Sermons on Various Subjects Volume 1, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
The ALMOST CHRISTIAN.
ACTS xxvi. 28.
Almoſt thou perſuadeſt me to be a Chriſtian.
THESE Words contain the ingenuous Confeſſion of King Agrippa; which having ſome Reference to what went before, it may not be improper to relate to you the Subſtance of the preceeding Verſes, to which theſe Words are ſo cloſely connected.
The Chapter then, out of which the Text is taken, contains an admirable. Account the great St. Paul gave of his wonderful Converſion from Judaiſm to Chriſtianity, when he was called to make his Defence before Feſtus and another Gentile Governor. Our bleſſed LORD had long ſince foretold, that When the Son of Man ſhould be lifted up, his Diſciples ſhould be brought before Kings, for his Name's Sake, for a Teſtimony unto them. And very … was the Deſign of infinite Wiſdom in thus o…aining, it: For Chriſtianity being from the very beginning … a Doctrine of the Croſs, the Princes and Rule… … of the Earth th…ght themſelves too high to … inſtructed by ſuch mean Teachers, or too happy to be diſturbed by ſuch unwelcome Truths; and therefore would have always continued Strangers to JESUS CHRIST, and him Crucified, had not the Apoſtles, by being Arraigned before them, gained Opportunities of preaching to them JESUS and the Reſurrection. St. Paul knew full well that this was the main Reaſon, why his Bleſſed Maſter permitted his Enemies at this Time to arraign him at a publick Bar: And therefore, in Compliance▪ with the Divine Will, thinks it not ſufficient, barely to make his Defence, but endeavours at the ſame Time to convert his Judges. And this he did with ſuch Demonſtration of the Spirit, and of Power, that Feſtus, unwilling to be convinced by the ſtrongeſt Evidence, cries out with a loud Voice, Paul, much Learning doth make thee mad. To which the brave Apoſtle (like a true Follower of the Holy JESUS) meekly replies, I am not mad, moſt noble Feſtus, but ſpeak forth the Words of Truth and Soberneſs. But in all Probability ſeeing King Agrippa more affected with his Diſcourſe, and obſerving in him an Inclination to know the Truth, he applies himſelf more particularly to him: … King, ſays he, knoweth of theſe Things; before whom alſo I ſpeak freely; for I am perſuaded that none of theſe Things are hidden from him. And then, that if poſſible he might compleat his wiſhed-for Converſion, he with an inimitable Strain of Oratory, addreſſes himſelf ſtill more cloſely,—King Agrippa, believeſt thou the Prophets? I know that thou believeſt them. At which the Paſſions of the King began to work ſo ſtrongly, that he was obliged, in open Court, to own himſelf affected by the Priſoner's Preaching, and ingenuouſly to cry out,—Paul, almoſt thou perſuadeſt me to be a Chriſtian.
Which Words, taken with the Context, afford us a lively Repreſentation of the different Reception the Doctrine of CHRIST'S Miniſters, who come in the Power and Spirit of St. Paul, meets with now-a-days in the Minds of Men. For notwithſtanding they, like this great Apoſtle, ſpeak forth the Words of Truth and Soberneſs; and with ſuch Energy and Power, that all their Adverſaries cannot gainſay or reſiſt; yet, too many, with the moſt noble Feſtus before mentioned, being, like him, either too proud … be taught, or too ſenſual, too careleſs, or too worldly-minded to live up to their Doctrine,—in order to excuſe themſelves, cry out, that much Learning, much Study, or, what is more unaccountable, much Piety, hath made them mad. And though, bleſſed be GOD! all do not thus diſbelieve our Report; yet amongſt thoſe many others, who gladly receive the Word, and confeſs that we ſpeak the Words of Truth and Soberneſs, there are ſo few, who arrive at any higher Degree of Piety than that of Agrippa, or are any farther perſuaded than to be almoſt Chriſtians,—that I cannot but think it highly neceſſary to warn my dear Hearers of the Danger of ſuch a State. And therefore, from the Words of the Text, ſhall endeavour to conſider theſe three Things:
Firſt, What is meant by an Almoſt Chriſtian. Secondly, What are the chief Reaſons, why ſo many are no more than Almoſt Chriſtians.
Thirdly, I ſhall conſider the Ineffectualneſs, Danger, Abſurdity, and Uneaſineſs that attends thoſe that are but Almoſt Chriſtians.
Fourthly, I ſhall conclude with a general Exhortation, to ſet all upon ſtriving not only to be Almoſt,. but Altogether Chriſtians.
I. And Firſt I am to conſider, what is meant by an Almoſt Chriſtian.
An Almoſt Chriſtian then, if we conſider him in reſpect to his Duty to GOD, is one that halts between two Opinions, that wavers between CHRIST and the World; that would reconcile GOD and Mammon, that is, Light and Darkneſs, CHRIST and Belial. It is true, He has an Inclination to Religion, but then he is very cautious how he goes too far in it: His falſe Heart is always crying out, Spare thyſelf, d… thyſelf no Harm. He prays indeed, that GOD's Will may be done on Earth, … it is in Heaven: But then, notwithſtanding he is very partial in his Obedience, and fondly hopes that GOD will not be extreme to mark every Thing that he … fully does amiſs; though an inſpired Apoſtle has told him, that he that wilfully offends in one Point, is guilty of all. Above all, he is one that depends much on outward Ordinances, and upon that account looks upon himſelf as Righteous, and deſpiſes others; though at the ſame Time he may be as great a Stranger to the Divine Life as any other Perſon whatſoever. In ſhort, he is fond of the Form, but never experiences the Power of Godlineſs in his Heart: He goes on Year after Year, feeding and attending on the Means of Grace; but then, like Pharaoh's Lean Kine, is never the better, but rather the worſe for them.
If you conſider him in reſpect to his Neighbour, he is one that is ſtrictly juſt to all; but then this does not proceed from any Love to GOD or Regard to Man, but only out of a Principle of Self-Love; becauſe he knows Diſhoneſty will ſpoil his Reputation, and conſequently hinder his Thriving in the World.
He is one that depends much on being Negatively good, and contents himſelf with the Conſciouſneſs of having done no one any Harm; though he reads in the Goſpel, that the unprofitable Servant was caſt into outer Darkneſs, and the barren Fig-tree curſed and dried up from the Roots, not for bearing bad, but no Fruit.
He is no Enemy to charitable Contributions, if not too frequently recommended: But then he is quite unacquainted with the kind Offices of Viſiting the Sick and Impriſoned, Cloathing the Naked, and Relieving the Hungry. He thinks that theſe Things belong only to the Clergy, though his own falſe Heart tells him, that nothing but Pride keeps him from exerciſing theſe Acts of Humility, and that JESUS CHRIST, in the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew, condemns Perſons to everlaſting Puniſhment, not for being Fornicators, Drunkards, or Extor…oners, but merely for neglecting theſe charitable Offices, When the Son of Man; ſays our bleſſed LORD himſelf, ſhall come in his Glory, He ſhall ſet the Sheep on his Right Hand, and the Goats on his Left. And then ſhall He ſay unto them on his Left Hand, Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels: For I was an Hungred, and ye gave me no Meat; I was thirſty, and ye gave me no Drink; I was a Stranger, and ye took me not in; Naked, and ye cloathed me not; Sick and in Priſon, and ye viſited me not. Then ſhall they alſo ſay, Lord, when ſaw we Thee an hungred, or a-thirſt, or a Stranger, or naked, or ſick, or in Priſon, and did not miniſter unto thee? Then ſhall he anſwer them, Verily I ſay unto you, inaſmuch as ye have not done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, ye did it not unto me: And theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting Puniſhment. I thought proper to give you this whole Paſſage of Scripture at large, becauſe our Saviour lays ſuch a particular Streſs upon it; and yet notwithſtanding it is ſo little regarded, that were we to judge by the Practice of Chriſtians, one ſhould be tempted to think there were no ſuch Verſes in the Bible.
But to proceed in our Character of an Almoſt Chriſtian: If we conſider him in reſpect of himſelf: as before we ſaid he was ſtrictly honeſt to his Neighbour, ſo he is likewiſe ſtrictly ſober in himſelf: But then both his Honeſty and Sobriety proceed from the ſame Principle of a falſe Self-Love. It is true, he runs not into the ſame Exceſs of Riot with other Men; but then it is not out of Obedience to the Laws of GOD, but either becauſe his Conſtitution will not away with Intemperance; or rather becauſe be is cautious of forfeiting his Reputation, or unfitting himſelf for temporal Buſineſs. But though he is ſo prudent as to avoid Intemperance and Exceſs, for the Reaſons before mentioned; yet he always goes to the Extremity of what is lawful. It is true, he is no Drunkard; but then he has no Chriſtian Self-Denial to plead for him. He cannot think our Saviour to be ſo auſtere a Maſter, as to deny us to indulge ourſelves in ſome Particulars: And ſo by this Means he is kept out of a Senſe of true Religion, as much as if he lived in Debauchery, or any other Crime whatever. As to ſettling his Principles as well as Practice, he is guided more by the World, than by the Word of GOD. As for his Part, he cannot think the Way to Heaven ſo narrow as ſome would make it: And therefore conſiders not ſo much what Scripture requires, as what ſuch and ſuch a good Man does, or what will beſt ſuit his own corrupt Inclinations. Upon this Account, he is not only very cautious himſelf, but likewiſe very careful of young Converts, whoſe Faces are ſet Heavenward; and therefore is always acting the Devil's Part, and bidding them ſpare themſelves, though they are doing no more than what the Scripture ſtrictly requires of them to do: The Conſequence of which is, that he ſuffers not himſelf to enter into the Kingdom of GOD, and they that are entering in he …inders.
Thus lives … Almoſt Chriſtian: Not that I can ſay, I have fully deſcribed him to you; but from theſe Out-lines and Sketches of his Character, if your Conſciences have done their proper Offices, and made a particular Application of what has been ſaid to your own Hearts, I cannot but fear that ſome of you may obſerve ſome Features in his Picture, odious as it is, too near reſembling your own; and therefore cannot but hope, at the ſame Time, that you join with the Apoſtle in the Words immediately following the Text, and wiſh yourſelves not only almoſt, but altogether Chriſtians.
II. But it is Time for me to proceed to the Second general Thing propoſed; namely, to conſider the Reaſons why ſo many are no more than Almoſt Chriſtians.
1. And the firſt Reaſon I ſhall mention is, becauſe ſo many ſet out with falſe Notions of Religion; and though they live in a Chriſtian Country, yet know not what Chriſtianity is. This perhaps may be eſteemed a hard Saying, but Experience ſadly evinces the Truth of it; For ſome place Religion in being of this or that Communion; more in Morality; moſt in a Round of Duties, and a Model of Performances; and few, very few acknowledge it to be, what it really is, a thorough inward Change of Nature, a Divine Life, a Vital Participation of JESUS CHRIST, an Union of the Soul with GOD; which the Apoſtle expreſſes by ſaying, He that is joined to the LORD is one Spirit. Hence it happens that ſo many, even of the moſt knowing Profeſſors, when you come to converſe with them concerning the Eſſence, the Life, the Soul of Religion, I mean our New Birth in JESUS CHRIST, confeſs themſelves quite ignorant of the Matter, and cry out with Nicodemus, How can this Thing be? And no wonder then, that ſo many are only Almoſt Chriſtians, when ſo many know not what Chriſtianity is: No Marvel ſo many take up with the Form, when they are quite Strangers to the Power of Godlineſs; or content themſelves with the Shadow, when they know ſo little about the Subſtance of it. And this is one Cauſe why ſo many are almoſt, why ſo few are altogether Chriſtians.
2. A Second Reaſon that may be aſſigned why ſo many are no more than almoſt Chriſtians, is a ſervile Fear of Man: Multitudes there are and have been, who, though awakened to a Senſe of the Divine Life, and have taſted and felt the Powers of the World to come; yet out of a baſe ſinful Fear of being counted ſingular, or contemned by Men, have ſuffered all thoſe good Impreſſions to wear off again. It is true they have ſome Eſteem for JESUS CHRIST; but then, like Nicodemus, they would come to him only by Night: They are willing to ſerve him; but then they would do it ſecretly, for Fear of the Jews: They have a Mind to ſee JESUS, but then they cannot come to him, becauſe of the Preſs, for fear of being laughed at, and ridiculed by thoſe with whom they uſed to ſit at Meat. But well did our Saviour propheſy of ſuch Perſons, How can ye love me which receive Honour one of another? Alas! have they never read, that the Friendſhip of this World is Enmity with GOD; and that our LORD himſelf has threatned, Whoſoever ſhall be aſhamed of me or of my Words, in this wicked and adulterous Generation, of him ſhall the Son of Man be aſhamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father and of his Holy Angels? But no Wonder that ſo many are no more than almoſt Chriſtians ſince ſo many love the Praiſe of Men more than the Honour which cometh of GOD.
3. A third Reaſon why ſo many are no more than Almoſt Chriſtians, is a reigning Love of Money. This was the pitiable Caſe of that forward young Man in the Goſpel, who came running to our Bleſſed LORD, and kneeling before him, enquired what He muſt do to inherit Eternal Life; to which our bleſſed Maſter replied, Thou knoweſt the Commandments, Do not Kill, Do not commit Adultery, Do not Steal: To which the young Man replied (Oh that every young Man here preſent could do ſo too) All theſe I have kept from my Youth. But when our LORD proceeded to tell him, Yet lackeſt thou one Thing, Go ſell all that thou haſt and give to the Poor,—he was grieved at that Saying, and went away ſorrowful, for he had great Poſſeſſions! Poor Youth! he had a good Mind to be a Chriſtian, and to inherit Eternal Life, but thought it too dear, if it could be purchaſed at no leſs an Expence than of his whole Eſtate! And thus many, both Young and Old, now-a-days come running to worſhip our bleſſed LORD in publick, and kneel before him in private, and enquire at his Goſpel, what they muſt do to inherit Eternal Life: But when they find they muſt renounce the Self-Enjoyment of Riches, and forſake all in Affection to follow Him, they cry, The LORD pardon us in this Thing!—We pray Thee, have us excuſed.
But is Heaven ſo ſmall a Trifle in ſuch Men's Eſteem, as not to be worth a little gilded Earth? Is Eternal Life ſo mean a Purchaſe, as not to deſerve the Temporary Renunciation of a few tranſitory Riches? Surely it is. But however inconſiſtent ſuch a Behaviour may be, this inordinate Love of Money is too evidently the common and fatal Cauſe why ſo many are no more than Almoſt Chriſtians.
4. Nor is the reigning Love of Pleaſure a leſs uncommon, or a leſs fatal Cauſe why ſo many are no more than almoſt Chriſtians. Thouſands and ten Thouſands there are, who deſpiſe Riches, and would willingly be true Diſciples of JESUS CHRIST, would parting with their Money make them ſo; but when they are told that our Bleſſed LORD has laid it down as an indiſpenſable Condition, that Whoſoever will come after Him muſt deny himſelf;—like the pitiable young Man before mentioned, they go away ſorrowful: For they have too great a Love for ſenſual Pleaſures. They will, like Herod, perhaps ſend for the Miniſters of CHRIST, as he did for John, and hear them gladly: But touch them in their Herodias, tell them they muſt part with … or ſuch a darling Pleaſure; and with wicked Ahab they cry out, Haſt thou found us, O our Enemy? Tell them of the Neceſſity of Mortification, Faſting and Self-Denial, and it is as difficult to them to hear, as if you was to bid them cut off a Right Hand or pluck out a Right Eye: They cannot think our Bleſſed LORD requires ſo much at their Hands, though an inſpired Apoſtle has commanded us to mortify our Members which are upon the Earth: And he himſelf, even after he had converted Millions, and was very near arrived to the End of his Race, yet profeſſed that it was his daily Practice to keep under his Body, and bring it into Subjection, leſt after he had preached to others, he himſelf ſhould be a Caſt-away!
But ſome Men would be wiſer than this great Apoſtle, and chalk out to us what they falſely imagine an eaſier Way to Happineſs. They would flatter us we may go to Heaven without offering Violence to our ſenſual Appetites; and enter into the ſtrait Gate without ſtriving againſt our carnal Inclinations. And this is another Reaſon why ſo many are only almoſt, and not altogether Chriſtians.
5. The fifth and laſt Reaſon I ſhall aſſign why ſo many are only almoſt Chriſtians, is a Fickleſs and Inſtability of Temper.
It has been, no doubt, the Misfortune that many a Miniſter and ſincere Chriſtian has met with, to weep and wail over Numbers of promiſing Converts, who ſeemingly began in the Spirit, but after a while have fell away, and baſely ended in the Fleſh; and this not for want of right Notions in Religion, nor out of a ſervile Fear of Man, nor out of Love of Money or ſenſual Pleaſure, but out of an Inſtability and Fickleneſs of Temper. They looked upon Religion merely for Novelty, as ſomething which pleaſes them for a while; but after their Curioſity was ſatisfied, they have laid it aſide again: Like the young Man that came to ſee JESUS with a Linnen Cloth about his naked Body, they have followed him for a Seaſon, but when Temptations have come to take hold on them, for want of a little more Reſolution, they have been ſtripped of all their good Intentions, and fled away naked. They at firſt, like a Tree planted by the Water-ſide, grew up and flouriſhed for a while; but having no Root of themſelves, no inward Principle of Holineſs and Piety, like Jonah's Gourd, were ſoon dried up, cut down and withered. Their good Intentions are but too like the violent Motions of the Animal Spirits of a Body newly beheaded, which tho' impetuous, are not laſting. In ſhort, they ſet out well in their Journey to Heaven, but finding the Way either narrower or longer than they expected,—through an Unſteadineſs of Temper, they have made an eternal Halt, and ſo returned like the Dog to his Vomit, or like the Sow that was waſhed to her wallowing in the Mire!
But I tremble to pronounce the Fate of ſuch unſtable Profeſſors, who having put their Hands to the Plow, for want of a little more Reſolution, ſhamefully look back. How ſhall I repeat to them that dreadful Threatning, If any Man draw back, my Soul ſhall have no Pleaſure in him: And again, It is impoſſible, that is, exceeding difficult at leaſt, for thoſe that have been once enlightened, and have taſted the good Gift of GOD's Holy Spirit, and the Powers of the World to come, if they ſhould fall away, to be renewed again unto Repentance. But notwithſtanding the Goſpel is ſo ſevere againſt Apoſtates, yet many that begun well, through a Fickleneſs of Temper, (Oh that none of us here preſent may ever be ſuch) have been by this means of the Number of thoſe that turn back unto Perdition. And this is the fifth and laſt Reaſon I ſhall give, why ſo many are only almoſt, and not altogether Chriſtians.
But you, Brethren, have not ſo learned CHRIST. GOD forbid that a Fear of a little Contempt, a love of a little worldly Gain, or a Fondneſs for a little ſenſual Pleaſure, or want of ſteady Reſolution, ſhould hinder you from entring into Eternal Life, or make you ſo ſottiſh as to think you may compound Matters between GOD and your Souls.
III. Proceed we therefore now to the Third General Thing propoſed, namely, to conſider the Folly of being no more than an almoſt Chriſtian.
And the firſt Proof I ſhall give of the Folly of ſuch a Proceeding is,—that it is ineffectual to Salvation. It is true, ſuch Men are almoſt good, but almoſt to hit the Mark, is really to miſs it. GOD requires us to love him with all our Hearts, with all our Souls, and with all our Strength▪ He loves us too well to admit any Rival; becauſe ſo far as our Hearts are empty of GOD, ſo far muſt they be unhappy. The Devil, indeed, like the falſe Mother that came before Solomon, would have our Hearts divided, as ſhe would have had the Child; but GOD, like the true Mother, will have all or none. My Son give me thy Heart, thy whole Heart, is the general Call to all: And if we do not perform this Condition, we never can expect the Divine Mercy.
Perſons may indeed flatter themſelves, that a partial Obedience will ſerve their Turn; but GOD at the Great Day will ſtrike them dead, as he did Ananias and Sapphira by the Mouth of his Servant Peter, for pretending to offer him all their Hearts, when they keep back from him the greateſt Part. They may perhaps impoſe upon their fellow Creatures for a while, but He that enabled Elijah to cry out, Come in thou Wife of Jeroboam, when ſhe came diſguiſed to enquire about her ſick Son, will alſo diſcover them thro' their moſt artful Diſſimulations, and if their Hearts are not whole with him—appoint them their Portion with Hypocrites and Unbelievers.
But ſecondly, What renders an half-way Piety more inexcuſable is, that it is not only inſufficient to our own Salvation, but alſo moſt prejudicial to that of others.
An Al…oſt Chriſtian is one of the moſt hurtful Creatures in the World: He is a Wolf in Sheep's Cloathing; he is one of thoſe falſe Prophets our Bleſſed LORD bids us beware of in his Sermon … the Mount, who would perſuade Men, that the Way to Heaven is broader than it really is; and thereby, as it was obſerved before, enter not into the Kingdom of GOD themſelves, and thoſe that are entring in they hinder. Theſe, theſe are the Men that turn the World into a lukewarm Laodicean Spirit; that hang out falſe Lights, and ſo ſhipwreck unthinking benighted Souls in their Voyage to the Haven where they would be. Theſe are they that are greater Enemies to the Croſs of CHRIST, than Infidels themſelves: For of an Unbeliever every one will be aware; but an Almoſt Chriſtian, through his ſubtle Hypocriſy, draws away many after him; and therefore muſt expect to receive the greater Damnation.
But thirdly, as it is moſt prejudicial to ourſelves and hurtful to others, ſo it is the greateſt Piece of Ingratitude we can expreſs towards our Lord and Maſter JESUS CHRIST. For did he come down from Heaven, and ſhed his precious Blood, to purchaſe theſe Hearts of ours, and ſhall we only give him half of them? Oh how can we ſay we love him, when our Hearts are not wholly with him? How can we call him our Saviour, when we will not endeavour ſincerely to approve ourſelves to him▪ and ſo let him ſee the Travail of his Soul, and be ſatisfied!
Had any of us purchaſed a Slave at a moſt expenſive Rate, that was before involved in the utmoſt Miſeries and Torments, and ſo muſt have continued for ever, had we ſhut up our Bowels of Compaſſion from him; and was this Slave afterwards to grow rebellious, or … giving us but half his Service: How, how ſhould we exclaim againſt his baſe Ingratitude! And yet this baſe ungrateful Slave thou art, O Man, who acknowledgeſt thyſelf to be redeemed from infinite unavoidable Miſery and Puniſhment by the Death of JESUS CHRIST, and yet wilt not give thyſelf wholly to him. But ſhall we deal with GOD our Maker in a manner we would not be dealt with by a Man like ourſelves? ſhall we mete out a leſs Meaſure of Love to our Saviour, than we would have dealt to ourſelves? GOD forbid!
IV. No, (that I may come to the laſt Thing propoſed, namely, to add a Word or two of Exhortation to be not only almoſt, but altogether Chriſtians) let us ſcorn all ſuch baſe and treacherous Treatment of our King and Saviour, nay our GOD. Let us not take ſome Pains all our Lives to go to Heaven, and yet plunge ourſelves into Hell at laſt. Let us give GOD our whole Hearts, and no longer halt between two Opinions: If the World be GOD let us ſerve That; If Pleaſure be a GOD let us ſerve That; but if the LORD He be GOD, let us, Oh let us ſerve Him alone. Alas! why, why ſhould we ſtand out any longer? Why ſhould we be ſo in Love with Slavery, as not wholly to renounce the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, which, like ſo many ſpiritual Chains, bind down our Souls, and hinder them from flying up to GOD. Alas! what are we afraid of? Is not GOD able to reward our entire Obedience? If he is, as the almoſt Chriſtian's … Way of ſerving him ſeems to grant,—Why then will we not ſerve him entirely? For the ſame Reaſon we do ſo much, why do we not do more? Or do you think that being only half Religious will make you happy, but that going farther will render you miſerable and uneaſy? Alas! this, my Brethren, is Deluſion all over: For what is it but this half Piety, this wavering between GOD and the World, that makes ſo many that are ſeemingly well diſpoſed, ſuch utter Strangers to the Comforts of Religion? They chuſe juſt ſo much of Religion as will diſturb them in their Luſts, and follow their Luſts ſo far as to deprive themſelves of the Comforts of Religion. Whereas on the Contrary, would they ſincerely leave all in Affection, and give their Hearts wholly to GOD, they would then (and they cannot till then) experience the unſpeakable Pleaſure of having a Mind at unity with itſelf, and enjoy ſuch a Peace of God, which even in this Life, paſſes all Underſtanding, and which they were entire Strangers to before. It is true, if we will devote ourſelves entirely to GOD, we muſt meet with Contempt; but then it is becauſe Contempt is neceſſary to heal our Pride. We muſt renounce ſome ſenſual Pleaſure; but then it is becauſe thoſe unfit us for Spiritual ones, which are infinitely better. We muſt renounce the Love of the World; but then it is that we may be filled with the Love of GOD: And when that has once enlarged our Hearts, we ſhall like Jacob when he ſerved for his beloved Rachel, think nothing too difficult to undergo, no Hardſhips too tedious to endure, becauſe of the Love we ſhall then have for our dear Redeemer. … eaſy, thus delightful will be the Ways of GOD even in this Life: But when once we throw off theſe Bodies, and our Souls are filled with all the Fullneſs of GOD, Oh! what Heart can conceive, what Tongue can expreſs, with what unſpeakable Joy and Conſolation we ſhall then look back on our paſt ſincere and hearty Services, which have procured us ſo invaluable a Reward! Think you then, my dear Hearers, we ſhall repent we had done too much; or rather think you not we ſhall be aſhamed that we did no more; and bluſh we were ſo backward to give up all to GOD; when He intended hereafter to give us Himſelf?
Let me therefore, to conclude, exhort you, my Brethren, to have always the unſpeakable Reward of an entire Obedience ſet before you: And think withal, that every degree of Holineſs you neglect, every Inſtance of Piety you paſs by, is a Jewel taken out of your Crown, a degree of Bleſſedneſs loſt in the Viſion of GOD. Oh! do but always think and act thus, and you will no longer be labouring to compound Matters between GOD and the World; but on the contrary, be daily endeavouring to give up yourſelves more and more unto him; you will be always Watching, always praying, always aſpiring after farther degrees of Purity and Love, and ſo conſequently always preparing yourſelves for a fuller Light and Enjoyment of that GOD, in whoſe Preſence there is Fulneſs of Joy, and at whoſe Right Hand there are Pleaſures for ever more. Amen! Amen!