The Necessity of Serious Consideration and Speedy Repentance, Part 2 · Section 3
SECT. III. The Baseness of Delay.
TO Delay our Repentance and our keeping of God's Commandments, is an exceeding base, unworthy, and shameful thing; and such as I am confident, when any one throughly considers, he cannot without blushing, and great indignation at himself think he should be guilty of it. I know we are all witty enough to invent excuses for our folly; and to find covers for our Nakedness, and something or other we have always at hand to hide our filthiness and vileness. But we are not the less fools for being so wise as to deceive our selves; and when we once have the wit to consider what we do, we shall be ashamed of it. When we have said all we can for our selves, our Consciences (if ever they awake) will tell us, that we have no regard either to the dignity of our own Nature, as we are men, nor to the good of others, as we are Neighbours and Brethren, nor to the Honour of God, as we are his rational creatures, whilst we delay our repentance; but that all our delight is to live like beasts, and all that we value is earthly and vile, and all our care is how to feed our Swinish lusts, and to humour corruption; and can a man perceive this to be his own temper, and not be ashamed of himself? Yea, can any one chuse but see, that what he doth must needs be altogether as odious and abominable to God, as it is base and reproachful to himself?
In the first place; How shall a man be able to pardon himself for dealing so basely with his own Soul, as for a great part of his life, not to allow it the benefit of its Reason; but to enslave it to the Tyranny of the Flesh? How shall he be reconciled to himself for dishonouring his own nature, and esteeming of it so vilely, as tho it had no pre-eminence above that of the meanest Animals? All the while that we delay our Repentance, we chuse for our selves a condition below the worst condition that any of them can be in, a state of Sin, and Enmity with God; wherein not the vilest of them ever are or can be. How sensible are we in the mean time, of the Dignity of our Nature, as we are Men? How can we chuse but blush to continue any time, so very unlike to that which God at first made Man to be? We cannot chuse but know what filthy leprous creatures sin hath made us: And why are we in no more haste to be cleansed and made whole? Why are we no more ambitious to retrieve the Honour and Glory which by sin we have lost? When God himself, to shew the value of our Humane Nature, was pleas'd to send his own Eternal Son to take it upon himself; and he who was ever God, was not ashamed to be found in fashion as a man, what a baseness is it in us, to defile that same Nature in the drudgeries of sin, which God thought not unworthy of a Personal Union with the Divine Nature in his only begotten Son? What's the reason we should delay to have Christ formed in us, to be made Partakers of a Divine Nature in Holiness? Doth not God in JESUS Christ most graciously invite us to this high honour? Hath he not open'd unto us a fountain for sin and for uncleanness, wherein the foulest sinner may wash freely, and become as white as snow? What a vile degeneracy is this that we are sunk into, That we should fall so deeply in love with our own dishonour, as to be loth to part with it? We love our Sickness more than our Health; our Filthiness, more than Purity; our Weakness, more than Strength; our Deformity, more than Beauty; our Chains of Slavery to the Devil, more than the Liberty of the Children of God. We had rather obey our Passions than our Reason, and live like Beasts than like Men; be Earthly than Heavenly, Carnal than Spiritual, like Devils than like Angels, yea, than like God. What else can be the reason why we should delay one minute to keep God's Commandments? Do not they all visibly tend to our Health, and our Honour, and our Happiness? Is it not the design of them all to make us Wise and Good, and every way perfect in our Nature, and like unto God in Holiness; the Brethren of Christ, and Children of God, and Heirs to the glorious Inheritance of the Saints in Light? Why then make we no more haste to keep them, and to enter into this most Honourable and Blessed Condition? Can it be for any other reason, but that we love to be as we are; and take more pleasure in our wretched Slavery, and loathsom Corruption, than in all that Blessedness and Glory which God so freely offers to restore us to? And truly if we be thus madly in love with our own Shame and Wretchedness, it must needs be very just with God to leave us in them, and never once more to make us those tenders of Mercy, which we cannot yet find in our hearts to thank him for, or to count worth our acceptance. Suppose a very poor beggar were very kindly invited by some extraordinary charitable Person of a great Estate, to throw away his nasty Rags, and to accept of a Rich Suit instead of them; and to leave off his wandring Trade, and come and live in his Family; with a farther Promise and Assurance, That he should be Heir to a goodly Inheritance; and the Beggar should give him no other answer but this; I thank you, Sir, with all my heart, and I will do as you would have me; but I will take my own time for it: I love these Rags exceedingly, and I cannot part with them yet; and I am so accustom'd to wander, that I cannot yet endure to be confin'd, tho it were to a Palace: But some time or other I will accept of your kindness; when these Rags will hang about me no longer, and when I am so old or lame, that I can wander no more, I will come to your house, and expect to have your good Apparel and Estate. Or suppose some leprous creature should meet with a charitable Physician, who should very kindly desire him to accept of his help, promising perfectly to cure him; and this filthy wretch should reply, Sir, I very heartily and thankfully accept of your kindness, and am resolved to make use of it whenever I think fit; but I have a great mind to be leprous a while longer; it's so pleasing a thing to scratch this foul skin of mine, that I cannot endure to think of being well just now; but whenever I shall grow weary of this filthy disease, at least, when I am almost kill…d with it, and afraid to dye, I will call for you, and you shall heal me. I think there's no body that would say such persons deserv'd to have such kindnesses offer'd them any more; but that they were right serv'd, if they were left to perish by their own base folly. How then shall we think our Blessed JESUS, who hath tendred us greater kindnesses than these, in our far greater necessities, will resent our Baseness in Delaying to accept of his Love, whilst we have as little to plead for our Delay, as these Wretches had? Indeed we need not guess at this; for himself hath told us, in the Parable of the Feast, Luke XIV. 'Tis God himself that is represented there by the certain man that made a great supper, and bade many; 'tis he, I say, that graciously condescends to bid sinners to a Feast of fat things; but alas! one hath a piece of ground to go see, and another hath his Oxen to prove, and another hath a new-married Wife to cherish; and for these reasons they cannot come when they are bidden: Well, they may stay away then for ever; for so saith God, v. 24. None of those men that were bidden, shall taste of my supper. If we will be so base as to delight in filthiness, why should not God with Indignation say, Let them be filthy still?
Secondly, Whosoever delayeth his Repentance, behaveth himself as basely in reference to others, as to himself; and shews very plainly, That he cares not what becomes of the whole World, so he might be left freely to enjoy his sins, without any disturbance. Can any man that professeth Religion, be ignorant, That it is the breaking of God's Commandments, that brings upon the world of mankind, all the evils it at any time laboureth under? All the Troubles and Disturbances which men have one from another, and all the terrible Iudgments of God, which light upon whole Kingdoms, Towns, and Families, are owing to mens continuance in their sins, and delaying their Repentance. He's not only too great a stranger to the Word of God, but a man of very little experience or observation, that understands not this. And truly he that understands it, and delayeth his Repentance, declareth himself thereby too base to make a Member of Humane Society; and the world may well be both ashamed and afraid to afford him entertainment any longer. The very Rabble could hardly be too much enraged, or vent its fury too freely, on so unnatural a wretch, as chuseth rather to continue one of them, for whom, and by whom, a Nation is in continual danger of being destroy'd, than to be one of those few Righteous Persons, for whose sake God often spareth a very wicked Generation. Would we not account that man one of the worst-natur'd men in the world, and fit to be trampled down to dirt by all that met him, who should be so malignantly bent against the welfare of mankind, and bear such a spite against all men, that rather than the world should want some noisom Vermine, and poisonous Creatures to molest and hurt it, would be content himself to be turn'd into a venomous Toad or Viper? And yet, when we well consider things, how much worse than either of these, and how much more mischievous in all kinds, is that man, who delayeth his Repentance; and by his wilful continuance in sin, not only disordereth the world, and makes it a very uneasie and dangerous place to live in, but provokes God daily to pour down Fire from Heaven on the Neighbourhood wherein he is suffer'd to live and do wickedly? What Punishment could be too great for that man, who being sick of the Plague, and assured of his Cure, if he would stay within doors, and be ordered by his Physician, will not hearken to any Advice, in order to his Health, unless he may be allowed first to run abroad to and fro, infecting all the Countrey, as far as his strength will carry him? And how much worse than this, doth he who will not accept of the cure of his sins, till he have had time enough to fulfil all his lusts, and to corrupt all his Neighbours, and make all about him, as much as in him lieth, fit objects of God's just Wrath and Indignation? This is all the respect that the delaying Sinner hath to the good of mankind; that rather than want the vile Pleasures of Sin, as long as he is able to serve his Lusts, he is resolv'd never to regard what Evils any number of men fall under, and endure. And what greater baseness of mind and temper can there be in any one, than this?
Yes, Lastly, The delaying Sinner is come to a degree of baseness far exceeding all that hath yet been said of him. For by his delaying to keep God's Commandments, he declares, that he hath as little sense of God's Honour, and of his own manifold Obligations to God, as of his own primitive Dignity, or of the World's Happiness. To delay our Repentance, after that God hath been graciously pleased, in the greatest wonder of mercy, by his only beloved Son to call us to it; and by him to open unto us a new Door to Salvation, after that Sin had wall'd up the old one against us; what less can this be, than, as they are said to do in the Parable, Matth. XXII. 5. to set light by the Gospel of Peace? What is it, but to slight all God's gracious tenders of Peace and Reconciliation, as things we think as yet needless, and not at all to be valued? To puff at the goodness, and loving Invitations of God, and to turn scornfully away from his Call, whilst he beseecheth us to return unto him, and be saved: one of us preferring his Farm, another his Merchandise before the Kingdom of God? We cannot but be sensible how great a baseness it is to deal, as delaying Sinners do, with Almighty God, when we shall have well consider'd the condition wherein his Mercy overtakes us. We cannot but confess, that as his Creatures, we are naturally obliged to be entirely obedient to his Will in all things: and that as Sinners, who have disobey'd his will, he may justly punish us as he pleaseth. And we know, that for Sin we all lie under the curse of Death, and 'tis justice in God to execute the Sentence of Death upon us at any time, when he thinks it fit. But instead of doing so, he is pleased in much goodness to offer us a Pardon, and that upon such terms, as had all been left to our own choice, we our selves could not reasonably have desired easier; though one would think no terms of Salvation should seem hard to those who were under a condemnation to Eternal Torments. All that our good God requireth of us, is but to repent of our sins, and to come in at the hearing of his gracious Proclamation, and to submit our selves to the Government of that Blessed Saviour, who in his love hath provided for us; and to conclude our selves safe, whilst we continue under his Conduct. And this is it that the delaying Sinner thinks it not yet time to accept of. Now if any of us be of this mind, pray let us well consider, what it is that we do. Our offended God is willing not only to pardon us, and rid us of the fear and danger of Eternal Misery; but also to reward us with Eternal Blessedness, on condition that we will come in at his Call, and take the easie Yoak, and light Burthen of JESUS CHRIST upon us: but we will not yet. Is not this then as much as to say thus unto God — Good God be content, and have patience a-while longer, there's no such haste. Thou mayst be sure we have no mind to perish, and therefore need'st not to question it; but one time or other, before we die, we will come and accept of thy kindness. Be not then so hasty with us, but let us alone a-while to mind our own business that we have set our selves to do; and think it time enough if we hearken to thy Call, when we shall be a little more at leisure. The World calls us, and our Lusts call us, and we cannot do all things at once; these must be serv'd in the first place; and when we have done what we can for them, we will serve thee. Let us now consider, what we would think of those men, whom we should overhear uttering such words as these to God with their mouth. And then consider again, whether this must not be the secret Language of every one's heart that wilfully delayeth to repent, and keep God's Commandments. I know there may be many Causes of mens putting off, and neglecting their duty to God. Some of us are either so ignorant, or so regardless of God, and of all things that shall be after this life, that they never think to any purpose, or seriously, and concernedly, of any such thing: and we must needs confess this to be a most horrid indignity offer'd to God, as well as a most stupid senselesness of our own good or evil. Some may have foolishly perswaded themselves, either that Repentance is a far slighter thing, than really it is; or that there is no such indispensable necessity of it as is pretended: and how can we excuse such as these for the affront they put upon God, in not believing his Word; or in taking so little pains to understand it? But whatever Causes may be assign'd why some men repent not, this is certain, That whosoever is convinced that Repentance is a duty, without which he cannot be saved, nor God honour'd by him, and yet delayeth it; delayeth it for this reason, that he is in love with some sin or other, which he is not yet willing to part with; the love whereof is greater in him, than his love of God, and bears it down. Otherwise his love to God would constrain him to make as much haste to serve and honour him, as his love to sin now doth to disobey and dishonour him. How long hath God already waited to be gracious? How much patience hath he had already to see himself dishonour'd by us? How many calls and warnings hath he already given us to repent? What then do we in putting off our Repentance yet longer, but in effect bid him stay a little longer yet; as though we thought him bound to wait our leisure, and observe our time, and not our selves to observe his? Yea, what is this, but, as St. Paul saith, Rom. II. 4. To despise the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing (or not considering) that the goodness of God leadeth us to repentance? God calls upon us in good earnest, in great compassion, in much patience and long-suffering; and all this purely for our own Eternal Welfare. All day long (saith he) have I stretched out my hand unto a disobedient and gain-saying people, Rom. X. 21. Isa. LXV. 2. And what saith the delaying Sinner to all this, when he is told of it? I hear you (saith he) but let him stay a-while longer, no haste yet, I have something else to do first. Why? What is it that should hinder us from making what haste we can to be happy, in hearkning to so good and gracious a God and Father? Why not now, as well as hereafter? I am yet too young, saith the young Sinner; 'tis yet but the time of blossoming with me; let me flourish a-while in the days of my vanity; to think too much of God, and the other World, of Death and Iudgment, would make my Flower fade too soon, and blast all my youthful delights; to be religious so soon, is to be old before my time; would you have me turn my Spring into Autumn? I will bear Fruit to God, when Fruit-time comes. I am too busie yet (saith the man of full-growth) my strength is but just come, and fits me for man-like Exercises, and the business of the World: These are the things it now becomes men of my strength and vigour to be wholly employ'd in. I must not yet unfit my self for the management of worldly Affairs, by entertaining the melancholly Thoughts of preparing my self to go out of the World. What Trade can a man drive on thrivingly in this World, if he make his Conscience too soon tender and delicate? My head is yet too full of Cares (saith the old Sinner) and I must not neglect the present opportunity of making all sure to Posterity, seeing I have one foot already in the Grave. So soon as I have set all straight for this World, which I now make haste to do, I will think of the next. O how wise and provident are we all for this World, and for our Lusts! Let us seriously consider now, what's the plain English of all this: Are we not afraid, lest God should understand it? And yet understand it he doth, much better than we. God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things, 1 John III. 20. He knoweth very well, that the meaning of all we can say for our delaying to keep his Commandments is this, with what fine words soever we would cover it. We will give the First-fruits, and every choice part of our time, our health, our strength, our wealth, our parts, and all we have, to Sin and Satan; and the vile and refuse, and what we cannot tell how otherwise to dispose of, we will give to God, who gave us all things. Whatsoever good thing he hath bestow'd upon us, we will spend as much of it as we can upon his Enemies; and then throw him back their leavings. We are resolved to have our own will, and to do our own pleasure whilst we are able; and when we know not how to take our pleasure in any thing, we will do what we can to please God. We will do, and submit to his Will, when we can no longer do what we would our selves. It's enough to bestow that upon God, which is good for nothing else, or whereof we can make no other use. We may come, ere we die, to be deprived of all the delightful things which this World affords; we may come to be old, and past all youthful pleasures, and worldly business too; we may come to be sick, and cannot rellish any longer what before we loved; and then will it be time enough to serve God. We resolve to part with all our sins at last for God's sake, but we cannot endure to do it so soon; that is, in truth we cannot endure to part with them at all; and will never do it for his sake, nor at all, as long as we can keep them. We perfectly hate God's Service, and are resolved to keep out of it as long as we can, or dare: in plain terms, we will never serve him, if we can help it; and when we talk of resolving to serve him hereafter, we can mean no more but this; We are resolved to keep out of his service as long as ever we can, and to venture as far as ever we dare in the way to death. Now when we consider, what God is in himself; and what he hath always been, and would be to us; I think it may be safely concluded, that there cannot be imagined any higher degree of baseness, whereof 'tis possible for man to be guilty, than this amounts to. And therefore nothing can be more odious and provoking to Almighty God, than this foul Sin of delaying our Repentance.