carriages, and not knowing the plot, takes on heavily, and can neither eat nor sleep for grief; here is a real trouble begot from a false and imaginary ground. Thus Satan observes how the squares go between God and his children ; such a saint he sees tardy in his duty, faulty in that service, and he knows the Chris- tian is conscious of this, and that the Spirit of God will also shew his distaste for these ; both which prompts Satan to draw a charge at length, raking up all the bloody aggravations he can think of, and gives it in to the saint as sent from God. Thus he taught Job's friends to pick up those infirmities, which dropped from him in his distress, and shoot them back in his face, as if indeed they had been sent from God to declare him a hypocrite, and denounce his wrath for the same.
Quest. But how should we know the false accusations of Satan from the re- bukes of God and his Spirit ?
yJnsw. First, If they cross any former act or work of the Spirit in thy soul, they are Satan's, and not the Holy Spirit's. Now you shall observe, Satan's scope in accusing the Christian, and aggravating his sin, is to imsaint him, and persuade him he is but a hypocrite. O, saith Satan, now thou hast shewn what thou art, see what a spot is on thy coat, this is not the spot of a child ; who ever, that was a saint, committed such a sin after such a sort? All thy comforts and confidence, which thou hast boasted of, were false, I warrant you. Thus you see Satan at one blov/ dasheth all in pieces. The whole fabric of grace, which God hath been rearing up many years in the soul, must now at one puff of his malicious mouth be blown down, and all the sweet comforts with which the Holy Ghost hath sealed up God's love, must be defaced with this one blot, which Satan draws over the fair copy of the saint's evidence. Well, soul, for thy comfort know, if ever the Spirit of God hath begun a sanctifying or com- forting work, causing thee to hope in his mercy, he never is, will, or can be the messenger to'bring contrary news to thy soul ; his language is not yea and nay, but yea and amen for ever. Indeed when the saint plays the wanton, he can chide, yea, will frown, and tell the soul roundly of its sin, as he did David by Nathan ; ' Thou art the man,' this thou hast done ; and paints out his sin with such bloody coloiU'S, as made David's heart melt, as it were, into so many drops of water. But that shall not serve his turn ; he tells him what a rod is steeping for him, that shall smart to purpose ; one of his own house, no other than his darling son, shall rise up against him, that he may the more fully conceive how ill God took the sin of him, a child, a saint, when he shall know what it is to have his beloved child traitorously invade his crown, and unnaturally hunt for his precious life ; yet not a word all this while is heard from Nathan teaching David to unsaint himself, and call in question the work of God in his soul. No, he had no such commission from God ; he was sent to make him mourn for his sin, not from his sin to question his state, which God had so oft put out of doubt.
Secondly, When they asperse the riches of God's grace, and so charge the Christian, that withal they reflect upon the good name of God ; then they are not of the Holy Spirit, but from Satan. When you find your sins so repre- sented and aggravated to you, as exceeding either the mercy of God's nature, or the grace of his covenant, Hie se aperit diabolus ; this comes from that foul liar. The Holy Spirit is Chi'ist's spokesman to commend him to souls, and to woo sinners to embrace the grace of the gospel ; and can such words drop from the sacred lips, as should break the match, and sink Christ's esteem in the thoughts of the creature ? you may know where this was minted. When you hear one commend another for a wise or good man, and at last come in with a ' but ' that dasheth all, you will easily think he is no friend to the man, but some sly enemy, that by seeming to commend, desires to disgrace the more. Thiis, when you find God represented to you as merciful and gracious, but not to such a great sinner as you ; to have power and strength, but not able to save thee ; you may say, Avavmt, Satan, thy speech bewrayeth thee.
Section III. — Thirdly, Another wile of Satan lies in cavilling at the Chris- tian's duties and performances, by which he puts him to much toil and trouble. He is at chiu-ch as soon as thou canst be. Christian, for thy heart ; yea, he stands under thj' closet window, and heareth what thou sayest to God in secret.
AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. 59