from this moment labour, struggle, and strive; and take any pains in the ways of obedience, rather than ruin your own souls, and thrust them down into the pit of destruction? I might be confident sinners thus resolve to do, were I speaking now to men that were themselves: but men's reasons are besotted; and their ears are open only to the Devil, and to the base allure-ments of the flesh and, when we have done our utmost in persuading sinners, in the end we must turn our exhortations to them into prayers to God for them, that he would snatch them as brands out of the fire and burning, into which they, like drunken men, are casting themselves and in which they are lying down.

4. Once more: The same pains, that possibly some take to damn their own souls, might suffice eternally to save them.

The same toil and labour, that some undergo for hell and destruction, might have brought them to heaven and happiness, had it been but that way laid out. The Prophet tells us of some, that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart-rope: Isa. v. 18. that is, they are so enslaved to the work of the Devil, that he puts them into his team, and makes them draw and strain for their iniquities; and he doth them a courtesy when their sins come easily to them, for so the phrase imports. And we read of some in another Prophet, that sin with both hands greedily: Mic. vii. 3. And the Psalmist tells us of those, that devise mischief upon their beds, and that travail with iniquity: Ps. xxxvi. 4. vii. 14: that is; they are in as much pain and torment till their wicked designs be accomplished, as a woman in travail is till she be delivered. Sinners, since the work of sin is so toilsome, why will you not work the works of God? Doth that salvation, that follows obedience, fright you; or is heaven and glory become terrible to you? Is not this it, that all men desire? do not your hearts leap at the mention of it? What then is it, that any rational man can pretend, why he will not work? is it because you are loth to take pains? why then are you so laborious in sinning? why do you so sweat and toil in carrying faggots to your own fire? why are you continually blowing up those flames, that shall for ever burn you? It is in vain to plead this any longer, that you are loth to take pains: for, where are there greater drudges in all the world, than sinners? the Devil can scarce find them work enough: they out-sin his temptations; and, had they not that corruption within, the scum whereof is continually boiling up in them, they mus

of necessity, I was going to say, sometimes be holy, for want of employment: Satan could not find them work enough. How restless and impatient are they, till they have done some wicked work! and, sometimes, they are more restless and impatient when they have done it, through the Devil's temptations; and, yet, notwithstanding these torments, they will do them again. Are there more drudges in the world than these? Doth God require more pains in his service, than these men take? no: he doth not would but men do as much for their precious souls, as they do against them; would they do as much to save them, as they do to destroy and damn them; truly, their salvation would not lie upon their hands unwrought.

But some may say in their hearts," It is true, indeed, we are convinced, that the work of sin is laborious; but, yet, there is pleasure in that labour: but to the works of obedience we find reluctancy; and, to struggle against that, is exceeding irksome and grievous: and, therefore, we cannot work."

But is it so, indeed? Is it all peace and tranquillity with you, when you sin? Are your consciences so utterly seared, as that they make no reluctancy, give you no checks or reproofs, when you sin? If they do, put that reluctancy of natural conscience against sin, into the balance with the reluctancy of natural corruption against obedience; and the most profligate sinner in the world shall find, though this is more strong and prevalent, yet that is more vexatious and tormenting. God requires no more labour from you, than you now take: nay, this labour shall not put you to so much torment, as sometimes you now feel: the same labour, with more content and satisfaction, may perfect your salvation, that now tends only to consummate your destruction. What madness then is it, for men not to be persuaded to work the works of God, when it will cost them less pains; I mean, less tormenting pains! You wear your lives in the service of sin; and, at the end of your days, you go down to hell; when, with as much ease, you might inherit life and glory, as you thus purchase hell and destruction. And is not great folly and madness?

this

❤

Bring, then, all these Four Gradations together, and look upon them all at once; and we shall find the argument so strong, as that nothing can resist it, but the perverse reasonings of men's own wills: you will not, because you will not:-You must work. If you work not in God's service, you will work in

the Devil's drudgery-If you work Satan's work, you must receive Satan's wages; which is the reward of eternal damnation. And the same labour, that you take to damn your own souls, might suffice to save them. Wherefore then shall not God employ you, as well as the Devil? Hath he not more right to you? Why should you not work out your own happiness, as well as work out your own misery? Doth it not concern you more? If men would but set their reason on work in this particular, if they would but shew themselves to be men, they would soon set grace on work and shew themselves to be Christians also. It is but turning the streams of your actions into the right channel, and the work is done: since that will incessantly flow from you, why should they all fall like Jordan into the Dead Sea, when they might as well run into the infinite ocean of all happiness, and carry your souls along with them also?

But,

v. Consider this also: THE DEVIL WORKS CONSTANTLY AND INDUSTRIOUSLY FOR YOUR DESTRUCTION. And will not you

much more work for your Own salvation?

See the place of the Apostle, 1 Pet. v. 8. He walketh about, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And, therefore, when God questions him, Whence comest thou, Satan? he answers, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it: Job i. 7. What pains doth he take, to prompt men with temptations! to suit objects and occasions to their corruptions! Still, he is at their right-hand, laying snares and traps for them, that they may fall as his prey. And wherefore makes he all this ado? is it not to satisfy his malice and hatred against men's souls? And shall malice and rancour make the Devil so laborious and unwearied to destroy souls, and shall not your own happiness and salvation make you much more diligent to save your souls? Is the Devil more concerned in your ruin, than you yourselves are in your own salvation? Shall the death of your souls be more dear to him, than the life of your souls is to yourselves? Learn from Satan himself, how to rate and value your own souls: did not he know them to be exceeding precious, he would never take so much pains to get them; and did you but know how precious they are, certainly you would never lose them so contentedly. Let the Devil, if you will

learn no otherwise, teach you the worth of your precious souls: and, since he thinks no pains too much to ruin them, why should you think any pains or labour too much to save them?

vi. Consider: YOU YOURSELVES DO LABOUR AND TAKE PAINS, IN THINGS OF FAR LOWER AND LESSER CONCERNMENT, THAN THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS.

Men can rise up early and go to bed late, eat the bread of carefulness, and all to get some little inconsiderable piece of this world, to provide for a frail, short life here: and who is there, that thinks his pains too much? And why, then, should you not labour for a future life in another world, that you confess to be infinitely more glorious and desirable than any thing you can obtain here? To me, it is folly, so gross and senseless as to be bemoaned, if it were possible, with tears of blood, that men should so toil for the low conveniences of the world, and yet neglect the eternal happiness of their precious and immortal souls, as if they were not worth the looking after. Sinners, do you know what a vain, empty bubble, blown up by the creating breath of the Almighty, the world is? do you know it, and yet will you take pains for it, yet will you grasp and catch at it? Who would doubt, when we see men so busy about impertinencies, and the trivial concernments of this vain world; who would doubt, but that they were far more anxious and careful about the things of heaven, and the concernments of their souls who would not conclude, but that they, who are so diligent about petty trifles, had certainly made sure that their great work was done? But, alas! would it not astonish men and angels, if we should tell them how foolish sinners are? would it be believed, that rational creatures, who have immortal souls that must be for ever saved or damned, should spend all their time and strength about nothing; never taking any care or thought what will become of them for ever? would such folly be believed to be in men? And yet this madness are most men guilty of. We may all of us be ashamed to lift up our heads to God, when we confess the world to be so vain and slight a thing, that if we should get all of it, nay should we get ten thousand of them, yet were they not all worth one soul; that, yet, we should be so foolish as to strive to get a vain world, to the neglect, yea to the contempt, of our precious souls. It is such folly, as men would scarce suspect that any persons should be guilty of, if it were not seen daily in the practices of almost all men.

vii. Consider this: ARE YOU AMBITIOUS? DO YOU AFFECT TRUE HONOUR AND DIGNITY ?

. Yes, I know this is the great idol of the world : that, which every one falls down to and worships. Well then, Sinners, here is a way to prefer you all. To work for salvation, is the most honourable employment in the world; an honour, that will pose and nonplus the most towering and raised ambition, when once it is spiritualized. Alas! what poor and contemptible things are the grandees and great ones of the world ! though they take great state and pomp upon them, and will scarce own their inferiors for their fellow-creatures, nay will scarce own God himself for their superior; yet are they but like painted flies, that play and buzz awhile in the sunshine, and then moulder away and come to nothing! All worldly honour and pomp is but imaginary. But would you have that, which is solid and substantial? Christ tells you how it is to be attained: If any man serve me, him rwill my Father honour : John xii. 26. Whatever honour we have, we hold it by service: our work is not only duty, but preferment also: If any man serve me, he shall be honoured. Would you be enrolled for Right Honourable in heaven's treasury ? would you be Peers of that kingdom, with Saints and glorified Angels? then honour God. And how shall you honour him, but by obeying him? and him, who thus honours God, God will honour. This is the only real honour: all other is but airy, fictitious titles; like cyphers, which, as they are placed, stand for hundreds and thousands, but are all of the same value when huddled together. So, truly, the great ones of the world, if not made honourable by obedience to God have but imaginary excellence; and, when death once shuffles and huddles them together, nobles with ignobles, will the dust and ashes of the one stand at a distance and make obeisance to the other? No: all honour here signifies no more than a king upon a stage. But, here, is a way to attain true honour: here, is the way to it, by becoming servants; not to command, but to obey; not to be imperious over others, but to work yourselves. This is true honour.

Now I shall, in Three things, demonstrate the honour of working for salvation; that, if men be not very lowly spirited, they may be excited unto this honourable work.

1. It is pure, spiritual, refined work.

In services among men, the less of filth and drudgery there is in them, the more creditable they are accounted. It is an