By JOHN BUNYAN.
WHAT shall I say? Time runs; and will you be slothful? Much of your lives are past; and will you be slothful? Your souls are worth a thousand worlds; and will you be slothful? The day of death and judgment is at the door; and will you be slothful? The curse of God hangs over your heads; and will ye be slothful? Besides, the devils are earnest, laborious, and seek by all means every day, by every sin, to keep you out of heaven, and hinder you of salvation; and will you be slothful? Also your neighbours are diligent for things that perish; and will you be slothful for things that will endure for ever? Would you be willing to be damned for slothfulness? Would you be willing the angels of God should neglect to fetch your souls away to heaven when you lie a-dying and the devils stand by ready to scramble for them? Was Christ slothful in the work of your redemption? Are His ministers slothful in tendering this unto you? And, lastly, if all this will not move, I tell you God will not be slothful or negligent to damn you—whose damnation now of a long time slumbereth not—nor the devils will not neglect to fetch thee, nor hell neglect to shut its mouth upon thee.
Sluggard, art thou asleep still? Art thou resolved to sleep the sleep of death? Will neither tidings from heaven or hell awake thee? Wilt thou say still: “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,” and “a little folding of the hands to sleep?” Wilt thou yet turn thyself in thy sloth, as the door is turned upon the hinges? Oh, that I was one that was skilful in lamentation, and had but a yearning heart towards thee, how would I pity thee! How would I bemoan thee. Oh! that I could with Jeremiah let my eyes run down with rivers of waters for thee! Poor soul, lost soul, dying soul, what a hard heart have I that I cannot mourn for thee! If thou shouldest lose but a limb, a child, or a friend, it would not be so much, but poor man it is THY SOUL: if it was to be in hell but for a day, but for a year, nay, ten thousand years, it would (in comparison) be nothing. But O! it is for ever! O! this cutting EVER! What a soul-amazing word that will be, which saith, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING fire!”
Objection. But if I should set in and run as you would have me, then I must run from all my friends; for none of them are running that way.
Answer. And if thou dost, thou wilt run into the bosom of Christ and of God, and then what harm will that do thee?
Objection. But if I run this way, then I must run from all my sins.
Answer. That is true, indeed; yet if thou dost not, thou wilt run into hell fire.
Objection. But if I run this way then I shall be hated, and lose the love of my friends and relations, and of those I expect benefit from, or have reliance on, and I shall be mocked of all my neighbours.
Answer. And if thou dost not, thou art sure to lose the love and favour of God and Christ, the benefit of heaven and glory, and be mocked of God for thy folly, “I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;” and if thou wouldst not be hated and mocked, then take heed thou by thy folly dost not procure the displeasure and mockings of the great God; for His mocks and hatred will be terrible, because they will fall upon thee in terrible times, even when tribulation and anguish taketh hold on thee; which will be when death and judgment comes, when all the men in the earth, and all the angels in heaven, cannot help thee (Prov. i. 26-28).
Objection. But surely I may begin this time enough, a year or two hence, may I not?
Answer. 1. Hast thou any lease of thy life? Did God ever tell thee thou shalt live half a year, or two months longer? Nay, it may be thou mayst not live so long. And, therefore, 2. Wilt thou be so sottish and unwise, as to venture thy soul upon a little uncertain time? 3. Dost thou know whether the day of grace will last a week longer or no? For the day of grace is past with some before their life is ended: and if it should be so with thee, wouldst thou not say, O! that I had begun to run before the day of grace had been past, and the gates of heaven shut against me. But, 4. If thou shouldst see any of thy neighbours neglect the making sure of either house or land to themselves, if they had it proffered to them, saying, Time enough hereafter, when the time is uncertain; and besides, they know not whether ever it will be proffered to them again, or no: I say, wouldst thou not then call them fools! And if so, then dost thou think that thou art a wise man to let thy immortal soul hang over hell by a thread of uncertain time, which may soon be cut asunder by death?
But to speak plainly, all these are words of a slothful spirit. Arise, man, be slothful no longer; set foot, and heart, and all into the way of God, and run, the crown is at the end of the race; there also standeth the loving fore-runner, even Jesus, who hath prepared heavenly provision to make thy soul welcome, and He will give it thee with a willinger heart than ever thou canst desire it of Him. O! therefore, do not delay the time any longer, but put into practice the words of the men of Dan to their brethren, after they had seen the goodness of the land of Canaan: “Arise,” say they, “for we have seen the land, and behold it is very good; and are ye still,” or do you forbear running? “Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land” (Jud. xviii 9). Farewell. I wish our souls may meet with comfort at the journey’s end.