will find to be fo, this will fufficiently answer the first and greatest Temptation by which Sin entices and allures unthinking Men with the bait of prefent Pleafures and Enjoyments. But,

2. The next greatest Temptation to Sin is that of Example, which is fo ftrong and powerful that few can refift it, who love to be modifh and in the fashion, as too many Vices generally are, and therefore are more taking upon that account, and lose their reproach and fhame due to them, by the great Party and Number they have on their fide, which otherwife would fneak and be confounded if they ftood alone but when fo many are brought over to them, others follow if it be only for Company; and many Men are drawn in even contrary to their Inclinations, by the Example of others, because they do not care to be fingular, nor to be re proached for being fo, but are willing to do what they fee fo many others do, and hope they ihall fare as well as they, and escape all the feeming dangers of their Sins, both here and hereafter, as well as the rest of their Neighbours, or the great number of their fellow Sinners. Now this, however common and powerful it be, yet is the most unreasonable thing in the World; for is any Man in another cafe willing to be Sick, or to Dye, for Company? Is any fo eafie or fo complaifant as to pledge another in a Cup of Poyfon? Or would he not stop the mad Frolick when he faw the reft of the Company drop down Dead before him? Is any Man unwilling to avoid the Plague if he can, because there is a general Infection, and because fo many of his Neighbours or his

Ac

Acquaintance have Dyed of it? Would any refufe the faving his Life, and escaping if he could upon a Plank, because the reft of his Company are finking and drowning? Did Men think it as much worth their while to fave their Souls as their Lives, how many others foever loft them, had they as just and terrible appre henfions of their own Damination as they have of their Dying, this Temptation of Example and Company would be quickly taken off, and fignifie nothing: For alas, what comfort will it be in the Flames of Hell to hear fo many others roaring and howling in them? To hear their hideous Cryes, and Tortures, and Lamentations, will not abate their own, but rather increase them; therefore the Rich Man in the Parable, Luke 16. 28. did not defire the Company of his Brethren there, but rather fought to prevent their coming into that place of Torment. The Devils indeed, from the unaccountable Malice of their Nature, tempt others to be as Wicked and as Miferable as themfelves, and every one does their work who entices another to any Sin, but this will not eafe their Pains but augment them, by adding more Mifchief, and fo mere Guilt to them.

No Man who knows what it is to be Happy, but must wish to be fo, tho' he were alone; and no Man who knows that Vertue alone is the way to be Happy, but muft choose to be Vertuous though he faw never fo many others Wicked; let them reproach and laugh at him as long as they pleafe for a Man fingular and by himself, let them count his Life Folly for being fo ftrict and fo precife, if it be, in the

great

great matters of Vertue, for not Drinking to the utmost Pitch, not daring to Swear the leaft Oath as other Gentlemen do, not running into any the fame excefs of Riot, or customary Wickedness, but living up strictly to the Rules of the Gospel, and the Terms of Salvation there laid down, without any fuch abatements as the loofe Opinions or the loofe Practices of others are willing to put upon them, fince God will not alter bis Methods or Judgments by any of thole, let them, I fay, Condemn or Deride him never fo much for this, and call him precife Fool, or formal Saint, or the like, yet no Man that knows the good of Vertue will be laughed out of it by a nick-name, or be ashamed of being fingular in that any more than in any other excellency of Learning or Knowledge above others; and I fuppofe none of thofe who are fo much against Singularity, but would be willing to be Rich though never fo many others were Poor, and why not then to be Vertuous, which is ten times more valuable, though never fo many others were Vitious. Example indeed is very prevailing, and like a Contagion fpreads and diffufeth it felf very fecretly and infenfibly, and infects all about it, because it begets the fame Thoughts, the fame falfe Principles, and fo makes Men have lefs fenfe of the evil of Sin, and of the danger of it, but where a Man has fixt and fteddy thoughts of those, there the power of Example and the Temptation of it to unwary and unfetled Minds, is taken off and removed.

Having examined thofe Enticements and Temptations by which Men are generally delu

ded

ded into the deceitfulness of Sin, and expofed the falfe Reafonings and Sophiftry, which impofe upon them, and perfwade them to commit it; I fhall now offer the many Motives and Encouragements, and greater Arguments, to make Men leave their Sins, and perfwade them to Repentance. And here I fhall,

I. Confider the Motives to Repentance from the Reason and Nature of the thing.. II. Thofe which are peculiar to Revelation and proper to Chriftianity, of which this is the great Duty.

SECT. II.

Motives to Repentance from Reason.'

TH

HE Motives to Repentance from the Reafon and Nature of the thing, fuch as would perfwade a Wife Heathen, or any Man of Senfe and Understanding, to Repent, after he had been Foolish and Wicked, Thefe must be taken from the manifold Evil and Mifchief of his Sins and Vices, which though they invited him at first with the appearing Charms of Pleasure, or fome other feeming good, yet now he finds upon a better Confideration, and a serious Reflection upon them, that they are Poyfonous and Bitter, Painful and Irkfome, and have a thoufand ill Confequences and fhameful Effects that do neceffarily attend them, and are the Curfed Fruit that fpring out of that root of Bitterness; that though they are a little plea

fant

fant to the taste, yet they are Gall and Wormwood i'the Stomach; and like the Grapes of Sodom, though they look fair to the Eye, yet they are but Bitter and Poyfonous, as the Poyfon of Dragons, and the Venome of Afps, Deut. 32. 33. and that there was little or no fruit in those things whereof he is now afhamed, and befides, that the end of thofe things is death, Rom. 6. 21. That he has Naturally an inward Fear and Dread of a Divine Nemesis and Vengeance hanging over his head, and of fome grievous Punishment or Evil befalling him for any ill thing he has done, and that he finds by his own wifer Thoughts and better Obfervations, now that he has given himself leave to think, and to confider things over again with calm Thoughts and fober Reafon, after that his Lufts are cool, and his Paffions more fedate, that Sin is but difguifed Mifery, that it is the Mother of all Evil and Mischief, as it is the Daughter of Folly and Inconfideration, that the most tempting Vice is but as a Pandar, whofe ways lead to Death and Destruction, Prov. 3. 17. and that Vertue is the only true way to Comfort and Happiness; That the ways of that are ways of pleasantnefs, and all its paths are peace, ver. 3. and that the effect of it is quietness and affurance for ever, Ifa. 32. 17. So that we must fuppofe fuch an one brought to Repentance by fuch Confiderations, and by fuch a Method as this following.

1. He is brought to think and confider by fome Accident, Affliction or Judgment, by Sicknefs or the fear of Death, or fomething that awakens his Mind, and the powers of Reafon and Thinking, which rouze his ftupid and fenfe

lef's