Willful Impenitency, Sermon · Part 6
1. Object.THe firſt Objection is drawne thoſe from Scriptures which ſay that they cannot.
2. Object.From their own willingneſſe, they would, but they cannot.
3. Object.Is from their own deſires, they deſire to do it, but they are not able.
4. Object.Is from their reſolutions, they purpoſe, but whether they will or no, they are feine to break their good purpoſes.
5. Object.Is from their good endeavours (as they ſay) they labour againſt their ſinnes, and yet they are tranſported into them, to ſweare before they are aware, to be overtaken in company, &c. We will anſwer them in order.
1. Object. anſwered. There are five cannots in Scripture. 1 Cannot.As to the firſt Objection from the Scriptures which ſay they cannot, I anſwer.
Indeed the Scripture ſpeakes of five Cannots.
Firſt, Of a naturall cannot; every man is borne by nature under a cannot believe, and a cannot ſee God. But there is difference betweene thy cannot repent, and thy doeſt not repent; there is difference twixt theſe two. The cauſe of thy cannot is one thing, and the cauſe of thy doeſt not is another. The cauſe of thy cannot is the carnalneſſe of nature, but the cauſe of thy doeſt not is the wilfulneſſe of thy will. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe to him; neither indeed can hee for they are ſpiritually diſcerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. where the Apoſtle makes a different cauſe of a naturall mans cannot, and his does not; when he ſpeakes of his cannot, hee tells us the cauſe of that is, becauſe grace is ſpirituall and he is carnall. Neirher indeed can hee, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned; but when he ſpeakes of his does not, you ſee he alledges a different cauſe of his does not. The naturall man does not receive the things of the ſpirit of God, they are fooliſhneſſe unto him; He counts them all fooliſh; He is ſo wilfull in his own carnall reaſon, that he counts it folly to deny it; thou canſt not do thus and thus doſt thou ſay? Why then wilt you count it folly to do ſo? when a man croſſes thee of thy will, thou countſt it folly to put it up; I were a foole if I ſhould be ſo preciſe as ſome be; I were a foole if I ſhould not ſuffer a little diſorder in my houſe, as long as I gaine by it. This is meere wilfulneſſe; this, and not a cannot, is a cauſe of thy doeſt not, Thou canſt not indeed becauſe thou art carnall, but thy cannot is dead and not operative; thy will is the cauſe of thy does not.Caecu… est e… palpebras claudit. Like the wilfull blind blinde man, Hee was blinde and would not open his eye-lids. He could not ſee, but his cannot lay dead, for hee would not open his eye-lids; his cannot is not operative till he will open his eye-lids. If he could ſee, yet he could not till he would open his eye-lids, ſo thou wilt not open thine eyelids.
Secondly,2 Connot. the Scripture ſpeakes of a deliberate cannot, when a man cannot do a thing, onelyonly becauſe hee cannot finde in his heart to do it. Thou canſt not repent of this and that ſinne and forſake it, the truth is; thy cannot is this, thou canſt not finde in thy heart to forgoe it. Such a couſe is ſo profitable and pleaſing to thy fleſh, thou canſt not finde in thy heart to abandon it, thou canſt not finde in thy heart to be friends with ſuch a one; to part with thy vanities, or to abridge thy ſelfe of thine angry ſpeeches when thou art ſtird, &c. Thou canſt not finde in thy heart to do it. As the Jewes, you cannot believe, ſayes Chriſt, becauſe yee ſeeke honour one from another. Joh. 5.44. they would feine be well thought of, of all their acquaintance, and therefore they could not finde in their heart to believe in Chriſt. Oh that would make thee to be out of favour with the Phariſees, and to be counted baſely of in the World. Therefore they could not finde in their heart to believe; now this is no excuſe; thou canſt not turne unto God, thou canſt not find in thy heart to part with thy luſts, this is thy cannot.
3 Cannot.Thirdly, the Scripture ſpeakes of a judiciall cannot, as a rogue cannot go, becauſe for his loytering the Magiſtrate hath lockt him in the ſtockes; This does not excuſe thee one jot, ſhall the villaine be wilfull in his loytering, and then complaine of the Magiſtrate that he is not able to go about his worke? I cannot go about my worke ſayes hee; and who bad him be ſo idle as not to go about it, when he might? Thou haſt gone on may be wilfully in thy ſinnes, and now the Lord hath inflicted a judiciall cannot unto thee. Thou canſt not come out of thy ſins, nay the Lord hath caſt this cannot upon thee in judgement; he hath ſet thee in the ſtockes for thy wilfull ſecurity. As the wicked Jewes they could not believe ſayes the Text, becauſe Iſaiah ſayth, hee hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, Joh. 12.39, 40. could they excuſe themſelves for their cannot? No the Lord had ſet them in the ſtocks for their wilfullneſſe and ſecurity? They could not believe, for they had wilfully provoked the Lord to caſt this cannot upon them in judgement.
Fourthly,4 Cannot. the Scripture ſpeakes of a compounded cannot. A cannot in ſenſu compoſito as we call it; a cannot in a compounded ſence. As a drunkard cannot tender his family, his poore Wife and children, No; as long as he lyes blowſing on the Alebench, he cannot, in a compounded ſence he cannot.Jmpoſſibile eſt ſedentem ambulare. Ariſtotle ſets it out by ſitting; he that is ſitting cannot walke, that is as long as he is ſitting he cannot walke. As Chriſt ſayth of a carnall man hee cannot bee my Diſciple; he cannot in a compounded ſence, he that commeth to mee and hates not father and mother and wife and children, yea and his owne life▪ cannot be my Diſciple. Luke 14.26. he cannot indeed as long as he ſtands upon theſe termes, My father will not love me, and my mother will not like me; if I ſhould be one of your Diſciples, my friends would not owne me: I muſt do as I do or I cannot keepe my wife and children. Indeed as long as thou ſtandſt on theſe termes thou canſt not be a Diſciple of Chriſt; thou canst not in a compounded ſence; but if thou wouldſt divide it thou mightſt; no man can ſerve two maſters, Mat. 6.24. marke compound them together and he cannot. But if he would give over one, he might ſerve the other; thou canſt not thou ſayeſt. No; I yeeld thee in a compounded ſence thou canſt not, thou canſt not as long as thou art thus careleſse as thou art, as long as thou favoureſt thy ſelfe in ſuch and ſuch luſts, thou canſt not; The compounding of thy ſecurity and lazines with Religion, that is the reaſon why thou canſt not, this is it that makes our prayers hard, and our repentings hard, our believings and all our performances hard; becauſe we would faine be compounding. We have much adoe to pray,Note our hearts can hardly be brought to wraſtle, much adoe to be humbled, our wils will hardly ſtoope; if it were not for theſe compoundings, theſe duties were eaſy. And what excuſe haſt thou hence? none at all, for its a cannot onelyonly in the compounded ſence that thou makeſt it.
5 Cannot.Fifthly, the Scripture ſpeaks of a humbling cannot, a cannot not to bolſter thee up in thy excuſes, but only to humble thee, that thou mayeſt be driven out of thy ſelfe unto God. A ſervant cannot live except it be his Maſters pleaſure to take pitty on him; Is this any pretence to him to anger his Maſter? or to be negligent of his Maſters commands? nay rather it forceth him to be ſo much the more carefull to obey him, and to be humble before him. So the Scripture ſayes that thou canſt not without God, except God ſhew mercy on thee, to convert thee and ſave thee, thou canſt not be accepted of him. All this is to humble thee, not to helpe thee with excuſes. Tuſh I cannot do as his Miniſters do bid me, I cannot mortify theſe ſins, I cannot be ſo ſtrict, this is too much preciſeneſſe you ſpeake of. O murmur not, this cannot is onelyonly to bumble thee; murmure not among your ſelves. No man can come to mee except the father draw him, Ioh. 6.43.44. This is no reaſon why thou ſhouldſt murmur or cavill, or be ſtubborne as thou art, thou canſt not come at Chriſt exeept the father take pity on thee to draw thee. Thou haſt ſo much the more reaſon to be humbled, and not to go on wittingly and willfully as thou doeſt. Canſt thou not be holy, and ſaved, except he be pleaſed to pitty thee? in what a wofull caſe then art thou to provoke him as thou doſt? So much ſhall ſuffice for the firſt Objection, drawne out of the Scripture.
The ſecond thing thou objecteſt, is thy willingneſſe; thou wouldeſt as thou pretendeſt, but thou canſt not.
I anſwer thee for this.
Firſt, may be its the will of thy conſcience, 2. Object. anſweredand not the will of thy heart; thy heart is carnall and unacquainted with God, and ſo its contented to be, only thy conſcience would have thee grow better and more heavenly; but thy heart will not yeeld; and therefore all thy willings are nothings but deludings; they are only the willings of conſcience and not of thy heart. Thou art chaſing and fretting every foot, thy conſcience tells thee thou ſhouldſt not, thou art praying carnally every day; when thou haſt done, conſcience ſayes thou ſhouldſt pray holyer then ſo; conſcience would, but thou wilt not, conſcience would have thee get aſſurance for Heaven, but thou wilt not be at the paines. Alas, this makes thee inexcuſable, for now thou condemneſt thy ſelfe, and yet wilt ſinne; thou art inexcuſable O man whoſoever thou art that judgeſt, for wherein thou judgeſt another, thou condemneſt thy ſelfe. Rom. 2.11. marke, when a man condemneth himſelfe he is then inexcuſable. (I do not now quote it for the particular the Apoſtle does inſtance in there for judging another,) for the truth is the ſame, whatſoever ſinne we do inſtance in, the truth is this that Paul grounds his ſpeech on.Note. Hee that condemneth himſelfe in a ſinne, and yet will go on in it; that man is inexcuſable. What now haſt thou gotten by thy plea? thou wouldſt, thou ſayeſt; this makes thy ſinne to be worſe in that thy conſcience would, and yet for all that thou wilt not.
Secondly, may be its a copulative will; thou haſt a will to repent and be godly, but it is with a copulative will. Repentance and ſome luſt, godlineſse and ſome luſt; thou wouldſt faine pleaſe the Lord and thine own luſt too, be religious and proud too, believe in Chriſt and covet too, and be vaine too, &c. Thou haſt a will, but it is a copulative will, to ſerve God and do this too; Piſh, cannot I ſerue God and do this too? No, no; this ſame copulative will is a flat contradiction. Couple light and darkneſſe? Chriſt and Beliall, 2 Cor. 6.15. Its a contradiction to imagine to couple them, for they cannot poſſibly be coupled. And therefore this ſame copulative will is nothing but a mockery, and the truth ſtill is this thou wilt not?
Thirdly, May be thou haſt a woulding will, this is no will, but onelyonly a velleity; ſo thou haſt a woulding will. I would do as well as any other but I cannot; to ſpeake properly this is no will, for its onelyonly that will wherewith fooles will things impoſſible; I would I were at London, with a wiſh ſayes he; I would I could flie as well as an Eagle. Theſe things are impoſſible, and therefore its no will, but meere folly; thus may be thou willeſt grace, I would with all my heart I could do as God ſayes, God knowes my heart, my will is good, I would be better then I am; And yet thy conſcience can call for ſomething or other to be mended, and thou wilt not. This is an impoſſibility,Lazy velleities no will. and therefore no will; like the foole that would ſit in his chaire, and I would I were at London, he would faine be at London and ſit ſtill. So thou ſitteſt at the ſame paſſe, I would I were in Chriſt; thou wouldſt faine be in Chriſt, and yet thou art loth to ſtir out of that baſe temper thou art in. This is an impoſſibility, a folly and no will; woulding and no willing. I grant the Saints of God have their wouldings, and their would does go further then their wil; their wil is abſolutely ſet to be holy, and they would be holy. Their will is deeply to be humbled, and they would be deeper; their would is grounded upon a will, they will in ſome meaſure and they would go further. I will, oh that I could will more. But thou that lieſt in thy ſinfull eſtate, thy would is pure folly. A would grounded upon a will not is foppiſh; the Saints would is grounded upon a will;Note. but thine, the roote at bottome is this thou wilt not.
Fourthly, may be thou haſt a generall metaphyſicall will, but to come to particulars, there thou wilt not. I hate the Saints of God? God forbid? I'le never hate them while I live; and yet come to this Saint and that Saint; him thou wilt hate; him? Hee is the verieſt hypocrite in the Country, and keepes more adoe then needs.When carnall men can diſcover no other blemiſhin the Saints, thē they charg them with hypocriſy. Thus thy will is good to a company of metaphyſicall Saints in the cloulds; but thoſe that are Gods Saints in particular, thou mockeſt. I be ſtubborne againſt the Commandements of God? I will not be ſtubborne againſt them; yea but this and that Commandement thou wilt not obſerve. Thou wilt not thinke beſt of them of whom thou ſhouldſt, nor take up that carriage in meetings that thou ſhouldſt; thou haſt a good will to the Commandements in affection, but thy will ſtands againſt the particulars of them. Generalls are but Notions, when they are abſtracted from the particulars. And therefore thy will is but a Notion; the will when it willeth indeed, willeth particulars, this particular duty, this particular Ordinance. Indeed good in the general is the object of the will, but when the will comes to will in the exerciſe of it it pitcheth on particulars.
Fifthly, thou haſt no true will, I ſpeake ſtill to the carnall, I ſay thou haſt no true will, becauſe if thou truly didſt will, thou couldſt; if thou didſt truly will to believe, and will to be a new creature, thou couldſt; for the will it hath potentiam execuvtiuam, ſo far as it will, &c. It hath an executing power to go ſo far as it wills; if thou didſt truly and really will to ſpeak holy, thy will would make thy tongue to put it in execution. If thou hadſt a will, thy will would command execution, my tongue ſhall ſpeake the praiſe of the Lord ſayes David, Pſal, 119.171.172. my ſoule it ſhall prayſe thee verſ. 175. I grant the woulding of the will goes further then all execution can go, to will is preſent with me, but how to performe that which is good, I finde not, Rom. 7.18. I quote this place the rather becauſe many wreſt it to their own destruction. Oh ſayes a wicked man, I have a a good will, I would as Paul ſayes, but J cannot performe, thus men miſinterpret this place; for looke how far Paul would, he could performe, for the will hath potentiam executricem and an imperative force over the man. What he did will, he did performe, he performed it in his heart and tongue and hand, &c. but he would draw his will forwarder then it was, but he could not, his very will was partly unwilling, hee could not indeed performe ſo much as he would, that is, he could not draw on his will ſo ſtrongly as he would. His will was not perfectly ſanctified, no Saint in this World hath any perfect completeneſſe of will; and therefore his performance is not perfect becauſe his will is not perfect. I ſay if thy will be converted to God, thou thy ſelfe art converted to God, obedience ever goes as far as the will. And therefore if thou art willing, its certaine thou art obedient; if yee be willing and obedient ſayes the Text, Iſay 1.19. whoſoever is willing to obey, that man does obey in ſome meaſure, becauſe the will hath power of execution, and the whole man at command. This is the reaſon why Divines ſay, that the ſincerity of the will is the condition of the Goſpell; wherefore if thou beeſt not obedient, neither art thou willing to obey, all the powers of thy ſoule and all the members of thy body, thy will hath an actus imperativus to command them. Now if thy will will not command them to yeild, thou art not ſo much as willing at all; if a Juſtice of peace ſhould tell me he would give me a Warrant, and yet when all comes to all, he will not command his clark for to write it, nor his own hand for to pen it, I ſee plainly he will not. Doſt thou ſay I would obey Chriſt, and J would deny ſelfe, why then doſt thou not command thy Clerke for to writ it? If thy will will not command tongue, Tongue thou ſhalt never talke ſo unprofitably as thou haſt done, and Eare thou ſhalt never hearken after vanity as thou haſt done; and thoughts, Thoughts yee ſhall never run at rovers as yee have done. Jf your will were but willing, it would command your whole ſoule, ſoule thou ſhalt not do as thou haſt done; as Davids will commanded his ſoule O my ſoule bleſſe the Lord, and forget thou not all his benefits, Pſalme 103.2. nay he commanded all that was in him, all that is in me, bleſſe his holy name, verſ. 1. So if thou wert willing, thy will would command all thy ſoule; ſoule, thou ſhalt not be ſo ſeldome at the throne of grace at thou art, &c. thus much of the ſecond objection drawn from the will.
Objection the third.
But thou deſireſt to do it, and therefore thou doeſt not ſtick at a will not.
I anſwer thee, who can tell beſt what is in thee, 3. Obect. anſweredGod or thine owne heart? verily the Lord that did make it, is likelieſt to know beſt. Now the Lord ſayes peremptorily thou deſireſt not grace; yea and thy heart ſayes it too, and the Lord heares it, though thou heareſt it not; they ſay unto God depart from us, we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, Job. 21.14. Nevertheleſſe becauſe thou ſtandeſt ſo ſtoutly upon it, that thou doſt deſire grace, I'le tell thee the reaſon of thy miſtake.
Firſt, thou haſt putative or thinking deſires, thou thinkſt thou deſireſt, and therefore thou art miſtaken; like Seneca's young ſcholler, that ſaid he deſired to be good. I do not ſay ſayth he, he lies, but putat ſe cupere, He thinkes hee deſires; ſo thou ſayeſt thou deſireſt. I will not ſay thou lyeſt, but thou thinkſt thou doſt ſo; now alas thy thoughts are the vaineſt things in the World. Vanity of thoughts. 2 Kings 5.31.How long ſhall vaine thoughts lodge within thee. Jer. 4.14. thy thoughts are very vaine, there is no truſting to them. Naaman thought, I thought ſayth he, but how wide his thought was the ſtory declares.Eſt. 6.6. Haman thought, hee thought in his heart ſayes the Text, but his thoughts came to nothing but a Gallowſe and a Ha…er. Iſhbibenos thought, but you know what his thoughts did come unto; it fell fowle on his owne head, nothing is more vain then the thoughts of carnall mens hearts; ſo thou thinkeſt thou deſireſt, alas thy thought is but vanity.
Secondly, thou haſt ignorant deſires ▪ thou doſt deſire to be one of Gods Saints, thou deſireſt it ignorantly; for when thou comeſt to ſee who the Saints be, namely, ſuch and ſuch whom thou conceiveſt to be ſtrange people and Puritans, then thou haſt no deſire to be one. Thou deſireſt to go after Chriſt, thou doſt ignorantly deſire it, for when thou ſeeſt thou muſt take up this croſſe, then thou haſt no deſire thereunto; as the Prophet ſpeakes of Chriſt in the perſon of the wicked: when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty that wee ſhould deſire him, Eſay 53.2. thou deſireſt with ignorant deſires before thou ſeeſt who he is; but when thou ſeeſt who he is, thou doſt not deſire him. Thou deſireſt his grace, thou deſireſt to believe and repent, and to put up injuries, theſe are ignorant deſires before thou ſeeſt what they be; but when thou ſeeſt what they be, what the injury is that thou ſhouldſt put up, then thou doſt not deſire to put it up; what the ſinne is that thou ſhouldſt leave, then thou doſt not deſire for to leave it; when thou ſeeſt them, then thou doſt not deſire them. When we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty that wee ſhould deſire him.
Thirdly, thou haſt wandering deſires. Oh ſayth one, you have a happy turne, you have good Preaching, and good meanes to be godly, and be edifyed. I deſire to be ſo; but alas our Miniſter does not Preach, and we have a dumbe dogge; and I am in a very wicked place, If I were as you are, I ſhould count my ſelfe happy. God knowes, I deſire heartily the edification of my ſoule; thus thy deſires wander after other mens caſes; and thou wilt not ſtirre out for thine owne. How doſt thou deſire to be edified, when thou wilt not ſtir out two or three miles to be edifyed? Thy deſires are like wandering vagrants, that will be everywhere wandring, but only there where they ſhould be. So thy deſires go roving up and down, and you are happy, and he is happy, and thou art unwilling in the meane time to labour, where and how God hath appointed thee: Theſe are none but gadding, wandring deſires; better is the ſight of the eyes then the wandring of the deſire. Eccl. 6.9. thy deſires wander abroad to a roming company of wiſhes, but thou wilt not obſerve that which God gives thee to ſee; thus much of the third objection, drawn from deſire.
The fourth Objection.
Thou reſolveſt and haſt good purpoſes, but oh thou canst not performe them.
I anſwer thee,4. Object. anſwered. do but conſider what thy purpoſe is, and thou ſhalt ſee how thou art cozened; theſe purpoſes thou ſpeak'ſt of are only voluntates de futuro. I will hereafter looke to it better then J have done heretofore. Hereafter J will, I purpoſe, that is hereafter I will; alas: this will for hereafter is no will.
Firſt, becauſe its onelyonly to ſhuffell of the willing for the preſent. Now the heart is unwilling to obey, and therefore it puts of the Commandment to hereafter, not for any ſuch deſire that it hath to do it hereafter, but only becauſe it is unwilling to do it for the preſent. Like a man that is unwilling to lend, I'll lend you hereafter ſayes he; ſay not unto thy Nighbour goe and come againe, and to morrow I will give thee, when thou haſt it by thee, Pro. 3.28. his purpoſe to lend him to morrow, was only becauſe he would ſhuffell of the lending to day. And therefore this purpoſe of willing hereafter, is no will at all, but only to ſhuffell of the willing for the preſent. Thou haſt the opportunity by thee, why doſt thou not take it? thou haſt the temptation by thee, why doſt thou not reſiſt it? doſt thou ſay thou haſt a will for hereafter, that is but a gull, that thou mayeſt not will for the preſent.
Secondly, this will for hereafter is no will, becauſe it goes without Gods; no will can go without God. Gods will is now, he would have thee now and thou wilt not; thou wilt hereafter, but then may be he will not. He that will not when he may, when he will he ſhall have nay; afterwards thou wouldſt faine be converted, and pardoned, &c. Lord open to me, nay but O man, when J would thou wouldſt not; now thou wouldſt, but I will not, thy will is for hereafter goes, without Gods, and therefore tis no will.
Thirdly, thy will for hereafter is no will, becauſe thou ſhalt miſſe thoſe ſuppoſitions that thou willedſt upon.
Firſt, Thou ſuppoſeſt thou ſhalt have fewer temptations hereafter. O when theſe troubles are over, and theſe temptations are over, I will; nay but O man when theſe are all over, new ones will come. And if the temptations for the preſent be a hinderance, ſome temptation or other as bad thou ſhalt meet with, that ſhall hinder thee hereafter much more, and therefore this ſuppoſition is falſe.
Secondly, thou ſuppoſeſt thou ſhalt be fitter hereafter; but, qui non eſt bodie cras minius aptus erit. if thou beeſt not fit now, much leſſe wilt thou be afterwards; thoult be unfitter and unfitter; like meat the longer it is kept, the unfitter tis to be eaten, and therefore this ſuppoſition is falſe too.
Fourthly, thy will for hereafter is no will, but a mockery. Antigonus foreign, Antigonus J will give, this is not good in mens Lawes, much leſſe in Gods. Dabo, I will give; this is no gift, ſayes the Law. So reſipiſcam, I will repent, this is no repentance, ſayes God; thus you ſee this objection is nothing, never tell me of thy purpoſes, thy purpoſes art willings for hereafter, and they are no wills at all.
The fifth Objection.
Thou endeavoureſt and laboureſt to ſerve God and to be ſaved
I anſwer thee, Alas;5. Obect. anſwered Is this to labour for grace and for Heaven, when thou laboureſt ſo idly? as God ſayd of that faſting; ſo may I ſay of thy labour, Is this the faſt that J have choſen? to afflict a mans ſelfe for a day? So, is this the labour that I have choſen? To labour ſo as thou laboureſt? but I need not to inſiſt on this plea, thy conſcience is able to anſwer it. Thou labour? thy conſcience knowes well enough thou art lazy, thou doſt not labour for holineſſe; ſo then thine impenitency is willfull, and thy damnation willfull and thy ruine wilfull.
To conclude then, underſtand all that you will not hear and obey.
Firſt, that your deſtruction is from ſelfe, you cannot caſt it upon God; he offers you the meanes to eſcape it, and you will not, Hoſ. 13.9.
Secondly, your deſtruction is moſt juſt, you cannot alleadge ſeverity or cruelty; no; your ſelves are the cruell ones. You judge your own ſelves unto Hell. The Lord preſſeth the Goſpell of grace upon you, and you put it off. Acts 13.46.
Thirdly, your deſtruction is inexcuſable, you have nothing to excuſe you; God hath taken way all clokes of excuſes, he hath offered you ſaving knowledge and you would not; a Chriſt and you would not; good motions, counſels, threatnings, and you would not. Your mouthes are quite ſtopped when you periſh, Mat. 22.12.
Fourthly, your deſtruction is unavoydable; if you would have relented and yeilded, there might have beene hope, but you would not. You have hardned your necks, and what's that but a will not? Therefore you ſhall be deſtroyed without remedy, Prov. 29.1.
Fifthly, your deſtruction is pittileſſe; what eye can pitty you? Will, will have will, though Will will have woe, as we ſay; not God, nor Angels, nor Saints, no eye can pity you. If the theife will ſteale and will to the Gallowſe, let him go; he is no object of pity; as we ſay of a wilfull man, no tale can tune him to take heed, ſo no meanes can tune you to take heed; and therefore when you rue it, you cannot be pittied.
Sixthly, your destruction is grievous; of all plagues, none will fret more, then thoſe which one hath wilfully puld on himſelfe. You'le one day gnaſh your own teeth, curſe your owne wills, banne your own hearts; woe is me, I am under the rod, and my ſelfe gathered it; in Hell, and my ſelfe kindled it. I might have prevented it, but J would not.
Now followes Application
Learne inſtruction then, leaſt yee periſh wilfully;1 Ʋſe. reforme as much as you may, downe with all your diſorders, ſtumbling blockes of iniquities, and all the Idols of your hearts, and caſt them into the brooke Kidron. Set up good courſes as much as you may, uſe all the means to ſalvation as humbly as you may; let not any family be without the due worſhip of God in it. Fathers, ſuffer not ſinne on your children, nor Maſters on your ſervants; lie not, ſweare not, covet not, omit not the exerciſes of hope, leaſt yee juſtly, inexcuſably, unavoydably, pittileſly periſh, and ſo reproach your own wills for ever in Tophet; as David then ſayd unto Salomon, after hee had ſet him buſineſſes to do, ariſe therefore and be doing, and the Lord be with thee ſayes he, 1 Chron. 22.16. So I may ſay to you, ariſe and be doing; up, ſet about it, uſe no excuſes, humble your ſelves before God, ſee your miſery and bewayle it, and the Lord be with you.