Now then to conclude all; In as much as sin is by the Law made exceeding sinful, and death exceeding deadly, not to legal but evangelical purposes; not to drive men to blaspheme or despair, but to believe; not to frighten them from God, but to drive them unto him in his Son; (for the Law comes not but in the hand of a mediator▪) And in as much as this is the accepted time, and the day of Salvation, that now he commandeth All Men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a Day, in the which he will Judge the World in righteousness, whom he doth now invite, and beseech in mercy: We should therefore be wise for our selves, and being thus pursued and cast in the Court of Law, fly to that Heavenly Chancery, that Office of Mercy and mi•gation which is set up in the Gospel, and that while it is yet called to Day, before the Portcullis be shut down, before the black flag be hung out, before the Talent of Lead seal up the measure of our wickedness, and the Irreversible decree of wrath be gone forth; for we must know that God will not always be despised, nor suffer his Gospel to wait ever upon obdurate • ners, or his Son to stand ever at our doors, as if he stood in need of our admittance. But when there is no remedy, but that we judge our selves unworthy of Eternal Life, and stand in contempt and rebellion against his Court of Mercy, he will dismiss us to the Law again. O Consider, ⟨p. 271⟩what wilt thou do if thou shouldest be dragged naked to the Tribunal of Christ, and not be able with all thy cries to obtain so much mercy from any Mountain, as to live for ever under the weight and pressure of it! When thou shalt peep out of thy Grave, and see Heaven and Earth on fire about thine ears, and Christ coming in the flames of that fire to revenge on thee the quarrel of his Covenant! Whither then wilt thou fly from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne? Let us therefore learn to Judge our selves that we may not be condemned of the Lord, to fly to his Sanctuary, before we be haled to his tribunal; He requires no great thing of us, but only to relinquish our selves, and in humility and sincerity to accept of him and receive that redemption by believing in him, which he hath wrought by suffering for us;
Now then to conclude all; In as much as sinne is by the Law made exceeding sinfull, and death exceeding deadly, not to legall but evangelicall purposes; not to drive men to blaspheme or despaire, but to beleeve; not to frighten them from God, but to drive them unto him in his Sonne; (for the Law comes not but in the hand of a mediator▪) And in as much as this is the accepted time, and the day of Salvation, that now he commandeth All Men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a Day, in the which he will Iudge the World in righteousnesse, whom hee doth now invite, and beseech in mercy: We should therefore be wise for our selves, and being thus pursued and cast in the Court of Law, flie to that Heavenly Chancery, that Office of Mercie and mi•gation which is set up in the Gospell, and that while it is yet called to Day, before the Percullis bee shut downe, before the blacke flagge be hung out, before the Talent of Lead seale up the measure of our wickednesse, and the Irreversible decree of wrath be gone forth; for we must know that God will not alwayes bee despised, nor suffer his Gospell to waite ever upon obdurate • ners, or his Sonne to stand ever at our dores, as if he stood in need of our admittance. But when there is no remedy, but that we judge our selves unworthy of Eternall Life, and stand in contempt and rebellion against his Court of Mercie, he will dismisse us to the Law againe. O Consider, ⟨p. 271⟩what wilt thou doe if thou shouldest bee dragg'd naked to the Tribunall of Christ, and not bee able with all thy cries to obtaine so much mercie from any Mountaine, as to live for ever under the weight and pressure of it! When thou shalt peepe out of thy Grave, and see Heaven and Earth on fire about thine eares, and Christ comming in the flames of that fire to revenge on thee the quarrell of his Covenant! Whither then wilt thou fly from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne? Let us therefore learne to Iudge our selves that wee may not be condemned of the Lord, to fly to his Sanctuary, before wee be haled to his tribunall; Hee requires no great thing of us, but onely to relinquish our selues, and in humilitie and sincerity to accept of him and receive that redemption by beleeving in him, which hee hath wrought by suffering for us;
