(1.) You must humble your selves under his mighty Hand (when you are exercised with great and sore Temptations) and accept the Punishment of your Iniquity, without murmuring; that's the only way to get it off, when you own it as the Fruit of Sin. Lev. 26. 41. If then their uncircumcised Hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their Iniquity. And Mic. 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. Acknowledge the Justice of his Providence in this trouble that is brought upon you. A Christian must not only look to the Malice of Satan in his Temptations, but to the Justice of God. Look, as in outward Afflictions, we are not to reflect upon Instruments; Job did not say, The Chaldean and Sabean hath taken, but, The Lord hath taken, chap. 1. 2•. So in these Spiritual Afflictions, ⟨p. 473⟩take the Temptation out of God's Hand, as a Judg. Tho Satan pursue you with fiery Darts, with Temptations horrible and terrible, yet look upon it as the Fruit of some foregoing Sin. If he should tempt you by injection of despairing Fears, or blasphemous Thoughts, these are not your Sins, but they may be a Punishment for your Sins; so you ought to humble your selves under the mighty Hand of God. When you are vexed with such Temptations as pierce and prick you in your Veins; (as David speaks) when the Devil bears in blasphemous Thoughts upon the Heart, they are his Sins, but your Corrections, justly ordered by God; it may be it is for the Correction of your Sin, that you have provoked God to afflict you thus; and this Rod, if it smart, it was dipped in your own Guilt: and it's a Fruit of God's Fatherly Indignation, for your Folly and Vanity: For God may thus manifest it, by giving thee up to this severe Discipline, to be tempted and vexed by Satan. Now 'tis your Duty to be sensible of your Sin, and say, as Zion in her Troubles, Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his Commandment.
(1.) You must humble your selves under his mighty Hand (when you are exercised with great and sore Temptations) and accept the Punishment of your Iniquity, without murmuring; that's the only way to get it off, when you own it as the Fruit of Sin. Lev. 26. 41. If then their uncircumcised Hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their Iniquity. And Mic. 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. Acknowledg the Justice of his Providence in this trouble that is brought upon you. A Christian must not only look to the Malice of Satan in his Temptations, but to the Iustice of God. Look, as in outward Affli•tions, we are not to reflect upon Instruments; Iob did not say, The Caldean and Sabean hath taken, but, The Lord hath taken, chap. 1. 2•. So in these Spiritual Afflictions, ⟨p. 473⟩take the Temptation out of God's Hand, as a Judg. Tho Satan pursue you with fiery Darts, with Temptations horrible and terrible, yet look upon it as the Fruit of some foregoing Sin. If he should tempt you by injection of despairing Fears, or blasphemous Thoughts, these are not your Sins, but they may be a Punishment for your Sins; so you ought to humble your selves under the mighty Hand of God. When you are vexed with such Temptations as pierce and prick you in your Veins; (as David speaks) when the Devil bears in blasphemous Thoughts upon the Heart, they are his Sins, but your Corrections, justly ordered by God; it may be it is for the Correction of your Sin, that you have provoked God to afflict you thus; and this Rod, if it smart, it was dipt in your own Guilt: and it's a Fruit of God's Fatherly Indignation, for your Folly and Vanity: For God may thus manifest it, by giving thee up to this severe Discipline, to be tempted and vexed by Satan. Now 'tis your Duty to be sensible of your Sin, and say, as Sion in her Troubles, Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his Commandment.
