A Christian Directory

§. 12. 7. Remember that flesh-pleasing is a great contempt and treachery against the soul. It is a great contempt of an immortal soul, to prefer its corruptible flesh before it, and to make its servant to become its master; and to ride on horseback, while it goes, as it were, on foot: Is the flesh worthy of so much time and cost and care, and so much ado as is made for it in the world, and is not a never dying soul worth more? Nay it is a betraying of the soul: You set up its enemy before it; and put its safety into an enemies hands: And you cast away all its Joys and Hopes for the gratifying of the flesh. Might it not complain of your cruelty and say, Must my endless happiness be sold to purchase so short a pleasure for your flesh? Must I be undone for ever, and lie in Hell, that it may be satisfied for a little time? But why talk I of the souls complaint? Alas it is it self that it must complain of! For it is its own doing! It hath its choice: The flesh can but tempt it, and not constrain it: God hath put the chief power and government into its hands: If it will sell its own eternal hopes, to pamper worms meat, it must speed accordingly. You would not think very honourably of that mans wit or honesty, who would sell the patrimony of all his children, and all his friends that trusted him therewith, and after sell their persons into slavery, and all this to purchase him a delicious feast, with sports and gallantry for a day! And is he wiser or better that selleth (in effect) the inheritance of his soul, and betrayeth it to Hell and Devils, for ever, and all this to purchase the fleshly pleasure of so short a life?

§. 12. 7. Remember that flesh-pleasing is a great contempt and treacherie against the soul. It is a great contempt of an immortal soul, to prefer its corruptible flesh before it, and to make its servant to become its master; and to ride on horseback, while it goes, as it were, on foot: Is the flesh worthy of so much time and cost and care, and so much ado as is made for it in the world, and is not a never dying soul worth more? Nay it is a betraying of the soul: You set up its enemy before it; and put its safety into an enemies hands: And you cast away all its Joys and Hopes for the gratifying of the flesh. Might it not complain of your cruelty and say, Must my endless happiness be sold to purchase so short a pleasure for your flesh? Must I be undone for ever, and lie in Hell, that it may be satisfied for a little time? But why talk I of the souls complaint? Alas it is it self that it must complain of! For it is its own doing! It hath its choice: The flesh can but tempt it, and not constrain it: God hath put the chief power and government into its hands: If it will sell its own eternal hopes, to pamper worms meat, it must speed accordingly. You would not think very honourably of that mans wit or honesty, who would sell the patrimony of all his children, and all his friends that trusted him therewith, and after sell their persons into slavery, and all this to purchase him a delicious feast, with sports and gallantry for a day! And is he wiser or better that selleth (in effect) the inheritance of his soul, and betrayeth it to Hell and Devils, for ever, and all this to purchase the fleshly pleasure of so short a life?