A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

1. In the exercise of holiness, the guidance of his will and affections, and ordering of his actions in relation to his highest end. The Will is of it self caeca facultas, a blind faculty, and the affections are no better. The will can command, but cannot judge. It hath authority over the inferior powers; but such as must be regulated by the discretion of the understanding. And the affections are as it were the legs of the Soul: They can go this way and that way, but they must have the eye of the mind to superintend their motion, like a blind Man carrying a lame one on his shoulder, who lends his own legs,¹ and borrows the other's eyes. So that though the understanding's work be only to discern, consider, judge; yet without its performing that work, the will and affections can never rightly do theirs. You can never love or hate, choose or refuse as you should, such objects as are presented to you, unless you first pass a right judgment upon those objects, and the understanding determine of their being good or evil; And the understanding cannot judge aright, if it be not informed aright. It cannot lead you, if it be not it self enlightened. You can never love God supremely, if your understandings do not judge him to be supremely lovely. If ever you would duly prosecute your true interest, you must be first acquainted with it, and have it rightly stated. If you would do your duty, you must first know it. You must of necessity either neglect or mis-perform it, if you know not the rule of your doing it. Where holiness is your work, knowledge must be your director. And the more knowledge you have, the more fit you will be for the practice of holiness. The clearer your light and the better your eyes, the more circumspectly you will walk. The more you see the nature, the beauty, the benefit of holiness, the more holy you may be.

1. In the exercise of holiness, the guidance of his will and affections, and ordering of his actions in relation to his highest end. The Will is of it self caeca facultas, a blind faculty, and the affections are no better. The will can command, but cannot judge. It hath authority over the inferior powers; but such as must be regulated by the discretion of the understanding. And the affections are as it were the legs of the Soul: They can go this way and that way, but they must have the eye of the mind to superintend their motion, like a blind Man carrying a lame one on his shoulder, who lends his own legs,