preatas Vitt:went : Cr mtuman. j they were perfecuted as enemies to the Ernperoar, becaufe 1 the Temple, and the doors of Idolaters were wont to be thus "am."' aarnifhed. And fo .David refuted to take the. Thretlyno zit, 23,24. floors and Threlhing inftruments, and Oxen, &c. of Aram- nail as a gift, but would needs buy them at a price, and this he did, partly out of a Divine no5len:fs, and partly to avoid the very Thew of Covetoufnefs. Now why has God left,, all thee famous Pi efilents upon Record, but on purpofe to en- ; courage his Saints in all Ages, to abflain from all appearing evils, as well as from all apparent evils.. Certainly God rooks that we fhould fo eye the bet}, the higheff, the worthy eft, and the exaCtell examples, as that we fhould make it our great bufinefs and work .to come up to them,. and to imitate them to the life. 0 friends f. the examples laft cited fhould be very awakening, very perfwading, very convin- cing, ancrvery encouraging.,; becaufe in them you may fee that though abilinence from the appearance of evil be a d cult thing, yet -'tis a poffible thing.. Shall we love to look upon the PlotUres of our friends, and fhall we not much more love to look upon the holy examples of thofe eminent Saints that had 'the lively pieture of Grace, and the. lovely Image of Chrifl fairly ftampt upon their hearts and lives. 'Tis both our Mercy and our duty to eye the examples, and I to follow the_footfleps of thofe Chriftians that have been mill eminent in Grace, as you may plainly fee by compa- ring of thefe Scriptures together, Prov.2.2a. Heb. 6.12. I Thel, I. 6. Phil, 4. 9.. 3 Tim. 3. r z Heb. Phil, 3.17., r Cor. I r. z. 2. 7. He that would fain write a fair hand, had need have his eye often upon his Co- py; and he that would fain abitain from all appearance of evil, he hadneed often to eye the gracious examples of fuch who have made Confcience of abflaining from appearing evils as well as from apparent evils., But, Eighthly and laftly, confider what force refined Heathens, and civilized Pagans have done in this very cafe ; There are dories of Heathens that would not look upon excellent 13eau- ties, left they fliould be enfnared. Almccriya pluckt out his own
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