A27062:78
Two treatises tending to awaken secure sinners viz., 1. The terror of the day…
Two treatises tending to awaken secure sinners viz., 1. The terror of the day of judgment, from 2 Cor. 5. 10, 2. The danger of slighting Christ and his Gospel, from Matth. 22. 5 / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Jonas Luntley, 1696
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Whether it be particularly enquired after, or only taken for granted that Men are Sinners, and have deserved Death according to the Law of Works, and that Christ hath satisfied by his Death, is all one as to the matter in hand, seeing God's Enquiry is but the Discovery and Conviction of us. But the last Question which must decide the Controversy will be, whether we have performed the Condition of the Gospel?
I have the rather also said all this, to show you in what sense these Words are taken in the Text, that every Man shall be judged according to what he hath done in the Flesh, whether it be good or bad. Though every Man be judged worthy of Death for sinning, yet every Man shall not be judged to die for it, and no Man shall be judged worthy of Life for his good Works: It is therefore according to the Gospel, as the Rule of Judgment, that this is meant. They that have repented and believed, and returned to true, though imperfect Obedience, shall be judged to everlasting ⟨p. 17⟩Life, according to these Works; not because these Works deserve it, but because the free Gift in the Gospel through the Blood of Christ, doth make these things the Condition of our possessing it. They that have lived and died Impenitent, Unbelievers and Rebels against Christ, shall be judged to everlasting Punishment, because they have deserved it both by their Sin in general against the the Law, and by these Sins in special against the Gospel. This is called the Merit of the Cause, that is, what is a Man's Due according to the true meaning of the Law, though the Due may be by free Gift. And thus you see what will be the Cause of the Day, and the Matter to be enquired after and decided as to our Life or Death.
I have the rather also said all this, to shew you in what sense these Words are taken in the Text, that every Man shall be judged according to what he hath done in the Flesh, whether it be good or bad. Though every Man be judged worthy of Death for sinning, yet every Man shall not be judged to die for it, and no Man shall be judged worthy of Life for his good Works: It is therefore according to the Gospel, as the Rule of Judgment, that this is meant. They that have repented and believed, and returned to true, though imperfect Obedience, shall be judged to everlasting