CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

¹3. They cannot have the texts comfort at all, who are slothful and negligent, though they do not contrary or different, yet they are sluggish, and so will not work at all in Gods Vineyard. This is represented by the Parable of him who had but one Talent, yet because he did not improve it, he is cast into utter darkness; Cast that unprofitable servant, Mat. 25.30. He did not spend the Talent, he brought it sure and safe to his Master, but he is unprofitable, and must be cast ⟨p. 109⟩into utter darkness: So the tree that brings forth no fruit, though it did not bad fruit, must be cut down and cast into the fire. Oh how greatly is this to be considered, for whose life doth not appear to him, as Bernards did, aut peccatum, aut sterilitas, either the boggy mire of sin, or the parched wilderness of barrenness; and if that be so great a sin, Christ be so ready to curse it, no wonder if the most holy have sad thoughts about their death, and the day of their accounts. It's not then a negative Religion that will truly comfort thee, but a positive fruitful one. It will be no solid joy of conscience to say, and no more, Lord, I have been no drunkard, no adulterer, no profane person, for God looketh for a zealous, active, fruitful way in all holiness; yet how doth the mere negation of sin make many have strong confidence of their excellent condition; whereas if they did consider the positive fruitful part of godliness, and see how far they are off it, horror would overwhelm them. Consider then how fruitful are thy duties, are thy hours for God, mayest thou not cry out many times, hodie diem perdidi? doest thou put that of the Apostle in practice, to redeem the time? Ephes. 5.16. Heaven would not be heaven, if it were only a negation of torment, not a positive affluence of all happiness; so neither is that godliness which is a bare absence of sin, not a fruitful abounding in the ways of holiness.

¹3. They cannot have the texts comfort at all, who are slothfull and negligent, though they do not contrary or different, yet they are sluggish, and so will not work at all in Gods Vineyard. This is represented by the Parable of him who had but one Talent, yet because he did not improve it, he is cast into utter darknesse; Cast that unprofitable servant,