"Nay," say they, "why may not we, as well as he? He is a professor, and yet he seeks for pleasures, riches, profits; he loveth vain company, and he is so and so, and professeth that he is going for heaven; yea, and he saith also he doth not fear but he shall have entertainment; let us therefore keep pace with him, we shall fare no worse than he!" O how fearful a thing will it be, if thou shalt be instrumental to the ruin of others by thy halting in the way of righteousness! Look to it, thou wilt have strength little enough to appear before G.o.d, to give an account of the loss of thy own soul; thou needest not to have to give an account for others, why thou didst stop them from entering in. How wilt thou answer that saying, "You would not enter in yourselves, and them that would, you hindered?" For that saying will be eminently fulfilled on them that through their own idleness do keep themselves out of heaven, and by giving others the same example, hinder them also.
THE NINTH USE.--Therefore, now to speak a word to both of you, and so I shall conclude.
1. I beseech you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that none of you do run so lazily in the way to heaven as to hinder either yourselves or others. I know that even he who runs laziest, if he should see a man running for a temporal life, who should so much neglect his own well-being in this world, as to venture, when he is running for his life, to pick up, here and there, a lock of wool that hangeth by the wayside, or to step, now and then, aside out of the way to gather up a straw or two, or any rotten stick; I say, if he should do this when he is running for his life, thou wouldst condemn him. And dost thou not condemn thyself that dost the very same in effect? nay worse; that loiterest in thy race, notwithstanding thy soul, heaven, glory, and all is at stake? Have a care, have a care, poor wretched sinner; have a care!
2. If yet there shall be any that, notwithstanding this advice, will still be flagging and loitering in the way to the kingdom of glory, be thou so wise as not to take example by them. Learn of no man farther than he followeth Christ. But look unto Jesus, who is not only the author and finisher of faith, but who did, for the joy that was set before him, endure the cross, despise the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of G.o.d. I say, look to no man to learn of him, any farther than he followeth Christ. "Be ye followers of me," saith Paul, "even as I am of Christ." Though _he_ was an eminent man, yet his exhortation was, that none should follow him any farther than he followed Christ.
PROVOCATION.--Now that you may be provoked in run with the foremost, take notice of this. When Lot and his wife were running from cursed Sodom to the mountains, to save their lives, it is said, that his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And yet you see that neither her practice, nor the judgment of G.o.d that fell upon her for the same, would cause Lot to look behind him. I have sometimes wondered at Lot in this particular. His wife looked behind her and died immediately; but let what would become of her, Lot would not so much as look behind him to see her. We do not read that he did so much as once look where she was, or what was become of her. His heart was indeed upon his journey, and well it might be. There was the mountain before him, and the fire and brimstone behind him! His life lay at stake, and he had lost it if he had but looked behind him. Do thou so run: and in thy race remember Lot"s wife, and remember her doom; and remember for what that doom did overtake her; and remember that G.o.d made her an example for all lazy runners, to the end of the world; and take heed thou fall not after the same example! But if this will not provoke thee,
Consider thus, 1. Thy soul, is thy own soul, that is either to be saved or lost. Thou shalt not lose my soul by thy laziness; it is thy own soul, thy own ease, thy own peace, thy own advantage or disadvantage. If it were my own that thou art desired to be good unto, methinks reason should move thee somewhat to pity it. But alas! it is thy own; thy own soul! "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" G.o.d"s people wish well to the soul of others, and wilt not thou wish well to thy own? And if this will not provoke thee, then,
Think again, 2. If thou lose thy soul, it is thou also that must bear the blame. It made Cain stark mad to consider that he had not looked to his brother Abel"s soul. How much more will it perplex thee, to think, that thou hadst not a care of thy own? And if this will not provoke thee to bestir thyself,
Think again, 3. That if thou wilt not run, the people of G.o.d are resolved to deal with thee even as Lot dealt with his wife; that is, leave thee behind them. It may be thou hast a father, mother, brother, &c, going post haste to heaven. Wouldst thou be willing to be left behind them? Surely no.
Again, 4. Will it not be a dishonor to thee to see the very boys and girls in the country, to have more wit than thyself? It may be the servants of some men, as the horsekeeper, ploughman, scullion, &c, are more looking after heaven than their masters. I am apt to think sometimes, that more servants than masters, that more tenants than landlords, will inherit the kingdom of heaven. But is not this a shame for them that are such? I am persuaded you scorn that your servants should say that they are wiser than you in the things of the world; and yet I am bold to say, that many of them are wiser than you in the things of the world to come, which are of greater concernment.
EXPOSTULATION.--Well then, sinner, what sayest thou? Where is thy heart? Wilt thou run? Art thou resolved to strip? Or art thou not?
Think quickly, man! It is no dallying in this matter. Confer not with flesh and blood. Look up to heaven, and see how thou likest it; also to h.e.l.l, (of which thou mayst understand something in my book, called Sighs from h.e.l.l, or, The Groans of a Lost Soul, which I wish thee to read seriously over,[A]) and accordingly devote thyself. If thou dost not know the way, inquire at the word of G.o.d; if thou wantest company, cry for G.o.d"s Spirit; if thou wantest encouragement, entertain the promises. But be sure thou begin betimes; get into the way, run apace, and hold out to the end; and the Lord give thee a prosperous journey!
FAREWELL.
[Footnote A: This book will be found in the volume of Bunyan"s AWAKENING WORKS, published by this Society.]