Abernathy - Houston-Packer Collection BX9178.A33 S4 1748 v.3

o6 Trifdom the Strength of the Mind. S E x M. of thorns, (and the cafe is fame of other fin- IV. ners wandering in the maze of errors) but "-'""' the way of the righteous is plain. Solomon faith, Eccef. ii. 14. A wifi' man's eyes are in his head, but a fool walketh in darkn f, And again, chap. X. 2. A wife man's heart is at his right -hand, but a fool's is at his left. The vicious diftempered mind is like one without eyes in a rough road full of precipices ; irregular paffions miflead the underfianding, fo that it is at a lofs not know- ing what hand to turn to in the greateft ur- gency of affairs, having forfaken the paths of truth and judgment. But the underftand- ing of the wife difpaffionate man is always a ready guide to him, directing his alive powers with promptnefs and dexterity. In purfuance of this, the man of know- ledge increafeth ftrength againft irrefolution, unfteadinefs, and precipitancy; his behavi- our is confiftent and uniform, becaufe it is concluded by one invariable principle. The apoftle reprefenteth it as the happy fruit of that perfection to which chriflians arrive by the gofpel miniftration, that they are no more like children to7 d to and fro, and carried about with every wind, Eph. iv. 17. As the pallions of men naturally make them fickle and

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