xç Of TEMPTATION, &c. ftrength of God, can ftand ha the way of the weakeft things of the world, that are commiffionated fromGod, forany end or purpofe whatever. 2. ) There is in fuch temptations, the fecret infinuation of examples iu thole . that are accounted godly, and are profeffors, Mat. xxiv. 12. Beceufe iniquity flag .wbound, the lave ofmany(hall wax cold, &c: theabounding of iniquity in fame will in- fenfiblycall water on thezeal and love ofothers, that by little and little it !hall wax .cold. Somebegin togrow negligent,'carelefs, worldly, wanton ; they break the ice towards the pleating of the flefh ; at firft others blame, judge them, perhaps re- ,prove them, in a Ihort fpace their love alto waxes cold, and the brunt being over, they elfo conform to them, and are raft into the fame mould with them. A little leaven lnenwwth the whole lump, Paul repeats this Paying twice; r Car. v. 6. and Gal. v. 9. He would have us take notice of it, and it is of the danger of the in- eflionof the whole body, from the ill examples of fome, whereofhe fpeaks. We know how infenfibly leaven proceedeth to give a favour to the whole : fo it is termed a root of bitternefe that fpringerh up, and defilethmany, Heb. vii. 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 Battered abroad ? It is eafy following a multitude to do evil ; and faying a confpiracy to them towhom the people Pay a confpiracy. Would any one have thought it poffr- ble, that fuch and filch profeffors in our days, Mould havefallen into ways of felt; of flefh, of the world ? to play at cards, dice, revel, dance? to neglefl family, clofet duties, to be proud, haughty, ambitious, worldly, covetous, oppreflive? or that they fhould be turn'd away after foolifh, vain, ridiculous opinions, deferr- ing theGofpel of Chrift ? In which two, lies the great temptation that iscome on us the inhabitants of this world to try us but dothnot every man fee, that this is come to pats ? and maywe not fee how it came to pats ? Some bofeempty profef- fors, who had never more than a formof godlinefs, when they had ferved their turnof that, began the way to them ; then others began a little to comply, and to pleafe the bells in fo doing ; this by little and little hath reached even the top boughs and branchesof our profeffion; until almoft all liefhhath corrupted its ways ; and. he,that departeth from there iniquities, makes hisname a prey, if not his perfon. :. 3.) Publick temptations are ufually accompanied with «tong reafóns and preten- Ces, that are too hard for men, or at leaft infenfibly prevail upon them, to an un- dervaluation of the evil whereunto the temptation leads, to give ftrength to that complicated temptation which in thefe days bath evencultdown the People of God from their excellency, hathcut their locks, and made them become like other men; how full is the world of fpecious pretences and pleadings ! As there is the liberty and freedom of Chriftians, delivered from a bondage frame; this is a door that in My own obfervation, I have teen fundry going out at, into fenfuality and apofiacyi beginning at a light converfation, proceeding toa negleft of the fabbath, publick and private duties, ending in diffolutenefs and profanenefs; and then there is lea- ving of publick thingsto providence, being contented with what is; things good in themfelves, but difputed into wretched carnal compliances, and the utter ruin of all zeal for God, the istereft of Chrilt, or his people in the world. Thefe and the like confiderations, joyned with the eafe and plenty, the greatnefs and promo- tionof profeffors, have fo brought things about, that whereas we have by provi- dence dallied places with the men of theworld, we have by fin íhifted fpiritswith them alto. We are like a plantation of men carried into a forreign country : in a (hart. fpace they degenerate from the mamasrs of the people from whence they came, and fall into that of the country whereunto they are brought; as if there were fomething in the foyl and theair that transformed them. Give me leave a little to follow my frmilitude : he that should fee the prevailing party of there nations, many of thofe in rule, power, favour, with all their adherents, and re- member that they were a colony of Puritans, whole habitation was in a lam place, as the prophet fpeaks of the city of God, trantlated by a high hand to themoun- tains they now poffefs ; cannot but wonder, how foon they have forgot the cuftoms, manners, ways, of theirown old people, and are caft into the mould of them that went before them, in theplaces whereunto the are tranflated. I fpeak Who of us all; efpecially of us, are amongft the loweft of the people; where per- haps.this iniquity dothmolt abound. Whatwere thofebefore us, Char we are hot? What did they, we do not ? Profperity bath flain the foolifh, and wounded the wife. [ e. ] Sup._
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