zb Gofpel-Converfation. ligion is to no purpofe ; except achild be an obedient and lo- ving child, a wife an obedient and loving wife, all profeßion ofReligion is to no purpofe ; and fo on the other fide, except matters, and husbands, and parents be careful in their places to perform the duties of their relation, all their Religion will come to nothing ; look to your Converfations in the duties of your relations. z. Rule. Secondly,Look toyour felves in thofe things that efpe- cially you are molt in danger to offend in,take heed of that fpe- ciall fin that you are moft inclined to,that that do not break forth inyour Converfations. It maybe in your Converfation you will have a care that you donot offend in fuck and filch things that you fee other men offend in, but there is force fpecial haunt ofevil, there is force other fin that your natures are molt inclin'd unto, and you(it may be)give liberty to your felves in that; this fpoils your Converfations,this darkens your Converfations,what foever good you do otherwife this fpoils it all : Ifyou give but liberty toyour felves in that corruption that your natures are molt prône unto, nay ifyou be not more watchful againft that corruption than againft any, your Converfation will have no beauty at all in it, God will have no glorie by it, you will but difhonor your profeflìon ; therefore if you would make con- fcience to have your Converfation tobe rightly ordered,-be very watchful overyour felves in that fpecial lin that y_ our nature is mot} inclin'd unto ; Are you one that find your felf very batty` by nature ? it may be you are not guiltie ofother fins fomuch, I but that will fpoil the beautyofyour Converfation ; a man or woman that is a froward peevifh and paffionate Profeffor, there's no beauty in their Converfation : And fo if you find your difpofition to penurioufnefs, and coveteoufnefs, that will darken all, and carry you into foolifh lulls. (as theScrip- ture fpeaks) Oh how have men that have made profeon of Religion, by one fit ofbale covetoufnefs been carried into filch foolifh luf1s that every boy in the ftreets could point at them as foolifh and filly ones, and crack their credits, and names, and wound their own fouls, yea, and endanger their lives, and make them a by-word to all, and difhonor their profef- fion, and get nothing by it at length ! Coveteoufnefs carries into
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