Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

(3.) The neglect of Salvation, will aggravate Sin and the Judgment ⟨p. 351⟩of Men. This is the Condemnation, ¹that Light is come into the World, and Men love Darkness rather than Light. The higher the Disobedience, the lower the Damnation will be of Sinners. The Heathens in their Race of ignorant Rebellion are not so guilty, nor liable to so heavy a Sentence as those who disobey the Gospel. The Israelites had so abused the Mercies of God to his Dishonour, there were no such Rebels on Earth; the Prophet was fain to descend to Hell for a Comparison to equal their Wickedness: Hear the Word of the Lord, ye Rulers of Sodom; Give Ear unto the Law ²of our God, ye People of Gomorrah. But those who turn the Grace of God into an occasion of their sinful Security, are not to be paralleled in Hell. The Devils rebel against the Creator, against his Authority and Laws, but Men rebel against their Sovereign and Saviour, and 'tis ⟨p. 352⟩admirable Grace. The Son of God interposed as Mediator to make God reconcilable to the World: But he did not assume the Nature of ³Angels, he took no hold of them, nor can they take hold of him. The Golden Sceptre was never extended to them: Justice was strict and severe; for the first Sin they were presently expelled from the Habitation of Glory, and their Doom is irrevocable. But Men are within the Reserves of Mercy; God spares them in order to Pardon, and renews his compassionate Calls to them to forsake their Sins, and live: by his Word and wonderful Patience he invites them to Repentance, and by Repentance to his Favour, and to Happiness. Now what a violent Provocation is the Contempt of such Mercy? The Furnace of Hell is heated seven times more for the Despisers of the Gospel. How will the remembrance of their ⟨p. 353⟩Folly rack their torn Minds? The fiercest Furies cannot so torment them as their self-condemning Consciences.