law and have all offended the same justice and must for certain if they die in that condition drink as deep if not deeper of the same destruction Mark I pray you what the Scriptures say He that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 He is condemned as well as they having broken the same law with them if so then what hinders but they will partake of the same destruction with them onely the one hath not the law yet so executed upon them because they are here the other have had the law executed upon them they are gone to drink that which they have been brewing and thou art brewing that in this life which thou must certainly drink if thou be not found in Jesus Christ Mark the same law I say is in force against you both onely he is executed and thou art not Just as if there were a company of prisoners at the bar and all condemned to die what because they are not all executed in one day therefore shall they not be executed at all Yes the same law that executed its severity upon the parties now deceased will for certain be executed on them that are alive in its appointed time Even so it is here we are all condemned by nature if we close not in with the grace of God by Jesus Christ we must and shall be destroyed with the same destruction and therefore send him saith he lest Mark lest they come into this place of torment Again Send him to my fathers house let him testifie to them lest they come into this place of torment As if he had said It may be he may prevail with them It may be he may win upon them and so they may be kept from hence from coming into this grievous place of torment From whence observe again That there is a possibility of obtaining mercy if now I say now in this day of grace we turn from our sins to Jesus Christ yea it is more then possible And therefore for thy incouragement do thou know for certain that if thou shalt in this thy day accept of mercy upon Gods own terms and close with him effectually God hath promised yea made many promises that thy soul shall be conducted safe to glory and shall for certain escape all the evils that I have told thee of I and many more then I can imagine Do but search the Scriptures and see how full of consolation they are to a poor soul that is minded to close in with Jesus Christ He that commeth to me saith Christ I will in no wise cast out Though he be an old sinner I will in no wise cast him out Mark in no wise though he be a great sinner I will in no wise cast him out if he come to me Though he have slighted me never so many times and not regarded the welfare of his own soul yet let him now come to me and notwithstanding this I will in no wise cast him out nor throw away his soul Joh. 6.37 Again saith the Apostle Now Mark now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Now here is mercy good store now Gods heart is open to sinners now he will make you welcome now he will receive any body if they do but come to Christ He that comes to me saith Christ I will in no wise cast out And why Because now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 3. As if the Apostle had said If you will have mercy have it now receive it now close in with it now God hath a certain day to hold out his grace to sinners Now is the time now is the day 'T is true there is a day of damnation but this is a day of salvation 'T is true there is a day coming wherein sinners must cry to the mountains to fall on them to the hills to cover them from the wrath of God but now now is the day in which he doth hold out his grace There is a day a coming in which you will not be admitted to have the priviledge of one drop of water to cool your tongue if now I say if now you slight his grace and goodness which he holds out to you Ah friends consider there is now hopes of mercy but then there will not now Christ holds forth mercy unto you but then he will not Mat. 7.23 Now there are his Servants that do beseech you to accept of his grace but if thou lose the opportunity that is put into thine hand thou thy self mayest beseech hereafter and no mercy be given thee And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue And there was none given Therefore let it never be said of thee as it will be said of some Why is there a price put into the hand of a fool seeing he hath no heart to it Seeing he hath no heart to make a good use of it Prov. 17.16 consider therefore with thy self and say It is better going to heaven then hell it is better to be saved then damned it is better to be with Saints then with damned souls and to go to God is better then to go to the devil Therefore seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Isa 55.6 Lest in thy trouble he leave thee to thy self and say unto thee plainly Where I am thither ye cannot come Joh. 8.21 O if they that are in hell might but now again have one such invitation as this how would they leap for joy I have thought sometimes should God send but one of his ministers to the damned in hell and give him commission to preach the free love of God in Christ extended to them and held out to them if now while it is profered to them they will accept of his kindness O how welcome would they make this news and close in with it on any termes Certainly they would say we will accept of grace on any termes in the world and thank you too though it cost life and limbs to boot we will spare no cost nor charge if mercy may be had But poor souls while they live here they will not part from sin with hell-bred devilish sin No they will rather lose their souls then lose their filthy sins But friend thou wilt change thy note ere it be long and cry O simple wretch that I am that I should damne my soul by sin 'T is true I have had the Gospel preached to me and have been invited in I have been preached to and have been warned of this but how have I hated instruction and mine heart despised reproof I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine eare to them that instructed me Prov. 5.10 11. O therefore I say poor soul is there hope then lay thine hand upon thy mouth and kiss the dust and close in with
Siloe fell were sinners above others I tell you nay for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish So here Nay Father Abraham c. By this vvord nay therefore is signified a rejecting the first ansvver Novv observe I pray you the reason vvhy he sayes nay is because God doth put over all those that vvill be saved to observe and receive the truth contained in Scripture and believe that To have high esteem of them and to love and search them as Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me Joh. 5.39 But the damned say Nay as if he had said It is true the Scriptures are truth and every curse contained in and held forth by them shall be fulfilled and have its time to be executed on them vvho live and die in unbelief as novv I feel by vvoful experience for I svvim novv in the curses and vvrath vvhich once they told me I should partake of But this is the thing to be short my brethren are unbelievers and do not regard the word of God I know it by my self for when I was in the world it was so with me 'T is true many a good Sermon did I hear many a time was I admonished desired intreated beseeched threatned forewarned of what I now suffer But alas I was ignorant self-conceited surly obstinate and rebellious 'T is true many a time the preacher told me hell would be my portion the devill would wreck his malice on me God would pour on me his sore displeasure but he had as good have preached to the stock to the post to the stones I trod on 'T is true his words rang in mine ears but I kept them from my heart I remember he alledged many a Scripture but those I valued not the Scriptures thought I what are they a dead letter a little ink and paper of three or four shillings price Alas what is the Scripture give me a Ballad a News-book George on horseback or Bevis of Southhampton give me some book that teaches curious arts that tells of old fables but for the holy Scriptures I cared not And as it was with me then so it is with my brethren now we were all of one spirit loved all the same sins slighted all the same counsels promises incouragements and threatnings of the Scriptures and they are still as I left them still in unbelief still provoking God and rejecting good counsel so hardned in their wayes so bent to follow sin that let the Scriptures be shewed to them daily let the messengers of Christ preach till their hearts ake till they fall down dead with preaching they will rather trampleit under foot and swine like rent them than close in with those gentle and blessed profers of the Gospel Thus therefore these words Nay Father Abraham but if one should rise from the dead they would repent are to be understood That the world of ungodly men will not regard the Scriptures seriously Though they have Moses and the Prophets the Scriptures they will not repent or heartily close in with Jesus Christ though the Scriptures do witness against them If therefore there be any good done to them they must have it another way I think saith he it would work much on them if one should rise from the dead And this truth indeed is so evident that ungodly ones have a light esteem of the Scriptures that it needs not many strong arguments to prove it being so evidently manifested by their every dayes practice both in words and actions almost in all things they say and do Yet for the satisfaction to the Reader I shall shew you by a Scripture or two though I might shew many that this was and is true with thâ— geâ—erality of the world See the words of Nehemiah in his 9. Chapter concerning the children of Israel who though the Lord afforded them mercy upon mercy as it is from ver 19. to ver 25. yet ver 26. saith he Nevertheless they were disobedient for all thy goodness toward them and rebelled against thee but how and cast thy law behind their back And was that all No for they slew the Prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations Observe 1. They sinned against mercy And then 2. they slighted the law or word of God 3. They slew the Prophets that declared it unto them 4. The Lord câ—unts it a great provocation See Heb. 3. from ver 10. to ver 19. And see Zach. 7.11 12. But they refusâ—d to hearken saith he there of the wicked and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear the law Yea they made their hearts hard as an adament stone lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts sent unto them by his spirit in the former Prophets c. Mark I pray you here is also First a refusing to hearken namely to the words of the Propehts 2. That they might so do they stopped their cares 3. If any thing was to be done they pulled away their shoulder 4. To effect this they labor to make their hearts hard as an adament stone 5. And all this lest they should hear and close in with Jesus and live and be delivered from the wrath to come all which things do hold out an unwillingness to submit to and embrace the words of God and so Jesus Christ which is testified of by them Many other Scriptures I might bring in for confirmation of the thing as that in Amos 7.12 13. also 2 Sam. 2.24 25. 2 Chron. 25.15 16. Jer. 7.23 24 25 26 27. and Chap 16 12. Read also seriously that saying in 2 Chron. 36.15 where he saith And the Lord God of their Fathers sent unto them How by his messengers rising up betimes because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place And did they make them welcome No But mocked them the messengers of God and despised his words And was that all No they misused his Prophets How long untill the wrath of the Lord arose against them In how high a measure Till there was no remedy See also Jer. 29.19 Chap. 25.3 4 5 6 7. Luk. 11.49 But alas we need not be so earnest in quoting the Scriptures so plentifully seeing any one or two places are enough And besides the conversation of almost all men doth bear witness to the same both religious and profane persons in that they daily neglect reject and turn their backs upon the plain testimony of the Scriptures As 1. Take the threatnings laid down in holy writ and how are they disregarded there are but a few places in the Bible but there are threatnings against one sinner or other against drunkards swearers liars proud persons strumpets whoremonger covetous railers extortioners theeves lazy persons In a word all manner of sins are reproved and without faith in the Lord Jesus there is a sore punishment to be executed on the committers
him yet now let me have some society with him Though the world disregard the society of God children now yet there is a time coming in which they would be glad to have the least company with them Nay do but observe those of the Saints that are now most rejected by them even from them shall they be glad of comfort if it might be Send Lazarus he that I slighted more then my dogs he that I could not endure should come into my house but must lye at my gate send him Now Lazarus shall be welcome to me now do I desire some comfort from him but he shall go without it From whence again observe that there is a time coming O ye surly dogged persecutors of the Saints that they shall slight you as much as ever you slighted them You have given them many an hard word told many a lie of them given them many a blow And now in your greatest need and extremity they shall not pitty you Again send Lazarus From whence observe that any of the Saints shall then be owned by you to be Saints Now ye look upon them to be of the sect with Hymeneus and Philetus but then you shall see them to be the Lazarus's of God even Gods dear children Though now the Saints of the Lord will not be owned by you because they are beggerly poor low contemptible among you here yet the day is coming that you shall own them desire their company and wish for the least courtesie from them Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Thus shall the souls that abide in their sins cry out in the bitterness of their spirits with wonderful anguish torment of conscience without intermission that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue That he namely the man who before I scorned should eat with the dogs of my flock that before I slighted and had no regard of that I shut out of door send him that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue Now these words that he may dip the tip of his finger in water c. do hold forth the least friendship or favour as much as if he should have said Father now I would be glad of the least mercie now I would be glad of the lâ—â—st comfort though it be but one drop of cold water on the tip of his finger One would have thought that this had been a small request a small courtesie one drop of water what is that Take a pail full of it if that will do the any good But mark he is not permitted to have so much as one drop not so much as a man may hold upon the tip of his finger This signifies thus much that they that fall short of Christ shall be night and day tormented from years end to years end as I may say even as long as eternity lasteth and shall not have so much as the least ease no not so long as while a man may turn himself round not so much leave as to swallow his spittle not a drop of cold water 2. Again consider that though the rebels while they are in this world can turne their backs upon the greatest mercy namely the Grace of God in Christ yet the time will come that they would be glad of the least mercy even a drop of cold water 3. Again observe that those who in their life time do turn their back upon the streams of Gods grace and love when they depart this life they shall not have the priviledge of the least mercy though they would never so willingly O that these things did take place in your hearts how would it make you to seek after rest for your souls before it be too late before the sun of the Gospel be set upon you Consider I say the misery of the ungodly that they shall be in and avoid their vices by closing in with the tenders of mercy lest you partake of the same portion with them and cry out in the bitterness of your souls one drop of cold water and cool my tongue For I am tormented in this flame These words hold forth the reason why the damned do so much request there might be some pitty shewed to them namely because they are under sore and sad affliction for I am tormented in this flame Indeed the reason why the poor world do not so earnestly desire for mercy is partly because they do not so seriously consider the torment that they must certainly fall into if they die out of Christ For let me tell you did but poor souls indeed consider that wrath that doth by right fall to their shares because of their sins against God they would make more haste to God through Christ for mercy then they do Then we should have them say it is good closing with Christ to day before we fall into such distress But why is it said Let him dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue Because that as the several members in the bodie have their share in sin and committing of that so the several members and every member of the body shall at that time be punished for the same Therefore when Christ is admonishing his desciples that they should not turne aside from him and that they should rather fear and dread the power of their God then any other power he saith Fear him therefore that can cast both body and soul into hell And again fear him that can destroy both soul and hody in hell Here is not one member onely but all the body the whole body of which the hands feet eyes eares and tongue are members And I am perswaded that though this may be judged carnal by some now yet it will appear to be a truth then to the greater misery of those who shall be forced to undergo that which God in his just judgement shall inflict upon them O then they will cry one dram of ease for my cursing swearing lying jearing tongue Some ease for my bragging braving flattering threatning dissembling tongue now men can let their tongues run at randome as we use to say now they will be apt to say our tongues are our own who shall controle them But then they will be in another mind Then O that I might have a little ease for my deceitful tongue Methinks sometimes to consider how some men do let their tongues run at randome they cannot tell well how it makes me marvell Surely they do not think they shall be made to give an account for their offending with their tongue Did they but think they shall be made to give an account to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead surely they would be more wary of and have more regard unto their tongue The tongue saith James is * Jam. 2. an unruly member full of deadly poison
Verse 31. and the Lord give thee understanding For a miserable end will those have that go on sinning against God rejecting his word Other things might have been observed from this verse which at this time I shall pass by partly because the sum of them hath been touched already and may be more clearly hinted at in the following verse and therefore I shall speak a few words to the next verse and to draw towards a conclusion Ver. 31. And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead ANd he said That is and God made answer to the words spoken in the verse before And he said unto him If they hear not Moses c. As if he had said Moses was a man of great renown A man of worthy note A man that talked with God face to face as a man speaketh to his friend The words that Moses spake were such as I commanded him to speak Let who will question them I will own them credit them bless them that close in with them and curse those that reject them I my self sent the prophets they did not run of their own heads I gave them commission I thrust them out and told them what they should say In a word they have told the world what my mind is to do both to sinners and to saints They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Therefore he that shall reject and turn his back either upon the threatnings counsels admonitions invitations promises or whatsoever else I have commanded them to speak as to salvation and life and to directions therein shall be sure to have a share in the many curses that they have spoken and the destruction that is pronounced by them Again if they hear not Moses and the Prophets c. As if he had said thou wouldest have me send one from the dead unto them what needs that They have my mind already I have declared unto them what I intend to stand to both for saving them that believe and damning them that do not That therefore which I have said I will make good whether they hear or forbear And as for this desire of yours you had as good desire me to make a new Bible and so to revoke my first sayings by the mouth of my prophets But I am God and not man and my word is immutable unchangeable and shall stand as fast as my decrees can make it Heaven and earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of my word shall not pass If thou hadst ten thousand brethren and every one in danger of losing his soul if they did not close in with what is contained and recorded in the Scriptures of truth they must even every one of them perish and be for ever damned in hell for the Scriptures cannot be broken I did not send them so unadvisedly to recall it again by another consideration No for I speak it righteousness and judgement Isa 63.1 2 3. and in much wisdom and counsel It being therefore gone out of my mouth in this manner it shall not return in vain until it hath accomplished the thing whereto I have sent it But again thou supposest that miracles and wonders will work more on them which makes thee say send one from the dead But herein thou art mistaken for I have proved them with that once and again by more then one or two or three of my servants How many miracles did my servant Moses work by commandment from me in the land of Egypt at the red sea and in the wilderness yet they of that generation were never the sooner converted for that but notwithstanding rebelled lusted and in their hearts turned back into Egypt Acts 7. How many miracles did Samuel David Elias Elisha Daniel and the Prophets together with my Sonne who raised the dead cast out devils made them to see that were borne blind gave and restored limbs yet for all this as I said before they hated him they crucified him I raised him again from the dead and he appeared to his disciples who were called and chosen and faithful and he gave them commandment and commission to go and testifie the truth of this to the world and to confirme the same he inabled them to speak with divers tongues and to work miracles most plentifully yet there was great persecution raised against them insomuch that but a few of them died in their beds And therefore though thou thinkest that a miracle will do so much with the world yet I say No. For if they will not believe Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one should rise from the dead From these words therefore take notice of this truth namely that those who reject and believe not Moses and the Prophets are a very hard-hearted people that will not be perswaded though one rise from the dead Again they that regard not the holy Scriptures to turn to God finding them to testifie of his goodness and mercie there is but little hopes of their salvation for they will not Mark They will not be perswaded though one should rise from the dead This truth is confirmed by Jesus Christ himself If you read Joh. 5. where the Lord is speaking of himself that he is the very Christ he brings in four or five witnesses to back what he said First John Baptist. 2 The works that his Father gave him to do 3. His Father speaking from heaven 4. The testimony of the Scriptures when all this was done seeing yet they would not believe he layes the fault upon one of these two things 1. Their regarding an esteem among men 2. Their not believing of the Prophets writings even Moses and the rest For had ye believed Moses saith he ye would have believed me why For he wrote of me But if ye believe not his writings how can ye believe my words Now I say he that shall slight the Scriptures and the testimonie of the prophets in them concerning Jesus Christ must needs be in great danger of losing his soul if he abide in this condition because he that slights the testimony doth also slight the thing that is testified of let him say what he will and say the contrary never so often For as Jesus Christ hath here laid down the reason of mens not receiving him so the Apostle in another place layes down the reason again with an high and mighty aggravation 1 Joh. 5.10 saying He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the Record Mark the Record that God gave of his Son The record you will say what is that Even the testimony that God gave of him by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began Acts 3.20 That is God sending his holy Spirit into the hearts of his servants the Prophets and Apostles he by
will these be to me when the Lord shall separate soul and body asunder and send one to the grave the other to hell and at the judgement-day the final sentence of eternal ruine must be past upon me 6. Consider that the profits pleasures and vanities of this world will not last ever but the time is coming yea just at the doors when they will give thee the slip and leave thee in the suds and in the brambles of all that thou hast done And therefore to prevent this thy dismal state think thus with thy self 'T is true I do love my sins my lusts and pleasures but what good will they do me at the day of death and of judgement Will my sins do me good then will they be able to help me when I come to fetch my last breath What good will my profits do me and what good will my vanities do when death sayes he will have no nay What good will all my companions fellow jesters jeerers liars drunkards and all my wantons do me will they help to ease the pains of hell will these help â—o turn the hand of God from inflicting his fierce anger upon me Nay will not they rather cause God to shew me no mercy to give me no comfort but rather to thrust me down in into the hottest place in hell where I may swim in fire and brimstone 3. Consider thus with thy self Would I be glad to have all every one of my sins to come in against me to inflame the justice of God against me would I be glad to be bound up in them as the three Children were bound in their clothes and to be as really thrown into the fiery furnace of the wrath of almighty God as they were into Nebuchadnezzars fiery furnace 4. Consider thus Would I be glad to have all and every one of the ten Commandments to discharge themselves against my soul The first saying damne him for he hath broken me The second saying damne him for he hath broken me c. Consider how terrible this will be yea more terrible then if thou shouldest have ten of the biggest peeces of Ordnance in England to be discharged against thy body thunder thunder one after another Nay this would not be comparable to the reports that the law for the breach thereof will give against thy soul For those can but kill the body but these will kill both body and soul and that not for an hour a day a month or a year but they will condemn thee for ever Mark it is for ever for ever It is into everlasting damnation eternal destruction eternal wrath and displeasure from God eternal gnawings of conscience eternal continuance with devils O consider it may be the thoughts of seeing the devil doth now make thine hair to stand right up on the head O but this to be damned to be among all the devils and that not onely for a time as I said before but for ever to all eternity This is wonderfully miserable even miserable that no tongue of man no nor of Angels is able to express it 5. Consider thus with thy self not onely my sins against the law will be laid to my charge but also the sins I have committed in slighting the gospel the glorious Gospel these also must come with a voice against me As thus Nay he is worthy to be damned for he rejected the Gospel he undervalued the Gospel he slighted the free grace of God tendred in the Gospel How many times wast thou damned wretch invited intreated beseeched to come to Christ to accept of mercy that thou mightest have heaven thy sins pardoned thy soul saved and body and soul glorified and all this for nothing but the acceptance and through faith forsaking those imps of Satan which by their embracements have drawn thee downward toward the gulf of Gods eternal displeasure How often didst thou read the promises yea the free promises of the common salvation How oft didst thou read the sweet counsels and admontions of the Gospel to accept of the grace of God but thou wouldst not thou regardest it not thou didst slight all 2. As I would have thee to consider the sad and woful state of those that die out of Christ and are past all recovery so would I have thee consider the many mercies and priviledges thou enjoyest above some peradventure of thy companions that are departed to their proper place As first consider thou hast still the thread of thy life lengthened which for thy sins might seaven years ago or more have been cut asunder and thou have dropped down among the flames 2. Consider the termes of reconciliation by faith in Christ is still profered unto thee and thou invited yea intreated to accept of it 3. Consider the termes of reconciliation is but bear with me though I say but onely to believe in Jesus Christ with that faith that purifies the heart and enables thy soul to feed on him effectually and be saved from this sad state 4. Consider the time of thy departure is at hand and the time is uncertain and also that for ought thou knowest the day of grace may be be past to thee before thou â—iest not lasting so long as thy uncertain life in this world And if so then know for certain that thou art as sure to be damned as if thou wert in hell alreadâ— if thou convert not in the mean while 5. Consider it may be some of thy friends are giving all dilligence to make their calling and election sure being resolved for heaven and thou thy self endeavourest as fast to make sure of hell as if resolved to have it and together with this consider how it will grieve thee that while thou wert making sure of hell thy friends were making sure of heaven but more of this by and by 6. Consider what a sad reflection this will have on thy soul to see thy friends in heaven and thy self in hell thy Father in heaven and thou in hell thy Mother in heaven and thou in hell thy Brother thy Sister thy Children in heaven and thou in hell As Christ said to the Jews of their relations according the flesh so may I say to thee concerning thy friends There shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see your Fathers and Mothers Brethren and Sisters Husbands and Wives Children and Kinsfolk with your Friends and neighbours in the kingdom of heaven and thou thy self thrust out Luke 13 27 28 29. But again because I would not onely tell thee of the damnable state of those that die out of Christ but also perswade thee to take hold of life and go to heaven take notice of these following things 1. Consider that what ever thou canst do as to thy acceptance with God is not worth the dirt of thy shoes but is all as menstruous rags Isa 64.6 2. Consider that all the conditions of the new covenant as to salvation are and have been compleatly fulfilled by the
Lord Jesus Christ and that for sinners 3. Consider that the Lord calls to thee for to receive whatsoever Christ hath done and that on free cost Rev. 22.17 4. Consider that thou canst not honour God more then to close in with his profers of grace mercy and pardon of sin Rom. 4. And because there is a gap open for poor sinners to come from under the curse and condemnation of the Law into the grace of Christ for there is one made by the blood of Christ he having broken down the middle wall of partion I shall speak a few words further and they are these To invite sinners seeing there is mercy and deliverance to be had to come in and accept of it and that from these considerations 1. Consider thy state by nature if thou come not in which is this Thou art under the breach of the law and so under the curse which doth call for inexpressible destruction I mean destruction of soul destruction of body destruction by fire by hell fire by the fire the devils must be burned in even eternal fire destruction from God for sins against the law without intermission without ease without end without hopes of any recovery or of ever coming out of this sad and miserable condition 2. Consider thou wilt bring all this upon thy self for having some of the devils brats some hellish lusts that like so many witches imps will suck and draw thy soul from God Christ Angels Saints Heaven and all happiness 3. Consider thou wilt buy sin at a dear rate inasmuch as it will cost the body soul ease peace joy comfort heaven God Christ c. 4. Consider that that Christ who will â—ow save the soul and body if thou wilt come in will hereafter reject thee and cast thee out from the joyes of the world to come and damn thee though thou hadst a thousand souls without any pitty or yerning of bowels toward thee if thou shalt refuse him now 5. That which is worse then all the rest thou shalt have the very mercy of God the blood of Christ the preachers of the word together with every Sermon all the promises invitations exhortations and all the counsels and threatnings of the blessed word of God Nay besides thou shalt have all thy thoughts words and actions together with all thy food thy raiment thy sleep thy goods and also all hours dayes weeks moneths and years together with whatsoever else God hath given theâ—e I say thy abuse of all these shall come up in judgement against thy soul For God will reckon with thee for every thing whether it be good or bad Eccles 12.14 Again 7. Thy damnation will be worse then the damnation of the very devils forasmuch as thou wilt have not onely the law from God as a Creator which they also had to answer for the breach of But thou wilt have thy rejection of the tenders of the glorious Gospel of the glorious Lord Jesus to answer for as I said before which sin the devil was never in a capacity to commit inasmuch as he never had the Gospel tendered to him But thou vile wretch hast had it over and over once and again time after time and that with intreaties beseechings wishings and wooings by one messengers after another and yet hast rejectâ—d O wonderful calamity that is coming upon thee For first thou shalt fall into endless torment Secondly thou shalt groan and weep to see for what thou hast brought thy self into such a sad and miserable condition Thirdly thou shalt weep to think that weeping and repenting will do thee no good Fourthly thou shalt see thy neighbours in heaven thy Father Mother or other of thy relations but they shall not groan for thee but rather rejoyce that the judgements of God have found out thee so vile a wretch and are a punishing thee The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked Psal 58.10 O woful woful One would think this enough if thou be not stark mad and fully bent to give the devil thy soul to make thee fly to Christ for succour and help that thou mayest be delivered in the day of trouble I say therefore consider seriously of these things 1. May not the very devils themselves come in against thee as well as Sodom that damned crue May not they I say come in against thee and say O thou simple man or woman O vile wretch that had not so much care of thy soul thy precious soul as the beast hath of his young or the dog of the very bone that lyeth before him Was thy soul worth so much and didst thou so little regard it were the thunder-claps of the law so terrible and didst thou so slight them Besides was the Gospel so freely so frequently so fully tendered to thee and yet hast thou rejected all these things Hast thou valued sin at an higher rate then thy soul then God Christ Angels Saints and Communion with them in eternal Blessedness and Glory Wast thou not told of hell fire those intollerable flames Didst thou never hear of the intollerable roarings of the damned ones that are therein Didst thou never hear or read that doleful saying in the 16. of Luke how the sinful man cries out among the flames One drop of water to cool my tongue Thus I say may the very devils being ready to go with thee into the burning furnace of fire and brimstone though not for sins of so high a nature as thine tremblingly say Oh that Christ had died for devils as he died for man And Oh that the Gospel had been preached to us as it hath been to thee O how glad would we have been of it How would we have laboured to have closed in with it But woe be to us for we might never have it profered no not in the least though we would have been glad of it But you you have had it profered preached and proclaimed unto you besides you have been intreated and beseeched to accept of it but you would not O simple fools that might have escaped wrath vengeance hell fire and that to all eternity and had no heart at all to do it 2 May not the messengers of Jesus Christ also come in with a shrill and terrible note against thy soul when thou standest at the bar of Gods Justice saying Nay thou ungodly one but how often hast thou been forewarned of this day Did we not sound an alarum in thine ears by the trumpet of Gods word day after day How often didst thou hear us tell thee of these things Did we not tell thee sin would damn thy soul Did we not tell thee that without conversion there was no salvation Did we not tell thee that they who loved their sins should be damned at this dark and gloomy day as thou art like to be Yet did we not tell thee that God out of his love to sinners sent Christ to die for them