came not in old timeâ—y the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And therefore what a sad thing is it with those that go about to disown the Scriptures I tell you however they may slight them nâ—w yet when they come into hâ—ll they will see their folly They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Further who are they that are so tossed to and fro with the several winds of doctrine that have been broâ—ched in these dayes but such for the most part as have had a light esteem of the Scriptures for the ground of errour as Christ saith is because they know not them Mark 12. 24. And indeed it is just with God to give them over to follow their own dark blinded consciences to be led into errours that they might be damned into hell who did not believe that the things contained in the Scripture were the truth that they might be saved and go to Heaven It cannot well tell how to have done speaking for and on the Scriptures side only this I consider A word is enough to the wise and therefore I shall commit these things into the hands of them that are of God and as for the rest I shall say to them rather than God will save them from hâ—ll with the breach of his holy word if they had a thousand souls a piece God would destroy them all for the Scriptures cannot be broken John 10 35. Verse 30. And he said nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent THe Verse before you know as I told you it was part of an answer to such as lose their souls so it is a vindication of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Now this Verse is an answer to what was said in the former and such an one as hath in it a rejection of the former answer Nay Father Abraham Nay saith he do not say so do not put them off with this send one from the dead and then there will be some hopes 'T is true thou speakest of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets and sayest let them hear them but these things are not so well as I could wish I had rather thou woulest send one from the dead In these words therefore Nay Father Abraham there is a repulse given Nay let it not be so Nay I do not like of that answer Hear Moses and the Prophets nay The same expression is used by Christ Luke 13. 2 3. Think you that they upon whom the â—â—ower of Siloe fell were sinnâ—rs above others I tell you nay for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish So here Nay Father Abraham c. By this word Nay therefore is signified a rejecting the first answer Now observe I pray you the reason why he sayes nay is because God doth put over all those that will be saved to observe and receive the truth contained in Scripture and believe that To have a high esteem of them and to love and search them as Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they are they which testify of me Joh. 5. 39. But the damned say Nay as if he had said This is the thing to be short my brethren are unbelievers and do not regard the Word of God I know it by my self for when I was in the World it was so with me Many a good Sermon did I hear many a time was I admonished desired intreated beseeched threatned forewarned of what I now suffer But alas I was ignorant self-conceited surly obstinate and rebellious Many a time the Preacher told me hell would be my portion the devil would wreck his malice on me God would pour on me his sore displeasure but he had as good have preached to the stock to the post to the stones I trod on his words rang in mine ears but I kept them from my heart I remember he alledged many a Scripture but those I valued not the Scriptures thought I what are they a deâ—d letter a little Ink and Paper of three or four shillings price Alas what is the Scripture give me a Ballad a News-book George on Horsback or Bevis of Southampâ—on give me some book that teaches curious Arts that tells of old Fables but for the Holy Scriptures I cared not And as it was with me then so it is with my brethren now we were all of one spirit loved all the same sins slighted all the same counsels promises incouragements and threatnings of the Scriptures and they are still as I left them still in unbelief still provoking God and rejecting good counsel so hardned in their wayes so bent to follow sin that let the Scriptures be shewed to them daily let the Messengers of Christ preach till their hearts ake till they fall down dead with preaching they will rather trample it under-foot and swine-like rent them than close in with those gentle and blessed proffers of the Gospel Nay Father Abraham but if one should rise from the dead they would repent Though they have Moses and the Prophets the Scriptures they will not repent and close in with Jesus Christ though the Scriptures do witness against them If therefore there be any good done to them they must have it another way I think saith he it would work much on them if one should rise from the dead And this truth indeed is so evident that ungodly ones have a light esteem of the Scriptures that it needs not many strong Arguments to prove it being so evidently manifested by their every dayes practice both in words and actions almost in all things they say and do Yet for the satisfaction to he Reader I shall shew you by a Scripture oâ— two though I might shew many that this was and is true with the generality of the world See the words of Nehemiah in his 9th Chapter concerning the Children of Israel who though the Lord afforded them mercy upon mercy as it is from ver 19 to ver 25. yet ver 26. saith he Nevertheless they were disobedient for all thy goodness towards them and rebelled against thee but how and cast thy Law behind their back Slew the Prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations Observe 1. They sinned against mercy And then 2. They slighted the Law or Word of God 3. They slew the Prophets that declared it unto them 4. The Lord counâ—s it a great provocation See Heb. 3. from ver 10. ver 19. And see Zach. 7. 11 12. But they refused to hearken saith he there of the Wicked and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear the Law Yea they made their hearts hard as an adamant stone lest they should hear the Law and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent unto them by his Spirit in the former Prophets c. Mark I pray you her is
on them and not let them go O Father cannot you help me Mother cannot you do me some good O how loath am I to burn and fry in Hell while you are singing in Heaven But alas the Father Mother or Friends reject them slights them and turn their Backs upon them saying You would have none of Heaven in your life-time therefore you shall have none of it now You slighted our Counsels then and we slight your tears cries and condition now What sayest thou sinner will not this perswade thine heart nor make thee bethink thy self This is now before thou fall into that dreadful place that fiery Furnace But O consider how dreadful the place it self the Devils themselves the fire it self will be And this at the end of all here thou must lie for ever here thou must fry for ever and for ever This will be more to thee than any man with Tongue can express or with Pen can write There is none that can I say by the Ten Thousand part discover the state and condition of such a Soul I shall conclude this then with a few Considerations of Incouragement 1. Consider for I would fain have thee come in sinner that there is way made by Jesus Christ for them that are under the Curse of God to come to this comfortable and blessed state of Lazarus I was speaking of See Ephes. 2. 2. Consider what pains Christ Jesus took for the Ransoming of thy Soul from all the Curses Thunder-claps and Tempests of the Law from all the intollerable flames of Hell from that Soul-sinking appearance of thy person on the left hand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ Jesus from everlasting fellowship with innumerable Companies of yelling and Soul-amazing Devils I say consider what pains the Lord Jesus Christ took in bringing in Redemption for sinners from these Things 1. In that Though he were rich yet he became poor that thou through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. He laid aside his glory Joh. 17. and became a servant Phil. 2. He left the company of Angels and incountred with the Devil Luk. 4. Mat. 4. He left Heavens ease for a time to lie upon hard Mountains Joh. 8. In a word he became poorer than they that go with flail and rake yea then the very Birds or Foxes and all to do thee good Besides consider a little of these unspeakable and intollerable slightings and rejections and the manifold abuses that came from Man upon him How he was falsly accused being a sweet harmless and undefiled Lamb. How he was undervalued so that a Murtherer was counted less worthy of condemnation than he Besides how they mocked him spaâ— on him beat him over the head with staves had the hair pluckt from his cheeks I gave my Back to the Smiters saith he and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my Face from shame and spitting His Head crowned with Thorns his Hands pierced with Nails and his Side with a Spear together with how they used him scourging him and so miserably misusing him that they had even spent him in a great measure before they did crucifie hâ—m Insomuch that there was another fain to carry his Cross. Again not only this but lay to heart a little what he receiv'd from GOD his dear Father though he were his dear and tender Son First in that he did reckon him the greatest Sinner and Rebel in the World For he laid the sins of Thousands and Ten Thousands and Thousands of Thousands of Sinners to his charge Esay 53. And caused him to drink the terrible Cup that was due to them all and not onely so but did delight in so doing For it pleased the Lord to bruise him God dealt indeed with his Son as Abraham would have dealt with Isaac I and more terribly by Ten Thousand parts For he did not only tear his Body like a Lion but made his Soul an Offering for Sin And this was not done fainedly but really for Justice call'd for it he standing in the room of Sinners witness that horrible and unspeakable Agony that fell on him suddainly in the Garden as if all the Vials of God's unspeakable scalding Vengeance had been cast upon him all at once and all the Devils in Hell had been broken loose from thence at once to destroy him and that for ever insomuch that the very pangs of Death seized upon him in the same hour For saith he My Soul is exceeding sorrowful and amazed even unto death Mark 14. 33 34. Witness also that strange kind of sweat that trickled down his most blessed Fâ—ce where it is said And he sweat as it were great drops or clodders of blood trickling down to the ground O Lord Jesus what a Load didst thou carry What a Burthen didst thou bear of the sins of the World and the Wrath of God! O thou didst not onely bleed at Nose and Mouth with the pressure that lay upon thee but thou wast so pressed so loaden that the pure bloud gushed through the flesh and skin and so ran trickling down to the ground And his sweat was as it were great drops of bloud trickling or falling down to the ground Luk. 22. 44. Canst thou read this O thou wicked sinner and yet go in sin Canst thou think of this and defer Repentance one hour longer O heart of flint yea harder O miserable Wretch what place in Hell will be hot enough for thee to have thy Soul put into if thou shalt persist or go on still to adde Iniquity to Iniquity Besides his Soul went down to Hell Psalâ—6 â—6 10. Act. 2. 31. and his Body to the bars of the Grave And â—ad 〈◊〉 Dâ—â—th oâ— the Grave been strong enough â—o holâ— him then he had suffeâ—'d the Vengeance of Eternal Fire to all Eternity But O blessed Jesus how didst thou discover thy Love to Man in thy thus suffering And O God the Father how didst thou also declare thy purity and exactness of thy Justice in that though it was thine onely holy innocent harmless and undefiled Son Jesus that did take on him our Nature and represenâ— our persons answering for our sins instead of our selves Thou didst so wonderfully pour out thy Wrath upon him to the making of him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And O Lord Jesus what a glorious Conquest hast thou made over the Enemies of our Souls even Wrath Sin Death Hell and Devils in that thou didst wring thy self from under the power of them all And not only so but hast led them Captive which would have led us Captive and also hast received for us that glorious and unspeakable Inheritance That Eye hath not seen nâ—r Ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of Man to conceive And also hast given thine some discovery thereof through thy Spirit And now Sinner together with this consider Fourthly That though Jesus Christ hath done all these Things for Sinners yet the Devils
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
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
Sighs from Hell OR THE Groans of a Damned Soul Discovering From the 16th of Luke The Lamentable State of the Damned And may fitly serve As a Warning-Word to SINNERS both Old and Young by Faith in JESUS CHRIST to avoid the same Place of Torment With a Discovery of the Usefulness of the SCRIPTURES as our Safe Conduct for avoiding the Torments of HELL By John Bunyan The Second Edition London Printed for F. Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple Barr. At 1s Bound The AUTHOUR to the READER FRiend because it is a dangerous thing to be walking towards the place of darkness and anguish and again because it is notwithstanding the Journey that most of the poor Souls in the World are taking and that with delight and gladness as if there was the onely happiness to be found I have therefore thought it my duty being made sensible of the danger that will befall those that walk therein for the preventing of thee O thou poor Man or Woman to tell thee by opening this Parable what sad success those Souls have had and are also like to have that have been or shall be found persevering therein We use to count him a friend that will forewarn his Neighbour of the danger when he knoweth thereof and doth also see that the way his Neighbour is walking in doth lead right thereto especially when we think that our neighbour may be either ignorant or careless of his way Why Friend it may be nay twenty to one but thou hast been ever since thou didst come into the World with thy back towards Heaven and thy face towards Hell and thou either through ignorance or carelessness which is as bad if not worse hast been running full hastily that way ever since Why I beseech thee put a little stop to thy earnest race and take a view of what entertainment thou art like to have if thou do indeed and in truth persist in this thy course Thy way leads down to death and thy steps take hold on hell Prov. 5. 5. It may be the path indeed is pleasant to the flesh but the end thereof will be bitter to thy Soul Hark dost thou not hear the bitter Cryes of them that are but newly gone before saying Let him dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue that is so tormented in this flame Luke 16. Dost thou not hear them say Send one from the dead to prevent my father my brother and my fathers house from coming into this place of torment Shall not then these mournfull groans pierce thy flinty heart Wilt thou stop thine ears and shut thy eyes and wilt thou not regard Take warning and stop thy journey before it be too late Wilt thou be like the silly flie that is not quiet unless she be either intangled in the spiders web or burned in the Candle Wilt thou be like the Bird that hasteth to the snare of the Fowler Wilt thou be like that simple one named in the 7. of Proverbs That will be drawn to the slaughter by the cord of a silly lust O sinner sinner there is better things than Hell to be had and at a cheaper rate by the thousand part than that O there is no comparison there is Heaven there is God there is Christ there is Communion with an innumerable company of Saints and Angels Hearthe Message then that God doth send that Christ doth send that Saints do bring nay that the Dead do send unto thee I pray thee therefore that thou wouldst send him to my fathers house if one went to them from the dead they would repent How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity and ye scorners delight in scorning and ye fools hate knowledg Turn you at my reproof and behold saith God I will poâ—r out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you I say â—ear this voice O silly one and turn and live thou sinfull â—â—ul lest be make thee hear that other saying But because I have called and you have refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh O poor Soul if God and Christ did wisâ— thee for thine harm it would be another matter then if thou didst refuse thou mightest have some excuse to make or fault to find and ground to make delays But this is for thy profit for thy advantage for the pardoning of thy siâ—s the salvation of thy Soul the delivering of thee from Hell fire from the wrath to come from everlasting burnings into favour with God Christ and Communion with all happiness that is so indeed But it may be thou wilt say All that hath been spoken to in this discourse is but a Parable and Parables are no realities I could put thee off with this Answer That though it be a Parable yet it is a truth and not a lie and thou shalt find it so too to thy cost if thou shalt be found a slighter of God Christ and the salvation of thy own Soul But secondly know for certain That the things signified by Parables are wonderfull realities O what a glorious reality was there signified by that Parable The Kingdom of heaven is like to a net that is cast into the Sea c. Signifying that sinners of all sorts of all Nations should be brought into Gods Kingdom by the net of the Gospel And O how real a thing shall the other part thereof be when it 's fulfilled which saith And when it was full they drew it to shore and put the good into vessels but threw the bad away Matth. 13. 47 48. signifying the mansions of glory that the Saints should have and also the rejection that God will give to the ungodly and to sinners And also that Parable what a glorious reality is there in it which saith Except a corn of wheat fall to the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it doth bring forth much fruit Joh. 12. 24. To signifie That unless Jesus Christ did indeed spill his blood and die the cursed death he should abide alone that is have never a Soul into glory with him but if he died he should bring forth much fruit that is save many sinners And also how real a truth there was in that Parable concerning the Jews putting Christ to death which the poor dispersed Jews can best experience to their cost for they have been almost ever since a banished people and such as have had Gods sore displeasure wonderfully manifested against them according to the truth of the Parable Matth. 21. v. 33. to 41. O therefore for Jesus Christ's sâ—ke do not slight the truth because it is discovered in a Parable for by this argument thou mayest also nay thou wilt slight almost all the things that our Lord Jesus Christ did speak for 〈◊〉 spake them for the most part if not all in Parable Why should it be said of thee as it
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
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
24. Who bare our sins in his own body on the tree Wouldest thou know whether he did rise again after he was crucified with the very same body then read Luke 24. at ver 38 39. 40 41. Wouldest thou know whether he did eat or drink with his Disciples after he arose out of the Grave then read Luke 24. 42. and Acts 10. 41. If thou wouldest be perswaded of the truth of this that that very body is now above the Clouds and Stars read Acts 1. 9 10 11 and Luke 24. toward the end If thou wouldest know that the Quakers hold an errour that say the body of Christ is within them consider the same Scripture Wouldest thou know what that Christ that died for sinners is doing in that place whether he is gone then read Heb. 7. 24. Wouldest thou know who shall have life by him read 1 Tim. 1. 14. 15. and Rom. 5. 6 7 8. which say Christ died for sinners for the ungodly Wouldest thou know whether they that live and die in their sins shall go to Heaven or not then read 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Rev. 21. 8 27. which saith They shall have their part in the like that burns with fire and Brimstone Wouldest thou know whether mans obedience will obtain that Christ should die for them or save them then read Mark 2. 17. Rom. 5. 7. Wouldst thou know whether Righteousness Justification and Sanctification doth come through the vertue of Christs blood compare Rom. 5. 9. with Heb. 12. 12. Wouldest thou know whether natural man can abstain from the outward act of sin against the Law meerly by a principal of nature then compare well Rom. 2. 14. with Phil. 3. 6. Wouldest thou know whether a man by nature may know something of the invisible things of God compare seriously Rom. 1. 20. 21. with Rom. 2. 14. 5. Wouldest thou know how far a man may go on in a profession of the Gospel and yet fall away then read Heb. 6. 4 5 6. They may taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come They may taste the Heavenly gift and be partakers of the Holy Ghost and yet so fall as never to be recovered or renewed again unto repentance see also Luke 13. Wouldest thou know how hard it is to go to Heaven read Mat. 7. 13 14. Luke 13. 24. Wouldest thou know whether a man by nature be a friend to God or an enemy then read Rom. 5. 11. Col. 1. 21. Wouldest thou know what or who they are that shall go to Heaven then read John 3. 3. 5. 7. and 2 Cor. 5. 17. Also wouldest thou know what a sad thing it is for any to turn their backs upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ then read Heb. 10. 28 29. and Mark 16 16. Wouldest thou know what is the wages of sin then read Rom. 6. 23. Wouldest thou know whither those do go that die unconverted to the faith of Christ then read Psal. 9. 17. and Isa. 14. 9. Reader here might I spend many sheets of paper yea I might upon this subject write a very great Book but I shall now forhear desiring thee to be very conversant in the Scriptures for they are they that will testifie of Jesus Christ Joh. 5. 39. The Bereans were counted noble upon this account These were more noble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily c. Acts 17. 11. But here let me give thee one caution that is have a care that thou do not satisfie thy self with a bare search of them without a real application of him whom they testifie of to thy soul lest instead of faring the better for thy doing this work thou dost fare a great deal the worse thy condemnation be very much heightned in that though thou didst read so often the sad state of those that die in sin and the glorious estate of them that close in with Christ yet thou thy self shouldst be such a fool as to lose Jesus Christ notwithstanding thy hearing and reading so plentifully of him They have Moses and the Prophets let them 〈◊〉 them As if he should say What need have they that one should be sent to them from the dead Have they not Moses and the Prophets hath not Moses told them the danger of living in sin Deut. 27. from ver 15. to ver 26. And chap. 28. 15. 16 17 18 19. 20. c. to the end of the Chapter also chap. 29. 18 19 20 21. hath he not there told them what a sad state these persons are in that deceive themselves with the deceit of their hearts saying They shall have peace though they follow their sins in these words And when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I go on or walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare that man but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Again did not Moses write of the Saviour that was to come afterwards into the World Deut. 18. 18. Nay have not all the Prophets from Samuel with all those that follow after prophesied and foretold these things therefore what need have they that I should work such a miracle as to send one from the dead unto them They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them From whence observe again That God doth honour the writings of Moses and the Prophets as much nay more than if one should rise from the dead Should not a People seek unto their God what seek for the living among the dead To the Law and to the Testimonies saith God if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 19 20. And let me tell you plainly I do believe that the Devil knows this full well which makes him labour to beget in the hearts of his Disciples and followers light thoughts of them and doth perswade them that even a motion from their own beguiled conscience or from his own wicked Spirit is to be observed and obeyed before them when the very Apostle of Jesus Christ though he heard a voice from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son c. Yet writing to the Churches he commends the writings of the Prophets before it saying We have also a more sure word of the Prophets unto which ye do well to take heed c. 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19. Now if thou doubtest whether that place be meant the Scriptures the words of the Prophets or no read but the next Verse where he addeth for a certain confirmation there of these words Knowing this first that there is no Prophecy of the Scriptures of any private interpretation for Prophecy
Apostles whether they be correction reproof admonition forewarning or the blessed invitations and promises contained in them 1. Such souls do provoke God to anger and to execute his vengeance on them They refused to hearken they pulled away their shoulder they stopped their ears lest they should hear the Law and they made their hearts Adamant stone that they might not hear the Law and the words that were spoken to them by his spirit in the former Prophets Therefore came a great wrath upon them Zach. 7. 11 12. 2. God will not regard in their calamity Because I called and ye refused I stretched out my hand and no man regarded but set at nought all my counsels and would have none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamities and mock when your fear cometh When their fear cometh as desolation and their destruction like a Whirlwind Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Prov. 1. 25 26 27. 3. God doth commonly give up such men to delusions to believe lies Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusiens that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned 2 Thes. 2. 11 12. 4. In a word they that do continue to reject and slight the word of God they are such for the most part as are ordained to be damned Old Eli his sons not hearkening to the voice of their father reproving them for their sins but disobeying his voice it is saiâ— It was because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2. 15. Again see in 2 Chron. 25. 15 16. Amaziah having sinned against the Lord he sends to him a Prophet to reprove him But Amaziah sayes â—orbear wherefore shouldst thou be smitten he â—id not hearken to the word of God Then the Prophet forbear saying I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkened to my counsel Read therefore and the Lord give thee understanding For a miserable end will those have that go on in sinning against God rejecting his word Other things might have been observed from this verse which at this time I shall pass by partly because the sum of them hath been touched already and may be more clearly hinted at in the following verse and therefore I shall speak a few words to the next verse and so draw towards a conclusion Ver. 31. And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the Dead ANd he said That is and God made answer to the words spoken in the verse before And he said unto him If they hear not Moses c. As if he had said Moses was a man of great Renown a man of worthy note a man that talked with God face to face as a man speaketh to his Friend The words that Moses spake were such as I commanded him to speak Let who will question them I will own them credit them bless them that close in with them and curse those that reject them I my self sent the Prophets they did not run of their own heads I gave them Commission I thrust them our and told them what they should say In a word They have told the World what my mind is to do both to Sinners and to Saints They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Therefore he that shall reject and turn his back either upon the Threatnings Counsels Admonitions Invita ions Promises or whatsoever else I have commanded them to speak as to Salvation and Life and to Directions therein shall be sure to have a share in the many Curses that they have spoken and the Destruction that is pronounced by them Again If they hear not Moses and the Prophets c. As if he had said Thou would'st have me send one from the Dead unto them what needs that They have my Mind already I have declared unto them what I intend to stand to both for saving them that believe and damning them that do not That therefore which I have said I will make good whether they hear or forbear And as for this desire of yours you had as good desire me to make a new Bible and so to revoke my first Sayings by the Mouth of my Prophets But I am God and not Man and my Word is immutable unchangable and shall stand as fast as my Decreâ—s can make it Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of my Word shall not pass If thou hadst Ten Thousand Brethren and every one in danger of losing his Soul if they did not close in with what is contained and recorded in the Scriptures of Truth they must even every one of them perish and be for ever damned in Hell for the Scriptures cannot be broken I did not send them so unadvisedly to recall it again by another consideration No For I speak in Righteousness and Judgment Isa. 63. 1 2 3. and in much Wisdom and Counsel It being therefore gone out of my Mouth in this manner It shall not return in vain untill it hath accomplished the thing whereto I have sent it But again Thou supposest that Miracles and Wonders will work more on them which makes thee say Send one from the Dead But herein thou art mistaken for I have proved them with that once and again by more than one or two or three of my Servants How many Miracles did my Servant Moses work by Commandment from me in the Land of Egypt at the Red-Sea and in the Wilderness yet they of that Generation were never the sooner converted for that but notwithstanding rebelled and lusted and in their hearts turned back into Egypt Act. 7. How many Miracles did Samuel David Elias Elisha Daniel and the Prophets together with my Son who raised the Dead cast out Devils made them to see that were born blind gave and restored Limbs yet for all this as I said before they hated him they crucified him I raised him again from the Dead and he appeared to his Disciples who were call'd and chosen and faithful and he gave them Commandment and Commission to go and testifie the Truth of this to the World and to confirm the same he inabled them to speak with divers Tongues and to wâ—â—k Mâ—â—acles most plentifully yet there was great persecution raised against them insomuch that but a few of them died in their beds And therefore though thou thinkest that a Miracle will do so much with the World yet I say No For if they will not believe Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one should rise from the Dead From these words therefore take notice of this Truth namely that those who reject and believe not Moses and the Prophets are a very hard-hearted people that will not be perswaded though one rise from the Dead They that regard not the Holy
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
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
person or a man may have abundance of outward enjoyments and yet be carryed by the devils into eternal burnings Luke 12. 20. But this is the trap in which the Devil hath caught many thousands of poor souls namely by getting them to judg according to outward appearance or according to Gods outward blessings Do but ask a poor carnal covetous wretch how we should know a man to be in a happy estate and he will answer Those that God blesseth and giveth abundance of this world unto when for the most part they are they that are the cursed men Alas poor men they are so ignorant as to think that because a man is increased in outward things and that by a small stock therefore God doth love that man with a special love or else he would never do so much for him never bless him so and prosper the work of his hands Ah poor soul it is the rich man that goes to hell And the rich man dyed and in hell mark in hell he lift up his eyes c. Methinks to see how the great ones of the world will go stâ—nâ—â—ing up and down the streets sometimes it makes me wonder Surely they look upon themselves to be the only happy men but it is because they judg according to outward appearance they look upon themselves to be the only blessed men when the Lord knows the generality are left out of that blessed condition Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. Ah! did they that do now so brâ—g that no body dare scarce look on them but believe this it would make them hang down their heads and cry O give me a Lazarus's portion I might here enlarge very much but I shall not only thus much I shall say to you that have much of this World Have a care that you have not your portion in this world take heed that it be not said to you hereafter when you would very willingly have heaven Remember in your life time you had your good things in your life time you had your portion Psalm 17. 14. And Friend thou that seekest after this world and desirest riches let me ask this question wouldest thou be content that God should put thee off with a portion in this life Wouldest thou be glad to be kept out of heaven with a back well cloathed and a belly well filled with the dainties of this world Wouldest thou be glad to have all thy good things in thy life time to have thy heaven to last no longer then while thou dost live in this world Wouldest thou be willing to be deprived of eternal happiness and felicity If you say no then have a care of the world and thy sins have a care of desiring to be a rich man lest thy Table be made a snare unto thee Psal. 69. 22. lest the wealth in this world do bar thee out of glory For as the Apostle saith They that will be rich do fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6. 9. Thus much in general but now more particularly These two men here spoken of as I said do hold forth to us the state of the godly and ungodly the beggar holdeth forth the godly and the rich man the ungodly There was a certain rich man c. But why are the ungodly held forth under the notion of a rich man 1. Because Christ would not have them look too high as I said before but that those who have riches should have a care that they be not all their portion Jam. 1. 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 6. 17. 2. Because rich men are mostly able to the Devils temptations are most ready to be puft up with pride stoutness cares of this world in which things they spend most of their time in lusts drunkenness wantonness idleness together with the other works of the flesh For which things sake the wrath of God commeth upon the children of disobedience Col. 3. 6. 3. Because he would comfort the hearts of his own which are most commonly of the poorer sort But God hath chosen the poor despised and base things of this world 1 Cor. 1. 26. Should God have set the rich man in the blessed state his children would have concluded being poor that they had no share in the life to come And again had not God given such a discovery of the sad condition of those that are for the most part rich men we should have had men conclude absolutely that the rich are the blessed men Nay albeit the Lord himself doth so evidently declare that the rich ones of the world are for the most part in the saddest condition yet they through unbelief or else presumption do harden themselves and seek for the glory of this world as though the Lord Jesus Christ did not means as he said or else that he will say more than shall assuredly come to pass but let them know that the Lord hath a time to fulfill that he had a time to declare for the Scripture cannot be broken Joh. 10. 35. But again the Lord by this word doth not mean those are ungodly who are rich in the world and no other for then must all those that are poor yet graceless and vain men be saved and delivered from eternal vengeance which would be contrary to the word of God which saith That together with the Kings of the earth and the great men and the chief Captains and the mighty men there are bondmen or servants and slaves that cry out at the appearance of the Almighty God and his Son Jesus Christ to Judgment Rev. 6. 15. So that though Christ doth say There was a certain rich man yet you must understand he meaneth all the ungodly rich or poor Nay if you will not understand it so now you shall be made to understand it to be so meant at the day of Christs second comming when all that are ungodly shall stand at the left hand of Christ with pale faces and guilty Consciences with the vials of the Almighties wrath ready to be powred out upon them Thus much in brief touching the 19th verse I might have observed other things from it but now I forbear having other things to speak of at this time Verse 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores THis verse doth chiefly hold forth these things 1. That the Saints of God are a poor contemptible people There was a certain beggar If you understand the word beggar to hold forth outward poverty or scarcity in outward things the Saints of the Lord for they are for the most part a poor despised contemptible people But if you allegorize it and interpret it thus They are such as beg earnestly for heavenly food this is also the spirit of the Children of God and it may be and is a truth in this
sence though not so naturally gathered from this Scripture 2. That he was laid at his gate full of sores These words hold forth the distempers of believers saying He was full of sores which may signify the many troubles temptations persecutions and afflictions in body and spirit which they meet withal while they are in the world but also the entertainment they find at the hands of those ungodly ones who live upon the earth Whereas it is said He was laid at his gate full of sores Mark He was laid at his gate not in his house that was thought too good for him But he was laid at his gate full of sores From whence observe That the ungodly world do not desire to entertain and receive the poor Saints of God into their houses If they must needs be somewhere near unto them yet they shall not come into their houses shut them out of doors if they will needs be near us let them be at the gate And he was laid at the gate full of sores 2. Observe that the world are not at all touched with the afflictions of Gods children for all they are full of sores a despised afflicted tempted persecuted people the world doth not pitty no but rather labour to aggravate their trouble by shutting them out of doors sink or swim what cares the world they are resolved to disown them they will give them no entertainment if the lying in the streets will do them any good if hard usage will do them any good if to be disowned rejected and shut out of doors by the World will do them any good they shall have enough of that but otherwise no refreshment no comfort from the World And he 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 the Dogs came also and licked his Sores BY these words our Lord Jesus doth shew us the frame of a Christians heart and also the heart and carriage of worldly men towards the Saints of the Lord The Christians heart is held forth by this that any thing will content him while he is on this side glory And he desired to be fed with the Crumbs the Dogs meat any thing I say a Christian will be content with any thing if he have but to keep Life and Soul together as we use to say He is content he is satisfied he hath learned if he hath learned to be a Christian to be content with any thing as Paul saith I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content He learns in all conditions to study to love God to walk with God to give up himself to God and if the Crumbs that fall from a Rich-man's Table will but satisfie Nature and give him bodily strength that thereby he may be the more able to walk in the way of God he is contented And he desired to be fed with the Crumbs that fell from the rich man's Table But mark he had them not you do not find that he had so much as a Crumb or a Scrap allowed unto him No then the Dogs will be beguil'd that must be preserved for the Dogs From whence observe that the ungodly World do love their Dogs better then the Children of God You will say that 's strange It is so indeed yet it is true as will be clearly manifested as for instance How many pounds do some men spend in a year on their Dogs when in the mean while the poor Saints of God may starve for hunger They will build Houses for their Dogs when the Saints must be glad to wander and lodge in Dens and Caves of the Earth Heb. 11. 38. And if they be in any of their houses for the hire thereof they will warn them out or eject them or pull down the house over their heads rather then not rid themselves of such Tenants Again some men cannot go half a mile from home but they must have Dogs at their heels but they can very willingly go half a score miles without the society of a Christian. Nay if when they are busie with their Dogs they should chance to meet a Christian they would willingly shift him if they could They will go on the other sâ—â—e of the hedge or the way rather than they will have any society with him and if at any time a Child of GOD should come into an house where there are but two or three ungodly Wretches they do commonly wish either themselves or the Saint out of doors and why so Because they cannot down with the society of a Christian Though if there come in at the same time a Dog or a drunken swearing Wretch which is worse than a Dog they will make him welcome he shall sit down with them and partake of their dainties And now tell me you that love your sins and your pleasures had you not rather keep company with a Drunkard a Swearer a Strumpet a Thief nay a Dog than with an honest-hearted Christian If you say No What means your sowr carriage to the People of God Why do you look on them as if you would eat them up Yet at the very same time if you can but meet your Dog or a drunken Companion you can fawn upon them take acquaintance with them to the Tavern or Ale-house with them if it be two or three times in a Week But if the Saints of God meet together pray together and labour to edifie one another you will stay till Dooms-Day before you will look into the house where they are Ah Friends when all comes to all you will be found to love Drunkards Strumpets Dogs any thing nay to serve the Devil rather than to have loving and friendly society with the Saints of God Moreover The Dogs came and licked his Sores Here again you may see not onely the afflicted state of the Saints of God in this World but also that even Dogs themselves according to their kind are more favourable to the Saints than the sinful World though the ungodly will have no mercy on the Saints yet it is ordered so that these Creatures Dogs Lions c. will Though the rich man would not entertain him into his house yet his Dogs will come and do him the best good they can even to lick his running Sores It was thus with Daniel when the World was mad against him and would have him thrown to the Lions to be devoured the Lions shut their mouths at him or rather the Lord did shut them up so that there was not that hurt befel to him as was desired by the Adversaries Dan. 6. And this I am persuaded of that would the Creatures do as some men would have them the Saints of God should not walk so quietly up and down the streets and other places as they do And as I said before so I say again I am persuaded that at the Day of Judgment many mens Conditions and Carriages will be so laid
also First a refusing to hearken to the word of the Prophets 2. That they might so do they stopped their ears 3. If any thing was to be done they pulled away their shoulder 4. To effect this they labour to make their hearts hard as an Adamant stone 5. And all this lest they should hear and close in with Jesus and live and be delivered from the wrath to come all which things do hold out an unwillingness to submit to and embrace the words of God and so Jesus Christ which is restified of by them Many other Scripture I might bring in for confirmation of the thing as that in Amos 7. 12 13. also 2 Sam. 2. 24 25 2 Chron. 25. 15 16. Jer. 7. 23 24 25 26 27. and that 16. 12. Read also seriously that saying in 2 Chron. 36. 15. where he saith And the Lord God of their Fathers sent unto them by his Messengersrising up betimes because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place And did they make them welcome No But mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words And was that all No they misused his Prophets How long untill the wrath of the Lord arose against them Till there was no remedy See also Jer. 29. 19. chap. 25. 3 4 5 6 7. Luke 11. 49. And besides the Conversation of almost all men doth bear witness to the same both Religious and profane persons in that they daily neglect reject and turn their backs upon the plain testimony of the Scriptures As 1. Take the threatnings laid down in holy Writ and how are they disregarded there are but a few places in the Bible but there are threatnings against one sinner or other against drunkards swearers lyars proud persons strumpets whoremongers covetous railers extortioners thieves lazy persons In a word all manner of sins are reproved and without Faith in the Lord Jesus there is a â—ore punishment to be executed on the committers of them and all this made mention of in the Scriptures But for all this how thick and by heaps do these wretches walk up and down our streets Do but go into the Ale-houses and you shall see almost every room besprinkled with them so foming out their own shame that it is enough to make the heart of a Saint to tremble insomuch that they would not be bound to have society with them any long while for all the world For as the wayes of the godly are not liked of by the wicked even so the wayes of the wicked are an abomination to the just Prov. 29. 27. Psal. 120. 5 6. The Scriptures say Cursed is the man that trusteth in man that maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17. 5. And yet how many poor souls are there in the world that stand in so much aw and dread of men and do so highly esteem their favour that they will rather venture their souls in the hands of the devil with their favour then they will â—â—y to Jesus Christ for the salvation of their soul. Nay though they be convinced in their souls that the way is the way of God yet how do they labour to stifle convictions and turn their ears away from the truth and all because they will not lose the favour of an opposite neighbour Oh! I dare not for my Master my Brother my Landlord I shall lose his favour his house of work and so decay my calling O saith another I would willingly go in this way but for my Father he chides and tells me he will not stand my friend when I come to want I shall never enjoy a penyworth of his goods he will disinherit me And I dare not saith another for my Husband for he will be a railing and tells me he will turn me out of doors he will beat me and cut off my legs But I tell you if any of these or any other things be â—o prevalent with thee now as to keep thee from seeking after Christ in his wayes they will also be so prevalent with God against thee as to make him cast off thy soul because thou didst rather trust man than God and delight in the embracing of man rather than in the favour of the Lord. 2. Again the Scripture saith He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. Yet many are so far from turning though they have been convinced of their wretched state an hundred times that when convictions or trouble for sin comes on their Consciences they go on still in the same manner resisting and choaking the same though remediless destruction be hard at their heels 3. Again thou hast heard say Unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 3. 3 5 7. And yet thou goest on in a natural state an unregenerate condition nay thou dost resolve never to turn not be changed though hell be appointed on purpose to swallow up such Isa. 14. 9. Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God 4. Again the Scripture saith plainly That he that loveth and maketh a lye shall have his part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8 27. And yet thou art so far from dreading it that it is thy delight to jest and jeer and lye for a penny or two pence or â—ix pence gain And also if thou canst make the rest of thy companions merry by telling things that are false of them that are better then thy self thou dost not care a straw Or if thou hearest a lye from or of another thou wilt tell it and swear to the truth of it O miserable 5. Thou hast heard and read That he that believes not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. And that all men have not Faith 2 Thess. 3. 2. and yet thou dost so much disregard these things that it is like thou didst scarce ever so much as examine seriously whether thou wert in the faith or no but dost content thy self with the Hypocrites hope which at the last God will cut off and count it no better then the spiders web Job 8. 13 14. or the house that is builded on the sands Luke 6. 49. Nay thou peradventure dost flatter thy self and thinkest that thy Faith is as good as the best of them all when alas poor soul thou mayest have no saving faith at all which thou hast not if thou be not born again and made a new Creature 2. Cor. 2 17. 6. Thou hast heard That he that neglects Gods great salvation shall never escape his great damnation Heb. 2. 3. compared with Luke 14. 24. and Rev. 14. 19 20. And yet when thou art invited intreated and beseeched to come in Luke 14. 17 18. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Rom. 12. 1. thou wilt make any excuse to serve the turn Nay thou wilt be so wicked as to put off Christ time after time notwithstanding he is