364 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING others by it, and more delude themselves ; but none can delude God. The case of some professors of godliness that [ have known, is very lamentable on this point, who, being generally noted for a dangerous measure of worldliness, by most that know them, could yet never be brought to acknowledge it in themselves. INay, by theexcellency oftheir outward duties and discourse, and the strength of their wits, (alas ! ill employed,) and by their great ability of speech, to put a fair gloss on the foulest of their actions, theyhave gone on so smoothly and plausibly in their worldliness,that though most accused them of it behind their backs, yet no man knew how to fasten any thing on them. By which means they were hinder- ed from repentance and recovery. Ín this sad case, though it be God's course very often to let hypocrites and other enemies go on and prosper, because they have their portion in this life, and the reckoning is to gome, yet I have oft observed, that for God's ownpeople, or those he means to make his people by their recovery, God useth to cross them in their worldly desires aid designs. Perhaps he may let them thrive awhile, and congratulate the prosperity of their flesh ; but at last he breaks in suddenly on their wealth, and scatters it abroad, or addeth some cross to it, that imbitters all to them, and then asketh them, Where is nowyour idol ?' And then theybegin to see their folly. Ifyou do dote on any thing below, to the neglecting of God, he will make a rod for you of that very thing you dote upon, and by it will he scourge you home to himself. 3. The third great heart-sin which I would have you jealous of, is sensuality or voluptuousness, or pleasing the senses inordinately. Thetwo former are in this the niore mortal sins, in that they carry more of the understandingand will with them, and make reason it- self to be serviceable to them in their workings; ,whereas sensual- ity is more in the flesh and passion, .and hath ofttimes less assist- ance of reason or consent of the will. Yet is the will tainted with sensual inclinations,and both reason and will are at best guilty of connivance, and not exercising their authority over the sensual part. But in this, sensuality is the more dangerous vice, in that it hath so strong and inseparable a seat as our sensual appetite ; and in that it acteth so violently and ragingly as it doth ; so that it bear- eth down a weak opposition of reasonand will, and carrieth us on blindfold,. and transformeth'us into brutes. I will not here put the questioh concerning the gross acting of this sin, (of that anon,) but I would have you very jealous of a sensual disposition. When, a man cannot deny his appetite what it would have ; orat least, cov- etousness can do more in restraining it than conscience; when a man cannot make a covenant with his eyes, but must gaze 'onevery alluring object; when the flesh draws to forbidden pleasures, m
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