Downame - BV4500 D67 1613

Ofthe meanes to preferßu from zvhoredome. TO. not fomuch as take their names into their mouths,as theA_ pof+le tellcth vs; fo alto they fhould not giue them the leaf+ intcrtainement into their hearts , but as bone as the tenta -j tion or motion vnto vncleannes is cart into their mind,they are at the firft to reie& it as abominable, and not to reuoluc it in their thoughts nor to fight vvith thefe vncleanc +arcs, as it were at handi- blowes , but rather by skilfull fhunning and auoidingofthem.For ifwe fuller them to ref+ any while in our hearts, they will be able to make a firong party of our ownecorruptions,and the longer they are retained,the more hardly theywill berepclled.To this purpofe Ambrofe fpeaketh : 9 uumaks vitasposers exile -ari confdiflus, hanc r,Cor.g. r8, fugite,guia nonpeteft alitermeliscs vinci : Whereas(faith he) in come othervices we may abide a confli&I, we are to Rie from thefe fins ofvncleannef e, as being the bell meanes to get the viaory ouer them. In this confli6l therefore the Chriflian mutt imitate the Parthians fight , who neuer fought better then when theydid make the fpeediefi flight, neithermuff he indure the approch ofthcfe enemies, and much leffe intertainc any difputation with them, for they who enter into a parlie, are not farre from yeelding,ifthey like the conditions ofthe truce. Secondly,let vs confider,that when we haue hid our felues §.sea... in the mof+fecret corners from the eies ofinen,euen thé the The tb:rd Lordbehoidethvs;for he is prefent eucry where,andbehol- males úto deth not onely our moll fecret adtiot:s , but allo our moll fet "¡lilacs concealed thoughts and cogitations;and therefore let vsbe al'azes in afhamcd not onely ofthis im set but alfo folly,to commit G °s Prei`nee Y P Y> Y Iola 4s, a, thefe workes ofdarkenes in the prefence ofGod, vvhichwe P' 1 .139.2..u. would fhame to doe ifa childbeheldvs. For what would it Ier.r7,ro. auaile vs to hide ourwickedneffe from the eies of mortali 13- men,who are malefaé+ors like vntoour felues,when as God who is to be our Iudge , our owne confciences which mull beproduced as witneffes againftvs, andSatan our acculer, are priuie to it ? What wil it benefit vs, ifbyour fecrecie,we el-cape worldly fhame anddifgrace, when as hereafter our filthineffefhallbe difcouered to our eternall reproch,& the vtter confufion of our faces in theprefence of God, his C c Saints,

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