I he Fexat4on oothe Spirit. rottennet% of heart , it bites afunder the tlureads and ,h- newes of the foule, and by that meanes workes an inep- titude and undifpolidneffe to any worthy fervice; and brings a decay upon the whole man; for cares will pre_ event age, and change the colour of the haire before the time , and make a man like a filly Dove , without any heart,as the Prophet fpeakcs. Secondly,becaufe the f trength ofe.ery maxi; his fpïrit Animus cn ufq; is.efJgrofq;. Now if the Creature felze on a mans frength, it ferves him as Dalilah did Samp n, it will quickly let in the Phililtines to vexe hint. Strength hash two parts or offices , Paffive in undergoing and withflanding eviii, and A5 ive in doing that which be- longs to a man to doe. Now when the heart and fpirit- of a man -is set upon any Creature, it is weakened in both (these refpe.s_ Firfl, it is difabled from bearing or reithflandi g evill Wewill confider it, Firs{, in temptations ; .Secondly, in .afiaions. Firlf, A man who bath set his heart inordi- nately upon any Creature, is altogether unfit to with- ¡land any temptation. In the Law, when a man had new married a wife , lice was not to goe towarre that yeere , but to rejoyce with his wife. One reafon where- of, I fuppofe,was this, becaufe when the míndc is í }rong- ly fet upon any one objea, till the ftrength of that defire be abated : a man will bee utterly unfit to deale with an enemy ; fo is it with any lull to which a man weds ïmfelfe , it altogether disables him to refill any enemy after Hannibals army had melted themfelves at Capua with fenfuality and luxury , they were quite (+rangers to hard fervice and rigid difcipline, when they were againe reduced unto it. The reafon hereof is, firft, Thefubtilty of Satan, who will bee sure to proportion his temptations to the heart, and thofc lulls which doe therepredomivate, fitting up- on men with thofc perfwafions wherewith hee is molt H 3 like- Hu :q.g, i t.
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