3. Public Temptations are usually accompanied with strong reasonings and pretences, that are too hard for men, or at least insensibly prevail upon them, to an undervaluation of the evil whereunto the Temptation leads, to give strength to that complicated temptation which in these days hath even cast down the People of God, from their excellency, hath cut their locks, and made them become like other men; how full is the world of specious pretences and pleadings! As there is the liberty and freedom of Christians, delivered from a bondage frame; This is a door that in my own observation, I have seen sundry going out at, into sensuality and Apostasy; beginning at a light conversation, proceeding to a neglect of the sabbath, public and private duties, ending in dissoluteness and profaneness; and then there is leaving of public ⟨p. 66⟩things to providence, being contented with what is; things Good in themselves, but disputed into wretched carnal compliances, and the utter ruin of all zeal for God, the interest of Christ, or his people in the world. These and the like considerations, joined with the ease, and plenty, the greatness and promotion of professors, have so brought things about, that whereas we have by providence 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: in a short space they degenerate from the manners of the people from whence they came, and fall into that of the country whereunto they are brought; as if there were something in the soil and the air that transformed them. Give me leave a little to follow my similitude; He that should see the prevailing party of these nations, many of those in Rule, power, favour with all their adherents, ⟨p. 67⟩and remember that they were a colony of Puritans, whose habitation was in a low place, as the prophet speaks of the city of God, translated by an high hand to the mountains, they now possess; cannot but wonder, how soon they have forgot the customs, manners, ways, of their own old people, and are cast into the mould of them that went before them, in the places whereunto they are translated. I speak of us all; especially of us, who are amongst the lowest of the people; where perhaps this iniquity doth most abound. What were those before us, that we are not? What did they, we do not?
3. Publicke Temptations are usually accompanied with strong reasonings and pretences, that are too hard for men, or at least insensibly prevaile upon them, to an undervaluation of the evill whereunto the Temptation leads, to give strength to that complicated temptation which in these daies hath even cast downe the People of God, from their excellency, hath cut their locks, and made them become like other men; how full is the world of specious pretences and pleadings! As there is the liberty and freedome of Christians, delivered from a bondage frame; This is a doore that in my owne observation, I have seene sundry going out at, into sensuality and Apostacy; beginning at a light conversation, proceeding to a neglect of the sabbath, publick and private duties, ending in dissolutenesse and profanenesse; and then there is leaving of publick ⟨p. 66⟩things to providence, being contented with what is; things Good in themselves, but disputed into wretched carnall complyances, and the utter ruine of all zeale for God, the interest of Christ, or his people in the world. These and the like considerations, joyned with the ease, and plenty, the greatnesse and promotion of professors, have so brought things about, that whereas we have by providence shifted places with the men of the world, we have by sinne, shifted spirits with them also: We are like a plantation of men, carried into a forraigne country: in a short space they degenerate from the manners of the people from whence they came, and fall into that of the country whereunto they are brought; as if there were something in the soyle and the aire that transformed them. Give me leave a litle to follow my similitude; He that should see the prevailing party of these nations, many of those in Rule, power, favour with all their adherents, ⟨p. 67⟩and remember that they were a colony of Puritans, whose habitation was in a low place, as the prophet speaks of the city of God, translated by an high hand to the mountaines, they now possesse; cannot but wonder, how soone they have forgot the customes, manners, waies, of their owne old people, and are cast into the mould of them that went before them, in the places whereunto they are translated. I speak of us all; especially of us, who are amongst the lowest of the people; where perhaps this iniquity doth most abound. What were those before us, that we are not? What did they, we do not?
