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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27047	Three treatises tending to awaken secure sinners by Richard Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. True Christianity.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. Absolute dominion of God-redeemer.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. Absolute soveraignty of Christ.	1656 (1656)	Wing B1420; Wing B1409L; Wing B1437; ESTC R11838	152,069	348

please and make us such Laws and Conditions as seem best to his wisdom upon which our justification and salvation should depend He hath resolved that this shall be the only condition and way and that as no man shall be justified by a meer Christ or his death abstracted from Faith that is of Age and use of Reason so this Faith shall be the condition upon which they shall be justified or as a Christ neglected shall save no man so the accepting or receiving of him shall justifie and save them as the conditon of the Covenant performed under which Notion it is that Faith justifieth 2. Yet other improper or subordinate Reasons which receive their life from the former and without it would be no Reasons may be given as 1. From the equity and 2. From the sutbleness and conveniency 1. It is but equal that he who hath bought us and that so dearly and from a state so deplorable and desperate as we were in should be acknowledged and accepted for our Saviour and our Lord and that we who are not our own but are bought with a price should glorifie him with our bodies and souls which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. 7. 23. Epecially when for that end he both dyed aud rose again that he might rule or be Lord over both quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. If one of you should buy a man from the Galleyes or Gallowes with the price of your whole estate or the life of your only Son would you not expect that he should be at your dispose that he should love you depend on you and be subject to you 2. And as salvation by free Grace through Christ is a way most sutable to Gods honor and to our own necessities and low condition so in subordination thereto the way of believing is most rationally conducible to the same ends As we could not have had a fitter way to the Father then by Christ so neither could there be a fitter way to Christ or means to partake of him then by Faith For though I cannot call it the instrumental Cause of our justification either Active or Passive yet is this Faith or Acceptation of Christ for our Saviour and King which is here called Kising the Son the fairest condition that we could reasonably expect and the most apparently tending to the honor of our Redeemer applying and appropriating to our selves the person righteousness and benefits procured and offered but no● the least of the houor of the Work All we do is but to accept what Christ hath procured and that must be by the special assistance of his Spirit too 4. The fourth thing I promised is to shew you Why no other Priviledge or Power in the world can save him that doth not kiss the Son It may here suffice that I have shewed you Gods determination to the contrary But further consider if any shonld hope to scape by their Dignities Titles Friends Strength or any other endowments or virtuous qualifications 1. What is their task 2. What is their power to perform it 1. They must resist the unresistible will of God They must do that which Heaven or Earth Men or Devils were never able yet to do They have resisted his Laws and his love but they could never resist his purpose or his power The power that undertaketh to save the Enemy or Neglecter of Christ must first overcome the power of the Almighty and conquer him that doth command the World And who hath the strength that is sufficient for this Sinner before thou venture thy soul upon such a mad conceit or think to be saved whether God will or not try first thy skill and strength in some inferiour attempt Bid the Sun or Moon stand still in the Firmament invert the several seasons of the year Bid the snow and frost to come in Summer and the flowers and fruits to spring in Winter command the streams to turn their course or the Tide its times or the winds their motion If these will obey thee and thy word can prevail with them against the Law of their Creator then maist thou proceed with a greater confidence and courage and have some hopes to save the neglecters of Christ Or try first whether thou canst save thy present life against the course of nature and will of God call back thine age and years that are past command thy pains and sickness to be gone chide back this bold approaching death Will they not obey thee Canst thou do none of these How then canst thou expect the saving of thy soul against the determinate will and Way of God Where dwelleth that man or what was his name that did neglect Christ and yet escape damnation Who hath hardned himself against him and hath prospered Job 9. 4. And dost thou think then to be the first Thou maist perhaps knock boldly at the Gate of Heaven and plead thy Greatness thy virtues thy Almsdeeds and formal devotion but thou shalt receive a sadder answer then thou dost expect Jesus we know and obediential Faith in him we know but who are ye 2 He that will save the soul that loveth not dependeth not on and subjecteth not himself to Christ must first make false the word of God and make the true and faithful God a lyer this is another part of his task God hath given it under his hand for truth That he that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3. 18. That he shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3. 36. That they who are invited to Christ and make light of it or make excuses shall never taste of his Supper Luke 14. 24. Mat. 22. 5. 8. That it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of Judgement then for that City which refuseth the offers of the Gospel Mat. 12. 15. That whosoever would not have Christ to raign over them shall be brought forth at last and destroyed before him as his Enemies Luk. 19. 27. That they shall all be damned that believe not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2. 12 c. And hath the Almighty said that thus it shall be Who then is he that dare say it shall not be Is this the concluded Decree of Heaven what power or policy is able to reverse it hath God said it wil he not do it Thus you see his task that will undertake to save one neglecter of Christ 2. Let us now consider what Power that is that must perform it If it be done it must be either 1. By Wisdom or 2. By Strength whereas the chiefest of men even the Kings and Judges of the Earth are both ignorant and Impotent 1. Ignorant Though Judges are learned in the repute of the World Alas poor crawling breathing dust Do you know the secrets of your Masters counsel and are you able to over reach them and frustrate his designs Doth this Book know what is written in it Can the Seat you sit on over-top your

a fleshly heart a heavenly or au earthly heart Look now upon all the course of thy life and see whether thou didst live to me or to the world and thy flesh Oh how easily will God convince men then of the very sins of their thoughts and in their secret Closets when they thought that no witness could have disclosed them Therefore it s said that the Books shall be opened and the dead Judged out of the books Revel 20. 12. Dan. 7. 10. The second Evidence will be the knowledge of the Judge If the sinner would not be convinced yet it is sufficient that the Judge knoweth the Cause God needeth no further witness he saw thee committing adultery in secret lying stealing forswearing in secret If thou do not know thy own heart to be unholy it is enough that God knoweth it If you have the face to say Lord when did we see thee hungry c. Mat. 25. 44. yet God will make good the charge against thee and there needeth no more Testimony then his own Can foolish sinners think to lie hid or escape at that day that will now sin wilfully before their Judge that know every day that their Judge is looking on them while they forget him and give up themselves to the world and yet go on even under his eye as if to his face they dared him to punish them 3. The third Evidence will be the sinners Confession God will force their own Consciences to witness against them add their own tongues to confess the Accusation If they do at first excuse it he will leave them speechless yea and condemning themselves before they have done Oh what a difference between their language now and then Now we cannot tell them of their sin and misery but they either tell us of our own faults or bid us look to our selves or deny or excuse their fault or make light of it but then their own tongues shall confess them and cry out of the wilful folly that they committed and lay a heavier charge upon them then we can now do Now if we tell them that we are afraid they are unregenerate and least their hearts are not truly set upon God they will tell us they hope to be saved with such hearts as they have But then Oh how they will confess the folly and falseness of their own hearts You may see a little of their case even in despairing sinners on earth how far they are from denying or excusing their sins Judas cryes out I have sinned in bttraying Innocent blood Mat. 27. 4. out of their own mouth shall they be Judged That very tongue that now excuseth their sin will in their torments be their great Accuser For God will have it so to be 4. The fourth Evidence will be the witness of others Oh how many thousand witnesses might there be produced were there need to convince the guilty soul at that day 1. All the Ministers of Christ that ever preached to them or warned them will be sufficient witnesses against them we must needs testifie that we preached to them the truth of the Gospel and they would not believe it We preached to them the goodness of God yet they set not their hearts upon him we shewed them their sin and they were not humbled We told them of the danger of an unregenerate state and they did not regard us we acquainted them with the Absolute Necessity of holiness but they made light of all We let them know the deceitfulness of their hearts and the need of a close and faithful examination but they would not bestow an hour in such a work nor scarce once be afraid of being mistaken and miscarrying We let them know the vanity of this world and yet they would not forsake it no not for Christ and the hopes of glory We told them of the everlasting felicity they might attain but they would not set themselves to seek it What we shal think of it then the Lord knows but surely it seemeth now to us a matter of very sad consideration that we must be brought in as witnesses against the souls of our neighbors and friends in the flesh Those whom we now unfeignedly love and would do any thing that we were able to do for their good whose welfare is dearer to us then all worldly enjoyments Alas that we must be forced to testifie to their faces for their condemnation Ah Lord with What a heart must a poor Minister study when he considereth this that all the words that he is studying must be brought in for a witness against many of his hearers with What a heart must a Minister Preach when he remembreth that all the words that he is speaking must condemn many if not most of his hearers Do we desire this sad fruit of our Labours No we may say with the Prophet Jer. 17. 16. I have not desired the woful day thou knowest No if we desired it we would not do so much to prevent it we would not study and preach and pray and intreat men that if it were possible we might not be put on such a task And doubtless it should make every honest Minister study hard and pray hard and intreat hard and stoop low to men and be earnest with men in season and out of season that if it may be they may not be the condemners of their peoples souls But if men will not hear and there be no remedy who can help it Christ himself came not into the world to condemn men but to save them and yet he will condemn those that will not yield to his saving work God takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and return and live Ezek. 18. 23 32. and yet he will rejoyce over those to do them hurt and destroy them that will not return Deut 28. 63. And if we must be put on such a work he will make us like-minded The Holy Gost tels us that the Saints shall Judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. and if they must Judge they will Judge as God Judgeth you cannot blame us for it sinners we now warn you of it before hand and if you will not prevent it blame not us but your selves Alas we are not our own Matters As we now speak not to you in our own names so then we may not do what we list our selves or if we might our wills will be as Gods will God will make us Judge you and witness against you Can we absolve you when the righteous God will condemn you when God is against you whose side would you have us be of We must be either against God or you And can you think that we should be for any one against our Maker and Redeemer We must either condemn the Sentence of Jesus Christ or condemn you and is not there more reason to condemn you then him can we have any mercy on you when he that made you will not save you and he

choose the fear of the Lord They would none of my counsels they despised all my Reproof therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices for the Turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them But who so harkneth to me shall dwel safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil I have recited all these words that you may see and consider whether I have spoke any other thing than God himself hath plainly told you of Having said this much of the Certainty of the Execution I should next have spoke somewhat of the manner and the Instruments and have shewed how God will be for ever the Principal Cause and Satan and 〈◊〉 own Conseiences the Instruments in part and in what manner Conscience will do its part and how impossible it will be to quiet or resist it But having spoke so much of all this already elsewhere as is said before I will forbear here to repeat it leaving the Reader that desireth it there to peruse it The Vses Vse 1. BEloved hearers it was not to fill your fancies with news that God sent me hither this day not to tell you of matters that nothing concern you nor by some terrible words to bring you to an hours amazement and no more But it is to tell you of things that your eyes shall see and to foretell you of your danger while it may be prevented that your precious souls may be saved at the last and you may stand before God with comfor at ●thas day But because this will not be every mans case● no nor the case of most I must in the name of Christ desire you to make this day an enquiry into your own souls and as in the presence of God let your hearts make answer to these few Questions which I shall propound and debate with you Qu. 1. Do you soundly Believe this Doctrine which I have preached to you What say you Sirs do you verily Believe it as a most certain Truth that you and I and all the world must stand at Gods barr and be Judged to Everlasting Joy or Torment I hope you do all in some sort Believe this but blame me not if I be jealous whether you soundly believe it while we see in the world so little of the effect of such a Belief I confess I am forced to think that there is more infidelity then faith among us when I see mo●● ungodlyness then godlyness among us And I can hardly believe that man that will say or swear that he believeth these things and yet liveth as carelesly and carnally as an Infidel I know that no man can love to be damned yea I know that every man that hath a reasonable soul hath naturally some love to him self and a fear of a danger which he verily apprehendeth he therefore that liveth without all fear I must think liveth without all apprehension of his danger Custom hath taught men to hold these things as the Opinion of the Country but if men soundly believed them surely we should see stranger effects of such a faith then in the most we do see Doth the sleepy soul that liveth in security and followeth this world as eagerly as if he had no greater matters to mind that never once trembled at the thoughts of this great day nor once asked his own soul in good sadnes● My soul How dost thou think then to escape I say doth this man Believe that he is going to this Judgement Well Sirs whether you beleve it or not you will find it true and believe it you must before you can be safe For if you do not Believe it you will never make ready Let me therefore perswade you in the fear of God to consider that it is a matter of undoubted Truth 1. Consider that it is the express word of the God of Truth revealed in Srip●ure as plainly as you can desire So that yon cannot be unbelieving without denying Gods Word or giving him the lye Mat 13 38 39. 40 41 42 43 49 50. Mat. 25. throughout Rom. 2. 5. 6 7 8 9 10 16. and 1. 32. John 5. 28 29. The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed to all men once to dye and after this the Judgement Rom. 14. 9. l2 So then every one of us shall give Account of himself to God Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead smal and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were Judged out of those things which were written in the Book● according to their works Mat. 12. 36. 37. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof at the day of Judgement For by thy words thou shalt be Justified and by thy Words thou shalt be condemned Many more most express Texts of Scripture do put the Truth of this Iudgement out of all question to all that believe the Scripture and will understand it There is no place left for a Controversie in the point It is made as ●ure to us as the Word of the living God can make it And he that will question that what will he Believe What say you Sirs Dare you doubt of this which the God of Heaven hath so positively affirmed I hope you dare not 2. Consider it is a master part of your faith if you are Christians and a fundamental Article of your Creed that Christ shall come again to Iudge the quick and the dead So that you must Believe it or renounce your Christianity and then you renounce Christ and all the hopes of mercy that you have in him It s impossible that you should soundly Believe in Christ and not believe his Iudgement and Life Everlasting because as he came to bring Life and immortality to light in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. so it was the end of his Incarnation Death and Resurrection to bring you thither and its part of his honour and office which he purchased with his blood to be the Lord and Iudge of all the world Rom. 14. 9. Joh. 5. 22. If therefore you believe not heartily this Iudgement deal plainly and openly and say you are Infidels and cast away the hypocritical vizor of Christianity and let us know you and take you as you are 3. Consider that it is a Truth that is known by the very light of nature that there shall be a happiness for the Righteous and a misery for the wicked after this life which is evident 1. In that we have undenyable natural reason for it 1. God is the Righteous governor of the world and therefore must make a difference among his Subjects according

counsels more likely then for you to over-top the Lord silly worms you know not what God is nor know you any one of his unrevealed thoughts no more then that Pillar doth know your thoughts you know not what you are your selves nor see any further then the superficies of your skin what is thy soul and when didst thou receive it Dost thou know its form or didst thou feel it enter which part didst thou feel it first possess Thou canst call it a Spirit but knowst thou what a Spirit is or rather only what it is not Thou knowest not that whereby thou knowest and how was thy body formed in the womb what was it an hundred years agoe what is that vital heat and moisture what causeth that order and diversity of its parts when will the most expert Anatomists and Physitians be agreed Why there are mysteries in the smallest worm which thou canst not reach nor couldst thou resolve the doubts arising about an Ant or Atome much less about the Sun or Fire or Air or or Wind c. and canst thou not know thy self nor the smallest part of thy self nor the smallest Creature and yet canst thou over-reach the everlasting Counsels 2. And is thy might and Power any greater then thy Policy Why what are the Kings and Rulers of the Earth but lumps of Clay that can speake and go moving shadows the Flowers of a day a corruptible seed blown up to that swelled consistence in which it appears as Children blow their bubbles of Soape somewhat invisibly condensate which that it may become visible is become more gross and so more vile and will shortly be almost all turned into invisible again that little dust which corruption leaves by the force of fire may be dissipated yet more and then where is this specious part of the man Surely now that body which is so much esteemed is but a loathsome lump of corruptible flesh covered with a smooth skin and kept a little while from stinking by the presence of the soul and must shortly be cast out of sight into a Grave as unfit for the sight or smell of the living and there be consumed with rot●enness and worm These are the Kings and Rulers of the Earth this is the power that must conquer Heaven and save them that rebel against Christ the Lord They that can not live a moneth without repairing their consuming bodies by food one part whereof doth turn to their vital blood and spirits and the other to most loathsome unsufferable excrements so neere is the kin between their Best and Worst Judge all you that have common reason whether he that cannot keep himself alive an hour and shortly will not be able to stirr a finger to remove the worms that feed upon his heart be able to resist the strengh of Christ and save the soul that God hath said and sworn shall not be saved Ah poor souls that have no better Saviours And well may Christ his Truth aud Cause prevail that have no stronger enemies Vse 1. You have here a Text that will fully inform you how you are like to speed at the Barr of Christ who shall dye and who shall live The great Assize is neare at hand the feet of our Judg are even at the dore go thy way unbelieving sinner when thou hast had all the pleasure that sin will afford thee lye down in the dust and sleep a while the rousing voice shall quickly awake thee and thine eyes shall see that dreadfull day O blessed oh dolefull day blessed to the Saints dolefull to the wicked O the rejoycing O the lamenting that there will be the triunphant shoutings of joyful Saints the hideous roaring cries of the ungodly when each man hath newly received his Doom● and there is nothing but eternal Glory and eternall fire Beloved hearers every man of you shall shortly there appeare and wait as the trembling prisoner at the Barr to hear what Doom must pass upon you Do you not believe this I hope you doe believe it Why what would you give now to know for certain how it shall then go with you why here is the Book by which you must be judged and here is the summe of it in my Text the grounds upon which the Judge will then proceed Will you but go along with me and answer the Questions which hence I shall put to you and search and judg your selves by them as you go and you may know what Doom you may then expect onely deal faithfully and search throughly for self flatery will not prevent your sorrow And here you must know that it is the kiss of the heart and not of the lips which we must here enquire after The question will not be at the Great Day Who hath spoke Christ fair or who have called themselves by the name of Christians or who hath said the Creed or the Lords Prayer oftnest or cryed Lord Lord or come to Church for carryed a Bible or who hath held this opinion or who that It would make a mans heart ake to think how zealously men will honour the shadow of Christ and bow at his Name and reverence the Image of the Cross which he dyed on and the names and reliques of the Saints that dyed for him and yet do utterly neglect the Lord himselfe and cannot endure to be governed by him and resist his spirit and scorne his strict and holy waies and dispitefully hate them that most love and obey him and yet belive themselves to be real Christians For God sake Sirs do not so delude your immortal souls as to think your Baptism and your outward devotion and your good meanings as you call them and your righteous dealing with men will serve the turn to prove you Christians Alas this is but with Judas to kiss the mouth of Christ and indeed to fetch your death from those blessed lips from whence the Saints do fetch their life I will shew you some surer signs then these 1. And first let me a little enquire into your subjection to Christ Do you remember the time when yon were the servants of sin and when Sathan led you captive at his will and the Prince of darkness ruled in your souls and all within you was in a carnal peace Do you remember when the Spirit in the word came powerfully upon your hearts and bound Sathan and cast him our and answered all your r●asonings and conquered all your carnal wisdom and brought you from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God Acts 26. 18. Or at least are you sure that now you live not under the same Lord and Laws as the ungodly do Hath Christ now the only soveraignty in your souls Is his word thy Law which thou darest not pass doth it bind thy thoughts and rule thy tongue and command thy self and all thou hast Hast thou laid all down at the feet of Christ and resigned thy self and all to his will and devoted all