Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	believe_v	faith_n	let_v	3,688	5	4.6491	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B03501	The mystery of faith opened up: or Some sermons concerning faith (two where of were not formerly printed.) Wherein the nature, excellency, and usefulness of that noble grace is much cleared, and the practice thereof most powerfully pressed. Whereunto are added other three sermons, two concerning the great salvation, one of these not formerly printed, and a third concerning death. / By that pious and worthy servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Andrew Gray, late minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. All these sermons being now carefully revised, and much corrected.	Gray, Andrew, 1633-1656.; Traill, Robert, 1642-1716.; Stirling, John, b. 1621?	1668 (1668)	Wing G1616; ESTC R177630	121,416	225

and is crying out that word in Isai 65.1 Behold me behold me O may we not summon Angels and those twenty four elders about the Throne to help us to wonder that ever such a command as this came forth that we should believe on the name of the Son of God after that we had broken that first and Primitive command That we should not eat of the forbidden tree VVas not this indeed to make mercy rejoice over judgement And O may we not wonder at the precious oath of the everlasting Covenant where●…y he hath sworn that he delighteth not in the death of sinners What suppose ye were poor Adams thoughts when at first the doctrine of free-grace and of a crucified Christ Jesus a Savior was preached unto him in Paradise What a divine surprisal was this that Heaven should have preached peace to earth after that earth had proclaimed war against Heaven Was not this a low step of condescendency to behold an offended God preaching peace and good-will to a guilty sinner What could self-destroying Adā think of these morning first discoveries of this everlasting Covenant Christ as it were in the morning of time giving vent to that infinite love which was resting in his bosome precious heart before the foundatiō of the world was laid We know not whether the infiniteness of his love the eternity of his love or the freedom of it maketh up the greatest wonder but sure these three joyned together maketh up a matculess and everlasting wonder Would any of you ask that question what is Christ worth We could give 〈◊〉 answer so sutable as this It is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in Heaven and all the men on earth to calculate his worth all men here must be put to a divine non plus This was Jobs divinity Job 28.13 Man knoweth not the price of wisdom and must not Jesus Christ who is the precious object of faith and wisdom of the Faither be a supereminent excellent One who hath that name of King of Kings and Lord of Lords not only engraven on his vesture which pointeth out the conspicuousness of his Majesty but even also upon his thigh to point out that in all his goings motio●s he proveth himself to be higher than the Kings of the earth And howbeit the naked proposing of the object doth not convert yet if once our souls were admitted to behold such a sight as Christ in his beauty and Majesty and to be satisfied with the divine rayes of his transcendent glory then certainly we should find a blessed necessity laid upon us of closing with him for Christ hath a sword proceeding out of his precious mouth by which he doth subject subjugat his own to himself as well as he hath a sword girded upon his thigh by which he judgeth and maketh war with his enemies We confess it is not only hard but simply impossible to commit an hyperbole in commending of him his worth being always so far above our expressions our expressions alwayes so far beneath his worth therefore we may be put to propose that desire unto him Exalt thy self O Lord above the Heavens But now to our purpose being at this time to 〈…〉 discourse upon that radical and precious grace of Faith we intend to speak of it under this twofold notion consideration First we shal speak of it as it is justifying or as it doth lay hold upon the righteousness of a crucified Savior making application of the precious promises in the Covenant of free grace which we call justifying Faith And in the second place we shal speak a little unto Faith as it doth lay hold upon Christs strength for advancing the work of mortification and doth discover the personal excellencies of Jesus Christ by which we advance in the work of Holiness and divine conformity with God which we call sanctifying Faith However it is not to be supposed that these are different habits of Faith but different acts flowing from the same saving habit laying hold and exercising themselves upon Christ indifferent respects and for diverse ends Now to speak upon the first we have made choise of these words The Apostle John in the former verse had been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of Obediēce of keeping of his Cōmands that such an one hath as it were an arbitrary power with God doth receive many precious returns of prayer As likewise that one who is exercised in the grace of Repentance is Gods delight which is included in this that he doth those things that are well pleasing in his sight And now in these words he doth as it were answer an objection that might be proposed about the impossibility of attaining these precious advantages seeing his commands were so large and that hardly could they be remembred This he doth sweetly answer by setting down in this one verse a short compend or breviary both of Law Gospel viz. That we should love one another which is the compend of the Law and that we should believe on the Name of his Son which is the compend of the Gospel by this he showeth the Christian that there are not many things required of him for attaining these excellent advantages but if he exercise himself in the obedience of these two comprehensive commandments he shall find favor both with God and man And as concerning this precious grace of Faith we have 1. The advantages of it implyed in the words clear also from the scope as no doubt all the cōmands have infinite advantages infolded in their bosom which redoūds to a believer by his practising of them And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words in that it is called his command as if he had no other command but this And the Greek particle is here prefixed which hath a great deal of emphasis and force in it and this is his Commandment But 3. there is this also the absolute necessity of this grace holden forth here in this word his Commandment as if he had said by proposing of this command I do set life and death before you and that you would not conceive that it is an arbitrary indifferent thing for you to believe or not but be perswaded of this that as an infinite advantage may constrain you to the obedience of it so absolute necessity must perswade you to act that which is of your everlasting concernment And lastly ye have the precious object upon which Faith which is justifying doth exercise it self and that is upon the name of the Son of God and no doubt faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the soul unto a sweet inseparable union with Christ and is that golden precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of these precious friends together Faith is that grace that draweth the first draughts of Christs precious image on our hearts by love doth accomplish and perfect them No Faith

ladder that reacheth betwixt heaven and earth by the steps of which a Christian doth dayly go up to heaven and converse with the higher House Faith is that grace as the Apostle speaketh by which we have access to the Throne of his grace Faith ushers in the believer to the Throne and without it he can have no access there nor joy when he is there V. Here is this advantage that attendeth the exercise of Faith a believing Christian is a praying Christian according to that word in Mark 9.24 where these two are conjoined together Lord I believe and then he falleth to his prayer presently after that confession Help thou our unbelief And it is clear from Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul Christeth for thee And sometimes Faith is a most impatient grace but we may alwayes say of it that it is a most diligent grace Oh! is not the neglect of this precious exercise of Faith and of the duty of secret prayer that makes our lean●ness testifie to our face and maketh our souls as a barren wilderness I am perswaded of this that sinc0e Ch i st had any followers and since ever this everlasting Gospel was preached in Paradise the exercise of secret prayer was never so much neglected we have turned over all our prayers into complements with God We know not what it is to rise at mid-night and call upon God and to enquire after our Maker under the silent watches of the night O but it is a sweet diversion from sleep to retire our selves in the silent seasons of the night from all thoughts about worldly matters and to converse with that invisible Majesty IV. There is this sixth consideration to point out the advantage of Faith that Faith is that grace that doth facilitate a Christians obedience and maketh it most pleasant and easie this is clear from Heb. 11.8 By faith Abraham when he was commanded to go to a strange land obeyed and went out not knowing whether he went The word may be rendered he did chearfully obey And vers 17. By faith he offered up his only son Would ye know the reason why his commands are your burden And why his preceps are your cresses It is because of this ye do not believe And so it is most certain that it is impossible for a Christian to attain to a pleasant way of obedience without the exercise of faith Faith holdeth up the crown to a Christian and this crown maketh him to obey Faith gathereth strength from Christ and that strength maketh obedience very easie Faith taketh up the excellency of Christ and this maketh a Christian to look upon his duty more as his dignity then his duty And we are perswaded of this that our chariot-wheel should move more swiftly like the chariots of Aminadab if we were more in the exercise of the grace of Faith Would ye know an answer to that question what is first more requisite for a Christian while here below Faith And what secondly is most requisite Faith And what thirdly is most requisite for a Christian Even Faith Faith above all things and above all things Faith VII There is another advantage of it that by Faith our services and prayers are accepted of God Would ye know what is the prayer of a Christian that is not in Faith It is a smoak in his nostrils and a fire that burneth all the day The unbelivers sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord. This is clear from Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered up unto God a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain And we conceive that there are many unanswered prayers which we do put up because we want that noble exercise of Faith VIII And lastly we shal likewise add this that faith is the grace by which a Christian hath that pefect and immediate sight as is were of great things that are promised to him Faith bringeth a Christian within sight of Heaven and Faith bringeth a Christian within sight of God according to that word Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seen And that noble Paradox that is said of Faith Heb. 11.27 By faith Moses saw him that is invisible Is it not an impossible thing to see that which cannot be seen But the meaning of it is this that Faiths discoveries of God are as certain and sure as the discoveries of our bodily eyes are Faith is an intelligent grace yea it is a most sure and infallible grace What will Faith not do And what can you do who want Faith Now to enforce the advantages and excellencies of Faith a little more we shal propose to you the disadvantages of that woful sin of unbelief 1. There is this disadvantage of the sin of unbelief that all the actions that proceed from an unbeliever they are impure and defiled according to that in Tit. 1.15 But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled their prayer is unclean yea as Solomon speaketh their plowing in sin yea their going about the most excellent duties for matter is an abomination to God according to that word Rom. 14.23 What ever is not of faith is sin So the want of Faith is the great polluter of all our actions and of all our performances 2. There is this second disadvantage of misbelief that it is impossible for one in the exercise of unbelief to mortifie a lust or idol and we may allude unto those words in Matth. 17.20 when his Disciples came to him asked him this question Why could not we cast out this devil Tha● was given as an answer Because of your unbelief Unbelief is that which taketh up arms for out idols and doth most strongly defend them for there is nothing that will kill corruption so much as the exercise of Faith and when that is laid aside we have laid by our weapons and have in a manner concluded a treaty of peace with our idols that we shal not offend them if they do not offend us 3. There is this disadvantage that waiteth upon the sin of unbelief that such an one cannot win to attain to the grace of establishment but is alwayes as the waves of the sea tossed to and fro until once he win to the exercise of Faith as is clear from Isai 7.9 Except ye believe ye shal not be established 4. There is this disadvantage that waiteth on it is the mother of hardness and stupidity of heart according to that word in Mark 16.14 where he upbraideth them because of their unbelief and then that danger followeth to with hardness of heart this is clear also from Acts 19 9. where these two sister-devils are conjoined and locked together unbelief and hardness of heart because it is unblief indeed that hindereth all the graces by which the grace of Tenderness must be maintained 5. There is this disadvantage in the sin of unbelief that it is big with child of apostasie from

God and of defection from him according to that word Heb. 3.12 Beware lest their be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and there the fruit of it to depart from the living God And certainly it is no wonder that unbelief travels in birth till that cursed child of apostasie be brought forth not only because of this that an unbeliever looseth the thought of the excellency of Christ but also because he increaseth in his thoughts of love towards his Idols for Christ doth decrease in those who misbesieve and their Idols do increase in their love and in their desires and in their estimation 6. There is this sixth disadvantage in the sin of unbelief it hindereth the communication of many single workings and tokens of the love and favor of the most High according to that sad word that is in Matth. 13.58 at the close He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief Unbelief as it were laid a restraint on Christ that he could not effectuat those things which he was willing to perform And to shut up our discourse at this time I would only add these two aggravations which may somewhat enforce what we have spoken I say there are these two aggravations in the sin of unbelief even in his own who have a right also his call to believe 1. That after that Christ hath given most sensible discoveries of himself Wherein we have seen him as it were face to face yet ye will not believe This is clear from John 6.36 Though ye have seen me saith Christ yet ye do not belive in me There is not a manifestation of Christs presence but it i● a witness against you of your unbelief Woul● you hear the voyce of sense that is rectified It i● this believe on the Son of God 2. That notwithstanding of the signal demonstrations of the power of Christ yet though it were the mortifying of some lust and Idol within them yet they will not believe but upon new temptations will doubt of his love to them Christ preacheth Faith by his Word he preacheth Faith by his sufferings he preacheth Faith by his dispensations he preacheth Faith by his promises he preacheth Faith by his rods and if these five instruments will not ingage your hearts to believe who can move them Doth not his two wounds in his precious hands preach out this point of Faith Believe him Doth not that hole opened in his side preach this doctrine That we should believe in him And these two wounds that he received in his precious feet do they not preach this That we should believe on a crucified Saviour And we would only say this that sometimes it is the ca●e of his own that after the convictions of this that it is their duty to believe and also after some desires to close with Christ yet they find inability to close with him Is it not certain that to will to believe is sometime present with you but how to perform you know not And I would have a Christian making this fourfold use of such a dispensation as that which is most ordinarily when convictions of our duty to believe and some desires to close with Christ is not followed with actual performances 1. To study to have your convictions more ●eeply rooted within you for it doth sometimes ●…llow that resolutions and mints to believe are ●ot blest with actual believing because the con●iction of our duty to believe is not deeply im●rinted upon our conscience 2. Be convinced of that desperate enmity and ●hat mystery of iniquity that is within you that ●e can have some will to do without ability to ●erform We confesse it is not an ordinary dis●ase in these dayes to have such a contrariety betwixt a Christians will and his practice our will ●or the most part being no better than our prastice but somtimes it is which may make you ●ry forth O wretched man that I am who shall de●iver me from this body of death 3. That ye would be much in the imploying of Christ that as he hath given you to will so also he might make you to do Christ is about to convince his own in such a dispensation as that That Faith is the gift of God Faith is so noble a grace that it cannot be spinned out from our resolutions not from our endeavors Faith is such a divine plant as the Fathers right hand must plant in our souls 4. Let it convince you of the excllency of the grace of Faith for the difficulty of the attaining to any thing may speak out the excellency of that thing there is no sin but it may be easily win at there is an easinesse and facility to overtake the paths of our Idols but the graces of the Spirit are so excellent things that we must figh● before we attain them And you who are stra●gers to Christ Jesus and have never know what it is to close with him we would reque● you in Christs name to be reconciled to him What know ye O men or rather Atheists be this shall be the last summons that ye shal get 〈◊〉 believe And that because ye disobey this precious summons there shal be one presented t● you that ye cannot sit I remember of one ma● who looking upon many thousands that we●… under his command weeped over them whe● he considered how that within a few years all these should be laid in their graves and should be in eternity O but it were much of our concernment to be trying our selves how it is with us we are not afraid that it is a breach of charit to wish that but one of each ten that are within these doors were heirs of the grace of life and had the solide and spiritual expectation of heaven I think if Christ were to come presently to speak to us He might not only say to each twelve that are here One of you shal betray me but we are afraid that he should say to each twelve that are here Eleven of you shal betray me and but one only shall passe free O doth it not concern you to enquire where you shal rest at night when the long shadows of everlasting evening shal be stretched out upon you I think there are some that are so setled upon their lees that if they were one day in hell and saw all the torments that are there and were brought from it the next day to live on earth they would ●ot repent And more there are some that take ●hem up on day to see the joyes of Heaven and bring them back again they would not pursue after these blessed and everlasting enjoyments O is not Christ much undervalued by us But I must tell you this One wo is past but behold another wo is coming O the searchings of those spirits who are entered into their everlasting pri●on house out of which their is no redemption What shal be your choise when Christ shall come in the clouds I am

Christian when he is much in the exercise of secret Prayer and of much conversing and corresponding with God in that duty as is clear in that word from Dan. 2.21 When Daniel was praying at the evening oblation ●n the 23 verse he meets with a divine intimation of his peace with God O man greatly beloved of God as the Original hath it O man of great desires for he was desireable indeed and precious to him who holdeth the Saints in his right hand IV. This is also a fealing time to a Christian when he is called to the exercise of some great work and is to be put upon some eminent holy imployment this is clear Jer. 1.5 where Jeremiah being called to preach the Gospel unto such a rebellious people then he hath his eternal election declared unto him Before thou wast formed in the womb I knew thee Christ as it were giveth them that to be meat to them for fourty dayes and that in the strength of it they may go many a days journey V. There is also another sealing time when a Christian is first begotten to a precious and everlasting hope for when at first Christians begin to be acquainted with Christ even then sometimes 〈◊〉 declareth to them his boundless everlasting love And this is the ground why some of those who a●… but babes in Christ are so much in the exercise 〈◊〉 diligence so much in the exercise of the grace 〈◊〉 love and so much in the exercise of the grace 〈◊〉 tenderness it is even because of the solemn impresion of their interest in Christ that as it were they are dayly taken in to read their own names 〈◊〉 legible letters in the lambs book of life VI. And there is that last time that is a sealing time to a Christian and that is when he is p●… under some sad and afflicting dispensation Wh●… the furnace is hot seven times more then ordinary Then doth God condescend to manifest himself 〈◊〉 his own When was it that John met with mo●… of the revelations of heaven Was it not wh● he was in the I le of Patmos for the testimony 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ his Kingdom and patience of our ble●sed Lord Rev. 1.9 And that place 2 Cor. 4 1● Though our outward man decay yet our inward man is renewed day by day Now we would press you to be more serious 〈◊〉 the exercise of this precious grace And I shal 〈◊〉 you the cōpend of Christianity in these few words 1. By faith to solace your selves in Christs invisible vertues and excellencies And 2. by hope to b● viewing that precious crown and those everlasting dignities that are to be given to the Saints And 〈◊〉 by mortification to be crucifying your idols And 4. by patience to be possessing your souls unti● once ye shall pass through that dark land to the valley of everlasting delight And as for those that contemn and undervalue the blood of this everlasting Covenant and I would have all those that delight not in closing with Christ and those who have not misbelief as their cross to consider this The wrath of the living and eternal God doth abide upon them who do not believe according to that word John 3.36 He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him It is a remarkable phrase because of this the wrath of God will not be a pilgrim to a misbeliever that will turn aside to tarry but for a night but the wrath of God to them who will not believe shal be their houshold companion and shall dwell with them And wo wo to them eternally who have this sad and everlasting companion to abide with them the wrath of a living God There is one thing we would have those knowing that amongst all those who are eternally to be debarred from Jesus Christ mi●believers are put in the formost rank Revel 21.8 There he is to put away the the fearfull and unbelieving And from 2 Thess 1.18 When Christ shall come from Heaven with ten thousand of his Saints What to do It is even to execute vengeance on those that obey not the truth of the Gospel That is who do not believe and I pose your own hearts with this whether or not your names be written there in that roll amongst those who shall be cut off And that word 2 Thess 2 12. That they might be damned wh● be believed not but took pleasure in unrighteousness O but the wrath of a dying Christ and of a crucified Saviour is drea●ful It is more sad and terrible then the wrath 〈◊〉 God should have been if Christ had not die● I will tell you O hypocrits in Zion the wor● news that ever was published in your ears and 〈◊〉 is this Christ died and rose again and to tho● that are begotten to a lively hope they are gla●tyding of great joy and therein they may comfo● themselves but ye may wear a rough garment 〈◊〉 deceive and go to heaven in your own apprehensions but O the sad disappointments that is wa●ting on many such And to close with this w● would obtest you as you would answer to you terrible and dreadful Judge that shal stand o● day upon his Throne which he shal fix in th● clouds we obtest you by all the joyes of heave● and we obtest you by all the everlasting pains 〈◊〉 hell and we obtest you by all the curses that a●… written in the volume of this book and by a● the sweet and comfortable promises that are i● the everlasting Gospel and by the love that yo● own to your immortal souls and as you would not crucifie Christ afresh believe and embrac● the offers which are presented now unto you● Know ye whether or not this shall be the las● summons that you shal get to believe That so● if ye do reject it Christ shal come from heaven and pronounce that sad and lamentable Sentence to you Depart from me ye cursed I know you not Now to him that can bless these things unto you we desire to give praise SERMON III. JOHN 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ c. IT was a command that Solomon gave unto his son Prov. 22.26 That he should not be surety for debt nor be one of those that striketh hands But O! what spotless breaches of that command hath our blessed Lord Jesus committed when he did condescend to be surety for our debt and to pay that which was impossible for us to satisfy Hath not Christ made a precious exchange with sinners He wreathed about his own precious neck that bond and yoke of our iniquities and hath given to us that unweariable easie and portable yoke of his commandments amongst which this is one That we should believe on him spotless Christ was made sin for us that sinful we might be made the righteousness of God in him And is not this the condemnation of the World that we will not believe on him That

answer these temptations thou couldst not own them I say unto such under●aluers and slighters of the great Salvation as dis●uraged persons And those who stay long in the ●ace of the breaking forth of children that when ●ou cannot answer your objections which hinereth you from closing with Christ I intreat ●ou disown them as if ye heard them not Say 〈◊〉 Think ye this lawful I say it is both lawful ●nd expedient for it was the practice of belieing Abraham He considered not his own body ●…ing dry as an old stick nor the deadness of Sarahs womb He did not consider these things which might have been objections to keep him from believing He might have started at these two objections Alace I am old and that objection could he not answer And my wise is past child-bearing neither could he answer that objection What then did he with them He slighted them both and considered them not Secondly I would say this to you who thus slight it because of discouragements If ye did know the worth of the great Salvation which is in this Gospel-redemption that is offered to you although ye had an army of objections to go through ye● would go through them to get a drink of the water of this Well of Bethlehem V. The fifth sort of persons who slight this great Salvation are those who will not do so much as take care and give pains to hear this great Salvation offered unto them For there are some persons who if they come to the Church desire to fit farthest off and so never take care to hear a word of this great Salvation and such are dreadful slighters of it Like unto these mentioned Jer. 6.10 To whom shal I speak and give warning that they may hear Behold their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken Isai 28.12 But they would not hear Jer. 7.10 Who say we an● delivered to do all these abominations Yet they di● come and stand before him in the house which i● called by his Name VI. Sixthly those persons are slighters of th● great Salvation who when they hear it are 〈◊〉 more nay not so much affected with it then if 〈◊〉 were telling unto them the most senseless hisony of Thom as the Rymer or some other old ●…ble Like unto these mentioned Jer. 6.10 The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it I would pose you all as in the sight of the Author of this great Salvation ●hen of women did you ever see your selves or ●ook ye ever pains to bring up your hearts to ●he love of this great Salvation Was it ever the ●ejoycing of your hearts that Christ died and ●ose again I do certainaly believe it and I am ●rswaded that there are decrees past in heaven ●ainst many of you That in hearing ye shal hear at not understand and in seeing ye shal see and ●…l not perceive For God hath made your hearts ●…rder then the flint or adamant so that ye shal ●esuse to return when he doth exhort you Be●eve me if I may so speak I think there is as such probability that the stones in the wall would hear if we would speak to them as ●…on as many of you VII Seventhly those persons are slighters of ●is great Salvation who never did complain ●at they wanted a right to this great salvation ●hope some of you are now convinced that y●●ver came within the compass of this great sal●ion I say yet unto you if ye did never spend ●e hour in secret weeping and lamenting be●ase ye had not a right to this Gospel redemption it is but too probable you had never yet a ●he to it Yea know it that such of you would little care to let precious Christ depart without any grief of heart I think if this were voiced within this house to day Whether or not shal Christ go and depart I doubt if there would be many heart-dissenters though many tonguedissenters Oh! I fear there would be many hearts here saying O Christ depart and go thy way Yea there are many Gadarens here who prefer their kine and swine to precious Christ and would beseech him to go out of their coasts VIII Eightly those persons slight the great Salvation who never took pains to engage their hearts to take hold of Christ and the Gospel Christ is near to you this day The great Salvation is near to you and is now even now offered unto you therefore are there any who will take pains to lay hold on it I obtest you all who are here by the beauty and excellency of him who is the Author of this great Salvation that ye come and partake of it I obtest you by all the joyes●… heaven that ye embrace this great salvation I obtest you by all the terrors in hell that ye embrace it I obtest you by the promises of the everlasting covenant that ye embrace it I obtest you by all the curses that are written in this book o● the covenant that ye embrace it I obtest you by the love you owe to your immortal souls that 〈◊〉 will once be wise and come partake of the gre● Salvation May I now have it sayest thou Ye● I say unto you all ye may have it to day ye ma● be partakers of it before ye go hence And so b● fore I proceed any further I do in the Name a●… authority of him who sent me here to day and is the Author of this great Salvation freely offer it unto you to day But I know there will be eight sorts of humors within this house to day in relation to this great Salvation which is now offered unto you 1. I think there will be some of Gallios disposition here to day that will care for none of these things yea there are many here that will not give a fig for the rich offer of the great Salvation But I say cursed be that person who putteth on Gallios temper to day that will care for none of these things 2. I fear there wil be many of Pilats humor here to day who will say they find nothing against the man yet will cry forth Take him and crucifie him They find no fault with Christ and yet will be content that he be crucified Now can ye say any thing against Christ who is the Author of this great Salvation Produce your strong arguments Are there any here who have any thing to say against him I am here to answer in his Name I hope there is not one here who hath any thing to say against the Author of this great Salvation And why then do ye not take him See unto your selves that there be none of Pilats humor here to day that will cry out Ye find nothing in Christ why he should not be received and yet will be content that he be crucified 3. There will be many of the Jews humor here to day who cry forth Away with Christ away with Christ and give me

of this great salvation Come to Christ for the knowledge of your souls condition Come as a ●…meless one and he shal not reject thee though by cause were so evil that thou couldst not give it 〈◊〉 name for of all that come unto him he sendeth none away Now where do you find your name and sur●ame O do you not know it I hope now you may know therefore I intreat you answer to it so come away and partake of this great salvation But I am afraid there be many strong iron bars in the way of some of you which you cannot win over Ah how fast are some souls locked in Satans snare And therefore I shall speak a little for discovering of those bars that hinder from embracing his great salvation that so you may be the better helped to remove them I. The first great iron bar which keepeth folle ●rom embracing this great salvation is the bar of ●gnorance and I am afraid that this as a mighty bar hindereth many of you You are ignorant of your selves and of the condition of your souls you are ignorant of the Law and of its severity and you are ignorant of the precious Gospel in its ●ondescendency O pray unto God that for Christs sake he would break that great bar of ig●orance for till that be done Christ may take up that complaint Jer. 5.4 Surely they are foolish they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgment of their God I say this bar of ignorance keepeth you from embracing this great salvation II. The second bar which keepeth many from closing with Christ is the bar of presumption for some will cry out What need have I to embrace the great salvation Have I it not already But I say unto thee O fool thou art by all appearance yet in bondage O that this evil bar of presumption were put away for it is one of the greatest impediments which lieth in the way of our embracing this great salvation that is in your offer to day Therefore I say unto you if you will come no further I intreat you come this length to confess that you want this Gospel-salvation and that you are indeed strangers to this Redemption purchased by Christ III. The third bar that keepeth persons from embracing this great salvation is the bar of unbelief you believe not what we say to you about this great salvation I know that some of you are of the Stoicks and Epicures humor who cry out What meaneth this man He seemeth to be the setter forth of some strange God But I say unto you I am not the setter forth of any strange God but it is Jesus of Nazareth whom I preach unto you Alace some of you think this great salvation to be some morning dream or some golden fancy But I say unto you it is neither a dream not fancy but a real truth that we preach unto you IV. The fourth bar that keepeth persons from embracing this great salvation is the bar of discouragement this strong bar keepeth many so fast that they cannot embrace this great salvation though it be freely offered unto them I shal say no more to you who are such but counsel you to do as those four Lepers did 1 Kings 7.4 who sate at the gate of Samaria who said Why sit we here till we die If we say we will enter in the City then the famine is in the City and we shall dye there and if we sit still here we dye also Now therefore come and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but dye Even so say I unto you that if you abide in the state of unbelief you shall surely be undone therefore go forth for you know not but God may work a great salvation for you and if you will quite your unbelief and close with Christ in the offer of this great salvation by Faith you shall have no more to do but eat and drink and divide the spoil V. The fifth bar that with-holdeth persons from embracing this great salvation is the bar of ●…lingness Ye will not come to me that you may have life And alace This is an Iron bar indeed by which all that are in hell have barred themselves out of Heaven Alace shall you be such wretches also O what a dreadful sound is that Wo unto thee O Jerusalem Wilt thou not be made clean When shal it once be Ah! Turn you turn you why will you dye Why will you slight this great Salvation O will none of you this day embrace it VI. The sixth bar that with-holdeth persons from embracing this great salvation is the bar o● worldly-mindedness Many of you are so fixed to the world that you cannot come and close with this great salvation I may allude to that word spoken of Saul 1 Sam. 10.22 That he hid himself amongst the stuff for many have buried and nested themselves in the midst of the world that they cannot embrace this great salvation VII The seventh bar which keepeth many from embracing this great Salvation is the bar of hard-heartedness there hath such a stupidity and hardness of heart seised upon many that let Christ preach as he will to them by his Word or by other dispensations they are no more moved than if his Word and dispensations were a thousand miles from them O that strong bar of hardness of heart when shal the Omnipotent hand o● God break it VIII The eighth bar that hindereth many from embracing this great Salvation is the ba● of sloathfulness Many of you cannot be at th● pains to embrace it but I say unto you the●e 〈◊〉 but small pains in the way of godliness I 〈◊〉 unto you it may so easily be had that it is i● your offer to day and if you will you may p●… forth your hand and take it Consider therefore what you will do O will you despise it I say will you still neglect and despise it Will you but read that dreadful word Acts 13.40.41 Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish Tell me freely Would you have us to return this answer to him who sent us that you are despisers of the great Salvation Say to it are there none of you who for all this will consent to partake of this great Salvation O captives and prisoners and you who are in the bonds of Satan will you come and partake of this great salvation and you shall be made free I have an act of release for you to day if you will come and make use of it you shal be set at liberty But oh shall the prison doors be cast open and yet none come forth But that I may come to a close I say yet unto you O poor Prisoners go forth go forth and partake of this great salvation Oh! will you not come forth What holdeth you in the foundation of your prison-house is shaken to day therefore if

you will but come forth and cast a look to Christ your very shakels shall fall off your hands and you shal be as those who were never bound Now I leave this with you and to make you think upon it I shall speak these five words to you and I intreat you think upon them 1. First I have excellent tidings to tell you I hope some of you will give ear to them viz. there is a great Person come here to day and that is the Mighty Author of this great salvation who hath brought everlasting righteousness with him desiring you to make use thereof it is his desire that you would take his excellent gifts at his hand These I say are the tidings that I have to preach unto you and I hope never to be declared a lyar for what I preach unto you I say yet unto you that Christ the Author of the great Salvation desireth to give it freely unto you if you will but take it But O will you not take it I think if you did see an hundred men lying in prison or dungeon without all light bread or water and a great Prince coming to them saying I desire you all to come forth and partake of this great liberty which I bring unto you and every one of them should answer I scorn to come forth at this time would you not think them exceeding great fools And yet I fear this act of great folly falls out in many of your hands to day that when Christ hath given us the Keys of your prison doors and they are opened you will not come forth But I must intreat you yet to come forth and shew your selves For who knoweth but we may be commanded to shut your prison doors again and to seal them with seven seals with an unalterable decree from Heaven never to be recalled Wherefore O ye Prisoners go forth go forth from you● prison-house 2. Secondly I would say this to you 〈…〉 is not without much ground that this Salvatio● offered to you is called a great Salvation ● know a little paper of two or three sheets mig●… contain all the salvations that ever man obta●ned but the World would not be able to conta●… all the books which might be written to the co●mendation of this great salvation Yea unto 〈◊〉 who will embrace it I say First if thou find not this salvation above thy faith then go thy way when thou art come But I know thou wilt find it both above thy faith and hope Secondly if thou find it not above thy desires when thou art come unto it then go thy way again but were thy desires as the sand upon the Sea shore thou shalt find always more in this Salvation than ever thou couldst desire Thirdly if this Salvation be not above what thou canst conceive then go thy way when thou art come to it but think of it as thou canst it shal always be above thy thoughts of it Fourthly if this Salvation be not above thy opinion of it then go thy way when thou art come unto it but I know thou wilt find it far above thy opinion of it Therefore seeing it is so great a salvation as that all the World could not contain all the books that might be written in the commendation of it O! will you embrace it even to day while it is in your offer 3. Thirdly I would say this unto you Be perswaded that there is no sin that will more provoke the Majesty of God to punish you than the sin of slighting this great salvation Bring forth these Murderers saith the Lord of the slighters of this invitation and slay them before me I intreat you enquire at your own hearts what you will answer when you are reproved for flighting of it Old men will you ask at your own hearts what you will answer to Christ when he shall propose that question to you why slighted you the great salvation Old women what will you answer when he shall say to you why slighted you the great Salvation Young men and young women inquire at your own hearts what you will answer when Christ shall say to you why slighted you the great Salvation Can ye imagine any answer to that question O dreadfull shall the Wrath of God be that shall be executed upon the slighters of this great salvation 4. Fourthly I would say this unto you that Heaven is waiting to hear what acceptation the offer of this great Salvation doth get among you Here is the great Salvation here is the offer of it and here is the commendation of it what say you to it Is it not an excellent Salvation Is it not a free Salvation Is it not a great Salvation Is it not an eternal Salvation Why then do ye not welcome it Can any of you say any thing to the discommendation of it I know you cannot Yea I dare say your own hearts are admiring it as most excellent and therefore O will ye accept it Alace shall there be none here who will be found accepters of this great Salvation so freely offered 〈◊〉 day 5. Fifthly I would say this to you let all the Angels praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation All the Saints round about the Throne praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation All those who are expectants of Heaven praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation All ye to whom this offer is made praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation O Heaven praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation O all ye Fowls of the Air praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation O Fire Hail Snow Vapors stormy Winds and Tempests praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation All the Tribes of the earth praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation Our own Souls praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation And all that is within us bless him who is the Author of this great Salvation O! who would not praise him who is the Author of this great Salvation Are there any here that will refuse to commend him O! Think upon him and let not this be a day of slighting him Now where are your hearts at this time I will tell you where many of your hearts are they are thinking upon the World But I am sure there are not many of them thinking upon this great salvation Now what resolution mind ye to go away with to day Oh! have ye 〈◊〉 resolution beyond what ye had when ye came hitherto to day Are there any here who have his resolution To whom shall we go but unto him who is the Author of this great salvation who alone hath the words of eternal life Even the Lord breath it upon you Or is this your resolution that through Christs strength forsake ●im who will ye will never forsake him O! ●ave ye this resolution That ye will esteem more highly of the