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or Wicked; it would certainly be rejected. Every one that has any regard to God or Goodnefs, would start at fuch a Propofal. But here is our Infelicity: A Temptation comes on by degrees. And at the first we are ingaged in nothing but what is Lawful and Honeft; and accordingly we ufe that Liberty which Nature and Religion allows us; and fo we proceed on infenfibly in the use of that Liberty,'till at last we become uncertain whether we have not exceeded the Bounds of what is Lawful: And by this Means we are often caught. Nay, indeed, nothing but this could betray well-meaning Perfons, and fuch as are vertuously difpofed, into Sin. Licitus parimus omnes, faid a devout Man: It is by Lawful Things, that we commonly mifcarry.

With great Reafon, therefore, doth St. Paul give this Advice in the Text: Brethren, (faith he) ye have been called unto Liberty, only ufe not Liberty for an Occafion to the Flesh.

There is no doubt, but the Apostle writ thefe Words upon Occafion of, and with Reference to, the great Controverfy, that was then on Foot, among Chriftians, touching the Obligation of the Jewish Law.

Some then thought themselves bound in Confcience, to obferve all the Precepts of Mofes's Law. Other Chriftians thought they were freed by the coming of Christ, from all Legal Obfervances. The Apostle determines the Cafe in Favour of thefe latter, and declares, That by the Gospel they were called unto Liberty, and were free from all the Mofaical

Impofitions. But yet, nevertheless, he tells them, they ought to be careful in the Exercife of that Liberty, that they do not use it for an Occafion to the Flefb.

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That is to fay, that this Liberty, to which they were called, fhould not minister to any Sin. That they should not fo ufe it, as to be a Snare, either to themselves or others. themselves, by running into Licentiousness, and taking Unlawful Liberties. To others, either by affrighting the Unbelieving Jews, from the embracing Chriftianity, or difcouraging thofe that already believe the Gospel, in the Profeffion of it.

This is the ftrict Senfe of the Apostle's Words, as they come in here in the Text, and as they do relate to that Occafion upon which he writ them. But that Senfe, with Reference to that Occafion, is now out of Doors among us: Though the general Advice that is here given, will eternally be good and ufeful; Nay, and always needful to be insisted on in all Ages of the World.

We have none, now, that ufe their Liberty for an Occafion to the Flesh, as to the Point of the Judaical Ceremonies. But we have abundance that do use it so as to other Matters. Nay, as I faid before, this too free use of our Liberty in Lawful Things, is one of the greatest Sources and Fountains, from whence moft of our Irregularities do proceed. And, therefore, I do not know how I can entertain you more usefully upon this Text, than by endeavouring to give you the best Rules I

can,

can, for the reducing the Apoftle's Exhortation into Practice, as it doth concern us at this Day.

But that you may fee plainly what I drive at, I will yet ftate the Matter a little more particularly.

Our Cafe in this World, is this; The Laws of Vertue and Religion, do allow Men all reafonable Liberties in the Gratification of their Natural Paffions and Appetites, and in the Use and Enjoyment of all the good Things of this Life. But all unreasonable Gratifica tions, all Exceffes and immoderate Liberties, are forbidden by Religion, and therefore are finful and criminal:

If now in all Cafes a Man could readily and certainly fix the precife Bounds and Landmarks of what is reafonable and moderate, and what is unreasonable and excessive in the Use of his Liberty; fo as that upon all Occafions, and in all Emergencies, he could fay within his own Mind, Thus far I may lawfully and innocently go in the Gratification of fuch an Appetite, or in the Enjoyment of fuch a Pleasure, or the like; but if I proceed a step farther, I become a Tranf greffor Ifay, If this was the Cafe of a Man, in the Ufe of his Liberty, it would be no hard matter for any well difpofed Perfon to take all that Liberty that was moderate and lawful; and to forbear all that which is exceffive and unlawful.

But now this is not always an eafie Mat ter to be done. For many Cafes happen, in which a Man cannot precifely determine VOL. I.

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where it is that his lawful Liberty ends, and where it is that it begins to be extravagant and exceffive. So that while a Man is only defigning to gratifie his Defires in lawful Inftances, he is often carried beyond his Bounds, and proceeds to Exceß.

This now, I fay, is one great Occafion of Sin to Mankind; and yet there is no avoiding of it, because it is fuch a one as doth neceffa rily arife from the Nature of Things,

Thus for Inftance: It is certainly very lawful for a Man to drink Wine and ftrong Drink, not only for his Health's Sake, when his Conftitution doth require it; but also for Chearfulness, and the Enjoyment of his Friends. But on the other fide, Drunkenneß and Intemperance, are grievous Crimes, and utterly forbid by our Religion. Whilft now a Man on one hand hath a Defire to take that Liberty that is allowed him, and to gratifie his natural Inclination to Mirth and Pleafantneß, or to fhew Civility, as he terms it, to his Company: And on the other hand, he has no certain unalterable Meafures to proceed by for the ftinting himself in this Cafe; (as furely it is a very hard Matter to prefcribe or define, either to a Man's felf or others, the exact Pitch or Limits where Temperance ends, and Intemperance begins:) by this means, Í fay, he is often betrayed into Sin. Thinking with himself, that there is a great Latitude and Compaß in the Exercife of Temperance and Sobriety (as indeed there is,) and that therefore he may go on fome Time longer with the Com

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Company; the Wine by this means fteals upon him, and he is, before he was aware, fallen into the Sin of Intemperance and Exceß.

And thus it is, not only as to the Use of our Liberty in Things allowed, but as to the Performance of our Duty in Things commanded.

Every Man is fenfible, that it is a principal Law of our Religion to be Charitable, and to give Alms out of our Subftance. But now it Is not fo eafie a Matter for any Man to define, and fet out the Quantum, or the precife Proportion of Alms, which every one is bound to give; fo as to be able to pronounce, that if à Man give fo much, he performs his Duty, and is a Charitable Man, for one in his Cir cumstances; but if he gives lefs than that, he is Covetous and Uncharitable. Now, I fay, because this Duty of Charity is thus indefinitely left, and there is fuch an Affinity and Undis ftinguishablenes between the leaft Measures of Charity, and the Sin of being uncharitable Men do from hence often take Occafion to fall fort in the Performance of it. And as in the former Inftance I gave about Drinking, they are apt to take more Liberty than is allowed them; fo in this they are apt to do lefs than is commanded them. For if they do bur give fomething to the Poor out of their Year ly Income, they think they give enough to fatis fie the Command of Charity; and fo they make no Confcience of faving and hoarding Without End or without Measure..

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