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Pressing Into The Kingdom
by Jonathan Edwards
Luke 16:16, "The law and
the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is
preached, and every man presseth into it."
In these words two things may be observed: First, Wherein the work and
office of John the Baptist consisted, viz. in preaching the kingdom of
God, to prepare the way for its introduction to succeed the law and the
prophets. By the law and the prophets, in the text, seems to be intended
the ancient dispensation under the Old Testament, which was received
from Moses and the prophets. These are said to be until John; not that
the revelations given by them are out of use since that time, but that
the state of the church, founded and regulated under God by them, the
dispensation of which they were the ministers, and wherein the church
depended mainly on light received from them, fully continued till John.
He first began to introduce the New Testament dispensation, or
gospel-state of the church; which, with its glorious, spiritual, and
eternal privileges and blessings, is often called the kingdom of heaven,
or kingdom of God. John the Baptist preached, that the kingdom of God
was at hand. "Repent" says he, "for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand:"-"Since that time," says Christ, "the kingdom of God is preached."
John the Baptist first began to preach it; and then, after him, Christ
and his disciples preached the same.
Thus Christ preached, Matthew 4:17. "From that time Jesus began to
preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." So
the disciples were directed to preach, Matthew 10:7. "And, as ye go,
preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." It was not John the
Baptist, but Christ, that fully brought in, and actually established,
this kingdom of God; but he, as Christ's forerunner to prepare his way
before him, did the first thing that was done towards introducing it.
The old dispensation was abolished, and the new brought in by degrees;
as the night gradually ceases, and gives place to the increasing day
which succeeds in its room.
First the day-star arises; next follows the light of the sun itself, but
dimly reflected, in the dawning of the day; but this light increases,
and shines more and more, and the stars that served for light during the
foregoing night, gradually go out, and their light ceases, as being now
needless, till at length the sun rises, and enlightens the world by his
own direct light, which increases as he ascends higher above the
horizon, till the day-star itself gradually disappears; agreeable to
what John says of himself, John 3:30. "He must increase, but I must
decrease." John was the forerunner of Christ, and harbinger of the
gospel-day; much as the morning-star is the forerunner of the sun. He
had the most honorable office of any of the prophets; the other prophets
foretold Christ to come, he revealed him as already come, and had the
honour to be that servant who should come immediately before him, and
actually introduce him, and even to be the instrument concerned in his
solemn inauguration, as he was in baptizing him. He was the greatest of
the prophets that came before Christ, as the morning-star is the
brightest of all the stars, Matthew 11:11. He came to prepare men's
hearts to receive that kingdom of God which Christ was about more fully
to reveal and erect. Luke 1:17. "To make ready a people prepared for the
Lord."
Secondly, We may observe wherein his success appeared, viz. in that
since he began his ministry, every man pressed into that kingdom of God
which he preached. The greatness of his success appeared in two things:
1. In the generalness of it, with regard to the subject, or the persons
in whom the success appeared; every man. Here is a term of universality;
but it is not to be taken as universal with regard to individuals, but
kinds; as such universal terms are often used in Scripture. When John
preached, there was an extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit of God
that attended his preaching. An uncommon awakening, and concern for
salvation, appeared on the minds of all sorts of persons; and even in
the most unlikely persons, and those from whom such a thing might least
be expected; as the Pharisees, who were exceeding proud, and
self-sufficient, and conceited of their own wisdom and righteousness,
and looked on themselves fit to be teachers of others, and used to scorn
to be taught; and the Sadducees, who were a kind of infidels, that
denied any resurrection, angel, spirit, or any future state. So that
John himself seems to be surprised to see them come to him, under such
concern for their salvation; as in Matthew 3:7. "But when he saw many of
the Pharisees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of
vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" And besides
these, the publicans, who were some of the most infamous sort of men,
came to him, inquiring what they should do to be saved. And the
soldiers, who were doubtless a very profane, loose, and prolifigate sort
of persons, made the same inquiry, Luke 3:12, and 14. "Then came also
publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?
2. His success appeared in the manner in which his hearers sought the
kingdom of God; they pressed into it. It is elsewhere set forth by their
being violent for the kingdom of heaven, and taking it by force. Matthew
11:12. "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of
heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."
The Doctrine that I observe from the words is this,- "It concerns every
one that would obtain the kingdom of God, to be pressing into it." -In
discoursing of this subject, I would,
First, Show what is that way of seeking salvation that seems to be
pointed forth in the expression of pressing into the kingdom of God.
Secondly, Give the reasons why it concerns every one that would obtain
the kingdom of God, to seek it in this way.- And then make application.
I. I would show what manner of seeking salvation seems to be denoted by
"pressing into the kingdom of God."
1. This expression denotes strength of desire. Men in general who live
under the light of the gospel, and are not atheists, desire the kingdom
of God; that is, they desire to go to heaven rather than to hell. Most
of them indeed are not much concerned about it; but on the contrary,
live a secure and careless life. And some who are many degrees above
these, being under some degrees of the awakenings of God's Spirit, yet
are not pressing into the kingdom of God. But they that may be said to
be truly so, have strong desires to get out of a natural condition, and
to get an interest in Christ. They have such a conviction of the misery
of their present state, and of the extreme necessity of obtaining a
better, that their minds are as it were possessed with and wrapped up in
concern about it.
To obtain salvation is desired by them above all things in the world.
This concern is so great that it very much shuts out other concerns.
They used before to have the stream of their desires after other things,
or, it may be, had their concern divided between this and them; but when
they come to answer the expression of the text, of pressing into the
kingdom of God, this concern prevails above all others; it lays other
things low, and does in a manner engross the care of the mind. This
seeking eternal life should not only be one concern that our souls are
taken up about with other things; but salvation should be sought as the
one thing needful, Luke 10:42. And as the one thing that is desired,
Psalm 27:4.
2. Pressing into the kingdom of heaven denotes earnestness and firmness
of resolution. There should be strength of resolution, accompanying
strength of desire, as it was in the psalmist, in the place just now
referred to: "one thing have I desired, and that will I seek after." In
order to a thorough engagedness of the mind in this affair, both these
must meet together. Besides desires after salvation, there should be an
earnest resolution in persons to pursue this good as much as lies in
their power; to do all that in the use of their utmost strength they are
able to do, in an attendance on every duty, and resisting and militating
against all manner of sin, and to continue in such a pursuit.
There are two things needful in a person, in order to these strong
resolutions; there must be a sense of the great importance and necessity
of the mercy sought, and there must also be a sense of opportunity to
obtain it, or the encouragement there is to seek it. The strength of
resolution depends on the sense which God gives to the heart of these
things. Persons without such a sense, may seem to themselves to take up
resolutions; they may, as it were, force a promise to themselves, and
say within themselves, "I will seek as long as I live, I will not give
up till I obtain," when they do but deceive themselves. Their hearts are
not in it; neither do they indeed take up any such resolution as they
seem to themselves to do. It is the resolution of the mouth more than of
the heart; their hearts are not strongly bent to fulfill what their
mouth says. The firmness of the resolution lies in the fulness of the
disposition of the heart to do what is resolved to be done. Those who
are pressing into the kingdom of God, have a disposition of heart to do
everything that is required, and that lies in their power to do, and to
continue in it. They have not only earnestness, but steadiness of
resolution: they do not seek with a wavering unsteady heart, by turns or
fits, being off and on; but it is the constant bent of the soul, if
possible, to obtain the kingdom of God.
3. By pressing into the kingdom of God is signified greatness of
endeavor. It is expressed in Ecclesiastes 10:10. by doing what our hand
finds to do with our might. And this is the natural and necessary
consequence of the two forementioned things. Where there is strength of
desire, and firmness of resolution, there will be answerable endeavors.
Persons thus engaged in their hearts will "strive to enter in at the
strait gate," and will be violent for heaven; their practice will be
agreeable to the counsel of the wise man, in Proverbs 2 at the
beginning, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my
commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and
apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge,
and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as
silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou
understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." Here
the earnestness of desire and strength of resolution is signified by
inclining the ear to wisdom, and applying the heart to understanding;
and the greatness of endeavor is denoted by crying after knowledge, and
lifting up the voice for understanding; seeking her as silver, and
searching for her as for hid treasures: such desires and resolutions,
and such endeavors go together.
4. Pressing into the kingdom of God denotes an engagedness and
earnestness, that is directly about that business of getting into the
kingdom of God. Persons may be in very great exercise and distress of
mind, and that about the condition of their souls; their thoughts and
cares may be greatly engaged and taken up about things of a spiritual
nature, and yet not be pressing into the kingdom of God, nor towards it.
The exercise of their minds is not directly about the work of seeking
salvation, in a diligent attendance on the means that God hath appointed
in order to it, but something else that is beside their business; it may
be God's decrees and secret purposes, prying into them, searching for
signs whereby they may determine, or at least conjecture, what they are
before God makes them known by their accomplishment. They distress their
minds with fears that they be not elected, or that they have committed
the unpardonable sin, or that their day is past, and that God has given
them up to judicial and final hardness, and never intends to show them
mercy; and therefore, that it is in vain for them to seek salvation. Or
they entangle themselves about the doctrine of original sin, and other
mysterious doctrines of religion that are above their comprehension.
Many persons that seem to be in great distress about a future eternal
state, get much into a way of perplexing themselves with such things as
these. When it is so, let them be never so much concerned and engaged in
their minds, they cannot be said to be pressing towards the kingdom of
God: because their exercise is not in their work, but rather that which
tends to hinder them in their work. If they are violent, they are only
working violently to entangle themselves, and lay blocks in their own
way; their pressure is not forwards. Instead of getting along, they do
but lose their time, and worse than merely lose it; instead of fighting
with the giants that stand in the way to keep them out of Canaan, they
spend away their time and strength in conflicting with shadows that
appear by the wayside.
Hence we are not to judge of the hopefulness of the way that persons are
in, or of the probability of their success in seeking salvation, only by
the greatness of the concern and distress that they are in; for many
persons have needless distresses that they had much better be without.
It is thus very often with persons overrun with the distemper of
melancholy: whence the adversary of souls is wont to take great
advantage. But then are persons in the most likely way to obtain the
kingdom of heaven, when the intent of their minds, and the engagedness
of their spirits, be about their proper work and business, and all the
bent of their souls is to attend on God's means, and to do what he
commands and directs them to. The apostle tells us, I Corinthians 9:26.
"that he did not fight as those that beat the air." Our time is short
enough; we had not need to spend it in that which is nothing to the
purpose. There are real difficulties and enemies enough for persons to
encounter, to employ all their strength; they had not need to waste it
in fighting with phantoms.
5. By pressing into the kingdom of God is denoted a breaking through
opposition and difficulties. There is in the expression a plain
intimation of difficulty. If there were no opposition, but the way was
all clear and open, there would be no need of pressing to get along.
They therefore that are pressing into the kingdom of God, go on with
such engagedness, that they break through the difficulties that are in
the way. They are so set for salvation, that those things by which
others are discouraged, and stopped, and turned back, do not stop them,
but they press through them. Persons ought to be so resolved for heaven,
that if by any means they can obtain, they will obtain. Whether those
means be difficult or easy, cross or agreeable, if they are requisite
means of salvation, they should be complied with. When anything is
presented to be done, the question should not be, Is it easy or hard? is
it agreeable to my carnal inclinations or interest, or against them? But
is it a required means of my obtaining an interest in Jesus Christ, and
eternal salvation? Thus the apostle, Philippians 3:11. "If by any means
I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." He tells us there in
the context what difficulties he broke through, that he suffered the
loss of all things, and was willingly made conformable even to Christ's
death, though that was attended with such extreme torment and ignominy.
He that is pressing into the kingdom of God, commonly finds many things
in the way that are against the grain; but he is not stopped by the
cross that lies before him, but takes it up, and carries it. Suppose
there be something incumbent on him to do, that is cross to his natural
temper, and irksome to him on that account; suppose something that he
cannot do without suffering in his estate, or that he apprehends will
look odd and strange in the eyes of others, and expose him to ridicule
and reproach, or any thing that will offend a neighbor, and get his
ill-will, or something that will be very cross to his own carnal
appetite-he will press through such difficulties. Everything that is
found to be a weight that hinders him in running this race he casts from
him, though it be a weight of gold or pearls; yea, if it be a right hand
or foot that offends him, he will cut them off, and will not stick at
plucking out a right eye with his own hands. These things are
insuperable difficulties to those who are not thoroughly engaged in
seeking their salvation; they are stumbling-blocks that they never get
over. But it is not so with him that presses into the kingdom of God.
Those things (before he was thoroughly roused from his security) about
which he was wont to have long parleyings and disputings with his own
conscience-employing carnal reason to invent arguments and pleas of
excuse-he now sticks at no longer; he has done with this endless
disputing and reasoning, and presses violently through all difficulties.
Let what will be in the way, heaven is what he must and will obtain, not
if he can without difficulty, but if it be possible. He meets with
temptation: the devil is often whispering in his ear, setting
allurements before him, magnifying the difficulties of the work he is
engaged in, telling him that they are insuperable, and that he can never
conquer them, and trying all ways in the world to discourage him; but
still he presses forward. God has given and maintains such an earnest
spirit for heaven, that the devil cannot stop him in his course; he is
not at leasure to lend an ear to what he has to say.-I come now,
To show why the kingdom of heaven should be sought in this manner.-It
should be thus sought,
1. On account of the extreme necessity we are in of getting into the
kingdom of heaven. We are in a perishing necessity of it; without it we
are utterly and eternally lost. Out of the kingdom of God is no safety;
there is no other hiding-place; this is the only city of refuge, in
which we can be secure from the avenger that pursues all the ungodly.
The vengeance of God will pursue, overtake, and eternally destroy, them
that are not in this kingdom. All that are without this enclosure will
be swallowed up in an overflowing fiery deluge of wrath. They may stand
at the door and knock, and cry, Lord, Lord, open to us, in vain; they
will be thrust back; and God will have no mercy on them; they shall be
eternally left of him. His fearful vengence will seize them; the devils
will lay hold of them; and all evil will come upon them; and there will
be none to pity or help; their case will be utterly desperate, and
infinitely doleful. It will be a gone case with them; all offers of
mercy and expressions of divine goodness will be finally withdrawn, and
all hope will be lost. God will have no kind of regard to their
well-being; will take no care of them to save them from any enemy, or
any evil; but himself will be their dreadful enemy, and will execute
wrath with fury, and will take vengeance in an inexpressibly dreadful
manner. Such as shall be in this case will be lost and undone indeed!
They will be sunk down into perdition, infinitely below all that we can
think. For who knows the power of God's anger? And who knows the misery
of that poor worm, on whom that anger is executed without mercy?
2. On account of the shortness and uncertainty of the opportunity for
getting into this kingdom. When a few days are past, all our opportunity
for it will be gone. Our day is limited. God has set our bounds, and we
know not where. While persons are out of this kingdom, they are in
danger every hour of being overtaken with wrath. We know not how soon we
shall get past that line, beyond which there is no work, device,
knowledge, nor wisdom; and therefore we should do what we have to do
with our might, Ecclesiastes 9:10.
3. On account of the difficulty of getting into the kingdom of God.
There are innumerable difficulties in the way; such as few conquer: most
of them that try have not resolution, courage, earnestness, and
constancy enough; but they fail, give up, and perish. The difficulties
are too many and too great for them that do not violently press forward.
They never get along, but stick by the way; are turned aside, or turned
back, and ruined. Matthew 7:14. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the
way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Luke
13:24. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you,
will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
4. The possibility of obtaining. Though it be attended with so much
difficulty, yet it is not a thing impossible. Acts 8:22. "If perhaps the
thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." II Timothy 2:25. "If
peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the
truth." However sinful a person is, and whatever his circumstances are,
there is, notwithstanding, a possibility of his salvation. He himself is
capable of it, and God is able to accomplish it, and has mercy
sufficient for it; and there is sufficient provision made through
Christ, that God may do it consistent with the honour of his majesty,
justice, and truth. So that there is no want either of sufficiency in
God, or capacity in the sinner, in order to this. The greatest and
vilest most blind, dead, hard-hearted sinner living, is a subject
capable of saving light and grace. Seeing therefore there is such a
necessity of obtaining the kingdom of God, and so short a time, and such
difficulty, and yet such a possibility, it may well induce us to press
into it. Jonah 3:8, 9.
5. It is meet that the kingdom of heaven should be thus sought, because
of the great excellency of it. We are willing to seek earthly things, of
trifling value, with great diligence, and through much difficulty; it
therefore certainly becomes us to seek that with great earnestness which
is of infinitely greater worth and excellence. And how well may God
expect and require it of us, that we should seek it in such a manner, in
order to our obtaining it!
6. Such a manner of seeking is needful to prepare persons for the
kingdom of God. Such earnestness and thoroughness of endeavors, is the
ordinary means that God makes use of to bring persons to an acquaintance
with themselves, to a sight of their own hearts, to a sense of their own
helplessness, and to a despair in their own strength and righteousness.
And such engagedness and constancy in seeking the kingdom of heaven,
prepare the soul to receive it the more joyfully and thankfully, and the
more highly to prize and value it when obtained. So that it is in mercy
to us, as well as for the glory of his own name, that God has appointed
such earnest seeking, to be the way in which he will bestow the kingdom
of heaven.
APPLICATION
The use I would make of this doctrine, is of exhortation to all
Christless persons to press into the kingdom of God. Some of you are
inquiring what you shall do? You seem to desire to know what is the way
wherein salvation is to be sought, and how you may be likely to obtain
it. You have now heard the way that the holy word of God directs to.
Some are seeking, but it cannot be said of them that they are pressing
into the kingdom of heaven. There are many that in time past have sought
salvation, but not in this manner, and so they never obtained, but are
now gone to hell. Some of them sought it year after year, but failed of
it, and perished at last. They were overtaken with divine wrath, and are
now suffering the fearful misery of damnation, and have no rest day nor
night, having no more opportunity to seek, but must suffer and be
miserable throughout the never-ending ages of eternity. Be exhorted,
therefore, not to seek salvation as they did, but let the kingdom of
heaven suffer violence from you.
Here I would first answer an objection or two, and then proceed to give
some directions how to press into the kingdom of God.
Objection. 1. Some may be ready to say, We cannot do this of ourselves;
that strength of desire, and firmness of resolution, that have been
spoken of, are out of our reach. If I endeavor to resolve and to seek
with engagedness of spirit, I find I fail; my thoughts are presently off
from the business, and I feel myself dull, and my engagedness relaxed,
in spite of all I can do.
Answer. 1. Though earnestness of mind be not immediately in your power,
yet the consideration of what has been now said of the need of it, may
be a means of stirring you up to it. It is true, persons never will be
thoroughly engaged in this business, unless it be by God's influence;
but God influences persons by means. Persons are not stirred up to a
thorough earnestness without some considerations that move them to it.
And if persons can but be made sensible of the necessity of salvation,
and also duly consider the exceeding difficuly of it, and the greatness
of the opposition, and how short and uncertain the time is, but yet are
sensible that they have an opportunity, and that there is a possibility
of their obtaining, they will need no more in order to their being
thoroughly engaged and resolved in this matter. If we see persons slack
and unresolved, and unsteady, it is because they do not enough consider
these things.
2. Though strong desires and resolutions of mind be not in your power,
yet painfulness of endeavors is in your power. It is in your power to
take pains in the use of means, yea very great pains. You can be very
painful and diligent in watching your own heart, and striving against
sin. Though there is all manner of corruption in the heart continually
ready to work, yet you can very laboriously watch and strive against
these corruptions; and it is in your power, with great diligence to
attend the matter of your duty towards God and towards your neighbour.
It is in your power to attend all ordinances, and all public and private
duties of religion, and to do it with your might. It would be a
contradiction to suppose that a man cannot do these things with all the
might he has, though he cannot do them with more might than he has. The
dullness and deadness of the heart, and slothfulness of disposition, do
not hinder men being able to take pains, though it hinders their being
willing. That is one thing wherein your laboriousness may appear, even
striving against your own dullness. That men have a dead and sluggish
heart, does not argue that they be not able to take pains; it is so far
from that, that it gives occasion for pains. It is one of the
difficulties in the way of duty, that persons have to strive with, and
that gives occasion for struggling and labour. If there were no
difficulties attended seeking salvation, there would be no occasion for
striving; a man would have nothing to strive about. There is indeed a
great deal of difficulty attending all duties required of those that
would obtain heaven. It is an exceeding difficult thing for them to keep
their thoughts; it is a difficult thing seriously, or to any good
purpose, to consider matters of greatest importance; it is a difficult
thing to hear, or read, or pray attentively. But it does not argue that
a man cannot strive in these things because they are difficult; nay, he
could not strive therein if there were not difficulty in them. For what
is there excepting difficulties that any can have to strive or struggle
with in any affair or business? Earnestness of mind, and diligence of
endeavor, tend to promote each other. He that has a heart earnestly
engaged, will take pains; and he that is diligent and painful in all
duty, probably will not be so long before he finds the sensibleness of
his heart and earnestness of his spirit greatly increased.
Objection 2. Some may object, that if they are earnest, and take a great
deal of pains, they shall be in danger of trusting to what they do; they
are afraid of doing their duty for fear of making a righteousness of it.
Answer. There is ordinarily no kind of seekers that trust so much to
what they do, as slack and dull seekers. Though all seeking salvation,
that have never been the subjects of a thorough humiliation, do trust in
their own righteousness; yet some do it much more fully than others.
Some though they trust in their own righteousness, yet are not quiet in
it. And those who are most disturbed in their self-confidence, (and
therefore in the likeliest way to be wholly brought off from it,) are
not such as go on in a remiss way of seeking, but such as are most
earnest and thoroughly engaged; partly because in such a way conscience
is kept more sensible. A more awakened conscience will not rest so
quietly in moral and religious duties, as one that is less awakened. A
dull seeker's conscience will be in a great measure satisfied and
quieted with his own works and performances; but one that is thoroughly
awakened cannot be stilled or pacified with such things as these. In
this way persons gain much more knowledge of themselves, and
acquaintance with their own hearts, than in a negligent, slight way of
seeking; for they have a great deal more experience of themselves. It is
experience of ourselves, and finding what we are, that God commonly
makes use of as the means of bringing us off from all dependence on
ourselves. But men never get acquaintance with themselves so fast, as in
the most earnest way of seeking. They that are in this way have more to
engage them to think of their sins, and strictly to observe themselves,
and have much more to do with their own hearts, than others. Such a one
has much more experience of his own weakness, than another that does not
put forth and try his strength; and will therefore sooner see himself
dead in sin. Such a one, though he hath a disposition continually to be
flying to his own righteousness, yet finds rest in nothing; he wanders
about from one thing to another, seeking something to ease his
disquieted conscience; he is driven from one refuge to another, goes
from mountain to hill, seeking rest and finding none; and therefore will
the sooner prove that there is no rest to be found, nor trust to be put,
in any creature whatsoever.
It is therefore quite a wrong notion that some entertain, that the more
they do, the more they shall depend on it. Whereas the reverse is true;
the more they do, or the more thorough they are in seeking, the less
will they be likely to rest in their doings, and the sooner will they
see the vanity of all that they do. So that persons will exceedingly
miss it, if ever they neglect to do any duty either to God or man,
whether it be any duty of religion, justice, or charity, under a notion
of its exposing them to trust in their own righteousness. It is very
true, that it is a common thing for persons, when they earnestly seek
salvation, to trust in the pains that they take: but yet commonly those
that go on in a more slight way, trust a great deal more securely to
their dull services, than he that is pressing into the kingdom of God
does to his earnestness. Men's slackness in religion, and their trust in
their own righteousness, strengthen and establish one another. Their
trust in what they have done, and what they now do, settles them in a
slothful rest and ease, and hinders their being sensible of their need
of rousing up themselves and pressing forward. And on the other hand,
their negligence tends so to benumb them in such ignorance of
themselves, that the most miserable refuges are stupidly rested in as
sufficient. Therefore we see, that when persons have been going on for a
long time in such a way, and God afterwards comes more thoroughly to
awaken them, and to stir them up to be in good earnest, he shakes all
their old foundations, and rouses them out of their old resting places;
so that they cannot quiet themselves with those things that formerly
kept them secure. I would now proceed to give some directions how you
should press into the kingdom of God.
1. Be directed to sacrifice every thing to your soul's eternal interest.
Let seeking this be so much your bent, and what you are so resolved in,
that you will make every thing give place to it. Let nothing stand
before your resolution of seeking the kingdom of God. Whatever it be
that you used to look upon as a convenience, or comfort, or ease, or
thing desirable on any account, if it stands in the way of this great
concern, let it be dismissed without hesitation; and if it be of that
nature that it is likely always to be a hinderance, then wholly have
done with it, and never entertain any expectation from it more. If in
time past you have, for the sake of worldly gain, involved yourself in
more care and business than you find to be consistent with your being so
thorough in the business of religion as you ought to be, then get into
some other way, though you suffer in your worldly interest by it. Or if
you have heretofore been conversant with company that you have reason to
think have been and will be a snare to you, and a hinderance to this
great design in any wise, break off from their society, however it may
expose you to reproach from your old companions, or let what will be the
effect of it. Whatever it be that stands in the way of your most
advantageously seeking salvation-whether it be some dear sinful
pleasure, or strong carnal appetite, or credit and honour, or the
good-will of some persons whose friendship you desire, and whose esteem
and liking you have highly valued-and though there be danger, if you do
as you ought, that you shall looked upon by them as odd and ridiculous,
and become contemptible in their eyes-or if it be your ease and
indolence and aversion to continual labour; or your outward convenience
in any respect, whereby you might avoid difficulties of one kind or
other-let all go; offer up all such things together, as it were, in one
sacrifice, to the interest of your soul. Let nothing stand in
competition with this, but make every thing to fall before it. If the
flesh must be crossed, then cross it, spare it not, crucify it, and do
not be afraid of being too cruel to it. Galatians 5:24. "They that are
Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." Have
no dependence on any worldly enjoyment whatsoever. Let salvation be the
one thing with you. This is what is certainly required of you: and this
is what many stick at; this giving up other things for salvation, is a
stumbling-block that few get over. While others pressed into the kingdom
of God at the preaching of John the Baptist, Herod was pretty much
stirred up by his preaching. It is said, he heard him, and observed him,
and did many things; but when he came to tell him that he must part with
his beloved Herodias, here he stuck; this he never would yield to, Mark
7:18-20. The rich young man was considerably concerned for salvation;
and accordingly was a very strict liver in many things: but when Christ
came to direct him to go and sell all that he had, and give to the poor,
and come and follow him, he could not find in his heart to comply with
it, but went away sorrowful. He had great possessions, and set his heart
much on his estate, and could not bear to part with it. It may be, if
Christ had directed him only to give away a considerable part of his
estate, he would have done it; yea, perhaps, if he had bid him part with
half of it, he would have complied with it: but when he directed him to
throw up all, he could not grapple with such a proposal. Herein the
straitness of the gate very much consists; and it is on this account
that so many seek to enter in, and are not able. There are many that
have a great mind to salvation, and spend great part of their time in
wishing they had it, but they will not comply with the necessary means.
2. Be directed to forget the things that are behind: that is, not to
keep thinking and making much of what you have done, but let your mind
be wholly intent on what you have to do. In some sense you ought to look
back; you should look back to your sins. Jeremiah 2:23. "See thy way in
the valley, know what thou hast done." You should look back on the
wretchedness of your religious performances, and consider how you have
fallen short in them; how exceedingly polluted all your duties have
been, and how justly God might reject and loathe them, and you for them.
But you ought not to spend your time in looking back, as many persons
do, thinking how much they have done for their salvation; what great
pains they have taken, how that they have done what they can, and do not
see how they can do more; how long a time they have been seeking, and
how much more they have done than others, and even than such and such
who have obtained mercy. They think with themselves how hardly God deals
with them, that he does not extend mercy to them, but turns a deaf ear
to their cries; and hence discourage themselves, and complain of God. Do
not thus spend your time in looking back on what is past, but look
forward, and consider what is before you; consider what it is that you
can do, and what it is necessary that you should do, and what God calls
you still to do, in order to your own salvation. The apostle, in the
third chapter to the Philippians, tells us what things he did while a
Jew, how much he had to boast of, if any could boast; but he tells us,
that he forgot those things, and all other things that were behind, and
reached forth towards the things that were before, pressing forwards
towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.
3. Labour to get your heart thoroughly disposed to go on and hold out to
the end. Many that seem to be earnest have not a heart thus disposed. It
is a common thing for persons to appear greatly affected for a little
while; but all is soon past away, and there is no more to be seen of it.
Labour therefore to obtain a thorough willingness and preparation of
spirit, to continue seeking, in the use of your utmost endeavours,
without limitation; and do not think your whole life too long. And in
order to this, be advised to two things,
(1.) Remember that if ever God bestows mercy upon you, he will use his
sovereign pleasure about the time when. He will bestow it on some in a
little time, and on others not till they have sought it long. If other
persons are soon enlightened and comforted, while you remain long in
darkness, there is no other way but for you to wait. God will act
arbitrarily in this matter, and you cannot help it. You must even be
content to wait, in a way of laborious and earnest striving, till his
time comes. If you refuse, you will but undo yourself; and when you
shall hereafter find yourself undone, and see that your case is past
remedy, how will you condemn yourself for foregoing a great probability
of salvation, only because you had not the patience to hold out, and was
not willing to be at the trouble of a persevering labour! And what will
it avail before God or your own conscience to say, that you could not
bear to be obliged to seek salvation so long, when God bestowed it on
others that sought it but for a very short time? Though God may have
bestowed the testimonies of his favour on others in a few days or hours
after they have begun earnestly to seek it, how does that alter the case
as to you, if there proves to be a necessity of your laboriously seeking
many years before you obtain them? Is salvation less worth taking a
great deal of pains for, because, through the sovereign pleasure of God,
others have obtained it with comparatively little pains? If there are
two persons, the one of which has obtained converting grace with
comparative ease, and another that has obtained it after continuing for
many years in the greatest and most earnest labours after it, how little
difference does it make at last, when once salvation is obtained! Put
all the labour and pains, the long-continued difficulties and
strugglings, of the one in the scale against salvation, and how little
does it subtract; and put the ease with which the other has obtained in
the scale with salvation, and how little does it add! What is either
added or subtracted is lighter than vanity, and a thing worthy of no
consideration, when compared with that infinite benefit that is
obtained. Indeed if you were ten thousand years, and all that time
should strive and press forward with as great earnestness as ever a
person did for one day, all this would bear no proportion to the
importance of the benefit; and it will doubtless appear little to you,
when once you come to be in actual possession of eternal glory, and to
see what that eternal misery is which you have escaped. You must not
think much of your pains, and of the length of time; you must press
towards the kingdom of God, and do your utmost, and hold out to the end,
and learn to make no account of it when you have done. You must
undertake the business of seeking salvation upon these terms, and with
no other expectations than this, that if ever God bestows mercy it will
be in his own time; and not only so, but also that when you have done
all, God will not hold himself obliged to show you mercy at last.
(2.) Endeavour now thoroughly to weigh in your mind the difficulty, and
to count the cost of perseverence in seeking salvation. You that are now
setting out in this business, (as there are many here who have very
lately set about it;-Praised be the name of God that he has stirred you
up to it!) be exhorted to attend this direction. Do not undertake in
this affair with any other thought but of giving yourself wholly to it
for the remaining part of your life, and going through many and great
difficulties in it. Take heed that you do not engage secretly upon this
condition, that you shall obtain in a little time, promising yourself
that it shall be within this present season of the pouring out of God's
Spirit, or with any other limitation of time whatsoever. Many, when they
begin, (seeming to set out very earnestly,) do not expect that they
shall need to seek very long, and so do not prepare themselves for it.
And therefore, when they come to find it otherwise, and meet with
unexpected difficulty, they are found unguarded, and easily overthrown.
But let me advise you all who are now seeking salvation, not to
entertain any self-flattering thoughts; but weigh the utmost
difficulties of perseverance, and be provided for them, having your mind
fixed in it to go through them, let them be what they will. Consider now
beforehand, how tedious it would be, with utmost earnestness and labour,
to strive after salvation for many years, in the mean time receiving no
joyful or comfortable evidence of your having obtained. Consider what a
great temptation to discouragement there probably would be in it; how
apt you would be to yield the case; how ready to think that it is in
vain for you to seek any longer, and that God never intends to show you
mercy, in that he has not yet done it; how apt you would be to think
with yourself, "What an uncomfortable life do I live! How much more
unpleasantly do I spend my time than others that do not perplex their
minds about the things of another world, but are at ease, and take the
comfort of their worldly enjoyments!" Consider what a temptation there
would probably be in it, if you saw others brought in that began to seek
the kingdom of heaven long after you, rejoicing in a hope and sense of
God's favour, after but little pains and a short time of awakening;
while you, from day to day, and from year to year, seemed to labour in
vain. Prepare for such tempations now. Lay in beforehand for such trials
and difficulties, that you may not think any strange thing has happened
when they come.
I hope that those who have given attention to what has been said, have
by this time conceived, in some measure, what is signified by the
expression in the text, and after what manner they ought to press into
the kingdom of God. Here is this to induce you to a compliance with what
you have been directed to; if you sit still, you die; if you go
backward, behold you shall surely die; if you go forward, you may live.
And though God has not bound himself to any thing that a person does
while destitute of faith, and out of Christ, yet there is great
probability, that in a way of hearkening to this counsel you will live;
and that by pressing onward, and persevering, you will at last, as it
were by violence, take the kingdom of heaven. Those of you who have not
only heard the directions given, but shall through God's merciful
assistance, practise according to them, are those that probably will
overcome. These we may well hope at last to see standing with the Lamb
on mount Sion, clothed in white robes, with palms in their hands; when
all your labour and toil will be abundantly compensated, and you will
not repent that you have taken so much pains, and denied yourself much,
and waited so long. This self-denial, this waiting, will then look
little, and vanish into nothing in your eyes, being all swallowed up in
the first minute's enjoyment of that glory that you will then possess,
and will uninterruptedly possess and enjoy to all eternity.
4th Direction. Improve the present season of the pouring out of the
Spirit of God on this town. Prudence is any affair whatsoever consists
very much in minding and improving our opportunities. If you would have
spiritual prosperity, you must exercise prudence in the concerns of your
souls, as well as in outward concerns when you seek outward prosperity.
The prudent husbandman will observe his opportunities; he will improve
seed-time and harvest; he will make his advantage of the showers and
shines of heaven. The prudent merchant will discern his opportunities;
he will not be idle on a market-day; he is careful not to let slip his
seasons for enriching himself: So will those who prudently seek the
fruits of righteousness, and the merchandise of wisdom, improve their
opportunities for their eternal wealth and happiness.
God is pleased at this time, in a very remarkable manner, to pour out
his Spirit amongst us; (glory be to his name!) You that have a mind to
obtain converting grace, and to go to heaven when you die, now is your
season! Now, if you have any sort of prudence for your own salvation,
and have not a mind to go to hell, improve this season! Now is the
accepted time! Now is the day of salvation! You that in time past have
been called upon, and have turned a deaf ear to God's voice, and long
stood out and resisted his commands and counsels, hear God's voice
today, while it is called today! Do not harden your hearts at such a day
as this! Now you have a special and remarkable price put into your hands
to get wisdom, if you have but a heart to improve it.
God hath his certain days or appointed seasons of exercising both mercy
and judgment. There are some remarkable times of wrath, laid out by God
for his awful visitation, and the executions of his anger; which times
are called days of vengeance, Proverbs 6:34. Wherein God will visit sin,
Exodus 32:34. And so, on the contrary, God has laid out in his sovereign
counsels seasons of remarkable mercy, wherein he will manifest himself
in the exercises of his grace and loving-kindness, more than at other
times. Such times in Scripture are called by way of eminency, accepted
times, and days of salvation, and also days of God's visitation; because
they are days wherein God will visit in a way of mercy; as in Luke
19:44. "And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within
thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because
thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." It is such a time now in
this town; it is with us a day of God's gracious visitation. It is
indeed a day of grace with us as long as we live in this world, in the
enjoyment of the means of grace; but such a time as this is especially,
and in a distinguishing manner, a day of grace. There is a door of mercy
always standing open for sinners; but such a day as this, God opens an
extraordinary door.
We are directed to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon
him while he is near, Isaiah 55:6. If you that are hitherto Christless,
be not strangely besotted and infatuated, you will by all means improve
such an opportunity as this to get heaven, when heaven is brought so
near, when the fountain is opened in the midst of us in so extraordinary
a manner. Now is the time to obtain a supply of the necessities of your
poor perishing souls! This is the day for sinners that have a mind to be
converted before they die, when God is dealing forth so liberally and
bountifully amongst us; when conversion and salvation work is going on
amongst us from sabbath to sabbath, and many are pressing into the
kingdom of God! Now do not stay behind, but press in amongst the rest!
Others have been stirred up to be in good earnest, and have taken heaven
by violence; be entreated to follow their example, if you would have a
part of the inheritance with them, and would not be left at the great
day, when they are taken!
How should it move you to consider that you have this opportunity now in
your hands! You are in the actual possession of it! If it were past, it
would not be in your power to recover it, or in the power of any
creature to bring it back for you; but it is not past; it is now, at
this day. Now is the accepted time, even while it is called today! Will
you sit still at such a time? Will you sleep in such a harvest? Will you
deal with a slack hand, and stay behind out of mere sloth, or love to
some lust, or lothness to grapple with some small difficulty, or to put
yourself a little out of your way, when so many are flowing to the
goodness of the Lord? You are behind still; and so you will be in danger
of being left behind, when the whole number is completed that are to
enter in, if you do not earnestly bestir yourself! To be left behind at
the close of such a season as this, will be awful-next to being left
behind on that day when God's saints shall mount up as with wings to
meet the Lord in the air-and will be what will appear very threatening
of it.
God is now calling you in an extraordinary manner: and it is agreeable
to the will and word of Christ, that I should now, in his name, call
you, as one set over you, and sent to you to that end; so it is his will
that you should hearken to what I say, as his voice. I therefore beseech
you in Christ's stead now to press into the kingdom of God! Whoever you
are, whether young or old, small or great; if you are a great sinner, if
you have been a backslider, if you have quenched the Spirit, be who you
will, do not stand making objections, but arise, apply yourself to your
work! Do what you have to do with your might. Christ is calling you
before, and holding forth his grace, and everlasting benefits, and wrath
is pursuing you behind; wherefore fly for your life, and look not behind
you! But here I would particularly direct myself to several sorts of
persons.
I. To those sinners who are in a measure awakened, and are concerned for
their salvation. You have reason to be glad that you have such an
opportunity, and to prize it above gold. To induce you to prize and
improve it, consider several things.
1. God has doubtless a design now to deal forth saving blessings to a
number. God has done it to some already, and it is not probable that he
has yet finished his work amongst us: we may well hope still to see
others brought out of darkness into marvellous light. And therefore,
2. God comes this day, and knocks at many persons' doors, and at your
door among the rest. God seems to be come in a very unusual manner
amongst us, upon a gracious and merciful design; a design of saving a
number of poor miserable souls out of a lost and perishing condition,
and of bringing them into a happy state and eternal glory! This is
offered to you, not only as it has always been in the word and
ordinances, but by the particular influences of the Spirit of Christ
awakening you! This special offer is made to many amongst us; and you
are not passed over. Christ has not forgot you; but has come to your
door; and there as it were stands waiting for you to open to him. If you
have wisdom and discretion to discern your own advantage, you will know
that now is your opportunity.
3. How much more easily converting grace is obtained at such a time,
than at other times! The work is equally easy with God at all times; but
there is far less difficulty in the way as to men at such a time, than
at other times. It is, as I said before, a day of God's gracious
visitation; a day that he has as it were set apart for the more
liberally and bountifully dispensing of his grace; a day wherein God's
hand is opened wide. Experience shows it. God seems to be more ready to
help, to give proper convictions, to help against temptations, and let
in divine light. He seems to carry on his work with a more glorious
discovery of his power, and Satan is more chained up than at other
times. Those difficulties and temptations that persons before struck at,
from year to year, they are soon helped over. The work of God is carried
on with greater speed and swiftness, and there are often instances of
sudden conversion at such a time. So it was in the apostles' days, when
there was a time of the most extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit
that ever was. How quick and sudden were conversions in those days! Such
instances as that of the jailer abounded then, in fulfillment of that
prophecy, Isaiah 66:7, 8. "Before she travailed, she brought forth:
before her pain came she was delivered of a man-child. Who hath heard
such a thing? Who hath seen such things? For as soon as Zion travailed,
she brought forth her children." So it is in some degree, whenever there
is an extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit of God; more or less so,
in proportion to the greatness of that effusion. There is seldom such
quick work made of it at other times. Persons are not so soon delivered
from their various temptations and entanglements; but are much longer
wandering in a wilderness, and groping in darkness. And yet,
4. There are probably some here present that are now concerned about
their salvation, that will never obtain. It is not to be supposed that
all that are now moved and awakened, will ever be savingly converted.
Doubtless there are many now seeking that will not be able to enter.
When has it been so in times past, when there has been times of great
outpourings of God's Spirit, but that many who for a while have inquired
with others, what they should do to be saved, have failed, and
afterwards grown hard and secure? All of you that are now awakened, have
a mind to obtain salvation, and probably hope to get a title to heaven,
in the time of this present moving of God's Spirit: but yet, (though it
be awful to be spoken, and awful to be thought) we have no reason to
think any other, than that some of you will burn in hell to all
eternity. You all are afraid of hell, and seem at present disposed to
take pains to be delivered from it; and yet it would be unreasonable to
think any other, than that some of you will have your portion in the
lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Though there are so many that
seem to obtain so easily, having been but a little while under
convictions, yet, for all that, some never will obtain. Some will soon
lose the sense of things they now have; though their awakenings seem to
be very considerable for the present, they will not hold; they have not
hearts disposed to hold on through very many difficulties. Some that
have set out for heaven, and hope as much as others to obtain, are
indeed but slighty and slack, even now, in the midst of such a time as
this. And others, who for the present seem to be more in earnest, will
probably, before long, decline and fail, and gradually return to be as
they were before. The convictions of some seem to be great, while that
which is the occasion of their convictions is new; which, when that
begins to grow old, will gradually decay and wear off. Thus, it may be,
the occasion of your awakening has been the hearing of the conversion of
some person, or seeing so extraordinary a dispensation of Providence as
this in which God now appears amongst us; but by and by the newness and
freshness of these things will be gone, and so will not affect your mind
as now they do; and it may be your convictions will go away with it.
Though this be a time wherein God doth more liberally bestow his grace,
and so a time of greater advantage for obtaining it; yet there seems to
be, upon some accounts, greater danger of backsliding, than when persons
are awakened at other times. For commonly such extraordinary times do
not last long; and then when they cease, there are multitudes that lose
their convictions as it were together.
We speak of it as a happy thing, that God is pleased to cause such a
time amongst us, and so it is indeed: but there are some to whom it will
be no benefit; it will be an occasion of their greater misery; they will
wish they had never seen this time; it will be more tolerable for those
that never saw it, or any thing like it, in the day of judgment, than
for them. It is an awful consideration, that there are probably those
here, whom the great Judge will hereafter call to a strict account about
this very thing, why they no better improved this opportunity, when he
set open the fountain of his grace, and so loudly called upon them, and
came and strove with them in particular, by the awakening influences of
his Spirit; and they will have no good account to give to the Judge, but
their mouths will be stopped, and they will stand speechless before him.
You had need therefore to be earnest, and very resolved in this affair,
that you may not be one of those who shall thus fail, that you may so
fight, as not uncertainly, and so run, as that you may win the prize.
5. Consider in what sad circumstances times of extraordinary effusion of
God's Spirit commonly leave persons, when they leave them unconverted.
They find them in a doleful, because in a natural, condition; but
commonly leave them in a much more doleful condition. They are left
dreadfully hardened, and with a great increase of guilt, and their souls
under a more strong dominion and possession of Satan. And frequently
seasons of extraordinary advantage for salvation,when they pass over
persons, and they do not improve them, nor receive any good in them,
seal their damnation. As such seasons leave them, God for ever leaves
them, and gives them up to judicial hardness. Luke 19:41, 42. "And when
he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou
hadst known, even thou, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now
they are hid from thine eyes."
6. Consider, that it is very uncertain whether you will ever see such
another time as this. If there should be such another time, it is very
uncertain uncertain whether you will live to another time, it is very
uncertain whether you will eve whether you will live to see it. Many
that are now concerned for their salvation amongst us, will probably be
in their graves, and it may be in hell, before that time; and if you
should miss this opportunity, it may be so with you. And what good will
that do you, to have the Spirit of God poured out upon earth, in the
place where you once lived, while you are tormented in hell? What will
it avail you, that others are crying, What shall I do to be saved? while
you are shut up for ever in the bottomless pit, and are wailing and
gnashing your teeth in everlasting burnings?
Wherefore improve this opportunity, while God is pouring out his Spirit,
and you are on earth, and while you dwell in the place where the Spirit
of God is thus poured out, and you yourself have the awakening
influences of it, that you may never wail and gnash your teeth in hell,
but may sing in heaven for ever, with others that are redeemed from
amongst men, and redeemed amongst us.
7. If you should see another such time, it will be under far greater
disadvantages than now. You will probably then be much older, and will
have more hardened your heart; and so will be under less probability of
receiving good. Some persons are so hardened in sin, and so left of God,
that they can live through such a time as this, and not be much awakened
or affected by it; they can stand their ground, and be but little moved.
And so it may be with you, by another such time, if there should be
another amongst us, and you should live to see it. The case in all
probability will be greatly altered with you by that time.
If you should continue Christless and graceless till then, you will be
much further from the kingdom of God, and much deeper involved in snares
and misery; and the devil will probably have a vastly greater advantage
against you, to tempt and confound you.
8. We do not know but that God is now gathering in his elect, before
some great and sore judgment. It has been God's manner before he casts
off a visible people, or brings some great and destroying judgments upon
them, first to gather in his elect, that they may be secure. So it was
before the casting off the Jews from being God's people. There was first
a very remarkable pouring out of the Spirit, and gathering in of the
elect, by the preaching of the apostles and evangelists, as we read in
the beginning of the Acts: but after this the harvest and its gleanings
were over, the rest were blinded, and hardened; the gospel had little
success amongst them, and the nation was given up, and cast off from
being God's people, and their city and land was destroyed by the Romans
in a terrible manner; and they have been cast off by God now for a great
many ages, and still remain a hardened and rejected people. So we read
in the beginning of the 7th chapter of the Revelations, that God, when
about to bring destroying judgments on the earth, first sealed his
servants in the forehead. He set his seal upon the hearts of the elect,
gave them the saving influences and indwelling of his Spirit, by which
they were sealed to the day of redemption. Revelation 7:1-3. "And after
these things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the
earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not
blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another
angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he
cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt
the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor
the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their
foreheads."
And this may be the case now, that God is about, in a great measure, to
forsake this land, and give up this people, and to bring most awful and
overwhelming judgments upon it, and that he is now gathering in his
elect, to secure them from the calamity. The state of the nation, and of
this land, never looked so threatening of such a thing as at this day.
The present aspect of things exceedingly threatens vital religion, and
even those truths that are especially the foundation of it, out of this
land. If it should be so, how awful will the case be with those that
shall be left, and not brought in, while God continues the influences of
his Spirit, to gather in those that are to be redeemed from amongst us!
9. If you neglect the present opportunity, and be finally unbelieving,
those that are converted in this time of the pouring out of God's Spirit
will rise up in judgment against you. Your neighbors, your relations,
acquaintance, or companions that are converted, will that day appear
against you. They will not only be taken while you are left, mounting up
with joy to meet the Lord in the air-at his right hand with glorious
saints and angels, while you are at the left with devils-but how they
will rise up in judgment against you.
However friendly you have been together, and have taken pleasure in one
another's company, and have often familiarly conversed together, they
will then surely appear against you. They will rise up as witnesses, and
will declare what a precious opportunity you had, and did not improve;
how you continued unbelieving, and rejected the offers of a Saviour,
when those offers were made in so extraordinary a manner, and when so
many others were prevailed upon to accept of Christ; how you was
negligent and slack, and did not know the things that belonged to your
peace, in that your day. And not only so, but they shall be your judges,
as assessors with the great Judge; and as such will appear against you;
they will be with the Judge in passing sentence upon you. I Corinthians
6:2. "Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?" Christ will
admit them to the honour of judging the world with him: "They shall sit
with him in his throne," Revelation 3:21. "They shall sit with Christ in
his throne of government, and they shall sit with him in his throne of
judgment, and shall be judges with him when you are judged, and as such
shall condemn you.
10. And lastly, You do not know that you shall live through the present
time of the pouring out of God's Spirit. You may be taken away in the
midst of it, or you may be taken away in the beginning of it; as God in
his providence is putting you in mind, by the late instance of death in
a young person in the town.* God has of late been very awful in his
dealings with us, in the repeated deaths of young persons amongst us.
This should stir every one up to be in the more haste to press into the
kingdom of God, that so you may be safe whenever death comes. This is a
blessed season and opportunity; but you do not know how little of it you
may have. You may have much less of it than others; may by death be
suddenly snatched away from all advantages that are here enjoyed for the
good of souls. Therefore make haste, and escape for thy life. One
moment's delay is dangerous; for wrath is pursuing, and divine vengeance
hanging over every uncovered person.
Let these considerations move every one to be improving this
opportunity, that while others receive saving good, and are made heirs
of eternal glory, you may not be left behind, in the same miserable
doleful circumstances in which you came into the world, a poor captive
to sin and Satan, a lost sheep, a perishing, undone creature, sinking
down into everlasting perdition; that you may not be one of them spoken
of, Jeremiah 17:6. "That shall be like the heath in the desert, and
shall not see when good comes." If you do not improve this opportunity,
remember I have told you, you will hereafter lament it; and if you do
not lament it in this world, then I will leave it with you to remember
it throughout a miserable eternity.
II. I would address myself to such as yet remain unawakened. It is an
awful thing that there should be any one person remaining secure amongst
us at such a time as this; but yet it is to be feared that there are
some of this sort. I would here a little expostulate with such persons.
* Joseph Clark's wife, a young woman lately married, that died suddenly
the week before this was delivered.
1. When do you expect that it will be more likely that you should be
awakened and wrought upon than now? You are in a Christless condition;
and yet without doubt intend to go to heaven; and therefore intend to be
converted some time before you die; but this is not to be expected till
you are first awakened, and deeply concerned about the welfare of your
soul, and brought earnestly to seek God's converting grace. And when do
you intend that this shall be? How do you lay things out in your own
mind, or what projection have you about this matter? Is it ever so
likely that a person will be awakened, as at such a time as this? How do
we see many, who before were secure, now roused out of their sleep, and
crying, What shall I do to be saved? But you are yet secure! Do you
flatter yourself that it will be more likely you should be awakened when
it is a dull and dead time? Do you lay matters out thus in your own
mind, that though you are senseless when others are generally awakened,
that yet you shall be awakened when others are generally senseless? Or
do you hope to see another such time of the pouring out of God's Spirit
hereafter? And do you think it will be more likely that you should be
wrought upon then, than now? And why do you think so? Is it because then
you shall be so much older than you are now, and so that your heart will
be grown softer and more tender with age? or because you will then have
stood out so much longer against the calls of the gospel, and all means
of grace? Do you think it more likely that God will give you the needed
influences of his Spirit then, than now, because then you will have
provoked him so much more, and your sin and guilt will be so much
greater? And do you think it will be any benefit to you, to stand it out
through the present season of grace, as proof against the extraordinary
means of awakening there are? Do you think that this will be a good
preparation for a saving work of the Spirit hereafter?
2. What means do you expect to be awakened by? As to the awakening awful
things of the word of God, you have had those set before you times
without number, in the most moving manner that the dispensers of the
word have been capable of. As to particular solemn warnings, directed to
those that are in your circumstances, you have had them frequently, and
have them now from time to time. Do you expect to be awakened by awful
providences? Those also you have lately had, of the most awakening
nature, one after another. Do you expect to be moved by the deaths of
others? We have lately had repeated instances of these. There have been
deaths of old and young: the year has been remarkable for the deaths of
young persons in the bloom of life; and some of them very sudden deaths.
Will the conversion of others move you? There is indeed scarce any thing
that is found to have so great a tendency to stir persons up as this:
and this you have been tried with of late in frequent instances; but are
hitherto proof against it. Will a general pouring out of the Spirit, and
seeing a conern about salvation amongst all sorts of people, do it? This
means you now have, but without effect. Yea, you have all these things
together; you have the solemn warnings of God's word, and awful
instances of death, and the conversion of others, and see a general
concern about salvation: but all together do not move you to any great
concern about your own precious, immortal, and miserable soul. Therefore
consider by what means it is that you expect ever to be awakened.
You have heard that it is probable some who are now awakened, will never
obtain salvation; how dark then does it look upon you that remain
stupidly unawakened! Those who are not moved at such a time as this,
come to adult age, have reason to fear whether they are not given up to
judicial hardness. I do not say they have reason to conclude it, but
they have reason to fear it. How dark doth it look upon you, that God
comes and knocks at so many persons' doors, and misses yours! that God
is giving the strivings of his Spirit so generally amongst us, while you
ar left senseless!
3. Do you expect to obtain salvation without ever seeking it? If you are
sensible that there is a necessity of your seeking in order to
obtaining, and ever intend to seek, one would think you could not avoid
it at such a time as this. Inquire therefore, whether you intend to go
to heaven, living all your days a secure, negligent, careless life.-Or,
4. Do you think you can bear the damnation of hell? Do you imagine that
you can tolerably endure the devouring fire, and everlasting burnings?
Do you hope that you shall be able to grapple with the vengeance of God
Almighty, when he girds himself with strength, and clothes himself with
wrath? Do you think to strengthen yourself against God, and to be able
to make your part good with him? I Corinthians 10:22. "Do we provoke the
Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?" Do you flatter yourself that
you shall find out ways for your ease and support, and to make it out
tolerably well, to bear up your spirit in those everlasting burnings
that are prepared for the devil and his angels? Ezekiel 22:14. "Can
thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I
shall deal with thee?"-It is a difficult thing to conceive what such
Christless persons think, that are unconcerned at such a time.
III. I would direct myself to them who are grown considerably into
years, and are yet in a natural condition. I would now take occasion
earnestly to exhort you to improve this extraordinary opportunity, and
press into the kingdom of God. You have lost many advantages that once
you had, and now have not the same advantages that others have. The case
is very different with you from what it is with many of your neighbours.
You, above all, had need to improve such an opportunity. Now is the time
for you to bestir yourself, and take the kingdom of heaven!-Consider,
1. Now there seems to be a door opened for old sinners. Now God is
dealing forth freely to all sorts: his hand is opened wide, and he does
not pass by old ones so much as he used to do. You are not under such
advantages as others who are younger; but yet, so wonderfully has God
ordered it, that now you are not destitute of great advantage. Though
old in sin, God has put a new and extraordinary advantage in your hands.
O! improve this price you have to get wisdom. You that have been long
seeking to enter in at the strait gate and yet remain without, now take
your opportunity and press in! You that have been long in the
wilderness, fighting with various temptations, labouring under
discouragements, ready to give up the case, and have been often tempted
to despair, now, behold the door that God opens for you! Do not give way
to discouragements now; this is not a time for it. Do not spend time in
thinking, that you have done what you can already, and that you are not
elected, and in giving way to other perplexing, weakening, disheartening
temptations. Do not waste away this precious opportunity in such a
manner. You have no time to spare for such things as these; God calls
you now to something else. Improve this time in seeking and striving for
salvation, and not in that which tends to hinder it.-It is no time now
for you to stand talking with the devil; but hearken to God, and apply
yourself to that which he does now so loudly call you to.
Some of you have often lamented the loss of past opportunties,
particularly, the loss of the time of youth, and have been wishing that
you had so good an opportunity again; and have been ready to say, "O! if
I was young again, how would I improve such an advantage!" That
opportunity which you have had in time past is irrecoverable; you can
never have it again; but God can give you other advantages of another
sort, that are very great, and he is so doing at this day. He is now
putting a new opportunity into your hands; though not of the same kind
with that which you once had, and have lost, yet in some respects as
great of another kind. If you lament your folly in neglecting and losing
past opportunties, then do not be guilty of the folly of neglecting the
opportunity which God now gives you. This opportunity you could not have
purchased, if you would have given all that you had in the world for it.
But God is putting it into your hands himself, of his own free and
sovereign mercy, without your purchasing it. Therefore when you have it,
do not neglect it.
2. It is a great deal more likely with respect to such persons than
others, that this is their last time. There will be a last time of
special offer of salvation to impenitent sinners-"God's Spirit shall not
always strive with man," Genesis 6:3. God sometimes continues long
knocking at the doors of wicked men's hearts; but there are the last
knocks, and the last calls that ever they shall have. And sometimes
God's last calls are the loudest; and then if sinners do not hearken, he
finally leaves them. How long has God been knocking at many of your
doors that are old in sin! It is a great deal more likely that these are
his last knocks. You have resisted God's Spirit in times past, and have
hardened your heart once and again; but God will not be thus dealt with
always. There is danger, that if now, after so long a time, you will not
hearken, he will utterly desert you, and leave you to walk in your own
counsels.
It seems by God's providence, as though God had yet an elect number
amongst old sinners in this place, that perhaps he is now about to bring
in. It looks as though there were some that long lived under Mr.
Stoddard's ministry, that God has not utterly cast off, though they
stood it out under such great means as they then enjoyed. It is to be
hoped that God will now bring in a remnant from among them. But it is
more likely that God is now about finishing with them, one way or other,
for their having been so long the subjects of such extraordinary means.
You have seen former times of the pouring out of God's Spirit upon the
town, when others were taken and you left, others were called out of
darkness into marvelous light, and were brought into a glorious and
happy state, and you saw not good when good came. How dark will your
circumstances appear, if you shall also stand it out through this
opportunity, and still be left behind! Take heed that you be not of
those spoken of, Hebrews 6:7, 8. that are like the "earth that has rain
coming oft upon it, and only bears briers and thorns." As we see there
are some pieces of ground, the more showers of rain fall upon them, the
more fruitful seasons there are, the more do the briers, and other
useless and hurtful plants, that are rooted in them, grow and flourish.
Of such ground the apostle says, "It is rejected, and is nigh unto
cursing, whose end is to be burned." The way that the husbandman takes
with such ground, is, to set fire to it, to burn up the growth of it.-If
you miss this opportunity, there is danger that you will be utterly
rejected, and that your end will be to be burned. And if this is to be,
it is to be feared, that you are not far from, but nigh unto, cursing.
Those of you that are already grown old in sin, and are now under
awakenings, when you feel your convictions begin to go off, if ever that
should be, then remember what you have now been told; it may well then
strike you to the heart!
IV. I would direct the advice to those that are young, and now under
their first special convictions. I would earnestly urge such to improve
this opportunity, and press into the kingdom of God.-Consider two
things,
1. You have all manner of advantages now centering upon you. It is a
time of great advantage for all; but your advantages are above others.
There is no other sort of persons that have now so great and happy an
opportunity as you have.-You have the great advantage that is common to
all who live in this place, viz. That now it is a time of the
extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit of God. And have you not that
great advantage, the awakening influences of the Spirit of God on you in
particular? and besides, you have this peculiar advantage, that you are
now in your youth. And added to this, you have another unspeakable
advantage, that you now are under your first convictions. Happy is he
that never has hardened his heart, and blocked up his own way to heaven
by backsliding, and has now the awakening influences of God's Spirit, if
God does but enable him thoroughly to improve them! Such above all in
the world bid fair for the kingdom of God. God is wont on such, above
any kind of persons, as it were easily and readily to bestow the saving
grace and comforts of his Spirit. Instances of speedy and sudden
conversion are most commonly found among such. Happy are they that have
the Spirit of God with them, and never have quenched it, if they did but
know the price they have in their hands!
If you have a sense of your necessity of salvation, and the great worth
and value of it, you will be willing to take the surest way to it, or
that which has the greatest probability of success; and that certainly
is, thoroughly to improve your first convictions. If you so go, it is
not likely that you will fail; there is the greatest probability that
you will succeed.-What is it not worth, to have such an advantage in
one's hands for obtaining eternal life? The present season of the
pouring out of God's Spirit, is the first that many of you who are now
under awakenings have ever seen, since you came to years of
understanding. On which account, it is the greatest opportunity that
ever you had, and probably by far the greatest that ever you will have.
There are many here present who wish they had such an opportunity, but
they never can obtain it; they cannot buy it for money; but you have it
in your possession, and can improve it if you will. But yet,
2. There is on some accounts greater danger that such as are in your
circumstances will fail of thoroughly improving their convictions, with
respect to stedfastness and perseverance, than others. Those that are
young are more unstable than elder persons. They who never had
convictions before, have less experience of the difficulty of the work
they have engaged in; they are more ready to think that they shall
obtain salvation easily, and are more easily discouraged by
disappointments; and young persons have less reason and consideration to
fortify them against temptations to backsliding. You should therefore
labour now the more to guard against such temptations. By all means make
but one work of seeking salvation! Make thorough work of it the first
time! There are vast disadvantages that they bring themselves under, who
have several turns of seeking with great intermissions. By such a
course, persons exceedingly wound their own souls, and entangle
themselves in many snares. Who are those that commonly meet with so many
difficulties, and are so long labouring in darkness and perplexity, but
those who have had several turns at seeking salvation; who have one
while had convictions, and then have quenched them, and then have set
about the work again, and have backslidden again, and have gone on after
that manner? The children of Israel would not have been forty years in
the wilderness, if they had held their courage, and had gone on as they
set out; but they were of an unstable mind, and were for going back
again into Egypt.-Otherwise, if they had gone right forward without
discouragement, as God would have led them, they would have soon entered
and taken possession of Canaan. They had got to the very borders of it
when they turned back, but were thirty-eight years after that, before
they got through the wilderness. Therefore, as you regard the interest
of your soul, do not run yourself into a like difficulty, by
unsteadiness, intermission, and backsliding; but press right forward,
from henceforth, and make but one work of seeking, converting, and
pardoning grace, however great, and difficult, and long a work that may
be.
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