Willful Impenitency, Sermon · Part 4
The ſecond Ground.
THe ſecond now follows. Every wicked man is ſlothfull and negligent. Thou evill ſervant and ſlothfull, ſayes Chriſt, Mat, 25.26. Thou haſt beene lazy with the Talent I gave thee. I gave thee preaching and teaching, and thou haſt beene lazy to heare it. I have given thee knowledge of that which is good, and thou haſt beene lazy to improve it. I have pulled thee to Prayer by the motion of my Spirit, and thou haſt beene lazy at the duty. Thou evill and ſlothfull ſervant, I have given thee many a ſweet opportunity to be ridde of that baſe luſt that thou are moſt addicted unto, and thou haſt beene lazy to take it. This is another ground of this Doctrine. Now if this be ſo, thou muſt lay the blame on thine own will, and not on Gods denying thee power; Becauſe ſloth is a fault of the will. I cannot call him a ſluggard, that ſticks at a cannot but onelyonly him that ſticks at a Will not. He that labours and ſtrives as much as hee can, none will call him a ſluggard, but him that can labour more and will not. Sloth is a voluntary fault of the will; How long wilt thou ſleep O ſluggard? Prov. 6.9. How long wilt thou? its not a fault of impotency, but of will.
Five Demonſtrations to prove this.
Firſt, if thou be ſlothfull to good duties,1 Demon. then thou doſt only imagine a company of cannots. I cannot do as I would ſayſt thou; No; why then art thou ſlothfull, to make more imaginary cannots? A ſlothfull man imagines more cannots then there be. I cannot go this journey ſayes he, I ſhall be weary, I ſhall be rob'd, I ſhall fall off my horſe; I cannot travell it; the way of a ſlothfull man▪ is a hedge of Thornes. But the way of the righteous is made plaine ſayes Solomon; the ſlothfull man he imagines there's a Thorne hedge in his way. I ſhall be prickt,Prov. 15.19. I cannot get over it; what? is there a Thorne hedge in the way? No; for the righeous that goes it, hee finds it plaine, hee ſees none; no; there is no ſuch Thorne-hedge in the way, but he does imagine one; and therefore his will not is his let, not his cannot, for hee does but imagine a cannot. So doſt thou ſay, I cannot do thus and thus; why then art thou ſlothfull to imagine more cannots, and Thorne hedges then there are? I cannot live then. Oh I cannot go ſo often to Prayer, and if I ſhould do as you ſay, I ſhould be houted at up and downe; you tell mee I am a Hellhound for my pride and my paſſions; Oh if I ſhould believe this, I ſhould never have merry day more. Alas all theſe are but imaginary cannots, imaginary Thorne hedges. I cannot be ſo ſtrict, neither can I put it up. I ſay thou doſt but imagine a company of cannots, and therefore thou wilt not.
2 Demon.2. Demonſtration, Jf thou bee ſlothfull to good duties, then thou makeſt every little difficulty a cannot; nothing but an impoſſibility is a cannot. But if thou beeſt ſlothfull, thou makeſt every little difficulty a cannot. I cannot turne mine owne heart, nor breake mine own heart; but why then art thou ſlothfull to make every little diffiuclty a cannot? a ſlothfull man makes every little difficulty a cannot. The ſlothfull man will not plow by reaſon of cold, and therefore ſhall hee beg in harveſt and have nothing. Prov. 20.4.Hee will not plough by reaſon of cold, hee ſticks at a very little difficulty, his fingers are ſo tender forſooth, they muſt not ake, his Toes are ſo Lady-like they muſt not ſmart, becauſe its a little diffcult, therefore hee will not do it; He will not plow by reaſon of cold. Well beg then and yee will; cannot you endure a little cold? yea, he could indure it, but it would be difficult. And therefore ſayes the Text, he will not Plough by reaſon of cold. Hee does not ſtick at an impoſſibility, for then indeed hee could not. But the ſlothfull man will not plough by reaſon of cold; he ſtickes only at a difficulty, and therefore he will not; nay if hee ſhould labour ſoundly indeed, his very labour would keepe him from being a cold; the truth is its the labour of ploughing that he is againſt. And therefore every little cold ſhall ſerve for an excuſe; So why art thou ſlothfull to count every petty difficulty a cannot? Its an uncomfortable thing to be alwayes poring on my ſinnes, I cannot abide it, troubleſome to be Tongue-tyed. What not ſpeake a word but onelyonly with warrant from Scripture? I cannot abide it; what never helpe my ſelfe at a dead lift by telling a lie? never right my ſelfe by a little revenge? never comply nor ſort with ſuch and ſuch old acquaintance, becauſe they drop out an Oath now and then before they are aware? O I cannot abide it. What thus preciſe? I am not able to abide it. No? cannot, cannot thy ſtubborne will ſtoope to a little difficulty? get thee to Hell, and ſee if thou canſt abide that, and there thanke thine owne will for thy periſhing.
3. Demonſtration,3 Demon. if thou beeſt ſlothfull, then thou turneſt thy very abilities into cannots, not onelyonly all difficulties, but alſo thine abilities into cannots. Like a drone that is lazy, hee loſes his abilities that hee hath. By much ſlothfulneſſe the building decayeth. Alas I am very dead-hearted ſayſt thou;Eccleſ. 10.18. nay, but O man the time was when God quickned thee at a Sermon, why didſt thou let it decay? the time was when thou wert a little well affected, why didſt thou let it decay? time was when thou wert ſoberer, and leſſe given to wrath and paſſions; and why didſt thou let theſe good conditions decay? the Lord gave thee them heretofore, and thou haſt played the ſluggard with them, and therefore now they are decayed. Thy quickning is decayed, thy ſorrowes for ſinne decayed, thy meltings decayed, through much ſlothfulneſſe the building does decay. Hee that is ſlothfull in his worke is brother to a great waſter, Prov. 1.86So thou art a brother to a great waſter becauſe thou art ſlothfull.
4 Demon.4. Demonſtration, If thou beeſt ſlothfull then thou doſt voluntarily nayle thy ſelfe unto cannots. There is many a ſinne that now thou art a ſlave to, that thou mighſt have troden under thy foot, but now thou canſt not; thou mighteſt have gone further and further on in reformation, if thou hadſt held on when thou wert going; like a Coach, its eaſier to make it runne on when once its going, then ſtir it, when once it ſtands ſtill; and now thou canſt not, now thou art nayled to it, like the doore to his hinges. Now thou canſt pray and pray and grow nere the better, heare and read and neer the holier, as the dore turneth upon its hinges, ſo doth the ſlothfull man on his Bed. Prov. 26.14.The dore goes to and fro, to it goes and fro it goes, it goes may be all the yeere long; and ſtill it hangs juſt upon the ſame hinges, and after ſeven yeares travell, it hangs there where it did; its nayled to its hinges. So tis with a ſluggiſh heart, hee goes to a Prayer and from a Prayer, to a Sermon and from a Sermon, to a good duty and from a good duty; and ſtill he hangs juſt on the ſame hinges. He hath gotten no ground, is juſt where hee was; ſo thou art juſt at the ſame paſſe, after a thouſand prayers and a thouſand Sermons, and millions of good duties, ſtill thou hangeſt on thy old duties, neere the more pure to this houre.
5. Demonſtration, Sloth is a lazy putting forth by halves of that power one hath. 5 Demon.This alſo is the very nature of Sloth. When a man hath more power then hee ſhewes, but hee is lazy to put it all forth. The Scripture uſes a compariſon of a man, that hides his hand in his boſome, and though hee have meat ſtanding before him, yet hee will not ſo much as bring it to his mouth. A ſlothfull man hideth his hand in his boſome, and will not bring it to his mouth. What?Prov 19.24 why does hee ſtarve? becauſe hee hath not any meate? No; The meate ſtandeth before him; becauſe hee hath not any hands? no, hee hath a hand in his boſome; becauſe his hand hath the dead Palſy, and hee not able to ſtirre it? No, hee will not put it forth. Hee will not bring it to his mouth, ſayes the Text; So when thou art praying thou wilt not put thy ſelfe forth, when thou art reforming thou doſt not put thy ſelfe forth; when thou art about any good ſervice thou doſt not put thy ſelfe forth; here is a Sabbath before thee, and a Sacrament before thee, but thou wilt not reach it to thy mouth; thou wilt not put thy ſelfe forth. The Lord tells thee this ſinne will breake thy necke, and thou wilt not ſo much as reach it to thy mouth, nor apply it to thy heart; may be it would humble thee and feed thee, but thou wilt not reach it to thy mouth; what a deale of power haſt thou? but thou putſt it forth by the halves, when thou art examining thy conſcience, thou putſt thy ſelfe forth by the halves, thou mightſt put thy ſelf forth many degrees more, but thou wilt not.
Oh beloved, this ſame point will ſtrike the World dumbe before God, even this, why did yee not put your ſelves forth to the uttmoſt? Thou haſt ſomewhat more in thee then by reaſon of thy lazineſſe thou doſt put forth.
Six Arguments to prove it.There is more then by reaſon of Sluggiſhneſſe thou putteſt forth.
1. Argu.Firſt, its a ſigne it is in thee, becauſe when God does convert a ſinner, he does not put in new powers and faculties into the ſoule; he does not put in a new faculty of thinking and underſtanding, and willing and affecting, and remembring; No; the ſoule hath theſe faculties already, underſtanding, already and thinking already, and remembring and deſiring already, and willing already; but God does not put in new faculties,When God comes to worke grace, hee finds in thee indeed paſſiva capacitas, & potentia obedientialis, but their own naturall faculties are raiſed to ſupernaturall acts upon ſupernaturall object God. but turnes them that are there unto himſelfe like a watch out of frame, the wheeles are there ſtill, the ſpring ſtill, and every parcell there ſtill; but all out of frame, and the artiſt ſets them in frame; ſo the ſoule hath them in it; True it requires the omnipotent power of God to turn all theſe faculties to him. Notwithſtanding thou doſt voluntarily turne them unto other things, and not unto God. They are every one in thee, as thou art a man. But God may not have them, nay and thou mightſt put them forth to more then thou doſt. Other things can have them ſuperfluouſly, but God may not have them. (I intend not a power of doing the leaſt good in a gracious manner, nor to engage God to give thee grace only.)
Secondly, its a ſigne it is in thee. 2. Argu.(I meane ſtill ſo farre forth as to demonſtrate thee ſlothfull.) I ſay its a ſigne it is in thee, becauſe thou canſt ſhew as great power otherwiſe. When a ſervant can runne a race for his ſport, why will he not on his Maſters errand when hee bids him? Its a ſigne it is in him, and he will not put it forth. Canſt thou not ſpare an houre every day for private Prayer unto God, ſometime for to meditate and belabour thy heart? Thou canſt ſpare twice as much for thy belly and thy back, and thy profits. Canſt thou not ſhed teares for thy ſinnes? Thou canſt ſhed teares for madneſſe, and wrath, and vexation. Canſt thou not tell how to glorify God? Oh my parts are very ſhallow, gifts very ſmall, &c. But thou art wiſe to do evill, They are wiſe to do evill, but do good they have no knowledge. Its a ſigne it is in thee,Jer. 4.2…. but thou wi… not. Thou canſt not ſpeake for God, thou canſt not be angry againſt ſinne, nor lay to heart the miſeries of Gods Church? No? but thou canſt finde thy Tongue faſt enough for to raile, and clamour; and thou canſt even burſt with anger when thou art croſt. Its a ſigne its in thee, a ſigne there is wit enough in thee, and ability enough in thee to take paynes. Thou haſt it for other things, but thou wilt not put it forth for the Lord. Oh how does this provoke the moſt higheſt! That ſtrangers ſhould devoure all thy ſtrength. Hoſ. 7.9.Like Ephraim, strangers devoured all his ſtrength. God might have none of it, but ſtrangers and ſtrange luſts could have it; the World can have thy paines and thy cares, the things of the World they can have thy thoughts and thy ſtrength, and not J ſayes Chriſt. As a Maſter complaines of his refractory ſervant, you can do it for your ſelfe, and do it for others; but you will not do it for me, a ſigne it is in thee, but thou wilt not put it forth.
3. Argu.Thirdly, a ſigne it is in thee, for thou canſt ſhew it to when thou liſteſt; like a ſluggard that will worke at idle times, ſo thou canſt ſerve God when thou haſt nothing elſe to do. Like Pharaohs conceit of the Jſraelites, That they would ſerve God becauſe they had nothing elſe to do.Exod. 5.17 Yee are idle, idle yee are, therefore yee ſay, let us go and do ſacrifice unto God. Becauſe they had nothing elſe to do; So when thou haſt nothing elſe to do with thy Tongue then thou canſt give it to God; nothing elſe to do with thy thoughts, then thou canſt thinke of God; when thou haſt no uſe of a lie then thou canſt tell truth, &c. a ſigne it is in thee, it is not the telling of the truth; it is not the ſpeaking very gently and modeſtly that is not in thee to do; but thou wilt not put it forth; nay thou canſt be ſoundly provoked while ſome are in company, and yet ſtill as quiet as may be, a ſigne it is in thee.
Fourthly, a ſigne it is in thee, 4 Argu.but thou art ſo ſluggiſh thou wilt not put it forth; becauſe the rod is able to whip it out of thee. Like a Boy that is idle and can ſay nothing, yet his Maſter is able to whip it out of him, then hee can ſay it very roundly. So thou canſt not thinke of theſe things, yet let God laſh thee and whip thee with ſickneſſe, or with the pangs of death, Then O I have beene a Drunkard, and I have beene nought, I have beene wicked, and Oh if God would recover mee, I would not for a world ſinne ſo as I have done; Then thou canſt weepe, and then thou canſt cry, and then O for the Miniſter. A ſigne it is in thee, for a rod puts in no new, but onelyonly laſhes up that which lay there; as the Twigges of the rod have no vertue in them to put learning into the Boy, but its a ſigne it was in him. Ah thou wretch thou, thy blood lies on thine owne head; why then doſt thou not now put thy ſelfe forth? Thou canſt, but Oh it killes thee to thinke now of taking paynes, after ſuch things. It kills thee now to goe to thy beads and lie at weeping croſſe, and be ſo holy forſooth. Oh it kills thee now to take paines here abouts, like the ſluggard, the deſire of the ſluggard kills him, for his hands refuſe to labour. Hee deſires to have a crop, Prov. 21.25.but it kills him to go to the Plough; hee deſires to have his markets, but it kills him to go thither. So thou deſireſt, to go to Heaven, but it kills thee to take paines; Mortification, Selfe-Denyall, Repentance, Humiliation, Examination of Conſcience, Reformation of life; Oh theſe kill thee to thinke of them. A ſigne much is in thee, but it killes thee to put it forth.
5. Argu.Fifthly, A ſigne it is in thee becauſe thou canſt do a hundred times more then when thou art pleaſed; like a wilfull lazy ſervant, you could do it better if you were pleaſed ſayes his Maſter. So as long as thou art pleaſed thou canſt be more religious, a ſigne it is in thee. Rhehoboams his firſt yeares were religious; Peter Martyr obſerves, … was well pleaſed that ſame while hee ſaw it was for the eſtabliſhing of his kingdome. And the Levits came to him, from Jeroboam, ſo long hee was pleaſed, and then hee was religious, but afterwards not; and why not afterwards too? Its a ſigne it was in him, but he was not well pleaſed; So Joaſh did right in the ſight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehoiada. Why? then hee was well pleaſed with Religion, for it helpt him to root out Athaliahs faction;2 Kings 12 2. Jehoiada had beene the Saveiour of his life, the helpe of him to the Kingdome, the Lord protector of his Nonage, the eſtabliſher of his Scepter. All this while Religion did pleaſe him, but afterwards he would not do right in the ſight of the Lord. Why? becauſe other things now pleaſed him better; but its a ſigne it was in him. They on the rock, they could heare, and profeſſe as long as the Goſpell did pleaſe them, they heard it with joy, that pleaſed them well.Luke 4.13. Yee know joy is a very pleaſing thing, and then they could be forward to profeſſe it. A ſigne it was in them, but in time of affliction and perſecution, nay now the Goſpell did not pleaſe them, and therefore they fall off. So thou canſt love a child of God as long as he pleaſeth thee, nay thou canſt commend him for his holineſſe; O its a credit to thee to be acquainted with ſuch a one. But when ſome thing does not pleaſe thee, then thou canſt hate him in thy heart; all theſe are ſignes it is in thee, but thou wilt not put it forth.
Sixthly, a ſigne it is in thee, 6. Argu.becauſe thou wilt ſhew it in Hell; there Dives ſhall ſhew it was in him to have regarded a godly poore Lazarus, to have reſpected the ſalvation of his five brethren: there hee ſhall ſhew it was in him to feare Hell more then he did. Then the wicked ſhall ſay;Luke 16.28. What hath pride profited us? And what have riches and meanes advantaged us? Then they ſhall ſee it was in them not to count them for hypocrites, and Fooles and mad-Men that were more religious then themſelves. Wee fooles counted their life madneſſe, and wee had them in deriſion; and lo they are received amongſt the Saints, Wiſd. 5.3, 4, 5. And therefore it is in thee, why then wilt thou not put thy ſelfe forth? I ſay this will ſtrike you all dumbe before God at the laſt day; why would you not put you ſelves forth? And how do you ſtand lazing and idling out the dayes of your owne peace!
No excuſe will ſerve impenitent ſinners turne at the laſt day.Yee cannot have any one excuſe.
Firſt, Yee cannot ſay no body hired you; Indeed the carefulleſt ſervant in the World muſt of neceſſity be idle when none will imploy him; why ſtand you here idle all the day long? No man hath hired us Lord, Math. 20.6. marke they have an excuſe that they were never hired into the Vineyard. That was more neceſſary idleneſſe; but you have beene hired; nay you were hired very earley in the morning, and therefore why ſtand you here idle all the day long?
Secondly, now thou art in Gods Vineyard, thou canſt not ſay I cannot profeſſe. I cannot profit by hearing, nor profit by praying, &c. Thou canſt not ſay ſo; for why doſt thou not labour? in all labour there is profit. Never did a man labour but ſome profit or other hee did get;Prov. 14.23. but thou wouldſt not labour, but thou ſtoodeſt lazing and idling. Faine wouldſt thou be ſaved; faine eſcape Hell and damnation, and oh that this were to labour for it. Like the ſluggad that deſireth a harveſt, and yet is idle; O utinam hoc eſſet laborare; Hee lies loytering and playing, and oh that this were to labour! Oh that this were to plough and to ſow! If his Bed were the Plough, and his Pillow the Teeme, hee would then drive it well? So doſt thou, utinam hoc eſſet reſipiſcere, thou goeſt on minding the things of this life, carking and caring &c. Ʋtinam hoc eſſet reſipiſcere. O that this were to repent, and this were to go to Heaven thou art negligent of Prayer and Faith and holineſſe, Chriſt Jeſus ſave mee; Thus cryes the drunkard, Chriſt ſave mee, and thus the worldling, Chriſt Jeſus forgive mee. Thus like a ſluggard thou wiſheſt; O that this were believing and ſerving of God. Like the ſluggard I ſay, O that this were to labour; thou mighſt profit if thou wouldſt labour; in all labour is profit; but thou wilt not labour, and therefore inexcuſable. O what a ſpeechleſſe creature ſhall thou be before God at the laſt day! This is the ſecond ground of the Doctrine; The reaſon why a wicked man does not turne unto God, is not becauſe hee cannot, but becauſe hee will not. I ſay the ground of it is this. Every wicked man is ſlothfull and negligent.
Stirre up your ſelves yee whoſe heart the Lord hath awakened; Though the wicked bee ſlothfull, will yee be ſlothfull alſo? O what infinite reaſon hath the Lord to correct us, every one of us all? How wofully ſlothfull are our hearts! I cannot maſter my unruly heart ſayes one, and I cannot caſt out this ſame hard hearted Devill; Thus wee ſay like the Diſciples of Chriſt wee could not caſt him out. O faithleſſe Generation, how long ſhall I bee with you ſayes Chriſt. Mar. 9.19.Cannot caſt him out? Why? hee could go out by Praying and Faſting; So theſe ſame diſtempers of heart, theſe frozen-hearted Devills would go out ſoone enough by Faſting and praying; but Oh wee are ſo lazy thereat, and ſo cold and ſo dead and ſo drowſy, wee doe not take paynes. There is teaching in abundance, and why cannot wee learne? There is miſery enough on the Church, and why cannot wee mourne? There is woe enough a comming, and why cannot wee provide for't aforehand? God will whip out theſe lazy weedes out of us, if wee belong to him; O it provokes him! as Vineger to the Teeth, and ſmoke to the Eyes, ſo is the ſluggard to him that ſends him. Prov. 10.26.Ah thou lazy drone; this 'tis to ſend a leaden-heeld drone of ones errand; it makes the Maſter looke as ſowerly on him, as if hee had drunken a Porringer of Vineger. So beloved, this our ſloth to good things it does deepely provoke God; there is many a mercy wee loſe, becauſe of our ſloth; many a grace wee never attaine, nay many a croſse and many a trouble do wee get by reaſon of our ſloth. Oh let us ſtirre up our ſelves, and blow up the ſparkes that are under the embers, or elſe it will be evill and bitter, that God will make us to ſuffer. And you that live in your ſinnes, let mee tell you; yee can never looke for mercy except yee ſhake of your ſloth; yee may deſire to be converted, and pardoned and ſaved, and ſo forth; but the ſoule of the ſluggard deſireth and hath not. But the diligent ſhall be made fat. 'Tis the diligent, the diligent onelyonly that ſhall be fatted with grace; but yee may deſire all dayes of your life, but yee ſhall never have grace, except yee take paines. Nay your owne raynes ſhall torment you in Hell; Oh how did I idle out my time, and let ſlip occaſions; and I could die, and I would to hell, and I would not do otherwiſe, and woe is mee that ever I was borne, &c.