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

476 The Love of Wifdant S E R M. the mind, and determineth it to anion ; the VII. reft are gratified, and their demands coin- ig -v-- plied with, only by its permifion, or when it is abated. Thus the different lults of men, according to their predominancy, form their difpofitions and different vicious cha- raters ; the voluptuous, the proud, and the covetous, are fo feverally denominated from the defire which bath the afcendant over them ; they have a variety of defires, but that which is the molt prevailing,, coníti- tuteth the temper. As thefe different corrupt affections are the great obftrunions to wifdom, they are then effectually removed when wifdom itfelf becometh principal in the efteem of the mind, and its ruling delire And, therefore, what the divine inftructions of this book constantly aim at is, that we fhould eagerly, affectionately, and vehemently, delire reli- gion and virtue preferably to all other things, which is very reafonably infifted on and re- commended to us, becaufe in many cafes the determination of the defire, and the mea- fiares and degrees of it depend on the mind itfelf. The influence of defire is very great, and it ftrongly, nay fometimes irrefiftibly carrieth the mind ; yet we are not moved neceffarily, as bodies are by fprings and 3 weights;

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