I Have chosen at this time to handle these Words among you, and that for several reasons, 1. Because the Soul, and the Salvation of it, are such great, such wonderful great things, nothing is a matter of that concern as is, and should be the Soul of each one of you. House and Land, Trades and Honours, Places and Preferments, What are they to Salvation? to the Salvation of the Soul? 2. Because I perceive that this, so great a thing, and about which Persons should be so much concerned, is neglected to amazement, and that by the most of ⟨p. 2⟩Men: Yea, who is there of the many thousand (that sit daily under the sound of the Gospel) that a• concerned, heartily concerned about the Salvation […] their Souls? that is concerned, I say, as the Natu•• of the thing requireth. If ever a Lamentation wa• fit to be taken up in this Age, about, for, or concerning any thing, it is about, for, and concerning th• horrid neglect, that every where puts forth it se• with reference to eternal Salvation. Where is on• Man of a thousand? yea, Where is there two of te• thousand that do show by their Conversations public and private, that the Soul, their own Souls, are considered by them, and that they are taking that car• •or the Salvation of them as becomes them, to wit• as the weight of the Work, and the Nature of Sa••vation requireth. 3. I have therefore pitched upon this Text at this time; to see, if peradventure th• Discourse which God shall help me to make upon it will […] •en you, rouse you off of your Beds of ease […] and pleasure, and fetch you down upon you• Knees before him, to beg of him Grace to be concerned about the Salvation of your Souls. And the in the last Place, I have taken upon me to do thi• that I may deliver, if not you, yet my self; and tha• I may be clear of your Blood, and stand quit, a• to you, before God, when you shall for neglect b• damned, and wail to consider that you have lost you Souls. When I say, saith God to the Wicked, th• […] surely dye: aand thou the Prophet or Preacher givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the Wicke• •om his wicked way to save his life. The same wicke• Man shall dye in his iniquity: but his blood will I require at thy hand. Yet if thou warn the Wicked, and he tur• not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way; […] ⟨p. 3⟩•all dye in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy •oul.
I Have chosen at this time to handle these Words among you, and that for several reasons, 1. Because the Soul, and the Salvation of it, are such great, such wonderful great things, nothing is a matter of that concern as is, and should be the Soul of each one of you. House and Land, Trades and Honors, Places and Preferments, What are they to Salvation? to the Salvation of the Soul? 2. Because I perceive that this, so great a thing, and about which Persons should be so much concerned, is neglected to amazement, and that by the most of ⟨p. 2⟩Men: Yea, who is there of the many thousand (that sit daily under the sound of the Gospel) that a• concerned, heartily concerned about the Salvation 〈…〉 their Souls? that is concerned, I say, as the Natu•• of the thing requireth. If ever a Lamentation wa• fit to be taken up in this Age, about, for, or con•cerning any thing, it is about, for, and concerning th• horrid neglect, that every where puts forth it se• with reference to eternal Salvation. Where is on• Man of a thousand? yea, Where is there two of te• thousand that do shew by their Conversations public• and private, that the Soul, their own Souls, are considered by them, and that they are taking that car• •or the Salvation of them as becomes them, to wit• as the weight of the Work, and the Nature of Sa••vation requireth. 3. I have therefore pitch'd upo• this Text at this time; to see, if peradventure th• Discourse which God shall help me to make upon it will 〈…〉 •en you, rouse you off of your Beds of ease 〈…〉 and pleasure, and fetch you down upon you• Knees before him, to beg of him Grace to be con•cerned about the Salvation of your Souls. And the in the last Place, I have taken upon me to do thi that I may deliver, if not you, yet my self; and tha I may be clear of your Blood, and stand quit, a to you, before God, when you shall for neglect b damned, and wail to consider that you have lost you Souls. When I say, saith God to the Wicked, th surely dye:
- aEzek. 3. 18, 19.
