open that it will evidently appear they have been very merciless and mad against the Children of God insomuch that when the Providence of God did fall out so â—s to cross their expectations they have been very much offended thereat as is very evidently seen in them who set themselves to study Psal. 31 13. how to bring the Saints into bondage and to thrust them into Corners as in these late Years And because God hath in his goodness ordered Things otherwise they have gnashed their Teeth thereat Hence then let the Saints learn not to commit themselves to their Enemies beware of men Matth. 10. 17. They are very merciless men and will not so much favour you if they can help it as you may suppose they may Nay unless the over-ruling Hand of God in goodness do order Things contrary to their natural inclination they will not favour you so much as a Dog Vers. 22. And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abraham's Bosome the rich man also died and was buried THe former Verses do briefly hold forth the carriage of the ungodly in this Life toward the Saints Now this Verse doth hold forth the departure both of the godly and the ungodly out of this Life Where he saith And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carryed into Abraham's Bosome and the rich man died also The Beggar dyed that represents the godly and the rich man died that represents the ungodly From whence observe Neither godly nor ungodly must live always without a change either by Death or Judgment the good man died and the bad man died That Scripture doth also back this Truth that good and bad must die marvellous well where it is said And it is appointed to men once to die and after that the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. Mark he doth not say it is so that men by chance may die which might beget in the hearts of the ungodly especially some hope to scape the bitterness of it But he saith It is a thing most certain it is appointed Mark it is appointed for men once to die and after that the Judgment God hath decreed it that since men have fallen from that happy estate that God at the first did set them in they shall die Rom. 6. 23. Now when it is said the Beggar died and the rich man died part of the meaning is they ceased to be any more in this World I say partly the meaning but not altogether Though it be altogether the meaning when some of the Creatures die yet it is but in part the meaning when it is said that Men Women or Children die for there is to them something else to be said more than barely a going out of the World For if when unregenerate men and women die there were an end of them not onely in this World but also in the World to come they would be happy over they will be now for when ungodly men women die there is that to come after death that will be very terrible to them namely to be carried by the Angels of Darkness from their Death-beds to Hell there to be reserved to the Judgment of the Great Day when both Body and Soul shall meet and be united together again and made capable to undergo the uttermost Vengeance of the Almighty to all Eternity This is that I say which doth follow a man that is not born again after Death as is clear from that in 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. Where before speaking of Christ being raised again by the power of his Eternal Spirit he saith By which that is by that Spirit he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison But what is the meaning of this Why thus much that those Souls who were once alive in the World in the time or days in which Noah lived being disobedient in their Times to the Calls of God by his Spirit in Noah for so I understand it was according to that which was foretold by that Preacher deprived of Life and overcome by the Flouâ— and are now in Prison Mark he preached to the Spirits in Prison he doth not say who were in Prison but to them in that is now in Prison under Chains of Darkness reserved or kept there in that Prison in which now they are ready like Villains in the Jayl to be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ at the Great Day But of this I shall speak further by and by Now if this one Truth that men must die and depart this World and either enter into Joy or else into Prison to be reserved to the Day of Judgment were believed we should not have so many Wantons walk up and down the streets as there do at least it would put a mighty check to their filthy Carriages so that they would not could not walk so basely and sinfully as they do Belshazzer notwithstanding he was so far from the fear of God as he was yet when be did but see that God was offended and threatned him for his wickedness it made him hang down his head and knock his knees together Dan. 5. 5 6. If you read the verses before you will find he was careless and satisfying his Lusts in Drinking and playing the wanton with his Concubines But so soon as he did perceive the finger of an Hand writing then saith the Scripture the King's Countenance was changed and his Thoughts troubled him so that the Joynts of his Loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another And when Paul told Felix of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come it made him tremble And let me tell thee Soul whosoever thou art that if thou didst but verily believe that thou must die and come into the Judgment it would make thee turn over a new leaf But this is the misery the Devil doth labour by all means as to keep out other Things that are good so to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies the Thoughts of passing from this Life into another World for he knows if he can but keep them from the serious Thoughts of Death he shall the more easily keep them in their sins and so from closing with Jesus Christ as Job saith Their houses are safe from fear neither is the Rod of God upon them Which makes them say to God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways vers 14. Because there is no fear of Death and Judgment to come therefore they do put off God and his ways and spend their days in their sins and in a moment that is before they are aware go down to the Grave ver 17. And thus it fared also with the man spoken of in Luk. 12. 20. the man instead of thinking of Death he thought how he might make his Barns bigger But in the midst of his business in the World he lost his Soul before he was aware supposing that Death had been many Years
of your Souls if you did but regard you would see how mad they are that slight the salvation of their souls O what will it profit thy soul to have pleasure in this life and torments in hell Mark 8. 36. Thou hadst better part with all thy sins and pleasures and companions or whatsoever thou delightest in than to have Soul and Body to be cast into hell O then do not now neglect our Lord Jesus Christ lest thou drop down to hell Heb. 2. 3. Consider would it not wound thee to thine heart to come upon thy death-bed and instead of having the comfort of a well-spent life and the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ together with the comforts of his glorious Spirit to have first the sight of 〈◊〉 ill-spent life thy sins flying in thy face thy conscience uttering it self with Thunder-claps against thee the thoughts of God terrifying of thee death with his merciless paw seizing upon thee the devils standing ready to scramble for thy soul and hell enlarging her self and ready to swallow thâ—e up and eternity of misery and torment attending upon thee from which there will be no release For mark death doth not come alone to an unconverted soul but with such company as were thou but sensible of it would make thee tremble I pray consider that Scripture Rev. 6. 8. And I looked and beheld a pale horse and his name that sate on him was Death and hell followed with him Mark death doth not come alone to the ungodly no but hell goeth with him O miserable Comforters O miserable Society here comes death and hell unto thee Death goeth into thy body and separates body and soul asunder hell stands without as I may say to embrace or rather to crush thy soul between its everlasting grinders Then thy mirth thy joy thy sinful delights will be eased when this comes to pass so it will come Blessed are all those that through Christ Jesus his merits by saith do escape these soul-murthering companions And in hell he lift up his eyes The third thing you know that we did observe from these words was this That some are so fast asleep and secure in their sins that they scarce know where they are untill they come into hell And that I told you I gather by these words In hell he life up his eyes Mark it was in hell that he lift up his eyes Now some do understand by these words that he came to himself or began to consider with himself or to think with himself in what an estate he was and what he was deprived of which is still a confirmation of the thing laid down by me There it is that they come to themselves that is there they are sensible where they are indeed Thus it fares with some men that they scarce know where they are till they lift up their eyes in hell It is with these people as with those that fall down in a swoun you know if a man do fall down in a swoun in one room though you take him up and carry him into another yet he is not sensible where he is till he cometh unto himself and lifteth up his eyes Truly thus it is to be feared it is with many poor souls they are so sensless so hard so feared in their Conscience 1 Tim. 4. 2. that they are very ignorant of their state and when death comes iâ— strikes them as it were into a swoun especially if they dye suddenly and so they are hurried away and scarce know where they are till in hell they lift up their eyes this is he who â—yeâ—h in his full strength fully at ease and quiet Job 21. 23. Of this sort are they spoken of in Psalm 73. where he saith There are no bonds in their death but their strength is firm They are not troubled as other folk neither are they plagued like other men And again they spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment mark in a moment before they are aware they go down to the grave Job 21. 17. Indeed this is too much known by woful and daily experience sometimes when we go to visit them that are sick in the Towns and places where we live Oh how sensless how feared in their Consciences are they they are neither sensible of heaven not of hell of sin nor a Saviour speak to them of their condition and the state of their souls and you shall find them as ignorant as if they had no souls to regard Others though they lye ready to dye yet they are busying themselves about their outward affairs as though they should certainly live here even to live and enjoy the same for ever Again come to others speak to them about the state of their souls though they have no more experience of the new birth then a beast yet will they speak as confidently of their eternal state and the welfare of their souls as if they had the most excellent experience of any man or woman in the world saying I shall have Peace Deut. 29. 19. When as I said even now the Lord knows they are as ignorant of the new birth of the nature and operation of Faith of the witness of the Spirit as if there were no new birth no faith no witness of the Spirit of Christ in any of the Saints in the world Nay thus many of them are even an hour or less before their departure Ah poor souls though they may go away here like a lamb as the world sayes yet if you could but follow them a little to stand and listen soon after their departure it is to be feared you should hear them roaâ— like a Lyon at their first entrance into Hell far worse then ever did Corah c. when they went down quick into the ground Numb 16. 31 32 33 34 35. Now by this one thing doth the devil take great advantage on the hearts of the ignorant suggesting unto them that because the party deceased departed so quietly without all doubt they are gone to rest and joy when alas it is to be feared the reason why they went away so quietly was rather because they were sensless and hardned in their Consciences yea dead before in sins and trespasses For had they had but some awakenings on their death beds as some have had they would have made all the Town to ring of their doleful condition But because they are seared and ignorant and so depart quietly therefore the world takes heart at grass as we use to say and make no great matter of living and dying they cannot tell how therefore pride compasseth them as a chain Psal. 73. 5 6. But let them look to themselves for if they have not an interest in the Lord Jesus now while they live in the world they will whether they dye raging or still gounâ—o the same place and lift up their eyes in hell O my friends did you but know what a miserable condition they are in that go out of
so freely profered to thee a little ground a few Oxen a Farm a Wife a two penny matter a Play nay the fear of a mock a scoff or a jeer is of greater weight to draw thee back than the Salvation of thy Soul to draw thee forward 7. And thou hast heard that Whosoever will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God Jam. 4. 4. But thou regardest not these things but contrariwise rather then thou wilt be out of the friendship and favour of this world thou wilt sin against thine own Conscience and get thy self inâ—o favour by fawning and flattering of the world Yea rather then thou wilt go without it thou wilt dissemble lye backbite thy Neighbour and an hundred other tricks thou wilt have 8. You have heard that the day of Judgement is near in which you and I all of us must appear before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ and there be made to give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead even of all that ever we did yea of all our sins in thought word and deed and shall certainly be damned for them too if we close not in with our Lord Jesus Christ and what he hath done and suffered for eternal life and that not notionally or traditionally but really and savingly in the power and by the operation of the spirit through faith Eccles. 11. 9. 12. 14. Heb. 9. 27. Acts 10. 42 Acts 17. 30 31. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the Books There is the Book of the Creatures the Book of Conscience the Book of the Lords Remembrance the Book of the Law the Book of the Gospel Rom. 1. 20. compared with Rom. 2. 12. 15. Rev. 6. ver 19. Joh. 12. 48. Then shall he separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left Mat. 25. 30 31 32. And shall say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed vers 34. But to the other go or depart ye cursed ver 41. Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures do so plainly plentifully speak of these things alas who is there that is weaned from the world and from their siâ—s and pleasures to fly from the wrath to come Mat. 3. 7. notwithstanding the Scripture saith also That Heaven and Earth shall pass away rather than one jot or one tittle of the word shall shall fail till all be fulfilled they are so certain Luke 21. 37. But leaving the threatnings let us come to the promises and speak somewhat of them and you may see how light men make of them and how little they set by them notwithstanding the mouth of the Lord hath spoken them As first Turn ye fools ye scorners ye simple ones at my reproof and behâ—ld I will pour out my spirit unto you Prov. 1. 24. And yet persons had rather be in their foolishness and scorning still and had rather imbrace some filthy lust then the holy undesiled and blessed Spirit of Christ thorow the promise though by it as many as receive it are sealed unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. And although he that lives and dies without it is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. 2. God hath said If thou do but come to him in Christ though your sins be as red as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow and he will by no meanes cast thee away compare Isa. 1. 18. with Joh. 6. â—7 yet poor souls will not come to Christ that they might have life Joh. 5. 41. but rather after their hardness and impenitent heart treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 4 5 6. 3. Christ Jesus hath said in the word of truth That if any man will serve and follow him Where he is there shall also his servant be Joh. 12. 26. but yet poor souls choose rather to follow sin Satan and the world though their companions be the devils and damned souls for ever Mat. 25. 41. 4. He hath also said Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added But let who so will seek after the Kingdom of Heaven first for them For they will take the first time while time serves to get the things of this life And if it be so that they must needs seek after Heaven or else be damned they will stay till they have more leisure or till they can better attend to it or till they have other things handsome about them or till they are older when they have little else to do or when they come to be sick and to die Then Lord have mercy upon them though it be ten thousand to one but they perish for ever For commonly the Lord hath this way to deal with such sinners who put him off when he is striâ—â—â—â— with them either to laugh at their calamity and mâ—â—k when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 send them to the gods they have served which are the devils Judg. 10. 13. 14. Go to the gods you have served and let them deliver you saith he compare this with Joh. 8. 44. 5. He hath said There is no man that forsaketh Father or Mother Wife or Children or Lands for his sake and the Gospels but shall have an hundred fâ—lâ— in this world with persecution and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10. 29 30. But men for the most part are so far off from believing the certainty of this that they will scarce lose the earning of a penny to hear the word of God the Gospel of salvation Nay they will neither go themselves nor suffer others to go if they can help it without threatning to do them a mischief if it lie in their way Nay further many are so far from parting from any worldly gun for Christs sake and the Gospels that they are still striving by hook and by crook as we say by swearing lying cousening stealing covetousness extortion oppression forgery bribery flâ—ttery or any other way to get more though they get together with these death wrath damnation hell the devil and all the plagues that God can pour upon them And if any do not run with them to the same excess of riot but rather for all their threats will be so bold and careless as they call it as to follow the wayes of God if they can do no more yet they will whet their tongues like a Sword to wound them and do them the greatest mischief they can both in speaking against them to neighbours to Wives to Husbands to Landlords and raising false Reports of them But let such take heed lost they be in such a state and woful condition as he was in who said
is said of some These things are spoken to them that are without in Parables that seeing they might not see and that hearing they might not understand Luke 8. 10. I say take heed of being a quarreller against Christ's Parables lest Christ also objecteth against the salvation of thy Soul at the Judgment Day Friend I have no more to say to thee now if thou dost love me pray for me that my God would not forsake me nor take his holy Spirit from me and that God would fit me to do and suffer what shall be from the World or Devil inflicted upon me I must tell thee the World rages they stamp and shake their heads and fain they would be doing the Lord help me to take all they shall do with patience and when they smite the one cheek to turn the other to them that I may do as Christ hath bidden me for then the Spirit of God and of glory shall rest upon me Farewell I am thine to serve in the Lord Jesus John Bunyan Sighs from Hell OR The Groans of a damned Soul Luke the 16th Verse 19. c. verse 19 THere was a certain rich man which was cloathed in Purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day verse 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazirus which was laid at his gate full of sores verse 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his sores verse 22 And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosome the rich man also dyed and was buried verse 23 And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosome verse 24 And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame verse 25 But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented verse 26 And besides all this between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence verse 27 Then he said I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldest send him to my Fathers House verse 28 For I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment verse 29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets lâ—t them hear them verse 30 And he said Nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent verse 31 And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Verse 19. THis Scripture was not spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ to shew you the state of two single persons onely as some through their ignorance of the drift of Christ in his Parables do dream but to shew you the state of the godly and ungodly to the Worlds end as is clear to him that is of an understanding heart For he spake them to the end that after Generations should take notice thereof and fear lest they also fell into the same condition Now in my discourse upon these words I shall not be tedious but as briefly as I may I shall pass through the several Verses and lay you down some of the several truths contained therein and the Lord grant that they may be profitable and of great advantage to those that read them or hear them read The 19 and 20 Verse also I shall not spend much time upon onelâ— give you three or four short hints and so pass to the next Verses for they are the words I do intend most especially to insist upon The 19 20 and 2â— Verses â—un thus There was a 〈◊〉 rich man which was cloathed in Purple and sâ—â—e 〈◊〉 and fared deliciâ—â—sly 〈◊〉 sumptuously everyday And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of force c. 1. If these Verses had been spoken by Jesus Christ and no more all the World would have gone 〈◊〉 to have cast a wrong interpretation on 〈…〉 if Jesus had said onely thus much There was a certain rich man that fared sumptuously daily and a certain beggar laid at his Gate full of sores The World would have made this conclusion of them the rich man was the happy man For at the first view it doth represent such a thing But take all together that is read the whole Parable and you shall find that there is no man in a worse condition then he as I shall clearly hold forth afterward 2. Again if a man would judge of men according to outward appearance he shall oftâ—â—â—â—â— take his mark â—miss Here is a man to outward appearance appears the only blessed man betâ—eâ— by half then the beggar in as much as he is rich the beggar poor he is well cloathed but peradventure the beggar is naked he hath good food but the beggar would be glad of Dogs meat And he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table the rich man fares well every day but the beggar must be glad of a bit when he can get it Oh! who would not be in the rich mans state A wealthy man sorts of new Suits and dainty dishes every day enough to make one who minds nothing but his belly and his back and his lusts to say Oh that I were in that mans condition Oh that I had about me as that man had Then I should live a life indeed then should I have hearts ease good store then I should live pleasantly and might say to my soul Soul be of good chear eat drink and be merry Luke 12. 19. thou hast every thing plenty and art in a most blessed condition I say this might be I and is the conclusion with them that judge according to outward appearance But if the whole Parable be well considered you will see Luke 16. 15. That that which is had in high estimation with men is an abomination in the sight of God And again Joh. 16. 20 21 22. that condition that is the saddest condition according to outward appearance is oft times the most excellent for the beggar had ten thousand degrees the best of it though to outward appearance his state was the saddest from whence we shall observe thus much 1. That those who judge according to outward appearance do for the most part judge amiss Joh. 7. 24. 2. That they who look upon their outward enjoyments to be tokens of Gods special grace unto them are also deceived Rev. 3. 17. For as it is here in the Parable a man of wealth and a child of the Devil may make but one
this world without an interest in the Son of God it would make you smite upon your thigh and in the bitterness of your souls cry out Acts 16. 29 30 31. Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved And not only so but thou wouldest not be comforted until thou didst find a rest for thy soul in the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosome Something in brief I have observed from the first part of this verse namely from these words And in hell he lift up his eyes And indeed I have observed but something for they are very full of matter and many things might be taken notice of in them There is one thing more that I might touch upon as touched in this saying and that is this Methink the Lord Jesus Christ doth hereby signify that men are naturally unwilling to see or take notice of their sad state I say by nature but though now they are willingly ignorant yet in hell they shall lift up their eyes That is in hell they shall see and understand their miserable condition and therefore to these words In hell he lift up his eyes he added being in torment As if he had said Though once they shut their eyes though once they were 2 Pet. 3. 5. willingly ignorant yet when they depart into hell they shall be so miserably handled and tormented that they shall be forced to lift up their eyes While men live in this world and are in a natural state they will have a good conceit of themselves and of their condition they will conclude that they are Christians that Abraham is their father Matth. 3. 7 8. and their state to be as good as the best they will conclude they have faith the Spirit good hope and an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ but then when they drop into hell and lift up their eyes there and behold first their soul to be in extream torments their dwelling to be the bottomless pit their company thousands of damned souls also the innumerable company of devils and the hot scalding vengeance of God not only to drop but to fall very violently upon them then they will begin to be awakened who all their life time were in a dead sleep I say when this comes to pass Lo it will then in hell they shall lift up their eyes in the midst of torments they shall lift up their eyes Again you may observe from these words And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torment That the time of the ungodly mens smarting for their sins will be in the torments of hell Now here I am put to a stand when I consider the torments of hell into which the damned do fall O unspeakable torments O endless torments Now that thy soul might be made to slee from these intollerable torments into which the damned do go I shall shew you briefly what are the torments of hell First by the names of it Secondly by the sad state thou wilt be in if thou commest there First the names It is called a never dying worm Mark 9. It is called an oven fire hot Malach. 4. 1. It is called a furnace a fiery furnace Mat. 13. It is called the bottomless pit the unquenchable fire fire and brimstone hell fire the lake of fire devouring fire everlasting fire eternal fire a stream of fire Rev. 21. First one part of thy torments will be this thou shalt have a full fight of all thy ill spent life from first to last though here thou canst sin to day and forget it by to morrow yet there thou shalt be made to remember how thou didst sin against God at such a time and in such a place for such a thing and with such an one which will be an hell unto thee Psal. 50. 21. God will set them in order before thine eyes 2. Thou shalt have the guilt of them all lye heavy on thy soul not only the guilt of one or two but the guilt of them altogether and there they shall lye in thy soul as if thy belly were full of pitch and set on a light fire Here men can sometimes think on their sins with delight but there with unspeakable torment for that I understand to be the fire that Christ speaketh of which shall never be quenched Mark 8. 43 44 45 46. While men live here O how doth the guilt of one sin sometimes crush the soul it makes a man in such plight that he is weary of his life so that he can neither rest at home nor abroad neither up nor in bed Nay I do know that they have been so tormented with the guilt of one sinful thought that they have been even at their wits end and have hanged themselves But now when thou comest into hell and hast not only one or two or an hundred sins with the guilt of them all on thy soul and body but all the sins that ever thou didst commit since thou camest into the world altogether clapt on thy conscience at one time as one should clap a red hot iron to thy breasts and there to continue to all eternity this is miserable 3. Again then thou shalt have brought into thy remembrance the slighting of the Gospel of Christ here thou shalt consider how willing Christ was to come into the world to save sinners and for what a trifle thou didst reject him This is plainly held forth in Esay 28. where speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ the foundation of salvation ver 16. he saith of them that reject the Gospel that when the overflowing scourge doth pass through the earth which I understand to be at the end of the world then saith he It shall take you morning by morning by day and by night shall it pass over you that is continually without any intermission And it shall be a vexation only to hear the report A vexation that is a torment or a great part of hell only to understand the report to understand the good tydings that came into the world by Christs death for poor sinners and you will find this to be verily the mind of the Spirit if you compare it with Chap. 53. of Esay verse 1. where he speaks of mens turning their backs upon the tenders of Gods grace in the Gospel he saith Who hath believed our report or the Gospel declared by us Now this will be a mighty torment to the ungodly when they shall understand the goodness of God was so great that he even sent his Son out of his bosome to dye for sinners and yet that they should be so foolish as to put him off from one time to another that they should be so foolish as to lose heaven and Christ and eternal life in glory for the society of a company of drunkards that they should lose their souls for a little sport for this world for a strumpet for that which
thou O thou wanton proud swearing lying ungodly Wretch whether this be to be slighted and made a mock at And again tell me now if it be not better to leave sin and to close in with Christ Jesus notwithstanding that Reproach thou shalt meet with for so doing than to live a little while in this World in pleasures and feeding thy Luâ—â—s in neglecting the welfare of thy Soul and refusing to be justified by Jesus and in a moment to drop down to Hell and to cry O consider I say consider betâ—â—es and put not off the Tenders of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ lest you lift up your Eyes in Hell and cry for anguish of Spirit And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus c. These words do not oâ—â—â—â—â—old forth the lamentable Condition of the Damned and their lamentable howling and crying one under their anguish of spirit but also they do signifie to us as I said before their too late Repentance and also that they would very willingly if they might be set at liberty from that everlasting â—â—â—ery that by their sins they have plunged themselves into I say these words do hold forth a desire that the Damned have to be delivered from those Torments that they now are in O Father Abraham saith he have mercy upon me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my Tongue for I am torâ—â—â—ted in this flame These words Father Abraham may have some difficulty in them It is possible that some may think them to be meant of Abraham and those or him that ctieth out here to be the Jews Or it may be some may understand it to be GOD or Jesus Christ his Son which I rather suppose it may be that is here cried out unto because you find the same Cry to him as it were uttered by the ungodly in other places of the Scripture as in Luke 13. vers 25 26. Then shall they say Lord Lord we have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Nay more In thy Name have we cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works This was just at their rejection And again in Matth. 25. 11. They cry again to him even to Jesus Lord Lord open to us And he there again gives them a Repulse as also in this Parable But however or whosoever Abraham is yet these Truths may be observed from the words 1. That the Damned when in an irrecoverable estate will seek for or desire deliverance from the Wrath that they are and shall be in for Eternity Surely in the Floud of great Waters they shall not come nigh unto him 2. That they will pray if I may so call it earnestly for deliverance from their miserable estate These two Things are clear from the words For mark He not onely said Father Abraham have mercy upon me But he cried and said Father Abraham have mercy on me From whence take a third observation and that is There is a time coming wherein though men shall both cry and pray yet they are like to have no mercy at the Hands of God for so was this man served as I shall further shew by and by when I come to it Some People are so deluded by the Devil as to think that God is so merciful as to own or regard any thing for prayer They think any thing will go for currant and good satisfaction while they are here in this World through ignorance of the true nature of the Mercy of GOD and the knowledge in what way God is satisfied for Sinners Now I say through ignorance they think that if they do but mutter over some form of prayers though they know not what they say not what they request yet God is satisfied yea very well satisfied with their doings when alas there is nothing less O Friends I beseech you to look about you and seek in good earnest for the Spirit of Christ so to help you now â—o strive and pray and to inable you to lay hold of Christ that your Souls may be saved lest the time come that though you cry and pâ—ay and wish also that you â—ad â—â—â—d hold on the Lord Jesus yet you must and shall be damned Then 〈…〉 thâ—â— though God be willing to save Sinners at some time yet this time doâ—h not always lâ—st No he that can find in his 〈◊〉 to turn hiâ— back upon Jesus Christ now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon him hereafter when he may cry and pray for mercy and yet go without it God will have a time to meet with them that now do not seek after him They shall have a time yea time enough hereafter to repent their Folly and to befool themselves for turning their backs upon the Lord Jesus Christ. I will laugh at their Calamities saith he and mock when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26 27. Again this should admonish us to take time while it is proffered leâ—t we repent us of our unbelief and Rebellion when we are deprived of it Ah Friends Time is precious an hours time to hear a Sermon is precious I have sometimes thought thus with my self Set the case the Lord should send two or three of his Servants the Ministers of the Gospel to Hell among the Damned with this Commission Go ye to Hell and preach my Grace to those that are there Let your Sermon be an hour long and hold forth the Merits of my Sons Birth Righteousness Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession with all my Love in him and proffer it to them telling them that now once more and but once do I proffer the means of Reconciliation to them They who are now roaring being past hope would then leap at the least proffer of Mercy Oh they that could spend whole Days Weeks nay Years in rejecting the Son of God would now be glad of one Tender of that Mercy Father saith he have mercy on me Again from these words you may observe that Mercy will be welcome when Souls are under Judgment Now his Soul is in the fire now he is under the Wrath of God now he is in Hell there to be tormented now he is with the Devils and damned Spirits now he feels the Vengeance of God Now oh now have mercy on me Here you may see that Mercy is prized by them that are in Hell they would be glad if they could have it Father have Mercy on me For my poor Souls sake send me a little Mercy And send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my Tongue These words do not onely hold forth that the ungodly have a desire of Mercy but what those Mercies are that these poor Creatures would be glad of As first To have the company of a Lazarus granted to them Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus Now Lazarus was he that was beloved of God and also
Scriptures to turn to God finding them to restifie of his goodness and mercy there is but little hopes of their Salvation For they will not mark they will not be perswaded though one should rise from the Dead This Truth is confirmed by Jesus Christ himself If you read Joh. 5. where the Lord is speaking of himself that he is the very Christ he brings in four or five Witnesses to back what he said First John Baptist. 2. The Works that his Father gave him to do 3. His Father speaking from Heaven 4. The Testimony of the Scriptures when all this was done seeing yet they would not believe he layes the fault upon one of these two Things 1. Their regarding an esteem among Men. 2. Their not believing of the Prophets Writings even Moses and the rest For had ye believed Moses saith he ye would have believed me For he wrote of me But if ye believe not his Writings how can ye believe my Words Now I say he that shall slight the Scriptures and the Testimony of the Prophets in them concerning Jesus Christ must needs be in great danger of losing his Soul if he abide in this condition because he that slights the Testimony doth also slight the Thing testified of let him say the contrary never so often For as Jesus Christ hath here laid down the Reason of Mens not receiving him so the Apostle in another place lays down the Reason again with an high and mighty aggravation 1 Joh. 5. 10. saying He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record Mark the Record that God gave of his Sâ—n. The Record you will say what is that Why even the Testimony that God gave of him by the Mouth of all the Holy Prophets since the World began Act. 3. 20. That is God sending his Holy Spirit into the hearts of his Servants the Prophets and Apostles He by his Spirit in them did bear Witness or Record to the Truth of Salvation by his Sonne Jesus both before and after his coming And thus is that place also to be understood which saith There are three that bear Record in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloud That is the Spirit in the Apostleâ— which preached him to the World as is clear if you read seriously 1 Thes. 4. 8. The Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ and obedience to God through him saith thus Now he that despiseth despiseth not us but God But it is you that speak True but it is by and through the Spirit He therefore that despiseth despiseth not Man but God who also hath given us of his Holy Spirit This is therefore a mighty confirmation of this Truth that he that slights the Record or Testimony that God by his Spirit in his Prophets and Apostles hath testified unto us slights the Testimony of the Spirit who moved them to speak these Things and if so then I would fain know how any man can be saved by Jesus Christ that slights the Testimony concerning Christ yea the Testimony of his own Spirit concerning his own Self 'T is true men may pretend to have the Testimony of the Spirit and from that Conceit set a low Esteem on the Holy Scriptures But that Spirit that dwelleth in them and reacheth them so to do it is no better than the Spirit of Satan though it calls it self by the Name of the Spirit of Christ. To the Law therefore and to the Testimony Try them by that If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them The Apostle Peter when he speaks of the glorious Voice that he had from the Excellent Majesty saying of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him saith thus to him whom he wrote unto You have also a more sure Word of Prophecie or of the Prophets for so you may read it unto which you do well that you take heed That is Though we tell you that we had his excellent Testimony from his own Mouth evidently yet you have the Prophets We tell you this and you need not doubt of the Truth of it but if you should yet you may not must not ought not to question them Search therefore unto them until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts That is until by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture you find the Truth confirmed to your Souls which you have recorded in the Scriptures That this Word of Prophecy or of the Prophets is the Scriptures read on For saith he knowing this first that no Prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation c. 2 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. But you will say What needs all this ado and why is all this time and pains spent in speaking to this that is surely believed already This is a Thing received by all that they believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God that sure Word of Prophecy and therefore you need not spend your time in proving these Things and the Truth of them seeing we grant and confess the Truth of it before you begin to speak your judgment of them Answ. The Truths of God cannot be born witness unto too often you may as well say You need not preach Jesus Christ so much seeing he hath been and is received for the True Messias already 2. Though many may suppose that they do believe the Scriptures yet if they were but well examined you would find them either by word of mouth or else by conversation to deny reject and slight the Holy Scriptures 'T is true there is a notional and historical Assent in the Head I say In the Head of many or most to the Truth contain'd in Scripture But try them I say and you shall find but a little if any of the Faith of the operation of God in the hearts of poor men to believe the Scriptures and Things contained in them Many yea most men believe the Scriptures as they believe a Fable a Story a Tale of which there is no certainty but alas there are but few do in Deed and in Truth believe the Scriptures to be the very Word of God Obj. But you will say This seems strange to me Answ. And it seems as true to me and I doubt not but to make it manifest that there are but few yea very few that do effectually for that I aim at believe the Scriptures and the Truths contained in and spoken of by them But to make this appear and that to purpose if God will I shall lay you down the several Operations that the Scriptures have on them who do effectually believe the Things contained in them 1. He that doth effectually believe the Scriptures hath in the first place been kill'd I say kill'd by the Authority of the Holy Scriptures struck stark dead in a Spiritual sense by the Holy Scripture being set home by that Spirit which
gave them forth upon the Soul The Letter killeth the Letter strikes men dead 2 Cor. 3. 6. and this Paul witnessed and found before he could say I believe all that the Prophets have spoken Where he saith I was alive without the Law once That is in my natural state before the Law was set on my heart with power But when the Commandement came sinne revived and I died Rom. 7. 9. And that Law that was ordained to life I found to be unto death For sinne taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and thereby slew me ver 10. Now that which is called the Letter in Cor. is called the Law in Rom. 7. which by its power and operation as it is wielded by the Spirit of God doth in the first place kill and slay all those that are inabled to believe the Scriptures I kill saith God That is with my Law I pierce I wound I prick men into the very heart by shewing them their sins against my Law Deut. 32. 39. Act. 2. 36 37. And he that is ignorant of this is also ignorant of and doth not really and effectually believe the Scripture But you will say How doth the Law kill and strike dead the poor Creature Answ. First The Letter or Law do kill thus It is set home upon the Soul and discovers to the Soul its Transgressions against the Law and shews the Soul also that it cannot compleatly satisfie the Justice of GOD for the breach of his Law therefore it is condemned Joh. 3. 19. Mark He that believes not is condemned already To wit by the Law that is the Law doth condemn him yea it hath condemned him already for his sins against it as it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. Now all men as they come into the World are in this condition that is condemned by the Law Yet not believing their Condemnation by the Law really they do not also believe really and effectually the Law that doth condemn them For as men have but a notion of the one that is their condemnation because of sins against the Law so they have but a notion of the condemning killing and destroying power of the Law for as the one is so in these Things always is the other There is no man that doth really believe the Law or Gospel further than they do feel the power and authority of them in their hearts Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Now this Letter or Law is not to be taken in the largest sense but is strictly to be tyed to the Ten Commandments whose proper Work is onely by shewing the Soul its sins against this Law to kill and there leaves him stark dead not giving him the least life or support or comfort but leaves the Soul in an helpless and hopeless condition as from it self or any other meeâ— Creature 'T is true the Law hath laid all men for dead as they come into the World but all men do not see themselves dead until they see that Law that struck them dead sticking in their Souls and having struck them that fatal blow As a man that is fast asleep in an house and that on fire about his Ears and he not knowing of it because he is asleep even so because poor Souls are asleep in sinne though the Wrath of God the Curse of his Law and the flames of Hell have beset them round about yet they do not believe it because they are asleep in sin Now as he that is awakened and sees this sees that through this he is a dead man Even so they that do see their state by nature being such a sad condition do also see themselves by that Law to be dead men naturally But now when didst thou feel the power of this first part of the Scripture the Law so mighty as to strike thee dead If not thou dost not so much as verily believe that part of Scripture that doth contain the Law in it to be the truth of God Yet if thou shouldest have felt something I say something of the killing power of the Law of God in thine heart this is not an Argument to prove that thou believest all the Things contained in Scripture for there is Gospel as well as Law and therefore I shall speak to that also that is whether thou hast felt the power of the Gospel as well as something of the power of the Law 2. Then thou hast found the power of the Gospel and so believed it thou hast found it thus with thy soul. 1. Thou hast been shewed by the word or truth of the Gospel in the light of the Spirit of Christ that by nature thou were without the true faith of the Son of God in thy soul For when He the Spirit is come he shall shew men that they believe not in me saith Christ. Joh. 16. 9. Mark though thou hast as I said before felt somewhat of the power of the Law Letter or ten Commandments yet if thou hast not been brought to this to see by the spirit in the Gospel that thou art without faith by nature thou hast not yet tasted much less believed any part of the Gospel For the Gospel and the Law are two distinct Covenants And they that are under the Law may be convinced by it and so believe the Law or first Covenant and yet in the mean time to be a stranger to the Covenant of promise that is the Gospel and so have no hope in them Ephes. 2. 12. There is not any promise that can be savingly believed until the soul be by the Gospel converted to Jesus Christ. For though men do think never so much that they believe the things or the word of the Gospel of our salvation yet unless they have the work of grace in their souls they do noâ— cannot rightly believe the things contained in the Scriptures Again as the Law killeth those that believe it even so the promises contained in the Gospel do through faith administer comfort to those that believe iâ— aâ—igâ—t My words saith Christ my words they are spirit and they are life Joh. 6. 63. As if he had said the words contained in the law as a Covenant of works they wound they kill they strike dead those that are under them But as for me the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life That is whosoever doth receive them believingly shall find them full of operation to comfort quicken and revive their soul. For as I did not come into the world to destroy mens lives so the words that I speak as I am sent to preach the Gospel they have no such tendency unto those that believe them The promises that are in the Gospel Oh how do they comfort them such a promise and such a promise O how sweet is it how comfortable to those that believe them Alas there
are many poor souls that think they believe the Scriptures to be the word of God and yet they never enjoyed any thing of the life and promises they come in upon the heart to quicken to revive thee to raise thâ—e from the sentence of death that is passed 〈◊〉 thee by the Law And through the faith that is wrought in thy soul by the operation of Gods holy Spirit though once killed by the Law or Letter thou art made alive in the Lord Jesus Christ who is presented to thy soul in the promises 3. Dost thou indeed and in truth believe the Scriptures to be the word of God then â—he things contained in them especially the things of the Gospel are very excellent to thy soul as the birth of Christ the death resurrection intercession and second coming O! how precious and excellent are they to thy soul insomuch that thou regardest nothing in comparison of them O! it is Christs birth death blood resurrection c. according to the Scriptures that thou dost rejoyce in exceedingly and abundantly desire after whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing the mercy with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4 5 6. compare with Phil. 3. 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 4. Dost thou believe the Scriptures to be the word of God Then thou standest in awâ—of and dost much reverence them Why they are the word of God the true sayings of God they are the counsel of God they are his promises and his threatnings Poor souls are apt to think If I could hear God speak to me from Heaven with an audible voice then sure I should be serious and believe it But truly if God should speak to thee from Heaven except thou wert converted thou wouldest not regard not really believe him But if thou dost believe the Scriptures thou seest that they are the truth as really believe him But if thou dost believe the Scriptures thou seest that they are the truth as really as if God should speak to thee from Heaven through the Clouds and therefore never flatter thy self foolishly thinking that if it were so and so then thou couldest believe I tell thee saith Christ If they believe not Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe though one should rise from the dead But 5. Doest thou believe the Scripture to be the word of God Then through faith in Christ thou endeavourest to have thy life squared according to the Scriptures both in word and practice Nay this I say thou mayst have though thou do not believe them all My meaning is that if thou believe none but the ten Commandements thy life may be according to them a legal holy life and if thou do believe the Gospel too then thy life will be the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ that is either thou wilt live in the blessed and holy enjoyment of what is testified in the Scripture concerning the glorious things of the Lord Jesus Christ or else thou wilt be exceedingly panting after them For the Scriptures carry such a blessed beauty in them to that soul that hath faith in the things contained in them that they do take the heart and captivate the soul of him that believeth them into the love and liking of them believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust and herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man Acts 24. 14 15 16. 6. He that believes the Scriptures to be the word of God if he do but suppose that any one place of Scripture doth exclude him and shut him out of and from a share in the promises contained in them O it will trouble him grieve him perplex him yea he will not be satisfied untill he be resolved and the contrary sealed to his soul for he knows that the Scriptures are the word of God all truth and therefore he knows that if any one sentence doth exclude or bar out him for want of this or the other qualification he knows also that not the word alone shuts him out but he that speaks it even God himself and â—â—herefore he cannot will not dare not be conented until he find his soul and Scripture together with the things contained therein to embrace each other and a sweet correspondency and agreement between them For you must know that to him that believes the Scriptures aright the promises or threatnings are of more power to comfort or cast down then all the promises or threatnings of all the men in the world And this was the cause why the Marryrs of Jesus did so slight both the promises of their adversaries when they would have overcome them with prâ—fering the great things of this world unto them and also their 〈…〉 them they would rack them haâ—g them 〈…〉 Acts 20. 24. Noâ—â— of these things câ—â—lâ— prâ—vail upon them or against them because they did most really believe the Scriptures and the things contained in them as is clearly found and to be seen in Heb. 11. and also in Mr. Fox's Records of their Brethren 7. He that believeth the Scriptures to be the word of God believeth that men must be born again and also be partakers of that faith which is of the operation of God according as he hath read and believes he must and shall be damned And he that believeth this aright will not be contented until according as it is written he do partake of and enjoy the nâ—w birth and until he do find through grace that faith that is wrought by the operation of God in his soul. For this is the cause why men do satisfâ—â— themselves with so slender a conceited hope that their state is good when it is nothing so namely because they do not credit the Scripture for did they they would look into their own hearts and examine seriously whether that faith that hope that grace which they think they have be of that nature and wrought by that spirit and power that the Scripture speaketh of I speak this of an effectual believing without which all other is nothing unto salvation Now then because I would not be too tedious I shall at this time lay down no more discoveries of such an one as doth savingly believe the Scriptures and the things contained in them but shall speak a few words of examination containing the things already mentioned As 1. Thou sayest thou dost indeed and in truth effectually believe the Scriptures I ask therefore wast thou ever killed stark dead by the Law of works contained in the Scriptures killed by the Law or letter and made to see thy sins against it and left in an helpless condition by that Law For as I said the proper work of the Law is to slay the Soul and to leave it dead in a
helpless state For it doth neither give the Soul any comfort it self when it comes nor doth it shew the soul where comfort is to be had and therefore it is called the ministration of condemnation as in 2 Cor. 3. 9. the ministration of death 2 Cor. 3. 7. For though men may have a notion of the blessed Word of God as the children had yet before they be converted it may truly be said of to them Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mark 12. 24. 2. You say you do believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God I say again examine wast thou ever quickened from a dead state by the power of the Spirit of Christ through the other part of the Scripture That is to say by the power of God in his Son Jesus Christ through the Covenant of Promise I tell thee from the Lord If thou hast thou hast fâ—lt such a quickning power in the words of Christ Joh. 6. that thou hast been lifted out of that dead condition that thou before wast in and that when thou wast under the guilt of sin the curse of the Law and the power of the devil and the justice of the great God thou hast been inabled by the power of God in Christ revealed to thee by the Spirit through and by the Scripture to look sin death hell the devil and the Law and all things that are aâ— enmiâ—y with thee with boldness and comfort in the face through the bloud death righteousness resurrection and intercession of Christ made mention of in the Scriptures And thirdly on this account O how excellent are the Scriptures to thy soul O how much vertue dost thou â—ee in such a Promise in such an invitation they are so large as to say Christ will in no wise cast me â—ut My crimson sins shall be white as Snow I â—ell thee friend there are some Promises that the Lord hath helped me to lay hold of Jesus Christ thâ—â—ugh and by that I would not have out of the Bible for as much Gold and Silver as can lye between York and London piled up to the stars because through them Christ is pleased by his Spirit to convey comfort to my soul I say when the Law curses when the devil tempes when hell-fire flames in my Conscience my sins with the guilt of them tearing of me then is Christ revealed so sweâ—â—ly to my poor soul through the Promises that all is forced to fly and leave off to accuse my soul. So also when the World frowns when the Enemies rage and threaâ—en to kill me then also the pretious the exceeding great and pretious Promises do weight down all and comfort the soul against all This is the effect of believing the Scriptures savingly for they that do so have by and through the Scriptures good comfort and also ground of hope Rom. 15. 4. believing those things to be its own which the Scriptures hold forth 4. Examine dost thou stand in awe of sinning against God because he hath in the Scriptures commanded thee to abstain from it Dost thou give diligence to make thy Calling and Election sure because God commandeth it in Scripture Dost thou examine thy self whether thou be in the Faith or no having a command in Scripture so to do Or dost thou notwithstanding what thou readest in the Scripture follow the world delight in sin neglect coming to Jesus Christ speak evil of the Saints slight and make a mock at the Ordinances of God delight in wicked company and the like Then know that it is because thou dost not indeed and in truth believe the Scriptures effectually For as I said before if a man do believe them and that savingly then he stands in â—w he looks to his steps he turns his feet from evil and endeavors to follow that which is good which God hath commanded in the Scriptures of truth yet not from a legal or natural principle that is to seek for life by doing that good thing but knowing that Salvation is already obtained for him by the bloud of that man Christ Jesus on the Cross because he believes the Scriptures therefore mark I pray therefore I say he labours to walk with his God in all well pleasing and godliness because he sweet power of the loves of Christ which he feels in his soul by the Spirit according to the Scriptures constrain him so to do 2 Cor. 5. 14. 5. Examine again Dost thou labour after those qualifications that the Scriptures do describe a child of God by that is saith yea the right faith the most holy faith the faith of the operation of God And also dost thou examine whether there is a real growth of Grace in thy soul as love zeal self-denial and a seeking by all means to attain if possible to the Resurrection of the dead that is not to satisfy thy self until thou be dissolved and rid of this body of death and be transformed into that glory that the Saints shall be in after the Resurrection day and in the mean time dost labour and take all opportunities to walk as near as may be to the pitch though thou know thou canst not attain it perfectly yet I say thou dost aim at it seek after it press towards it and to hold on in thy race thou â—hunnest that which may any way hinder thee and also close in with what may any way further the same knowing that that must be or desiring that it should be thine eternal frame and therefore out of love and liking to it thou dost desire and long after it as being the thing that doth most please thy soul. Or how is it with thy soul Art thou such an one as regards not these things but rather busy thy thoughts about the things here below following those things that have no scent of divine glory upon them If so look to thy self thou art an unbeliever and so under the wrath of God and wilt for certain fall into the same place of torment that thy fellows have fallen into before thee to the grief of thy own soul and thy everlasting destruction Consider and regard these things and lay them to thy heart before it be too late to recover thy self by repenâ—ing of the one and desiring to close in with the other O I say regard regard for hell is hot Gods hand is up the Law is resolved to discharge against thy soul the Judgment day is at hand the graves are ready to fly open the 〈◊〉 is nea◠〈◊〉 â—ounding the sentence will â—re long be pâ—st and then you and I cannot call â—imâ— again But again seeing they are so certain so sure so irreâ—â—â—â—ble and firm and seeing the saving faith of the thingâ— contained therein is to reform the soul and bring iâ— over into the things of God really conforming to the things contained therein both to the point of Justification and also an impractical walking and giving up the soul and body to a conformity to all
the commands counsels instructions and exhortations contained therein This then will learn us how to judg of those who give up themselves to walk in the imaginations of their own hearts who slight and lay aside the Scriptures counting them but empty and uncertain things and will live every day in open contradiction to what is contained commanded and forbidden therein As first this will shew us that all your Drunkards Whoremasters Lyars Thieves Swearers Back-biters Slanderers Scâ—ffers at goodness c. I say we may see by this that they thaâ— live in such things have not the faith of these things contained in their hearts seeing they delight to practise those things that are forbidden by and in them And so they continuing living and dying in this state we may conclude without fear that these portions of holy Scripture belong unto them and shall for certain be fulfilled upon them He that believes not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Coâ— 6. 9 10. But the abominable the unbelieving the whoremongers and all lyars shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21. 8. Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25. 41. Depart Depart from me for I will not save you Depart for my bloud shall not at all wash you Depart for you shall not set one foot into the Kingdome of Heaven Depart ye cursed ye are cursed of God cursed of his Law cursed of me cursed by the Saints and cursed by the Angels cursed all over nothing but cursed and therefore depart from me and whither Into everlasting fire fire that will scald scorch burn and flame to purpose fire that never shall be quenched Mark 9. fire that will last to all eternity And must we be all alone No you shall have company store of company with you Namely all the raging roaring devils together with an innumerable company of fellow damned sinners men women and children And if the Scriptures be true as they will one day wonderfully appear to be then this must and shall be thy portion if thou live and dye in this state and of all them who continue in sinning against the truths comâ—ined in Scriptures As first Dost thou delight to sin against plain commands thou art gone Secondly Dost thou slight and scorn the counsels contained in Scriptures and continue in so doing then thou art gone Thirdly Dost thou continually neglect to come to Christ and usest arguments in thine own heart to satisfy thy soul with so doing then thou art gone Luke 14. 17 18. compared with verse 24. and Hebrews 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation How shall we escape 〈…〉 there is no way to escape First because God hath said we shall not Heb. 10. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth that was Moses much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven 2. Because he hath not only said they shall not but also hath bound it with an oath saying So I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest Heb. 3. 11. To whom did he swear that they should not enter into his rest Answer To them that believed not So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief verse 18 19. Secondly this will teach us what to think and conclude of such who though they do not so openly discover their folly by open and gross sins against the Law yet will give more heed to their own spirits and the movings thereof though they be neither commanded nor commended for the same in Scripture nay though the Scripture command and commend the contrary Isaiah 8. 20. then they will to the holy and revealed will of God I say such men are in as bad a state as the other to the full being disobedient to Gods will revealed in his Word as well as they though in a different manner the one openly transgressing against the plain and well known truths revealed in it the other though more close and hidden yet secretly rejecting and slighting them giving more heed to their own spirits and the motion thereof although not warranted by the Scriptures A few words more and so I shall conclude And first take heed that you content not your self with a bare notion of the Scriptures in your heads by which you may go far even so far as to be able to dispute for the truth to Preach the Gospel and labour to vindicate it in opposition to gain-sayers and yet be found at the left hand of Christ at the Judgment-day forasmuch as thou didst content thy self with a notion or a traditional knowledg of them 2. Have a care that thou own the whole Scripture and not own one part and neglect another or slight it is thâ—â— To own the Law and slight the Gospel or to think that thou must be saved by thy good doing and works for that is all one as if thou diddest thrust Christ away from thee or else so to own the Gospel as if by it thou wert exempted from all obedience to the ten Commandments and conformity to the Law in life and conversation for in so doing thou wilt for certain make sure of eternal vengeance Thirdly have a care that thou put not wrong names on the things contained in the Scriptures as to call the Law Christ and Christ the Law For some having done so in my knowledg have so darkned to themselves the glorious truths of the Gospel that in a very little time they have been resolved to thwart and oppose them and so have made room in their own souls for the devil to inhabit and obtained a place in hell for their own souls to be tormented for ever and ever Against this danger therefore in reading and receiving the testimony of Scripture learn to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel and to keep them clear asunder as to the salvation of thy soul and that thou mayest so do In the first place beg of God that he would shew thee the nature of the Gospel and set it home effectually with life and power upon thy soul by Faith Which is this That God would shew thee that as thou being man hast sinned against God so Christ being God Man hath â—â—ought thee again and with his most pretious bloud set thee free from the bondage thou wast fallen into by thy sins and that not upon condition that thou wilt do thus and thus this and the other good work but rather that thou being first justified freely by meer grace through the bloud of Jesus shouldest also receive thy strength from him who hath bought thee to walk before him in all well pleasing being inabled thereto by vertue of his Spirit which hath revealed to thy soul that thou art delivered already from wrath to come by the
obedience not of thee but of another man viz. Jesus Christ. Secondly Then if the Law thou readest of tell thee in thy Conscience thou must do this and the other good work of the Law if ever thou wilt be saved Answer plainly that for thy part thou art resolved now not to work for life but to believe in the vertue of that bloud shed upon the Cross upon Mount Calvary for the remission of sins and yet because Christ hath justified thee freely by his Grace thou wilt seâ—ve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the dayes of thy life yet not in a legal Spirit or in a Covenant of Works but mine obedience say thou I will endeavour to have it free and chearful out of love to my Lord Jesus Thirdly Have a care thou receive not this doctrine in the notion only lest thou bring a just damnation upon thy soul by professing thy self to be freed by Christs bloud from the guilt of sin while thou remainest still a servant to the filth of sin For I must tell you that unless you have the true and saving work of the Faith and Grace of the Gospel in your hearts you will either go on in a legal Holiness according to the tenour of the Law or else through a notion of the Gospel the Devil bewitching and beguiling thy understanding will and affections thou wilt Ranter like turn the Grace of God into wantonness and bring upon thy soul double if not treble damnation in that thou couldest not be contented to be damned for thy sins against the Law but also to make ruine sure to thy soul thou wouldest dishonour the Gospel and turn the Grace of God held forth and discovered to man by that into licenticusness But that thou mightest be sure to escape these dangerous looks on the right hand and on the left see that thy faith be such as spoken of in Sâ—â—â—pture and that thou be not satisfied without thâ—t which is a faith wrought by the mighty operation of God revealing Christ to and in thee as having wholly freed thee from thy sins by his most pretious bloud Which Faith if thou attain unto will so work in thy heart thâ—â— first thou wilt see the nature of the Law and also the nature of the Gospel and delight in the glory of it and also thou wilt find an ingaging of thy heart and soul to Jesus Christ even to the giving up of thy whole man unto him to be ruled and governed by him to his glory and thy comfort by the Faith of the Lord Jesus The End Books printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Barre CHristianismus Redivivus or Baptizing and Inchurching believers after faith and repentance vindicated also the writings of Mr. Baxâ—er Dr. â—eatley Dr. Hilins Mr. Marshall Mr. Blake Mr. Cook Mr. Cotton answered with a Vindication of Ordinances till Christs Personal coming proved in Folio The Work of Faith with Power Wherein the nature of that dead Faith is detected by which multitudes that hope for Salvation are as is to be feared deceived Published on purpose to rectify some dangerous and Damning mistakes of Men about their Faith and to Awaken all to the Work of Faith with Power In quarto Means to prevent perishing or the usefulness of the saving knowledg of God discovered Shewing what blessed tendency the right knowledg of God hath to bring men to Salvation in 4to Sions groans for her distressed Proving it the undoubted right of Christian Liberty under different perswasions in matters Spiritual to have equal protection as to their civil Peace with the Testimony of 15. Antients humbly offered to the Kings Majesty Parliament and People in 4to Faith in Gods Promises the Saints best weapon or the great use and availableness of 〈◊〉 both for the support and growth of Saints in times most perilous With several considerations for the encrease of Faith 4to A Contention for Truth In two Publick Disputations before thousands of People between Dr. Gunning and Mr. Daâ—n touching the Baptism of Infants Whether Lawful or Unlawful 4to The free Grace of God to all the Sons of Adam vindicated In a plain discovery of that Truth with 20 Queries to all men concerned 4to A Plea for Toleration of Opinions and Perswasions in matters of Religion differing from the Church of England Shewing the unreasonableness of prescribing to other Mens Faith and the evil of persecuting differing Opinions Humbly Presented to the Kings Majesty 4to The great Case of Conscience Opened in the particular unfoulding of those two difficult Texts Matth. 5. 33 34. with Jam. 5. 12. about the lawfulness or unlawfulness of Swearing 4to Godly Adversity far better than Wicked Prosperity or The Rage of the Wicked should not hinder the Race of the Godly 4to An Epistle of Information and Consolation to all such as are distinguished by names of reproach Containing also A sober Rebuke for former Slothfulness 4to The 〈…〉 causes of Gods Foreknoâ—â—â—g of Election and Predestination and of Man's Salvation or Damnation As also Whether Christ Dyed for all or not for all with the Causes and Effects that may follow or not follow The fifth Edition 4â—0 Mr. Hooles Latine and English Grammer fitted not only for the use of Schools but very useful for any person that is desirous to learn the Latine Tongue being a more plain and speedy help than any yet extâ—nt The fourth Edition Octavo A Discovery of the Latitude of the Loss of the Earthly Paradice by Original Sin With 20 Characteâ—s of the true and false Ministry To which is added Siâ—ns Redemption with the manner of the Rice of the Man of Sin with a brief Description of Christs Personal Reign upon Earth a thousand years Symptomes of Growth and Decay to Godliness In LX. Signs of A Living and Dying Christian with the cause of Decay and Remedies for Recovery Octavo Laying on of Hands Asserted under New Testament Câ—nsiâ—erations viz. 1 Upon Persons for Healing With a brief Discovery of that Ordinance of Annointing with Oyl 2. Upon Persons to Office 3. Upon Believers Baptized as such A Profitable Concordance to the Bible With Doctrinal and Alphabetical Observations upon most Points material in the Holy Scriptures Oct. Saturday no Sabâ—â—â—â— or 〈…〉 Sabboth proved not to be 〈◊〉 force to Believing Gentiles neither by the Law of Nature Law of Moses nor Law of Christ Octavo The truth of the Resurrection of the Bodies both of Good and Bad at the Great Day Asserted and Proved by Gods Word also the manner and order of their coming forth of their Graves And a Discourse of the Last Judgment and final Conclusion of the whole World in Octavo A short Catechisme very teachable as well for young Christians as Children in seven particulars in Octavo Christian Beheaviour being the fruits of true Christianity teâ—ching Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants so to walk as to please God the 3d Edition in Twelves Prayer with the Spirit and Understanding also shewing what it is to pray with the Spirit and with Understanding the 2d Edition in 120. Prison Meditations directed to the heart of suffering Saints and raigning sinners in 120. Self 〈◊〉 the grand Enemy of Jesus Christ or a Treatise shewing what a heart-plague self is with special Remedies for its ruine in 12â— The Doctrine of Christianity teaching how to become a Christian how to lead a Christian life and what is the Government of Christs Church with the Articles of their faith in 12â— first 〈…〉 with the Rule of Three also the way to find the solid content of Board Glass Land Timber Stone Globes c. in 12â— 2d Edition One thing is needful or serious Meditations upon the Four last Things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell with a Conference between Christ and a sinner in 12â— The Line of Life and the Line of Death or a Map shewing the order and causes of Salvation and Damnation all cut in Brass The Poor Mans Physitian or the true Art of Medicine as it s Chimically prepared for the healing all Diseases incident to Man-kind A brief Confession of Faith as it was presented to the King in the name of many thousands commonly called Anabaptists Also their Apologie and Vindication against the injurious aspersions of being like some pretended German Anabaptists A Treatiise touching faâ—ling from Grace or 13 Arguments proving that Believers may fall from the truth of Grace with the most material Objections to the contrary Answered 4â—0 Gods Oracle and Christ's Doctrine or the Six Principles and beginning word of ever Christian Man shewing the Foundation every Convert is to lay