And that there is no hope for the Drunkard, the Swearer, the Liar, the Usurer, the unclean person, the Sabbath-breaker, the Sacrilegious, ⟨image 6⟩Simoniacal, and sinners of such infamous rank; but a fearful looking for of judgement, and, without repentance and forsaking their sins, an eternal separation both from all possibility of grace and sound comfort in this life, and from the fruition of the joys and blessedness of heaven hereafter. I therefore endeavour and desire to come nearer and closer to mens consciences, and to tell them, that out of a conceit of their moral honesty, and outward religiousness, they may persuade themselves that they are rich and increased in spiritual store, and have need of no more for the attainment of heaven; when in deed and truth, as concerning the power of saving grace, and sincere exercise of religion, they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked. In these luke-warm times, many there are, who with the fruits of a temporary faith, and some light of the general graces of the Spirit, make a fair show, and win good reputation for their spiritual state, both with their own hearts, and with the world abroad, when to the eye of heavenly wisdom, ⟨image 6⟩and in truth, they are but only Blazing-stars, and earthly minded, not fixed in the same firmament with the Sun of righteousness, nor of an heavenly stamp. And if they rise not higher in their affections and conversation from earth and earthly vanities, when their rootless graces shall be withered and wasted away, their fall will be sudden and fearful; and their former vanishing flashes of vain hope for future happiness, will be turned into horror and extremest miseries of despair. Most behooffull then is it for every man, in time, to search and examine himself whether Christ Jesus be in him or no. And it is one of the worthiest and noblest employment of the soul, to reflect upon it self, and with an undazzled and undissembling eye thoroughly to try and descry clearly it own state, whether it be already washed with the blood of Christ, and enlived with a supernatural vigour and life of grace; or yet lie polluted in it own blood, and under the power of the first death. I wonder how any man can be at rest and quiet, until he be assured and secured in this ⟨image 7⟩point, sith upon it depends his everlasting estate in another world.
And that there is no hope for the Drunkard, the Swearer, the Lier, the Vsurer, the vncleane person, the Sabbath-breaker, the Sacrilegious, ⟨image 6⟩Simoniacall, and sinners of such infamous ranke; but a fearefull looking for of iudgement, and, without repentance and forsaking their sinnes, an eternall separation both from al possibilitie of grace and sound comfort in this life, and from the fruition of the ioyes and blessednes of heauen hereafter. I therefore endeuour and desire to come neerer and closer to mens consciences, and to tell them, that out of a conceit of their morall honestie, and outward religiousnes, they may perswade themselues that they are rich and encreased in spirituall store, and haue need of no more for the attainment of heauen; when in deed and truth, as concerning the power of sauing grace, and sincere exercise of religion, they are wretched, and miserable, and poore, and blind and naked. In these luke-warme times, many there are, who with the fruites of a temporarie faith, and some light of the generall graces of the Spirit, make a faire shew, and win good reputation for their spirituall state, both with their owne hearts, and with the world abroad, when to the eie of heauenly wisdom, ⟨image 6⟩and in truth, they are but only Blazing-stars, and earthly minded, not fixed in the same firmament with the Sunne of righteousnes, nor of an heauenly stampe. And if they rise not higher in their affections and conuersation from earth and earthly vanities, when their rootlesse graces shall be withered and wasted away, their fall will bee sudden and fearfull; and their former vanishing flashes of vaine hope for future happinesse, will be turned into horror and extremest miseries of despaire. Most behooffull then is it for euery man, in time, to search and examine himselfe whether Christ Iesus be in him or no. And it is one of the worthiest and noblest imployment of the soule, to reflect vpon it selfe, and with an vndazeled and vndissembling eye thorowly to trie and descrie cleerely it owne state, whether it be already washed with the blood of Christ, and enliued with a supernaturall vigour and life of grace; or yet lie polluted in it owne blood, and vnder the power of the first death. I wonder how any man can bee at rest and quiet, vntill he be assured and secur'd in this ⟨image 7⟩point, sith vpon it depends his euerlasting estate in another world.
