among men there is given none other name vnder Heaven whereby we must be saved Acts. 4. 12. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6 23. I am the resurection and the life be that believeth in me although he were dead yet shall he live John 11. 25. You hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sins Ephe. 2. 1. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3. 16. to 20. God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shal be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 6 to 11. read to the end of the Chapter See more Joh. 1. 29. Acts 13. 39. Rom. 6. 4 to 23. 8. 2 3. 10. 3 4. 1 Cor. 15. 56. Colos. 1. 14. Gal. 3. 22. Heb. 9. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Sect. XVIII As Christ was a sinner only by the imputation of our sins so wee are just onely by the imputation of his righteousness Our good works were they never so many and rare cannot justify us or deserve any thing at Gods hands it is onely in Christ that they are accepted and only for Christ that they are rewarded Yea the opinion of thine own righteousness makes thy condition far worse then the wickedest mans alive For Christ that came to save all weary and heavy laden sinners be they never so wicked neither came to save or once to call thee that hast no sin but art righteous enough without him As hear his own words to the proud Pharisees who had the same thoughts of themselvs as thou hast They that be whole need not a Physitian but they theâ—â— are sick I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The â—â—st sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 9. 13. 10. 6. 15. 24. 18. 11. Nor can any soul be so dangerously sick as thou who art least sensible of thy being sick Briefly untill with Saint Paul thou renouncest thine own righteousness seest thy self the greatest of sinners art able to discern sin in every thing thou canst think speak or do and that thy very righteousnesse is no better then a menstruous cloth Isa. 64. 6. thou canst have no part in Christ And until Christ shall become thine by Regeneration and a lively faith Thou art bound to keep the whole Law actually and spiritually with thy whole man thy whole life or else suffer eternal death and destruction of body and soul in Hell for thy not keeping it So that thou hast yet to answer and I pray mind it seriously for all the sins that ever thou hast committed who art not able to answer for one of the least of them For the wages of sin any sin be it never so small is eternal death Rom. 6. 23. Gal. 2. 16 19 20 21. Neither let Satan nor thy own deceitful heart delude thee in thinking that thou hast faith when thine own words declare the contrary Nor would I ask any more evidence against thee in this then thine own mouth in saying that thou never doubtest in all thy life for this makes it plain that thou never hadst faith nor ever knewest what faith means For he who never doubted never believed and Satan hath none so sure as those whom he never yet assaulted Sect. XIX But this being a main fundamental point which every man is bound to know I will more particularly and fully explain it as thus Man being in a most miserable and undone condition by reason of Originall and actuall sin and of the curse due to both being liable to all miseries in this life and adjudged to suffer eternall torments in hell-fire after death having no possibility to escape the fierce wrath of Almighty God who had already pronounced sentence upon him When neither Heaven Earth nor Hell could have yielded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited Heaven for us then O then God of his infinite wisdome and goodness did not onely find out a way to satisfie his justice and the Law but even gave us his own Son out of his bosom and his Son gave himselfe to dye even the most shamefull painfull and cursed death of the Cross to redeem us that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the Sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Wherefore wonder at this you that wonder at nothing that the eternall God would die to redeem our worse then lost souls that we might not dye eternally O the deepness of Gods love O the unmeasurable measure of his bounty O Son of God who can sufficiently extoll thy love or commend thy pity or extoll thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man for us but most of all that thou shouldest unmake thy selfe that thou shouldest dye to save us Which salvation stands in two things First in freeing and delivering us from Hell secondly in the possession of Heaven and eternall life Christ by his death merits the first for us and by his obedience fulfilling the law merits the second The parts of our justification are likewise two the remission of our sins and the imputation of Christs righteousness whereby we have freedome from all evill here and the perfection of all good and happiness in Heaven Insomuch that all those Millions of mercies that we have received from before and since we were born either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat or shall injoy to eternity Christ of his free grace hath purchased for us with the price of his own pretious blood For which see Psal. 68. 19. and 145. 15 16. and 75. 6 7. Hear this all you that care to be saved God will pardon all your sins he will give you an eternal crown of glory in heaven if you unfainedly repent and wholly rely upon Christ for your salvation by a lively faith and that because he is just for although the Lord cannot in justice let sin go unpunished for the wages of sin is eternal death Rom. 6. 23. death in the person if not in the surety Yet Christ hath sufficiently satisfied for all the sins of the faithful and paid their debt even to the utmost farthing as is evident by Isa. 53. 4. 5. a Cor. 5. 21. Heb. 9. 26. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 3. 25 26. 1. Joh.
their hunger and they did so Yea he but had the Ravens bring bread and flesh to Elijah and they did it In like manner did the winde and sea Mat. thew 8. 27. the Lions Dan. 6. 22. those two shee-Bears a Kings 2. 24. the Fire Dan. 3. 27. the Earth Numb. 16. 29 to 37. obey the voice of the Lord and many the like spoken of in Scripture But Man is wholly gone astray from his rule and not onley runneth from it but against it so that he is far worse then things worse then himself Which were it rightly considered would be enough to melt an heart of Adamant For was this the principal end for which men were created in such a glorious condition That we might honour love and serve our Creator and injoy communion and happinesse with him for ever and are we so far from excelling the rest of the creatures that we are become more disobedient and rebellious to God then any one of them except Satan himself One would think it should make all that thirst not after their own damnation not onely to hate and dislike themselves for it but force us with all possible speed and industry to seek out the cause and how to recover our selves out of this wretched and damnable condition Sect. VIII But it will be demanded how this comes â— be so and what was the cause To which I answer God at first entered into Convenant with our first parents as publick persons both in behalf of themselvs and all that should proceed out of their loinâ— and so that whatsoever gifts privileges and endowments they had bestowed upon them should be continued to them and theirs onely upon condition of their loyaltie and personal obedience of which the tree of life was a pledge and they should have and injoy them or lose and be deprived of them aswell for their off-spâ—iâ—g as for themselves as they should keep or transgresse his royal Law But see how unworthily they demeaned themselvs towards this their bounâ—â—ul Maker and Benefactor For whereas God placed them in Paradice and gave them free liberty to eat of the fruit of every tree in the Garden save onely of the tree of knowledge of good and câ—iâ— prehibiting them that alone even upon pain of eternal death to them and theirs they most peâ—fidiâ—usly contemned and brake this Law which as sundry circumstances that do aggravate it shew was a most execrable and damnable sin As observe the several circustances set down by Moses to amplifie the foulnesse of their Fall as First that they despised and made light of the promise of God whereby they were commanded to hope for everlasting life so long as they continued their loialty and obedience 2. There was in it an unsufferable pride and ambition in that he could not content himself with being Lord of the whole Universe but he must be equal unto God and every way like his Maker 3. What greater unbelife could there be when he gave more credit to the Serpent in saying he should not die then to God who immediately before tells them that if he did sin in eating the forbidden fruit he should die 4. In this sin was not onely unkindnesse not to be parallel'd but wilful murther of himself and all his posterity whom he knew were to stand or fall with him 5. Herein was soul apostacie from God to the Divel to whom charging God with lying envy malice c. he revolted and adhered rather then stick to his Maker And to these might be added many the like circumstances which grievously aggravate the sin of our first Parents and make it so deadly in effect For hereby it is we not onely lost our blessed communion with God that the Image of God after which they were created was forthwith abolished and blotted out but that many grievous miseries and punishments came in the room of it so that in the place of wisdom power holinesse truth righteousnesse and the like ornaments wherewith we had been cloathed there hath succeeded these and the like 1. This their sin hath filled our whole man with corruption 2. It hath made us become vassals unto sin and Satan 3. It hath disabled us from understanding the will and observing the Commandements of the Lord 4. It caused us to lose our right unto and sovereignty over the creatures 5. It makes our persons and actions unacceptable to God 6. It hath cast us out of Gods favour and made us liable and subject to all the plagues and miseries of this life and to endlesse eaflesse and remeâ— dilesse torments in the life to come Sect. IX And the reason is Our First Parents being the root of all man-kind and instead of all their posterrity before they had issue And the covenant being made with them as publick persons not for themselves onely but for their Posterity who were to stand or fall with them they being left to the freedome of their own wills in transgressing the commandment of God by eatting the forbidden fruit through the temtation of Satan have made us and all man-kind descending from them by ordinary generation as guilty of their sin as any heir is liable to his Fathers debt Their act being ours as the act of a Knight or Burgess in the Parlament House is the act of the whole County in whose name and room they sit and whom they represent by which means our Nature is so corrupted that we are utterly indisposed and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good and wholly inclined to all evill and that continually and have also lost our communion with God incurred his displeasure and curse so as we are justly liable to all punishments both in this life and in the life to come Now for the fuller confirming and amplifying of what hath been said touching Oâ—iginal sin take onely these ensuing Scrirptures and Aphorisms without any needlesse connexion that I may be so much the briefer Sect. X. Amongst many others the most pregnant Scriptures for the confirming of this point I hold to be these The Fathers have eaten sowr grapes and the childrens teeth are set an edge Jer. 31. 20. was a true proverb though by them abused By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. to 21. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14. 4. Sec Chap. 13. 14 15 16. We are all at an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa. 64. 6. By the works of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Rom. 3. 20. There is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 21 22 23. And God saw that the wickednesse of man was greaâ— in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually And it repented the Lord that he had made man Genesis 6. 5
1. 7 9. and sundry other places As are we bound to perform perfect obedience to the Law Christ performed it for us Were we for disobedience subject to the sentence of condemnation the curse of the Law and death of body and soul He was condemned for us and bore the curse of the Law he died in our stead an ignominious death Did we deserve the anger of God hee indured his Fathers wrathful displeasure that so he might reconcile us to hiâ— Father and set us at liberty He that deserved no sorrow felt much that we who deserved much might feel none And by his wounds we are healed Isa. 53. 5. Adam eat the Apple Christ paid the price Iâ— a word whatsoever wâ— owed Christ discharged whatsoever we deserved he suffered if not in the selâ— same punishments for he being God could not suffer the eternal tormentâ— of Hell yet in proportion the dignity of his Person he being God and man giving value unto his temporary punishments and making them of more value and worth then if all the world should have suffered the eternall torments of Hell For it is more for one that is eternall to dye then for others to dye eternally Therefore was the Son of God made the Son of man that the Sons of men might be made the Sons of God and therefore was he both God and man lest being in every respect God he had been too great to suffer for man or being in every respect man he had been to weak to satisfie God And so much for explication of the Third Principle mentioned in the beginning Sect. XX But now coms the hardest part of my work to be performed For admit the Natural man be convinced of the truth of these three fundamentall principles never so clearly yet he will draw such a conclusion from the premisses that he will be never the better for what bath been told him yea he will decoct all even the mercy and goodness of God into poyson For what wil such a one suggest to himself the Divell helping forward Let it be granted will he say that I were every way wretched and miserable a great sinner both originally and actually and likewise liable to all the plagues of this life and of that to come yet I thank God I am well enough so long as Christ hath pâ—y'd my ransom freed me from all by a new Covenant the tenuâ—e whereof is Believe and live whereas at first it was do this and live to which I answer In Covenants and indentures between party and party there are always articles and conditions to be performed on the one side aswell as promises to be fulfilled on the other as saith Pareus Now as God hath covenanted bound himself by his word and Seal to remit thee thy sins adopt thee his child by regeneration and give thee the kingdome of Heaven everlasting life by for his Son's sake so Christ hath for on thy behalf undertaken yea thou thy self didst for thy part bind thy self by covenant promise and vow in thy baptism that thou wouldest forsake the Devil and all his works constantly believ Gods holy Word obediently keep his Commandements the better thereby to express thy thankfulness towards him for so great a benefit 1 Pet. 3. 21. Psa. 116. 12 13 14 And we know that in Covenants and Indentures if the Conditions be not kept the Obligation is not in force Whereby millions Magus like after the water of Baptisme which is a seal of the Covenant of Grace go to the fire of Hell Yea except we repent and believe the Gospell threats and precepts aswell as promises that holy sacrament together with the offer of grace instead of Sealing to us our salvation will be an obligation vnder our own hand and seal against us and so prove a seal of our greater condemnation Therefore the mayn question is Whether thou art a Believer For although Christ in the Gospel hath made many large precious promises there are none so generall which are not limited with the condition of faith and the fruit thereof unfained repentance and each of them are so tyed and entayled that none can lay claim to them but true believers which repent and turn from all their sins to serve him in holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Isa. 39. 20. As for instance Our Savior hath made publick proclamation Mark 16. 16. That whosoever shall believe and be baptized shall be saved but mark what withal is added he that will not believe shall be damned Again So God loved the world that be gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 15 16. And that none may deceive themselvs he addeth He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the onely begotten Son of God And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light Joh. 3. 19 20. And again As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Joh. 1. 12. Again Hecâ— 5. 9. He is said to be the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him not unto them which continue in their rebellious wickednesse and never submit themselvs to be ruled by the scepter of his Word Christ's blood saith Zâ—â—câ—ie was shed as well for ablution as for absolution as well to cleanse from the sâ—il and filth of sin as to clear and assoil from the guilt of sin Rom 6. 5 6. God bath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. 1. 4. They therefore that never come to be holy were never chosen He is said to have given himself for us that he might reâ—eem us from all iniquity and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself zealous of good works Titus 2. 14. Luke 1. 74 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an â—ath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Luk. 1. 73 74 75. 1 Pet. 2. 24. and Titus 2. The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that we should deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts anâ— that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world vers. 12. By all which it is plain that as Christ's blood is a Charter of pardon so withall it is a covenant of direction and hee that refuseth to live as that covenant prescribes may perish as a malefactor that is hanged with his pardon about his neck Sect. XXI But alas say what can be said carnall men who love their sins better then their souls will answer all yea confute whatever can be alleaged with God
is mercifull Or in case that will not serve yet they have another shift or rather the enemy of mankind will furnish them with an â—vasion telling them that they have a strong faith good hearts and mean well they repent of their sins have as good wishes and desires as can bee are elected hope to go to heaven as well â—s the best c. But to every of â—hese I answer First true faith purifieth the heart and worketh by love consumeth our â—o â—â—ptions and sanctifieth the whole man throughout so that our faith to God is seen in our faithfulness to men our invisible belief by our visiâ—le life 〈…〉 holiness are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and light 〈…〉 ice and coldness the spâ—ing and greenness the rose and sweetnes◠〈◊〉 and â—ardness cristall and cleerness pitch and foulness hony and sweetness Again faith believeth the threats of the Word together with the promises Now thou who pretendest belief in the promises shew my thy belief in the threatnings For did'st thou believe the truth of those menaces which God hath denounced against unclean coveteous amâ—itious unjust envious malicious persons and such like sinneâ—â— how duâ—st thou then so wallow in these sins â—hat if God instead of Hell had promised Heaven as a reward unto them thou couldest not do more then thou dost Why shouldest thou deceive thy self with an opinion of faith when indeed thou believest not so much as the Devill does for hee believs namely the threatnings of the Word and â—remâ—les for horror Jam. 2. but thou goest on in sin even mocking at the menaces and in the infidelity of thy heart givest them the â—ve saying no such thing shall befall thee But Invadunt urbem somno vinoâ—uâ— sepultam when they shall say peace and safety then cometh on them sudden destruction 1 Thes. 5. 3. Though these persecutors of Christ and murtherers of the Lord of life were the Devills children as they were plainly told by truâ—h it self John 8. 44. yet they most confidently believed and stiffly maintained that God was their father ver. 41. And to will the woâ—st of men in these days such as do nothing but sin and make others sin such as glory in and maintain their sins Again as faith is wrought by Gods Spirit so where it is wrought it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 22. 23. whereas presumption as it is of the flesh so it bâ—ings forth the fruits of the flesh ver. 19. 20. 21. But it is very easie to believ thinks the sensualist yes but why Satan troubles not such for then hee who begot this presumptious faith in him should be divided against himself Nay Satan confirmâ— him in this his deceit Besides this is a sure rule that that perswasion only which follows sound humiliation is faith that which goes before iâ— is presumption And as Ambrose speaks no man can repent of sin but hee that believs the pardon of sin nor none can believe his sins are pardoned except hee hath repented Besides how easie a matter soever thou thinkest it is to believe hee that goes about it shall find it as hard a work to believ the Gospell as to keep the Law and onely God must inable to both and yet so far as wee come short of either so far forth wee have just cause to bee humbled if wee consider how God at first made us and how wofully wee have unmade our selves But Sect. 22. Secondly as for their good hearts and meanings they may think what they will but every wise â—an knows that the outward actions declare the inward intentions A good conversion is proved by a good conversation Theâ—e is no heart made of flesh which at some time or other â—elents not even 〈◊〉 and marble will in some weather stand or drops Men may flatter God with their mouthes and witâ— tâ—eiâ— tongues dissemble with him when their hearts are not upright with him Psal. 78 3â— 37. and indeed they whose words and deeâ—â—s are faulty and evill and yet plead the goodness of their hearts towards God are like malefactors who being convinced of thesâ— or the like naughtiness by plain evidence to their faces do appeal to the testimony of such persons for their purgation as they know cannot bee found And in case the hearts of such men could bee seen of others as their works and words are their hearts would appear worst of all as they do to God who seeth them Nor is any evill in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first of all as the stream in the fountain And let a viciâ—us man boast never so much of his good heart I will as soon believ him that saith he hath the Philosophers stoneâ— and yet lives like a beggar which two hang together like a sick mans dream Wee have good hearts and mean well alass poor ignorant souls for every drop of wickedness that appears in the life there is an ocean in the heart The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and while hee thinks there is no deceit in it even in that hee is most of all deceived Sâ—nners are like that peremptory Sexton that said howsoever the day goes I am sure the clock goes rigâ—t So that the Spanish Proverb does every way please mee defienda medios demio God defend mee from my self Carnall men are apt to boast of the goodness of their hearts but a mans heart is as arch a traitor as any hee shall meet withall 〈◊〉 trust it too much and know it too little is it fared with Leah Gen. 30 18. and Hazaell 2 Kings 8. 12. 13. and Peter Mat. 26. 33 Luke 22. 32. Mark 14. 29. And those Jews Act. 2. 36. 〈◊〉 all this they will acknowledge in the end yea prove by experience that Heaven is full of good works Hell of good wishes and that the fetters whiâ—h sin makes it must wear Sect. XXIII Thirdly touching their repentance my answer is True repentance for sin is a turning from every sin to the contrary good In all true repentance is a change both in the judgment from error to truâ—h and in the will from evill to good and in the affections from loving evill and hating good to love good and hate evill in the whole man from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Without which change no repentance no being saved The two main and essentiall parts of repentance are contrition or humiliation and conversion or reformation It is not true repentance except humiliation and reformation go both together for either of these single make but a half or halting repentance An unreformed sorrow is but deformed and a sorrow less reformation is but a very sorry one Humitation without reformation is a foundation without a building and reformation without humiliation is a building without a foundation Judas was grieved for murthering Christ yet no change followed hee fell to murthering of himself It is not possible
a man should truly grieve and bee displeased for his sins and yet continue in them without â— change Sect. XXIV Fourthly as for their assurance of salvation it is upon a good ground as a 〈◊〉 the rest for they sâ—mber and suppose themselvs good Christians â—â—…e faith is but a dream their hope but a dream their charity but a dream their obedience but a dream their whole religion but a dream so their assurance of salvation is but a dream they have regeneration in conceit â—epentance and righteousness in conceit they serve God well in conceit do the works of justice and piety in conceit and they shall go to heaven only in conceit or in a dream and never awake untill they feel themselvs in the flames of hell Every drunken beast and blasphemer thinks to go to heaven though none shall come there nor once see God without holiness which they abhor One mindes nothing but his cups another nothing but his coyn a third onely his Curtizâ—n yet all these point to meet in heaven but this is not the way thiâ—her The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 John 2. 16. is a broad way but not to heaven Micha when hee had a Levite in his house thought that God loved him Judg. 17. 13. It is usuall with formalists when they have the Sacrament in their belly to think that all is well as the Jews thought wee may â—ut away our wives wee may swear wee may hate our enemies wee may kill the Prophets subject the Word of God to our traditiâ—ns and follow our own ways Why Abraham is our father John 8. 39. But by their leave Christ calls them bastards and finds out another father for them ver. 44. Ye are of your father the Devill and the lusts of your father ye will do Profane Libertineâ— such as account not themselves well but when they are doing ill yea the most covetous oppressors who may say as Pope 〈◊〉 did I can have no place in heaven because I have so often sold it upon earth every man of them hopes I confess with more confidence then judgment to have benifit by the Gospell when they will not bee tyed to the least tittle of the Law But if Christ bee not our King to govern us hee will neiâ—her bee our Prophet to fore-warn nor our Priest to expiate Except we so sake our sins God will never forgive them yea hee hath swâ—rn by an oath that whomsoever hee redeemeth out of the hands of their spiâ—ituall enemies shall serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives Neither can it confist with his justice to pardon such as continue in an evill câ—uâ—se of life If Christ hath freed us fâ—om the damnation of sin hee hath also freed us from the dominion of sin If with his blood hee hath quenched the fire of hell for us hee hath also quenched the fire of lust in us Christs justifying blood is given us by his sanctifying Spirit He being consecrated was made the authour of eternall salvation unto all tâ—em and them onely that obâ—y him Heb. 5. 9. Of whomsoever a man iâ— overcome even unto the same he is in bondage 2 Pet. 2. 19 Have ye then no government of your passions no conscience of your actions no care of your lives false hypocrites yee do but abuse and profane that name which yee unjustly arrogate Sect. XXV But yet more to convince you you go to heaven when in sundry partlculaâ—s you fall shoâ—t of many wicked reprobates recorded in Scripture as do buâ— deal impartially with thy self and tell mee thou civill Justiciary whether thou ever hadst the heart upon hearing the thâ—eatnings of the Word to â—eleâ—t and humble thy self with Ahah to confess thy sins and â—esire the people of God to pray for thee with Pharoah to bee affected with joy in hearing the Word and practice many things with Herod to â—ee zealous against sin with Jehu willingly to part with a good part of â—hy goods with Anarias â—o forsake the world all thy hopes in it to folâ—ow poor Christ as Demus and others to venture thy life with Alexander the Copper-smith in cleaving to the truâ—h yea it is said of Judas himself â—hat hee repented there is contrition hee saith I have sinned there is confession and hee restored the money again there is satisfaction which is 〈◊〉 the Papists repentance and yet hee is Judas the son of perdition still Now tell me dost thou not com short of these many such as these be wicked reprobates and yet wilt thou pleas thy self in a fals conceit of thine own happiness who comest further behind them then they do behind true christians If some that have journied in the wilderness to Kadâ—sh-barnea shall yet never enter into Gods rest shall those that never left Egypt Is the stony ground reprobate and can the high-way ground bee good There are three sorts of ground mentioned Mark 4. 4. 5. 6. 7. and the very worst of them receives the seed yet all damned whither then shall the â—empest of Gods wrath drive them that would never yet give the Gospellâ— religious ear But vicious men think God is all mercie as â—oggie ayr useth to represent every object far bigger then it is when the Word tells us that he is a consuming fire and a â—ealous God Deut. 4. 24. Heb. 12. 29 and when we â—hall find in Deut. 28. thrice as many curses as blessings Dost thou expect to have him mercifull to thee that art unmerciâ—ull cruell and bloody to â—im to his and thine own soul none that have eies in their heads and open can be so sortâ—â—â— But Sin is like the juicâ— of Poppie called Opium which if the quantity exceed bâ—ingeth the patient into a deep sleep that he never awaketh Sinners dream they are awake but indâ—ed they are â—ast asleep yea with Sardi they are dead while they think they are â—live And indeed this mispâ—ision or mistake this very opinion of being in â—afe good enough keeps a man out of all possibility of being bettered â—or what we presume to have attained wee seek not after Yea this conâ—â—ited righteousness is the onely cause of all unrighteousness and many a man had been good if he had not at present so thought himself Untill Paul was humbled to the very ground trembling and astonished he neâ—er asked Jesus what wilt thou have me to do And the like of those Conâ—eâ—ts that were pâ—ickt in their hearts at Peters searching Sermon upon their being convinced that they were the murtherers of the Lord of life Acts 2. vers. 36 37 38. Sect. XXVI In the last place touching their Election this is an infallible truth Whomsoever God hath appointed to salvation to them he hath appointed â—he means also which is holiness Iâ—deed a man may be so bold of his Preâ—estination as to forget his conversation so he may dream himself in Heaâ—en and waken from that dream in Hell God's purpose touching the end include the means Though God had promised Paul that his company should not be drowned yet he told the Marâ—iners that unlesse they kept in the ship they should be drowned Act. 2â— 22 23. 31. â—s if their safety should not be without means Rebekâ—â— had God's Oracle for Jacobs life yet she sent him away out of Esau's reach It was impossible for Herod to hurt the child Jesus yet he must flie into Egypt And so I have shewn in the last place what are the conditions of the new Covenant and to whom the promises belong which is all that I undertook Now if men will yet go on and perish in their impenitencie their blood be on their own heads and not on mine I have discharged my duty Neverthelesse least the single evidence that I bring from the Word of Truth should not prove sufficient to gain your credence to what haâ—h been spoken And because examples give a quicker impression then arguments I have one thing more to crave of thee which is of as great concernment as all that I have hitherto spoken namely that thou wilt also hear the confession of two parties in the ensuing or second part of this Discourse that were lately in thy very condition though now by the infinite goodnesse of God they have their eies opened and their heaâ—â—s changed to see and know both what it is to be in the state of nature and what to be brought into the glorious liberty of the sons God that so by a three-fold coard you may be drawn to accept of salvation upon God's own terms whereas otherwise you can no way escape his eternal wrath The ensuing or second part which I would request you to read and mind is A happie conference between a Formalist converted and a loose Libertine intituled As Experimental Index of the Heart And so much of the first Part the second followeth FINIS Sold onely by James Crump in Little Bartholomews Well-yard and by Henry Cripps in Popes-head Alley 1658.