The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

To which let me add, that as to our selves also, it is undeniably our duty to take more care for our souls, than for our bodies, and to rule our senses and passions by our Reason, and to subject our lower faculties to the higher, and so to use all sensible and present things, as conduceth to the public good, and to the advancement of our nobler part, and to our greatest benefit, though it cross our sensual appetites.

To which let me add, that as to our selves also, it is undeniably our duty to take more care for our souls, than for our bodies, and to rule our senses and passions by our Reason, and to subject our lower faculties to the higher, and so to use all sensible and present things, as conduceth to the publick good, and to the advancement of our nobler part, and to our greatest benefit, though it cross our sensual appetites.

All this being unquestionably our natural duty, we see that man was made to live in Holiness, Justice, Charity, Temperance, and rational regularity in the world.

5. When you have gone thus far, consider next how far men are generally from the performance of this duty: And how backward humane nature is to it, even while they cannot deny it to be their duty: And you will soon perceive that God who made it their duty, did never put in them this enmity thereto: nor ever made them without some aptitude to perform it. And if any would infer that their indisposedness proveth it to be none of their duty, the nature of man will fully confute him; and the conscience and confession of all the sober part of the world. What wretch so blind (if he believe a Deity) who ⟨p. 84⟩will not confess that he should love God with all his heart, and that Justice, Charity and Sobriety are his duty; and that his sense should be ruled by his reason, &c? The evidence before given is not to be denied. And therefore something is marred in nature. Some enemy hath seduced man. And some deplorable change hath befallen him.