compleated by their Successors And what little reason we have now to think to ingratiate our selves with the Pagan-Christians as some think they have ground enough to stile the Papists I would rather ye should hear from a learned Doctor than from me who delivers this among his Documents as he calls them Seeing we are so well assured that the Papacy is the Kingdom of Antichrist or that City of Babylon wherein the people of God were held captive we should leave no string or tassel of our ancient captivity upon us such I mean as whereby they may take hold on us and pull us back again into our former Bondage but look upon our selves as absolutely free from any tie to them more than in endeavouring their Conversion and Salvation Which we knowing so experimentally not to be compassed by needless symbolizings with them in any thing I conceive our best policy is studiously to imitate them in Nothing But for all indifferent things to think rather the worse of them for their using them As no Person of Honour would willingly go in the known garb of any lewd and infamous Persons Whatsoever we court them in they do but turn it to our scorn and contempt and are the more hardened in their own wickedness Dr. Hen. More Divine Dialogues Part ii pag. 398. How easily soever Pagan Rites were admitted into the Christian Church I am sure many of them have taken such deep root that it is very difficult to eradicate and purge them out So much for the third Obstruction Fourthly They who desire to be helpful in promoting the entertainment of the Gospel must not unnecessarily provoke and exasperate those whom they would win over to it Moses refused to permit the Israelites to sacrifice to the Lord before the faces of the Egyptians lest they should be enraged thereupon and stone them Exod. viii 25 26. They must not indeed forbear to do that which under all due circumstances God hath made to be their present duty Yet even in such cases they should remember my Text Walk in wisdom toward them that are without And learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice They must declare against their idolatry and endeavour to convert them to the true God as Paul did Acts xiv 15. We preach to you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God And his success therein was wonderful as Demetrius testifies Act. xix 26. Moreover ye see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much people saying that they be no Gods which are made with hands But this must not be done with revilings reproaches and insultations but with judgment tenderness and meekness 2 Tim. ii 25 26. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves We may conclude then that it is none of Gods way from whomsoever men have learnt it to convert Heathens by robbing them of their Goods and Estates and butchering their Persons which was the method that the Spaniards took to Gospellize the Indians or to send Dragoons as Missionaries to torment those whom they call Hereticks thereby to reduce them to their Catholick Church That 's the fourth Obstruction Fifthly They must religiously avoid that which is the greatest Obstruction of all The profligate and flagitious lives of some that call themselves Christians If men were prompted and employed by the Devil himself they could not take a more effectual course to make the Gospel to be abhorred than by living as some Christians do How can it be expected That the poor ignorant Heathen should have any reverence for the great and Sacred Name of God when they hear those who pretend that they have a deep veneration for him to Reproach and Blaspheme it They will conclude That men do but prevaricate when they tell them That Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. ii 14. and yet live so as if Christ died only to procure for them a Licence to continue in sin or to purchase impunity for them that do so Will they believe those that tell them Christ was made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil and that they act under him as the Captain of their Salvation while they employ all their time parts and power to establish and defend Satan's Kingdom Can ye perswade men That ye believe there is an Hell and eternal Flames prepared for the ungodly and impenitent and that the wicked shall be cast into it when they observe those that say They believe this to run posting sporting and laughing unto it They will never apprehend That the Heaven which they are told the Gospel promiseth to the Faithful and Holy is any other than a Poetical Elysium or a Mahometan Paradise while they perceive that such as call themselves Christians do prefer the world and sensual pleasures before it Can any man convince them That the Saints are such excellent Creatures when they see those who call themselves so to live like Bruits or Devils It is a vain attempt to perswade others To believe and obey the Gospel until they who profess it have learnt better what it teacheth them Tit. ii 11 12. To deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world These are some of the stumbling Blocks which are to be removed out of the way before any successful perswasions Motives Inducements or other Means will prevail to dispose and incline those who have not received the Gospel to embrace it 2. But these Obstructions being removed what ways are to be taken to help on the Entertainment of the Gospel To answer that Question I shall recommend unto you some Few among many which I conceive to be most obvious practicable and effectual e. gr 1. Private Christians should endeavour to oblige those whom they would perswade by Civilities Kindness and doing good Offices for them that they may be assured that they love them and seek their real and eternal good Our blessed Saviour who best understood what Attractives were most proper and powerful to draw men to receive Him and his Gospel took this Method Act. x. 38. He went about Doing good He did Good to mens Bodies that he might do good to their Souls The Miracles which he wrought were generally of Beneficence and Obligations as To heal the Sick To give Sight to the Blind c. It 's true He had a superior Aim and End in working Miracles which was To shew forth his Glory to confirm his Doctrine to strengthen the Faith of his Disciples c. Joh. ii 11. and xx 31. yet secondarily it was To testifie his Kindness and Compassion toward those whom he designed to perswade to believe on him Matth. xv 32. I have compassion on the multitude and thereupon he wrought a Miracle for their Refreshment ver 36 37 38. feeding Four thousand
the Lord What Promises more inviting and encouraging than those he hath given us which are exceeding great and precious Where if any one can let him tell us where we shall see Sin so clearly and fully in its deformity and ugliness in order to a real and thorow aversation from it or Religion Godliness and a Conversation order'd aright more in it's loveliness and enamouring beauty in order to our setting our Hearts upon it than we do or at least may see it in the Gospel When all is said and done that can be it is the Grace of God Tit. 2.14 The Doctrine the Gospel of Grace which bringeth Salvation and hath appeared to all men Jews and Gentiles men of all sorts and ranks it is that yea it is that which teacheth us and all thâ—t sit under it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Oh therefore that this precious and everlasting Gospel of God our Saviour may be the main object of Ministers study and the Principal Theme upon which they insist in their several Congregations therein imitating the great Apostle of the Gentiles who told the Corinthians He determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified But this is not all Ministers ought not only to preach Christ but likewise to live him What good are those pretended Ministers like to do in whatever Place Countrey or Nation they are to be found who are scandalous and prophane Grant that some of them preach well I would fain know whether that be enough either to save themselves or those that hear them What such men seem to build up by their Doctrine they pull down by their Practice Let any rational man judge whether they are like to convince and perswade others who do lead self-contradicting lives How can they prevail with others to be sober who will sit and quaffe and be drunk themselves With what face can they perswade others to possess their vessels in Sanctification and Honour who are unclean and filthy themselves In short how are they like to lead others in the way everlasting who do themselves turn aside to crooked paths with the workers of Iniquity Oh that therefore care might be taken by all those who are invested with Power and have the oversight of such things as these that those and none but those may be set as spiritual Guides and Leaders over the several Flocks and Congregations in the Land as may without blushing say to their hearers Walk so as ye have us for an Example and be ye Followers of us even as we are of Christ Tenthly and Lastly In order to the effectual Suppression of prophaneness I would and do heartily commend to all those that are in Authority over us diligent yea and utmost care for the strict observation of the first day of the Week which is in Rev. 1.10 Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Day and ought to be kept as the Christian Sabbath to the end of time A day sanctified and set apart for the solemn publick and private worship of God both in Churches Families and Retirements and for a sweet close and intimate Communion with him while we are deliver'd and taken off from those secular affairs that upon the other days of the Week do necessarily engage us and cannot but divert us A day not to be spent in any thing no not any the most minute part of it but the duties of Religion and works of Godliness except those works of Necessity and Mercy which God out of his Goodness and Pity to man doth allow for he will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice so that when Acts of Mercy are of absolute Necessity Sacrifice shall give place to it This is a day which God hath seen fit to usher in with a Memento in the fourth Commandment Remember that thou keep Holy the Sabbath day As if the Lord should have said I know your frailty that you have slippery and treacherous memories and possibly may yea certainly will forget some nay many other things in which you are concerned but let this be fastened as a nail in a sure place be sure to think of this to be mindful of this I charge and command you to remember it Remember the Sabbath day before it comes so as to rejoice in the thoughts of it to long for it and to prepare for it that upon the day of Praise you may have on your Garments of Praise Souls in a right frame and remember to sanctifie and keep it Holy when it is come We find the Sabbath was given unto Israel for a sign between God and them So you have it in Ezek. 20.12 I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them By this they were distinguished from all other Nations These were a plain and evident proof that they were the Lords People and that Jehovah was their God This did loudly proclaim Gods choosing and calling them out from the rest of the World and gracious setting them apart for himself as his peculiar Portion and Inheritance And indeed where there is no care of sanctifying the Sabbath by Nations Families or Persons it is a plain case it amounts to a demonstration that they are unsanctified Nations Families and Persons It is an evident sign of a people estranged and alienated from the Life of God of a wicked people that savour not the things of God but only those things that be of men of a People that have not the fear of God before their Eyes that are not carried out in desires of honouring him and lifting up his Name or of enjoying Communion with him in the World To prophane Sabbaths is a very great and notorious piece of prophaneness Sins willfully and out of choice committed upon a Sabbath are Sins in grain Scarlet and Crimson-sins To mind worldly Affairs to sit brooding upon worldly Thoughts to follow the Trades and Callings of the World to open Shops and buy and sell upon a Sabbath-day are God-provoking Sins acts of prophaneness These are lawful upon other days in which God hath given you leave nay more he hath made it your Duty to labour and do all that you have to do of this Nature but they are very sinful upon the Sabbath Let me propound Nehemiah to the Consideration of Magistrates and Inferiour Officers and his care and activity in this point as an example richly worth their Imitation Take the account of him as it is drawn up by himself in Neh. 13.15 c. He saw some treading Wine-presses upon the Sabbath-day and bringing in Sheaves and lading Asses as also Wine Grapes and Figs all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem upon the Sabbath-day the men of Tyre also dwelt there who brought Fish and all manner of wares and sold on the Sabbath to the Children of Judah and in Jerusalem This was exceeding evil
that make most dolefull complaints of the hidings of God's Face (g) 1 Cor. 7.21 therefore take the Apostle's counsel Art thou called being a Servant care not for it q. d. Be not troubled at it as if thy mean condition in the Word rendred thee less acceptable unto God poor Lazarus is in rich Abraham's Bosom (h) James 2.5 Hearken my beloved brethren q. d. This is a matter worthy your special notice Hath not God chosen q. d. dare ye deny it the poor of this world i. e. In the things of this World or in the esteem of this World rich in Faith i. e. they have abundance of the Grace of Faith and of the Priviledges of Faith they have no Inheritance on Earth but they have at present a Title to and they shall soon have the Possession of the heavenly Kingdom The Case I am to discourse of this Morning is this Quest Wherein and wherefore the Damnation of those that perish under the Gospel will be more Intolerable than the Damnation of Sodom or the worst of the Heathens at the day of Judgment SERMON II. MATTH XI 24. But I say unto you It shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the day of Judgment than for thee WE read in the foregoing Chapter our Saviour giving Commission to his Twelve Disciples whom he called Apostles Where we have their Commission asserted Instructions about it and Encouragements to the Discharge of it But by his Commission given to them he did not thereby excuse himself By his sending them forth to preach and work Miracles he did not forbear and indulge himself Others labours did not excuse his own For we read in the first Verse of this Chapter When he had made an end of commanding his Disciples he departed thence to teach and preach in their Cities And some of the Cities are these mentioned in this Chapter Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum three Cities in Galilee And he begins his speech to them in a way of Exprobration Then began he to upbraid the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done v. 20. Whence we may note That this was not his first time of his coming to these Cities he had been with them before both teaching and working Miracles else how could he now upbraid them And also that these were not the only Cities where he had thus been present but here the Text saith were wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most of his mighty works And he begins with Corazin and Bethsaida and puts them both together either because they were near one another about two miles distant Or because they both had equal Priviledges of his presence with them and so equally under guilt And in his upbraiding them 1. We may consider what he upbraids them for that they repented not notwithstanding the mighty works they had seen done before their Eyes and the heavenly Doctrine they had heard preached in their Ears 2. Who he upbraids them by it is Tyre and Zidâ—n the Tyrians and Zidonians who were Phoenicians inhabiting Syria none of the Jewish Nation out of the Pale of the Church brought up in the Ignorance of God and true Religion yet if the works done in these Cities had been done among them they would have repented and repented in dust and ashes when these Cities repented not at all Whereupon our Saviour denounceth a Woe against them Woe to thee Corazin c. 3. He upbraids them by name and not in general with other impenitent Sinners for Particulars affect more than Generals Next he proceeds to Capernaum and because it may be this City was under greater guilt than the two former or any other in Galilee therefore Christ names it by it self and doth not only name it but notifie it 1. As being lifted up to Heaven not in outward Grandeur Pomp or Power but by signal Favours and Priviledges from Christs Presence his Preaching and mighty Works done in it 2. As a City to be cast down to Hell Thou shalt be cast down to Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or hurled down by force and violence as the Greek word imports And to Hell or as low as Hell A great fall indeed What so high as Heaven and what so low as Hell Though by Hell some understand a temporal destruction some fatal Calamity that should carry it to the grave of Oblivion and bury it in ashes out of sight which was executed upon it by the Assyrians Caldaans and then by the Romans But seeing Christ speaks in the Text of the day of Judgment I suppose he rather speaks of the Aeternal Hell and Damnation it should be hurled then into 3. He notifies it by the form of his Speech directed to it in a way of indignation And Thou Capernaum As if he held up his hand shook his head and contracted his brow against it Ah! Capernaum Capernaum of all Cities thou art likely to have the severest doom 4. And again by comparing it with Sodom and representing it as worse than Sodom If the mighty works done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained unto this day Sodom would have repented or had so many righteous persons in it whereby not to be destroyed with Fire and Brimstone Now as all these three Cities were in Galilee so they belonged to the Tribes of Zabulon and Naphtali which are foretold by the Prophet Isaiah as such as would first fall into the dimness and darkness of Affliction in the Assyrian Captivities and as such as should fâ—rst have the Gospel Light shining amongst them in Christs publick Ministry Isai 9.1 2. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light And therefore are first upbraided and rebuked by our Saviour because they repented not But I pass from the Context to the Text wherein we have our Saviour looking to the day of Judgment and the rewards of Sinners to be then distributed But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the day of Judgment than for thee Which words he speaks to Capernaum and are a Prediction of its doom in the day of Judgment And we might take up several Notes from them There shall be a day of Judgment Whether men will believe it or Note 1 not yet it shall be Christ here saith it and the Righteousness of God makes it necessary it hath a witness in every man's Conscience Felix trembled though an Heathen when Paul discoursed of it It is one of the Articles of the Creed and one of the Principles of the Christian Religion Heb. 6.2 call'd Eternal judgment But I shall not insist on this In the day of Judgment some Sinners shall fare worse than others Note 2 Of those that shall be Condemned some will fall under sorer Condemnation Of those that go into Everlasting fire some as in Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace shall be cast into hotter flames And those that are cast into utter darkness yet for some is reserved the blackness of
greatest generousness to an Adversary so the warmest zeal if true is attended with the purest Charity otherwise it is but Rage and Brutishness which is very forreign to the Christian temper Where true Grace is impressed on the Soul there graciousness and kindness will be expressed to all men When all is said and done all true Christians are sworn Brethren and must love and bear with one another Proh dolor S. Cyprian quid facit in corde Christianorum luporum feritas canum rabies 2. Bitterness can never cure violence As the wrath of Man works not the Righteousness of God so neither doth it work the Reformution of men One sin can never work a right cure upon another We see this in our selves severity and violence cures no body and this should be mens design in all Arguments Disputes and Reproofs namely to recover and cure those that are out of the way but durum super durum non facit murum Hence the expression of that peaceable Bishop Hall I am and profess to be as the terms stand on neither and yet on both parts for the peace of both for the humour of neither how should mortar cement if it lie not between both stones The Kingdom of God stands not in meats in colours in noises in gestures God stands not on such trifles and why should we c. The Wisest of men determines this Prov. 30.33 The wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife O but God's Glory you 'l say is at the stake therefore it is not only lawful to be zealous but necessary But 1. Be sure it be so that the Honour of God be really concern'd in these your Contentions It is a dangerous thing to ingage God's Glory in our sinful affections or expressions You know how dear it cost Moses that Servant of the Lord when in great heat against his erring Brethren he brake out unadvisedly with his lips saying Numb 20.10 Hear now ye Rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock Though otherwise he was the meekest man upon Earth and was at that time sufficiently provoked yet Almighty God would not bear to hear this language from him and shut him out of the promised land for it God knows we are more apt to press God's Glory into the service of our Passions and Interests than to ingage our selves and all our abilities or to deny our humours for the promoting thereof 2. Be it known to you that though your Ends be very sincere yet God's Glory hath no need of your Intemperance As his Truth hath no need of our Lye so his Honour needs not the rotten pillars of mens passions Job 13.7 8. Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Will ye accept His Person Will ye contend for God He requires it not he needs it not The excellency of the end will not legitimate the vitiousness of the means nay by breaking his Law in these uncharitable Contentions you dishonour him God's Truth and Honour have almost suffered as much by weak and passionate Advocates as by open Adversaries 3. If you be indeed so concern'd for God's Glory and for his Truth then you will use all other means to reduce men into the way of Truth His Glory must be promoted by his own means you will not only rebuke them but you 'l pray for them you 'l speak as zealously for them to God in Heaven as you speak against them upon Earth If they hunger you will feed them if they be disparaged or distress'd you will assist them and thus by heaping coals of fire upon their heads you will melt them into Repentance you are not ignorant that the blustering Winds make the Traveller gird his Cloak closer to him when the warm Sun forces him to lay it aside And men generally will strengthen themselves in their Opinions when they are only pelted with wrath and rancour who may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil when they are instructed with meekness III. For Application 1. Then it follows That Vnion is the true means of our Preservation Unity of Judgment this I say again should be endeavoured not only in weighty Points but in all matters of Doctrine and Practice And if men would labour to divest themselves of Prejudice and Interest this might in a great measure be obtain'd Truth is but One and if all did truly seek Truth they would surely find it The integrity of the upright shall guide them and the righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way Prov. 11.3.5 But a violent Prejudice for or against any Opinion or Practice is a notorious hinderance in finding out the Truth it shuts the windows that light cannot â—nter Whoso therefore would find out the plain Truth must strip himself of all such pre-occupation as will not suffer him to make an impartial search into the Mind of God about it and having found it must render himself prisoner unto it So also must all worldly Interests be laid at the feet of Truth and whether the Doctrine or Practice in question be in repute or under disgrace whether it will gain or lose my best Friends whether it will preferr or undoe me are not Considerations worthy of him that hath learned to deny himself and to value the World to come above the Word that now is I say again if men did but sincerely seek they should certainly find according to Christ's Promise Matth. 7.7 and so Vnity in Judgment would be attain'd more than it is which doubtless would be a soveraign Preservative from Destruction But there is another Vnity which is in Affection and that is Charity which is of no less Excellency and Use to our preservation There may be many who may call for Unity not for Truths sake but for their own As Musculus observes upon the Soldiers that would not divide our Saviours seamless Coat but it was not out of any respect to Him but hoping every one that it would fall to his Lot So many cry out for Unity saith he not out of Love to the Truth or Unity but in expectation that the stream shall run in their own Channel But now Charity as it would be in all material things on Truths side so in things more disputable it can bear some contradiction and so concludes In the Substance of Christianity he that is not with us is against us in things Indifferent he that is not against us is for us And to promote this among our selves I mean the Contending Protestants in these Nations Let us consider 1. How many things we agree in And if men would begin at this end and not still at the wrong end to wit the few and small things wherein we differ we could not for very shame be so implacable to one another We agree in the acknowledgment of the Being and Providence of God against Atheists and Epicures In the Doctrine of the Trinity against Mahometans we agree
Hell unspeakable Glory and Happiness for them that obey the Gospel and conform themselves to the Law and Rule of the new Creature an everlasting shame contempt and torment for those that are workers of iniquity Know such a life hath admirable delights to sweeten it in the way and inconceivable rewards to Crown it in the end I earnestly beseech you to propound such serious and weighty Questions as these to your selves when you do either feel the stirrings and motions of Sin or are assaulted by temptations to it from without Doth such an action become me whether will it contribute to or detract from my honour interest or comfort Is a life of Debauchery and Prophaness worthy of a man that hath an immortal Soul and do expect when I die and leave this World to launch into the Ocean of Eternity would I have my Lord when he cometh find me so doing Is not this that I am now inticed and inclined to contrary to the Law and end of my Creation to the Gospel-Law and to the dictates of right reason will this be for my advantage either now or hereafter if this be the Seed I sow what will be the Harvest that I shall reap will Sin ever pay me for the cost I am at upon it and for the pains that I take about it the Scripture tells us the wages it gives its Servants are Death and what Wise Man will do hard Work for no better Wages Suppose that it doth afford present pleasure that tickles a vain carnal mind will that pleasure last Is there not a Sting to follow that honey will it not be bitterness in the latter end Certainly it will issue in shame and sorrow And who will choose to walk in that way though it be a Carpet one that will go down to and lodge the Traveller at last in the Chambers of Death and the Bed of Flames As for those of you who have hitherto been vain and loose and wicked and God knows there are too many of you do not stop your Ears to the Voice of the Charmers do not oh do not hate to be reformed It is better for you to break off your Sins by a timely and speedy repentance than to go on because none of you can tell but the very next step that you take you may tumble into Hell since every step in Sins way takes hold of it What Daniel therefore said to that proud and haughty Monarch Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 4.27 I will say to you Let my counsel be acceptable to you break off your sins by righteousness and your iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor if it may be a lengthening of your tranquilliâ—y or as you have it in the Margin of your Bibles an healing of your errour If every one would mend one how soon should we see a lovely face and excellent beauty upon the whole nay if the generality or major part of the Inhabitants of England and London would be prevailed with to come over to a Sober and Religious Life if Princes Nobles and Gentlemen will be exemplary therein Sin and Debauchery would learn to abate something of its Impudence and grow more modest than it is In stead of walking up and down with a brazen face at Noon-day in our Streets as it hath done it would seek Corners and hide it self under the covert of darkness as in the Apâ—stles times when they that were drunk were drunk in the night 1 Thess 5.7 Now that I might promote in all Persons according to their several Spheres and Capacities a consciencious care and endeavour to suppress Prophaneness I shall close this Discourse with these few following Directions First Pray for some of Christ's Eye salve that your Eyes being thereby open'd you may see the ugliness and deformity of Prophaneness Do not give credit to that report which Sin makes of it self no nor to theirs neither who are its sworn Slaves and Vassals For what true Information can you expect to receive from them who are under the power of strong delusions who are self-deceived and have their minds blinded by the God of this World and run away with a lye in their right hand But do you sit down and take the Word of God for your guide and counsellor and from thence your measures and seriously consider what beauty can there be in that which hath defaced the whole creation that was at first a most exquisite and curious piece and every thing in it very good What excellency can there be after the most diligent enquiry found in that which is in itself contrary to the best and Supream good and makes every thing else so that is so What desirableness can there be in that from whence have come all those stings with which man is tormented and all the poisons by which he is indanger'd Oh! That you could look upon it with such an eye as the infinitely wise and holy God doth and then I am sure you would see it to be out of measure sinful and so hate it with a perfect hatred and flee from it more than from the Devil for it made him what he is and is worse than He who had it not been for sin would still have continued a glorious Angel Oh that you would take a view of it as it is represented to you in the Glass of Scripture precepts which do expresly forbid it and in the glass of Scripture-threatnings which are most dreadfully thundered out against it and in the Glass of those many tremendous and amazing Judgments which have been executed up and down in the world by which God hath reveal'd his wrath from Heaven against all the ungodliness unrighteousness and wickedness of men sparing neither People nor Princes but hanging up some of both sorts as it were in Chains that they might be for the admonition and warning of them that do survive Once more look upon it in the Glass of our Saviours blood which had never been shed no not a drop of it had it not been for sin but that caused the shedding of it all even his Heart Life Blood And it was absolutely necessary according to the divine determination in order to mans Salvation that it should be so for without the shedding of bloud there would have been no remission Heb. 9.22 Had not the blood of Jesus God-man been shed and made Satisfaction as a propitiatory Sacrifice to Divine justice infinitely provoked by the Sin of man the offence and displeasure caused by sin would have to all everlasting remained without any hope or as far as we know any possibility of a Reconciliation The least sin is such an anomy or transgression of the divine Law such an affront to the Divine Majesty gives such a blow at the Soveraignty and Government of God and carrieth in it so much of malignity and provocation that there needs no more than it to sink the guilty person into the bottomless pit of endless misery I leave it then to you to consider