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are peace; that they have found more fatisfaction in being Door-keepers in the House of God, than they have done in being Masters of the moft glorious Tents of Wickedness; that they have had more joy from Contemplation of Heaven's Glory, and from reflecting on the Allfufficiency of God in one hour, than ever they received from running up and down many years together, after the things the vain World is enamoured withal; that they would not be in that miferable,unregenerate State again,if they might have whole Kingdoms to intice them; and that there is no condition in all the World fo full of briars and thorns, and anguish, and pain, and disquietnefs, and trouble, and vexation, as a finful life, and an unconverted eftate.

This would fet before you the Example of St. Paul, who could glory and rejoice even in Tribulations; and whereas his Enemies could rejoice in nothing but in Money, in Health, in Power, in Honour,in Dignities,in Delicacies,in Silks, in rich Tables: He could rejoice in Shipwracks, in Stripes, in Perils, in falfe Accufations; and that which appeared terrible to others,fhewed pleasant to him; and as bitter as the root of his Afflictions was, it produced notwithstanding the sweetest Fruits, even the Fruits of Humility and Charity.

This would fet before you the joys of David, I will rejoice and be glad in thee, Pfal 9.2. In thee, not in Voluptuoufnefs; not in luftful Touches; not in curious Taftes; not in precious Odours; not in the Melody of airy Songs; not in the Beauty of a Female; not in the Applauses of

Men:

Men; not in Matrimony; not in Children; not in raking Wealth together; but in Thee, who canft make even broken Bones to rejoice, make the Confcience skip, and the Heart dance for Joy.

Confideration would let you fee, That those ferious Perfons who look dejected and melancholy, have Joys within which no stranger intermeddles withal; and as little fhew as they make of chearfulness, they carry that within their Breafts, which can make their Life a perpetual Jubilee. So far is Confideration from making Men melancholy, that it points at the things where the greatest Joy is to be found; and as Confideration it felf is a pleasure, as we proyed before, fo it is a guide to lead Men into fuch a Paradife, as they would be content to lose themselves in, and defire no greater Felicity on this fide Heaven.

VII. Impediment.

VII. Fear of going distracted with poring on things too high for their capacities. The averfenefs from a truly ferious and circumfpe&t Life, in moft Men, is so very great, that they'll entertain the abfurdeft, fillieft, and moft childish pretences, rather than be perfwaded to that course God and his holy

Angels,Scripture,Confcience,Minifters, and all the Providences of God do call and invite them to. And fuch a fhift is that we have before us; a Plea fo impertinent, that we might justly ask the Queftion, Whether those that make use of it are not diftracted already?

Men

Men had as good give us a downright Answer, and tell us plainly, That they will not take their everlasting State into confideration,and will have nothing to do with Salvation, as make us conclude fo much from their Unfteadiness and Tergiverfations. Their Actions fhew it, why fhould they deny it with their Lips? Their Works declare it, why fhould not they confefs it? God concludes fo much from their Conversation, Why should they love to bear the World in hand, that it is not fo? The Heathenish People of Congo were honeft, who being baptized into Christianity, and understanding afterward that the Religion they had embraced required Chaftity, and forbad Polygamy and Lasciviousness, came back to the Priests that had baptized them, and there folemnly renounced their Baptifm, alledging, that they were refolved not to part with these Sins; and fince the Chriftian Religion did forbid them, it was in vain to own themfelves followers of that Religion, the Rules of which they were refolved not to observe, or live upto. Here the Priests knew what to make of them, and did never after expect better things at their Hands. But it's otherwife with the generality of Men that call themselves Christians; they love to leave God, and themselves,and their Neighbours in the Dark; and we find they halt between two Opinions,unrefolved whether they fhall follow God, or Baal. They would neither difplease God, nor the Devil. The Devil's Favour they keep and maintain by their secret averfenefs from a ferious Preparation for another Life; and God's good-will they court,

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by pretending that they would follow him, were it not for fuch and fuch Obstacles and Impediments. And indeed their Flesh does no fooner fuggeft an Excufe to their Minds, but they prefently flatter themselves, that that shift will be a fufficient Apology for neglect of their Duty. And tho' going distracted with Confideration be a thing very unlikely, next to Impoffibility; yet a pitiful shift being better than none, this comes in with the reft, and helps to rock the Soul into a pleafing Slumber. It feems their Brains are strong enough to contrive how to promote their own Fall, but will not ferve them to ponder how to keep themfelves from Ruine.

One would think they could not be worse mad than they are already, and therefore they might venture upon a serious confideration of their ways without danger. Take a view of thy Acti ons, Sinner: Go into Houfes where Mad-men are kept, and fee whether thy Deportment and Practice be not as like theirs, as one thing can be like another: It's the Character of Mad-men, to chufe Means altogether unfuitable to the End they defign; if they offer to kindle a Fire with fhining Brafs, or attempt to build a House without Materials, or think that a Net will fecure them against the bittereft Froft, or hope to be Masters of a Trade without learning of it, or talk of being acquainted with fuch a Language, when they have neither Books nor Men to converfe withal; we juftly look upon them as distracted: And would not one think thee befides thy Wits, that hears thee hope for Heaven, without taking the way that leads to it?

And

And talk of being fav'd, when thy Actions favour only of preparation for eternal Mifery? To hope to be faved by following the Dictates of the Flesh, is as wife an Act, as to hope to be warm by fitting upon Ice, or by furrounding thy felf with Snow-Balls. Thou wouldst take that Man to be befide himself, that should chufe to lie all night in Mire and Dirt, when there is a convenient Bed provided for him; or that fhould prefer fleeping on a Dunghil, before repofing himself upon a clean Couch: Ánd doft not thou act the fame madness, when thou preferreft lying in the Arms of an Enemy, before refting in the Bofom of a gracious Redeemér? And hadft rather reft in Sin, more odious and loathfom to God than any Dunghil, than delight thy felf in him whofe fervice is perfect freedom?

Can there be a greater madnefs than to prefer Stone before Bread, and a Serpent before a Fish? And is not thy Distraction as great, to efteem a finful Pleasure more than the favour of God? and fet by the Drofs and Dung of this World, more than the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chrift? No Man commends Midas for his Wisdom, when he defired, That all things he touched might turn into Gold; for hereby his very Victuals fuffered Tranfmutation, and he was ftarv'd; And art not thou as foolish when thou defireft nothing but Worldly Eafe and Pleasures? When thofe things thou doft fo earnestly wish for, will be thy undoing, and those very Delicates thou longest for, will at laft famifh thy Soul for ever?

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