70 A PERSUASIVE to 



Reins upon the Necks of their Lufts, and 

 follow whither they lead and hurry them 

 away, are vicious, 



You will fay, Are not thefe Exercifes 

 painful and repugnant to our natural Ap- 

 petites and Inclinations, and confequently 

 contrary to Pleafure? Is. not the fubduing 

 of Lufts compared to the cutting off of 

 Members, . which cannot be done without 

 pain ? 



I anfwer, It muft be granted, that there 

 is difficulty at firft in the New Birth, in 

 paffing from one ftate to another, all Ex- 

 cellent things being hard to obtain, *Diffici- 

 lia qua fulchra. Indeed we are fo mad e 

 as not much to value that which coft us no 

 pains; and on the contrary, as Dr. Cock- 

 burn well obferves, the Mind of Man is 

 never fo well pleafed, as when it ufeth its 

 Reafon, and always takes moft delight in 

 the things which it felf hath wrought. And 

 therefore, as he proceeds, it was, and is 

 wifely provided, to fet the Necelfaries, the 

 Comforts, and Conveniences of Life at 

 fome diftance from Lazinefs and Sloth, and 

 to hedge them about with fome difficulties, 

 that while we fearch and labour foj them, 

 we may at the fame time, and by the fame 

 means improve our Intellectual Faculties, 



and 



