i oo SERMONS upon Senn. X V; infatuation and fencelefnefs groweth upon you, and though wekeep up a thew of Re- ligion , yet we feel little of the life and power of it. They indifpofe us for our Chri titan Warfare, quench all our fenfe of heavenly things , r Pet. r. 13. Be fiber and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought ontoyou at the revelation ofpins Chrifti. Thefe delights that offer themfelves in our pilgrimage make us forget our journey , as lewd Servants fent to a Market or Fayr, fpend all their time and money at the next Inn. We are (Iangers and pilgrims , that is the Apoltles Argument , 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly beloved, 1 bef ech you as grangers and pilgrims, abfiain from flefhly lofts which war againit the foul. We may bait here , as in an houfe of Entertainment , but fo as to fet onward frill on our journey , that it may be a refrethment , riot an hinderance : certainly they that would make progrefs in their journey to their heavenly Home, fhould meddle fparingly with fenfible delights , though lawful in themfelves. Certainly they who make their corrupt inclinations their ordinary Guide and Rule, and the fatisfying thereof their or- dinary Trade, mifcarry thamefully, and íhipwrack all their hopes of Glory. 2. More particularly, the Objek of our watching are thefe things. Firfl, Our Thoughts , which are Sins Spokefinen , and make the match between the Soul and the Objek, Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence , for out of it are the iffites of life. If we do not take care what thoughts we have, and whereunto they tend, the heart is intangled beforewe are aware, our Lulls Elie up thoughts, and thefe thoughts intice the heart , and whilft we mule and fit abrood upon them , chefe Cockatrice Eggs are hatched ; it is mufing maketh the fire to burn , and when the fire is kindled , then the (parks begin to fly abroad , men execute what the heart concriveth , and finith it without flopping, yam. 1. 14, 15. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own loft and inriced. Then when loft bath conceived, it bringeth forth fin , and fn, when it is finifhed, bringeth forth death. There we read of the manner of the birth, or bring - ing torth of tin ; lome pleafureable Lure reprefented by Senfe , awakeneth the Luft; that draweth off the heart from God and heavenly things; then Lull conceiveth by Thoughts , as the Eggs are hatched by Incubation ; then it is a full- grown fin , and fo they go on to the very lait, till they drop into Hell. O then fupprefs the mufings, the vain and finfu} thoughts ; for whilft you dandle fin in your minds with a ferret confene, liking, or a pleating mufing, the mifchiefincreafeth, the ftranger becometh your Matter. Secondly , You mutt watch againft Occulons. It is ill fporting with Occafions, or playing about the Cockatrices hole, or handing in harms way. Many fay, their infirmi- ties make them run into filch or filch fins ; but if they were minded to leave their fin, they would leave off evil company , and all occafions that lead to it. We are often warned of this , Prov. 4. 14, 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it , paff not by it , turn from it , and pafs away. Prov. 5.8. Re- move thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her hour¢. The Wifdom of God thought fit to give us thefe direkions, they that think they have fo good a command of themfelves, that they (hall keep within compafs well enough, though they venture upon the occafions of fin , convene with vain company , frequent the haunts of the wicked, go to Plays, and entertain themfelves with Dalliances, refufe none of the blandi(hments ofSenfe, barely they are not acquainted with the flipperinefs and infirmity of humane Nature, know not what the newCreature meaneth, nor what a tender thing it is to pre - ferve it in ftrength and vigour. Is fin grown lefs dangerous? Or have men gotten a greater command of themfelves, than they were wont to have, when the Scriptures were fiat written? Surely man is as weak as ever, and fin as dangerous; Why then thould we venture upon evil company, and the places where they refort, and go too near the pits brink, and freely pléafe our felves with the Allekives of Sin, and Apoftafie from God, fuck as are wanton Plays, idle Sports? Is there no infekion that fecretly tainteth our hearts ? Thirdly, Againft all appearance of Evil, 1 Theft. 5.22. Abfiain from all appearance of evil. Some things, though not apparently evil, yet they have an ill afpek, as being unfuitable to the gravity of our holy Calling, or the ftri tnefs of our Baptifmal Vow and Covenant made with Chrift ; or as being things not prakifed by good men , who molt ferioufly mind heavenly things; or have been ufually abufed to fin , and fo are not of good report ; to be lure, do rather blemifh Religion than adorn it. Chrifts Wor(hip, pers (hould be far. from Scurrility, Lightneb, Vanity in Apparel, Words, Deeds , and they ( hould avoid all things that look towardsa fin. It is notable under the Law , that the Nazarite, who was not to drink Wine, was not to eat Grapes, moift nor dry, nor to tafle any thing that was made of the Vine-tree , from the kernels even unto the husk, Numb.
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