3. I proceed, now, to the third and last branch of the deceitfulness of fin, viz. Its infinuating nature, by which it leads men on, in an infenfible manner, from one degree of wickedness to a higher, and, after the voluntary commiffion of fome fins, lays them under a fort of neceffity of committing more. I think it is probable that the apoftle had this particularly in his view in the text, where he says, Exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. And certain it is, my brethren, that wicked men do not fee the whole courfe they are to run at one view, but are drawn in by little and little. Take the most abandoned finner in this guilty world, and there was a time of his life when he would have trembled to think of the crimes which he afterwards committed. Thus Hazael, King of Syria, when he was told by the prophet Elifha, of the unnatural barbarity and cruelty he would be guilty of among the children of Ifrael, he could not believe fo ill of himself, but answered, with a kind of abhorrence, "What, is thy “servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?" But fuch is the nature of fin, that it carries men away, if they yield to it, infinitely farther than they themfelves intended. We find this taken notice of by moral writers in every age and country. Many of the ancients used to reprefent it by a very expreffive fimilitude, viz. that the way of vice lies down hill; fo that if you take but a few steps, the motion is foon accelerated, and becomes fo violent and impetuous, that it is impoffible for you to resist it.

This is certainly a circumstance, with respect to the nature of fin, which lies at the foundation of practical religion, and to which I would particularly intreat the attention of the younger part of my audience. Neither is it unfuitable to persons of any character, as it will contribute to enforce upon their minds, a fenfe of the neceffity of conftant vigilance, and of conftant prayer. In order to represent the matter to you in the ftronger light, I fhall endeavor to lay before you fome of the chief steps and gradations by which a finner is brought into a hardened ftate; and show how naturally, and in a manner neceffarily, they lead him forward from one to another.

(1.) Men enter and initiate themselves in a vicious practice by fmaller fins. Though every fin hath that malignity in it that it deferves God's wrath and curfe both in this life and that which is to come, yet there are fome fins, which, in themfelves, as well as from several circumstances which attend them, are far more heinous in the fight of God than others. These are too alarming to the confcience of a young finner; and, therefore, he only ventures upon fuch as are smaller at firft. I hope you will not think it too minute or trifling, if I mention that every particular kind of vice creeps in, in this gradual manner. Many have begun to fteal, with taking away things without their parents knowledge from their own houfe, thinking there could be little fault in this; and then picked up fmall things, perhaps, from people of better rank, faying to themfeves, they will never be the worse of it, they can easily spare it; but time has perfected them in their trade, till they ended their days upon a fcaffold. Some have begun with little arts of equivocation, and concealing the truth, who, in time, came to boldness and ob ftinacy in grofs falfehood. And many have begun with levity of carriage, and vanity of drefs, who have ended in luft, whoredom, and open proftitution. My brethren, though we are all born in fin, and powerfully inclined to that which is evil, from our firft entrance into the world; yet we have alfo a witnefs for God in our own confciThere feems to be fome reluctance in the firft commiffion of fin; fome forrow and regret for departing innocence. It is a faying of one of the heathens, "No "man becomes all of a fudden very wicked!" or, if I may use the expreffion, is made perfect in fin. It ufually takes fome time, and is carried on by progrefs and improvement, though fome, alas! make wonderful proficiency in it, and advance at a very great pace. These lesser fins, then, are the introduction and preparation for what afterwards fhall follow; they begin the attack upon conscience, which, at laft, ends in a total overthrow and defeat.

(2.) Let us now follow the finner to the next flage of his unhappy courfe. Having once begun in the ways of

fin, he ventures upon fomething greater and more daring; his courage grows with his experience; and he gives himfelf more liberty to walk in the ways of his own heart, and the fight of his own eyes. Now, fins of a deeper dye do not look fo frightful as before. The reafon of this is plain, or rather there are many reasons which concur in producing this effect. Custom makes every thing familiar, even to defpifing the authority of God, and counteracting the ftrongest obligations. Sinners, after fome apprenticeship to this infamous trade, commit fuch fins as lay waste the confcience, and offer the greateft violence to their own minds; thefe ftill lead forward to others, and to every new tranfgreffion, if I may speak fo, they are driven by a stronger inclination, and with-held by a weaker refiftance. No fin comes by itself alone, but ftands in clofe connexion with many others. Some fins teach us how to commit others, as well as afford an opportunity to do it. I have heard of a fervant who went into an apartment with no other intention than to gratify appetite, by making free with some sweet-meats; but happening to fee fomething very valuable lying open, which might be easily concealed, could not refift the temptation, but commenced thief, and, came, at laft, to a miferable end. Many fins alfo bring others after them, as excufes to cover them. So that no perfon, who once breaks over the limits of clear and unquestionable duty, knows how far he may be carried before he returns back, or rather whether he may not be fo deeply involved, as never to return at all. This leads me to observe,

(3.) That open fins foon throw a man into the hands of ungodly companions. This effect is neceffary, because they determine his character; and according to the old obfervation, thofe of like difpofition, by a natural and powerful instinct, are led to affociate together. No fooner do men begin to take liberties in their conduct, than they begin to fhun the fociety of good men; the prefence of fuch is a restraint upon them; their example is a reproof to them, and awakens any principle of confcience, which yet remains unfubdued, to reproach and fting them; whereas, in fociety like themselves, they are greatly em

boldened, by feeing vice practifed, and by hearing it juftified. Behold the finner, then, with corrupt communication as well as corrupt inclination! The danger of this we are warned of by the apostle Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 33. "Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good "manners." As united fires burn the fiercer and the ftronger; fo a finful fociety improves and grows in impiety, and every member joins his brother's pollution to his own. It is not eafy to fay, how much profane companions are inftrumental in reciprocally undoing one another. But furely if thofe, otherwife virtuous, are often in danger of being led away with the error of the wicked, much more must they who are themselves fo difpofed, and and are every whit as ready to follow a bad advice or example, as others are to give it.

I cannot forbear adding upon this fubject, that ferioufly difpofed perfons are as much afraid of the fociety of loose perfons, as they are impatient of theirs. This makes the feparation ftill more complete. And even when they are occafionally joined, the fear of cafting their pearls before fwine, who may trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend them, often shuts their mouths. It prevents them from giving that falutary inftruction, and useful admonition, which their heart might dictate, or the neceffity of the cafe might require. I confefs, my brethren, when I confider the unspeakable advantages for true piety, which arife from the relation, the company, or the friendship of eminent Chriftians, it fills me with the deepeft concern for those unhappy perfons, who, by their conduct and circumftances, are neceffarily deprived of every thing of this kind, nay, are daily expofed to all the contrary fnares. I dare fay, not a few in this affembly will bear witness, as I defire to do with inward gratitude to God, what infinite benefit arifes from the fociety of the excellent ones of the earth; to have been inftructed and trained up by pious parents in the fear of God; to have had your lot caft in a family which was a house of prayer; to have the faithful admonitions of a truly confcientious friend; and to have the daily edifying, restraining, comforting, animating example of an eminent Chriftian, as

well as a fhare in his fervent prayers. Nay, I will fay more, the very precious remembrance of fuch, after they have entered into reft, whether parents, children, friends, or neighbors, has the nobleft and happieft effect in reproving our floth, and stirring us up to be "followers of "them, who, through faith and patience, do now inherit "the promises." How miferable those who are wholly ignorant of every fuch privilege! How deceitful is fin, which daily adminifter the most deadly poifon, and, at the very fame time, closes up the way on every fide, and debars the infected victim from every mean that might contribute to his cure!

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(4.) In the next ftage, the finner begins to feel the force of habit and inveterate cuftom. The frequent repetition of acts of fin conftitutes a habit. How powerful this is, and hard to be overcome, experience is a daily ftanding proof. We are warned of the danger of habitual wickedness in many paffages of fcripture, particularly Jer. xii. 5. "If thou haft run with the footmen, and they "have wearied thee, then how canft thou contend with "horfes and if, in the land of peace, wherein thou trust"edft, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the fwelling of Jordan?" Chap, xiii. 23. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his fpots? then may ye alfo do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” Nature itself, in this, as in many other instances, is full of fpiritual inftruction. Habits of any indifferent kind, when once established, can hardly be overcome even by the greatest effort of refolution; even any motion of the body, or any particular word or phrafe in difcourfe, if once they have taken place by custom, are hardly ever laid down. But, it must be observed, that habits of fin are not only infinitely more hurtful than habits of a common kind, but they are alfo much more obftinate. They fall in with the bent and difpofition of corrupt nature; and, therefore, are like a double cord, not easily broken.

Behold then the finner rooted and fettled in an evil way! Before, it might have been expected, that an awful difpenfation of Providence, or the convincing demonstration of the word of God, might have had an effect upon him;