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

I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. So when there is such a strong bent in your Souls, strike while the Iron is hot; you may have more Hindrances, but never more Helps. Again, we owe more than we are worth already, and why should we run more in Debt? The longer you continue in Sin, the higher will your Accounts rise. A Tenant that cannot pay the Rent of one Year, if he let it run on, how will he be able to discharge the Rent of two Years? So if it be so troublesome now, do you think it will be more easy hereafter, when the Heart is hardened by a constant Resistance? If there were a sound Conviction, you would not delay. A sensible Sinner is always in haste; Heb. 6.18. He flies for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before him. It is an Allusion to the Man pursued by the Avenger of Blood; he that hath Wrath at his Heels, he runs as for Life to Jesus Christ. It is but a slender and insufficient Touch upon the Conscience. He that knows the Danger, can never make haste enough to come to Christ; as the pursued Man could never make too much haste to get into the City of Refuge that is before him. Nay, it argues little Love to God, and a great deal of Disingenuity of Spirit, to continue in Rebellion against God, and think to come in at last, when you can stand out no longer: This is merely Self-love, when you care not how much God is dishonoured, and his Spirit grieved, provided at length we be saved. The Lord ⟨p. 102⟩did not so deal with us, his whole Duration and Existence is for our sakes; from Eternity to Eternity he is God; and from Eternity to Eternity his Loving-kindness is great to them that fear him, Psal. 103.17. The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him. If God thinks of us from one Eternity to another, before the World, and after the World, can we be content to thrust him into a narrow Corner of our Lives? Can you satisfy your Hearts, when you have nothing to give God but the Rottenness, Weakness, and Aches of old Age and Sickness? Consider once more, Sin leaves thee in Sickness, thou dost not leave Sin, it is not a Work of Choice, but of Necessity; as a Merchant throws his Goods over-board in a Storm, tho he loves them well enough. At least it is a very suspicious Act, a natural Aversation from our own Misery, and a desire of our own Happiness; it is a yielding upon force;