Consider this likewise, any of you that have not lamented your former impure conversation, but being reformed outwardly by your years, or condition of life, yet never have inwardly repented and been deeply humbled for the sins of your youth. True conversion is not so light a work. David, Ps. xxv. 7, remembers his former sins, and prays earnestly that God would not remember them against him: and, on the contrary, you that think not on them, may justly fear that God will remember them, because you yourselves have forgot them.

They that give their tongues the liberty of scurrilous jesting, and impure speeches, cannot but have filthy hearts; their noisome breath argues rottenness within.

Yea they that proceed no further in uncleanness, than to entertain and lodge the fancies or thoughts of it, rolling them in their beds, and delighting in them, even such are exceeding guilty and abominable in the sight of God, who doth not only see into the heart, but most of all eyes and regards it. Keep thy heart above all keeping, says Solomon; for from thence are the issues of life. Certainly, they that can dispense with themselves in these inward heart uncleannesses, and find no remorse, cannot think the Spirit of God dwells within them; for if he were there, he would be shewing his discontent and anger against that unholiness, which is so contrary to him.

And this they that have any truth of grace will find, that if they be not either free from the assaults, or át least those filthy birds, such impure thoughts be not perfectly beaten away, when they light on the soul, if they stay but any time with them, although they afterwards do chase them out with indignation; yet they do leave such a stain, as grieves and saddens the Holy Spirit in them, and for a time they find it not act in prayer, and in spiritual comfort so cheerfully as before. Let no corrupt (or rotten) communication proceed out of your mouth, says the apostle; and grieve not the Holy Spirit: rotten speech grieves the Holy

Spirit, and so do such thoughts too, which are a man's speech with himself; and therefore being most familiar and frequent with him, ought to be most regarded and watched over. There is not any thing will more readily dry up the sweetness and spiritual moisture of the soul, and cause the graces in it to wither, than the impure fire of lust; therefore you that have any beginnings of grace, and would have it flourish, beware of this, and quench it in its first sparkles; if you do not, it may in a little time rise above your power, and still prove very dangerous.

If you would be freed from the danger and importunity of this evil, make use of these usual and very useful rules. 1. To be sober and temperate in diet; withdraw fuel. 2. Be modest and circumspect in your carriage; guard your ears, and eyes, and watch over all your deportment; beware of undue and dangerous familiarities with any, upon what pretence soever. 3. Be choice in your society, for there is much in that. 4. In general, fly all occasions and incentives to uncleanness; but truly the solid care must begin within, otherwise all these outward remedies will prove but empiric medicines, as they call them.

1. First, then, lean not upon moral resolves and particular purposes against uncleanness, but seek a total, entire change of the heart, and to find the sanctifying Spirit of grace dwelling within you.

2. Labour to have the heart possessed with a deep apprehension of the holiness and purity of God, and then of his presence and eye upon all thy actions, yea thy most secret thoughts. His eye is more piercing than that any wickedness can be hid from him, and more pure than to behold it without indignation. The darkness is as noon-day to him. I cannot steal a thought out of his sight, though it be never so sudden and short. Then think, "If I pretend to communion and converse with my God, he is all holiness, therefore uncleanness can never attain that to which I aspire. What communion hath light with darkness,

or Christ with Belial? And shall I lose or hazard the sweetness of his presence for so base a delight? How can I offer that heart to him in prayer, that hath been wallowing in the mire of unclean practice or imagiation?" Resolve to drive out the assaults that are incident to: "How shall I do, or think thus? My holy God is looking on me." This was Joseph's preservation, Shall I do this evil, and sin against God?

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3. Acquaint yourselves with spiritual delights, and this will make a happy diversion from those that are sensual and earthly. Somewhat a man must have to delight in. It is the philosopher's remark, that they that know not the true pleasure of the mind, turn to the base pleasures of the body.

Some moral men seeking higher delight of the mind, in their way have persuaded themselves to a generous disdain of their bodies. How much more powerfully may supernatural delights of the soul-righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost-wean it from those gross, sensual pleasures, that the beasts have in common with us, at least from the immoderate desire, and all unlawful pursuit of them!-Nothing indignifies the soul more than lust. When David had sinned this way, it had so made havoc of grace within him, that he cries not only for cleansing, but for a new creation, as if all were undone; Create in me a clean heart, &c. Psal. li. 10; and found it so slavish and ignoble a sin, tha the prays to be re-established by God with a free or noble spirit.

4. Increase in the love of Christ; for as that grows, there is a decrease of the love of sin, yea, of the immoderate love of all inferior things: as the sun-beams eat out the fire, this divine and heavenly love consumes the other. All our love is too scarce or poor for him, when it is collected and drawn all together to run only towards him; and therefore there is none to spare upon the flesh, and the lusts of it, nor upon any creature, but as he allows and appoints. The sense of his love takes up the whole soul, and he lodging

in it, is that true Agnus castus that makes it chaste, that bundle of myrrh that hath a virtue to preserve the Christian from the corruptions of lust.

That love of Jesus Christ is strong as death, kills all opposite affections; and, indeed, it alone is worthy of the soul, the noble, immortal soul. Oh! how is it abased when it is drawn down to sensuality, and so made a slave to its servant, the flesh! Major sum et ad majora genitus, (could a Roman philosopher say,) quàm ut sim mancipium mei corporis: I am greater, and born to greater things than to be a slave to my body. How unworthy is it, that being capable of the highest good, the fruition of God, we should forget ourselves so far as to serve vile lust, and forfeit the happiness and pleasures of eternity! Far be it from God hath called us to holiness, and not to uncleanness, says the apostle.

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Fly all unlawful and forbidden delights; and those that are lawful, do not engage your hearts to them, love them not immoderately: and they can scarce be loved without excess, if loved at all. Shall I say, then, if you use them, yet love them not, reserve that for purer enjoyments? Says not the apostle this, Let them that rejoice, be as if they rejoiced not; and particularly, They that marry, as if they married not? And his reason is weighty-For the fashion of this world passeth away, &c.

Remember to what a pure and excellent condition we are called as Christians, and with what a price we are bought to be holy; and let it be our firm purpose and study to glorify God in our souls and bodies, for they are his.

PRECEPT VIII.

Thou shalt not steal.

God is the God of order, and not of confusion it is he that hath authorized and appointed propriety of possessions unto men, and withal that society and commerce amongst them that serves for their mutual

good; and property reserved makes one man in what he possesses useful and helpful to another; and hath given this precept of his law, to regulate them in these things, to be the rule of that which we call contentation or justice, equity towards our neighbour, in matter of his goods or proper possessions.

This, then, being the scope of the commandment, whatsoever breaks this hedge, is, as comprehended under the name of theft, here forbidden. All manner of injustice and wrong done to our neighbour in his estate, whether by violence, or by sleight of hand, by force or fraud; yea, if it be but so much as in affection or desire for (as we have often said) the law is spiritual, and binds not only the hands but the heart.

So then, not only gross robberies and thefts are here forbidden, but all oppression and extortion in superiors, all purloining and unfaithfulness in inferiors; too strict exaction in masters, and slothfulness in servants, or whatsoever else may tend to their masters' damage; all bribery and receiving of gifts, to the perverting of justice; all deceit and over-reaching in commerce, or trading, or bargaining; taking advantage in buying or selling, or any contract, upon the ignorance or simplicity of those we deal withal; all desire and seeking of our neighbour's loss to our gain ; all the degrees of sacrilege and simony; all idleness and neglect in men's particular callings, by which they either impoverish themselves, and are worse than infidels, not providing for their families; or, if they have certain provision by their callings, in neglecting the duties of them, they wrong those from whom, or for whose sakes they are so provided; as magistrates and ministers, who have or should have honourable maintenance for the public service, the one in the common-wealth, the other in the church. As it is a great sin to curtail or detain what is due that way, so it is no less wickedness in them, if they be remiss and careless of those duties to which they are obliged for the public good. In a word, whosoever can digest any kind of undue gain to themselves, or