Your: 'tis fadly troublesome to hear others Blafpheme God. The reproaches of thofe that reproached thee (faith David) fell upon me: It: was as a Smord in bis Bones, to hear the blafphemous Scoffs of the wicked, when they faid to him, where is thy God? And if it were confufion and fhame to him to hear the Enemy Reproach and Blaf. pbeme, (as he profeffeth it was, Pfal. 44.15, 16.) how fadly afflicting would it be for any Child of God to obferve fuch things. Spiritus Blafin his own. Imaginations? If there were no more in it than this, itph mix, fcaru is enough to put Satan upon that Defign,because 'tis a troublesome tionum adeo rigo eft cogitakind of Martyrdom. * * horribilium a. Secondly, This is also a spiteful revenge against God, all he can deoque mole do is to blafpheme and rage; and 'tis a kind of Delight, to put Tentatio pleftarum,ut ejus this force upon thofe that carry his own Image: he would do all rumque quafi he can to make his own Children to vilify and reproach their Heavenly Father, and to render Curling for Bleffing. Martyrium eft. Guil. Paris.. lib. de tenta. Thirdly, This Temptation, though it have not the Confent or & refift. Complyance of God's Children, yet it opens a way to many other + Magis a dolo Sins, as Murmuring, Diftruft, Defpair, weariness of God's Ways metuendum eft and Services. When we find Satan thus to run upon us, it is quam a violen tia adverfarii, apt to breed ftrange thoughts of God, that thus permits Satan to take caveat ærger ab us by the Throat, or to make us judge of our felves as rejected of impatientia, God, and given up to Satan's Powers and if it do this, his labour infidelitate, is not in vain: we are (as tone obferves) more to fear his Subtilty aliifque pecca སམས་ in bringing us by this into other Snares, than the violence of the tis quæ clam Adverfary in this Suggestion. 2 murmuratione infinuantur. Fourthly, This is a Stratagem, for laying the Foundation of Dikson Thera direful Accufations, the Devil in this doth as the Ruffians, are free. Sacra. lib 2. C. 29. ported to do: they when they have a fpite against any of their Heylin CofNeighbours, hide fecretly fome of their Goods in their Houses, mogr. and then accufe them of Theft. When blafphemous Thoughts are injected, and Men refufe to confent, then Satan raifeth an ac cufation against them (as ofeph Mistress did) as if they were. guilty of all that Blafphemy that he tempted them unto and tis a difficult task to perfwade them, that these things fhould be in their Minds, and that they fhould not be the proper Ies of their own Heart, And very often doth he from hence accufe them of finning against the Holy Ghoft, becaufe of the hideous Blafphe mies which he had firf fuggested to them.d Firft, This will give us confiderations of Confolation, and that: (1.) In regard of others: We oblekye often our fick Friends fpeak, Applies what Capel Tempt. what we would not willingly hear, and it cannot chufe but be fadly afflictive, to hear their Curfes and blafphemous Speeches: but when we confider the advantage that Satan takes of their Diftemper, (if their lives heretofore have been Pious and Religous) we comfort our felves in this,that it is more his Malice, than their own Inclinations; neither should we fuffer our Hope or Charity to be distressed on their behalf. (2.) It is the like ground of Confolation for our felves or others that are violently afflicted with blafphemous Thoughts. For, Firft, If we call to mind that our Lord and Mafter fuffered fuck things, we that are of his Houshold need not think we receive a ftrange or unufual Meafure, in that we are molested as he was. Secondly, If we confider that Chrift was tempted without Sin on his part, then may we fetch this conclufion from it, That it is poffible that fuch thoughts should be caft upon us, and yet that we may not be chargeable with them as our Iniquities. Thirdly, We may hence fee, that fuch Temptations are more frightful than burtful; these (as one obferves) feldom take, they carry with them fo much horror (to those that believe and love the true God) that it keeps them from a participation with Satan in the Sin it felf, nay it fills them with fear and ftriving againft it; they rather, as Bugbears, feare and difquiet them,than produce the real Effects of compliance with them. Secondly, The confideration of this kind of Temptation may fill the Hearts and Mouths of thofe of us, as have not hitherto been troubled with it, with Praife for fo Mercifula Prefervation. If we have not been under this kind of Exercife, it is not from any good Will that Satan hath to us, but because our God withholds a Commiffion from him. A poor weak Chriftian wonders that Satan hath not made him a Mark, for this Arrow, that he hath not broken him with this Tempeft. To answer that Wonder,he may know that the fame tenderness in God, that will not put new Wine into old crazy Bottles, nor a new stiff piece of Cloth in to an old tender Garment, nor that will opprefs the weak and infirm with frong Exercife or Burthens,that fame tendernefs of a Compaffiorate Father, doth keep off fuch Tryals, because he will not fuffer them to be tempted above what they are able. Thirdly, This Temptation calls for advice to thofe that are under it, to whom I fhall direct a few things: Firft, When any are troubled with blafphemous thoughts,let it! be confidered in what state and temper their Body is if it be diftempered with Melancholy (as is most ufual) then the Prescription of an able Phyfitian is neceffary in the first place, without which he that would fpiritually advife or counfel, fhall but beat the Air, and his words be fo far from the fastness of Nails, that they shall be as Wind. I have known many under great complaints and fears by reafon hereof, that have been cured by Phyfick alone: for when (in this Cafe) the Fewel is withdrawn, the Fire goes out; correct the Melancholy Temper that gives the Devil this advantage, and the Trouble will ceafe. Secondly, It is of great Confequence to understand the Nature of thefe Temptations: if the tempted could fee thefe to be their Sufferings, rather than their Sins, they would with greater eafe bear it as an Affliction. And to thofe that complain, abhor, resist and pray against them they are not Sins, no more than when an Harlot layeth her Child at an Honest Womans Door, that Child is to be reckoned as the Fruit of her Wickednefs. A Gyant may dash the Son against his Father, but fo far will the Father be from imputing it as rebellious Infolence in his Child, that he will pitty him the more, as fuffering by a double Injury; for 'tis not only against his natural Affection and Reverence to his Parent, but 'tis a bodily hart befide: thus will God much more pitty his Children under thefe Sufferings. Thirdly, We must not fuffer fuch thoughts to lodge in us, but before they fettle (if poffible), we must repel them as Abraham drove away the Fowls that came down upon his Sacrifice. I know the Tempted will fay, this advice is not Practicable, they find these thoughts fwarm about them as Bees, and when one is driven back, another ftraight comes in its place. But to them I Anfwer, that blafphemous thoughts are repelled two ways: (1.) By stout and refolute refiftance. This though it do not extinguish them, nor free ús of the trouble, yet it keeps them from fetling upon us, and us from the Guilt of them. (2.) By Diverfion, which the work of a lawful Imployment, or good Society, and other Difcourfes may do; this may give some case from the Moleftation, and the Fada Tentatio other preferves us innocent. Fourthly, In Temptations to Blafphemy, confident Refufals do better then Difputings, here we are to refift with Courage, and a Holy Contempt of Satan: if we be too timerous and fearful, he in J... X fults magis vincitur fugiendo quam gediendo. Gerfon ten, 9. cel. 976. fults the more upon us: as Dogs when they are obferved, follow the Paffenger with greater eagernefs and noife. Abhorrencies and peftive Difcharges (like that of Chrift in the fame Cafe, Get thee bence Satan) do more for us, than to debate the matter with him. The Nature of Idolatry. Satan's Defign to corrupt the Worship of God. The Evidences thereof, with the Reasons of fuch endeavours. His general Defign of withdrawing the Hearts of Men from God to his Service. The Proof that this is his Defign, upon whom he prevails. That Profeffions and Confidences are no Evi dences to the contrary. His deceit of propounding Sin as afmall Matter. The Evidences of that Method, and the Reafon thereof. TH have "Hus have I confidered the Temptation as Blafphemous. I proceed next to confider it as Idolatrous,. the words àV TEOWV reconeviens, if thou wilt fall down and worship, do give us the true Notion of Idolatry. The Word which we call Worship comes from now, which fignifies to kifs, or from xow which fignifies a Dog, both being to the fame purpofe, and fignifying any action of reverence by which we fignify the respect of our Minds: to kifs the Hand, or to Fawn as a Dog, are Geftures which exprefs the Honour we would give, and being applyed to Divine Worship before, or with refpect unto an undue Object, is Idolatry; and as fuch, doth Chrift reject it in his Answer, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve. We worship God, when in Ways and Actions commanded or prefcribed, we teftify our belief and refentment of his incommunicable Attributes. It is Idolatry, when either we ufe the fame Actions of prefcribed Worfhip to that which is not God, or when we testify our refpects to the true God in an undue way of our own devifing. Here might I take occafion to fhew the Vanity of the Popish Subterfuges, their diftin diftinction of Latria and Dulia is (as Dr. Moore obferves) here by overthrown: Satan doth not here fet himself up as the Omni- Mystery of Inpotent God, for he acknowledgeth one Superiour to himself, in iquiry. lib. 1. that he confeffeth that the Power he had of the Kingdoms of the cap. 9. World was given to him, Luke 4. 6. and therefore not the Latria, but the Dulia is required of him; and yet this Chrift denies him as being Idolatry, in that no Religious Worship (for that must needs be the fenfe of his Anfwer) is due to any but God alone. Their o ther diftinction of worshipping an Idol, (Saint, Angel, Crofs, &c.) and before fuch a Creature, is also hereby crushed (as is commonly obferved;) for what the Evangelift Matthew expreffeth by Tegonevиons μoi, Luke calls traióv us, before me: fo that the Mufcul in Scripture makes no difference betwixt these two, fhewing it to be loc. Idolatry to use religious Worship to that which is not God, or before Perkins in loc. it, but these things I fhall not profecute, keeping therefore to my defign I fhall obferve. That it is one of Satan's great defigns to corrupt the Worship of God. Obf. 7. That this is fo, will appear, First, If we confider what varieties of Worship hath been in the World. God gave a fixed and ftable Law, and yet this fo little prevailed, that Men were upon new Inventions prefently. I fhall not need to reckon up the (almost numberless) varieties of this kind among the Heathen. The Inftance is plain enough, in those that profeffed the name of the true God, they were ftill changing for new Fashions in Religon, borrowing Patterns from their neighbours, so that if there were but a new Altar at Damafcus, or a new Idol in any strange City, they must presently have the like, till (as the Prophet tells them) according to their Cities fo were their Gods. He that will call to mind, that the Husbandman did first fow good Seed in his Field, and that there is fuch Varieity of Tares and falfe Worship, notwithstanding the plain and pofitive Command of God, fixing and determining his Worship, muft needs conclude that an Enemy, Satan hath done it. Secondly, If we call to mind, how in all Ages there hath been a conftancy in this inconftant Variety, we hear of it among the Heathens. We read enough of it among the Jews, and when they were out of the humour of more fhameful Idolatries, they yet corrupted the Worship of God by their Tradi tions; and of thefe they were fo fond, that they caufed the Law of God it felf to give place to them, and made it void by them. The times X 2 |