But 2dly, If thou wouldest needs know, if thou do fall short of heaven, thou wilt find it this: namely, The everlasting Decree of God; that is, There is a Decree gone forth from God, That those who fall short of heaven in this world, God is resolved they shall never enjoy it in the world to come. And thou wilt find this gulf so deep, that thou shalt never be able to wade through it as long as eternity lasts. As Christ saith, Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him, lest he hale thee to the Judg, and the Judg deliver thee to the Officer, and thou be cast into Prison▪ I tell thee, thou shalt in no wise come out thence (there ⟨p. 81⟩is the gulf) the Decree; thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing, or very last mite, Luke 12. 58, 59. These words therefore, there is a great gulf fixed, I do understand to be the everlasting Decree of God: God hath Decreed, That those who go to Heaven, shall never go from thence again into a worse place; and also those that go to hell, and would come out, they shall not come out thence again. And friend, this is such a gulf, so fixed by him that cannot lye, that thou wilt find it so which way soever thou goest, whether it be to Heaven or Hell. Here therefore thou seest how secure God will make those who dye in the Faith; God will keep them in Heaven, but those that dye in their sins, God will throw them to Hell, and keep them there; so that they that would go from Heaven to Hell, cannot, neither can they come from Hell, that would go to Heaven. Mark, he doth not say, they would not; for oh how fain would these who have lost their souls for a lust, for two pence, for a jug of Ale, for a Strumpet, for this World; come out of that hot scolding fiery Furnace of Gods eternal vengeance, if they might; but here is their misery, they that would come from you to us, that is, from Hell to Heaven, cannot. They must not, they shall not, they cannot, God hath Decreed it, and is resolved the contrary, here therefore lies the misery not so much that they are in Hell, but ⟨p. 82⟩there they must lye for ever and ever. Therefore if thy heart would at any time tempt thee to fin against God, cry out, no, for then I must go to Hell, and lye there for ever. If the Drunkards, Swearers, Liars, and Hypocrites did but take this Doctrine soundly down, it would make them tremble when they think of sinning.
But 2dly, If thou wouldest needs know, if thou do fall short of heaven, thou wilt find it this: namely, The everlasting Decree of God; that is, There is a Decree gone forth from God, That those who fall short of heaven in this world, God is resolved they shall never enjoy it in the world to come. And thou wilt find this gulf so deep, that thou shalt never be able to wade through it as long as eternity lasts. As Christ saith, Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him, lest he hale thee to the Judg, and the Judg deliver thee to the Officer, and thou be cast into Prison▪ I tell thee, thou shalt in no wise come out thence (there ⟨p. 81⟩is the gulf) the Decree; thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing, or very last mite, Luke 12. 58, 59. These words therefore, there is a great gulf fixed, I do understand to be the everlasting Decree of God: God hath Decreed, That those who go to Heaven, shall never go from thence again into a worse place; and also those that go to hell, and would come out, they shall not come out thence again. And friend, this is such a gulf, so fixed by him that cannot lye, that thou wilt find it so which way soever thou goest, whether it be to Heaven or Hell. Here therefore thou seest how secure God will make those who dye in the Faith; God will keep them in Heaven, but those that dye in their sins, God will throw them to Hell, and keep them there; so that they that would go from Heaven to Hell, cannot, neither can they come from Hell, that would go to Heaven. Mark, he doth not say, they would not; for oh how fain would these who have lost their souls for a lust, for two pence, for a jug of Ale, for a Strumpet, for this World; come out of that hot scolding fiery Furnace of Gods eternal vengeance, if they might; but here is their misery, they that would come from you to us, that is, from Hell to Heaven, cannot. They must not, they shall not, they cannot, God hath Decreed it, and is resolved the contrary, here therefore lyes the misery not so much that they are in Hell, but ⟨p. 82⟩there they must lye for ever and ever. Therefore if thy heart would at any time tempt thee to fin against God, cry out, no, for then I must go to Hell, and lye there for ever. If the Drunkards, Swearers, Lyars, and Hypocrites did but take this Doctrine soundly down, it would make them tremble when they think of sinning.
