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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86549	Salvation from sinne by Jesus Christ: or, The doctrine of sanctification (which is the greater part of our salvation) founded upon Christ, who is both the meritorious, and and efficient cause of sanctifying grace, purchasing it for, working & perfecting it in his people. Applied (as it was specially intended) for the better information of our judgements, and quickning of our affections in holiness, wherein our everlasting our everlasting happiness chiefly consisteth. / Preached in the weekly lecture at Evesham in the county of Worcester, by George Hopkins, M.A. minister of the Gospel there.; Salvation from sinne by Jesus Christ	Hopkins, George, 1620-1666.	1655 (1655)	Wing H2743; Thomason E1608_1; ESTC R208454	135,124	325

of their sin before they be also condemned to the same pit of hellish howling CHAP. V. FIrst let me exhort you in generall to get your hearts deeply possessed with the consideration of this truth 1. Use of Exhortation That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sinnes This will be of great concernment to the glory of God and the good of your own and others soules as will more fully appeare in the following discourse The not understanding and want of consideration of this is the cause of great contentednesse in sinne among profane and earnall persons They look onely upon judgement as the great evill they are liable unto as for their sinnes they love and delight in them as if there were no evil in them So little do most consider of the evill of sinne that were it not for fear of the judgement annexed to the Law and denounced against sinners they would have no thoughts of ever-leaving their sins the Language of many poore carnall soules declares as much Tell a profane person of his evill courses so as to convince him of his sinne he will answer he hopes he may repent hereafter and God may have mercy on him at the last The example of the Thief on the Crosse much takes with him but for present reformation he hath no minde to it Tell me plainly thou that livest in known sinnes being convinced in conscience of the evill of them and that yet there is no saving work wrought upon thy heart Tell me I say and let Conscience answer when thou hast had good motions upon thy heart from the Spirit of God in thy solitary seasons or when thou hast been plainly shewed by some powerfull Sermon what thy state is how sinfull and damnable Hath not thy deceitfull heart wedded to corruption silenced the voice and quieted the workings of conscience by telling it this work of turning to God and seeking his grace is indeed necessary to salvation but this is a work that may be done hereafter and so it be done any time t is well enough though in sickness or old age And doth not this plainly shew that thine ey is only upon the evil of suffring for sin not upon sin it self for were sin accounted a greter or as great an evil as suffering yea were it accounted an evil of any moment at all there would be no pleading for a little more slumber a litle more folding of the hands to sleep in sin Were sinners as sensible of the evill of sin as of the pain of scorching flames oh how would they awake and rouze up themselves plead no longer for the flesh to delight it self in sensual pleasures Is it not ignorance in this point that is the cause why so many in these times will not account a Sermon of repentance or holinesse worth the hearing and that the Preacher that spends much time upon such subjects is esteemed no better than ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospel Is not ignorance of this doctrine the cause why so many self-conceited self-sending teachers meddle so little with the propheticall and kingly office of Christ and insist almost wholly upon his Priestly office and handle that but by the halves too They are much upon the satisfaction which Christ hath made to God for sinne by his fulfilling the Law and suffering for us but the purchase of sanctifying grace is little taken notice of Verily every office of Christ is very necessary to the saving of his people His Propheticall office is necessary to their teaching and enlightning in the waies of holinesse his Kingly office is necessary for the subduing of rebellious lusts and affections for the conducting of them and leading them on in the paths of righteousnesse and his purchase as he is our Priest of sanctifying grace is as necessary as his obtaining pardoning grace for us The not laying of this to heart is surely the cause of so much slightnesse and remissnesse even in many of the children of God themselves in their whole spirituall course Tell me truly thou that fearest God and dissemble no longer to thy own injury and Gods dishonour Hast thou not many times said thus in thy heart I am verily perswaded my estate is good before God that I have true grace and an interest in the precious merits of Jesus Christ and though I be not so carefull watchfull and spirituall as I might be though I give way to such and such lesser evils and neglect such and such smaller duties yet having an interest in Christ who is able to save me to the uttermost all these will be pardoned and done away in the day of account and being not under a covenant of works but of free-grace for the remission of sinnes I need not be so very scrupulous Whence now comes such evill and carnall reasonings in thy heart but from hence that thou little considerest that the great work and care of Christ is to save thee from thy sinnes Thou lookest upon suffering as the greatest evil and upon sinne as little in comparison of it thou thinkest free-grace is chiefly yea almost wholly if not onely to be admired in the remission of sinnes and magnified in the justification of Gods Elect diminishing his grace in their sanctification O how exceedingly is God dishonoured not onely by wicked men but even by his own children also for want of rightly considering wherein their salvation lies O learn now if thou hast not hitherto considered it that it is the great work of Christ to save his people from their sinnes And to that end weigh well the arguments confirming the Doctrine And to the end thou maist be further helped in thy understanding of this truth of so great importance study againe and consider better very many Scriptures that speak of the work of salvation by Christ and see whether thou hast not exceedingly straitned the sense and meaning of them by conceiving them to speak of salvation from the fruits of sin onely when they specially intend salvation from sinne onely Did not these words in the text He shall save his people from their sinnes and these words Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world seem to thee to be meant onely of the guilt and punishment of sinne O learn now more clearly and fully to understand the sense of Scripture concerning Gospel-grace and know that Christs saving his people by sanctifying them as well as justifying them is the very stream both of the old and new Testament And here that I may help your understanding a little I shall instance 1. In the Sacraments and Types 2. In the Promises 3. In the Prophesies of the old Testament 4. In the Sacraments of the new Testament 5. In the Gospel-invitations together with some other texts of Scripture Sacraments ordinary 1. For the Sacraments which were ordinary in the old Testament Circumcision of the flesh signified circumcising that

in his Epistle to Titus c. 2. pressing the duties of severall ages sexes and orders of people to ver 11 useth this with other weighty arguments that Christ gave himselfe for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works ver 14. Thus also Peter exhorting the elect to be active in the wayes of holinesse not fashioning themselves to their former lusts 1. Pet 1. from ver 10. to v. 18. useth this as a most forcible argument among others ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your Fathers but with the precious blood of Christ Arg. 1 The First Argument is drawn from Gods honour that is the chief work of Christ our Saviour wherein God is most honoured but God is most honoured in the saving his people from their sins therefore is this the chief work of Christ c. That that is the great or chief work of Christ wherein God is most glorified will need little proof for that must needs be the greatest work that most effectually atteineth the highest end And what end higher than the glory of God which was the supreme end of all Christs undertakings Joh. 17.4 That God is most glorified in the saving his people from their sins is manifest by its contrary God is most yea onely dishonoured by the sinnes and not all by the sufferings e As a cause or occasion given of his dishonour although the wicked take occasion to blaspheme God when his people are brought low Psal 79.10 12. of his people Gods people by their holinesse glorifie him and he is much honoured in the midst of their sufferings whereas Sin dishonours him in the midst of ease and abundance of mercies Gods honour Will well agree with the sufferings of his people but Sin is directly injurious to his glory though by accident he gets himselfe glory by it as he at first produc'd light out of darkness Thus God is much honoured by the great sufferings of Job while he sinneth not Job 1.20 21. yea God is so much honoured that he makes his boast against Satan of his Servant Job cap. 2 3. And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause And on the contrary how much is God dishonoured by our sinfull ease and prosperity yea most dishonoured by it in those that are redeemed from the guilt and punishment of sinne The grosse miscarriages of Gods people give occasion to the Enemies of God to blaspheme his name and wayes Thus when David had foulely offended saith the Lord by his Prophet Thou hast given great occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 The crimes of Professors are ever the most scandalous yea the sins of Gods dearest children are most offensive to God himselfe because they are also committed against the greatest mercy and loving kindness The Lord in this case is ready to say with the Psalmist Psal 55.12 It was not mine Enemy that reproached me then I could have born it But when a Sinner is saved from his sins God is much honoured both before Angels and Men. Arg. 2 The second Argument is drawn from the greatnesse of the evill of sin above suffering That must needs be the greatest work in our Salvation whereby we are saved from the greatest evill but sin f It is better for a man to be cast into the torments of Hell among the Damned than to be overcome with any Sin Hookers Souls Prepar pag. 16. See Master Burroughs his Treatise of the Evill of Evills is the greatest evill and therefore our Salvation from it must needs be answerable That sin is the greatest evill is evident for many reasons 1. It is the procuring cause of all other evills and therefore must needs it self be the worst of evills The cause is ever more eminent than its effect whether for good or evill a good cause is better than its effect and an evill cause is worse That sin is the onely procuring cause of all evills is without controversie for as sin entred in the world death entred by sin and death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5 12. And the wages of sin is death saith Paul Rom. 6.23 Death temporall with all the evills of life as sicknesse wounds sorrowes and whatsoever else tendeth to Death and Death eternall All the horrour of hell is the fruit of sin the foundations of Hell are laid upon sinne Hell the worst of torments was built meerly for sinners therefore sin must be the worst of evills And because that sin is the Souls greatest evill and unhappinesse it is that when God comes to deliver a Soul out of meer pity and bowels of compassion his Eye chiefly pities them and his Bowells yerne over them because of their misery in sinne it selfe as you may read at large Ezek. 16. the former part of the Chapter And the saving mercy that he sheweth his love in is opposed to hardning in sinne rather than damning for sinne Rom. 9.18 He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth And the punishment of sinne with sin we account the greatest judgement 2. Sinne is Mans greatest evill because it hinders him from the enjoyment of the greatest good which is God himselfe It is sinne onely that separates between God and the Soule this is the onely partition wall Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you 3. Sinne is the greatest evill because of all things it is most displeasing to God the chiefest good yea there is nothing displeasing to God but sinne primarily and this is an abomination to him and therefore Sinnes are called in Scripture abominations Ezek. 9.4 And the Lord said unto him goe through the midst of the City through the midst of Jerusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof Prov. 15.9 The way of ths wicked is an Abomination unto the Lord. And God doth so loath sinners for their sinne that he will not abide them in his sight The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity saith David Psal 5.5 But the evill of suffering is not at all in it selfe displeasing unto God Yea he himselfe who is infinitely good is the Author of it and there is no evill of suffering but what comes from him as the principall efficient Can there be evill in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 As by being saved from sinne Arg. 3 Man is

man hates feares and carefully shuns as evil he is sorrowfull for if it fall upon him and it is contrary to the nature of the rationall soule to doe otherwise A man that loves riches desires them seeks after them and rejoyceth in the midst of abundance Luke 12.16 17 18 19. but if he be undone by crosse Providences and poverty befalleth him he is grieved and troubled as we see by experience When the evill that a man feared is fallen upon him it maketh him sad Thus it is with those that are godly in the spirituall estate A godly man rejoyceth in all the good the Lord worketh in him and by him Thus Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards A godly man is truely grieved for all the evill he doth commit so farre as he cometh to the knowledge of it Thus David makes a sad confession of his sin Psal 51.3 4 5 6. Thus it is said 2 Sam. 24.10 Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people and Dav●d said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done Thus Peter went forth and wept bitterly after he had denied Christ Luke 22.62 And this sorrow is not meerly for grosse sinnes but for lesser also such as the world never sees A godly man as he hateth so he grieveth for vain thoughts It must be either a carnall or bruitish frame of spirit for a man not to be grieved for sin Let the Antinomian stop his mouth and say no more that a child of God ought not to be troubled for any sinne whatever he commits b Tunc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ista erit quando peccatum in homine nullum erit Borro si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illa dicend● est quum animum contingere omnino non potest ullus affectus quis hunc sluporem non omnibus vitiis judicet esse pejorem Potest ergo non absurde dici perfectam beatitudinem sine stimulo timoris sine ullae tristitiae futuram Si autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illa est ubi nec metus ullus exterret nec angit dolor aversanda est in hac vita si recte hoc est secundum Deum vivere volumus Aug. de civ Dei l. 14. c. 9. Apud nos autem juxta Scripturas Sacras Sacramque doctrinam Cives Sanctae civitatis Dei in hujus vitae peregrinatione secundum Deum viventes metuunt cupiuntque dolent gaudentque Et quia rectus est amor eorum istas omnes affectiones rectas habent Metuunt peccare cupiunt perseverare dolent in peccatis gaudent in operibus bonis c. Aug. ibid. those that are removed to heaven being wholly free from sin have no more cause to grieve for sin But whosoever it is that lives upon earth that being subject to daily offences and sometimes to great miscarriages yet is not grieved for them I will be bold to say that he is no child of God although he may conceit himself that his sins were all pardoned long since There is no medium between grieving for sin and rejoycing in sin in some degree while sin remains in us And whether he that rejoiceth in iniquity without any remorse or sorrow at all for it be in a good condition let any man judge who understandeth any thing of the Word of God See 2 Thes 2.11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Jerem. 8.5 6. Luke 13.3 5. Well whatever vain mindes may fancy to themselves the old Divinity will prove the soundest whosoever he is that is in a state of salvation doth truly and sincerely grieve for sin and delight in that which is good more than in all worldly prosperity I do not say more passionately but more solidly that if it were put to his choice he would not change grace for all the gold in the Indies Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches Psal 19.8 10. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than the honey and the honey comb Exh. 4. Whosoever thou art that fearest God and upon examination findest thy self to be delivered from a state of sin rouze up thy heart and take unto thee words of praise and thanksgiving to God thy Saviour And to the end thy heart may be raised 1. Consider what thou wast 2 Tim. 2.26 Tit. 3.3 Col. 1.21 Joh. 8.44 c. 3.18.36 Tit. 3.4 Isa 61.1 2 3. Luc. 4.18 Col. 1.13 Rom. 8.16 17 18. 1 Pet. 2.9 and what thou art How sad was thy condition when thou wast a wretched bond-slave of Satan led captive by him at his will serving divers lusts running with the wicked of the world to the same excesse of riot with them an enemy to God through evil works a child of the Devil and heir apparent of Gods eternall vengeance prepared for the Devil and his Angels But now since the love of God thy Saviour towards thee appeared thou art delivered from the bondage wherein thou wast held the Lord hath opened the prison doores knocked off thy chaines and fetters led thee forth and translated thee into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and made thee heire apparent of everlasting heavenly glory And all this is done that thou shouldst shew forth the praises of him who hath called thee out of such horrid darknesse into his mervailous light 2. Consider how many thousands there are in the world that live in the midst of carnal security contentedly abiding in the bondage of sin vassallage of Satan how very few there are that shall be saved in comparison of the multitude that shall be eternally destroyed Now that God should call thee to be one of that little flock and that when there is but as it were one of a family and two of a tribe thou shouldst be singled out from the rest and chosen when they are left what meer grace and astonishing distinguishing mercy is this Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received 3. How many more rich more honourable more wise than thy self and many lesse sinners and of better natural dispositions and inclinations are left in a state of sin to perish eternally yet God hath reformed thy crooked perverse spirit and continually pardons thy daily miscarriages and leads thee and guides thee by his gracious spirit in the way to perfect glory Hast thou not cause to say This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that

SALVATION FROM SINNE BY JESVS CHRIST OR The Doctrine of SANCTIFICATION which is the greater part of our SALVATION founded upon CHRIST who is both the Meritorious and Efficient cause of Sanctifying Grace purchasing it for working perfecting it in his people Applied as it was specially intended for the better information of our Judgements and quickning of our Affections in holiness wherein our everlasting happiness chiefly consisteth Preached in the weekly Lecture at Evesham in the County of Worcester By GEORGE HOPKINS M. A. Minister of the Gospel there JOHN 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nathanael Web and William Gran●ham at the black Beare in Paul's Church-yard neere the little North doore 1655. To the people of my special charge in the Burrough of Evesham Both Magistrates and others Dearly Beloved I Know not to whom I may better dedicate this little Treatise than to your selves to whom I have dedicated my self under Christ in the work of the Gospel from my first beginning to be a constant Preacher of the Gospel And I have accounted it my priviledge to succeed such faithfull Ministers who for many yeares continually instructed you in the wayes of holinesse The first of them was Doctor Baily who preached unto some of you yet living the Practice of Piety which he after published And during the time of my continuance among you I have not ceased to preach according to my talents the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse As Paul required Timothy to charge some that they preach no other Doctrine So I charge you as having received the charge of you that ye receive none other Doctrine than what is according to godlinesse Be not hasty to heare such as bring contrary Doctrine run not with men of itching eares after such as are admired for teaching meer Novelty Wandring starres to which such teachers are compared in Scripture sparkle more than the fixed starres of greatest magnitude And one Comet or Blazing starre though it portend mischief is more wondred at than all the Starres of Heaven yea than the Sun in the firmament But be you carefull with the wise men to follow such starres whose motion tends to the place where your Saviour is And although you finde him here not clad in soft rayment nor deckt with tapestry but as in his infancy laid in straw yet think not much to bow down and worship him and offer your gifts your whole selves spirit soule and body of far greater value than gold frankincense and myrrhe as due to him who offered his soule a sacrifice for you Beware of being intangled with the profits and pleasures of the world which as I have lately shewed you are the two great barres that hinder soules from coming to Christ Think it not much to attend once in a week upon a Lecture sermon Those that will not leave their ordinary worldly businesse to attend upon the Word of Christ for one hour when they may return to it again will be loath to forsake all to follow Christ if they should be called to it and without this you cannot be his true Disciples Oh be not like the murmuring Israelites that despised the heavenly Manna because it fell daily at their tent doores and lusted after flesh Be not like the multitude of unthankfull poore that wax wanton in this time of plenty Lest the Lord by sending among you a famine of hearing the Word cause it to become precious But while you have the Ordinances of grace wait diligently upon Christ who is the fountain of grace in them Pray and labour for sanctified hearts and lives considering that Holinesse is your reall Happinesse as I have more largely taught you in these following Sermons Never feare that my pressing you or your pressing on to holiness or good works will in the least derogate from the freenesse of Gods grace for they are not your own work but Gods work in you and by you neither by them do you adde any thing to God but God to you you doe not increase his glory but he augments your happinesse so that what good you doe being done in the strength of his grace and tending to the perfection of your own soules makes no Recompence to God but makes you the greater Debtors to him The more holy and abundant you are in good works the more you have received from God and the more you owe to God And you have no more cause to glory in your selves for what good you do than to glory in your selves for the free pardon and remission of your sinnes These Sermons were not preached neither are they now published without my unfeigned prayers to God for a blessing upon them to your soules As I have been at the paines to compose prea●h and publish them in which I have found Gods assistance and direction for your sakes so be you at the paines to read them carefully and practise them diligently which that you may be enabled to doe pray earnestly that so glory may redound to God advantage to your own soules and comfort to Your unworthy but faithfull Minister of Christ Geo Hopkins HOlinesse being the very Image of God upon the soule and the blessed perfection in which we were Created to the reparation whereof we are Redeemed by Christ renewed by the holy Ghost conducted by the Word and furthered by all Gods Ordinances and in which so much of our everlasting Blessednesse will consist It is no wonder if it have many Adversaries in the world and if Satan and all ungodly men do imploy their wit and power to extinguish it subtill Hereticks secretly undermine it and bring in Doctrines which if practically entertained would destroy it The Libertines more plainly slight and contemne it and the profane do openly deride and persecute it No man but the Son hath seen God at any time but in the glasse of his Word and Works must we here behold him One of these Glasses is the Church and its sanctified Members here do the wicked see the holinesse of God and hate it here do the just behold the holinesse of God and love it It is as neglecters and despisers of Christ in his holy ones that the wicked are condemned as lovers of Christ in his holy ones that the righteous are rewarded in the judgement that is before us Mat. 25. All Doctrines and Practises therefore that derogate from Sanctification do tend to Damnation and are enmity against God The usuall wayes by which the Deceiver and his Instruments attempt this work are these foure 1. By denying the necessity and true ends and uses of holinesse and perswading men that it is necessary no otherwise than as an evidence of some better thing or as a point of gratitude onely for salvation received when as it is part of our salvation it self and a necessary meanes to the rest which yet remaineth 2. By setting Justification and Sanctification in opposition as

enemy therefore when Sathan had overcome Eve he makes use of her to tempt her husband as being a more likely way to prevaile than to treat with him himself Thus he made use of Solomons wives to draw him to Idolatry For this cause the Lord forbad the Israelits to make marriages with Idolaters Deut. 7.3 4. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son For they will turne away thy son from following me that they may serve other Gods And Paul giveth the like admonition to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.14 Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers And as the Lord warned the Israelites of the danger that would insue upon the making of such Marriages so accordingly it befell them when they transgressed this command Their strange wives became a snare to them Judges 3.5 6. And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites Hittites Amorites Perisites Hivites and Jebusites And they tooke their daughters to be their wives and they gave their daughters to their sons served their gods It was Sampsons Delilah that betrayed him into the hands of the Philistims And how is it found by sad experience that such as yoke themselves unequally for carnall advantages are much insnared in their spirituall condition When Marriages are made the infidelity or prophanenesse of the one party is not sufficient to make a necessary divorce but the believing and spirituall are to do what they can to win the unbelieving and carnall yet when persons are free they had best take heed how they intangle themselves And wo to that person that becomes a snare Thou that art an inticing husband canst thou not be content to perish alone but thou must needs draw thy wife to the same eternall ruine with thee Thou that art an inticing wife canst thou not be satisfied to perish alone but thou must draw thy husband to the same everlasting torment with thee must you needs go to hell by couples As those that have been happy instruments in saving their yoke-fellows shall reap the everlasting comfort of it So on the contrary it will be an everlasting torment to those husbands and wives who have been Sathans instruments in destroying each others soules O consider this and lay it to heart before it be too late The last way I shall mention of hindring the saving of people from their sins is by persecution Although now there is not blessed be God such open persecution with violence as in the dayes of Popish Kings and Rulers with fire and faggot and other waies of torture Yet the scornes decisions and abuses that have been offered to the waies and servants of God have been a great means to hinder some by discouraging them in the way to turn others out of the good way wherein they were going In these times I confess a slight forme of godlinesse and some smooth words About matters of Religion especially the arguing of controversies in divers opinions is in great credit and much in fashion and the upper garment of Saint ship is the very livery of the times we live in But the power of godlinesse is but here and there found and serious Christian practice hath little savour and acceptance He that will be a Christian indeed shall be reviled by the profane party on the one hand for his precisenesse and scorned and vilified by our Novelists on the other hand as a Legallist and Formalist as one that trusts to and hopes to be saved by his duties Is not ancient serious christian practice every where spoken against by the wantons of our age who account old stedfast professors no better than Pharisees and Selfe-justitiaries It was a cruell practice of Paul before his conversion that he persecuted the Saints shutting many of them up in prison and gave his voyce against them when they were to be put to death and that he punished them oft in every Synagogue and being exceedingly mad against them persecuted them even to strong cities but the most mischievous of all was that he compelled them to blaspheme Acts 26 10 11. The other were but temporal sufferings this a spirituall mischief So now may we say it was a murtherous practice in Bonner and others that burned the Saints in the daies of Queen Mary but of far more evil consequence is the sin of those that by scoffs and scornes at the power of godlinesse under specious pretences have deluded many simple soules causing them to blaspheme the ancient tried and approved wayes of God and rejoice in it as if they had done God good service O how doth this confirm the ungodly in the midst of their wickednesse and cause many that began to minde Religion to take up with a slight Antinomian profession and go no further And how sad is it to heare many talk of Gospel liberty and Saints priviledges applying all to themselves while they are in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity their lives conversations plainly declaring that they are as great strangers to the worth of Regeneration as ever Nichodemus was And while they promise liberty they bring themselves into real bondage 2 Pet. 2.18 19. Whosoever thou art that hast had a hand in managing this will of the Devil to secure poor Soules in the midst of their sins as it were bidding them sleep on and take their rest crying peace peace where there is no peace know that a fearfull woe belongs to thee the blood of those soules which thou hast destroyed will be required at thy hands Suppose thou hadst seen the vision of John in the opening of the fifth Seal Rev. 6.9 10. and hadst beheld under the Altar the Soules of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held and hadst heard them crying with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwel on the Earth wouldst thou not have blessed thy selfe from being of the number of them that should have a hand in their blood But there will a louder and more direfull cry from poor damned soules in hell be lifted up for vengeance against thee even those whom thou hast destroyed by teaching them to spurn at the power of godlinesse The Martyrs that were slain died but temporally to live eternally but those poor Soules whom thou hast taught to score at holinesse indeed must die eternally and without recovery O that all these sorts of hinderers of the work of Christ in saving people from their sinnes had but this reproof set home upon their hearts O that seducing Teachers mischievous Dividers scandalous Ministers and others exemplary for wickednesse that enticing Sinners and self-admiring Scorners at Godlinesse had but the loud cry of dying souls that by their means perish in their wickedness continually ringing in their eares that it might be a means to recover them out