e lusts, viz. "that some of them do not go out but by fasting and
prayer;" that is, by Christ sought unto and found in these means. There
are some lusts that will not be so easily killed and mortified as
others, but will cost us more pains and labour, as being corruptions
which possibly have some greater advantage of our natural temper and
constitution of body, or of long continuance and a cursed habit, or the
like. We must not then think it strange, if some such lust be not
subdued so easily as some others to which we have fewer and weaker, and
not so frequent temptations.

12. As we cannot expect a full conquest of the body of death, so long as
we are here, as was shown above, neither can we expect a full and final
victory over any one lust, which ever we have been troubled with. It is
true, believers may be kept from some gross out-breaking of a
corruption, which sometime prevailed, as Peter was from relapsing into
an open and downright denying his Master; yet that same corruption did
afterward stir, though not so violently as to carry him to such an
height of sin; yet so far as to cause him do that which was a partial
denying of his Master, when Paul withstood him to the face, because he
was to be blamed for withdrawing from the Gentiles, for fear of them of
the circumcision, &c. Gal. ii. 11, 12.: So, though a particular lust may
be so far subdued through grace, as that for some considerable time a
man may not find it so violent as it was; yet be cannot say that it is
totally killed, because it may stir thereafter in some weaker measure;
yea, he cannot tell, but ere he come to die, that same corruption may
rise to be as violent as ever, and that Satan may again think to enter
the soul at that same breach which once he entered at; yea, and who can
tell, whether God may not suffer that corruption, which lay long as
dead, to revive again for a time, and for a time drive the soul as
violently as ever, and prevail for a time? And this should teach all to
walk soberly, watchfully, and in fear, and to have a vigilant eye, even
upon such lusts and carnal affections, as they may suppose they have got
the victory of.

13. We would not think that we gain no ground upon corruption, because
we still perceive it stirring, less or more; for as corruption is not
always strongest, as was said above, nor hath the deepest footing in the
soul, when its motions and stirrings are most felt; so neither must we
think that there is no grou