The fure Trial of Vprigbtnefs. new Hear and Rapture upo11 the returning Temptation. Though Convictions be heighrned inro RcfOlutions, the next Tem~rarion hinders the Effect: They refcind their ~0lemn and facred Engagements, prefidwuily break double Chains, the Law of God Wtth their own Vows, grieve his Spirit and wound their own ; from hence 'r is evident that fuch Sins are properly Mens own. 2. That Lufl: to which others arc fubfervienr, has the Supremacy in rhc Heart. In all the Dominions of Satan, there is fOme fpecial Lufl: that is his V iccroy, and keeps Poffefiion for him. There is an Order in the Kingdom of Darkncfs, one Sin wants the Affifiancc and Countenance of another fomerimes to difgnifc and palliate ir, or for the doing it. The reigning Sin has, as it were, its Court and CoUI~cil, its Guard ~nd Attendants. Toillufirat~ this by its contrary, 'tis ob!<::rvablcthe:c ~ s aConc.atenatiOn o~Vc_rtues, and the fupenor Vertue is affifi:ed by or her Verrucs 111 Its Exerc1fe : as Jufhcc 111 difpenfing what is due to others, is affificd by Fortitude an~ T emperance, \\~hich_ regulate Fear and Defire, that often hinder its mofi noble Exctc1fc: and the AChons Immediately flo\ving fcom Courage or Temperance, arc afcribed ro Jufi:ice, to which they are fubfervien t ; for the End and Intention conflitutcs the Kinds in the Ranks of moral Things, either Vcrrues or Vices. 'Tis the Obfcrvation of the PhilofOphcr, that one who does an Act of Robbery that he may have Money to corrupt a Woman, is not fo much Covetous as Incontinent. Jofep!/s Brethren fold him into E~ypt, dipt _his Garment in Blood ro deceive their Father, and thereby contraCted a Crunfon GUil t ; but Cruelty and Hypocrifie were ihbor~inate to ~heir EnYy: They hated him, bccaufc the Father's Love to them \Vas faint m Companfon to the warm Beams reflected upon Jofepb. 2. The Darling Corruption ingrolTcs the Thoughts. There is a natural Levity :~.nd Fcatherincfs in the Mind, a fl:range Inconfitlency and Difcurrcncy of the Thoughts, but Love will fafien them intenfely upon its ObjeCt. From hence it is ~h_at habitual and de~ lightfu l Thoughts are the !)eft Difcovery of our Hearts and our fpmtual State. Words and Actions mJy be ovcr-rul'd and e,::ounrerfctt for d1vcrs Rcafons, but Thoqghts arc the invifible Productions of the Soul, and without Fear or.Mask, w ithout Rel1ra'i\)t ot .Difguife, undiffemblingly difcover the Difpofition of the Hearr. Thoughrs are the inime375 ~;:tfrr~~~h~1 tll~ ~in;~.~~;foa1;~e ~l:~~g~~t:~~ ~~tdt~~~~a~i~~~~~~v,~~~h:i:~~;~;~i~ ons. A Saint tS therefore defcnbed by lus meditating in the Law of God Day and Night, Pf.lm 1 . which is the n:atural and ncccfTary Effed: of his Delight in it. Uncountcrfeit Religion Odinirio" im_ and Holincfs confifis · in the order of Love, as St. Auf/in brieAy and fully defcribes it. vis & vera, ir· Tl~c \~~ill_is carried to irs.Objcct at~d E?~ by the M?tio_n ,of Love, and Love applies t he ~~~;i~rdo cfi Mmd t~1t1re!y ro the Objed: ro whiCh 1t ~~ fl:rongly mchn d. When the Heart is corru_pt, the ordmary Current of the Thou_ghrs is to the Channel of our Lufl:s. The contriv 1i1g Thoughts, the Devices of the Mmd, th<; contemplative Thougl~ts and inward M ufings arc convcrfant about the beloved Lufi: that engages the Mind ro 1t. Thus when Cove.,. toufitcfS is the reigning Paffion, the Mind is in continual Exercife to compafs fecular Ends : 'tis full of Projects how to order the Means mofr fucccfsfully to increafc Riches , and h?w to remove what-_ever ma~ obfi:ruct rh~ main Dclign.. The Spirit is captivated, and hke a drudge in a Mtll is continually grindmg. for the Sansfaction of the earthly Appetite. When the more fenfual voluptuous Pafhons are predonunant, the contrivmg Thoughts are to. make Provifions for the Flejh to fotis}ie the Lujls thereof The Under- Rom. , 3 . '· fiandmg ts dcbafcd_ t? be rh~ Pander and Caterer for the il~tcmperate and mc6ntmenr Appetites. The ambmous Sp1rit lays the Scene how to obtatn his dcfircd Honour, and forecatl:s how to afcend to fome place of Eminence : fo Anger fowrcd into Revenge, envies at the Excellencies and Advancements of others, turns the Mind to plot Mifchief. The contemplative Thoughts and Mufings of the Mind, are :ilfo. fix 'd on the darling Luft. As a Holy Believer, in whofe Heart the defire of enjoying God in Heaven is the fi1preme i\ffeelion, frequently afcends in his Mind thither, and by folemn ferious Thoughts fubl1anriates his future Happinefs, and has an unfpeakable glorious Joy in·tlie ltvely hopes of it: Thus the unrenewed Heart turns the Thoughts ro the defin:d Object, ~1ther inrcrrcfenring it in all its C~1arms, or in ReAcctjons upon the Enjoyincnt of what . JS pail:, or m.c.xpeCtarion of what xs to co~e, an? plea~es it i<::lf with the Suppofirion inil:ead of F~llltlon. A proud Perfon entertams vam-glonous thoughts of his own Worth, and wodlups the vain Idol himfelf: In his Mind he repeats the Echoes of Praife, tltar lus t:oo!J01 .Flatterers lavifh upon him. 'Tis recorded of Ne!Juchadnez.z.ar, that a$ he walkd 111 Ius Palace, he faid, Is not this great Babylon that I have built, for the 1-loufe of the Kmgdom, bJ ;he might of my Power, and for the Honour of r'Y !}1•jefl.]'.? J:'lis high rownng Words were the Exptellion of Jus Thoughts, and difcover d Pnde ro be tbe D d d reigning
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