that upon pain of damnation, for it is intimated, that if we do not, we must go with two hands and two eyes into hell fire.

And again': God took great care to forbid the children of Israel those things that tended to lead them into sin. For this reason, he forbid them marrying strange wives, Deut. vii. 3, 4. "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them-for they will turn a way thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods." For this reaon they were commanded to destroy all those things, that the nations of Canaan had used in their idolatry; and if any were enticed over to idolatry, they were to be destroyed without mercy, though ever so near and dear friends. They were not only to be parted with but stoned with stones; yea they themselves were to fall upon them, and put them to death, though son or daughter, or their bosom friend, Deut. xiii. 6, &c. "If thy brother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, let us go and serve other gods, thou shalt not consent unto him, neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him. But thou shalt surely kill him. Thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death."

Again The wise man warns us to avoid those things that tend and expose us to sin; especially the sin of uncleanness. Prov. vi. 27. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt? So, whosoever toucheth her, shall not be innocent." This is the truth held forth; avoid those customs and practices that naturally tend to stir up lust, And there are many examples in scripture, which have the force of precept; and recorded, as not only worthy of, but demand our imitation. The conduct of Joseph in the text is one ; and that recorded of King David is another. Psal. xxxix. 1, 2. “ I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good." Even from good....that is, he was so watchful over his words, and kept at such a great distance from speaking what might in any way tend to sin, that he avoided, in certain circumstances, speaking what was in itself lawful, lest he should be betrayed into that which was sinful.

IX. A prudent sense of our own weakness, and exposedness to yield to temptation, obliges us to avoid that which leads or exposes to sin,

Whoever knows himself and is sensible how weak he is; and his constant exposedness to run into sin; how full of corruption his heart is, which, like fuel, is exposed to catch fire, and bring destruction upon him; how much he has in him to incline him to sin; and how unable he is to stand of himself; who is sensible of this, and has any regard of his duty, but will be very watchful against every thing that may lead and expose to sin; on this account Christ directed us, Matth. xxvi. 41. To watch and pray lest we enter into temptation." The reason there is added, the flesh is weak! He that in confidence of his own strength, boldly runs the venture of sinning by going into temptation, manifests great presumption, and a sottish insensibility of his own weakness. "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” Prov. xxviii. 26.

So

The wisest and strongest, and some of the most holy men in the world, have been overthrown by such means. was David; so was Solomon. His wives turned away his heart. If such persons, so eminent for holiness, were this way led into sin, surely it should be a warning to us. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

I now proceed to the application.

In one use of exhortation. To exhort all to a compliance with their duty in this respect, not only to avoid sin, but those things that lead and expose to sin.

If it be made out clearly and evidently from reason and the word of God, to be our duty so to do, this would be enough with all Christians. Will a follower of Christ stand objecting and disputing against a thing, that is irrefragably proved and demonstrated to be his duty?

But here some may be ready to inquire, How shall we know what things do lead and expose to sin? Let a man do what he will, he cannot avoid sinning, as long as he has such a eorrupt heart within him. And there is nothing a man can do, or turn his hand to, but that he may find some temptation in it. And though it be true, as it is said in the doctrine, that

a man ought, as far as may be, to avoid those things that lead and expose to sin; and it is evident by the arguments that have been brought, that those things that have special tendeney to expose men to sin, are what we ought to shun, as much as in us lies: Yet how shall we judge and determine what things they are, that have a natural tendency to sin; or do es pecially lead to it?

I would answer in some particulars, which are plain and easy, and which cannot be denied without the greatest absurdity.

Answer 1. That which is bordering on those sins that the lusts of men's hearts strongly incline them to, is of this sort. Men come into the world, with many strong and violent lusts in their hearts, and and are exceeding prone of themselves to to transgress, even in the safest circumstances they can be placed in. And surely so much the nearer they are to that sin, which they are naturally strongly inclined to, so much the more are they exposed. If any of us that are parents, should see our children near the brink of some deep pit, or close by the edge of the precipice of an high mountain, and not only so, but the ground upon which the child stood slippery, and steeply descending directly towards the precipice, should we not reckon a child exposed in such a case? Should we not be in haste to remove the child from its very dangerous situa

tion?

It was the manner among the Israelites, to build their houses with flat roofs, so that persons might walk on the tops of their houses. And therefore God took care to make it a law among them, that every man should have battlements upon the edges of their roofs; lest any person should fall off and be killed. Deut. xxii. 8. "When thou buildest a new house then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence." And certainly we ought to take the like care that we do not fall into sin; which carries in it eternal death. We should, as it were, fix a battlement, a guard to keep us from the edge of the precipice. Much more ought we to take care, that we do not go upon a roof that is not only without battlements, but when it is steep, and we shall naturally

Men's lusts are like strong enemies, endeavoring to draw them into sin. If a man stood upon a dangerous precipice, and had enemies about him, pulling and drawing him, endeavoring to throw him down; would he in such a case, choose, or dare to stand near the edge? Would he look upon himself safe close on the brink? Would he not endeavor for his own safety, to keep at a distance ?

2. Those things that tend to feed lusts in the imagination, are of this kind.

They lead and expose him to sin. Those things that have a natural tendency to excite in the mind, the idea or imaginaation of that which is the object of the lust, certainly tend to feed and promote that lust. What can be more plain and evident, than that a presenting the object, tends to stir up the appetite? Reason and experience teach this.

Therefore all things, whether they be words or actions, have a tendency and expose to sin, that tend to raise and uphold in the mind, imaginations or ideas, of those things which the lust tends to. It is certainly wrong and unlawful to feed a lust even in the imagination. It is quite contrary to the holy rules of God's word. Prov. xxiv. 9. "The thought of foolish ness is sin." Matth. v. 28. "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery." A man, by gratifying his lusts in his imagination and thoughts, may make his soul, in the sight of God, to be a hold of foul spirits; and like a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. And sinful imaginations tend to sinful actions, and outward behavior in the end. Lust is always first conceived in the imagination, and then brought forth in the outward practice. You may see the progress of it in James i. 15. "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin."

Therefore for a man to do those things that tend to excite the objects of his lusts in his imagination, he does that which has as natural a tendency to sin, as a conception has to a birth. And such things are therefore abominable in the sight of a pure and holy God. We are commanded to keep at a great distance from spiritual pollution; and to hate even the very garment spotted with the flesh." Jude 23.

3. Those things that are the experience and observation of mankind shew to be ordinarily attended or followed with sin, are of this sort.

Experience is a good rule to determine by in things of this nature. How is it we know the natural tendency of any thing, but only by observation and experience? Men observe and find, time after time, that such things are commonly attended and followed with such other things. And hence mankind pronounce of them, that they have a natural tendency to them. We have no other way to know the tendency of any thing. Thus men, by observation and experience, know that the warmth of the sun, and showers of rain, are attended with the growth of plants of the earth; and hence they learn, that they have a tendency to it. So they find by experience, that the bite of some kinds of serpents is commonly followed with illness, and often with death. Hence they learn, that the bite of such serpents has a natural tendency to bring disorder upon the body, and exposes to death.

And so, if experience and common observation shows, that any particular practice or custom is commonly attended with that which is very sinful, we may safely conclude, that such a practice tends to sin; that it leads and exposes to it.

Thus we may determine, that tavern haunting and gaming are things that tend to sin; because common experience and observation show, that those practices are attended with a great deal of sin and wickedness. The observation of all ages and all nations, with one voice declares it. It shows, where taverns are much frequented, for drinking and the like, they are especially places of sin, of profaneness, and other wickedness: And it shows, that those towns, where there is much of this, are places where no good generally prevails. And it also shows, that those persons that are given much to frequenting taverns, are most commonly vicious persons, And so of gaming; as playing at cards, experience shows, that those persons that practise this, do generally fall into much sin. Hence these practices are become infamous among all sober, virtuous persons,