As it vfas then, so now is it with the papists, their successors. All the differences in religion between them and us, are by them grounded on the belly. That is the monarchy of the pope, and worldly pomp, and masses invented for idle priests, Latin prayers, little or no preaching ; only that the people being ignorant, they might more easily command them. If their errors were not invested in gain, we should soon accord* their worship, especially the manner thereof, only to delight the sense.
And among ourselves, many are not wanting that make profession of religion, but deny the power thereof. So long as religion and outward content do meet, and when religion brings prefo'ment, all will be religious, for they live by no rules but those that their lusts prescribes : morning and evening taking care for the flesh, how to be rich, how to Hve at ease ; and for this will sell their birthright in happiness, refusing the word, refusing good company, yea, heaven itself. And this justly comes as a judgment for man's first rebeUion. When men will not serve God as they should, they are justly given over to the service of those that are no gods.
Quest. But it may be asked. May we not seek to content our flesh ?
Ans. I answer. We may respect our bodies ; and there is a due honour that belongs to the outward man, but we must so seek for them, as in the first place and principally we seek the kingdom of heaven, and its righteous- ness ; and then God hath promised to cast these things upon us. Mat. vi, 33. But when we break order and measure, being first and princi- pally careful for our lusts, the devil knowing our haunts, offers baits fit- ting for;?our humours, and we, hke filthy swine, devour our own de- struction,
* That is, = ' we should soon agree that their worship is only,' &c. — G.
PHILIPPIANS CHAP. HI, VEU. Id. 131
And therefore, to avoid this, let us set the/ear of God and damnation before our eyes ; and if wc use not these things moderately and soberly, let that in Rom. viii. 13 be as a flaming sword to keep us from the way of destrac- tion. ' If we live according to the lusts of the flesh, we shall die ;' and therefore, ' as strangers and pilgrims, let us abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul ;' against our comfort here, and our happy estate hereafter.
Secondly, Let us avoid the company of condemned persons, but look on them with a kind of horror and detestation of them ; and pass not for their wicked censures, ' Their end is damnation, and their belly is their god.'
But because the best are drawn away by these pleasures, let us observe some directions.
And fii'st. Let us see the reasons why we are thus inveigled with them.
Reason 1. First, These earthly contentments are present to our sense. The other only are present to faith, which the carnal man looks not after, neither cai'es for.
2. Secondly, We nusJe^ up ourselves in an opinion of the necessity of these things, seeing the present use of them ; and we see no present use of those better things.
3. Thirdly, These things are hred up xuith us, and tve are acquainted with them from our infancy, and so they plead prescription ; and when we are thus taken up before, religion comes after, and very hai-d it must needs be, to keep our minds lifted up ; and yet is it most necessary to be ; for lusts do drown men in perdition, 1 Tim. vi. 9.
1. But for helps in this estate of ours, observe first, with due considera- tion, the nature, dignity, and excellency of the soul ; that it is a spirit of an excellent beauty, adorned with understanding and judgment, not made to cast ofi" the crown, submitting itself to the rule of every base lust, which indeed is the only happiness of the beasts ; nay, if happiness consists in pleasing the senses, beasts are more happy than we, for they have neither shame without, nor conscience within, to disquiet them in the enjoyment of their pleasures.
And know also that this body of ours, being of that excellent temper, is a fabric which was not made only to be a strainer for meat to pass through. The quality of the brain in man, the structure of the eye, do testify man was made for divine meditation, to contemplate of the works of God, which it doth behold with the eye as through a glass.
2. Secondly, We must hnow, hy giving our affections to these things, we are made liJce the things we affect ; for the soul is placed in the midst, as it were, between heaven and earth, and as it afiects the one or the other, so is it fashioned. If we love the flesh we are flesh ; if we follow the Spirit, we are transformed to its likeness.
3. Thirdly, Consider that God is letter than the icorshipper, else is he mad that wdll worship it. But the belly is baser than ourselves. Reason teacheth us the pleasm-es of this life end in death, when our souls must still continue after all. Now to seek such pleasures as cannot continue with us is madness, as appears even by the light of reason ; and therefore are of more power with natural men than pure religious truths. But for those that are called, the Scriptm'e puts them in mind of the last day of judgment, and tells them that they are made for heaven ; and such are therefore to set their minds on things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, Col. iii. 1 ; and when they begin to grow