Use for reproof of several sorts of persons 1/4

 

Use Second.  The improvement of the preceding doctrine for reproof of several sorts of persons.

1. All those who content themselves with their unholy state wherein they are.  Such is the state of ev­ery one by nature.  These, alas! are so far from main­taining the power of holiness, that they are under the power of their lusts.  These give law to them, and cut out all their work for them, which they bestow all their time to make up.  And is not that a sad life, sirs, which is spent about such filthy, beastly work as sin and unrighteousness is?  Well may the ‘bond of ini­quity’ and ‘the gall of bitterness’ be joined together, Acts 8:23.  The apostle is thought to allude to Deut. 29:18, where all sin and unrighteousness is called ‘a root that beareth gall and wormwood.’  He that plants sin and unholiness, and then thinks to gather any other than bitter fruit for all his labour, pretends to a knowledge beyond God himself, who tells the natural fruit which grows from this root is ‘gall and worm­wood.’  Who would look for musk in a dog’s kennel?  That thou mayest sooner find there than any true sweetness and comfort in unholiness.  The devil may possibly for a time sophisticate, with his cookery and art, this bitter morsel, so that thou shalt not have the natural taste of it upon thy palate; but, as Abner said to Joab, ‘knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end?’ II Sam. 2:26.  In hell all the sugar will be melted wherein this bitter pill was wrapped.  Then, if not before, thou wilt have the true relish of that which goes down now so sweetly.  O how many are they now in hell cursing their feast and feast‑maker too!  Do you think it gives any ease to the damned to think what they had for their money?  I mean what pleasures, profits, and carnal enjoyments they once had on earth, for which they now pay those unspeak­able torments that are upon them, and shall continue for ever without any hope or help?  No, it increaseth their pain beyond all our conceit, that they should sell their precious souls so cheap, in a manner for a song, and lose heaven and blessedness, because they would not be holy, which now they learn too late, was itself —however once they thought otherwise—a great part of that blessedness, and now torments them to consider they put it from them under the notion of a burden and a bondage.  But alas! alas! how few thoughts do unholy wretches spend with themselves, in considering what is doing in another world!  They see sinners die daily in the prosecution of their lusts, but do not more think what is become of them—that they are in hell burning and roaring for their sin—than the fish in the river do think what is become of their fellows that were twitched up by their gills from them even now with the angler’s hook, and cast into the seething-pot or frying-pan alive.  No, as those silly creatures are ready still to nibble and bite at the same hook that struck their fellows, even so are men and women forward to catch at those baits still of sinful pleasures, and wages of unrighteousness, by which so many millions of souls before them have been hooked into hell and damnation.
2. Those who are as unholy as others, naked to God’s eye and Satan's malice, but to save their credit in the world, wear something like a breastplate—a counterfeit holiness, which does them this service for the present, that they are thought to be what they are not.  ‘Verily they have their reward,’ and a poor one it is.  For the Lord's sake consider what you do, and tremble at it.  You do the devil, God’s great enemy, double service, and God double disservice, just as he comes into the field and brings deceitful arms with him, he draws his prince’s expectation towards him as one that would do some exploit for him, but means nothing so, yea, he hinders some other that would be faithful to his prince in that place where he, a traitor, now stands.  Such a one may do his prince more mis­chief than many who cowardly stay at home, or rebelliously run over to the enemy's side, and tell him plainly what they mean to do.