Secondly, Thy duty is to be temperate as to the quality of thy diet. Though here no certain quality of food can be set down, God allowing something to the conditions, and much more to the weakly and sickly constitutions of men; yet in general this must be observed, that we make not provision for the flesh, Rom. 13.12. We may preserve the flesh, but we must not provide for the flesh; Our Enemy is strong enough already, we need not put more Weapons into his hands. To live after the flesh, is the sign of a sinner, Rom. 8.13. Its intemperance for a person in health to study and strive how he may gratify his palate. The Spirit of God calls it a sowing to the flesh, Gal. 6.7. The Husbandman plots, contrives and labours, how he may sow his seed to his best advantage. A Fleshmonger will be meditating in the morning before he riseth, with what art his dinner may be so sauced and dressed, that if possible he may excel a beast in carnal delights; he is sowing early, that he may reap liberally. The Christian may take his food, but his food must not take him. Its sinful to be given to our appetites. Its not ⟨p. 421⟩unlawful to eat dainties, but it is unlawful to set the mind upon them. We may receive them into our stomachs, but not into our hearts: When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler, consider diligently what is before thee, and put a Knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite; be not desirous of his dainties, they are deceitful meat, Pro. 23.1, 2, 3. In which words we may take notice. 1. Of a supposition, If thou be a man given to appetite; For a man to be given to Wine, it notes his extraordinary love to, and liking of that liquor; For a man to be given to Women, it speaks his excessive care and endeavour to enjoy that brutish and ungodly pleasure. For a man to be given to prayer, Psa. 109.4. it speaks prayer to be his trade, his employment, the work which he chiefly minds and pursueth. For a man to be given to God, Rom. 12.1. it notes the soul to be wholly at Gods service, to go when God bids him go; to come when God bids him come; so for a man to be given to his appetite, it implieth that all his projects are to please his palate, he is a caterer for the flesh, wholly subject to that sense, altogether at the devotion of his appetite; our appetites are given to us, but we must not be given to our appetites;
Secondly, Thy duty is to be temperate as to the quality of thy diet. Though here no certain quality of food can be set down, God allowing something to the conditions, and much more to the weakly and sickly constitutions of men; yet in general this must be observed, that we make not provision for the flesh, Rom. 13.12. We may preserve the flesh, but we must not provide for the flesh; Our Enemie is strong enough already, we need not put more Weapons into his hands. To live after the flesh, is the sign of a sinner, Rom. 8.13. Its intemperance for a person in health to study and strive how he may gratifie his palate. The Spirit of God cals it a sowing to the flesh, Gal. 6.7. The Husbandman plots, contrives and labours, how he may sow his seed to his best advantage. A Fleshmonger will be meditating in the morning before he riseth, with what art his dinner may be so sauced and drest, that if possble he may excell a beast in carnal delights; he is sowing early, that he may reap liberally. The Christian may take his food, but his food must not take him. Its sinful to be given to our appeties. Its not un ⟨p. 421⟩lawful to eat dainties, but it is unlawful to set the mind upon them. We may receive them into our stomachs, but not into our hearts: When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler, consider diligently what is before thee, and put a Knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite; be not desirous of his dainties, they are deceitful meat, Pro. 23.1, 2, 3. In which words we may take notice. 1. Of a supposition, If thou be a man given to appetite; For a man to be given to Wine, it notes his extraordinary love to, and likeing of that liquor; For a man to be given to Women, it speaks his excessive care and endeavour to enjoy that brutish and ungodly pleasure. For a man to be given to prayer, Psa. 109.4. it speaks prayer to be his trade, his imployment, the work which he chiefly minds and putsueth. For a man to be given to God, Rom. 12.1. it notes the soul to be wholly at Gods service, to go when God bids him go; to come when God bids him come; so for a man to be given to his appetite, it implyeth that all his projects are to please his palate, he is a caterer for the flesh, wholly subject to that sence, altogether at the devotion of his appetite; our appetites are given to us, but we must not be given to our appetites;
