An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

To open this, Consider.¹

1. 1What this salvation doth imply. 1. It is Negative.

First, What this Salvation doth imply; and therein is connoted the state and condition from which we are saved, that we were in danger of being lost in the contrary estate. Thus it is called a Salvation, because ⟨p. 243⟩a man by his sins was in danger of being eternally damned, and lost in soul and body for ever. Even as you see it was with Lot, when he was in Sodom, fire and brimstone was ready to consume the City; now God being merciful to him, he sendeth an Angel even to pull him out. Thus it is with every one that is saved, he was in a state deserving the brimstone and fire of hell, within a little time it would have been poured upon him; but God in much mercy pulleth him out; his neighbours (it may be) they are lost, some in the same family, some of his brethren or sisters, yea it may be his parents, they are lost in this fire, and he is delivered; this is to be saved. It may also be emphatically resembled by Noah's Ark, when the deluge overwhelmed the whole world, there were but eight persons put into the Ark, and saved from the waters. Think in what fear and agonies the rest were, how desirous to come into the Ark; and of all mankind there were but eight preserved. Thus those who shall be saved, are but very few in comparison of those who shall eternally perish. And at the day of judgment, what praying and crying will there be, Lord, Lord, open to us; but they shall be commanded to depart into everlasting fire. So that while we are here in this life, we cannot tell what it is to be saved; we know not how to put a due esteem and prize upon it: But at the day of judgement, when the world shall be on fire, when all shall stand trembling at the bar of Gods justice; then for you to hear God call such and such an one, Come into Heaven as an Ark, come and partake of eternal glory; but to thee God shall say, Go thou cursed. Oh the unspeakable horror and confusion that will then fall on thee! What worlds wouldst thou give then to be saved? What cries and agonies wilt thou then roar out for thy salvation, but it will be denied thee? Salvation will one day be in request, and accounted a blessed and happy thing, though now it be contemned by thee, and thou thinkest thy lusts will be better then salvation to thee. In what a pathetical manner doth our Saviour represent this?