Aiming Our Complaints (2)

No man is hurt but by himself first. We are drawn to evil and allured from a true good to a false by our own lusts; 'God tempts no man' (James 1:13). Satan has no power over us further than we willingly lie open to him. Satan works upon our affections, and then our affections work upon our will. He does not work immediately upon the will. We must thank ourselves in willingly yielding to our own passions for all the ill Satan or his instruments draws us into. Saul was not vexed with an evil spirit (1 Sam. 16), until he gave way to his own evil spirit of envy. The devil did not enter Judas (Matt. 27:3), until his covetous heart made way for him. The apostle strengthens his convictions against rash and lasting anger by knowing that unrighteous anger is giving way to the devil (Eph. 4:27). It is a dangerous thing to pass from God's government and come under Satan's.
Satan mingles himself with our own passions, therefore we should blame ourselves first, be ashamed of ourselves more, and judge ourselves most severely. But self-love teaches us a contrary method, to transfer all to others, and it robs us of a right judgment of ourselves. Though we desire to know all diseases of the body by their proper names, yet we will conceive of sinful passions of the soul under milder terms; as lust under love, rage under just anger, murmuring under just displeasure, etc. Sin has not only made all creatures enemies to us, but ourselves the greatest enemies of all. We should begin our complaints against ourselves and discuss ourselves thoroughly. In all discouragements a godly man has most trouble with his own heart.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Soul's Conflict with Itself, Works, vol. 1, pp. 151-52
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