A Directory for Youth, Sermon · Remedies 3
Remedies againſt the Youthful Luſt of Intemperance.
THis is a Sin Youth is much given to, as I have in the beginning ſhewed, now in order to the fleeing of it.
Firſt, Labour after a diſtinct and clear knowledge what it is? wherein it ſtands? The Schoolmen ſay, a perſon is guilty of this Sin theſe five ways when he eats and drinks: 1. Praeproperè, too haſtily. 2. Lautè, too daintily. 3. Nimis, too much. 4. Ardenter, too vehemently. 5. Studiosè, too carefully.
1. If he eat too ſoon or haſtily, before the proper Seaſon, Iſa. 5. 11. Wo to them that riſe up early, that they may follow ſtrong drink. And Eccl. 10. 17. Wo to the Land whoſe Princes eat in the morning. A time wherein the Soul is to be feaſted at the Throne of Grace, and in the word of God's Grace, Prayer, and reading the Scripture, according to that excellent Rule in Matth. 6. 33. Firſt ſeek the kingdom of God. And then a perſon may be ſaid to eat too ſoon or haſtily, when he falls on without Prayer, or craving of a Bleſſing; it was the continual practice of our dear Saviour, who is out Example, to look up to his Father for a Bleſſing, e're he would partake of the Creature.
2. If a perſon eat and drink too daintily, when there is an exceſs in point of Coſtlineſs and Curioſity; Manna had been better for the Iſraelites, than Quails. Holy Jacob's ſanctified deſires extended no farther, than if thou wilt give me Bread to eat; mark it, not ſumptuous delicate Fare, but Bread, Gen. 28. 20. And Elijah was content with a Cruiſe of Water, and a Cake on the Coals, while Jezabe… 's 400 Prophets were pamper'd at her full Table. Chriſt has taught us herein in that Petition, how to regulate our deſires, Give us this day our daily Bread. Pray obſerve it, no more than plain Bread. And the Apoſtle ſaith, Having food and rayment, let us therewith be content, 1 Tim. 6. 8. Rayment, not Ornament: So that when we (without cauſe) crave delicate Fare, and laſh out beyond that proportion our Eſtates and Incomes will bear, we are guilty of this Sin: And then when we are too curious about the Sorts of Meat and Drink, and their Dreſſing and Sawces, we herein generally ſend in Ammunition to the ſenſual Appetite, to rebel againſt Reaſon and Grace.
3. We offend, and are guilty of this Sin of Intemperance, when we exceed as to the quantity, eating and drinking more than what fits us for our general, and particular calling; as we muſt not neglect our Bodies, ſo on the other hand we muſt not pamper them; Take heed (ſaith our Saviour) leſt at any time your Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting, &c. and ſo that Day come upon you at unawares. This was the Sin of the Old World, and Sodom; and it is England's and London's Sin, eſpecially the younger ſort, at this day.
4. We offend, and are guilty of this Sin, when we ſeed eagerly, and greedily, or as St. Jude ſpeaketh in the 12. ver. They feed without fear, not regarding God's awful Diſpenſations in the world, as you have it ſet forth in that 6. Amos, Wo to them that are at eaſe in Zion, ver. 1. That lie upon Beds of Ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their Couches, and eat the Lambs out of the Flock, and the Calves out of the midſt of the Stall, ver. 4. That drink Wine in Bowls, but are not grieved at the Afflictions of Joſeph, ver. 6. When the Church of God is drinking Blood and Tears, it is unſeaſonable to drink Wine in Bowls: Daniel would eat no pleaſant Bread, nor drink Wine, when it went ill with the poor People of God.
5. We offend, and are guilty of this Sin, when we eat ſtudiouſly, when we ſtudy to pamper, and make proviſion for the Fleſh, and to pleaſe our Appetite, as if we were Debtors to the Fleſh to live to it, and ca…er for it.
6. We offend herein, when we make the pleaſing of our Appetite our main end, in Eating and Drinking; and not the glorifying of God, and preparing us for his Service. The All-wiſe God never gave us our Appetites, to be our rule, or our end, in eating and drinking; but to be governed by Grace and Reaſon, to an higher end than pleaſing the Fleſh.
Now having ſhewn you wherein this Sin ſtands, the next direction in order to …lee it, is as followeth.
Secondly, Study how hateful this Sin is to God, and how hurtful it is to your ſelves, and others; it is hateful to God, as it takes the heart off from him, and Idolatrouſly ſets it upon the Throat, and the Belly: hence you have it deſcribed, in that 3. Phil. 19. Whoſe end is deſtruction, whoſe God is their Belly, being enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt. Hence Gluttons are commonly called Belly-Gods. And you may further ſee how odious it is to God in that thundring Scripture, Iſa. 22. 14. In that day did the Lord call for Weeping, and Mourning, and behold eating of Fleſh, and drinking of Wine, ſaying, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall dye—Surely this Iniquity ſhall not be purged away, till you dye, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. Again, it is hateful to God, as it is a notorious Tranſgreſſion of his holy Law, Epheſ. 5. 18. Luke 21. 34. Prov. 23 20. It is a Sin ſo expreſly again…t the command of God, that Gluttons and Drunkards can't plead ignorance, eſpecially ſuch as live under the Goſpel: So that it muſt needs be hateful to God, ſeeing it is Rebellion againſt the Light, Job 24. 13 hence David expoſtulates in Pſal. 10. 13. Wherefore doth the Wicked contemn God? Again, it muſt needs be hateful to God, as it carrieth in it a hatred of God; if the Friendſhip of this World is enmity with God, as St. James affirmeth, in the 4. Jam. 4. What is then friendſhip with the Luſts of the Fleſh. O young men, think of it ſeriouſly, when you are tempted to Riot, and Exceſs, this is direct enmity to God, and therefore moſt hateful to him▪ and can your ſeeble Hands graſp, and make your part good with Omnipotency? I… a terrible thing to renounce the Heaven of God's love and favour, for the pleaſing of my Throat; but directly to run into the Hell of his hatred, O what madneſs is this? It were much better a thouſand …imes, that thou ſhouldſt never eat bit, or …rink drop more, than do ſo. And then … it is thus hateful to God, ſo it is hurtful …o your ſelves, and others. (1.) To your …elves, and that both as to your Bodies and …ouls. Intemperance is the bane of the Body, as it fills it with Diſeaſes, and oppreſſeth Nature, conſuming its animal and …ital Spirits, and ſo is a degree of ſelf mur…er. Who hath Wo? who hath Sorrow? but …he Glutton and Drunkard, Prov. 23. 29. Hence are thoſe proverbial Sayings, Meat …lls as many as the Muſquet, and the Board as …e Sword, and much Meat, much Malady. Plures pereunt crapulâ, quam capula, &c. It …rings ruin to a man's Eſtate. Prov. 23. 21. …he Drunkard and the Glutton ſhall come to Poverty. Many a man hath become by …ntemperance, worſe than an Infidel, in wa…ing that Proviſion, that he was bound to preſerve for Wife and Children. Thus Intemperance is hurtful to the Body. And then it is hurtful to the Soul, as it wages War againſt it. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly beloved, …l beſeech you, abſtain from fleſhly …uſts, which …ar againſt the Soul. Fulneſs breeds forgetfulneſs of God. Deut. 6. 11, 12. When thou …halt have eaten, and art full, then beware … thou forget the Lord. So Prov. 30. 9. Feed me with Food convenient for me, leſt I be full, and deny thee, and ſay, Who is the Lord? It unfits the Soul for all holy Exerciſes, a full Belly, and a lean Soul uſually go together: When the great enquiry is, What ſhall we eat? what ſhall we drink? There is a deep ſilence about the Soul, no ſuch voice heard as, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? A full Belly (ſaith one) neither ſtudies well, nor prays well; and St. Paul ſaith, in Rom. 16. 10. That they ſerve not the Lord Chriſt, that ſerve their own Bellies.
In a word, Intemperance is ſo hurtful to your ſelves, as that without timely repentance, and fleeing it, it will moſt certainly exclude Soul and Body out of Heaven, and plunge both into Hell for evermore. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not (ſaith the Apoſtle) that the Ʋnrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God; be not deceived, neither Drunkards, &c. Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. Now the works of the Fleſh are manifeſt; Drunkenneſs, Revellings, and ſuch like, of which I have told you before, as I have alſo told you in time paſt, that they which do ſuch things, ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. And in the 12. of Luke 45. If that Servant ſhall begin to eat and drunk, …nd be dru…k…n, the Lord of that Servant will out him …ſunder, and will appoint him his p…rt on with the Ʋnbeliever. And that is Hell.
And then this Sin of Intemperance is hurtful to others, its injurious to the Poor, coathing and feeding them. Many have …ot Mony for ſuch uſes, becauſe they have …aſt it away, and prodigally conſumed it …pon their Luſts of Gluttony and Drunken…eſs. And it's a Sin highly aggravated by …he Miſeries and Afflictions of the Church of God at this day, wherein God calls for mourning: Now at ſuch a time to ſay with them in Iſa. 56. 12. We will fetch Wine, and …e will fill our ſelves with ſtrong Drink, and tomorrow ſhall be as this day, and much more …bundant. O what an aggravation is this. And would to God that I could not apply …his Text to our preſent times: the Lord be merciful to us! What an incongruity is it …o hear and ſee ſome Chriſtians ready to …tarve, and cry out for a bit of Bread, in one place; and others, Jeſuran like waxing fat, and kicking for Wantonneſs; ſome, rowling in Blood, and others in Vomit; ſome feeding on Aſhes, and drinking of Tears, while others fare deliciouſly every day; ſome like Dives, other like Lazarus. O young men, ſtudy the hainous nature of this Sin of Intemperance, as it is hateful to God, and hurtful to your ſelves and others. And then
Thirdly, Study thy ſelf, both the ſtate of thy Soul and Body: enquire and commune with your own Hearts about it, whether thy Soul be in a ſtate of Grace, and Peace with God, or of Sin and Enmity? be ſure one of them it is: O labour after a true ſight of it, which it is? if a ſtate of Sin and Enmity, then faſting and abſtinence, become one in thy condition, much more than eating and drinking. Alas, a poor Sinner, unreconciled to God, ready to drop into Hell, and hanker after dainties, and delicacies of Meats and Drinks, how abſurd! But if it be a ſtate of Grace, and Peace, why then Grace will be content with leſs than Nature, and Nature will be content with little. It is Luſt that is ſo outragious, but they that are Chriſt's, have crucified the Fleſh with its Affections, and Luſts. And then ſtudy the ſtate of thy Body too, is it not mortal? muſt it not be e're long Worms meat? and then do but ſoberly judge how far ſuch a thing ſhould be pampered, and at what rates. O methinks a ſight of your ſtate, ſhould make you abhor Gluttony and Epicuriſm. O youth, attend hereunto, remember Eſau was called prophane, for parting with his Birth right, for one Morſel of Meat: and when ever you feel your Appetite eager and craving, remember theſe three directions I have now given you, to flee this Sin; which brings me to lay down Rules and Remedies againſt the next youthful Luſt.