SECTION XX. - 487 passions are wretched things to appear before the throne of God. And let it be awfully remembered too, that there is no cure pro- vided for envy and malicein the other world. God has prepared a remedy for these,distempers in the gospel, but they can only be applied in the present life. At the hour of death, " he that is filthy, must befilthy still;" Rev. xxii. 11. and he that is envious and malicious in a prevailing degree, must be envious and ma- licious still : And what a dreadful state will it be to lie under the everlasting torment of inward malice and envy, to fret and rage among fretting and raging spirits, without the least hope of change through all the ages of eternity ? SECT. XX.Rules to moderate Excessive Love to Creatures. 1. Call your love often to account at the bar of reason and scripture, to enquire whether the object of it be proper, and the degree of it reasonable ; and then you will the sooner spy out its irregularities, and excesses of everykind, andbe more power- fully awakened to watch against them. 2. Thinkof the uncertainty of the highest mortal good, the vanity and insufficiency of any thing, of every thing beneath God to make you happy ; and bear notan immortal fondness to perish- ing comforts. 3. If you are entangled with the excessive love or desire of any thing, whether it be a child or a friend, &c. or if you grow too fond of any particular study, practice, or recreation, any corn - pany or enjoyment of any kind, call together and sum up all the inconveniences, the dangers, the unhappy consequences of this your love. Think much of :lie faults, follies, defects, imperfec- tions, and blemishes of the creature so excessively beloved ; sur- vey all these at large, set them in a clear light, write them down for your frequent review, fix them in your memory, and dwell upon them. Never indulge yourself in thinking of the agree- able or tempting qualities of it, at least without a due guard and balance on the other side. This will help to wean the heart by degrees. ' 4. Practise voluntary self-denial, and absent yourself both in body and mind, from whatsoever you love to excess, as far as duty permits. Set ä guard upon your eyes and ears, upon your senses and your thoughts, and avoid every thing that Would bring to your mind the object of your immoderate love. This direc- tion, if well practised, will by degrees introduce an indifference and moderation of affection, when you find that you can live with- out the temptingobject. 5. Watch against too great a relish of delight in the things you love excessively whether they be meats, drinks, businesses, recreations, company, children, friends or kindred ; an abatement of pleasure will abate the excesses of love.
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