Oh!1 how many are there that take more pains to go to Hell, than others do that go to Heaven? they will so struggle, and suffer for their sin, willing to break with their friends to accomplish their sinful lusts, willing to venture their estates, to hazard their healths, willing to do any thing in the world, they are willing to go through all difficulties that they may have their sin: Yet they will not plough for God: Oh! they complain of any little difficulty in the ways of God;2 but complain of no difficulty in the ways of sin, Oh! what a wicked and wretched heart is this, to be offended with any hardness in Gods ways, and yet be content to endure any hardness at all in the ways of sin! Oh! that we were but as instrumental for God, and willing to plough, as hard as others do for that which is sin. And Oh! when you shall come to die, to reap the fruit of your labour, what terror do you think will this be to your consciences, when it must tell you that you have taken more pains in the ways of wickedness than ever you did in the ways of God?3 As it was said of Cardinal Wolsey, when he was to die, Oh! saith he, Had I but served God as diligently as I have served the King, he would not have given me over in my grey hairs. So when you shall come to die and your consciences shall say, Oh! that I had but broken as much sleep to prayer and seeking God, Oh! that I had but ventured my estate, and name,4 as much in the ways of God as in the ways of sin, it had been happy for me; Is it possible that any of you can die in peace of conscience, and yet your consciences shall tell you that you never took that pains for God as you have done for sin? In a good motion that is for God, if others do it you will agree and go on with them: I, but you will not plough hard for it; but in things that are suitable to your lusts, you will not only move such a thing, and join with others, but you will plough hard for it, Oh! what pity is it, that mens parts ⟨p. 489⟩and strength should be laid out so much upon that which is evil! Men that have active spirits, Oh! how instrumental might they be for God if their necks were but in Gods yoke? but they, all the days of their lives, have their necks in the Devils yoke, and are ploughing for the Devil all their days, and they will reap accordingly.
Oh!1 how many are there that take more pains to go to Hell, than others do that go to Heaven? they will so struggle, and suffer for their sin, willing to break with their friends to accomplish their sinful lusts, willing to venture their estates, to hazard their healths, willing to do any thing in the world, they are willing to go through all difficulties that they may have their sin: Yet they will not plow for God: Oh! they complain of any little difficultie in the waies of God;2 but complain of no difficultie in the waies of sin, Oh! what a wicked and wretched heart is this, to be offended with any hardness in Gods waies, and yet be content to endure any hardness at al in the waies of sin! Oh! that we were but as instrumental for God, and willing to plow, as hard as others do for that which is sin. And Oh! when you shall come to die, to reap the fruit of your labor, what terror do you think will this be to your consciences, when it must tell you that you have taken more pains in the waies of wickedness than ever you did in the waies of God?3 As it was said of Cardinal Wolsey, when he was to die, Oh! saith he, Had I but served God as diligently as I have served the King, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. So when you shall come to die and your consciences shall say, Oh! that I had but broken as much sleep to prayer and seeking God, Oh! that I had but ventur'd my estate, and name,4 as much in the waies of God as in the waies of sin, it had been happy for me; Is it possible that any of you can die in peace of conscience, and yet your consciences shall tell you that you never took that pains for God as you have done for sin? In a good motion that is for God, if others do it you will agree and go on with them: I, but you will not plow hard for it; but in things that are sutable to your lusts, you will not only move such a thing, and joyn with others, but you will plow hard for it, Oh! what pity is it, that mens parts ⟨p. 489⟩and strength should be laid out so much upon that which is evil! Men that have active spirits, Oh! how instrumental might they be for God if their necks were but in Gods yoke? but they, all the daies of their lives, have their necks in the Devils yoke, and are plowing for the Devil all their daies, and they will reap accordingly.
- 1Some take more pains to perish than others to be saved,
- 2yet complain of any difficulty in Gods ways.yet complain of any difficulty in Gods waies.
- 3Cardinal Wolsey. See the Book of Martyrs.
- 4Who cannot die in peace (without serious repentance)▪
