A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

380 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGsingle out that particular which did most puzzle and put thyunderstanding to it. Whereabouts, when the strength, heat,and intensity of thy whole soul is spent and improved, notonly other impertinent wanderings and vagaries, but theseidle and irksome injections also, will more easily vanishand be gone. Let others also proportionably upon such occasions,besides other helps, have recourse to the mosttroublesome and over-mastering part of their honest employments,to the chiefest and most needful affair of their lawfulcallings.2. In temptations of this nature, never set thyself to disputewith the devil ; he is an old sophist, of above fivethousand years standing in the school of hideous temptationsand hellish policies, and thou art but a novice. Hehath many methods, devices, and depths, which thyshallow forecast cannot possibly fathom. Direct oppositionby reasons and replies stirreth up the outrageous blasphemerto grow more furious, and hereby we give him greater advantage,more matter of molestation and mischief, and mayso plunge ourselves further into an intricate maze of horrorand confused distractions. Our blessed captain, ChristJesus, may be a pattern for us in this point. When he wastempted " to fall down and worship Satan " ; he reasonethnot the case, but repels him with vehement, extraordinarydetestation and disdain ": Get thee hence, Satan." It willtherefore be our best wisdom at such a time to turn fromhim ; and as Hezekiah spread his blasphemous letter, so tolay open his fury before the Lord, crying mightily unto him,entreating him even for his own honour's sake to vindicatethe purity of his great majesty, and excellency of his unspottedglory, from this hellish filth and horrible villany ofthe malicious fiend : that he would cast it as dung upon thetempter's face ; and in the passion and blood of Christ, freefully, and for ever, our poor souls, trembling under thehideousness of his malice and cruelty, from the guilt, stain,terror, and assault of all such abhorred and prodigious blasphemy.In that other terrible temptation also, to self-murder,many much wrong themselves this way. In managing thisfiery dart, the adversary deals by way of argument too, andpresses reasons, such as they are, upon the tempted ; sometimesextremely absurd, especially if the party be somethingmore simple and ignorant ; sometimes exceedingly subtle,if he be of better understanding and capacity. And thus :" It is soon done, and the pain quickly past ; thou art likelythus to languish and lie in misery all thy life long. Thelonger thou livest, the larger will be the score of thy sins.