Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

The Corruption of State IL
Eye is Evil, the whole Body being full of Darknefs,
Mat. vi. 23. The unrenew’d Part of Mankind is
rambling through the World, like fo many blind
Men; who will neither take a Guide, nor can guide
themfelves: And therefore are falling over this and
the other Precipice, into Deftru&ion. Some are
running after their Covetoufnefs, till they be pierced
through with many Sorrows ; fome flicking in the
Mire of Senfuahty ■, others dafhing themfelves on
the Rock of Pride and Self-conceit; every one Hum¬
bling on fome one Stone of Humbling or other: All¬
ot them are running themfelves upon the Sword-
point of Juflice, while they eagerly follow, whither
their unmortified Paflions and Aftedions lead them :
And while fome are lying along in the Way, others
are coming up, and falling headlong over them.
And therefore, 110 unto the (blind) World, becaufe
of Offences, Mat. xviii. 7. Errors in Judgment
fwarm in the World; becaufe it is Night, wherein
aU the Beafis of the Forrejl do creep forth. All the
unregenerate are utterly miflaken in the Point of true
Nappinefs: For tho’ ChriHianity hath fixt that
Matter in Point oiPrinciple ; yet nothing lefs than
overcoming Grace can hx it in the practical Judg¬
ment. All Men agree in the Defire to be Happy :
But, amongH unrenewed Men, touching the Way
to Happinefs, there are almoH as many Opinions
as there are Men; they being turned every one to his
own Way, Ifa. liii. 6. They are like the blind So¬
domites about Lofs Houfe; all were feeking to find
the Door, fomc grope one Part of the Wall for it,
fome another ; but none of them could certainly fay,
he. had found it: And fo the natural Man may
Humble on any Goodbut the chief Good. Look in¬
to thine own unregenerate Heart, and there thon