4. Another way by which persons may determine of some things, that they lead and expose to sin, is by their own experionce, or what they have found in themselves.

If persons have found in themselves, from time to time, that they have actually led them into sin, this surely is enough to convince them, that such things do actually lead and expose to sin; for what will convince men, if their own experience will not? Thus if men have found, by undeniable experience, that any practice or custom stirs up lust in them, and has betrayed them into foolish and sinful behavior, or sinful thoughts; they may determine that they lead and expose to sin. Or if they, upon examining themselves, must own, that such a custom or practice has, time after time, had that effect upon them, as to dispose them to sins of omission of known duty; such as secret prayer, and make them more backward to it; and also to indispose them to reading and religious meditation; and they, after they have been doing such or such a thing, have found this has commonly been the effect of it, that they have been more apt to cast off prayer, or has had a tendency to the neglect of family prayer, Or if it seems to lead to unwatchfulness; they find, since they have complied with such a custom, they are less watchful of their hearts, less disposed to any thing that is serious; that the frame of their mind is more light, and their hearts less on the things of another world, and more after vanity; these are sinful effects; and therefore if experience shows a custom or practice to be attended with these things, then experience shows that they lead and expose to sin,

5. We may determine whether a thing be of an evil tendency, or not, by the effect that an outpouring of the Spirit of God, and a general flourishing of religion, has with respect to it.

If a pouring out of the Spirit of God on a people, puts a stop to any practice or custom, and roots it out, surely it argues, that that practice or custom is of no good tendency; for if there be no hurt in it, and it tends to no hurt, why should the Spirit of God destroy it? The Spirit of God has no tendency to destroy any thing that is neither sinful, nor has any tendency to sin. Why should it? Why should we suppose

that the Spirit of God should be an enemy to that which has no hurt in it, nor has any tendency to that which is hurtful?

The flourishing of religion has no tendency to abolish or expel any thing that is in no way against religion. That which is not against religion, religion will not appear against. Religion has no tendency to destroy any custom or practice, that has no tendency to destroy that. It is a rule that holds in all contraries and opposites: The opposition is equal on both sides. So contrary as light is to darkness, so contrary is darkness to light. It is equal both ways. So, just so contrary as the flourishing of religion is to any custom, just so contrary is that custom to the flourishing of religion. That custom that religion tends to destroy, that custom, if it prevail, tends also to destroy religion. Therefore, if the flourishing of religion, and the outpouring of the Spirit of God, tends to overthrow any custom that takes place or prevails, we may surely determine, that that custom is either in itself sinful, or tends and exposes to evil.

6. We may determine, by the effect that a general decay of religion has with respect to them, whether they be things of a sinful tendency or not

If they be things that come with a decay of religion, that creep in as that decays, we may determine they are things of no good tendency. The withdrawing of good, does not let in good, but evil. It is evil, not good, comes in, as good gradually ceases. What is it but darkness that comes in as light

withdraws.

Therefore, if there be any decay of religion in the town, or in particular persons, and upon this any certain customs or practices take place and are allowed, which were wholly abstained from and renounced when religion was in a more flourishing state, we may safely conclude that such customs and practices are contrary to the nature of true religion; and therefore in themselves sinful, or tending to sin.

7. We may, in many things determine, whether any custom be of a good tendency, by considering what the effect would be, if it was openly and universally owned and practised.

There are many things that some persons practise somewhat secretly, and are partly hidden in; and that they plead

to be not hurtful; which, if they had suitable consideration to discern what the consequence would be, if every body openly practised the same, it would soon show that the consequence would be confusion, and a most woful state of things. If, therefore, there be any custom, that is of such a nature, that it will not bear universal open practice and profession; but if it should come to that, the least consideration will show that the consequence would be lamentable; we may determine that that custom is of an ill tendency. For if there is no hurt in it, and it is neither sinful in itself, nor tends to any thing sinful, then it is no matter how open and universal the world is in it; for we need not be afraid of that custom's being too prevalent and universal, that has no ill tendency in it.

Thus I have mentioned some general rules, by which to determine and judge what things are of a bad and sinful tendency. And these things are so plain, that for a person to deny them, would be absurd and ridiculous.

I would now, in the name of God, warn all persons to avoid such things, as appear by these rules to lead and expose to sin. And particularly, I would now take occasion to warn our young people, as they would approve themselves fearers of God, to avoid all such things in company, that, being tried by these rules, will appear to have a tendency or lead to sin. Avoid all such ways of talking and acting as have a tendency to this; and follow the example of Joseph in this.

Not only the most gross acts of uncleanness, but all degrees of lasciviousness, both in talking and acting, are strictly forbidden in scripture, as what should not be so much as once named among saints or Christians, Gal, v. 9. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness." Eph. v. 3, 4, 5. "But fornication, and all uncleanness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God." We should hate even the garments spotted with the flesh, i. e. should hate and

shun all that in the least approaches to any such thing or sa vors of it.

And I desire that certain customs that are common among young people in the country, and have been so a long time, may be examined by those rules that have been mentioned. That custom in particular, of young people of different sexes lying in bed together! However light is made of it, and however ready persons may be to laugh at its being condemned: If it be examined by the rules that have been mentioned, it will appear past all contradiction, to be one of those. things that lead and expose to sin: And I believe what experience and fact will show of the consequence and event of it, does abundantly bear witness to it. And whoever wisely considers the matter, must say, that this custom of this country (to which it seems to be peculiar, among people that pretend to uphold their credit) has been one main thing that has led to that growth of uncleanness that has been in the land. And so there are other customs and liberties that are customarily used among young people in company, that they that use them know that they lead to sin. They know that they tend to stir up their lusts; that it does do it; and this is the very end for which they do it, to gratify their lusts in some meas, ure. Little do such persons consider, what a holy God they are soon to be judged by, that now make a mock of sin; who abominates the impurities of their hearts.

If, therefore, they do actually stir up and feed lust, then certainly they tend to further degrees and more gross acts. That which stirs up lust, makes it more violent, and does therefore certainly the more expose persons to be overcome by it. How evident and undeniable are these things; and how strange that any should cavil against them, or make a derision of them!

Possibly you may be confident of your own strength, and may think with yourself, that you are not in danger, that there is no temptation in these things, but what you are able easily to overcome. But you should consider, that the most selfconfident are most in danger. Peter was very confident, that he should not deny Christ, but how dreadfully otherwise

was the event! If when others that have fallen into gross sins, should be inquired of, and should declare how it was with them; doubtless they would say, that they at first thought there was no danger; they were far from the thought that ever they should commit such wickedness; but yet by venturing further and further, they fell at last into the foulest and grossest transgressions. And persons may long withstand temptation, and be suddenly overcome at last. None so much in danger, as the most bold. They are most safe, that are most sensible of their own weakness; and most distrustful of their own hearts, and most sensible of their continual need of restraining grace. Young persons with respect to the sin of uncleanness, are dealt with by the devil, just as some give an account of some sort of serpents charming of birds, and other animals down into their mouths. If the serpent takes them with his eyes, though they seem to be affrighted by it, yet they will not flee away, but will keep the serpent in sight, and approach nearer and nearer to him, till they fall a prey.

Another custom that I desire may be examined by the forementioned rules, is that of young people of both sexes getting together in the night, in those companies for mirth and jollity, that they call frolics; so spending the time together till late in the night, in their jollity. I desire our young people to suffer their ears to be open to what I have to say upon this point; as I am the messenger of the Lord of Hosts to them, and not determine that they will not hearken, before they have heard what I shall say. I hope there are but few persons among us so abandoned, as to determine that they will go on in a practice, whether they are convinced that it is unlawful or not; or though it should be proved to them to be unlawful by undeniable arguments.

Therefore let us examine this custom and practice by what has been said. It has been proved undeniably, that we ought not to go on in a practice that leads and exposes to sin; and rules have been laid down to judge what does thus expose and lead to it, that I think are plain and undeniable.

Therefore, now let us try this custom by these rules, and see whether it will bear the test or not. Certainly a Christ