3. The Danger of Trifling
3. The Danger of Trifling
To show the danger of trifling, and not making heart-work of this weighty business. — This will appear if we consider,
3.1. That the Lord rejects the work: Malachi 1:13, "You said also, Behold what a weariness is it, and you have snuffed at it, says the Lord of hosts, and you brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus you brought an offering; should I accept this of your hands? says the Lord." Whatever pains persons may be at about covenanting, the Lord has no regard to it while it is not heart-work, Isaiah 1:11. It is true, you may even sign the contract, but the Lord will not subscribe it, seeing it has not the upright consent of your hearts, Psalm 50:16, 17. You may expect the entertainment recorded, Matthew 22:12, "Friend, how came you in thither, not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless."—Consider,
3.2. That it puts men more securely in Satan's grips than before. In this sense that holds true which you have in Isaiah 28:22, "Now therefore be you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong." Publicans and sinners will enter before these. Such are twice dead, where the devil goes out and returns with seven other spirits worse than himself. The last end of such a person is worse than his beginning. — Consider,
3.3. That it exposes men to spiritual strokes; Jeremiah 48:10, "Cursed be he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully." Deadening strokes. These are silent arrows which fly from the hand of God into the soul without noise; Isaiah 6:10, "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and he healed." Sometimes men are like Saul among the prophets, but afterwards they are knocked in the head by the secret judgment of God, because of their hypocritical dealing with him, it may be at a communion table, in so much that they have never a day to do well after; and from that time God answers them not, but they live and rot above the ground; their hearts are deadened, their affections dozened, their gifts withered, and their souls blasted; John 15:6, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." Quickening strokes, whereby the man is dreadfully alarmed, the conscience is awakened, and made like Mount Sinai, where nothing but fire and smoke appear. God takes the filthy rags of their mock covenanting, wraps them in brimstone, and sets them in fire about the sinner's ears. Their wounds which were scurfed over bleed more dreadfully, while the plaster they made will not stick. Besides these, there are strokes upon their bodies. As Nadab and Abihu, Leviticus 10:1, 2. A wrong look into the ark cost the men of Bethshemesh dear, 1 Samuel 6:19. God smote Uzzah, and he died by the ark, 2 Samuel 6:7. And the apostle tells us, 1 Corinthians 11:30, "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." Consider,
Lastly, that however quietly people may get it carried in life, it will bring them a sad disappointment at death. The house built on the sand fell by the storm, and great was its fall. A great fall from high hopes into deep despair; like the foolish virgins, who were unexpectedly shut out.