9rounds againfl unfeafonable Ovlourning 69 this is the way to reaifie and moderate our palhons, and co older them arignc, it we cry them all by found reafon. David took this courte at other times, Why art thsu sfi down, oh mySoul, Why art thou difyaleted within me ? Is there any good reafon for it ? Reafon Pfal.44; I fay , is a Curb and Bridle, to flop Pallion when it is running on it's free cóutfe. If David had done thus, would he have run out to that excrfT ve expre(fion for his Son ? Oh Abfolom, mySoa; my Son, &c. What great reafon had he for this ? that Abfolom a rebellious Son was took away that fought the death of his Father hat Godglorified himfelf in the punifhtnent of a difobedienr, proud; infolent child in the fight of all theworld ? Was this a matter for David fo much to grieve, and to oe troubled at ? Iffora', had done thus, if he had confidered.what reafon he had tobeangry; ( at G OD putteth the queftion to him ; Doff thouwell to beangry?j Would he not have (topped that Pasfion ? If Cain had done thus ; ifhe had pet the queftion to himfelf as G C> Ddid, Why art thou wrath? why is thy countenance fallen? Or as chat great King Paid to Nehemiah ; Why is thy countenance fad? So if men would put the que(tion to themfelvesconcerningtheir affe&ions : As, concerning love, why do I Pet my heart upon fuch and fuch things i And fo likewife concerning their forrow and anger; and every thing, Why is is thus ? As Rebecca faid when the children did (hive inher Womb, fo when there isa confli& of pafiion in the Soul againit reafon, fince it is fo, Whyam I thus? Who art thou that fearef6 mortal man? faith Ifaiah to the Church, If men I faydid thus, they would not break out into fuch exhorbitancy ofpafïi,,ns, as commonly theydo. The way then to order any affe&ion aright, is to reduce it to the principles of Thewaytoor- fan&kified, and re&ified reafon and judgment. Let reafon be guided by the Word der ouraf- of GOD, and let theaffe&ions beordered by that reafon fo re&ified. Thus it was treons is to with man in the (late ofInnocency ; and experience tellech us, that in the (rate of the new rò corruption, all difordercometh.from the want of this fubordination of the affe&ions, of 'edified. to reafon in their feveral a&ions and motions. When a man goes hood-wink'd up reafon. and down,he isin danger of flumbling,and falling into'one hole or other : This is for a man to walk in darknefs : Then a man walketh in darknefs, when he is not guided in all his a&ions andaffe&ions, by the lightof truth fhining in his underffanding. A manihould therefore Mee to check -him elf, and co fuffer others to check him, Why is it thus? If a mancannot giveacaufeand a reafon, it is a pailon to be reje&ed, a diftemper to be repented of. This is the firfi things He fay; no reafon, therefore he mould not do ir. The fecund is this. It wasaltogether bootlefs, Whyfhoald !Fail? r cannot bring him.backaoain. He meanech, bring him back again to live on the earth. So fob meanech; v7hen he fpcaksin the fame manner, If aman die, Ad hi live again ? lei t4 4; He cannot be brought again to live, and converfe among men. The point I note hence is this. That all the Atlions, andOpportunitiesof this life chafe in death. There is no calling of them back again. No bringing ofa man back to take new opportunities, to enjoy the Comforts he bath lotf, and to makeufe of the means he hath ntgle&ed, and to redeem the time he bath flackly let pats. When the requel was put to v4brahatn by Dives, that force might ,tome from the dead to tell hie Brethren upon earth where he was : No , faith he, that requeli (hall never be ;ranted , that a Man (hould come from the Dead, to give warning to the Li- ving, much lets that a Man himfelf (hould return from thence , to begin upon a new fcore, a new reckoning, to havea new timeappointed, when that time is pail over: They have Mofes ,and the Prophets,let themhear them. God hashappointed the means, and a time to nie the means; Now theyhate Mofes and the Prophets; After this life, they (hall have none of chafe means, no time of ding them; The Child fball Obfcrvation from the fe.. tond icafon.
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