A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

In all other things the Garment of Fancy is too great for the Body wherewith it is to be clothed. Fancy never takes a right measure of things; but the highest Suppositions are too short to express the Greatness of those Hopes that are provided for you. And then for the dreadful Punishments, we are told of a Worm that never dies, of a Fire that shall never be quenched, of a Pit without a Bottom, of Torments that are without End, and without Ease. Ours Hearts are filled with Horror when we do but think of these things; and shall we not burn now with Zeal for God, when we are in danger of burning in Hell-fire for ever hereafter? If now we are cold and slow in good Works, it were the most incongruous thing in the World, where there is such a high Elevation of Duty and Comfort. The whole Scriptures are formed to elevate these things to the highest pitch, that we may not be backward and slow in the Christian Religion. All things are sublime, and therefore call for something more than ordinary.

8. Consider the great danger of Coldness both to our selves and others. To our selves; where there is no Zeal, there will be Decay, Prov. 18.9. He also that is slothful in Work, is Brother to him that is a great Waster. Not to go forward is to go backward. Standing Pools corrupt: as a Man that rows against the Tide and Stream, if he doth not ply the Oar, he will lose ground, and be carried away apace: So if we be not zealous, we cannot stand and keep our ground, there will be a Decay. Bernard observes to this purpose, that all the Angels in Jacob's Ladder were either ascending or descending: there is no stay, but either going up, or going down. When they lose their first Love, their Zeal is gone, Rev. 2.4, 5. —Thou hast left thy first Love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first Works. What is the reason Men grow weary of Truth, weary of Holiness, weary of Prayer, Ordinances? they do not keep up a constant Diligence: First they lost their Zeal, they became indifferent, cold and careless, then off goes the Service of God; first their Love, and then their Works. So consider the danger of it to others; Men grow formal by Imitation. When Christians high in Profession grow formal, cold and careless, this makes their Neighbours so. There is nothing hardens more than a cold Professor, it makes Men sit upon their Lees. Mortified and strict Christians upbraid others by their Example. A Man cannot come into the Company of a mortified strict Christian, but his Heart will upbraid and shame him. And therefore if in this general Decay, we have learned Deadness, and Formality one of another, let us strive now who shall be most forward in the Ways