5o S E R M O N S upon Serm. VII, and Soul- Neceffrties : When we are eating and drinking, it is the Flefh that turneth our Table into a Snare, and tempts us to glut out (elves with carnal delights, and to op: preis our bodies when we fhould refrefh them, and ttrengthen them for God's Ser- vice : In our Recreations it is the Flefh that maketh us inordinate in them, and to for- get our great Work and laut End ; arg fo we are the More intangled in fin, when we fhouldbe more fit to glorifie God : It is the Flefh that being beaten out at one Door, entreth by another, and (till affaults us afrefh, to our great fpiritual preju- dice. And will you ftudy how to pleafe the Flefh, that is fo great an Enemy to your Souls ? That Flefh that refills all the motions of God's Spirit ; that dog= geth you in every Duty, and draweth you off from the purfuit of everlafting Hap- pmefs? 5. Confider how ill Chrifi will take it, and what jufi caufe you give him to withdraw; when you prize the things of the Flefh before him, and the comforts of the Spirit. Mutt not the Lord Jefus take it exceeding unkindly, that after all his love, and the difco- veries of his grace, you fbould ftudy to pleafe his Competitor, and your own Enemy ? Is his Grace and Glory worth no more than fo ? and hath he deferved no better at your hands? God fpared not his own Son, but gave him up to the death for us, Rom. 8. 32. Chrifl pleafed not himfelf, Rom. 15. 3. There is nothing fo anfwerable as force felt- denial on our part. The moll genuine and natural influence from this Grace .is, That the fhould fpare nothing , pleafe not our felves, Titus a. Ir. The grace of God that bringeth falvation , bath appeared unto all men teaching us to deny ungodlinefr and worldly lofts. Teaching us, &c. How ? By way of Precept ? no, by way of Argument. It perfwadeth us to deny Ungodlinefs and Worldly Lufts. 6. Confider, the more you indulge the Flefh, the more it is an enemy, and the more fi your flavery and bondage increafed : and (till you grow the more brutifh, forget- ful of God , and unapt for fpiritual ufe : For make it a Wanton once, and it groweth Itubborn and contumacious, and fecureth its intereft , and gaineth upon you : If you allow your (elves too free and full a gull and relifh in any outward thing, and let loofe the heart to every alluring Objeh , and withhold not your hearts from any joy and fenfe - pleafing Objea ( which Solomon acknowledgeth as his fin, I clef. a. la ) vicious and inordinate defrres increafe upon you ; and the more yoù gratifie them, the more they crave: The way to abate their rage, is to deny them, and hold an hard hand over them, to bring the body into fubjetäion, s Cor. g. 27. Li- berty allowed in fatisfying carnal defrres, doth marvelloufly increafe and nourifh them, and will bring you to carelefnefs, and hats refs of heart, if not flame foul fcandalons fall. I am lure the heart is corrupted ftrangely: Solomon faith, Prov. 24. 21. He that definitely bringeth up a fervant, (hall have him become a fin at length ; he will no more know his condition, but grow bold and troublefome. I am Pure the Flefh was ordained to be a Servant, and not a Matter : Take it in the mild- er} fettle, it was. ordained to be God's Servant, and our Servant, and muff be ufed as a Servant, kept fit for Work. We are the worfe for Licenfe : Our natural defrres, unlefs they feel Fetters and Reftraints, will grow unruly ; Therefore it is good to bridle the Flefh, left it grow mallerly: But when the.Flefh is that which you mind, which you indulge with too free a leave, you deny your felves nothing, but cocker every Appetite; you bring a fnare upon the foul; and carnal Dirtem- pers are the more rooted, and will prove troublefome, if not deftru&ive to you. 7. Confider the confequence and weight of theft things: If ib were á (mall matter we fpeak to you about, you might refufe to give ear; but it is in a cafe of Life and Death; Eternal Life, and Eternal Death. We can tell you of many Temporal and prefent inconveniencies that come by the Flefh; The Body, the part gratified, fuffereth, as well as the Soul by it, Prov. 8. I a. Thou fhdk mourn at laft , when thy Alb and thy body is confùmed : It betrayeth you to commit fuch fins as fuck your bones , and devour your ftrength , and give your years to the cruel : It bringeth infamy, and a blot upon -the Name, .fins and fcandals. Pleating the Flefh, and minding the Flefh, makes one turn Drunkard, another a Wanton, another a Glutton , or an hard-hearted Worldling, or an ambitious, vainglorious Fool, or a fenfelef Voluptuary : There are no (mall things. But rather confider, it will be the eternal ruin of your precious and immortal Souls: The more you give up your felves to pleafe the Flefh, the more you add fuel to that fire which (hall never be
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