Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	wonder_n	word_n	world_n	131	3	4.1962	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26952	Making light of Christ and salvation too oft the issue of gospel invitations manifested in a sermon preached at Lawrence-dury, in London, by Rich. Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1691 (1691)	Wing B1306; ESTC R32552	28,762	38

have considered and often considered what is the mater that so many Thousands should perish when God hath done so much for their Salvation and I find this that is mentioned in my Text is the cause It is one of the wonders of the World that when God hath so loved the World as to send his Son and Christ hath made a satisfaction by his death sufficient for them all and offereth the benefits of it so freely to them even without mony or price that yet the most of the World should perish yea the most of those that are thus called by his Word Why here is the reason when Christ hath done all this men make light of it God hath shewed that he is not unwilling and Christ hath shewed that he is not unwilling that men should be restored to God's favour and be saved but men are actually unwilling themselves God takes not pleasure in the death of sinners but rather that they return and live Ezek. 33. 11. But men take such pleasure in sin that they will dye before they will return The Lord Jesus was content to be their Physitian and hath provided them a sufficient plaister of his own blood but if men make light of it and will not apply it what wonder if they perish after all This Scripture giveth us the reason of their perdition This sad experience tells us the most of the World is guilty of It is a most lamentable thing to see how most men do spend their care their time their pains for known vanities while God and Glory are cast aside That he who is all should seem to them as nothing and that which is nothing should seem to them as good as all that God should set mankind in such a race where heaven or hell is their certain end and that they should set down and loyter or run after the childish Toyes of the World and so much forget the Prize that they should run for Were it but possible for one of us to see the whole of this business as the all seeing God doth to see at one view both heaven and hell which men are so near and see what most men in the World are minding and what they are doing every day it would be the saddest sight that could be imagined Oh how should we marvail at their madness and lament their self-delusion Oh poor distracted World what is it that you run after and what is it that you neglect If God had never told them what they were sent into the World to do or whether they were going or what was before them in another World then they had been excusable but he hath told them over and over till they were weary of it Had he left it doubtful there had been some excuse but it is his sealed word and they profess to believe it and would take it ill of us if we should question whether they do believe it or not Beloved I come not to accuse any of you particularly of this crime but seeing it is the commonest cause of mens Destruction I suppose you will judge it the fittest matter for our enquiry and deserving our greatest care for the cure To which end I shall 1. Endeavour the Conviction of the guilty 2. Shall give them such considerations as may tend to humble and reform them 3. I shall conclude with such direction as may help them that are willing to escape the destroying Power of Sin And for the first consider 1. It is the case of most sinners to think themselves freest from those sins that they are most enslaved to and one reason why we cannot reform them is because we cannot convince them of their guilt It is the nature of sin so far to blind and befool the sinner that he knoweth not what he doth but thinketh he is free from it when it reigneth in him on when he is committing it It bringeth men to be so much unacquainted with themselves that they know not what they think or what they mean and intend nor what they love or hate much less what they are habituated and disposed to They are alive to sin and dead to all the Reason Consideration and Resolution that should recover them as if it were only by their sinning that we must know they are alive May I hope that you that hear me to day are but willing to know the Truth of your case and then I shall be encouraged to proceed to an enquiry God will judge impartially why should not we do so Let me therefore by these following Questions try whether none of you are slighters of Christ and your own Salvation And follow me I beseech you by putting them close to your own hearts and faithfully answering them 1. Things that men highly value will be remembred they will be matter of their freest and sweetest thoughts this is a known case Do not those then make light of Christ and Salvation that think of them so seldom and coldly in comparison of other things Follow thy own heart man and observe what it daily runneth out after and then judge whether it make not light of Christ We cannot perswade men to one hours sober consideration what they should do for an interest in Christ or in thankfulness for his love and yet they will not believe that they make light of him 2. Things that we highly value will be matter of our Discourse The judgment and heart will command the tongue Freely and delightfully will our speech run after them This also is a known case Do not those then make light of Christ and Salvation that shun the mention of his name unless it be in a vain or sinful use Those that love not the company where Christ and Salvation is much talked of but think it troublesome precise Discourse That had rather hear some merry Jests or idle Tales or talk of their Riches or Business in the World When you may follow them from morning to night and scarce have a savory word of Christ but perhaps some slight and weary mention of him sometimes judge whether these make not light of Christ and Salvation How seriously do they talk of the World Psal 144. 8 11. and speak vanity but how heartlesly do they make mention of Christ and Salvation 3. The things that we highly value we would secure the possession of and therefore would take any convenient Course to have all doubts and fears about them well resolved Do not those men then make light of Christ and Salvation that have lived twenty or thirty Years in uncertainty whether they have any part in these or not and yet never seek out for the right resolution of their doubts Are all that hear me this day certain they shall be saved Oh that they were Oh had you not made light of Salvation you could not so easily bear such doubtings of it you could not rest till you had made it sure or done your best to make it sure Have you no body

dear to your selves than to make light of your own happiness or misery Why Sirs do you not care whether you be saved or damned Is Self-love lost Are you turned your own Enemies As he that slighteth his Meat doth slight his life so if you slight Christ whatsoever you may think you will find it was your own Salvation that you slighted Hear what he saith Prov. 1. 36. All they that hate me love Death 6. Your sin is greater in that you profess to believe the Gospel which you make so light of For a professed Infidel to do it that believes not that ever Christ died or rose again or doth not believe that there is a Heaven or Hell this were no such marvel but for you that make it your Creed and your very Religion and call your selves Christians and have been baptized into this Faith and seemed to stand to it this is the wonder and hath no excuse What! believe that you shall live in endless Joy or Torment and yet make no more of it to escape Torment and obtain that Joy What! believe that God will shortly judge you and yet make no more preparation for it Either say plainly I am no Christian I do not believe these wonderful things I will believe nothing but what I see or else let your hearts be affected with your Belief and live as you say you do believe What do you think when you repeat the Creed and mention Christ's Judgment and everlasting Life 7. What are these things you set so much by as to prefer them before Christ and the saving of your Souls Have you found a better friend a greater and surer happiness than this Good Lord What dung is it that men make so much of while they set so light by everlasting Glory What Toyes are they that they are daily taken up with while matters of life and death are neglected Why Sirs If you had every one a Kingdom in your hopes what were it in comparison of the everlasting Kingdom I cannot but look upon all the Glory and Dignity of this World Lands and Lordships Crowns and Kingdoms even as on some brainsick beggarly Fellow that borroweth fine Cloaths and plays the part of a King or a Lord for an hour on a stage and then comes down and the sport is ended and they are beggers again Were it not for God's interest in the Authority of Magistrates or for the service they might do him I should judge no better of them For as to their own Glory it is but a smoak what matter is it whether you live poor or rich unless it were a greater matter to dye rich than it is You know well enough that Death levels all What matter is it at Judgment whether you be to answer for the life of a rich man or a poor man Is Dives then any better than Lazarus Oh that men knew what a poor deceiving shadow they grasp at while they let go the everlasting Substance The strongest and richest and most voluptuous Sinners do but lay in fuel for their sorrows while they think they are gathering together a treasure Alas they are asleep and dream that they are happy but when they awake what a change will they find Their Crown is made of Thorns their pleasure hath such a sting as will stick in the heart through all Eternity except unfeigned Repentance do prevent it Oh how sadly will these wretches be convinced ere long what a foolish bargain they made in selling Christ and their Salvation for these Trifles Let your Farms and Merchandize then save you if they can and do that for you that Christ would have done Cry then to thy Baal to save thee Oh what thoughts have Drunkards and Adulterers c. of Christ that will not part with the basest lust for him For a piece of bread saith Solomon such men do transgress Prov. 28. 21. 8. To set so light by Christ and Salvation is a certain mark that thou hast no part in them and if thou so continue that Christ will set as light by thee Those that honour him he will honour and those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2. 30. Thou wilt feel one day that thou canst not live without him Thou wilt confess then thy need of him and then thou mayst go look for a Saviour where thou wilt for he will be no Saviour for thee hereafter that wouldst not value him and submit to him here Then who will prove the loser by thy contempt Oh what a thing will it be for a poor miserable Soul to cry to Christ for help in the day of extremity and to hear so sad an Answer as this Thou didst set light by me and my Law in the day of thy Prosperity and I will now set as light by thee in thy Adversity Read Prov. 1. 24. to the end Thou that as Esau didst sell thy Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage shalt then find no place for repentance though thou seek it with tears Heb. 12. 17. Do you think that Christ shed his blood to save them that continue to make light of it and to save them that value a Cup of Drink or a Lust before his Salvation I tell you Sirs though you set light by Christ and Salvation God doth not so He will not give them on such Terms as these He valueth the Blood of his Son and the everlasting Glory and he will make you value them if ever you have them Nay this will be thy condemnation and leaveth no remedy All the World cannot save him that sets light by Christ Heb. 2. 3. Luke 14 24. None of them shall taste of his Supper Mat. 10. 37. Nor can you blame him to deny you what you made light of your selves Can you find fault if you miss of the Salvation which you slighted 9 The time is near when Christ and Salvation will not be made light of as now they are When God hath shaken those careless Souls out of their Bodies and you must answer for all your sins in your own Name O then what what would you give for a Saviour when a thousand Bills shall be brought in against you and none to relieve you then you will consider Oh Christ would now have stood between me and the wrath of God had I not despised him he would have answered all When you see the World hath left you and your companions in sin have deceived themselves and you and all your merry days are gone then what would you give for that Christ and Salvation that now you account not worth your labour Do you think when you see the Judgment set and you are doomed to everlasting Perdition for your Wickedness that you should then make as light of Christ as now Why will you not judge now as you know you shall judge then Will he then be worth ten thousand Worlds and is he not now worth your highest Estimation and dearest Affection 10. God will not only