garnifbed. Then goeth be, and keth with bimfelf feven other Spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there and the laft State of that Man is worse than the firft. 'Tis not fo easy to root up filthy Weeds that have once taken root in any Ground, as it is to prevent their being fown. Neither is it fo cafy to eradicate wicked Thoughts, as it is to prevent them. Upon which Account it is very neceffary. that we avoid this Sin of Idleness, which is a Soil barren in every Thing, but the noifom Weeds of evil Thoughts, and unclean Imaginations. 'Twas for want of better Imployment that David's Heart was polluted with impure Thoughts, and wanton Defires of Bathsheba; which coft him fo much Woe, fuch forrowful Cries, and bitter Lamentations; and caused that remarkable Tragedy of Uriah, which we find 2 Sam. xii. 9, 10, &c. A Sluggard is not only infamous among Men but God and Angels look on him as an ufelefs and unprofitable Wretch. He feems as if he were Heterogenous to the whole Creation; every Part of which (that ought) is active and in motion: The Sun, Moon, and Stars, in their rapid Course, and all the moving Heavens, declare the Glory of God, and even the Firmament fheweth his Handy-work. Pfal.xix. 1.

They

They are all ufeful, and anfwer the End of their Beings, even Things that are immoveable. But the idle and flothful Perfon doth not answer the End of his Being, but is continually upbraided by them. And while almoft every Being is bufy, and in Action, he alone lies ftretch'd along the Ground, and fleeping away his golden Days; or elfe tugging under the Weight of ftudying and contriving how to fpend them. When I fee the Picture of Atlas, with every Muscle extended, and labouring under the ponderous Globe of Heaven upon his Shoulders, I cannot forbear to think upon an idle Perfon, whofe greatest Burden is Time, and fucceeding Hours, Days, and Years, are a Continuation of his Slavery: Or elfe I represent him to myself, as a Man encompaffed with a Croud of Devils, who make him the Sport and Paftime of all their accurfed Affaults and Temptations, and do with him. as they please. "Tis certain that there is no Man fafe that is idle: He is not only exposed to every evil Thought, but to the worft Actions; and he had better be in the midst of a Battle, furrounded with his Enemies, than to be fo extravagantly at Leifure, and unimploy'd.

III. Thirdly, That which administers to evil Thoughts as much as any Thing,

is bad Company. As 'tis the great Advantage of good Converfation to prompt Men to Virtue, to enoble their Minds, and to excite in them a pious and laudable Emulation, fo 'tis the great Mischief of bad Company, and wicked Society, to infect and debauch the Mind, and pollute the Thoughts. Experience infallibly teacheth us, that when we hear any lewd or profane Difcourfe, or fee any base or indecent Actions, we are too apt to repeat the Evil in our Thoughts; and it is well if it proceed no further. The holy Apoftle tells us, I Cor. xi. 33. That evil Communications corrupt good Manners. Vice is ftrangely recommended, and infenfibly infinuates itself, in wicked Conversation. And the fame Apoftle exhorts, Ephef.iv. 29. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth, but that which is good to the ufe of Edifying, that it may minifter Grace unto the Hearers. Religious Converfation, good Difcourfe, greatly enlivens the Soul, raifes the Thoughts, and animates a Man against the Force and Influence of bad Examples. But ill Company is a dangerous and bewitching Thing, and ftrangely leffens our Idea's of God and Notions of Virtue; and tends to pollute and harden the Heart. Who can use to be in fuch Company, where the Holy

Name

Name of God is blafphemed, his Being queftioned, and difputed againft; his Minifters, his Word, his Law, reproached and abused? Who can accuftom himself to the Society of thefe Men, whofe_ungovern'd Tongues talk of nothing but Lewdnefs and Obfcenity; whofe Words, Actions, and whole Behaviour is Scandalous, and Immortal; or Vain, Frothy, and Foolish; without being tainted therewith, and retaining the ungrateful Savour of their ungodly Converfation? Human Nature is too corrupt and prone to ill to come off unhurt. Nothing indeed fo much conduceth to make the Thoughts loofe and wicked, as bad Company, which muft therefore be diligently avoided, if we would preferve our Minds pure, and govern our Thoughts aright. Always therefore endeavour to keep fuch Company as you may rife by, and not fall with. Such as may advance you in Holinefs, enrich your Soul with Virtue; and not fuch as will debauch your Thoughts, and inftill naughty Cogitations into your Minds.

IV. Fourthly, As we muft abhor vicious Conversation, fo we must avoid the reading any lewd or wicked Books, which treat of vile and bafe Subjects, or are any way apt to inftill evil Thoughts or Notions into us. There is hardly any

any

thing more tends to debauch the Mind than the Reading wicked Books; which is a fort of Converfing, and as bad (or worfe) as the former. If our Inclination or Business lie principally that way, there are abundant Gratifications of that kind, befides Plays and Romances, which are lefs dangerous, and more improving. And thofe that understand the Rules of Education will tell you, that few Perfons are competent Readers of them, or ought to be allowed the Liberty of meddling with them. The Advocates of the Theatre plead, that abundance of good Morality, and virtuous Inftruction, may be got by feeing, or reading a Play, or a Romance. But our own Experience doth evidently confute that Plea; and demonftrate, That the Minds of many have been debauched by them; and no doubt many Soul ruined; but few or none the better for them, in any Particular. They are most contrary to the Chriftian Profeffion, and the main Scope and Design of them, is vifibly fuch, as moft tends to please the Fancies of lewd, or atheistical Men; and instead of difcouraging, recommending Vice to the utmost Advantage; and improving all kinds of evil Thoughts, as much as any Thing that can be mentioned.

No