Book III. ctjfsus Christ.

Delights, and their Minds blinded by Vicious irl.ibits^ by which they degenerate into Brutes, liupidly aban- don cheiiifelves to the tranlitory Pleafures of bin and Luft, at the Expence of Everlafting Pains ,• andcon- fult the prefent Gratification of a vile Mortal Body, with the Ruin of a precious and Immortal Soul.
Go not thou therefore after their Excefies, nor place thy Happinefs in ferving, but rather in com- manding, fubduing, denying, mortifying, thy own In- clinations. Delight thou in the Lonl, and he Jlnill grr.nt thte thy He.rf s Defire, For this ^f"^- ^^^v^^- Delight will teach thee, that the Happinefs of Man confilts in Inward and Spiritual SatisfaAions, in the Contempt of this World and its empty Gayecies. And the lefs thefe are eueemed and aitedred, the greater and more ravifliingly fweet fhaii thofe gene- rous and noble Pleafures prove, which refultfrcm the Experience of God's Favour, and the fubltantial Com- forts of a Good Confcience. *
But ftill thefe Comforts are not to be had, without much Labour, m,any Confiids, and fharp Sufferings. For the Corrupt Inclinations of Flefh and Blood, and the conhrmed Habits of Vice, create great Difficulties ,• and ask Time and Pains to conquer. And conquered they may be, by introducing the contrary Habits of Virtue. The Flefh indeed will recoil, and think it felf ill ufed ^ but Reafon and Religion will filence thofe Grumblings, and refolute Perfeverance in good Works vanquiOi all thy Reludances. The fubtle old Serpent will feduce and importune thee, but Prayer and good Thoughts drive the evil Spirit away ^ and Fafting and holy Exercife, or conftant lawful Bufi- nefs, will keep him out. For he never enters fo eafi- ly, fo fuccefsfuUy, as when Idlenefs fets open the Door, and an empty Heart makes room for his wick- ed Suggeftions.
La CHAP.
156 €)f tilt limitation Book ill,
Chap. XIV.
Ohedience to Superiors ; enforced ly ChrijTs Example,
Chrift^TT'^ow^ my Son, that the Man who refufes ^^^ Obedience, reje(5Vs the Grace^ and ex- cludes hnnieif from the Favour of God • And, by leeking his own private Advantage inordinacely,breaks the Order, and obftruds the Good of the Publick. Difrefpecrt and CoDtumacy to Superiors is an infalli- ble Mark of Rebellious Appetites, and Paffions not re- duced to the Governance of Reafon and Religion. Sabmlfiion therefore is of great ufe, for fubduing the Flefh and its Lufts ; and a good Prefervative againfl: Tempt3rions. For the foreign Enemy will be more fuccefsfuliv oppofed, when thy Dcmeftick one is firfl vanquifiiev^, and All quiet within. And Man himfelf is his ovv'n worit Enemy. Nor are his Circumfiances ever more full of Danger, than when the Senfitive raifes Infurredions, and would dethrone the Rational Soal. And, in order to this bringing the Inferior Fa- culties to Reafon, an humble Opinion of your felf is necefftry • For Partiality and Pride are at the bottom of all the Diforders in rl.y own Breail, and all the Difturbance given by unruly Men to Society^ and good Government, of all kinds.
Anvl what fuch inighty Merit is there in this Sub- midion ? What Difparagement can it be thought to Thec^ who art Dud and Vilenefs, when thou remem- bred, That I my felf, tl:e Almighty Majefty of Hea- ven, and the Lordof all theUniverfe^ I,who created Thee, ai^id the -whole World, out of Nothing, did yet condefcend to a State of Subjedion, and appeared in the very lowed, mod lerviie, and defpicable Form, for thy fake, who art Nothing ^, And why, but that fo
thy