ESSAY. 339 those practices that haveany tendency to discompose the brain, or introduce disease or disorder into that part ofour animal pow- ers ; lestif we bring these inconveniences upon ourselves by our own guilt or negligence, we expose ourselves to morejust censure and punishment, for the unhappy effects and attendants of such a disordered imagination. And there is another reason too why we should take care at all times to employ our thoughts and our time aright ; and that is, that we may introduce a better habit into animal nature, and provide better againstthose seasons wherein either the daily course of nature, or the afflictive providence of God, may seem to give the powers of the flesh, an excessive or superior influence over the faculties of the mind. Let us us never indulge the còrrupt appetites,the unlawful desires, or the sinful passions that work within us : Let us be watchful against every rising enemy, and subdue the vicious propensities of nature, by holy diligence in our proper duty, and by earnest addresses to the throne of grace : Let us treasure up in our imagination the sacred histories of the . bible, and fill our memory with the things of religion ; that the ideas of better things than riches, honours and pleasures, may be ever ready to start up and appear to the soul, when it is at leasure from other necessary business. This might happily furnish out safer sweeter scenes to entertain fancy and at midnight- hours,.or when the brain laboursunder worse disorders by reason of some bodily distemper. The wise man tells us, thata dream cometh through the multitude of business ; Eccl, v. 3. And by the multitude of thoughts that pass through the mind, and are entertainedwith delight, in the vigorous and wakeful parts of life, the animal powers of fancy and passion will generally be in some measure influenced and regulated. The best way then to cure covetous, or ambitious, or luxurious dreams, is to fight against the workings ofthese iniquities when we are, awake ;for a very pure fountain, even under some casual disturbance, will not send forths its streams so much defiled, and so muddy, as where the spring is filthy or corrupt, and under some dieter- bance too. Quest. IV. Whether all persons areequally defiled with origi- nal sin? Anew. We must hear distinguish between the guilt of sin belonging to theperson, and the power of sin that is in the na- ture. Now whatsoever guilt is derived to any person front Adam, by communion with him in his first apostacy, the same is derived to all the posterity ; nor is this the thing that is doubted or enquired here. But as to the power of sin in the nature, it is evident that there are not the same degrees of sinful propensity, vicious appetite and passion, in the bodies of all, even from their very birth and infancy. The constitution of animal or fleshly nature in some, is much more sullen or greedy, more wanton or 2
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