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 Sacrament, but he will by this conſideration be excited to ſome good purpoſes, and put upon ſome ſort of endeavour to amend and reform his life; and though he be very much under the bondage and power of evil habits, if he do with any competent degree of ſincerity (and it is his own fault if he do not) make uſe of this excellent means and inſtrument, for the mortifying and ſubduing of his luſts, and for the obtaining of God's grace and aſſiſtance, it may pleaſe God by the uſe of theſe means, ſo to abate the force and power of his luſts, and to imprint ſuch conſiderations upon his mind, in the receiving of this holy Sacrament, and preparing himſelf for it, that he may at laſt break off his wicked courſe and become a good man.

But, on the other hand, as to thoſe who neglect this Sacrament, there is hardly any thing left to reſtrain them from the greateſt enormities of life, and to give a check to them in their evil courſe; nothing but the penalty of humane laws, which men may avoid, and yet be wicked enough. Heretofore men uſed to be reſtrained from great and ſcandalous vices by ſhame and fear of diſgrace, and would abſtain from many ſins, out of regard to their honour and reputation among men: But men have hardned their faces in this degenerate Age, and thoſe gentle reſtraints of modeſty which governed and kept men in order heretofore, ſignifie nothing now a-days. Bluſhing is out of faſhion, and ſhame is ceaſed from among the children of men.

But the Sacrament did always uſe to lay ſome kind of reſtraint upon the worſt of men; and if it did not wholly reform them, it would at leaſt have ſome good effect upon them for a time: If it did not make men good, yet it would make them reſolve to be ſo, and leave ſome good thoughts and impreſſions upon their minds.

So that I doubt not but it hath been a thing of very bad conſequence, to diſcourage men ſo much from the Sacrament, as the way hath been of late years; and that many men who were under ſome kind of check before, ſince they have been driven away from the Sacrament, have quite let looſe the reigns, and proſtituted themſelves