Now what is it in the human soul, that most of all hinders the death of this old man? What is it, that above all other things makes it the governor of all the powers of the heart and soul? It is the fancied riches of _parts_, the glitter of _genius_, the flight of _imagination_, the glory of _learning_, and the self-conceited strength of _natural reason_: these are the strong holds of fallen nature, the master-builders of pride’s temple in the heart of man. And here let it be well observed, that all these magnified talents of the natural man are started up through his miserable _fall_ from the life of God in his soul. _Wit_, _genius_, _learning_, and _natural reason_, would have had no more a name amongst men, than _blindness_, _ignorance_, and _sickness_, had man continued, as at first, an holy image of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.――――Every thing then that dwelt in him, or came from him, would have only said _so much_ of God, and _nothing_ of himself, have manifested nothing to him, but the _heavenly powers_ of the triune life of God dwelling in him. He would have no more consciousness of his own wit, or natural reason, or goodness, than of his _own creating power_, at beholding the created heavens, and earth. It is his dreadful fall from God, that has furnished him with these high intellectual riches, just as it has furnished him with the substantial riches of his _♦bestial appetites_ and _lusts_. And when the lusts of the flesh have spent their life, when flesh and blood shall be forced to let the soul go loose; all these bright talents will end with that system of fleshly lusts in which they began; and _that_ of man, which remains, will have nothing of its own, nothing that can say, _I do this_, or _I do that_, but all that it hath, or doth, will be either the _glory of God_ manifested in it, or the _power of hell_ in full possession of it.――The time of man’s playing with _parts, wit, and abilities_, and of fancying himself something in the intellectual world, may be much shorter, but can be no longer, than he can eat, and drink with the animals of this world.――When the time cometh, that fine buildings, rich settlements, acquired honours, and Rabbi, Rabbi, must take their leave of him, all the stately structures, which genius, learning, and imagination, have painted inwardly on his brain and outwardly on paper, must bear full witness to _Solomon_’s vanity of vanities. ♦ “beastial” replaced with “bestial”