Of Temptation to Sin John Owen Preface If you are in any measure awake in these days in which we live, and have taken notice of the manifold great and various temptations in which all sorts of persons that know the Lord and profess His name are betheth, and in which they are continually exposed, With what success those temptations have obtained, to the unspeakable scandal of the gospel, with the wounding and ruin of innumerable souls, I suppose you will not inquire any further after other reasons of my publishing of the ensuing warnings and directions, being suited to the times that pass over us. and your own concern in them. This I shall only say to those who think fit to persist in any such inquiry, that though my first engagement for exposing of these meditations to public view did arise from the desires of some, who affirming the interest of Christ in the world by personal holiness and constant adhering to everything that is made precious by its relation to Him, have given them power over me. to require at any time services of greater importance. Yet, I don't dare lay my doing of it upon that account alone. It's in the least intimate that, with respect to the general state of things mentioned, I did not myself esteem it seasonable and necessary to variety of our outward providences and dispensations in which I have myself been exercised in the world. With the inward trials I have been attended with, Adding to this the observation I have had advantages to make of the ways and walkings of others, their beginnings, progress, endings, their rising and falls in profession and conversation, in darkness and light, have left such a constant sense and impression of the power and danger of temptations on my mind and spirit. that without other pleas and pretenses, I cannot but own a serious call to men to beware, with the discovery of some of the most eminent ways and means of the prevalency of present temptations to have been, in my own judgment in this season, needful. But now, listener, if you are amongst them who take no notice of these things, or you don't care for them. You have no sense of the efficacy and dangers of temptations in your own walking and profession, nor have you observed the power of them on others. who discern not the manifold advantages that they have got in these days, in which all things are shaken, nor have been troubled or moved for the sad successes they have had amongst professors. But you suppose that all things are well within doors and without, and would be better, could you obtain fuller satisfaction than some of your lust and the pleasures or profits of the world? I desire you to know I don't write for you, nor do I esteem you a fit reader or judge of what is here written, while all the issues of providential dispensations in reference to the public concerns of these nations are perplexed and entangled, the footsteps of God lying in the deep, where his paths are not known. While in particular, unparalleled distresses and strange prosperities are measured out to men, yea, to professors, while a spirit of error, giddiness and delusion goes forth. With such strength and efficacy, it just seems to have received a commission to go and prosper. While, dear, such divisions drive simulations, attended with such evil surmise as wrath and revenge, found amongst brethren. While the desperate issues and products of men's temptations are seen daily in partial and total apostasy, in their decay, a spiritual love, the overthrow of their faith, are days being filled with fearful examples of backsliding such as former ages never knew. While there is a visible declension from reformation seasoned upon the professing party of these nations, both as to personal holiness and sale for the interest of Christ. He that doesn't understand that there is an hour of temptation come on the world to try them to dwell on the earth, is doubtless either himself at present captivated under the power of some woeful lust, corruption, or temptation, is indeed himself stark blind and does not know at all what it is to serve God, in temptations, with such then I have not at present to do. For those who have in general a sense of these things, who also in some measure are able to consider that the plague is begun, today may be further awakened to look about them. last infection, have approached near to them by some secret and imperceptible ways, than it did apprehend. For unless they should be surprised unawares hereafter by any of those temptations that end these days, these are wasted now, or else walk in darkness. This is the reason that warning is intended. And for the sake of them that mourn in secret, for all the abominations that are found among and upon them that profess the gospel, and who are under the conduct of the captain of their salvation, fighting and resisting the power of temptations. From what springs, however they rise in themselves, are the ensuing directions proposed for their consideration. bitter faithful and merciful high priest, who both suffered and was tempted, and is on that account touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but accompanied a small discourse. with seasonable supplies of his spirit, and suitable mercy to them that shall consider it, that it may be useful to his servants, for the instance in which it is designed. It is a prayer of him who received this handful of seed from his storehouse and treasure. John Owen Chapter 1 The words of our Savior are repeated with very little alteration in three evangelists. Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation, Matthew 26, verse 41. Only whereas Matthew and Mark have recorded them as above written, Luke reports them thus. Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation, so that the whole of his caution seems to have been arise. Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. Solomon tells us some that lie down on the top of a mast in the midst of the sea. Proverbs 23 verse 34 These men are overborne by security in the mouth of destruction. If ever poor souls lay down on the top of a mast in the midst of the sea, these disciples with our Savior in the garden did so. Their master, at a little distance from them, was offering up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. Hebrews 5 verse 7. being then taken into his hand, and beginning to taste a cup that was filled with a curse and wrath due to their sins, the Jews, armed for his and their destruction, being but a little more distant from them. On the other hand, her savior had a little before informed them that that night he should be betrayed. and be delivered up to be slain, they saw that he was sorrowful and very heavy. Matthew 26, verse 37. Nay, he told them plainly that his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Verse 38. And therefore entreated him to tarry and watch with him. Now he was dying, and that, for them, in his condition, leaving them but a little space, like men forsaken of all love towards him, or care of themselves, they fall fast asleep. Even the best of saints, being left to ourselves, will quickly appear to be less than men. In fact, to be nothing, all our own strength is weakness, and all our wisdom, folly, Peter being one of them, who but a little before had with so much self-confidence affirmed, Did thou, O men, persue him? Yet he never would do so. Our Savior expostulates a manner in particular with him in verse 40. He says to Peter, Could you not watch with me one hour? As if he should have said, Are you he, Peter, who but now boasted of your resolution never to forsake me? Is it likely? that you should hold out in this when you cannot watch with me one hour is this you're dying for me to be dead in carnal security when i'm dying for you and indeed it would be an amazing thing to consider that peterson makes a high promise and be immediately so careless and remiss in the pursuit of it, but that we find the route to the same treachery abiding and working in our own hearts. And do you see the fruits of it brought forth every day, the most noble engagements to obedience, quickly ending in deplorable negligence, In this state, our Savior admonisheth them of their condition, their weakness, their danger, and stirs up to a prevention of that ruin which lay at the door, He says. Arise, watch, and pray. I shall not insist on a particular aim to adhere by our Savior. and his caution to them that were then present with him, the great temptation that was coming on them from the scandal of the cross was doubtless in his eye. But I shall consider the words as containing a general direction to all the disciples of Christ. and their following of him throughout all generations. There are three things in the words. One, the evil cautioned against. Temptation. Two, the means of its prevalency, but our entering into it. And three, the way of preventing it. Watch and pray. It is not in my thoughts to handle the commonplace of temptations, but only the danger of them in general. With the means of preventing that danger, yet, that we may know what we affirm and whereof we speak, some concerns of the general nature of temptation may be premised. First, for the general nature of tempting and temptation, it lies among things indifferent. It means to try, to experiment, to prove, to pierce a vessel that the liquor that is in it may be known is as much as is signified by it. So God has said sometime to tempt, and we are commanded as our duty to tempt or try to search ourselves to know what is in us. and pray that God would do so also. So temptation is like a knife that either may cut the meat or the throat of a man. It may be his food, or it may be his poison, his exercise, or his destruction. Secondly, temptation in its special nature is it denotes any evil is considered either actively as at least too evil, or passively as it has an evil and suffering in it. So temptation is taken for affliction. James 1 verse 2, for in that sense we are to count it all joy when we fall into temptation and the other that we enter not into it. Again, actively considered it either denotes an attempt or a design for bringing about to the special end of temptation namely, leading into evil. So it is said that God tempts no man, James 1 verse 13, with a design for sin as such. For to general nature and end of temptation, which is their trial, so God tempted Abraham, Genesis 22 verse 1, and he proves their tempts by false prophets, Deuteronomy 13 verse 3. Now, as to God's tempting of any, two things are to be considered. One, the end, why he does it. Two, the way in which he does it. For the first, his general ends are two. He does it to show the man what is in him, that is, the man himself, and that ether is to his grace or to his corruption. I don't speak now of it, as it may have a place, a bare part in judiciary, hardness of heart. Grace and corruption lie deep in the heart, and oftentimes deceive themselves in the search after the one. or the other of them, when we give in to the soul. To try what grace is there, corruption comes out. And when we search for corruption, grace appears. So as the soul kept in uncertainty, we fail in our trials. God comes with a gauge that goes to the bottom. He sends his instruments to trial into the bowels and in most parts of the soul and lets man see what is in him, of what metal he is constituted. Thus he tempted Abraham to show him his faith. Abraham knew not what faith he had. I mean, what power and vigor was in his faith. until God drew it out by that great trial and temptation. When God says He knew it, He made Abraham to know it. So he tried Hezekiah to discover his pride. God left him that he might see what was in his heart, so apt to be lifted up, as he appeared to have until God tried him, and so let out his filth and poured it out. before his face, the issues of such discoveries to the saints in thankfulness, humiliation, and treasuring a public experience I shall not now trade of. But secondly, God does it to show himself to man, in that end, first, a way of preventing grace. A man shall see Yet it is God alone who keeps from all sin. Until we are tempted, we think we live on our own strength. Though all men do this or that, well, we will not. When the trial comes, we quickly see whence is our preservation. By standing or falling. So it was in the case of Abimelech. Genesis 20 verse 6, God said, I withheld you. Secondly, in a way of renewing grace, he would have the temptation continue with Paul, that he might reveal himself to him in the sufficiency of his renewing grace. 2 Corinthians 12 verse 9. We don't know the power and strength that God puts forth on our behalf, nor what is the sufficiency of his grace, until, comparing the temptation with our own weakness, it appears to us the efficacy of an antidote is found. when poison has been taken and the preciousness of medicines is made known by diseases. We shall never know what strength there is in grace if we don't know what strength there is in temptation. We must be tried that we may be made sensible of being preserved. In many other good and gracious ends God has, which he accomplishes towards his saints by his trials and temptations, not now to be insisted on. But secondly, for the ways in which God accomplishes is his search, trial, or temptation. These are some of them. He puts men on great duties. such as they cannot apprehend that they have any strength for, nor indeed have. So he tended to Abraham by calling him to that duty of sacrifice in his son. A thing so absurd to reason, bitter to nature, and grievous to him on all accounts whatever, many men do not know what is in them, or rather, what is ready for them, until they are put upon what seems utterly above their strength. Indeed, upon what is really above their strength, the duties that God, in an ordinary way, requires that our hands are not proportioned to what strength we have in ourselves, but to what help and relief has laid up for us in Christ. and we are to address ourselves to the greatest performances with a settled persuasion that we do not have ability for the least. This is the law of grace. And yet, when any duty is required, it is extraordinary. That is a secret not often discovered. In the yoke of Christ, it is a trial. a temptation, but secondly by putting them upon great sufferings. How many have unexpectedly found strength to die at a stake, to endure tortures for Christ, yet their call to it was a trial. This, Peter tells us, is one way in which we are brought into trying temptations, 1 Peter 1, verses 6 and 7. Our temptations arise from the fiery trial, and yet the end is but a trial of our faith. Thirdly, by his providential disposing of things so as that occasions to sin will be administered to men, which is the case mentioned in Deuteronomy 13, verse 3, and innumerable other instances may be adjoined. Now, here not properly the temptations of God is coming from him, but his end upon them that are here intended. and therefore I shall set these apart for our present consideration. It is, then, temptation, in its special nature, as it denotes an active efficiency toward sinning, as it is managed with evil to evil. Dead, I intend, in its sense. Temptation may proceed either sanely from Satan, or the world, or other men in the world, or from ourselves, or jointly from all, or some of them, in different combinations. First, Satan tempts sometimes singly by himself, without taking advantage from the world, to things or persons of it, or ourselves. Though he deals in his injection of evil and blasphemous thoughts of God into the hearts of the saints, which is his own work alone, without any advantage from the world, or our own hearts. For nature will contribute nothing to this end, nor anything that is in the world, nor any man of the world. For none can conceive a God, and conceive evil of him. And as Satan alone is in this sin, and shall be so, and the punishment of it, these fiery darts are prepared in the forge of his own malice, and shall, with all their venom and poison, be turned back into his own heart forever. But secondly, sometimes he makes use of the world and joins forces against us without any hells from within. So he tempted our savior by showing him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and a variety of the assistances he finds from the world and persons and things. which I must not insist on. The innumerable instruments and weapons he takes from this of all sorts and at all seasons are inexpressible. Thirdly, sometimes the devil takes in assistance from ourselves also. It is not with us as it was with Christ. When Satan came to tempt him, he declares, that he had nothing in him. John 14, verse 30. But it is otherwise with us. He has for the encompassing of most of his sins a sheer party within our own breasts. James 1, 14 and 15. So he tempted Judas. He was at work himself. He put it into his heart to betray Christ. Luke 22, 3. He entered into him. for that purpose, and he sets the world at work, the things of it, providing for him thirty pieces of silver, verse five, decovenanted to give him money, and the men of it, even the priests and the Pharisees, and calls in the assistance of its own corruption. He was covetous, a thief, and had to beg. I might also show how the world and our own corruptions act singly by themselves. are jointly in conjunction with Satan and one another in his business of temptation. But the truth is, to principles, ways and means of temptations, to kinds, degrees, efficacy, and causes of them, are so inexpressibly large and various the circumstances of them, from providence, natures, conditions, spiritual and natural, with the particular cases thence arising, so innumerable and impossible to be comprised with any bound or order, that to attempt to give in an account of them would be to undertake that which would be endless. But I shall content myself to give a description of the general nature of that which we are to watch against, which will make way for what I aim at. Temptation, then, in general, is anything state, way, or condition. that upon any account whatever has a force or efficacy to seduce, to draw the mind and heart of man from its obedience which God requires of him, and to any sin in any degree of it whatsoever. In particular, that is a temptation to any man which causes or occasions him to sin, or in anything to go off from his duty, either by bringing evil into his heart or drawing out that evil that is in his heart, or any other way diverting him from communion with God in that constant, equal, universal obedience in manner and manner that is required of him. To make clear of this description, I shall only observe that the temptation seems to be of a more active importance and so to denote only the power of seduction to sin itself. Yet, in the scripture it is commonly taken in a neuter sense and denotes a manner of the temptation, or the thing in which we are tempted. And this is the ground of the description I've given of it, be it what it will, that from anything whatever, within us or without us, it has an advantage to hinder in our duty, or to provoke to, or in any way to occasion sin. That is a temptation, and so to be lucked on, be it business, employment, course of your life, your company, affections, nature, the corrupt design, your relations. what you delight in, your name, your reputation, your esteem, those abilities you have, parts or excellencies of your body or mind, your place, your dignity, art, so far as a further or occasion of promotion of the ends before mentioned. Dare all of them no less truly temptations, that the most violent solicitations of Satan are allurements of the world, and that soul lies at the brink of ruin, does not discern it, and this will be further discovered in the process of this work.