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

Head I. the Undcrftanding.
abftra&ed Notions, look into their own Souls, and
they lhall find this Byafs in their Minds ; whereof
the Idolatry, which did of old, and Hill doth, fo
much prevail in the World, is an uncontcftable
Evidence. For it plainly difcovers, that Men
naturally would have a 'vijible Deity, and fee what
they worfhip : And theretore they changed the Glory
of the uncorruptible God into an Image, &c. Korn. i.
23. The Reformation of thefe Nations (blefled be
the Lord for it) hath banifhed Idolatry and Images
too, out of our Churches : But Heart Reformation
only can break down mental Idolatry, and banifh
the.more fubtile and refined Image-worfhip, and
Reprefetitations of the Deity, out of the Minds of
Men. The World in the Time of its Darknefs, was
never more prone to the former, than the unfan&i-
fied Mind is to the latter. And lienee are horrible,
monflrous, and mifhapen Thoughts of God, Chrift,
the Glory above, and all fpiritual Things.
Eojid. 4. What a difficult Task is it to detain
the carnal Mind before the Lord! How averfe is it
to the intertaining of good Thoughts, and dwelling
in the Meditation of fpiritual Things ! If one be
driven at any Time, to think of the great Concerns
of his Soul, rtis no harder Work to hold in an un¬
ruly hungry Bcaft, than to hedge in the carnal
Mind, that it get not away to the Vanities of the
World again. When God is fpeaking to Men by
his Word, or they are fpeaking to him in Prayer,
doth not the Mind often leave them before the Lord,
like fo many Idols that hare Eyes, but fee not, and
Ears, but hear not ? The Carcafe is laid down be¬
fore God, but the World gets away the Heart:
Tho’ the Eyes be clofed, the Man fees a thoufand
Vanities : The Mind, in the mean Time, is like a
E » Bird