SEAM. VIII.1 FALLING SHORT OF HEAVEN. 141 pursuit of a better ; or at best, when ye receive instruc- tions about your souls, you let the affairs of this life overwhelm and bury that good seed, and it never grows up to practice. What would you say to the folly of a man, who has a long and hazardous journey to make, to take possession of a large estate, and once a week he comes to enquire the way, and hears a fair description of all the road, perhaps he mourns his long neglect, and resolves upon the journey ; but the next six days are filled upwith a thousand impertinencies ; and when the seventh returns, he has not taken one step forward in the way ? Believe me, sirs, it is not an easy thing to be saved laziness, and mere enquiries, will never effect your hap- piness, nor secure your souls from perdition; and alt the pains you have already taken will be lost, if you give over the pursuit. Let me call some of you this day to remember your former labours, the prayers and tears that you have poured out in secret before God; re- member your days of darkness, and your nights of ter- ror, the groans of conscience, and the inward agonies you felt, when you were first awakened to behold your guilt and danger; remember these hours, and these sorrows; and love and pity your own souls so far, as to pursue the work, and let not your pains be lost : Have ye suf- fered so many things in vain, if it be yet in vain, Gal. iii. 4. Ye have wrestled with some sins, and have in part got the, mastery over them; and shall a darling lust overcome you at last, and slay your souls with eternal death ? Ye have resisted the tempter in some of his as- saults, and put the powers of hell to flight ; will you give up yourselves at last to be led in triumph by Satan, and become his everlasting slaves? Methinks you look so amiable in those victories ye have already obtained, that I would fain have you press onward through the field of battle, fulfil the warfare, and receive the crown. The ministers of the gospel look upon you with con- cern and pity: We love you, because you have proceeded thus far in religion ; but ye shall not be the beloved of God, if ye stop here, or go back again to sin and folly. We had a hopeful prospect ofyou once, and said to our Lord in prayer, " Surely these shall be one day the in- habitants, and the supports of thine house; these young
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=