112 OF TEMPTATION.
form of godliness, when tliey had served their turn of that, began the way to them ; then others began a little to comply, and to please the flesh in so doing. This, by little and little, hath reached even the top boughs and branches of our profession, until almost all flesh hath corrupted its way. And he that departeth from these iniquities makes his name a prey, if not his person.
2dly. Public temptations are usually accompanied with strong reasons and pretences, that are too hard for men, or at least insen- sibly prevail upon them to an undervaluation of the evil whereunto the temptation leads, to give strength to that complicated temptation which in these days hath even cast down the people of God from their excellency, — hath cut their locks, and made them become like other men. How full is the world of specious pretences and plead- ings! As there is the liberty and freedom of Christians, delivered from a bondage frame, this is a door that, in my own observation, I have seen sundry going' out at, into sensuality and apostasy ; beginning at a hght conversation, proceeding to a neglect of the Sabbath, public and private duties, ending in dissoluteness and profaneness. And then there is leaving of public things to Providence, being contented with what is; — things good in themselves, but disputed into wretched, carnal compliances, and the utter ruin of all zeal for God, the interest of Clnist or his people in the world. These and the like considerations, joined with the ease and plenty, the greatness and promotion of pro- fessors, have so brought things about, that whereas we have by Provi- dence shifted places with the men of the world, we have by sin shifted spirits with them also. We are like a plantation of men carried into a foreign country. In a short space they degenerate from the manners of the people from whence they came, and fall into that of the country whereunto they are brought; as if there were some- thing in the soil and the air that transformed them. Give me leave a little to follow my similitude: He that should see the prevailing party of these nations, many of those in rule, power, favour, with all their adherents, and remember that they were a colony of Puritans, — whose habitation was " in a low place," as the prophet speaks of the city of God, — translated by a high hand to the mountains they now possess, cannot bvit wonder how soon they have forgot the customs, manners, ways, of their own old people, and are cast into the mould of them that went before them in the places Avhereunto they are translated. I speak of us all, especially of us who are amongst the lowest of the people, where perhaps this iniquity doth most abound. What were those before us that we are not? Avhat did they that we do not ? Prosperity hath slain the foolish and wounded the wise.
[2.] Su]>pose the temptation is private. This liath been spoken to before; I shall add two things: —
PRIVATE TEMPTATION, 113
1st Its union and incorporation with lust, whereby it gets within the sou], and Hes at the bottom of its actings. John tells us, 1 Epist. ii. 16, that the things that are "in the world" are, " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life." Now, it is evident that all these things are principally in the subject, not in tlie object, — in the heart, not in the world. But they are said to be "in the world," because the world gets into them, mixes itself with them, unites, incorporates. As faith and the promises are said to be "mixed," Heb. iv. 2, so are lust and temptation mixed : they twine together ; receive mutual improve- ment from one another ; grow each of them higher and higher by the mutual strength they administer to one another. Now, by this means temptation gets so deep in the heart that no contrary reasonings can reach unto it; nothing but what can kill the lust can conquer the temptation. Like leprosy that hath mingled itself with the wall, the wall itself must be pulled down, or the leprosy will not be cured. Like a gangrene that mixes poison with the blood and spirits, and cannot be separated from the place where it is, but both must be cut off together. For instance, in David's temptation to uncleanness, ten thousand considerations might have been taken in to stop the mouth of the temptation; but it had united itself with his lust, and nothing but the killing of that could destroy it, or get him the conquest. This deceives many a one. They have some pressing temptation, that, having got some advantages, is urgent upon them. They pray against it, oppose it with all powerful considerations, such as whereof every one seems sufficient to conquer and destroy it, at least to overpower it, that it should never be troublesome any more ; but no good is done, no gToimd is got or obtained, yea, it gi'ows upon them more and more. What is the reason of it? It hath incorporated and united itself with the lust, and is safe from all the opposition they make. If they would make work indeed, the}^ are to set upon the whole of the lust itself; their ambition, pride, worldliness, sensuality, or whatever it be, that the temptation is united with. All other dealings with it are like tamperings with a prevailing gangrene: the part or whole may be preserved a little while, in great torment; excision or death must come at last. The soul may cruciate itself for a season with such a procedure ; but it must come to this, — its lust must die, or the soul must die.