W/Jy .and IJolv to Jeligh( in God. unyolk him; and as your horfe that gocth againfl his will, and wirl go no longer than he feels the fpur: when Vrligbt would caufe alacrity and u1!rr_earitdnefr. 7• It makes men apt to quarrel with the word, and every weaknefs in the Minifier offendeth them, as fick Homachs that have fome f&ulc or othu Hill w find wich their meat. 8. It greatly enclinerh men to camal and fobidden pleafurcs bt'caufe they tall not 1he hightr and more excellent dt.Jighrs. Tavc:rnS, and Ale- houfis, Plays, and Whons, Cards and Dice, and txc< fs .of rccnation muft be fou~t out for them, as Saul fought a Tresfuot vir- \~1 i1ch and a ~ufi.c.ian infl:ead of God. It wou~d be the \flOH elhtlual Anfwe_r 10 a11 the filly reafo– turisconditJ- nmgs of the ~oluptu0\.15 1 v. hen they are pleadmg fer the lawtullncJs of thur unnecdfary, foolifh 1:111~~, tara_ri- ~in1e-waf1i~1~ ~forts, if we cr~ld but help th< m to the Heavenly ncHuu, d Hearrs tha~ more deligh~ om~ remon~> m God. l h1s better pleafure ts an Argument that would do more to c nfute and bamfh their fin· af,uum n~ln- ful plea{ttie, than a twelve-months difpuring or preaching will do wich them , while they are ;111~~~~~'de~ Hrang(r1 to the fouls Delight in God. Then they would rather fay w their companions; 0 ltli::nio F. come and tafl. thofe high delights, which we have found in ~ad ! 9·. ~he want of a Dilight in Sm!i{P· God, and flrJimeji, doth leave: the: foul as a prey to farrows : Every ntH1dlon that :dTJ.J.IIteth it may do its worfl, and hath its full blow at the naked unfortified heart: t or creature delights wlll prove bur a poor prc:Cervative to it. 10. This want ofa Delight in God and Holind5, is the way to Apo. ftacie it fdf. Few men will hold on in a way that they have no delight in, -...hen all other delights mufi be forflken for it. The caged Hypocrite while he is coopt up ro a llr!clcr life than he hirnfelf ddires, t.ven while he fec·meth 10 ferve him, is lothfom to God: For the B,dy without the IViU is but a carkafc:: or carrion in his eyes: If you had rather not ft:lVe God, you do 1101 fe1ve him while you feem to ferve him: If you IJad ratiJtr live in fin, you do live in fin, repuutivdy, while you for– beat th~ outward act: For in G0d~ account the Heart, or IYiU is the man; and what a man had ra– rlm be ( habitually) that he is indeed. And yet this Hypocrite will be flill looking fqr a hole to get out of his cage, and forfake his unbeloved oudidc of Religion: Like a beall that is drivtn in a way that he is loth to go, and will be turning out at every )\ap. All thde mifcbiefs follow the want of Dtli~ht in God. §. 6. On the contrary, the Benefit! which follow our Delight in God, ( bel.des the fweetnefs of)t) ar~.: unfpeakable: Thofe which are contrary to the forcmentioned kt~rtJ, I leave fO your vwn confide. rJtion. I· Ddight in God will prove that t~ou Knoweft ~im, and lovcjl him, and that thou art pre– pared for his Kingd.m: For all that truly,Dtlight in him fha)l e.n)o,y him. 2. Prpfperity, which is but the "fmall addition, of earthly things, wilr'not eafily corrupt th~e;p! tranfj>ort thee. 3· Adverfit)'J which is the withholding of earthly deli~hts, w~l not much grjeve thee, or eafily dej<Cr thee. 4·· Thou wilt receive more profit by a [ermon or good book or conference which th0u Dtlighujf inJ than others that delight not in them will do in many. 5· All thy fervice will be fweet to thy felt; and acceptable to God: If thou Delight in him, he cloth cer,tainly delight in thee. Pfalm I49· 4 • and I47· I I· r Chrsn. 29· •7· 6. Thou hafl a cont•nual feafl with thee, which may fwetten all the croffes of thy life, and alford thee greater joy than thy forrow is, in thy f•ddell cafe. 7• When you Drligbt in God, your creature-delight Yt'ill be fanctHied to you, and warrantable in its proper place; which in others is idolatrous, or corrupt. Thefe with many other are the bencfics of Delight in God. Dirc/.1. 6. §· 7· Direct. 6. C•nfider how foitable God and Holinefi art 10 be tbe ,mattcr ofthy Delight, andtaJ:.t bud of aY temptatiom JrJbicb would reprefent him M Jtn[Hitable to J9"· He is, 1. Mofi perfect and Bldfed in himfdf, 2· And full ofall thar thou canfl need ; 3· He hath all the world at his command for thy relief. 4· He is nearefl to thee in prefence and relation in phe worfd : 5• He bath fitted all things' in Religion to thy Veliglu, for mattrr variety and beoefi~. _ p,., He will be a certain and con– tlant Delight to thee.: and a durable delight when all oth<f~ fail. _,Thy foul came from him, and therefore naturally fhould tend to him : It is from him and f or him,.' a,nd therefore mufi: Refi in him, or have no Rell. We delight in the houfe where we we·re borr, and in our Nativc .country, and in our parents; and every thing inclineth.to ·its own ,9{iginal: And fo Chould the fou.J to its Crc:ator. §. 8. Direct. 7. Corrupt >tot y our Minds and :aJpetif,u witb contrary dcligh": Addict not your [elves to flelhly pleafures: Tall nothing that is forbidd,ep. Sorrow. it [elf is not fu,ch .an enemy to lpiritual Delights, as fenfual ji11ful pleafum are. 0 leave your be1flly and your childi01 pleafuw, and come and feafl your fouls on God. Ifa. 55· r, 2>3 1 Away with the Delights of lujl, and pridt, and cnvtloufneft, and vain.JPrJttt, and g1uttony, and drunk._ennefr, \fever you wou1P have tlie fol.i.d and durable Delights! Think not of joyning both tggcther. Bethin~ your [,lve.; C1n 1t be any thing bu~the difeafe and wickednefs of thy heart, th~t can make a p)ax, or a fcall, or drunken warr ton company, more pleafant to thee than God ? w hat a hbrt i~ t_9at which thinkeih it a toil t? mcditatr on God, and Heaven, and thinks it a pfealiue~ to think of the b:1its of pnQe and coveto.uJ– nefs ? WOar a heart is that which thinks that fenfual:ty, wantonnc:fs and vanity are the pleafure of their familie~; which mull not be turned out; and that Godlinc:Cs and Heavenly di!Courte and e&– erci[es would be the fadnefs and trouble of their families, which mull not be brought io. ldl it mau their mirth >That think it an intollerable toil a~d !lavery to Love God, and Holifcfs, and Heaven, and to be imployed for them, and thinks it a delightful thing to Love a Yfhore, or cxcefs of meat or drink or fporrs ~ Can you fay any thlng of a man that is more difgraceful, unlcfs you fay he ts a Dcv.il ? It were not fa vile for a child to Delight more in a Dog than in. his Parents, ur a Husband eo delight more in rhc ugliefi Harlot than in his Wife, as ii is for a man to delight t:nore in fldhly v~nities than in God. Will you be licking up this durg, when yqu fhould be folacmg your fouls m Angelica! pleafures, and foretailing ·.ne delights of ijeaven ? 0 hov; juflly will God thwil 3!"'-Y fuch wretches from his everlafling prefence' who fo abhor his ways ard hi!" ? Can they b!t!JlC him for · denymll
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=