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Phil.2.15. That ye may be blameleffe, and harmleffe, the fans of God without rebuke, in the midft of a crooked and perverfe nation, among whom ye fhine as Lights in the world.

Phil.4 8. Finally Brethren, whatsoever things are true, what foever things are honeft, whatsoever things are just, what foever things are pure, what foever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any vertue, and if there be any praife, think on these things.

Having now difpatched those four things thou must watch over, namely, thy Thoughts, thy Affections, thy Words, and thy Actions. I come now in the second place to speak of those fix things thou maft efpecially watch againft.

1. Against those fins thou art most enclined to, by temper and natural conftitution. The weakeft part of the City must have the strongest guard. Some Affections are predominant in one Age, fome in another: There are youthful lufts, 2 Tim.2.22. as well as infirmities proper to old Age. 'Twas a great Argument of Davids fincerity that he could truly fay, Pfal.18 23. I was upright before thee, and kept myself from mine iniquity.

Study therefore thy heart, and confider what fins thou art moft prone unto. All fins fight against the foul, but thy Mafter fin is the Golish; endeavour (through the aids of Grace) to flay T34

that,

Chap.5. that, and the whole Army of the Philistines will be eafily vanquished.

2. Against the fins thou art moft obnoxious to, by reason of thy particular Calling, Condiți. on, State, and Courfe of life. A man by reason of his calling, or condition of life may have more frequent, and ftronger inducements to fome fins, than to others; which he is there. fore the more especially to keep watch against, 2 King.5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy fervant, that when my Mafter goeth into the house of Rimmon, to worship there, aud he leaneth on my band, and I bow my felf in the houfe of Rimmon; when I bow down my felf in the house of Rimmen, the Lord pardon thy fervant in this thing.

3. Against the fins of the times, and places wherein thou liveft. We must be careful of being carried away with the evil of the times. 'Tis a defcription of wicked men, Eph.2.2. that they walked according to the courfe of this world, i.e, according to the Age, as the manner of the. times went. But of righteous Noah, we have another kind of Character,Gen. 6.9. Noah was a just man & upright in his generation,& Noah walked wtih God. And fo in 2 Chron.17.3.4.We read, that the Lord was with Fehofaphat, because he walked in the firft waies of his Father David, and fought not unto Baalim, but fought to the Lord God of his Father,and walked in his Commandments,and not after the doings of Ifrael. And the Apostle ex

herts

horts the Philippians, Chap. 2. v. 15. that they fhould be blameleffe, and harmlesse, the fons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and a perverfe nation, among whom (faies he) ye shine as Lights in the world. 'Tis a high point of Grace, not to be fnared with the evils of our own times.

4. Against all occafions, and temptations, thou foreseeft are likely to endanger thy foul. We that pray to God, not to lead us into temptati on, must not run our felves into it: A prudent man should therefore forethink, and confider in the morning, what temptations he is like to be encountred with that day, that fo he may (if poffible) decline them, or elfe fet his guards the ftronger against them. A weak temptation that takes us unawares, will prevail more than a Stronger forfeen. A prudent man faith Solomon, Prov.22.3. forefeeth the evil, and bideth himfelf, but the foolish go on ftill and are punished. Tis a point of true fpiritual wisdom to forefee fin afar off, in the occafions, and temptations that lead to it, and by avoiding the one to prevent the other. 'Tis easier and fafer for the Fowl to paffe by the fnare, while fhe is yet out, than it is to wind her felf out again, when she is once in.

Watch and pray, faies our Saviour to his Difciples, Mat.26.41. that ye enter not into temptation. If ye do rafhly enter the lifts of temptation, a thousand to one (fuch is mans naturall weakT 4 neffe)

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Chap.5. neffe) you will not come out without fome foi'.

5. Against dishonouring God in the use of Lawful things, Juch as meat, drink, apparel, lawful refreshments, &c.

Remember that 'tis in the ufe even of things indifferent, that Satan moft ufually fetteth his Snares for Gods fervants; for here the fnare is not fo vifible, as in groffer fins; and he prevai leth more often against those that be not groffely prophane and ungodly, by the immoderate or undue ufe of things in themselves lawful, than by drawing them to fuch things as are fimply evil, and unlawful. The Devil knowes well, that he that will do all he may do, will foon be drawn to do fomwhat he ought not to do. 'Tis dan gerous to come near the borders and confines of fin: Thofe that will go to the atmoft extent of their Chriftian Liberty and venture themselves fo near the brink, do many times fall into the pit of fin. All things (faith the Apostle) are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. 1 Cor.6.12. and 10.23. All things. i.e. not all things abfolutely, but all things in their own nature indiffe rent, aré lawful to me, yet all fuch things are not alwaies expedient. 'Tis better for us many times to forbear many things we may do, (it will never be grief or offence of heart to us, as was faid to Da vid, in another cafe, 1 Sam.25.31.) than be once bvertaken in what we fhould not do.

6. Watch

6. Watch against Errour.

As thou must be careful to keep thy heart from finful lusts, and thy life from being sported and ftained with finful practifes, fo thou must be vigilant alfo to keep thy judgment found, and thy mind from being tainted and fly-blown with Errour. Thou must take heed of a corrupt judgment, as well as a rotten heart and a wicked life. Tis a great judgment to be given up either to an erroneous mind or to vile affections. Some there are that feem very strict in their lives, and pretend as much tendernesse in matter of morality, as Lot did of his guests, Gen.19. yet are very loofe as to their judgments, expofing them as he his Daughters to be defiled with any corrupt Doctrine that comes to their doors. Fulian the Apoftate was a juft, temperate, ftri&t man, but a bitter enemy to Christ: Some that are fober in their lives, are yet drunk with Errour. But let fuch confider, that as they Jay of fish, they begin to flink at the head, so a corrupt judgment is very frequently a beginner and introducer of a depraved converfation. Men in this age are wanton, and play with opinions; but (believe it) 'tis not of fmall moment, what opinions we hold, and whether we be found in the Faith, or no. Grace and Truth ufe to thrive together: The way of truth is the way of life, and errour tendeth to death. The Apostle tels us of pernicious Doctrines, and damnable Herefes,

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2 Pet.2.

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