The Harlot's Face, in the Scripture-Glafs,
the Fruits of the Lips.
Lets his foul run for nought, as little fearing.
Where I an Epicure, I couldhate ſwearing.
When thoudoft tellanother's jeſt, therein Omit the oaths, which true wit cannotneed :
Pick out oftales the mirth, but not the fin.
Hepares his apple that will cleanly feed.
Playnot awaythe virtue ofthat name, Which is thybeſt ſtake, when griefmakes thee tame.
The cheapest fins moſtdearly punish'dare, Becauſe to ſhunthem alſois ſocheap ; Forwehave wit to mark them, and toſpare.
O crumble not awaythy foul's fair heap.
Ifthou wiltdie, the gates ofhell are broad, Prideand full fins have madethe way a road.
T CAUTION III.
HE nextdanger I ſhall give youwarning of, is the finof uncleanness ; with which I fear too manyof the rude andloofer fort ofſeamen defile themſelves ; and poſſibly, the temptations tothis fin are advantaged, and ſtrengthenedupon themmorethanothers, by their condition andemployments.
Let noman beoffended that I here give warning ofthis evil :
Iintend toaſperſeno man's perſon,or raiſe upjealousy againft any; butwould faithfully diſcharge my duty to all, and that inallthings.
Itwas the complaint ofSalvian many hundred years ago, thathecouldnot ſpeak againstthe vices . ofmen, but one or other would thus object.
Guber. Dei, • There he meant me; he hitme:' and ſo ſtorm lib. 4. Salv. and fret.
Alas (as he replieth) it is not we ⚫that ſpeak to you, butyourown confcience ; we ſpeak tothe
• order, but confcience ſpeaks to the perfon." I ſhall uſe no other apology in this cafe.
That this fin is a dreadful gulph, a quick fand, thathath fuckedanddestroyed thouſands, istruly apparent both from Scripture andexperience.
Solomontells us, Prov. xxii. 14. that it is a " deepditch, intowhich ſuch " as are abhorred ofthe Lord ſhall fall."
Oh ! the multitudes of deadthat are there ! and ifſo, I cannot in duty toGod, or in lovetoyou,be filent, where the danger is ſo great.
It is both needleſs, andbeſides my intention,here to inſiſt largely uponthe explication of the particulars inwhichuncleanneſs is diftributed: themore ordinary andcommon fins ofthis kind areknownbythenames ofadultery and fornication. The latter is,whenfingle perſons come together,out ofthe ſtate ofmar-
The Harlot's Face, riage.
The former is,when at leastoneof the perfons comrittinguncleanneſs iscontracted inmarriage.
This now is the evil I ſhall warn you of. And, that thou mayeſt never fall into this pit, I ſhall endeavour to fence and hedige up thy wayto it, bytheſe enſuing arguments: and,oh! that the light ofevery argumentmaybe powerfully reflected upon yourconſcience ! Many men are wife in generals, but very vain διαλόγισμοις, in the reaſonings, or imaginations, as the apoftle calls them, Rom. i. 21. (i. e.) in their practical inferences.
They aregood at ſpeculation, butbunglers at application : but itistruthintheparticulars,that, like anhotiron,pierces ; and, oh! that you may find theſe tobe fuch in your foul ! To that end, confider, Arg. 1. The names and titles bywhich this fin is knownin ſcripture, are veryvile andbafe. The Spirit ofGod, doubtleſs, hathput ſuch odious names upon it, on purpoſe to deter and affrightmen from it. In general it is called lust ; and ſo (as one notes) it beareth the name ofits mother: it isuncleannes in the abſtract,Numb. v. 19. filthineſs itſelf; an abomination,
Ezek. xxii. 11. Andtheythatcommit it are called abominable, Rev. xxi . 8. Varro faith, the word imports that which is not lawful tomention ; or, rather, abominable perfons, fuch as are not fit for the ſociety ofmen, ſuch as ſhould behiffed out of allmens company: they are rather to be reckoned to beafts thanmen.
Yea, the ſcripture compares them to the filthiefſt of beasts, even to dogs. When Ifhbofmeth charged this fin upon Abner, 2 Sam. iii. 8. "Am I a dog's head,(faithhe)
" thatthou chargeſtme with a faultconcerningthiswoman?"
And inDeut. xxiii. 18. the "hire ofa whore," and the"price :
" of a dog," are puttogether.
The expreffion ofthis luft in words or geſture, is called neighing, Jer. v. 8. Even as fed horſes do, that ſcatter their luft promiscuoufy. Or, if the fcripture ſpeaks ofthem as men,yet it allows them butthe external ſhape of men, not the understanding of men.
Among theJews they were called fools in Ifrael, 2 Sam . xiii.
13. and fo Prov. vi. 32. " Whofo committeth adulterywith a " woman, lacketh understanding." And ſinners, Luke või.37.
" And behold a woman that was a [finner,]" that is, an eminentnotorious ſinner; bywhich term, the ſcripture decyphers anunclean perfon, as if, among finners,there werenone offuch aprodigious ſtature in fin as they. And we find, that whenthe Spirit ofGodwould fet forth any fin by anodious name, he calls it adultery; ſo idolatry iscalled adultery, Ezek. xvi. 32. And indeedthis ſpiritual andcorporal adultery often-
in the Scripture-Glass.
times arefound inthefame perfons. They that give themſelves up to the one, are, bya righteous hand of God, given up to the other, as it is too manifeftly and frequently exemplifiedintheworld. Soearthly-mindedneſs hath thisname put upon it, on purpoſe to affright menfrom it, Jam. iv. 4.
Now, certainly,Godwould never borrow the name ofthis fin, to fetoutthe evil of other fins, if it were not moſt vile and abominable.
'Tis called the fin of the Gentiles, or heathens, 1Theff. iv. 5. And,oh! thatwe couldſay, it were only among themthatknownotGod ! How then are you able to look theſe ſcriptures in the face, and not blush ? Owhat a fin is this !
Art thou willing to be ranked with fools,dogs, finners,heathens, and take thy lot withthem ? Godhathplanted that affection ofſhamein thy nature, to be as a guard againſt ſuch filthy lufts; it is a fin that hath filthineſs enough in it, to defile the tongue that mentions it, Ephef. v. 3.
Arg. 2. Itis a fin that the God of heavenhath often prohibited,andfeverely condemned inthe word,which abundantly declares his abhorrence of it.
You have prohibition upon prohibition, and threatning uponthreatning inthe word againft it ; Exod. xx. 14. " Thou shalt not commit adultery."
This wasdeliveredupon mount Sinai, with the greatest folemnity andterror,by the mouth ofGodhimself.
Turn to, andponder thefollowing ſcriptures amongmanyothers, Prov. v. 2,3, 4. Actsv. 29. Rom.i.24, 29. Rom. xiii. 13. 1 Cor. vi. 13,--18 .
2 Cor. xii. 21. Gal. v. 29. Eph. v. 3. Col. iii. 5. 1 Thef. iv. 2, 3, 4, 5. Heb. xii. 16. Heb. xiii. 4.
All theſe, withmany others, are the trueſayings ofGod: by them thou shalt be tried in the laſtday. Now, confiderhow terrible it willbe to have fomanywords ofGod, and fuch terrible ones too, as moſt of thoſe are, to be brought in andpleaded against thy foul inthat day! Mountains and hills maydepart, but theſe words ſhall not depart : heaven and earth ſhall paſs away, but not one titleoftheword ſhall paſs away.
Believe it, ſinner, as fure as theheavens are over thyhead, andthe earth underthy feet, they shall one day take hold ofthee, though we poor worms who plead them with thee, die andperish: Zech . i. 5, 6. The Lord tells us it fſhallnot fall tothe ground. Which is a borrowed ſpeech from a dart that is flung with a weak hand ; it goes not hometo the mark, but falls to the groundby theway.
None oftheſe words ihall ſo fall to the ground.
Arg. 3. It is a fin that defiles and destroys the body ; Cor. vi. 18. " Hethat committeth adultery, finneth against hisown
VOL. VI.
The Harlot's Face, " body."
In mostother fins the bodyis the instrument,Here it is the object againstwhich the fin is committed : that body ofthine, which ſhould be the temple of the Holy Ghost, is turned into a ſtye of filthineſs ; yea,itnotonlydefiles, but deſtroys it.
Job calls it a " fire thatburneth to deftruction,"
Job. xxxi . 12. oras the Septuagint reads it, a fire that burneth inallthe members.
It isaſin thatGod hath plagued with ſtrange and terrible diſeaſes ; thatMorbus Gallicus, and Sudor
Anglicus, andthat Plica Polonica, whereof you may read in Bolton's four lastthings, page 30. and Sclater onRom. i. 30.
Theſe werejudgments ſent immediately byGod's own hand, to correct the new fins and enormities ofthe world; for they ſeem to put the beſt phyſicians befides their books.
O how terrible is it to lie groaning under the fad effects ofthis ſin!
As Solomon tells us, Prov. v. IV. "And thou mourn at the " laſt,whenthyfleſh andthybodyare confumed." Tothis fenfe fome expound that terrible text, Heb. xiii . 4. "Marriage is
" honourable in all, and the bed undefiled ; but whore- " mongers andadulterersGodwilljudge;"(i.e.)withfomeremarkablejudgment inflictedon them inthis world : ifit efcape thepunishmentofmen,it shall noteſcape the vengeanceofGod.
Ah! withwhat comfortmayamanliedownupona fickbed, when the fickneſs can be looked upon as a fatherly vifitation coming in mercy ? But thou that ſhorteneſtthy life, andbringeft ficknesson thyselfby ſuch a fin, art thedevil's martyr ; and
towhom cauſt thou turn in ſuch aday for comfort ?
Arg. 4. Confider what an indelible blot it is to thy nature, which can never be wipedaway ; though thou eſcape withthy life, yet,, as one ſays, thou shalt be burnt in the hand, yea, brandedin the forehead.
What a foulſcare is thatupon the face ofDavid himself,which abides tothis day ? " He was up66 right in all things, fave inthe matter ofUriah."
Andhow was he flighted by his own children and ſervants, afterhehad committedthis fin! compare Sam. ii. 30. with 2 Sam. xiil 10, 11. " Awound and dishonour ſhall heget; andhis re- "proach ſhall not be wiped away.
This is to give thine " honour to another," Prov. v. 9.
The shame and reproach attending it, ſhould be a preſervative from it.
Indeedthe devil tempts to it by hopes offecrefy and concealment; butthough many other fins lie hid, and poſſibly ſhall never come to light until thatdayofmanifestation of all hidden things, yet thisis afin that is moſt uſually diſcovered. Under the law, God appointed anextraordinaryway forthediscovery of it, Numb. v. 13. Andtothis day, theprovidence ofGoddoth often very
in the Scripture-Ginfs.
trangelybring itto light, though itbea deedofdarkness : the Lord hathmanytimes brought ſuch perſons, either by terror ofconfcience, phrenfy, or fomeother means, tobe the publishers and proclaimers of their own shame.
Yea, obſerve this, faid the reverend Mr. Hilderſham on the fourth ofJohn, even thoſethat are moſt cunning to conceal and hide it from the eyes of the world, yet through the juſt judgment ofGod, every one ſuſpects and condemns them for it : this daſhes in pieces, at one ſtroke, that veſſel in whichthe precious ointment ofagood name is carried. A fool in Iſrael ſhallbe thy title; and even children ſhall point at.thee.
Arg. 5. It ſcatters thy ſubſtance, and roots upthe foundation ofthy eftate; Job xxxi. 12. " Itroots up all thy increaſe.
Strangers ſhall be filled with thy wealth, andthy labours " ſhall be in the houſe ofa ſtranger," Prov. v. 10. " Forby means of a whoriſh woman, a man is brought to amorfelof
" bread," Prov. vi. 26. It gives rags for its livery (faith one) and though it befurtheredbythefulness,yet it isfollowedwith a morſel of bread.
This is one of thoſe temporal judgments withwhichGod punishes theuncleanperſon in this life.
The word Delilah, which is the name of a harlot, is conceived to come from a root that fignifies to exhauft, drain, or draw dry.
This fin will quickly exhaust the fullest eſtate ; and, oh ! what adreadful thing willthis be,whenGod ſhall require an account ofthy stewardſhip sin the greatday! how righteous is it, that thatman ſhould be fuelto the wrath ofGod,whoſe health and wealth have been ſo much fuel to maintain the flame of lust !
Ohow lavish oftheireftates are ſinners to fatisfy their lufts ! ifthemembers ofChriſtbe ſick, or in prifon,theymay there periſh and ſtarve, beforethey will relieve them; but toobtain their lufts, O how expenfive ! " Ask me never ſo much, and I " willgive it," said Shechem, Gen. xxxiv. 12. "Afkwhat
" thou wilt, and it ſhall be given thee," ſaid Herod to the daughter ofhisHerodias.
Well, you areliberal inſpending treaſures upon your lufts ; andbelieve it,Godwill ſpend treafures ofwrath topuniſh you for lufts.
It hadbeen a thousand times better for thee thou hadft never had an estate, thatthou hadſt begged thy bread from door to door,than to have ſuch a fad reckoning as thou shalt ſhortly have for it.
Arg. 6. O stand offfrom this ſin, becauſe it is a pit, out of which veryfew have been recovered that have fallen therein.
Few are the foot-ſteps of returners from this den. The longera man lives in it, the leſs power he hath toleave it.
It is not Yy 2
The Harlot's Face, onlyadamning, but an infatuating fin. The danger of fallingthiswaymust needsbegreat, andthefall very defperate, becauſefew that fallinto itdoever riſe again.
I ſhall lay two very terrible ſcriptures before you to this purpoſe, either of them enough to drive thee ſpeedily to Chrift, or to drive thee outofthywits; theone isthat, Eccl. vii. 26. "AndI findmore
" bitter thandeath, the womanwhoſe heartisſmaresand nets, " and her hands as bands : Whoſo pleaſeth God ſhall eſcape
" fromher, but the finner ſhallbe takenby her." The argument which the Spirit ofGoduſes here to diffuade from this fin, is taken from the fubject ; they that fall into it, for the moſtpart, are perſons in whom God has no delight, andfo injudgment are delivered up to it, and never recoveredby grace from it.
The other is that in Prov. xxii. 14.
" mouth of a strangewomanis adeep pit; hethat is abhor- " red ofthe Lord ſhallfall therein." terrible word ! able todaunt the heart of the ſecureſt finner : Your whores embrace you,yea, but God abhors you ! You have their love, Oh bur you areunderGod's hatred ! What ſayyou to theſe two fcrip- " The tures ? Ifyou are not atheists, methinks ſuch aword from the mouthofGod, ſhould ſtrike likeadartthrough thyſoul. And uponthis account it isthat they never are recovered, becauſe
Godhas no delight in them.
If this be not enough, view one fcripture more, Prov. ii. 18, 19. " For her houſe inclin- " eth untodeath, andher paths unto the dead: None thatgo
" toher, return again, neither takethey hold of the paths of " life." Reader, ifthou beaperſon addictedtothis fin, gothy ways, and think ſeriouslywhat a caſe thou art in.
None return again, (i. e.) avery few ofmany: The examples offuch as have been recovered, are very rare.
Pliny tells us, the mermaids are commonlyſeenin greenmeadows, andhave inchanting voices ; but there are always found heaps of dead men'sbones lyingbythem. This maybe but a fabulous ſtory :
ButIam fure, it is trueof the harlot, whoſe ſyren-fongs have allured thouſands to their inevitable deſtruction. It is a captivating fin, that leads away the finner intriumph ; theycannot deliver their fouls; Prov. vii. 22. " He goeth afterher ſtraight- "way, as an ox goeth tothe flaughter, or as a fool] to the " correction ofthe ſtocks." Mark, a fool ; itdementates and befools men, takes awaytheirunderſtanding ; the Septuagint renders it, ωσπερ κύων επι δέσμους, asadog tothe collar; or, like as we ufe to ſay, adog ina ſtring. I have readof one, thathavingby this fin wastedhis body, wastold by phyſicians, that except he left it, hewould quickly loſehiseyes :Heа
in the Scripture-Glafs.
anfwered, if it be ſo, thenvale lumen amicum, farewel ſweet light. And I remember Luther writes ofa certain nobleman inhis country, who was ſo beſottedwiththe fin ofwhoredom, that he was not ashamed to ſay, that ifhe might live here for ever, and be carried from one ſtew to another, he would never defireanyother heaven. The greatestconquerors thathave fubduedkingdoms, and ſcornedto be commanded by any, have been miferably enſlavedand captivatedby this luft. Othink fadlyupon this argument! God often givesthem up to impenitency, and willnot ſpendarodupon them to reclaim them.
SeeHofea iv. 14. Rev. xxii. 11 .
Arg. 7. Andthen inthe 7thplace, thoſefewthathave been recoveredby repentance out ofit, Ohow bitter hathGodmade ittotheir fouls! "I find it (faith Solomon) morebitter than
" death," Eccl. vii. 26. Death is avery bitterthing ; Owhat a ftruggling and reluctance is there innature against it ! But thisismorebitter. PoorDavidfounditſo,whenhe roared under thoſe bloodylaſhesofconfcience for it, in Pfalm li. Ah ! whentheLord ſhallopen the poor finner'seyes, tofee thehorrid guilt he hath hereby contracted upon his own poor foul, it willhaunthim as a ghoft, day and night, and terrifyhis foul with dreadful forms and repreſentations ! O dearbought pleafure, if this were all it thould coſt ! What is now become of the pleaſure of fin ? O what gall and wormwood wilt thou taſte, when once the Lord ſhall bring thee to afight of it!
The Hebrew word for repentance (Nachum), andtheGreekword (Metamelia), the one fignifies an irking ofthe foul, and the other fignifies, after grief: Yea, it is called, a renting of the heart, as ifitwere torn in pieces inaman's breast. Afk fuch a poor foul, what it thinks of fuch courſes now? Oh ! now it loaths, abhors itſelf for them.
Aſk him, ifhe dare ſinin that kind again ? You may as well aſk me (will he anſwer) whether I will thrust myhand into the fire.
Oh ! it breeds an indignation in him against himself.
That word [αγανακλησιν], 2 Cor. vii. 11. fignifies the rifing of the ftomach with very rage, andbeing fick with anger. Religious wrath is the fierceftwrath. O what a furnace is the breast ofa poor penitent ! what fumes, wht heats doabound init, whilftthe fin is even before him, and the ſenſe ofthe guilt upon him ?
One night of carnal pleaſure willkeep thee many days and nights upon the rack of horror, ifeverGod give thee repentance unto life.
Arg. 8. And if thou never repent, as indeed but few do that fall into this ſin, thenconfiderhow God will follow th
The Harlot's Face, with eternal vengeance: Thou shalthave flaming fireforburning luft .
This is a fin that hath the ſcent offire andbrimſtone with it, wherever you meet with it in ſcripture.
The harlot's guests are lodged in the depths ofhell, Prov. ix. 18.
Nomore perfumedbeds; they mustnowliedown in flames.
Whoremongers ſhall have theirpart inthelake that burneth with fire and brimstone ; which isthe ſeconddeath, Rev. xxi.
Such ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God and Chrift, 1 Cor. vi. 9. Nodog ſhall come intotheNewJerufalem ; there ſhall inno wife enter in any thing that defileth, or thatworketh abomination.
You have ſpentyour ſtrength upon fin, and nowGod fets himself a work to ſhew the glory of his power in punishing, Rom. ix. 22. The wrath of God is tranſacted upon them in hell by hisown immediate hand, Heb. x. 30.
Becauſeno creature is ſtrong enough to conveyall his wrath, and it must all be poured out upon them, therefore he himſelf will torment them for ever with his own immediate power:
Now he willstir up all his wrath, and finners ſhall know the price of their pleaſures.
Thepunishment ofSodom is a little map ofhell, as I may ſay. Ohow terrible aday was that upon thoſe unclean wretches ! But that fire was not of many days continuance : When it had conſumed them, and their houſes, it went out for want of matter : but here, thebreath of the Lord, like a ſtream of brimstone, kindles it.
The pleafurewas quickly gone,butthe ſting and torment abide for ever. "Who knoweth thepower ofhis anger? Even according
" tohis fear, ſo is his wrath," Pfalm xc. 11.Oh confider, how will his almighty power rack and tormentthee ! Think on this when fin comes with asmiling face towards theein the temptation. O think ! If thehumannature of Chriſt recoiled, when his cup ofwrath was givenhim to drink; ifhe were fore amazed at it, how ſhalt thou, a poor worm, bear and grapple with it for ever ?
Arg. 9. Confider further, how cloſely foever thou carrieft thywickedneſs inthis world,tho' it ſhould never be diſcovered here, yet there is a day coming when all will out, and that beforeangels and men. Godwill rip up thyfecret fins inthe face ofthat great congregation at the day of judgment : Then that which was done in ſecret ſhallbe proclaimed as uponthe houſe-top, Luke xii. 3. "Then God willjudgethe ſecrets of " men," Rom. ii. 16. " the hidden things ofdarkness will
" be brought into the open light."
Sinner, there will be no ſculking for thee in the grave, nodeclining this bar; thou refuſedſt, indeed, tocome to the throne ofgrace, when God
in the Scripture-Glafs.
invitedthee,buttherewillbe no refuſing to appear before the barofjustice,when Chriſt ſhallfummonthee. And as thou canft not decline appearing, ſo neither canſt thou then palliate and hide thywickedness any longer ; forthen ſhall the books beopened; the book ofGod's omniſcience, and the book ofthine own confcience,wherein allthy ſecretvillany is recorded; for though it ceaſed to ſpeak to thee,yet it ceaſednottowrite and recordthyactions.
If thy ſhameful ſins ſhouldbe divulged now, it would make thee tear offthy hairwith indignation ; but then all will be discovered : Angels and men ſhall point at thee, and ſay, lo, this is the man, this is he that carried it fo ſmoothly in the world.
Mr. Thomas Fuller relates a ftoryof Ottocar king ofBohemia, who, refuſing todo his homage to • Rodulphus the firſt emperor, being at last forely chaſtiſed
• withwar, condeſcended todohim homageprivatelyin atent ; • but the tent was ſo contrived by the emperor's ſervants,
• (faith the hiſtorian) that,bydrawing onecord, it was taken all away, and fo Ottocarpreſented on his knees, doing homage tothe emperor in the view ofthree armies.' O firs, you thinktocarry it cloſely, you wait for the twilight, that nonemay ſee you ; but, alas ! itwill be to no end, this day will discover it ; and then what confufion and everlasting ſhame will cover thee ! Will not this work then ?
Arg. 10. Lastly, confider but one thing more, and I have done. Bythis finthoudoſt not onlydamn thine own foul, but draweſt another to hell with thee.
This fin is not as a fingle bullet that kills but one, but as achain-ſhot, it kills many, two at leaſt, unless Godgive repentance. And if he ſhould give thee repentance, yet the other party may never repent, and ſoperiſh for everthrough thy wickedness; and, oh! what a fad confideration will thatbeto thee, that fuch a poorfoul is inhell,orlikely togo thitherby thymeans ? Thou haftmade faft a fnare upona foul,whichthou canst not untie, thou haftdone that whichmaybe matter offorrow to thee as long asthou livest; butthough thou canstgrieve for it, thou canît not remedy it.
In other fins it isnot ſo: ifthouhadft ſtollen another's goods, reſtitution might bemade tothe injuredparty,butherecanbe none: ifthou hadit murdered another, thy fin was thine own, not his that was murdered by thee: but this isa complicated fin,defiling both atonce ; and ifneither repent, then, oh ! what a fad greeting willtheſe poor wretches have inhell! howwillthey curſe the day, that ever theyſaweachother's face!Owhat anaggravationoftheirmifery will thisbe! For look,as itwill be mater ofjoy in heaven,
The Harlot's Face 車 tobeholdſuch there as wehave been inſtrumental to ſave, fo muſt it needs be a ſtinging aggravation of the miſery ofthe damned, to look upon thoſe that have been the inſtruments and means oftheirdamnation. Oh, methinks, iftherebe any tenderneſs at all inthy conſcience, ifthis finhave not totally brawnedand ſtupifiedthee,theſe arguments ſhould pierce like afwordthrough thy guilty foul. Reader, Ibefeech thee, by the mercies ofGod, ifthou hast defiledthy foulby this abo minable fin, ſpeedilyto repent. O get theblood ofſprinkling uponthee; there is yet mercy for fuch awretch as thou art, ifthouwilt acceptthe terms ofit. " Such were fome ofyou,
" but ye are waſhed," 1 Cor. vi. 11. Publicansandharlotsmay enter into thekingdom ofGod,Matth. xxi. 31. Though but fewſuch are recovered, yet how knowestthou but thehandof mercymay pull thee, as abrand out of the fire, if now thou wilt return and ſeek itwithtears ? Thoughit be afire that con fumeth unto destruction, as Job calls it, Job xxxi. 12. yet it is notanunquenchable fire, theblood of Chrift can quench it.
AndforyouwhomGod hathkepthitherto from the conta gionofit, O bleſs the Lord, and uſe allGod's means for the prevention ofit.
The feeds of this fin areinthynature ; no thanks to thee, butreſtraining grace, that thou art not deliveredup to italſo..And that thou mayeſtbe kept outofthis pit, confcionablypractiſe theſe few directions.
Direct. 1. Beg of Godaclean heart, renewed and fanctifi edby faving grace; all other endeavours dobut palliatea cure:the rootofthis isdeepin thy nature ; O getthat mortified, Matth. xv. 19. " Outof the heart proceed fornication,
" adulteries."
1 Pet. ii. 11 , 12. " Abstainfrom fleſhly lufts, " -havingyour converfationhoneſt." The lust must firſt be fubdued, before the converſation can behonest.
Direct. 2. Walk in the fear ofGod all theday long, and inthe ſenſe ofhis omniſcient eye thatis ever upon thee. This keptJoſeph from this fin, Gen. xxxix. 9. " How can Idothis
" wickedneſs, and fin againstGod ?" Conſider, thedarkneſs hideth notfromhim, but ſhineth as the light. Ifthoucouldt i finda place where the eye ofGodcould not diſcover thee, it were fomewhat: thou dareft not to act this wickedneſs in the prefence of achild, and wiltthou adventureto commititbeforethefaceofGod? feethat argument,Prov.v.20,21. "And " whywiltthou, my fon, be ravished with a ſtrangewoman,
" and embracetheboſom of a stranger ? For the ways ofman " arebefore the eyes ofthe Lord, and he pondereth all his
"goings."
in the Scripture-Glass.
Direct. 3. Avoidlewdcompany, and theſocietyofunclean perſons; they are but panders for luft. Evil communication corrupts good manners.
The tongues of finnersdo caft fireballs intothe hearts ofeach other, whichthe corruption with. in is eaſilykindledandenflamed by.
Direct. 4. Exerciſethyſelf in thycalling diligently; itwill beanexcellentmeans of preventing this fin.
It isa good obſervationthatone hath, That Ifael was fafer in the brick-kilns inEgypt, than in the plains ofMoab. 2 Sam. xi. 2. " And it
" cameto paſs inthe even-tide, thatDavid aroſe from offhis "bed, and walked on the roof of the king's houſe ;" and this wasthe occafion ofhis fall.
See 1 Tim. v. 11, 13.
Direct. 5. Put a restraint uponthine appetite : feed not to exceſs.
Fulneſs ofbread and idleneſs were the fins of Sodom, that occafioned ſuch an exuberancy of luft *. " They are like
" fed horfes, every one neighing after his neighbour's wife.
" When I had fedthem to the full, then they committed a- " dultery, and affembled themſelves by troops in the harlot's
" houſes," Jer. v. 7, 8. This isaſad requitalof thebounty ofGod, in giving ustheenjoyment ofthe creatures, to make them fuel to luſt, and inſtruments of fin.
Direct.6.Make choice of a meetyoke-fellow, and delight inher youhave choſen. This is a lawful remedy: See 1 Cor. vii. 9. God ordained it, Gen. ii. 21. But herein appears the corruptionof nature, that mendelight to treadby-paths, and forſake the way which God hath appointed; as that divine poet, Mr. Herbert, faith, IfGodhad laid allcommon, certainly Man would have been the cloſer: but fince now
•God hath impall'd us, on the contrary, Manbreaks the fence, and every groundwillplow.
Owhat were man, might he himſelf miſplace !
Sure, tobecroſs, he would shift feet and face.
Stolen waters are ſweeter to them than thoſe waters they might lawfully drinkattheirown fountain: Butwithal know, it isnot thehaving,butthedelightinginalawful wife, asGod requires you todo, that must be a fence against this fin. So Solomon, Prov. v. 19. " Lether be as the loving hind, and " pleafantroe; let her breasts fatisfytheeatalltimes, andbe
" thou raviſhed always with her love." ;
VOL . VI.
Zz * Sine Cerere et Bacchofriget Venus,