The works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. in nine volumes (volume 1 of 9)Watts, Isaac
Religion
The works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. in nine volumes (volume 1 of 9)
Watts, Isaac
Dissenters, Religious -- England; Sermons, English -- 18th century; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
1. Consider, sinners, whether you are not under a great mistake, while
you say, that you obey all the dictates of nature when you rush on to
fleshly iniquities. Have you no natural conscience within you that
forbids these vile practices? Has it not given you many a check already,
and many an inward reproach? Have you no reason that tells you there is
a God, and a judgment, and a terrible account one day to be given of the
guilt and madness which you now indulge? It is but one part of your
nature then, and that the meanest and the vilest too, whose dictates you
obey, when you give yourselves up to all intemperance. The very heathens
have such a conscience in them, such _a law written in their hearts_, to
forbid, and to condemn the grosser iniquities; Rom. ii. 15. And such an
inward monitor belongs to your nature too, unless you have entirely
subdued and enslaved your spirits, which are the best part of your
natures, to the tyranny of your flesh; unless you have buried your
reason in brutal appetite, and _seared_ your _conscience as with a hot
iron_, that they may neither feel nor speak.
2. You say, it is nature you obey, while you follow after fleshly lusts;
but is it not nature depraved and spoiled? Can you think it is the pure,
the original and uncorrupted nature of man to follow all the appetites
of flesh and blood, and live upon a level with _the brutes that perish_?
Can you imagine that your spirit and reason, and all the glorious powers
of your intellectual nature in their first perfection, were made to be
thus employed as lackeys to the body, and mere purveyors to the flesh?
Is it not a sign your nature is fallen from its original state, while
these meaner powers of sense and passion have so mighty and sovereign an
influence; and is it not rather the dictate of reason, and nature; and
true self-love, that you should seek the recovery of your original
excellencies, that you should use all methods to stop and heal the
diseases of your nature, and to repair these ruins of humanity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account