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Unwillingness to Improve - Richard Baxter · Classic Speeches

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  Section thirty five of the World's Best Orations, Volume one. This is a
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  LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
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  or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Suzanne Carroll.
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  The World's Best Orations from the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Volume one
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  by David J. Brewer and Edward A. Allen. Unwillingness to improve Richard
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  Baxter Richard Baxter sixteen fifteen to sixteen ninety one. Richard Baxter, author of
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  The Saints Everlasting Rest and of other works to the extent of sixty octavo volumes,
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  was called by Doddridge the English Demothsenes. He was born November twelfth,
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  sixteen fifteen, in Shropshire, England, and was admitted to orders in the
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  English Church in sixteen thirty eight. He refused, however, to take the
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  oath of submission to archbishops, bishops, et cetera, and established himself as
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  the pastor of a dissenting church in Kidderminster. He was twice imprisoned for refusing
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  to conform to the requirements of the established church. He died in sixteen ninety
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  one. One of his critics says of him. The leading characteristics of Baxter
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  are imminent piety and vigor of intellect, keenness of logic, burning power and
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  plainness of language, melting pathos, cloudless perpiscuity, graceful description, and a
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  certain vehemence of feeling which brings home his words with an irresistible force. The
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  sermon here extracted from was preached first at Kidderminster and afterwards at London, and
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  it is said it produced a profound sensation. As published entire under the title
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  making Light of Christ and Salvation, it makes a considerable volume unwillingness to improve,
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  beloved hearers. The office that God hath called us to is by declaring
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  the glory of His grace to help under Christ to the saving of men's souls.
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  I hope you think not that I come hither to day on any other
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  errand the Lord knows I had not set a foot out of doors. But
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  in hope to succeed in this work for your souls. I have considered,
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  and often considered, what is the matter that so many thousands should perish when
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  God hath done so much for their salvation? And I find this that is
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  mentioned in my text is the cause. It is one of the wonders of
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  the world that when God hath so loved the world as to send his son,
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  and Christ Hath made a satisfaction by his death sufficient for them all,
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  and offereth the benefits of it so freely to them, even without money or
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  price, that yet the most of the world should perish, yea, the
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  most of those that are thus called by his word. Why here is the
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  reason? When Christ hath done all this, men make light of it.
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  God Hath showed that he is not unwilling, and Christ Hath showed that he
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  is not unwilling, that men should be restored to God's favor and be saved.
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  But men are actually unwilling themselves. God takes not pleasure in the death
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  of sinners, but rather that they return and live. But men take such
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  pleasure in sin that they will die before they will return. The Lord Jesus
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  was content to be their physician, and Hath provided them a sufficient plaster of
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  his own blood. But if men make light of it and will not apply
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  it, what wonder if they perish? After all? The scripture giveth us
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  the reason of their perdition. This sad experience tells us the most of the
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  world is guilty of. It is a most lamentable thing to see how most
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  men do spend their care, their time, their pains for known vanities,
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  while God and Glory are cast aside. That He who is all should seem
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  to them as nothing, and that which is nothing should seem to them as
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  good as all. That God should set mankind in such a race where heaven
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  or hell is their certain end, and that they should sit down and loiter
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  or run after the childish toys of the world, and so much forget the
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  prize that they should run for. Were it but possible for one of us
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  to see the whole of this business as the all seeing God doth, to
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  see at one view both heaven and Hell, which men are so near,
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  and see what most men in the world are minding and what they are doing
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  every day, it would be the saddest sight that could be imagined. Oh
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  how should we marvel at their madness and lament their self delusion? Oh,
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  poor distract did world. What is it you run after? And what is
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  it that you neglect? If God had never told them what they were sent
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  into the world to do, or whether they are going, or what was
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  before them in another world. Then they had been excusable. But he hath
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  told them over and over till they were weary of it. Had he left
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  it doubtful there had been some excuse. But it is his sealed word,
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  and they profess to believe it, and would take it ill of us if
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  we should question whether they do believe it or not. Beloved, I come
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  not to accuse any of you particularly of this crime, but seeing it is
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  the commonest cause of men's destruction, I suppose you will judge it the fittest
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  matter for our inquiry, and deserving our greatest care for the cure to which
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  end I shall one endeavor the conviction of the guilty. Two shall give them
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  such considerations as may tend to humble and reform them. Three I shall conclude
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  with such direction as may help them that are willing to escape the destroying power
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  of the sin. And for the first consider one, it is the case
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  of most sinners to think themselves freest from those sins that they are most enslaved
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  to. And one reason why we cannot reform them is because we cannot convince
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  them of their guilt. It is the nature of sin so far to blind
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  and befool the sinner that he knoweth not what he doth, but thinketh he
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  is free from it when it reigneth in him, or when he is committing
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  it. It bringeth men to be so much unacquainted with themselves, that they
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  know not what they think, or what they mean and intend, nor what
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  they love or hate, much less what they are habituated and disposed to.
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  They are alive to sin, and dead to all the reason, consideration,
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  and resolution that should recover them, as if it were only by their sinning
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  that we must know they are alive. May I hope that you that hear
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  me to day, are but willing to know the truth of your case?
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  And then I shall be encouraged to proceed to an inquiry. God will judge
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  impartially. Why should we not do so? Let me therefore, by these
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  following questions, try whether none of you are slighters of Christ and your own
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  salvation, and follow me. I beseech by putting them close to your own
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  hearts and faithfully answering them one, things that men highly value will be remembered.
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  They will be matter of their freest and sweetest thoughts. This is a
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  known case. Do not those then make light of Christ and Salvation that think
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  of them so seldom and coldly in comparison of other things. Follow thine own
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  heart, man, and observe what it daily runneth after, and then judge
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  whether it make not light of Christ. We cannot persuade men to one hour's
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  sober consideration what they should do for an interest in Christ or in thankfulness for
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  His love, And yet they will not believe that they make light of Him.
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  Two things that we highly value will be matter of our discourse. The
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  judgment and heart will command the tongue freely and delightfully. Will our speech run
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  after them? This also is a known case. Do not those men make
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  light of Christ and Salvation that shun the mention of His name, unless it
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  be in a vain or sinful use. Those that love not the company where
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  Christ and Salvation is much talked of, but think it troublesome precise discourse,
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  that had rather hear some merry jess or idle tales, or talk of their
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  riches or business in the world. When you may follow them from morning to
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  night and scarce have a savory word of Christ. But perhaps some slight and
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  weary mention of Him. Sometimes judge whether these make not light of Christ and
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  Salvation? How seriously do they talk of the world and speak vanity? But
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  how heartlessly do they make mention of Christ and Salvation? Three the things that
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  we highly value, we would secure the possession of, and therefore would take
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  any convenient course to have all doubts and fears about them well resolved. Do
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  not those men then make light of Christ and Salvation that have lived twenty or
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  thirty years in uncertainty whether they have any part in these or not, and
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  yet never seek out for the right resolution of their doubts? Are all that
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  hear me this day? Certain they shall be saved? Oh that they were?
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  Oh, had you not made light of Salvation, you could not so
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  easily bear such doubting of it. You could not rest till you had made
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  it sure, or done your best to make it sure. Have you nobody
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  to inquire of that might help you in such a work? Why you have
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  ministers that are purposely appointed to that office? Have you gone to them and
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  told them the doubtfulness of your case? And ask their help in the judging
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  of your condition? Alas ministers may sit in their studies from one year to
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  another before ten persons among a thousand will come to them on such an Errand
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  do not these make light of Christ and salvation? When the Gospel pierceth the
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  heart. Indeed, they cry out, men and brethren, what shall we
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  do to be saved? Trembling and astonished, Paul cries out, Lord,
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  what wilt thou have me to do? And so did the convinced Jews to
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  Peter. But when hear we such questions. Four, the things that we
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  value do deeply affect us. And some motions will be in the heart according
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  to our estimation of them. Oh sirs, if men may not light of
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  these things, what working would there be in the hearts of all our hearers?
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  What strange affections would it raise in them to hear of the matters of
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  the world to come? How would their hearts melt before the power of the
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  Gospel? What sorrow would be wrought in the discovery of their sins? What
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  astonishment at the consideration of their misery? What unspeakable joy at the glad tidings
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  of salvation by the blood of Christ. What resolution would be raised in them
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  upon the discovery of their duty? Oh, what hearers should we have if
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  it were not for this sin. Whereas now we are like her to weary
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  them or preach them asleep with matters of this unspeakable moment. We talk to
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  them of Christ and Salvation, till we make their heads ache. Little would
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  one think, by their careless carriage, that they heard and regarded what we
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  said, or thought we spoke at all to them. Five. Our estimation
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  of things will be seen in the diligence of our endeavors. That which we
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  highliest value. We shall think no pains too great to obtain. Do not
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  those men then make light of Christ and Salvation that think all too much that
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  they do for them, that murmur at His service, and think it too
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  grievous for them to endure that ask of His service, as judas of the
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  oment, what need this waste? Cannot men be saved without so much ado?
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  This is more ado than needs for the world. They will labor all
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  the day and all their lives, but for Christ and Salvation they are afraid
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  of doing too much. Let us preach to them as long as we will,
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  we cannot bring them to relish or resolve upon a life of holiness.
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  Follow them to their houses, and you shall not hear them read a chapter,
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  nor call upon God with their families once a day, Nor will they
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  allow him that one day in seven which he hath separated to his service.
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  But pleasure, or worldly business, or idleness must have a part. And
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  many of them are so far hardened as to reproach them that will not be
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  as mad as themselves. And is not Christ worth the seeking? Is not
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  everlasting salvation worth more than all this. Doth not that soul make light of
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  all these, that thinks his ease more worth than they let But common sense
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  judge six. That which we most highly value we think we cannot buy too.
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  Dear Christ and Salvation are freely given, and yet the most of men
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  go without them, because they cannot enjoy the world and them together. They
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  are called but to part with that which would hinder them from Christ, and
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  they will not do it. They are called but to give God his own
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  and to resign all to His will, and let go the prophets and pleasures
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  of this world when they must let go either Christ or them, and they
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  will not. They think this too dear a bargain, and say they cannot
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  spare these things. They must hold their credit with men. They must look
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  to their estates, How shall they live else they must have their pleasure whatsoever
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  becomes of Christ and Salvation. As if they could live without Christ better than
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  without these, as if they were afraid of being losers by Christ, or
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  could make a saving match by losing their souls to gain the world. Christ
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  hath told us over and over that if we will not forsake all for Him,
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  we cannot be his disciples. Far are these men from forsaking all?
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  And yet will needs think that they are His disciples? Indeed, Seven,
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  that which men highly esteem they would help their friends to as well as themselves.
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  Do not those men make light of Christ and Salvation that can take so
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  much care to leave their children portions in the world, and do so little
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  to help them to Heaven, that provide outward necessaries so carefully for their families,
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  but do so little to the saving of their souls. Their neglected children
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  and friends will witness that either Christ or their children's souls, or both were
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  made light of. Eight that which men highly esteem, They will so diligently
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  seek after that you may see it in the success, if it be a
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  matter within their reach. You may see how many make light of Christ.
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  By the little knowledge they have of Him, and the little communion with Him
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  and communication from Him, and the little yea none of His special grace in
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  them. Alas how many ministers can speak it to the sorrow of their hearts,
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  that many of their people know almost nothing of Christ, though they hear
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  of Him daily, nor know they what they must do to be saved.
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  If we ask them an account of these things, they answer as if they
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  understood not what we say to them, and tell us they are no scholars,
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  and therefore think they are excusable for their ignorance. Oh, if these
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  men had not made light of Christ in their salvation, but had bestowed but
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  half as much pains to know and enjoy Him as they have done to understand
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  the matters of their trades and callings in the world, they would not have
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  been so ignorant as they are. They make light of these things and therefore
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  will not be at the pains to study or learn them. When men that
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  can learn the hardest trade in a few years have not learned a catechism,
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  nor how to understand their creed under twenty or thirty years preaching, Nor can
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  abide to be questioned about such things. Doth not this show that they have
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  slighted them in their hearts. How will these despisers of Christ and salvation be
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  able one day to look Him in the face and to give an account of
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  these neglects. End of Section thirty five.