. . . z66 How far Flejh.pleajing is afin. ----------------------- 5• when any defire ofthe Fldh is inordinate, immoderate, or irregular for matter, or manner, quantity, quality or feafon, it is a fin to pleafe that inordinate ddire. ~i org~mun~ 6. when Plcafi11f!. the jlcjiJ cloth too much pamper ic, and cheri(h filthy lufis, or any'other fin, and ~:~n~~}~ffi~i· is not neccfft~ry on {Ome mher account, as doing greater good, it is a fin : But if Li{e require it, J 11 jt crs fucri·, fa- mufi be fubdued by mher meanS. t1~en virimu. Corpusn:~mque_propter animi fervirium frcifl.f.n:nuran,t, nemo ram corpor_is fcn·us eH, lJUi nefciar. Id fi proprio munere fungi:ur, quid :~ccuf1s, feu qu1 J ;m1pli~s rC'lJUiras? Pttrlfrch j:. :l. Drat. 2V1res corror s fum virt'S clrceri.s ur Pmarch. ti. 1. Dial. 5· \\'nat mean )OUto make yo~tr pri[on fo flrong? flid l'lato toone til.lt ovcr·pampered hi~Belh. Mar[. Fici~t. in Vittt. Plat. 7· when pleafing the ficftJ, d6th lmrt it, by impairing he~lth,and fo making the body lefs fit for duty, it is a tin: And fo almolt all intempcraJtce tenckth to breed ditcafcs: And God commandeth TempLranct: tven tor riKBodies good. · 8. When unnccdfuy Flcfh·pleafiltg hindereth any duty ofPicty,Jufiice, Charity or felf-prefervation, in thought, affcCron, word or deed, iris finful. 9• It any Pk.:~.tlng of theFk01 can be 1magined to have no tendency directly or indirectly to any moral Good or Ev1l, it is not the Objtlt of a moral Choo~ng or Refufing; but like the wink· ingof the eye, which falls not u'nder ddiberation, it is r.ot within the compafs of morality. to. Every Pleafing of. tbe fi.:flJ, which is cap1ble of bting referred to a higher end, and is not fo refnn.d, and ufed, is a tin: And there 1s fc:uct any thing, which is eligible, which a vacant waking man !hould deliberate on, but fhuuld be referred to a higher end ; tven to the glory of God, and our falvation ; by cheering . us up til L. ve and T nanKfulncfs, and flrcngthening or fitting us fome way for fome duty: Thi<; is applrendy c fiu, I· Btc&ufe elfc Flejh-ple.;jing is made our ultimate end, and the Fh.01 an Idol, it evl·r w, ddirc: ir only for it fdf, (whtn it may be referred toa higher end) For though the fenfitive Art-'{ tire of it ft.lt h<.ith no imended end, yet whatfoever thC will drjireth is either as an End, or as a M laitJ : That which is nm ddircd as a Means to fame Higher end 1 Ht i~ :t go0d is deiired as our ultimate end ir ftlt, ( il) tha1 act. ) Bur God only is mans lawful ultimate end. Chri!lian th:a 2 • Becaufe it is againfi an txprefs command, 1 Cor. 1o. 31· [ whetber ye eat or driHk,., or whatever )'t ren:otely and do drJ'atlto tbe glOry of God.] 3· BLcaufe elfe we (hall cake Gods creatures in vain, and call them f~:~~~~r~~r ;1~; a~ay in wafie. 4· And we"(.h_alllofc our own Ben~tit to which the Creature or Pleafure G10uld be cre 1 mre• unto improved. 5· And wefll<Lil hlcnce Reafon) when It !hould dirt.Ct:; and we fhall fufpcnd the Go.. God, ;~.nd _eat- vcrnment of the will, and give the govenimc:nt ( fo long) to the: fldh or bruitiql appetite : For that erh and <1nnk- faculty ruleth,whoobjeli is our end.Thefc reafons clearly prove it a fin to terminate our defires in any a<l: ~~hhrti~~~:,.re of t\dh-pleaiing as our end, and look no higher, whtn it is a matter ofmoral choice and deliberation. Gods fervice, than to pkafe tht tl.nt: Rut it is much more than this which the Crearure wls l ppointed for; tven for :1 prefem communication of the f!Tl(e of the goodnef> of God unto the heart, .As the Muhci:tn that touc~er~ bur the Key\ o~ hts H2.rprical or Organs, caufcth ~a.c fwtet harmonious found which .,..e hear fr1'm the !lrtn~s that :t.re touched wnhm; fo G ><I ord:uned the order, beaurv, fweetnefs, &c. of rhe Cre!!rure ro touch' the fenfe wi·h fuch a pleafure, •as fhou:d fuddt:n:y touch the tnward fcnfe ,.,jrh an anf,...:uble delight in God, wbo is the g:'~'r of ·he t 1 k of e\cry Creature. But a'as where:!\ ;be Chrill1an that do~h thus el.t: amtdrink, :tnd thus tJke p!eafur~ in all his Mercies) when contrarily our bents J!"C commonly [o dtvcfttd fro111 God by the Creature, that fo much dchgbt as wefind m n,fo much weJofeof our del1ght in God, yea of our regard and remembrance of btm. 11· But the !in here'is not !imply.thatthe fiefh if pleafed, but that the duty of referrin~ it to a high,.,. €nd is omitted: fo that tt IS a fin of om1ffion. ( unltfs we proceed to tefer better thing1 as a means :oit.) 12 • The intending of Gods Glory or our fpiritual good, cannor be difi'nllly and fenfibly' re·all;d in every particular plcafure wC: uke, or bit we eat, or thin~ we ule : But #a (incere Habitual InttiJtion well laid at firfi in theHt:art, will ferve to the right ufc d m~ny particularMtans. As a man pur– pofeth at his firfi fetting out to what place he tneaneth togo, .lnd afterward goeth on thoughat every fiep, he think not fenfibly of his end; fo ht. thac dtvoroh himltlt to God, and in gener3.1 ddigneth all to his Glory, and the furtherance of his duty ~nd falva.tion, will carry on fmall particula~s to that end, by a fecret unobferverl action of the foul, p... r··orn1ed at the f.. me time wirh other actions, which only are obferved. He that intendeth but his htaltb in eating and drinking, is not remembring his healrh at every bit and cup: and yet hath fuch a Habit of care and caution, as will unobfervedly keep him in his way, and help him to fit the means unto the end. As the accuflomed hand of a Mllficion can play a Le!fon on his Lute, while he thinks of fomethiug elfe; fo can a refolved Chrillian faithfully do fuch accuftomed things as eating and drinking and cloathing him and labouring in his calling, to the good end; which he ( firll aCtually, and fiill habitually ) refolved on, without a dillinCI: romembrance and obfervable intention of that end. 13• The body mull be kept in thatcondition (as far '11' we can) that is fittell for the fervice of the {oul: As yen keep your Horfc, neither fo pampered as to be unruly, nor yet fo low as to difablc him for travel: But all that health and O:rength which makes it not unruly, maketh it the more fer~ viceable. It is not the Life of the Body, but the Health and the Cheerfulnefs which maketh it fit for duty : And fo much pleafing of the flefh as tendeth but to its Health and Chcetfulnefs, is a duty, whereitcan be done without greater hurt the other way. A heavy body is but a dull and heavy fervant to the: mind ; yea, agreat impediment to [he foul in duty, and a great tempcation to many fms; as fickly and melancholy perfons, and many dull and phlcgrnatick people k•ow by fad experience.
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