theirs who have made a covenant with hell and with death and cry a short life and a sweet who forget they have souls while they thus speak and resolve and will not believe there is a God till they wish for rocks and mountains to fall upon them to hide them from him nor believe there is a hell till they feel it O what a deep sense had the Apostle Paul of the misery and immergent ruins of his Country-men Rom. 10.1 His hearts desire unto God for them was that they might be saved he could wish himself accursed that they might escape I know no man more like-minded to him than this Servant of God who is with the Lord who delighted in nothing no work in the world like plucking brands out of the fire saving men from hell and sending men and women before him to heaven if he could I hope the impression upon my heart from the consideration of that incomparable transport of his Soul in the Preaching the last Sermon as if he had known his time was so short and that Sermon his last shall still remain fresh upon me After Sermon I told him of it and he told me His heart was carried out with zeal and pity that he could not keep to method but he could not help it All that knew him can bear him witness that he was able to write or speak for matter and form gratefully to any but he studied plainness and therefore purposely declined great Auditories to my knowledg a clear proof of his meek and self-denying spirit Gain-say it who can He sought not honour from men whilst alive and now he is dead let his own Works praise him in the gates If any should enquire why or who call'd me to interpose these few rude lines I only say It is pia fraus to steal an opportunity to testifie more publickly the great veneration I have for the name of this holy man who indeed was one of the Sons of Davids Worthies As also to signifie my longing after the Souls happiness of all that were his ordinary Hearers Whom again I beseech to read and afterwards to ponder who and what moved him to speak his heart in these last words unto them if peradventure God may give them repentance unto life by the Ministry of him who not only saved himself but shall then save also them that heard him A.P. 1 Peter III. the later part of the 18 the 19 and part of the 20 Verse Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing IN the opening of this portion of Scripture we will First Consider its Scope and then we will consider the words themselves and give you a short Explication thereof and then we shall draw that Practical Observation from them which the Lord bless unto your Edification As for the Scope of them in the former part of the 18 Verse I have shewed you how the Apostle was acquainting us with the great benefit that sinners do receive from the death of Christ that I have already opened to you Christ hath once sufferd for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Now in the following Verses the Apostle passeth on from the death of Christ unto the life of Christ and shews that we have not only benefit by a Christ dying but by a Christ living For Christ is our Saviour both ways We are saved by his death meritoriously we are saved by his life as he lives for to see the purchased-blessings of his death made good to us Now the Apostle in these words I have already read considereth the life of Christ two ways First With respect to the world before he came in the flesh with respect to the old World above Two thousand years before he came in the flesh Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God was alive then yea before the World was he was alive and was God blessed for ever by him the World was made To the old World even that world that was destroyed by the Flood to that world he was a Saviour by designation and he took care of them The care of mankind from the fall hath been deposited in the hands of Christ he hath taken care of sinners from the fall of man into sin Then Secondly The Apostle does speak of the advantages that the Church hath by a living-Christ upon his Resurrection from the dead as he speaks in the 21 v. The figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us then there comes in a Parenthesis How does Baptism save us Why by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ When he was on earth he preached the Gospel promised pardon and salvation to the penitent believing sinner and died for him when he had done preaching and arose from the dead and is gone to Heaven to make good every word We are now upon the consideration of the benefits that the old World had from Christ above two thousand years before Christ was born in the flesh Why what was the benefit that the old World had Why Christ by his Spirit did send Noah a Preacher of righteousness to preach repentance to the old Word the Spirit of Christ was in Noah by which Spirit Noah Prophesied of the destruction of the world By which Spirit he was directed to build the Ark to prepare for himself and those that should repent for that time that the Floold should come upon the world Christ by his Spirit preached then to that world of sinners that were drowned then and not only drowned but their spirits damn'd which was for disobeying Christ for disobeying the Spirit of Christ in Noah Having now given you the Scope of the place we shall proceed according to that light I have to give you the understanding of the words and phrases of this Scripture for it seemeth to be a Scripture that is not without its difficulties We will begin at the First First What it is to be put to death in the flesh that we must enquire into Secondly What is it to be quickned by the Spirit What does the Apostle understand hereby Thirdly What is this preaching What are Fourthly These Spirits that are in prison And what 's the prison And so we shall take in what follows in its order Being put to death in the flesh Who put to death Christ By whom By the unbelieving wicked Jews they were his accusers Put to death in the flesh by whom By Pontius Pilate as his Judg. Put to death in the flesh by whom Why by those Executioners that were employed by Pontius Pilate to see him Crucified The Jews Pontius Pilate and the Soldiers put him to death Put to death in the flesh What 's that That is after he was made flesh he was put to death as he was man he hung
Mr. Thomas Wadsworth's LAST WARNING TO SECURE SINNERS Being his Two Last SERMONS Concerning the Certainty and Dreadfulness OF THE Future Misery of all Impenitent ungodly Sinners To which is Prefixed an Epistle of Mr. RICHARD BAXTER's LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside and at the Bible on London-bridg 1677. TO THE READER IT is not so much for the sake of the departed Author of these Sermons as for thy self that this Preface doth recommend them to thy acceptance and perusal Though in order hereunto it is meet that thou have some account both of the Author and of the reasons of their publication The Author was a person with whom I had long much communication by Letters before I ever saw his face By many of which and by the full testimony of his flock I can assuredly give thee this true account of him When he was placed for the exercise of the Sacred Ministry at Newington-Butts near Southwark he addicted himself entirely to the winning and edifying of Souls believing the great things of the unseen world and life to come the obtaining of that happiness by faith and holiness was the end and work of his Ministry and Life He took heed to himself and to Doctrine and continued therein that he might save himself and those that heard him 2 Tim. 4.16 Unnecessary Questions and Controversies he avoided In those that he was constrained to meddle with he much lookt at the end and adhered to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness carefully shunning contentions and extreams and that manner of disputing or conversing which destroyeth Christian love In the common Controversies about Predestination Grace and Free-will he held to the middle way of Augustine Prosper c. contenting himself to prove and teach That all evil is of our selves and all good is of God that God is no author of Sin but yet is the Governour of all the World whose absolute Will cannot be frustrate and that Christ hath procured that universal conditional gift of pardon and life which is found in the Gospel and commanded his Ministers to preach and offer it to all and so of the rest But the Errors which subvert Faith Hope or Obedience he would not make light of and therefore lately wrote that very considerable Treatise of the Immortality of the Soul especially for the use of such as reject not Scripture-proof leaving out most of the Philosophical Reasons which Infidels expect but adding some few of them which are of weight though not a large performance of that part of the work He was happily too young to be engaged in the military or uncivil quarrels of this Age. He knew that Christs Ministers have work enough of their own in preaching promoting and practising the Christian Faith and hope of Glory and keeping themselves and others in obedience love and peace When the Changes had occasioned great contentions about Church-Worship Admiministrations Communion and Discipline the City of London where he lived attempting to set up the Presbyterian Government but finding it very difficult because of the number of Episcopal and Independent Dissenters and because the Parliament would give Presbytery no more than a Toleration and Recommendation he resolved to join with no party in the Division but to look simply to Gods Word and to do that which there he found past Controversie an unquestionable duty At that time the Ministers of Worcestershire had entred into an Association 1. In their Worship Administration and Discipline unanimously to practice so much as the then parties Episcopal Presbyterian and Independents are agreed in believing that the faithful practice of so much would better reconcile them than strangeness and disputes 2. To set up a regular course of Personal Conference by Catechising loving-instructions and exhortations to prepare them for death and eternity with all the Families in our Parishes in order who would voluntarily submit to it In the practice of these two we had great experience of Gods blessing And Mr. Wadsworth desiring as many Counties did to do the like sent to me for the draught of our Agreement And because he would avoid temerity and needless singularity he addrest himself to the Classes of the London Ministers and asked their Advice who told him to this purpose That they were under many hinderances from doing it themselves but they would not disswade nor discourage him from attempting it Which hereupon he presently did To his constant Publick Preaching he added this work of Personal and Family Instruction not only to visit the Sick but to Teach and Exhort his Flock in health to prepare for death and work out their Salvation To Catechize them and help them to understand the words and to get down the sweetness and power of the matter upon their hearts Behaving himself with convincing Light with melting Love and quickning seriousness to those that he conversed with that none might be left as dark disaffected or dead as they were found He also gave Catechisms and Testaments and some other Books most suited to their state to the poor people of his Parish engaging them to read them and taking an account of their performance and proficiency If you ask where he had Money to do all this he lived frugally himself He took nothing to be so much his own as to be laid out on himself any further than it maintained him in his Masters work The rest he took himself to be but a steward of to distribute it prudently to others What was not necessary to his personal maintenance and work he gave to others in the way and on the terms which might best further their Salvation And what he was unable to do himself he beg'd from such as were more able And as to the aforesaid manner of exercising his Administrations and Church-discipline he and the Church chose many Deacons and certain of the ancientest and most prudent members who should not be Officers as unordained Elders but only the Churches Delegates to take such cognizance of the action and give such assistance as the Laity may do himself with these Deacons and Delegates of the people met once a Month to hear what causes required their open admonitions when private reproofs had been rejected when offenders were to be humbly and compassionately admonished and by moving-arguments perswaded to repent And if they yet were obstinate more earnestly perswaded by them all and by clearest reasons convinced of the evil of their sin and the great necessity of true repentance And if yet they remained obstinate with us they were summoned to hear the convincing reasons of an Assembly of Pastors that shortly after met and their humble Exhortations and Prayers for their Repentance but Mr. Wadsworth had not so much of that assistance the order was next to publish the crime and impenitence to the Assembly and there publickly beseech the Sinner to repent and the Congregation to join in prayer for his Repentance and this usually three
what thou hast and besides it shall be blessed to thee that thou wilt say it is far better to thee than abundance Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be added to you Do but set thy self to pray mightily to God that whatever he does he would save thy soul and then for thy care thou mightest cast thy care upon him your care distracts you it is Gods setting in with you that makes your care succesful O poor sinners if you were but acquainted with God and Christ you would have a God to cast your care upon You Masters of Families begin your day with God bring your Families to God make it your great business to serve God and then trust God for his blessing upon your endeavours There is another Reason What is the reason that you do not believe That you believe not God that speaks by his Son and by his Prophets Why truly I dare not believe For to speak plainly I am so in love with my sins that I cannot think to part wirh them and I do profess if I must be damn'd for them I must run the hazard Such desperate slaves are Satan's slaves though they see Hell before them and in they must if they repent not saith Christ Light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light Why because their deeds are evil They love their evil deeds and love darkness and hate the light of the Gospel they hate my word because my word threatens their deeds of darkness with Hell they can't endure to see what is at the end of sinning I have kept you a long while and so God kept them above a hundred years I have spent one hour perhaps half an hour more but if it were possible that I could Preach an hundred years to an unbelieving heart it would never work upon him without Gods Grace O therefore resist not Crace When I have done all 't is God that singles out one at one time and another at another time and then another and sometimes many at once and opens their eyes and hearts and makes such a Sermon bear upon them and commandeth their hearts to strike in with the word And if the Lord does but bless the word to take hold of some poor youth whether man or maid it is worth all my labour that I have spent in Preaching If the Lord would but bring some poor soul to believe that the word of God is true and that it is as certain that they will be damn'd if they repent not as is was certain that the old world was drown'd This might be the beginning of a new life O 't is an hour well spent and thou wilt bless God for it if he will come in with light upon thee and make thee believe the Gospel that Christ is willing to save every penitent sinner that is brought thus to believe in him O that God would be pleased to convince you that he is in good earnest to damn the wicked and impenitent sinner but to bless and crown with eternal life every obedient soul I am forced to cut off many things that I have to say But the Lord in heaven bless this word unto you FINIS Books Printed for and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside SERMONS on the whole Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians by Mr. J. Daille Translated into English by F.S. with Dr. Tho. Goodwin's and Dr. J. Owens Epistles Recommendatory An Exposition of Christs Temptation on Mat. 4. and Peters Sermon to Cornelius and circumspect walking by Dr. Tho. Taylor A practical Exposition on the 3 d Chap. of the 1 st Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly mans Choice on Psal 4.6 7 8. by Anthony Burgess Dr. Donns 4to Sermons being his 3 Vol. Pareus Exposition on the Revelations Choice and practical Expositions on 4 select Psalms viz. The Fourth Psalm in eight Sermons The Forty second Psalm in ten Sermons The Fifty first Psalm in twenty Sermons The Sixty third Psalm in seven Sermons Books 4 to The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration by George Swinnock M.A. An Exposition on the Five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful Observations thereupon by William Greenhil The Gospel Covenant opened by Peter Bulkley Gods Holy-mind touching matters moral which he uttered in Ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords-Prayer by Edward Eston B.D. The Fiery Jesuit or an Historical-Collection of the rise encrease doctrines and deeds of the Jesuits Horologiographia optica Dyaling universal and particular speculative and practical together with a description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan A seasonable Apology for Religion by Matthew Pool The practical Divinity of the Papists discovered to be destructive to true Religion and Mens souls by J. Clarkson The Creatures goodness as they came out of Gods hand and the good-mans mercy to the bruit-creatures in two Sermons by Tho. Hodges B.D. Certain considerations tending to promote Peace and Unity amongst Protestants The Saints triumph over the last enemy in a Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. James Janeway by Nath. Vincent The Morning-Lecture against Popery or the principal errors of the Church of Rome detected and confuted in a Morning-Lecture preached by several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London Four useful discourses by Jeremiah Burroughs A new Copy-Book of all sorts of useful hands The Saints priviledg by dying by Mr. Scot. The Vertuous Daughter a Funeral-Sermon by Mr. Brian The Miracle of Miracles or Christ in our Nature by Dr. Rich. Sibbs The unity and essence of the Cartholick Church-visible by Mr. Hudson The intercourse of Divine Love between Christ and the Church or the particular Believing soul in several Lectures on the whole second Chap. of Cant. by John Collins D.D. Large 8 vo The sure mercies of David or a second part of Heart-treasure Heaven or hell here in a Good or Bad Conscience by Nath. Vincent Closet-prayere a Christians duty by O. Heyword A practial discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the nature and duty of Prayer by Tho. Cobbet Of quenching the Spirit the evil of it by Theophilus Polwheile The sure way to Salvation or a Treatise of the Saints mystical Union with Christ by Richard Stedman M.A. Sober Singularity by the same Author Heaven taken by Storm The mischeif of sin both by Tho. Watson The Childs Delight together with an English-Grammar Reading and Spelling made easie both by Tho. Lye Asop's Fables with morals thereupon in English-Verse The Young-mans Instructor and the Old-mans Remembrancer Captives bourd in Chains made free by Christ their Surety both by Tho. Doolittle Eighteen Sermons preached upon several Texts of Scripture by William Whitaker The Saints care for Church-Communion declared in sundry Sermons preached at St. James Dukes-place by Zach. Crofton The life and death of Edmund Stanton D.D. To which is added a Treatise of Christian conference and a Dâ—alogue between a Minister and a Stranger Sin the Plague of plagues or sinful sin the worst of Evils by Ralph Venning M.A. Cases of Conscience practically resolved by J. Norman The immortality of the Soul explained and proved by Scripture and Reason to which is added Faiths-triumph over the fears of death by Tho. Wadsworth A Treatise of the incomparableness of God in his Being Attributes Works and Word by George Swinnock M.A. The generation of Seekers or the right manner of the Saints addresses to the throne of Grace with an Exposition on the Lords-Prayer An Essay to facilitate the Education of Youth by bringing down the rudiments of Grammar to the sense of seeing which ought to be improved by Syncresis by M. Lewis of Totenham An Artificial Vestibulum wherein the sense of Janua Linguarum is contained compiled into plain and short sentences in English for the great ease of Masters and Expeditious progress of Scholars by M. Lewis Baptism no bar to Communion by Jo. Bunnian The Dutch-dispensatory shewing the vertues qualities and properties of Simples the vertue and use of Compounds whereto is added the Compleat Herbalist Small Octavo A defence against the fear of Death by Zach. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed by William Gearing The godly mans Ark or a City of Refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with Mrs. Moors Evidences for Heaven by Edmund Calamy The Almost-Christian discovered or the false Professor tried and cast by M. Mead. A Plea for the godly or the Righteous mans Excellency The holy Eucharist or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper A Treatise of Self-denial All three by Tho. Watson The life and death of Tho. Wilson of Maidstone in Kent The life and death of Doctor Sam. Winter Worthy-walking press'd upon all that have heard the Call of the Gospel The Spirit of Prayer by Nath. Vincent The inseparable Union between Christ and a Believer by Tho. Peck A discourse of Excuses setting forth the variety and vanity of them the sin and misery brought in by them by John Sheffield Invisible realities demonstrated in the holy life and triumphant death of Mr. J. Janeway The Saints encouragement to diligence in Christs service by Mr. James Janeway Convivium caeleste a plain and familiar discourse concerning the Lords Supper by R. Kidder The Saints perseverance asserted in its Positive-ground against Mr. Ives A Wedding-ring fit for the Finger by Will. Secker An Explanation of the shorter Catechism of the Assembly of Divines by Tho. Lye The Childs Delight with Pictures by Tho Lye The life and death of Tho. Hall The flat opposition of Popery to Scripture by J.N. Chaplain to a Person of Honour The Weavers Pocket-book or Weaving spiritualiz'd by J.C.D.D. Two disputations of Original sin by Richard Baxter The ready way to prevent sin by William Bagshaw The Little-peace-maker discovering foolish Pride the Make-bate Philadelphia or a Treatise of Brotherly-love by Mr. Gearing Reformation or Ruine being certain Sermons on Levit. 26.23 24. by Tho. Hotchkis FINIS