Book IV. s I N COMPARED TO p 0 I s 0 N. and agree well with him, his whole Nature being fa grievouOy corrupted, and changed inro the evil Nature thereof, he having ufed himfelt fo long in finful Ways, tha_t Sin, viz. open Prophanenefs, Superfiirion, and Error, is habitual, and become nan1ral to him, as l'oifon to a Toad. Naturalifts fay, That if a M~n take a little Qlantity of Poifon at a Time, and fa accuftom himfelf to it, it will at length become la natural to him, that he may take it as Food : Even fa wicked Men, by a continual Courfe and evil Cufiom in Sin, drink it down as pleafant Liquor, like as the Fifh drinks Water. But now Sin tO a true Chriflian, is like much Poifon in a Man's Sromach ; it is con– trary to that new Nature, and divine Principle, which is wrought in him by the Spirit of God ; he cannot bear nor endure it, he hates every falfe Way : '!"hat which I hate, that I do, Rom. vii. VI. Poifon is deadly in its own Nature, and of a killing and deftroying ~1ality, if not timely vomited up, by taking fame fit and proper Antidote, &c. So Sin, whether f!elhly or fpiritual, viz. fenfual Debauchery, or Herefy, will kill and deftroy all where– ever it is, ..both Body and Soul, eternally, except by true Repentance it be vomi;ed up. Th01..gh Men take it down as fweet Wine, and are not prefently lenfible of any Harm; yet at ]aft it will bite like a Serpent, and fling like an Adder, Prov. xxiii. 31. VII. Oil will expel Poifon, and it is often given to Perfons who have taken it, to caufe them to vomit it up: So the Oil of G!adnefs, viz. the Spirit of God, is the beft Antidote in the World, to expel and work out the Poifon of Sin in the Sou!. See Oil of Gladnefs, Book !I. I N F :£<: R :E: N C E; S. I. WHAT do Sinners mean ? Will they poifon themfelv'es~ Are they void of U n– derfianding, to rake dowo the Poifon of Dragons,? .Will they wilfully mur– der themfelves? What Blindnefs and Folly is in their Hearh! II. 0 how lhould this fiir up the Godly to pity wick~d Men, and to ihive, as much as Jieth in their Power, to prevent their !inning, and endeavor t9 turn ·away their Wrath ! HI. It may alia caution Believers to take heed of Sin, and of the Venom of an evil Tona-ue, as alfo of the Poifon of Herefy and Error. IV. Let Sinners alfo learn from hence timely to look out for Help. 0 get a fit Antidote to fave you from this Poifon ! Ah! What is Sin? 'Tis Poifon in>a Cup, That's gilt without, and Men do drinK. it up Moft earnefily, with Joy and much Delight, Being pleafant to rhe carnal Appetite. Sin's fweet to him whofe Soul is our of Tafte, But long, alas! its Sweetnefs will not la!t. Sin's fweet to th' Elefh, that does it dearly love; But to the Soul it cloth rank Poifon prove. Hail thou fuck'd this moft deadly Venom in ? And doll: not fee thy vital Parts begin To fwell? Art poifon'd, Soul? Look, look about, To get an Antidote to work it out Before it be too late ; the Poifon's firong, Don't ftay a Week," twelve Hours is too long. One Dram of Grace, mix'd with repenting Tears, The Grace of perfeCt Love, that calls out Fears, Mix'd with that Faith which kills all Unbelief, Took down with Speed, will eafe thee of thy Grief;· 'Twill purge the Soul, .and work by Vomit well, And all vile Dregs of Venom 'twill expel. Unlefs thou vomit up each Dreg, be fure No hope oi Life; one Sin will Death procure, Eternal Death: Repentance is not right, 'Till Sin, nay, every Sin's forfaken quite. Not only left, but as a poifonous Cup, Thou muft it loath, 'tis hateful, fpue it up. 10 T SIN
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