56+ The Children of this World Vol. T. As -to the Affairs of this World, above: what good Men have, as to the Concern - ments of another World. I fhall inflance in four or five of the chief. aft_ The Things of this world are prefent and fenfible, and becaufe of their nearnefs to us, are apt to firike powerfully upon our Senfés, and to affect thigh_ tily, to excite our Danes after them, and to work flrongly upon our Hopes and Fears : but the things of another world being remote from us, are leffen'd by their diflance, and confequently are not apt to work fo powerfully upon our .Minds ; they are invifible to us, and only difcerned by Faith, which is a mote obfcure and lefs certain Perception of things, than we have of thofe Objects which. are prefented to our bodily Eyes. 7heThings which God bath prepared for them that love him, the Glory and Happinefs of the next world, are things which Eye bath not Peen, nor Ear heard. The Children of Light do not fee God, as the Children of this World fee Mammon. idly. The fenfual Delights and Enjoyments of this world, are better fuited and more agreeable to the corrupt and degenerate Nature of Men, than Spiritual and Heavenly things are to thofe that are regenerate. In this lapfed and degenerate flare of Mankind, Appetite and Senfe are apt to prevail above Reafcn ; and there- fore thofe things whichare mofi delightful to Senfe we favour and mind, and love to bufy our felves about them, becaufe they are moil fuitable to the Animal Life, which is the governing Principleof corrupt Nature. And the Reafon of this is plain, becaufe that Principle io worldly and fenfual Men which purfues Earthly Things, is in thofe who are unregenerate, entire, and undivided, and confequently the Affeéfions and Inclinations of the whole Man do all tend one way, and run out towards thofe things in a full and undivi- ded Stream : whereas good Men are but regenerate in parr, and rho' they have a principle of Spiritual Life in them, yet their AHe&ions are divided, and there is a great flruggling and conflidt between bleth and Spirit,. and it is a great while before the Spiritual Principle doth clearly prevail, and get a perfeét Vielory over our Senfual Appetites and Inclinations. Mens Afeetions to the world are entire and unbroken, and therefore they purfue thefe things with all their might : But the bell Men are but good in part ; and that Heavenly Principle which is in them, is very much hindred in its Operations by a contrary Principle, our Earthly and Senfual Inclinations, which are hardly ever perfectly fubdu'd and brought under in this world. 3d/y. The 'worldly Man's Faith, and Hope, and Fear of prefent and fenfble things, is commonly flronger than a good Man's Faith, and Hope, and Fear of things Future and Eternal. Now Faith, and Hope, and Fear, are the great Prin- ciples which govern and bear fway in the Adions and Lives of Men. If a Man be once firmly perfuaded of the reality of a thing, and that it is good for him, and pofleffed with good Hopes of obtaining ir, and great Fears and Apprehen- fions of the Danger of miffing it, this Man may almul,be put upon any thing, The Merchant trafficks, and the Husbandman plows and Cows in Faith and Hope becaufe he is convinced that Bread is neceffary to the fupport of Life, and hopes that God will fo biefs hisLabours, that he íhall reap the fruit of them ; and plain- ly fees, that if hedo not take this Pains, he mull flarve. But how few are there that believe,- and hope; and fear concerning the things of another world, as the Children of this World do concerning the things of this world ? If any. Matt ask me, how I know. this t I appeal to experience ; it is plain and vifible in the Lives and Actions and Endeavours ofMen. Good Men are féldom fo elleCtually and throughly perfuaded of the Principles of Religion, and the truth of the Say- ings contained in the Holy Scriptures, as the menof the world are of their own' Sayings. and Proverbs. Men do not believe that Honefly is the left Policy, or as. Solomtn.expreffeth ir, that he that walketh uprightly, walketb lately ; as the Men of the- world believe their own. Maxims, that a Man may le too hone!' to live ; that plain dealing is a Jewel, dut he that wears it (ball die a Beggar. Few Men's hopes of Heaven are fo powerful and vigorous, and have fo fenfible an died upon their Lives, as the worldly man's hopes of Gain and Advantage. Men ate not fo afraid to fwear, as they are to fpeak Treafon ; they are not fo firmly perfuaded
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