not deceive your poor souls by thinking â—ou shall go to heaven for your good meaning For it is written Not every one that saith unto â—he Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaâ—en saith Christ but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Mat. 7.21 Men think â—f they do but come to Church and have a good â—eaning they shall be saved O how many deâ—eive themselves by this St. Crysostom who â—reached to that great City of Antioch did beâ—iâ—ve that of two hundred thousand that came to â—ear the word scarce an hundred souls should be â—aved for if men would be saved they must not â—nely be hearers but doers of the word as St. James saith Jam. 1.22 The Scribes and Pharisees thought they should go to heaven before any other why They fasted they gave alms they did more then come to Church and yet they came short of heaven And doth not Christ say That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.10 O how many thousands are there in England whose righteousness comes infinitely short of the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees nay indeed have none at all neither seek for any but on the contrary delight in nothing but uncleanness drunkenness and other lascivious sins Of which St Paul saith They that live and dye in them shall never inherit the Kindom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.10 But shall be cast into utter darkness where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth O that men would be wise and consider their latter end for as the free falls so it lies If men will live in their sins they shall dye in their sins and perish for ever For without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 The young man in the Gospel he enquired after salvation saving Good master what shall he do to be saved But how many are there in England who never in all their life long so much as think of heaven and the salvation of their precis ous souls let the Lord call never so loud by the voice of his Ministers lifting up their voice like trumpet or by the voice of his words and works â—â—y his mercies which should invite men to come â—â—n by his Iudgements which should affright â—hem how do they he snorting and sleeping in â—heir sin and never awake But let the world â—all and presently they stir let but a door be openâ—d how to get riches and be great in the world how do men thrust and throng and every one trives to go before another but the Ministers of God may cry and call till their hearts ake for men to get to heaven and then sadly complain to the Lord as Isaiah did Isa 53.1 Lord who hath beieved our report We have toil'd all day all the â—ayes of our lives and have caught nothing The Net of the Gospel hath been alwayes spread out and yet scarce one soul taken in it We read Acts 2.40 that at a Sermon of St. Peters three thoâ—â—land souls were converted to the Lord but now we may hear three thousand Sermons preached and scarce one soul brought to heaven Men are altogether of Gallio's mind Acts 18.17 They care not for these things Never was there since the â—ayes of Adam so much means of grace and salâ—ation as now have we not Line upon Line â—recept upon Precept Sermon upon Sermon Mercy upon Mercy and yet all will not do men â—op their ears and refuse to hear the voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisâ—ly O I â—ear it will be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for England And not onely the men of Nineve but thâ—cruel Jews and Turks shall rise up in judgement against us except we repent Englands helâ— will be hotter then the Indians hell What naâ—tion or people is there at this day that God hat bestowed so many mercies on as upon England the Lord hath given us not onely his Gospel but also peace and plenty of all things And yet not with standing the Grace of God hath so abounded towards us that we have turn'd his Grace into mantouness because the goodness and mercy of our God hath abounded towards us we have made our sins to superabound against him Now justly might the Lord for our unsworthiness even cause the devouring sword to be unsheathed again among us and cause us to sheath it in one anothers bowels again and not onely sent the sword among us again which is ready to bâ— drawn but his destroying Angel with that save and heavy judgement the noysome Pestilence which the Lord hath been pleased in much mercy to keep from among us a long time even to admiration and even sweep us away in his wrath and indignation even every one of us It is the Lords mercy we are not consuined Lam. 3.22 Did not the Lord renew his mercies every morning we should be in hell ere night Ah the Lord spare us and have mercy on us for it is greatly to be feared these three heavy judgements Plague Famine and Sword are even ready to fall upon us How justly might the Lord give us a Famine â—ot onely of bread but also of hearing the word of the Lord even because we have despised it â—and loathed it as the Israelites did the Manna be Lord rained from Heaven heavenly food â—nd it was loathed by wretched men How sadly the Lord hath caused Ireland and Germany so feel these three heavy Iudgements â—s fresh in every mans memory and is not England as sinful a Nation as any of these were â—ea England is at this day an unthankful and unholy people a rebellious Nation who stand â—t out against the Lord. But let England know the Lord will be revenged on them Shall I not be revenged on such a Nation as this saith the Lord Yea I will be revenged on them O that men would see the goodnes of the Lord and now to day even while it is call'd to day and turn to the Lord by repentance for who knows whether the Lord will have mercy Yea he will have mercy upon us if we repent As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and repent Turn ye turn ye saith the Lord Ezek. 33.12 and I will have mercy upon you If there could have hin found but ten righteous persons in Sodom God would have spare it Gen. 8.33 And may not â—he Lord us yea he will space us if we repent See what the Lord saith Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turn to the Lord and he will have mercy on them Let every one therefore speedily repent without delay and strive who shall begin first if every one would sweep his own door the whole street would soon be clean and if every one would
if God spared neither the old world nor the Israelites nor the Angels that fell but hath reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness until the Judgement of the great day he will not spare us if we sin as they did And likewise Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire God hath hung them out in chains that all may take notice and be affraid to sin as they did and certainly God is the same God now as he was then he 's yesterday to day and for ever the same and if we will notwithstanding his examples presume to go on in sin he will certainly bring upon us the same judgements And truly the sins of Sodom are at this day the sins of England pride and fulness fo bread the Lord grant we have not the judgement of Sodom fire and brimstone e're long poured down upon us Let England especially London seriously remember the sad examples of fire Now then Christians I beseech you take the good counsel of St. Paul Eph. 6.11 12. Put on the whole armor of God for never was more need now the Devil is most busie to destroy souls it becomes Christians to be the best armed we should count it folly and madness in that man that should know the thief would come and rob him and yet would not provide and arm himself against him Now sirs consider the Devil seeks to rob you of your precious souls therefore arm your selves be not unprovided when you may be armed the armor of God is armor of proof and will bear off all the fiery darts of Satan Resist the Devil and he will fly from you Jam 4.7 The devil is not able to hurt that soul that hath on the armor of God and what this armor of God is St. Paul tells us in Ephes 6.14 15 16 17 18. Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breast-plate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Above all taking the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 And this is the armor which every one that would go to heaven must put on for either we must be the souldiers of Christ or the slaves of the Devil for all those that fight under Satan are his slaves therefore let us put on this armor of God and work out our salvation with fear and trembling To which end our Saviour directeth and plainly shews us the may to heaven which although it be a hard may and a strait may yet it leadeth unto a blessed life and what though we be scratcht in the way with briars and thorns and endure some hardship for a time yet when we come to Heaven it will surely makes us amends at last Did not our Saviour himself and all his Prophets and Apostles go to heaven throught many difficulties How were they buffeted scourged and mocked yea spitted on and spitefully used by wicked and ungodly men did it not cost CHRIST his dear life and precious blood to purchase life and heaven for us Did not the Saints of GOD in all ages willingly endure any thing for heaven they were content to part with all knowing they had in Heaven a better and a more enduring substance See what they suffered with joy for heaven Heb. 11. Abraham left his Country and inheritance Moses forsook Egypt chusing rather to suffer with Christ then to enjoy the pleasures of sin And others stopped the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of the fire were tortured had trial of cruel mockings yea bonds and imprisonments They were stoned sawn asunder slain with the sword wandred about in sheeps skins and goats skins being destitute afflicted tormented wandering in mountains and desarts dens and corners of the earth Of whom saith the Apostle the world was not worthy They of whom the world was not worthy were accounted by wicked and ungodly men not worthy for to live and sojourn in the World Did not all the Martyrs suffer death with joy for heavens sake according to that Scripture Account it all joy when ye fall into diver temptations Jam. 1.2 How did Paul and Silas sing in prison Acts 16.35 They rejoyced God accounted them worthy to suffer for heaven They were resolved no difficulty should debar them from Heaven being perswaded that neither death nor life nor things present nor things to come neither tribulations nor persecutions nor any thing else should hinder him from Heaven Rom. 8.38 Christ having told them That they should be hated of all men for his name sake Yea they that kill'd them should think they did God good service John 16.2 Because they belonged to Heaven therefore the world hated them they were assured of the truth of the word of God which saith That through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And is it not much better to suffer here a light affliction as the Apostle calls it which is but for a moment then for a little season to enjoy the pleasures of sin and be eternally in hell in everlasting torments which shall never have end O consider this all ye that forget God and despise his word and Ministers Know this all ye Ranters Quankers Drunkards and Swearers who mock at the word of God God will one day reckon with you for all your ungodly courses and works of darkness and then your master the devil whom you so much delighted to serve will pay you your wages fire and brimstone eternal torments for ever and then you will wish and say when it is too late O that I had served God! O that I had not walked in these ungodly courses When God cryed unto you to repent you would not hear and now you are in hell roaring and crying to be eased of your endless torments God will not hear you At the day of judgement the yes of wicked men shall be opened they could â—e no pleasure in the wayes of God but still their â—elight was in sin it was sport and pastime for â—hem to sin and offend the Lord. O but what â—ould they now give to be saved they who beâ—re would not forsake any one of their sinnes â—hough it were to save their souls now they â—ould give ten thousand worlds if they had â—hem to have but one hours ease and liberty to â—et salvation What shall if profit a man to gain â—he whole world and lose his own soul Mat. 15.19 Let every one therefore repent and turn unâ—o the Lord for he is merciful and full of comâ—assion strive to enter in at the strait gate â—nd do
repent of his own sins the sins of the Nation would soon be blotted out Yet forty dayeâ— and Nineve shall be bestroyed saith the Lord and yet upon their repentance the Lord pardoned them and if ever they would go to heaven it must he by faith and repentance for no repentance no salvation Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish saith our Saviour Luke 13.3 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 and without repentance there can be no holiness for holiness is the fruit of repentance if we be not holy here we shall never be happy hereafter God himself hath said so and he is no lyar The devil may perswade you otherwise but he is a lyar and the father of lyes John 8 8. he will perswade you so onely to delude your souls and draw you into hell he speaks you fair but it may be he will tell you another tale in hell He is like a great Bragadocio that promiseth great things but indeed hath nothing to pay but hell and damnation All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me saith the devil to our Saviour Mat. 4. But I pray whose is the world Is not the earth the Lords and the fulness thereof Psal 24.1 The Devil hath nothing at all to do with it but as the Lord gives him leave Riches and honor worldly honour greatness are the devils baits to catch poor souls He lays these things before their eyes but it is the soul he aims at let him say what he will the end of his work is onely to delude and destroy poor souls the Devil promiseth much and hath nothing to pay but hell and damnation and yet how many believe him Let the Lord say here is my Christ take him much good may he do you here 's pardon of sin receive â—here is life and salvation heaven and happiness and who is there that dares to receive You will not come to me that you might have life saith Christ but let but the devil say you may go on in your sins take your pleasure in the world all â—hall be well with you it is time enough to repent hereaftrr how readily do men believe him But if men did but know and believe whither â—hey are going when they are going in the ways of sin they would go another way The way of â—in is the broad way to hell you go meâ—â—â—ly along it s down the hill you are running but take heed you will fall into hell at last It is just with men going to hell as it was with the man that was to go over a great River on a narrow Bridge â—he puts on his spectacles and so the bridge seem'd wider then it was and the poor man walks on â—ecurely and so falls beside the Bridge and is drowned wicked men they look on the world with the devils spectacles and so it seems very pleasant and delightful and they run on securely as we say without fear or wit not considering that every step they tread they are ready to fall into hell O sinners consider when you are sinning you are dancing about the mouth of hell if the Lord should but snap in sunder the slender thred of your lives you would presently fall into hell Men thing the pleasures of sin very sweet the Lord knows they are bitterness in the latter end the sweet meat of sin will have sowre sauce sin is the dearest commodity in the world you will repent your bargain at last though you sin at never so cheap a rate you will pay too dear for it you will say then the devil was to hard for you he cheated you you gave him too much Sin cost men their lives and their souls more precious then pearls or râ—â—ies and lose heaven too by the bargain The â—â—ges of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.22 Strive therefore to enter in at the strait gate get to heaven though the way be hard yet strive you have the command of Christ his example the example of all the Prophets and Apostles and having such a cloud of witnesses be not discouraged but run with patience the race that is set before you suffer not Satan to deceive you it you do you will surely repent it when it is too late Consider by the example of Dives and Lazarus is it not better think you to be in heaven with Lazarus then to be in hell with Dives Dives he wanted nothing on 〈◊〉 had the world at will fared deliciously every day but is now in hell and wants a drop of water Lâ—â—â—â—â—â— he lived in great wants and miseries had not wherewithal to relieve his hungry body full of â—ores men they looked scornfully on him and did him not so much favour as the dogs they came and licked his soâ—es but Dives denied him the very crumbs that fell from his table to the Dogâ— What think you did not Lazarus endure much hardship to get to heaven he was here in much misery full of woes now in heaven hath rivers of pleasure joy unspeakable and full of glory O beloved it is better to beg our â—reâ—â— here with Lazarus for a little season on earth then to beg our water with Dives in hell to all eternity We should not fudge that worth much now in the time of our life which will be of no worth here after Riches saith Solomon make themselves wings and flee away they are uncertain here to day and gon to morrow as woful experience tells us and are worth just nothing in the day of Judgement in the life to come they are worthless things there will be an end of them But godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 When Dives was in his pontiffcalibus had his purple clothing and dainty fare every day who would not be Dives then almost every one But when we read of Dives in hell torments then who would be Dives certainly none at all Dives would now be content to be a begger in the estate of Lazarus â—en thousand years iâ— he might be released out of his torments â—o likewise when we read of poor Lazarus a beggar fâ—â—ll of sores wanting bread in great distress of body who would be Lazarus in that case certainly none at all But when 〈…〉 of Lazarus in Abrahams bosome Lazarus in heaven then who would not be Lazarus if he might But if we would be Lazarus in heaven we must be Lazarus on earth if we would dye the death of the righteous we must live the life of the righteous If we would sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets Apostles and Saints of God we must tread in their steps they have beaten the way they have made it plain for us if we will their path is clearly to bée seen we must walk as they walked soberly live as
they lived holy and righteously all our dayes endure hardship as they did as you may sée in the word of God What did the Prophets and Apostles of our blessed Lord and Saviour undergo St. Paul tells us in his book of Martyrs Heb. 11. They were persecuted stoned imprisoned sawn asunder mocked scourged despised by men wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins And other Apostles and Saints we read of some torn in pieces by wilde beasts others put in scalding oyl some â—ad their Skins stayed off alive dragged about with horses and our Smithfield is a good witness â—f the sufferings of the Martyrs and besides we â—eard of laâ—e the sad tydings of the sufferings of â—ur Brethren in Savoy which may make every â—ood Christians heart bléed to hear what cruel â—loody tortures those faithful Christians did enâ—ure for the sake of Christ how they were â—â—orcht by fire dasht in pieces against the rocks â—ot pittying nor sparing even tender sucking â—nfants but destroying all The Lord make us â—ensible of his saving mercies towards us that â—â—e are not delivered into the hands of such blooâ—y wretches therefore as St. Paul saith Let us run â—ith patience the race that is set before us It is but â—or a little while and in due time we shall receive â—ur reward if we faint not Heb. 12.2 Let us then â—bour not for the meat that perisheth but for that â—hich endureth to eternal life So demeaning of â—ur selves here as those that look for the comâ—ng of our Lord Iesus who shall render to every â—ne according to their works And know that alâ—hough the righteous meet with hard fare in the â—orld yet their end shall be joy and peace Peace â—at passeth all understanding When the wicked â—en although they are crowned with rose-buds â—nd hath their paths washed in Butter and â—â—ve an hundred years in pleasure yet they shall â—â—e accursed for there will certainly come a day â—hen all mankinde high and low rich and poor noble and ignoble shall appear naâ—â—â— before the great Tribunal of the Lord. And then what will become of riches and honour beauty and pleasure Then the Crowns of Kings and the rags of Beggars shall all be laid aside and all without respect of persons receive sentence according to their deeds done in the flesh Then pride and luxury swearing and drunkenness swaggering complemental oaths and all other vile and lascivious courtings and adorations of beauty the so much admired and studied sins of the Gallants of the world shall be pronounced out of the mouth of God himself to be nothing else but glittering abominations then the adulteraring wares light and double weights and false measures now almost woven into the very art of trading shall be pronounced to be nothing else but mysteries of iniquity and self-deceivings and shall be rewarded with eternal fire and then the poor despised profession and professours of the power of godliness who tremble at the word of God make conscience of their wayes and forbear not onely vain and wicked oaths but also idle words whose hearts bléed for the abomination of the times and the wickedness of those among whom they live who walk humbly and mournfully before the Lord in an exaâ— holy conversation in the midst of a crooked anâ— perverse generation shall in good earnest be pronounced from the mouth of God himself tâ— have walked in that true and narrow way that â—eadeth to eternal life then the wicked and ungodly who mocked at the word of God when it is too late shall be forced to confess and say O what fools were we We accounted their lives madness and judged their end to be without honour How are they now reckoned among the Saints and have their portion in Heaven sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of their God and we who lived in pleasure and walked in this broad easie and smooth way are tumbled down to hell there to receive the just reward of our ungodly sayings and doings eternal torments for ever and ever Now to conclude all in a word let every one of us take the good counsel of Solomon to remember our Creator in the dayes of our Youth Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee But know for all this thou must come to judgement Remember there is both a heaven and a hell a heaven to reward thée if thou dost well a hell to torment thée if thou dost ill Labour then to be of the number of those to whom the Lord shall say at the last and great day of iudgement Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the begining of the world Mat. 25 24. Unto which Kingdom the Lord of his mercy bring us all Now the God of peace which brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ that great shepheard of his sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good worâ— and work to do his will working in us that which iâ— well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ ouâ— Lord To whom be glory and honour now and for ever Amen FINIS Licensed and Entered according to Order THese godly Books are sold by E. Andrews at the white Lion neer Pye-Corner Christs first Sermon Christs last Sermon Thâ— Christians Blessed Choice The Christians best Garment Heavens Happiness and Hells horrour Thâ— School of Grace Likewise 1. Englands Faithful Physician 2. The dreadful character of a drunkard 3. Dooms-day at hand 4. The Fathers last Blessing to his children 5. The sin of Pride arraigned and condemned 6. The Black Book of Conscience 7. Peters Sermon of Repentance 8. The Plain Mins Plain Path-way to Heaven 9. Death Triumphant 10. The Charitable Christian Read them over carefully and practise them constantly and resh assuredly thou wilt finde much comfort in them to thy own soul