Perkins Com bate in loc.

Malin loc.

Obf. 6.

קלר

CHAP. XIX.

Satan's ends in tempting Chrift to fall down and worship him. Of Blafphemous Injections. What Blasphemy is. The W ays of Satan in that Temptation, with the Advantages he takes therein, and the Reason of urging Blafphemies upon Men. Confolations to fuch as are concerned in fuck Temptations. Advice to fuch as are fo affitted.

TH
"Hefe Obfervations, which the Preparation to the Temptation
hath afforded us, being dispatched, the Temptation it felf
follows, which is this, fall down and worship me.

This motion from fuch an one as Satan, to fuch an one as Chrift, who was Holy aud Undefiled, God and Man, feems to be an incredible piece of Arrogancy, Pride arid Malice for to propound himself as the Object of Divine Worship, was certainly a defferate Affault. It includes (1.) the higheft Blasphemy, (2) the groffest Idolatry imaginable (both thefe are frequently noted as the defign of this Temptation:) But (3.) the comprehenfion of this motion takes in the whole withdraping of the mind from God and Religion, or the care of the Soul and Eternal Life; in which fenfe Satan doth frequently practise this Temptation upon Men by the motive of Worldly Pleafures. Ifhall confider the Temptation first as Blafphemous, and fo it will give us this Obfervation,

That the beft of God's Children may be troubled with most vile and bideous blafphemous Injections.

Blafphemy in the largest fenfe, is any thing spoken or done, by which the Honour and Fame of God may be wounded or prejudiced; but the formality of Blafphemy lies in the purpose or intendment of reproaching God. Such was the Blafphemy of the Ifraelitish Womans Son recorded in Levity 24.11. where Blafpheming is explained by the addition of the word Curfing, which in the Original comes from a word that fignifies to fet light by one. So that hence, and from the Circumftances of the Story, we may fafely

con

conjecture, that this Man having an Egyptian to his Father (which Levis, nulliu probably might in fcorn be objected to him by his contending Ad- viter de aliquo ponderis, le. verfary) he more readily might be drawn out to vilify the true fentire. God: but (be it what it will) it was certainly more than that Jacksom in Blafphemy which the Rabbins fancy to be in the repetition of na- loc. ming the word Jehovah (which in reverence they either leave

out (as when they fay, the Arm of the Almighty) or change it into Pool Synopfis fome other, as Adonai or the like:) and accordingly we may ob- Crit, in loc. ferve, that Reproaching God, and Blafpheming God are joyned together, as Pfal. 44. 16. Esa. 37. 23.

Seldenus.

In Blafphemy, (as the matter) there muft be Thoughts, Words or Actions that may apply expreß a contempt or reproach of God; fo alfo (as to the Form of it) there must be an intendment of reproach ing. Now though this be a Sin which the Heart of a Servant of God would moft abhor, yet Satan doth fometimes trouble the best with it. We have an Inftance in Job, his Defign was to bring him to Curfe God, for fo he profeffeth in exprefs terms; Chap. 1. 11. & 2.5. Laythine Hand upon him, and he will Curfe thee to thy Face. And in Profecution of this his Boaft, he breaks the matter plainly to him, by his Wife, chap. 2.9. Curfe God and die. Whatever may be spoken of the Word, as fignifying Blessing (though fome affirm the Word in the proper Idiom of that Language, (and not by an Antiphrafis or Euphemismus, as fome think) figni- Leigh. Cr. fies as properly to Curfe as to Bleß, and is determinable to its Sacr. fignification either way by the Circumftances of the Place) or whatever Men indeavour to excufe his Wife, 'tis plain not only by Jobs Answer that it was evil Counsel, but alfo by Satan's a vowed Defign that it was directly for Curfing God. Befides this Inftance, if we confider the Expreffion of fiery Darts, Epb.6. we ́fhall find that this Temptation is more common to all forts of Chriftians than we would imagine; 'tis plain that these words allude to the poyfoned Arrows, which Scythians and others used; thefe not only wounded but poysoned, and the Venom infla med with a fiery Heat the Part or Member pierced. By this Similitude it must be granted, that not common Temptations are hereby underfood, but fuch as were more than ordinarily hurtful, vexing and dangerous: it may be Perfecutions are one of thefe Trit. Sacr. Darts, but all reckon Temptations of Spiritual Terrors, and Blaf-lib. 2. cap. 8. phemy to be undoubtedly pointed at.

The ways of Satan in this Temptation are three.

V 2

First,

Bains in loc.
Arrowsmith

Job. 1.3.

Caryl in loc.

Job 1. 22.

Job 2. 3..

Firft, He endeavours to bring Men to Blafpheme, by fecret and fubtile ways of ensnaring them, and this is moft what practifed in Confequential and Covert Blafphemies. When though Men do not directly intend an open out-rage against God, yet Satan brings them to that which might be fo Interpreted. This feems to have been the Cafe of Jobs Sons, according to his Jealousy of them, It may be my Sons have finned, and curled God in their Heart; not that they were open Blafphemers, for they were furely better educated, neither doth Job exprefs fuch a Fear of them; but that in their Mirth their Hearts might have been fo loofned from the Fear of God, that they might be tempted to undue Thoughts of God, fighting his Threatnings or Goodness. To this purpose Broughton tranflates, They have little Bleffed God in their Hearts. The fame thing we may obferve in Job himself, when the Devil could not prevail with him to charge God foolishly, yet he preffed him so hard by his Miseries, that he hoped at lalt to bring him to uttter the anguish of his Mind in impatient and reflecting Expreffions, and fo far prevailed, that he bitterly Curfeth the Day wherein be was Born, and wifheth that he had given up the Ghost when became out of the Belly: which though it came far fhort of what Satan had boaft ed of in his Atchievement against him, yet it had fuch an unwarrantable tendency that way, that when his Friend Eliphaz took notice of his Expreffions, as favouring of too much Diftruft, he is forced to make Apology for himself, and to excufe it by the defperateness of his Condition; Job 6.26. Do you imagine to reprove Words, and the Speeches of one that is defperate. In fuch cafes the De-' vil provokes Men beyond their intentions to speak in their hafte fo inconfiderately, that they know not, or mind not the juft Confequence of their Speeches. It was a degree of Blafphemy in Da vid,to fay (though in his hafte) that all Men were Lyers; it was an unbelieving Reflection on the Fromise given him by Samuel. In Mal. 3. 13. the People did not believe that they had spoken fo much against God, when yet their Words had been ftout against him.

Secondly, Satan endeavours this by violent Injections of Blafphemous thoughts that are directly fuch. In this I fhall note to you,

First, That the vileft Thoughts of God, of his Ways and Providences, of Scripture, and of Chrift, are frequently suggested; things of greatest out-rage against Heaven, and Contempt of the

Almighty,

*་

Almighty, as Bernard expreffeth it, terribilia de Fide, horribilia de
Divinitate as that there is no God, or that he is not Just, or not
Faithful to his Promifes; or that Chrift was but an Impoftor: he
Ricks at nothing in this kind, though never fo contrary to the
Hope and Perfwafion of thofe whom he thus molefts.

Secondly, Thefe are frequently reiterated upon them, and their minds fo troubled by them, that they cannot free themselves from fuch thoughts, but he follows on, and clamours in their Ears (as Gerfon obferves) Nega Deum, Meledic Deo, Deny God, Curfe Tem. 4. God. Col. 973. Thirdly, And this with so great a force and Impetuofity, that they are compelled to form these thoughts in their Minds, and to fpeak contrary to what they would; as if their Thoughts and Tongues were not under their own Government,the Devil not fatisfying himself to bear in these Thoughts upon them, but he endea vours as it were, to make them fay after him, and to caft his Suggestions into their own Mould, that fo they might feem properly to be their own: and this they are forced to whether they will or no, even then when their Minds are filled with Horrour, their Heart with Grief, and their Body with Trembling. I have difcourfed with some who have bitterly complained that their Tongues and their Thoughts feemed not to be their own, but that Satan ruled them at his Pleasure; and that when in oppofition to the Tempta tion they would have formed their Tongues to speak, Blaffing of God, they have fpoken. Carfing inftead of Blessing and that when a blafphemous Thought had been caft into their Mind, they could not be at reft till they had thought it again,

gradu. 23.

Fourthly, Thefe troublesome Temptations are oft of long con- Scala Paradifi. tinuance. Joannes Climacus tells us of a Monk that was troubled with blafphemous Thoughts for twenty years together, and could not quit himself of them, though he had macerated his Body with Watchings and Faftings. Some have them going away, and returning again by fits, according as the prevalency and ferment of their Melancholy gives Satan the advantage of dealing thus with them. For if we enquire why it is thus, especially with the Children of God, we must partly refolve it into the unfearchable Wisdom of God, who for Holy Ends of Teaching and Difciplining his Servants, permits Satan thus to moleft them; and partly into those particular advantages which Satan hath against them according to the variety of their Conditions, which ufually are thefe.

Firft, He takes advantage of fuch Bodily Distempers as do de prive Men of the use of their Reason, as Feavers, Frenzies, Madneß, in thefe he oft forms the Tongues of Men to horrid blafphemous Speeches.

Secondly, a Preffure of outward Aflictions gives him his defred opportunity, and this he knows to be generally fo fuccessful, that he promised himself by this means a Victory over Job. Ordinarily Straits and Mileries do produce Blafpheming. Efa. 8. 21. the Prophet notes, that when the People fhould be bardly bestead and hungry, they fhould fret themselves, and curse their King and their God, and look upward, as avouching what they had done.

Thirdly, Worldly Plenty, Fulness, and Pleafure lay often Foundations of this Temptation: when their Cups are full, and their Hearts high, Satan can eafily make them fet their Mouth against Heaven. A Proud Heart will readily fay, our Tongue is our own, or who is the Lord? This was the Engine which the Devil managed (if it were as Job fufpected) against the Sons and Daughters of Job to make them Curfe God in their Hearts; and by this did he seek to prevail upon Chrift in this blafphemous Temptation.

Fourthly, A Melancholy Diftemper doth usually invite Satan to give blafphemous Suggeftions; the disturbed and plyable Fancies of Tuch are the advantages which he improves against them.

Fifthly, Inward Terrors and Diftreffes of Confcience are also an occafion to Satan to move them (as by a defperate Humor) toutter hard things of God, and against themselves.

But there is yet a third way by which Satan tempts Men to Blafpheming, by fudden Glances of blafphemous Imaginations, which like Lightnings do aftonish the Heart and then fuddenly Vanish, thefe are very common, and the best of Men obferve them frequently. Satan feems as it were rather to Frolick and Sport himfelf in thefe Suggestions, than to intend a ferious Temptation; their danger is not fo much, yet are they not to be defpifed, left thefe often vifits (carelefly entertained, and not dismissed with just abhorrency) do fecretly envenom the Soul, and prepare it for Tronger Affaults.

I fhall next enquire into the Reasons of this trouble which Satap gives the Children of God.

First, Thefe Temptations are very affrighting though they prevail not, yet they are full of perplexing annoyance. Corrupt Nature ftartles at them, and receives them not without dread and hor

rour,