THE UNCONVERTED. 115 edness of carnal men, and the stark-madness of such as sin, that so silly a mole dare contradict his Maker, and call in question the word of God: yea, that those people in our parishes, that are so ignorant that they cannot give us a reasonable answer concerning the very principles ·of religion, are yet so wise in their own conceit, that they dare question the plainest truths of God, yea, contradict them and cavil against them, when they can scarcely speak sense, and will believe them no further than agreeth with their foolish wisdom! And as I know that God must needs be in the right, so I know the case is so palpable and gross which he pleadeth against, that no man can have reason for it. Is it possible that a man can have any reason to break his Maker's laws, and reason to dishonour the Lord of glory, and reason to abuse the Lord that bought him? Is it possible that a man can have any good reason to damn his own immortal soul? Mark the Lord's question, Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? Is eternal de1>th a thing to be desired? Are you in love with hell? What reason have you wilfully to perish? If you think you have some reason to sin, should you not remember that death is the wages of sin, Rom. vi. 23. and think whether you have any · reason to und.o yourselves, body and soul for ever? You ehould not only ask whether you love the adder, but wl~ether you love the sting? -· It is such a thing for a man to cast away his everlasting happiness, and to sin against God, that no good reason can be given for it; but the more any one pleads for it, the more mad he showeth himself to be. Had you a lordship, or a kingdom offered you for every sin th:=1.t you commit, it were not reason. but madness to accept it. Could you by every sin obtain the highest thing on earth that flesh desireth, it were of no considerable value to persuade you in reason to commit it. If it were to please your greate>t or dearest friends, or to obey the greatest prince on earth, or to save your lives, or to escape the great-
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