Take two motives to quicken you to this —
1. Better never be awakened if still we continue in our sins, for this aggravateth them : John iii. 19, ' And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.' When it prevaileth for conviction only, and not for conversion, when you know a better condition, and do not embrace it, this is not only shameful, but wilful sluggishness.
2. Better never rise in the last day if we be not raised from the death of sin. It would be a kind of good news to the wicked if there ■were an end of them in the grave. No ; all must rise again : John v. 28, 29, ' Marvel not at this ; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. Herein they are worse than the brutes, death puts an end to their pains and pleasures at once ; but ■when a wicked man dieth, he goeth to receive his everlasting doom and sentence, which shall openly be pronounced at the last day. Oh, then, ' arise from the dead.' There are two pleas against this exhortation ; some say, It is too soon ; others, It is too late.
[1.] Do not say, It is too soon ; for we can never soon enough get out of so great a danger. The case is more difficult every day; and when you are awakened, and smother your convictions, that bringeth on j)enal hardness : Heb. iii. 7, 8, ' To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.' While it is called to-day, before God's day be over, and the heat and force of the impulse be lost. The present time is the only time, and we are not sure the day of salvation may be longer, because death may cut us off. Sin is a hardening thing ; and the longer we sin, the more it hardeneth.
[2.] Do not say, It is too late ; for the work is yet possible, as short as your time is like to be in the world ; and it will be your fliult if it be not done. The covenant of grace promiseth pardon to every peni- tent believer, whenever they truly turn to God, without excepting any liour or person in the world. God doth yet freely offer you mercy ; and if you will not refuse him, the design of love shall not break on liis part. Repentance, and cries, and tears will be too late in the other world, but never here. God is able. Do not say, as Martha, John xi. 39, ' Lord, by this time he stinketh.' God is able to raise dead souls, as he did Lazarus out of the grave. Indeed, if you think sin is best for you, and you will not hear of changing your course, then for the present Christianity speaketh no good to you.
VeR. 14.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 343
Secondly, I must apply myself to the regenerate and renewed by grace, and so show you how they may sleep in sin, and therefore should awake to righteousness.
1. It may be incident to God's people ; for the foolish and wise virgins both slumbered and slept : Mat. xxv. 5, ' While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.'
Reasons.
[1.] There is a diversity of principles within us, the flesh inclining to sleep, and the spirit inclining to wake : Cant. v. 2, ' I sleep, but my heart waketh ; ' Mat. xxvi. 41, 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' The degrees of grace which the best attain unto in this life are mixed with imperfections; the commanding faculties do but imperfectly direct, and the inferior faculties do but imperfectly obey ; the understanding is but a blind guide, and the will is but imperfectly rectified by grace.
[2.] There are variety of natural occurrences working upon the diversity of principles within us ; sometimes we are in a prosperous estate, sometimes in deep trouble, and both may cause deadness and drowsiness in us. Deep troubles may make us ' weary of well-doing,' 2 Thes. iii. 13 ; Heb. xii. 3, ' Lest ye be wearied, and faint in your minds.' So in times of wealth, peace, and honour, these may breed in us security and neglect of God : Prov. i. 32, * For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.' Ease destroyeth the fool. When Delilah spreads her lap for us, and the delights of the world open their bosom to us, we had need to look to ourselves. David enjoying peace and rest fell into those foul sins of adultery and murder, 2 Sam. xi. 1. He slew Uriah, his friend, who in adversity spared Saul, his enemy ; his heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment, but without remorse he plotteth secretly to destroy his faithful servant.
[3.] Conversing with spiritual sluggards, who count it a high piece of wisdom not to be too forward in religion. Company and example hath a mighty force upon us, and doth secretly taint our hearts : Isa. vi. 5, ' Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.' Mortified, warm, heavenly, and self-denying christians do exceedingly quicken us : Heb. x. 24, ' Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and good works.' But carnal company is a deadening thing ; a man had need shake them off if he will keep religion alive : Ps. cxix. 115, ' Depart from me, ye evil-doers ; for I will keep the commandments of my God.' Our dulness is such, that we need most powerful helps. [4.] Another cause is dead worship. 3Iissa non mordet — The mass bites not. Spiritual duties are compared to new wine, Mat. ix. 17, but Pharisaical fasts to old dead wine. A perfunctory sort of worship never keepeth us awake ; powerful preaching is compared to goads to prick us: Eccles. xii. 11, ' The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies.'