V E x z ö Ephefianc,Chap.6. giving our names to Chrilt, we did endeavour in all things to ferve hits. Hence it is, that they who nowmoll complaine, willfay, they once thoughtthemfelveswell enough,and every little thing toomuch forwardneffc, before God touched them more merely. Now followeth the third thing, who it is that doth in all things strive againft us! TheDevill and his Angels. This the Scripture hash ofold taught , God putting enmity betweene the ferpent and the feed ofthe woman,and therefore the Devil by eminency is called the Tempter, r Thef.3.5. Andhishatred is fogreat, that there is nothing from whichhe will not take occafion tobe dealing with us. For as God dothwork theperfeéting of his by the buffeting ofthe Devill : foSatandoth turnethebelt graces of God to matter of temptation. But for the clearingof this, we mutt know that the Devill doth fome- times tempt us immediately : as Ananias, Aöls 5.3. Judas, Luke a2.2. Secondly, thus : in temptation of blafphemy, felfe-murder, in the judgement which he bringeth, and in this manner Chrilt was temp- ted, in two temptations ; and lobs body and goods were touched by him. Now he is plainly wraftling in this kinde,but in thofe things where- inhe is not the next mover, yet is the fir1l and moreremote agent; and therefore they may be faid in fouie things to wfii(tle againft us : As when the thingsofthis world arme themfelves, or the perlonsin the world doe make us matter ; Satan is a principali worker in them all. The lait branch is to be filmed in the next doecrine : the thingsofthe world ,as glory, riches, pleafure, mutt not be confidered as naked things, but as infrumentsby his ufe lifted up, the force they haveof bewitching and inveigling our hearts from God. Thus he ufed the glory ofthe world to Chrilt as a bait to takehim with. Thus, x Tim. 6.9. riches are his fnarc ; thus the appledelighting the eye and tafle, was an argument he preferred to our firft Parents: and that life in thefe things,which fo workethon the natural( man, commeth partly from Satan, which is alto crucifiedby the famecroffe ofChrift by which hewas fubdued. z. Saint lames faith, that our concupifcence withdrawing us, we are tempted of it : but though it be fo fruitfuil a parent that it can without mid- wifery bring forth alone: yet we muff conceive it fo, that for the moll part, our luit is moved and excited by thefe evil) fpi- rits, they blow the coales up,and are the firesof the finnc whereofour concupifcence is the mother : be not angry,give not place to the De- vill, the Devill therefore ftirrethup anger , Ephef. 4. 26, 27. Davids heart did fwell,buttheDevill perfwaded and moved it, x Chron.ax.x. The widowes following luit, goe after the Devill , I Tim.5.15. And as it is alwayes true that when we doe any good thing, we doe it from the principles ofgrace in us, yet the fpirit giveth us the will and the deed : fo when we doe evil) with- drawne byour concupifcence , the Devill for the molt part dothkindle , and excite the fin whichdwels inus, thatwemay fay it is true, The Devil is, byhimfelfe, and by the R r r 2 things 72,7 Janì:t.t4:
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