use for salvation A second instance is this that the Gospel holds forth to sinners all the wrong wayes that they goe and all the wrong meanes that they use to save their soules this is by the light of the Gospel Man naturally is either dead in sin or asleep or if he be a little awaked he takes a thousand wayes to goe to heaven and none of them Gods way none of them the right way Every carnall man sometime or other hath some designe in his head to save his soule one man thinks to doe it by his equity and justice in his dealing and trading another by his hospitality and charity to the poore another by hearing of Sermons and performing of duties as in the time of Poperie how many yeares did they spend spent their strength and time and their money and when all came to all all was lost all their ways were the wrong way to Heaven Now the light of the Gospel discovers all these false wayes and shewes that you will come short of the glory of God and the salvation of your soules and will convince you that There is no Name under heaven by which you can be saved but only the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Consider is not this good newes that God should come first by the Ministery of the Gospel and shew thee thy wretched condition and then when thou hast spent thy time and strength in false wayes to be reconciled to God and to save thy soule the Gospel comes and discovers all these that thou maiest go seek the true way 3. It holds forth Gods love to sinners Thridly the Gospel holds forth to poore sinners that there is a love an eternall love an infinite love in Gods breast to poore sinners before ever the world was made You know in reason a man would think that God should hate such a one as I am God foresaw what a creature I would be when I was borne and how I have lived and reason would think that love should proceed from something amiable in the object that should produce love some beautie or bountie as wee say but God sees me to be wicked and sinfull and therefore reason would think God must damne me world without end Now the Gospel comes to such a sinner and tells him the case is otherwise it is not so poore sinfull man or woman and though God hate sin above all things in heaven or hell yet God loved thee knowing what thou wouldest be God knows the reason of it we doe not it is as it is said in Deutrenomie I loved thee because I loved thee God hath an infinite speciall love to thy poore soule yet hates thy fin from before the world was made and the Mountaines were brought forth So God loved the world that he gave his Son c. There was a love in God out of which he gave his Son Jesus Christ to die for us This the Gospel and the Spirit of God in it reveales to the poore soule that when I was an enemie to God hee was my friend when I hated him he loved me nay before I was God had thoughts of an infinite eternall love to me 4. Gods love fruitful Then fourthly the Gospel holds forth to a sinner that as God had an infinite love towards him so it was not a cold love that ended in nothing but out of this love God would send his Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners This is one maine principle of the Gospel that the Father out of his love sent his own Son that was the Image of his person the Son of his love and delight into this world to lay downe his life and to die for sinners Were it not for the Ministery of the Gospel we could never know this how could we know but by the Gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ did come to die to save sinners So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that hee that believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Fiftly 5. Christ came to work redemption breifly for I doe but give you a few touches of instances it holds out to us that as the Father out of his love seat his Son so that Jesus Christ actually and really is come into the world and took our nature upon him soule and body and the infirmities of both and sanctified our nature that he took and in that nature became our Surety a Publick person for us our Advocate a second Adam That he was conceived and born of the Virgen and that he lived here and so did the will of God and fulfilled his Law and conversed many yeares among men and that therein while he did so he gave us many blessed experiments of his love and mercy to poore sinners in healing the sick in giving sight to the blinde in raising the dead And while he conversed among men he taught and discovered in a great measure the mysteryes of his Fathers counsells to us that else we could never have known and gave us a holy patterne and example of life in humility and patience and delligence and prayer and thankfulnesse All these things are good newes and glad tidings to poore sinners every part of them Then the Gospel tells us that this Lord Jesus Christ after he had walked among men for many yeares together that then as a Publicke person 6. Christ died for us and second Adam and our Surety he did lay downe his life and die for our sins But you will say Where is the good newes from that Hence it is that poore sinners are reconciled to God they are made friends with God Hence it is that poore sinners are redeemed from all their enemies sin and death and wrath and curse and hell all these by the death of the Lord Jesus are removed Then the Gospel tells you that Jesus Christ as hee died for our sins so he rose againe for our justification he rose againe from the dead the third day 7. He roase from death whereby poor sinners are assured that they are justified and freed from all their sins and whereby they shall rise to grace here and their soules and bodies shall rise to glory hereafter with Christ and whereby they shall rise out of all afflictions also in due time For the resurrection of Christ is the ground of our resurrection out of afflictions in this world and every tittle of this is glad tidings and good newes to poore sinners Then the Gospel tells you that after his resurrection he conversed with his Disciples 8. Conversed with his discipls and not with the world and that he met with his Disciples from one mountaine to another from one Towne to another for a few dayes after and there he made many precious Prayers to his Father for them and for all that should believe in him and there he gave them instructions and directions how they should order the Churches of God
in the old Testament All things are LAWFULL Lawfull what is that Lawfull what it is A thing is lawfull when in it self it is neither commanded nor forbidden in the word of God when it is not determined by the will of God whether we shall doe it or not doe it that is lawfull so when he saith all things are lawfull he meanes that there are abundance of things left in the new Testament that are neither commanded nor forbidden by the Lord. Misunderstand me not Sin in doing of lawful things you sin when you doe unexpedient things and then you are readie to say is it not lawfull no though the thing in particular be not unlawfull yet you sin in that you cross a generall rule that is those things that are lawfull yet you are not to doe them in extreames As for instāce you may marry yet you may sin in marrying not that you cross a particular cōmand for it is lawfull to marrie but you crosse a generall rule and so you sin BUT all things are not expedient BUT that is when I say all things are lawfull you think you have all libertie by that but hold all things are not expedient Though it be lawfull yet look not only to that but see that it be expedient and so if you look to the rule of expediency you will walke a hundred times stricter than men that only looke what is lawfull and what is not ALL THINGS That is divers things are not expedient ARE NOT That is they are not so altogether alwayes in all places to all persons all things in all places at all times and in all circumstances are not expedient for all persons for there is nothing almost but in some places and at some times Expedient what and for some persons are expedient E XPEDIENT What is that It doth not edifie it doth not beseeme the profession of Jesus Christ it is not lovely it is not venerable it is not true it is not honourable it doth not edifie the brethren it doth not win sinners it doth not adorne the Gospel it doth not become our profession When he saith all things are not expedient it is as if he had said there are abundance of things that are lawfull that doe not honour God that do not win sinners and build up the Saints So now you understand the words All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient There are three Lessons that I meane to observe from these words and which if the Lord will I intend to open to you First you may learne this that The Saints under the new Testament they are not so strictly bound in point of LAWFULNES as the Saints were in the old Testament The Second is this that The Saints under the new Testament are as strictly or rather more strictly bound in point of expediency than they were in the time of the old Testament For you shall seldom read of expediency in the old Testament but if a thing were lawfull for the generallity they might doe it Thirdly you may learne this Lesson that If a Christian will walk honourably and spiritually as becometh the Gospel he must not onely so much eye what is LAWFULL as what is EXPEDIENT These three things are taught here as I apprehend in the words And of these let me this day only open a little of the former for you must take them together you must not without wrong to your owne soules and dishonour to God take one Doctrine and not all but heare all and without prejudice compare all and weigh and try them The first Observation Doct. 1 That S t s in the New-Testament are not so strictly bound in point of lawfulnes as in the Old or Doctrine is that The Saints in the new Testament in point of LAVVFULNES are not so strictly bound as the Saints were in the old Testament That is many things in the new Testament are lawful for the Saints to doe that were not lawfull in the old Testament or there is a greater latitude there is more space for a Christian for a believer in his walking and conversation in the new Testament than there was in the old Beloved There is some truth in this that you may apprehend presently for goe no further than these very questions that were here asked It seemeth that in the old Testament all these things were not lawfull it was not lawfull for them to eat all kind of flesh no flesh that was defiled that was offered to Idols it was not lawfull to eat swines flesh and divers other things Now all things are lawfull every creature of God is good If they had unbelieving wives strange wives Ezra 9. Nehem. 9. It was not lawfull to keep them they must drive them away and their children but now it is lawfull for a man that hath an unbelieving wife to remaine with her I say there is somewhat that you presently see that the Saints in the new Testament in point of lawfulnes are not so strictly and absolutely bound up as they were in the Old I will give you a few Scriptures before I come to open it further Mat. 11. ult Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke on you for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light If you will give me leave to tell you my thoughts upon these words I conceive that the meaning of it is this that Christ Jesus saw poore people trudging in the way to Heaven as they thought and every one thought to be saved in his own way and labour as the Papists that do abundance of good works by their own righteousnesse they will be saved And there the poore Jews were under a yoke that they nor their fathers could beare And by fasting and prayer they did strive and struggle and all in vaine Now saith Christ Come unto me all ye that are weary heavy laden Now I say with submission I think the meaning is not as we usually take it come to me all yee that are laden with sin and receive salvation though that be true but yee that wearie your selves with the yoke and burthen of your own righteousnesse Christs yoke what and labouring to fulfill the law Come unto me yee that are wearie and heavy laden and I will give you rest How is that I will take away the rough yoke and the heavie burthen that is on you and I will give you an easie yoke as I shall shew anon you shal have now saith Christ an easier and more comfortable way to Heaven than ever you thought of Christ doth not onely pittie poore grosse sinners that are not in the way to Heaven but it pitties him to see men goe in odd wayes to Heaven that labour and goe about the bush and tire themselves in their own waies when there is an easie sweet way that Jesus Christ offers Come unto me for my yoke is easie
as hard as to wash a Blackmore white Now this people being a customed foure thousand yeares to serve God with offerings and sacrifice and Temple and Jerusalem it was not easie to breake them of that custome Therefore the Lord Christ comes and when hee would set up his worship he speaks exceeding fairly of that outward worship because they had fed so long upon it that they doted As we at this day as they would make a curious outward worship as of old they wrung and wrested the Scripture to make it faire and delicate and curious as that that God would have of them But Christs designe being to set up a spirituall kingdome he shewes that as in the old Testament unlesse there were something internall the externall did not please God My soule abhorres your sacrifices c. So in the new Testament much more the Lord doth not regard outward worship at all without the inward and the inward is almost all that God looks after Therefore consider a few places of Scripture Gal. 5.6 There was great question about ceremonies and outward things saith the Apostle Neither circumcision availeth any thing or ununcircumcision but faith that worketh by love For in Christ Jesus saith he that is in the dayes of Christ in the new Testament neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails Externals to be looked to as for as God hath let them down but faith that worketh by love Talk not of outward things stand not so much upon them not but that the servants of God must look to externals as farre as God hath set them down but talk not so much of them but faith that worketh by love see there be that So in Gal. 6.15 the same words almost For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing or uncircumcision but a new creature In the time of Christ he lookes not whether men be circumcised or uncircumcised but whether they be new creatures So in 2 Cor. 5.17 there are the same words almost The Apostle poynts out unto us how much God in the time of the new Testament regards inward worship Therefore we see in Rom. 14. where there was great controversie concerning the eating of hearbs and the keeping of dayes Paul answers not directly but saith The kingdome of God is not in these things but in righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost He would not have them strive about these things but goe to the inward worship see that there be righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost so in Heb. 13. when there was clashing about these outward things It is a good thing saith he that the heart be stablished with grace And so in Timothy bodily excercise profitteth little but godlines is profitable for all things Therfore The designe of God being to set up a spirituall kingdome the work of grace in the heart that we might worship him in spirit the lord hath given more libertie and is more sparing in laying downe of externall worship Lastly this is another reason though I could give many more that the Gospell of Iesus Christ was to be preached to all nations they being different in customes in clymates in constitution The Gospel being to bee preached to different nations Christ ties them chiefly to that substance and dispositions Christ tied them in his law for the substance so left the rest to be by the spirit of God in his people to be determined according to the best advantage for the honour of God and the good of his people As for instance it is a hard thing to make a law for all England and for all the Counties and Townes that that should be good for one Countie that is for another and for one Towne that is for another But if a man were to make a law for Spaine and France and Italie and Turkie for all the world that are nations crosse and contrary one to another in their clymate and disposition that law that were good for one Kingdome would destroy another So here when Christ made lawes in the old Testament there was but one nation and a little nation and the Gospel was not to remove from that nation Therefore he comes to particulars but the Gospel now being to be preached to all nations he hath left a latitude for his people that they may apply the Gospel to all countries and nations for the glory of God and the good of his people As for instance Baptisme saith Christ Baptize all nations that is go and use water for their washing for whatever men find in the word I speak not of now go use water for a spirituall end to purge their bodies to signifie the purging of the soule If Christ had tied men to go into Jordan as in that countrie it was so hote they might goe with a great deale of comfort but if Christ had made Baptisme such an Ordinance as that in all Climates and Countries and Regions they must go over head and eares in a River we know in some climates it would have been present death As with us in this climate at some times of the yeare to be put over head and eares in the Thames it would be death at others not Therefore Christ layes down the substance and the end and by the Word of God and sound Preaching he left the rest for the Spirit of God in his people to apply Againe to instance in the Supper of the Lord The Lords Supper The Lord tooke bread and wine and blessed and broke and gave them and the drift of all the busines is to shew the breaking of his body and the shedding of his blood Now he hath bound us that we should break bread and drink wine that may represent the thing but he hath not bound us to bread so properly called or to wine properly so called for there are some countries that have neither bread nor wine but only rootes that they called bread and they have water for their drink Now if Christ had said it must be true bread and true and reall wine that must doe the deed these people could never have the Supper of the Lord Therefore the Gospel being not to be limitted to one countrie but to be spread to many nations Christ hath left a latitude for the conveniency of all nations So you have the Doctrine and the Reasons of it I should come to the Uses but I must leave them for another day ENCOURAGEMENT for sinners to come unto Christ 1 COR. 10.23 ALL things are LAWFULL for me but ALL things are not EXPEDIENT c. HAving opened these words to you the last day I observed these three Doctrines which by the help of God I shall speak of The first was this that There are many things that are lawfull to the Saints now under the new Testament that were not to them under the Old And the second was That of those many things that are lawfull to the Saints now there are but
for ever Here it is not so the curse is taken away In those few things thou art to do for Christ if thou faile there is no damnation the hell and curse is gone Fourthly Compare it with the service of the devill that all men naturall are in 4. With the service of the devill you shall see that in the service of the devill there is abundance of charge and cost and paines As for instance if you look to a drunkard he spends the whole weeke and wastes his estate in the service of the devill The adulterer doth not cease to sin the devill will not give him rest And the worlding drudgeth all his life to serve the devill The service of the devill is a great slavery and drudgery that a Saint often pities a carnall man not only for the danger of his soule but for the drudgery of his life he pities a worldly man to see him rise early and goe to bed late As we say he must needs goe that the devil drives The devil drives the drunkard to the alehouse and the worlding to his mammon and eates out the strength and marrow of his bones It is not so in the service of Christ But you will say Object the service of the devill is sweet wee see men continue to be his servants Men finde sweetnes in the service of the devill and will not be the servants of Christ I could speak many things of that but only a word 1. It will one day be soure It seemeth sweet to men But it will be soure one day And besides though it be sweet to them 2. That sweetnes is from distemper yet it is a sweetnes that ariseth from their sicknes and distemper As a child e that will eate no meat sometimes but coles and ashes it is sweet but it is a distemper he is sicke there is no such sweetness in coales And a man in a feaver he desireth to drink water it is but his sicknesse So if wee be drunk and sweare and be whoremoungers and proud men and women and delight in worldly things in pleasures and the service of the devill it is an evil humour and corruption that makes us finde that sweetness But the maine reason is this 3. It is sweet because you never tasted the sweetns of Christs service you find sweetnes in the service of the devill because you never tasted the goodnes of the service of Christ I dare say if there were no heaven nor hell if thou diddest know the sweetnes and comfort in the service of Christ thou wouldest scorne and disdaine to seeke comfort in a cup of drink or in worldly things but that is the reason thou hast not tasted that the Lord is gracious I remember a godly blessed man that when carnall men made bonefites and the ministers would have reproved them to see what a stir they made on a Candlemas Even let them alone saith he that is all the comfort they have they have noe acquaintance with better comforts if they had they would leave them So he was readie to weepe for their joy So the pleasure and comfort thou hast in the service of the devill the Lord pittie thee it is only because thou art not acquainted with the sweetnes of the wayes of Christ If you object Object I but some of the servants of Christ have turned the servants of the aevill againe Some of Christ servants have gone back to serve the devill I answer they are but few there are more of the devills servants that become the servants of Christ than of the servants of Christ that become the servants of the devill But those people that do so 1. They are but few they are but wooden leggs they never drew sap and sweetnes from Christ they were never truly members of Christ they did but hang on 2. They were not true members of Christ they found some sweetnes in the back of Religion in the circumstances of Religion but if they had tasted of God rightly they would never have gone away from him So I say this should encourage thee to come in First that the maine work is done to thy hand Secondly That that that is left are but a few and easie things in comparison of the service of Satan and of Papists and of the Jews under the Law and of naturall men that serve God for life Thirdly to make it more easie yet 3. Christ will give his Spirit to doe that he requires those few things that are to doe the Lord Jesus will give his Spirit to doe them he will doe all thy works for thee he expects not that thou shouldest doe them in thy owne strength but he hath promised to give his Spirit and that shall pray according to the will of God So here thou shalt have a yoke an easie one and in that yoke thou shalt have Christ himselfe to draw with thee I can doe all through Christ that strengtheneth me saith Paul There are but a few things that wee are bound to doe and those few things Christ will doe for us Fourthly and lastly Consider those few things that thou hast the Spirit of Christ to doe for thee how weake soever thou art in thy performance the Lord Jesus continually accepts of them that is the weakest prayer and the weakest service of a sincere Saint in the new Testament it is a sacrifice well pleasing to God Who would continue in drunkeness and lie in sin refuse to come to Christ when the wayes of Christ are so comfortable You will say What doe you meane by comming to Christ You would have us come to Christ and you say here is a comfortable way and an easie yoke what is it to come to Christ Coming to Christ what I will tell you that least we loose all our labour Joh. 6.35 Iesus said I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst So that comming to Christ is believing in Christ But you will say I am to seek againe I know not what that is to believe in Christ I will not stand upon the definition but a word that thou maiest understand what I meane by believing in Christ There are three things in it Believing in Christ what First it is to give credit to all that Christ tells thee That is one thing Secondly to receive that life and salvation all that Christ Jesus gives thee Thirdly to submit to the lawes that Jesus Christ layes upon thee To give credit to what hee teacheth I say if thou wouldest know what it is to come to Christ or to believe in Christ it is when thou wilt be taught by Jesus Christ when thou wilt give credit to the things that he teacheth As you see Isaiah 2.2 Come say the people let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of God Let us goe up Why so He
will teach us his waies and we will walk in his pathes for out of Sion shall goe the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem This is to come to Christ when our eares are open and our hearts are ready to heare and learne whatsoever Jesus Christ shall teach us Therefore when we say to a drunkard or to a carnall man or woman that are in their sinnes as I was come to Christ what doe we meane by that Be not refractorie be not wise in thine owne eyes any more doe not come and heare the Preacher and yet believe as thou list but lay thy soule at the feet of Christ and be willing to receive the instruction that Christ teacheth thee Doe not as children doe with their bread take it and crumble it on the ground to the dogges and eat one bit themselves and throw away another So doe not crumble the word of God to take one bit and throw another bit to thy neighbour and another at thy heeles when thou goest out of doores no but receive all that Christ teacheth thee though it be contrarie to thy corruption and above thy reason yet indeavour to believe it That is one thing Secondly to believe in Christ or to come to Christ 2. To accept life and salvation from him is when thou art willing to accept of and to receive life salvation that Christ offereth Whereas it may be thou now art a naturall man this is thy condition either thou art a sottish creature and doest not think of life and salvation any where thou carest not for life or death but goest on like a beast or if thou doest thou hast a little devotion of thine owne procuring or thou liest desperately in sin either of these is thy condition Therefore now this is to come to Christ looke not what thou art worthy to have but what God is willing to give God is willing to bestow everlasting life freely therefore looke upon the brazen Serpent that is lift up and indeavour to receive and accept of that salvation that is offered by him Thirdly 3. To submit to Christs lawes be willing to submit to the lawes of Christ for Christ calls to thee as a King Therefore in Mat. 11. I believe that is the meaning of the place though there be more in it Come unto me yee that are wearie and heavie laden and I will give you rest for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light What is it to come to Christ When I am willing to come out of other services and to leave other masters I will serve the devill and my lusts no more but I will come under the Standard of Christ Christ hath lift up a Standard expects that every one should submit to his blessed Law Therefore put these things together labour to understand them and remember them and the Lord blesse them to thee that after this day thou maiest not lie sotting in sin but that every one may come to Christ that he may teach you inrich you with life that hee may rule over you and that you may be his subjects for ever There are other Uses of this point that I must leave till the afternoone 1 CORINTHIANS 10.23 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient c. YOu remember that I proposed to you three Doctrines from these words tending I hope to the healing of the divisions that are among the godly The first was That Saints in the new Testament in point of lawfulnes are not so strictly bound as the Saints were under the old Testament This you had proved and opened to you in some measure the last day In the morning we had occasion from this doctrine by the by to call upon poore sinners to come in to Christ because their is such largenes and liberty and spaciousnes in the wayes of Christ The yoke of Christ is so easie Now I shall goe forward to a Use or two more that remaine of this doctrine that wee may proceed to the next In the next place therefore Use 2 Reproofe of two sorts of people we may hence see the errours or mistakes that are in divers Christians among us that doe cause contention we may justly reprove them from this doctrine we may discover them at least I will not use any nick-names it may be you would understand more clearely what I mean if I should But I see the devill gets much advantage by nick-names by calling men Prebyterians and Antinomians and Anabaptists and I know not what therefore I beseech you beware how you use those names though I say not it is unlawfull yet there be mistakes let us call them as gently as we can that are generally among us either On the left hand or On the right Those that erre on the left hand And both are to be reproved from this doctrine On the left hand I mean those that make every thing lawfull and would have no band 1 Those that would make the way wider than Christ hath nor tie as it were they would make the way wider than Christ hath made it they would makea greater latitude than God hath made Now I say these all come to be reproved from this word ALL in the text for I shewed that by the word all is not meant all things in a universallity that I may be any thing I may be a drunkard and be a Christian I may be a swearer and be a Christian I may doe what I list and yet be a Christian but as I said by all things is meant many things those that take it universally will doe nothing Therefore on the left hand I say these doe mistake and of these there be three sorts all godly Christians I hope they are I wish every one to own his share and my selfe where I am guilty There are one sort of people among us you have a name for them but I will not use it that doe apprehend so much beautie and lovelines in spirituall things in grace and the worke of the Spirit in the person and excellencies of Christ and the like that they looke upon the externall manner of Gods worship or government as a smal contemptible thing with a disdainfull eye Beloved I make not men of straw to speak to but I know many godly people that hold so that say it is ridiculous and they care not which way the Church of God be ordered or governed because the Kingdome of God consists in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And they smile to see contentions between Presbyterians and others and think that these are too mean and too low things for Saints to looke after Give me leave to tell you my thoughts I confesse as I conceive that of all others this is the least error yet it is an error and mistake for though it be true that spirituall things are the maine and other things are but little to be regarded in
be warie of making lawes for hereafter for there are few things that are expedient but may sometime or other be lawfull therefore what is expedient now to doe beware how you make it a standing law to binde men to it Nay in Civill things there is no law of the Land in an extraordinary case but if they make it an ordinarie rule a standing law it will be inconvenient So in spirituall things about six score yeares agoe in the reformation it was a great thing to come out so far as they did but the Surplice and the Crosse and kneeling at the Sacrament stayed still and the States men did well it was good that they did so much because they then could not have them all off meaning in the next age when things were setled to remoove them but they made a law and it was a point of good policie yet when that law was made there arose another King that knew not Joseph another Generation came and made the Surplice and the Crosse the ruine of good people to drive them to New-England and to imprison them Therefore it is good to be wary in making of standing lawes 5. To beware how they impose things on the consciences of the Saints Fiftly Magistrates Churches must be warie how they impose these things upon the consciences of men as necessarie things they may decide them to be expedient and so perswade them to obey but if they come to impose them as necessary as that the Surplice signifies innocency and the Crosse mortification when they impose them Jure Divino it is not right 6. Not to use rigour in determining Lastly beware of severity and rigour in determining those things that God hath not determined for in those things a poore Saint though they determine them yet if he have no measure of light he cannot in conscience do it but he is condemned by his conscience And if he use all his light and reverence the Magistrate and use all the Ordinances of God yet in some cases God gives him not light to doe it Now to goe with fire and fagot with banishment and imprisonment as they did under Episcopacie there was more rigour used for not wearing the Surplice than if a Minister had been drunk twenty times in a yeare they imposed these things with severity yet come to them and ask what good was in them the Bishops would say they were but indifferent things and yet they would punish the want of them more than the breach of the Commandments of God therefore beware of that So to that objection that this would breed confusion if every man should determine them you have foure answers I wil add one more and I shall go no farther at this time and that is if you will avoid confusion herein and follow this truth You know I have shewed you certaine rules by which you should goe to avoide confusion and they are as Land marks or as booyes in the water to guide you As for instance here is a thing that God hath not determined then cast about Is it decent is it convenient is it expedient doth it doe others or my self good Or will it trouble my conscience and make Religion evill spoken of Cast about by these rules and every one that hath tryed them shall walk safely without danger Therefore make use of those rules But it may be you will say those rules will not reach every case therefore I shall be at a stand Therefore to them I will add three or foure more and so conclude at this time You have had foure already Expediency that is one measure then decency and conveniency then commendableness or laudableness lastly Orderlinesse 5. Rule Examples of the old Saints And if those rules will not fit look on the examples of the old Saints in the book of God and putting the case alike or else it is a dangerous rule you are not in all things to follow the example of Christ himself hee did many things that are not for your example though wee may not make an absolute rule of every example yet they may be good patterns when the case is alike if we cannot judge whether this be expedient doe as the Saints of old did As for instance Paul in Act. 20. when he was taking his leave of his friends he bowed his knees and prayed on the place and called on the Lord as they parted I think not that this is an absolute rule that the Saints in all places are tyed to that they sin without they pray when they part but if you have time and other circumstances then it is commendable and safe to follow his example So to gather money for the maintenance of the poore of the Church it is a necessary dutie that God requires but when to doe it or how put the case the same according as you have opportunitie you should do well to doe it on the First-day of the week but it is not an absolute rule So if a stranger that is a Christian come to travell through the country Paul bids bring them on their way I think not that a man absolutely sins if he doe not bring a stranger on his way but put the case alike and it is safe and commendable to follow the Saints and so in a hundred things And this will help you out when you have no other light 6. To look to the custome of the Saints and Churches Secondly let me add to this a strange rule you will think it so if I cannot make it out that is this you must take notice of the customes of the Saints and of the Churches of God If you cannot finde by example and judge what is convenient and expedient and honourable in the old Saints goe to the custome of the Churches and the Saints that now are look what is the practise of the generation of the Saints and when there is no other light that will help you Custome in civill things it is the strongest law of England and in morrall things it is strong God saith a blackmore may be washed white sooner than they that are accustomed to doe evill will leave it But in this in spirituall things Custome the weakest rule in spirituall things custome is the weakest rule the customes of the Churches and of the Saints is the dimmest light yet in many cases we leave you to the customes of the Churches when there is no other light to go forward with and a Saint he may guide and steere his course well by it Therefore you shall see in Psal 73. David reasons the case why am I whipped every morning I have washed my hands in vaine and it is in vaine to be a Saint He corrects himself if I should say so besides my own foolishnesse I should condemne the Generation of the Saints God deales so with them So I remember a word between a Minister and a Gentleman the Minister disputing with the Gentleman Of
charity in spirit in faith in purity That is in these spirituall things So in chap. 6. 11. there was a great deale of stir about outward things what must Timothy doe O man of God flie these things and follow after righteousness godlinesse faith love patience meeknesse That is take up thy soult impoly it in spirituall things and I warrant thee thou shalt not be so studious in making little knots and knicks and lawes 3. Hee relisheth spirituall things Another thing why an excellent Christian cannot be so is because the excellent Christian findes such sweetnes having tasted how good God is in his love in his Sonne there is such sweetnesse in spirituall things that you cannot feed them with such husks Bring a spirituall Saint and tell him here is a Church and Congregation there is none like it in the world they are all Antichristian but this bring him there and there all their prayers and their discourses and sermons it is onely of Churches and Officers and I know not what and they are endlesse upon that and Anti-Christ is Babylon and this is Jerusalem and Sion a spirituall soule cannot feed on this he cannot live there no more than a fish on the shore As Job saith as the mouth judges of tastes so doth the eare of words Wee can give no reason of our tasting why a thing is sweet or soure and so of hearing but there is a secret thing within that cannot savour those external things and husks that feed not the soul and a Saint being a sheep of Christ he knowes his voyce Another reason is this that an excellent Saint hee hath such a good stock or estate within that he cannot but contemplate his enjoying of God He hath stock enough within as much as may be he needs not go abroad so far to those things Whereas on the other side generally those people that take up all their time discourse in those wayes you shall find usually that they are banckrupts The course of backsliders or backsliders they have crakt estates for when men backslid from God and have lost their communion with Christ what then they will make it up in outward things to the utmost even to superarogation As in Isaiah when the people had backslided and revolted they brought abundance of sacrifices God was weary of them he complaines not of the want of them but he saith I will have none of them away with them the kernell of the soule is gone So in Micah 6. those wicked people that did enjoy nothing of God in their soules say they How shall I come before the Lord shall I bring a thousand rams or ten thousand rivers of oyle shal I give the fruit of my body for the sin of my soule O no the Lord will none of them So when soules are broken and banckrupt generally those people for a while keep up a profession in externall knacks Therefore backsliders that run from God and are ashamed to be prophane for a yeare or two they take up an external Religion and make endlesse knacks and will be brave people and by and by down goes that too Usually when the devill drawes people from God hee eates the kernell a yeare or two before and then he knows they will throw away the shell Mot. 5. To look to our principles against suffering times Only one thing more to move you to consider this truth and to endeavour to set your selves this way is this that all of you or most of you I think look on these times especially that are coming as suffering times and you doe well so to doe and it may be there is more reason to looke for it than before it is fafe to make that account and if it prove otherwise it will be the sweeter you make account to suffer many of you it may be on right grounds feare sorer sufferings than foremrly If you mean to suffer consider before hand look to your principles take heed that you suffer not as evil doers that is take heed that you be not brought to the stake to suffer for nicks or conceits or things of your own making for however many of Gods own people have often suffered for such nicks and with comfort it was the mercie of God because they had honest hearts and many times carnall men Scipio and Cato and those suffered valliantly out of a naturall resolution yet you cannot be sure that you shall have comfort in your suffering without it be for the truth of God that God hath laid down Therefore as Jeremy saith in the Lamentations so I say to you Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull man suffers for his sins And what followes let us search and trie our wayes Beloved this is the benefit of affliction nor only to make us search our wayes and to reforme what is amisse in that But to make the wise to search their principles their beliefe and their liberty and their tenets and to hold only that that they are with joy able to lay down their lives for As in a storme when the Sea-men see it comming they search the Ship and see if there be any superfluous goods and they cast it over-board VVhen the Constable comes if there be any stollen goods in the house our with that so if a storme be coming consider here is a nick that I have made will it hold shall I burne for it It will be fearfull when you shall suffer either to relinquish so shame religion or else to suffer for that that you know not whether it is right or wrong therefore search your wayes and your tenets against sufferings come that you make no more lawes than you may be able to die for Lastly to conclude at this time this should move you to consider Mot. 6. It will offend God to make laws where hee hath not or abused liberty how much the Lord will be offended with you and that justly in case when you come to judgment you be found to have either bound your selves where God hath made you free or have used your liberty to his dishonour for both these I drive at God hath given us liberty in the New-Testament a great deale of liberty he hath given us that honour as sonnes hee hath not bound us with little lawes as in the Old Testament he did them as little children Now if we use this liberty to his dishonour and not seek in every thing to advantage our own soules and to further his glory there will be a fearfull reckoning Let mee tell you a word that may seeme strange to some of you That the Lord may be more offended with a Christian for doing an inexpedient thing or for not doing an expedient thing than for forgoing a thing absolutely commanded As thus God oft gives us an absolute command and he sends another dutie in that makes him suspend with the former as I have shewed as a lesse duty is no duty when a greater
Christ and the holy Spirit and to imbrace the Messengers that bring those glad tidings to account their very feet beautifull the meanest part of the body and upon the moutaines Isa 52.7 the barren places of the earth And I doubt not but many poore soules can from experience blesse God for the worthy Authour in those barren mountaines where he converseth and else where and say of him as David of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings 2 Sam 18.27 Though others being hardened spit at such lights and labour to extinguish who God in just judgment will cause to stumble and fall and lie downe in eternall darknesse But I shall detaine thee no longer from the the work but commend it and thee in Gods blessing and rest Thine in the Gospel of Christ GOOD NEWES To the Worst of SINNERS MARKE 16.15 And hee said unto them goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature YOu may easily understand who spake these words and to whom they were spoken In these words our Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection when he had all power in Heaven and Earth given to him he sends forth his Apostles to Preach and he bids them Goe into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature This was their Commission they were to have now to go preach the Gospel Indeed they had a Commission before but it was only to the Jewes and it was a little but by spirts but now Christ was risen from the dead and had received all power in Heaven and Earth he sends them for good and all as it were he gives them a full and compleate Commission Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature The words opened Before I come to the Lesson that I mean to insist upon there are two things here in the words that must be opened that you may see the foundation or ground of this Lesson And that is Gospel what meant by it First what is meant by Gospel Goe and preach the Gospel Then what is meant by creature Goe preach the Gospel to every creature For the first what is meant by Gospel I will not stand upon the severall acceptations of it onely you may understand that both in the Scripture language and also among the Heathen Gospel hath been taken for Glad tidings good newes in generall any Good newes or Glad tidings have been called Gospel So the Greek word signifies so some conceive the English word Godspel being old English signifies Gospel that is good speech good newes good hearing good tidings but in a peculiar sense in Scripture it is taken for that Good tidings of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ And so in this sense we read of it in the old Testament and in the new In the old Testament you shall read in Heb. 4.3 that our Fathers they had the Gospel as well as we but Beloved you are to take notice that though our Fathers had the Gospel that is the glad tidings of life and salvation by Jesus Christ from Adam from the beginning of the world yet they had it but dimly and darkly and they had it mixed with a great deale of Law a great deale of bad tidings as I may speak they had a little good newes with a great deale of bad So Adam had a little good tidings The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and there was bad tidings also there was the curse upon the Serpent and upon the woman the man the woman should bring forth in paine the man must eat his bread in the sweat of his browes And so in all the old Testament there was a little Gospel in the Prophecies and Gospel in the sacrifices and Gospel in the visions but abundance of law mingled with this Gospel the one spake sad tidings as well as the other did good for you know the Law spake curses and damnation to those that in every point did not observe it But in the new Testament especially after the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he went up to Heaven we read that there was perfect Gospel or only good newes and glad tidings for the bad newes was now all gone And so it is to be understood here Goe preach the Gospel As if he should say I doe not my disciples bid you goe and give them now good newes and then bad to give them a little of the Law and a line of Gospel but goe preach the Gospel emphatically that is meerly purely Gospel for now Christ is risen from the dead and now the Gospel in the purity and simplicity is erected Goe preach the Gospel Creature what meant by it To every creature What should be the meaning of that We know that in the Scripture language creature most usually signifies not men but beasts things without life as in Rom. 8. you have it twice or thrice The creature groaneth the beasts and the woods and every thing that God hath made as being a name somewhat too low for men in the ordinary Scripture expression Yet so as it comprehends men for men also are sometimes called creatures Now what should the meaning of this be that now the Gospel being to be purely and fully and compleatly set up whether the Lord Jesus would have them preach and make known glad tidings to all creatures that is that even the bruit beasts and these creatures without life that they should have glad tidings and good newes from the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ I will not averr that it is so that that is the meaning of it but surely beloved there is no creature under heaven but hath a great deale of glad tidings and good newes from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for we read Rom. 8. that the creature groanes and the creature exspects deliverance and redemption All these creatures by sinne are brought into slavery and certainly they shall partake of the libertie of the Sonnes of God there is a redemption for them out of slavery as well as for men by the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ But what that shall be or in what sort I cannot determine Now whether you will understand it so that our Lord Christ meant not men and women only but that by creature the poore creatures that are without life and bruit beasts and all might understand the precious worth of this Gospel Gentiles called creatures Or take it more restrained as generally the godly doe that by creature here is meant the Gentiles in opposition to the Jewes for they knew that they were to preach the Gospel to the Jewes which they also did before the resurrection but now saith Christ Goe preach the Gospel to every creature That is now I will have no distinction of persons I doe not now say take heed of the way of the Samaritans but goe which way you will goe to the Gentiles to Sinners to
Whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or life or death Death what is death Afflictions are called death In death oft that is afflictions they are but little deathes and one great death ends all the greatest death is a priviledge your afflictions and povertie and reproaches will be a priviledge How is that You have it in Ro. 8. They all work for good to them that love God For your good here and your glory hereafter for faith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. These light afflictions that are but for a moment they work for us an exceeding exceeding weight of glory The English word cannot expresse it compare it with Rom. 8. The afflictions that wee suffer are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed The Spirit of glory riseth on you The Lord doth you good by it for the present and it works for a Crowne of glory hereafter For this is a true saying if we suffer with Christ we shall reigne with him Therefore though the Gospel bring sufferings with it yet take them as the Gospel expresseth them they are sweet and good tidings they are priviledges to you and will turne for your good here and your glory hereafter 2. They are moderated The Gospel moreover tells you for your fuller satisfaction that the Lord will lay no more upon you than you are able to beare And he will be in the affliction with you in the fire and in the water the Lord Jesus will be with you there and in due time he will make you a way to get out Beloved put all together that the Gospel speakes of afflictions and sufferings construe them together you shall see that there is nothing in all that but glad tidings and good newes I but saith another the Gospel if it be Gospel that we use to heare from our Ministers it is not good newes Object for our Ministers preach against Drunkards The Gospel requires men to forsake sin and Swearers and Whoremongers and when I sweare the Minister saith I shall never goe to Heaven And he saith the Gospel will have a man forsake his sins and repent and the like this is not good newes it is good newes that God will save me but it is not good newes that I must leave my sins and all my wayes of pleasure that I am in It is good newes that the Gospel will have me saved but it is not good newes that the Gospel will have me a Puritan and be purified and purged from my sins Concerning that it is very true that though the Gospel speak not properly against drunkards Answ and whoremongers and Swearers yet the Gospel saith that drunkards must leave their drunkennesse and Swearers must leave their swearing and the Gospel calls every man to repentance from every sin yet notwithstanding that it is no bad newes First take Christs Argument Mat. 5. Doth thy right eye offend thee pul it out and cast it from thee 1. Leaving of sin profitable doth thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee That is as some interpret it there are some sins that are as pleasant as the right eye as profitable as the right hand and thou wer 't better to cut them off why so It is better to goe to heaven with one eye than with two eyes to go to hell and it is better to goe to heaven with one hand than with two to goe to hell Is it not good tidings when a man is taught to make a good bargaine is' t not good tidings when the Gospel tells a man he must throw away his sinnes and it is better to crosse himself a little in his lusts and goe to heaven than to goe lusts and soul and body and all to hell Is it not good newes when a mans house is on fire if one come and shew him how to save a peice It is better than to have all burned Now the Gospel teacheth you to leave sin and it is good newes Why I will tel you because when the Gospel bids thee leave sin it puts in thee a new nature that is contrarie to sin to hate it more than hell and the Devill himself and then if God bid thee leave thy sins The Gospel teacheth to hate sinne it is the best newes in the world as for instance there are many men and weomen I believe here that if the Lord should say to them as he did to Solomon I will give thee whatsoever thou wouldest have in heaven or earth there are some in this place that would say O Lord I would leave my pride I would have a humble heart and a heart that should not love worldly things and a heart that should not be froward and waspish If the Gospel should leave the heart as the Law did and bid you throw away your sinnes and give no strength to doe it it were bad newes but if the Gospel give you a new nature to hate sin and when it bids you leave it gives you power to take it away it is sweet and pleasant newes Another objection that others may make is Object The Gospel requireth dutie that the Gospel brings tidings that when we receive Christ as wee must leave sin so we must set on the doing of good I must not be my owne Master as the Minister saith one while I must fast and another while I must pray and teach my Children and my Familie and this is a hard task an endlesse work I cannot beare it to pray every morning and evening c. I answer Answ 1 Not on paine of damnation this is good newes Why because in the first place when the Gospel tells you any such thing the Gospel doth not bid you doe them or else you shall be damned as the Law did but the Gospel saith thus thou poore drunkard or thou proud woman here is a gracious God that hath loved thee and out of love hath sent Jesus Christ to die for thee and hath appointed his Ministers to make it known to thee and here is everlasting redemption and salvation by him only because thou art a sinner there is no other reason in the world now thou art safe free from damnation and hell feare not that that is gone Christ hath died to reconcile thee to God and Christ hath loved thee therefore obey him if not thou shalt not be damned that is done away alreadie Indeed the Law saith thou shalt be damned for not doing it but saith Christ in the Gospel I have died and have forgiven thee thy sins and if thou wilt be a Villane not respect my Father that hath loved thee and I that have died for thee so it is but if thou wilt obey me thou shalt be a good childe Thus the Gospel speaks now there is no bad newes for me to heare of my dutie to heare that the Lord Jesus Christ commands me when I see my salvation sure I worke not for
and that must be upon extraordinary occasion yet both are sweet and profitable and precious for the good of the soule Therefore the truth of the Doctrine holds cleare to you that there is nothing in the Gospel look which way you will but good newes and glad tidings to the worst of sinners Object No peace to the wicked There is one objection more and so I proceeed to the Uses Some body may say out of the Prophet Isaiah There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isa 57. ult And Isa 48.12 The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose watters cast out mire and dirt The Prophet seemes to comfort the godly but wicked men have no peace then a man may say how doth this stand with your Doctrine you say that the Gospel holds forth peace and glad tidings and good newes to wicked men even to the worst of sinners Ans three Wayes 1. It is rather Law than Gospel The are three wayes to answer it in few words The first is that however Isaiah was in a sort an Evangelicall Prophet and spake many things of Gospel by way of Prophesie he saw things for us and not for himselfe as Peter saith yet these kinde of expressions are more properly Law than Gospel for it is certaine there is no other language in the Law but that there is no peace to the wicked Transgresse once and be damned for ever but the language of the Gospel is contrary it comes and gives peace to the wicked and justifieth the ungodly he preacheth peace to them that are neere and to them that are affar off And who were they The Gentiles that were emphatically sinners are we not Jewes saith the Apostle and not sinners of the Gentiles Therefore this was rather Law than Gospel 2. God will not make peace with sin though hee doth with sinners Secondly there is no peace to the wicked or to sinners saith my God You may understand it also in this sense that the Lord will not make any peace with sin though he send messages of peace and reconciliation to sinners though God be reconciled to a sinner hee will never be reconciled to sin 3. No peace to men that continue in sin under the Gospel But the third and last and most proper as I take it is this There is no peace to the wicked saith my God that is there is no peace to men that continue in sin after Jesus Christ hath been offered them and they have refused him then there is no peace to them Observe for it is a thing of great concernment it becomes not a Minister of the Gospel by any meanes to pronounce wrath and curse or damnation to a sinner qua a sinner as a sinner he is not a Minister of the Gospel if he doe he is a Minister of the old Testament that saith here comes a drunkard eo nomnie because he is a drunkard God will plague him and damne him this is the language of the old Testament But you will say will you speak peace to drunkards Object and sinners Answer How judgments are pronounced against sinners Wee speak judgment and curses and damnation to them when once wee have first offered Christ and they refuse him And for this reason and no other according to the Ministery of the Gospel I am to pronounce damnation and curse to wicked men because they refuse Jesus Christ because they doe not believe in Jesus Christ You will say Quest is it absolutely evil for a Minister to speak against drunkards and Swearers and whoremongers and to say the curse of God will fall on them c. Ans Continuance in sin a signe of unbeliefe No Why because I speak against a drunkard not properly because he is a drunkard but his drunkeness is a signe that he continues in unbeliefe and so hath not received Jesus Christ So we are to understand the Scriptures There is a drunkard a Sot a jearer of godliness I say the curse of God will come upon him and the damnation of hell is ready to overtake him why not because he is properly such a one but because those are signes that he is an unbeliever When God shall come to judge the world There are people that he will judge eo nomine because they are drunkards he will throw them to hel as those in the Mountaines of Wales c. Because they have but a little light and they did not follow that they shall be condemned and the heathens shall be condemned for their ignorance c. But under the Gospel all are wrapped up in unbeliefe So that this is the pin of Heaven or Hell the very wards that opens or shuts that you be believers or unbelievers But I will not stand longer on that Now I proceed to shew what profit we may have by this Doctrine by way of Application Use 1 To learne that in the Gospel salvation 〈◊〉 offered 〈◊〉 sinner 〈◊〉 sinners There be divers speciall Lessons that I would have you learne hence The first is this that this truth that I have now taught you it is the doore of the Gospel the very entrance into Christian Religion the first stone as it were in the Christian building in the Profession of Religion in Gospel Profession There is a kinde of devotion and Profession but it is not built according to the Gospel but if you would walk according to the Gospel learne this lesson first that is that God gives life and salvation through Christ to sinners as sinners though they be hard hearted backsliding and the cheife of sinners yet as long as they be sinners and but sinners they may alway looke upon Jesus Christ and salvation in his hand to bestowed on them This is a truth that thou must learne and be taught it of God or else thou canst not goe one step into the Profession of the Gospel for beloved till you know and learne this you will be like men in the dark you will be groping for Christ Jesus but you will never be graffed into him you will never be knit to Christ I say this is the first step to Religion to understand this truth aright that the Gospel brings glad tidings of salvation to be given to the worst of sinners therefor though I see no good in me at all whereby I might receive good newes from the Law and though I doe not see that I am a humbled sinner as such a Preacher teacheth or a believing sinner or a broken hearted sinner as another Preacher saith yet I say I am a sinner and a sinner quasi Unsetlednesse in religion whence a sinner is the proper object of the Gospel You will be off and on and never be knit to Christ but will be as a bone in and out till you come to that for if you goe and lay hold on Christ any other way in any other consideration that you are humbled sinners or broken
not quite rooted out that there is in the Gospel administration some ill and bad tidings there is some love and some hatred some mercy and some wrath you think that it may be God is your father and it may be he is your enemie and that because you have sinned he will damne you to hell This is naturall and ordinary Now if you were convinced that there were nothing in the Gospel since our Lord Jesus is gone to heaven and is at the right hand of his Father there is nothing in his dispensation but love and mercy and no wrath hell and damnation and sin c. are all thrown away and if I be perfectly righteous and perfectly justified from all my sins if I have the spirit of Christ given me and am one with God for ever by an everlasting Covenant and shall have life and a Crowne of glory for ever and my sins shall not be laid to my charge O what a cleare and sweet spirit should I have in Gods service and not a muddie and dogged and froward spirit that ariseth from guilt soaking into the soule When I view this truth over and pull it by peice-meale and see that there is no gall nothing in the Gospel first or last but what is amiable and beautifull and blessed newes to sinners then there should follow this consideration why should there be any thing in my heart and spirit towards God but amiable thoughts and love c why should there be any of those coares of unbeliefe and distruct and feare and horrour Those mixtures of adoption and bondage Why should there be hellish feares or guilt in me since there is no wrath not anger at all in God Why should not the carriage of my heart be clear towards him as his is in his Sonne by the administration of the Gospel towards me Labour for a perfect spirit of adoption that you may not have any of those bublings of bondage in your spirits that now over take you and are twisted and woven with that little adoption that you have For who is there among us to this houre but when he comes before the Lord and hath a little smiling in his soule to see his favour and a little joy and delight to come at him and yet there is some feare and trembling as Peter when he was on the waves and what if God will not receive me c. Therefore studie to keep up the spirit of adoption It is a hard thing to keep up the temper of a childe in the soule especially when God lets a man fall into temptations and folly and weaknesse c. But though it be hard labour to keep up that temper at least thus much that thou never come to so low a condition which was the prayer of one that was a good man wherein thou canst not with a full mouth and with a cleare heart call God father and thee his childe though the unhappiest and unworthiest childe If thou come below this if thou call on God with feare and canst not cry abba abba that is as much as daddie daddie as our babes use to say if thou doe not come so high thou art spoiled and undone desire God to teach you this Lesson also The damnation of them that refuse the Gospel just Thirdly if this be so that the Ministery of the Gospel is all glad tidings to the worst of sinners then I appeale to you all and let every man put his hand upon his owne breast and if this be a truth as I hope it hath been cleared you shall all be your own judges how just will the damnation of that sinner be that will not receive the Gospel If there were in the Gospel ridged tidings sad newes as people are apt to fancie to themselves then it were no wonder if one persecuted it and another despised it and another neglected it and another turned it into wantoness But when it comes in such a â—reame that there is nothing but love and light and salvation and grace and all freely laid down at the feet of a sinner for his receiving nay he shall have power and grace to receive it he shall have salvation and a vessell to carry it in judge how justly thy damnation will be in the last day man or woman whosoever thou art that settest thy selfe against the Gospel and wilt not receive salvation Damnation mentioned frequently in the new-Testament why This is the reason why damnation comes out so rife in the new Testament it is scars ever mentioned in the old Testament that I know of damnation is not mentioned in the old Testament nor hell but as it is taken for the grave c. But when grace and the Gospel and life comes damnation comes at the heeles of it How can yee escape the damnation of hell Then comes the worme that never dieth and the fire that never goeth out The reason is because then damnation is proper Then when a man will not receive salvation not because he cannot no man is damned because he cannot receive Christ but because he will not receive this salvation and grace Therefore saith Christ Mat. 28. Goe preach the Gospel he that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned That is saith that godly Dr Preston go tell every wicked man this good newes that Christ hath brought salvation But it may be they will not believe what we say to them there is no more in the long and short but in a word tell them they shall be damned That is the reason in Mat. 22. where the Ministery of the Gospel is compared to a feast of dainties and one slights it and another despiseth it and another rejecteth it and when the Master of the feast came it is said he found one without a wedding garment and that the man was speechlesse he was as a man saith Beza with a halter about his neck saith hee goe Binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth He was speechlesse he had nothing to say and truly I have had more experience lately than ever I had in my life I saw a man that was accounted all his life a professed Athiest and I was with him in the roome when one in the company opened the Gospel from one end to the other as I have endeavoured in my poore abilitie to doe now and all the riches and the salvation of it how free it is how there is no core nor nothing but what is amiable Saith the man when he had done judge yee will yee not think it just if yee be damned if ye will not receive and obey this Saith he it is so I deserve to be damned without mercy Consider this you will say so too you will be made to confesse how just your damnation will be for refusing it If there were any thing in all this that were harsh and cruell and rough