Thirdly, God hath openly and fully declared the danger that is in these things, as unto their enjoyment and use; and what multitudes of souls miscarry, by an inordinate adherence unto them ! For they are the matter of those temptations, whereby the souls of men are ruined for ever; the fuel that supplies the fire of their lusts, until they are consumed by it.
382 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
Men, under the power of spiritual convictions, fall not into sin, fail not eternally, but by the means of temptation, that is the mire wherein this rush doth grow. For others, who live and die in the madness and wildness of nature, without any restraint in their minds from the power of con- victions, they need no external temptations, but only oppor- tunities to exert their lusts. But for those who by any means are convinced of sin, righteousness, and judgment, so as to design the ordering of their lives, with respect unto the sense they have of them, they fall not into actual sin, but upon temptations. That, whatever it be, which causeth, occasioneth, and prevaileth on a convinced person unto sin, that is temptation. Wherefore this is the great means of the ruin of the souls of men.
Now, though there are many principles of temptation, many causes that actually concur unto its efficacy, as sin, Satan, and other men, yet the matter of almost all ruinous temptations is taken out of this world, and the things of it. Thence doth Satan take all his darts ; thence do evil men derive all the ways and means whereby they corrupt others ; and from thence is all the fuel of sin and lust taken. And which adds unto this evil, all that is in the world, contributes its utmost thereunto. ' All that is in the world,' is ' the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;' 1 John ii. 16. It is not a direct formal annumeration of the things that are in the world, nor a distribution of them under several heads ; but it is so of the principal lusts of the minds of men, whereunto all things in the world are subservient. Wherefore, not only the matter of all temptations is taken out of the world, but every thing that is in the world is apt and fit to be abused unto that end. For it were easy to shew that there is nothing desirable or valuable in this whole world, but it is reducible unto a subserviency unto one or other of these lusts, and is applicable unto the interest and service of temptations and sins.
When men hear of these things, they are apt to say, let the dream be unto them that are openly wicked, and the in- terpretation of it unto them that are profligate in sin. Unto unclean persons, drunkards, oppressors, proud ambitious persons, it may be, it is so ; but as unto them, they use the things of this world with a due moderation, so as they are
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no snare unto them. But to own they are used unto what end soever, if the affections of men are set upon them, one way or other, there is nothing in the world but is thus a snare and temptation. However we should be very careful how we adhere unto, or undervalue that which is the cause and means of the ruin of multitudes of souls. By the warn- ings given us hereof, doth God design, as unto the use of means, to teach us the vanity and danger of fixing our affections on things below.
Fourthly, Things are so ordered in the holy, wise dispen- sation of God's providence, that it requires much spiritual wisdom to distinguish between the use and the abuse of these things ; between a lawful care about them, and an in- ordinate cleaving unto them. Few distinguish aright here; and therefore in these things will many find their great mis- take at the last day. The disappointments that they will fall under, as to what concerns their earthly enjoyments, and the use of them wherewith they were intrusted, see Matt. XXV. 34. to the end of the chapter.
It is granted that there is a lawful use of these things, a lawful care and industry about them. So it is also acknow- ledged, it cannot be denied, that there is an abuse of them springing from an inordinate love, and cleaving unto them. But here men deceive themselves, taking their measures by the most crooked uncertain rules. Some make their own inclinations the rule and measure of what is lawful and allow- able ; some the examples of others ; some the course of the world ; some their own real or pretended necessities. They confess that there is an inordinate love of those things, and an abuse of them, in excesses of various sorts, which the Scripture plainly affirms, and which experience gives topen testimony unto. But as unto their state and circumstances, their care, love, and industry, are all allowable. That which influenceth all these persons, is self-love, which inveterate corrupt affections, and false reasonings, do make an appli- cation of unto these occasions.
Hence we have men approving of themselves as just stewards of their enjoyments, whilst others judge them hard, covetous, earthly minded ; no way laying out what they are intrusted withal, unto the glory of God, in any due proportion. Others also think not ami.ss of themselves in