By the Croft of Chril& 155 prefervation of your Natures , and to be ruled by Reafon ; if therefore it would become the predominant faculty and would take up wich its own delights as your end, and would rebell againf its Guideand Matter ; its time then to ufe it as arebell fhould be ufed, and with Peal, to buffet it, and bring it into fub- jedion, And if you can do this, the work is done, Its achildifh, if not abruitifh thing, and below a man; to be captivated unto fente. Its the content of the higher faculties, thatare the plea- fares of a man : The pleatingof the throat is common tous with the twine. Its the bafeft Spirit, that makes the greateft matter of fenfual things : and fomutt be drowned in unprofit- able cares, Whathe (hall eat ordrink, and wherewithhe íhall be cloached. What matter is it to a wife man, Whether his meat be fweet or bitter, or whether his drink be ffirongor fmall, or whe- ther his cloaths be fine or homely ; or whether he be honoured, or derided or pail by ; fave only as thefe things may have re- lation togreater things ; and as the body mutt bekept in a fer- viceable plight; and.we mutt value that capacity molt, in which we may belt do our Matterswork. Keep under the fltfh,and you will eafily overcome the world : Otherwife you Reis a againft the the (ream. While you rave unmortified raging appetites, and corrupted fancies, and fenfual minds, you are byafï'ed to the world, and if the rub of a Sermon orficknefs may turn you out of your way awhile the byafswill prevail, and youwill quickly baron it again. If you dam up the flteam of thefeunmoteified affections, they Will rage the more ; and if you flop them fora while, by good companyor force reftraint yet will they fhorcly break over all, and be more violent then before. All your tri- ving by waies of meer rettraint, are to little purpofe, till the fletas . it feif be fubdued. It is but as if you fhould ttrive.with.a greedy dog forhis bone, and with an hungry Iyon to bereave himof his prey t be fure they will not edify part with it. Its the cafe of many deluded people , that have forne knowledge of Scri- pture, enough to convince them, and tip their tengues, and (rive to retrain them from their fenfual waies,but not enough to mor- tifie the fleth,and change their fouls. O what a combate is there in their lives ! The fiefh will have its prey, and pleafed it mutt be : Their confcience tells them , It will coil thee dear ? Their flt fh like anhungry dog is ready to feize upon that which it de- X ! fires :
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