Clarke - BV4500_C46_1659_v1

QueJlìons,andCafes ofConfcience Chap. 4. We are dill molt prose to fall into them , our corrupt natures being fo much inclined to them , and our carnal love dotingup- L on them. _. We mutt moil heedfullywatch agaìnfl thofc fins which do moil ordinarily attend our fpecial cal:itv's, becaufe beingdaily converfant in them , they make daily , and dangerous affáulcs againfi our fouls: and by reafon ofour many fallsand foils, they become cufiomable, and hearden our hearts in them. Hence are thefe exhortations , Loke 3.12,I3, 14. and Ia. I. eeltis.20. 28. t Per. '5. z. 3. We mutt watchover our hearts, that they be notdrawn away with the fins of the times , and Countries wherein welive , becaufe we arc apt to follow a multitude to doe evill, and are eafily led afideby bad example and being fain into them , we areaptto continue in them without remorfe , the multitude of orfenders taking away the fenfeoffin. Fifthly, We mufl.keep the like watch over our fences, which are the gates of our fouls, by which all things enter : which watch Both chieflyconfifl in two things. 1. In reliraining them oftheir liberty , andnot fuffering them to rove at their pleafure, nor to fausfiethemselves, even to fatiety with fenfuall delights , and full fruition of their feveral obie6ls : but fometimes ftoppingjthem in their courfe, we fhould call them toan account, 1.vhecher the things about which they are ex- ercifed are as profitable to our fouls, as pleafant to our fences. z. Whenwe allow our fences to take their pleafure , we mull carefully take heed that they delight themselves only in things lawful both for matter, meafure, and manner : fo uling thefe fenfual pleafures as not abufing them : as helps to makeus togo on more chearfully in our way, andnot as impediments to hin- der us in our journey. Quell. Hew muß we watch over tier eyes,? Änfw: By not fuffeting them to rove about at pleafure, and to glut them- (elves with deli.,htful fights, and reflrsinin them as much as we can , that they do not behold that in this kind which is not lawful to covet :' For offeeing comes loving, andofloving, lulling, and defiring, Matth. 5. a8. we mull keep them fromgazing uponany thing that may be to us a ground of tentation , whereby we may be drawn intoany Cn, or which may be a diilra&ion to us in Gods fer- vice. Thus Tob watched over hiseyes, fob 31.1. and this is Solomon; meaning, when he faith,that thewife mans eyes are inhts head,but the eyes ofafoot are in the ends of theearth, Ecclef.z.14. becaufe awife man leaves not his eyes , to their own liberty, but governs themby difcretion, whereas fools fuller them to rove every where. Into which follyDavid fell , when he fuffered his eyes to gaze upon the beautyof Bath(hebah, and therefore afterward he kept a Curer watch over them , and intreated God to turn away his eyesfrom beholdingvanity, PfaI. s 19.37. Queft. Howmull we watch over ourears? Anfw. Tokeep them from hearing any thing that is vain, and finful , tending to the corrupting of our fouls, or the hindring of them in their growthin °race All filthy fpeeches tend to Gods difhonour, and to our own , and our neighbótirs hurt : Socloth all unfavory talk, bitter taunts,unchrillan jells, whifperings, back- bitings, and flandering, and all fuch difcourfesas feed the flefh, and' flarve the Spirit, wed us to the world , andwean us from God : we muff therefore flop our ears againfl thefe bewitching forceries, and not for the pleating dur carnal. fence, hazard the deflruotion of our precious fouls. The ears like Conduit- pipes, convey into the foul, either theclear ftreamesof the water of life, or the filthy puddlesof fin, and death. Queft. Howmull we watch overoarpallates ; Anfw. rENININ

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