A Saint or a Brute, Part 1 · Application 3
Uſe 3.
BY this time you may ſee your ſelves that the diſeaſe of ſinners is in their own hearts, and it is that that muſt be healed if they will be ſaved. But what ſhould we do to get into thoſe hearts, to ſearch your ſores, and work the cure? I come now to the principal part of my meſſage to you; but will you indeed entertain it, if it prove it ſelf to be from God? How the caſe ſtandeth with mankind, you have heard in my Text from Chriſt himſelf: How One thing is needful; and how the buſie-idle world is diverted from this One thing, by many needleſs troubleſom things to their own deſtruction: If hence I warn you of your danger, and tell you of your duty, and exhort you to take another courſe then you have done, I hope you will confeſs I do but what is needfull both for you and me, and what you have no reaſon to contradict. Come then, for the Lords ſake, and let us treat practically and ſucceſsfully about ſo great a buſineſs; and make ſomething of it before we leave it; and end not till we amend what we find amiſs. What courſe then will you take for the time to come? Will you go on to trouble your ſelves about Many things, and neglect the One thing needful as you have done? Dare you harbour ſuch a purpoſe? Or dare you ſtifle thoſe thoughts and motions that would tend to better purpoſes? Or may I not hope that the Light hath ſhamed your ſleepineſs and works of darkneſs, and that you are grieved at the heart for the ſinful negligence of heart and life, and reſolved now to be new men? For Gods ſake Reſolve, Sirs. What will you do? Waver not, but Reſolve: Its more then a thouſand lives that lyeth on your Reſolution: I come to you this day as the Miniſter of the great Paſtor of the flock, that ſpake theſe words, not only to acquaint you, if you know not, or to remember you if you know, that One thing is needful; but alſo with authority to command you in his name, to Value it, to Love it, to Chooſe it, to ſeek it, and labour for it as the One thing needful. What ſay you, will you or will you not? This unſpeakable mercy I offer you from the Lord: He is willing to put up at your hands, all that is paſt, and to lay all your ſins on the ſcore of Chriſt, and freely to forgive you through the vertue of his blood, if you will now at laſt bethink you better, and come to Chriſt, and live as men that know what they have to do: If you will but ſee your former folly, and heartily bewail it, and ſet your hearts on the One thing needful, he will encourage you, and help you, and bid you welcome, and number you with his ſons, though you have lived as his enemies. Though you have lived like Swine and Serpents, he will put you into his boſom, if you will but be waſhed and changed by his grace. Though you have ſet more by your worldly riches then by his glory, and have ſet more by the favour of mortal man, then by his favour, and though you have ſet more by your bellies, and your brutiſh pleaſures, and little toyes, then you have done by everlaſting life, he will yet be merciful to you, and put up all theſe indignities at your hands, and take you into his deareſt love, if you will but Now become new creatures, and give your hearts to him that made them, and ſeek that firſt that is worth the finding, and loſe not the reſt of your lives and labour upon unprofitable things. What can you ſay againſt this offer? Is it not unconceivable and unſpeakable mercy? O what would the damned give for ſuch an offer? O what would you your ſelves give another day for ſuch an offer, if you now neglect it? What ſay you then, will you accept of this offer of mercy while it may be had, and cloſe with Grace, while Grace would ſave you, or will you not? As ever you look for mercy in the hour of your diſtreſs, when nothing but mercy can ſtand your ſouls in any ſtead, take mercy now while it may be had: Refuſe it not when it is offered you, as you would not be refuſed by it when Hell and Deſparation would devour you. If you ſlight it becauſe it is free, you ſlight it becauſe it is great, and therefore greatly to be valued. Think not hereafter to have it at your beck, if you neglect it now when it ſeeks for your acceptance. Do not ſay, I will a little longer keep my ſins, and a little longer enjoy my pleaſures, for I can have Chriſts offer at any time before I die. O little doſt thou know what a ſtab ſuch a trifling purpoſe may give to the very heart of all thy hopes and happineſs! and how terribly God may make thee know, how ill he taketh thy unthankfulneſs and contempt! and how dear one other week of ſinful pleaſure may coſt thy ſoul? In the name of God I warn you, do not ſo deſpiſe everlaſting happineſs! Do not ſo trample on the blood of Chriſt, if you would be ſaved by it: Do not abuſe the Spirit of Grace, if you would be ſanctified by it: Play not any longer with the conſuming fire, the wrath of a jealous and Almighty God: Jeſt not with damnation. Though Grace be now offered you, it will not be at your command: Deſpiſe this motion, and you may be out of hearing before the next. What can you expect, if you will ſlight ſuch mercy, but either that Death ſhould ſhortly bring you to your reckoning, or that God ſhould leave you to your ſelves, and give you up to the hardneſs of your hearts: And if you will needs chooſe the world, and fleſhly pleaſure, and God and Glory ſhall be thus contemptuouſly paſt by, you may take your choice, and ſee what you will get by it: But remember what an offer you had this day, and that heaven was once within your reach, and that it might have been yours for ever if you would.
But becauſe I am loth to leave you ſo, I will try by ſome ſuch Arguments as the Reaſon of man muſt needs approve, Whether yet you may not be brought to your ſelves, and yield to grace that you may be ſaved. And they ſhall be the Arguments that lie before you here in the Text.