Required reading
A treatise on Satan's temptations by Richard Gilpin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 7 of Part 2.
My summary
This week Gilpin continues to explore the various ways by which Satan undermines the people of God.
We see, secondly, that Satan molests the people of God by affrightments including:
(i) atheistic thoughts;
(ii) blasphemous thoughts;
(iii) fears of being excluded out of God's eternal decree of election;
(iv) thoughts of some abominable sin or evil;
(v) immediate impressions of fear;
(vi) scrupulosity of conscience.
What grabbed me
I appreciated the point that Satan scares people by thoughts of terrible sin: 'Sometimes he [Satan] takes another course to affright men, and that is by injecting motions of some abominable sin or evil into their minds, to the commission whereof he seems strongly to solicit ; yet not with any full intention or expectation of prevalency, but with a purpose to molest and disquiet. And for that end, he commonly chooseth such sins as are most vile in their own nature, and most opposite to the dispositions of men. Thus he injects thoughts of uncleanness to a chaste person ; thoughts of injustice and wrong to a just man ; thoughts of revenge and cruelty to a weak man ; thoughts of rejoicing in the loss and misery of others to the merciful man. Or else he injects motions to such sins wherein formerly men have been overtaken, but have been made bitter by deep repentance ; the very thoughts whereof are now become most loathsome. And sometimes he pursues men with thoughts of self-murder, even while there is nothing of discontent or trouble in their minds to second such a temptation. By this manner of proceeding he creates great affrightmeuts to the hearts of men.'
Sometimes truly horrible ideas enter our minds - such thoughts do come from the evil one.
Next week's reading
Commence Chapter 8 of Part 2 by reading up to the paragraph beginning '4. I have one thing more to add for these discoveries of these spiritual troubles, and that is to shew you the engines by which Satan works them...'
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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