The fore T rial of Vprightnefs. reigning Paffionof his Heart. The fenfual Wretch furvcys his Carnal Paredife and iOnat~s the Ple~1.i.1 rcs of Sm ?Y tmpure Im~ginations: Ius Fancy runs. riordufly ~7;; t<.:mpnng ~caun~s : _by an aCtive Contemplatton h~ comracts a ~ew Statn and induc a_ne\~1 Gmlr uponlum!.Clf: he commits the J3mc Sm ~ rhoufand ttmes, by'renewingtl~~ plca{ant Thoughts of 1t, and by c:unal Complacence In the Remembrance. In the filcncc of the N.ighr, when a Currai1_1 of Darkncfs is drawn over the vifiblc World, and the Soul not dtvcrtcd by fcnfi.blc Obj~Gts, , is .rno.~ free in its O~crations, then the Thoughts are converG1nr about rhe beloved SUI. T 1s fmd of the Malicious and Re- ,·cugeful, !be; plot Mifchief upon tbeir Beds. The. rich Fool was contriving how to beflow his F~u ~rs an.d Goods_, and cme:raH~ing himfetf With the Thoug~1rs of Fcfhval rolnptu.ous Ltvmg, 111 rhc N1gl1t whcrcm Ius Soul was required. !lnd m rh.c Moming the ~~;:.:~~:~h~~~~~ltM~:~;a~;durf~~:~lt~:e~;~~e~f~~ fl~~uf~'eu~::~~ ~l;e D~~:~~g]~~r~~J compofC the Soul to a h?lY folemn .Frame, then the beloved Lufl: \\' I ll be fo unpudc1;r and ourragious as to break mro the Mmd, the Chamber of Prcfencc, and fear it fC!f rhere. As L oi s 'Vifc led by .an A!1~el out o~ Sodom, turn'd a li ngring Eye towards it, forhe Carnal Heart, even 111 rehg10us Servtce and Ad_drelfes to Go~ , reflects upon the f!nful ObjeCt, that has an attraCtive Force upon it. 'Tt s charg' d 3.gau1ft thofe fine Hypocrites Ezek. H· 31. in EzeJ:iel; 71Jey fit before thee as my People, andhear thy T•Vords, but tbey w~ll notdotbtm· .{or. with the!r Mov.tb t_hey jhew mu~b Love, ~ut tb~ir i -Ieart goetb after theu CtnJeto:tforfi: T~s reckon d as an htgh Aggravatton of thetr Gutl~, Tea in my Houfl bave I fo:!;:d their Jer. lJ. IL W!CI.·ednefs, faitb tbe Lord. The familiar Lufl: will haunt Men in the Divine Prc!Cnce. This makes them cold arid carelefs in ~oly Duties ; this makes their Devotiotl fo faint and dilute, that God is infinitely provok'd by them. In lhort, the darling Lufi does fo intirely and intenfely. fix the Mind upon it, that Mens Accounts a:e dreadfully incrcafl: by the Swarms of Wicked Thoughts chat defile rheir Souls: and 111 the Day of Judgmcm, that IS called the Dap of ReveltJtion, there will be a D1fcovery made to their cverlailing Confufion. - 4· The Sin Men defire to conceal from others, and from Confcicnce, and are apt to defend or extenuate, and are i!llpaticnt of Reproof for it, h:ts a fjx!cia l Interefi in their AffeCtions. Every Sinner is a Mail:et Of this Art, to counterfeit the V crmes he wants and diffemble rhe Vices thar !1c allows. 'Tis the Obfervation of Solomon, God made Manuprigbt, but be .fougbt out many L-tventio11s; efpecially to palliate and lude, or to excufc h1s Faults. Sin in its native Deformity is fo foul, that Men employ a great deal of Art and Sn1dy , either ro conceal it under a Veil of Darknefs, or a deceitful Mask of Vermc, or by various Excufcs to leffen irs Guilt and Ignominy. Adam parch'd up an Apron of fig-LcaYes to cover his Nakednefs, a Refemblance of his Care to hide his Sin. David could not expeCt to deceive God ; bur to hide his Adultery with Batbjhe6a from Men, he fends for Uriab from the Army, that he might have gone home to his Wife. 'Tis ob. ferv' d of Cll!far and Pompey, whofe ambitious Spirits afpir'd ro Sovereign Power, they tnade ufe of fame Enfigns of Royalry, to accuilom rhc People by Degrees to them, yet were crafty to hide their Defign. Catfar fomerimes appeared publickly with a Wreath of Lawrcl on his Head; bur lcfi the People from his wearing that Appearance of a Crown, fl1ould be jealous of his Intention, pretended ir was only to fupply his want of Hair, and cover his Baldnefs. Pompey wore a white Fdlct cur!oufly wrought abo~1t Ius Leg, in Pretence that his Leg was hurt; but in truth, becaufe It was a Diadem, a Royal Or- ;:~~~~~~ ~:;~e~~1d·,~0~~:~~ekJ:~;v:.~p~~~~:t~s~y f'iliill ~~~ ~g~~;~rin o~~~ha~:~ i~~~~IT~r~~;c flabenti! di· dis'd: How do many, hkc the crafty Lapwing that flutters at a difiance from tts Ncft, ~:/~~·~~~appear zealous againil: the .vHible Sins of o~hers,_ that under that fhadowy Dcceir they parte. corporis may hide their own? Their Words, feather d With fevcre Cenfure, Ay abroad, wou_n· tit d·~:t~;ll. ding the R~putation of other~ f?r lelfer Faults, that they may not be fufpeCtcd to be gml· ty of worfe Sins fecret!y chen!h d by them. But if the beloved Sin be evident, Satan atlifis the corrupt Mind to frame fuch colourable Pretences either to defend or excufe it, that it may not appear in a ghafily manner, attended with firiCt Judgmenr and an ever!ailing Hell. When a ,Lull has enticed and drawn away the Will, the Mind is ingag'd to give colour to the Confent, and either directly, or in an oblique way to reprefent ~he ~in, rhat it may appear lefs odious and more amiable. Sometimes the Underilandmg ts fa perverted by the Impreilion of Plea· 'Vir.ia nobis filre rhat Confcience allows Concupifcence. 'Tis a repeated Obfervation of a * mfe ~~bm~:; r~~~:; Phi l ~fopher, that Vices v.lere difgttis'd under the Refcmblancc of V err:ucs, and Verw cs ~~~~~[~~r}~~~ :,;;it~~d;;;~i~a~i~iut~&d~~~ta.v;~::. i1g;s~;· pro cauto timidus accipitur In his magno periculo erntur. smu difparag'J
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