Salvos da Ira Futura

2 ... Why, surely here is the great cause of it - they have some other thing to ease their hearts in the want and loss of God. Jer. ii. 13, 14. Men must have water to drink; why do men live from the fountain, nor go to it, nay, not know it? Because they have broken pits and wells at their own doors; so here. And hence the damned that have lived at ease here all their lifetime, as soon as ever dead, then they cry out of the loss of God, when is too late, because while they lived they had somewhat to ease themselves withal. And hence, many that have lived long with convinced spirits and guilty consciences, when they come to die, then they are in perplexities of mind, agonies of heart, insomuch as their  sweat trickles like water from them, and their doleful outcries for loss of time strike to the hearts of all that come near them. O, God is gone; because now all comforts which were their gods, and instead of God, before, have taken their final leave of them. Search your h...

Device 1 By presenting the WORLD in such a dress, and in such a garb to the soul, as to ensnare the soul, and to win upon the affection of the soul. He represents the world of them in its beauty and finery, which proves a bewitching sight to a world of men. (It is true, this deceived not Christ, because Satan could find no matter in him for his temptation to work upon). So that he can no sooner cast out his golden bait - but we are ready to play with it, and to nibble at it; he can no sooner throw out his golden ball - but men are apt to run after it, though they lose God and their souls in the pursuit! Ah! how many professors in these days have for a time followed hard after God, Christ, and ordinances; until the devil has set before them the world in all its beauty and finery, which has so bewitched their souls that they have grown to have low thoughts of holy things, and then to be cold in their affections to holy things, and then to slight them, and at last, with the y...

Device 5 By suggesting to them, That that conflict which is in them, it is not a conflict which is only in saints - but such a conflict that is to be found in hypocrites and profane souls; when the truth is, there is as much difference between the conflict which is in them, and that which is in wicked men, as there is between light and darkness, between heaven and hell. The devil is a liar, and the father of lies. The devil´s breasts (says Luther) are very fruitful with lies. And the truth of this I shall evidence to you in the following particulars: [1.] The whole frame of a believer soul´s is against sin. The understanding, the will, and the affections - all the powers and faculties of the soul - are in arms against sin. A covetous man may condemn covetousness, and yet the frame and bent of his heart may be to it. A proud person may condemn pride, and yet frame and bent of his spirit may be to it. A man may condemn drunkenness, and yet frame of his heart may be to it. ‘Y...

Device 2 - By working them to make false definitions of their graces Satan knows, that as false definitions of sin wrong the soul one way, so false definitions of grace wrong the soul another way. Oh! How does Satan labor with might and main to work men to make false definitions of FAITH! Some he works to define faith too high, as that it is a full assurance of love of God to a man´s soul in particular, or a full persuasion of the pardon and remission of a man´s own sins in particular.  Says Satan, What do you talk of faith? Faith is an assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of sin; and this you have not; you know you are far off from this; therefore you have no faith. And by drawing men to make such a false definition of faith, he keeps them in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, and makes them spend their days in sorrow and sighing, so that tears are their drink, and sorrow is their food, and sighing is their work all the day long. The philosophers ...