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Vol. II. fions, and very strong Paffions. The stronger guard, 'tis fure, we are bound to set against them. But ftill here may be the Suddenness, or the Violence, of a Temptation, though not refifted as it fhould have been. But now, when a Perfon entertains Others with his Lewdness, and when those Others think themselves entertained by it; This is all done in cold Blood, This argues a wretched Depravation of the Will, a Man more loft to Modefty and Chastity, and a more habitual Impurity, than a fingle Act of a higher Degree. And it seems very reasonable to believe, that many Sinners, in common account more infamous, fhall find it much more tolerable at the Day of Judgment, than thofe obfcene and filthy Wretches, whofe Tongues and Ears are defiled, if their Bodies be not. Thefe Perfons are not one whit the lefs impure, because, did they abftain upon a Principle, (call it Religion, Honour, What you will) the fame is of equal force, to breed a difguft to all open breaches upon Decency and Modefty. That they proceed no farther, may be from fear of Shame, or Disease, or the like: And for this Restraint they have their Reward. But that they go fo far, is a plain Evidence of a Conscience greatly misinformed, or greatly defiled. For the delighting in another's Sin is fo far from rendring it none to us; that St. Paul puts this laft, as the highest aggravation of the Heathen World's Abominations, Who knowing the judgment of God, (that they who commit fuch things are worthy of death) not only do the fame, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Rom. i. 32.

Mean while this Diflike of other People's Wickednefs, though common to all who are truly good, must be content with fuch Expreffions, and outward Indications, as are proper and practicable. Where Circumftances will bear it, Reproof, Friendly Admonition, or Authoritative Rebukes, are highly ex

pedient.

pedient. Where they will not, we must have recourse to a forbidding Look, a Silence marking Sorrow or Displeasure, withdrawing from the Company, or fome fuch Teftimony of being ill at ease, as a Wife and Good Man will find always at hand, and chufe, as a Pious but difcreet Zeal fhall direct.

3. But Thirdly, There is one fort of Reproof, which no conjuncture of Circumftances can put out of our power, and it seems to have been That, which this Apoftle had chiefly in view, The difclaiming all Fellowship with the Works of Darkness, by the Light of a good Example. For, it is here, as with thofe Metaphors made use of to denote them, that a Bad Example is never fo effectually expofed, nor the Deformity and Odioufnefs of it fo manifeftly detected, as when fet in Oppofition to, and illuftrated by, a Good one. Now this Reproof, as it is a Duty indifpenfable in the Perfon giving, fo is it unexceptionable, and can create no Refentment, in the Perfons on whom it falls. The lefs, because it is not particularly directed to This or That Man, but general, and intended for all that need it. The lefs ftill, becaufe impoffible to proceed from Envy, or Malice, or Peevishness, and a defire to find fault; as other Reproofs may, often do, and, when they do not, are at leaft accused of doing fo, the better to elude the force, and defeat the intended effect of them. But This is not only a Rebuke, but a Guide, and an Encouragement, to all that observe it. It fhews them the Way, goes before them in it, proves the poffibility of Obedience, and beats Men off from all thofe fond Pretences of Duties difficult or impracticable, from whence they feek Protection for their Hypocrify, or their Sloth. It proves the Perfon's Sincerity, and thus recommends him to Imitation; and, where there is an opportunity for arguing, it perfuades and convinces, above all the Rhetorick in the World. That can but describe,

2

scribe, and help the Imagination to fome abstracted Ideas of Virtue; This fhews the Life, and by reducing those Ideas into Practice, appeals to Senfe, and Obfervation, and Experience, for the Excellence, the Beauty, the Usefulness, and upon all Accounts the Loveliness of Religion.

4. Particularly in the Fourth place, as the most undeniable Evidence, that the Good Man hath no fellowShip with the works of darkness, he will think himself concerned to abftain very carefully, not only from every thing that is pofitively and directly finful, but from all appearances of, and approaches to, Evil. The want of this Caution ruins multitudes of unwary Souls. Many there are indeed who make a Confcience of breaking a plain and peremptory Law; but, as if they were under the Government of fome Arbitrary and Tyrannical Lord, they appear upon all occafions extremely nice, and jealous of their Liberty, and feem to be more follicitous for nothing, than to prevent Encroachments. Hence we find fo many difinal Confequences, whofe firft beginning owed it felf to the abufe of things in themselves indifferent. Hence St. Chryfoftom, with equal Piety and Wisdom, from those words in the 4th of this Epiftle, Let no corrupt Communication come out of your mouth, but that which is good to the ufe of edifying, &c. expoftulates thus: "That Evil "is very great, which is reputed none at all. For "what we count no Evils, we are apt to overlook; "When thus defpifed, they quickly grow upon us; "and fo continue growing, till they become incura"ble. And again, upon this Chapter, This is the "Artifice of the Devil, to perfuade Men to difregard things indifferent. For even fuch ought not to be despised, fince we know, that from this very cause many enormous and great Evils have grown; and " from Foolish Talking Men rife to Fornication and "Adultery, &c. In short, it fhews a Mind but ill

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difpofed,

difpofed, when a Man is curious and inquifitive about the Bounds of Chriftian Liberty; and, upon every occafion, for going to the very End of his Line. A Courfe exceeding hazardous, and fuch as gives the Tempter great Advantage. For, when we are perpetually upon the Confines, he easily gains Opportunities of luring us into his own Territories, and of deceiving us by the shortness of the distance. This at leaft fhews a fecret Affection for Evil. And the very deliberating to a nicety, how far we may venture, is faulty; Because it argues our Wishes, that we might ftill go farther. The truly Pious Man, on the other hand, finds no occafion for Scruples of this kind. He refolves to be fafe, and to go upon fure grounds. He never tampers with his Confcience, nor runs the rifque of a Difputable Cafe. Where Duties are commanded in. the general, without a measure fet, he chufes rather to exceed, than to ftop fhort: As in the frequency of Prayer, the Quantity of his Alms, and the like. And where Refreshments, or Recreations, or Pleasures, (or any other thing, which is the proper Object of Temperance and Prudence) are allowed, but the Circumstances and degrees are left to his own Difcretion; he always takes less than he might juftify. This plainly fhews the Man devoted to God and his Duty. This acquits him from any fellowship with the works of darkness, which the Doubters, and the nice Ballancers of Christian Liberty, cannot be cleared of. Because, were there not a sensual and selfish Principle at bottom, which would fain compound the matter between God and Mammon, Religion and Appetite, Darkness and Light; fuch Evafions and Diftinctions had never been heard of, as were invented, and are applied, ('tis to be feared) not to teach Men, how Much they fhould do, but how Little would ferve the turn; not how affectionately they fhould love God, but how well they may love Pleasure with Impunity. In a

A a

Word,

Word, an Honest Heart is the beft Cafuift; and will preferve us from Danger and Difquiet, better than all the Schoolmen, and critical Diftinguishers in the World. Thofe may help to refolve a Doubt, but this will not venture, where there is a Doubt; and it is Wifdom, as great as all Their Volumes contain, not to come in the way of needing any of them.

14.

J

I.

devils.

The Third Sunday in Lent.

The GOSPEL.

St. Luke xi. 14.

ESUS was cafting out a devil, and it was dumb.
pafs, when the devil svas gone out, the dumb pake:
wondered.

And it came to

and the people

But feme of them faid, he caftetb out devils, through Beelzebub, the chief of the

PARAPHRASE.

16.

Others diftruft

16. And other tempting him, fought of him a fign ing thele Evidences of from Heaven.

his Meffiafhip, required

him to thew fome Sign from Heaven, alluding poffibly to the Prophecy of Daniel vii. 13. To thefe he replies, ver. 29. To the former Objection he answers here. (The whole whereof being explained particularly in the Comment, I forbear any farther Paraphrase.)

17. But he knowing their thoughts, faid unto them, every kingdom divided against it felf is brought to defolation; and a boufe divided against a house falleth.

18. If Satan also be divided against himself, bow fhall his kingdom ftand? because ye fay, that Icaft out devils through Beelzebub.

19. And if 1 by Beelzebub caft out devils, by whom do your fons caft them out? therefore jhall they be your judges

20. But if I with the finger of God caft out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is

come upon you.

21. When a ftrong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.

22. But when a stronger than be jhall come upon him, and overcome bim, be taketb from him all his armour wherein be truffed, and divideth his Spoils.

23. He that is not with me is against me, and be that gathereth not with me, Scattereth:

24. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man be walketh through dry places, feeking reft: and finding none, be faith, I will return unto my boufe whence I came out.

25. And when be cometh, be findeth it fwept and garnished.

26. Then goeth be, and taketh to bim feven other Spirits, more wicked than bim

felf

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