Chap. XI. Of HEAVEN. ~;~,~a! ~~~t~t~nlt::n~~~i~; I~~:~}~~tf~~\~~:~s i~i~m\~~~~rt~ ~~r~:rbu~n;l;~I~~rr~;~ l'~: petite inclines to tbe clofing witb it. He tempted Jefus Chrifl:, but \vas repelled W it h fbame bavmg found nothmg >vrthm lum to >vork t~pon. Tbe perfect regularity of Fa~ulriesin ~ur Blelf~d Saviour was not in the leafi diforder'd neither by his faireft Tnfinuanons~ or moll: furious Affaulcs. And we might prefcrve our innocence inviolable, .not with~ /landing all bis Attempts, did not fame corrupt Affection, cherifb'd in our Bofoms, lay us nakecl and open to bis poifon'd Darts. The Apofl:le Peter, who had a Spiritual Eye, and difcern'd wherein the fl:rength of our great Enemy lies, admon i01es Chril1jaJ1?, Dear':! Beloved, I befeech you, M Strangers and Pilgrims, abjlain from jlefblyL'!fts, tlw l''l!'i againfl the Sot1l. And we are told by him, That the Corr~ption that ts m the Worl4, (< , : a through LNfl. Tbe outwardObjects are ufeful and benefieial.i~ tbeir kind,; t)1e abufy of •''"·. them is from Lull:. The Pmfon IS not 10 the Flower, but m the Sptder. Tis tberefor,e · infinitely dangero.us to confult, or trufl: our carnal F~culties in this _matter, ·for they ~re .. bri[;~) ' ~h~0r:;~Fti~I~~e~i~~I;~~~fo~~~c~~~~~~~c~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~\~~~~ntand h_afl:y, rh;t if they are admitted toeounfel, and give the decifive Vote, the VOice orc.or)fcience W!l! not be heard or _regarded. In concernmems of. a}owe: nature, ,ris c~nfl:anrl y. feen? th.~ nothing more di!l:urbs Reafon, and makes Men Improvident and precipita9t m their pg, terminations, than a 9ifordcred Paffion. Fr_om hence, ,tis a prudent. Rul~, r~a t as . ?e~ not fit to eat in the height of a Fever, becaufe the Meat feeds the DifeaiC, by mcrea§qg the feverifh, not the vital heat : fo 'tis not good to deliberate in the beat of any,Affeaion. For then the Thoughts llroqgly blow up the Pai)ion, _and fmother Reafo_n, a9dthe ~jn4 is rather a Party than a Judg: but after tlie dechnauon of .that Fever tn thq-S0ul, mJa quiet interval, 'r:s feafonable to confider. Now If any fimple Paffion w)i\1'} movet! 1 tranfports and confounds the Mind, and makes it uncapablc of judgi'og ¥ig\>t, mui:li more thelove of the World, a univerfal Paffion that reigns in Men, and ha;; fo manv. f;al~i~~~~~da~n~;oe~:~b~~~~~e;::,;~~.~~~ffi2~.1e ti~nE~r~,n~e~f~~e['Mr~a%~~e ~~~ v;te the Mind, ancfhinder its due confidering the folly and obliquit¥ of th~ carnal choic~~ and when incens'd (as dtfl:ra8:ed Perfons whofe Strength grows with their Fury ) vro- !ent!y break all the re!l:raints the Undedhnding can apply from Reafon and Reve!ati~ on.2. I~ order to mako a right Choice, we mull: be very watchful left the general Ex;rii~ pie of Men taint our Reafon, and caufe an immoderate efl:eem of temporal things. Tl;; ~;:;~r;;~~~i~~;:;~~~e~;:~;, icie:ei~ee~~~~ 5;7e~r:,;it~~~ fi:~,e;e~[;,~fci~~- M.f~7;v~Y to Hell is broad, as the inclinations of the licentious Appetite; pleafant 1 as thedeligJ.tts of Senfe ; fo plain and ea fie, that Men go to it * blindfold ; and fo frsq,uented, that it • "'"· would force Tears from any confidering Perfon, to fee Men fo hafty tq,m~et with Dam; nation. When Califlo the Harlot reproacb'd Socrates that there were more to1fowers of her Beauty than his Wifdom; the+ Philofopherrep!ied, That was not !l:range, becaufe t :;:J;t ,lil>l it wasmu~heafierto draw them in the way of Pleafur~, that is ftecp and flippery, than 7,tm', {_:t.~mt to conftram them to afcend to Venue, feared on a Hil l, where the afcent is flow, and ~(/'T"'i" :""~7~ withtoilanddifficulty. Now there is nothing more contagious than Example. We~fl.;u.?d~i· blindly confcnt with the Multitude, and are polfefl: with foo lifh Wonder, and carnal ad- Tlw '"': P~J· miring o_f worl~l~. Greatnef~, Treafu~es and Delights! negleCling to make a du~ eftimatl- 5r;:::n~~, on of thmgs. 1 ts. the ordm~ry Artifice of the Devil to render temporal thmgs more ;fj ~:nzz, m~ valua~le and attra8tve to p~rtlcular_ Perfons, fi·om the common pra£hce of Men who ~fi~~'.\ 13 : greedily purfue them as their Happmefs. As fame crafty Merchants, by falfe reports 3 ,. , , ra~fe the Exchange, to advance the price of their own \Vares. The Men of the World are under the direction of Senfe, and think them only to he wife and happy that fbine iu Pomp, abound in Riches, and overflow in Pleafures. The Pfalmift tells. us of the profperous Worldling, that whzle he lwesJ be blefJes Ins Sottl; and 1Vfen wt/1 praife thee when thott dofl weD to thy /elf. By vicious imitation our Judgments are more corrupted, and ·our P!.ffions raiS'd to higher degrees for painted Vanities. The Affect ions in the purfuit of Earthly_thinf are inflam'd by the contention of others. And when holy Defires and !~rb~~~~~i!lf~a~fi.m ~e~'s1ii~ [~,fo~~v~~~~~;~e~;~~u!~~ ~~ati~~e:;:~d:dj,~~"!~',~is ~~ way, llopt by the force of the Current. . Now to fortify us againft the pernicious influence of Example, confider, i. Thr;
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