SERMON XXVII. 379 first with some of the coarse and foul expressions of modern comedy, by degrees are hardened to bear the most offensive lan- guage : Their modesty and blushing dies and vanishes by de- grees, till at last they learn to relish the grossest pollutions of the theatre, and perhaps put thefable into practice. As faith and salvation come by hearing, so iniquity and ever- lasting death come sometimes by hearing too. And what we would not hear, surely we should not speak. Let us thenset a guard uponour tongues, lest they borderupon forbidden language. No filthiness, no foolish talking, no corrupt communication must proceedout ofour 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 im- pressions uponthe mind. Let your ears hate tobe treated with such indecencies, nor let our lips dare to treat others so. 2. Do not make too richprovisions for the feeding of the flesh ; indulge not yourselves on the delicacies of the taste, nor in the luxury of excessive sleep : Both of these may incline ani- mal nature to licentious desires : Stand afar off from gluttony and excess of wine, nor pamper the body beyond the just sup- port, and due refreshment of nature. The holy apostle in his prohibitions, couples " chambering and wantonness with rioting and drunken practice ;" Rom. xiii. 13. and calls them all works ofdarkness. It is a good remark of Kempis, a devoutpapist in former days, " Bridle the appetites of the palate, get a sove- reignty over them, and you will be better able to master every other appetite. 3. Always employyourselves in something innocent and useful, that may engage the powers of the body, or the mind, or both, that so temptation may never find you idle. The springs of the sin of Sodom werefulness of bread, andabundanceof idle- ness; therefore they grew haughty, and committed abomination before the Lord ; Ezek. xvi. 49, 50. This is an advice of Jerome, one of theChristian fathers. Be still doing some work, that the devil, when he comes to tempt, may always find thee busy. Where you are in danger of these sins, put yourselves upona necessityof diligence all the day, that you may have no time nor room for wild imaginations nor impure indulgences. '4. Avoid tine seasons, the places, and the objects of tempta- tion, as far as it is consistent with the necessary duties of life : For he that bath no caution about him, and is not afraid of being, tempted, he is not acquaintedwith human weakness, nor is he so much afraid ofsin ashe ought to be. 5. Maintain an everlasting and awful sense of the presence of God thy Maker, thy Governor, and thy Judge. Remember the Lord beholds the secret workings of the heart, and the foul
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