N00597:15
Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the ways of their heart,…Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the wayes of their heart,…
Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the ways of their heart, and in the sight of their eyes; but to remember the Day of Judgment. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College in Cambridge, & preacher of the Gospel at Boston, in New-England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the wayes of their heart, and in the sight of their eyes; but to remember the Day of Judgment. / By Increase Mather, praesident of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, & preacher of the Gospel at Boston, in New-England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Bartholomew Green. Sold by Samuel Phillips, 1695
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.
Propos. I. Men ought not to walk in the ways of their Heart, & in the sight of their Eyes. There is in the Scripture an express Prohibition to the contrary; which is ([…] Learned Interpreter has well and […] Observed) a clear demonstration that Solomon doth not speak in earnest […] Ironically, when he bids young men walk in the ways of their heart and in the sight of their eyes. Otherwise Solomon would contradict Moses, who saith; seek ye not after your own Heart, and your own Eyes, after which you use to […]? Numb. 15. 39. Nor are these expressions ever used in the Scripture in a good sense. The way of the heart and sight, of ⟨p. 8⟩the eyes of men, is always evil. But the Truth of the Proposition before us is further evident.
Propos. I. Men ought not to walk in the wayes of their Heart, & in the sight of their Eyes. There is in the Scripture an express Prohibition to the contrary; which is (〈…〉 Learned Interpreter has well and 〈…〉 Observed) a cleer demonstration that Solomon doth not speak in earnest 〈…〉 Ironically, when he bids young men walk in the ways of their heart and in the sight of their eyes. Otherwise Solomon would contradict Moses, who saith; seek ye not after your own Heart, and your own Eyes, after which you use to 〈…〉? Numb. 15. 39. Nor are these expressions ever used in the Scripture in a good sense. The way of the heart and sight, of ⟨p. 8⟩the eyes of men, is always evil. But the Truth of the Proposition before us is further evident.
1. In that Original sin hath depraved the whole man. It is a woeful Leprosy whereby every member of the body, and all the powers of the soul are tainted and disordered. The heart is put for the most excellent faculties wherewith the Souls of men are adorned. Sometimes for the mind or understanding. Now sin has defiled and depraved that power of the rational Soul. The mind and Conscience (which is the practical understanding, or the Soul reflecting upon it self and judging of a mans own ways) these are defiled,