Josh. xxii. 5, "Take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses, the servant of the Lord, charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your soul." Deut. iv. 15, 16, "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves, lest ye corrupt yourselves." Chap. xii. 30, "Take heed to thyself, that thou be not snared," &c. Luke xi. 36, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness. 1 Cor. x. 12, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." Deut. iv. 9, "Take heed to thyself, keep thy soul diligently." These and many other texts of Scripture, plainly require of us the utmost possible diligence and caution to avoid sín.

But how can he be said to use the utmost possible diligence and caution to avoid sin, that voluntarily does those things, that naturally expose and lead to sin? How can he be said with the utmost possible caution to avoid an enemy, that voluntarily lays himself in his way? How can he be said to use the utmost possible caution to preserve the life of his child, that suffers it to go on the edge of precipices or pits; or to play on the borders of a deep gulf; or to wander in a wood, that is haunted by beasts of prey?

II. It is evident that we ought to avoid those things that expose and lead to sin; because a due sense of the evil of sin, and a just hatred of it, will necessarily have this effect upon us, so to do.

If we were duly sensible of the evil and dreadful nature of sin, we should have an exceeding dread of it upon our spirits. We should hate it worse than death, and should fear it worse than the devil himself; and dread it even as we dread damnation. But those things that men have an exceeding dread of upon their spirits, they naturally and necessarily keep at a great distance from; and avoid those things that they apprehend expose to them. As a child that has been greatly terrified by the sight of any wild beast, will by no means be persuaded to go anywhere, where it apprehends that it shall be exposed to it, or fall in its way.

Sin in its own nature is infinitely hateful, so in its natural tendency it is infinitely dreadful. It is the tendency of all sin eternally to undo the soul. Every sin naturally carries hell in it! Therefore all sin ought to be treated by us as we would treat a thing that is infinitely terrible. If it be not so, that any one sin, yea, the least sin, do not necessarily bring eternal ruin with it, it is owing to nothing but the free grace and mercy of God to us, and not to the nature and tendency of sin itself. But certainly we ought not to take the less care to avoid sin, or all that tends to it, for the freeness and greatness of God's mercy to us, through which there is hope of pardon; for that would be a most ungrateful and vile abuse of mercy indeed. If it were so, that it were made known to us, that if we ever voluntarily committed any particular act of sin, we should be damned without any remedy or escape, should we not exceedingly dread the commission of such sins? Should we not be very watchful and careful to stand at the greatest distance from that sin, and from every thing that might expose us to it, and that has any tendency to stir up our lusts, or to betray us to such an act of sin? Let us then consider, that if it be not so, that the next voluntary act of known sin shall necessarily and unavoidably issue in certain damnation, yet it will certainly deserve it: we shall thereby really deserve to be cast off, without any remedy or hope; and it can only be owing to free grace, that it will not certainly and remedilessly be followed with such a punishment. And shall we be guilty of such a vile abuse of God's mercy to us, as to take encouragement from it, the more boldly to expose ourselves to sin?

III. It is evident that we ought not only to avoid sin, but things that expose and lead to sin; because this is the way we act in things that pertain to our temporal interest.

Men do not only avoid those things that are themselves the hurt and ruin of their temporal interes,t but also the things that tend to expose to it; because they love their temporal lives, they will not only actually avoid killing themselves, but they are very careful to avoid those things that bring their lives into danger, though they do not certainly know but they may escape.

They are careful not to pass rivers and deep waters on rotten ice, though they do not certainly know that they shall fall through and drown; so they will not only avoid those things that would be in themselves the ruin of their estates, such as the setting their own houses on fire, and burning them up with their substance; their taking their money and throwing it into the sea, &c., but they carefully avoid those things by which their estates are exposed. They are watchful, and have their eyes about them; are careful whom they deal with; they are watchful, that they be not overreached in their bargains; that they do not lay themselves open to knaves and fraudulent persons.

If a man be sick of a dangerous distemper, he is careful to avoid every thing that tends to increase the disorder; not only what he knows to be mortal in his situation, but other things that he fears the consequence of, or that may be prejudicial to him. Men are in this way wont to take care of their temporal interest, as what they have a great regard for. And therefore if we are not as careful to avoid sin, as we are to avoid injury in our temporal interest, it will show a regardless disposition with respect to sin and duty; or that we do not much care though we do sin against God.

God's glory is surely a thing of as much importance and concern as our temporal interest. Certainly we should be as careful not to be exposed to sin against the Majesty of heaven and earth, as men are wont to be of a few pounds; yea, the latter are but mere trifles, compared with the former.

IV. We are wont to do thus by our dear earthly friends.

We not only are careful of those things wherein the destruction of their lives, or their hurt and calamity in any respect do directly consist, but are careful to avoid those things that do but remotely tend to it. We are careful to prevent and cut off all occasions of their loss or damage in any respect; and are watchful against that which tends in any wise to deprive them of their comfort or good name; and the reason is because they are very dear to us. In this manner men are wont to be careful of the good of their own children, and dread the approaches of any mischief that they apprehend they are, or may exposed to. And we should take it hard if our friends did not do thus by us.

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And surely we ought to treat God as a dear friend; we ought to act towards him, as those that have a sincere love and unfeigned regard to him; and so ought to watch and be careful against all occasions of that which is contrary to his honor and glory. If we have not a temper and desire so to do, it will show that whatever our pretences are, we are not God's sincere friends, and have no true love to him.

If we should be offended at any that have professed friendship to us, if they treated us in this manner, and were no more careful of our interest, surely God may justly be offended, that we are no more careful of his glory.

V. We would have God in his providence towards us, not order those things that tend to our hurt, or expose our interest; therefore certainly we ought to avoid things that lead to sin against him.

We desire and love to have God's providence such toward us, as that our

welfare may be well secured. No man loves to live in exposed, uncertain, and dangerous circumstances. While he is so, he lives uncomfortably, in that he lives in continual fear. We desire that God would so order things concerning us, that we may be safe from fear of evil; and that no evil may come nigh our dwelling; and that because we dread calamity. So we do not love the appearance and approaches of it; and love to have it a great distance from us. We desire to have God be to us as a wall of fire round about us, to defend us; and that he would surround us as the mountains do the valleys, to guard us from every danger or enemy, that so no evil may come nigh us

Now this plainly shows, that we ought in our behavior towards God to keep at a great distance from sin, and from all that exposes to it; as we desire God in his providence to us, should keep calamity and misery at a great distance from us, and not order those things that expose our welfare.

VI. Seeing we are to pray we may not be led into temptation; certainly we ought not to run ourselves into it.

This is one request that Christ directs us to make to God in that form of prayer which he taught his disciples, "Lead us not into temptation." And how inconsistent shall we be with ourselves, if we pray to God, not to order it so in his providence, that we should be led into temptations; and yet at the same time we are not careful to avoid temptation; but bring ourselves into it, by doing those things that lead and expose to sin. What self-contradiction is there in it, for a man to pray to God that he may be kept from that, which he takes no care to avoid? By praying that we may be kept from temptation we profess to God, that being in temptation is a thing that is to be avoided; but by running into it, show that we choose the contrary, viz., not to avoid it.

VII. The apostle directs us to avoid those things that are in themselves lawful, but tend to lead others into sin; surely then we should avoid what tends to lead ourselves into sin.

The apostle directs to this, 1 Cor. viii. 9: "Take heed lest this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block, to them that are weak." Rom. xiv. 13, "That no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." Verse 15, "But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat." Verses 20, 21, "For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."

Now if this rule of the apostle be agreeable to the word of Christ, as we must suppose, or expunge what he says out of the canon of the Scripture; then a like rule obliges more strongly in those things that tend to lead ourselves into sin.

VIII. There are many precepts of Scripture that do directly and positively imply, that we ought to avoid those things that tend to sin.

This very thing is commanded by Christ, Matt. xxvi. 41, where he directs us to watch lest we enter into temptation. But certainly running ourselves into temptation, is the reverse of watching against it.

Again, we are commanded to abstain from all appearance of evil; i. e., do by sin, as a man does by a thing he hates the sight or appearance of; and therefore will avoid any thing that savors of it, or looks like it; and will not come near it, or in sight of it.

Again, Christ commanded to separate from us, those things that are stumbling-blocks, or occasions of sin, however dear they are to us. Matt. v. 29, “ If

thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee." Verse 30, " And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off." By the right hand offending us, is not meant its paining us, but the word in the original signifies, being a stumblingblock; if thy right hand prove a stumbling-black, or occasion to fall; i. e., an occasion to sin. Those things are called offences or stumbling-blocks in the New Testament, that are the occasions of falling into sin. We ought to avoid running up against stumbling-blocks; i. e., we should avoid those things that expose us to fall into sin.

Yea, Christ tells us, we must avoid them however dear they are to us, though as dear as our right hand or right eye. If there be any practice that we have been accustomed to, that naturally tends and exposes us to sin, we must have done with it; though we love it ever so well, and are ever so loth to part with it, though it be as contrary to our inclination, as to cut off our right hand, or pluck out our own right eye, and 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 themfor they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods." For this reason 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, Matt. 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.

The wisest and strongest, and some of the most holy men in the world, have been overthrown by such means. So 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 corrupt 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 tendency 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 especially 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 are exceeding prone of themselves 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 a high mountain, and not only so, but the ground upon which the child stood slippery, and steeply descending directly towards the pre cipice, 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 situation?

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 incline to fall.