And here I think it not unseasonable to inform you of the reason why the most able faithful Ministers of Christ do search so deep, and speak so hardly of the case of unrenewed souls, as much displeaseth many of their hearers, and makes them say, they are too severe and terrible preachers: The zealous Antinomian saith, they are Legalists; and the profane Antinomian saith, they rail, and preach not mercy, but judgement only, and would drive men to despair, and make them mad. But will they tell God he is a Legalist for making the Law, even the Gospel Law as well as the Law of Nature, and commanding us to preach it to the world? Shall they escape the Sentence by reproaching the Law-maker? Will not God judge the world? and judge them by a Law? and will he not be just and beyond the reach of their reproach? O sinner, this is not the smallest part of thy terror, that it is the Gospel that speaks this terror to thee, and excludes thee from salvation unless thou be made new: It is mercy it self that thus condemneth thee, and judgeth thee to endless misery. You are mistaken Sirs, when you say we preach not Mercy, and say ⟨p. 232⟩we preach not the Gospel, but the Law: It is the Gospel that saith, Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven! and that if any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, John 3.3, 5. Rom. 8.9. The same Gospel that saith, He that believeth shall be saved, saith also, that He that believeth not shall be damned, Mark 16.16. Will you tell Christ, the Saviour of the world, that he is not merciful, because he talks to you of Damnation? Mercy it self when it tells you that There is no condemnation, doth limit this pardon to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,] Rom. 8.1. It is sanctifying Mercy that must save you, if ever you be saved, as well as Justifying Mercy. And will you refuse this Mercy, and by no entreaty yield to have it, and yet think to be saved by it? What saved by that Mercy which you will not have? And will you say, We preach not Mercy, because we tell you, that Mercy will not save you, if you continue to reject it? To be saved by Mercy without Sanctification, is to be saved and not saved: to be saved by Mercy without Mercy: Your words have no better sense then this:
ANd here I think it not unseasonable to inform you of the reason why the most able faithfull Ministers of Christ do search so deep, and speak so hardly of the case of unrenewed souls, as much displeaseth many of their hearers, and makes them say, they are too severe and terrible preachers: The zealous Antinomian saith, they are Legalists; and the prophane Antimonian saith, they rail, and preach not mercy, but judgement only, and would drive men to despair, and make them mad. But will they tell God he is a Legalist for making the Law, even the Gospel Law as well as the Law of Nature, and commanding us to preach it to the world? Shall they escape the Sentence by reproaching the Law-maker? Will not God judge the world? and judge them by a Law? and will he not be just and beyond the reach of their reproach? O sinner, this is not the smallest part of thy terror, that it is the Gospel that speaks this terror to thee, and excludes thee from salvation unless thou be made new: It is mercy it self that thus condemneth thee, and judgeth thee to endless misery. You are mistaken Sirs, when you say we preach not Mercy, and say ⟨p. 232⟩we preach not the Gospel, but the Law: It is the Gospel that saith, Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven! and that if any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, John 3.3, 5. Rom. 8.9. The same Gospel that saith, He that believeth shall be saved, saith also, that He that believeth not shall be damned, Mark 16.16. Will you tell Christ, the Saviour of the world, that he is not mercifull, because he talks to you of Damnation? Mercy it self when it tells you that There is no condemnation, doth limit this pardon to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,] Rom. 8.1. It is sanctifying Mercy that must save you, if ever you be saved, as well as Justifying Mercy. And will you refuse this Mercy, and by no entreaty yield to have it, and yet think to be saved by it? What saved by that Mercy which you will not have? And will you say, We preach not Mercy, because we tell you, that Mercy will not save you, if you continue to reject it? To be saved by Mercy without Sanctification, is to be saved and not saved: to be saved by Mercy without Mercy: Your words have no better sense then this:
