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that all thofe Enjoyments are to be abstained from, which either fupport our natural Blindness and Corruption, or refift and abate the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

HE will find alfo, that this Self-denial muft extend it felf to every Day of our Lives, unless he can find a Day when he is free from Weakness, or out of the Way of all Temptations, a Day which offers nothing fuitable to the Corruption of his Nature, or nothing contrary to the good Motions and Directions of the Holy Ghoft. Moft People acknowledge this in general, they think it right to avoid Things which ftrengthen our Corruption, and grieve the Spirit of God, but then not conceiving this with any fufficient Exa&nefs, they think that an Abftinence from grofs Sins, is a fufficient Security.

BUT let fuch People confider, that the Corruption of our Nature is like any other bodily Illness, that never keeps at one Stand, but is either increasing or abating by every thing that we do.

A DROPSY or a Gangreene is not only increased by Drunkennefs, or disorderly Indulgences, but receives conftant Strength by all little Indulgences that fuit with it.

Now the Corruption of our Nature is an inbred Diftemper, that poffeffes us in the Manner of a Dropfy or Gangreene; if

we

we give into notorious Sins, we become Slaves to this Corruption, and are straightway dead in Sin.

BUT though we keep clear of fuch great Offences, yet if we indulge or allow our felves in fuch Practices, as fuit with the Corruption of our Nature, we as certainly nourish a flow Death, and destroy our selves by Degrees, as a Man in a Dropfy, who abftains from Drunkenness, yet allows himself in such Ways as will not fuffer his Diftemper to abate.

Now as little Allowances that continually increase a Diftemper, will as certainly in Time make it mortal, as if it had been urged on by violent Methods, fo little Indulgences which increase the Corruption of our Nature, as certainly tend to a fpiritual Death, as other more irregular Methods.

IT is therefore abfolutely certain, that our Self-denial is to be as univerfal as the Means of our Corruption, that it is to laft as long as our Disorder, and is to extend it self to every Thing and every Way of Life, that naturally increases it; and this, for as neceffary a Reafon, as a Man in a Dropy, is not only to abftain from Drunkenness, but from every Indulgence that increases his Diftemper.

A STATE

A STATE of Regimen therefore, that is, a State of holy Difcipline, is as neceffary to alter the Disorder of our Nature, as it is neceffary to remove any diftempered Habit of Body.

LET it be confidered, that the Corruption of our Nature is but very weakly reprefented, by comparing it to thefe Diftempers; that they rather exprefs the Manner of its Cure, and the Neceffity of labouring after it, than fet forth the Degree of the Disorder.

FOR a Man in thefe Diftempers, may have only fome Part affected with them; but the Corruption of our Natures is as extenfive as our Natures: It is the Corruption of every Faculty and every Power, it is Blindness in our Understandings, it is Vanity in our Wills, Intemperance in our Appetites, it is Self-love, Anger, Luft, Pride, and Revenge, in our Paffions, it is Falfenefs, Hypocrify, Hatred, and Malice, in our Hearts. Now all this, and more than this, makes the miferable Corruption of human Nature.

So that it is as neceffary that our Lives be a State of Regimen, that we live by fuch Rules as are contrary to this Variety of Disorders, as it is neceffary for a Man under a Complication of habitual Distempers, to enter into a Course of Regularity.

I SUPPOSE it will be readily granted, that all Tempers are increased by Indulgence, and that the more we yield to any Difpofition, the ftronger it grows; it is therefore certain, that Self-denial is our only Cure, and that we must practice as many Sorts of Self-denial, as we have ill Tempers to contend with.

PRIDE, Hypocrify, Vanity, Hatred, and Detraction, are all diforderly Indulgences, and have their only Cure in Selfdenial, as certainly as Drunkenness and Senfuality.

To deny one's felf all Indulgences of Pride and Vanity, all Inftances of Falfeness and Hypocrify, of Envy and Spight, requires greater Care and Watchfulness, and a more continual Self-denial, than to avoid the Motives to Intemperance.

AND he that thinks to render himself humble, any other Way than by denying himself all Instances of Pride, is as abfurd as he who intends to be fober, without abstaining from all Degrees of Intemperance. For Humility as truly consists in the Practice of Things that are humble, as Fustice confifts in the doing Things that are juft.

EVERY Virtue is but a mere Name, an empty Sound, till it fhews it felf by an Abstinence from all Indulgences of the contrary

contrary Vice, till it is founded in this Selfdenial.

Now this is readily granted to be true in all fenfual Vices, that they are only to be cured by a perpetual Self-denial.

BUT the Practice of the fame Selfdenial is as abfolutely required, to destroy every ill Temper of the Mind, as any fort of Senfuality.

SELF-LOVE, Pride, Vanity, Revenge, Hypocrify, and Malice, are acknowledged to be very grofs Sins, and indeed they are of the very Nature of the Devil, and as certainly deftroy the Soul, as Murder and Adultery.

BUT the Misfortune is, that we govern our felves in thefe Tempers, not by what is finful according to the Principles of Religion, but by what is odious in the Eyes of the World. We don't labour to avoid the Sin, but are content to avoid what is fcandalous in it.

THUS for Inftance, People would not be thought proud, but then they are afraid of no Degrees of it, but fuch as the World condemns; they don't form their Lives by the Scripture-Rules of Humility, but only endeavour to be decent and fashionable in their Pride.

OTHERS Would be very forry to be remarked for an envious and malicious

Spirit,

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