IF those that fear God and obey him are exposed to such a condition as hath been described:1 Then, Who is among you that feareth [not] the Lord, nor obeys the voice of his servant? You that live in known sins, & in omission of known duties, which Gods servants your Ministers tell you, you ought to perform; that pray not with your families, ⟨p. 2⟩who make not conscience of your speeches, nor […] be thus scarcely saved; if they, whom God hath loved with a love as great & unchange able as himself, yet suffer his terrors here; what shall you d•e whom he hath set himself to hate, and to show the power of his wrath upon without repentance? If these things be done to the green tree, 2what shall be done to the dry? which is fitted for wrath, and the fire,3 even as stubble fully dry, as the Prophet speaketh: If such an estate of darkness and horror befall them that are children of light, whose inheritance is light; 4then what is reserved for you that are darkness, and love darkness more then light? And if this befalls them for not stirring up the grace, which they already have; what to you that are utterly devoid of it? and not only so, but despise and scoff it. If this befalls them for not humbling themselves for old sins, though long since committed; what will be fall you for going on to add new to the old with greediness? If to them for neglecting the opportunities of drawing nigher to God; what to you for neglecting the offer of grace, and trampling under foot the blood of Christ? All you that think there is no hell; or if there be, that it is not so dark as it is usually painted, look upon Heman ready to run distracted through terrors, and to give up the ghost every moment, Psal. 88. when yet his body was strong, and outward estate whole: look upon David lying upon the wheels, and the spirit of God breaking his bones, 5when as otherwise, he being a King, had all outward things at will. Look upon holy Jo•, Chap. 6. Oh that my grief ⟨p. 3⟩were weighted, it is heavier then the sand; and my words are swallowed up, (that is) I am not able to express and utter my grief: The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison thereof drinketh up my spirit, the terrors of God do set themselves in battle array against me. ver. 4. Insomuch, that at the 8.
IF those that feare God and obey him are exposed to such a condition as hath beene described:1 Then, Who is amōg you that feareth [not] the Lord, nor obeyes the voice of his servante? You that live in knowen sins, & in omissiō of known duties, which Gods servants your Ministers tell you, you ought to perform; that pray not withyour families, ⟨p. 2⟩who make not conscience of your speeches, nor 〈…〉 be thus scarcely saved; if they, whom God hath loved with a love as great & unchange able as himselfe, yet suffer his terrors here; what shall you d•e whom hee hath set himselfe to hate, and to shew the power of his wrath upon without repentance? If these things be done to the greene tree, 2what shall be done to the dry? which is fitted for wrath, and the fire,3 even as stubble fully dry, as the Prophet speaketh: If such an estate of darknesse and horrour befall them that are children of light, whose inheritance is light; 4then what is reserved for you that are darknesse, and love darknesse more then light? And if this befalls them for not stirring up the grace, which they already have; what to you that are utterly devoid of it? and not onely so, but despise and scoffe it. If this befalls them for not humbling themselves for old sinnes, though long since committed; what will be fall you for going on to adde new to the olde with greedinesse? If to them for neglecting the opportunities of drawing nigher to God; what to you for neglecting the offer of grace, and trampling under foot the blood of Christ? All you that thinke there is no hell; or if there be, that it is not so darke as it is usually painted, looke upon Heman ready to runne distracted through terrours, and to give up the ghost every moment, Psal. 88. when yet his body was strong, and outward estate whole: looke upon David lying upon the wheels, and the spirit of God breaking his bones, 5when as otherwise, hee being a King, had all outward things at will. Look upon holy Jo•, Chap. 6. Oh that my griefe ⟨p. 3⟩
- 1To those that fear not God, nor obey him. What darkness reserved for such!To those that feare not God, nor obey him. What darknesse reserved for such!
- 2Luke 23 31.
- 3Nahum 1. 10.
- 4Col. 1. 12.
- 5Psal. 51.
