the wages of all and every sin so that sin will find the sinner suffering enough death with all its appurtenances 1 with all its forerunners diseases aches paines c. 2 With all its concomitants of tribulation and anguish desperation and horrour 3 and all its followers death after death fire and brimstone which is the second death Revel 21.8 Let us distinguish of a threefold death which is the wages of sin and all will be plaine when we have clear'd it that Salvation saves us from all the three Death 1 Internall of the Soul 2 Externall of the Body 3 Eternall of the Body and Soul 1 It saves from death internall as Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinns Iohn 5.25 The time shall come and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those that hear shall live and Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my words and beleiveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life and Revel 20.6 Blessed is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power which expositors do interpret of the resurrection of the Soul from the death of sin to the life of grace as the second resurrection of the body from death to life immortall 2. It saves from death externall though not from the stroak of death for it s appointed unto all men once to die Hebr. 9.27 Yet from the sting of death for blessed are the dead which die in the Lord Revel 14.13 Paul tells us if in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men the most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 noting that the hope that we have in Christ for another life is the best part of our hope and that which maketh not ashamed and in order to this Solomon saith the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Though beleivers die yet they are not kill'd with death as that deadly phrase is Revel 2.23 It is but their dust that sees corruption Their head having kill'd death Oh death I will be thy death Hos 13.14 nothing hinders but that on the account of that victory they may triumph as more than conquerors and say with the Apostle O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 3 It saves from death eternall Iohn 11.25 26. He that beleiveth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and beleiveh in me shall not die for ever Death is therefore call'd the King of feares because there is a more terrible death stands behind it as the Apostle saith after death cometh the judgement so we may say after judgement cometh the death Observe but how the Apostle sends out bold challenges and even bids defiance to all adversary power upon this very score of being protected and secured from the second death Rom. 8.33 Who shall condemn What shall separate I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus c. Let all these be laid together that it saves us 1 From the wrath of God 2 From the curse of his Law 3 From the tyranny of Satan 4 From sin both condemning and commanding and then from punishment death internall externall and eternall and these make up a pregnant proof that Gospel-Salvation is great Salvation from the ab hoc the great evills it saves 〈◊〉 from 2 Ad hoc 2 Reason It saves us to great happiness I meane that by this great Salvation we are advanced to great happiness It were endles to handle all the particulars of that blessedness to which Salvation doth entitle us Moses brings in that blessedness in huddles that is prepared for the children of obedience and heyres of Salvation Deut. 28. blessings of all sorts and sizes in every state and condition David saith Psal 1.1 Blessednesses belong unto them or as the originall doth more emphatically render it ô beatitudines oh the blessednesses that belong unto such as he there describes and Psal 144.15 gives their blessedness a rise above all other blessedness yea above all that can be spoken or conceived yea blessed are the people which have the Lord to be their God Paul saith they begin in election and end in glorification Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified In which words he sets downe the priviledges of Gods saved ones 1. Before time In predestination 2. In time In calling and Justification 3. After time In Glorification Let us if we can run back to the beginning of eternity end run forward to the end of it and if we cannot as we cannot let us run to our witts end and then cry out ô altitudo ô profunditas oh the length and bredth and height and depth of the love of God which passeth knowledge The measure of Heaven is heaped up and pressed downe and running over Yet though the excellencies of that Land of promise which flowes with better blessings than milk and hony cannot be told you we shall not pass it by so slenderly as to say no more of it but shall do as those faithfull spies that were sent to survey the Land of Canaan present you with a bunch or two that you may have a tast at least of the fruits of the Land though the full feast be reserved till the time of our fruition 1. Those that are the heyres of this great Salvation are adopted into the family of Heaven and received into the glorious liberty of the Sonns and Daughters of the Lord God Allmighty which giving us union with Christ gives us right also to all the priviledges of Communion Justification Reconciliation adoption Sanctification and glory 1. Justification wherein of ungodly we are made righteous 2. Reconciliation wherein of enemies we are made freinds 3. Adoption wherein of aliens we are made Sonns 4. Sanctification wherein of Sinners we are made Saints 5. Glorification wherein of imperfect Saints and such as are sanctified but in part we are made perfect grace being but glory begun and glory nothing else but grace perfected 2. Those that are adopted into these priviledges are thereby entitled 1. Unto the love of God the Father 2. The grace of God the Son 3. The Communion of God the Holy Ghost 4. The protection of the Trinity 5. The guardianship of Angells 6. The comforts of an appeased conscience 7. The comfortable enjoyment of the things of this life 8. The beleiving and hopefull expectation of the life that is to come These are two bunches of the beatitudes that this great Salvation doth advance us to But the most excellent are behind this great Salvation doth advance the heirs of it unto two Kingdoms at once 1. The Kingdome of grace 2.
may yet be had be not accessory to your own everlasting undoing do not tire a long suffering God out of patience and provoke him that sweares he takes no delight in the death of a sinner to sweare in his wrath that you shall never enter into his rest Do not make him your judge who is willing to be your advocate nor turne the Lamb of God into a Lion Rampant O grieve not the Spirit which would be your comforter and remember who said when he was waiting upon a rebellious people My spirit shall not alway strive with flesh O send not back Christs Embassadours to their master to tell him with teares that you will not believe their report and put them not upon that diabolicall imployment to be your accusers to God and swift witnesses against you at the barr of Christ make not the word to be the savour of death which was ordained to be the savour of life to the heires of Salvation Let not the Sermons that you have heard and the bookes that you have or might have read and this that you are now reading rise up in judgement against you what should I say more the Lord knows how willing I am to say all that I can possibly invent that may win upon you and all that he shall put into my mouth if he will open your eares and hearts to counsel who opens and none can shutt this may be enough to prevaile with you that hath been allready spoken but if he will shutt or will not open though I could speak with the tongues of men and Angells I should be but as a Sounding brass or a tinkling Cymball O consider this and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Let such consider lastly that there is mercy enough revealed in the Gospel even to pardon all such Gospel-refusing as it not finall The Gospel excludes but one sin from pardon and that is because such a sinner cannot be renewed by repentance If the sinner against the holy Ghost could be penitent the sin against the holy Ghost might be pardoned for it is not therefore impardonable because its greater than the mercy of the Father or merit of the Son but because the sinner hath done despight to the holy Ghost and rendred himselfe incapable of the help of the spirit of grace I have allready taught you that Gospel mercy is a present and precious remedy against Law-transgressions but this is a step farther to consider that it s also a soveraigne remedy against Gospel-refusing which is not finall and they may be Gospel-receivers who have been of long season Gospel refusers The bloud of Christ was so savingly soveraigne that it healed those that wounded him and gave life to some of those murderers that put him to death as is evident from that plain Scripture Acts. 2.36 37 38. Peter told them God had made that Jesus whom they crucified both Lord and Christ There we see they were such as had a hand in crucifying Christ The next verse shews that they were penitent and pricked at the heart for that sin and begging directions of the Apostles what they might do to be saved they were directed to repent and incouraged with the hopes of the promise and v. 41. They gladly received the word and there were added to the Church three thousand Soules who continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breathing of bread and prayer And as the merit of Christ extended to his very persecutors so the mercy of the Gospel extends to the refusers of the Gospel That Son that said he would not go into the vinyeard and went was better accepted with the Father than he that said I go Sr. and went not So those that have long stood at a distance from God upon their unfained repentance will be better accepted than such as are forward in profession and shew but have nothing of the power and beauty and reality of Godliness and Christianity in them O what greater incouragement can Rebells have to lay down armes and submitt to mercy than a probability nay a conditionall certainty of their Princes pardon We have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull said the servants of Benhadad and therefore got ropes about their necks in token of submission and humbled themselves and found mercy according to their expectation you have heard againe and againe that the God of Israel the King of Kings is mercifull but how mercifull none can tell you he is able to do more exceeding abundantly than we are able to ask or think let us lie in the dust and shame our selves before him and turne from our evill wayes and turne unto the Lord and as sure as he is a God of truth we shall find him to be a God of mercy but if notwithstanding all these allurements we shall persist in our sin of setting light by the Gospel our blood will be upon our own heads and we shall be left to perish without remedy I shall shut up all with that obtestation of the Apostle to the Romans Chap. 12.1 2. Which is my intreaty to you I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your selves a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service c. THE THIRD DOCTRINE The neglect of Great Salvation brings Great Damnation DAmnation is so dreadfull a doome that the very report of it is like a thunderclap to cause a heart-quake in the hearers and speakers of it If Ministers must preach upon paine of Damnation and people must hear and attend upon pain of Damnation the believing entertainment of this truth one would think should be powerfull to work miracles even to make the dumbe to speake and the deafe to hear it s better to hear the roring of the Lion than to come into his paw and its better to hear of the dreadfullness of Damnation than to come under the sentence It s joyous to hear of Heaven but it s the fullress of joy to be invited to it wath a come ye blâ—ssed children of my Father receive the Kingarâ—â— prepared for you So its dreadfull to hear of Hell but it s the most terrible of terribles to be sentenred to it with go yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels You have heard of the amiableness of Salvation to invite you hearken unto the dreadfullness of Damnation to affright you that either you may be drawn or driven to mind the things that belong unto your peace the rule that we proposed was ingentia beneficia ingentia flagitia great mercies abused do aggravate sin and make it sinfull with a witness And now the remainder of it is ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia those haynous sinns do pull down punishnent with a vengance that sin with a hard heart doth call and cry for judgement with a high hand Now though this be not expressed totidem verbis in express words in the Text
beautie of holiness and power of Godliness giving up themselves bodys souls and spirits unto God upon the account of the Covenant desiring nothing more than that their hearts may be whole with God and they could be stedfast in his Covenant making God and Jesus Christ the joy of their hearts and breath of their lives and resolve to continue so doing to the death God hath provided for them suitable joyes and pleasures in the life to come Rationall delights for their reasonable souls and sensible delights for their glorified bodys Mistake not far be it from me to say or you to imagine that the glorified Saints shall enjoy such carnall delights in heaven which sensuall and flesh pleasing men do make their heaven upon earth that were a conceite better beseeming a Turk than a Christian the Proselytes of Mahomet have dreamed of such an earthly or rather hellish heaven by fancying such an Utopian Paradise into which the unclean may enter and the pleasures of sin shall meet them The sensible pleasures to be enjoyed there are such as sort and suite with the sublimated senses of glorified bodies and no other And as God hath prepared such suitable joyes and pleasures for such as love and serve him in sincerity even joyes for Soules and pleasures for bodâ—es for those that glorify him with Soules 〈…〉 so on the contrary those that will 〈…〉 â—ting call nor close with his 〈…〉 in accepting his dear Son 〈…〉 great Salvation offered with him but remaine sworne vassalls to the Divell World and Flesh giving up the parts and powers of their Soules and Bodies to serve sin in the lust of it These shall receive wages according to their work as they polluted themselves with filthiness of the flesh and spirit and dishonoured God with their Soules and Bodies so God will punish them accordingly their Soules with rationall punishments tribulation and anguish shall be upon the Soul of every one that doth evill and their bodies with sensible which the word shaddows out by fire and brimstone These two sorts of Torments are breifly contained in those Scriptures Isay 66.24 Mark 9.44 In the worme that dyeth not and the fire that never goeth out In which expressions expositors conceive the holy Ghost alludeth unto two Kinds of burialls of dead corpses some were interred in the earth and out of those wormes would breed which would eat them up and never leave devouring till all were consumed an Ancient gives this account of the degrees of that annihilation which resolves the body into its principle of nullity Caro in putredinem putredo in vermes vermis in pulvere pulvis in nihilum redigitur The flesh is turn'd into rottenness that rottenness into wormes those wormes into dust and that dust is reduced to nothing Other bodies were not buryed in the earth but were burned with fire and reduced to ashes and those ashes were reserved in urnes Only here is the difference this worme is not like that that devours bodies for when the body is consumed that worme dies nor is this fire like that that burnes carcasses for when the carcases are burnt that fire goes out but this is ignis inextinguibilis unquenchable fire By this never dying worme we are to understand the worme of an accusing and tormenting conscience that is ever gnawing and hereby we may understand all rationall torments of which the buffetings of conscience are the cheifest And by this fire that never goes out we are to understand the torments of sense set off by burning because that was the most torturing death that was inflicted by the Jewes but to open these a little more fully we will take them as they lie before us and speak of them apart 1 Rationall torments provided for damned Soules are a part and the greatest part of the torments of Hell for which this deserves to be called Great Damnation Now as the Soul is distributed into the understanding will and affections so we may assigne unto these soveral faculties their peculiar torments I only intend to touch upon them to give you a tast and not to enter upon any topicall and methodicall discourse concerning them 1 They shall be plagued in their understandings by seing and knowing and feeling themselves to be irrecoverably lost and intolerably miserable Here the messengers of the Lord knowing the terrors of the Lord did cry alowd to give warning of their sin and danger and duty they did throw Hell-fire in their faces and so gaster them with the thunder and lightning of Hell and damnation that they could never be at quiet but were even tormented before their time and when they had done their uttermost when they had studyed and preacht and prayed and waited and wept themselves into consumptions in seeking to them and to God for them that they might be saved they could make no better a report of their embassy to him that sent them but to this effect Lord who hath believed our report or to whom hath the arme of the Lord been revealed In which seat doth that Souâ— siâ— in what town is his habitation or in what family dwells he that was dead and is alive that was lost and is found Some of us thy unworthy servants Lord have through undeserved mercy been preachers ten some twenty some thirty some forty yeares and more to such and such congregations we have preacht some hundreds some of us thousands of Sermons and through grace we have indeavoured to do it faithfully in our measure we have taught publikly and from house to house we have spoken with authority and dealt personally and familiarly with the soules of refusers and all was but lost labour upon them though not a labour in vaine to our selves Will not this be a sad hearing for thousands when those that have been watchmen for their souls must come to give up this account with griefe But what will the Lord say to this Will he say to those that would not be taught be ignorant still and to those that would not be reformed be disobedient still no surely it may well be doubted whether the Lord had not formerly seared them up in their ignorance and prophaneness with such an hardning of their hardness by inflecting senslesness for their affecting senslesness But now it shall be otherwise the ignorant shall be no longer ignorant the drunkard swearer who monger sabboth-breaker shall be so no longer they shall see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their hearts though they shall never be converted nor be healed Lord thy hand is lifted up said the Prophet Isay and they will not see thy wrath was in the threatning they saw a black clowd rising and a driving storme coming and would not beware but now they shall see volentes nolentes willing or nilling they shall hear and understand and be ashamed and confounded Then shall the damned know good and evill as the Angels that kept not their first estate know it and as the
the ancient Aegyptians that in their great feasts they caused a Deaths head to be carryed about the Table to put them in mind of their mortality a frolick that the Epicures and Belly-gods of our times that sit-down to eat and drink and rise up to play are not acquainted with it s reported of one of the Fathers and I think it is Hierome That he seemed alwaies to hear that saying sounding in his ear Surgite mortui venite ad judicium arise you dead and come to judgement The meditations of death and judgement are excellent corosives to eat out the heart of sin and no less Soveraign preservatives to keep us upright If we adde two more unto them which this Scripture prompts us to take in it will be more than a double fence it wil be a double bar to keep out sin and a double cord to draw to God and duty The second that my Text adds are Hell and Heaven Salvation and Damnation and these four put together are quatuor novissima the four last things and will furnish us with excellent matter for profitable meditation Some advise to meditate of Death some to think of Judgement some advise that we should remember Hell others that above all we should not forget Heaven but if they are of such force single to kill sin and quicken grace to help the Spirit and mortifie the flesh vis unita fortior when they joyn forces they will do their work more effectually I shall therefore lay and leave them before you as the fittest subjects of daily serious Meditation 1. Death shal be the first in order because it is first in time the great Statute of the Churches Magna Charta the Scriptures is recorded thus Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto all men once to dye The Scriptures tell us examples tell us all former generations tell us experience tells us our own infirmities tell us that there is not that man living that shall not see death O what should dying men have to do with sin surely not to hugg it in their bosomes and lodge it next their hearts and let it reign in their mortal bodies and serve it in the lusts of it but to kill and crucifie and mortifie it to kill it before they dye to kill it which otherwise will kill them sin is the sting of death and it makes death to be the King of fears to a man in his sins O death how bitter is thy remembrance to such a one We dare not dye in our sins Balaam that lived the life of the wicked did choose to dye the death of the righteous sin unrepented of is the worst pillow that a mans head can lye upon on a dying bed and sinners if they can by the help of a seared or flattering conscience make a shift to dye quietly that no bonds appear in their death no desperate horrour open them an entrance into Hell yet the wicked shall not be able to stand in the Judgement nor the sinners in the congregation of the righteous they may elude humane justice or out-face and out-brave it in mens courts greatness may carry them off with power or poverty with pitty but righteous judgement shall be there dispensed by the searcher of hearts to high and low according to their works And this is certain that no unclean thing can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ther 's no Purgatory to scour such as dye polluted but as death leaves them so shall Judgement find them Ther 's no knowledge nor wisdom nor invention in the grave saith Solomon O that they were wise to consider this that they would remember their latter end saith Moses on the behalf of Israel noting what David saith the onely way to apply a mans heart to wisdom is to pray to God to teach him to number his daies Psal 90.12 And in another place the Prophet notes that Jerusalems filthiness was in her skirts because she remembred not her latter end Lament 1.9 The onely way to have all in a readiness at death to have calling and election made sure and to have nothing to do but to dye when death comes is to write it in our memories and to be often drawing it out by meditation and conference some will wear a ring with a deaths-head upon their fingers some will keep a dead mans scull in tâ—eir studyes or closets some will have death pictured on their walls or windows some will have their Coffins in their chambers some will write Memento mori upon their books as their Motto remember death all to help our dulness and slowness of heart in believing that our end is near and our dissolution at hand but those that have gotten it deeply rooted in their hearts and are carefull to keep the memory of death alive and quick in their meditations are the onely champions that are like to give death a valiant encounter and to come off with victory and triumph Oh death where is thy sting Oh grave where is thy victory These are likelyest to give Paul's farewell to the world I have fought I have finished I have kept c. henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.7 8. and Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other creature shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus The frequent Meditation of death is an excellent means to make us dye daily 2. Judgement is the second because it is deaths second after death cometh the judgement and it is sure that we must all come to judgement as that we must once dye We must all appear before the judgement Seat of Christ to receive according to things done in the flesh whether they be good or evil The word of God is abundant in setting this before us with all appurtenances that do accommodate it as 1. The Judge and his throne and attendants and his work 2 Thes 1.7 8. The Judge the the Lord Jesus 2. His throne Heaven shall be revealed from heaven 3. His attendants with his mighty Angels 4. His work of justice to render vengeance in flaming fire to them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and his gracious work to be made glorious in them that believe 2. The books by which we must bâ— judged of Scripture and Conscience Revel 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened i. e. of Scripture and Conscience and another book was opened i. e. the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 3. The causes that must be heard and tryed good and bad just and unjust Ecles 12.14 God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evil 4. The whole process and final sentence Gods dealing with the good and evil to convict the one of sin unto Damnation
greater than other p. 167. c. 3. Superlatively the greatest p. 170. c 1 Reason Because it comes from so great a God p. 174. c. 2 Reason Because it is for despising so great a Saviour p. 177. 3 Reason Because inflicted for resisting the spirit p. 180. c. 4 Reason Because prepared for great Enemies p. 182. 5 Reason Because it hath a long reach p. 185. 1 It reacheth to the Soul p. 185. c. 2 It reacheth to eternity p. 187. c. 6 Reason Because it consists of great Punishments p. 189. 1 The Punishment of Loss 2 The Punishment of Sense p. 189. c. 1 Noted by the worm that dyeth not p. 192. 2 By the fire that never goes out p. 193. 1 Rationall Torments inflicted upon 1 The understanding 〈◊〉 2 The conscience in three things p. 1 Remembrance of things past 2 Sense of present misery p. 197. c. 3 Fear of wrath to come 3 The Will p. 200. 4 The Passions p. 221. c. 2 Sensible Torments for the Body p. 213. c. Use of Terrour p. 219. Prompting us to a 4 fold Meditation 1 Of Death p. 224. c. 2 Of Judgement p. 227. c. 3 Of Hell p. 230. c. 4 Of Heaven p. 232. c. The Conclusion from pag. 234. to the end GREAT SALVATION BY JESVS CHRIST Tendered to the greatest of Sinners c. Hebr. 2 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation SAlvation is so sweet a subject that its pitty it should meet with any but faithfull handlers and profitable hearers I may say of the very sillables of it as once holy Bernard did of that saving Name Jesus in which it was founded Mat. 1.21 That it is Mel in ore melos in aure jubilum in corde Hony to the mouth Musick to the eare and rejoycing to the heart Words of Salvation are breath of life and its pitty any of that should be likâ— breath scattered in the ayre they are water of life and its pitty it should be like water spilt upon the ground we should deal by such doctrine as goldsmiths do by the filings of their gold secure every dust of it As God saith to ungodly teachers so may we say unto ungodly hearers What have you to do to take my word into your mouthes or eares when it takes no hold upon your hearts Whereas you hate to be reformed and have cast my words behind you Psal 50.16 17. Salvation is such a mystery of miraculous mercy that the very Angells do delight to pry into is 1. Pet. 1.12 And as they were ministring Spirits to the great Saviour when he was upon Earth so they are glad to be Ministring Spirits to the heyres of this great Salvation Heb. 1.14 A Messenger coming from the dead and from that triumphant community of just and perfect Soules were fitter to speak to you of such a theam than one that 's going to the dead and is yet clothed with the raggs of mortality and corruption If such a one should hear us expressing our low conceptions of such sublime mysteries as accompany Salvation he wouldsay as the Queen of the South of Solomons wisdome that one half is not told you in your own Country If the Divell and damned Soules might hear but one Sermon more of Salvation with hope of obtaining it can you think that they would be so regardles and negligent as the common sort of hearers are Do you think that the divells themselves which beleeve the dreadfullness of perfected damnation and tremble to beleeve it would say to such a preacher as Foelix did to Paul Acts 24 25. Go thy way for this time and when I have a more convenient season I will call for thee This is the unum magnum the unicum maximum the great thing that the Apostle indeavours to secure in this place that none of Christs blood may be lost that none of his own Ministeriall labour may be labour in vaine In a word his drift and scope is that that Salvation which was so great in the operation and in the Revelation should be as great in the Worlds acceptation Christ had wrought it out who was the Son of God higher than Angells the great Prophet and Priest and King of his Church as this Epistle declares at large The Gospel had brought it to light which is the glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1. Tim. 1.11 which makes Salvation neerer and clearer than the law did And therefore if we accepâ— it not how shall we escape that is to say there is no possibâ—â—ity of escaping One of the Ancients hath laid down this Rule as Gods method of dealing with the refuiers of his mercy Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia Where God offers or bestowes great meâ—cies there the setting light by those mercies are sinns with an high hand and those great sinns draw down proportionable punishments Now according to this Rule 1. What mercy â—reater than Gospel-mercy 2. What sin can be greater than to set light by such mercy 3. What punishment can be greater than that that such sin deserves The Apostles words here considered as related to the context may be exactly reduced to hat rule we shall therefore from such premises draw these three naturall conclusions as the plaine results of this Scripture 1. That Salvation brought to light by the Gospel is great Salvation 2. That setting light by such Salvation is great sin 3. That the neglect of such great Salvation brings great damnation The First Doctrine Gospel Salvation is great Salvation BEfore we open the doore to let you into a clear sight of this truth it may not be impertinent to remove an objection that lies as a stumbling block at the very entrance and that is this In that we proclaime Gospel-Salvation to be great Salvation some may demand whether there be any other Salvation that may stand in competition with Gospel-Salvation To which we answer that God never revealed but two wayes unto mankind for Salvation The first was by a Covenant of workes manifested unto the first Adam as the Worlds representative wherein the condition was Hoc fac vive do this and thou shalt live or do this and be saved But that Law being transgressed and that Covenant broken and Adam and his posterity being under the curse of that Covenant and the wrath of God abiding on them God was pleased to enter into another Covenant of grace with mankind through the second Adam proposing unto them another condition Hoc crede vive whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.16 Though there was an old way to Salvation by working held out by the law yet now the new and living way brought to light by the Gospel is the way of beleeving and this Salvation by the Covenant of grace doth as farr excell that by the Covenant of workes as the second Adam doth excell the first I may further adde that
all things that are written in the booke of the Law to do them Deut. 27.26 It s this malediction that makes sin to be the sting of death and makes the hornet of an accusing conscience to sting self-condemned sinners like the pangs of death This put Adam upon that impossibility to run away and hide himselfe from God and made Cain to be à corde suo fugitivum a runnagate if it had been possible from himselfe This curse of the law sets the never-dying worme a gnawing and layes upon evill doers that intolerable burden of a wounded conscience which none can bear Cursed is the impenitent Drunkard Swearer Sabboth-breaker Lier Whoremonger prayerless Christless person saith the Law but I am such and such saith the conscience therefore thou art cursed thou art the man saith right reason in the conclusion It was the dreadfull impulse of this evill spirit that drave Judas first to despair and then to the gallows and furiously poasted him through an hell internall into an hell eternall T was this that doom'd despairing Spira to an hell above ground and fill'd him so brimfull with hellish horrour that he was the very monster of his time and the most dreadfull spectacle of the age he lived in Nay to come neerer to the quick It was the consciousness of this curse that set David upon the rack and put his bones out of joynt and brought him into a consumption that he complaines that his flesh was dryed up for want of fatness and his moisture was like the droughth in Summer These terrours of the Law and plunges of conscience were the stormes and flouds and mire and deepes that he so deeply complained of and made one deep to call upon another the deep of his misery to the deep of Gods mercy T was this venome that so pointed those arrows of the allmighties wrath that drank up Jobs spirits And made Hezekia to mourne like a dove and chatter like a Craine and complaine that from morning to evening God made an end of him T was this that pickled up Peter in his bitter tears and put blessed Paul so to it that he cryed aloud to Heaven for a deliverer Me miserum quis liberabit O wrethed man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and this curse we are saved from by this great Salva 3. It saves from the tyranny and dominion of Satan Its mans hell above ground to be under the divells dominion and principality The Apostle notes that the unbeleveing and impenitent are held captive by Satan at his will 2. Tim. 2.26 and the Ephesians while they were dead in trespasses and sinns were said to be acted by the Prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 Satan is therefore called The God of this World 2. Cor. 4.4 who blinds the minds of them that beleeve not least the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them He goes about like a roring Lion seeking whom he may devour 1. Pet 5.8 And compasses the earth Job 1.7 yea he goes about with great wrath knowing that his time is but short Revel 12.12 He is called therefore the strong man armed that keepes peaceable possession till the stronger come Luke 11.21 but when that stronger comes and God and Christ come in with this mighty Salvation when the grace of God which brings Salvation once appeares then the weapons of our warfare are not Carnal but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds When he that hath the key of David will open ther 's none that can keep shutt As the graves must open to his Surgite mortui and the Earth and Sea must give up their dead at his word of command so when he will give sinners their blessed part in the first Resurrection the Divel World and Flesh shall not be able to detaine their Captives If God will but give Paul a commission to go to the Gentiles he shall open their Eyes and translate them from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God Act. 26.17 18. When God will shine upon the labours of his planting and watering servants and come in with that increase which the Apostle calls the increase of God then not only gates of brass and barrs of Iron shall fly open and breake in sunder as they did before Cyrus when God would use him as an instrument towards his peoples enlargement but even the chaines of darkness shall snap asunder before the mighty word and almighty spirit of the Churches great Redemer like Sampsons cords when the Philistins were upon him And here is the comfort of all comforts they that are set at liberty by this great Salvation have so full a rescue that they shall never be led captive more though they have been pulled like brands out of the fire like the prey out of the paw of the Lion rampant out of the hands of the strong man by a stronger yet now they are in safe hands because there cannot come a stronger Christ saith none can take his sheep out of his hand and his father that gave them him is greater than all and none can take them out of his fathers hand Iohn 10.28 29. Though he consider and study Job Job 1.8 and resist Josua Zech. 3.1 Though be desire to have the Apostles to winnow them Luke 22.31 and wresties with beleivers about Heavenly things Eph. 6.11 12. Though he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devices plots machinations stratagems 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wiles methods snares laid at unawares way layings as the word properly signifies traps artificially set to catch the prey and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 2.24 the depths of Satan those poor deluded Soules like those in our times that are under strong delusions and the efficacy of error called their opinions the deep things of God in allusion probably unto that expression 1 Cor. 2.10 The spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God and there the spirit tells them they were the deep things of the divel and not of God they were not fetcht from Heaven but from the depth of hell and though he hath such weapons as the word calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6 16. The fiery darts of the Divel yet though he set all his infernall powers on worke and imploy all his heads and hornes all his stratagems and strength and joyne his serpentine subtilty with his Lyon-like power yet the least of God's little ones shall be saved from him though the Dragon cast Flouds out of his mouth after the woman and the remnant of her seed yet they shall have a hiding place provided They have a Captain generall that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cheife Captain and Finisher of their Faith Heb. 12.2 Who in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted h◠is ble to succour them that are tempted Heb.
evill thoughts and then murders and a black traine of actuall abominations Mat. 15.19 And an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things Mat. 12.35 As vaine and lustfull thoughts do bring forth sin so serious and sad thoughts of sin do bring forth repentance Hezekia's thoughts troubled him by day David's by night Job's day and night so should a true penitent My sin is ever in my sight saith holy David The playster of Conviction should stick close till it draw forth Compunction and that of Compunction till it being forth humiliation and that till it being forth Faith and saving Conversion David saith I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies In which words David makes a turne but first he makes a stop his thoughts did drive him to a stand I considered my wayes i. e. I studyed them I turned them upside downe It s good thus to prevent God he hath threatned to turne the wayes of the ungodly upside downe its safest that we turne our own ungodly wayes upside downe for the promise is If we judge our selves we should not be judged As all sin proceeds from ignorance and inconsiderateness so all grace begins in knowledge and consideration The progress of saving and conversion is laid before us in these severall degrees 1. Consideration 2. Deliberation 3. Resignation Resignation is the uppermost step when the Soul comes up to this point of a Covenant-delivery of it selfe to God and Jesus Christ and this begins in consideration that is taking up of our most serious thoughts about it for consideration is the eye of the Soul that lookes inward or the reflecting of the Soul upon it selfe which is done by this duty of thinking or thoughtfullnesse 2. There must be great searchings of heart Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes and turne unto the Lord said the Church in distress in order to the getting out of her deepes Commune with your own hearts saith holy David on your bed and be still Psal 4.4 That is when you are retired and solitary and have sequestred your selves from other thoughts and imployments then take your hearts to task ask them questions and receive their answers and hold them to it keep them from starting aside or running away till you have your desired satisfaction The heart of man is deceitfull and wicked above all things It hath many turnings and windings and lurking holes in it many back-dores and evading places Observe how David did take his heart to task to make it a heart after Gods own heart and acted what before he gave in precept Psal 77.2 3 4 5 6. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my Soul refused comfort I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speake Sad thoughts did so throng in upon him that he could not speak for thinking he was overprest in his spirit and what course did he then take see verse 6. I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search As officers would search for hidden malefactors in every corner of an house where they are suspected to be so must we search every corner of our deceitfull hearts to find out those evill ones our selves a meipso libera me domine that body of sin and death that lies lurking secretly within us and as we would search dark vaults with lights so must we take Gods word to be a lanthorne that heart-discovering word to which all things are naked and manifest which is powerfull and mighty in operation and will pierce to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit and joynts and marrow c. The cheife Quaeres that we should put to our selves should be these 1. Do we take no care about Salvation 2. Do we take but little care about it 3. Do we not make it our greatest care Our hearts should be fixed on such considerations and searchings till they are fired with them and we should have no rest in our Soules if our hearts condemne us till we have gone to God and vented our selves in a free and ingenuous confession of all our sins especially that sin with dejection of Spirit and humblings of heart which is the next thing 3. There must be great humblings of heart This sin should be for so great a lamentation that we should call downe the spirit of grace and mourning to assist us that our mourning may be deep and durable Notorious sinns must have notable repentance aggravated wickedness must have suitable sorrow where iniquity abounds humiliation must abound too if we expect grace shall super-abound Manasses having sinned greatly was said to humble himself greatly before the God of his Fathers 2. Chron. 33.12 13. and having sinned and sinned by adding sin unto sin He prayed and prayed he was instant and constant in his supplication for pardon We may not flatter our selves with the deceived multitude and think that a few good purposes towards the last or a crying God mercy upon our death beds will do the work The word indeed saith that the poor Publican that said but Lord be merciful to me a sinner went home rather justifyed than the proud Pharise that stood on upâ—oe in his own justification but observe the appurtenances to that prayer of the Publicans and you will find them to be such as do accompany deep humiliation 1. He stood afar off Eccetiâ—â—r 2. He 〈…〉 eyes to Heaven Ecce pudor 3. He smote his breast Ecce dolor That prayer of his was accompanyed with 1. Great fear in standing afar off 2. Great shame in not lifting up his eyes 3. Great sorrow in smiting his breast When souls tremble at Gods word to such will God look even to such Isa 66.2 when they take sâ—â— and shame to themselves and accept of the punishment of their iniquity and judge and condemne themselves God hath no more to â—â—y 1. Cor. 11.31 When the sinner is grieved because God and his Spirit are grieved God doth as it were sympathize with them and grieve for them he 's sorry for our afflictions and repents him of the evil Joel 2.13 and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel Judges 10.16 and I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them Jer. 18.8 I know the Scripture opens a wide door of hope to faithful prayers in times of greatest distress in that gracious promise whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 but its physick that is administred with this corrective in the very next words But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed The prayer of faith will not only recover health in sickness but life in death but it is not every call nor loud cry that is a prayer not every one that can say Lord Lord can pray and
God told the Israelites that they did not pray unto him when they howled upon their beds Hos 7.14 Ther 's a vast difference betwixt saying a prayer praying a prayer the words of prayer are but the carcase of the duty the longing desites of the soul after God and his mercies after gifts and giver are the soul of it and that only that makes the prayer effective Therefore I say that such sinners as Gospel-refusers may find mercy there must be deepest humiliations suitable repentance and most tervent prayers Old weather-beaten sinners â—hat have long setled on their lees and have been frozen in their dregs and have lain soaking in their lusts that have long frustrated meanes fair and foul and all that have been spent in vaine upon them such Blackmores will not be washed white with a little nitre nor such Leopards purged from their spots with a finger No if after long humbling and praying and fasting and waiting they may have a glimps of Gods pleased countenance at last they have cause to wonder at such mercy if at their latter end they may have their pardon sealed though their grey hairs are brought downe with sorrow to the grave yet they have reason more than enough to die admiring the Lords mercy But here I must enter a caveat against a mistake let all thought of meriting be banisht from our severest and most mortifying humiliations Though we should macerate our selves with fasting into very Skelitons and be like so many pale corpses or wandring shadows though we could sigh our selves into very aire and dissolve into very teares our heads being fountaines and our eyes rivers Yet when all were done we must cry out unprofitable and we must fly from our best performances to the Lords mercy and to Christs merit for succour and Salvation 4 There must be great changes of heart from stone to flesh is a great change and when God pours out his cleane water of sanctification he takes away the heart of stone and gives the heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 From worse than nothing to the new creature is a greater change and this is wrought in regeneration From darkness to light is a change most remarkable and this saving conversion brings to pass Acts. 26.18 For a Man to hate his flesh his unregenerate part his lust and body of death which in the time of his vanity he loved so deerly and was as loath to part with the members of it right eye foot or hand this is a great change and such a change is wrought in selfe-denyall It was a great change that was wrought on Saul upon a sudden when from persecuting he fell to praying and preaching this well deserved an ecce as a note of admiration behold he prayes Acts. 9.11 For one that was so mad upon taking away the lives of others for professing Christ to be more ready to lay downe his own upon the same account was so notable a change that all that hear of it may say this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes The grace of God which brings Salvation brings such changes and where great changes of heart are wrought there great changes of life will accompany them Gospel-sliting and neglecting will be turned into Gospel-prizing and advancing those that made no reckoning of Gods Law before will after this change say with David I love thy commandements above gold and the Lawof thy mouth is deerer unto me than thousands of gold and silver and they that thus prize it in their hearts will practise it in their lives knowing that the true sayings of God are verba vivenda non legenda and they ought to live Gospel as well as know it David approves himselfe to God in the sincerity of his own heart in saying Lord what love have I unto thy Law all the day long is my study in it and desires God to sift and try and prove and search him over and over that there may be no leaven of hypocrisy left behind Psal 139.23 24. And he makes it the Character of a blessed man that he exterciseth himselfe in Gods Law day and night Psal 1.2 We should make it our meat and drinke our food and Phisick and recreation And for an answerable conversation the Apostles exhortation is exceeding pregnant wherein he gives them one precept that may include totum homnis the whole duty of man Phil. 1.27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Jesus Christ As Solomon saith Fear God and keep his Law for this is the whole duty of man Ecles 12.13 So the Apostle there love Christ and love his Gospel for this is the whole duty of Christians 3 USE Shall lay before you and leave with you two breife incouraging considerations by way of comsolation for those that have formerly been such but now have resolved to breake off that and all other sins by unfained repentance 1 Let such consider it is not every Sermon that is slighted or every tender of mercy and offer of Jesus Christ that is made to the Soul and set light by that is the great damning and impardonable sin of Gospel-refusing though these are too bad and exceeding heynous and being objectively against the Gospel are much to be bewailed but it s the finall refusing of mercy and slighting of Jesus Christ to the death that is most properly and in strict sense the great sin of Gospel-refusing and such as live and die in that sin do render themselves by so doing uncapable of pardon and cast themselves unavoidably upon everlasting damnation Gods word saith as much either exprefly or by direct consequence in a thousand places every Minister that you hear tells you so or else he tells you not the truth every Chapter that you read gives you some hint or other of it many a time have your bretheren and Christian freinds told you that except you close which God and lay hold upon Christ you cannot be saved if they have dealt faithfully with your Soules yea many a time have your own consciences if they are not blind and dumbe and seared told you so and is it not the extremity of madness to venter your Salvation upon such termes that either the Scriptures must be false and God a Liar or you cannot be saved If you live and die in this sin you must as sure be damned as the Divel himselfe as sure as the Heaven is over your heads and the earth under your feet Hell will be your portion and everlasting damnation will be the wages of refusing Gospel-Salvation But if you may yet be prevailed with before your breath be stopt and the pitt shut her mouth upon you to embrace Christ whom you have long slighted and accept of that mercy which you have unworthily refused and receive the Gospel which you have neglected there is yet hope in Israel concerning this O for the Lords sake and for your Soules sake stand out no longer refuse not mercy that
confluence of choicest provisions such is God's free entertainment of his Servants and Favourites Mine Oxen and Fallings are killed and all things in a readiness come unto the Marriage Mat. 22 4. And Come yee blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you Mat. 25 34. But when men are to prosecute their deadliest Enemies they will do it with the uttermost rigour that their possibility can reach unto Such and infinitely greater is Gods anger against his Adversaries he takes pleasure at their overthrow and laughs at their destruction Ah I will ease me of mine enemies and be avenged on mine Adversaries Isay 1.24 And as if his mercy were utterly at an end and he had forgotten to be gracious he will denounce that everlasting excommunication as the triumph of his glorious justice Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels Mat. 25.41 5 Reason Because it hath a great and a long reach 1. It reacheth to the Soul 2. And it reacheth to eternity 1 It reacheth unto the Soul other sentences reach but to the body name estate family relations liberty life as was before hinted but this reacheth the Soul Fear not them which kill the body and when they have done that have no more that they can do but fear him who when he hath killed is able to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Luke 12 4. How do malefactors that are arraigned for some capitall offences tremble before an earthly Judge when he is pronouncing sentence of death upon them but how will corrupt Judges themselves tremble as Faelix did when he heard Paul reasoning of judgement to come yea a more than either he or Belshazzar did when the hand was writing him a divorce from his Kingdome when this sentence of Damnation is going out how will blackness cover all faces when a World of selfe condemned sinners shall stand before the dreadfull Tribunall of the Lord Jesus which in the last Assize he is sitting upon life and death when nothing is left them but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Hebr. 10.27 'T was a sad hearing to the rich glutton Thou foole this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee Luke 12.20 The Soul is more worth than the World in his esteem that laid down his life to save Soules Mat. 16.26 And in this damnation this jewell is lost and this darling of ours must be delivered to the roring Lion The Saints do lay all at stake to save their souls Profsâ—s Pleasures Honours Friends Liberty Life it self and think all to be an easie exchange which will more than conclude the loss of the soul to be the loss of all losses 2. And that which makes this so great a loss and that we are treating of so great Damnation is because it is for ever and ever It reacheth to Eternity The sinner under convictions thinks he shall dy no other death looks upon himself as in a very hell upon earth David after deliverance out of such a deep saith O Lord thou hast delivered my Soul from the nethermost hell and Saint Augustine having in his confessions taken shame unto himself for a multitude sins in the depth of his humiliation calls out of the deep of misery to the deep of mercy Lord pitty my Soul in the lowest hell such in Scripture-sense are called lost Christ came to seeke save the lost but this loss shall- be their gain and I may say in this case as the Word in another he that loseth his life shall find it and the Apostle Paul desired to be lost in himself that he might be found in Christ this is but a seeming loss nor will it last long heaviness may indure for a night but joy cometh in the morning for a moment have I hid my face in mine anger saith the Lord but with everlasting mercy will I return and have compassion but the lose we are speaking of is reall and irreparable The soul under desertion thinks it self in a wofull case and hath much ado to distinguish betwixt it self and a cast-away as appears in Davids case Psal 77.7 8 9. Will the Lord absent himself for ever and will he be favourable no more c. and Job complained in the bitterness of his soul that God had set him up as his marke to shoot at and the venome of his arrows drank up his Spirit and Hezekiah did mourn like a Dove and chatter like a Crane and complained that from morning to night God did make an end of him But though it were now winter with them and the sap was gone down into the root yet the Suns return brought their spring again and the light of Gods countenance made all whole but in that desertion which Damnation causes the deserted soul is deserted for ever When the body loses the soul at the death naturall it s a sad loss but the Resurrection will bring them together again but where the soul and God are parted in the spirituall death and the naturall death finds them in this case eternall death presently seizes that soul and that separation wil be everlasting that soul and happiness will never meet 6. Reason The last reason to prove this Damnation to be exceeding great is Because it consists in great and dreadfull punishments We shall make use of this old and common distinction of 1. Poena Damni The punishment of loss 2. Poena Sensus The punishment of sense All evil is distinguished into 1. Malum culpae The evil of sin 2. Malum poenae The sin of punishment All evill of sin may be distinguished into 1. Inherent our own sins 2. Adherent our other mens sins All evil of punishment as afore into 1. Poenam Damni the punishment of loss 2. Poenam Sensus the punishment of sense Man is a compound creature consisting of a soul and body a Coelestiall and Terrestriall part as God is Lord both by Creation Preservation and Purchase so he requires to be honoured with both with all of both all the parts of our bodys and all the powers of our souls If the Apostles inference hold concerning one viz Gods right of purchase ye are bought with a price and therefore ought to glorifie God c. It will conclude much more strongly if we take in all ye are created with his power preserved by his providence as well as bought with a price therefore ye ought to glorifie God both with your bodies and souls which are Gods Here is the very quâ—nâ—essence of reason that God should have his own that which is so much his own by a manifold right Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars and give unto God that wich is Gods Now for such as give up themselves wholly to God in a way of grace and duty taking him to be their â—â—rtion and his Son to be their Lord preferring their interests before all others serving them in the
the other of righteousness unto life and the sentence passed on them both you shall find very punctually recorded Mat. 25. from 31. to the end Wherefore is the word so exact in all these but to assure us that there is nothing of greater certainty than death and judgement O what should those have to do with sin that must be brought to judgement If they be brought to judgement in their sins that is before they have confessed forsaken their sins before they have accused and condemned themselves they cannot stand in the judgement Can dust stand before a whirlwind or stubble before a consuming fire Solomon throws this judgement as a stumbling block in the way of licentious youth to stop them in their full careere and to be a means to teach the young man how to cleanse his way Eccles. 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the daies of thy youth and walk in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement The former part of that verse looks lovely in the eyes of a libertine and speaks to his very heart but it hath as sad a farewell as ever was heard In the former part the preacher speaks Ironically and in jest but in the last he speaks plainly and in good earnest thou maist if thou wilt do as thy list but do if thou darest for know this take it home with thee take it home to thy heart receive the point of this sword into the very heart of thy beloved sin and if it kill it not or give it a deaths wound tell thy self that thou hast a strong heart a heart that is sermon-proof tell God so desire him day night to take away thy heart of stone and to give thee an heart of flesh 3. Hell and condemnation is commended as the third subject of our Meditation for as after death cometh the judgement so after judgement cometh the death Had not men need to fear double least they dye a double death If men be so scared at the face of the death naturall what should they be at the thoughts of death eternal in comparison whereof the other death is but a shadow of death It was said of Jezebells children Revel 2.23 I will kill her children with death Though all dye yet believers are not kill'd with death as the Spirit directed John to say unto Sardis Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Rev. 3.1 We may say the contrary of sound believers they have but a name to dye and are alive that 's the thing which kills the Soul that is but the name which kills the body This death beyond death is that which the Scripture calls the second deathâ— Revel 21.8 The fearfull and unbelieâ—â—ng and abominable and murderers and Whoremonâ—ers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death and Revel 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power O what should men do with sin when if they will have it they must have hell to boote durst a malefactour play his pranks if the Judge lookt on him that must condemne him and the torments were in sight that were prepared for him If sinners did but see God frowning upon them and hell gaping for them if they did but see death before them and Judgement beyond death and hell beyond Judgement they could not surely sin with such a swinge as they do they could not sin so damnably without check and controule Sinners do but go aside once a day and seriously meditate on the great damnation that you have heard of and the Eternity of it but one half hour and if you do not walke the more warily humbly and circumspectly say I am a Lyar. One that writes the life of Mr. Mâ— Fuâ—â—â—r it his Holy State Perkins reports of him that he did pronounce the word Damn with such an emphasis that it left an Echo in the ears of his hearers a long time after Oh that I could make such an impression of this Doctrine upon your Memories that it may stick like a barbed Arrow in your consciences that may never be shaken out untill you break off your sins and unfainedly turn to God who is ready to forgive abundantly and to give liberally 4. Heaven and Salvation is proposed as the fourth matter of meditation and both these last do follow Judgement which sends the Goats on the left hand to hell and the Sheep on the right hand to heaven The Libertines of the age would perswade us that there is neither Hell nor Heaven but what is in the conscience but let us assure our selves if there were no other Hell or Heaven there would be none there if a conscience excusing in well doing did not flow from a Heaven in hope and a conscience accusing for evil doing did not proceed from a hell in fear surely there would be no such consciences let the fancies of these vain men pass for strong delusions and let us mind the true sayings of the everlasting Gospel which tell us that as the wicked go into everlasting punishment so the righteous into life eternall Matth. 25. ult How positively and alluringly doth the Scripture speak of this blessed blessed making place calling it the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 The throne of God I say 66.1 we are directed to prefer our petitions to him as our Father dwelling heaven Mat. 6.9 An house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 the seat of the blessed The kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world Matth. 25.34 shadowed out by the Mount Sion Heb. 12.22 23 24. and the new Jerusalem Revel 21.10 to the end wherein many excellent things are spoken of this City of God But I have spoken so largely both of the Prison of Hell and the Paradise of Heaven in the antecedent Doctrines of Salvation Damnation that the less may serve here O what should those do with sin that make it their refuge to lay hold on the hope that is set before them Ther 's no sin in heaven and if unclean sinners should be carryed thither in their uncleanness heaven would not be heaven to them It s the Saints holiness that makes heaven their happiness and the grace they bring thither that prepares them for that Joy unspeakable and glorious When we meet with temptations to sin let us remember Hell with its forerunners death and judgement and that will prompt us to say with Joseph How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 And when we meet with temptations from sufferings let us remember Heaven and that will prompt us to say with Paul I count that the afflictions of this present world are not