A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

(1.) By neglecting the Offers of Grace. Such make God speak in vain, and to spend his best Arguments to no purpose. 2 Cor. 6.1. We then as workers together with him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain: By the Grace of God is there meant the Offers of Grace in the Gospel. Now we receive it in vain, when all the Wooings and Pleadings of Grace do not move us to bethink our selves, and look after our Salvation. It is a great Affront you put upon God, to despise him when he speaks in the still Voice. Look, as when David had sent a courteous Message to Nabal, and he returns a churlish Answer, it put him into a Fury, 1 Sam. 25.34. Surely there had not been left by the morning Light, any that pisseth against the Wall. So how angry will the Lord be against those that despise his Grace, and all the renewed Offers and Messages of Love, and prefer the Profits and Pleasures of the World before him. It may be you do not return a rough and churlish Answer, and are not Scorners and Opposers of the Word; but you slight God's sweetest Message, when he comes in the sweetest and mildest way. The Complaint in the Gospel was, Mat. 11.17. We have piped unto you, and you have not danced: It is not, we have thundered unto you, and you were not startled; but we have piped, and ye have not danced: Not to take notice of these sweet Allurements and Blandishments of Grace, that's very sad: Heb. 2.3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation? The greatness of the Benefit aggravates the Sin; it is great Salvation that is offered; there is an offer of Pardon and Eternal Life, but it worketh not if you neglect it. There is a sort of Men, that do not openly deny, reject or persecute the Gospel, but they receive it carelessly, and are no more moved with it, than with a story of golden Mountains, or Rubies or Diamonds fallen from Heaven in a Night-Dream. You make God spend his best Arguments in vain, if you neglect this Grace. Scourge Conscience till it ache; What will you do? How will you escape, if you neglect so great Salvation? God sets himself a work to gain the Heart, and ⟨p. 7⟩Grace hath laid open all its Treasures, as a Man in a Shop to draw in Custom; now it is grieved and wronged when it doth not meet with a Chapman. This is the Charge that is laid upon those,