Use 3
USE III.
Let it be a loud call to old sinners that are under the Gospel. Are there none among us, that have not been three, but thirty, forty, fifty years in the Vineyard, under the means of grace, and strivings of the spirit of God, and have not to this day brought forth any fruit that God will accept of, but have lived in their natural state, neglected their souls, and not regarded to improve the opportunities they have had? Let this doctrine awaken you, and put you upon making haste to get your sin pardoned, your guilt removed, and your souls made fertile; and to move you thereto, let me offer these considerations.
1. Think how much guilt you have already contracted to yourselves. Know it, whatever pretence of respect you have shown to the Gospel and the means of grace, yet your barrenness is a witness against you that you have indeed neglected and despised all: count up how many Sabbaths you have lived, and remember so many days have been profaned by you; and so many sermons as you have heard, so many witnesses you have laid against you: so many of God's messengers as have laboured in vain among you, so many accusers you will have another day, if you repent not. If once rejecting Christ's call, if once refusing to comply with the striving spirit, be enough to ruin you forever; how will you be able to stand up under the weight of such innumerable provocations? And will you go on still? Say, is it not high time for you now at length to look about you and bestir yourselves.
2. Remember what a holy God you have to do with. Never delude yourselves with a vain confidence in abused mercy; God knows how to clothe himself with vengeance, and kindle up his fury into a fire unquencheable, if you dare to go on to irritate it by your impenitence. His holiness stands engaged for his honor and will not give away his glory. His holiness will not suffer him to lose all the cost and patience laid out upon you. Though fury be not in him yet he will burn up briars and thorns that resolve to continue to be such: though he can bear with, yet he will not acquit the guilty if they continue to be so. They are at present a burden to him, and he is pressed by them, but he will ease himself of these his enemies.
3. You have as yet the invitation and opportunity to be fruitful. You are still in the Vineyard: wonder at it, and take the encouragement of it, and let it awaken you to improve it. God is still patient, and let that lead you to repentance: there is hope concerning you, but still there is great danger, as you may afterwards hear. Let your danger excite you, and your hopes draw you to lay aside any longer delays, and put yourselves upon present expedition; go to Christ for pardon, and wait upon him for grace, ask of him his spirit, beg hard that he will purge you, that you may yet be fruit-bearing trees in his Vineyard. And though it be at the ninth or eleventh hour, yet if you be serious and faithful, it shall be well.
