How shall we do to wean the soul from pleasures ?
[1.] Consider to love pleasure is to gratify the beast in us rather than the angel. Man is in part an angel and in part a beast ; he hath a nature common to both. Now when men study altogether to gratify their sensual part, it is to turn men into beasts. To serve our lowest faculty, and to enjoy pleasures without remorse, is the happiness of the beasts ; to eat, and drink, and sleep, and sport is but to do as the beasts do ; a man's delight should be in the pure and free exercises of reason. If men would exercise themselves herein, they would find the greatest delectation would be in the contemplation and view of truth : Ps. xix. 8, ' The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.' That taste which hypocrites have of the good word of God, Heb. vi. 5, is merely such as scholars have in the height of speculation and study, because the gospel is such an excellent contrivance, and a sublime satisfying truth. Nulla major vohiptas qiiam fastidium voluptatis ; there is no greater pleasure than a disdain of sensual pleasures.
[2.] Consider the sweetness of religious exercises is far better than that of carnal pleasures, as that heat is more manly that is gotten by exercise than by hovering over the fire. It is hard, I confess, to abjure accustomed delights ; pleasantness is connatural to us ; but we should consider that by communion with God in spiritual exercises delight is not abrogated but preferred, and advanced to a more noble becoming- object ; it is taken out of Egypt that it may grow in Canaan, trans- planted out of a fen into a paradise, that it may thrive in a better soil ; it is less dreggy, but more masculine and grave : Ps. civ. 34, ' My meditation of him shall be sweet ; I will be glad in the Lord ; ' Eph. V. 4, 'Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks.' We keep the affection, but change the object. The comforts of Christianity are expressed by terms proper to the delights of the senses, to teach us this excellent art, to keep the affection and change the object, and by an holy sleight and wile to cozen the soul into better joys. Here delight is most pure and
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more free, no excess is vicious. Castce delickc mece sunt scripiurce iu(x ; thy scriptures are my chaste delights. The pleasures of the world are l)ut sugared halts ; a man may soon lose himself ; but here by trial 5'ou will find the same sweetness with less hazard and danger.
[3.] TVe may make choice of matter more pleasant to allure the soul. All the objects of meditation are not dark and gloomy ; there are some things pleasing to nature — the variety of providences, the beauty of the creation, the excellent contrivance of the gospel. All objects are not mournful, and in case of such a temptation we may allure the soul ; and when we are not so fit for the severe exercises of the closet, we may, as Isaac, go out into the fields to meditate, and heighten fancy and imagination by objects more pleasant.
3. The next general hindrance is a guilty conscience. When the soul is under the burden of guilt, we are loath to be serious and alone, lest the mind should tall on itself ; of all tilings we then desire to flee the company of ourselves, and therefore meditation is an unpleasant duty. We cannot think of God but as of a judge, nor of a world to come but as of our own ruin. A guilty conscience would fain obliter- ate the thoughts of God ; as the guilty heathens, Eom. i. 28, ' They (lid not like to retain God in their knowledge ; ' that is actual, sound, distinct thoughts of God. It is said, James ii. ] 9, ' The devils believe and tremble.' Thoughts of God impressed the more horror on them, therefore they cried out, Mat. viii. 29, ' Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? ' So guilty men are under these horrors, ' They are all their lifetime subject to bondage,' Heb. ii. 15 ; which, though it be not always felt, is soon awakened : Job xxi. 14, ' Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.'
What shall we do to remedy this.
[1.] Get your conscience cleansed by the hearty application of the blood of Christ. A galled conscience is much discomposed and un- settled, and unfit for such an exercise ; musing requireth a quiet sedate mind.
[2.] There are matters comfortable that maybe of excellent relief to the sphit. When the soul is sadly humbled, and bondage is indeed revived, there is an hope set before us to which we may fly for refuge : Heb. vi. 18, ' That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.' The wounded soul may run up to the mountains of myrrh and frankincense. So David, Ps. xciv. 19, ' In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.'