A25466:864
Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /
Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume / by several ministers in and about London, preached in October, 1689.
London: printed by James Astwood for John Dunton, 1690
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
III. Nothing so convulseth Mens reason as interest, as Hobs saith, Though there is no Problem in Mathematics more demonstrable than that all strait Lines drawn from the Centre to the Circumference are equal, yet if this did but cross any Mans interest it would be disputed. Now 1 John 2.16. the Apostle reduceth the whole World to those three Elements, the lust of the Flesh, the lust of the Eye, and the pride of Life; a threefold cord, strong enough to pull any Truth in pieces, as easily as Sampson did his Wyths.
III. Nothing so convulseth Mens reason as interest, as Hobs saith, Though there is no Problem in Mathematicks more demonstrable than that all strait Lines drawn from the Center to the Circumference are equal, yet if this did but cross any Mans interest it would be disputed. Now 1 John 2.16. the Apostle reduceth the whole World to those three Elements, the lust of the Flesh, the lust of the Eye, and the pride of Life; a threefold cord, strong enough to pull any Truth in pieces, as easily as Sampson did his Wyths.
1. The lust of the Flesh, modo hic sit been, pleasing the Flesh goeth a great deal further than the Monks Bellies, who yet have a lusty share in it; as one of their own said, They had all things so complacent, that they wanted only a Vicar to go to Hell for them when they should die. The Bishop of Romes Kitchen and Purgatory mutually support one another. Disorders of Life hold up Celibacy in Men in Orders. The lust of Idleness inviteth to Stage-plays, the nurseries of Vanity and Vice; to Cards and Dice, in defiance of that Canon which pronounceth them unlawful Games. A lusty Dinner makes the Veins so strut, they can leap or fly to Heaven by their Free-will, without the necessity of Free-grace, so strong is Flesh and Blood without the Spirit of God. Sure he who hath an Immortal Soul within him, and a Dubious State to himself, as that dreadful Eternity before him, should never be sick of his time that lies upon his Hand, one hour whereof millions of Worlds can't redeem.