yet that which doth tantamount is implyed in the question How shall we escape which is as much as to say ther 's no possibility of escaping And what is it that we cannot escape why a just recompence of reward for our transgression and disobedience if we look back to the verse before the Text yea a severer judgement more fiery indignation and a sorer punishment than the transgressors of Moses Law if we look forward to Ch. 10.27 28 29. And what the spirit of God speaks short here is spoken out and at large to the Scribes and Pharises hypocrites that slew the Prophets that were sent unto them and refused servants and Son too that came to require fruit of the vineyard Mat. 23.33 Ye Serpents ye generation of vipers how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell And observe that Mat. 25.41 It s called the Divels damnation depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels The harmonious discord that dwells in the antithesis which opposes this great damnation to that great Salvation is very elegant and observable The Salvation refused is called the Salvation of God all the ends of the earth have seen the Salvation of our God The Damnation incurred by such a refusall is called the damnation of the Divel The Salvation slighted is the Salvation of Heaven The Damnation deserved is the Damnation of Hell I observed in the handling of the first that the mercy of Salvation is much magnifyed and made mervelous by three degrees And now we are to observe that the justice of damnation is made glorious by the same degrees for these two contraries have the same dimensions the most righteous God that gives the one and inflicts the other being as infiniâ—e in justice as in mercy Observe then in order to such an illustration of it 1. That it is positively great Damnation 2. That it is comparatively greater than other 3. That it is superlatively the greatest of all 1 That it is Great Damnation you may easily conclude from what is allready spoken that it is the damnation of Hell and the Divels Damnation and the very word gives such an astonishing sound to such as can apprehend both name and thing that to discover it to be great it will need no more than the naming but since we have to do with such as are brutifyed and must fight with beasts after the manner of men since our work lies much with dead men such as are dead in trespasses and sinns and though they bear the names of men and women that are reasoable creatures yet they are further from knowledge than the Ox and the Asse Isay 1.3 And as senseless and stupid as stocks and stones as the inanimate globes of Heaven and Earth Isay 1.2 We must therefore use all possible means and all little enough to awaken them to things of highest Consequence and everlasting Concernment and such are the things that we have in hand Matters of Salvation and Damnation matters of life and death for ever and ever Study with me but this one point that the Damnation that we are speaking of and about to aggravate is not Damnation barely for the breach of Gods Law but for refusing the mercy of the Gospel that was offered to make up that breach its Damnation for the refusal of Salvation of which refusers we may use the Apostles words Rom. 3.8 Whose Damnation is just There can be no greater justice than this when life and death are set before men and they will choose death that they should have it when Salvation and Damnation are both held out in the promise and threatning that the refusers of Salvation should fall into damnation observe Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that be gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life and in the next verse God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved In both verses is declared both posivetily and negatively for what end Christ came into the world 1 He came to save sinners 2 He came to save and not to damne But as God by his creating power brought light out of darkness so men by their destroying sin bring darkness out of light and like the Spiders do gather poyson from the sweetest flowers and most wholsome hearbs They do wilfully aggravate their condemnation by the gracious offers of Salvation and treasure up for themselves severest wrath from sweetest mercy And this is that that brings this great damnation as you may see there in the very next verse but one ver 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light that mercy is offered and wrath is chosen that Salvation is tendered and Damnation is taken men deal so Jewishly with Christ that they prefer Barrabbas a murderer before him and this is rightly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Damnation 2. It is comparatively greater than other condemnations we proved Gospel-Salvation to be greater than other Salvations And the sin of Gospel-refusing to be greater than other sins And now are to shew that this damnation is greater than other condemnations 1. Greater than condemnation by mans law sentences in Courts of humane Judicature reach But 1. Either to the estate as fining or confiscation 2. Or to the body as imprisonment and scourging 3. Or to the name as stigmatizing or burning in the hand or forehead 4. Or if capitall to the life as hanging beheading c. 5. Or in case of treason to the family and posterity But this transcends all those condemnations as we may gather from Luke 12.4 5. which were the words of our Saviour to his Disciples I say unto you my freinds be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you fear him Provoking sinners are said to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 Though they catch many a rap here that 's nothing in comparison of what 's behind This is the day of grace wherein God exerciseth patience and long-suffering towards them but if the goodness of God do not bring them to repentance there 's another day a coming where they must give another manner of reckoning a fearfull and terrible day a day all of Wrath Then righteous Judgement will be impartially dispensed without respect of persons here below in mens judicatories it falls out oftentimes as with fish in a net great ones are caught when little ones creep through and sometimes again as with flies in the Spiders webb the little ones are held when the great ones break through but that day will surprize High and Low Rich and Poor one with another We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of
Christ 2. Cor. 5.10 and every one must give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 If any are left out of these expressions all and every one they may expect to escape judgement else not Here sometimes the rod of the wicked falls to the lot of the righteous and Gods servants are condemned as evil doers when the Benjamins mess and double portion is given to the wicked but then the just Judge of all the World will do all men right and distribute righteous judgement in giving to every one according to his works Rom. 2.6 7 8 9 10. Rendering eternal vengeance to the ignorant and disobedient and wil be made glorious in them that believe 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 10. 2. Greater also than condemnation by Gods Law as appears from the verse before my text and Ch. 10.27 28 29 30 31. To such as wilfully refuse this Gospel-Salvation There remains no Sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses law i. e. Gods law given by the Mediatourship of Moses died without mercy of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of Grace For we know him that hath said vengeance belogneth unto me I will recompense saith the Lord and again the Lord will judge his people It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God So far the Apostle in that Scripture which thunder-claps though by the concurrent Judgement of expositours they are levelled at sinners against the Holy Ghost those that are guilty of that sin unto death yet many of the iniquities of that sin are though in a lower measure to be charged upon the neglecter of this great Salvation 3. It is superlatively the greatest of all condemnations two places of Scripture I shall quote and improve that are of this tendency and then shall pass to the further confirmation of it by strength of reason The first is 1 Thes 2.16 Where the Apostle notes that the Jews that killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and persecuted the Apostles and envyed the Gentiles that in a word with the unjust Judge did neither fear God nor reverence Man did thus Fill up the measure of their sins till wrath came upon them to the utter most i. e. they sinned to the uttermost till they were plagued to the uttermost compare with this place that Heb. 7.25 which words are spoken of Jesus Christ the great high Priest of his Church the plentiful Redeemer and mighty Saviour He is able to save to the uttermost all them that do come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them what can be more equall than this that they that refuse mercy to the uttermost should have wrath to the uttermost that they which set light by that Salvation to the uttermost should indure the uttermost of Damnation The other place of Scripture that speaks to this point and serves to set out the superlative greatness of this Damnation is Matth. 3.7 They are the words of John Baptist to the Pharisees and Saduces that came to his Baptism O Generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Where note that this dreadfull Damnation is called Wrath to come and therefore because the main of it is reserved for the life to come true it is that some notorious Malefactours have an entrance into Hell opened unto them while they are upon earth and are hang'd up in Gibbets for the astonishment of others that are so pursued by the hornets of their consciences stinging them with the pangs of the second death that with Cain and Judas they are driven by the Devil through hell internal into an hell eternal but the dreadfulness of perfected Damnation which the Devil believes and trembles to believe is reserved for an endless life in that which we call the World to come David saith Great plagues remain for the ungodly though upon the ungodly God raines snares fire and brimston storm and tempest and discharges whole Vollies of Wonderful plagues upon the children of disobedience Deut. 28.59 yet there is a reserve of more and greater and the biggest and worst are still behind As the Saints have usually the worst in possession and best in reversion and this life is a sowing in tears that they may reap in joy so usually the wicked have the best at first and worst at last as Abrabram said to Dives Son remember how in thy life time thou receivedst thy good things but Lazarus pains but now he is comforted and thou art tormented But to return to take into further consideration that expression of wrath to come Cast abroad your eyes in all the world and look back to the beginning of time and enquire whether ever sorrow were like unto that Weeping and Howling and Gnashing of Teeth which the Lord inflicts upon the Damned in the day of his fierce wrath 1. We read that for our first Parents disobedience the whole Creation was under such a load of wrath that ever since it hath groan'd under it Rom. 8.22 But there we read also that the creature groans under an expectation of liberty waiting when it shall be restor'd into the glorious liberty of the Sons God but when this Damnation takes place the Torments as they are easless so shall they be endless the worm dyeth not and the fire never goes out there is no hope of a deliverance 2. It s upon record that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with Fire and Brimston but when the Cities were burnt the fire was extinguisht but the wicked are the chaff and stubble that must be burnt with unquenchable fire the damned who are the fuel that feed it shal be like the burning bush all on a fire but not consummed and therefore the fire must needs be everlasting The burning thereof is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord like a River of brimston doth kindle it Isay 30.33 3. God overthrew the old World with a devouring floud but the Scripture makes mention of the rising and raging of it and then of its ebbing again and flowing no more But those souls that are drowned in perdition are cast into the Mare mortuum the dead and deadly Sea the Red and the Raging Sea of the Almighties wrath which hath neither bank nor bottome where they must be sinking and drowning for ever and ever 4. The Jews for their rejecting Christ were unchurched and Excommunicated but they are to be called again when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in But the sentence of finall Damnation shal be beyond the Anathema Maranatha that was but till the coming of Lord but this commences at the coming of the Lord and from thenceforth for ever Go ye cursed
GREAT SALVATION BY JESVS CHRIST TENDERED To the greatest of Sinners and in particular to such as have been Refusers of it if God shall now at last make them willing to receive it By RICHARD EEDES Teacher of the Church at Beckford in Gloucester-shire LONDON Printed by TW for the Author 1659. To the Right Honourable the Lady VEERE Grace and Peace Right Honorable most Honored Madam MY ambition to invite your Honour to be Surety to my First-Borne hath offered violence to my modesty in this Dedication yet I know not why I may not dedicate my labours unto you to whom I have long agoe dedicated my selfe When I had once the happiness to entertaine your Ladyship for a very short time I found you so ready to take meane things in the best part that I do the less scruple here to invite you to take part of the Churches Ordinary The great Salvation that this weak hand holds out may well beseeme the greatest Personages not only to own but to have in highest estimation and I am perswaded that you have so long made the attainment of it next to God the Giver and Christ the Purchaser of it your chiefest interest that you have now with your namesake in the Gospel made the better part so sure unto you that it can never be taken from you yet dear Madam it is not unknown unto you that sin is so deceitfull to deceive and the heart so deceitfull to be deceived that we can see small ground of security though some of safety on this side Heaven It s our taking heed of falling that keepes us standing and Caveats against sin and condemnation may be of excellent use to keep the Soul in awe and reverend Dr Sibbs tells us that fear is the awe-band of the soul I am not insensible that Scoffers may say that here is more Porch than house but that was so far from being an oversight that it was a part of my design I dare not inclose nor impropriate that which the Apostle hath called the common Salvation Jude 3. v. That mysticall City that was called the holy Jerusalem descending from Heaven Revel 21.10 Tipifying the Church was said to have 12 Gates which noted out the confluence of Beleivers that should come into the preaching of the Gospel and should fly unto that great Salvation like Doves unto their windows and the discourse herein offered is so like the Pool of Bethesda a common Bath or Fountaine opened for sin and for uncleanness that I thought it convenient to make the more Porches and if I could direct a particular Epistle to every particular Soul the Soules excellency would acquit me from folly in so doing I have deservedly given your Honour the Preeminence in opening unto you the first Gate and the more to ennoble it have written your honourable name upon it that it may be called beautifull and followers may throng in after you and when they are entred if they will but learne of you they may count the feet and much more the faces of them beautifull that bring unto their Soules the glad tidings of Salvation But when they have made their entrance they will find that here is house as well as porch yea and that it is very roomthy for these three Stories Salvation Sin and Damnation do resemble Heaven Earth and Hell Salvation hath Heaven at the top of it and Damnation hath Hell at the bottome of it and Sin like its Father the Divell having the whole Earth for its walke is the worst Companion that the sonns of men have Madame you are here presented with a strange sight a poor sinner hanging betwixt Heaven and Hell if he will but accept of Salvation offered Heaven is his but if he neglect in this his day to know the things that belong unto his Peace he will fall into Hell and ther 's no escaping It 's a sad thing to see so many wallowing in sin like swine in the myre under such warnings and very sad to see many of the Godly to drive so low and dull a trade with Heaven that it may be sayd of them as of poor Tradesmen whom the World favours not that they are still buying selling and live by the losse What sad lives do we lead and what comfortable lives do we lose by not bringing our practises up to the principles of invisible Christianity and for want of more intimate acquaintance with the beauty of holines and power of godlines Gregory the great was said to be the last of the good Bishops of Rome and first of the bad his life was such a medley of good and evill and therefore some Interpreters have thought him to be that Angell in the Revelation that was said to fly betwixt Heaven and Earth And Salomon's life was so particoloured that an antient Limner drew him halfe in Heaven and halfe in Hell and such is the pittifull case of many a Christian they do so halt betwixt God and the World so half it betwixt the Spirit and the Flesh that they may be thought by themselves as well as others to hang equally poysed betwixt Fear of Hell and Hope of Heaven Oh how low are souls in their consolations for want of close and circumspect walking and for want of a laborious and costly serving of God Madam you may here stand safe upon the Rock of your salvation and behold the dead and red Sea of the Almighties wrath upon which multitudes of dead Souls ly floating like the Carcases of the drowned Aegyptians when the Israelites were passed over And while you are standing upon safe ground you may here behold that Rock of Gospel-refusing which hath shipwrack'd many and that Gulfe of Damnation which hath devoured them whereas you through Grace are brought nere unto the harbour and within sight of the Haven where you would be Let Faith and Patience hold out but a little longer for yet a little while he that shall come will come and will not tarry So desiring that the God only wise may guide you with his Counsell and stablish your Mind Heart with his Truth and Grace and lead you through militant holiness into tryumphant happiness I humbly crave pardon for this boldness take leave and rest Beckford Jan. 1st 1658. Madame Your unworthy Remembrancer at the Throne of Grace RICHARD EEDES 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a true and faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief Hebr. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Divell who
business that I have with you I came not hither to take tythes but to winn Soules The malevolent adversaries of the standing Ministry of England call us hirelings and it s a miracle of providence that we have our lives for a prey in the midst of such a blood-thirsty generation of unreasonable men but we so much more desire you than yours that if you would make this our hire to give up your selves to God by our Ministry that by taking heed unto our selves and to the doctrine we may save both our selves and them that hear us let them call us Divells and it should but adde unto our Crown while we all study to be what I desire to approve my selfe A Servant of Christ for the furtherance of your Salvation Richard Eedes To the Reader Reader BEhold I bring unto thee glad tidings of great joy That whatever thy life hath been for the time past and whatever thy sinnes unrepented of are for the present If God shall render thee teachable and willing to be counselled thou maist yet die happily if thou wilt but be perswaded to live holily for the short remainder of thy few and evill daies I desire to approve my selfe a true friend unto thy Soul in my indeavour to bring this to pass and nothing can hinder it if the Tempter do not still prevaile to make thee continue thine own greatest enemy If thou be young thou canst not set out upon such work too soon which is of everlasting concernment to thy Soul and tends to the sure-making of thy Salvation If thou be old and hast spent much time already in the service of sin it is more than time that thou shouldst awake out of that dead sleep least the sleep of death surprize thee and if thou should'st be taken out of the world by death before thou be taken out of the World by grace which God forbid it had been better that thou hadst never been born or hadst been created a Toade or Viper than a Man or Woman Deferr not a day not an houer not a moment longer to consider thy waies and to turne to God hearken to this call of God while it is called to day least deferring till to morrow it should be to late whiles the breath is yet in thy body and the Lord yet offers to breathe the breath of life into thy Soul let not the Divel World and Flesh so bewitch thee as to obstruct thy seasonable and serious closing with God upon a Covenant-accompt and with Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour So shalt thou breake off that Great Sin of Gospel-refusing and escape that Great Damnation that is due to it and attaine unto that Great Salvation which is here faithfully commended and heartily wished to thee by him who is Thy Soule Friend Richard Eedes To the Reader Reader IT is the glory and happiness of the Age and country in which thou livest to have the plaine and plentifull teachings of the Lord that while we see not God or the life to come with open face by immediate intuition to our full satisfaction we may yet see him in a glass by reason sanctifyed and guided and elevated by faith so far as to quicken our desires after more and to cheer and strengthen us as a fore-tast and earnest of the everlasting inheritance Though the invisible things of God may be so farr seen in the things that are made as to leave all those without excuse that know not God or glorify him not as God Rom. 1.20 21. yet is the Gospel the much clearer glass though not as to the sensible manner of Revelation yet as to the fullness and cleerness of Discovery In this glass thou maist certainly see on earth the things that will be done in Heaven and Hell to all Eternity Thou maist know if thou canst but know thy heart both where and in what case thou must live for ever Whether with God or Divells whether in joy or torments whether in the end I less sence of the love of God and in his Soul-ravishing vision and fruition and highest returnes of Love and praise with Christ and all the Heavenly Host or in the endless feeling of his confounding to wrath and pangs of conscience for thy former willfullness and folly and comfortless despairing lamentations of thy misery This certaine glass that from God foretelleth all these things is contained in the Holy Scriptures and daily held before thee by thy teachers who are commanded to call upon thee to try and know thy selfe hereby and to prevent the eternall misery fore-seen and set thy heart on the revealed glory and make out after it with the greatest care and desire of thy Soul that it may be thine for ever This glass is here held out unto thee by this faithfull Reverend Minister of Christ a member of our Association in these united Churches who hath judiciously and concisely yet seriously and pathetically told thee how great a Price is in thy hand if thou have but a heart to the blessedness to be procured by it and the improvement of it for that blessedness He hath told thee also what a sin and desperate folly it is to slight â—nd neglect this great Salvation and turne of that God that Heaven with a triâ—le or with the leaving of this contemptable World who is thy All and should have All and will have thy First and Best or nothing He hath told thee of that great Damnation that will certainely be thy Portion if thou go on to neglect this great Salvation Bless God for this seasonable call and admonition and harden not thy heart but hear if thou have but eares to hear Abuse not a God of Love that deserves not to be abused Turne not away from him that speaketh unto thee from Heaven Deny not thy Redeemer thy first and deepest thoughts and cares thy strongest love and most resolved labours that denyed thee not his blood his doctrine and his example Away with sin Man tread downe the World or use it for the World to come Crucify the flesh that hitherto thou hast served Heaven is before thee thou art made and redeemed to be equall with the Angels Dally not about so great a matter as everlasting joy or torment is God is not mocked and therefore do not mock thy selfe by preferring the tâ—yes of the World before him What needs all this adoe for thy daily bread Having food and rayment be therewith content Get well to Heaven and all is done and thou shalt never want lose that and lose all and thou wilt certainly lose it if thou seth it not first and give it not the chiefest roome in thy heart How thinkest thou to escape if thou neglect this Salvation Will a despised or neglected Christ be thy Saviour or a neglected Heaven be thine Inheritance Dost thou think to come back from the dead into this World to mend that which now thou dost amiss or canst thou escape against Gods will and word Reader
greater than other p. 167. c. 3. Superlatively the greatest p. 170. c 1 Reason Because it comes from so great a God p. 174. c. 2 Reason Because it is for despising so great a Saviour p. 177. 3 Reason Because inflicted for resisting the spirit p. 180. c. 4 Reason Because prepared for great Enemies p. 182. 5 Reason Because it hath a long reach p. 185. 1 It reacheth to the Soul p. 185. c. 2 It reacheth to eternity p. 187. c. 6 Reason Because it consists of great Punishments p. 189. 1 The Punishment of Loss 2 The Punishment of Sense p. 189. c. 1 Noted by the worm that dyeth not p. 192. 2 By the fire that never goes out p. 193. 1 Rationall Torments inflicted upon 1 The understanding 〈◊〉 2 The conscience in three things p. 1 Remembrance of things past 2 Sense of present misery p. 197. c. 3 Fear of wrath to come 3 The Will p. 200. 4 The Passions p. 221. c. 2 Sensible Torments for the Body p. 213. c. Use of Terrour p. 219. Prompting us to a 4 fold Meditation 1 Of Death p. 224. c. 2 Of Judgement p. 227. c. 3 Of Hell p. 230. c. 4 Of Heaven p. 232. c. The Conclusion from pag. 234. to the end GREAT SALVATION BY JESVS CHRIST Tendered to the greatest of Sinners c. Hebr. 2 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation SAlvation is so sweet a subject that its pitty it should meet with any but faithfull handlers and profitable hearers I may say of the very sillables of it as once holy Bernard did of that saving Name Jesus in which it was founded Mat. 1.21 That it is Mel in ore melos in aure jubilum in corde Hony to the mouth Musick to the eare and rejoycing to the heart Words of Salvation are breath of life and its pitty any of that should be likâ— breath scattered in the ayre they are water of life and its pitty it should be like water spilt upon the ground we should deal by such doctrine as goldsmiths do by the filings of their gold secure every dust of it As God saith to ungodly teachers so may we say unto ungodly hearers What have you to do to take my word into your mouthes or eares when it takes no hold upon your hearts Whereas you hate to be reformed and have cast my words behind you Psal 50.16 17. Salvation is such a mystery of miraculous mercy that the very Angells do delight to pry into is 1. Pet. 1.12 And as they were ministring Spirits to the great Saviour when he was upon Earth so they are glad to be Ministring Spirits to the heyres of this great Salvation Heb. 1.14 A Messenger coming from the dead and from that triumphant community of just and perfect Soules were fitter to speak to you of such a theam than one that 's going to the dead and is yet clothed with the raggs of mortality and corruption If such a one should hear us expressing our low conceptions of such sublime mysteries as accompany Salvation he wouldsay as the Queen of the South of Solomons wisdome that one half is not told you in your own Country If the Divell and damned Soules might hear but one Sermon more of Salvation with hope of obtaining it can you think that they would be so regardles and negligent as the common sort of hearers are Do you think that the divells themselves which beleeve the dreadfullness of perfected damnation and tremble to beleeve it would say to such a preacher as Foelix did to Paul Acts 24 25. Go thy way for this time and when I have a more convenient season I will call for thee This is the unum magnum the unicum maximum the great thing that the Apostle indeavours to secure in this place that none of Christs blood may be lost that none of his own Ministeriall labour may be labour in vaine In a word his drift and scope is that that Salvation which was so great in the operation and in the Revelation should be as great in the Worlds acceptation Christ had wrought it out who was the Son of God higher than Angells the great Prophet and Priest and King of his Church as this Epistle declares at large The Gospel had brought it to light which is the glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1. Tim. 1.11 which makes Salvation neerer and clearer than the law did And therefore if we accepâ— it not how shall we escape that is to say there is no possibâ—â—ity of escaping One of the Ancients hath laid down this Rule as Gods method of dealing with the refuiers of his mercy Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia Where God offers or bestowes great meâ—cies there the setting light by those mercies are sinns with an high hand and those great sinns draw down proportionable punishments Now according to this Rule 1. What mercy â—reater than Gospel-mercy 2. What sin can be greater than to set light by such mercy 3. What punishment can be greater than that that such sin deserves The Apostles words here considered as related to the context may be exactly reduced to hat rule we shall therefore from such premises draw these three naturall conclusions as the plaine results of this Scripture 1. That Salvation brought to light by the Gospel is great Salvation 2. That setting light by such Salvation is great sin 3. That the neglect of such great Salvation brings great damnation The First Doctrine Gospel Salvation is great Salvation BEfore we open the doore to let you into a clear sight of this truth it may not be impertinent to remove an objection that lies as a stumbling block at the very entrance and that is this In that we proclaime Gospel-Salvation to be great Salvation some may demand whether there be any other Salvation that may stand in competition with Gospel-Salvation To which we answer that God never revealed but two wayes unto mankind for Salvation The first was by a Covenant of workes manifested unto the first Adam as the Worlds representative wherein the condition was Hoc fac vive do this and thou shalt live or do this and be saved But that Law being transgressed and that Covenant broken and Adam and his posterity being under the curse of that Covenant and the wrath of God abiding on them God was pleased to enter into another Covenant of grace with mankind through the second Adam proposing unto them another condition Hoc crede vive whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.16 Though there was an old way to Salvation by working held out by the law yet now the new and living way brought to light by the Gospel is the way of beleeving and this Salvation by the Covenant of grace doth as farr excell that by the Covenant of workes as the second Adam doth excell the first I may further adde that
the wages of all and every sin so that sin will find the sinner suffering enough death with all its appurtenances 1 with all its forerunners diseases aches paines c. 2 With all its concomitants of tribulation and anguish desperation and horrour 3 and all its followers death after death fire and brimstone which is the second death Revel 21.8 Let us distinguish of a threefold death which is the wages of sin and all will be plaine when we have clear'd it that Salvation saves us from all the three Death 1 Internall of the Soul 2 Externall of the Body 3 Eternall of the Body and Soul 1 It saves from death internall as Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinns Iohn 5.25 The time shall come and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those that hear shall live and Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my words and beleiveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life and Revel 20.6 Blessed is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power which expositors do interpret of the resurrection of the Soul from the death of sin to the life of grace as the second resurrection of the body from death to life immortall 2. It saves from death externall though not from the stroak of death for it s appointed unto all men once to die Hebr. 9.27 Yet from the sting of death for blessed are the dead which die in the Lord Revel 14.13 Paul tells us if in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men the most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 noting that the hope that we have in Christ for another life is the best part of our hope and that which maketh not ashamed and in order to this Solomon saith the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Though beleivers die yet they are not kill'd with death as that deadly phrase is Revel 2.23 It is but their dust that sees corruption Their head having kill'd death Oh death I will be thy death Hos 13.14 nothing hinders but that on the account of that victory they may triumph as more than conquerors and say with the Apostle O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 3 It saves from death eternall Iohn 11.25 26. He that beleiveth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and beleiveh in me shall not die for ever Death is therefore call'd the King of feares because there is a more terrible death stands behind it as the Apostle saith after death cometh the judgement so we may say after judgement cometh the death Observe but how the Apostle sends out bold challenges and even bids defiance to all adversary power upon this very score of being protected and secured from the second death Rom. 8.33 Who shall condemn What shall separate I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus c. Let all these be laid together that it saves us 1 From the wrath of God 2 From the curse of his Law 3 From the tyranny of Satan 4 From sin both condemning and commanding and then from punishment death internall externall and eternall and these make up a pregnant proof that Gospel-Salvation is great Salvation from the ab hoc the great evills it saves 〈◊〉 from 2 Ad hoc 2 Reason It saves us to great happiness I meane that by this great Salvation we are advanced to great happiness It were endles to handle all the particulars of that blessedness to which Salvation doth entitle us Moses brings in that blessedness in huddles that is prepared for the children of obedience and heyres of Salvation Deut. 28. blessings of all sorts and sizes in every state and condition David saith Psal 1.1 Blessednesses belong unto them or as the originall doth more emphatically render it ô beatitudines oh the blessednesses that belong unto such as he there describes and Psal 144.15 gives their blessedness a rise above all other blessedness yea above all that can be spoken or conceived yea blessed are the people which have the Lord to be their God Paul saith they begin in election and end in glorification Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified In which words he sets downe the priviledges of Gods saved ones 1. Before time In predestination 2. In time In calling and Justification 3. After time In Glorification Let us if we can run back to the beginning of eternity end run forward to the end of it and if we cannot as we cannot let us run to our witts end and then cry out ô altitudo ô profunditas oh the length and bredth and height and depth of the love of God which passeth knowledge The measure of Heaven is heaped up and pressed downe and running over Yet though the excellencies of that Land of promise which flowes with better blessings than milk and hony cannot be told you we shall not pass it by so slenderly as to say no more of it but shall do as those faithfull spies that were sent to survey the Land of Canaan present you with a bunch or two that you may have a tast at least of the fruits of the Land though the full feast be reserved till the time of our fruition 1. Those that are the heyres of this great Salvation are adopted into the family of Heaven and received into the glorious liberty of the Sonns and Daughters of the Lord God Allmighty which giving us union with Christ gives us right also to all the priviledges of Communion Justification Reconciliation adoption Sanctification and glory 1. Justification wherein of ungodly we are made righteous 2. Reconciliation wherein of enemies we are made freinds 3. Adoption wherein of aliens we are made Sonns 4. Sanctification wherein of Sinners we are made Saints 5. Glorification wherein of imperfect Saints and such as are sanctified but in part we are made perfect grace being but glory begun and glory nothing else but grace perfected 2. Those that are adopted into these priviledges are thereby entitled 1. Unto the love of God the Father 2. The grace of God the Son 3. The Communion of God the Holy Ghost 4. The protection of the Trinity 5. The guardianship of Angells 6. The comforts of an appeased conscience 7. The comfortable enjoyment of the things of this life 8. The beleiving and hopefull expectation of the life that is to come These are two bunches of the beatitudes that this great Salvation doth advance us to But the most excellent are behind this great Salvation doth advance the heirs of it unto two Kingdoms at once 1. The Kingdome of grace 2.
or can they indure everlasting burnings Can the conflict with the wrath of God which is a devouring fire burning to the bottome of Hell dare they provoke the Lord to jealousy oh foolish people and unwise Ah t is a fearfull thing to fall into the sin revenging hands of the living God Can they undergo the curse of that fiery Law that was given with thunder and lightning and the sound of the trumpet or indure the appearing of the Lord Jesus when he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angells and in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power Can they grapple with the strong man armed without a stronger then he to their second How will they withstand their sinns when they shall be gathered together in a generall muster and set in battle arey in a most formidable army and armed with the teeth of Dragons and stings of Scorpions to kill their Bodies and Souls in Hell When the numberless number of their notorious provocations shall breake in furiously like a Sea of Billows to drive away the wicked in his wickedness and another sea of wrath shall be tumbling in after it When evills unrepented of like a kennel of Hell-hounds shall hunt the wicked persons to destruction When God shall be so severe to observe euery thing that is done amisse and shall set in order before us the things that we have done how shall we then answer to one of a Thousand Can you give battle to the King of feares or secure yourselves from a heart-quake when death hangs out his black colours and gives you an alarme will not your hearts then die like a stone or fall asunder in your brests like drops or water when your consciences are clamorous and speak bitter things against you will not Belshazzers palsy seize upon your joints and when you think of that judgement that follows death that fire and brimstone which is the second death will not this make you with Foelix to quake and tremple Oh do but forethinke with yourselves that you shall be as unable to stand in the day of the Lords wrath as chaff to stand before a whirlewinde or stubble before a consuming fire O consider this you that forget God least ye be torn in peices and there be none to deliver you 4 USE Is of Consolation to all such as have cordially closed with this great Salvation As the refusers of it deserve to be stigmatiz'd for notorious fooles for so wise Solomon declaims against them Prov. 1.22 How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fooles hate knowledge So such as thankfully accept and embrace this great Salvation deserve the reputation of the wisest of men no foole to the willfull sinner and no wisedome comparable to that that makes wise unto Salvation How was Timothy renowned and his fame rings as far as the Gospel is preached for searching the scripture which were able to make him wise unto Salvation 2 Tim 3.15 To be wise unto Salvation is to be wise indeed all wisedome that comes short of this leaves the possessors of it short of the beginning of wisedome To be wise for the world and wise after the flesh is in Gods esteem to be but fooles and rather a barr to keep men out of Heaven than a door to let them in and therefore our first lesson is selfe-deniall which consists in a denyall of our witts as well as a denyall of our wills and of our worth which the Apostle hints when he saith If any man will be wise let him become a foole that he may be wise As the wisedome of God is foolishesness with the world and God saves men by the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 So the wisedome of the world is foolishness with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.7 The wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God To be wise to do wickedly is the most foolish of all wisedome are not they without understanding that worke wickedness Ps 14.4 This wisedome is not from above but carnall sensuall and divelish To be wise according to art in Phisicks Ethicks Politicks Oeconomicks c. and to want the wisedome from above which Gods word and spirit do teach is but umbra sapientiae the shaddow of wisedome and can make men no better than learned fooles all amounting to no more than erudita ignorantia a finer sort of ignorance but to be wise for God for Heaven for our Soules for Salvation this is to be wise indeed A true Israelite indeed a true Christian indeed and true wisedome indeed are much worth when such as are so in shew are but like cyphers in Arithmetick joyne as many together as will fill a volume and they will signifie nothing O consider that when you have layd out your money for that that is not bread and have spent time and strength for that which cannot profit you will be the first that shall befoole your selves as soon as God shall anoint your eyes with eye salve from above then you will say with David so foolish was I and ignorant even as a very bruit before thee Psal 73.22 And my wounds stinke and are corrupt through my foolishness Psal 38.5 Yea the time is coming when those that thought the children of God to be fooles because they set their hearts upon a wisdome that was above the world shall condemne their own wretched folly and magnify the others wisedome as Wisd 5.4 5. We fooles thought his life madnesse and his end without honour how is he counted among the Children of God and his portion is among the Saints To draw towards a conclusion of this use they shall not only gaine the reputation of wisedome but as Solomon when he desired an understanding and religions heart in the first place had riches and honour given in ex abundanti as more than measure so shall these And therefore they are called heyres of Salvation Heb. 1.14 a title next in dignity and riches unto his who is called in the second verse of that chapter the heir of all things All Gods Sonns are heyres and fellow-heyres with Jesus Christ Rom 8.17 and being received into the glorious liberty of Gods adopted Sonns by their union with Christ they communicate in all the priviledges of Justification reconciliation adoption sanctification and glory They have a right to all the priviledges of the Sonns of God The love of the Father the grace of the Son The Communion of the holy Spirit The protection of the Trinity The guardianship of Angells The comforts of an appeased conscience The comfortable enjoyment of the things of this life and the beleiving expectation of the good things of the life to come We looke upon him as honourably and richly provided for that is a Kings
and rendered it more obscure to such whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ should not shine unto them To conclude the point it is in the dispensation of the Gospel that the Lord Christ doth excercise all his offices Propheticall and Kingly as well as Priestly and those that are Refusers of the Gospel are such as slight Christ in all 2 Reason proving the sin of setting light by the Gospel to be great sin is Because it is an aggravated sin That is a sin monstrously great further greatned and made notoriously sinfull by circumstances It s enquired which sinns are most sinfull those that are committed against the first table or the second and it s agreed that sinns against the first are if other circumstances of weight concurre not to make the other the heaviest Scale But this sin of Gospel-refusing is greater than all because the administration of the Gospel doth excell in glory that of the Law as farr as Christ doth excell Moses I might here enumerate a multitude of circumstances to aggravate the guilt of this sin but because I intend as much brevity as a subject so momentous will well allow of I shall satisfy my selfe to enlarge a little upon three Circumstances The circumstances 1 Of Person 2. Of Time 3. Of Place 1. The Circumstance of the Person adds sinfullness to the sin otherwise Nathan had been deceived in pleading the greatness of Davids sin by the eminency of his person and Gods munificence towards him 2. Sam. 12.7 8 9. Thus saith the Lord God of Jsrael I anointed thee King over Jsrael and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy Masters house and thy Masters wives into thy bosome and gave thee the house of Jsrael and Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord to do evill in his sight Much like that of David to his false freind had it been mine Adversary that had magnified himselfe against me perhaps I could have borne it but it was thou my Companion and mine own familiar freind Joseph interposes this consideration betwixt him and sin Quomodo ego how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 And religious Nehemiah fortified himselfe against flying when Tobia and Sandballat were plotting his discouragment with the very like argument should such a man as I fly I will not go into the temple to save my life Nehem 6.11 Oh let the covenant-servants of the Lord and such as retaine to his Family consider this that those dishonours wound him most which he receives from his favorites and pretended freinds And as the abusers of grace given do sin with an high hand so the refusers of grace offered do sin with a hard heart and their sinns are also aggravated by the circumstance of the person None are capable of being guilty of this sin but such as live in the sound and sunshine of the Gospel those whom the day star from one high hath visited and to whom Christ is tendered in all his fullness The rebellious Jewes were guilty of it for it s said that Christ came to his own and his own received him not Iohn 1.11 And the Gentiles to whom the Gospel was sent upon their refusall they that receive it not are guilty of refusing it but Heathens and Infidels to whom the word of God is a stranger they cannot be guilty of this sin though sinning without Law they shall perish without Law Rom. 2.12 Yet sinning without Gospel they cannot be judged for contemning the Gospel Those Nations and people to whom the sound of the Gospel is gone out as it was into Jsrael of whom David said In Jury is God known his name is great in Jsrael c. He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have the heathen such knowledge of his wayes and concerning whom Moses makes enquiry What Nation is so great to have the Lord nigh unto them as the Lord our God is nigh unto us in all that we call upon him for and the like may be said of England that it is a Land like Canaan the glory of all Lands a Land flowing not only with milk and hony but with better mercies the bread and water of life the wine and milk of consolation where the King that hath made a marriage for his Son keepes open house and the Lord of hoasts hath made for the faithfull of the Land a feast of fat things and wine upon the lees of fat things full of marrow and wines upon the lees well refined For such to be found here that shall undervalue the Lords bounty and run after their Oxen and Farmes and wives their profits and pleasures and lusts when they should thankfully embrace and rejoyce in the riches of Gods mercy and be meditating and studying some suitable returnes when they should be coveting better profits and solacing themselves with better pleasures and their hearts should be set upon better honours than the world can afford them what unthankfullness can be comparable to this what sinns or sinners can be more notorious 2. The circumstance of the time also doth aggravate the sin Paul said to the Athenians that were exceeding superstitious and given to idolatry Acts 17.30 The times of former ignorance God winked at but now saith he he commandeth all men every where to repent God did not require much from the darke times of heathenish superstitions nor so much from the duske glimmering or star-light of legall dispensations as he doth from us under the clear sunshine of the Gospel now life immortality is brought to light and brought neerer and made clearer than ever before Had we lived in the time of the old world neer unto the deluge when the world was overwhelm'd first with ignorance and licentiousness and then with water They were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marryage i.e. Wallowing in drunkenness and gluttony and lust making provisions for the flesh to fullfill the lusts of it so that Noah the preacher of righteousness could not be heard Or if we had lived in the time of that great revolt of the old Israelites when the Prophet complained and I only am left and they seek my life to take it away 1. Kings 19.10 Or had we lived near unto the time of Christs coming in the flesh when the Gentiles were no people Or in the rise and reign of Antichrist that grand Apostacy of the Gentiles then there might have been some excuse and we had had somewhat to say for our selves But to live in the last age of the World when the Lord is a destroying that man of sin with the breath of his mouth and the brightness of his coming when the fullness of the Gentiles is to come in and the Jewes to be reduc'd unto Christs fold I mean when these
evill thoughts and then murders and a black traine of actuall abominations Mat. 15.19 And an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things Mat. 12.35 As vaine and lustfull thoughts do bring forth sin so serious and sad thoughts of sin do bring forth repentance Hezekia's thoughts troubled him by day David's by night Job's day and night so should a true penitent My sin is ever in my sight saith holy David The playster of Conviction should stick close till it draw forth Compunction and that of Compunction till it being forth humiliation and that till it being forth Faith and saving Conversion David saith I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies In which words David makes a turne but first he makes a stop his thoughts did drive him to a stand I considered my wayes i. e. I studyed them I turned them upside downe It s good thus to prevent God he hath threatned to turne the wayes of the ungodly upside downe its safest that we turne our own ungodly wayes upside downe for the promise is If we judge our selves we should not be judged As all sin proceeds from ignorance and inconsiderateness so all grace begins in knowledge and consideration The progress of saving and conversion is laid before us in these severall degrees 1. Consideration 2. Deliberation 3. Resignation Resignation is the uppermost step when the Soul comes up to this point of a Covenant-delivery of it selfe to God and Jesus Christ and this begins in consideration that is taking up of our most serious thoughts about it for consideration is the eye of the Soul that lookes inward or the reflecting of the Soul upon it selfe which is done by this duty of thinking or thoughtfullnesse 2. There must be great searchings of heart Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes and turne unto the Lord said the Church in distress in order to the getting out of her deepes Commune with your own hearts saith holy David on your bed and be still Psal 4.4 That is when you are retired and solitary and have sequestred your selves from other thoughts and imployments then take your hearts to task ask them questions and receive their answers and hold them to it keep them from starting aside or running away till you have your desired satisfaction The heart of man is deceitfull and wicked above all things It hath many turnings and windings and lurking holes in it many back-dores and evading places Observe how David did take his heart to task to make it a heart after Gods own heart and acted what before he gave in precept Psal 77.2 3 4 5 6. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my Soul refused comfort I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speake Sad thoughts did so throng in upon him that he could not speak for thinking he was overprest in his spirit and what course did he then take see verse 6. I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search As officers would search for hidden malefactors in every corner of an house where they are suspected to be so must we search every corner of our deceitfull hearts to find out those evill ones our selves a meipso libera me domine that body of sin and death that lies lurking secretly within us and as we would search dark vaults with lights so must we take Gods word to be a lanthorne that heart-discovering word to which all things are naked and manifest which is powerfull and mighty in operation and will pierce to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit and joynts and marrow c. The cheife Quaeres that we should put to our selves should be these 1. Do we take no care about Salvation 2. Do we take but little care about it 3. Do we not make it our greatest care Our hearts should be fixed on such considerations and searchings till they are fired with them and we should have no rest in our Soules if our hearts condemne us till we have gone to God and vented our selves in a free and ingenuous confession of all our sins especially that sin with dejection of Spirit and humblings of heart which is the next thing 3. There must be great humblings of heart This sin should be for so great a lamentation that we should call downe the spirit of grace and mourning to assist us that our mourning may be deep and durable Notorious sinns must have notable repentance aggravated wickedness must have suitable sorrow where iniquity abounds humiliation must abound too if we expect grace shall super-abound Manasses having sinned greatly was said to humble himself greatly before the God of his Fathers 2. Chron. 33.12 13. and having sinned and sinned by adding sin unto sin He prayed and prayed he was instant and constant in his supplication for pardon We may not flatter our selves with the deceived multitude and think that a few good purposes towards the last or a crying God mercy upon our death beds will do the work The word indeed saith that the poor Publican that said but Lord be merciful to me a sinner went home rather justifyed than the proud Pharise that stood on upâ—oe in his own justification but observe the appurtenances to that prayer of the Publicans and you will find them to be such as do accompany deep humiliation 1. He stood afar off Eccetiâ—â—r 2. He 〈…〉 eyes to Heaven Ecce pudor 3. He smote his breast Ecce dolor That prayer of his was accompanyed with 1. Great fear in standing afar off 2. Great shame in not lifting up his eyes 3. Great sorrow in smiting his breast When souls tremble at Gods word to such will God look even to such Isa 66.2 when they take sâ—â— and shame to themselves and accept of the punishment of their iniquity and judge and condemne themselves God hath no more to â—â—y 1. Cor. 11.31 When the sinner is grieved because God and his Spirit are grieved God doth as it were sympathize with them and grieve for them he 's sorry for our afflictions and repents him of the evil Joel 2.13 and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel Judges 10.16 and I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them Jer. 18.8 I know the Scripture opens a wide door of hope to faithful prayers in times of greatest distress in that gracious promise whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 but its physick that is administred with this corrective in the very next words But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed The prayer of faith will not only recover health in sickness but life in death but it is not every call nor loud cry that is a prayer not every one that can say Lord Lord can pray and
may yet be had be not accessory to your own everlasting undoing do not tire a long suffering God out of patience and provoke him that sweares he takes no delight in the death of a sinner to sweare in his wrath that you shall never enter into his rest Do not make him your judge who is willing to be your advocate nor turne the Lamb of God into a Lion Rampant O grieve not the Spirit which would be your comforter and remember who said when he was waiting upon a rebellious people My spirit shall not alway strive with flesh O send not back Christs Embassadours to their master to tell him with teares that you will not believe their report and put them not upon that diabolicall imployment to be your accusers to God and swift witnesses against you at the barr of Christ make not the word to be the savour of death which was ordained to be the savour of life to the heires of Salvation Let not the Sermons that you have heard and the bookes that you have or might have read and this that you are now reading rise up in judgement against you what should I say more the Lord knows how willing I am to say all that I can possibly invent that may win upon you and all that he shall put into my mouth if he will open your eares and hearts to counsel who opens and none can shutt this may be enough to prevaile with you that hath been allready spoken but if he will shutt or will not open though I could speak with the tongues of men and Angells I should be but as a Sounding brass or a tinkling Cymball O consider this and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Let such consider lastly that there is mercy enough revealed in the Gospel even to pardon all such Gospel-refusing as it not finall The Gospel excludes but one sin from pardon and that is because such a sinner cannot be renewed by repentance If the sinner against the holy Ghost could be penitent the sin against the holy Ghost might be pardoned for it is not therefore impardonable because its greater than the mercy of the Father or merit of the Son but because the sinner hath done despight to the holy Ghost and rendred himselfe incapable of the help of the spirit of grace I have allready taught you that Gospel mercy is a present and precious remedy against Law-transgressions but this is a step farther to consider that it s also a soveraigne remedy against Gospel-refusing which is not finall and they may be Gospel-receivers who have been of long season Gospel refusers The bloud of Christ was so savingly soveraigne that it healed those that wounded him and gave life to some of those murderers that put him to death as is evident from that plain Scripture Acts. 2.36 37 38. Peter told them God had made that Jesus whom they crucified both Lord and Christ There we see they were such as had a hand in crucifying Christ The next verse shews that they were penitent and pricked at the heart for that sin and begging directions of the Apostles what they might do to be saved they were directed to repent and incouraged with the hopes of the promise and v. 41. They gladly received the word and there were added to the Church three thousand Soules who continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breathing of bread and prayer And as the merit of Christ extended to his very persecutors so the mercy of the Gospel extends to the refusers of the Gospel That Son that said he would not go into the vinyeard and went was better accepted with the Father than he that said I go Sr. and went not So those that have long stood at a distance from God upon their unfained repentance will be better accepted than such as are forward in profession and shew but have nothing of the power and beauty and reality of Godliness and Christianity in them O what greater incouragement can Rebells have to lay down armes and submitt to mercy than a probability nay a conditionall certainty of their Princes pardon We have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull said the servants of Benhadad and therefore got ropes about their necks in token of submission and humbled themselves and found mercy according to their expectation you have heard againe and againe that the God of Israel the King of Kings is mercifull but how mercifull none can tell you he is able to do more exceeding abundantly than we are able to ask or think let us lie in the dust and shame our selves before him and turne from our evill wayes and turne unto the Lord and as sure as he is a God of truth we shall find him to be a God of mercy but if notwithstanding all these allurements we shall persist in our sin of setting light by the Gospel our blood will be upon our own heads and we shall be left to perish without remedy I shall shut up all with that obtestation of the Apostle to the Romans Chap. 12.1 2. Which is my intreaty to you I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your selves a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service c. THE THIRD DOCTRINE The neglect of Great Salvation brings Great Damnation DAmnation is so dreadfull a doome that the very report of it is like a thunderclap to cause a heart-quake in the hearers and speakers of it If Ministers must preach upon paine of Damnation and people must hear and attend upon pain of Damnation the believing entertainment of this truth one would think should be powerfull to work miracles even to make the dumbe to speake and the deafe to hear it s better to hear the roring of the Lion than to come into his paw and its better to hear of the dreadfullness of Damnation than to come under the sentence It s joyous to hear of Heaven but it s the fullress of joy to be invited to it wath a come ye blâ—ssed children of my Father receive the Kingarâ—â— prepared for you So its dreadfull to hear of Hell but it s the most terrible of terribles to be sentenred to it with go yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels You have heard of the amiableness of Salvation to invite you hearken unto the dreadfullness of Damnation to affright you that either you may be drawn or driven to mind the things that belong unto your peace the rule that we proposed was ingentia beneficia ingentia flagitia great mercies abused do aggravate sin and make it sinfull with a witness And now the remainder of it is ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia those haynous sinns do pull down punishnent with a vengance that sin with a hard heart doth call and cry for judgement with a high hand Now though this be not expressed totidem verbis in express words in the Text