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

The Seventh Rule, or Direction.

Take heed of secret declinings, or slidings away from the paths of God into any by paths. For those that profess their desires to walk with God they will not in an open way forsake God, and his ways; but if you be not very watchful over your hearts, you will have them secretly decline away from the ways of God, from those paths wherein you have had heretofore communion with God, Oh take heed of turning out of the paths of God, of any allurements from the flesh, of any temptations, and especially such temptations as are suitable to your corruptions, they will be alluring you to lead you aside out of the ways of God, and seem to promise ways of contentment to the flesh; Oh take heed of any such thing, take heed of being allured through the deceitfulness of the flesh, as the Apostle speaks in the 2 Epist. of Peter, 2. 18. (there he speaks of some false teachers) When they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in ⟨p. 328⟩error. There were some that were escaped from the ways o error, from sinful ungodly ways, and really escaped that is, in their kind, they were not hypocrites, that is, to make show of one thing and do another, but what they did they did according to the light of their consciences, but yet it was not through the sanctifying saving work of God but through the strength of a natural conscience; and so they were allured through the lusts of the flesh, and through wantonness, by those that taught false Doctrine, but they together with their false Doctrine came to that that was suitable to the flesh. I beseech you observe it, some that have been walking with God and then met with these that come with fair shows with that which is false, (and you may know it in this that it gives liberty to the flesh) they think here's a fine, even, and smooth way that I may have content to the flesh in; observe it, there's no such way to allure such as have by the power of the Word escaped from the ways of sin in a great measure, no such way (I say) to allure them as to come and show them how they may make a profession of godliness and yet have liberty to the flesh too: Oh the Lord deliver young beginners from the wantons of our age!