ESSAY, 348 tianity. But in all matters of this nature, persons are in danger of running into extremes. Thepapistsrequire a certain abstinencefrommeats, andforbid do marry, without a due attendance to the circumstances of times, places, and persons ; whereby superstition is supported and sin- ful appetites are often irritated, instead of suppressingthem. At other times they wear sackcloth on their flesh, they scourge and whip themselves, they lay their bodies under much painful dis. cipline, and sometimes too under bloody correction, in order to mortify sin. But it was never required of God, that we should break the sixth command in order to keep the seventh ; for the Vat. of Christ about parting with a right-hand or a right-eye ; t a y. 29. is to be taken metaphorically for the mortification of darling sins, or at least, in a comparative sense, that it isbetter to bear the loss of a limb than to be eternally miserable, if there were no other possible wayof escape. Besides, it is part of their design also in popery, to make some sort of atonement and satisfaction for past sins by these su- perstitious severities, which are so far from being acceptable to God in this sense, that they dishonour the blood of Christ, and will be abhorred'of the Father. Some protestantsrun to another extreme, and because our religion is spiritual, therefore theyneg- lect many due restraints of the flesh, and think to secure them- selves from sinmerely by the exercises of the shied, without due guard or pare to keep the body under proper discipline, in order to mortify the lusts thereof They are ready to imagine that this is too legal away of mortification, that it detracts from the liberty and privilege of the christianstate, to keepunder theflesh by any such methods of self-government. But in opposition to these two extremes, the scripture seems plainly to lead us to a medium ; and the rules whichmay be drawn from the word of God, may be chiefly comprised under these few heads: 1. Never dare indulge the craving of the flesh in any one sinful appetite or inclination ; much less make provision for it, to fulfil the lusts thereof ; Rom. xiii. 14. Here indeed you should be well informed what is and what is not sinful, and not bind the body to extravagant aad unreasonable restraints, under a mis- taken notion ofsin and duty. But when' you are once upon just grounds satisfied what is unlawful, then, if sinful neighbours, or if sinful self entice, consent thou not ; fir, every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed ; Prov. i. 10. James i. 14. Compliance with sin is the way to make sinstrong: Every such indulgence gives it courage to demand more, and snakes the inclinations grow into a confirmed habit. It is the cha- racter of the children of wrath, that they fulfil the desires of the flesh ; Eph. ii. 3.
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