Q. Before you conclude, will you give me a few instances of the severity of God's hand upon some professors, that have not denied themselves when called thereto by him?—A. Yes, willingly; Lot's wife for but looking behind her towards Sodom, when God called her from it, was stricken from heaven, and turned into a pillar of salt; therefore remember Lot's wife (Gen 19:17,26; Luke 17:31,32).
Q. Can you give me another instance?—A. Yes; Esau for not denying himself of one morsel of meat was denied a share in the blessing, and could never obtain it after, though he sought it carefully with tears (Gen 25:32-34; Heb 12:16,17).
Q. Have you at hand another instance?—A. Yes; Judas for not denying himself, lost Christ, his soul, and heaven: and is continued the great object of God's wrath among all damned souls (John 12:5,6; Luke 22:3-6; Matt 26:14-16; Acts 1:25).
Q. Will you give me one more instance, and so conclude?—A. Yes; Ananias and Sapphira his wife, did for the want of self-denial, pull upon themselves such wrath of God, that he slew them, while they stood in the midst before the apostles (Acts 5:1-11).
The Conclusion.
Before I wind up this discourse, I would lay down these few things for you to consider of, and meditate upon.
I. Consider, that seeing every one by nature are accounted sinners; it is no matter whether thy actual sins be little or great, few or many, thy sinful nature hath already lain thee under the curse of the law.
II. Consider, That therefore thou hast already ground for humiliation, sins to repent of, wrath to fly from, or a soul to be damned.
III. Consider, That time stays not for thee, and also that as time goes, sin increaseth; so that at last the end of thy time, and the completing of thy sin, are like to come upon thee in one moment.
IV. Bring thy last day often to thy bedside, and ask thy heart, if this morning thou wast to die, if thou be ready to die or no.