24. Who bare our sins in his own body on the tree Wouldest thou know whether he did rise again after he was crucified with the very same body then read Luke 24. at ver 38 39. 40 41. Wouldest thou know whether he did eat or drink with his Disciples after he arose out of the Grave then read Luke 24. 42. and Acts 10. 41. If thou wouldest be perswaded of the truth of this that that very body is now above the Clouds and Stars read Acts 1. 9 10 11 and Luke 24. toward the end If thou wouldest know that the Quakers hold an errour that say the body of Christ is within them consider the same Scripture Wouldest thou know what that Christ that died for sinners is doing in that place whether he is gone then read Heb. 7. 24. Wouldest thou know who shall have life by him read 1 Tim. 1. 14. 15. and Rom. 5. 6 7 8. which say Christ died for sinners for the ungodly Wouldest thou know whether they that live and die in their sins shall go to Heaven or not then read 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Rev. 21. 8 27. which saith They shall have their part in the like that burns with fire and Brimstone Wouldest thou know whether mans obedience will obtain that Christ should die for them or save them then read Mark 2. 17. Rom. 5. 7. Wouldst thou know whether Righteousness Justification and Sanctification doth come through the vertue of Christs blood compare Rom. 5. 9. with Heb. 12. 12. Wouldest thou know whether natural man can abstain from the outward act of sin against the Law meerly by a principal of nature then compare well Rom. 2. 14. with Phil. 3. 6. Wouldest thou know whether a man by nature may know something of the invisible things of God compare seriously Rom. 1. 20. 21. with Rom. 2. 14. 5. Wouldest thou know how far a man may go on in a profession of the Gospel and yet fall away then read Heb. 6. 4 5 6. They may taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come They may taste the Heavenly gift and be partakers of the Holy Ghost and yet so fall as never to be recovered or renewed again unto repentance see also Luke 13. Wouldest thou know how hard it is to go to Heaven read Mat. 7. 13 14. Luke 13. 24. Wouldest thou know whether a man by nature be a friend to God or an enemy then read Rom. 5. 11. Col. 1. 21. Wouldest thou know what or who they are that shall go to Heaven then read John 3. 3. 5. 7. and 2 Cor. 5. 17. Also wouldest thou know what a sad thing it is for any to turn their backs upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ then read Heb. 10. 28 29. and Mark 16 16. Wouldest thou know what is the wages of sin then read Rom. 6. 23. Wouldest thou know whither those do go that die unconverted to the faith of Christ then read Psal. 9. 17. and Isa. 14. 9. Reader here might I spend many sheets of paper yea I might upon this subject write a very great Book but I shall now forhear desiring thee to be very conversant in the Scriptures for they are they that will testifie of Jesus Christ Joh. 5. 39. The Bereans were counted noble upon this account These were more noble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily c. Acts 17. 11. But here let me give thee one caution that is have a care that thou do not satisfie thy self with a bare search of them without a real application of him whom they testifie of to thy soul lest instead of faring the better for thy doing this work thou dost fare a great deal the worse thy condemnation be very much heightned in that though thou didst read so often the sad state of those that die in sin and the glorious estate of them that close in with Christ yet thou thy self shouldst be such a fool as to lose Jesus Christ notwithstanding thy hearing and reading so plentifully of him They have Moses and the Prophets let them 〈◊〉 them As if he should say What need have they that one should be sent to them from the dead Have they not Moses and the Prophets hath not Moses told them the danger of living in sin Deut. 27. from ver 15. to ver 26. And chap. 28. 15. 16 17 18 19. 20. c. to the end of the Chapter also chap. 29. 18 19 20 21. hath he not there told them what a sad state these persons are in that deceive themselves with the deceit of their hearts saying They shall have peace though they follow their sins in these words And when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I go on or walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare that man but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Again did not Moses write of the Saviour that was to come afterwards into the World Deut. 18. 18. Nay have not all the Prophets from Samuel with all those that follow after prophesied and foretold these things therefore what need have they that I should work such a miracle as to send one from the dead unto them They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them From whence observe again That God doth honour the writings of Moses and the Prophets as much nay more than if one should rise from the dead Should not a People seek unto their God what seek for the living among the dead To the Law and to the Testimonies saith God if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 19 20. And let me tell you plainly I do believe that the Devil knows this full well which makes him labour to beget in the hearts of his Disciples and followers light thoughts of them and doth perswade them that even a motion from their own beguiled conscience or from his own wicked Spirit is to be observed and obeyed before them when the very Apostle of Jesus Christ though he heard a voice from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son c. Yet writing to the Churches he commends the writings of the Prophets before it saying We have also a more sure word of the Prophets unto which ye do well to take heed c. 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19. Now if thou doubtest whether that place be meant the Scriptures the words of the Prophets or no read but the next Verse where he addeth for a certain confirmation there of these words Knowing this first that there is no Prophecy of the Scriptures of any private interpretation for Prophecy
Scriptures to turn to God finding them to restifie of his goodness and mercy there is but little hopes of their Salvation For they will not mark they will not be perswaded though one should rise from the Dead This Truth is confirmed by Jesus Christ himself If you read Joh. 5. where the Lord is speaking of himself that he is the very Christ he brings in four or five Witnesses to back what he said First John Baptist. 2. The Works that his Father gave him to do 3. His Father speaking from Heaven 4. The Testimony of the Scriptures when all this was done seeing yet they would not believe he layes the fault upon one of these two Things 1. Their regarding an esteem among Men. 2. Their not believing of the Prophets Writings even Moses and the rest For had ye believed Moses saith he ye would have believed me For he wrote of me But if ye believe not his Writings how can ye believe my Words Now I say he that shall slight the Scriptures and the Testimony of the Prophets in them concerning Jesus Christ must needs be in great danger of losing his Soul if he abide in this condition because he that slights the Testimony doth also slight the Thing testified of let him say the contrary never so often For as Jesus Christ hath here laid down the Reason of Mens not receiving him so the Apostle in another place lays down the Reason again with an high and mighty aggravation 1 Joh. 5. 10. saying He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record Mark the Record that God gave of his Sâ—n. The Record you will say what is that Why even the Testimony that God gave of him by the Mouth of all the Holy Prophets since the World began Act. 3. 20. That is God sending his Holy Spirit into the hearts of his Servants the Prophets and Apostles He by his Spirit in them did bear Witness or Record to the Truth of Salvation by his Sonne Jesus both before and after his coming And thus is that place also to be understood which saith There are three that bear Record in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloud That is the Spirit in the Apostleâ— which preached him to the World as is clear if you read seriously 1 Thes. 4. 8. The Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ and obedience to God through him saith thus Now he that despiseth despiseth not us but God But it is you that speak True but it is by and through the Spirit He therefore that despiseth despiseth not Man but God who also hath given us of his Holy Spirit This is therefore a mighty confirmation of this Truth that he that slights the Record or Testimony that God by his Spirit in his Prophets and Apostles hath testified unto us slights the Testimony of the Spirit who moved them to speak these Things and if so then I would fain know how any man can be saved by Jesus Christ that slights the Testimony concerning Christ yea the Testimony of his own Spirit concerning his own Self 'T is true men may pretend to have the Testimony of the Spirit and from that Conceit set a low Esteem on the Holy Scriptures But that Spirit that dwelleth in them and reacheth them so to do it is no better than the Spirit of Satan though it calls it self by the Name of the Spirit of Christ. To the Law therefore and to the Testimony Try them by that If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them The Apostle Peter when he speaks of the glorious Voice that he had from the Excellent Majesty saying of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him saith thus to him whom he wrote unto You have also a more sure Word of Prophecie or of the Prophets for so you may read it unto which you do well that you take heed That is Though we tell you that we had his excellent Testimony from his own Mouth evidently yet you have the Prophets We tell you this and you need not doubt of the Truth of it but if you should yet you may not must not ought not to question them Search therefore unto them until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts That is until by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture you find the Truth confirmed to your Souls which you have recorded in the Scriptures That this Word of Prophecy or of the Prophets is the Scriptures read on For saith he knowing this first that no Prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation c. 2 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. But you will say What needs all this ado and why is all this time and pains spent in speaking to this that is surely believed already This is a Thing received by all that they believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God that sure Word of Prophecy and therefore you need not spend your time in proving these Things and the Truth of them seeing we grant and confess the Truth of it before you begin to speak your judgment of them Answ. The Truths of God cannot be born witness unto too often you may as well say You need not preach Jesus Christ so much seeing he hath been and is received for the True Messias already 2. Though many may suppose that they do believe the Scriptures yet if they were but well examined you would find them either by word of mouth or else by conversation to deny reject and slight the Holy Scriptures 'T is true there is a notional and historical Assent in the Head I say In the Head of many or most to the Truth contain'd in Scripture But try them I say and you shall find but a little if any of the Faith of the operation of God in the hearts of poor men to believe the Scriptures and Things contained in them Many yea most men believe the Scriptures as they believe a Fable a Story a Tale of which there is no certainty but alas there are but few do in Deed and in Truth believe the Scriptures to be the very Word of God Obj. But you will say This seems strange to me Answ. And it seems as true to me and I doubt not but to make it manifest that there are but few yea very few that do effectually for that I aim at believe the Scriptures and the Truths contained in and spoken of by them But to make this appear and that to purpose if God will I shall lay you down the several Operations that the Scriptures have on them who do effectually believe the Things contained in them 1. He that doth effectually believe the Scriptures hath in the first place been kill'd I say kill'd by the Authority of the Holy Scriptures struck stark dead in a Spiritual sense by the Holy Scripture being set home by that Spirit which
is said of some These things are spoken to them that are without in Parables that seeing they might not see and that hearing they might not understand Luke 8. 10. I say take heed of being a quarreller against Christ's Parables lest Christ also objecteth against the salvation of thy Soul at the Judgment Day Friend I have no more to say to thee now if thou dost love me pray for me that my God would not forsake me nor take his holy Spirit from me and that God would fit me to do and suffer what shall be from the World or Devil inflicted upon me I must tell thee the World rages they stamp and shake their heads and fain they would be doing the Lord help me to take all they shall do with patience and when they smite the one cheek to turn the other to them that I may do as Christ hath bidden me for then the Spirit of God and of glory shall rest upon me Farewell I am thine to serve in the Lord Jesus John Bunyan Sighs from Hell OR The Groans of a damned Soul Luke the 16th Verse 19. c. verse 19 THere was a certain rich man which was cloathed in Purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day verse 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazirus which was laid at his gate full of sores verse 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his sores verse 22 And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosome the rich man also dyed and was buried verse 23 And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosome verse 24 And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame verse 25 But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented verse 26 And besides all this between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence verse 27 Then he said I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldest send him to my Fathers House verse 28 For I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment verse 29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets lâ—t them hear them verse 30 And he said Nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent verse 31 And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Verse 19. THis Scripture was not spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ to shew you the state of two single persons onely as some through their ignorance of the drift of Christ in his Parables do dream but to shew you the state of the godly and ungodly to the Worlds end as is clear to him that is of an understanding heart For he spake them to the end that after Generations should take notice thereof and fear lest they also fell into the same condition Now in my discourse upon these words I shall not be tedious but as briefly as I may I shall pass through the several Verses and lay you down some of the several truths contained therein and the Lord grant that they may be profitable and of great advantage to those that read them or hear them read The 19 and 20 Verse also I shall not spend much time upon onelâ— give you three or four short hints and so pass to the next Verses for they are the words I do intend most especially to insist upon The 19 20 and 2â— Verses â—un thus There was a 〈◊〉 rich man which was cloathed in Purple and sâ—â—e 〈◊〉 and fared deliciâ—â—sly 〈◊〉 sumptuously everyday And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of force c. 1. If these Verses had been spoken by Jesus Christ and no more all the World would have gone 〈◊〉 to have cast a wrong interpretation on 〈…〉 if Jesus had said onely thus much There was a certain rich man that fared sumptuously daily and a certain beggar laid at his Gate full of sores The World would have made this conclusion of them the rich man was the happy man For at the first view it doth represent such a thing But take all together that is read the whole Parable and you shall find that there is no man in a worse condition then he as I shall clearly hold forth afterward 2. Again if a man would judge of men according to outward appearance he shall oftâ—â—â—â—â— take his mark â—miss Here is a man to outward appearance appears the only blessed man betâ—eâ— by half then the beggar in as much as he is rich the beggar poor he is well cloathed but peradventure the beggar is naked he hath good food but the beggar would be glad of Dogs meat And he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table the rich man fares well every day but the beggar must be glad of a bit when he can get it Oh! who would not be in the rich mans state A wealthy man sorts of new Suits and dainty dishes every day enough to make one who minds nothing but his belly and his back and his lusts to say Oh that I were in that mans condition Oh that I had about me as that man had Then I should live a life indeed then should I have hearts ease good store then I should live pleasantly and might say to my soul Soul be of good chear eat drink and be merry Luke 12. 19. thou hast every thing plenty and art in a most blessed condition I say this might be I and is the conclusion with them that judge according to outward appearance But if the whole Parable be well considered you will see Luke 16. 15. That that which is had in high estimation with men is an abomination in the sight of God And again Joh. 16. 20 21 22. that condition that is the saddest condition according to outward appearance is oft times the most excellent for the beggar had ten thousand degrees the best of it though to outward appearance his state was the saddest from whence we shall observe thus much 1. That those who judge according to outward appearance do for the most part judge amiss Joh. 7. 24. 2. That they who look upon their outward enjoyments to be tokens of Gods special grace unto them are also deceived Rev. 3. 17. For as it is here in the Parable a man of wealth and a child of the Devil may make but one
is lighter then vanity and nothing I say this will be a very great torment unto thee 4. Another part of thy torment will be this Thou shalt see thy friends thy acquaintance thy neighbours nay it may be thy Father thy mother thy wife thy husband thy children thy brother thy sister with others in the Kingdome of heaven and thy self thrust out Luke 13. 28. There shall be weeping c. when you shall see Abraham your father and Isaac and Jacob together with your brethren the Prophets in the Kingdome of heaven and your selves thrust out Nay saith he There shall come from the East and from the West that is thâ—se that thou didst never see in all thy life before and they shall sit down with thy friends and thy neighbours thy wife and thy children in the Kingdome of Heaven and thou for thy sins and disobedience shâ—lâ— be shut nay thrust out O wonderful â—oâ—ment 5. Again thou shalt have none but a company of damned souls with an innumerable company of devils to keep company with thee While thou art in this World the very thoughts of the devils appearing to thee makes thy flesh to tremble and thine hair ready to stand upright on thy head But O what wilt thou do when not only the supposition of the devils appearing but the real society of all the devils in hell be with thee howling and roaring screeching and roaring in such a hideous manner that thou wilt be even at thy wits end and be ready to run stark mad again for anguish and torment 6. Again that thou mightest be tormented to purpose the mighty God of heaven will lay as great wrath and vengeance upon thee as ever he can by the might of his glorious power As I said before Thou shalt have his wrath not by drops but by whole showres shall it come thunder thunder upon thy body and soul so fast and so thick that thou shalt be tormented out of measure And so saith the Scripture 2 Thes. 1. 9. speaking of the wicked Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when the Saints shall be admiring his goodness and glory Again this thou shalt have as I said before without any intermission thou shalt not have any ease so long as while a man may turn himself round thou shalt have it alwayes every hour day and night for their worth never dyes but alwayes gnaws and their fire is never quenched As it is written in Mark 9. 7. Again in this condition thou must be for ever and that is as sad as all the rest For if a man were to have all his sins laid to his charge and communion with the devils and as much wrath as the great God of heaven can inflict upon them I say if it were but for a time even ten thousand years and so end there would be ground of comfort and hopes of deliverance but here is thy misery this is thy state for ever here thou must be for ever when thou lookest about thee and seest what an innumerable company of howling devils thou art amongst thou shalt think this again this is my portion for ever When thou hâ—st been in hell so many thousand years as there are stars in the firmament or drops in the Sea or sands on the sea-shore yet thou hast to lye there for ever O this one word ever how will it torment thy Soul Friends I have only given a very short touch of the torments of Hell O! I am set I am set and am not able to uâ—ter what my mind conceives of the torments of Hell Yet this let me say to thee accept of Gods mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ lest thou feel that with thy Conscience which I cannot express with my Tongue and say I am sorely tormented in this flame And seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosome When the damned are in this pittiful state surrounded with fears with terrours with torment and vengeance one thing they shall have which is this they shall see the happy and blessed state of Gods Children he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom which as I said before is the happy state of the Saints when this life is ended This now shall be so far from being an ease unto them that it shall most wonderfully aggravate or heighten their torment as I said before There shall be weeping or cause of lamentation when they shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and themselves thrust out 2. Observe those that die in their sins are far from going to Heaven He seeth Abraham a far off and Lazarus in his Bosom And indeed it is just with God to deal with them that die in their sins according to what they have done and to make them who are far from Righteousness now to stand far from Heaven to all Eternity Hearken to this ye stout-hearted that are far from Righteousness and that are resolved to go on in your sins when you die you will be far from Heaven you will see Lazarus but it will be afar off Again he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosome These are some of the things that the damned do behold so soon as they come into torment Mark And he seeth Lazarus in Abrahams Bosome Lazarus Who was he Why even he that was so slighted so disregarded so undervalued by this ungodly one while he was in the World he seeth Lazarus in his Bosome From whence observe That those who live and die the enemies of the Saints of God let them be never so great or stout let them bear never so much sway while they are in the World let them â—rag and boast never so much while they are here they shall in spight of their teeths see the Saints yea the poor Saints even the Lazarus's or the ragged ones that belong to Jesus to be in a better condition then themselves O who do you think was in the best condition or who do you think saw themselves in the best condition he that was in Hell or he that was in Heaven He that was in darkness or he that was in light He that was in everlasting joy or he that was in everlasting torments The one with God Christ Saints Angels the other in tormenting flames under the curse of Gods eternal hatred with the Devils and their Angels together with an innumerable company of howling roaring cursing ever burning Reprobates Certainly this observation will be easily proved to be true here in this World by him that looks upon it with an understanding heart and will clear it self to be true in the World to come by such as shall go either to Heaven or to Hell 2. The second Observation from these words And seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom is this They that are the persecutors of the Saints of the Lord now in this World shall see the Lords
a word while thou wert making sure of Eternal Ruine he by Faith in the Bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ was making sure of Eternal Salvation Therefore Now he is comforted and thou art tormented Here then you may see that as the Righteous shall not be always void of comfort and blessedness so neither shall the ungodly go always without their punishment As sure as God is in Heaven it will be thus They must have their several portions And therefore you that are the Saints of the Lord follow on be not dismayed For asmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. last Verse Your portion is Eternal Glory And you that are so loath now to close in with Jesus Christ and to leave your sins to follow him Your day is coming Psal. 37. 13. in which you shall know that your sweet morsels of sin that you do so easily take down Job 20. 12 13 14. and it scarce troubles you will have a time so to work within you to your Eternal Ruine that you will be in a worse condition than if you had ten thousand Devils tormenting of you Nay you had better have been plucked Limb from Limb a thousand times if it could be than to be partakers of this Torment that will assuredly without Mercy lie upon you Vers. 26. And besides all this between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed so that they which would go from hence to you cannot neither can they come to us that would come from thence THese words are still part of that Answer that the Souls in Hell shall have for all their Sobbings Sighing â—grievous Cries Tears and Desires that they have to be released out of those intollerable pains they feel and are perplexed with And O methinks the words at the first view if rightly considered are enough to make any hard-hearted sinner in the World to fall down dead The verse I last spake to was and is a very terrible one and aggravates the Torments of poor sinners wonderfully Where he saith Remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things and Lazarus his Evill things c. I say these words are very terrible to those poor Souls that die out of Christ. But these latter words do much more hold out their sorrow They were spoken as to the present condition then upon the sinner These do not onely back the former but do yet further aggravate their misery holding forth that which will be more intollerable The former Verse is enough to smite any sinner into a swound but this to make him fall down dead Where he saith And besides all this There is still something to aggravate thy misery yet far more abundantly I shall briefly speak to the words as they have relation to the Terrour spoken of in the verses before As if he had said Thou thinkest thy present state unsupportable it makes thee sob and sigh it makes thee to rue the time that ever thou wert born Now thou findest the want of Mercy now thou wouldst leap at the least dram of it now thou feelest what it is to slight the Tenders of the Grace of God now it makes thee to sob sigh and roar exceedingly for the anguish that thou art in But besides all this I have other Things to tell thee of that will break thine heart indeed Thou art now deprived of a Being in the World Thou art deprived of hearing the Gospel the Devil hath been too hard for thee and hath made thee miss of Heaven Thou art now in Hell among an innumerable Company of Devils and all thy sins beset thee round Thou art all over wrapped in flames and canst not have one drop of water to give thee any ease Thou cryest in vain for nothing will be granted Thou seest the Saints in Heaven which is no small trouble to thy Damned Soul Thou seest that neither God nor Christ takes any care to ease thee or to speak any comfort unto thee But besides all this There thou art and there thou art like to lie never think of any ease never look for any comfort Repentance now will do thee no good the Time is past and can never be called again look what thou hast now thou must have for ever 'T is true I speak enough before to break thine heart asunder But besides all this there lye and swim in flame for ever these words Besides all this are terrible words indeed I will give you the scope of them in a similitude Set case you should take a man and tye him to a stake and with red hot pincers pinch off his flesh by little pieces for two or three years together and at last when the poor man cryes out for ease and help the tormentors answer Nay but besides all this you must be handled worse We will serve you thus these 20. years together and after that we will fill your mangled body full of scalding lead or run you through with a red hot spit would not this be lamentable yet this is but a flea-biting to the sorrows of these that go to hell for if a man were served so there would ere it were long be an end of him But he that goes to Hell shall suffer ten thousand times worse torments then these and yet shall never be quite dead under them There they shall be ever whining pining weeping mourning ever tormented without ease and yet never dissolved into nothing if the biggest devil in hell might pull thee all to peices and rend thee small as dust and dissolve thee into nothing thou wouldest count this a mercy But here thou mayest lye and fry scorch and broil and burn for ever For ever that is a long while and yet it must be so long Depart from me saith Christ into everlasting fire into the fire that burns for ever prepared for the devils and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Oh thou that wert loath to foul thy foot if it were but dirty or did but rain thou that wert loath to come out of the Chimney corner if the wind did but blow a little cold and wert loath to go half a mile yea half a furlong to hear the Word of God if it were but a little dark thou that wert loath to leave a few vain companions to edify thy Soul thou shalt have fire enough thou shalt have night enough and evil company enough thy belly full if thou miss of Jesus Christ and besides all this thou shalt have them for ever and for ever O thou that dost spend whole nights in carding and dicing in rioâ—ing and wantonness thou that countest it a brave thing to swear as fast as the bravest to spend with the greatest spend-thrift in the Countrey thou that lovest to sin in a corner when no body sees thee O thou that for by-ends dost carry on an hypocrites profession because thou wouldest be counted some body among the children of God but art an enemy to the
we live and dye in this state we are offended at him we cannot abide to hear him or any such as he we will believe none of them all but go on in the way we are a going forbear why shouldest thou be smitten said the ungodly King to the Prophet when he told him of his sins 2 Chron. 25. 15 16. I say tell the drunkard he must be damned if he leaves not his drunkenness the swearer lyar cheater thief covetâ—us railers or any ungodly persons they must and shall lye in Hell for it if they dye in this condition they will not believe you nor credit you Again tell others that there are many in Hell that have lived and dyed in their conditions and so are they like to be if they convert not to Jesus Christ and be found in him or that there are others that are more civil and sober men who although we know that their civiliâ—y will not save them if we do but tell them plainly of the emptiness and unprofitableness of that as to the saving of their souls and that God will not accept them nor love them notwithstanding these things and that if they intend to be saved they must be better provided than with such a righteousness as this they will either fling away and come to hear no more or else if they do come they will bring such prejudice with them in their hearts That the Word Preached shall not profit them it being mixed not with Faith but with prejudice in them that hear it Heb. 4. 1 2. Nay they will some of them be so full of anger that they will break out and call even those that speak the truth Hereticks yea and kill them Luke 4. 25 26 27 28 29. And why so Because they tell them That if they live in their sins that will damn them yet if they turn and live a righteous life according to the holy and just and good Law of God that will not save them Yea because we tell them plainly that unless they leave their sins and righteousness too and close in with a naked Jesus Christ his bloud and merits and what he hath done and is now doing for sinners they cannot be saved and unless they do eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Bloud they have no life abiding in them they gravel presently and are offended at it as the Jews were with Christ for speaking of the same thing to them Joh. 6. 53 60. and fling away themselves their souls and all by quarrelling against the doctrine of the Son of God as indeed they do though they will not believe they do and therefore he that is a Preacher of the Woâ—â— had need not only tell them but testify to them again and again that their sins if they continue in them will damn them and damn them again And tell them again their living honestly according to the Law their paying every one their own their living quietly with their neighbours their giving to the poor their notion of the Gospel and saying they do believe in Christ will do them no good at the general day of Judgment Ha friends how many of you are there at this very day that have been told once and again of your lost undone condition because you want the right real and saving work of God upon your souls I say hath not this been told you yea testified unto you from time to time that your state is miserable that yet you are never the better but do still stand where you did some in an open ungodly life and some drowned in a self-conceited holiness of Christianity Therefore for Gods sake if you love your souls consider and beg of God for Jesus Christs sake that he would work such a work of Grace in your hearts and give you such a Faith in his Son Jesus Christ that you may not only have rest here as you think not only think your state safe while you live here but that you may be safe indeed not only here but also when you are gone lest you do cry in the anguish and perplexity of your Souls Send one to my companions that have been beguiled by Satan as I have been and so by going on come into this place of torment as I have done Again one thing more is to be observed from these words Let him testify to them lest they come into this place of torment Mark lest they come in as if he had said or else they will come into this place of torment as sure as I am here From whence observe That though some Souls for sin do fall into the bottomless pit of Hell before their fellows because they depart this World before them yet the other abiding in the same course are as sure to go to the same place as if they were there already How so Because they are all condemned together they have all fallen under the same Law and have all offended the same Justice and must for certain if they dye in that condition drink as deep if not deeper of the same destruction Mark I pray you what the Scriptures say He that believeth not is condemned already John 3. 18. He is condemned as well as they having broken the same Law with them if so then what hinders but they will partake of the same destruction with them only the one hath not the Law yet so executed upon them because they are here the other have had the Law executed upon them they are gone to drink that which they have been brewing and thou art brewing that in this life which thou must certainly drink The same Law I say is in force against you both only he is executed and thou art not Just as if there were a company of Prisoners at the Bar and all condemned to dye what because they are not all executed in one day therefore shall they not be executed at all Yes the same Law that executed its severity upon the parties now deceased will for certain be executed on them that are alive in its appointed time Even so it is here we are all condemned by nature if we close not in with the Grace of God by Jesus Christ we must and shall be destroyed with the same destruction and therefore send him saith he lest Mark lest they come into this place of torment Again Send him to my Fathers house and let him testify to them lest they come into this place of torment As if he had said Iâ— may be he may prevail with them It may be he may win upon them and so they may be kept from hence from coming into this grievous place of torment Observe again That there is a possibility of obtaining mercy if now I say now in this day of Grace we turn from our sins to Jesus Christ yea it is more then possible And therefore for thy incouragement do thou know for certain that if thou shalt in this thy day accept of mercy upon Gods
came not in old timeâ—y the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And therefore what a sad thing is it with those that go about to disown the Scriptures I tell you however they may slight them nâ—w yet when they come into hâ—ll they will see their folly They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Further who are they that are so tossed to and fro with the several winds of doctrine that have been broâ—ched in these dayes but such for the most part as have had a light esteem of the Scriptures for the ground of errour as Christ saith is because they know not them Mark 12. 24. And indeed it is just with God to give them over to follow their own dark blinded consciences to be led into errours that they might be damned into hell who did not believe that the things contained in the Scripture were the truth that they might be saved and go to Heaven It cannot well tell how to have done speaking for and on the Scriptures side only this I consider A word is enough to the wise and therefore I shall commit these things into the hands of them that are of God and as for the rest I shall say to them rather than God will save them from hâ—ll with the breach of his holy word if they had a thousand souls a piece God would destroy them all for the Scriptures cannot be broken John 10 35. Verse 30. And he said nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent THe Verse before you know as I told you it was part of an answer to such as lose their souls so it is a vindication of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Now this Verse is an answer to what was said in the former and such an one as hath in it a rejection of the former answer Nay Father Abraham Nay saith he do not say so do not put them off with this send one from the dead and then there will be some hopes 'T is true thou speakest of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets and sayest let them hear them but these things are not so well as I could wish I had rather thou woulest send one from the dead In these words therefore Nay Father Abraham there is a repulse given Nay let it not be so Nay I do not like of that answer Hear Moses and the Prophets nay The same expression is used by Christ Luke 13. 2 3. Think you that they upon whom the â—â—ower of Siloe fell were sinnâ—rs above others I tell you nay for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish So here Nay Father Abraham c. By this word Nay therefore is signified a rejecting the first answer Now observe I pray you the reason why he sayes nay is because God doth put over all those that will be saved to observe and receive the truth contained in Scripture and believe that To have a high esteem of them and to love and search them as Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they are they which testify of me Joh. 5. 39. But the damned say Nay as if he had said This is the thing to be short my brethren are unbelievers and do not regard the Word of God I know it by my self for when I was in the World it was so with me Many a good Sermon did I hear many a time was I admonished desired intreated beseeched threatned forewarned of what I now suffer But alas I was ignorant self-conceited surly obstinate and rebellious Many a time the Preacher told me hell would be my portion the devil would wreck his malice on me God would pour on me his sore displeasure but he had as good have preached to the stock to the post to the stones I trod on his words rang in mine ears but I kept them from my heart I remember he alledged many a Scripture but those I valued not the Scriptures thought I what are they a deâ—d letter a little Ink and Paper of three or four shillings price Alas what is the Scripture give me a Ballad a News-book George on Horsback or Bevis of Southampâ—on give me some book that teaches curious Arts that tells of old Fables but for the Holy Scriptures I cared not And as it was with me then so it is with my brethren now we were all of one spirit loved all the same sins slighted all the same counsels promises incouragements and threatnings of the Scriptures and they are still as I left them still in unbelief still provoking God and rejecting good counsel so hardned in their wayes so bent to follow sin that let the Scriptures be shewed to them daily let the Messengers of Christ preach till their hearts ake till they fall down dead with preaching they will rather trample it under-foot and swine-like rent them than close in with those gentle and blessed proffers of the Gospel Nay Father Abraham but if one should rise from the dead they would repent Though they have Moses and the Prophets the Scriptures they will not repent and close in with Jesus Christ though the Scriptures do witness against them If therefore there be any good done to them they must have it another way I think saith he it would work much on them if one should rise from the dead And this truth indeed is so evident that ungodly ones have a light esteem of the Scriptures that it needs not many strong Arguments to prove it being so evidently manifested by their every dayes practice both in words and actions almost in all things they say and do Yet for the satisfaction to he Reader I shall shew you by a Scripture oâ— two though I might shew many that this was and is true with the generality of the world See the words of Nehemiah in his 9th Chapter concerning the Children of Israel who though the Lord afforded them mercy upon mercy as it is from ver 19 to ver 25. yet ver 26. saith he Nevertheless they were disobedient for all thy goodness towards them and rebelled against thee but how and cast thy Law behind their back Slew the Prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations Observe 1. They sinned against mercy And then 2. They slighted the Law or Word of God 3. They slew the Prophets that declared it unto them 4. The Lord counâ—s it a great provocation See Heb. 3. from ver 10. ver 19. And see Zach. 7. 11 12. But they refused to hearken saith he there of the Wicked and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear the Law Yea they made their hearts hard as an adamant stone lest they should hear the Law and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent unto them by his Spirit in the former Prophets c. Mark I pray you her is
also First a refusing to hearken to the word of the Prophets 2. That they might so do they stopped their ears 3. If any thing was to be done they pulled away their shoulder 4. To effect this they labour to make their hearts hard as an Adamant stone 5. And all this lest they should hear and close in with Jesus and live and be delivered from the wrath to come all which things do hold out an unwillingness to submit to and embrace the words of God and so Jesus Christ which is restified of by them Many other Scripture I might bring in for confirmation of the thing as that in Amos 7. 12 13. also 2 Sam. 2. 24 25 2 Chron. 25. 15 16. Jer. 7. 23 24 25 26 27. and that 16. 12. Read also seriously that saying in 2 Chron. 36. 15. where he saith And the Lord God of their Fathers sent unto them by his Messengersrising up betimes because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place And did they make them welcome No But mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words And was that all No they misused his Prophets How long untill the wrath of the Lord arose against them Till there was no remedy See also Jer. 29. 19. chap. 25. 3 4 5 6 7. Luke 11. 49. And besides the Conversation of almost all men doth bear witness to the same both Religious and profane persons in that they daily neglect reject and turn their backs upon the plain testimony of the Scriptures As 1. Take the threatnings laid down in holy Writ and how are they disregarded there are but a few places in the Bible but there are threatnings against one sinner or other against drunkards swearers lyars proud persons strumpets whoremongers covetous railers extortioners thieves lazy persons In a word all manner of sins are reproved and without Faith in the Lord Jesus there is a â—ore punishment to be executed on the committers of them and all this made mention of in the Scriptures But for all this how thick and by heaps do these wretches walk up and down our streets Do but go into the Ale-houses and you shall see almost every room besprinkled with them so foming out their own shame that it is enough to make the heart of a Saint to tremble insomuch that they would not be bound to have society with them any long while for all the world For as the wayes of the godly are not liked of by the wicked even so the wayes of the wicked are an abomination to the just Prov. 29. 27. Psal. 120. 5 6. The Scriptures say Cursed is the man that trusteth in man that maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17. 5. And yet how many poor souls are there in the world that stand in so much aw and dread of men and do so highly esteem their favour that they will rather venture their souls in the hands of the devil with their favour then they will â—â—y to Jesus Christ for the salvation of their soul. Nay though they be convinced in their souls that the way is the way of God yet how do they labour to stifle convictions and turn their ears away from the truth and all because they will not lose the favour of an opposite neighbour Oh! I dare not for my Master my Brother my Landlord I shall lose his favour his house of work and so decay my calling O saith another I would willingly go in this way but for my Father he chides and tells me he will not stand my friend when I come to want I shall never enjoy a penyworth of his goods he will disinherit me And I dare not saith another for my Husband for he will be a railing and tells me he will turn me out of doors he will beat me and cut off my legs But I tell you if any of these or any other things be â—o prevalent with thee now as to keep thee from seeking after Christ in his wayes they will also be so prevalent with God against thee as to make him cast off thy soul because thou didst rather trust man than God and delight in the embracing of man rather than in the favour of the Lord. 2. Again the Scripture saith He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. Yet many are so far from turning though they have been convinced of their wretched state an hundred times that when convictions or trouble for sin comes on their Consciences they go on still in the same manner resisting and choaking the same though remediless destruction be hard at their heels 3. Again thou hast heard say Unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 3. 3 5 7. And yet thou goest on in a natural state an unregenerate condition nay thou dost resolve never to turn not be changed though hell be appointed on purpose to swallow up such Isa. 14. 9. Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God 4. Again the Scripture saith plainly That he that loveth and maketh a lye shall have his part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8 27. And yet thou art so far from dreading it that it is thy delight to jest and jeer and lye for a penny or two pence or â—ix pence gain And also if thou canst make the rest of thy companions merry by telling things that are false of them that are better then thy self thou dost not care a straw Or if thou hearest a lye from or of another thou wilt tell it and swear to the truth of it O miserable 5. Thou hast heard and read That he that believes not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. And that all men have not Faith 2 Thess. 3. 2. and yet thou dost so much disregard these things that it is like thou didst scarce ever so much as examine seriously whether thou wert in the faith or no but dost content thy self with the Hypocrites hope which at the last God will cut off and count it no better then the spiders web Job 8. 13 14. or the house that is builded on the sands Luke 6. 49. Nay thou peradventure dost flatter thy self and thinkest that thy Faith is as good as the best of them all when alas poor soul thou mayest have no saving faith at all which thou hast not if thou be not born again and made a new Creature 2. Cor. 2 17. 6. Thou hast heard That he that neglects Gods great salvation shall never escape his great damnation Heb. 2. 3. compared with Luke 14. 24. and Rev. 14. 19 20. And yet when thou art invited intreated and beseeched to come in Luke 14. 17 18. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Rom. 12. 1. thou wilt make any excuse to serve the turn Nay thou wilt be so wicked as to put off Christ time after time notwithstanding he is
so freely profered to thee a little ground a few Oxen a Farm a Wife a two penny matter a Play nay the fear of a mock a scoff or a jeer is of greater weight to draw thee back than the Salvation of thy Soul to draw thee forward 7. And thou hast heard that Whosoever will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God Jam. 4. 4. But thou regardest not these things but contrariwise rather then thou wilt be out of the friendship and favour of this world thou wilt sin against thine own Conscience and get thy self inâ—o favour by fawning and flattering of the world Yea rather then thou wilt go without it thou wilt dissemble lye backbite thy Neighbour and an hundred other tricks thou wilt have 8. You have heard that the day of Judgement is near in which you and I all of us must appear before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ and there be made to give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead even of all that ever we did yea of all our sins in thought word and deed and shall certainly be damned for them too if we close not in with our Lord Jesus Christ and what he hath done and suffered for eternal life and that not notionally or traditionally but really and savingly in the power and by the operation of the spirit through faith Eccles. 11. 9. 12. 14. Heb. 9. 27. Acts 10. 42 Acts 17. 30 31. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the Books There is the Book of the Creatures the Book of Conscience the Book of the Lords Remembrance the Book of the Law the Book of the Gospel Rom. 1. 20. compared with Rom. 2. 12. 15. Rev. 6. ver 19. Joh. 12. 48. Then shall he separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left Mat. 25. 30 31 32. And shall say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed vers 34. But to the other go or depart ye cursed ver 41. Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures do so plainly plentifully speak of these things alas who is there that is weaned from the world and from their siâ—s and pleasures to fly from the wrath to come Mat. 3. 7. notwithstanding the Scripture saith also That Heaven and Earth shall pass away rather than one jot or one tittle of the word shall shall fail till all be fulfilled they are so certain Luke 21. 37. But leaving the threatnings let us come to the promises and speak somewhat of them and you may see how light men make of them and how little they set by them notwithstanding the mouth of the Lord hath spoken them As first Turn ye fools ye scorners ye simple ones at my reproof and behâ—ld I will pour out my spirit unto you Prov. 1. 24. And yet persons had rather be in their foolishness and scorning still and had rather imbrace some filthy lust then the holy undesiled and blessed Spirit of Christ thorow the promise though by it as many as receive it are sealed unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. And although he that lives and dies without it is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. 2. God hath said If thou do but come to him in Christ though your sins be as red as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow and he will by no meanes cast thee away compare Isa. 1. 18. with Joh. 6. â—7 yet poor souls will not come to Christ that they might have life Joh. 5. 41. but rather after their hardness and impenitent heart treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 4 5 6. 3. Christ Jesus hath said in the word of truth That if any man will serve and follow him Where he is there shall also his servant be Joh. 12. 26. but yet poor souls choose rather to follow sin Satan and the world though their companions be the devils and damned souls for ever Mat. 25. 41. 4. He hath also said Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added But let who so will seek after the Kingdom of Heaven first for them For they will take the first time while time serves to get the things of this life And if it be so that they must needs seek after Heaven or else be damned they will stay till they have more leisure or till they can better attend to it or till they have other things handsome about them or till they are older when they have little else to do or when they come to be sick and to die Then Lord have mercy upon them though it be ten thousand to one but they perish for ever For commonly the Lord hath this way to deal with such sinners who put him off when he is striâ—â—â—â— with them either to laugh at their calamity and mâ—â—k when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 send them to the gods they have served which are the devils Judg. 10. 13. 14. Go to the gods you have served and let them deliver you saith he compare this with Joh. 8. 44. 5. He hath said There is no man that forsaketh Father or Mother Wife or Children or Lands for his sake and the Gospels but shall have an hundred fâ—lâ— in this world with persecution and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10. 29 30. But men for the most part are so far off from believing the certainty of this that they will scarce lose the earning of a penny to hear the word of God the Gospel of salvation Nay they will neither go themselves nor suffer others to go if they can help it without threatning to do them a mischief if it lie in their way Nay further many are so far from parting from any worldly gun for Christs sake and the Gospels that they are still striving by hook and by crook as we say by swearing lying cousening stealing covetousness extortion oppression forgery bribery flâ—ttery or any other way to get more though they get together with these death wrath damnation hell the devil and all the plagues that God can pour upon them And if any do not run with them to the same excess of riot but rather for all their threats will be so bold and careless as they call it as to follow the wayes of God if they can do no more yet they will whet their tongues like a Sword to wound them and do them the greatest mischief they can both in speaking against them to neighbours to Wives to Husbands to Landlords and raising false Reports of them But let such take heed lost they be in such a state and woful condition as he was in who said
in vexation and anguish of soul One drop of cold water to cool my tongue Thus might I add many things out of the holy Wâ—it both threatning and promises besides those heavenly Counsels loving Reproofs free invitations to all sorts of sinners both old and young rich and poor bond and free wise and unwise All which have been now are and it is to be feared as long as this World lasts will be trampled under the feet of those Swine I call them not men who will continue in the same But take a review of some of them 1. Counsel What heavenly counsel is that where Christ saith Buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayst be rich and white rayment that thou mayst bâ— cloathed that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear Rev. 3. 17 18. Also that Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters Yea come buy wine and miâ—â— without money and without price Isa. 55. 1. Hear and your souls shall live Veâ—se 3. Lay hold of 〈◊〉 strength that you may make peace with me and yâ—â— shall make peace with me Isa. 27. 5. 2. Instruction What Instruction is here Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it nâ—t Blessed is the man that heareth me saith Christ watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Prov. 8. 32 33 34 35. Take heed that no man deceive you by any means Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth unto everlasting life Joâ— 6. 27. Strive to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13. 24. Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 31. Believe not every spirit but try the spirits Quench not the spirit Lay hold on eternal life Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. Take heed and beware of hypocrisie watch and be sober Learn of me saith Christ. Come unto me 3. Forewarning What forewarning is here Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroak then a great ransome cannot deliver thee Job 36. 18. Be ye not mockers lest your bands be made strong for I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts a Consumption even determined on the whole Earth Isa. 28. 22. Beware therefore lest that come upon you that is written Behold ye dispisers and wonder and perish For behold I work a work in your dayes which ye shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you Act. 13. 40. 41. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation Luke 22. 40. Let us fear therefore lest a promise being made or left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. I will therefore put you in remembrance though you once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of Aegypt afterward destroyed them that believed not Jude 5. Hold fast that thou hast let no man take thy Crown Rev. 3. 11. 4. Comfort What comfort is here He that cometh unto me I will in no wise east out Joh. 6. Vers. 37. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11. 28. Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee I will never leave thee nor forsake thee for I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. I lay down my life for my sheep I lay down my life that they might have life I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee 2 Cor. 6. 2. Though their sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be as Crimson they shall be as Wooll For I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy transgressions and as a Cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee Isa. 44. 22. 5. Grief to those that fall short O sad grief How have I hated instruction and mine heart despised reproof and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me Prov. 7. 11 12 13. They shall curse their King and their God and look upwards And they shall look to the Earth and behold trouble and darkness and dimness of anguish and they shall be driven into darkness Isa. 8. vers 21 22. He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his Righteousness endureth for ever The wicked shall see it and be grieved he shall gnash with his teeth and mâ—â—t away the desire of the wicked shall perish Psal. 112. 9 10. There shall be weeping when ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of Heaven and your selves thrust out Luke 13. 26 27 28. all which things are slighted by the world Thus much in short touching this that ungodly men undervalue the Scriptures and give no credit to them when the truth that is contained in them is held forth in simplicity unto them but rather cry out nay but if one should rise from the dead then they think something might be done when alas though signs and wonders were wrought by the hands of those that preach the Gospel these poor creatures would never the sooner convert though they suppose they should as is evident by the carriages of their fore-runners who albeit the Lord Jesus Christ himself did confirm his Doctrine by miracles as opening blind eyes casting out of Devils and raising the dead they were so far from receiving either him or his Doctrine that they put him to death for his pains though he had done so many Miracles among them yet they believed not in him John 12. 37. But to pass this I shall lay down some of the grounds of their rejecting and undervalâ—ing the Scriptures and so pass on 1. Because they do not believe that they are the Word of God but rather suppose them to be the inventions of men written by some Politicians on purpose to make poor ignorant people to submit to some Religion and Government Though they do not say this yet their practices testifie the same as he that when he hears the words of the curse yet blesseth himself in his heart and saith he shall have peace though God saith he shall have none Deut. 29. 18 19 20. And this must needs be for did but men believe this that it is the Word of God then they must believe that he that spake it is true therefore shall every word and tittle be fulfilled And if they come once to this unless they be stark mad they will have a care how they do throw themselves under the lash of eternal vengeance For the Reason why the Thessalonians
received the word was because they believed it was the Word of God and not the word of man which did effectually work in them by their thus believing 1 Thes. 2 13 14. When ye received the word which ye heard of us saith he ye received it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe So that did a man but receive it in hearing or reading or meditating as it is the Word of God they would be converted But the Word preached doth not profit not being mixed with faith in them that hear it Heb. 4. 1 2. 2. Because they do not indeed see themselves by nature heirs of that exceeding wrath and vengeance that the Scriptures testifie of For did they but consider what God intends to do with those that live and die in a natural state it would either sink them into despair or make them fly for refuge to the hope that is set before them But if there be never such sins committed and never so great wrath denounced and the time of execution be never so near yet if the party that is guilty be senseless and altogether ignorant thereof he will be careless and regard it nothing at all And that man by nature is in this condition it is evident For take the same man that is senseless and ignorant of that misery he is in by nature I say take him at another time when he is a little awakened and then you shall hear him roar and cry out so long as trouble is upon him and a sense of the wrath of God hanging over his head Good sirs what must I do to be saved Though the same man at another time when his conscience is fallen asleep and grown hard will lie like the Smiths Dog at the foot of the Anvil though the fire-sparks flie in his face But as I said before when any one is a little awakened Oâ— what work will one verse one line nay one word of holy Scriptures make in his heart he cannot eat sleep work keep company with his former companions and all because he is afraid that the damnation spoken of in Scripture will fall to his share Like Balaam who said I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord Numb 22. 18. so long as he had something of the word of the Lord with authority severity and power on his heart but at another time he could teach Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel Rev. 2. 14. 3. Because the carnal Priests do tickle the ears of their hearers with vain Philosophy and deceit and thereby harden their hearts against the simplicity of the Gospel and word of God which things the Apostle admonished those that have a mind to close in with Christ to avoid Col. 2. 8. saying Beware lest any man be he what hâ— will spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and rudiments of the world and not after Christ. And you who muzzle up your people in ignorance with Aristotle Plato and the rest of the heathenish Philosophers and preach little if any thing of Christ rightly I say unto you that you will find you have sinned against God and beguiled your hearers when God shall in the Judgement-day lay the cause of the damnation of many thousands of souls to your charge and say He will require their blood aâ— your hands Ezek. 33. 6. 4. Another reason why the carnal unbelieving world do so slight the Scriptures and Word of God is because the judgement spoken of in the Scripture is not presently executed on the transgressors Because sentence against an evil act is not speedily executed therefore the hearts of the sons of men are wholly set in theâ—â— to do evil Eccles. 8. 11. Because God doth not presently strike the poor wretch as soon as he sins but waits and forbears and is patient Therefore the world judging God to be unfaithful go to it again and again and every time grow harder and harder till at last God is forced either to stretch out his mighty power to turn them or else send death with the Devil and Hell to fetch them Thou thoughtest saith God that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thy face Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal. 50. 20. 21. 5. Another Reason why the blind world do slight the authority of Scripture is because they give â—ar to the Devil who through his subtilty casteth false evasions and corrupt interpretations on them â—endâ—ing them not so point blank the mind of God and a rule for direction to poor souls perswading them that they must give ear and way to something else besides and beyond that or else he labours to render it vile and contemptible by perswading them that it is a dead letter when indeed they know not what they say nor whereof they affirm For the Scripture is not so dead but that the knowledge of it is able to make any man wise unto salvation through faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 15. And is profitable for instruction reproof and correction in righteousness that the man of God may be throughly furnished to all good works verse 17. And where it is said the letter killeth he meaneth the Law as it is the ministration of damnation or a Covenant of works and so indeed it doth kill and must do so because it is just forasmuch as the party that is under the same is not able to yield to it a compleat and continual obedience But yet I will call Paul and Peter to witness that the Scriptures are of a very glorious concernment in as much as in them is held forth to us the way of life and also in that they do administer good ground of hope to us Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written a foretime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture migâ—â— have hope And again Rom. 16. 25 26. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the mistery which was kept hid since the World began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith And therefore whosoever they be that slight the Scriptures they slight that which is no less then the word of God and they who slight that slight him that spake it and they that do so let them look to themselves for God will be reveâ—ged on such Much more might be said to this thing but I would not be tedious A word or two more and so I have done with this Consider the dangers of slighting the words of the Prophets or
Apostles whether they be correction reproof admonition forewarning or the blessed invitations and promises contained in them 1. Such souls do provoke God to anger and to execute his vengeance on them They refused to hearken they pulled away their shoulder they stopped their ears lest they should hear the Law and they made their hearts Adamant stone that they might not hear the Law and the words that were spoken to them by his spirit in the former Prophets Therefore came a great wrath upon them Zach. 7. 11 12. 2. God will not regard in their calamity Because I called and ye refused I stretched out my hand and no man regarded but set at nought all my counsels and would have none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamities and mock when your fear cometh When their fear cometh as desolation and their destruction like a Whirlwind Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Prov. 1. 25 26 27. 3. God doth commonly give up such men to delusions to believe lies Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusiens that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned 2 Thes. 2. 11 12. 4. In a word they that do continue to reject and slight the word of God they are such for the most part as are ordained to be damned Old Eli his sons not hearkening to the voice of their father reproving them for their sins but disobeying his voice it is saiâ— It was because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2. 15. Again see in 2 Chron. 25. 15 16. Amaziah having sinned against the Lord he sends to him a Prophet to reprove him But Amaziah sayes â—orbear wherefore shouldst thou be smitten he â—id not hearken to the word of God Then the Prophet forbear saying I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkened to my counsel Read therefore and the Lord give thee understanding For a miserable end will those have that go on in sinning against God rejecting his word Other things might have been observed from this verse which at this time I shall pass by partly because the sum of them hath been touched already and may be more clearly hinted at in the following verse and therefore I shall speak a few words to the next verse and so draw towards a conclusion Ver. 31. And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the Dead ANd he said That is and God made answer to the words spoken in the verse before And he said unto him If they hear not Moses c. As if he had said Moses was a man of great Renown a man of worthy note a man that talked with God face to face as a man speaketh to his Friend The words that Moses spake were such as I commanded him to speak Let who will question them I will own them credit them bless them that close in with them and curse those that reject them I my self sent the Prophets they did not run of their own heads I gave them Commission I thrust them our and told them what they should say In a word They have told the World what my mind is to do both to Sinners and to Saints They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Therefore he that shall reject and turn his back either upon the Threatnings Counsels Admonitions Invita ions Promises or whatsoever else I have commanded them to speak as to Salvation and Life and to Directions therein shall be sure to have a share in the many Curses that they have spoken and the Destruction that is pronounced by them Again If they hear not Moses and the Prophets c. As if he had said Thou would'st have me send one from the Dead unto them what needs that They have my Mind already I have declared unto them what I intend to stand to both for saving them that believe and damning them that do not That therefore which I have said I will make good whether they hear or forbear And as for this desire of yours you had as good desire me to make a new Bible and so to revoke my first Sayings by the Mouth of my Prophets But I am God and not Man and my Word is immutable unchangable and shall stand as fast as my Decreâ—s can make it Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of my Word shall not pass If thou hadst Ten Thousand Brethren and every one in danger of losing his Soul if they did not close in with what is contained and recorded in the Scriptures of Truth they must even every one of them perish and be for ever damned in Hell for the Scriptures cannot be broken I did not send them so unadvisedly to recall it again by another consideration No For I speak in Righteousness and Judgment Isa. 63. 1 2 3. and in much Wisdom and Counsel It being therefore gone out of my Mouth in this manner It shall not return in vain untill it hath accomplished the thing whereto I have sent it But again Thou supposest that Miracles and Wonders will work more on them which makes thee say Send one from the Dead But herein thou art mistaken for I have proved them with that once and again by more than one or two or three of my Servants How many Miracles did my Servant Moses work by Commandment from me in the Land of Egypt at the Red-Sea and in the Wilderness yet they of that Generation were never the sooner converted for that but notwithstanding rebelled and lusted and in their hearts turned back into Egypt Act. 7. How many Miracles did Samuel David Elias Elisha Daniel and the Prophets together with my Son who raised the Dead cast out Devils made them to see that were born blind gave and restored Limbs yet for all this as I said before they hated him they crucified him I raised him again from the Dead and he appeared to his Disciples who were call'd and chosen and faithful and he gave them Commandment and Commission to go and testifie the Truth of this to the World and to confirm the same he inabled them to speak with divers Tongues and to wâ—â—k Mâ—â—acles most plentifully yet there was great persecution raised against them insomuch that but a few of them died in their beds And therefore though thou thinkest that a Miracle will do so much with the World yet I say No For if they will not believe Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one should rise from the Dead From these words therefore take notice of this Truth namely that those who reject and believe not Moses and the Prophets are a very hard-hearted people that will not be perswaded though one rise from the Dead They that regard not the Holy