Chapter 13: The evil of an ill choice, discovered

IN the third place, hence those are justly rebuked, who have made an ill choice: this was a blessed choice of Moses, and whoever makes this choice, are blessed of the Lord; but how few have we of Moses his mind? it is a woful choice that many make. Most people are offended at the afflictions of Gods people, their hearts are set upon pleasure and delight, and pleasure they must have; pleasure to the flesh is that they choose, and that they follow after; but as for the afflicted ways of godliness, they cannot relish them, their carnal sensual hearts do turn aside from them, they give themselves up to the pleasures of the flesh, and satisfy themselves in the enjoyment of their hearts desires, and God does give them up likewise to their own lusts, to let them have their choice; so that they shall spend their time in mirth and jollity, in eating and drinking, and gaming, and in this they bless themselves, as those who have wisely provided for themselves, to make their lives so full of comfort, and soul-content as they imagine: these are set upon carnal, frothy, sensual things; as if the chief good and happiness of man consisted in them, and therefore they give themselves liberty in them, to the utmost.

That in which a mans happiness consists, he may desire infinitely, and he cannot but do it, it is as natural for him to do it, as for the fire to burn, or the stone to descend; and because men put happiness in the pleasures of the flesh, therefore their hearts are set infinitely upon them; that is, to set, as they give themselves liberty, without any bounds, and desire that if it were possible, no limits might be set either by God or man. If they have means, they account the chief good of what they have, is, in that they may have larger opportunities then others, to satisfy the flesh in the sensual pleasures of it: and hence is the infinite excess of meats, and drinks, and carnal delights, in those whose means afford them opportunities thereunto. Luther speaking of this excess, has this expression, If Adam should now rise again, and see this madness of all sorts of men, I believe he would be so amazed at it, that he would stand as a stone.

A. Gellius tells of Caligula, that he made one supper that cost three hundred thousand Crowns. I have read also of Vitellius the Emperor, that at one supper he was served with Two thousand sorts of fishes, and Seven thousand several fowls. In such profuse expences, for the satisfying of the flesh, how many do glory, as if it were the highest happiness attainable upon the earth? And the baser sort of people, seeing the great ones set upon such a kinde of life, in satisfying the flesh, they think there is no other happiness to be had; therefore all their care, thoughts, endeavors are, how they may live jocundly, and give satisfaction to their lusts. Clemens Alexandrinus tells of a fish that has the heart in the belly, differing from other living Creatures, which the Philosophers call the Sea-Ass: This is like sensual men whose hearts are only set upon the things of the belly; so as it may be said of many in regard of satisfying the flesh, as Aurelianus said of one Bonoses, He was born, not that he might live, but that he might drink; So do these seem to be born, not that they might live, but that they might eat and drink, and pamper the flesh; the whole world is too strait to some for the pampering their bellies.

Oh, how beneath is this to the true excellency of a rational and immortal soul! What pity is it, that an immortal reasonable soul should be of no other use, then to keep the body alive to taste the sweet of the flesh of beasts, and of the fruit of the earth? How many draw all their substance thorow their throats, and their belly? their houses, lands, yea, and devour their posterity like Cannibals; when men in company spend their estates, their wives and children wanting bread at home, what do they, but even drink the very blood of their wives and children? It was the prophaneness of Esau, for which God has branded him, That he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage; yet that was in the time of extreme hunger; these men sell God and Heaven and all for drink, not to satisfy thirst, but their lust.

But O you vain man, know you art utterly mistaken in your choice, if you continuest in this way of your, that you hast chosen to satisfy your flesh in, you art undone for ever, you will ere long cry out of this your choice most bitterly, and curse yourself for it most fearfully: It is a seduced heart that has deceived you, and you feedest upon ashes, and you can not say, Is there not a lye in my right hand? Esay 44:20 It is true, not only of Idolators, but of all other ways of evil; you feedest upon ashes, they are but ashes you feedest upon, and delightest in, and it is a seduced heart has turned you aside from the ways of God, that makes you offended at them; it is the God of this world that has blinded your eyes, so that you shouldest not see the glorious excellencies, and beautiful pleasures, and sweet delights, that are in the ways of God, but that you shouldest please yourself in those ways that tend to death: What has the whole course of your life been, but playing with the Devils bait, under which is a hook that will snatch you into the sorrows of eternal death? Howsoever those that live in jollity and delight in the flesh, may bless themselves, yet Gods people whose eyes God has opened, would not be in their condition one quarter of an hour for a thousand worlds. There are divers sorts that come under this use of reprehension, for that ill and woful choice they have made.

First, such as choose to satisfy themselves in such pleasures as are in themselves sinful, such who take pleasure in filthiness and ungodliness: these are the dregs of men, these are the basest of all, that can take delight in the very act of sin it self: All that is said concerning the dreadful evils of sin, and that venome and curse that there is in sin, is so far from making sin to be bitter to them, as they account more pleasure to be had in many sinful ways, then there is to be had in the enjoyment of all the glory that there is in God and Jesus Christ, in Heaven and Eternity: O cursed heart, and cursed choice is this, that when God has revealed in his Word so much concerning the evil of sin, that might make any heart in the world tremble at it, that you should not only not apprehend the evil of it, or not taste any bitterness that is in it, but should count it delightful, yea, should esteem so much pleasure to be had in the act of sin it self, more then there is to be had in God, in Christ, or in the Promises, or in Heaven, or Eternity.

Surely a cursed seduced heart has deceived you, these are infinitely out of the way. What is there in sin that is your pleasure, that you choosest as the chief contentment of your soul? Is it possible that the chief contentment of a creature should be in sinning against an infinite God? That your chief contentment should be in departing from God? in striking at God? So you doest in the way of sin: That your chief contentment should be in incensing the wrath of an infinite Deity against your soul? That your chief contentment should be in putting yourself under the everlasting curse, that bindes you over to eternal death? That your chief contentment should be in that, which being committed, if ever it comes to be pardoned, must cost more then Heaven and Earth is worth? You goest out in the morning, and goest into your company, and countest yourself happy that you hast money to spend, and so takest your pleasure: This day you hast done that, which if ever it be pardoned, it must cost more then Heaven and Earth is worth. There must be a price paid, more worth then a thousand worlds, to purchase the pardon of it.

can you choose that for your chief contentment, which was such a dreadful but then to Jesus Christ; that made the soul of Christ to be heavy to the very death, that squeazed out clods of blood from him? What is the chief pleasure and delight of your soul in that, which a true enlightened gracious heart would rather suffer all the torments in the world then do it? If so be it were put to him, either such a sin must be committed, or else all the tortures that can be devised by all the world must be inflicted upon him; A gracious heart had rather choose all the tortures that can be inflicted, then do that which you makest the great pleasure of your soul: What an infinite difference is between your base heart, and a gracious heart? Your wretched heart does choose this deliberately, as the great pleasure of your life, which a gracious heart would rather suffer all the torments of the world, then be brought to do it. To delight in sins against conscience, is the most desperate folly in the world: No man rejoyces in any error or fault in other things, but is rather ashamed; only in the errors, in the rule of life and obedience men owe to God, they rejoice in.

Secondly, those come under this reprehension, who though they do not choose things for their chief pleasures that are sin, yet do choose to themselves pleasures that come in by sin; and though this be not so ill as the other, yet ill enough; that is, those that shall strain their consciences to get something in the world, to raise their estates, and when they have got estates, and money, and things well about them, then they can be merry, then their tables are furnished, and they can eat and drink, and this they delight in: O poor deluded heart! what is this that can give you so much content? You hast cause to look upon your table, and every morsel that you eatest, as having death in it; and every draught you drink, as having the curse of God in it: Little cause you hast, if you knewest all, to rejoice in these pleasures that come in by sin, certainly there can be no good that comes in by sin as sin: I know God may turn sin to the good of some, but that which sin brings in of it self, it is impossible good should come of it; that which you takest pleasure in, that which you art merry and jocund in, delighting yourself withal, is, it may be, the calamity and misery of others; and how hard is that heart, that can make that his mirth and joy, that is the sorrow and distress of his brother? Chrysostom in a Sermon against luxury and excess, cryes out against those who riot in those things that they have got by making others miserable, and says, It is the most grievous thing that can be.

Thirdly, those who do neither of these, they choose not to themselves the pleasures that are sin, nor the pleasures that come in by sin, but such pleasures, in the enjoyment of which they do sin, though the pleasures be in themselves lawful, they choose to let out their hearts unto them, and spend the strength of their spirits on them; they think because there is no hurt in them in themselves, therefore they may give liberty to themselves; there is a great deal of mistake in this: we may sin exceedingly in things that are lawful; when men shall spend so much time (as many that are professors do) in giving themselves content in some sports and delights to the flesh, as they cut God short of his time; that time that should be spent in examining their hearts, humbling their souls, seeking the face of God, is spent in some slight, vain, idle sport.

Many are guilty of this, especially those that have means, and their callings do not require such a necessity of continual attendance: How is that time spent in which you have liberty from your callings? Certainly, no good account can be given of that time, much might be gained to your souls in it, and much converse and communion you might have with God; and what ill choice do you make, when as many poor Christians would bless God, if they could have a little liberty from their callings? On the one side there is this liberty for you to enjoy communion with God, and furnish your souls with heavenly excellencies: On the other side, there is a little vain delight and carnal content, and ease to the flesh, and you rather choose this. It may be, though God has helped you in the main, you chose right, yet be convinced this day of the evil of this particular choice, in giving such inordinate contentment to yourselves, in giving that ease to your bodies, liberties to the sluggishness of your spirits, and reform. You have not honored God as you ought, and therefore your lives are not so beautiful: In the general you continue in the ways of Religion, but there is not that convincing lustre and beauty in your lives; you do not draw others to that love of godliness, because your hearts become so vain, and so slight, in choosing inordinate liberties to yourselves, in spending your times and strength in the pleasures of the flesh, and therefore when you come to spiritual employment, you have no strength, but your hearts are dead. I appeal to your consciences, when you have given yourselves leave to have content to the flesh, when you come to communion with God, what dead flat hearts have you? Let me speak to such this day from the Lord, this liberty you take to yourselves in the pleasures of the flesh, has been the root of the Apostacy of many; as 2 Pet. 2:18 those who fell off were allured through the lusts of the flesh; even though they are said to be clean escaped from them who live in error, yet through wantonness they were drawn aside. Wanton professors seldom prove lasting professors, at least in any power of godliness.

Take this one note about this, That man or woman that shall not esteem the hardest work of godliness at a higher rate, then the most delightful contentment to the flesh, has not chosen right, and may suspect that yet he is to choose in the way of eternal life. It is true, that the hardest duty of godliness, may be burthensom to the flesh for a while, yet there is no gracious heart, but esteems of this duty at an infinite higher rate, then the pleasures of the flesh, though never so lawful; it looks upon the pleasures of the flesh as mean low things, though lawful, but looks upon the duties of godliness as precious things, though hard, and those are the things that are most suitable to a gracious frame of spirit.

Again, fourthly, those come under this reprehension of making an ill choice, who have had some stirrings of the Spirit of God, some workings of their consciences, that their way has not been good, and right, and these have been but for some time, afterward they have given themselves, and do give themselves too too much liberty in satisfying the flesh. These are like the Israelites, of whom we read, Exod. 24:11 according to the note that some have upon this place, They saw God, and did eat and drink; That is, say they, although they had seen God, yet they turned again to temporal pleasures, to eating and drinking, in a sensual way, as if it had reference to that sensual eating and drinking, and rising up to play; upon the dedication of their Calf they sate up, which was presently after.

Thus many, although they have seen the Lord, and this sight of God has wakened conscience, their hearts have been much stirred for a while, yet they have after faln to eating and drinking, to sensual pleasures, all their good beginnings has come to nothing. These when they have been in company, and come away, they have had many sad thoughts, and next day, or in the night many sad sighs and groans have come from their spirits, because their spirits are enlightened, and make them fear all will not be well in the end; and yet these continue still in giving themselves pleasure, and delights to the flesh inordinately; if company call, they cannot refuse: when they are stirred in their consciences, they will take a book and read, or pray; yet they are presently weary, and cannot bear such a kinde of life, they think they shall grow melancholy, and they must again go to their former ways.

Many have the pleasures of the flesh, and their consciences strugling together; and many times the pleasures of the flesh, and conscience struggle a great while, before there be a victory on either side: sometimes conscience gets the victory, and there is a gracious work upon the soul, especially if God set on conscience, by some great affliction or sickness: sometimes conscience is overcome, though conscience does propound a better way, and they see, and are convinced of it, yet at length lust overcomes, and conscience yields, and they become meer sots, hardened in the way of the lusts of their hearts; and this is a most dreadful thing, when ever this befals any.

Again, there are others that have had some taste of the ways of God, have begun to make a choice, and have tryed the ways of Religion, and continued a while in them, and yet come to be weary and tired: yea, it may be some upon their sick-beds, and deathbeds, have cryed out of the folly of their former choice; and yet, when God has delivered them again, they have gone on in the same excess of riot, and giving liberty to the satisfying of the flesh, in the same way, if not in a further degree then ever formerly; what a dreadful thing is this! To all those that are thus deluded, in making this evil choice, let me speak a word or two.

First, would you be willing at the day of judgement, to be accused and found guilty before the Lord of this; that you hast esteemed more pleasure to be had, either in sin, or in any lawful content, then in all the pleasures that are to be had in God, so as it should be said before men and Angels, Lo! this is the man that made not God his portion; Lo! here stands the man, that for many years together did account more good to be had in the pleasures of the flesh, then in all the good that was to be enjoyed in all the artributes of God, and all the merits of Jesus Christ, in all the promises of life, in all the ways of grace? What doest you think will be your condition, when as you shall be brought as guilty before men and Angels, that all shall look upon you as a cursed fool in Israel? God and his Angels look now upon you as a fool in Israel; when you shall be brought to have all the world look upon you as guilty of such a cursed folly as this, how bitter will it be to you? would you be willing to be in such a condition as this?

Again, would you be willing at the great day to be found guilty of hating the ways of God? I I hope I do not so, (will some say) though I give pleasure to my flesh. Yes, that man or woman that chooses the way of giving content to the flesh, rather then the strict ways of godliness, such a one hates Gods ways, and so hates God himself in hating Gods ways: as, mark that place in Prov. 1. For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; How was it proved they hated knowledge? They hated that truth of God, and that which should bring them into the ways of God, and guide them in it; How does that appear? They did not choose the fear of the Lord; if you doest not choose the ways of God, you hatest the ways of God, and so by consequent art a hater of God himself.

Thirdly, would you willingly have God reject all your services, and account them as abominable to him? Thus he threatens against those who choose their own ways, Esay 66:3 He that kills an Ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a Lamb, as if he cut off a dogs neck; he that offers an oblation, as if he offered swines blood; he that burns incense, as if he blessed an idol; and the reason of all is given, They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. There are not such four expressions of Gods rejecting a mans services that he tenders up unto him, in all the Book of God, and this is given as the reason of all, because they have chosen their own ways.

Again, would you not be loath, that in the time of greatest anguish of spirit, and affliction of body, when you shall be crying to God for mercy, that God should take pleasure in your misery, and be so far from relieving of you, as to mock at your destruction? now you can laugh, and be merry, and jocund; but what if it does prove, that this way of mirth and delight to the flesh, shall procure unto you Gods laughing, and Gods mocking at you in your anguish, and greatest distress that ever your soul shall be in? Certainly, if you walkest in the way you art in, this will be your portion: mark that place in Prov. 1:24 what God says, I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear comes, &c.

Be it known unto you, that in whatever sin you blessest yourself, the more you blessest yourself in it, the more cursed shall it be unto you. What comfort will the pleasures of the flesh be to you, when as Christ shall come and say, Was I content to part with the pleasures of Heaven, the bosome of my Father to redeem poor man? and was it not the pleasure of a little meat and drink you could be content to part with for me? Could I be content to part with my blood, and could not you be content to part with your lusts? Was not all my sufferings worthy of enduring those little things you were called to suffer in your life? What, was not all that glory of mine that I revealed in my word, and works, sufficient to show me to be worthy, that you should have given such a testimony of your respect, and honor to me, as to be willing to part with such empty, poor, slight things, and to suffer such poor little things? When God shall bring the Saints before you that did make a better choice, and you shall see them to be in a most glorious blessed condition, and you yourself cast off for ever; how will this confound you another day? Consider of this, you that have made an ill choice, now while it is time; consider of the evil, of the folly, of the danger, of the cursedness of that choice that you have made, in that you have chosen rather to give content to your flesh, then the ways of godliness. Therefore for the following of this in a word of exhortation.