which1 as he 
saith1 doth therefore begin with beth1  
and  not with aleph1 to shew the        
unexceptionable verity of ,god's word1  
against which no mouth can justly open  
itself2 and this he gathers from  the   

manner of the pronunciation of that     
letter 1 which is performed by  the     
closure of the lips4 ,it were not       
possible to imagine that wise men       
should be thus carried away with        
childish follies1 if there were not     
some kind of enchantment in fancy1 which
 makes the hit of a conceit1  though    
never so silly1 intoxicate them into an 
apprehension of a rare  discovery4 ,and 
doubtless this is the very thing that   
doth so transport  the allegorizers and 
inventors of mysteries1 that they are   
ravished  either with the discovery of a
 new nothing or with the rare invention 
of an enigmatical interpretation4    #c4
 ,thirdly1 ,the devil hath yet another  
way of coining mysteries1 and  that is a
 pretence of a more full discovery of   
notions and ways2  which1 as he tells   
those that are willing to believe him1  
are but  glanced at in the ,scripture2  
and this doth not only contain his boast
  of unfolding prophecies1 and the      
dangerous applications of them to  times

 and places that are no way             
concerned--which hath more than once    
put men upon dangerous                  
undertakings1--but also his large       
promise of  teaching the way of the     
,lord more perfectly1 and of leading men
 into a  full comprehension of those    
tremendous mysteries1 wherein the       
,scripture  hath as industriously       
concealed the reasons1 way1 and manner  
of their  being1 as it hath fully       
asserted that they are3 such are the    
decrees of  ,god1 the ,trinity1 c42 as  
also of unfolding and teaching at large 
those  things that the ,scripture seems 
only to hint at4 ,in all which points   
we have instances enough at hand which  
will shew us how the devil hath  played 
his game1 either by making men bold in  
things not revealed1  or by drawing men 
to dislike solid truths1 and by puffing 
them up  with notions1 till at last they
 were prepared for the impression of    
some grand delusion4 ,all this while ,i 
have only explained the first  head of  

,satan's specious pretences1 which      
consists in the promise of  discoveries 
and mysteries--1 good words4    ,the    
next head of pretences are those that   
relate to the persons  enamoured with   
these supposed mysteries--1 fair        
speeches4 ,with  these he strokes their 
heads1 and causeth them to hug          
themselves in  a dream of an imaginary  
happiness4 ,for if they have the        
knowledge of  mysteries which are locked
 up from other men1 they cannot avoid   
this  conclusion1 that they are the only
 favourites of heaven1 that they  only  
have the ,spirit1 are only taught of    
,god1 c4 ,such swelling words  of vanity
 have ever accompanied delusion4 ,and   
indeed we shall find  the confidence of 
such men more strong1 and their false   
embracements  more rapturous1 than      
ordinarily the ways of truth do afford1 
upon  this account1 that in such cases  
fancy is elevated1 and the delights  of 
a raised fancy are excessive and        
enthusiastical4 ,it is a kind of        

spiritual frenzy1 which extends all the 
faculties to an extraordinary  activity1
 the devil doing all he can to further  
it by his utmost  contributions4 ,joy1  
delight1 hope1 love1 are all raised to  
make a  hubbub in the heart2 whereas1 on
 the contrary1 truth is modest1  humble1
 sober1 and affords a more silent joy1  
though more even and  lasting4    ,here 
might ,i set error before you in its    
rant1 and give you a taste  of the      
high-flown strains of it4 ,montanus1 as 
vile as he was1 had  the confidence to  
call himself #8the comforter4' ,novatus 
and his  brother would be no less than  
,moses and ,aaron4 ,the ,gnostics called
  themselves the ,illuminati4 ,the      
,swinkfieldians assumed the title of    
the ,confessors of the glory of ,christ4
 ,the ,family of ,love had their        
,evangelium regni1 the gospel of the    
kingdom4 ,the ,fratricelli              
distinguished themselves from others by 
the term spiritual4 ,muntser  asserted1 
that all of his opinion were ,god's     

elect1 and that all the  children of    
their religion were to be called the    
children of ,god1 and  that all others  
were ungodly and designed to damnation4 
,h4 ,nicholas  affirms1 that there was  
no knowledge of ,christ nor ,scripture1 
but in  his family4 ,to this purpose    
most of them speak that forsake the ways
 of  truth2 and though these swellings  
are but wind and vapour1 yet those      
heights are very serviceable to the     
devil's purposes3 who by this means     
confirms those whom he hath already     
conquered1 and then fits them out  with 
the greater confidence to allure others2
 and men are apt enough to  be drawn by 
fair shows and confident boastings4 ,but
 ,i proceed4    7#c47 ,the third        
stratagem of ,satan for promoting error1
 is to  astonish men with strange       
language and affected expressions4 ,it  
was an old device of ,satan to coin an  
unintelligible gibberish as  the proper 
vehicle of strange enthusiastics'       
doctrine1 and this he  artificially     

suits to his pretended mysteries4       
,without this1 his  rare discoveries    
would be too flat and dull to gain upon 
any man of  competent understanding4    
,for if these dotages were clothed in   
plain  words1 they would either appear  
to be direct nonsense1 or ridiculous    
folly4 ,it concerns him when he hath any
 feats of delusion in hand1 to  set them
 off with a canting speech1 as jugglers 
use their hard words  of ,ailif1 casyl1 
zaze1 presto1 millat1 c41 to put their  
ignorant admirers into a belief of some 
unknown power by which they  do their   
wonders4 ,and this is in some sort      
necessary4 ,extraordinary  matters are  
above expression1 and such wild         
expressions put men into  an expectation
 of things sublime4 ,this knack ,satan  
hath constantly  used4 ,montanus had his
 strange speeches2 and all along1       
downward to  our times1 we may observe  
that error hath had this gaudy dress4   
,the  ,familists especially abound with 
it4 ,you may read whole books full of   

such a kind of speaking1 as the book    
called ,theologia ,germanica1 or        
,german divinity1#bdc the books of      
,jacob ,behmen1 #8,the ,bright ,morning 
,star1' c4 ,neither are the papists     
free2 one of late hath taken the  pains 
to shew them this and other follies4#bdd
 ,among them you may  find such talk as 
this3 of being #8beclosed in the midhead
 of ,god1  and in his meek-head2 of     
being substantially united to ,god1 of  
being  one'd to ,god2 as also of the    
abstractedness of life1 of passive      
unions1 of the deiform fund of the soul2
 of a state of introversion2  of a      
super-essential life1 a state of        
nothingness1' c4 ,just like the  ravings
 of ,h4 ,nicholas1 ,david ,george1 and  
others1 who confidently  discourse of   
being #8godded with ,god1' of being     
#8consubstantiated with  the ,deity1'   
and of ,god's #8being manned with them4'
    ,i have oft considered what reason  
might be given for the takingness of    
such expressions1 and have been forced  

to satisfy myself with these3  ,first1  
,many mistake the knowledge of words for
 the knowledge of  things4 ,and well may
 poor ignorant men believe they have    
attained1 no  man knows what1 by this   
device2 when among learned men the      
knowledge  of words is esteemed so great
 a pitch of learning1 and they nourish a
  great many controversies that are only
 verbal4 ,secondly1 ,some are  pleased  
to be accounted understanders by others1
 and rest in such high  words as a badge
 of knowledge4 ,thirdly1 ,some are      
delighted with such  a hard language    
upon a hope that it will lead them to   
the knowledge of  the things at last2   
they think strange expressions are a    
sign of deep  mysteries4 ,i knew one    
that set himself to the reading of      
,jacob ,behmen's  books1 though at      
present he confessed he was scarce able 
to make  common sense of three lines    
together1 upon a secret enticement that 
he had from the language1 to come to    
some excellent discovery by much  pains 

and reading4 ,fourthly1 ,some that have 
their fancies heated1  have by this     
means broken1 confused impressions of   
strange things in  their imaginations1  
and conceive themselves to know things  
beyond what  common language can        
express3 as if with ,paul1 rapt up into 
the third  heaven1 #8they hear and see  
wonders unutterable4' ,but what reason  
soever  prevails with men to take up    
such a way of speaking1 ,satan makes    
them  believe that it contains a rich   
mine or treasury1 not of common truths1 
but of extraordinary profundities4#bde  
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,instead of argument to
 confirm an error1 sometimes we  have   
only bold assertions that it is truth1  
and a confident condemning  the contrary
 as an error1 urging the danger of men's
 rejecting it1  backed with threatening 
of hell and damnation2 and all this in  
the  ,words of ,scripture4 ,to be sure1 
they are right1 and all other men  are  
wrong4 ,this kind of confidence and     
fierceness hath been still  the         

complexion of any remarkable way of     
delusion2 for that commonly  confines   
their charity to their own party1 which 
is a great token of an  error4 ,not only
 may you observe in such extraordinary  
proclamations of  wrath against those   
that will not believe them3 a practice  
used by the  mad fanatics of ,munster1  
who1 as our ,quakers were wont to do1 go
 up and  down the streets1 crying1      
#8,wo1 wo2 repent1 repent2 come out of  
,babylon2  the heavy wrath of ,god2 the 
axe is laid to the root of the tree2'   
but  in their more settled teaching they
 pronounce all to be antichrist1 and  of
 the carnal church1 that do oppose them4
 ,take for this ,h4 ,nicholas  his      
words3 #8all knowledge' besides his1    
#8is but witchery and blindness1  and   
all other teachers and learners are a   
false ,christianity1 and  the devil's   
synagogue2 a nest of devils and wicked  
spirits2 a false  being1 the antichrist1
 the kingdom of hell1 the majesty of the
 devil1'  c4 ,this piece of art1 not    

only our ,quakers1 to whom nothing is   
more  familiar than to say to any       
opposer1 #8,thou art damned1 thou art in
  the gall of bitterness1 the lake of   
fire and brimstone is prepared for      
thee1' c41 but also the papists commonly
 practise1 who shut all out  of heaven  
that are not of their church2 and when  
they would affright  any from           
protestantism1 they make not nice to    
tell him that there is no  possibility  
of salvation but in their way4    ,the  
reasons of this policy are these3 7#a47 
,the heart is apt to be  startled with  
threatenings1 and moved by commands2    
especially those  that are of a more    
tender and frightful spirit2 and though 
they know  nothing by themselves1 yet   
these beget fears which may secretly    
betray  reason1 and make men leave the  
right way because of affrightment4      
7#b47 ,the confidence of the assertors  
of such things hath also its            
prevalency2 for men are apt to think    
that they would not speak so if  they   

were not very certain1 and had not real 
experience of what they  said1 and thus 
are men threaped#bdf out of their own   
persuasions4 7#c47  ,the native majesty 
of ,scripture1 in a business of so great
 hazard1  adds an unexpressible force to
 such threatenings2 and though1 being   
misapplied1 they are no more ,scripture 
threatenings1 yet1 because ,god  hath   
spoken his displeasure in those words1  
men are apt to revere  them--as men     
cannot avoid to fear a serpent or toad1 
though they know  the sting and poison  
were taken out1 because nature did      
furnish them  with a sting or venom4    
7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,it is a usual trick of 
,satan to derive a credit and  honour to
 error1 from the excellencies1 supposed 
or real1 of the  persons that more      
eminently appear for it4 ,so that it    
fetcheth no  small strength from the    
qualities of those that propagate it4   
,the  vulgar1 that do not usually dive  
deep into the natures of things1        
content themselves with the most        

superficial arguments1 and are sooner   
won to a good conceit of any opinion by 
the respects they carry to the  author1 
than by the strongest demonstration4    
,the excellencies that usually move them
 are either their gifts or  their       
holiness4 ,if the seedsman of an error  
be learned1 or eloquent  and            
affectionate in his speaking1 men are   
apt to subscribe to anything  he shall  
say1 from a blind devotional#bdg        
admiration of the parts  wherewith he is
 endowed4 ,and often1 where there is no 
learning1 or  where learning is decried1
 as savouring too much of man1 if there 
be  natural fluency of speech1 with a   
sufficient measure of confidence1  it   
raiseth them so much the higher in the  
esteem of the common sort1  who         
therefore judge him to be immediately   
taught of ,god1 and divinely  furnished 
with gifts4 ,at this point began the    
divisions of the church  of ,corinth4   
,they had several officers severally    
gifted2 some were  taken with one man's 

gift1 others with another man's2 some   
are for  ,paul1 as being profound and   
nervous in his discourses2 others for   
,apollos1 as eloquent2 a third sort were
 for ,cephas1 as1 suppose1  an          
affectionate preacher4 ,thus upon       
personal respects were they  divided    
into parties3 and if these several      
teachers were of different  opinions1   
their adherents embraced them upon an   
affectionate conceit  of their          
excellencies4 ,and generally ,satan hath
 wrought much by such  considerations as
 these4 ,this he urgeth against ,christ 
himself1 when  he set up the wisdom and 
learning of the rulers and pharisees1 as
 an  argument of truth in their way of  
rejecting such a ,messias3 ,john vii4   
#dh1 #8,have any of the rulers1 or of   
the ,pharisees believed on him8'  ,there
 is no insinuation more frequent than   
this3 these are learned1  excellent1    
able men1 and therefore what they say or
 teach is not to be  disbelieved2 and   
though this be but argumentum stultum1 a

 foolish  argument1 yet some that would 
be accounted wise do make very great use
  of it4 ,the crack#bdh #8of learned    
doctors among the papists' is one  topic
 of persuasion to popery1 and so to     
other errors1 as appears by  this1 that 
all errors abound with large            
declamations of the praises of  their   
founders and teachers3 and the most     
illiterate errors usually  magnify the  
excellent inspirements and gifts of     
utterance of their  leaders4    ,but the
 other excellency of holiness in the    
teachers of error is more  generally and
 more advantageously improved by ,satan1
 to persuade men  that all is true      
doctrine which such men profess4 ,of    
this delusion  ,christ forewarned us1   
#8,they shall come in sheep's           
clothing--that is1  under the mask of   
seeming holiness1 at least at first2    
notwithstanding1  #8beware of them1'    
,mat4 vii4 #ae4 ,those complained of by 
,paul1 #b ,cor4  xi4 #ae1 though they   
were ,satan's ministers1 yet that they  

and their  doctrine might be more       
plausibly entertained1 they were        
#8transformed as  the ministers of      
righteousness4' ,this cunning we may    
espy in heretics  of all ages4 ,the     
,scribes and ,pharisees used a pretence 
of sanctity as  a main piece of art to  
draw others to their way4 ,their alms1  
fastings1  long prayers1 strict         
observations1 c41 were all designed as a
 net to  catch the multitude withal4    
,the lying doctrines of ,antichrist were
  foretold by ,paul1 to have their      
success from this stratagem2 all that   
idolatry and heathenism which he is to  
introduce must be1 and hath  been1      
through the hypocrisy of a painted      
holiness1 #a ,tim4 iv4 #b2 and  where he
 intends most to play the dragon1 ,rev4 
xiii4 #aa1 he there  most artificially  
counterfeits the innocency and          
simplicity of the  lamb4 ,arch-heretics 
have been arch-pretenders to sanctity1  
and such  pretences have great influence
 upon men2 for holiness and truth are   

so near of kin1 that they will not      
readily believe that it can be a  false 
doctrine which a holy man teacheth4     
,they think that ,god that hath  given a
 teacher holiness will not deny him     
truth4 ,nay1 this is an easy  and       
plausible measure which they have for   
truth and error4 ,to inquire  into the  
intricacies and depths of a disputation 
is too burdensome  and difficult for    
ordinary men1 and therefore they satisfy
 themselves  with this consideration1   
which hath little toil in it1 and as    
little  certainty3 that surely ,god will
 not leave holy men to a delusion4 ,it  
would be endless to give all the        
instances that are at hand in this      
matter4 ,i shall only add a few things  
of ,satan's method in managing  this    
argument1 as1    #a4 ,first1 ,when he   
hath a design of common or prevailing   
delusion1 he  mainly endeavours to      
corrupt some person of a more strict1   
serious1  and religious carriage1 to be 
the captain and ringleader2 such men    

were ,pelagius1 ,arius1 ,socinus1 c4 ,he
 mainly endeavours to have fit          
instruments4 ,if he be upon that design 
of blemishing religion1 and to  bring   
truth into a disesteem1 then1 as one    
observes1#bdi he persuades  such into   
the ministry as he foresees are likely  
to be idle1 careless1  profane1 and     
scandalous2 or doth endeavour to promote
 such ministers  into more conspicuous  
places1 and provokes them to            
miscarriage1 that so  their example may 
be an objection against truth1 while in 
the meantime  he is willing that the    
opposers of truth should continue their 
smooth  carriage2 and then he puts a    
two-edged sword into the hands of the   
unstable3 ,can that be truth where there
 is so much wickedness8 and can  this be
 error where there is so much holiness8 
#b4 ,secondly1 ,in prosecution of this  
design he usually puts men upon  some   
more than ordinary strictness1 that the 
pretence of holiness  may be the more   
augmented4 ,in this case a course of    

ordinary  sanctity is not enough1 they  
must be above the common practice2 some 
singular additions of severity and      
exactness above what is written1  are   
commonly affected to make them the more 
remarkable4 ,christ notes  this in the  
,pharisees1 concerning all their        
devotions1 and the ways  of expressing  
them2 their phylacteries spoken of1     
,mat4 xxiii4 #e1 as  some think1#bej    
were not intended by that text of ,deut4
 vi4 #h1 but  only that they should     
remember the law1 and endeavour not to  
forget  it1 as they do that tie a thread
 or such like thing about their finger  
for a remembrancer2 according to ,prov4 
iii4 #c1 #8,bind them about thy  neck1  
write them upon the table of thine      
heart4' ,however1 if they were          
literally enjoined1 they would have     
them1 as ,christ tells them1 broader    
than others1 as an evidence of their    
greater care4 ,the ,cathari  boasted of 
sanctity and good works1 and rejected   
second marriages2 the  ,apostolici were 

so called from a pretended stricter     
imitation of the  singular holiness of  
the apostles4 ,the ,valesians made      
themselves  eunuchs1 according to the   
letter1 #8for the kingdom of ,god4' ,the
  ,donatists accounted that no true     
church where any spot or infirmity  was 
found4 ,the ,messalians1 or ,euchyt1    
were for constant praying1  the         
,nudipedales for going barefoot1 c4 ,the
 papists urge canonical  hours1         
whippings1 penances1 pilgrimages1       
voluntary poverty1 abstinence  from     
meats and marriage in their priests and 
votaries4 ,in a word1 all  noted sects  
have something of special singularity1  
whereby they would  difference          
themselves from others1 as a peculiar   
character of their  greater strictness2 
and for want of better stuff they       
sometimes take up  affected gestures1   
devotional looks1 and outward garbs2 all
 which have  this note1 that what they  
most stand upon1 ,god hath least1 or not
 at  all1 required at their hands--their

 voluntary humility1 or neglecting of   
the body being but will-worship1 and a  
self-devised piece of religion4    #c4  
,thirdly1 ,when once men are set in the 
way of exercising  severities1 ,satan   
endeavours1 by working upon their       
fancies1 to press  them on further to a 
delight and satisfaction in these#bea   
ways of  strictness1 so that the        
practisers themselves are not only      
confirmed  in these usages1 and the     
opinions that are concomitant with them1
 but  others are the more easily drawn  
to like and profess the same things4    
,any serious temper1 under any          
profession of religion1 easily comes to 
be devout1 and readily complies with    
opportunities of evincing its  devotion 
by strictness4 ,and therefore we shall  
find among heathens a  great devotional 
severity1 and such as far exceeds all of
 that kind  which the papists do usually
 brag of4 ,the ,magi abstained from     
wine1 ate  not the flesh of living      
creatures1 and professed virginity4 ,the

 ,indian  ,brachmans did the like1 and  
besides used themselves to incredible   
hardship2 they laid upon skins1         
sustained the violence of the sun and   
storms1 and exercised themselves        
therewith2 some spending thirty-seven   
years in this course1 others more4 ,we  
read strange things of this  nature     
concerning the ,egyptian priests1 and   
others4 ,the ,mohammedans  are not      
without their religious orders1 which   
pretend a more holy and  austere life   
than others2 and though of some1 as of  
the torlachs  and dervizes1 several     
private villainies are reported1 yet of 
others1 as of the order of calender1 we 
are assured from history  that they     
profess virginity1 and expose themselves
 to hardship1 and  a stricter devotion  
in their way2 and generally it is said  
of all  of them1 that they go meanly    
clad1 or half naked2 some abstinent in  
eating and drinking1 professing poverty1
 renouncing the world4 ,some can  endure
 cutting and slashing1 as if they were  

insensible2 some profess  perpetual     
silence1 though urged with injuries and 
tortures2 others have  chains about     
their necks and arms1 to shew that they 
are bound up from  the world1 c4 ,if    
such things may be found among heathens1
 no wonder  that error boasts of them1  
for in both there is the same reason of 
men's pleasing themselves in such       
hardships1 which is from a natural      
devotion1 assisted by ,satan's cunning1 
and the same design driven on by  it2   
for the devil doth confirm heathens and 
,mohammedans in their false  worship by 
the reverence and respect they carry to 
such practices4    #d4 ,fourthly1       
,because religious holiness hath a      
beauty in it1 and  is very lovely1 he   
doth all he can to affect men with the  
highest  reverence for these pretences  
of religious strictness2 so that they   
that will not be at pains to practise   
them1 can bestow an excessive  respect  
and admiration upon those that are grown
 famous in the use of  such things2 and 

by that means being almost adored1 they 
are without  doubt persuaded that all   
they teach or do is right1 and in a     
doting  fondness they multiply          
superstitious errors4 ,idolatry is      
supposed to  have a great part of its   
rise from this4 ,while men endeavoured  
to  express their thankful and admiring 
remembrances of some excellent  persons 
by setting up their pictures1 their     
posterity began to worship  them as     
gods4 ,pilgrimages were first set on    
foot by the respects that  men gave to  
places that were made famous by persons 
and actions of  more than ordinary      
holiness2#beb and because the devil     
found men so  very apt to please        
themselves in paying such devotional    
reverences1 he  wrought upon their      
superstitious humour to multiply to     
themselves the  occasions thereof1 and  
by fabulous traditions sent them to     
places no  otherwise made memorable than
 by dreams and impostures4 ,much of this
  you might see if you would accompany a

 caravan from ,cairo to ,mecca and      
,medina1 where you would see the zealous
 pilgrims1 with a great many  orisons   
and prayers1 compassing ,abraham's      
house1 kissing a stone which1  they are 
told1 fell from heaven2 blessing        
themselves with a relic of  the old     
vesture of ,abraham's house1 washing    
themselves in the pond1  which1 as their
 tradition goes1 the angel shewed to    
,hagar2 saluting  the mountain of       
pardon1 throwing stones in defiance of  
the devil1 as  their legend tells them  
,ishmael did2 their prayers on the      
mountain of  health1 their visit to the 
prophet's tomb at ,medina1 c4#bec ,the  
like  might you observe among the       
papists1 in their pilgrimages to        
,jerusalem  and the sepulchre1 to the   
,lady of ,loretto's chapel1 and other   
places4  ,by such devices as these the  
unobservant people are transported with 
a pleasure1 insomuch that they not only 
persuade themselves they are  very      
devout in these reverences1 but they    

also become unalterably fixed  to these 
errors that do support these delightful 
practices1 or as  consequences do issue 
from them4    7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,a more   
plausible argument for error than the   
learning  and holiness of the persons   
that profess it1 is that of inspiration1
  in which the devil soars aloft and    
pretends the highest divine warrant  for
 his falsehoods2 for #8,god is truth1'  
and #8we know that no lie is of  the    
truth4' ,now to make men believe that   
,god by his ,holy ,spirit doth  in any  
manner dictate such opinions1 or        
certainly reveal such things  for       
truths1 is one of the highest artifices 
that he can pretend to1 and  such a     
confirmation must it be to those that   
are so persuaded1 that all  disputes and
 doubtings must necessarily be silenced4
    ,that the devil can thus #8transform
 himself into an angel of light1'  we   
are assured from ,scripture1 which hath 
particularly cautioned us  against this 
cheat4 ,the apostasy of the later times1

 #a ,tim4 iv4 #a1  the apostle foretells
 should be carried on by the prevalency 
of this  pretence3 #8,some shall depart 
from the faith1 giving heed to seducing 
spirits4' ,that by #8spirits' there1    
doctrines are intended rather than      
doctors1 is ,mr ,mede's                 
interpretation2#bed but it will come all
 to  one if we consider that the word   
#8spirit' carries more in it than       
either doctrine or doctor2 for to call  
either the one or the other  #8a spirit'
 would be intolerably harsh1 if it were 
not for this1 that  that #8doctor' is   
hereby supposed to pretend an           
infallibility from the  ,spirit of ,god1
 or1 which is all one1 that he received 
his doctrine by  some immediate         
revelation of the ,spirit2 so that by   
#8seducing spirits'  must be men or     
doctrines that seduce others to believe 
them1 by the  pretence of the ,spirit or
 inspiration2 and that text of #a ,john 
iv4 #a  doth thus explain it3 #8,believe
 not every spirit1 but try the spirits  

whether they are of ,god1' which is as  
much as if he had said1 ,believe  not   
every man or doctrine that shall pretend
 he is sent of ,god and  hath his       
,spirit2 and the reason there given     
makes it yet more plain1  because many  
#8false prophets are gone out into the  
world2' so that  these #8spirits' are   
#8false prophets1' men that pretend     
inspiration4 ,and  the warning1         
#8,believe not every spirit1' tells us  
that ,satan doth with  such a dexterity 
counterfeit the ,spirit's inspirations1 
that holy and  good men are in no small 
hazard to be deceived thereby4 ,most    
full to  this purpose is that of #b     
,thes4 ii4 #b1 #8,that ye be not soon   
shaken in  mind1 or be troubled1 neither
 by spirit1 nor by word1 nor by letter  
as  from us1 as that the day of ,christ 
is at hand2' where the several means  of
 seduction are particularly reckoned as 
distinct from the doctrine  and doctors1
 and by #8spirit' can be meant no other 
than a pretence of  inspiration or      

revelation4#bee    ,it is evident then  
that ,satan by this artifice useth to   
put a stamp  of divine warrant upon his 
adulterate coin2 and if we look into his
  practice1 we shall in all ages find   
him at this work4 ,among heathens he    
frequently gained a repute to his       
superstitious idolatrous worship by     
this device4 ,the men of greatest note  
among them feigned a spiritual  commerce
 with the gods4 ,empedocles endeavoured 
to make the people  believe that there  
was a kind of divinity in him1 and      
affecting to be  esteemed more than a   
man1 cast himself into the burnings of  
,mongebel1  that they might suppose him 
to have been taken up to the gods4#bef  
,pythagoras his fiction of a journey to 
hell was upon the same account4         
,philostratus and ,cedrenus report no   
less of ,apollonius1 than that he  had  
familiar converses with their supposed  
deities2 and the like did  they believe 
of their magi and priests2 insomuch that
 some cunning  politicians1 observing   

how the vulgar were under a deep        
reverence to  such pretences1 gave it   
out that they had received their laws by
 divine  inspirations4 ,numa ,pompilius 
feigned he received his institutions    
from  the nymph geria1 ,lycurgus from   
,apollo2 ,minos the lawgiver of ,candia 
boasted that ,jupiter was his familiar4 
,mohammed also speaks as high  this way 
as any2 his ,alcoran must be no less    
than a law received from  ,god1 and to  
that end he pretends a strange journey  
to heaven1 and  frequent converse with  
the angel ,gabriel4    ,if we trace     
,satan in the errors which he hath      
raised up under the  profession of the  
,scriptures1 we may observe the same    
method4 ,the  ,valentinians1 ,gnostics1 
,montanists talked as confidently of the
 ,spirit  as ,moses or the prophets     
could do1 and a great deal more2 for    
some  of them blasphemously called      
themselves the ,paraclete or ,comforter4
  ,among the monsters which later ages  
produced1 we still find the same        

strain3 one saith he is ,enoch1 another 
styles himself the #8great  prophet1'   
another hath raptures1 and all          
immediately inspired4 ,the  papists have
 as much of this cheat among them as any
 other2 and some  of their learned      
defenders avouch their lumen            
propheticum1 and  miraculorum gloria1   
prophesies and miracles1 to be the two  
eyes1 or  the sun and moon of their     
church2 nay1 by a strange transportment 
of  folly1 to the forfeiture of the     
reputation of learning and reason1 they 
have so multiplied revelations that we  
have whole volumes of them1  as the     
revelations of their ,st ,bridget and   
others2 and by wonderful  credulity they
 have not only advanced apparent dreams 
and dotages to  the honour of           
inspirations or visions1 but upon this  
sandy foundation  they have built a     
great many of their doctrines1 as       
purgatory1  transubstantiation1         
auricular confession1 c4 ,by such       
warrants have  they instituted festivals

 and founded several orders4 ,the       
particulars  of these things you may see
 more at large in ,dr ,stillingfleet and
  others4 ,and that there might be      
nothing wanting that might make them    
shamelessly impudent1 they are not      
content to equal their fooleries  with  
the ,scriptures of ,god1 as that the    
rule of their ,st4 ,francis--for  ,i    
shall only instance in him1 omitting    
others for brevity sake--was not        
composed by the wisdom of man1 but by   
,god himself1 and inspired by the  ,holy
 ,ghost1 but they advance their prophets
 above the apostles1 and  above ,christ 
himself4 ,their ,st ,benedict1 if you   
will believe them1 was  rapt up to the  
third heavens1 where he saw ,god face to
 face1 and heard  the choir of angels2  
and their ,st4 ,francis was a nonsuch   
for miracles  and revelations4 ,neither 
may we wonder that ,satan should be     
forward in  urging this cheat1 when we  
consider1    #a4 ,first1 ,what a        
reverence men naturally carry to        

revelations1  and how apt they are to be
 surprised with a hasty credulity4 ,an  
old  prophecy1 pretended to be found in 
a wall1 or taken out of an old          
manuscript1 of ,i know not what         
uncertain author1 is usually more doted 
on than the plain and infallible rules  
of ,scripture4 ,this we may  observe    
daily2 and foreigners do much blame the 
,english for a facile  belief of such   
things2 but it is a general fault of    
mankind1 and we  find even wise men     
forward in their persuasions upon meaner
 grounds  than those that gain credit to
 old prophecies4 ,for their antiquity   
and  strangeness of discovery1          
especially at such times wherein the    
present  posture of affairs seem to     
favour such predictions with a          
probability  of such events1 are more   
likely to get credit than these         
artificial  imitations of the ways and  
garbs of the old prophets1 and the      
cunning  legerdemain of those that      
pretend to inspirations by seeming      

ecstasies1  raptures1 and confident     
declarations1 c42 nevertheless arrant   
cheats  have by these ways deceived no  
mean men4 ,alvarus acknowledgeth that he
  honoured a woman as a saint that had  
visions and raptures as if really       
inspired--and the same apprehensions had
 the bishop and friars--who was         
afterward discovered to be a naughty    
woman4#beg ,who shall then think  it    
strange that the unobservant multitude  
should be deluded by such an  art8      
#b4 ,secondly1 ,especially if we        
consider that ,god himself took  this   
course to signify his mind to men4 ,his 
prophets were divinely  inspired1 and   
the ,scriptures were not of #8any       
private interpretation1'   4 ,the words 
that the penmen of ,scriptures wrote    
were not  the interpretations of their  
own private thoughts1 #8for the prophecy
  came not in old time by the will of   
man1 but holy men of ,god spake as  they
 were moved by the ,holy ,ghost1' #b    
,pet4 i4 #bj1 #ba4 ,now though the      

prophecies of ,scripture are sealed1 and
 no more is to be added to them  upon   
any pretence whatsoever1 yet seeing     
there are promises left us of  the      
#8giving of the ,spirit1' of #8being    
taught and led by the ,spirit1'  it is  
an easy matter for ,satan to beguile men
 into an expectation of  prophetic      
inspirations1 and a belief of what is   
pretended so to be2 for  all men do not 
or will not understand that these       
promises of the ,spirit  have no        
intendment of new and extraordinary     
immediate revelations1  but only of the 
efficacious applications of what is     
already revealed  in ,scripture4 ,this  
kind of revelation we acknowledge and   
teach1 which  is far enough from        
enthusiasm1 that is1 a pretended        
revelation of new  truths1 and we have  
reason to assert that internal          
persuasions without  the external word  
are to be avoided as ,satan's           
cozenages4#beh ,but  for all this1 when 
men's minds are set agadding1 if they   

meet with  such as magnify their own    
dreams1 and call their fancies visions1 
the suitableness of this to their humour
 makes them to reject our               
interpretations of these promises as    
false1 and to persuade themselves  that 
they are to be understood of such       
inspirations as the prophets of  old    
had2 and then they presently conclude   
they are to believe them1  lest         
otherwise they should resist the ,holy  
,ghost4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,but the       
advantage which the devil hath to work  
delusion  upon by this pretence is a    
high motive to him to practise upon it4 
,for  inspirations1 visions1 voices1    
impulses1 dreams1 and revelations are   
things wherein wicked impostors may by  
many ways and artifices play  the       
counterfeits undiscovered4 ,it is easy  
to prophesy false dreams1  and to say1  
thus saith the ,lord1 when yet they do  
but lie1 and the  ,lord never sent them 
nor commanded them1 ,jer4 xxiii4 #ca2   
nay1 it is  easy1 by tricks and         

illusions1 to put that honour and credit
 upon their  designs which they could   
not by their bare assertions1 backed    
with  all their art of seeming          
seriousness4 ,the inventions of men that
 have  been formerly successful in this 
deceit being now laid open to our       
knowledge1 may make us more wary in our 
trust4 ,among the heathens you  may find
 notable ways of deceits of this nature4
 ,the story of ,hanno  and ,psappho is  
commonly known2 they tamed birds and    
learned them to  speak1 #8,hanno and    
,psappho are gods1' and then set them at
 liberty1 that  men hearing such strange
 voices in the woods from birds1 might  
imagine  that these men were declared   
gods by special discovery4 ,mohammed's  
device of making a dove to come         
frequently to his ear1 which he did by  
training her up to a use of picking corn
 out of it1 served him for an  evidence 
among the vulgar beholders1 who knew not
 the true cause of  it1 of his immediate
 inspiration by the angel ,gabriel1 who1

 as he told  them1 whispered in his ear 
in the shape of a dove4 ,the like       
knavery he  practised for the           
confirmation of the truth of his        
,alcoran1 by making  a bull1 taught     
before to come at a call or sign1 to    
come to him with a  chapiter upon his   
horns4 ,hector ,boetius tells us of a   
like stratagem  of a king of ,scots1    
who1 to animate his fainting subjects   
against  the ,picts that had beaten     
them1 caused a man clothed in the       
shining  skins of fishes1 and with      
rotten wood1 which1 as a glow-worm in   
the  night1 represents a faint light1 to
 come among them in the dark1 and       
through a reed or hollow trunk1 that the
 voice might not appear to be  human1 to
 incite them to a vigorous onset3 this  
they took to be an  angel bringing them 
this command from heaven1 and           
accordingly fought  and prevailed4      
,crafty ,benedict1 who was afterward    
pope under the name  of ,boniface       
,,viii41 made simple ,celestine ,v4 give

 over the popedom by  conveying to him a
 voice through a reed to this purpose3  
,celestine1  ,celestine1 renounce the   
papacy1 give it over1 if thou wouldst be
  saved1 the burden is beyond thy       
strength1 c4 ,the silly man1 taking     
this for a revelation from heaven1      
quitted his chair and left it for  that 
crafty fox ,benedict4 ,not very many    
years since the same trick  was played  
in this country to a man of             
revelations--,paul ,hobson--who  called 
himself ,david in spirit4 ,when he had  
wearied his entertainer  with a long    
stay1 he quitted himself of his company1
 as ,i was credibly  informed1 by a     
policy which he perceived would well    
suit with the  man's conceitedness1 for 
through a reed in the night-time he     
tells him  that he must go into ,wales1 
or some such country1 and there preach  
the  gospel2 the next morning the man   
avouches a revelation from ,god to go   
elsewhere1 and so departs4 ,these       
instances shew you how cunningly a      

cheating knave may carry on a pretence  
of revelation or vision4 ,and  yet this 
is not all the advantage which the devil
 hath in this matter1  though it is an  
advantage which he sometime makes use of
 when he is  fitted with suitable       
instruments4 ,but he works most         
dangerously when  he so acts upon men   
that they themselves believe they have  
visions1  raptures1 and revelations1 for
 some are really persuaded that it is   
so with them4 ,neither is it strange    
that men should be deluded into  an     
apprehension that they hear and see what
 they do not2 in fevers1  frenzies1 and 
madness we clearly see it to be so2 and 
who can convince  such persons of their 
mistakes1 when with as high a confidence
 as may  be they contend that they are  
not deceived8 ,shall we think it strange
  that ,satan hath ways of conveying    
false apprehensions upon men's minds8   
,no1 surely4 ,do we not see that the    
senses may be cheated1 and that  the    
fancies of men may be corrupted8 ,is it 

not easy for him to convey  voices to   
the ear1 or shapes and representations  
to the eye8 and in  such cases1 what can
 ordinarily hinder a belief that they   
hear or see  such things8 ,but he needs 
not always work upon the fancy by the   
senses4  ,if he hath the advantage of a 
crazy distempered fancy1 as commonly he 
hath in melancholy persons1 he can so   
strongly fix his suggestions upon  them1
 and so effectually set the fancy on    
work to embrace them1 that  without any 
appearance of madness they will persuade
 themselves that  they have discoveries 
from ,god1 impulses by his ,spirit1     
scriptures set  upon their hearts1 and  
what not2 and because they feel the     
workings  of these things within them1  
it is impossible to make them so much as
  suspect that they are deceived4 ,do   
but consider the power of any fancy  in 
a melancholic person1 and you may easily
 apprehend how ,satan works  in such    
delusions4 ,melancholy doth strangely   
pervert the imagination1  and will beget

 in men wonderful misapprehensions1 and 
that sometimes  doth bewitch them into  
peremptory1 uncontrollable belief of    
their  fancy4 ,it is a vehement1        
confident humour1 what way soever it    
takes2  the imagination thus corrupted  
hath an enormous strength1 so that if it
  fix upon things never so absurd or    
irrational1 it is not reducible by  the 
strongest reasons4 ,if such a man       
conceits himself dead1 or that he  is   
transformed to a wolf or cat1 or that he
 is made of glass1 as many  in this     
distemper have done1 there is no        
persuasion to the contrary  that can    
take place with him4 ,now if this humour
 be taken up with  divine matters1 as   
usually it doth1 for it hath a natural  
inclination  to religious things1 it    
still acts with fierceness and          
confidence1  and there are many things  
often concomitant to such actings1 that 
if  it misconceit inspiration or        
prophecy1 the parties themselves are not
  only bound up under that persuasion1  

but even unwary spectators are  deluded4
 ,for sometime a melancholy imagination 
is not wholly corrupt1  but only in     
respect of some one or two particulars1 
whilst in other  things it acts         
regularly1 and then neither they nor    
others1 that are  unacquainted with such
 cases1 are so apt to suspect that they 
are  mistaken in these things1 while    
they act rationally and soberly in      
other matters4 ,sometime they have      
vehement fits of surprisal--for the     
humour hath its ebbings and             
flowings--and this gives them occasion  
to  apprehend that something doth       
supernaturally act or raise them1 and   
then when the things they speak are for 
the matter of them of religious  concern
 and odd notions--for the humour flies  
high and bounds not itself  with        
ordinary things--and withal uttered in  
,scripture rhetoric and with  fervency  
and urgency of spirit--when these things
 concur1 there is such  an appearance of
 inspiration that the parties themselves

 and others  rest fully persuaded that  
it is so4    7#g47 ,seventhly1          
,pretended and counterfeit miracles the 
devil makes  much use of to countenance 
error1 and this is also one of his      
strongholds2 for he suggests that ,god  
himself bears witness by these  signs1  
wonders1 and miracles to such erroneous 
doctrine as seems to be  concerned#bei  
by them4    ,that the devil cannot work 
a true miracle hath been discoursed     
before1  but that he can perform many   
strange things1 and such as may beget   
admiration1 none denies2 and that by    
such unwonted actions he usually        
endeavours to justify false doctrines1  
and to set them off with the  appearance
 of divine approbation1 we are          
sufficiently forewarned  in the         
,scriptures4#bfj ,jannes and ,jambres   
resisted ,moses by false  miracles4 ,in 
,deut4 xiii4 #a1 ,god speaks of the     
signs and wonders of  false prophets1   
who would by that means seek to seduce  
the people to  follow after other gods4 

,christ also1 in ,mat4 xxiv4 #bd1       
foretells that  #8false ,christs and    
false prophets shall arise1 and shew    
great signs  and wonders1 insomuch that1
 if it were possible1 they shall deceive
  the very elect1' and puts a special   
note of caution upon it3 #8,behold1  ,i 
have told you before4' ,and to the same 
purpose is that of ,paul  concerning    
,antichrist1 #b ,thes4 ii4 #i1 where he 
tells us of powerful  #8signs and       
wonders by the working of ,satan1' who  
doth all the while  only lie and cheat  
that he may draw men to error4    ,if we
 make inquiry how ,satan hath managed   
this engine1 we shall observe  not only 
his diligence in using it on all        
occasions to countenance all  kind of   
errors both in paganism and             
,christianity1 but also his subtle      
dexterity by cheating men with forgeries
 and falsehood4    ,heathenish idolatry1
 among other helps for its advancement1 
wanted not  this4 ,the oracles and      
responses1 which were common before the 

coming  of ,christ1 were esteemed as    
miraculous confirmations of the truth   
of the deities which they worshipped2   
the movings and speakings of  their     
statues#bfa were arguments that the     
operative presence of some  celestial   
,numen was affixed to such an image4 ,in
 some places the  solemn sacrifices are 
never performed without a seeming       
miracle4 ,as in  ,nova ,zembla1 where   
the priest's trances1 his running a     
sword into his  belly1 his making his   
head and shoulder fall off his body into
 a kettle  of hot water by the drawing  
of a line1 and then his reviving again  
perfect and entire1 without maim or     
hurt1 are all strange1 astonishing      
things to the beholders4#bfb ,but       
besides such things as these1 which  are
 standing constant wonders1 we read of  
some that have had1 as it  were1 a gift 
of miracles1 that they might be         
eminently instrumental  to promote and  
honour paganism4 ,all histories agree   
that ,simon ,magus  did so many strange 

things at ,rome--as the causing an image
 to walk1  turning stones into bread1   
transforming himself into several       
shapes1  flying in the air1 c4--that he 
was esteemed a god4 ,philostratus and   
,cedrenus#bfc report great things of    
,apollonius of ,tyana1 as that  he could
 deliver cities from scorpions1         
serpents1 earthquakes1 c41  and that    
many miracles were wrought by him4 ,this
 man ,satan raised up  in an            
extraordinary manner to revive the      
honour of paganism1 that it  might at   
least vie with ,christianity4 ,and      
though few ever attained to  that height
 which ,apollonius and ,simon ,magus    
reached unto1 yet have we  several      
instances of great things done now and  
then by some singular  persons upon a   
special occasion1 which ,satan improved 
to his advantage4  ,vespasian cured a   
lame and blind man4#bfd ,adrianus cured 
a blind  woman2 and which is more1 after
 he was dead1 by the touch of his body1 
a man of ,pannonia who was born blind   

received his sight4#bfe ,valerius       
,maximus tells of many strange things1  
and particularly of a vestal  virgin    
that drew water into a sieve4 ,as ,livy 
tells of another1 ,claudia  by name1 who
 with her girdle drew the ship to the   
shore which carried  the mother of their
 gods1 when neither strength of men nor 
oxen could  do it4#bff    ,errors under 
profession of ,christianity have been   
supported and  propagated by the boast  
of miracles4 ,a clear instance for this 
we  have in popery1 that religion being 
a perpetual boast of wonders4 ,to  let  
pass their great miracle of             
transubstantiation1 which1 as one  hath 
lately demonstrated1 is a bundle of     
miracles1 or contradictions  rather1#bfg
 because it appears not to the senses of
 any man1 and  consequently is not      
capable of being an argument to prove   
any of  their opinions4 ,we have        
abundance of strange things related by  
them1  as proofs of some doctrines of   
theirs in particular1 as purgatory1     

invocation of saints1                   
transubstantiation1 c41 and of their    
profession  in the general1 devils cast 
out1 blind and lame cured1 dead raised1 
and  what not2 it would be endless to   
recite particulars4 ,it would take a    
long time to tell what their ,st        
,francis hath done--how he fetched water
  out of a rock1 how he was homaged by  
fowls and fishes1 how he made a         
fountain in ,marchia run wine1 and how  
far he exceeded ,christ himself in      
wonderful feats4 ,christ did nothing    
which ,st ,francis did not do1 nay1  he 
did many more things than ,christ did3  
,christ turned water into wine  but     
once1 but ,st ,francis did it thrice2   
,christ was once transfigured1  but ,st 
,francis twenty times2 he and his       
brethren raised above a  thousand to    
life1 cast out more than a thousand     
devils1 c4#bfh ,their  ,dominicus raised
 three dead men to life4 ,their         
,zeverius1#bfi while  he was alive1 did 
many miracles1 and after he was dead his

 body lay  fifteen months sweetly       
smelling1 without any taint of          
corruption4 ,it  is irksome to repeat   
their stories2 abundance of such stuff  
might be  added out of their own        
writings1 the design of all which is to 
prove1  to those that are so prodigal of
 their faith as to believe them1 that   
they only are the true church1 and that 
by this note among others they  may be  
known to be so4    ,but let us turn     
aside a little to observe ,satan's      
cunning in this  pretence of miracles2  
let things be soberly weighed1 and we   
may see  enough of the cheat4 ,this     
great boast is1 as ,austin hath it1     
resolved  into one of these two--either 
the figments of lying men1 or the craft 
of deceitful spirits3 ,vel figmenta     
hominum mendacium1 vel portenta         
fallacium spirituum4    ,as to the first
 of these1 it is evident that a great   
many things that  have been taken by the
 vulgar for mighty wonders1 were nothing
 but  the knaveries of impostors1 who in

 this matter have used a threefold      
cunning4    #a4 ,first1 ,by mere        
juggling and forgery in confederacies   
and private  contrivances they have set 
upon the stage persons before instructed
 to  act their parts1 or things         
aforehand prepared1 to pretend to be    
what  they were not1 that others might  
seem to do what they did not1 and all   
to amaze those that know not the bottom 
of the matter4 ,of this nature  was     
,mohammed's dove and bull1 who were     
privately trained up to that  obedience 
and familiarity which they used to him4 
,the pagan priests  were not altogether 
to seek in this piece of art4 ,lucian   
tells us of  one ,alexander1 who        
nourished and tamed a serpent1 and made 
the people  of ,pontus believe that it  
was the god sculapius1 and doubtless the
  idol priests improved their private   
artificial contrivances3 as of the      
movings of their images1 as that of     
,venus made by ,ddalus1 which by  the   
means of quicksilver enclosed could stir

 itself2#bgj their eating  and drinking1
 as in the story of ,bel in the         
,apochryphal adjections to  the ,book of
 ,daniel2 their responses1 and several  
other appearances2 as  of the paper head
 of ,adonis or ,osiris1 which1 as       
,lucian reports1 comes  swimming down   
the river every year from ,egypt to     
,byblos1 c42 these  and such like they  
improved as evidences of the power1     
knowledge1 and  reality of their gods4  
,and though in the prevalency of        
idolatry1 where  there was no           
considerable party to oppose1 their     
cheats were not always  discovered1 yet 
we have no reason to imagine that the   
priests of those  days were so honest   
that they were only deceived by the     
devil's craft1  and did not in a        
villainous design purposely endeavour   
the delusion of  others4 ,if we had no  
other grounds for a just suspicion in   
these cases1  the famous instances of   
the abuse of ,paulina at the temple of  
,isis  in ,rome1 in the reign of the    

emperor ,tiberius1 by the procurement of
  ,mondus1 who corrupted the priest of  
,anubis to signify to her the love  of  
their god1 and under that coverture     
gratified the lust of ,mondus1          
mentioned by ,josephus4#bga ,and that of
 ,tyrannus1 priest of ,saturn in        
,alexandria1 who by the like pretence of
 the love of ,saturn1 adulterated  most 
of the fairest dames of the city1       
mentioned by ,ruffinus4#bgb  ,these     
would sufficiently witness that the     
priests of those times were  apt enough 
to abuse the people at the rate we have 
been speaking of4  ,in popery nothing   
hath been more ordinary4 ,who knows not 
the story of  the holy maid of ,kent and
 the boy of ,bilson8 ,how common is it  
with them  to play tricks with women    
troubled with hysterical distempers2 and
 to  pretend the casting out of devils1 
when they have only to deal with  a     
natural disease4 ,not very many years   
since they practised upon a  poor young 
woman at ,durham1 and made great boasts 

of their exorcisms1  relics1 and holy   
water against the devil1 with whom they 
would have all  believe she was         
possessed1 when the event discovered    
that her fits were  only the fits of the
 mother4 ,i myself1 and some others in  
this place1  have seen those fits       
allayed by the fume of tobacco blown    
into her  mouth1 to the shame and       
apparent detection of that artifice4 ,i 
might  mention the legerdemain of       
,antonius of ,padua1 who made his horse 
adore  the host1 for the conversion of a
 heretic2 the finding of the images of  
,st ,paul and ,st ,dominic in a church  
at ,venice1 with this inscription for   
,paul1 #8,by this man you may come to   
,christ2' and this for ,dominic1 #8,but 
by this man you may do it easilier2' and
 the honour put upon ,garnet1 by  his   
image on straw1#bgc found at his        
execution1 in all probability by  him   
that made it and threw it down1 or by   
his confederate3 but these  are enough  
to shew the honesty of these kind of    

men4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,they have also a
 cunning of ascribing effects to  wrong 
causes1 and by that means they make     
those things wonders that  are none4    
,mohammed called his fits of            
falling-sickness ecstasies  or trances4 
,austin tells us the heathens were      
notable at this3 the  burning lamp in   
the temple of ,venus1 though only the   
work of art1 was  interpreted to be a   
constant miracle of that deity4#bgd ,the
 image  which1 in another temple1 hung  
in the air1 by ignorant gazers was      
accounted a wonder1 when indeed the     
loadstone in the roof and pavement1     
though unseen1 was the cause of it4 ,the
 ,sidonians were confirmed in  their    
constant annual lamentations of ,adonis1
 by a mock miracle of  the redness of   
the river ,adonis at one time of the    
year constantly2  they take it to be    
blood1 when it is nothing else but the  
colouring  of the water by the dust of  
red earth or minium1 which the winds    
constantly at that time of the year from

 mount ,libanus do drive into  the      
water4#bge ,neither are the papists out 
in this point4 ,i will only  instance in
 that observation of ,dr ,jenison1 to   
confirm the doctrine and  practice of   
invocation3#bgf they take the advantage 
of sovereign baths  and waters1 and     
where they espy any fountain good       
against the stone1 or  other diseases1  
presently there is the statue or image  
of some saint  or other erected by it1  
by whose virtue the cure and miracle    
must seem  to be done2 or some chapel is
 erected to this or that saint1 to whom 
prayers before and thanks after washing 
must be offered4    #c4 ,thirdly1 where 
the two former fail1 men that devote    
themselves  to this kind of service     
imitate their father the devil1 and fall
 to  plain lying and devised fables4    
,idolatry was mainly underpropped by    
fabulous stories2 and no wonder1 when   
they esteemed it a pious fraud  to      
nourish piety towards the gods1 in which
 case1 as ,polybius saith1  though their

 writers speak monsters1 and write      
childish1 absurd1  and impossible       
things1 yet are they to be pardoned for 
their good  intent4#bgg ,among the      
papists what less can be expected1 when 
the  same principle is entertained among
 them8 ,canus1 and ,lodovicus ,vives    
mentioned by him1#bgh as also some few  
others1 do exceedingly blame  that blind
 piety of coining lies for religion1 and
 feigning histories  for the credit of  
their opinions2 but while they with     
great freedom  and ingenuity do tax the 
fables of their own party1 they do      
plainly  acknowledge that they are too  
much guilty of feigning1 insomuch that  
not only the author of the ,golden      
,legend is branded with the characters  
of a brazen face and a leaden heart1 but
 also ,gregory's ,dialogues and  ,bede's
 ,history are blamed by him1 as         
containing narrations of miracles  taken
 upon trust from the reports of the     
vulgar4#bgi ,and indeed the  wonders    
they talk of are so strange1 so         

unlikely1 so ridiculous and  absurd some
 of them1 that except a man offer       
violence to his reason1  and wilfully   
shut his eyes against the clear         
evidences of suspicion1 he  cannot think
 they are anything else than dreams and 
fables1 no better  than sop's4 ,you may 
meet with several catalogues of them in 
protestant  writers3#bhj as their ,st   
,swithins making whole a basket of      
broken eggs  by the sign of the cross2  
,patricius his making the stolen sheep  
to  bleat in the thief's belly after he 
had eaten it2 their ,st ,bridget's      
bacon1 which in great charity she gave  
to a hungry dog1 was found again  in her
 kettle2 ,dionysius after he was        
beheaded carried his head in his  hand  
three ,french miles2 ,st ,dunstan took  
the devil by the nose with his  tongs   
till he made him roar2 ,dominicus made  
him hold the candle till he  burnt his  
fingers2 ,st ,lupus imprisoned the devil
 in a pot all night2  a chapel of the   
,virgin ,mary was translated from       

,palestine to ,loretto2  a consecrated  
host1 being put into a hive of bees to  
cure them of the  murrain1 was so       
devoutly entertained that the bees built
 a chapel in  the hive1 with doors1     
windows1 steeple1 and bells1 erected an 
altar  and laid the host upon it1 sung  
their canonical hours1 and kept their   
watches by night1 as monks used to do in
 their cloisters1 c4 ,who would  ever   
imagine that men of any seriousness     
could satisfy themselves with  such     
childish fopperies8 ,these are the usual
 ways by which men of  design have      
raised the noise of miracles4    ,the   
other part of ,satan's coming#bha       
relates to himself and his  own actions4
 ,when his agents can go no further in  
the trade of  miracle-making1 he as a   
spirit doth often make use of his power1
  knowledge1 and agility1 by which he   
can indeed do things incredible  and to 
be wondered at3 ,portenta fallacium     
spirituum4 ,it is nothing  for him1 by  
his knowledge of affairs at a distance1 

of the private  endeavours or expressed 
resolves of princes1 to prognosticate   
future  events4 ,by his power over the  
bodies of men1 he can1 with the help of 
inclinations and advantages1 do much to 
bring a man into a trance1 or  take the 
opportunity of a fit of an apoplexy1 and
 then1 like a cunning  juggler1 pretend1
 by ,i know not what nor whom1 to raise 
a man from  death4 ,he knows the secret 
powers and virtues of things1 and by    
private  applications of them may easily
 supply spirits1 remove obstructions1   
and so cure lameness1 blindness1 and    
many other distempers1 and then  give   
the honour of the cure to what person or
 occasion may best fit  his design2 so  
that either by the officious lies of his
 vassals1 or  the exerting of his own   
power on suitable objects at fit times1 
he  hath made a great noise of signs and
 wonders in the world4 ,and this        
stratagem of his hath ever been at hand 
to gain a repute to false  doctrine4    
,and the rather doth he insist upon     

this1    ,first1 ,because true miracles 
are a divine testimony to truth4 ,as    
,nicodemus argued1 ,john iii4 #b1 #8,no 
man could do these miracles that  thou  
doest except ,god be with him4' ,and    
there were solemn occasions  wherein    
they were necessary2 as when ,god gave  
public discoveries of  his mind before  
the ,scriptures were written2 and also  
when he altered  the economy of the ,old
 ,testament and settled that of the     
,new4 ,in these  cases it was necessary 
that ,god should confirm his word by    
miracles4  ,but now1 though these ends  
of miracles are ceased1 though ,god hath
 so  settled and fixed the rule of our  
obedience and worship that no other     
gospel or rule is to be expected1 and   
consequently no need of new  miracles1  
where the certain account of the old    
miracles are sufficient  attestations of
 old and unalterable truths2 nay1 though
 ,god have  expressly told us1 ,deut4   
xiii4 #a1 that no miracle--though it    
should  come to pass1 and could not be  

discovered to be a lie--should prevail  
with us to forsake the established      
truths and ways of ,scripture1 or to    
entertain anything contrary to it2 yet  
doth ,satan exercise herein a  proud    
imitation of the supreme majesty1 and   
withal doth so dazzle the  minds of the 
weaker sort of men--who are more apt to 
consider the wonder  than to suspect the
 design--that1 without due heed given to
 the cautions  which ,god hath laid     
before us in that particular1 they are  
ready to  interpret them to be ,god's   
witness to this or that doctrine1 to    
which  they seem to be appendant4       
,secondly1 ,because ,satan hath a more  
than ordinary advantage to  feign       
miracles2 he doth more industriously set
 himself to pretend  them and to urge   
them for the accomplishment of his ends4
 ,it is an  easy work to prevail with   
men that are wholly devoted to their own
  interest1 under the mask of religion  
to say and do anything that may  further
 their design2 and the business of      

miracles is so imitable by  art1 through
 the ignorance and heedlessness of men1 
that with a small  labour ,satan can do 
it at pleasure4 ,the secret powers of   
nature--such  as that of the            
loadstone--by a dexterous application   
brought into act  in a fitly-contrived  
subject1 will seem miraculous to those  
that see  not the secret springs of     
those actions4 ,there have been         
artificial  contrivances of motions     
which1 had they been disguised under a  
religious form1 and directed to such an 
end1 might have passed for  greater     
miracles than many which we have        
mentioned4 ,such was the  dove of       
,archyas1 which did fly in the air as if
 it had been a living  creature4#bhb    
,such was the fly of ,regiomontanus1 and
 the eagle  presented to the ,emperor   
,maximilian1 which1 in the compass of   
their  little bodies1 contained so many 
springs and wheels as were sufficient   
to give them motion1 and to direct their
 courses as if they had been  animated4 

,albertus ,magnus his artificial man1   
and the silver galley  and tritons made 
by a goldsmith at ,paris1#bhc were rare 
pieces of  art--their motions so certain
 and steady1 that they seemed to have   
life  and understanding4 ,if art can do 
all this1 how much more may we suppose  
can ,satan do6 how easily can he make   
apparitions1 present strange  sights to 
the eye and voices to the ear1 and1 by  
putting out his power1  do a thousand   
things astonishing and wonderful6       
7#h47 ,eighthly1 ,sometimes ,satan      
pleads for error1 from the ease1  peace1
 or other advantages which men pretend  
they have received since  they engaged  
in such a way or received such a        
persuasion4 ,this is an  argument from  
the effect1 and frequently used to      
confirm the minds  of men in their      
opinions4 ,hence they satisfy themselves
 with these  reasonings3 #8,i was before
 always under fears and uncertainties2  
,i never  was at peace or rest in my    
mind4 ,i tried several courses1 followed

  several parties1 but ,i never had     
satisfaction or comfort till now1  and  
by this ,i know that ,i am in a right   
way4' ,others argue after the  same     
manner from their abundance and outward 
prosperity3 #8,i met with  nothing but  
crosses and losses before1 but now ,god 
hath blessed me with  an increase of    
substance1 prospered my trade and       
undertakings1' c4  ,these1 though       
apparently weak and deceitful grounds1  
are reputed strong  and conclusive to   
those that are first resolved upon an   
error4 ,for men  are so willing to      
justify themselves in what they have    
undertaken1  that they greedily catch at
 anything that hath the least appearance
 of  probability to answer their ends4  
,this plea of satisfaction is commonly  
from one of these two things3    #a4    
,first1 ,from inward peace and          
contentment of mind4 ,satan knows  that 
peace is the thing to which a man       
sacrificeth all his labours  and        
travail4 ,this he seeks1 though often in

 a wrong way1 and by wrong  means4 ,he  
knows also that true peace is only the  
daughter of truth1  #8the ways whereof  
are pleasantness1 and the paths whereof 
are peace2'  neither is he ignorant of  
the delights which a man hath1 by       
enjoying  himself in the sweet repose of
 a contented mind1 that he may charm the
  hearts of the erroneous into a        
confidence and assurance that they have 
taken a right course2 he doth all he can
 to further a false peace in  them1 and 
to this purpose he commonly useth this  
method3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he doth all he
 can to unsettle them from the          
foundation  of truth upon which they    
were bottomed4 ,he labours to render    
things  suspicious1 doubtful1 or        
uncertain4 ,this some have noted from #b
 ,thes4  ii4 #b1 where ,satan's first   
attempts are to shake their minds1 not  
only  by disquiet1 of which we are next 
to speak1 but by alteration of their    
judgment2 for mind is sometimes taken   
for sentence1 opinion1 judgment1  as #a 

,cor4 ii4 #af1 #8,we have the mind of   
,christ2' and #a ,cor4 i4 #aj1 #8,in    
the same mind1 and in the same          
judgment4'#bhd    #b4 ,secondly1 ,his   
second approach is to raise a storm of  
restless  disquiet upon that            
uncertainty2 and in order to his        
intended design1  he usually fills them 
with the utmost anxiety of mind1 and    
makes their  thoughts1 like a           
tempestuous sea1 dash one against       
another4 ,this  piece of his art is     
noted in the fore-cited place1 that #8ye
 be not  shaken in mind1 or troubled3'  
the word signifies a great perplexity1  
4 ,and this is a usual method which the 
false teachers among  the ,galatians    
practised2 they first troubled them1 and
 then endeavoured  by the advantage of  
that trouble to pervert the gospel of   
,christ1 ,gal4  i4 #g1 and v4 #ab4 ,to  
effect both these1 he doth amuse them   
with all the  objections that can be    
raised4 ,if he can say anything of the  
antiquity  of the error1 the number1    

wisdom1 learning1 or authority of those 
that embrace it1 they are sure to hear  
of these things to the full4  ,the      
danger of continuing as they were1 and  
the happiness of the new  doctrine1 are 
represented with all aggravating        
circumstances2 and these  so often1 that
 their thoughts have no rest3 and if    
this restlessness  does wound or weaken 
them1 he pursues with a high hand4      
,these ways  of disturbing the unsettled
 mind are hinted to us in the aforesaid 
place--spirit1 word1 letter1 anything   
that carries a seeming authority  to    
unsettle1 or power to amaze and         
distress4 ,and we may here further      
note1 that where the minds of men are   
discomposed with other fears or         
disquiets1 ,satan is ready to improve   
them to this use1 so that commonly  when
 the word of ,god begins to work at     
first upon the consciences of  men1 to  
awaken them to the consideration of     
their sin and danger1 the  adversary is 
then very busy with them to inveigle    

them into some error  or other4    #c4  
,thirdly1 ,having thoroughly prepared   
the mind with restless fears1  he then  
advanceth forward with the proffers of  
peace and comfort in  the way of error  
which he proposeth2 and in this case    
error will  boast much1 #8,come to me1  
and ye shall find rest for your souls4' 
,how  grateful and welcome the confident
 proffers of ease and satisfaction  are 
to a tossed and disquieted mind1 any man
 will easily imagine4 ,it is  usually   
thus3 men that are tired out will easily
 embrace anything for  ease4 ,a man in  
this case may be wrought upon like wax1 
to receive any  impression2 he will     
fasten on anything1 true or false1 that 
doth but  promise comfort4    #d4       
,fourthly1 ,the completement of his     
method is to please the man in  the     
fruition of the peace promised2 and this
 he labours to do1 not  only to fix the 
man in his delusion1 but to make that   
man brag of ease1  to be a snare to     
others4 ,and it is easy for the devil to

 do this3 for1  first1 ,the novelty of a
 new opinion doth naturally please1     
especially  if it give any seeming      
commendation for discovery or           
singularity4 ,we  see men are fond of   
their own inventions1 and delighted to  
be lifted  up above others4 ,secondly1  
,satan can easily allay the storm which 
he himself raised3 he gives over to     
molest with anxious thoughts--on  the   
contrary1 he suggests thoughts of       
satisfaction4 ,thirdly1 ,and  whatever  
he can do in a natural way to raise up  
our passions of joy and  delight1 he    
will be sure to do it now1 to ravishment
 and excess if he  can2 and then he not 
only makes these men sure--for what     
argument can  stand before such a       
confidence8--but hath an active         
instrument for the  allurement of such  
as cannot discover these methods4    #b4
 ,secondly1 ,outward prosperity is the  
other common plea for error4  ,though   
successes1 plenty1 and abundance of     
worldly comforts argue of  themselves   

neither love nor hatred1 truth nor      
falsehood--because the  wise providence 
of ,god1 for holy ends and reasons often
 undiscerned by  us1 permits often the  
tabernacles of robbers to prosper1 and  
permits  those that #8deal              
treacherously' with the truths of ,god  
#8to be planted1  to take root1 to grow1
 yea1 to bring forth                    
fruit'--nevertheless if in a  way of    
error they meet with outward blessings1 
they are apt to ascribe  all to their   
errors1 and to say as ,israel1 ,hosea   
ii4 #e1 #8,i will go  after my lovers   
that gave me my bread and my water1 my  
wool and my  flax1 mine oil and my      
drink1' without any serious             
consideration of  ,god's common bounty1 
which upon far other accounts1 #8gives  
them corn1  and wine1 and oil1 and      
multiplies their silver and gold1' which
 they  prepared for ,baal1 ver4 #h4 ,i  
shall not need to add anything further  
for  the proof and explanation of this  
than what we have in ,jer4 xliv4 #ag1   

#ah1 where the ,jews expressly advance  
their idolatrous worship as the  right  
way1 and confirm themselves even to     
obstinacy in the pursuit of  it1 upon   
this reason3 #8,we will certainly do    
whatsoever thing goeth out  of our own  
mouth1 to burn incense to the queen of  
heaven 444 for then  had we plenty of   
victuals1 and were well1 and saw no     
evil3 but since  we left off to burn    
incense to the queen of heaven1 and to  
pour out  our drink-offerings unto her1 
we have wanted all things1 and have been
  consumed by the sword and by the      
famine4'    7#i47 ,ninthly1 ,instead of 
better arguments1 ,satan usually makes  
lies  his refuge3 and these respect     
either the truth which he would cry     
down1 or the errors which he would set  
up4    ,those lies that are managed     
against truth are of two sorts3 mistakes
  and misrepresentations of its         
doctrines1 or calumnies against the     
persons and actions of those that take  
part with it4    ,those lies that are   

proper to bespatter a truth withal are  
such as tend  to render it unlovely1    
inconvenient1 or dangerous4 ,satan hath 
never  been a-wanting to raise up mists 
and fogs to eclipse the shining beauty  
of truth4 ,sometime he persuades men    
that it is a novelty1 and contrary  to  
the tradition of the fathers2 and then1 
if an error had been once  upon the     
stage before1 and had again been hissed 
out of the world1 when  it peeps out    
again into the world1 its former        
impudency is made an  argument for its  
antiquity1 and truth is decried as      
novel4 ,or if it be  but an error of    
yesterday1 and hath only obtained an age
 or two1 then  the ghosts of our        
forefathers are conjured up as          
witnesses1 and the  plea runs current1  
,what has become of your fathers8 or1   
are you wiser  than your fathers8 are   
they all damned8 ,these were insisted on
 by the  heathens3 the gods of the      
country and the worship of their        
fathers1  they thought1 should not be   

forsaken for ,christianity1 which they  
judged was but a novelty in comparison  
of paganism4 ,of the same extract  is   
that old song of the papists1 #8,where  
was your religion before  ,luther8' and 
to this purpose they talk of the        
succession of their  bishops and popes4 
,and other errors grow a little pert and
 confident1  if they can but find a     
pattern or sample for themselves among  
the old  heresies4 ,sometime he         
endeavours to bring truth into          
suspicion1 by  rendering it a dangerous 
encroachment upon the rights and        
privileges  of men1 as if it would turn 
all upside down1 and introduce factions 
and confusions4 ,this clamour was raised
 against the gospel1 that it  would     
subvert the doctrine of ,moses and the  
law4 ,sometimes he clothes  the opinions
 of truth with an ugly dress1 and       
misrepresents it to the  world as guilty
 of strange inferences and absurdities1 
which only arise  from a wrong stating  
of the questions2 and where it doth     

really differ  from error1 he endeavours
 to widen the differences to an         
inconvenient  distance1 so that if it go
 a mile from error1 ,satan will have it 
to  go two3 if truth teach justification
 by faith1 error represents it as       
denying all care of holiness and good   
works2 if truth say bare moral  virtues 
are not sufficient without grace1 error 
presently accuseth  it as denying any   
necessary use of morality1 or affirming 
that moral  virtues are obstructions and
 hindrances to salvation4 ,it were easy 
to  note abundance of such instances4   
,as for calumnies against the persons   
and actions of those that are  assertors
 of truth1 it is well known for an old  
threadbare design1 by  which ,satan hath
 gained not a little4 ,machiavel        
borrowed the policy  from him1 and      
formed it into a maxim2 for he found by 
experience that  where strong slanders  
had set in their teeth1 though never so 
unjustly1  the wounds were never        
thoroughly healed2 for some that heard  

the report  of the slander never heard  
the vindication1 and those that did were
 not  always so unprejudiced as to free 
themselves from all suspicion1 but      
still something remained usually upon   
their spirits for ever after2 and  that1
 like a secret venom1 poisons all that  
could be said or done by  the persons   
that wrongfully fell under their        
prejudice1 and did not a  little        
derogate from the authority and power of
 the truths which they  delivered4      
,the friends of truth have always to    
their cost found it so4 ,christ  himself
 escaped not the lies and censures of   
men when he did the  greatest miracles2 
they raised this calumny against him1   
that #8he cast  out devils by           
,beelzebub1 the prince of devils1' ,john
 viii4 #dh4 ,when he  shewed the most   
compassionate condescensions1 they      
called him #8a man  gluttonous1 a       
wine-bibber1 a friend of publicans and  
sinners2' and at  last1 upon a          
misinterpretation of his speeches1 #8,i 

will destroy this  temple1 and in three 
days ,i will build it up1' ,mat4 xxvi4  
#fa1 they  arraigned and condemned him  
for blasphemy2 and his servants have1   
according to what he foretold1 drunk of 
the same cup3 the more eminent  in      
service the greater draught4 ,paul1 a   
chosen vessel1 met with much  of this   
unjust dealing3 he was accused1 ,acts   
xxi4 #bh1 as speaking  against the      
people1 the law1 and the temple1 and1   
chap4 xxiv4 #e1 called  #8a pestilent   
fellow1 a mover of sedition1 a profaner 
of the temple4'  ,neither can we wonder 
at this1 that the greatest innocency or 
highest  degree of holiness is no armour
 or proof against the sharp arrows of  a
 lying tongue2 when we read this as one 
of ,satan's great characters1  that he  
is #8the accuser of the brethren1' and  
that his agents are  so perfectly       
instructed in this art that they are    
also branded with  the same mark of     
#8false accusers1' ,jude #aj4 ,it is    
well known how the  primitive           

,christians were used3 they were        
accounted #8the filth and  offscouring  
of all things2' there could be nothing  
that could render  them odious or       
ridiculous but they were aspersed with  
it2 as that  they #8sacrificed infants1 
worshipped the sun1 and used promiscuous
  uncleanness2' nay1 whatever plague or 
disaster befell their neighbours1  they 
were sure to carry the blame4 ,and we   
might trace this stratagem  down to our 
own days4 ,luther in his time was the   
common butt for all  the poisoned arrows
 of the papists' calumny2 which so      
exceeded all  bounds of sobriety and    
prudence that they devised a romance of 
his  death1 how he was choked of the    
devil2 that before he died he desired   
his corpse might be carried into the    
church and adored with divine  worship2 
and that after his death the excessive  
stench of his carcase  forced all his   
friends to forsake him4 ,all this and   
more to this  purpose they published    
while he was alive2 whose slanders1     

worthy only  of laughter1 he refuted by 
his own pen4 ,the like fury they        
expressed  against ,calvin by their     
,bolsecus1 whom they set on work to fill
 a book  with impudent lies against him4
 ,neither did ,beza1 ,junius1 or any    
other  of note escape without some      
slander or other4 ,how unjustly the     
,arians  of old accused ,athanasius of  
uncleanness1 and of bereaving ,arsenius 
of  his arm1 is sufficiently known in   
history4#bhe    ,but the devil's malice 
doth not always run in the dirty channel
 of  odious calumnies4 ,he hath         
sometimes a more cleanly conveyance for 
his  lies against holy men4 ,in         
prosecution of the same design1 it is a 
fair colour for error if he can abuse   
the name and credit of renowned         
champions of truth1 by fathering an     
error upon them which they never  owned4
 ,by this means he doth not only grace a
 false doctrine with the  authority of  
an eminent person1 whose estimation     
might be a snare  to some well-meaning  

persons1 but weakens the truth1 by      
bringing  a faithful assertor of it into
 suspicion of holding1 at least in  some
 points1 dangerous opinions2 by which   
many are affrighted from  entertaining  
anything that they write or preach4 ,for
 though they may  be confessedly sound  
in the most weighty doctrines1 yet if it
 be once  buzzed abroad that they are in
 anything unsound1 this dead fly spoils 
all the precious ointment4 ,and the     
matter were yet the less if there  were 
any just cause for such a prejudice2 but
 such is ,satan's art1 that  if a man   
explains the same truth1 but in         
different words and forms  of speech    
than those that others have been used   
unto2 or if he casts  it into a more    
convenient mould1 that1 by laying aside 
doubtful or  flexible expressions1 it   
may be more safely guarded from the     
exceptions  of the adversaries2         
especially if he carefully choose his   
path betwixt  the extremes on either    
hand1--this is enough for ,satan to     

catch at1  and presently he bestows upon
 him the names of the very errors which 
he most strenuously opposeth2 nay1      
sometimes if he mention anything  above 
the reach or acquaintance of those that 
hear him1 it is well if  he escapes the 
charge of heresy1 and that he meets not 
with the lot of  ,virgilius1 bishop of  
,salzburg1 who was judged no less than  
heretical  for venting his opinion      
concerning the antipodes4#bhf ,i know   
men do  such things in their zeal2 but  
while they do so they are concerned to  
consider how ,satan doth abuse their    
good meaning to the disservice of       
truth4    ,as ,satan's design in        
bespattering the actions and doctrines  
of good  men is to bring the truth they 
profess into a suspicion of falsehood1  
and to advance the contrary errors to   
the place and credit of truth1  so doth 
he use a skill proportionable to his    
design4 ,and though he  be so impudent  
that he will not blush at the           
contrivance of the most  gross and      

malicious lie1 yet withal he is so      
cunning that he studiously  endeavours  
some probable rise for his slanders1 and
 commonly he takes  this course3--      
#a4 ,first1 ,he doth all he can to      
corrupt the professors of truth4  ,if   
riches or honours will tempt them to be 
proud1 high-minded1  contentious1 or    
extravagant1 he plies them with these   
weapons2 if the  pleasures of the flesh 
and world be more likely to besot them1 
or  to make them sensual1 earthly1 or   
loose1 he incessantly lays those  baits 
before them2 if fears and persecutions  
can affright them out of  duty1 if      
injuries and provocations may prejudice 
them into a froward  or wayward temper1 
he will certainly urge them by such     
occasions2  and when he hath prevailed  
in any measure1 he is sure to aggravate 
every circumstance to its utmost height1
 and upon that advantage to  make       
additions of a great many things beyond 
what they can be justly  accused of4    
,this old device ,paul1 in ,rom4 ii4    

#bd1 takes notice of  concerning the    
,jews1 whose breach of the law so       
dishonoured ,god that  #8the name of    
,god was blasphemed among the ,gentiles 
through them4' ,the  ,jews lived        
wickedly1 and their wicked lives was a  
current argument  among the ,gentiles to
 confirm them in paganism2 for they     
judged the  law of ,god could not       
approve itself to be better than their  
own1 when  the professors of it were so 
naught4 ,to prevent this mischief1 we   
are  seriously warned to be carefully   
strict in all our stations1 #8that the  
name of ,god and his doctrine be not    
blasphemed1' #a ,tim4 vi4 #a2 ,titus    
ii4 #e4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,whatever     
miscarriages any professor of truth is  
guilty of1 ,satan takes care that it be 
presently charged upon all the          
profession4 ,if any one offend1 it is   
matter of public blame2 much more  if   
any company or party shall run into     
extravagances1 or do actions  strange   
and unjustifiable2 those that agree with

 them in the general  name of their     
profession1 though they differ as far   
from their wild  opinions and practices 
as their enemies do1 shall still be     
upbraided  with their follies4 ,we see  
this practised daily by differing       
parties2  according to what was foretold
 in #b ,pet4 ii4 #b1 #8false prophets'  
seduce  a great number of ,christians to
 follow their pernicious ways1 and by   
reason of their wild1 ungodly behaviour1
 #8the whole way of truth was  evil     
spoken of4'    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the least 
slip or infirmity of the children of    
truth the  devil is ready to bring upon 
the stage2 and they that will not charge
  themselves as offenders for very great
 evils1 will yet object1 to the         
disparagement of truth1 the smallest    
mistakes of others3 a mote in the  eye  
of the lovers of truth shall be espied  
when a beam in the eye of  falsehood    
shall pass for nothing4    #d4          
,fourthly1 ,slanderous aspersions are   
sometimes raised from a  simple mistake 

of actions1 and their grounds or manner 
of performance1  and sometimes from a   
malicious misrepresentation4 ,the devil 
seldom  acts from a simple mistake2 but 
he will either suborn the passionate    
opposers to a wilful perverting of the  
true management of things1  or will by a
 false account of things take the       
advantage of their  prejudice1 to make  
men believe that such things have been  
said or done1  which indeed never were4 
,the ,christians in the primitive times 
were  reported to be bloody men1 and    
that they did kill men in sacrifice1 and
  did eat their flesh and drink their   
blood2 and this was only occasioned  by 
their doctrine and use of the sacrament 
of the body and blood of  ,christ4 ,they
 were accused for promiscuous           
uncleanness with one another1  and this 
only because they taught that there was 
no distinction of male  and female in   
respect of justification1 and that they 
were all brethren  and sisters in       
,christ4 ,this account ,tertullian gives

 of the calumnies  of those times1 and  
others have noted the like occasions of 
other  abuses of them4#bhg ,they were   
reported to worship the sun1 because    
they in times of persecution were forced
 to meet early in the fields1  and were 
often seen undispersed at sunrising4    
,they were reported to  worship ,bacchus
 and ,ceres1 because of the elements of 
bread and wine in  the ,lord's supper4  
,if they met in private places1 and in  
the night1 it  was enough to occasion   
surmises of conspiracy and rebellion3 so
 ready  is ,satan to take occasion where
 none is given4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,but if
 none of these are at hand1 then a      
downright lie  must do the turn1        
according to that of ,jer4 xviii4 #ah1  
#8,come and let  us devise devices      
against ,jeremiah2' and when once the   
lie is coined1  ,satan hath officious   
instruments to spread it3 ,jer4 xx4 #aj1
 #8,report1  say they1 and we will      
report it4'    ,these were the lies     
raised against truth2 but besides this  

endeavour1  he useth the same art of    
lying to enhance the credit of error4   
,lying  inspirations1 lying signs and   
wonders we have spoken of2 ,i shall only
  mention another sort of lying1 which  
is that of forgery1 an art which  error 
hath commonly made use of4 ,sometimes   
books and writings erroneous  have been 
made to carry the names of men that     
never knew or saw them4  ,the apostles  
themselves escaped not these abuses3 you
 read of the  counterfeit ,gospels of   
,thomas and ,bartholomew1 the ,acts of  
,peter and  ,andrew1 the ,apostolical   
,constitutions1 and a great many more4  
,later  writers have by the like hard   
usage been forced to father the brats of
  other men's brains4 ,i might be large 
in these1 but they that please may  see 
more of this in authors that have of    
purpose discovered the frauds  of       
spurious1 supposititious books4#bhh ,the
 design is obvious3 error  would by this
 means adorn itself with the excellent  
names of men of  renown1 that so it     

might pass for good doctrine with the   
unwary4          ,,chapter ,,iv4     ,of
 ,satan's second way of improving his   
advantages1 which is by   working upon  
the understanding indirectly by the     
affections4--,this   he doth--7#a47 ,by 
a silent1 insensible introduction of    
error4   ,his method herein4 7#b47 ,by  
entangling the affections with the      
external garb of error1 a gorgeous      
dress1 or affected plainness4   7#c47   
,by fabulous imitations of truth4 ,the  
design thereof4   7#d47 ,by             
accommodating truth to a compliance with
 parties that   differ from it4 ,various
 instances hereof4 7#e47 ,by driving to 
a   contrary extreme4 7#f47 ,by bribing 
the affections with rewards1   or       
forcing them by fears4 7#g47 ,by        
engaging pride and anger4   7#h47 ,by   
adorning error with the ornaments of    
truth4      ,the usual arguments by     
which ,satan doth directly blind the    
understanding to a persuasion to accept 
darkness for light1 we have now         

considered4 ,it remains that some       
account be given of the second way of   
prevailing upon the understanding1 and  
that is by swaying it through  the power
 and prevalency of the affections4 ,in  
order to this he hath  many devices1 the
 principal whereof are these3--    #a4  
,first1 ,by silent and insensible       
procedure he labours to introduce       
errors2 and lest men should startle at a
 sudden and full presentment  of the    
whole1 he thinks it policy to insinuate 
into the affections1  by offering it in 
parcels4 ,thus he prevents wonderment   
and surprisal1  lest men should boggle  
and turn away1 and doth by degrees      
familiarise  them to that which at first
 would have been rejected with          
abhorrency4  ,we read in the parable of 
the tares that the envious man which    
sowed  them1 who was ,satan1 took his   
opportunity #8while men slept1' and then
  went away in the dark2 insomuch that  
the discovery was not made at  the      
sowing1 but at their coming up4 ,in     

pursuance of this policy1 we  find the  
principal instruments of ,satan have    
followed the footsteps of  their master2
 they #8creep in unawares1' ,jude #d2   
they #8privily bring in  damnable       
heresies1' #b ,pet4 ii4 #a2 and1 as if  
they were guilty of some  modest        
shamefacedness1 they #8creep into       
houses1' #b ,tim4 iii4 #f4 ,the  steps  
by which the devil creeps into the      
bosoms of men to plant error  in the    
heart are these3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he   
endeavours to gain the heart by the     
ingenuous1 sweet1  and delightful       
society of those that are corrupted     
already4 ,error  hath a peculiar art to 
woo the good-will before it disclose    
itself4  ,it first steals the ear and   
affections to the person1 and thence    
insensibly derives it to the opinion4   
,truth is masculine1 and persuades  by  
teaching1 but error doth often teach by 
persuading4 ,it is very  difficult to   
affect the person1 and not to bestow    
upon the error better  thoughts than it 

deserves4 ,those therefore that are     
cunning in the art  of seduction1 make  
extraordinary pretences of affectionate 
kindness1  and1 as the apostle noted    
concerning the seducers of his time1    
,gal4  iv4 #ag1 #8they zealously affect'
 those whom they would delude1 #8but    
not well4' ,their art doth also teach   
them not to be over-hasty in            
propounding their opinions1 nor so much 
as to touch upon them1 till  they       
perceive they have gained a firm        
persuasion of their amity1 and of  the  
reality of those kindnesses which they  
have made show of2 but when  they have  
once gained this point of advantage1    
they take opportunity  more freely to   
propound and press their doctrines4     
,thus are men at last  beguiled #8with  
enticing words4'    ,it is also part of 
the same design that ,satan sometimes   
makes use of  women seducers3 ,for1     
7#a47 ,they are more apt to be deluded  
themselves3  #8silly women' are soon    
#8led captive4' 7#b47 ,being deceived1  

they are  most earnestly forward in the 
heat of zeal to propagate their         
opinions4  7#c47 ,and by the advantage  
of their nature they are most engaging2 
their affectionate persuasions usually  
have a peculiar prevalency4 ,the        
daughters of ,moab1 through ,balaam's   
counsel1 were made choice of as the     
fittest instruments to seduce ,israel to
 idolatry4 ,solomon1 though a  wise man1
 was prevailed with by the importunity  
of his wives1 against  his former       
practice and knowledge1 to favour false 
worship4 ,the woman  ,jezebel1 ,rev4 ii4
 #bj1 was ,satan's under-agent #8to     
teach and seduce  ,god's servants to    
commit fornication1 and to eat things   
sacrificed to  idols4' 7#d47 ,besides1  
they have a greater influence upon their
 children  to leaven them with their own
 opinions4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,satan also
 observes a gradual motion in fixing any
  particular error4 ,if he attempt it   
immediately1 without an external  agent1
 he first puts men upon the reading or  

consideration of some dark  passages    
that seem to look favourably upon his   
design2 then he starts  the notion or   
objection2 then begets a scruple or     
questioning4 ,having  once proceeded    
thus far1 he follows his design with    
probable reasons1  till he have formed  
it into an opinion4 ,when it is come to 
this1 a  little more begets a           
persuasion1 that persuasion he ripens   
into a  resoluteness and obstinacy1 and 
then at last fires it with zeal for the 
deluding of others4 ,having thus laid   
the foundation by one error1 he  next   
endeavours to multiply it1 and then     
brings in the inferences that           
unavoidably follow2 for as one wedge    
makes way for another1 so from one      
falsehood another will easily force     
itself1 and from two or three who  knows
 how many8 ,and though the consequences 
are usually more absurd  than the       
principles1 yet are they with a small   
labour brought into  favour where the   
principles are first confidently        

believed2 so that  those errors1 which  
because of their ugly look ,satan durst 
not at first  propound1 lest he should  
scare men off from their reception1 he  
can now  with an undaunted boldness     
recommend4 ,it cannot be imagined that  
ever  men would at first have           
entertained opinions of contempt of     
ordinances  and libertinism1 and        
therefore we may observe they usually   
come in the  rear of other opinions1    
which by a long tract of art prepare    
their way4    ,yet may we note1 that    
though ,satan usually is forced to wait 
the  leisure of some men's timorousness 
and bashfulness1 and therefore  cannot  
ripen error to a hasty birth as he      
desires1 hence is it that  one man often
 doth no more for his time1 but only    
brew it1 or1 it may  be1 makes only the 
rude draught of it1 and another vents   
and adorns  it2 for so it was betwixt   
,llius and ,faustus ,socinus1 betwixt   
,david  ,george and his successors4 ,and
 though he be so confined to the first  

principles of error which he hath       
instilled that he cannot at present     
enlarge them beyond their own just      
consequences2 yet there are some  choice
 principles of his which1 if he can but 
fasten upon the mind1  they presently   
open the gap to all kind of errors      
imaginable4 ,they  are like the firing a
 train of gunpowder1 which in a moment  
blows  up the whole fabric of truth4    
,such are the delusions of enthusiasm1  
inspirations1 and prophetic raptures4   
,let these be once fixed1 and then      
there is nothing so inhuman1            
irreligious1 mad1 or ridiculous1 but    
,satan  can with ease persuade men to   
it1 and also under the highest pretences
  of religion and certainty4 ,the       
experience of all ages hath made any    
further proof of this altogether        
needless4    ,this is his way when he   
acts alone4 ,but if he use instruments1 
though  he is also gradual in his       
procedure1 yet it is in a different     
method2  for there he sometimes proceeds

 from the abuse of something innocent   
and lawful1 by the help of a long tract 
of time1 to introduce the  grossest     
falsehood4 ,thus may we conceive he     
brought idolatry to  its height3 first  
men admired the wisdom or famous acts of
 their  progenitors or benefactors2 next
 they erected pillars or images of such 
persons to perpetuate the names1 honour1
 and memory of them and their  actions4 
,another age1 being at a greater        
distance from the things done1  and     
consequently greater strangers to the   
true ends and reasons of such           
practices1 which being1 as it usually   
falls out in such cases1 abused  by     
false reports or misrepresentations of  
things--for time covers things  of this 
nature with so thick a mist that it is  
difficult to discover  the true metal of
 an original constitution--they in a    
devout ignorance  gave the images a     
greater respect than was at first       
intended4 ,then  did they slide into a  
conceit they were not of the ordinary   

rank of  mortals1 or at least they were 
exalted to a condition which ordinary   
mortals were not capable of4 ,thus they 
supposed them deities1 and gave  them   
worship of prayers and sacrifices4      
,hence they went further1 and           
multiplied gods1 and that of several    
sorts1 according to the natures of      
things that were good or hurtful to     
them2 and then at last consulting  how  
mean their offerings were1 and how      
unlikely to please their  godships1 they
 concluded human sacrifices most        
suitable1 especially to  expiate greater
 provocations1 and in times of great    
calamity4    ,the burdensome heap of    
ceremonious superstitions in popery was 
the  work of several ages2 they were not
 brought in all at once4 ,one in a      
devotional heat fancied such a ceremony 
as a fit testimony of zeal1  or a proper
 incitement of his affections2 another  
deviseth a second1  and so all along4   
,as the minds of men were best pleased  
with their  own inventions1 and had so  

much credit or authority to recommend   
them  to others1 they increased the sum 
by new additions1 till at last  they are
 become a burden not to be borne2 and   
still as they receded  from the         
primitive purity1 and became more       
careless and corrupt in  their          
lives--for from good bishops they       
declined to but tolerable  archbishops1 
till at last they are become incurable  
,babylonians--so they  departed         
gradually from the simplicity of the    
gospel1 and abounded in  contrivances of
 ceremonies4#bhi    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,in   
corrupting established truths4 ,satan's 
proceedings  are not by sudden and      
observable leaps1 but by lingering and  
slow  motions--as flowers and plants    
grow insensibly1 and as men gradually   
wax old and feeble4 ,violent and hasty  
alterations he knows would beget        
observation1 dislike1 and opposition2   
neither will he make such  attempts but 
where he is sure of a strong prevalent  
party1 which  by force and power is able

 to carry all before it4 ,in this case  
he  is willing to enforce error by fire 
and sword4 ,thus he propagated          
,mohammedanism at first1 and still      
continueth to do so by the conquering   
arms of the ,turks2 but where he hath   
not this advantage1 he betakes  himself 
to another course1 and studieth to do   
his work so that he may  not be         
observed4 ,the possibility of such a    
change1 with the manner  of effecting   
it1 we may observe in many churches that
 have declined  from the doctrine which 
they at first received1 but most of all 
in  the church at ,rome1 which at first 
was a pure church1 as the apostle       
testifieth1 but now so changed from the 
truths upon which they were  bottomed in
 their first constitution1 as if she had
 not been the  same church4 ,they boast 
indeed that as they were at first1 so   
they  are now2 but nothing is more      
evident than the contrary2 and the      
possibility of their insensible         
corruption is as demonstrable as the    

alteration of doctrine in any other     
church4 ,the manifold ways that  ,satan 
takes in this matter1 in the abuse of   
,scripture1 by raising  perverse        
interpretations and unnatural           
inferences1 and the advantages  of a    
long succession in authority2 of the    
negligence and ignorance of  the common 
people2 of the crafty subtlety of the   
teachers1 especially  when religion     
began to be abused to secular interest1 
is described by  ,acontius and          
others4#bij ,if we should single out any
 of their noted  errors1 and follow up  
the history of it to its first original1
 we shall  find that whatever strong    
current it hath now gotten1 it was very 
small and inconsiderable in the         
fountain4 ,the invocation of saints1    
though it be now an established article 
among them1 yet its first rise  was from
 the unwary prosopopias of the ancients1
 and the liberty  of their oratorical   
declamatory style4 ,these gave occasion 
to some  private opinions1 these        

opinions to some private devotional     
liberty in  practice1 and from private  
opinions and practices1 at last it      
obtained  so strong a party that it     
procured a public injunction4 ,the like 
method  was used for the doctrine of    
transubstantiation1 whose beginning was 
from the abuse of such sentences as this
 in ancient writers1 that  #8after      
consecration it was no more bread and   
wine1 but the body and  blood of        
,christ2' by which expression the       
authors intended no more  than this1    
that the bread and wine in the sacrament
 were relatively  altered1 and were more
 than ordinary bread and wine1 because  
they were  representatives of the body  
and blood of ,christ3 however1 this gave
  them courage to interpret literally   
and strictly these words of ,christ1    
#8,this is my body2' and thus by degrees
 from the opinion of a few it  became   
the judgment of many1 and from the      
toleration of a private  opinion of some
 doctors1 and unimposed1 it obtained at 

last a canon to  make it authentic      
public doctrine4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,this
 insensible proceeding is in nothing    
more evident  than in the power of      
custom and education4 ,custom doth by   
degrees  take off the startling of      
conscience2 and those opinions or       
practices  which at first look affright 
it1 are by a little familiarity made    
more smooth and tolerable4 ,the dissents
 of men by frequent seeing  and hearing 
become tame and gentle2 but the force of
 education is  incomparably great1 for  
this makes an error to become as it were
  natural2 they suck it in with their   
milk1 and draw it in with their  air4   
,this general advantage the devil hath  
over all the children of  erroneous     
parents1 especially where countries or  
nations are of the  same persuasion2    
insomuch that ,turks have as great      
belief of their  ,alcoran as we of the  
,bible1 and think as reverently of      
,mohammed as  ,christians do of ,christ4
 ,the children of idolatrous pagans have

 as  great a confidence of the truth of 
their way of heathenish worship1 as  we 
have of ,god's ordinances and           
institutions4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,we may  
see something of this stratagem of      
silent  entanglement in ,satan's        
surprisals2 for sometimes he inveigles  
men at  unawares1 and engageth them in  
error while they know not what they are 
doing4 ,weak heads cannot see the far   
end of a smooth-faced doctrine1  and    
they usually embrace it by wholesale1   
for some particular that  strikes upon  
their fancy1 or gratifies their humour4 
,if they read a  book that hath some    
good things in it1 or is affectionate1  
for the sake  of these they swallow all 
the rest1 though never so dangerous     
doctrine1  without further examination4 
,the like advantage he hath from actions
  that are bad or tolerable1 according  
to the various respects which  they have
 to the ends or consequences that lie   
before them2 for he  frequently doth    
interest men in an erroneous            

consequence1 by concerning  them in     
actions that lead that way2 and having  
thus beguiled them into  an evil        
mistake1 instead of drawing their foot  
out of the snare1 he  pusheth them      
forward to maintain their ground1 and to
 justify their  proceedings4 ,this was  
the case of some of the ,corinthians2   
when the  heathens had offered a        
sacrifice to an idol1 part of the       
sacrifice  was reserved1 and either sold
 at the shambles1 or used in a feast1 to
  which the heathens sometimes invited  
their ,christian acquaintance or        
relations4 ,those that went1 knowing    
that #8an idol was nothing1' ate  what  
was set before them without any regard  
to the idol1 and #8making  no question  
for conscience sake2' by their example  
others that #8had  not that knowledge1' 
#a ,cor4 viii4 #g1 were emboldened1 not 
only to eat  against their scruples and 
doubts of conscience1--which is all that
  many interpreters think to be intended
 in that place1--but also--as the  words

 make probable--with some positive      
regard to the idol2 so that by  the     
examples of those that sat in the idol's
 temple1 eating what was  set before    
them as common meat1 others             
misinterpreting their actions1          
proceeded to eat with a conscience of   
the idol1 as if the idol had been       
something indeed1 and deserving a       
conscientious regard4 ,not unlike  to   
this was that art of ,julian1 mentioned 
by ,sozomen1 whereby he  endeavoured to 
twist something of paganism with actions
 and things that  were lawful or        
necessary4#bia ,he caused the images of 
,mars and ,mercury  to be placed by his 
own1 so that the respects that were     
payed to the  emperor's picture1 seemed 
to carry a concomitancy of reverence to 
those  idols4 ,he also1 in prosecution  
of the same policy1 caused their meats  
and drinks to be sprinkled or mixed with
 the lustral water1 that so  every one  
that used them might be inured to give  
some regard to his  idols2 and that     

some1 at least1 might be engaged to a   
justification of  that and such other   
practices4    ,all these are but        
instances of ,satan's silent            
insinuation1 by which he  secretly      
steals the affections1 and through these
 taints the judgment4  ,next follows1   
,a second plot upon the affections1     
which is an endeavour to entangle  them 
by the external garb of error4 ,in this 
he works by two contrary  extremes1 that
 he may the better prevail with men's   
different  dispositions4    #a4 ,first1 
,he sometimes clothes a false doctrine  
with the most  pompous1 gorgeous1       
delightful attire1 that1 like ,solomon's
 harlot1  it may entice those that are  
pleased with the highest gratifications 
of the senses1 #8,i have decked my bed  
with coverings of tapestry1 with  fine  
linen of ,egypt1' c4 ,most men that are 
given up to an animal  life cannot be   
pleased with any religion but such as   
may most please  the senses4 ,they so   
disrelish the simplicity of the         

gospel--which is1  notwithstanding1 its 
particular mark and honour1 #b ,cor4 xi4
 #c--that they  cannot persuade         
themselves they do anything in religious
 worship except  they abound in costly  
ceremonious observances4 ,thus do some  
interpret  that fear of the heathens1   
which first put them upon images and    
outward  representations of their gods4 
,they were afraid they should not have  
any religion to their own satisfaction1 
except they proceeded in such a  course 
as might make their senses sure that    
they were doing something1  primus in   
orbe deos timor fecit4 ,the devil1      
knowing well the force  of external     
beauties in religion1 prepared the way  
to idolatry by it4  ,they had their     
costly temples1 some of them admirable  
for antiquity and  magnificence1        
enriched with gifts and offerings1      
excellent for matter  and workmanship1  
adorned with images1 lamps1 beds1 and   
tables of gold1  beautified by art1 and 
natural pleasantness of situation2 they 

had  also their groves in the most      
pleasant and delightful places1 as that 
of the ,daphne1 besides#bib ,antiochia1 
which was environed with tall  cypress  
trees ten miles about1 and within       
adorned with the sumptuous  temples of  
,apollo and ,diana's sanctuary4 ,in     
these places they had  their music and  
solemn festivals1 which were sometimes  
extraordinary  for cost and continuance4
 ,antiochus at ,daphne continued an     
incredible  solemnity1 with a vast train
 and costly preparation1 for thirty     
days'  together2 and that nothing might 
be wanting1 they had their annual       
feasts1 sacrifices1 rites1 the          
adornments of their priests1 their white
  garments1 their coats of divers       
colours1 their mitres1 c42 in a word1   
nothing was lacking that might please   
the eye or ear4 ,and doubtless  the     
devil found this course very successful 
to win the affections of  men to        
,gentilism4 ,and if it were not for this
 consideration1 it might  be admired    

that the ,jews1 who were instructed in  
the true worship of  ,god1 should1      
notwithstanding1 be so prone to         
idolatry1 and so hardly  drawn from it2 
but surely their strong inclinations    
that way proceeded  from a natural      
delight that men have in a sensual      
religion1 which1  by a powerful         
witchcraft1 doth enchant them to an     
excess of love4  ,the same method the   
devil takes in popery4 ,the chief       
enticement lies  in its glorious        
external appearance4 ,all their         
religious places are  dressed up in the 
highest bravery1 they are beautified    
with images  and pictures1 with lights  
and costly adornments2 they abound in   
rites1 ceremonies1 gestures1 and        
observances1 and all this is but to     
dazzle the eyes1 and to win a reverence 
in men to their worship2 and            
accordingly they practise in these      
exterior things on purpose to ravish    
men's affections2 their children are    
brought up to a confirmed delight  and  

resolution for popery1 by pleasing them 
with shows1 pictures1  representations1 
processions1 and grateful observances4  
,if a stranger  of another religion come
 among them1 then1 as their first essay1
 they  shew them all their play-things1 
that their affections may be tickled    
with the outward pomp and ornament of   
their way1 for they know by  experience 
that a glittering outside and a great   
deal ado of bodily  labour is the all of
 most men's religion4 ,if it have but   
body enough1  they never inquire whether
 it have spirit or life within4 ,a dead 
carcase in robes1 that may put them to  
the exercise of their postures  and     
ceremonious compliments1 doth make up a 
more grateful religion for  a carnal man
 than a living1 spiritual service1 that 
necessarily will  put them upon inward  
care and watchfulness in the constant   
exercise of  holy spiritual graces1     
without affording any considerable      
gratification  to the senses4 ,hence is 
it truly more difficult1 and yet        

inwardly more  beautiful and glorious1  
to pray in faith and humility1 even in  
short  breathings after ,god1 than to   
say a thousand ,ave ,marias1 or to      
perform  a task of ordinary penance4    
,but as those that have no children of  
their  own delight themselves in playing
 with a monkey or baboon1 so those  that
 know not how to worship ,god in spirit 
and truth seek to satisfy  themselves in
 the performance of external gesture and
 ceremony4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,on the    
other hand he sometimes is willing that 
an  error should affect an excess of    
plainness and simplicity4 ,in this  he  
takes advantage of those expressions in 
,scripture1 wherein the  gospel is      
commended for its simplicity2 and the   
inventions of men1  under the pretences 
of wisdom1 humility1 and neglecting of  
the body1  are condemned4 ,upon this    
ground he runs men upon such an excess  
of  dotage1 that they never think the   
things of ,god are rightly managed  but 
when they are brought down to a         

contemptible silliness4 ,by this  means 
he arms conceited ignorant men with     
exceptions against learning1  and the   
necessary decencies of language in      
preaching2 and with them  they are the  
only preachers1 and most likely to be   
inspired1 that use  least study and     
preparation for their work4 ,it is      
indeed very true  that the affected     
fooleries of a bombast style or starched
 discourse1  and needless citations of  
sentences for ostentation1 without any  
true advantage to the matter in hand1   
are things very pedantic1 and           
exceedingly unsuitable to the gravity of
 the work of the ministry1 and  renders 
it very ungrateful to a pious mind2 but 
this contrary folly  makes the solemn   
ordinances of ,god so nauseous and      
contemptible1 that  it often makes way1 
by ,satan's cunning improvement of the  
temptation1  to an atheistical rejection
 of all worship4 ,in the meantime it is 
wonderful to observe how some persons   
please themselves with this  conceit1   

that their way of worship is plain1 and 
that they speak  what immediately comes 
into their mind2 and though it be       
nonsense or  contradictions1 which      
sufficiently evidenceth that it is      
nothing of  kin to the ,spirit's        
inspirations1 which they utter1 yet it  
is argument  enough to them that their  
opinions and ways are right1 because    
they  proceed in a designed neglect of  
all necessary order1 and under  pretence
 of the simplicity of the gospel they   
reduce all they do to  childish         
silliness4 ,neither is this all the     
mischief which the devil  raiseth out of
 this conceit1 for the contempt and     
disuse of the  sacraments may in great  
part be ascribed to it4 ,those erroneous
 ways  of worship that are most noted   
for decrying those institutions of      
,christ1 have this for their plea1 that 
the worship which ,god is best  pleased 
with is spiritual1 and that all bodily  
services and external  observations are 
things that ,god stands not upon1 such  

as profit  little1 and were no further  
in use1 but to recommend an internal    
spiritual communion with ,god2 so that  
the more they reject these  things1 they
 persuade themselves they have a more   
true understanding  of the design of    
,god in religion4 ,either of these ways 
,satan makes use  of for the befooling  
of men into a humour of pleasing        
themselves with  error4 ,but1    #c4    
,thirdly1 ,he hath of old endeavoured to
 cloud and enervate the  doctrine of the
 ,bible by traditionary fables4 ,we meet
 with many  passages to this purpose4   
,sometimes he sets up unwritten         
traditions1  not only of equal authority
 to the written word1 but as completions
 and  perfections of it4 ,this he       
practised among the ,jews with such     
success1  that the traditions of the    
elders were of greater force with them  
than  the commands of ,god1 as ,christ  
himself noted of them1 ,mat4 xv4 #ac4   
,of  these unwritten traditions1 which  
they called #8the law by the word of    

mouth1' feigned by them to be given to  
,moses when he was in the mount1  and so
 delivered from hand to hand1 the       
apostles gave many warnings1  and       
signified the hazards that truth stood  
in by them through the  cunning of      
,satan2 as ,col4 ii4 #h1 #8,beware lest 
any man spoil you through  the          
traditions of men2' #a ,tim4 i4 #d1     
#8,neither give heed to fables1 and     
endless genealogies2' ,titus i4 #ad1    
#8,not giving heed to ,jewish fables1   
and commandments of men2' #b ,tim4 iv4  
#d1 #8,and they shall turn away their   
ears from the truth1 and shall be turned
 unto fables4'    ,the papists at this  
day give the same entertainment to this 
device  that the ,jews did of old2 they 
boast as high of their traditions1 and  
are every whit as fabulous and foolish  
in them as they were4 ,satan in  his    
attempts upon the ,gentiles to confirm  
them in their false worship1  though he 
kept up the substance of this design1   
yet he was necessitated  to alter the   

scene a little1 that he might more      
handsomely accommodate  it to their     
condition2 and therefore he set up      
amongst them fabulous  imitations of the
 truths and ordinances of the           
,scripture1 insomuch that  there is     
scarce any grand mystery or remarkable  
history or ordinance  mentioned in the  
,scripture but we may find something    
among the heathens  in tradition or     
practice that doth allude to it4 ,what  
traditionary  imitations had they of the
 creation recorded in the book of       
,genesis6  ,that of ,ovid concerning the
 chaos and first beginning of things is 
known to every schoolboy4 ,the          
,phnicians in their theology give an odd
  account of it from their ,taautus1 to 
this purpose3#bic #8,that the  first    
beginnings of all things were a dark1   
disordered chaos1 and the  spirit of the
 dark air2 hence proceeded moth1 that   
is1 mire1 from  thence issued the seeds 
and generation of all creatures in earth
 and  heaven1' c4 ,the wickedness of men

 before the flood--mentioned ,gen4  vi4 
#a1 #b--;is fabulously related in an    
ancient book1 falsely ascribed  to      
,enoch1 wherein the watchmen or angels  
are reported to take them  wives of the 
daughters of men1 and that from thence  
was the race of  giants4#bid ,for the   
description of paradise1 the heathens   
had the  poetical fiction of the        
,elysian fields2 as they had the story  
of  ,deucalion1 instead of ,noah's ark  
and the deluge4 ,the story of ,lot's    
wife was abused by the fiction of       
,orpheus his wife1 suddenly snatched    
from him for looking back4 ,the history 
of ,samson was turned into their  story 
of ,hercules and his ten labours4 ,from 
the sun standing still in  ,joshua and  
,hezekiah's time1 came that fiction of  
,jupiter's doubling  the night1 that he 
might enjoy ,alcmena4 ,in some of these 
disguises  of sacred story1 they go so  
near in name and circumstances1 that it 
is past doubt they imitated the true    
history1 which they corrupted4  ,for    

instance1 ,herodotus relates that       
,sethon1 king of ,egypt and priest  of  
,vulcan1 was helped by his god from     
heaven against ,sennacherib1  which     
plainly relates to ,hezekiah king of    
,judah1 and the wonders that  ,god did  
for him4#bie ,so in imitation of        
,uriah's letters to ,joab for  his own  
destruction1 we have in ,homer and      
others the story of ,prtus  sending     
letters to ,jobatas by ,bellerophon1    
wherein his death was  commanded2 the   
near affinity of the names ,joab and    
,jobatas1 shews with  what heifer the   
devil ploughed4 ,the history of         
,abraham's offering  up ,isaac is by    
,porphyry applied to ,saturn1 who saith 
he was by the  ,phnicians called        
,israel2 he had by ,anobreth one only   
son called  ,jeud1--an evident allusion1
 saith ,godwyn1 ,antiq41 lib4 iv4 cap4  
#c1 to  ,gen4 xxii4 #b1 where ,isaac is 
in the ,hebrew called ,jechid1 that is1 
an  only-begotten1--him he offered up on
 an altar purposely prepared4 ,here  not

 only the matter1 but the names1 do     
clearly shew that ,abraham's  story is  
imitated in this4 ,the like imitation ,i
 might shew to have  been among the     
heathen of doctrinal truths1 as of the  
sacred mystery  of the ,trinity4 ,in    
,peru they worship the father1 son1 and 
brother2 as  also their ,tangatauga1    
which they say was one in three1 and    
three in  one4#bif ,but their imitation 
of ordinances is everywhere remarkable1 
so that ,i need say nothing of their    
temples1 priests1 sacrifices1 and  other
 religious rites2 only the devil's      
imitation of the sacraments  of the ,new
 ,testament deserves particular         
observation4 ,instances of an  apish    
imitation of baptism are everywhere     
obvious1 and that of the  ,lord's supper
 or ,christian communion was frequently 
resembled in the  chief ,peruvian       
feasts1 where they carried small loaves 
of bread in  great platters of gold1 of 
which all present received and ate      
little  pieces1 and this as a sign of   

honour and profession of obedience to   
their gods and the ingua4#big ,not      
unlike to this were those morsels  of   
paste which the ,mexicans used in their 
religious feasts1 which they  laid at   
their idol's feet1 consecrating them by 
singing and other  ceremonies1 and then 
they called them the flesh and bones of 
their  god ,vitziliputzli1 alluding     
directly to that of our ,saviour1       
#8,this is  my body1' c41 insomuch that 
,acosta thought the devil mocked their  
transubstantiation by it4 ,this was     
distributed among all1 and was eaten    
with a great deal of reverence1 fear1   
and devotion4#bih    ,we may see by     
those instances that in these fabulous  
imaginations of  truth the devil hath   
industriously traded1 and that which he 
aimed at  in this design may easily be  
conjectured to be1    #a4 ,the despiting
 and discrediting of truth4 ,he renders 
it by this  means suspicious of some    
forgery2 as if the ,scripture were no   
better  than an uncertain tradition1 as 

if1 at the best1 it were doubtful       
whether ,scripture or these traditionary
 fables had better authority4    #b4 ,he
 further intends the entanglement of the
 affections to error  by this device2   
for he doth1 as it were1 take the spoils
 of the  tabernacle to adorn his ,dagon 
withal2 and without doubt the heathens  
were very much hardened in ,gentilism by
 these traditionary stories4  ,hence one
 observes1#bii the devil imitated the   
history of the miracle  done in favour  
of ,hezekiah1 that the ,scriptures might
 lose their credit  and authority1 and  
that the glory of such a wonder might be
 transferred  to their idols2 and the   
consequence of both these is1    #c4 ,to
 deprive the truth of its convincing    
power upon the consciences  of men4 ,the
 principles of ,scripture convince by   
the evidence of their  truth4 ,if that  
truth be questioned by the substitution 
of another  competitor1 it presently    
loseth its force1 and the commands      
thereof are  disregarded upon a         

supposition of its uncertainty4    #d4  
,another of his ways to betray the      
understanding by the affections1  is by 
putting men upon an accommodation of    
truth to a compliance  with parties     
differing from it4 ,and this hath been  
so much the more  successful1 because it
 hath begun1 and been carried on1 upon  
the most  specious pretences4 ,the      
avoiding of offences1 the smoothing of  
the way  of religion for the gaining of 
the contrary minded1 the preservation of
  peace and unity1 are pleas very       
plausible2 and really1 upon the account 
of these things1 the ,scripture1 both by
 its precepts and examples1  hath       
recommended to us condescensions and    
brotherly forbearances4 ,the  ,jews1 who
 were dissatisfied at the first         
publication of the liberty  from the    
yoke of ,mosaical ceremonies purchased  
for us by ,christ1 were  indulged in the
 use of circumcision1 and observance of 
the difference  of meats for a long     
time1 till they might be the better     

satisfied in  the truth4 ,these         
pretences the devil makes use of to     
undermine truth4  ,and pleasing his     
agents with the honour of a pious       
design--and it may be  at first really  
so intended by them--he prevails with   
them1 not only for  a present           
condescension to men of contrary        
practice1 but to cast the  principles of
 truth into such a fixed mould that they
 may carry a more  near resemblance to  
those opinions which they do most       
directly oppose4  ,the appearance of    
sanctity1 peaceableness1 prudence1 and  
successfulness  in such an undertaking1 
doth exceedingly animate the            
well-meaning  designers1 which ,satan1  
in the meantime1 carries them beyond all
  bounds1 and so dangerously fixeth an  
unnatural representation of truth1  that
 it loseth its own splendour1 and       
settles at last upon unsafe  notions4   
,thus by the continuance of such a      
compliance1 error begins to  recruit its
 forces1 and is as likely to draw over  

truth wholly to its  side--by the       
argument of resemblance1 and the        
consequences following  thereupon--as   
truth is wholly to extirpate and conquer
 error4 ,and if it  do not that1        
succeeding ages1 that minded not the    
first design1 finding  things so        
continued to them1 in deep reverence to 
their predecessors1  form their         
prudential condescensions into perverse 
opinions4    ,if we follow the tract of 
time from the first preaching of the    
gospel1  we may find ,satan's footsteps 
all along4 ,in the apostles' times1 when
  the believing ,jews were tolerated    
necessarily till time and experience    
might fully convince them in their      
observation of the law of ,moses1  which
 was certainly given of ,god1 and so    
might very easily occasion an  opinion  
of the continuance of it1 ,acts xv4 #a1 
#e1 though the apostles  did not at all 
accommodate the standing precepts of the
 ,new ,testament  to carry a perpetual  
resemblance of that opinion1 neither did

 they  still countenance that practice1 
but did seasonably and fully declare    
against it1 exhorting ,christians #8to  
stand in the liberty wherewith  ,christ 
hath made them free1' ,gal4 v4 #a1 #b1  
yet ,satan was busy to  take advantage  
of the present forbearances1 which the  
,holy ,ghost  had directed them unto2   
insomuch that instead of convincing all 
the  dissenters by that lenity1 some    
dissenters waxed bold to persuade the   
,christians #8to another gospel4' ,but  
after their days the devil pursued  this
 design with greater scope2 for         
instance1 in ,constantine's time1  when 
the ,gentiles flocked into the church   
with dirty feet and in their  old rags1 
they were tolerated in some old customs 
of ,gentilism1 and  upon a design to win
 them1 they made bold to bend the       
doctrine of the  gospel toward their    
former usages2 they thought indeed it   
was best to  wink at things1 and not to 
bear too hard upon them at first1 but   
that1  tolerating a lesser evil1 they   

might avoid a greater inconvenience2    
and withal they deemed they had done    
great service to the church and         
,christian religion1 if they could any  
way divert the heathen from  worshipping
 their idols4 ,and to effect this the   
easilier1 they seemed  to cherish their 
customs and rites of worship1 as        
consonant in the  general to the        
principles of ,christianity1 only they  
excepted against  the object of their   
worship as unlawful1 so that upon the   
matter they  did no more than change the
 name4 ,the manifold inconveniences that
  followed this kind of dealing1 they   
did not discover at first2 but  besides 
the infecting the simplicity of         
,christian religion with the  dirt and  
dregs of paganism1 which they might     
easily have seen1 time  hath since      
discovered that here the devil secretly 
laid the chief  foundations of popery4  
,whosoever shall impartially compare the
 rites1 customs1 usages1 and  garbs of  
popery1 with those of paganism1 will to 

his admiration find  such an exact      
agreement and consonancy1 that he must  
necessarily  conclude that either       
paganism imitated popery1 or popery     
imitated  paganism2 but the latter is   
true1 and that these corruptions in     
religion by popery came in by a         
designment of conforming ,christianity  
to heathenism1 though it may be upon    
pious intentions at first1 is  no       
difficult thing to evince2 for besides  
that the rites of paganism  were more   
ancient1 and so could not be borrowed   
from popery1 which  came long after1 the
 ,scripture did foretell a great        
defection from  truth which should be in
 the #8last days1' and this under a     
profession  of religion2 and the things 
particularised are such as shew that the
  defection should carry an imitation of
 paganism3 for no less seems to  be     
signified by #a ,tim4 iv4 #a1 #8,the    
,spirit speaketh expressly1 that  in the
 latter times some shall depart from the
 faith1 giving heed to  seducing        

spirits1 and doctrines of devils2' that 
is--as ,mr ,mede1 whose  interpretation 
,i follow1#cjj doth prove--doctrines    
concerning devils  or demons3 as in     
,heb4 vi4 #b1 we have the phrase of     
#8doctrines of  baptisms1' which must   
needs signify doctrines concerning      
baptisms2 the  ,gentile theology of     
demons is the thing which ,paul         
prophesies should be  introduced into   
,christianity4 ,how clearly this relates
 to popery may be  evident to any that  
doth not wilfully blind himself by      
prejudice4 ,their  doctrine of demons   
was this3 they supposed two sorts of    
gods1 supreme  and inferior2 the supreme
 they supposed did dwell in the heavenly
  lights1 sun1 moon1 and stars1 without 
change of place2 these they  judged were
 so sublime and pure1 that they might   
not be profaned with  the approach of   
earthly things1 and that immediate      
approaches to them  were derogatory to  
their sovereignty4 ,the inferior order  
of gods they  imagined were of a middle 

sort1 betwixt the supreme beings and    
men1  as participating of both4 ,these  
they called mediators and agents1 and   
supposed their business was to carry up 
men's prayers to ,god1 and to  bring    
down blessings from ,god upon men4      
,these were in ,scripture called        
,baalim1 and by the ,greeks demons2 to  
this purpose ,austin and others         
speak4#cja    ,now these demons they    
supposed were the souls of dead men1    
that had  been more than ordinarily     
famous in their generation4 ,thus ,ninus
  made an image to his father ,belus    
after he was dead1 and caused him  to be
 worshipped4 ,hermes confesseth that    
sculapius1 grandfather to  ,asclepius1  
and ,mercury1 his own grandfather1 were 
worshipped as gods  of this order4      
,abundance of instances ,i might produce
 to this purpose2  but to go on1 these  
demons1 because to them was committed   
the care of  terrestrial affairs1 as    
,celsus argues against ,origen1 and     
because of  the help and advantage that 

men might receive from them1 they       
supposed  it gratitude and duty to      
worship them1 and this worship they     
performed  at their images1 sepulchres1 
and relics4 ,to this purpose ,plutarch  
tells  us of ,theseus his bones1 and    
,plato of the  or shrines of their      
demons4#cjb    ,how evident is it that  
the papists in their doctrine and       
practice about  the invocation of saints
 and angels1 have writ after this copy1 
and  that they are the men that have    
introduced this doctrine of demons1  the
 thing itself declares without further  
evidence4 ,had the heathens  their dead 
heroes for agents betwixt the supreme   
gods and men8 so  have the papists their
 dead saints to offer up their prayers4 
,did  the heathen expect more particular
 aids from some of these demons in      
several cases than from others8 so do   
the papists4 ,instead of ,diana  for    
women in labour1 and sculapius for the  
diseased1 they have their  ,st ,margaret
 and ,st ,mary for travailing2          

,sebastian and ,roch against  the       
pestilence2 ,apollonia against the      
toothache2 ,st ,nicholas against        
tempests1 c4 ,did the heathen pray to   
these demons for their aid8 so  do the  
papists to their saints1 as their       
breviaries1 rosaries1 and  ,lady's      
psalters testify4 ,had the heathen their
 feasts1 their statas  ferias to their  
demons8 so have the papists4 ,had they  
their ,februalia  et ,proserpinilia with
 torches and lights8 so have the papists
 their  ,candlemas with lights4 ,did the
 heathen erect images and pillars1 or   
keep the ashes and shrines of their     
demons8 so do the papists2 the  one had 
processions and adorations1 so have the 
other2 and a great  many more things    
there are wherein popery keeps a        
correspondence with  heathenism4 ,to    
this purpose you may read enough in     
,monsieur de ,croy1  #8,of the ,three   
,conformities4'    ,to make it yet more 
clear that the corruptions in religion  
by popery  came in by the design of     

suiting ,christian religion to paganism1
 ,i  shall in a testimony or two shew   
you that they professedly avouched  the 
design4 ,gregory the ,great writes      
chidingly to ,serenus1 bishop of        
,marseilles1 who it seems was no forward
 man in this matter to this             
purpose1#cjc #8,thou shouldst have      
considered that thou didst converse     
chiefly with the ,gentiles1 to whom     
pictures are instead of reading1  to the
 end that no offence be given them under
 colour of lawful zeal1  wherewith thou 
art not cunningly endued4' ,and in      
another epistle to  ,mellitus1#cjd he   
adviseth1 #8,that the honours and       
offerings which the  heathens gave to   
their demons should be transferred to   
the martyrs  and their relics1' and     
gives this reason for it1 #8,it is      
impossible1'  saith he1 #8to cut off all
 at once from stubborn minds4'#cje      
,eusebius  also endeavours to persuade  
to ,christianity by this argument1 that 
the ,christians' custom of honouring the

 memories of the martyrs1 and  solemnly 
assembling at their sepulchres1 did     
agree with the custom  of the ,gentiles 
of doing the like honour to their       
demons1 and having  mentioned what      
,hesiod speaks concerning ,plato's      
opinion1 that their  champions became   
demons after death1 helpers and         
protectors of men--for  which cause they
 were worshipped at their sepulchres as 
gods2 he  adds to this purpose1 that    
#8if these honours had been given to the
  favourites of ,god1 and champions of  
true religion1 it had been well         
enough2' and for this shews the example 
and custom of ,christians then  to go to
 the tombs of martyrs1 there to pray in 
honour of their blessed  spirits4 ,and  
although at first they might be more    
modest in honouring  the martyrs than   
now they are1 according to that of      
,austin1 #8,these  observances at the   
tombs of martyrs1' saith he1 #8are only 
ornaments of  their memories1 not       
sacrifices to them as to gods4'#cjf ,yet

 this soon  slid into greater abuse1    
insomuch that ,lud4 ,vives1#cjg in his  
notes  on that chapter1 blames those of 
his own time for worshipping saints  as 
gods1 and tells us he cannot see the    
difference betwixt the opinion          
concerning saints1 as generally         
practised1 and that of the heathens     
concerning their gods4 ,i might add the 
positive acknowledgment of  ,beatus     
,rhenanus1 ,jacobus de ,voragine1       
concerning the burning of candles  to   
the ,virgin ,mary1 which custom they    
confess was borrowed from the  heathens1
 with a respect to the frowardness of   
paganism1 and a design  not to          
exasperate them1 that they might gain   
them4    ,i might also shew that the    
mischief of this design1 of             
accommodating  truth to a compliance    
with different parties1 hath not only   
shewn  itself in introducing strange    
actions and ceremonies1 but hath also   
discovered itself in leavening men's    
judgments in reference to opinion4      

,calvin conjectures#cjh that those      
confident assertions of the powers  of  
nature were first occasioned by an      
over-officious willingness  to reconcile
 the doctrine of the ,scripture with the
 opinions of  philosophy2 and that men  
being unwilling to run the hazard of the
  scorn which they might meet with in   
contradicting the general received      
principles of philosophers1 were willing
 to form the doctrine of  truth relating
 to human ability accordingly4          
,abundance of instances  of this kind   
may be given4 ,whence came the doctrine 
of purgatory1 but  from hence8 ,it is   
but ,plato's philosophy ,christianised  
by the ,roman  synagogue4#cji ,he       
divided all men into three ranks3 the   
virtuous1  who are placed by him in the 
,elysian fields2 the desperate ungodly1 
these he adjudgeth to everlasting fire2 
and a third sort1 betwixt the  perfectly
 virtuous and the desperately wicked1 he
 sendeth to ,acheron1  to be purged by  
punishment4 ,all of this ,eusebius makes

 mention of at  large4#caj ,that the    
papists derived their purgatory from    
hence is  generally affirmed by         
protestants--nay1 not only in these     
cases1 but  in very many more1          
corruptions have entered into           
,christianity by an  over-eager         
endeavour to make the doctrine of the   
,scriptures to run  even with the       
sayings and assertions of the schools of
 philosophers2  a thing complained of   
old by ,tertullian1 who plainly affirmed
 the  philosophers to be the patriarchs 
of the heretics4#caa ,to which  agrees  
that observation of ,dr ,owen1 that     
those who either apologised  for        
,christians1 or refuted the objections  
of the heathens against  ,christianity1 
frequently cited the opinions or        
sentences of the  philosophers1 and     
accommodated them to their purpose1 that
 so they  might beget in their          
adversaries more friendly persuasions   
towards  the ,christian religion1 by    
evidencing that the mysteries thereof   

were  not absurd1 nor dissonant from    
reason1 seeing they might be justified  
by the sayings of their own             
philosophers4 ,and #8here was laid1 in  
this  design and its prosecution1 7and  
surely it pleased its undertakers  not a
 little17 the foundation of that evil   
which religion hath since  groaned      
under1 that men made bold with the      
tremendous mysteries of  ,christianity1 
to accommodate them unwarily to the     
notions of the  ,gentiles4'#cab ,and    
this the apostle ,paul foresaw in that  
caution he  gave1 ,col4 ii4 #h1         
#8,beware lest any man spoil you through
 philosophy  and vain deceit1 after the 
tradition of men1 after the rudiments of
  the world1 and not after ,christ4'    
,certainly the snare is neither  unusual
 nor weak1 where the caution is so      
serious4 ,it is a thing  naturally      
pleasing1 to be the inventor of any new 
thing1 or to make  new discoveries in   
religion1 to raise new hypotheses1 or to
 adventure  in unbeaten paths1 for a    

reconcilement of religion to any notion 
or  practice famous for its antiquity1  
or pretence to beauty and decency4  ,men
 hug themselves when they can make      
several things to hit right1 and  an    
exact suiting of parallels is instead of
 demonstration4 ,by this  foolish       
delight the devil makes men bold to make
 essays2 and what doth  answer their    
humour passeth current for undoubted    
truth4    #e4 ,he doth sometime blind   
the understanding1 by working up the    
affections to such an earnest opposition
 to some error1 that in a  forward haste
 they cast the mind upon a contrary     
extreme2 so that  through a hasty1      
violent avoidance of one error1 they are
 cast upon a  contrary1 and1 it may be1 
as dangerous as that they fly from4 ,and
 this  the devil doth with great ease1  
having the plausible pretence of zeal   
and care to truth1 wherein the          
affections being highly engaged1 the    
mind in a careless confidence doth      
easily overshoot the truth1 which       

commonly lies in the middle1 and thinks 
it doth well enough if it gives  the    
greatest contradiction to the error now 
to be abominated4 ,men in  this case1   
having their eyes only fixed upon what  
they would avoid1  consider not so much 
whither they are going1 as from what    
they go4 ,so  that seeking1 as men in a 
fright1 to avoid the pit that is before 
them1  they run backward into another   
behind them4    ,this is such a noted   
stratagem of ,satan1 that all men take  
notice of  it in the general1 though all
 men do not improve the discovery for   
their own particular caution4 ,the      
wisest of men are often so befooled  by 
their violent resistance of an untruth1 
that they readily overshoot  themselves 
and miss the mark4 ,the fathers1 in the 
heat of dispute1  said many things so   
inconveniently1 that those who come     
after do see  and lament these hasty    
oversights1 and have no other way to    
salve  their credit but by giving this  
observation in excuse for them4 ,and it 

may be observed that some errors which  
have risen from this root at  first have
 so strongly fixed themselves1 that they
 have grown up to  the great annoyance  
of the truth2 while the contrary errors 
that did  occasion them are forgotten1  
and their memories are perished4 ,i     
shall  but instance in one instead of   
many1 and that shall be ,arianism4 ,how 
sadly prevalent that hath been in its   
time1 all men know that know  anything  
of church history4 ,the ,christian world
 once groaned under  it4 ,but that which
 gave the first occasion to ,arius to   
fix himself  in that error was the      
doctrine of ,alexander1 who1 discoursing
 of  the unity in the ,trinity too      
nicely1 seemed to justify the error of  
,sabellius1 who had taught1 as also     
,noetus before1 that there was but  one 
person in the ,trinity1 called by divers
 names of ,father1 ,son1 and  ,spirit1  
according to different occasions2 the   
,trinity1 according to  his doctrine1   
being not of persons1 but of names and  

functions4 ,while  ,arius was           
dissatisfied with this account of the   
,trinity1 he ran to a  contrary extreme2
 and that he might give the highest     
proof of a ,trinity  of persons1 he     
affirmed that ,jesus ,christ had a      
beginning1 and that  there was a time   
when he was not1 c4 ,thus ,socrates     
speaks of the rise  of that heresy4#cac 
,we might further follow the footsteps  
of this device1 and trace it in  most   
opinions2 where we might find the humour
 of running to a contrary  extreme hath 
still either set up a contrary error1 or
 at least leavened  the truth with harsh
 and unjustifiable expressions and      
explanations4  ,the disputes betwixt    
faith and works have been thus          
occasioned and  aggravated4 ,some speak 
so of faith1 as if they slighted works2 
others  so urge a necessity of works1 as
 if they intended to make faith         
useless4 ,some talk of grace1 to an     
utter contempt of morality2 others1  on 
the contrary1 magnify morality to the   

annihilating of grace4 ,some  in their  
practice acquiesce in the outward       
performance of ordinances3  if they pray
 or receive the sacraments1 though never
 so formally1  they are at peace1       
supposing they have done all that is    
required2  others observing the mistake1
 and knowing that ,god looks more to the
  performance of the soul and spirit    
than to the act of the body1 upon  a    
pretence of worshipping ,god in spirit1 
throw off the observation of  his       
ordinances altogether4 ,neither is there
 anything that doth more  generally and 
apparently undo us in the present       
dissensions1 as many  have complained1  
than men's violent overdoing and running
 to contrary  extremes4    #f4 ,satan   
makes use of rewards or punishments1 on 
the one hand  to bribe1 or on the other 
to force the affections1 and they being 
strongly possessed1 easily prevail with 
the understanding to give  sentence     
accordingly4 ,men are soon persuaded to 
take that for truth  which they see will

 be advantageous to them4 ,some men     
indeed take  up with a profession of    
truth1 which yet their hearts approve   
not2  but the advantages they have by   
their profession1 do silence their      
dissatisfactions2 these are said to use 
the profession of truth as  #8a cloak of
 covetousness1' #b ,thes4 ii4 #e4 ,but  
others go further1 and  are really      
brought to an approbation of that       
doctrine or way that  makes most for    
their profit1 their minds being really  
corrupted by a  self-seeking principle4 
,they persuade themselves1 where there  
is any  contest about doctrines1 that   
that doctrine is true which is gainful1 
and will accordingly dispute for it4    
,hence that expression in #a ,tim4  vi4 
#e1 #8supposing that gain is godliness4'
    ,to this may be added1 that the     
affections are quickly sensible of the  
ease and sensual gratifications of any  
doctrine1 and these are usually  thrown 
into the same scale to make more weight4
 ,men have naturally a  good liking to  

that doctrine that promiseth fair for   
ease1 liberty1  gain1 and honour2 and   
this hath made it a usual piece of      
,satan's  business in all ages to gild  
an error with outward advantages1 and to
  corrupt the mind by secret promises of
 advancement4    ,on the other side1 he 
labours as much to prejudice truth1 by  
representing it as hazardous and        
troublesome to the professors of  it4   
,and this not only affrights some from  
an open confession of the  truth they   
believe1 but also1 by the help of the   
affections1 doth  persuade some to      
believe that to be an error1 which      
unavoidably brings  persecution with it4
 ,by this engine are the minds of men   
turned about  to think well or ill of a 
doctrine presented to them4 ,this is so 
well  known that ,i shall forbear a     
further prosecution of this head1 and   
go to the next course that ,satan takes 
to corrupt the judgment by the          
affections2 which he doth1    #g4 ,by   
stirring up some particular passions1   

which in opinions do  usually more      
influence the understanding4 ,and here  
,i shall only insist  upon these two1   
pride and anger1 with the peculiar means
 that ,satan  hath to engage them in his
 service4    ,that pride and anger are  
the two usual firebrands of contention  
and  fountains of error1 all ages have  
acknowledged and bewailed4 ,these two   
companions in evil do so darken the     
mind1 that the miserable captive in     
whom they domineer is carried blindfold1
 he knows not whither1 nor how4  ,pride 
usually begins1 and anger follows with  
all its forces1 to justify  what pride  
hath undertaken4 ,hence the apostle1 in 
#a ,tim4 vi4 #d1 rakes  up all the      
concomitant filth of error1 as envy1    
strife1 railings1 evil  surmisings1 and 
perverse disputings of men1 and lays    
them at the door  of pride3 #8,he is    
proud1 knowing nothing4'    ,for the    
engaging of these two thieves1 that rob 
the understanding  of its light1 ,satan 
hath many artifices in readiness4       

,pride1 which  is forward enough of     
itself1 is soon excited by laying before
 it an  opportunity of a seeming rare   
discovery1 or of advancing the glory of 
knowledge above the common pitch1 of    
being seen and admired as more          
excellent than others1 c43 for upon such
 unworthy grounds have some  dared to   
adventure upon strange notions2 yet     
there is nothing that  doth more firmly 
engage it than contention or dispute3   
for though the  proper end of           
disputation be the sifting out of truth1
 yet such is  man's pride1 and ,satan's 
advantage by it1 that it seldom attains 
its  true end in those that are engaged4
 ,bystanders that keep their minds  calm
 and unbiased1 may receive more         
satisfaction than the contenders        
themselves2 and there needs no other    
evidence of this than the common        
experience which men have of our        
frequent contentions2 where we  have    
confutations1 answers and replies1 and  
yet still all parties  continue in their

 opinions without conviction4 ,so that  
they that would  unfeignedly seek truth1
 in my mind1 take not the best course in
 their  pursuit1 that presently engage  
themselves in a public dispute2 for the 
usual heats that are begot in a         
contention alienate their minds from  a 
just impartiality1 and the dust they    
raise blinds their eyes1 that  they     
discern not truly4 ,let us look into    
this artifice of engaging  pride by     
disputation1 and by it the judgment4    
,first we find that when  a humour of   
contending is raised1 certain truths are
 neglected1 as  to their improvement and
 practice2 for so much of the strength  
of  the soul is laid out upon disputable
 questions1 that little is left  for    
more weighty matters4 ,secondly1 ,in    
disputes men's credit is so  concerned1 
that it is a most difficult thing to    
preserve a faithful  regard to verity1  
especially where they are managed with  
affronts  and contumelies4 ,they that by
 calm handling might be induced to      

acknowledge a mistake1 will scarce come 
near that point of ingenuity1  when they
 must be called fool1 knave1 or ass for 
their labour4 ,hence  ordinarily1 though
 they profess otherwise1 men seek rather
 victory than  truth4 ,thirdly1 ,in     
disputes pride and passion are usually  
heightened1  and the stronger the       
passions are the weaker is the judgment4
 ,eager  altercations bring a confusion1
 both upon the matter of which they     
dispute and upon the understanding that 
should judge4 ,fourthly1 ,in the  heat  
of disputation1 when the mind is        
inflamed1 men usually behave  themselves
 like those in a fray1 where they snatch
 and throw anything  that comes to hand1
 and never mind where it hits2 they will
 affirm or  deny anything that may seem 
any way to bring them off4 ,fifthly1    
,these  assertions being once affirmed  
must be maintained1 and so errors and   
contentions increase without end4       
,disputes fix a man in his persuasion1  
and do1 as it were1 tie him to the      

stake1 so that right or wrong he  will  
go through with it4 ,sixthly1 ,some     
dispute in jest against their  present  
judgment1 and yet at last dispute       
themselves into a belief of  what they  
wantonly at first affirmed2 as some tell
 lies so long1 that  at length they     
believe them to be true4 ,seventhly1 ,a 
sadder mischief  often follows a        
disputing humour1 which is a hazard of  
the loss of all  truth4 ,men dispute so 
long till they suspect all things1 and  
after a  long trade of scepticism turn  
atheists4#cad    ,after the same manner 
doth the devil engage anger in all      
disputes and  controversies1 for it     
keeps company with pride1 wherever there
 is a  provocation4 ,and besides this1  
anger stirring up injuries and wrongs1  
hath often engaged men1 as it were in   
revenge1 to change their opinion1  and  
to take up another way or doctrine4     
,nay1 often that simple mixture  of     
pride and anger which we call emulation1
 hath privately tainted the  integrity  

of mind1 and prepared it for the next   
fair opportunity of  error4 ,this is    
noted of ,arius1 by ,theodoret1 that    
when ,alexander was  chosen bishop of   
,alexandria1 he envied him the          
preferency1 and from  thence sought     
occasions of contention1 which after a  
little while the  devil brought to his  
hand1 as we have heard4#cae    ,so great
 is the power of these two passions over
 the understanding1  that we have cause 
to wonder at their success4 ,seldom or  
never can it  be shewn that any         
ringleader in error was not visibly     
tainted with  pride1 or not apparently  
soured with discontents and emulation4  
#h4 ,to these ways of blinding the      
understanding by the affections  ,i     
shall add but one more1 which is this3  
,satan endeavours mainly to  adorn an   
error with truth's clothing4 ,he takes  
its ornaments and  jewels to dress up a 
false doctrine1 that it may look more   
lovely and  dutiful2 ,i mean that he    
designs1 where errors are capable of    

such an  imitation1 to put them into the
 way1 method1 garb1 and manner which    
truth doth naturally use4 ,if truth be  
adorned with zeal1 order1  strictness1  
or have advantageous ways of managing   
itself1 error must  straightway imitate 
it in all these things2 and though he   
that looks  near may easily discern that
 it is not the natural complexion of    
error1  but an artificial varnish1 and  
such as doth no more become it than a   
court dress doth become a coarse1       
clownish1 country person--for you may   
at first look usually discover the wolf 
under sheep's clothing1 and  under the  
garb of the apostles of ,christ you may 
see the ministers of  ,satan--yet are   
the credulous usually affected with     
these appearances4  ,if they find a     
professed strictness1 a seeming         
severity1 an imitation  of the ways of  
truth1 or of the fruits thereof1 they   
commonly seek no  further1 but judge    
that to be truth which doth the things  
that truth  doth2 and if error can      

handsomely stand in competition with    
truth1  upon a pretence of being as     
effectual in good works1 and doing      
things  of themselves lovely and of good
 report1 it doth much gain upon the     
good liking of those whose consideration
 leads them not much further  than fair 
appearances4 ,i shall only exemplify    
this by the art and  policy which       
,julian used to set up paganism1 and to 
ruin ,christianity2  and those who have 
observed the ways which he took to gain 
his end1  will readily acknowledge he   
was as well skilled in advancing error  
and suppressing truth as any whosoever1 
and knew exactly to suit his  designs to
 men's inclinations4 ,he observing that 
,christian religion  had some particular
 things in its practice and way which   
made its face  to shine1 as that it had 
persons solemnly set apart by ordination
 for  teaching the mysteries of the     
gospel1 and for managing the public     
worship of ,god2 that these persons were
 to be grave in their carriage1  and    

exemplary in a strict holy conversation2
 that the constitutions  of religion    
appointed certain necessary and         
effectual ways of  discipline1 for      
punishment1 and restoring of offenders1 
and bringing  them to repentance2 that  
it took care of the comfortable         
maintenance  of those that had given up 
themselves to the ministry of the word  
and  prayer2 that it also enjoined a    
relief of the poor and strangers1 c43   
taking notice1 ,i say1 of these         
excellencies in ,christianity1 and how  
lovely they were in the eyes of their   
enemies1 he appointed the like          
constitutions for paganism1 and ordained
 that the idol temples should  be suited
 in conveniency and comeliness to       
,christian churches3 that  there should 
be seats and desks for the chief doctors
 and readers of  ,gentilism1 who at set 
times were to exhort the people and pray
 with  them2 and that colleges and      
monasteries should be erected for them1 
and for the relief of the poor and      

strangers2 he commanded discipline  and 
penances for the chastisement of        
offenders2 he required that their       
priests should seriously give up        
themselves to the worship of ,god1 as   
also their families1 that they should   
not frequent shows and taverns1  nor    
practise any infamous trade and art4    
,thus ,sozomen reports him1#caf  and    
gives us a copy of his letter to        
,arsacius1 high priest of ,galatia1  to 
this purpose2 and all this he did to    
bring ,gentilism into credit  with the  
vulgar1 whom he had observed to be      
affected to ,christianity  for its      
order1 strictness1 and government4      
,yet is not this the only instance that 
may be given in this kind3 for  observe 
but any error that by schism sets up for
 itself in a distinct  party1 and you   
shall see that though it departs from   
the truth of the  church1 and from its  
communion1 yet still1 as the ,israelites
 did with  the ,egyptians1 it carries   
away with it these jewels of the church1

 and  keeps to some considerable part of
 the church's way1 though modified      
according to its own bent1 that it might
 have a lustre with it1 to make  it     
taking with others4    ,these eight     
particulars are the most remarkable ways
 of ,satan whereby  the affections are  
gained to a good liking of error1 and by
 them the  judgment secondarily         
corrupted to call it truth4             
,,chapter ,v4     ,satan's attempts     
against the peace of ,god's children    
evidenced--7#a47 ,by his malice2 7#b47  
,from the concernment   of peace to     
,god's children2 what these concerns    
are1 explained4   7#c47 ,from the       
advantages which he hath against them by
   disquieting their minds--#a4         
,confusion of mind2 #b4   ,unfitness for
 duty1 and how2 #c4 ,rejection of duty2 
#d4   ,a stumbling-block to others2 #e4 
,preparation of the mind to   entertain 
venomous impressions1 and what they are2
 #f4 ,bodily   weakness2 #g4 ,our       
miseries ,satan's contentment4      ,we 

have viewed the ways of ,satan by which 
he tempts to sin1 by which  he withdraws
 men from duty and service1 by which he 
corrupts the mind  through error4 ,it   
only now remains that something be      
spoken of his  attempts against the     
peace and comfort of the children of    
,god4    ,that it is also one of        
,satan's chief designs to cheat us of   
our  spiritual peace1 may be fully      
evinced by a consideration of his       
malice1  the great concern of inward    
comfort to us1 and the many advantages  
which he hath against us by the disquiet
 of our minds4    #a4 ,first1 ,whosoever
 shall seriously consider the devil's   
implacable  malice1 will easily believe 
that he so envies our happiness that he 
will industriously rise up against all  
our comforts4 ,it is his inward  fret   
and indignation that man hath any       
interest in that happiness  from which  
he irrecoverably fell1 and that the     
,spirit of ,god should  produce in the  
hearts of his people any spiritual joy  

or satisfaction  in the belief and      
expectation of that felicity2 and       
therefore must  it be expected that his 
malice--heightened by the torment of his
  own guilt1 which1 as some think1 are  
those #8chains of darkness' in  which he
 is reserved at present #8to the        
judgment of the great day1'  #b ,peter  
ii4 #d1--will not1 cannot leave this    
part of our happiness  unattempted4 ,he 
endeavours to supplant us of our        
birthright1 of our  blessing1 of our    
salvation1 and the comfortable hopes    
thereof4 ,from his  common employment in
 this matter1 the ,scripture hath given 
him names1  importing an opposition to  
,christ and his ,spirit in the ways they
 take  for our comfort and satisfaction4
 ,christ is our advocate that pleads    
for us2 ,satan is 1 a calumniator4 ,the 
,spirit intercedes for  us2 ,satan is   
1 #8the accuser of the brethren1 who    
accuseth them before ,god night and     
day1' ,rev4 xii4 #aj4 ,the ,spirit is   
our comforter2 ,satan is our disturber1 

a ,beelzebub who is ever raking  in our 
wounds1 as flies upon sores4 ,the       
apostle ,paul had his eye  upon this    
when he was advising the ,corinthians to
 receive again the  penitent incestuous 
person2 his caution was most serious3 #b
 ,cor4 ii4  #aa1 #8,lest ,satan get     
advantage of us1' lest he deceive and   
circumvent  us2 for his expression      
relates to men cunningly deceitful in   
trade1  that do overreach and defraud   
the unskilful1 2 and the  reason of this
 caution was the known and commonly     
experienced subtlety  of ,satan1 #8for  
we are not ignorant of his devices1'    
implying that he  will1 and frequently  
doth lie at catch to take all advantages
 against  us4 ,some indeed restrain     
these advantages to ver4 #aj1cag as if  
,paul only meant that ,satan was        
designing to fix the ,corinthians upon  
an opinion1 that backsliders into great 
sins were not to be received  again1 or 
that he laid in wait to raise a schism  
in the church upon the  account of this 

,corinthian4 ,others#cah restrain this  
advantage which  he waited for to ver4  
#g1 where the apostle expresseth his    
fear lest the  excommunicated person    
should #8be swallowed up of too much    
sorrow2' but  the caution being not     
expressly bound up to any one of these1 
seems to  point at them all1 and to tell
 us that ,satan drives on many designs  
at once1 and that in this man's case    
,satan would endeavour to put the       
,corinthians upon a pharisaical rigour1 
or to rend the church by a  division    
about him1 and to oppress the penitent  
by bereaving him of his  due comfort2 so
 that it appears still that it is one of
 his designs to  hinder the comfort and 
molest the hearts of ,god's children4   
#b4 ,secondly1 ,of such concern is      
inward spiritual peace to us1 that  it  
is but an easy conjecture to conclude   
from thence that so great an  adversary 
will make it his design to rob us of    
such a jewel2 for1    #a4 ,spiritual    
comfort is the sweet fruit of holiness1 

by which  ,god adorns and beautifies the
 ways of religious service1 to render   
them amiable and pleasant to the        
undertakers3 #8,her ways are ways of    
pleasantness1 and all her paths are     
peace1' ,prov4 iii4 #ag2 and this is    
the present #8rest and refreshment' of  
,god's faithful servants under all      
their toil1 that when they have         
#8tribulation from the world1' yet they 
have #8peace in him1' ,john xvi4 #cc2   
and that1 being #8justified by faith1   
they have peace with ,god1' and         
sometimes #8joy unspeakable and full of 
glory1' #a ,peter i4 #h2 and this they  
may the more confidently expect1        
because #8the fruits of the ,spirit are 
love1 joy1 peace1' c41 ,gal4 v4  #bb4   
#b4 ,spiritual comfort is not only our  
satisfaction1 but our inward  strength  
and activity2 for all holy services doth
 depend upon it4 ,by  this doth ,god    
strengthen our heart and gird up our    
loins #8to run the  ways of his         
commandments4' ,it doth also strengthen 

the soul to undergo  afflictions1 to    
glory in tribulations1 to triumph in    
persecutions4 ,the  outward man is also 
corroborated by the inward peace of the 
mind3 #8,a  merry heart doth good like a
 medicine1 but a broken spirit drieth   
the  bones1' ,prov4 xvii4 #bb2 all which
 are intended by that expression1 ,neh4 
viii4 #aj1 #8,the joy of the ,lord is   
your strength2' it is strength to the   
body1 to the mind1 and that both for    
service and suffering2 the reason       
whereof the apostle doth hint to us1    
,phil4 iv4 #g1 #8,the peace of ,god1    
which passeth all understanding1 shall  
keep your hearts and minds'--that  is1  
peace doth so guard us as with a        
garrison1 --for so much  the word       
imports--that our affections1 our       
hearts1 being entertained  with divine  
satisfactions1 are not easily enticed by
 baser proffers  of worldly delights1   
and our reasonings1 our minds1 being    
kept steady  upon so noble an object1   
are not so easily perverted to a        

treacherous  recommendation of vanities4
    #c4 ,joy and peace are propounded to
 our careful endeavours1 for  attainment
 and preservation1 as a necessary duty  
of great importance  to us4 ,rejoicings 
are not only recommended as seemly for  
the upright1  but enjoined as service1  
and that in the constant practice3      
#8,rejoice  evermore2' #8,in everything 
give thanks1' #a ,thes4 v4 #af1 #ah2    
#8,rejoice  in the ,lord alway2 and     
again ,i say1 rejoice1' ,phil4 iv4 #d4  
,in the ,old  ,testament1 ,god commanded
 the observation of several feasts to   
the  ,jews4 ,these1 though they had     
their several respective grounds from   
,god's appointment1 yet the general     
design of all seems to have been  this1 
that #8they might rejoice before the    
,lord their ,god1' ,lev4 xxiii4  #dj2 as
 if ,god did thereby tell them that it  
was the comely complexion  of religion1 
and that which was very acceptable to   
himself1 that his  children might always
 serve him in cheerfulness of heart1    

seeing such  have more cause to rejoice 
than all the world besides4 ,they are   
then  much mistaken that think mournful 
eyes and sad hearts be the greatest     
ornaments of religion1 or that none are 
serious in the profession of it  that   
have a cheerful countenance and a       
rejoicing frame of spirit4 ,it is  true1
 there is a joy that is devilish1 and a 
mirth which is madness1 to  which       
,christ hath denounced a woe3 #8,woe be 
to them that laugh now1 for  they shall 
mourn and weep1' ,luke vi4 #be2 but this
 is a joy of another  nature1 a carnal  
delight in vanity and sin1 by which men 
fatten their  hearts to ruin2 and       
whatsoever is said against this can be  
no prejudice  to spiritual1 holy joy in 
,god1 his favour and ways4    #d4       
,spiritual comfort is also a badge of   
our heavenly ,father's  kindness4 ,as   
,joseph1 the son of his father's        
affections1 had a special  testimony    
thereof in his parti-coloured coat1 so  
have ,god's favourites  a peculiar token

 of his good-will to them when he gives 
them #8the  garments of praise for the  
spirit of heaviness1' ,isa4 lxi4 #g4 ,if
  spiritual comfort be so advantageous  
to us1 it will be no wonder to see      
,satan so much rage against it4 ,it     
would be a satisfaction to him to  tear 
these robes off us1 to impede so needful
 a duty1 to rob us of so  much strength1
 and to bereave us of the sweet fruits  
of our labours4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,it    
further appears that ,satan's design is 
against the  comforts of ,god's         
children1 by the many advantages he hath
 against  them1 from the trouble and    
disquiet of their hearts4 ,i shall      
reckon up  the chief of them2 as1    #a4
 ,from the trouble of the spirit he     
raiseth confusions and  distractions of 
mind2 for1 7#a47 ,it is as natural to   
trouble to raise  up a swarm of muddy   
thoughts as to #8a troubled sea to cast 
up mire and  dirt2' and hence is that   
comparison1 ,isa4 lvii4 #bj2 a thousand 
fearful  surmises1 evil cogitations1    

resolves1 and counsels immediately offer
  themselves4 ,this disorder of thoughts
 ,christ took notice of in his          
disciples when they were in danger1     
#8,why do thoughts arise in your        
hearts8' ,luke xxiv4 #ch4 ,and ,david   
considered it as matter of great        
anxiety1 which called for speedy help3  
,ps4 xciv4 #ai1 #8,in the multitude  of 
my thoughts within me1 thy comforts     
delight my soul4' ,sometimes one  fear  
is suggested1 then presently another2   
now this doubt perplexeth1  then another
 question is begot by the former2 they  
think to take this  course1 then by and 
by they are off that1 and resolve upon  
another1  and as quickly change again to
 a third1 and so onward1 one thought    
succeeding another1 as vapours from a   
boiling pot4 7#b47 ,such thoughts  are  
vexatious and distracting1 the very     
thoughts themselves1 being  the         
poisonous steams of their running sores1
 are sadly afflictive1  and not unfitly 
called cogitationes oneros1 burdensome  

thoughts4  ,but as they wrap up a man in
 clouds and darkness1 as they puzzle him
  in his resolves1 nonplus him in his   
undertakings1 distract him in  his      
counsels1 disturb and hinder him in his 
endeavours1 c41 so do  they bring the   
mind into a labyrinth of confusion4     
,what advantage the  devil hath against 
a child of ,god when his heart is thus  
divided and  broken into shivers1 it is 
easy to imagine4 ,and ,david seems to be
 very  sensible of it when he put up    
that request1 ,ps4 lxxxvi4 #aa1 #8,unite
 my  heart to fear thy name4'    #b4 ,by
 disquiet of heart the devil unfits men 
for duty or service4  ,fitness for duty 
lies in the orderly temper of body and  
mind1 making a  man willing to          
undertake1 and able to finish his work  
with comfortable  satisfaction4 ,if     
either the body or mind be distempered1 
a man is  unfit for such an undertaking2
 both must be in a suitable frame1 like 
a well-tuned instrument1 else there will
 be no melody4 ,hence1 when  ,david     

prepared himself for praises and        
worship1 he tells us his #8heart  was   
ready and fixed1' and then #8his tongue 
was ready also1' so was his  hand with  
psaltery and harp2 all these were       
awakened into a suitable  posture1 ,ps4 
xlv4 #a1 #b1 and cviii4 #a1 #b4 ,that a 
man is or hath been  in a fit order for 
service may be concluded from--7#a47    
,his alacrity  to undertake a duty4     
7#b47 ,his activity in the prosecution4 
7#c47 ,his  satisfaction afterward1     
right grounds and principles in these   
things  being still presupposed4 ,this  
being laid as a foundation1 we shall    
easily perceive how the troubles of the 
spirit do unfit us for duty4  ,for1     
,first1 ,these do take away all alacrity
 and forwardness of the mind1  partly by
 diverting it from duty4 ,sorrows when  
they prevail do so  fix the mind upon   
the present trouble1 that it can think  
of nothing  but its burden2 they confine
 the thoughts to the pain and smart1 and
  make a man forget all other things1 as

 ,david in his trouble #8forgot  to eat 
his bread1' ,ps4 cii4 #d2 and sick      
persons willingly discourse  only of    
their diseases2 partly by indisposing   
for action4 ,joy and  hope are active   
principles1 but sorrow is sullen and    
sluggish4 ,as the  mind in trouble is   
wholly employed in a contemplation of   
its misery1  rather than in finding out 
a way to avoid it1 so if it be at       
leisure  at any time to entertain       
thoughts of using means for recovery1   
yet it  is so tired out with its burden1
 so disheartened by its own fears1 so   
discouraged with opposition and         
disappointment1 that it hath no list  to
 undertake anything4 ,by this means the 
devil brings the soul into  a spiritual 
catoche1#cai so congealing the spirits1 
that it is made  stiff and deprived of  
motion4    ,second1 ,disquiets of heart 
unfit us for duty1 by hindering our     
activity in prosecution of duty4 ,the   
whole heart1 soul1 and strength  should 
be engaged in all religious services1   

but these troubles are as  clogs and    
weights to hinder motion4 ,joy is the   
dilatation of the soul1  and widens it  
for anything which it undertakes2 but   
grief contracts the  heart1 and narrows 
all the faculties4 ,hence doth ,david   
beg an #8enlarged  heart1' as the       
principle of activity3 ,ps4 cxix4 #cb1  
#8,i will run the way  of thy           
commandments1 when thou shalt enlarge my
 heart2' for what can  else be expected 
when the mind is so distracted with fear
 and sorrow1  but that it should be     
uneven1 tottering1 weak1 and confused8  
so that  if it do set itself to         
anything1 it acts troublesomely1 drives 
on  heavily1 and doth very little with a
 great deal ado2 and yet1 were the      
unfitness the less1 if that little which
 it can do were well done1 but  the mind
 is so interrupted in its endeavours    
that sometimes in prayer  the man       
begins1 and then is presently at a      
stand1 and dare not proceed1  his words 
are #8swallowed up1 he is so troubled   

that he cannot speak1'  ,ps4 lxxvii4 #d4
 ,sometimes the mind is kept so employed
 and fixed on  trouble1 that it cannot  
attend in hearing or praying1 but       
presently the  thoughts are called off1 
and become wandering4    ,third1        
,troubles hinder our satisfaction in    
duty1 and by that means  unfit us to    
present duties1 and indispose us to     
future services of that  kind4 ,our     
satisfaction in duty ariseth1 7#a47     
,sometimes from its own  lustre and     
sweetness1 the conviction we have of its
 pleasantness1 and  the spiritual       
advantages to be had thereby2 these     
render it alluring  and attractive1 and 
by such considerations are we invited to
 their  performance1 as ,isa4 ii4 #c1   
#8,come ye1 let us go up to the mountain
 of  the ,lord2 and he will teach us of 
his ways1 and we will walk in his       
paths4' ,hosea vi4 #a1 #8,come1 and let 
us return unto the ,lord3 for he  hath  
torn1 and he will heal us2 he hath      
smitten1 and he will bind us  up2' but  

trouble of spirit draws a black curtain 
over the excellencies  of duty1 and     
presents us with frightful thoughts     
about it1 so that  we judge of it       
according to our fears1 and make it     
frightful to  ourselves1 as if it would 
be to no purpose--rather a mischief than
 an  advantage4 7#b47 ,sometime our     
satisfaction ariseth from some special  
token of favour which our indulgent     
,father lets fall upon us while we  are 
in his work1 as when he gives us more   
than ordinary assistance1 or  puts joy  
and comfort into our hearts4 ,and this  
he often doth to make  us come again1   
and to engage afresh in the same or     
other services1  as having #8tasted and 
seen that the ,lord is gracious1' #a    
,pet4 ii4  #c1 and that there is a      
blessedness in waiting for him4 ,as in  
our  bodies he so orders it that the    
concocted juices become a successive    
ferment to those that succeed from our  
daily meat and drink3 so from  duties   
performed doth he beget and continue    

spiritual appetite to new  undertakings4
 ,but oh how sadly is all this hindered 
by the disquiet of  the heart6 ,the     
graces of faith and love are usually    
obstructed1 if not  in their exercise1  
yet in their delightful fruits1 and if  
,god offer a  kindness1 inward sorrow   
hinders the perception3 as when ,moses  
told the  ,israelites of their          
deliverance1 #8they hearkened not for   
hard bondage1'  ,exod4 vi4 #i4 ,if a    
message of peace present itself in a    
promise1 or  some consideration of      
,god's merciful disposition1 yet usually
 this is  not credited4 ,job confesseth 
so much of himself3 ,job xix4 #af1 #8,if
 ,i  had called and he had answered me1 
yet would ,i not believe that he had    
hearkened unto my voice4' ,david also   
doth the like3 ,ps4 lxxvii4 #b1 #c1     
#8,my soul refuseth to be comforted2 ,i 
remembered ,god1 and was troubled4'     
,matter of greatest comfort is often so 
far from giving ease1 that it  augments 
the trouble4 ,however1 the heart is so  

hurried with its fears1  and discomposed
 with grief1 that it cannot hearken to1 
nor consider1  nor believe any kind     
offer made to it4    ,by all these ways 
doth the devil1 through the disquiet of 
mind1 unfit  the ,lord's people for     
duty2 and what a sad advantage this is  
against us  cannot easily be told4 ,by  
this means he may widen the distance    
betwixt  ,god and us1 keep our wounds   
open1 make us a reproach to religion2   
and what not8 ,but 7#c47 ,by these      
disquiets he pusheth us on to reject    
all duties2 for when he hath tired us   
out by wearisome endeavours1  under so  
great indispositions and unfitness1 he  
hath a fair advantage  to tempt us to   
lay all aside4 ,our present posture doth
 furnish him  with arguments1 he forgeth
 his javelins upon our anvil1 and they  
are  commonly these three3--    #a4     
,that duties are difficult4 ,and this is
 easily proved from our  own experience2
 while we are broken or bowed down with 
sorrows1 we make  many attempts for     

duty1 and are oft beat off with loss2   
our greatest  toil helps us but to very 
inconsiderable performances2 hence1 he  
infers1 it is foolishness to attempt    
that which is above our strength1       
better sit still than toil for nothing4 
#b4 ,that they are unfruitful2 and this 
is our own complaint1 for  troubled     
spirits have commonly great expectations
 from duties at first1  and they run to 
them1 as the impotent and sick people to
 the pool of  ,bethesda1 with thoughts  
of immediate ease as soon as they shall 
step  into them2 but when they have     
tried1 and waited a while1 stretching   
themselves upon duty1 as ,elisha's      
servant laid the staff upon the  face of
 the ,shunammite's son1 and yet there is
 no voice nor hearing1  no answer from  
,god1 no peace1 then are they presently 
dissatisfied1  reflecting on the        
promises of ,god and the counsels of    
good men1 with  this1 ,where is all the 
pleasantness you speak of8 what         
advantage is it  that we have thus run  

and laboured1 when we have got nothing8 
,and then  it is easy for the devil to  
add1 ,and why do you wait on the ,lord  
any  longer8    #c4 ,his last and most  
dangerous argument is1 that they are    
sinful4  ,unfitness for duty produceth  
many distractions1 much deadness1       
wandering thoughts1 great interruptions1
 and pitiful performances4  ,hence the  
troubled soul comes off from duty       
wounded and halting1  more distressed   
when he hath done than when he began2   
upon these  considerations1 that all his
 service was sin1 a mocking of ,god1 a  
taking his name in vain1 nay1 a very    
blasphemous affront to a divine         
majesty4 ,upon this the devil starts the
 question to his heart1 ,whether  it be 
not better to forbear all duty1 and to  
do nothing8 ,thus doth  ,satan improve  
the trouble of the mind1 and often with 
the designed  success4 ,for a dejected  
spirit doth not only afford the         
materials of  these weapons which the   
devil frames against it1 but is much    

prepared  to receive them into its own  
bowels4 ,the grounds of these arguments 
it grants1 and the inferences are       
commonly consented to1 so that          
ordinarily duty is neglected1 either1   
#a4 ,through sottishness of heart2  or1 
#b4 ,through frightful fears2 or1 #c4   
,through desperateness2 bringing  a man 
to the very precipice of that           
atheistical determination1 #8,i have    
cleansed my hands in vain1' ,ps4 lxxiii4
 #ac4    ,fourth1 ,satan makes use of   
the troubles of ,god's children as a    
stumbling-block to others4 ,it is no    
small advantage to him1 that he  hath   
hereby an occasion to render the ways of
 ,god unlovely to those  that are       
beginning to look heavenward2 he sets   
before them the sighs1  groans1         
complaints1 and restless outcries of the
 wounded in spirit1 to  scare them off  
from all seriousness in religion1 and   
whispers this to  them1 #8,will you     
choose a life of bitterness and sorrow8 
can you eat  ashes for bread1 and mingle

 your drink with tears8 will you        
exchange  the comforts and contents of  
life for a melancholy heart and a       
dejected  countenance8 how like you to  
go mourning all the day1 and at night to
  be scared with dreams and terrified   
with visions8 will you choose a  life   
that is worse than death1 and a         
condition which will make you a  terror 
to yourselves and a burden to others8   
can you be in love with  a heart loaden 
with grief1 and perpetual fears almost  
to distraction1  while you see others in
 the meantime enjoy themselves in a     
contented  peace8 ,thus he follows young
 beginners with his suggestions1 making 
them believe that they cannot be serious
 in religion1 but at last they  will be 
brought to this1 and that it is a very  
dangerous thing to be  religious        
overmuch1 and the highway to despair2 so
 that if they must  have a religion1 he 
readily directs them to use no more of  
it than  may consist with the pleasures 
of sin and the world1 and to make an    

easy business of it1 not to let sin lie 
over-near their heart1 lest it  disquiet
 them2 nor overmuch to concern          
themselves with study1 reading1  prayer1
 or hearing of threatening1 awakening   
sermons1 lest it make them  mad2 nor to 
affect the sublimities of communion with
 ,god1 exercises of  faith and divine   
love1 lest it discompose them and dash  
their worldly  jollities out of         
countenance4 ,a counsel that is readily 
enough embraced  by those that are      
almost persuaded to be ,christians2 and 
the more to  confirm them in it1 he     
sticks not sometime to asperse the poor 
troubled  soul with dissimulation--where
 that accusation is proper1 for the     
devil  cares not how inconsistent he be 
with himself1 so that he may but  gain  
his end--affirming all his seriousness  
to be nothing but whining  hypocrisy4   
,so that whether they judge these       
troubles to be real or  feigned1 his    
conclusion is the same1 and he persuades
 men thereby to  hold off from all      

religious strictness1 holy diligence1   
and careful  watchfulness4    ,fifth1 ,a
 further use which the devil makes of   
these troubles of  spirit is1 to prepare
 the hearts of men thereby to give      
entertainment  to his venomous          
impressions4 ,distress of heart usually 
opens the door  to ,satan1 and lays a   
man naked1 without armour or defence1 as
 a fair  mark for all his poisoned      
arrows2 and it is a hundred to one but  
some  of them do hit4 ,i shall choose   
out some of the most remarkable1 and    
they are these3--    #a4 ,after long    
acquaintance with grief he labours to   
fix them in it4  ,in some cases custom  
doth alleviate higher griefs1 and men   
take an odd  kind of delight in them2   
,est qudam etiam dolendi voluptas4 ,it  
is  some pleasure to complain1 and men  
settle themselves in such a course1     
their finger is ever upon their sore1   
and they go about telling their  sorrows
 to all they converse with--though to   
some this is a necessity1  for real     

sorrows1 if they be not too great for   
vent1 will constrain  them to speak--yet
 in some that have been formerly        
acquainted with  grief1 it degenerates  
at last into a formality of complaining2
 and  because they formerly had cause so
 to do1 they think they must always  do 
so4 ,but besides this1 ,satan doth      
endeavour to chain men to their         
mourning upon two higher accounts#cbj3  
#a4 ,by a delusive contentment  in      
sorrow1 as if our tears paid some part  
of our debt to ,god1 and made  amends   
for the injuries done to him4 #b4 ,by an
 obstinate sullenness and  desperate    
resolvedness they harden themselves in  
sorrow1 and say as  ,job1 chap4 vii4    
#aa1 #8,i will not refrain my mouth1 ,i 
will speak in the  anguish of my spirit1
 ,i will complain in the bitterness of  
my soul4 ,am  ,i a sea1 or a whale1 that
 thou settest a watch over me8'    #b4  
,another impression that men's hearts   
are apt to take1 is1  unthankfulness for
 the favours formerly bestowed upon     

them4 ,their  present troubles blot out 
the memory of old kindnesses4 ,they     
conclude  they have nothing at all1     
because they have not peace4 ,though    
,god  heretofore hath sent down from on 
high1 and taken them out of the  great  
waters1 or out of the mire and clay     
where they were ready to  sink2 though  
he hath sent them many tokens of love1  
conferred on them  many blessings2 yet  
all these are no more to them1 so long  
as their  sorrows continue1 than        
,haman's wealth and honour was to him1  
so long as  ,mordecai the ,jew sat at   
the king's gate4 ,thus the devil oft    
prevails  with ,god's children1 to deal 
with ,god as some unthankful persons    
deal  with their benefactors2 who1 if   
they be not humoured in every request1  
deny the reality of their love1 and     
despise with great ingratitude all  that
 was done for them before4    #c4 ,by   
inward griefs1 the heart of the         
afflicted are prepared to  entertain the
 worst interpretation that the devil can

 put upon the  providences of ,god4 ,the
 various instances of ,scripture1 and   
the  gracious promises made to those    
that #8walk in darkness and see no      
light1' do abundantly forewarn men from 
making bad conclusions of  ,god's       
dealings1 and do tell us that ,god in   
design1 for our trial and  for our      
profit1 doth often hide his face #8for a
 moment1' when yet his  purpose is to   
#8bind us up with everlasting           
compassions4' ,now the devil  labours to
 improve the sorrows of the mind to give
 a quite contrary  construction4 ,if    
they are afflicted1 instead of saying1  
#8,sorrow may  endure for a night1 but  
joy will come in the morning1' ,ps4 xxx4
 #e1  or that #8for a little while ,god 
hath hidden himself1' he puts them to   
say1 #8this darkness shall never pass   
away4' ,if the grief be little1  he     
drives them on to a fearful expectation 
of worse2 as he did with  ,hezekiah1    
,isa4 xxxviii4 #ac1 #8,i reckoned till  
morning1 that1 as a lion1  so will he   

break all my bones2 from day even to    
night wilt thou make  an end of me4' ,if
 ,god purpose to teach us by inward     
sorrows our pride  of heart1            
carelessness1 neglect of dependence upon
 him1 the bitterness  of sin1 or the    
like1 the devil will make us believe1   
and we are too  ready to subscribe to   
him1 that ,god proclaims open war       
against us1  and resolves never to own  
us more4 ,so did ,job1 chap4 xix4 #f1   
#8,know  now that ,god hath overthrown  
me1 and compassed me with his net2' how 
often complained he1 #8thou hast made me
 as thy mark1 thou hast broken  me      
asunder1 thou hast taken me by my neck  
and shaken me to pieces'6 ,so  also     
,heman1 ,ps4 lxxxviii4 #ad1 #8,why      
castest thou off my soul8 why hidest    
thou thy face from me8'    #d4 ,upon    
this occasion the devil is ready to     
envenom the soul with  sinful wishes and
 execrations against itself4 ,eminent   
saints have  been tempted in their      
trouble to say too much this way4 ,job  

solemnly  cursed his day3 ,job iii4 #c1 
#8,let the day perish wherein ,i was    
born1  and the night in which it was    
said1 ,there is a man-child conceived1' 
c4 ,so also ,jeremiah1 chap4 xx4 #ad1   
#8,cursed be the day wherein ,i was     
born3 let not the day wherein my mother 
bare me be blessed4 ,cursed be  the man 
who brought tidings to my father1       
saying1 ,a man-child is born  unto thee2
 and let that man be as the cities which
 ,god overthrew1 and  repented not4'    
,strange rashness6 what had the day     
deserved8 or wherein  was the messenger 
to be blamed8 ,violent passions hurried 
him beyond all  bounds of reason and    
moderation4 ,when troubles within are   
violent1 a  small push sets men forward2
 and when once they begin1 they are     
carried  headlong beyond what they first
 intended4    #e4 ,on this advantage the
 devil sometimes emboldens them to      
quarrel  ,god himself directly4 ,when   
,job and ,jeremiah cursed their day1 it 
was  a contumely against ,god           

indirectly2 but they durst not make bold
 with  ,god at so high a rate as to     
quarrel him to his face4 ,yet even this 
are  men brought to often when their    
sorrows are long-lasting and deep4 ,the 
devil suggests1 ,can ,god be faithful1  
and never keep promise for help8  can he
 be merciful1 when he turns away his    
ears from the cry of the  miserable8    
where is his pity1 when he multiplies   
his wounds without  cause8 ,though at   
first these cursed intimations do a     
little startle  men1 yet when by        
frequent inculcating they grow more     
familiar to the  heart1 the distressed  
break out in their rage with those      
exclamations1  ,where is the            
faithfulness of ,god8 where are his     
promises8 hath he not  forgotten to be  
gracious8 are not his mercies clean     
gone8 ,and at last  it may be ,satan    
leads them a step higher1 that is--     
#f4 ,to a despairing desperateness4 ,for
 when all passages of relief  are       
stopped up1 and the burden becomes      

great1 men are apt to be drawn  into    
rage and fury when they think their     
burden is greater than  they can bear1  
and see no hope of ease2 in a kind of   
revenge they  express their anger       
against the hand that wounded them4 ,the
 devil is  officiously ready with his   
advice of #8,curse ,god and die1' ,job4 
ii4 #i1  and they1 being full of        
anguish1 are quickly made to comply with
 it4    #g4 ,when it is at this height1 
the devil hath but one stage more1 and  
that is the suggesting of irregular     
means for ease4 ,rage against  ,god doth
 not quench the inward burning1         
blasphemies against heaven  easeth not  
the pain1 the sore runs still and       
ceaseth not1 the trouble  continues1 the
 man cannot endure it longer1 all       
patience and hope is  gone4 ,what shall 
he do in this case8 ,the devil offers   
his service2 he  will be the physician1 
and commonly he prescribes one of these 
two  things3 7#a47 ,that it is best to  
endeavour to break through all this     

trouble into a resolved profaneness2 not
 to stand in awe of laws1 not  to       
believe that there is a ,god that       
governs in the earth1 but that this  is 
only the bitter fruit of melancholy and 
unnecessary seriousness1 and  therefore 
it is best #8to eat1 drink1 and be      
merry1' ,if a man can thus  escape out  
of his trouble1 the devil needs no more2
 but oft he cannot1  the wounds of      
conscience will not be thus healed4     
,then1 7#b47 ,he hath  another remedy1  
which will not fail1 as he tells them1  
that is1 to  #8destroy themselves1' to  
end their troubles with their lives4    
,how open  are the breasts of troubled  
creatures to all these darts6 and were  
it  not that ,god secretly steps in and 
holds the afflicted with his right      
hand1 it is scarce imaginable but that  
wounded consciences should by  ,satan's 
subtle improvement of so fair an        
advantage be brought to all  this       
misery4    #h4 ,satan can afflict the   
body by the mind4 ,for these two are  so

 closely bound together that their good 
and bad estate is shared  betwixt them4 
,if the heart be merry the countenance  
is cheerful1 the  strength is renewed1  
the bones do flourish like an herb4 ,if 
the heart  be troubled the health is    
impaired1 the strength is dried up1 the 
marrow of the bones wasted1 c4 ,grief in
 the heart is like a moth in  the       
garment1 it insensibly consumeth the    
body and disordereth it4 ,this          
advantage of weakening the body falls   
into ,satan's hands by necessary        
consequence1 as the prophet's ripe figs1
 that fell into the mouth of  the eater4
 ,and surely he is well pleased with it1
 as he is an enemy  both to body and    
soul4 ,but it is a greater satisfaction 
to him in  that as he can make the      
sorrows of the mind produce the weakness
 and  sickness of the body1 so can he   
make the distemper of the body1 by a    
reciprocal requital1 to augment the     
trouble of the mind4 ,how little can  a 
sickly body do6 ,it disables a man for  

all services2 he cannot oft  pray1 nor  
read1 nor hear2 sickness takes away the 
sweetness and comfort  of religious     
exercises4 ,this gives occasion for them
 to think the worse  of themselves4     
,they think the soul is weary of the    
ways of ,god1 when  the body cannot hold
 out4 ,all failures which weariness and 
faintness  produce are ascribed         
presently to the bad disposition of the 
mind1 and  this is like oil cast upon   
the flame4 ,thus the devil makes a      
double  gain out of spiritual trouble4  
#i4 ,let it be also reckoned among the  
advantages which ,satan hath  against   
men from trouble of spirit1 that it is a
 contentment to him to  see them in     
their miseries4 ,it is a sport to him to
 see them1 as ,job  speaks1 take their  
flesh in their teeth1 and cry out in the
 bitterness  of their souls1 ,job4 xiii4
 #ad4 ,their groanings are his music4   
,when  they wallow in ashes1 drown      
themselves in tears1 roar till their    
throat  is dry1 spread out their hands  

for help1 then he gluts his heart in    
looking upon their woes4 ,when they fall
 upon ,god with their unjust  surmises1 
evil interpretations of providence1     
questioning his favour1  denying his    
grace1 wishing they had never been born1
 then he claps his  hands and shouts a  
victory4 ,the pleasantest sight to him  
is to see  ,god hiding himself from his 
child1 and that child broken with fears1
  torn in pieces with griefs1 made a    
brother to dragons1 a companion to      
owls1 under restless anxieties1         
perpetual lamentations1 feeble and  sore
 broken1 their strength dried like a    
potsherd1 their throat dry1  their      
tongue cleaving to their jaws1 their    
bowels boiling1 their bones  burnt with 
heat1 their skin black upon them1 their 
flesh consumed1  their bones sticking   
out1 chastened with strong pain upon    
their bed4  ,this is one of ,satan's    
delightful spectacles1 and for these    
ends doth  he all he can to bereave them
 of their comfort1 which we may the more

  certainly persuade ourselves to be    
true1 when we consider the grounds      
forementioned1 his malicious nature1 the
 advantages of spiritual peace1  and the
 disadvantages of spiritual trouble4    
,,chapter ,,vi4     ,of the various ways
 by which he hinders peace--#a4 ,way by 
discomposures of spirit4 ,these         
discomposures explained1 by shewing1    
7#a47 ,what advantage he takes from our 
natural temper1 and   what tempers give 
him this advantage4 7#b47 ,by what      
occasions   he works upon our natural   
tempers4 7#c47 ,with what success4   #a4
 ,these occasions suited to natural     
inclinations1 raise   great disturbance4
 #b4 ,they have a tendency to spiritual 
trouble4 ,the thing proved1 and the     
manner how discovered4 #c4   ,these     
disturbances much in his power4 ,general
 and particular   considerations about  
that power4      ,having evidenced that 
one of ,satan's principal designs is    
against the  peace and comfort of ,god's
 children1 ,i shall next endeavour a    

discovery  of the various ways by which 
he doth undermine them herein4 ,all     
inward  troubles are not of the same    
kind in themselves1 neither doth ,satan 
always produce the same effects out of  
all2 some being in their own  nature    
disquiets1 that do not so directly and  
immediately overthrow the  peace and joy
 of believing1 and the comforts of      
assurance of divine  favour1 as others  
do4 ,yet seeing that by all he hath no  
small advantage  against us as to sin   
and trouble1 and that any of them at the
 long run  may lead us to question our  
interest in grace and the love of ,god1 
and  may accordingly afflict us1 ,i     
shall speak of them all2 which that ,i  
may do the more distinctly1 ,i shall    
rank these troubles into several  heads1
 under peculiar names--it may be not    
altogether so proper but  that the      
curious may find matter of exception to 
them--that by them and  their           
explanation the differences may the     
better appear4 ,i distinguish  therefore

 of a fourfold trouble that the devil   
doth endeavour to  work up upon the     
hearts of men4 ,they are1 #a4           
,discomposures4 #b4  ,affrightments4 #c4
 ,dejections of sadness4 #d4 ,distresses
 of horror4 ,of  all which ,i shall     
speak in their order4 ,and1    #a4 ,of  
discomposures of soul4 ,these are       
molestations and disturbances  by which 
the mind is put out of order and made   
unquiet4 ,the calm in  which it should  
enjoy itself1 and by which it should be 
composed to a  regular and steady       
acting1 being disturbed by a storm of   
commotion1  and in which the conscience 
or the peace of it is not presently     
concerned4 ,this distinction of the     
trouble of soul from the trouble  of    
conscience is not new4 ,others have     
observed it before1#cba and do  thus    
explain it3 ,trouble of soul is larger  
than trouble of conscience2  every      
troubled conscience is a troubled soul1 
but every troubled soul  is not a       
troubled conscience2 for the soul may be

 troubled from causes  natural1 civil1  
and spiritual1 according to variety of  
occasions and  provocations1 when yet a 
man's inward peace with ,god is firm2   
and in  some cases1 as in infants and in
 men distracted with fevers1 c41  there 
may be passions and disturbances of soul
 when the conscience  is not capable of 
exercising its office3 nay1 the soul of 
,christ was  troubled--,john xii4 #bg1  
#8,now is my soul troubled'--when it was
 not  possible that sin or despair      
should have the least footing in him4   
,for the opening of these discomposures 
of soul ,i shall--#a4 ,shew upon  what  
advantage of natural temper the devil is
 encouraged to molest men4  #b4 ,by what
 occasions he doth work upon our natural
 inclinations4 #c4 ,and  with what      
success of disturbance to the soul4     
7#a47 ,as to our natural dispositions1  
,satan1 as hath formerly been  noted1   
takes his usual indications of working  
from thence4 ,these  guide him in his   
enterprises2 his temptations being      

suited to men's  tempers1 proceed more  
smoothly and successfully4 ,some are of 
so  serene and calm a disposition1 that 
he doth not much design their           
discomposure2 but others there are whose
 passions are more stirring--fit  matter
 for him to work upon3 and these are1   
#a4 ,the angry disposition4 ,how great  
an advantage this gives to  ,satan to   
disturb the heart1 may be easily        
conceived by considering the  various   
workings of it in several men1 according
 to their different  humours4 ,it is a  
passion that acts not alike in all2 and 
for the  differences1 so far as we need 
to be concerned1 ,i shall not trouble   
the schools of philosophers1 but content
 myself with what we have in  ,eph4 iv4 
#ca1 where the apostle expresseth it by 
three words1 not that  they differ      
essentially1 declaring thereby the      
various ways of anger's  working4 ,the  
first is 1 which we translate           
bitterness4 ,this is  a displeasure     
smothered2 for some when they are angry 

cover it1 and  give it no vent1 partly  
for that they are sometimes ashamed to  
mention  the ground as trivial or       
unjust1 partly from sullenness of       
disposition1  and oft from a natural    
reservedness2 while the flame is thus   
kept  down1 it burns inwardly1 and men  
resolve#cbb in their minds many         
troublesome1 vexatious thoughts4 ,the   
second word is 1 wrath2  this is a      
fierce1 impetuous anger4 ,some are soon 
moved1 but so violent  that they are    
presently transported into rage and     
frenzy1 or are so  peevishly waspish    
that they cannot be spoken to4 ,the     
third is 1  translated here anger1 but  
signifies such a displeasure as is deep1
  entertaining thoughts of revenge and  
pursuit1 settling itself at last  into  
hatred4 ,any of these is enough to      
bereave the heart of its rest1  and to  
alarm it with disturbances4#cbc    #b4  
,others have an envious nature1 always  
maligning and repining at  other men's  
felicity2 an evil eye that cannot look  

on another's better  condition without  
vexation4 ,this turns a man into a      
devil4 ,it is the  devil's proper sin1  
and the fury that doth unquiet him1 and 
he the  better knows of what avail it   
would be to help on our trouble4    #c4 
,some are of proud tempers1 always      
overvaluing themselves1 with  the scorn 
and contempt of others4 ,this humour is 
troublesome to all  about them1 but all 
this trouble doth at last redound to    
themselves4  ,these think all others    
should observe them1 and take notice of 
their  supposed excellencies1 which if  
men do not1 then it pines them or stirs 
up their choler to indignation4         
,solomon1 ,prov4 xxx4 #ba1 mentioning   
those things that are greatly           
disquieting in the earth1 instanceth  in
 #8a servant when he reigneth2 and the  
handmaid that is heir to her  mistress1'
 intending thereby the proud1 imperious 
insolency of those  that are            
unexpectedly raised from a low estate to
 wealth or honour4 ,he  that is of #8a  

proud heart stirreth up strife1' ,prov4 
xxviii4 #be2 and as  he is troublesome  
to others1 so doth he create trouble to 
himself2 for  he not only molests       
himself by the working of his disdainful
 thoughts1  while he exerciseth his     
scorn towards others3 ,prov4 xxi4 #bd1  
#8,the  haughty scorner deals in proud  
wrath2' but this occasions the affronts 
and contempt of others again1 which     
beget new griefs to his restless  mind4 
#d4 ,some have a natural exorbitancy of 
desire1 an evil coveting2  they are     
passionately carried forth toward what  
they have not1 and have  no contentment 
or satisfaction in what they do enjoy4  
,such humours are  seldom at ease1 their
 desires are painfully violent2 and when
 they  obtain what they longed for1 they
 soon grow weary of it1 and then        
another object takes up their wishes1 so
 that these #8daughters of the          
horse-leech are ever crying1 ,give1     
give1' ,prov4 xxx4 #ae4    #e4 ,others  
have a soft effeminate temper1 a        

weakness of soul that  makes them unfit 
to bear any burden1 or endure any       
hardness4 ,these1  if they meet with    
pains or troubles--and who can challenge
 an exemption  from them8--they are     
presently impatient1 vexing themselves  
by a vain  reluctancy to what they      
cannot avoid2 not but that extraordinary
  burdens will make the strongest spirit
 to stoop1 but these cry out for  the   
smallest matters1 which a stout mind    
would bear with some competent          
cheerfulness4    #f4 ,and there are     
other dispositions that are tender to an
 excess of  sympathy1 so that they      
immoderately affect and afflict         
themselves with  other men's sorrows4   
,though this be a temper more           
commendable than any  of the former1 yet
 ,satan can take advantage of this1 as  
also of the  fore-named dispositions1 to
 discompose us1 especially by suiting   
them  with fit occasions1 which readily 
work upon these tempers4 ,and this was1 
7#b47 ,the second thing to be explained1

 which shall be performed by a  brief   
enumeration of them1 the chief whereof  
are these3    #a4 ,contempt or          
disestimation4 ,when a man's person1    
parts1 or  opinion are slighted1 his    
anger1 envy1 pride1 and impatience are  
awakened1 and these make him swell and  
restless within4 ,even good men  have   
been sadly disturbed this way4 ,job1 as 
holy a man as he was1 and  who had      
enough of greater matters to trouble his
 mind1 yet among other  griefs complains
 of this more than once3 ,job xii4 #d1  
#8,i am as one  mocked of his neighbour3
 the just upright man is laughed to     
scorn2'  chap4 xix4 #ae1 #8,they that   
dwell in mine house1 and my maids1 count
 me  for a stranger4 ,i called my       
servant1 and he gave me no answer4 ,yea1
  young children despised me2 ,i rose up
 and they spake against me4' ,thus  he  
bemoans himself1 and1 which is more1    
speaks of it again with some  smartness 
of indignation3 ,job xxx4 #a1 #8,now    
they that are younger than ,i  have me  

in derision1 whose fathers ,i would have
 disdained to have set  with the dogs of
 my flock4' ,david also1 who had a stout
 heart under  troubles1 complains that  
he could not bear reproaches3 ,ps4      
lxix41  #8,reproach hath broken mine    
heart2 ,i am full of heaviness4' ,what  
these  reproaches were1 and how he was  
staggered with them1 he tells us3 ver4  
#aj1 #8,i chastened my soul with        
fasting1 that was to my reproach4 ,i    
made  sackcloth my garment2 and ,i      
became a proverb to them4 ,they that sit
 in  the gate speak against me2 and ,i  
was the song of the drunkards4' ,with   
these he was so stounded that if he had 
not catched hold on ,god by  prayer1 as 
he speaks1 ver4 #ac1 he had fallen1     
#8,but as for me1 my prayer  is unto    
thee1 ,o ,lord1' c42 and he afterward   
speaks of his support  under reproaches 
as a wonder of divine assistance3 ,ps4  
cxix4 #ea1 #8,the  proud have had me in 
derision3 yet have ,i not declined from 
thy law4'    #b4 ,injury is another     

occasion by which the devil works upon  
our  tempers to disquiet us4 ,wrongs of 
injustice and oppression are hard  to   
bear4 ,this is a common ground of       
trouble4 ,good men cannot always  acquit
 themselves in this case as they ought4 
,jeremiah1 when smitten by  ,pashur1 and
 put in the stocks1 ,jer4 xx4 #b1 #h1   
falls into a sad passion3  #8,i am a    
derision daily1 every one mocketh me4 ,i
 cried out1 ,i cried  violence and      
spoil1' imitating the passionate        
affrightments of those  that cry1       
,murder1 murder1 c4 ,no wonder1 seeing  
,solomon gives it as an  axiom built    
upon manifold experience1 ,eccles4 vii4 
#g4 ,oppression doth  not only make a   
man unquiet1 but mad in his unquietness2
 and not only  those that are foolish   
and hasty1 but the most considerate and 
sedate  persons3 #8,oppression makes a  
wise man mad4'    #c4 ,another occasion 
of men's discomposure is1 the prosperity
 of the  wicked4 ,their abundance1 their
 advancements to honours and dignity1   

hath always been a grudge to those whose
 condition is below them1 and  yet      
suppose themselves to have better       
grounds to expect preferment  than they4
 ,this astonished ,job even to          
trembling3 ,job xxi4 #g1 #8,when ,i     
remember1 ,i am afraid1 and trembling   
taketh hold on my flesh2' and the       
matter was but this1 #8,wherefore do the
 wicked live1 become old1 yea1  and     
mighty in power8' c4 ,the trouble that  
seizeth on men's hearts  on this        
occasion is called fretting1 a vexation 
that wears out the  strength of the     
soul1 as two hard bodies waste by mutual
 attrition or  rubbing4 ,and it takes   
its advantage from our envy chiefly1    
though other  distempers come in to help
 it forward3 ,ps4 xxxvii4 #a1 #8,fret   
not thyself  because of evil-doers1     
neither be thou envious against the     
workers of  iniquity4' ,david confesseth
 that he was apt to fall into this      
trouble1  ,ps4 lxxiii4 #c1 #8,i was     
envious at the foolish1 when ,i saw the 

prosperity  of the wicked4' ,against    
this disquiet we have frequent cautions1
 ,prov4  xxiv4 #a1 #ai1 and ,ps4 xlix4  
#af1 #8,be not afraid when one is made  
rich1  when the glory of his house is   
increased4' ,all which shew our         
proneness  to this disease4    #d4      
,crosses and afflictions give ,satan an 
opportunity to work upon  our passions2 
as disappointments of expectations1 loss
 of friends1 of  estate1 persecutions   
and sufferings for conscience sake1 c4  
,none of  these in their own nature are 
#8joyous1 but grievous2' and what use   
they  have been of to the devil to      
discompose the minds of the sufferers1  
is evidenced by common experience4 ,the 
tears1 sad countenances1 and  doleful   
lamentations of men are true witnesses  
of the disquiet of  their hearts4 ,every
 one being pressed with the sense of his
 own smart  is ready to cry out1 #8,is  
there any sorrow like my sorrow8 ,i am  
poor  and comfortless2 my lovers and my 
friends have forsaken me1 and there  is 

none to help4' ,some grow faint under   
their burden1 while their  eyes fail in 
looking for redress1 especially when new
 unexpected  troubles overwhelm their   
hopes3 #8,when ,i looked for good1 then 
evil  came2 and when ,i waited for      
light1 there came darkness1' ,job xxx4  
#bf4  #8,why hast thou smitten us1 and  
there is no healing for us8 ,we looked  
for peace1 and there is no good2 and for
 the time of healing1 and  behold       
trouble1' ,jer4 xiv4 #ai2 and here they 
sink1 concluding there  is no hope4     
,others that bear up better in a blessed
 expectation of  spiritual profit1      
having that of ,david in their eye1     
#8,blessed is the  man whom thou        
afflictest1 and teachest in thy law2'   
yet they cannot  forbear their          
complaints even to ,god2 ,ps4 xxv4 #ag1 
#8,the troubles of  mine heart are      
enlarged2 oh bring thou me out of my    
distresses2 look  upon mine affliction  
and my pain4' ,nay1#cbd those that have 
had the  highest advantages of heavenly 

support1 whose hearts have been kept in 
peace1 counting it all joy that they    
have fallen into these trials--and  ,god
 doth more this way for those that      
suffer for the gospel's sake  than      
ordinarily for others2 yet have not     
these been under a stoical              
senselessness of their trouble4 ,though 
they were not #8distressed1' they  were 
#8troubled on every side2' though #8not 
in despair1' yet they were              
#8perplexed1' #b ,cor4 iv4 #h2 though   
their afflictions were light1 yet  were 
they afflictions still4    #e4 ,to these
 may be added1 the pain or anguish of   
sickness and bodily  distemper4 ,though 
there are various degrees of pain1 and  
that some  sicknesses are less          
afflictive than others1 yet none of them
 forbear  to pierce the mind4 ,the whole
 man is discomposed4 ,he that is        
exercised  with #8strong pains upon his 
bed1' cries out in the bitterness of his
  soul2 and he that by insensible       
degrees languisheth1 grows ordinarily   

peevish1 and his mind bleeds by an      
inward wound1 so that he #8spends  his  
days in sighing1' and his years in      
mourning4 ,and others there are  who1   
being before acquainted with bodily     
pains1 grow very impatient in  sickness1
 and are able to bear nothing4 ,and     
besides the present sense  of pain1 the 
expectation of death puts some into     
great commotion2 the  fears of it1 for  
it is naturally dreadful1 fills them    
with disquiet  thoughts2 and those that 
approach to the grave by slow steps1    
under  consumption or languishing       
sicknesses1 they are habituated to      
sadness1  and can think of nothing      
cheerfully--except they have great      
assurance of  salvation1 and have well  
learned to die--because the coffin1     
grave1 and  winding-sheet are still     
presented to them4 ,these1 though they  
be very  suitable objects for           
meditation1 and1 well improved1 of great
 advantage  for preparation to death1   
yet doth ,satan thereby1 when it is for 

his  purpose1 endeavour to keep men     
under grief1 and to bereave them of     
their peace4    #f4 ,satan takes an     
advantage of trouble from the miseries  
of others4  ,sympathy is a ,christian   
grace2 and to bear one another's        
burdens1 to  mourn with those that      
mourn1 shews us to be fellow-feeling    
members  of the same body2 for #8if one 
member suffer1 all the members suffer   
with it1' #a ,cor4 xii4 #bf4 ,yet are   
some men naturally of so tender a       
constitution1 that ,satan overdrives    
them herein4 ,every common occasion     
will wound them4 ,the usual effects of  
,god's ordinary providence on the  poor1
 lame1 or sick1 are deeply laid to heart
 by them2 and instead of  being not     
unsensible of other men's miseries1 they
 are not sensible of  anything else1    
neither do they enjoy their own mercies4
 ,and here1 as  ,satan can every moment 
present them with objects of pity1      
ordinary or  extraordinary1 so upon a   
religious pretence of merciful          

consideration1  they are made cruel to  
themselves1 refusing their own peace1   
because  other men are not at ease4     
7#c47 ,the third particular promised to 
be explained for the discovery  of these
 discomposures of soul was this1 that by
 a concurrence of  these and such like  
occasions to such tempers1 the hearts of
 men are  disturbed1 and their inward   
peace broken4 ,this ,i shall evidence   
of these three things3 #a4 ,that these  
occasions meeting with such             
dispositions1 do naturally raise great  
disturbances in their present  working2 
#b4 ,that they have a tendency to       
further trouble2 #c4 ,that ,satan  doth 
design1 and hath it ordinarily in his   
power1 to discompose the  hearts of men 
hereby4    #a4 ,that these occasions    
meeting with such dispositions1 do      
naturally  raise great disturbances4    
,this is evident from what hath been    
said  already2 for 7#a47 ,all these     
dispositions carry as much fire in their
  own bosoms1 as is sufficient to burn  

up the standing corn of any man's       
peace4 ,what is anger1 but an inward    
burning1 a restless confusion of  the   
spirits8 sometime a frenzy1 a           
distraction1 a troubled sea full of     
rage1 a wild beast let loose4 ,envy1    
that is a fretful peevishness1 a        
vexatious repining1 needing no other    
tormentors but its own furies1          
recoiling upon him that bred it1 because
 it cannot wreak its spite upon  its    
objects4 ,an envious person is a        
self-murderer1 by the verdict of        
,eliphaz3 ,job v4 #b1 #8,wrath killeth  
the foolish man1 and envy slayeth  the  
foolish one4' ,this is not barely to be 
understood of its provoking  the judge  
of all the earth to send down its       
deserved destruction2  but also1 if not 
chiefly1 of its own corroding temper1   
which by  long continuance wastes the   
strength and consumes the body4 ,pride  
is a perpetual vexation1 creating its   
troubles from its own fancy4  ,irregular
 covetings keep a man still upon the    

rack2 they make a man  like the         
,tantalus of the poets2 they give a man 
a caninus appetitus1  a strong appetite 
with excessive greediness1 and restless 
pursuit1  and constant dissatisfactions2
 he is ever gaping1 and never enjoying4 
,impatience is a wearisome conflict with
 a burden which it can neither  bear nor
 yet shake off2 where all the fruit of  
the vain labour amounts  to no better   
account than this1 that the impatient   
makes his burden  the greater1 the bands
 that tie it on the stronger1 and the   
strength  that should bear it the       
weaker4 ,lastly1 ,an excess of pity     
multiplies  #8wounds without cause4' ,it
 hinders a man to be happy so long as   
there are any that are miserable4 ,he is
 always1 in reference to his  quiet1 at 
the mercy of other men4 ,the afflicted  
can torment him at a  distance2 and1 by 
a kind of magic1 make him feel the      
torments that are  inflicted upon his   
image4 ,who can deny but that men that  
are ridden  by such vexatious           

dispositions must lead an unquiet life1 
and always  be tossed with inward       
tempests8 ,especially1 7#b47 ,when we   
consider  how fit the fore-mentioned    
occasions are to draw out these humours 
to their tumultuary extravagances4 ,a   
lighted match and gunpowder are  not    
more exactly suited to raise a shaking  
blast1 than those occasions  and tempers
 are to breed an inward annoyance4 ,some
 of these humours  are so troublesome1  
that rather than they will want work1   
they will  fight with their own shadows1
 and1 by a perverseness of prejudicated 
fancy1 will create their own troubles2  
and the best of them1 which seem        
sometime to take truce and compose      
themselves to rest1 while occasions  are
 out of the way2 yet they are quickly   
awakened1 like sleeping  dogs that are  
roused with the least noise4 ,what work1
 then1 may we  expect they will make    
when they are summoned to give their    
appearance  upon a solemn occasion8 ,but
 7#c47 ,if we should deal by instances1 

and  bring upon the stage the effects   
that have been brought forth by these   
concurring causes1 it will appear that  
they make disturbances in good  earnest4
 ,let us either view the furious fits   
that have been1 like  sudden flashes1   
soonest gone1 or their more lasting     
impressions1 and  we shall find it true4
 ,as to violent fits raised by such     
occasions and  dispositions1 examples   
are infinite4 ,what rages1 outrages1    
madnesses1  and extravagances have men  
run into6 ,some1 upon provocations1 have
  furiously acted savage cruelties1 and 
for small matters have been  carried to 
the most desperate revenges4 ,others    
have been brought to  such violent      
commotions within themselves1 that the  
frame of nature  hath been thereby      
weakened and overthrown4 ,as ,sylla1 who
 in a strong  passion vomited choler    
till he died4 ,some in their fury have  
acted that  which hath been matter of   
sorrow to them all their days4 ,but1    
omitting  the examples of heathens and  

wicked men1 let us consider the         
wonderful  transports of holy men4      
,moses1 a man eminent beyond comparison 
in  meekness1 was so astonished with a  
sudden surprise of trouble at the  sight
 of the golden calf1 that he threw down 
the tables of the law1 and  brake them4 
,some indeed observe from thence a      
significancy of ,israel's  breaking the 
law and forfeiting ,god's protection as 
his peculiar  people2 but this is more  
to be ascribed to the designment of     
divine  providence1 that so ordered it1 
than to the intendment of ,moses1 who no
  doubt did not this from a sedate and  
calm deliberation1 as purposing  by this
 act to tell ,israel so much2 but was   
hurried by his grief1 as  not           
considering well what he did1 to break  
them4 ,asa1 a good man1 when  he was    
reproved by the prophet1 instead of     
thankful acceptance of the  reproof1    
grows angry1 falls into a rage1 and     
throws the prophet into  prison4 ,elias1
 discomposed with ,jezebel's            

persecution1 desires that ,god  would   
take away his life4 ,jonah1 in his      
anger1 falls out with ,god1 and         
justifies it when he hath done4 ,surely 
such fits as these proceeded  from great
 inward combustion4 ,would wise1 sober1 
holy men have said or  done such things 
if they had not been transported beyond 
themselves8  and though in such cases   
the fits are soon over1 yet we observe  
that  some are apt to fall into such    
fits often1 and are so easily irritated1
  that1 like the epileptic person       
possessed by the devil1 upon every      
occasion1 they are by him #8cast into   
the fire or into the water1' ,mat4      
xvii4 #ae1 and by the frequent return of
 their distemper are never at  rest4    
,as to others1 whose tempers are more   
apt to retain a troublesome  impression1
 it is very obvious that their          
discomposures have as much  in length   
and breadth as the other had in height4 
,you may view ,haman  tormented under   
his secret discontent1 which his pride  

and envy formed  in him1 for the want of
 ,mordecai's obeisance4 ,the king's     
favour1 a  great estate1 high honour1   
and what else a man could wish to make  
him  content1 are all swallowed up in   
this gulf1 and become nothing to him4   
,you see ,amnon1 vexed and sick for his 
sister ,tamar1 waxing lean from  day to 
day4 ,you see ,ahab1 though a king1 who 
had enough to satisfy  his mind1 in the 
same condition for ,naboth's vineyard4  
,if you say  these were wicked men1 who 
rid their lusts without a bridle1 and   
used  the spur2 look then upon better   
men and you will see too much4 ,rachel  
so grieves and mourns for want of       
children1 that she professeth her  life 
inconsistent with her disappointment3   
#8,give me children1 else  ,i die1'     
,gen4 xxx4 #a4 ,hannah upon the same    
occasion weeps and eats  not1 and prays 
in the bitterness of her soul1 and the  
abundance of  her complaint and grief4  
,jeremiah1 being pressed with           
discouragements  from the contradiction 

of evil men1 calls himself #8a man of   
strife  and contention to the whole     
earth1' ,jer4 xv4 #aj2 his sorrows      
thence  arising1 had so imbittered his  
life1 that he puts #8a woe' upon his    
birth3 #8,woe is me1 my mother1 that    
thou hast born me a man of strife4'     
,paul had a noble courage under manifold
 afflictions2 he could glory  in the    
cross and rejoice in persecutions2      
nevertheless the greatness  of his work1
 the froward perverseness and           
unsteadiness of professors1  which put  
him under fears1 jealousies1 and new    
travail1 the miseries  of ,christians1  
and the care he had for the concerns of 
the gospel--#b  ,cor4 xi4 #b2 ,gal4 vi4 
#ai--which was a constant load upon his 
mind1 his  heart1--like old ,eli's1     
trembling still for the ark of ,god1    
made him  complain as one worn out by   
the troubles of his heart3 #b ,cor4 xi4 
#bg1 #8,in weariness and painfulness1 in
 watchings often1 in hunger and  thirst1
 in fastings often1 in cold and         

nakedness4 ,besides those things  that  
are without1 that which cometh upon me  
daily1 the care of all the  churches4   
,who is weak1 and ,i am not weak8' c4   
,for the ,jews he had  great heaviness  
and continual sorrow in his heart2 and  
for the ,gentiles  he had perpetual     
fears1 ,rom4 ix4 #b4 ,now though he had 
a great share  of divine comforts       
intermixed1 and a more than ordinary    
assistance of  the ,spirit to keep him  
from sinful discomposure of spirit1 at  
least to  such a height as it ordinarily
 prevails upon others1 yet was he very  
sensible of his burden1 and doubtless   
the devil laboured to improve  these    
occasions to weary out his strength4    
,for by these and such  like things he  
frequently vexeth the righteous souls of
 the faithful  ministers of the gospel  
from day to day2 so that their hearts   
have  no rest1 and their hands grow     
often feeble1 and they cry out1 ,oh the 
burden6 oh the care6 being ready to say1
 as ,jeremiah1 chap4 xx4 #g1  #8,o      

,lord1 thou hast deceived me1 and ,i was
 deceived3 ,i am a derision  daily1     
every one mocketh me4' ,thus say they1  
,did we ever think to meet  with such   
disappointments1 such griefs1 from the  
wilfulness1 pride1  weakness1 ignorance1
 pettishness1 inconstancy1 negligence1  
and scandals  of friends8 and such      
hatred1 contradictions1 scorns1 and     
injuries from  enemies8 ,were we free1  
what calling would we not rather choose8
 what  place would we not rather go to1 
where we might spend the remainder of   
our days in some rest and ease8 ,were it
 not better to work with our  hands for 
a morsel of bread8 for so might our     
sleep be sweet to us at  night1 and we  
should not see these sorrows4 ,at this  
rate are good men  sometime disturbed1  
and the anguish of their spirit makes   
their life a  burden4    #b4 ,yet is not
 this all the disturbance that the devil
 works upon our  hearts by these things1
 though these are bad enough1 but they  
have  a tendency to further trouble4    

,discomposures of spirit1 if they       
continue long1 turn at last into        
troubles of conscience4 ,though there   
is no affinity betwixt simple           
discomposure of soul and troubles of    
conscience in their own nature--the     
objects of the former being things      
external1 no way relating to the soul's 
interest in ,god and salvation1  which  
are the objects of the latter--yet the  
effects produced by the  prevalency of  
these disturbances are a fit stock for  
the engrafting  of doubts and           
questionings about our spiritual        
condition4 ,as ,saul's  father first    
troubled himself for the loss of his    
asses1 and sent his  son to seek them2  
but when he stayed long1 he forgot his  
trouble1 and  took up a new grief for   
his son1 whom he feared he had lost in  
pursuit  of the asses2 so is it sometime
 with men1 who1 after they have long    
vexed themselves for injuries or        
afflictions1 c41 upon a serious         
consideration of the working and power  

of these passions1 leave their  former  
pursuit1 and begin to bethink themselves
 in what a condition  their souls are1  
that abound with so much murmuring1     
rage1 pride1 or  impatience1 and then   
the scene is altered1 and they begin to 
fear they  have lost their souls1 and   
are now perplexed about their spiritual 
estate4 ,to make this plain ,i will give
 some instances1 and then add  some     
reasons1 which will evidence that it is 
so1 and also how it comes  to be so4    
,for instances1 though ,i might produce 
a sufficient number to this  purpose    
from those that have written of         
melancholy1 yet ,i shall only  insist   
upon two or three from ,scripture4      
,hezekiah1 when ,god smote him with     
sickness1 at first was discomposed  upon
 the apprehension of death1 that he     
should so soon be deprived of  the      
#8residue of his years1 and behold man  
no more with the inhabitants  of the    
world1' as he himself expresseth it1    
,isa4 xxxviii4 #aj2 afterward  his      

trouble grew greater1 #8,he chattered as
 a crane or swallow1 and  mourned as a  
dove2' he was in #8great bitterness1'   
ver4 #ag2 and sadly  oppressed          
therewith1 ver4 #ad4 ,that which thus   
distressed him was not  simply the fear 
of death4 ,we cannot imagine so pious a 
person would  so very much disquiet     
himself upon that single account2 but by
 the  expressions which he let fall in  
his complainings1 we may understand     
that some such thoughts as these did    
shake him3 that he apprehended  ,god was
 angry with him1 that the present stroke
 signified so much to  him1 all         
circumstances considered--for he was yet
 in his strength1  and ,jerusalem in    
great distress1 being at that time      
besieged by  ,sennacherib's army1#cbe   
and for him to be doomed to death by a  
sudden  message at such a time1 seemed  
to carry much in it--and that surely    
there was great provocation on his part2
 and it seems1 upon search1 he  charged 
himself so deeply with his sinfulness1  

that his apprehensions  were no less    
than that1 if ,god should restore him1  
yet in the sense of  his vileness he    
should never be able to look up2 #8,i   
shall go softly  all my years in the    
bitterness of my soul1' ver4 #ae2 which 
expression  implies a supposition of his
 recovery1 and a deep sense of iniquity1
  and accordingly when he was recovered1
 he takes notice chiefly of ,god's  love
 to his soul and the pardon of his sin1 
which evidently discover  where the     
trouble pinched him3 #8,thou hast in    
love to my soul delivered  it from the  
pit of corruption1 for thou hast cast   
all my sins behind  thy back1' ver4 #ag4
    ,job's troubles were very great1 and
 his case extraordinary4 ,satan  had    
maliciously stripped him of all outward 
comforts2 this he bore  with admirable  
patience3 ,job i4 #ba1 #8,naked came ,i 
out of my mother's  womb1 and naked     
shall ,i return thither3 the ,lord gave1
 and the ,lord  hath taken away2 blessed
 be the name of the ,lord4' ,the devil1 

seeing  now himself defeated1 obtains a 
new commission1 wherein ,job is wholly  
put into his hand--life only excepted1  
chap4 ii4 #i4 ,he sets upon him  again1 
and in his new encounter labours to     
bring upon him spiritual  distresses1   
and accordingly improves his losses and 
sufferings to  that end1 as appears by  
his endeavours and the success2 for as  
he  tempted him by his wife to a        
desperate disregard of ,god that had so 
afflicted him1 #8,curse ,god and die1'  
so he tempted him also by his  friends  
to question the state of his soul and   
his integrity1 and all  from the        
consideration of his outward miseries4  
,to that purpose are  all their         
discourses4 ,eliphaz1 chap4 iv4 #e-g1   
from his sufferings and  his carriage   
under them1 takes occasion to jeer his  
former piety1 as  being no other than   
feigned1 #8,it is come upon thee1 and   
thou faintest3  is not this thy fear1   
thy confidence1 thy hope1 and the       
uprightness of  thy ways8--that is1 ,is 

all thy religion come to this8 and also 
concludes  him to be wicked1 #8,who ever
 perished1 being innocent8 and where    
were  the righteous cut off8' ,bildad1  
chap4 viii4 #f1 #ac1 chargeth him with  
hypocrisy upon the same ground1 and     
while he makes his defence1 ,zophar     
plainly gives him the lie1 chap4 xi4 #c2
 and at this rate they go their  round2 
and all this while ,satan1 whose design 
it was to afflict his  conscience with  
the sense of divine wrath1 secretly     
strikes in with  these accusations1     
insomuch that though ,job stoutly       
defended his  integrity1 yet he was     
wounded with inward distresses1 and     
concluded  that these dealings of ,god  
against him were no less than ,god's    
severe  observance of his iniquity2 as  
is plain from his bemoaning himself in  
chap4 x4 #b1 #8,i will say unto ,god1   
,do not condemn me3 shew me wherefore   
thou contendest with me2' ver4 #af1 #ag1
 #8,thou huntest me as a fierce  lion1  
thou renewest thy witnesses against me1'

 c4    ,david was a man that was often  
exercised with sickness and troubles    
from enemies1 and in all the instances  
almost that we meet with in the  psalms 
of these his afflictions1 we may observe
 the outward occasions  of trouble      
brought him under the suspicion of      
,god's wrath and his  iniquity2 so that 
he was seldom sick1 or persecuted1 but  
this called  on the disquiet of         
conscience1 and brought his sin to      
remembrance2 as  ,ps4 vi41 which was    
made on the occasion of his sickness1 as
 appears  from ver4 #e1 wherein he      
expresseth the vexation of his soul     
under the  apprehension of ,god's anger2
 all his other griefs running into this 
channel1 as little brooks1 losing       
themselves in a great river1 change     
their name and nature4 ,he that was at  
first only concerned for his  sickness1 
is now wholly concerned with sorrow and 
smart under the fear  and hazard of his 
soul's condition2 the like we may see in
 ,ps4 xxxviii4  and many places more4   

,having made good the assertion that    
discomposures of soul upon outward      
occasions1 by long continuance and      
,satan's management1 do often run  up to
 spiritual distress of conscience1 ,i   
shall next1 for further  confirmation   
and illustration1 shew how it comes to  
be so4    7#a47 ,discomposures of spirit
 do obstruct1 and at last extinguish the
  inward comforts of the soul2 so that  
if we suppose the discomposed  person at
 first1 before he be thus disordered1 to
 have had a good  measure of spiritual  
joy in ,god's favour1 and delight in his
 ways1 yet  the disturbances1    #a4    
,divert his thoughts from feeding upon  
these comforts1 or from  the enjoyment  
of himself in them4 ,the soul cannot    
naturally be highly  intent upon two    
different things at once1 but whatsoever
 doth strongly  engage the thoughts and 
affections1 that carries the whole      
stream with  it1 be it good or bad1 and 
other things give way at present4 ,when 
the  heart is vehemently moved on       

outward considerations1 it lays by the  
thoughts of its sweetness which it hath 
had in the enjoyment of ,god2  they are 
so contrary and inconsistent1 that      
either our comforts will  chase out of  
our thoughts our discomposures1 or our  
discomposures will  chase away our      
comforts4 ,i believe the comforts of    
,elias1 when he lay  down under his     
grief1 and desired to die2 and of       
,jeremiah1 when he  cried out of        
violence1 run very low in those fits of 
discontent1 and  their spirits were far 
from an actual rejoicing in ,god4 ,but  
this is not  the worst2 we may not so   
easily imagine that upon the going away 
of the  fit1 the wonted comforts return 
to their former course4 ,for1    #b4    
,the mind being distracted with its     
burden1 is left impotent and  unable to 
return to its former exercise4 ,the     
warmth which the heart  had1 being      
smothered and suspended in its exercise1
 is not so quickly  revived1 and the    
thoughts which were busied with         

disturbance1 like  the distempered      
humours of the body1 are not reduced    
suddenly to that  evenness of composure 
as may make them fit for their old      
employment4  ,and1    #c4 ,if ,god      
should offer the influences of joyful   
support1 a  discomposed spirit is not in
 a capacity to receive them1 no more    
than it can receive those counsels that 
by any careful hand are  interposed for 
its relief and settlement4 ,comforts are
 not heard in  the midst of noise and   
clamour4 ,the calmness of the soul's    
faculties  are presupposed as a         
necessary qualification towards its     
reception of  a message of peace4       
,phinehas his wife being overcome of    
grief for the  ark's captivity and her  
husband's death1 could not be affected  
with the  joyful news of a son1 #a ,sam4
 iv4 #ai1 seq4 ,but1    #d4 ,sinful     
discomposures hinder these gracious and 
comfortable  offers2 if we could        
possibly1 which we cannot ordinarily1   
receive  them1 yet we cannot expect that

 ,god will give them4 ,the ,spirit of   
consolation loves to take up his lodging
 in a #8meek and quiet spirit1'  and    
nothing more grieves him than           
bitterness1 wrath1 anger1 clamour1  and 
malice1 which made the apostle1 ,eph4   
iv4 #cj1 #ca1 subjoin his  direction of 
#8putting these away' from us1 with his 
advice of #8not  grieving the ,spirit by
 which we are sealed unto the day of    
redemption4'  ,and then1    #e4 ,the    
former stock of comfort1 which persons  
distempered with  discomposures might be
 supposed to have1 will soon be wasted1 
for our  comforts are not like the oil  
in the cruse1 or meal in the barrel1    
which had1 as it were1 their spring in  
themselves4 ,we are comforted  and      
supported by daily communication of     
divine aid1 so that if the  spring-head 
be stopped1 the stream will quickly grow
 dry4 ,it is  evident then that inward  
consolations in ,god will not ripen     
under  these shadows1 nor grow under    
these continual droppings1 seeing a     

discomposed spirit is not capable to    
receive more1 nor able to keep  what    
comfort it had at first4 ,we may easily 
see how it comes to pass  that these    
disturbances may in time bring on       
spiritual troubles2 for  if our comforts
 be once lost1 trouble of conscience    
easily follows4  ,where there is nothing
 to fortify the heart1 the poison of    
malicious  suggestions will unavoidably 
prevail4    7#b47 ,discomposures of soul
 afford the devil fit matter to work    
upon4  ,they furnish him with strong    
objections against sincerity of         
holiness1  by which the peace of        
conscience1 being strongly assaulted1 is
 at  last overthrown4 ,the usual weapons
 by which ,satan fights against the     
assurance of ,god's children1 are the   
guilt of sins committed and the  neglect
 of duty2 and the disturbed soul affords
 enough of both these to  make a charge 
against itself3 for1    #a4 ,where there
 is much discomposure there is much sin4
 ,if in the  multitude of words there   

wants not iniquity1 then much more in   
the  multitude of unruly thoughts4 ,a   
disturbed spirit is like troubled       
water2 all the mud that lay at the      
bottom is raised up and mixeth  itself  
with the thoughts4 ,if any injury or    
loss do trouble the  mind1 all the      
thoughts are tinctured with anger1      
pride1 impatience1  or whatsoever root  
of bitterness was in the heart before4  
,we view  them not singly as the issues 
of wise providence1 but ordinarily we   
consider them as done by such           
instruments1 and against ourselves1 as  
malicious1 spiteful1 causeless1         
ungrateful wrongs2 and then we give  too
 great a liberty to ourselves to rage1  
to meditate revenge1 to  threaten1 to   
reproach1 and what not4 ,and if our     
disposition have not  so strong a       
natural inclination to these distempers1
 yet the thoughts  by discomposure are  
quickly leavened4 ,it is the comparison 
used by  the apostle1 #a ,cor4 v4 #h1 to
 express the power of malice1 which is a

  usual attendant in this service1 to   
infect all the imaginations with a      
sharpness1 which makes them swell into  
exorbitancy and excess2 hence  proceed  
revilings1 quarrellings1 c4 ,when the   
tongue is thus fermented1  it is #8a    
fire1 a world of iniquity1' producing   
more sins than can be  reckoned1 #8it   
defileth the whole body1' engaging all  
the faculties in  heady pursuit1 ,james 
iii4 #f4    #b4 ,discomposures obstruct 
duties4 ,this is the inconvenience which
  the apostle1 #a ,pet4 iii4 #g1 tells  
us doth arise from disturbances  among  
relations4 ,if the wife or husband do   
not carry well1 so that  discontents or 
differences arise1 their prayers are    
hindered4 ,duties  then are obstructed1 
#a4 ,in the act4 ,when the heart is out 
of frame1  prayer is out of season1 and 
there is an averseness to it2 partly    
because all good things are1 in such    
confusions1 burdensome to the  humour   
that then prevails1 which eats out all  
desire and delight to  spiritual things2

 and partly because they dare not come  
into ,god's  presence1 conscious of     
their own guilt1 and awe of ,god        
hindering  such approaches4 #b4 ,they   
obstruct the right manner of            
performance1  straitening the heart and 
contracting the spirit1 that if anything
 be  attempted it is poorly and weakly  
performed1 #c4 ,and also the success  of
 duty is obstructed by discomposure4    
,god will not accept such  services1 and
 therefore ,christ adviseth to #8leave  
the gift before the  altar1' though     
ready for offering1 where the spirit is 
overcharged  with offences or angry     
thoughts1 and #8first to go and be      
reconciled to  our brother1' and then to
 #8come and offer the gift1' it being   
lost  labour to do it before1 ,mat4 v4  
#bd4 ,from these sins of omission and   
commission ,satan can1 and often doth1  
frame a dreadful charge against  those  
that are thus concerned1 endeavouring to
 prove by these evidences  that they are
 yet1 notwithstanding pretence of       

conversion1 in #8the gall  of bitterness
 and bond of iniquity1' ,acts viii4 #bc1
 whereby the peace  of conscience is    
much shaken2 and the more because also1 
#c4 ,these discomposures of soul give   
,satan a fit season for the  management 
of his accusation4 ,strong accusations  
do often effect  nothing when the season
 is unsuitable4 ,many a time he hath as 
much  to say against the comforts of    
men1 when yet they shake all off1 as    
,paul did the viper off his hand1 and   
feel no harm1 ,acts xxviii4 #c4  ,but   
that which prepares the conscience to   
receive the indictment is a  particular 
disposition which it is wrought into by 
suspicious credulity  and fearfulness4  
,these make the heart1 as wax to the    
seal1 ready  to take any impression that
 ,satan will stamp upon it4 ,now1 by    
long  disturbances1 he works the heart  
into this mould very often1 and upon  a 
double account he gains himself a fit   
opportunity to charge home his          
exceptions4 #a4 ,in that he sets upon   

the conscience with his accusations     
after the heart hath been long molested 
and confused with its other  troubles2  
for then the heart is weakened1 and     
unable to make resistance  as at other  
times4 ,an assault with a fresh party   
after a long conflict  disorders its    
forces1 and puts all to flight4 #b4 ,in 
that long and  great discomposures of   
mind bring on a distemper of melancholy2
 for  it is notoriously known by common 
experience that those acid humours      
producing this distemper1 which have    
their rise from the blood1 may  be      
occasioned by their violent passions of 
mind1 the animal spirits  becoming      
inordinate by long discomposures of     
sadness1 envy1 terror1  and fretful     
cares1 and the motion of the blood being
 retarded1 it by  degrees departs from  
its temperament1 and is infected with an
 acidity1  so that persons no way       
inclined naturally to melancholy may yet
 become  so by the disquiets of their   
troubled mind4    ,both these ways1 but 

chiefly melancholy1 the devil hath his  
advantage  for disturbing the           
conscience4 ,melancholy most naturally  
inclines men  to be solicitous for their
 souls' welfare2 but withal disposeth   
them  so strongly to suspect the        
worst--for it is a credulous1 suspicious
  humour in things hurtful--and afflicts
 so heavily with sadness for what  it   
doth respect1 that when ,satan lays     
before men of that humour their         
miscarriages under their discontents1   
their impatience1 unthankfulness1       
anger1 rash thoughts1 and speeches      
against ,god or men1 c41 withal         
suggesting that such a heart cannot be  
right with ,god1 after serious  thoughts
 upon ,satan's frequently repeated      
charge1 they cry out1 ,guilty1  guilty2 
and then begins a new trouble for their 
unregenerate estate1  and their supposed
 lost souls4    #d4 ,in this case       
usually ,satan hath greater liberty to  
accuse1 and by  his accusations to      
molest the conscience1 in that men of   

discomposed  spirits1 by the manifold   
evils arising thence1 provoke ,god to   
desert  them1 and to leave them in      
,satan's hand to be brought into an hour
 of  temptation4 ,satan's commission is 
occasioned by our provocations1 and  the
 temptations arising from such a        
commission are usually dreadful4  ,they 
are solemn temptations1 and called so   
after a singular manner2 for  of these  
,i take those scriptures to be meant1   
#8,watch and pray1 that  ye enter not   
into temptation1 ,mat4 xxvi4 #da2 #8,and
 lead us not into  temptation1' ,mat4   
vi4 #ac4 ,such temptations are not      
common temptations1  and are of unknown 
force and hazard to the soul1 which way 
soever they  are designed1 either for   
sin or terror4 ,for several things do   
concur in  a solemn temptation4 ,as1 #a4
 ,satan doth in a special manner        
challenge  a man to the combat1 or      
rather he challenges ,god to give him   
such a  man to fight with him1 as he did
 concerning ,job4 ,this ,christ tells us

  of1 ,luke xxii4 #ca1 #8,simon1 ,satan 
hath desired to have you4' ,the word    
signifies a challenging or daring--2 and
 it seems the devil  is oft daring ,god 
to give us into his hand1 when we little
 know of it4  #b4 ,there is also a      
special suitableness of occasion and    
snare to the  temper and state of men4  
,thus he took ,peter at an advantage in 
the  high priest's hall2 and in the case
 we now speak of he takes advantage  of 
men's provocations and melancholy4 #c4  
,there is always a violent  prosecution1
 which our ,saviour expresseth under the
 comparison of  sifting1 which is a     
restless agitation of the corn1 bringing
 that which  was at the bottom to the   
top1 and shuffling the top to the       
bottom1 so  that the chaff or dirt is   
always uppermost4 #d4 ,and to all this  
there  is divine permission1 ,satan let 
loose1 and we left to our ordinary      
strength1 as is implied in that         
expression1 #8,he hath desired to have  
you that he might sift you4' ,now then1 

if the devil have such ground to  give  
,god a challenge concerning such men1   
and if ,god do1 as he justly  may1 leave
 such men1 whose bitterness of spirit   
hath been as #8a smoke  in his nostrils 
all the day1' ,isa4 lxv4 #e1 in ,satan's
 hand1 he will  so shake them that their
 consciences shall have no rest4 ,and   
this he  can yet the more easily effect1
 because1    #e4 ,discomposures of      
spirit have a particular tendency to    
incline our  thoughts to severity and   
harshness1 so that those who have had   
long  and great disturbances upon any   
outward occasions--of loss1 affliction1 
or disappointment1 c4--do naturally     
think1 after a solemn review of  such   
troubles1 harshly of ,god and of        
themselves4 ,they are ready to  conclude
 that ,god is surely angry with them in 
that he doth afflict  them1 or that they
 have unsanctified hearts in that their 
thoughts  are so fretful and unruly upon
 every inconsiderable petty occasion4   
,it is so ordinary for men under the    

weight of their trouble1 or under  the  
sense of their sin1 to be sadly         
apprehensive of ,god's wrath  and their 
soul's hazard1 that it were needless to 
offer instances3  let ,david's case be  
instead of all4 ,that his troubles begot
 such  imaginations frequently1 may be  
seen throughout the book of the ,psalms4
  ,we never read his complaints against 
persecuting enemies1 or for other       
afflictions1 but still his heart is     
afraid that ,god is calling sin to      
remembrance4 ,in ,ps4 xxxviii4 he is    
under great distress1 and tells how  low
 his thoughts were3 he was #8troubled1' 
greatly #8bowed down2' he  #8went       
mourning all the day long2' he          
expresseth his thoughts to have  been   
that #8,god had forsaken him1' ver4 #ba3
 and his hopes1 though they  afterward  
revived1 were almost gone2 he cries out 
of his sins as having  #8gone over his  
head1' and become #8a burden too heavy  
for him1' ver4 #d1  and therefore sets  
himself to confess them1 ver4 #ah4 ,he  

trembles at  ,god's anger1 and feels the
 #8arrows of ,god sticking fast in him1'
 ver4  #b4 ,but what occasioned all     
this8 ,the psalm informs us1 ,god had   
visited  him with sickness1 ver4 #g4    
,besides that--for one trouble seldom   
comes  alone--his friends were          
perfidious1 ver4 #aa2 his enemies also  
were busy  laying snares for his life1  
ver4 #ab4 ,now his thoughts were to this
  purpose1 that surely he had some way  
or other greatly provoked ,god by  his  
sins1 and therefore he fears wrath in   
every rebuke1 and displeasure  in every 
chastisement1 ver4 #a4 ,the like you may
 see in ,ps4 cii41 where  the prophet   
upon the occasion of sickness1 ver4 #c1 
#bc1 and the reproach  of enemies1 ver4 
#h1 is under great trouble1 and ready to
 fail except  speedy relief prevent1    
ver4 #b3 the reason whereof was this1   
that he  concluded these troubles were  
evident tokens of ,god's indignation and
  wrath2 #8because of thine indignation 
and thy wrath1' ver4 #aj4 ,from  these  

five particulars we may be satisfied    
that it cannot be otherwise1  and also  
how it comes to be so1 that sometime    
trouble of conscience is  brought on by 
other discomposing troubles of the mind4
 ,for if these  take away the comforts  
which supported the soul1 and afford    
also  arguments to the devil to prove a 
wicked heart1 and withal #8a fit        
season' to urge them to a deep          
impression1 ,god in the meantime        
standing  #8at a distance1' and the     
thoughts naturally inclined to conclude 
,god's  wrath from these troubles1 how  
impossible is it that ,satan should miss
  of disquieting the conscience by his  
strong1 vehement suggestions of         
wickedness and desertion6    ,in our    
inquiries after ,satan's success in     
working these discomposures  of mind1 we
 have discovered1 #a4 ,that the         
disturbances thence arising  are great2 
#b4 ,that they have a tendency to       
trouble of conscience4 ,there  is but   
one particular more to be spoken of1    

relating to his success in  this design1
 and that is1    7#c47 ,these           
disturbances are much in ,satan's power4
 ,ordinarily he can  do it at pleasure1 
except when ,god restrains him from     
applying fit  occasions1 or when1       
notwithstanding these occasions1 he     
extraordinarily  suspends the effect1   
which he frequently doth when men are   
enraged  under suffering upon the       
account of the gospel and conscience2   
for  then1 though they be bound up under
 affliction and iron1 yet the #8iron    
enters not into the soul2' though they  
are troubled1 they are not  distressed4 
,these extraordinaries excepted1 he can 
as easily discompose  the spirits of men
 as he can by temptation draw them into 
other sins2  which may be evidenced by  
these considerations3    #a4 ,we may    
observe that those whose passionate     
tempers do usually  transport them into 
greater vehemencies1 are never out of   
trouble4  ,their fits frequently return1
 they are never out of the fire1 and    

this  is because ,satan is still        
provided of occasions suitable to their 
inclinations4    #b4 ,though ,god1 out  
of his common bounty to mankind1 hath   
allowed him  a comfortable being in the 
world1 yet we find that generally the   
sons  of men1 under their various       
occupations and studies1 are wearied out
  with vexations of spirit4 ,this       
,solomon1 in ,ecclesiastes1 discovers   
at large in various employments of men1 
not exempting the pursuit of  wisdom and
 knowledge3 chap4 i4 #ah1 #8,in much    
wisdom is much grief2  and he that      
increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow3'
 nor pleasures  nor riches1 for by all  
these he shews that a man is obnoxious  
to  disquiets2 so that the general      
account of man's life is but this3      
chap4 ii4 #bc1 #8,all his days are      
sorrows1 and his travail grief2 yea1    
his heart taketh not rest in the night4'
 ,that it is so1 is testified  by common
 experience past denial2 but how it     
comes to be so1 is the  inquiry4 ,it is 

either from ,god1 or from ,satan working
 by occasions upon  our tempers4 ,that  
it is not from ,god1 is evident2 for    
though sorrow  be a part of that curse  
which man was justly doomed unto1 yet   
hath  he appointed ways and means by    
which it might be so mitigated that  it 
might be tolerable without discomposure 
of spirit2 and therefore  ,solomon1     
designing in his ,ecclesiastes to set   
forth the chief good1  shews that       
felicity consists not in the common     
abuse of outward things1  because that  
brings only vexation1 but in the fear of
 ,god leading  to future happiness1 and 
in the meantime in a thankful1          
comfortable  use of things present      
without anxiety of mind4 ,hence doth he 
fix his  conclusion1 as the result of   
his experience1 and often repeats it3   
#8,there is nothing better for a man    
than that he should eat and drink1  and 
that he should make his soul enjoy good 
in his labour1' chap4 ii4  #bd1 iii4    
#ab1 #ac1 and v4 #ah1 #ai4 ,not that    

,solomon plays the epicure1  giving     
advice #8to eat and drink1 for to-morrow
 we die1' nor that he  speaks deridingly
 to those that seek their felicity in   
this life1 as  if he should say1 #8,if  
ye do terminate your desires upon a     
terrene  felicity1 there is nothing     
better than to eat and drink1' c4 ,but  
he  gives a serious positive advice of  
enjoying the things of this life  with  
cheerfulness1 which he affirms proceeds 
from the sole bounty of  ,god as his    
singular gift3 #8,it is the gift of     
,god1' chap4 iii4 #ac2 #8it  is our     
portion'--that is1 our allowance1 chap4 
v4 #ai1 for these two  expressions1     
#8our portion1' and #8,god's gift1' they
 are of the same  signification with    
,solomon here2 and when a man hath power
 to enjoy  this allowance in comfort1 it
 is ,god that #8answereth him in the joy
 of  his heart1' ver4 #bj4 ,it is plain1
 then1 that ,god #8sows good seed in his
  field2' the springing up1 therefore1  
of these tares of vexation1 which  so   

generally afflict the sons of men1 must 
be ascribed to this1 #8the  enemy hath  
done it1' ,mat4 xiii4 #bh4    #c4 ,it is
 also a considerable ground of suspicion
 that ,satan can  do much in            
discomposures of spirit1 in that        
sometimes those whose  tempers are most 
cool and calm1 and whose singular       
dependence upon1  and communion with    
,god1 must needs more strengthen them   
against these  passionate vexations1 are
 notwithstanding precipitated into      
violent  commotions4 ,moses was         
naturally meek above the common         
disposition  of men1 and his very       
business was converse with ,god1 whose  
presence  kept his heart under a blessed
 awe2 yet1 upon the people's murmuring1 
he was so transported with sullenness   
and unbelief1 at the waters of          
,meribah1 ,num4 xx4 #aj-ab1 that #8it   
went ill with him2' which ,david  thus  
expresseth1 ,ps4 cvi4 #cc1 #8,they      
provoked his spirit1 so that  he spake  
unadvisedly with his lips4' ,who can    

suppose less in this  matter than that  
,satan1 having him at advantage1 hurried
 him to this  rashness--specially seeing
 such vehemencies were not usual with   
,moses1  and that his natural temper led
 him to the contrary8 ,this hath some   
affinity with the next consideration1   
which is1    #d4 ,that when men most    
foresee the occasions of their trouble1 
and  do most fear the trouble that might
 thence arise1 and most firmly  design  
to keep their hearts quiet1 yet are they
 oft forced1 against  all care and      
resolution1 upon extravagant heats4     
,david resolved  and strenuously        
endeavoured to possess his soul in      
serenity and  patience2--for what could 
be more than that solemn engagement8    
,ps4  xxxix4 #a1 #8,i said ,i will look 
to my ways2' and what endeavours could  
be  more severe than to keep himself    
#8as with bit and bridle'8 what care    
could be more hopeful to succeed than to
 be #8dumb with silence'8--yet  for all 
this he could not keep his heart calm   

nor restrain his tongue3  ver4 #c1 #8,my
 heart waxed hot within me2 while ,i was
 musing the fire  burned3 then spake ,i 
with my tongue4' ,who suspects not the  
hand of  ,satan in this8    #e4 ,it is  
also remarkable1 that when we have least
 reason to give way  to discomposure1   
when we have most cause to avoid all    
provocations1  yet then we have most    
occasions set before us4 ,when we would 
most  retire from the noise of the world
 for private devotion1 when we would    
most carefully prepare ourselves for a  
solemn ordinance1 if we be  not very    
watchful1 we shall be diverted by       
business1 disturbed with  noises1 or    
some special occasion of vexation shall 
importune us to  disquiet               
ourselves--when yet we shall observe1 if
 we have not these  solemn affairs to   
wait upon1 we shall have fewer of these 
occasions of  vexation to attend us4    
,this cannot be attributed to mere      
contingency of  occasions1 nor yet to   
our tempers solely2 for why they should 

be most  apt to give us trouble when    
they are most engaged to calmness1      
cannot  well be accounted for4 ,it is   
evidently1 then1 ,satan that maliciously
  directs these occasions--for they have
 not a malicious ingenuousness to       
prepare themselves1 without some other  
chief mover--at such times as he  knows 
would be most to our prejudice4         
,these general considerations amount to 
more than a suspicion1 that it  is much 
in ,satan's power to give disturbances  
to the minds of men2 yet1  for the      
clearer manifestation of the matter1 ,i 
shall shew that he can  do much to bring
 about occasions of discomposure1 and   
also to stir up  the passions of men    
upon these occasions4    #a4 ,that      
occasions are much in his hand1 ,i shall
 easily demonstrate4 ,for1    ,first1   
,there being so many occasions of       
vexation to a weak1 crazy  mind1 we may 
well imagine that one or other is still 
occurring2 and  while they thus offer   
themselves1 ,satan needs not be idle for

 want of  an opportunity4    ,second1   
,but if common occasions do not so      
exactly suit his design1  he can prepare
 occasions2 for such is his foresight   
and contrivance1  that he can put some  
men--without their privity to his       
intentions1 or  any evil design of their
 own--upon such actions as may1 through 
the  strength of prejudice1             
misinterpretation1 or evil inclination1 
be an  offence to others2 and1 in like  
manner1 can invite those to be in the   
way of these offences4 ,i am ready to   
think there was a contrivance of        
,satan--if we well consider all         
circumstances--to bring ,david and the  
object of his lust together2 while      
,bathsheba was bathing1 he might use    
his art in private motions to get ,david
 up to the roof of his house4  ,but more
 especially can the devil prepare       
occasions that do depend upon  the      
wickedness of his slaves2 these are     
servants under his command1 he  can     
#8say to one1 ,go1 and he goes2 and to  

another1 ,come1 and he comes4'  ,if     
contempt or injury1 affronts or scorns1 
c41 be necessary for his  present work  
against any whom he undertakes to       
disturb1 he can easily  put his vassals 
upon that part of the service2 and if he
 have higher  employment for them1 he   
ever finds them forward4 ,and hence was 
it1  that when ,satan designed to       
plunder ,job1 he could quickly perform  
it1  because he had the ,chaldeans and  
,sabeans ready at a call4    ,third1 ,if
 both these should fail him1 he can     
easily awaken in us the  memory of old  
occasions that have been heretofore a   
trouble to us4  ,these being raised out 
of their graves will renew old          
disturbances1  working afresh the same  
disquiets which the things themselves   
gave us  at first4    ,if ,satan's power
 were bounded here1 and that he could do
 no more  than set before men occasions 
of vexation1 yet we might justly1 on    
that single account1 call him the       
troubler of the spirits of men2         

considering that naturally the thoughts 
of men are restless1 and  their         
imaginations ever rolling4 ,if men      
sequester themselves from  all business1
 if they shut themselves up from        
commerce with men1  turn ,eremites--as  
,jerome did--on purpose to avoid        
disquiet1 yet their  thoughts would     
hurry them from place to place1         
sometimes to the court1  sometimes to   
the market1 sometimes to shows and      
pastimes1 sometimes to  quarrellings2   
sometimes they view fields1 buildings1  
and countries2  sometimes they fancy    
dignities1 promotions1 and honours2 they
 are ever  working upon one object or   
other1 real or supposed1 and according  
to the object such will the affections  
be1 high or low1 joyful or  sorrowful2  
so that if the utmost of what ,satan    
could do were no more  than to provide  
occasions1 discomposures would follow   
naturally4 ,the  evil dispositions of   
men would thereby be set a-working1     
though ,satan  stood by as an idle      

spectator4 ,the serpent--in our breasts1
 as ,solomon  tells us1 ,eccles4 x4     
#aa--would #8bite without enchantment1' 
that is1  except it were charmed4 ,but  
,satan can do more than tempt           
objectively1  when he hath provided the 
fuel he can also bring fire4 ,for1      
#b4 ,he can also set our passions on    
work1 and incense them to greater  fury 
than otherwise they would arrive at4 ,we
 see persons that are  distempered with 
passion may be whetted up to a higher   
pitch of rage  by any officious         
flatterer1 that will indulge the humour 
and aggravate  the provocation4 ,much   
more then can ,satan do it by whispering
 such  things to our minds as he knows  
will increase the flame2 and therefore  
is it1 that where the ,scripture doth   
caution us against anger--as the  proper
 product of our own corruption1 calling 
it our wrath1 ,eph4 iv4  #bf1 #bg--there
 also it warns us against the devil1 as 
the incendiary1  that endeavours to     
heighten it4 ,and where it tells us of  

the disorders  of the tongue1--which1   
though a little member1 can of itself do
 great  mischief1 ,james iii4 #f--there 
it also tells us that the devil brings  
it  an additional fire from hell3 #8,it 
is set on fire of hell4' ,and there  are
 several ways by which ,satan can       
irritate the passions4 ,as1    #a4 ,by  
presenting the occasions worse than they
 are1 or were ever  intended1 unjustly  
aggravating all circumstances4 ,by this 
means he  makes the object of the       
passions the more displeasing and       
hateful4 ,this  must of necessity       
provoke to a higher degree4    #b4 ,he  
can in a natural way move1 as it were1  
the wheels1 and set the  passions       
a-going1 if they were of themselves more
 dull and sluggish1  for he hath a      
nearer access to our passions than every
 one is aware  of4 ,i will make it      
evident thus3 our passions in their     
workings do  depend upon the            
fluctuations1 excursions1 and recursions
 of the blood  and animal spirits1 as   

naturalists do determine4#cbf ,now that 
,satan  can make his approaches to the  
blood1 spirits1 and humours1 and can    
make alterations upon them1 cannot be   
denied by those that consider  what the 
,scripture speaks in ,job's case1 and in
 the cases of those that  were by       
possession of the devil made dumb1 deaf1
 or epileptic2 for if  he could afflict 
,job with grievous boils1 chap4 ii4 #g1 
it is plain he  disordered and vitiated 
his blood and humours1 which made them  
apt to  produce such boils or ulcers2   
and if he could produce an epilepsy1 it 
is evident that he could infect the     
lympha with such a sharpness as  by     
vellicating the nerves might cause a    
convulsion2 and these were  much more   
than the disorderly motions of blood1   
spirits1 or humours1  which raise the   
passions of men4 ,if any object to this1
 that then1  considering ,satan's       
malicious diligence1 we must expect the 
passions of  men would never be at rest2
 it is answered1 that this power of     

,satan is  not unlimited1 but oft ,god  
prohibits him such approaches1 and      
without  his leave he can do nothing2   
and also grace in ,god's children1      
working  calmness1 submission1 and      
patience1 doth balance ,satan's contrary
  endeavour4 ,for as hurtful and        
vexatious occasions1 being represented  
by  the sense to the imagination1 are   
apt to move the blood and spirits2  so1 
on the contrary1 the ballast of patience
 and other graces doth so  settle the   
mind1 that the blood and spirits are    
kept steady in their  usual course4     
#c4 ,when the passions are up1 ,satan   
can by his suggestions make  them more  
heady and violent4 ,he can suggest to   
the mind motives and  arguments to      
forward it1 and can stir up our natural 
corruption1 with  all its powers1 to    
strike in with the opportunity4 ,thus he
 not only  kindles the fire1 but blows  
the flame4    #d4 ,and he can further   
fix the mind upon these thoughts1 and   
keep  them still upon the hearts of men4

 ,and then they eat in the deeper1  and 
like poison diffuse their malignity the 
further4 ,we see that men1  who are at  
first but in an ordinary fret1 if they  
continue to meditate  upon their        
provocation1 they increase their        
vexation2 and if they give  themselves  
to vent their passions by their tongues1
 though they begin  in some moderation1 
yet as motion causeth heat1 so their own
 words whet  their rage1 according to   
,eccles4 x4 #ac1 #8,the beginning of the
 words of  his mouth is foolishness1 but
 the latter end of his talk is          
mischievous  madness4' ,the same        
advantage hath ,satan against men by    
holding down  their thoughts to these   
occasions of discomposure4    ,if       
occasions be so much in ,satan's power1 
and he have also so great a  hand over  
men's passions1 it is too evident that  
he can do very much  to discompose the  
spirits of men that are naturally       
obnoxious to these  troubles1 except    
,god restrain him1 and grace oppose him4

 ,thus have ,i  spoken my thoughts of   
the first sort of troubles1 by which    
,satan doth  undermine the peace of     
men's hearts4          ,,chapter ,,vii4 
,of the second way to hinder            
peace4--,affrightments1 the general     
nature   and burden of them1 in several 
particulars4--,what are the ways by     
which he affrights3 #a4 ,atheistical    
injections4 ,observations   of his      
proceeding in them2 #b4 ,blasphemous    
thoughts2 #c4   ,affrightful suggestions
 of reprobation4 ,observations of his   
proceedings in that course2 #d4         
,frightful motions to sin2   #e4 ,strong
 immediate impressions of fear2 #f4     
,affrightful   scrupulosity of          
conscience4      ,the next rank of      
troubles by which the devil doth        
endeavour to  molest us1 ,i call        
affrightments4 ,it is usual for those   
that speak  of temptations1 to          
distinguish them thus3 ,some are1 they  
say1  enticements1 some are             
affrightments2 but then they extend     

these  affrightments further than ,i    
intend1 comprehending under them all    
those  temptations of sadness and       
terror1 of which ,i am next to speak4   
,but  by affrightments1 ,i mean only    
those perplexities of spirit into which 
,satan casts men1 by overacting their   
fears1 or astonishing their minds1  by  
injecting unusual and horrid thoughts   
against their consents4#cbg  ,some there
 are that have thought those            
temptations1 of which the  apostle      
complains1 #b ,cor4 xii4 #g1 #8,there   
was given me a thorn in the  flesh1 the 
messenger of ,satan to buffet me1' were 
of this kind--that  is1 horrid          
injections frequently repeated1 as men  
deal their blows in  fighting4 ,gerson1 
speaking of these1 tells us they        
sometime come from  the sole suggestion 
of ,satan troubling the fancy1 and      
saying1 ,deny ,god1  curse ,god2 and    
then adds1 such was the thorn in the    
flesh given to the  apostle4#cbh ,but   
whether this was the trouble of the     

apostle1 or some  other thing--for      
several things are conjectured1 and     
nothing can be  positively proved--we   
are sure1 from the sad experience of    
many1 that  such troubles he doth often 
give2 which ,i shall first explain in   
the  general1 and then give a particular
 of these frightful injections4    #a4  
,to explain the nature and burden of    
this kind of trouble1 ,i shall  present 
you with a few observations about them4 
,as1    #a4 ,these astonishing thoughts 
are purely injections1 such as ,satan   
casts into the mind1 and not what the   
mind of itself doth produce2 as  one    
expresseth it1 they are more darting    
than reflecting4 ,not but that  our     
natural corruption could of itself beget
 blasphemous or atheistical  thoughts2  
but when they have their rise from      
ourselves solely1 they  do not so       
startle us4 ,having some share at least 
of our consent going  along with them1  
they appear not so strange4 ,but in this
 case in hand1  ,satan is the agent1 and

 men are the sufferers1 their           
understandings  and souls being busied  
all the while to repel them1 with the   
utmost  of their reluctances4 ,and to   
those that do thus strive against them1 
making resistance with all their        
strength1 with tears and prayers1 they  
are only their afflictions1 but not     
their sins4 ,for the thoughts are  not  
polluted by the simple apprehension of a
 sinful object1 no more  than the eye is
 defiled by beholding loathsome and     
filthy things2 for  then should the mind
 of ,christ have been defiled1 when     
,satan propounded  himself blasphemously
 as the object of his worship2 his mind 
as truly  apprehended the meaning of    
that saying1 #8fall down and worship    
me1' as  ours can do1 when he casts such
 a thing immediately into our thoughts4 
,which is a consideration to be observed
 diligently by those that meet  with    
such sad exercise4 ,if they do truly    
apprehend that they are but  their      
sufferings1 and that ,god will not      

charge the sin upon them1 they  will    
more easily bear and overcome the       
trouble4    ,these injections are       
commonly impetuous and sudden1          
frequently compared  to lightning2 and  
this is usually made a note of          
distinction betwixt  wicked1 blasphemous
 thoughts rising from our natural       
corruption1 and  darted in by ,satan2   
the former being more leisurely1        
orderly1 and  moderate1 according to the
 usual course of the procedure of human 
thoughts1 the latter usually accompanied
 with a hasty violence1 subtly  and     
incoherently shooting into our          
understandings1 as lightning into a     
house2 so that all the strength we have 
can neither prevent them nor  expel     
them1 nor so much as mitigate the       
violence of them4    #c4 ,they are also 
for the most part incessant and constant
 troublers  where they once begin4      
,though ,satan hath variety1 in regard  
of the  matter of these amazing         
injections--for sometimes he affrights  

one  man with blasphemous thoughts1     
another with atheistical thoughts1 a    
third with grievous1 unusual temptations
 to sin1 as murder1 c4--yet  usually he 
fixeth his foot upon what he first      
undertakes4 ,and as  cunning huntsmen do
 not change their game that they first  
rouse1 that  they may sooner speed in   
catching the prey2 so what frightful    
thought  ,satan begins the trouble with1
 that he persists in1 and is withal so  
vehement in his pursuit1 that he gives  
little intermission4 ,he makes  these   
unwelcome thoughts haunt them like      
ghosts1 whithersoever they  go1         
whatsoever they do2 he will give solemn 
onsets it may be twenty or  forty times 
in a day3 and at this rate he continues1
 it may be for some  considerable time1 
so that they are not quit of the trouble
 for several  months1 or it may be      
years4    #d4 ,the matter of these      
affrightments are things most contrary  
to the impressions of nature or grace1  
and therefore most odious  and          

troublesome4 ,when he is upon this      
design1 things that are most  contrary  
to the belief and inclination of men are
 best for his purpose2  as men that     
intend to affright others choose the    
most ugly vizors1  the strangest garbs  
and postures1 and make the most uncouth1
 inhuman  noises2 and the more monstrous
 they appear1 the better they succeed in
  their purposes4 ,yet ,satan doth not  
always choose the very worst1 for  then 
most of the troubles of this kind would 
be about the same thing2  but he        
considers the strength of our           
persuasions1 our establishment in       
truths1 the probability or improbability
 of an after game with us2 and          
accordingly sometimes refuseth to       
trouble us with injections1 contrary  to
 what we are most firmly rooted in1     
choosing rather that which1  though     
contrary to our thoughts and resolves1  
we have not been fixed  in without a    
great deal of labour1 and which1 if     
there be occasion1  might most fitly be 

charged upon us as our own1 so that1    
whereas other  suggestions would be     
slighted as apparent malice and         
scarecrows1 these  are most afflicting1 
as being an assault against such a fort 
which  costs us much to rear1 and which 
we are most afraid to lose1 and most    
liable to his accusation after a long   
continuance1 as being the issue  of our 
own unsettledness4    #e4 ,the first and
 most obvious effects of these          
injections are  the utmost abhorrency of
 the mind--which presently startles at  
the  appearance of such odious          
things--and the trembling of the body1  
sometimes to an agony and fainting4 ,the
 invasion of one single  injection hath 
put some into such a heart-breaking     
affrightment1  that they have not       
recovered themselves in a whole day's   
time4 ,this  trembling of the body and  
agony of the mind are the usual         
consequences  of anything that is       
surprising1 strange1 and fearful2 and   
therefore is  trembling of the body made

 by divines a mark to discover that     
these  hideous1 blasphemous thoughts are
 cast in by ,satan1 and have not their  
rise from our own hearts2 for the horror
 of the mind is usually so  great1 when 
it is spoken to in this language1 that  
it cannot bear  up under its            
astonishment and trouble4 ,yea1 those   
very men that are  otherwise profane1   
and can with boldness commit great      
iniquities1  cannot but shake1 and      
inwardly conceive an unspeakable hatred 
at these  monstrous suggestions4#cbi    
#f4 ,these affrightments are more common
 than men are usually aware  of4 ,they  
are by some thought to be rare and      
extraordinary2 but this  mistake ariseth
 from the concealment of these kind of  
troubles4 ,those  that are thus         
afflicted are often ashamed to speak to 
others what  they find in their own     
hearts2 but if all would be so ingenuous
 as to  declare openly what fearful     
imaginations are obtruded upon them1 it 
would appear that ,satan very frequently

 endeavours to trouble men this  way4   
#g4 ,these are very grievous burdens1   
and hard to be borne upon many          
accounts4    ,first1 ,who can well      
express the inward torture and          
molestation  of the mind1 when it is    
forced against its own natural bent and 
inclination to harbour such monsters    
within itself6 ,how would nature  reluct
 and abominate the drinking down of     
noisome puddled water1 or the           
swallowing of toads and serpents6 ,and  
hence was it that persecutors in  their 
devilish contrivances invented such kind
 of tortures4 ,and what  less doth the  
devil do when he forceth blasphemies    
upon their thoughts1  and commits a rape
 by a malicious violence upon their     
imaginations8  ,david1 under these      
temptations1 ,ps4 lxxiii4 #ba1 cries    
out1 #8,thus my  heart was grieved1 and 
,i was pricked in my reins3' and it     
cannot be  otherwise1 for the reason    
already mentioned4 ,nature abhors to be 
forced to what is most contrary to      

itself1 and so doth grace4 ,now the     
things by which ,satan works these      
affrightments are contrary to nature  or
 grace1 or both together2 and as they   
will strive to the utmost of  their     
ability to cast out what is so opposite 
to them1 so must the  devil to the      
utmost of his ability1 if he would carry
 his design1  strengthen himself in his 
force1 and from hence1 as when fire and 
water are committed together1 ariseth a 
most troublesome conflict2  and indeed  
if there were a compliance of our       
consent1 there would be  no             
affrightment2 neither can this kind of  
temptation be managed except  there be  
the utmost dissent of the mind4 ,if any 
think there is no  great ground for     
these temptations1 because some of the  
particulars by  which he is said to     
affright men are natural to us1 as1 for 
instance1  atheistical thoughts1 which  
are by some called the master-vein of   
our  original corruption1 and by others 
said to be in the heart of every man    

naturally1 and then consequently not so 
troublesome as is imagined1  c42 ,i     
answer1 that when divines call these or 
blasphemous thoughts  natural1 they do  
not mean that they are natural          
impressions engraven  on us by          
creation1--for they assert the contrary2
 that it is a natural  and              
unextinguishable impression upon every  
man that there is a ,god1  c41 and      
usually give in this for proof1 that the
 greatest atheists  in fear and         
extremity will manifest a secret belief 
of a deity1 by  calling out1 ,o ,god1   
c41#ccj or by some other posture1 as    
,caligula by  hiding himself when it    
thundered1--but they mean only that our 
natural  corruption may produce these   
thoughts1 and that they are the natural 
issues thereof2 and therefore ,perkins1 
in answer to a question of this  nature1
 tells us that these two thoughts1      
#8there is a ,god1' and #8there  is no  
,god1' may be1 and are both1 in the same
 heart4#cca ,now as this  will give us  

the reason why ,satan doth make choice  
of these thoughts  to trouble us withal1
 which may also rise from               
ourselves--which ,i have  hinted before1
 and shall presently again touch        
upon--so it tells us  still that whether
 these thoughts arise from our own      
corruption or from  ,satan1 our natural 
impressions are strong against them1 and
 withal that  they cannot be so         
affrightful but when ,satan doth manage 
them1 and  when the contrary impressions
 of nature are awakened to give strong  
resistance1 and then that struggling    
must be as the tearing of our  bowels1  
and still the worse in that we are      
incessantly pursued1 ,satan  still      
casting back with unwearied labour the  
same thoughts as they are  repulsed and 
rejected1 as soldiers that besiege      
cities use to cast over  the walls their
 fired grenades4    ,second1 ,these are 
also grievous1 as they set the mind upon
 the rack1  and stretch it under        
laborious and doubtful inquiries after  

the grounds  or causes of this kind of  
trouble1 for the heart1 astonished with 
such  cursed guests against his will1   
presently reflects upon ,god and itself 
,what have ,i done1 and wherefore am ,i 
thus disquieted with monsters8  ,why    
doth the righteous ,lord suffer ,satan  
to break open my heart1 and  fill me    
with such fearful thoughts8 ,but when   
men's inquiries are not  so high1 but   
detained in a consideration of the      
nature of the trouble  and manner of its
 working1 without looking up to the     
providence of ,god1  then are their     
troubles increased4    ,third1 ,as these
 injections necessitate men1 in their   
own defence1 to  oppose and every way to
 resist1 it is an increase of the       
burden4 ,what  pleadings are they put   
to1 what defiances1 what endeavours to  
call off  the thoughts6 and all to      
little purpose2 while the trouble       
continues  they are forced to lie in    
their armour1 and to be constantly in   
their  ward4    ,fourth1 ,and yet are   

they further troublesome in the         
after-game that  ,satan plays by these  
thoughts4 ,it is not all of his design  
to affright  men1 but he usually hath   
another temptation to come in the rear  
of  this1 and that is to turn these     
affrightments into accusations1 and by  
urging them long upon the hearts of men1
 to make them believe that they  are    
their own thoughts1 the issues of their 
own natural corruption2 and  after men  
are by continual assaults weakened1     
their senses and memory  dulled1 their  
understanding confounded1 c41 they      
easily conclude  against themselves4    
,the tempter imputes all the horrid     
blasphemy to  them1 boldly calls them   
guilty of all2 and because their        
thoughts have  dwelt long upon such a   
subject1 and withal knowing that corrupt
 nature  of itself will lead men to such
 horrid blasphemies or villainies--which
  makes it probable that it might be    
their own fault1 and for this reason    
,satan makes choice of such injections  

as may in the accusation seem  most     
likely to be true--being strongly       
charged as guilty1 they yield2  and then
 begins another trouble more fearful    
than the former4#ccb  ,oh1 what sad     
thoughts have they then of themselves1  
as the most vile  blasphemous wretches6 
,sometimes they think that it is        
impossible that  other men's hearts     
should entertain such intolerable things
 within them  as theirs1 and that none  
was ever so bad as they2 sometimes they 
think  that if men knew what vile       
imaginations and monstrous things are in
  their minds1 they would in very zeal  
to ,god and religion stone them1 or  at 
least exclude them from all commerce    
with men2 sometimes they think  their   
sin to be the sin against the ,holy     
,ghost2 sometimes they think  ,god is   
engaged in point of honour to shew upon 
them some remarkable  judgment1 and they
 verily look for some fearful stroke to 
confound  them1 and live under such a   
frightful expectation4 ,these and many  

more  to this purpose are their         
thoughts1 so that these temptations are 
every  way troublesome1 both in their   
first and second effects4    ,thus ,i   
have in the general expressed the nature
 of these affrightments4  ,what the     
particular injections are by which he   
studies to affright men1  ,i shall next 
declare4 ,they are principally six3     
#a4 ,atheistical thoughts4 ,by injecting
 these into the mind he doth            
exceedingly affright men1 and frequently
 for that end doth he suggest  that     
there is no ,god1 and that the          
,scriptures are but delusive            
contrivances1 c4 ,concerning these ,i   
shall note a few things2 as1    #a4     
,though there be an observable          
difference betwixt atheistical          
injections and temptations to atheism1  
not only in the design--,satan  chiefly 
intending seduction in the latter1 and  
affrightment by the  former--but also in
 the manner of proceeding--7for when he 
designs  chiefly to tempt to atheism1 he

 first prepares his way by debauching   
the conscience with vicious or negligent
 living1--according to ,ps4 xiv4  #a1   
that which makes men #8say in their     
hearts there is no ,god1' is  this1 that
 #8they are corrupt1 and have done      
abominable works'--and in  this method  
was famous ,junius tempted to atheism3  
but when he chiefly  intends to         
affright1 he sets upon men that by a    
watchful and strict  conversation cut   
off from him that advantage7--yet he    
doth so manage  himself that he can turn
 his course either way1 as he finds     
probability  of success after trial2 for
 he presseth on upon men most where he  
finds  them most to yield1 so that those
 who were but at first affrighted may   
at last be solemnly persuaded and urged 
to believe the suggestion to be  true if
 they give him any encouragement for    
such a procedure4#ccc    #b4            
,contemplative heads and great searchers
 are usually most  troubled in this     
manner1 partly because they see more    

difficulties than  other men1 and are   
more sensible of human inability to     
resolve them1  and partly because ,god1 
who will not suffer his children to be  
tempted  #8above what they are able1'   
doth not permit ,satan to molest the    
weaker  sort of ,christians with such   
dangerous assaults4    #c4 ,persons of  
eminent and singular holiness may be1   
and often are1  troubled with           
atheistical thoughts1 and have sad      
conflicts about them1  ,satan labouring1
 where he cannot prevail for a positive 
entertainment  of atheism1 at least to  
disquiet their minds by haunting them   
with  his injections1 if not to weaken  
their assent to these fundamental       
truths1 in which he sometimes so        
prevails1 that good men have publicly   
professed that they have found it a     
harder matter to believe that there  is 
a ,god than most do imagine4    #d4     
,satan lies at the catch in this design1
 and usually takes men  at the          
advantage1 suddenly setting upon them1  

either in the height of  their          
meditations and inquiries into          
fundamental truths--for when they  soar 
aloft1 and puzzle themselves with a     
difficulty1 then is he at  hand to      
advise them to cut the knot which they  
cannot unloose--or in  the depth of     
their troubles--for when men cannot     
reconcile the daily  afflictions and    
sufferings which they undergo1 with the 
love and care  of ,god toward his       
children1 then it is ,satan's season to 
tell them that  there is no supreme     
disposer of things4 ,in both these cases
 the devil  leaps upon them unawares1   
like a robber out of a thicket1 who1 if 
he  do not wound them by the dart of    
atheistical injection1 at least he is   
sure to astonish them1 and to confound  
them with amazement4 ,for1    #e4       
,sometimes he pursues with wonderful    
violence1 and will dispute  with        
admirable subtlety1 urging the          
inequality of providence1 the  seeming  
contradictions of ,scripture1 the       

unsuitableness of ordinances  to an     
infinite wisdom and goodness1 with many 
more arguments of  like kind2 and this  
with such unexpected acuteness and      
seeming  demonstration1 that the most   
holy hearts and wisest heads shall not  
readily know what to answer1 but shall  
be forced to betake themselves  to their
 knees1 and to beg of ,god that he would
 rebuke ,satan1 and  uphold them that   
their faith fail not4 ,nay1 he doth not 
only dispute1  but by urging1 and with  
unspeakable earnestness threaping1#ccd  
the  conclusion upon men1 doth almost   
force them to a persuasion1 so that     
they are almost carried off their feet  
whether they will or no2 which  was the 
very case of ,david when the devil      
pursued him with atheistical  thoughts  
on the occasion of the prosperity of    
wicked men1 and his  daily troubles3    
,ps4 lxxiii4 #b1 #8,my feet were almost 
gone1 my steps had  well-nigh slipped4' 
#f4 ,yet for all this he sometimes lays 
aside his sophistical  subtlety1 and    

betakes himself to an impudent          
importunity2 for  sometimes he insists  
only on one argument1 not changing that 
which  he first took up1 nor            
strengthening his suggestion with       
variety of  arguments1 but by frequent  
repetition of the same reason persists  
to  urge his injected atheism4 ,this    
gives no discovery of any deep reach  if
 he designed to persuade--for it is     
scarce rational to imagine that  serious
 men1 who by many arguments are fully   
persuaded there is a ,god1  should      
readily lose their hold upon the        
appearance of one objection--but  it    
shews that he purposeth only to molest4 
,and this appears more  evidently1 when 
he contents himself with weak and       
trivial arguments1  which the afflicted 
party can answer fully1 and yet cannot  
for all that  quit themselves of the    
trouble2 for instance1 it is not very   
many years  since a serious and pious   
person came to me1 and complained that  
he  could not be at rest for atheistical

 thoughts that perpetually haunted  him2
 and upon a particular inquiry into the 
cause and manner of his  trouble1 he    
told me the first rise of it was from   
his observation1 that  ,i had           
interpreted some scriptures otherwise   
than he had heard some  others to have  
done2 but withal he added that he knew  
the reason of his  perplexity was but   
silly1 and that which he could easily   
answer2 this  being no just charge      
against the ,scripture1 whose sense and 
truth might  for all that be one1 and   
uniform to itself1 but only an          
implication of  human weakness appearing
 in the different apprehensions of      
expositors2  yet notwithstanding he     
affirmed he could not shake off the     
trouble1  and that his thoughts were    
ever urged with the same thing for a    
long  time together4 ,nay1 such is his  
impudency in this kind of trouble1 that 
those who know it is the best way not to
 dispute fundamentals with  ,satan1 but 
with abhorrency to reject him--after the

 example of ,christ1  with a #8get thee 
behind me1 ,satan'--and accordingly do  
with their  utmost strength reject them1
 yet they find that he doth not readily 
desist4    ,how sad is this trouble6 how
 are pious persons affrighted to see the
  face of their thoughts made abominably
 ugly and deformed by these  violent and
 unavoidable injections6 ,it is not only
 wearisome to those  that know it to be 
solely ,satan's malice1 but it often    
proves to be an  astonishing            
surprisal--like that of a traveller who1
 while he passeth  on his way without   
foresight or thought of danger1 is      
suddenly brought  to the top of a great 
precipice1 where1 when he looks down to 
the vast  deep below1 his head swims1   
his heart pants1 his knees tremble1 and 
the very fear of the sudden danger so   
confounds him that he is through        
excessive dread ready to fall into that 
which he would avoid2 so are  these     
amazed at so great hazards before them4 
,satan could not by all  his art prevail

 with them to abandon the holy ways of  
,god in exchange  for the pleasures of  
sin1 and now they seem to be in danger  
to lose all  at once2 and yet it is more
 affrightful by far to those that       
charge1  through ,satan's cunning1 all  
this atheism upon themselves4    #b4    
,another affrightful injection is that  
of blasphemous thoughts1 as  that ,god  
is not just1 not compassionate2 that    
scriptures and ordinances  are but low  
and sorry things1 c4    ,that ,satan    
doth delight to force such thoughts upon
 men1 is evident1    #a4 ,from his      
nature4 ,he is a blasphemous spirit1 and
 withal so  malicious1 that whatsoever  
is in his cursed mind he will be ready  
to  vent upon all occasions4    #b4     
,from his practice2 for where he can    
obtain the rule over men's              
imaginations1 as in some distracted     
persons1 and those that are  distempered
 with fevers1 he usually makes them     
vomit forth oaths1  cursings1 and       
blasphemies1 and this he doth to some   

that1 while they  have had the use of   
their reason1 have not been observed to 
give their  tongue the liberty of       
swearing or cursed speaking4    #c4     
,from his professed design in the case  
of ,job1 concerning whom he  boasted to 
,god himself that he would make him     
curse him to his face1  and accordingly 
tempted him by his wife to curse ,god   
and die4    #d4 ,from the sad experience
 of those that have suffered under this 
sad affliction3 for many have complained
 of blasphemous thoughts2  and those    
whom he cannot conquer he will thus     
trouble4 ,neither need  we think it     
strange that the devil can impress      
blasphemies upon the  imaginations of   
men against their wills1 when we        
consider that he could  make ,saul1 in  
his fits1 to behave himself like an     
inspired person1 and  cause him to utter
 things beyond and unsuitable to his    
disposition1  after the rate and manner 
of those raptures which idolatrous      
priests  used to be transported withal4 

,bacchatur vates4 ,virgil4#cce ,this1   
in #a ,sam4 xviii4 #aj1 is called       
,saul's prophesying1 when the #8evil    
spirit from the ,lord vexed him2' and is
 the same with that which is  spoken    
concerning ,baal's priests3 #a ,kings   
xviii4 #bi1 #8,they prophesied  until   
the time of the offering of the evening 
sacrifice'--that is1 they  were         
exercised with trances and rapturous    
furies1 in which they uttered  strange  
sounds and speeches4 ,how easily1 then1 
may ,satan possess the  fancies of men  
with blasphemies6 so that the unwilling 
may be troubled  with them1 and those   
that are deprived of the benefit of     
reason1 may1  from the power of the     
impression upon their imagination1 vent 
them with  a kind of unwillingness4     
,melancholy persons do very frequently  
meet with this kind of trouble1  ,satan 
having a great power upon their         
imagination1 and great  advantages1 from
 the darkness of that humour1 to make   
the fear arising  from such thoughts the

 more astonishing1 and to delude them   
into an  apprehension that they are     
guilty of all that passeth through their
  thoughts1 and also to work this       
perplexity to more dismal effects4  ,in 
these kind of men he doth play the      
tyrant with such injections1  abusing   
them to such a height as if they were   
his vassals and slaves1  whose thoughts 
and tongues were in his and not their   
own keeping2 and  so strongly doth he   
possess them with this perplexity       
sometimes1 that  all the counsels1      
reasonings1 or advice of others cannot  
in the least  satisfy or relieve them2  
yet1 notwithstanding1 ,i have known     
several  under this affliction who1 when
 by physic the state of their bodies    
hath been altered1 have found themselves
 at ease immediately1 the  trouble      
gradually and insensibly ceasing of     
itself4    ,others there are that have  
great vexation from these thoughts1 and 
these are commonly such as by some long 
and grievous pain1 sickness1  or other  

crosses1 have their spirits fretted and 
imbittered2 then is  ,satan ready to    
suggest that ,god is cruel or regardless
 of his people2  and these thoughts are 
the more dreadful because fretting and  
murmuring  spirits have a natural       
tendency to think harshly of ,god2 so   
that ,satan  in this case doth with the 
more boldness obtrude these suggestions 
upon  them1 finding so great a          
forwardness toward such imaginations1   
and  also with greater severity he doth 
reflect upon them1 as being in some     
likelihood compliant and consenting4    
,when other persons--not so concerned as
 these two sorts of men above           
mentioned--are assaulted with           
blasphemous thoughts1 the fits are less 
permanent1 and1 because they easily     
discover the design and author of  them1
 not highly affrightful1 though still   
troublesome4    ,the burden of these    
injections are much like the former1    
very sadly  afflicting4 ,for who can    
easily bear the noise of ,satan while he

  shouts continually into their ears    
odious calumnies and blasphemous        
indignities against ,god8 ,david could  
not hear wicked men blaspheme  ,god but 
it was #8as a sword in his bones1'      
exceeding painful4 ,the  impressions of 
nature1 that teach us to revere and     
honour ,god2 the  power of education1   
that confirms these impressions2 the    
persuasion  of faith1 that assures us of
 the reality and infinite excellency  of
 a ,godhead2 and the force of love1 that
 makes us more sensibly  apprehensive of
 any injury or dishonour done to him    
whom we love above  all2--all these do  
suffer by these violent incursions of   
,satan1 and the  sufferer finds himself 
to be pained and tortured in these noble
 parts4  ,how grievous must it be to a  
child of ,god to have his ear chained to
  these intolerable1 ingrateful         
reproaches6--especially when we consider
  that the devil will in this case utter
 the most dreadful blasphemies he  can  
devise1 which will still add to the     

affliction--for even those men  that    
through habit can well bear ordinary    
petty oaths1 will yet startle  at       
outrageous prodigious swearing--and     
therefore whatever covert and           
consequential blasphemies may be to some
 men1 these impudent1 hideous  abuses of
 the holy and just ,god must needs sadly
 trouble those that  are forced to hear 
them4 ,and the more constant the greater
 trouble4  ,who would not be weary of   
their lives that must be forced to      
undergo  this vexation still without    
intermission8 ,and yet the devil can    
advance  the trouble a little higher by 
the apparatus or artificial#ccf dread   
which he puts upon the temptation in the
 manner of the injection2 as  the       
roaring of the lion increaseth terror in
 the beasts of the field1  who without  
that would tremble at his presence2 and 
as the thundering  and lightning at the 
giving of the law increased the fear of 
,israel1  so when ,satan is upon this   
design1 he shakes as it were the house1 

and  makes a noise that the fright may  
be increased4    #c4 ,suspicious fears  
of being excluded out of ,god's eternal 
decree of  election is another of his   
affrightments4 ,this is when ,satan     
boldly  takes upon him to determine     
,god's secret counsel concerning any    
man2  peremptorily asserting that he is 
none of ,god's elect4 ,in which case  he
 often doth only inject the suspicion   
confidently1 without offer of  proof2 or
 if he use arguments1 they never amount 
to a proof of his  assertion2 neither is
 it possible they should1 for these are 
among  #8,god's secrets1' and out of    
,satan's reach1 though possibly they may
  prove the person to be not converted  
at present4 ,so that this kind of       
trouble differs exceedingly from those  
disquiets of temptation which           
frequently men suffer about their state 
of regeneration4 ,and indeed the        
question should not be confounded1 it   
being of great concern to men  when     
their peace is assaulted to be able to  

observe the difference  betwixt these   
two assertions1 #8,thou are not         
elected1' and #8,thou art not  yet      
regenerated4' ,seeing--the latter being 
granted--there yet remains  a hope of   
the probability or possibility of that  
man's conversion  afterwards4 ,the      
suspicions of non-conversion are more   
common1 and not  so dangerous2 nay1 in  
unregenerate persons the fears of their 
being yet  in that condition1 being     
joined with diligence and care to avoid 
the  danger1 are necessary and          
advantageous2 but the former being      
granted1  all hopes are1 together with  
that concession1 laid off1 which must   
needs make the affrightment intolerable4
 ,in this we may observe1    #a4 ,that  
,satan1 for the better management of    
this design1 doth not  only inject these
 suspicions in the most dreadful        
language--as1 #8,thou  art a lost and   
damned wretch1 hopelessly miserable to  
all eternity2 ,god  hath not elected    
thee to life1 but prepared for thee1 as 

a vessel of  wrath1 the lake of fire and
 brimstone for ever1' c4--but also he   
doth  assert them with the highest      
peremptoriness imaginable1 as if he had 
authority from ,god to pronounce a      
sentence of condemnation against a  man4
 ,this must needs amaze the afflicted   
unspeakably4    #b4 ,in this he also    
observes his advantages2 for there are  
some men  so sadly suited to this       
design1 that ,satan comes better to     
speed upon  them than others4 ,usually  
he fixeth his eyes1    ,first1 ,upon    
young persons at their first serious    
attendances upon1 and  considerations   
of1 ,scripture truths4 ,their hearts are
 then tender4  ,youth hath a natural    
tender-heartedness4 ,we find them       
coupled together  in ,rehoboam's        
character3 #b ,chron4 xiii4 #g1 #8,when 
,rehoboam was young and                 
tender-hearted4' ,and they are apt to   
receive strong impressions4 ,when  those
 who were formerly mindless of their    
spiritual concern begin to be  serious1 

they can no sooner fall upon a          
consideration of those weighty          
doctrines1 that there are sheep and     
goats1 some saved and some damned1  that
 the blessed are few in comparison of   
the many that take the broad  way to    
destruction1 and that these were from   
eternity ordained unto  life1 and these 
only1 c42 no sooner1 ,i say1 begin they 
to ponder these  things1 but ,satan is  
ready with his suspicion1 #8,and what   
dost thou know  but thou art one of     
these excluded wretches8 ,if but few are
 saved1 a  thousand to one thou art none
 of them2 for why should ,god look upon 
thee more than another8' ,these are his 
first essays#ccg with young men         
beginning to be serious1 in which       
afterward he proceeds with greater      
boldness as he seeth occasion4          
,secondly1 ,he also doth this to persons
 that are some way quickened  to a      
devotional fear of ,god and care of     
their souls1 but withal are  ignorant1  
and not able distinctly to apprehend and

 orderly to range  the doctrines of the 
,scriptures into a due consistency with 
one  another4 ,their careful fears make 
them inquire into what ,god hath  said  
concerning the everlasting state of men2
 and before they can be  able to digest 
the principles of religion1 ,satan sets 
some truths  edgeways against them1     
which put them into great affrightment2 
while1  through their ignorance1 other  
truths1 appointed and declared for  the 
satisfaction of the minds of those that 
hunger and thirst after  righteousness1 
cannot come in to their relief4 ,how    
startling must the  truths of ,god's    
election be when they stand forth alone1
 and are not  accompanied with the      
invitations of the gospel1 that promise 
pardon and  acceptance to all that will 
come in and submit to ,christ6 ,satan   
usually  holds such kind of men to the  
consideration of those truths that have 
the most dismal aspect2 and while they  
are stopped there1 they can draw  forth 
no other conclusions than these1 that   

they are in hazard1 and1  for aught they
 know1 utterly lost4    ,third1 ,satan  
hath also this plot against those that  
by some grievous  iniquity1 or long     
continuance in sin1 have highly provoked
 the ,lord4  ,here he useth arguments   
from the heinousness of their iniquity3 
,thou  art a reprobate1 because thou    
hast committed these great evils1 these 
are marks of damnation1 c42 which       
arguments1 though they be of no  value1 
and no way proving that for which they  
are brought1 yet ,satan  injecting      
suspicions1 and their own consciences in
 the meantime justly  accusing1 they so 
sink under their fear that they suffer  
,satan to make  what conclusion he will1
 and then they subscribe to it4         
,fourth1 ,above all1 melancholy persons 
give the devil the greatest  advantage  
to raise affrightments4 ,that distemper 
naturally fills  men with sad thoughts1 
and is credulous of the worst evil that 
can  be objected against him that hath  
it4 ,of itself1 it can create  the      

blackest conceits and saddest surmises1 
and then believes its  own fancy4 ,when 
,satan strikes in with this             
humour--finguntque  creduntque--they are
 the more confirmed in their suspicions2
 and the  fright is the greater1 because
 they are as incredulous of what is     
good1  if it be told them1 as they are  
apt to believe what is evil1 and to     
believe it1 because they fear it1 dum   
timet credit1--though no other  reason  
were offered3 but much more when ,satan1
 in a prophetic manner1  foretells their
 misery1 and assures them they must     
never be happy4    #c4 ,the suspicions  
which the devil hath by these advantages
 raised  up1 he doth endeavour to       
increase1 and to root them deeply in the
  minds of them upon whom he hath thus  
begun4 ,and indeed1 by frequent         
inculcating the same thing1 with his    
continued peremptoriness of  asserting  
the certainty of their non-election1 he 
at last brings  up very many to a full  
persuasion that it is so2 and besides   

other  arts that he may have1 or        
exercise in this particular1 he commonly
  practiseth upon men by perverting the 
true intendment and use of the  doctrine
 of election4 ,that there is such a     
thing as election1 and  that of a       
determinate number1 are truths          
undeniable2 and the end of  their       
discovery in the gospel is the comfort  
and confirmation of the  converted4     
,here they may see ,god's unchangeable  
love to them--how much  they stand      
engaged for the freeness of grace1 and  
that the foundation  of ,god is sure1   
c42 for to this purpose doth our        
,saviour improve these  doctrines1 ,john
 xvii4 #f1 #g1 #i1 #ab1 #ae1 #af4 ,but  
nothing of this is  spoken to discourage
 any man from his endeavours1 neither   
can any man  prove that he or any other 
is excluded out of the decree of        
election1  except in case of the sin    
against the ,holy ,ghost2 neither is it 
possible for the devil to prove any such
 thing against any man2 neither  ought  

any to suppose himself not elect2 but on
 the contrary1 if he is  willing to     
forsake sin1 and desirous to be         
reconciled to ,god1 he ought  to        
apprehend a probability that he is      
elected1 because the proffer of  ,christ
 is made to all that will receive him4  
,and therefore should men  stop their   
ears against such suggestions1 and not  
dispute that with  ,satan1 but rather   
hearken to the commands1 exhortations1  
and promises  of ,scripture1 it being   
most certain that these #8secret things 
belong  to ,god1' ,deut4 xxix4 #bi1 and 
are no man's rule to walk by1 seeing    
#8revealed things only belong to us2'   
all this the devil perverts1 for  he    
endeavours to make election the         
immediate object of our faith1 and  our 
rule to walk by1 as if it were necessary
 that every man knew ,god's  eternal    
purpose concerning him before he begin  
his endeavours4 ,and as  he argues some 
men into a perverse carelessness upon   
the ground of  election1 making them to 

conclude that if they are ordained to   
life1  they shall be saved1 though they 
live wickedly2 if they be not1 they     
shall be damned1 though they endeavour  
never so much to the contrary2  so he   
also argues some1 from this doctrine1   
into terrible fears  of damnation1      
because they cannot be assured aforehand
 that their  names are written in       
heaven4 ,and these dreadful suspicions  
he doth  labour to strengthen by some   
men's unwary handling of the doctrine   
of non-election4 ,when some preachers   
unskilfully urge the dangerous  signs of
 reprobation1 or speak severely of      
,god's decrees1 without due  caution and
 promise of mercy to all penitent       
sinners2 or when some1  unskilful in the
 methods of comforting the distressed in
 conscience1  because they are not able 
to shew the afflicted their condition1  
or to  speak #8a word in season' to     
quiet their minds1 and to direct them   
what  course to take1 do usually refer  
them to ,god's decree1 and tell them1   

,if ,god have decreed them to salvation1
 they shall be saved2 ,satan doth       
industriously hold them there2 by this  
means he leads them from their  promises
 and their duty1 and keeps them musing  
and poring upon election  till they are 
bewildered1 and cannot find the way out4
 ,thus have  several continued under    
their affrightments for many years4     
#d4 ,we may observe1 ,that when ,satan  
hath brought them into this snare1  he  
doth tyrannically domineer over them4   
,he doth deride them under  their       
trouble1 and mock at them when their    
fear comes upon them4 ,and  because now 
the very thought or hearing of election 
is as a dagger to  the heart1 and a     
#8dreadful sound in their ears1' he     
delights to repeat  it to them2 for the 
very naming of the word becomes as      
dreadful as the  sentence of            
condemnation to a malefactor1 being     
always accompanied with  this           
reflection1 ,oh how miserable am ,i that
 have no part nor portion in  it6       

,besides1 he doth busy their minds with 
imaginary representations  of hell1 and 
sets before them1 as in a scheme1 the   
day of judgment1  the terrors of the    
damned1 the sentence against the goats  
on the left  hand1 the intolerable pains
 of everlasting burnings1 and that which
 is  the misery of all these miseries1  
the eternity of all4 ,thus he forceth   
their meditations1 but still with       
application to themselves2 neither  doth
 he suffer them to rest in the night1   
but they are terrified with  sad dreams1
 and the visions of the night do        
disquiet them4    #e4 ,how grievous this
 affrightment is1 ,i should next        
observe2 but  that is partly expressed  
in the aforegoing particulars1 and may  
yet  more fully appear by a             
consideration of these three things3    
,first1 ,that a man hath nothing dearer 
to him than his soul4 ,alas6  that      
cannot be counterbalanced by the gaining
 of the whole world1 and  to have no    
hope or expectancy of its salvation must

 needs be terribly  affrightful6        
,second1 ,these suspicions of           
non-election prevailing1 all promises   
and  comforts are urged in vain1 and    
they commonly return them back again to 
those that offered them with this reply1
 #8,they are true and useful to  those  
unto whom they appertain1 but they      
belong not unto me4' ,nay1 all  means   
are rejected as useless4 ,if such be    
advised to pray or read1 they  will in  
their fit of affrightment refuse all2   
upon this reason1 that  they are not    
elected4 ,and then to what purpose1 say 
they1 is prayer1  or any endeavours8    
,for who can alter his decree8 ,and1    
indeed1 if their  affrightments         
continued at a height without           
intermission1 they would  never do      
anything2 but this is their help1 that  
some secret underground  hopes which    
they espy not1 do revive1 at least      
sometimes1 and put them  upon endeavours
 which1 through ,god's blessing1 become 
means of better  information4    ,third1

 ,though ,satan's injections of         
non-election be altogether  unproveable1
 and withal so terrifying1 that it might
 be supposed men  should not be forward 
in their belief of so great an          
unhappiness2 yet  can he prevail so far 
that the persons above named--especially
 the  melancholy--are made to believe   
him1 and this chiefly by possessing     
their imaginations with his frequent    
confident affirmations4 ,we see  it is a
 common practice to teach birds musical 
notes and sounds1 which  is only by     
constant repetition1 till a strong      
impression is made upon  their fancy2   
and thus may one man impose upon the    
imagination of  another with his songs  
or sayings2 for what we hear often we   
cannot  forbear to repeat in our        
thoughts1 being strongly fixed upon our 
fancy4 ,no wonder1 then1 if ,satan1 by  
often repeating1 #8,thou art not        
elected1 thou art damned1' c41 do form  
so strong an impression upon  the       
imagination1 that poor amazed creatures 

learn to say after him1  and then take  
the echoes of their fancy to be the     
voice of conscience  condemning them4   
,now1 then1 if the unhappiness suspected
 be the  greatest beyond all comparison1
 if these suspicions entertained cut off
  all succours of comfort that may arise
 from the promises of ,god and the      
endeavours of man1 if ,satan can prevail
 with men to entertain them with  any   
persuasion--as we see he can--how       
dreadfully will these persuasions       
recoil upon a man6 ,and thus will his   
thoughts run1 #8,i am persuaded ,i am   
not elected2 and if not elected1 then   
comforts and prayers are all in  vain2  
and if these be in vain1 there is no    
possibility of salvation1  nor the least
 hope of a who knows1 or a peradventure2
 and if that1  oh unspeakably           
miserable6' ,under these astonishing    
thoughts doth ,satan  exercise their    
hearts by suspicions of non-election4   
,but1    #d4 ,sometimes he takes another
 course to affright men1 and that is by 

injecting motions of some abominable sin
 or evil into their minds1  to the      
commission whereof he seems strongly to 
solicit2 yet not with  any full         
intention or expectation of prevalency1 
but with a purpose  to molest and       
disquiet4 ,and for that end1 he commonly
 chooseth such  sins as are most vile in
 their own nature1 and most opposite to 
the  dispositions of men4 ,thus he      
injects thoughts of uncleanness to a    
chaste person2 thoughts of injustice and
 wrong to a just man2 thoughts  of      
revenge and cruelty to a weak man2      
thoughts of rejoicing in the loss  and  
misery of others to the merciful man4   
,or else he injects motions  to such    
sins wherein formerly men have been     
overtaken1 but have been  made bitter by
 deep repentance2 the very thoughts     
whereof are now  become most loathsome4 
,and sometimes he pursues men with      
thoughts of  self-murder1 even while    
there is nothing of discontent or       
trouble in  their minds to second such a

 temptation4 ,by this manner of         
proceeding  he creates great            
affrightments to the hearts of men4     
,for1    #a4 ,these are strange         
surprisals2 and persons under this kind 
of trouble cannot but be amazed to find 
such thoughts within them1  which are   
most contrary to their dispositions1 or 
their most serious  resolves4 ,the      
chaste person tempted to uncleanness1 or
 the just man to  revenge2 the humble   
person urged to the same sin that cost  
him so dear1  c42 they wonder at their  
own hearts1 and while they mistake these
  temptations1 by judging them to be the
 issues of their own inclination1  with 
astonishment they cry out1 ,oh1 ,i had  
thought that ,i had mortified  these    
lusts1 but what a strange heart have ,i6
 ,i see sin is as strong in  me as ever6
 ,and ,i have cause to fear myself1 c4  
#b4 ,and this is yet a greater trouble1 
because usually ,satan takes  them at   
some advantage of an offered occasion or
 opportunity1 then  he gives them a     

sudden push1 and with importunity urgeth
 them to take  the time4 ,this often    
affrights them into trembling1 and their
 fears do  so weaken their purposes that
 their hazards are the greater1 in that 
they are astonished into an inactivity4 
,so that in this case the men of  might 
do not readily find their hands4    #c4 
,neither are these motions sudden and   
transient glances1 which  perish as soon
 as they are born1 though it be a very  
frequent thing  with ,satan to cast in  
motions into the heart for trial sake1  
without  further prosecution2 but he1 in
 this case1 pursues with frequent       
repetitions1 following hard after them1 
to the increase of the  affrightment4   
,so that for a long time together men   
may be afflicted  with these messengers 
of ,satan to buffet them2 and though    
they may pray  earnestly against them   
that they may be removed1 yet they find 
the  motions continue upon them4 ,which 
must needs be a hateful annoyance  to an
 upright heart1 that doth know it to be 

only ,satan's design to  affright2 much 
more must it afflict those that do not  
perceive the  contriver and end of such 
motions1 but judge them to be the       
natural  workings of their own evil     
heart4    #e4 ,satan can also affright  
men by immediate impressions of fear    
upon their minds4 ,he can do much with  
the imagination1 especially  when       
persons are distempered with melancholy1
 for such are naturally  fearful1 and   
any impressions upon them have the      
deepest1 most piercing  operation4 ,they
 are always framing to themselves dismal
 things1 and  abound with black and dark
 conceits1 surmising still the worst1   
and  always incredulous of what is good4
 ,hence it is that sometimes men are    
seized upon by fearfulness and          
trembling1 when yet they cannot give any
  tolerable account of a cause or reason
 why it should be so with them4  ,and   
others are excessively astonished with  
the shadows of their own  thoughts upon 
the meanest pretences imaginable4       

,that this is the work of ,satan doth   
appear by unquestionable evidence4      
,this was that #8evil spirit' which ,god
 sent between ,abimelech and the  men of
 ,shechem1 ,judges ix4 #bc4 ,god        
permitted ,satan1 for the punishment  of
 them both1 to raise fears and          
jealousies in the heart of ,abimelech   
against the men of ,shechem1 and in the 
hearts of the men of ,shechem  against  
,abimelech4 ,they were mutually afraid  
of one another1 and  these fears wrought
 so far1 that they were1 for the        
prevention of a  supposed danger1       
engaged in treacherous conspiracies1 to 
the real ruin  of them both4 ,the #8evil
 spirit' that vexed ,saul1 #a ,sam4 xvi4
 #ad1 was  nothing else but sudden and  
vehement fits of terror and inward fear1
  which the devil raised by the working 
up of his melancholy4 ,for we may       
observe these fits were allayed by      
music2 and also we might see by his     
disposition out of his fits1 and by his 
carriage in them1 that inward  fears    

were his tormentors2 for1 #a ,sam4      
xviii4 #i1 it is noted that ,saul  eyed 
,david1 that is1 his jealous fears began
 to work concerning ,david1  of whom it 
is said expressly1 ver4 #ab1 #8that he  
was afraid because the  ,lord was with  
him1' and when the evil spirit came upon
 him his heart  was exercised with these
 fears1 and accordingly he behaved      
himself  when he cast the javelin at    
,david with a purpose to slay him4 ,upon
 any  occasion1 of trouble especially1  
the devil was at hand to heighten his   
affrightment1 insomuch that when the    
supposed ,samuel told him of his  death1
 #a ,sam4 xxviii4 #bj1 he was afraid to 
such a height that he #8fell            
straightway all along on the earth1 and 
there was no strength in him4'  ,neither
 must we suppose that ,satan in this    
kind of working is confined  only to    
wicked men2 for there is nothing in this
 manner of affrightment  which is       
inconsistent with the condition of a    
child of ,god1 especially  when ,god    

gives him up to trial or correction4    
,nay1 many of ,god's  servants suffer   
under ,satan's hand in this very manner4
 ,let us consider  the troubles of ,job1
 and we shall find that though ,satan   
endeavoured  to destroy his peace by    
discomposure of spirit1 by questioning  
his  integrity1 by frightful injections 
of blasphemous thoughts1 yet all  these 
he vanquished with an undaunted courage1
 the blasphemy he  rejected with        
abhorrency1 his integrity he resolved he
 would not  deny so long as he lived1   
his losses he digested easily with a    
sober  composed mind1 blessed ,god that 
gives and takes at pleasure2 and yet he 
complains of his fears1 and his frequent
 surprisals thereby1 insomuch  that his 
friends take notice that most of his    
trouble arose from  thence3 chap4 xxii4 
#aj1 #8,a sudden fear troubleth thee2'  
and he himself  confesseth as much1 ix4 
#cd1 #8,let not his fear terrify me 444 
but it  is not so with me4' ,so that it 
appears that ,job's inward distress was 

mostly from strong impressions of       
affrighting fears4    ,these fears      
impressed upon the mind must needs be an
 unexpressible  trouble4 ,there is      
nothing that doth more loosen the sinews
 and joints  of the soul1 to the        
weakening and utter enfeebling of it in 
all its  endeavours1 than fears2 it     
scatters the strength in a moment4 ,and 
besides the present burden1 which will  
bow down the backs of the  strongest1   
these fears have a special kind of      
envious magnanimity  in them4 ,for 7#a47
 they come by fits1 and have times of   
more fierce  and cruel assaults1 yet in 
their intervals they leave the heart in 
a  trembling fainting posture2 for the  
devil gives not over the present  fit   
till he hath rent them sore1 and left   
them1 as he did the man's son  in ,mark 
ix4 #bf1 #8as one dead'3 so that it is  
no more to be reckoned  compassion and  
gentleness in ,satan toward the         
afflicted that their fits  are not      
constant1 than it can be accounted      

tenderness or kindness in a  tyrant who1
 when he hath racked or tormented a man 
as much as strength  will bear without  
killing out of hand1 gives over for a   
time that the  party might be reserved  
for new torments4 7#b47 ,these fits     
usually  return at such times as the    
party afflicted seems to promise himself
  some little ease1 being designed to   
give the greater disappointment in      
intercepting his expected comforts4     
,sleep and meat are the two great       
refreshments of the distressed2 these   
times ,satan watcheth for his  new      
onsets4 ,job found it so in both cases2 
his meal-times were times  of trouble3  
chap4 iii4 #bd1 #8,my sighing cometh1'  
that is1 the fits of  sighing return1   
#8before ,i eat1 and my roarings are    
poured out like the  waters1' ,and his  
sleeping-times were no better3 vii4 #ac1
 #8,when ,i say1  ,my bed shall comfort 
me1 my couch shall ease my complaint2   
then thou  scarest me with dreams1 and  
terrifiest me through visions3 so that  

my soul chooseth strangling1 and death  
rather than life4' 7#c47 ,these  fears  
do make them feel the weight1 not only  
of real present evils1  but of all      
others which the imagination can        
represent to them4 ,so that  the sight  
or hearing of any sad thing afflicts    
them with surmises that  this will be   
their case4 ,hence are they full of     
misgiving thoughts4  ,sometimes they    
fear that they shall at last fall off   
from ,god into some  scandalous sin1 to 
the dishonour of ,god and religion1 as  
that they  shall be apostates1 and turn 
openly profane2 sometimes they fear they
  shall meet with some signal devouring 
judgment by which they shall one  day   
perish1 as ,david said in the like case1
 #8,i shall one day perish by  the hand 
of ,saul1' #a ,sam4 xxvii4 #a4 ,thus are
 they crucified betwixt  their present  
burden and future expectations of evil4 
#f4 ,the last1 and indeed the meanest1  
engine for the working of  affrightment1
 is scrupulosity of conscience4 ,satan  

vexeth the  conscience and distracteth  
the mind1 by raising up needless1       
groundless fears concerning a man's     
practice4 ,where the ignorance  of men  
or their timorous dispositions do       
encourage ,satan to this  enterprise1   
there he multiplies scruples upon them2 
so that1 though  they assent to the     
doing of anything as good or lawful1 yet
 are they  constantly affrighted from it
 by a suspicious fear that it may be    
otherwise4    ,this kind of trouble     
takes in almost all kind of actions4 ,it
 extends  to the way of a man's calling1
 the way of his management of it1 the   
rates he takes and the prices he gives  
for his commodities2 our very  natural  
actions of sleeping1 eating1 drinking1  
company1 recreation1  are not           
unconcerned4 ,in all which the devil    
affrights the timorous  conscience that1
 it may be he hath offended3 if he buys 
or sells1  he is disquieted with a maybe
 that he hath sold too dear1 or bought  
too cheap2 if he eats or sleeps1 he     

fears he hath been excessive1 a         
sluggard or a glutton3 thus are some men
 molested in everything they do4        
,neither is this kind of affrightment to
 be despised2 for though often  it is a 
groundless fear1 and so appears to be to
 discerning ,christians1  yet those that
 are under this molestation think it bad
 enough4 ,though  it be not as a rack1  
that afflicts with violent pains1 yet it
 is  as those kinds of punishments which
 at first are nothing1 but by           
continuance do tire men out with little 
ease1 and so at last become             
intolerable4 ,besides1 this is a        
multiplying trouble2 for one scruple    
begets another1 and by continuance of   
scrupling1 the conscience grows  so weak
 and unsteady1 that everything is       
scrupled1 and the man brought  to a     
continual affrightment of doing wrong in
 every action4 ,neither  can all men    
make use of the remedy that is          
prescribed for the cure of  this        
distemper1 which is1 that when such     

scruples cannot be removed by  reason1  
then either men should forbear the      
thinking upon such things  from whence  
scruples are apt to arise1 or they      
should break them down  by violence1 and
 go over the belly of their scruple to  
the performance  of their action4 ,i    
deny not but that something may be done 
and  endeavoured this way2 but any may  
see that it is not easy for every one   
to do either of these3 so that this is  
also a troublesome evil1 from  which it 
is not easy to be discharged4           
,,chapter ,,viii4     ,of ,satan's third
 way to hinder peace1 by spiritual      
sadness4--,wherein1   #a4 ,of the       
degrees of spiritual sadness4 #b4 ,of   
the   frequency of this trouble1        
evidenced several ways4 ,of the         
difference   betwixt ,god and ,satan in 
wounding the conscience4 #c4 ,of the    
solemn occasions of this trouble4 #d4   
,the engines by which   ,satan works    
spiritual sadness4 7#a47 ,his sophistry4
 ,his   topics enumerated and explained4

 #a4 ,scriptures perverted4   #b4 ,false
 notions4 #c4 ,misrepresentations of    
,god4   #d4 ,sins3 how he aggravates    
them4 #e4 ,lessening their   graces3 how
 he doth that4 7#b47 ,his second engine1
 fear3 how he   forwards his design that
 way4      ,besides the troubles already
 mentioned under the heads of           
discomposures  of spirit and            
affrightments1 there is a third kind of 
trouble which  ,satan gives to the      
children of ,god1 and this may1 for     
distinction sake1  be called spiritual  
sadness4 ,these spiritual sadnesses are 
troubles  raised in the mind1 relating  
to the conscience and spiritual state or
  condition of men4 ,they differ        
exceedingly from the two former sorts   
of trouble3 for1 7#a47 ,these troubles  
wholly concern the conscience in  point 
of regeneration1 and men's suitableness 
thereunto2 whereas simple  discomposures
 of spirit firstly relate to outward    
things4 7#b47 ,in these  the conscience 
is immediately concerned1 but in other  

troubles the  conscience is either      
wholly untouched1 or wounded only       
secondarily1 by  continuance and        
progress of the discomposure of the     
spirit4 7#c47 ,in  these troubles1      
conscience is the great instrument by   
which the devil  works2 whereas1 in the 
trouble of affrightments1 the devil     
acted alone1  the heart being in the    
meantime uncompliant and resisting4 ,for
 the  opening of this trouble ,i shall  
explain--    #a4 ,the several degrees   
thereof4 ,it is a trouble of conscience 
unduly  aggravated by ,satan1 wherein he
 confines himself to the operations  of 
conscience4 ,but then1 as he suggests   
the troubles of men by the  voice of    
conscience1 so he doth all he can to    
make it irregular in its  actings1 and  
excessive in that irregularity4 ,so that
 in this case the  conscience is evil1  
and employs itself in that mistake1 to  
inquire  into men's regeneracy or       
holiness1 always being either a neuter  
or an  adversary1 and the devil helps   

this forward all he can4    ,the        
apostle1 in ,heb4 x4 #bb1 makes mention 
of an #8evil conscience1'  and that     
chiefly as it doth occasion fear1       
hindering our comfortable  access to    
,god4 ,this the conscience doth when it 
doth not execute its  office aright1    
either in #8not excusing' when it ought1
 or in #8accusing'  when it should not2 
and these false accusations cause       
different sorts  of troubles according  
to the variety of the matter for which  
it doth  condemn4 ,hence is it that     
there are three degrees of trouble of   
conscience below the trouble of         
despair3--    #a4 ,the lowest degree is 
when a regenerate person doth not       
positively  determine the case of his   
soul1 whether he be regenerate or not1  
but  is only kept in suspense betwixt   
hope that he is1 and fear that he is    
not1 the conscience in the meantime     
forbearing to witness for him1  though  
it hath just cause to excuse him4 ,this 
we may call a doubting  or questioning  

conscience2 and though it comes far     
short of these  distresses in which some
 men are plunged upon the account of    
their  souls1 yet is it a trouble1 for  
their peace is hereby hindered and      
their desires of satisfaction           
frustrated1 which in matters of so great
  concern1 as are these of everlasting  
life and everlasting misery1  must be   
very disquieting4 ,when the affections  
are earnest1 their  satisfaction cannot 
be delayed without trouble2 for #8hope  
deferred  makes the heart sick1' ,prov4 
xiii4 #ab2 not only doth it faint under 
its  doubts1 but is by that means so    
weak in its purposes that it is easily  
drawn to admit of greater               
inconveniences1 which may lay the       
foundation  of more perplexing          
disturbances4    ,that the conscience   
may be in such a distemper that it will 
not witness  for a man1 when yet it     
cannot witness against him1 is the      
observation  of those that have treated 
of the nature of conscience4#cch        

,sometimes  it will not make application
 of ,god's promises4 ,though it will    
believe  that he that forsakes sin is   
regenerate1 that he that truly repents  
shall be pardoned1 yet it will not      
affirm for a man that he forsakes  sin  
or repents1 though he really do so2 or  
if it cannot deny that1 yet  it will    
sometimes refuse to make that conclusion
 which one would think  would follow of 
itself by natural consequence1 and so   
refuseth to judge  the person regenerate
 or pardoned1 though it cannot deny but 
that he  forsakes sin and repents4 ,the 
greatness of the blessing1 the          
remainders  of unbelief1 the deep sense 
of unworthiness1 with other             
considerations1  do keep off the heart  
from making1 as ,i may say1 so bold with
 the  promises2 but all this while the  
devil is doing his utmost to aggravate  
these considerations1 affrighting the   
conscience from that just  absolution   
which it ought to give4    #b4 ,another 
degree of trouble arising from an evil  

conscience1 is when  the condition of a 
regenerate person is determined by      
conscience1 but  falsely1 to be very    
bad4 ,i must here1 as some others have  
done1#cci  for want of better terms1    
distinguish betwixt the state of        
regeneracy  and a man's condition in    
that state1 though the words state and  
condition are used promiscuously the one
 for another4 ,a man may be in  a       
regenerate state1 and yet his condition 
in that state may be very  bad and      
blameworthy1 as not walking worthy of so
 holy a calling2 as a  person may be a  
man1 and yet unhealthy or languishing4  
,thus many of  the ,asian churches were 
true churches1 and yet in a bad         
condition2  some #8lukewarm2' some had  
#8a name to live1' and yet were         
comparatively  #8dead1' because their   
works were not full or #8perfect before 
,god2'  and others had #8left their     
first love4' ,to this purpose is that of
  the apostle1 #b ,cor4 xiii4 #e1       
#8,know ye not your own selves1 how that

  ,jesus ,christ is in you1 except ye be
 reprobates8'--     --where the word    
#8reprobate' is not to be taken in the  
strict1  severe sense for one #8not     
elected1' but for one whose conversation
 is  not so sound and approved as it    
should be3 for this relates not to      
their being in ,christ1 but to their    
assurance of being in that state1  which
 the apostle affirms they might know1   
except the fault lay in  their          
negligent1 careless conversation4       
,this kind of trouble then is of this   
nature3 the conscience doth not  accuse 
a man to be unregenerate1 yet it        
condemns him for a carriage  unsuitable 
to the gospel2 and this sometimes when  
his actions are not  absolutely evil1   
but partly good1 partly bad4 ,when the  
conscience  condemns the actions as     
altogether sinful1 because of some      
mixture of  infirmities1 in which case  
we should imitate the apostle1 in ,rom4 
vii41  who when by reason of the        
remainders of sin in him1 he could not  

do the  good he would--that is1 in such 
a manner and degree as he desired1 nor  
avoid the evil which he would so clearly
 and fully as he wished1 some           
imperfections in his best endeavours    
still cleaving to him2 yet his          
conscience took a right course1 he was  
humbled for his imperfections1  but     
withal acquits himself in point of      
integrity2 his conscience  testified1   
ver4 #af1 that he #8consented to the law
 as good2' and ver4  #bb1 that he       
#8delighted in the law of ,god1 after   
the inward man4' ,but in  this case of  
spiritual trouble1 the conscience takes 
all in the worst  sense2 it only fixeth 
upon the imperfections1 and makes them  
to serve  for proofs against the        
sincerity4 ,thus if a man in praying be 
troubled  with wandering thoughts1 then 
a distempered conscience condemns that  
prayer as a sinful profanation of the   
name of ,god4 ,if the great concern  of 
,god's glory run along in such a way as 
is also advantageous to the  person in  

outward things1 then will such a        
conscience condemn the man  for         
self-seeking1 though his main design    
were truly the honour of ,god4  ,in all 
actions where there is infirmity        
appearing with the most serious         
endeavours1 or where ,god's glory and   
man's good are twisted together1  the   
disordered conscience will be apt to    
take part with ,satan1 accusing  and    
condemning the action4 ,yea1 very often 
when the actions are very  good1 no way 
justly reprovable1 the conscience shall 
condemn4 ,if he  have had peace1 he     
shall be judged for security2 if he have
 faith in  ,god's promises1 it will call
 it presumption2 if he have a zeal for  
,god1  it will be misinterpreted for    
carnal rigour2 if he have joy1 it shall 
be misjudged to be natural cheerfulness 
or delusion2 in a word1 all his  graces 
shall be esteemed no better than moral  
virtues4 ,at this rate are  the children
 of ,god put to great trouble1 losing1  
as ,i may say1 the  things they have    

wrought1 sadly bemoaning their hardness 
of heart1 or  want of faith and love1   
when in their carriage and complainings1
 they  give very high proofs of all4 ,in
 this also ,satan is busy to nourish    
the conscience in its jealousies1 and   
doth suggest many objections  to confirm
 it in its distemper4 ,the conscience is
 not always of a  peevish or perverse   
humour2 for sometimes it will smite a   
man for a  miscarriage1--as it did to   
,david when he cut off the lap of       
,saul's  garment1--and yet not break his
 peace3 which is a sufficient evidence  
that it is put1 in this case1 far out of
 order2 which advantage ,satan  works   
upon to disquiet the heart1 to make men 
unthankful for the  mercies they have   
received1 and to incapacitate them for  
more4 ,this1  for distinction sake1 we  
may call the trouble of a grieved or    
dejected  conscience1 according to that 
of ,ps4 xlii4 #e1 #aa1 #8,why art thou  
cast  down1 ,o my soul8 and why art thou
 disquieted within me8' ,though such    

men are under ,god's favour1 yet they   
misdeem it1 and think ,god is angry     
with them2 their heart pants1 their soul
 thirsts1 their tears are their  meat1  
they are ready to say unto ,god1 #8,my  
rock1 why hast thou forsaken  me8' and  
though they have some hopes for the     
future1 that ,god #8will  command his   
loving-kindness1' and that they #8shall 
yet praise him2' yet  their present     
apprehension of their spiritual wants   
and weaknesses1 and  of the displeasure 
of ,god1 which they suppose they are    
under1 makes  them go mourning all the  
day4    #c4 ,the third degree of trouble
 of conscience is when the conscience   
peremptorily denies the state of        
regeneration4 ,hereby a man that is     
really regenerate1 is concluded to be   
yet #8in the gall of bitterness1  and   
bond of iniquity2' his former hopes are 
taxed for self-delusion1  and his       
present state to be a state of nature4  
,this trouble is far  greater than the  
two former1 because the party is judged 

to be in  greater hazard1 and by many   
degrees more remote from hope4 ,it is   
the  frequent and sad thought of such1  
that if death should in that estate  cut
 off their days1 oh1 then they were for 
ever miserable6 ,the fears  and         
disquiets of the heart on this account  
are very grievous1 but  yet they admit  
of degrees1 according to the ignorance  
of the party1  the distemper of the     
conscience1 the strength of the         
objections1 or  severity of the         
prosecution1 in regard the conscience is
 now sadly out  of order4 ,we may call  
this degree of grief1 for distinction1  
#8a wounded  spirit2' which how hard it 
is to be borne ,solomon tells us1 ,prov4
  xviii4 #ad1 by comparing it with all  
other kind of troubles1 which the       
spirit of a man can make some shift to  
bear1 making this heavier than  all1 and
 above ordinary strength4    ,some make 
inquiry what may be the difference      
betwixt a wounded spirit  in the        
regenerate and the reprobate8 ,to which 

it may be answered1  7#a47 ,that in the 
party's apprehension there is no        
difference at all2  both of them may be 
compassed about with the sorrows of     
death1 and  suppose themselves to be in 
the belly of hell4 7#b47 ,neither is    
there  any difference in the degree of  
the trouble2 a child of ,god may be     
handled with as much seeming severity1  
as he whom ,god intends for a  future   
,tophet4 7#c47 ,neither is there any    
such remarkable difference in  the      
working of the spirits of the one and   
other1 that they themselves  at present1
 or others that are bystanders1 can     
easily observe4 ,yet a  formal          
difference there is2 for grace being in 
the heart of the one1  will in some     
breathing or pulse discover its life4   
,and though sometimes  it acts so low or
 confusedly that ,god only can          
distinguish1 yet often  those that are  
experienced observers will discover some
 real breathings  after ,god1 and true  
loathing of sin1 and other traces of    

faith and  love1 that are not so        
discernible to the parties themselves4  
7#d47 ,but  in ,god's design the        
difference is very great2 the wicked lie
 under his  lash as malefactors1 but the
 regenerate are as patients under cure1 
or children under discipline4 7#e47 ,and
 accordingly the issue doth  determine1 
that ,god's intention in wounding their 
spirits were not  alike to both2 the one
 at last coming out of the furnace as   
gold1 the  other still remaining as     
reprobate silver1 or being consumed as  
dross4  ,thus have ye seen the nature   
and degree of spiritual sadness4    #b4 
,for the further explanation whereof ,i 
shall next shew you that this  is a     
usual trouble to the children of ,god4  
,which1 7#a47 ,i might evidence from    
several instances of those that  have   
suffered much under it2 as ,david1 whose
 complaints in this case  are very      
frequent1 and ,heman1 who left a        
memorial of his griefs in ,ps4          
lxxxviii4 ,jonah also1 in the belly of  

the whale1 had a sharp fit of it1  when 
he concluded that he was #8cast out of  
,god's sight1' and his #8soul  fainted  
within him1' ,jonah ii4 #d1 #g4 ,neither
 did ,hezekiah altogether  escape it1   
for though his disquiet began upon      
another ground1 it ran  him into        
spiritual trouble at last4 ,but besides 
these1 innumerable  instances occur4    
,one shall scarce converse with any     
society of  ,christians but he shall    
meet with some who1 with sad complaints1
 shall  bemoan the burden of their      
hearts1 and the troubles of their       
conscience4    7#b47 ,the provisions    
which ,god hath made in his word for    
such1 is  an evidence that such         
distempers are frequent4 ,he that in a  
city  shall observe the shops of the    
apothecaries1 and there take notice of  
the great variety of medicines1 pots1   
and glasses full of mixtures1           
confections1 and cordials1 may from     
thence rationally conclude1 that it  is 
a frequent thing for men to be sick1    

though he should not converse  with any 
sick person for his information4 ,thus  
may we be satisfied from  the           
declarations1 directions1 and           
consolations of ,scripture that it is  a
 common case for the children of ,god to
 stand in need of spiritual  physicians 
and spiritual remedies to help them when
 they are wounded  and fainting4        
,solomon's exclamation1 #8,a wounded    
spirit who can bear8'  shews that the   
spirit is sometimes wounded4 ,the       
prophet's direction1  #8,he that walks  
in darkness and sees no light1 let him  
trust in the  ,lord1' ,isa4 l4 #aj1     
clearly implies that some there are that
 walk  in darkness4 ,god's creating the 
#8fruit of the lips1 ,peace1 peace2'    
his promises of restoring #8comforts to 
mourners2' his commands to  others to   
comfort them2 do all inform us that it  
is a common thing for  his children to  
be under such sadnesses of spirit1 that 
all this is  necessary for their relief4
    7#c47 ,the reasons of this trouble  

do also assure us of the frequency  of  
it2 for of them we may say1 as ,christ  
speaks of the poor1 ,mat4  xxvi4 #aa1   
#8we have them always with us2' so that 
the grounds of  spiritual sadness       
considered1 it is no wonder to find many
 men  complaining under this distemper4 
,the reasons are1    #a4 ,the malice of 
,satan1 who hath no greater revenge     
against a child  of ,god1 when          
translated from the power of darkness to
 the kingdom of  ,christ1 than to hinder
 him of the peace and comfort of that   
condition4    #b4 ,the many advantages  
which ,satan hath against us4 ,for the  
effecting of this we cannot imagine that
 one so malicious as he is  will suffer 
his malice to sleep1 when so many fair  
opportunities of  putting it in practice
 do offer themselves4 ,for1 first1 ,the 
questions  to be determined for settling
 the peace of the soul are very         
intricate1  and often of greater        
difficulty than doctrinal controversies4
 ,how  hard is it to conclude what is   

the minimum quod sic1 the lowest        
degrees of true grace6 or the maximum   
quod sic1 the highest degree  of sin    
consistent with true grace6 ,to         
distinguish betwixt a child  of ,god at 
the lowest1 and a hypocrite or temporary
 believer at the  highest1 is difficult4
 ,in mixed actions1 to be able to shew  
how the  soul doth manage its respect to
 ,god1 when the man hath also a respect 
to himself1 especially when it is under 
any confusion1 is not easy4  ,and in    
these actions1 where the difference from
 others of like kind  lies only in the  
grounds and motives of the undertaking1 
or where the  prevailing degree must    
distinguish the act in reference to     
different  objects that are subordinate 
to one another--as our loving ,god above
  the world or ourselves1 our fearing   
,god above men1 c4--it is not  every one
 that can give a satisfactory           
determination4 ,second1  ,as the        
intricacies of the doubts to be resolved
 give the devil an  advantage to puzzle 

us1 so is the advantage heightened      
exceedingly  by the great               
injudiciousness and unskilfulness of the
 greatest part  of ,christians4 ,these  
questions are in their notion difficult2
 more  difficult in their application to
 particular persons1 where the ablest   
,christian may easily be nonplussed2 but
 most difficult to the weak             
,christians4 ,these ,satan can baffle   
with every poor objection1 and  impose  
what he will upon them4 ,third1         
,especially having the advantage  of the
 working guilt of conscience1 which he  
can readily stir up to  present to a    
man's remembrance all his failings and  
miscarriages of  what nature soever4    
,and when guilt rageth in an unskilful  
heart1 it  must needs create great      
disquiet4 ,fourth1 ,but most of all when
 our  natural fears are awakened2 as    
when a man hath been under any great    
conviction1 though he be cured of his   
trouble1 yet it usually leaves  a       
weakness in the part1 as bruises and    

maims do in any member of the  body1    
which at the change of weather or other 
accidental hurt will  renew their old   
trouble2 and then when fresh guilt      
begins to press  hard upon the          
conscience1 not only do the broken bones
 ache1 by the  reviving of former fears1
 but the impressions of his old         
suspicions1  bad conceit of himself1 and
 jealousies of the deceitfulness of his 
heart1 which had then fixed themselves  
by a deep rooting1 do now make  him most
 fearful of entertaining any good       
thought of himself4 ,so that  if any    
consideration tending to his support be 
offered1 he dare not  come near it1     
suspecting his greatest danger to lie on
 that hand4 ,these  advantages          
considered1 we should not think it      
strange that any child of  ,god is      
driven to spiritual sadness1 as some do1
 but may rather wonder  that this is not
 the common condition of all            
,christians4    #c4 ,another reason that
 must be assigned for these troubles is 

divine  dispensation4 ,such are his     
children1 some so careless1 others      
proud1  others stubborn1 many           
presumptuous1 that ,god is forced to    
correct them  by this piece of          
discipline1 and to cure them by casting 
them into  a fever4 ,others of his      
children he thus exerciseth for other   
ends1  sometimes to take occasion       
therefrom of making larger discoveries  
of  his love2 sometimes thereby         
preventing them from falling under some 
grievous miscarriage1 or for the trial  
and exercises of their graces4  ,we may 
observe1 accordingly1 that there are    
three sorts of men that  usually have   
exercises of this kind4    7#a47 ,those 
who at their conversion are either      
ignorant1 melancholy1 or  were grossly  
scandalous1 are usually brought through 
with great fear  and sadness4 ,and this 
is so observable1 that by the mistake of
 men it  is made a general rule that    
none are converted but they are under   
great  and frightful apprehensions of   

wrath and dismal terrors4 ,this indeed  
is true of some1 but these ordinarily   
are the scandalous1 melancholy1  and    
ignorant sort--though sometimes ,god may
 deal so with others1 for who  can limit
 him8 ,yet are there many whose         
education hath been good1 and  their    
instruction aforehand great1 whose      
conversion is so gradual and            
insensible1 that they are strangers to  
these troubles of conscience1  and      
profess that if these heights of fear be
 necessary to conversion1  they must be 
at a loss2 neither can they give an     
account of the time of  their           
conversion1 as others may4    7#b47     
,those whose conversion was easy1 when  
after their conversion they  miscarry by
 any great iniquity1 they meet with as  
great a measure of  terror and fear1 and
 some think far greater1 as those whose 
new birth  was more difficult4 ,david's 
greatest troubles of soul came upon him 
after he began to appear more public in 
the world2 for then he met  with many   

temptations1 and great occasions for    
,god's exercising his  discipline over  
him4 ,i believe1 when he kept his       
father's sheep1 his  songs had more of  
praises and less of complainings than   
afterward4 ,it  is the opinion of some  
that ,god's dealing in this kind of     
dispensation1  even when miscarriage is 
not the cause1 is more sharp usually to 
those  whose conversion hath been most  
easy4    7#c47 ,there is another sort of
 men1 to whom ,god vouchsafes but seldom
  and short fits of spiritual joy1 as   
breathing times1 betwixt sharp  fits of 
soul-trouble1 for necessary refreshment 
and recovery of  strength2 but the      
constant course which ,god holds with   
them is to  exercise them under fears1  
while he hides his face from them1 and  
suffers ,satan to vex them1 by urging   
his objections against their  holiness  
and integrity4 ,heman was one of this   
rank1 and the great  instance which ,god
 hath given in his word for the support 
of others  that may be in the same case4

 ,for he testifies1 ,ps4 lxxxviii41 that
  he suffered the terrors of ,god almost
 to distraction1 and this from  his     
youth up4 ,it is not fit for us too     
narrowly to question why ,god  doth thus
 to his children1 seeing his #8judgments
 are unsearchable1'  and his #8ways past
 finding out2' but we may be sure that  
,god sees this  dealing to be most fit  
for those that are exercised therewith4 
,it may  be to keep pride from them1 or 
to prevent them from falling into some  
greater inconvenience or sin1 unto which
 he takes notice of a more than         
ordinary proneness in their disposition2
 or for the benefit of others1  who may 
thereby take notice what #8an evil and  
bitter thing it is' to  sin against     
,god1 and what a malicious adversary    
they have to deal with4  ,whoso shall   
consider these reasons of spiritual     
sadness1 must needs  confess1 that      
seeing the advantages which men give to 
a malicious  devil to vex their         
consciences are so many and great1 and  

the weakness  of ,god's children so     
hazardous1 for the prevention whereof1 a
 wise1  careful ,father will necessarily
 be engaged to exercise his discipline1 
it cannot be expected but that spiritual
 troubles should be very  frequent among
 the servants of ,god4    ,quest4 ,here 
it is requisite that ,i give            
satisfaction to this query4  ,seeing    
that ,god doth sometime wound the       
consciences of his children1  and that  
,satan also wounds them1 what are the   
differences betwixt ,god  and ,satan in 
inflicting these wounds8    ,ans4 ,for  
the right understanding of this question
 ,i shall propound  two things3    7#a47
 ,that it is a truth that ,god doth     
sometimes wound the consciences  of his 
children2 and this1    #a4 ,before      
conversion3 but in order to it1 as      
preparatory to that  change1 men are    
then in their sins1 walking in the      
vanity of their  minds4 ,to translate   
them from this estate he awakens the    
conscience1  shews them their           

iniquities1 and the danger of them1 that
 at present  they are #8in their blood1'
 #8children of wrath1 as well as        
others1' and  that without ,christ they 
are miserable4 ,the effect of this must 
needs  be serious consideration1 deep   
thoughts of heart1 with some trouble2   
only as to the measure and degree there 
is great difference4 ,god doth  not in  
the particular application of these     
things to the conscience tie  up himself
 exactly to the same manner and measure 
of proceeding1 though  he keep still to 
his general method4 ,hence is it that   
some1 in regard  of ,god's gentle1      
leisurely dealing1 and the frequent     
interposure of  encouragements1 are1 if 
compared with the case of others1 said  
to be  allured and #8drawn with cords of
 love4' ,but others have a remarkable   
measure of trouble1 sharp fits of fear  
and anguish2 and those most  commonly   
are such whose conversion is more quick1
 and the change  visible from one       
extreme to another1 as ,paul1 when      

converted in the  midst of his          
persecuting rage1 or those whose        
ignorance or melancholy  makes their    
hopes and comforts inaccessible for the 
present4 ,these  troubles ,god owns to  
be the work of his ,spirit4 ,the same   
,spirit1 which  is a #8,spirit of       
adoption' to the converted1 is a        
#8spirit of bondage'  to these1 ,rom4   
viii4 #af4 ,and accordingly we find it  
was so to the  converts in ,acts ii41   
who being #8pricked in their hearts' by 
,peter's  sermon1 #8cried out1 ,men and 
brethren1 what shall we do8' ,the like  
did  the jailor4 ,and the promise which 
,god makes of calling the ,jews1 ,zech4 
xii4 #aj1 doth express ,god's purpose of
 dealing with them in this very  method3
 #8,they shall look upon him whom they  
have pierced1 and shall  mourn for him  
as one that mourneth for his only son1  
and shall be in  bitterness for him2 444
 in that day shall be a great mourning4'
    #b4 ,god also sometimes wounds the  
conscience of his children after        

conversion2 and this he doth to convince
 and humble them for some  miscarriage  
which they become guilty of4#cdj ,as    
when they grow secure1  carnally        
confident of the continuance of their   
peace--when they are  carelessly        
negligent of duty and the exercises of  
their graces--when  they fall into gross
 and scandalous sins1 or wilfully desert
 the ways  of truth1 and in many more   
cases of like kind4 ,when his children  
make  themselves thus obnoxious to      
divine displeasure1 then ,god hides his 
face from them1 takes away his ,spirit1 
signifies his anger to their            
consciences1 threatens them with the    
danger of that condition1 from  whence  
follows grief and fear in the hearts of 
his people4 ,in this  manner ,god       
expressed his displeasure to ,david1 as 
his complaints in ,ps4  li4 do testify3 
#8,make me to hear joy and gladness1    
that the bones which  thou hast broken  
may rejoice4 ,hide thy face from my     
sins4 ,cast me not  away from thy       

presence1 and take not thy ,holy ,spirit
 from me4 ,restore  unto me the joy of  
thy salvation1' c4    7#b47             
,notwithstanding all this1 there is a   
great difference betwixt ,god  and      
,satan in this matter1 which mainly     
appears in two things3--    #a4 ,god    
doth limit himself in all the trouble   
which he gives his  children1 to his    
great end of doing them good1 and       
healing them1 and  consequently stints  
himself in the measure and manner of his
 work to  such a proportion as his      
wisdom sees will exactly suit with his  
end4  ,so that his anger is not like the
 brawlings of malicious persons that    
know no bounds4 ,he will not #8always   
chide2' his debates are in measure1  and
 this #8lest the spirit should fail     
before him1' ,isa4 lvii4 #af4 ,so  that 
when he wounds the conscience before    
conversion1 it is but to  bring them to 
,christ1 and to prevent their taking    
such courses as might  through delusion 
make them take up their stand short of  

him4 ,so much  of mourning and fear as  
is requisite for the true effecting of  
this1  he appoints for them1 and no     
more4 ,when he wounds after conversion1 
it is but to let them feel that it is an
 evil and bitter thing to sin  against  
him1 that their #8godly sorrow may work 
repentance' suitable  to the offence1   
and that they may be sufficiently       
cautioned for the  time to come to #8sin
 no more1 lest a worse thing befall     
them4' ,he  that afflicts not willingly1
 will put no more grief upon them than  
is  necessary to bring them to this4    
,but ,satan1 when he is admitted--and   
,god doth often permit him in           
subservience to his design1 to wound the
  conscience--he proceeds according to  
the boundless fury of his malice1  and  
plainly manifests that his desire is to 
destroy and to tread them  down that    
they may never rise again4 ,this though 
he cannot effect1 for  ,god will not    
suffer him to proceed further than the  
bringing about  his holy and gracious   

purpose1 yet it hinders not but that    
still his  envious thoughts boil up in  
his breast1 and he acts according to his
  own inclination4 ,for it is with      
,satan as it is with wicked men4 ,if    
,god employ them for the chastisement of
 his children1 they consider  not who   
sets them on work1 nor what measures    
probably ,god would have  them observe1 
but they propose to themselves more work
 than ever ,god  cut out for them2 as   
,assyria1 when employed against         
,jerusalem1 ,isa4  x4 #g1 had designs   
more large and cruel than was in ,god's 
commission4  ,god had stinted him in his
 holy purpose2 yet the #8,assyrian meant
  not so1 neither did his heart think   
so2 but it was in his heart to  destroy 
and cut off nations not a few4' ,so that
 when ,god is #8a little  displeased1'  
as he speaks1 ,zech4 i4 #ae1 they do all
 that lies in them  to help forward the 
affliction4 ,thus doth the devil        
endeavour to make  all things worse to  
,god's children than ever ,god intended4

 ,here is one  difference betwixt ,god  
and ,satan1 in the wounding of          
consciences4 ,but1    #b4 ,they are yet 
further differenced1 in that all that   
,god doth in  this work is still        
according to truth4 ,for if he signify  
to the  unconverted that they are in a  
state of nature1 liable to the damnation
  of hell1 unless they accept of ,christ
 for salvation upon his terms1  this is 
no more than what is true4 ,god doth not
 misrepresent their  case to them at    
that time4 ,again1 if he express his    
displeasure to  any of his converted    
children that have grieved his ,spirit  
by their  follies1 by setting before    
them the threatenings of his word1 or   
the  examples of his wrath1 he doth but 
truly tell them that he is angry  with  
them1 and that de jure1 according to the
 rigour of the law and  the demerit of  
their offence he might justly cast them 
off2 but he doth  not positively say    
that1 de eventu1 it shall infallibly be 
so with  them4 ,but ,satan1 in both     

these cases1 goes a great way further4  
,he  plainly affirms to those that are  
in the way to conversion1 that ,god     
will not pardon their iniquities1 that  
there is no hope for them1 that  ,christ
 will not accept them1 that he never    
intended the benefit of his  sufferings 
for them4 ,and when the converted do    
provoke ,god1 he sticks  not to say the 
breach cannot be healed1 and that they  
are not yet  converted4 ,all which are  
most false assertions4 ,and though ,god 
can make  use of ,satan's malice1 when  
he abuseth his children with his        
falsehoods  to their great fear1 to     
carry on his own ends by it1 and to give
 a  greater impression to what he truly 
witnesseth against them2 yet is  not    
,god the proper author of ,satan's      
lying1 for he doth it of his own  wicked
 inclination4 ,the effect of these      
desperate false conclusions1  which is  
the putting his children into a fear in 
order to his end1 may  be ascribed to   
,god2 but the falsehood of these        

conclusions are formally  ,satan's work 
and not ,god's2 for he makes use of so  
much of ,satan's  wrath as may be to his
 praise1 and the #8remainder of his     
wrath he doth  restrain1' ,ps4 lxxvi4   
#aj4    ,i have discovered the nature   
and degrees of these spiritual troubles1
  and that it is a common thing for the 
children of ,god to fall under  them4   
,for the further opening of them ,i     
shall next discover1    #c4 ,the usual  
solemn occasions that do1 as it were1   
invite ,satan to give  his onset against
 ,god's children2 and they are          
principally these six3--    #a4 ,the    
time of conversion4 ,he delights to set 
on them when they are  in the straits of
 a new birth1 for then the conscience is
 awakened1  the danger of sin truly     
represented1 fear and sorrow1 in some   
degree1  necessary and unavoidable4 ,at 
this time he can easily overdrive them4 
,where the convictions are deep and     
sharp1 ready to weigh them down1  a few 
grains more cast into the scale will    

make the trouble1 as ,job  speaks1      
#8heavier than the sand1' chap4 vi4 #c2 
and where they are  more easy or gentle1
 yet the soul being unsettled1 the      
thoughts in  commotion1 they are        
disposed to receive a strong impression1
 and  to be turned1 as wax to the seal1 
into a mould of hopelessness and        
desperation4 ,that this is one of       
,satan's special occasions1 we need  no 
other evidence for satisfaction than the
 common experience of  converts4 ,many  
of them do hardly escape the danger1 and
 after their  difficult conquest of the 
troubles of their heart--which at that  
time  are extraordinarily enlarged--do  
witness that they are assaulted with    
desperate fears that their sins were    
unpardonable1 and sad conclusions       
against any expectation of favour from  
the ,lord their ,god4 ,these  thoughts  
we are sure the ,spirit of ,god will not
 bear witness unto1  because false1 and 
therefore we must leave them at ,satan's
 door4    #b4 ,another occasion which   

,satan makes use of1 is the time of     
solemn repentance for some great sin    
committed after conversion4  ,sometimes 
,god's children fall1 to the breaking of
 their bones4 ,what  great iniquities   
they may commit through the force of    
temptation1 ,i  need not mention4 ,the  
adultery and murder of ,david2 the      
incest of  the ,corinthian2 ,peter's    
denial of ,christ1 with other sad       
instances  in the records of the        
,scriptures1 do speak enough of that4   
,these  sins--considering their         
heinousness1 the scandal of religion1   
the  dishonour of ,god1 the grieving of 
his ,spirit1 the condition of the  party
 offending against love1 knowledge1 and 
the various helps  which ,god affords   
them to the contrary1 with other        
aggravating  circumstances--being very  
displeasing to ,god1 their consciences  
at  least1 either compelled to          
examination by ,god immediately1 or     
mediately  by some great affliction1 or 
voluntarily awakening to a serious      

consideration of what hath been done1 by
 the working of its own light1  assisted
 thereunto by quickening grace1 #a ,cor4
 xi4 #ca1 #cb1--;call them to  a strict 
account4 ,thence follow fear1 shame1    
self-indignation1 bitter  weeping1 deep 
humiliation4 ,then comes ,satan2 he     
rakes their wounds1 and  by his         
aggravations makes them smart the more4 
,he pours in corrosives  instead of oil1
 and all to make them believe that their
 #8spot is not  the spot of ,god's      
children1' ,deut4 xxxii4 #e2 that their 
backslidings  cannot be healed4 ,an     
occasion it is1 as suitable to his      
malice as he  could wish2 for ordinarily
 ,god doth severely testify his anger to
 them1  and doth not easily admit them  
again to the sense of his favour4 ,at   
which time the adversary is very busy to
 work up their hearts to an  excess of  
fear and sorrow4 ,this was the course   
which he took with the  incestuous      
,corinthian1 taking advantage of his    
great transgressions to  #8overwhelm him

 with too much sorrow1' #b ,cor4 ii4 #g1
 #aa4    #c4 ,satan watcheth the        
discomposures of the spirits of ,god's  
children1 under some grievous cross or  
affliction4 ,this occasion also  falls  
fit for his design of wounding the      
conscience4 ,when the hand of  the ,lord
 is lifted up against them1 and their   
thoughts disordered by  the stroke1     
suggesting at that time ,god's anger to 
them and their sins1  he can easily     
frame an argument from these grounds1   
that they are not  reconciled to ,god1  
and that they are dealt withal as       
enemies4 ,david  seldom met with outward
 trouble1 but he at the same time had a 
conflict  with ,satan about his         
spiritual condition or state1 as his    
frequent  deprecations of divine wrath  
at such times do testify2 #8,lord1      
rebuke me  not in thy wrath1' c4 ,there 
is indeed but a step betwixt            
discomposure  of spirit and spiritual   
troubles1 as hath been proved before4   
#d4 ,when ,satan hath prepared the      

hearts of ,god's children by            
atheistical or blasphemous thoughts1 he 
takes that occasion to deny  their grace
 and interest in ,christ1 and the       
argument at that time  seems            
unanswerable4 ,can ,christ lodge in a   
heart so full of horrid  blasphemies    
against him8 ,is it possible it should  
be washed and  sanctified1 when it      
produceth such filthy1 cursed thoughts8 
,all the  troubles of affrightment1 of  
which before1 are improvable to this    
purpose4    #e4 ,another spiritual      
occasion for spiritual trouble is       
melancholy4  ,few persons distempered   
therewith do escape ,satan's hands4 ,at 
one time  or other he casts his net over
 them1 and seeks to stab them with his  
weapon4 ,melancholy indeed affords so   
many advantages to him1 and those  so   
answerable to his design1 that it is no 
wonder if he make much of  it4 ,for1 #a4
 ,melancholy affects both head and      
heart2 it affords both  fear and        
sadness1 and deformed1 misshapen1       

delirious imaginations to  work upon1   
than which nothing can be more for his  
purpose4#cda ,for  where the heart      
trembles and the head is darkened1 there
 every object  is misrepresented4 ,the  
ideas of the brain are monstrous        
appearances1  reflected from opaque and 
dark spirits1 so that ,satan hath no    
more to  do but to suggest the new      
matter of fear4 ,for that question1     
,whether  the man be converted1 c41     
being once started1 to a mind already   
distempered with fear1 must of itself1  
it being a business of so high  a       
nature1 without ,satan's further        
pursuit1 summon the utmost powers  of   
sadness and misreprehension#cdb to raise
 a storm4 #b4 ,besides1  the impressions
 of melancholy are always strong4 ,it is
 strong in its  fears1 or else men would
 never be tempted to destroy themselves2
 it is  strong in its mistakes1 or else 
they could never persuade themselves  of
 the truth of foolish1 absurd1 and      
impossible fancies2 as that of          

,nebuchadnezzar1 who by a delusive      
apprehension1 believing himself to  be a
 beast1 forsook the company of men1 and 
betook to the fields to  eat grass with 
oxen4 ,the imaginations of the          
melancholic are never  idle1 and yet    
straitened or confined to a few things2 
and then the  brain1 being weakened as  
to a true and regular apprehension1 it  
frames nothing but bugbears1 and yet    
with the highest confidence of          
certainty4 #c4 ,these impressions are   
usually lasting1 not vanishing as  an   
early dew1 but they continue for months 
and years4 #d4 ,and yet they  have only 
so much understanding left them as      
serves to nourish their  fears4 ,if     
their understanding had been quite gone1
 their fears would  vanish with them1 as
 the flame is extinguished for want of  
air2 but  they have only knowledge to   
let them see their misery1 and sense to 
make them apprehensive of their         
pain4#cdc ,and therefore will they  pray
 with floods of tears1 unexpressible    

groanings1 deepest sighing1  and        
trembling joints1 to be delivered from  
their fears4 #e4 ,they are  also apt    
after ease of their troubles to have    
frequent returns4 ,what  disposition1   
all these things being considered1 can  
be more exactly  shaped to serve        
,satan's turn8 ,if he would have men to 
believe the  worst of themselves1 he    
hath such imaginations to work upon as  
are  already misshapen into a deformity 
of evil surmising4 ,would he terrify  by
 fears or distress by sadness8 he hath  
that already1 and it is but  altering   
the object1 which oftentimes needs      
not--for naturally the  serious         
melancholic employs all his griefs upon 
his supposed miserable  estate of soul1 
and then he hath spiritual distress4    
,would he continue  them long under     
their sorrows1 or take them upon all    
occasions at his  pleasure1 or act them 
to a greater height than ordinary8 still
 the  melancholic temper suits him4     
,this is sufficient for caution1 that we

  take special care of our bodies1 for  
the preventing or abating of that       
humour by all lawful means1 if we would 
not have the devil to abuse us  at his  
will4    #f4 ,sickness or death-bed is  
another solemn occasion which the devil 
seldom misseth with his will4 ,death is 
a serious thing2 it represents  the soul
 and eternity to the life4 ,while they  
are at a distance1 men  look slightly   
upon these2 but when they approach near 
to them1 men  usually have such a sight 
of them as they never had before4 ,we   
may  truly call sickness and death-bed  
an hour of temptation1 which ,satan     
will make use of with the more          
mischievous industry1 because he hath   
but #8a short time' for it4 ,that is the
 last conflict1 and if he miss  that1 we
 are beyond his reach for ever4 ,so that
 in this case ,satan  encourageth       
himself to the battle with a now or     
never4 ,and hence we  find that it is   
usual for the dying servants of ,god to 
undergo most  sharp encounters4 ,then to

 tell them1 when the soul is about to   
loose  from the body1 that they are yet 
#8in their blood' #8without ,god and    
hope1' is enough to affright them into  
the extremest agonies1 for  they see no 
time before them answerable to so great 
a work1 if it be  yet to do4 ,and withal
 they are under vast discouragements    
from the  weariness and pains of        
sickness1 their understandings and      
faculties  being also dull and          
stupified1 so that if at this last      
plunge ,god  should not extraordinarily 
appear to rebuke ,satan and to pluck    
them out  of these great waters1 as he  
often doth1 by the fuller interposition 
of the light of his face1 and the larger
 testimony of his ,spirit1  after their 
long and comfortable profession of their
 faith and holy  walking1 their light   
would be #8put out in darkness1' and    
they would  #8lie down in sorrow4' ,yet 
this ,i must note1 that as desirous as  
,satan  is to improve this occasion1 he 
is often remarkably disappointed1  and  

that wherein he1 it may be1 and we would
 least expect1 ,i mean in  regard of    
those who1 through a timorous           
disposition or melancholy1  or upon     
other accounts1 are1 as ,i may so say1  
#8all their lifetime  subject to        
bondage4' ,those men who are usually    
exercised with frequent  fits of        
spiritual trouble1 when they come to    
sickness1 death-bed1 and  some other    
singular occasions of trouble1 though we
 might suspect  their fears would then  
be working1 if ever1 yet ,god1 out of   
gracious  indulgence to them1           
considering their mould and fashion1 or 
because he  would prevent their extreme 
fainting1 c41 doth meet them with larger
  testimonies of his favour1 higher     
joys1 more confident satisfactions  in  
his love1 than ever they received at any
 time before1 and this1  to their       
wonder1 their high admiration1 making   
the times which they  were wont to fear 
most1 to be times of greatest           
consolation4 ,this  observation ,i have 

grounded not upon one or two instances1 
but could  produce a cloud of witnesses 
for it4 ,enough it is to check our      
forward  fears of a future evil day1 and
 to heal us of a sighing distemper1     
while we afflict ourselves with such    
thoughts as these3 ,if ,i have so  many 
fears in health1 how shall ,i be able to
 go through the valley of  the shadow of
 death8    #d4 ,i have one thing more to
 add for these discoveries of these     
spiritual troubles1 and that is to shew 
you the engines by which ,satan  works  
them1 and they are these two1 sophistry 
and fears4    ,i4 ,as to his sophistry1 
by which he argues the children of ,god 
into a  wrong apprehension of           
themselves1 it is very great4 ,he hath a
 wonderful  dexterity in framing        
arguments against their peace2 he hath  
variety  of shrewd objections and subtle
 answers to the usual replies by which  
they seek to beat him off4 ,there is not
 a fallacy by which a cunning  sophister
 would seek to entangle his adversary in

 disputation1 but  ,satan would make use
 of it2 as ,i might particularly shew   
you1 if it  were proper for a common    
auditory4 ,though he hath so much       
impudence  as not to blush at the most  
silly1 contemptible reason that can be  
offered1 notwithstanding he hath also so
 much wit as to urge1 though  never     
true1 yet always probable arguments4    
,how much he can prevail  upon the      
beliefs of men1 in cases relating to    
their souls1 may be  conjectured by the 
success he hath upon the understandings 
of men1 when  he argues them into error1
 and makes them believe a lie4 ,we      
usually  say1 and that truly1 that      
,satan cannot in any case force us      
properly to  consent2 yet considering   
the advantages which he takes1 and the  
ways  he hath to prepare the hearts of  
men for his impressions1 and then his   
very great subtlety in disputing1 we may
 say that he can so order the  matter   
that he will seldom miss of his aim4 ,it
 would be an endless work  to gather up 

all the arguments that ,satan hath made 
use of to prove  the condition or state 
of ,god's children to be bad4 ,but that 
,i may not  altogether disappoint your  
expectations in that thing1 ,i shall    
present  to your view ,satan's usual    
topics1 the commonplaces or heads unto  
which  all his arguments may be reduced4
 ,and they are1    #a4 ,scripture abused
 and perverted4 ,his way is not only to 
suggest  that they are unregenerate1 or 
under an evil frame of heart1 but to    
offer proof that these accusations are  
true4 ,and because he hath to  do with  
them that profess a belief of           
,scriptures as the oracles of  ,god1 he 
will fetch his proofs from thence1      
telling them that he will  evidence what
 he saith from ,scripture4 ,thus        
sometimes he assaults the  weaker1      
unskilful sort of ,christians1 ,thou art
 not a child of ,god2  for they that are
 so are enlightened1 translated from    
darkness1 they  are the children of the 
light2 but thou art a poor1 ignorant1   

dark1  blind creature1 and therefore no 
child of ,god4 ,sometimes he labours  to
 conclude the like from the infirmities 
of ,god's children1 abusing  to this    
purpose that of #a ,john iii4 #i1 #8,he 
that is born of ,god doth  not commit   
sin1' and #8he cannot sin1 because he is
 born of ,god1' ,thus  he urgeth it1    
,can anything be more plainly and fully 
asserted8 ,is not  this scripture8      
,canst thou deny this8 ,then he pursues1
 ,but thou sinnest  often2 that is thine
 own complaint against thyself1 thy     
conscience also  bearing witness to the 
truth of this accusation2 therefore thou
 canst  be no child of ,god4 ,sometimes 
he plays upon words that are used in    
divers senses--a fit engine for the     
devil to work by--for what is true in   
one sense will be false in another2 and 
his arguing is from that which  is true 
to that which is false4 ,i remember one 
that was long racked  with that of ,rev4
 xxi4 #h1 #8,the fearful and            
unbelieving1' c41 #8shall  have their   

part in the lake which burns with fire  
and brimstone4' ,from  whence the party 
thus argued3 ,the proposition is true1  
because it is  scripture1 and ,i cannot 
deny the assumption4 #8,fearful ,i am1  
because ,i  am doubtful of salvation2   
and unbelieving ,i am1 for ,i cannot    
believe  that ,i am regenerate1 or in a 
state of grace1 and therefore ,i cannot 
avoid the conclusion4' ,to the same     
purpose he disputes against some  from  
#a ,john iv4 #ah1 #8,there is no fear in
 love3 but perfect love casteth  out    
fear2 but thou art full of fears1       
therefore thou lovest not ,god4'        
,sometimes he makes use of those        
scriptures that make the prevailing     
degree of our love and respects to ,god 
above the world and the things  of this 
life1 to be the characters of true      
grace2 as that of ,john1 #8,if  any man 
love the world1 the love of the ,father 
is not in him2' and that  of ,christ1   
#8,if a man love anything more than me1 
he is not worthy of  me3 he that        

forsakes not all for me cannot be my    
disciple1' c4 ,then  he urgeth upon them
 their love of the world1 and           
unwillingness to part  with their       
estates2 and so brings the conclusion   
upon them4 ,instances  might be         
infinite2 but by these you may judge of 
the rest4 ,let us now  cast our eye upon
 his subtlety in managing his arguments 
against men4  #a4 ,he grounds his       
arguments on ,scripture1 because that   
hath authority  with it1 and the very   
troubled conscience hath a reverence to 
it4 #b4 ,he  always suits his           
scriptures1 which he thus cites1 to that
 wherein the  conscience is most tender4
 ,if there be anything that affords     
matter of  suspicion or fear1 he will be
 sure to choose such an arrow out of the
  quiver of ,scripture as will directly 
hit the mark4 #c4 ,though in the        
citation of ,scripture he always urgeth 
a sense which the ,holy ,ghost  never   
intended1 yet there will be always      
something in those scriptures  which he 

makes use of1 which1 in words at least1 
seem to favour his  conclusion2 as      
appears in the instances now given4 ,for
 when he would  conclude a man not to be
 a child of ,god because of his         
ignorance1  something of his argument is
 true3 it may be the man is sensible    
that  his knowledge is but little1      
compared with the measures which some   
others have2 or that he is at a loss or 
confused in many doctrinal  points of   
religion2 or hath but little experience 
in many practical  cases1 c4 ,this as it
 is true1 so it is his trouble2 and     
whilst he  is poring upon his defect1   
,satan claps an arrest upon him of a far
  greater debt than ,god chargeth upon  
him1 and from scriptures that speak  of 
a total ignorance of the fundamentals of
 religion1 as that there  is a ,god1    
that ,christ ,jesus is ,god and man1 the
 ,redeemer of mankind  by a satisfaction
 to divine justice1 c41 or of a wilful  
ignorance  of the worth of the proffer  
of the gospel1 or its reality1 which is 

discovered in the refusal of the terms  
thereof1 he concludes him to be  in a   
state of darkness2 whereas the ignorance
 which the man complains  of is not the 
ignorance which those scriptures intend4
 ,so in the next  instance1 the sins    
which a child of ,god complains of are  
those of daily  incursion1 which he     
labours and strives against2 but that   
committing  sin mentioned in the text   
hath respect to the ,gnostics1 who      
taught a  liberty in sinning1 and       
fancied a righteousness consistent with 
the  avowed practice of iniquity4 ,hence
 doth ,john1 #a ,epist4 iii4 #g1        
directly  face their opinion in these   
terms1 #8,little children1 let no man   
deceive  you2 he that doth righteousness
 is righteous2' and1 #8,he that is born 
of ,god' neither doth nor can avouch a  
liberty of sinning1 it being  contrary  
to the principles of the new nature4 ,so
 that the miscarriages  of infirmity    
which the child of ,god laments in      
himself are not the  same with that of  

the text1 upon which ,satan grounds the 
accusation4  ,the like may be said of   
the third instance1 from ,rev4 xxi4 #ah4
 ,the  threatening there is against such
 a fear to lose the comforts of the     
world1 that they dare not believe the   
gospel to be true1 and accept it        
accordingly2 which is nothing to those  
fears and doubtings that may  be in a   
child of ,god1 in reference to his      
happiness4 ,thus in all the  rest the   
fallacy lies in misapplying the         
,scripture1 to suit them to  that       
wherein the conscience is tender1 under 
a sense which was never  intended by    
them2 yet in another sense1 the thing   
charged upon the  conscience is true4   
7#d47 ,yet is ,satan so subtle1 that    
when he disputes  by such fallacious    
arguments1 he chiefly endeavours to draw
 off the  defendant's eye and           
consideration from that part of the     
argument  wherein its weakness lies1    
which in this case is always in the     
abuse of  the scripture to a wrong      

sense4 ,this he doth1 partly from the   
advantage  which he hath from the       
reverence that they carry to ,scripture2
 they  believe it to be true1 and are   
not willing to suspect the sense2 and   
many are so weak that if they should1   
,satan is so cunning that he can  easily
 baffle them in any distinction that    
they can make4 ,and partly  from the    
sense they have of that whereof they are
 accused1 they feel  themselves so sore 
in that place1 and for that very end    
doth ,satan  direct his scripture to hit
 it1 that they readily take it for      
granted  that the hinge of the          
controversy turns upon it1 and that the 
whole  dispute rests upon it4 ,now      
,satan having these fair advantages1 by 
a  further improvement of them hides the
 weakness of his argument4 ,for1  #a4   
,he takes that sense of the ,scripture1 
in which he misapplies it1  for granted1
 and that with great confidence1 making 
as if there were  no doubt there4 #b4   
,he turns always that part of the       

argument to them  which they can least  
answer1 pressing them eagerly with the  
matter of  charge1 which they are as    
ready to confess as he is to accuse them
 of1  and aggravating it very busily4   
,and because the unskilful have no other
  direction for the finding the knot of 
the controversy than ,satan's           
bustle--though he1 like the lapwing1    
makes the greatest noise when he  is    
furthest from his nest1 on purpose to   
draw them into a greater  mistake--they 
look no further2 and then1 not being    
able to answer1 they  are soon cast1 and
 striking in with the conclusion against
 themselves1  they multiply their       
sorrows1 and cry out of themselves as   
miserable4    #b4 ,another piece of his 
sophistry is1 the improving certain     
false  notions1 which ,christians of the
 weaker sort have received1 as proofs   
of their unregeneracy or bad condition4 
,as there are vulgar errors  concerning 
natural things1 so there are popular    
errors concerning  spiritual things4    

,these mistakes in a great part have    
their original  from the fancies or     
misapprehensions of unskilful men4 ,some
 indeed  have1 it may be1 been preached 
and taught as truths1 others have risen 
without a teacher from mere ignorance1  
being the conclusions and  surmises     
which weak heads have framed to         
themselves1 from the sayings  or        
practices of men1 which have not been   
either so cleared from the  danger of   
mistake1 or not so distinctly           
apprehended as was necessary4  ,these   
false inferences1 once set on foot1 are 
traditionally handed  down to others1   
and in time they gain among the simple  
the opinion of  undoubted truths4 ,now1 
wherever ,satan finds any of these that 
are fit  for his purpose--for to be sure
 whatever mistake we entertain1 he will 
at one time or other cast it in our     
way--he will make it the foundation  of 
an argument against him that hath       
received it1 and that with very  great  
advantage4 ,for a falsehood in the      

premises will usually produce  a        
falsehood in the conclusion4 ,and these 
falsehoods being taken for  granted1 the
 devil is not put to the trouble to     
prove them4 ,if then  he can but exactly
 fit them to something in the party     
which he cannot  deny1 he forthwith     
carries the cause1 and condemns him by  
his own  concessions1 as out of his own 
mouth4    ,it is scarce possible to     
number the false notions which are      
already  entertained among ,christians  
relating to grace and conversion1 much  
less those that may afterward arise4    
,but ,i shall mention some that  ,satan 
frequently makes use of as grounds of   
objection4    ,first1 ,it is a common   
apprehension among the weaker sort1 that
  conversion is always accompanied with 
great fear and terror4 ,this is  true in
 some1 as hath been said1 and though    
none of the preachers of  the gospel    
have asserted the universality of these 
greater measures  of trouble1 yet the   
people1 taking notice that many speak of

 their  deep humiliations in conversion1
 and that several authors have set      
forth the greatness of distress that    
some have been cast into on that        
occasion--though without any intention  
of fixing this into a general           
rule--have from thence supposed that all
 the converted are brought to  their    
comforts through the flames of hell4    
,upon this mistake the devil  disquiets 
those that have not felt these extreme  
agonies of sorrow in  themselves1 and   
tells them that it is a sure sign that  
they are not  yet converted4 ,though it 
is easy for a man that sees the         
falsehood  of the notion to answer the  
argument1 yet he that believes it to be 
true cannot tell what to say1 because he
 finds he never was under such          
troubles1 and now he begins to be       
troubled because he was not troubled    
before1 or1 as he supposeth1 not        
troubled enough4    ,second1 ,another   
false notion is1 that a convert can give
 an account  of the time and manner of  

his conversion4 ,this is true in some1  
as in  ,paul and some others1 whose     
change hath been sudden and remarkable1 
though in many this is far otherwise2   
who can better give account  that they  
are converted1 than by what steps1      
degrees1 and methods  they were brought 
to it4 ,but if any of these receive the 
notion1 they  will presently find that  
,satan will turn the edge of it against 
them1  and will tell them that they are 
not converted1 because they cannot      
nominate the time when1 nor the manner  
how1 such a change was wrought4         
,third1 ,some take it for granted that  
conversion is accompanied with  a       
remarkable measure of gifts for prayer  
and exhortation2 and then  the devil    
objects it to them1 that they are not   
converted1 because  they cannot pray as 
others1 or speak of the things of ,god  
so readily1  fluently1 and              
affectionately as some others can4 ,thus
 the poor1 weak  ,christian is baffled  
for want of abilities to express himself

 to ,god  and men4    ,fourth1 ,false   
notions about the nature of faith are a 
sad  stumbling-block to some4 ,many     
suppose that saving faith is a certain  
belief that our sins are pardoned1 and  
that we shall be saved1 making  faith   
and assurance all one4 ,this mistake is 
the deeper rooted in  the minds of men  
because some have directly taught so1   
and those men  of estimation1 whose     
words are entertained with great        
reverence by  well-meaning ,christians4 
,for whom notwithstanding this may be   
pleaded  in excuse1 that they have      
rather described faith in its height    
than  in its lowest measures4 ,however  
it be1 those that have no other         
understanding of the nature of faith can
 never answer ,satan's argument1  if he 
takes them at any time at the advantage 
of fear or doubting3 for  then he will  
dispute thus1 ,faith is a belief that   
sins are pardoned1  but thou dost not   
believe this1 therefore thou hast no    
faith4 ,oh1 what  numbers of poor       

doubting ,christians have been          
distressed with this  argument6         
,fifth1 ,some take it for a truth that  
growth of grace is always  visible1 and 
the progress remarkable4 ,and then      
because they can make  no such discovery
 of themselves1 the devil concludes     
their grace to be  counterfeit and      
hypocritical4    ,sixth1 ,of like nature
 are some mistaken signs of true grace1 
as that  true grace fears ,god only for 
his goodness4 ,and then if there be any 
apprehension of divine displeasure      
impressed upon the heart1 though  upon  
the necessary occasion of miscarriage1  
they1 through the devil's  instigation1 
conclude that they are under #8a spirit 
of bondage1' and  their supposed grace  
not true1 or not genuine at least1      
according to  that disposition which the
 ,new ,testament will furnish a man     
withal4  ,it is also another mistaken   
sign of grace1 that it doth direct a man
  to love ,god singly for himself1      
without the least regard to his own     

salvation2 for that1 they think1 is but 
self-love4 ,now1 when a child  of ,god  
doth not see his love to ,god so        
distinct1 but that his own  salvation is
 twisted with it1 ,satan gets advantage 
of him1 and forceth  him to cast away   
his love as adulterate and selfish4     
,like to this  mistake1 but of a higher 
strain1 is that of some1 that where     
grace is  true1 it is so carried forth  
to honour ,god1 that the man that hath  
it  can desire ,god may be honoured     
though he should be damned4 ,god doth   
not put us to such questions as these1  
but upon supposition that this  is true1
 the grace of most men will be shaken by
 the objection that  ,satan will make   
from thence2 he can and will presently  
put the mistaken  to it1 ,canst thou say
 thou art willing to go to hell1 that   
,god may be  glorified8 ,if not1 where  
is thy grace8 ,from such mistakes as    
these  he disputes against the holiness 
of the children of ,god2 and it is      
impossible but that he should carry the 

cause against those who grant  these    
things to be true4 ,satan can undeniably
 shew them that their  hearts will not  
answer such a description of a convert  
or gracious  heart as these false       
notions will make4 ,so long then as they
 hold these  notions they have no relief
 against ,satan's conclusions2 no       
comfort  can be administered till they  
be convinced that they have embraced    
mistakes for truths4 ,and how difficult 
that will be in this case1  where the   
confidence of the notion is great1 and  
the suspicion strong1  that the defect  
is only in the heart1 hath been         
determined by frequent  experience      
already4    #c4 ,the third piece of     
,satan's sophistry from whence he       
raiseth false  conclusions1 is his      
misrepresentation of ,god4 ,in this he  
directly  crosseth the design of the    
,scriptures1 where ,god in his nature   
and  dealings is so set forth1 that the 
weakest1 the most afflicted and  tossed1
 may receive encouragement of           

acceptance1 and of his fatherly  care   
over them in their saddest trials4 ,yet 
withal1 lest men should  turn his grace 
into wantonness1 and embolden themselves
 in sin because  of his clemency1 the   
,scriptures sometimes give us lively    
descriptions  of his anger against those
 that wickedly presume upon his         
goodness1  and continue so to do4 ,both 
these descriptions of ,god should be    
taken  together1 as affording the only  
true representation of him4 ,he is  so  
gentle to the humbled sensible sinner1  
that #8he will not break  their bruised 
reed1 nor quench their smoking flax1'   
,mat4 xii4 #bj4  ,and so careful of     
health that1 for their recovery1 he will
 not leave  them altogether unpunished1 
nor suffer them to ruin themselves by a 
surfeit upon worldly comforts2 yet with 
#8the froward he will shew  himself     
froward1' ,ps4 xviii4 #bf4 ,and #8as for
 such as turn aside unto  their crooked 
ways1 the ,lord shall lead them forth   
with the workers of  iniquity1' ,ps4    

cxxv4 #e4 ,he will #8put out the candle 
of the wicked1'  for he sets them in    
#8slippery places1 c41 so that they are 
cast down  into destruction1 and brought
 into desolation as in a moment2 they   
are  consumed with terrors1' ,ps4       
lxxiii4 #ai4 ,now ,satan will sometimes 
argue against the children of ,god1 and 
endeavour to break their hopes  by      
turning that part of the description of 
,god against them1 which is  intended   
for the dismounting of the confidence of
 the wicked1 and the  bringing down of  
high looks4 ,by this means he wrests the
 description of  ,god to a contrary end1
 and misrepresents ,god to a trembling  
afflicted  soul4 ,this he doth1         
,first1 ,by misrepresenting his nature4 
,here he reads a solemn  lecture of the 
holiness and justice of ,god1 but always
 with reflection  upon the vileness and 
unworthiness of the person against whom 
he  intends his dart4 ,and thus he      
argues3 ,lift up thine eyes to the      
heavens1 behold the brightness of ,god's

 glory3 consider his unspotted          
holiness1 his infinite justice4 ,the    
heavens are not clean in his  sight2 how
 much more abominable and filthy then   
art thou6 ,his eyes  are pure1 he cannot
 wink at nor approve of the least sin2  
how canst  thou then imagine1 except    
thou be intolerably impudent1 that he   
hath  taken such an unclean wretch into 
his favour8 ,he is a jealous ,god1  and 
will by no means acquit the guilty2     
canst thou then with any show  of reason
 conclude thyself to be his child8 ,he  
beholds the wicked  afar off2 he shuts  
out their prayer2 he laughs at their    
calamity2 he  mocks when their fear     
comes2 and therefore thou hast no cause 
to think  that he will hear thy cry1    
though thou shouldst make many prayers4 
,it  cannot be supposed that he will    
incline his ear4 ,it is his express     
determination1 that if any man regard   
iniquity in his heart1 the ,lord  will  
not hear his prayer4 ,this1 and a great 
deal more will he say4  ,and while      

,satan speaks but at this rate1 we may  
call him modest1  because his           
allegations are in themselves true1 if  
they were applied  rightly4 ,sometimes  
he will go further1 and plainly belie   
,god1 speaking  incredible falsehoods of
 him3 but because these properly        
appertain to  a higher sort of troubles1
 of which ,i am next to speak1 ,i shall 
not  here mention them4 ,however1 if he 
stops here1 he saith enough against  any
 servant of ,god that carries a high    
sense of his unworthiness4 ,for  being  
thus brought to the view of these       
astonishing attributes1 he  is dashed   
out of countenance1 and can think no    
other1 but that it is  very unlikely    
that so unworthy a sinner should have   
any interest in so  holy a ,god4 ,thus  
the devil affrights him off1 turning the
 wrong side  of the description of ,god 
to him2 and in the meantime hiding that 
part  of it that speaks ,gods wonderful 
condescensions1 infinite compassions1   
unspeakable readiness to accept the     

humble1 broken-hearted1 weary1          
heavy-laden sinner1 that is prostrate at
 his footstool for pardon4 ,all  which  
are on purpose declared in the          
description of ,god's nature1 to        
obviate this temptation1 and to         
encourage the weak4    ,second1 ,he     
misrepresents ,god in his providence4   
,if ,god chastise  his children by any  
affliction1 ,satan perversely wrests it 
to a bad  construction1 especially if   
the affliction be sharp1 or seem to be  
above their strength1 or frequent1 and  
most of all if it seem to  cross their  
hopes and prayers2 for then he argues1  
,these are not the  chastisements of    
sons4 ,god indeed will visit their      
transgressions  with rods1 but his      
dealing with thee is plainly of another 
nature1  for he #8breaketh thee with his
 tempests1' ,and whereas he corrects his
  sons that serve him in measure1 thou  
art bowed down with thy trouble  to     
distress and despair3 but he will lay no
 more upon his sons than  they are able 

to bear4 ,he will not always chide his  
servants2 but  thou art afflicted every 
morning4 ,and besides1 if thou wert pure
 and  upright1 surely now he would awake
 for thee1 and make the habitation  of  
thy righteousness prosperous3 for to his
 sons he saith1 #8,call upon  me in the 
day of trouble1 ,i will deliver thee2   
and thou shalt glorify  me1' ,ps4 l4    
#ae4 ,hence comes the complaint of many1
 that they are not  regenerated1 because
 they think ,god deals not with them as 
with others4  ,oh1 say they1 we know    
,god chastiseth #8every son whom he     
receiveth2' but  our case is every way  
different from theirs1 our troubles are 
plagues1  not rods2 our cry is not      
heard1 our prayers disregarded1 our     
strength  faileth us1 our hearts fret   
against the ,lord1 so that not only the 
nature and quality of our affections1   
but the frame of our heart under  them1 
in not enduring the burden1--which is   
the great character of the  chastisement
 of sons1 ,heb4 xii4 #g1--plainly       

evinceth that we are under  ,god's      
hatred1 and are not his children4 ,this 
objection1 though it might  seem easy to
 be answered by those that are not at   
present concerned1  yet it will prove a 
difficult business to those that are    
under the  smart of afflictions4 ,how   
much a holy and wise man may be         
gravelled by  it1 you may see in ,ps4   
lxxii41 where the prophet is put to a   
grievous  plunge upon this very         
objection2 ver4 #ad1 #8,all the day long
 have ,i been  plagued1 and chastised   
every morning4'    ,and yet in all this 
,satan doth but play the sophister1     
working upon the  advantages which the  
nature of the affliction and the temper 
of men's  hearts do afford him4 ,for1   
#a4 ,afflictions are a great depth1 one 
of the  secrets of ,god1 so that it is  
hard to know what ,god intends by them4 
#b4  ,the end of the ,lord is not       
discovered at first1 but at some        
distance1  when the fruits thereof begin
 to appear4 #c4 ,the mind of the        

afflicted  cannot always proceed        
regularly in making a judgment of ,god's
 design  upon them3 especially at first1
 when it is stounded by the assault1    
and all things in confusion2 faith is to
 seek1 patience awanting1 and  love     
staggering4 ,after it hath recollected  
itself1 and attained any  calmness to   
fit it for a review of the ways of ,god 
and of the heart1  it is better enabled 
to fix some grounds of hope3 ,lam4 iii4 
#ai-ba1  #8,this ,i recall to my mind1  
therefore have ,i hope1' #d4            
,afflictions  have a light and a dark   
side1 and their appearances are         
according to  our posture in which we   
view them3 as some pictures1 which if we
 look  upon them one way1 they appear to
 be angels1 if another way1 they seem   
devils4 #e4 ,some men in affliction do  
only busy themselves in looking  upon   
the dark side of affliction4 ,their     
disposition1 either through  natural    
timorousness or strong impressions of   
temptation1 is only to  meditate        

terrors1 and to surmise evils4 ,these   
men out of the cross can  draw nothing  
but the wormwood and the gall1 while    
others1 that have  another prospect of  
them1 observe mixtures of mercy and     
gentleness1  and do melt into submission
 and thankfulness4 ,these1 considered   
together1 are a great advantage to      
,satan in disputing against the peace   
of ,god's afflicted children1 and it    
often falls out1 that as he doth        
misrepresent ,god's design1 so do they1 
urged by temptation1 upon that  account 
misjudge themselves4    ,third1 ,he also
 misrepresents ,god in the works of his 
,spirit4 ,if ,god  withdraw his         
countenance1 or by his ,spirit signifies
 his displeasure  to the consciences of 
any1 if he permit ,satan to molest them 
with  spiritual temptations1 presently  
,satan takes occasion to put his false  
and malignant interpretation upon all2  
he tells them that ,god's hiding  his   
face is his casting them off2 that the  
threatenings signified to  their        

conscience are plain declarations that  
their present state is  wrath and       
darkness2 that ,satan's molestations by 
temptations shew them  to be yet under  
his power2 that the removal of their    
former peace1  joy1 and sensible delight
 which they had in the ways of ,god is  
beyond  contradiction an evidence that  
,god hath no delight in them1 nor they  
in him2 that their faith was but that of
 temporaries1 their joy but  that of    
hypocrites1 which is only for a moment4 
,how often have ,i  heard ,christians   
complaining thus3 ,we cannot be in a    
state of grace2  our consciences lie    
under the sense of ,god's displeasure1  
they give  testimony against us1 and we 
know that testimony is true1 for we feel
  it4 ,it is true1 time was when we     
thought we had a delight in hearing1    
praying1 meditating1 but now all is a   
burden to us1 we can relish  nothing1 we
 can profit nothing1 we can remember    
nothing4 ,time was when  we thought we  
had assurance1 and our hearts rejoiced  

in us2 sometimes  we have thought our   
hearts had as much of peace and comfort 
as they  could hold1 now all is         
vanished1 and we are under sad fears2 if
 ,god  had had a favour to us1 would he 
have dealt thus with us8 ,thus are  they
 cheated into a belief that they never  
had any grace2 they take  all for       
granted that is urged against them2 they
 cannot consider ,god's  design in      
hiding his face1 nor yet can they see   
how grace acts in them  under these     
complainings2 how they express their    
love to ,god in their  desires and      
pantings after him1 in their bewailing  
of his absence1 in  abhorring and       
condemning themselves1 c42 but their    
present feeling--and  an argument from  
sense is very strong--bears down all    
before it4    ,thus doth ,satan frame   
his arguments from misrepresentations of
 ,god1  which1 though a right view of   
,god would easily answer them1 yet how  
difficult it is for a person in an hour 
of temptation to dispel1 by  a right    

apprehension of the ways of the holy    
,god1 doth abundantly  appear from ,ps4 
lxxvii41 where the case of ,asaph1 or   
whoever else he  was1 doth inform       
us--#a4 ,that it is usual for ,satan1   
for the disquieting  of the hearts of   
,god's children1 to offer a false       
prospect of ,god4  #b4 ,that this       
overwhelms their hearts with grief1 ver4
 #c4 #c4 ,that the  more they persist in
 the prosecution of this method1 under  
the mists  of prejudice1 they see the   
less1 being apt to misconstrue          
everything  in ,god to their            
disadvantage1 ver4 #c1 #8,i remembered  
,god1 and was  troubled4' #d4 ,the      
reason of all that trouble lies in this1
 that they  can only conclude wrath and 
desertion from ,god's carriage toward   
them4 #e4 ,that till they look upon ,god
 in another method1 and take up  better 
thoughts of him and his providences1    
even while they carry the  appearance of
 severity1 they can expect no ease to   
their complainings4  ,for before the    

prophet quitted himself of his trouble1 
he was forced  to acknowledge his       
mistake1 ver4 #aj1 in the               
misconstruction he made of  his         
dealings1 and to betake himself to a    
resolve of entertaining better  thoughts
 of ,god1 ver4 #g4 ,his interrogation1  
#8,will the ,lord cast off  for ever8'  
c41 shews indeed what he did once think1
 being misled by  ,satan1 but withal    
that he would never do so again4 #8,will
 the ,lord cast  off for ever8' is not  
here the voice of a despairing man1 but 
of one  that1 through better            
information1 hath rectified his         
judgment1 and now  is resolved strongly 
to hold the contrary to what he thought 
before3 as  if he should say1 ,it is not
 possible that it should be so2 he will 
not  cast off for ever1 and ,i will     
never entertain such perverse thoughts  
of ,god any more4 #f4 ,but before they  
can come to this1 it will cost  them    
some pains and serious thoughts4 ,it is 
not easy to break these  fetters1 to    

answer this argument1 but they that will
 do so must appeal  from their present  
sense to a consideration of the issues  
of these  dealings upon other persons1  
or upon themselves at other times2 for  
the  prophet1 ver4 #e1 #8considered the 
days of old1 and the years of ancient   
times2' and ver4 #f1 he also made use of
 his own experience1 calling to         
remembrance that after such dealings as 
these1 ,god by his return of  favour    
gave him #8songs in the night4'    #d4  
,another common head from whence this   
great disputant doth fetch  his         
arguments against the good condition and
 state of ,god's servants1  is their sin
 and miscarriages4 ,here ,i shall       
observe two or three  things in the     
general concerning this1 before ,i shew 
how he draws his  false conclusions from
 thence4 ,as1    ,first1 ,that with a   
kind of feigned ingenuity#cdd he will   
grant a  difference betwixt sin and     
sin--betwixt sins reigning and not      
reigning1  sins mortified and not       

mortified2 betwixt the sins of the      
converted and  the unconverted2 and upon
 this supposition he usually proceeds4  
,he doth  not always1 except in case of 
great sins1 argue want of regeneration  
from one sin2 for that argument1 ,this  
is a sin1 therefore thou art not  a     
convert1 would be easily answered by one
 that knows the saints have  their      
imperfections2 but he thus deals with   
men3 ,these sins whereof  thou art      
guilty are reigning sins1 such as are   
inconsistent with a  converted estate1  
and therefore thou art yet              
unregenerated4    ,second1 ,he produceth
 usually1 for the backing of his        
arguments1 such  scriptures as do truly 
represent the state of men unsanctified2
  but then his labour is to make the    
parties to appear suitable to the       
description of the unregenerate4 ,and to
 that purpose he aggravates all  their  
failings to them2 he makes severe       
inquiries after all their sins1  and if 
he can charge them with any notorious   

crime1 he lays load upon  that1 still   
concluding that a regenerate person doth
 not sin at such a  rate as they do4    
,third1 ,this is always a very difficult
 case2 it is not easy to  answer the    
objections that he will urge from hence2
 for1 7#a47 ,if  there be the real guilt
 of any grievous or remarkable scandal  
which  he objects1 the accused party1   
though never so knowing1 or formerly    
never so holy1 will be hardly put to it 
to determine anything in favour  of his 
estate4 #a4 ,the fact cannot be denied4 
#b4 ,the ,scripture  nominates          
particularly such offences as render a  
man unfit for the  kingdom of ,god4 #c4 
,whether in such cases grace be not     
wholly lost1 is  a question in which all
 are not agreed4 #d4 ,however1 it will  
be very  doubtful whether such had ever 
any grace4 ,the ,scripture hath given no
  note of difference to distinguish     
betwixt a regenerate and unregenerate   
person in the acts of murder1 adultery1 
fornication1 c4 ,it doth not  say the   

regenerate commits an act of gross      
iniquity in this manner1 the            
unregenerate in that1 and that there is 
a visible distinction betwixt  the one  
and the other1 relating to these very   
acts4 ,and whatever may be  supposed to 
be the inward workings of grace in the  
soul1 while it is  reduced to so narrow 
a compass as a spark of fire raked up in
 ashes1  yet the weight of present guilt
 upon the soul1 when it is charged      
home1 will always poise it toward the   
worst apprehensions that can be  made   
concerning its state4 ,former acts of   
holiness will be disowned  under the    
notion of hypocrisy2 or if yet owned to 
be true1 they will  be apt to think that
 true grace may be utterly lost4        
,present acts of  grace they can see    
none1 so that only the after-acts of    
repentance can  discover that there is  
yet a being and life of grace in them1  
and till  then they can never answer    
,satan's argument from great sins4 ,but1
 7#b47  ,in the usual infirmities of    

,god's children the case is not so easy4
 ,for  the ,scriptures give instances of
 some whose conversations could not be  
taxed with any notorious evils2 who1    
though they were not #8far from  the    
kingdom of ,god1' yet were not #8of the 
kingdom of ,god1' ,mark xii4  #cd3 a    
freedom then from great sins is not     
pleadable as an undoubted  mark of      
grace4 ,and if others that are not      
converted may have no greater           
infirmities than some that are1 the     
difference betwixt the one and the      
other must depend upon the secret powers
 of grace giving check to these         
infirmities and striving to mortify     
them2 and this will be an intricate     
question4 ,the apostle1 ,rom4 vii4 #ae1 
notes indeed three differences  betwixt 
the regenerate and unregenerate in this 
case of sins of  infirmity4 #a4 ,hatred 
of the sin before the commission of it3 
#8,what ,i  hate1 that do ,i4' #b4      
,reluctancy in the act3 #8,what ,i      
would1 that do ,i  not4' #c4            

,disallowance after the act3 #8,that    
which ,i do1 ,i allow not4'  ,yet seeing
 natural light will afford some         
appearances of disallowance  and        
reluctancy1 it will still admit of      
further debate whether the  principles1 
motives1 degrees1 and success of these  
strivings be such as  may discover the  
being and power of real grace4    ,while
 ,satan doth insist upon arguments from 
the sins of believers for  the proof of 
an unconverted estate1 he only aims to  
make good this  point1 that their sins  
are reigning sins1 and consequently that
 they  cannot be in so good a condition 
as they are willing to think4 ,and to   
make their sins to carry that           
appearance1 his constant course is to   
aggravate them all he can4 ,this is his 
design1 and the means by which  he would
 effect it4 ,his great art in this case 
is to heighten the sins  of the         
regenerate4 ,this he doth many ways4    
,as1    7#a47 ,from the nature of the   
sin committed1 and the manner of its    

commission2 and this he chiefly labours1
 because his arguments from  hence are  
more probable1 especially considering   
what he fixeth upon  usually is that    
which may most favour his conclusion3   
as1 #a4 ,if any  have fallen into a     
great sin which a child of ,god doth but
 rarely  commit1 then he argues against 
him thus3 ,they that are in ,christ do  
mortify the flesh with the affections   
and lusts1 they cast away the  works of 
darkness2 and these works of the flesh  
are manifest1 ,gal4 v4  #ai1            
#8,adultery1 fornication1 uncleanness1  
lasciviousness1 idolatry1  witchcraft1  
hatred1 variance1 emulations1' c4       
#8,because of these things  cometh the  
wrath of ,god upon the children of      
disobedience4' #8,be not  therefore     
partakers with them2' #8have no         
fellowship with the unfruitful  works of
 darkness1' ,eph4 v4 #f1 #aa4 ,but thou 
hast not put these away1  nor mortified 
them1 as thy present sin doth testify1  
therefore thou art  no child of ,god4   

#b4 ,if any do more than once or twice  
relapse into  the same sin1 suppose it  
be not so highly scandalous as the      
former1  then he pleads from thence that
 they are backsliders in heart1 that    
they have broken their covenant with    
,god1 that they are in bondage to  sin4 
,here he urgeth1 it may be1 that of #b  
,pet4 ii4 #ai1 #bj1 #8,of whom  a man is
 overcome1 of the same is he brought in 
bondage4444 ,the dog  is returned to his
 vomit4' #c4 ,or if any have by any     
offence more  remarkably gone against   
their knowledge or violated their       
conscience1  then he tells them that    
they sin wilfully1 that they reject the 
counsel  of the ,lord1 that they are the
 servants of sin2 #8for his servants ye 
are to whom ye obey1' ,rom4 vi4 #af2    
#8and that where there is grace1  though
 they may fall1 yet it is still against 
their wills1' c4 #d4 ,if  he have not so
 clear ground to manage any of the      
former charges against  them1 then he   
argues from the frequency of their      

various miscarriages4  ,here he sets    
their sins in order before them1 rakes  
them all together1  that he may oppress 
them by a multitude1 when he cannot     
prevail by an  accusation from one or   
two acts2 and his pleading here is1     
,thou art  nothing but sin1 thy thoughts
 are evil continually1 thy words are    
vain  and unprofitable1 thy actions     
foolish and wicked1 and this in all thy 
employments1 in all relations1 at all   
times4 ,what duty is there that  is not 
neglected or defiled8 what sin that is  
not some way or other  committed8 c4    
,can such a heart as thine be the temple
 of the ,holy  ,ghost8 ,for the temple  
of the ,lord is holy1 and his people are
 washed  and cleansed1 c4    ,these are 
all of them strong objections1 and      
frequently made use of by  ,satan1 as   
the complaints of the servants of ,god  
do testify1 who are  made thus to except
 against themselves3 ,if our sins were  
but the usual  failings of the          
converted1 we might comfort ourselves1  

but they are  great1 they are           
backslidings1 they are against          
conscience1 they are  many2 what can we 
judge but that we have hitherto deceived
 ourselves1  and that the work of       
conversion is yet to do8 ,the objections
 that are  from great sins1 or from     
recidivation#cde or wilful violation of 
conscience1 do usually prevail for some 
time against the best that are          
chargeable with them2 they cannot       
determine that they are converted1      
though they might be so1 so long as they
 cannot deny the matter of  fact upon   
which the accusation is grounded4 ,till 
their true repentance  give them some   
light of better information1 they are in
 the dark1 and  cannot answer the       
argument4 ,jonah being imprisoned in the
 whale's belly  for his stubborn        
rebellion1 at first concluded himself a 
castaway3  chap4 ii4 #d1 #8,then ,i     
said1 ,i am cast out of thy sight4'     
,neither could  he think better of      
himself till1 upon his repentance1 he   

recovered  his faith and hope of pardon3
 #8,yet will ,i look again toward thy   
holy  temple4' ,yea1 those objections   
that are raised from the multitude and  
frequency of lesser failings1 though    
they may be answered by a child of  ,god
 while his heart is not overshadowed    
with the mists and clouds of            
temptation1 yet when he is confused with
 violent commotions within1 his  heart  
will fail him1 and till he can bring    
himself to some composure  of spirit1 he
 hath not the boldness to assert his    
integrity4 ,david was  gravelled with   
this objection3 ,ps4 xl4 #ab1           
#8,innumerable evils have  compassed me 
about1 mine iniquities have taken hold  
upon me1 so that  ,i am not able to look
 up2 they are more than the hairs on my 
head1  therefore my heart faileth me4'  
7#b47 ,he aggravates the sinfulness of  
our condition from the frequency  and   
violence of his own temptations4 ,it is 
a usual thing for him  to give young    
converts incessant onsets of temptation 

to sin4 ,most  commonly he works upon   
their natural constitution2 he blows the
 coals  that are not yet quite          
extinguished1 and that have greater     
forwardness1  from their own            
inclination1 to kindle again1 as lust   
and passion4 ,the  first motions of the 
one1 though it go no further than those 
offers  and risings up in the heart1 and
 is there damped and kept down by  the  
opposing principle of grace2 and the    
occasional outbreakings of  the other1  
which he provokes by a diligent         
preparation of occasion  from without1  
and violent incitations from within1    
furnish him with  sufficient matter for 
his intended accusations2 and           
sometimes--being1  as it were1 wholly   
negligent of the advantages which our   
tempers give  him1 or not being able to 
find any such forwardness to these evils
 in  our constitution as may more       
eminently serve his ends--he satisfies  
himself to molest us with earnest       
motions to any sins indifferently2  and 

all this to make us believe that sin is 
not crucified in us1 which  some are    
more apt to believe1 because they       
observe their temptations  to these sins
 to importune them more1 and with       
greater vehemency1  than they were wont 
to do before2 and this doth yet the more
 astonish  them1 because they had high  
expectations that1 after their          
conversion1  ,satan would fall before   
them1 and their temptations abate2 that 
their  natures should be altered1 and   
their natural inclinations to these sins
  wholly cease2 but now1 finding the    
contrary1 they are ready to cry         
out--especially when ,satan violently   
buffets them with this objection--,we   
are yet in our sins1 and under the      
dominion thereof2 neither can it be     
that we are converted1 because we find  
sin more active and stirring  than      
formerly2 it is not then surely         
mortified in us1 but lively and  strong4
 ,though in this case it be very plain  
that temptations are only  strong1 and  

sin weak1 and that grace is faithfully  
acting its part  against the flesh1     
arguing1 not that grace is so very weak1
 but that  ,satan is more busy than     
ordinary4 ,the sins are not more than   
formerly1  but the light that discovers 
them more is greater1 and the conscience
  that resents the temptation is more   
tender4 ,yet all this doth not at  first
 give ease to the fears that are now    
raised up in the mind4 ,they  find sin  
working in them2 their expectations of  
attaining a greater  conquest on a      
sudden1 and with greater ease1 are      
disappointed1 and  the desire of having 
much makes a man think himself poor2 and
 withal  they commonly labour under so  
much ignorance or perverse credulity1   
that they conclude they consent to      
everything which they are tempted  to1  
insomuch that it is long before these   
clouds do vanish1 and the  afflicted    
brought to a right understanding of     
themselves4    7#c47 ,from some         
remarkable appearances of ,god doth     

,satan aggravate  our sinful condition4 
,if ,god shew any notable act of power1 
he  makes the beams of that act reflect 
upon our unworthiness with a  dazzling  
light4 ,when ,peter saw the power of    
,christ in sending a great  multitude of
 fishes into his net1 having laboured   
all night before  and caught nothing1 it
 gave so deep an impression to the      
conviction  of his vileness1 that he was
 ready to put ,christ from him1 as being
  altogether unfit for his blessed      
society3 #8,depart1' saith he1 #8from   
me1 for ,i am a sinful man1' ,luke v4   
#h4 ,if ,god discover the glorious      
splendour of his holiness1 it is enough 
to make the holiest saints1  such as    
,job and ,isaiah1 to cry out they are   
undone1 being #8men of  unclean lips1'  
,isa4 vi4 #e2 and to #8abhor themselves 
in dust and ashes1'  ,job xlii4 #f4 ,the
 like may be said of any discovery of   
the rest of the  glorious attributes of 
,god4 ,of all which ,satan makes this   
advantage1  that the parties tempted    

should have so deep a consideration of  
their  unworthiness as might induce them
 to believe--as if it were by a voice   
from heaven--that ,god prohibits them   
any approaches to him1 and that  they   
have nothing to do to take ,god's name  
within their mouths4 ,and  though these 
remarkable discoveries of ,god1 either  
by his acts of power  and providence1 or
 by immediate impressions upon the soul1
 in the  height of contemplation1 have  
ordinarily great effects upon the hearts
  of his children1 but not of long      
continuance2 yet where they strike in   
with other arguments1 by which they were
 already staggered as to their  interest
 in ,god1 they mightily strengthen them1
 and are taken for no  less than ,god's 
own determination of the question       
against them4    ,but this is not all   
the use that ,satan makes of them2 for  
from hence he  sometimes hath the       
opportunity to raise new accusations    
against them1  and to tax them with     
particular crimes1 which1 in a          

particular manner1  seem to prove them  
unregenerate4 ,for what would seem to be
 a clearer  character of a man dead in  
trespasses and sins than a hard heart1  
that  can neither be sensible of        
judgments nor mercies8 ,this he         
sometimes  chargeth upon the children of
 ,god1 from the great disproportion that
  they find in themselves betwixt the   
little sense that they seem to          
have--and that which is                 
disproportionable1 they reckon to be    
nothing--and  the vast greatness of     
,god's mercy or holiness4 ,i have       
observed some  to complain of utter     
unthankfulness and insensibleness of    
heart--from  thence concluding          
confidently against themselves--because1
 when ,god  hath remarkably appeared for
 them in deliverances from dangers1 or  
in unexpected kindnesses1 they could not
 render a thankfulness that  carried any
 proportion to the mercy4 ,while they   
were in the highest  admiration of the  
kindness1 saying1 #8,what shall ,i      

render to the ,lord8'  they were quite  
out of the sight of their own sense and 
feeling1 and  thought they returned     
nothing at all1 because they returned   
nothing  equivalent to what they had    
received4 ,others ,i have known1 who1   
from  the confusion and amazement of    
their spirit1 when they have been       
overwhelmed with troubles1 have         
positively determined themselves to  be 
senseless1 stupid1 past feeling1        
hardened to destruction2 when1 in  both 
cases1 any might have seen the working  
of their hearts to be an  apparent#cdf  
contradiction to what ,satan charged    
them withal4 ,for  they were not        
unapprehensive either of mercies or     
judgments2 but1 on  the contrary1 had   
only a greater sense of them than they  
were able to  manage4    7#d47 ,to make 
full measure1 ,satan doth sometimes     
aggravate the  miscarriages of those    
whom he intends to accuse1 by comparing 
their  lives and actions with the holy  
lives of some eminent servants of ,god1 

especially such as they have only heard 
of and not known personally4  ,for so   
they have only their virtues            
represented1 without their  failings4   
,here ,satan takes a liberty of         
declaiming against them3 and  though he 
could never spare a saint a good word   
out of respect1 yet  that others might  
be put out of heart and hope1 he will   
commend the  holiness1 strictness1 care1
 constancy of dead saints to the skies4 
,and  then he queries1 ,art thou such a 
one8 ,canst thou say thou art anything  
like them1 for a heavenly heart1 a holy 
life1 a contempt of the  world1 a zeal  
for ,god1 for good works1 for patient   
suffering8 c4 ,all  this while not a    
word of their weaknesses4 ,these1 saith 
he1 were the  servants of the ,most     
,high3 their examples thou shouldst     
follow1 if thou  expectest their crown4 
,had they any more holiness than they   
needed8 ,and  if thou hast not so much1 
thou art nothing4 ,what can humility1   
modesty1  and sense of guilt speak in   

such a case8 ,they go away mourning1    
their  fears increase upon them1 and    
what ,god hath set before them1 in the  
examples of his servants1 for the       
increase of their diligence1 they  take 
to be as a witness against them1 to     
prove them unconverted4    7#e47 ,the   
last part of ,satan's sophistry is to   
lessen their graces1  that so he may    
altogether deny them4 ,in this he       
proceeds upon such  scriptures as do    
assert the fruits of the ,spirit1 and   
urgeth for his  foundation that none are
 the children of ,god but such as #8are 
led by  the ,spirit1' ,rom4 viii4 #ad2  
and that he that hath #8not the ,spirit 
of  ,christ is none of his1' ,rom4 viii4
 #i4 ,the necessity of faith1 love1     
patience1 humility1 with the fruits of  
these and other graces1 he  presseth2   
but still in order to a demonstration1  
as he pretends1 that  such are not to be
 found in those whose gracious state he 
calls into  question1 and consequently  
that they are not the children of ,god4 

,the rule by which he manageth himself  
in this dispute is this3 ,the  more     
graces are heightened in the notions1   
that must give an account  of their     
nature and beings1 the more difficult it
 will be to find out  their reality in  
the practice of them4 ,his design then  
hath these two  parts3 #a4 ,he heightens
 grace in the notion1 or abstract1 all  
he can2  #b4 ,he lessens it in the      
concrete1 or practice1 as much as is    
possible1  that it may appear a very    
nullity1 a shadow and not a substance4  
,i  shall speak a little of both4       
7#a47 ,as to the first part of his      
design1 he hath many ways by which  he  
aggravates grace in the notion4 ,we may 
be sure1 if it lie in his  way1 he will 
not stick to give false definitions of  
grace1 and to  tell men that it is what 
indeed it is not4 ,he is a liar1 and in 
any  case whatsoever he will lie for his
 advantage1 if he have hope his  lie may
 pass for current2 but he cannot always 
use a palpable cheat in  this matter1   

where the nature of any grace is        
positively determined  in ,scripture1   
except it be with the ignorant1 or where
 the nature of  grace is made a business
 of controversy among men4 ,i will not  
make  conjectures what ,satan may       
possibly say in belying the nature of   
grace1  to make it seem to be quite     
another thing than it is2 but shall     
rather  shew you the more usual         
plausible ways of deceit which herein he
  exerciseth2 and they are these that   
follow3--    ,first1 ,as the same graces
 have different degrees in several      
persons1  and these different degrees   
have operations suitable3 some acts     
being  stronger1 some weaker1 some more 
perfected and ripened1 others more      
imperfect and immature2 so when ,satan  
comes to describe grace1 he sets  it    
forth in its highest excellencies and   
most glorious attainments4  ,you shall  
never observe him to speak of graces at 
their lowest pitch1  except where he is 
carrying on a design for presumption1   

and then he  tells men that any wishing 
or woulding is grace2 and every formal  
#8,lord forgive me' is true repentance2 
but1 on the contrary1 he offers  the    
highest reach of it that any saint on   
earth ever arrived at1 as  essentially  
necessary to constitute its being2 and  
tells them if they  have not that1 they 
have nothing4 ,let us see it in the     
particulars4    #a4 ,grace sometimes    
hath its extraordinaries1 as ,i may call
 them4 ,we  have both precept and       
example of that nature in ,scripture1   
which are  propounded1 not as the common
 standard by which the being and reality
  of grace is to be measured1 but as    
patterns for imitation1 to provoke  us  
to emulation1 and to quicken us in      
pressing forward4 ,of this nature  ,i   
reckon to be the example of ,moses1     
desiring to be blotted #8out of  ,god's 
book1' ,exod4 xxxii4 #cb1 whatever he   
meant by it1 in his love  to the people2
 and the like of the apostle ,paul1     
wishing himself to be  #8accursed from  

,christ for his brethren's sake1' ,rom4 
ix4 #c4 ,of this  nature also we have   
many precepts2 as1 #8rejoice evermore1' 
#a ,thes4 v4  #af1 of #8waiting and     
longing for the appearance of ,christ1' 
#b ,thes4  iii4 #e1 of #8rejoicing when 
we fall into divers temptations1' ,james
 i4  #b1 and many more to this purpose1 
all which are heights of grace that  do 
rarely appear among the servants of ,god
 at any time4    #b4 ,grace hath        
sometimes its special assistances4 ,this
 is when  the occasion is extraordinary2
 but the grace befitting that occasion  
is promised in ordinary1 and ordinarily 
received4 ,when ,god calls any  to such 
occasions1 though compared with that    
measure of grace which  usually is acted
 by the children of ,god upon ordinary  
occasions1 it is  a special assistance  
of the ,spirit4 ,of this nature is that 
boldness  which the servants of ,christ 
receive1 to confess ,christ before men  
in times of persecution1 and to die for 
the truth1 with constancy1  courage1 and

 joy4    #c4 ,there are also singular   
eminences of grace1 which some diligent1
  careful1 and choice servants of ,god  
attain unto1 far above what the         
ordinary sort arrive at4 ,enoch had his 
conversation so much in heaven1  that he
 was said to #8walk with ,god1' ,gen4 v4
 #bd4 ,david's soul was  often full of  
delight in ,god4 ,some in the height of 
assurance rejoice  in ,god with #8joy   
unspeakable1 and full of glory1' #a     
,pet4 i4 #h4 ,moses  was eminent in     
meekness1 ,job in patience1 the apostle 
,paul in zeal for  promoting the gospel1
 c4 ,now ,satan1 when he comes to       
question the  graces of men1 he presents
 them with these measures2 and if they  
fall  short1 as ordinarily they do1 he  
concludes them altogether graceless4    
,second1 ,satan also can do much to     
heighten the ordinary work and  usual   
fruits of every grace4 ,his art herein  
lies in two things4 #a4  ,he gives us a 
description of grace as it is in itself1
 abstracted  from the weakness1 dulness1

 distraction1 and infirmities1 that are 
concomitant with it1 as it comes forth  
to practice4 ,he brings to our  view    
grace in its glory1 and without the     
spots by which our weakness  and        
,satan's temptation do much disfigure   
it4 #b4 ,he presents us with  grace in  
its whole body1 completed with all its  
members1 faith1 love1  hope1 patience1  
meekness1 gentleness1 c4 ,from both     
these he sets  before those whom he     
intends to discourage a complete copy of
 an exact  holy ,christian2 as if every 
true ,christian were to be found in the 
constant practice of all these graces at
 all times1 on all occasions1  and that 
without weakness or infirmity4 ,whereas 
indeed a true ,christian  may be found  
sometimes evidently practising one      
grace1 and weak1 or at  present         
defective1 in another4 ,and sometimes   
the best of his graces is  so           
interrupted with temptation1 so clogged 
with infirmity1 that its  workings are  
scarce discernible4    ,third1 ,he hath 

a policy in heightening those           
attainments and  workings of soul1 in   
things relating to ,god and religion1   
which are to  be found in temporary     
believers2 which1 because they sometimes
 appear  in the unconverted as well as  
in the converted1 though all unconverted
  men have them not1 are therefore      
called common graces4 ,this he doth     
that he may from thence take occasion to
 disprove the real graces of  the       
servants of ,god2 of whom #8better      
things1 and things that accompany       
salvation1' that is1 special saving     
graces1 are to be expected1 ,heb4  vi4  
#i4 ,his way herein is1 #a4 ,to shew the
 utmost bravery of these  common graces2
 how much men may have1 how far they may
 go1 and yet  at last come to nothing4  
,for gifts1 they may have powerful      
eloquence1  prophecy1 understanding of  
mysteries1 faith of miracles4 ,for good 
works1 they may give their estates to   
relieve the poor4 ,in moral  virtues    
they may be excellent1 their            

illumination may be great2 they  may    
taste the #8good word of ,god1 and the  
powers of the world to come1'  ,heb4 vi4
 #d4 ,their conversation may be         
#8without offence1' and their           
conscience honest1 as ,paul's was before
 his conversion4 #b4 ,with these        
heights of common grace1 he compares the
 lowest degree of special  grace4 ,and  
because the principles1 motives1 and    
ends which constitute  the difference   
betwixt these two1 are1 as it were1     
underground1  more remote from sense and
 observation1 and oftentimes darkened by
  temptation2 he takes the boldness to  
deny the truth of grace1 upon  the      
account of the small1 inconsiderable    
appearance that it makes1  confidently  
affirming that special grace must of    
necessity make a far  greater outward   
show than these common graces4 ,in what 
manner1 and to  what end1 ,satan doth   
heighten grace in the abstract1 we have 
seen4 ,it  remains that we discover--   
7#b47 ,how he doth lessen grace in the  

concrete4 ,this is the centre of  his   
design4 ,he would not extol grace so    
much1 but that he hopes thereby  to     
#8condemn the generation of the just1'  
and to make it appear that  there are   
few or none that are truly gracious4    
,when he comes to apply  all this to the
 condition of any child of ,god1 he     
deals treacherously3  and his cunning   
consists of three parts3--    #a4 ,he   
compares the present state of any one   
with whom he deals1 to  the highest     
attainments and excellencies of grace2  
allowing nothing  to be grace1 but what 
will answer these descriptions he had   
already  given4 ,here the tempter doth  
apparently make use of a #8false        
balance1  and a bag of deceitful        
weights4' ,for thus he puts them to it3 
,thou  sayest thou hast grace1 but thou 
dost altogether deceive thyself1 for    
indeed thou hast none at all4 ,compare  
thyself with others that were  in       
,scripture noted as undoubtedly         
gracious1 and thou wilt see that  in the

 balance thou art lighter than vanity4  
,abraham had faith1 but  he believed    
above hope4 ,moses and ,paul had love1  
but they manifested  it by preferring   
their brethren's happiness before their 
own4 ,david  was a saint1 but he had a  
heart ravished with ,god4 ,the martyrs  
spoken  of in ,heb4 xi41 they could do  
wonders2 they were above fears of men1  
above the love of the world2 they loved 
not their lives to the death3  how      
joyfully took they the spoiling of their
 goods6 how courageously  did they      
suffer the sharpest torments6 ,besides1 
saith he1 all the  children of ,god are 
described as sanctified throughout1     
abounding with  all fruits of           
righteousness2 their faith is working2  
their love still  laborious2 their hope 
produceth constant patience3 what art   
thou to  these8 ,that in thee which thou
 callest faith1 or love1 or patience1   
c41 it is not fit to be named with      
these4 ,thy fears may tell thee that    
thou hast no faith1 and so may thy      

works2 thy murmurings under ,god's  hand
 is evidence sufficient that thou hast  
no patience4 ,the little  that thou dost
 for ,god1 or especially wouldest do1 if
 it were not for  thy own advantage1 may
 convince thee that thou hast no love to
 him2  thy weariness of services and    
duties1 thy confessed unprofitableness  
under all1 do proclaim thou hast no     
delight in ,god nor in his ways4  ,he   
further adds1 for the confirmation of   
all this3 ,consider how far  temporaries
 may go1 that shall never go to heaven4 
,thou art far short  of them2 thy gifts1
 thy works1 thy virtues1 thy            
illumination1 thy  conversation1 thy    
conscientiousness1 are nothing like     
theirs3 how is  it possible then that   
such a one as thou1 a pitiful1          
contemptible  creature1 shouldest have  
anything of true grace in thee8 ,thus he
 makes  the application of all the      
discovery of grace which he presented to
  them4 ,though he needs not urge all   
these things to every one1 any one  of  

these particulars frequently serves the 
turn4 ,when a trembling heart  compares 
itself with these instances1 it turns   
its back1 yields the  argument1 and is  
ashamed of its former hopes1 as those   
are of their  former confidence who flee
 from battle4 ,hence then do we hear of 
these  various complaints3 one saith1   
,alas6 ,i have no grace1 because ,i live
  not as other saints have done1 in all 
exactness4 ,another saith1 ,i have  no  
faith1 because ,i cannot believe        
about#cdg reason1 and contrary  to      
sense1 as ,abraham did4 ,a third cries  
out1 he hath no love to ,god1  because  
he cannot find his soul ravished with   
desire after him4 ,another  thinks1 he  
hath a hard heart1 because he cannot    
weep for sin4 ,another  concludes       
against himself1 because he finds not a 
present cheerful  resolve1 while he is  
not under any question for religion1 to 
suffer  torments for ,christ4 ,some fear
 themselves1 because temporaries in some
  particulars have much out-gone them4  

,you see how complaints may upon  this  
score be multiplied without end2 and yet
 all this is but fallacy4  ,satan tells 
them what grace is at the highest1 but  
not a word of what  it is at lowest2 and
 so unskilful is a tossed1 weak         
,christian1 that he  in examining his   
condition looks after the highest       
degrees of grace1 as  affording clearer 
evidence1 and not after the sincerity of
 it1 which  is the safest way for trial1
 where graces are weak4 ,in a word1 this
  kind of arguing is no better than that
 of children1 who cannot conclude       
themselves to be men1 because their     
present stature is little1 and they  are
 not as tall as the adult4    #b4       
,another part of his cunning in         
lessening the real graces of  ,god's    
children1 is to take them at an         
advantage1 when their graces  are       
weakest1 and themselves most out of     
order4 ,he that will choose  to measure 
a man's stature while he is upon his    
knees1 seems not to  design to give a   

faithful account of his height4 ,no more
 doth ,satan1  who1 when he will make   
comparisons1 always takes the servants  
of ,god  at the worst4 ,and indeed many 
advantages do the children of ,god give 
him1 insomuch that it is no wonder that 
he doth so oft baffle them1  but rather 
a wonder that they at any time return to
 their comforts4  ,first1 ,sometimes he 
takes them to task while they are yet   
young  and tender1 when they are but    
newly converted1 before their graces    
are grown up1 or have had time to put   
forth any considerable fruit4  ,second1 
,or when their graces are tired out by  
long or grievous  assaults of           
temptation1 for then they are not what  
they are at other  times4 ,third1 ,when 
their hearts are discomposed or muddied 
with fear1  for then their sight is bad1
 and they can so little judge of things 
that differ1 that ,satan can impose     
almost anything upon them4 ,fourth1     
,sometimes he comes upon them when some 
grace acts his part but poorly1  as not 

having its perfect work1 and is scarce  
able to get through1  sticking1 as it   
were1 in the birth4 ,fifth1 ,or when the
 progress of  grace is small and        
imperceptible4 ,sixth1 ,or while in the 
absence of  the sun1 which produceth    
flowers and fragrancy1 and is the time  
of the  singing of birds1 ,cant4 ii4    
#aa1 #ab1 it is forced to cast off its  
summer  fruits of joy and sensible      
delights1 and only produceth winter     
fruits  of lamenting after ,god1 longing
 and panting after him1 justifying of   
,god in his dealings and condemning     
itself1 all this while #8sowing in      
tears' for a more pleasing crop4        
,seventh1 ,or while expectations  are   
more than enjoyments3 the man it may be 
promised himself large  incomes of      
greater measures of comforts1 ease1 or  
strength1 under  some particular        
ordinances or helps which he hath lately
 attained to1  and not finding things   
presently to answer what he hoped for1  
is now  suspicious of his case1 and     

thinks he hath attained nothing1 because
  he hath not what he would4 ,eighth1   
,sometimes ,satan shews them his  face  
in this glass when it is foulest1       
through the spots of some  miscarriage4 
,ninth1 ,or he takes advantage of some  
natural defects1  as want of tears1     
which might be more usual in former     
times1 but are  now dried up2 or from   
the ebbings and uncertainty of his      
affections1  which are never sure rules 
of trials4 ,tenth1 ,or in such acts that
 are  of a mixed nature in the          
principles and motives1 where it may    
seem to  be uncertain to which the act  
must be ascribed as to the true parent4 
,the heart of a gracious person being   
challenged upon any of these  points1   
and under so great a disadvantage1 being
 called out to give a  proof of himself1
 especially in the view of grace set    
forth in all its  excellency and glory1 
shall have little to plead1 but will    
rather own  the accusation4 ,and the    
rather because1    #c4 ,it is another   

part of ,satan's cunning to urge them1  
whilst they  are thus at a stand1 with a
 possibility1 nay1 a probability of     
their  mistaking themselves1 by passing 
too favourable an opinion formerly  of  
their actions4 ,to confirm them in this 
apprehension1 first1 ,he  lays before   
them the consideration of the           
deceitfulness of the heart1  ,jer4 xvii4
 #f1 which1 being so above all things1  
and desperately wicked  beyond ordinary 
discovery1 makes a fair way for the     
entertainment  of a suspicion of        
self-delusion in all the former hopes   
which a man  hath had of himself4 ,satan
 will plainly speak it3 ,thou hast had  
some  thoughts and workings of mind     
towards ,god1 but seeing they carry so  
great a disproportion to rule and       
example1 and come so far short of       
common graces1 it is more than probable 
that such poor1 weak1 confused          
appearances are nothing4 ,how knowest   
thou that thine adherence to and        
practice of the command and services of 

,god are any more than from  the power  
of education1 the prevalency of custom1 
or the impressions  of moral suasion8   
,how dost thou know that thy desires    
after ,god1  and thy delight in him1 are
 any more than the products of natural  
principles1 influenced by an historical 
faith of ,scripture doctrine8  ,it is   
oftentimes enough for ,satan to hint    
this4 ,a suspicious heart1  as it were  
greedy of its own misery1 catcheth at   
all things that make  against it2 and   
hence complains that it hath no grace1  
because it sees  not any visible fruits1
 or makes not a sufficient appearance at
 all  times when opposed or resisted2 or
 because it wants sensible progress1  or
 gives not the summer fruits of praises1
 rejoicings1 and delights  in ,god2 or  
because it seems not to meet with       
remarkable improvements  in ordinances2 
or because it cannot produce tears and  
raise the  affections2 and because the  
party doth not know but his heart might 
deceive him in all that he hath done4   

,which the devil yet further            
endeavoureth to confirm1 second1 ,by a  
consideration of the seeming  holiness  
and graces of such as believed          
themselves to be the children  of ,god1 
and were generally by others reputed so 
to be1 who yet1 after  a glorious       
profession1 turned apostates4 ,this     
being so great and  undeniable an       
instance of the heart's deceitfulness1  
makes the poor  tempted party conclude  
that he is certainly no true convert4   
,thus have we seen ,satan's sophistry in
 the management of those five  grand    
topics from whence he draws his false   
conclusions against the  children of    
,god1 pretending to prove that they are 
not converted2 or at  least if they be  
in a state of grace1 that they in that  
state are in a  very bad1 unsuitable    
condition to it4 ,for if his arguments  
fall short  of the first1 they seldom   
miss the latter mark4 ,this was his     
first  engine4 ,now follows1    ,,ii4   
,the other engine by which he fixeth    

these conclusions1 which1  though it be 
not argumentative1 yet it serves to     
sharpen all his  fallacies against the  
comforts of ,god's children--this is    
fear1 which1  together with his         
objections1 he sends into the mind4     
,that ,satan can  raise a storm and     
commotion in the heart by fear1 hath    
been proved  before4 ,i shall now only  
in a few things shew how he doth forward
 his  design by astonishing the heart   
with his frightful thunderings4    #a4  
,his objections being accompanied with  
affrightments1 they pass  for strong    
undeniable arguments1 and their fallacy 
is not so easily  detected4 ,fear1 as   
well as anger1 darkens reason1 and      
disables the  understanding to make a   
true1 faithful search into things1 or to
 give a  right judgment4 ,as darkness   
deceives the senses1 and makes every    
bush  affrightful to the passenger1 or  
as muddied waters hinder the sight1 so  
do fears in the heart disable a man to  
discover the silliest cheat that  ,satan

 can put upon it4    #b4 ,they are also 
very credulous4 ,when fear is up1 any   
suggestion  takes place4 ,as suspicious 
incredulity is an effect of joy1--the   
disciples at first hearing that ,christ 
was risen1 #8for joy believed  it       
not'--so suspicious credulity is the    
effect of fear4 ,and we shall  observe  
several things in the servants of ,god  
that shew a strange  inclination1 as it 
were a natural aptitude1 to believe the 
evil of  their spiritual estate which   
,satan suggests to them4 ,as1 first1    
,there  is a great forwardness and      
precipitancy in the heart to close with 
evil  thoughts raised up in us4 ,when   
jealousies of ,god's love are injected1 
there is a violent hastiness            
forthwith--all calm deliberation being  
laid aside--to entertain a belief of it4
 ,this is more than once noted  in the  
,psalms4 ,in this case1 ,david          
acknowledgeth this hasty humour1 #8,i   
said in my haste1' ,ps4 xxxi4 #bb1 and  
cxvi4 #aa4 ,this hasty forwardness  to  

determine things that are against us    
without due examination1  ,asaph calls a
 great weakness3 #8,this is my          
infirmity1' ,ps4 lxxvii4  #aj4 ,second1 
,there is observable in those that are  
under spiritual  troubles1 a great kind 
of delight1 if ,i may so call it1 to    
hear  threatenings rather than promises1
 and such discourses as set forth the   
misery of a natural state1 rather than  
such as speak of the happiness  of the  
converted2 because these things1 in     
their apprehension1 are  more suitable  
to their condition1 and more needful for
 them1 in  order to a greater measure of
 humiliation1 which they suppose to be  
necessary4 ,however1 thus they add fuel 
to the flame4 ,third1 ,they  have an    
aptitude to hide themselves from        
comfort1 and with a wonderful           
nimbleness of wit and reasoning1 to     
evade and answer any argument  brought  
for their comfort1 as if they had been  
volunteers in ,satan's  service to fight
 against themselves4 ,fourth1 ,they have

 also so great  a blasting upon their   
understanding1 that ,satan's tempting   
them to  doubt of their good estate is  
to them a sufficient reason to doubt  of
 it2 and that is ground enough for them 
to deny it1 because ,satan  questions   
it4    #c4 ,these fears make all        
,satan's suggestions strike the deeper2 
they  point all his arrows and make them
 pierce1 as it were1 #8the joints and   
marrow2' they poison and envenom them1  
to the great increase of the  torment   
and hindrance of the cure2 they bind the
 objections upon them1  and confirm them
 in a certain belief that they are all  
true4    ,we have now viewed ,satan's   
engines and batteries against the       
servants  of the ,lord1 for the         
destruction of their joy and peace1 by  
spiritual  troubles2 but these are but  
the beginnings of sorrows1 if compared  
with  those distresses of soul which he 
sometimes brings upon them4 ,of which   
next4          ,,chapter ,,ix4     ,of  
his fourth way to hinder peace1 by      

spiritual distresses4 #a4   ,the nature 
of these distresses2 the ingredients and
 degrees of them4   ,whether all        
distresses of soul arise from           
melancholy4 #b4   ,satan's method in    
working them2 the occasions he makes use
 of1 the   arguments he urgeth1 the     
strengthening of them by fears4 #c4     
,their weight and burden explained in   
several particulars4--,some   concluding
 cautions4      ,the last sort of       
troubles by which ,satan overthrows the 
peace of the  soul1 are spiritual       
distresses4 ,these are more grievous    
agonies of  soul1 under deepest         
apprehensions of divine wrath1 and      
dreadful fears  of everlasting          
damnation1 differing in nature and      
degree from the  former sorts of        
troubles2 though in these ,satan        
observes much-what the  same general    
method which he used in spiritual       
troubles last mentioned4  ,for which    
cause1 and also that these are not so   
common as the other1 ,i  shall speak of 

them with greater brevity4 ,herein ,i   
shall shew--#a4 ,their  nature2 #b4     
,satan's method in working them3 #c4    
,their weight and burden4    #a4 ,the   
nature of spiritual distresses will be  
best discovered by a  consideration of  
those ingredients of which they are made
 up1 and of  the different degrees      
thereof4    7#a47 ,as to the            
ingredients1 there are several things   
that do concur for  the begetting of    
these violent distresses4 ,as1    #a4   
,there is usually a complication of     
several kinds of troubles4  ,sometimes  
there are outward troubles and inward   
discomposures of spirit  arising from   
thence2 sometimes affrightments of      
blasphemous thoughts  long continued1   
and usually spiritual troubles1 in which
 their state or  condition have been    
called to question1 have gone before4   
,heman1 who is  as famous an instance in
 this case as any we meet withal in     
,scripture1  in ,ps4 lxxxviii41 seems   
not obscurely to tell us so much2 his   

#8soul  was full of troubles1' ver4 #c2 
and in ver4 #g he complains that ,god   
had  afflicted him #8with all his       
waves4' ,and that these were not all of 
the  same kind1 though all concurred to 
the same end1 he himself explains1  ver4
 #h1 #ah1 where he bemoans himself for  
the unkindness of his friends3  #8,thou 
hast put away mine acquaintance2 lover  
and friend hast thou put  far from me4' 
#b4 ,these troubles drive at a further  
end than any of the former2  for their  
design was only against the present     
quietness and peace  of ,god's children1
 but these design the ruin of their     
hopes for the  future4 ,they are        
troubled1 not for that they are not     
converted1 but for  that they expect    
never to be converted4 ,this is a       
trouble of a high  nature1 making them  
believe that they are eternally         
reprobated1 cut off  from ,god for ever1
 and under an impossibility of          
salvation4    #c4 ,these troubles have  
the consent and belief of the party4 ,in

  some other troubles ,satan disquieted 
the ,lord's servants by imposing  upon  
them his own cursed suggestions1        
violently bearing in upon them          
temptations to sin and blasphemy1 or    
objections against their state of       
regeneration1 while in the meantime they
 opposed and refused to give  consent2  
but in these ,satan prevails with them  
to believe that their  case is really   
such as their fears represent it to be4 
#d4 ,they are troubles of a far higher  
degree than the former2 the  deepest    
sorrows1 the sharpest fears1 the        
greatest agonies4 ,heman1 ,ps4          
lxxxviii4 #ae1 #af1 calls them #8terrors
 even to distraction3' #8,while ,i      
suffer thy terrors1 ,i am distracted2   
thy fierce wrath goeth over me1  thy    
terrors have cut me off4#8    #e4 ,there
 is also ,god's deserting of them in a  
greater measure than  ordinary1 by      
withdrawing his aids and comforts4 ,and1
 as ,mr ,perkins  notes1 #8,if the      
withdrawing of grace be joined with the 

feeling of ,god's  anger1 thence ariseth
 the bitterest conflict that the soul of
 a poor  creature undergoes4'#cdh       
7#b47 ,as to the different degrees of   
spiritual distresses1 we must           
observe--,that according to the         
concurrence of all or fewer of these    
ingredients1 for they do not always meet
 together1 though most  frequently they 
do2 and according to the higher or lower
 degrees in  which these are urged upon 
the conscience1 or apprehended and      
believed  by the troubled party1 these  
agonies are more or less2 and           
accordingly  we may distinguish them    
variously4 ,as1    #a4 ,some are        
desperate terrors of cursed reprobates  
under  desperation4 ,these terrors in   
them are1 in the greatest extremity1    
the very pit of misery1 of the same     
nature with those of the damned  in     
hell1 #8where the worm that never dies1'
 is nothing else but the  dreadful      
vexation and torment of an accusing     
conscience4#cdi ,they are  commonly     

accompanied with blaspheming of ,god1   
and an utter rejection  of all means for
 remedy2 and though they sometimes turn 
to a kind of  secure desperation1--by   
which1 when they see it will be no      
better1 they  harden themselves in their
 misery1 and seek to divert their       
thoughts--as  ,cain did1 betaking       
himself to the building of cities2 and  
,esau1 when  he had sold his birthright1
 despised it1 and gave himself up to the
  pursuit of a worldly interest2--yet   
sometimes these terrors end in          
self-murder1 as in ,judas1 who being    
smitten with dread of conscience1  went 
and hanged himself4 ,we have many sad   
instances of these desperate  terrors4  
,cain is the first we read of2 and      
though the account the  ,scriptures give
 of him be but short1 yet it is         
sufficient to let us see  what his      
condition was--,gen4 iv4 #aa-af4 ,first1
 ,he was cursed from the  earth4 ,of    
this part of his curse there were two   
branches3 #a4 ,that his  labour and toil

 in tillage should be great and greatly 
unsuccessful2  for thus ,god himself    
explains it1 ver4 #ab1 #8,when thou     
tillest the  ground1 it shall not       
henceforth yield unto thee her          
strength1' ,the  earth was cursed with  
barrenness before to ,adam1 but now to  
,cain it  hath a double curse4 #b4 ,that
 he should be a man of uncertain abode  
in  any place3 #8,a fugitive and a      
vagabond shalt thou be in the earth2'   
not  being able to stay long in a place 
by reason of the terrors of his         
conscience4 ,his own interpretation of  
it1 ver4 #ad1 shews that herein  lay a  
great part of his misery3 #8,thou hast  
driven me out this day from  the face of
 the earth4' ,by which it appears that  
he was to be as one  that was chased out
 of all society1 and as one that thought
 himself  safe in no place4 ,secondly1  
,he was #8hid from the face of          
,god'--that  is1 he was doomed to carry 
the inward feeling of ,god's wrath1     
without  any expectation of mercy4      

,thirdly1 ,his mind being terrified     
under the  apprehension of that wrath1  
he cries out that his #8sin was greater 
than it could be pardoned1' or that his 
#8punishment was greater than  he could 
bear2 #8for the word in the original    
signifies both sin and  punishment1 4   
,take it which way you will1 it         
expresseth  a deep horror of heart4 ,if 
in the former sense1 then it signifies a
  conviction of the greatness of his sin
 to desperation2 if in the latter       
sense1 then it is no less than a        
blasphemous reflection upon ,god1 as    
unjustly cruel4 ,fourthly1 ,this horror 
was so great1 that he was afraid  of all
 he met with1 suspecting everything to  
be armed with divine  vengeance against 
him3 #8,every one that findeth me shall 
slay me1' ,or if  that speech was a     
desire that any one that found him might
 kill him1  as some interpret1#cej it   
shews that he preferred death before    
that  life of misery4 ,it seems1 then1  
that ,god smote him with such terror    

and consternation of mind1 and with such
 affrightful trembling of  body1 for his
 bloody fact1 that he was weary of      
himself1 and afraid of  all men1 and    
could not stay long in a place4 ,by     
these tokens1 or some  other way1 ,god  
sets his mark upon him1 as upon a cursed
 miscreant1 to  be noted and abhorred of
 all4 ,such another instance was        
,lamech1 of  whom the same chapter      
speaks3 #a4 ,the sting of conscience was
 so great1  that he is forced to confess
 his fault--the interpretations of those
  that take it interrogatively1 #8,have 
,i slain8' or1 #8,if ,i have1 what  is  
that to you8' c41 are upon many accounts
 improper1 much more are  those so that 
take it negatively--which1 whether it   
were the abomination  of polygamy1 as   
some think1 by which example he had     
destroyed more  than ,cain did2 or if it
 were murder in a proper sense1 as the  
words  and context plainly carry it1 it 
is not very material to our purpose4    
,however1 ,god smote him with horror1   

that he might be a witness against      
himself4 #b4 ,he accuseth himself for a 
more grievous sinner and more  desperate
 wretch by far than ,cain3 #8,if ,cain1'
 ver4 #bd1 #8shall be  avenged          
sevenfold1 truly ,lamech seventy and    
sevenfold4' ,which is as  much as to    
say1 that there was as much difference  
betwixt his sin and  ,cain's1 as betwixt
 seven and seventy-seven4 #c4 ,it seems 
also1 by his  discourse to his wives1   
that he was grievously perplexed with   
inward  fears1 suspecting1 it may be1   
his very wives as well as others might  
have private combinations against him2  
for the prevention whereof1 he  tells   
them by ,cain's example of ,god's       
avenging him4 ,these two early  examples
 of desperation the beginning of the    
world affords2 and there  have been many
 more since1 as ,esau and ,judas4 ,of   
late years we have  the memorable       
instance of ,francis ,spira1 one of the 
clearest and most  remarkable examples  
of spiritual horror that the latter ages

 of the  world were ever acquainted     
with4 ,yet ,i shall not dare to be      
confident  of his reprobation1 as of    
,cain's and ,judas's2 because the       
,scripture  hath determined their case1 
but we have no such certain authority to
  determine his4    #b4 ,there are also 
distresses from melancholy2 which may be
 further  differenced according to the  
intenseness or remissness of the        
distemper  upon which they depend4 ,for 
sometimes the imagination is so         
exceedingly  depraved1 the fears of     
heart so great1 and the sorrows so deep1
 that  the melancholy person1 crying out
 of himself that he is damned1 under    
the curse of ,god1 c41 appears to be    
wholly besides himself1 and his  anguish
 to be nothing else but a delirious1    
irrational disturbance4  ,there are too 
many sad instances of this4 ,some ,i    
have known that for  many years together
 have laboured under such apprehensions 
of hell and  damnation1 that they have  
at last proceeded to curse and blaspheme

  ,god in a most dreadful manner1 so    
that they have been a terror to  all    
their friends and acquaintance4 ,and    
though sometimes they would  fall into  
fits of obstinate silence1 yet being    
urged to speak1 they  would amaze all   
that were about them with the confident 
averment of  their damnation1 with      
horrible outcries of their supposed     
misery and  torments1 and with terrible 
rage against heaven4 ,some in this      
distemper  will fancy themselves to be  
in hell already1 and will discourse as  
if  they saw the devils about them and  
felt their torture4 ,such as these  give
 plain discovery by their whole carriage
 under their trouble1  and some         
concomitant false imaginations about    
other things--as when  they fancy       
themselves to be in prison or sentenced 
to death1 and that  torments or fire are
 provided for them by the magistrate1   
c4--that  it is only melancholy         
perverting their understanding that is  
the  cause of all their sorrow4 ,others 

there are who are not altogether        
irrational1 because in most other things
 their understanding is right2  yet     
being driven into melancholy upon the   
occasion of crosses or other  outward   
afflictions1 they at last fix all their 
thoughts upon their  souls2 and now     
their fancy becoming irregular in part1 
the whole of  the irregularity appears  
only in that wherein they chiefly       
concern  themselves4 ,hence they        
misjudge themselves1 and condemn        
themselves to  everlasting destruction2 
sometimes without any apparent cause2   
and  sometimes they accuse themselves of
 such things as they never did4 ,they   
fear and cry out they are damned1 but   
they cannot give a particular  reason   
why they should entertain these fears1  
neither can they shew  any cause why    
they should refuse the comforts of the  
promises that  are offered2 but they say
 they know or are persuaded it is so1   
upon  no better account than this1 ,it  
is so1 because it is so4 ,or if they    

give reasons of their imagination1 they 
are commonly either feigned or          
frivolous2 and yet in all other matters 
they are rational1 and speak or  act    
like men in their right minds4 ,of both 
these kinds of desperation ,i  shall    
speak nothing further4 ,it is enough to 
have noted that such there  are1 because
 the cure of the former is impossible1  
and the cure of the  latter doth wholly 
depend upon physic4    ,quest4 ,some may
 possibly question1 ,whether all        
extraordinary agonies  of soul1 upon the
 apprehension of eternal damnation1 be  
not the fruits  of melancholy8 ,and if  
not1 then what may the difference be    
betwixt  those that proceed from        
melancholy1 and those that are properly 
the  terrors of conscience8    ,ans4 ,as
 to the first part of the question1 ,i  
answer1 ,first1 ,that all  spiritual    
distresses are not to be ascribed to    
melancholy4 ,for1    #a4 ,there are some
 melancholy persons who are never more  
free from  spiritual troubles--though   

frequently accustomed to them at other  
times--than when1 upon the occasion of  
some special trouble1 or sickness       
threatening death1 there is greatest    
cause to fear such onsets upon  the     
increase of melancholy4 ,some such ,i   
have known4    #b4 ,sometimes these     
distresses come suddenly1 their         
conscience  smiting them in the very act
 of sin2 and these persons sometimes    
such as are not of a melancholic        
constitution4 ,spira was suddenly       
thunderstruck with terrors of conscience
 upon his recantation of some  truths   
which he held2 and so were some of the  
martyrs4    #c4 ,sometimes terrors that 
have continued long1 and have been very 
fierce1 are removed in a moment4 ,now it
 is not rational to say that  melancholy
 only occasioned all such troubles1     
wherein bodies that are  not naturally  
of that complexion--and some such have  
been surprised  with terrors of         
conscience2 if we will take a liberty to
 suppose an  accidental melancholy we   

must of necessity allow some time2 and1 
usually1 some precedaneous#cea occasion 
to mould them into such a  distemper4   
,neither do the fears of melancholy     
cease on a sudden1 but  abate gradually1
 according to the gradual abatement of  
the humour4  ,to say that ,cain's or    
,judas's despair were the invasions of  
strong  melancholy1 is not only beyond  
all proof1 but also probability4        
,neither  is it likely that ,david1     
whose ruddy countenance and inclination 
to  music are tokens of a sanguine      
complexion1 was always melancholic under
  his frequent complaints of spiritual  
trouble4    #d4 ,they that read the     
story of ,spira1 and observe his        
rational  serious replies to the        
discourses that were offered him for his
  comfort and his carriage all along1   
will have no cause to conclude  his     
trouble to be only melancholy2 neither  
did the sober judicious  bystanders     
ascribe his distress to any such cause4 
#e4 ,the agony of ,christ upon the      

cross1 under the sense of divine  wrath 
for our sins1 though it were without    
desperation1 is an  undeniable proof    
that there may be deep sense of ,god's  
displeasure upon  the soul of man1 which
 cannot be ascribed to melancholy4      
,second1 ,i answer1 ,that it is not to  
be denied but that ,god may make  use of
 that humour as his instrument1 for the 
increase and continuance  of terrors    
upon the consciences of those whom he   
thinks fit to punish1  for any          
provocation1 with spiritual desertion1  
as he made use of that  distemper to    
punish ,saul and ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,i    
speak not here of those  distresses     
which are nothing else but melancholy1  
such as those before  mentioned1 of     
which physicians have given us frequent 
histories1#ceb  though in this case the 
secret ways of ,god's providences are to
 be  adored with humble silence2 but of 
those terrors of conscience which  have 
a mixture of melancholy to help them    
forward1 yet so as that the  judgment   

and reason are not thereby perverted4   
,spira1 when his case was  hastily      
concluded by an injudicious friend to be
 a strong melancholy1  made this reply1 
,well1 be it so1 seeing you will needs  
have it so2  for thus also is ,god's    
wrath manifested against me4 ,which     
shews1 #a4  ,that he believed ,god doth 
sometimes manifest his wrath against man
 by  melancholy4 ,and #b4 ,that he      
denied this to be his condition2 for he 
still concluded that ,god sent the      
terrors of his wrath immediately upon   
his conscience1 as the sentence of his  
just condemnation for denying  ,christ4 
,now when ,god doth make use of         
melancholy1 as his instrument  in       
,satan's hand1 to make the soul of man  
more apprehensive of his sin  and ,god's
 wrath--though he doth not always make  
use of this means1 as  hath been        
said--while he still preserves the      
understanding from false  imaginations1 
the distress is still rational1 and we  
have no cause  to make any great        

difference betwixt these troubles that  
have such a  mixture of melancholy1 and 
such as have not4 ,neither must we say  
that  then it is in the power of the    
physician to remove or mitigate such    
spiritual distresses4 ,for if ,god see  
it fit to make use of melancholy  for   
such a purpose1 he can suspend the power
 of physic1 so that it  shall not do its
 work till ,god hath performed all his  
purpose4 ,and  the unsuccessfulness of  
remedies in this distemper1 while it    
seems to  be wonderfully stubborn in    
resisting all that can be done for cure1
  is more to be ascribed1 in some cases1
 to ,god's design1 than every  physician
 doth imagine4    ,as to the latter part
 of the question1 ,how the terrors of   
melancholy  and those of conscience are 
to be distinguished8 ,i shall only  say 
this2 that1 as ,i said1 we are not much 
concerned to make any  distinction where
 the distressed party acts rationally4  
,it is true  something may be observed  
from these mixtures of melancholy2 and  

thence  may some indications be taken by
 the friends of the distressed1 which   
may be of use to the afflicted party4   
,physic in this case is not to  be      
neglected1 because1 though ,god may     
permit that distemper in order  to the  
terror of the conscience1 we are not of 
,god's counsel1 to know  how high he    
would have it to go1 nor how long to    
continue2 but it is  our duty1 with     
submission to him1 to use all means for 
help4 ,however1  seeing the physician is
 the only proper judge of the bodily    
distemper1  it were improper to speak of
 the signs of melancholy in these mixed 
cases1 to those that cannot make use of 
them4 ,and as for these  distresses of  
melancholy that are irrational1 they are
 of themselves  so notorious1 that ,i   
need not give any account of them4      
,there is  usually a constitution       
inclining that way1 and often the       
parents or  friends of the party have   
been handled in the same manner before2 
or  if their natural temper do not lead 

them that way1 there is usually  some   
cross1 trouble1 disappointment1 or the  
like outward affliction1  that hath     
first pressed them heavily1 and by      
degrees hath wrought them  into         
melancholy1 and then afterward they come
 to concern themselves for  their souls2
 as that woman in ,plater's             
observations1 who being long  grieved   
with jealousy upon grounds too just1 at 
last fell into grievous  despair1 crying
 out that ,god would not pardon her1    
that she was damned1  that she felt hell
 already and the torments of it1 c4#cec 
,or there  are some concomitant         
deliriums1 imaginations apparently      
absurd or  false1 c41 all which give    
plain discoveries of irrational         
distresses4  ,and if there remained any 
doubt concerning them1 the consideration
 of  all circumstances together1 by such
 as are sober and judicious1 would      
easily afford a satisfaction4    7#c47  
,having now confined the discourse to   
the spiritual distresses  of ,god's     

children1 that are not so oppressed with
 melancholy as to  be misled with false 
imaginations1 ,i must next1 concerning  
these  distresses1 offer another        
observable distinction1 which is this3  
,that  they are either made up of all   
the five forementioned ingredients1 or  
only of some of them1 and so may be     
called total or partial1 though in  each
 of these there may be great differences
 of degrees4    #a4 ,sometimes then the 
children of ,god may be brought into    
total  distresses of conscience1 even   
with desperation1 and1 that which is    
more hideous1 with blasphemy1 if ,mr    
,perkins his observation hold true1  who
 tells us1 #8that they may be so        
overcharged with sorrow as to cry  out  
they are damned1 and to blaspheme       
,god3'#ced and we have no reason  to    
contradict it1 when we observe how far  
,david went in his haste  more than     
once4 ,and whatever may be the private  
differences betwixt  these and the      
reprobates in their agonies--as         

differences there are1  both in ,god's  
design1 and their hearts1 though not    
visible--yet if we  compare the fears1  
troubles1 and speeches of the one and   
the other  together1 there appears      
little or no difference which bystanders
 can  certainly fix upon4 ,if it seems  
harsh to any that so horrid a thing as  
despair should be charged upon the elect
 of ,god1 in the worst of their         
distresses1 it will readily be answered3
 ,first1 ,that if we suppose  not this1 
we must suppose that which is worse4 ,if
 we like not to say  that ,god's        
children may fall into despair1 we must 
conclude1 very  uncharitably1 that they 
that fall into despair are not ,god's   
children4  ,second1 ,it is easy to      
imagine a difference betwixt partial and
  total despair1 betwixt imaginary and  
real4 ,the children of ,god1 under      
strong perturbation of spirit1 may      
imagine themselves to do what they  do  
not1 and so may bear false witness      
against themselves--professing  that all

 their hope of salvation is lost1 when  
yet the root of their  hope may still   
remain in their hearts undiscovered4    
,the habit may be  there when all       
visible acts of it are at present       
suspended1 or so  disguised in a crowd  
of confused expressions that they cannot
 be known2  or1 if they have real       
distrust of their salvation1 yet every  
fit of  real diffidence is not utter    
desperateness2 neither will it          
denominate  a man to be totally         
desperate1 any more than every error1   
even about  fundamentals1 will          
denominate a man a heretic4#cee ,for as 
it must be  a pertinacious error in     
fundamentals that makes a heretic1 so it
 must  be a pertinacious diffidence that
 makes a man truly desperate4 ,third1   
,but sometimes the children of ,god have
 only partial distresses4 ,that  is1    
they may have a great measure of some of
 the ingredients1 without  mixture of   
the rest4 ,particularly1 they may have a
 great measure of  the sense of divine  

wrath and desertion1 without            
desperation4 ,the  possibility of this  
is evident1 beyond exception1 in the    
example of  our blessed ,saviour1 when  
he cried out1 #8,my ,god1 my ,god1 why  
hast  thou forsaken me8' ,mat4 xxvii4   
#df4 ,none can ascribe desperation to   
him without blasphemy2 and if they      
should1 the very words1 #8,my ,god1  my 
,god'--expressing his full and certain  
hope--do expressly contradict  them4    
,such an instance of spiritual distress 
without desperation ,i take  ,heman to  
be4 ,how high his troubles were is      
abundantly testified in ,ps4  lxxxviii42
 and yet that his hope was not lost     
appears not only by his  prayer for     
relief in the general--for hope is not  
utterly destroyed  where the appointed  
means for help are carefully used--but  
by the  particular avouchment of his    
hope in ,god1 in the first verses of    
that  psalm1 #8,o ,lord ,god of my      
salvation1 ,i have cried day and night  
before  thee4'    7#d47 ,the last       

difference of spiritual distresses which
 ,i shall observe  is this1 that some   
are more transient fits and flashes of  
terror under  a present temptation1     
which endure not long2 others are more  
fixed  and permanent4 ,the less durable 
distresses may be violent and sharp     
while they hold4 ,temptations of        
diffidence may strongly possess a  child
 of ,god1 and at first may not be       
repelled2 and then before their  faith  
can recover itself1 they vent their     
present sad apprehensions of  their     
estate1 as ,jonah did1 chap4 ii4 #d1    
#8,i said1 ,i am cast out of thy        
sight1' ,many such fits ,david had1 and 
in them complained at this rate1  #8,why
 hast thou forsaken me8 why castest thou
 off my soul8' ,ps4 xxxi4  #bb1 #8,i    
said in my haste1 ,i am cut off from    
before thine eyes4' ,ps4  cxvi4 #aa1    
#8,i said in my haste1 ,all men are     
liars2' which was a great  height of    
distrust1 and too boldly reflecting upon
 ,god's faithfulness1  considering the  

special promises that ,god had made to  
him4 ,such sharp  fits were those of    
,bainham and ,bilney1 martyrs1 whose    
consciences were  so sorely wounded for 
recanting the truth which they          
professed1 that  they seemed to feel a  
very hell within them4    ,the more     
fixed distresses1 as they are of longer 
continuance1 so they  are often         
accompanied with the very worst         
symptoms2 for when in these  agonies1 no
 sun nor star of comfort appears to them
 for many days1 all  hope that they     
shall be saved seems to be taken away1  
,acts xxvii4  #bj2 and being tired out  
with complaints and importunities1      
without  any answer1 they at last reject
 the use of means4 ,some have lain many 
years--as the paralytic man at the pool 
of ,bethesda--without cure2 some  from  
their youth up1 as ,heman complains4    
,some carry their distresses  to their  
death-bed1 and it may be are not eased  
till their souls are  ready to depart   
out of their bodies1 and then they often

 end suddenly  and comfortably4 ,some ,i
 could tell you of1 who on their        
death-bed1  after grievous terrors1 and 
many outcries concerning their miseries 
of #8blackness and darkness for ever1'  
lay long silent2 and then on a  sudden  
brake out into raptures of joy and      
adoring admiration of the  goodness of  
,god1 using that speech of the apostle1 
,rom4 xi4 #cc1 #8,oh  the depth of the  
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge 
of ,god6 how  unsearchable are his      
judgments1 and his ways past finding    
out6' ,others  go out of the world in   
darkness1 without any appearance of     
comfort4  ,such an instance was ,mr     
,chambers1 as the story of his death    
testifies1  mentioned by ,mr ,perkins1  
in his treatise #8,of ,desertions1' of  
whom this  account is given3 that in    
great agonies he cried out1 #8he was    
damned1'  and so died4 ,the case of such
 is surely very sad to themselves1 and  
appears no less to others2 yet we must  
take heed of judging rashly  concerning 

such4 ,nay1 if their former course of   
life hath been  uniformly good--for who 
will reject a fine web of cloth1 as one 
speaks1  for a little coarse list#cef at
 the end--especially if there be any    
obscure appearance of hope--as that     
expression of ,mr ,chambers1 #8,oh  that
 ,i had but one drop of faith6' is by   
,mr ,perkins supposed to be--we  ought  
to judge the best of them4 ,we have seen
 the nature of spiritual  distresses in 
the ingredients and differences thereof4
 ,we are now to  consider1    #b4       
,satan's method in procuring them3 which
 consists1 7#a47 ,in the  occasions     
which he lays hold on for that end4     
7#b47 ,in the arguments  which he useth4
 7#c47 ,in the working up of their      
fears1 by which he  confirms men in     
them4    7#a47 ,as to the occasions1 he 
follows much the same course which hath 
been described before in spiritual      
troubles2 so that ,i need not say  much1
 only ,i shall note two things3--    #a4
 ,that it makes much for ,satan's       

purpose1 if the party against  whom he  
designs have fallen into some grievous  
sins4 ,sins of common  magnitude do not 
lay a foundation suitable to the        
superstructure  which he intends4 ,he   
cannot plausibly argue reprobation or   
damnation  from every ordinary sin2 but 
if he finds them guilty of something    
extraordinary1 then he falls to work    
with his accusations4 ,the most  usual  
sins which he takes advantage from1 are1
 as ,mr ,perkins observes1  those       
against the third1 sixth1 and seventh   
command2 sometimes those  against the   
ninth4 ,murder1 adultery1 perjury1 and  
the wilful denial  of truth against     
conscience1 are the crimes upon which he
 grounds his  charge1 but most usually  
the last4 ,upon this1 the distressed    
,spira1 and  some of the martyrs4 ,as   
for the other1 the more private they    
are1 ,satan  hath oft the more advantage
 against them1 because ,god's secret and
  just judgment will by this means      
#8bring to light the hidden things of   

darkness1' #a ,cor4 iv4 #e1 and force   
their consciences to accuse them  of    
that which no man could lay to their    
charge1 that he might manifest  himself 
to be #8the searcher of the hearts1 and 
trier of the reins1'  ,rev4 ii4 #bc4    
,thus have many been forced to disclose 
private murders1  secret adulteries1 and
 to vomit up1 though with much pain and 
torture1  that which they have by       
perjury or guile extorted from others4  
#b4 ,where ,satan hath not these        
particular advantages1 he doth          
endeavour to prepare men for distresses1
 by other troubles long  continued4 ,all
 men that are brought to despair of     
their happiness1  must not be supposed  
to be greater sinners than others4 ,some
 are  distressed with fears of eternal  
damnation1 that are in a good measure   
able to make ,job's protestation in     
these cases1 chap4 xxxi4 #i1 c41  that  
their #8heart hath not been deceived by 
a woman2' that they have  not laid wait 
at their neighbour's door2 that they    

have not lift up  their hand against the
 fatherless1 when they saw their help in
 the  gate2 that their land doth not cry
 against them1 nor the furrows  thereof 
complain2 that when they saw the sun    
when it shined1 or  the moon walking in 
brightness1 their heart hath not been   
secretly  enticed1 nor their mouth      
kissed their hand2 that they rejoiced   
not in  the destruction of him that     
hated them1 nor lift up themselves when 
evil found him1 c4 ,notwithstanding all 
which1 their fears are upon  and prevail
 against them4 ,but then before ,satan  
can bring them to  consent to such      
dismal conclusions against themselves1  
they must be  extraordinarily fitted to 
take the impression2 either tired out   
under  great afflictions1 or long       
exercised with fears about their        
spiritual  estates1 without intermixture
 of comfort or ease1 or their faculties 
broken and weakened by melancholy4 ,any 
of these give him an advantage          
equivalent to that of great sins4 ,for  

though he cannot say to these1  ,your   
sins are so enormous1 that they are1    
considered themselves  together with    
their circumstances1 sad signs of       
reprobation2 yet he  will plead that    
,god's carriage towards them doth       
plainly discover that  he hath wholly   
cast them off1 and left them to         
themselves1 without hope  of mercy4     
7#b47 ,as for the arguments which he    
useth1 they are much-what from  the same
 topics which he maketh choice of in    
bringing on spiritual  troubles4 ,only  
as he aims at the proof of a great deal 
more against  ,god's children1 than that
 they are not converted2 so accordingly 
he  screws up his mediums for proof to a
 higher pin4 ,his arguments are1    #a4 
,from scriptures wrested or misapplied4 
,his choice of scriptures  for this     
purpose1 is of such places as either    
seem to speak most sadly  the dangerous 
and fearful estate of men1 according to 
the first view  and literal             
representation of them1 through the     

unskilfulness of those  that are to be  
concerned2 or of such places as do      
really signify the  miserable           
unhappiness of some persons1 who through
 their own fault have  been cut off from
 all hope1 and the possibility of the   
like to some  others for the future4 ,so
 that1 in framing arguments from        
,scripture1  the devil useth a twofold  
cunning4 ,first1 ,there are some        
scriptures  which have the word         
damnation in them1 applied to some      
particular  acts and miscarriages of    
men1 when yet their intendment is not   
such  as the word seems to sound1 or as 
he would make them to believe4 ,now     
when he catcheth a child of ,god in such
 acts as are there specified1  if he    
finds that his ignorance or timorousness
 is such as may render  the temptation  
feasible1 he presently applies damnation
 to them1 by  the authority of those    
texts4 ,for instance1 that text of ,rom4
 xiv4 #bc1  hath been frequently abused 
to that end1 #8,he that doubteth1 is    

damned  if he eat4' ,the word #8damned' 
there1 strikes deep with a weak1        
troubled  ,christian that is not skilful
 in the word of righteousness4 ,for     
whether  ,satan apply it to sacramental 
eating1 as sometimes he doth to the     
ignorant1 though contrary to the purpose
 of the text1 or to doubting  in the    
general1 he makes this conclusion out of
 it3 #8,thou doubtest1 or  thou hast    
eaten the sacrament doubtingly1         
therefore there is no hope  for thee2   
thou art damned4' ,whereas all this     
while1 the devil doth but  play the     
sophister in the abuse of the           
signification of words4 ,for  that      
scripture evidently relates to the      
difference that then was in  the church1
 about eating those meats that were     
unclean by ,moses's law2  in which case 
the apostle doth positively declare1    
that the difference  betwixt clean and  
unclean meats is taken away2 so that a  
,christian  might with all freedom      
imaginable eat those meats that were    

formerly  unclean1 with this proviso1   
that he were #8fully persuaded in his   
own  mind1' ,rom4 xiv4 #e4 ,the         
necessity of which satisfaction1 he     
proves  from this1 that otherwise he    
should offend his own conscience1 which 
in that case must needs condemn him1 and
 that is the damnation that is  there   
spoken of2 as is more evident by        
comparing this verse with the  next     
foregoing1 #8,happy is he that          
condemneth not himself4' ,but he that   
doubteth1 doth condemn himself1 because 
#8he eats not of faith1'--that  is1 from
 full persuasion of the lawfulness of   
the thing4 ,this scripture  then hath   
nothing at all in it to the purpose for 
which ,satan brings  it4 ,it doth not   
speak of any final sentence of          
condemnation passed  upon a man for such
 an act2 all and the utmost that it     
saith1 is only  this1 that it is a sin  
to go against the persuasion of         
conscience1 and  consequently it puts no
 man further off salvation than any     

other sin  may do2 for which1 upon      
repentance1 the sinner may be pardoned4 
,another text which ,satan hath         
frequently abused1 to the very great    
prejudice of many1 is that of #a ,cor4  
xi4 #bi1 #8,he that eateth and  drinketh
 unworthily1 eateth and drinketh        
damnation to himself4' ,with  this      
scripture he insults over the humble1   
fearful ,christian1 who is  sensible of 
his unworthiness of so great a          
privilege4 ,sometimes he  keeps him off 
long from the sacrament of the ,lord's  
supper1 upon this  very score that such 
an unworthy wretch ought not to make    
such near  and familiar approaches to   
,christ4 ,and if at last he is persuaded
  to partake of this ordinance1 then1   
taking advantage of the party's         
consciousness of his great vileness1 and
 the very low thoughts which  he        
entertains of himself1 he endeavours to 
persuade him that now he  hath destroyed
 himself for ever1 and run upon his own 
irrecoverable  damnation4 ,thus he      

pleads it1 ,can anything be more plain  
than that thou  hast eaten and drunken  
unworthily8 ,thy own conscience tells   
thee so2  and can anything be more      
positively asserted than this1 that he  
that  doth so1 eateth and drinketh      
damnation to himself8 ,what then canst  
thou think of thyself1 but that thou art
 a damned wretch8 ,neither do ,i  speak 
barely what may be supposed ,satan would
 say in this matter1 but  what may be   
proved by many instances he hath said   
and urged upon the  consciences of the  
weak1 who have from hence concluded1 to 
the great  distress of their souls1 that
 by unworthy receiving of the sacrament 
they have sealed up their own           
condemnation2 and all this by abusing   
and perverting the sense of this text4  
,for the unworthy receiving doth  relate
 to the miscarriages which he had taxed 
before1 and it implies  a careless1     
profane eating2 such as might plainly   
express the small  or unworthy esteem   
that they had in their hearts for that  

ordinance4  ,and the damnation there    
threatened is not final and irrevocable 
damnation1 but temporal judgment2 as the
 apostle himself doth explain  it in the
 next verses2 #8,for this cause many are
 sickly4444 ,and if  we would judge     
ourselves we should not be judged4'     
,that is1 as he  further explains it1 we
 should not be thus chastened or        
afflicted2 and  the word translated     
#8damnation' doth signify judgment--4   
,at the  furthest1 if we should take it 
for the condemnation of hell1 all that  
is threatened would be no more than     
this3 that such have deserved1  and ,god
 in justice might inflict the           
condemnation of hell for such an        
offence2 which is not only true of this 
sin but of all others1 which  still do  
admit of the exception of repentance4   
,all this while this is  nothing to the 
poor humbled sinner1 that judgeth       
himself unworthy in  his most serious   
examination and greatest diligence4     
,satan here plays  upon the unexactness 

of the translation1 and the ignorance of
 the party  in criticisms2 for it is not
 every one that can readily answer such 
captious arguments4    #b4 ,but he hath 
another piece of cunning1 which is this3
 ,he doth by a  singular kind of art1   
threap upon men some scripture that     
really speaks  of eternal condemnation1 
without any sufficient evidence in      
matter of  fact for the due application 
of them1 only because they cannot prove 
the contrary4 ,his proceeding herein is 
to this purpose4 ,first1 ,after  he hath
 prepared his way1 by forming their     
minds to a fearful suspicion  of their  
estate1 he sets before them such        
scriptures as these3 ,god  hardened the 
heart of ,pharaoh3 he hath prepared     
#8vessels of wrath1  fitted for         
destruction4' ,christ prayed not #8for  
the world3' and that  concerning the    
,jews1 #8,he hath blinded their eyes1   
and hardened their  hearts4' ,secondly1 
,he confidently affirms that they are   
such4 ,thirdly1  ,he puts them to prove 

the contrary1 and herein he sends them  
to the  search of ,god's eternal        
decrees2 in which art ,satan1 like an   
ignis  fatuus1 leads them out of the    
way4 ,and though he cannot possibly     
determine what he affirms1 he shifts off
 the positive proof from  himself1 and  
leaves it upon them to make out1 that   
they are not thus  determined of by     
,god's unchangeable purpose4 ,and       
because the tempted1  under so great a  
cloud1 have no such persuasion of their 
present graces  as may enable them to   
make sure their election by the fruits  
of their  vocation1 they are beaten off 
from their hold1 and are brought to     
believe that the argument is            
unanswerable4 ,because they cannot say  
they  are converted1 they conclude they 
must be damned1 overlooking the true    
answer that they might make1 by keeping 
close to the possibility or  probability
 that they may be converted1 and so     
escape the damnation of  hell4 ,this    
general hope being of such high concern 

to the distressed1  for it is the first 
thing that must relieve them till better
 evidence  come in1 it is ,satan's great
 policy to cheat them of it1 which he   
often  doth by this method now declared4
    7#b47 ,satan doth mainly endeavour  
to misrepresent ,god to troubled  souls1
 and from thence he draweth out         
arguments against them4 ,in the  former 
case of spiritual troubles1 he          
misrepresents ,god1 in that he          
represents only some attributes of his1 
not only distinct from1 but  in         
opposition to others1 by which he       
labours to conceal the sweet and        
beautiful harmony that is among them2   
and also to make one attribute  an      
argument against the comfortable        
supporting considerations which  another
 would afford4 ,he insists upon ,god's  
justice without respect  of mercy1 upon 
his holiness without any regard of his  
gracious  condescensions to the         
infirmities of the weak4 ,but when it is
 his  business to bring any under       

spiritual distresses1 he then           
misrepresents  ,god at a higher rate1   
and sticks not to asperse him with      
abominable  falsehoods4 ,there are two  
lies which he commonly urgeth at this   
time3--    #a4 ,he represents ,god as a 
cruel tyrant1 of a rigorous1 unmerciful 
disposition1 that delights himself in   
the ruin and misery of men4 ,to  this   
purpose he rakes together the harshest  
passages of the ,scripture1  that speak 
of ,god's just severity against the     
wilful obstinate  sinners1 that         
stubbornly contemn his offers of grace4 
,god indeed hath  cleared himself of    
this aspersion1 by solemn oath1 ,ezek4  
xxxiii4 #aa1  #8,as ,i live1 saith the  
,lord ,god1 ,i have no pleasure in the  
death of  the wicked1 but that the      
wicked turn from his way and live4' ,yet
 the  tempted will sooner believe       
,satan's suggestion than ,god's oath2   
partly  because the sense of their      
vileness doth secretly sway them to     
think  there is reason that he should be

 so2 partly because their fears  incline
 them to suspect the worst2 and partly  
the uneasy tossings of  their mind long 
continued reviveth the natural          
frowardness of the  spirit against ,god4
 ,which1 how apt it is1 when fretted    
with vexation1  to entertain harsh      
thoughts of ,god1 may be seen in the    
answer of the  slothful servant to his  
lord1 who returned his talent back again
  unimproved1 with a reflection         
importing that his master was such as   
none could please2 so severe that he was
 discouraged from making any  attempt of
 serving him acceptably3 ,mat4 xxv4 #bd1
 he said1 #8,lord1 ,i  knew thee that   
thou art an hard man1 reaping where thou
 hast not sown1  and gathering where    
thou hast not strawed4'    #b4 ,he      
belies ,god further1 by representing him
 as designing the  ruin and misery of   
the tempted person in particular4 ,he   
would make  him believe that ,god had a 
particular spleen1 as it were1 against  
him  above other men1 and that in all   

his dealings with1 or concerning  him1  
he is but as a #8bear lying in wait1 and
 as a lion in secret  places1' ,lam4    
iii4 #aj1 ready to take any advantage to
 cut him off4  ,and accordingly he gives
 no other interpretation of all the ways
 of  ,god but such as make them look    
like tokens of final rejection of those 
that are concerned in them4 ,if there be
 upon them outward afflictions1  he     
tells them these are but the forerunners
 of hell2 if they lie under  inward     
sense of wrath1 he calls that the       
first-fruits of everlasting  vengeance2 
if any particular threatening be        
impressed upon their  consciences by the
 ,spirit of ,god1 in order to their     
humiliation and  repentance1 he         
represents it as ,god's final sentence  
and absolute  determination against     
them4 ,if for caution ,god see it fit to
 set before  them the examples of his   
wrath1 as it is very frequent for him to
 do1  lest we #8should fall after the   
same example of unbelief1' #a ,pet4 ii4 

#f2 #a ,cor4 x4 #f1 ,satan perverts this
 to that which ,god never intended1  for
 he boldly asserts that these examples  
prognosticate their misery1  and that   
,god signifies by them a prediction of  
certain unavoidable  unhappiness4       
,this must be observed here1 that these 
misrepresentations of ,god are  none of 
,satan's primary arguments2 he useth    
them only as fresh reserves  to second  
others4 ,for where he finds any wing of 
his battalions ready  to be beaten1 he  
comes up with these supplies to relieve 
them4 ,for  indeed these considerations 
of ,god's severity in the general1 or   
of his special resolve against any in   
particular1 are not of force  sufficient
 to attack a soul that is within the    
trenches of present  peace2 they are not
 of themselves proper mediums to produce
 such a  conclusion4 ,though we suppose 
,god severe1 except we should imagine   
him  to be a hater of mankind           
universally1 we cannot thence infer the 
final  ruin of this or that individual  

person4 ,and besides that these are     
unjustifiable falsehoods1 they cannot   
make the final damnation of any  one so 
much as probable till the heart be first
 weakened in its hopes  by fears or     
doubtings1 raised up in it upon other   
grounds4 ,then indeed  men are          
staggered1 either by the deep sense of  
their unworthiness1  or some sad        
continuing calamity1 and the seeming    
neglect of their  prayers4 ,if ,satan   
then tell them of ,god's severity1 or   
that1 all his  providences considered1  
he hath set them up as a #8mark for the 
arrows  of his indignation1' they are   
ready to believe his report1 it being so
  suitable to their present sense and   
feeling4    #c4 ,satan also fetcheth    
arguments from the sins of ,god's       
children1  but his great art in this is 
by unjust aggravations to make them     
look like those offences which by       
special exception in ,scripture are     
excluded from pardon4 ,the apostle1 #a  
,john v4 #af1 tells us of a #8sin  that 

is unto death2' that is1 a sin which1 if
 a man commits1 he cannot  escape       
eternal death1 and therefore he would   
not have such a sinner  prayed for4     
,that the popish distinction of venial  
and mortal sins is  not here intended1  
some of the papists themselves do       
confess4#ceg  ,what he means by that sin
 he doth not tell us1 it being a thing  
known  sufficiently from other          
scriptures4 ,the note of                
unpardonableness is  indeed affixed to  
sins under several denominations2 the   
sin against  the ,holy ,ghost ,christ   
pronounceth unpardonable1 ,mat4 xii4    
#ca4 ,total  apostasy from the truth of 
the gospel hath no less said of it by   
the  apostle when he calls it #8a       
drawing back to perdition1' ,heb4 x4    
#ci4  ,whether these be all one1 or     
whether there is any other species of   
sin  irremissible besides that against  
the ,holy ,ghost1 it is not to our      
purpose to make inquiry4 ,whatever they 
are in themselves1 ,satan in this       

matter makes use of the texts that speak
 of them distinctly1 as we  shall       
presently see4 ,but1 besides these1 the 
,scriptures speak of some  that were    
#8given up to vile affections1 and to a 
reprobate mind1' ,rom4  i4 #bf1 #bh4    
,and of others that were given up #8to  
hardness of heart1'  ,mat4 xiii4 #ad2   
,acts xxviii4 #bf4 ,now whosoever they  
are of whom these  things may be justly 
affirmed1 they are certainly miserable1 
hopeless  wretches4 ,here then is       
,satan's cunning1 if he can make any    
child of ,god  believe that he hath done
 any such act1 or acts of sin1 as may   
bring  him within the compass of these  
scriptures1 then he insults over them1  
and tells them over and over again that 
they are cut off for ever4    ,to this  
purpose he aggravates all their sins4   
,and1    ,first1 ,if he find them guilty
 of any great iniquity1 he fixeth upon  
that1 and labours all he can to make it 
look most desperately1 that so  he may  
call it the sin against the ,holy       

,ghost2 and in this he hath a  mighty   
advantage1 that most men are in the dark
 about that sin1 all  men being not yet 
agreed whether it be a distinct species 
of sin1 or a  higher degree of          
wilfulness relating to any particular   
sin4 ,upon this  score ,satan can lay   
the charge of this sin upon those that  
apostatize  from the truth1 and through 
weakness have recanted it4 ,thus he     
dealt  with ,spira1 with ,bilney1 with  
,bainham1 and several others4 ,there is 
so  near a resemblance in these sins of 
denying truths to what is said of  the  
unpardonable sin1 that these men1 though
 they were scholars and  men of good    
abilities1 yet they were not able to    
answer the argument  that the devil     
urged against them1 but it prevailed to 
distress them4  ,upon others also hath  
,satan the advantage to fix this        
accusation2 for  let the species of the 
sin be what it will1 if they have       
anything of  that notion1 that the sin  
against the ,holy ,ghost is a           

presumptuous act  of sin under          
temptation1 they will call any notorious
 crime the sin  against the ,holy       
,ghost1 because of the more remarkable  
aggravating  circumstances that have    
accompanied such a fact4    ,second1 ,he
 aggravates the sins of ,god's children 
from the wilfulness  of their sinning4  
,it is a thing often too true that a    
child of ,god may  be carried by a      
violent impetus1 or strong inclination  
of affection1  to some particular       
iniquity1 where the forwardness of      
desires that  way1 by a sudden haste1 do
 stifle those reluctancies of mind which
  may be expected from one endowed with 
the ,spirit of ,god1 whose power  upon  
them doth ordinarily sway them #8to lust
 against the flesh4' ,but  it is more   
ordinary to find a temptation to        
prevail1 notwithstanding  that an       
enlightened mind doth make some         
resistance2 which1 because  it is too   
feeble1 is easily borne down by the     
strong importunities of  ,satan1 working

 upon the inclinations of the flesh4    
,both these cases  are improved against 
them over whom ,satan hath got any      
advantage of  doubting of their estate4 
,if they have resisted but              
ineffectually1 or  not resisted at all1 
he chargeth them with the highest       
wilfulness1 and  will so aggravate the  
matter that they shall be put in fear1  
not only  that there can be no          
grace--where sin hath so much power as  
either to  control so much light and    
endeavours1 or hath so subjected the    
heart  to its dominion that it can      
command without a contradiction--but    
that  they can have no hope2 that they  
that sin with so high a hand should     
ever enter into ,god's rest4 ,and to    
this purpose he commonly sets  before   
them that text of ,heb4 x4 #bf1 #8,if we
 sin wilfully after that  we have       
received the knowledge of the truth1    
there remaineth no more  sacrifice for  
sins4' ,or that of ,heb4 vi4 #d1 #8,it  
is impossible for  those who were once  

enlightened1 444 if they fall away1 to  
renew them  again to repentance4' ,both 
which places speak indeed1 at least1    
such  a difficulty as in common use of  
speech is called an impossibility1  if  
not an utter absolute impossibility1 of 
repentance and pardon4  ,but then the   
sinning wilfully or falling away there  
mentioned1 is  only that of total       
apostasy2 when men that have embraced   
the gospel1  and by it have met with    
such impressions of power and delight   
upon  their hearts1 which we usually    
call common grace1 do notwithstanding   
reject that gospel as false and         
fabulous1 and so rise up against it     
with scorn and utmost contempt1 as      
,julian the apostate did4 ,if now  the  
true intendment of those scriptures were
 considered by those that  are          
distressed with them1 they might        
presently see that they were put  into  
fear1 where no such cause of fear was4  
,but all men have not this  knowledge1  
nor do they so duly attend to the matter

 of the apostle's  discourse as to be   
able to put a right interpretation upon 
it4 ,upon  such ,satan imposeth his     
deceitful gloss1 and tells them3 ,wilful
 sinners  cannot be restored to         
repentance2 but you have sinned         
wilfully2 when  sin was before you1 you 
rushed into it without any              
consideration1 as  the horse into the   
battle2 or when ,god stood in your way  
with commands  and advice to the        
contrary1 when your consciences warned  
you not to  do so great wickedness1 yet 
you would do it4 ,you were as those that
  break the yoke and burst the bonds4   
,upon this supposition1 that these      
texts speak of wilful sinning in the    
general1 how little can be said  against
 ,satan's argument6 ,how many have ,i   
known that have been tortured  with     
these texts1 judging their estate       
fearful1 because of their  wilfulness in
 sinning6 who upon the breaking of the  
snare of ,satan's  misrepresentation1   
have escaped as a bird unto the hill4   

,third1 ,when either of the two former  
ways will not serve the  turn--that is1 
when he meets with such against whom he 
hath nothing of  notorious wickedness to
 object1 or such as have a better       
discerning  of ,scripture than so to be 
imposed upon--he labours to make a      
charge  against them1 from the number of
 their miscarriages4 ,here he takes  up 
all the filth he can1 and lays it upon  
one heap at their door4  ,it is indeed  
an easy thing for ,satan to set the sins
 of a child of  ,god in order before    
him1 and to bring to mind innumerable   
evils1  especially to one that is       
already awakened with a true discovery  
of  the corruption of nature and the    
vileness of sin4 ,in which case the     
more a man considers1 the more he will  
discover2 and sins thus set  in battle  
array1 though they be not more than     
ordinary heinous1 yet  being many1 have 
a very dismal appearance4 ,satan's      
design in this is  to bring men under   
the affrightments which seem most proper

 to be  raised from a perverse aspect of
 the third rank of scriptures1 which a  
little before ,i pointed at4 ,for the   
word of ,god1 speaking of the final     
estate of men1 doth not only discover   
the hopeless condition of some  as to   
eternal life from some particular acts  
of sin1 but also the sad  estate of     
others from the manner1 degrees1 and    
frequency of sinning4  ,the heathens1   
because they improved not the knowledge 
of ,god1 which  they had from the works 
of creation1 neither making those       
inferences  in matters relating to his  
worship1 which those discoveries did    
direct them unto1 nor behaving          
themselves in full compliance to those  
rules of virtuous conversation which    
they might have drawn from these        
principles1 and unto which in point of  
gratitude they were obliged3  ,rom4 i4  
#ba1 #8,they glorified him not as ,god1 
neither were thankful2  therefore ,god  
gave them to a reprobate mind4' ,and    
generally1 concerning  all others1 the  

,scripture teacheth us that a return to 
a profane  fleshly life1 after some     
reformation1 hath a greater hazard in it
 than  ordinary1 as appears by the      
parable in ,mat4 xii4 #de1 #8,seven more
 wicked  spirits re-enter2' where one   
that was cast out is received again2 and
  #8the last state of that man is worse 
than the first4' ,so also #b ,pet4  ii4 
#bj4 ,to this purpose is that of        
,solomon concerning the danger of       
continuance in sin1 after many reproofs3
 ,prov4 xxix4 #a1 #8,he that being      
often reproved hardeneth his neck1 shall
 suddenly be destroyed1 and  that       
without remedy4' ,these1 and many such  
like scriptures1 ,satan hath  in        
readiness1 which he plies home upon the 
consciences of those that  are troubled 
with the sense of sin2 telling them that
 their hearts  and ways being           
continually evil1 notwithstanding all   
the courses that  ,god hath taken to    
reclaim them2 that they having so long  
neglected so  great salvation1 or that  

after having seemed to entertain it1    
became  more sinful than before--which  
they will easily believe1 because they  
are now more sensible of sin1 and more  
observant of their miscarriages  than   
formerly--there can be no question but  
they are given up to vile  affections2  
and like the ground that bears nothing  
but #8briars and  thorns1 they are      
rejected1 and nigh unto cursing1 whose  
end is to be  burned1' ,heb4 vi4 #h4    
,the wound that is made with this weapon
 is not  so easily healed as some others
 already mentioned2 because though      
,satan  do unduly wrest these passages  
to such failures in the children of     
,god as have little or no affinity with 
them1 for they only speak of  falling   
into open profaneness with contumacy1   
yet they that have deep  convictions1   
accompanied with great fears1 do usually
 think that there  are none worse than  
they are4 ,and though they will grant   
that some  others have more flagitious  
lives1 yet they think they have hearts  

so  desperately wicked1 that they must  
needs be under as great hazards as      
those whose lives seem to be worse4     
#d4 ,there is but one argument more that
 carries any probability of  proof for  
everlasting condemnation1 and that is   
from a hard and  impenitent heart4 ,how 
,satan will manage himself to make a    
child of ,god  believe that he hath such
 a heart1 is our last observation       
relating to  his sophistry4 ,and it is  
this3 he unjustly aggravates the        
discomposures  of the spirits of those  
that are troubled for sin1 and from     
thence  draws his arguments of          
irrecoverable damnation1 pleading that  
their  hearts are seared1 hardened1     
uncapable of repentance1 and            
consequently  of heaven4 ,that final    
impenitency will conclude damnation is  
certain2  and that some have been given 
up to such a judicial hardness long     
before death1 that they could not       
repent1 may not only be evidenced  from 
the threatening of ,god to that purpose1

 ,mat4 xiii4 #ae1 #8,make the  heart of 
this people fat1' c41 but also from the 
sad instances of  ,pharaoh1 of whom it  
is said1 that #8,god hardened his       
heart2' and the  ,jews who were blinded1
 ,rom4 xi4 #h1 #8,god hath given them   
the spirit of  slumber1 eyes that they  
should not see1 and ears that they      
should not  hear4' ,but still the art   
lieth in this1 ,how to make a child of  
,god  believe that it is so with him4   
,for this purpose he must take him at   
some advantage1 he cannot terrify him   
with this argument at all times4  ,while
 he is acting repentance with an        
undisturbed settled frame of  heart1 it 
is not possible to make him believe he  
doth not1 or cannot  repent2 for this   
were to force him contrary to sense and 
experience4  ,but he must take him at   
some season which may1 with some        
probability1  admit of his plea1 and    
nothing is more proper for that design  
than a  troubled heart2 so that he hath 
in this case two things to do3          

,first1 ,he disquiets the soul into as  
great a height of confusion as  he can4 
,that1 second1 when he hath melted it   
into heaviness1 and torn  it into       
pieces1 he may work upon its            
distractions4    ,there are many things 
that fall out in the case of great      
anxiety  of mind1 that are capable of   
improvement for the accomplishment of   
this design4 ,as1 #a4 ,distracting      
troubles bring the heart under the      
stupidity of amazement4 ,their thoughts 
are so broken and disjointed1  that they
 cannot unite them to a composed1       
settled resolution in  anything2 they   
can scarce join them together to make   
out so much as  might spell out their   
distinct desires or endeavours2 they    
scarce know  what they are doing1 or    
what they would do4 #b4 ,they also      
poison the  thoughts with harsh         
apprehensions against ,god4 ,great      
distresses make  the thoughts sometimes 
recoil against the holy ,lord with      
unseemly  questionings of his goodness  

and compassion2 and this puts men into  
a bad sullen humour of untowardness1    
from whence1 through ,satan's           
improvement1 arise the greatest plunges 
of despair4 #c4 ,most usually in  this  
case the greatest endeavours are        
fruitless and dissatisfactory4  ,satan1 
though he be no friend to duty1 doth    
unseasonably urge them  to repent and   
pray2 but it is because they cannot do  
either with any  satisfaction1 and then 
their failures are matter of argument   
against  them4 ,for if they resolve to  
put themselves upon a more severe course
  of repentance1 and accordingly begin  
to think of their sins1 to number  them1
 or to aggravate them1 they are usually 
affrighted from the  undertaking by the 
heinous appearance of them4 ,they       
cannot1 they dare  not think of them2   
the remotest glimpse of them is terrible
 to an  affrighted conscience2 the      
raising of them up again in the memory1 
like  the rising of a ghost from the    
grave1 is far more astonishing than the 

first prospect of them after commission4
 ,so true is that of ,luther1  #8,if a  
man could see sin perfectly1 it would be
 a perfect hell4' ,if  they set         
themselves to beg their pardon by       
earnest prayer1 they are  so distracted 
and confused in prayer1 that their      
prayers please them  not2 they come off 
from the duty more wounded than when    
they began4 ,or  if in any measure they 
overcome these difficulties1 so that    
they do  pray and confess their         
iniquities1 then they urge and force a  
sorrow or  compunction upon themselves1 
but still to a greater dissatisfaction4 
,for it may be--and this usually happens
 in greater distresses--they  cannot    
weep1 nor force a tear1 or if they do1  
still they judge their  sorrow is not   
deep enough1 nor any way suitable to the
 greatness of  their sin4 #d4 ,to all   
these ,satan sometimes makes a further  
addition of  trouble1 by injecting      
blasphemous thoughts4 ,here he sets the 
stock1  with an intention to graft upon 

it afterward4 ,when all these things    
are thus in readiness1 then comes he to 
set fire to the train1 and  thus he     
endeavours to blow up the mine4 ,is not 
thy heart hardened to  everlasting      
destruction8 ,how canst thou deny this8 
,art thou not grown  stupid1 and        
senseless of all the hazards that are   
before thee8 ,here he  insists upon the 
amazement and confusion of their spirit2
 and it is  very natural for those that 
are drunk with the terrors of the       
,almighty1  to think themselves stupid1 
because of the distraction of their     
thoughts4 ,i have known several that    
have pleaded that very argument to  that
 purpose4 ,satan goes on3 ,what greater 
evidence can there be of a  hardened    
heart than impenitency8 ,thou canst not 
mourn enough4 ,thou hast  not a tear for
 thy sins1 though thou couldst weep     
enough formerly upon  every petty       
occasion2 nay1 thou canst not so much as
 pray for pardon4  ,is not this not only
 a heart that doth not1 but that cannot 

repent8  ,besides1 saith he1 thou       
knowest the secret thoughts that thy    
heart is  privy to2 do they not boil up 
in thy breast against ,god8 ,art thou   
not  ready to tax him for dealing thus  
with thee8 ,what is this untowardness1  
but desperate obdurateness8 ,and if with
 all these there be blasphemous         
injections1 then he tells him it is a   
clear case that he is judicially        
hardened2 in that he acts the part of   
the damned in hell already4 ,by  all1 or
 some of these deceits1 the devil doth  
often prevail so far with  men1 that    
they conclude their heart to be so      
obstinate1 so stupid1  that it is       
impossible that it should be ever       
mollified or brought into  a penitential
 frame1 and consequently that there is  
no hope of their  salvation4    7#c47   
,there is but one thing more1 besides   
the occasions which he takes1  and the  
arguments which he makes use of1        
relating to ,satan's method for  the    
procurement of spiritual distresses1 and

 that is his endeavour to  strengthen   
these arguments by the increase of fears
 in their hearts4    ,what ,satan can do
 in raising up misgiving1 tormenting    
fears1 hath been  said2 and how         
serviceable this is to his design1 ,i   
shall shew in a few  particulars1 having
 only first noted this in the general1  
that as his  design in these distresses 
is raised to express his utmost height  
of  malice against men--in pushing them 
forward to the greatest mischief1 by    
excluding them totally from the lowest  
degree of the hope of happiness1  and by
 persuading them of the inevitable      
certainty of their eternal  misery--so  
he doth endeavour1 by the strongest     
impressions of fear1  to terrify them to
 the utmost degree of affrightful       
amazement1 and  consequently the effects
 of that fear are most powerful2 for1   
#a4 ,by this means the spirits of men   
are formed and moulded into  a frame    
most suitable for the belief and        
entertainment of the most  dismal       

impressions that ,satan can put upon    
them4 ,for strong fears1  like fire1 do 
assimilate everything to their own      
nature1 making them  naturally incline  
to receive the blackest1 the most       
disadvantageous  interpretations of all 
things against themselves1 so that they 
have no  capacity to put any other sense
 upon what lies in their way1 but the   
very worst4 ,hence are they possessed   
with no other thoughts but that  they   
are remediless wretches1 desperate      
miscreants1 utterly forsaken  of ,god4  
,they are brought into such a woeful    
partiality against their  own peace1    
that they cannot judge aright of any    
accusation1 plea1  or argument that     
,satan brings for a proof of their      
unhappiness2 but  being filled with     
strong prejudices of hell1 they think   
every sophism  a strong argument1 every 
supposition a truth1 and every          
accusation  conclusive of no less than  
their eternal damnation2 insomuch that  
their  fears do more to discomfit them  

than all ,satan's forces4 #8,a dreadful 
sound being in their ears1' ,job xv4    
#ba1 their strength fails them at  the  
appearance of any opposition2 as when   
fear comes upon an army they  throw away
 their weapons1 and1 by an easy victory1
 give their backs  sometimes to an      
inconsiderable enemy4    #b4 ,men thus  
possessed with fear do not only receive 
into their own  bowels every weapon     
which ,satan directs on purpose to the  
wounding  and slaying of their hopes1   
but by a strange kind of belief they    
imagine everything to be the sword of an
 enemy4 ,all they hear or meet  with    
turns into poison to them1 for they     
think everything is against             
them--promises as well as threatenings1 
mercies as well as judgments1  and that 
by all these1 one as well as another1   
,god1 as with a flaming  sword turning  
every way1 doth hinder their access to  
the tree of life4  ,bilney the martyr1  
as ,latimer in his sermons reports of   
him1 after  his denial of the truth1 was

 under such horrors of conscience1 that 
his friends were forced to stay with him
 night and day4 ,no comforts  would     
serve4 ,if any comfortable place of     
,scripture was offered to  him1 it was  
as if a man should cut him through with 
a sword4 ,nothing  did him good2 he     
thought that all scriptures made against
 him1 and  sounded to his condemnation4 
,neither is it so rare a thing for fears
  to form the imagination into such     
misshapen apprehensions1 as that we     
should think such instances to be only  
singular and unusual2 but it  is a      
common effect of terror1 which few or   
none escape that are under  spiritual   
distresses4 ,the blackness of their     
thoughts make the whole  ,scripture seem
 black to them4 ,the unfit medium       
through which they look  doth discolour 
every object4 ,so that the book of life1
 as ,mrs ,kath4  ,bretterge in the like 
case expressed herself concerning the   
,bible1  seems to be nothing else but a 
book of death to them4#ceh    #c4 ,from 

hence it follows that no counsel or     
advice can take place  with them4       
,excessive fears do remove their souls  
so far from peace1  that they will not  
believe there is any hope for them1     
though it be  told them4 ,the most      
compassionate1 serious admonitions of   
friends1  the strongest arguments       
against despair1 the clearest           
discoveries of  the hopes that are      
before them1 c41 effect but little4     
,while they  are spoken1 it may be1 they
 seem to relieve them a little2 but the 
comfort abides not with them1 it is soon
 gone4 ,though they cannot  answer the  
arguments brought for them1 yet they    
cannot believe them2  as if their souls 
were now deprived of all power to       
believe anything  for their good3       
suitable to that expression of ,spira1  
in answer to his  friends that laboured 
to comfort him1 #8,i would believe      
comfort1 but  cannot2 ,i can believe    
nothing but what is contrary to my      
comfort1'  ,nay1 when they are told that

 many others have been under the like   
dreadful apprehensions of everlasting   
misery who have at last been            
comforted--and by manifold experience we
 find that it is the greatest  ease to  
distressed souls to hear1 especially to 
speak with some that  have been in the  
like case1 for this will oft administer 
some hope that  they also may be at last
 comforted1 when the most comfortable   
promises  of the ,scripture are a terror
 to them2--yet this doth not effect the 
least ease for them sometimes1 because  
some are so wholly possessed  with      
unalterable prejudice against           
themselves1 that they think none are  or
 ever were like them4 ,they compare     
themselves to ,judas and ,cain1 and     
think their iniquity to be aggravated by
 many circumstances far beyond  the     
pitch of them4 ,thus ,spira judged of   
himself3 #8,i tell you1' saith  he1 #8my
 case is mine own1 it is singular1 none 
like it4'    #d4 ,though fears make the 
soul unactive to anything of comfort1   

because they wholly destroy its         
inclination and alter its bias to hope1 
yet1 on the contrary1 they make it very 
nimble and active to pursue  the        
conclusions of misery which they have   
helped to frame1 for the  spring of all 
the faculties of the soul are bent that 
way4 ,hence it  is that those who are   
possessed with these agonies will       
eagerly plead  against themselves1 and  
with an admirable subtlety will frame   
arguments  against their peace1 coin    
distinctions1 and make strange evasions 
to escape the force of any consolation  
that may be offered to them4  ,their    
understandings are1 as it were1 whetted 
by their fears to an  unimaginable      
quickness4 ,who would not wonder to hear
 the replies that  some will give to the
 arguings of their friends that labour  
to comfort  them6 ,what strange answers 
,spira gave to those that pleaded with  
him6  ,how easily he seemed to turn off 
the example of ,peter denying ,christ1  
and those scriptures that speak of      

,god's love to mankind1 c41 may be  seen
 at large in his narrative4    #e4      
,fears by a strange kind of witchcraft  
do not only make them  believe that they
 shall be unhappy1 but also will at last
 persuade them  that they feel and see  
their misery already4 ,how astonishingly
 doth  ,spira speak to this purpose3    
#8,i find he daily more and more hardens
  me2 ,i feel it4' ,answerable to this1 
,i remember1 was the case of one  who   
was long imprisoned in deep distresses4 
,he told me that he verily  believed    
that scripture of ,isa4 lxvi4 #bc1 #bd  
was fulfilled upon him1  #8,from one    
sabbath to another shall all flesh come 
to worship before me1  and they shall go
 forth and look upon the carcases of the
 men that have  transgressed against me2
 for their worm shall not die1 neither  
shall  their fire be quenched1 and they 
shall be an abhorring to all flesh4'    
,to his own feeling he had the torments 
of conscience1 and the sense of  divine 
wrath was as a burning fire within him1 

and to his apprehension  every look from
 others was a gazing upon him as a      
monster of misery1  #8abhorred of all   
flesh4'    ,the nature of spiritual     
distresses1 and ,satan's method in      
working  them1 being explained1 the last
 thing promised is now to be opened4    
,this is1    #c4 ,the burden and weight 
of these distresses1 which how grievous1
 how  intolerable it is1 may be         
sufficiently seen in what hath been     
already  said1 and may be further       
evidenced in the particulars            
following3--    #a4 ,those that are     
wounded with these fiery darts do at    
first usually  conceal their wound and  
smother their grief1 being ashamed to   
declare  it1 partly because some great  
transgression1 it may be1 hath kindled  
all this fire in their bosoms1 and this 
they are unwilling to declare  to       
others2 partly because they             
suspect--though no one remarkable sin   
hath occasioned these troubles--that the
 discovery of their case will  expose   

them to the wonder and censures of all  
that shall hear of them4  ,by this means
 the fire burns with greater vehemency4 
,their sore runs  continually1 and      
having none to speak a word in season   
for the least  relief1 it becomes more  
painful and dangerous2 as bodily        
distempers1  concealed by a foolish     
modesty from the physician1 increase the
  trouble and hazard of the patient4    
,here have they many strugglings  within
 themselves1 many attempts to overcome  
their fears1 but all  in vain4 ,they sit
 alone and keep silence1 they flee the  
company and  society of men1 they labour
 after solitary places where they may   
weep  with freedom1 if their tears be   
not yet dried up1 or at least where     
they may pour out their complaints      
against themselves4 ,they meditate      
nothing but their misery1 they can fix  
their thoughts upon nothing  else1 they 
#8chatter as a crane or swallow1 they   
mourn as a dove1' they  are as #8a      
pelican in the wilderness1 as an owl in 

the desert1' but  still without ease4   
,they are but as those that are #8snared
 in dens and  prison-houses1' who the   
longer they lie there have the less     
patience to  bear the present           
unhappiness1 and the less hope to be    
delivered from it4    #b4 ,when they are
 tired out with private conflicts1 and  
have no rest  or intermission of        
trouble1 then at last they are forced to
 speak2 and  having once begun to open  
their troubles1 they care not who knows 
it4  ,if there be any heinous sin at the
 bottom1 their consciences are forced   
to confess it4 ,wickedness1 that was    
once sweet in his mouth1 #8is turned  in
 his bowels1 it is the gall of asps     
within him1' ,job xx4 #ad1 #ae4 ,thus   
doth ,god make men to vomit up what they
 had swallowed down4 ,terrors  chase    
away all shame1 they can now freely     
speak against their sin with  the       
highest aggravations4 ,and if their     
consciences have not a heinous  crime to
 accuse them of in particular1 yet in   

the general they will  judge and condemn
 themselves as the most stubborn1       
sinful1 or hardened  wretches1 justly   
branded with indelible characters of the
 wrath of ,god4  ,however1 the distress 
becomes greater2 if they truly accuse   
themselves  of any particular sin1 that 
vomit is not without a violence offered 
to  nature which otherwise would cover  
its shame4 ,it cannot be done without   
sickness1 straining1 and torture2 and   
when it is done1 they take it for       
granted that every one passeth the same 
judgment upon them which they  do upon  
themselves2 and the frequent speaking   
doth confirm their minds  in their      
fearful expectations4 ,for what men do  
accustom themselves to  assert1 that    
they do more confidently believe4 ,if   
they only complain of  themselves in the
 general1 with any intentions of        
procurement of pity1  as is usual for   
the distressed to do1 yet while they cry
 out to others1  #8,is this nothing to  
you1 all you that pass by8 ,is there any

 sorrow like  to my sorrow8' c41 ,lam4  
i4 #ab1 still they think their #8stroke 
is  heavier than their groaning1' ,job  
xxiii4 #b2 and their cry to others  doth
 strongly fix this apprehension in      
themselves1 that none can be  more      
miserable than they4 ,thus are they     
brought to ,job's condition3  chap4 xvi4
 #f1 #8,though ,i speak1 my grief is not
 assuaged2 and though ,i  forbear1 what 
am ,i eased8'    #c4 ,all this while    
they are under an expressible#cei sense 
of divine  wrath4 ,heman speaks his     
apprehensions of it under the similitude
 of  the most hideous and dismal        
comfortless imprisonment3 ,ps4 lxxxviii4
  #f1 #8,thou hast laid me in the lowest
 pit1 in darkness1 in the deeps4'       
,david1 in ,ps4 cxvi4 #c1 compares it to
 the #8sorrows of death1' and--the      
highest that human thoughts can         
reach--#8the pains of hell4' #8,the     
sorrows of death compassed me1 and the  
pains of hell gat hold upon me2  ,i     
found trouble and sorrow4' ,well might  

they thus judge1 all things  considered2
 for sin1 that then lies heavy upon     
them1 is a great weight1  #8a burden1'  
saith ,david1 #8greater than ,i can     
bear1' especially when it  is pressed on
 by a heavy hand3 #8,thy hand presseth  
me sore4' ,sin makes  the greatest      
wound1 considering the conscience1 which
 is wounded by it1  is the tenderest    
part1 and of exquisite sense4 ,hence the
 grief of it  is compared to the pain of
 a running1 fretting ulcer1 that        
distempers  the whole body3 #8,my wounds
 stink and are corrupted2 my sore ran in
  the night1 and ceased not4' ,or to the
 pain of broken and shattered  bones3   
,ps4 xxxviii4 #c1 #8,there is no        
soundness in my flesh1 because  of thine
 anger2 neither is there any rest in my 
bones1 because of my  sin4' ,the        
instrument also that makes the wound is 
sharp1 and cuts deep3  #8,it is sharper 
than a two-edged sword1' ,heb4 iv4 #ab2 
but when the  weapon is poisoned1--and  
,satan hath a way to do that1--then it  

burns1  making painful1 malignant       
inflammations4 ,the wrath of ,god1      
expressed  to the conscience1 brings the
 greatest terror3 #8,who knows the power
  of thine anger8' ,ps4 xc4 #aa4 ,it is 
impossible for the most trembling       
conscience1 or most jealous fears1 to go
 to the utmost bounds of it2  neither   
can we apprehend any torture greater4   
,the rack1 tortures1 fire1  gibbets1 c41
 are all nothing to it4 ,hence it is    
that those who were  afraid of suffering
 for truth1 when by this means they were
 brought  under these distresses1 could 
then be willing to suffer any torment on
  the body2 yea1 and heartily wish to   
suffer much more1 so that these         
tortures might be ended4 ,thus it was   
with ,bainham martyr1#cfj who1  in the  
public congregation1 bewailed his       
abjuration of the truth2 and  prayed all
 his hearers #8rather to die by and by1 
than do as he had  done4' ,but that of  
,spira seems almost beyond belief4 ,thus
 speaks he  to ,vergerius1 #8,if ,i     

could conceive but the least spark of   
hope of a  better estate hereafter1 ,i  
would not refuse to endure the most     
heavy  weight of the wrath of that great
 ,god1 yea1 for twenty thousand years1  
so that ,i might at length attain to the
 end of that misery4' ,what  dreadful   
agonies were these that put him to these
 wishes6 ,but it is  less wonder1 if you
 observe what apprehensions he had of   
his present  trouble1 he judged it worse
 than hell itself4 ,and if you would    
have a  lively exposition of ,david's   
expression1 #8,the pains of hell1' c41  
you  may fetch it from this instance3   
#8,my present estate1' saith he1 #8,i   
now  account worse than if my soul1     
separated from my body1 were with ,judas
  and the rest of the damned2 and       
therefore ,i desire rather to be there  
than thus to live in the body4' ,so that
 if you imagine a man crushed  under the
 greatest weight1 wounded in the most   
tender parts1 and those  wounds provoked
 by the sharpest corrosives1 his bones  

all disjointed  and broken1 pined also  
with hunger and thirst1 and in that case
 put  under the highest tortures2 yet   
you have but a very shadow of divine    
wrath4 ,add to all these1 according to  
,spira's wish1 twenty thousand  years of
 hell itself1 yet all is nothing to that
 which a distressed  mind supposeth2    
while the word eternity presents the    
soul with the  total sum of utmost      
misery all at once4 ,oh1 unexpressible  
burden of a  distressed mind6 who can   
understand it truly1 but he that feels  
it8 ,how  terribly is the mind of man   
shaken with terrors1 as the wilderness  
by a  mighty wind6 which not only       
produceth violent motions1 but also     
hideous  noise1 murmur1 and howling4    
#d4 ,this burden upon the mind forceth  
the tongue to vent its sorrow  in the   
saddest accent of most doleful outcries4
 ,their whole language  is lamentation2 
but when the pangs of their agonies come
 upon them1 for  their distresses have  
their fits1 then they speak in the      

bitterness of  their souls4 ,oh1 said   
,bainham1 ,i would not for all the      
world's good  feel such a hell in my    
conscience again4 ,one1 formerly        
mentioned1 in  these distresses cries   
out1 #8,woe1 woe1 woe1 a woeful1 a      
wretched1  a forsaken woman6'#cfa ,it   
would surely have made a man's hair to  
stand upright for dread to have heard   
,spira roaring out that terrible        
sentence1 #8,how dreadful is it to fall 
into the hands of the living  ,god6'    
,heb4 x4 #ca4 ,or to have heard his     
reply to him that told of  his being at 
,venice3 #8,o cursed day6' saith he1    
#8,o cursed day6 ,oh that  ,i had never 
gone thither1 would ,god ,i had then    
died6' c4 ,the like  outcries had ,david
 often3 ,ps4 xxi4 #a1 #8,my ,god1 my    
,god1 why hast thou  forsaken me8 ,why  
art thou so far from helping me1 and    
from the words  of my roaring8' ,and    
,heman1 ,ps4 lxxxviii4 #ad1 #8,lord1 why
 castest thou  off my soul1 why hidest  
thou thy face from me8' ,it is true     

,david's  and ,heman's words have a     
better complexion than those others last
  mentioned2 but their disquiet of heart
 seems1 at some times1 to have  urged   
their expressions with impetuous        
violence2 as those passages seem  to    
say1 ,ps4 xxxviii4 #h1 #8,i have roared 
by reason of the disquietness  of my    
heart2' ,ps4 xxxii4 #c1 #8,my bones     
waxed old through my roaring all  the   
day long2' ,job iii4 #bd1 #8,my roarings
 are poured out like water1' ,if  their 
lamentations were turned into roarings1 
and those roarings were  like the       
breaking in of a flood1 and that flood  
of so long continuance  that it dried up
 the marrow of the bones1 we may safely 
imagine that  they were not so much at  
leisure to order their words1 but that  
their  tongues might speak in that      
dialect which is proper to astonishment 
and  distress4    #e4 ,though the mind  
be the principal seat of these troubles1
 yet  the body cannot be exempted from a
 co-partnership in these sorrows4       

,notwithstanding1 this is so far from   
abating the trouble1 that it  increaseth
 it by a circulation4 ,the pains of the 
body1 contracted by  the trouble of the 
mind1 are communicated again to the     
fountain from  whence they came1 and    
reciprocally augment the disquiet of the
 mind4  ,the body is weakened1 their    
#8strength poured out like water2' they 
are  #8withered like grass1' pined as   
#8a skin1' become as a #8bottle in the  
smoke4' ,thus ,david frequently         
complains3 ,ps4 xxii4 #ad1 he describes 
himself as reduced to a skeleton1 #8,i  
am poured out like water1 and all  my   
bones are out of joint3 my heart is like
 wax2 it is melted in the  midst of my  
bowels4 ,my strength is dried up like a 
potsherd2 my tongue  cleaveth to my     
jaws2 and thou hast brought me to the   
dust of death4'  ,neither is this his   
peculiar case1 but the common effect of 
spiritual  distresses3 ,ps4 xxxix4 #aa1 
#8,when thou with rebukes dost correct  
man for  iniquity1 thou makest his      

beauty to consume away like a moth4'    
#f4 ,being thus distressed for their    
souls1 they cast off all care  of their 
bodies1 estates1 families1 and all their
 outward concerns  whatsoever4 ,and no  
wonder1 for being persuaded that they   
have made  shipwreck of their souls1    
they judge the rest are not worth the   
saving4    #g4 ,giving all for lost1    
they usually cast about for some ease to
  their minds1 by seeking after the     
lower degrees of misery1 hearing or     
supposing that all are not tormented    
alike1 they endeavour to persuade       
themselves of a cooler hell4 ,this1 if  
they could reach it1 were but  poor     
comfort1 and little to their            
satisfaction2 but1 as poor as it is1  it
 is usually denied to them1 for while   
they judge themselves to be the         
greatest sinners1 they cannot but       
adjudge themselves to the greatest      
torments2 and these endeavours being    
frustrated1 they return back to         
themselves1 as now hopeless of the least

 case1 worse than before4 ,now  they fix
 themselves upon the deep contemplations
 of their misery4 ,oh1  think they1 how 
great had our happiness been if we had  
been made toads1  serpents1 worms1 or   
anything but men2 for then should we    
never have  known this unhappiness2 and 
this begets a thousand vain wishes4 ,oh 
that  we had never been born6 or that   
death could annihilate us6 or that as   
soon as we had been born1 we had died6  
as ,job speaks3 chap4 iii4 #aa1  #ab1   
#8,why died ,i not from the womb8 why   
did ,i not give up the ghost when  ,i   
came out of the belly8' for then had we 
not contracted so much guilt4  #8,or    
that the mountains and hills could fall 
upon us1 and cover us from  the face of 
our judge1' ,rev4 vi4 #af4    #h4 ,when 
all their hopes are thus dashed1 and1   
like a shipwrecked  man on a plank1 they
 are still knocked down with new waves1 
all their  endeavours being still       
frustrated1 they seem to themselves to  
be able  to hold out no longer2 then    

they give over all further inquiries1   
and  the use of means1 they refuse to   
pray1 read1 hear4 ,they perceive1 as    
,spira said1 that they pray to their own
 condemnation1 and that all is  to no   
purpose4 ,they are #8weary of their     
groanings1' ,ps4 vi4 #f2 their  #8eyes  
fail with looking up2' their #8knees are
 feeble2' their hands hang  down2 and as
 ,heman3 ,ps4 lxxxviii4 #d1 #e1 #8,they 
count themselves with  those that go    
down to the pit1 free among the dead1   
like the slain that  lie in the grave1  
whom ,god remembereth no more4' ,thus   
they lie down  under their burden1 and  
while they find it so hard to be borne1 
it is  usual for them to come to the    
utmost point of desperateness1 ,satan   
suggesting and forwarding them4         
,sometimes they open their mouths with  
complaints against ,god1 and blaspheme4 
,and1 as the last part of the  tragedy1 
being weary of themselves1 they seek to 
put an end to their  present misery1 by 
putting an end to their lives4    ,i    

have presented you with ,satan's        
stratagems against the peace of  ,god's 
children4 ,the remedies against these   
and other subtleties of our  grand enemy
 ,i shall not offer you1 because many   
others have done that  already1 to whose
 writings ,i must refer you4 ,some      
principal directions  ,i have pointed at
 in the way1 and in the general1 have   
done this for  the help of the tempted1 
that ,i have endeavoured to shew them   
the  methods of the tempter1 which is no
 small help to preserve men from  being 
thus imposed upon1 and to recover out of
 his snare those that  are4 ,it is a    
great preservative from sickness1 and no
 mean advantage to  the cure1 to have a 
discovery of the disease1 and the causes
 of it4 ,i  shall conclude these        
discoveries with a caution or two4      
#a4 ,let none think worse of the serious
 practice of holy strictness  in        
religion1 because these spiritual       
distresses do sometimes befall  those   
that are conscientiously careful in the 

ways of ,god1 while the  profane and    
negligent professors are strangers to   
such trials4 ,these  troubles are indeed
 very sad1 but a senseless1 careless    
state is far  worse4 ,these troubles    
often end very comfortably1 whereas the 
other  end--except ,god make them       
sensible by conviction of their sin and 
danger--in that real misery1 the fears  
whereof occasion these sorrows to       
,god's children4 ,and the danger of     
spiritual troubles is not so great as   
is that of a hardened heart2 nay1 ,god  
frequently makes use of them to  prevent
 eternal ruin--for one that goes roaring
 to the pit1 there are  thousands that  
go laughing to hell4    #b4 ,let none   
slight or scoff at these tremendous     
judgments4 ,it  is too common with men1 
either to ascribe spiritual troubles to 
melancholy1 as if none were ever thus   
concerned1 but such1 as by too  much    
seriousness in religion1 are become     
mad--a fair pretence for                
carelessness--or to a whining           

dissimulation4 ,to the former ,i have   
said something before1 and as for the   
latter ,i shall only reply1 in  the     
words of ,spira1 to one that objected   
hypocrisy to him3 #8,i am a  castaway1 a
 vessel of wrath2 yet dare you call it  
dissembling and  frenzy1 and can mock at
 the formidable example of the heavy    
wrath of  ,god that should teach you    
fear and terror4 ,but it is natural to  
the  flesh to speak1 either out of      
malice or ignorance1 perversely of the  
work of ,god1'    #c4 ,let none be      
afraid of this ,goliath1 let no man's   
heart faint  because of him4 ,a fear of 
caution and diligence to avoid his      
snares  is a necessary duty--#8,be      
sober1 be vigilant2 because your        
adversary the  devil1' c41 #a ,pet4 v4  
#h--;but a discouraging1 distrustful    
fear is a  dishonourable reflection upon
 ,god's power and promises to help us1  
and  upon the captain of our salvation1 
who goeth out before us4 ,let us hold   
on in the practice of holiness1 and not 

be afraid4 #8,the ,god of peace  shall  
tread down ,satan under our feet        
shortly1' ,rom4 xvi4 #bj4 ,amen4        
,,note4     ,agreeably to ,note at      
beginning1 there will be found below the
 more   specific title page of ,part    
,,iii4--,g4        ,d,,monologia        
,,sacra3      ,,or1 ,a      ,,treatise  
,,of      ,satans ,temptations4         
,the ,third ,part4      ,,containing    
,an ,account of the ,combate betwixt    
,christ and ,satan1 in ,matth4 #d4      
,wherein the deep ,subtilty of ,satan1  
in managing those ,temptations1 is      
laid open1 as the grand ,instance of the
 ,sum of his ,policy in all his         
,assaults upon ,men2 ,leading to a      
consideration of many ,temptations in   
particular1 and of special directions   
for ,resistance4      ,by ,r4 ,g4       
,heb4 #d4 #ae4    --,he was ,tempted in 
all points like as we are1 yet without  
,sin4      ,london1 ,printed by ,j4 ,d4 
for ,richard ,randel1 and ,peter        
,maplisden1 ,booksellers in ,new-,castle

 upon ,tine1 #afgg4          ,,part     
,,iii4    ,then was ,jesus led up of the
 ,spirit into the wilderness1 to be     
tempted  of the devil4--,,mat4 iv4 #a4  
,,chapter ,i4     ,the first            
circumstance of the combat--,the time   
when it happened--,the   two solemn     
seasons of temptation--,the reasons     
thereof4      ,i shall here consider the
 great temptation which it pleased our  
,lord  ,christ to submit unto1 as a most
 famous instance for confirmation and   
illustration of the doctrine of         
temptations already handled4    ,the    
first verse sets down several remarkable
 circumstances of this  combat1 all of  
them matter of weight and worth3 as1    
#a4 ,first1 ,the time when this fell    
out2 not as a loose and accidental      
emergency1 but as particularly made     
choice of both by ,god and ,satan1      
being most fit and proper for the design
 which each of them were  carrying on4  
,this is expressly noted in ,mat4 iv4   
#a1 #8,then was ,jesus  led up2' but    

more full in ,mark i4 #ab1              
#8,immediately the ,spirit driveth  him 
into the wilderness2' manifestly        
directing us to expect something  worthy
 of our observation in that             
circumstance4 ,neither can we miss of   
it1 when the things unto which this     
directs us are so fully related         
immediately before4 ,for we find in both
 these evangelists1 which speak  so     
exactly of the time of these            
temptations1 that ,christ was baptized  
of ,john4 ,this was in order to the     
fulfilling the righteousness of his     
office4 ,as the priests under the law1  
when they came to be thirty  years old1 
entered upon their function by washings1
 or baptizings and  anointings3#cfb so  
,christ1 that he might answer his type1 
beginning to  be about thirty years of  
age1 was solemnly inaugurated into the  
great  office of the mediatorship by    
baptism1 and the extraordinary          
descending  of the ,holy ,ghost1 by     
which he was #8anointed with the oil of 

gladness  above his fellows4' ,to this  
solemn instalment the ,father adds an   
honourable testimony concerning him1    
#8,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i  
am well pleased1' ,luke iii4 #bc4       
,immediately after this was he carried  
to the place of combat4 ,hence we may   
infer1    ,obs4 #a4 ,that our entering  
upon a special service for ,god1 or     
receiving a special favour from ,god1   
are two solemn seasons which  ,satan    
makes use of for temptation4 ,often     
these two seasons meet  together in the 
same person at the same time4 ,paul1    
after his rapture  into the third       
heaven1 #b ,cor4 xii4 #b1 #g1 which1 as 
some conceive1  was also upon his       
entrance upon the ministry1 was buffeted
 by #8the  messenger of ,satan4'        
,sometime these two seasons are severed2
 yet still it may be observed  that the 
devil watcheth them4 ,when any servant  
of ,god is to engage in  any particular 
employment1 he will be upon him4 ,he    
assaulted ,moses by  persecution1 when  

he was first called to deliver ,israel4 
,as soon as  ,david was anointed1       
immediately doth he enrage the minds of 
,saul and  his courtiers against him4   
,it was so ordinary with ,luther1 that  
he  at last came to this1 that before   
any eminent service he constantly       
expected either a fit of sickness1 or   
the buffetings of ,satan4 ,he is  no    
less sedulous in giving his assaults    
when any child of ,god hath  been under 
peculiar favours or enjoyments4 ,the    
church1 after a high  entertainment with
 ,christ1 is presently overcome by a    
careless1 sleepy  indisposition1 ,cant4 
v4 #a1 #b4    ,though this may seem     
strange1 yet the harshness of such a    
providence  on ,god's part1 and the     
boldness of the attempt on ,satan's     
part1 may be  much taken off by the     
consideration of the reasons hereof4    
7#a47 ,first1 ,on ,satan's part4 ,it is 
no great wonder to see such an          
undertaking1 when we consider his fury  
and malice4 ,the more we receive  from  

,god1 and the more we are to do for him1
 the more doth he malign  us4 ,so much  
the more as ,god is good1 by so much is 
his eye evil4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,there
 are in such cases as these several     
advantages1  which1 through our weakness
 and imperfection1 we are too apt to    
give  him2 and for these he lieth at the
 catch4    #a4 ,as first1 ,security4 ,we
 are apt to grow proud1 careless1 and   
confident1 after or upon such           
employments and favours2 even as men are
  apt to sleep or surfeit upon a full   
meal1 or to forget themselves when  they
 are advanced to honour4 ,job's great   
peace and plenty made him1 as  he       
confesseth1 so confident1 that he       
concluded he should #8die in his  nest1'
 chap4 xxix4 #ah4 ,david enjoying the   
favour of ,god in a more than  ordinary 
measure1 though he was more acquainted  
with vicissitudes and  changes than most
 of men1 grows secure in his            
apprehension1 that he  #8should never be
 moved1' ,ps4 xxx4 #f2 but he           

acknowledgeth his mistake1  and leaves  
it upon record as an experience         
necessary for others to  take warning   
by1 that when he became warm under the  
beams of ,god's  countenance1 then he   
was apt to fall into security2 and--this
 it seems  was usual with him in all    
such cases--when he was most secure1 he 
was  nearest some trouble or disquiet4  
#8,thou didst hide thy face'--and then  
to be sure the devil will shew          
his--#8and ,i was troubled4' ,enjoyments
  beget confidence2 confidence brings   
forth carelessness2 carelessness  makes 
,god withdraw1 and gives opportunity to 
,satan to work unseen4 ,and  thus1 as   
armies after victory growing secure1 are
 oft surprised2 so are  we oft after our
 spiritual advancements thrown down4    
#b4 ,secondly1 ,discouragement and      
tergiversation is another thing  the    
devil watcheth for4 ,by his assaults he 
represents the duty  difficult1 tedious1
 dangerous1 or impossible1 on purpose to
 discourage  us1 and to make us fall    

back4 ,no sooner doth ,paul engage in   
the gospel  than the devil is upon him1 
suggesting such hazards as he knew were 
most prevalent with our frail natures1  
if he had not been aware of him1  and   
refused to hearken to what flesh and    
blood would have said in the  case1     
,gal4 i4 #af4 ,when ,god honoured ,moses
 with the high employment of  delivering
 ,israel1 the hazard and danger of the  
work was so strongly  fixed upon his    
thoughts1 that he makes many excuses3   
one while pleading  his inability and   
insufficiency1 #8,who am ,i1 that ,i    
should go to  ,pharaoh8' ,exod4 iii4    
#aa4 ,another while he urgeth ,israel's 
unbelief1 and  a seeming impossibility  
to satisfy them of his commission1      
,exod4 iv4 #a4  ,after that he deviseth 
another shift1 #8,i am not eloquent1'   
ver4 #aj4 ,and  when all these          
subterfuges were removed1 ,satan had so 
affrighted him  with the trouble and    
difficulty of this undertaking1 that he 
attempts  to break away from his duty3  

ver4 #ac1 #8,send by the hand of him    
whom  thou wilt send2' that is1 spare me
 and send another3 and till the  anger  
and displeasure of ,god was manifested  
against him1 he submitted  not4 ,in     
,jonah the temptation went higher4 ,he1 
upon the apprehensions  mentioned1 ran  
away from his service1 and puts ,god to 
convince him by  an extraordinary       
punishment4 ,and when ,satan prevails   
not so far as  wholly to deter men by   
such onsets1 yet1 at least1 he doth     
dishearten  and discourage them1 so that
 the work loseth much of that glory1    
excellency1 and exactness1 which a ready
 and cheerful undertaking would  put    
upon it4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the fall or  
miscarriage of the saints at such times 
is of more than ordinary disadvantage1  
not only to others--for if  they can be 
prevailed with to lay aside their work1 
or to neglect  the improvement of their 
favours1 others are deprived of the     
benefit  and help that might be expected
 from them--but also to themselves4  ,a 

prevailing temptation doth more than    
ordinarily prejudice them  at such      
times4 ,the greatness of the            
disappointment under special  service1  
the unworthy neglect and                
unanswerableness to special favours1    
are extraordinary provocations1 and     
produce more than ordinary              
chastisements1 as we see in ,jonah's    
affliction1 and the spouse's  desertion4
    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,as we have seen   
the reason of ,satan's keenness in      
taking those opportunities1 so may we   
consider the reasons of ,god's          
permission1 which are these3--    #a4   
,first1 ,temptations at such seasons are
 permitted for more eminent  trial of   
the upright4 ,on this account was ,job  
tempted4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,for an      
increase of diligence1 humility1 and    
watchfulness4 ,if these privileges and  
mercies will not discourage  ,satan1    
what will8 ,and if ,satan so openly     
malign such enjoyments1 we may  be      
awakened to hold them faster and set a  

double guard upon them4    #c4 ,thirdly1
 ,for a plentiful furniture of          
experience4 ,temptation  is the shop of 
experience4 ,luther was so great a      
gainer by this1  that he became able so 
to speak to the consciences and         
conditions of  his hearers1 that the    
thoughts of their hearts were manifested
 by  his speaking1 as if he had had an  
intelligencer in their own bosoms4      
,hence did he commend prayer1           
meditation1 and temptation as necessary 
requisites for the accomplishment of a  
minister4    ,applic4 ,this may         
administer matter of counsel to us in   
both cases  aforementioned1 if we be put
 upon eminent employments or receive    
eminent favours4    #a4 ,first1 ,we must
 not be so secure as to think ,satan    
will be asleep  that while1 or that we  
are beyond danger4 ,while we are        
receiving  kindnesses1 he is devising   
plots and laying snares4 ,with          
privileges and  mercies expect exercises
 and hazards4    #b4 ,secondly1 in      

particular1 ,we may receive something of
 advice from  this consideration in     
reference to both cases4    7#a47 ,if   
,god is about to employ us in any       
service1    #a4 ,we have little need to 
be confident of our abilities or        
performance1 when we know that          
temptations wait for us4    #b4 ,we must
 not only be sensible of our weakness1  
that we be not  confident2 but we must  
be apprehensive of the strength and     
power of  ,god to carry us through1 that
 we be not discouraged4    #c4 ,we must 
see our opposition1 that we may be      
watchful2 and yet  must we refuse to    
give it the least place of consideration
 in our  debates of duty1 lest it sway  
us against duty or dishearten us in it4 
7#b47 ,if ,god be pleased to honour us  
with peculiar favours1 then1    #a4     
,though we must improve them to the     
full1 yet must we not feed on  them     
without fear4    #b4 ,we must not stay  
in the enjoyment or play with the token1
 but look  to the tendency of such      

favours and improve them to duty1 as to 
their  proper end4          ,,chapter   
,,ii4     ,the second circumstance1     
,christ's being led by the              
,spirit4--,what hand   the ,spirit of   
,god hath in temptations4--,and of      
running into temptation   when not led  
into it4      #b4 ,the second           
circumstance acquaints how ,christ was  
carried to the  combat4 ,in solemn      
combats and duels1 the persons          
undertaking the  fight were usually     
carried to the place with great         
solemnity and  ceremony4 ,christ in this
 spiritual battle is described as having
 the  conduct of the ,spirit1 #8,he was 
led up of the ,spirit1' c4 ,what this   
,spirit was is1 though by a needless and
 over-officious diligence1  questioned  
by some2 but we need not stay much upon 
it1 if we consider  the phrase of the   
evangelists1 who mention ,spirit without
 any note of  distinction--which of     
necessity must have been added if it had
 intended  either his proper spirit as  

man1 or the wicked spirit               
,satan--directing  thereby to understand
 it of him to whom the word ,spirit is  
more  peculiarly attributed1 viz41 the  
,holy ,ghost4 ,or if we observe the     
close  connexion in ,luke betwixt that  
expression of ,christ's being #8full of 
the ,holy ,ghost1' and his being #8led  
by the ,spirit1' it will be out of      
controversy that the ,holy ,spirit is   
here intended4 ,hence was it that  ,beza
 translates it more fully1 #8,jesus     
being full of the ,holy ,ghost1 was     
led1 eodem ,spiritu1 of the same        
,spirit2' and the ,syriac1 in ,matthew1 
doubts not to express it by the ,holy   
,spirit4 ,and what else can be          
imagined1 when in this text the ,spirit 
that led him up1 and the devil  that    
tempted1 are mentioned in so direct an  
opposition8 #8,he was led of  the       
,spirit into the wilderness to be       
tempted of the devil4' ,the manner  of  
his being carried thither is expressed  
by such words as signify1  though not an

 external rapture like that of ,philip1 
a strong inward  motion and impulse upon
 him4 ,the ,spirit driveth----him1 saith
  ,mark4 ,the ,spirit #8led             
him'----saith ,luke1 using the same word
 by  which the ,scripture elsewhere     
expresseth the power of the ,spirit upon
  the children of ,god1 who are said to 
be #8led' by him4    ,obs4 #b4 ,hence   
note that the ,spirit of ,god hath a    
hand in  temptations4 ,christ was led by
 the ,spirit to be tempted4 ,this must  
not be understood as if ,god did        
properly tempt any to sin1 either by    
enticing their hearts to evil1 or by    
moving and suggesting wicked  things to 
their minds1 or by infusing evil        
inclinations1 or by any  proper         
compliance with ,satan to undermine and 
delude us by any  treachery or deceit4  
,none of these can be imagined without  
apparent  derogation to the holiness of 
,god1 #8who tempteth no man1 neither can
  he be tempted with evil1' ,james i4   
#ac4 ,but what we are to understand  by 

the ,holy ,spirit's concerning himself  
in temptations1 is included in  these   
particulars3--    #a4 ,first1 ,god gives
 commission to ,satan1 without which his
 hand would  be sealed up under an      
impossibility of reaching it out against
 any4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,opportunities  
and occasions do depend upon his        
providence1 without which nothing comes 
to pass4 ,neither we nor  anything else 
do or can move without him4    #c4      
,thirdly1 ,the ,spirit oversees the     
temptation as to measure and            
continuance4 ,the length and breadth of 
it is ordered by him4    #d4 ,fourthly1 
,the issue and consequences of every    
temptation are at his  appointment4 ,the
 ways of its working for our exercise1  
humiliation1 or  conviction1 or for any 
other good and advantage whatsoever1    
they all  belong to his determination4  
,so that it is not improper to assert   
that ,god and ,satan do concur in  the  
same temptation1 though the ways of     
proceeding1 with the aims and           

intentions of both1 be directly         
different and contrary4 ,hence is it    
that the temptation of ,david1 #a ,sam4 
xxiv4 #a1 and #a ,chron4 xxi4 #a1 are   
upon several regards attributed both to 
,god and ,satan4    ,appl4 #a4 ,this    
note is of use to remove those harsh    
interpretations  which poor tempted     
,christians meet withal1 commonly from  
such as have  not touched their burdens 
with the least of their fingers4 ,men   
are apt  in these cases to judge1       
7#a47 ,first1 ,the ways of religion1 as 
being ways1 at least in the  more       
serious and rigid practice of them1 of  
intolerable hazard and  perplexity1 and 
only upon an observation that those who 
most addict  themselves to a true and   
strict observance of duty and command   
usually  complain of temptations1 and   
express sometimes their fears and       
distress  of heart about them4 ,this is 
your reading1 your praying1 and hearing4
  ,such preaching1 say they1 leads men  
to despair and perpetual disquiet2  and 

upon the whole they conclude it         
dangerous to be religious above  the    
common rate of those that prosecute it  
in a slow and careless  indifferency4   
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the like severity of  
censure do they use in reference  to the
 spiritual state of the tempted1 as if  
they were vessels of  his hatred1 and   
such as were by him given up to the     
power of this  #8wild boar of the       
forest' to devour and tear4 ,all kind of
 distresses  are obnoxious to the worst 
of misjudgings from malevolent minds4   
,the  sufferings of ,christ produced    
this censorious scoff1 #8,let ,god      
deliver  him1 if he will have him1'     
,mat4 xxvii4 #dc4 ,david's troubles     
easily  induced his adversaries to      
conclude that #8,god had forsaken him1  
and  that there was none to deliver     
him1' ,ps4 lxxi4 #aa4 ,but in troubles  
of  this nature1 where especially there 
are frightful complainings against      
themselves1 men are more easily drawn   
out to be peremptory in their           

uncharitable determinations concerning  
them1 because the trouble itself  is    
somewhat rare1 and apt to beget hideous 
impressions2 and withal  the vent which 
the afflicted parties give by their     
bemoaning of their  estate1 in hope to  
ease themselves thereby1 is but taken as
 a testimony  against themselves1 and   
the undoubted echoes of their real      
feelings4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,their sins
 are upon this ground misjudged and     
heightened4 ,unusual troubles with      
common apprehension argue unusual  sins4
 ,the viper upon ,paul's hand made the  
barbarians confident he was a  man of   
more than ordinary guilt and wickedness1
 ,acts xxviii4 #d4 ,david's  sickness   
was enough to give his enemies occasion 
to surmise that it  was the punishment  
of some great transgression4 #8,an evil 
disease1' say  they1 #8cleaveth to him1'
 ,ps4 xli4 #h4 ,those that were         
overwhelmed by  the fall of the tower of
 ,siloam1 and those whose blood ,pilate 
mixed  with their sacrifices1 were      

judged greatest sinners1 ,luke xiii4 #d4
 ,but  in inward temptations1 this      
misjudging confidence is every way more 
heightened2 and those that are most     
molested are supposed to have given     
more away to ,satan4    7#d47 ,fourthly1
 ,temptations are also misjudged to be  
worse than they  are4 ,they are indeed  
things to be trembled at2 but they are  
not  properly of an astonishing1        
amazing1 or despairing consideration1 as
  men are apt to think that view the    
workings of them at a distance4         
,against all those unrighteous surmises1
 the poor afflicted servants of  ,christ
 may have relief from this truth in     
hand1 that the ,holy ,spirit  of ,god   
hath a hand in temptations3 and         
therefore it is impossible  that        
everywhere they should be of such a     
signification4 ,were they in  themselves
 no way serviceable to ,god's glory in  
the gracious exercise  of his children1 
the ,spirit of wisdom and holiness would
 not at all  have a hand in them4 ,if   

under ,satan's assaults you meet with   
those that  by such a harshness of      
censure would aggravate your troubles1  
and so  grieve those whom ,god hath     
saddened1 you may boldly appeal from    
them to  him that judgeth righteously4  
,and indeed1 if men would but consider1 
in  the saddest case of this nature1    
either1    #a4 ,the end of the ,lord in 
permitting temptations1 which1 if seen1 
would give a high justification of his  
dealing1 and force men to  applaud and  
magnify his wisdom1 rather than to      
censure it4 ,or1    #b4 ,if they could  
but see the secret ways of ,god's       
support1 how he  acts his part in       
holding them by the hand1 in            
counterworking of ,satan1  and          
confounding him under the exercise of   
his highest malice1 and also  in the    
ways of his preservation and            
deliverance4 ,or1    #c4 ,if the        
harmlessness of temptations1 when their 
sting is taken  out1 were but weighed1  
men would change their minds as readily 

as  the barbarians did1 when they saw   
the viper not effect that mischief  they
 supposed upon ,paul2 and would see     
cause to stand amazed at the            
contrivances of so much power and       
wisdom1 as can turn these to quite      
other ends and uses1 than what they of  
themselves seem to threaten4    ,applic4
 #b4 ,this consideration will further   
express its usefulness  in comforting us
 under temptations4 ,it might have been 
,paul's great  discouragement1 that in  
his answer before ,nero no man stood    
with him1  #b ,tim4 iv4 #af2 but this   
was his support1 that ,god was with him4
 ,the  like encouragement we have under 
all assaults of ,satan1 that we are  not
 left to ourselves1 but the ,spirit of  
,god is with us1 and that he  concerns  
himself on a design to oversee and      
overrule his work1 and to  put a check  
upon him when there is need4 ,so that he
 cannot tempt as he  will1 nor when he  
will1 nor in what he would1 nor as long 
as he would2  but that in all cases1 we 

may rely upon the great                 
master-contriver1 for  relief1 help1    
mitigation1 or deliverance1 as there is 
need4    ,obs4 #c4 ,in that the         
evangelists do not say that ,christ cast
 himself  upon a temptation1 neither did
 go to undertake it till he was led to  
it1 we note1 that whatever may be the   
advantage of a temptation by the        
,spirit's ordering of it1 or what       
security from danger we may promise  to 
ourselves upon that account1 yet must we
 not run upon temptations2  though we   
must submit when we are fairly led into 
them4 ,the reasons of  this truth are   
these3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,there is so  
much of the nature of evil in           
temptations that  they are to be avoided
 if possible4 ,good they may            
accidentally be1  that is1 beyond their 
proper nature and tendency1 by the      
overruling  hand of ,god2 but being in  
their own natural constitution evil1 it 
is  inconsistent with human nature to   
desire them as such4    7#b47 ,secondly1

 ,to run upon them would be a dangerous 
tempting of ,god2  that is1 making a    
bold and presumptuous trial1 without    
call1 whether  he will put forth his    
power to rescue us or not4 ,now he that 
runs upon  a temptation hath no promise 
to be delivered out of it4 ,and besides1
  runs upon so desperate a provocation1 
that in all probability he shall        
miscarry in it1 as a just punishment of 
his rashness4    ,quest4 ,but inquiry   
may be made1 ,when do men run uncalled  
and  unwarrantably upon temptation8 ,i  
answer1 many ways4 ,as1    ,ans4 #a4    
,first1 ,when men engage themselves in  
sin and apparent  wickedness1 in the    
works of the flesh4 ,for it can never be
 imagined  that the holy ,god should    
ever by his ,spirit call any to such    
things as  his soul abhors4    #b4      
,secondly1 ,when men run upon the       
visible and apparent occasions  and     
causes of sin4 ,this is like a man's    
going to the pest-house4 ,thus  do they1
 that though they design not to be      

actors in evil1 yet will  give their    
company and countenance to persons      
actually engaged in evil4    #c4        
,thirdly1 ,when men unnecessarily1      
without the conduct either  of command  
or urging an unavoidable providence1 do 
put themselves1  though not upon visible
 and certain opportunities1 yet1 upon   
dangerous  and hazardous occasions and  
snares4 ,peter had no errand in the     
high-priest's hall2 his curiosity led   
him thither2 he might easily  have      
foreseen a probable snare2 but          
confidently putting himself  forward1   
where his danger was more than his      
business1 he ran upon the  temptation1  
and accordingly fell4 ,the like did     
,dinah1 when she made a  needless vagary
 to see the daughters of the land2 where
 she met with  her sin and shame1 ,gen4 
xxxiv4 #a4 ,neither do they otherwise1  
who dare  adventure themselves in       
families--whilst yet they are free and  
may  otherwise dispose of               
themselves--where they see snares and   

temptations  will be laid before them4  
,the case indeed is otherwise to those  
that  are under the necessary engagement
 of relation1 natural or voluntary1  if 
it be antecedent to the hazard1 to live 
in such places or callings2  they have a
 greater promise of preservation than   
others can lay claim  to1 ,ps4 xci4 #aa2
 ,prov4 x4 #bi4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,those
 run upon temptation1 that adventure    
apparently  beyond their strength1 and  
put themselves upon actions good or     
harmless1 disproportionably to their    
abilities4 ,the apostle gives the       
instance in marriage abstinence1 #a     
,cor4 vii4 #e1 which he cautions may    
not be undertaken at a careless         
adventure for fear of a temptation3 and 
by this may we judge other things of    
like nature4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,they are 
also guilty that design an adventure    
unto  the utmost bounds of lawful       
liberty4 ,those that have a mind to try 
conclusions1 how near they may make     
their approaches to sin1 and yet  keep  

off from the defilement1 such as would  
divide a hair betwixt good  and evil1   
have at best but a hair's breadth       
betwixt them and sin2 but  how easily   
are they brought over that4 ,like a man 
that walks upon the  utmost verge of a  
river's brink1 ofttimes meets with      
hollow ground and  a dangerous slip     
before he is aware4    #f4 ,sixthly1    
,those also may be reckoned in the      
number of such as rush  upon their      
danger1 who go abroad without their     
weapons1 and forget in  the midst of    
daily dangers the means of preservation4
 ,thomas1 by his  neglect1 slid into a  
greater unbelief than the rest of the   
apostles4  ,david's unwatchful heart was
 easily smitten by the intelligence     
which  his eyes brought him4 ,they that 
would plead their innocency against     
temptation had need to carry their arms 
and preservatives still with  them4     
,applic4 ,this truth is a sufficient    
caution against the rash                
adventurousness of those who forwardly  

engage themselves in matters of         
temptation4 ,as the former observation  
told us1 temptations are not to  be     
feared1 so this also tells they are not 
to be slighted4 ,the carriage  of the   
,philistines when the ark came among    
them is matter of imitation  to us4 ,we 
may tremble justly when we hear of their
 approach1 but our  hazard should be the
 whetstone of our courage1 and our      
danger should  bring us to resolves of a
 more stout resistance1 that we may     
#8quit  ourselves like men4'    ,the    
apostle1 ,gal4 vi4 #a1 seems to imply1  
when he tells those that were  more     
severe and careless of others1 that     
#8they may also be tempted1'  that the  
best of men do little know what a change
 a temptation may  make upon them2 a    
small temptation may be too strong for  
them1 and  may carry them to what they  
never thought of2 nay1 may break down   
the  strongest of their resolves1 and   
snap their purposes as a thread in a    
flame4 ,it did so with ,peter1 who was  

quickly overcome by that which he  had  
with so much confidence undervalued4    
,,chapter ,,iii4     ,the third         
circumstance1 the place of the          
combat4--,the advantage given   to      
temptations by solitude4      #c4 ,the  
third circumstance next to be considered
 is the place of this  combat1 #8the    
wilderness4' ,to inquire what or where  
this wilderness  was1 is not only       
impertinent and useless1 as to anything 
we can observe  from it in reference to 
temptation1 but also a matter of mere   
uncertain  conjecture2 only they that   
would understand it of a place more     
thinly  peopled are expressly           
contradicted by ,mark i4 #ac1 where it  
is said1  #8he was with the wild        
beasts2' noting thereby a desolate and  
dangerous  solitude1 far remote from    
human society and comfort4    ,it is    
much more our concern to seek after the 
reasons of his choice  of that place1 or
 rather among those many that are given1
 to satisfy  ourselves with what may    

have the greatest appearance of truth4  
,they  that think ,christ hereby        
designed to shew the uncertain changes  
and  vicissitudes of outward things in  
this life1 or to point at the future    
low estate of his church in the world1  
that it should sojourn in a  wilderness2
 or to direct those that have dedicated 
themselves to ,god to  withdraw from the
 blandishments and allurements of the   
earth1 with a  great many more hints of 
instruction and document of that kind2  
they1  ,i say1 that offer no other1 seem
 not to attend to the true design of    
the choice of this place1 which         
notwithstanding is evidently discovered 
to have been done in order to the       
temptation4#cfc #8,he was led into  the 
wilderness to be tempted4' ,the place   
then was subservient to the  conflict1  
as the proper theatre on which so great 
a contest was to be  acted4 ,and if we  
shall but mind what special             
consideration was to be  had of such a  
place1--a howling desolate              

wilderness1--we may with ease  pitch    
upon these following reasons3--    7#a47
 ,first1 ,it pleased ,god to have an eye
 to the glory of ,christ's  conquests1  
when in a single combat he should so    
remarkably foil the  devil1 without any 
the least advantage on his part1 there  
being none  that might be the least     
support or encouragement to him4        
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the condition of the  
place gave rise to the first            
temptation4 ,for in that he #8hungered' 
in a barren wilderness1 it gave         
occasion to ,satan to tempt him more    
strongly to #8turn stones into  bread4' 
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,in the choice of such a
 place ,god seems to offer ,satan a     
special advantage in tempting1 which was
 the solitude and danger of  his present
 condition4    ,to omit the two former  
considerations1 as not altogether so    
useful1  further than what ,i shall be  
engaged to speak to afterwards1 this    
last  affords this observation3    ,obs4
 #d4 ,that solitude affords a great     

advantage to ,satan in the  matter of   
temptation4 ,this advantage ariseth from
 solitude two ways3    7#a47 ,first1 ,as
 it doth deprive us of help4 ,so great  
and many are  the blessed helps arising 
from the society and communion of such  
as  fear the ,lord1 as counsel1 comfort1
 encouragement from their graces1       
experiences1 and prayers1 c41 that the  
woe pronounced to him #8that  is alone' 
is not groundless1 ,eccles4 iv4 #aj4    
,christians in a holy  combination can  
do more work1 and so have a good reward 
for their  labour4 ,they can mutually   
help one another when they fall2 they   
can  mutually heat and warm one another2
 they can also strengthen one  another's
 hands to prevail against an adversary4 
,he then that is alone1  being deprived 
of these advantages1 lieth more open to 
the stroke of  temptation4    7#b47     
,secondly1 ,solitude increaseth         
melancholy1 fills the soul  with dismal 
apprehensions2 and withal doth so spoil 
and alter the  temper of it that it is  

not only ready to take any              
disadvantageous  impression1 but it doth
 also dispose it to leaven and sour     
those very  considerations that should  
support1 and to put a bad construction  
on  things that never were intended for 
its hurt4    ,applic4 ,this may warn us 
to take heed of giving ,satan so great  
an  advantage against us1 as an         
unnecessary solitude may do4 ,i know    
there  are times and occasions that do  
justly require us to seek a solitary    
place for the privacy of duty1 or for   
secret lamentations1 as ,jeremiah       
desired1 chap4 ix4 #a1 #b1 or to avoid  
the trouble and snare arising  from our 
mixing with an assembly of treacherous  
and wicked men4 ,this  is no more than  
care and watchfulness4 ,but when these  
reasons urge  not1 or some of like      
nature1 but either out of pettish       
discontent or a  mopish reservedness1 we
 withdraw from those aids and comforts  
which are  necessary for our support1 we
 do strengthen ,satan's hands against us

  and weaken our own4          ,,chapter
 ,,iv4     ,the fourth circumstance1 the
 end wherefore ,christ was led to the   
wilderness4--,holiness1 employment1     
privileges1 exempt not from             
temptation4--,of temptations that leave 
not impressions of sin behind           
them4--,how ,satan's temptations are    
distinguished from the lusts of our     
own heart4      #d4 ,the fourth         
circumstance was the end4 ,there was no 
other design in  the main of ,christ's  
being led up and into the wilderness1   
but that  he might be #8tempted4' ,in   
this two things seem to be matter of    
equal  wonder3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,why  
,christ would submit to be tempted4 ,for
 this many  great and weighty reasons   
may be given4 ,as1    #a4 ,first1 ,thus 
was ,christ evidenced to be the second  
,adam1 and the  seed of the woman4 ,his 
being tempted1 and in such a manner1    
doth  clearly satisfy us that he was    
true man2 and that in that nature he it 
was that was promised #8to break the    

serpent's head4'    #b4 ,secondly1 ,this
 was a fair preludium and earnest of    
that final  conquest over ,satan1 and   
the breaking down of his power4    #c4  
,thirdly1 ,there was a more peculiar aim
 in ,god by these means  of temptation  
to qualify him with pity and power to   
help1 #8,for in  that he suffered being 
tempted1 he is able to succour them that
 are  tempted1' ,heb4 ii4 #ah4 ,and     
having experience of temptation himself1
 he  became a merciful high-priest1 apt 
to be #8touched with the feeling of  our
 infirmities1' ,heb4 iv4 #ae4    #d4    
,fourthly1 ,the consequence of this     
experimental compassion in  ,christ1 was
 a further reason why he submitted to be
 tempted1 to  wit1 that we might have   
the greater comfort and encouragement in
 the  expectancy of tender dealing from 
him4 ,hence the apostle1 ,heb4 iv4 #af1 
invites to #8come boldly to the throne  
of grace at any time of need4'    #e4   
,fifthly1 ,a further end ,god seemed to 
have in this1 viz41 to give  a signal   

and remarkable instance to us of the    
nature of temptations2  of ,satan's     
subtlety1 his impudency1 of the usual   
temptations which  we may expect2 as    
also to teach us what weapons are       
necessary for  resistance1 and in what  
manner we must manage them4    7#b47    
,secondly1 ,it seems as strange that    
,satan would undertake a thing  so      
unfeasible and hopeless as the tempting 
of ,christ4 ,what expectation  could he 
have to prevail against him1 who was    
#8anointed with the oil  of gladness    
above his fellows'8 ,ps4 xlv4 #g4 ,some 
answer1    #a4 ,first1 ,that ,satan     
might possibly doubt whether ,christ    
were the  ,son of ,god or no4 ,but the  
improbability of this ,i shall speak of 
afterwards4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,others   
attribute it to his malice1 which indeed
 is  great1 and might possibly blind him
 to a desperate undertaking4 ,but1      
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,we may justly apprehend  
the power of sin over ,satan to  be so  
great that it might enforce him to the  

bold attempt of such a  wickedness4 ,we 
see daily that wicked men1 by the force 
of their own  wicked principles1 are    
restlessly hurried upon acts of sin1    
though they  know the prohibition1 and  
are not ignorant of the threatened      
danger4  ,satan is as great a slave to  
his own internal corrupt principles as  
any4 ,and whatsoever blind fury is      
stirred up in man by the power of his   
lust1 we may very well suppose the like 
in ,satan4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,there is a
 superior hand upon the devil1 that     
sways1  limits1 and orders him in his   
temptations4 ,he cannot tempt when he   
would1 neither always what he would1 but
 in his own cursed inclinations  and the
 acting of them1 he is forced to be     
subservient to ,god's  designs4 ,and in 
this particular1 whatever might be      
,satan's proper end  or principle1 it is
 evident that ,god carried on a gracious
 design for  the instruction and comfort
 of his children4    ,the end of        
,christ's going to the wilderness being 

that he might be  tempted1 if together  
with this the holiness and dignity of   
,christ in  respect of his person and   
office be considered1 we may note from  
it1    ,obs4 #e4 ,that neither height of
 privilege1 nor eminency of  employment1
 nor holiness of person1 will discourage
 ,satan from  tempting1 or secure any   
from his assaults4 ,the best of men in  
the  highest attainments may expect     
temptations4 ,grace itself doth not     
exempt them4    7#a47 ,for first1 ,none 
of these privileges in us1 nor          
eminencies of  grace1 want matter to fix
 a temptation upon4 ,the weaknesses of  
the  best of men are such that a        
temptation is not rendered improbable1  
as  to the success1 by their graces4    
,nay1 there are special occasions and   
inclinations in them1 to encourage      
temptations of pride and neglect4 ,he   
found indeed nothing in ,christ that    
might offer the least probability  of   
prevalency2 but in the best of men1 in  
their best estate1 he can  find some    

encouragement for his attempts4    7#b47
 ,secondly1 ,none of us are beyond the  
necessity of such exercises4  ,it cannot
 be said that we need them not1 or that 
there may not be holy  ends wherefore   
,god should not permit and order them   
for our good4  ,temptations1 as they are
 in ,god's disposal1 are a necessary    
spiritual  physic4 ,the design of them  
is to humble us1 to prove us1 and to do 
us  good in the latter end1 ,deut4 viii4
 #af4 ,nothing will work more of care1  
watchfulness1 diligence1 and fear in a  
gracious heart1 than a sense  of        
,satan's designment against it4 ,nothing
 puts a man more to prayer1  breathing  
after ,god1 desiring to be dissolved1   
and running to ,christ1  than the       
troublesome and afflictive pursuits of  
,satan4 ,nothing brings  men more from  
the love of the world1 and to a delight 
in the ordinances  of ,god1 than the    
trouble which here abides them          
unavoidably from ,satan4  ,this         
discipline the best have need of4 ,there

 are such remainders of  pride and other
 evils in them1 that if ,god should not 
permit these  pricks and thorns to      
humble them1 and thereby also awaken    
them to  laborious watchfulness1 they   
would be careless1 secure1 and sadly    
declining4 ,this made ,augustine        
conclude that it was no way expedient   
that we should want temptations1#cfd and
 that ,christ taught us as much  when he
 directed us not to pray that we should 
#8not be tempted1' but  that we might   
not be #8led into the power and         
prevalency of temptation4'    7#c47     
,thirdly1 ,the privileges and graces of 
the children of ,god do  stir up        
,satan's pride1 revenge1 and rage       
against them4 ,and though he  hath no   
encouragement to expect so easy a       
conquest over these as he  hath over    
others1 who are captivated by him at    
pleasure2 yet hath he  encouragements to
 attempt them1 for the singular use and 
advantage he  makes of any success      
against them1 the difficulty of the work

 being  recompensed by the greatness of 
the booty4 ,for the fall of a child  of 
,god1 especially of such as are noted   
above others1 is as when #8a            
standard-bearer fainteth1' ,isa4 x4 #ah2
 or as the fall of an oak1  that bears  
down with it the lower shrubs that stand
 near it4 ,how the  hearts of others    
fail for fear1 lest they should also be 
overcome2 how  the hearts of some grow  
thereby bold and venturesome2 how a     
general  disgrace and discredit thereby 
doth accrue to religion1 and the sincere
  profession of it1 are things of usual 
observation4 ,if such men had not  in   
them something of special prey in case  
of conquest1 his pride would  not so    
readily carry him against the heads and 
chief of the people1  while he seems to 
overlook the meaner and weaker4         
,out-houses1 though  more accessible1   
are not the objects of the thief's      
design1 but the  dwellinghouse1 though  
stronger built and better guarded1      
because it  affords hopes of richer     

spoil1 is usually assaulted4 ,neither do
 pirates  so much set themselves to take
 empty vessels1 though weakly manned1   
but richly laden ships1 though better   
able to make resistance1 are the  ships 
of their desire4    ,applic4 #a4 ,this  
may be applied for the encouraging of   
those that  think it strange that       
temptations do so haunt them1 especially
 that  they should1 in their            
apprehension1 be more troubled by him   
when they  fly furthest from him4 ,the  
consideration of this will much allay   
these  thoughts1 by these inferences    
which it affords3--    7#a47 ,first1    
,there is nothing unusual befalls these 
complainants4  ,satan frequently doth so
 to others2 they cannot justly say their
  case is singular1 or that they are    
alone in such disturbances2 it  is but  
what is common to man4 ,if they urge the
 uncessantness of the  devil's attempts1
 ,christ and others have felt the like4 
,if they object  the peculiar           
strangeness and horridness of the       

temptation1 as most  unsuitable to the  
state of an upright soul1 ,christ met   
with the like4  ,he was tempted to      
self-destruction1 to distrust1 to       
blasphemy itself in  the highest degree4
    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,there is a good   
advantage to be made of them3 they are  
preservations from other sins that would
 otherwise grow upon us4    7#c47       
,thirdly1 ,these temptations to the     
upright do but argue ,satan's  loss of  
interest in them1 and their greater     
sensibility of the  danger4 ,the        
captivated sinners complain not so much1
 because they are  so inured to         
temptation that they mind not ,satan's  
frequent accesses4  ,he that studies    
humility is more sensible of a          
temptation to pride than  he that is    
proud4#cfe    #b4 ,secondly1 ,this is   
also of use to those that are apt to be 
confident  upon their successes against 
sin through grace4 ,satan1 they may     
see1 will be upon them again2 so that   
they must behave themselves as          

mariners1 who1 when they have got the   
harbour1 and are out of the  storm1 mend
 their ship and tackling1 and prepare   
again for the sea4    ,lastly1 ,if we   
consider the unspotted holiness of      
,christ1 and his  constant integrity    
under these temptations1 that they left 
not the  least of taint or sinful       
impression upon him1 we may observe1    
,obs4 #f4 ,that there may be            
temptations1 without leaving a touch of 
guilt or impurity behind them upon the  
tempted4    ,it is true this is rare    
with men4 ,the best do seldom go down to
 the  battle1 but in their very         
conquests they receive some wound2 and  
in those temptations that arise from our
 own hearts1 we are never  without      
fault2 but in such as do solely arise   
from ,satan1 there is a  possibility    
that the upright may so keep himself1   
that the wicked one  may not so touch   
him as to leave the print of his fingers
 behind him4    ,quest4 ,but the great  
difficulty is1 ,how it may be known when

  temptations are from ,satan1 and when 
from ourselves8    ,ans4 ,to answer this
 ,i shall lay down these conclusions3-- 
7#a47 ,first1 ,the same sins which our  
own natures would suggest to us1  may   
also be injected by ,satan4 ,sometimes  
we begin by the forward  working of our 
own thoughts upon occasions and objects 
presented to  us from without1 or from  
the power of our own inclination1       
without  the offer of external objects1 
and then ,satan strikes in with it4     
,sometimes ,satan begins with us1 and by
 his injected motions endeavours  to    
excite our inclinations2 so that the    
same thing may be sometime from         
ourselves1 and sometimes from ,satan4   
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,there is no sin so    
vile1 but our own heart might  possibly 
produce it without ,satan4 ,evil        
thoughts of the very worst  kind1 as of 
murders1 adulteries1 thefts1 false      
witness1 and blasphemies  may1 as       
,christ speaks1 ,mat4 xv4 #ai1 be       
produced naturally from our own  hearts2

 for seminally all sins1 the very       
greatest of all impieties1 are  there4  
,so that from the greatness and vileness
 of the temptation we  cannot absolutely
 conclude that it is from ,satan1 no    
more than from the  commonness of the   
temptation1 or its suitableness to our  
inclination1  we can conclude infallibly
 that its first rise is from ourselves4 
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,there are many cases   
wherein it is very difficult1 if  not   
altogether impossible1 to determine     
whether our own heart or ,satan  gives  
the first life or breathing to a        
temptation4 ,who can determine1  in most
 ordinary cases1 when our thoughts are  
working upon objects  presented to our  
senses1 whether ,satan or our own       
thoughts do run  faster8 ,yea1 when such
 thoughts are not the consequent of any 
former  occasion1 it is a work too hard 
for most men to determine which of the  
parents1 father or mother1 our own heart
 or ,satan1 is first in the  fault4     
,they are both forward enough1 and      

usually join hand in hand  with such    
readiness1 that he must have a curious  
eye that can discover  certainly to whom
 the first beginning is to be ascribed4 
,the difficulty is so great1 that some  
have judged it altogether  impossible to
 give any certain marks by which it may 
be determined  when they are ours and   
when ,satan's4#cff ,and indeed the      
discoveries  laid down by some are not  
sufficient for a certain determination2 
and  so far ,i assent1 that neither the 
suddenness of such thoughts--for the    
motions of our own lusts may be         
sudden--nor the horridness of the matter
  of them1 are sufficient notes of      
distinction4 ,that our own corrupt      
hearts may bring forth that which is    
unnatural and terrible1 cannot be       
denied4 ,many of the sins of the        
heathens mentioned in ,rom4 i4 were the 
violent productions of lust against     
natural principles2 and to ascribe      
these to the devil1 as to the first     
instigator1 is more than any man  hath  

warrant to do4 ,yet though it be        
confessed that in some cases it  is     
impossible to distinguish1 and that     
where a distinction may be  made1 these 
notes mentioned are not fully           
satisfactory1 there may1 ,i  believe1 be
 some cases wherein there is a          
possibility to discover when  the       
motions are from ,satan1 and that by the
 addition of some remarkable            
circumstances to the fore-named marks of
 difference4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,though
 it be true1 which some say1#cfg that in
 most  cases it is needless altogether  
to spend our time in disputing whether  
the motions of sin in our minds are     
firstly from ourselves or from  ,satan1 
our greatest business being rather to   
resist them than to  difference them2   
yet there are special cases wherein it  
is very  necessary to find out the true 
parent of a sinful motion1 and these    
are when tender consciences are wounded 
and oppressed with violent and  great   
temptations1 as blasphemous thoughts1   

atheistical objections1  c4 ,for here   
,satan in his furious molestations aims 
mainly at this1  that such afflicted and
 tossed souls should take all these     
thoughts  which are obtruded upon their 
imaginations1 to be the issue of their  
own heart4 ,as ,joseph's steward hid the
 cup in ,benjamin's sack1 that  it might
 be a ground of accusation against him1 
so doth the devil  first oppress them   
with such thoughts1 and then accuseth   
them of all  that villainy and          
wickedness1 the motions whereof he had  
with such  importunity forced upon them2
 and so apt are the afflicted to comply 
with accusations against themselves1    
that they believe it is so1  and from   
thence conclude that they are given up  
of ,god1 hardened as  ,pharaoh1 that    
they have sinned against the ,holy      
,ghost1 and finally  that there is no   
hope of mercy for them4 ,all this       
befalls them from  their ignorance of   
,satan's dealings1 and here is their    
great need to  distinguish ,satan's     

malice from their guilt4    7#e47       
,fifthly1 ,setting aside ordinary       
temptations1 wherein it is neither  so  
possible nor so material to busy        
ourselves to find out whether they  are 
,satan's or ours2--in extraordinary     
temptations1 such as have been  now     
instanced1 we may discover if they      
proceed from ,satan1 though  not simply 
from the matter of them1 not from the   
suddenness and  independency of them1   
yet from a due consideration of their   
nature and  manner of proceeding1       
compared with the present temper and    
disposition  of our heart4 ,as1    #a4  
,first1 ,when unusual temptations       
intrude upon us with a high  impetuosity
 and violence1 while our thoughts are   
otherwise concerned  and taken up4#cfh  
,temptations more agreeable to our      
inclination1  though suddenly arising   
from objects and occasions presented1   
and  gradually proceeding1 after the    
manner of the working of natural        
passions1 may throng in amidst our      

thoughts or actions that have no        
tendency that way1 and yet we cannot so 
clearly accuse ,satan for them2  but    
when things that have not the           
encouragement of our affections  are by 
a sudden violence enforced upon us1     
while we are otherwise  concerned1 we   
may justly suspect ,satan's hand to be  
in them4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,while such  
things are borne in upon us1 against the
  actual loathing1 strenuous reluctancy1
 and high complainings of the  soul1    
when the mind is filled with horror and 
the body with trembling  at the presence
 of such thoughts4#cfi ,sins that owe   
their first  original to ourselves1 may 
indeed be resisted upon their first     
rising  up in our mind2 and though a    
sanctified heart doth truly loathe them1
  yet they are not without some lower   
degree of tickling delight upon the     
affections2 for the flesh in those cases
 presently riseth up with its  lustings 
for the sinful motion2 but when such    
unnatural temptations  are from ,satan1 

their first appearance to the mind is a 
horror without  any sensible working of 
inclination towards them2 and the       
greatness  of the soul's disquiet doth  
shew that it hath met with that which   
the  affections look not on with any    
amicable compliance4    #c4 ,thirdly1   
,our hearts may bring forth that which  
is unnatural in  itself1 and may give   
rise to a temptation that would be      
horrid to the  thoughts of other men1   
but that it should of its own accord1   
without  a tempter1 on a sudden bring   
forth that which is directly contrary to
  its present light1 reason1 or         
inclination2 as for a man to be haunted 
with thoughts of atheism1 while he is   
under firm persuasions that there  is a 
,god2 or of blasphemy1 while he is under
 designs of honouring him1  is as       
unimaginable as that our thoughts should
 of themselves contrive  our death1     
while we are most solicitous for our    
life2 or that our  thoughts should      
soberly tell us it is night when we see 

the sun shine4  ,temptations that are   
contrary to the present state1 posture1 
light1  and disposition of the soul are 
,satan's4 ,they are so unnatural as to  
its present frame1 that the production  
of them must be from some other  agent4 
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,much more evident is it 
that such proceed from ,satan1  when    
they are of long continuance and        
constant trouble1 when they so          
incessantly beat upon the mind1 that it 
hath no rest from them1 and yet  is     
under grievous perplexities and         
anxieties of mind about them4           
,applic4 ,the consideration of this is  
of great use to those that  suffer under
 the violent hurries of strange         
temptations4    7#a47 ,first1 ,in that  
sometime they can justly complain of the
  affliction of such temptation1 when   
they have no reason to charge  it upon  
themselves as their sin4 ,it is one     
thing to be tempted1 and  another to    
consent or comply4 ,to be tempted1 and  
not to be brought into  temptation1 is  

not evil4 ,satan only barks when he     
suggests1 but he then  bites and wounds 
when he draws us to consent4#cgj        
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,that not only the sin 
but the degree also1 by just            
consequence1 is to be measured by the   
consent of the heart4 ,if we  consent   
not1 the sin is not ours1 and the less  
degree of consent we  give1 the less is 
in the sin4          ,,chapter ,v4      
,and when he had fasted forty days and  
forty nights1 he was afterwards  an     
hungered4--,mat4 iv4 #b4     ,of        
,christ's fast1 with the design         
thereof4--,of ,satan's tempting in an   
invisible way4--,of his incessant       
importunities1 and how he flies when    
resisted4--,of inward temptations1 with 
outward afflictions4--,several          
advantages ,satan hath by tempting in   
affliction4      ,i am next to explain  
the fast of ,christ1 the end and design 
whereof1  because it is not expressly   
mentioned1 is variously conjectured4    
,not  to insist in this discourse1 which

 is designed for practice1 on the       
controversy about the ,quadragesimal    
fast1 that which ,i shall first         
consider is the opinion of              
,musculus1#cga who1 upon this ground    
that  his fast was not the principal    
thing for which the ,spirit led him into
  the wilderness2 for he was not led to 
fast1 but to be tempted--thereupon      
concludes1 that this was only a         
consequent of his solitary condition  in
 the wilderness1 and no other thing than
 what befell ,moses and ,elias1  who    
being engaged by ,god to attend him in  
such a service1 where the  ordinary     
means of the support of life were       
wanting1 were therefore kept  alive by  
him in an extraordinary way without     
them4 ,thus he thinks the  fasting was  
not1 at least principally1 designed1 but
 that he being to  undergo a temptation 
in a desolate wilderness where he had no
 meat to  eat1 there ,god restrained his
 hunger1 so that he neither desired nor 
needed any4 ,if we acquiesce in this1 it

 will afford this doctrine3--    ,doct4 
#a4 ,that when ,god leads forth his     
children to such services as  shall     
unavoidably deprive them of the ordinary
 means of help or supply1  there ,god is
 engaged to give extraordinary support1 
and his people may  expect it           
accordingly4    ,this is a great truth  
in itself1 and a great and necessary    
encouragement to all the children of    
,god that are called out to  straits2   
but ,i shall not insist on this as the  
genuine product of this  fast4    ,if we
 look further amongst protestant        
divines1 we shall observe  it taken for 
granted1 that ,christ fasted upon       
design1 and this is  generally reduced  
to those two heads3--    7#a47 ,first1  
,either for instruction3 as to shew that
 he was ,god1  by fasting so long1 and  
that under the trouble of molesting and 
disquieting temptations2 whereas the    
fasts of like date in ,moses or  ,elias 
were accompanied with the quiet repose  
of their thoughts2 or to  shew that he  

was man1 in that he really felt the     
natural infirmities  of the human       
nature1 in being hungry2 or to teach us 
the usefulness  of fasting in the       
general1 when fit occasions invite us   
thereto2 or1    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,for   
confirmation of his doctrine1 to put an 
honour  and dignity upon his            
employment2#cgb as ,elias fasted at the 
restoring  of prophecy1 and at the      
,reformation4 ,as ,moses fasted at the  
writing  of the law1 so ,christ began   
the gospel of the kingdom with fasting4 
,however1 that these things cannot be   
spoken against1 being conclusions       
warrantably deducible from this act of  
,christ's2 yet these seem  not1 in my   
apprehension1 to come fully up to the   
proper end of this  undertaking of his2 
which seems not obscurely to be laid    
before us in  that passage of ,luke iv4 
#b1 #8being forty days tempted of the   
devil2 and  in those days he did eat    
nothing2' where we see that his being   
#8tempted  forty days' was the principal

 thing1 and that his fasting had a plain
  reference and respect to his          
temptation4 ,thus far1 ,i suppose1 we   
may  be secure1 that we have the design 
in the general1 that his fasting  was in
 order to his temptation4 ,but then     
whether this was designed as  an        
occasion of the temptations1 or as a    
remedy against them1 it is  not so easy 
to determine4 ,that one of those1 at    
least1 was intended1  cannot be denied  
by those that will grant that his fast  
related to the  combat2 and it seems not
 to labour of any repugnacy or          
absurdity1 if  we say that it is        
possible that both these ends might be  
aimed at1 and  accordingly ,i shall     
proceed to observe upon them4 ,there are
 only some  other things to be first    
despatched out of the way3 as    ,the   
continuance of the fast1 why it was     
forty days1 neither more nor  less4     
,though some adventure to give reasons  
for it1#cgc not only  papists1 who1     
according to their wont1 are ridiculous 

and trifling in  this matter2 but also  
protestants1 supposing that some regard 
was1 or  ought to be1 had to his        
fulfilling the times of the fasts of    
,moses  and ,elias2 yet ,i think it is  
neither pertinent nor safe to determine 
anything about it1 only it observes to  
us that the continuance of this  was a  
considerable time4    ,we are more      
concerned to inquire whether ,christ was
 under any conflict  of temptation all  
that time2#cgd which although some deny1
 lest they  should favour a seeming     
contradiction among the evangelists1 yet
 the  words of ,luke are so express1    
#8being forty days tempted of the       
devil1'  ,luke iv4 #b1 that no tolerable
 evasion can be found to cast these     
temptations to the end of the forty     
days2 for he tells us1 he was not  only 
tempted after the expiration of the     
forty days1 but that he was  tempted    
during the continuance of the forty days
 beside2 only there was  a difference in
 the kinds of these temptations1 in     

regard of the way  wherein ,satan       
managed them1 and this also is fully set
 down by ,matthew1  #8,and when the     
tempter came to him1' which with the    
other expression of  ,luke compared1    
shews us1 that during the space of the  
forty days ,satan  tempted ,christ1 and 
yet came not to him till afterward--that
 is1 he  managed those temptations in an
 invisible way4 ,hence we may note1     
,doct4 #b4 ,that ,satan doth usually    
tempt in an invisible way and  manner4  
,to explain this a little1 ,i shall     
evidence it by a few  considerations4   
,as1    7#a47 ,first1 ,that he hath a   
hand in all sins first or last1 and then
  it must needs be in an invisible way4 
,his work is to tempt1 to go  about     
laying snares to draw men to sin4       
,wicked men are #8of their father  the  
devil1' ,john viii4 #dd1 and do his     
works4 ,carnal desires are #8his        
lusts2' giving way to anger is #8giving 
place to the devil1' ,eph4 iv4  #bf1    
#bg1 and resisting of sin is called in  

the general1 #8a resisting of  the      
devil1' c41 ,james iv4 #g4 ,in all this 
work of ,satan1 men do not see  him4    
,when he puts evil motions into their   
hearts they do not perceive  him1 and   
therefore doth he his work in an        
invisible way4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,we  
have sufficient discoveries of these    
private paths of  his3 for1 #a4         
,sometime he tempts by friends3 he      
tempted ,job by his  wife1 ,christ by   
,peter4 #b4 ,sometime by external       
objects1 as he drew  out ,achan's       
covetousness1 and ,david's uncleanness1 
by the eye4 #c4  ,sometime by injecting 
thoughts and motions to our mind4 #d4   
,sometime  by exercising an invisible   
power upon our bodies1 in stirring up   
the  humours thereof1 to provoke to     
passion or excessive mirth4 ,all these  
ways1 of which ,i have discoursed before
 more largely1 are secret and           
invisible1 and by such as these he most 
usually tempts4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,the 
wiles1 depths1 secrets1 and devices of  

,satan1  which the ,scripture tells us  
are his most familiar ways and courses1 
they in their own nature imply a studied
 or designed secrecy and                
imperceptibility4    7#d47 ,fourthly1   
,he hath peculiar reasons of policy for 
his invisible  way of dealing2 for the  
less visible he is1 the less suspicious 
are his  designs1 and consequently the  
less frightful and more taking4 ,by this
  way he insinuates himself so into our 
bosoms1 that he gets a party in  us     
against ourselves before we are aware2  
whereas in vain he knows he  should     
spread his net if his designs and enmity
 were discovered to us4    ,applic4     
,this must teach us to suspect ,satan   
where we see him not1 and  so to        
converse with objects and occasions as  
still fearing that there  may be anguis 
in herba1 a secret snare laid for us to 
entrap us at  unawares4    ,if we again 
cast our eyes upon what hath been said1 
that ,christ was  tempted #8all the     
forty days1' it will then give us this  

observation3--    ,doct4 #c4 ,that      
,satan is sometime incessant in         
temptations1 and sets  upon us with     
continued importunities4    ,here we may
 note a distinction of temptations1     
besides that of  invisible and visible1 
of which ,i have spoken1 that some are  
moveable  and short fits1 and as it were
 skirmishes1 in which he stays not      
long1 and others are more fixed and     
durable4 ,we may call them solemn       
temptations1 in which ,satan doth1 as it
 were1 pitch down his tents1  and doth  
manage a long siege against us4 ,of     
these last sort is this  observation4   
,thus he tempted ,paul1 continuing his  
assault for some time before  he        
departed1 #b ,cor4 xii4 #h4 ,thus also  
he dealt with ,joseph1 who was          
solicited day by day for a long time    
together1 ,gen4 xxxix4 #aj4 ,of these   
,i shall note a few things4 ,as1        
7#a47 ,first1 ,such temptations are not 
without a special commission4 ,he       
cannot indeed tempt at all without      

leave1 but in the ordinary course of    
his temptations he hath a general       
commission under such restraints and    
limitations as pleaseth the ,most ,high 
to put upon him2 but in these he  must  
have a special order1 as we see in      
,job's case4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,such  
temptations have also a special ground4 
,either  the present state and posture  
of our condition is such as ,satan      
apprehends highly advantageous for his  
design1 and therefore he desires  to    
have the winnowing of us at such a      
season2 or there are more than  ordinary
 dispositions and inclinations in our   
heart to what we are  directly tempted  
to1 or to some other consequent design4 
,these animate  and encourage him to    
high resolves of prosecuting us more    
closely1 upon  an expectation that a    
continued solicitation is most likely to
 prevail  at the long run4    7#c47     
,thirdly1 ,it is possible that such     
temptations may stand out  against the  
endeavours of many prayers1 and that we 

shall find they  are not so easily      
shaken off as the viper that was upon   
,paul's hand4  ,paul1 #b ,cor4 xii4 #h1 
prayed thrice against the messenger of  
,satan1 that  is1 as ,estius and others 
interpret1 he prayed often and          
fervently1 and  yet it departed not4    
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,such temptations give 
no rest nor intermission2 men  are      
haunted and dogged by them2 what way    
soever they go1 they still  hear the    
same things1 and cannot command their   
thoughts to give an  exclusion to his   
motions1 but still by renewed disputes  
and arguings1  or by clamorous          
importunities1 they are vexed and       
tormented3 which  surely shews a high   
degree of earnestness and impudency in  
,satan4    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,these are   
consequently very burdensome1 exceeding 
irksome and tiresome to us4 ,paul calls 
them #8buffetings1' for their  trouble  
and molestation4 ,satan so molested ,job
 in his affliction by  inward           
accusations and troubles of terror1     

that1 as an overwearied man1  he cries  
out he had no quiet1 and that he was    
disappointed of his hope  of ease in    
sleep1 because he was then #8scared with
 dreams and terrified  with visions1'   
,job vii4 #ad4    7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,these
 are also upon a special design on      
,god's part1  either to find us work and
 to keep us doing1 or to prevent sin and
  miscarriage2 to keep down our pride1  
lest we should be #8exalted  above      
measure1' #b ,cor4 xii4 #g2 to awaken us
 from slothfulness and  security1 lest  
we should #8settle upon our lees1' ,jer4
 xlviii4 #aa2 or  to be an occasion of  
his grace1 and an evidence of his power 
in our  preservation1 satisfying us and 
others1 that in the greatest shocks of  
our spiritual battle his #8grace is     
sufficient for us1' #b ,cor4 xii4  #i4  
,upon these1 and such like designs as   
these1 doth the most wise ,god  permit  
it4    7#g47 ,seventhly1 ,satan doth not
 attempt temptations of this kind but   
upon a special design1 and that either  

because he hopes by a violent  and      
pertinacious impetuosity at length to   
prevail1 or that he would  please       
himself to molest us2 for surely the    
cries and complainings of  ,god's       
children are music in his ears2 or at   
least upon a design to  discourage us in
 our services1 and to make way for other
 temptations  of murmuring1 blasphemy1  
despair1 c41 which are as a reserve or  
ambushment laid in wait for us4 ,the    
inferences from hence are these  two3-- 
,applic4 #a4 ,that the children of ,god 
under such temptations may be           
encouraged under a patient expectation1 
by considering that ,christ  did undergo
 the like assaults from ,satan4 ,it is  
in itself tedious and  disheartening1   
but they may see1    7#a47 ,first1 ,that
 this way of trouble is usual1 and that 
to the best2  and therefore they should 
not faint under it4    7#b47 ,secondly1 
,that grace is sufficient to preserve   
from the  prevalency of the most earnest
 temptations even there1 where our      

heavenly ,father thinks it not fit to   
preserve us from the trouble of  them4  
,when ,paul gives the highest security  
that the faithfulness of ,god  can      
afford1 that temptations shall not be   
above strength1 #a ,cor4 x4 #ac1  or the
 ability that shall be given them1 he   
tells them they are not to  expect      
always such aids as shall presently     
drive away the temptation1  that it must
 immediately vanish1 or that their      
temptations shall  become light and     
contemptible1 but that ,god's           
faithfulness will be no  further engaged
 in the general1 than #a4 to make their 
temptations  tolerable1 that they #8may 
be able to bear them1' though not       
without  much to do4 #b4 ,that the #8way
 of escape' shall be concurrent with the
  continuance of the temptation1 that   
though the temptation abide1 yet we     
shall be aided under it4 #c4 ,that yet  
he is as careful of our help in         
temptations as he is ready to           
commissionate them1 when need requires4 

,his resolves that we should be tempted1
 and his resolves that we should  be    
succoured1 they bear the same date4     
#8,with the temptation he will  make a  
way to escape4'    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,that
 such temptations do not argue #a4      
either a  likelihood1 much less a       
necessity1 that they should prevail2 nor
 #b4  any want of care and love in ,god2
 nor #c4 do they always evidence a  more
 than ordinary proneness and inclination
 in us2 for ,christ1 who  was most      
averse to the least of sin1 who was     
highest in ,god's love1  against whom   
there was no possibility he should      
prevail1 yet was thus  tempted4         
,applic4 #b4 ,secondly1 ,in such        
continued violences it will concern us  
to make stout resistances2 according to 
the counsel of ,james1 chap4  iv4 #g1   
#8,resist the devil1 and he will fly4'  
,obj4 ,but ,i have done so1 and yet the 
temptation is the same1 and  still      
continues4    ,ans4 7#a47 ,first1 ,it is
 not enough to resist1 but we must      

continue  to do so4 ,some make limited  
resistances1 as besieged persons that   
set  a time for their holding out1 and  
then if they be not relieved at that    
time1 they yield2 but we must resolve a 
perpetual resistance1 as long  as the   
temptation lasts4 ,when one hand is     
beaten off1 we must hold by  another2   
when both are beaten off1 we must1 as it
 were1 hold by our  teeth4    7#b47     
,secondly1 ,in a faithful resistance1 we
 may cast the whole matter  upon ,god1  
and engage him in the quarrel2 as       
,david3 #8,i will say unto  ,god1 ,why  
hast thou forsaken me8' c4    ,obj4 ,but
 how is it consistent with truth that   
the temptation should  continue1 when   
,james tells us that ,satan will fly    
upon resistance8    ,ans4 7#a47 ,it may 
be the resistance is not as it ought1   
and so the  blame is ours4 ,if we be not
 serious1 as some who defy the devil in 
words1 and resist him by crossing       
themselves1 things which doubtless  the 
devil laughs at2 or if in the confidence

 of a presumptuous bravado1  or if not  
with that humility and care that is     
requisite1 it will be no  wonder if he  
depart not4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he doth
 fly at every resistance more or less2  
he doth  give back1 and is discouraged1 
and is a loser by every opposition4     
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,though the scripture   
say that he shall fly1--that is1  sooner
 or later1--yet it doth not say that he 
shall do so immediately1  though most   
usually he doth so where he is          
peremptorily rejected4  ,but in some    
cases time must be allowed2 for the     
devil1 as it is in  ,chrysostom's       
comparison1 stands like a fawning dog   
scratching and  waving his tail1 and if 
anything be given him1 it makes him     
importunate  for more2 yet though we    
give him nothing1 we cannot expect that 
the  first or second denial should make 
him cease his trouble3 as he hath  been 
encouraged by former compliances1 so    
will he not be discouraged  but with    
many and continued denials4    ,if we   

consider the fast of ,christ as an      
occasion designed by ,god for  an       
advantage to the temptation1 and then   
look upon his condition  in the         
wilderness1 being under hazards from    
wild beasts1 in want  of necessaries1   
and without a possibility of supplies in
 a usual  way1 and also under the       
discomforts of cold and long            
nights1--for  according to the          
conjectures of some this was about our  
,october and  ,november#cge--then we may
 observe1    ,doct4 #d4 ,that it is     
,satan's way to second outward          
distresses and  afflictions with inward 
temptations4 ,we see the like carriage  
of ,satan  toward ,job4 ,his affliction 
was followed with many temptations4 ,all
  his friends1 in urging him with       
hypocrisy1 were no other than parties   
to ,satan's design1 though they knew it 
not apparently4 ,his wife is  set on by 
the tempter1 as the serpent against     
,eve1 to provoke him to  #8curse ,god   
and die4' ,besides all this1 whosoever  

shall consider what  inward workings of 
heart1 spiritual trouble and conflict1  
his words  frequently express1 they will
 quickly find that when ,god put ,job   
into  ,satan's hand1 under that only    
limitation of not touching his life1 he 
gave ,satan a liberty to pursue him with
 inward temptations as well as  outward 
vexations4 ,when ,israel was pinched    
with the straits of the  wilderness1    
,satan was most busy with them to put   
them upon distrust1  murmuring1 revolt1 
disobedient oppositions1 idolatry1 and  
what not4  ,david gives in his          
experience to confirm this truth4 ,he   
never met with  outward troubles but he 
had also inward temptations with them1  
as  fretting1 disquiet1 sad             
apprehensions of ,god's wrath1 haste1   
distrust1  fear1 c41 as the relation of 
his several straits do testify4 ,and    
besides these1 the generality of ,god's 
children find it so4 ,outward           
afflictions seldom pass alone4 ,when    
they have #8fightings without1' they    

have #8fears within' usually4 ,seldom   
have they a sickness1 or meet with  a   
sad providence1 but they have ,satan    
busy with their souls1 molesting  their 
peace1 or endeavouring to ensnare them4 
,thus their feet are never  in the      
stocks but the iron enters into their   
soul4 ,and for this reason  is it that  
outward afflictions and troubles are    
called temptations in  ,scripture1      
because temptations usually accompany   
them1 and they are  indeed the solemn   
seasons that ,satan desires to improve  
for that end2  and for that is it that  
,luke expresseth that which we translate
 a time  of temptation by  1 which      
signifies an occasion or  opportunity of
 temptation1 ,luke viii4 #ac2 #a ,peter 
i4 #f2 #b ,peter ii4 #i4    ,the        
temptations that ,satan drives on1 upon 
the advantage of an  afflicted estate1  
are these3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,to drive 
men upon impatient outbreakings against 
,god1 as  the ,israelites in the        
wilderness turn upon ,moses with this1  

#8,hast thou  brought us into the       
wilderness to slay us8' ,exod4 xiv4 #aa4
 ,to this  tended ,job's temptation by  
his wife1 #8,curse ,god1 and die1' as it
 is in  our translation1 which cannot in
 anywise admit of the excuse that ,beza 
makes for her1 as if she gave wholesome 
advice1 #8to die blessing of  ,god1'    
because he reproves her sharply as      
having spoken foolishly and  wickedly2  
but at best it is an ironical scoff at  
,job's integrity1 #8,dost  thou bless   
,god while thou art killed by his       
displeasure8' if it be not  a direct    
suggestion of revengeful despite4 ,at   
such times men are too  apt to entertain
 cruel thoughts of ,god1 and sadly      
reflective upon his  mercy or justice4  
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,in this posture of    
affliction he strives to put them  upon 
direful conclusions against themselves1 
as if ,god called  solemnly their sin to
 remembrance1 and that they are forsaken
 of ,god1  and marked out for           
destruction1 the pledge and earnest     

whereof they  take these troubles to be4
 ,we may observe that ,david's          
afflictions  awakened his conscience to 
object guilt and miscarriage1 so that he
 is  as earnest to deprecate the marking
 and remembrance of his sin as he is  to
 pray against his troubles4 ,for this   
see ,ps4 xxv4 #f1 #g1 xxxviii4 #a1 #d4  
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,he pusheth them usually
 upon contempt of religion1 and         
abandoning the ways of ,god4 ,we are too
 apt to blame religion for all  our     
troubles2 and as we expect that our     
owning the ways of ,god should  secure  
us from outward affliction1 so when we  
find it otherwise we  are too forward to
 say1 #8,we have washed our hands in    
vain1' c41 ,ps4  lxxiii4 #ac4    7#d47  
,fourthly1 ,the sin of distrust is      
another evil that he drives at2  he     
would have men conclude that ,god cannot
 or will not deliver4 #8,can  ,god      
prepare a table in the wilderness8' said
 the ,israelites1 by the  power of      
temptation1 when they were distressed1  

,ps4 lxxviii4 #ai4    7#e47 ,fifthly1   
,another evil aimed at in such a case1  
is to put us upon  indirect courses and 
ways to escape from our troubles4       
,flectere  si nequeo superos1 c4 ,saul  
went to the witch of ,endor when ,god   
answered him not4 ,distresses naturally 
prompt such things1 and a little        
temptation makes us comply1 as is noted 
by the wise man's desire1 #8,give  me   
not poverty1 lest ,i put out my hand and
 steal1' ,prov4 xxx4 #i4  ,distresses of
 poverty put men upon theft and unlawful
 ways4    ,the reasons of ,satan's      
tempting the afflicted are these3--     
7#a47 ,first1 ,that outward afflictions 
are a load and burden4 ,this  gives a   
probability that his designs may the    
better take place4 ,it is  easy to      
overthrow those that are bowed down1 to 
break those that are  bruised1 to master
 those that are weary and weak-handed4  
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,an afflicted estate is
 a temptation of itself1 and  naturally 
dictates evil things4 ,it is half of his

 design brought to  his hand1 it affords
 variety of matter for a temptation to  
work on4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,such a     
condition strongly backs a temptation1  
and  furnisheth many arguments for a    
prevalency2 for troubles are serious    
things2 they speak to the heart1 and    
what they speak1 they speak  fiercely2  
they represent things otherwise than    
common discovery can do1  and for the   
most part they shew an ingenuity in     
multiplying fears1 and  aggravating     
hazard1 and ascertaining suspected      
events1 so that ,satan  can scarce      
desire a fairer hit than what these     
offer him4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,they    
also give him the advantage of darkness2
 for to  such their #8way is hid1' ,job 
iii4 #bc1 and ,god hath hedged them in2 
they  neither know where they are1      
whether their trouble be a chastisement 
of  sin1 or for trial1 or for prevention
 of miscarriage1 or to make way for     
more comfortable manifestations2 and as 
little know they how to behave          

themselves in their trouble1 or how and 
when to get out of it4 ,in such  groping
 uncertainties1 it is scarce possible   
but they should be put  wrong4    7#e47 
,fifthly1 ,an afflicted condition brings
 on weakness and  indisposition to duty2
 it makes the hands weak1 and the knees 
feeble4  ,this made ,job to faint1 chap4
 iv4 #e2 this dried up ,david's         
strength4  ,the first assault of an     
affliction doth stound1 and put it into 
such a  confusion1 that hope turns back1
 and faith is to seek1 and every grace  
so out of order1 that a man shall be    
unable to do anything of duty in a      
comfortable manner4    7#f47 ,sixthly1  
,in this case men are apt to conclude   
their prayers  are not heard3 #8,i cry  
in the day-time1 and thou hearest not1' 
,ps4  xxii4 #b1 says ,david2 #8,hath the
 ,lord forgotten to be gracious8' ,ps4  
lxxvii4 #i4 ,and with such seeming      
probability is this urged upon us by    
affliction1 that ,job professeth he     
could not believe his own sense and     

knowledge in such a case4 #8,if ,i had  
called1 and he had answered me2  yet    
would ,i not believe that he had        
hearkened unto my voice1' ,job ix4  #af4
    7#g47 ,seventhly1 ,afflictions      
strongly fix guilt upon us1 and         
represent  ,god #8searching out our     
iniquities1 and inquiring after our     
sin1' ,job x4  #f4    7#h47 ,eighthly1  
,they imbitter the spirit1 and beget    
impressions upon  the mind1 of very hard
 thoughts of ,god4    7#i47 ,ninthly1   
,they violently push men on to speak    
unadvisedly4 ,there  is such a swelling 
ferment of the old leaven of impatience 
and distrust  in the mind1 that it is   
matter of pain and difficulty to be     
silent3  #8,their belly is as wine that 
hath no vent2 it is ready to burst like 
new bottles1' and they are #8weary with 
forbearing and cannot stay1 and  must   
speak let come on them what will1' ,job 
xxxii4 #ai4    ,all these advantages    
doth an afflicted condition bring to    
,satan2 and  who can think that he who  

is so studious of our ruin will be      
willing to  miss so fair an opportunity8
    ,applic4 7#a47 ,first1 ,this must   
teach us to have a watchful eye over    
affliction4 ,though at all times we must
 expect ,satan's stratagems1 yet  in    
troubles especially prepare for them2   
according to the wise man's  advice1    
#8,in a day of adversity1 consider1'    
,eccles4 vii4 #ad4    7#b47 ,secondly1  
,seeing ,satan takes advantage of the   
sharp humours of  impatience and        
distrust1 we must be particularly       
careful not to touch  too much upon the 
harshness of our troubles1 because this 
is that  that sets fretting and         
distracting thoughts on work4           
,afflictions1 like  the pillar of the   
cloud and fire in the wilderness1 have a
 light and  darkness2 and accordingly1  
those that converse with the dark side  
of  troubles envenom their imaginations1
 and poison their thoughts with  dark   
and hideous conclusions1 and1 in a word1
 draw forth nothing but  the wormwood   

and the gall2 whereas those that study  
and view the  light side of them are    
full of praise and admiration for the   
gracious  mixtures1 comfortable         
mitigations1 encouraging supports1 c41  
which  they observe4 ,it is wisdom then 
to keep upon the right side of them4    
,though it be the design of ,god to turn
 the dark side of the cloud to  us1 yet 
may we have a competent light to guide  
us if we would improve  it4 ,when the   
sun is set1 the moon may be up4 ,nay1 it
 is our duty to  strive to recover the  
right side of the cloud4 ,he hides that 
we may  seek4    ,if this fast of       
,christ's be considered as a remedy     
against temptations1  then may we       
observe that solemn temptations are to  
be resisted with  fastings and prayers4 
,of this ,i shall forbear to speak1 till
 ,i come to  speak of ,christ's answer1 
and the repulse of ,satan4              
,,chapter ,,vi4    ,and when the tempter
 came to him1 he said1 ,if thou be the  
,son of ,god1  command that these stones

 be made bread4--,mat4 iv4 #c4     ,that
 ,christ's temptations were real and not
 in vision4--,that   temptation is      
,satan's employment1 with the evidences 
and instances   thereof4--,of ,satan's  
tempting visibly1 with the reasons      
thereof4      ,next follows a particular
 account of those more eminent          
temptations  wherewith ,christ was      
assaulted by ,satan4 ,before ,i speak of
 these1 ,i  must necessarily remove this
 stumbling-block out of the way1 viz41  
whether ,christ was really tempted1 or  
only in a vision4 ,that this was  but   
visionary hath been supposed2 not only  
by some1 whose conceits  in other things
 might justly render their supposals in 
this matter  less worthy of a serious   
consideration1#cgf but also by very     
grave  and serious men1#cgg whose       
reasons1 notwithstanding1 are not of    
that weight as to sway us against the   
letter and history of these             
temptations1 which give us a full       
account of these things as really       

transacted1 without the least hint of   
understanding them as done only  in a   
vision4 ,for1    7#a47 ,first1 ,it is a 
dangerous thing to depart from the      
literal sense  of what is historically  
related4 ,if we take such a liberty1 we 
may  as well understand other historical
 passages after the same rate1 and  so  
bring the history1 not only of ,christ's
 suffering to a visionary  and          
fantastical cross1 but also of all the  
,new ,testament to a very  nothing4#cgh 
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the circumstances of  
the temptation are so particularly  set 
down--as the devil's coming to him1     
leaving him1 taking him to the  temple1 
c4--that if we may expect in anything to
 secure ourselves from  a visionary     
supposition1 we may do it in this       
history4#cgi    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,this   
imagination doth wholly enervate and    
make void  the very end and design of   
,christ's being tempted2 for where were 
the glory of this victory over ,satan1  
if it were only a visionary  temptation1

 and a visionary conquest8 or where were
 the comfort and  encouragement which   
believers--from the apostle's authority1
 ,heb4 ii4  #ah1 and iv4 #af--might reap
 from this1 that ,christ imagined       
himself to be  tempted1 when really he  
was not so8 ,nay1 how impossible is it  
to make  that expression of the apostle1
 #8,he was tempted in all points like as
  we are1' to agree to an imaginary     
temptation8 except we also say that  we 
are only tempted visionarily and not    
really8    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,neither is 
it a plea of any value against this     
truth1  that it seems to derogate too   
much from the honour and authority  of  
our ,saviour1 that ,satan should so     
impudently assault him with  temptations
 to worship him1 and should carry him at
 pleasure from  place to place1 when we 
find that he voluntarily submitted to   
higher  indignities from ,satan's       
instruments1 and #8turned not away his  
cheek'  from those that #8smote' him1   
spit upon him1 and contumeliously mocked

  him1 and at last submitted to death1  
even the death of the cross4#chj    ,as 
for those objections from  1 the        
pinnacle of the  temple1 upon which     
,scultetus thinks it was impossible for 
,christ to  stand2 as also the objection
 of the impossibility to shew the       
kingdoms  of the world from any         
mountain1 ,i shall answer them in their 
proper  place4 ,in the meantime ,i shall
 return to the verse in hand1 in which  
,i  shall first pitch upon the general  
promium1 or introduction to these       
special temptations1 which is this1     
#8,the tempter came to him4'    ,in this
 we are to take notice of the name given
 to ,satan1 and also the  way and manner
 of the assault1 in that expression1    
#8he came to him4'    ,there are three  
distinct names given to him in these    
temptations4 #a4  ,his name #8,satan'   
shews his malice and fury1 which is the 
ground and  fountain whence all that    
trouble proceeds which we meet with from
 him4  #b4 ,he is styled #8the tempter1'

 and that signifies to us how he puts   
forth this malice1 his way and exercise 
in the exerting of it4 #c4 ,he  is      
called #8the devil' or accuser1         
expressing thereby the end and issue  of
 all4 ,from this name1 then1 here given1
 we may observe3--    ,obs4 #a4 ,first1 
,that it is ,satan's work and employment
 to tempt men4  ,we need not here       
dispute whether it be proper to ,satan  
to tempt--that  is1 an soli1 et semper  
competat1 whether it agree to him only  
and  always1 which some indeed affirm in
 such a sense as this1 that men do      
tempt men as ,satan's instruments1 the  
world tempts as it is the object  and   
matter of temptations1 but ,satan tempts
 as the proper author and  engineer of  
temptations4 ,others there are that     
think that men can and  do properly     
tempt themselves1 according to ,james i4
 #8,every man is  tempted1 when he is   
drawn away of his own lust4'#cha ,but   
the question  is altogether needless as 
to us2 though we and others may be true 

and  proper tempters1 yet this hindereth
 not but that it is most true1  that    
,satan makes temptation his very work   
and business4 ,and therefore  not only  
here1 but in #a ,thes4 iii4 #e1 the     
devil is described by his  employment1  
#8,lest by any means the tempter1' or he
 that tempteth1 #8hath  tempted you3'   
which the ordinary gloss doth thus      
explain1 ,diabolus1  cujus est officium 
tentare4 ,this name1 then1 is put upon  
,satan1 '  1 by way of eminency4        
,implying1 #a4 ,that though there be    
never  so many tempters1 yet ,satan is  
the chief4 #b4 ,that he makes temptation
  his proper employment4    ,that ,satan
 doth so1 ,i shall evidence by these few
 notes3--    #a4 ,first1 ,temptation is 
in itself a business and work4 ,for if  
we  consider either the work of any one 
temptation1 where ,satan is oft put  to 
it1 after suggestion to persuade1 and   
after persuasion to instigate  and      
provoke2 or if we consider what         
furniture1 tools1 means1 and            

instruments are requisite1 and what it  
may cost to bring all things  together  
into fit order and method2 or if we     
think of the various ways  and manners  
of temptation1 that some are mediate1   
some immediate2  some inward1 some      
outward2 some moveable1 some fixed and  
solemn2 some  enticements to evil1 some 
affrightments from duty1 others         
invasions of  our peace and joy2 or     
lastly1 if we call to mind what study1  
what art1  what fetches and contrivances
 the devil is sometimes put upon1 we    
shall  easily see that it keeps him     
doing1 and that he eats not the bread of
  idleness that hath that employment to 
follow4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,satan gives  
up himself unto it1 is wholly in it4 ,he
  #8walks to and fro1' #8goes about'    
seeking advantages of this nature1      
#8compasseth sea and land' to proselyte 
men to his slavery1 useth all  means1   
upon all men1 at all times1 with all    
diligence4 ,hence was it  that ,latimer1
 in his homely way of speaking1 called  

him #8a busy bishop  in his diocese1'   
and excited the sluggish to learn       
laboriousness of the  devil4    #c4     
,thirdly1 ,he takes a delight in it1 not
 only from a natural  propensity1 which 
his fall put upon him1 whereby he cannot
 but  tempt--as an evil tree cannot but 
bring forth evil fruits--but also from  
the power of a habit acquired by long   
exercise1 which is accompanied  with    
some kind of pleasure2 and further1     
whatever pleasure may be  supposed to   
arise from revengeful pride or          
companionship in evil1 he  hath of that 
in full measure1 pressed down1 and      
running over4 ,solamen  miseris1 c4     
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,all other things in     
,satan1 or in his endeavours1  have     
either a subserviency1 or some way or   
other a reference and  respect to       
temptation4 ,his power1 wisdom1 malice1 
and other infernal  qualifications1     
render him able to tempt2 his labour and
 diligence  in other things are but the 
work of one that prepares materials and 

occasions2 his other business of        
accusing1 affrighting1 destroying1      
tormenting1 are but the ends and        
improvements of tempting4    #e4        
,fifthly1 ,he cares not how it goes on1 
so that it go on2 as a man  that designs
 to be rich1 cares not how he gets it2  
which shews that  tempting in general is
 his design4 ,of this we have many      
instances1  as #a4 ,he sticks not to lie
 and dissemble2 he will tell them of the
  #8kingdoms of the world1 and the glory
 of them1' and a thousand fair  promises
 which he never intends4 #b4 ,he will   
tempt for a small matter2  if he can but
 gain a little1 or but molest us1 yet he
 will be doing4  #c4 ,he will not give  
over for a foil or disappointment4 #d4  
,he is not  ashamed to tempt            
contradictory things3 he tempted ,christ
 against the  work of redemption1       
#8,master1 spare thyself1' ,mat4 xvi4   
#bb4 ,he tempted  ,judas to further it  
in betraying him4 #e4 ,any temptation   
that he sees  will hold1 he takes up4   

,hence is it that he tempts not the     
,jews now to  idolatry1 because he hath 
them fast in another snare1 being       
strongly  led to an opposition and      
contempt of ,christ4 #f4 ,he will       
sometime  tempt where he hath not       
probability to prevail1 even against    
hope4 ,thus  he tempted ,christ and     
,paul4    ,applic4 7#a47 ,the use of the
 observation is this1 ,if it be his     
business to tempt1 it must be our work  
to resist4    #a4 ,first1 ,to resist is 
a labour4 ,it is not an idle formality1 
consisting in words of defiance1 or a   
few ridiculous crossings and            
sprinklings of holy water1 or spitting  
at the name of him1 as ignorant  people 
are wont to do4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,we   
must give up ourselves to this work1    
always  fighting and opposing4    #c4   
,thirdly1 ,it will be necessary to make 
use of all helps1 as  prayer1 fasting1  
the counsel and support of holy and     
experienced men4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,we  
must also cast off all hindrances4      

,whatsoever in us  is apt to take fire  
or give advantage must be laid off1 as  
pride1 which  doth prognosticate a fall1
 and security1 which betrays the best1  
or  presumption1 which provokes ,god to 
leave those of highest attainments1     
,neh4 xiii4 #af4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,in  
this general introduction1 we may cast  
our eye upon  the way and manner of the 
assault4 ,when it is said1 #8the tempter
  came unto him1' we are unavoidably    
forced to suppose another manner  of    
coming than that whereby he tempted him 
for forty days together4  ,and when we  
call to mind that at his coming here    
mentioned1 he carried  ,christ to the   
temple1 and from thence to a high       
mountain1 and there  propounded himself 
an object of worship2 we can imagine no 
less than  that ,satan here came visibly
 to him4 ,but in what shape or manner of
  appearance it is altogether uncertain1
 though it is most probable it  was not 
in the form of a brute1 but in some     
lustre of majesty or glory1  as an      

angel1 because a deformed or base       
appearance had been unsuitable  to the  
boast of giving #8the kingdoms of the   
world1' or to his desire  that ,christ  
should #8fall down and worship him4'    
,hence we may observe3--    ,obs4 #b4   
,that ,satan sometimes tempts in a      
visible appearance1 and by  voice4      
#a4 ,first1 ,the possibility of this is 
evident from the apparitions  of angels4
 ,satan is still an angel1 and there is 
nothing of a natural  incapacity in him 
as to an outward appearance to our eyes 
and senses1  more than in glorified     
spirits4#chb    #b4 ,secondly1 ,in the  
first temptation he did no less1 when he
 used  the serpent as a trunk to speak  
through1 and an instrument to act by4   
,in possessions he speaks audibly1 and  
evidenceth a real presence4    #c4      
,thirdly1 ,undoubted instances may be   
given of ,satan's tempting and          
molesting visibly4 ,i deny not but there
 are a great many idle stories  of this 
kind1 and a number of ridiculous        

figments2 but it would be  unreasonable 
and highly prejudicial to the truth of  
history1 and the  common faith of       
mankind1 to refuse credit to the serious
 accounts of  sober men1 because of some
 foolish and unwarrantable fables4      
,what is related of ,luther and his     
several troubles from ,satan this way1  
is evident in the story of his life4    
,cyrillus tells us of one ,eusebius1    
disciple of ,jerome1 who when he was    
dying1 cried out of the devil's         
appearing to him4 ,the like is storied  
of ,st ,martin and others1 and of       
these1 you may read more collected by   
,mr ,clark4#chc    ,if we would inquire 
into the reasons of ,satan's appearing  
thus1 we  cannot more fitly pitch upon  
any other than these3--    #a4 ,first1  
,either he thinks a great affrightment  
necessary in some  cases1 and for that  
end appears4 ,or1    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he 
sees his appearance needful1 to give a  
greater  evidence and certainty to the  
reality of the pleasures of sin which he

  promiseth4 ,that is the common ground 
of his appearing in the ways and        
designs of witchcraft4    #c4 ,or       
thirdly1 ,in the height of rage1 when he
 perceives other ways  not available1   
and when he hath to do with persons not 
ignorant of his  devices1 where he sees 
he hath no need of a visor1 or covert   
ways of  dealing1 then he sticks not1 if
 permitted1 to tempt or molest openly4  
,this must teach us not to wonder at    
such temptations1 much less to  judge   
those that may be so molested1 as if    
,satan had a greater share in  them1    
seeing ,christ was thus tempted4        
,,chapter ,,vii4     ,the general view  
of these temptations4--,of ,satan's     
gradual proceeding   in                 
temptations4--,of reserving a great     
temptation last4--,what a great         
temptation is2 in what cases to be      
expected4--,of ,satan's using a common  
road1 in comparing these temptations    
with the ordinary temptations   of      
men4--,of the advantage ,satan takes of 

natural appetite1 sense1 and            
affections4      ,i have done with the  
promium to the temptations4 ,yet before 
,i open  them particularly1 ,i shall    
take a general view of them4 ,first1 ,by
  comparing these with the other        
temptations of ,christ during the forty 
days4 ,secondly1 ,by comparing these    
with the temptations of men4    #a4     
,first then1 ,if we compare these with  
the former temptations1 and  observe    
that we have no account given us of     
those temptations1 but only  in the     
general1 #8that he was tempted1' whereas
 these are particularly  set down and   
recorded1 we cannot apprehend less than 
this1 that  these last temptations were 
certainly greater and more remarkable   
temptations4 ,hence note1    ,obs4 #c4  
,that it is ,satan's method to be       
gradual in his temptations1  and that he
 keeps his greatest temptations to the  
latter end4    ,that ,satan is gradual  
in his temptations2 this is true of him1
 if we  regard1    7#a47 ,first1 ,the   

manner of his proceeding1 that he drives
 slowly1  entreats gently1 and is very  
careful that he do not over-drive men1  
but after they are accustomed to his    
way1 he puts on imperiousness and       
commands them4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,if  
the matter of temptation be regarded1 he
 is gradual  there also4 ,he tempts to  
little sins first1 then to greater4     
,i shall illustrate both these          
particulars by the example of ,thomas   
,savage1 apprentice to ,mr ,collins1    
vintner at the ,ship ,tavern1  in       
,ratcliffe1 who suffered in anno #affj1 
for murdering his  fellow-servant4 ,he  
confesseth that the devil took this     
course with him3  he first tempted him  
to neglect of duty1 then to contempt of 
ordinances  and profanation of the      
,sabbath1 then to drinking1 then to     
fornication1  then to rob and steal from
 his master1 and last of all to murder2 
and  takes particular notice that in    
this last temptation1 to kill his       
fellow-servant1 there was a violent and 

more than ordinary power of  ,satan upon
 him1 to instigate him to that          
wickedness4 ,all this you may  read at  
large in the printed narration of his   
life4    7#a47 ,the reasons of his      
gradual proceedings are1    #a4 ,first1 
,he would discover no more of himself in
 any temptation  than he is necessitated
 unto for the gaining his end1 lest he  
cross  his own design1 and instead of   
drawing men to wickedness1 scare or     
affright them from it4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,sins are mutually preparatory to each 
other4 ,smaller  proffers and           
temptations do insensibly prepare and   
incline the heart to  greater4    7#b47 
,secondly1 ,that he keeps his greatest  
temptations last1 is a  consequence of  
the former2 for which1 besides what is  
now spoken1 these  reasons may be       
given3--    #a4 ,first1 ,there is       
provocation given him in refusing his   
lesser  assaults4 ,his #8head is        
bruised' by every refusal1 he is set at 
defiance1 which calls him out to        

stronger opposition4 ,he perceives by   
often repulses that those with whom he  
hath to do are not subjects of  his     
kingdom1 and that his #8time is short1' 
and therefore no wonder is  it1 if he   
assault most furiously and with all his 
strength4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,there is   
also policy in it4 ,when he hath brought
 down  our strength and weakened our    
courage1 then a violent onset is fair to
  procure him a victory4    ,but because
 ,i mention a great temptation1 it may  
not be amiss both for  the further      
explaining of the text1 and illustration
 of the matter1  to shew what is a great
 temptation4 ,these were great          
temptations  to ,christ1 and there are  
several things remarkable in them1      
which1  wherever they appear1 they will 
denominate the temptation great1 and    
the more of them are conjoined together1
 and in higher degree1 it may  justly be
 called still the greater4 ,as1    7#a47
 ,first1 ,in these temptations1 we may  
note there were external  objects as    

well as insinuated suggestions4 ,inward 
motions are real  temptations1 but when 
they have the objects and things        
presented to the  eye or the senses1    
then do they strongly urge4 ,at this    
advantage the  devil tempted ,eve4 ,he  
urged her when the fruit was within the 
view4  ,thus he tempted ,achan1 when the
 gold and garment were in his eye4      
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,these temptations were
 complex1 consisting of many  various   
designs1 like a snare of many cords or  
nooses4 ,when he tempted  to turn stones
 to bread1 it was not one single design1
 but many1 that  ,satan had in          
prosecution4 ,as distrust on one hand1  
pride on another1  and so in the rest4  
,the more complicated a temptation is1  
it is the  greater4    7#c47 ,thirdly1  
,these were also perplexing1 entangling 
temptations4  ,they were                
dilemmatical1#chd such as might ensnare1
 either in the  doing or refusal4 ,if he
 had turned stones into bread1 he had   
too much  honoured ,satan by doing it at

 his motion4 ,if he did not1 he seemed  
to  neglect his own body1 in not making 
necessary provisions for himself1  being
 now hungry4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,these 
temptations proceeded upon considerable 
advantages4 ,his hunger urged a         
necessity of turning stones into bread4 
,his present straits1 and the lowness of
 his condition1 seemed to speak  much   
for the reasonableness of giving proof  
of his divine nature1 by  casting       
himself down from the temple1 and of    
doing anything that might  tend to a    
more plentiful being and support in the 
world4 ,advantages  strengthen          
temptations4    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,these  
temptations were accompanied with a     
greater  presence and power of ,satan4  
,he appeared visibly in them1 and was   
permitted to touch and hurry the body of
 ,christ1 and to depaint and set  forth 
the glory of the world1 doubtless in the
 most taking way1 to the  eye of        
,christ4    7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,the matter 
of these temptations1 or the things he  

tempted ,christ to1 were great and      
heinous abominations3 a distrust  of    
providence1 a presumption of protection1
 and a final renunciation  of the       
worship due to him1 and transferring it 
to the most unworthy  object1 ,god's    
professed enemy2 and yet were they      
seconded by the  strongest1 most        
powerful1 and most prevailing means1 as 
his present  straits1 his infallible    
assurance of sonship1 pleasure1 and     
glory4  ,where the matter is weighty1   
and the medium strong and pressing1     
there  is the temptation great4    7#g47
 ,seventhly1 ,all these temptations     
pretended strongly to the  advantage and
 benefit of ,christ1 and some of them   
might seem to be  done without any      
blame1 as to turn stones to bread1 to   
fly in the air4  ,the more kindness a   
temptation pretends to us1 it is the    
stronger4    7#h47 ,eighthly1 ,satan    
urged some of them in a daring1         
provoking way2  #8,if thou be the ,son  
of ,god8' as if he had said1 ,i dare    

thee to shew  thyself what thou         
pretendest to be4 ,these kind of        
provocations are very  troublesome to   
the most modest and self-denying1 who   
can scarce forbear  to do what they are 
urged unto at such times4    7#i47      
,ninthly1 ,these temptations seem to be 
designed for the engagement  of all the 
natural powers of ,christ2 his natural  
appetite in a  design of food2 his      
senses in the most beautiful object1 the
 world  in its glory2 the affections1 in
 that which is most swaying1 pride1  and
 delight in extraordinary testimonies of
 divine power and love1 in  supporting  
him in the air1 c4    7#aj47 ,tenthly1  
,some of these warranted as duty1 and to
 supply  necessary hunger1 others       
depending upon the security of a        
promise1 #8,he  shall give his angels   
charge1' c4 ,the greater appearance of  
duty1 or  warrantableness1 is put upon  
sin1 the greater is the temptation4     
,by these ten particulars may we1 as by 
a standard1 judge when any  temptation  

is great or less4    ,applic4 #a4 ,let  
us then take heed of small temptations1 
or the  smoother proceedings of ,satan1 
as we would avoid the greater attempts  
that are to follow4 ,where he is        
admitted to beat out our lusts with  a  
rod or a staff1 he may be suspected to  
bring the wheel over them at  last1     
,isa4 xxviii4 #bg1 seq4    ,let us also 
after our assaults expect more and      
greater1 because the  greatest are last 
to be looked for4 ,this holds true in   
three cases4  #a4 ,in solemn            
temptations1 where ,satan fixeth his    
assaults1 there the  utmost rage is     
drawn out last4 #b4 ,in the continuance 
and progress of  profession1 the further
 we go from him and the nearer to ,god1 
be sure  of the highest measure of his  
spite4 #c4 ,at the end of our race3 for 
if he miss his prey then1 it is escaped 
for ever1 as a bird unto its  hill4     
,obj4 ,but some may say1 ,i am but a    
messenger of sad tidings2 and that  by  
bringing such a report of giants and    

walled cities1 ,i may make the  hearts  
of the people to faint4    ,ans4 ,i     
answer2 ,this is bad news only to the   
sluggish1 such as  would go to heaven   
with ease1 and in a fair and easy way2  
but to the  laborious resolute soldiers 
of ,christ this is no great             
discouragement3  for1 #a4 ,it doth but  
tell them of their work1 which as they  
are  persuaded of1 so it is in some     
measure their delight1 as well as their 
expectation4 #b4 ,it doth but tell them1
 ,satan's malice and fury1 which  they  
are assured of1 and are most afraid of  
it sometimes1 when it seems  to lie idle
 and as asleep4 #c4 ,it doth tell them  
that ,satan's thoughts  concerning them 
are despairing1 he fears they are going1
 or gone from  him4 ,if they were his   
willing servants1 there would be no     
hostility of  this nature against them4 
,i have thus compared these special     
temptations with those wherewith our    
,lord ,christ was exercised during the  
forty days4 ,i shall1    ,secondly1     

,compare these temptations of ,christ   
with those that usually  befall his     
members1 in which there is so much      
suitableness and  agreement both in     
matter and manner1 that it cannot be    
unuseful to take  notice of it1 which   
will the better appear in instances4    
,first1 then1  let us consider the first
 temptation of ,eve3 ,gen4 iii4 #f1     
#8,and when the  woman saw that the tree
 was good for food1 and that it was     
pleasant to  the eyes1 and a tree to be 
desired to make one wise1' c4 ,here are 
all  the arguments and ways summed up by
 which ,satan prevailed upon her4 ,it   
was #8good for food2' here he wrought   
upon the desire of the natural          
appetite4 ,it was #8pleasant to the     
eyes2' here he took the advantage of    
the external senses4 ,it was #8to be    
desired to make one wise2' here he      
inflamed the affections4 ,let us again  
call to mind the general account  of    
temptations in #a ,john ii4 #af1 #8,all 
that is in the world1 the lust  of the  

flesh1 the lust of the eyes1 and the    
pride of life2' where the  apostle      
designedly calls all off from a love of 
the world1 because  of the hazard and   
danger that we lie open unto1 from the  
things of  the world1 striking upon and 
stirring up our lusts2 which he ranks   
into three general heads1 according to  
the various ways whereby these  outward 
things do work upon us1 in exciting our 
natural powers and  apprehensions to    
sinful lustings2 and these are so fully 
agreeing with  those three in ,eve's    
temptation1 that ,i need not note the   
parallel4  ,let us now cast our eyes    
upon these temptations1 and the         
suitableness  of ,satan's ways and      
dealings will immediately appear4 ,when 
he tempted  ,christ to turn stones into 
bread1 there he endeavoured to take     
advantage of the #8lust of the flesh1'  
which in #a ,john ii41 ,i understand  in
 a more restrained sense1 not for the   
lustings of corrupt nature1  but for the
 lustings of the body in its natural    

appetite1 according to  that expression 
of ,christ1 #8,the spirit is willing1   
but the flesh'--or  body--#8is weak4'   
,and if we should not so restrain it in 
this place1 the  lust of the flesh would
 include the lust of the eyes and the   
pride  of life1 contrary to the clear   
scope of the text1 for these are also   
the lustings of corrupt nature4 ,when he
 further tempted him #8to cast  himself 
down1' he pushed him upon #8the pride of
 life2' when he shewed  him #8the       
kingdoms of the world1 and the glory of 
them1' he attempted  to gain upon him by
 the #8lust of the eyes4' ,from this    
proportion and  suitableness of         
temptation to ,christ and his members1  
observe1    ,obs4 #d4 ,that ,satan      
usually treads in a beaten path1 using  
known  and experienced methods of       
temptation4 ,it is true1 in regard of   
circumstances1 he useth unspeakable     
varieties in tempting1 and hath  many   
more devices and juggles than can be    
reckoned up2 yet in the  general he hath

 digested them into method and order1   
and the things  upon which he works in  
us are the same4 ,thus he walks his     
round1 and  keeps much-what the same    
track1 not only in different persons1   
but also  in the same men1 using the    
same temptations over and over2 and yet 
this  argues no barrenness of invention 
or sluggishness in ,satan2 but he hath  
these reasons for it3--    #a4 ,first1  
,because the same temptations being     
suited to human nature  in general1     
will1 with a small variation of         
circumstance1 suit all men3  their      
inclinations generally answering to one 
another1 as face answers  to face in    
water4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,these standing
 methods are famous with him1 as        
generally  powerful and taking2 and it  
can be no wonder if ,satan practise most
  with these things that have the       
largest probatum est of experience to   
follow them4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the more 
experienced he is in any temptation1 the
 more  dexterously and successfully     

still he can manage it2 so that we may  
expect him more cunning and able in what
 he most practiseth4    ,applic4 ,this  
may be some satisfaction to those that  
are apt to think  of themselves and     
their temptations as ,elias did in his  
persuasion1  #8,i alone am left1' #a    
,kings xix4 #ad4 ,where ,satan useth    
anything of  vigour and fierceness1 we  
are apt to say1 #8,none are tempted as  
we1'  none in like case1 we are         
singular1 they are peculiar and         
extraordinary  temptations1 c42 but it  
is a mistake4 ,even that of ,solomon may
 be  applied to these1 #8,there is      
nothing new1' ,eccles4 i4 #i1 nor       
anything  befallen us which others have 
not undergone before us2 and would but  
,christians be so careful to observe the
 way of the serpent upon their  hearts  
as they might1 and so communicative of  
their experiences as they  ought1 the   
weak and heavy laden would not go so    
mourning under such  apprehensions as   
commonly affright them1 that none were  

ever so tempted  as they are4 ,it would 
be some support at worst1 when the most 
hellish  furies do oppress them1 to know
 that others before them were in these  
deeps1 and as fearful of being          
overwhelmed as themselves1 and yet were 
delivered4 ,the deliverances of those   
that have escaped the danger1 is  ground
 of hope to those that are at present   
under it4    ,obs4 #e4 ,the usual       
advantages that ,satan takes against us 
is from our  natural appetite1 our      
external senses1 or our passions and    
affections4  ,all these are usual ways  
by which ,satan works against us1 as    
appears  from what hath been said2      
neither are any of them so mean and     
contemptible1 but that we have cause to 
fear the power and influence of  them4  
,hence the ,scripture cautions descend  
to the eyes3 #8,look not upon  the wine 
when it is red in the cup1' ,prov4      
xxiii4 #ca2 #8,be sober1 be  vigilant1' 
c41 #a ,peter v4 #h4 ,the appetite is   
not so easily kept in1  but that it may 

prevail to gluttony and drunkenness2 and
 some are so  powerfully carried by     
this1 that they are said #8to make their
 bellies  their god1' ,phil4 iii4 #ai4  
,of the power of sense and affection1   
elsewhere hath been spoken4             
,,chapter ,,viii4     ,the rise of      
,christ's first temptation4--,of        
,satan's suiting his   temptations to   
the conditions of men4--,of tempting men
 upon the plea   of necessity4--,the    
reasons and cheats of that plea4--,his  
pretences of   friendship in tempting1  
with the danger thereof4      ,having   
thus considered these temptations as    
they lie before us in their  general    
prospect1 ,i shall now speak of this    
first special temptation in  particular1
 in which--7#a47 ,the rise1 or occasion2
 7#b47 ,the temptation  itself2 7#c47   
,the argument by which ,satan would     
enforce it1 are to be  distinctly noted4
    #a4 ,first1 ,as to the rise of it1  
it is questioned by some why ,satan     
begins with this first4 ,the cause they 

assign1 in part at least1 is  from his  
first success against ,eve1 in a        
temptation about eating1 as if  this    
were the chief and most hopeful arrow in
 his quiver4 ,but we need  not go so    
far1 when the evangelist is so punctual 
in setting it down1  in the latter end  
of the former verse1 #8he was an        
hungered4' ,this the  devil took notice 
of1 and from hence took the rise of his 
temptation1  that by #8turning stones to
 bread1' for the satisfaction of his    
present  hunger1 he might be induced to 
make way for the secret stratagems which
  he had prepared against him on this   
occasion4 ,here ,i note1    ,obs4 #f4   
,that where ,satan hath a design against
 any1 he doth take the  advantage of    
their condition1 and suits his          
temptation accordingly4  ,thus1 if men  
be in poverty1 or in the enjoyments of  
plenty1 in sickness  or health1 if in   
afflictions1 under wrongs1 in           
discontents1 or carried  to advancements
 and honours1 or whatever else may be   

considerable  relating to them1 he      
observes it1 and orders his designs so  
as to take  in all the advantages that  
they will afford4 ,that it is his       
concern and  interest so to do1 we may  
imagine1 upon these grounds3--    7#a47 
,first1 ,our consent must be gained4    
,this he cannot properly and  truly     
force1 but must entice and deceive us to
 a compliance with him4    7#b47        
,secondly1 ,if our condition speak for  
him1 and lie fair for the  furtherance  
of any device of his1 our consent is    
upon the matter half  gained4 ,it is    
much1 if so powerful an advocate1 as is 
our present  state1 do not influence us 
to an inclination4    7#c47 ,thirdly1   
,this doth his work easily and          
effectually4 ,he more  generally        
prevails by this course1 and with less  
labour4    ,applic4 ,this policy of     
,satan should advantage us by suggesting
  fit memorials to us in our            
expectations of temptation4 ,though we  
know not all ,satan's thoughts1 yet may 

we know where and how he  will usually  
make an onset4 ,our condition will tell 
us what to look  for4 ,the distressed   
and afflicted may expect a temptation   
suited to  their condition1 as of       
murmuring1 repining1 revenge1 distrust1 
use of  indirect means1 despairings1 c4 
,they that have peace and plenty may be 
sure they shall be tempted suitably1 to 
pride1 boasting1 covetousness1          
oppression1 contempt of others1         
security1 or whatever may be fit to be  
ingrafted on that stock4 ,the like may  
be said of any other different          
condition4 ,how fairly are we           
forewarned1 by an observation made upon 
,satan's proceeding upon these          
advantages1 where to expect him1 and how
  to provide against him4    ,let us    
proceed to a further inquiry1 ,how the  
devil managed this  advantage of        
,christ's hunger4 ,he plainly urgeth him
 with a necessity  of providing supplies
 for himself1 spreading before him his  
desire  to eat1 and the impossibility of

 help1 in a barren and desolate         
wilderness3 as if he had said1 #8,the   
want of the body is to be provided  for2
 nature and religion consents to this2  
the wilderness affords no  help1        
ordinary means fail2 there is therefore 
a necessity that some  extraordinary    
course be taken1 therefore turn stones  
to bread2 this  is not unsuitable to the
 condition and power of him who is the  
,son of  ,god4' ,at this rate he pleads4
    ,obs4 #g4 ,observe then1 ,that      
,satan usually endeavours to run his    
temptations upon the plea of necessity1 
and from thence to infer a  duty4       
,when he cannot pretend a fair and      
direct way to irregular practices1 he   
would break a door and force a way by   
necessity4    ,under this notion of     
necessity1 the devil marshals all those 
pretences that seem to be of more than  
ordinary force1 in their usual          
prevalencies4 ,thus he teacheth men to  
think they are necessitated1 if  they be
 carried by a strong inclination of     

their own1 or if there be  an urgency   
and provocation from others1 or if they 
be in straits and  dangers2 and sometime
 he goes so high as to teach men that a 
necessity  is included in the very      
fabric of their natural principles1 by  
which  they presumptuously excuse       
themselves in being sinful1 because by  
nature they are so1 and cannot be       
changed without special grace4 ,scarce  
shall we meet any man with seasonable   
reproof for his iniquity1 but he  will  
plead such kind of necessities for      
himself1--,i could not help it2  ,i was 
strongly carried2 or1 ,i was compelled2 
,i must do so1 or else ,i  could not    
escape such a danger1 c4    ,the reasons
 of this policy are these3--    7#a47   
,first1 ,he knows that necessity hath a 
compulsive force1 even  to things of    
otherwise greatest abhorrencies4 ,a     
treasury of instances  is to be had in  
famines and besieged places1 where it is
 usual to eat  unclean things1 not only 
creatures that are vile1 but even dung  

and  entrails2 nay1 so tyrannical is    
necessity1 that it makes inroads into1  
and conquests upon nature itself1       
causing #8the tender and delicate       
woman1 which would not adventure the    
sole of her foot upon the ground  for   
delicateness and tenderness1 to have an 
evil eye towards the  husband of her    
bosom1 towards her son1 and towards her 
daughter1'  ,deut4 xxviii4 #ef4 ,a like 
force doth it exercise upon the minds   
and  consciences of men4 ,it makes them 
rise up against their light1 it         
engageth men to lay violent hands upon  
their own convictions1 to  stifle and   
extinguish them4 ,how many mournful     
examples have we of this  kind6 ,how    
many have apostatized from truth1 being 
terrified by the  urging necessities of 
danger1 contrary to the highest         
convictions of  conscience6    7#b47    
,secondly1 ,necessity can do much to the
 darkening of the  understanding1 and   
change of the judgment1 by the strong   
influence it  hath upon the affections4 

,men are apt to form their apprehensions
  according to the dictates of          
necessity4 ,what they see to be         
hazardous1  they are inclinable to judge
 to be evil4 ,men in straits not only   
violate their reason1 but sometime by   
insensible steps1 unknown to            
themselves1 slide into a contrary       
judgment of things1 directly cross to   
what they have believed and professed4  
,which persuasion they owe not  to any  
further accession of light1 or new      
discovery of argument2 for  ofttimes the
 same arguments which1 in the absence of
 trouble1 they have  contemned as weak1 
by the appearance of danger1 put on     
another face and  seem strong2 but to   
the prevalency of their fears4 ,and thus
 many in all  ages have altered their   
judgments and thoughts1 not because they
 knew  more1 but because they feared    
more4    ,the like necessities do men   
form to themselves from exorbitant and  
greedy hopes and expectations of a      
better condition1 compared to  that     

wherein they at present are2 and the    
like influence it hath in  the          
alteration of their judgments4 ,let the 
bishop of ,spalato be an  example of    
this1 who loathed the ,romish religion  
first1 and in ,england1  whither he came
 for refuge1 writ against it2 but saw a 
necessity1  from the disappointment of  
expectation1 to change his mind1        
returned  to ,rome again1 and persuaded 
himself that that was true which he had 
formerly pronounced false2 and so writ  
against the church of ,england1  as     
before he had done against the church of
 ,rome4 ,to him we may add              
,ecebolius1#che of whom ,socrates       
reports1 that1 according to the  various
 appearings of hazards1 he changed his  
religion several times4  ,under         
,constantine1 he was a ,christian2 under
 ,julian1 a pagan2 and under  ,jovinian1
 a ,christian again4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 
,necessity offer's an excuse1 if not a  
justification1 of  the greatest         
miscarriages4#chf ,lot offered to expose

 his daughters  to the raging lust of   
the ,sodomites for the preservation of  
his  angel-strangers1 which surely he   
would in no wise have done1 but that  he
 thought the present necessity might    
have excused him4 ,esau profanely  sells
 his birthright1 but excuseth the matter
 so1 #8,behold1 ,i am at the  point to  
die2 and what profit shall this         
birthright do to me8' ,gen4  xxv4 #cb4  
,aaron produceth a necessity1 from the  
violent resolves of the  people1 in     
justification of himself in the matter  
of the golden calf1  #8,thou knewest    
that this people are set on mischief1'  
,exod4 xxxii4 #bb4    7#d47 ,fourthly1  
,necessity is a universal plea1 and     
fitted to the  conditions of all men in 
all callings1 and under all             
extravagancies4  ,the tradesman1 in his 
unlawful gains or overreachings1 pleads 
a  necessity for it from the hardness of
 the buyer in other things2 the  poor   
man pleads a necessity for stealing1 and
 the rich pleads the same  necessity for

 revenge1 and thus it serves all with a 
pretext4    ,these considerations1      
discovering this course so hopeful as to
 this  design of the devil1 he will be  
sure to put us to this pinch where he   
can4 ,but1 besides this1 we may observe 
three cheats in this plea of            
necessity3--    #a4 ,first1 ,sometimes  
he puts men upon feigning a necessity   
where  there is none4 ,saul sacrificed  
upon a needless supposal that1 ,samuel  
not coming at the time appointed1 there 
was a necessity for him to  do it4 ,he  
spared also the cattle upon the like    
pretence1 that it was  a necessary      
provision for sacrifice4 ,and thus would
 the devil have  persuaded ,christ1 that
 there was an absolute necessity to turn
 stones  to bread1 when in truth there  
was no such need4    #b4 ,secondly1     
,sometimes he puts men upon a necessity 
of their own  sinful procurement4 ,herod
 sware to gratify the daughter of       
,herodias1  and this is presently       
pleaded as a necessity for the cutting  

off ,john  ,baptist's head4 ,saul       
forbade the tasting of meat1 and sealed 
the  penalty by an oath and curse1 and  
this is by and by made a necessity  for 
the taking away of ,jonathan's          
life1--who had tasted honey not  knowing
 his father's curse1--had not the people
 rescued him1 #a ,sam4  xiv4 #bd1 seq4  
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,sometime he stretcheth a 
necessity further than it  ought4 ,he   
knows that ,god hath such a regard to   
real necessities1 that  upon that ground
 he will dispense with his ,sabbath and 
the present  performance of duty4 ,these
 instances he lays before men1 and      
endeavours  to persuade them1 that in   
like manner ,god will1 upon a necessity1
  dispense with sins1 as well as with   
the present opportunity of service4     
,what a covering1 in all ages1 men have 
made of necessity for their  highest    
outrages and extravagancies1 and with   
what confidence they have  managed such 
pleas1 would be endless to relate4      
,applic4 ,this must warn us not to      

suffer ourselves to be imposed upon  by 
the highest pretences of necessity4     
,whatever it may dispense with1  as in  
some cases it will suspend a present    
service1 and warrant the  performance of
 a duty1 besides the common rule and way
 wherein it ought  ordinarily to be     
managed1 it must never be pleaded to    
give warranty  to anything in its own   
nature sinful4 ,necessity will not      
justify  lying1 stealing1 covetousness1 
adulteries1 c41 ,ferenda magis omnis    
necessitas quam perpetranda aliqua      
iniquitas4--,augustine4    ,besides1 we 
must be wary in judging what is a       
necessity4 ,men are  apt to plead a     
necessity where there is none2 and if we
 give way  to a facile admittance of    
excuses of this kind1 we shall presently
  multiply necessities1 and have them to
 serve us at every turn4 ,some  would   
warrant sin by necessity1 others would  
turn off duty and rule by  pretending a 
necessity where none is2 both are to be 
avoided as snares  of ,satan4    ,once  

more1 before we dismiss this rise of the
 temptation of ,christ in  hand1 let us 
observe that1 in persuading him to turn 
stones to bread1  he seems to express a 
great deal of care and tenderness to    
,christ1  with an invidious reflection  
upon the love and providence of ,god3 as
  if he should say1 #8,i see thou art   
hungry1 and this wilderness affords     
nothing to eat1 and ,god hath not taken 
care to spread a table for thee2  ,i    
therefore1 pitying thy condition1 as a  
friend1 advise thee to turn  stones to  
bread4'    ,obs4 #h4 ,note1 ,that ,satan
 manageth his most cruel designs under  
the  highest pretences of friendship4   
,he did so with ,eve1 #8,the ,lord      
knoweth  that ye shall be as gods1'     
,gen4 iii4 #e2 as if he had a greater   
regard  to them than ,god himself4 ,he  
tempted ,christ in the mouth of ,peter  
to  #8spare himself1' under the show of 
great kindness1 ,mat4 xvi4 #bb2 and  no 
less are his common pretences to all    
men4 ,this is a deep policy1 for  by    

this means the mischief intended is the 
better concealed1 and the  less care and
 provision made against it2 and besides1
 the affections  and desires are stirred
 up to a hasty embracement of the       
motion1 and an  eager swallowing of the 
bait4    ,so great a subtlety is in this
 manner of dealing1 that those who      
affect  the name of great politicians in
 the world have learned from ,satan  to 
shew greatest respects and a most       
friendly countenance to those  whom they
 most hate and intend to ruin4 ,thus our
 ,richard the ,third of  ,england       
constantly dealt with those for whose   
blood he lay in wait2  and the precepts 
of ,machiavel are fitted to this1 that  
it is wisdom  #8to hug those whom we    
desire to destroy4' ,ehud's present made
 way for  his dagger1 ,judges iii4 #bb4 
,joab's sword could not so well have    
despatched its errand upon ,abner1 if he
 had not ushered it in with a  kiss1 #b 
,sam4 xx4 #i4    ,applic4 ,this should  
make us most suspect those temptations  

that  offer us most kindness and        
advantage1 and such as are most         
gratifying  to our humours and desires4 
,for can it be imagined in good earnest 
that ,satan intends us a real good8 ,can
 the gifts of enemies pass for          
courtesies and favours with any1#chg but
 such as are bewitched into a  blockish 
madness8 ,satan is more to be feared    
when he flatters than when  he rageth2  
and though such offers may be looked    
upon by some as more  benign1 and less  
odious temptations1 as some kind of     
familiar spirits  are more kindly       
treated by some1 under the notion of    
white devils1  yet may we say of them1  
as ,cornelius ,agrippa speaks of some   
unlawful  arts and ways of ,thurgia1#chh
 ,e sunt pernitiosiora1 qo imperitis    
diviniora1 ,they have the greatest      
danger that pretend the highest         
friendship4 ,thus much for the rise of  
the temptation4          ,,chapter ,,ix4
     ,a particular consideration of the 
matter of the first temptation1   what  

,satan aimed at in bidding him turn     
stones into bread4--,of ,satan's        
moving us to things good or             
lawful4--,the end of such a             
motion4--,how to   know whether such    
motions are from ,satan or the          
,spirit4--,what to do in   case they be 
from ,satan4--,of his various aims in   
one temptation4--,what   they are1 and  
of his policy therein4--,of his         
artificial contrivement of   motions to 
make one thing infer another4      ,next
 follows the temptation itself1         
#8,command that these stones be made    
bread4' ,there is no great difficulty in
 the words4 ,the ,greek indeed  hath a  
remarkable suitableness to the          
supposition1 on which ,satan  insists1  
taking ,christ to be the ,son of ,god4  
,it is very pertinently  spoken1 #8,say 
or speak'----that these stones be made  
bread2 for if ,god  speak1 it must be   
done4    ,it is not worth the while to  
insist upon so small a variety of       
expression as is betwixt this           

evangelist1 who hath it #8these stones1'
  and ,luke1 who speaks it in the       
singular number1 #8this stone2' for     
besides that1 as some suppose1 this     
expression of ,luke might1 for  anything
 that appears to the contrary1 be       
,satan's lowering his request  to one   
stone1 when ,christ had denied to turn  
many into bread upon his  first asking2 
this one stone in ,luke1 taken          
collectively for the  whole heap1 will  
signify as much as these stones in      
,matthew2 or  the phrase #8these        
stones1' in ,matthew1 by an imitation of
 a common  ,hebraism1 may be no more but
 one of these stones1 or this stone1 as 
it  is in ,luke2 as it is said1         
,jephthah was buried in the cities of   
,gilead1  that is1 in one of the        
cities4#chi    ,the thing urged was the 
turning or changing the form of a       
creature1  which is a work truly        
miraculous and wonderful1 and such as   
had neither  been unsuited to the power 
of ,christ1 nor unlawful in itself4 ,it 

is  from hence justly questioned where  
the sting of this suggestion lay1 or  in
 what point was the temptation couched4 
7#a47 ,first1 ,it was not in the        
unlawfulness or sinfulness of the thing 
mentioned4 ,for ,christ did as much as  
would amount to all this when  he turned
 water into wine1 and when he fed       
multitudes by a miraculous              
multiplication of a few loaves and      
fishes4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,it was not 
unsuitable to his condition1 as hungry2 
for  so it seemed a duty to provide for 
himself1 and which ,satan took for      
granted4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,neither    
seemed it any derogation to his power   
and divine  nature1 but rather an       
advantage and fit opportunity to give a 
full  proof of it1 to the stopping of   
,satan's mouth for ever4                
,notwithstanding these1 there was poison
 and malignity enough in the            
suggestion1 and under these green leaves
 of plausible pretences lay  hid many   
snakes4 ,for #a4 ,by this was he        

secretly tempted to admit of  a doubting
 of the truth of the divine testimony1  
lately declaring him  to be the ,son of 
,god4 #b4 ,as also further to question  
his ,father's  providence and love2 #c4 
and unnecessarily to run out of the     
ordinary  way of supply1 and to betake  
himself to indirect means or            
extraordinary  courses4 #d4 ,and all    
this to the abuse and undervaluing of   
his power1  in prostituting it to       
,satan's direction or persuasion2 and   
the devil  had gained a considerable    
advantage if he could have prevailed    
with  him to do such a thing by his     
instigation4 #e4 ,it may be he further  
thought this might entice to a high     
esteem of himself1 and so make way  for 
a vain ostentation of his power and     
interest in ,god4 ,all or most of  these
 seem to be the design that the devil   
was driving forward4 ,several  things   
are hence observable4    ,obs4 #i4 ,that
 where ,satan doth not judge it his     
present interest to  suggest to us      

things in their own nature sinful1 he   
will move us to  things good in         
themselves1 in hopes thereby to lead us 
into evil4 ,this  way of tempting is    
from a more refined policy than         
downright motions to  sin1 and doubtless
 it is less suspected1 and consequently 
more taking4  ,the evils that ,satan    
would introduce by this method are such 
as these3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,sometime  
when he tempts us to that which is good1
 it is  that he might affright us from  
it4 ,his approbation is enough to put a 
discredit and disgraceful suspicion upon
 anything4 ,such a design had he  when  
he gave testimony for ,christ1 #8that he
 was the ,son of ,god1' ,mat4  viii4    
#bi2 or for the apostles1 that they were
 the #8servants of the most  high ,god1'
 ,acts xvi4 #ag4 ,it was not his        
intention to honour him or them  by     
bearing them witness1 but to bring them 
under suspicion and trouble4    7#b47   
,secondly1 ,there are a great many ways 
to miscarry in a lawful  action1 either 

by propounding bad ends1 or by failures 
in the  manner of performance1 or by a  
misimprovement of the whole4 ,these     
miscarriages1 and the possibility and   
probability of them1 ,satan  carries in 
his mind2 yet doth he not at first      
propound them1 but moving  us unto the  
thing1 he hath an expectation that we   
will slide into them  of ourselves1 or  
be inclined by some suitable touches of 
suggestion  upon our minds1 together    
with the tendency or improvableness of  
the  thing or action to such evils as   
are properly consequent to it4 ,satan   
did not here tempt ,christ to these     
sinful ends directly1 but to an  action 
which he hoped might insensibly produce 
them4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,another evil  
hereby aimed at is the hindrance of a   
greater good1 not only as a diversion to
 turn us off a better or more           
profitable occasion1 but also as an     
unseasonable interruption of  something 
at present more concerning us4 ,thus he 
makes the suggestion  of good things the

 hindrance of prayer or hearing4        
,quest4 ,some will say1 ,this is a      
perplexing case1 that in things  good or
 lawful in themselves1 men should be in 
such dangers1 and will  thereupon desire
 to know how they may distinguish       
,satan's contrivances  and motions from 
those that have no dependence upon him1 
or are from  the ,spirit of ,god8       
,ans4 ,in answer to this3--    #a4 ,let 
us1 when we fear thus to be             
circumvented1 look well to what         
impressions are upon our spirit when we 
are moved to what may be  lawful4 ,for  
together with the motion1 if it be      
,satan's1 we shall find  either a       
corrupt reason and end privately rising 
up in our mind1 or we  may observe that 
our hearts are out of order and         
perversely inclined4  ,this is oft      
unseen to ourselves4 ,when the disciples
 moved ,christ to  bring down #8fire    
from heaven1' if they had considered the
 present  revengeful selfish frame of   
their spirits1 which our ,lord tells    

them  they were ignorant of1 they might 
easily have known that the motion had   
proceeded from ,satan4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,the concurrent circumstances of the   
thing or action are  to be seriously    
weighed1 for from thence we may take a  
right measure  of the conveniency or    
inconveniency of the proceeding in it4  
,what is  from ,satan it will be either 
unseasonable as to the time1 place1 and 
person1 or some other thing will appear 
that may give a discovery4 ,as  here    
,christ refuseth to turn stones to      
bread1 because not only the way  and    
manner of the proposal doth sufficiently
 lay open the design1 but  also the     
circumstances of ,christ's condition at 
that time shewed the  motion to be      
unseasonable and inconvenient2 for if   
,satan had urged  the necessity of it   
for the satisfaction of his hunger1     
,christ could  have answered1 that the  
experience that he had of ,god's support
 for  forty days together1 was          
sufficient to engage him to rely yet    

further  upon him4 ,if he had urged     
further1 that by this means he might    
have  had a full proof of ,god's love   
and care1 or of his sonship1 it was at  
hand to tell him that it was needless to
 seek a further evidence when  ,god had 
given one so full a little before4 ,if  
again he had pleaded  it to have been a 
useful occasion to give a testimony of  
his power  to the satisfaction of       
others1 he could have told him that it  
had  been impertinent to have done it   
then1 when he was in the wilderness1    
where none could have the benefit of it4
 ,so that nothing ,satan could  have    
propounded as a reason for that miracle1
 but it might have been  repelled from a
 consideration of his present condition4
    ,applic4 ,the instruction that may  
be gathered from this is1 that  we must 
not entertain thoughts of doing lawful  
things without a due  inquiry into the  
temper of our own hearts1 and a full    
consideration  of all circumstances     
round about1 with the probable          

tendencies and  consequences of it4     
,quest4 ,but1 may some say1 if ,i judge 
such a motion to be a thing  lawful1    
which doth proceed from ,satan1 what am 
,i to do8    ,answ4 ,i answer1 #a4      
,consider whether the good be necessary 
or not4  ,if it be necessary1 it is a   
duty and not to be forborne1 only the   
abuses are to be watched against and    
avoided4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,if it be a  
duty1 consider whether it be seasonable 
or  unseasonable1 necessary or not1 as  
to the present time2 if it be not1  it  
may be suspended1 and a fitter          
opportunity waited for4    #c4 ,thirdly1
 ,if it be only lawful and not          
necessary1 we ought to  abstain from it 
wholly1 after the example of ,david1    
,ps4 xxxix4 #b1  who #8abstained even   
from good1' that is1 from lawful        
bemoanings of  himself or complainings  
against ,absalom1 that had rebelled     
against him2  because it was not        
necessary1 and1 the circumstances of his
 condition  considered1 very dangerous1 

lest vent and way being given1 he might 
have been easily drawn to speak         
passionately or distrustfully against   
,god1 and foolishly against providences4
    ,that the thing unto which ,satan   
moved ,christ was lawful1 hath been     
noted4 ,next1 let us consider what end  
,satan might propound to himself  in    
this motion1 and we shall see1 as hath  
been said1 that he did not  so narrow   
and contract his design as that only one
 thing took up his  intentions1 but     
several4 ,hence have we this            
observation3--    ,obs4 #aj4 ,that in   
one single temptation ,satan may have   
various aims  and designs4              
,temptation is a complicated thing1 a   
many-headed monster4 ,satan hath  always
 many things in his eye4    #a4 ,first1 
,in every temptation there is a direct  
and principal  design1 a main thing that
 the devil would have4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,there are several things subservient  
to the main  design1 as steps1 degrees1 
or means leading to it2 the lesser      

still making way for the greater4 ,if   
,satan design murder1 he lays  the      
foundation of his work in inward        
grudgings and hatreds2 next he  gives   
provocations1 by reproachful words1 or  
disdainful carriages and  behaviours1 as
 our ,saviour notes in the expressions  
of raca and  fool1 ,mat4 v4 #bb1 and so 
by degrees enticeth on to murder4 ,the  
like  we may observe in the lusts of    
uncleanness1 and other things4    #c4   
,thirdly1 ,besides these there are      
usually reserves1 something in          
ambushment to watch our retreats2 for   
,satan considers what to do in  case we 
repel and refuse his motion1 that so he 
may not altogether  labour in vain4 ,a  
contrary extreme watcheth those that fly
 from a  temptation2 pride1 security1   
self-confidence1 and boasting are ready 
to take them by the heel4 ,so truly may 
it be said of ,satan1 that  he knoweth  
the way that we take3 if we go forward1 
he is there2 if  backward1 we may also  
perceive him2 on the left hand1 he is at

 work2  and on the right hand1 he is not
 idle4 ,all these we may particularly   
see in this temptation in hand4 ,he had 
a main design1 of which more  presently2
 he prepares means and seconds to help  
it forward2 such were  those pleas of   
necessity and conveniency which the     
hunger and want of  ,christ did furnish 
him withal1 and there wanted not the    
reserves of  presumption and            
self-neglect in case he resisted the    
motion4    ,the reasons of this policy  
are these3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,when     
,satan tempts1 he is not certain of his 
prevalency1  even when the probabilities
 are the greatest2 and therefore doth he
  provide himself with several things at
 once1 that if the tempted party        
nauseate one thing1 there may be another
 in readiness that may please  his      
palate4 ,god gives this advice to the   
spiritual seedsman1 #8,in the  morning  
sow thy seed1 and in the evening        
withhold not thine hand2 for  thou      
knowest not what shall prosper1 whether 

this or that1' ,eccles4  xi4 #f4 ,satan1
 that seedsman of the tares1 imitates   
this2 and because  he knows not what    
shall prosper1 therefore doth he use    
variety4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,where many
 things are at once designed1 it is a   
hundred  to one they will not all return
 empty4 ,it is much if many snares      
miss2 he that hath broken one or two1   
may not only be enticed with a  third   
temptation--as being either wearied out 
with the assaults1 or  made pliable with
 the allurements of the former1 but may 
also sit down  secure1 as having1 in his
 supposal1 passed all the danger1 and so
  unawares fall into an unseen or       
unsuspected trap4    ,applic4 ,this may 
#a4 by way of caution1 assure us that we
 have no  cause to think that all fear  
is over1 when we have avoided the more  
obvious and conspicuous designments of a
 temptation1 but rather to  suspect some
 further train than we yet have         
discovered4 #b4 ,that there  is a       
necessity for us to be circumspect every

 way1 and1 ,janus-like1 to  have an eye 
before and behind1 that we may make     
timely discoveries of  what ,satan      
intends against us4    ,as we have taken
 a view of the various designments of   
,satan in one  temptation1 so it is also
 remarkable1 that these various ways of 
his  in this temptation1 do give        
strength one to another1 and have as    
close a connexion as stones in an arch4 
,christ was pleased to commend  the     
wisdom of the unjust steward1 though he 
intended not the least  approbation of  
his dishonesty4 ,so we may turn aside   
and observe the  cunning artifice of the
 devil1 in the management of this       
argument  against ,christ1 which is to  
this purpose1 as if he had thus         
proceeded3  #8,if thou art the ,son of  
,god1' as the voice from heaven lately  
testified1 it can be no inconvenience1  
but every way an advantage to  give a   
further proof of it4 ,thy present       
condition of want and hunger  seem to   
contradict it2 for how strange and      

unbeseeming is it for the  ,son of ,god 
to be in such straits6 yet if thou beest
 what thou sayest  thou art1 it is easy 
for thee to help thyself4 ,god1 that    
made the world  of nothing1 by the power
 of his command1 can much more change   
the forms  of things that are made      
already2 it is but speaking1 and these  
stones  that are before thee will be    
turned into bread2 and besides that1 in 
so doing thou mayest seasonably         
vindicate thyself from the eclipse of   
thy present condition4 ,necessity and   
duty--for it is duty to supply  the want
 of the body1 which cannot be supported 
without its proper  nourishment--compel 
thee unavoidably to it1 except thou     
fearest not to  contract the guilt of   
self-destruction1 especially seeing ,i  
do not urge  thee to provide delicacies1
 but only bread1 and such as is needful 
to  keep in the lives of the poorest    
men1 in the poorest manner4    ,obs4    
#aa4 ,hence note1 ,satan in driving on a
 temptation1 useth such  an artificial  

contrivement of motives and things1 that
 still one doth  infer another1 one     
strengthens another4 ,temptations are   
like a screw1  which if once admitted1  
will improve its first hold to draw in  
all the  rest4 ,by these arts doth      
,satan1 like a cunning serpent1 wriggle 
himself  into the affections of men4    
,,chapter ,x4     ,of ,satan's chief end
 in this temptation2 his skill in making
 the   means to sin plausible4--,the    
reasons of that policy1 with his art    
therein4--,men's ignorance his          
advantage4--,of the differences of      
things   propounded to our use4         
,the various aims of ,satan1 and their  
close dependence one upon another1      
having contributed to us their several  
observations1 it remains that  we ask   
after the main and chief thing that     
,satan principally intended4  ,and to   
make way to this1 it must be noted1 that
 in grand temptations  especially1 the  
main design of ,satan comprehends these 
two3 the chief  end1 and the chief means

 conducing to that end4 ,about these1   
some  authors conjecture variously1     
whose differences we have no great      
occasion to mention1 seeing the text    
gives so great a satisfaction in  this  
matter4    #a4 ,for first1 ,the main end
 of ,satan we have not obscurely        
expressed to  us in these words1 #8,if  
thou be the ,son of ,god1' which if we  
compare  with ,mat4 iii4 #ag1 #8,this is
 my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well    
pleased1'  we shall easily apprehend    
that here ,satan doth but echo to that  
voice  which came down from heaven2 as  
he did with ,eve4 ,god had said1 of the 
tree in the midst of the garden1 ye     
shall not eat1 ,gen4 iii4 #c4  ,satan1  
having as it were the sound of this yet 
in his ears1 in a clear  reference to it
 saith1 #8,yea1 hath ,god said1 ,ye     
shall not eat8' ver4  #a4 ,so here is   
also an evident respect to ,god's       
testimony concerning  ,christ1 as if he 
had said1 #8,hath ,god said thou art his
 ,son8 ,if thou  beest indeed such as he

 testified1 give some proof of it1' c4  
,by which  it appears that his design   
was to undermine this testimony1 or some
 way  or other to defeat it4 ,neither   
need it pass for an objection against   
this1 that ,satan doth not directly     
mention his doubt or distrust1 nor      
positively suggest to ,christ a         
questioning or misbelief of his sonship1
  for it was not suitable to his policy 
so to lay open his main end4 ,that  must
 have been expected afterward1 as the   
last in execution1 if it had  taken     
effect1 though it were first in         
intention4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,the chief 
means by which he would have brought    
this end  about1 may be understood from 
,christ's answer to the temptation2 for 
it  cannot but be imagined that ,christ 
knew the bottom of ,satan's policy1  and
 that his answer must fully confront the
 means by which ,satan  endeavoured to  
ensnare him4 ,his answer was1 #8,man    
lives not by bread  alone1 but by every 
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of

 ,god4' ,if  we can then come to a      
certain understanding of this scripture1
 which is  not difficult1 we shall      
evidently know the mind of the          
temptation1 to  which this is a direct  
answer4    ,these words are cited out of
 ,deut4 viii4 #c1 which some interpret  
to  this sense1#cij as if ,christ had   
said1 ,man hath not only a life of  the 
body--which is mentioned#cia by         
bread--to look after1 but another  life 
of the soul1 which is of so great       
concernment1 that the bodily  life is to
 be neglected1 rather than that of the  
soul to be endangered4  ,this is a truth
 in itself1 but is apparently besides   
the meaning of  ,deut4 viii4 ,neither   
doth it afford so full and particular an
 answer as  doubtless ,christ intended4 
,but let us consider the text1 and we   
shall  find more in it2 for ,moses first
 sets down ,god's dealing with ,israel  
in the wilderness1 in that he suffered  
them to hunger1 and took from  them the 
ordinary means of life1 which1 as the   

latter part of the verse  shews1 is to  
be understood of ordinary bread2 and    
then to supply that  want1 he fed them  
by an extraordinary means1 such as they 
had never  heard of before2 this was by 
manna4 ,next he makes an inference from 
this way of ,god's proceeding1 improving
 this particular to a general  rule1    
#8,that he might make thee know that man
 lives not by bread only1  but by every 
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
 the ,lord doth man  live2' which is    
clearly of this import1 that man lives  
not by ordinary  means only1 but that   
,god can provide for his life in an     
extraordinary  way1 by appointing       
anything to that end1 through his mighty
 and  powerful word and good pleasure4  
,so that things never so unusual1 or    
unfit in themselves for nourishment1    
will become strengthening to us1  if he 
shall give out his command4 ,christ then
 applying this in this  sense1 did1 as  
it were1 thus say to ,satan1 #8,though  
,i want ordinary  means of life1 which  

is bread1 yet ,i know ,god can make     
anything which  he pleaseth to nourish  
me instead of it4 ,so that ,i will not  
cast off  a dependence upon the         
providence of ,god in this strait1 and  
without  warrant run to an extraordinary
 course for supply4' ,hence it is       
evident  that to bring about his main   
end1 which was to distrust of his       
relation  to ,god1 he used this means1  
that by reason of his strait in the     
failure  of ordinary supply1 he should  
distrust providence1 and without warrant
  provide for himself4 ,observe1        
,obs4 #ab4 ,that where ,satan carries on
 a main design and end1 he  bestows most
 of his pains and skill in rendering the
 means to that end  plausible and       
taking4 ,the end is least in mention1   
and the means in  their fit contrivance 
takes up most of his art and care4 ,the 
reasons  whereof are these3--    7#a47  
,first1 ,the end is apparently bad1 so  
that it would be a  contradiction to his
 design to mention it4 ,it is the snare 

and trap  itself1 which his wisdom and  
policy directs him to cover4 ,his       
ultimate  end is the destruction of the 
soul4 ,this he dare not openly avouch   
to the vilest of men2 he doth not say to
 them1 #8,destroy your souls1'  #8,bring
 eternal miseries upon yourselves1' but 
only tempts them to that  which will    
bring this misery upon them2 and as for 
those intermediate  ends1 which are the 
formal acts of sin1 he useth also a kind
 of modesty  in their concealment4 ,he  
doth not usually say1 ,go and murder1   
or1  ,commit adultery2 but rather puts  
them upon ways or means that will  bring
 them up to those iniquities1 except    
that he sometime have to deal  with     
those that are so hardened in sin1 that 
they make a sport to do  wickedly1 and  
then he can more freely discover his    
ends to such in the  temptation4        
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the means to such     
wicked ends have not only an innate  and
 natural tendency in themselves1 which  
are apt to sway and bias men  that way1 

but are also capable of artificial      
improvement1 to a further  enticement to
 the evils secretly intended2 and these 
require the art  and skill for the exact
 suiting and fitting of them4 ,the end  
cannot  be reached without the means1   
and means so ordered1 without the aid of
  grace1 will scarce miss of the end4   
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,the means are capable  
of a varnish and paint4 ,he can  make a 
shift to set them off and colour them   
over1 that the proper  drift of them    
cannot easily be discovered2 whereas the
 ends to  which these lead cannot       
receive1 at least so easily with some1  
such  fair shows4 ,it is far easier to  
set off company-keeping1 with the       
pleasurable pretences of necessity or   
refreshing divertisement1 than to       
propound direct drunkenness1 the thing  
to which company-keeping tends1  under  
such a dress4    ,query4 ,if it be      
demanded1 ,how and by what arts he      
renders the means  so plausible8 ,i     
shall endeavour a satisfaction to that  

query1 by  shewing the way that ,satan  
took to render the means he made use of 
in  this temptation1 plausible to       
,christ1 which were these3--    #a4     
,first1 ,he represents it as a harmless 
or lawful thing in itself4  ,who can say
 it had been sinful for the ,son of ,god
 to have turned stones  into bread1 more
 than to turn water into wine8    #b4   
,secondly1 ,he gives the motion a       
further pretext of advantage or         
goodness4 ,he insinuated that it might  
be a useful discovery of his  sonship1  
and a profitable supply against hunger4 
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,he seems also to put a   
necessity upon it1 that other  ways of  
help failing1 he must be constrained so 
to do1 or to suffer  further want4      
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,he forgets not to tell  
him that to do this was but  suitable to
 his condition1 and that it was a thing 
well becoming the  ,son of ,god to do a 
miracle4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,he doth urge 
it at the rate of a duty1 and that being
  in hunger and want1 it would be a     

sinful neglect not to do what he  could 
and might for his preservation4    ,the 
same way doth he take in other          
temptations2 in some cases pleading     
all1 in some most of these things1 by   
which the means conducing  thereunto may
 seem plausible4 ,if he presents to men 
occasions of  sinning1 he will tell them
 ordinarily that they may lawfully      
adventure  upon them1 that they are     
harmless1 nay1 of advantage1 as tending 
to  the recreating of the spirits and   
health of the body2 yea1 that it is     
necessary for them to take such a       
liberty1 and that in doing so1 they  do 
but what others do that profess         
religion4 ,and often he hath such       
advantage from the circumstances of the 
thing1 and the inclination  of our      
heart1 that he makes bold to tell us it 
is no less than duty4  ,such did the    
outrage of ,demetrius seem to him1 when 
he considered how  much his livelihood  
did depend upon the ,diana of the       
,ephesians4 ,paul's  zeal made him      

confident that persecution of           
,christians was his duty2  neither is   
there anything which can pretend to any 
zeal1 advantage1 or  colourable ground1 
but presently it takes the denomination 
of duty4    ,if any wonder that such    
poor and shallow pretences are not seen 
through  by all men1 they may know that 
this happens from a fourfold            
ignorance3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,from an  
ignorance of the thing itself4 ,how     
easily may  they be imposed upon1 who   
know not the nature or the usual issues 
of things6 ,as children are deluded to  
put a value upon a useless or  hurtful  
trifle1 so are men deceived and easily  
imposed upon in what  they do not       
understand4 ,and for this cause are     
sinners compared to  birds1 who are     
easily enticed with the bait proposed to
 their view as  profitable and good for 
them1 because they know not the snare   
that  lies laid under it4 ,this         
ignorance causing the mistake mentioned1
 is  not only a simple ignorance1 but   

also that ignorance which owes its  rise
 to a wilful and perverse               
disposition1--for there are some that   
are willingly ignorant1--doth often lay 
those open to a delusion1 who1  through 
prepossession or idleness1 will not be  
at pains to make full  inquiries4       
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,this also comes to    
pass from an ignorance of our  spirits3 
for while we either engage in the things
 proposed by ,satan  upon the general   
warranty of a good intention1 or that we
 have no evil  meaning in it1 we are    
kept from a discovery of the intended   
design4  ,hence ,paul saw nothing1 in   
his persecuting the church of ,god1 of  
what ,satan aimed at2 or while upon the 
pretence of a good intention1  our      
secret corrupt principles do indeed move
 us underhand to any  undertaking1 we   
are as little apt to see the ends of    
,satan in what he  propounds to us4     
,jehu and the disciples1 ,luke ix4 #ee1 
pretending a zeal  for ,god1 but really 
carried on by their own furious tempers1

 did as  little as others see what the  
devil was doing with them4    7#c47     
,thirdly1 ,the means of a temptation are
 rendered less suspicious1  from an     
ignorance of the circumstances and      
concomitants that do attend  them4      
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,as also from an       
ignorance of our own weakness and       
inclination4 ,while we are confident of 
greater strength to resist  than indeed 
we have1 of a greater averseness than is
 in us to the evil  suspected1 we       
contemn the danger of the means as below
 us1 and so grow  bold with the         
occasions of iniquity1 as pretending no 
hazard or danger  to us4    ,applic4    
,this may teach us a piece of wisdom in 
the imitation of the  devil4 ,we see his
 malice appears in the bloody and       
destructive aims or  intendments which  
he discovers against us1 but his skill  
and cunning  in a suitable disposal and 
ordering of the means4 ,so should we    
learn  to employ all our care and       
watchfulness about those plausible ways 

or  introductions to sin that ,satan    
puts in our hand2 and as his eager      
desire of gaining his end makes him     
industrious about the offering  of means
 fit to compass it1 so our fear of his  
design and end should  make us jealous  
of every overture propounded to us4     
,they that from  wilfulness or neglect  
shall admit the means of evil1 cannot   
expect to  avoid the evil to which they 
lead1 or if they may1 unexpectedly1 be  
rescued from the end1 while they use the
 means1--by grace interposing1  as      
between the cup and the lip1--it is no  
thanks to them1 and often they  come not
 off so clear1 but that some lameness or
 other sticks by them4    ,quest4 ,i may
 suspect this will be retorted back as  
an advice scarce  practicable3 for if   
all means leading to sin are to be      
avoided1 then  can we use nothing1 but  
rather1 as the apostle saith in another 
case1  #8we must go out of the world1'  
#a ,cor4 v4 #aj1 seeing everything may  
lead to evil8    ,ans4 ,i answer1 ,we   

are not by any command of ,god put into 
any such  strait4 ,things that are or   
may be improveable against us1 may be   
used  by us with due care and           
watchfulness2 yet all things are not    
alike  neither1 for we must look upon   
things under a threefold consideration4 
#a4 ,first1 ,if that which is propounded
 or laid before us as a means to  sin1  
be in itself sinful1 the refusal of both
 is an undoubted duty4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,we must look upon things under the    
consideration of  the suspiciousness    
which they carry with them of a further 
evil4 ,some  circumstances1 or postures 
of an opportunity and occasion offered1 
are  of such a threatening aspect1 that 
they fairly warn us to hold off4 ,to    
keep company with a friend may be       
admitted1 when yet that society in a    
suspicious place1 as tavern or          
whore-house1 is to be avoided4    #c4   
,thirdly1 ,we must further consider     
things as we are free or  engaged to    
them1 and accordingly where there is    

appearance of danger  or the fear of it1
 we must keep at a distance1 if we are  
engaged to  such things1 either by the  
obligation of the law of nature1 or     
lawful  calling1 or command of ,god1 or 
unavoidable providence1 or relation4    
,where these ties are upon us1 we cannot
 avoid the thing or action1 but  are the
 more concerned to take heed of being   
overreached or overtaken  by them4      
,,chapter ,,xi4     ,of the temptation  
to distrust upon the failure of ordinary
 means4--,of   the power of that        
temptation1 and the reasons of its      
prevalency4--,of   unwarrantable        
attempts for relief1 with the causes    
thereof4--,of waiting   on ,god1 and    
keeping his way4--,in what cases a      
particular mercy is to be   expected4   
,i have particularly insisted upon the  
aims of ,satan in this temptation  in   
their variety1 and also the cunning     
connexion and coherences of  them4 ,i   
have also singled out his chief design4 
,i am now in the last  place to present 

you with the suitableness and respects  
that the  subordinate means carry to the
 principal1 and that proportion which   
may  be found in all these to the end   
designed by them4    ,the chief means in
 reference to the end designed1 was a   
distrust of  providence1 and the        
subordinate means to bring on that      
distrust1 was  the failure of ordinary  
means of supply3 for so he endeavoured  
to  improve his hunger and want in the  
wilderness1 as a manifest neglect of    
providence towards him1 for which1 as he
 tacitly suggests1 there was no  ground 
to wait or rely upon it any further1 but
 to betake himself to  another course4  
,hence note1    ,obs4 #ac4 ,that the    
failure of ordinary means of help is by 
,satan  improved as his special engine  
to bring men to a distrust of           
providence1 and from thence to an       
unwarrantable attempt for their  relief 
in an extraordinary way4    ,that the   
failure of ordinary and usual supplies  
hath by the devil's  subtlety brought a 

distrust of providence1 and run men     
beyond all  hopes of help1 is a thing   
commonly and notoriously known4 ,when   
men  are afflicted1 and brought unto    
unusual straits1 and the ordinary  ways 
of relief are out of sight1 they are    
soon tempted to distrust  ,god and man2 
and to conclude they are cut off1 and   
that their #8hope  is perished1' and    
that #8their eye shall no more see      
good4' ,david  distressed1 proclaims    
#8all men liars3' concludes that he     
should at  last #8be cut off1' ,ps4     
cxvi4 #aa1 xxxi4 #bb4 ,jonah1 in the    
whale's  belly1 thought that all hope   
was gone1 and that he was cast out of   
,god's sight1 chap4 ii4 #d4 ,the church 
of ,israel in captivity1 #8forgot       
prosperity1' notwithstanding the promise
 of deliverance after seventy  years1   
and thought no less than that #8her hope
 and strength was  perished1' ,lam4 iii4
 #ah4 ,and from the scriptures          
mentioned1 we may also  see the strength
 and prevalency of the temptation1      

especially when it  is reduced to       
particulars4 ,as1    7#a47 ,first1 ,it  
is not a thing altogether of no weight  
that such a  temptation should prevail  
against such persons2 as ,david and     
,jonah1  and the whole church of        
,israel1 that the manifold experiences  
that  some of them have had of ,god's   
faithfulness in delivering1 and the     
seasonableness of help at times of      
greatest hazard1 the particular         
promises that all of them have had--how 
dismal and black soever things  have    
seemed--have given the fullest          
assurances imaginable1 that what he  had
 spoken should certainly be performed2  
the gracious qualifications  of such    
persons as eminently holy and skilled in
 the duties of trust1  and in the ways  
of providence1 and the special advantage
 which some of  them1 as prophets1 have 
had above others1 to enable them to     
improve  that skill1 experience1        
knowledge1 and grace1 to a firm         
adherence to  such special promises3    

that all these things should not be     
sufficient  to keep them off distrust1  
though at present the ways of           
deliverence  were hid from them1 seems  
strange4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,it is     
wonderful to what a height such a       
prevailing  temptation hath carried some
 of them4 ,david seems to be a little   
outrageous1 and did upon the matter call
 ,god #8a liar1' when he said1  #8,all  
men are liars2' which however that some 
interpret#cib as if it  had been        
,david's trust in ,god1 and his         
confident avouchment of his  enemies'   
prognostications of his ruin1 to be but 
lies1 and that this he  spake from his  
firm belief of the promise1 #8,i        
believed1 therefore have  ,i spoken2'   
yet the acknowledgment of his #8haste1' 
which1 compared with  ,ps4 xxxi4 #bb1 is
 declared as his weakness1 will force us
 to conclude  it an ingenuous confession
 of his distrust at the first1 when he  
was  greatly afflicted1 though he       
recovered himself afterwards to a belief

  of the promise2 and that in that      
distemper he plainly reflected upon     
,samuel1 and calls the promises of ,god 
given by him #8a very lie4'    7#c47    
,thirdly1 ,it is strange also that      
present instances of ,god's  providences
 working out unexpected deliverances    
should not relieve  the hearts of his   
saints from the power of such distrust2 
that when  they see ,god is not         
unmindful of them1 but doth hear them in
 what they  feared1 they should still   
retain in their minds the impression of 
an  unbelieving apprehension2 and not   
rather free themselves from their       
expectations of future ruin by          
concluding1 that he that hath and doth  
deliver will also yet deliver4 ,david   
had this thought in his heart1  that he 
should #8one day perish by the hand of  
,saul1' #a ,sam4 xxvii4 #a1  even then  
when ,god had so remarkably rescued him 
from ,saul1 and forced  ,saul not only  
to acknowledge his sin in prosecuting   
him1 but also to  declare his belief of 

the promise concerning ,david4 ,see     
chap4 xxvi4 ,one  would have expected   
that this should have been such a       
demonstration  of the truth of what had 
been promised1 that he should cast out  
all  fear2 and yet1 contrariwise1 this  
pledge of ,god's purpose to him is      
received by a heart strongly            
prepossessed with misgiving thoughts1   
and  he continues to think that for all 
this ,saul would one day destroy him4   
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,the pangs of this     
distrust are also so remarkable1 that   
after they have been delivered1 and have
 found that the event hath  not answered
 their fears1 they have in the review of
 their carriage  under such fears1      
recounted this their weakness among     
other remarkable  things1 thereby       
shewing the unreasonableness of their   
unbelief1 and  their wonder that ,god   
should pass by so great a provocation1  
and  notwithstanding so unexpectedly    
deliver them4 ,david in the places      
before cited was upon a thankful        

acknowledgment of ,god's love and       
wonderful kindness1 which be thought he 
could not perform without  leaving a    
record of his strange and unworthy      
distrust2 as if he had  said1 #8,so     
greatly did ,i sin1 and so unsuitably   
did ,i behave myself1  that ,i then gave
 off1 and concluded all was lost4'      
,to open this a little further1 ,i shall
 add the reasons why ,satan  strikes in 
with such an occasion as the want of    
means to tempt to  distrust1 which are  
these3--    #a4 ,first1 ,such a         
condition doth usually transport men    
beside  themselves2 puts them1 as it    
were1 into an ecstacy1 and by a  sudden 
rapture of astonishment and fear1       
forceth them beyond their  settled      
thoughts and purposes4 ,this ,david     
notes as the ground of his              
inconsiderate rash speaking3 #8,it was  
my haste1' ,i was transported1  c4 ,now 
as passion does not only make men speak 
what otherwise they  would not1 but also
 to put bad interpretations upon actions

 and things  beyond what they will bear1
 and hasten men to resolves exceedingly 
unreasonable2 so doth this state of the 
heart1 under an amazement and  surprise 
of fear1 give opportunity to ,satan to  
put men to injurious  and unrighteous   
thoughts of the providence of ,god1 and 
by such ways to  alienate their minds   
from the trust which they owe him4      
#b4 ,secondly1 ,sense is a great help to
 faith4 ,faith then must needs  be much 
hazarded when sense is at a loss or     
contradicted1 as usually it  is in      
straits4    ,that faith doth receive an 
advantage by sense1 cannot be denied4   
,to  believe what we see1 is easier than
 to believe what we see not2 and  that  
in our state of weakness and infirmity  
,god doth so far indulge us1  that by   
his allowance we may take the help of   
our senses1 is evident  by his          
appointment of the two sacraments1 where
 by outward visible  signs our faith may
 be quickened to apprehend the spiritual
 benefits  offered4 ,thomas1 resolving  

to suspend his belief till he were      
satisfied  that ,christ was risen1 by   
the utmost trial that sense could give1 
determining not to credit the testimony 
of the rest of the disciples  till by   
putting his finger into his side he had 
made himself more  certain1 ,christ not 
only condescended to him1 but also      
pronounceth  his approbation of his     
belief1 accepting it1 that he had       
believed  because he had seen4 ,but when
 outward usual helps fail us1 our sense1
  being not able to see afar off1 is    
wholly puzzled and overthrown4  ,the    
very disappearing of probabilities gives
 so great a shake to our  faith that it 
commonly staggers at it2 and therefore  
was it given as  the great commendation 
of ,abraham's faith1 that he1           
notwithstanding  the unlikelihood of the
 thing1 #8staggered not at the promise2'
 noting  thereby how extraordinary it   
was in him at that time to keep up      
against  the contradiction of sense1 and
 how usual it is with others to be      

beaten off all trust by it4 ,it is no   
wonder to see that faith1 which  usually
 called sense for a supporter1 to fail  
when it is deprived of  its crutch4 ,and
 he that would a little understand what 
disadvantage  this might prove to a good
 man when sense altogether fails his    
expectation1 he may consider with       
himself in what a case ,thomas might    
have been if ,christ had refused to let 
him see his side1 and to thrust  his    
finger into the print of the nails4 ,in 
all appearance1 had it been  so1 he had 
gone away confirmed in his unbelief4    
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,though faith can act     
above sense1 and is employed  about     
things not seen1 yet every saint at all 
times doth not act his  faith so high4  
,christ tells us that to believe where a
 man hath not  had the help of sight and
 sense1 is noble and blessed1 ,john xx4 
#bi2  yet withal1 he hints it to be rare
 and difficult3 #8he that hath not      
seen1 and yet hath believed1' implies   
that it is but one amongst many  that   

doth so1 and that it is the conquest of 
a more than ordinary  difficulty4 ,hence
 it is1 that to love ,god when he kills1
 to believe  when means fail1 are       
reckoned among the high actings of      
,christianity4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,when  
sense is nonplussed1 and faith fails1   
the soul of  man is at a great loss4    
,having nothing to bear it up1 it must  
needs  sink2 but having something to    
throw it down1 besides its own          
propensity  downward to distrust1 it    
hath the force of so great a            
disappointment  to push it forward2 and 
such bitterness of spirit1 heightened by
 the  malignant influence of ,satan1    
that with a violence like the angel's   
throwing a millstone into the sea1 it is
 cast into the bottom of  such depths of
 unbelief1 that the knowledge of former 
power and  extraordinary providences    
cannot keep it from an absolute denial  
of  the like for the future4 ,israel in 
the wilderness1 when they came to  the  
want of bread1 though they acknowledged 

he #8clave the rock1' and  gave them    
water in the like strait1 yet so far did
 their hearts fail  of that due trust in
 the power and mercy of ,god1 which     
might have been  expected1 that though  
they confessed the one1 they as         
distrustfully  question and deny the    
other4 #8,he clave the rock1 but can he 
provide  flesh8 can he give bread8' ,ps4
 lxxviii4 #bj4 ,strange unbelief1 that  
sees and acknowledgeth omnipotency in   
one thing1 and yet denies it in         
another6    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,providence   
hath been an old question4 ,it is an    
atheism  that some have been guilty of1 
to deny that ,god ordereth all affairs  
relating to his children here below1 who
 yet have not so fully  extinguished    
their natural impressions as to dare to 
deny the being of  ,god4 ,that ,god is1 
they confess1 but withal they think that
 he #8walketh  in the circuit of        
heaven1' and as to the smaller concerns 
of men1  neither doth good nor evil4    
,this being an old error1 to which most 

are  but too inclinable2 and the more   
because such things are permitted--as   
the punishment of his children1 and     
their trials1 while others have  all    
their heart can wish--as seem scarce    
consistent with that love and  care     
which men look for from him to his      
servants1 they are apt enough  to renew 
the thoughts of that persuasion upon    
their minds--for which the  failure of  
ordinary ways of help seems to be a high
 probability--that  he keeps himself    
unconcerned1 and therefore there seems  
to be no such  cause of reliance upon   
him4 ,the psalmist so expresseth that   
truth1  #8,men shall say1 ,verily there 
is a ,god that judgeth in the earth1'   
,ps4  lviii4 #aa2 that it is discovered 
to be a special retrievement of it1  by 
many and signal convincing evidences1   
from that distrust of ,god and  his     
providences that men usually slide into 
upon their observation of  the many     
seeming failures of outward means of    
help4    ,secondly1 ,the other branch of

 the observation1 that from a distrust  
of  providence he endeavours to draw    
them to an unwarrantable attempt for    
their relief1 is as clear as the former4
 ,sarah being under a distrust  of the  
promise for a son1 because of her age1  
gave her handmaid to  ,abraham1 that in 
that way1 the promise seeming to fail1  
she might  obtain children by her1 ,gen4
 xvi4 #b4 ,david1 because of the many   
and  violent pursuits of ,saul1 not only
 distrusted the promise1 thinking he    
might #8one day perish' by him1 but     
resolves to provide for his own  safety 
by a speedy escape into the land of the 
,philistines1 #a ,sam4  xxvii4 #a2 a    
course which1 as appears by the         
temptations and evils he  met with      
there1 was altogether unwarrantable4    
,that from a distrust men  are next put 
upon unwarrantable attempts1 is clear   
from the following  reasons3--    #a4   
,first1 ,the affrightment which is bred 
by such distrusts of  providences will  
not suffer men to be idle4 ,fear is     

active1 and  strongly prompts that      
something is to be done4    #b4         
,secondly1 ,yet such is the confusion of
 men's minds in such a  case1 that      
though many things are propounded1 in   
that hurry of thoughts  they are        
deprived usually of a true judgment and 
deliberation1 so that  they are         
oppressed with a multitude of thoughts1 
as ,david on the like  occasion takes   
notice1 #8,in the multitude of my       
thoughts within me1'  c41 ,ps4 xciv4    
#ai2 and1 as he expresseth the case of  
seamen in a  storm1 #8they are at their 
wits' end4'    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the       
despairing grievance of spirit makes    
them take  that which comes next to     
hand1 as a drowning man that grasps a   
twig or  straw1 though to no purpose4   
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,being once turned off   
their rock1 and the true stay of  the   
promise of ,god for help1 whatever other
 course they take must  needs be        
unwarrantable4 ,if they once be out of  
the right way1 they  must needs wander1 

and every step they take must of        
necessity be wrong4    #e4 ,fifthly1    
,satan is so officious in an evil thing1
 that seeing any  in this condition1 he 
will not fail to proffer his help2 and  
in place  of ,god's providence1 to set  
some unlawful shift before them4    #f4 
,sixthly1 ,and so much the rather do men
 close in with such  overtures1 because 
a sudden fit of passionate fury doth    
drive them1  and out of a bitter kind of
 despite and crossness--as if they      
meditated  a revenge against ,god for   
their disappointment--they take up a    
hasty  wilful resolve to go that way    
that seems most agreeable to their      
passion1 saying with king ,joram1       
#8,what wait we upon the ,lord any      
longer for8' #b ,kings vi4 #cc4 ,we will
 take such a course1 let come on  us    
what will4    ,applic4 ,the service     
which the observation1 well digested1   
may perform  for us1 is very fully      
contained in an advice which ,david     
gives on the  like occasion1 ,ps4       

xxxvii4 #cd1 which is this1 #8,wait on  
the ,lord1 and  keep his way4' ,failures
 of ordinary means should not fill us   
with  distrust1 neither then should we  
run out of ,god's way for help4 ,he that
  would practise this must have these   
three things which are comprehended  in 
it3--    #a4 ,first1 ,he must have full 
persuasions of the power and promise of 
,god4 ,i do not mean the bare hearsay   
that ,god hath promised to help1  and   
that he is able to deliver1 but these   
truths must be wrought upon  the heart  
to a full assurance of them1 and then we
 must keep our eye  upon them2 for if   
ever we lose the sight of this1 when    
troubles beset  us1 our heart will fail 
us1 and we shall do no otherwise than   
,hagar1  who1 when her bottle of water  
was spent1 and she saw no way of supply1
  sat down1 gave up her son and self for
 lost and so falls a-weeping over  her  
helpless condition4 ,this was that sight
 of ,god1 in regard of his  power1      
goodness1 faithfulness1 and truth1 which

 are things invisible1  ,heb4 xi4 #bg1  
which kept up the heart of ,moses1 that 
it sunk not under  the pressure of his  
fears1 when all things threatened his   
ruin4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he that would  
thus wait upon ,god had need to have  an
 equal balance of spirit in reference to
 second causes4 ,despise  or neglect    
them he may not1 when he may have them1 
for that were  intolerable presumption2 
and so to centre our hopes and          
expectations  upon them1 as if our      
welfare did certainly depend upon them1 
is a high  affront to ,god's            
omnipotency1 and no less than a sinful  
idolizing of  the creature2 but the     
engagements of our duty must keep       
carefully to  the first1 and the        
consideration of an independency of an  
almighty  power1 as to any subordinate  
means or causes1 must help us against   
the  other miscarriage4 ,when all means 
visible fail us1 we must look to  live  
upon omnipotent faithfulness and        
goodness1 which is not tied to          

anything1 but that without all means1   
and contrary to the powers of  second   
causes1 can do what he hath promised or 
sees fit4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,there is no 
waiting upon ,god1 and keeping his way1 
without a particular trust in ,god4 ,to 
this we are not only warranted  by      
frequent commands1 #8,trust in the      
,lord1 ,i say1 trust in the ,lord1'  but
 highly encouraged to it under the      
greatest assurances of help3 ,ps4       
xxxvii4 #e1 #8,trust in him1 and he     
shall bring it to pass4' #8,trust in the
  ,lord and do good1 and verily thou    
shalt be fed1' ver4 #c4 ,the ,lord shall
  help and deliver them1 because they   
trust in him4 ,and this we are to  do at
 #8all times1' and in the greatest      
hazards1 and with the highest  security3
 #8,i laid me down and slept2 ,i will   
not be afraid of ten  thousands of      
people that have set themselves against 
me round about1'  ,ps4 iii4 #e1 #f4     
,quest4 ,but some1 possibly1 may say1   
,is it our duty to sit still in  such a 

case8 ,when all the usual ways of supply
 fail us1 must nothing be  attempted8   
,ans4 7#a47 ,i answer1 first1 ,at such  
times greater care and diligence  is    
necessary in outward things4 ,that what 
one lawful course cannot  help1 another 
lawful course may2 and as to spiritual  
diligence1 it  should be extraordinary4 
,we should be more earnest and frequent 
in  prayer1 fastings1 meditations1 and  
the exercise of graces4    7#b47        
,secondly1 ,while we are in the pursuit 
of duty1 and where the  substance of it 
may be preserved entire1 if our straits 
and wants  unavoidably put us out of the
 way1 we may be satisfied to go on1     
though some circumstances be necessarily
 waived and hindered4 ,phinehas  might  
kill ,zimri and ,cosbi upon the command 
of ,moses1 ,num4 xxv4 #e2  and          
consequently in prosecution of duty1    
though1 other circumstances  considered1
 it was in some respects extraordinary4 
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,but let the strait be  
what it will1 we must not forsake  duty2

 for so we go out of ,god's way1 and do 
contradict that trust and  hope which we
 are to keep up to ,god-ward4    ,quest4
 ,but1 it may be further urged1 must we1
 when all means fail1  positively trust 
in ,god for those very things which we  
might expect in  an ordinary way8       
,ans4 ,in some cases our duty is        
submission to his will1 and the         
particular mercy neither positively to  
be expected not yet distrusted4  ,thus  
did ,david behave himself when he fled  
from ,jerusalem upon  ,absalom's        
rebellion2 #8,let him do what seemeth   
him good4'    ,but there are other cases
 wherein it is our duty to fix our trust
 upon  the particular mercy or help4 ,i 
shall name four2 and possibly a great   
many more may be added4 ,as1    #a4     
,first1 ,when mercies are expressly and 
particularly promised3  as when the     
kingdom was promised to ,david2 when a  
son was promised to  ,abraham4 ,whatever
 had been the improbabilities of their  
obtaining the  thing promised1 it was   

their duty positively to believe4 ,this 
is indeed  not a general case4    #b4   
,secondly1 ,when ,god leads us into     
straits by engaging us in his  service3 
as when ,israel followed the ,lord into 
the wilderness1 in  order to an         
enjoyment of a further mercy1 which was 
the possession  of the land of ,canaan4 
,when they had no water to drink1 nor   
food to  eat1 and saw no natural        
possibility of supply in that           
wilderness1 they  ought positively to   
have expected supplies from ,god in an  
extraordinary  way2 and it is reckoned  
up against them as their sin that they  
did  not believe4 ,this was the very    
case of ,christ under this temptation2  
the ,spirit led him into the wilderness 
upon the prosecution of a  further      
design4 ,when there was no bread there  
to satisfy his hunger1  he refuseth to  
work a miracle for his supply1 but leans
 upon an  extraordinary providence4     
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,when the things we want  
are common universal blessings1  and    

such as we cannot subsist without4 ,if  
we have nothing to eat1 and  nothing to 
put on1 yet seeing the body cannot live 
without both1 we  must positively expect
 such supplies from providence1 though  
we see not  the way whence they should  
arise to us4 ,this kind of distrust1    
which  reflects upon the general        
necessary providence of ,god1 by which  
he is  engaged to preserve his creatures
 in their stations1 #8to clothe the     
grass of the field1 to feed the birds of
 the air1' c41 ,christ doth  severely   
challenge1 #8,shall he not much more    
clothe you1 ,o ye of little  faith8'    
,mat4 vi4 #cj4 ,he hath little or no    
faith1 and in that regard a  very       
prodigy of distrust1 that will not      
believe for necessaries4 ,hence1  ,hab4 
iii4 #ag1 the prophet resolves upon a   
rejoicing confidence in ,god1  when     
neither tree1 nor field1 nor flock would
 yield any hope in an  ordinary way4    
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,when ,god is eminently  
engaged for our help1 and his  honour   

lies at stake in that very matter2 so   
that whether ,god will  help or no1 or  
whether he is able1 is become the       
controversy1 upon  which religion in its
 truth or the honour of ,god is to be   
tried2 then  are we engaged to a certain
 belief of help4 ,the three children    
upon  this ground did not only assert   
that #8,god was able to deliver them1'  
or  that their death and martyrdom they 
could bear1 which is all that most      
martyrs are able to arise up to1 but    
they asserted positively that #8,god    
would deliver them1' and that the fire  
should not burn them4 ,they saw         
evidently that the contest1 whether the 
,lord was ,god1 was managed at  so high 
a rate1 that ,god was more concerned to 
vindicate his honour by  their          
preservation1 than to vindicate their   
grace and patience by their  constancy  
and suffering1 ,dan4 iii4 ,another      
instance we have in ,mat4  viii4 #bf1   
where ,christ rebukes his disciples for 
unbelief1 in their  fears of shipwreck  

in a great storm--not that every seaman 
ordinarily  lies under that charge1 that
 gives himself up to the apprehensions  
of danger--the ground of which charge   
was this1 that ,christ was with  them1  
and consequently it had unavoidably     
contradicted his design1  and reflected 
upon his honour1 if he had suffered his 
disciples at  that time to be drowned4  
,their not minding how far ,christ was  
engaged  with them1 and not supporting  
themselves against their fears by that  
consideration1 made ,christ tax them for
 their little faith4          ,,chapter 
,,xii4     ,of ,satan's proceeding to   
infer distrust of sonship from distrust 
of providences4--,instances of the      
probability of such a design4--,the     
reasons of this undertaking4--,of       
,satan's endeavour to weaken the        
assurance and hopes of ,god's           
children4--,his general method to that  
purpose4      ,lastly1 we are to        
consider the suitableness of the means  
to the end4 ,he  had1 as we have seen1  

fitly proportioned the subordinate means
 to the  chief and principal4 ,the      
failure of ordinary means of help was   
shrewdly  proper to infer a distrust of 
providence4 ,now let it be noted how    
fitly  he improves this distrust of     
providence to bring about the end he    
aimed  at1 which was a distrust of his  
filial interest in ,god1 as if he should
  have thus reasoned3 #8,he that in     
straits is forsaken1 as to all the      
usual supplies that may be expected in  
an ordinary way1 hath no reason  to rely
 on providence2 and he that hath no     
reason to rely on providence  for the   
body1 hath less cause to expect         
spiritual blessings and favours  for the
 soul4' ,hence note1    ,obs4 #ad4 ,that
 it is ,satan's endeavour to make men   
proceed from a  distrust of providence  
to a distrust of their spiritual        
sonship1 or  filial interest in ,god4   
,first1 ,i shall evidence that this is  
,satan's  design1 and next ,i shall give
 the reasons of it4 ,the former ,i shall

  make good by these several            
considerations3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,we  
see it is a usual inference that others 
make of men  whose heart fails them1    
under an absence or disappearance of all
 means  of help in their distresses4 ,if
 providence doth not appear for them1   
they conclude ,god hath forsaken them4  
,bildad thus concludes against  ,job1   
chap4 iv4 #f1 #8,is not this thy fear1  
thy confidence1 thy hope1 and  the      
uprightness of thy ways8' ,which must   
not only be understood as an  ironical  
scoff at the weakness of his confidence 
and hope1 as not being  able to support 
him against fainting in his trouble1 but
 as a direct  accusation of the         
falseness and hypocrisy of his supposed 
integrity1  and all the hopes and       
confidence which was built upon it2 and 
ver4 #g  doth evidence1 where he plainly
 declares himself to mean that ,job     
could  not be innocent or righteous1 it 
being1 in his apprehension1 a thing     
never heard of1 that so great calamities

 should overtake an upright  man1 #8,who
 ever perished1 being innocent8' ,the   
ground of which assertion  was from ver4
 #e1 #8,it is now come upon thee1 and   
thou faintest4' ,that  is1 distresses   
are upon thee1 and thou hast no visible 
means of help1  but despairest ever to  
see a providence that will bring thee   
out2  therefore surely thou hast had no 
real interest in ,god1 as his child4    
,eliphaz also seconds his friend in this
 uncharitable censure1 #8,if thou  wert 
pure and upright1 he would awake for    
thee1' ,job viii4 #f2 that is1  because 
he doth thus overlook thee1 therefore   
thou art not pure and  upright4    ,if  
men do thus assault the comforts of     
,god's children1 we have reason  enough 
to think that ,satan will2 for besides  
that we may conclude they  are set on   
work by the devil1 and what he speaks by
 them1 he will also  by other ways      
promote1 as being a design that is upon 
his heart2 we may  be confident1 that   
this being a surmise so natural to the  

heart of man1  he will not let slip so  
fair an advantage1 for the forming of it
 in our  own hearts against ourselves4  
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the best of ,god's    
children1 in such cases1 escape  it very
 hardly1 if at all2 which declares not  
only the depth and  power of that       
policy1 but also how usual it is with   
,satan to urge the  servants of ,god    
with it4 ,job1 chap4 xix4 #be1 recovered
 himself to a  firm persuasion of       
sonship1 #8,i know that my ,redeemer    
liveth1' c42 but  by the way his foot   
had well-nigh slipped1 when1 ver4 #aj1  
#aa1 he cries  out1 #8,he hath destroyed
 me on every side1 and ,i am gone2 he   
hath also  kindled his wrath against me1
 and he counteth me unto him as one of  
his  enemies4' ,his earnest resolve not 
to give up his trust in ,god1 and the   
confidence of his integrity1 is         
sufficient to discover ,satan's eager   
endeavours to have him bereaved of it4  
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,satan's success in this
 temptation over the saints of  ,god1   

who sometime have actually failed1 shews
 how much it is his work  to cast down  
their hopes of interest in ,god1 by     
overthrowing their  trust in his        
providences4 ,if he attempts this1 and  
that successfully1  on such whose       
frequent experiences might discourage   
the tempter1 and  in probability        
frustrate his undertaking2 we have      
little cause to  think that he will be  
more sparing and gentle in this assault 
upon  those that are more weak1 and less
 acquainted with those clouds and       
darknesses that overshadow the ways of  
providence4 ,david1 for all the         
promises that he had received1 and      
notwithstanding the manifold trials     
that he had of seasonable and unexpected
 deliverances1 yet when he  was         
distressed1 he once and again falls into
 a fear of his soul1 and  a questioning 
of ,god's favour4 ,he complains as one  
utterly forsaken1  #8,why hast thou     
forsaken me8' ,ps4 xxii4 #a4 ,in ,ps4   
lxix41 he expresseth  himself1 ver4 #a1 

#8sinking in the deep mire1' as a man   
that had no firm  ground to stand upon1 
and that his troubles had brought him to
 fear the  state of his soul1 not only  
as deprived of ,god's favour--and       
therefore1  ver4 #ag1 begs that his face
 may be no longer hid--but also as      
suspecting  the loss of it2 ver4 #ah1   
#8draw nigh unto my soul1 and redeem    
it4' ,ps4  lxxvii41 upon the occasion of
 outward troubles1 ,asaph falls into    
such  a fit of fear about his spiritual 
condition1 that no consideration of     
former mercies could relieve him1 #8,he 
remembered ,god1' ver4 #c1 #8but  was   
troubled2' he #8considered the days of  
old1' called to remembrance  his #8songs
 in the night2' but none of these were  
effectual to keep  him from that sad    
outcry of distrust1 ver4 #g1 #8,will the
 ,lord cast off  for ever8 is his mercy 
clean gone for ever8 hath ,god forgotten
 to be  gracious8' c4 ,which upon the   
review1 in the composing of the psalm1  
he acknowledged an unbelieving          

miscarriage2 ,i said1 #8,this is mine   
infirmity4'    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,it is  
also a common and ordinary thing with   
most1 to  entertain misapprehensions of 
their spiritual condition1 when they    
meet  with disappointments of           
providence4 ,hence the apostle1 ,heb4   
xii4 #e1 #f1  when he would quiet the   
hearts of men under the ,lord's         
chastening1 doth  of purpose make use of
 this encouragement1 that ,god speaks to
 them in  the rod as to children1 and   
such as are under his care and love1    
#8,my  son1 despise not the chastening  
of the ,lord2' #8whom the ,lord loveth1 
he chasteneth1' c4 ,which certainly     
tells us thus much1 that it is  ordinary
 for men to doubt their sonship because 
of their afflictions4  ,we may          
conjecture what the malady is1 when we  
know what is prepared as  a medicine4   
,this would not have been a common      
remedy1 #8that we may be  children1     
though we be scourged1' if the disbelief
 of this had not been  the usual        

interpretation of afflictions1 and a    
common distemper4    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,we
 may further take notice1 that those    
disquiets of  mind1 that were only      
occasioned by outward things1 and seem  
to have no  affinity1 either in the     
nature of the occasion1 or present      
inclination  of the party1 with a       
spiritual trouble2 yet if they continue 
long1  do wholly change their nature4   
,they that at first only troubled       
themselves for losses or crosses1 forget
 these troubles and take up  fears for  
their souls4    ,sometime this ariseth  
from a natural softness and timorousness
 of  spirit4 ,such are apt to misgive   
upon any occasion1 and to say1 ,surely  
if ,i were his child1 he would not thus 
forsake me2 his fatherly  compassions   
would some way or other work towards me4
    ,sometime this ariseth from         
melancholy1 contracted or heightened by 
outward troubles4 ,these1 when they     
continue long1 and pierce deep1  put men
 into #8a spirit of heaviness1' which   

makes them refuse to be  comforted4     
,here the devil takes his advantage4    
,unlawful sorrows are as  delightfully  
improved by him as unlawful pleasures2  
they are ,diaboli  balneum1 his bath in 
which he sports himself1 as the         
leviathan in the  waters4 ,when for     
temporal losses or troubles men fall    
into melancholy1  if they be not        
relieved soon1 then their grief changeth
 its object1 and  presently they        
disquiet themselves1 as being out of    
,god's favour1 as  being estranged from 
,god1 as being of the number of the     
damned2 such  against whom the door of  
mercy is shut1 and so cry out of        
themselves as  hopeless and miserable4  
,the observations of physicians afford  
store of  instances of this kind4 ,felix
 ,platerus gives one1 of a woman at     
,basle  who first grieved for the death 
of her son1 and when by this means she  
grew melancholy1 that changed into a    
higher trouble2 she mourns that  her    
sins would not be pardoned1 that ,god   

would not have mercy for her  soul4     
,another1 for some loss of wheat1 first 
vexeth himself for that1  and then at   
last despairs of the happiness of his   
soul2 with a great  many more of that   
kind4#cic    ,sometimes a desperate     
humour doth1 from the same occasion1    
distract  men into a fury2 of which     
,mercerus gives one instance from his   
own  knowledge1 of a person who1 upon   
the distresses which he met with1  fell 
into a rage against ,god1 uttering      
speeches full of horror and  blasphemy1 
not fit to be related4#cid    ,if there 
be such an affinity betwixt distrust of 
providence and  distrust of sonship1    
that the one slides into the other      
naturally2  if this be common to all men
 under troubles1 to suspect their souls2
  if the best do here actually miscarry2
 if those that do not1 yet  hardly      
escape2 and if bystanders commonly give 
this judgment of men in  straits1 that  
there is no help for them in their ,god2
 we cannot but  collect from all this1  

that it is an advantage which ,satan    
will not  neglect1 and that he doth very
 much employ himself to bring it about4 
,the reasons of it are these3--    7#a47
 ,first1 ,distrust of providence hath in
 it the very formal nature  of distrust 
of sonship4 ,if the object of distrust  
were but changed1  it would without any 
further addition work that way4 ,he that
 trusts  providence acknowledgeth that  
,god knoweth his wants1 that he is of a 
merciful inclination to give what he    
sees he hath need of2 that he  hath     
manifested this by promise1 that he is  
so faithful that this  promise cannot be
 neglected1 and that he hath power to do
 what he hath  promised4#cie ,he that   
distrusts providence disbelieves all    
these1  consequentially at least2 and he
 that will not believe that ,god takes  
any care of the body1 or that he is of a
 merciful disposition toward  him1 or   
thinks either he hath made no such      
promise1 or will not keep  it1 if any   
such were made2 cannot believe1 if that 

doubt were but  once started1 that ,god 
is his ,father1 or that he hath interest
 in the  privilege of a son1 seeing it  
is impossible to believe a sonship1     
while  his care1 mercy1 promises1 and   
power are distrusted4 ,in this then     
,satan's work is very easy4 ,it is but  
his moving the question about  the      
,lord's mercy to the soul1 and          
presently1 as when new matter is        
ministered to a raging flame1 it takes  
hold upon it1 and with equal1  nay      
greater1 force it carries the soul to   
distrust spiritual mercies1  as before  
it disbelieved temporal kindnesses4     
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the same reasons1     
which any man doth gather from the      
seeming neglect or opposition of        
providence1 upon which he grounds  his  
distrust of the ,lord's kindness in     
reference to outward things1  will also 
serve as arguments for a distrust of    
spiritual favours4 ,the  distresses of  
men seem to argue--#a4 ,that there is   
sin and provocation  on their part2 #b4 

,and that there is a manifestation of   
anger on  ,god's part2 #c4 ,and from    
these apprehensions ariseth bitterness1 
anxiety1 fear1 and dejection of spirit1 
which intercepts all the help  and      
consolation which might arise from other
 considerations of the  ,lord's promise 
or mercy1 for the quieting of the heart 
and fortifying  it against such         
apprehensions4 ,these same grounds1 with
 the prevailing  fears and perplexities 
arising from them1 are enough to make us
 suspect  that we are not yet under any 
such peculiar favours as may bespeak us 
his children by adoption2 so that from  
the same premises ,satan will  conclude1
 that as he hath no care for our bodies1
 so no love to our  souls2 that we      
neither love ,god nor are beloved of    
him4 ,betwixt the  one conclusion and   
the other there is but a step1 and with 
a small  labour he can cut the channel1 
and let in that very distrust to run    
with all its force against our spiritual
 interest in ,god4    7#c47 ,thirdly1   

,to trust ,god for the soul is a higher 
act than to trust  him for the body4    
,the soul being of greater excellency   
than the body1  and the mercy necessary 
for the happiness of it being more      
precious and  less visible1 it must     
require a higher confidence in ,god to  
assure of  this than satisfy us in the  
other4 ,it is more easy to believe a    
lesser  kindness from a friend than a   
singular or extraordinary favour4 ,he1  
then1 that cannot trust ,god for        
temporal mercies1 shall be more unable  
to believe eternal blessings4 #8,if we  
run with footmen1 and they have  wearied
 us1 shall we be able to contend with   
horsemen8 ,if the shallow  brooks be too
 strong for us1 what shall we do in the 
swellings of  ,jordan8' ,jer4 xii4 #e4  
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,when faith is weakened
 as to one object1 it is so  tainted and
 discouraged that it is generally       
weakened as to all other4  ,if the hand 
be so weakened that it cannot hold a    
ring1 it will be less  able to grasp a  

crown4 ,when we are baffled in our trust
 for temporal  mercies1 if ,satan then  
put us to it not to believe for         
spiritual  blessings1 how can we expect 
but to be much more at a loss in them8  
,so that he is sure of the victory      
before he fights1 and he that is so     
sedulous to take advantage against us   
will not lose so considerable a         
conquest for want of pursuit4 ,there is 
indeed one thing that may seem  fit to  
be objected against this1 which is1 that
 men may retain their  faith in one     
thing when yet they distrust in another1
 as the ,israelites  distrusted the     
power and goodness of ,god for bread and
 flesh in the  wilderness1 when yet they
 believed that as he had given water out
 of  the rock1 so he could do it again  
if there were need3 ,ps4 lxxviii4 #bj1  
#8,he smote the rock1 and the waters    
gushed out2 but can he give bread8'  as 
if they had said1 ,we believe he can    
give water1 but it is impossible  he    
should provide bread4 ,but they that    

would thus object may consider  that the
 reason of men's confidence in one      
thing1 while distrust is in  other      
things prevailing1 is not from any real 
strength of their faith1  but a present 
want of a temptation4 ,if such a        
confidence were put to  it1 it would    
quickly be seen that it were truly      
nothing4 ,as confident  as the          
,israelites were that they could believe
 for a supply of water1  we find that   
neither that experience1 nor the other  
of supplying them  with manna and       
quails1 were sufficient to keep up their
 trust in ,god1  but that at the next   
strait all was to seek3 ver4 #cb1 #8,for
 all this  they sinned still1 and       
believed not for his wondrous works4'   
7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,besides all the        
forementioned advantages that ,satan    
hath  in raising this temptation1 of    
distrusting sonship out of a distrust   
of providence1 we may suppose him the   
more earnest in this matter1  because it
 is so provoking to ,god to distrust his

 providence1 that  he often1 as a just  
chastisement of that evil1 punisheth it 
by giving  them up to distrust him for  
their souls4 ,the height of the         
provocation  may be measured by this1   
that it is not only a denial of ,god    
that is  above1 but usually a vesting   
some mean and contemptible thing with   
those attributes which only suit a ,god 
infinite and eternal4 ,as ,israel  did  
not only forsake the ,almighty by their 
distrust1 but place their  hopes upon   
,ashur1 upon their own horses and       
warlike preparations1 and  at last upon 
the works of their hands1 which they    
called their gods1  ,hosea xiv4 #b1 #c4 
,how offensive this is to the ,lord1 we 
may observe  by that notable check which
 the prophet gave ,ahaz1 ,isa4 vii4 #h1 
#ac1  notwithstanding his compliment of 
refusing a sign1 which ,god offered  him
 for the strengthening of his hope1 upon
 a pretence that he would  trust without
 it1--though indeed he absolutely       
distrusted him1 as  appears by #b       

,chron4 xxviii4 #bj1--that it was a     
weaning#cif and tiring  out the patience
 of a long-suffering ,god3 #8,is it a   
small thing for you  to weary men1 but  
will you weary my ,god also8' ,god is so
 active and  jealous of all             
encroachments of this kind1 that they   
may expect he  will give up such        
offenders to be punished by the terrors 
of a higher  distrust4 ,he that is not  
owned as a ,god in his providences1 will
 not  be owned as a ,father for         
spiritual mercies2 they that will not   
own him  for the body1 shall not be able
 to lay hold upon him or his strength   
to be at peace with him for their souls2
 and by this piece of just  discipline  
he often cures the distrust of          
providence in his children1  who when   
they see themselves plunged into terrors
 and fears about their  everlasting     
welfare1 do not only call ,god just1 and
 accept of the  punishment of their     
iniquity in distrusting him for smaller 
matters1  but now wish with all their   

hearts that they might have no greater  
thing to trouble them than what relates 
to the body or this life4    ,to sum up 
all these reasons in one word3 ,satan   
hath from the  forementioned            
considerations a certain expectation of 
prevalency4 ,for  not only in this case 
doth ,god1 as it were1 fight for him1 by
 giving  them up to distrust their      
filial interest that have provoked him  
by  a distrust of providence1 and our   
faith is also so weakened by the  former
 overthrow that it is not able to       
maintain its ground in a higher  matter2
 but also this distrust carries that in 
the nature and grounds  of it that will 
of itself work up to a disbelief of     
spiritual mercies4  ,he knows1 then1    
that this piece of the victory is an    
easy consequence  of the former2 and we 
may say of it as the prophet ,nahum1    
chap4 iii4  #ab1 of the strongholds of  
,nineveh1 ,it is like #8a fig-tree with 
the  first ripe figs1 if they be shaken1
 they shall even fall into the mouth  of

 the eater4' ,this temptation of        
distrusting our sonship falls into      
,satan's mouth with a little labour1    
when once he hath prevailed so far  as  
to make us distrust the providence of   
,god in outward matters4    ,applic4    
,this must warn and caution us against  
any unbeseeming  unbelieving            
entertainment of jealousy against the   
,lord's providence4  ,we are but too apt
 in our straits to take a greater       
liberty to question  his mercy and      
power1 not foreseeing how closely this  
borders upon a  greater evil4 ,we may   
say of it1 as the apostle speaks of     
#8babbling in  controversies1' that they
 #8lead to more ungodliness1' and that  
such  words #8eat as a canker1' #b ,tim4
 ii4 #ag2 so doth this distrust usually 
carry us further1 and when we fall out  
with ,god for small matters1 he  will be
 angry in earnest1 and withdraw from us 
our consolations in  greater4 ,in the   
depth of your distresses1 when your     
fears are round  about you1 and ,god    

seems to compass you about with his     
net1--when  lover and friend forsakes1  
and when there is no appearance of help1
  endeavour1 for the keeping hold of    
your interest in ,god1 to behave        
yourselves according to the following   
directions3--    #a4 ,first1 ,look upon 
the providences of ,god to be as a great
 deep1  the bottom of whose ways and    
designs you cannot reach4 ,think of them
  as of a mystery1 which indeed you must
 study1 but not throw away1  because you
 cannot at first understand it4         
,providences are not to be  dealt with  
as ,alexander did by ,gordius his knot1 
who when he could not  loose it he cut  
it4 ,if you see not the end of the      
,lord1 or cannot meet  with a door of   
hope in it1 yet #8lay your hand upon    
your mouth1' speak  not1 think not evil 
of things you know not1 but wait till   
the time of  their #8bringing forth4'   
#b4 ,secondly1 ,you must keep up in your
 hearts high and honourable  thoughts of
 ,god1 yea1 of his mercy and goodness1  

and where you cannot  see your way1 or  
,god's way1 before you1 yet1 as it were 
by a kind of  implicit faith1 must you  
believe that he is holy and good in all 
his  ways4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,though you 
may read your sins or ,god's displeasure
  in them1 and accordingly endeavour to 
humble yourselves and call  yourselves  
vile1 yet must it be always remembered  
that eternal love or  eternal hatred is 
not to be measured by them4    #d4      
,fourthly1 ,restrain complainings4 ,it  
is indeed an ease to  complain2 #8,i    
will speak1' saith ,job1 #8that ,i may  
be refreshed1' chap4  xxxii4 #bj2       
notwithstanding a vent being given1 it  
is difficult to keep  within bounds4    
,our complainings entice us to distrust1
 as may appear in  ,job1 who took a     
boldness this way more than was fit1 as 
chap4 x4 #c1 #8,is  it good unto thee   
that thou shouldest oppress1 and that   
thou shouldest  despise the work of     
thine hands8'    ,all this hath been    
said in the opening of the temptation   

itself4 ,now  must ,i consider the      
motive that ,satan used to bring on the 
temptation  by1 #8,if thou be the ,son  
of ,god1' c4    ,the question that is   
here moved by some is1 whether ,satan   
really knew  or truly doubted ,christ to
 be the ,son of ,god4 ,several learned  
men think  that he was in doubt1#cig and
 the reasons are variously conjectured4 
,cyprian conceives that the unity of the
 two natures in one person did  blind   
him2 he knew it to be impossible that   
the divine nature should  hunger1 and   
might think it strange that the human   
nature should fast so  long4#cih        
,cornelius a-,lapide thinks that ,satan 
knew that there should  be two natures  
united in one person1 and that this     
occasioned ,satan's  fall1 while he     
proudly stomached the exaltation of the 
human nature2  but he imagines ,satan's 
doubt arose from a doubtful sense of    
that  phrase1 #8,this is my beloved     
,son1' as not knowing whether ,christ   
were  the natural or an adopted son of  

,god4    ,but notwithstanding these     
apprehensions1 others conceive that     
,satan  knew very well who ,christ was1 
and that being privy to so many things  
relating to him1 as the promises which  
went before and directly pointed  out   
the time1 the angel's salutation of     
,mary at his conception1 the  star that 
conducted the wise men to him1 the      
testimony from heaven  concerning him1  
with a great many things more1 he could 
not possibly be  ignorant that he was   
the ,messias and the ,son of ,god by    
nature4 ,neither  doth that expression1 
#8,if thou be the ,son of ,god1' imply  
any doubting1  seeing that that is      
usually expressive of the greatest      
certainty  and assurance1 as in the     
speech of ,lamech1 #8,if ,cain shall be 
avenged  sevenfold1' that is1 as        
certainly he shall be avenged2 so ,satan
 might  use it to this sense1 #8,if1 or 
seeing thou art the ,son of ,god4' ,now1
  whereas it may seem strange that he   
should set upon ,christ1 if he knew  who

 he was1 ,i have answered that before1  
and shall here only add that  though    
,satan did believe ,christ to be the    
,son of ,god1 yet so strongly  did the  
power of malice work in him1 that he    
would have had him to have  doubted that
 he was not so4 ,from all this we have  
this observation1    ,obs4 #ae4 ,that   
the great design of ,satan is to weaken 
the assurance  and hopes of the children
 of ,god in their adoption4    ,this is 
the masterpiece of his design1 the very 
centre in which most  of his devices    
meet4 ,we may say of him as ,esau said  
of ,jacob1 #8,is he  not rightly called 
,jacob1 a supplanter8' ,genesis xxvii4  
#cf2 he first  stole away our birthright
 at the creation1 and now he seeks to   
take  away our blessing in ,christ the  
,redeemer4    ,the reasons of this      
undertaking ,i shall not here insist on4
 ,it is  sufficiently obvious that the  
greatest perplexity and sorrow ariseth  
to the children of ,god from hence1 and 
that a troop of other spiritual  evils1 

as impatience1 fury1 blasphemy1 and many
 more1 doth follow it at  the heels1    
besides all that inability for service1 
and at last plain  neglect of all duty4 
,all ,i shall further do at this time   
shall be to  shew in a few particulars1 
from ,satan's carriage to ,christ in    
this  temptation1 how and after what    
manner he doth manage that design1 in   
which note3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,that it 
is his design to sever us from the      
promise1 and to  weaken our faith in    
that4 ,when ,eve was tempted1 this was  
that he aimed  at1 that she should      
question the good earnest of the        
prohibition1 #8,hath  ,god said so8'    
,was he real in that command1 that you  
should not eat at  all8 c4 ,the like he 
doth to ,christ1 #8,is it true8 or can  
it be so as  that voice declared1 that  
thou art the ,son of ,god8'    7#b47    
,secondly1 ,though this be his design1  
yet his way to come to it is  not at    
first to deny it1 but to question and   
inquire2 yet after such  a manner as may

 imply and withal suggest a doubting or 
suspicion that  it is not so4 ,he doth  
not come to ,christ thus1 #8,thou art   
not the ,son  of ,god2 or that voice    
that gave thee that testimony was but a 
lie or a  delusion2' but he rather      
proceeds by questioning1 which might    
seem to  grant that he was so1 yet      
withal might possibly beget a doubt in  
his  mind4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,next he  
more plainly suggests something that may
 seem  to argue the contrary2 for thus  
he aggravates ,christ's present         
condition of want1 #8,can it be that    
,god would leave thee to these          
oppressing straits1 if thou wert his    
,son8' ,at this rate he deals with  us1 
improving the failure of outward means  
of help1 the permission  of temptation1 
the want of comfort1 the continuance of 
affliction1  notwithstanding prayers1   
c41 as probabilities that we belong not 
to  ,god4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,after    
this he urgeth ,christ to a sinful      
miscarriage1 to  distrust providence1   

and to rely no longer on the care of his
 ,father4  ,if ,christ had been         
prevailed with in this1 he would have   
made use of  it as an argument to prove 
that he was not the ,son of ,god indeed4
 ,it  is usual in his disputings with us
 about adoption1 to put us upon         
something which may be as an argument   
out of our own mouths against us4       
,christ might have answered him in this 
as the man answered ,joab1 #8,if ,i     
should do so1 then thou thyself wouldst 
set thyself against me4'    7#e47       
,fifthly1 ,when at last he hath         
gradually ascended to that  confidence  
as to deny our adoption1 then1 at a very
 great  disadvantage1 he puts us upon   
the proof1 in which he puts by the      
ordinary evidences1 and insists on      
extraordinary proofs as necessary4  ,the
 servants of the ,lord that are under   
this exercise1 do find that in  this    
case the ordinary evidences of          
repentance1 mortification1 love  to the 
brethren1 c41 do nothing for them4      

,satan puts their spirit  upon          
clamouring for higher evidences4        
,nothing will serve except they  may    
view the records of eternity1 and read  
their names enrolled in  the everlasting
 decrees1 or except ,god will speak from
 heaven in an  extraordinary way1 to    
testify of them1 as ,thomas resolved    
that no less  should satisfy his doubt  
than the feeling and seeing of the print
 of  the nails4 ,to this purpose some   
stand upon no less than a miracle  for  
proof of sonship4 ,of which we have two 
instances of later years1  the one ,mrs 
,honywood1 the other ,mrs ,sarah        
,wight1#cii who in their  distresses for
 their souls were tempted by ,satan to  
make a hasty  experiment1 the one by    
throwing a ,venice glass1 the other by  
throwing  a cup against the wall1 with  
this or the like expression1 #8,if ,i   
must  be saved1 then let not this glass 
break'--a desperate temptation6 ,their  
manner of desiring satisfaction is so   
provoking1 that it cannot be  expected  

,god will give an answer by it1 but     
rather the contrary2 and  if he should  
not condescend1 as he is not            
bound--though he strangely  preserved   
the cup and glass fore-mentioned from   
breaking--what a  dangerous conclusion  
would ,satan draw from it6 ,of this     
nature and  design was that proposal of 
,satan's to ,christ1 #8,command that    
these  stones be made bread1' that is1  
do it as a proof of thy sonship4        
,applic4 ,by this we must learn this    
skill1 not too easily to give  up our   
hopes1 or to be prodigal of our interest
 in ,christ1 so as to  part with it     
slenderly4 ,if ,satan would chiefly rob 
us of this1 we  may learn thence to put 
a price upon these jewels1 and to       
account  that precious1 and of singular 
concernment1 which he useth so much     
cunning to bereave us of4 ,many of the  
,lord's servants may justly blame       
themselves for their lavish             
unthriftiness in this matter1 who1 as if
 it  were a necessary piece of humility 

or modesty1 will readily conclude       
against themselves that they are not    
,god's children1 that they are not  yet 
converted1 c4 ,thus1 at unawares1 they  
give up to ,satan without a  stroke all 
that he seeks for4    ,quest4 ,but you  
will say1 ,must all men be confident of 
adoption8    ,ans4 ,no1 ,i mean not so2 
yet all men must be wary how they cast  
away  their hopes4 ,particularly1    #a4
 ,first1 ,though it be a dangerous      
arrogancy for a sinful1 wicked  creature
 to bear himself up in a belief that he 
is converted and  actually instated into
 the adoption of sons2 yet it is as     
dangerous1  on the other hand1 for that 
man to cast off all hope1 and to say he 
is  reprobated1 and such a one as cannot
 expect pardon and grace4    #b4        
,secondly1 ,those that are converted1   
though they may and ought to  humble    
themselves deeply for their sinful      
miscarriage1 and sincerely  acknowledge 
that they deserve not to be called his  
children1 yet must  they be careful not 

to renounce their filial interest4 ,they
 may say  they are prodigal1 yet keep to
 this1 that they are sons2 though they  
are wandering sheep1 yet must they stick
 here1 that they are sheep  still1 and  
that ,god is still a ,father1 though a  
provoked ,father1  otherwise their folly
 will give more than all his fury could 
get1 at  least so quickly and easily4   
,,chapter ,,xiii4    ,then the devil    
taketh him up into the holy city1 and   
setteth him on  the pinnacle of the     
temple4--,mat4 iv4 #e4     ,the         
preparation to the second               
temptation4--,of his nimbleness to catch
   advantages from our answers to       
temptation4--,that ,satan carried       
,christ   in the air4--,of his power to 
molest the bodies of ,god's             
children4--,how   little the supposed   
holiness of places privilegeth us from  
,satan4--,of   ,satan's policy in       
seeming to countenance imaginary        
defences4--,of his   pretended flight in
 such cases1 with the reasons of that   

policy4--,of   his improving a          
temptation to serve several ends4       
,i omit ,christ's answer to the first   
temptation at present1 purposing to     
handle his answers to all the           
temptations together4 ,and now the      
second  temptation is before us1 in     
which1 first1 ,i shall observe a few    
things  in ,satan's preparation to the  
temptation1 which takes in #a4 ,the     
time2  #b4 ,the manner of his carrying  
him2 #c4 ,the place where he acted it4  
7#a47 ,first1 ,for the time4 ,that is   
noted in the word #8then1' which #a4    
,points at the immediate succession of  
this to the former assault4 ,the        
evangelist ,luke puts this temptation   
last1 but he only had respect to  the   
substance of the temptation in his      
narration2 not regarding the  order of  
them1 which ,matthew hath punctually    
observed1 as appears by  his close      
connecting of them1 with the particles  
#8then' and #8again1'  ver4 #e1 #h4     
,besides1 whosoever shall consider that 

in the first1 ,satan  tempted ,christ to
 distrust1 which he repelled by telling 
him that it  was his duty1 in the       
failure of outward means1 to rely upon  
divine  providence1 seeing man lives not
 by bread alone1 c41 he will see so     
much of connexion in the matter of the  
temptations that he will easily         
persuade himself that the second place  
belongs to this1 for this is  but1 as it
 were1 a fit and pertinent reply to     
,christ's refusal2 as if  ,satan had    
said1 #8,since thou wilt rely upon the  
help and providence of  ,god in an      
extraordinary way of working1 give an   
experiment of that by  casting thyself  
down1 which thou mayest with greater    
confidence do1  because he hath promised
 an extraordinary help1 and hath given  
his  angels charge concerning thee1' c4 
,hence observe1    ,obs4 #a4 ,that      
,satan is not discouraged easily1 nor   
doth he always  desist upon the first   
repulse1 but frequently renews the      
assault when  he is strongly and        

resolutely resisted4    ,this word1     
#8then1' doth also #b4 ,tell us of      
,satan's nimbleness in  catching a      
present advantage for a new temptation  
from ,christ's answer4  ,he declared his
 trust in providence2 this he presently 
lays hold on as  a fit opportunity to   
tempt him to presumption4 ,here note1   
,obs4 #b4 ,that when ,satan is upon any 
design1 if an occasional  advantage     
occur from our way of refusal1 he will  
not let it slip1 but  improves it to    
what it may lead to1 though it be       
contrary to that which  he was first    
labouring for4    ,this was the policy  
which ,benhadad's servants used in their
 address to  ,ahab1 #a ,kings xx4 #cc2  
the men did diligently observe whether  
anything  would come from him1 and did  
hastily catch it4 ,if anything come from
  us we are under his temptation1 he is 
diligent to observe it1 and  prosecutes 
it accordingly2 which may serve to      
satisfy the wonder that  some have      
concerning the contrariety in the       

temptations to which they  are urged4   
,they admire how it comes to pass that  
their temptations  should so suddenly   
alter1 that when ,satan seems to be so  
intent upon  one design1 he should so   
quickly change1 and urge them presently 
to a  different or contrary thing2 but  
they may know that the devil watcheth   
the wind1 and spreads his sail according
 to the advantage which ariseth  from   
our answer or repulse4 ,so that if we   
would but plough with our own  heifer1  
and observe our frame of spirit1 we     
should easily find out this  riddle4    
,for as it is in disputings and arguings
 of men1 replies beget  new matter for  
answer1 and so do they multiply one     
another2 thus are  temptations altered  
and multiplied1 and out of the ashes of 
one assault  repelled1 another doth     
quickly spring up4    ,the second       
circumstance of preparation is1 ,satan's
 taking him up  and setting him on the  
temple4 ,that this was not a visionary  
or an  imaginary thing1 hath been proved

 before4 ,yet granting it to have been  
real1 as in truth it seems to have been1
 it is disputed what was the  modus1 the
 way and manner of it4 ,some think this 
was no more than  ,christ's voluntary   
following of ,satan1 who guided and     
conducted the  way2#djj partly because  
the words  and  are in  ,scripture      
accommodated to a man's taking of any as
 a companion under  his guide and       
conduct of the way1 and to a disposal of
 them in any kind  of station4 ,thus1   
where it is said1 #8,joseph took ,mary  
and the young  child to go to ,egypt1'  
,mat4 ii4 #ac1 the same word is used2   
and when  ,christ tells his disciples   
that they shall bring the ass and the   
colt  which they should find tied1 the  
same word which expresseth ,christ      
being set on the temple is there used1  
,mat4 xxii4 #b4 ,partly also1 they      
think it below the dignity of ,christ to
 be thus violently hurried4    ,others  
think that ,satan was permitted to take 
up the body of ,christ1  and by his     

power to have conveyed him in the air2  
and indeed the whole  series of the     
narration1 with all the circumstances   
thereof1 are  evident for it4 ,the      
distances of places1 the quickness and  
speediness  of the removals1 the more   
proper applications of the words1       
#8taking'  and #8setting1' to ,satan as 
the actor1 and the declaration of his   
power  therein1 as able to do great     
things2 these make the matter so clear1 
that it seems to be an unnatural forcing
 of the text to give it any  other      
interpretation4 ,besides1 the former    
opinion of ,satan's taking  of ,christ1 
as a manuductor or guide1 seems every   
way unreasonable2  for if ,christ only  
followed ,satan1 then it must have been 
either by a  land journey on foot or in 
the air4 ,this latter it could not be2  
for  if ,christ had supported himself in
 the air by his own power1 he had       
anticipated the temptation1 and it would
 have been folly and madness  for ,satan
 to have urged him to fly in the air1   

after such an evidence  of his power2   
and who can imagine that ,christ        
followed ,satan on foot  from the       
wilderness to the temple1 or that his   
access to the roof of  the temple was so
 easy1 in such a way when the temple was
 always so  strictly guarded8 ,note1    
hence1    ,obs4 #c4 ,that ,satan is     
sometime permitted to exercise his power
 upon  the bodies of those that are dear
 to ,god4 ,that he hath power to carry  
the bodies of men in the air1 is        
sufficiently confirmed by what he  doth 
frequently to witches1 who are usually  
carried1 if we can give  any credit to  
the stories that are writ of them1 in   
the air1 to places  far remote from     
their dwellings1 equitatio cum ,diana   
aut ,herodiade4  ,and that this power is
 permitted him upon others1 than such as
 are in  compact with him1 is as evident
 from what is testified of those whose  
forward curiosity hath led to imitate   
witches in their anointings1  who have  
thereupon been conveyed after them to   

their assemblies1 and  when the company 
hath been suddenly dismissed1 they have 
been found  many miles distant from     
their dwellings2 such instances we have 
in  ,bodin1 and among other things that 
of ,domina ,rossa mentioned by him1     
whom ,satan would sometime bind to a    
tree1 sometime to a table1 or to  a     
bed's-foot1 or to a manger1 sometime one
 hand bound to another2 the  devil thus 
molested her from eight years old1 a    
long time4#dja ,this  power of conveying
 persons in the air is not usual1 yet   
there are some  in this                 
place--,newcastle--that have known one  
frequently molested by  ,satan at this  
rate4 ,however1 if we take notice of his
 power to abuse  the bodies of holy     
persons more generally1 we shall find it
 frequent4  ,mary ,magdelene was        
possessed2 ,christ mentions a daughter  
of ,abraham  bowed down by him many     
years2 ,job was filled with botches and 
sores2  and there are many diseases     
wherein ,satan hath a greater hand than 

is commonly imagined4 ,physicians       
frequently conclude so much1 while  they
 observe some distempers to elude such  
remedies as are usually  successful upon
 other persons under the same diseases4 
,applic4 ,from this we may infer1 #a4   
,the great power of ,satan2 who  can    
tell the extent of it8 doubtless1 if he 
were permitted1 we should  see sad      
instances hereof daily4 #b4 ,this       
discovers the wonderful care  and       
providence of ,god over us in our       
preservation from his fury4 #c4  ,we may
 further note that the abuse of the     
bodies of men by ,satan1 will  be no    
evidence that therefore ,god doth       
disregard them1 or that they are  not   
precious to him4 ,christ did undergo    
this abuse1 to give such as  shall be so
 molested1 some comfort in his example4 
,the third circumstance1 which is that  
of place1 is set down first  in general1
 #8the holy city1' that is ,jerusalem1  
for so ,luke speaks  expressly1 ,luke   
iv4 #i4 ,jerusalem was so called1       

because of ,god's  worship there        
established1 and his peculiar presence  
there2 but that  it should be called so 
at this time may seem strange1 seeing it
 might  now be lamented as of old1      
#8,how is the faithful city become an   
harlot6  ,righteousness lodged in it1   
but now murderers1' ,isa4 i4 #ba4 ,in   
answer  to this1 we must know that ,god 
having not yet given her a bill of      
divorce1 he is pleased to continue her  
title and privilege4 ,this might  be    
profitably improved2 but ,i will not    
suffer myself to be diverted  from the  
matter of temptation1 which is the only 
thing ,i propound to  prosecute from    
hence4 ,i shall here only observe1      
,obs4 #d4 ,that the holiness or sanctity
 of a place will be no  privilege       
against temptations4 ,he is not so      
fearful1 as many imagine1  as that he   
dares not approach a churchyard or a    
church2 neither place  nor duty can keep
 him off4 ,i do not believe the popish  
fiction of their  ,st ,bennet's vision1 

wherein they tell of his seeing but one 
devil in  a market1 and ten in a        
monastery2 yet ,i question not the truth
 of  this1 that the devil is as busy at 
a sermon or prayer as at any other      
employment4    ,but to search a little  
further into this matter1 it seems      
undeniable  that ,satan had a design in 
reference to the place1 of which        
afterward2  and ,i see no reason to     
exclude our suspicion of a design from  
the  name and title which the evangelist
 here gives to ,jerusalem4 ,it is  an   
expression which1 to my remembrance1 we 
meet not with oft in the  ,new          
,testament4 ,at the suffering of        
,christ1 when the bodies of the  saints 
arose out of their graves1 it is said   
#8they went into the holy  city1' ,mat4 
xxvii4 #ec2 but it is evident that it is
 there so styled  upon special design1  
as if the evangelist would by that point
 at the  staining of their glory1 and   
that in a little time their boast of the
  temple and holy city should cease1 and

 that all should be polluted  with the  
carcases of the slain4 ,and by the same 
reason may we suppose  that ,satan1     
intending for ,christ a temptation of   
presumption1 and  backing it with the   
promise of a guard of angels1 had in his
 eye the  usual confidence that the     
,jews had of that city1 as a place where
 the  presence of angels might be more  
expected than elsewhere4 ,so that it    
seems ,satan intended to impose upon    
,christ a confidence in order to        
presumption4 ,from the privilege of the 
place1 here observe1    ,obs4 #e4 ,that 
,satan is willing to gratify us with    
nominal and  imaginary privileges and   
defences against himself4 ,he will      
willingly  allow us such defences as are
 altogether insignificant and delusive1 
and his policy here is centred upon     
these two things3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,he
 doth industriously prompt us to        
self-devised  inventions1 such as were  
never appointed or blessed of ,god to   
any such  use2 but only found out by the

 bold superstitions of men4 ,of this we 
have an instance in ,balak1 who carried 
,baalam from place to place in  his     
prosecution of his design of cursing    
,israel2 neither can we imagine  that a 
commodious prospect of ,israel was all  
he aimed at1 seeing he  discovers his   
mind in this variation of places1       
#8,peradventure it will  please ,god    
that thou mayest curse them from        
thence1' ,num4 xxiii4  #bg2 clearly     
implying that he had a confidence that  
the place might  contribute something to
 his design1 and that there was some    
inherent  virtue in those consecrated   
places2 and therefore did he begin with 
the high-places of ,baal1 and then to   
the held of ,zophim1 and then to  the   
top of ,peor1 ,num4 xxii4 #bg1 xxiii4   
#ad1 #bh4 ,among the papists we  find   
too much of this4 ,what power they      
attribute to holy water1 blessed  salt1 
sign of the cross1 hallowed earth1      
consecrated places1 relics1  baptized   
bells1 exorcisms1 and abundance of such 

stuff1 may be seen in  many of their    
writings1 too tedious to be related4#djb
    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he is also willing
 that men use those real defences  and  
helps which ,god hath commanded1 so that
 they use them in a formal  manner1     
which indeed deprives them of all the   
life and efficacy that  might be        
expected from an instituted means4 ,thus
 he readily permits  ignorant persons1  
without any disturbance or molestation1 
to use the  repetition of the ,lord's   
prayer1 ten commandments1 and creed1 or 
any  other prayer1 while they persuade  
themselves that the very saying of  the 
words is a sufficient defence against   
the devil all that day4    ,the reasons 
of ,satan's policy in such              
gratifications are these3--    #a4      
,first1 ,while we are kept doing with   
these1 we are diverted from  that which 
might be really helpful4 ,he puts a     
broken reed into our  hand1 that we     
might be deprived of a staff4           
,experience confirms this4  ,those that1

 with greatest devotion1 use these empty
 inventions1 are  usually careless in   
the use of ,god's own appointments4     
#b4 ,secondly1 ,besides that he thus    
betrays them by these lying helps1  he  
doth by this means cast them on a       
further iniquity of idolising  these    
foolish calves of their own invention4  
,in this case men have  a presumptuous  
expectation from such usages of that    
which ,god never  promised to do by     
them1 neither ever entered into his     
heart so to do1  seeing he answers them 
all with this1 #8,who hath required     
these things  at your hands8' ,isa4 i4  
#ab4 ,and accordingly their consciences 
are  more concerned for the omission of 
one of these fooleries1 than for  the   
neglect of the greater things of the    
law4 ,such are more troubled  for the   
neglect of the sign of the cross or holy
 water1 than for their  constant        
carelessness and want of faith1 by which
 their hearts should  be guarded against
 their enemy4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,in the  

meantime he makes work for his own      
triumph over  them that dote upon these 
sottish inventions4 ,if we can suppose  
,satan  to have pleasure or mirth at    
anything1 we may be sure he will laugh  
at such preparations for a spiritual    
welfare1#djc it being as truly          
ridiculous for any man to go out with   
these weapons against ,satan1 as  for a 
combatant to assail a giant with a paper
 helmet1 a wicker shield1  and a wooden 
dagger4 ,and indeed when ,satan         
counterfeits a flight or  fear of such  
matters1 as for his advantage he        
sometimes doth1 it is  but in design to 
beget or confirm in men a confidence of 
a virtue or  strength in these usages   
against his power1 that so they may fix 
upon  them to the neglect of ,god's own 
institutions1 which he most dreads4     
,thus we read that he cunningly ceased  
his oracle at ,daphne upon a  pretence  
of the silencing power of the bones of  
the martyr ,babilas1  which were buried 
near the place1 on purpose to lead      

unwary ,christians  to the adoration of 
saints and their relics4#djd ,many such 
instances  we have in ,sprenger1 of the 
devil's feigned flight at the sign of   
the  cross1 the sprinkling of holy      
water1 the angelical salutation1 ,st    
,bernard's staff1 or certain words and  
verses hung about the neck4#dje  ,and a 
great deal of such stuff we may meet    
with in most of their  writers1 all     
which are but cunning contrivances of   
,satan1 to advance a  belief of the     
virtue of these things2 and so to stop  
men there1 to the  neglect of those     
spiritual weapons which the ,scripture  
recommends4    ,these we have observed  
from the place in general1 #8the holy   
city4'  ,let us go on to the place in   
particular where ,satan acted all this1 
#8the pinnacle of the temple4' ,various 
are the conjectures of men  about this1 
whether it were some fane1 or the top of
 some spire1 or  the place whence the   
apostle ,james was thrown down1 or the  
top of the  king's porch1 which was     

erected to a great height over a deep   
valley1  or some battlement1 c4 ,but we 
are not concerned in such inquiries2    
only here shall ,i take notice of       
,scultetus1 who1 supposing the place  to
 be the top of a fane or spire1 and     
reading in ,josephus that the  points of
 such broaches were so sharp that a bird
 could not rest upon  them without      
piercing its foot1 was therefore willing
 to conclude that  these temptations    
were not really and historically acted1 
but in vision  only4#djf ,all this      
ariseth from a wrong interpretation of 1
  which our ,english renders pinnacle1  
whereas it properly signifies  any      
battlement or angular prominency1       
jutting out over the rest like a  wing1 
which would afford a sufficient footing 
and support4#djg    ,it is more         
profitable to inquire after ,satan's    
reason for the choice  of such a place4 
,no question but it was upon design1 for
 else he might  with equal convenience  
have tempted ,christ to cast himself    

down from  some tree or precipice in the
 wilderness2 but then what that design  
was1 is not so easy to determine4 ,it   
seems plain that he might suppose  that 
,christ might be the rather animated to 
the undertaking of flying  in the air by
 the hopes of glory which might be      
expected from such a  performance before
 so many spectators4 ,but some think    
that he had a  design also upon the men 
of ,jerusalem1 and intended some        
delusion to  the ,jews1#djh which ,i am 
not unwilling to close with1 partly     
because  the experiences that we have of
 his devices assure us that in one      
temptation his ends are oft manifold2   
and ,i cannot but think that  ,satan    
would make all things sure1 and provide1
 in his projecting mind1  against all   
events4 ,for if ,christ should have     
yielded and evidenced  so great a power 
in the sight of all the people1 it might
 have been a  conviction general that he
 was the ,messiah1 about that time      
universally  expected2 and partly ,i am 

ready to think so1 because1 in case     
,christ  had done so1 it lay so fair to 
confirm the ,jews in a misapprehension  
of  the personal coming of ,elias1 of   
whom they understood the prophecy of    
,mal4 iii4 #a1 #8,behold1 ,i will send  
my messenger2 and he shall prepare  the 
way before me2 and the ,lord whom ye    
seek shall suddenly come to his  temple1
 even the messenger of the              
covenant4'#dji ,if the ,jews expected   
,elias to come from heaven to the       
temple1 how strongly would they have    
been confirmed in this opinion if they  
had seen a man fly from the  temple in  
the air2 and by this means ,john the    
,baptist1 who was the  ,elias that was  
to come1 should have been neglected1 and
 ,christ himself1  though honoured as   
,elias1 not owned for the ,messiah4     
,obs4 #f4 ,observe then1 ,that ,satan's 
designs are large1 and that he  projects
 the ensnaring or deluding of others by 
such temptations as  seem only to       
concern those that are under the        

immediate trouble of  them4 ,he tempts  
,christ to cast himself down1 and also  
by it1 at least1  intends a delusion to 
the ,jews4 ,he tempts one man upon the  
back of  another4 ,one is tempted to    
error2 another by that man's temptation 
is  tempted to atheism and rejecting of 
all religion4 ,one man is tempted to    
profaneness1 another is tempted by that 
to an uncharitable disrespect  of him4  
,it is easy to multiply instance of     
this4          ,,chapter ,,xiv4         
,that presumption was the chief design  
of this temptation4--,of tempting   to  
extremes4--,what presumption is4--,the  
several ways of presuming4--,the        
frequency of this temptation1 in the    
generality of professors1 in            
hypocrites1 despairing persons1 and in  
the children of ,god4--,the   reasons of
 ,satan's industry in this design4--,his
 deceitful contrivance   in bringing    
about this sin4--,preservatives against 
it4      ,next to the preparation which 
,satan made for the second conflict1    

already explained1 the temptation       
intended offers itself to our view1     
which is this1 #8,cast thyself down4'   
,what ,satan chiefly intended by  it1 we
 may collect from ,christ's answer1 as  
well as from the thing  itself2 for he  
thus replies1 #8,it is written1 ,thou   
shalt not tempt the  ,lord thy ,god4'   
,christ doth not use this scripture to  
any such sense  as this1 that he should 
hereby prohibit ,satan to tempt him     
because he  was ,satan's ,lord and ,god2
 but he mentioned this scripture as a   
rule  of obedience3 as if he should say1
 #8,i may not cast myself down1 and  so 
rely on extraordinary help1 seeing ,i   
can go down another way2' for  the      
neglect of ordinary means1 when we have 
them1 is a tempting of  ,god1 which may 
not be done4 ,so that it appears by     
this1 that ,satan  here tempted ,christ 
to presumption4 ,there is only this     
objection in  our way1 that ,deut4 vi4  
#af1 the place by ,christ cited1 refers 
to the  temptation of the ,israelites in

 ,massah1 mentioned ,exod4 xvii4 #b1    
where  they chide with ,moses for water2
 and there it would seem their tempting 
the ,lord was rather in despairing of   
his power and help than presuming  in   
the neglect of the ordinary means4 ,i   
answer1 though the occasion  and matter 
of that temptation be different from    
this of ,christ's1 yet  the presumptuous
 experiment that they there made of     
,god's presence  and power was the same 
with this which ,satan designed2 for    
ver4 #g1  where the account of that     
tempting is given1 it is said1 #8because
 they  tempted the ,lord1 saying1 ,is   
the ,lord among us or not8' they put it 
to this issue1 that the being and power 
of ,god should be tried by the  giving  
or not giving of water4 ,the manner1    
then1 of that temptation  being so      
agreeable to this1 ,christ very         
pertinently applies that  command to it1
 presumption being the thing which      
,christ was tempted  to4 ,it might      
occasion some wonder in us to see ,satan

 take such strange  steps4 ,he was      
before tempting him to despair1 now to  
presumption2 but  it is no argument of  
his lightness or uncertain roving in his
 way of  tempting1 but rather of his    
depth and subtlety4 ,note then1    ,obs4
 #g4 ,that it is ,satan's policy in     
tempting1 to run from one  extreme to   
another4 ,the ,corinthians were first   
tempted to a sinful  compliance with the
 adulterous person1 and were averse to  
his  excommunication2 afterwards they   
were tempted to the contrary severity1  
and were as backward to receive him     
again4 ,the same men that have been     
overcome by prodigality and excess1 when
 they begin to see the evil  of that1   
are oft tempted to worldliness or       
covetousness1 the contrary  disposition4
 ,reasons of this policy are3--    7#a47
 ,first1 ,the avoiding of one extreme   
gives the soul such a swing1  if care be
 not used to prevent it1 that they are  
cast more than half  way upon the other4
 ,peter1 in an extreme of modesty1      

refused the  washing of his feet by     
,christ2 but when he understood the     
danger1 then  he runs as far wrong      
another way--#8,not my feet only1 but my
 hands and  my head1' ,john xiii4 #i4   
,thus some are so for purity of         
churches1 that  they exclude the weak2  
others so for unity1 that they admit the
 open  scandalous and profane4    7#b47 
,secondly1 ,while men avoid one extreme 
by running into another1  they carry    
with them such strong impressions of the
 evil they would  avoid1 and such fierce
 prejudices1 that it is not an ordinary 
conviction will bring them right1 but   
they are apt to be confident of  the    
goodness of the way they take1 and so   
are the more bold and fixed  in their   
miscarriage4    ,presumption being the  
great design of ,satan in this          
temptation1 we may  further observe3--  
,obs4 #h4 ,that as distrust on the one  
hand1 so presumption on the  other1 is  
one of his grand designs4 ,of these two1
 we may say as it was  said of the sword

 of ,hazael and ,jehu1 that of all those
 that are slain  by the devil1 whosoever
 hath escaped the sword of distrust and 
despair1  the sword of presumption hath 
slain4 ,to explain this ,i shall1    #a4
 ,first1 ,shew what presumption is4 ,it 
is in the general a  confidence without 
a ground4 #a4 ,first1 ,it is made up of 
audacity--which is a bold and daring    
undertaking of a thing--and  security4  
#b4 ,secondly1 ,the ground of it is an  
error of  judgment4 ,a blind or a misled
 judgment doth always nourish it2 and   
this is either a mistake of the nature  
of such means on which we rely  for     
assistance1 as when a man lays as much  
stress upon a thread as  upon a cable1  
or expects as much nourishment from a   
stone as from  bread2#daj or a mistake  
of the will of others1 from whom we     
expect  aid and help1 without a warrant 
for such a confidence4 #c4 ,thirdly1    
,in its way of working it is directly   
opposite to distrust1 and is a  kind of 
excessive though irregular hope2 not    

that in this case a man  believes or    
hopes overmuch1 for there can be no     
excess properly in the  exercise of     
divine graces1 but that he hopes too    
rashly or lightly1  without a solid     
foundation or reason4#daa ,hope hath for
 its object  that which is good under   
the considerations of futurity1         
possibility1  and difficulty4 ,on the   
one side1 desperation looks upon that   
good as  future1 but under so great a   
difficulty that it forgets the          
possibility  of it1 and thereupon       
surceaseth all endeavours4 ,presumption1
 on the  other hand1 is so keenly       
apprehensive of the possibility1 that it
  never regards the difficulty1 and so  
thrusts forward into irregular          
endeavours or expectations4 ,the nature 
of this will be better  understood when 
the particular instances of presumption 
are before us4    7#a47 ,first1 ,then it
 is presumption1 when from external or  
subordinate  means men expect that for  
which they were never designed nor      

appointed  of ,god4 ,to expect #8grapes 
of thorns or figs of thistles1' would be
 a  presumption1 because ,god never     
designed them for such fruits2 and no   
less is it when in any other case men   
look for high and extraordinary  things 
from any created good above what ,god   
hath put into it by the law  of         
creation4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,when men 
do expect those fruits and effects from 
anything unto which it is appointed1 in 
neglect or opposition to the  supreme   
cause1 without whose concurrent         
influence they cannot reach  their      
proper ends--that is1 our hopes are     
wholly centred upon means1  when in the 
meantime our eye is not upon ,god4 ,thus
 #8to make gold  our hope1' ,job xxxi4  
#bd1 #8to make flesh our arm1' ,jer4    
xvii4 #e1 #8to  make ,ashur a saviour1' 
,hosea xiv4 #c1 or to trust to any      
creatures  whatsoever1 is in ,scripture 
condemned as a presumptuous reliance1   
and1  in regard of the necessary        
disappointment1 #8a trusting in a lie2' 

in  which sense it is said that #8every 
man is a liar1' ,ps4 lxii4 #i4 ,the     
like presumption it is when we boast    
great things of ourselves1 and1 as      
,peter1 make confident engagements1 in  
our own strength1 that we will  avoid   
such a sin or perform such a duty2 for  
we are but frail1 and  all our          
sufficiency is from the ,lord1 so that  
it can be no less than  intolerable     
arrogance to promise anything of        
ourselves without him2  neither can men 
promise to themselves the continuance of
 that good or  advantage which they have
 already received from second causes1 if
 their  confidence builds itself upon   
that sole consideration1 without a just 
blame4 ,job had said he should #8die in 
his nest1' chap4 xxix4 #ah1 and  ,david 
that #8he should never be moved1' ,ps4  
xvi4 #h1 but both of them  afterward    
noted these confidences to have been no 
other than deceitful  presumptions4     
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,it is a presumption to 
expect things above the reach  of our   

present state and condition2 as for a   
mean man to beg of  ,god authority and  
rule1 or to expect to be set with       
princes2 or for  ordinary ,christians to
 look for miracles1 signs from heaven1  
visions1  revelations1 extraordinary    
answers to prayers1 and the like1 all   
which  expectations are groundless1 and 
the issue of a presumptuous pride3      
sperare non speranda4    7#d47          
,fourthly1 ,when men expect things      
contrary to the rules that ,god  hath   
set for his dispensations of mercy1 they
 boldly presume upon  his will4 ,god    
hath promised preservation to his       
children while they  are in ,god's way1 
but if any shall go out of that way1 and
 sinfully  put himself into dangers and 
hazards1 it would be presumption in him 
to expect a preservation4 ,it is the    
same in spiritual things4 ,god          
promiseth eternal life and the blessings
 of his covenant to such as  give up    
themselves to him and his laws2 will it 
not be intolerable  presumption for men 

#8to bless themselves in their heart'   
with  expectations of reigning with him 
in glory1 while in the meantime they    
contradict his own rule and neglect his 
order1 walking in profaneness  and      
living to themselves8 ,this is a high   
presumption of mercy against  his       
express will4 ,hence are such courses   
called #8presumptuous sins1'  ,ps4 xix4 
#ac1 and such sinners transgress #8with 
a high hand4'    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,it is 
also a presumption to expect any mercy1 
though  common and usual1 without the   
ordinary means by which ,god in         
providence  hath settled the usual      
dispensations of such favours2 as when  
men  look for his aid and help for      
supply of corporal wants1 while they    
throw off all care1 and refuse their own
 endeavours1 which are the  ways of     
,god's appointment1 in the conscientious
 use whereof such  mercies are to be    
expected4 ,the heathen1 upon the        
consideration of  the necessary         
connexion of means and the end1 have    

usually judged  such sluggish           
expectations to be no better than solemn
 mockings of a  deity3 admot manu       
invocanda est ,minerva4 ,in spiritual   
things it is  no less presumptuous to   
expect conversion1 and an interest in   
,christ  and heaven1 while they refuse  
the careful use of his ordinances2 and  
therefore we are commanded to pray for  
such blessings1 #8to cry after          
knowledge1 and to lift up the voice for 
understanding1' ,prov4 ii4 #c-e1  and to
 second these prayers with our own      
utmost endeavours #8to seek for  it as  
for silver1 and to search for it as for 
hid treasures1' and in so  doing to     
expect the finding of the knowledge of  
,god4    7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,when ordinary 
or extraordinary mercies are expected   
for an unlawful end2 as when the        
,israelites at ,massah called for       
water1--which they ought to believe ,god
 would supply them withal1 their        
condition considered1--but for a test   
and proof of the being of ,god2 for     

they said1 #8,is ,god among us1 or not8'
 ,exod4 xvii4 #g4 ,it is by ,james  made
 a piece of spiritual unfaithfulness and
 adultery to ask anything  of ,god with 
a design #8to spend it upon a lust1'    
chap4 iv4 #c4 ,ahaz  his refusing a sign
 when ,god offered it1 however he made a
 show of  modesty and believing1 argued 
no other thing but that he was conscious
  to himself that1 in case he had       
accepted it1 he should have abused  that
 favour to an unlawful end1 and have    
tempted ,god by it1 as putting  it upon 
this experiment whether there was a ,god
 or not4 ,this is also  another act of  
presumption4 ,when a man becomes guilty 
of any of these  miscarriages1 he is    
presumptuous4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,i      
further add to this discovery of the    
nature and kinds of  presumption1 that  
this is one of ,satan's grand engines2  
which ,i prove  by two demonstrations3--
    7#a47 ,first1 ,by ,satan's common   
practice in this kind upon all sorts  of
 men1 in most occasions4 ,that which is 

his frequent practice upon  most men1   
and on most occasions1 must of necessity
 be understood to be  chiefly designed4 
,some men may possibly be free from the 
trouble of  some particular temptations1
 as ,hieronimus ,wallerus saith of      
,luther  his master1 that he heard him  
often report of himself that he had been
  assaulted and vexed with all kind of  
temptations1 saving only that of        
covetousness2 but none can say they have
 not been assaulted with this4  ,i shall
 make it out by an induction of         
particulars3--    #a4 ,first1 ,the      
generality of men that live in the      
profession of  religion are             
presumptuous1 nay1 the greatest part of 
the blind world  are so4 ,they presume  
of mercy and salvation4 ,the devil      
preacheth  nothing else but all hope1 no
 fear1 and in these golden dreams they  
slide down to hell4 ,if we look into    
their way of sinning1 and then  into    
their hopes1 we can judge no less of    
them4 ,they stick not at the  most      

grievous abominations1 the works of the 
flesh1 and in these they  continue4 ,it 
is their trade1 their life2 they make   
provisions for them1  they cannot sleep 
except they do wickedly2 he that        
reproveth is derided  by them2 they make
 but a mock and sport of those things   
which1 as the  shame and reproach of    
mankind1 should rather fly the light and
 hide  themselves as things of darkness4
 ,these things they practise without    
regret or sorrow of heart1 without      
smiting upon the thigh1 and in all  this
 they have the confidence to say1 #8,is 
not the ,lord among us8'  ,they can call
 themselves ,christians1 and have as    
bold expectations  of eternal happiness1
 as if the committing of these evils    
were made  by ,god the necessary        
qualifications to everlasting happiness4
 ,what  is more common1 and yet what    
more presumptuous8 ,for 7#a47 ,these men
  audaciously hope and expect mercy1    
expressly contrary to the peremptory    
threatenings of ,god4 ,god saith1       

#8,there is no peace to the wicked2'    
they  say1 #8,we shall have peace4'     
7#b47 ,these run upon the greatest      
hazards  of ruin and woe1 with the least
 fear1 in the contempt of all danger1   
#8as the horse rusheth into the battle1 
who mocketh at fear1 and is not         
affrighted1 neither turneth his back    
from the sword1' ,job xxxix4 #bb4  7#c47
 ,they dare ,god to do his worst1 they  
provoke ,god to jealousy1 and  that to  
his face2 hence was it that ,nimrod was 
said to be a mighty  hunter before the  
,lord1 ,gen4 x4 #i2 and ,er1 the son of 
,judah1 that he  was wicked #8before the
 ,lord1' ,gen4 xxxviii4 #g1 because such
 audacious  sinners will not1 as we may 
say1 go behind his back to sin4    #b4  
,secondly1 ,hypocrites whose carnage is 
more smooth1 they also are              
presumptuous2 for while they hide their 
sin1 they do against dictates  of       
conscience presume #8that he that made  
the eye doth not see1' and  that there  
is a possibility to cheat ,god as well  

as men3 besides1 their  boastings and   
hopes have a special mark set upon them 
in ,scripture as  audaciously false2    
#8the hope of the hypocrite shall be cut
 off1' ,job  viii4 #ac2 their confidence
 of the temple of the ,lord is but a    
lie1 and  so termed expressly by the    
prophet4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,even         
despairing persons are not always free  
of  presumption4 ,the act of self-murder
 is a terrible presuming upon  infinite 
justice4 ,spira's desire to know the    
worst was of the same  kind4 ,these are 
indeed extraordinary2 but there are some
 other kinds  of despair that come      
nearer to presumption1 as that sensual  
despair  which ariseth out of an        
excessive love of carnal delights1 and a
  secure contempt of spiritual things2  
for when sensuality prompts them  to eat
 and drink while they may1 despairing   
and hopeless of a future  happiness1    
#8for to-morrow they shall die1' ,isa4  
xxii4 #ac1 and their  pleasure cease1   
they highly presume against the patience

 and goodness  of ,god4    #d4          
,fourthly1 ,the best of men are too     
frequently overcome by it4  7#a47 ,not  
only while they are overtaken with sins 
more grievous1 and  above the rate of   
sins of infirmity1 to which how liable  
the holiest  saint may be upon          
temptation1 may be gathered from        
,david's prayer1  #8,keep thy servant   
from presumptuous sins1 that they have  
not dominion  over me1' ,ps4 xix4 #ac4  
7#b47 ,but by their earnest prosecutions
 of  their own wills when contradicted  
by providence4 ,it is by the prophet1   
,isaiah ix4 #i1 called #8a pride and    
stoutness of heart1' to contend with    
providence1 to attempt to build with    
#8hewn stone when the bricks are        
fallen1' or to #8strive for cedars when 
divine wrath hath cut down the          
sycamores4' 7#c47 ,how frequently are   
they guilty of presuming upon their     
privileges1 their strength1 their       
graces1 and upon that score venture     
themselves upon occasions of sin1 or    

bear high above others upon a  conceit  
of their higher attainments1 or when    
they boldly put themselves  upon        
suffering1 or upon doing1 while they    
want that due humility and  care that   
should balance them4 7#d47 ,there is    
also a presumptuous  rashness1 upon     
which the zeal and good intentions of   
holy men may  sometimes precipitate     
them4 ,such was ,uzziah's putting forth 
his hand  to hold the ark1 for which the
 ,lord smote him4 ,all these instances  
put together will sufficiently          
demonstrate that presumption is one of  
,satan's master designs4    ,the second 
demonstration of this truth is from the 
general subserviency  of other things to
 this4 ,most of ,satan's endeavours and 
temptations  aim at this point1 and this
 is the result and consequence of most  
sins4 ,that must needs be chief1 to     
which so many things do but serve  and  
minister4 ,in this centre do most of the
 lines of his policy  meet1--pride1     
vainglory1 conceited privileges1        

supposed advantages1 and  many things   
more were but under-agents to this      
temptation which the  devil attempted   
upon ,christ1 as hath in part1 and      
presently shall be  further1 evidenced4 
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,having thus proved that  
presumption is one of the  great things 
he aims at1 ,i shall next discover the  
reasons of his  earnestness and industry
 in his design1 which are these3--      
7#a47 ,first1 ,it is a sin very natural1
 in which he hath the advantage  of our 
own readiness and inclination4 ,however 
that some from a  melancholy temper are 
inclinable to fears and distrust at some
 time1  when these black apprehensions  
are exalted1 yet1 these excepted1 hopes 
are more predominant than fears2 and    
self-love1 which provides fuel to  these
 hopes1 is a natural principle in all4  
,when so many things give  him such     
advantages and promise him a success1 we
 may well suppose he  will not miss such
 an opportunity4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,as
 it is easy for ,satan's attempt1 so it 

is remote from  conviction1 and not     
rooted out without great difficulty4 ,it
 is a sin  that is covered with a       
pretext of a higher degree of hope4 ,men
 in many  ways of this iniquity are     
under persuasions of duty1 and by reason
 of  that confidence1 fear1 which is the
 soul's sentinel1 is asleep4 ,hence  do 
they not lie so fairly open to counsel  
or reproof4 ,the ,israelites1  ,deut4 i4
 #bg1 #bh1 being under discouragement1  
refuse to go up to ,canaan1  when they  
were upon the border of the land2 but   
being convinced of  their sin in        
distrusting the arm of the ,lord1 by    
,god's declared wrath  and threatening  
against them1 they fall upon the        
contrary extreme of  presumption1 and   
then1 ver4 #da1 #8they would go up and  
fight2' and  the conviction of their    
former sin made them so confident that  
this  was their present duty--for thus  
they argue1 #8,we have sinned against   
the ,lord1 we will go up and fight1     
according to all that the ,lord  our    

,god commanded us'--that though they    
were expressly forbidden from  ,god1    
ver4 #db1 #8,go not up1 neither fight1  
for ,i am not among you2' yet  were they
 so strangely carried by their former   
persuasion1 that they  refused to be    
convinced1 #8and went presumptuously    
into the hill4' ,by  which instance we  
see what great pretences lead on        
presumption1 and how  difficultly they  
are removed1 which two things do no less
 than tempt  ,satan to lay out himself  
to the uttermost in that design4        
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,the greatness of the   
sin when it is committed1 is  another   
reason of his diligence in the pursuit  
of it4 ,it is not only  from a simple   
error or mistake1 but that error ariseth
 from intolerable  pride2 they say and  
do such things from the pride and       
stoutness of  their heart1 ,isa4 ix4 #i4
 ,he that is presumptuous is            
self-willed1 #b ,pet4  ii4 #aj4 ,hence  
these sins1 which we translate          
presumptuous1 are in the  original      

called prides or arrogancies1 ,ps4 xix4 
#ac2 ,deut4 xvii4 #ab4  ,besides1 they  
are contradictions to ,gods order1      
separating those things  that ,god hath 
joined together1 as the means from the  
end1 or the end  from the means1 as if  
the #8earth should be turned out of its 
place' for  us4 ,and in some cases it is
 no less than the open affronting of    
,god  by abusing his own favours against
 himself2 for thus they deal with  him1 
who are opinionated in sin because of   
his mercy1 concluding1 by  an irrational
 consequence1 that they ought to be     
wicked because ,god is  good1 or that   
they may freely offend because he doth  
not punish4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,the    
dangerous issues and consequences of    
this way  of sinning1 do not a little   
animate ,satan to tempt to it4 ,in some 
cases it was to be punished by death3   
,deut4 xvii4 #ab1 #8,the man that  doth 
presumptuously1 even that man shall     
die2' and most usually it  is plagued   
with sad disappointments1 by a severe   

engagement of ,god's  displeasure       
against it4 #8,the hypocrite's hope     
shall perish1 it shall  be as the giving
 up of the ghost1' ,job viii4 #ac1 and  
xi4 #bj4 ,and  generally1 #8,he that    
thus blesseth himself in his heart1 when
 he heareth  the words of the curse1'   
,deut4 xxix4 #ai1 #bj1 #8the ,lord will 
not spare  him1 but then the anger of   
the ,lord and his jealousy shall smoke  
against that man1 and all the curses    
that are written in this book  shall lie
 upon him1 and the ,lord shall blot out 
his name from under  heaven4'    #d4    
,fourthly and lastly1 ,i shall lay      
before you the deceitful  contrivance of
 ,satan in bringing this sin about1 by  
shewing the  particulars of his craft   
against ,christ herein4 ,as1    7#a47   
,first1 ,he takes advantage from his    
resolve to rely upon  providence1       
contrary to the former temptation of    
turning stones to  bread4 ,christ had   
refused that1 telling him it was duty to
 trust  him1 who not only by the        

ordinary means of bread could feed him1 
but  also by any other appointment4 ,to 
this ,satan rejoins1 by offering  an    
irregular opportunity of such a trust1  
in casting himself from  the pinnacle of
 the temple3 as if he should say1 #8,if 
thou wilt thus  rely upon providence1 do
 it in this4' ,wherein we may note1 that
 from  an obediential dependence1 he    
would draw ,christ to an irregular      
presumption4 ,he retorts ,christ's      
argument back again upon him thus1      
#8,if ,god is to be relied upon by a    
certain trust for food1 by the like     
trust he is to be relied upon for       
preservation2 if the belief of supply   
of bread can consist with a neglect or  
refusal of ordinary means for  the      
procurement thereof1 then may the belief
 of preservation in casting  thyself    
from the pinnacle of the temple consist 
also with a neglect  of the ordinary    
means4' ,thus1 like a cunning sophister1
 he endeavours  to conclude sin from    
duty1 from a seeming parity betwixt     

them1 though  indeed the cases were     
vastly different4 ,for1 though it be    
duty to  depend upon providence1 when   
,god1 in the pursuit of service and     
duty1  brings us out of the sight and   
hopes of outward means1 yet it can be   
no less than sinful presumption for us  
to make such experiments of             
providences1 when we need not1 and when 
ordinary means are at hand4  ,after the 
same manner doth he endeavour to put    
fallacies upon us1 and  to cheat us into
 presumptuous undertakings1 by arguing  
from a necessary  trust1 in some cases1 
a necessity of presuming in others1 upon
 a  seeming likeness and proportion4    
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,it was no small piece 
of ,satan's craft to take this          
advantage1 while the impression of trust
 in the want of outward means  was warm 
upon the heart of ,christ4 ,he hoped    
thereby the more easily  to draw him to 
an excess4 ,for he knows that a zealous 
earnestness to  avoid a sin1 and to keep
 to a duty1 doth often too much incline 

us to  an extreme1 and he well hoped    
that when ,christ had declared himself  
so positively to depend upon ,god1 he   
might have prevailed to have  stretched 
that dependence beyond its due bounds1  
taking the opportunity  of his sway that
 way1 which1 as a ship before wind and  
tide1 might soon  be overdriven4 ,and   
this was the design of his haste in this
 second  temptation1 because he would   
strike while the iron was hot1 and      
closely  pursue his advantage1 while the
 strength and forwardness of these      
resolves were upon him4    7#c47        
,thirdly1 ,he endeavours to animate him 
to this presumption by  popular         
applause1 and to tickle him into a      
humour of affecting the  glory and      
admiration1 which by such a strange     
undertaking might be  raised in the     
minds of the spectators2 and therefore  
did he bring  him to the most           
conspicuous place of a great and        
populous city1 not  thinking the matter 
so feasible if he had tempted him to it 

in a  solitary desert4    7#d47         
,fourthly1 ,he propounds to him a       
plausible end1 and a seeming  advantage1
 viz41 the clear and undoubted discovery
 of his divine  nature and near interest
 in ,god2 urging this as a necessary    
duty1 for  his own satisfaction1 and the
 manifestation of his sonship to others4
    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,to drive out of his
 mind those fears of miscarrying in  his
 attempt1 which otherwise might have    
been a block in his way1 he is          
officious in strengthening his          
confidence by propounding treacherous   
helps and preservatives1 suggesting a   
safety to him from the privilege  of the
 place where this was to be acted1 a    
holy city and temple1  producing more of
 a divine presence for his safety than  
other places4    7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,to    
make all sure1 he backs all this with a 
promise of  preservation1 that nothing  
might be wanting to his security4    ,by
 this method applied to other things and
 cases1 he endeavours to  bring us to   

presumption4    ,applic4 ,the           
consideration of this should put us upon
 a special care  and watchfulness       
against presumption4 ,it is more        
designed1 and hath  a greater prevalency
 than men are aware of4 ,two things ,i  
shall only at  present propound for our 
preservation1 out of ,ps4 xix4 #ab1 #ac4
    #a4 ,first1 ,he that would be kept  
from presumptuous sins must make        
conscience of secret sins1 to search for
 them1 to mortify them1 to  beg pardon  
for them4 ,with what face or hope can we
 expect from ,god  help against these1  
when we provoke him to leave us to      
ourselves1 by  indulging ourselves in   
the other8    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he that   
would avoid them must be under the awe  
and  fear of being overcome by them4 ,he
 that slights and contemns such  visible
 hazards shall not long be innocent4    
,david here first shews his  conscience 
to be concerned with secret sins1 and   
then begs to be kept  from presumptuous 
sins1 and by such earnest begging he    

next shews how  much he dreaded such    
miscarriages4 ,dickson1 in loc4         
,,chapter ,,xv4     ,self-murder another
 of his designs in this                 
temptation4--,how he tempts   to        
self-murder directly1 and upon what     
advantage he urgeth it4--,how   he      
tempts to it indirectly1 and the ways   
thereof4--,of necessary   preservatives 
against this temptation4      ,we have  
seen and considered the main end of     
,satan in this temptation4  ,let us     
further consider whether this was the   
sole end that he  propounded to himself4
 ,we have little reason to think that he
 would  confine himself to one1 when the
 thing itself doth so clearly suggest   
another1 which might possibly have      
followed4 ,in most cases1 the ends  of  
the devil are manifold4 ,we may         
therefore easily suppose--and several   
have noted it#dab--that the devil1 that 
great murderer1 had herein  a secret    
design against the life of ,christ1 and 
that he tempted him  here indirectly to 

self-murder4 ,and indeed1 supposing that
 ,christ had  attempted to fly in the   
air1 and had failed in the enterprise1  
what  else could have followed but death
 and ruin8 ,hence let us note1    ,obs4 
#i4 ,that ,satan seeks the ruin of our  
bodies as well as of our  souls1 and    
tempts men often to self-murder4 ,that  
the devil goes  about seeking how he may
 destroy men1 by putting them upon      
attempts  against their own lives1 is   
evident1 not only from the experience   
and  confessions of such as have        
suffered under ,satan's suggestions to  
that  end--and it is a temptation more  
common than we think of1 because most   
men are unwilling to lay open themselves
 to others in this matter--but  also    
from those many sad instances of men    
over whom ,satan so far  prevails1 that 
they execute upon themselves this design
 by destroying  themselves4 ,yet by the 
way we may note1 that such thoughts are 
often  in the minds of men where ,satan 
is not industriously designing their    

destruction2 for he often casts in such 
thoughts1 not only to try how  men take 
with them1 but to affright and disquiet 
them2 and it is usual  with men of sad  
and melancholy tempers to mistake their 
own fears of  such a temptation1 for    
,satan's endeavours against them1 when  
indeed  their fear and trouble lest they
 should be so tempted1 makes them think 
they are tempted indeed4    ,satan      
drives on the design of self-murder two 
ways3--    #a4 ,first1 ,directly1 when  
in plain terms he urgeth men to destroy 
themselves4 ,this because it is directly
 repugnant to the law of  nature1 which 
vehemently urgeth them to               
self-preservation1 he cannot  effect but
 by the help of some advantages2 yet    
some ways and methods  by experience he 
hath found to be so available to such an
 unnatural  resolve1 that he frequently 
puts them in practice4 ,as1 7#a47 first1
  ,he works upon the discontents of men1
 and improves the disquiet of  their    
minds1 upon the occasion of any loss1   

vexation1 disappointment1  or disgrace1 
to as great a height as he can1 and when
 their lives  are made bitter to them1  
and they are sufficiently prepared by   
the  uneasiness of their condition1 then
 he propounds death as the only  remedy 
to set them at quiet2 wherein1 besides  
his officiousness to  provide them with 
instruments of cruelty and opportunity  
for their use1  he follows them with    
arguments drawn from the sense of their 
present  condition2 the great intendment
 whereof is to aggravate their smart1   
and to make their burden seem           
intolerable1 and then self-ruin is but a
  natural consequence4 ,we may see      
enough of this in the discontents of    
good men1 and that they naturally work  
this way4 ,job speaks the general       
apprehensions of men in trouble1 chap4  
iii4 #bj1 #ba1 #8,the bitter in soul    
value not life2 they long for death1 and
 dig for it more than for hid           
treasures2 they rejoice exceedingly1 and
 are glad when they can find  the       

grave4' ,jonah in his discontent prefers
 death before life3 #8,it is  better for
 me to die than to live1' chap4 iv4 #c4 
,elias doth the like2  and ,job seems   
impatient for it4 ,all this is from the 
power and working  of this temptation1  
though ,god held their hand that it did 
not fully  prevail4 ,in ,ahithophel the 
ground of discontent was more a fancied 
than  a real disgrace2 his counsel was  
rejected--which was in itself no great  
dishonour--and this works up such a     
perplexing resentment in his mind1  that
 ,satan prevails with him to hang       
himself very deliberately4    7#b47     
,secondly1 ,he most frequently draws on 
men to destroy themselves  by terrors   
and despairing troubles of conscience4  
,these1 as they  afford greater disquiet
 and distress of mind than other kind of
  discontentments1 so doth he more      
prevail by them2 for a wounded spirit   
is above ordinary strength1 and hard to 
bear2 only it may seem strange  that    
those who so experimentally feel how    

#8fearful a thing it is to  fall into   
the hands of the living ,god1' ,heb4 x4 
#ca1 should entertain  such a temptation
 as1 to their apprehensions and         
knowledge1 will  certainly plunge them  
into the very ocean of everlasting      
vengeance4  ,this no doubt ,satan finds 
to be no small obstruction to his       
design2  but here he useth his skill to 
open a way for them that would outrun   
their lives on the one hand1 as he      
labours to pursue them with sense of    
wrath and indignation on the other hand4
 ,to this purpose he tells them1  #a4   
,that all the hell they are to meet with
 is in their consciences1  and that     
death will free them from all1 or at    
least that death will  give a present   
ease1 and that till the resurrection    
they shall be  in quiet4 ,those that are
 willing to receive these apprehensions 
may  easily be prevailed with to hasten 
their own death1 seeing they have       
already fixed this conclusion with      
themselves1 that there is no hope  nor  

pardon for them1 that they are          
reprobates and cut off2 for their       
thoughts can meditate nothing but the   
terrors of such conclusions4  #b4 ,he   
sometimes endeavours to persuade them1  
that by executing this  revenge upon    
themselves1 they may make some kind of  
satisfaction and  amends for the sins   
they have committed2 which though most  
false1  yet it is a wonder how far such 
ungrounded surmises may possess the     
minds of the desperate4 ,that ,judas    
might have some such thought when  he   
destroyed himself1 is conjectured by    
some2#dac but that must be  but a       
conjecture1 seeing none can pretend to  
know his thoughts2 but  we may speak    
with greater freedom of those who have  
declared the  working of such           
apprehensions upon their minds4 #c4 ,a  
more plausible  pretext he useth when he
 endeavours to persuade them that they  
may  kill themselves1 and yet go to     
heaven for all that4 ,to this purpose   
the subtle adversary is not backward to 

tell them what have been the  charitable
 expressions of some men who have       
supposed a possibility of  repentance   
inter pontem et fontem1 as we say1      
betwixt the stroke  or halter and the   
death4 ,capel is so apprehensive of the 
mischievous  improvement of this        
charity1 for an encouragement to        
self-murder1 that  he with great        
earnestness cautions all ministers      
against such liberal  expressions4#dad  
,i have known some1 and heard of others1
 that have  been so possessed with this 
imagination of being saved1             
notwithstanding  that having purposed to
 destroy themselves--though ,god        
prevented them  that they did it        
not--they have first by prayer          
recommended themselves  to ,god1 and so 
prepared themselves to die4 #d4         
,sometime1 though such  afflicted ones  
have no such persuasion but that from   
death they go  immediately to hell1 yet 
are they pushed forward by a certain    
fearful  curiosity of knowing the worst4

 ,at that rate did ,spira express       
himself1  when he desired to be freed of
 his life that he might know the utmost 
of those torments which he feared2 as if
 the affrightments of his  fearful      
expectations were worse than the real   
feeling of them4 #e4 ,but  most of all  
doth he prevail against that objection  
of greater misery  after death1 by      
running men up to a desperate           
distraction in their  terrors4 ,their   
present anguish is made insupportable1  
so that they  hasten out of life1       
without care or consideration of what   
shall follow4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,he    
tempts men directly to destroy          
themselves from a  principle of heroic  
boldness and seeming fortitude of       
mind--a thing  very common among the    
,romans1 who impatient of injuries1 and 
from  pride of heart1 not willing to    
subject themselves to affronts1 chose   
rather to tear their own bowels than to 
live to see themselves abused4          
,lucretia being forced by ,tarquinius1  

and not willing to outlive her          
disgrace1 stabbed herself4 ,cato1 not   
being able to endure the victory  of    
,csar1 puts an end to his days4         
,innumerable instances of this kind     
histories do everywhere afford4 ,these1 
though they consulted their  own        
passions1 and knew of nothing that      
prompted them but their own  generosity 
or magnanimity1 yet were they not       
without a tempter to  such cruel        
actions4 ,satan undoubtedly pleased     
himself by exercising  his cruelty upon 
them so easily1 by the help of such a   
humour1 which  passed among these blind 
heathens for the highest proof of virtue
  and fortitude4 ,to this height it     
came1 insomuch that we find ,seneca     
highly applauding ,cato#dae for         
procuring his liberty by his own death2 
and setting forth that fact as the most 
delightful spectacle to the  gods4      
,though indeed1 as ,augustine notes1#daf
 it is not fortitude  but weakness1 and 
a clear evidence of impatience1 which   

cannot bear  other men's insolencies or 
their own hardships4 ,and if we examine 
the  matter to the bottom1 though there 
be audacity in it to undertake  their   
own death1 yet is this led on by no     
better principles than  pride1          
impatience1 and despair3 which may the  
better be discovered if  we consider    
such kind of attempts as they arise from
 more ignoble and  base occasions4      
,paterculus tells us of a ,tuscan       
soothsayer1 who being  carried to prison
 with his friend ,fulvius ,flaccus1 and 
despairing of  pardon1 desperately runs 
his head against the prison door and    
dashed  out his brains2 and yet this man
 was moved to attempt his destruction   
upon the same general principles by     
which ,cato destroyed himself4    7#d47 
,fourthly1 ,it is also sufficiently     
known that ,satan by the force  of      
custom in several countries1 doth as it 
were necessitate men to  cut off their  
own lives4 ,in some barbarous places1 at
 the death of  the husband1 the wife1 in

 a brutal affection of the praise of    
love  and loyalty1 casts herself to be  
devoured by the same flame in which  the
 dead body of her husband is            
consumed4#dag ,and there are found in   
other places customs of self-destruction
 for the avoiding the tedious           
inconveniences of old age1 where it is  
usual for old persons with joy  to      
prepare their own funeral pile1 and to  
make a quick despatch of  their lives1  
and rather to die at once than by       
piecemeal1 as ,seneca  expresseth       
it4#dah ,calanus1 an ,indian            
philosopher1 being dysenterical1        
obtained leave of ,alexander to burn    
himself for more quick despatch4        
7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,there is yet another   
way by which men are tempted  sometime1 
though rarely1 to hasten themselves out 
of the world1 and  that is by a pretence
 of an earnest and impatient desire of  
happiness  to come4 ,that longings for  
such enjoyments do become the best of   
saints1 and is indeed their excellency1 

cannot be denied2 but to make  such a   
preposterous haste must be a cheat of   
,satan4 ,that there is a  possibility of
 this1 may appear in the story of       
,cleombrotus1 mentioned  also by        
,augustine1 who reading ,plato's        
#8,phdo1 of the ,immortality of  the    
,soul1' that he might hasten thither1   
threw himself headlong from a  wall1 and
 died4#dai ,now1 though it be hard to   
find such an instance  among            
,christians1 yet we have reason to      
believe that where ,satan  perceives    
such a temptation may take place1 he    
will not be wanting in  the prosecution4
 ,and if we may conjecture ,augustine's 
thoughts by that  question which he     
propounds--viz41 ,whether it be lawful  
for a man to  kill himself for the      
avoiding of sin1 which he solidly       
confutes1#dbj  we may conclude that such
 thoughts were the usual temptations of 
good  men in his time1 and the rather   
because in the close of that chapter  he
 applies that discourse particularly to 

the servants of ,christ1  that they     
should not think their lives a burden4  
,non itaque vobis1 ,o  fideles ,christi1
 sit tdio vita vestra4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,satan promotes the design of          
self-murder1 not only  directly1 as we  
have heard1 but also by some indirect   
ways he  undermines the life of man4    
,that is1 when he doth not formally say 
to  them1 ,destroy yourselves1 but      
tempts them to such things as he knows  
will let in upon death4 ,this way of    
subtle malice ,i shall explain under    
these heads3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,upon   
highest pretexts of zeal for ,gods      
glory1 he sometimes  lays a snare for   
our lives4 ,i cannot believe but ,satan 
had a hand in  that forwardness of      
ancient ,christians1 who by an open     
profession of  their faith before       
persecuting judicatures1 did as it were 
court a  martyrdom2 and ,i have the same
 persuasion of the painful earnestness  
of many holy preachers1 who lavish out  
their strength in a prodigality  of     

pains for the good of souls1 which1 like
 a thief in the candle1  wastes them    
immediately2 whereas a better husbanded 
strength might be  truly more           
advantageous1 as continuing the light   
the longer2 and yet  so sincere are     
their ends1 so pleasant is their work1  
that they seldom  observe1 as they      
ought1 that ,satan1 when he can do no   
better1 is glad  of the opportunity to  
destroy them with their own weapon2 and 
therefore  in this case they may expect 
he will do all he can to heighten and   
forward their zeal1 not only by adding  
all the fuel he can to their  inward    
propensity of laboriousness1 but also by
 outward encouragement  of the declared 
acceptations and expectations of their  
hearers4#dba    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,upon  
baser pretences of the full enjoyment of
 sensual  pleasures and carnal delights1
 he doth unawares push men forward to   
death and dangers4 ,thus the voluptuous1
 the glutton1 the drunkard1 dig  their  
own graves1 and invite death to cut them

 off before they have  lived out half   
their time4 ,while ,satan tempts men to 
such excesses of  riot1 he labours not  
only the destruction of the soul1 but   
also of the  body2 not only that they be
 miserable1 but that they may be so with
 all  expedition4    7#c47 ,thirdly1    
,besides all these1 he hath other subtle
 ways of  contriving the death of men1  
by putting them upon ways and actions   
that are attended with hazard4 ,thus he 
sought the death of ,christ1  not       
directly but indirectly1 by urging him  
to an action which he  thought would    
unavoidably bring him to death1 for a   
fall from so  great a precipice would   
easily have bereaved any man of life4   
,and  sometimes when men are besotted   
with enthusiastical delusions1 he  can  
more easily beguile them with such      
stratagems4 ,that instance of           
,stuker#dbb is famous1 who cut off his  
brother's head upon a foolish           
persuasion that ,god would magnify his  
great power in giving him life  again4  

,if ,satan can befool such bewitched    
slaves into such absurd and             
unreasonable apprehensions in regard of 
others1 what hinders but that  he may so
 far impose upon them1 that they may be 
willing to practise  upon themselves8 ,i
 remember something to this purpose1 of 
one whom the  devil had well-nigh       
prevailed with to make a hole in his    
breast1 which  of necessity must have   
let out his life1 upon a pretended      
promise of  giving him eternal life1 and
 was accordingly forced to take up a    
knife  and to carry it to his           
throat4#dbc ,in anno #afdg1 in          
,yorkshire1 a  company of people were   
seduced to sacrifice certain creatures  
to ,god1  among the rest they sacrificed
 their aged mother1 persuading her she  
should rise the third day1 and for this 
they were executed at ,york4    ,applic4
 ,this may awaken all to be aware of    
this temptation4 ,some  are sadly       
concerned in it4 ,many are the          
complaints which some of us  have met   

withal about it in private1 and the     
apprehensions of such  hazards are sadly
 disquieting4 ,through such fears       
thousands of ,god's  dear children have 
passed1 and many1 too many1 have been   
overcome by  this weapon4 ,those of us  
that have not yet known temptations of  
this  nature1 do not know how soon we   
may be assaulted in this kind4 ,it  is  
necessary for all to stand upon their   
guard1 and for that end it  behoves us  
to have at hand these defences against  
it3--    #a4 ,first1 ,it is useful to   
consider that this is one of ,satan's   
great  plots2 and when we meet with it  
clothed with never so many pretexts1    
enforced with never so many seeming     
necessities1 yet must we look upon  it  
as the counsel of an enemy1 who         
certainly intends us no kindness1  let  
him pretend what he will2 and therefore 
may we be sure it will be  our sad      
inconvenience and disadvantage4    #b4  
,secondly1 ,it must be fixed in our     
minds that the thing in  itself is a    

high iniquity1 a most grievous          
provocation4 ,no instance  of           
self-murder1 properly such1 can be met  
withal in ,scripture1 as  practised by  
any holy person4 ,the command is        
directly against it1 #8,thou  shalt not 
kill4' ,if we may not murder another1 as
 ,austin argues1 we  may not murder     
ourselves2 for he that kills himself    
kills no other  than a man2 nay1 we may 
much less lay hand upon our own         
life4#dbd ,it  is a greater violation of
 the law of nature and of love4 ,every  
man is  nearest to himself2 and his love
 to himself is the pattern of his love  
to another4 ,self-murder must then be a 
sin of higher aggravations by  far than 
the murder of another person4 ,and the  
wiser heathens were far  from           
countenancing any such cruelty4 ,if     
,plato had thought it best1 for  an     
immediate enjoyment of immortality1     
which is the highest pretence  of       
self-murder imaginable1 to make an end  
of life violently1 he would  certainly  

have practised it himself1 or           
recommended it to others1 but  he is so 
far from this1 that he speaks against it
 as a great wickedness4    #c4 ,thirdly1
 ,it is necessary that men keep in mind 
the danger that  follows such an act4   
,death brings ,god's unalterable        
mittimus1 and  seals up the condition of
 every man1 so that in the same posture 
he  comes to judgment1 it puts an end to
 all hopes and endeavours4 ,suppose     
then such tempted creatures to have     
fears and terrors as great as you  can  
imagine them to be1 yet there is a      
possibility that they may be  deceived  
in them1 that their case is not so bad  
as they fear1 or if it  be bad enough at
 present1 that it may be better         
afterwards2 for many  that have in their
 anguish resolved against themselves1   
have been  prevented of the execution of
 their resolves1 and have lived to see  
the ,lord and his salvation4 ,and who is
 able to determine that secret1  that   
their name is not in the book of life8  

,who can say he is certainly  excluded  
out of ,god's decree8 ,what madness is  
it then to rush into  certain ruin1 when
 our fears that distress us may be but  
mistakes6 ,it  is not so certain that   
men shall be damned1 because of what    
they feel  or fear at present1 as it may
 be if they destroy themselves4    #d4  
,fourthly1 ,to prevent occasions to this
 temptation1 it must  be our care not to
 give way to discontents for outward    
things1 nor  to distressing fears1 such 
as are despairing and hopeless1 for our 
spiritual estate2 or if we have a burden
 either way upon our mind1 we  must     
avoid as much as may be impatient       
fretfulness1 #8lest ,satan get          
advantage of us4' ,discontented moods   
and casting away hope are sad  occasions
 for this temptation4 ,if we find       
ourselves thus burdened1 we  must look  
to it betimes1 and not suffer it to go  
too far4 ,and if this  temptation come1 
we must take heed we keep not the       
devil's counsel1  but discover the      

matter to some that are wise and        
faithful1 able to  advise and pray for  
us2 remembering still that if only      
outward things  trouble us1 we have a   
better way of ease and remedy1 by       
submitting to a  chastising providence4 
,if spiritual troubles move this way1 we
 should  not run from him1 but rather   
resolve to perish at his foot as humble 
suppliants for mercy and pardon4    #e4 
,fifthly1 ,the temptation must also be  
opposed with fasting and  prayer4 ,if   
this be sincerely practised1 it will go 
away at last4    #f4 ,sixthly1          
,something may also be said for caution 
against  unnecessary thrusting          
ourselves1 while under such temptations1
 into  places of danger1 or into a      
converse with instruments of death4     
,this  may be too great a daring of the 
temptation1 and in the consequence  a   
mischief4 ,yet on the other hand1 we    
must not be so cowardly as to  be afraid
 of such places and things1 unto which  
our callings and  lawful employments do 

engage us2 not to dare to go over a     
bridge1 or  to walk by a river or a pit1
 if it be our necessary way1 is but to  
give an advantage to ,satan to keep us  
under continual affrightments2  and     
therefore ,i subscribe to ,capel's      
advice1 #8,we must abide by it1  and    
fight it out by faith2 we must not fly  
the way1 the place1 the  employment1 but
 go on and look to ,god1 and at last we 
shall make ,satan  fly4'#dbe    ,obj4   
,but if some object to this1 that their 
weakness is great1 and  their fears are 
strong1 and ,satan never idle1 and that 
therefore they  have little ground to   
expect an escape1 ,i shall desire they  
would  consider seriously the instance  
of ,christ in this particular4 ,when he 
was upon the pinnacle of the temple1 a  
small push might have overthrown  him1  
and yet it was not in ,satan's power to 
do it himself1 though he  tempted       
,christ to cast himself down3 which may 
sufficiently satisfy  us1 that there is 
a sure hedge of providence about us1 and

 that ,satan  cannot do us the least    
hurt by pushing us into a pit or river1 
or any  such danger4          ,,chapter 
,,xvi4     ,of pride1 ,satan's chief    
engine to bring on presumption4--,what  
pride   is1 and how it prepares men for 
sinning presumptuously4--,considerations
   against pride4--,the remedies for its
 cure4--,pride kindled by a   confidence
 of privileges and popular applause4    
,the aims of ,satan in this temptation  
being thus explained1 ,i must now  offer
 to your consideration the means by     
which he sought to bring his  end about1
 which we have noted already1 was pride3
 this he endeavoured  to raise up in him
 two ways3--    7#a47 ,first1 ,by urging
 to him the privileges of his condition1
 as taking  himself to be the ,son of   
,god4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,by offering  
him the occasion of popular applause2 to
  which purpose he brought him into the 
holy city1 where he might be sure  of   
many spectators4 ,i shall hence note1   
,obs4 #aj4 ,that pride is ,satan's      

proper engine to bring men on to        
presumption4    ,if we should trace the 
history of presumptuous sins1 we shall  
ever find  it to have been so4 ,adam's  
first sin was a high presumption against
  ,god's express command1 but pride was 
the stair by which he knew they  must   
ascend to it2 and therefore he used this
 argument to corrupt the  hearts of our 
first parents1 #8,ye shall be as gods4' 
,the presumption  of ,uzziah in burning 
incense upon the altar1 was from his    
pride1 #b  ,chron4 xxvi4 #af1 #8,his    
heart was lifted up1 because he was     
become  strong4' ,david's presumption in
 numbering the people was from hence4   
,thus might we run through many         
instances4 ,but ,satan's own case may be
  instead of all4 ,his first sin1 though
 we have but conjecture what it  was    
particularly1 is concluded by all to    
have been highly presumptuous1  and the 
,scripture expressly asserts that it was
 his pride that brought  him to it4 #a  
,tim4 iii4 #f1 #8,he that is lifted up  

with pride1 falls into  the condemnation
 of the devil4' ,and in the general we  
are told by the  prophet1 ,hab4 ii4 #d1 
#8that the soul that is lifted up1'     
cannot be so  upright as patiently to   
wait upon ,god in a way of believing1   
but it  will be presuming to evade a    
trouble by indirect contrivances4    ,to
 explain the observation1 ,i shall do no
 more but shew what pride is1  and how  
fit it is to beget presumption4         
,pride is a self-idolising1 an          
over-valuation or admiration of         
ourselves1 upon a real or supposed      
excellency1 inward or outward1          
appertaining to us4 ,it is in ,scripture
 frequently expressed by the  lifting up
 or exaltation of the soul4 ,and this is
 done1 upon the  consideration of any   
kind of thing1 which we apprehend makes 
us excel  others2 so that inward gifts  
of mind1 as knowledge1 humility1        
courage1  c41 or outward gifts of the   
body1 as beauty1 strength1 activity1 c41
  or additional advantages of riches1   

honour1 authority1 c41 or anything  well
 done by us1 c41 may all be abused to   
beget and nourish pride1 and  to fill us
 with high and lofty thoughts concerning
 ourselves2 and being  thus blown up1 we
 are fitted for any presumptuous        
undertaking4 ,for1    7#a47 ,first1 ,the
 mind thus corrupted begets to itself   
apprehensions  of a self-sufficiency3   
and therefore1 as it is not apt to      
remember  from what fountain all those  
excellencies come1 and to what ends they
  are to serve2 so it brings them to a  
contempt of others1 and to a  confidence
 of themselves4 ,thus are men by degrees
 so intoxicated by  their own humour1   
that they mount up to irrational and    
absurd conceits1  fancying that they are
 more than they are1 and that they can  
do far  more than is possible for them  
to accomplish1 till at last they become 
apparently foolish in the pursuit of    
their imaginations4 ,i need not         
instance in the follies of ,alexander1  
who being elated in mind1 would  be     

,jupiter's son1 and go like ,hercules in
 a lion's skin4 ,or in the mad  frenzies
 of ,caius1 who as he would need fancy  
himself a god1 so would  he change his  
godship when he pleased3 to-day he would
 wear a lion's  skin and club1 and then 
he must be ,hercules2 to-morrow in      
another garb  he conceits himself       
,apollo2 a caduceus made him ,mercury1 a
 sword and  helmet made him ,mars1 c4   
,or in ,xerxes1 who would whip the seas1
 and  fetter ,neptune4 ,the ,scripture  
affords enough of this nature1 as the   
boast of ,nebuchadnezzar2 #8,is not this
 great ,babel that ,i have built8'  ,in 
the insolency of ,nineveh1 ,zeph4 ii4   
#ae1 #8,i am1 and there is none  besides
 me4' ,the blasphemy of ,tyre1 ,ezek4   
xxviii4 #b1 who set her heart  #8as the 
heart of ,god1 saying1 ,i am a god1 ,i  
sit in the seat of ,god4'  ,the         
arrogancy of ,sennacherib1 ,isa4 xxxvi4 
#ai1 #bj1 #8,where are the  gods of     
,hamath 444 that the ,lord should       
deliver ,jerusalem out of my  hand8'    

,though all pride in all men ariseth not
 to so great a height of  madness1 yet  
it is the nature of it1 and none have   
any of it without  this humour of       
conceiting themselves above themselves1 
which strangely  prepares them for any  
presumption4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he    
that is proud1 as he looks upon himself 
in a  flattering glass1 and measures    
himself by the length of his shadow2 so 
doth he contemn and undervalue things   
that lie before his attempts as  easy   
and small4 ,hence doth he put himself   
upon things that are far  beyond him4   
,david notes the working of a proud     
heart1 ,ps4 cxxxi4 #a1 in  this         
particular1 #8,neither do ,i exercise   
myself in great matters1 or  in things  
too high for me1' shewing that it is the
 guise of pride to  outbid itself in its
 attempts4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,it is not
 only forward to attempt1 but also      
desperate  to execute without           
consideration of hazard4 ,difficulty and
 danger1  when they stand in the way1   

should usually deter men from their     
enterprise2 but pride hardens the heart1
 and1 in a blind rage1 engageth  it to  
contemn all inconveniencies4 ,if sin and
 the breach of ,god's  law be set before
 a person1 whose pride engageth him to  
an unlawful  undertaking1 he overlooks  
it as a thing of nought3 #8,through the 
pride  of his countenance he will not   
seek after ,god3 ,god is not in all his 
thoughts1' ,ps4 x4 #d4    7#d47         
,fourthly1 ,pride ariseth up to a       
scornful competition with  anything that
 opposeth it2 and the more it is        
opposed1 the more it  rageth1 for the   
contest is for having its will4 ,this   
was the voice of  pride in ,pharaoh1    
#8,who is the ,lord1 that ,i should     
serve him8' ,exod4  v4 #b4 ,hence men   
are said to #8despise the commandments  
of ,god1' ,lev4  xxvi4 #ae1 when in the 
strength of their pride they are carried
 on  to an open contest for their own   
ways and desires against peremptory     
commands and threatenings4    7#e47     

,fifthly1 ,all this is done by a        
pleasing allurement4 ,it is  a          
witchcraft that strongly holds men1     
,amabilis insania mentis  gratissimus   
error2 and they think they are          
sufficiently rewarded  if they be but   
gratified4 ,though other things go to   
wreck1 yet they  apprehend1 if credit   
and honour be kept up1 it is enough4    
,saul1 when  ,samuel had declared that  
,god would forsake him1 yet sought to   
please  himself by keeping up his esteem
 and authority2 #8,honour me1' saith he1
  #8before the people1' #a ,sam4 xv4    
#cj4    ,if all these particulars be    
weighed1 what presumptuous act can be   
propounded by ,satan which pride may not
 lead to8 ,he that swells himself  to a 
conceit of absoluteness1 that will needs
 be attempting things  too high1 that   
contemneth all hazards1 and is made more
 forward by  opposition1 and yet        
pleaseth himself in all1 as in a golden 
dream1 he  is as much prepared for any  
figure or shape that ,satan is ready to 

impress upon him1 as melted metals for  
their mould or stamp4    ,applic4 ,hence
 must we be warned against pride1 as we 
would avoid  presumption4 ,if we admit  
this1 we cannot well escape the other4  
,and we  are the more concerned to      
resist pride1    #a4 ,first1 ,because it
 is a natural sin4 ,it was the first    
sin1 and  our natures are so deeply     
tainted with it1 that it is a sin that  
first  shews itself in our infancy2 for 
children will express a pride in their  
clothes very early1 and it is a general 
infection1 from which none are  exempted
 in some degree or other4 ,the apostle's
 phrase1 #a ,john ii4 #af1  shews that  
our whole life1 and all the concerns    
thereof1 is but the  sphere in which    
pride acts2 and therefore1 whereas he   
restrains other  lusts to some          
particular ends or peculiar instruments1
 he calls this  iniquity the #8pride of 
life1' implying how impossible it is to 
confine  it in a narrow compass4    #b4 
,secondly1 ,it is a subtle sin1 and     

often lies where it is least  suspected4
 ,every man sees it1 as it is expressed 
in #8haughty looks1'  in #8boasting     
speeches1' in #8gorgeous apparel1' in   
#8insolent behaviour2'  but often men   
are insensibly possessed with this sin  
and know not  of it4 ,under an affected 
contempt of honours and fine clothes    
they  secretly hug themselves in their  
private conceits1 and raise up in  their
 own thoughts imaginary trophies of     
honour and victory1 for  despising what 
others so much dote upon4 ,it was       
observed of ,diogenes  that he did intus
 gloriari1 inwardly boast1 and with     
greater pride  contemned honour1 riches1
 plenty1 c41 than they were troubled    
with  that enjoyed them4 ,some decry    
pride in others1 vehemently declare     
against it as a sin1 recommend humility 
as an ornament of great price  in the   
sight of ,god1 and yet are proud that   
they are above others in  a fancied     
humility2 and1 in the management of     
themselves in their  reproofs and       

exhortations1 express such sad symptoms 
of an insulting  humour1 that the latent
 pride of their heart doth appear by it4
 ,it is  possible for men to give thanks
 to the ,almighty for all they have1    
and yet to be proud of what is in them4 
,the ,pharisee was proud1 for  so       
,christ calls him1 that #8he was not as 
other men1' and yet he could  #8thank   
,god1' as ascribing all to him2 nay1 he 
that is truly sensible  of the working  
of this pride in himself1 and dares not 
approve it1  yet he shall find in his   
heart such a delight when he is stroked 
or  praised2 and when some actions1     
praiseworthy1 are not taken notice of1  
the best shall find that1 without great 
watchfulness1 they shall not be  able to
 hold from giving some hints to others1 
as a memorial to them1  of observing    
their excellency1 or from some          
insinuations of their own  commendation4
    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,pride is a sin no    
less dangerous than subtle4 ,there are  
no attempts so strange1 unreasonable1   

monstrous1 or absurd1 but it may  prompt
 to them4 ,it was a strange arrogancy in
 ,herod to deify himself in  his own    
thoughts1 and yet the acclamations of   
the people swelled him  into such a     
blasphemous imagination1 that ,god      
thought fit to chastise  him1 and       
instruct others by so dreadful a        
judgment1 as clearly baffled  his       
insolency1 and made him and his         
flatterers confess he was but a  poor1  
frail man4 ,ordinarily pride is attended
 with a judgment1 it is  the very       
prognostic of ruin3 #8,pride goeth      
before destruction1 and a  haughty      
spirit before a fall1' ,prov4 xvi4 #ah4 
,but these judgments have  something in 
them peculiar1 which other judgments for
 other sins do  not always express1 to a
 manifestation of a special abhorrency  
in ,god  against pride2 as1 7#a47 ,he   
commonly smites the thing for which they
 are  proud4 ,staupitius boasted of his 
memory1 and ,god smote it2 ,hezekiah    
boasted of his treasure1 and for that   

,god designed them for captivity2       
,david glorified himself in the         
multitude of his people1 but ,god       
lessened them by pestilence2            
,nebuchadnezzar is proud of his ,babel1 
and  ,god drove him from the enjoyment  
of it4 ,men are proud of children or    
relations1 and ,god oft removes them1 or
 makes them a shame and sorrow4  7#b47  
,he doth not only this1 but also orders 
the judgment so that it  shall bring a  
shame and contempt upon men in that     
thing wherein they  prided themselves4  
,he will not only punish1 but also stain
 their pride4  ,the haughty daughters of
 ,zion were not only plagued by removing
 their  ornaments1 bracelets1 and the   
rest of their bravery1 but over and     
above  he #8smites with a scab the crown
 of their head1 and discovers their     
secret parts1 and brings a stink and    
baldness upon them instead of a  sweet  
smell and well-set hair1 and burning    
instead of beauty1' ,isa4  iii4 #ag1    
#bd4    ,so sad a distemper stands in   

need of a special care2 and for that end
  we should1    #a4 ,first1 ,in all     
things we have or do1 not so much       
consider what is  excellent1 or wherein 
we excel1 as what we have not1 and      
wherein we  come short4 ,we should be   
strange to ourselves1 and design that   
the  #8right hand should not know what  
the left hand doth1' which must be by   
having our eye upon the imperfections   
that attend us at the best4    #b4      
,secondly1 ,it must be our care to be   
suspicious of the working of  pride in  
us2 and also by an industrious          
watchfulness to give a stop or  check to
 thoughts of this nature when they      
arise4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,the conquest of
 this cannot be expected without a      
serious and constant labour herein4 ,a  
humble soul is compared by ,david  to a 
weaned child1 ,ps4 cxxxi4 #b4 ,but a    
child is not weaned easily4  ,wormwood  
must be laid on the breast1 and time    
allowed1 before the child  will forget  
it4 ,he only that is content to exercise

 a discipline upon  himself1 and by     
frequent practices to habituate himself 
to low and  careful thoughts1 is likely 
to overcome it4    ,pride1 we have seen1
 was ,satan's great engine to bring on  
presumption4  ,the means by which he    
endeavoureth to beget pride1 as was     
before noted1  were1    #a4 ,first1 ,the
 consideration of privileges1 as being  
#8the ,son of  ,god4' ,for this         
expression1 #8,if thou art the ,son of  
,god1' is now urged  in a sense         
different from that which it had in the 
first temptation4  ,there he propounded 
it as unlikely that he should be the    
,son of ,god1  and yet be under such a  
disregard of providence4 ,in this sense 
it  notably suited his design of drawing
 him to a distrust of ,god's care1  and 
consequently of his sonship4 ,here he is
 upon a contrary temptation1  and       
therefore propounds this as a thing of  
which ,christ was assured1  and from    
that assurance he thus disputes3 #8,thou
 believest thou art the  ,son of ,god1  

and dost well depend on his care2       
therefore needest thou  not to distrust 
thy preservation1 if thou castest       
thyself down4'    #b4 ,secondly1 ,to    
help his confidence forward to the      
undertaking1 he  suggests what credit   
and honour it would be to him1 in the   
sight of  all the people1 to be so      
miraculously kept from hurt4 ,hence     
note1    ,obs4 #aa4 ,that ,satan doth   
usually kindle and nourish pride1 by a  
perverse confidence of our privileges4  
,it is very hard for ,christians to     
carry their assurance even3 not but     
that grace in its proper working begets 
humility1 and a watchful care  against  
sin and folly2 but such is our infirmity
 that we are easily  drawn to be proud  
of our mercies1 and to persuade         
ourselves that we may  make bold with   
,god because we are his children4 ,hence
 was that paradox  of ,mr ,foxe1 #8,that
 his sins did him most good1 and his    
graces most  hurt2' he means1 sins      
occasioned his humility1 whereas his    

graces were  apt1 through his weakness1 
to make him proud4 ,and to hide this    
pride  from man1 ,god is forced to keep 
them sometime from the sight of their   
assurance1 or to discipline them by     
other temptations1 as he did with       
,paul1 lest they should be #8exalted    
above measure4'    ,note further1 ,obs4 
#ab4 ,that popular applause ,satan      
finds1 and useth  accordingly1 to be a  
great instigator to pride4    ,the great
 thing that moved the ,pharisees in     
their often fastings and  large charity1
 was that they might have praise of men1
 and therefore  took they care to be    
seen of men4#dbf ,the heathens noted    
this to be  the great feeder of that    
humour which animated them1 as a drum or
  trumpet animates soldiers to          
adventurous acts4#dbg ,and some good men
  have found no small difficulty to     
carry steadily1 when they have been     
hoisted up by the breath of men's       
praise2 which hath also occasioned      
those serious cautions against the      

danger of flattery and high             
commendations1 #8,a flattering mouth    
worketh ruin1' ,prov4 xxvi4 #bh4        
,,chapter ,,xvii4     ,of ,satan's      
subtlety in urging that of ,ps4 xci4    
#aa1 #ab1   to ,christ4--,of his        
imitating the ,spirit of ,god in various
 ways of   teaching4--,of his pretending
 ,scripture to further temptation4--,the
   reasons of such pretendings1 and the 
ends to which he doth abuse   it4--,of  
,satan's unfaithfulness in managing of  
scriptures4--,cautions   against that   
deceit4--,the ways by which it may be   
discovered4      ,the ways of ,satan1   
hitherto insisted on1 to engage ,christ 
in this act  of presumption1 were secret
 insinuations and underhand             
contrivances3  but that which he openly 
and expressly urged to this purpose1 was
  an argument drawn from the promise of 
,god1 though sadly abused and           
misrepresented1 #8,he shall give his    
angels charge concerning thee1'  c4     
,this we are next to consider1 in which1

 as cited by him1 we may  easily see1   
7#a47 ,that ,satan affected an imitation
 of ,christ1 in the way  of his         
resistance4 ,christ had urged ,scripture
 before1 and now ,satan  endeavours to  
manage the same weapon against him4     
7#b47 ,it is observable  that ,scripture
 is the weapon that ,satan doth desire  
to wield against  him4 ,in his other    
ways of dealing he was shy1 and did but 
lay them in  ,christ's way1 offering    
only the occasion1 and leaving him to   
take them  up2 but in this he is more   
confident1 and industriously pleads it1 
as  a thing which he could better stand 
to and more confidently avouch4  7#c47  
,the care of his subtlety herein1 lay in
 the misrepresentation  and abuse of it1
 as may be seen in these particulars3   
#a4 ,in that he  urged this promise to  
promote a sinful thing1 contrary to the 
general  end of all ,scripture1 which   
was therefore written #8that we sin     
not4'  #b4 ,but more especially in his  
clipping and mutilating of it4 ,he      

industriously leaves out that part of it
 which doth limit and confine  the      
promise of protection to lawful         
undertakings1 such as this was not1  and
 renders it as a general promise of     
absolute safety1 be the action  what it 
will4 ,it is a citation from ,ps4 xci4  
#aa1 #ab1 which there runs  thus1 #8,he 
shall give his angels charge over thee1 
to keep thee in all  thy ways4' ,these  
last words1 #8in all thy ways1' which   
doth direct to a  true understanding of 
,god's intention in that promise1 he    
deceitfully  leaves out1 as if they were
 needless and unnecessary parts of the  
promise1 when indeed they were on       
purpose put there by the ,spirit of     
,god1 to give a description of those    
persons and actions1 unto whom1 in  such
 cases1 the accomplishment of the       
promise might be expected2 for  albeit  
the word in the original1 which is      
translated #8ways'----doth  signify any 
kind of way or action in the general1   
yet in this place it  doth not2 for then

 ,god were engaged to an absolute       
protection of men1  not only when they  
unnecessarily thrust themselves into    
dangers1 but in  the most abominably    
sinful actions whatsoever2 which would  
have been a  direct contradiction to    
those many scriptures wherein ,god      
threatens to  withdraw his hand and     
leave sinners to the danger of their    
iniquities2  but it is evident that the 
sense of it is no more than this1 #8,god
 is  with you1 while you are with him4' 
,we have a paraphrase of this text1  to 
this purpose1 in ,prov4 iii4 #bc1       
#8,then shalt thou walk in thy way      
safely1 and thy foot shall not stumble3'
 where the condition of this  safety1   
pointed to in the word #8then1' which   
leads the promise1 is  expressly        
mentioned in the foregoing verses1 #8,my
 son1 let them'--that  is1 the precepts 
of wisdom--#8not depart from thine      
eyes4444 ,then'--not  upon other        
terms--#8shalt thou walk in thy way     
safely4' ,the ways then in  this        

promise1 cited by ,satan1 are the ways  
of duty1 or the ways of our  lawful     
callings4 ,the fallacy of ,satan in this
 dealing with ,scripture  is obvious1   
and ,christ might have given this       
answer1 as ,bernard hath  it1 ,that ,god
 promiseth to keep him in his ways1 but 
not in self-created  dangers1 for that  
was not his way1 but his ruin2 or if a  
way1 it was  ,satan's way1 but not      
his4#dbh 7#c47 ,to these two1 some add  
another  abuse1 in a subtle concealment 
of the following verse in ,ps4 xci41    
#8,thou shalt tread upon the lion and   
adder4' ,this concerned ,satan1 whose   
cruelty and poisonous deceits were fitly
 represented by the lion and  the adder1
 and there the promise is also explained
 to have a respect to  ,satan's         
temptations--that is1 ,god would so     
manage his protection1 that  his        
children should not be led into a snare4
    ,hence observe1 ,obs4 #ac4 ,that    
,satan sometimes imitates the ,spirit of
  ,god by an officious pretence of      

teaching the mind of ,god to men4       
,this our adversary doth not always     
appear in one shape4 ,sometime he  acts 
as a lion or dragon1 in ways of cruelty 
and fierceness2 sometimes  as a filthy  
swine1 in temptations to bestial        
uncleanness and sensual  lusts2 sometime
 he puts on the garb of holiness1 and   
makes as if he  were not a spiritual    
adversary1 but a spiritual friend and   
counsellor4  ,that this is frequent with
 him1 the apostle tells us3 #b ,cor4 xi4
 #ad1  #8,satan himself is transformed  
into an angel of light4' ,angels of     
light  are those blessed spirits sent   
forth to minister for the good of the   
elect1 whose ministry ,god useth not    
only for our preservation from  bodily  
hurts1 but also for prevention of sin   
and furtherance of duty4  ,satan1 as    
wicked as he is1 doth counterfeit that  
employment1 and takes  upon him to give 
advice for our good1 pretending to teach
 us in the  truth1 or to direct and     
further us in our endeavours4#dbi       

,that he designs an imitation of ,god   
and his ,spirit1 may be discovered  by  
expressing a great many particulars of  
,god's ways and appointments1  wherein  
,satan1 as ,god's ape1 partly out of    
mockery and scorn1 partly  upon other   
grounds of advantage to his intendments1
 doth counterfeit  the current coin of  
the ,lord's establishments by a very    
close  imitation4 ,but ,i shall here    
confine myself to the point of teaching 
and  instruction1 wherein how he        
proceeds1 we shall the better understand
 by  considering how many ways ,god hath
 of old1 and now still doth use in      
declaring his mind to his people4 ,the  
sum of all we have1 ,heb4 i4 #ab4       
,heretofore he signified his mind in    
#8divers manners' by the prophets1  and 
#8in these last days by his ,son1' in   
all which we shall trace the  steps of  
,satan4    7#a47 ,first1 ,god revealed  
himself sometime by voice2 as to        
,abraham1  ,moses1 and others4 ,the     
devil hath dared to imitate this4 ,there

 want  not instances of it2 in the      
temptation1 which is now under          
explanation1  he did so2 and his        
confessing ,christ1 #8,i know thee who  
thou art1' ,mat4  i4 #bd1 c41 doth shew 
that he is ready enough to do it at any 
time  for advantage4 ,sprenger tells us 
a story of the devil's preaching to a   
congregation in the habit and likeness  
of a priest1 wherein he reproved  sin1  
and urged truth1 and seemed no way      
culpable for false doctrine2  but ,i    
suspect this for a fabulous tale4       
,however1 it is undeniable that  he     
sometime hath appeared to men with godly
 exhortations in his mouth1  of living  
justly1 and doing no man wrong1 c41#dcj 
except we resolve  to discredit all     
history1 and the narrations of persons1 
and some such  are known to some in this
 auditory1 who solemnly affirm they have
 met  with such dealing from him4       
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,god hath sometime     
revealed himself to men in ecstasies    
and trances2 such as was that of ,paul3 

,acts xxii4 #ag1 #8,i was in an  ecstasy
 or trance1'    4 ,this also hath the   
devil  imitated4 ,mohammed made this    
advantage of his disease1 the epilepsy  
or  falling-sickness1 pretending that at
 such times he was in an ecstasy1  and  
had converse with the angel ,gabriel4   
,but what he only in knavery  pretended1
 others have really felt4 ,the stories  
of ,familists and  deluded ,quakers are 
full of such things4 ,they frequently   
have fallen  down and have lain as in a 
swoon1 and when they have awaked1 told  
wonderful stories of what they have     
heard and seen4    7#c47 ,thirdly1      
,visions and dreams were usual things in
 the ,old  ,testament1 and famous ways  
of divine revelation2 but ,satan was not
  behind in this matter4 ,his           
instruments had their visions too4 ,in  
,ezek4  xiii4 #g we have mention of vain
 visions and lying divinations2 and such
  satanical dreams are also noted1      
,deut4 xiii4 #a1 #8,if there arise among
  you a dreamer of dreams4' ,those days 

of confusion1 that are not yet  out of  
memory1 afforded store of these4 ,while 
unstable1 giddy-headed  people began to 
dote on novelties and questions in      
religion1 they  gave opportunity to     
,satan to beguile them2 for he taking   
advantage  of their nauseating of old   
truths1 and their expectation of sublime
  discoveries1 which had sufficiently   
prepared them for any impression1  did  
so overwork their fancies that they     
easily conceited themselves  to have had
 divine revelations1 and nothing was    
more ordinary than  to hear stories of  
visions and dreams4 ,and this spread    
further by a  kind of infection1 for it 
grew into a religious fashion2 and he   
was  not esteemed that had not something
 of this nature to experience4  ,and    
though the folly and impertinences of   
such things generally1 and  sometime the
 apparent wickedness of them1 as        
contradicting truth and  the divine     
rules of holiness1 were sufficient      
discoveries that ,satan's  hand was in  

them1 yet until time1 experience1 and   
the power of ,god had  cooled the       
intemperate heat of this raving humour1 
it continued in  the good liking and    
admiration of the more inconsiderate    
vulgar4 ,and  sometime those from whom  
more seriousness and consideration might
 have  been expected fell into a        
reverence for these pretences in others1
  and helped forward this spiritual     
witchcraft by their countenance and     
arguings1 often abusing that text in    
,acts ii4 #ag1 #8,your young men  shall 
see visions1 and your old men shall     
dream dreams1' by applying  it to a     
justification of these apparently       
foolish dotages4 ,and indeed  the effect
 hath discovered they were no better1   
for many of those  things which with    
great confidence were avouched as       
certain1 were by  time proved to be     
false4 ,many things were useless1 vain1 
ridiculous1  and some were brought to   
lament and confess their folly after    
they  proceeded far in these ways2 and  

at last1 when the former opportunities  
were worn out1 ,satan grew weary of that
 design as being no longer  proper to be
 insisted on4 ,there is now a great     
calm1 so that it is but  seldom that we 
hear of such things talked of4 ,it were 
needless to give  particular instances1 
when you may at your leisure fetch them 
from  hundreds of pamphlets commonly    
known4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,one of the  
most noted ways by which ,god discovered
 his  mind was that of inspiration1 by  
which some eminent persons1 called      
therefore prophets1 spake the will of   
,god #8as they were moved or  acted by  
the ,spirit of ,god1' #b ,peter i4 #ba4 
,the devil had also his  false prophets4
 ,such are frequently taxed in the ,old 
,testament1 and  foretold in the ,new3  
#8,false ,christs1 and false prophets   
shall arise1'  ,mat4 xxiv4 #bd2 #8,there
 were false prophets among the people1  
as there  shall be false teachers among 
you1' #b ,peter ii4 #a4 ,many false     
teachers  are gone out into the world4  

,such a one was ,montanus in            
,tertullian's  time1 ,david ,george1    
,john of ,leyden1 ,hacket1 our          
countryman1 were such1  and a great many
 such there have been in all ages4 ,it  
is notoriously  known that ,satan hath  
thus inspired poor1 possessed wretches1 
who  have uttered threatenings against  
sin and woe to sinners4 ,the sayings  of
 such possessed creatures have not long 
since been gathered into  a volume and  
published1 as containing very persuasive
 arguments to  repentance and amendment 
of life4#dca ,besides these1 our own    
times  afford too many examples of this 
kind4 ,many have put on the guise of    
the old prophets in a foolish though    
adventurous imitation of their  actions 
and prophecies4 ,some have in our       
streets resembled ,jonah  in ,nineveh1  
#8,yet forty days1' c4 ,some fancied to 
walk naked like  ,isaiah2 others have   
come with their earthen pitchers and    
broken them1  imitating these and other 
types by which ,god in his true prophets

  foresignified his judgments to come2  
in all which actions and garbs1  with   
much earnestness1 and in an affected    
tone1 they have called out  for         
repentance in a confident denunciation  
of woes and miseries1 with  a bold      
limiting of the time of forty days1 that
 the same might carry a  parallel to    
,jonah's prophecy1 and sometime         
giving--which is the surest  way--an    
unlimited1 uncertain time4 ,how the     
devil acts in these matters1  and by    
what ways he seduceth them to believe   
they are inspired of  ,god1 or have real
 visions and revelations1 it is not my  
business now  to inquire2 only let those
 that think such things strange1        
consider  that the devil hath the       
advantage of deep fanciful apprehensions
 and a  working melancholy in such      
persons1 by which he can easily work    
them to  conceit anything1 and          
confidently believe what they have      
conceited4    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,sometime 
,god notified his mind by signs and     

miracles4  ,satan hath also his #8lying 
signs and wonders2' a power ,god hath   
permitted him this way1 which is very   
great1 and the delusions wrought        
thereby are strong1 hazarding the       
deception of the elect4 ,this power  of 
doing wonders the devil usually applies 
to false doctrines1 to  strengthen and  
countenance errors4 ,the apostle        
testifies1 #b ,thes4 ii4  #i1 that      
,satan shall employ this power for the  
advancement of the #8man  of sin1 whose 
coming shall be with signs and lying    
wonders4' ,the beast  arising out of the
 earth1 ,rev4 xiii4 #ad1 #8he shall     
deceive by the means  of those miracles 
which he hath power to do4' ,and        
accordingly the  popish legends are full
 of stories of miracles1 whereof1 though
 most  be lies1 forgeries1 and the false
 contrivements of those who sought to   
bring the people to receive their       
doctrines1 the credit and advancement   
of which they sought by such ways2 some 
notwithstanding1 though not  true       

miracles1 yet were truly acted1 to      
countenance those errors which  are     
pretended to be established by them4    
7#f47 ,sixthly1 ,god doth teach and lead
 his people by impulses4 ,christ  was   
thus #8led of the ,spirit into the      
wilderness2' and ,paul was #8bound  in  
spirit to go to ,jerusalem1' ,acts xx4  
#bb4 ,it is common for ,satan to        
imitate such impulses4 ,we have clear   
instances of diabolical impulses  to sin
 in ,scripture4 ,a strong impulse was on
 ,ananias1 #8,satan filled his  heart1' 
,acts v4 #c2 a strong impulse on ,judas1
 #8,satan entered into his  heart1'     
,luke xxii4 #c2 and what then more easy 
to apprehend1 than that  ,satan can     
counterfeit better impulses1 and        
violently stir up the hearts  of men to 
actions seemingly good or indifferent8  
,some hypocrites are  moved strongly to 
pray or preach1--,satan therein aiming  
at an increase  of pride or presumption 
in them2--and they know no other1 but   
that it is  the ,spirit of ,god4 ,god's 

children may have impulses from ,satan1 
upon  pretences of zeal1 as the         
disciples had1 when they called for fire
 from  heaven4 ,in these impulses ,satan
 doth not so act the heart of man as    
the ,spirit of ,god doth1 whose commands
 in this case are irresistible2  but he 
only works by altering the disposition  
of our bodies in a  natural way2 and    
then having fitted us all he can for an 
impression1 he  endeavours to set it on 
by strong persuasions4 ,some memorable  
instances  of these impulses might      
profitably illustrate this4 ,math4      
,parisiensis  takes notice of a boy1 in 
anno #abac1 of whom also ,fuller makes  
mention1#dcb who1 after some loss which 
the ,christians had received in  the war
 against the ,turks1 went up and down1  
singing this rhyme--        #8,jesus    
,lord1 redeem our loss3      ,restore to
 us thy holy cross4'    ,and by this    
means he gathered a multitude of boys   
together1 who could  not by the severest
 menaces of their parents be hindered   

from following  him to their own ruin4  
,another instance of a strange impulse  
we have in  ,josephus3#dcc one ,jesus1  
the son of ,ananus1 about four years    
before  the destruction of ,jerusalem1  
at the feast of tabernacles1 begins to  
cry out1 #8,woe1 woe1 to the east and   
west1 to men and women1' c41 and  could 
by no means be restrained night or day2 
and when his flesh was  beaten off his  
bones1 he begged no pity nor ease1 but  
still continued  his usual crying4      
7#g47 ,seventhly1 ,god doth also by his 
,spirit teach his people in  bringing   
things to their remembrance1 ,john xiv4 
#bf4 ,satan also in  imitation of this1 
can put into the minds of men1 with     
great readiness  and dexterity1 promises
 or sentences of ,scripture1 insomuch   
that they  conclude that all such       
actings are from the ,spirit of ,god1   
who1 as they  conclude1 set such a      
scripture upon their heart4 ,thus dealt 
,satan with  ,christ4 ,he urgeth the    
promise upon him1 wherein upon the      

matter he doth  as much1 as when he     
secretly suggests such things to the    
heart without  an audible voice4 ,in    
this way of craft ,satan doth very much 
resemble  the true work of the ,spirit2 
#a4 ,in the readiness and quickness of  
suggesting2 #b4 ,in seeming             
exact-suiting scripture suggested1 with 
the  present occasion2 and #c4 ,in the  
earnestness of his urging it upon the   
fancies of men4 ,yet when all this is   
done1 they that shall seriously         
consider all ends1 matter and           
circumstances1 will easily observe it is
  but the cunning work of a tempter1 and
 not from the ,holy ,spirit4    ,obs4   
#ad4 ,observe also1 ,that whatever be   
the various ways of ,satan's  imitation1
 yet the matter which he works and      
practiseth upon is still  ,scripture4   
,to this he confines himself3--    #a4  
,first1 ,because the ,scriptures are    
generally1 among ,christians1  received 
as the undoubted oracles of ,god1 the   
rule of our lives and  duties1 and the  

grounds of our hope4 ,it would be a vain
 and bootless  labour to impose upon    
those that retain this belief1 the      
sayings of the  ,turkish ,alcoran1 the  
precepts of heathen philosophers1 or any
 other  thing that may carry a visible  
estrangement from or contradiction to   
,scripture4 ,he could not then possibly 
pretend to a divine instruction1  nor   
could he so #8transform himself into an 
angel of light3' but by  using this     
covert of divine command1 promise1 or   
discovery1 he can  more easily beget a  
belief that ,god hath said it1 and that 
there is  neither sin nor danger in the 
thing propounded1 but duty and advantage
  to be expected2 and this is the very  
thing that makes way for an  easy       
entertainment of such delusions4 ,poor  
creatures believe that is  all from     
,god1 and that they are acted by his    
,spirit1 and that with  such confidence 
that they contemn and descry those1 as  
ignorant of  divine mysteries1 and of   
the power of ,god1 who are not so       

besotted as  themselves4    #b4         
,secondly1 ,the ,scriptures have a      
glorious irresistible majesty in  them1 
peculiar to themselves1 which cannot be 
found in all that art  or eloquence can 
contribute to other authors4 ,it is not 
play-book  language1 nor scraps of      
romances that ,satan can effect these   
cheats  withal2 and therefore we may    
observe that in the highest delusions   
men have had pretences of ,scripture2   
and their strong persuasions of         
extraordinary discoveries have stricken 
men into a reverence of their           
profession1 because of the ,scripture   
words and phrases with which  their     
boldest follies are woven up4 ,for let  
but men inquire into the  reason of the 
prevalency of ,familism of old1 upon so 
vast a number  of people as were carried
 away with it1 and they shall find that 
the  great artifice lay in the words    
they used1 a language abstracted from   
,scripture1 to signify such conceits as 
the ,scripture never intended4  ,hence  

were their expressions always high1     
soaring1 and relating to a  more        
excellent and mystical interpretation of
 those divine writings4  ,this may be   
observed in ,david ,george1 ,hen4       
,nicholas1 and others1 who  usually talk
 of being consubstantiated with ,god1   
taken up into his  love1 of the         
angelical life1 and a great deal more of
 the same kind4  ,the ,ranters at first 
had the like language1 and the ,quakers 
after them  affected such a canting     
expression4 ,and we may be the more     
certain of  the truth of this           
observation1 that such a kind of        
speaking1 which  borrows its majesty    
from the style of the ,scripture1 is of 
moment to  ,satan's design2 because we  
find the ,scripture itself gives        
particular  notice of it4 ,the false    
teachers in #b ,pet4 ii4 #ah1 are       
described1  among other things1 by their
 #8swelling words of vanity1' which the 
,syriac renders to be #8a proud and     
lofty way of speaking4' ,the original   

signifies no less--1--they were words   
swelled like bladders1  though being    
pricked1 they be found to be empty      
sounds1 and no  substance4 ,there are   
indeed swelling words of atheistical    
contempt of  those who1 as the psalmist 
speaks1 #8set their mouths against      
heaven1'  ,ps4 lxxiii4 #i1 #aa2 but this
 passage of ,peter1 as also the like in 
,jude #af1 signify big swollen words1   
from high pretensions and fancies  of   
knowing the mind of ,god more perfectly2
 for they that use them  pretend        
themselves prophets of ,god1 ver4 #a1   
and as to their height in  profession1  
are compared to clouds highly soaring2  
and in #b ,cor4 xi4  #ad1 they are said 
to be #8transformed into the apostles of
 ,christ1' and  to the garb of the      
#8ministers of righteousness4' ,and that
 which is  more1 this particular design 
of ,satan is noted as the rise of all2  
#8,no  marvel1 for ,satan himself is    
transformed into an angel of light4'    
,having seen the reasons why ,satan     

chooseth ,scripture as his tool to  work
 by1 ,i shall next shew to what base    
designs he makes it subserve4    #a4    
,first1 ,he useth this artifice to beget
 and propagate erroneous  doctrines4    
,hence no opinion is so vile1 but       
pretends to ,scripture  as its patron4  
,the ,arians pretend ,scripture against 
the divinity of  ,christ4 ,the          
,socinians1 ,pelagians1 ,papists1 yea1  
and those that pretend  to inspirations 
for their rule1 and disclaim the binding
 force of  those antiquated declarations
 of the saints' conditions1 as they call
  them1 yet conform all their sayings to
 the ,scripture expression1 and         
endeavour to prove their mistakes by its
 authority4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,he makes 
abused ,scripture to encourage sinful   
actions4  ,he can cite passages of      
,god's patience and long-suffering1 of  
his  pardoning grace and readiness to   
forgive1 and a thousand more1 upon no   
other design than the #8turning of the  
grace of ,god into wantonness1'  ,jude  

#d4 ,when professors turn loose and     
negligent1 when they adventure  too far 
upon sinful pleasures1 they lick        
themselves whole by an  overforward     
grasping at such passages of ,scripture1
 which ,satan will  with great readiness
 set upon their hearts2 and then they   
pretend to  themselves that their peace 
is made up with ,god1 and that they have
 no  less than a sealed pardon in their 
bosoms2 which notwithstanding may  be   
known to have only ,satan's hand and    
seal at it1 by their overly and  formal 
sorrow for such miscarriages1 and their 
readiness to return to  the same follies
 again4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,by this       
imitation of the commands and promises  
of ,god1  he doth strangely engage such 
as he can thus delude unto desperate    
undertakings4#dcd ,the ,familists of    
,germany were persuaded by this         
delusion1 to expose themselves unarmed  
to the greatest hazards1 upon  vain     
pretences of promises set home upon     
them1 as that ,god would fight  for     

them1 that they must #8stand still and  
see the salvation of ,god1'  ,exod4 xiv4
 #ac4 ,some of later times have paid    
their lives for their  bold             
misapplication of that promise1 #8,one  
shall chase a thousand1'  ,deut4 xxxii4 
#cj4 ,judas of ,galilee and ,theudas    
were prompted by ,satan  to gather      
multitudes together1 though to their own
 ruin1 upon a vain  persuasion that they
 were raised up of ,god1 and that ,god  
would be with  them4#dce    #d4         
,fourthly1 ,he sometimes procures       
groundless peace and assurance in  the  
hearts of careless ones by ,scripture   
misapplied4 ,many you may meet  with who
 will roundly tell you a long story how 
they were cast down and  comforted by   
such a scripture brought to their minds1
 when1 it may be  much feared1 they are 
but deceived1 and that as yet ,god hath 
not spoken  peace to them4    ,lastly1  
,this way of ,satan's setting home      
scriptures proves sadly  effectual to   
beget or heighten the inward distresses 

and fears of  the children of ,god4 ,it 
is a wonder to hear some dispute against
  themselves1 so nimble they be to      
object a scripture against their  peace1
 above their reading or ability1 that   
you would easily conclude  there is one 
at hand that prompts them1 and suggests 
these things to  their own prejudice4   
,and sometime a scripture will be set so
 cross or  edgeway to their good and    
comfort1 that many pleadings1 much time1
  prayers1 and discourses cannot remove 
it4 ,i have known some that have        
seriously professed scriptures have been
 thrown into their hearts like  arrows1 
and have with such violence fixed a     
false apprehension upon  their minds1 as
 that ,god had cut them off1 that they  
were reprobate1  damned1 c41 that they  
have borne the tedious1 restless        
affrightments  of it for many days1 and 
yet the thing itself1 as well as the    
issue  of it1 doth declare that this was
 not the fruit of the ,spirit of ,god1  
which is a spirit of truth1 and cannot  

suggest a falsehood1 but of  ,satan1 who
 hath been a liar from the beginning4   
,observe lastly1 ,obs4 #ae4 ,though     
,satan useth ,scripture in these        
deceitful workings1 yet he never doth it
 faithfully4    7#a47 ,first1 ,because  
it is against his nature1 as it is now  
corrupted  by his fall4 ,there is no    
truth in him3 #8,when he speaketh a lie 
he  speaketh of his own1 for he is a    
liar1' ,john viii4 #dd2 not that he     
cannot speak a truth1 but that he       
usually is a liar1 and that he never    
speaks truth but with a purpose to      
deceive4#dcf    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,to    
deal faithfully in urging scriptures    
upon the  consciences of men1 is also   
contrary to his interest4 ,he hath a    
kingdom which he endeavours to uphold4  
,this kingdom1 being directly  contrary 
to that of ,christ's1 which is a kingdom
 of light1 is therefore  called a       
kingdom of darkness1 being maintained   
and propagated only  by lies and        
deceits4 ,he cannot then be supposed to 

use ,scripture  faithfully1 because that
 is the true sceptre of ,christ's       
kingdom1 for  then should ,satan1 as    
,christ argues1 ,mat4 xii4 #bf1 #8cast  
out ,satan1 and  be divided against     
himself4'    ,this unfaithful dealing   
with ,scripture is threefold4    7#a47  
,first1 ,the unfaithfulness of his      
design4 ,though he speaks what  is true1
 yet he doth it with an evil mind1      
aiming at one of these three  things3-- 
#a4 ,first1 ,to deceive and delude4 ,if 
he applies promises1 or insists  upon   
the privileges of ,god's children1 it is
 to make them proud or  presumptuous4   
,if he urge threatenings1 or stir up the
 conscience to  accuse for sin1 it is to
 bring them to despair2 if he object the
 law1  it is to enrage lust2 and that   
#8sin by the commandment might become   
exceeding sinful1' ,rom4 vii4 #ac4      
#b4 ,secondly1 ,his design is sometime  
to bring the ,scripture under  suspicion
 or contempt4 ,he puts some weak        
,christians upon unseasonable  or       

imprudent use of ,scripture1 and then   
tempts others to laugh at  them1 and to 
despise in their hearts those ways of   
religion which  some zealots with too   
much weakness do manage4 ,men are apt   
enough to  scoff at the most serious and
 weighty duties of holiness1 even when  
performed in a most serious manner4 ,if 
,david put on sackcloth1 and  afflict   
himself with fasting1 it is presently   
turned to his reproach1  #8and the      
drunkards make a song of it1' ,ps4 lxix4
 #ab2 but much more  advantage hath the 
devil to raise up scorn and loathing in 
the minds of  debauched persons1 by the 
affected and unskilful use of           
,scripture4 ,some  by a narrow          
confinement of the words brother and    
sister to those  of their own           
fellowship1 as if none else were to be  
owned by them1  have occasioned the     
scoff of holy brethren--a phrase        
notwithstanding  used with a grave      
seriousness by the apostle--in the usual
 discourses  of those who wait all      

occasions to harden themselves against  
the  power of religion4 ,the like       
observations they make of other ways and
  forms of speaking1 which some have    
accustomed themselves unto1 in a        
conscientious conformity to ,scripture  
phrase3 in all which the devil          
observing the weakness and              
injudiciousness of some on the one hand1
 and  the scornful pride of others on   
the other hand1 is willing to provide   
matter for their atheistical jeers1 by  
putting all the obligations he  can upon
 the consciences of the weak1 to        
continue in the use of these            
expressions4 ,for some proof of this    
matter we may note the secret  deceit of
 ,satan1 in that liberal profession of  
,christ to be #8the ,son of  ,god1'     
,mark i4 #bd2 ,luke iv4 #cd1 #8,i know  
thee who thou art2 the ,holy  ,one of   
,god4' ,here was truth spoken by him1   
and one would have thought  with great  
ingenuity2#dcg but yet he cunningly     
insinuated into the  minds of the       

hearers a ground of suspicion that he   
was not the ,son of  ,god2 and for that 
end calls him ,jesus of ,nazareth1 as if
 ,christ had  been born there4 ,he knew 
well that the ,jews expected no ,messiah
 from  ,nazareth1 and therefore on set  
purpose used he that expression1 that   
he might draw him into contempt4 ,and   
accordingly we find this very  mistake1 
that ,christ was born at ,nazareth1     
became an argument against  him3 ,john  
vii4 #da1 while some were convinced1 and
 said1 #8,this is the  ,christ1' others 
said1 #8,shall ,christ come out of      
,galilee8'    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,another    
part of his design in the use of        
scriptures is  to put a varnish upon    
hypocrisy4 ,he is ready to serve men by 
putting  ,scripture expressions in their
 mouths1 and inuring them to a constant 
use of the phrases of those divine      
writings1 that they may less suspect    
themselves of the pride1 formality1 and 
secret wickedness of their  hearts2 and 
to help on their mistakes concerning    

their spiritual  condition1 he can urge 
upon their consciences those scriptures 
that  serve to engage them in external  
observances of religion4 ,it may appear 
by the ,pharisee's boast of fasting     
#8twice a week1' of #8paying tithes1'   
of #8giving alms1' ,luke xviii4 #aa1    
that their consciences were someway     
concerned in these things1 so that      
though they were left without check  of 
conscience #8to devour widows' houses1' 
yet were they urged to make  #8long     
prayers4' ,suitable to this is that     
which ,solomon speaks of the  harlot1   
who1 to colour over her wickedness1 had 
her offerings and  vows2 and when her   
conscience is appeased with these       
performances1  she can excuse herself in
 her way of sinning1 #8,she eats and    
wipes her  mouth1 and saith1 ,i have    
done no wickedness1' ,prov4 xxx4 #bj4   
,satan  doth but hereby help to paint a 
sepulchre1 or gild a potsherd1 and to   
furnish men with excuses and pretexts in
 their way of sinning4 ,not  unlike to  

this was that service which the devil   
with great readiness  performed--as ,i  
was informed from some of good          
credit--to a young student  who had     
fallen upon some books of magic in a    
college library1 into  which having     
stolen privately one night in pursuit of
 that study1  was almost surprised by   
the president1 who1 seeing a candle     
there at  an unseasonable time1 suddenly
 opens the door to know who was up so   
late1 in which strait the devil--to     
gratify his pupil with a ready          
excuse--snatcheth away his book1 and in 
a moment lays ,montanus his ,bible      
before him1 that he might pretend that  
for his employment4    7#b47 ,secondly1 
,another point of ,satan's unfaithful   
dealing with  ,scripture is his false   
citation of it4 ,it is nothing with him 
to  alter1 change1 or leave out such a  
part as may make against him4 ,if  he   
urge promises upon men1 in order to     
their security and negligence1  he      
conceals the condition of them1 and     

banisheth the threatening far  from     
their minds1 representing the mercy of  
,god in a false glass1  as if he had    
promised to save and bring to heaven    
every man upon  the common and easy     
terms of being called a ,christian4 ,if 
it be his  purpose to disquiet the      
hearts of ,god's children1 to promote   
their  fears1 or to lead them to        
despair1 then he sets home the commands 
and  threatenings1 but hides the        
promises that might relieve them1 and1  
which is remarkable1 he hath so puzzled 
some by setting on their hearts  a piece
 of ,scripture1 that when the next      
words1 or next verse1 might  have eased 
them of their fears1 and answered the   
sad objections which  they raised       
against themselves from thence1 as if   
their eyes had been  holden1 or as if a 
mist had been cast over them1 they have 
not for a  long time been able to       
consider the relief which they might    
have had4  ,this hiding of ,scripture   
from their eyes1 setting aside what ,god

 may do  for the just chastisement of   
his children's folly1 is effected by the
  strong impression which ,satan sets   
upon their hearts1 and by holding  their
 minds down to a fixed meditation of the
 dreadful inferences which  he presents 
to them from thence1 not suffering them 
to divert their  thoughts by his        
incessant clamours against them4        
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,he unfaithfully        
handleth scriptures1 by wresting the    
true import and sense of them4 ,we read 
of some1 #b ,pet4 iii4 #af1 who  #8wrest
 the ,scripture4' ,the word in the      
original----signifies  a racking or     
torturing of it1 as men upon a rack are 
stretched beyond  their due length1 to a
 dislocation of their joints1 and       
sometimes  forced to speak what they    
never did nor intended2 so are the      
,scriptures  used4 ,those that do so are
 ,satan's scholars1 and taught of him1  
though  in regard of the ,spirit's true 
teaching1 they are called unlearned1    
which is sufficient to shew ,satan's    

deceitful dealing4 ,he often lays  his  
dead and corrupt sense--as the harlot   
did with her dead child in the  room of 
the living infant--in the place of the  
living meaning of the  scripture4 ,this 
may be seen evidently3--    #a4 ,first1 
,in heresies or errors4 ,these are      
,satan's brood1 and there  are none so  
vile1 that pretend to ,christian        
religion1 but they claim a  kindred to  
,scripture1 and are confident on its    
authority for them4 ,now  seeing truth  
is but one1 and these errors not only   
contradictory to  truth1 but to each    
other1 ,satan could never spin out such 
conclusions  from the divine oracles1   
but by wresting them from their true    
intendments2 and he that would          
contemplate the great subtlety of ,satan
  in this his art1 need but consider    
what different strange and monstrous    
shapes are put upon the ,scripture by   
the several heresies which march  under 
its colours4 ,the ,quakers in their way 
represent it like an old  almanack out  

of date1 and withal1 in the use they    
make of it1 they  render it as a piece  
of nonsensical furious raving4 ,the     
,socinians take  down the sublime       
mysteries of ,christ's satisfaction and 
justification  by faith1 with external  
rewards and punishments1 to a strain as 
low  as the ,turkish ,alcoran4 ,the     
papists make it like a few leaves of an 
imperfect book1 wanting beginning and   
end1 and so not fit to be set up  as a  
sufficient rule4 ,the ,ranters make it  
seem rather like language  from hell    
than the commands of the pure and holy  
,god4 ,some will have it  to countenance
 most ridiculous inventions in worship2 
others will have  it to discharge all   
outward observations and ordinances1 as 
childish  rudiments4 ,some raise it all 
to the pitch of enigmatical             
unintelligible  mysteries2 others can   
find no more in the precepts of it than 
in  ,aristotle's ethics4 ,thus by       
distorting and wresting1 ,satan hath    
learned  these unskilful ones to make it

 serve their vilest lusts and humours4  
#b4 ,secondly1 ,the same art of wresting
 ,scripture is observable in his  secret
 suggestings4 ,if he would encourage any
 in sin1 he can wrest  ,scripture for   
that1 and tell him that ,god is         
merciful1 that ,christ  died for        
sinners1 that there is hope of pardon1  
that saints have done  the like3 things 
very true in themselves1 but perverted  
by him to  another sense than ever they 
were intended to by ,god1 who hath      
spoken  these things that we sin not4   
,if he would discourage a saint1 he can 
tell him when he finds him doubting his 
estate1 that the #8fearful and          
unbelieving have their part in the lake 
which burns with fire and  brimstone1'  
,rev4 xxi4 #h2 when he finds him under a
 known sin1 he tells  that of the       
apostle1 #8,if we sin wilfully after we 
have received the  knowledge of the     
truth1 there remains no more sacrifice  
for sins1'  ,heb4 x4 #bf4 ,when he      
observes them discomposed and wandering 

in duty1  then he objects1 #8,they draw 
nigh me with their lips1 but their heart
  is far from me1' ,isa4 xxix4 #ac4 ,if 
he sees them dull and without           
consolation at the ,lord's supper1 then 
to be sure they hear of him1  #8,he that
 eats and drinks unworthily1 eateth and 
drinketh damnation to  himself1' #a     
,cor4 xi4 #bi4 ,if he find him bemoaning
 that he is not so  apprehensive of     
mercies or judgments as he would be1    
then he sets home  some such scripture  
as this1 #8,this people's heart is waxed
 gross1 and  their ears are dull of     
hearing1' ,mat4 xiii4 #ae1 c4 ,these    
scriptures  are frequently perverted by 
,satan from the true and proper meaning 
of  them4 ,i have had complaints from   
several dejected ,christians of these   
very scriptures urged upon them to their
 great trouble1 when yet it was  evident
 that none of these were truly applied1 
by ,satan's temptation  against them4   
,applic4 ,these things give us warning  
not to take anything of this  nature    

upon trust4 ,if ,satan can so imitate   
the ,spirit of ,god in  applications of 
,scripture1 and bringing it to our      
remembrance1 we  have great reason to   
beware lest we be imposed upon by       
,satan's design  clothed in ,scripture  
phrase2 not that ,i would have men      
esteem the  secret setting of ,scripture
 upon their minds1 to be in all cases a 
delusion1 and to be disregarded as such4
 ,some indeed there are that so         
severely remark the weaknesses of       
professors of religion1 that they  raise
 up a scorn to that which is of most    
necessary and serious use4  ,because the
 devil prevails with some hypocrites to 
gild themselves  with ,scripture phrase1
 and others through imprudent           
inadvertency  are1 unknown to           
themselves1 beguiled by ,satan1 to      
misapplications of  ,scripture to their 
own estate1 or to other things2 they    
therefore decry  all the inward workings
 of the heart1 as fancy or affected     
singularity2  these do but the devil's  

work4 ,but that the ,spirit of ,god1    
whom ,satan  treacherously endeavours to
 imitate1 doth set home ,scripture      
commands1  threatenings1 and promises   
upon the hearts of his people1 is not   
only  attested by the experience of all 
that are inwardly acquainted with  the  
ways of ,god1 but is one of the great   
promises which ,christ hath  given for  
the comfort of his people in his        
absence3 ,john xiv4 #bf1 #8,but  the    
,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1  
whom the ,father shall send in  my name1
 he shall teach you all things1 and     
bring all things to your  remembrance1  
whatsoever ,i have said unto you4' ,this
 then being granted  as a firm unshaken 
truth1 our care must be in discovering  
and avoiding  ,satan's counterfeit using
 of ,scripture1 and in this we should be
 more  wary2    #a4 ,first1 ,because we 
are not so apt to suspect what we meet  
with in  such a way1 when it is brought 
to us in the language of ,scripture4    
#b4 ,secondly1 ,and those that are not  

exercised in the ,scripture1 will  be at
 a sad loss1 as not knowing how to      
extricate themselves from such          
difficulties as may arise to them from  
,satan's sophistry4    #c4 ,thirdly1    
,wariness is also more necessary1       
because we are  inclinable to believe   
what suits our desires1 and conscience  
awakened  is averse to the rejecting of 
that which answers its fears4    ,quest4
 ,you may say1 ,what is there of        
direction for us in this case8    ,ans4 
,the answer is ready4 ,two things are   
given us in charge4 7#a47  ,that we be  
wisely suspicious4 ,a facile hasty      
credulity is treacherous4  ,christ      
forbids1 when he foretells the rising of
 false ,christs1 ,mat4  xxiv4 #bf1 the  
forwardness of a sudden belief1 taxing  
thereby those  that are presently taken 
with every new appearance4 ,it is       
childish to  be carried with every wind4
 ,we are warned also of this3 #a ,john  
iv4  #a1 #8,believe not every spirit4'  
7#b47 ,we are commanded to bring all    

pretences whatsoever to trial4 ,though  
immediate revelation or vision be       
pretended1 or extraordinary commission1 
yet must all be brought to the          
touchstone4 #8,we must prove all        
things1' #a ,thes4 v4 #ba1 #8and try    
those  that say they are apostles1'     
,rev4 ii4 #b2 nay1 #8the spirits are to 
be  tried whether they be of ,god1' #a  
,john iv4 #a4    ,quest4 ,you will say1 
,how must we try8    ,ans4 ,i answer1   
,god hath given a public1 sufficient1   
and certain rule1  which is the         
,scripture1 and all must be tried by    
that2 so that if  there be impulses or  
discoveries or remembrances of          
,scripture upon any1  it must not be    
taken for granted that they are of ,god1
 because they  pretend so high1 for so  
we shall make ,satan judge in his own   
cause2 but  lay all to the line and     
plummet of the written word1 and if it  
answer  not that1 call it confidently a 
delusion1 and reject it as accursed1    
though it might seem in other regards to

 have been suggested by an  angel from  
heaven4    ,obj4 ,but it will be said1  
,satan pretends to this rule1 and it is 
,scripture that is urged by him4        
,ans4 ,i answer1 ,though it be so1 yet  
he useth not ,scripture in its own      
intendment and sense4 ,for the discovery
 of his unfaithful dealing2--    #a4    
,first1 ,compare the inference of the   
suggestion with other  scriptures4 ,if  
it be from a dark scripture1 compare it 
with those that  are more plain1 and in 
every case see whether the general      
current of  the ,scriptures speak the   
same thing2 for if it be from ,satan1 he
 either  plays with the words and       
phrases1 from doubtful and equivalent   
terms  making his conclusion1 or his    
citation will be found impertinent1 or1 
which is most usual1 contrary to truth  
or holiness4 ,if any of these  appear by
 a true examination of the import of the
 scripture which he  seeks to abuse1 or 
by comparing it with the scope and      
genius of other  scriptures1 you may    

certainly pronounce that it is not of   
,god1 but  ,satan's deceit4#dch    #b4  
,secondly1 ,consider the tendency of    
such suggestions4 ,let no  man say that 
this will come too late1 or that it is  
an after-game4 ,i  do not mean that we  
should stay so long as to see the       
effects1 though  this is also a certain 
discovery of ,satan's knavery in his    
highest  pretences4 ,the fanatic furies 
of the ,german enthusiasts do now appear
  plain to all the world to have been   
delusions1 by their end1 fruits1  and   
issue4 ,but that while these conclusions
 are obtruded upon us1 we  should       
observe to what they tend1 which we     
shall the better know if all            
circumstances round about be considered4
 ,sometimes ,satan doth covertly  hint  
his mind1 and send it along with the    
suggestions2 sometimes our  condition   
will enough declare it1 and there is no 
case but it will  afford something of   
discovery if seriously pondered4 ,if he 
either  prompt us to pride1 vainglory1  

or presumption1 or that our condition   
sway us that way1 it will be sufficient 
ground of suspicion that it is  ,satan  
that then urgeth promises or privileges 
upon us4 ,if we are of a  wounded       
spirit1 inclined to distrust1 or if we  
be put on to despair1  it is past denial
 that it is ,satan that urgeth the      
threatenings1 and  presseth the         
accusations of the law against us4 ,he  
that gathers stones1  timber1 lime1 and 
such materials together1 as are usually 
employed in  building1 doth discover his
 intention before he actually build his 
house1 and thus may ,satan's end be     
known by his preparations1 compared     
with the sway and inclination of our    
present temper4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,it    
must be remembered that with these      
endeavours1 we  often seek the face of  
the ,lord for help and counsel2 and that
 we  apply ourselves to such of the     
servants of ,god1 as being more knowing 
than ourselves1 and less prepossessed in
 their judgments1 because not           

concerned1 are better able to see into  
the nature of our straits1 and  to help 
us by their advices4          ,,chapter 
,,xviii4     ,again the devil taketh him
 up into an exceeding high mountain1    
and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the 
world1 and the glory of   them4--,,mat4 
iv4 #h4     ,the manner of ,satan's     
shewing the kingdoms of the world4--,of 
,satan's   preparations before the      
motion of sin4--,of his confronting the 
,almighty   by presumptuous imitation1  
and in what cases he doth so4--,of his  
beautifying the object of a temptation1 
and how he doth it4--,his way of        
engaging the affections by the          
senses4--,of his seeming shyness4       
,this is the preparation to the third   
temptation2 in which we have1 7#a47     
,the place where it was acted2 7#b47    
,the object set before him there4    #a4
 ,first1 ,the place was an #8exceeding  
high mountain4' ,what mountain  it was1 
,nebo1 ,pisgah1 or any other1 it is     
needless to inquire4 ,it  is of more use

 to ask after the reasons of ,satan's   
choice of such a  place4 ,the text doth 
clearly imply one2 that was the         
commodiousness of  prospect4 ,satan     
intending to give him a view of the     
kingdoms of the  world1 chooseth a      
mountain as fittest for that end4 ,but  
that this was  not all the reason1 is   
not only intimated by some1#dci but     
positively  affirmed by others1#ddj who 
think that ,satan in this imitated the  
like  in ,god to ,moses1 who was called 
up to ,mount ,nebo to view the land     
which  ,god promised to ,israel4        
,whether these circumstances of the     
mountain1  and the view of the kingdoms 
of the world1 were of purpose contrived 
to  affront ,god by such an imitation1  
,i will not be positive in it2 but we   
may with greater evidence affirm that in
 offering the kingdoms of the  world as 
things altogether in his disposal1 he   
doth directly outbrave  ,god by an      
insolent comparison of his power with   
that of the ,almighty's1  whose is #8the

 earth and the fulness of it1' ,ps4     
xxiv4 #a1 and to whom  the sovereignty  
of the disposal of it doth belong4      
#b4 ,secondly1 ,that which ,satan       
sheweth ,christ from the mountain is    
said to be #8the kingdoms of the world1 
and the glory of them4' ,here  some busy
 themselves to conjecture what kingdoms 
were thus pointed  at4 ,some keep so    
strictly to the word #8all1' that they  
are forced to  take up with that        
opinion1 that all these temptations were
 only in  vision1#dda for they consider 
that no one mountain in the world can   
give a prospect over one whole          
hemisphere1 or if it could1 yet no eye  
would be able to discern at so great a  
distance4 ,but the inconveniences  of   
this surmise have been pointed at       
before1 and it is enough to  shew that  
the text may admit of an interpretation 
which shall not be  encumbered with this
 supposed impossibility4    ,others     
restrain this to the land of ,canaan1 as
 if ,satan only shewed  this as a famous

 instance of the glory of all kingdoms4 
,some think  the ,roman empire1 which   
was then most flourishing1 and lifted up
 its  head above other kingdoms1 was the
 great bait laid before ,christ1 as  if 
he had a design to divert ,christ from  
the business of his office1  by offering
 him the seat and power of              
,antichrist4#ddb ,but the text  runs not
 so favourably for any of these opinions
 as to constrain us  to stay upon them4 
#8,kingdoms of the world' seem to intend
 more than  ,canaan or the ,roman       
empire2 the word  used here1 and  in    
,luke1 which we translate #8the world1' 
do so apply to one another in a  mutual 
accommodation1 that we cannot stretch   
the #8world' to the largest  sense of   
the whole globe of the earth1 because it
 is expressed in ,luke  by 1 which      
signifies such a part of the world which
 is more  cultivated and honoured by    
inhabitants2 nor can we so restrain it  
to  the ,roman empire-though when they  
spake their apprehensions of their  own 

empire1 they seem to engross all1 ,luke 
ii4 #a--;because ,matthew useth  the    
word 1 a word of greater freedom4 ,it   
seems then that many  kingdoms1 or the  
most considerable kingdoms of the then  
known world1  were here exposed to his  
sight4 ,but then the difficulty still   
remains1  how the devil could shew them 
to his eye4 ,that it was not a visionary
  discovery to his mind1 hath been said4
 ,some think he shewed these  partly by 
ocular prospect of those cities1        
castles1 towns1 vineyards1  and fields  
that were near1 as a compend of the     
whole1 and partly by a  discourse of the
 glory1 power1 and extent of other      
kingdoms that were  out of the reach of 
the eye2 but because the expression     
which ,luke  adds1 #8in a moment of     
time'--  --intimates1 that the way      
which ,satan took was different from    
common prospecting or beholding1  others
 are not satisfied with that solution of
 the difficulty1 but  fly to this       
supposition1 that ,satan used only      

juggling and delusion1  by framing an   
airy horizon before the eyes of ,christ1
 shewing not the  kingdoms themselves1  
but a phantasm of his own making4 ,but  
seeing this  might have been done in any
 place1 and that a high mountain was    
chosen  for furthering the prospect1 ,i 
think it is safest to conclude that  the
 prospect was ocular1 and not           
fantastical but real1 only helped  and  
assisted by ,satan's skill and art1 as a
 great naturalist and as  a prince of   
the power of the air1 by which means1 in
 reflections or  extraordinary          
prospectives1 he might discover things  
at vast distances2  which we may the    
rather fix upon1 because we know what   
helps for  prospect art hath discovered 
by glasses and telescopes1 by which the 
bodies of the sun1 moon1 and planets1 at
 such unspeakable distance  from us1    
have in this latter age been discovered 
to us beyond ordinary  belief4#ddc ,and 
we have reason to think that ,satan's   
skill this way  far exceeds anything    

that we have come to the knowledge of1  
and so  might make real discoveries of  
countries far remote1 more than we can  
well imagine4    ,these things thus     
explained1 ,i shall note several        
observations4    ,obs4 #a4 ,first1 ,if  
we consider this great preparation that 
,satan makes  as introductory to the    
temptation to follow1 we may observe1   
that  where ,satan hath a special       
design1 he projects and makes ready all 
things relating to the temptation before
 he plainly utter his mind4 ,he         
provides his materials before he builds1
 and lays his train before he  gives    
fire4 ,what is his method we may learn  
from the practice of those  that are    
trained up in his service4 ,they1 in    
,rom4 xiii4 #ad1 are said to  #8make    
provision for the flesh'----to          
fore-contrive their sins1 and  to       
project all circumstances of time1      
place1 occasion1 and advantage  for     
their accomplishment4 ,this is not to be
 understood of all sins1 for  in some   

that are inward in the mind1 as vain    
thoughts1 pride of heart1  c41 there    
needs not such provisions4 ,we may say  
of them their times  are always1 and in 
many cases #8the house is swept and     
garnished' ,mat4  xii4 #dd to his hand2 
he finds all things ready by the        
forwardness  of those who are free in   
his service1 and the sudden accidental  
concurrence of things4 ,but where the   
temptation is solemn1 and where  the    
thing designed1 in the perfecting of it1
 relates to exterior acts1  there he    
useth this policy1 to have all in       
readiness1 though it cost  him the      
labour of #8compassing sea and land' for
 it1 before he expressly  speak his     
purposes4 ,his reasons are these3--     
7#a47 ,first1 ,if things necessary for  
the encouragement and  accomplishment of
 a temptation lay out of the way1 and   
were not at  hand1 his suggestions would
 perish as soon as they were born1 and  
would  be rejected as impossible or     
inconvenient4 ,to tempt a man to steal  

when he knows not where nor how1 or to  
revenge when he hath no enemy  nor      
provocation1 seem to be no other than if
 they should be commanded  to remove a  
mountain or to fly in the air1 which    
would quickly be  declined as motions   
affording no ground of entertainment4   
,and therefore  that his temptations may
 not bring a reason of refusal with them
 as  being unseasonable1 he takes care  
to fit his servants with all things     
requisite for the work he puts them     
upon4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,as           
temptations of this kind would be no    
temptations1  because not feasible1     
without their preparations1 so must we  
not  think that it is the bare          
suggestion of ,satan that makes a       
temptation  to pierce4 ,the reason of   
its prevalency is not barely because    
,satan breaks such a motion to us1 but  
because such a motion comes             
accomplished with all suitable          
preparations4 ,when it prevails1 it is  
the sinful motion that wounds2 but      

preparations are as the feathers  that  
wing his arrows1 without which they     
would neither fly nor pierce4           
,applic4 ,let this1 7#a47 ,first1 ,renew
 our caution and suspicion in           
everything and every place that ,satan  
is at work against us1 though we  see no
 visible snare4    ,let it put us upon  
such a watchful carefulness in every of 
our ways1  that we may resolve to       
undertake nothing for which we have not 
a good  and warrantable reason at hand1 
that if our conscience say to us1 ,what 
dost thou here8 we may be able to give a
 good account4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,if  
we mind the behaviour of ,satan in these
 preparations  and offers1 we see him   
act after the pattern of highest        
sovereignty1  disposing of earthly      
kingdoms at such a rate as if all power 
were in  his hand4 ,hence we may        
observe1    ,obs4 #b4 ,that when ,satan 
tempts to sin of highest contempt and   
insolency against ,god1 he then thinks  
it concerns him to bear himself  out by 

confronting the ,almighty in imitating  
his authority and power4    ,this       
carriage of ,satan is not to be found in
 all his temptations4  ,for in most     
cases he acts with greatest secrecy2 and
 as a thief that  is afraid of          
discovery1 he useth all ways possible   
for concealment2  but when he sets up   
himself as #8the god of the world1' and 
stands  in competition with the ,lord1  
claiming an interest in the fear and    
devotion of men1 then he boldly         
avoucheth himself1 and labours to       
outvie ,god in point of greatness1 that 
he might possess them with a  belief    
that he only ought to be feared4 ,this  
arrogancy of ,satan against  ,god may be
 seen in three things3--    #a4 ,first1 
,in imitating divine ordinances and     
institutions4 ,there  is not any part of
 divine worship1 the observation whereof
 ,god hath  enjoined to men1 but ,satan 
hath set up something like it for       
himself4  ,as ,god appointed his temple1
 priests1 altars1 sacrifices1 offerings1

  tithes1 sanctuaries1 sacraments1 c41  
so hath ,satan had his temples1         
priests1 altars1 sacrifices1 offerings1 
sanctuaries1 sacraments1 c4  ,this is   
sufficiently known to any that read his 
histories2 and ,i could  give a full    
account of it from heathen authors1 but 
that ,i have done  already when ,i spoke
 of ,satan's subtlety in promoting      
idolatry in the  world4 ,i shall only   
add here that which ,varro relates#ddd  
of the books  of ,numa ,pompilius1 which
 were casually cast up by the plough of 
one  ,terentius coming too near the     
sepulchre of ,numa1 where these books   
had been buried4 ,this ,numa was the    
second king of the ,romans1 who         
instituted the rites and ceremonies of  
pagan worship for his subjects1  and in 
these books1 which he thought fit to    
conceal by burying them  with him1 he   
had laid open the bottom of these       
devilish mysteries1 so  that when they  
were brought to the senate1 they1       
judging them unfit  to be known1        

adjudged them to the fire2 which is a   
clear ground of  suspicion that he had  
there discovered so much of the causes  
of these  rites1 or of the way whereby  
he came to be instructed in them1 that  
the public knowledge thereof consisted  
not with the interest of their          
heathenish religion4 ,this conjecture   
,austin hath of the matter1#dde  who    
also notes that ,numa pretended familiar
 converse with the nymph  geria as a    
plausible cover to that devilish art of 
,hydromantia1 by  which he was          
instructed in ordering the ceremonies of
 idolatry which he  established4    #b4 
,secondly1 ,satan1 with no less         
arrogancy1 takes upon him to imitate    
,god in his acts of power for the       
countenancing of his worship in  the    
world4 ,he had his miracles frequently1 
of which ,i have spoken  elsewhere2 so  
had he his oracles1 as at ,delphos and  
other places4 ,here  it shall suffice to
 note that1 as the sending the ,lord    
,jesus into the  world1 furnished with  

such power of doing miracles for the    
confirmation  of that office and        
authority which he had received from    
,god for the  redemption of man1 was the
 highest instance that can be given of  
the  mighty power1 wisdom1 and goodness 
of ,god2 so ,satan set himself with     
greatest industry to imitate that4      
,christ was almost no sooner ascended   
to the ,father1 but we hear of ,simon   
,magus1 ,acts viii4 #i1 who was cried   
up as an instance of #8the great power  
of ,god2' and after that at ,rome  he   
gave out that he was ,god1 confirming   
the people in such a belief1  by the    
strange things which he there did among 
them1 that a statue  was erected for his
 honour1 with this inscription1 #8,to   
,simon1 a great  god4'#ddf ,long after  
this the devil raised up ,apollonius    
,tyanus1 a  man of an abstemious and    
commendable life4 ,him the devil did    
design  to match ,christ in his         
miracles1 which were so many and so     
strange1  that ,philostratus doth not   

only compare him to ,christ1 but prefer 
him  as the more honourable person4     
,christ himself foretold this stratagem 
of ,satan1 that he should raise up      
#8false ,christs' with #8lying signs    
and wonders4' ,and to omit instances of 
former days1 it is not beyond  the      
memory of most of you1 that the devil   
renewed this policy in  ,james ,nayler1 
who1 in a blasphemous imitation of      
,christ's riding to  ,jerusalem1 rode to
 ,bristol with a great company before   
him1 crying1  #8,holy1 holy1' and       
#8,hosanna to the son of ,david1' and   
strewing the way  with branches of      
trees4 ,the authority that was then1    
taking notice  of this and other        
blasphemous outrages1 sentenced him to  
exemplary  punishment2 but here also the
 devil renewed his mockery1 for a       
certain  citizen of ,london of good     
note1 being overcome with delusion1     
printed a  book of ,nayler's sufferings1
 wherein the devil had opportunity to   
vent  his malice more fully1 for he     

compared all the parts of his punishment
  to the sufferings of ,christ2 his     
whipping1 he said1 was that it might  be
 fulfilled which was spoken by ,matthew1
 #8,and ,pilate delivered him  to be    
scourged2' his stigmatizing1 he said1   
was that it might be  fulfilled which   
was spoken by the prophet1 #8,his visage
 was marred more  than any man's2' the  
boring of his tongue with a hot iron1 he
 said1  was the fulfilling of that1 and 
they #8crucified him2' and after other  
particulars of comparison1 in all which 
he equalled him to ,christ1 he  at last 
takes notice that the multitude of      
spectators held off their  hats while   
his tongue was bored through1 a thing   
common in a crowd to  give opportunity  
of sight to those that are behind1 and  
to this act he  applies that of the     
evangelists1 #8,the vail of the temple  
was rent from  the top to the bottom4'  
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,in acts of empire and    
sovereignty he imitates ,god1  that is1 
as ,god propounds himself as the only   

,lord ,god1 and enjoins  himself to be  
worshipped accordingly by promises of   
advantage in  case of obedience1 and    
threatenings of miseries and plagues in 
case  of disobedience2 so doth ,satan   
set up himself in the world as god to   
be adored and worshipped1 and him do all
 idolaters worship1 as ,god  testifies3 
,deut4 xxxii4 #ag1 #8,they sacrificed   
unto devils1 not to ,god3'  ,ps4 cvi4   
#cg1 #8,they sacrificed their sons and  
daughters unto devils3' #a  ,cor4 x4    
#bj1 #8,the things which the ,gentiles  
sacrifice1 they sacrifice  to devils1   
and not to ,god4' ,and though it be true
 that many of these  blind worshippers  
did not formally worship the devil1 but 
thought they  had worshipped ,god1 yet  
by such cunning did he engage them to   
take  up with ways of worship of his    
prescribing1 that it was in reality a   
service done to him4 ,but1 besides this1
 in those places of the world  where he 
hath greater power1 he formally         
propounds himself to be  worshipped1 and

 doth accordingly often appear to them  
in a visible  shape2 so that many of    
these blind heathens acknowledge two    
gods1  one good and another cruel and   
hurtful1 which latter they say they     
must worship1 lest he destroy or harm   
them4 ,by this ,satan contests  with    
,god for an empire in the world2 and to 
promote it the more he  sometimes deals 
by fair promises of riches1 advancement1
 pleasure1 and  such other baits1 to    
allure men to his professed service4    
,thus are  witches drawn to a compact   
with him4 ,thus ,sylvester the ,second  
gave up  himself to the devil for the   
popedom1 and so did several others4     
,when  this is not enough to prevail1 he
 adds menacings1 and breathes forth     
cruel threatenings1 by which means many 
heathens are kept in awe by  him and    
worship him1 ne noceat1 for no other    
reason but to preserve  themselves from 
hurt by him4 ,in this temptation he     
propounds himself to  ,christ as the    
object of divine worship1 and boasts of 

the kingdoms of  the world as things of 
his disposal2 by which he seeks to draw 
him to  fall down before him4    ,this  
course ,satan takes for these reasons3--
    ,first1 ,as this proud and malicious
 ostentation of his power is some  kind 
of satisfaction to his revengeful humour
 against ,god2 so1  ,secondly1 ,he doth 
hereby raise up himself and his wicked  
institutions  of idolatry into credit   
and esteem with men4 ,thirdly1 ,as this 
is  a mockery to true religion1 and a   
scorn cast upon the ways of ,god's      
service1 to bring it into disgrace and  
discredit2 so1 ,fourthly1 ,by  this     
means he hardens the hearts of men      
against ,god4 ,this was the             
consideration by which ,pharaoh hardened
 his heart4 ,when ,moses turned  his rod
 into a serpent1 changed waters to      
blood1 and did so many signs  before    
him1 his magicians did the like2 upon   
which the king might  thus reason with  
himself1 that ,moses had no other power 
but what his  magicians had1 though he  

might think him a more skilful magician2
 and  therefore there was no reason to  
believe his message as being from ,god1 
seeing his miracles might be no other   
than the effect of his art to           
countenance a pretended command from    
heaven4    ,applic4 ,this insolency of  
,satan may inform us1 ,first1 ,of the   
great  patience of ,god1 that sees these
 outrageous mockings1 and yet doth not  
by a strong hand put a stop to them4    
,secondly1 ,of the great power and      
pride of ,satan1 that he both           
can--though not without permission from 
,god--and dare attempt things of this   
nature4 ,thirdly1 ,the great power  of  
delusion1 that can so blind men1 that   
they not only are drawn to  act a part  
in such designs1 but believe confidently
 a divine impulse  and heavenly warrant 
for their so doing4 ,fourthly1 ,the     
miserable  slavery of such vassals of   
,satan that are thus led by him1 who are
  therefore sadly to be pitied and      
lamented1 as being under such strong    

chains of captivity4    ,obs4 #c4       
,thirdly1 ,we cannot pass by the art    
which the devil here  useth to set off  
the temptation1 and to make it          
plausible4 ,he sets  before him the     
world in all its glory4 ,here observe1  
,that ,satan1 in  his temptations to    
worldly pleasures1 doth usually paint   
the object  with all its utmost beauty4 
,when ,i have sometime observed a       
mountebank upon a stage1 giving         
excessive commendations of a trivial    
medicine1 asserting it good  almost for 
every disease1 and with a great many    
lies and boastings  enforcing it upon   
the credulous multitude1 it hath put me 
in mind of  this spiritual mountebankery
 of the devil4 ,how doth he gull and    
delude  the foolish by laying out the   
pleasures of sin6 and no otherwise doth 
he keep them at a gazing admiration of  
worldly pomp1 delights1 and             
satisfaction1 which he promiseth them   
from iniquity1 than the serpent         
,scytale doth with passengers1 whom she 

stays1 by amazing them with her         
beautiful colours1 till she have stung  
them4#ddg ,the art of ,satan in  this   
matter lies in four things3--    #a4    
,first1 ,if there be anything that can  
be called a delight1 or may  any way    
conduce to a satisfaction in any sin1 he
 will be sure to speak  of it in its    
highest praises4 ,he not only stretcheth
 his rhetoric to  the height in giving  
commendations to the most noted         
pleasures that men  propound to         
themselves1 but he seeks out the hidden 
things of delight1  and raiseth in men  
an itch of desire after the improvement 
of delight1  by the contrivances of wit 
or art4 ,thus he tells them of jollity1 
ravishing mirth1 high satisfaction1 and1
 if they will believe him1 of           
unspeakable delight to be had by giving 
themselves up to the world and  the     
course of it4 ,nay1 he hides nothing    
that will bear any praise2 the  least   
advantage1 the smallest gratification   
that any sin can afford to  human       

desire1 he will be sure to speak of it4 
#b4 ,secondly1 ,he carries on this      
design by lying4 ,he promiseth  more    
than ever sin can give1 and he sends his
 proselytes out after  sin under the    
highest expectations1 and when they come
 to enjoy it1  they often find the      
pleasure falls short of his boast4 ,he  
whispers  honours1 preferments1 and     
riches1 in the ear of their hearts1 and 
often  pays them with poverty and       
disgraces1 and gives them pro thesauro  
carbones1 stones for bread1 a serpent   
for a fish4 ,witches give  frequent     
accounts of ,satan's lying promises2 he 
tells them of feasts1  of gold1 of      
riches1 but they find themselves        
deluded2 he sends them oft  hungry away 
from those banquets1 so that they have  
no more than when a  man dreams he eats4
 ,he gives that which seems gold in     
appearance1 but  at last they find it to
 be slates or shells4 ,we find in this  
temptation  he is liberal and large in  
his offers to ,christ1 and what he      

requires  he will have in present       
payment1 but the reward for the service 
is  future4 ,it is his business to      
engage men in sin by his promise of     
advantage1 but being once engaged1 he   
takes not himself concerned in  honour  
or ingenuity for performance4 ,hence    
doth the ,scripture fitly  call the     
pleasures of sin #8lying vanities1' a   
#8vain show1' a #8dream2'  thereby      
warning men from a forward belief of    
,satan's promises1 in  that they find by
 experience they shall be at last but   
lies and  disappointments4    #c4       
,thirdly1 ,to make his bait more taking1
 he conceals all the  inconveniences    
that may attend these worldly delights4 
,he offers  here the kingdoms of the    
world to ,christ1 as if all were made up
 of  pleasure4 ,those cares1 troubles1  
and vexations that attend greatness  and
 rule1 he mentions not2 their burden1   
hazard1 and disquiet1 he  passeth over4 
,thus in common temptations he is       
careful to hide from men  the miseries  

that follow these empty pleasures4 ,so  
that often men do  not consider the     
mischief1 till #8a dart strike through  
their liver1'  ,prov4 vii4 #bc1 and till
 a dear-bought experience doth inform   
them of  their mistakes4    #d4         
,fourthly1 ,his power and work upon the 
fancies of men1 is none of  the least of
 his ways whereby he advanceth the      
pleasures of sin4 ,that  he hath such a 
power1 hath been discoursed before1 and 
that a fancy  raised to a great         
expectation makes things appear         
otherwise than what  they are1 is       
evident from common experience4 ,the    
value of most things  depends rather    
upon fancy than the internal worth of   
them1 and men are  more engaged to a    
pursuit of things by the estimation     
which fancy hath  begat in their minds1 
than by certain principles of knowledge4
 ,children  by fancy have a value of    
their toys1 and are so powerfully swayed
 by  it1 that things of far greater     
price cannot stay their designs1 nor    

divert their course4 ,satan knows that  
the best of men are sometimes  childish1
 apt to be led about by their conceits1 
and apt in their  conceits to apprehend 
things far otherwise than what they are 
in truth4  ,hence is it1 as one         
observes1#ddh that of thousands of men  
that return  from ,jerusalem1 or from   
,mount ,sion1 or from the river ,jordan1
 scarce  can we find one which brings   
back the admiration which he had        
conceived  before he had seen them4     
,fancy doth pre-occupate the mind with a
 high  opinion of things2 and these     
exorbitant imaginations pass to such an 
excess1 that men think to find a        
satisfaction beyond the nature of  these
 pleasures they aim at1 which hath these
 two inconveniences3 the  one1 that this
 affects and draws as powerfully as if  
they were all as  real and high as they 
are conceited to be2 the other1 that    
sight and  fruition takes away the      
estimation1 and by a disappointment doth
 deaden  and dull the affections to what

 may be really found there4 ,thus ,satan
  by one deceit makes men believe that  
sin hath pleasure1 which indeed it  hath
 not1 and by that belief leads them on  
powerfully to endeavour an  embracement 
of them1 and at last urgeth them with a 
delusion4    ,applic4 ,in opposition to 
this deceit of the devil1 we must learn 
to  esteem worldly delights as low as he
 would value them high4 ,and to  this   
purpose the ,scripture speaks of them in
 undervaluing language1  calling worldly
 pomp an opinion1 a fantasy1 a fashion  
or figure1 an  imagination rather than a
 reality2 and further enjoins us not to 
admire  these things in others1 not to  
envy them that enjoyment of them1 nor to
  fret at our want of them1 much less to
 be transported with any angry  passion 
about them1 nor to concern ourselves in 
any earnest pursuit of  them4#ddi       
,obs4 #d4 ,fourthly1 ,satan in this     
temptation did not bravely speak of     
these things1 nor only make an offer in 
discourse1 but he thought it  most      

conducible to his design to present them
 to his sight4 ,he knew  full well that 
the heart is more affected by sensible  
discoveries than  by rational           
discourses4    ,note here1 ,that ,satan 
in temptations of worldly pleasure1     
endeavours  to engage the affections by 
the senses4    ,that it is ,satan's     
great business to work upon the         
affections1 ,i have  shewed at large4   
,here he endeavoured to prepare the     
affections of  ,christ1 that so the     
motion1 when it came1 might not die1 as 
a spark  falling upon wet tinder1 but   
that the affections being stirred up    
might  cherish the offer1 and that the  
offer by a mutual warmth might more     
inflame the affections that were heated 
before4    ,to this end he works by the 
senses1 and would have ,christ's eye to 
raise his affections of love1 desire1   
hope1 and whatever else might  wing his 
soul to activity4 ,there is a great     
connexion betwixt the  senses and the   
affections4 ,the senses bring           

intelligence unavoidably1  and are apt  
to stir up our powers to action4 ,as the
 jackal is said to  hunt the prey for   
the lion1 so do the senses for the      
affections1 and  both for ,satan4    ,it
 is also remarkable that ,satan1        
endeavouring to make the eyes of        
,christ traitors to his affections1 and 
that he thinking it necessary to  give  
him a view of what he proffered him1    
should not give him time to  take a full
 survey of these kingdoms1 but should   
huddle it up in such a  haste1 that all1
 as ,luke tells us1 was done in #8a     
moment of time4' ,was  ,satan in haste8 
or was he unwilling to part with what he
 so liberally  proffered8 ,surely no1   
but this transient view was his         
subtlety1 to  entice him the more1 and  
to inflame his heart with greater       
desires4    ,obs4 #e4 ,observe then1    
,that where ,satan is most liberal in   
his  proffers1 he there manageth his    
overtures of advantage with a seeming   
shyness4 ,and this he doth1 ,first1 ,to 

heighten the worth of them in  our      
estimation1 as if they were jewels not  
to be gazed at1 or curious  pieces not  
fit to be exposed to common view4       
,secondly1 ,by this art he  makes men   
more eager in the pursuit4 ,our natural 
curiosity presseth us  with great       
earnestness after things of difficult   
access1 and we have  also strange       
desires kindled in us from a            
prohibition1 so that what  we list not  
to choose if we have a liberty of       
enjoyment1 when we are  forbidden1 we   
are troubled with impatient longings for
 it1 and cannot  be at quiet till we do 
enjoy it3 nitimur in vetitum4    ,when  
,satan makes nice with men1 offering the
 pleasures of the world1  and yet       
hedging up the way with difficulties1   
they should make no other  construction 
of it1 but that ,satan doth1 so far as  
he is concerned1  more strongly entice  
them4 ,he plays at peep with them1 that 
he may make  them more earnest to follow
 him1 and to bid high for the possession

 of  these delights4      ,malo me      
,galatea petit1 444    ,et fugit ad     
salices1 et se cupit ante videri4       
,,chapter ,,xix4     ,satan's ends in   
tempting ,christ to fall down and       
worship him4--,of   blasphemous         
injections4--,what blasphemy is4--,the  
ways of ,satan in that   temptation1    
with the advantages he takes therein1   
and the reason of   urging blasphemies  
upon men4--,consolations to such as are 
concerned in   such                     
temptations4--,advice to such as are so 
afflicted4      ,these observations1    
which the preparation to the temptation 
hath  afforded us1 being despatched1 the
 temptation itself follows1 which is    
this1 #8fall down and worship me4'      
,this motion1 from such a one as ,satan1
 to such a one as ,christ1 who was  holy
 and undefiled1 ,god and man1 seems to  
be an incredible piece of  arrogancy1   
pride1 and malice2 for to propound      
himself as the object of  divine        
worship1 was certainly a desperate      

assault4 ,it includes1 #a4  the highest 
blasphemy2 #b4 the grossest idolatry    
imaginable4 ,both  these are frequently 
noted as the design of this             
temptation4#dej ,but  #c4 the           
comprehension of this motion takes in   
the whole withdrawing  of the mind from 
,god and religion1 or the care of the   
soul and eternal  life2 in which sense  
,satan doth frequently practise this    
temptation  upon men by the motive of   
worldly pleasures4 ,i shall consider the
  temptation first1 as blasphemous1 and 
so it will give us this  observation3-- 
,obs4 #f4 ,that the best of ,god's      
children may be troubled with most  vile
 and hideous blasphemous injections4    
,blasphemy1 in the largest sense1 is    
anything spoken or done1 by which  the  
honour and fame of ,god may be wounded  
or prejudiced2 but the  formality of    
blasphemy lies in the purpose or        
intendment of reproaching  ,god4 ,such  
was the blasphemy of the ,israelitish   
woman's son1 recorded in  ,lev4 xxiv4   

#aa1 where blaspheming is explained by  
the addition of the  word cursing1 which
 in the original----comes from a word   
that signifies to #8set light by        
one4'#dea ,so that hence1 and from  the 
circumstances of the story1 we may      
safely conjecture that this  man having 
an ,egyptian to his father1 which       
probably might in scorn  be objected to 
him by his contending adversary1 he more
 readily might  be drawn out to vilify  
the true ,god2 but1 be it what it will1 
it was  certainly more than that        
blasphemy which the ,rabbins fancy to be
 in the  repetition of naming the word  
,jehovah1 which in reverence they either
  leave out1 as when they say1 #8the arm
 of the ,almighty1' or change  it into  
some other1 as ,adonai1 or the like2 and
 accordingly we may  observe1 that      
reproaching ,god and blaspheming ,god   
are joined together1  as ,ps4 xliv4 #af2
 ,isa4 xxxvii4 #bc4    ,in blasphemy1 as
 the matter1 there must be thoughts1    
words1 or actions  that may aptly       

express a contempt or reproach of ,god2 
so also1 as to  the form of it1 there   
must be an intendment of reproaching4   
,now though  this be a sin which the    
heart of a servant of ,god would most   
abhor1  yet ,satan doth sometimes       
trouble the best with it4 ,we have an   
instance  in ,job4 ,his design was to   
bring him to curse ,god1 for so he      
professeth  in express terms2 chap4 i4  
#aa1 ii4 #e1 #8,lay thine hand upon him1
 and  he will curse thee to thy face4'  
,and in prosecution of this his  boast1 
he breaks the matter plainly to him by  
his wife1 chap4 ii4 #i1  #8,curse ,god  
and die4' ,whatever may be spoken of the
 word as signifying  blessing1 though   
some affirm the word 1 in the proper    
idiom of that language1 and not by an   
antiphrasis or euphemismus1 as  some    
think1#deb signifies as properly to     
#8curse' as to #8bless1' and  is        
determinable to its signification either
 way by the circumstances  of the place1
 or whatever men endeavour to excuse his

 wife1 it is  plain1 not only by ,job's 
answer1 that it was evil counsel1 but   
also by  ,satan's avowed design1 that it
 was directly for cursing ,god4 ,besides
  this instance1 if we consider the     
expression of #8fiery darts1' ,eph4 vi4 
#af1 we shall find that this temptation 
is more common to all sorts of          
,christians than we would imagine4 ,it  
is plain that these words allude  to the
 poisoned arrows which ,scythians and   
others used4 ,these not only  wounded   
but poisoned1 and the venom inflamed    
with a fiery heat the part  or member   
pierced4 ,by this similitude1 it must be
 granted that not  common temptations   
are hereby understood1 but such as were 
more than  ordinarily hurtful1 vexing1  
and dangerous4 ,it may be persecutions  
are  one of these darts1 but all reckon 
temptations of spiritual terrors1  and  
blasphemy1 to be undoubtedly pointed    
at4#dec    ,the ways of ,satan in this  
temptation are three3--    7#a47 ,first1
 ,he endeavours to bring men to         

blaspheme1 by secret and  subtle ways of
 ensnaring them2 and this is most-what  
practised in  consequential and covert  
blasphemies1 when1 though men do not    
directly  intend an open outrage against
 ,god1 yet ,satan brings them to that   
which might be so interpreted4 ,this    
seems to have been the case of  ,job's  
sons1 according to his jealousy of them2
 #8,it may be my sons  have sinned1 and 
cursed ,god in their heart1' ,job i4 #e2
 not that they  were open blasphemers1  
for they were surely better educated1   
neither  doth ,job express such a fear  
of them2 but that in their mirth their  
hearts might have been so loosened from 
the fear of ,god1 that they  might be   
tempted to undue thoughts of ,god1      
slighting his threatenings  or goodness4
 ,to this purpose ,broughton translates1
 #8,they have little  blessed ,god in   
their hearts4'#ded ,the same thing we   
may observe in  ,job himself4 ,when the 
devil could not prevail with him to     
#8charge ,god  foolishly1' chap4 i4 #bb1

 yet he pressed him so hard by his      
miseries1  that he hoped at last to     
bring him to utter the anguish of his   
mind  in impatient and reflecting       
expressions1 and so far prevailed1 that 
he bitterly #8,curseth the day wherein  
he was born1' chap4 ii4 #c1 and  wisheth
 that he had #8given up the ghost when  
he came out of the belly2'  which though
 it came far short of what ,satan had   
boasted of in his  achievement against  
him1 yet it had such an unwarrantable   
tendency  that way1 that when his friend
 ,eliphaz took notice of his            
expressions1  as savouring of too much  
distrust1 he is forced to make apology  
for  himself1 and to excuse it by the   
desperateness of his condition2  chap4  
vi4 #bf1 #8,do you imagine to reprove   
words and the speeches of  one that is  
desperate8' ,in such cases1 the devil   
provokes men beyond  their intentions1  
to speak in their haste so              
inconsiderately1 that they  know not or 
mind not1 the just consequence of their 

speeches4 ,it was  a degree of blasphemy
 in ,david to say1 though in his haste1 
that #8all  men were liars2' it was an  
unbelieving reflection on the promise   
given  him by ,samuel4 ,in ,mal4 iii4   
#ac1 the people did not believe that    
they  had #8spoken so much against      
,god1' when yet their words had been    
#8stout  against him4'    7#b47         
,secondly1 ,satan endeavours this by    
violent injections of  blasphemous      
thoughts that are directly such4 ,in    
this ,i shall note to  you1    #a4      
,first1 ,that the vilest thoughts of    
,god1 of his ways and  providences1 of  
,scripture1 and of ,christ1 are         
frequently suggested4  ,things of       
greatest outrage against heaven1 and    
contempt of the  ,almighty1 as ,bernard 
expresseth it1 ,terribilia de fide1     
horribilia  de divinitate2 as1 there is 
no ,god1 or that he is not just1 or not 
faithful to his promises2 or that       
,christ was but an impostor4 ,he sticks 
at nothing in this kind1 though never so

 contrary to the hope and  persuasion of
 those whom he thus molests4    #b4     
,secondly1 ,these are frequently        
reiterated upon them1 and their  minds  
so troubled by them1 that they cannot   
free themselves from such  thoughts1 but
 he follows on and clamours in their    
ears1 as ,gerson#dee  observes1 ,nega   
,deum1 maledic ,deo--,deny ,god1 curse  
,god4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,and this with so
 great a force and impetuosity1 that    
they are compelled to form these        
thoughts in their minds1 and to speak   
contrary to what they would1 as if their
 thoughts and tongues were not  under   
their own government1 the devil not     
satisfying himself to bear in  these    
thoughts upon them1 but he endeavours1  
as it were1 to make them  say after him1
 and to cast his suggestions into their 
own mould1 that  so they might seem     
properly to be their own2 and this they 
are forced  to whether they will or no1 
even then when their minds are filled   
with  horror1 their heart with grief1   

and their body with trembling4 ,i have  
discoursed with some who have bitterly  
complained that their tongues  and their
 thoughts seemed not to be their own1   
but that ,satan ruled  them at his      
pleasure2 and that when in opposition to
 the temptation  they would have formed 
their tongues to speak blessing of ,god1
 they  have spoken cursing instead of   
blessing2 and that when a blasphemous   
thought had been cast into their mind1  
they could not be at rest till  they had
 thought it again4    #d4 ,fourthly1    
,these troublesome temptations are oft  
of long  continuance4 ,joannes ,climacus
 tells us#def of a monk that was        
troubled with blasphemous thoughts for  
twenty years together1 and  could not   
quit himself of them1 though he had     
macerated his body with  watchings and  
fastings4 ,some have them going away and
 returning again  by fits1 according as 
the prevalency and ferment of their     
melancholy  gives ,satan the advantage  
of dealing thus with them4 ,for if we   

inquire  why it is thus1 especially with
 the children of ,god1 we must partly   
resolve it into the #8unsearchable      
wisdom of ,god1' who for holy ends  of  
teaching and disciplining his servants1 
permits ,satan thus to  molest them2 and
 partly into those particular advantages
 which ,satan  hath against them        
according to the variety of their       
conditions1 which  usually are these3-- 
,first1 ,he takes advantage of such     
bodily distempers as do deprive  men of 
the use of their reason1 as fevers1     
frenzies1 madness4 ,in these  he oft    
forms the tongues of men to horrid      
blasphemous speeches4    ,secondly1 ,a  
pressure of outward afflictions gives   
him his desired  opportunity2 and this  
he knows to be generally so successful1 
that he  promised himself by this means 
a victory over ,job4 ,ordinarily1       
straits  and miseries do produce        
blaspheming4 ,isa4 viii4 #ba1 the       
prophet notes  that when the people     
should be #8hardly bestead and hungry1' 

they should  #8fret themselves1 and     
curse their king and their ,god1 and    
look upward1'  as avouching what they   
had done4    ,thirdly1 ,worldly plenty1 
fulness1 and pleasure lay often         
foundations  of this temptation4 ,when  
their cups are full1 and their hearts   
high1  ,satan can easily make them #8set
 their mouth against heaven4' ,a proud  
heart will readily say1 #8,our tongue is
 our own1 or1 ,who is the ,lord8'  ,ps4 
xii4 #d4 ,this was the engine which the 
devil managed1 if it were  as ,job      
suspected1 against the sons and         
daughters of ,job1 to make them  curse  
,god in their hearts2 and by this did he
 seek to prevail upon  ,christ in this  
blasphemous temptation4    ,fourthly1 ,a
 melancholy distemper doth usually      
invite ,satan to give  blasphemous      
suggestions4 ,the disturbed and pliable 
fancies of such1  are the advantages    
which he improves against them4         
,fifthly1 ,inward terrors and distresses
 of conscience are also an  occasion to 

,satan to move them1 as by a desperate  
humour1 to utter hard  things of ,god   
and against themselves4    ,but there is
 yet a third way by which ,satan tempts 
men to blaspheming1  by sudden glances  
of blasphemous imaginations1 which like 
lightnings  do astonish the heart and   
then suddenly vanish4 ,these are very   
common1  and the best of men observe    
them frequently4 ,satan seems as it were
  rather to frolic and sport himself in 
these suggestions1 than to intend  a    
serious temptation4 ,their danger is not
 so much1 yet are they not  to be       
despised1 lest these often visits1      
carelessly entertained1 and  not        
dismissed with just abhorrency1 do      
secretly envenom the soul1 and  prepare 
it for stronger assaults4    ,i shall   
next inquire into the reasons of this   
trouble which ,satan gives  the children
 of ,god4    #a4 ,first1 ,these         
temptations are very affrighting2 though
 they  prevail not1 yet they are full of
 perplexing annoyance4 ,corrupt nature  

startles at them1 and receives them not 
without dread and horror4 ,it  is sadly 
troublesome to hear others blaspheme    
,god4 #8,the reproaches of  those that  
reproached thee1' saith ,david1 #8fell  
upon me4' ,it was as  #8a sword in his  
bones' to hear the blasphemous scoffs of
 the wicked1  when they said to him1    
#8,where is thy ,god8' ,and if it were  
confusion  and shame to him to hear     
#8the enemy reproach and blaspheme1' as 
he  professeth it was1 ,ps4 xliv4 #ae1  
#af1 how sadly afflicting would it be   
for any child of ,god to observe such   
things in his own imaginations6 ,if     
there were no more in it than this1 it  
is enough to put ,satan upon that       
design1 because it is a troublesome kind
 of martyrdom4#deg    #b4 ,secondly1    
,this is also a spiteful revenge against
 ,god4 ,all he  can do is to blaspheme  
and rage1 and it is a kind of delight to
 put  this force upon those that carry  
his own image4 ,he would do all he can  
to make his own children to vilify and  

reproach their heavenly ,father1  and to
 render cursing for blessing4    #c4    
,thirdly1 ,this temptation1 though it   
have not the consent or  compliance of  
,god's children1 yet it opens a way to  
many other sins1  as murmuring1         
distrust1 despair1 weariness of ,god's  
ways and services4  ,when we find ,satan
 thus to run upon us1 it is apt to breed
 #8strange  thoughts of ,god1' that thus
 permits ,satan to take us by the       
throat1  or to make us judge of         
ourselves as rejected of ,god1 and given
 up to  ,satan's power2 and if it do    
this1 his labour is not in vain2 we are1
  as one observes1#deh more to fear his 
subtlety in bringing us by  this into   
other snares1 than the violence of the  
adversary in this  suggestion4    #d4   
,fourthly1 ,this is a stratagem for     
laying the foundation of  direful       
accusations4 ,the devil in this doth as 
the ,russians are#dei  reported to do4  
,they1 when they have a spite against   
any of their  neighbours1 hide secretly 

some of their goods in their houses1 and
 then  accuse them of theft4 ,when      
blasphemous thoughts are injected1 and  
men  refuse to consent1 then ,satan     
raiseth an accusation against them1 as  
,joseph's mistress did1 as if they were 
guilty of all that blasphemy  that he   
tempted them unto2 and it is a difficult
 task to persuade them  that these      
things should be in their minds1 and    
that they should not be  the proper     
issues of their own heart4 ,and very    
often doth he from hence  accuse them of
 sinning against the ,holy ,ghost1      
because of the hideous  blasphemies     
which he had first suggested to them4   
,applic4 ,first1 ,this will give us     
considerations of consolation1  and     
that--7#a47 ,in regard of others4 ,we   
observe often our sick friends  speak   
what we would not willingly hear1 and it
 cannot choose but be  sadly afflictive 
to hear their curses and blasphemous    
speeches2 but  when we consider the     
advantage that ,satan takes of their    

distemper1  if their lives heretofore   
have been pious and religious1 we       
comfort  ourselves in this1 that it is  
more his malice than their own          
inclinations2 neither should we suffer  
our hope or charity to be  distressed on
 their behalf4 7#b47 ,it is the like    
ground of consolation  for ourselves or 
others that are violently afflicted with
 blasphemous  thoughts4 ,for1    #a4    
,first1 ,if we call to mind that our    
,lord and ,master suffered  such things1
 we that are of his household need not  
think we receive a  strange or unusual  
measure in that we are molested as he   
was4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,if we consider  
that ,christ was tempted without sin  on
 his part1 then may we fetch this       
conclusion from it1 that it is  possible
 that such thoughts should be cast upon 
us1 and yet that we may  not be         
chargeable with them as our iniquities4 
,thirdly1 ,we may hence see that such   
temptations are more frightful  than    
hurtful4 ,these1 as one observes1#dfj   

seldom take1 they carry  with them so   
much horror1 to those that believe and  
love the true ,god1  that it keeps them 
from a participation with ,satan in the 
sin itself1  nay1 it fills them with    
fear and striving against it2 they      
rather1 as  bugbears1 scare and disquiet
 them1 than produce the real effects of 
compliance with them4    ,applic4       
,secondly1 ,the consideration of this   
kind of temptation may  fill the hearts 
and mouths of those of us as have not   
hitherto been  troubled with it1 with   
praise for so merciful a preservation4  
,if we  have not been under this kind of
 exercise1 it is not from any good  will
 that ,satan hath to us1 but because our
 ,god withholds a commission  from him4 
,a poor weak ,christian wonders that    
,satan hath not made him a  mark for    
this arrow1 that he hath not broken him 
with this tempest4 ,to  answer that     
wonder1 he may know that the same       
tenderness in ,god1 that  will not put  
#8new wine into old crazy bottles1' nor 

a #8new stiff piece  of cloth into an   
old tender garment1' nor that will      
oppress the weak  and infirm with strong
 exercise or burdens2 that same         
tenderness of a  compassionate ,father  
doth keep off such trials1 because he   
will not  suffer them #8to be tempted   
above what they are able4'    ,applic4  
,thirdly1 ,this temptation calls for    
advice to those that are  under it1 to  
whom ,i shall direct a few things4      
#a4 ,first1 ,when any are troubled with 
blasphemous thoughts1 let it  be        
considered in what state and temper     
their body is4 ,if it be  distempered   
with melancholy1 as is most usual1 then 
the prescription  of an able physician  
is necessary in the first place1 without
 which  he that would spiritually advise
 or counsel shall but beat the air1  and
 his words be so far from the fastness  
of nails that they shall be  as wind4 ,i
 have known many under great complaints 
and fears by reason  hereof1 that have  
been cured by physic alone2 for when1 in

 this case1  the fuel is withdrawn1 the 
fire goes out4 ,correct the melancholy  
temper  that gives the devil this       
advantage1 and the trouble will cease4  
#b4 ,secondly1 ,it is of great          
consequence to understand the nature  of
 these temptations4 ,if the tempted     
could see these to be their  sufferings 
rather than their sins1 they would with 
greater ease bear it  as an affliction4 
,and to those that complain1 abhor1     
resist1 and pray  against them1 they are
 not sins1 no more than when a harlot   
layeth her  child at an honest woman's  
door1 that child is to be reckoned as   
the  fruit of her wickedness4 ,a giant  
may dash the son against his father1    
but so far will the father be from      
imputing it as rebellious insolence  in 
his child1 that he will pity him the    
more1 as suffering by a double  injury2 
for it is not only against his natural  
affection and reverence  to his parent1 
but it is a bodily hurt beside4 ,thus   
will ,god much more  pity his children  

under these sufferings4    #c4 ,thirdly1
 ,we must not suffer such thoughts to   
lodge in us1 but  before they settle1 if
 possible1 we must repel them2 as       
,abraham drove  away the fowls that came
 down upon his sacrifice4 ,i know the   
tempted  will say this advice is not    
practicable2 they find these thoughts   
swarm  about them as bees1 and when one 
is driven back another straight comes   
in its place4 ,but to them ,i answer1   
that blasphemous thoughts are  repelled 
two ways4 7#a47 ,by stout and resolute  
resistance4 ,this1 though  it do not    
extinguish them1 nor free us of the     
trouble1 yet it keeps  them from        
settling upon us1 and us from the guilt 
of them4 7#b47 ,by  diversion1 which the
 work of a lawful employment1 or good   
society1 and  other discourses may do4  
,this may give some ease from the       
molestation1  and the other preserves us
 innocent4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,in        
temptations to blasphemy confident      
refusals do  better than disputings4#dfa

 ,here we are to resist with courage and
 a  holy contempt of ,satan4 ,if we be  
too timorous and fearful1 he insults    
the more upon us2 as dogs when they are 
observed follow the passenger  with     
greater eagerness and noise4            
,abhorrences and positive discharges1   
like that of ,christ in the same case1  
#8,get thee hence1 ,satan1' do more  for
 us than to debate the matter with him4 
,,chapter ,,xx4     ,the nature of      
idolatry4--,satan's design to corrupt   
the worship of   ,god4--,the evidences  
thereof1 with the reasons of such       
endeavours4--,his   general design of   
withdrawing the hearts of men from ,god 
to   his service4--,the proof that this 
is his design4--,upon whom he           
prevails4--,that professions and        
confidences are no evidences to the     
contrary4--,his deceit of propounding   
sin as a small matter4--,the   evidences
 of that method1 and the reason thereof4
    ,thus have ,i considered the        
temptation as blasphemous4 ,i proceed   

next  to consider it as idolatrous4 ,the
 words   1 if thou  wilt fall down and  
worship1 do give us the true notion of  
idolatry4 ,the  word which we call      
worship comes from 1 which signifies to 
kiss1  or from 1 which signifies a dog1 
both being to the same purpose1  and    
signifying any action of reverence by   
which we signify the respect  of our    
minds4 ,to kiss the hand1 or to fawn as 
a dog1 are gestures  which express the  
honour we would give1 and being applied 
to divine  worship before1 or with      
respect unto1 an undue object1 is       
idolatry2  and as such doth ,christ     
reject it in his answer1 #8,thou shalt  
worship  the ,lord thy ,god1 and him    
only shalt thou serve4' ,we worship     
,god1 when  in ways and actions         
commanded or prescribed1 we testify our 
belief  and resentment of his           
incommunicable attributes4 ,it is       
idolatry when  either we use the same   
actions of prescribed worship to that   
which is  not ,god1 or when we testify  

our respects to the true ,god in an     
undue  way of our own devising4 ,here   
might ,i take occasion to shew the      
vanity  of the popish subterfuges2 their
 distinction of latria and dulia  is1 as
 ,dr ,henry ,more observes1 hereby      
overthrown4#dfb ,satan doth not  here   
set himself up as the omnipotent ,god1  
for he acknowledgeth one  superior to   
himself1 in that he confesseth that the 
power he had of  the kingdoms of the    
world was given to him1 ,luke iv4 #f1   
and therefore  not the latria but the   
dulia is required of him2 and yet this1 
,christ denies him as being idolatry1 in
 that no religious worship--for  that   
must needs be the sense of his          
answer--is due to any but ,god  alone4  
,their other distinction of worshipping 
an idol1 saint1 angel1  cross1 c41 and  
before such a creature1 is also hereby  
crushed1 as  is commonly observed3#dfc  
for what the evangelist ,matthew        
expresseth  by  1 ,luke calls  1 before 
me2 so that the  ,scripture makes no    

difference betwixt these two1 shewing it
 to be  idolatry to use religious       
worship to that which is not ,god1 or   
before  it4 ,but these things ,i shall  
not prosecute2 keeping therefore to my  
design1 ,i shall observe1    ,obs4 #g4  
,that it is one of ,satan's great       
designs to corrupt the  worship of ,god4
 ,that this is so will appear1    7#a47 
,first1 ,if we consider what varieties  
of worship hath been in  the world4 ,god
 gave a fixed and stable law1 and yet   
this so little  prevailed1 that men were
 upon new inventions presently4 ,i shall
 not  need to reckon up the almost      
numberless varieties of this kind among 
the heathen4 ,the instance is plain     
enough in those that professed the  name
 of the true ,god2 they were still      
changing for new fashions in  religion1 
borrowing patterns from their           
neighbours1 so that if there  were but a
 new altar at ,damascus1 or a new idol  
in any strange city1  they must         
presently have the like1 till1 as the   

prophet tells them1  #8according to     
their cities so were their gods1' ,jer4 
ii4 #bh4 ,he that  will call to mind    
that the husbandman did first #8sow good
 seed in his  field1' and that there is 
such variety of tares and false worship1
  notwithstanding the plain and positive
 command of ,god1 fixing and            
determining his worship1 must needs     
conclude that an enemy1 ,satan1 hath    
done it4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,if we call
 to mind how in all ages there hath been
  a constancy in this inconstant        
variety4 ,we hear of it among the       
heathens4 ,we read enough of it among   
the ,jews1 and when they were out  of   
the humour of more shameful idolatries1 
they yet corrupted the  worship of ,god 
by their traditions2 and of these they  
were so fond1  that they caused the law 
of ,god itself to give place to them1   
and made  it void by them4 ,the times of
 the gospel were not free4 ,though      
,christ  came to seek such worshippers  
as should #8worship him in spirit and in

  truth1' yet before the apostles'      
deaths1 while yet they were persuading  
to the contrary1 there arose up some    
that corrupted the worship1 by  leading 
the people back again to the ,jewish    
ceremonies1 and others  laboured to     
bring in #8worshipping of angels1' and  
at last to #8eat  things offered to     
idols1' with greater defilements4 ,since
 the apostles'  days the same design    
hath been carried on in the churches4   
,rome hath  patched together a great    
deal of ,jewish and heathenish          
ceremonies2  and when the man of sin    
shall be revealed1 yet a higher flood of
 such  abominations is to be expected4  
,who hath wrought all this1 but ,satan8 
,this is still the same design1 and     
though the work be not in all parts     
like itself1 yet the whole of it        
evidenceth the working of the same      
spirit in all4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,let  
us observe how early this began4 ,we    
cannot say  but that in the days of     
,adam1 who doubtless had received       

particular  commands from ,god1 in which
 he would not fail to instruct his      
children1  they were seeking to         
themselves #8many inventions1' ,gen4 iv4
 #bf4 ,at the  birth of ,enos1 as some  
conjecture1 there were such defilements 
brought  into use in worship1 that ,seth
 had respect to it when he called his   
son  ,enos1 ,sorrowful1 as lamenting    
that profanation which was then begun   
in #8calling upon the name of the       
,lord1' for so do many interpret that   
passage1 which in our ,english we read  
thus1 #8,then began men to call  upon   
the name of the ,lord4' ,the word in the
 original is 1 which  signifieth both to
 profane and to begin1 and may be as    
properly  translated1 then #8profaned   
they in calling upon the name of the    
,lord4'  ,and there are several reasons 
that move learned men#dfd to fix upon   
this translation4 ,as 7#a47 ,that it is 
not probable that men began then  to    
call upon ,god1 or publicly to do so1 as
 some would interpret1 and  not before1 

as the present ,english would imply4    
7#b47 ,that age was noted  as corrupt1  
and therefore it is noted as a rarity   
that ,enoch walked  with ,god4 7#c47    
,the ,rabbins generally translate  to   
profane2 but  if we should grant the    
present ,english1 #8,then began men to  
call upon  the name of the ,lord1' it   
would imply that the worship practised  
by  ,adam and ,abel had been corrupted1 
and now it was restored again and       
reformed2 which will make the corruption
 of worship to be yet more  early4 ,and 
after that we read of corruption crept  
into the family of  ,seth1 as well as   
now in the family of ,cain1 ,gen4 vi4   
#b2 so that the  worship of ,god stood  
not long in its honour1 though ,adam and
 ,seth were  alive to instruct them2    
which shews that it was a rebellious    
departure  from the way1 fomented and   
brought on by the malignant spirit      
,satan4    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,but to make
 all sure1 the ,scripture lays all these
  kinds of corruption of worship at     

,satan's door4 ,the defilements of      
worship taught in ,thyatira1 by         
,jezebel1 are called #8the depth of     
,satan1' ,rev4 ii4 #bd2 the corruptions 
introduced by antichrist1 are from      
#8the workings of ,satan1' #b ,thes4 ii4
 #i4 ,what was promoted by false        
apostles to that purpose1 they had it   
from their great teacher ,satan1  who   
#8transforms himself for such ends into 
an angel of light1' #b ,cor4  xi4 #ac1  
#ad2 so that nothing can be more plain  
than that this is an old  and constant  
design of ,satan4    ,the particular    
ways by which ,satan effects this design
 ,i shall not now  touch1 but shall in  
lieu of that give you the reasons of his
 endeavours  this way4    #a4 ,first1   
,he knows that this is a sin of a high  
provocation4  ,worship is the proper    
tribute that is due to ,god1 and it is  
peculiarly  his prerogative to prescribe
 the way and manner of it4 ,neither of  
these  honours will he give to any      
other1 but will express his jealousy    

when  any invasion is made upon these   
his sole prerogatives4 ,now his worship 
cannot be corrupted1 but one of these at
 least will in some degree or  other be 
touched4 ,if we set up another object of
 worship1 we deny him  to be ,god2 if we
 worship him in a way of our own        
invention1 we deny  his wisdom1 and set 
up ourselves above him1 as if we could  
order his  worship better than he hath  
done in his word4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,if 
the worship be corrupted1 all the       
exercise of the  affections of the      
heart1 and all the service itself is    
lost1 and become  unacceptable4 ,he     
knows that such worshippers shall meet  
with this  answer1 #8,who hath required 
this at your hands8' ,isa4 i4 #ab4      
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,corruption in worship1   
,satan by long experience knows  to have
 been the ground of those hatreds1      
quarrels1 persecutions1  and troubles   
under which the church hath groaned in  
all ages1 every  difference imposing    
their way and persuasion upon all       

dissenters1 to  the disturbance of      
peace1 breach and decay of love1        
hindrance of the  growth of piety1 to   
the biting and devouring of one another4
    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,besides ,god is     
provoked by this to leave his           
sanctuary1 to remove his glory and his  
candlestick1 to make his  vineyard a    
desolation1 and his churches as ,shiloh4
    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,satan is the more    
industrious in this1 because his ways   
are capable of many advantages to       
further his design1 and many specious   
pretences to cover it4 ,in ,col4 ii4 #h1
 he made use of philosophy to  corrupt  
religion1 and by unsound principles of  
some heathens famous for  that learning1
 introduced #8worshipping of angels4'   
,what that could not  effect he laboured
 to perform by #8the traditions of men1'
 and where  that came short1 #8the      
rudiments of the world'--the ,mosaical  
ceremonies  were so called here1 and in 
the ,epistle to the ,hebrews--were his  
engine  by which he battered the plain  

worship of the ,new ,testament4 ,and as 
to  pretences1 the apostle doth there   
and elsewhere note that decency and     
order1 humility1 wisdom1 and            
self-denial1 are things very taking1 and
  yet usually pretended for such bold   
innovations as may corrupt the pure     
streams of the sanctuary4    ,applic4   
,hence may ,i leave with you a few      
memorials4    #a4 ,first1 ,this may make
 us jealous of any alterations in the   
way  of ,gods worship4 ,we have reason  
under the most plausible pretexts to    
suspect the hand of ,satan1 because it  
is one of his main businesses to        
corrupt the worship4    #b4 ,secondly1  
,this may justify those that out of a   
conscientious  fear of complying with   
,satan's design1 dare not admit of a pin
 in  the tabernacle beside what ,god    
hath prescribed1 nor leave behind a     
shoe-latchet of what he hath enjoined4  
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,this will tell us that   
that worship is best and safest  that   
hath least of mixture of human          

invention4 ,we cannot offend in  keeping
 close to the rule1 though the worship  
thereby become more  plain1 and not so  
gorgeous in outward appearance4 ,we may 
soon overdo it  by the least addition1  
and cannot be so certain of ,god's      
acceptation1  as we are of pleasing the 
senses of men1 by such introducements4  
,this motion of ,satan1 #8,fall down and
 worship me1' is now in the last  place 
to be considered as a particular        
instance of ,satan's general  design of 
drawing the hearts of men from ,god his 
service and ways1 to  the pleasures of  
sin2 as if he should say to him1 follow 
my advice1  give up thyself to my       
service1 and thou shalt be gratified    
with all  the delights that the world   
can give thee4 ,to this doth the bait   
here  offered most fitly agree4 ,hence  
observe1    ,obs4 #h4 ,that it is       
,satan's general design to withdraw the 
hearts of  men from ,god1 that they may 
be enslaved to him in the service of    
sin4    ,that the devil doth level all  

his endeavours to this1 cannot be       
doubted2 for1    7#a47 ,first1 ,he hath 
a kingdom in this world1 from which he  
is  denominated #8the prince of this    
world4' ,and this is not only a rule of 
exterior force1 such as conquerors have 
over their captivated slaves1  who are  
compelled to subject their bodies1 while
 yet their minds are  full of hatred    
against him who hath thus forced them to
 subjection2  but it is a rule over the 
hearts and affections of men1 working in
  #8the children of disobedience' a love
 and liking of these ways1 and          
begetting in them the image of ,satan2  
so that what work he imposeth  they are 
pleased withal1 and #8love to have it   
so4' ,therefore he is not  only called  
their prince1 but their god and their   
father3 #8,ye are of  your father the   
devil1' in that with a kind of inward   
devotion they  will and endeavour to    
perform the lusts which he propounds to 
them4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,this kingdom 
is contrary to ,gods spiritual kingdom1 

that being of darkness1 this of light2  
and it is managed by ,satan with  an    
envious competition and co-rivalship to 
that of ,god2 so that as ,god  invites  
men to the happiness of his kingdom1 and
 sends his ,spirit in  his word and     
ordinances to persuade them1 ,satan doth
 the like4 ,he sends  out his spirit1   
which the apostle calls #8the spirit of 
the world1'  #a ,cor4 ii4 #ab1 and      
employs all his agents to engage men for
 him4 ,he  requires the heart as ,god   
doth1 he promiseth his rewards of       
pleasure1  honour1 riches1 if they will 
fall down and worship him4 ,now it is so
  natural to prosecute an interest thus 
espoused in a way of opposition1        
especially to any other that set up for 
themselves in a contradictory           
competitorship1 that the very natural   
laws of ,satan's kingdom will  engage   
him to stand up for it1 and to enlarge  
it all he can4    ,those upon whom he   
prevails are of two sorts--    7#a47    
,first1 ,some are visibly in his        

service4 ,these answer the  character   
which was given of ,ahab1 #a ,kings xxi4
 #bj1 #8who sold himself  to work       
wickedness in the sight of the ,lord4'  
,the first expression  shews that such  
are wholly in ,satan's power and        
disposal--as things sold  are in the    
possession and power of the buyer--they 
are at ,satan's will4  ,if he say to    
them1 #8,go1 they go1' and if he say1   
#8,come1 they come4'  ,their bodies and 
spirits are ,satan's1 they are not their
 own2 and they  are his for the ends of 
sin1 for that employment only1 so that  
they are  #8wholly corrupt and          
abominable4' ,the latter expression1    
that he did so  #8in the sight of the   
,lord1' manifests their shameless       
impudency in sin1  that they #8declare  
their sin as ,sodom1 and hide it not1'  
that they do  not blush1 but openly wear
 the devil's livery and avouch his      
service4  ,as the works of the flesh are
 manifest1 so these in their practice   
of such works are manifestly ,satan's   

subjects4 ,these kind of men are        
frequently in the ,old ,testament styled
 #8sons of ,belial1'#dfe a name  very   
significant1 shewing either their       
devoting of themselves to the  devil's  
service1 in that they reject the yoke of
 ,god's law1 in that  they #8break his  
bonds1 and cast his cords from them1' or
 their pride  that they will have none  
above them1 not considering that there  
is a  ,god1 or that the ,most ,high     
rules1 or their averseness to what is   
good1  being #8wholly unprofitable1 and 
to every good work reprobate4' ,titus   
i4 #af4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,some are   
secretly his servants4 ,they come to the
  devil1 as ,nicodemus did to ,christ1  
by night4 ,they will not openly  profess
 him1 but yet their hearts are wholly   
his4 ,such are called by  the name of   
hypocrites4 ,the pharisees and scribes  
seemed to declare for  ,god1 called     
themselves ,abraham's seed1 fasted1 gave
 alms1 made long  prayers1 and yet were 
a #8generation of vipers1' and #8of     

their father  the devil4' ,the secrecy  
of this underhand engagement to hell is 
such1  that many who are in a league    
with the devil1 and at an agreement with
  death1 do neither know nor believe it 
concerning themselves4 ,for1    #a4     
,first1 ,this private covenant may be   
where there are the greatest  seeming   
defilements of ,satan and high          
professions of service to ,god4  ,the   
pharisees1 as have been said1 were the  
devil's servants1 under  all the fair   
show they made of religion and zeal for 
the law1 and yet  when ,christ plainly  
told them that they were not ,abraham's 
seed but  the devil's seed1 they with   
high indignation and scorn throw back   
the  accusation to ,christ1 #8,thou art 
a ,samaritan1 and hast a devil2 we are  
,abraham's children1' ,john viii4 #dh1  
so little believed they the truth  when 
it was told them4    #b4 ,secondly1     
,this may consist with some designment  
and intention  to give ,god glory4 ,the 
,jews1 though they submitted not to the 

righteousness of ,god1 yet1 by the      
testimony of ,paul1 they had a zeal  to 
,god4 ,the very heathens that sacrifice 
to devils had not formal  intentions so 
to do1 as appears by their inscription  
on the altar at  ,athens1 ,acts xvii4   
#bc1 #8,to the unknown ,god4' ,the true 
,god1 though  unknown1 they propounded  
as the object of their worship2 yet     
falling  into those ways of devotion    
which the devil had prescribed1 these   
intentions could not hinder but that    
they became his servants4    #c4        
,thirdly1 ,men may be servants to ,satan
 under great assurances and  confidences
 of their interest in ,god4 ,many go to 
hell that have lived  with ,lord1 ,lord 
in their mouths4 ,those mentioned in    
,isa4 xlviii4 #b1  that had no interest 
in truth and righteousness when they    
solemnly  sware by the name of the      
,lord1 #8yet they called themselves of  
the holy  city1 and stayed themselves   
upon the ,god of ,israel1' ,isa4 xlviii4
 #b4    ,obj4 ,if it seem strange to any

 that these professions1 intentions1    
and confidences are not enough to secure
 men from this charge1 but that  they   
may be secretly slaves to hell1 ,i      
answer1    ,ans4 #a4 ,first1 ,that those
 do not necessarily conclude that the   
heart  of such men is right with ,god4  
,formality1 natural conscience1 and  the
 power of education may do much of this2
 for though we grant that  such are not 
conscious to themselves of any real     
design of serving  ,satan1 yet they may 
either so far miss it in the way of     
their service1  offering that as        
well-pleasing to ,god1 which indeed he  
hates1 and  that through wilful and     
affected ignorance1 as those of whom    
,christ  speaks1 ,john xvi4 #b1 that    
should think the killing of ,god's      
children  a piece of acceptable service2
 or they may be so mistaken as to the   
sincerity of their hearts that they may 
think they have a design to  please ,god
 in doing of what he requires in order  
thereunto1 when indeed  it may not be   

singly for ,god but for themselves that 
they work1 in  a self-gratification of  
their natural zeal for their way2 or    
their  esteem1 credit1 and advantage may
 privately influence them1 rather than  
a spirit of life and power4    ,ans4 #b4
 ,secondly1 ,the work which they do1 and
 the ends they serve1  will be evidence 
against professions and intentions4 ,it 
is a sure  rule1 that the work shews to 
whom men are related as servants1 and it
  is laid down as a certain standard to 
measure the hearts of men by1  when     
pretences and persuasions seem to carry 
all before them3 ,rom4  vi4 #af1 #8,his 
servants ye are to whom ye obey2' #a    
,john iii4 #h1 #aj1 #8,he  that         
committeth sin is of the devil3 in this 
the children of ,god are  manifest1 and 
the children of the devil'--that is1    
when it becomes a  question to whom a   
man belongs1 whose child and servant he 
is1 it must  be determined by the works 
he doth4 ,if he engage in the ways of   
sin1  he is of the devil1 let him       

profess what he will to the contrary4   
,this  same balance ,christ useth to try
 the truth of the ,jews' pretences to   
,god3 ,john viii4 #cd1 #8,whosoever     
committeth sin1 is the servant of sin2' 
they boasted high1 but he shews them    
that seeing their designs and  works    
were hatred1 envy1 murder1 c41 which are
 apparently from ,satan1  it was evident
 they had learned these of him2 and he  
concludes by this  proof1 ver4 #dd1     
#8that they were of their father the    
devil4' ,thus may  we say of those that 
pretend they honour ,god1 they deify the
 devil1  they intend well1 if yet they  
give themselves up to the pleasing of   
the flesh1 if worldly-minded1 if they   
live in pride1 strife1 envy1            
maliciousness1 c41--which are works of  
the devil1--it is not all their         
pretences that will entitle them to     
,god1 but they are1 for all this1  the  
devil's servants1 as doing his works4   
,applic4 ,this may put men upon         
inquiries1 ,who are ye for8 whose       

servants are ye8 ,there are but two that
 can lay claim to you1 and  these two   
divide the whole world betwixt them4    
,there is no state of  neutrality3 you  
are either ,god's servants or the       
devil's4 ,ye cannot  serve them both2   
#8now if the ,lord be ,god1 serve him4' 
,satan's service  is base1              
dishonourable1 slavish2 the service of  
,god1 freedom1 honour1  life1 and peace2
 there is indeed no comparison betwixt  
them4 ,happy1  then1 is that man that   
can say the ,lord is his lot and        
portion2 that  can come into ,god's     
presence1 and there in his integrity    
avouch the  ,lord for his ,god--that can
 stand upon it4 #8,my soul hath said    
unto the  ,lord1 ,thou art my ,god1 and 
,i have none besides thee2 other lords  
have  had dominion over us1 but we will 
make mention of thy name only1' ,isa4   
xxvi4 #ac4    ,this temptation1 though  
it were in itself horrid1 and as a brood
  of vipers knotted together1 which at  
once could send out several  stings1 and

 make many wounds1--as hath been        
noted1--yet in the way of  propounding1 
,satan seems to insinuate the largeness 
of his proffer1 and  the smallness and  
inconsiderableness of the service       
required1 as if he  should say1 #8,see  
how free ,i am in my kindness2 ,i will  
not stick to give  thee the kingdoms of 
the world1 and the glory of them1 and   
all this for  so small a matter as      
bowing before me1 or doing me a little  
reverence4'  ,this gives us to observe1 
,obs4 #i4 ,that when ,satan doth design 
no less than to enslave men to  his     
service1 yet he will propound sin as a  
small thing1 or but one act  of sin1 as 
a thing not valuable1 to engage them to 
him4 ,not but that  he desires to run   
men to excess in wickedness1 and        
delights to see them  with both hands   
earnestly work iniquity with greediness2
 yet where  he sees the consciences of  
men squeamish1 and that they cannot bear
  temptations to open and common        
profaneness without danger of revolt    

from him1 there he seems modest1 and    
requires but some small thing1 at  least
 at first1 till the ways of sin become  
more familiar to them1 and  then when   
they can better bear it1 he doubles the 
tale of bricks1 and  with greater       
confidence can urge them to things of   
greater shame and  enormity4 ,that this 
is his way appears1    #a4 ,first1 ,from
 the common argument which he useth at  
first to those  whom he would draw off  
from a more careful conversation1 which 
is  this3 ,do such a thing1 it is but   
for once1 and but little2 others do  the
 like1 and demur not1 or the best do as 
great matters as this comes  to4 ,it is 
but a small thing1 considering the      
strait1 or the advantage  that may      
accrue4 ,this is his usual note to      
candidate iniquity1 as  experience of   
all doth testify4    #b4 ,secondly1     
,that this is so is also evident from a 
consideration  of the several ways and  
courses of sinners4 ,some are tempted   
and  overcome by one kind of sin1 and   

not at all urged to others4 ,some go  to
 hell in a way of covetousness2 others  
are pretty unblameable in  most of their
 carriages1 but are overcome by a proud 
humour2 others  are given to drink1 and 
yet will not steal nor deal falsely2    
others  take a more cleanly way to hell1
 rely upon their own righteousness1 or  
are engaged in error1 and their life    
otherwise smooth and fair4 ,the  ,jews  
in ,christ's time were only engaged     
against ,christ1 and for their          
traditions1 but not molested with       
temptations to open idolatry as         
formerly4 ,those who are ignorant are   
not troubled with temptations to        
despair1 or inward terrors4 ,the reasons
 of his dealing thus are these3--    #a4
 ,first1 ,he sees that one sin heartily 
prosecuted is enough  to signify homage 
to him1 and to give him possession4 ,as 
we take  possession of land by a turf or
 a twig1 so by one sin admitted with    
full purpose of mind1 ,satan is let into
 the heart4 ,as a penny will be         

sufficient earnest for a bargain of a   
thousand pounds1 so may one sin  be a   
pledge or earnest for the whole soul in 
a league with hell4    #b4 ,secondly1   
,he knows that one sin persisted in may 
be enough to  destroy the soul2 as one  
wound may kill1 one leak may sink a     
ship4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,he knows that   
one sin breaks the covenant of ,god1 and
  turns the heart from him1 if men give 
up themselves to it4    #d4 ,fourthly1  
,one sin wilfully pursued makes a man   
guilty of the  breach of the whole law4 
,it destroys love and respect to ,god1  
undervalues his authority1 contemns his 
threatenings and promises4    #e4       
,fifthly1 ,one sin is enough to make way
 for more4 ,where ,satan  would have    
more1 yet at first he is pleased with it
 as a hopeful  beginning4 ,it makes room
 enough for the serpent's head1 and then
 he  will afterwards easily wind in his 
whole body4    ,applic4 ,this may warn  
us not to be emboldened to any sin by   
the plea  of diminution2 not to venture 

because it may seem little1 or be but   
for once4 ,a true ,christian should be a
 perfect universalist2 he should  be    
universally against all sin1 and        
universally for all duty4               
,,chapter ,,xxi4     ,of worldly        
pleasure4--,proofs that this is ,satan's
 great engine4--,what   there is in     
worldly delights that make them         
so4--,counsels and cautions   against   
that snare4      ,i come now to the     
argument which ,satan used for all this1
 #8,all these  things will ,i give      
thee4' ,he casts a golden apple before  
him1 and seeks  to entangle him by      
worldly greatness and delight4 ,i shall 
not examine  how true or false ,satan   
spake when he called all these things   
his1  and that he could give them to    
whom he would4 ,it is enough for our    
purpose to take notice of his pretence1 
so far as might make his offer          
probable2 and then observe1    ,obs4    
#aj4 ,that the great engine which ,satan
 useth to draw away the  heart from ,god

 to his service is worldly pleasures and
 delights4    ,i shall first shew that  
this is ,satan's great engine1 and then 
explain  what is in it that fits it so  
much for his purpose4 ,the first of     
these  is evidenced by these            
particulars3--    #a4 ,first1 ,the      
,scripture doth particularly note to us 
a deceit or guile  to be in worldly     
pleasures4 ,christ1 in ,mat4 xiii4 #bb1 
speaks of #8the  deceitfulness of       
riches2' and that deceit is expressed by
 such a word  as signifies #8a drawing  
out of the way1' a misleading2#dff so   
that he  means not the uncertainty of   
these delights1 in which sense it is    
said  #8that riches take themselves     
wings and fly away1' ,prov4 xxiii4 #e1  
which often disappoint and deceive the  
expectations of those that do  most hug 
them4 ,nor can this be understood of    
riches in an active sense1  as we       
attribute deceit to men1 who as rational
 agents can contrive  and devise snares2
 but it only means that these are so    

objective as  things that are abused by 
,satan to delude and betray the sons of 
men3  and these are so frequently made  
use of by him for such purposes1 and    
with such advantages of power and       
provocation1 that ,christ elsewhere1    
,mat4 xix4 #bc1 speaks of it as a thing 
almost impossible1 to have riches  and  
not to be ensnared by them3 #8,a rich   
man shall hardly enter into the  kingdom
 of heaven1' ,mat4 xix4 #bc1 which ,mark
 and ,luke express by an  affectionate  
amazement1 #8,oh1 how hardly can a rich 
man be saved6' ,mark  x4 #bc-be1 and    
,luke xviii4 #bd1 #be4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,these are ,satan's great net which    
encloseth multitudes2  a general bait1  
by which most are hooked into the       
service of sin4 ,most  temptations come 
from this ocean as springs from the sea4
 #8,the lust  of the flesh1 the lust of 
the eyes1 the pride of life1' have their
  original from the world1 #a ,john ii4 
#af4 ,christ speaks of this #8mammon  of
 unrighteousness' as the only thing that

 stands up in competition  for the      
hearts of men against ,god1 ,mat4 vi4   
#bd2 and the apostle1 #b  ,tim4 iii4 #d1
 reckoning up the various ways of       
particular lusts1 as  covetousness1     
boasting1 pride1 blaspheming1 c41       
concludes them all  under this1 that    
they #8are lovers of pleasures more than
 lovers of  ,god2' shewing us thereby1  
that though the lusts of men might run  
out  diverse ways1 and be exercised upon
 diverse particular objects1 yet  they  
all borrow their original from worldly  
pleasures1 and their  design is nothing 
but that in the general4 ,hence it is   
that some make  the world the great     
traitor to ,god2 for though they reckon 
up three  great enemies to ,god and man1
 #8the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1'
  yet #8these three agree in one2' the  
pleasing of the flesh is the great  end 
and desire of natural men2 the world is 
the storehouse1 from which  men draw out
 several pleasures1 according to the    
several ways they take  in gratifying   

their lusts and humours1 and the devil  
is only officious  to help all this     
forward1 by enticing and persuading them
 to #8make  these provisions for the    
flesh4' ,and who can think other1 but   
that  this must be ,satan's great       
engine1 when1 as hath been said1 first1 
the world1 and the pleasures of it1 is  
the sum of all iniquity1  containing in 
it virtually or actually the            
transgression of the whole  law4 ,the   
root it is of all evil1 #a ,tim4 vi4    
#aj2 all profaneness against  ,god1 all 
neglect of duty1 all outrage1 wrong1 or 
injustice to man1  may1 and usually     
doth1 spring from hence1 insomuch that  
some have  particularly traced it       
through every command of the decalogue1 
and  found it guilty1 either as         
principal or accessary1 of every        
iniquity4  ,second1 ,our thoughts may be
 the more confirmed in this when we see 
all men entangled by it2 for albeit that
 some temptations seem directly  to     
carry men from a love or care of the    

world1 as despair1 terrors of  mind1    
voluntary humility1 neglecting of the   
body1 and others of the  same kind2 yet 
if the matter be considered1 the truth  
in hand cannot be  prejudiced by such an
 objection4 ,for1 #a4 ,those who seem in
 distress  of conscience most to loathe 
the world were yet first entangled by   
it1 and the consideration of that guilt1
 whether at present justly or  unjustly 
charged upon them1 is the usual occasion
 of these troubles4  ,and1 #b4 ,those   
who seem to undervalue money1 riches1   
plenty1 c41 are1  it may be1 no less    
slaves to other worldly lusts2 for      
pleasures of the  world comprehend      
whatsoever may arise from anything that 
is in the  world to the delight of life4
 ,honour1 pride1 ambition1 prodigality1 
are  #8worldly lusts1' as well as       
covetousness and desire of power or     
rule4  ,and those that seem to deny     
themselves of #8faring deliciously1' or 
#8wearing soft raiment1' may be as much 
distressed with an inward desire  of    

applause and honour1 as those that would
 gratify their senses are by  sensual   
lusts4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,how much the   
world stands ,satan in stead may be     
observed  from the force of that        
temptation upon those that have very    
much  engaged in their profession of the
 ways of ,god4 ,it hath often fetched   
off those that seemed to have given up  
themselves to ,god4 ,demas was  once    
commended by ,paul as his               
fellow-labourer1 ,philem4 #bd2 yet at   
last it so prevailed upon him that he   
complained1 #b ,tim4 iv4 #aj1 that      
#8,demas had forsaken him1' and turned  
his back upon his profession1  and so   
far1 if ,dorotheus do him right1 that he
 became an idol-priest  in              
,thessalonica1 the cause of which horrid
 apostasy was his #8love to  the present
 world4' ,balaam seemed resolute not to 
act anything against  ,israel1 yet #8the
 ways of unrighteousness' so far blinded
 him1 that he  taught ,balak #8to cast a
 stumbling-block before the children of 

,israel4'  ,the highest of nominal      
professors1 noted by the #8thorny       
ground' in  ,mat4 xiii4 #bb1--who seemed
 to differ from the good ground only in 
this1  that their fruit was green and   
not ripe1 as ,luke expresseth it1       
#8,they  brought not fruit to           
perfection1'--they were choked in these 
fair  beginnings and offers for holiness
 by the #8cares and pleasures of the    
world4' ,all ages abound with instances 
of this kind4 neas ,sylvius  preached   
against the pope1 set up the council    
above him1 commended  the ,germans for  
opposing him2 but preferment made him   
alter his note1  and at last he became  
pope himself4 ,bonner1 the persecutor1  
seemed at  first a good man1 a favourer 
of ,luther's doctrine1 but advancement  
changed him to a bloody wolf1 a cruel   
tiger4 ,spalato forsook popery1  but1   
missing those dignities which he aimed  
at in ,england1 was1 upon  hopes of     
greater preferment1 induced to lick up  
his vomit1 and to own  popery again4    

,how many examples have we of those who1
 the higher they  grew in the world1    
became more careless of religion2 as    
,sixtus ,quintus1  who went as fast back
 in religion as he went forward in      
promotion2 so  that he that at first    
entering into orders1 had a good hope of
 his  salvation1 by that time he came to
 be pope1 he became so wicked that he   
despaired of happiness4    #d4          
,fourthly1 ,this temptation is one of   
,satan's last refuges1 and  often       
prevails where persecution cannot4 ,the 
thorny-ground hearers  were above those 
of the stony ground in this1 that they  
stood out the  storm1 and bore the      
scorching heat of persecution1 but then 
the world  choked them4 ,sad experience 
tells us that churches that did thrive  
and  grow as the palm-tree under their  
pressures1 were spoiled by ease and     
plenty1 which so cherished the seeds of 
pride1 vanity1 and contention1  that    
they grew up amain1 and did more to     
their desolation than the  cruelty of   

all their fiercest enemies4 ,julian1    
who1 by the greatest  art and policy1   
studied to overthrow the ,christian's   
name1 so observed  this1 that he made it
 his rule rather to corrupt men by      
honours than  to compel them by         
torments4#dfg ,we have also found that  
though the  ,roman synagogue join force 
to subtlety in the advancement of their 
dagon1 yet they have still looked upon  
this temptation of the world  as most   
likely to gain the hearts of their      
rational opposers4 ,cruelty  could      
overawe the senseless multitude1 and    
could take out of the way  those of     
whose opposition they were afraid1 but  
it seldom with success  wrought upon    
persons guided by light and conscience1 
to a compliance  that would hold long2  
for though at first some good men were  
overawed  to make subscription and to   
recant1 as it did with ,bilney1         
,bainham1  ,cranmer1 and several        
others1#dfh yet upon the working of     
conscience1  after the stound and dazzle

 of the temptation was over1 they       
recoiled  so resolutely upon them1 that 
they lost more than they gained that    
way4  ,but those that were willing to   
nibble at preferments became theirs     
wholly4 ,thus they set upon ,luther1    
,galeaceus1 ,carracciolus1 ,dr ,taylor1 
and a great many more1 though to no     
purpose1 for they were ready to bid     
their money #8perish with them1' and to 
bid defiance to their favour  as well as
 to their frowns4 ,notwithstanding they 
have made many real  conquests by this  
weapon1 and accordingly this is reckoned
 among the  temptations of greatest     
force3 ,heb4 xi4 #cg1 #8,they were      
stoned1 they  were sawn asunder1 they   
were tempted1' that is1 by the pleasures
 and  preferments of the world4 ,it     
seems the ,holy ,ghost would point at   
this1 how fair and plausible soever it  
be1 as one of the devil's most  powerful
 engines4    ,next1 ,i promised to      
discover what it is in the world which  
makes it so  fit for ,satan's designs4  

7#a47 ,first1 ,the world brings or      
affords fit matter to be made the fuel  
of lust4 ,for this reason the apostle in
 the place afore-cited1 #a ,john  ii4   
#af1 forbids us so earnestly to love the
 world1 or the things of the  world1    
because there is nothing in it which is 
not improveable1 as an  occasion or     
provocation to lust4 ,whatsoever is in  
the world is lust of  flesh1 or eyes1 or
 heart2 and there is no lust but it may 
be furnished  with a proper object from 
hence4 ,the appetite1 senses1 or        
affections  fetch all their delights    
from hence4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,besides
 the common materials of sin that are   
digged  out of this mine1 the world hath
 something of an aptitude in it to      
tempt4 ,not that it hath properly and   
formally1 insidiationis animum1  an     
active subtlety to lay snares for men1  
but yet it is not so purely  passive as 
to make it altogether innocent4 ,there  
is something of a  curse upon it ever   
since1 by the fall of man4 ,it was      

loosened from  its proper1 primitive    
ends2 and as the devil spake by the     
serpent1 so  doth he urge1 speak1 tempt1
 and insinuate by the world1 so that it 
is  still an occasion of danger to us1  
and hath a special advantage over  our  
affections1 upon several accounts4 ,as1 
#a4 ,in that it is in itself  lawful to 
be used4 #b4 ,in that it is suitable to 
our desires and  tempers4 #c4 ,in some  
respects it might be necessary and      
advantageous  for the comfort of life1  
for the support of families1 and to     
enable us  to be helpful to others4 #d4 
,it is near to us1 under our eye2 we    
have  familiar converse with it1 it is  
still with us4 #e4 ,we have a natural   
propensity to be in love with it2 the   
flesh would fain be pleased1  and       
nothing is more answerable to it than   
the pleasures of the world4  ,we need   
not wonder then1 when we see it so      
highly captivating the  affections of   
men1 and leading them bound in chains   
and fetters4 ,some  make it their god2  

gain is all their godliness and         
religion2 they seek  their #8portion in 
this life1' ,ps4 xvii4 #ad2 this is     
their treasure1 and  here is their      
heart2 and it would be no less wonder if
 ,satan should be  guilty of so much    
oversight1 as to neglect the use of an  
instrument  which is every way so fitted
 for his purpose4    7#c47 ,thirdly1    
,besides this fair prospect which it    
gives to sin1 it  hath an enmity to ,god
 and his ways1 which is no less         
advantageous to  the devil4 ,this is    
positively affirmed1 ,james iv4 #d1     
#8,the friendship  of this world is     
enmity with ,god2' not only is this true
 in a lower  sense1 as a hindrance1     
being backward and averse to it1 but it 
is a  direct opposition and contrariety 
to ,god and his service4 ,its drawing   
back and hindering is charge enough     
against it3 for it #a4 withdraws  those 
thoughts1 affections1 time1 care1 and   
endeavours1 which should be  laid out   
upon better things1 so that holiness    

must needs be obstructed1  dwindle1 and 
decay by it4 #b4 ,it hinders the        
influence of heaven2 it  shuts out the  
light casually1 quencheth and resisteth 
the ,spirit1 and1  meritoriously also1  
it provokes ,god to withdraw1 to remove 
his glory1  and to give over his        
striving with them2 but the contrariety 
that it  hath to all the parts of       
holiness is yet more3 ,christ notes it1 
,mat4  vi4 #bd4 ,these two masters1 ,god
 and the world1 are contrary in their   
designs1 in their commands1 in their    
natures1 so that it is impossible  for  
any man to serve them both4 ,they both  
require the heart1 and they  both       
require it to contrary and incompatible 
services and ends4 ,these1  then1 are   
such masters as would be domini in      
solidum1 masters of the  whole4#dfi ,now
 there cannot be two masters of one     
thing in that sense2  neither1 if there 
were1 could the hearts of men serve     
these different  commands1 but their    
work would necessarily engage their     

affections to  one only2 they would     
either #8love the one and hate the      
other1 or hold  to the one and despise  
the other4' ,this very consideration1 if
 there  were no more1 doth render the   
world a desirable instrument for ,satan4
    7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,in all this the   
world hath so many cunning disguises1   
and plausible shifts1 that it becomes   
thereby wonderfully serviceable  to     
,satan4 ,it is the perfection of wicked 
policy to manage wicked  designs under  
plausible pretences4 ,these the world   
hath in readiness  when it is accused of
 rebellion and treachery against ,god4  
,the pleas  of necessity1 of prosecution
 of a lawful calling1 of providing for a
  family1 of not neglecting the benefits
 of ,god1 of cheering the heart1  and   
taking the comforts of the labours of   
their hands1 and a great  many more1 are
 ready excuses to ward off the force of 
the convincing  word4 ,these the devil  
drives home1 and fastens them into such 
strong  persuasions1 that the deluded   

sinner cannot see the danger that is    
before him1 nor the spiritual adultery  
or idolatry of his soul1 in his         
excessive love to worldly pleasures4    
7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,the world hath also a  
spiritual fascination and  witchcraft1  
by which1 where it hath once prevailed1 
men are enchanted  to an utter          
forgetfulness of themselves and ,god1   
and being drunk  with pleasures1 they   
are easily engaged to a madness and     
height of  folly4 ,some1 like foolish   
children1 are made to keep a great stir 
in  the world for very trifles1 for a   
vain show2 they think themselves  great1
 honourable1 excellent1 and for this    
make a great bustle1 when  the world    
hath not added #8one cubit to their     
stature' of real worth4  ,others are by 
this ,circe transformed into savage     
creatures1 and act the  part of lions   
and tigers4 ,others1 like swine1 wallow 
in the lusts of  uncleanness4 ,others   
are unmanned1 putting off all natural   
affections1  care not who they ride     

over1 so they may rule or be made great4
 ,others  are taken with ridiculous     
frenzies1 so that a man that stands in  
the  cool shade of a sedate composure   
would judge them out of their wits4  ,it
 would make a man admire to read of the 
frisks of ,caius ,caligula1  ,xerxes1   
,alexander1 and many others1 who because
 they were above many  men1 thought     
themselves above human nature4 ,they    
forgot they were  born1 and must die1   
and did such things as would have made  
them1 but  that their greatness overawed
 it1 a laughing-stock and common scorn  
to  children4 ,neither must we think    
that these were but some few or rare    
instances of worldly intoxication1 when 
the ,scripture notes it as a  general   
distemper of all that bow down to       
worship this idol4 ,they live  #8without
 ,god in the world1' saith the apostle1 
,eph4 ii4 #ab1 that  is1 they so carry  
it as if there were no ,god to take     
notice of them1  to check them for their
 madness4 #8,god is not in all his      

thoughts1'  saith ,david1 ,ps4 x4 #d1   
#e4 #8,the judgments of ,god are far    
above out of  their sight2' he puffs at 
his enemies1 and saith in his heart1    
#8he  shall never be moved1' c4 ,the    
whole psalm describes the worldling as  
a man that hath lost all understanding1 
and were acting the part of  a frantic  
bedlam4 ,what then can be a more fit    
engine for the devil to  work with than 
the pleasures of the world8    ,applic4 
,i shall briefly apply this to two sorts
 of men1 those that  are straitened with
 want and necessities1 and those whose  
#8cups run  over1' having all #8that    
their heart can wish4'    7#a47 ,first1 
,to those that think their measure of   
outward comforts  little1 ,i would from 
the doctrine now explained tell them    
that they  have not so much cause to vex
 and disquiet themselves for their      
poverty  or troubles as they apprehend4 
,the world is not so desirable a thing  
as many dream4 ,did but men consider how
 great a snare it is1 and what  dangers 

attend the fulness of it1 they would not
 so earnestly covet it1  nor so         
passionately lament when it flies from  
them4 ,if thou hast so  much godliness  
as can quiet thy heart in a contented   
enjoyment of thy  little1 that little   
which thou hast is better than great    
riches of the  wicked4 ,thou little     
knowest from what pride1 insolency1     
contempt of ,god  and men1 and many     
other temptations and lusts1 ,god doth  
preserve thee1  by denying thee earthly 
things4 ,thou art now1 it may be1 often 
looking  up to ,god1 striving to believe
 his word1 often examining thy heart1   
labouring to live upon ,god and his     
all-sufficiency1 looking after the      
bread that endures to eternal life2 when
 if thou hadst the temptations  of      
plenty1 it may be feared thou wouldst be
 another man1 and be carried  away to   
forget ,god1 to be careless of holy     
walking1 and so make way for  bitterness
 and sorrow at last4    7#b47 ,secondly1
 ,i would also caution poor men not to  

enlarge their  desires too much after   
the world1 but to fear the temptations  
of the  world4 ,it is not only a snare  
to those that enjoy it1 but to those    
that want it3 for while they admire it1 
and engage their affections for  it1 it 
ensnares them in sinful undertakings2   
they are tempted to lie1  cheat1        
dissemble1 to use unlawful shifts1 to   
rob1 steal1 overreach in  bargaining1   
and to neglect the care of the soul in  
all4 ,let such call  to mind1 #a4 ,that 
often the providence of ,god doth of    
purpose thwart  and cross the designs of
 such1 so that though they toil and     
sweat1  running from market to market1  
#8rising early and sitting up late1' yet
  he blows upon their gettings1 and they
 wither to nothing1 #8while it is  yet  
in their hand2' or if they seem to keep 
them longer1 yet all the  end they make 
with them is but to put them into a     
#8bag with holes1'  ,haggai i4 #f1 they 
#8perish by evil travail1' ,eccles4 v4  
#ad4 #b4 ,they  often are at a great    

deal of labour in pursuit1 and then when
 the  desired object is within their    
reach1 they are overwhelmed with their  
disappointment1 as if providence        
designed to mock them for their folly4  
,this is excellently set forth1 in the  
emblem of a man climbing up a  rock1    
with great labour1 to reach a crown that
 hung upon the precipice1  who when he  
had stretched himself to grasp it1 falls
 down and breaks  his neck4 #c4 ,and    
when they do by great toil rake together
 a heap of  riches1 they are starved    
frequently in their plenty1 and so      
cursed that  they have no more than     
#8the beholding of their goods with     
their eyes1'  in that ,god denies them a
 #8heart to use them1' ,eccles4 v4 #aa4 
#d4  ,their gettings allay not their    
thirst for more1 #8,he that loveth      
silver1  shall not be satisfied with    
silver1' ,eccles4 v4 #aj4 #e4 ,often    
they are  given as a scourge and plague2
 as the quails given to the ,israelites 
#8came out of their nostrils4' ,the wise

 man notes it1 ,eccles4 v4 #ac1         
#8,riches are kept for the owners       
thereof to their hurt4'    7#c47        
,thirdly1 ,to those that have the       
delights of the world1 plentiful        
estates1 full tables1 beautiful houses1 
rich tradings1 honours1 and  dignities1 
,i would desire to give the greatest    
caution1 that they take  heed to        
themselves1 because they walk in the    
midst of snares4 ,they  should consider1
 #a4 ,that the great ,god hath laid most
 serious charges  upon them1 #8not to   
love the world1' but to withdraw their  
affections  from it1 nay1 to be         
crucified to it1 as to any captivating  
delight1  and to use it with such an    
indifferency of mind1 that they should  
be  in their deportments towards it as  
#8if they used it not4' #b4 ,they       
should have their danger in their eye4  
,how careful is he of his steps  that   
knows he walks in the midst of serpents 
which are ready to sting  him2 the      
thoughts of this should blunt the edge  

of our delights4 ,if you  were at a     
feast where you knew there were poisoned
 dishes1 you would be  afraid to eat    
anything4 ,do you think that ,captain   
,smith#dgj when he  was taken by the    
savages of ,america1 and had plenty of  
meat set before  him1 which he knew was 
given to fatten him that he might be    
better  meat when he was killed1 had any
 stomach to eat or to drink8 ,was that  
feast pleasing to him that sat under a  
sharp sword hung over his head  in a    
horse hair1 when he expected every      
moment it should fall upon him  and kill
 him8#dga ,such are great men1 rich men4
 ,with what fear and  care should they  
use these things1 when they know there  
is hazard of  mischief from them upon   
every occasion6 ,how much doth ,christ  
speak in  that one sentence1 #8,it is   
easier for a camel to go through the eye
 of a  needle1 than for a rich man to   
enter into the kingdom of heaven'6 ,mat4
  xix4 #bd4 ,he means not that it is    
absolutely impossible1 but extremely    

difficult1 and the difficulty lies in   
the hindrances which their riches  casts
 before them4 #c4 ,they should carefully
 consider for what ends  ,god gives     
these1 and to what use they are to be   
put4 ,rich men are but  ,god's pursers2 
they do but #8carry the bag1' and what  
is put therein1  for public uses4 ,if   
accordingly1 as faithful stewards1 they 
lay it out  upon those that have need1  
they shall #8make friends of the        
unrighteous  mammon1' and it will turn  
to a spiritual account3 but if they     
think  that all is for themselves1 and  
so shut their bowels and purses from    
others1 then they carry the bag no      
otherwise than as ,judas did1 and  will 
be easily persuaded to sell ,christ and 
heaven for a little more of  earth4     
,,chapter ,,xxii4     ,of ,christ's     
answer in the general4--,that these     
temptations were upon   design for our  
instruction4--,of the agreement betwixt 
,eph4 vi4 and   ,mat4 iv4--,the first   
direction4--,of courageous resolves in  

resisting   temptations4--,its          
consistency with some kind of           
fear4--,the necessity   of this         
courage4--,wherein it consists2 and that
 there is a courage in   mourning       
spirits4      ,these answers of ,christ 
to the several temptations1 which are   
now to be  explained1 are different as  
to their matter1 yet the general purport
 of  them being the same1 ,i shall      
therefore handle them together4 ,they   
may  be considered two ways3--    #a4   
,first1 ,as they are fit and pertinent  
answers to particular  temptations1 of  
distrust1 of presumption1 of debauching 
the heart by  worldly delights to the   
service of ,satan2 and thus may they be 
useful  in their consideration1 to those
 who are directly moved by ,satan to    
such sins4 ,and when at any time we are 
tempted in straits to cast away  our    
reliance upon the careful providence of 
,god1 we may look upon  ,christ's       
answer1 that man's life doth not so     
depend upon the usual  means1 but that  

any other thing blessed by divine       
appointment may be  useful to that end4 
,when we are enticed to presume of      
extraordinary  supports1 then by        
,christ's example the temptation may be 
resisted1 by  considering1 that however 
,god be to be trusted1 yet he is at no  
time to  be tempted by unnecessary      
expectations in the neglect of the      
ordinary  means4 ,if our hearts be wooed
 by worldly delights to cast off our    
care  of ,god and religion1 we may then 
call to mind that this is abominable    
idolatry1 and so may we turn off our    
hearts from sinful compliance by        
charging our souls with the opposite    
duties1 upon a true discovery of  the   
vileness and inconvenience of the       
transgressions urged upon us4    #b4    
,but1 secondly1 ,they may be considered 
as they give instruction for  the       
management of our spiritual armour      
against all ,satan's wiles in the       
general2 and in this sense ,i shall     
endeavour to open them1 laying down     

first these two conclusions3--    7#a47 
,first1 ,that the whole business of     
these temptations1 as permitted  to     
,satan1 and submitted unto by ,christ1  
was certainly upon design4 ,the  same   
wisdom that contrived the wonderful     
method of the salvation of  men by a    
,redeemer1 did also order these         
temptations2 for else ,christ  could    
have prevented them1 or by a divine     
authority commanded silence  to the     
tempter1 and by his power might have    
chased him away4 ,as ,christ  told      
,pilate1 #8,thou couldst have no power  
at all against me1 except  it were given
 thee from above1' ,john xix4 #aa2      
thereby manifesting  that his suffering 
was from a higher design than he was    
aware of2 so  might he have said to the 
devil1 #8,except this had been designed 
by an  eternal counsel1 thou couldst not
 have made this attempt4' ,so that we   
must look further for the spring and    
rise of this1 than to any supposed      
occasional outbreaking of satanical     

malice upon him4    7#b47 ,secondly1    
,that this design1 however it touched   
upon the person and  offices of ,christ1
 as mediator and second ,adam1 for thus 
it became him  to overcome the enemy at 
the same weapon by which he overcame our
 first  parents1 and by this personal   
experience1 to be fitted with feeling   
compassions to the tempted1 yet was it  
wholly for our sakes1 as may  appear by 
two things3--    #a4 ,first1 ,in that   
,christ1 if his answers had only        
concerned himself1  might have given    
other fit replies to the first          
temptation1 of turning  stones to bread4
 ,he could have retorted the argument   
upon ,satan1 as  ,jerome and others     
observe4#dgb ,if ,i am not the ,son of  
,god1 it is in  vain to require a       
miracle of me4 ,if ,i am1 it is in vain 
to tempt me4  ,or he might have         
answered1 #8,that as the ,father hath   
life in himself1  so hath he given to   
the ,son to have life in himself1 and   
that by this  divine power he could     

sustain himself without bread4'#dgc ,to 
the  second it might have been a        
sufficient answer to have excepted      
against  his unfaithfulness in citing   
that testimony out of ,ps4 xci41 where1 
by discovering his wilful omission of   
the clause1 #8in all thy ways2'  #8,he  
shall keep thee in all thy ways2' his   
temptation might have fallen  to the    
ground1 as no way encouraged from that  
promise4 ,to the third  might have been 
returned such answers as these3 that    
,satan's offer was  a lie2 that it was  
not in his power to dispose of the      
kingdoms of the  world--that these were 
,christ's already2 that these were vain 
arguments  to draw him from the glory of
 a heavenly kingdom2 and finally1 that  
of all creatures ,satan1 being ,god's   
sworn enemy1 had least reason to  expect
 divine honour4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,in   
that all ,christ's answers were from    
,scripture1 which  is properly a #8light
 to the steps of men1' and all these    
scriptures  cited shew man's duty4 ,he  

saith not1 #8the ,son of ,god shall not 
live  by bread alone1' but #8man lives  
not by bread alone2' he saith not1      
,christ must not tempt1 but thou1 man1  
shalt not tempt the ,lord thy  ,god1 c4 
,by all which we may discern that       
,christ answered not by  arguments      
peculiarly agreeable to his person and  
nature1 but by such as  suit the general
 state of ,god's children4 ,and this    
certainly was for  our advantage4 ,he   
conquered with such weapons1 not for any
 necessity  that he had to take that    
course1 but for the need that we had of 
such  instruction2 for hereby we see    
that ,satan is conquerable1 and also how
  we must use our weapons4#dgd ,in this 
also he left us #8an example1 that  we  
should follow his steps2' as ,gideon    
said to his soldiers1 #8,as you  see me 
do1 so do you likewise1' ,judges vii4   
#ag4 ,thus1 as it were1  doth our ,lord 
speak to us3 ,for your sakes suffered ,i
 these temptations1  that ,i might teach
 your hands to war1 and your fingers to 

fight2 for  your sakes ,i used these    
weapons of yours1 rather than my own1   
that ,i  might shew you the use of your 
sword and shield1 and how your adversary
  may be overcome by them2 dealing      
herein with us as a master at arms1--it 
is ,musculus's comparison1--who1 for the
 better instructing and animating  of   
his tyro1 takes rather his disciple's   
sword than his own1 to beat  his        
adversary withal1 minding not only the  
conquest of an enemy1 but  also the     
encouragement of a young soldier4#dge   
,if any carry a suspicion in their mind 
that ,christ had not our  instruction so
 much in his eye as hath been said1     
because he gives  not such particular   
instructions for our spiritual          
welfare#dgf as  the apostle in ,eph4    
vi41 expecting that our ,saviour should 
have been  more punctual in making      
particular applications from every part 
of  his carriage to our use1 and drawing
 out from thence some positive          
conclusions or draughts of the way and  

manner of resistance1 they may  know    
that there is no other difference       
betwixt ,eph4 vi4 and ,mat4 iv4  than   
there is betwixt precept and example4   
,what the apostle there  prescribed in  
the theory1 here ,christ teacheth in the
 practice2 here we  have in their use   
the girdle of truth1 the shield of      
faith1 the sword  of the ,spirit1 the   
helmet of salvation1 and all the other  
parts of that  armour2 and withal we may
 know that this is a far more           
advantageous way  of teaching young     
beginners1 to let them see things in a  
plain example1  than only to give       
general precepts4 ,but besides1 we are  
to consider  that ,christ did many      
things1 the meaning whereof the         
disciples then  present with him did not
 know as yet1 neither was it expected   
from  them that they should2 like to    
what he said to ,peter1 ,john xiii4 #g1 
#8,what ,i do thou knowest not now1 but 
thou shalt know hereafter2' but  were   
intended to be laid up in store to be   

more fully made use of1 as              
after-directions should come in to give 
them information4 ,he therefore  that   
had purposed to give further light in   
this matter by his apostle  and servant1
 was now doing that which his design led
 him to in his  personal actings1 with a
 secret respect also to those           
instructions  which he intended after to
 communicate4 ,we have then no reason to
 be  jealous that these temptations were
 not intended for our use1 but the  more
 to assure ourselves that it was even   
so1 because we find that  those very    
weapons which here ,christ in his own   
person wielded against  ,satan1 are     
afterwards recommended to us4    ,having
 thus laid the foundation1 we must then1
 if we will imitate our  captain1       
carefully observe his deportment from   
point to point1 that we  may draw out   
those instructions which he intended for
 us4    ,and the first thing that ,i    
shall take notice of1 shall be the      
courage  and magnanimity of our leader4 

,he had endured temptations forty days  
and nights before1 and yet he keeps the 
field without any appearance of         
shrinking or running away4 ,satan no    
sooner tempts than he is repelled4      
,from this consideration we have this   
instruction3--    ,direct4 #a4 ,that he 
that would successfully resist          
temptations1 must  not fly1 but with a  
courageous resolve set himself to       
oppose4    ,christians are apt to fear1 
when ,satan comes up against them1 and  
ready  to turn their backs3 as the      
,israelites were dismayed at the        
appearance  of ,goliath1 and fled before
 him4 ,but if we would conquer1 we must1
 as  ,david1 go out against him in #8the
 name of the ,lord4' ,to this we are    
called1 #a ,cor4 xvi4 #ac1 #8,stand fast
 in the faith1 quit yourselves like     
men1 be strong2' and ,eph4 vi4 #ad1     
#8,stand1 having your loins girt with   
truth1' c4 ,this courage recommended is 
not a contempt and negligent  slighting 
of danger1 nor is it a bold             

adventurousness upon occasions of  sin2 
it is a holy1 humble courage1 and doth  
admit of a threefold fear4    7#a47     
,first1 ,of a fear of sin1 that is1 a   
hatred of it4 ,we must  fear sin as the 
greatest evil4 ,this is no cowardice1   
but tends to  the strongest resolution  
and highest endeavours against it4 ,from
  this principle is it that men oppose  
sin as their mortal enemy1 and  excite  
their utmost courage to fight against   
it4 ,as the ,philistines  being afraid  
of ,israel1 and yet hating to serve the 
,hebrews1 mutually  encouraged one      
another1 #8,be strong1 and quit         
yourselves like men1 ,o ye              
,philistines4' ,a fear of hatred begets 
boldness4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,courage  
admits of a preventing fear and a       
provident  avoidance4 ,occasions of sin 
are to be fled4 ,we are not with greater
  earnestness called upon to stand1 than
 we are warned in this case #8to  fly4' 
,so the apostle often1 #8fly            
fornication1' #8fly idolatry1' #8fly    

youthful lusts4' ,occasions are best    
opposed by flying1 where calling  and   
duty doth not engage3 ,prov4 iv4 #ad1   
#8,enter not into the path of the       
wicked1 and go not in the way of evil   
men4' ,he fights best that flies  most1 
where necessity doth not bid him stay1  
#a ,cor4 vi4 #ah1 x4 #ad1 and  #b ,tim4 
ii4 #bb4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,it also    
admits of the fear of a holy jealousy2  
such a  distrust of ourselves1 as puts  
us to seek to #8the rock which is higher
  than we' for shelter4 ,god calls us to
 #8turn into our stronghold1' ,nahum  i4
 #g1 and to #8lay hold upon his         
strength1' ,isa4 xxvii4 #e4 ,it is      
rashness or desperateness1 and not true 
courage1 to adventure ourselves  without
 our guard or shield4 ,but however we   
must fear sin1 suspect our  strength1   
and fly occasions1 yet ,satan we must   
not fly4 ,here we are bid  to stand1 for
 these reasons3--    #a4 ,first1 ,it is 
impossible to fly from him4 ,he can     
follow us  wherever we go4 ,if we go to 

holy assemblies1 he can come thither4   
,if we  shut up ourselves in our        
closets1 he can meet us there4 ,if we   
betake  ourselves to a wilderness or to 
a crowd1 to be sure he will find us out4
    #b4 ,secondly1 ,we are expressly    
charged to make resistance3 ,james iv4  
#g1 #8,resist the devil2' #a ,peter v4  
#i1 #8whom resist4' ,this plainly speaks
  positive endeavours and opposition on 
our part4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,a fainting  
fear is an unbelieving distrust of ,gods
  power1 as if he were not #8able to    
save to the uttermost1' ,heb4 vii4  #be1
 and of ,christ's compassionate         
tenderness1 as if he would not          
#8succour those that are tempted1' ,heb4
 ii4 #ah4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,our        
fainting makes ,satan insult4 ,he       
triumphs when  we turn our backs1 and   
besides hath the greater advantage to   
wound  us or to tread us down at        
pleasure4 ,it is observed that ,god     
provides  armour for head and breast1   
and all the fore parts1 by a shield in  

case  of resistance2 but if we fly1 so  
little encouragement is there for       
cowardice1 there is no armour for the   
back4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,it is most      
suitable to ,christian courage to die in
  the place1 and to put it to the utmost
 hazard rather than to yield4           
,according to ,vespasian's motto1       
,oportet imperatorem stantem mori4      
,every ,christian should say1 #8,shall  
such a one as ,i fly8' ,neh4 vi4 #aa2   
one that hath given up my name to ,god2 
one that hath professed holiness  afore 
men2 one that hath so many advantages   
for resistance1 and such  sweet         
encouragements from a victorious        
general6    ,quest4 ,but the great      
question is1 ,what is this fear that is 
forbidden1 and the courage which is     
enjoined8    ,ans4 ,the fear forbidden  
is an unbelieving weakness and          
pusillanimity1  through which1 as       
hopeless of success1 men throw down     
their weapons and  yield themselves up  
to ,satan1 when the hearts of men fail  

them to the  giving up of the victory4  
,spiritual courage1 on the contrary1 is 
a serious resolve of fighting it  out in
 the strength of the ,lord1 and it      
consists of these two parts3--          
,first1 ,a sincere resolution to be on  
,christ's side against all  iniquity1 a 
deliberate unfeigned determination to   
stand for ,god  and his holy ways1      
against ,satan and sin4 #a4 ,the ground 
of this  determination is a conviction  
of the evil of sin1 even to a hatred of 
it4 ,he that hath not thoroughly weighed
 the misery of living in sin1  and fully
 purposed within himself to forsake it1 
can have no true  ,christian courage    
when it comes to a pinch4 #b4 ,from this
 ground  he lays himself under solemn   
engagements to ,christ his general1 as  
soldiers list themselves under their    
captains1 that he will follow him  and  
observe his commands2 he gives up       
himself to ,god by covenant4 ,so  that  
now he is no longer his own1 but        
,christ's servant1 bound for his  work4 

#c4 ,and this with such or so much      
belief of his promises for aid  and     
victory1 that he hath some hopes or     
expectations at least1 that ,god  may at
 last so assist him that he may attain  
to some real degree of the              
mortification of the #8flesh1 with the  
affections and lusts thereof1'  ,gal4 v4
 #bd4    ,secondly1 ,the second part of 
this courage consists in a suitable     
management of this undertaking4 ,courage
 is not only seen in the first  onset1  
but in the prosecution of the warfare2  
and this lies in two  things4 #a4 ,when 
there are real endeavours against sin1  
answerable  to this undertaking1 in all 
ways of striving to oppose it4 ,when men
  do not engage against sin with big    
words only2 or as the children  of      
,ephraim--who1 arming themselves and    
carrying bows1 seemed to have  stout    
resolves1 but then #8turned back in the 
day of battle2' but with  real and      
conscientious wrestlings1 setting       
themselves with all their  might and    

care against every temptation1 and      
studying to pursue the  victory1 where  
in any degree it is obtained1 to a      
greater height4 #b4  ,when these        
endeavours are sincerely persisted in1  
without being quite  wearied out or     
utter fainting1 so that it never comes  
to this1 though  they may be sometime   
under ,satan's feet1 that they          
relinquish their  first solemn          
engagement1 or repent of their          
undertaking1 and then  turn their backs 
upon ,god1 listing themselves under     
,satan's colours4  ,such a fainting as  
this would bereave men of their crown2  
#8,ye shall  reap in due time if ye     
faint not1' ,gal4 vi4 #i4 ,upon this    
hazard are  the children of ,god        
cautioned1 ,heb4 xii4 #c1 #8,lest ye be 
wearied and  faint in your mind4' #c4   
,there is also a particular kind of     
courage  expressed in a holy and humble 
contempt of ,satan's suggestions1 when  
after all means used they cease not to  
be troublesome4 ,this is not to  slight 

sin but to slight ,satan1 who1 though he
 is resisted1 ceaseth not  to           
molest4#dgg    ,applic4 ,i shall        
particularly apply this first direction1
 #a4 ,to  those that propound ease to   
themselves in their race or warfare1    
which is a thing impossible to one that 
doth the work of a soldier1  not        
considering that work and courageous    
endeavours do abide them4  #b4 ,to those
 that pretend themselves ,christ's      
soldiers1 courage and  ,christian       
magnanimity is your cognizance4 ,by this
 must you be known4  ,how do ye stand8  
what are your resolutions and           
undertakings8 ,those  ,christians that  
have #8joy and peace in believing' can  
more easily  satisfy themselves in this2
 but those that fight in tears and      
grief1  in disquiets and troubled       
thoughts1 are apt to conclude themselves
  unbelieving1 because they are fearful2
 or to think that they look not  up to  
,jesus1 the #8author and finisher of    
their faith1' because they  apprehend   

themselves weary and #8faint in their   
minds4' ,for the ease  and help of such1
 ,i shall shew in a few things that     
there is as real  a ,christian courage  
in such mourners as in some that sing   
songs of  triumph4    #a4 ,first1 ,it is
 a real courage and undertaking against 
sin for  any to resolve his utmost1 out 
of detestation of it1 before he can     
satisfy himself that ,god will accept of
 it4 ,to oppose sin under such a        
discouragement1 or at such a venture1 is
 a courageous hatred2 and yet  so do    
these mourners4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,to be
 under continual grievings because of   
miscarriages1 so that other things of   
outward enjoyment cease to be  pleasing1
 is a courageous hatred2 but this is    
their case4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,to wrestle
 against sin under high discouragements1
  when afflicted and tossed1 when ,satan
 runs upon them and shakes them  by the 
neck1 and yet they continue their       
wrestling and withstanding  as they are 
able2 this is faithful resistance1 #8a  

resistance unto  blood1 striving against
 sin1' ,heb4 xii4 #d2 that is1 if that  
expression  be proverbial1 like that1 ad
 sanguinem usque1 they resist sin       
faithfully1 under great hazards and     
inconveniencies1 even to wounds  and    
blood1 till they have broken heads and  
broken faces2 and can say  to ,god1     
though we have been #8broken in the     
place of dragons1' and have  these      
wounds to shew1 yet #8have we not       
departed from thee1' ,ps4 xliv4  #ai1   
nor quitted our desires after thee and  
holiness1 for all these  buffetings of  
,satan2 but this is the character of    
these dejected ones4    #d4 ,fourthly1  
,it is a courageous hatred that cannot  
suffer a sinful  motion to fall upon the
 soul1 but it puts all into a combustion
  within1 and raiseth disquiet2 for it  
is an argument that there is a          
contrariety betwixt the heart and sin2  
but this is their case also4    #e4     
,fifthly1 ,it is courage and constancy  
to hold on in gracious  endeavours and  

strivings2 so that when they fall1 as   
soon as they can  re-collect their      
strength they set on where they left1   
and renew the  battle1 never changing   
their first resolve for holiness against
 sin4  ,this is implied in the apostle's
 phrase of #8standing1'--,eph4 vi41     
#8,that  ye may withstand1 and when ye  
have done all1 to stand4' ,he is        
accounted  to stand that runs not out of
 the field1 but stands to his holy      
resolve  to the last1 though the battle 
go sore against him by fits2 but such   
are these mourners4    ,there is true   
courage under mourning and disquiet of  
heart1 so that we  may say to such1 #8,o
 thou afflicted and tossed1' fear not1  
#8the glory of  the ,lord shall shine   
upon thee1' ,isa4 lx4 #a4 ,they that are
 weak in  this sense shall be strong as 
,david4          ,,chapter ,,xxiii4     
,the second direction1 that temptations 
are not to be disputed4--,the   several 
ways of disputing a temptation4--,in    
what cases it is convenient   and       

necessary to dispute with ,satan4--,in  
what cases inconvenient1 and   the      
reasons of it4      ,the next thing     
observable in ,christ's carriage to     
,satan is this1 that  ,christ1 though he
 rejected every temptation by giving a  
reason of his  refusal from the command 
of ,god1 did not suffer ,satan to       
dispute his  temptations further than   
the first proposal1 and in his answers  
he  takes no notice of the reasons or   
motives by which he laboured to make    
his temptations prevailing4 ,in the two 
first temptations he gives no  reply to 
what ,satan insinuated by his           
supposition1 #8,if thou be the ,son  of 
,god1' neither by affirming that he was 
so1 nor discovering to him  his         
knowledge of the secret subtlety which  
he had wrapped up under  these plausible
 pretences4 ,in the third he answers not
 a word to the  vanity and falsehood of 
his deceitful offer of #8the kingdoms of
 the  world1' though1 as hath been      
observed1 he might have opposed strong  

reasons against them all2 and besides1  
when ,satan became insolent and         
impudent in tempting ,christ #8to fall  
down and worship him1' he chaseth  him  
away with a severe abomination1 #8,get  
thee hence1 ,satan2' from which  we have
 a second direction1 which is this3--   
,direct4 #b4 ,that temptations to sin   
are to be opposed by peremptory  denials
 rather than by disputings4    ,this is 
a note which most commentators have on  
this place2 but it  stands in need of a 
distinct application1 because it is not 
a rule so  general but that the practice
 of ,god's children have made exception 
against it4 ,for the clearer explanation
 of it1 ,i shall1    #a4 ,first1 ,give  
you the several kinds of disputings1 by 
which we may  see that all are not      
alike2 for1    7#a47 ,first1 ,the       
serious working of the thoughts in a    
quick denial of  a temptation with a    
reason implied or expressed1 though it  
admit not  ,satan to any further dispute
 or argument1 may in some sense be      

called  a disputing2 for the ,scripture 
useth  for any inward1  serious thought4
 ,such a kind of disputing as this is   
necessary4 ,it  cannot be wanting to any
 that refuse a sinful motion1 this      
being1 as  we shall see afterward1 one  
of those directions which ,christ       
intended  us by his example1 and the    
very thing which ,christ practised in   
every  temptation2 for he contented not 
himself to give a naked denial1 but     
still adds a reason of such refusal4    
,those who in general terms urge  that  
temptations are not to be disputed1 do  
not reckon this as any  disputing2 and  
others that do1 taking disputing for the
 refusal of a  thing with a reason      
assigned1 think that his procedure in   
the two first  temptations is not       
imitable by us1 but only that of the    
third1 wherein  he chased away the devil
 with angry denial2 but the mistake is  
obvious4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,there is a
 disputing of unnecessary curiosity and 
conference4 ,this is when a sinful      

motion injected into our hearts  is not 
directly consented to1 but then instead 
of a full denial men  begin to raise    
questions and make objections of lesser 
moment1 or some  impertinent queries    
which strike not at the root2 as one    
observed of  himself1 that instead of   
denying a sinful motion1 he began to    
dispute  whether it came from ,satan or 
his own inclination2 and so1 instead of 
quenching the fire1 he busied himself to
 inquire whence it came4 ,men  deal with
 temptations in this case as they who   
being asked whether they  will buy such 
a commodity1 hastily answer no1 but yet 
call back the  party again and ask      
whence it came1 or what it must cost1   
and by such  entanglements of curiosity 
engage themselves at last to buy it4    
,eve  failed by such an inconsiderate   
conference with ,satan1 for the abrupt  
beginning of the serpent's speech1      
#8,yea1 hath ,god said ye shall not     
eat1' c41 and the summing up of the     
arguments which prevailed with  her to  

eat1 #8,when the woman saw that the tree
 was good for food1 and  pleasant to the
 eyes1' c41 ,gen4 iii4 #f1 do clearly   
evidence that  there was more discourse 
than is there expressed1 and that also  
tending  to ascertain the goodness1     
pleasantness1 and profit of the fruit4  
,this  kind of disputing is always      
unlawful and dangerous1 for it is but a 
wanton dalliance with a temptation1 a   
playing upon the hole of the asp1  and  
commonly ends in a sinful compliance4   
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,there is a disputing of
 a deliberating and parleying           
indifferency4 ,this is when the devil   
puts a thought of sin into their  minds1
 and1 while they seem not to be forward 
to embrace it1 leaves  it to further    
consideration1 and then they float      
betwixt resolved and  unresolved1       
betwixt pro and con1 being at a great   
dispute within  themselves what is best 
to be done1 whether the conveniences on 
the one  hand will weigh down the       
inconveniences on the other4 ,this1 in  

cases of  apparent sin1 is a wicked     
halting betwixt two1 always unlawful4   
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,there are also        
treacherous partial arguings1 wherein   
the heart takes part with ,satan4 ,these
 are those debates that are to  be found
 in natural men1 about the doing or not 
doing of sinful things4  ,this looks so 
like the combat betwixt the flesh and   
the ,spirit1 that  it hath occasioned an
 inquiry how they may be distinguished  
each from  other4 ,it is generally      
concluded that in that strife of the    
natural  man1 the light of the          
understanding and conscience gives      
opposition to  the bent of the          
affections1 and the same faculties1     
though sanctified  in part in the       
regenerate1 are the parties that give   
opposition each  to other2 but with this
 principal difference1 that in this     
strife of  the flesh and ,spirit the man
 takes part with ,god1 whereas in the   
other  the affections take the devil's  
part1 and in a malignant averseness  to 

the light1 strive to put it out and to  
get over the conviction of  conscience1 
so that the man strives to sin1 and to  
stop the mouth of  such objections as   
come in to the contrary2 this kind of   
disputing is  always sinful4    7#e47   
,fifthly1 ,there is yet a disputing in a
 strict sense1 which  is a full and     
solemn debating of a satanical          
injection1 by giving  it the full       
hearing1 and admitting ,satan to be a   
respondent to our  objections4 ,of this 
it is queried how far it may be         
convenient and  how far inconvenient1   
because we see ,christ in this place did
 not thus  dispute with ,satan1 and yet 
we find instances in ,scripture of some 
holy  men that have been unavoidably    
engaged to dispute a temptation to the  
utmost4    ,to answer this query1 ,i    
shall1 secondly1 shew in what cases it  
may  be necessary or convenient to enter
 the lists with ,satan in a holy        
arguing1 and in what cases it is        
inconvenient and dangerous4 ,there are  

four cases in which we may dispute a    
temptation3--    #a4 ,first1 ,when the  
motion is of things doubtful and        
disputable1  whether they be lawful or  
not4 ,here it cannot be avoided2 for    
albeit1  as the apostle adviseth1 ,rom4 
xiv4 #a1 #8doubtful disputations' are   
not  to be imposed upon others1 so as to
 tie them up to our persuasions1 yet  in
 these things every man1 before he can  
act clearly1 is to endeavour  his own   
satisfaction in the lawfulness or       
unlawfulness of the thing1  that so he  
may be #8fully persuaded in his own     
mind1' ver4 #e4 ,and he  gives two      
strong reasons of this1 ver4 #bb1 #bc3  
7#a47 ,from the rack and  trouble which 
otherwise the man may be put upon1 while
 his conscience1  unsatisfied1          
#8condemneth him in that which1' by a   
contrary practice1  #8he alloweth4'     
7#b47 ,in that this condemnation of     
conscience1 while he  doth that1 the    
lawfulness whereof he believeth not1 is 
an evidence of  his sin1 as well as an  

occasion of his trouble4    #b4         
,secondly1 ,disputings have place1 when 
a temptation hath taken  hold upon the  
thoughts1 and so far possessed itself   
that our corruption  riseth up in the   
defence of the suggestion4 ,satan will  
not quit  that hold1 though he be an    
intruder without our leave1 till he be  
beat out of his quarters4 ,the apostle1 
,eph4 vi4 #af1 implies so much  by that 
expression1 of #8quenching the fiery    
darts' of ,satan4 ,it  is not proper to 
understand it of a refusal of the first 
motion of  sin--though interpreters do  
usually make it comprehensive both of   
the  keeping out of the dart1 and the   
plucking it out--because this evidently 
supposeth that the dart hath pierced the
 soul1 and now begins to burn  and      
inflame1 which will require more labour 
for the quenching of it1  than a refusal
 of the first motion would put us to4   
,as when fire hath  taken hold upon our 
houses1 we shall be forced to bring     
water for the  extinguishing of the     

flame1 which before it had broke out    
upon the  building1 an ordinary care    
might have prevented4 ,and this we are  
further taught by a distinction which   
the same apostle useth in the  same     
place1 of  and 1 standing and           
withstanding4 ,we  must keep off the    
temptation1 that it enter not1 by       
standing against  the assault in a      
peremptory refusal2 but if it do enter1 
then we must  be put to it1 by a force  
of holy arguing1 to pull out the arrow1 
and to  withstand it4    #c4 ,thirdly1  
,much more need have we of disputing1   
when the present  temptation is a motion
 of such a sin which we are habituated  
unto1 and  have long practised2 for     
these kind of sinful motions are not    
cast  out easily4 ,in this case1 ,david 
adviseth his enemies1 ,ps4 iv4 #b-d1 who
  had for a long time1 #8loved vanity1  
and sought after leasing1' that by      
#8communing with their own heart1' and  
by disputing against their sinful       
practices1 they should bring themselves 

under a holy awe1 and by that  means    
stop the course of their sinning1 ver4  
#d4 ,this1 indeed1 is the  great thing  
that sinners are called to by ,god1 to  
ponder their estate1  to consider their 
ways1 to study the evil and danger of   
sin1 to examine  themselves1 and to     
reason together with ,god about the     
wickedness and  ingratitude of their    
actions1 and about the contrary         
loveliness1  blessedness1 and happiness 
of the ways of ,god1 that so they may be
  brought to repentance2 all which are  
done only by a serious arguing of  their
 case and hazard4    #d4 ,fourthly1 ,it 
is convenient1 and in some cases        
necessary1 to  dispute a temptation     
which ,satan offers to us1 by the mouths
 of men1  who entice us to share with   
them in their wickedness2 for here1 by  
arguing1 we may not only discourage     
their further solicitation1 and so  free
 ourselves from the like temptation for 
the future1 but we also1  by the        
exercise of a holy charity1 endeavour to

 #8pull them out of the  fire1' ,jude   
#bc4 ,when ,joseph's mistress tempted   
him1 he considered that  he had to deal 
both with the devil and his mistress1   
,gen4 xxxix4 #g1 #h1  and therefore that
 he might #8resist the devil1' he       
peremptorily refused  the temptation2   
but that he might take off his mistress 
from her  unlawful prosecution1 he      
argues with her about the ingratitude1  
danger1  and unlawfulness of such an    
act1 #8,my master wotteth not what is   
with me  in the house1 and he hath      
committed all that he hath to my hand3  
there  is none greater in this house    
than ,i1 neither hath he kept anything  
back from me but thee1 because thou art 
his wife3 how then can ,i do  this great
 wickedness1 and sin against ,god8'     
,when sinners do entice us  to cast in  
our lot amongst them1 pity to them1 and 
care of ourselves1  will engage us to   
argue the folly and danger of their ways
 with them1  except they behave         
themselves as dogs and swine2 their     

carriage giving  us just ground to      
conclude1 that they are so set on       
wickedness1 that  it may endanger us1   
rather than profit them1 to debate with 
them4 ,and  so was it likely--and the   
text seems to hint so much--that when   
,joseph  perceived his mistress was     
resolved upon the pursuit1 and that his 
reasonings were not minded1 he persisted
 in his denial1 but forbore his         
arguings4    ,but however it may be     
convenient to dispute1 in the last      
mentioned  sense1 in these four         
cases--and others may probably be       
added--yet there  are cases in which it 
will be inconvenient and hazardous to   
dispute or  argue1 and of this order ,i 
shall reckon four4    #a4 ,first1 ,it is
 not safe to dispute the matter in vile1
 infectious  temptations1 such as are   
either suitable to our inclinations1 or 
may receive a favourable aspect and     
countenance from the posture of  our    
affairs and condition4 ,these           
temptations1 even in our debating       

against them1 are like the opening of a 
sepulchre1 which sends forth  a         
poisonous stream#dgh which may infect   
those that loathe and resist  it4 ,it is
 dangerous to admit fire into the same  
room where there is  gunpowder1 though  
there be no intention to kindle it4 ,it 
hath been an  old observation1 that the 
very confession of infectious sins1     
though  designed to beget shame1 and    
resolution against them for the future1 
have kindled a new flame1 by the        
unnecessary declaration of the manner   
and circumstances1 so that they have    
returned from the confessor  more       
infected than when they went2 and those 
very persons whose care  it should have 
been to have put the highest disgrace   
upon sins so  confessed1 to the         
begetting of loathing and abhorrency in 
the parties  and themselves1 have by too
 curious an inquiry received such poison
 at  the ear1 that the heart hath been  
forthwith infected4 ,the like hazard    
remains to those that are willing to    

debate such sins with ,satan2 for       
though they begin upon the score of     
resistance1 yet the very dwelling  on   
such a subject1 when admitted to lay    
itself open1 doth convey such  amorous  
looks unto the treacherous affections1  
that the heart is in  danger of a secret
 poison4 ,there is no better way in such
 cases than to  command all such        
thoughts and considerations out of our  
coasts1 and1  as we do when the city or 
town we live in is infected1 to withdraw
  ourselves from the air of such a      
temptation4 ,we may observe the like    
care in ,joseph1 though he thought      
himself concerned at first1 as hath     
been said1 to oppose the unlawful suit  
of his mistress1 yet seeing her         
desperately set upon her folly1 he      
declined all communication with  her1   
and would not be with her1 ,gen4 xxxix4 
#aj2 and at last1 when she  caught him  
by his garment1 #8he left it in her hand
 and fled1' ver4 #ab4  ,he might easily 
have rescued his garment from her1 had  

he not been  aware that his contesting  
against her might have been an occasion 
of  ensnarement to himself4 ,christ     
himself1 when he was tempted by ,peter  
to spare himself1 ,mat4 xvi4 #bb1--which
 was a temptation very taking  to human 
nature1 especially when suffering and   
death is in view1--is  more short and   
sparing in his reasoning against it1    
than he was when  the devil tempted him4
 ,he gives no positive reasons against  
it1 as  he did when he was tempted to   
#8fall down and worship the devil1' but 
dischargeth himself from any further    
consideration of the matter by  a       
declared abhorrency of the thing1 #8,get
 thee behind me1 ,satan1 for  thou      
savourest not the things that be of     
,god1 but the things which be  of men4' 
,which is as if he had plainly said1    
,this is so apparently  from the devil1 
and so much abhorred by me1 because so  
suitable to my  condition1 that ,i will 
not so much as discourse of it or       
consider it4    #b4 ,secondly1          

,generally in all temptations1 though   
they have not  the advantage of our     
present special estate or inclination1  
as hath  been noted1 of an apparent     
withdrawment from obedience1 or of      
things unquestionably sinful1 it is not 
convenient to dispute them1  but to     
dismiss them by a denial1 except some of
 the forementioned  considerations do   
alter the case4 ,in known cases we need 
not parley1  but stoutly deny4 ,our     
resolutions for duty1 and against sin1  
should  not be to seek4 ,we are certain 
that sin is to be avoided1 and duty to  
be practised2 here we should be         
peremptory4 ,abraham being certain of   
duty1 when ,god called him to #8a place 
which he should afterward receive  for  
an inheritance1' he disputed not the    
uncertainty1 the danger or              
inconvenience that possibly might attend
 his removal1 but went out1  #8not      
knowing whither he went1' ,heb4 xi4 #h4 
,paul being called by ,god  to preach   
among the heathen1 though #8flesh and   

blood' were ready with  arguments       
against it1 yet he would not so much as 
confer with them1  but immediately      
obeyed1 ,gal4 i4 #af4 ,like instances ,i
 might fetch from  other holy men4      
,cyprian1 when the president gave it to 
his own choice  whether he would obey or
 be put to death1 commanding him to take
 it  into consideration1 he readily     
replied1 ,in re tam sancta non est      
deliberandum1 that it was not to        
deliberate in so plain a case4 ,mrs     
,ann ,askew1 when at the stake ready to 
be burnt1 a pardon was offered by  the  
,lord ,chancellor2 she would not so much
 as look on it1 but returned  this      
answer1 that she came not thither #8to  
deny her ,lord and ,master4'  ,bishop   
,hooker1#dgi in the same condition1 had 
a box laid before him  with a pardon in 
it1 which when he understood--he was so 
afraid of  tampering with a             
temptation--he cried out1 #8,if ye love 
my soul1 away  with it2 if ye love my   
soul1 away with it4' ,and many others   

there were  in all ages1 so far from    
accepting such #8unlawful deliverances1'
 that  they would not take into         
consideration the unrighteous terms upon
 which  they might have escaped4    #c4 
,thirdly1 ,when a temptation1 after all 
means used1 continues to be             
troublesome1 and is rather an annoyance 
than an infection1 then must  we not    
dispute it1 but by a holy contempt      
despise it4 ,temptations to  blasphemy  
are oft of this nature1 as hath been    
noted in its place1 and  there are other
 things by which ,satan creates to      
,god's children great  disquiet1 while  
they in the meantime abhor the sin1 and 
cry out of the  trial4 ,here when the   
#8messenger of ,satan' will not depart1 
it is an  advice that hath the general  
approbation of holy experienced men1#dhj
  that we should despise the temptation1
 as an approved way to our quiet  and   
ease2 for while we think to repel such  
assaults by struggling with  arguments1 
we do but increase the force of them2 as

 he that thinks to  shelter himself     
against the wind1 by holding up his     
cloak before him1  doth but derive upon 
himself a stronger blast4    #d4        
,fourthly1 ,in temptations of inward    
trouble and terror1 it is  not          
convenient to dispute the matter with   
,satan4 ,david in ,ps4 xlii4  #aa1 seems
 to correct himself for his mistake2 his
 soul was #8cast down  within him1' and 
for the cure of that temptation1 he had 
prepared  himself by arguments for a    
dispute2 but perceiving himself in a    
wrong course1 he calls off his soul     
from1 disquiet to an immediate          
application to ,god and the promises1   
#8,trust still in ,god1 for ,i shall    
yet praise him2' but in ,ps4 xi4 #a1 he 
is more aforehand with his work1  for   
while his enemies were acted by ,satan  
to discourage him1 he rejects  the      
temptation at first1 before it settled  
upon his thoughts1 and  chaseth it away 
as a thing that he would not give ear   
to3 #8,in thee1  ,lord1 do ,i put my    

trust2 how say ye then to my soul1 ,flee
 as a bird to  your mountain8' ,and     
there are weighty reasons that should   
dissuade us  from entering the lists    
with ,satan in temptations of inward    
trouble4 ,as1    #a4 ,first1 ,the       
determination of the sincerity of the   
soul and  its converted state is a      
question of no small difficulty--a      
knotty  controversy1 more intricate and 
abstruse than those controversies that  
in the schools are of greatest name for 
difficulty2 for this is liable  to more 
weighty objections1 and stands in need  
of nicer distinction4 ,as  ,dr ,goodwin 
observes1#dha #8,they that converse with
 dejected spirits1  find so much        
quickness and nimbleness of reasoning1  
turning every way  to ward off the force
 of an argument brought for their       
consolation1  that even wise and able   
heads are oft put to a stand1 and know  
not what  to answer4' ,would it then be 
fit to give ,satan this advantage8 or to
  admit him so far into our reasoning8  

,he that will invite ,satan to such  a  
contest1 shall be sure to have his hands
 full4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,this kind of  
temptation doth usually disable men  for
 arguing2 it oftentimes confounds the   
brain1 stupifies the  understanding1 and
 weakens the memory4 ,heman complains of
 himself  as #8distracted by terrors1'  
,ps4 lxxxviii4 #ae4 ,job calls himself  
desperate1 chap4 vi4 #bf4 ,such persons 
are not surely in a fit case to  manage 
a temptation with so cunning a sophister
 as ,satan4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,if they   
descend into the battle1 he is not only 
too  strong for them1 but commonly after
 a while they take ,satan's part        
against themselves1 and comply with him1
 concluding against their own  peace4   
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,there is also a better  
way at hand than to enter into  a       
dispute2 and that is1 by going to ,god  
by a present faith1 love or  repentance1
 when the truth of any of these is      
questioned4 ,it is a  difficult task to 
prove sometime that former acts of      

faith1 love1 or  other graces were      
sincere4 ,this may admit of such        
objections from a  wounded spirit1 that 
it will be hard to answer them2 but in  
this case  it is a nearer way to see if 
there be not in all these complainings  
some present acts of these graces2      
whether such complainants are not       
willing to embrace ,christ upon any     
terms1 whether they do not hate  sin1   
whether they would not unfeignedly be   
reconciled to ,god1 c4 ,it  oft falls   
out that this doth stay the trouble when
 examinations of  former acts do nothing
 for them4 ,some men are at more pains1 
as one  saith1 to repair and fit an old 
building1 than would serve to rear  a   
new one4 ,yet must it be remembered that
 though it were the best  course to     
resist temptations of this nature at    
first1 by avoiding  unnecessary         
disputings1 notwithstanding when        
this--as ,i noted before  of other      
temptations--hath seized upon the heart 
and taken possession1  then shall we be 

forced to #8fill our mouths with        
arguments1' and  whether we will or no1 
must we undergo a contest4 ,as we see in
 ,david1  who when his troubles had     
prevailed upon him1 was forced to plead 
with  ,god1 with himself1 with the      
temptation1 and to have recourse to     
former  experience1 #8the days of old1  
and the years of the right hand of the  
,most ,high1' ,ps4 lxxvii4 #aj1 and all 
little enough4    ,all that ,i shall    
further say concerning the              
inconveniences of  disputing with       
,satan1 shall be to give you the reasons
 manifesting  these unnecessary         
communings with him to be every way     
hazardous and  unsuitable4 ,as1    7#a47
 ,first1 ,it is an honour to ,satan1 and
 a disgrace to ourselves4  ,men are     
loath to be seen contesting with persons
 of a far inferior  rank1 especially in 
such things which have procured to such 
a noted  infamy4 ,it is a usual piece of
 generosity in men of spirit that they  
scorn to strive with a scold1 or contend

 with a beggar1 or be found  in company 
of those that are under an evil name    
deservedly2 and in  matters that are    
vile and base1 it is highly disgraceful 
to admit  them to a debate4 ,such things
 will either get more credit than they  
deserve1 while they seem to be          
countenanced by a dispute1 or else shall
  communicate their discredit to those  
that shall shew such familiarity  with  
them4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,by refusing  
to dispute temptations1 we raise up in  
our hearts an active abhorrency of them1
 and by that abhorrency we  are         
cautioned and strengthened against them4
 ,it must needs awaken  our hatred into 
a present activity against that sin1    
which our  consideration at first view  
presents to us so abominable1 that it   
deserves no other answer but to be      
whipped out of our sight4 ,and when  our
 heart is thus alarmed1 it cannot but   
stand upon its guard4 ,it is a  course  
that holy men have taken to keep men at 
a greater distance from  sin1 to present

 it as a thing of greatest abhorrency2  
and that is the  intendment of that     
expression1 ,rom4 vi4 #a1 #8,shall we   
sin1 that grace  may abound8 ,god       
forbid1' ,the vileness of that abuse of 
gospel grace he  shews by setting it    
below the merit of any serious thought2 
he sharpens  their apprehensions against
 it by an outcry of detestation4 ,the   
like  he doth1 ,eph4 v4 #c1 where he    
endeavours to set their hearts against  
uncleanness and coveteousness1 by       
telling them that it was unbecoming     
saintship that such things should be    
#8so much as once named by them4'       
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,disputing is a secret  
invitation to the devil to urge  the    
temptation further4 ,we do but toy with 
him1 and give him occasion  to follow   
us4 ,eve found the truth of this by sad 
experience2 she so  managed herself1    
that she plainly intimated she had a    
mind to hear  what the devil could say  
for the eating of the forbidden fruit2  
and  so urged the prohibition of ,god1  

and the threatening1 that she sought    
from ,satan a confirmation of her secret
 unbelief rather than faithfully        
endeavoured a repulse of the temptation1
 and mentioned the threatening  under   
such terms of uncertainty and           
peradventure1 as an objection which  she
 desired might be removed1 rather than  
from a firm belief of that  death spoken
 of1 fortifying herself in her duty2 by 
all which ,satan  was so encouraged to  
proceed1 that he presently confirmed her
 in her  distrust4    7#d47 ,fourthly1  
,these disputings usually return nothing
 of advantage  to our account1 but to   
,satan's4 ,we unnecessarily enter the   
lists  with him1 and that upon very     
unequal terms1 he being1 as ,saul said  
of ,goliath and ,david1 a #8man of war  
from his youth1' and we but  weak1      
unskilful striplings4 ,we go out of our 
trenches and leave our  weapons behind  
us4 ,we expose our naked breasts to all 
his darts1 and  by discoursing with him 
he gains time wherein the poison may    

more  powerfully work upon our          
affections4 ,if he was too hard for our 
first  parents at this weapon1 we1 whose
 hearts are not so faithful to ,god as  
theirs in innocency1 but corrupted by   
,satan1 who hath also a party in  us1   
are not likely to come off with triumph4
    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,these presage1     
consequently1 an overthrow4 ,a parleying
  city holds not long out4 ,it implies  
in itself an inclination to yield1  when
 armies are willing to treat4 ,daily    
examples and experience of  those that  
give up themselves to sin after         
communication with ,satan  sadly witness
 this truth4    ,the sum of this        
direction is this1 that when a motion of
 sin is put  into our heart1 instead of 
disputing where it may be avoided1 we   
should  peremptorily deny it and send it
 away with an angry rebuke or severe    
abomination3 ,i may not do it2 ,how can 
,i do this wickedness8 ,get thee  hence2
 or1 #8,the ,lord rebuke thee1 ,satan4' 
,,chapter ,,xxiv4     ,the third        

direction1 of repelling a temptation    
without delay4--,the   necessity of so  
doing4--,what a speedy denial doth      
contain4      ,the magnanimity of       
,christ1 and the peremptoriness of his  
denial1 we  have noted4 ,we must further
 observe the immediateness of his       
answer2  he suffered not any of these   
motions to stay long with him2 here was 
not a ,cras tibi respondebo1 ,come again
 to-morrow and ,i will answer4  ,he     
would not take time with the devil1 but 
had his answer ready4 ,no  sooner was he
 tempted1 but the temptation was        
repelled2 for these  expressions--#8,but
 he answered and said2' #8,jesus said   
unto him2' #8,then  saith ,jesus unto   
him1'--shew the quickness and speediness
 of these  returns1 that he answered    
presently1 forthwith4 ,hence we have a  
third  direction in our resisting of    
,satan1 which is this3--    ,direct4 #c4
 ,temptations are best answered when    
they are presently  denied and forthwith
 repelled4 ,the direction is of great   

importance2  it is not for us to pass by
 a temptation with silence1 or to defer 
an  answer4 ,for these reasons3--       
7#a47 ,first1 ,the nature of            
temptations1 as dangerous or infectious1
  doth sufficiently enforce a necessity 
of their speedy removal4 ,things  of    
danger require a sudden stop4 ,if poison
 be taken into the body1  we speedily   
labour to cast it up1 or to overcome it 
by antidotes4 ,we  labour to stay the   
spreading of a gangrene presently4 ,who 
thinks it fit  to delay when fire hath  
taken hold upon a house8 ,the very      
opportunity  of help is in the          
speediness of the endeavour4 ,it is too 
late to bring  water when the house is  
consumed1 too late to apply a remedy    
when the  disease hath conquered4 ,they 
that consider what a temptation is1 will
  see no reason to move slowly in       
opposing4#dhb    7#b47 ,secondly1       
,silence encourageth ,satan4 ,it is not 
with him as it is  with men2 it is the  
policy of some to overlook their        

petitioners1 and  by silence to scare   
them from any further address2 but      
,satan hath more  impudence than to be  
put out of countenance by delay1 and    
more active  malice than to be          
discouraged by silence2 nay1 it doth on 
the contrary  embolden him4 ,modest     
requests are disheartened by silence1   
but such  motions which1 by their       
nature1 imply a disgrace1 and carry no  
reason  for their acceptance but what   
they expect to find in the consent of   
those to whom they are made1 if they be 
not presently refused1 they  give       
encouragement to hope for entertainment4
 ,an immodest request to  a chaste      
matron1 if not forthwith expressly      
abominated1 encourageth  to further     
attempts4 ,sin being so great an affront
 to a holy heart1  the motion of it     
cannot be entertained with silence1 but 
,satan is  emboldened to expect consent 
in time1 and follows his advantage      
accordingly4 ,he usually flies at a     
valiant peremptory resistance2 but  if  

the pulse of the soul beat slowly upon  
the motion1 he grounds his  hope upon   
that1 and is animated to a further      
procedure4    7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,our wills
 are apt to be inclined by delay4       
,though grace  have made straight our   
crooked natures1 yet we still carry such
 a sway  to our former dispositions1    
that a small thing1 having the advantage
 of  our natural bias and inclination1  
makes us1 like a deceitful bow1 turn  to
 our old stand4 ,for the understanding  
and will of the regenerate are  but     
imperfectly good1 the faculties that    
should obey are unruly4 ,in  such a case
 how dangerous may delays prove6 ,who   
will suffer a seditious  incendiary in  
an army1 formerly inclined to mutiny8   
,who will permit  leaven to remain in   
that mass1 which he desires may not be  
leavened1  and not quickly remove it8   
,who will neglect a spark upon dry      
tinder1  that would not have it         
consumed1 and not instantly put it out8 
,if it  was so great a mischief to ,eve 

in innocency1 as hath been said1 to     
delay her peremptory denial1 of how much
 greater hazard is it to us6  ,delays   
are dangerous to a very proverb1 and    
silence may end in consent4    7#d47    
,fourthly1 ,silence is also some degree 
of consent4 ,it is strange  to find a   
man delaying an answer to temptation1   
and yet no way guilty  of consenting4   
,in things that are to be opposed with  
care and hatred1  no man can withhold   
his hand without blame4 ,he that is not 
against  ,satan1 who is to be           
perpetually resisted1 is so far for him 
as he is  not against him4 ,he that     
delays justice which is due1 denies it4 
,the  judge in the parable was called   
unjust1 not because he had devoured the 
widow's house1 but because he deferred  
to do her right4#dhc ,he that  hinders  
not evil when and as soon as he can1    
doth command and approve  it4 ,these are
 received axioms amongst men1 and have  
the same truth in  them if applied to   
resistance of temptations4 ,and this may

 further  appear by considering1 #a4    
,the weakness of the will in the        
regenerate4  ,when our wills are really 
set upon good and against evil1 yet we  
cannot  say they are perfectly for the  
one and against the other1 but that     
there is still some degree of averseness
 to good1 and of inclination  to evil in
 our wills1 or else we should not meet  
with complainings of  imperfections     
under sincere resistances2 as in the    
apostle1 #8,the evil  that ,i would not1
 that do ,i1' ,rom4 vii4 #ai4 #b4 ,the  
acts of the  will in consenting may be  
so sudden1 short1 and quick1 that they  
may  be almost insensible1 and as       
forward and ready as the motion4 #c4    
,the  will may be interpretatively      
voluntary and consenting1 when yet it   
forms not in itself any positive        
approbation4 ,it may be guilty1 in that 
it doth not more strongly and speedily  
dissent3 for the suspension or  negation
 of the will's act1 where it ought to   
act1 cannot avoid the  charge of coming 

short of duty4    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,not  
to answer presently1 is to lose the best
 opportunity  of answering4 ,it is less 
dangerous1 more easy1 more comfortable  
to  be speedy in denial4 ,the sooner    
fire is put out1 or the disease is      
stayed1 the less hurt is done2 and it is
 far less labour to quench a  spark than
 a flame2 to pluck up a young plant than
 an old standard2  to kill the          
cockatrice in the egg4 ,a temptation    
opposed speedily1 is  with greater ease 
overcome1 than after it hath settled    
though but a  little3 for it presently  
makes a party within us2 our affections 
are  soon engaged1 our understanding    
soon bribed1 and then we have not only  
,satan but ourselves to oppose2 and this
 self so divided1 that when we  come to 
fight1 our wills are against our wills1 
our affections against  our affections1 
our wishes and prayers clash and        
contradict each other4  ,as ,austin     
confesseth of himself3 #8,i prayed1'    
said he1 #8and then feared  lest thou   

shouldst hear me too soon2 ,i desired to
 satisfy1 rather than  to extinguish    
lust4'#dhd ,at the first assault the    
soul is oft in a  better posture1 more  
unanimous and consistent with itself2   
then is  the golden opportunity of      
resistance4 ,for1 as one saith1#dhe it  
is  better to do it while reason is on  
our side1 than when both reason and     
affection conspire against us4 ,and1    
lastly1 it would be more honour  and    
satisfaction to us1 rather not to have  
admitted such a guest1  than after such 
admittance into our thoughts to be      
forced to cast him  out4#dhf ,in the    
review of our actions we shall have more
 comfort to  have been resolute against 
any sin than to hold our peace4    ,the 
necessity of a quick and speedy         
rejection of a sinful motion  is then   
beyond dispute1 and there needs no more 
to be said for the  explanation of this 
direction1 but an account of what is    
implied in a  speedy denial4 ,it        
contains these four things3--    #a4    

,first1 ,that it must issue from a fixed
 determination against  sin4 ,some      
refuse a temptation with the same mind  
that carried ,lot's  wife out of ,sodom1
 and are forced beyond their own        
inclination1 but  these go not far till 
they #8look back2' and no wonder3 for if
 he  that is sincerely peremptory       
against sin at the first motion1 may by 
the solicitation of the flesh be        
inclined afterward1 there is little     
expectation that he whom the first      
motion finds indifferent and but  coldly
 denying1 should hold out long4 ,but    
that refusal that must give  any        
encouragement to hopes of success1 must 
be an answer of holy  indignation       
against the offer of temptation1 and    
that confirmed into a  serious resolve  
of heart not to yield4    #b4 ,secondly1
 ,this positive denial must be also     
wisely jealous of  ,satan1 in motions   
that are unlikely1 or that may seem     
light1 little1  and not directly        
intended4 ,though it may be but a       

transient glance1  or a thing that is   
out of our road1 yet must nothing be    
contemned  or undervalued4 ,jealousy    
will take notice of small actions or    
circumstances1 and no less suspicious   
must we be of every proffer made  to us1
 lest ,satan by any means get an        
advantage against us4    #c4 ,thirdly1  
,the refusal must be so quick1 that it  
may be ready to  take the temptation by 
the throat4 ,at the first motion or     
rising of  it in our mind1 we must      
endeavour to stifle it in the birth1    
that it  may be as the #8untimely fruit 
of a woman that never sees the sun1'    
,job  iii4 #af2 we must not give it time
 to grow up to a rod of wickedness1  but
 must nip it in the earliest buddings of
 it4 ,it is the nature of  grace1 if we 
do but faithfully pursue the            
inclinations of it1 to be  quick in its 
opposition4 ,so doth the apostle's      
phrase teach us1 ,gal4 v4  #ag1 #8,the  
flesh lusteth against the spirit1 and   
the spirit against the  flesh3' the     

spirit is as ready to repel1 as the     
flesh to suggest4 ,no  sooner doth the  
one stir1 but the other is ready with an
 opposition1  and the reason of it is   
from the active contrariety that is     
betwixt  them2 for so the word1 1 there 
used1 would express it2 they  are sworn 
enemies1 animated by principles of      
constant opposition1 as  water and fire 
are1 which cannot meet in peace         
together1 but a present  noise and      
combat is raised from this conjunction4 
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,when this is done1 we   
must endeavour to maintain and  stick to
 our first disallowance4 ,a child of    
,god1 ,i know1 in sinful  yieldings of  
infirmity1 may say as the apostle1      
#8,what ,i do1 ,i allow  not1'--that is1
 #a4 ,what he then consents to1 he did  
not allow at the  first1 till           
importunity prevailed4 #b4 ,though his  
affections incline  to sin1 yet his     
constant settled judgment is against it2
 and though he  do it1 he cannot say he 
approves it4 ,neither of these are the  

things  ,i aim at2 but this1 that as the
 first motions of sins are disallowed1  
we should endeavour to keep at that1 to 
stand our ground1 to withhold  the least
 after-delight or approbation4 ,not but 
that we must be forced  sadly to        
acknowledge the real truth of what the  
apostle speaks in the  place last cited1
 that these different principles1 which 
of them soever  carry the victory1 do so
 impede one another1 that when grace    
carries  it1 yet it cannot do the utmost
 it would or aims at2 so that in the    
stoutest oppositions1 there may be some 
secret degrees of allowance             
unavoidably2 notwithstanding we must so 
manage our denial1 that1 if it  were    
possible1 we should not afford the      
smallest inclination toward it2  the    
least1 the better and nobler conquest4  
,,chapter ,,xxv4     ,the fourth        
direction1 of repelling a temptation by 
,scripture   arguments4--,of several    
things implied in the direction4--,the  
necessity   of answering by ,scripture  

arguments4--,the excellency of the      
remedy4--,how   ,scripture arguments are
 to be managed4      ,the next          
particular in ,christ's answers to be   
observed by us is  his citations of     
,scripture as an invincible reason      
against all the  devil's temptations2 he
 beats them all back with this weapon1  
#8,it is  written4' ,that this was      
written for our learning1 and that1     
otherwise  than for our instruction1 he 
lay not under any necessity of using    
this method1 hath been evidenced before1
 and it is a thing which  all           
commentators#dhg do take notice of4     
,from this we have another  direction   
for the right way and order of resisting
 temptations1 which  is1    ,direct4 #d4
 ,that temptations are best repelled by 
arguments drawn  from the word of ,god4 
,for the explanation of this1 it may be 
considered what is first  presupposed in
 this direction2 for when it is affirmed
 that we must  answer by reasons from   
,scripture1 this implies--    7#a47     

,first1 ,that temptations are not to be 
opposed by groundless  refusals4 ,it is 
no way safe to say we will not1 because 
we will not1  nor to insist upon our own
 bare resolve2 for this would be        
wilfulness1  rather than an obediential 
refusal1 and unwarrantable              
self-confidence1  rather than a humble  
wrestling4 ,there are some1 of whom it  
may be  said1 as the prophet once       
charged the ,jews1 ,isa4 xxii4 #aa1 that
 when  ,satan comes up against them1    
they look in that day #8to the armour of
  the house of the forest1' they        
#8repair the wall1' and #8cast ditches  
for fortification2' they prepare        
themselves to the battle #8in their  own
 strength1 but they look not unto the   
maker thereof1' to him who  by his      
mighty power must fashion our hearts to 
resistance4 ,the vanity  of such        
undertakings is enough manifested in the
 event1 for commonly  such men go on in 
a bravado of resolution1 but are so     
altered at the  first appearance of the 

enemy1 that they yield without a stroke4
 ,who  could be more confident than     
,peter that he would not deny his       
,master1  whatever others did8 and yet  
how soon did his heart fail him4 ,we may
  warrantably deny a sinful motion1     
without being explicit in our reason    
against it1 especially in usual         
temptations1 and when they thrust       
themselves into our minds at such times 
when our thoughts are charged  with an  
attendance upon other duties1 in which  
nevertheless the heart  hath a secret   
and implicit regard to the command of   
,god2 but in no case  must we go down to
 the battle in the strength of a        
wilfulness1 lest it  go against us4 ,and
 thus do they who1 when they are        
reproved for some  miscarriage1 as of   
drinking1 will presently with great     
confidence make  engagements not to     
drink wine or strong drink1 not to go   
into a tavern  or alehouse1 without any 
humble respect to duty1 or the power of 
,god  for the conquest of the sin2 and  

accordingly we see that usually such    
promises and obligations do not hold2   
either they wilfully break them1  or    
they become sinfully witty to make      
evasions for the practice of sin1       
without the breach of the oath or       
promise4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,the       
direction supposeth that we must deny   
the sin with  the arguments of greatest 
strength and authority4 ,there were     
occasions  and hints of other answers to
 these temptations that offered         
themselves  in ,christ's way1 and yet he
 waives them all1 fixing only upon      
,scripture  reasons as the best and     
strongest4 ,it is no ,christian wisdom  
to urge  those inferior considerations  
of shame1 loss1 inconvenience1 c4 ,some 
have no other reason betwixt them and   
sin1 but ,what will men say8  or ,what  
will become of me8 ,but besides that1   
these would only be a  train to bring on
 disputings1 and that it is no way safe 
to venture our  souls upon such         
defences1 when better may be had2 for   

who will venture  his life upon a staff 
when he may have a sword8 ,it is easy   
for ,satan  to break these bows1 and to 
cut these spears in sunder4 ,he can     
balance  such reasons with equal        
reasons1 and presently make us believe  
that we  have as good reason to commit  
the sin as those urged by us for the not
  committing of it4    7#c47 ,thirdly1  
,this direction of using ,scripture     
reason doth clearly  imply that the     
force and power of ,scripture is not in 
the words or  characters1 but in the    
mind and reason of it2 not that         
,scripture used  as a charm or spell1 as
 if the devil were afraid of the sound  
and words  of it1 can beat back the     
devil1 but it is the authority of its   
command  which works upon the mind the  
highest impressions of fear and care1   
and  as a strong argument prevails with 
us to forbear4 ,notwithstanding the     
plainness and undeniableness of this    
inference1 not only do ignorant  men    
bless themselves against the devil by   

repeating some phrases or  sentences of 
,scripture impertinently1 and such as   
have no direct  signification of the    
matter in hand betwixt ,satan and them1 
as if the  devil could not endure to    
hear the paternoster1 or durst not come 
within the sound of the name ,jehovah1  
but also papists--and of them  such as  
might be supposed more considerate than 
to be carried by such  conceits--have   
placed a virtue in the words and sounds 
of ,scripture1  and therefore do they   
command1 though under some limitations  
and  restrictions1 the hanging of       
sentences of ,scripture about the neck  
in scrolls1 for the driving away of evil
 spirits1 though in a clear             
contradiction to the reason which they  
give in the general against  this       
course1 which is this1 that the #8power 
of ,scripture is not in the  figures and
 characters1 but in the mind and        
understanding of it2' and  therefore    
profits as #8pondered in the heart1' not
 as #8hung about the  neck2' and upon as

 slender grounds do they place a more   
than ordinary  virtue1 in the angelical 
salutation1 in the seven words upon the 
cross1  in the triumphal title1 #8,jesus
 of ,nazareth1 ,king of the ,jews1'     
c4#dhh  ,such kind of oppositions are   
but a mock to ,satan4 ,we cannot think  
to  #8bore the jaw of this leviathan    
with a thorn1' or to come to him with   
#8this bridle1' or to #8play with him as
 with a bird1' ,job xli4 #b2 he  durst  
allege scripture himself to ,christ1 and
 therefore it is not the  phrase or     
sound that affrights him4    7#d47      
,fourthly1 ,the direction doth imply an 
argumentative1 proper1  and fit use of  
,scripture commands or promises4 ,we see
 ,christ urged  not any scripture       
indifferently1 but he used fit words1   
and chose to  himself select smooth     
stones out of this brook to sling       
against this  spiritual ,goliath4 ,every
 temptation had an answer that doth most
 fully  and properly confront it4 ,he   
regarded the main of the temptation1 and

  suffered not himself to be diverted   
from that prosecution1 by engaging      
himself in that which might have been   
perplexed and controversial1  though he 
had a fit opportunity to reprove ,satan 
for a dishonest craft  of representing  
scripture in a sense of his own making1 
and so might  have rejected the         
temptation of casting himself down1 as  
leaning upon a  false foundation1 in    
that ,god did not promise in ,ps4 xci4  
to preserve  any that should            
presumptuously expect a protection while
 they run out  of ,god's ways2 yet he   
waived this answer1 and opposed the     
assault by a  plain scripture which     
chargeth the contrary duty4             
,secondly1 ,having seen what this       
direction doth imply in these things    
that are to be removed from the sense   
and intendment of it1 ,i shall  next1   
for ascertaining of the reality and     
importance of it1 shew that  temptations
 are to be resisted by ,scripture       
arguments1 by these two  evidences3--   

7#a47 ,first1 ,god's recommending of the
 commands of ,scripture for such  a     
purpose3 ,deut4 vi4 #f1 #8,these words  
which ,i command thee this day1  shall  
be in thine heart3 and thou shalt bind  
them for a sign upon thine  hand1 and   
they shall be as frontlets between thine
 eyes1' c4 ,whether  the latter part of 
the command is to be understood         
literally1 as the  ,jews apprehended and
 practised1 though some think otherwise1
 is not  necessary to be asserted1      
seeing it is granted by all that they   
were  to have the commands of the law so
 ready in their minds and memories1  as 
if they had been written on their hands 
and upon their foreheads4  ,that ,god   
designed this precept for the resistance
 of sin and temptation  cannot be       
doubted1 and that the advantage which   
might hence arise to  them was not only 
the information of their minds1 in point
 of sin and  duty1 is as unavoidable2   
for that and more is intended by that   
part of  the injunction1 #8,these words 

which ,i command thee1 shall be in thine
  heart2' but when8 ,besides this       
information1 which the knowledge of the 
law would afford them1 and their humble 
compliance with it1 as just  and good1  
which would enable them to say1 #8,thy  
law1 ,o ,lord1 is within  my heart2' he 
further enjoins them the quick and ready
 remembrances  of these laws1 as if they
 were #8frontlets between their eyes1   
and  signs on their hands4' ,it can     
signify no less than this1 that in so   
doing they would be able to resist those
 motions by which ,satan would  seek to 
engage them to the violation of these   
commands4 ,neither need  we to doubt    
hereof1 when ,christ himself hath so    
fully taught us1 by  his own example1 in
 resisting temptations1 the particular  
use of the  remembrance of the law4 ,in 
the ,new ,testament the apostle is most 
express in this matter3 ,eph4 vi4 #ag1  
#8,take the sword of the ,spirit1  which
 is the word of ,god1' where not only   
the use of ,scripture commands  and     

promises against ,satan's suggestions is
 taught1 but also the high  avail and   
potency of this weapon in reference to  
its end4 ,it is called  a sword1 and in 
that comparison it shews the active     
resistance which  may be made by it2 and
 it is called1 not a sword of flesh1 for
 #8the  weapons of our warfare are not  
carnal1' but #8of the ,spirit1' to shew 
how mighty it is in repelling ,satan4   
7#b47 ,secondly1 ,another evidence of   
its usefulness is from the success      
which the children of ,god have had in  
the right management of this  weapon4   
,it is observable that while ,christ    
answered by ,scripture1  ,satan was     
silenced1 and had not what to reply to  
the answer1 but was  forced to betake   
himself to a new temptation4 ,david in  
many places  highly magnifies the power 
of the command1 in the success he had by
  it2 ,ps4 xvii4 #d1 he shews how       
available it was to preserve him in his 
common converse from the sinful snares  
laid before him1 #8,concerning  the     

works of men1 by the word of thy lips ,i
 have kept me from the  paths of the    
destroyer4' ,in ,ps4 xviii4 #bb1 #bc1 he
 tells us that he was  shielded from the
 sins of his inclination and love1 which
 are hardest  to prevent1 by the        
opposition that he gave to the motions  
of them1 in  setting up the statutes of 
,god against them2 #8,all his judgments 
were  before me1 and ,i did not put away
 his statutes from me2 ,i was also      
upright before him1 and ,i kept myself  
from mine iniquity4' ,in ,ps4 cxix4     
#aa1 he puts his probatum est upon the  
head of this receipt1 and  speaks of it 
as his constant refuge1 #8,thy word have
 ,i hid in my heart1  that ,i might not 
sin against thee4' ,in ,ps4 xxxvii4 #ca1
 he speaks of it  as a tried case of    
common experience to all the children of
 ,god1 #8,the  law of ,god is in his    
heart1 none of his steps shall slide4'  
,i shall  add to this the experience of 
,luther1 when1 saith he1 in ,epistle to 
the ,galatians1 #8the motions of the    

flesh do rage1 the only remedy  is1 to  
take the sword of the ,spirit1 that is1 
the word of salvation1  and to fight    
against them2 of this ,i myself have    
good experience2 ,i  have suffered many 
great passions and vehement1 but so soon
 as ,i laid  hold of any place of       
,scripture1 and stayed myself upon it1  
as upon an  anchor1 straightway my      
temptations did vanish away1 which      
without the  word had been impossible   
for me to endure1 though but a little   
space1  much less to overcome4'#dhi     
7#c47 ,thirdly1 ,the excellency of this 
remedy will further appear from  these  
following reasons3--    #a4 ,first1 ,in 
that it is a universal remedy4 ,there   
can be no  temptation1 either of        
seducement or of affrightment1 but the  
,scripture  will afford a suitable      
promise or command to repel it4 ,so that
 it1  like the flaming sword in the     
cherubim's hand at paradise1 turns every
  way to guard the soul4 ,i need not    
give instances of its power against     

sinful motions1 having done that        
already1 and of such temptations  which 
war against the peace of the soul4 ,i   
need but say this in the  general1 that 
as the nature of such temptations is to 
disguise ,god1  and to render him       
dreadful to us1 in the appearances of   
wrath and  incompassionate              
implacableness--and this ,luther sets   
down as a certain  rule--so have we in  
,scripture such declarations of the mind
 and tender  inclinations of ,god1 and  
such full and clear promises to assure  
us of  this1 and those so adapted to    
every case1 to every kind of hard       
thought  which we might take up against 
him1 that we may find enough in them  to
 break all those malicious              
misrepresentations of ,satan1 and to    
keep  up in our mind #8right thoughts of
 ,god2' which if we will adhere to1  not
 suffering such promises to be wrested  
out of our hands1 nor our  hearts to    
give way to malignant impressions of    
cruelty1 revenge1 or  unmercifulness in 

,god1 though we be cast into darkness1  
into the deeps1  we may find some bottom
 on which to fix such beginnings of     
hope1 as  may at last grow up to a      
spirit of rejoicing in ,god our         
,saviour2 and  in this case1 when our   
heart and ,satan dictate to us that ,god
 is our  enemy1 we ought1 as it were1 to
 shut our eyes1 to refuse to hearken to 
our own sense and feeling1 and to follow
 the word2 but if we once give  up the  
word of promise1 it is impossible the   
wound of conscience should  be healed   
with any other consideration4    #b4    
,secondly1 ,this remedy is comprehensive
 of most other remedies  against        
,satan's temptations4 ,in ,eph4 vi41    
there are several other  pieces of      
spiritual armour recommended1 and yet   
there is such a  manifest mutual respect
 betwixt this and those1 that any may   
conclude  that however they be          
distinguished in their names1 yet they  
are  conjoined in their operation4 ,the 
girdle1 so far as it relates to  truth  

of judgment and opinion1 depends on the 
word of ,scripture for  information2 the
 shoes1 which are defensive resolves to 
walk with a  steady foot in the ways of 
religion1 notwithstanding the hardships 
that attend holiness1 are prepared to   
us1 by the comfortable and              
peace-bringing promises of the gospel2  
the righteousness which is our          
breastplate1 is only set forth and      
wrought out to us by the ,scripture  and
 its ordinances2 faith which is our     
shield1 and hope which is our  helmet1  
they neither of them act without the    
warrant and encouragement  of it2 and   
whereas other parts of the armour are   
defensive1 this of  the ,scripture is   
compared to the sword1 which not only   
defends1 but  also offends and beats    
back the enemy4 ,if the matter be       
seriously  considered1 all these parts  
of armour are but these two1 the graces 
of the ,spirit--faith1 hope1 patience in
 their sincere exercise1 and  the word  
of ,scripture as the instrument by and  

in which they shew  their operations2 so
 that all this armour being put to use1 
in every  particular temptation1 it     
amounts to no more than this we are     
speaking  of1 viz41 that sinful motions 
are to be rejected by a believing1      
sincerely resolute opposing of them1    
with arguments from the word of  ,god4  
#c4 ,thirdly1 ,scripture1 as it is the  
word and command of the great  ,king of 
heaven1 hath a daunting and commanding  
authority over the  consciences of men4 
#8,where the word of a king is1 there is
 power1'  ,eccles4 viii4 #d1 and such is
 the majesty of a divine law1 that it   
hath  power over the consciences of     
those that are yet in their sins1 and   
can  wound1 affright1 constrain1 and    
bind even the rebellious2 so that so    
long as they retain any of their natural
 impressions of a divine power1  they   
have some awe for his commands1 which   
may be seen and argued1  where it would 
be least expected1 from the enragement  
of the hearts  of sinners1 when #8sin by

 the commandment1' accidentally1        
#8becomes  exceeding sinful1' ,rom4 vii4
 #ac1 #ad4 ,for as that outrageous      
fierceness  doth arise from the         
contrariety that is betwixt a carnal    
heart and a  spiritual law2 so that     
contrariety would never work if the     
authority of  that law1 having a power  
to restrain1 and give check to the      
corruption  of the heart1 were not some 
way owned by the conscience2 for where  
no  countermanding law is owned1 there  
can be no irritating1 provoking         
restraint4 ,this it can do to the vilest
 of men2 but of how much more  power may
 we imagine the word to be with good    
men1 whose hearts tremble  at the word1 
when they #8bind the law upon their     
heart1' and charge  their consciences   
with it8 ,it is surely #8quick and      
powerful1 sharper  than a two-edged     
sword1' ,heb4 iv4 #ab2 nor doth it only1
 by unlovely  affrightments1 terrify    
them from sin1 but by commanding duty   
make the  heart in love with it1 so that

 it becomes a delightful satisfaction to
  be preserved from the snare4#dij      
#d4 ,fourthly1 ,there is no argument    
that can be used against  temptations   
that can be more afflictively           
discouraging to ,satan4  ,satan1 as bad 
as he is1 cannot but believe those      
truths which he knows1  and he knows    
that there are many truths in ,scripture
 which respect  him1 as threatenings of 
punishment and divine vengeance2 he     
believes  these things and trembles1    
,james ii4 #ai4 ,his unavoidable        
knowledge or  remembrance of these      
things begets horror in him1 he cannot  
but be  under a dread of these truths4  
,what can be supposed so to wound him   
as the bringing these things to memory1 
by urging the command of ,god  against  
him8 ,dr ,arrowsmith#dia gives two      
instances of this kind1 the  one of     
,christopher ,haas in ,sweedland--from  
the epistle dedicatory to  the five     
tomes of ,brentius's works--the other of
 ,daniel ,cramer1 rector  of a school at

 ,stettin in ,germany2 on both which the
 devil made a bold  attempt in a        
personal appearance2 from the first1    
demanding a catalogue  of his sins in   
writing2 from the other1 demanding a    
paper in which  one of the students had 
obliged himself to ,satan's service2    
they both  referred him to that text of 
,gen4 iii4 #ae1 #8,the seed of the woman
 shall  bruise the head of the serpent4'
 ,and this was retorted upon him with   
such a strong exercise of faith1 that he
 presently desisted the suit  and       
vanished4    #e4 ,fifthly1 ,this weapon 
cannot easily he wrested out of our     
hands4  ,when we urge a divine          
prohibition against a temptation1 what  
can he  say in answer8 he cannot deny it
 to be the word of ,god1 or to be true1 
or that we are not obliged to it4 ,he   
made none of these returns to  ,christ1 
but1 by his silence1 owned that it was  
,god's holy command  obliging us to     
duty4 ,neither dares he stand upon these
 exceptions to  us1 except he find our  

faith inclined to waver1 or our minds   
weak and  wounded by inward troubles of 
spirit2 and when he puts on a boldness  
to deny ,scripture to be the word of    
,god1 or that it signifies ,god's  real 
intendments in his threatening--for by  
begetting unbelief of the  truth of     
,scripture1 and by suggesting hopes of  
escape and pardon1  notwithstanding the 
violation of the commands of it1 he     
wrests1 when he  doth prevail1 this     
weapon out of our hands--yet he is      
forced to fetch  a compass1 and by many 
previous insinuations to make his way to
 these  atheistical assertions4 ,thus he
 did with ,eve1 first1 finding her a    
little inclinable1 he dropped in privily
 something that might argue the         
improbability of the threatened penalty1
 and then at last positively  denied it4
 ,but now if we hold to this1 that #8the
 command is true and  holy1 and just and
 good1' he cannot wrest our plea from   
us4    #f4 ,sixthly1 ,nothing doth more 
undermine temptations1 by rendering  the

 reasons and motives thereof vain and   
empty1 than doth the contrary  commands 
of ,scripture4 ,temptation hath always  
some enticement of  pleasure or profit1 
and these only seem to be taking or     
reasonable1  while we consider not the  
word of ,god1 as rotten wood or fish    
shine  only in the dark2 but when we are
 urged with sinful pleasures1 how  mean1
 base1 dangerous1 and unlovely be they1 
when the command to the  contrary gives 
information that they are snares and    
lead to death1 or  the provocation of   
the ,almighty4    #g4 ,seventhly1 ,while
 we resist with ,scripture arguments1 we
 engage  ,god1 whose command we would   
stand by1 to go down to the battle with 
us4 ,we #8lay hold upon his strength1'  
and put obligations upon him  to take us
 out of the snare1 and to deliver us    
from him who is #8too  strong' for us4  
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,it remains that1 in a 
word1 ,i shew how the commands or       
arguments of ,scripture are to be used  
in resisting ,satan1 which is  thus1    

,when you have any sinful thought cast  
into your mind1 presently  reject the   
offer1 by charging your heart with duty1
 from some opposite  command2 as if you 
be urged to acts of uncleanness1        
presently refuse1  thus2 ,no1 ,i must   
not1 ,god hath commanded the contrary1  
he hath said1  #8,thou shalt not commit 
adultery4' ,if a covetous thought arise1
 reject  it with this1 ,god hath said1  
#8,thou shalt not covet4' ,if you be    
tempted  to please the flesh1 and follow
 vain delights1 answer it with this1    
#8,if  ye live after the flesh1 ye shall
 die2' and the like must be done in     
other temptations4    ,obj4 ,some may   
perhaps think that this is easy work and
 quickly done1  and that it seems to    
attribute a virtue and power to the     
words of  ,scripture1 as if ,satan were 
charmed by the language or phrase4      
,ans4 ,however at the first view this   
may seem easy1 yet he that shall        
consider how much exercise of grace goes
 necessarily to the right use  of       

,scripture opposition1 shall not see    
cause to slight it as common1  nor yet  
to think that any virtue is attributed  
to the words4 ,for1    #a4 ,first1 ,the 
,scripture here is only recommended as a
 fit  instrument1 and no further or     
higher praise is given4 ,though         
therefore  we may attribute the whole of
 the conquest to the instrument alone1  
yet this hinders not1 but that as an    
instrument peculiarly fitted for  these 
ends1 we may commend it above all other 
instruments1 as we may  justly commend  
bread for nourishing above a stone1 and 
expect more  from it than from a chip2  
so have we reason to expect more by the 
use  of ,scripture against ,satan1 than 
from other means of defence which ,god  
hath not set up for that service4    #b4
 ,secondly1 ,it is a concomitancy of    
divine power and aid that  conquers for 
us4 ,the instrument is ,scripture1 but  
the power by which  it works is from    
,god4    #c4 ,thirdly1 ,neither is it   
any careless formal use of ,scripture   

expressions that will give encouragement
 for expectation of a divine            
concurrence2 but the use of ,scripture  
in this business implies an  exercise of
 all graces1 for it is an urging of     
,scripture under a  fourfold            
consideration4    ,first1 ,as being     
certainly persuaded of their truth1 and 
fully keeping  to that belief4          
,secondly1 ,as being thankfully         
apprehensive of the holiness1 goodness1 
and profitableness of the commands1 and 
cheerfully adhering to them  as the only
 way and means to bring us to union with
 ,christ1 and to  preserve us in it4    
,thirdly1 ,as being highly and          
indispensably obliged by them to perform
  the duty commanded therein1 and to    
avoid the sins forbidden4    ,fourthly1 
,all this in a humble expectation of a  
divine help1  according to the promise  
of ,god4 ,now he that can plead the     
command or  promise against a temptation
 in this manner1 doth not do an ordinary
  work1 neither will he ascribe the     

success to the words and phrase of      
,scripture4    ,some may1 peradventure1 
wonder why ,christ1 by his example1 had 
not  recommended prayer1 seeing it is of
 such unquestionable use in our         
undertakings against ,satan4 ,but that  
inquiry may be fully satisfied1  if it  
be considered that ,christ did          
peculiarly prepare himself to this      
encounter by #8solemn fasting1' ver4 #b1
 which doth include praying2  for such  
complicated duties are often denominated
 by that part which  is extraordinary1  
and usually in ,scripture a fast is only
 mentioned  where prayer is chiefly     
intended4 ,that this fast of ,christ    
related to  the temptation1 and that    
also as a means of preservation1 hath   
been  spoken of in its place2 it remains
 only that from hence ,i add a fifth    
direction4          ,,chapter ,,xxvi4   
,the fifth direction1 of prayer1 and of 
the seriousness required of   those that
 expect the advantage of prayer4--,of   
,god's hearing prayer   while the       

temptation is continued4--,of some that 
are troubled more1   while they pray    
more4      ,direct4 #e4 ,that in all our
 endeavours of resistance1 frequent and 
earnest prayers are not to be neglected4
    ,this is so frequently recommended1 
and so fully handled by most  authors1  
that ,i shall refer you to such authors 
as particularly  treat of it2 noting    
only that the apostle1 in ,eph4 vi4 #ah1
 when he  recommends it to us in these  
words1 #8,praying always with all prayer
  and supplication in the ,spirit1 and  
watching thereunto with all             
perseverance1 and supplication for all  
saints1' he doth mind us that he  that  
expects the advantage of that duty must 
be peculiarly fitted1 and  seriously    
diligent in that work4 ,for1    7#a47   
,first1 ,he must have a praying frame of
 heart2 he must #8pray  always1' or1 as 
the apostle elsewhere1 he must #8pray   
continually4' ,not  as if this duty must
 swallow up all the rest1 and that a    
,christian  had no other services to    

attend than prayer1 but that he must be 
on  a design to wrestle with ,god by    
prayer2 and this must be constantly     
carried on1 though the acts of prayer be
 intermitted2 and besides  that1 in such
 cases1 he may keep his usual stated    
times for that duty1  he must have his  
heart so much upon his design1 that     
every occasion  or offer of temptation  
will presently put him upon the duty2   
nay1 he  must1 in respect of the        
frequent intercourse of his heart with  
,god  in frequent ejaculations and      
breathings of soul1 be as a man wholly  
resolved into that duty1 as ,paul was at
 his first conversion1 who1 as  that    
expression #8behold he prays' ,acts ix4 
#aa doth intimate1 seems to  have been  
all prayer1 and wholly taken up with    
that duty4    7#b47 ,secondly1 ,he must 
pray in the spirit1 his soul must be    
truly  in the duty4 ,a more than        
ordinary earnestness is necessary at    
solemn  times1 he must put out all his  
strength1 he must cry mightily1 and with

  his whole heart4    7#c47 ,thirdly1   
,when his spirit grows dull1 he must    
reinforce it1 watch  his heart he must2 
and if it be needful to quicken it up1  
he must add  fasting or meditation1 or  
whatever other means may be helpful4    
7#d47 ,fourthly1 ,in this course he must
 continue without giving off the  duty4 
,though ,god behave himself as if he    
minded not his cry1 or took  no notice  
of his hazard1 yet without weariness    
must our supplications  follow him4 ,it 
must be continued with #8all            
perseverance4'    7#e47 ,fifthly1 ,the  
heart that undertakes this must not be  
so narrow  as to be centred upon his own
 concern only4 ,when he is melted into a
  spirit of meekness and compassion for 
others1 and is not so solicitous  for   
peace or ease1 that he could hug himself
 in his private enjoyment  without      
concerning himself to tender and help   
those that are in the  same dangers1    
when his supplications are for #8all    
saints' as well as  for himself1 then   

may he expect to receive an olive branch
 of peace  from heaven in the return of 
his prayer4    ,obj4 ,it is often       
objected by such1 that they pray but are
 not  heard2 and that temptations       
continue1 notwithstanding many cries and
  wrestlings4    ,ans4 #a4 ,first1 ,it  
is a great mistake to think that prayers
 are not  heard or do not prevail1      
because the temptation is not quite     
removed4  ,prayers may be acceptable to 
,god1 and recorded among his            
remembrances1  where the temptation1 for
 exercise and other holy ends1 may be   
continued4    #b4 ,secondly1 ,what ,god 
hath promised to such prayer1 he fails  
not  to make good4 ,he hath not promised
 to exempt us from temptation1 but  from
 the power and prevalency of it4 ,if    
#8his grace be sufficient for  us1' #b  
,cor4 xii4 #i1 in the meantime1 it is an
 answer as good as ,paul  got when he   
was importunate2 #8,if together with the
 temptation he gives  an issue1 that we 
may be able to bear it1' #a ,cor4 x4    

#ac1 there is his  faithfulness in      
keeping promise4 ,he nowhere promised   
that ,satan should  not tempt1 but that 
he should not prevail4 ,while we can    
hold up our  hands in the mount to ,god1
 and our praying frame will ascertain us
 of  this2 #8for a man is never overcome
 by a temptation so long as he can  pray
 against it2' for so long he delights   
not in it so long he consents  not1 and 
till he do consent ,satan cannot        
prevail4 ,prayer will either  make the  
temptation give way1 or the temptation  
will make prayer give  way2 but so long 
as we hold out with earnestness1 the    
temptation cannot  prevail4    ,obj4    
,some further object1 that the more they
 pray they are the worse1  and more     
infested by ,satan than they were before
 they undertook that  course4    ,ans4  
#a4 ,it may be they may have more       
trouble from ,satan4 ,david  #8thought  
on ,god1 and his trouble was increased1'
 ,ps4 xxxix4 #c1  and no wonder4        
,satan's spite and fury puts him upon   

giving greatest  molestations to those  
of whom he despairs to subdue4    ,ans4 
#b4 ,secondly1 ,but though they may be  
more troubled1 yet they may  be furthest
 from conquest4#dib ,these disquiets are
 like the trouble  of the working of    
physic1 which at first taking may make a
 man more  sick1 and yet bring him      
nearer to a state of health and         
strength2 fear  not then1 faint not1    
resist faithfully1 and to the utmost1   
and #8,god  shall bruise ,satan under   
thy feet shortly1' ,rom4 xvi4 #bj4      
,,finis4          ,,indexes1 c4         
,i4--,,texts ,,illustrated4      ,,chap4
           ,,ver4        ,,page         
,genesis  #b4       #bc          #ba    
0     #c4        #a          #bb       0
     #d4    #aa-af         #bhh       0 
#d4       #bf    #dca1 #dcb       0     
#aj4        #d         #ajb       0     
#di4       #ag          #ad    ,exodus  
#bb4       #ah          #bg    ,deut4   
#f4       #af         #chb       0      
#h4        #c         #cef       0      

#ah4       #aj      #bg1 #bh       0    
#bc4       #ah         #acg    ,judges  
#ba4   #ah1 #bj          #gh    #a      
,kings #bj4       #cc         #cgg      
,job     #aa4       #ab           #c    
,psalms  #cg4       #cd         #cfd    
0    #ia4   #aa1 #ab    #djb1 seq4      
,proverbs #c4       #bc         #djb    
,isaiah  #da4       #bc          #be    
,jerem4  #ah4        #i          #bc    
,ezekiel #cc4       #aa         #bih    
,daniel  #aj4       #ac          #bj    
,malachi  #c4        #a         #cha    
,matthew  #d4     #a-aa    #cac1 seq4   
0     #d4        #a     #cac-cbh       0
     #d4        #b     #cbh-ccf       0 
#d4        #c     #ccg-cda       0      
#d4        #d    #cda1 seq4       0     
#d4        #e     #cgf-chb       0      
#d4        #f    #chb1 seq4       0     
#d4        #g    #djb1 seq4       0     
#d4        #h    #dae1 seq4       0     
#d4        #i    #dcj1 seq4       0     
#f4       #bd    #dda    ,luke    #aa4  
#bd     #ia1 seq41 #ig    ,john     #b4 

#bd1 #be     #bd       0     #h4        
#ed          #ad       0    #ab4        
#bd          #ag       0    #af4        
#ag    ,romans   #a4       #bh          
#adc       0     #c4     #g1 #h         
#aaf       0    #ad4       #bc          
#bif       0    #ae4       #ai          
#adb       0    #af4       #ah          
#afb    #a ,cor4   #d4       #ac        
#dj       0    #aa4       #bi           
#big    #b ,cor4   #b4       #aa        
#ee       0     #d4        #d           
#fb       0    #aa4        #c           
#aab       0    #ab4        #g          
#bch       0    #ac4        #e          
#bef    ,gal4     #a4       #af         
#aaa       0     #e4     #a1 #b         
#bjj       0     #e4   #bj1 #ba         
#bh       0     #f4        #a           
#cbj    ,ephes4   #c4       #aj         
#bc       0     #d4       #ag           
#add       0     #d4       #bg          
#ab       0     #f4       #ab           
#bj    ,philip4  #d4        #g          
#baj    ,col4     #a4       #af         

#ae1 #af       0     #b4        #h      
#bjc    #a ,thes4  #d4       #af        
#bj    #b ,thes4  #b4     #i-aa         
#adb    #a ,tim4   #a4       #bj        
#ag       0     #f4       #bj           
#afb    #b ,tim4   #b4       #af        
#ag       0     #b4       #bf           
#ef    ,heb4     #c4       #ac          
#ec       0     #f4        #d           
#cja       0    #aj4        #b          
#bee       0    #aj4       #bf          
#cja       0    #aa4       #cg          
#ddj    ,james    #a4       #ad         
#ed       0     #a4   #bb1 #bi          
#ee       0     #d4        #d           
#dda    #a ,peter  #e4        #h        
#h1 seq4    #b ,peter  #c4       #af    
#daa1 #dab    #a ,john   #c4        #h  
#ac       0     #c4       #ab           
#ab       0     #e4       #af           
#bii    ,jude               #i      #ai1
 #ee    ,rev4     #b4       #bd         
#afb       0    #aa4       #ae          
#ag       0    #ab4       #ab           
#aa      ,,ii4--,,general ,,matters4    

,abhorrency1 #deg1 #deh4                
,absconded1 #afc4      ,accusations by  
,satan1 #bca1 #bcb2      direful1 #dbh4 
,acontius1 #afi1 #aic1 #bjg4            
,acosta1 #aih4      ,acquirements1 #aeb4
      ,actions1 of wonder and           
astonishment1 by ,satan1 #cj2           
unreasonableness of some1 #fh2          
mistake of1 #ahh1 #ahi2      ,satan uses
 ,scripture to promote sinful1 #djh4    
,activity in duty1 #bab4      ,adam1    
,melchior1 #ace1 #adg4      ,additions1 
#abd4      ,admiration1 #dc4            
,adonis1 #ahj4      ,adoption1 ,satan   
seeks to weaken1 #cgd2      are all to  
maintain their8 #cge4      ,adrianus1   
#agh4      ,advantage pursued by ,satan1
 #de1 #df1 #bea1 #beh1 #bei1 #cde1 #cdf4
      ,adventurousness1 rash1 #cbj4     
,adversary1 ,satan an--malice1 enmity1  
power1 cruelty1 diligence1 #aj4         
sop1 #aha4      tius ,spartianus1 #agh4 
tna1 #agc4      ,affections1 ,satan     
uses1 #fg4      ,afflicted1 reasons for 
,satan's tempting the1 #cce1 #ccf4      

,afflictions1 #bbb1 #bbc1 #bgc1 #bgd1   
#cce1 #ccf1 #dbg4      ,affright1 ,satan
 seeks not to1 #hf1 #hg4                
,affrightments1 #bch1 #bdj2             
grievous1 #bdi1 #dbg4      ,afraid1 be  
not of1 ,goliath1 #caa4                 
,agathocles1 #dj4      ,aggravations1 of
 sin1 #hc1 #bgh1 #bgi2      unjust1 of  
sins of ,god's children1 #bii1 #cjj4    
,aims1 ,satan1 various1 in a single     
temptation1 #cec4      ,alacrity1 in    
duty1 #bab4      ,alexander1 #bf1 #fh4  
,alexander1 7heretic17 #bjd4            
,allegorical reflections1 #afc4         
,allurement1 #cii4      ,alterations1 be
 jealous of1 in worship1 #dcc4          
,alvarez1 #agd4      ,alypius1 #fe4     
,amazement1 #cjc4      ,ambrose1 #ddf4  
,americans1 #ag1 #dd4      ,ames1 or    
,amesius1 #aj1 #eg1 #bee1 #bhh1 #bic1   
#chd1 #ddi1 #def4      ,androgeus1 #ci4 
,anger of ,satan1 #ab1 #bjf2      angry 
disposition1 #bbj4      ,angel1 ,satan  
an1 power of1 #ad1 #ae2      angels1    
strength of1 ib42      ,sadducees1      

opinions on1 #di1 #ej4      ,anguish and
 horror of ,satan1 #ac4      ,annoyance1
 temptation an1 #def4      ,answers1 of 
,christ to ,satan1 #dde1 seq42      fit 
and pertinent1 #dde2      best from     
,scripture1 #dfb1 seq4      ,antichrist1
 #ch4      ,antiochus1 #aji4            
,antony1 ,m41 #gj4      ,antony of      
,padua1 #ahj4      ,apion1 #aji1 #aaj4  
,apish imitation of divine things1 #aih4
      ,apochryphal adjections1 #agi4    
,apollonius1 #agc4      ,apollonius     
,tyanus1 #dai4      ,apostasy of ,satan1
 #ab4      ,apostolici1 #agj4           
,apparitions1 #cc4      ,appearances1   
remarkable1 of ,god1 #bgi4              
,applause1 popular1 #dja4               
,apprehensions1 against ,god1 #cjc4     
,aptitude in the world to tempt1 #dda4  
,aquinas1 #ca4      ,arguings1          
fallacious1 #aac1 #aad2      partial1   
#deb4      ,arguments1 deny sin with    
strongest1 #dfc2      of ,satan1 #bie1  
#bif4      ,arianism1 #aca4             
,aristotle1 #bg1 #agi4      ,arius1     

#bjd4      ,armour1 management of       
spiritual1 #dde4      ,arrowsmith1 #ai1 
#ajb1 #bdj1 #cbg1 #dbe1 #dfg4           
,arrogancy1 #cge2      of ,satan against
 ,god1 how shewn1 #dah1 seq4      ,art1 
of ,satan in setting forth temptations1 
lies in four      things1 #dba1 #dbb4   
,arthington1 #adf4      ,askew1 ,ann1   
#dee4      ,assaults1 of saints1 by     
,satan1 #ah4      ,assays1 #bdg4        
,assertions1 bold1 #afg4                
,aspersions1 slanderous1 #ahh4          
,atheists1 #dh2      principles of1 put 
out light1 #hb2      thoughts1 #bdb2    
persons troubled with atheistical       
thoughts1 #bdc4      ,authority of      
,satan1 #ag2      nature of1 explained1 
#ag1 #ah2      over persons and things1 
ib42      efficacy of1 #ah1 #ai4        
,augustine1 #ae1 #ai1 #bb1 #cb1 #ch1    
#dh1 #eb1 #fe1 #aag1 #abi1 #adg1 #agg1  
#agi1 #ahj1 #bja1 #bjb1 #cbd1 #cbh1     
#cic1 #cid1 #cie1 #djc1 #dah1 #dfa1     
#dfh4      ,averrhoes1 #dh4             
,avicenna1 #cj4      ,awe of sin1 #ic1  

#id4        ,baal-zebub1 #cf4      ,bad 
end1 evident1 #ceg4      ,barlow1 #ec4  
#8,barricades' of ,satan1 #ih4          
,baxter1 #bi1 #adf1 #agh1 #aha4         
,bayne1 #bj1 #bbj1 #dbe4      ,belief1  
facile1 #aed4      ,bellona1 #ci4       
,benedict1 ,st1 #agd4      ,bernard1    
#cbh1 #djc4      #8,beside1' #aie4      
,best1 of ,god's children hardly escape 
under temptation of      distrust1 #cfh4
      ,beza1 #bb1 #ef1 #cgc4      ,bias1
 #aea2      to error rather than truth1 
#aea1 #aeb2      by bodily temper1 #aeb4
      ,bisnagar1 #ci4      ,blasphemous 
thoughts congenial to ,satan2      7#a47
 from his nature1 #bdd2      7#b47      
practice1 #bde2      7#c47 professed    
design1 ib42      7#d47 sad experience1 
ib42      injections1 #cjd1 #dbd1 #dbe2 
how ,satan works to get man to1 #dbe2   
violent injections of1 #dbf2      sudden
 glances of1 imagination1 #dbg2         
reasons of this temptation1 #dbg1 seq42 
advice to those tempted by1 #dbi1 #dcj4 
,blessings1 universal1 #cff4            

,blinds1 ,satan1 #fb1 #fc2      by      
stirring up lust1 proved1 #fh1 seq42    
how lust1 #gj1 #ga4      ,bochart1 #ba4 
,bodies1 #ff2      afflicted by mind1   
#bah2      in co-partnership of sorrow1 
#cji1 #caj2      ,satan permitted to    
have power over1 #cgh4      ,bodin1 #dc4
      ,bhmen1 #aff1 #afg4               
,boldness1 heroic1 a snare to           
self-murder1 #cib4      ,bolsecus1 #ahg4
      ,boniface1 ,pope1 #eg1 #eh1 #age4 
,boyle1 #cid4      ,bretterge1 ,mrs1    
#cje1 #cji4      ,bribes of ,satan1     
#bje4      ,bridget1 ,st1 #agc4         
,broughton1 #ei4      ,bucholcer1 #aii4 
,burden of injections by ,satan1 #bda4  
,burton1 #ff4      ,business1 ,satan's1 
to tempt1 ours to resist1 #cci2      and
 how1 #cci1 #cdj4        ,cain1 #bhh1   
#bhi4      ,cajetan1 #cc1 #dfb4         
,calisthenes1 #fh4      ,calovius1 #acb4
      ,calumnies1 #ahf4      ,calvin1   
#af1 #bj1 #cb1 #ej1 #eh1 #fe1 #adb1     
#afg1 #ahg1 #baj1 #ccg4      ,campian1  
#afd4      ,camus1 #aha4      ,capel1   

#eg1 #eh1 #hb1 #cbf1 #cij1 #cib1 #cif1  
#dbh1 #dbi1 #ddi4      ,cappellus1 #afe4
      ,cardan1 #dh4      ,care1         
distressed1 cease all1 #caj4            
,carthaginians1 #ci4      ,caryl1 #eg1  
#ei1 #dbe4      #8,catching away' the   
word1 #hg1 #hh2      ,satan lies at     
#8catch1' #bdc4      ,cathari1 #agj4    
,cato1 #cic4      #8,catoche1' #bab4    
,causes1 ,satan knows1 of things1 #be2  
second1 #cfe4      ,caution1 great      
against ,satan1 #dag4      ,cedremus1   
#agh4      ,celestine1 v41 #age4        
,chambers1 #bid4      ,chamier1 #ai1    
#bj1 #aha4      ,change1 ,satan blinds  
by1 a temptation1 #gg1 #ie1 #if2      of
 nature of temptation1 #cfi4            
,cheats1 #bi4      ,chemnitius1 #bjc1   
#cgc4      ,children1 #aea4             
,chokes1 ,satan1 the word1 #hh4         
,cicero1 #cic4      ,clarke1 #ce1 #aba4 
,cleombrotus1 #cic4      ,climacus1     
#dbf4      ,coccius1 #ahi4              
,collinges1 #bae4      ,comforts1       
inward1 extinguished1 #bbh1 #bbi2       

disturbances1 scatter thoughts of1 #bbi2
      stock of1 wastes1 #bbi2           
outward1 little1 #ddc4      ,company1   
evil1 #fg4      #8,composition1' ,satan 
gives a1 in religious duty1 #ie4        
,complainings1 #cgc4      ,complies1    
,satan1 #gh2      compliance with       
parties1 #aii1 #bjj2      though not    
yet1 opens way to sins1 #dbh4           
,confederacies and contrivances1 #agi4  
,consent1 #8threaped1' #hj4             
#8,concealing1' #gj2      concealment of
 wounds1 #cjg2      ,satan tempts by1   
#dba1 #dbb4      ,conclusions1 direful1 
#ccd4      ,condition1 ,satan takes     
advantage of our1 in temptation1 #cdf1  
#cdg4      ,confident1 warning from     
temptations1 to the over1 #cbe4         
,confronting of ,almighty by ,satan1    
#dah4      ,conscience1 wounded1 #fa2   
in man1 #fb2      scared1 #id2          
molested1 #bca1 #bcb2      scrupulosity 
of1 #bec2      doubting1 #bee2          
evil1 #bee1 #bef2      denying1 #beg2   
how distinguish between terrors of1 and 

melancholy1 #bib2      total distress   
of1 #bib1 #bic2      terrors of1 #cia4  
,consent1 by silence1 #dfj4             
,consolation1 for those troubled by     
blasphemy1 #dbh4      ,contrary commands
 of ,scripture to temptations1 #dfh4    
,contrasts1 between ,christ and ,satan1 
#bji4      ,coveting1 #bba4             
,contempt1 #bba2      of religion1 #ccd2
      ,satan seeks to bring ,scripture  
under1 #daj4      #8,contemplative'     
heads1 #bdc4      ,contentions and      
disputes1 #adi4      ,continuance1      
troubles of long1 #bie2      temptations
 of long1 #dbf4      ,contrivances1 #hg2
      curious1 #ahc4                    
#8,conversation1' careful1 #dcg4        
,conversion1 time of1 temptation1 #dg2  
easy1 #bfj2      conscience wounded1    
before and after1 by ,god1 #bfa1 #bfb2  
false notions concerning1 #bgj1 #bga2   
not always with terror1 #bgj2      nor  
able to tell exact time1 ib42      nor  
always accompanied with gifts of prayer1
 ib4      ,coppinger1 #aci4             

,corinthian1 church1 #abh4              
,corrupted1 duties worst of all1 #ajc2  
doctrines lead to corrupt practices1    
#acg2      ingenuous1 society of those  
who are1 #aij2      ,satan seeks to     
corrupt ,god's worship1 #dca1 #dcb2     
reasons1 #dcb1 seq4      ,corruption    
stirred1 #dec4      ,cortez1 #da4       
,courage1 commanded1 #ddh2      what    
spiritual1 is1 #ddi4      #8,courses' of
 sinners1 #dcg4      #8,crack1' #afi4   
,craft1 7see ,subtlety47      ,cramer1  
#dfg4      ,credulous1 #bhf4            
,cross1 ,satan tempts by things1 to our 
temper1 why1 #fj4      ,croy1 de1 #bjb4 
,cruelty of ,satan1 #cf-dd4             
,curiosity1 adventurous1 #aef1 #aeg1    
#dea1 #deb4      ,curse1 of ,satan1 #ab4
      ,curtius1 ,q41 #fh4      ,custom1 
power of1 #aic1 #aid2      force of1    
#cic4      ,cyprian1 #cgc4              
,ddalus1 #agi4      #8,damnation'       
misapplied1 #bif4      ,damocles1 #ddd4 
,darkness1 ,satan ruler of1 #ag4        
,daunting1 power of ,scripture1 #dfg4   

,david1 temptations of1 #ef1 #hd4       
,debauchery1 atheistical1 #aeg4         
,deceits1 #eh2      in use of           
,scripture1 #daj4      ,deceptions1 #ca2
      all the devil's qualifications for
 #8deceit1' #eb1 #ec4      ,degrees1 of 
misery1 #caj4      ,delay1 #dei4        
#8,deliberate' determinations1 #ha1 #hb4
      ,deliberating1 #deb4              
,deluded1 #add4      ,demons1 #bja4     
,demoniacs1 diseases1 #ej2      ,mede   
on1 #ea4      ,demonstrated1 things1    
#aec4      ,demurs and delays1 #hi4     
,denials1 not disputing1 in temptation1 
#dea1 seq42      best1 and why1 #dei1   
seq4      ,departure1 feigning1 #ia4    
,dervises1 #aga4      ,descartes1 #fd4  
,designs1 large1 of ,satan1 #chb2       
unfaithful1 of ,satan in use of         
,scripture1 #dji2      ,christ's        
temptations permitted by design1 #dde4  
,desires1 #ed2      enlarge not1 #ddc4  
,despagne1 #db1 #adh1 #aea1 #dje1 #dbb4 
,despair1 #bag2      is presumptuous1   
#chf4      ,devices1 #bc4      ,devil1  

though a #8spirit1' a proper subject of 
sin1 #aj1 #aa2      wickedness of1      
capable of increase1 #aa2      has great
 occasions for malice1 ib42      fall   
of1 #aa1 #ab2      power of1 as a1 #af1 
#ag2      meaning of1 as a word1 #bb2   
denial of existence of1 #dh4            
,devils1 large number of1 #ai2          
order among1 #ai1 #bj2      reality of  
existence of1 argued1 #ea1 #eb2         
believed in by the heathen1 #eb4        
#8,devotional1' #afh4      ,diana1 #ci4 
,diascorides1 #bh4      ,dickson1 #ada1 
#bai1 #bdb1 #bee1 #cij1 #dbh4           
,differences1 in ,god's children1 #aad4 
,dignity of ,god's children1 a snare by 
,satan1 #aad4      ,diligence1 of       
,satan1 #de2      instances of1 #de1    
seq4      ,diodati1 #ej4                
,dionysius1 #ai4      ,directly and     
indirectly1 ,satan blinds1 #gc1 seq4    
,disadvantage1 fall of saints special1  
#cae4      ,disappointment of ,satan    
certain1 #ad4      ,discomposures of    
soul1 #bai2      effects of1 #bbi2      

devil works on1 #bcj2      much sin in1 
ib42      obstruct duties1 #bcj1 #bca2  
devil accuses by1 #bca4                 
,discontents1 #cia4                     
,discouragements1 #ajf2      ,satan not 
easily discouraged1 #cgf1 #cgg2         
,scripture1 afflicting discouragement to
 ,satan1 #dfg1 #dfh4      ,discovery1   
,satan's contrivances to hinder1 #hg2   
full of notions1 and ways of1 #afe4     
,disguises1 the world's1 #ddb4          
,dispensation1 divine1 of spiritual     
sadness1 #bei1 #bfj4      ,disputes1    
#bjf1 #bjg4      ,disputings1 kinds of1 
#dea1 seq42      actual1 #deb2      when
 we may1 a temptation1 #dec2      when  
not1 #ded1 seq42      a better way than1
 #deg2      reasons why not1 with       
,satan1 #deg1 seq4      ,disquiet1      
,satan sometimes seeks only to1 #fa2    
disquiets1 #ahd2      advantages to     
,satan by1 #baa4      ,distance between 
,god and man by sin1 ,satan uses1 #ih4  
,distempers1 bodily1 #dbg4              
,distinctions1 #gh2      of the learned1

 show ignorance1 #aej4      ,dismission 
of thought1 #gh4      ,distractions in  
holy seasons1 #df1 #dg1 #gi1 #abj2      
before religious services1 #abc2        
,satan raises1 #baa2      unfits for    
duty1 #bab4      ,distresses1 spiritual1
 #bhg2      complicated1 ib42      have 
a further end1 ib42      consent of the 
party1 #bhg1 #bhh2      higher degree1  
#bhh2      not all from melancholy1     
shewn1 #bij1 #bia2      ,god's          
deserting1 ib42      weight of1 #cjg4   
,distrust1 #cce1 #cfa2      of          
providence1 passes to1 of ,sonship1     
#cfg4      ,disturbances1 outward1 #aba1
 #abb1 #bbd2      in ,satan's power1    
#bcc4      ,diverting of reason1 #gg4   
,divisions1 #acd1 #ace4      ,doctrine1 
false1 in gorgeous attire1 #aie2        
erroneous1 #djh4      ,dominicus1 #agi4 
,domineer1 ,satan doth tyrannically1    
#bdi4      ,dominis de1 #aeh4           
,dreams1 #djd4      ,dury1 ,john1 #afd4 
,duty1 burden of1 #ajf1 #ajg2      want 
of success in1 #ajg1 #ajh2      dislike 

of1 #aji2      unnecessariness of1 #aae2
      suspending1 #aaf1 #aag2           
vitiated1 #abc1 #abd2      hindered1    
#bab2      difficult1 #bad2             
unfruitful1 ib42      sinful1 ib4       
,dyke1 #ge4        ,earnestness1 take   
off1 #aag4      ,ease1 wrongly sought1  
#bag4      ,ecstasies1 #djd4            
,effects1 ascribed to wrong causes1     
#ahj4      ,effeminacy1 #bba4           
,egyptians1 #afb1 #afc4      ,election1 
terrors about1 #bdf1 #bdg2              
suspicions of non-election1 #bej4       
,ellis1 #afd4      ,empedocles1 #agc4   
,end1 and means1 #aaf4      ,endeavours1
 constant course of ,satan's1 #abi4     
,endeavours1 #cjc4      ,endor1 witch   
of1 #cd4      ,ends1 of things1 used to 
blind1 #gd2      base1 #aai4            
,enemies and rebels1 ,satan pursues men 
as1 #ajj4      ,enemy1 #8sword of an1'  
#cje4      ,engines by which ,satan     
works3 sophistry1 #bff2      ,scripture 
abused1 #bfg1 #bfh2      false marks a  
sign of unregeneracy1 #bfi-bga2         

misrepresentation of ,god1 #bga1 seq42  
comparisons with holy lives of others1  
#bhj2      lessens graces of saints1    
ib42      fear1 #bhe1 seq4              
,england1 ,new1 appearances of ,satan   
in1 #dd2      errors in1 #afj4          
,enigmatical speaking of ,satan1 #bf4   
,enmity to ,god1 #dda1 #ddb4            
,enmity of ,satan1 #ab1 #ac4            
,ensnaring1 ways of ,satan1 #dbe4       
,entanglements1 #ga1 #gb4      ,entice1 
#fb4      ,enticing to temptation1 #ded4
      ,entrance on special service1 a   
time of temptation1 #cac1 #cad4         
,envious disposition1 #bbj4             
,epiphanius1 #abi1 #ace4      ,equality 
and inequality of privilege and duty1   
#aae4      ,error1 #abg2      ,satan1   
great contriver of1 ib42      reasons of
 ,satan in1 #acj2      is sinful1 #acj1 
#aca2      of an increasing nature1     
#aca2      a plague1 ib42               
errorists1 #aca1 #acb2      leads to    
schisms1 c41 #acb1 #acc2      hinders   
reformation1 #acc1 #acd2      fixes     

atheism1 #ace1 #acf2      obstructs     
graces1 #aci2      punishment it brings1
 #adj2      vileness of some1 #add1     
#ade2      unusual actions for1 #ade1   
#adf2      blind even the wise1 #adf2   
suddenness of prevalency1 ib42      fury
 in spreading1 ib42      from learned   
men1 #adi2      approbation given to1   
#aed2      arguments for1 #aeh2         
countenance of ,scripture for1 #aeh1    
#aei2      foundation of1 laid near     
truth1 #afj2      promoted by excellence
 of those holding1 #afh2      captain   
and ringleader in1 #afi2      the ease  
and peace it brings1 #ahc2      proffers
 of peace from1 #ahd2      insensible   
procedure of1 #aij2      gradual fixing1
 #aia2      garb of1 #aie2              
avoidance of one for another1 #bjd2     
puts on truth's clothes1 #bjg2          
,satan uses ,scripture to promote1 #djh4
      ,escape1 possibility of1 from     
penalty1 #gf4      ,eusebius1 #abi1     
#ade1 #aih1 #bjb1 #bjc4      ,eve1      
temptation of1 #ef1 #eg1 #hb4      ,evil

 company1 #fg4      ,example1 evil1 #fg4
      ,excess1 #abd1 #abe4              
,exchange1 a temptation1 #ie1 #if2      
secret1 #if4      ,execrations1 against 
self1 #baf1 #bag4      ,experience of   
,satan1 #bd4      ,extenuations of sin1 
#gf4      ,external things1 #aeb4       
,extreme1 ,satan runs from the1 and why1
 #chc4      ,extremes1 #gc4             
,fables1 lying1 #aha2      instances1   
ib42      traditionary1 #aig4           
,failure of ,god's children under       
temptation of distrust1 #cfh4           
,faith1 false notions of nature of1     
#bgj2      weakened1 #cga4      ,false  
citation of ,scripture1 #daa4           
,familists1 #afj4      ,fancy1 fancies1 
#ca1 #abc2      ,satan works on1 #dbb4  
,fascination1 #adj1 #ada1 #ddb4         
,fashion1 sins out of1 #if4      ,fast  
of ,christ1 #cbh1 seq42      why1 #cbi1 
seq4      ,favour1 special1 a time of   
temptation1 #cad4      ,favourable1 too1
 opinion of self1 #bhe4      ,fears1    
suspicious1 #bdf2      impressions of1  

#bea1 #beb2      come by fits1 #beb1    
#bec2      return1 #bec2      add to the
 weight of other troubles1 ib42      not
 always accompanying conversion1 #bgj2  
an engine of temptation1 #bhe2          
increase of1 #cjd2      prepare for     
,satan's most dismal suggestions1 #cfe2 
make all seem the sword of an enemy1    
ib42      no advice eases1 #cje1 #cjf2  
lead to conclusions of misery1 #cjf2    
threefold1 #ddg1 #ddh2      what1       
forbidden1 #ddh1 seq4      ,februation1 
#dc4      ,feigning departure1 #ia4     
,fenner1 #fg1 #gc4      #8,finishing' of
 sin1 #hc1 seq4      ,first temptation1 
,christ's1 #cdf1 seq4      ,fixes1      
,satan1 thoughts1 #bcg4      ,follows1  
,satan1 with a high hand1 #ii4          
,food of the soul1 ,satan robs of1 #aja4
      ,foretell1 ,satan can1 #bf4       
#8,formal' use of defences1 ,satan      
allows1 and why1 #chj1 seq4             
,forsake1 three ways ,satan seems to1   
designs1 #ia1 seq4      #8,forty days1' 
#cbi1 #ccj4      ,foxe1 #cjh1 #ddj4     

,frances1 ,st1 #agd4      ,fratricelli1 
#aff4      ,friends1 ,satan tempts      
by--examples1 #ccj4      ,fruition of   
peace1 #ahd4      ,fuel1 ,satan seeks   
his own1 #ac2      of lust1 #dda4       
,fuller1 #bh1 #djf4      ,funckius1     
#djh4      ,furious fits1 #bbe2         
,bible examples1 #bbe1 #bbf4            
,future1 whether ,satan knows the1 #be4 
,galen1 #dh4      ,game1 after-1 #bdb4  
,garnet1 #ahj4      ,gellius1 #ahb4     
,gerson1 #bch1 #dbf1 #dcj4      ,gilpin1
 ,john1 #adf1 #cie4      ,glances1      
transient1 #bea4      ,glanvil1 #bi1    
#cj4      ,glauber1 #afd4               
,gnostics1 #aff4      ,god1 the source  
of all happiness1 #c1 #d2               
quarrelled1 #bag2      misrepresentation
 of ,god's nature1 #bgb2                
providence1 #bgb-bgd2      in the works 
of his ,spirit1 #bgd1 #bge2             
misrepresented as a tyrant1 #bih2       
as designing men's ruin1 #bii4          
,gods1 false1 #bja4      ,godwyn1 #bh1  
#dj1 #aih4      #8,goeth out1' not      

#8cast out1' #ig4      ,gomesius1 #afd4 
,good1 seeming1 #cea1 #ceb2             
hindrance of greater1 #ceb4             
,goodwin1 7misspelled ,godwin17 #bd1    
#eg1 #fa1 #fb1 #bfa1 #def4              
#8,gospels1' counterfeit1 #ahi4         
,grace1 restraining1 #ic2      growth   
of1 not always visible1 #bga2           
mistaken signs of1 ib42      ,satan     
lessens1 of saints1 #bhj1 seq42         
tempts in relation to1 #bha1 seq42      
extraordinaries of1 ib42      special   
assistances1 ib42      eminencies1 ib42 
,satan tempts when1 is weakest1 #bhd1   
#bhe2      hinders not temptation1 and  
why1 #cbc1 seq4      ,gradual1 ,satan in
 temptations1 #cda1 #cdb2      reasons1 
#cdb4      #8,great' temptation1 what1  
#cdb2      external1 complex1           
perplexing1 ib42      proceeded on      
advantages1 greater power of ,satan1 to 
abominations1        professed benefits1
 provoking1 engagement of all natural   
powers1        some warranted as duty1  
#cdc4      ,greenham1 #ie1 #ig1 #aae1   

#aaf1 #dfa4      ,gregory1 #cch1 #ddj4  
,gregory the ,great1 #bjb4      ,grief  
fixed1 contentment in1 #bae1 #baf4      
,grievous sins1 #bie4      ,grotius1    
#ddb4      ,guessing of ,satan1 #bd4    
,haas1 #dfg4      ,habits1 vicious1     
#aeb4      #8,habituated' sin1 #bd1     
#dec1 #ded4      ,hacket1 #aci4         
,han1 #bi4      ,hakluyt1 #agh4         
,happiness1 impatient desire of1 #cic4  
,harvey1 #ahg4      ,haste in sinning1  
#ha4      ,hatred against ,satan1 #abb4 
,hatred of ,satan1 #ab4      ,hazard1   
#df2      to life by some lusts1 #fi2   
and disadvantage by abuse of services1  
#ajc2      of duties1 #aaj1 #aaa2       
ways of religion said to be of          
intolerable1 #cag2      ways of1 #cid1  
#cie4      ,heart1 the stage of all     
action1 #c1 #d2      ,god and ,satan    
meet in1 #d2      the #8deceits' of1    
point to ,satan1 #ec2      enticed1 #fb2
      sottish1 #gh1 #gi2      prepared  
for venomous impressions1 #bae2         
hard and impenitent1 #cjb1 #cjc2        

,satan seeks to withdraw1 from ,god and 
to enslave to sin1        shewn1 #dcc1  
#dcd2      prevails1 #dcd1 #dce2        
not right with ,god1 #dce4              
,heathen1 #aec4      ,heightening of    
duty1 #aae2      of jealousies and fears
 against ,satan1 #abc2      of the sins 
of the tempted1 #cah1 #dji4             
,heightens1 ,satan1 grace1 #bhj1 #bhc4  
,hell1 #i4      ,helmont1 #cj4          
,hephstion1 #fh4      ,heresies1 #dab4  
,heylin1 #ahj1 #ahb1 #ahg1 #dbh4        
,hiding1 necessity of1 duty1 #aac4      
,hindrances1 external1 #ajd4            
,hobbs1 #bi1 #ej1 #ccg1 #daf4           
,hobson1 ,paul1 #agf4      ,honeywood1  
#cge4      ,honour1 ,god's1 at stake1   
#cff4      ,hooper1 #dee4      ,hope1   
#df2      give not readily up1 #cge4    
,hopelessness of prevailing1 #hj4       
,horace1 #aji1 #agc1 #dja4      ,huffing
  hoving1 or heaving1 or swelling1 #gg4 
,humility1 excess of1 #ajh1 #aji4       
,humours1 #bbd4      ,hunger of ,christ1
 #cdg4      ,hunting of his prey1 by    

,satan1 #de4      ,hypocrites are       
presumptuous1 #chf2      varnish on1    
#daj1 #daa4        ,ignorance variously 
shewn1 #adg1 seq42      conversion of   
the ignorant1 results1 #bfj4            
,ignorant devout1 humbled by ,satan1    
#bdg1 #bdh4      #8,imaginary1' #adc4   
,imagination1 ,satan's use of1 #fe1 #ff1
 #bej4      ,imitations of divine       
services and ,bible incidents1 #ajb1    
#aih1 #dai2      ,satan imitates ,god by
 pretence of teaching1 #djc4            
,impetuosity1 #dbf4      ,impressions1  
dismal1 of ,satan1 #cje4                
,importunity1 #gi2      impudent1 #bdc1 
#bdd4      ,impotent1 mind rendered1    
#bbi4      ,impulses1 #djf4      ,incas1
 #aih4      ,incessant1 ,satan in       
temptation1 #cca2      things relating  
to such1 #cca1 #ccb2      encouragement 
under1 #ccb4      ,inclinations1 #ff1   
#aeb1 #aee4      ,indicia1 #be4         
,indignation of ,satan1 #ab4            
,indisposition of body1 #ajd1 #aje2     
of soul1 #aje4      ,indirect courses1  

#cce4      ,infectious1 temptations1    
#dei4      ,infirmity1 #ge1 #gf1 #ahh4  
#8,ingenuousness1' #dh2      submissive1
 #abj2      feigned1 #bge4              
,injects1 ,satan's temptations1 #fa2    
impetuousness of1 #abb2      injections 
of terror1 #bch2      impetuous1 #bci2  
incessant1 ib42      odious1 #bci1 #bdj2
      abhorrency1 #bdj2      difference 
between atheistical injections and      
temptations1 #bdb2      of abominable   
sin1 #bej1 #bea4      ,injury1 #bbb4    
,insight1 ,satan has deep1 #bf4         
,insolency1 #dah4      #8,inspiration1' 
false1 #agb1 #dje4      ,insult         
triumph1 #ddh4      #8,intercepting' of 
light by ,satan1 #gj4      ,interest1   
,scripture contrary to1 #dji4           
#8,interest' shaken by light1 #ij4      
#8,internal' work1 #aad4                
,inventions1 self-devised1 #cgi1 #chj2  
human1 in divine worship1 #dcd4         
,invisible1 ,satan in temptation        
usually1 #ccj4      ,invitation1 secret1
 to ,satan by disputing1 #deh4          

,invocation of saints1 #bja4            
,inward temptations and outward         
distresses1 #ccc2      terrors and      
trouble1 #def2      reasons for not     
disputing with ,satan in1 #def1 seq4    
,irenus1 #ai4        ,jackson1 #dbd4    
,james1 #ahi4      ,jenison1 #bb1 #bd1  
#ahj4      ,job and ,satan1 #ac4        
,josephus1 #bg1 #dj1 #di1 #aaj1 #agi1   
#aih1 #djf1 #dji4      ,jostle1 #aje4   
,joy not received1 #bbi4      ,jugglers'
 words1 #aff4      ,julian1 #afd1 #aid1 
#bjh4      ,junius1 #bdb4               
,karsten1 #agc4      ,kent1 maid of1    
#ahj4      ,kimchi1 #cha4      ,kingdom 
of ,satan1 #dcc1 #dcd4                  
,kneperdollin1 #adf4      ,knowledge of 
,satan1 #ba1 seq42      measured by that
 of ,adam in innocency1 #ba2      by    
names given to him1 #bb2      nature of1
 #bb1 #bc2      natural1 experimental1  
accessory1 ib42      imperfection of1   
#adg2      nature of1 #adh2             
unsuitableness of our capacities1 #adh1 
#adi4        ,lacedmonians1 #ci4        

,lamech1 #bhi4      ,language1 strange1 
#aff4      ,lapide1 a-1 #cgc4           
,lathbury1 #ahj4      ,law1 enmity and  
opposition of the1 #he4      ,lawful1   
seeming1 #cea1 #ceb2      to be         
seriously weighed1 #cec4      ,leaving1 
of1 sins1 #aai4      ,legion of         
temptations1 #gi4      ,leigh's ,critica
 ,sacra1 #aj1 #bg1 #ada1 #dbe4          
,leyden1 ,john of1 #aci4      ,libanius1
 #aie4      ,light of nature1 of        
,scripture1 c41 #ee2      ,satan        
opposes1 and how1 #ij1 #ia2             
prevailing power of1 #id4               
,lightfoot1 #dj1 #bbg1 #bhi1 #cac1 #cbi1
 #ccc1 #cea1 #cef1 #cha1 #dae1 #dag4    
,list1 #bid4      ,livy1 #agh4          
,loretto1 #agb4      ,lorinus1 #cjj4    
,lucas ,brugensis1 #daf4      ,lucian1  
#dh1 #agi4      ,lust1 ,satan acts on1  
#fc2      how1 #fd4      ,luther1 #ba1  
#cdj1 #def1 #dff4      #8,lying'        
spirits1 #hg2      downright1 #ahi2     
,satan carries on his designs by1 #dba4 
,lyra1 #bb4      ,lysimachus1 #aaj4     

,maccovius1 #abg4      ,machiavel1 #aaj4
      ,maimonides1 #bh4      ,malice1 of
 the devil explained and evidenced1 #aj1
 #aa2      very great1 #ab1 #ac2        
instances of1 #ac1 #ad2      of wicked  
men1 #ad2      against ,god1 #aja2      
against believers1 #beh4      ,manton1  
#ed1 #fb4      ,marks1 false1 of        
regenerate and unregenerate1 #bfi-bga4  
,martin1 ,st1 #cdj4      ,martyr1       
,peter1 #ajf1 #acb1 #adc4               
#8,may-be1' #bec4      ,meanness of     
religious service1 outwardly1 #aaa4     
,means1 abandoned1 #caj1 #caa2      to  
an end1 plausible1 #ceg2      failure of
 ordinary1 a strong engine of           
temptation1 #cfj2      examples1 #cfj1  
#cfa2      why ,satan uses this1 #cfb4  
,mede1 #ea1 #eb1 #agb1 #bja4            
,melancholy1 #bde1 #bdh1 #bej1 #bfe1    
#bhi1 #bij1 #bia1 #dbg4      ,mercerus1 
#cgj4      ,mercies1 particularly       
promised1 #cff4      ,messalians1 #agj4 
,minos1 #ci4      ,miracles1 whether    
,satan can work1 #ca2      counterfeit1 

#agg2      testimony to truth1 #ahb2    
,satan's advantage to feign1 ib42       
,god reveals by1 #dje4                  
,misapprehensions1 of state1 #hh1 #cfi4 
,miscarriages1 #abe1 #ahh1 #bge1 #cja2  
used by ,satan1 and difficult to answer1
 #bge1 #bgf4      ,miseries1 ,satan     
delights in men's1 #bah2      of others1
 #bbc1 #bbd4      ,misrepresentation of 
,god by ,satan1 #bih2      how1 #bih1   
#bii4      ,mitigation of barbarous     
rites1 #db4      ,mohammed1 #agi4       
,mondus1 #agi4      ,montanus1 #aci1    
#aff4      ,montezuma1 #ci1 #da4        
,more1 #bi1 #cj1 #ej1 #dcj4             
,munster1 #aff4      ,murder1 self-1    
#cij2      ,satan aims at two ways1 and 
by various means1 #cia1 seq42           
indirectly sought by ,satan1 and how1   
#cid1 #cie2      be aware of this       
temptation1 #cie2      defences against1
 #cie1 #cif2      one of ,satan's great 
plots1 #cie2      a high iniquity1 ib42 
danger of1 #cie1 #cif2      give no     
occasion for1 by discontent1 #cif4      

,murmuring1 #gi4      ,musculus1 #agj1  
#cbe1 #cbh1 #dbd1 #dca1 #ddf4           
,names given to ,satan1 #cch4           
,narsinga1 #ci4      ,nature1 7see      
,secrets17 ,satan knows operations of1  
#cb1 #cc4      ,nayler1 #dai4           
,necessity1 of sinning1 #ge2      plea  
of1 #cdg2      reasons1 #cdg1 #cdh2     
cheats on this plea1 #cdi2      must not
 be deceived by1 ib4      ,needful1     
service presently1 #aag4                
,negligence1 #aag4      ,nicholas1 ,h41 
#afj1 #afb1 #aff1 #afg4      ,notions1  
hidden1 #afb2      and ways1 #afe4      
,novatus1 #aff4      ,nudipedales1 #agj4
        ,obedience1 temptation to       
withdrawment from1 #dee4                
,observation and study of ,satan1 #bd4  
,obsessions1 #ce4      ,occasions1 fit1 
#de1 #fe1 #ha2      extraordinary1 #ib2 
much in ,satan's hands1 #bce2           
prepares1 #bce1 #bcf2      awakens old1 
#bcf2      aggravates1 #bcf1 #bcg2      
offered1 #bea2      fit1 #bie4          
,opinions1 #8corrupt1' #gd4             

,opportunity1 suitable1 #ib1 #ic2       
hindrances of1 #aaf2      best1 for     
answering1 #dfj1 #dfa4      ,origen1    
#afc1 #bja4      ,outbreakings against  
,god1 #ccd4      ,outcries1 doleful1    
#cji4      ,outward distress and inward 
temptations1 #ccc1 #ccd1 #cfe2          
comforts those whose are little1 #ddc4  
,outward not inward1 #abc1 #abd4        
,ovid1 #bg1 #aig4      ,owen1 #bjc4     
,particular trust in ,god1 #cfe4        
,passionateness1 #fg4      ,passions1   
#fb2      nature of1 #fg1 #fh2          
discompose1 #aje1 #ajf2      stirred up1
 #bjf2      ,satan sets on work1 #bcf1  
#bcg4      ,paterculus1 #cic4           
,peace1 inward1 #ahc2      fruition of1 
#ahd2      ,satan's efforts against1    
#bji2      fruit of holiness1 #baj2     
gives inward strength1 ib42      to get1
 a duty1 #baj1 #baa2      a badge of    
kindness1 #baa2      disturbed by       
,satan1 #bbd4      ,performance1 manner 
of1 of duty1 #aac4      ,peripatetics1  
#dh4      ,perkins1 #bjb1 #bda1 #bhh1   

#bic1 #bid1 #dae1 #dbd1 #dca4           
,persecutions1 #cg1 #hh4      ,petrus1  
#cjj4      ,philastratus1 #agh4         
,phrases1 ,scripture1 #afa4             
#8,pickeer1' #acg4      ,pinnacle of    
temple1 #cha4      ,piscator1 #ada1     
#adb1 #baj1 #cdj4      ,place1 sanctity 
of1 does not hinder ,satan1 #cgi4       
,places1 holy1 most dishonoured by      
,satan1 #ajb4      ,plainness1 #aif4    
,platerus1 #bfe1 #bia1 #cfi4            
,plato1 #ba1 #bg1 #bjb1 #bjc1 #cic4     
,plausible1 #cef1 #ceg2      how ,satan 
makes an end1 #ceg4      ,pleasures1    
worldly1 a great engine of ,satan1 #dch1
 seq42      best overcome by1 #chf1     
#chg2      reason why ,satan uses so    
much1 #chg1 #chh2      deceitful        
contrivances for this sin1 #chh1 #chi2  
special watchfulness against1 #chi1     
#cij2      how1 #cij2      how brought  
about1 #cih1 seq4      ,plenty1 worldly1
 a temptation1 #dbg2      snares of1    
#ddd4      ,plessis du1 #bja4           
,pliny1 #cb4      ,plutarch1 #bf1 #ci1  

#dd1 #dh1 #bja4      ,poisonings v4     
witchcrafts1 #bg1 #bh4      ,polanus1   
#ca4      ,polybius1 #aha4              
,pomponatius1 #dh4      ,pool1          
7,matthew17 #ac1 #bh1 #cd1 #db1 #fa1    
#cef1 #cfa1 #dbd4      ,popery and      
paganism1 #bjj1 #bjb4      ,porphyrins1 
#dd1 #dh4      ,porphyry1 #afd4         
,porta1 #ca4      ,possession1 how      
,satan maintains1 #hc4                  
,possessions1 #cd1 #ce4      ,power of  
,satan very great1 #ad2      though     
fallen1 still great1 proved1 #af2       
instances1 ib42      explained1 #adb1   
#adc2      and promise of ,god1 #cfd4   
,prayer1 a spear1 #aja2      included in
 fasting1 #dfi2      in all resistance1 
is to be added1 #dgj2      seeming not  
heard1 #dga4      ,precipitancy1 #hj4   
,precipitated1 #fe4      ,prejudice1    
#ij1 #ajf4      ,pre-occupate1 #dbb4    
#8,perverse' misrepresentations1 #he4   
,presumption1 #chc2      what it is1    
#chc1 seq42      instances of1 #chd1    
seq42      ,satan's engine1 #che2       

proved by his common practice1 #che1    
#chf4      ,pretences1 specious1 #afb2  
of friendship1 #cej2      wonder such   
not seen through1 #ceh4                 
,prevalency1 ,satan's expectation of1   
#cgb4      ,pride1 #aad1 #abe1 #bjf1    
#bbj1 #cig2      what it is1 #cig seq42 
warning against1 and why1 #cii1 #djj2   
how to guard against1 #djj1 #dja2       
,satan's means to excite1 #dja4         
,prideaux1 #aca1 #ace1 #agc1 #aha1 #ahi1
 #aib4      ,privileges1 perverse       
confidence in1 #dja4      ,profane      
dispositions1 #aab4      ,professions1  
hollow1 #dce1 #dcf4      #8,professors1'
 sins of1 #aab4      ,proffers1 ,satan  
liberal in1 #dbc4      ,promise1 ,satan 
seeks to separate us from the1 #cgd2    
he does not deny1 but questions and     
inquires1 ib42      next more plainly   
suggests1 ib42      urgeth the          
miscarriage1 #cgd1 #cge2      puts on   
proof1 #cge4      ,proposal of          
temptation1 #fa4      ,prosperity1      
outward1 #ahd1 #ahe2      of wicked1    

#bbb4      ,providence1 distrust of1 the
 nature of distrust of sonship1 #cgj2   
leads to distrust of spiritual favours1 
#cgj1 #cga2      provoking to ,god to   
distrust him1 #cga1 #cgb2      ,jealousy
 against ,god's1 #cgb1 #cgc2      a     
great deep1 #cgc2      eternal          
displeasure not to be measured by1 #cgc4
      ,providences1 worst interpretation
 of1 #baf4      ,provocations1 given by 
,satan1 #bce4      ,provokings1 #cg1    
#ij4      ,proxy1 #fa4                  
#8,publican1' #aji4      ,purchas1 #ci1 
#dj1 #da1 #db1 #aga1 #agb1 #aig1 #aih1  
#aii1 #cic4      ,purgatory1 #bjh4      
,pursuit1 ,satan sometimes abates1 and  
how1 #ie4      ,pythagoras1 #agc4       
,quakers1 #afg4      ,questions to be   
determined for peace of the soul1 #bei4 
#8,quick1' #dd4      ,quickness of      
,satan1 #ai1 #be4      ,quiet1 ,satan   
keeps all1 and how1 #he1 seq4           
,reason1 overcome by lust1 #fi1 #gj2    
corrupted and perverted by ,satan1 #gb2 
how this is done1 #gc1 seq4             

,rebuke1 a first1 does not drive ,satan 
away1 #cgf1 #cgg4      ,recidivation1   
#bgg4      ,recommended1 use of         
,scripture in resisting temptations1 by 
,god1 #dfe4      ,refreshment1 soul1    
#bfj4      ,refuge1 lies a1 #ahe1 #ahf4 
,refusal1 ,satan seizes any advantage in
 our way of1 #cgg4      ,refusals1      
groundless1 #dfb1 #dfc4      ,regenerate
 and reprobate1 #beg4      ,reiteration 
of sins1 #hc1 #dbf4      ,rejection1    
must contain four things1 #dfa1 #dfb4   
,religion1 what offers for study1 #c2   
inward and outward of1 #e4              
#8,relucts1' conscience1 #gh4           
,remedy1 excellence of ,scripture as a1 
shewn1 #dff1 seq42      includes all    
others1 ib4      ,remembrance1 things   
brought to1 #djf1 #djg4                 
,representation1 wrong1 of duties1 #aac4
      ,reproaches1 #aji4                
,reprobates1 #bhh4      ,reserves1 #ced2
      reasons of ,satan's policy in     
this1 #ced4      ,resist not1 fly       
temptations1 #ddg2      why1 #ddh4      

,resistance1 #gi1 #hj2      stout1 #ccc2
      objections answered1 ib4          
,restraint on ,satan1 #fj4              
,retreat1 ,satan hinders1 #ih4          
,revelation1 to ,satan1 #be1 #bf2       
credulity1 concerning1 #agd2      ,god  
gives1 #agd1 #age4      ,revenge1       
spiteful1 of ,satan1 #dbh4              
,reynolds1 #ff1 #adc1 #cgj1 #chc4       
,rivetus1 #cc4      ,rossa1 ,domina1    
#dc4      ,ruffinus1 #ahj4      ,rules1 
of ,satan1 in tempting1 #ei1 #fj4       
,rutherford1 #ajf4      ,ruthwell1 #abb4
        ,sacrifices1 set on by ,satan1  
#da4      ,sadducees1 opinions of1 #dh1 
#di1 seq4      ,sadness1 spiritual3     
several degrees thereof1 #bed1 #bee2    
instances of1 #beh2      provision for  
in ,scripture1 ib42      reasons of1    
#beh1 seq42      three classes troubled 
with1 #bfj2      times of1 from ,satan3 
conversion1 #bfc2      repentance for   
some great sin1 #bfd2      discomposure 
of spirit under affliction1 ib42        
prepared by atheistical thoughts1 ib42  

melancholy1 #bfd1 #bfe2      sickness or
 death-bed1 #bfe1 #bff4      ,saints    
assaulted by ,satan1 #ah2      examples1
 ib42      intercession of1 #bja1 #bjb4 
,sakes1 ,christ tempted for our1 shewn1 
#dde1 seq4      ,satan and ,god meet in 
the heart1 #d2      discovery of        
intrigues of1 ib42      devices and     
deceits of1 #d1 #e2      likely to      
oppose the acceptance of #8,dmonologia  
,sacra1' #d1 #e2      subtlety and craft
 of1 #eb1 seq42      business to tempt1 
#cch2      proofs1 ib41 seq4            
,satisfaction in duty hindered1 #bac4   
,savonarola1 #afa4      ,scaliger1 #aih4
      ,scarecrows1 theological1 #hc4    
,schoolmen's classification of          
knowledge1 #bb4      ,sclater1 #bj1 #ca1
 #adb1 #adc1 #ahc1 #cch4      ,scoff not
 at the judgments of ,satan's           
temptations1 #caa4      ,scot1 #bg1 #bh1
 #cd4      ,screw1 temptations like a1  
#cee4      ,scripture1 ,satan has great 
understanding of1 #bf2      never       
faithfully1 and why1 #dj2      warrant  

for error1 #aei2      hidden notions in1
 #afb1 #afc2      abused or perverted1  
#bfg-bfi2      uses always1 and why1    
#djg1 #djh2      base ends he turns it  
to1 #djh1 #dji2      unfaithful in1 how1
 #dji1 #daj2      all to be tried by1   
#dad2      compare ,scripture  with1    
ib42      force of1 not in mere         
characters1 #dfc1 #dfd2                 
argumentative use of1 #dfd2      shewn  
to be intended by ,god1 #dfe1 seq42     
how1 thus recommended1 #dfi4            
,scultetus1 #ccg4      ,second          
temptation1 ,christ's1 #chb1 seq4       
,secrecy of ,satan's movings1 #cc2      
of ,satan1 #gj1 #ga2      assurances of1
 #hh1 #hi4      ,secrets of nature1     
searches into1 #c2      small           
discoveries of1 ib42      not to be made
 our sole business1 ib42      more      
weighty matters than1 ib42      made use
 of1 #cb2      servants of ,satan1 #dcd1
 #dce4      ,security1 men hushed in1   
#ig1 #abe1 #cad4      ,seducers1 women1 
#aia4      ,selden1 #dbe4               

,senarclus1 #cdj4      ,senault1 #fg4   
,seneca1 #cic4      ,sennertus1 #bg1    
#bi4      ,senses1 #fd2      ,satan     
tempts through1 #dbb1 #dbc4             
,sensual pleasures1 #cid4      ,serenus1
 #bjb4      ,sermons1 ,dmonologia ,sacra
 delivered as1 #e4      ,servants1 men  
of ,satan1 #dcd1 #dce4      ,services1  
religious1 opposed by ,satan1 #ajj4     
,severities1 #agj1 #aga1 #bcb1 #bcc4    
,sextus1 #bd4      ,shame1 gloried in1  
#fi4      ,sickness1 #bbc4      ,side of
 ,christ1 #ddi4      ,signs1 #dje1 #djf4
      ,silence1 #dei4      ,simon       
,magus1 #dai4      ,sin1 deceitfulness  
of1 charged on ,satan1 #ec1 #ed2        
all acts of1 through ,satan1 #ed2       
by deception1 ib42      pleasures of1   
set forth1 #gd1 #ge2      finished1 #hc2
      leads to more1 #hd2      change of
 heinous1 for as heinous1 #fi2      long
 continued in1 tempted by ,satan1 #bdh2 
,satan heightens1 of the regenerate1    
#bgf1 #bgg2      delight in1 heightened 
by ,satan1 #dba2      made small1 #dcf2 

reasons of this1 #dcg4      ,sincerity1 
determination of1 difficult1 #def4      
,sinful1 where it is not ,satan's       
interest to tempt to things sinful1     
he will to good1 #cea1 #ceb4      ,skill
 of ,satan1 #bf4      ,slaves1 #cf4     
,sluggishness1 spiritual1 #aje4         
,small things1 ,satan pursues1 #ac1 #ad1
 #ge2      temptations1 #cdc1 #cdd4     
,socrates1 #bje4      ,soldiers1        
,christ's1 counsels to1 #dej4           
,solicitation1 #fb1 #gi1 #hd4           
,solitude1 #cba1 #cbb4      ,sophisms of
 ,satan1 #ge4      ,sophistry1 #bff1    
#bfg4      ,soul #8precious1' #h2       
vigilance in care of1 ib42      body1   
#cga4      ,sovereignty1 acts of1 by    
,satan1 and why1 #dai1 #dbj4            
,sozomen1 #aid1 #bjh1 #cha4             
,spanheim1 #di1 #cba1 #cbi1 #ccj1 #ccg1 
#cea1 #cgg1 #cha4      ,speaking1       
distresses force to1 #cjg4              
,speeches1 fair1 #afe4      ,spira1     
#cjh4      #8,spirit1' ,satan regarded  
as a1 #ae2      takes part in           

temptation1 #cag4      ,spirits1 nature 
of1 #aeb4      ,sprenger1 #chj4         
#8,standard1' #dfa4      ,statues1 #agg4
      ,stephens1 #dja4                  
,stillingfleet1 #acf1 #aff1 #agc4       
,sting of ,christ's first temptation1   
#cea4      ,stock1 ,richard1 #afd4      
,straits1 #cff4      #8,strange' things1
 #abb2      language1 #aff2             
encouragements to those who think their 
temptations1 #cbe1 seq4      ,stratagems
 of ,satan1 #aeh4      ,strength1 of    
,satan1 #aj1 #aa1 seq42      services in
 our own1 #aah4      ,strictness1 #agj2 
pretences of religious1 #aga2      holy1
 think not less of1 from ,satan's       
temptations1 #caa4      ,studies1 ,satan
 man1 #ei2      why1 ib4                
,stumbling-block1 #bad1 #bae4           
,submission to ,god's will1 #cfe1 #cff4 
,subtlety1 of ,satan1 #dg1 #eb1 seq41   
#ee1 #ef2      instances of1 #ef1 #eg2  
why ,satan uses1 #eg1 #eh2      and     
violence1 #bdc4      ,success1 less or  
more1 of ,satan1 #ajc2      in use of   

,scripture1 #dfe1 #dff4                 
,sufficiency1 self-1 #cih4              
,suggestings1 secret1 #dab4             
,suggestions1 ,satan drops1 #gj1 #ga1   
#bcg2      tendency of1 #dad4           
,suitable temptations1 #ei4             
,superstitions1 #ci4      ,support1     
secret in temptation1 #cah1 #cai2       
in absence of ordinary means1 #cbi4     
,surprisal1 sudden1 #ga1 #aid2          
strange1 #bea4      ,suspect kindness of
 ,satan1 #cej4      ,suspicious fears1  
#bdf1 #bdh1 #bdi2      wisely1 #dac4    
,swinkfieldians1 #aff4      ,sylvius1   
neas1 #ddj4      ,sympathy1 excess of1  
#bba4        ,taautus1 #aig4            
,tacitus1 #da1 #agh4      #8,taking1'   
#abb4      ,takingness of certain       
expressions accounted for1 #afg4        
,tauler1 #aff4      ,temper1 passionate1
 #bcc2      cool and calm1 tempted by   
,satan1 #bcd1 #bce4      ,temple1       
,christ set on1 #cgg2      how taken to1
 #cgg1 #cgh2      pinnacle1 #cha4       
,temptation1 time of ,christ's1 #cac2   

why permitted at special seasons1 #cae2 
use of the knowledge of this1 #caf2     
how ,christ was carried to1 ib42        
place of ,christ's1 #cba1 #cbb2      the
 end of1 #cbb2      why ,christ         
submitted to1 #cbb1 seq42      what     
expectation of success could ,satan have
 in1 #cbc1 seq42      manner of1 #cdj2  
,christ's first1 #cdf2      rise of1    
ib42      preparation for second        
temptation1 #cgf2      time1 ib42       
place1 #cgh1 #cgi2      third1 of       
,christ1 #dae2      place1 ib42         
object1 #dae1 #daf4      ,temptations1  
management of1 by ,satan1 #bf2      in  
general1 #eh2      above1 #gg1 #gh2     
violence of1 made worse than they are1  
#cah2      end of ,god in permitting1   
ib42      harmlessness of1 #bgh2        
when the sting is taken out1 #cai2      
not to run into1 ib42      why1 ib42    
nothing will hinder ,satan from any1    
#cbc1 #cbd2      may be without guilt or
 impurity1 #cbe1 seq42      how to know 
when1 are of ,satan or of ourselves1    

ib41 seq42      specially1 in           
extraordinary1 #cbg1 seq42      the     
affliction of1 #cbh2      ,christ's1    
compared with ours1 #cdd2      the      
first1 ib42      ,satan in1 usually     
follows a beaten path1 #cde2      vile1 
infectious1 not to be disputed with1    
#ded1 #dee4      ,tempted1 spiritual    
state of the1 #cah4                     
,tergiversation1 #cad1 #cae4            
,terror1 flashes of1 #bic1 #bid4        
,terrors of cursed reprobates1 #bhh4    
,tertullian1 #ci1 #adf1 #ahi1 #bjc4     
,texts misapplied by ,satan1 #djb4      
,theocritus1 #bg4      ,theodoret1 #fi1 
#aae1 #ahg1 #bjg4      ,theodosius1 #fh4
      ,third temptation1 #dae4          
,thoughts1 whether ,satan knows men's1  
#bc2      what in1 out of his reach1    
#bc1 #bd2      how far he can pry1 #bd1 
#be2      distraction of1 #abj1 seq42   
atheistical1 #bdc2      blasphemous1    
#bdd2      keep up high and honourable1 
of ,god1 #cgc4      #8,threaping1' #hj1 
#afh1 #bdc1 #big4      ,thrusting into  

perilous places1 #cif4      ,title-page1
 original1 of ,dmonologia ,sacra1 #b2   
of ,part ,i41 #g2      of ,part ,,ii41  
#abf2      of ,part ,,iii41 #cab4       
,tophet1 #dj4      ,torlachs1 #aga4     
,trances1 #djd4      ,troubles1         
advantage taken of1 #gi2      cause     
distraction1 #hj2      further1 #bbf1   
#bbg2      examples of1 #bbg1 #bbh2     
doubtful inquiries as to grounds of1    
#bda2      ,god limits1 to do good by1  
#bfb2      according to truth1 #bfb1    
#bfc4      ,trust1 take not things on1  
#dac4      ,truth1 ,satan acknowledges1 
for evil ends1 #ajb2      ,god's        
interest in1 #abg2      modified1 #aee2 
error near1 #afj1 #afa2      ,satan     
seeks to corrupt the professors of1     
#ahh2      corrupting established1 #aib1
 #aic2      despiting of1 #aii2         
deprive1 of convincing power1 ib42      
bribes in relation to1 #bje2      error 
clothed in1 #bjg4      ,tyrannus1 #agi4 
,tyrus1 ,maximus1 #aaf4                 
,unacceptable1 services rendered1 #aah4 

,uncalled-for temptations1 #cai2        
when1 #cai1 #cbj4      ,unfaithful1     
,satan in dealing with ,scripture three 
ways1 #dji1 #daj4      ,universal1      
,scripture1 a1 remedy in temptation1    
#dff4      ,unpardonable sin1 #cjj4     
,unsanctified texts describing1 used by 
,satan1 #bge4      ,unseasonable        
services1 #aai4      ,unsettle1 from    
foundation1 #ahc4      ,unsuitableness  
of our hearts to services1 #ajh4        
,unthankfulness1 #baf4                  
,unwarranted1 relief1 #cfc2      men put
 to1 shewn1 #cfd4      ,unworthiness1   
#ajh1 #aji4        ,valerius ,maximus1  
#agh4      ,valesians1 #agj4            
,variety in worship1 shews ,satan's     
corruption1 #dca4      ,varnish on a bad
 end1 #ceg4      ,varro1 #dah4          
,vergerius1 #cjh4      ,vespasian1 #agh4
      ,vexations of spirit1 #bcc1 #bcd4 
,vilest thoughts of ,god1 #dbf4         
,virgil1 #bg1 #ci1 #ada1 #bed4          
,virtue1 name of1 given to what is bad1 
#gc4      ,visible1 ,satan sometimes1   

#cdj2      reasons1 #cda4      ,vision1 
,christ's temptation not a1 why1 #ccg1  
seq42      ,god reveals by1 #djd4       
,vitzilliputzli1 #aih4      ,vives1 #cb1
 #db1 #dd1 #bjb1 #cie4      ,voice1 ,god
 revealed by1 to ,satan1 #djc1 #djd4    
,wariness1 #dac4      ,watchfulness1    
imitate ,satan's1 #cei4      ,ways1     
various1 of ,satan1 #df4      ,weapons1 
,satan deprives us of1 #ajj4            
,whitaker1 #afd1 #age4      ,wickedness1
 of ,satan capable of increase1 #aa4    
,wieldy  yielding1 #gi4      ,wierus1   
#dd4      ,wight1 ,mrs1 #cge4           
,wilderness1 scene of ,christ's         
temptation1 #cba2      why1 #cba1 #cbb4 
,will1 #ee4      ,willis1 #bcg1 #bfe4   
,wills and shalls1 #hb4                 
,witchcraft1 #bg1 #bi4      ,wonders1   
#ca4      ,working of thought1 #dea4    
,worldly pleasure1 great engine of      
,satan1 #dch1 seq42      how so1 #dda1  
#ddb4      ,worship1 ,satan sets himself
 up for1 #aja1 #ajb4      #8,wounded'   
spirits1 #cf2      in regenerate and    

reprobate1 #beg1 #beh2      conscience  
by ,god and ,satan1 question on1 #bfa4  
,wrath1 ,divine1 sense of1 #cjh4        
,wresting1 import of ,scripture1 by     
,satan1 #bif1 #daa1 #dab2      seen in  
results1 #dab1 #dac2      ,scripture1 a 
weapon not easily1 out of our hands1    
#dfh4        ,xavier1 #agi4             
,young persons1 troubled by ,satan1     
#bdg4        ,zanchius1 #ag4      ,zeal1
 pretences of1 #cid4      ,zeilan1 #ci4 
,zembla1 ,nova1 #agg1 #agh4             
,,ballantyne ,,and ,,company1           
,,printers1 ,,edinburgh4                
,,footnotes3     #a ,works of ,sibbes1  
vol4 i4 pp4 #be1 #adb4     #b ,new      
,america4 ,by ,w4 ,h4 ,dixon4 ,with     
,illustrations from ,original           
,photographs4 #b vols4 #hvo4 #ahfg4     
7,hurst and ,blackett47 ,vol4 i41 pp4   
#acd-acg4     #c ,see ,appendix ,a41    
lii-lv4     #d ,from above1 and other   
parallels1 it will be seen that ,burns  
only   put more tersely and memorably an
 old sentiment in his--     #8,the rank 

is but the guinea stamp1 ,the man's the 
gowd for a' that4'       #e ,nicolson   
and ,burns's ,cumberland and            
,westmoreland1 vol4 i41 p4 #bf4     #f  
,i owe hearty thanks to the ,rev4       
,thomas ,lees1 ,m4,a41 ,wreay1          
,carlisle1 formerly ,curate of          
,greystoke1 for much help in tracing out
   birth-place1 c41 and throughout2 also
 to ,archdeacon ,cooper1 ,kendal1   for 
his prompt and full answers to my       
queries4     #g ,see ,memoirs of        
,alderman ,barnes1 edited for ,surtees  
,society by   ,w4 ,h4 ,d4 ,longstaffe1  
,esq41 of ,gateshead1 p4 #adc4 ,as ,i   
write this1   these ,memoirs are passing
 through the press2 and ,i am indebted  
to ,mr   ,longstaffe for early          
proof-sheets of the notices of ,gilpin  
contained   in the ,manuscript4 ,no     
common service is being rendered by ,mr 
,l4 and   the ,surtees ,society1 to     
,ecclesiastical ,history1 in so lovingly
 and   competently preparing these      
important memoirs1 which shed light on  

innumerable events and names1 from      
sixteenth to eighteenth centuries4   ,an
 abstract of the more interesting       
passages was published in #ahbh by      
,sir ,charles ,sharpe1 #hvo1 pp4 vii4   
and #ce4 ,i have to thank ,j4 ,hodgson  
,hinde1 ,esq41 of ,stelling ,hall1      
,stocksfield1 for this scarce pamphlet4 
#h ,see ,longstaffe's ,barnes1 as       
before4 ,the ,manuscript now belongs to 
the ,literary and ,philosophical        
,society1 ,newcastle-on-,tyne4     #i   
,so called after ,ketel1 son of ,eldred1
 son of ,ivo de ,tailbois1   first      
,baron of ,kendal1 who came over with   
,william the ,conqueror4     #aj ,canto 
vi41 stanza #cc1 #8,robin the ,devil'   
and ,col4 ,briggs4 ,see also   #8,annals
 of ,kendal1' 7#ahfa17 pp4 #ee1 #ef4    
#aa ,the ,commentator on ,philippians2  
cf4 my ,memoir of him1 prefixed   to the
 reprint of his masterly book1 p4 vii4  
,since this ,memoir was   published1 ,i 
have discovered that ,dr ,airay was son 
of ,bernard ,gilpin's   sister ,helen4  

,see the ,apostle's #8,will1' in the    
,surtees' volume of   #8,wills and      
,inventories1 from the ,registry at     
,durham1' 7#ahfj17 ,part   ,,ii41 pp4   
#hc-id4 ,so that the ,gilpins and       
,airays were related4 ,i have to   thank
 ,william ,jackson1 ,esq41 ,fleatham    
,house1 ,st ,bees1 for calling my       
attention to this4 ,it explains         
obscurities in the life of ,airay1 and  
gives a key to ,bernard ,gilpin's       
special interest in him4     #ab ,the   
,life of ,bernard ,gilpin4 ,by ,william 
,gilpin1 ,m4,a41 ,prebendary   of       
,salisbury4 ,with an ,introductory      
,essay by ,edward ,irving4 #ahbd4 ,page 
#abc4     #ac ,that is1 ,richard        
,sibbes2 ,memoir1 as before2 ,works1    
,vol4 ,i4 p4   xxxi4     #ad            
,shakespeare1 ,as you ,like it1 ii4 #g4 
#ae ,in a large quarto manuscript volume
 of #8,memoirs' of the ,gilpins1   drawn
 up by the ,prebendary of ,salisbury1   
7supra17 now before me by   the kindness
 of its possessor1 ,charles ,bernard    

,gilpin1 ,esq41 ,juniper   ,green1      
,edinburgh1 ,i find the following       
concerning the above points3   #8,he was
 the son of a younger brother1 and being
 born to no estate1   applied the first 
years of his life to the study of       
physic4 ,but   feeling a stronger       
inclination to divinity1 he laid aside  
all thoughts   of practising as a       
physician1 and changing entirely the    
course of his   studies1 he took his    
degrees in divinity2 but at what        
university1 ,i   find no account1' 7page
 #a47     #af ,see ,appendix ,b4 ,i have
 here gratefully to acknowledge the     
painstaking of ,mr ,t4 ,a4 ,eaglesim1   
,m4,a41 of ,worcester ,college1 ,oxford1
   by himself and the ,bursar of        
,queen's1 in examining every likely     
source   of information4     #ag ,see   
,appendix ,c1 for some of these4     #ah
 ,barnes' ,memoirs1 page #ada1 as       
before4 ,the ,maitland ,club            
#8,munimenta' of the ,university of     
,glasgow1 7#d vols4 #dto17 gives a      

#8,richardus ,gilpin1 ,anglus1 entered  
#aath ,january1' #agag1--none other4    
#ai ,as before1 pp4 #ada1 #adb4     #bj 
,account1 vol4 ii4 #aeg4     #ba ,the   
#8,life' of this singularly original and
 inventive ,prelate is   so scanty and  
unworthy of his fame1 that we do not    
wonder at no notice   of his ,savoy     
ministry1 or of ,gilpin as his          
assistant4 ,calamy is rarely   wrong in 
his facts4     #bb #b ,vols4 folio1     
#agjh4     #bc ,walker1 #8,sufferings1' 
page #cjf4     #bd ,ibid4     #be ,ibid4
 ,in various authorities the ground of  
,moreland's ejection   is given as      
#8ignorance and insufficiency'--whatever
 the latter may   mean2 but as ,walker1 
who is usually referred to for it1 makes
 no   such statement1 ,i have not       
adduced it4 ,it is sufficient that the  
,commissioners were picked men for      
intellect and character2 and   that     
wherever data remain1 their decisions   
are almost invariably   warranted by the
 premises4     #bf #8,a ,sermon preached

 at the ,funeral of ,mr ,john ,noble of 
,penruddock1   near ,penrith1 in        
,cumberland1 ,march #ad1 #agjg-h4 ,by   
,samuel ,audland4 ,to   which is added a
 ,postscript concerning the ,deceased1  
by another hand4'   ,london 7reprinted7 
#ahah1 pp4 #cg1 #ch4 ,the little        
#8,chapel' wherein   this ,sermon was   
preached still remains1 and has now as  
its minister   the ,rev4 ,david ,y4     
,storrar1 who occupies it as a          
mission-charge of   the ,united         
,presbyterian ,church 7of ,scotland74   
,this congregation   originated1 it is  
believed1 from those who could not      
remain in the   ,parish ,church of      
,greystoke after ,gilpin left and       
,moreland returned2   and thus is of the
 oldest of the ,presbyterian            
congregations in   ,england4 ,see above 
tractate1 whence we learn that on ,dr   
,gilpin's   #8motion1' the              
,nonconformists of ,greystoke #8called' 
another to fill   his place for them4   
,then the ,narrative continues3 #8,mr   

,anthony ,sleigh1   a native of the same
 parish1 and bred in the ,college of    
,durham1 was   obtained to become their 
minister1 and so continued about forty  
years1   though he had only slender     
pecuniary encouragements there4 ,their  
meeting was held mostly in the house of 
,john ,noble1 and sometimes   under     
covert of the night1 as ,christ's       
disciples sometimes did1' 7page   #dd47 
#bg ,as before1 pp4 #c1 #d4     #bh     
,ecclesiastical ,history of ,england1   
from the ,opening of the   ,long        
,parliament to the ,death of ,oliver    
,cromwell4 #b vols4 #hvo4 #ahfg4        
7,jackson1 ,walford1 and ,co47 ,see vol4
 ,,ii41 c4 viii41 et alibi4     #bi ,mr 
,stoughton justly speaks of the strange 
neglect of these   important ,,mss4     
#cj ,stoughton1 as before1 sub          
nominibus4     #ca ,burton's            
#8,cromwellian ,diary1' ii4 #eca1 where 
the #8,ordinance' is   given in extenso1
 with notes by the editor1 ,rutt4       
#cb ,i suspect few know this rare and   

very valuable tractate4 ,its            
title-page runs1 #8,a ,model for the    
maintaining of ,students of choice      
abilities at the ,university1 and       
principally in order to the ,ministry4  
,together with a ,preface before it1 and
 after it a ,recommendation from   the  
,university1 this bears the signatures  
of ,worthington1 ,arrowsmith1           
,tuckney1 ,whichcot1 ,ralph ,cudworth1  
and ,william ,dillingham2 and two       
serious ,exhortations1 recommended unto 
all the unfeigned lovers of   ,piety and
 ,learning1 and more particularly to    
those rich men who desire   to honour   
the ,lord with their substance4'        
#afeh-fj4 ,there is a   characteristic  
letter in it from ,baxter4     #cc      
,herbert3 ,the ,temple2 ,church-,porch4 
#cd ,here again ,i owe thanks to ,mr    
,lees of ,wreay1 as before2 also   to   
,rev4 ,david ,y4 ,storrar1 ,penruddock1 
and the present curate of   ,greystoke1 
7,mr ,raby71 for result of searching    
through the #8,registers1'   which have 

some curious entries4     #ce #8,a      
,critical and ,chronological ,history of
 the ,rise1 ,progress1   ,declension and
 ,revival of ,knowledge1 chiefly        
,religious4 ,in two   ,periods4 #a4 ,the
 ,period of ,tradition1 from ,adam to   
,moses4 #b4 ,the ,period   of ,letters1 
from ,moses to ,christ4 ,second edition4
 ,by ,henry ,winder1   ,d4,d4 ,to which 
are prefixed ,memoirs of ,dr ,winder's  
,life4 ,by ,george   ,benson1 ,d4,d4'   
,london3 #agef4 #b vols4 #dto4     #cf  
,i have left unquoted the process by    
which ,winder was 7#a47 seduced   to1   
and 7#b47 recovered from ,quakerism1    
though the reader will do well   to     
consult it4     #cg ,the #8,noble'      
,postscript says1 #8,somewhat remarkable
 happened at   his resuming the pulpit1 
which some living 7#agjh7 can tell1 but 
,i   omit it4' ,moreover1 ,morland's    
return was against the wishes of the    
parishioners3 for the narrative         
continues1 #8,after this some offered to
   put up one ,mr ,jackson in the       

pulpit3 which the contrary party did so 
violently oppose with threats to crush  
them into the earth1 that ,mr   ,jackson
 went with them to the parsonage-house1 
and preached there1'   7p4 #dc47 ,m4    
died in about a year4     #ch ,as       
before1 p4 #f4     #ci #8,a good old    
aunt of mine--mother of the present ,mr 
,fawcett of   ,scaleby ,castle--took    
particular pride in shewing a certain   
very large   room in her ,castle4 ,her  
theory was that this was one of the     
great   attractions of the place in ,dr 
,gilpin's view3 for here he would have  
room enough to preach to as many people 
as were likely to attend1 and   liberty 
also3 ,scaleby1 as she observed1 being  
at just such a distance   from ,carlisle
 as to place him beyond the operation of
 the ,conventicle   ,act4'--,charles    
,bernard ,gilpin1 ,esq41 ,juniper       
,green1 ,edinburgh4     #dj ,ibid41 p4  
#i4     #da ,that is ,james ,fawcett1   
,esq4 ,i do not know how sufficiently   
to acknowledge the courtesy and kindness

 of ,mr and ,mrs ,fawcett in            
furthering my ,gilpin inquiries4        
,besides early drawings and recent      
photographs of the ,castle and grounds1 
,i have had an ancient   unpublished    
family-volume of rare interest confided 
to me4 ,it is   entitled #8,an ,accompt 
of the most ,considerable ,estates and  
,families in   the ,county of           
,cumberland1 from the ,conquest unto the
 beginning of the   ,reign of ,k4 ,james
 the ,first4' ,the original ,,ms41 an   
inscription informs   us1 is supposed to
 have been #8writ by an ancestor of ,mr 
,denton's of   ,cardow during ye time of
 his imprisont4 7as #8tis said7 in ye   
,tower   upon a ,contest yt happ'ned to 
be betwixt him and ,dr ,robinson1 then  
,bp4 of ,carliell4' ,this #8copy' seems 
to have been taken about #afhg4 ,i      
cull the following memoranda concerning 
,scaleby from this precious   little    
volume3 #8,ye ,castle 444 took name     
first of ye buyldings there   wch they  
call ,scheales or ,scales1 more properly

 of ye ,latin word   ,scalinga1 a caban 
or cottage4 ,when ,king ,henry #ast had 
established   ,carliell ,carlisle he    
gave yt lordship unto one ,richard the  
,ryder1   whose surname was ,tylliolf1  
who first planted there habitations4    
,from   him it descended by one or two  
degrees unto ,symon ,tylliolf in ye     
later   end of ,king ,henry #b;d's tyme4
 ,his son1 ,piers ,tylliolf or ,peter1  
was   ward to ,geoffrey de ,lucy by the 
king's grant about ye tyme of ,k4 ,john4
   ,this ,geoffrey de ,lucy did bear ye 
cap of maintenance before ,k4 ,richard  
#ast at his coronation4 ,sr4 ,peter de  
,tilliol1 kt41 son of ,sr4 ,robt41      
dyed1 ,a4,d4 #adcd3 #ac ,henr4 #f1      
having enjoyed his estate #fg years4 ,he
   had issue one son who dyed without   
issue in #adce1 when the estates   were 
divided between two sisters and         
co-heirs1 ,isabella and ,margaret4      
,isabella had married one ,john         
,colville1 and his son ,wm4 succeeded   
and   died #adgi1 leaving two daughters1

 ,phillis and ,margaret4 ,the eldest    
was married to ,wm4 ,musgrave4          
,margaret1 the #b;d daughter1 married to
   ,nicholas ,musgrave1 and transferred 
,scaleby1 ,haydon1 and other ,lands to  
his posterity4 ,sr4 ,edwd4 ,musgrave1   
,kt41 son of ,wm41 married ,katherine   
,penruddock3 he built or repaired part  
of ye ,castle at ,scaleby ,a4,d4        
#afjf4444 ,sir ,wm4 ,edwd4 ,musgrave1   
,bart41 of ,nova ,scotia1 who afterwards
   suffering great losses on ye account 
of his faithful service to ,k4          
,charles ,i and ,k4 ,charles ye #b;d1 he
 was forced to dismember a great   part 
of his estate4 ,he sold ,kirklevington  
to ,edmund ,appelby1 ,houghton   to     
,arthur ,forster1 ,richardby to         
,cuthbert ,studholm1 and ,scaleby to    
,richard ,gilpin1 who now #afhg enjoys  
ye same together wth ,richardby1   wch  
he also purchased of ,michael ,studholm1
 fil ,cuthberti1' p4 #dcb4   ,on        
,scaleby1 cf4 pp4 #dbi-dce4 ,there are  
similar interesting notices   of        

,greystoke1 or ,graystock1 or           
,graistock1 which is explained to mean  
#8a badger1' cf4 pp4 #caa-cae1 going    
back with old lore to ,syolf1 and       
,phorne1 and ,ranulph in the days of the
 #ast ,henry1 on to the ,dacres1   and  
,norfolks1 and ,arundel4 ,scaleby       
,castle has been much enlarged1         
together with the ,estates1 and the     
visitor of the district will find   it a
 delightful pilgrimage4 ,the older trees
 are all the more venerable   that one  
knows ,dr ,gilpin himself #8planted'    
them4     ,to shew the way ,royalists   
suffered themselves to speak of even so 
#8moderate' and so inestimable a man as 
our ,worthy1 simply because he          
continued conscientiously a             
,nonconformist at enormous sacrifices1  
,i add here a quotation from the        
#8,county' ,history3 ,n4 and ,b4's      
,westmoreland and ,cumberland1 as       
before1 vol4 ii4 p4 #dei3 #8,scaleby3   
,mr   ,sandford--in the true spirit of  
those times--speaking of ,scaleby1 says1

   8,it was sometime the estate of ,sir 
,edward ,musgrave of ,hayton1 baronet2  
but now sold to ,mr ,gilpin1 a quondam  
preacher of the fanatical   parliament1 
and his wife1 ,mr ,brisco's daughter1 of
 ,crofton1 brethren   of confusion in   
their brains2 knew what they would not  
have1 but knew   not what they would    
have1 if they might chuse40' ,this      
#8reviling' is   ,high ,church charity2 
and it is wondered at that              
,nonconformists retort   sharply when   
occasion offers4     #db ,as before1 pp4
 #f1 #g4     #dc #8,life' of ,,bernard  
,,gilpin1 as before1 p4 #abh1 seq4 ,the 
coincidence is certainly striking of the
 double offer1 at the distance   of     
fully a century1 of a bishopric1 and the
 same bishopric1 to two   ,gilpins1 and 
a double declinature and actualisation  
of the #8nolo   episcopari4' ,this and  
even more remarkable1 because more      
intricate   and manifold1 repetitions1  
in the ,lives of the elder and younger  
,edwards of ,america1 ,cf4 ,memoir of   

the latter1 prefixed to his ,works1     
,vol4 i4 pp4 xxxiii1 xxxiv4 ,andover1   
,u4,s4 #ahdb4 have been turned to       
excellent account in refuting the       
so-called objections of scepticism   and
 rationalism to the repetition of the   
incidents and miracles and   sayings of 
the ,lord in the ,gospels4     #dd      
,further on1 and in his epitaph1 we     
shall find allusions to the   declined  
bishopric1 as having greatly added to   
the influence of ,dr   ,gilpin1 as the  
acceptance of one by ,reynolds          
neutralised even his   worth1 and stains
 his memory indelibly4     #de ,as      
before1 pp4 #i-aa4     #df ,for         
information on ,hammond1 consult        
,calamy1 ,palmer1 ,longstaffes'         
,barnes1 as before1 and the different   
,newcastle #8,histories1' c4     #dg    
#8,peace and ,holiness3 in ,three       
,sermons upon ,several ,occasions4' ,by 
,ignatius ,fuller1 of ,sherrington1     
,bucks1 #afgb1 #abmo1 pp4 #c1 #d1 #f1   
#h4     #dh ,surtees ,society3 edited by

 ,raine1 #ahfa1 pp4 #agb-agd4     #di   
,bourne's #8,newcastle1' s4n4     #ej   
,quoted by ,villari1 ,vita di           
,savonarola1 vol4 ii41 lib4 iv4 cap4 #f3
   cf4 ,trollope's ,florence1 iv4 #agh1 
#agi4     #ea ,carlyle's ,cromwell1 vol4
 iv4 #aea-aec4     #eb ,barnes1 as      
before1 p4 #adb4 ,besides authorities   
already named1   ,i am under obligation 
to ,dr ,bruce 7author of #8,the ,roman  
,wall'7 for   ,turner's #8,sketch' of   
his ,church in ,newcastle2 also to ,mr  
,james   ,clephan1 ,newcastle1 for his  
valuable ,paper1 #8,nonconformity in    
,newcastle ,two ,hundred ,years ,ago4'  
,a new edition of the latter will       
doubtless correct certain inadvertencies
 and misprints in an otherwise          
well-timed and vigorous tractate4       
#ec ,i must cordially acknowledge my    
obligation to ,sir ,james ,y4           
,simpson1 ,bart41 ,m4,d41 for putting me
 in communication with the ,leyden      
,professor4     #ed ,copies of this     
#8,disputatio1' which ,gilpin must have 

neglected to   deposit in ,leyden1 will 
be found in the ,bodleian and in the    
,british   ,museum #8,libraries4'       
#ee ,as before1 p4 #adb4     #ef        
,raine's #8,depositions' as before3     
foot-note by ,mr ,longstaffe1   pp4     
#agb1 #agc4 ,theologically1 ,william    
,durant was unquestionably              
evangelically orthodox1 and in no sense1
 save that the ,church-property   is    
held by the ,unitarians1 can he be      
called the #8founder' of their   ,church
 in ,newcastle4 ,by the same plea       
,matthew ,henry of ,chester1   and      
scores of others1 might be claimed as   
#8,founders' of ,unitarian              
congregations4 ,i state this simply as  
matter-of-fact1 and not                 
controversially4 ,i may observe that    
,gilpin's #8,letter' to ,stratton       
7onwards7 more probably indicates the   
commencement of the ,unitarian          
#8separation4'     #eg ,see ,calamy1 and
 authorities1 as before4     #eh ,this  
,sermon1 from some unexplained cause1 is

 extremely rare and   high-priced4 ,i   
was indebted to ,mr ,wilson1 ,tunbridge 
,wells1 for a copy4     #ei ,account1 p4
 #eg4     #fj ,given in #8,a ,brief     
,history of ,protestant ,nonconformists1
 and   of the ,society assembling in the
 ,old ,meeting-house1 ,high ,street1    
,stockton1 #ahef1' by ,rev4 ,j4         
,richmond1 p4 #af4 ,mr ,clephan of      
,stockton   was good enough to send me  
this careful little volume4     #fa     
,turner1 in giving the above extract1   
misled by #afii1 imagines   it must     
refer to some other ,dr ,gilpin4 ,he    
forgot that the year did   not begin    
then until ,march #be2 so that1 while   
under our reckoning it   was #agjj1     
under the old it was #afii2 and hence   
the marking until the   change of the   
going and coming year1 e4g41 #afii-agjj4
     #fb ,i have to thank ,mr ,clephan1 
as before1 for getting me this4     #fc 
#8,the ,worthy of ,ephratah1' #afei1    
#abmo1 pp4 #df1 #dg4     #fd ,mr ,pell1 
as before4     #fe ,mr ,manlove1 as     

before4     #ff ,mr ,calvert4     #fg   
,dr ,gilpin4     #fh ,job4     #fi      
,prsidium et decus meum4     #gj        
#8,satan's ,temptations4'     #ga ,the  
,bishoprick of ,c---- le4     #gb ,a    
,journal of the ,life of ,thomas ,story3
 containing an ,account of   his        
remarkable ,convincement of and         
,embracing of the ,principles of        
,truth as held by the people called     
,quakers3 and also of his ,travels   and
 ,labours in the ,service of the        
,gospel3 with many other ,occurrences   
and ,observations4                      
,newcastle-upon-,tyne1 printed by ,isaac
 ,thompson and   ,company1 at the ,new  
,printing ,office on the ,side4         
,,mdccxlvii4 ,apart   from the light    
under which everything is seen1 this    
book is a perfect   repertory of facts  
on the moral and religious condition of 
our country   at the period4 ,there are 
innumerable sketches of persons and     
places of   mark all over ,north and    
,south1 given with a transparent naivet 

and   occasional raciness of wording    
that is very taking4 ,story continued to
   be received on the most friendly     
terms by the ,gilpins1 and by sons and  
daughters after ,dr ,gilpin himself was 
dead4 ,cf4 pp4 #dgj-dgc4     #gc ,it may
 be well to give in a foot-note ,story's
 account of   another and later visit to
 ,dr ,gilpin3--#8,the same evening ,i   
visited   ,dr ,richard ,gilpin1 formerly
 mentioned1 having still a great respect
   for him and all his family4 ,he was  
an eminent physician and preacher       
among the ,presbyterians at ,newcastle2 
to which place he had removed   from    
,cumberland after the ,revolution4 ,and 
with him also ,i had some   discourse   
about matters of religion2 in which he  
discovered more   passion and prejudice 
than became his high profession or      
years1 and   could not bear any         
contradiction4 ,but ,i advised him to   
beware of that   spirit1 for it wanted  
mortification3 and this ,i did in a calm
 and   respectful mind1 which reached   

the better part in him1 and brought   it
 over the evil2 and then ,i left him in 
a loving temper4 ,for though   he was   
naturally high1 and the most eminent and
 celebrated preacher   of that          
profession in the ,north1 and from his  
very early days deeply   prejudiced1 and
 almost envious1 against ,friends1 yet  
he heard me with   more patience--though
 that was little--than he ever did any  
other4'--,p4   #ajj4     #gd ,by the    
favour of ,mr ,nichol ,i have had one   
hundred large-paper   copies of this    
edition of #8,dmonologia ,sacra' thrown 
off--quarto3 and   prefixed is the      
portrait of ,gilpin1 and a fac-simile of
 a portion of   this manuscript4     #ge
 ,vide ,leigh ,critica ,sacra4 ,quarto1 
#afej1 c4--,g4     #gf ,the accuser of  
the brethren3 ,rev4 xii4 #aj2 ,gen4 iii4
 #c2 ,job i4     #gg ,quia inordinatam  
excellentiam affectando1 ordinatam      
amiserunt1   ideo de aliorum excellentia
 dolebant1 et ad eam oppugnandam        
maliciose   ferebantur4--,am4 ,med4 lib4

 i4 cap4 #aa4 ,amesius #8,medulla       
,theologica1'   #afbg4 #hvo4--,g4       
#gh ,vide ,pool #8,synop4' in loc4      
#gi ,quid inter se distant quatuor ista 
vocabula1 dicant qui   possunt1 si tamen
 possunt probare qu dicunt2 ego me ista 
ignorare   confiteor4--,enchirid4 ad    
,laurent41 cap4 #eh4     #hj ,instit41  
lib4 i4 cap4 #ad1 sec4 #h4     #ha ,ps4 
xvii4 #ad2 ,luke xv4 #ab1 and xvi4      
#be4--;,g4     #hb 1 ,arrowsmith1       
,tract4 ,sacr41 lib4 ii4 cap4 #h1 sec4  
#c4     #hc ,lib4 ii41 ,enchir41 cap4   
#eh4     #hd ,panst41 vol4 ii4 lib4 ix4 
cap4 #aa4 ,daniel ,chamier1 author of   
,de   cumenico ,pontificio4 ,died       
#afba4--;,g4     ,footnote #he3         
,sclater1 in loc4     #hf3 ,calvin      
,instit41 lib4 i4 cap4 #ad1 sec4        
#h4--;,as before1 see sec4   #e-i4--;,g4
     #h ,bayne on ,eph4 vi4 #ab4     #hh
 ,bayne1 ,ibid4     #hi ,calvin1 in loc4
     #ij   1 ,eph4 vi4 #ab4     #ia     
,hierozoicon1 part #a4     #ib          
,principaliter ad ,diabolum referenda   

est calliditas4     #ic ,cognitio       
,vespertina et ,matutina4 ,barth4       
,sybill otium ,theol4 p4   #cfa4 ,aug4  
in #c ,gen4 et ,civitat4 ,dei41 lib4 xi4
 cap4 #bi4 ,dr ,jenison's   #8,height of
 ,israel's ,idolatry1' p4 #ca4 ,ipsam   
creaturam melius ibi1 hoc   est1 in     
sapientia ,dei1 tanquam in arte qua     
facta est1 quam in ea ipsa              
sciunt4--,aug41 ,civit4 ,dei41 ibid4    
#id 1 1 4     #ie 1 4     #if ,query1   
#8immanent'8--,,ed4     #ig ,dr         
,jenison's #8,height of ,israel's       
,idolatry1' p4 #ce4 ,vide   ,godwin's   
#8,child of ,light1' p4 #fe4     #ih    
,quest4 ,peregrinarum p4 #cib4 ,dmones  
cognoscunt cogitationes   nostras1      
quantum ad subjectum1 objectum et       
affectum1 non autem quantum   ad finem4 
,sciunt quid cogitamus1 sed ignorant ad 
quem finem4     #ii ,deprehendas animi  
tormenta latentia ex grotorum facie4    
,spe   tacens vocem verbaque vultus     
habet4     #ajj ,invictus eris          
,alexander4--,plutarch in vit           

,alexandri4     #aja ,non non superabit 
,gallus ,apulum4 ,ibis redibis nunquam  
per bella   peribis4     #ajb ,scot1    
#8,discovery of ,witchcraft1' lib4 vi4  
cap4 #a4     #ajc ,antiq4 lib4 iv4 cap4 
#h4     #ajd ,here quotations are given 
somewhat imperfectly and inaccurately   
from ,ovid and ,virgil4 ,the following  
are correct3--     #8,non facient ut    
vivat amor ,medeides herb ,mistaque cum 
magicis venena   ,marsa ,sonis4' ,ovid1 
,art4 ,amand41 ii4 #ih1 #ii4     #8,has 
herbas atque hc ,ponto mihi lecta       
venena4 ,ipse dedit ,mris3   nascuntur  
plurima ,ponto4 ,his ego spe lupum fieri
 et se condere silvis   ,mrim1 spe      
animas imis excire sepulchris4' ,virgil1
 ,bucol4 ,ecl4 viii4     1 philtrum1 et 
magicas actiones qu in imaginibus1 et   
characteribus1 certis verbis1 ac        
similibus consistunt1 significat4       
,unde pharmaceutria appellatur1         
,idyllium ii4 ,theocriti et ,eclog4     
viii4   ,virgilii4 ,et ,antiquos etiam  
vocabulum 1 pro omni veneficii   genere1

 quo vel hominibus1 vel jumentis1 vel   
frugibus1 seu carmine1   seu aliis modis
 nocetur1 accipere1 manifeste patet ex  
,platone1 lib4   x4 de ,legibus4 ,et    
apud ,aristot4 ,hist4 ,animal41 cap4    
#be1    nominantur4 ,et ,apocal41 cap4  
#ah1  pro prstigiis et impostura        
sumitur4--,dan ,sennert41 tom4 iii4 lib4
 vi4 part #i4 cap #b4     #aje ,fuller1 
,pisg4 ,sight41 lib4 iv4 cap4 #g1 p4    
#abh4 ,maimonides4   ,vide ,pool1 in    
loc4     #ajf ,godwin's ,jewish ,antiq41
 lib4 iv4 cap4 #dj1 ,pool1 in loc4      
#ajg ,witchcraft is reckoned as distinct
 from murder in ,gal4 v4 #bj1 #ba4      
#ajh ,scot ,witchcraft1 lib4 vi4 cap4   
#b4     #aji ,hobbes' ,leviath41 cap4   
ii4 p4 #g4     #aaj ,tenison1 ,hobbes'  
,creed ,exam4 ,art4 #d1 p4 #fc4         
,tenison1 ,archbishop   of ,canterbury3 
#8,the ,creed of ,mr 7,thomas7 ,hobbes  
,examined4' ,london1   #afgj1 #hvo4--,g4
     #aaa ,baxter3 #8,sin against the   
,holy ,ghost1' p4 #hc4 ,j4 ,glanvil3    
#8,considerations of ,witchcraft1' p4   

#f4 ,tenison against ,hobbes1 ,art4 #d1 
p4 #ei4     #aab ,vide ,epist4 ,d4      
,balthasaris ,han4 ,m4,d4 in calce1 tom4
 iii4   ,oper4 ,dan4 ,sennerti de fmina 
fascinat in cujis cute1 liter ,n4,b4    
not ,crucis   capite ad calcem1 cum     
astronomicorum et chymicorum            
characteribus1 ros figura in dextra et  
trifolii in sinistr   artificios picta  
cum ,anno ,christi #afce1 cor servatoris
 telis   transfixum1 et imago stulti1   
cum verbo ,germanico ,narr1             
procumbebant4   ,dr ,more4 ,mr ,baxter  
ut supra4 ,dan4 ,sennertus1 tom4 iii4   
lib4 vi4   par4 #i2 varias historias    
enumerat de morbis incantatione         
inductis4 ,ex4   ,jo4 ,langio1 ,alex4   
,benedicto1 ,cornel4 ,gemm1 ,foresto1 et
 aliis4     #aac ,helmont4 ,magnet4     
,vuln4 ,cura41 sec4 #hg4     #aad ,dr   
,more3--,death consists not so much in  
an actual separation of   soul and body 
as in the indisposition and unfitness of
 the body for   vital union4 ,what is   
the meaning else of that expression1    

#8,whether in   the body or out of the  
body ,i cannot tell1' except the soul   
may be   separated from the body without
 death8--,j4 ,glanvil1 #8,witchcraft1'  
pp4   #ae1 #ah4     #aae ,helmont1 ubi  
supra4 ,avicenna2 vide ,barthol4        
,sybilla42 ,perig4   ,qust1 p4 #dja4    
,nescio quis teneros oculos1 c4         
,glanvil1 #8,witchcraft1'   p4 #bd2     
,helmont1 ut supra1 sec4 #ajb4 ,satan   
itaque vim magicam hanc   excitat 7secus
 dormientem et scientia exterioris      
hominis impeditam7 in   suis            
mancipiis4--,glanvil1 #8,witchcraft1' p4
 #ah4     #aaf ,polanus1 #afcb4     #aag
 ,thomas ,aquinas ,cont4 ,gent41 lib4   
iii4 cap4 #aja1 cited by   ,sclater on  
#b ,thes4 ii4 #i4 #dto1 #afbg1 pp4 #adh1
 #adi4--;,g4     #aah ,sclater1 in loc4 
#aai ,magia ,naturalis1 lib4 ii4 cap4   
#ag4     #abj ,calvin1 in loc4     #aba 
,civit4 ,dei1 lib4 xviii4 cap4 #ah4     
#abb ,de ,civit4 ,dei1 lib4 xxi4 cap4   
#e1 #f4     #abc ,plin41 lib4 xxviii4   
#abd ,vide ,l4 ,vives ,comment4 in lib4 

xxi4 cap4 #f4 ,de ,civit4 ,dei4     #abe
 ,determinata activa ad determinata     
passiva applicando4     #abf ,tho41     
,cajetan1 ,delrio4     #abg ,barth4     
,sybilla ,pereg4 ,qust41 p4 #cgb4       
#abh ,rivetus4     #abi ,scot4          
#8,witchcraft1' lib4 vii4 cap4 #ab4     
#acj ,vide ,pool ,synops4 in loc4       
#aca ,vide ,clark's ,lives4 #8,the      
,lives of ,thirty-two ,english          
,divines4' ,folio4 #afgg4 #c;d ed4 p4   
#fga1 seq4--,g4     #acb ,god of a fly1 
or fly-god4--,g4     #acc ,de ,civit4   
,dei1 lib4 xviii4 cap4 #eb4     #acd    
,tertul4 ,apolog41 cap4 #i4     #ace    
,purchas1 ,pilgrim41 part i4 lib4 viii4 
cap4 #aj4     #acf ,idem1 part i4 lib4  
v4 cap4 #aa4     #acg ,iphigenia        
,sacrificata1 de qua4444 ,sanguine      
placastis ventos et   virgine           
csa4--,virg4 ,plut4 ,paral41 cap4 #ff4  
#ach ,godwyn1 #8,moses and ,aaron1' lib4
 iii4 cap4 #h4     #aci ,his            
#8,pilgrimage2 or1 ,relations of the    
,world and the ,religions   observed in 

all ,ages1' #afad1 folio2 and his       
#8,pilgrimes1' #e vols4   folio1        
#afbe-bf4--;,g4     #adj ,lightfoot on  
,acts vii4 #dc4     #ada ,godwyn1       
#8,moses and ,aaron1' lib4 iv4 cap4 #b4 
#adb ,on the ,via ,flaminia3 ,aur4      
,vict4 de ,viris ,illustr4 cap4 #bg1    
sec4   #h3 ,tacitus1 ,ann4 xiii4        
#dg4--;,g4     #adc ,purchas1 ,pilgr41  
part i4 lib4 v4 cap4 #aa1 e4g41         
,juggernath in   ,india4--,g4     #add  
,pro vita hominum nisi vita hominis     
reddatur1 non posse deorum   numen      
placari1 arbitrantur4--,jean d',espan41 
i4e41 ,john ,despagne4   #8,popular     
,errors' in the ,knowledge of ,religion4
 ,london1 #afdh1 #hvo4--,g4   cap4 #ah4 
#ade ,vide ,lud4 ,capel4 de voto ,jepht1
 ac corban4--,g4 sec4 #i4   ,vide ,pool 
,synops4 ,crit4 on #b ,kings iii4 #bg4  
#adf ,purchas1 ,pilgr41 part i4 lib4 v4 
cap4 #af4     #adg ,purchas1 ibid4      
#adh ,diod4 ,siculus1 ,biblioth41 lib4  
xx4 ,lod4 ,vives on ,aug4 ,de ,civ4     
,dei1 lib4 vii4 cap4 #ai4     #adi      

,purifying sacrifices for the manes of  
the dead1 offered in   ,february4--,g4  
#aej #8,astonishment4'--,g4     #aea    
,porphyrius1 lib4 ii4 ,de ,abstinent4   
,plutarch4 ,lod4 ,vives in ,aug4   ,de  
,civ4 ,dei1 lib4 viii4 cap4 #ac4        
#aeb #8,alive4'--,g4     #aec           
,wonder-working ,providences for ,new   
,england1 lib4 i4 cap4   #aj4     #aed  
#8,ingenuousness4'--,g4     #aee ,the   
,peripatetics4 ,porphyrius4 ,augustine1 
,de ,civ4 ,dei1 ib4 x4   cap4 #aa4      
,galen4     #aef ,cassius ad ,brutum ex 
,plutarch1 in vita ,bruti4     #aeg     
,vide ,spanheim1 ,dub4 ,evang4 part iii4
 dub4 #bi4     #aeh ,lib4 ii4 de ,bello 
,jud4 c4 #g1    1   '       4     #aei  
,fuit illa quidem olim ,sadducorum      
opinio1 per angelos nihil   designari   
quam vel motus quos ,deus hominibus     
aspirat1 vel ea qu edit   virtutis su   
specimina4--,instit41 lib4 i4 cap4 #ad1 
sec4 #i4     #afj ,diodati3 his         
#8,notes' were published in ,english1   
#affd1 folio1 and   in various lesser   

forms4--,g4     #afa ,hobbes ,lev41 cap4
 #cd1 pp4 #bab1 #bad4     #afb ,dr      
,more's #8,mystery of ,godliness1' lib4 
iv4 cap4 #f1 sec4 #aj4     #afc ,lib4 i4
 p4 #he1 on ,john x4 #bj4     #afd      
,mede1 #8,apost4 ,latter ,times1' p4    
#ai4 ,august4 ,de ,civ4 ,dei1 lib4   ix4
 cap4 #aa1 #ai4     #afe ,vide ,barlow1 
,exer4 ,metaph41 ,exer4 #b4 ,flac4      
,script4 ,tract4 #f1   p4 #dgi4     #aff
 ,manton on ,james i4 #ad4     #afg     
,voluntas sequitur ultimum dictamen     
intellectus practici4     #afh ,james i4
 #bb1 #bi1  4     #afi 4 ,thus ,satan1  
,jude #i1 disputed1 urged sophisms about
 the   body of ,moses--4     #agj   4444
     4    dicit qui avaritia vel aliis  
malis artibus lucra comparat4--,beza4   
#aga ,vide ,capel4 ,temp41 p4 #bg2      
,will4 ,paris in ,ames ,cas4 ,consc41   
lib4 ii4 cap4 #ai2 ,goodwin1 ,child of  
,light1 p4 #dg2 ,caryl on ,job i4 #ad4  
,all are volunteers2 he never constrains
 any1 neither can he2 the will   is     
never forced by him1 neither can it be4 

#agb   4     #agc ,calv4 ,instit41 lib4 
iii4 cap4 #bj1 sec4 #df4     #agd       
,capel4 ,temptations1 p4 #bf4 #afce1    
#abmo4--,g4     #age ,caryl1 in loc4    
#agf  circumspexit1 lustravit4--,metaph4
     #agg ,child of ,light1 p4 #de4 ,as 
before4--,g4     #agh ,vide ,pool3      
,synops4 in loc4     #agi ,dr ,goodwin1 
#8,child of ,light4' ,as before4--,g4   
#ahj ,manton1 in loc4     #aha          
,descartes1 ,ant4 le grand1 ,philosoph4 
,vet41 c4     #ahb ,spectavit1 clamavit1
 exarsit1 abstulit inde secum insaniam  
qua   stimularetur redire1 c4     #ahc  
,spelled #8precipated1' which is noted  
as a transition-form found              
elsewhere4--,g4     #ahd ,vide ,calvin1 
in loc4     #ahe ,burton's ,melanch41   
part i4 sec4 #b1 p4 #ic4 ,reynold's     
,treat4 of   ,passions1 cap4 #d4        
#ahf ,reynolds1 ,ibid4     #ahg ,vide   
,fenner1 #8,treatise of ,affections4'   
,j4 ,f4 ,senault of   ,passions1 p4 #cj4
     #ahh ,ego autem seram              
immortalitatem precor regi4444 ,hominem 

consequitur aliquando1 nunquam comitatur
 divinitas4--,curt41 lib4 viii4     #ahi
 ,immoderata animi concitatione impulsus
 444 facinus crudele et   nefarium      
commisit4444 ,iracundia 444 velut       
tyrannus1 omnia suo metu   gubernans1   
ruptis habensi1 et jugo rationis        
excusso1 gladios inique   contra omnes  
distrinxit4--,theod4 ,hist4 ,eccles41   
lib4 v4 p4 #ehg4     #aij ,fenner1      
,epistle ,dedicatory to #8,mystery of   
,saving ,grace4'     #aia ,vide ,dyke1  
#8,deceitfulness of the ,heart1' p4     
#aci1 c4     #aib #8,arguing'  to       
maintain a thing against                
contradiction4--,g4     #aic ,capel1    
#8,temptations1' as before4--,g4        
#aid ,query1 #8steams'8--,,ed4     #aie 
,as ,absalom his servants watched when  
,amnon's heart was merry   with wine4   
#aif ,greenham's ,works1 p4 #gic4       
#aig ,greenham1 p4 #gif1 as before4--,g4
     #aih ,syntag41 part4 i4 disput4 #b4
 ,thes4 #bj-bb4     #aii ,arrowsmith1   
,tact4 ,sacr41 lib4 i4 cap4 #e1 sec4 #i4

     #bjj ,rutherford1 #8,divine        
,influences4'     #bja ,horace3 ,ser4 i4
 #e1 #ajj4--;,g4     #bjb ,josephus     
cont4 ,apion1 lib4 vi4 cap4 #b4 ,more   
accurately3 for   the former about the  
,grecians1 lib4 ii4 cap4 #h2 about the  
ass-head1   lib4 ii4 cap4 #g2 and about 
sabatosis  buboes1 lib4 ii4 cap4 #b4    
,the   writings of ,apion against the   
,jews1 except in the fragments preserved
   by ,josephus1 have perished4--,g4    
#bjc ,jos4 cont4 ,apion1 lib4 i4 sec4   
#cd4--;,g4     #bjd ,greenham1 p4 #ce1  
as before4--,g4     #bje ,theod4        
,eccles4 ,historia4     #bjf ,greenham1 
p4 #ce1 as before4--,g4     #bjg ,query1
 #8most part'8--,,ed4     #bjh          
#8,ingenuousness4'--,g4     #bji ,vide  
,clark's ,lives4 ,as before4--,g4       
#baj ,deus est prima veritas            
essentialis1 verbum ,dei prima veritas  
normalis4--,mac4 ,distinc4 ,theol4 cap4 
i4 ,the quotation is from the           
posthumous work of ,maccovius           
#8,distinctiones et ,regulas            

,theologicas et   ,philosophicas4'      
,amstel3 #afef1 and various subsequent  
editions4--,g4     #baa   1 '   4       
,transcriber's ,note3 probably a        
misquote of     ,aristotle's ,physics1  
book #a4       1 '       8,one absurd   
thing being granted1 others follow0     
#bab ,si ,wittenbergenees admittant     
universalem gratiam1 ,huberiani         
introducent universalem electionem1     
,pucciani fidem naturalem1   naturalist 
explodent ,christum et                  
scripturas4--,prid41 ,lect4 iii4 p4     
#cd4 ,the ,lectiones #8,theologic' of   
,john ,prideaux3 ,oxon4 #afea1 c4--,g4  
#bac ,consid4 ,th4 ,soc4 ,proemial1 p4  
#fe4     #bad ,excitata a ,luthero      
bestia apocalyptica1 et non irritata    
tantum1   sed sauciata multorum         
venabulis1 ultimum fere omnium bonorum  
judicio1   efflasset spiritum1 nisi     
spiritus isti inauspicati tam heroicos  
distraxissent et retardassent           
impetus4--,prideaux1 ,orat4 de ,spir4   
,seduct41 p4 #ie4 ,as before4--,g4      

#bae ,melch4 ,adam4 in vita ,theol4     
#baf ,query1 #8ways'8--,,ed4     #bag   
#8,discourse of the ,idolatry of the    
,church of ,rome4' ,works4 #agaj4   #f  
vols41 folio4--,g4     #bah #8,pickeer' 
in ,spanish means to #8rob or pillage2' 
a #8gipsy' in   ,english dialect ,sussex
 is called a #8picker' or tramp1 e4g41  
,shakespeare1 ,hamlet1 iii4 #b4--;,g4   
#bai ,see the story of ,mr ,coppinger4  
#bbj ,fascinatio est spiritus impostoris
 vehementior operatio1 qua   noxium     
aliquem errorem in dogmate vel          
praxi--doctrin san contrarium1   sed    
sophisticis prstigiis depictum--pro     
veritate incautis hominibus   obtendit1 
iisque efficaciter persuadet1 ut errorem
 eum confidenter   amplectantur1 strenu 
defendant1 et zelo1 non secundum ,deum1 
propagant4--,dickson1 ,therapeut4       
,sacra1 lib4 iii4 cap4 #g4     #bba 1   
,grammaticis dictum esse placet quasi 1 
id est1     1 quo pertinet illud1       
,virg41 ec4 iii4 ,nescio   quis teneros1
 c4 ,vide ,piscator1 in loc41 and       

,leigh4 ,crit4 ,sac4     #bbb ,neque    
tantum quod se decipi passi fuerint eos 
arguit1 sed   quadam veluti magica      
incantatione deludi4--,calvin1 in loc4  
mente alienati--eorum lapsum magis      
dementi esse quam stultiti1             
arguens4--,calvin4     #bbc     1    4  
#bbd ,sclater1 in loc4 #afbg4 #dto4--,g4
     #bbe #8,imaginative4'--,g4     #bbf
 ,licet ei 7,deo concedente7 species1   
imagines et simulacra rerum   falsarum  
effingere in imaginaria hominum         
facultate1 ita ut falsa pro   veris eis 
demonstrentur1 deinde potest incendere  
atque inflammare   appetitum eorum ad ea
 incredibili alacritate prdicanda1 c4   
,pet4   ,martyr1 in loc4 ,reynolds1     
,treat4 of ,passions1 chap4 #d1 p4 #bg1 
as   before4--,g4     #bbg ,ferunt      
quendam nomine ,montanum--spiritu quodam
 maligno abripi1   et de repente furore 
et mentis insania exagitatum bacchari2  
atque mox   non solum temere garrire1   
sed peregrinas quasdem voces fundere et 
prophetare--,nonnulli illum tanquam     

insano spiritu prditum1 dmonio          
agitatum increpabant4 ,ita ,christopher4
 interp4 ,euseb4 ,histor4   ,eccles41   
lib4 v4 cap4 #ae4     #bbh ,baxter's    
#8,confession of ,faith1' p4 #c1 in the 
margin1 #afee4   #dto4--,g4     #bbi    
,see his story called the #8,quaker     
,shaken4'     #bcj ,plura nescio quam   
scio4--,epist4 #aai1 cap4 #ba4 ,melch4  
,adam in vita4     #bca ,d',espagne1    
,popular ,errors1 sec4 #b1 cap4 #ab4 ,as
 before4--,g4     #bcb ,query1          
#8unanswerable'8--,,ed4     #bcc        
,d',espagne1 ,popular ,errors1 sec4 #b1 
chap4 #d4 ,as before4--,g     #bcd ,m4  
,anthony de ,dominis1 who became ,dean  
of ,windsor4 ,died #afbd4--;,g4     #bce
 ,see the narration called #8,the ,false
 ,jew4'     #bcf ,see the book called   
#8,wonder-working ,providence for ,new  
,england4'     #bcg ,savonarola1        
#8,triumph4 ,crucis1' lib4 ii4 cap4 #b1 
i4e41 #8,de   ,veritate ,fidei4'        
,florent4 #adig4 ,folio4--,g4     #bch  
,as ,ibis a scarabeo accipitris         

pulchritudinem participat2 by   which   
they signified the moon borrowing its   
light from the sun4     #bci            
#8,concealed4'--,g4     #bdj ,whitaker1 
,def4 lit4 sententia adv4 ,durum41 lib4 
ii4 p4 #hh4   ,parum a docta quadam     
insania discrepat4 ,the title of this   
famous book   is as follows3            
#8,responsionis ad ,decem illas         
,rationes1 quibus fretus   ,edmundus    
,campianus certamen ,ecclesi ,anglican  
ministris obtulit in   causa fidei4     
,defensio contra ,confutationem4        
,joannis ,duri1 ,scoti1   ,presbyteri1  
,jesuit4 ,london1 #aehc1 #hvo4 ,richard 
,stock translated the   #8,controversy1'
 #afjf1 #dto4--,g4     #bda ,vide ,lumen
 ,chymieum ,crollii ,basil4 ,chymic1 in 
prefatione4   ,glauber de signatura     
,salium1 p4 #ca1 #ch4     #bdb ,lud4    
,cappelli1 ,spec4 in ,eph4 vi4 #ai4     
,spicilegio post messem 444   ,geneva1  
#afcb1 #dto4--,g4     #bdc ,it is       
painful to find ,gilpin thus            
indiscriminately condemning   ,john     

,tauler's #8,theologia ,germanica3'     
which1 by ,miss ,winkworth's   recent   
translation1 has entered on a new lease 
of deserved   popularity4--,g4     #bdd 
,dr ,stillingfleet1 #8,idolatry of the  
,church of ,rome4'     #bde ,dicas eos  
mera tonitrua sonare1 nam communi       
sermone spreto1   exoticum nescio quid  
idioma sibi fingunt1 visi sunt suos     
discipulos   supra clum rapere4--,calvin
 in ,jude #ac4     #bdf                 
#8,out-contradicted' or #8argued4'--,g4 
#bdg #8,devoted1'  over-attached4--,g4  
#bdh #8,talk1' or #8report4'--,g4       
#bdi ,acontius' #8,stratagema ,satan1'  
lib4 viii4 p4 #djf1 ,oxon4 #afca4       
#hvo4--,g4     #bej ,jerome1            
,theophylact1 ,lyra1 c4     #bea ,atque 
hac ratione seducta est1 astu ,satan1   
innumera hominum   multitudo1 qu ut viam
 vit ambularet1 arctam illam ingressa   
est1 qu   instinctu ,satan per humanas  
est ad-inventiones inducta1 maxime eorum
   qui in monasteriis vixerunt4 ,postea 
quam vidit ,satan viam suam qu   ad     

mortem ducit1 traduci1 e qud sit lata1  
et quod multi per illam   ambulent1     
cpissentque quidam arctam et strictam   
qurere1 qu non   tereretur  multis1     
callido consilio effecit1 ut pro vera   
via vit1   arriperetur ea1 qu quidem    
esset stricta via1 ver vit non esset1   
c4--,musculus in ,mat4 vii4 #ac4 #aedh4 
,folio4--,g4     #beb ,purchas' ,pilg41 
lib4 i4 cap4 #aj1 out of ,eusebius1 as  
before4--,g4     #bec ,vide ,purchas'   
,pilg41 iii4 chap4 #e4     #bed         
#8,apostasy of the ,latter ,times1' p4  
#g4     #bee ,prideaux1 #8,orat4 ,x4 de 
spir4 ,seductoribus1' as before4--,g4   
#bef ,mt4 tna3 ,diog4 ,laert41 viii4    
#fg1 #fi-ga3 ,horace1 ad ,pizon1   #dfd1
 c4 ,cf4 ,karsten1 ,empedoclis          
,agrigent4 ,carm4 ,reliqu1 p4 #cf1 c41  
and ,apollon4 ap ,diog4 ,laert41 viii4  
#eb4--;,g4     #beg ,lib4 ii4 cap4 #de1 
p4 #hg4 ,diego ,alvarez8--,g4     #beh  
,whitaker1 ,disputatio de ,sacra        
,script4 contra ,robertum   ,bellarminum
 et ,stapletonum1 lib4 i4 cap4 #aj1 p4  

#aba1 #aehh1 #dto1   has been translated
 and edited for the ,parker ,society by 
,professor   ,fitzgerald1 #ahdi1        
#hvo4--,g4     #bei ,query1             
#8confirmed'8--,g4     #bfj ,miraculum  
voco1 quicquid arduum aut insolitum1    
supra spem aut   facultatem mirantis    
apparet4--,aug4 de utilitat4 cred4      
contra ,manich41   cap4 xvi4     #bfa   
,spelled #8statuas4'--,g4     #bfb      
,johnson's relat4 in ,hakluyt1 tom4 i4  
#bfc ,misprinted #8,cedremus1' instead  
of ,cedrenus ,georgius4 ,see ,smith's   
#8,dictionary1' sub nomine4--,g4        
#bfd ,cornel4 ,tacit4 ,histor41 lib4 iv4
     #bfe tius ,spartianus in vit4      
,adriani4     #bff ,de secundo bello    
,punico4     #bfg ,mr ,baxter1 #8,full  
and ,easy ,satisfaction1 which is the   
true and   safe ,religion4' #afgd4      
#dto4--,g4 cap4 #d4     #bfh ,nihil     
fecit ,christus quod ,franciscus non    
fecit1 imo plura fecit   quam           
,christus4--,barthol4 de ,pisis lib4    
conformitat41 fol4 #aadi4     #bfi      

,query1 ,xavier1 often spelled          
,xavierus8--,g4     #bgj ,arist41 lib4  
i4 de anima4     #bga ,antiquitat4      
,jud41 lib4 xviii4 cap4 #ad4     #bgb   
,eccles4 ,hist41 lib4 xi4 cap4 #be4     
#bgc ,see ,lathbury's #8,guy ,fawkes4'  
#ahdj4--;,g4     #bgd ,de ,civitate     
,dei1 lib4 xxi4 cap4 #f4     #bge       
,purchas1 #8,pilg4' ,asia41 lib4 i4 cap4
 #ag4 ,heylin1 #8,cosmography1'   p4    
#fhi4     #bgf #8,height of ,israel's   
,idolatry1' cap4 #ab4     #bgg ,hist41  
lib4 xvi4     #bgh ,loc41 lib4 xi4 cap4 
#f4 ,query1 ,camus1 ,bp4 of ,belley--the
   reference being to his               
#8,agathonphile4' ,rouen1 #afda8--;,g4  
#bgi ,vide ,chamier1 ,panst41 tom4 #e1  
lib4 ii4 cap4 #ae4     #bhj ,prideaux1  
,orat4 de impost1 mendaciis2 ,rome's    
,triumphs2 ,mr   ,baxter's #8,safe      
,religion1' p4 #afh4 #afeg4 #hvo4--,g4  
#bha ,query1 #8cunning'8--,,ed4     #bhb
 ,gellius1 x4 #ab4--;,g4 ,heylin1       
#8,cosmography1' p4 #cii1 #afff         
folio4--,g4     #bhc ,for all above1 see

 ,heylin1 as before4--,g4     #bhd      
,sclater in loc4  for 1 as before4--,g4 
#bhe ,theod4 ,hist41 sub nominibus4--,g4
     #bhf ,vide ,harvi1 ,prfat4 in      
,sang4 ,circulo2 and ,heylin1 ,cosmogr41
   p4 #cii4     #bhg ,apolog41 cap4     
#g-i1 #ci4     #bhh ,coci ,censura      
,patrum1 ,query1 the ,thesaurus         
,catholicus of ,joan4   ,coccius4--,g42 
,dr ,james1 ,de ,corrupt4 ,scrip4       
,concilior1 #afhh1 #hvo1 and   re-edited
 by ,cox1 #ahdc1 #hvo2 ,prideaux1 ,de   
,pseudo-,epigraphis1 as   before4--,g4  
#bhi ,matthias ,prideaux1 ,introduct4   
,histories4 #afee4 #dto4--,g4     #bij  
,stratagema ,satan1 lib4 iv41 as        
before4--,g4     #bia ,sozom4 ,eccl4    
,hist41 lib4 v4 cap4 #af4     #bib      
#8,beside' ,antioch in ,syria4 ,cf4     
,libanius1 ,monod4 de ,daphno   ,templo1
 iii4 #ccd4--;,g4     #bic ,purchas1    
,pilg41 lib4 i4 cap4 #ag1 as before4--,g
     #bid ,vide ,scaligeri notas in     
,euseb4 ,chron41 p4 #bdd4     #bie ,lib4
 ii42 mentioned also by ,josephus1      

,antiq4 ,jews1 lib4 x4 cap4   #a4       
#bif ,purchas1 ,pilg4 ,america1 lib4 ix4
 cap4 #ab4 as before4--,g4     #big     
,purchas1 ,pilg4 ,america1 lib4 ix4 cap4
 #ab4 ,inca or ,incas4--,g4     #bih    
,purchas1 ,pilg4 ,america1 lib4 viii4   
cap4 #ac1 as before4--,g4     #bii ,ita 
diabolus hoc egit1 ut divinum miraculum 
in ,juda editum   vilesceret1 fidem     
authoritatem amitteret1 et tanti operis 
gloria ad   turpissima idola            
rediret4--,bucholcer4     #cjj ,apostasy
 of the ,latter ,times4 ,works1 #afgg1  
folio1 pp4 #fbc1   seq4--,g4     #cja   
,de ,civitate ,dei1 lib4 viii4 cap4 #ad1
 #ah4     #cjb ,vide ,du ,plessis1 ,of  
the ,trueness of ,christian ,religion1  
cap4   #bb2 ,origen1 ,cont4 ,cels41 lib4
 viii4 p4 #daf2 ,plutarch in ,vita      
,thesei et   ,demetrii4     #cjc ,lib4  
ix4 ,epist4 #i4     #cjd ,lib4 ix4      
,epist4 #ga4     #cje ,nam duris        
mentibus simul omnia abscindere         
impossible est4   ,vide ,perkins's      
,preparatives to ,demonst4 of the       

,probleme of the   forged ,catholicisme 
or ,universalitie of the ,romish        
,religion1 #afac1   folio4--,g41 cap4   
#c2 ,eusebius ,prpar4 ,evan41 lib4 xiii4
 cap4 #g4     #cjf ,de ,civit4 ,dei1    
lib4 viii4 cap4 #bg4 ,ornamenta sunt    
memoriarum1   non sacrificia mortuorum4 
#cjg ,non video in multis quid sit      
discrimen inter eorum opinionem de      
sanctis et id quod ,gentiles putabant de
 diis suis4     #cjh ,ex quibus veteres 
mihi videntur hoc consilio vires        
humanas sic extulisse1 ne1 si           
impotentiam diserte essent confessi     
primum philosophorum ipsorum cachinnos1 
quibus cum tunc   certamen habebant1    
excuterent4444 ,scriptur doctrinam cum  
philosophi dogmatibus dimidia ex parte  
conciliare studium illis                
fuit4--,institut41 lib4 ii4 cap4 #b1    
sec4 #d4     #cji ,plato1 lib4 x41 de   
,rep4 ,dial4     #caj ,de ,prpar4       
,evang41 lib4 xi4 cap4 ult4     #caa    
,chemnitii1 ,exam4 ,concil4 ,trident1 p4
 #c1 in ,hist4 ,purgator41 cap4   #a4   

#cab ,hinc prima mali labes1 dum clestia
 mysteria et tremenda   ,christianorum  
sacra ,gentilium notionibus et vanis    
ceremoniis   attemperare                
voluerint4--,owen's ,disser4 ,de ,verbo1
 sec4 #af4     #cac ,socrates ,eccles4  
,histor41 lib4 i4 cap4 #c4     #cad     
,contentionibus amittitur veritas1 et   
multi eo adiguntur1 ut   postea nihil   
constitui posse certi sibi persuadeant1 
atque ita   religionis omne studium     
abjiciant4--,acontius1 ,stratagema      
,satan1   lib4 i4 p4 #bc4     #cae      
,theod4 ,eccles4 ,hist41 lib4 i4 cap4   
#b4     #caf ,sozom4 ,eccles4 ,hist41   
lib4 v4 cap4 #ae4     #cag ,piscator1 in
 loc4     #cah ,calvin1 in loc4     #cai
 ,an #8apoplexy1' ,gr4 4--,g4     #cbj  
,collins #8,cordial1' part ii4 p4 #aed4 
,misprint for ,collinges1   whose       
#8,cordial for a ,fainting ,soul'       
7#afdi1 #dto7 is one of the richest   of
 ,puritan experimental treatises2 and   
not less so his #8,intercourses   of    
,divine ,love1' 7#b vols4 #dto4         

#afgc-hc47--;,g4     #cba ,differunt    
inter se casus anim gr et casus         
conscienti gr1   c4--,dickson1 ,therap4 
,sacr41 lib4 i4 cap4 #b4 ,edinburgh1    
#afef1   #hvo4--,g4     #cbb ,query1    
#8revolve'8--,,ed4     #cbc ,bayne1 in  
loc4     #cbd ,misprinted #8may4'--,g4  
#cbe #b ,kings xx4 #f4 ,vide ,lightfoot1
 ,harm4 in loc4     #cbf ,vide ,willis  
de anima brut41 cap4 #h1 #i4     #cbg   
,irritamenta1 terriculamenta4     #cbh  
,in calce1 tom4 iv4 p4 #igc4 ,talis     
stimulus datus fuit apostolo4     #cbi  
,horrore sui sic implent animum1 ut     
tantum non pectus ipsum   expectorare   
videantur1--ad quorum prsentiam natura  
vel depravatissima                      
contremiscit4--,arowsmith4 ,tract4      
,sacr41 lib4 ii4 cap4 #g1 sec4 #f4 ,for 
#8,tract' read #8,tactica ,sacra4'      
,cambridge1 #afeg1 #dto4--,g4     #ccj  
,perkins1 ,cases of ,conscience1 lib4 i4
 cap4 #aj1 sec4 #b4     #cca #8,treatise
 of ,imaginations1' cap4 #c4     #ccb   
,vide ,dickson1 ,therap4 ,sacra41 lib4  

iii4 cap4 #bf1 sec4 #g4     #ccc ,the   
construction of this paragraph is       
involved and inaccurate1   but the      
thought is sufficiently plain1 when from
 #8for when he   designs1' c41 down to  
#8advantage1' is placed in              
parenthesis4--,g4     #ccd ,arguing     
against contradiction4--,g4     #cce    
#8,immanis in antro ,bacchatur vates1'  
neid1 iv4 #f1 #gh4--;,g4     #ccf       
#8,artful'  unreal4--,g4     #ccg       
,spelled #8assays4'--,g4     #cch ,ames1
 #8,case ,consc41' lib4 i4 cap4 #i4     
#cci ,dickson1 ,therap4 ,sacra1 lib4    
iii4 cap4 #a4     #cdj ,vide ,goodwin's 
#8,child of ,light4' ,as before4--,g4   
#cda ,willis1 de anima ,brut41 cap4 #i1 
de ,melancholia4     #cdb ,query1       
#8misapprehension'8--,g4     #cdc ,fl4  
,plateri prox4 med41 cap4 #c1 de mentis 
alienatione4     #cdd                   
#8,ingenuousness4'--,g4     #cde        
#8,relapse4'--,g4     #cdf              
#8,evident4'--,g4     #cdg ,query1      
#8above'8--,,ed4     #cdh ,treat4 of    

,desertions4     #cdi ,ames1 #8,cases of
 ,consc41' lib4 i4     #cej ,lightfoot1 
,harm4 in loc4     #cea #8,preceding1'  
or #8inviting4'--,g4     #ceb ,vide     
,fel4 ,plateri4 observ41 lib4 i41 in    
mentis alienatione4     #cec ,lib4 i4 de
 mentis alienatione4     #ced ,treatise 
#8,of ,desertions4'     #cee ,ames1     
#8,cases of ,consc41' lib4 iv4 cap4 #i4 
#cef #8,selvage1' or border4--,g4       
#ceg ,lorinus in loc42 ,barth4 ,petrus  
in loc4     #ceh ,vide her story in     
,clark's ,lives4 ,as before4--,g4       
#cei ,query1 #8inexpressible'8--,g4     
#cfj ,foxe1 ,acts and ,mon41 cap4 #h1 p4
 #ich4     #cfa ,mrs ,k4 ,b4 ,mrs       
,katherine ,bretterge1 as before4--,g4  
#cfb ,numb4 iv4 #c4 ,vide ,lightfoot1   
#8,temple ,service and ,harmony4'       
,lev4 viii4 #f1 #ab4     #cfc ,spanheim1
 ,dub4 ,evan4 in loc4     #cfd ,non     
nobis expedit esse sine tentationibus2  
non rogamus ut non   tentemur1 sed ne   
inducat in tentationem4--,aug4 in ,ps4  
lxxiii4     #cfe ,tentationem           

experiuntur ac sentiunt hi1 qui ex animo
 pietati   student4--,musculus1 in loc4 
#cff ,capel1 #8,tempt41' part #a1 cap4  
#d1 sec4 #a4     #cfg ,ibid41 part #a1  
cap4 #d4     #cfh ,ill plerumque        
suggerunt1 qu natur gratiora1 idque     
placide   et gradatim1 ita ut mens sui  
compos maneat in ipso stu1 h autem      
impetu plusquam humano irruentes1       
fulguris instar1 ocyus quam solent      
passiones dianoetic1 c4--,arrowsmith1   
,tactica ,sacra ,i41 lib4   ii4 cap4 #g1
 sec4 #f4     #cfi ,horrore sui si      
implent animum1 ut tantum non pectus    
ipsum   expectorare videantur1 dum ea   
perpetim dictitari sentit1 et dolet1    
ad quoque prsentiam1 natura vel         
depravatissima contremiscet4--,idem1    
,ibid4     #cgj ,aliud est tentari1     
aliud tentationem recipere4 ,tentari et 
non   in tentationem ferri non est      
malum4--,aug41 ,de ,bono ,persever41    
lib4   ii4 cap4 #f4 ,mordet ,satan cum  
ad consensum trahit1 latrat solum cum   
suggerit4--,bernard4     #cga ,musculus1

 in loc4     #cgb ,vide ,lightfoot1     
,harm4 in loc4     #cgc ,spanheim1 ,dub4
 ,evan4 in loc4     #cgd ,spanheim1 in  
loc4     #cge ,lightfoot1 ,harm4 in loc4
     #cgf ,hobbes's ,leviathan1 cap4    
#de1 p4 #ced4     #cgg ,calvin1         
,scultetus4     #cgh ,tenison ,hobbes's 
#8,creed ,exam41' p4 #fe4     #cgi      
,spanheim1 ,dub4 ,evan4 in loc4     #chj
 ,non mirum est ,christum permisisse se 
circumduci a diabolo1 qui   permisit se 
a membris sui crucifigi4--,gregorius4   
#cha ,aquinas1 ,sum4 part #a1 q4 #aad1  
art4 #b4 ,homines instrumentaliter1     
mundus materialiter1 ,satanas           
efficienter4--,sclater on #a ,thes4 iii4
 #e4     #chb ,piscat41 in loc4     #chc
 ,o ,fratres adjuvate me1 ne peream1    
nonne videtis ,dmonum agmina1   qui me  
debellare1 et ad ,tartara ducere        
festinant1 quid his astas   cruenta     
bestia8--,cl4 ,senarclus in ,epist4 ad  
,m4 ,bucerum1 c41 tells   of a country  
man1 at ,tribury1 ,friburg'8--,g4 in    
,germany1 to whom the   devil appeared  

in the shape of a tall man1 claiming his
 soul1 and   offering to set down his   
sins in a scroll4     #chd ,putting into
 a #8dilemma4'--,g4     #che ,eccles4   
,hist41 lib4 iii4 cap4 #aa4     #chf    
,antiochus put ,eleazer and the         
,maccabees in mind of this excuse1   ,if
 it be a sin to do contrary to your law1
 compulsion doth excuse   it4--,josephus
 on the lives of the ,maccabees4        
#chg ,timeo ,danaos et dona ferentes4   
#chh ,query3 #8,thaumaturgia'8--,g4     
#chi ,spanheim1 ,dub4 ,evan4 in loc41   
and ,lightfoot1 ,harm4 in loc4     #cij 
,vide ,lightfoot1 ,harmon4 in ,mat4 iv4 
,pool ,synopsis1 in ,deut4   viii4      
#cia ,query1 #8,maintained'8--,,ed4     
#cib ,ps4 cxvi4 #aa4 ,pool1 ,synopsis1  
in loc4     #cic ,alii damnatos se      
putant1 et quod ,deo cur non            
sunt4--,platerus   ,tract4 ,melan41 cap4
 #cc4     #cid ,quis est ille ,deus1 ut 
serviam illi8 quid proderit si oraverim8
   si prsens est1 cur non succurrit8 cur
 non me carcere1 inedia1   squalore     

confectum liberat8 c4 ,absit a me       
hujusmodi ,deus4--,mercerus   ad ,gen4  
cap4 xi fol4 #bcj4 ,misprinted in text  
and note #8,mercennus4'   ,m4#8s        
#8,commentary' on ,genesis was a        
posthumous work1 edited by ,beza1       
#aeih1 folio4--,g4     #cie ,dr         
,reynolds1 ,serm1 on ,hosea xiv41 ser4  
#d4     #cif ,query1 #8,wearying'8--,g4 
#cig ,beza1 ,chemnitius4     #cih ,serm4
 de jejunio et tempt4 ,christi4 ,unitas 
naturarum exccavit   ,satanam4     #cii 
,see their relations in print4 ,brooks1 
s4n4--,g4     #djj ,spanheim1 ,dub4     
,evan4 in loc4     #dja ,bodin1 p4 #adg4
     #djb ,plurimum sunt prservativa    
locorum1 hominum1 et jumentorum1   verba
 tituli triumphalis nostri salvatoris1  
dum scilicet per quatuor   partes loci1 
in modum crucis inscribuntur1 ,jesus    
,nazarenus  ,rex    ,judeorum 1 ritibus 
ecclesi servatis et veneratis1 ut per   
aqu   benedict aspersionem1 salis       
consecrati sumptionem1 et candelarum in 
die purificationis et frondium in die   

palmarum consecratorum1 usum   licitum  
vires dmonis imminuunt1 se              
muniunt4--,sprenger1 ,malleus           
,maleficarum1 part #b1 quest4 #a4       
,licitum est aqua benedicta1 qucunque   
honesta loca1 hominum et jumentorum1 in 
salvationem hominum et   jumentorum     
aspergere4--,id4 ibid4     #djc ,query1 
#8warfare'8--,,ed4     #djd ,sozomen1   
,eccles4 ,hist41 lib4 v4 cap4 #ah4      
#dje ,mal4 ,malefic41 part #b1 quest4   
#aa1 cap4 #a1 #c4     #djf ,in ,delic4  
,evang4     #djg ,spanheim1 ,dub4 ,evan4
 in loc4     #djh ,lightfoot1 ,harm4 in 
loc4     #dji ,dr ,kimchi1 in loc4      
#daj ,reynolds on ,passions1 chap4 #bc1 
p4 #bch4     #daa ,non ideo peccatur1   
quia nimis sperat in ,deum2 sed quia    
nimis   leviter ac temere1 sine ullo    
fundamento4--,ames1 ,medul41 lib4 ii4   
cap4 #f1 sec4 #cc4     #dab ,dickson1 in
 loc42 ,capel1 ,tempt41 part #b1 cap4   
#i4     #dac ,capel1 ,tempt41 part #i1  
cap4 #i1 citing ,augustine for it4      
#dad ,capel1 ,tempt41 ibid4     #dae    

,seneca1 ,de ,providen4 cap4 #b4 ,liquet
 mihi cum magno spectasse   gaudio      
deos--dum gladium sacro pectore infigit4
 ,non fuit diis   immortalibus satis    
spectare ,catonem semel4     #daf ,aug41
 ,de ,civit4 ,dei1 ,p4 #a1 cap4 #bb4    
,major animus merito dicendus   est1 qui
 vitam rumnosam magis potest ferre quam 
fugere4 ,et humanum   judicium pr       
conscienti luce ac puritate contemnere4 
#dag ,as in the kingdoms of             
,biznagar--,purchas1 ,pilgr4 lib4 v4    
cap4   #aa--;and in the ,philippian     
islands4--,ibid41 cap4 #af4     #dah    
,perire membratim et toties per         
stillicidia amittere   animam4--,sen41  
epist4 #aja4     #dai ,cicero1 #a ,tus4 
quest4 ,nihil urgebat aut calamitatis   
aut   criminis--sed ad capessendam      
mortem--,sola affuit animi              
magnitudo4--,de   ,civ4 ,dei1 lib4 i4   
cap4 #bb4     #dbj ,de ,civit4 ,dei1    
lib4 i4 cap4 #bg4     #dba ,vide        
,boyle's ,reflections1 sec4 #b1 med4    
#aj4     #dbb ,query1 #8,stukeley'8--,g4

     #dbc ,see the ,narrative of ,jo4   
,gilpin1 called #8,the ,quakers         
,shaken4'     #dbd ,de ,civit4 ,dei1    
lib4 i4 cap4 #bj4 ,non occides1 non     
alterum1 ergo   nec te2 neque enim qui  
se occidit1 aliud quam hominem          
occidit4--,aug4   ,de ,civit4 ,dei1 lib4
 i4 cap4 #bb4 ,et ,comment4 ,lod4 ,viv4 
,ibid4     #dbe ,tempt41 part #b1 cap4  
#i4     #dbf ,digito monstrari1 et      
dicier1 ,hic est4--,horace4--,g4        
#dbg ,quis vero tam bene modulo suo     
metiri se novit1 ut eum assidu et       
immodic laudationes non moveant8--,h4   
,stephens4     #dbh ,in ,ps4 xiv41 ,in  
viis1 nunquid in prcipitiis8 ,non est   
via hc   sed ruina1 et si via1 tua est1 
non illius4--,bernard4     #dbi         
,anthores se vit scelest immundque      
testantur1 perhibentur   tamen in adytis
 suis secretisque penetralibus dare     
qudam bona   prcepta de moribus1        
quibusdam velut electis sacratis suis2  
quod si   ita est1 hoc ipso callidior   
aduertenda est et convincenda malitia   

spirituum noxiorum4--,aug4 ,civit4 ,dei1
 lib4 ii4 cap4 #bf4     #dcj ,mal4      
,malefic41 part #b1 ,q4 #a1 cap4 #i4    
#dca ,jean ,d',espagne1 #8,popular      
,errors1' p4 #gf4 ,as before4--,g4      
#dcb ,holy ,war1 lib4 iii4 cap4 #bd4    
#dcc ,wars of the ,jews1 lib4 vii4 cap4 
#ac4     #dcd ,funcius in his ,chronol4 
tells the like of one in ,crete1 that   
called himself ,moses1 anno #dcd1 who   
persuaded the ,jews to follow him   for 
the repossessing of ,canaan4            
#8,funckius4'--,g4     #dce ,josephus1  
,anti4 ,jud41 lib4 xx4 cap4 #b4     #dcf
 ,etsi semel videatur verax1 millies est
 mendax1 et semper fallax4     #dcg     
#8,ingenuousness4'--,g4     #dch ,though
 it was ,scripture that ,satan urged to 
,christ1 yet he   rejects his inference 
as false1 because contrary to other     
plain   scriptures prohibiting not to   
tempt the ,lord4     #dci ,lightfoot1   
,harm4 in loc4     #ddj ,perkins1 ,com4 
in loc4 ,deut4 xxxii4 #di1 and xxxiv4   
#a4     #dda ,hobbes's ,leviath41 cap4  

#de1 p4 #ced4     #ddb ,lightfoot1      
,harm4 in loc4     #ddc ,so also ,lucas 
,brugensis thinks in loc4     #ddd      
,varro1 ,de ,cultu ,deorum4     #dde ,de
 ,civit4 ,dei1 lib4 vii4 cap4 #cd1 #ce4 
#ddf ,a long-exposed mistake1 from a    
mis-reading of an inscription4--,g4     
#ddg ,solinus1 cap4 xxvii4 and xl4--,g4 
#ddh ,d',espagne's ,popular ,errors1    
sec4 #a1 cap4 #d4 ,as before4--,g4      
#ddi 1 1 1 ,ps4 xxxvii4 #a1 and xlix4   
#af2 ,jer4 xlv4 #e4     #dej ,perkins1  
#8,combate1' in loc4 ,musculus1 in loc4 
#dea ,levis1 nullius ponderis2 leviter  
de aliquo sentire4--,jackson1   in loc4 
,pool1 ,synopsis1 ,crit4 in loc4        
#deb ,selden and ,leigh1 #8,critica     
,sacra4' ,as before4--,g4     #dec      
,bayne1 in loc4 ,arrowsmith1 ,tactica   
,sacra1 lib4 ii4 cap4 #h4     #ded      
,caryl1 in loc4     #dee ,tom4 iv4 col4 
#igc4     #def ,scala ,paradisi1 gradu  
#bc4     #deg ,spiritus blasphemi1      
scaturigo est cogitationum adeo         
horribilium   adeoque molestarum1 ut    

ejus tentatio plerumque quasi martyrium 
est4--,guil4 ,paris1 lib4 de tenta4 et  
resist4     #deh ,magis a dolo metuendum
 est quam a violentia adversarii1 caveat
   ger ab impatientia1 infidelitate1    
murmuratione aliisque peccatis qu   clam
 insinuantur4--,dickson1 ,therapeut4    
,sacra1 lib4 ii4 cap4 #bi4     #dei     
,heylin1 #8,cosmogr4'     #dfj ,capel   
#8,tempt41' part #b1 cap4 #c4     #dfa  
,fda tentatio magis vincitur fugiendo   
quam   aggrediendo4--,gerson1 tom4 ix4  
col4 #igf4     #dfb ,mystery of         
,iniquity1 lib4 i4 cap4 #i4     #dfc    
,musculus1 in loc41 and ,perkins1 in    
loc4     #dfd ,drusius1 ,lightfoot1     
,tremellius1 c4     #dfe  vel a  non et 
jugem1 absque jugo2 vel a    non et     
supra1 vel a  non1 et  profuit1 homo    
inutilis4     #dff 1 ab  priv4 et 1 via4
     #dfg ,honoribus magis homines      
provocare quam tormentis cogere         
studuit4--,nazianzen4     #dfh ,foxe1   
,acts and ,mon4 ,sub nominibus4--,g4    
#dfi ,grotius1 in loc4     #dgj ,the    

famous ,captain ,john ,smith1 the       
,founder of ,virginia4--,g4     #dga    
,damocles4--,g4     #dgb ,si ad imperium
 ejus lapides possunt fieri panes1 ergo 
frustra   tentas2 si autem non frustra1 
filium ,dei suspicaris4     #dgc        
,musculus1 in loc4     #dgd ,vide arma  
quibus tibi non sibi vicit4--,ambrose4  
#dge ,hc armatura non tam ,christo      
,filio ,dei quam nobis illius           
tyrunculis convenit1 uti tamen ille     
voluit1 ut nos suo doceret   exemplo1   
perinde atque si fortis quidam ,gygas   
hostem non suis1 sed   tyrunculi sui    
armis feriat et prosternat4--,musculus4 
#dgf ,query1 #8warfare'8--,,ed4     #dgg
 ,capel1 ,tempt41 part #b1 cap4 #i2     
,ames1 ,cas4 ,consc41 lib4 ii4 cap4     
#ah1 sec4 #ad4     #dgh ,query1         
#8steam'8--,,ed4     #dgi ,hooper8--,g4 
#dhj ,tentatus a ,satana cum nullum     
evadendi modum sentis1 simpliciter      
claude oculos1 et nihil responde1 et    
commenda causam ,deo4--,luther1   tom4  
iii4 f4 #cif4 ,sicut tutissimum est     

canem latrantem contemnere1   et        
prterire1 ita una vincendi ratio est    
contemnere rationes ,satan1   neque cum 
iis disputare4 ,satan nihil minus ferre 
potest quam sui   contemptum4--,id41 f4 
#cgf2 ,ames1 ,cases of ,consc41 lib4 i4 
cap4 #f4     #dha ,child of ,light1 cap4
 #g1 p4 #da4 ,as before4--,g4     #dhb  
,sero medicina paratur1 ,cum mala per   
longas convaluere moras4       #dhc     
,differre justitiam est negare          
justitiam4 ,qui non prohibet cum        
potest1 jubet4     #dhd ,ego adolescens 
petieram a te castitatem1 et dixeram2 da
 mihi   castitatem1 sed noli modo2      
timebam enim ne me cito exaudires et    
cito   sanares1 malebam expleri quam    
extingui4--,confes41 lib4 viii4 cap4 #g4
     #dhe ,greenham on ,ps4 cxix4 #aja4 
#dhf ,turpius ejicitur quam non         
admittitur hospes4     #dhg ,ideo ,jesus
 omnes illas tentationes solis sacris   
,scripturis   vicit1 ut doceret nos sic 
pugnare et vincere4--,cajetan1 in loc42 
,jansenius1 c4     #dhh ,malleus        

,mallefic1 part #b1 qus4 #aa1 cap4 #f4  
,virtus evangelii est   in intellectu et
 non in figuris1 ergo melius in corde   
posita prosunt1   quam circa collum     
suspensa4--,barthol41 ,sibilla ,peregr41
 qus4 dec4   #c1 c4 #i1 q4 #i4     #dhi 
,canon est1 quod in omnibus             
tentationibus--alium fingimus ,deum     
esse qum sit1 putamus enim ,deum tunc   
non esse ,deum sed horribile            
spectrum4--,tom4 iv4 f4 #adg4 ,reclamat 
7,sathan7 in corde tuo1 te non   esse   
dignum ista promissione--est autem opus 
ardenti oratione1 ne   extorqueatur     
nobis promissio4--,luther in ,gen41 cap4
 #ba1 f4 #ahh4 ,cor   dictat ,deum      
adversum verbum ,dei1 sequi debeo non   
sensum meum4--,idem1   tom4 iv4 f4 #aef4
 ,nulla alia re potest sanari hoc vulnus
 conscienti1   quam verbo ,divin        
promissionis4--,id4 tom4 iv4 f4 #djj4   
#dij ,quam suave mihi subit factum est  
carere suavitatibus nugarum1   et quas  
amittere metus fuerat1 jam demittere    
gaudium erat4--,aug4   ,confes41 lib4   

ix4 cap4 #a4     #dia ,tact4 ,sacr41    
lib4 i4 cap4 #c1 sec4 #f4     #dib ,that
 is1 from being conquered4--,g4