><6z 4. Shunning the oecali ons of fin. Gen.i4 t; Aluno dim 'arar peri. culo proxi. mus. rerent. 14 Treatife of the Affections. was this, the Difciples of Chrift had meetings together, and Them is was not with them, (ayes the Text, Joh.2o.24, The coals that lie together in the hearth, you fee how they glow and are fired, while the little coals that are fallen off, and lie by, feparate from their company, are black without fire. If ever thou defireft to be zealous, make much of the fellowfhip of the Saints :thou can't hardly come where two or three Saints are met together, but thou (halt finde Chr;ft in the midi' of them. The fourth means is, Shunning the occa ?ons offin: Mofes would not leave fo much as a hoof behinde him in,Æeypt, Exod.to.26. that there might be no occafion for the peo- ple to turn back into sAgypt; had he left but a hoof be- hinde there, that were an occafion to go thither to fetch it. A4raham would not take fo much as a thread or a fhoe- latchet of the King of Sodom, when he offered him, left there fhould be any hint to the flefh, to diftruft in God. Thou canft never be zealous, unleffe thou /bun the occafions offin: If the heart have but an occafion once to be vain, it's a thoufánd to one, but fo it will be, deadneffe will fleal on't upon the leali occafion. Give a theef but an occafion of having a booty, his fingers cannot hold. When David had given occafion to the enemies of the Lord to blafpheme, the Lord told him he would punifh him, 2 Sax 2.14. Why ? becaufe if they had but an occafion they would be fore for to take it. Let no man put an occafion to fall in his brothers way, Rom.t 4.t;. Alas ! if the flefh have no occafion it will lay hold on it ; it is not enough to keep out of a fin, but thou mull go far from it, not only from fin, but alfo from all occafions of fin. Keep thee far from a falle matter, Exo. 23.7. I may On thinks I fart is thins lawfull; and but let me tell thee, if thou goeft fo far, thine own heart will have occafion to go . further, and then thou art andone: Nimiâ liceneiâ fumtu opines deteriores, fayes Terence. We are all the worfe for ta king too much liberty: if once it be an occafion to the flefh, thou
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