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flaming vitiated Thoughts and Imagination, that Imagination which God himself says is Evil, and only Evil, and that continually; and whatever the just and serious Reasonings are which we should use upon this, and the Consequences we should draw; surely they are not that we should apply our selves to quench this Fire in the Lakes of Sodom, (I do not mean literally as to Sodom) that we should study Ways to satiate and gratify those impure Desires; and then finding some artful Method, give a loose to our Appetite under the Cover of a legal Protection, sheltering our Wickedness under the Letter of the Law.
On the other hand, if I was to enter into the Affirmative or Positive Part, and tell you what you ought to do, I should say, these are the Deeds of the Body, which you should mortify, if you will expect to live, Rom. viii. 4. the Thorns in the Flesh, which you should pray against, 2 Cor. xii. 7. the Enemies you should struggle with; and this is what the Scripture means, when it speaks of our crucifying the Flesh, with its Affections and Lusts, Gal. v. 24. But I must not Preach. To talk Scripture to a Man when he has a Woman in his Head, is talking Gospel to a Kettle Drum; the Noise is too great; the Clamour of his Vices is too loud, and he will answer coldly, as the Wise Men of Athens answered St. Paul, We will hear thee again of this Matter, Acts xxvii. 32. or to put it into a kind of a Paraphrase; We will hear thee again, some time or other, when we have nothing else to do.
I come therefore to search the Crime, and fully to expose it. Your own Reason, and, if you have any, your Religion, will instruct youto
