frequently found there; so wicked men have a great love to carnal
that ever he was pleased to cross you in a sinful course.
3. As the fish greedily look after and snatch at the bait, not minding the hook; even so natural men drink in sin greedily, as the ox drinks in the water. They look on sin as a sweet morsel; and it is to them sweet in the mouth, though bitter in the belly. They play with it, as the fish with the bait; but, oh! alas, when they take the serpent in their bosom, they mind not the sting, Prov. 9:17, 18. The devil knows well how to dress his hooks; but, alas! men know not by nature how to discern them. Pity then, O my soul, the wicked of the world, whom you see greedily satisfying their lusts. Alas! they are poor blinded souls; they see the bait, but not the hook; and therefore it is that they are even seen as it were dancing about the mouth of the pit; therefore rush they on to sin as a horse to the battle, not knowing the hazard. O pity the poor drunkard, the swearer, the unclean person, etc., that is wallowing in his sin. Bless you the Lord also, O my soul, that when you were playing with the bait, and as little minding the hook as others, God opened your eyes, and let you see your madness and danger, that you might flee from it. And O be now careful that you snatch at none of the devil's baits, lest he catch you with his hook: for though you may be restored again by grace, yet it shall not be without a wound; as the fish sometimes slip the hook, but go away wounded; which wound may be sad to you, and long a-healing. And this you have experienced.
4. As fish in the water love deep places and wells, and are most frequently found there; so wicked men have a great love to carnal security, and have no will to strive against the stream. Fish love deep places best, where there is least noise. O how careful are natural men to keep all quiet, that there may be nothing to disturb them in their rest in sin! they love to be secure, which is their destruction. O my soul, beware of carnal security, of being secure, though plunged over head and ears in sin.
5. As fish are altogether unprofitable as long as they are in the water, so are wicked men in their natural estate, they can do nothing that is really good: they are unprofitable to themselves, and unprofitable to