The Soul's Conflict with Itself

Upon this, the distressed soul is in danger to be set upon by a temptation, called the temptation of blasphemy, that ¹is, to entertain bitter thoughts against God, and especially against the grace and goodness of God, wherein he desires to make himself most known ⟨p. 351⟩to his creature. In those that have wilfully resisted divine truths made known unto them, and after taste, despised them, a persuasion that God hath forsaken them, set on strongly by Satan, hath a worse effect, it stirs up a hellish hatred against God, carrying them to a revengeful desire of opposing whatsoever is Gods, though not always openly (for then they should lose the advantage of doing hurt,) yet secretly and subtly, and under pretence of the contrary. To this degree of blasphemy Gods children never fall, yet they may feel the venom of corruption stirring in their hearts, against God and his ways which he takes with them; and this adds greatly to the depth of their affliction, when afterward they think with themselves what hellish stuff they carry in their souls. This is not so much discerned in the temptation, but after the fit is somewhat remitted.

Upon this, the distressed soule is in danger to be set upon by a temptation, called the temptation of blasphemy, that ¹is, to entertain bitter thoughts against God, and especially against the grace and goodnesse of God, wherein he desires to make himselfe most knowne ⟨p. 351⟩to his creature. In those that have wilfully resisted divine truths made knowne unto them, and after taste, despised them, a perswasion that God hath for saken them, set on strongly by Sathan, hath a worse effect, it stirs up a hellish hatred against God, carying them to a revengefull desire of opposing whatsoever is Gods, though not alwayes openly (for then they should lose the advantage of doing hurt,) yet secretly and subtilly, and under pretence of the contrary. To this degree of blasphemie Gods children never fall, yet they may feele the venome of corruption stirring in their hearts, against God and his wayes which he takes with them; and this addes greatly to the depth of their affliction, when afterward they think with themselves what hellish stuffe they cary in their soules. This is not so much discerned in the temptation, but after the fit is somewhat remitted.