are the more strengthened, and the heart still more hardened. 5. There be thousands now in hell, that perished through delays ; their consciences often urged and pressed hard upon them, and many resolutions they had, as thou hast now; but they were never perfected by answerable executions, and so they perished. 6. Thy way of sin- ning now is desperate ; for every moment thou art acting against clear light and conviction ; and that is a dreadful way of sinning. 7. There can be no solid reason for one hour's delay ; for thou canst not be happy too soon ; and be sure of it, if ever thou come to taste of the sweetness of a Christian life, nothing will more pierce and grieve thee than this, that thou enjoyedst it no sooner.
Quest. 17. Oh, but the pleasures of sin engage me to it ; how shall I break these cords and snares ?
Anszv. That snare may be broken by considering solemnly these five things. 1. That to take pleasure in sin, is an argument of a most deplorable and M-retched state of soul. What a poisonous nature doth it argue in a toad, that is sucking in nothing but poison and filth where-ever it crawls ! O what an heart hast thou ! Hast thou nothing to find pleasure in but that which makes the Spirit of Christ sad, and the hearts of saints ake and groan, M'hich digged hell, and let in endless miseries upon the world .^ 2. Think that the misery it involves thee in is infinitely beyond the delights it tempts thee by : it doth but delight the sensual part, and that but with a brutish pleasure, but will torment thy immortal soul, and that for ever. The pleasure Avill quickly go oflF, but the sting will remain behind. " I tasted but a little honey on the top of my rod, (said " Jonathan) and I must die," 1 Sam. xiv. 43. 3. Nay, that is not all ; but the Lord proportions wrath according to the pleasures souls have had in sin, Rev. xviii. 7. " How much she hath lived deliciously, *' so much torment and sorrow give unto her." 4. What dost thou pay, or at least pawn for this pleasure ? Thy soul, thy precious soul is laid to stake for it ; and, in effect, thus thou sayest when thou deferrest the closing with Christ upon the account of enjoying the pleasures of sin a little longer : Here, devil, take my soul into thy possession and power : if I repent, I will have it again ; if not, it is thine for ever. O dear-bought pleasures !
What is the world ? A great exchange of ware,
Wherein all sorts and sexes cheapning are ;
The fiesh the devil sit and cry — what lack ye ?
When most they fawn, they most intend to rack ye.
The wares are cups of joy and beds of pleasure ;
There's godly choice, down weight, and flowing measure.
A soufs the price, but they give time to pay,
Upon the death-bed, or the dying-day.
Hard is the bargain, and unjust the measure,
W^hen as the price so much out-lasts the pleasure.
THE seaman's catechism. S39
Lastly^ It is thy gross mistake to think thou shalt be bereaved of all dehghts and pleasures by coming under the government of Christ : for one of those things in which his kingdom consists, is joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17. Indeed it allows no sinful plea- sures to the subjects of it, nor do they need it ; but from tha day thou closest in with Christ, all thy pure, real, and eternal pleasures and delights begin to bear date. When the prodigal was returned to his father, then, saith the text, *' They began to be merry,'' Luke XV. 24. See Acts viii. 5, 6. No, soul, thou shalt want no joy, for the scripture saith, " They shall be abundantly satisfied " with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of " the river of thy pleasures ; for with thee is the fountain of life,'' &c. Psal. xxxvi. 8, 9.
Quest. 18. But how shall I be able to undergo the severities of religion .? There are difficult duties to be done, and an heavy cross to be taken up ; these be the things that daunt me.
Ansic. If pain and suffering daunt thee, how is it thou art not more out of love \\\\h sin than with religion ? For it is most certain, that the sufferings for Christ are nothing to hell, the just reward and certain issue of sin ; the pains of mortification are nothing to the pains ■of damnation : there is no comparison betwixt suffering for Christ, and suffering from Christ ; Matth. v. 29. " If thy right hand or eye " offend thee, cut it off, and pluck it out ; it is profitable for thee *' that one member suffer, than that the whole body be cast into hell." Secondly, Thou seest the worst, but not the best of Christ. There be joys and comforts in those difficult duties and sufferings, that thou seest not; Col, i. 24. " Who now^ rejoice in my sufferings." Jam. i. 2. " My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers tenipta- " tions," &c. Thirdly, Great shall be thy assistance from Christ, Phil. iv. 13. " I can do all things through him that strengthens me *' The Spirit helps our infirmities," takes the other end of the bur- den, Rom. viii. 26. What meanest thou to stand upon such terms, when it is heaven or hell, eternal life or death that lie before thee ?
Quest. 19. But to what purpose will my endeavours to come to Christ be, unless I be elected ? All will be to no purpose.
Answ. True; If thou be not elected, thou canst not obtain him, or happiness by him : but yet that is no discouragement to strive : for in thy unconverted state, thy election or non-election is a secret to thee : the only way to make it sure is by striving and giving all diligence in the way of duty, 2 Pet. i. 10. And if you ponder the text well, you will find, that election is not only made sure in the way of diligence and striving, but calling is put before it, and lies in order to it : first secure thy effectual calling, and then thine election.
Quest. 20. But I have no strength of my own to come to Christ by : and is it not absurd to urge me upon imposabilities in order to my salvation ? *VoL. V. Y
34:0 THE seaman'^s catechism.