10. And if your words were true, then it would follow that all Gods greatest Mercies are worth nothing, yea, that they are a hurt to us, and curses rather then blessings. What is the Gospel worth, if the reading, and preaching, and practising of it, do make the world worse, and only trouble men? What are all Gods Ordinances worth, if this be the fruit of them? And why hath he appointed Pastors and Teachers for his Church, if this be all the good they do? Nay what is Christ himself worth to the world, if those are the worst men that most obey him, and study his word, and diligently seek him! O unworthy souls! is this all your thanks to God for a Christ when you are lost by sin? and for the Gospel that offereth you everlasting life? and for the Ministry of your Pastors that would teach you the way of life? May we not take up the Prophets exclamation, Isa. 1. 2. Hear O heavens, and give ear O earth: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me: The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters crib: but this people doth not know the Lord, nor Consider.] Your beast doth not take his provender to be naught for him, and rather choose to be without it. And you are worse then beasts in your dealing with the ⟨p. 189⟩Lord: and when he hath provided you a Christ, a Gospel, Teachers, and holy Ordinances, even the preciousest things in the world, you unthankfully refuse them, yea and reproach them; and take them to be naught for you, and say that it is long of them that the world is so bad! O horrid ingratitude! when miserable souls are in the captivity of sin and Satan, and within a few steps of everlasting fire, the God of Mercy sends his Son, his Word, and Ministers, to help them out, and set them free, and save them from Hell before it be too late; and what entertainment have they! They are reviled by these wretches as if they came to make them worse, and do them a mischief, and not to save them! Righteous is the Lord that condemneth such as would not be saved, and as took salvation for an injury. And just were God, if he should take away the Gospel, and his Ministers and his people, from so unthankful and unworthy a generation as this that are weary of them, and say they are the troublers of the world, and think that they do them more hurt then Good; and as the Gadarenes by Christ, desire him to depart out of their coasts, Matth. 8. 34.
10. And if your words were true, then it would follow that all Gods greatest Mercies are worth nothing, yea, that they are a hurt to us, and curses rather then blessings. What is the Gospel worth, if the reading, and preaching, and practising of it, do make the world worse, and only trouble men? What are all Gods Ordinances worth, if this be the fruit of them? And why hath he appointed Pastors and Teachers for his Church, if this be all the good they do? Nay what is Christ himself worth to the world, if those are the worst men that most obey him, and study his word, and diligently seek him! O unworthy souls! is this all your thanks to God for a Christ when you are lost by sin? and for the Gospel that offereth you everlasting life? and for the Ministry of your Pastors that would teach you the way of life? May we not take up the Prophets exclamation, Isa. 1. 2. Hear O heavens, and give ear O earth: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me: The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters crib: but this people doth not know the Lord, nor Consider.] Your beast doth not take his provender to be naught for him, and rather choose to be without it. And you are worse then beasts in your dealing with the ⟨p. 189⟩Lord: and when he hath provided you a Christ, a Gospel, Teachers, and holy Ordinances, even the preciousest things in the world, you unthankfully refuse them, yea and reproach them; and take them to be naught for you, and say that it is long of them that the world is so bad! O horrid ingratitude! when miserable souls are in the captivity of sin and Satan, and within a few steps of everlasting fire, the God of Mercy sends his Son, his Word, and Ministers, to help them out, and set them free, and save them from Hell before it be too late; and what entertainment have they! They are reviled by these wretches as if they came to make them worse, and do them a mischief, and not to save them! Righteous is the Lord that condemneth such as would not be saved, and as took salvation for an injury. And just were God, if he should take away the Gospel, and his Ministers and his people, from so unthankful and unworthy a generation as this that are weary of them, and say they are the troublers of the world, and think that they do them more hurt then Good; and as the Gadarens by Christ, desire him to depart out of their coasts, Matth. 8. 34.
