236 SERMONS UPON EPHESTANS V. [SeU. VIL
3. This obslinacv and disobedience is aji^frravated —
[1.] From the person who is disobeyed. It is not our counsel, but God's. To weary and grieve men who do entreat them to forsake tlieir sins and seek after God, is ill, for they nuist give an account : Heb. xiii. 17, 'Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your- selves ; for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief.' But that is not all: Isa. vii. 13, 'Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also ? ' They rebel against God himself while they shake ofi' his authority : Ps. xii. 4, ' Who have said. With our tongue we will prevail ; our lips are our own, who is lord over us ? ' and refuse to accept his gracious oflfeis: Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?' It redounds to the contempt of God, who hath provided such an excellent salvation for us in Christ. You despise him that speaketh from heaven, as well as weary them that speak on earth : Heb. xii. 25, ' See that ye refuse not him that speaketh ; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.'
[2.] From the manner of the persuasion, which is by the word and Spirit. In the word there are the highest motives to allure, the strongest arguments to persuade, the greatest terrors to scare men out of their sins. For motives, God outbiddeth them that bid most for your hearts ; he oflPereth you an eternal infinite happiness, both for your bodies and souls. A little dreggy delight, profit, honour, or vain pleasure is nothing to it ; it is not worthy to be compared with it. In other cases we would take the best bargain ; here is life, and pleasure. and honour, for evermore: Ps. xvi. 11, 'In thy presence is fulness of joy ; and at thy right hand pleasures for evermore.' Here are the strongest arguments to persuade God s authority : James iv. 12, ' Thei-e is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.' Christ's love : 2 Cor. V. 14, ' The love of Christ constiaineth us.' For terrors, God doth not tell us of mean penalties, but of a pit without a bottom, a worm that shall never die, a fire that shall never be quenched : Mark ix. 44, 'Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.' Is hell a vain scarecrow, where the damned spirits are perpetually exercised with a bitter remembrance of what is past, a sense of what is present, and a fear of what is to come ? If all this will not work, what will do ? Ps. Iviii. 4, 5, ' Their poison is like the poison of a serpent ; they are like the deaf adder, that stopiieth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of charmei-s, charming never so wisely.' An allusion to charming for the taming of serpents, which were used in those eastern countries ; not to approve them, but to improve a vile practice. Men will hold on their way, saj God what he will to the contrary. See the words of the prophet Jeremiah, chap. xiii. 11, 'But the people would not hear.' But this is not all. The motions of the Holy Spirit go along with it : Acts vii. .51, ' Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ; ' ye stop him in his sanctifying work, and refuse the help that God offers, which maketh it the more heinous.
[3.] From the plenty of offers. God hath called often and long : Prov. xxix. 1, ' He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall
TeR. 7.] SERMONS UrON EPHESIANS V. 237
vsuddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.' It is dangerous to sliglit frequent warnings ; these are obdurate in their sins.
[4.] From the concomitant dispensations of providence. When our obstinacy and resolved continuance in sin is not broken by afflictions ; as Pharaoh was Pharaoh still from first to last. Ahaz had a brand set upon him : 2Chron. xxviii. 22, ' And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord ; this is that king Ahaz.' God may break their backs by his judgments, but not their hearts : Prov. xxvii. 22, ' Though thou shouldst bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.' Spices bruised and pounded are more fit for medicine, but these depart not from their luxury, profaneness, and uncleanness, when they are not softened by mercies : Isa. xxvi. 10, ' Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness ; in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.' God shall not have their heart for all this ; they despise his goodness : Eom ii. 4. ' Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? '