for a song,) the glorious amiable nature of God and his holy wayes, the matchlesse love of God in Christ, the poisonfull nature of sin, and all these not by a sudden beam darted into the window at a Sermon, and gone again, like a flash of lightning, but by an abiding light; this would spoile the devils market, and poor creatures would not readily take this toad into their bosomes; sin goes in a disguise, and so is welcome.
Secondly, it is darknesse, because it brings darknesse into the soul, and that naturally and judicially.
First Naturally. There is a noxious quality in sin offensive to the understanding, which is to the soule what the eye and palate are to the body; It discernes of things, and distinguisheth true from false, as the eye white from black: It tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meats. Now as there are some things bad for the sight, and others bad for the palate vitiating it, so that it shall not know sweet from bitter; so here sin besots the creature, and makes it injudicious, that he who could see such a practice absurd and base in others before, when once he hath drunk of this inchanting cup himself, (as one that hath for done his un∣derstanding) is mad of it himself, not able now to see the evil of it, or use his reason against it. Thus Saul before he had de∣bauch't his conscience, thinks the Witch worthy of death; but after he had trodden his conscience hard with other foule sins, goes to ask counsel of one himself.
Again, sin brings darknesse judiciously; such have been threat∣ened, whose eare God hath been trying to open and instruct, and have run out of Gods school into the devils, by rebelling a∣gainst light, that they shall die without knowledge, Iob 36.10, 12. What should the candle burn wast, when the creature hath more minde to play then work?
[ 1] Thirdly, Sinne runs into darknesse. Impostors bring in their damnable Heresies privily, like those who sell bad ware, loath to come to the Market, where the Standard tries all; but put it off in secret: so in moral wickednesse, sinners like beasts go out in the night for their prey, loath to be seen, afraid to come where they should be found out. Nothing more terrible to sinners then light of truth, John 3.19. because their deeds are evil. Felix was so netled with what Paul spake, that he could not sit out the Ser∣mon, but flings away in haste, and adjourns the hearing of Paul