1 Cor. 1· ~a. Pr,w. q. :o. Luke. 15• ?5. ]•mes. S· 5· E.cclcf.ll. '9· Ira. S· '4· Job.u 12,10 . Revc1.>8. 1. Chap 5.Secr.• 3· SECT. 13. Of the manner of Denying our JVorldly Pleafures. THe dirc.'lions ofSclf-denyd inr<fpcCl: of our worldly plcafures arc thefe. __ 1. Look on plt.<jures as van1ty, arrd nothmg. Thus Amos charging the Courtiers of riotvufncffc, he tells them, They lye upon be,ds of Ivory, andj/rcrch themfdves upon th<ir couches, a•<d cat the lambs out •f theflock, and the calves eJtt ofthe midjl cfthe flail; they ,·ham to thefound of the 1Jlttl:~ and mvent to themfeh;es mjlrwnents ofmujtCk.._iJkg David; they drin/z. HJJi1C in_ p~wles, and anoynt _thcnif:lv~s Wt~ch the chirfO)'ntmems:~ they arc not grievedf or the ajfltehon of Jofeph. Th1s the1r life m1ght feen to fome a moll: brave and d Lfirablc thing, but mark what the Holy Gholl: fayes ofit, ye which rejoyce in a thing cf r:aght. q. d. all thcfc pleafures put together, were in a true judgment butathingcf ?ia~<ght, r·es mhtl ; they had nothing, no reality in them. • 2.. Look on plcr.fm·es not only as vain, but as vanifhing; they arc foon gone from us, or we arc foon gone from them. r. They are foon gone from us, the fafhion of this· 1ror!d pajfoth an·ay. Solopton compares all the profperity of the wicked to a candle; and how fooniS the candle of the wicksd blown ouc ? All pleafurcs are but like a mountain of fnow thot melts away prefently. 2. We arc foon gone from them, it is but a while, and then we and all our p!eafures mull: together vanifh; if death draw the curtaine, and look in upon us, then we mull: bid a farewell to them all, never laugh more, never have merry meeting more; never be in Jollity any more, now all is gone, as Admm f.1id, when he was to dye, Uh my foul whether goej/thM ? thouJlialt never jejl it, [port zt a:.y more, Oh! when we are called to eternity, then all our delights willlcove us, and bid us adieu for ever, and how doleful will this found be then to all the fonnes and daughters of plcafure !your jfafon u done ,you have hadyour time, it isgone, it is pajf,and cannot be nt~dlrd, . I 3. Confider, this is not the fcafon that fhould be for plcafure. Sonne, remember in thy !tfe-ttme rflOit ~adj/ thy pleafure, it fhould not have been then: The Apollle Jumrt layes it as a great charge upon thofe in his time, that they lived in pleajitrt on earth, and were wa••ton. This is a time for vertuous aCtions, to do the great bufineffe for which we were borne ; Oh did we think that our eternity depended upon this little uncertain time of our lives, we would not fay that fenfual plcafures were now in fcafon. Surely this time fhould be fpent in feeking to make our peace with God; this is a time of fuing out our pardon, of mourning, and forrow, and trouble of fpirit, and no time for jollity, and f!efhly delights. If a condemned man had two or three dayes granted "him that he might fue out his pardon, were that a time for pleafure and fports ? Thus it is with us, the fcntence of death is upon us, onely a little uncertain time is granted us to fue out a pardon, let us know then what is our work we have to do, and let us apply our fclves to it. ·1·· Meditate on that !all: and ll:ricl account that mu!t be given for them all. Rej')'ce 0 y&~mg man in thy youth, walkjn the wayes ofthy heart, and m thefgbt of thine eyes. q. d. live after the lull:s, and do what thou wilt; it is an ironical! conccffion: but remember withail, that for all thefe things God will bring thee to judtwtrnt. Fur dithcfe things. J There is not one merry meeting, not one hour fpent in plcafure, not one pleafurablc aCt, or thought, but an account mnll: be given for it. There arc three heads upon whtch the enquiry at the day of judgment will be concerning our plrrfures. I. \Vhat kmd of pltaji11·es they were, wheth'er wicked in their owne natures or not? 2. \:Vhat ttme W>S fpent in them? 3. How far the heart was let out upon them? . 5. Weigh the fearful end of thefe delightful! things; thofe morfels which ar~ fwect in going down, they mull: come up againe as bitter as gall: Hence Solomon aavtfed• look,jiot upon the 1vme rvhen it is red, when it giverh his colour in.rhe cup:~ when zt mtr:~eth lt felf aright ; tU the lajl it biteth l•ks a· ferpent, and jlingeth liks an adder. The young m1n that follows the enticings of the whore, hegoes as 411 oxe to the jlaug/Jttr, o~~nd as.a.foolto the ftoclz!, rill a darr ftni{:s through his liver. Senfml pfeafnre leads to, an:l fits for dcll:ruCl:ion ;·hell hath enlarged her felf, ~nd opened her mouth without me'!Jitre. --hr that rejoyccehs1rall defcend into it They rake the Timbre/and ~Harp, and ,-e_loyceat ;h:foMd of the 0rgan, they jJend rhei>· dayes in wealtk, . and in a momem go domuo bell. ,And t! was fa~d of Babylw, how much Jbe hath glorified her fi:!f and ltved drhclolijl)', I" mucb torment g•ve her, 0 how grievous will eternal pain be to them, who arc now altogether for delight and plcafure ? now they cannot endure any fad thoughts, 0 1 :,ry maks rhcm Jl1dP.!Hh9!Jr
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