John Owen A Treatise of Temptation Chapter 3 1658 The doctrine, grounds of it, are Saviour's direction in this case. Having thus opened the words in the foregoing chapters so far as is necessary to discover the foundation of the truth, to be insisted on and improved, I shall lay it down in the ensuing observation. It is a great duty of all believers to use all diligence in the ways of Christ's appointment that they fall not into temptation. I know God is able to deliver the godly out of temptations. I know he is faithful not to allow us to be tempted above what we are able, but will make a way for our escape. Yet I dare say I shall convince all those who will attend to what is delivered and written, that it is our great duty and concern to use all diligence, watchfulness, and care that we enter not into temptation. And I shall evidence it by the ensuing considerations, number one, in that compendious instruction given us by your Savior concerning what we ought to pray for, this, of not entering into temptation is expressly one head. Our Savior knew of what concern it was to us not to enter into temptation when he gave us this as one special subject of our daily dealing with God, Matthew 6, verse 13. And the order of the Word shows us of what importance it is. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. If we are led into temptation, evil will befall us, more or less. How God may be said to tempt us or to lead us into temptation I showed before. In this direction, it is not so much the not giving us up to it as a powerful keeping us from it that is intended. The last words are, as it were, exegetical or expository of the former. Lead us not in temptation, but deliver us from evil. So deal with us that we may be powerfully delivered from that evil which attends our entering into temptation. Our blessed Savior knew full well our state and condition. He knows the power of temptations, having had experience of it, Hebrews 2 verse 18. He knows our vain confidence and the reserves we have concerning our ability to deal with temptations, as he found it in Peter. But he knows our weakness and folly and how soon we are cast to the ground. And therefore he lays in this provision for instruction at the entrance of his ministry. to make us heedful, if possible, in that which is of some great concern to us. If then we will repose any confidence in the wisdom, love, and care of Jesus Christ towards us, we must grant the truth pleaded for. Number two. Christ promises us freedom and deliverance as a great reward of most acceptable obedience. Revelation 3 verse 10. This is a great promise made to the Church of Philadelphia, in which Christ found nothing that he would blame. You shall be kept from the hour of temptation, not you shall be preserved in it. But he goes higher. You shall be kept from it. Darius says our Savior, an hour of temptation coming, a season that will make havoc in the world. Multitudes shall then fall from the faith. deny and blaspheme me. Oh, how few will be able to stand and hold out. Some will be utterly destroyed and perish forever. Some will get wounds to their souls that shall never be well healed while they live in the world and have their bones broken so as to go halting all their days. But he says, because you have kept the word of my patience, I will be tender towards you and keep you from this hour of temptation. Certainly that which Christ thus promises to his beloved church as a reward of her service Love and obedience is no light thing Whatever Christ promises to his spouse is a fruit of unspeakable love That is so in a special manner, which is promised as a reward of special obedience Number three Let us to this purpose consider the general issue of men's entering into temptation, and that of bad and good men, of ungrounded professors, and of the choicest saints. For the first, I shall offer but one or two texts of scripture. Luke 13, verse 13. They on the rock are they which, when they hear, receive the word with joy and have no root, but for a while believe. Well, how long do they believe? They are affected with the preaching of the word and believe thereon. Make profession. Bring forth some fruits. But until when do they abide, he says? In a time of temptation they fall away. When once they enter into temptation, they are gone forever. Temptation withers all their profession and slaves their souls. We see this accomplished every day. Men who have attended on the preaching of the gospel, been affected and delighted with it, that have made profession of it, and have been looked on, it may be, as believers, and thus have continued for some years. No sinner does temptation befall them that has vigor and permanency in it, but they are turned out of the way and are gone forever. They fall to hate the word they have delighted in, despise the professors of it, and are hardened by sin. So Matthew 7 verse 26. He that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, is like unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. But what does this house of profession do? It shelters him, keeps him warm, and stands for a while. But he says in verse 27, when the rain descends, when temptation comes, it falls utterly, and its fall is great. Judas follows our Savior three years, and all goes well with him. He no sooner enters into temptation, Satan has got him and winnowed him, and he is gone. Demas will preach the gospel until the love of the world befall him, and he is utterly turned aside. And we're endless to give examples of this. Entrance into temptation is with this sort of men an entrance into apostasy more or less in part or in whole it never fails For the Saints of God themselves, let us see by some examples what issue they have had of their entering into temptation I shall name a few Adam was the Son of God Luke 3 verse 38 and created in the image of God Full of that integrity righteousness and holiness which might be and was an imminent resemblance of the holiness of God He had a far greater inherent stock of ability than we have and had nothing in him to entice or seduce him Yet this Adam no sooner enters into temptation, but he is gone Lost and ruined he and all his posterity with him What can we expect in the light condition? Not only in our temptations as he had a cunning devil to deal with but a cursed world and a corrupt heart also Abraham was a father of the faithful Whose faith is proposed as a pattern to all them that shall believe Yet he entering twice into the same temptation namely that of fear about his wife was twice overpowered by it and to the dishonor of God and no doubt the disquietment of his own soul. Genesis 12 verse 13 Genesis 20 verse 2 David is called a man after God's own heart by God himself. Yet, what a dreadful thing is the story of his entering into temptation. He is no sooner entangled, but he is plunged into adultery, then seeking deliverance by his own invention. Like a poor creature in a toil, he is entangled more and more, until he lies as one dead under the power of sin and folly. I might mention Noah, Lot, Hezekiah, Peter, and the rest, whose temptations and falls therein are on record for our instruction. Certainly he that hath any hardening things cannot but say, as the inhabitants of Samaria, upon the letter of Jehu, Behold, two kings stood not before him. How shall we stand? O Lord, if such mighty pillars have been cast to the ground, Such cedars blown down, how shall I stand before temptations? O keep me that I enter not in. BESTIGIAT TERENTH Behold the footsteps of them that have gone in. Whom do you see retiring without a wound, a blemish at least? On this account would the Apostle have us to exercise tenderness towards them that are fallen into sin. Galatians 6 1 considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. He does not say lest you also sin or fall or see the power of temptation in others and know not how soon you may be tempted nor what will be the state and condition of your soul thereupon. Assuredly he that has seen so many better stronger men than himself fell and cast down in the trial Will think an incumbent on him to remember the battle and if it be possible to come there no more. Is it not a madness for a man that can scarce crawl up and down? He is so weak, which is the case of most of us, if he doesn't avoid what he has seen giants foiled in, the undertaking of. You are yet whole and sound. Take heed of temptation, lest it be with you as it was with Abraham, David, Lot, Peter, Hezekiah, the Galatians who fell in the time of trial. And nothing does a folly of the hearts of men show itself more openly in the days in which 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 concern of their poor souls is, they are ready for. Though they go over to the dead and the slain, that in those ways and paths but even now fell down before them, yet they will go on without regard or trembling. At this door gone out hundreds, thousands of professors within a few years, but Let us consider ourselves what our weakness is and what temptation is. It's power and efficacy with what it leads to. 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 anything 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 has in us. If a castle or fort be never so strong and well fortified, yet if there be a treacherous party within it 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 aside with every temptation, and to give up all to them, yea, to solicit and bribe temptations to do the work, as traitors inside an enemy. Do not flatter yourselves that you should hold out. There are secret lusts that lie lurking in your hearts, which perhaps don't stir now, 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 woefully mistaken. Am I a dog that I should do this thing? says Haziel. Yea, you will be such a dog if ever you are the king of Syria. Temptation, from your interest, will unman you. 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 on. Little did Peter think he should deny and forswear his master so soon as ever he was questioned whether he knew him or not. 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. In general, all we can look for is from our hearts. What a man's heart is, that he is. But now, what is the heart of man in such a season? First, suppose a man is not a believer, but only a professor of the gospel. What can the heart of such an one do? Proverbs 10 20. The heart of the wicked is little worth, and surely that which is little worth in anything 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 nothing. 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 I have spoken before. Entering into temptation and apostasy is the same with them. Secondly, Let it be whose heart it will, Proverbs 28 verse 26. He that trusts in his own heart is a fool. He that does 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 you, I will not. It was 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. The heart of a man will promise him very fair before a temptation comes. Am I a dog that has the owl that I should do the thing? Though all men should deny you, says Peter, I will not. Shall I do this evil? It cannot be. All the arguments that are suited to give check to the heart in such a condition are mustered up. Did not Peter thank you? Do so? What? Deny my master, the Son of God, my Redeemer who loves me? Can such ingratitude, unbelief, rebellion befall me? I will not do it. Shall then a man rest in that that his heart will be steadfast? Let the wise man answer, he that trusts in his own heart is a fool. The heart is deceitful, Jeremiah 17 verse 9. We would not willingly trust anything in which there is any deceit or guile. Here is that which is deceitful above all things, as a thousand shifts and treacheries that it will deal with when it comes to the trial. Every temptation will steal it away, Hosea 4 verse 11. Generally, men's hearts deceive them no oftener than they trust in them, and then they never fail to do so. Consider the particular ways and means that such a heart has, or can use to safeguard itself in the hour of temptation, and their insufficiency to that purpose will quickly appear. I shall example in some few only. First, love of honor in the world, reputation and esteem in the church, obtained by former profession in walking, is one of the heart's own weapons to defend itself in the hour of temptation. So shall so one as I fly, I who have had such a reputation in the Church of God, shall I now lose it by giving way to this lust, to this temptation, by closing with this or that public evil? This consideration has such an influence on the spirits of some, that they think it will be a shield and buckler against any assaults that may befall them. They will die a thousand times before they will forfeit that repute they have in the Church of God. Alas, this is but a with a new core to bind a giant temptation with Well, thank you of the third part of the stars of heaven revelation 12 verse 4 have they not shown in the firmament of the church? Were they not sensible or more than enough of their own honor height usefulness and reputation? but when the dragon comes with his temptation he cast them down to the earth and Yea, great temptations will make men who have not a better defense insensibly fortify themselves against that dishonor and disreputation that their ways are attended with. Do we not know examples, yet living, of some who have ventured on compliance with wicked men after the glory of a long and useful profession, and within a while, finding themselves cast down by it, from their reputation with the saints, have hardened themselves against it? and ended in apostasy as John 15 verse 6. This didn't keep Judas. It didn't keep Hymenaeus nor Philetus. It kept not the stars of heaven, nor will it keep you. Secondly, there is on the other side the consideration of shame, reproach, loss, and the like. This also men may put their trust in as a defense against temptations and do not fear but to be safeguarded and preserved by it. They would not for the world bring that shame and reproach upon themselves that such and such miscarriages are attended with. Now besides, this consideration extends itself only to open sins, such as the world takes notice of and abhors. And so as of no use at all in such cases as wherein pretenses and colors may be invented and used, nor in public temptations to loose and careless walking, like those of our days, nor in cases that may be disputable in themselves, though expressly sinful to the consciences of persons under temptations, nor in heart sins, in all which, in most other cases of temptation, there are innumerable reliefs ready to be tendered to the heart against disconsideration. Besides all this, I say, we see by experience how easily this cord is broken, when once the heart begins to be entangled. Each corner of the land are full of examples to this purpose. Thirdly, they have yet that which outweighs these lesser considerations, namely, that they will not wound their own consciences, and disturb their peace, and bring themselves in danger of hell-fire. This surely, if anything, will preserve men in the hour of temptation. They will not lavish away their peace nor venture their souls by running on God and the thick bosses of his buckler. What can be of more efficacy and prevalency, I confess is of a great importance, and all of it were more pondered than it is. that we laid more weight upon the preservation of our peace with God than we do. Yet I say, that even this consideration in him who is other where, off from his watch, it does not make it his work to follow the other rules assisted on, it will not preserve him. For first, the peace of such a one may be false peace or security, Made up a presumption and false hopes yea though. He'd be a believer. It may be so such was David's peace after his sin before Nathan came to him such was Leo to see his peace when ready to perish and Sardis her peace when dying What should secure a soul that it is otherwise seeing it is supposed that it is not universally labor to keep the word of Christ's patience and to be watchful in all things and Thank you that the peace of many in these days will be found to be true peace at last, nothing less. They go alive down to hell, and death will have dominion over them in the morning. Now if a man's peace be such, do you think that can preserve him which cannot preserve itself? It will give way at the first vigorous assault of a temptation in its height and hour. like a broken reed it will run into the hand of him that leans on it. But secondly, suppose a peace cared for and proposed to safeguard the soul be true and good, Yet when all is laid up in this one bottom, when the hour of temptation comes, so many reliefs will be tendered against this consideration as will make it useless. This evil is small. It is questionable. It falls not openly and downright upon conscience. I do but fear consequences, and maybe I may keep peace notwithstanding. Others of the people of God have fallen and yet kept or recovered their peace. If it be lost for a season, it may be obtained again. I will not solicit its station anymore. Or though peace be lost, safety may remain. In a thousand such pleas there are which are all planted as batteries against this fort, so that it cannot long hold out. Thirdly, the fixing on this particular only is to make good one passage or entrance, while the enemy assaults us round about. It is true, a little armor would serve to defend a man if he might choose there his enemy should strike him. But we are commanded to take the whole armor of God if we intend to resist and stand, Ephesians 6. This we speak of is but one piece, and when our eye is only to that, temptation may enter and prevail twenty other ways. For instance, a man may be tempted to worldliness, unjust gain, revenge, vain glory, or the like. If he fortify himself alone with this consideration, he will not do the thing. and wound his conscience and lose his peace, fixing his eye on this particular and counting himself safe while he is not overcome on that hand. It may be neglect of private communion with God, sensuality and the like creep in. He is not one jod in a better condition than if he had fallen under a power of that part of the temptation, which is most visibly pressing on him. Experience gives to see that this does and will fail also. There is no saint of God, but puts a valuation on the peace he has, yet how many of them fail in a day of temptation. Fourthly, but yet they have another consideration also, and that is a vileness of sinning against God. How shall they do the thing of sin against God? the God of their mercies, of their salvation? How shall they wound Jesus Christ, who died for them? This surely cannot but preserve them. I answer first. We see every day this consideration failing also. There is no child of God that is overcome of temptation, but overcomes this consideration. It does not then assure an infallible defense. Secondly, this consideration is twofold. Either it expresses the thoughts of the soul with particular reference to the indentation contended with, and then it will not preserve it, or it expresses the universal habitual frame of heart that is in us, upon all accounts, and then it falls in with what I shall tender as the universal medicine and remedy in this case, in the process of this discourse. were of afterward. Consider the power of temptation, partly from what was showed before, from the effects and fruits of it in the saints of old, partly from such other effects in general as we find it described to. As first, it will darken the mind that a man shall not be able to make a right judgment of things. So as he did before he entered into it, as in the men of the world, The God of this world blinds their minds that they should not see the glory of Christ in the gospel. 2 Corinthians 4.4 And hoard them in wine, a new wine, take away their hearts. Hosea 4.11 So it is in the nature of every temptation, more or less, to take away the heart, or to darken the understanding of the person tempted. And it does this in a number of ways. First, by fixing the imagination and the thoughts upon the object in which it tends, so that the mind shall be diverted from the consideration of the things that would relieve and succor it in the state in which it is. A man is tempted to apprehend that he is forsaken of God, that he is an object of his hatred, that he has no interest in Christ. By the craft of Satan the mind shall be so fixed to the consideration of the state and condition, with the distress of it, that he shall not be able to manage any of the relief suggested and tendered to him against it, but, following the fullness of his own thought, shall walk on in darkness and have no light. I say a temptation will so possess and fill the mind with thoughtfulness of itself, and a matter of it, that it will take off from that clear consideration of things which otherwise it might and would have, and no things in which the mind would want to have a vigorous sense. To keep it from sin will by this means come to have no force or efficacy with it, nay it will commonly bring men to that state and condition. that when others to whom their state is known are speaking to them the things that concern their deliverance and peace, their minds will be so possessed with the manner of their temptation as not at all to understand, not able to hear one word that is spoken to them. Secondly, by woefully entangling of the affections, which, when they are engaged, what influence they have in binding the mind in darkness and darkening the understanding, is known. If any knows it not, let him but open his eyes in these days, and he will quickly learn it. By what ways and means it is that engaged affections will becloud the mind and darken it, I shall not now declare. Only, I say, give me a man engaged in hope, love, fear, in reference to any particulars in which he ought not, and I shall quickly show you wherein he is darkened and blinded. This then you will fail in if you enter into temptation. The present judgment you have of things will not be utterly altered, but darkened and rendered infirm to influence the will and master the affections. These, being set at liberty by temptation, will run on in madness, forthwith detestation of sin, abhorring of it, terror of the Lord, sense of love, presence of Christ crucified, all depart and leave the heart a prey to its enemy. Thirdly, temptation will give oil and fuel to our lusts, incite, provoke, make them tumultuate in rage beyond measure. tendering a lust, a corruption, a suitable object, advantage, occasion. It heightens and exasperates it, makes it for a season wholly predominant. So dealt it with carnal fear in Peter, with pride in Hezekiah, with covetousness in Achan, with uncleanness in David, with worldliness in Demas, with ambition in Deotrophes. It will lay the reins on the neck of a lust, and put to the sides of it, that it may rush forward like a horse into the battle. A man knows not the pride, fury, madness of a corruption until it meet with a suitable temptation. And what now will a poor soul thing to do? His mind is darkened, his affections entangled, his lusts inflamed and provoked. His relief is defeated. And what will be the issue of such a condition? Consider that temptations are either public or private, and let us a little view the efficacy and power of them apart. There are public temptations, such as that mentioned in Revelation 3, verse 10, that was to come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth, or a combination of persecution and seduction for the trial of a careless generation of professors. Now concerning such a temptation, consider that it has an efficacy in respect of God, who sends it to revenge the neglect and contempt of the gospel on the one hand, and treachery of false professors on the other. So we'll certainly accomplish what it receives commission from him to do When Satan offered his service to go forth and seduce Ahab that he might fall God says to him you shall persuade him and prevail also Go forth and do so first Kings 22 verse 22 he is permitted as to his wickedness and commissioned as to the event and punishment intended and When the Christian world was to be given up to folly and false worship for their neglect of the truth, and their naked, barren, fruitless, Christ-dishonoring profession, it is said of the temptation that fell upon them that God sent them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, 2 Thessalonians 2.11. But that comes so from God, in a judiciary manner, has a power with it, and shall prevail. That selfish, spiritually slothful, careless, and worldly frame of spirit, which in these days has infected almost the body of professors, if it have a commission from God to kill hypocrites, to wound negligent saints, to break their bones and make them scandalous, that they may be ashamed. Shall it not have a power and efficacy, so to do? What work has the Spirit of error made amongst us? Is it not from this that is some men delighted not to retain God in their hearts, so He has given them up to a reprobate mind, Romans 1, 28, and would think it strange. Yea, it is a manner of amazement to see persons of a sober spirit, pretending to great things in the ways of God, overcome, captivated, ensnared, destroyed by weak means, soddish opinions, foolish imaginations, Such as the man would think it impossible that they should ever lay hold on Sensible or rational men much less on professors of the gospel But that which God will have to be strong let us not think weak No strength, but the strength of God can stand in the way of the weakest things of the world That are commissioned from God for any end or purpose whatever Secondly There is in such temptations a secret insinuation of examples, and those that are accounted godly and are professors. Matthew 24 12 Because iniquity shall abound, the love of the many shall wax cold, and so on. The abounding of iniquity in some will insensibly cast water on the zeal and love of others. that by little and little it shall wax cold. Some begin to grow negligent, careless, worldly, wanton. They break the ice towards the pleasing of the flesh. At first their love also waxes cold, and the brunt being over, they also conform to them and are cast into the same mold with them. A little leaven. Leaven's a whole lump. Paul repeats the saying twice, 1 Corinthians 5.6 and Galatians 5.9. He would have us take notice of it, and it is of the danger of the infection of the whole body from the ill examples of some in which he speaks. We know how insensibly leaven proceeds to give savor to the whole, so it is termed a root of bitterness that springs up and defiles many, Hebrews 12, 15. If one little piece of leaven, if one bitter root may endanger the whole, how much more when there are many roots of that nature, and much leaven is scattered abroad. It is easy following a multitude to do evil and saying a conspiracy to them to whom the people say a conspiracy. Would any have thought it possible that such and such professors in our days should have fallen into ways of self? flesh of the world, to play at cards, dice, revel, dance, to neglect families and closet duties, to be proud, haughty, ambitious, worldly, covetous, oppressive, or that they should be turned away after foolish, vain, ridiculous opinions, deserting the gospel of Christ, which too lies a great temptation that has come on us. the inhabitants of this world to try us. But does not every man see that this has come to pass? And may we not see how it has come to pass? Some loose, empty professors, who had never more than a form of godliness, when they had served their turn of that, began the way to them. Then others began a little to comply in the pleas of flesh and so doing. This why little and little has reached even the top boughs and branches of our profession, until almost all flesh has corrupted its way, and he that departs from these iniquities makes his name a prey, if not his person. Thirdly, public temptations are usually accompanied with strong reasons and pretenses that are too hard for men, or at least insensibly prevail upon them to an undervaluation of the evil in which the temptation leads. To give strength to that complicated temptation which in these days has even cast down the people of God from their excellency, has cut their locks and made them become like other men. How full is the world of specious pretenses and pleadings, as there is the liberty and freedom of Christians, delivered from a bonded frame. This is a door that, in my own observation, I have seen a number going out at into sensuality and apostasy, beginning at a light 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 interests of Christ or his people in the world. These and the like considerations, joined with the ease and plenty, greatness and promotion of professors have so brought things about, that whereas we have by providence 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 thing in the soil and the air that transformed them. Give me a little to follow my similitude, he that should see the prevailing party of these nations. Many of those in rule, power, favor, 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 but wonder how soon they have forgot the customs, manners, ways of their own old people, and are cast into the mold of them that went before them in the places in which they are translated. I speak of us all, especially of us who are amongst the lowest of the people, where perhaps this iniquity does most abound. What were these before us that we are not? What did they that we do not? Prosperity has slain the foolish and wounded the wise. Secondly, suppose the temptation is private. This has been spoken to before. I shall add two things. First, its union and incorporation with lust, in which it gets within the soul and lies at the bottom of its actings. John tells us, 1 John 2, verse 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 the 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 promise are said to be mixed, Hebrews 4 verse 2, so are lust and temptations mixed. They twine together, receive mutual improvement from one another, grow each of them higher and higher by the mutual strength they administer to one another. By this mean temptation gets so deep in the heart that no contrary reasonings can reach it. Nothing but what can kill the lust can conquer the temptation, like leprosy that has 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, 10,000 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 everyone 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 ground is got or obtained. Yea, it grows upon them more and more. What is the reason of it? It is incorporated and united itself with the lust and is safe from all the opposition they make. If they would make work indeed, they 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 the 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 will die. Secondly, in what part soever of the soul the lust be seated, wherewith the temptation is united, it draws after it the whole soul by one means or other, and so prevents or anticipates any opposition. Suppose it be a lust of the mind, is there a lust of the mind and uncleanness of the spirit, such as ambition, vainglory, and the like? What a world of ways has the understanding to bridle the affections that they should not so tenaciously cleave to God. Seeing in what it aims at, there is so much to give them contentment and satisfaction. It will not only prevent all the reasonings of the mind, which it does necessarily, being like a bloody infirmity in the eyes, presenting all things to the common sense and perception in that hue and color, But it will draw the whole soul under their accounts and collateral considerations into the same frame. It promises a whole, a share in the spoil aimed at as Judas's money that he first desired from covetousness was to be shared among all his lusts, or be it in the more sensual part, and first possesses the affections, what prejudices they will bring upon the understanding. how they will bribe it to an acquiescence, what arguments, what hopes they will supply it with, cannot easily be expressed as was before showed. In brief, there is no particular temptation, but when it is in its hour, it has such a contribution of assistance from things good, evil, indifferent. is fed by so many considerations that seem to be most alien and foreign to it, in some cases has such specious pleas and pretenses that its strength will easily be acknowledged. Fourth, consider the end of any temptation. This is Satan's end and sin's end. That is the dishonor of God and the ruin of our souls. Fifthly, consider what has been the issue of your former temptations that you have had. Have they not defiled your conscience, disquieted your peace, weakened you in your obedience, clouded the face of God? Though you were not prevailed on to the outward evil or utmost issue of your temptation, yet have you not been foiled? Has not your soul been sullied and grievously perplexed with it? Yea, did you ever in your life come fairly off without sensible loss? From any temptation, almost, that you have had to deal with? And would you willingly be entangled again? If you are at liberty, take heed. Enter no more, if it be possible, lest a worse thing happen to you. These, I say, are some of the many considerations that might be insisted on to manifest the importance of the truth proposed and the fullness of our concern in taking care that we enter not into temptation.