speechless they will not have one word to say for themselves why the sentence of damnation should not take hold upon them who have been such willfull refusers of that great Salvation that was offered to them upon such easy tearmes O worke out your Salvation while it is called to day the night is approaching in which none can worke Whatsoever is commanded you do it with your might for there is no knowledge nor wisedome nor invention in the grave whither you are going Perhaps your paines that you must take for it must be great and your sufferings that you must pass through may be great to but remember that it hath been declared and proved to be great Salvation which is to be your recompence and such as will more than recompence you for all that you can do or suffer for it As to the recompence of our doing the Apostle speakes modestly in speaking but negatively 1 Cor. 15. ult Be ye allwayes abundant in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord But when he speakes of the recompence of our sufferings a double superlative is little enough 2. Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worketh for us a farr more exceeding and eternall weight of glory observe but the elegancy of the Apostles Antithesis in speaking diminutively of the sufferings and loftily of the glory which he opposes to them The one he calls 1. Afflictions 2. Light afflictions 3. Light affictions for a moment The other he calls 1. Glory 2. A weight of glory 3. A weight of glory for aeternity Compare 1. Glory with afflictions 2. A weight of glory with light afflictions 3. A weight of glory for aeternity with light afflictions for a moment The one will be ponderous beyond our imagination the other will seem lighter then vanity it selfe well might the Apostle say count that the afflictions of this present world are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 Upon which an expositor of note excellently enlarges and saith non sunt condigni labores nec condignae passiones ad peccatumpraeteritum quod remittitur ad praesentis vitae gratiam quae immittitur ad futurae vitae gloriam quae promittitur All that we can do or suffer is nothing compared to the sin past which is remitted to the present grace which is bestowed nor to the future glory which is promised This was a meane thing that the Author of this Epistle amied at to incourage the Hebrews to suffer the spoiling of their goods joyfully and to take in good part all that might befall them and not to be offended at the Cross because this great Salvation would make them not only savers but imcomparable gainers I shall shut up this point with the same consideration O let us worke and watch and strive and walke circumspecctly let us pray and pray and give all dilligence and offer violence and be abundant in doing and suffering for let us assure our selves whatever men think of this Salvation now in that great day when the Lord Christ shall be made terrible to the refusers of it and glorious in them that beleive the most unbeleiving will be more than throughly convinc'd that the Salvation offered in the Gospel is GREAT SALVATION THE SECOND DOCTRINE Setting light by this great Salvation is great Sin THough we shall easily confesse all sins to be great yea the least to be objectively infinite because committed against an infinite God as we see David swallowed up of this deep Psal 51.4 against Thee Thee have I sinned c. And we shall as easily confesse that no sins are venial in the sense of Rome the Apostle Paul having declared that the wages of all sin is death Rom. 6.23 yet we cannot with the stoicks think all sins to be equal but more or less sinfull as they are circumstantiated that very expression of the sinfulness of sin had otherwise been a paradox which we find used in Scripture and in many of the writings of the learned and orthodox both modern and ancient and the Prophet had been guilty of an impropriety of speech in mentioning scarlet and crimson sins if some had not been of a deeper guilt than others and their sinfulness like those colours dyed in grain Now that this sin of gospel-refusing or setting light by this great Salvation is a sin with an high hand and a hard heart and a sin of that aggravated nature as to be out of measure sinfull is the point that is first to be illustrated and then to be proved by evidence and strength of reasons First for illustration thus The Scripture thunders out a most dreadfull curse against such as do the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 if the negligent hearers and doers do lie open to the curse of God what will become of those that are so grossly negligent that they neglect both the theory and practick the knowing and doing part and all that care so little for the gospel that they desire not to be acquainted with it that do as it were say to the Lord depart from us we care not to know thy waies nor to walk in thy paths The forementioned Scripture levels that curse against such as are negligent in the execution of Gods destroying work as the words immediately following do manifest Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully and cursed is he that keepeth back his sword from blood when God shall say to his sword go through a Land destroy all and save none and his executioners must close with it under pain of the Lords curse and fiercest indignation What shall become of such as will not close with his saving work when he shall say to his word go thorough a Land and open blind eyes and deaf ears and dead hearts that men may see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and be healed and when such as should proclaim these glad tidings shall be dumb and not declare it the hearers shall be deaf will not entertain it there must be blind leading the blind till all fall into the pit and the forna◠must be heat seven times hotter for the refusers of the Gospel than for the transgressors of the Law the fire of gods jealousie burning hottest about the Sanctuary and that judgement being most merciless which beginneth at the house of God read that confluence of threatnings Deut. 29.20 where God threatneth that all the curses that are written in his book shall fall upon such as bless themselves in a cursed estate and adde to that Deut. 28.61 where God threatens all the curses that are not written to the children of disobedience and yet that flaming place being a Gospel-threatning 2. Thes 1.7 8 9. is hotter and heavier than all The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven in
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
worthy the glory which shal be revealed When we are inticed to sin let us sit down and count the cost it may cost our lives it may cost our precious Souls it may loose us Heaven and Salvation for eternity and when we are discouraged in the waies of God in laying out our selves to be wail our sins to treasure up grace to perform duty and not be weary of well doing to suffer patiently whatsoever can befall us for Christ's sake then let us sit down and count our gain It will make us live comfortably it will give us hope in death it will give us boldness in Judgement it will save us from hell it will advance us to Heaven To wind up all let me speak close to you as once Paul did to Agrippa as if he would offer violence to force his belief O Agrippa believest thou the Scriptures I know thou believest you that have read or heard these Lines do you believe these things I know you believe them they are so set out in the demonstration of the Spirit and in power that you cannot gain-say them and if you cannot contradict them will you not believe them 1. Do you believe Gospel-Salvation to be great Salvation The Angels believe it and admire it 1 Pet. 1.12 The Saints believe it and adore it Revel 5.11 13. The number of them that gave glory to God was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands and every creature in Heaven and earth and sea were heard to say Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lambe for ever and ever The Devils believe and envy it The damned believe it and the loss of it is that never-dying worm that renders them restless and whether you will now believe it or no the time is coming when you will believe and confess it with hearts as full of anguish as ever they can hold O believe it now and be happy for ever and the Lord help your unbelief and make you believers by the exceeding greatness of his Omnipotent Power and according to the working of his mighty power Oh that the King of Saints would command those everlasting doors of your understandings and wills to be opened to give entrance to the King of glory that you may imbrace and receive thankfully this great Salvation that you may live and dye upon the faithfulness and truth of that acceptable and accepted saying That Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners 2. Do you believe Gospel neglecting to be great sin Those that are truely inlightned touched with the fear of God do think so those that are under the convictions and compunctions of the Spirit of bondage for this sin do think so they are ready to depend and give up themselves as lost and utterly undone under the load of it this is still ready at hand to make up the sum totall of their confessions we have added to all our transgressions of thy law this Monster that we have resisted and slighted thy gracious Gospel Against thee thee have we sinned and done this evil O be mercifull to our sin to this of all sins for it is great The infinite mercy of God and merit of Christ and mighty Spirit of grace and adoption revealing offering and applying that mercy and merit as balsome to the wounded Spirit hath much ado to bear it up from sinking under so insupportable a burden Inlightned sinners will believe it at the last when they are under the arrest of death then they will be ready with Cain and Spira to fill all the ears about them with their despairing complaints then they could seek the blessing with tears as Esau did could be content to fill heaven and earth with their roarings if that would help them Believe it Sirs the Devil that tempts you to make light of this Salvation now and presents it as a Molehill will then turn the other end of the prospective and make it as bigg as a Mountain and perswade you it is greater than that it can be forgiven How much better were it that you should now believingly receive in this truth in the power of it that where sin hath abounded grace may super-abound and that you may in time leave and loath this sin before it be your everlasting undoing 3. Do you believe that Great Damnation remains for such as dye in this sin that the wrath of God abides on them here and a sorer punishment and more fiery indignation will abide on them if conversion prevent not world without end Those that are in hell already do believe it yea they know not how to evade the believing it They do curse those Mountebank Preachers that heal mens wound with oyly words that speak Placentia things that may please itching ears rather than things that may profit unbelieving hearts Yea they do charge it heavily upon their deceiv'd own deceitful hearts that when they heard the words of the Curse and threats of Damnation caused them to bless themselves in their cursed practises though they added drunkenness to thirst and Gospel-refusing to Law-transgressing till all curses written and unwritten came in tumbling upon them like mighty waters How much better were it for men to carry about with them a hell in their consciences than to be carryed captive by the Devils into this hell of torments How much easier were it for them to descend every day into hell by meditation than at their dying day to be doom'd unto hell by condemnation Pliny writes of the Lions whelps that he is at first much given to Sleeping but being once awakened scared with the hideous roaring of the old Lion sleeps ever after with his eyes open The application is to our present purpose very pertinent Those that set light by Salvation are much given to sleeping they hear in the Text Damnation thundred out against such sleepers like the roaring of a Lion Rampant I heartily wish that this use may be made of it that our consciences may be so throughly awakened to see our sin and danger and duty that we may alwaies sleep with the eye of conscience open and that we may resolve not to suffer our eyes to sleep nor our eye-lids to slumber nor the temples of our heads to take any rest till we have made this great sin our great Lamentation till we have great and grounded probability of escaping this great Damnation and till we have believed and prayed and lived our selves into some setled and imfalliable perswasions of our obtaining of this great Salvation All which the Lord give grace unto his chosen people effectually to perform for his great names sake for his beloved Sons sake for his gracious Spirits sake And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all 2 Cor. 13.14 Amen Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen FINIS