A26808:205
The sovereign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain itThe soveraign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it
The sovereign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it by William Bates ...The soveraign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it by William Bates ...
London: printed by J.D. for Brabazon Aylmer, 1680
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.
3. The sensual Affections are so numerous and clamorous, so vehement and hasty, that if they are admitted to counsel and give the decisive Vote, the Voice of Conscience will not be heard or regarded. In concernments of a lower Nature, 'tis constantly seen, that nothing more disturbs Reason, and makes Men improvident and precipitant in their Determinations, than a disordered Passion. From hence, 'tis a prudent Rule, That as 'tis not fit to eat in the height of a Fever, because the Meat feeds the Disease, by increasing the feverish not the vital heat: so 'tis not good to deliberate in the heat of any Affection. For then the Thoughts strongly blow up the Passion, and smother Reason, and the Mind is rather a Party than a Judge: but after the declination of that Fever in the Soul, in a quiet interval, 'tis seasonable to consider. Now if any simple Passion when ⟨p. 175⟩moved, transports and confounds the Mind, and makes it uncapable of judging aright, much more the love of the World, an universal Passion that reigns in Men, and has so many swarming desires answerable to the variety of sensible things, and therefore is more unruly, lasting and dangerous then any particular Passion. In short, sensual Affections captivate the Mind, and hinder its due considering the folly and obliquity of the carnal choice, and when incensed (as distracted Persons whose Strength grows with their Fury) violently break all the restraints the understanding can apply from reason and revelation.
3. The sensual Affections are so numerous and clamorous, so vehement and hasty, that if they are admitted to counsel and give the decisive Vote, the Voice of Conscience will not be heard or regarded. In concernments of a lower Nature, 'tis constantly seen, that nothing more disturbs Reason, and makes Men improvident and pecipitant in their Determinations, than a disordered Passion. From hence, 'tis a prudent Rule, That as 'tis not fit to eat in the heigth of a Fever, because the Meat feeds the Disease, by increasing the feaverish not the vital heat: so 'tis not good to deliberate in the heat of any Affection. For then the Thoughts strongly blow up the Passion, and smother Reason, and the Mind is rather a Party than a Judge: but after the declination of that Feaver in the Soul, in a quiet enterval, 'tis seasonable to consider. Now if any simple Passion when ⟨p. 175⟩moved, transports and confounds the Mind, and makes it uncapable of judging aright, much more the love of the World, an universal Passion that reigns in Men, and has so many swarming desires answerable to the variety of sensible things, and therefore is more unruly, lasting and dangerous then any particular Passion. In short, sensual Affections captivate the Mind, and hinder its due considering the folly and obliquity of the carnal choice, and when incenst (as distracted Persons whose Strength grows with their Fury) violently break all the restraints the understanding can apply from reason and revelation.