A hedgerovv of busshes, brambles, and briers: or, A fielde full of tares, thistles and tine of the vanities and vaine delightes of this worlde, leading the way to eternall damnation: with seuerall exhortations or cauiats for the carelesse to shun and beware the same. Now newly compiled by I.D.

EXHORTATION.

TVrne away thine eye from a beautifull woman,* 1.1 and looke not vpon others beautie: for many haue peri∣shed by the beautie of women: for through it loue is kindled as a fire.

Heare ye mee now therefore O children,* 1.2 and depart not from the wordes of my mouth.

Keepe thy way farre from her, and come not neare the doore of her house,

Least thou geue thine honour vnto others, and thy yeeres to the cruell:

Least the stranger should be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in the house of a stranger,

And thou mourne at thine ende (when thou hast con∣sumed thy flesh and thy body)

And say, How haue I hated instruction, and mine hart despised correction!

Let vs not commit fornication, as some of them did,* 1.3

and fell in one day three and twentie thousande.

* 1.4Know ye not, that your bodyes are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an Harlot? God forbid.

Doe you not know, that he which coupleth himselfe with an Harlot, is one body? for two, sayth he, shalbe one flesh.

Flie fornication: for euery sinne that a man doth, is without the body: But he that committeth fornica∣tion, sinneth against his owne body.

Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost, which is in you, whom ye haue of God? and ye are not your owne.

For ye are bought for a price: therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit: for they are Gods.

* 1.5Keepe thee from the wicked woman, and from the flat∣terie of the tongue of a strange woman.

Desire not her beautie in thine hart, neither let her take thee with her eye-lids.

* 1.6Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God? Neither fornicators, nor ad∣ulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers.

* 1.7This ye know, that no whoremongers, neither vn∣cleane persons, hath any inheritaunce in the king∣dome of Christ and of God.

But fornication, and all vncleannesse, let it not be once named amongst you, as it becommeth Sainctes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eccle. 9, 8.
• * 1.2

  Pro. 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. 10, 8.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 6, 15.16, 18, 19, 20
• * 1.5

  Pro. 6, 24, 25
• * 1.6

  1. Cor. 6, 9.
• * 1.7

  Ephe. 5, 5, 3.