I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
— Revelation 1:9
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
— Matthew 6:13
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
— Matthew 24:14
Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
— Isaiah 24:17
The Doctrine of Temptation, by John Owen. The following contains Chapter Three of his work, “On Temptation.”
Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
— Revelation 3:10
The doctrine — The grounds of it; our Savior’s direction in this case — His promise of preservation — Issues of men entering into temptation — 1. Of ungrounded professors — 2. Of the choicest saints, Adam, Abraham, David — Self-consideration as to our own weakness — The power of a man’s heart to withstand temptation — The considerations it uses for that purpose — The power of temptation; the several ways by which it darkens the mind — 1. By fixing the imaginations — 2. By entangling the affections — 3. Temptations give fuel to lust — The end of temptation; the consequences of former temptations — Objections answered
Having opened the words in the foregoing chapters so far as necessary to discover the foundation of the truth to be insisted on and improved, I will lay it down in this observation —
It is the great duty of all believers, to use all diligence in the ways Christ has appointed, so that they may not fall 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 will 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, so that we do not enter into temptation; and I will demonstrate it with the ensuing considerations —
1. In that brief instruction given to us by our Savior concerning what we ought to pray for, this one, of not entering into temptation, is expressly one topic. Our Savior knew what concern it was to us not to “enter into temptation,”when he gave us this one special subject of our daily dealing with God, Mat 6:13. And the order of the words shows us what importance it has: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” If we are led into temptation, evil will befall us, whether more or less. How God may be said to tempt us, or to “lead us into temptation,” I showed before. In this direction, what is intended, is not so much not giving us up to it, as powerfully keeping us from it.
The last words are, as it were, exegetical, or expository of the former: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;” — “Deal with us in such a way that we may be powerfully delivered from that evil which attends our entering into temptation.” Our blessed Savior knows full well our state and condition; he knows the power of temptations, having experienced it himself, Heb 2:18;20 he not only knows our vain confidence, and the stock we place in our ability to deal with temptations, as he found it in Peter; but he knows our weakness and folly, and how soon we are thrown to the ground. And therefore he lays in this provision for instruction at the entrance of his ministry, to make us heedful, if possible, of what is of such great concern to us. If then, we would place any confidence in the wisdom, love, and care of Jesus Christ towards us, we must grant the truth pleaded for.
2. Christ promises this freedom and deliverance as a great reward for our most acceptable obedience, Rev 3:10.21 This is the 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.” He does not promise,“You shall be preserved in it,” but he goes higher: “You shall be kept from it.” “There is,” says our Savior,“an hour of temptation coming; a season that will make havoc in the world: multitudes will then fall from the faith; they will deny and blaspheme me. Oh, how few will be able to stand and to hold out! Some will be utterly destroyed and perish forever. Some will get wounds to their souls that will never be well-healed while they live in this world; some will have their bones broken, so as to go haltingly 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 what Christ thus promises to his beloved church, as a reward for her service, love, and obedience, is no light thing. Whatever Christ promises to his spouse is a fruit of unspeakable love; that which is promised as a reward for special obedience, is so in a special way.
3. Let us consider to this purpose, the general issues concerning men’s entering into temptation, of both bad and good men, of ungrounded professors, and of the choicest saints.
(1.) For the first, I will offer but one or two texts of Scripture. Luke 8:13,“The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, and have no root, but believe only for a while, and in time of temptation, fall away.” Well! How long do they believe? They are affected by the preaching of the word, and believe on it; they make profession, and bring forth some fruits; but until when do they abide? He says,“In the time of temptation, they fall away.” Once they enter into temptation, they are gone forever. Temptation withers all their profession; it slays their souls. We see this accomplished every day. Men may have attended to the preaching of the gospel, been affected and delighted by it, made a profession of it, and perhaps have been looked at as believers; and they have continued this way for some years. But no sooner does temptation befall those who have vigor and permanence in their profession, than they are turned out of the way, and are gone forever. They fall into hating the word they have delighted in, despise its professors, and are hardened by sin. So it says, Mat 7:26: “He that hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, is like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand.”
But what does this house of profession do for him? It shelters him, keeps him warm, and it stands for a while. But Christ says in verse 27,“When the rain descends, when temptation comes, the house falls utterly, and its fall is great.” Judas follows our Savior three years, and all goes well with him. But he no sooner enters into temptation, than Satan has him and winnows him, and he is gone. Demas preaches the gospel until the love of the world befalls him, and he is utterly turned aside.2Tim 4.10 To give instances of this would be endless. With this sort of men, entrance into temptation is an entrance into apostasy, more or less, whether in part or in whole; it does not fail.
(2.) For the saints of God themselves, let us see by some instances what results they have had by entering into temptation. I will name a few — was the “son of God,” Luke 3:38, created in the image of God, full of that integrity, righteousness, and holiness, which might be and was an eminent resemblance of the holiness of God. He had a far greater inherent stock of ability than we do, and had nothing in him to entice or seduce him. Yet this Adam no sooner enters into temptation than he is gone, lost, and ruined — he and all his posterity with him.Rom 5.12 What can we expect in a similar condition, if we have in our temptations, as he had, not only a cunning devil to deal with, but a cursed world and a corrupt heart also?
was the father of the faithful; his faith is proposed as a pattern to all those who will believe; yet entering twice into the same temptation — namely, fear about his wife — he was twice overpowered by it, to the dishonor of God, and no doubt the disquietment of his own soul, Gen 12:12-13, 20:2.22…called a “man after God’s own heart” by God himself;Act 13.22 yet what a dreadful thing is the story of his entering into temptation! He is no sooner entangled, than he is plunged into adultery; from there, seeking deliverance by his own invention, like a poor creature in a snare, he is entangled more and more, until he lies like one dead, under the power of sin and folly.
I might mention Noah, Lot, Hezekiah, Peter, and the rest, whose falls into temptation are on record for our instruction. Certainly whoever has any heart in these things cannot help but say, as the inhabitants of Samaria said upon receiving the letter from Jehu, “‘Behold, two kings could not stand before him; how shall we stand?’ 2Kng 10.4 O Lord, if such mighty pillars have been thrown to the ground, if such cedars have been blown down, then how shall I stand before temptations? Oh, keep me, that I do not enter in!” “Vestigia terrent.”23 Behold the footsteps of those who have gone in. Whom do you see retiring without a wound, or at least a mark?
On this account, the apostle would have us exercise tenderness towards those who have fallen into sin: Gal 6:1,“Considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.” He does not say,“Lest you also sin, or fall, or be overtaken with a fault;” but,“lest you also be tempted.” “You see the power of temptation in others, and do not know how soon you may be tempted; 24 nor what will be the state and condition of your soul with that.” Assuredly, someone who has seen so many better, stronger men than himself fail, and thrown down in the trial, will think it incumbent on himself to remember the battle, and if it is possible, to come there no more. Is it not a madness for a man who can scarcely crawl up and down because he is so weak (which is the case with most of us), if he does not avoid what he has seen giants foiled by in undertaking it? You are still whole and sound; take heed of temptation, lest it be with you as it was with Abraham, David, Lot, Peter, Hezekiah, and the Galatians, who all fell in the time of trial.
In the days in which we live, the folly of the hearts of men openly shows itself in nothing, more than in this cursed boldness: of running into and putting themselves upon temptations — after having so many warnings from God, and so many sad experiences every day before their eyes. They are ready for any society, any company, any conditions of outward advantage, without once weighing what their own strength is, or what the concern of their poor souls is. Though they go over the dead and the slain that lie in those ways and paths, that even now fall down before them, yet they go on without regard or trembling. Hundreds, thousands of professors of Christ, have gone out at this door, within a few years. But —
4. Let us consider ourselves — what our weakness is; and what temptation is — its power and efficacy, along with what it leads to —
(1.) For, we are weakness itself. We have no strength, no power to withstand. Confidence from any strength that is 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 what is worse, it is the worst kind of weakness that is in us — a weakness from treachery — a weakness arising from that conspirator which every temptation has in us. If a castle or fort is ever so strong and well fortified, yet there is a treacherous party within that is ready to betray it at every opportunity, there is no preserving the castle from the enemy. There are traitors in our hearts, ready to take part, to close and side with every temptation, and to surrender all to them — indeed, to solicit and bribe temptations to do the work, just as traitors incite an enemy. Do not flatter yourselves that you would hold out; there are secret lusts that lie lurking in your hearts, which perhaps do not stir now, but which, as soon as any temptation befalls you, will rise, agitate, cry, disquiet, seduce, and never give up until they are either killed or satisfied.
The one who promises himself that the frame of his heart will be the same under a temptation as it was before the temptation, will be woefully mistaken. “Am I a dog, that I should do this thing?” says Hazael.25 Yes, you will be such a dog if ever you are king of Syria; temptation from your interest will unman you. Someone who now abhors thoughts of such and such a thing, once he enters into temptation, will find his heart inflamed towards it, and all contrary reasonings will be overborne and silenced. He will deride his former fears, throw out his scruples, and despise the consideration he lived on. Little did Peter think he would deny and forswear his Master as soon as he was asked whether he knew him or not. It was no better when the hour of temptation came: all resolutions were forgotten, all love for Christ was buried; and the present temptation, closing with his carnal fear, swept all before it.
To handle this a little more distinctly, I will consider the means of safety from the power of temptation (if we enter into it) that may be expected from ourselves; and in general that will be as to the spring and rise of those means, and in particular as to the ways of exerting the strength that we have, or seem to have —
1. In general, all we can look for is from our hearts. What a man’s heart is, is what he is; but what is the heart of a man in such a time of temptation?
1st. Suppose a man is not a believer, but only a professor of the gospel, what can the heart of such a man do? Pro 10:20,“The heart of the wicked is of little worth;” and surely what is of little worth in anything else, is not of much worth in this. A wicked man may in outward things be of great use; but when it comes to his heart, that is false, and a thing of no value. Now, withstanding 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 these were addressed before.26 Entering into temptation, and entering into apostasy, is the same thing with them.
2dly. No matter whose heart it is, Pro 28:26,“He that trusts in his own heart is a fool;” he that does so, whatever else he may be, 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? Because he will 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 things before a temptation comes. “Am I a dog,” says Hazael,“that I should do this 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 check the heart in such a condition are mustered up. Do you think Peter did not do so? “What! Deny my Master, the Son of God, my Redeemer, who loves me? Can such ingratitude, unbelief, and rebellion befall me? I will not do it.” Shall a man then rest in thinking that his heart will be steadfast? Let the wise man answer: “He that trusts in his own heart is a fool.”Pro 28.26 “The heart is deceitful,” Jer 17:9. We should not willingly trust anything in which there is any deceit or guile; here the heart is “deceitful above all things.” It has a thousand shifts and treacheries that it will use to deal with; and when it comes to the trial, every temptation will steal it away, Hos 4:11.27 Generally men’s hearts deceive them no more often than they trust in them; and then they never fail to deceive them.
2. If one considers the particular ways and means that such a heart has (or can use) to safeguard itself in the hour of temptation, their insufficiency for that purpose will quickly appear. I will instance only a few —
1st. Love of honor in the world. Reputation and esteem in the church, obtained by a former profession and godly walk, is one of the heart’s own weapons to defend itself in the hour of temptation. “Shall I flee from who I am? Having had such a reputation in the church of God, shall I now lose it by giving way to this lust, to this temptation, by engaging 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! But, alas! This is but twigs,28 or a new cord, with which to bind a giant temptation. What do you think of the “third part of the stars of heaven?” Rev 12:4.29 Had they not shone in the firmament of the church? Were they not more than sensible enough of their own honor, height, usefulness, and reputation? But when the dragon comes with his temptations, he throws them down to the earth. Yes, great temptations will make men who do not have a better defense, insensibly fortify themselves against that dishonor and bad repute that attend their ways. “Populus sibilet, at mihi plaudo.”30 Do we not know instances of some yet living who have risked compliance with wicked men, after the glory of a long and useful profession? In a while, they find themselves thrown down by it from their reputation with the saints, and have hardened themselves against it, and ended in apostasy? As we are warned in John 15:6,31 this love of honor did not keep Judas; it did not keep Hymeneus nor Philetus; it did not keep the stars of heaven; nor will it keep you.
On the other side, there is,
2dly. The consideration of shame, reproach, loss, and the like. Men may also put their trust in this as a defense against temptations, and not fear it will fail to safeguard and preserve them. They would not for the world bring that shame and reproach upon themselves that attend such and such miscarriages! Now, besides that, this consideration extends itself only to open sins — those which the world takes notice of and abhors. And so it is of no use at all in those cases in which pretences and appearances may be invented and used; nor in public temptations to loose and careless walking, like those in our days; nor in cases that may be disputable in themselves, though expressly sinful to the consciences of persons who are under temptations; nor in heart-sins. In all of these and most other cases of temptation, there are innumerable reliefs ready to be offered to the heart against this consideration. And besides all this, I say, we see by experience how easily this cord is broken once the heart begins to be entangled. Each corner of the land is full of examples to this purpose. They still have what outweighs these lesser considerations — namely,
3dly. They will not wound their own consciences, and disturb their peace, and put themselves in danger of hell fire. Surely this, if anything, will preserve men in the hour of temptation. Surely they would not lavish away their peace, nor risk their souls by attacking God and the thick bosses of his buckler! What can be of more efficacy and prevalence? I confess this is of great importance; and oh, if it were more pondered than it is! Oh, that we laid more weight on the preservation of our peace with God than we do! Yet I say that even this consideration, in someone who is elsewhere from his watch, and does not make it his work to follow the other rules insisted on, conscience will not preserve him; for —
(1st.) The peace of such a person may be a false peace or security that is made up of presumption and false hopes; yes, even though he is a believer, it may be so.
Such was David’s peace after his sin, before Nathan came to him; such was Laodicea’s peace when it was ready to perish;Rev 3.16 and Sardis’ peace when it was dying.Rev 3.1 What should convince a soul that it is true peace, seeing (it is supposed) that it does not universally labor to keep the word of Christ’s patience, and to be watchful in all things? Do you think that the peace of many in these days will be found to be true peace in the end? Not at all. They will go alive down to hell, and death will have dominion over them in the morning. Now, if a man’s peace is such, do you think that what cannot preserve itself, can preserve him? It will give way at the first vigorous assault of a temptation in its height and hour. Like a broken reed, it will puncture the hand of the one that leans on it. But —
(2dly.) Suppose the peace that is cared for and proposed to safeguard the soul, is true and good — yet when all is laid upon this one basis, and the hour of temptation comes, so many easements will be offered against this consideration, that they will make it useless. We say to ourselves,“This evil is small; it is questionable; it doesn’t fall openly and directly upon my conscience; I only fear the consequences of it. Maybe I can keep my peace despite this evil. Other people of God have fallen, and yet they have kept or recovered their peace. If it is lost for a season, it may be obtained again; I will not solicit its station any more.32 Or even if peace is lost, safety may remain.”33 And there are a thousand such pleas which are all planted like batteries34 against this fort, so that it cannot hold out long.
(3dly.) Fixing on this particular alone is to make good one passage or entrance, while the enemy assaults us all around. It is true that a little armor would serve to defend a man if he could choose where his enemy would strike him; but we are commanded to take the “whole armor of God” if we intend to resist and stand, Eph 6.11.
What we speak of here is but one piece of armor; and when our eye is only on that, temptation may enter and prevail twenty other ways. For instance, a man may be tempted to worldliness, unjust gain, revenge, vainglory, or the like. If he fortifies himself with this consideration alone — that he will not do this thing, wound his conscience, and lose his peace — fixing his eye on this particular, and counting himself safe while he is not overcome on that one hand, then maybe neglect of his private communion with God, sensuality, and the like, will creep in, and he is not one jot better in his condition than if he had fallen under the power of that part of the temptation which was most visibly pressing on him.
Experience tells us that this does and will fail also. There is no saint of God that does not value the peace he has; yet how many of them fail in the day of temptation!
(4thly.) Yet they have another consideration also, and that is, the vileness of sinning against God. How shall they do this thing, and sin against God,Gen 39.9 the God of their mercies and of their salvation? How shall they wound Jesus Christ, who died for them? This surely cannot help but preserve them. I answer —
First, Every day we see this consideration failing also. There is no child of God that is overcome by temptation, who has not first overcome this consideration. So then, it is not a sure and infallible defense.
Secondly, This consideration is twofold: either it expresses the thoughts of the soul with particular reference to the temptation contended with, and it will not then preserve the soul; or else it expresses the universal, habitual frame of heart that is in us, on all accounts; and it then falls in with what I will propose, in the process of this discourse, as the universal medicine and remedy in this case, of which more will be said afterward.
(2.) Consider the of temptation, partly from what was shown before, from its effects and fruits in the saints of old, and partly from other general effects that we find ascribed to it; such as —
1. It will darken the mind, so that a man will not be able to make a right judgement of things as he did before he entered into it. The god of this world blinds the minds of worldly men so that they should not see the glory of Christ in the gospel, 2Cor 4:4,35 and so “whoredom, wine, and new wine enslave their hearts,” Hos 4:11; so too, it is in the nature of every temptation, more or less, to enslave the heart, or to darken the understanding of the person tempted. And it does this in diverse ways —
1st. By fixing the imagination and thoughts upon the object to which it inclines; so that the mind will be diverted from considering the things that would relieve and help it in the state in which it finds itself. A man is tempted to apprehend that he is forsaken by God, that he is an object of God’s hatred, and that he has no portion in Christ. By the craft of Satan, the mind will be so fixed upon the consideration of this state and condition of separation, with its distress, that he will not be able to manage any of the reliefs that are suggested and offered to him against it. Rather, following the fullness of his own thoughts, he will walk on in darkness and have no light. I say, a temptation will so possess and fill the mind with thoughts of it and the matter of it, that it will remove that clear consideration of things which otherwise it might and would have had. And those things of which the mind would usually have a vigorous sense, to keep it from sin, will by this means come to have no force or efficacy at all. Indeed, it will commonly bring men to such a state and condition that when others, who know of their estate, are speaking to them about things that concern their deliverance and peace, their minds will be so possessed with the matter of their temptation, as not to understand at all — they scarcely hear one word that is spoken to them.
2dly. By woeful entangling of the affections; when they are engaged, it is known what an influence the affections have in blinding the mind and darkening the understanding. If anyone does not know this, let him but open his eyes these days, and he will quickly learn it. I will not declare right now by what ways and means it is, that engaged affections will cloud the mind and darken it. I will only say, give me a man engaged in the affections of hope, love, and fear, in reference to any particulars in which he ought not to hope, love, and fear, and I will quickly show you in what he is darkened and blinded. If you enter into temptation, then, you will fail in this — The present judgment you have of things will not be utterly altered, but it will be darkened and rendered infirm to influence the will and master the affections. These, being set at liberty by temptation, will run on in madness. Instantly, detestation of sin, abhorring it, the terrors of the Lord, the sense of love, the presence of Christ crucified, will all depart, and leave the heart a prey to its enemy.
3dly. Temptation will give oil and fuel to our lusts — it will incite, provoke, and make them agitate and rage beyond measure. Offering a lust or corruption a suitable object, advantage, or occasion, will heighten and exaggerate it, and make it wholly predominant for a season. This is how temptation dealt with carnal fear in Peter, with pride in Hezekiah, with covetousness in Achan, with uncleanness in David, with worldliness in Demas, and with ambition in Diotrephes. It will let out the reins on the neck of a lust, and put spurs to the sides of it, so that it may rush forward like a horse into battle. A man does not know the pride, fury, and madness of a corruption, until it meets with a suitable temptation. And what now will a poor soul think to do? His mind is darkened, his affections entangled, his lusts inflamed and provoked, and his relief defeated; what will be the outcome of such a condition?
(3.) Consider that temptations are either…let us view a little the efficacy and power of each separately —
1. There are temptations; such as that mentioned in Rev 3:10,36 which was to come upon the world “to try those who dwell upon the earth;” or a combination of persecution and seduction for the trial of a careless generation of professors of Christ. Now, concerning such a temptation, consider that —
1st. It has efficacy in respect to God, who sends it to revenge the neglect and contempt of the gospel on one hand, and the treachery of false professors on the other. Hence it will certainly accomplish what it receives a commission from him to do. When Satan offered his service to go and seduce Ahab so that he might fall, God says to him, 1Kng 22:22,“You shall persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.”
Satan is permitted as to his wickedness, and commissioned as to the event and punishment intended by God. When the Christian world was to be given up to folly and false worship for their neglect of the truth, and for their naked, barren, fruitless, Christ dishonoring profession, it is said about the temptation that befell them, 2Thes 2:11,“God sent them a strong delusion, so that they would believe a lie.”
As it comes from God in so judiciary a manner, it has power with it, and it shall prevail. That selfish, spiritually-slothful, careless, and worldly frame of spirit,38 has in these days infected almost the entire body of professors. If it has a commission from God to kill hypocrites, wound negligent saints, break their bones, and make them scandalous so that they may be ashamed, will it not have the power and efficacy needed to do so? What work the spirit of error has made among us! Is it not from this: that as some men delighted not to retain God in their hearts, so God has “given them up to a reprobate mind?” Rom 1:28. A man would think it strange, indeed, it would be a matter of amazement, to see persons of a sober spirit, who pretend to great things in the ways of God, who are yet overcome, captivated, ensnared, and destroyed by such weak means, drunken opinions, and foolish imaginations — the kind a man would think it impossible that these would ever lay hold on sensible or rational men, much less professors of the gospel! But what God would have strong, let us not think it is weak. No strength but the strength of God can stand in the way of the weakest things of the world, that are commissioned by God for any end or purpose whatsoever.
2dly. There is, in such temptations, the secret insinuation of examples in those who are considered godly, and professors of Christ: Mat 24:12,“Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold,” etc.
The abounding of iniquity in some will insensibly throw water on the zeal and love of others, so that little by little, their love grows cold. Some begin to grow negligent, careless, worldly, and wanton. They break the ice towards pleasing the flesh. At first others blame, judge, and perhaps reprove them.39 Shortly their love also grows cold; and the brunt of it being over, they also conform to those abounding in inquity, and are cast into the same mould with them. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Paul repeats this saying twice in 1Cor 5:6, and Gal 5:9. He would have us take notice of it. He speaks of the danger of infecting the whole body from the bad examples of some. 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,” Heb 12:15. If one little piece of leaven, if one bitter root, may endanger the whole, then how much more when there are many roots of that nature, and much leaven is scattered abroad! Following a multitude, it is easy to do evil, and to say“A conspiracy”with others who say“A conspiracy.”40 Would anyone have thought it possible that such and such professors in our own days would have fallen into the ways of self, flesh, and the world? To play at cards and dice, to revel and dance? To neglect their family and private duties? To be proud, haughty, ambitious, worldly, covetous, and oppressive? Or that they would be turned to foolish, vain, and ridiculous opinions, deserting the gospel of Christ? In these two41 lies the great temptation that has come upon us, the inhabitants of this world, to test 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 never had more than a form of godliness, once they had served their turn at that, began on the way to these things; and then others began to comply a little, and to please the flesh in doing so. Little by little, this reached even the top boughs and branches of our profession, until now almost all flesh has corrupted its way. And one who departs from these iniquities makes his name a prey, if not his person.
3dly. Public temptations are usually accompanied with strong reasons and pretences that are too hard for men, or at least that insensibly prevail upon them to undervalue the evil to which the temptation leads — to give strength to that complicated temptation which in these days has even thrown down the people of God from their excellence — it has “cut their locks,” Jdg 16.19 and made them become like other men. How full the world is of specious pretences and pleadings! Such as, there is the liberty and freedom of Christians, delivered from a frame of bondage. This is a door that, in my own observation, I have seen all kinds of people go through, into sensuality and apostasy. They begin with frivolous conversation, proceed to a neglect of the Sabbath, and of public and private duties, and end in dissoluteness and profaneness. And then there is leaving public things to Providence, being contented with what is42 — things good in themselves, but turned into wretched, carnal compliance, and the utter ruin of all zeal for God, and for the interest of Christ or his people in the world.
These and similar considerations — joined with the ease and plenty, the greatness and promotion of professors — have so brought things about that, whereas by Providence we have 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. They quickly degenerate from the manners of the people where they came from, and fall into the manners of the country to which they are brought; as if there were something in the soil and the air that transformed them. Let me follow my similitude a little. The prevailing party of these nations, many of those in rule, power, and favor with all their adherents — and remember that they were a colony of Puritans, those whose habitation was “in a low place,” (as the prophet speaks of the city of God43) — have been translated by a high hand to the mountains they now possess. One cannot help but wonder how soon they have forgotten the customs, manners, and ways of their forbears, and have been cast into the mould of those who went before them in the high places to which they are now translated. I speak of us all, especially those of us who are among the lowest of the people, where perhaps this iniquity most abounds. What were those before us like, that we are not like? What did they do, that we do not do? Prosperity has slain the foolish and wounded the wise.
2. Suppose the temptation is…This has been spoken of before, but I will add two things —
1st. Its union and incorporation with lust, by which temptation gets within the soul, and lies at the bottom of its actings. John tells us, 1Joh 2:16, 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 (us), not in the object — they are in our 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 and incorporates with them. Just as faith and the promises are said to be “mixed,” Heb 4:2, so lust and temptation are mixed: they twine together; they receive mutual improvement from one another; each of them grows higher and higher by the mutual strength they administer to one another. Now, by this means temptation gets so deep into the heart that no contrary reasonings can reach it — only 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.Lev 14.33-45 Like gangrene that mixes poison with the blood and spirits, and cannot be separated from the place where it festers, both must be cut off together. For instance, in David’s temptation to uncleanness, ten thousand considerations might have been taken to shut the mouth of the temptation; but it had united itself with his lust, and nothing but killing that lust could destroy it, or get him the conquest.
This deceives many a believer. They have some pressing temptation which, having gained some advantages, is now urgently upon them. They pray against it, and oppose it with all the powerful considerations they have, each one seemingly sufficient to conquer and destroy it — or at least to overpower it, so that it would never be troublesome any more. But no good is done, no ground is gained or obtained; indeed, it grows on them more and more. What is the reason for it? It has incorporated and united itself with their lust, and it is safe from all the opposition they make to it. If they would make progress indeed, they are to set upon the whole of the lust itself — their ambition, pride, worldliness, sensuality, or whatever it is that the temptation is united with. All other dealings with it are like tampering with a prevailing gangrene: the part or the whole may be preserved a little while, in great torment; but excision or death must come at last. The soul may torment itself for a season with such a procedure; but it must come to this: either its lust must die, or the soul must die.
2dly. In whatever part of the soul the lust is seated, and with which the temptation is united, it draws after it the whole soul by one means or another; and so it prevents or anticipates any opposition. Suppose it is a lust of the mind — there are lusts of the mind and uncleanness of the spirit, such as ambition, vain-glory, and the like. The understanding has a world of ways to bridle the affections, so they will not cling to God so tenaciously, seeing in what it aims at, there is so much to content and satisfy them! This is like a bloody infirmity in the eyes which presents all things to the natural sense and perception in that reddish hue and colour.45 It not only prevents all the reasonings of the mind (which it necessarily does), but it will draw the whole soul, on other accounts and collateral considerations, into the same frame.46 It promises the whole a share in the spoil that is aimed at; just as Judas’ money, which he first desired out of covetousness, was to be shared among all his lusts.
Or the temptation may be in the more sensual part, and it first possesses the affections. It cannot easily be expressed (as shown before) what prejudices the affections will bring to the understanding; how they will bribe it to acquiesce; what arguments or what hopes they will supply it with.
In brief, there is no particular temptation, when it is in its hour, that will not have such assistance from things that are good, evil, or indifferent. It is fed by so many considerations that seem most alien and foreign to it, and in some cases, that make such specious pleas and pretences, that its strength will easily be acknowledged.
(4.) Consider the of any temptation; this is Satan’s end and sin’s end — which is the dishonor of God and the ruin of our souls.
(5.) Consider what has been the of any former temptations that you have had. Have they not defiled your conscience, disquieted your peace, weakened you in your obedience, and clouded the face of God? Even if you were not prevailed upon to commit the outward evil, or to suffer the utmost consequence of your temptation, yet have you not been foiled? Was your soul not sullied and grievously perplexed by it? Indeed, did you ever in your life come off fairly, without sensible loss, from almost any temptation you had to deal with — and would you willingly be entangled again? If you are at liberty, then take heed; enter no more, if it is possible, lest a worse thing happen to you.Joh 5.14. These, I say, are some of those 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 “do not enter into temptation.”
Against what has been spoken, some objections are to be considered and removed, that secretly insinuate themselves into the souls of men, and that are effective in making them negligent and careless in this thing which is of such importance to them — a duty of such indispensable necessity to those who intend to walk with God in any peace, or with any faithfulness. And they are these which follow —
Obj. 1.“Why should we so fear, and labor to avoid temptation? Jas 1:2, We are commanded to ‘count it all joy when we fall into various temptations.’ Now, certainly I need not solicitously avoid falling into something which, once I have fallen into it, I am to count it all joy.”
To which I answer —
1. You would not hold to this rule in all things — namely, that a man need not avoid what he cannot help but fall into, when it is his duty to rejoice in it. The same apostle bids the rich “rejoice that they are made low,” chap. 1:9-10. And without a doubt, to someone who is acquainted with the goodness, wisdom, and love of God in his dispensations, in every condition that is necessary for him, it would be a matter of rejoicing to him. Yet, how few rich, godly men can you persuade not to take heed, and use all lawful means so they are not made poor and low! In most cases, the truth is, that it would be their sin not to do so. It is our business to make good our stations, and to secure ourselves as best we can; if God alters our condition, we are to rejoice in it. If the temptations mentioned here befall us, we may have cause to rejoice; but not if we fall into them by a neglect of duty.
2. Temptations are taken two ways —
(1.) Passively and merely materially — those things which are, or in some cases may be, temptations.
(2.) Actively — those things which entice us to sin.
James speaks of temptations in the first sense only; for having said, “Count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,”verse 2; he adds in verse 12,“Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he has been tried, he shall receive the crown of life.” Now a man might say,“If this is so, then temptations are good, and from God;” — “No,” says James; “Taken in such a sense that temptation is a thing which entices and leads us to sin, God tempts no one; rather, every man is tempted by his own lust,”verses 13, 14.
“To have such temptations, to be tempted to sin, that is not the blessed thing I mean; but enduring the afflictions that God sends for testing our faith, that is a blessed thing. So that, even though I must count it all joy when, through the will of God, I fall into various afflictions for my trial, which have the matter of temptation in them, yet I am to use all care and diligence so that my lust has no occasions or advantages given to it to tempt me to sin.”
Obj. 2.“But was not our Savior Christ tempted himself; and is it evil to be brought into the same state and condition as him? Indeed, it is not only said that he was tempted, but his being tempted is expressed as an advantageous thing, and conducive to his mercifulness as our priest: Heb 2:17, 18,‘In that he himself having suffered, being tempted, he is able to comfort those who are being tempted.’ And he makes it a ground of a great promise to his disciples, that they‘abided with him in his temptations,’ Luke 22:28.”
Ans. It is true, our Savior was tempted; yet his temptations are reckoned among the evils that befell him in the days of his flesh — things that came on him through the malice of the world and its prince. He did not wilfully throw himself into temptation, which he said was “to tempt the Lord our God,” Mat 4:7; indeed, to willingly enter into any temptation is to highly tempt God. Now, our condition is such that we may use the greatest diligence and watchfulness we can, and yet we will be sure to be tempted, and be made like Christ in it. This does not hinder the fact that it is our duty, to the utmost, to keep ourselves from falling into them; and that is namely on this account — Christ had only the suffering part of temptation when he entered into it; we also have the sinning part. When the prince of this world came to Christ, he had “no part in him;” Joh 14.30 but when he comes to us, he does. So that, in one effect of temptations, namely trials and disquietness, we are made like Christ, and we are to rejoice as far as that is produced by any means;48 yet in another effect, we are made unlike him, which is being defiled and entangled. We are therefore to avoid them by all means. We never come off like Christ. Which of us can “enter into temptation” and not be defiled by it?
Obj. 3.“But what need is there for this great endeavor and carefulness? Is it not said that ‘God is faithful, who will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape?’ 1Cor 10:13; and ‘He knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations,’ 2Pet 2:9. Why then do we need to be solicitous not to enter into them?”
Ans. I greatly question what assistance from God someone will have in his temptation, if he willingly enters into it, because he supposes that God has promised to deliver him out of it. The Lord knows that through the craft of Satan, the subtlety and malice of the world, and the deceitfulness of sin that so easily besets us, even when we have done our utmost, we will still enter into various temptations. In his love, care, tenderness, and faithfulness, God has provided such a sufficiency of grace for us, that these temptations will not utterly prevail to make an everlasting separation between him and our souls. Yet I have three things to say to this objection —
(1.) Someone that wilfully or negligently enters into temptation, has no reason in the world to promise himself any assistance from God, or any deliverance from the temptation into which he has entered. The promise is made to those to whom temptations befall them in their way, whether they want them to or not; not to those who wilfully fall into them — those who go out of their way to meet with them. And therefore the devil (as it is usually observed), when he tempted our Savior, left out that expression of the text of Scripture which he twisted to suit his purpose,“All your ways.”49 The promise of deliverance is to those who are in their ways, of which this is one principal way: to beware of temptation.
(2.) Though there is a sufficiency of grace provided for all the elect, that they shall not fall utterly from God by any temptation, yet it would make any gracious heart tremble to think what a dishonor it is to God, what scandal it is to the gospel, and what woeful darkness and disquietness they may bring upon their own souls, even if they do not perish. Those who are scared by nothing but the fear of hell — on whom other considerations which fall short of that have no influence — in my apprehension, have more reason to fear hell than perhaps they are aware of.
(3.) To enter into temptation on this account is to venture upon sin (which is the same as “continuing in sin”) so “that grace may abound,” Rom 6:1, 2 — the apostle rejects thoughts like this with the greatest detestation. Is it not madness for a man to willingly allow the ship in which he is carried, to split itself on a rock, to the irrecoverable loss of his merchandise, just because he supposes he will swim safely to shore on a plank? 1Tim 1.20 Is it any less madness for someone to hazard the shipwreck of all his comfort, peace, joy, and so much of the glory of God and honor of the gospel as he is entrusted with, merely on a supposition that his soul will yet escape? These things, a man would think, did not deserve to be mentioned; and yet poor souls sometimes delude themselves with such things as these.
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