SERMON LW. 151 Souses of abomination were maintained with many inhabitants, and the fields were polluted with lewdness in the very face of heaven, in the sight of the sun or stars. But those who have been 'engaged in cleansing this sink of sin, and driving impudent crimes into dark corners, those who have fought against the powers of darkness with so great success, can enlarge ou this re- flection plentifully. You may most effectually convince your- selves that crimes will grow numerous and shameless again, if you forbear theprosecution. III. Consider that sinners are provoked and irritated by war proclaimed against them ; their rage is double, and they will usre their utmost efforts to revengeby augmenting their forces and their crimes; poor revenge, that rebounds against themselves with fiercer violence, and shoots the sting deeper int: their own hearts ; that treasures up more wrath for their own souls, and bigger measures of damnation ! Praised be the Lord, that this their rage is impotent, while the men of reformation maintain the war ; " Though .the wicked join hand in hand, yet they are riot unpunished ;" Prov. xi. 21. But you have awakened their malice, so that youmay expect aboundingvillainies, if you tease to resist them. Some foolish men indeed have unjustly made this your re- proach, and cry out, " It is you bave provoked them to break out into unknown and uncommon wickedness, by shutting up all the avenues of common sins." But this is a chargevery hard to he proved ; for it is possible that the same wickednesswas prac- tised before, though discovered but of latebyyour industry and courage. The rising sun must not be charged with the scenes of blood and murder, which it only reveals. Besides, were such sins seldom committed before, yet it does by no means follow that reformation is the causeof them now : I believe there were no refortíners in Sodom ; or if there were, surely Lot must be one Now Lot, through the prevalence of fear, was once tempted to expose his daughters and permit a common sin, but this (lid not restrain the people from their mad pursuit of unna- tural violence. After all, if this accusation were true, yet I would ask these men who reproach you,thus, whether they themselves would freely indulge and cherish the eggs of a cockatrice in their house, lest while they are crushing them, now and then a scorpion should creep out, or a fiery serpent fly abroad ? Would they themselveswillingly sleep with 'a nest of hornets in their bed, lest by rousing them they should stir up their rage, and make their stings more angry and venomous ? Is it not far better to disturb the nest, that they may be unstung and destroyedfor ever ? But when the nest is disturbed, you must not sleep till you havé des-
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