IF ever Words were worthy of our utmost Attention, surely these may lay a just Claim to it; whether we respect the Author of them, or the matter contained in them.

As for the Author, he is no Melancholy, Mo­nastick, or humorous Book-Worm, that takes things upon trust, as he finds them in his rea­ding, or as he fancies them in himself; no in­teressed Priest that rails against Sin, because he lives by such Declamations; no malicious or envious Cynick that barks at the Pleasures of others, because he himself is not in a Capacity to enjoy them, (as the little Wits of our Age, are apt to Object) but the greatest of Princes, and the Wisest of Men: One, who had in Pos­session the greatest Riches, and was indued by God with the greatest Wisdom, to know how to enjoy them; who was the best Experimental Philosopher that ever was, or ever will be in the World: For (as he himself tells us) he gave himself to try all things, and denyed himself nothing to that end. For (saith he) so great Eccl. [...] [Page 2] was I, and so much did I encrease in Riches and Pleasures above all that were before me in Jerusa­lem; (and lest we should Object that he had by these Pleasures lost his Understanding, he tells us) and my Wisdom remained with me: And how he employed his Wisdom he also tells us, Whatsoever mine Eyes desired, I held not from them, I withdrew not my Soul from any Pleasure, &c, and an Account of all things he there gives us, I looked upon all the Works which my hands had wrought, and behold all is Vanity and Vexa­tion of Spirit. This is all the sad Account that his Experience gives him of all his Glory and Delights; but, a much sadder Account he gives us of the Pleasures of Evil in the Words of the Text. He that pursueth Evil, pursueth it to his own Death. And this leads me to consider the matter of them which may much more recom­mend them to our most serious Consideration.

For they contain in them the most forcible Argument to prevail with all Men to forsake their Sins.

For though some may be so senseless as to put the Evil Day far from them; or so stupid as to think it may never come upon them, and to doubt of a future State; or though some may be so foolish to glory in their present shame; yet none (one would think) who hath any Reason left in him, (if he does duely consider that the Prosecuting his Evil Courses, will certainly be his utter and immediate Ruine) can be so mad to pursue his own Present Misery, or to La­bour for his Immediate Death, and Destru­ction.

The words are so plain, that they need no further Explication, only we may take notice, that by Death in Scripture Language, is meant, not only the Dissolution of our Bodies, but all kind of present Afflictions and Miseries. So St. Paul 2 Corinth. c. 11. [...]. 23. saith, that he was in Deaths often, (that is) often under the greatest Miseries and Troubles, for it is certain he could Die but once.

And in this Sence I shall take the words of the Text, and endeavour to manifest to you, by an Induction of Particulars, this general Propositi­on contained in them, viz.

This, we have the experience of Solomon to confirm to us: And our own experience (if we will but give our selves time to consider it, and to take a view of the most common Sins) will be sufficient to convince us of their most dange­rous and fatal Consequence.

And first if we take a View of the Sins against 1. The Sins against God. God, we cannot but see that Danger and Mi­sery are the natural effects of them.

For (besides that, they provoke God to pour down the Vials of his Wrath upon us) by so much as we are Remiss in our Duties to God, by so much we loosen the Reins to all Sin; by how much we fail in Religion, by so much we fail of any tye upon our Lusts, which being let loose would soon hurry us into all Misery and Ruin.

For, he that is not governed by Principles of Religion, can reasonably be supposed to have no other Law to himself, but that of his present Sa­tisfaction and Interest; and that is nothing else, but his own Phansie. For, if he thinks it his greatest Interest or Pleasure, to satisfie any Lust whatsoever, tho' it be never so foolish or brutish; then that particular Lust which is his Delight, is the only Rule by which he governs his whole Life; nor can any thing restrain him from any Act, (tho' it be never so fatal to himself, or to all Man­kind) so it be not contrary to his beloved Lust. For, as for Shame or Disgrace, where he is not sensible of any Fault, he can never be capable of any Shame.

And so far will he that hath no Religion be from thinking it a Fault to gratifie his Pleasures, that he will esteem all others Fools, that do not act like himself, in endeavouring by all means, to satisfie his reigning Appetites.

For, with him nothing is good and commen­dable, but what tends to the Satisfaction of his predominant Lust: nor can any thing therefore be thought ill or blameable, that does any ways promote his present Designs, though they be ne­ver so destructive to himself, or all other men.

And as for fear of Laws, that indeed might oblige him, for his present Preservation, to act his Villanies privately, but not at all to avoid any of them, tho' they are never so wicked and horrid: Nay, it would not oblige the most of men, if they had cast off all Tyes of Conscience, so far as this: For, if they are under any kind of Dis­content [Page 5] or Necessity, their Lusts having ruin'd them in this Life, and they expecting nothing of Reward or Punishment in that which is to come, they can look upon Death it self (which is the utmost penalty of Humane Laws) as no such fright­ful Monster, but rather, as their best Friend; i. e. as a final End of all their Miseries and Troubles. So certain it is, that those that profess themselves Atheists, are to be looked upon by all conside­rate men, as the plague of the World, and uni­versal Enemies to all Mankind. For, they that have little else to loose but their Lives, and va­lue not them, (as the irreligious man is taught by his Principles of Atheism, not to do) are Masters of the Lives and Fortunes of all other men; for nothing can restrain them from taking away ei­ther of them, when their Lusts or Necessities prompt them to it.

This I am heartily sorry to think, that the Wickedness of this Age hath made too apparent to need any other proof; wherein we may have seen some grown shameless in their Crimes, (and Thanks be to God, that after Religion was so shamefully abused, and drawn in, to countenance the most horrid Crimes in the last Age, we have not more Atheists in this) yet a sad Sight it is, how small soever the number may be, to see any such Factors for the Devil, and Hectors for Sin, that are ready to fight their Quarrels against all Opposers, that are grown so impudent in their impious Facts, that they are ready to deride and affront all others that are not as wicked as them­selves; and to account them men of low and [Page 6] mean Understandings, whose Villanies do not extend as high as Heaven it self. Such as pride themselves in their infamous Debaucheries, and cry down other men, as persons of a base Spirit, who dare not make Sport with Religion, and bid Defiance to the Sacred Name of God, by prophane Oaths and Blasphemies.

Neither do they stop here, but proceed to all kind of Mischiefs to themselves, and Injuries to others: For, no sooner have they laid aside Re­ligion, but they are ready for all kind of Perju­ries and Forgeries; for Fire, Poyson, or Poni­ard, or any thing else that may any ways con­tribute to the Satisfaction of their Lusts. Nei­ther Pitty to others, nor Care of themselves, can restrain them from either Theft or Murder, or any other Wickedness, that may tend to the Gra­tification of their reigning Appetites.

How do they offer up their own Bodies a burnt Sacrifice to Venus, and destroy their Health, by their Oblations to Bacchus? Nay, rather than they will want a Supply for their Lusts, How do they forfeit their Lives to the Laws, and offer up all things that can be dear to them, to their own Humours? to obtain which, How do they give up their Souls and Bodies even to the Devil himself?

These, by breaking the Bonds of Religion, and casting away its Cords from them, do destroy all Society, and not only involve themselves, but all Mankind, in Misery and Ruin, by the di­rect Consequence of their Atheistical Principles. For, if there be no God, then there can be no [Page 7] such thing as Right or Wrong, Just or Unjust; and, by consequence, nothing but Confusion. And this brings me to consider the Danger and Mischief of the next sort of Sins. Viz.

Secondly, The Sins against our Neighbour. 2. The Sins against our Neighbour.

These are of these two sorts, Injustice and Uncharitableness; which (if we consider them) will manifestly appear of the most dangerous and fatal Consequence to all Mankind. For, Justice and Charity are the main Pillars of the World; so that he which pulls down these, ruines all Society, and renders the World a mere Heap of Rubbish.

The love of the Company of their own kind, seems a Principle ingrafted in the very Nature of all living Creatures, it is so universally visible amongst them. He therefore that casts off the Love of his Neighbour, is worse than the Brute Beasts, and more unnatural than any of them.

But where this Charity to all Mankind is root­ed in the Heart, it shews it self in such blessed Effects, as (if they were universal) would change men into Angels or Gods, continually doing all Good to one another; and this Earth into Hea­ven. For, Charity ( 1 Cor. 13. from v. 4. to v. 8. as St. Paul describes it) suffereth long and is kind, Charity envieth not, Charity vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, doth not behave it self unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no Evil, &c.

Now, if these were universally practis'd amongst men, how happy should we be? What a blessed and uninterrupted Peace and Kindness? What an immutable Happiness would mutually bless us? [Page 8] But on the contrary, Injustice and Uncharitable­ness would turn the World into a Desart, and men into Wolves and Tigers; and make them act one against another with more Cruelty and Fierceness, than the most Savage Beasts.

These, if they should once be universal (which God forbid) would change humane Friendship into a State of War; in which, every man's hand would be lift up against every man.

Property would be an empty Name, and no other Right or Title would hold good, but that of the longest Sword: And, in a Word, nothing but Horror and Confusion would overspread the World: the Kingdoms of the Earth would be like the Kingdoms of Darkness, fill'd with no­thing but Rage and Howling; and men would be chang'd into Devils, continually tormenting one another, and being tormented one by another.

For, they that have cast from them all the Tyes of Charity, which is the Bond of Perfecti­on, and all the Laws of Equity, the only Cords of a man, (that can bind those furious Phili­stims their head-strong Passions) are given up to be mutually tortured by those implacable Furies of Impatience and Anger, Pride and Covetous­ness, Envy and Malice, the natural Parents of all Misery, and of all Mischief, as well to them­selves, as to all others with whom they converse.

And this now directly leads me to discourse the miserable Effects of the next sort of Sins. Viz.

Thirdly, The Sins against our Selves. 3. Sins against our selves.

These may be reduced to these two sorts.

First, Those of Intemperance, or Excess of Riot.

Secondly, Those of Excess of Passion.

Both of them may most properly be called Sins against our Selves; for they are of most fa­tal consequence, most commonly, to their own Authors.

Of the first sort, viz. the Sins of Intemperance, Sins of Intem­perance. are these two, Drunkenness and Gluttony.

What Words are sad enough to express, or 1. Drunken­ness. what Tears are sufficient to bewail the Miseries that men bring upon themselves by these Sins?

What Diseases are there so fatal, what Crimes so black and horrid, or what Accidents so dan­gerous, to which Drunkenness doth not expose us?

He that is possess'd with this Vice, is in his case who was possess'd with the Devil, of whom we read in the * Gospel. He is mad and tormented, Math. 17. 15. and oftimes he falls into the Fire, and oftimes in­to the Water.

Nay indeed he is in a much worse Condition, for Strong Drink doth so much inflame him, that it burns up his Vitals with a scorching Fever; or so fires his Spirits, that they are exploded in the deadly Stroke of an Apoplexy: nay, too often it hath a quite contrary effect, and raiseth such a Flood of Filth and Water in his Body, that it buries him alive in a Lethargy, or else drowns him in a Dropsie.

But if by a constant Practice, or by the parti­cular Constitution of a man's Body, it be some­times prevented from making a man become his own Murderer; yet it too often raiseth such Heats and Quarrels, as make his chosen Compa­nions to become his Executioners; for oft times [Page 10] if he doth not kill his best Friends with his own hands, he dies by theirs; and so Murders him­self by the hands of his Friends, and kills them too by the hand of Justice.

To this purpose, the Prov. 23. v. 29, 30, 31. Wise Man discours­eth, (possibly from his own Experience) Who hath Woe? Who hath Sorrow? Who hath Con­tentions? Who hath Wounds without cause? &c. They that tarry long at the Wine, they that go to seek mixt Wine: Therefore (saith he) look not thou upon the Wine when it hath its right color and sparkleth in the Cup; and the reason he gives I wish all Men would constantly remember, viz. For at the last it biteth like a Serpent, and stingeth like an Adder. (i. e.) However we may escape for some time, yet at length it will cer­tainly destroy us.

But suppose that by God's Providence none of the too common, though Mortal, Diseases or Fa­tal Quarrels be the effects of Drunkenness upon our selves; yet it may have some of these fatal Consequences upon our Friends and Compani­ons, and so our very kindnesses may become their Murderers, or else at least it exposeth a Man to the most shameful and odious Actions. Thus it exposed Noah (though a Preacher of Righteousness) to be the scorn and shame of his own Off-spring: And it made Lot (a Man so good that God sent his Angels to deliver him from the Flames of Sodom) to commit Folly and Incest with his own Daughters: And no wonder it should hurry us into Folly or Mis­chief, when it deprives us of our Reason; and [Page 11] and (for the present) leaves no more of Man visible in us than there is in the Ridiculous Ape whilst he plays his Monkey-tricks, or in the Filthy Swine, whilst it wallows in the Mire; so fully evident is that Saying of Solomon. Wine is a Prov. 20. 1. Mocker; Strong Drink is rageing, and whosoever is deceived thereby is a Fool.

And for that other excess of Riot, viz.

Secondly, Gluttony.

It is no less dangerous than the former: Nay 2. Gluttony. it is by so much the more Fatal, by how much it's deadly Operations are less perceived; for this Vice steals upon us insensibly and kills us (as it is said of white Gunpowder) though with no noise, yet with more certain Execution, and at a far greater distance.

Drunkenness (indeed) blows up a Man on a suddain, and so apparently, that all that are near must needs see it: But Gluttony though it is slow, yet it is sure in it's Execution.

It proceeds by insensible Degrees, and too often is not perceiv'd in it's Acts, till it appears in it's incurable effects.

By silent Motions it corrupts the Stomach, and fills it with Crudities; and by consequence stuffs up the Body with indigested Food, and ill fermented Blood; and thus renders a Man (like a Living Hospital) full of nothing but Filth, and all manner of Diseases.

For notwithstanding (too commonly) we are not aware of it; yet I am confident, it is true, that Luxury hath short'ned more Mens Days, and destroyed more of our Lives, than those three grand Destroyers of Mankind, War, [Page 12] Famine, and Pestilence, put altogether. And if we should compare these two Sins together, which I have last mentioned, it may (I think) be too truely said of them which was sang of Saul and David. Drunkenness hath slain it's Thousands, and Gluttony it's Ten Thousands. Neither are these the only dangerous Excesses. For the Excess of any Irregular Passion, renders a Man, no less miserable than either of the for­mer. Nay so like they are, that even in the Sacred Scriptures they are sometimes expressed by Drunkenness.

Thus we read of the House of Israel, that Isaiah 51. 29. they are Drunken, but not with Wine: And St. John tells us in his Revelat. 17. 6. Revelations. That he saw the Woman Drunk with the Blood of the Saints. And (indeed) when any Irregular Passion doth possess our Souls, we may too truely be said to be Drunk with it: And this kind of Drunkenness is no less Destructive to our present Happiness, than the former.

To instance in some of the most common of them. As,

First, Anger. 1. Anger.

He that is intoxicated with Anger, is no less besides himself than he that is Drunk with Wine; and is exposed, like him, to the same Fatal Disea­ses, Crimes, and Dangers. For Anger is a pre­sent Madness: And only differs from it not in it's Degree, but in it's Duration. It so strangely heats our Blood, and puts it into such violent Fermentations, that it is to me a wonder it doth not at least break our Veins, if not our Hearts. It so much fires our Animal Spirits, and puts [Page 13] them into such strange, and such violently dis­turb'd Motions, that it naturally ends in Trem­blings and Swoonings, together with all those Mortal Diseases that arise from the disturbance of the Nerves, and the Indisposition of the Brain.

A Dreadful Example the Valer. Max. Lib. 9. Sect. 8. Historian gives us of Sylla the Roman General, at Puteoli, who being delayed in his necessary Supplies of Money, fell into such a Rage, that with a Furious Noise, and Violent Convulsions, he vomited up his Soul, mixt with Blood and Threatnings; and this so suddenly that it was a question (saith my Au­thor) whether Sylla or his Anger was first Dead?

This Passion if it be in Excess, so disorders our Stomachs, that it turns our very Nourish­ment into sharp Humours. For whatsoever we Eat or Drink in Anger, turns into Choler; and so Nourisheth not our Bodies, but our Di­seases. Neither can he that gives himself up to this Fury, be secure from falling into the most Deadly Crimes, or the most Fatal Dangers. For having quite lost his Reason, and being gover­ned whilst his Passion lasts, by nothing but his Rage, it is more the Care of others, or God's Providence, than his own, that keeps him from Imbruing his Hands in his own Blood, or in the Blood of his nearest Relations, or dearest Friends.

Thus Vid. Notas. Oliogri in Va­ler. Max. fig. 5. pag. 775. Alexander the Great, in a Drunken Fury, with his own Hands, kill'd one of his best Friends, and most Valiant Commanders, the Generous and Aged Clytus; and afterwards with the Horrour of the Fact, he fell into so great a Rage against himself, that had he not [Page 14] been prevented by the Care of his Friends, the same Hand and Weapon that hat had kill'd Cly­tus, had dispatch'd Alexander.

To add no more concerning Anger, so Mad and Rageing; so Cruel and Bloody is this Passion, that had not God made it as short as it is Vio­lent, it would long before this time have tur­ned the World into a Desolate Wilderness, and have made Mankind more Savage and Bloody­minded one towards another, than the worst and cruellest of the Wild Beasts.

And what I have said of Anger, is, for the most part, true, of any other immoderate Passion that seizeth upon our Souls.

I shall give some few Instances more of the most common Lusts of Mankind, and the Mise­ries they bring along with them, viz. Ʋnclean­ness, Covetousness, Voluptuousness, Envy and Ambition; every one of which upon an Impar­tial View, will be found no less guilty of all kind of Mischiefs than the former.

For First, as to Ʋncleaness or Lustfulness. [...]. Uncleanness or Lust.

What Diseases are so nauseous, or what more destructive, than those that are the Effects of Lust? So filthy they are; that they are not fit to be named; and so Painful and Mortal, that he that is infected with them, suffers even an Hell upon Earth, and Dyes by Piece-meal; li­ving to see some of his Members turn'd into Rottenness, and his whole Body chang'd into a Walking Sepulchre, fill'd with nothing but Stench and Corruption within, however it may be adorned and painted without.

To this purpose Solomon most probably from his own Experience, tells us, (and who can we bet­ter believe in this case than he that had such an Ar­my of Wives and Concubines?) That he that fol­loweth a strange (i. e. an Adulterous) Woman Proverbs c. 7. v. 22, 23. go­eth after her straightway as an Oxe goeth to the Slaughter; or as a Fool to the Correction of the Stocks: Till a Dart striketh through his Liver: as a Bird hasteth to the Snare and knoweth not that it is for his Life. Wherefore in the following Words he gives us this most excellent Advice, grounded upon the firmest and most forcible Reason. * Hearken unto me therefore O ye Ibid. v. 24, 25, 26, 27. Children, and attend to the Words of my Mouth. Let not thine Heart decline to her wayes; go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea many strong Men have been slain by her. Her House is the way to Hell, going down to the Chambers of Death.

Why should I farther mention the particular dangers and mischiefs that this Vice exposeth us to? For what Danger can be so great to which this Sin doth not oblige him who hath given up him­self to it? Or what Crimes are so horrid, to which it doth not expose it's Followers to pre­vent the Discovery of their Shame?

It forceth even Mothers to be more Cruel and Bloody than the most Ravenous Wolves, or the most Savage Tygers, in taking away the Lives of their most Innocent Off-spring, when (by the mere Instect of Nature) the worst of Beasts will defend their young ones, even with the hazard of themselves.

What Dangers does not a man venture at in the very Act of this Sin, whilst he commits his Life into the hands of such persons, whom he knows are false to all Tyes of Religion, Honour, or Honesty.

What Murders, and what Desolations hath not this Sin been the Cause of, either through the Jealousie and Revenge of the Friends of the injured Party, or from the immediate hand of God?

I need seek no farther than the Holy Scrip­tures for the most visible Examples.

For, (as the Wise Man tells us) Prov. 6. 34. Jealousie is the Rage of a man, and is no less Cant. 8. 6. cruel than the Grave, sparing none that comes in its way.

Vid. 2 Sam. chap. 13. Amnon had no sooner defiled his Sister Ta­mar, but his Death is immediately design'd, and soon after, treacherously executed by his Brother Absalom.

The Sechemites having deflowr'd Dinah, are all (under the shew of Friendship) butcher'd by her Brethren, who think their Blood little enough to wash off that Stain they had brought upon their Family. For, all the Excuse they make for so many and so bloody Murders, is only this; Should he deal with our Sister as with an Harlot? Genes. 34. 31.

But, suppose nothing of this should happen from men, yet what Punishments may not be ex­pected from God, who hath told us, by St. Paul, Hebr. 13. 4. Whore-mongers and Adulterers he will judge? For God hath given us most dreadful Examples of his Vengeance upon unclean persons in Gen. 19. 24. So­dom and Gomorra. When nothing else would extinguish their Flames of Lust, God pours [Page 17] down Showrs of flaming Brimstone upon them, and utterly destroys them. But, tho' no extra­ordinary Judgment from God should follow this Vice, yet he hath made it ordinarily a sufficient Punishment to it self. For, what with the Filthi­ness and Folly that accompanies it, together with the Loathings and Shame that certainly fol­low it, how doth every Act of this Sin become a Torture to it's silly Votaries?

The lustful Amnon was sick for love of Tamar, but, no sooner had he committed Folly with her, but he is sick with loathing her: 2 Sam. 13. 15. & 16. For, the Text tells us, He hated her exceedingly; so that the Ha­tred wherewith he hated her, was greater than the Love wherewith he had loved her. And his Actions demonstrate it; for he that but just before could not live without her Company, cannot now en­dure her Sight, but is glad to use as much Vio­lence to be rid of her, as he had before made use of to enjoy her.

Lastly, How is the man of Uncleanness expo­sed to all sorts of Crimes and Dangers, either to gratifie his Paramour, or to find Fuel for the unquenchable Fire of his Lust?

For having hereby consumed his Estate, (which was it as great as the Indies, would be little e­nough to spend upon this one Lust) for, (as the Prov. c. 6. 26. wisest of men tells us) by means of an Adulte­rous Woman, a man is brought to a Morsel of Bread. How is he forced, by the worst of means, to supply the ever-craving, but never satisfied Desires of his Minion, or himself.

In a word, so much doth this one Vice besot Mankind, that it hath rendred the strongest of [Page 18] men so weak and inconsiderable, that he became the Scorn of the meanest of his Enemies.

It hath rob'd the man after God's own Heart, of his Justice and Religion, and drew him into the worst and most unnatural of all Sins, even Murder it self; and (to say no more) it made a Fool of the wisest of men, and rendred him ( Josephus An­tiquit. Judai [...]. as the Jewish Historian tells us) contemptible to his own Subjects, who had been fam'd and reve­renc'd through the World for his former Wisdom.

But secondly, Covetousness is no less dange­rous, 2. Covetous­ness. and mischievous than the former.

For, if we will believe the Apostle St. Paul, he tells us, They that will be rich, fall into Tem­ptation, 1 Tim. c. 6. v. 9. & 10. and a Snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts, which drown men in Destruction: for the love of Money is the Root of all Evil; which while some coveted after, they have pierced themselves through with many Sorrows.

And this is fully visible to any one, whose Eyes the God of this World hath not blinded. For he that hath given up his Soul to Covetousness, hath condemned himself to the worst of Punish­ments; that is, to a Labour, which, as it never ceaseth, so it, is ever vain and fruitless: For, to satisfie a covetous Mind with Riches, is as im­possible, as to fill a Sieve with Water, which empties as fast as it is poured in.

How doth the man of Covetousness rob him­self of all Quiet and Content, in enjoying what he hath, by his constant and violent Desires af­ter that which he hath not? What incessant pains doth he undergo in getting his Wealth? How is he macerated with continual Care and [Page 19] Trouble in keeping it? How is he wrack'd and tortur'd with the anxious Fears of losing it? Or lastly, How is he exposed to all Crimes and Dangers in the Pursuit of it; and oft times, to Death it self; if not in the Pursuit of it, yet in the parting with it?

Thus Josh. 7. 20. Ptolomy, King of Cyprus, having, by his Vid. Oliveri not. in Valer. Max. p. 778. fig. 5. vast Riches, invited the Romans to pillage him, not being able to out-live the loss of his Treasure, put an end to his miserable Life, by a dose of Poyson. So truly-may it be said of the cove­tous man's Gold, that it is like Achan's Wedge, An accursed thing, that too often cleaves his own Heart. For, if his own restless and insatiable Desires do not execute him, oftentimes he meets with Achan's Fate, his Theft is discovered, and the hand of Justice becomes his Executioner.

For, whoever gives up his Soul to the Love of Money, can never be secure from any other Crime, tho' he endangers not only himself, but sacrifices whole Nations to the God of this World, the only Deity that he worships.

A memorable Example the Lib. 3. de finibus bon. & mal. Roman Orator gives us of the rich General Crassus, who having, for no other cause, but his own Covetousness, waged War against the Parthians, lost not only his own Life, but the Lives of many of the Ro­man Legions: And when he was slain, his Ene­mies made sport with his Corps, and pouring melted Gold into his Mouth, they thus justly re­proach'd his covetous Life; saying, Aurum sitisti, Aurum bibe. Thou hast thirsted after Gold, drink now thy Fill of it: thereby, plainly intimating that there is no other ways to satisfie a covetous [Page 20] man's Mind with Gold, but by filling his Mouth full of melted Or.

So great a Temptation is the Insatiable Love of Money to all kind of evil, that it would be infinite to Relate all the Injustice, Murders, Treasons, Rebellions, and Sacriledges; that it hath been the cause of: But the Poet hath done all this in one question, when in Detestation of the horrid Murder of King Priam's Son, for the sake of the Gold left for his Maintenance, with King Polymnestor his Father in Law, he cries out.

What Dangers or what Mischiefs are so great, to which the wicked Love of Money doth not force Mankind?

I need add no more than this one Instance out of the Holy Scripture; viz. That of Ahab, King [...] Kings c. 21. of Israel, of which we read in the first of Kings. c. 21.

How did his Covetous Desire of Naboth's Vineyard torment him, and rob him of all the Pleasures that a Court or a Crown might else have afforded him? How did this plunge him into the worse of Crimes, the false Accusation and Murder of his innocent Neighbour? And lastly how did that Crime bring utter ruin and Dostruction, not only upon himself but his whole Family and Posterity?

Thirdly, Neither is Voluptuousness, or the love of Pleasure, less Pernicious than the love of Money. This is the Natural Parent of all Crimes and Mischiefs.

To this purpose St. Paul brings in the Lovers of themselves as leading the Van, and the Lovers [Page 21] of Pleasures as bringing up the Rear of all Wick­edness.

For describing to 2 to Tim. 2. 1. 4. 5. 6. Timothy the horrid Crimes of the last Times ( i. e.) of the Times immedi­ately preceding the Destruction of the Jews; he tells us, that in the last Days Perillous Times shall come, and the Reason he gives us in the following Words: For Men shall be Lovers of their own selves, Covetous, Boasters, Proud, Blas­phemous, Disobedient to Parents, Ʋnthankful, Ʋnholy, without Natural Affection, Truce-Breakers, False-Accusers, Incontinent, Fierce Despisers of those that are good, Traytors, High-minded; Lovers of Pleasures more then Lovers of God. And * St. Peter tells us, the Mischief and Misery they bring upon themselves: for speaking of such as take pleasure in Riot and Sport themselves in their 2 Pet. 2. 12, 13. own Deceivings; he saith, These, as Natural Brute Beasts, are made to be taken and destroyed, and shall utterly Perish in their own Corruption, and shall receive the Reward of Ʋnrighteousness. And indeed our own Experience may too sadly de­monstrate all this to us. For what Wickedness is there so abominable, or what Misery so intolle­rable, to which he that gives up himself to the persuit of any one Pleasure, is not necessarily exposed?

What Crime doth he bauk that stands in his way betwixt him and his beloved Pleasure?

How does the Voluptuous Prodigal destroy his Health, disturb his Reason, and ruine his Estate in the too eager Persuit of his beloved Delight?

How doth he (like the Prodigal in the [Page 22] * Gospel) run away from his best Friends and Luke 15. 11. 17. nearest Relations, spend all his Portion, and waste all his substance in Riotous Living; till ha­ving brought himself to the Extremest Necessity, and having made himself more like a Swine than a Man, he is at length turn'd out to their Com­pany, and is glad to feed upon the Swines husks?

How hath the Love of Pleasure conquered the most Glorious Conquerors, destroyed the most Invincible Armies, and ruined the greatest Mo­narchs of the World?

Hannibal, that could not be subdued by all the Roman force, lost the most Valiant Army by the Pleasures of Capua. So that Seneca saith too truely of him ( Epist 11.) that he was Ar­mis invictus, vitiis victus; not overcome by others Armes, but Vanquish'd by his own Vices.

Xerxes whose Army in Forraging, destroyed whole Countries, and drank up whole Rivers as it went; who was the greatest Monarch then in the World, as well as the Richest; when he had so far given up himself to his Delights, that (as * Cicero tells us) by a publick Edict he pro­claimed Cic. Tuscul. Quest▪ lib. 5. a Reward to any that could find out any new sort of pleasure, how suddenly did he lose that vast Army, and his greater Empire? So that the * Historian might well conclude; What can Valer. Max. not. Varior. pag. 750. lin. 7. be more filthy than those Vices, or what more hurtful, by which all Vertue is defaced, Victories languish, Glory is buried in Infamy, and all the Powers both of Soul and Body are utterly destroyed? For they that are possessed with the inordinate Love of Pleasures seem to be like the Swine into whom the Legion of Devils had entred; they run [Page 23] headlong with the greatest Violence, to their own Destruction. Their beloved Pleasure so imploys all the Faculties of their Souls and all the Members of their Bodies, till they are fit for nothing that becomes a Man, and take care of nothing more than the present satisfaction, like the Brute Beasts; and then this their Prodigality reduceth them to the most miserable necessity, and thence into the worst of Crimes; till publick Ju­stice (if no other private Accident hath done it before) brings them to the most unnatural and most shameful ends. This I am confident we shall find too true, by our own sad Experience. For if we enquire the Causes of all their Crimes, who suffer by the hands of the publick Executi­oners of Justice, we shall find that the immode­rate pursuit of unlawful Pleasures hath most com­monly hurried them to their own ruin. For few or none of such miserable Wretches but in their last and dying words are forc'd to confess, that their own Lusts and inordinate Passions, have brought them to all their Shame and Misery.

Amongst which none can be more exorbitant than that▪ concerning which, I am next to dis­course of▪ Viz. 4. Envy or Malice.

Fourthly, Envy, Malice, or the Love of Revenge.

For neither is this a less Foolish or less Fatal Passion than any other: For whoever gives up himself to this Lust, does (as it were) stretch himself upon the Rack, and become his own Torturer. He pines himself away in the midst of all abundance, and starves whilst he possesseth the greatest plenty. He is his own Vulture, and Preys upon his own Bowels.

For, so deadly a Disease of the mind is this of Envy, that scarcely any thing the envious man eats or drinks, can give him any suitable Nou­rishment; but the most delicate Viands, are, by this Passion, turn'd into Gall and Bitterness.

It so fires, or, at least, so soures the Blood, and so burns up, or corrodes, the Vitals, that it soon dissolves the best-temper'd Body beyond all the help of Art or Nature.

To what fatal Miseries is the man of Malice ne­cessarily and incessantly exposed? If his malicious Designs take, they are commonly so bloody, that his own Darts being cast back upon him by the hands of Justice, do slay himself: and if he misseth his deadly Aims, the Arrows that he shoots at others (like those that are shot directly upwards) fall down again upon his own head, and wound him, even unto Death.

He is in a much worse condition than any o­ther Malefactor: For, he not only suffers for the Crimes he hath committed, but for those which he cannot act, this being one of his greatest Tor­tures, that he cannot do them.

A dreadful Example of this nature, the im­mortal * Dr. Harvey gives us of a Noble man, Libr. de Circu­lat. Sanguin. who having received some Affront which he was not able to revenge, took it so much to Heart, that his Passion swell'd him like Poyson, and as soon destroyed him; for, in a short time after, he dyed of a malignant Fever: and being disse­cted, his great Artery was found as big as the ju­gular Artery of an Oxe. So virulent a Venome does accompany this Passion; and so certainly true is that of the holy Job. Wrath killeth the Job. 5. 2. [Page 25] Foolish-man, and Envy slayeth the Silly one.

Why should I mention the publick Calamities that it brings along with it, since they cannot but be visible to all Observers?

What Murders hath it not acted? What Schisms in the Church▪ or Seditions in the State, hath it not rais'd and carryed on? In a Word, what Mischief, or what Villany, can be so great which it hath not accomplish'd? All Histories are too full of sad Instances of this kind.

What unspeakable Mischiefs, what shameful Vid. Optatum Milv. Schisms, what abominable Seditions, Murders, and Treasons, over-spread all Africa, through the Envy of Donatus and his Party, because o­thers were preferred before them? And how did their Animosities continue to divide them, till they lost their Country and Christianity both together; and are now so over-run with Hea­thens, that scarcely any Appearance of the Chri­stian Religion is left amongst all the African Churches, which were, before these Divisions, as glorious for their Profession of, and constan­cy in the Christian Faith, as any Churches in the whole World.

What miserable Calamities did the Malice of the Leaders of three Factions or Sects, bring up­on the Jews, when they were besieged in Jerusa­lem? Vid. Josephum de Bill. Jud. No less than the sharpest Famine, the mo [...] unnatural Murders, the highest Profanations of all things sacred; and, in a Word, the utter de­solation of their City and Temple, and the final Extirpation of their Government and Religion? So that they who were the most glorious People in the World, are becomemere Vagabands, and the Scum and Derision of all Nations.

I wish to God we had not too near Exam­ples in the Divisions amongst our selves, proceed­ing from the same Cause, and that our Magistrates would take Care to suppress them, lest they pro­ceed to the same sad Effects; viz. the utter Ru­in of the best constituted Church and State in the whole World.

To add but one Instance more out of common Vid. Livii▪ De­cad. Histor. Rom. History. How did the Envy of Hanno, and his Faction against Amilcar, ruine all the Affairs of Carthage, and laid the glorious City in the Dust, which otherwise had not fail'd of being the sole Empress of the whole Earth?

If we look into the Sacred Writings, we shall find that Cain's Envy spared not his own Bro­ther, but made him become his Murderer. And the Envy of Korah and his Company, was the cause of the first Schism and Rebellion that we read of, even against Moses and Aaron; those ve­ry persons, who, by a mighty hand and miracu­lous Power, had delivered them from their Aegy­ptian Bondage; and drew upon themselves the most signal Punishment.

For God created a new thing, and made the Earth divide it self, that they might pass down quick into Hell who were the Dividers of Israel. What should I add more? Lest there should be any Evil too great to be the Effect of this Vice, Envy and Pride were the Causes even of Hell it self. And this now leads me to take notice of the last irregular Passion which I mentioned, that too often proves fatal to it's Followers, viz.

Fifthly, Pride, Ambition, or the immoderate 5 Pride and Ambition. Love of Honors.

And indeed, this may well follow Envy, for they are inseparable Companions, it being almost impos­sible for a man to be proud, unless he be envious; and altogether impossible to be envious, unless he be first proud and ambitious: and as ambitious and envious men are (like Simeon and Levi) Brethren in Iniquity, so they are no less nearly allied in Mi­sery: For, as their Sins are much the same, so they suffer much the same Punishments.

Whatsoever Crime, Danger, or Disease, is the effect of Envy, may be also reckoned in the number of the miserable (tho' natural) Consequences of Pride and Ambition. For, as for publick Calamities, what Schisms, what Factions, what Wars, what Rebelli­ons, what Desolations ever were in the World, in which Ambition had not an hand? For, as tho' there were no other Cause of these Mischiefs, Solomon saith, * Only by Pride cometh all Contention. Prov. 13. 10.

And as for private Mischiefs, What Miseries can be so great, into which the proud man doth not involve himself and all his Partners? If he miss of his Designs in climbing up on high, he most com­monly breaks his Neck in the Fall: But, if he prospers a while, this encourages him to proceed un­to such Crimes, the due Sense and Horror of which, are enough to break his Heart. For, from this Crime of Ambition (when it hath once got the ab­solute Dominion over a man) as from the Lyon's Den, in the Fable, we can see no Foot-steps back­ward; but if any man be so silly a Beast to be plung'd into it, he seldom, or never, escapes with Life. For, if we will believe the Experience of the wisest of men, he assures us, * That Pride goeth before De­struction. Prov. 16. 18.

But, suppose the utmost that can be thought on for the proud man's advantage, viz. that he reacheth his highest Aim and Design, and attains, by his Crimes, the highest honors; yet, the Crown he hath placed upon his Head, by wicked hands, tho' it be of pure Gold, sits as uneasie upon him, as a Crown of the sharpest Thorns; and not only wounds his Head, but his Heart too, with restless Cares and endless Fears. For, the Sense of his own Perfidi­ousness makes him so jealous lest all other men should be like himself, that he can trust no man; and the thoughts of his own Crimes makes him in Cain's Condition, to think every man he meets will certainly kill him; and these terrible Fears rais'd from without, together with the amazing Hor­rors of his Conscience within him, will scarcely let him sleep or eat, or enjoy any thing in quiet. So that whilst he sits upon a Throne, he is really more miserable than he that makes his Bed upon a Dunghil. For, besides the danger of Treachery from his Friends, (whose Wickedness he too well knows to have any just cause to trust them) and besides the continual Dreads of his own Soul, lest the Almighty Providence should overturn him; how mortally is he hated, and how continually is he baited by his Enemies, and pursued even to Death by the best of men, whom he hath injured, whose ve­ry Vertues ingage them (for the sake of the pub­lick Safety, as well as of their private Security) in the most vigorous and bloody Designs against him? For, most commonly we see it true, that ambitious men that cannot be contented with their own state, (like the proud & rebellious Absalom, that was hang­ed by his own hair, in which was his main glory) are executed by their own Pride.

For, whilst by Schism and Rebellion they pull down the Pillars of the Church and State, oft times they bury themselves in the Ruines that they make. Of this, I need give no other Instance than that of our late miserable Times amongst our selves. For, what profit had we from all that War and blood­shed amongst us? We only brought upon our selves worse than what we fear'd. We made our selves Slaves to the basest of men, because we could not be contented to be Subjects to the best of Princes; and for fear of bringing in Popery, we had well nigh destroyed Christianity. Nay, when the men of Schism and Rebellion were so prosperous, that they carried all before them, and had in the most barbarous manner, murdered the best of Kings and destroyed the best of Churches; and not only kill'd but had taken Possession too of all their Power and Estates; how did the all-wise and just Provi­dence of God, by the most unexpected means, even in an Instant, turn the Wheel over them, and bring down their Pride to the greatest Shame?

Neither is the proud man's Grandure and Promo­tion his only miserable Condition; for, his whole Life is not only the greatest Vanity, but the greatest Misery and Vexation of Spirit. For, how does some little thing which he cannot have, rob him of all Content and Quiet, in enjoying what he hath?

Mordecai's stiff Knee takes from the ambitious Haman the rellish of all the Honors of the great­est Court in the World; nay, the Power and Glo­ry of a Crown, could afford no Rest nor Pleasure to the proud and envious Ahab, when once Naboth's Vineyard had appear'd in his sight. To describe the pround man's Life, were to represent unto you an [Page 30] exact Copy of all kind of Folly and Misery. For what with his continual Plots and Contrivances, and his incessant Cares and Business; How does he Sacrifice his Health to his Ambition, for want of due Repast, or of quiet Repose? What with his Envy at others that are higher than himself, and his eager Desires after Preferment, together with his continual Fears lest he should miss of it, how is he rack'd with endless Tortures?

What with the baseness and durtiness of the way to his proud Designs; what with the many affronts and denials; what with his great hopes and sometimes his greater dispair, a mixture of all which, he cannot but meet with in it; not to say any thing of the envy and scorn of others that attend his ad­vancement, or the little satisfaction that he himself meets with in it; how is he fool'd and cheated with a Cloud instead of a Deity? In a word, how do the several Passions raised in him by these Causes, constantly torture his Mind and disorder his Body, till at length they bring upon him Misery, Diseases, and Death? I need not remind you of the many mischiefs this Vice exposeth us to: It threw down the Angels from Heaven, and cast our first Parents out of Paradise; it was the cause of the first Sins that ever were committed, and by consequence is the Mother of all Mischief, and of all Miseries: Nay, it still continues actually to produce these sad effects; for where Pride is, there is Strife; and every evil work.

Give me leave to add two or three practical de­ductions from what hath been said. If Misery and Death be the natural effects of every one of these Sins. Viz. Pride, Envy, Voluptuousness, Ʋncleanness, [Page 31] Anger, Gluttony, Drunkenness, Ʋncharitableness, Injustice, Profaneness, and Irreligion, what then remains? But that

First, We should all keep Watch and Ward a­gainst The first Dedu­ction. these Destroyers of Mankind. We are careful enough to keep our Houses from Fire, our Goods from Thieves, and our Bodies from Infection of the Plague; and shall we be so foolish to hug these Enemies of our Lives, and to follow these Sins which are no less destructive to us, than all those other dangers which we so much fear, and so ear­nestly endeavour to avoid? To this end let every one of us consider seriously what hath been said against that particular Sin to which he finds him­self most inclined; let every one of us endeavour to mend himself, more than others, especially more than our Magistrates: let them alone to take care to amend the Publick by the Execution of those wholsom Laws which are establish'd in our Church and State; and let us, who are private Christians, study to be quiet, and do our own Business (i. e.) to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling, by a­voiding our sins which we know will no less destroy our present than our future safety and Happiness.

Secondly, If we are, or have been guilty of The second De­duction. any of these Sins, or have seen others pursuing them with greediness, and yet neither we nor they have felt any of those Miseries or Mischiefs that are the natural effects of them, let us not from thence con­clude, that the Preacher is deceived; but let us thank God for his Care and Providence over us, which only hath preserved us from being our own Murderers by pursuing our own Sins: and let this Patience and Long-Suffering of God, prevail with [Page 32] us, as we love our Lives to hate our Sins, and to break off from them by Repentance, lest by conti­nuing in them, we provoke God Almighty to give us up to be destroyed by them. The third and last Deduction.

Thirdly and Lastly, If our Sins are destructive to our present Happiness, then if we have any care for our health, or safety, for our ease, quiet, or con­tentment, or for our Lives themselves, let us not any longer delay our amendment; but let us imme­diately cast off all our Sins which are so dangerous and so hurtful to us. Delays (we know) can ne­ver be prudent when the danger is great and immi­nent. He that sees his House on Fire will not be so mad to squander away the present opportunity of quenching it; he that descerns some mortal disease arising in his Body, will lose no time in applying such Remedies as may prevent their danger. Why then are we so unreasonable and senseless to trifle away our time and opportunity of quenching the Fires of our Lusts, and of preventing the fatal dan­gers of our Sins? Especially since we know not if we neglect the present, whether God will give us any other opportunity in the time to come. For he himself hath told us, that Gen. 6. 3. His Spirit shall not al­ways strive with Man. The only shew of Reason, by which the Devil cheats too many of their Eter­nal Happiness, is this. Viz. That it is time enough to repent, when they are past their Pleasures, be­cause there is some reason to hope that a Death-Bed-Repentance may be sincere and acceptable with God to the saving of our Souls. But though this Pretence is most Presumptuous and ground­less, yet the tempter could not have so much as this against us, if we did but consider that our [Page 33] Sins are as hurtful to our Bodies as to our Souls, that they as much prejudice our present Hap­piness, as they do our future; and therefore, that tho' it was possible (which we have no grounds at all to suppose, that a dying Repentance might come time enough to save our Souls, yet it [...] absolutely too late (when Sin hath already de­stroyed us) to prevent the Miseries of our Bodies.

If therefore we have any care of our Lives or Happiness, if we have any concern either for our own good, or the good of the World; and to sum up all in one Word, if we would not add SELF-MƲRDER to the rest of our Crimes, let us put in practice that most necessary Exhortation Heb. 3. 13. of St Paul, Exhort one another daily, whilst it is called to day, lest any of you be hardned by the de­ceitfulness of Sin; and to this purpose, let us seri­ously consider those Words of our Blessed Saviour; and sedately ask our selves this Question of his, Luke 9. 25. What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole World and lose himself, or bring upon himself his own Destruction? For, since we are assured, that as Righteousness [...]endeth to Life, so he that pursueth Evil, pursueth it to his own Death. Surely, Com­mon Prudence should perswade us no longer to hazard our present Welfare, by running on in such sinful Courses as may bring upon us swift Destruction, but to pursue the ways of Righteous­ness; that so we may avoid the miseries that fol­low the Pursuit of Evil.

To this End, I shall conclude all with the most divine, and most useful Words of St. Peter, (which are so beneficial to all Mankind, that I could wish they were written upon every man's Soul, in in­delible [Page 34] Characters) viz. He that will love Life, and 1 Pet. 3. v. 10. to v. 14. will see good Days, let him refrain his Tongue from Evil, and his Lips, that they speak no Guile: Let him eschew Evil, and do Good, let him seek peace, and ensue it. For, the Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his Ears are open unto their Prayers; but the Face of the Lord is against them that do Evil, and who will harm you (or who is he that shall harm you) if ye be Followers of that which is good.

Now, that all of us may so follow that which is Good, and so eschew that which is Evil: that we may live happily in this Life, and be eternally happy in the Life to come, God of his Infinite Mercy grant, for Jesus Christ his sake; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed (as is most due) all Power, Dominion, Praise, and Glory, now and for evermore.

Amen.