2. It reproves them that think that every slight profession of the name of God will serve the turn ; no, you must walk with God and please God. We are mistaken in the business of pleasing God ; it leaves a great burden of duty upon the creature ; it notes a universal constant care to please God at all times and in all things ; it is resig- nation and giving up yourselves to the will of God: Kom. xii. 1, ' I beseech you, brethren, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accei)table to God, which is your reasonable service.' Now wordlj' men that have not God in all their thoughts, or else wholly devote themselves to humour their own lusts, to please themselves and to please the flesh, not to please the Lord, yet, because of some slight acts of duty, they will foster and cherish great hopes in their bosoms. Oh, consider, you that ])lease the flesh and deny yourselves in no car- nal delight, you must lool^ for your reward from the flesh. If you have lived as those that would gratify yourselves in all your carnal desires, you are not meet for heaven. Or else men will rest in this ; they will please God where they do not displease themselves, or wrong or endanger their own interest. Alas ! this is man-pleasing and walk- ing with mammon, not with God ; they mind duty only, as it lies in mammon's road. Consider, walking with God is not a step or two — l)ractising duty now and then; but a 'walking worthy of the Lord,' as the apostle saith, ' unto all well-pleasing,' Col. i. 10. It requires much severity of life and solemn sequestration from the distractions and pleasures of the world, a great deal of self-denial, and still wait- ing upon God in holy services. Now, men that are only varnished over with the general name of christians are far from this. Oh, consider, what God is, and what you expect from him, and what in reason is suitable hereunto ! God will not be put off with anything ; you are 'to walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory,' 1 Thes. ii. 12. Oh, but we cannot endure to hear of such strict- ness, and think it is rank puritanism. But do you know that God is a great king, and will not be served with what costs you nought, you that wipe your mouths, and think sins are but petty slips and small escapes ; that God's patience will suffer all and his grace ])ardon all ; that no man can be perfect ; that the purest saints have fallen into as great faults ; and that you shall do well enough, though you be not .so strict and so nice ? Oh no, it cannot be ; these are vain thoughts — spider's webs, sorry fig-leaves, sandy foundations ; all these notions the scripture useth in this case. Our presumption of the end is upheld by our presumption of the means ; it is not presumption simpl}- to think you shall be saved, but to make every slight act a ground of hope. Men have no solid grounds of assurance, but usually make up in the
VeR. 5.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 69
strength of persuasion what is wanting in the grounds and warrant of it, as it bold-faced confidence would serve instead of duty.
S. It reproves those that would please God, but with a limitation and reservation so far as they may not displease men, or displease the flesh. Oh, if you please God. it requireth a solemn sequestration for his use, much selt-denial, ' to be followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises,' Heb. vi. 12. There is none went to heaven but one time or another they were sorely put to it ; and God will try whose interest is greater in us ; the fleshly interest or his interest, whether sensible things have a greater hand and power over us, or his promises : the best have need to look how they acquit them- selves upou trial.
4. It reproves those that adjourn and put off the work of religion from time to time, till they have lost all time ; that use to put off God to the troubles of sickness or the aches of old age. It is Satan's great artifice to cheat men of the present season by future promises. Oh, consider, the work is great, and life is short ! If we did live as many years as days, or as many years as there be days in the year, as Enoch did, yet there would be enough to take u[) our time. The journey to heaven is long, and we have but little time ; we can never outiijrow our duty ; still there would be room for abounding in the work of the Lord. Consider again, no season can be fitter than the present time. But still we want something ; in youth we want wisdom ; and in age we want vigour and strength ; and, besides, it is very uncertain whether God will give us another o[)portunity. We have not a lease of to- morrow ; if we had, it is doubtful whether ever we shall have a heart to make use of it. We cannot presume of our own hearts, because grace is not in our own power ; we cannot presume on God's mercy, for he hath made no absolute promise ; we cannot presume of any singular efficacy that will be in old age or in death, because moral means do not work without special grace. Although we see we are declining every day, yet we are as the bad thief who had one foot in hell ; yet he mocks and scoffs at Jesus Christ, and dies blaspheming; nay, we have shrewd presumptions of the contrary, because there will be a greater disability either in respect of ourselves or grace — and use makes our hearts readier to sin ; and by long continuance the habit of dis- pleasing God will be strengthened. Satan is never more busy than when life draweth to an end, and thou hast never less strength to resist him. Long use makes your hearts obdurate, and long resistance will grieve the Spirit of God, and sins of an unregenerate life will make death more terrible : and therefore do not adjourn and put off God. Certainly when a man is unfit for every common secular employment, he is much more for spiritual ; the trouble of pains and aches, and decay of spirit, and the diversion of business, and the importunity of Satan's tempta- tions, these things should put us upon taking hold of the present season. It is to be suspected, when we will not leave our sins till we leave our lives, how shall we then distinguish nature from grace ? or that it is more than natural afifrightment, arising from the sense of disease and pain, or natural desires of happiness? And besides, the invitations of scripture call for a present obedience, a yielding up ourselves, not upon force, as when we come to die ; but they call for