aggravate their Sins, make them appear in their proper Colours, and fhew that they are no better than Cockatrice Eggs, and Spiders Webs. Have you not feen the crafty Spider weave a Net, and then lie in Ambush, till the filly Fly, dazled perhaps with the Curiofity of the Net, haftens to thofe unhappy Labyrinths; but while fhe is sporting her felf in thofe Chambers of Death, out comes the Murderer, and leads the Captive Wretch in Triumph home. Confideration would fhew them, that thus it is with Sin; and that with much fair Speech, as that Harlot, Prov. 7. 21, 22, 23. it caufes the Sinner to yield; with the flattering of her Lips fhe forces him. He goes after her ftraightway, as an Ox goes to the Slaughter, or a Fool to the Correction of the Stocks: till a Dart ftrike through his Liver, as a Bird haftens to the Snare, not knowing that it is for his Life.

This Kindnefs Confideration would do them. Thus and thus it would tell them; and this is it Men are afraid of, and therefore care not for entertaining it. Their Sins afford them prefent Satisfaction, and the Pleafure they promife is brisk and lufty on their Fancies; their Body feels it, their Eyes fee it, their Ears hear it, their Tongue taltes it, it tickles all their Senfes, it makes them merry and jovial, and makes their Blood frisk and dance in their Veins. It makes them forget their Sorrows, and puts the evil Day far from them. It is an Opiate that takes away all Senfe and Fear, and they are not afraid, though furrounded with the greatest danger; it makes them ling on a Precipice, and laugh while the Houfe

cracks,

cracks, and is ready to fall on their heads. It makes them drunk, and confequently infenfible of all thofe dreadful things which the Prophets and Apoftles of God have fpoke of; perfectly of the Temper of Nero, who plays while Rome is burning, and makes merry while the fmoke of the City goes up to Heaven. Frequent Converfe and long Acquaintance hath made their Friendship with Sin inviolable. And though it is really the greatest Evil, and the Cause of all Evils in the World; though it murders while it laughs, and poifons while it fmiles and cringes; though it is fo merciless, that not contented to kill the Body, it attempts the Soul too; yet having like the Prophet's Ewe-lamb, 2 Sam. 12. 3. been nourished and kept by its owners for many years, and being grown up together with them, and having eaten of their Meats, and drank of their Cup, and lain in their Bofoms, and been to them as a Child, the fondness is grown fo great, that nothing can make them willing to part with it. Hence it is, that Confideration is looked upon as a fawcy, ill-bred, unmannerly Meffenger, that would part the dearest Friends, divide Sin from their Souls, and caufe a Civil War in their Bowels, deftroy the reigning Power of Vice, attempt its strong Holds, and ftorm its Fortifications. They lie encircled in its Arms; and though they hang all this while over Hell-fire by a twined thread; though God all this while fhakes his Rod over them, and while they hug the Sin, is preparing the Inftruments of Death, and whetting his Sword, and bending his Bow, and making it ready;

ready; yet it seems fuch is the present Heartseafe Sin affords, fo fweet is the Sleep it yields, that Men care not for being awak'd by Confideration. Unhappy Qualification! Doft thou come to thy Friend at Midnight, and knock, and ask him for three Loaves, and will not the Churl rife and give thee what thou wanteft, notwithstanding all thy Importunity? Thofe three Loaves, what are they but the Understanding, Will and Affections of the forlorn Sinner? and will he part with none of these to relieve thy neceffity, or rather to relieve his own? Thou only wanteft them to make him happy, and doth he refufe to give thee materials to build him a lafting House, which, like the everlasting Hill, can never be moved?

We should wonder to fee a Man that's ready to ftarve for want of Food, refuse the Bread or Meat that's offer'd him; and wonder to fee a Perfon that's ready to perish with Cold, reject the Fire and Cloathing we have prepared for him; and wonder to fee one who is blind, fcorn the Help of him that would certainly restore him to his Sight; and wonder to fee one who is fallen among Thieves and Robbers, make light of the Affiftance of a Prince, who offers to refcue him out of their Hands. And doft not thou wonder, O my Soul, at the infufferable Stupidity of Sinful Men, that enticed with the Milk and Butter fwimming in a Lordly Difh, enter into a Tent, where they will certainly meet with a Nail and Hammer, and yet are afraid of that which would affuredly prevent their being pierced and ftricken through

their Temples? mourn over them, lament their Wretchedness, grieve for them that will not grieve for themselves; call for Rivers of Tears, wish for a Fountain of Water. Behold, Sin hath blinded them: Confideration would open their Eyes, but they love Darkness better than Light. Sin transforms them into the Idols of the Heathen, and makes them that though they have Eyes, yet they fee not; Ears, yet they hear not; Hands, yet they handle not; they fee not their own Good, they care not for hearing thofe Leffons that would curb their inordinate Defires, they feel nothing of the Power of God, and do not love to handle the Law. Sin doth expose them naked to the Contempt and Scorn of God and his holy Angels, and they rejoyce under that Weight. Sin deprives them of the Bread of Life, and their Souls are ready to die for want of the hidden Manna, and they laugh under their Want and Misery. What Changelings doth Sin make Men! How doth it make them feed with Swine upon Husks and Shells! What Tyranny doth it exercise over them, what a Babel doth it caufe in their Minds! How doth it turn all upside down! How doth it confound, how doth it ruine all! How doth it tear their Hearts! How doth it make the ways of Sion mourn! How defolate doth it make the Soul! What a Cage of unclean Birds doth it make the inward Man! How bafely doth it leave the Sinner in the Dark, infomuch that he cannot discern Gold from Lead, Silver from Brafs, or Precious Stones from common Pebbles, and counterfeit from folid

Wifdom!

Wifdom! Lord! how it doth unman them! how much below themselves doth it make them live! unto God and his Holy Angels they appear perfectly distracted, as the poor Wretches in Bedlam feem to us ; only herein their Wretchedness exceeds the others Mifery,that they may be released of their Distractedness, and will not; the other if they would, cannot; the former Deliration is voluntary, the other forced; the former hath Malice in it, the other Weaknefs only; and whereas the latter challenges Pity and Compaffion, the former deserves nothing but Wrath and Indignation.

IV. Impediment.

IV. Ignorance of the Pleasure of Confideration, is another Impediment. It's Ignorance of the Price of Pearls, that makes the Ideot flight them. It's Ignorance of the Worth of Diamonds, that makes the Fool chufe a Pebble before them, It's Ignorance of the Satisfaction Learning affords, that makes the Peasant despise and laugh at it; and we see very ordinarily how Men tread and trample on those Plants, which are the greatest Restoratives, because they know not the Virtue of them, and the fame may juftly be affirmed of Confideration, the Reason why Men meddle no more with it, is, because they are not acquainted with the Pleasantnefs of the Task.

There is certainly fuch a thing as Pleasure of the Mind, and all Delight confifteth not in senfual Satisfaction. We fee with what Pleasure

Men