confluence of choicest provisions such is God's free entertainment of his Servants and Favourites Mine Oxen and Fallings are killed and all things in a readiness come unto the Marriage Mat. 22 4. And Come yee blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you Mat. 25 34. But when men are to prosecute their deadliest Enemies they will do it with the uttermost rigour that their possibility can reach unto Such and infinitely greater is Gods anger against his Adversaries he takes pleasure at their overthrow and laughs at their destruction Ah I will ease me of mine enemies and be avenged on mine Adversaries Isay 1.24 And as if his mercy were utterly at an end and he had forgotten to be gracious he will denounce that everlasting excommunication as the triumph of his glorious justice Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels Mat. 25.41 5 Reason Because it hath a great and a long reach 1. It reacheth to the Soul 2. And it reacheth to eternity 1 It reacheth unto the Soul other sentences reach but to the body name estate family relations liberty life as was before hinted but this reacheth the Soul Fear not them which kill the body and when they have done that have no more that they can do but fear him who when he hath killed is able to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Luke 12 4. How do malefactors that are arraigned for some capitall offences tremble before an earthly Judge when he is pronouncing sentence of death upon them but how will corrupt Judges themselves tremble as Faelix did when he heard Paul reasoning of judgement to come yea a more than either he or Belshazzar did when the hand was writing him a divorce from his Kingdome when this sentence of Damnation is going out how will blackness cover all faces when a World of selfe condemned sinners shall stand before the dreadfull Tribunall of the Lord Jesus which in the last Assize he is sitting upon life and death when nothing is left them but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Hebr. 10.27 'T was a sad hearing to the rich glutton Thou foole this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee Luke 12.20 The Soul is more worth than the World in his esteem that laid down his life to save Soules Mat. 16.26 And in this damnation this jewell is lost and this darling of ours must be delivered to the roring Lion The Saints do lay all at stake to save their souls Profsâ—s Pleasures Honours Friends Liberty Life it self and think all to be an easie exchange which will more than conclude the loss of the soul to be the loss of all losses 2. And that which makes this so great a loss and that we are treating of so great Damnation is because it is for ever and ever It reacheth to Eternity The sinner under convictions thinks he shall dy no other death looks upon himself as in a very hell upon earth David after deliverance out of such a deep saith O Lord thou hast delivered my Soul from the nethermost hell and Saint Augustine having in his confessions taken shame unto himself for a multitude sins in the depth of his humiliation calls out of the deep of misery to the deep of mercy Lord pitty my Soul in the lowest hell such in Scripture-sense are called lost Christ came to seeke save the lost but this loss shall- be their gain and I may say in this case as the Word in another he that loseth his life shall find it and the Apostle Paul desired to be lost in himself that he might be found in Christ this is but a seeming loss nor will it last long heaviness may indure for a night but joy cometh in the morning for a moment have I hid my face in mine anger saith the Lord but with everlasting mercy will I return and have compassion but the lose we are speaking of is reall and irreparable The soul under desertion thinks it self in a wofull case and hath much ado to distinguish betwixt it self and a cast-away as appears in Davids case Psal 77.7 8 9. Will the Lord absent himself for ever and will he be favourable no more c. and Job complained in the bitterness of his soul that God had set him up as his marke to shoot at and the venome of his arrows drank up his Spirit and Hezekiah did mourn like a Dove and chatter like a Crane and complained that from morning to night God did make an end of him But though it were now winter with them and the sap was gone down into the root yet the Suns return brought their spring again and the light of Gods countenance made all whole but in that desertion which Damnation causes the deserted soul is deserted for ever When the body loses the soul at the death naturall it s a sad loss but the Resurrection will bring them together again but where the soul and God are parted in the spirituall death and the naturall death finds them in this case eternall death presently seizes that soul and that separation wil be everlasting that soul and happiness will never meet 6. Reason The last reason to prove this Damnation to be exceeding great is Because it consists in great and dreadfull punishments We shall make use of this old and common distinction of 1. Poena Damni The punishment of loss 2. Poena Sensus The punishment of sense All evil is distinguished into 1. Malum culpae The evil of sin 2. Malum poenae The sin of punishment All evill of sin may be distinguished into 1. Inherent our own sins 2. Adherent our other mens sins All evil of punishment as afore into 1. Poenam Damni the punishment of loss 2. Poenam Sensus the punishment of sense Man is a compound creature consisting of a soul and body a Coelestiall and Terrestriall part as God is Lord both by Creation Preservation and Purchase so he requires to be honoured with both with all of both all the parts of our bodys and all the powers of our souls If the Apostles inference hold concerning one viz Gods right of purchase ye are bought with a price and therefore ought to glorifie God c. It will conclude much more strongly if we take in all ye are created with his power preserved by his providence as well as bought with a price therefore ye ought to glorifie God both with your bodies and souls which are Gods Here is the very quâ—nâ—essence of reason that God should have his own that which is so much his own by a manifold right Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars and give unto God that wich is Gods Now for such as give up themselves wholly to God in a way of grace and duty taking him to be their â—â—rtion and his Son to be their Lord preferring their interests before all others serving them in the
bait the hooke of Prose with Poetry Fishers of men must put on every guise Winners of Soules must study to be wise If Poetry be goats hair and no more Yet it may serve to vail the Temple dore I le not detaine you lâ—nger in the Porch Nor light you to the Sun with such a Torch What furnitures within is now made free The Curtain 's drawne you may go in and see ERRATA Pag. 17. line 15. read able p. 34. l. 3. biot out and make figure 1 before the next word p. 36. l. 24. r. mankind p. 50. l. 11. r. the for their p. 59. l. 15. r. sink p. 62. l. 5. r. vassalls p. 69. l. 18. r. fold p. 76. l. 2. r. I count l. 14. r. maine thing p. 91. l. 21. r. great wickednesse p 24. l. ult r. Apostaticall p. 127. l. 10. r. certainty in the same line r. assert p. 128. l. 5. r. Apostates p. 128. l. 18. r. road p. 129. l. 23. r. preacher p. 135. l. 1. r. word p. 139. l 7. Jsay 1. p. 144. l. 5. r. bring p 150. l. 9. r. wet finger p. 151. l 17. r. as his right eye c. p. 186. l. 15. r. when p. 192. l. 16. read puluerem p. 196. l. 14. r. refuge p. 200. l. 8. read so obdurate p. 209. l. 3. r. Solamen p. 211. l. 11. read Masters p. 216 l. 23. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 218. l. 11. blot out if p. 230. l. 5. r. stony heart p. 236. l. 5. r. desponde p. 237. l. 22. r. owne deceived and deceitfull hearts p. 238. l. 8. r. whelpe A breife TABLE Of the CONTENTS A Short Introduction pag. 1. 2. 3. The rule of Gods dealing with the Refusers of his mercy upon which is grounded the whole Method of the Treatise in these 3 particulars 1. Ingentia Beneficia 2. Ingentia Flagitia 3. Ingentia Supplicia p. 4 Whence are raised 3 suitable Doctrines 1. Gospel Salvation is Great Salvation 2. Setting light by this great Salvation is great Sin 3. The neglect of this great Salvation brings great Damnation 1. Doct. proved and made plaine p. 5 1. By comparing it with Salvation by the Law 2. By comparing it with the old Test manifestations 3. By comparing it with temporall deliverances p. 5 It is also proved by improving the Text in its elegant Climax or Gradation 3 stories high 1. Salvation 2. Great Salvation 3. So great Salvation Illustrated further by alluding to the 3 degrees of comparison wherein is shewed to be 1. Positively great 2. Comparatively greater than other 3. Superlatively the greatest of all p. 8 Proved also from three pregnant Scriptures Psal 130.7 Plentifull Redemption Luke 1.69 A horn of mighty Salvation Hebr. 7.25 Salvation to the uttermost p. 8 9. Proved lastly by three Reasons p. 9. 1. Reason Drawn from the ab hoc shewing from what we are saved 2. Reason Drawn from the ad hoc shewing to what we are saved 3. Reason Drawn from the per hoc shewÌ„ing by what we are saved 1. Reason Because it saves from great Evills As 1. From the wrath of God p. 10. 11. 2. From the curse of the Law p. 12. 13. 3. From the tyranny and dominion of Satan p. 14. c. 4. From the evill of sin 1. From the condemning power p. 21 2. From the commanding power p. 21 5. From the evills of Punishment from a 3 fold Death 1. Internall of the Soul 2. Externall of the Body 3. Eternall of both Soul and Body p. 23. c. 2. Reason Because it advances to great Happines p. 6 1. Before time in Election 2. In time in Iustification and sanctification 3. After time in Glorification p. 27. Two bunches of Beatitudes belonging to Gods saved ones 1 Bunch 1. Justification wherein of ungodly they are made righteous 2. Reconciliation wherein of Enemies they are made Friends 3. Adoption wherein of Aliens they are made Sons 4. Sanctification wherein of Sinners they are made Saints 5. Glorification wherein of imperfect Saints they are made perfect 2 Bunch 1. They are entitled unto the love of God the Father 2. The Grace of God the Son 3. The Communion of God the holy Ghost 4. The Protection of the Trinity 5. The Guardianship of Angells 6. The comforts of an appeased conscience 7. The comfortable enjoyment of the things of this life 8. The believing expectation of the life to come p. 28. It s further shewed that Salvation advances its heires unto two Kingdoms at once 1. The Kingdome of Grace p. 29. 2. The Kingdome of Glory p. 31. to 35. 3. Reason Because we are saved by great meanes 1. The wisdom and love of God the Father p. 36. c. 2. The sufferings and Righteousness of God the Son p. 39. c. 3. The Revelation and Application of the holy Ghost p. 41. c. The other subord nate meanes laid down in 2 paires The 1 Pair is 1. Graces 2. Duties p. 45. 46. The 2 Pair is 1. Ordinances 2. Providences p. 47 48. c. 1. Vse Of Consideration 1. What it is 2. How great it is p. 51. to 54. 2. Vse Of Proclamation p. 54. 55. 56. 3. Vse Of Reproof p. 57. to 65. 4. Vse Of Consolation p. 65. to 70. 5. Vse Of Exhortation p. 70. to 77. 2 Doctrine Setting light by this great salvation is great sin p. 79. 1 Positively great p. 84 to 88. 2 Comparatively greater than other p. 88 to 95. 3 Superlatively the greatest p. 95. 1 Reason Because an accumulated sin p 95. Proved to be so because it is a refusing of Christ in all his Offices as p 98. 1 His Priestly office p. 100. c. 2 His Propheticall office p. 102. c. 3 His Kingly office p. 105. c. 2 Reason Because its an aggravated sin by three circumstances p. 110. 1 Of Person p. 111 to 114. 2 Of Time p. 114 to 116. 3 Of Place p. 117. 118. 3 Reason Because it is a State confounding sin p. 119 c. 4. Reason Because it is a Church confounding sin p. 123. c. 1 Vse of Information to shew wherin it consists p. 131. Viz. 1 In taking no care for salvation p. 132. c. 2 In taking but little care conjunct with greater care p. 137. c. 3 In not making it our greatest care p. 139. c. 2 Vse of Direction in 4 things p. 142. 1 There must be great thoughts of heart p. 143. 2 Great searchings of heart about it p. 145. 3 Great humblings of heart about it p. 147. c. 4 Great chainges of heart about it p. 151. c. 3 Use of consideration in order to consolation in two things 1 That only is Gospel refusing which is finall p. 153. c. 2 Gospel-mercy will pardon all Gospel-refusing which is not finall p. 156. c. â— Doctrine The neglect of great Salvation brings great Damnation p. 161. Damnation that is 1 Positively great p. 164. c. 2 Comparatively
the wages of all and every sin so that sin will find the sinner suffering enough death with all its appurtenances 1 with all its forerunners diseases aches paines c. 2 With all its concomitants of tribulation and anguish desperation and horrour 3 and all its followers death after death fire and brimstone which is the second death Revel 21.8 Let us distinguish of a threefold death which is the wages of sin and all will be plaine when we have clear'd it that Salvation saves us from all the three Death 1 Internall of the Soul 2 Externall of the Body 3 Eternall of the Body and Soul 1 It saves from death internall as Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinns Iohn 5.25 The time shall come and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those that hear shall live and Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my words and beleiveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life and Revel 20.6 Blessed is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power which expositors do interpret of the resurrection of the Soul from the death of sin to the life of grace as the second resurrection of the body from death to life immortall 2. It saves from death externall though not from the stroak of death for it s appointed unto all men once to die Hebr. 9.27 Yet from the sting of death for blessed are the dead which die in the Lord Revel 14.13 Paul tells us if in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men the most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 noting that the hope that we have in Christ for another life is the best part of our hope and that which maketh not ashamed and in order to this Solomon saith the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Though beleivers die yet they are not kill'd with death as that deadly phrase is Revel 2.23 It is but their dust that sees corruption Their head having kill'd death Oh death I will be thy death Hos 13.14 nothing hinders but that on the account of that victory they may triumph as more than conquerors and say with the Apostle O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 3 It saves from death eternall Iohn 11.25 26. He that beleiveth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and beleiveh in me shall not die for ever Death is therefore call'd the King of feares because there is a more terrible death stands behind it as the Apostle saith after death cometh the judgement so we may say after judgement cometh the death Observe but how the Apostle sends out bold challenges and even bids defiance to all adversary power upon this very score of being protected and secured from the second death Rom. 8.33 Who shall condemn What shall separate I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus c. Let all these be laid together that it saves us 1 From the wrath of God 2 From the curse of his Law 3 From the tyranny of Satan 4 From sin both condemning and commanding and then from punishment death internall externall and eternall and these make up a pregnant proof that Gospel-Salvation is great Salvation from the ab hoc the great evills it saves 〈◊〉 from 2 Ad hoc 2 Reason It saves us to great happiness I meane that by this great Salvation we are advanced to great happiness It were endles to handle all the particulars of that blessedness to which Salvation doth entitle us Moses brings in that blessedness in huddles that is prepared for the children of obedience and heyres of Salvation Deut. 28. blessings of all sorts and sizes in every state and condition David saith Psal 1.1 Blessednesses belong unto them or as the originall doth more emphatically render it ô beatitudines oh the blessednesses that belong unto such as he there describes and Psal 144.15 gives their blessedness a rise above all other blessedness yea above all that can be spoken or conceived yea blessed are the people which have the Lord to be their God Paul saith they begin in election and end in glorification Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified In which words he sets downe the priviledges of Gods saved ones 1. Before time In predestination 2. In time In calling and Justification 3. After time In Glorification Let us if we can run back to the beginning of eternity end run forward to the end of it and if we cannot as we cannot let us run to our witts end and then cry out ô altitudo ô profunditas oh the length and bredth and height and depth of the love of God which passeth knowledge The measure of Heaven is heaped up and pressed downe and running over Yet though the excellencies of that Land of promise which flowes with better blessings than milk and hony cannot be told you we shall not pass it by so slenderly as to say no more of it but shall do as those faithfull spies that were sent to survey the Land of Canaan present you with a bunch or two that you may have a tast at least of the fruits of the Land though the full feast be reserved till the time of our fruition 1. Those that are the heyres of this great Salvation are adopted into the family of Heaven and received into the glorious liberty of the Sonns and Daughters of the Lord God Allmighty which giving us union with Christ gives us right also to all the priviledges of Communion Justification Reconciliation adoption Sanctification and glory 1. Justification wherein of ungodly we are made righteous 2. Reconciliation wherein of enemies we are made freinds 3. Adoption wherein of aliens we are made Sonns 4. Sanctification wherein of Sinners we are made Saints 5. Glorification wherein of imperfect Saints and such as are sanctified but in part we are made perfect grace being but glory begun and glory nothing else but grace perfected 2. Those that are adopted into these priviledges are thereby entitled 1. Unto the love of God the Father 2. The grace of God the Son 3. The Communion of God the Holy Ghost 4. The protection of the Trinity 5. The guardianship of Angells 6. The comforts of an appeased conscience 7. The comfortable enjoyment of the things of this life 8. The beleiving and hopefull expectation of the life that is to come These are two bunches of the beatitudes that this great Salvation doth advance us to But the most excellent are behind this great Salvation doth advance the heirs of it unto two Kingdoms at once 1. The Kingdome of grace 2.
business that I have with you I came not hither to take tythes but to winn Soules The malevolent adversaries of the standing Ministry of England call us hirelings and it s a miracle of providence that we have our lives for a prey in the midst of such a blood-thirsty generation of unreasonable men but we so much more desire you than yours that if you would make this our hire to give up your selves to God by our Ministry that by taking heed unto our selves and to the doctrine we may save both our selves and them that hear us let them call us Divells and it should but adde unto our Crown while we all study to be what I desire to approve my selfe A Servant of Christ for the furtherance of your Salvation Richard Eedes To the Reader Reader BEhold I bring unto thee glad tidings of great joy That whatever thy life hath been for the time past and whatever thy sinnes unrepented of are for the present If God shall render thee teachable and willing to be counselled thou maist yet die happily if thou wilt but be perswaded to live holily for the short remainder of thy few and evill daies I desire to approve my selfe a true friend unto thy Soul in my indeavour to bring this to pass and nothing can hinder it if the Tempter do not still prevaile to make thee continue thine own greatest enemy If thou be young thou canst not set out upon such work too soon which is of everlasting concernment to thy Soul and tends to the sure-making of thy Salvation If thou be old and hast spent much time already in the service of sin it is more than time that thou shouldst awake out of that dead sleep least the sleep of death surprize thee and if thou should'st be taken out of the world by death before thou be taken out of the World by grace which God forbid it had been better that thou hadst never been born or hadst been created a Toade or Viper than a Man or Woman Deferr not a day not an houer not a moment longer to consider thy waies and to turne to God hearken to this call of God while it is called to day least deferring till to morrow it should be to late whiles the breath is yet in thy body and the Lord yet offers to breathe the breath of life into thy Soul let not the Divel World and Flesh so bewitch thee as to obstruct thy seasonable and serious closing with God upon a Covenant-accompt and with Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour So shalt thou breake off that Great Sin of Gospel-refusing and escape that Great Damnation that is due to it and attaine unto that Great Salvation which is here faithfully commended and heartily wished to thee by him who is Thy Soule Friend Richard Eedes To the Reader Reader IT is the glory and happiness of the Age and country in which thou livest to have the plaine and plentifull teachings of the Lord that while we see not God or the life to come with open face by immediate intuition to our full satisfaction we may yet see him in a glass by reason sanctifyed and guided and elevated by faith so far as to quicken our desires after more and to cheer and strengthen us as a fore-tast and earnest of the everlasting inheritance Though the invisible things of God may be so farr seen in the things that are made as to leave all those without excuse that know not God or glorify him not as God Rom. 1.20 21. yet is the Gospel the much clearer glass though not as to the sensible manner of Revelation yet as to the fullness and cleerness of Discovery In this glass thou maist certainly see on earth the things that will be done in Heaven and Hell to all Eternity Thou maist know if thou canst but know thy heart both where and in what case thou must live for ever Whether with God or Divells whether in joy or torments whether in the end I less sence of the love of God and in his Soul-ravishing vision and fruition and highest returnes of Love and praise with Christ and all the Heavenly Host or in the endless feeling of his confounding to wrath and pangs of conscience for thy former willfullness and folly and comfortless despairing lamentations of thy misery This certaine glass that from God foretelleth all these things is contained in the Holy Scriptures and daily held before thee by thy teachers who are commanded to call upon thee to try and know thy selfe hereby and to prevent the eternall misery fore-seen and set thy heart on the revealed glory and make out after it with the greatest care and desire of thy Soul that it may be thine for ever This glass is here held out unto thee by this faithfull Reverend Minister of Christ a member of our Association in these united Churches who hath judiciously and concisely yet seriously and pathetically told thee how great a Price is in thy hand if thou have but a heart to the blessedness to be procured by it and the improvement of it for that blessedness He hath told thee also what a sin and desperate folly it is to slight â—nd neglect this great Salvation and turne of that God that Heaven with a triâ—le or with the leaving of this contemptable World who is thy All and should have All and will have thy First and Best or nothing He hath told thee of that great Damnation that will certainely be thy Portion if thou go on to neglect this great Salvation Bless God for this seasonable call and admonition and harden not thy heart but hear if thou have but eares to hear Abuse not a God of Love that deserves not to be abused Turne not away from him that speaketh unto thee from Heaven Deny not thy Redeemer thy first and deepest thoughts and cares thy strongest love and most resolved labours that denyed thee not his blood his doctrine and his example Away with sin Man tread downe the World or use it for the World to come Crucify the flesh that hitherto thou hast served Heaven is before thee thou art made and redeemed to be equall with the Angels Dally not about so great a matter as everlasting joy or torment is God is not mocked and therefore do not mock thy selfe by preferring the tâ—yes of the World before him What needs all this adoe for thy daily bread Having food and rayment be therewith content Get well to Heaven and all is done and thou shalt never want lose that and lose all and thou wilt certainly lose it if thou seth it not first and give it not the chiefest roome in thy heart How thinkest thou to escape if thou neglect this Salvation Will a despised or neglected Christ be thy Saviour or a neglected Heaven be thine Inheritance Dost thou think to come back from the dead into this World to mend that which now thou dost amiss or canst thou escape against Gods will and word Reader
the Covenant of grace hath been exhibited under two dispensations First to the Jewes under the old Testament-dispensation in tipes and shadowes when the Ceremoniall Law was the Jewes Gospel And secondly to Jewes and Gentiles under the new Testament dispensation in truths and and substances and this is that Salvation that the Apostle seemes here to commend and exalt above other Salvations that Salvation which in the manifestation of it is grown up to more ripenesse of yeares and perfection of Statâ—e since the fullnesse of time than ever it was before And since we are speaking comparatively of it let us take in one consideration more though it may serve only for a pleonasme for having spoken of the greater we need not doubt of the lesse It may be called great Salvation if compared with temporall and corporall deliverances such as those from Aegypt and Babylon those were great deliveraâ—ces and great Salvations but that was of bodies thâ—s of soules that was temporall and this aeternall and therefore in every respect 1. If compared with Salvation by the law 2. If compared with the old Testementmanifestations 3. If compared with temporall deliverances We must give acclamation to it to be great Salvation And as for dreaming of any other Salvation properly and strictly so called we must keep close to those true sayings of God Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved and 1. Tim. 2.5 unicus est mediator There is one onely mediatour betwixt God and man the Man Christ Jesus The doubt being cleared we proceed to clear the doctrine 1. By improving the Text. 2. By Testimonies of Scripture 3. By pregnant and ponderous Reason First by improving the Text where the spirit of God gives it a rise three degrees high 1 Salvation 2 great Salvation 3 so great Salvation which last is a sic without a sicut as one saith of Gods love from that Scripture God so loved the World so that the tongues of men or Angells are not able to expresse nor the imaginations of men or Angells able to comprehend Or what if we suppose it better to illustrate those three gradations by the three degrees of comparison we may shew you at large how Gospel-Salvation is 1. Positively great Salvation 2. Comparatively greater than all other 3. Superlatively the greatest of all 's But all this was hinted in that that went before Secondly to shew you the consent of Scripture and how harmoniously they attest unto this truth Psal 130.7 Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption let redemption but lead us to a redeemer and we shall find such plenty of it in Jesus Christ that out of his fullness we may be all receivers and grace for grace Luke 1 69. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath raised up for us an horne of Salvation in the house of his servant David It s a figurative expression taken from beasts whose strength is in their hornes It is such mighty Salvation that it can push down all power that opposes it the Apostle applies it Rom. 8.33 34. It is God that justifieth who is it that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ c. Hebr. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all those that come unto God by him seeing be ever liveth to make intercession for them Put all these together 1. Plentifull redemption 2. A horne of mighty Salvation 3. Salvation to the uttermost And they do univocally bear wittness to this great truth that Gospel-Salvation is great Salvation Thirdly to come to Reasons take into close consideration these three things 1. Ab hoc From what 2. Ad hoc To what 3 Per hoc By what we are saved And from hence we shall lay downe these three Reasons to prove it to be great Salvation 1. Because it saves us from great evills 2. Because it advances to great happiness 3. Because it doth all by great meanes 1 Ab hoc 1 Reason It saves from great Evills as is easy to shew in a multitude of particulars 1. From the wrath of God which buâ—nes like a conâ—uming fire and all the wicked upon earth are huâ—â— straw and stubble before it It burnes to the bottome of hell and setts on fire the foundations of the Mountaines and burnes up the earth with its increase The burning Tophet is kindled with his displeased breath as with a river of brimstone Isay 30.33 the old World was drowned in it and the new shall be burned in it It tumbled the Angels that fell out of Heaven and hurled them into Hell to be reserved in chaines under darkness to the judgment of the great day It brought such a curse upon the whole creation for Adams sin that the whole creation groanes under it Rom. 8.22 Man sweats under it and Woman is in labour of it It hath tumbled Monarchy upon Monarchy the Assyrian Persian Graecian Roman it hath reprobated the greatest part of men and women that ever were in the World are or shall be It hath cast off the Jewes and unchurhed many famous churches of the Gentiles It hath layed flourishing states on ruinous heapes and hath brought to pass those desolations even to wonder and aston shment by sword famine and pestilence which our fathers have told us of It hath done that worke that strange worke in our daies and in these parts of the World which our eyes have seen and may long be for a Lamentation In a word it brought that confluence of indignation upon Christ Gods only begotten and only beloved Son when he stood in our roome and became our surety that it made him sweat blood and cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me We may say of all the punishments personall and nationall that have befallen us or can befall us of all things that we feel or fear as the prophet doth Is there any Evil in the City Land World and the Lord hath not done it Ames 3.6 Ex ungue leonem all that see it may say This hath God done for they cannot but see that it is his work we may know it to be the Lord by his very footsteps for as none can deliver and save like him so none can punish and destroy like him Solomon tells us the wrath of a King is like the roring of a Lion Prov. 19.12 but Moses tells us that he cannot tell us the pâ—wer of Gods wrath Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath and this wrath we are saved from by this great Salvation 2. It saves from the curse of his law that binds over to that wrath cursed is every one that continueth not in
The Kingdome of glory 1. We are saved to the state or Kingdome of grace we are brought into Jerusalem the Holy and led through it into Ierusalem the happy we are conducted through holyness into happiness and made to pass through the porch of grace into the palace of glory 1. Salvation bestows upon us the first grace It s therefore called a Creation which we call regeneration and this as well as the first creation is ex nihilo the creating of grace where there was none before If any be in Christ saith the Apostle he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 and David prayes create in me a clean heart O God Psal 51.10 And the promise is A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart that is your body and I will give you an heart of flesh Ez. 36.26 2. It causes us to increase in grace 1. By Addition adding grace unto grace and proceeding from vertue to vertue observe the Apostles direction 2. Pet. 1.5 giving all diligence adde unto faith vertue and unto vertue knowledge and unto knowledge temperance and unto temperance patience and unto patience godliness and unto godliness brotherly kindness and unto brotherly-kindness love there is no grace that a gracious Soul would want 2. By Multiplication heaping grace upon grace knowledge upon knowledge faith upon faith repentance upon repentance obedience upon obedience indeavouring to advance to higher degrees in grace labouring that grace may not not only be in us but that it may abound in us 2 Pet. 1.8 As there is no grace for kind so there is no degree of grace for measure that a gracious Soul would want 3. And it doth not only prevent us with grace by giving us the first grace and enabling us to will and bestow upon us the second grace by assisting us with grace and enabling us to do as well as to will according to that saying Nolentem praevenit deus ut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit God prevents us with his grace to make willing and God followes us with his grace to make able But it also keepes us in grace Paul gloryed that he had kept the faith which was by being kept in the faith according to that of Peter Yee are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation 1. Pet. 1.5 2. By this great Salvation we are saved to the Kingdome of glory as well as to that of grace Christ teacheth us to pray for both at once in that Petition Thy Kingdome come 1 let the Kingdome of sin and Satan be domolished in us and others and let thy Kingdome of grace come in the room of it and let us and others be kept in it and do thou also hasten the Kingdome of glory David mentions both by way of promise Psal 84.11 The Lord will give grace and glory and therefore he makes mention of both in his prayer Lord guide me with thy counsell and after that receive me to glory which is as much as if he had said Lord lead me through thy Kingdome of grace into thy Kingdome of glory Now as David said of the Jerusalem upon Earth we may much more of the Heavenly Jerusalem Many excellent things are spoken of thee thou City of God We may more easily give you a Negative description of it by telling you what is not there than a positive by telling you what is there yet take somwhat though but a touch of both 1 Negatively 1. There shall be no sin no unclean thing can enter into that Kingdome 1 Cor. 6.9 The Angells at the last day shall gather out of Christs mixt Kingdome the Churchmilitant all things that offend and that worke iniquity Mat. 13.41 that nothing but what is pure and undefiled may be gathered into the Church triumphant the Kingdome of glory 2. There shall be no labour that is called the rest that remaines for the people of God Earth was their place of labour and there was nothing else though some be so strong that they live to fourscore years yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow labour and labour labour upon labour labour for the body and labour for the Soul but blessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the spirit that they rest from their labours Heaven is their resting place and there shall be nothing but rest rest upon rest rest from their body labours and rest from their soul-labour only they shall be restles in the prayses of their God but that restlesness is the best part of heavens rest they shall not cease in ascribing praise and glory and honour and power and dominion and thanksgiving unto him that sits upon the throne to the Lamb for ever and ever 3. There shall be no sufferings as they shall cease from their labours and all sweat shall be wiped from their browes so they shall rest from their sufferings and all tears shall be wiped from their eyes there shall be nothing of want and weakness there no corruption nothing of infirme nature that which was sowne in dishonour corruption weakness nature shall be raised in honour incorruption power and spirit 1. Cor. 15.42 43 44. 2 Positively 1. There shall be fullness of joy joy not capable of addition or augmentation Christ told his disciples that their joy should be full Iohn 15.11 2. There shall be pleasures for evermore not only joy uncapable of augmentation but pleasures uncapable of diminution and therefore our Saviour in the same breath that he told them their joy should be full he also promised them that their joy should no man take from them John 16.22 All that the World could present them with were but shells without kernels a few mock-consolations which brought them much labour in geting more care in keeping and most sorrow in losing such things as they could not enjoy themselves with them In a word they were empty and transitory but the joyes of Heaven are commended to us by 2 most lovely and contrary qualities two They are full as opposite to the Worlds emptiness 2. They are lasting everlasting and so opposed to the Worlds transitoriness 3. Gods saved-ones shall not only enjoy a Kingdome of prepared pleasures but they shall enjoy God with them that they shall enjoy a Kingdome of prepared pleasures read Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed children of my father receive the Kingdome prepared for you must not that be the confluence of all Beatitudes which hath taken up the love and wisedome of God in preparing them And that they shall enjoy God with them read 1 Thes 4.17 so shall we be for ever with the Lord the Apostle desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 It s the misery of unbeleevers upon earth that they are without Christ and without God in the World Eph. 2.12 but it shall be the imcomparable happiness of believers in Heaven that they shall
durable profits and lasting pleasures and everlasting honours are made no account of The body and lust and sinne shall be satisfied when the soul and grace and glory are laid aside as not worth the minding we are ready to condemne Adam of monstrous madness that would looss Paradise for an apple and to cry out upon Esau as the foole of all fooles that would exchange his birthright for a mess of pottage and the very name of Judas the traitor in graine stinkes like rotteness that would sell his master for thirty pence but surely the World is full of such fooles and madmen and monsters Those that will please their appetite with Adam though they lose an Heavenly Paradise for so doing Those that will satisfy their craving flesh with Esau though they lose the glorious I berty of Gods Sonns and forfeit all the priviledges of the new birth-right Those that will have Balaams wages the wages of iniquity with curied Judas though they lose Soul and Saviour and Salvation and all If we do but look abroad in the World and take a view of the lives and behaviour of men and women old and young high and low rich and poor one with another We shall see that the multitude is like that heard of Swine possessed of the Legion running headlong to their own damnation Ambition carries away thousands voluptuousness ten thousands worldly-mindedness hundreds of thousands so that Millions are visibly in a perishing condition wickedness recting the wicked man to his teeth 〈◊〉 as Daved saith that there is no fear of God before his eyes and the abounding of iniquity makes proclamation that notwithstanding such great Salvation be brought to light yet there are but few that shall be saved Hell hath enlarged herselfe without measure and all the pompe and all multitude of secure and careless and senseless sinners shall fall into it This oh this is the condemnation that is come into the world that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light that a Saviour is come into the world and men will not come unto this Saviour that there should be a proclamation of so great Salvation and men will not leave their sinns and close with God through Christ that they may be saved yet let us take a further survey for as yet we have but stirr'd in the stinke of common sinners those that give up themselves to serve the Divell by a sensuall serving the flesh and worldly mindedness these do turne their backs upon God and do in their actions profess against the dominion of Christ that they will not have him â—o reigne over them let us look towards them that seeme to look towards Heaven and observe diligently what we can find there 1 Are not many of them meerly civiliz'd and no more though they will not wallow like Swine in the mire yet they are not carefull to keep clean their garments nor to keep themselves unspotted from the world though they will not tear Gods Name by Ruffian-like oathes yet they will pawae their faith and troth for small matters 2 Some that advance higher than meere Civility yet make a stand at formality and take up with a forme of Godliness short of the power of it knowledge and grace they would have and duty they will do but it is but some knowledge and some grace and some duty that its an easy conclusion that they desire it rather to save their credit than their Soules that they may be in esteem with men rather than in favour with God but our Saviour hath said enough to dash all this Matt. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes who had but a forme of knowledge and Pharises who had but a forme of Godliness ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven and Luke 8.18 From him thah hath not from him shall be taken away even all that he seemeth to have 3 Many do stick in halfe coversions like a child in the birth and there is not strength to bring forth like that man in the Gospel that started aside like a broken bow at a forsake all and chose rather to forsake Christ then to forgo his wealth Herod heard John Baptist gladly in many things but would not part with his Herodias and all such as these are but like Agrippa allmost perswaded to become Christians but if they come not up to Pauls measure alltogether such as he true Israelites indeed such in whom there is no guile they are but Godless and Christless and Spiritless and graceless Soules and will be reckoned in the number of the neglecters of this great Salvation How should the servants of the Lord that have his spirit dwelling in their hearts and have the fear of the Lord before their eyes knowing the terror of the Lord against all such as are out of Christ and out of Covenant how should they pitty these poor Soules and intreat and beseech them to pitty their own Soules and to come in and be reconciled to God and to be willing to embrace the things that belong to their Salvation before they shall he hidden from their eyes And if they continue refusers still how should we ply the throne of grace with our earnest intreaties that God would forgive them who know not what they do that he would take away their hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh That he would deliver them up unto Satan for their Salvation not for their damnations I meane that he would cast them into an Hell of conscience and plead with them there and cause them to see and feel themselves to be the vessells of sin and bondslaves of Satan that they may spend the remainder of their few and evill dayes in mourning that their flesh and body of sin may be destryed and their Spirits may be saved in the day of the Lord. And to help forward this work if God will before I pass from this use afford your attention while I expostulate the case with stubborne sinners on their Soules behalfe that they may be snatcht as brands out of the fire and pull'd out of the paw of the Lion rampant that seekes to devour them if they be not such deafe Adders as refuse to hear the voice of the Charmer charme he never so wisely I will not aske them whether grace and glory be of no reckoning with them which Salvation doth advance unto as you have heard in the second reason I will not ask them if the wisdome and love of God the Father the sufferings and righteousness of God the Son the grace and communion of the spirit be of no account If graces and duties ordinances and providences are nothing set by it s a common thing with those whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded and with such as are wedded to world and enslaved to the flesh to overlook all these as if they were not worth the looking after But can they dwell with the devouring fire
or can they indure everlasting burnings Can the conflict with the wrath of God which is a devouring fire burning to the bottome of Hell dare they provoke the Lord to jealousy oh foolish people and unwise Ah t is a fearfull thing to fall into the sin revenging hands of the living God Can they undergo the curse of that fiery Law that was given with thunder and lightning and the sound of the trumpet or indure the appearing of the Lord Jesus when he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angells and in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power Can they grapple with the strong man armed without a stronger then he to their second How will they withstand their sinns when they shall be gathered together in a generall muster and set in battle arey in a most formidable army and armed with the teeth of Dragons and stings of Scorpions to kill their Bodies and Souls in Hell When the numberless number of their notorious provocations shall breake in furiously like a Sea of Billows to drive away the wicked in his wickedness and another sea of wrath shall be tumbling in after it When evills unrepented of like a kennel of Hell-hounds shall hunt the wicked persons to destruction When God shall be so severe to observe euery thing that is done amisse and shall set in order before us the things that we have done how shall we then answer to one of a Thousand Can you give battle to the King of feares or secure yourselves from a heart-quake when death hangs out his black colours and gives you an alarme will not your hearts then die like a stone or fall asunder in your brests like drops or water when your consciences are clamorous and speak bitter things against you will not Belshazzers palsy seize upon your joints and when you think of that judgement that follows death that fire and brimstone which is the second death will not this make you with Foelix to quake and tremple Oh do but forethinke with yourselves that you shall be as unable to stand in the day of the Lords wrath as chaff to stand before a whirlewinde or stubble before a consuming fire O consider this you that forget God least ye be torn in peices and there be none to deliver you 4 USE Is of Consolation to all such as have cordially closed with this great Salvation As the refusers of it deserve to be stigmatiz'd for notorious fooles for so wise Solomon declaims against them Prov. 1.22 How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fooles hate knowledge So such as thankfully accept and embrace this great Salvation deserve the reputation of the wisest of men no foole to the willfull sinner and no wisedome comparable to that that makes wise unto Salvation How was Timothy renowned and his fame rings as far as the Gospel is preached for searching the scripture which were able to make him wise unto Salvation 2 Tim 3.15 To be wise unto Salvation is to be wise indeed all wisedome that comes short of this leaves the possessors of it short of the beginning of wisedome To be wise for the world and wise after the flesh is in Gods esteem to be but fooles and rather a barr to keep men out of Heaven than a door to let them in and therefore our first lesson is selfe-deniall which consists in a denyall of our witts as well as a denyall of our wills and of our worth which the Apostle hints when he saith If any man will be wise let him become a foole that he may be wise As the wisedome of God is foolishesness with the world and God saves men by the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 So the wisedome of the world is foolishness with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.7 The wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God To be wise to do wickedly is the most foolish of all wisedome are not they without understanding that worke wickedness Ps 14.4 This wisedome is not from above but carnall sensuall and divelish To be wise according to art in Phisicks Ethicks Politicks Oeconomicks c. and to want the wisedome from above which Gods word and spirit do teach is but umbra sapientiae the shaddow of wisedome and can make men no better than learned fooles all amounting to no more than erudita ignorantia a finer sort of ignorance but to be wise for God for Heaven for our Soules for Salvation this is to be wise indeed A true Israelite indeed a true Christian indeed and true wisedome indeed are much worth when such as are so in shew are but like cyphers in Arithmetick joyne as many together as will fill a volume and they will signifie nothing O consider that when you have layd out your money for that that is not bread and have spent time and strength for that which cannot profit you will be the first that shall befoole your selves as soon as God shall anoint your eyes with eye salve from above then you will say with David so foolish was I and ignorant even as a very bruit before thee Psal 73.22 And my wounds stinke and are corrupt through my foolishness Psal 38.5 Yea the time is coming when those that thought the children of God to be fooles because they set their hearts upon a wisdome that was above the world shall condemne their own wretched folly and magnify the others wisedome as Wisd 5.4 5. We fooles thought his life madnesse and his end without honour how is he counted among the Children of God and his portion is among the Saints To draw towards a conclusion of this use they shall not only gaine the reputation of wisedome but as Solomon when he desired an understanding and religions heart in the first place had riches and honour given in ex abundanti as more than measure so shall these And therefore they are called heyres of Salvation Heb. 1.14 a title next in dignity and riches unto his who is called in the second verse of that chapter the heir of all things All Gods Sonns are heyres and fellow-heyres with Jesus Christ Rom 8.17 and being received into the glorious liberty of Gods adopted Sonns by their union with Christ they communicate in all the priviledges of Justification reconciliation adoption sanctification and glory They have a right to all the priviledges of the Sonns of God The love of the Father the grace of the Son The Communion of the holy Spirit The protection of the Trinity The guardianship of Angells The comforts of an appeased conscience The comfortable enjoyment of the things of this life and the beleiving expectation of the good things of the life to come We looke upon him as honourably and richly provided for that is a Kings
Son and heire to his Fathers Crown but all Gods Children are heirs to two Kingdomes all the glory and riches of the Kingdome of grace and glory Such honour and riches have all his Saints And that which is the completory of their consolation and makes their joy full yea shaken together and pressed downe and running over with all these gifts they shall receive the giver which is more then all and they may rejoyce more in the God of their Salvation than in their Salvation it selfe yea there is such a plenitude in God that he is not only All in all but he is all in the absence of all things else When David was in one of the greatest of his temporall deepes the people ready to stone him at Ziklag yet the Text saith he comforted himselfe in his God 1 Sam. 30.6 And we cannot suppose a man can fall into greater streights than the prophet mentions Hab. 3.17 18. When the figtree should not blossome neither should fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive to faile and the fields to yeeld no meat the flocks to be cut off from the foild and no herd to be left in the stalls and yet the Prophet resolves in such a streight I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation As it is the presence of the Sun that makes day so it is the presence of God and Christ that makes Heaven To be with Christ was that that made Paul desire to be dissolved Phil. 1.23 And our being for ever with the Lord was that consideration with which he comforts believers and bids them to comfort one another with it 1. Thes 4.17 18. In a word David that holy man that man after Gods own heart desired no more to cure him of all diseases heer but the light of Gods pleased countenance shew me the light of thy pleased countenance and I shall be whole And nothing but Gods presence to make him happy for ever hereafter In his presence is the fullness of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore No consolation like theirs who have clos'd savingly with the covenant of their God whom he hath chosen to himselfe and made heirs of this great Salvation FIFT USE 5 Use The last use shall be of exhortation Is it so great Salvation as the first use of consideration speaks it to be Is it offered to all upon the easy condition of receiving it as the second use of proclamation affirms Are they fooles and madmen that set light by it as the third use of reprofe manifests Are they wise and honourable and rich that close with it as the forth use of consolation declares Then we shall close up all which a fifth use of exhortation unto all to whom the word of this Salvation is sent to embrace both it and the embassadors that come to them to proclaim it Oh how beautifull should the feet of those be that bring unto you the glad tidings of Salvation And if their feet should be beautifull how amiable should their saces be How should you entertaine and wellcome them like the very Angells of God for their angelicall evangelicall imployment how should they be had in double honour for their worke and imployment sake And if the Messenger should be so gratefull how much more the message Do men enquire so diligently after good newes and joyfull tidings as if the Athenian itch were in their eares and will they not entertaine the Gospel of their Salvation the most joyfull tidings that ever came into the world what an oversight would this be that things of low concernment such as belong to our bodies names estates lives to take up so much of our precious time and the most momentous matters of grace and glory of our Soules and our Salvation to be no more thought upon than our dying day as the careless multitude do inconsideratly express themselves Oh be exhorted what ever else is neglected to make sure with your Salvation to give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 To seke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness Mat. 6.33 What Solomon saith of getting of wisedome I may say of getting Salvation How much better is it to get wisedome then gold anb happy is the man that findeth wisdom for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold she is more pretious than rubies the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her length of dayes are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour her waies are waies of pleasantnese and all her paths are peace she is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her Prov. 3. from 13. to 19 and how applicable is all this unto that great salvation that we have been speaking of Therefore above all gettings get salvation which comprehends wisdom honour riches safety all together oh who would load themselves with thick clay or set their hearts upon those toies and trifles that are called Crowns and Kingdoms that hath such true treasure as this to trade and traffick for If we must be coveting let us covet the best things and remember that we are here shewne a most excellent way This will prove a purchase that will more than recompence all the care and cost that can be laid out upon it and this is that that will so aggravate the folly of refusers because it will cost no more than our cordiall accepting and embraceing The Jewes might have had Christ for the taking and would not he came to his own and his own received him not but to as many as received him to them he gave priviledge to become the Sonns of God Iohn 1.11 22. O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I and ye would not Mat. 23.37 When the Prophet directed Naaman to wash in Jordan to be cured of his leaprosy and he was angry because he expected a quicker dispatch and some easyer cure his servants bespeake him thus My Father If the Prophet had commanded thee some great matter wouldest thou not have done it how much rather when he saith but wash and be cleane So may I say in the case in hand If God should Command us some great and difficult matter for the cure of our Leaprosy of sin and for the attaining of this great Salvation should we not do it If he should command us to give our first borne for our transgression the fruit of our bodies for the sin of our soules If he did require of us such costly sacrifices as thousands of Rammes or ten thousands of rivers of Oyle we might the more excusably draw back at such difficulties and impossibilities But when it is no more but beleive and live accept of Christ and be saved surely when this comes to be pleaded all such as are Christless and faithless will be also
guilty and to bless themselves in their hearts and to flatter themselves till their abomminable wickedness be found out I confess its common with men and women to hang upon the outside of a Saviour as the Antidiluvians did on the outside of the Arke but those that will have a protection from condemnation and fly from wrath to come must get into this Saviour as Noah did into his arke Ther 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 We must not think as the Papists do that when we have blest our selves with the signe of the Cross or superstitiously used as a spel or conjuration the sillables of the name of Jesus that then we may bid defiance to the Divel and his Angells can then have no power over us this doth but confirme them in their delusion and make them much more the children of the Divel than others and yet the hope of the common sort of ignorant hearers is but little better If they can but say they beleive in Jesus Christ and they beleive he came into the world to save sinners and they have beleived this ever since they can remember and they will never be beaten out of it while they live and yet all this while they are Refusers of Christ and such notorious Refusers of him that they refuse him in all his Offices as I shall indeavour towards their undeceiving If God will to make so plaine that those whose eyes have been anointed with eye salve from above may even run and read it 1. Gospel-refusing is a refusing of Christ in his priestly office we begin with that because here they think themselves to be cock-sure and every one will profess their willingness to be saved by Christ and to be ready to take him to be their Jesus and Saviour I easily confess that ther 's a naturall propensity in man to desire good for himself and the principle of self-love is so deeply rooted that so long as man is master of his reason he will not yeild willingly to be miserable but we must further know that as there is a spirituall so there is a carnall desire of Christ and happiness which cannot be called a serving of Christ but our selves upon him This may not so properly be called a taking of Christ as a catching at him consider that Christ offers himself unto sinners in the Gospel in all his offices jointly and not in any one of them singly and he that will rightly receive him must receive him wholly and not catch at him by piecemeale we must have all Christ or no Christ and therefore we must give up our selves to be taught by him as by our Prophet and to be ruled by him as by our King if we will be saved by him as by our Priest Are we willing to take Christ for himselfe as well as for our selves otherwise we do frustrate the very end of his saving us for we are therefore saved by him that he may be served by us in righteousness and holyness all our daies Luke 1.74 75. To be saved from wrath and not from sin is but the lesser halfe of Gospel Salvation and such as are not willing of both can have neither What God hath joyned together we must not put asunder It s a most disingenious and unreasonable thing to be all on the receiving and nothing on the returning hand to expect all from him and to give nothing back indeed his redeemed ones can give him nothing but his owne which made the Apostle say Ye are not your owne but are bought with a price therefore glorify God both with your bodies and soules which are his and as we must give him our whole selves bodies soules and spirits so we must take his whole selfe as King Prophet and Priest if we can be content to be willing disciples to his propheticall office and willing subjects to his Kingly office then we may reasonably and believingly expect the benefit of his Prie stly office but let us not dreame that Christ will be our Jesus when our hearts tells us and our lives tell all that are neer us that we have not taken him to be our Lord. 2 Gospel-refusing is a refusing of Christ in his propheticall office and nothing is plainer than this that they which set light by the Gospel do refuse Christ to be their Teacher Salvation by the Gospel is the lesson that Christ teaches and can they slight the Lesson and regard the Teacher Observe what the Apostle saith Heb. 2.1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard least at any time we should let them slip for if the word spoken by Angells was stedfast c. how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation take notice of the Apostles inference Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed c. Wherefore Why because we have so admirable a Teacher for this referrs to the beginning of the foregoing Chapter which tells us in the last dayes that God hath spoken to us by his Son who was the express image of his person and brightness of his glory and more excellent than the Angells Therefore we ought to take heed because a greater then Moses is here the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Iohn 1.17 because a greater than the Prophets is here even the great Prophet of his Church Acts. 3.22 23. Moses truely said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Bretheren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things that he shall say unto you And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people And behold a greater than the Angells is here even the Angell of the Covenant of whom Paul saith Heb. 12 2â— See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from Heaven To be taught of God and Christ is a thing that should be the glory of the disciples of the Church though some giddy spirit have learned hence to exclude mans teaching which Gods teaching and the teaching of the spirits anointing includes we read of certaine Sectaries in Corinth that would not be of Paul nor Apollos nor Cephas but not Christ 1. Cor. 1.12 But those Gospel-refusers that we are speaking of are such a monstrous sort of Recuâ—ants that they refuse the teaching of Christ himselfe and are such deafe adders that they will not hearken to the most alluring charmes though they come from him that spake as never man spake But as the neglecters of Christ will say at the last day Lord when did we see thee hungry and not feed thee c. So the refusers of Christ will be ready to say when did we hear Christ speaking and we slight him
Salvation were no part of our business we are sent into this World to make provision for another and though we are not so straightly confin'd as to do nothing else yet we are under a straight command to do nothing more and thus much the Apostle teaches when he teaches us habere tanquam non habentes so to be possest of the things of this World as not to be possest by them and to use the World as though we used it not Now when instead of so doing we shall use the things of another World as though we used them not pray as if we prayed not and hear as if we heard not and take our swinge in the World as if we were sent into it as Leviathan into the Sea to take our pastime therein or to say to our souls with the rich glutton Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry thou hast Goods enough laid up for many years to mind low things and neglect high things to have an high esteem of low things and a low esteem of high things is grossely to neglect this great Salvation and if we look about us in the places where we live do not the greatest part live after that careless rate as Jeash said of Baal let Baal care for himself Judges 6.31 when his Altar was pulled down by his Son Gideon so too many are ready to say in works though not in words let God take care for himself and for his own service If his name be dishonoured his Son and Spirit abused his Day prophaned his Embassadors vilified his Ordinances and Worship slighted and disgraced it may be said of very many that would take it ill not to be counted Christians as it was of Gallio when the Apostles were under sufferings that Gallio cared for none of those things Acts 18.17 so that men may but have their wealth and pleasure and honour let Zion sink or swim let it fare how it will with the Church and Religion that is none of their care And this carelesnesse is the more aggravated because things of far less concernment are seriously minded by them 1. Their bodies shall be cared for if in health they will pamper them though they suffer under never so much leanness of soul they will provide largly for the flesh though their spirits starves they will give themselves to chambering and wantoness ryoting and drunkeness though to the loss of Christ and everlasting happiness And if their bodies be sick and their lives in danger no care no cost no pains shall then be spared then with the woman in the Gospel that had the bloudy issue they will spend all their substance upon Phisitians and like Pharaoh in his streights they will desire the prayers of their Ministers whom in health and prosperity they scorned as the very scumme and off scouring of the World 2. Their Estates shall be cared for as riches increase they set their hearts upon them and as if nothing else deserved any part of their care they will rise early and go late to bed and fare hard and all to grow rich to joyn house to house and lay field to field till they dwell alone their barns shall be pulled down and bigger built and all their care is for the Mammon of iniquity and indeed nothing shoulders out the love of God more than this immoderate and inordinate love of the World as the Apostle observes whosoever loves the World prevailingly the love of the Father is not in him 1. Joh. 2.15 And these cares of the World and deceitfulness of riches are said to choak the World and make it utterly unfruitfull This worldly gain is the souls loss not only loss to the soul but loss of the soul and what will it profit a man though he should gain the World if he lose his own soul Matt. 16.26 Those that be rich do fall into a snare and into many noysom lusts which drown the soul in perdition 1. Tim. 6.9 Which caused the Apostle to beseech Believers as Strangers and Pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul 1. Pet. 2.11 3. Their names and reputations shall be cared for every punctilio of a Title and every complemental Ceremony appurtenant to greatnesse and honour shall be narrowly observed yea our ambitious Nimrods will make use of any ladder of the devils rearing to climb to the top of earthly greatnesse and so they may but be mounted to the pinacle of preferment they care not though they be carried thither upon the devils back and though they be afterwards tempted by him to throw down themselves headlong and break their necks They will build Babel to purchase an aerial name though the Foundation be laid in Gods displeasure and the end prove confusion How do men set their names upon their Sons and upon their Estates calling their children anâ— their lands after their own names which is but to write their names in the sand which the next generation like the next tide doth clean put out How much better were it for them to pass the pangs of the new birth to the obtaining of the new name and to be made the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty to be engrafted into Christ and made new creatures but this is none of their care to become fools that they may be wise is altogether a Paradox to them and such counsel as that they count the foolishness of preaching The Doctrine of self-denyal to deny Wits Wills and Worth though it be the first lesson of Christianity will not down with them and therefore upon necessity they must live and die fools what ever their other names be that 's their surname who will not be perswaded to advance so far as the beginning of wisdom In a word Pleasures Profits Honours which are the Worlds Trinity and self-seeking or flesh pleasing which are the same in Unity These are the great Diana's which the multitude do adore and cry up and these they will have though they have Hell with them and this great Salvation and the eternal weight of Glory ballanced with these are in the estimation of these men lighter than vanity it self and these are notorious neglecters of this Salvation 2. The neglect of this great Salvation is express'd by taking but a little care conjunct with greater cares Many because it is too too grosse and abominable and the very badge of Reprobates to give up themselves wholly to the World Flesh and Devil and to serve sin in the lust of it they will divide themselves betwixt God and the World God and the Flesh God and the Devil They will give God and Christ their names and tongues but the World Flesh and Devil shall have their hands and hearts they will pretend to serve God but keep their sins But the word is plain that we cannot serve two Masters ther 's no serving God and Mammon O cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double minded
if God must have the whole heart and strength the whole body soul and spirit what remains then for other Lords O you self-seeking and Salvation-refusing souls why do ye halt thus betwixt two opinions If God be God serve him if you can find out a better Master serve him but know assuredly when God shall send you for succour at a dying hour to the Gods that ye have chosen and to the Idols that you have set up in your hearts you will be forced to say of them as Job of his false friends miserable comforters ye are all Though the Scripture is most express that we must dedicate all our Talents of time and gifts and parts and interests and callings to the advantage of our great Lord to the serving of our generation to the benefit of other souls and to the furtherance of our own accompt yet how ordinary a thing is it for men and women to be of Agrippa's temper almost Christians of a Laodicean frame of spirit luke-warm and betwixt hot and cold They will sometimes read and perhaps pray in their families and come to the Assembly on the Sabaoth if their lusts will give them leave and much of the easiest and cheapest part of Religion they will practice and be willing to adventure as far as a name to live and a form of godliness will bear them out but still with Herod they will set themselves a stint hitherto they will go and no further ere his right eye should out by parting with his Herodias his reprovers head should off and ere these will cut off their right hands by forsaking their evil practises and their right feet by forgoing their evil company and saying away ye wicked I will keep the Commandements of my God they will do as the rich young man did when he heard that command forsake all and follow me he thought it a hard saying and forsook his Counsellor though it were a Saviour Many will be perswaded to do as much as the Jewes did Isay 2. Offer sacrifice burne incence and observe dayes and like hasty messengers run away with half their errand leaving all of substance and power behind them but for close and costly services these are hard and irksome God must have them excused for such and for the suffering part of Christianity they are meat strangers to that yea and very enemies to the crosse of Christ These are they that in praying pray not and in hearing hear not and use the things that tend to Salvation as though they used them not 3. They may passe for neglecters of this great Salvation that do not make it their greatest care God is the highest good and not to love him with the highest love is interpretatively to hate him Mistake me not I do not mean it absolutely that we must love God in the highest degree here while we are in our imperfect militant condition to know but in part to be sanctifyed but in part and to love but in part We may love sincerely on earth but we shall not love perfectly till we come to Heaven where perfect love shall cast out all fear but my meaning is that in a comparative sense we should love him best and most more than the creature or our selves more than the interests of the world or flesh for whosoever loveth the World or any thing in the World more than God is not worthy of him and whosoever loves not God and Christ more than any thing than all things in the World loves them not in sincerity Those that are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God lovers of Mammon more than lovers of God they are not better than haters of God Salvation by Christ is the greatest happiness and therefore our greatest care and pains should be spent upon it It 's the unum necessarium the only thing necessary and therefore ought to be the unicum maximum that should carry away the flowre and cream of our affections and indeavours It 's common with the vulgar to judge of the things of the third Heaven as they do by the things of the second the Moon and the Stars they think the Moon to be biggest because it is nearest and seems so when stars of a greater magnitude are thought little because they are farther off So we are ready to look upon the perishing vanities of this transitory World as great matters because they are at hand and near us and the joyes of Heaven and felicities above to be but small and inconsiderable because they are far above and out of our sight But you have heard before that the Scripture bids us strive to enter in at the streight Gate and to give all diligence to make all sure and to offer violence to the Kingdome of Heaven and tells us that the righteous are scarcely saved and with greatest difficulty and therefore not to lay out our selves our whole selves and that to our uttermost possibility is to be neglecters of this great Salvation Now the good Lord be mercifull to us and help us and give us seeing eyes hearing eares and understanding hearts to hear and feele and consider this for if this be to neglect this great Salvation not to make it our highest care not to bestow the most serious thoughts of our minds the most ardent desires of our hearts and the most effectuall indeavours of our lives upon it what will become not of loose and carnall libertines but of the greatest part of those that take themselves and are taken by others to be good Christians 2 USE Shall be of Direction for the use and benefit of such as being confounded with the greatness of the sin of setting light by this Salvation and being pricked in their hearts and covered with confusion shal be ready to cry out Men and Brethren what shall we do I shall prescribe them a remedy in foure branches of direction In regard Gospell-Salvation is great salvation and our setting light by it is great sin Therefore that this sin may not be our ruine There must be 1. Great thoughts of heart 2. Great searchings of heart 3. Great humblings of heart 4. Great changes of heart about it These have such necessary dependance one upon another that they are preparative one to another 1. Great thoughts are antecedent to great searchings 2. Great searchings are preparative to great humblings 3. Great humblings to great changings 1 There must be great thoughts of heart about this great sin When Reuben was separated from the other Tribes of Jsrael the text saith for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart but when men and women shall be separated from God by their iniquities yea by such a partition wall as this of Gospel-refusing these divisions should beget great thoughts of heart in such whose consciences cry guilty Thoughts are the seeds of action as evil actions proceed from evill thoughts so good actions from gracious thoughts The Scripture saith out of the heart proceed first
into everlasting fire But we also promised to clear this point unto you by evidence of reason as I did the former for if such truths were but believingly received in the evidence of them they would surely be mighty in operation and pierce to the dividing of the Soul and Spirit If our everlasting doors were but opened to entertain such mighty Doctrines can we think that men and women that have reasonable Souls and the principles of self-love and self-preservation in them and the passion of fear in them I say can it be once imagined that they can be so bruitish to cast away all care what will become of them in another world and with both hands to pull down upon bodies and souls this swift damnation Know then that the damnation that we are treating of which men draw upon their own heads by setting light by Gospel-Salvation is monstrous great for these ensuing reasons 1. Reason Because it proceedeth from so great a God If we would know the greatness of this Damnation let us study the greatness of that God that inflicts it The wrath of a King is like the roring of a Lyon but let those that can tell what the wrath of the King of Kings is surely Moses his words do advance it above all that can be spoken or thought of it Psal 90.11 Who knows the power of thine anger for according to thy fear is thy wrath i.e. let such as have the most enlightned and most enlarged understandings graspe as much as they can in comprehending thy displeasure yet when they are come unto their wits end it is infinitly beyond their reach The Lord doth all things like himself If he do but speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it his very word will bring it to pass it brought the world out of nothing with as little ado for he did but speak the word and they were made he commanded and they were created and again if he do but blow upon it and speak against it to destroy it whether it be a Nation or all the Nations of the world he can command a Floud or a Fire to do his strange work When he will deliver none can deliver like him and when he will destroy none can destroy like him Davids question puts all out of question that there is no resistance to be made against him Who may stand in his sight when he is angry Dare we provoke the Lord to jealousie oh foolish people and unwise are we stronger than he Can stubble stand before a deavouring fire or chaffe stand against a scattering whirlwind Though hand joyne in hand the wicked shall not go unpunished for he that judgeth them is a strong Lord. Though they could sore as high as Heaven or fall as low as Hell or fly to the uttermost coasts of the Earth or Sea though they should lie buried under Mountaines a thousand miles deep or all the rocks of the Sea and Land were piled upon them yet there is no hiding them from the wrath of this mighty God who is no less omniscient than he is omnipotent Those that desire to know more of the greatness of this God let them study the 40 Chapter of Isay And there they shall find v. 12. That he measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand and metes the Heaven with a span and comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure and weighs the mountaines in scales and the hills in a ballance And v. 15. All nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance and v. 17. All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted less than nothing and vanity And v. 22. It is he that setteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers that stretcheth out the Heavens as curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in That bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity Considering all this greatness and considering further that one halfe is not told you the more we study it the more we are overwhelmed and confounded with the glory of it what can be too hard for the Lord or who can stand in the judgement before this mighty God to whom vengeance belongeth We may easily be confirmed in the truth of all that is said all that can be said of the greatness of damnation when we do but hear from whence it comes even from the dreadfull Jehovah who is able with a word or a frown or a displeased breath to turn all the wicked into hell and all the people that forget God 2. Reason why this Damnation is so great is because it is for despising and setting light by so great a Saviour an undervaluing of the highest Love in its lowest condescention This must be a reason coequall with the former because Christ is the Son coequall with the Father The mercy of heaven never put the sons of men to a quid amplius in any thing more than this What could I do more for an unthankfull world than this Let the Sons of invention set their wits upon the rack and tell us if they can what God could do more than to turn himself wholly into LOVE 1 John 4.16 and having but one Son who was Heyr of all things his orâ—â—â—â— begotten and onely beloved who thought it no robbery to be equall with himself to send him out of his own bosome to empty himself of his glory to take our sin and curse with our nature upon him that we who were children of disobedience and wrath and heyrs apparent to hell and condemnttion might be received into the glorious liberty of the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty Now for men to be so desperatly rebellious is to slight this love and so stubbornly mad as to refuse this Saviour can the greatest judgements in Gods storehouse or the hottest place in that fire that burns to the bottom of hell be a proportionable recompence for such dâ—ing provocations Shall wicked miscreants slight and trample upon that which the Saints admire and the Angels adore O stupendious madness It s a thousand wonders that the great eye of Heaven doth not wink the earth into utter darkness the very Sun take its leave of the world abhorring to see men to be such incarnate Devils and to see the Earth tainted with such hellish abominations hellish do I say nay in this the wickedness of man is so great in the Earth that it justifies the Devils for they being left without hope of a Redeemer were never guilty of setting light by a Saviour and knowing so much of the terrours of the Lord as doth accompany their initial Damnation in their chains of darkness wherein they are reserved to the judgement of the great day and trembling to believe 〈◊〉 much more of the consummation of it fâ—â—â—â—night be put to tryall whether they wouâ—
beautie of holiness and power of Godliness giving up themselves bodys souls and spirits unto God upon the account of the Covenant desiring nothing more than that their hearts may be whole with God and they could be stedfast in his Covenant making God and Jesus Christ the joy of their hearts and breath of their lives and resolve to continue so doing to the death God hath provided for them suitable joyes and pleasures in the life to come Rationall delights for their reasonable souls and sensible delights for their glorified bodys Mistake not far be it from me to say or you to imagine that the glorified Saints shall enjoy such carnall delights in heaven which sensuall and flesh pleasing men do make their heaven upon earth that were a conceite better beseeming a Turk than a Christian the Proselytes of Mahomet have dreamed of such an earthly or rather hellish heaven by fancying such an Utopian Paradise into which the unclean may enter and the pleasures of sin shall meet them The sensible pleasures to be enjoyed there are such as sort and suite with the sublimated senses of glorified bodies and no other And as God hath prepared such suitable joyes and pleasures for such as love and serve him in sincerity even joyes for Soules and pleasures for bodâ—es for those that glorify him with Soules 〈…〉 so on the contrary those that will 〈…〉 â—ting call nor close with his 〈…〉 in accepting his dear Son 〈…〉 great Salvation offered with him but remaine sworne vassalls to the Divell World and Flesh giving up the parts and powers of their Soules and Bodies to serve sin in the lust of it These shall receive wages according to their work as they polluted themselves with filthiness of the flesh and spirit and dishonoured God with their Soules and Bodies so God will punish them accordingly their Soules with rationall punishments tribulation and anguish shall be upon the Soul of every one that doth evill and their bodies with sensible which the word shaddows out by fire and brimstone These two sorts of Torments are breifly contained in those Scriptures Isay 66.24 Mark 9.44 In the worme that dyeth not and the fire that never goeth out In which expressions expositors conceive the holy Ghost alludeth unto two Kinds of burialls of dead corpses some were interred in the earth and out of those wormes would breed which would eat them up and never leave devouring till all were consumed an Ancient gives this account of the degrees of that annihilation which resolves the body into its principle of nullity Caro in putredinem putredo in vermes vermis in pulvere pulvis in nihilum redigitur The flesh is turn'd into rottenness that rottenness into wormes those wormes into dust and that dust is reduced to nothing Other bodies were not buryed in the earth but were burned with fire and reduced to ashes and those ashes were reserved in urnes Only here is the difference this worme is not like that that devours bodies for when the body is consumed that worme dies nor is this fire like that that burnes carcasses for when the carcases are burnt that fire goes out but this is ignis inextinguibilis unquenchable fire By this never dying worme we are to understand the worme of an accusing and tormenting conscience that is ever gnawing and hereby we may understand all rationall torments of which the buffetings of conscience are the cheifest And by this fire that never goes out we are to understand the torments of sense set off by burning because that was the most torturing death that was inflicted by the Jewes but to open these a little more fully we will take them as they lie before us and speak of them apart 1 Rationall torments provided for damned Soules are a part and the greatest part of the torments of Hell for which this deserves to be called Great Damnation Now as the Soul is distributed into the understanding will and affections so we may assigne unto these soveral faculties their peculiar torments I only intend to touch upon them to give you a tast and not to enter upon any topicall and methodicall discourse concerning them 1 They shall be plagued in their understandings by seing and knowing and feeling themselves to be irrecoverably lost and intolerably miserable Here the messengers of the Lord knowing the terrors of the Lord did cry alowd to give warning of their sin and danger and duty they did throw Hell-fire in their faces and so gaster them with the thunder and lightning of Hell and damnation that they could never be at quiet but were even tormented before their time and when they had done their uttermost when they had studyed and preacht and prayed and waited and wept themselves into consumptions in seeking to them and to God for them that they might be saved they could make no better a report of their embassy to him that sent them but to this effect Lord who hath believed our report or to whom hath the arme of the Lord been revealed In which seat doth that Souâ— siâ— in what town is his habitation or in what family dwells he that was dead and is alive that was lost and is found Some of us thy unworthy servants Lord have through undeserved mercy been preachers ten some twenty some thirty some forty yeares and more to such and such congregations we have preacht some hundreds some of us thousands of Sermons and through grace we have indeavoured to do it faithfully in our measure we have taught publikly and from house to house we have spoken with authority and dealt personally and familiarly with the soules of refusers and all was but lost labour upon them though not a labour in vaine to our selves Will not this be a sad hearing for thousands when those that have been watchmen for their souls must come to give up this account with griefe But what will the Lord say to this Will he say to those that would not be taught be ignorant still and to those that would not be reformed be disobedient still no surely it may well be doubted whether the Lord had not formerly seared them up in their ignorance and prophaneness with such an hardning of their hardness by inflecting senslesness for their affecting senslesness But now it shall be otherwise the ignorant shall be no longer ignorant the drunkard swearer who monger sabboth-breaker shall be so no longer they shall see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their hearts though they shall never be converted nor be healed Lord thy hand is lifted up said the Prophet Isay and they will not see thy wrath was in the threatning they saw a black clowd rising and a driving storme coming and would not beware but now they shall see volentes nolentes willing or nilling they shall hear and understand and be ashamed and confounded Then shall the damned know good and evill as the Angels that kept not their first estate know it and as the