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

Use 1. To reprove them that delay the Work of Repentance, and their Change of State. There is nothing more usual than Delays and Put-offs: Some are full of Employment, and after their Business is a little over, then they will think of saving their Souls; Luke 9.59. Suffer me first to go and bury my Father: still there is something in the way. Others when they have arrived to such a Degree of Wealth, and made such Provision for their Families, then they will look after their Souls. Others when their youthful Heats are spent, then they dream of a devout Retirement, and a religious Age: there is nothing more usual. The Lord knows these are our inward Thoughts, still there is something in the way when we should act holily, righteously and godly. This is Satan's last shift, to elude the Importunity of a present Conviction by a future Promise. As a bad Debtor promises Payment for the future, to be rid of the importunate Creditor, though he means no such matter; so we make Promises for the future. Felix when his Conscience boiled, dreams of a more convenient Season; Acts 24.25. Go thy way for this time, when I have a more convenient Season, I will send for thee. And Matth. 22. when they were invited to the Wedding, the Answer is not scornful, but civil; it is not non placet, but non vacat: they do not deny, but make Excuse; they had present Business, and were not at leisure to comply with God's Will. Always God comes Unseasonably in the Sinner's Esteem, Reckoning and Account: and Satan's usual Clamour is, when we begin to be serious and mind our Salvation, Art thou come to torment us before our time? Matth. 8.29. The Devil would fain have a little longer Possession, and therefore something is pleaded by way of Bar and Hesitancy. You find it in particular Cases, when you go to perform any thing that is good, to pray, to meditate, to renew your Communion with God, something is in the way; if such a Business were over, then I were at leisure. Thus we dream of another time, a more convenient Season, and we linger and draw back as Lot in Sodom. O consider, the Work must be once done, or you are for ever miserable, and you will never have a better Season than now, when you are under Conviction, and the warm Impulses of the Spirit of God. David takes hold of the present Season when his Heart was engaged, and he had a religious bent towards God;