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A79826	The abuse of Gods grace: discovered in the kinds, causes, punishments, symptoms, cures, differences, cautions, and other practical improvements thereof. Proposed as a seasonable check to the wanton libertinisme of the present age. By Nicholas Claget, minister of the Gospel at Edmundsbury in Suffolk, M.A. of Magdalen Hall, Oxon.	Clagett, Nicholas, 1610?-1662.; Wilkinson, Henry, 1616-1690.	1659 (1659)	Wing C4368; Thomason E978_2; ESTC R207811	268,515	321

dream of Perfection but in some things or others hath abused the grace of God Do not all of us almost said Luther live in the most filthy abuse of Gods gifts We cannot know the strictness of the Law of God and Gospel-rules and our own loose unconformity but we have cause to say guilty and to cry mightily to God Spare us O Lord. And now whoever thou aot that readest the ensuing Treatise I beseech thee lay to heart this great sin branded in this Book with all its aggravating circumstances of Abusing the Grace of God Let thy whole life and conversation evidence thy walking in the spirit thy self-abhorrency and universal hatred of sin that with David every false way thou utterly abhorrest The design I drive my conscience bearing me witnesse is to advance Grace in my own and others hearts and lives and to prevent the abuse of it Let not any of us abuse Grace like Spiders sucking poyson out of so sweet an hearb which then we doe apparently when we turn the Grace of God into wantonness If by these Meditations God may have glory and the Reader any spiritual benefit I shall abundantly rejoice that I have any way contributed my Mite towards assistance of such as walk in the narrow way to life Lastly I earnestly beg thy prayers that I may be faithful in my Ministry valiant for the truth against all gainsayers and instrumental to winne many souls unto righteousnesse And so good Reader I commend these my endeavours to the blessing of God and commit thee to Gods Gracious Providence and remain From my study in Edmundsbury in Suffolk March 18. 1658. Thy helper in the narrow way to Life Nicholas Claget The Contents of the Chapters Jude v. 4. TUrning the Grace of God into lasciviousness pag. 1 CHAP. 1. Containing the coherence of the words p. 1 CHAP. 2. Containing the Explanation of the words Deduction of the Doctrin with the Method of handling it p. 3 CHAP. 3. Shewing in how many waies or kinds the grace of God may be turned into wantonness p. 4. Sect. 1. Predestinating grace is turned into wantonness 5 2. Sparing grace is turned into wantonnesse 7 3. Long-suffering grace is turned into wantonness 8 4. The whole time of grace is turned into wantonness 10 5. The inviting offers of Grace are turned into wantonness 15 6. The means of grace are turned into wantonness 24 7. The examples of grace are turned into wantonness 34 8. Reconciling grace is turned into wantonness 37 9. Adopting grace is turned into wantonness 38 10. Freeing grace is turned into wantonness 47 11. Pardoning grace is turned into wantonness 50 12. The grace of imputed righteousness is turned into wantonness 55 13. Gloryfying grace is turned into wantonness 61 CHAP. 4. Shewing when the grace of God is turned into wantonness 69 Sect. 1. The Grace of God is turned into wantonness in reference to sin four waies 69 2. The grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart is fearless of sin 70 3. The grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart is sorrowless for sin 71 4. The grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart is powerless over sin 71 5. The grace of God is turned into wantonness when the sinner carries loosly as to God in 4. particulars 75 6. The grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart carries wickedly as to Christ in 3. things 77 7. When the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God Doctrinally and Practically 82 8. The grace of God is turned into wantonness when as it carrieth wickedly as to the Gospel of Christ 84 9. The grace of God is turned into wantonness when as the heart carrieth it wickedly as to the creatures 87 CHAP. 5. Wherein are set down the causes why the grace of God is turned into wantonness 89 Sect. 1. Want of knowing the work and abuse of grace 90 2. Want of Faith to beleeve the signal darger of sin causeth ab●se of grace 91 3. Want of heat intention and livelyness in Religion causeth abuse of grace 91 4. Want of receiving of the truth in love is an advantage to turn a Libertine 93 5. Want of laying to heart Gospel-threatnings causeth abuse of grace 95 6. Want of grace changing and affecting the heart causeth abuse of grace 96 7. Want of the upright and genuine use of grace causeth abuse of grace 97 8. Want of sound conviction of the mischief of original corruption is a cause of turning the grace of God into wantonness 98 9. Want of considering the streight way to life causeth the abuse of grace 101 10. Error in 5. particulars causeth the abuse of grace 103 11. The error of sufficient attainments in Religion causeth the abuse of grace 104 12. A gross error to the abuse of grace that what pleaseth the loose sinner pleaseth God 107 13. Another error that abuseth grace is that false evidences are true 107 14. The error of abusive interpretation of Scripture hath produced the abuse of grace 113 15. The grace of God is abused by Presumption 123 16. Presumption of interest in the Promises causeth abuse of grace 126 17. The presumption of setting Death and Judgement at a far distance causeth the abuse of grace 129 18. The presumption of time enough to repent causeth the abuse of grace 131 19. Temptation causeth the abuse of grace in 4. particulars 134 20. Evill company is a temptation to wrong the grace of God 137 21. Scandalous sins of the godly are temptations to abuse grace 139 22. Divisions and contentious about Christian Religion cause abuse of grace 144 CHAP. 6. Shewing wherein the greatness of this sin appears 143 Sect. 1. It a sin of a more than ordinary prophaness 153 2. It is an hypocritical sin 154 3. It is an ungrateful sin 155 4. Abuse of grace is a sin against experience 156 5. Abuse of grace is a sin destructive to true faith 158 6. Abuse of grace is opposite to the power of godliness 158 7. Abuse of grace is a reproaching sin 159 8. Abuse of grace brings daily loss to the soul 160 9. Abuse of grace is a despising sin 161 10. Abuse of grace is a revo●t●ng sin 162 11. Abuse of grace is an unexcusable sin 165 12. Abuse of grace is an heathenish sin 165 13. Abuse of grace is an universal sin 167 14. Abuse of grace is an unchurching sin 168 CHAP. 7. Wherein are set forth the punishments of this great sin abusing Gods grace 171 1. It is a great judgement to be given up to carnal lusts 171 2. Spiritual blind●ess is a judgement inflicted on those who pervert the grace of God 174 3. Hardness is a ●udgement inflicted upon such as abuse the grace of God 175 4. Incurableness in sin is a judgement against those who abuse the grace of God 177 5. Prophaning of Gods grace will bring a terrible judgement at the last day 178 6. The hottest room in

them as the Pues you sit in and as walls and rocks The despising of wholsome heavenly instructions no lesse then the despising of the Lord Jesus Luk. 10. 16 is that which makes honest godly Ministers to set down with mourning and tears in their closer addresses to God that their hearers will not be converted saved and have eternal life Act. 13. 46. and Phil. 3. 8. 6. You will be unexcusable when you shall see the offers 6. Men will be inexcusable when they see offers of Grace at an everlasting distance from them and hopes of Grace at an everlasting distance from you How will paleness sit on your faces when you are before a dreadful Bar what trembling will surprise your hearts when conscience shall terribly inform you that the Lords Messengers in earnest desires and longings for your happiness in zeal love and tears offered you for Christs sake to embrace the Heavenly Treasures of the saving Covenant and you would not or soon stifled your Convictions lost your good resolutions and affections you secured the world and that great Idol flesh pleasing but not Eternity you can easily slight it may be jeer the Minister but remember you will be enforced to call to minde his passionate woings for Jesus and that your blood would be upon you that you would be your own destroyers if you disallowed and abhorred Christ if you knew not God and obeyed not his Gospel At such and such times in hearing and reading the Word in heart-searching godly Books the Spirit of Jesus held forth before you a Feasable Justified Adopted Sanctified and Glorified Estate and you liked not Christs conditions to fit you for and obtain Eternal Glory How have you abused Christ and his Gospel-Ministry when you were told his yoke was easie by Divine Power Did not you look upon the Preacher exhorting the duties of Religion as a proposer of intolerable and too severe tasks as if the glorious patern of Wisdom Righteousness and Sweetness should tyrannize over men and bid men be his servants to their loss and the Devil and the World could make more gainful honorable and comfortable bargains 7. You shall have no cause to blame the pure Justice of the 7. There will be no cause of blaming Gods Justice angry Lamb the Judge of the World if when you shall cry Lord Lord he be as deaf at your dreadful crys as you were at his calls if he know you not to save you when you knew him not to serve him This will justifie the direful last Sentence Go ye cursed and clear your eternal stripes from cruelty when you have wilfully abused the infinite love of the Son of God Grace was offered you but you would not be healed nor reformed you have destroyed your selves 'T is Divine Justice that the wickedness of the wicked in due penalty should be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. Wicked Gospellers even put fury into a gracious God and necessitate him to gain the reputation of his Holiness out of their damnation It becomes the natural Justice of his Majesty to be the Avenger who is not the Author of wilful unbelief The holy One of Israel is provoked Isa 1. 4. The holiness of God is read in the Characters of those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Judgements which he executes on the impenitent World It s just the heaviest of punishments should be the vindications of Gods Dishonors by the affronts of his Grace upon a threefold account 1. The ungrateful and voluntary high indignities that vain 1. Vain loose people put voluntary indignities upon Gods Grace Suadet terret hortatur excitat monet Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes loose hearts and lives put upon Gods Grace Wisdom hath sent out her maidens to invite sinners to be Saints Prov. 9. 3 4. and sit down at its heavenly Table v. 5. of all sufficient satisfying saving provisions comes with Perswasions Comminations Admonitions to accept the Call but the loose guests either come not at all or unprepared surfeit on good food turn it into ill humors The offended King of Heaven hath sent out his Heralds of Arms to proclaim Peace and Mercy on most righteous tearms but stout rebels will not resign up their hearts to Christ but keep them strongly garrison'd for Lust and the Devil and this is the success the Calls of Gods Grace meet withal Satan and Christ knock at the soul for entrance It is opened to Satan and locked to Christ Shall obstinate unprofitable hearers blame God under their everlasting smart when they have not so much despised their Ministers as Jesus Christ Shall loose unreformed Children that despised their godly wooing and warning Parents cry out of unjustice under eternal wrath when they did not so much abuse their holy Invitations as Gods It was his Qui mihi monitus muliebres tui erant Aug. Conf. l. 2. spirit that made by Religious Fathers and Mothers gracious proffers to gainsaying Children Conscience will give in testimony on Gods side that he graciously called froward wilful sinners that they might be pardoned not abide under condemnation they Libertatem pollicetur vos aufugitis in servitutem might be Saints not remain sinners they might be free not continue Captives obtain a blessing not lie under the curse and be saved in mortifying the deeds of the Body and not be ruined by cruel mercy and Indulgences to corrupt nature the worst of enemies 2. The bold abuses of heavenly inviting offers though God 2. The bold abuse of heavenly inviting offers hath complained of this long before in his holy Word and urged such injurious dealing as a most just Apology of his severest vengeance I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Prov. 1. 4. Therefore when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as a whirl-wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you I will be even with you you shall call upon me but I will not answer seek me but not finde me v. 27 28. All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to again-saying people Isa 62. 5. Therefore the Lord Christ threatned these unbelieving Jews that the Christ and the Grace they rejected should be offered to better entertainers He would have a Church among the Gentiles the Kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Matth. 21. 42 43. I said you shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins John 8. 24. He that believes not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him Iohn 3. 36. How justly do the Wrongings of Gods grace bring endless misery when the Lord hath often complained of it before hand in the Scriptures cautioned us to fear and tremble lest we forsake our own mercies Jonah 2. 8. Threatning this abuse with eternal death 3. The Lord hath already acquainted us in his Word

that if 3. A Woe denounced against them who make excuses and refuse to come like the guests in the Parable we either finde excuses not to come and feed on Christs heavenly dainties Luke 14. 18. or we be unprepared wanton loose guests and come not to his Feast with the Wedding Garment i. e. Faith in Christ with the whole train of Graces but in the deformed rags and pollutions of our sins I say if we be like those that either openly and positively reject his offered Grace or like those wanton abusers of Gods grace in the Apostle Jude tread in their steps and die in this Libertinism as a Woe is denounced unto them Jude Ep. v. 11. under condemnation v. 4. to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever v. 13. So if we be fellow-wanton Gospellers with them we shall follow them in their everlasting misery He is deservedly hanged that seeth a Felon die before and yet greedily pursues his wicked courses We are told Sodomites Apostate Angels Abusers of Gospel-grace are already in Hell If the examples of their torments make us not to abhor and eschew their sinnes divine justice wrongs us not in our everlasting destruction whom should self-destroyers blame but themselues I have been the longer in this Section because of the mighty importance of the matter the common wofull lamentable damnable refusall of Gospel gracious calls and invitations to everlasting happinesse unchristianly prophanely dishonourably abused SECT 6. 6. THe means of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse This sad 6. The means of Grace is turned into wantonnesse experience I shall give out in three things shewing When the means of grace are abused The evil of that abuse and What means of grace are abused 1. When are the means of grace abused They are so 1. when they are set higher than they are Means are made Mediators set in the room of Christ when an equall yea a superiour confidence is put in Instrumental institutions The hand and the courage of the Warriour is disparaged when the Sword is set up above him and there be more confidence in a dead instrument than in a living agent The Word the Sword of the Spirit is dead and successelesse out of the strong and living hand of the Spirit It is a double and common wrong both to the means of grace and to Christ when Christ is not eyed sought to admired trusted in by the means The error not onely of ignorant prophane Christians that trust in a bare Baptism and a following of their Church to save them but most real Christians some whereof more admire their Preachers than Jesus Christ more look after an impotent man with all the glory of his gifts than the power and the transcendently eminent endowments of the Lord Jesus The Apostle Paul taught a better lesson who although he planted and watered Churches with miraculous successe owned his own nothingness 2 Cor. 12. 11. abhorred the thoughts of self-sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. was jealous of robbing Christ of his glory gave him the honour of his grace and power that he was used as the exalted and blessed instrument to convert multitudes of sinners and save their soules Rom. 15. 18 19. 2 When meās of grace are set lower then they are 2. When they are set lower than they are Then they are so when they are accounted as uselesse needlesse things as if heaven could be got without them grace might be had and kept though the means disused Nothing is more clear than that in ordinary dispensation extraordinaries not being our rule God hath confined grace and salvation to the use of means Knowledge Joh. 17. 3. The Gospel preached Rom. 1. 13. Baptism 1 Pet. 3. 21. Prayer Ro. 10. 13. The education of godly family guides Gen. 18. 19. Excommunications 1 Cor. 5. 5. The holy counsels and examples of Husbands and Wives one to another 1 Cor. 7. 16. The means of grace to the reproach of the God of grace are exceedingly undervalued when the sottish and conceited generation that live without Ordinances hold there is no dependance at all on holynesse and eternal happinesse upon Gods instituted means They are also set lower than they are when encumbred with Martha about needlesse things in the brood of earthly cares and employments neglect their attendances on heavenly means and make their affaires below excuses as too many doe to the dishonour of their regenerate part just as studious worldlings to put by heavenly exercises in the Worship of God 3. When they are contradicted and blasphemed as Paul's 3 Whē means of Grace are contradicted and blasphemed preaching was by the Jews true Prayer by the Spirit by unspiritual gracelesse Atheists that revile godly care of holy houshold guides to keep their children and servants in the knowledge fear and love of God whose pious endeavours to save the soules of their families condemning their wicked neighbours irreligion is the occasion but not the cause of their blaspheming their Prayers singing of Psalmes strict keeping of the Sabboth and week dayes holy and righteous conversation when the holy and heavenly institutions of the Lord Jesus are the markes at which sonnes and daughters of Belial shoot the arrows of their bitter words the meanes of grace are eminently abused 4. When they are judged and rested in as the onely evidences of grace The more ignorant carnall morall hypocriticall 4 Whē means are judged rested in as the only evidences of Grace sort of Christians have no better arguments that they are in the state of grace than this they have the means of grace It is an irrational conclusion A patient hath good physick therefore he shall recover a dunce hath good books and a good tutor therefore he will be a scholar a great Army is well furnished for war therefore it shall overcome The battel is not to the strong Eccles 9. 11. As unscripturall an inference it is The means of grace are enjoyed therefore the grace of the means is obtained Capernaum was lifted up to heaven in means and yet cast to hell Mat. 11. 23. Ordinances doe not confer grace as fire doth heat by their natural vertue but as the Lord Christ healed the sick by supernaturall Grace is not in the means as causes but by them as instruments Should many men have no use of the means to plead for their spirituall estate there would be nothing to speak them really Christian but they would be left as naked heathens It is not the having but the saving using of means that will stand by us 5. When they are made shelters of sin as dens are for Lyons 5 Whē means are made a shelter of sin cloaths are for bodies The Sacrifices and Temple were not to be a Sanctuary of Murder Adultery False swearing Idolatry Jer. 7. 9 10. Nor were the Pharisees to make long prayers to cloak the devouring of widdows houses Luk. 20. 47. The Harlots beginning with Gods services were poor fig

but Diabolical Perfection Consider from what stairs you have almost descēded into the bottomless pit Have you not in spiritual pride despised the Ministry and Ordinances of Christ Have you not been formal and dead under them when you used them Have you not often blunted by your stony hearts the home and wounding Arrows of informing reproving convictions When you could not could your workes of darknesse with the divine light of truth Have you not then to cover your old mans deeds and quiet your often barking yea sometimes byting conscience called Gods lightdarkness and Satans darkness light Yea by a surer artifice to make you quite dead as to unquiet conviction Have you not first given way to wicked scepticism doubt almost every thing and which is a further degree of soul-ruining delusion the difference between Turpe and Honestum Moral Malice Goodnesse Have you not by a cursed indiscriminating difference jumbled Holyness and Wickedness together and made nothing sin but what you thinks to be so I cannot but tell you if all the Apostate Angells should sit in counsell why would most ascertayne the the damnation of the children of men pluck up all religion and righteousness by the roots destroy Churches and common-wealths questionlesse your opinion and practises would be the Devils master-piece to doe it O Remember whence you are fal'n and repent Be convinced the Law is holy Just and good God hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. adversus Hare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. Ibid. pure eyes No evil can dwell with him He hath no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse Study the Ten commandements read Mr. Dod and others Know and beleeve the Rules of the Gospel are strict and severe against Libertines and be sure of it your soul wounds are so deep and dangerous that it must be an extraordinary repentance that must heal them You that have wrested the pure word of Gods grace and followed seduced Christians in the time of Ireneus who held perfection boldly asfirmed they knew more then Paul Peter or any other Apostle and yet ranted it like you in this opinion and practise they freely did all things they pleased without any fear in any things O trace the penitentiall steps of a seduced sifter of your in error the beantiful wife of a Deacon in Asia who being by an inchanting love-cup defiled in soul and Prostituted in body by one Mark an unclean Magician pretending to make the most rich and best apparell'd women Prophetesses was with much labour converted from her irreligions and impure error and practise by the Christian brethren of that time and ceased not to confesse with bitter teares and mourning the impure violation of her body and spirit from that wicked Magician Your Apostacy from Christ into the impure sinke of corrupt opinion and it may be ansverable practise is very greivous your return had need be eminent in constant mourning bitter weeping pure and strict living So I pass from you to other Abusers of the Scriptures Christian Profession and themselves The Apostle Peter hath an high expression of a real Saint the living Id est quasi Deisicari ut loquamur Marl. Notandum cst naturae nomen hic non substantiam sed qualitatem designate picture of Christ He is partaker of the divine nature anhigh expression Marlorat thinks not to be parallel'd in the Old be parallel'd in the O and New Testainment it is as if we should say the Saint were deified Quasi as if not that he is so The holy Writer well expounds the word Nature doth not design substance but qualitie or as I heard judicious Master Whitaker now with Christ interpret The divine nature is not the divine essence but the divine resemblance The Manichees a dissolute Sect dreamed wee are the offspring of Gods substance and at length after death Hodie fanatici nos in Dei naturam transire imaginattur shall return into his Being our Original so some fanatical men fancy we shall pass into the nature of God and his divine nature shall swallow us up abusing as this Text of the Apostle Peter so that of the Apostle Paul 15. 28. God shall be all in all Not that we are or shall be or can be parts of the divine essence a blasphemy against the simplicitie of God which is incapsble of composition or division but because being partakers of Quantum modulus noster feret divine created glory and immortallity we shall be as it were one with God in the light and life of a glorious estare as much as vessels of honour are capable of Some loose Libertines among us the sad monuments of Apostasie from the Truth have come near the brink yea sunk into this blasphemous error Moreover those Texts which answerable to natural reason give God as the first cause and being an universal causalitie and efficiencie in the Acts of second causes contirgent as wel natural Rational as of Sense and Vegetation as That in him we have being and motion He workssall things according to the Counsell of his will Go doth all and the Creature doth nothing without him From the wrested truth of the divine concourse to secondary acts doubt not boldly to lay their spurious wickednesse at the doores of the holy God as if Gods motions in the creature pure and innocent could justifie the irregularities and monstrous exorbitances of sinful men when they know without Coaction they with a willing spontaneity vile affection and evill custome doe mingle their corruptions with Gods innocent operations These wantons that shroud their sinnes under the Apology and sanctuary of Gods Agency in second causes will be one day without repentance informed in a distinction to their everlasting shame and punishment That Gods working in vitious Actions and theirs are as different as light and darkness His motion is Metaphysically and naturally good theirs morally evil His moving the faculries of the soul and members of the body are pure unblameable and necessary upon the presupposal of his being the first mover intimately cooperating in every second motion as also upon the necessary reputation of his infinite purity and goodness which cannot be the least causative influence in the least evil disposition or action as formally evil but it is they have blended divine pure activities with their own evil mixtures as for example It is Gods efficacious concourse that the hand with a sword in it is stretched out it is mans wickedness that hath made the motion murderous Gods motions are strait loose walkers motions are crooked Gods actions are the fruit of his operative Providence whereby being and moving is supported Their actions are the impure results of depraved corruption Last of all among many revishers of the sacred Text from its pure and chast meaning in reference to the Abuse of Grace Mammonists with their filthy lucre cast dirt on the holy Word and are cum Privilegio worldlings by Scripture licence and countenance

up wealth so they grow rich care not how they abuse one another by Impostures Frauds and Injuries As all earthy nominal Christians slight that Gospel grace in which they prosess their felicity is wrapt up and more industriously pursue that which is a shadow then substantial happiness so in spiritual real ones through the inclinations and temptations of the old man in them there is some abuse of Gods grace surely they know wherefore Grace is recieved what hinders but that it should teach them how they ought and might improve it who have more abilities then others to walk close with God deny themselves be fruitful in good works live in Heaven honor their Lord and Master Jesus Christ by a shining convincing conversation be the presidents of mortifying grace and in brief to hold forth the glory and power of Religion to make it amiable in the eyes of wicked men even these cannot but be conscious to themselves how far short they are and live up to the dignity essicacy and majesty of that Gospel Holiness and strictness they profess and in some measure but too little discover That real servant of Christ is one of an hundred yea one of a thousand that doth not in one thing or another spot the garment of his holy Profession and in some lower degree yet intolerable and unallowable of wantonness fall short of the honor and power of Gospel grace Happy is the person The None-such The Phaenix of the Countrey who is so eminently mortified so self crucified to the world impowred against Satan grown in Grace dwelling in Heaven makes the practice and power of Religion the great business hath such daily and hourly assisting grace is in such constant guard of his heart and fear of God that the transcendent Professor rather lives as an Angel then a Saint among men but it is very rare to finde Christians coming nigh this Character Who are there that know the large and hard things required in the Law and strict rules of the Gospel and his swervings from both but hath cause to charge himself with some inward or outward loosness or both and say with David I have done foolishly with Job I am vile with the Publican A sinner O God! with Paul In me in my flesh dwells no good thing though in my minde I serve the Law of God yet in my flesh I play the Wanton and serve the Law of sin This great sin The abuse of Grace is Epidemical and so much the more abominable As that Plague is worst that Eo graviora sunt peccate quo magis Catholica zanch. is generally raging and infections That of Z●●by shall period this point The more Catholick sins are the greater they are Generality of any sin is its aggravation SECT 14. 14. IT is an un-Churching sin It provokes God to take away the 14. The abuse of Grace is an unchurching sin gospel the golden Chandlesticks that hold sorth glorious Gospel saving light and to give the abused good tidings of grace to them that will bring forth the fru●s of it Matth. 21. 43. Abusing Gods grace was the sin of Sardis who had a name to live the life of grace but was dead Rev. 3 1. It was the sin of Laodicea that boasted her self rich in gifts and graces in gospel Treasures when she was poor and miserable but rich in sin Rev. 3. 17. It was the sin of the Jews that cryed the Temple of the Lord bo●e much on Sacrifices the types of Gods grace in Chri●t which was abused to stealing murther false swearing idolatry and so perverted the ceremonial Religion of Gods grace into a securing Den of Robbers Jer. 7 9. 11. but used it not as an healing Medicine If God enter into judgement with England he may and there is cause to fear he will un-Gospel and un-Church her He may justly do with than part of his loose Family as Masters do with their loose servants take away those Candles and that Food they play the wantons with Is not Evangelical Doctrine sweetly clearly plainly and commonly Preached throughout the Nation Are we not like Capernaum lifred up to Heaven in Ordinances Deserve we not to be like Capernaum too cast to Hell for our impenitence barrenness thriving wickedness wanton abuse of the means Are not the plentiful showres of Heavenly Doctrine the sweet and warm Beams of the Gospel Sun dishonored by a plentiful Spring of Thoms Hemlock noisom Weeds cursed Opinions and Practices We are Judgement proof and Sermon proof neither the voice of Gods Word nor Rod amends us O incurable England Are we not sick of the remedy Are not Soul Physitions now adays Physitians of no value And O sad truth of little yea in some places of no success Did it kill the heart of Eli that the outward glory the Ark was departed from Israel O our stupidity spiritual death hard heartedness want of zeal for the honor of God credit of his gospel salvation of Souls The inward glory of the Ark is gone or almost gone the astonishments the conversions the Devil-banishing the World-conquering the heart-changing the soul-warming the Lust-mortifying the Spirit-quickning the Grace-growing power of the Ordinances is by many deg ees from what it was gone from us Many years agoe the terrible and needful truths of the Law Preached have made the Auditors hair even stand an end trembling and weeping resolving and practicing Reformation were the happy fruits of ● rousing Ministry The same Truths with some suitable affections in their godly Messengers are Preached now but with little success How thin O how thin are the numbers of repenting reforming Believers How rarely are spiritual Fishermen and the Words Net blessed by a draught of souls How seldom do we see and feel the beauty and power of glory of Christ in the Sanctuary as experimented in former times Are not multitudes of Christians of large profession grown more debauched sensual careless of their souls Yea Are not stricter Christians grown looser then they were Is there not a sad fall from degrees of prizing the Ordinances first Love tenderness of Conscience the fear of God guard over thoughts and words Is it not true of many that have the root of the matter in them They are not so fruitful as once they were Good Trees that should be better are worse and are not evil professed Christians grown stark mught thrive onely in sin and grow worse and worse yea Do not the convictions of these truths lie dead upon the spirits of the most lively and best approved Christians Is there not even in quickned souls a kinde of dead insensibility of Gods dishonor the abuse of his Grace the reproach of his Gospel Is it not very rare to get a few hearty sighs and groans to wring a few tears that the Gospel grace of God the Christians glory is universally abused May we not fear this spiritual Judgement of hardness of heart is the fore-runner and will be the procurer of a

more sad O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Hos 13. 9. Why will you die O house of Israel The Law of sin and death are yo●ked together Voleutes ultronei cu iditatuvus inserviunt Pet. Mart. in Rom. Rom. 8. 2. They that will walk after their lusts wil perish 2. Pet. 2. 10 12. Now the practical adversaries of Gods grace do most willingly and freely serve their own lusts and necessitate their ruin are like Phalaris that was burnt in his own Engine of crueltie like him that hangs himself in his own Halter His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins Prov. 5. 28. He shall die without refused instruction and in the greatress of his deliberate voluntary folly he shall goe astray ver 23. He shall finde no shelter in Gods decrees His wilfull abuse of grace will be his self-condemnation He shall have his sentence at the great day not qua now electus but qua impius not depart you cursed because I chose you not but because ye are workers of iniquity SECT 2. 2. Judgement of Perverting the grace of God is spiritual 2 Spiritual blindness is a judgement inflicted upon those who pervert the grace of God blindnesse I am come for judgement said Christ that they which see might be made blind Joh. 9. 39. Isaias saw the Gospel-glory of Gods grace and p●eached it to the loose reprobate Jews and the Lord in wrath blinded their eyes that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts Joh 12. 40 41. Who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lords servant Isa 42. 19. Hear ye deaf and look ye blind ver 18. A sad reproof of the wicked Jews that did unworthily prophane the most excellent gift of gospel-light Though all others might be blind and deaf yet they that had the most bright Nulli coeciores nulli surdiores Probrose meminit Calvin Lamp of Truth shining the Silver Trumper of the Gospel sounding before them should not yet none more blind none more deaf than they an heavy judgement But if blind how Perfect how Servants They are the words of Exprobration not Commendation They should be perfect Duces via Leaders to others but were not They were punished with Blindnesse This sore punishment is clear in four things 1. They whom God punisheth with Blindness of mind are given up to the Devil to be blinded The god of this world blinds the eyes of them that beleeve not lest the light of Go spel-grace should sevingly shine in their hearts 2 Cor. 4. 4. It was a judgement on the wanton Sodomites that the Angels Diabolus est Dei carnifex atque divine ultionis execu tor Pet. Mart. blinded them Gen. 19. 11. It is a Judgement on wanton Gospellers when the evil Angels blind them with the dust dirt and srno●k of abused creatures corrupt principles carnal reason their o●n ungoverned passions It is a Judgement when the Judge commits evil doers to the Goaler and the Hangman for execution The Devil in blinding the minds of those that are lascivious with grace is Gods Executioner 2. They whom God punisheth with Blindnesse of mind cannot find the way of Life And now sad is that to wander like the blind man that gropes for the way but finds it not The blinded Sodomites wearied themselves to find the door and found it not Gen. 19. 11. So many there be that grope after the narrow way of Life and find it not Mat. 7. 14. Strive to enter into the door of happyness but find it not The Jew wronging the grace of the gospel was blinded and found it not The Papist is blinded and finds it not the loose ignorant yea the loose though kno●ing Protestant yet is blind and beleeves it not How many grope for the way of eternal life in good meanings and supposed good hearts in Civilities in Formalities in Comparative goodness in partialities of Obedience and the like and yet darkness hath blinded their eyes that they see not the way of Life 3. They whom God punisheth with blindnesse of mind they fall on every stumbling-block they meet withall are taken in every snare of Company Relations Possessions Prosperity and Adversity sa 8. 14 15. yea shining spiritual gifts yea the sweet Promises of the Gospel wrested to loosenesse are turned into snares The blind man scapes not the block in his way nor the snare and gin that is layd for him Levit. 19. 14. And the blind Libertine scapes not stumbling-blocks in the wayes of death The worst things are causes the best things occasions of stumbling Yea the Lord Christ and Gods grace are a stone of stumbling unto unbeleevers 4. They whom God punisheth with blindness of mind fall into the pit of Hell Mat. 15. 14. As saving grace in Christ delivers soules from going into the bottomlesse pit Job 33. 24. So blindness of minde infallibly delivers into it The blind man falls into the Lime-pit the Cole-pit before him and the blind sinner into the pit of destruction Did he see it hee would tremble to move toward it SECT 3. 3. Iudgement of Dishonor done to the Grace of God is Hardnesse 3 Hardness is judgement inflicted upon such as abuse this grace of God instrumenta indurationis of heart The Jews abused Isaias ●ospel-ministry and God plagued them with Hard hearts Make the heart of this people● fat Isa 6. 10. He hardned their hearts Joh. 12. 40. Let my people goe that they may serve me The words of the Lord by Moses were the Instruments of Pharaohs Hardning is the Sunne the means of the Clayes Herdning ●● grace of God in h●i● w●s preacheo o the Israelites in the Wilderness they heard the lively Oracles the gracious Truths of Salvation and Eternal Life in the Water from the Rock in the Manna from Heaven in the Teachings from Moses Act. 7. 37 38. in the in●ructions of the good Spirit of God Nehem. 9. 20. But they hardned their hearts in the provocation in the day of temptation ●eb 3. 8. they obeyed not the gracious voice of God v. 7. by the Ministry of Moses and the Lord plagued them with their own hard hearts Three things speak this an heavy judgement 1. There is no Impression of saving grace in an hard heart Where God hardens the hardens the heart he converts not he healeth it not Joh. 12. 40. A Seal leaves no print on an Anvil or an hard Cervix ferrea frons aenea flecti mitescere nescia cor intractabile quavis incude adamante darious Diaholica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stone but on the soft Wax The holy Spirit doth not seal his grace on an hard but a soft heart The Iron sinew Isa 48. 4. the brazen brow the untractable heart that is harder than the Anvil and the Adamant Diabolical insensbilitie an inflexible spirit to the divine pleasure are the spiritual penalties for