A choice Bed of Spices. latry, or that might carry with them the leaf/ (hew or appea- rance of Idolatry. 'Tis obfervable in the Law, that God commanded his people not only, that they fhould Worfhip no Idol, but that they fhould demolifh all the Monuments of them, affinity and tthat they wilihoowuldomtchakipepneodC thoavaevaonidy the very (hews of Idolatry, and to prevent his people from being drawn by, thole means to commit Idolatry with them. And fo Exod. 2,3.7. Keep thee far from a falfe matter. Every good man muff Rand aloof off, he mull keep at a di- fiance both from the octagons of fin, and from the appea- rances of fin. So Pro). 5. , 8. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her houfe. He that is fartheft from fire, is Well from burning, and he- that is moll remote from the water, is in leaf+ dangerof drowning: It is no fmall wick- ednels to approach near the door of wickednefs ; he who approaches near the door of a Whores houfe, is already in the door of whoredom. It argues too much mind to be in the houfe, for any one knowingly, willingly, to come near the door of it. 0 how should a man dread the c-omming in- to that houfe,where he mutt needs either perifboor elfe over- come ? Certainly 'cis infinite better not to be in danger of perifhing, than being in danger not to peril'''. . So tiofea 4. 15. Though thou Ifraelp/ay the harlot, -yet let -not Judah offend, and, come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye' up to Beth-aven, nor fwear thi Lord liveth. Gilgal was once the Key of Canaan) fcituate between Jordan and Terieho, famous for fandry' cer- vices there performed to God, as might be eafily (hewed by many infiances ;; but now Gilgal was bafely abufed to Idol- Worfhip ; and hence 'tis that God charges them not- to come near it, that fo they might avoid both the Phew and danger of Idolatry ; and 'tis upon the fame account that God charges them not to go up to Beth-oven. By thefe Scriptures 'tis evident that God would have his people to -abfiain from -all fhews and appearances-of fin. But, & c, Secondly; The holinefs of God, and the honour of God, calls aloud upon all Chriftions to avoid-the fufpit-ion of fin. God Prov. tz and ch. 33 41.
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