-- Direct. XIV. Mortify the Flesh, and rule the Senses, and the Appetite
8. Lastly, To make religion unpleasant to you, the tempter would keep the substance of the Gospel unknown to, or unobserved by you.
He would hide the wonderful love of God revealed in our Redeemer, and all the riches of saving grace, and the great deliverance and privileges of believers, and the certain hopes of life eternal: and the kingdom of God, which consisteth in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, shall be represented to you as consisting in errors only, or in trifles; in shadows and shews, and bodily exercise, which profiteth little. If ever you would know the pleasures of faith and holiness, you must labour above all to know God, as revealed in his infinite love in the Mediator; and read the Gospel as God's act of oblivion, and the New Testament and Covenant of Christ, in which he giveth you life eternal. And in every duty draw near to God as a reconciled Father, the object of your everlasting love and joy. Know and use religion as it is, without mistaking or corrupting it, and it will not appear to you as a grievous, tedious, or confounding thing.
Direct. XIV.
Mortify the Flesh, and rule the Senses, and the Appetite Direct. XIV. 'Be very diligent in mortifying the desires and pleasures of the flesh; and keep a continual watch upon your senses, appetite, and lusts; and cast not yourselves upon temptations, occasions, or opportunities of sinning, remembering that your salvation lieth on your success.'
The lusts of the flesh, and the pleasures of the world, are the common enemies of God and souls, and the damnation of those souls that perish. And there is no sort more liable to temptations of this kind, than those that are in the flower of their youth and strength.
When all the senses are in their vigour, and lust and appetite are in their strength and fury, how great is the danger! and how great must
your diligence be if you will escape! The appetite and lust of the weak and sick, are weak and sick as well as they; and therefore they are no great temptation or danger to them. The desire and pleasure of the senses do abate, as natural strength and vigour doth abate. To such there is much less need of watchfulness: and where nature hath mortified the flesh, there is somewhat the less for grace to do. There needs not much grace to keep the aged and weak from fornication, uncleanness, excessive sports, and carnal mirth: and gluttony and drunkenness also, are sins which youth is much more liable to.
Especially some bodies that are not only young and strong, but have, in their temperature and complexion, a special inclination to some of these, as lust, or sport, or foolish mirth; there needeth a great deal of diligence, resolution, and watchfulness for their preservation. Lust is not like a corrupt opinion, that surpriseth us through a defect of reason, and vanisheth as soon as truth appeareth; but it is a brutish inclination, which, though reason must subdue and govern, yet the perfectest reason will not extirpate, but there it will still dwell. And, as it is constantly with you, it will be stirring, when objects are presented by the sense or fancy, to allure. And it is like a torrent or a head-strong horse, that must be kept in at first, and is hardly restrained if it once break loose and get the head. If you are bred up in temperance and modesty, where there are no great temptations to gluttony, drinking, sports, or wantonness, you may think awhile that your natures have little or none of this concupiscence, and so may walk without a guard; but when you come where baits of lust abound, where women, and plays, and feasts, and drunkards are the devil's snares, and tinder, and bellows, to inflame your lusts, you may then find to your sorrow, that you had need of watchfulness, and that all is not mortified that is asleep, or quiet in you. As a man that goeth with a candle among gunpowder, or near thatch, should never be careless, because he goeth in continual danger; so you that are young, and have naturally eager appetites and lusts, should