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

¹2. This will diminish thy comfort much, though thou hast for the main been holy, when too much formality and slothfulness hath been upon thee. The want of zeal and fervency will greatly abate of thy joy: Therefore the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1. saith, Give all diligence to make your calling sure, as if he had said, as long as you live slothfully and negligently, you can never come to any assurance: the more lazy and cold thou art, the greater will thy fears and doubtings be: Oh then let this be a goad in thy side, to do what thou doest with all thy might, love God, serve God, pray to God with all thy might; I tell thee it will be a great grief and breaking of heart to think of all thy family duties and public duties, done in a mere customary way, if thou doest them not as a dying man, as a man going immediately to give his account to God, thou comest not up to thy duty. Rev. 2. see how severe God is there to the Church, I have something against thee, because thy works are not perfect, filled works: They were good works, but they were not filled with inward life and the substance of grace; therefore he exhorts them to strengthen the things that were ready to die: Oh then do thou pray, that a constant fire may burn upon the altar of thy heart, take heed of grievings and tormenting fears, because thou wert so barren so superficial and unhearty in the work of God; though this will not break thy anchor, yet it will toss thy ship up and down very violently; though it will not raze thy foundation, yet it will cause great heart-quakes and trembling within thee.

¹2. This will diminish thy comfort much, though thou hast for the main been holy, when too much formality and slothfulnesse hath been upon thee. The want of zeal and fervency will greatly abate of thy joy: Therefore the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1. saith, Give all diligence to make your calling sure, as if he had said, as long as you live slothfully and negligently, you can never come to any assurance: the more lazy and cold thou art, the greater will thy fears and doubtings be: Oh then let this be a goad in thy side, to do what thou doest with all thy might, love God, serve God, pray to God with all thy might; I tell thee it will be a great grief and breaking of heart to think of all thy family duties and publique duties, done in a meer customary way, if thou doest them not as a dying man, as a man going immediatly to give his account to God, thou comest not up to thy duty.