Page:Comer's conflict, or, The beginner's battle with the devil, when essaying to come to Christ by faith.pdf/7

 The Beginner's Battle with the Devil. 7 begins, and the foul comes to be troubled for ſin, and under fear of hell and wrath, Satan ind. fiſhes in the drumly water, and mixes his temptations with the Spirit's convic- tions: and if he can bring all convictions to nothing, either by force or fraud, he will do it, that the convinced ſoul may never come to Chriſt for cure; Satan will ſtand at his right hand to refill him. But the difference between them ie, (1.) The convictions of the Spirit are before a man come to Chriſt, and tend as a ſevere ſchoolmaſter to lead him to Chriſt, Gal. iii. 24. But the temptations of the Devil are eſpecially when a man is COMING to Chriſt, in order to keep him from coming. If the Spirit of God, by a law-work, Teem as it were, to 'caſt down the man, and to tear him to pieces, the deſign is to oblige him to go to Chriſt for help and healing; and to provoke his to come to the Saviour, and fly to the city of refuge. But the de- ſign of the Devil's temptations, when be throws down and tears the foul, is when he is coming, or as he is coming to Chriſt, in order to detain him from coming, or diſcour- age him in corning. (2.) The convictions of the Spirit are humbling, tend- ing to make the ſoul deſpair of help in himſelf, or in God, out of Chriſt. The temptations of the enemy are terrify- ing, tending to make the foul deſpair of help in Chriſt, 'or in God thro' him : the former Shuts the door of hope by the law; but the Devil would ſhut the door of hope by the goſpel. 4. Hence fee, there is no ground to blame religion and religious duties, not withſtanding diſcouragements and down-caſting trials in the way of duty; though matters grow worſe with you in the way of duty, and in the way of coming to Chriſt, blame not yourſelf for. coming to Chriſt, becauſe the devil attacks you by the way. You have enough to charge yourſelf with, though you charge not yourſelf too fooliſhly. It would be far worſe with you if the devil and your own wicked heart prevail to take you off from the uſe of promiſing means. When, like Peter, you caſt yourſelf upon the water to come to Chriſt, be not terrified, tho' the Devil raiſe a ſtorm; the Lord Jeſus, fits upon the floods, and is mightier than the noiſe of many wa- ters, Pſal. xcii. 4. Never think the worſe of Chriſt tho' matters deem to grow worſe with you, when you come to him