Of Abflaining·from the Appearance of Evil. probably to be feared and pr:f~med,that rhjs might be an occiljiun_ of Sin to him, · therefore he ought eo have retramedeven hts very Eyes from lookmg upon them. · Secondlj, \Vhen an Ad ion is ordinarily done to an evil ~nd, then it hath in it the 12 ppearMJce of Evil, grounded upon a probable Pre~umptwn.. ~h~s to en~er fiJently into another Man'sHoufe in the dead of rhemght, carnes m It a prefumprion of Theft. And to enter into the Temple of Ido!J at the t~me of ldo la~r?zu Worjhip, carries in it a prefumprion of Ido!atry: ~nd fo our Inttmacy, ~anultariry, and Friendlhip with rhofe that are wtcked, ts a grounded prefumpc~on that we are like them, and chat we do as rhey do. And the reafon of thts ts, becaufe when we do thofe ACtions that commonly tend eo a bad and finful end, it is an ill fign chat we intend the end it felf eo_ which th?fe Actions. lead. Now from every fuch Appearance of Evil we ought m all Cafes eo abftam ; and chat· fQr thefe Two following Reafons. iirff, Becaufe all fuch Appe11rancnof Evi/~lways proveScanda_,ls unto others. A Scandal is twofold; either the Scandal of Sm,or the Scandal of :>arrow: Now this venturing upon the prefU.me_dAppetirance of E<tJil pr?ves a Scandal in both refpects; it proves a Scandal of Sm to the weak, and 1t proves a Scandal of Sorrow to the flrong . Fiyff , It proves a Scandal ofSin to the weak. Then are we fa id to g ive a Scandal ofSin,when we do any thing that tends naturally to bring others into the commi ffion ofSi_n; but now rhe very .apftaranceof Sin.in us, may l ~ad or hers ta the Pratliceof.Sm ; when a weak Chnfban fees us run meo rhofe thwgs that are Occalions of Sin, he alfo thi nks he may lawfully venture as far as we do; andhevenruring,becau fe pofftbly he is weaker ehan we are, he is enfnure<i and entrapped in thofe Sins eo the Occafions of which we lead him by our Example. Second!], It proves alfO a Scrmdal of Sorrow eo the ihong Chriftians. They fee fuch probable figns and prefumpdons of Sin by us, char they j ultly conclude, that certaioly we a re guilty of thofe Sins, and thereby cheir H earts alfo are fadned and grieved. And that is the jirff Rea/on why we muft f01bear a/J flppearance qf evil, that is built upon ftrong prefumptions that we have indeed com.. mitred the Evil. Secondly, Anorher Reafon is,becaufe all fuch OccafionsofSin,and fuch Appear.ancesofSin,have guilt in them alfo,as beingagainft the fame Commandment that that Sin violates and rends unto; for the fame Commandmen't that forbids the Sin it felf,forbids..all occo(tcm,and all appearances of that Sin. That Commandment that forbids Theft, forbids aUO whatever may induce, though bur remotely, thereunto. And that Gomrnandrnem that forbids Adult er], forbids alfo all remote occafions thereof. Hence ic is cha~ SolomfJn gives rhe young Man chat fcrupulous Caution againft a ftrange Woman,in p,.o'V. 5'. 8. Comenot near the door of her Hou[e. Why, to :pafs by rhe door of her Houfe, is not in it felf unlawful; but yet when this may be Juftly feared to prove an occafion of Sin, or when by going near a Houfe, it may be ftrongly prefumed by others, that we are guilty of any Sin, then it mutt be carefully avoided and abftained from. So again, When the Wine lookJ red;., the Cup, Solomo11 bids us chat we fhould nor tP.en look upon it: Why, to look upon the Wine in rhe Cup, is nor a thing that is unlawful; but becaufe this may be an occafion of Intemperance, and Drunkennefs,or the like; therefore we mufi: abfiain from this very appearance and occafion of Evil. So then,in the apptarana of Evil, there i! not only the evil of Scandal g iven to others, but there is alfo the evil of Guilt in it felf. And therefore let us all examine our felves what at .ac any time hath proved a fnare to us, and whar hath been an occafion of finning. Have you nor ofcen faid ic, and refolved ic, that you will venture but fo far and no fare her; and though you do approach near to Sin,yetyou will keep your felves wichin your Duty ; and have you no,t found it, that when you have ventu~ed thus upon the occajions rJ{ Sin, you have fiopt no where fhon of the cornmillion of thole Sins? This is to put your felves out of God's way, and to put your felves from under his protetlion ; for God doth not ufually keep them from the com111ijJion of Sin, who do not keep themfelves from the Occnfions and .Appear~nc_es of Sin. And fo much for the Firff Pojition• . But 1f m cafe an Adion appears t'Vil to aMan'sfelf, though thisapprehenfion of tt he wholly groundlefs,rhen I /hall !ay down rh is Secund Pofition: And that is, Though
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