to poffefs them as though we poffeffed them not; that is, to respect them with fuch an equality of temper, as neither to place our happiness in their presence, nor our misery in their lofs. But the worldly man poffefses them so, that he is poffeft by them; they take in his heart, and then fill it so compleatly, that he is not fenfible of any other hunger or defire. How fweetly does he fing, Soul, take thy reft, for I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing? How securely does he fleep, when his fenfes drop tired from variety of diversions, and lie lock'd up in the fumes of agreeable juices? Do we think that the Kingdom of Heaven is like to fuffer violence from fuch a man? no, it is rather to be feared that he would count Heaven it self a violence, and an overture of change would fhock and dif guft him. For what indeed should he do there, whofe conceptions are wholly levelled to the pleasures of sense, of wines

and

and meats, and their wanton confequen. ces; and who is no more apprehensive of immaterial joys, than the groffeft Brute is of Mufick or Picture? And here I limit the second station of the Broad way, that is, Doeg's fecond charge, He trusted in the multitude of his Riches.

And now the Sinner being advanc'd thus far through the neglect of Piety, and love of the World, and finding his road grateful, and the return tedious, and the visage of repentance so auftere, that if he put himself under her conduct, he must lose all that he knows how to prize, that is, gayety and pleasure, and perhaps riches too, and these thoughts making deeper impreffions, than any thing future can, upon a mind whofe reasonings are now grown weak, and confideration little; what can he resolve but to go on? But because to go on, and at the same time to look back is di ftracting; because reflection upon guilt is a torment, and to a cowardly Sinner is an

insuf

insufferable penance, he finds it neceffary to take better courage; that is, in the words of my third part, to strengthen himself in his wickedness: and thereupon he betakes himself to the two ftrong holds of Sin, Debauchery and Atheism, and thence he bids defiance to Heaven. Like an ungrateful Subject, who after he has long abufed his Prince, and his Crimes are grown fo great that they cannot be compounded on eafie terms, and his ftomach fo haughty too, that he hates to ftoop to due fubmiffion and allegeance, he draws his Sword and flings away the Scabbard, and refolves to defend himfelf by a meditated Rebellion.

The firft ftrong hold that the Rebel Sinner betakes himself to is Debauchery, which, in its proper notion, is no more than an express art against Thinking. To indulge Appetites and gratifie Senfes, to live foft and delicate according to the Scheme of ftudied pleasure, is the business of the Voluptuous ; but

the

the Debauchee is not so choice: For his end is not fo much to please, as to amuze; and his whole study is only for a courfe of expedients how to darken the mind, and divert thought, and fence out reflection. His Wine is not to refresh, but to drown; and therefore he drinks not like an Epicure, but rather like a Spartan Slave, when he drunk to bring drinking into difgrace. His Difcourse is not for understanding, but for noife. Noife is good company and wit and fo with hurry and laughter, and any thing that is loud, he ftifles the Remonftrances of Reason, and murmurs of Confcience, as Drum and Trumpet cover the Cries of a Battel. He guards himself against the awe of Vertue, by an habitual contempt of the good; and fecures himself against counfel, by a preventing derifion of the ferious. He hates every folemn Act, if it be but a grace at his meal; left the remembrance of a God fhould check his jollity,

jollity, and bridle his excefs. But then, if notwithstanding all this art, his body chance to tire under the drudgery of Vice, and so he be overtaken with the Intervals of apprehenfive Thoughts,the last Refuge of his uneafie and defperate mind is Atheifm. And questionless, how poor a Refuge foever Atheism be, it was never any other than a Refuge: it is an Opinion that was never offered by Reason, but always fought for by Diftrefs. And this without doubt is the reason why one Age of Christianity has produc'd more Atheists, than were ever known in the whole extent and duration of Heathenifm; because the Chriftian lying under greater Convictions, and therefore ftronger preffures of Conscience, must needs be more forcibly urg'd to fly to this Refuge, than the Heathen could be, whose knowledge of Sin and Judgment being less, his fears must neceffarily be fo too. After the man has once refolved upon Atheism, he does

gene