A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

1. The Lusts of the Flesh, viz. Sensuality, or an inordinate desire of Pleasures. It is the Happiness of Beasts to enjoy Pleasure with more Liberty than Man can, and without Remorse of Conscience; and therefore a Heathen could say, He is not worthy the Name of a Man (qui unum diem velit esse in voluptate) that would spend one day in Pleasure. Other Sins deprive us of the Image of God, but the Lusts of the Flesh deprive us of our own Image; they unman us of all Desires. These bring most Shame, because it is the lowest basest Act of Self-Love, and the matter of them is gross and burdensome, and they do emasculate and quench the Bravery of the Spirit, and embase it, and keep the Soul at the greatest distance from God, and spiritual Employments. How can they look after God and Heaven, whose Hearts are sunk in their Bellies? The Lusts of the Flesh quench the Vigour of Nature, how much more do they hinder the powerful Operations of the Spirit? Jude 19. Sensual, not having the Spirit. The Spirit is divine and active, and raises the Soul to higher things; but sensual Persons have no Radiancy of Graces, nor Vigour of Gifts. Nay, in some sense, this is at the bottom, and is the Root of every Sin; it is the Devil's Bait, and the Sauce of every Temptation: Men take a pleasure in their proud Thoughts, in their Worldly and Carnal Practices. Other Sins are rooted in Sensuality and love of Pleasure. Again, it is a Sin most opposite to the Gravity and Severity of Religion. A garish frothy Spirit, that is addicted to carnal Delights, is not fit for such a grave thing as Religion, which requires a solid grave frame of Spirit; and yet as contrary as it is, it is very natural to us. We had but two common Parents, Adam and Noah, and both fell by Pleasure, they miscarried by Appetite; Adam by eating, and Noah by drinking. And when the Apostle gives us a Catalogue of the Lusts of the Flesh, Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. it is filled up in a great part with the Fruits of Sensuality, as Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Drunkenness, Revellings. We are mighty prone to this, because Pleasures are tasted by the Senses, and Virtue is found out by Searches of Reason; therefore we are very apt to be carried away by our Senses: you must subdue this, or else you are utterly unfit for Religion, or any high Work.

1. The Lusts of the Flesh, viz. Sensuality, or an inordinate desire of Pleasures. It is the Happiness of Beasts to enjoy Pleasure with more Liberty than Man can, and without Remorse of Conscience; and therefore a Heathen could say, He is not worthy the Name of a Man (qui unum diem velit esse in voluptate) that would spend one day in Pleasure. Other Sins deprive us of the Image of God, but the Lusts of the Flesh deprive us of our own Image; they unman us of all Desires. These bring most Shame, because it is the lowest basest Act of Self-Love, and the matter of them is gross and burthensom, and they do emasculate and quench the Bravery of the Spirit, and embase it, and keep the Soul at the greatest distance from God, and spiritual Employments. How can they look after God and Heaven, whose Hearts are sunk in their Bellies? The Lusts of the Flesh quench the Vigor of Nature, how much more do they hinder the powerful Operations of the Spirit?