Of Self- Denial. II have fet to the affections, the purfuit and en- S E R NI. joyment. The defire of eating and drinking I. may be lawfully gratified, fo far as the neceffity of life requires, but in being drunk with wine there is excefs, as the apoffle (peaks ; indulging appetite in fuch a meafure as to opprefs nature, and render us unfit for rational, manly, pious, virtuous and charitable exercifes : this is finful, and ought to be denied. Natural affection to parents, to brothers and lifters, and to children is innocent, nay virtuous : and to be without it is one of the worft of characters : but it be- comes criminal when it prevails to fuch a de- gree, that thro' the influence of our deareft re- latives, or a folicitude for their intereft, we de- fert our duty to God. Here the province of felf- denial is very plain. It is to reftrain our appetites, delires, and paffions within due bounds, fo as to preferve the fupremacy of confcience ; their juft (hare to the higher af- fections in forming our tempers, and their proper influence in the direction of our con- duct. And if the inftinfts of nature are to be fo far under government, our obligation muff be as great with refpect to propenfities we have contracted, which are fometimes ftrong even as nature itfelf, taking their rife fromprejudice, cuftom, and falfe notions, which we have imbibed thro' inattention, And. Lafllya
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