Of TEMPTATION, &c. i5 [ z. ] Suppofe thebeinptation is'private; this hath been fpoken to before ; I Thal add two things, 1. ) Its union and iricorporation'With luft, whereby it gets within the foul, and liesat the bottomof.its aflings.. ,7oho tells us, r Epift. ii. 16. that the things that are in the world, are the. tuft of the fle(h, the tut of the eyes, the prideof life. Now it is' evident that all:thefe thingsare princip;illy in the fubjeft, not in the abjeft in the hear it'at'iis. she; world. But they are Paid to be in the world, becaufe the.world gets into than , mixes it fèlf with them, unites, incorporates. Asfaith and the ptgttoffeciaeee,faid tubemixed; Pleb. iv.'' a fo are luft and tempta- tion mixed; . they tittine'to'gether, receive mutual improvement from one another; groweach of them higher and higher by the mutual ftrength they adminifter to Oneanother. Nowby this means temptation gets fo deep in the heart, that no con - trary eleafünüigs cánt.reach-junto it ; nothing. but what can kill the Tuft¡ can con- quer the temptation. Like leprofy thathath mingled it fell with the wall ; the the wall it ;felf mail be pulled, down, or the leprofy will not be cured. Like a gangreen-that mixe§ poyfon with the blood and fpirits, and cannot be feparatecl from the glace'where` it is, but both muff be cut off together. For inftance, in David's temptation: to uncleannefs : ten ehoufand confederations might have been taken in, to ftop the mouth of the temptation ; but it had united it felf with his loft, andnothing but the killing ofthat, coulddeftroy it, or get himthe conqueft. This deceives many' a one : they have fume pref&ng temptation, that having got fame advantages is urgent upon them; they pray againft it, oppofe it with all powerful confiderationss; Each, as whereof every one feems fufficient to conquer and deftroy it ; at leaftto overpower it, that it fhould never be troublefome any more :. but no good is done; no ground is got or obtained, yea it growsupon them more and more: what is the realbnof it? It bath incorporatedand united it felf with the lull, and is fafe from all the oppofitionthey make. If they would make work indeed, theyare to fee upon thewhole of the loft it fell; their ambition, pride, woildlinefs; fenfuality, or whatever it be, that the temptation is united with. All other dealings with it are like tamperings with a prevailing gangreen; the part orwhole may be preferved a little while, in great torment ; excifion or deathInuit came at-last. The foul maycruciate it felt for a feafon, with fuch a procedure ; but it tall come to this, its !sift mull die, or the foul mull die: - o.) In what part foever of the foul the luftbe feated, wherewith the temptation is united, it draws after it the whole foul, by one means or other, and fo prevents or anticipates any oppofition. Suppofe it be a tuft of the mind; as there are tufts of the mind, and uncleánnefs of the fpirit; fuch as ambition, vain-glory, and the like; what a worldof ways' haththe understanding to bridle the affeftions, that they fhould not fo tenacioufly'cleáve to God, feeing inwhat it aimeth at, there is fo much to give themcontentment and fatisfaftion. It will not only prevent all the reafoningsof the mind, which it doth necelfarily, being like a bloody infirmi- ty in the eyes, prefenting all things to the common fenfe and perception in that hue and colour ; but it will draw the whole foul on other accounts, and collateral confiderations, into the fame frame. It promifes the whole a (hare in the fpoil aimed at ; as yudaa his money, that hefist defired from covetoufnefs, was to be shared among all his lulls. Or be it in themore fenfual part, and firft poffeffeth the affeflions; what prejudices theywill bring upon theunderstanding, how they will bribe it to anacquiefcency ;.what arguments, what hopes they will fupply it withal cannot eafily be expreffed ; as was beforefhewed. In brief there is no particular temptation, but, when it is in its hour, it hath fuck a contribution of of iftance from things good, evil, indifferent, is fed by fo many cenfiderations, that feem to beoft alienand foreign to it, in fome cafes hath fuch fpecious pleas and pretences, that its ftrength will eafrly be acknowledged. ( g.) Confider the end of any temptation this is Satan's end, andSin's end; that is, thedifhonour of God, and the ruin of our fouls. - (6.) Confider what bath been the iffue of any former temptations that thou haft had have they not defiled thy confcience, difquieted thy peace, weakned thee in thy obedience, clouded the face of God? tho' thou waft vat prevail'd on to the outward evil or utmoft iffue of thy temptation; yet haft thou not been foil- ed; bath not thy foul been fulliedand grievoully perplexed with it ? yea didß thou ever in thy life come fairly off without fenfeble lofs, from any temptationalmoß that thou hadftto deal withal ; andweuldft thou willinglybe intangled again ? If E 2 thou
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