General! direóhionsfar a is that Precept ofSalomon : Keepe thyheart above all /Zeepinzr; Prev.4,2 3. which thou maiefi doe with more fuccefle and comfort : iffirfl thou watch over the windowes ofthy foule, the fenfes, as the Worthies of old were wont with extra- ordinaryward; See 10631. i. Pfal, r ig, 37. It is. incredible what adealeofpollution and ill the Dwell conveyes infenfi. bly through thefe Flood-gates of finne, into their bofomes whoare careleffe and watchlefle this way. To inftance in the care andeie : What balles of Wild-fire, as it were, Both ma- ny an obfcene and filthy tongue fet on fire ofhell,throw tho- aow theirBares intomens hearts,with rotten and ribald talke, vhich after begets within, worlds of fpeculative wanton- îYeffe, and flamesofLull.? Many falfe reports drop from the `Slanderers mouth into theBare, which after in the _heart be- comes the curfed feed of heart-burning, fpite, andmentali 'number at the leaf!. And fuch wicked weeds cannot but fru- eifievery rankely in fuch a naturali finfull foile. A Tale- bearer tels thee, that Inch a one faid of thee foand fo, when as in truth it was neither fo nor fo. Thou prefently there- upon conceivefl thoughts ofunkindneffe, difpleafure, and it may bee,ofrage, againf} that man that never thought thee ill. Heere thou fpillefl innocent bloud for thy heart maykill, as well as thy tongueand hand. It is fit therefore for every ho- neflface to furnifh and fill it felfe with frownes of diilafle and indignation atthe approach of any Tale- teller. ems the Northwinde driveth array raine, fo doth an angry countenance abacke6itingtongue, Proverbes 25. 23. Concerning the Eye, Davids woeful! examplemay warne the holiefi men to the worldsend , to bee very watchfull with a moll reflleffe and eye-full jealoufie over that wandring fenfe. An idle glance uponBathfheba, was like' a theevifh boy thruft in at a rich mans window, which lets in a number of villanous defpe- rateCut-throates, to ranfacke and robbe the houle ; it be- ing not refilled at the firf#, drew after it fuch a blacke and bloudy traine that robbed his royal! heart of much heaven- ly' wealth, and wounded his foule as deepely and dange- roufly, as perhaps any.ofGods fervants ever fìnce. 2. Refill and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=