694 Chap.3 I. An Expolition upon the Book of Jo a. Vert.31, ( which is an a& of the will ) the temptationsof the Devil!, and hisraffaults defile us not they are indeedour Alit:lions, and our troubles, but not our finnes till they are accepted of, and ernbra.. ced byus then, the fault is every mans owne ; Sathan bath beguiled you, but did not you confent, did not you accept of the temptation ; it is not his temptation which makes you guilty,but your admittance of it. As it was fayd long agoe, and may much more in this flandering age ; If to aceufe another did make him, guilty,none could be innocent. So, I may fay in this cafe allo, Jft9 be tempted by theDevi& mould make a manguilty, no man foguid be longgoiltlefe, even ofthe mcfl horrid crimes that ever the Sun beheld. Jefus Chrift himfelfe had not been without guilt, if tobe tempted makes a man guilty. How did the Devill tempt and al- fault Chrift I How did he follow him in one houre ( as we may conceave) with a threefold temptation, betides all the tempta- tions which probably followed, the holy text laying, he left him for afealon. Yet Jefus Chrift came off from thofe three and all other temptations without any touch, without any the leaft fpot of fin ; He kept himfelfe ( fo doe beleevers, by him, themfelves, I 7a.s. 8.) And that wickedone touch: himnot,that is,left no evil! impreffion upon him, howmuch fever he preffed him to evil!. The Prince of this world came,bur found nothing inhim ; he had malice (ufficient in his heart againft Chrift, but he found nothing in Chrift, to take with his temptation. Therebeing not the katt motion in the heart of Jefus Chrift towards a complyance with the Devil!, but an utterabomination and deteftation of him , hee was not at all hurt with any of his temptations : and fo farce as we keepe offour confent to the Devil!, his temptations cannot hurt us. Ill thoughts fpringingup in us areour fins, thoughwe content not to them ; but evill thoughts fuggefted by Satan are not our fins till confented to. Therefore take heed of excufing your (elves bycharging your tin upon the Devill and his temp- tations; charge it ratherupon your felves, and your owne in- dwelling corruptions ; the Devill doth only Eke the' fire, your hearts are the tinder, if your hearts were not tinder, his fparkes could not kindle upon you ; Sathandoth not prcvaile over us by force, but by guile,he infnares us, and winnes our hearts he vex- eth us by his wiles, as Mores laid the Midianite, did the children of /Traci in the wilderneffe, Were the Devil! left to himfelfe he would
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