380 CHRISTIAN MORALITY. practices of darkness and midnight. There is not a place where the eye of God cannot come. What an honourable character hath youngJoseph acquired in the word of God, and his name stands recorded. with renown in divine history through all ages, for his flight from the allurements ofan immodest woman : The guard which he continually placed uponhis virtue; was the all-seeing eye of heaven. " How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ?" Gen. xxxix. 9. 6. Get those scriptures written in your hearts, and readyat all times in your memories, which may be the most effectual antidotes and preservatives against all forbidden pleasure. This was the ancient practise of the saints. Ps. cxix. 11. ."Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, to put to flight, and to slay whole armies ofiniquity. 7. ,Fly daily to 'the mercy-seat for divine aid.: Commit thy soul and body to the keeping of Christ; he is exalted and authorized to take care of sinners, who make him their refuge : he is also compassionate and ready to succour the tempted. There is cleansing virtue in the blood of Christ to wash away thefoulest guilt, and to sprinkle the conscience of the humblepenitent with peace and pardon : and there is all -sufficient power and grace with him to subdue the most raging vices. Make haste to him by humble faith, and mostimportunate prayer : Continue instant at the throne : Never rest till he bath by his providence and his grace delivered you from the dangerous temptation, or made you conqueror over the sin that easilybesets you. There are a thou- sand souls in heaven, who were once conflicting here with the same impure temptations, but they gained the victory by the blood and Spirit of Christ, and are made more than conquerors through him who hath loved them. I fearI have trespassed upon my hearers, in dwelling thus long on this, dangerous theme. It is time to retire, and end my discourse. Those who have a mind to be better furnished with weapons and divine armour against these enemies of purity and virtue, I would recommend to them three books, where they may findabundant provision i And these areMr. Ostervald's Treatise of Uncleanness,. Mr. Henry's Four Discourses against immo- rality, and Mr. Baxter's Christian Directory, tome 1 chap. 3. part 5. And may the holy and pure Spirit, who attended at the baptism of our Saviour in the form of a dove, which is an em- blem of chastity, may he give these waters of the sanctuary a divine efficacy to purify the souls pf polluted sinners, and to guard the innocent and the tempted from these dangerous pollutions
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