In nothing doth the folly of the hearts of men show itself more openly, in the days wherein we live, than in this cursed boldness, after so many warnings from God, and so many sad experiences every day under their eyes, of running into and putting themselves upon temptations. Any society, any company, any conditions of outward advantages, without once weighing what their strength, or what the concernment of their poor souls is, they are ready for. Though they go over the dead and the slain that in those ways and jiaths but even now fell d(jwn before them, yet they will go on Avithout regard or trembling. At this door are gone out hundreds, tliousands of professors, within a few years. But, —
4. Let us consider ourselves, — what our weakness is; and what temptation is, — its power and efficacy, with what it leads unto : —
(1.) For ourselves, we are weakness itself. We have no strength, no power to withstand. Confidence of any strength in us is one great part of our weakness; it was so in Peter. He that says he can do any thing, can do nothing as he should. And, which is worse, it is the worst kind of weakness that is in us,' — a weakness from treachery, — a weakness arising from that party which every temptation hath in us. If a castle or fort be never so strong and well fortified, yet if
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there be a treaclierous party within, that is ready to betray it on every opportunity, there is no preserving it from the enemy. There are traitors in our hearts, ready to take part, to close, and side with every temptation, and to give up all to them; yea, to solicit and bribe temptations to do the work, as traitors incite an enemy. Do not flatter yourselves that you shall hold out; there are secret lusts that lie lurking in your hearts, which perhaps now stir not, which, as soon as any temptation befalls you, will rise, tumultuate, cry, disquiet, seduce, and never give over until they are either killed or satisfied. He that promises himself that the frame of his heart will be the same under a temptation as it is before will be wofully mistaken. " Am I a dog, that I should do this thing?" says HazaeL Yea, thou wilt be such a dog if ever thou be king of Syria ; .temptation from thy inte- rest will unman thee. He that now abhors the thoughts of such and such a thing, if he once enters into temptation will find his heart inflamed towards it, and all contrary reasonings overborne and silenced. He will deride his former fears, cast out his scruples, and contemn the consideration that he lived upon. Little did Peter think he should deny and forswear his Master so soon as ever he was ques- tioned whether he knew him or no. It was no better when the hour of temptation came ; all resolutions were forgotten, all love to Christ buried ; the present temptation closing with his carnal fear carried all before it.
To handle this a little more distinctly, I shall consider the means of safety from the power of temptation, if we enter therein, that may be expected from ourselves ; and that in general as to the spring and rise of them, and in particular as to the ways of exerting that strength we have, or seem to have : —
[1.] In general, all we can look for is from our hearts. What a man's heart is, that is he ; but now what is the heart of a man in such a season?
1st. Suppose a man is not a believer, but only a professor of the gospel, what can the heart of such a one do? Prov. x. 20, "The heart of the wicked is little worth ;" and surely that which is little worth in any thing is not much worth in this. A wicked man may in outward things be of great use; but come to his heart, that is false and a thing of nought. Now, withstanding of temptation is heart- work ; and when it comes like a flood, can such a rotten trifle as a wicked man's heart stand before it? But of these before. Entering into temptation and apostasy is the same with them.
2dly. Let it be whose heart it will, Prov. xxviii. 26, " He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool;" he that doth so, be he what he will, in that he is foolish. Peter did so in his temptation ; he trusted in his own heart: " Though all men forsake thee, I will not." It was
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his folly; but why was it his folly? He shall not be delivered; it will not preserve him in snares; it will not deliver him in temptations. Tlie heart of a man will promise him very fair before a temptation comes. " Am I a dog," says Hazael, "that I should do this thing?" " Though all men should deny thee," [says Peter,] " I will not. Shall I do this evil? It caimot be." All the arguments that are suited to give check to the heart in such a condition are mustered up. Did not Peter, think you, do so ? " What ! deny my Master, the Son of God, my Redeemer, who loves me? Can such ingratitude, unbelief, re- bellion, befall me? I will not do it." Shall, then, a man rest in it that his heart will be steadfast? Let the wise man answer: " He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." " The heart is deceitful," Jer. xvii. 9. We would not willingly trust any thing wherein there is any deceit or guile; here is that which is " deceitful above all things." It hath a thousand shifts and treacheries that it will deal withal; when it comes to the trial, every temptation will steal it away, Hos. iv. 11. Generally men's hearts deceive them no oftener than they do trust in them, and then they never fail so to do.