Relations to them, and the fame
Things appear in as many Lights as
Men have acquired Corruptions.

Hence it is that though all have the fame common Nature, yet almost all pursue different Pleasures, and relish differently the fame Objects. Hence it is that, though all have the fame Faculties of Perception, the fame things which appear clear and undeniable to fome, have no Evidence at all with others; that the fame Word, which is to some Foolishness and an Offence, is to others the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God.

If we have erred in our Choice of Happiness, every thing fubfequent to this fundamental Miftake must confequence be Error. 'Tis not fit we should receive any thing as Truth, or admit any thing as fit and right to be done by us, which falls not in with our Scheme of Happiness; and

where

1

where this is laid out by Appetite, Appetite must and will judge, govern and direct. We can relish nothing but when it is fuited to its Palate, every thing else is irksome and offenfive; we are always prepar'd to disbelieve that difagreeable Counsellour who tells us the Truth, and would rob us of our Enjoyments. It is in this way, we establish a Law in our Members which wars against the Law in our Minds, and brings us into Captivity to the Law of Sin which is in our Members, Rom. vii. 23. 'Tis in this way we bring our selves under a kind of moral Neceffity of disbelieving the Truth; when we speak of a Lye we Speak of our own, that is, we speak according to the Indifpofition of our Natures, and the falfe Light in which we see the Relations of things. Pleafures work infenfibly upon our Understandings, and draw them into their Interests, and reconcile us by Degrees VOL. II. Ꭰ

to those things which might once appear abfurd and shocking; They model our Reasonings, cause the deaf Ear and hard Heart, and bind us up in those Chains of Darkness which many will never disentangle themselves from to all Eternity. It is our Pleafures that make us hate those Truths which are fuggefted to us by our own Minds, and enrage our Paffions when they are prefs'd upon us by others, Whatfoever countenances them is fweet and delightful to us, but Whif per of Thought against them is supprefs'd by the Powers enthron'd, as feditious and traiterous. Alas! did wife and good Men (I mean those that are in fome measure fuch) fee and know what little things influence and govern them by means of their Paffions, they would be astonished at their own Weakness; but these things are hid from our Eyes; we often see them in others, but very seldom in ourfelves,

every

I come in the third and last Place, to confider the proper Method of preventing and correcting this great Evil.

To bring Creatures befet with fo many Frailties and Infirmities to fome good Degree of Strength and Steadinefs, to make them love, understand and conform to the Truth, to promote their own and each other's real Happiness, is a Work worthy of God to take into his Hands, worthy of our utmost Attention and Application. St. Paul complain'd that what he did he allowed not, for what he would that he did not, but what he hated, that he did, Rom. vii, 15. Yet he declares, afterwards, he could do all things through Christ stengthening him. We may indeed enter upon this Enquiry with great Affurance, being encouraged thereto by a Cloud of Witneffes, which, tho' at its first Appearance it was little and like a Man's Hand, yet haftily overspread the Face of the whole Earth.

D 2

As

As the great Disorder of human Nature lies in the Overpoife of the Affections; in the Affections and Lufts of the Flesh; fo is it plainly neceffary in the Nature of things, that the Remedy should be immediately apply'd to that Part; to thofe Faculties where the Disease is principally lodged. Agreeably to this, we may obferve that our Lord, who knew what was in Man, has directed his Inftructions chiefly to this one Point.

The Jewish Difpenfation was a strong Address to the Senfes of Men. It is very wife and beautiful in this View. If it be confidered with regard to any higher Design, it may be justly termed weak and beggarly Elements, or a fervile Difpenfation.

The Gospel Revelation is address'd chiefly to the Affections. This is the principal Scope of it; and if it be confidered in this View, it is full of Wisdom and Efficacy: but if Men will

drop