And now what should we gather from hence, but that it ought to be our great Care and Study to govern our Paffions, which for want of Government will expose us to fuch horrible Evils? It is exceeding Folly for Men to neglect themfelves in this matter, as, it is to be feared, the greatest Part of Mankind do: Let us then trictly charge our felves to be very vigilant over our Thoughts and Affections, accounting it, as we ought to do, a Matter of the greatest Concern to us for our Happinefs both in this World, and in the next. That we might therefore attain to, and keep up a right Maftery of our felves,

3. I am to lay down Directions for that purpose, and to fhew by what means a Man may come to have the rule over his own Spirit; and to prepare the Way for directing the ufe of fuch Means, it must be deeply fixed in his Mind that he shall prevail in the conqueft of himself, if he be not wanting to himself: This the inftructive Proverb of the Text fuppofes to be a certain Truth, viz. That fome have a due Rule over their own Spirit, and that they who have not, might attain to it, if they plenfe; and there is great need of urging this in the first place, because we are generally very backward to attempt this Work, and are apt to take our own Lothnefs and Kk 2 Aver

Aversion to it for an Argument that it is to no purpose to go about it. It ought then to be fettled in our Hearts, that thro' the Grace of God this is poffible; and if we bend our hearty Care and Endeavour thereto, it will not be very difficult to overcome and rule our Paflions: For a Perfuafion of the contrary will quite obftruct the use of any Means in order to it; and thofe Men there are who will not spare to fay, That it is impoffible for a Man to rule his Paffions, and not to follow the Bent of his Lufts; and what they fay thus for themselves, hath many times a fatal Influence to corrupt others, who very gladly. lay hold of this Excufe to fave themselves the labour of Reformation. But there are two clear Arguments of the contrary, which are a flat Confutation of that flothful Pretence, to wit, the fundry Examples of virtuous Perfons, that have commanded their Paffions, and whom we now observe to do this; and the Remonftrances and Exclamations of Confcience against Licentious Sluggards, who would fain perfuade themfelves and others, that they cannot do it.

ད་

One

Argument is, The Examples of good Men, who have attained to this Rule over themfelves, as well thofe that we know, and are acquainted with, as those that are recorded in the Holy Scriptures; for they

are

are plain Demonstrations of the Poffibility, nay, of the no great Difficulty of the Thing, if we will apply our felves diligently to it for they are Men naturally of the fame Paffions with our felves, and converfe with the fame Temptations, and yet they are free from the Inordinacy of Paffion, and fo may we. It is likely there are fome, who take all Pretence to the denial of our Appetites, and command over our Paffions, to be hypocritical, and fo all the Pretenders thereunto to be Hypocrites, which befides that it is a bife Conclufion, uncivil and ill-ma tur'd, and that it hath no other Foundation, but a fenfe of their own Servitude to Luft and Paffion, is moreover not at all to be regarded by Men who believe there is a God, and have attained to the Faith of Chriftians: For what is this but to give the Lie not only to the Doctrine of all wife and good Men, that ever were in the World, but to that which Reafon and Scripture teaches concerning the Goodnefs of God, and the Grace of God? What is it but to make the holy Laws of the Gospel, and the Promife of the Gofpel, impertinent and unreasonable Things, as doubtlefs they are, if it be impofiible for us to do, what with fo great Inftance and Obligation it requires of us? And is not this enough to fet against the Confidence of any Men, who will firft make it impof. Kk 3 Gible

fible to rule our Paffions, and then all those Hypocrites, that pretend it? Nay, when the vileft of thefe Men can fometimes retrain one impetuous Luft to serve another the more effectually by it, shall it be strange, that they fhould exercife a due Government over themselves, who believe in God, and look for his Rewards, and for his Punishments? We fhould do well then to confider the Examples of Men, that have attain'd to this bleffed Victory and Freedom, and then judge whether it be not attainable by us Nay, let us be incourag'd by an Affurance of finding Succefs our selves, if we fet our felves to be followers of them. And as our Ability to govern our Paffions appears from the Examples of others who do it, fo the fame thing is no lefs evident from the fecret Witness of our own Confciences within our felves, which do tell us plainly, that we have, or may have that Power Elfe, after a Man is betray'd into foolish and wicked Things, by the Violence of head-strong Paffions, how comes it to pass that trouble and remorfe of Confcience follows after, for which there is no Place at all, if abfolute Neceffity might be pleaded in Excufe, and the Man was forced to do, as he did, and could not help it? All the Chidings and Rebukes of Confcience, do ever proceed upon a Suppofition,

f

that

that we might have done otherwise than we have done; and therefore if Men, that have no mind to be at any Pains to rule their own Spirit, and to get the Mastery of their Pailions, if fuch, I fay, when they have -plaid the Fools, and tranfgrefs'd egregiously in any kind, would come off by pretending, that truly they could do no better; as few believe them to whom they fay fo, fo they cannot believe themfelves, when they enter into a ferious Confideration of the real Truth of the Cafe: For the complaint of Impotency against the Power of Paffion, is the Language of Lazinefs, it is the Voice of irreftrained and domineering Affections and Lufts, not the Voice of Confcience for that fays quite another thing.

Indeed it must be granted and acknowledg'd, that our Power over our Paffions depends not a little upon the Temper and Difpofition of our Minds: For Inftance; Whilft a Man is of a malicious and revenge-ful Humour, how fhould he be able to govern the Angry Paffions? Or, whilft he is foft and effeminate, and voluptuously given, how fhould he mafter the Jovial Affections? -Or, whilft he is a covetous Wretch, or ambitioufly difpofed, how fhould he learn Contentment, and Patience, or the like? That is to fay, The carnal Mind, fo long as it is carnal, is not fubject to the Law of God neiK k 4

ས་ 1:

ther