pected that it is rather fome outward Restraint that keeps him from it, than the Confcience of the Sin. For if it were that, it would keep him from these too; thefe being Sins alfo, and very great ones in God's Sight. Befides, he that lets himself loose to thefe, puts himself in very great Danger of the other, it being much more eafy to abftain from all, than to fecure against the one, when the other is allowed. But above all, it is to be confidered, that even these lower Degrees are fuch as make Men very odious in God's Eyes, who fceth the Heart, and loves none that are not pure there.

2. The Lovelinefs of this Virtue The Mifchiefs of Chaftity needs no other way of of it. defcribing, than by confidering the Loathfomnefs and Mischiefs of the contrary Sin, which is, firft, very brutifh: Thofe Defires are but the fame that the Beafts have; and then how far are they funk below the Nature of Men, that can boast of their Sins of that kind, as of their fpecial Excellency! When, if that be the Measure, a Goat is the more excellent Crea

ture. But indeed, they that eagerly To the Soul. pursue this part of Bestiality, do often leave themselves little, befides their human Shape, to difference them from Beafts; this Sin fo clouds the Understanding, and defaceth the reasonable Soul. Therefore Solomon very well defcribes the young Man that was going to the Harlot's Houfe, Prov. vii. 22. He goeth after her, as an Ox goeth to the Slaughter.

21. Nor, Secondly, are the EfTo the Body. fects of it better to the Body than to the Mind. The many foul and filhy, befides painful Diseases, which often follow

this Sin, are fufficient Witneffes how mifchievous it is to the Body. And alas! how many are there, that have thus made themselves the Devil's Martyrs? Suffered fuch Torments in the Pursuit of this Sin, as would exeed the Invention of the greatest Tyrant? Surely they that pay thus dear for Damnation, very well deferve to enjoy the Purchase.

The Judgments of God against

it.

22. But, Thirdly, befides the natural Fruits of this Sin, it is attended with very great and heavy Judgments from God. The moft extraordinary and miraculous Judgment that ever befel any Place, Fire and Brimftone from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, was for this Sin of Uncleannefs. And many Examples likewife of God's Vengeance may be obferved on particular Perfons for this Sim. The Inceft of Amnon coft him his Life, as you may read, 2 Sam. xiii: Zimri and Cozbi were flain in the very Act, Numb. xxv. 8. And no Perfon that commits the like, hath any Affurance it fhall not be his own Cafe. For how fecretly foever it be committed, it cannot be hid from God, who is the fure Avenger of all fuch Wickedness. Nay, God hath very particularly threatened this Sin, 1 Cor. iii. 17. If any Man defile the Temple of God, bim fhall God deftroy. This Sin of Uncleanness is a kind of Sacrilege, a polluting thofe Bodies which God hath chofen for his Temples, and therefore no wonder if it be thus heavily punished.

23. Laftly, This Sin fhuts us out from the Kingdom of Heaven, where- It huts out in no impure Thing can enter. And from Heawe never find any Lift of those Sins which bar Men thence, but this of Uncleanness hatha fpecial Place in it.

ven.

Thus it is,

Gal. v. 19. And fo again, I Cor. vi. 9. If we will thus pollute ourselves, we are fit Company: only for those black Spirits, the Devil and his Angels and therefore with them we must expect our Portion, where our Flames of Luft fhall end in Flames of Fire.

24. All this laid together, may fureHelps to ly recommend the Virtue of Chastity to Chastity. us; for the preferving of which we must be very careful, first, to check the Beginnings of the Temptation, to caft away the very first Fancy of Luft with Indignation; for if you once fall to parley and talk with it, it gains ftill more upon you, and then it will be harder to refift: Therefore your way in this Temptation is to fly, rather than to fight with it. This is very ne

ceffary, not only that we may avoid the Danger of proceeding to act the Sin, but also in respect of the prefent Fault of entertaining fuch Fancies, which of itfelf, though it fhould never proceed farther, is, as hath been fhewed, a great Abomination before God. Secondly, Have a special Care to fly Idleness, which is the proper Soil for thefe filthy Weeds to grow in, and keep thyfelf alwaysbufied in fome innocent or virtuous Employment; for then thefe Fancies will be lefs apt to offer themfelves. Thirdly, Never fuffer thy felf to recall any unclean Paffages of thy former Life with Delight, for that is to act over the Sin again, and will be fo reckoned by God: Nay, perhaps thus deliberately to think of it, may be a greater Guilt than a rafh acting of it: for this both fhews thy Heart to be fet upon Filthinefs, and is alfo a Preration to more Acts of it. Fourthly, Forbear Company of fuch light and wanton Perfons, as by the Filthiness of their Difcourfe, or any

othet

other Means, may be a Snare to thee. Fifthly, Pray earneftly that God would give thee the Spirit of Purity, especially at the Time of any present Temptation. Bring the unclean Devil to Chrift, to be caft out, as did the Man in the Gofpel; and if it will not be caft out with Prayer alone, add Fafting to it; but be fure thou do not keep up the Flame by any high or immoderate Feeding. The laft Remedy, when the former prove vain, is 'Marriage, which becomes a Duty to him that cannot live innocently without it. But even here there muft be Care taken, left this, which fhould be for his Good, become not to him an Occafion of falling, for want of Sobriety in the Ufe of Mar riage. But this I have touched on already, and therefore need add no more, but an earnest Intreaty, that Men would confider ferioufly of the Foulnefs and Danger of this Sin of Uncleannefs, and not let the Commonnefs of it leffen their Hatred of it, but rather make them abhor that shame-lefs Impudence of the World that can make light of this Sin, againft which God hath pronounced fuch heavy Curfes, Whoremangers and Adulterers God will judge, Heb. xiii. 4. and fo he will certainly do all Sorts of unclean Perfons whatsoever, 26. The fecond Virtue that concerns

our Bodies, is Temperance. And the Tempe Exercifes of that are diverfe; as, Firft, rances. Temperance in Eating; Secondly, in Drinking;. Thirdly, in Sleep; Fourthly, in Recreation; Fifthly, in Apparel. I shall speak of them feverally: And firft, of Temperance in Eating. This Temperance is obfer

ved when our Eating is agreeable to In Eating.. those Ends, to which Eating is by God

H. 6

ardi

and Nature defigned: Thofe are,

Ends of Eat- firft, the Being; fecondly, the Wellbeing of our Bodies.

ing.

26. Man is of fuch a Frame, that Preferving of Eating becomes neceffary to him for Life. the preferving his Life, Hunger being

a natural Disease, which will prove deadly, if not prevented; and the only Phyfick for it is Eating, which is therefore become a neceffary Means of keeping us alive. And that is the firft End of Eating; and as Men ufe not to take Phyfick for Pleafure, but Remedy, fo neither fhould they eat.

27. But, Secondly, God hath been Of Health. fo bountiful as to provide, not only for the Being, but the Well-being of our Bodies; and therefore we are not tied to fuch Strictnefs, that we may eat no more than will juft keep us from ftarving, but we may alfo eat whatfoever, either for Kind or Quantity, moft tends to the Health and Welfare of them. Now that Eating which is agreeable to thefe Ends, is within the Bounds of Temperance; as, on the contrary, whatfoever is contrary to them, is a Tranfgreffion against it: He therefore that fets up to himself other Ends of Eating, as either the pleafing of his Tafte, or (what is yet worfe) the pampering of his Body, that he may the better ferve his Luft, he directly thwarts and croffes thofe Ends of God; for he that hath thofe Aims, doth that which is very contrary to Health, yea, to Life itself, as appears by the many Difeafes and untimely Deaths, which Surfeiting and Uncleannefs daily bring on Mea.