Good-nature fure cannot fanctify any Sin ; and Heaven, a Place of entire Purity, will afford no Refidence either for Brutes or Devils; but whenever any Paffion is greatly predominant, it is apt to make Slaves of all the reft; and if Reason can govern the reft, the Dominion is regularly transferred to that which is able to govern our Reason: The Cases of Joseph and his Miftrefs; of St. John Baptift and Herodias, evidence the Subjugation of one Sort of Paffions to the other; and Luft, however good-natur'd in its Origin, is in its Effects implacable Malice and Barbarity. A Man enflaved to both Sort of Paffions, contracts a much larger share of Guilt, is doubly finful, not only by committing the Irregularities of different Affections, but by finning against the Force of Nature and Conftitution. All Disorders one way common Care and Prudence might certainly have prevented: To regulate our Paffions the other way, is a Task more difficult, but a Task highly deferving the fincere and vigorous Endeavours of a rational Creature: We are fufficiently attack'd by Enemies from with out; and the unavoidable Difficulties of our Salvation furnish out Matter for continual Struggle; let us not fuffer our Artillery within to prove mutinous and diforderly; and through our own viciousIndulgencies court fresh Dangers and Hardfhips: Our Paffions naturally tend to Wildnefs and Disorder; and the utmost Diligence is neceffary to keep them within due Bounds: This is proper Matter of Christian Discipline, and requires a mortified Temper of Mind to bring it to Perfection; but it is a Work fo necessary in itself, fo beneficial in its Consequences, that we ought to make it the Labour of our Lives to render our Wills pliant and our Affections regular. THE main Difference between a Man regularly virtuous, compofedly pious, serenely happy, and the tumultuously impious, profane, extravagant, is this; the one by Religion hath subdued his Paffions, the other by Sin inflamed them: The one submits to the Discipline of rightly inform'd Reason and Gofpel-Grace; the other is hurried to and fro with the blind Fury of Rebellious Appetites. Now the Method Method Religion proposes, and the Method we must take of regulating our Paffions, if we would be virtuous and happy, is not to extinguish them, but to exercise them in due Proportions on proper Objects; let Chriftianity point out their Directions, and we may then indulge them to the utmost. God, who is the Source and Perfection of whatever is amiable and excellent, challenges the warmest Overflowings of our Defires; Excefs of Love with respect to him is impoffible: Sin is the greatest of Evils, and deferves our fulleft Deteftation: The Glories and Miseries of Eternity call for our strongest Hopes and Fears: The Joy of a good Confcience is an inexhauftible Fund of Comfort. Anger against the vicious Darling of our Bofon is a juft and rational Rage; and the heartieft Sorrow of true Contrition is the happiest Beginning of Regenerate Holinefs; but after all, the Influences of God's Holy Spirit must alone enable us to raise and regulate our Paffions according to these Directions; and to Him we must look up for his gracious Affiftances in this Part of our Spiritual Warfare; Warfare; that He who call'd this glorious and regular Fabrick of the World out of a dark Chaos, would likewise order the Confufions and Irregularities of our Souls: That he who ruleth the raging of the Sea, would likewife calm our tumultuous Affections; and while we are by Nature of the fame Paffions with the moft wicked of Men; that He would make us Partakers of like Virtues and Graces with the most exalted of his Saints. SERMON SERMON III St. JOHN iii. 8. The Wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou heareft the Sound thereof; but canft not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: So is every one that is born of the Spirit. ON the former Part of this I mus, a Pharifee and a Ruler fed Saviour concerning the Nature and but |