Ans. 1. Whatever your business be, you have a time to eat and drink and sleep ; and have you no time to be saved ? Better encroach upon other things than that religion should be cast to the wails, or jostled out of your thoughts. David was a king, and he had more distracting affairs than most of us have, or can have ; yet, Ps. cxix. 147, 148, he saith, 'I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried ;' and ' Mine eyes prevent the night-watches, that I might medi- tate on thy word.'
2. Do you spend no time in idleness, vain talking, or carnal sports ? And might not this be better employed about heavenly things? Eph. v. 16, ' Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.'
3. Much of religion is transacted in the mind. A Christian is always serving God ; his second-table duties are first-table duties. As carnal men go about heavenly things with a carnal mind, so the Christian goeth about carnal things with a heavenly mind.
4. God would be sure to have a portion of time, therefore the Lord's day was appointed : Isa. lviii. 13, ' If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable ; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words,' &c. That it may be dear to us in the flesh, and in the Lord, when we have God's command, and the laws of the land too.
5. All your time is lost that is not spent in God's service.
Object. 2. But I have no power nor strength to do good ; and what will you have us do ?
Ans. You can do more than you do, but you will not make trial. God may be more ready with the assistances of his grace than you can imagine. The tired may complain of the length of the way, but not the lazy that will not stir a foot. If you did make trial, you would not complain of God, but yourselves ; and beg grace more feelingly. You are not able because you are not willing. Your im- potency is contracted by evil habits and long custom in sin ; that is an aggravation of your sin.
Object. 3. It is dangerous and troublesome to own God and religion heartily.
Ans. Did not you resolve to serve God whatever it cost you? And is God harsh and severe because he trieth whether you will be as good as your word, and will not let you go to heaven with a vain complaint
480 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. XV.
in your mouths ? Will this comfort you in hell, and for the loss of everlasting happiness ? In hell will you say, I came hither to save myself a labour, and to be exempt from the diligence of the holy life, and sufferings incident to it? Will you stop a journey for your lives because the wind bloweth on you, and there is dirt in the way? Nothing can take oft' a minister from seeking the conversion and salva- tion of souls, Acts xx. 23, 24 ; and can anything be an excuse to you ? Should your souls be dearer to us than you ? It is necessary for our trial that we should meet with scorns and oppositions. Should a weak blast drive us from God ? Rev. ii. 13, 14, ' I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is ; and thou boldest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith ; even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.' It is exceeding commendable to be zealous in such a place, or in such a time, when religion is hazardous and dangerous. Christ suffered more for you than you can for him, and God hath greater terrors than man can present.
Object. 4. I am of a slow wit, have a weak understanding, know not to which party I should cleave and join myself.
Ans. Certainly not to that which is most pleasing to corrupt affec- tions. But divisions in the church are to try the approved, who is chaff, and who is good grain : 1 Cor. xi. 19, ' For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made mani- fest among you.' The scripture is not dark, but we want eyes. You may know the mind of God : Ps. cxix. 18, ' Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.' And John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them by thy truth ; thy word is truth.'
Object. 5. I have so many temptations and enticements, I hope God will consider my weakness.
Ans. You are as earnestly persuaded upon better motives if per- suasion will do it. What is a little worldly glory to eternal glory, brutish pleasures to pure delights ?
Use 1. Since sloth is so great an evil, let the children of God take heed of it.
And so, first, of sloth and idleness in their particular calling. This was one of Sodom's sins : Ezek. xvi. 49, ' Pride and fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness.' This is sensuality, as well as other sins that are more noted in the world, as being an indulgence to the flesh, as well as other things, which are commonly decried, because they be- tray us to more shame in the world.