reati eoo the.j1f e ton 4. thine owne heart will have occafion to goe further, and then thou art un- T'erent. done : Nimia licentiaformis omnes deteriores, layes Terence. We are all the worfe for taking toomuch liberty : if once it be anoccafion tothe flefh,thou art gone. Zeale cannot abide the occafions of evill ; the lcaft occafions will choak it. . The fifth means, is to efchewthe beginningsoffin ; Peter did but begin to Meaner to ej. rebuke Chrift, Matter fpare thy felfe, he began to rebuke him (ayes the chew the beginText Mauh. 16. 22. But Chrift did fo hate the very beginnings of that fin, flings of inne. t hat hePaid, Get thee behind me Satan. TheDevill was in t+idat beginning of fin. TheScribes and the l'harifees began to reafon, laying, Who is th:s that g lnndxm eft !peaks bláfphemies ? And Jefus condemned thefe beginnings of reafon;ngs, maxim tents- Luke 5. 2I, Thpfe that were invited to the Feaft in the Gofpell, they came tionis initio, not, but fellto excufesand were cart into utter darkncife for their labour. Greg. But how carne they to fall into ti at fin ? the Scripture lhewes plainly, be. caufe theydid not efchew the beginnings of the finne ; they all with one content began to make excufe, Luke 14. 18, principiis obfta, Jet thy felfe againft the beginningof fin if thou fuser thy heart to begin once, it will be Cure to goe farther. TheSpirit of God bath agoodphrafe, fall into fin: He that ftands,let him take heed left he fall : A man that ftands upon a high rocke, ifhe doe not looke to the beginningof his fall, he cannot Jtop himiclfe till he is quite fallen dowse to the bottom, and ifnot by meer hap he catch hold Jome where, which its a thoufaud to one if ever he do ; ifhe donot,I fay, itis a wonder if he break not his necke. Thou cant} never have Exhortation to the lifeofgrace in thee, unl_ffe thou take heed ofthe beginnings of fin. be jealous Be exhortedall ye that fain would fear God, to bezealous. t. Firft, confider, ye cannever be revenged onyour worft enemies, unleffeyebe Efjeyou can zealous ; ye wouldbe glad toberevenged on your lworneenemies. Samp- never be seven-Con begged hard ofthe Lord, that hemight be reven edon the Philiftimsfor led onyour wort} enemies. his two eyes; but thou haft worfe enemies than the Philiftims were to him. Sin, theWorld, theft/19, and the Devil, thefe are the worft enemies that ever mortali manhad, it is good to be revenged on them ; thou canif never be revenged on them, except thoube zealous ; there is no enemy betides that it is lawfull to be revenged on, but onely upon thefe, on thefe thou mayeft lawfully : thefe havedone thee much fpight, they have brought thee into theeftate of wrath and damnation, theyhave made thee accurfed, and ly- able to hell-torments for ever, theyhave pluckt out the two eyes ofthy foul; now if thou would!} be zealous, thou mayft be revenged upon them. The Apoftle putszeale and revenge together, yea, what zech yea, what revenge, 2 Cor.7.I I .If thou beef}zealous, thou mayft be revenged upon fin that bath done thee fo much mifchiefe : it ha th troubled thypeace, defiled thyconfci- ence, difabled thee fromworfhipping ofGod, hindred many good things from thee.Never hadlt thou any hurt,or any forow, or any evill, but thou maift thank fin for it:Juftcaufe haft thou to be revenged upon fin,thete is an in-breddelire ofrevenge in aman upon thofe thatwrong him; theHeathen could fay, Juven.Sat. t 3. Eft vindiEta bonumvita jucundius ipfâ. Revenge is fweeter than life it felfe : Hae it is true,andno whereelfe.All other revenge isa damnable premunire againft God ,vengeance is mine Pays he, and who is he that revengethhimfelfe to intrench upon Gods right? but here revenge is commanded,yea it's fweeter then life:here revenge and fpare not, and this is the way, get zeal and be as hot as a furnace in anger againft fin, andbeat it as Mofes did the Ifraelites Calfe, intoduff and powder ; hath thy filthy coufening heart deceived thee fooften, hereby thoumayeft be re- venged on it, be zealous tofearch it, and curb it and tame it ; have thy lulu been greedy, and proud,and fenfuall; thishutnour they muff have, and this fafhion 0
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