StxRM. XXVIr1 CHRISTIAN MORALITY, VIZ. CHASTITY, &C. 451 stars or foolish fires they betray us into foul and miry pits of pollution, or lead us todeep and dangerous pollutions. Avoid all impure representations, pictures, and. images : Turn, your eyes from immodest sights, and your ears from polluted language, whether it be in discourse, or writing, a lewd jest, or a wanton song. Let them not entertain you, though they may be attended and adorned with never so many colours ,of wit, and charms of music. Romances and 'novels, and invented stories of forbidden love, have painted over these impurities with shining eloquence, and awakened the 'same foolish passions in the reader. O how unhappily has the art of verse, which was first consecrated to the 'service of the temple, been prostituted to the vilest purposes, to give gay colours to temptation, and gild over the foulest images of ini quity ! And what a multitude of souls may date the com- mencement of their guilt and ruin from the time when they began to frequent the poisonous entertainments of the stage ! Their ears which were shocked at first with some of the coarse and foul expressions of modern co- medy,, bydegrees are hardened to bear the most offensive language : Their`modesty and blushing dies and vanishes by degrees, till at last they learn to relish the grossest pol- lutions of the theatre, and perhaps put the fable into practice. As faith and salvation come by hearing, so iniquity and everlasting death come sometimes by hearing too. And what we would not hear, surely we should not speak. Let us then set a guard upon our tongues, lest they border upon forbidden language. No filthiness, no foolish talking, no corrupt communication must proceed out of our mouths. Eph. iv. -29. and v. 4. We should not affect those speeches of a double meaning, which lead the thoughts away to lewd and wanton conceits, and make foul impressions upon the mind. 'Let your ears hate to be treated with Stich indecencies, nor let our lips dare to treat others so. 2. Do not make too rich provisions for the feedingof the flesh; indulge not yourselves in the delicacies of the taste, nor in the luxury ofexcessive sleep : Both of these may incline animal nature to licentious desires: Stand afar off from gluttony and excess of wine, nor pamper the body beyond 'the just support, anddue refreshment 2Q 2
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