1. we must look off this world in respect of its sinful pleasures; Jude tells us, such as are sensual have not the spirit: we cannot fixedly look on pleasures,1 and look on Jesus at once. Job tells us, that they that take up the Timbrel, and Harp, and rejoice at the sound of the Organ, that spend their days in mirth, are the same that say unto God, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; what is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? We have a lively example of this in Augustine's conversion; he would indeed have had Christ, and his pleasures too; but when he saw it would not be, Oh what conflicts were within him. In his Orchard (as he stories it in his book of confessions) all his pleasures past represented themselves before his eyes, saying, What wilt thou depart from us for ever? 2and shall we be no more with thee for ever? O Lord (saith Augustin, writing this confession) turn away my mind from thinking that which they objected to my soul! What filth? What shameful pleasures did they lay before my eyes? At length after this combat, a shower of tears came from him, and casting himself on the ground under a Fig-tree, he cries it out, O Lord, how long, how long shall I say, to morrow, to morrow? Why not to day Lord, why not to day? why should there not be an end of my filthy life even at this hour? Immediately after this he heard a voice, as if it had been a boy or a girl singing by, take up, and read; take up, and read; and thereupon opening his Bible that lay by him at hand, he read in silence the first Chapter that offered it self, wherein was written, Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering or wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put ye on the Lord Jesus, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Further then this sentence I would not read (saith Augustine) neither indeed was it needful; for presently, as if light had been poured into my heart, all the darkness of my doubtfulness fled away. His eye was now taken off his pleasures, and for ever after it was set on Jesus.
1. we must look off this world in respect of its sinfull pleasures; Jude tells us, such as are sensual have not the spirit: we cannot fixedly look on pleasures,1 and look on Jesus at once. Job tells us, that they that take up the Timbril, and Harp, and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ, that spend their dayes in mirth, are the same that say unto God, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes; what is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? We have a lively example of this in Augustines conversion; he would indeed have had Christ, and his pleasures too; but when he saw it would not be, Oh what conflicts were within him. In his Orchard (as he stories it in his book of confessions) all his pleasures past represented themselves before his eyes, saying, What wilt thou depart from us for ever? 2and shall we be no more with thee for ever? O Lord (saith Augustin, writing this confession) turn away my minde from thinking that which they objected to my soul! What filth? What shameful pleasures did they lay before my eyes? At length after this combate, a showr of tears came from him, and casting himself on the ground under a Fig-tree, he cries it out, O Lord, how long, how long shall I say, to morrow, to morrow? Why not to day Lord, why not to day? why should there not be an end of my filthy life even at this hour? Immediately after this he heard a voice, as if it had been a boy or a girle singing by, take up, and read; take up, and read; and thereupon opening his Bible that lay by him at hand, he read in silence the first Chapter that offered it self, wherein was written, Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering or wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put ye on the Lord Jesus, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Further then this sentence I would not read (saith Augustine) neither indeed was it needful; for presently, as if light had been poured into my heart, all the darkness of my doubtfulness fled away. His eye was now taken off his pleasures, and for ever after it was set on Jesus.
- 1Jude 18.19. Job 21.12, 13, 14, 15.
- 2Dimittesne nos & a momento isto non crimus tecum ultra in aeternum? Aug. in lib confess. Et tu Domine usque quo? quam diu, quam diu cras & cras & quare non modo? quare non hoc hora sinis est turpitudinis meae: Aug. ibid Tolle & lege • tolle & lege, Idem ibid. Rom. 13.13, 14.
