Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

CASE VII. I never read in the word of God, nor did I ever know of a child of God so tempted, and so left of God as I am; and therefore no saint's case being like mine, I cannot but conclude I am none of their number. Ans. This objection arises to some from their unacquaintedness with the scriptures, and with experienced Christians. It is profitable in this case, to impart the matter to some experienced Christian friend, or to some godly minister. This has been a blessed mean of peace to some persons; while their case, which appeared to them to be singular, has been evinced to have been the case of other saints. The scripture give instances of very horrid temptations, wherewith the saints have been assaulted: Job was tempted to blaspheme; this was the great thing the ••vil aimed at, in the case of that g•••t saint, Job i. 11. He will curse thee to thy f••e. Chap. ii. 9. Curse God and die, As•ph was tempted to think, it was in vain to be religious; which was in effect to throw […] religion, Psal lxx•ii. 13. Verily I have cleansed my […] in vain. Ye•, Christ ⟨p. 156⟩himself was tempted to cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple, and to worship the devil, Matth iv. 6, 9. And many of the children of God have not only been attacked with, but have actually yielded to very gross temptations for a time. Peter denied CHRIST, and cursed and swore that he know him not. Mark xiv. 71. Paul, when a persecutor, compelled even saints to blaspheme, Acts xxvi. 10, 11. Many of the saints can, from their sad experience, bear witness to very gross temptations, which have astonished their spirits, made their very flesh to tremble, and sickened their bodies. Satan's fiery darts make terrible work; and will cost pains to quench them, by a vigorous managing of the shield of faith, Ephes. vi 16. Sometimes, he makes such desperate attacks, that never was one more put to it, in running to and fro, without intermission to quench the fire-balls incessantly thrown into his house by an enemy designing to burn the house about him; than the poor tempted saint is, to repel satanical injections. But these injections, these horrid temptations, though they are a dreadful affliction, they are not the sins of the tempted, unless they make them theirs by consenting to them. They will be charged upon the tempter alone, if they be not consented to;