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CHAPTER II. OF CHRISTIAN SOBRIETY. Sect. I. Of Sobriety in the general fenfe. HRISTIAN Religion in all its moral parts .is nothing elfe but the Law of Nature, and great Reafon, complying with the great neceffities of all the world, and promoting the great profit of all relations, and carrying us through all accidents of variety of chances to that end which God hath from eternal ages purpofed for all that live according to it, and which he hath revealed in Jefus Chrift : and according to the Apoftle's Arithmetic hath but thefe three parts of it; i. Sobriety, 2. Juftice, 3. Religion, For the grace of God bringing falvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodli- nefs and worldly lujls, tee jhould live i. Soberly, 2. Righteoujly, 3. Godly in this prefent world, looking for that blejjed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jefus Chrijl. The firft contains all our deportment in our perfonal and private capacities, the fair treating of our bodies and fpirits. The fecond enlarges our duty in all relations to ourNeighbour. The third contains the offices of direct Religion, and intercourfe with God. Chrijlian Sobriety is all that duty that concerns ourfelves in the matter of meat and drink and plea- fures and thoughts; and it hath within it the duties of i. Temperance, 2. Chajlity, 3. Humility, 4. Modejly, 5. Content. It is a ufing feverity, denial and fruftration of our appetite when it grows unreafonable in any of thefe inftances: the neceffity of which we mall to beft purpofe underftand by confidering the evil confe- quences of fenfuality, effeminacy, or fondnefs after carnal pleafures. Evil confequents of Voluptuoufnefs or Senfuality.1. A longing after fenfual pleafures is a diflblu- tion of the fpirit ...
