Two treatises of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs. The first of earthly-mindedness

The Eighth Evil.

Earthly-mindedness, It is the root of Apostasy. I'll give you but one Scripture, & compare it with another: 2 Tim. 4 10. there's a notable Text, that shows how earthly-mindedness breeds Apostasy; 'tis the example of Demas, For Demas (says the Apostle) hath forsaken me: what's the matter? having loved this present world. It was that that made Demas to be an Apostate; why? what was Demas before? compare this Scripture with that you have in the Epistle to the Colossians, and you shall see what he was before this time: he was a forward Disciple of Paul; and the Apostle had some good esteem of him, in the last to the Colossians, 14. vers. mark there in that Epistle, where Paul was directed by the holy Ghost, Luke the beloved Physician and Demas greet you: Paul doth rank Demas here among the famous Professors of Religion; the Apostle, writing to the Colossians, saith, Demas greets you among the rest. When we send to our friends and say, Such a one commends him to you, we use not to name them except they be entire friends. So it appears, and I find that Interpreters severally do think it was the same Demas, and the word gives us some ground for this! for in Timothy you find, that he names Luke there too: It seems that Demas and Luke were two great Associates: and Paul mentions them together; when Demas had forsaken him, yet Luke rode with him, and when Paul sends them greeting of Luke that was the beloved Physician, he sends the greeting of Demas too: But now, one was truly godly, and whatsoever sufferings Paul met withal, one cleaved to him, ⟨p. 41⟩and would not forsake him: But when Paul begins to suffer, and Demas thought, that there's no thriving for me, if I should follow this persecuted Apostle; Demas now would have no more of Paul, he thanks him for his company and fairly departs from him: He hath forsaken me: and what's the root of it? He had embraced this present world. And that's another note, that though he was a forward Professor, yet the heart of Paul was not so much for him, for saith he, Luke the Beloved Physician and Demas great you; He doth not say, the Beloved Demas; it's true, Demas was a forward Professor, and did seem to wear a cloak of Religion; yet Paul was directed by the holy-Ghost only to speak of him as a Professor;