A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…

Doct. Old-men and Young-men are to be weaned from the lusts of the flesh.

For he writes to Old-men and Young-men, Love not the World, nor the things of the World, for all that is in the World, the lust of the flesh, &c.

Quest. 1. What are the lusts of the flesh?

Now the body stirs up first to intemperancy, whereof two parts, Gluttony, and Drunkenness.

Now the body stirs up first to intemperancy, whereof two parts, Gluttony, and Drunkennesse.

2. The body tends to Incontinency, Whoredom and Adultery.

2. The body tends to Incontinency, Whoredome and Adultery.

3. The body desires ease and pleasure: Gluttony and Drunkenness in meat and drink, Wantonness, Whoredom, love to Idleness and pastime, all these are included here; and to Children he doth not speak, for they are not usually given to eat much, or drink more than needs, but when they have enough, they cease; and for inconstancy, they are not tempted to it; and for ease, it cannot be Idleness in them, though they spend much time in pastime and play, Zech. 8.5. for their bodies are too weak to labour, and their minds to study are too shallow, but when they come to riper years, let them be ⟨p. 125⟩employed, but even the first seven years are spent in pastime, and God looks not much at it; but you young men, and old men, love not intemperancy, incontinency, or idleness.

3. The body desires ease and pleasure: Gluttony and Drunkennesse in meat and drink, Wantonnesse, Whoredome, love to Idlenesse and pastime, all these are included here; and to Children he doth not speak, for they are not usually given to eat much, or drink more than needs, but when they have enough, they cease; and for inconstancy, they are not tempted to it; and for ease, it cannot be Idlenesse in them, though they spend much time in pastime and play, Zech. 8.5. for their bodies are too weak to labour, and their minds to study are too shallow, but when they come to riper years, let them be ⟨p. 125⟩imployed, but even the first seven years are spent in pastime, and God looks not much at it; but you young men, and old men, love not intemperancy, incontinency, or idlenesse.

1 The body distempered with meat is Gluttony, with drink, is Drunkenness.

1 The body distempered with meat is Gluttony, with drink, is Drunkennesse.

Now a man may sin in Gluttony, and Drunkenness, or Intemperancy, either when his appetite is carried to an unfit object, as,

1. When a man hath a longing desire to those things which are hurtful unto him, as if by the Physician Wine be forbidden, or salt meats to some bodies, yet there is a lust in mens natures to affect these; it was a lust of intemperancy in the old Law, to desire after any unclean meats forbidden, Lev. 8. and God reproves it, Isa. 65.4. they lusted after Swines flesh, and abominable things, so that though a man exceed not in the measure, yet in the object, this is intemperance, such a lust was that in our first Parents, Gen. 3.6. here was lusting after a meat forbidden, because she saw it was fair.

1. When a man hath a longing desire to those things which are hurtfull unto him, as if by the Physician Wine be forbidden, or salt meats to some bodies, yet there is a lust in mens natures to affect these; it was a lust of intemperancy in the old Law, to desire after any unclean meats forbidden, Lev. 8. and God reproves it, Isa. 65.4. they lusted after Swines flesh, and abominable things, so that though a man exceed not in the measure, yet in the object, this is intemperance, such a lust was that in our first Parents, Gen. 3.6. here was lusting after a meat forbidden, because she saw it was faire.

2. This lust shows it self, not so much in the nature of the meats or drinks, as in the the measure of it, for a man may exceed measure in eating and drinking.

2. This lust shews it selfe, not so much in the nature of the meats or drinks, as in the the measure of it, for a man may exceed measure in eating and drinking.

1 Beyond health, when it is not for strength, Eccl. 10.16, 17. it is a lust forbid to eat in the morning excessively, and glut themselves, this is beyond the strength of the body; the same may be said of drinks in excessive manner, Luke 21.34. when the Lungs and Liver are distempered and inflamed, and health hurt, Prov. 23.26. this is an excess.

1 Beyond health, when it is not for strength, Eccl. 10.16, 17. it is a lust forbid to eat in the morning excessively, and glut themselves, this is beyond the strength of the body; the same may be said of drinks in excessive manner, Luke 21.34. when the Lungs and Liver are distempered and inflamed, and health hurt, Prov. 23.26. this is an excesse.

2 When we covet meats and drinks beyond the measure of our estate, when we lust above our means, Prov. 23.20, 21. when by costly meat and drink he weakens his estate, Prov. 21.17. if a man be given to costly fare he shall surely come to poverty.

3 A man may exceed, when he exceeds the measure of due order, when they compel men to eat and drink more than willingly they would.

3 A man may exceed, when he exceeds the measure of due order, when they compell men to eat and drink more than willingly they would.

4 When we exceed the bounds of reason, when we so eat and drink that we forget our business, and reason is quite disturbed, as Lot was so drunk that he defiled his Daughters, Gen. 19.33, 35. and Noah was so far drunk that he could not cover his nakedness; in Lot, his reason was wholly taken away, in Noah partly; and now whether reason be disturbed in part, or in whole, it is a lust of the flesh.

4 When we exceed the bounds of reason, when we so eat and drink that we forget our businesse, and reason is quite disturbed, as Lot was so drunk that he defiled his Daughters, Gen. 19.33, 35. and Noah was so far drunk that he could not cover his nakednesse; in Lot, his reason was wholly taken away, in Noah partly; and now whether reason be disturbed in part, or in whole, it is a lust of the flesh.

5 He may exceed the bounds of his Calling; when he eats or drinks so much as makes him unfit for his Calling, this is a lust of the flesh that hinders either our general or particular Calling, Luke 21.34. and for particular Calling we read, Exod. 32. They ate and drank, and rose up to play; so that the meat and drink that should strengthen a man, utterly disables him to follow his Calling.

5 He may exceed the bounds of his Calling; when he eats or drinks so much as makes him unfit for his Calling, this is a lust of the flesh that hinders either our generall or particular Calling, Luke 21.34. and for particular Calling we read, Exod. 32. They ate and dranke, and rose up to play; so that the meat and drink that should strengthen a man, utterly disables him to follow his Calling.