Thirdly, So far as God hath revealed the fewness of the saved, we reverence his Counsels, and believe his word: But if you will make it so much less a number, while you falsify Gods word, you will tempt your selves at last, not to believe it, because you have made it false and incredible by making it your own. Brethren, I beseech you be not angry with us while we pity you, and would save your souls from your own snares and delusions. You know not how fast you are hastening ⟨p. 268⟩to infidelity, and to the renouncing of Christ himself? you little suspect that your extraordinary strictness, for the purity of the Church doth tend to your turning heathens, and denying the whole Church? But remember, that the nature of God is so infinitely Good, as well as Just, and the Gospel is such glad tidings to all the world, and Christ called, the Saviour of the world, and God is said so to love the world in giving him, Joh. 3. 16. that if you should say God would save but one man in the world, or ten, or a thousand, and damn all the rest, if you did in your bravado believe your selves this year, by the next you might be like enough to believe that the Gospel is but a fable. I have much ado to forbear naming some high Professors (known lately at Worcester, Exeter and other parts) who died Apostate-infidels, deriding Christianity and the immortality of the soul, who once were Separatists. And I must profess to you that for my own part, if I did believe that Christs Church were no more numerous than all the Separatists on earth, it would make the work of faith more difficult: For as he is no King that hath no Kingdom; so he is next to no King, whose Kingdom is next to none: He that would prove that our King is only King of •slington, or Hackney and no more, would by deriding him to day, prepare for the deposing him to morrow. They are glorious things that are spoken of the Kingdom of Christ; even that the Kingdoms of the world are become his Kingdoms. And if you will take from him all save two or three Cottages, I mean the separated Churches only, it is but a little addition to your treason to take the ⟨p. 269⟩rest, and to Crucify Christ afresh and write over him in derision, the title of a King. You do not discern the design of Satan.
Thirdly, So far as God hath revealed the fewness of the saved, we reverence his Counsels, and believe his word: But if you will make it so much less a number, while you falsifie Gods word, you will tempt your selves at last, not to b•lieve it, because you have made it false and incredible by making it your own. Brethren, I beseech you be not angry with us while we pity you, and would save your souls from your own snares and del•sions. You know not how fast you are hastening ⟨p. 268⟩to infidelity, and to the renouncing of Christ himself? you little suspect that your extraordinary strictness, for the purity of the Church doth tend to your turning heathens, and denying the whole Church? But remember, that the nature of God is so infiaitly Good, as well as Iust, and the Gospel is such glad tydings to all the world, and Christ called, the Saviour of the world, and God is said so to love the world in giving him, Joh. 3. 16. that if you should say God would save but one man in the world, or ten, or a thousand, and damn all the rest, if you did in your bravad• believe your selves this year, by the next you might be like enough to believe that the Gospel is but a fable. I have much adoe to forbear naming some high Professours (known lately at W•rcester, Exeter and other parts) who died Apostate-infidels, deriding Christianity and the immortality of the soul, who once were Separatists. And I must profess to you that for my own part, if I did believe that Christs Church were no more numerous than all the Separatists on earth, it would make the work of faith more difficult: For as he is no King that hath no Kingdom; so he is next to no King, whose Kingdom is next to none: He that would prove that our King is only King of •slington, or Hackney and no more, would by deriding him to day, prepare for the deposing him to morrow. They are glorious things that are spoken of the Kingdom of Christ; even that the Kingdoms of the world are become his Kingdoms. And if you will take from him all save two or three Cottages, I mean the separated Churches only, it is but a little addition to your treason to take the ⟨p. 269⟩rest, and to Crucifie Christ afresh and write over him in der•sion, the title of a King. You do not discern the design of Satan.
