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much as other men may do; because for the pleafing of one luft, they feed another.

2. Others that are flegmatick and dull, can never feed fully, but they are beavy and drowfie, unfit for prayer, and unfit for work: ufually the health, as well as the confciences of these perfons, doch require a fpare kind of dyet; and that which is but enough for others, is too much for them. Because the avoiding of fin, and the performance of our duties, is the measure of our food.

4. It is finful Fulness, when any of Gods creatures are taken without any benefit, and in vain. It is a fin to take any more than we have cause to think is like to do us good; though we thought it were like to do no harm. That which is ufed only to gratific the appetite, or for any other unprofitable caufe, and neither furthereth bealib tor duty, is finfully caft aw.y. And if vain words be forbidden, vain eating and drinking can be no better.

The evil of the fin is, 1. Because man being a rational creature, fhould do nothing in vain: 1. Because we are God's Stewards, and must give an account of all our talents: 3. Becaufe Gods mercies are not to be contemned, nor caft away as nothing worth. 4. But efpecially because there are thoufonds in want, while you abeund; and if you spend that in vain, which others need, you wrong God, and rob them, and fhew that you want love to your brethren, and prefer your appetites before their neceffities. If you think any thing that you have is abfolutely your own, you are but foolish pretenders against God: But if you know that God hath lent it you for his fervice, how dare you caft it away in vain? Jcb. 6. 12. When Chrift had multiplied food (or fatisfied mens appetite) by miracle, he faith, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be left: Nothing then mußt be left, on your felves or others.

5. To bestow too much cost upon the belly, is a finful Fulmifs toos though the quantity of food be never fo fmall Coft is too much when it is more than is profitable; or when the cost exceed th the profit. The reafons of this are the fame as of the former; because we are Gods Stewards, and muft give account of all that we have,and muft improve it all to our Masters use ; and because thoufands want what we might fpare, and fuperNnn 2

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Auously expend. What are the occafions which will justifie fome extraordinary coftliness, is too long now to explicate. In general, it must be for fome end and benefir, which is better than any which might be procured otherwife by that expence : But pride or appetite are no juftifying caufes of it. It was faring fumptuously which was that carnal Gentlemens fin, in Luke 16. It is faid of fuch, Phil, 3. 18. that their belly is their God, for they daily facrifice much more to it, than they do to God: Many hundred pounds a year, is little enough for many_men to facrifice to their throats. It is fuch a facrifice which James calleth, the cherishing of their bearts as in a day of flaughter, James 55. This is the bid treasure which their bellies are filed with, Plal. 17.14. The rich mans full barns, Luke 12:20. were but to fill his belly, and pleafe bis flf [Thou hast enough laid up for many years. For what? why for cafe, and eating, and drinking, and mirth; They think it is their own, and that they may spend it on themselves; but O the terrible account! As David would not offer that to God which coft him nɔthing, 2 Sam. 24. 24. fo neither will they offer too cheap a facrifice co their bellies. But luft deferveth not much coft: He that is your God, is the God of others as well as of you; and careth for them as well as for you; even when he giveth them less than you: And he giveth it you, that you may have the tryal, and the bonour of giving it according to his will to them.

It is every mans duty to chufe the cheapest dyet (and other accommodations) which will but answer his lawful ends ; that is, 1. His bealth and welfare: 2. And the meet entertainment of others, and the avoiding of thofe evils which are greater than the charge.

He that loveth his neighbour as himself, will not fee multitudes cold and hungry, while he gratifieth his own fenfuality with fuperfluities. Though all men are not to live at the fame rates, yet all are to obferve this common rule of charity and frugality. The Rule given by Paul for apparel, must be used alfo for our food; that women adorn themselves with modeft apparel, with shamefaftness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or coftly array, 1 Tim. 2.9. So muft we feed with moderation and fobriety, and not with too rich and softly food.

6. And it is a great aggravation of this fin, to bestow 100. much of our time upon it: When thofe precious hours are spent in needlefs eating and drinking, or fitting at it, which are given us for far greater work. Though no fet time can be determined for all men, yet all muft feed as those that have ftill neceffary bufinefs upon their hand, which ftayeth for them, and for which it is that they cherish themfelves: And therefore let not time pafs away in vain, but make hafte to your work, and feed not idleness instead of diligence.

7. And the root of all this mischief, is, when the hearts of men are fet upon their bellies; and their fancies and wits are flaves unto their appetites: when they are not indifferent about things indifferent, but make a great matter of it, what they shall cat, and what they shall drink, beyond the neceflity or real benefit of it. When they are troubled if their appetite be but croft, and they are like crying children or swine, that are difcontented and complaining if they have not what they would have, and if their bellies are not full. When they are like the Ifraelites, that wept for flesh, Numb. 11.4. Because they ferve not the Lord Jefus, but their own belies, Rom. 16, 17, 18. But the poor in fpirit, can live upon a little, and mind the things of the Spirit fo much, that they are more indifferent to their appetite. And cuftom maketh abstinence and temperance sweet and eafie to them. For a well-ufed appetite is like well-taught children; not fo unmannerly, nor craving, nor bawling, nor troublesome, as the gluttons ill-ufed appetite is. It troubles mens minds, and taketh up their thoughts, and commandeth their eftates, and devoureth their time, and turneth out God, and all that is holy; and like a thirft in a dropfic, it de oureth all, and is fatisfied with nothing, but encreaseth its felf, and the difeafe: As if fuch men did live to eat, when the temperate do cat to live.

8. Laftly, It is the height of this fin, when you also cherish the gulofity and excess of others. When for the Pride of great boufe-keeping, you cause others to wafte Gods creatures and their time; and waste your estates to fatisfie their luxury, and to procure their vain applause, Hab. 2. 15. Wo to him that giveth bis neighbour drink, that patteft thy bottle to him, and makeeft bim drunken alfe. This is the Fulness which is forbidden of God. Nnn 3 Obje&...

Object. But is it not faid that Chrift came eating and drinking, and the Pharifees quarrelled with him and bis Difciples, because they did not faft as John and his Difciples did; and they called bin a gluttonous perfom, and a wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and finners.

Anfw. 1. John lived in a wilderness, upon locufts and wild honey and because Chrift lived not such an auftere eremetical life, the quarrelsome Pharifees did thus calumniate him. But Chrift never lived in the leaft excess. Mark that part of his life which they thus accused, and you will find it fuch as the fenfual will be loth to imitate. 2. Chrift was by office to converfe with Publicans and finners for their cure: And this gave occafion to the calumnies of malice. 3. There was a difference of Reafons for Jobe's aufterity, and Chrifts: But when he, the Bridegroom was taken away, he foretelleth that his followers fhould faft. 4. Chrift fafted forty daics at once, and drank water, and lived in perfe& temperance: Imitate him, and we will not blame you for excefs: His example preached poverty in spirit.

Direct. II. Remember the Reasons why fulness and gulofit y are fo much condemned by God, vix.

1. A pampered appetite is unruly; and feedeth your coNCHpifcence. The flesh is now become our most dangerous enemy ; and therefore it must be dangerous to pamper it, to the Atrengthening of its lufts: When even Paul was put to buffet andrame it, and bring it into fuljection, for fear of proving a caft-away after all his wondrous labours.

2. The pleafing of the appetite too much, corrupteth the delight and relish of the foul. Delight in God, and Heaven, and Holiness, is the fumm and life of true Religion; and the deLights of fenfe and flefbly appetite, turn away the foal from this, and are most mortal enemies to thefe true delights. For they that are after the flf, do mindor favour the things of the flesh; and they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit, Rom. 8.6,7. And the carnal mind is enmity to God: if it cannot be fubject to bis Lane, certainly it is unfit to rellifh the sweetness of his Love, and fpiritual mercies.

3. And the Thoughts themselves are corrupted and perverted by it: They that should be thinking and caring how to please God, are thinking and caring for their bellies. Even when all their powers should be employed on God, in meditation, or in prayer, their thoughts will be going after their fleshly appetite, as Ezekiels hearers were after their covetousnefs, 33.31. And as foms of Chrifts hearers were after the loaves.

4. The ufe of pleafing the fleshly appetite doth make men need riches; which is a misery, and a fnare. Such must needs bave their defires fatified, and therefore cannot live on a little : And therefore if they bave riches, their flesh devoureth almost all, and they have little to fpare for any charitable uses; And if they have none, they are tempted to fteal, or get it by fome unlawful means. And fo it tempteth them to the love of money (which is the root of all evil) because they love the luft which needeth it.

5. And it maketh them utterly unfit for fuffering (which Chrift will have all his followers to expect.) He that is used to please bi appetite, will take that for a grievous life, which another man will feel no trouble in: If a full fed Gentleman or Dives were tyed to fare as the poor labourer doth at the beft, he would lament his cafe as if he were undone, and would take that for half a martyrdom (if it were on a pious pretence) which his neighbour would account no fuffering, but a feast. And will God reward men for fuch felf-made fufferings? How unfit is he to endure imprifonment, banishment and want, who hath alwaies ufed to please his fieth? If God cat him into poverty, how impatient would he be? How plentifully and pleafantly would moft poor Country-men think to live, if they had but a hundred pounds a year of their own? But if he that hath thousands,and is used to fulness, should be reduced to an hundred, how querulous or impatient would he be?

6. It maketh the body beavy and unfit for duty; both du tics of piety, and the honeft labours of your calling.

7. It maketh the body diseased; and fo more unfit to serve the foul. It is to be noted, that the excess reproved by Paul at their Love-feafts, was punished with fickness, and with death: And as that punishment had a moral juitableness to

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