A41649:139
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the…
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadful condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and persuading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to householders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshua's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadfull condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and perswading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to housholders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshuah's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.
London: printed for George Sawbridge, 1668
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Be not deceived, as I said before, so I must say it again, Grace is a necessary beginning of glory; As sin is death begun, and hell begun, so is grace the first fruits of life and glory. And as certain as it is, that he shall never find an hell hereafter, who is purged from his sins here; so undoubtedly certain is it, that he shall never come into the divine presence hereafter, who is not here made partaker of the divine nature; he shall never enter into the Kingdom of glory, who is not first born into the Kingdom of grace. Be a convert in this World, or thou wilt be a reprobate in the other World. Thou mayest as well expect a birth where there hath been nothing formed in the Womb; a Noon-tide where there hath been no dawning, as ever look to see the day-light of glory, who hast never known the morning of grace.
Reas. 4. From that corruption of mans Nature in which he is brought into the World. For our first Parents having by their fall defaced that image of God in which they were at first created, and being thereupon corrupted and polluted, in every power of their soul, and part of their body; all that come from them are in like manner corrupted and polluted, an unclean offspring from unclean progenitors.1 For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one, as Job speaketh. And saith our Saviour, That which is born of the flesh is flesh;2 that is, Every one that is born of man, every mothers Child is carnal and corrupt: every man by his first birth is polluted and unclean: Now no unclean person can enter into Gods Kingdom. 3Believe it Sinner, God will never take thee from the dunghill reeking in thy Lusts, and set thee down by him in the Throne. The holy land was never intended for a Sepulchre, to bury the dead in, to be filled with filth and rottenness, it's no den for Dragons, nor nest for Serpents and Vipers, ⟨p. 26⟩