418 ofCenverfton, or?urninguntOGod. SacTAX. Mont and afling afterwards. A man that inhis hot blood bathgota dangerous wound,he feels itnot prefently; but when he is cold,then hebegins,to befenfible of it : And thus it is here, a man in the hot and violent parfait ofluns, feels no- thing, apprehends nothing ; but when his confcience is once awakened and ter- rified, thenhe cryeth out, Othe wounds, thefling, the blows that fin giveth him: Thus Solomon, fpcaking again(' drunkennefs, not to be incited with the occafionsof it, headdeth his reafon, Looknot upon the Wino, While itmoveth it /elf in.ihecup, for at tafí it biteth likea Serpent,andftingethlike anAdder. Prov. 23.32 Little doth the drunkard think, he had as good fwalow downfo many live Adders, and flinging Serpents. The Apoflle tells us, Thatfinhath afling, nCorr5. How then is it, thatthou perceiveft the honey, but notthe kingof it ? but itsno wonder, forthis is at laft : At laft it biteth like an Adder, at the timeof death, at the timeof fears and grievous judgements, thenit puts forth thofe fbarp and poyfonous flings. It was Ariftotles advice, we fhould look upon pleafures going and notcoming,they leave horror andterror behinde them: Commune therefore with your own hearts, fit down and confider, This fweet- nefs will be turned into gall ; this is theDevils fubtilty, to prefent the pleafure, butnot the torment of a fin fee what a fling it madein Caine confcience, what a flingin3udae, and it wine fuch a fcorpion in thy fideone time or other. 6. Sixthly, Thou wilt not turn to God, becaufe of thepleafure in fin ? Oh ! but What pleafures andjoy doeff thou indeeddeny thePelf, by not turning to him: Ifhusks and drofs bathpleafure,how much bath truerepentance, and theexercifeofthe graces ofGods fpirit,which is the true manna?' -If a wildernefsbefuch a delight ? what may Canaan be ? If thefe droffre and filthy lofts do affent thee, thenhow may glorious objefts move thee, if thy heartwere fpiritual? eft thy right hand (faith - David) are rivers of pleafures for evermore, Pfal.16.m. and, we believe With joy unfpeakahie andfullofglory, faith Petri, r Pet.r.8. Thereforeifpleafure and fweetnefs do move thee, Oh taf a and fee-heengood God is, and all the ways of godlinefs. The pleafures of the world are likemuddy puddlingwaters ;but chefe are pure kreams : Thou wilt finde one hour's praying, better then a thoufand of prophanefad lings; one hoursenjoyments of Chri(' as thy husband, by faith, thenall thewanton dalliances andunchafl imbracementsof unlawful objet s Oh then I thou art an enemy to thy true joy, to thy truepeace, as long as thou doeft not turn to God. .Seventhly, Callnot that pleafure, Which When thyfoul is powerfully wrought upon by Godsgrace, Will benne/y bitter and miferable to thee: Look upon all the true converts unto God, how have they been affefted with fin : Did not Mary .Magdalene w?th anguifh of heart, caufe floodgates of forrow to beopened? Did not Davidupon his after-converfiontoGod, being turned alide by murther and adultry,lie roaring through anguifh offpirit? What profit, faith the Apofile, haveye ofthole things, Whereofyou are nowafhamed,Rom. 6.2 e. And fo here,What pleafure and fweetnefs is there in that, which you now findefo bitter? And if thou haft not fuch a merciful time here to finde itbitter? thou wilt havea terri- ble and juif time to finde it fo in hell : What ? do the damned fouls feel any pleafure? is there fo much as one dropofhoney, in all the gall they are todrink ? If not, where ist'itiywifdom and judgement, that doeft not throw awaythy fins asf much hemlock, and imbrace godlinefs in the room thereof, which brings its pleafant well-come with it, even much tranquillityand quietnefs of confcience. Thuswe have unmasked this Objeftion, and made that appear to bea ferpent, which was taken- for fo pleafant a fifh, if we may allude to our Saviours ex: preffon. ï; The neAt obffruftionin the Way, which doth commonly keep menfrom tnrnin to Theproht of God, is theprofit andgreat advantage theyfinde in tholefurs they live- ,n : if they f n be fins of lujulticer Violence, Oppre('ïon, any unlawful wayof gain; Oh it is hard S.;
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