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

Secondly; Consider the baseness and the danger of Pleasures, in four Considerations.

1. The baser a Man is, the more he affects carnal Delights, and is addicted this way; Eccles. 7.4. The Heart of the Wise is in the House of Mourning; but the Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth. That which wise Men prefer, certainly is better than that which Fools make choice of. Now this is the choice of Fools; wise Men know there is more to be gained by grave Exercises, and by Spectacles of Sorrow, than in the places of carnal rejoicing: They know there is nothing to be seen or heard there, but Snares or Baits; little Wisdom to be gained, and little improvement of Grace and Reason to be made.

1. The baser a Man is, the more he affects carnal Delights, and is addicted this way; Eccles. 7.4. The Heart of the Wise is in the House of Mourning; but the Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth. That which wise Men prefer, certainly is better than that which Fools make choice of. Now this is the choice of Fools; wise Men know there is more to be gained by grave Exercises, and by Spectacles of Sorrow, than in the places of carnal rejoycing: They know there is nothing to be seen or heard there, but Snares or Baits; little Wisdom to be gained, and little improvement of Grace and Reason to be made.

2. All carnal Pleasures are mixed with Grief, and leave a Sting and Bitterness in the Issue. You never came away from your Sports with such a merry Heart as you do from the Throne of Grace. If Men would but consider their Experiences after Duty, and after Recreation, there's a Calm and Serenity in the Conscience after the saddest Duties when they are ended. Who ever repented of his Repentance? they yield some cheering and reviving to the Soul: As it is said of Hannah,