3. Motive.

3. Motive.

Your stability, and safety in the hour of temptation depends ¹upon the success of your mortifying endeavours. Is it then a valuable mercy in your eyes to be kept upright and steadfast in the critical season of temptation, when Satan shall be wrestling with you for the Crown, and Prize of eternal life? Then give diligence to mortify your corruptions. Temptation is a siege, Satan is the enemy without the walls, labouring to force an entrance, natural corruptions are the Traitors within, that hold correspondency with the enemy without, and open the gate of the soul to receive him. It was the covetousness of Judas his heart which overthrew him in the hour of Temptation. They are our fleshly lusts which go over unto Satan in the day of Battle, and fight against our souls, 1 Pet. 2. 11. the corruptions (or infectious atoms which fly up and down the world in times of Temptation as that word [Greek or Hebrew] imports) ²are through lusts, 2 Pet. 1. 4. 'Tis the lust within which gives a lustre to the vanities of the world without, and thereby makes them strong temptations to us. 1 John 2. 16. Mortify therefore your corruptions as ever you expect to maintain your station in the day of trial: cut off those advantages of your enemy, lest by them he cut off your souls, and all your hopes from God.

Your stability, and safety in the hour of temptation depends ¹upon the success of your mortifying endeavours. Is it then a valuable mercy in your eyes to be kept upright and stedfast in the critical season of temptation, when Satan shall be wrestling with you for the Crown, and Prize of eternal life? Then give diligence to mortifie your corruptions. Temptation is a siege, Satan is the enemy without the walls, labouring to force an entrance, natural corruptions are the Traytours within, that hold correspondency with the enemy without, and open the gate of the soul to receive him. It was the covetousness of Judas his heart which overthrew him in the hour of Temptation. They are our fleshly lusts which go over unto Satan in the day of Battel, and fight against our souls,