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dishonourable Lufts. The Reasons of Vol. II. his Prohibition are plain and unanfwerable; for these Kinds of Pleasure contradict the Light of Nature, and the Defign of our Creation: invade the Rights of Mankind, corrupt and deprave our Natures, debauch and embroil the World, grieve, quench, and do defpight to the Holy Spirit: No Dexterity, no Management can ever cure the Malignity of these Vices, nor prevent the Mischief and Ill-effects of them: No Wit, no Sophistry can excufe or palliate them; and nothing but the Violence of Luft, or the Impudence of Atheism, can feduce Men into an Opinion that they are harmlefs and indifferent. Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words,` for thefe things fake comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. This then is one Bound fet us, but not the only one? we are not only to refrain from forbidden Instances of Pleafure, but also

2ly, We are commanded to moderate our Paffion, even for those Kinds of Pleasure which are allowed us. Love not the world, nor the things of the world, John 12. If we be Lovers

Vol. I. of Pleasure more then lovers of God, it matters little of what Nature this Pleasure be; unlawful Pleasures wound and destroy the Confcience : lawful ones, if we fet no Bounds to them, lull and enchant it: the one openly and directly overthrow the Principles of Religion, the other more flily and fubtilly undermine them: the one beget in us Enmity and Averfion against Goodness, the other Coldness and Indifference for it: the one produce a Scandalous and Infamous Life, the other a Fruitless and a Sensual one.Both are Diseases, both fatal; only the one is a more loathfom, the other a more inoffenfive one.

What difference there will be in the Fortunes of these different Kinds of Voluptuaries at the last Day, I determine not. 'Tis but a fmall Comfort to those wretched Creatures, who are intoxicated and infatuated by carnal and wordly (though as to the Matter of them, innocent) Pleasures, that the Furnance fhall be heated seven times hotter for the Incestuous and the Sodomite, the Adulterer and the Sot, then for them. But peradventure you will judge this Rule expreffed with

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too much Latitude, and you are defi- Vol. II. rous to know what are the Meafures of a lawful Paffion or innocent Pleasure; and by what Boundaries and Marks you are to judge of the Moderation of Excels of your Affections. For preventing all Mistakes in this Matter, I will advise you three things:

1. Confider well for what Ends God allows us Temporal Pleafure; and these are certainly to eafe the Toils,and fweeten the Troubles of Life, to refresh the Mind and recruit the Body, to inlarge our Notion of Divine Goodness,to minifter occafion to our Thanks and Praise of him, to render us more chearful and vigorous in his Service: from hence it follows plainly, that we must take care that our Enjoyments strengthen and revive our Bodies, not wear, not impair them; that they bring ease and delight to the Mind, not disturb and perplex it; that they quicken and qualifie us for Religion, not incapacitate and indispose us. This will cut off all studied and coftly preparations for Pleasure, and Exceffes in our Entertainments of it, which are fo far from being a true and rational Satisfaction,that they are the Burden of

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Vol. II. the Body, and the Travel of the Mind

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whereas on the quite contrary, were we modest in our provifion for, and temperate in the ufe of our Pleasures, as this would contribute not a little, to moderate our Affections for them, so would it contribute too, not a little, to the vigor of the Body and chearfulness of the Mind, which is the best frame and condition we can be in with respect to Vertue and Religion; for a vigorous Body and chearful Mind are the most proper Inftruments of the Divine Glory.

2. Confider what power Pleasure has over you, what Influence it has upon you. Pleasure is the Master of Fools, but the Servant of the Wife ; 'tis the business of the one, but the diverfion of the other. Whenever therefore Pleasure obfcures the Light, or fubverts the Liberty of the Mind; whenever it fupplants our Modesty or Magnanimity; whenever it enfeebles the Vigour and Activity of Vertue; in a word, whenever it impairs our Faith, abates and extinguishes our Love of God, takes off our guft and relish of Spiritual Joy, and enflaves us to the World, or any thing in it; then tho'

it should court us under the shape of Vol. II. an Angel of Light, though it wear all the Smiles of Friendship and Innocence, 'tis an Enemy, 'tis a Devil.

3. Your Bufinefs is not to enquire how far you may enjoy, but rather to confider what Obligations you lye under to the highest degree of Purity and Abstinence: Remember that you have in your Baptism renounced the World and the Flesh, and that the Friendship and Careffes of both do war against the Soul: remember that you are strangers and pilgrims upon earth, that you seek a better Country, and expect an inheritance of glory; remember that you are to tread in the fteps of the holy and humble Jefus : remember that to adorn the Gospel of Chrift, to fhew forth the Praifes of him, who hath called you out of darkeness into his marvellous light, and to make others in love with Religion by the Innocence and Beauty, by the Purity and Splendour of your Converfation. Confider, laftly, that the world paffes away and the luft thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever. Then, you will eafily discern, that we are to use this world as not abufing it, and to enjoy, as

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