71'1:111,,. 1''l'''~'- -~~"h'{c: Book II. •9 ~~·~.:_•l') ::-'"4>• .--=-·-----------':..:....-- 1 . Avoid all occalions of Juft;. The Jc" ifh Doctors thus charged their Novices, 1h.Jt ly 110 me.mi tbcy .flJJuld feed tkcir CJ'Cs trit~ jbrcing o~t t~e geilcratj:m of !:uajlr, lur fear oj'p.-ovoPtions. It is our wifdomc, to checK the begmmngs ofrempta[IOJ1;,.· >10 oft away rho very tirft tancy of luft wirh indignation: Surely if we give liberty; • and fll! to parley and talk with luHs, they wiil gain more and more upon us, a11d then beharder to refiH: He walhs more cvcn!y that ftycth from t[[npratious, and keeps at a Jiilance fr,1tn that which would inli1are him, then he that fi1ft'eis the bait to be nee• him and at haud. Davids woeful experience may tell what ic is to give way w a wa:1dring lu!Hul eye; and JrfepiH refoluticn may tell what an advmtage it is 10 tly away, and uot to Hand a pJrky with temptations• In rh is c&fe, he wreftles bdl with the devil, that turns his b1ck on the temptation : Fly ymthfHI luj1I, faith Paul eo 'fin11thy he calls on him, not only to avoid, nor only to rJn, but to fly from, 2Tim,2.2:. or eo make all pof( haft away frum them, Cm~e 11· t ""'' t:;e d,Jr ef her b?U[e. It Pro.s.8, w.IS rhe fpcech of rhc one ( who thou5h fie!<, yet woukl not hav~ rh~ temptation come: nigh him ) laying Auferte i_;nem, t~dhuceuim p.;le.:u h.1beo: T.zJ;g away the fire, for 1 b.:~ve ) 1 Cl cJJJjf witbin me. , 7 • St:t a guard on rhe uu.cwarJ fenfes. .He tbat irJokcrb o;J . .J n·Hn.11t .to lliJ1: •fter M<It, • 2 s. her( faith (.hrift) hAh comm<tt<d adultery ro1tb her •lrc•dy i:l lw l>eart. .Th~.re are 5 ltorics of Heathens, tnat t!J<y would not look upon excellent b:>uries, ldl they fhould ruwc' be<n inlnared: Jm,de• Ccvmant with my eyu(faith}ob•) IYbythwftJOltldllook,_!o!>3t .t. 11 p 011 a Maid? The eye mull be guarded; nor is that all. Take heed alfo of lending thy ea. to filthy talk, rotten fpeeches, wanton dilc9urfes, rjbal'd fong 3 ; it was the Ap0ftks charge But funtication, and all zencleJJtnefi, or cJVitiJufne[J·,_ let it mt be one~ . ""mcd amo!tgjlyou, aJ becomeriY'Sainl!, nci<fm ftltbineji, 1tOrfovli:1' t•lk.ing, nor jeftiug, EphefS·3·4· wlJiclf ·are not conVenient ; aud"ttt no corrupt commtt.niclltiort proceed ~J1:t ofy~w· momh} but tb-ar wbid> i1 good, to th< ufe of cdifyi;tg, that it may mlni)lcr gr.1ee lmto th< bearers. Eph.4. 29• 3°• Mark liere, bow filthy lpeech is called mrupt, or rort"' commuuic.uion, like Car· •ran in a ditch, which lhould cauk all that ·paf< by to ftup their nofes. Oh that any fhould dcli!;lht to !peak or here fuch thing; ·W nt ( lay fome) m1y we not jell and be nierry, \<ithout all this ado ) Bur we atl!wer, Have you no honefler mirth dun this) will you feed upon that which is Carrion, and corrupt? will you make mcny wi:h dht which God condemneth, and throameth to !hut you out of his Kingcl0tl'l< for? have you nothing bur hlcl11nels, and the ferv1ce of the devil, and the >vJJth of God to play with, and to make merry wichall' ldle talk is the devils Mili)lhelfic; and prcputth people to actllll wheredomes, for thoctghts and words ~"' bur prcp.t,atives to deeds. The fame may we fay of unchati touchiugs, lafci- .~~ odttviours, lullful fmihng;, &c. why all thoF; mull b~ avoidd ; a fpnkle if it lye i'rjaketh a great tire; a little leaven olorh run throusb the whole lump. 3'· ACl: all thy affections of defire, and lov~ , and joy , on JeiLtS Chril! : Is not f~e thy Bridegroom? bath not he muned thee to himldf in holinefs ? and wilt tholl cfpo~l< 1hy fdf to the devil his enemy, by the medit~tion offilthy and bafe Jufts? Of-1 what indignity is this to Jefus Chrifi? it there be any thing of Chrift in thee tnun the ftream of rhy defires and lul!tngs Jn a fplftll!al manner towards him, it is ""'!s•ny husband, whofecomtlind6 fhould be alwayes in thy eye, and whofebeauty .!hould tor ever inflame rhy heart, whofe loves fhould draw out thy alfectionsftrongly, and :vho[e converi.: fhould fill thy ~ind, and inhrge it altogether; here is one that lhvuld lead thee clptive, body and foul. Now for this excclleur one to be out•bid by fo baf<o at:d harlotry love, iorjefus Cbri!l to be call off, as if nor fair, or wor– thy errough tor a pnlluted crcltur.e, ·how Owuld it bur be de:p in the Heart of God, and of }Jus Chnil? Hnk how the Apollle queftions, Know ye not, th>t your bodies ""." the membm of ChrijU ]hall I then tak$ tbe member! of Chrift, and mai(s them the 1 Cor. 6 ,·rs, m~er•4 an bJrlot) Godforbid "~-·. Avoid_ idlenefs, for that is rh~ proper foyl for .rhcfe filthy weeds tp grow in : , l'arr<Je• ot fmful lofts feldome offer themfelves, where the Soul is bulieo! in lame ~niJa~t or virtuous imploymcnt, A man that dili.gemly follows his particular cal– lmg,, J,Ia!h lomcthrng tHe to mmd; but 1f he grves himfdfup to idlenefs, then Satan. l$ !mftc wirha bait: As a !landing pool, not having any courfe of running, groweth {;fmy of It kit, ai1d full of Toads, and noyfume vermine, fo the heart th;It is not f;l.~w up in fome good and honeft calling, is a fir place for the devil' wherein ro L1eecl, and to ingender lulls : what wasthe reafon why the Sodon;itci grew fo Jil-. I 2 thy
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=