0A.28. Chapter 11.

Chapter 11. Directions to Fix the Choice Aright. The danger from the senses and the imagination, of perverting our choice. The power of imagination considered. The carnal affections are the worst counselors. The senses and carnal affections are incapable of apprehending spiritual things; they are deceitful and very numerous and clamorous. The general example of men is corruptive of our judgments about worldly things.

It is foolish to be directed by the multitude in an affair of eternal importance. The universal judgment of worldly men in their last serious hours, is considerate and to be believed. ii. I shall now come to the directions on how to fix our choice aright. This is a matter of everlasting consequence; it therefore befits us with the most intense application of mind to consider it, and according to the advice of wisdom, "to keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life."

Indeed the choice would not be difficult between lying vanities and substantial blessedness, if uncorrupted reason had the superior sway; but in this lapsed state of nature, the understanding and will are so depraved, that present things pleasing to sense, ravish the heart into a compliance. Men are deceived, not compelled into ruin; the subtle seducer prevails by fair temptations.

O the cheap damnation of beguiled souls! A mess of pottage was more valuable to Esau, than the birthright that had annexed to it the regal and priestly dignity. Unwise and unhappy wretches! "that follow lying vanities, and forsake their own mercies."

Thus I have briefly set down the process of men’s foolish choice in this degenerate state. Now that we may with a free uncorrupted judgment compare things in order to a wise choice of true felicity, it follows from what has been said, that as the apostle in obeying his heavenly commission, "conferred not with flesh and blood;" we must not in this matter of infinite importance, attend,

1st. To the suggestions and desires of the senses and carnal appetites, which are the worst counselors, as being incapable of judging what is our proper happiness, deceitful and importunate.

(1.) They are incapable of apprehending spiritual eternal things, which alone bring true and complete satisfaction to the soul, and cannot look forward to the end of sinful pleasures, and balance the terrible evils they leave at parting, with the slight vanishing content that springs from their presence. Therefore as blind people lay hold on things they feel, so the sensitive faculties, that are blind and brutish, adhere to gross present enjoyments, not understanding the pure spotless felicity that is to come, and despising what they do not understand.

Now who would in an affair upon which his all depends, ask advice from children and fools, whose judgment of things is without counsel, their counsel without discourse, their discourse without reason? There is nothing more contrary to the order of nature, than for men that should affect with judgment, to judge by their affections.

(2.) The carnal appetite with its lusts are very deceitful, a party within holding correspondence, with our spiritual enemies, the armies of evil angels, so active and assiduous in conspiring and accomplishing the damnation of men. The devil in Scripture is called the tempter by way of eminence, who manages and improves all temptations; and his pernicious design is by the objects of sense, ordered and made more alluring and killing by his various arts, to engage the affections into a compliance, and so to gain the will.

Now our great danger is not so much from Satan the enemy without, as from the carnal appetite, the traitor within, that gives him the first and easy entrance into the soul. He can only entice by representing what is amiable to sense, but the corrupt appetite inclines to the closing with it. He tempted Jesus Christ, but was repelled with shame, "having found nothing within him to work upon." The perfect regularity, of faculties in our blessed Savior was not in the least disordered, neither by his fairest insinuations, or most furious assaults. And we might preserve our innocence inviolable, not withstanding all his attempts, did not some corrupt affection, cherished in our bosoms, lay us naked and open to his poisoned darts. The apostle Peter, who had a spiritual eye, and discerned wherein the strength of our great enemy lies, admonishes Christians, "dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, that war against the soul." And we are told by him, that "the corruption that is in the world, is through lust." The outward objects are useful and beneficial in their kind, the abuse of them is from lust. The poison is not in the flower, but in the spider. It is therefore infinitely dangerous to consult, or trust our carnal faculties in this matter, for they are bribed and corrupted, and will advise temporal things to our choice.

(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, it is constantly seen, that nothing more disturbs reason, and makes men improvident and precipitant in their determinations, than a disordered passion. From hence, it is a prudent rule, that as it is 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, it is seasonable to consider.

Now if any simple passion when moved, transports and confounds the mind, and makes it incapable of judging aright, much more the love of the world, a 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 than 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 people whose strength grows with their fury) violently break all the restraints the understanding can apply from reason and revelation.

2dly. In order to make a right choice, we must be very watchful lest the general example of men taint our reason, and cause an immoderate esteem of temporal things. "The whole world lies in wickedness," in a sensual sty, without conscience of its misery, or care of regaining its happiness, deceived and pleased with shows of felicity. The way to Hell is broad, as the inclinations of the licentious appetite; pleasant, as the delights of sense; so plain and easy, that men go to it blindfold; and so frequented, that it would force tears from any considering person, to see men so hasty to meet with damnation. When Calisto the harlot reproached Socrates that there were more followers of her beauty than his wisdom; the philosopher replied, "That was not strange, because it was much easier to draw them in the way of pleasure, that is steep and slippery, than to constrain them to ascend to virtue, seated on a hill, where the ascent is slew, and with toil and difficulty."

Now there is nothing more contagious than example. We blindly consent with the multitude, and are possessed with foolish wonder, and carnal admiring of worldly greatness, treasures and delights—neglecting to make a due estimation of things. It is the ordinary artifice of the devil to render temporal things more valuable and attractive to particular people, from the common practice of men who greedily pursue them at their happiness. As some crafty merchants, by false reports raise the exchange, to advance the price of their own wares. The men of the world are under the direction of sense, and think them alone to be wise and happy who shine in pomp, abound in riches, and overflow in pleasures. The psalmist tells us of the prosperous worldling, "that while he lives, he blesses his soul; and men will praise you when you do well to yourself." By wicked imitation our judgments are more corrupted, and our passions raised to higher degrees for painted vanities. The affections in the pursuit of earthly things are inflamed by the contention of others. And when holy desires and resolutions spring up in men—yet so powerful is the custom of the world, that they often become ineffectual. As a ship whose sails are filled with a fair wind, but makes no way, stopped by the force of the current. Now to fortify us against the pernicious influence of example, consider,

(1.) It is most unreasonable in this affair of so vast importance, to be under the direction of the multitude. For the most are sottish and sensual, governed by the uncertain motions of a giddy imagination, and roving impetuous passion; so that to be led by their example, and disregard the solid immortal rules of heavenly wisdom, is as perfect madness, as for one to follow a herd of swine through the mire, and leave a clean path that lies before him. If there were but few in an age or country that were deluded with false appearances, it would be a disgrace to imitate the practice of the foolish; and shall the great numbers of the earthly-minded give reputation and credit to their error? He were a strange fool indeed, who would refuse a single piece of counterfeit money, and receive a great heap in payment; as if the number added a real value to them. It is therefore a necessary point of wisdom to divest all vulgar prejudices, to separate ourselves from the multitude, that we may see the vanity of the things that dazzle inferior minds.

(2.) Consider the universal judgment even of worldly men in their last and serious hours, when the prospect of eternal things is open before them. How vastly different are their apprehensions of temporal things in the review, from what they were in their wicked desires? How often do they break forth in the sorrowful words, "We have been toiling all night, and caught nothing?" When there are but a few remaining sands in the glass of time, and death shakes the glass before them, how powerfully do they preach of the emptiness and uncertainty of things below, and sigh out in Solomon’s phrase, "All is vanity!" And this is more singularly observable in those who have had the fullest enjoyment of earthly things. How do they complain of the vain world, and their vainer hearts, when experience has convinced them of their woeful folly? Solomon who was among other princes, as the sun in the midst of the planets, that obscures them by his illustrious brightness; he who had surveyed this continent of vanity, to make an experiment whether any satisfaction could be found in it, at last sadly declares that all things here below are but several kinds and ranks of vanities, as ineffectual to make men happy, as counterfeit jewels of several colors are to enrich the possessor. Nay they are not only vanity, but vexation, an empty show that has nothing real but the vexation of disappointment. And shall we not value the judgment of men when they are best instructed, and give credit to their testimony when they are sincere? Certainly in their approaches to the divine judgment they are most considerate and serious, they have the truest and most just thoughts of things, and most freely declare them.

O the astonishing folly of men! they will not be convinced of the error of their ways, until they come to the end of them, and the sun is set, and no time remains for their returning into the way of life.