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Therefore, I fhall only confider St. Paul, as giving us Advice to take heed unto our felves in thofe things which carry a lefs appearance of Evil, and feem in themselves lefs hurtful, and lead us infenfibly into Error: Towards which, the firft ftep is fcarcely perceived, the first tranfition is feldom obferved. For Sin itself is very deceitful; it often takes the Colour and Tincture of fome neighbouring Virtue, and leads us away by an insensible Change. Therefore it behoves us to take heed unto our felves, and guard against any Approaches unto Sin. For which Reafon St. Paul recommends a general Prudence, an univerfal Caution, and names no particular Vice, that we may be guarded againft every Sin, and carry his Admonition into every part of Life, every Action and Circumftance of it: For there is no Time, no Place, wherein we ought not to take heed unto our felves. The generality of our Faults, are rather owing to a want of Heed and Attention to ourselves, than to any Vicious Principle in our Nature; and we are often rather Imprudent than Wicked; and fometimes our Tranfgreffions proceed, not fo much from bad Thoughts, as from having none at all.

But St. Paul's Caution will not fuffer us to be unmindful of our felves, it conftantly attends our Path, and our Table, our going out, and our coming in; it reaches our Thoughts, it forms our Words, it governs our Paffions, it moderates our Appetites, it fashions our Behaviour, and guides and directs all our Actions; and when it is duly attended to by us, it is more beneficial than the Rules of the Law, or the Commands of any Paftor, or Magiftrate: For it is this only that can fhew us the hidden Snare that is laid for us; this only, that can keep us from the Pleasure that would deftroy us; this only, that can make us truly Circumfpect and Wife :

For,

For, wifdom dwelleth with Prudence; and Prudence confifteth in much Heed; and therefore David walked furely, and walked wifely, because he Jaid, and certainly refolved, that he would take heed unto his

ways.

But it is not enough to avoid the first approaches to Sin, we should likewife endeavour to avoid the leaft appearance of Folly. There are Indifcretions which are not strictly criminal, but yet are highly blameable; they are fometimes pardonable in a good Man, but never confiftent with the Character of a wife one. Whereas they that are the Minifters of the Gospel, fhould fo far take heed to their Ways, as to keep themfelves free from the Faults of Imprudence; for they are under the Eye of the niceft Obfervers, who rejoyce if the foot doth but flip, and are ready to fay, Ha! ba! fo wou'd we have it. Therefore fince their Profeffion befpeaks a greater heed, and requires from them whatsoever things are lovely, and what foever things are of good report; they fhould not only fhew themselves as Innocent as Doves; but, by a difcreet Behaviour, endeavour likewife that they may be thought as Wife as Serpents.

But we cannot be properly faid to take this Heed unto our felves, unlefs we avoid every Temptation which may lead us into Sin. We fcarcely know our own Strength, and are often betrayed by too much Confidence; therefore true Heed rather declines the Danger, than ftays for the oppofing of it; and would rather not hazard itself, than venture the Uncertainty of Overcoming. For which reafon, he that will certainly avoid Intemperance, will not fo much as look upon the wine when it is red, and giveth bis colour in the cup. And he that will not offend with his tongue, will keep his mouth as it were with a bridle, whilft the ungodly are before him. This Warinefs induced Fob to make a covenant with his

eyes

eyes; and under this Prevention, we may think with Solomon, that it is better to go to the house of mourning, than the house of feafting.

Such a diligent Heed to our felves, is very neceffary upon all Occafions, that we may be guarded against every Danger which may attack us. To defeat the private Defigns of our Enemy, requires the utmoft Caution in us: We fhould always guard a gainst his Malice, and fometimes guard againft his Kindne's: For thofe that feem our familiar Friends, may do us a Difhonour, if we do not fometimes bide ourselves from them. Befides, in the frame of fome Minds there is a natural Craftinefs and Guile, which delights itself with malicious Defigns, and private Mischiefs. Dan is a ferpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the borse beels, fo that his rider will fall backward. Therefore we fhou'd ftudy the Inclinations, the Defigns, the Interefts of Men, and not be unwarily led away with outward Appearances, which will fometimes deceive the quickest and moft judicious Obferver: For although in water face anfwereth to face, yet the heart of man doth not always answer to man.

And it is not strange that Men are thus deceitful to us, when we are often deceitful to our very felves, and become weak in the confidence of our ftrength. Peter believed, and frongly affirmed, that he cou'd go with his Lord into Prison, and to Dearb and yet he denied him, before the Cock crew thrice. This Inftance is fufficient to convince us of our own Weaknefs; therefore we fhou'd always ftand upon our guard, and grow watchful, from a modeft miftruft of our own Abilities: For although we have once conquered the Temptation, yet it is not certain that we fhall always conquer it again. The Difpofition of the Heart, and the Temper of the Body, is very changeable, and therefore never to be relied on.

For

For thofe Pleafures which lately follicited all the Senses in vain, perhaps may find us more unguarded at another time, and prevail upon us, by addreffing themselves in a fofter Hour, when they may be heard. For which reafon, fince Man knoweth not his own Strength, nor what manner of Spirit he is of, nor what Change he is Subject to, nor in what Hour the Affiftance of Grace may be withdrawn from him; it behoves him to be watchful over himself, and become the Shepherd of his own Soul: for by that means Difcretion will preferve him, and Understanding will keep him, to deliver him from the Deceitfulness of his own Heart; which, from an ignorance of himself, will fometimes be unto him as a Stranger, which flatter eth with her Words.

Therefore we fhou'd not only know our felves, and avoid the Temptation; but likewise keep in view every thing which was intended as a Guard againft it. If the Priestly Habit, which is enjoined us, is not only a certain Mark and Diftinction of our Profeffion, but a fort of Monitor to keep us from Actions unfuitable to it; we shou'd not throw our felves off the Guard, by laying afide such a Remembrance of our Station and Duty. To avoid this Danger, the (a) Canons are very particular in enjoining the Habit and defcribing the very Form of it; and fome of the (b) Conflitutions declare, that we cannot depart from it, without being in a manner suspended from the Privileges of it; as

(4) Vide Canonem 74. A. D. 1603.

(b) Vide Conftit. Bonifacii, cujus Titulus fic fe habet.

Præcipiendum eft PRIVILEGIO CLERICALI gaudere volentibus, ut habitum, vestitum, & tonfuram Clericalem fuis locis deferant.

Confule Cod. Gibson. pag. 186. ubi plura occurrunt de antiquo Clericorum veftitu, præfertim in Conftitutione Othoboni; ad cujus obfervantiam quanquam hodie non tenemur, Epifcoporum ramen veterum cura de veftitu & habitu Clericorum inde fatis elucer.

B

if

if we cou'd not take care of our felves, whilft we in fome manner departed from our felves. The Irregularity of Drefs was thought fo little confiftent with the Heed unto our felves, that the very being out of Habit, has been look'd on as a fort of Temptation to act likewife out of Character: because the Reftraint arifing from the certain Diftinction of the Habit is then removed, and the faulty Perfon is under fome fort of Difguife and Concealment. Therefore the Punishment appointed by the Conftitutions is fuch, that the very being in a Readinefs to Tranfgrefs is reckoned it felf a Tranfgreffion.

If it fhou'd be thought, that the want of taking Heed to our felves is only a little Fault: I anfwer, that there is no fuch thing as a little Fault. Every Inadvertency leffens our Efteem, every Indifcretion leffens our Authority; when we cou'd rather with that the Man of God were perfed. Without this Heed to our felves, our Preaching will become less effectual, and our Goodnefs it felf lefs prevailing. Without this Heed to our felves, our very Virtues will deceive us; our Humility will be tinctured with a fecret Pride, and Piety it felf will grow cenforious. Without this Heed to our felves, our very Learning will become indifcreet, and the ftudy of Wisdom will be nothing but Folly. Without this Heed to our felves, an Active Life will be nothing more than a Thoughtless Hurry, and the fincereft Men will be in danger from an heedlefs Honefty. Without this Heed to our felves, our very Mirth will be a Snare, and our Tables will be an occafion of Sin. This therefore is that Knife, which Solomon bids thee put to thy Throat, if thou be a Man given to Appetite.

But when I urge this upon you, I wou'd not be underflood, as if Men cou'd be Wife in every Place; it rather concerns them not to appear Foolish in any: That is the first Step towards Wisdom; and we may

ob

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