171. The C~tre of Flejh.pleajin~. delights, if you do not conrempruouOy rejeCt them : And then think that this is rhe rim~ in which– you mufi make furc of them and win thLm, if (vcr you will poffefs them; and that you are fenr into the world of purpofe on this buGncfs : And then think with your felves, how flejhly pleafurer are the oqly cornpcrirors with the evcrlafting pleafures; and that if ever you lofe them, it will be by over-loving thefe uar:fitory things ; and that one half of your work for your falvarion lyeth in killing your affections to all below, that they may be alive tO God alone : And lal\ly, think how much higher and fwecter plcafures even in this life, the godly do cn;oy than you; and you are lofing them whjlc you prefer thefe ford id pleafures. Du you think rhar a true Believer bath not a more excellent delight in his fore-thoughts of his immortal bleffednefs with Chril1, and in the aff'u .. Jance of the Love of Ood, and communion with him in his holy fervice, than you or &ny fenfuaiiji harh in fiefhly pleajurcf. Sober and fetious Meditation on thdc thi rgs, will turn the mind to the true delights. Diteli. 2. 9· 23· DireCt. 2· Be acquainted with the range of fenfual defiret, aiJd fuUow them, a~td watch them i1t all tbdr extravaga11ciu. Otherwifc while you are Hoppiug one gap, thty will be running our.: at many more. 1 have givc::n ypu m::~ny in/lances in my Treatife of Sclfdeny:~l. I w1ll here bric:fly let fomc before your eyes : 1. Watch your Appuitn as to meat and drink, both quantiry and qua.lity : Gluttony is a com– mon unobfnved tin : The fldh no way enJlaves men more than by the appetite : As we fee in Drunkards and Gluttons, that can no more forbear, than one that thir!tcth in a burn– ing Feavor. 2· Take heed of the Lnf\ of uncleannefs, and all degrees of it, and approaches to it : efpecially immodefi embraces and l>Lhaviour. 3· Take heed o( ribald filthy talk, and Love Songs, and ,of fuch inccnfingfnares. 4· Take heed of too much tleep and Jdlenefs. S· Take heed of taking too much delight in your Riches, and lands, your buildings, and delectable co.n.vcmcnccs. 6.. Take heed le(\: Honours or worldly Gr~at.nefs, or mens applaufe become )'Our too great pleafurc. 7· And lefi you grow to make h your ddighr, to think on filch things when you are alone, or talk idly of them in company with others. , . 8.' And take heed lcfi the fuccefs and profperit~ of your affairs do too much pleafe yon, as h1m, Luf<! 12. 20. 9· Take not up any inordinate ple1[ure in your child~en.,. relations, or neareft lriends. Jo. Take heed·of a delight in vain, unprofitable, finful company. · 1 r. Or in Onenefs of apparel, to fet you out to the eyes of others. 12· T ake heed of a ddight in Romances, Play-books, feigned fiorics, ufelefs news, which corrupt the mind, and wafie your time. . 1 3· Take heed of a delight in any recreations, which are cxcefiwe, ncedtefs, devouring time, dif– compoflng the mindo, entifing to funher tin, hindering any duty, eCpecially our delight in God. They arc mi[crable fouls that c~n delight themfelves in no more fate or profitable: things, than Cards, and Dice, and Stagc-playes, and immodeH dancings. Dirtl1. 3• §. 24· Direct. 3• Next to the tmivcrfal Remedy mentioned in the firft Vircliion, fee that J'JU have the particular remtdiu ftiU st band, which your own panimlar n·ay ofJirfh·pleafing dotb mcifl require. And Jet not the love ot your vanity prej.ndice you ag'1inft: a ju!t information, but imputially confider of the difeafc: and the remedy. Ofthe particulars anon. . · Diretf. 4 • 9· 25· D 1rcCt. 4· Remember jliUth~Jt God would give yon more plt:aforc, and nnt lcjj, andth:zt he 'f'tliil give you aJ nJucb of the Octigbts of fenft, as iJ truly good for you, JO you tPiU tak,s them in thei.r pi.Jce, in fUbordination to your heavenly delitrbtJ. And is not this to t:ncrcafe and mul(iply rour pkafure? Is nor health, and friends, and food, and convenicm habitation much fwc::eter as the ffuit of the Love of G.,d, and the fore-t-afics of ev~rlafi:ing mercies, and as our helps ro H::avcn, and as the means to fpirimal comfort, than of themfdves alone? All your mercies ar~.; from God: He would take none from you, but· fanctifi.: them, and give you m01e. . Dirt[/. 5• . 9· 26. Dirtd'. 5· See tbat Reafim kJep up itJ authority, aJ the Governour of fwfe and appetite: And fo take an accoum, whatever the Appetite would have, of the End1 and Rt:Jfons of the thing, and to what it doth conduct'. T ake nothing and do nothing metrly bccaufe the fenfe or appetice would have ic ; but bccau[e you have Rea{On fo to do, and to gra.tifie the appetite. E!ft you will deal as Brute5, if Reafon ~e laid by ( in humane a&s ). · Direll. 6. 9· 27. Direct. 6. Go t() tbe Grave, and fie there the end of flefo~y pleafure, and wb.d iJ all that it. wiU dJ for y a at the Jajf. One would think it fhould cu~;e the mad ddire of plenty aud pkafure 1 to fee where all our wealth, aitd mirth, and fport, and plea(ure mut\ be burycd at lafi. 1Jirel1. 7• 9· 28. Direll:. 7• Lajlly, be /liU fo"fible tbat f/dh i< thegrand E.:e11;y ofY"" fouli, and f/elh ple'fi•g the greatejf hinderance of your fllvatiun. The Devils enmity and the worlds are both bctt iubordi– nate to this of the Fldb : Fo.r its Pleafure is the End, and the world and· Sarans temptations are both but the means to attain it. Bcfides the malignhy opened before., confider, rJe enmity cf I; How contbry a voluptuous life is to the bteffed example o£ our Lord, and of his fervant Paul thefi<O~o and all the Apoflles> Paul tamed his body and brought it into fubje6tion, lell having preached to others, hi mid~ !hould be a ca(bway, xCor. 9· 27· And all that are Chrifis have cruc1hed the flcfn) with the aflt.diuns and lulls thereot. Gal. S· 2f· This was ti~niticd in the anttcnt manntr of
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