A call to the unconverted, to turn and live

2. From hence also you may observe these three things together. First, what a subtle tempter ⟨p. 114⟩satan is. Second, what a deceitful thing sin is. Third, what a foolish creature corrupted man is. A subtle tempter indeed, that can persuade the greatest part of the world to go into everlasting fire, when they have so many warnings and dissuasives as they have. A deceitful thing is an indeed, that can bewitch so many thousands to part with everlasting life, for a thing so base and utterly unworthy! A foolish creature is man indeed, that will be cheated of his salvation for nothing, yea, for a known nothing, and that by an enemy, and a known enemy. You would think it impossible, that any man in his wits, should be persuaded for a little, to cast himself into the fire, or water, or into a coal pit, to the destruction of his life, and yet men will be enticed to cast themselves into hell. If your natural lives were in your own hands, that you should not die till you would kill yourselves, how long would most of you live? And yet, when your everlasting life is so far in your own hands under God, that you cannot be undone till you undo yourselves, how few of you will forbear your own undoing? Ah what a silly thing is man! and what bewitching and befooling thing is sin.

2. From hence also you may observe these three things together. First, what a subtle tempter ⟨p. 114⟩satan is. Second, what a deceitful thing sin is. Third, what a foolish creature corrupted man is. A subtle tempter indeed, that can persuade the greatest part of the world to go into everlasting fire, when they have so many warnings and dissuasives as they have. A deceitful thing is an indeed, that can bewitch so many thousands to part with everlasting life, for a thing so base and utterly unworthy! A foolish creature is man indeed, that will be cheated of his salvation for nothing, yea, for a known nothing, and that by an enemy, and a known enemy. You would think it impossible, that any man in his wits, should be persuaded for a little, to cast himself into the fire, or water, or into a coal pit, to the destruction of his life, and yet men will be entic•d to cast themselves into hell. If your natural lives were in your own hands, that you should not die till you would kill yourselves, how long would most of you live? And yet, when your everlasting life is so far in your own hands under God, that you cannot be undone till you undo yourselves, how few of you will forbear your own undoing? Ah what a silly thing is man! and what bewitching and befooling thing is sin.