Part 12
works of heathens, and shall not Christians take as much pleasure in reading of the holy Scriptures, wherein there is so much of the Spirit, hand, and heart of God? Shall they set so high a price upon the books of heathens, and shall we so slight and undervalue the book of God as not to think it worth a-opening once a day? Truly, I am afraid, I am afraid, that there are some among us, who hardly open their Bibles once a week, and others, who hardly open their Bibles once a month, and not a few who hardly open their Bibles once a quarter, etc. Certainly as the rustiness of some men's gold will be a witness against them in the great day of the Lord, so the mustiness of some men's Bibles will be a witness against them in that great day! James 5:1-3.
Question. But is it not lawful for a man to read other men's books, to read other men's holy works? etc.
Answer. Doubtless it is lawful; and that,
[1.] First, Because other men's holy works, so far as they are holy— are but the fruits, products, and operations of the Holy Spirit, etc.
[2.] Secondly, Because their holy labors are of singular use for the clearing up of many hard, difficult, and mysterious scriptures, etc.
[3.] Thirdly, Because they have been the means of many men's conversion. While Vergerius read Luther's books with an intent to confute them—he himself was converted by them. I doubt not but that there are many now in heaven, and multitudes now on earth, who have been converted by the books and writings of holy men; and therefore it cannot but be lawful to read such books, etc.
[4.] Fourthly, Though it is lawful to read other men's holy writings— yet the holy Scriptures must still have the pre-eminence; they must be firstly, chiefly, and mostly read. All other books in comparison of the book of God, must be cast aside; it is God's book which is indeed the book of books.
Cumanus, a governor of Judea, though he was but a heathen, and a wicked man—yet he caused a soldier to be beheaded for tearing a copy of the book of Moses's law, which he found at the sacking of a town. And venerable in all ages and among all nations have been the books wherein the laws either of their beliefs or polity have been contained; as the Talmud among the Jews, and the laws of the twelve tables among the Romans, and the Alcoran among the Turks. Yes, all pagans have highly valued the laws of their legislators; and shall not Christians much more set a high esteem upon the holy Scriptures, which are the map of God's mercy, and man's misery, the touchstone of truth, the shop of remedies against all maladies, the hammer of vices, and the treasury of virtues, the exposer of all sensual and worldly vanities, the balance of equity, and the most perfect rule of all justice and honesty?
What Chrysostom said of old to his hearers—namely, "Get you Bibles, for they are your souls' remedies"—that I say to you all, Oh, get you Bibles, for they are your souls' remedies, your souls' food, your souls' happiness. Ah, friends, no book befits your hands like the Bible. It was this book which made David wiser than his teachers; this is the book which makes the best preachers; and this is the book which is the best preacher. This book, this preacher will preach to you in your shops, in your chambers, in your closets, yes, in your own bosoms. This book will preach to you at home and abroad, it will preach to you in all companies, whether they are good or bad, and it will preach to you in all conditions, whether they are prosperous or afflictive. By this book you shall be saved, or by this book you shall be damned! By this book you must live, by this book you must die, and by this book you shall be judged in the great day! John 12:48. Oh, therefore, love this book above all other books, and prize this book above all other books, and buy this book before all other books.
In King Henry the Eighth's time, and in Queen Mary's days, Christians would have given cartloads of hay and corn for a few chapters in the New Testament; and will not you part with three or four shillings to buy a Bible, that may save your souls, that may make
you holy here and happy hereafter? And read this book before all other books, and study this book more than all other books; for he who reads much and understands nothing, is like him who hunts much and caches nothing. And let this suffice for this seventh direction.
(8.) Eighthly, If ever you would be holy, then be much in PRAYER. Prayer is the most prevalent orator at the throne of grace. Many who have gone to that throne with tears in their eyes—have come away with praises in their hearts! Many who have gone to that throne with hearts full of sin—have returned with hearts full of grace! Jacob wept and prayed, and prayed and wept—and in the end, as a prince he prevailed with God, Hosea 14:4. Just so, many a sinner has wept and prayed, and prayed and wept—and in the end, as a prince he has prevailed with God. Ah, sirs, it may be that there are but a few weeks, nay, a few days, nay, perhaps but a few hours— between your souls and eternity, between your souls and everlasting burnings, between your souls and a devouring fire, between your souls and damnation! Will you not then pray and mourn, and mourn and pray, for that holiness, without which there is no happiness, yes, without which hell and destruction will be forever your portion? Oh, take that blessed promise, Ezek. 36:25-27, and urge God with it; oh, tell him that he has said that "he will sprinkle clean water upon you, and that you shall be clean from all your filthiness, and that from all your idols he will cleanse you", etc. Oh, tell him,
First, That he stands engaged by promise to give his Holy Spirit to those who ask it, Luke 11:13.
Secondly, Oh, tell him that none can make an unholy heart holy—but a holy God.
Thirdly, Tell him that surely it is no sin to beg holiness from a holy God.
Fourthly, Tell him that he has made such who were once notorious in wickedness, to become eminent in holiness: witness Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, Paul, the murderers of Christ, and those vile Corinthians, 1 Cor. 5:6, 9-11.
Fifthly, Tell him that he has given holiness to those who have not sought it, and how then can it stand with his honor to deny it to those who seek it? Surely if he has been "found by those who sought him not," he will not hide himself "from those who seek him," Isaiah 65:12.
Sixthly, Tell him that you had rather that he should deny you anything, than that he should deny you holiness. Say to him, "Lord, health is the prince of outward mercies; and wealth is the spring of many mercies; and wife, children, and friends are the pinnacle of mercies, the cream of mercies—and that mercy is the sweetener of all your mercies"—and yet tell him that you had rather that he should strip you of any of these, nay, that he should deny you all of these— than that he should deny you holiness.
Seventhly, Tell him that you did never read of any man who did ever make a hearty request for holiness—but his request was granted. The leper would sincerely be clean, and Christ's answer is, "I will—be clean!" Mat. 8:2-3. Christ does neither delay him nor deny him. The poor leper could no sooner desire to be clean—but Christ commands him to be clean—"I will—be clean." His prayer was short and sweet— and his answer was sudden and gracious.
Eighthly, Tell him that you are unwilling to be miserable forever, tell him that you can not bear the thoughts of an eternal separation from him—and yet this must be your portion, except he will glorify the riches of his grace in bestowing of that pearl of price, holiness, upon you! Oh, tell him that your lack of holiness is now your greatest hell! tell him that you are now fully resolved to give him no rest until he has changed your heart, and made you in some measure to be what he would have you to be, etc.
It is observable among the worst of men, the Turks, yes, among the worst of Turks, the Moors—who by their law it is a usual custom with them to pray for day before the daybreak, and when it is day they give thanks for daylight, and at noon they give thanks to God that half the day is past, and then at last they pray that they may have a good night after their day. Ah, sinners, sinners, shall not these Turks rise up one day in judgment against you who think not holiness worth a-praying for?
OBJECTION. But the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, Proverbs 15:8, and 28:9; and he casts their sacrifices as dung in their faces, Isaiah 11-16, and 58:1-7; their very prayers are sinful, and therefore they were better neglect prayer until God shall work graciously and savingly upon them, than to pray, and so to sin as often as they pray, etc. To this I answer,
(1.) First, The prayers of the wicked may be materially good, when they are not formally good; yes, when they are theologically evil, 2 Chron. 25:2. Amaziah did that which was perfect in the sight of the Lord, as to the matter—but not with a perfect or sincere heart. He failed not in the matter—but in the manner. He did not do that good which he did, from principles of faith, love, etc., nor to a right end— divine glory. Many unsanctified people may have the gift of prayer— who have not the spirit of prayer, nor the grace of prayer, Mat. 7:21, and 23:14. [Psalm 78:36-37; Proverbs 1:27-28; Isaiah 58:1-4.]
Now certainly where God gives such a gift, he requires the use of it. The gift of prayer is from the Spirit, as well as the grace of prayer; and who can tell but that upon the use of the gift of prayer, the Spirit may give the grace of prayer? However, it is dangerous to neglect a gift. The slothful servant was not cast into utter darkness for rioting out his talent—but for not improving of his talent, Mat. 25:30. That the prayers of a wicked man are not formally good, must be granted, yes, that they are abominable and ineffectual, cannot be denied; they are like the precious stone Diacletes, which though it has many excellent powers in it—yet it loses them all if it be put in a dead man's
mouth. Just so, prayer, though it has many virtues and excellencies in it—yet it loses them all when it is performed by a man who is spiritually dead—that is, dead God-wards, and Christ-wards, and heaven-wards, and holiness-wards; but if you consider the matter of a wicked man's prayers, so they may be good, yes, so good as that they may prevail with a good God for much temporal good, as I shall show you before I close up all my answers to this objection. But,
(2.) Secondly, It is a less sin for an unholy person to do a religious duty, than it is to omit it. Now of two sins, whereupon, not God—but a man's self has inevitably put him to commit one of them, he must choose the least, he must choose rather to sin in the manner, in not doing of it so well as he should, than to fail in the matter, and so quite neglect the duty itself. For this is most certain, when God commands a duty absolutely to be done, it is a greater sin not to do it at all, than to do it amiss, and the reason is evident, because our disobedience is total in not doing at all, and but only partial in doing it otherwise than we ought. As for a man willfully and peremptorily to refuse to hear the word, is a greater and fouler fault than to hear it with a forgetful or disobedient heart, there being more hope of the latter than of the former; for some that have come to catch, have been caught by the word, John 7:46. "And therefore come," says Latimer, "to the word; though you come to sleep, it may be God may take you napping."
When Mr. Henry Sulphen was preacher at Bremen, several Roman Catholics sent their chaplains to trap him in his words; but the power of God was so wonderfully seen in his preaching, that the greatest part of those who came to ensnare him, were converted by him. It is good to come to the word, though a man comes with an ill intent; to come, though he should come with a purpose to catch, for in so coming he may be catched, as Augustine was by Ambrose.
Without doubt there is no disobedience like that which is total. Partial disobedience is no disobedience, compared to that which is total. That wife who totally disobeys her husband, and that child who
totally disobeys the father, and that servant who totally disobeys his master, is much more to blame, and do much more provoke—than those who are only partial in their disobedience. And so it is between God and sinners, etc.
(3.) Thirdly, If there were any strength in this objection, it would lie as strong against a wicked man's civil actions, as it does against his religious actions: Proverbs 21:4, "The plowings of the wicked is sin;" not only the prayers of the wicked—but also the plowings of the wicked are sin, not only the spiritual but also the natural and civil actions of a wicked man are sin; and therefore, according to their arguing, a wicked man must not exercise himself in his calling, in his plowing and sowing, etc., because that his civil actions are sinful as well as his religious; and it is as impossible for him to please God in the one, as it is to please him in the other. Surely all men who are in their wits, will either sigh or laugh at such kind of reasonings. But,
(4.) Fourthly, This objection lies as strong against wicked men's natural actions—namely, their eating, drinking, and sleeping, etc.—as it does against their praying. When a wicked man eats, he is to eat to divine glory, and when he drinks, he is to drink to divine glory, 1 Cor. 10:31; and when he recreates himself, he is to recreate himself to divine glory; and when he sleeps, he is to sleep to divine glory. In all these natural and common actions, he is to make the glory of God his supreme scope. Now there is not a wicked man on earth who does or can eat or drink, etc., to divine glory; he does not—and he cannot set up the glory of God as the chief and ultimate end of his natural and common actions. Now who but fools in folio will reason thus: wicked men are to eat and drink, etc., to divine glory—but this they cannot do, Titus 1:15; and therefore wicked men must neither eat nor drink, etc. But,
(5.) Fifthly, The force and spirit of this objection, if there were any in it, lies as flatly and fully against all other pious duties—as it does against prayer. It lies as strong against hearing, reading, and meditating on the word, etc., as it does against prayer. And who but
such who are sadly left of God, and woefully blinded by Satan, will be so wretched as to say, wicked men must neither hear the word, nor read the word, nor meditate on the word—because they cannot do these actions in faith, "and whatever is not of faith is sin," Romans 14:23. But,
(6.) Sixthly, There are those who can say by experience, that the first special work of God that ever they perceived on their own hearts— was while they were pleading with God at the throne of grace. There are those who have brought proud hearts to the throne of grace—but have returned with hearts humbled; and who have brought hard hearts—but have gone away with hearts graciously broken and melted; and who have brought carnal hearts—but returned with spiritual hearts; and who have brought worldly hearts—but returned with heavenly hearts. God sometimes hears prayers for his own sake, and for his Son's sake, and for his glory's sake, and for his promise sake—when he will not hear prayers for the sinner's sake. But,
(7.) Seventhly, Sinful omissions lead to sinful commissions, yes, sometimes they lead to ruin! As you may see in the angels—which fell from the highest heaven to the lowest hell; and in Adam—who fell in paradise from the highest pinnacle of glory to the lowest step of sin and misery. Those reprobates in that 25th of Matthew did not rob the saints—but only omitted the relieving of them, and this proved a damning to them. Rich Dives did not rob the poor—but his not relieving of them was his ruin, Luke 16. Moab and Ammon were banished the sanctuary to the tenth generation for a mere omission, because they did not meet God's Israel in the wilderness with bread and water, Deut. 23:3, 4, 6.
Look! as the omission of healthy diet breeds natural diseases in the body, so does the omission of good duties breed spiritual diseases in the soul. All sinful omissions make work for hell—or for the physician of souls. O man! you do not know what deadly sin, what deadly temptation—may follow upon a mere single omission. Origen, going to comfort and encourage a martyr who was to suffer, was
apprehended by the officers, and constrained either to offer to the idols or to be tortured. Being thus hard put to it, to save his life, he bowed to the idols; but afterwards, when he came to himself, he sadly bewails his sin, and confesses that he went forth that morning without making his prayers unto God, which sinful omission God did so severely punish, by leaving of him to fall into so great a sin, which pierced his soul through with many sorrows.
I am apt to think that many a sin, many a snare, and many a fall might have been prevented—if such and such pious duties had not been omitted. Sinful omissions prepare the way to sinful commissions, and both prepare the way to a fatal destruction. I believe many men would never have been so abominable wicked—if they had not first cast off pious duties. He who lives in the neglect of prayer, tempts more devils than one—to ensnare his soul, yes, to destroy his soul, etc. But,
(8.) Eighthly and lastly, There are several weighty arguments that may be produced to prove that it is the DUTY of wicked and unconverted men to perform religious duties, as to pray and seek the Lord, etc. Among the many that may be brought forth, I shall only give you these six:
[1.] First, This is evident from divine commands, as you may clearly see by comparing of these scriptures together, Isaiah 55:6-7; Acts 8:21-23; Psalm 65:21. 1 Thes. 5:17, "Pray without ceasing," is an indefinite injunction; and who are you, O man, who dares to prohibit what God commands? Are not his commands obliging? and may not disobedience to the least of them cost you your life, your soul, your all? God's commands are neither to be slighted, censured, nor neglected. Woe to him who looks upon great commands as little commands—and little commands as no commands, Mat. 23:23. O sirs, it is a very dangerous thing to act or run counter-cross to God's express command; it may cost a man dear, as you may see in that sad story, 1 Kings 13:24.
The heathens, indeed, would frequently run cross to their gods' commands, for when their gods commanded them to offer up a man, they would offer up a candle; and so Hercules, when he was to offer up a living man, he offered up a painted man. But does it befit Christians to deal thus with the great God, with the living God, with the God of gods—as the heathens did by their gods? Surely not! God's commands are not like unto the commands of the heathens—which might be contradicted and changed—but they are like to the commands of the Medes—which cannot be reversed nor changed; they must be evangelically obeyed, or you will be eternally destroyed. The Rechabites were very rigid observers of their father's commands; and will you make slight of God's commands? Jer. 35:2, 5-7. "The angels who excel in strength do his commandments," Psalm 103:20; and will you despise them? Why should the peasant scorn that work in which the prince himself is engaged? But,
[2.] Secondly, Prayer is a natural worship, and is incumbent upon all men, as they are created by God. Prayer is a duty which the very law of nature, as well as the law of the word, lays upon men. And this you may see in those pagans, Jonah 1:5, "The mariners cried every man to his god." That there is a God, and that this God is to be called upon—are lessons which are taught in nature's school: Isaiah 45:20, "They pray to a god which cannot save." For any man to say a wicked man ought not to pray—is to say a wicked man ought not to worship God, nor acknowledge him to be his maker; and who but such who are either blind or mad dare speak such language? Certainly those who live in the neglect of prayer under the gospel—sin against a double light, the light of nature and the light of the gospel, and therefore they shall be double-damned. There is no hell compared to these men's hell—who sin against a double light, etc. But,
[3.] Thirdly, The neglect of prayer is charged upon wicked people as their sin; as you may see by comparing of these scriptures together, Psalm 14:2, 4, and 10:4; Jer. 10:21; Hosea 7:7; Zeph. 1:6. Now doubtless if it were not a duty for unregenerate people to pray, it could never stand with the holiness, justice, and righteousness of
God, to charge the omission of prayer upon them as a sin, and therefore, without question, it is their duty to pray. But,
[4.] Fourthly, Wicked and unregenerate people are again and again imprecated against for not calling upon the Lord: Psalm 79:6, "Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name." Jer. 10:25, "Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name." Now certainly, if prayer were not a duty incumbent upon wicked men, they would never be thus imprecated against for the omission of it. To imprecate that vials, that full vials, that full vials of wrath and fury should be poured forth, suddenly and plentifully, upon those kingdoms and peoples who do not call upon the name of the Lord, is so dreadful a thing, that it would have never been mentioned in the Scripture, had it not been to alarm the worst of men to the work of prayer. But,
[5.] Fifthly, If absolute promises, or precious promises of special grace and mercy—are made to sinners, as sinners—then sinners may in prayer plead out those promises, and urge God upon making good his promises. But absolute promises, or promises of special grace and favor, are made over to sinners, as sinners, consequently, that such promises are made over to poor sinners, as sinners, is evident, "I was enraged by his sinful covetousness; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near. And I will heal them." Isaiah 57:17-19. These words drop nothing but myrrh and mercy. If Ennius could pick gold out of a ash-heap, oh, what gold, what comfort, may be picked out of these golden promises! In these words, let us consider two things: first, the precious promises which are here made; secondly, the people to whom they are made. In the words you have four precious promises of special grace and favor; they are as so many streams of grace flowing from the covenant of grace.
I. The precious promises which are here made.
First, You have here a promise of healing: verse 18, "I have seen his ways, but I will heal him," or, as you may read the words, though I have seen his ways and courses, and well observed how unworthily, how exasperating, and how obstinately he has behaved, "yet I will heal him,"—"I will heal his backsliding nature." Though his disease is dangerous, though it is very dangerous—yet to an almighty physician no disease is incurable. I will heal his inside by pardoning his sin and purging his conscience; and I will heal his outside by removing of judgments and calamities from him; and all this I will do upon the account of my promise and covenant: Hosea 14:4; Jer. 32:38, and 40:2, compared; Psalm 103:3; Jer. 3:22; Mal. 4:2.
Secondly, You have in the words a promise of guiding; "I will guide him," or, as the Hebrew has it, "and I will guide him, I will conduct him in safety to his own country." So some sense it—but you may understand it, doubtless, of a spiritual, as well as of a providential leading. "I will lead him by my word, and I will lead him by my Spirit, and I will lead him by my counsel, suitable unto many precious promises of grace which are scattered up and down in the Scripture."
Thirdly, In the words you have a promise of comfort; "I will restore comforts to him," not comfort—but comforts; that is, in the room of all those discomforts, sorrows, calamities, and miseries brought upon himself—I will, says God, lay in abundance of comfort, yes, I will laden him with all sorts of comforts, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal, suitable to that word of grace that you have in Isaiah 40:1-2.
Fourthly, In the words you have a promise of peace: verse 19, "I will create praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the Lord. The repetition of the word 'Shalom, shalom', 'peace, peace', imports a large extent of peace; it notes true peace, firm peace, sure peace, great peace, abundance of
peace, yes, constant and lasting peace. Under the name of the Hebrew word 'peace' in is denoted all manner of prosperity, and the repetition of the word always notes a large measure of tranquility, plenty, prosperity, and felicity. O sirs, peace with God, and peace with conscience, and peace with the creatures—are all the products of God's creating power and grace, Eph. 2:16-18, and so must be referred to the covenant of grace.
Let us consider,
II. The people to whom these precious promises are made; and I here let us observe these three things.
First, Their sin; and this you have in verse 17, "I was enraged by his sinful covetousness." The sin that is charged upon him is a very great and grievous, it is a very vile and heinous sin; it is called not only greed—but the sinful greed, to show the height and transcendency of this their wickedness!
"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of covetousness; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15. Covetousness is—a very great and grievous sin—a mother-sin—a breeding sin—a sin which has all sin in its womb—a very vile and heinous sin—the root of all evil. Covetousness makes the soul earthly—which should be celestial. Covetousness is an evil which subjects
men to the basest and vilest evils.
Covetousness makes a man a fool! "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" Luke 12:20.
Covetousness robs a man of all true peace, comfort, contentment and quiet. Covetousness brings men into snares which drown their souls in perdition. Covetousness renders men unsatisfied under all their outward enjoyments. Though a covetous wretch has enough to sink
him--yet he can never have enough to satisfy him. First he wishes for a bag full, and then a chest full, and then a room full, and then a house full, etc.
The plague of unsatisfiedness, is the great plague which covetous men are under. Certainly you shall as soon fill a triangle with a circle, and a chest with grace--as you shall be able to fill and satisfy a covetous mind with money.
A covetous man is like a swine--which is good for nothing while it lives. The horse is good to carry, the ox is good to draw, the sheep is good for cloth, the cow is good to give milk, and the dog is good to guard the house--but the hog is good for nothing while he lives! Just so, a covetous man is only serviceable when he is dead. That scripture often proves true, "the riches of a sinner are laid up for the just," Job 27:17.
No sin lays men under greater woes! "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
Secondly, They grew worse under the afflicting hand of God; "I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways." They were like peevish, self-willed, stubborn children—which grow more cross, crooked, and perverse under all the chastenings of their father. And this was no small aggravation of their sin—that they grew worse under the rod! Plutarch writes that it is the quality of tigers, that if drums sound about them, they will grow mad, and rip and tear their own flesh in pieces; and so it was with these sinners in the text. Oh, how did they fret and fume, and tear—when they were under the rebukes of God! But,
Thirdly, They persevered and went on against all warnings; "I have seen his ways," that is, I have seen his obstinacy and incorrigibility in sin. "Ah, poor creature!" says God, "he sees not his present misery and slavery; he takes no notice of his own folly and vanity—of his own perverseness and peevishness; he scorns to bend or bow under my mighty hand; he is resolved to stand it out to the death; he will persist on in his own ways, though he eternally perishes—though hell stands at the end of his ways—yet on he will go!"
Well! what is the outcome of all this? God says, "I have seen his ways —and I will heal him." It is not, "I have seen his ways—and will curse him!" No, but "I have seen his ways—and I will heal him." It is not, "I have seen his ways—and will never have any more to do with him!" No, but "I have seen his ways—and will heal him!" It is not, "I have seen his ways—and will damn him!" No, but "I have seen his ways— and will heal him."
Oh the freeness! Oh the unsearchableness! Oh the riches of God's grace!
And thus you see that the precious promises last cited are promises which are made over to sinners as sinners.
And this is further evident in Isaiah 43:22-25. "Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel. You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense. You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses. I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more!"
For sins of omission and sins of commission, what can be more charged upon a sinful people than here is charged upon them? They were not only negligent of his worship and service—but they were
also weary of his worship and service, and counted it rather a burden than a benefit, rather a toil than a pleasure. In all their outward observances they did but court the Lord, they did but compliment God; for while they were in his service, their hearts were secretly weary of his service; and by their sinful commissions, oh, how did they grieve, vex, oppress, and burden the Holy One of Israel! And yet, in verse 25, God does passionately and emphatically proclaim their free pardon, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more!"
The metaphor is taken from men's blotting out of debts out of their debt-book. Now when a debt is blotted out of the debt-book, it is never more charged upon the debtor; it is never more regarded nor remembered. Just so, when God proclaims the sinner's pardon, when he forgives him his transgressions—he blots out, he erases, he crosses his books, and cancels all debts—so that he will never count his sins against him, and never charge his sins upon him! Being once forgiven—they shall be forever forgotten, they shall never more come into his remembrance!
And all this he will do for his name's sake, and for the praise and glory of his own free grace.
Just so, in Ezek. 36:26-29. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness!"
Now by all these scriptures it is most plain and evident that the precious promises of special grace and mercy are made over to sinners as sinners; and if so, then doubtless sinners may lawfully put these promises into suit. O sirs, don't you know that desire is the soul of prayer? and who—but such as are witless and graceless—will say that a wicked man may not desire the accomplishment of God's
gracious promises—who will say an unregenerate man may not desire to be pardoned, sanctified, and renewed; and that the Lord would bestow his Spirit upon him, and that, by the finger of the same Spirit, the law of the Lord may be written in his heart, that he may observe his statutes, and do them? These are things that God has engaged himself to do for poor sinners, and therefore certainly sinners may put God in mind of his engagements. But,
[6.] Sixthly and lastly, God would never have encouraged and rewarded with temporal favors wicked and unregenerate men's religious duties and services as he has done—if he would not have had them exercise themselves in pious duties. Now that he has thus encouraged and rewarded wicked and unregenerate men, is evident in these instances, 1 Kings 21:19; Jonah 3:4, seq.; 2 Chron. 26:5. Uzziah sought God in the days of Zechariah; and when he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. Had he been really godly, had he had the root of the matter in him, had he been a sincere, a throughout Christian, he would have sought the Lord all his days, he would have held on and held out in well-doing; but being carnal, hypocritical, and unregenerate, his religion dies with Zechariah. Another instance you have of this is in the book of Jonah, among the sailors, who usually are the worst of sinners, Psalm 107:23-30. And another instance you have in that known case of Jehu. From all which we may well conclude, that God expects and looks that wicked men, that unregenerate men, should be found in the exercise of religious duties.
It is an excellent observation of Calvin upon God's rewarding the Rechabites' obedience: Jer. 35:19, "God," says he, "oft recompenses the shadows and seeming appearances of virtue—to show that delight he takes in the ample rewards he has reserved for true and sincere piety." To conclude, it was as easy for Boaz to have given Ruth as much grain at once, and so have sent her home without any more ado—but he would not, being resolved that she should use her endeavor to gather and glean it, and beat it out too when she had gleaned it. Just so, it is as easy a thing for God to give his Christ, to
give his Spirit, and to give his grace immediately to poor sinners without their using of the means—but he won't, being resolved that they shall use the means of hearing, reading, praying, and conference, etc., and when they have done, leave the issue of all their labors and endeavors to his good-will and pleasure. I have taken the more pains fully and clearly to answer this objection, that it may never more have a resurrection in any of your souls.
(9.) Ninthly, If ever you would be holy, then, when you have done all—WAIT. Oh, hear and wait—and wait and hear; pray and wait—and wait and pray; read and wait—and wait and read; confer and wait—and wait and confer; watch and wait—and wait and watch. O sirs, shall the farmer wait for a good harvest? and the merchant waitfor good returns? James 5:7-8; and the watchman wait for the dawning of the day? and the patient wait for a happy cure? and the poor client wait for a day of hearing? etc.; and will not you wait for Christ, and wait for the Spirit, and wait for pardon, and wait for grace, and wait for glory? etc. O sinners, sinners, remember you are at the right door—and therefore wait. Oh, remember that while you are waiting for mercy, God is preparing of mercy. Oh, remember that it is mercy that you may wait for mercy. Devils and damned spirits can't wait for mercy. Wait they must; but, oh, it is for more wrath, anger, and fiery indignation.
Oh, remember your condition bespeaks waiting—for you are poor, halt, lame, blind, and miserable creatures. Oh, remember that mercy is sweetest when it comes after a patient waiting: Deut. 32:13, "He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;" that is, he made him to suck water that was as sweet as honey out of the rock, out of the flinty rock. Oh, remember that a patient waiting for mercy is the only way to greaten your mercy. "The longer," said the emperor's son, "the cooks are a-preparing the food, the better the meal will be." His meaning was, the longer he waited for the empire, the greater it would be. Just so, the longer a soul waits for mercy, the greater and the better it will be when it comes; as you may see in that famous instance of the poor man who lay
thirty-eight years at the pool of Bethesda, John 5:2, 16. Famous was the patience of Elijah's servant, who, in obedience to his master's command, went seven several times up and down steep Carmel, 1 Kings 18:8, which could not be without danger and difficulty, and all to bring news of nothing, until his last journey, which made a recompense for all the rest, with the tidings of a cloud arising. Oh, so do but patiently wait upon the Lord—and that grace, that favor, that mercy, will come at last, which will fully recompense you for all your waitings.
Remember that the mercies of God are not styled the swift—but the sure mercies of David, Isaiah 55:3. Mercy may be sure, though it be not presently upon the wing flying towards us. And the same prophet says, "The glory of the Lord shall be your reward," Isaiah 58:8. Now this, we know, comes up last, to secure and make good all the rest, for where grace leads the front, glory at last will be in the rear. Oh, do but patiently wait, and he who shall come, will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10:37; not a year, not a quarter, not a month, not a week, not a day, no, not an hour beyond the prefixed time that he has set of showing mercy to poor sinners.
Oh, how sad was it that Saul should lose his kingdom for lack of two or three hours patience! But oh, how much more sad will it be if you should lose all the prayers that you have made, and all the sermons that you have heard, and all the tears that you have shed, and all other pains that you have taken—and all for lack of a little more patience! yes, how woefully-sad would it be if you should lose your God, and lose your Christ, and lose your soul, and lose an eternity of glory, and all for lack of a little patience to wait the Lord's time! Oh, therefore resolve to hold on waiting to the death, and if you must perish, to perish in a waiting way—which if you should, you would be the first that ever so perished. Oh, remember that if God should come, and mercy come, and pardon come, and grace come—when your sun is near setting, when your hour-glass is almost out, and when there is but a short step between you and eternity—it will
infinitely recompense you for all your waiting; and therefore wait still.
And to keep up your spirits, and to uphold your soul in a waiting way, oh that you would make these following promises your daily food, your daily friends, your daily companions: Psalm 27:14, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." Proverbs 20:22, "Wait on the Lord, and he shall save you." Isaiah 30:18, "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint!" Isaiah 49:23, "Those who wait for me will never be put to shame." Isaiah 64:4, "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him!" Proverbs 8:34, "Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." Oh, how should these precious promises encourage your hearts to wait on the Lord! Oh, how should they lengthen and draw out your patience to the utmost! But,
(10.) Tenthly and lastly—Dwell much upon the memorable judgments of God, that even in this life have fallen upon unholy people. "Remember Lot's wife!" Luke 17:32. Oh, remember her sin and punishment—so that fearing her sin, you may learn to take heed of her punishment. Isaiah 26:9, "When your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness;" that is, they should learn righteousness—for so the words may be read—they should learn to fear you, and learn to turn unto you, and learn to forsake their sins and amend their lives. When your judgments, your memorable judgments, are abroad in the world, it highly concerns all the sons of men to look after holy thoughts, holy affections, and holy lives—so that it may go well with them in the day of the Lord's wrath. Others sense the words thus: When your judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world, that is,
sinners as well as saints, shall learn righteousness, that is, they shall learn to fear you upon the account of your righteous judgment; suitable to Job 37:23-24, "We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty, yet he is so just and merciful that he does not oppress us. No wonder people everywhere fear him. People who are truly wise show him reverence." Rev. 15:4, "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed." The judgments of God upon Antichrist shall so awaken, alarm, and dismay the nations—that they shall cast off all false ways of worship, and worship the Lord in a more pure, spiritual, high, and noble way than ever yet they have done.
God is a sovereign agent, and he can make sinners saints, as well by judgments as by mercies. Waldus, (from whom the Waldenses derived their name), when many worldlings were met together to be merry, seeing one among them suddenly fall down dead—it so struck to his heart, that he went home a penitent, and proved to be a very precious holy man. Pharaoh was not a pin the better for all the plagues which came upon him; but Jethro, taking notice of God's heavy judgments upon Pharaoh, and likewise upon the Amalekites, was thereby converted, and became a proselyte, as some observe. O sirs, who can tell but that a fixed eye upon the remarkable judgments of God, that have been inflicted upon notorious sinners—may be a means to change you and turn you to the Lord?
Do not forget the plagues which came upon bloody Pharaoh. Remember how crafty Ahithophel, and proud Haman, and covetous Judas—all came to the halter. Do not forget how the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Korah and his companions. Do not forget the Samuel's sword which cut Agag in pieces; nor the stately oak tree, on which Absalom was hanged; nor the javelin which Phinehas, in his zeal for God, thrust through Zimri and Cozbi. Remember how Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead with a lie in their mouths. Remember how God rained hell out of heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Remember how suddenly, how unexpectedly,
and how inevitably the flood came upon the old world; and remember how the angels that kept not their first station of holiness —are now in chains under everlasting darkness. Oh, who can seriously dwell upon the severe judgments of God upon these people, and not resolve upon breaking off his sins, and pursuing after that holiness, without which there is no happiness!
Oh, remember that God is as holy a God as ever, and as just a God as ever, and as jealous of his glory as ever; and therefore turn from the evil of your doings, that your souls may live. Oh, that the dreadful judgments of God that have been executed upon others might so alarm all unholy hearts—that they may with all their might cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, so that they may be children of the light, and their souls may live forever! And thus much for the means whereby men may reach to that holiness, without which there is no happiness.
Seven Objections
I come now, in the next place, to answer those objections which usually are made against men's pursuing after holiness. As,
Objection 1. First, We have no power to make ourselves holy. We are as well able to make a world, to command the winds, and to raise the dead—as we are able to cleanse our own hearts, or change our own natures, or sanctify our own souls. Therefore, to what purpose should we be so strongly pressed to do that which we have no power to do? Now to this objection I shall give these following answers:
1. First, That you have no power to perform any supernatural act— such as to believe or love God, or repent, or to change your own heart, or to sanctify or make yourself holy—must be granted. That by nature you are dead in trespasses and sins, and have lost all your spiritual senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, and feeling—can't be denied, Eph. 2:1. It is certain that your nature is so corrupted that you can not think a good thought, nor speak a good word, nor do a good work; you are not sick—but dead, God-wards, and Christwards, and heaven-wards, and holiness-wards, etc. [2 Cor. 3:5; Mat 12:34; John 6:44; 1 Cor. 2:14.]
I have read of the lioness—that she brings forth her whelps dead, and so they remain, until, by her roaring loudly over them, they come to live. Certainly all unholy hearts are spiritually dead, and until Christ, the lion of the tribe of Judah, comes to roar over them, by uttering his voice in the gospel, they cannot live, John 5:25. Since the creation of the world, no dead man ever made himself alive. It is God alone, who can quicken the dead. Sin in dominion is the plague of the heart, 1 Kings 8:38. Now as there is no disease so deadly as the plague, so there is no plague so deadly as the plague of the heart. Oh, this is a disease that none can cure but he who is the physician of souls. An
unsanctified person is not half-dead, as the Pelagians, Arminians, and Papists say; but as to spirituals he is stark dead, Col. 2:13.
An unsanctified soul is dead.
[1.] In respect of working, and therefore his works are called dead works, Heb. 9:14. There is death written upon all he does.
[2.] He is dead in respect of honor; he is dead to all privileges, he is not fit to inherit mercy. Who will set the crown of life upon a dead man's head? The crown of life is for the holy Christian, and the holy Christian is for the crown of life, Rev. 2:10; 2 Tim. 4:8. When he in Plutarch, had tried all manner of ways to raise a dead man, and to make him stand upon his feet, and saw he could not do it, then he cried out, "There must be something within, there must be something within!" Just so, when men have said and done all they can—there must be something within, there must be something of the power and spirit of Christ within—which must raise up spiritual life in those who are spiritually dead. But,
2. Secondly, I answer, That God gave you ability and power in Adam to obey him in all his commands, and though by Adam's fall you have lost your power to obey—yet God has not lost his right and power to command you to obey. [Gen. 1:26; Eccles. 7:29; Psalm 8:4, seq.] Suppose a father should furnish a child with moneys and all other necessaries to go a journey, and he should be drawn in by some strong temptation to spend his money, his time, and his strength, so as that now he is not able to go his journey; whose fault is this? Will you now say that the father has lost his power to command, because his son has lost his power to obey? Surely not! It is no iniquity in God to require that of us—which once he gave unto us. It is no injustice in the creditor to call for his debt, when the debtor is fallen into extreme poverty through his own default. But,
3. Thirdly, I answer, Though an unsanctified person is not able to perform any holy or spiritual action—such as to believe or repent,
etc.—yet he is able to perform all natural actions—such as to eat, drink, work, walk, etc., and he is able to perform all social actions also—such as to trade, bargain, buy, sell, plant, and build, etc. The soul even in an unsanctified person is not dead—but a living principle; and therefore it is able to understand, will, desire, discourse, reason, and to attend the means of grace. Though he is not able to work grace in his own heart—yet he is able to attend on the means of grace. An unsanctified person may as well go to a sermon— as to a tavern; he may as well read the Scriptures—as read novels and newspapers; he may as well associate himself with those who fear an oath—as he does with those who delight to blaspheme that name that all should tremble at, etc. Man's spiritual impotency lies in his obstinacy. Man pretends he cannot believe, nor come to Christ, nor repent, etc., when he is resolved that he will not believe, nor come to Christ, nor repent, etc. [Mat. 23:37; Luke 13:34; John 5:40; Acts 7:5.]
Christ in the gospel comes and offers pardon and peace and reconciliation—but you turn your back upon him. He woos and entreats and beseeches you by his ambassadors—but you will not hear, etc. He sets life and death, heaven and hell, mercy and misery before you—but you slight all, 2 Cor. 5:18-20. Christ brings a cordial in one hand to strengthen you, and a remedy in the other hand to cure you—but you despise both. Christ offers tried gold to enrich you, and white raiment to clothe you, and precious eye-salve to enlighten you, Rev. 3:18—but you shut up your heart against all his offers! Well, sirs! remember this, in the great day of judgement, all unsanctified people will be damned, not for cannots but for willnots! It is neither men nor devils—it is neither the greatness of your sins, nor the numberless number of your sins, which can damn you, were it not for your wilfulness in sin, Hosea 13:9.
O sinners, sinners, if you are but heartily willing to forsake your sins, and to accept of Christ as your Lord and King, and to resign up yourselves to him to be really his, to be wholly his, to be only his, and to be eternally his—he will certainly change you, and sanctify
you, and save you! But if you will not be holy, if you will not be happy, if you will not be sanctified, if you will not be saved, if you will not go to heaven—but are resolved upon going to hell, what can be more just with God than that you should be Satan's bond-slaves, and firebrands of hell, and vessels of wrath to all eternity? [Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; Luke 19:41-42.] But,
4. Fourthly, I answer, If you do but stir up yourself to obey the command as well as you can—you do not know but that a power may go forth with the command, that may enable you to act suitable to the command. In that Mat. 9:1-9, Christ bid the palsied man "rise and walk, take up your bed, and go unto your house." The palsied man might have objected, "Alas! I am carried by four strong men! I am not able to stir a limb, much less to rise—but least of all to take up my bed and walk!" etc. Oh! but he puts forth himself as well as he could, and a power went forth with the command, which enabled him to do what was commanded.
Just so, in Matthew 12:10-14, there was a poor man who had a withered hand, and Christ commands him to stretch forth his hand. He might have objected, "My hand is withered, and if I might have a thousand worlds to stretch it forth, I could not stretch it forth! Yes, if my life, if my salvation did lie upon stretching forth my withered arm, I could not stretch it forth!" Oh but he throws by all objections, and complies as well as he could, and a power went forth and healed his hand.
God commanded Moses to go and deliver his people out of Egypt. Moses might have objected his old age, the great power of Pharaoh, and his lack of an army to force their way, etc. But he turns his back upon these objections, and addresses himself to the work, and such a mighty power went along with him, as did effect it.
God commanded the Israelites to take rams' horns, and with them to go and blow down the walls of Jericho, Joshua 6. They might have said, "Lord, these are weak and contemptible means, yes, Lord, if we
may speak after the manner of men, they are such ridiculous means as will expose us to scorn and laughter!" But they pass over these things, and apply themselves to those weak and despicable means which God had appointed, and such a divine and glorious power went along with the means as made the walls of Jericho not only to tremble—but to tumble down before them!
Christ commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave, and there went divine power and virtue with that call of Christ, which made him to rise!
The means are the Spirit's triumphing chariot, in which he pleases to ride conquering and to conquer the souls of men, 2 Cor. 2:14. "While Peter yet spoke, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word," Acts 10:44. O man, you can not tell but that while you are in the use of divine helps, a secret power of the Spirit may break in upon you, and make the means effectual to your conversion and salvation. Many thousands have found it so—therefore address yourself to the use of the means, and wait at the pool; you cannot tell how soon the Spirit may come and move upon your soul; it may be this day, this hour, yes, this very moment wherein am thus speaking to you! But,
5. Fifthly, I answer, That the sense of your own inability, insufficiency, and impotency, should provoke you to run to Christ, and to lay hold on his everlasting strength, and to storm the throne of grace, and to give God no rest—until he has renewed and sanctified your soul, until he has effectually turned you from "darkness to light," Acts 26:18, until he has bespangled your soul with grace, and filled you with his Spirit, and made you partakers of his holiness, Heb. 12:10. It was a good saying of Augustine, "Give what you command, and command what you will."
Oh, go to God, and tell him that what he has commanded in some scriptures, he has promised to give in other scriptures. Therefore press him to make good his promises, so that you may obey his
precepts. Oh, tell him that if he will but "sprinkle clean water upon you, and put his Spirit within you, and give a new heart unto you," according to his promise, that then "you will walk in his statutes, and keep his judgments, and do them," Ezek. 36:25-28. Oh, tell him that if he will but "put his fear into your heart," according to his promise, that then "you will never depart from him," Jer. 32:40. Oh, tell him that he has commanded you to "believe," and that he has also promised to give you faith, and therefore if he will but make good his promise, you shall be sure to obey his precepts, Phil. 1:29; James 5:17. Oh, tell him that he has frequently commanded you to "repent," Acts 5:31, and that he has also graciously promised to give "repentance," 2 Tim. 2:25, and therefore if he will but perform his promise, you shall not fail to obey his precepts, etc.
Oh, tell him that you have no mind to be damned! Tell him that you tremble at the thoughts of hell! Tell him that you are horrified think of "dwelling with a devouring fire, of dwelling with everlasting burnings!" Isaiah 33:14; 2 Thes. 7-10. Oh, tell him that you dread an eternal separation from him—and therefore earnestly beseech him, for his Son's sake, and for his glory sake, and his promise sake, and your soul's sake—that he would renew your nature, and sanctify your soul, so that you may not perish to all eternity. But,
6. Sixthly and lastly, What insincerity, yes, what injustice and unrighteousness is this—that you should lie complaining of the lack of power, when you do not use and improve the power you have. Without the power and assistance of special grace—you have power to attend Christian duties and services; you have power to turn your back upon the infectious and dangerous society of wicked and ungodly men; you have power to keep at a distance from the "harlot's door;" you have power to keep your mouth of blasphemy shut; you have power to keep your hands from stealing, and your feet "from being swift to shed innocent blood;" you have power to bring your body to Christian duties, though you have not power to bring your soul to Christian duties. [James 3:10; Eph. 4:28; Romans 3:15.]
The noble Bereans brought their bodies to the sermon, and they took the heads of the apostle's sermon, and compared Paul's teachings with the Scripture—and yet they were in an unrenewed and unsanctified estate, Acts 17:11-12. O sirs, you have power to come to Christian duties, and to set yourselves under the droppings of a gospel powerful ministry; you have power to lie at the pool of Bethesda, and there to wait until the cure is wrought. But where is the unsanctified soul who improves the power he has? Tell me, O vain man—why should God trust you with a greater power, when you make no conscience of improving that power you have? Why should God trust you with ten talents—when you have no heart to improve the two which he has already trusted you with? What wise father or master will trust that child or servant with thousands, who makes no conscience of improving far lesser sums to the honor and advantage of the father or the master?
How do you know, O man—but that upon the faithful improvement of that power which you have, God may add a greater power to you? If you will but go those two steps which you can—God may strike in with you, and enable you to go ten. It is a dangerous thing to neglect the doing of that which you can do, because that you cannot do everything that you should do. Suppose a father or a master should say to his son or servant, "Take such and such wares, and carry them to such and such places." And the son or servant should say, "Well, though there be some small light burdens that I can well enough carry—yet there are many heavy burdens that I cannot carry, and therefore I will carry none at all." May not the father of such a son, or the master of such a servant, in much justice and righteousness severely punish such a son or servant? Doubtless yes.
Why, this is the very case of all unsanctified souls. God commands them to believe and repent, and to love him with all their hearts, and to set him up as the object of their fear, and to give him the preeminence in all things, etc.—but these are supernatural acts, beyond their power. But he also commands them to attend on the means of grace, and to wait at wisdom's door, and to apply themselves to
public ordinances, and to keep up pious duties, and to turn their backs upon such and such wicked societies, etc.—and these are things they can do. And yet because they cannot do the former—they willfully and wickedly refuse to do the latter; because they cannot bear the heaviest burden—they are resolved they will bear none at all; and because they cannot do everything they should—they will do nothing at all—except it be to complain that God is a hard master, and expects to reap where he does not sow. Now how just and righteous a thing it is with God to deal severely with such, I will leave you to judge. And let this suffice for answer to the first objection.
Objection 2. HEREAFTER may be time enough to look after holiness. I may yet pursue after the pleasures and profits of the world; I may yet spend some years in gratifying my own lusts, and in walking after the course of the world; I have time enough before me, and therefore some future years may be time enough to look after holiness. Now to this objection I shall give these answers:
1. First, You will not say that you can be saved too soon, nor happy too soon, nor blessed too soon, nor pardoned too soon, nor in the favor of God too soon, nor out of the danger of wrath, hell, and everlasting burnings too soon. And if so, then certainly you can not be holy too soon—for you can never be truly happy until you are truly holy. No man will be so foolish and mad as to say he may be rich too soon, and great too soon, and high and honorable in the world too soon, and in favor and esteem with men, especially with great men, too soon. Why then should you be so mad and foolish, as practically to say that you can be holy too soon? Yet this is exactly what you proclaim upon the house-top, when you cry out, "Hereafter, hereafter will be time enough to seek after holiness." But,
2. Secondly, I answer, That it is your wisdom and your work to set one "perhaps" against another. You say, "Perhaps hereafter may be time enough to look after holiness." Eccles. 7:14. Oh, set another perhaps against this perhaps, and say, "If I now neglect this season of grace—perhaps I shall never have another!" Isaiah 55:6 "If I now
slight the offers of mercy—perhaps I shall never have another such offer! If I now despise this day of salvation—perhaps I shall never have another such day! If I now withstand the offers of Christ— perhaps Christ will never again make an offer to me! If I now resist the strivings of the Spirit—perhaps the Spirit will never strive with my soul again! And then—woe, woe to me that ever I was born!" [Proverbs 1:20-33; Heb. 2:1-3; Luke 19:41-45; Gen. 6:3.]
Oh, don't put off God, don't put off your soul, don't put off the thoughts of holiness, don't put off eternity with a perhaps—lest "the Lord should swear in his wrath, that you shall never enter into his rest." Heb. 3:18—and seeing that you will not allow holiness to enter into you, you shall never enter into your master's joy. Oh, why should you treat your poor soul—as you would not have God to treat it? You would not have God treat your soul with a perhaps; as with "Perhaps I will pardon you; perhaps I will lift up the light of my countenance upon you; perhaps I will change your nature and save your soul; perhaps I will fill you with my Spirit and adorn you with my grace; perhaps I will bring you to my kingdom and glory. Oh, you would not have God to put you off with such a perhaps. Why then should you deal more harshly and cruelly with your own soul—than you would have God to deal with you? But,
3. Thirdly, I answer, It is a clear argument that you are not truly nor throughly sensible of your present condition and danger, who thus object. Were you but truly sensible of your lost and undone estate out of Christ; did you but indeed know what it is to live one hour in a Christless and graceless condition; did you but see that wrath that hangs over your head; did you but read the curses which are pronounced in the book of God against you; did you but behold how hell gapes to devour you; did you but see how far off you are from God, Christ, the covenant, and all the glory and happiness of the eternal world; ah, how would you every day cry out, Give me holiness or I die, give me holiness or I eternally die! Acts 2:39; Eph. 2:12.
The patient that is truly sensible of his mortal disease will not say, "Hereafter will be time enough to send for the physician." Nor will the mortally wounded man say, "Hereafter will be time enough to fetch the surgeon." Nor will the condemned man say say, "Hereafter will be time enough to plead for a pardon." Nor will the needy man say, "Hereafter will be time enough to look for relief." Nor will the fallen man say, "Hereafter will be time enough to lift me up." Nor will the drowning man say, "Hereafter will be time enough to bring a boat to save my life." Now this is the very case of all unsanctified people in the world; and why then should they cry out, "Hereafter, hereafter will be time enough to be holy!"
The boar in the fable, being questioned why he stood sharpening his teeth so, when nobody was near to hurt him, wisely answered, that it would then be too late to sharpen them when he was to use them, and therefore he sharpened them before danger that he might have them ready in danger. Ah, sirs, there is nothing more dangerous than for you to have your holiness to seek—when temporal, spiritual, and eternal dangers are at your heels. There is no wisdom, compared to that which leads men forth to a present pursuit after holiness! Nor is there any hell compared to that hell—for a man to have his holiness to seek when he should use it.
4. Fourthly, I answer, That the brevity, shortness, and preciousness of TIME—calls aloud upon you to pursue after holiness without delay. Time past is irrecoverable; time future is uncertain; the present time is the only time—and on this moment of time depends eternity! This present day is a day of grace; oh that you had but grace to take notice of it. This present time is an acceptable time; oh that you had but a heart to realize it, and to improve it. He who has a great way to go, and a great deal of work to do in a little time—had not need to trifle away his time! This is the case of every unsanctified soul. Oh, the sins that such a soul has to repent of! oh, the graces that such a soul has to seek! oh, the evidences for heaven that such a soul has to secure! oh, the miseries that such a soul has to escape! oh, the mercies that such a soul has to press after, etc. Therefore of all